Completed [STC] Fall From Grace (Eridanus)

[Kuvarakh]

"What...have I...misunder...stood?" The spirit's echoing sound suddenly took on a wrenching, heartbroken tone, a voice of pure desolation. Between gaps to regain strength after its long possession of Eridanus, it recounted its purpose in lingering.

"Should I go to rest? How could I rest when the murderer of my child yet lived? When he lied to my face, denying his guilt, only to push me into the river to silence my outrage? When my soul filled with the cold as I fought the current in vain, knowing he will celebrate his victory from the burden of his family." The shade's hollow echo reverberated with anguish as the source of its drive to exist was borne on tears of mist.

Kuvarakh stood in stricken silence as he recalled the brutal way he had murdered his first master for such a deed. A Nuit had preyed upon his daughter, and his first master had turned out to have been party to it, and many others. "My wife died in childbirth...over a hundred years ago...bringing our only child into the world...A child later to have been murdered."

The spirit's face sagged in empathic grief and it seemed even to reach out to him now. Though its touch was cold, it now gave him a strange comfort. "But could it be that he did not lie? I know from my own memories how easy it is to succumb to rage when the heart is torn from your life. I listened to no one when I brought vengeance to a man only partially responsible, because the true villain was forever beyond my reach."

Now the body of the spirit sagged as well, "I no longer know...you say the body was a suicide? Perhaps he did come to regret his act...Perhaps, though drunk, he did not intend...I would not listen to him...I railed and cursed him...I struck, I clawed, I tried to tear out his eyes...I think I tried to push him into the water...I can no longer truly be sure...There is only the nightmare...the never ending torture of half-remembered fury."

"If it is any comfort...I do not blame you your wrath...I can only imagine how I might react if I saw someone, and came somehow to know that they were the murderer of my child. The very thought was an obsession to me for all the years since." his voice cracked with sad understanding. "To have seen me, to have seen the body of the man...How could I claim not to understand...To forgive."

"But can I forgive myself now? Could I have wronged him? Could he have known the anguish I have known? And then to have my hatred added to his grief. What am I to do now?" the voice seemed to speak for an entire universe of despair.

Kuvarakh stood straight, eyes trained on the ethereal face, "Go to him. To them!"

"What? How could I? What blame might he lay at my feet? I..."

"I do not believe it so. Think a moment. He slew himself. Did he hate you, he would not have done this. Many were the times I nearly did the same. I refrained because I thought I might still gain satisfaction in life. Is this not what drove you to linger? The thought that you would catch up to him? The thought that he did not grieve what came to pass?"

"But he DID grieve! He killed himself because of it!"

Kuvarakh's voice was soft, yet stern. "Yes, so you must stop to consider. If he felt you to blame, why would he do it? He would more likely have figured it to serve you right. But no, he clearly did not feel this way. Why do people wish to end their lives at such times? Because they want to be rejoined with their loved ones. He may have felt that way at first, it is a common enough cycle. But a man does not slay himself because someone he hates is no more, only someone he loves."

Her image became clearer for a moment as hope strengthened her features. Then she looked sadly at Kuvarakh. "Please forgive me my actions against you. You and your friend." She gave a nod to Eridanus. "Oh dear, your legs. I am so sorry." already she was starting to fade.

"Think nothing of it. It looks worse than it is. Some meditation, some embalming fluid and some wrapping and no one will notice a thing." Their smiles mirrored each other, except hers faded and his remained.

[Eridanus]

Eridanus watched the exchange with growing interest as the rest of the mystery revealed themselves, and he finally realized the reason for the incident that happened at the beginning. The reason behind Kuvarakhs's blabbering and the seemingly hard to understand words. It all made sense now.

"Go, with the light of Priskil, and may your return to Lhex's cycle be guided by warm hope," Eridanus replied, spreading his arms forward in a non-confrontational manner. His anger at the start had been quelled by his own determination as well as with the spirit's story, and he realized that there was little to fault her for.

Ghosts by nature were entities of huge emotional upheaval, they lived and died by their passions, and one cannot hope to stand against them in that way. Like Jared Skyglow had repeatedly emphasized, conversation was the best and most effective way to solve most supernatural problems.

As it did now.

The entity, having solved her anchor to the mundane world, began to disappear as she let herself be moved by the natural flow, back to the cycle. Simultaneously, the uneven chill in the room that struck the scholar reversed as well, returning the room to a normal temperature.

"She is truly gone," He remarked silently, the two of them in quiet contemplation over the deeds that happened.

"But for now, we must get you fixed."

Fin.

[Fallacy]

XP Award! Name:Kuvarakh XP Award: +1 Meditation +3 Observation +5 Rhetoric +2 Interrogation +1 Persuasion +1 Swimming Lore: Mirror Mirror on the Wall Who is the Most Monstrous of All? Thrashing I Think I Lost It Wait Did I Ever Have It? Death By a Friend's Hands What Drowning Feels Like Notes: Name:Eridanus XP Award: +2 Observation +3 Rhetoric +1 Interrogation +1 Leadership +1 Spiritism +1 Investigation +1 Organization Lore: Get Ahold of Yourself! A Memory of Kuvarakh's Kuvarakh's House Fighting a Friend (Unwillingly) Notes: +100 GM for each player- STC contest winners Eridanus, if you wish to advance in your magical skills, you need to be more detailed. I know you asked for a lore on ghosts, but I didn't feel your interaction was long enough to merit. Nor did you honestly, learn too much about them. Maybe next time. Any questions or concerns about the rewards gained please send a PM