Video 01

[killedwithlove]

Who: Cole and anyone
Broadcast: Fleet-wide
Action: Marvisa
When: Now until the next shuffle?

[Cole doesn't usually sleep, so waking up is very unfamiliar. He doesn't usually feel the cold or heat much, so the deep coldness in his bones is alien.

He jerks upright with a gasp, hands scrabbling at the back of his neck and then he vanishes in a puff of black-green smoke and reappears in the corner of the room, pressing himself back into it, staring around with wide eyes.]

Whispering, watchful, wakeful, wondering, where?

[He then spends a while patting things around him like the floor and wall, whispering under his breath.

In all honesty, he'll stay in that room until someone convinces him to leave and go elsewhere. It's not like he has to leave for any reason.]

Comments

[killedwithlove]

Am I poetic?

[He tugs his hat down firmly, then starts playing with the fraying edges of his fingerless gloves]

I'm alone.

[faithfulwisdom]

You certainly seem to be. [But in response to Cole's next statement, Finrod's voice changes- softens, like he's comforting one of his younger siblings.]

No. Even if there are no others on the Marvisa, you are not alone. You have found a way to speak to us, have you not? And you should explore more of the ship before you give up hope of company there.

[killedwithlove]

No. There's no one here. I'd hear them. I'm by myself. I don't like being by myself. When I was by myself before, I forgot who I was, I was a monster, I don't want to become a monster again.

[He looks a little scared.]

[faithfulwisdom]

In my experience, monsters are not typically concerned about becoming monsters. [A thin little smile]

But if you are worried- I will help you remember, if you will let me. What is your name? [He doesn't know much of what to do beyond conversation. Keep the young man talking, keep his mind from his troubles long enough to get him at least somewhat at ease.]

[killedwithlove]

I'm not a monster now. But I was. And I could be again. People have promised to stop me if I become that again.

[He keeps plucking.]

Cole. They call me Cole.

[faithfulwisdom]

[His mind drifts back to the First Kinslaying. To the carnage that his own kin had committed.] We all could be. It is safer to be aware of it, I think.

I am glad to meet you, Cole. I am called Finrod.

[killedwithlove]

Finrod.

[It's almost a Thedan name, but not quite.]

Where are you from?

[faithfulwisdom]

[It's a more difficult question to answer than it should be. Tirion is where he is from. But he was exiled from Valinor and he hasn't been there in centuries. So the only answer to give is the home he made, not the one he was born to.]

I am [Or was. He supposes death passes on the title] the Lord of Nargothrond. [A pause. It's still strange to have to add the name of his 'world,' but he's been here long enough to know it is necessary.] It is in Middle Earth- in Arda, my people would say.

[killedwithlove]

[Cole gives no hint of recognition from the words. They mean nothing to him, but he knows that lord means in charge of something.]

Arda. My world is called Thedas. But I come from the Fade.

[faithfulwisdom]

‘Thedas’ I have heard of- there are many from your world here. But ‘the Fade’ is new to me. What sort of place is it?

[killedwithlove]

It's the Fade. It's where spirits are. And dreams are. And magic comes from.

[faithfulwisdom]

Are you a spirit, then? ['Spirit' is an interesting concept for him. The closest he can come is the Valar and Maiar- and they often take on physical forms when dealing with the elves.]

[killedwithlove]

Yes. Mostly. I have a body now. It's all mine, no one else ever had it.

[This is apparently a very important point.]

[faithfulwisdom]

Naturally. One does not usually hear of second-hand bodies. [Why this should be such an important point has rather escaped him.]

[killedwithlove]

Most spirits live in other people's bodies. Mortals call them abominations, spirits in mortal bodies. Usually they destroy the person that was in there first.

[faithfulwisdom]

[Well. That sure is information. Finrod does a double take.]

I have never before heard of such a thing.

[killedwithlove]

... really?

[The idea of not knowing about abominations is strange.]

[faithfulwisdom]

Truly. The Valar and Maiar might be termed 'spirits,' I suppose; they do not naturally have physical forms of their own. But their powers are such that they may take them on, if they wish, without causing harm to any other.

[killedwithlove]

[Cole doesn't know what either of those things is. They're not spirits. Spirits don't have names like that.]

It might be similar. I don't know. I'm sorry.

[faithfulwisdom]

You needn't be; you have no more reason to know of my world than I have to know of yours.

[killedwithlove]

[Cole hums and shifts.]

I would sooner apologise when I don't need to than not apologise when I should.

[faithfulwisdom]

A sound policy, if one that is unfortunately rare, in my experience.

[killedwithlove]

People think an apology is a weakness. It's not. It's Compassion.