Event Post: Ghosts That We Know

[hadrielmods]

Who: All characters participating in the event
What: The event log for the Ghosts That We Know event
Where: All over the city!
When: June 21st-29th
Warnings: Emotional trauma, ghost murder, long slow deaths

It's been awhile since something really awful happened. Or maybe it hasn't - maybe you had a really awful day just yesterday. Don't worry! Things can always get worse. And they sure will, because when you awaken on June 21st, you'll find yourself haunted.

Maybe it's a relative, someone who raised you and loved you deeply. Maybe it's a friend, someone close to your heart. Maybe it's a former - or current - lover, someone you've given your affection to. Maybe a mentor, a coworker, a person who doesn't even know you love them. Whoever they are, they're someone who matters very much to you - and now you're seeing them where you shouldn't. They're haunting you, taking each step alongside you, and they're exactly like the one you love.

Over time, you'll feel yourself growing weaker as the ghost gains strength. Being able to see your loved ones again is a double-edged sword, because they're sucking the life from you. What are you going to do? Die, so that they can live? Or kill them to preserve your own life? And what do they want you to do?

By the 26th, the ghosts will have taken enough energy from you to be solid. That means you won't be the only one who can interact with them anymore - and maybe your friends here have opinions of their own about what should happen to that ghost draining your life away. But hopefully someone will do something, or else you'll die along with your ghost on the final day of the event.

Hey, didn't we get a few psychologists here in our cave city? Man, you guys are gonna be booked up after this one.

► This log covers June 21st-29th.
► Feel free to make your own logs, as well
► Please tag headers of threads with content warnings where they apply
► Please put your character's name and open/closed in the subject line of your starters!
► If you can't bring yourself to murder someone you love, no one else is around to lend a hand, and you die - please let us know here.

Comments

Fingon | OTA

[utulien_aure]

June 21st

How long has it been? [In a corner of the speakeasy, Fingon takes a long drink of alcohol before looking up at his ghostly brother]

Thirty nine years-nearly to the day, the attack came at Midsummer. [Turgon admits heavily, running a hand through his long, dark hair.] I've missed you and the others so much...I just.... I couldn't leave Gondolin. Not even if it killed me.

[There's a sickening plunge in Fingon's stomach. It hasn't even been a year since his own death, and to hear of his last brother's own demise...] You still had Itarille, and she had a family. [Fingon looks up at his brother in bewilderment.] Why didn't you go with them?

[Fingon doesn't remember his brother as a drinker, but at that moment Turgon looks like he could really use one.] After the Nirnaeth...you don't understand, Findekano. You didn't live it. It felt like all the darkness of the world was closing in around us. Sometimes it seemed like there was only one choice left: the choice of where you were willing to die.


June 23-24th

[In life, High King Fingolfin- the proudest, most valiant, and most steadfast of the late King Finwe's sons- had filled rooms with his great presence like a star come amongst the Noldor. He had been a great king, the people agreed, the best they could have asked for, and his end was mighty even for such a one as he. For had he not challenged the Black Foe of the World himself to single combat, managing to wound one of the makers of the world seven times before he died?

The elf who follows Fingon now is not quite the proud king or the rage-maddened warrior, but the exhausted, sorrowing man Fingon had only caught glimpses of on the longest nights of their war. And Fingon, for years Fingolfin's most constant companion and right hand, has no idea what to say the father he has so greatly missed.

And wept for. And been furious at for running off and dying on him.]

Findekano, you have been trying to ignore me for days now. [The spirit quietly remarks.] You know better than to think that will work.

[By now they've been through this enough; Fingon snaps, and whirls around to face his father.] Why? You left me first, Atar. You didn't even say goodbye!

[And the face which Fingon has always loved and trusted breaks, and there are tears in Fingolfin's eyes to match his own.]

Findekano, I'm so sorry for leaving you. All that death...our people, your cousins....I reached my breaking point that day. I could not have been the king our people needed after that, and it was either charge or linger as a husk when our people needed strength.

I left you a thankless burden, I know. But...child, forgive me. But if I had seen you again, I could never have left.

[Fingon can't feel the embrace his father tries to give.] I didn't have the strength, Atar. I failed you. I failed....

No, love. It wasn't strength you lacked.

And I have always been proud of you.

June 27th

[Father and Turgon begged off from a visit to the caves with rueful looks in their eyes, but the chase calls to Fingon's little sister like swimming does to a fish. Aredhel's a whirl of dark hair and white hunting leathers at his side, and the siblings laugh and joke as they have for a thousand hunts before this.

Though on those long-ago outings Fingon is fairly sure that he wasn't quite so tired...]

Finno... [As one particular arrow goes badly awry, Aredhel turns to face him-all enjoyment gone, her face as pale as her clothing.] Shit. That's the third shot you've missed today.

What, no gloating? [Fingon shakes his head, clearing the cobwebs from his mind] The great huntress reigns undefeated, and she won't even rub it in her big brot-ah, 'Risse! [Aredhel's skill with her own bow is famous, but frankly her elbows are more dangerous.] What was that for?

[The look his sister gives him is grim and guilty] You asked earlier why Atar and Turno didn't want to leave today... the truth is they were hoping you'd stay behind if they did. You've been getting weaker the longer we've been here, Finno- haven't you noticed?

Wild Card

[Anything goes]

June 27

[so_dark_a_road]

[ Curufin is on his Guard shift, still working no matter how tired he is -- and frankly, with Finrod for company for the last week, he's becoming pretty exhausted. He's also fairly sure of the cause, as is his cousin, though they don't speak of this. But at the moment, Finrod is not with him -- he went off on some mission of his own, saying he'd be back in time for dinner.

Curufin takes this opportunity, now that his full attention is on his work, to make a sweep of the various cave entrances all around the city. It's a good way to rescue people who have strayed too close to the tunnels and have been attacked. (Or to find and report their remains.) As he comes close to one of his favorite cave sites, he hears laughter and conversation and the singing of an arrow just before it smacks into rock instead of into some tunnel critter. He recognizes Fingon's voice, and. . . ??? ]

Aredhel? Is that you???

June 27

[utulien_aure]

[We'll talk later, Aredhel mouths at her brother, then calls out a response.] Curvo? Over here! Where have you been, Turno's been turning purple since he heard you were here!

That's what you wanted to tell him? [Fingon asks] I think he could have figured that out himself. And it's not as though Turno took hearing about Maitimo much better.

Oh, fine Aredhel snorts, and turns to grin at Curufin as he arrives. It's good to actually see you this time, Curvo.

[so_dark_a_road]

[ Curufin arrives practically at a dead run. ] Irissë, I've missed you! [ It's a cry from the heart. He remembers well those days when she and he and Celegorm, and often Caranthir, and sometimes the others as well, used to hunt and fish and generally ramble or ride around the countryside and have a merry time. But then. . . well, he had made some bad decisions. ]

Turukáno is here, too? [ Lovely! Oh, this is going to be a fun week.^^ ]

[ He gives Fingon a wry smile. ] No, I suppose he would not be pleased to find he's sharing the same cave-city with us.

[ But he returns Aredhel's grin. ] Yes, I think we've been playing a cosmic game of phone tag for the last 600 years.

[utulien_aure]

Curvo! [Grinning the same fierce smile she'd had in childhood, Aredhel pulls him into a hug. There are more bad decisions than just Curufin's in their pasts now, but her delight in seeing him is real.]

Do you know how damn tight-lipped your steward was about your whereabouts? It was all, 'be patient, my lady,' and 'they will be back in due time, my lady,' and if he wouldn't give me directions at least he could have estimated a time to expect you two.

He's here [Fingon confirms, rolling his eyes] As is Father. Congratulations, Curufin, you're hosting a family reunion.

It does, doesn't it? I'd have won, of course, but [And for one moment her face darkens and she shrugs] Things always seem to get in the way.

[so_dark_a_road]

[ Curufin envelops her in his arms, delighted not only to see her but to find she hasn't forgotten the good days, and is willing to forgive the bad ones. This is more than he deserves, and is there ever a gift so great as one that is not deserved? ]

Yes, I'm afraid he was a bit of an "exceed your duty and please the master" sort, even though we didn't demand that of him. But it was our fault for not being more specific. [ Softly ] And for not coming back sooner.

[ Curufin smiles his grim little smile, though not this time in hostility. More in apprehension. ] It seems so!

Findaráto's here, too. He'll be back in a while; we'll meet him at the house. [ Turgon will at least be glad to see him. ]

Of course you'd have won! Didn't you always win? [ His own face softens even more than it has already, and he kisses the top of Aredhel's head. ] "Things" did. I'm sorry, my dear cousin. [ For all the terrible decisions he made or went along with in the name of the Oath or of Fëanorian unity. ]