Event Log: A Hope for the Future

[hadrielmods]

Who: All characters participating in the event
What: The event log for the A Hope for the Future event
Where: All over the city!
When: April 15th-April 19th
Warnings: Stealth Rock

It's finally time to reap the rewards you've earned from all that hard work collecting and returning the Hope orbs! Be careful walking the streets during the small earthquakes, but feel free to admire the scenery as your beautiful city reassembles its way back into its former glory.

There are new houses where the destroyed buildings once were, and they're perfect for a single person or pair of lovebirds. In addition, you'll find that the electricity to these new houses, and all other homes and shops in the city is restored. The food is better, the monsters are gone- hey, this city might be livable again!

To cap it all off, we've got a feast waiting for you on the 19th! Come one, come all, and enjoy all of your favorite foods, drinks, and party games. It's been awhile since we've all gotten together to celebrate something good, so get your party on and toss all your troubles away!

► This log covers April 14th-April 19th.
► 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 get hit by levitating rubble or eat a food that wasn't meant for you, please let us know here.

Comments

[bythewaves]

You will have to tell me more about Cobweb sometime, I think!

[ Maglor reaches over to touch Swift's arm in sympathy ]

I know. There always needs to be a balance, but it's hard to find when you've a loved one hurting.

[swiftlet]

My hostling. I'm sure he'd appreciate being talked about.

[Sigh]

I know. If only it were that easy.

[bythewaves]

We all wish such. But you do well, Swift - none can fault your effort in trying! And you need but ask, and such aid that we can give is yours.

[swiftlet]

I do appreciate that, but I wonder if you might regret offering. At some point, I'm sure, I'll be unbearable.

[bythewaves]

I had six brothers, five of them younger.

[ Maglor says dryly ]

Believe you me, you would have to work very hard to be worse than them.

[swiftlet]

[That actually gets a small laugh.]

Fair enough. I can't imagine having that many.

[bythewaves]

Even for our people, we were an unusually large family! And Maedhros and I were older than all of our cousins too. It was certainly never quiet! But never lonely, either.

[swiftlet]

I can imagine. I wonder if I'd had more brothers if it would have been the same. [Probably not, but. He can dream.]

[bythewaves]

Maybe! No way to know, I suppose. It does affect how you see the world, I think, when you grow up surrounded by family.

[swiftlet]

I suppose it does. Sometimes I wonder whether I missed out on something.

[bythewaves]

Maybe - but there's things you learn from being an only child too, I'm sure.

[swiftlet]

I do have a brother, but he came when I was nearly grown and it's hard to remember sometimes that he is my brother.

[bythewaves]

That can be hard, when there is a gap. [ Maglor agrees ] Although it is a little different for us, for the Eldar do tend to prefer to wait until their children are almost grown before having the next, for the bearing and rearing of a child is quite wearying on the parents. My family is a little unusual in that respect, but even so, between Maedhros, the eldest, and the Ambarussa, the youngest, lie almost five hundred years.

[swiftlet]

That...is quite the gap, I'd say. There are only 5 or 6 years between Tyson and me, but I suppose to a harling that's an eternity.

[bythewaves]

It's the strain on the fea, the soul, that is the main reason. [ Maglor explains ]

Quite a bit of both parents go into the bearing of the child. Father was very worried about Mother, so there's almost eighty between Maedhros and I - they waited until he was almost to his full maturity and was no longer drawing on the bond between them. After that, the gap shrinks somewhat, to around fifty years, sometimes more, sometimes less. But many parents will wait for the first child to reach their full century before the next, and many never have more than one. Seven is unheard of, although even my cousins come from large families of four and five, respectively.

I know the differences for mortals are less acute, though.

[swiftlet]

I'm not sure I know any better, either. I've never known any human families and Tyson is...complicated.

[bythewaves]

[ Maglor hums softly ]

Families usually are, in one way or another. Is it something you are comfortable speaking of?

[swiftlet]

It's fine. Tyson and I share the same father but separate hostlings. He looks and acts far more like his hostling than he does me. As much as I love Cal, at the time I hated him. He strode right into our lives and pushed Cobweb and me aside when he ensnared my father. I was afraid that we were going to be sent away and I'd never see the home I loved again. Tyson was a tool and then Cal left him with Cobweb. I think now because he was afraid he might do something wrong with him, but then...I'm not sure what I thought. That he was using us, maybe.

Tyson grew up alongside Azriel--my and Seel's son--and I think he knew Seel favored Az over him. I wish I had done more to curb that, but... [He sighs. Hindsight and all.]

I hope he's found his happiness now. He seemed more at peace, at least, in the moments I saw him before I arrived here.

[bythewaves]

[ Maglor makes a face ]

Ah. Step-siblings. Much of the strife in our own family came from such a situation - it is never an easy answer. But I am glad he has found some measure of happiness! Perhaps in time, you and he will also find some level of peace.

[swiftlet]

He is my brother, but he only met our father a few times and I'm as close to one as he's ever known. Which is a damn good thing as far as I'm concerned. It's not so much that the relationship by itself is complicated as... [He has to pause for a moment to find the right words]

He didn't have a hostling either. Cal gave him up. Regardless of his intentions and whether they were good or not, being small and knowing that the one har who's supposed to love you gave you away...I can imagine that it must be hard. For all his strangeness and anger, I never once doubted that Cobweb loves me. I'm sure he loves Tyson too, but he isn't his hostling.

I think now that he's grown he understands, but...well. There are things I would do differently if I had to raise another brother.

[bythewaves]

[ Maglor winces ]

Ai! The poor child. That is a cruel thing to do, to abadon your little one! And you to raise him, with you still a youngling yourself! That is a hard thing.

[swiftlet]

As I said, I was nearly grown when he came. I didn't particularly mind. It isn't his fault he exists, or what his parents did to him. I think Cal knew he couldn't take care of Tyson, but that's hard to understand as a child.

[bythewaves]

It is, but to bring a child into the world and then refuse the responsibility... [ Maglor shakes his head ]

It is not something done, amongst my folk, and I cannot understand why any would deliberately chose to do so, although I know it happens accidentally sometimes, amongst Men.

[swiftlet]

Some hara are cruel. I've seen that firsthand. Other times it truly is because they know somehar else can do better. Give their harling a better chance in their life than they could.

[bythewaves]

One would argue if you thought you couldn't do that for your child, that it would be better not to bring a child into the world at all! But what's done is done, I suppose. All anyone can do is make the best of it.