A Picnic with the Dead

[Victor Amielle]

30th of Saun, Arc 717

From Victor Amielle’s research notes:

The inhabitants of this island are unusually superstitious. They believe that Scalvoris is full of lost souls, especially during the season of Saun, and they set an empty place setting for the dead to sit. Not doing so supposedly causes them to stay all arc long. On the 30th of Saun they light lanterns and take them to the graveyard. There they sit and have a picnic, leaving room for the souls that have not yet passed over between them. They stay until the last lantern has burnt out. The souls supposedly go to Famula then and are given peace. I have decided to participate in the so called Soul Light Night even though having a picnic in a graveyard seems a hint morbid to me, especially on my birth trial. Perhaps I will be able to find out if there is some truth to people's claims …

For the first twenty-nine trials of Saun Scalvoris had been troubled by a heat wave that had been so extreme that even the scion of House Amielle that had travelled the desert and studied volcanoes had been on the verge of a breakdown. Faldrun himself seemed to have descended on the former pirate haven and tormented it. The man who was usually not one to enjoy enclosed spaces had voluntarily spent entire breaks in the library then as it had been slightly cooler there. As he made his way towards the graveyard that evening, a lantern in his right hand, he could feel a light breeze though, a most welcome change from the nearly unbearable trials before. A more superstitious person might have wondered if it was one of the dead greeting him, but he was skeptical of such things.

For a few moments as he made his way past the graves and the islanders sitting between them, chatting, eating and drinking, he missed his home and wished for his brother and his nieces and nephews to be there with him, but that twinge of homesickness was brief. He had spent his first twenty one arcs in Lysoria, and his birth trial celebrations had always been the same. He would write a letter to Stefan when he returned to his house and tell his brother that, while he was stuck in his mansion in Lysoria, doing the same things he had always done, he had celebrated his twenty-eighth birth trial with the dead and eaten and drunk with them and that it had been quite an interesting experience.

He found an empty spot on the ground next to an ancient tombstone whose inscription had become illegible a long time before due to being subjected to the elements, opened his pack, removed a checkered picnic blanket from it and unfolded it. A bottle of wine, a few plates, a box with some food and his notebook quickly followed. Finally he placed the lantern next to him and sat down. He was rather more casually dressed than he normally was that evening, in a pair of black pants and a dark red shirt, a concession to the still somewhat elevated temperatures.

In order to find out more about this most peculiar tradition he needed to do more than have a somewhat depressing birth trial picnic with himself and wait for something to happen. He needed to get in contact with the locals, and thus he motioned for the next person that walked past his blanket to come and sit with him. “There’s still room here”, he’d inform them, never one to be afraid of talking to strangers and raised the bottle of wine, a sign that he would be willing to share it with them. “I’m sure that the dead won’t mind. You wouldn’t happen to be native to this island, would you?”

[Faith Augustin]

There were a number of these picnics going on over Scalvoris this trial and Faith was here because she had a few breaks before Padraig finished work. She and he had plans together that evening, later on, but she would not miss the opportunity to take part in this trial.

So, she'd made her way to the graveyard and she was walking past when she heard a voice speaking. The young woman who walked past him, or who was about to do so, was just five foot four tall with raven black hair and pale skin. Her most noticeable feature, though, was the fact that her eyes were such a pale blue that they seemed to be silver. She was carrying a lantern and she turned to him and smiled.

When he said that he was sure that the dead would not mind, Faith lifted a single eyebrow. "Have you asked them, that you are so sure?" she wondered, then moved to sit with him, but she made sure that she put the space between them and had her lantern there. Just before she sat down, however, he asked his next question and she shook her head. "Native to the island? No, I was not born here, though I have lived here a while." The young woman had a quiet voice, more suited to a library really, she sounded like she was almost whispering when she spoke, but not quite. "Would you rather I moved on until a native arrived?" If he did, that was fine with her, she would take no offence.

"My name is Faith, by the way. It's a pleasure to meet you. I don't think I've seen you before," she knew, of course, that she had not. The benefits of her memory were many and varied. "Are you a devotee of Famula, or just trying to meet the locals?" There was no judgement from her one way or another, she simply asked and waited to hear the answer, although she could not quite resist the consideration, "or, I suppose, a hundred and one other possibilities."

[Victor Amielle]

Is she implying that she knows how to talk to the dead? the mage wondered as he looked at the woman that stood in front of him. She was short, shorter than average, with pale skin that stood in stark contrast to her raven black her and unusual silver eyes that reminded him of the stars somewhere high above them. He was about to react with disbelief and irritation – Victor was not a man that accepted criticism or what he perceived as such easily – but something about the tone of her voice made him pause. She spoke so quietly, and she was so serious and calm.

And then there were those tattoos and those strange black nails of hers. Had it not been for her demeanor that reminded him of a priestess or perhaps some sort of scholar, he would probably have assumed that she had a rather bizarre taste in fashion, but as it was he considered it to be much more likely that she had marked her body to show how devoted she was to her chosen deity – or that she had been marked by them.

He had seen such things before, but they never ceased to amaze him.

“Have you?” he asked curiously and then told her, “No, I haven’t talked to them. But this evening is about the dead and the living sitting together before the former move on, isn’t it?” He quirked an eyebrow, uncorked the bottle of wine and poured himself a glass, and then he offered to do the same for her. His posture was relaxed now, he was friendly, welcoming even, and there was a smile on his face. Maybe he would mention that had sat with a woman in his letter as well, a woman with eyes like the stars that spoke in barely more than a whisper and that seemed unusually at ease among all the lost souls. He wondered what his relatives back in Lysoria would think of that.

“Please stay. Your company would be appreciated, especially on a trial like this. My name is Victor, and no, we haven’t met before. I only arrived in Scalvoris earlier this season to study the phenomena that make the island so unique, and I am not a devotee of Famula, although I’m interested in finding out more about her. I assume that you worship her?”

[Faith Augustin]

When he asked her if she'd spoken to the dead, Faith didn't reply. Not because she was concerned about sharing that truth with him, not at all, but she had no intention of answering his question before he answered hers. Which was exactly what he did next, and then he spoke about what the purpose of this trial, this ritual was. Faith lifted her shoulders slightly at his assessment which seemed to her somewhat simplistic. "I suppose it is, yes. It's an opportunity to say farewell, to feel that you have done your best to ensure that those you love who have died are not suffering. Rituals like this has many different levels, I suppose." She shook her head, though, at his offer of wine although she smiled as she did so.

"I have never been able to develop a taste for it," Faith said honestly of the alcohol. "Not that I have tried particularly hard, it must be said. Thank you for the offer, though, it is appreciated." The man seemed rather relaxed, sitting back and smiling just a little. He was welcoming too, causing Faith to smile and sit and join him.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Victor," the serious young woman said and she sat with him. "Studying the island sounds fascinating! It is a very strange and unusual place with a lot of most peculiar phenomena. My fiance is a physicist and chemist and some of the things here have been just astonishing to him." Victor turned the conversation to Famula, though, and Faith nodded. "Yes, I worship Famula. I have done so all my life. Also Vri and Moseke. Are you interested in the Immortals particularly?" It might be that he was looking to find out if it was Immortal influence, or something else, after all. She looked around and smiled to herself. There were a lot of souls here this evening but no more than usual. Nonetheless, she put her lantern down and looked at the man she'd met with interest in her eyes.

"And when you say studying, are you at the University?" Faith was interested in that, she was both a student and a staff member there herself, so meeting new people from there was always interesting.

[Victor Amielle]

“And what are those levels?“ Victor asked curiously. He was not a somewhat arrogant man from Lysoria who had a hard time accepting criticism from strangers now, and neither was he a visitor that had come from far away and that just wanted to experience a typical Scalvorian tradition, but a scientist who wished to understand every aspect of the matter at hand and make sense of the mystery. He was not a scholar of culture and never had been, but as Faith spoke about how there might be more to it, he found himself fascinated. They had honored the dead in Lysoria as well, but not in such a fashion.

“Then I hope that you will at least share some of my food with me”, he said as she declined his offer of wine. The expression on his face made it obvious that he did not mind. There would be more left for him to drink that way. “I would feel like a bad host otherwise. I packed so much that I won’t be able to eat it all, besides it’s my birth trial.” He flashed her a smile as he said that, and then he opened the box to give her a tantalizing glimpse of the pastries that he had bought at a local bakery just a few bits before he had gone to the graveyard.

They were still slightly warm and smelled delicious, of cinnamon, of nuts and chocolate and fresh berries. Some of them were filled with cream as well. The box also contained a bun that was filled with turkey ham, cheese and lettuce and covered with sesame and poppy seeds – and a knife so that he would be able to cut the sandwich or one of the pastries in half.

“Can you tell me how Famula decides which souls move on to the Afterlife and which serve her in this world?” he asked as Faith confirmed his suspicion that she worshipped the Immortal of Souls, Servitude, Resurrection and Blood. The tone of his voice was utterly respectful now, as it almost always was when he spoke of the beings that had shaped the world of Idalos - and that had the power to destroy it again if they wanted to.

He paused for a moment to drink from the glass that he had poured for himself as well as to give Faith the opportunity to answer his question should she decide to do so, and then he confirmed with a curt nod, “I am. That is in fact the second reason for my coming here. The influence of the Immortals seems to be especially strong on this island which makes it a good place to learn more about them and what they may want from us.”

She is observant, he thought as she asked him if he was at the University and looked at her for a moment – she seemed like a very unusual woman to him - before he confirmed, “Yes, I am. I am currently a research assistant at the Institute of Metaphysics as well as studying towards my Letter. And what about you, Faith? What is it that you do?”

[Faith Augustin]

What were those levels? Faith considered and gestured around, to the two of them. "Well, festivals like this are important for those who are religious by choice, giving people who worship a focus for that. Like a temple but with more of a sense of transitory, I suppose, since they happen by nature on a specific moment. If you miss it, it is gone." Her hands moved then to gesture to the rest of the group and shrugged slightly, "I would think that this is a means of passing on traditions and a sense of community, of society. This is what we do on Scalvoris and therefore, it is about an identity, it is a communal activity where people can share time and food and stories and feel that they have honoured their dead. A chance to serve them but equally to feel that one has done one's duty. So, many levels, I suppose. I may be over analysing, though." It certainly wouldn't be the first time, she would be happy to admit.

Faith beamed at him, though, when he said it was his birth trial. "Happy birth trial to you. You share it with my fiancé, it's his today, too." It was why she was here early and would not be staying all the time, but she accepted a small pastry. "Famula looks individually, the reasons for souls staying and not going with Vri are as varied as the souls themselves. Sometimes," Faith sounded like she was very sure about this, which she was because she'd experienced it herself, many times, "the reason is something which is easily solved: a promise which needs to be acted on, or an item which needs to be passed to someone. However, sometimes souls linger because they are unhappy with their lives, with major things which can not be solved. They are given the opportunity by Famula to serve, to be, to gain their equilibrium once more. If they're ready to move on, they do. If they aren't, they don't." It was very straightforward to her and Faith smiled.

He was a research assistant at the Institute for Metaphysics? Faith smiled and answered his question, "well, I'm an associate professor of medicine and in the middle of my charter in medicine." Faith shrugged slightly, as always half expecting someone to point and laugh and tell her that she could and should not be in such a place. "I also run a restaurant here in Scalvoris Town that is part of a larger charity." With a glance around at the picnic, she added what was probably obvious already, "I worship, Famula, Vri and Moseke and my fiancé and I are getting married next season. So, busy." She loved her life, though and there was no doubting it. "Are you enjoying your studies thus far? I'm hoping to start a letter in Immortal Studies and History this season too."

[Victor Amielle]

Victor nodded as the strange, strange woman that sat with him explained why festivals such as the Soul Light night were important. It cemented his belief that she was a priestess of some sort or a scholar further. She certainly seemed to be knowledgeable enough on such matters. He also found himself wondering if she was a university student, just like him, due to her age and what she might be studying. She had said that she was not one of the locals. Had she transferred to Scalvoris from Viden then, like all those others?

“Thank you”, he said as she wished him a happy birth trial and bit into the pastry that he held in his hand. It was soft and juicy and filled with vanilla cream and strawberries and covered with tiny sugar crystals, and it tasted, quite frankly, divine. As she informed him that her fiancé shared his birth trial, he quirked an eyebrow, but he did not speak until he had swallowed the piece of pastry. “Your fiancé must be a remarkable man. Does he worship the Immortal of Souls as well?” he wanted to know.

“How do those souls serve Famula?” he inquired further, ever curious about the world and the beings that surrounded him. “And are there any that never move on?” Victor’s attitude towards death was ambivalent to say the least. He knew that death was a part of life, but he had lost both of his parents when he had been approximately twenty arcs old, and he still grieved for them. Their death had prompted him to leave home and travel the world. Lysoria had not been the same anymore with them gone.

He found himself enjoying the conversation, more than he had thought that he would at first. He seemed to have met one of the most interesting people on the island quite by accident. As she claimed that she was an associate professor of medicine, he did a double take though. The better part of him was impressed by what he had heard so far. A little voice in the back of his head insisted that what she had told him could not be true though and that nobody could be that good.

“Forgive me, Faith, but you look barely old enough to be a first arc student. How does a woman of your age become a professor?” he asked and then turned to answer her question. “It has been interesting so far – and different. I spent most of the past couple of arcs travelling and doing practice-oriented work. Sitting in a classroom again is taking some getting used to.”

He said the last sentence with a light smile on his face as he was not really complaining about the unfamiliar setting that he had found himself in, and then he gestured towards the box of pastries again. Did she want to have another one? He had more than enough.

[Faith Augustin]

Her fiance must be a remarkable man? Faith practically burst with pride and it showed as she answered. "He is. The most remarkable man I've ever met." As to his worship, though, Faith shook her head. "No, he doesn't." Although, she considered, he had met Famula and she had spoken to him, so he and her were on first name terms. Still, no, he was not a worshipper.

He asked about how the souls served Famula and Faith considered, thoughtfully, "Famula epitomizes servitude, it's one of her domains. It isn't about serving her, but about serving. And yes, there are a number of souls who don't move on." Faith smiled at him and had to admit that she liked the intelligence of his questions, the way that he asked and then thought about the answer. It was obvious that he was intrigued by death but equally, not entirely comfortable. Faith recognised it, but said nothing about it. It was, after all, very much not her business.

When he asked how a 'woman of her age' became a professor, Faith arched an eyebrow. "I am nineteen," she replied and she shrugged slightly, not quite sure how to answer the question. "I suppose I have always been very focused," she wasn't lying, that was certainly true. "I have always wanted to attend the University. When we came here, my fiance encouraged me to try. I sat an entrance exam and they let me start at Diploma." It was as simple as that. Although, Faith added with a slightly wicked grin, "plus, I sleep about four breaks a night." She shook her head at the offer of a second pastry, not having yet finished the first. She was very petite in her build, bordering on scrawny. It appeared she had the appetite to match.

"I'm afraid I'm going to have to leave you. My fiance should be finishing soon and it's his birth-trial. But, just before I do." Faith rummaged in the black bag she had with her and pulled out a small book. "A gift, for your birthtrial. A blank journal to fill with learning and thoughts. Happy birthtrial, Victor. I'm glad to have met you this trial. Maybe you'll call by my office at the University one trial and we can talk more?" She handed him the journal and smiled, genuinely hopeful that he might do just that. However, she had plans for this evening, so she needed to go and leave her lantern and then bid him good trial.

Off Topic

Journal cost deducted from ledger (9gn due to -10% price from Fame)

[Victor Amielle]

“Remarkable“, Victor replied as Faith told him that she had sat an entrance exam, and they had simply let her start at Diploma. His voice was devoid of sarcasm, and his compliment was genuine, even though he could not help but be a little jealous of her success – and the ease with which she seemed to accomplish things. Why, when she was his age, she would probably have finished every course that the university had to offer – and demand more!

“That has to be it”, he remarked dryly as she told him how little she usually slept and returned the grin. There was something about Faith and about her quiet and humble demeanor that made it next to impossible for the Transmuter to remain irritated or jealous for more than a couple of trills at a time which was truly extraordinary considering how much some people managed to grate on his nerves.

“If I get less than seven breaks of sleep per night, I have a hard time focusing the next morning. Less than five, and I am practically incapable of coherent speech!” he claimed which was maybe slightly exaggerated. There had been times when he had gotten little sleep and still functioned somehow.

She did not want to have another pastry? He looked at her as if he wanted to ask her if she was absolutely sure, and then he shrugged his shoulders and put the box away again. Perhaps somebody else would join him that night, and if not, then he would take the remaining pastries to work with him and give them to his colleagues. Pastries, he had found, made for an excellent bribe!

“Of course. I do not want to keep you from spending the remainder of the trial with your fiancé”, he replied her as she excused herself. He did not expect anything from her since they had just met, so his surprise when she gave him that book was great.

“Thank you, Faith”, he said and let a hand run across the cover as he thought about all the words that he would fill it with before he looked at her again and let her know, “I would love to meet you again and talk some more. I found our conversation very interesting.”

With that he bade her farewell and then took his pen to write down what he she had told him as long as the memories were still fresh. He had learned a lot about the Soul Light Night that evening, and things had finally started to make sense.

[Pash Raj'oriq]

Thread Rewards

Faith

Skill Knowledge:
➳ Sociology: The importance of rituals around death
➳ Sociology: Notions of community
➳ Sociology: Cultural relevance of death rituals
➳ Sociology: Community grief has many layers


Other Knowledge:
N/A

Loot: Thanks for keeping your ledger!
Injuries: N/A
Fame: Give a gift +2
Devotion: Famula +10 (Event participation)

Points: 15 | These points cannot be used for magic.

— ⟡ ⟡ ⟡ —

Victor

Skill Knowledge:
➳ Detection: Details of a Person's Appearance
➳ Etiquette: Offering your Guest Food and Drink
➳ Research: Keeping a Research Journal
➳ Research: Asking Questions to find out more about your Research Topic
➳ Sociology: The Importance of Rituals around Death
➳ Sociology: Notions of Community
➳ Sociology: Cultural Relevance of Death Rituals
➳ Sociology: Community Grief has many Layers

Other Knowledge:
➳ Faith: Not a Native of Scalvoris
➳ Faith: Worships Famula, Vri and Moske
➳ Faith: Engaged to a Physcist and Chemist
➳ Faith: You share a birth trial with her Fiancé
➳ Faith: An Asssociate Professor of Medicine
➳ Immortal: Famula: The Immortal of Souls, Servitude, Resurection and Blood
➳ Immortal: Famula: How she decides which Souls move on to the Afterlife and which Souls stay
➳ Scalvoris Event: Soul Light Night

Loot: A journal (from Faith)
Injuries: N/A
Fame: Give a Gift (+2)

Points: 15 | These points cannot be used for magic.

— ⟡ ⟡ ⟡ —

Comments:
Thank you for the nice Soul Light Night thread. I'm hoping more people participate in this interesting event—obviously, Faith is in her element in some ways. Victor, congratulations on meeting Faith's vast accomplishments with gracefulness. I can't wait to read more about your studies, too!

If you see anything I’ve missed or have a question, please feel free to drop me a PM!

— ⟡ ⟡ ⟡ —

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