interfaith dinner mingle!!

[stefanged]

Who: Interfaith Center regulars & the not-so-regulars (party crashers are welcome too!!)
Broadcast: Nope
Action: Interfaith Center on the Iskaulit
When: Forward-dated to November 4th

[The Interfaith Center sounds far more bustling and busy than usual - and anyone peering inside would quickly figure out that a communal dinner is underway! Take off your shoes and walk in: the lounge has extra tablecloths on the floor as well as buffet tables with non-alcoholic beverages and all sorts of food, including Jordanian cuisine (or the outer space equivalent of Jordanian food).

The board games are out of their hiding nooks; the furniture's arranged for the maximum seating possible; and even the teddy bears donated by Kitty & Winn are out for cuddling, should anyone want them.

The kitchen's bustling with helpers - Stefan's running around at vamp-speed to make sure everything's a) done on time and b) cooked to perfection - but he sure wouldn't mind an extra hand. And if you're still not up for some food? Well, the prayer rooms are open as usual. There's always a quiet moment to be found, even if the laughter's louder and the scent of freshly-baked mansaf's wafting through the long corridors.

Anyone and everyone who's ever been inside the Interfaith Center has been invited (via text message - and Stefan even used the fancy emoji). If you're not particularly faithful or devout? Well, drop by anyways. There's more than enough food to spare.]

Comments

[bythewaves]

Aye - there were seven of us, all told. [ Maglor smiles wryly ] Which is an unusually large size, for most of our folk, who tend to smaller families - four or five, which is most of my cousins, is considered large, and most have only one or two.

[nerdeology]

I imagine it would get crowded very quickly if there were a lot of large families, when your people are so long-lived.

[bythewaves]

[ Maglor chuckles softly ]

Aye, true enough. But small families are a physical necessity for us as well, for much of the parents' fear - soul, I suppose - goes into a child, both in it's conception and rearing. For the mother, especially, it can be very wearying.

[nerdeology]

I... what? Are you serious?

[That sounds dangerous. He can't mean that literally.]

[bythewaves]

Aye. [ Maglor's smile is wry ] My family is a ... particular reminder of the possible dangers, although father was ... always something of an exception. But I never knew my father's mother, for she died in the bearing of him.

It is why we seldom have children in times of war - the risk to a single parent, is, of course, much higher, and the child is reliant on parents for a while, so if both die...

[nerdeology]

I see... that sounds frightening. The desire to have a child must be a powerful thing, if it's worth that kind of risk.

[bythewaves]

Not really - grandmother was, so far as I know, the first and only - I did mention father was... often an exception. For us, it is a known and expected part of life and children are dearly cherished. If both parents are slain when the child is young, that child need never go without, for most will happily foster them.

[nerdeology]

Well, I meant- not just because of war, but to give up a part of yourself to birth another... I've never heard of anything like that. There are sacrifices, sure, but those tend to be between people who already know each other.

Why was your father an exception?

[bythewaves]

Ahhh I see. Aye, I suppose it would be a little strange!

Father... well. They say he was both the best and the worst of us, and it would be accurate. Even from very young it was clear that he was... brilliant. A bright flame that outshone all around him. He was outstripping his tutors early, forever restless. He invented the letters we use now, codified the tongue of my birth from what it was before. He was an inventor, and innovator, a loremaster of the highest repute.

But he was also angry, bitter, scarred by his mother's death, and my grandfather's supposed betrayal, by marrying another. He had a temper like a wildfire, that might erupt at the slightest spark, and be extinguished just as soon, and a love that was equally tempestuous.

And folk say, even now, that his mother gave, or perhaps he demanded, too much of herself, and that was why she died. You can imagine what saying such a thing to a child might do.

[nerdeology]

I can, yeah. That's too cruel.

[It reminds him a little of how Gramps used to berate humans right in front of Sorey. But even then, the comparison isn't great- at least, with Sorey, the target was his species, not himself.]

Why would they say something like that?

[bythewaves]

I do not know. [ Maglor shrugs ]

Jealousy, perhaps, or ... I do not know. Perhaps they did not realise that he could hear. Either way, it is too late to change, now. Father created things of wonder and beauty, but he spwaned also the Oath that destroyed my family and dragged out people to ruin and disgrace.

[nerdeology]

It's unfortunate, but... that's how things too often end up. Cruelty can act as a catalyst and bring about further calamity, and anyone caught in its path can get hurt.

[He's certainly witnessed it enough.]

[bythewaves]

Aye. Although with Father's temper... I do not know. Perhaps we would always have gone down this road. But it does not do to dwell on might-have-beens, I guess.

But we have strayed onto dark paths again, eh? My apologies.

[nerdeology]

It's alright. I feel like lately that's become almost inevitable. ...Anyway, I did ask.

[He'd be grateful for a subject switch, though.]

Are you new to the center, or do you visit often?

[bythewaves]

You did, I suppose! And my history is... not a pleasant one.

[ Maglor agrees and smoothly switches gears ]

No - in truth, I did not know that such a place existed! It is a kindly thought though, and I am glad to see it. What of yourself?

[nerdeology]

I help out sometimes, though not to any great degree.

[He points out the small carved shrine tucked away in the corner.]

That's a seraphim shrine. Sorey built it a while ago, and I did some work on it as well, but it felt a little self-serving so I let him handle the upkeep.

[bythewaves]

[ Maglor looks over, curiously ]

Ah I see it. Does it help your health, to have it?

[nerdeology]

Not at all, actually. A seraph's health is tied to the vessel they choose for themselves- if it's pure and properly worshipped, they thrive, and so does the land around them. My vessel is Sorey himself.

[He flips a puzzle piece idly between his fingers, trying to find the edge where it belongs.]

There's no seraph officially tied to it, but Sorey still prays there all the time. It would be weird to get worshipped by him, so I could never use it for myself.

[bythewaves]

Hm. [ Maglor hums thoughtfully ]

That is risky for both you and Sorey, I imagine. There is no other alternative?

[nerdeology]

[Mikleo frowns tightly; yeah, that much is pretty obvious, and he can't deny the truth of it. Even so, and even after what happened to them, he can't not defend Sorey. It goes against the core of who he is.]

We've made mistakes, but we know what we did wrong, and we learned from it. There's no person or vessel that I'd trust more with my safety.

[bythewaves]

[ Maglor looks at him searchingly and then nods, accepting ]

Only be careful, both of you. [ he murmurs ]

And if you need help, you need but ask. I would not loose either of you, if possible.

[nerdeology]

I can't blame you for feeling concerned. We gave everyone good reason to worry.

[Not only for their sake, of course. Lots of people were hurt in the wake of the chaos they'd caused. Even those who don't know them would have cause to be wary of them holding on to this power.]

I think, more than anything, giving up would be worse for both of us. This is part of who we are, now. To deny oneself is to welcome corruption.

[bythewaves]

[ he nods, accepting ]

That is true. I just dislike seeing you so unhappy.

[nerdeology]

It's not as if we enjoy it, ourselves.

[Sometimes it's all he can do not to drown in it.]

We'll need time. We've never experienced anything like this before. And grief is... it's very new to us.

[bythewaves]

No. [ Maglor agrees gently ]

I cannot imagine that you would. Grief is always new, even to those who have known it before - it comes in many guises. But it is easier borne with company - I am glad the two of you have each other.