OCC: Ok, I try something IC again after long time of silence. Wish I could write english better.
IC:
After some time of this great destruction many of the survivers started returning from their secret sanctuary. There had been much debate over this, after all mourning. Gifts were sacrifised for dead, so they could carry something with them to realms of Kord. Ergoth-Nog, last of living heroes led these men, whose respect he had gained amidst these battles. His saddness was great. So meaningless seemed to be deaths of his wise father Jenda-Nog, king of his people. He didn't know if it was in him to lead his people now, as they were demanding. Many of,them wanted war, revenge, on uncaring demi-god, Forrester of Chaos and other outsiders who had brought only destruction with them.
Some had brought good things, but constant betrayals had made them wary. Jenda-Nog wanted to hold unto memory of good will and trust,he owned that much for his best friend, Elvor of Ratik, who was now amongh dead, as was Elvor's wife and unborn baby child.
In the end, had it been wisdow to stay down and only involted when it was absolutely needed, sometimes not even then, unless it had been something threatening their lands. Not that Elvor's allies had tried to contact either of, nor Jenda-Nog very often.
He didn't know, if he liked joining with barbarians that much. They had been untrustworhy and looting sort, taking opportunities, and they seemed to love hating Aedri. Despite these issues and cultural differenses they actually had managed to get things together, or almost so.
Many had learned to love nature and it's creatures, but their distrust for outsiders was still very strong. Oh, and they hadn't given up looting and raiding either.
Ergoth-Nog felt bad for certain betrayal amidst their own. King Morreg of Snow Barbarians had given in to his dark heart at times of last troubles before this one, and tried to join with his loyalists with armies of Iuz, who seemingly had been greatest leader to be followed in his mind. Like father like son, after all. Morreg had had his faults yes, but this had hit Ergoth-Nog complitely by surprise. Nobody knew what had happened to Morreg after that. He had taken with him many valuables and skipped, just before Elvor found out his true loyalities. Morreg probably died in flames, like many others.
Ironically, Ergoth-Nog himself was only alive, because Elvor has hoped him to lead people to their secret sanctuary. Katha the witch, eludant immortal, was likely to be another, though their divinations didn't find anyone else. Katha couldn't die, which apprantly seemed to be everybody's fate now.
So this is how it feels to be a little man in universe, that does not care if you live or die or whatever you were never here at all.
It's starting to grow on me, Ergoth-Nog thought.
Still he felt hopeful.
They had magic, elementals and strong arms and minds ready to work for restoration of their lands. Of course, without help, or without greater art of magic it was going to take years. If it would, so would it be. Maybe some or their allies would want to share some tools to restore the air.
((Well, what kind of answer Ergoth-Nog receives?))
Kaella, beautiful elven druid approaches Ergoth-Nog. "We have almost everytime we need, but we lack the knowledge of ancient true rituals". "Surely one of our allies greatest magicians are able to do them for us." "No, Chosen One, we need very specific ancient rituals, not great power. It is likely Katha the Witch has knowledge of them, she used to live at ancient times according to my people's legends.
"I don't know. Trusting crazy cursed immortal who didn't help us last time, is not something I feel like doing after all this. But since she hasn't accually harmed us either, contacting her might not be such a bad move, if she chooses to answer that is. I just hope you are wary of her advices."
"We are."
Should we call back our dead?
Ergoth-Nog answers:
No. Death is part of evertal cycle of life. Energy and souls are eternal, until true incarnation of Entropy takes it back to Void where none exist.
There is no reason why we should torture our dead heroes, who already have done best they could and protected us others this far, by calling them back amids this sorrow, where we can't give them back everything they lost, or even hope, that future sacrifises are going to recreate the joy of life they lost.
It is place of those who survived now walk this path and create our fate. Maybe we call later spirits of our dead heroes to show them the joy their sacrifise helped to accomplish. But before there is such thing to show. No. And even when that kind of time should come, it is not our right to force their spirits to have life of body, when they are now enjoying life of soul.
