#chartedworlds: HC

[chartedworlds-blog]

HC: REPUTATION

It has occurred to me I never wrote about the impact Valathaan’s love for Gwendolen, a human, and indeed, his relationship with humans in all, had on him and how he is viewed and accepted. Given the less-than-amicable relationship between the two races--the Aen Seidhe (elves) and the dh’oine (Man)--I thought it important to note.

Valathaan is not always regarded in a positive light. 

When he fell for Gwendolen, it was still when the two races were relatively unknown to each other--they knew of each other, but largely kept to themselves. The Aen Seidhe saw Men as barbaric and violent, even likened them to apes. When Valathaan fell for one? It was something of an outrage. When the elven massacre of Loc Muinne happened, though, and he ran off with her, that “frowned upon” turned into a barrel of salt to an open wound. 

And who’s to blame them for that negative opinion when (1) the Aen Seidhe already had poor opinions of Man; (2) the elves of Loc Muinne were murdered even though, a few years back, the sorcerers/sorceresses among them had taken human children in as students; (3) their kind were being killed wholesale, to extinction, despite having educated Men and giving them technologies; and (4) as the centuries rolled on, more and more of their cities fell, taken by the greed of Men. Valathaan having chosen to run off with a human was seen as having turned his back on them. He was even aware of this, and it was for this reason he did not return to his home even after she’d passed.

But, sure, there was some saving grace. Valathaan did return to fight beside his people in the sacking of Aedd Gynvael. Valathaan ferried survivors to Dol Blathanna, one of the last free elven refuges, and even roamed the land leading non-humans to safe havens and warning them of nearby human settlements.

That wasn’t enough, however. And soon, those who forgot his past would be quickly reminded of it.

When the story of Lara Dorren spread, like a wildfire the hatred between man and elves erupted into an all-out war. In the story, it is said that Cregennan of Lod, a human mage, was murdered for having an elven lover, and when Lara pleaded for the life of their unborn child, she was cut down by humans and left to die, bleeding on a snowy hill. She reserved whatever strength she had to give birth. Then perished. Of course, the dh’oine tell a different tale that paint themselves in a more favorable light, but regardless, this point in history fueled a hostility between the two races that only reminded Valathaan’s people of his relationship with a human. In Dol Blathanna and the Blue Mountains, often times, he was ignored or openly spurned. He was insulted, and to some, an outcast. Others disregarded him enough that when he suggested they leave the mountains for more fertile lands, they thought never to follow a lover of humans. In fact, in contempt, they even suggested he be kicked out to live among the bloodthirsty race of Man. He was fortunate, though, because had he been ousted and his relationship exposed to the dh'oine, he would have been persecuted. Executed. The rejection, scorn and harassment from some of his own people, he could at least survive.

In the opinion of the Scoia’tael and young elves inclined to join the Scoia’tael, he’s not with them, but with Man. That fact that he still wears Gwendolen's hair comb every day is seen as a testament to that. The fact that he pleaded with them not to fight alongside Aelirenn was regarded as defending the dh’oine. The fact that he decided to live in Caed Myrkvid beside druids, many of them human, further cemented their belief, and the fact that he even aids lost or wounded humans and considers any of them “innocent” is blasphemous. Of course, his open disapproval of the Scoia’tael doesn’t earn him any of their good grace. Many even regard him as "just as bad."

To plenty of his kind, Valathaan is redeemed because of all he’s done for them. His human love was long, long in the past, and it seems inconsequential. To others, however, with an undeniable hate for Man, he is not. They spurn him for his relationship, detest that he “chose” a dh’oine over them, and hate that even after all these years, he still so visibly loves her and doesn’t find shame in it. Some even refuse to listen to any of his advice or teachings. However he is viewed, though, there is always the thought that he did sleep with a human...

To his credit? At least he never had a child with her.

Whatever one thinks of him, his reputation and history cannot be denied. 

[chartedworlds-blog]

HC: TALE OF VALATHAAN

I’ve already explained this in another headcanon, but Valathaan’s name was derived from an old elfling folktale with a character of the same name. It has come to mean “bright moon.” 

The story starts off with a young elfling alive in the early days of the Earth when the skies were close to the ground. Without the stars and moon “created” yet, he was saddened and petrified by the darkness of night, lighting up candles and placing them up in the vast void above. As each day passed, the skies began drifting further away due to gusts of wind until, eventually, he was no longer able to reach it and re-light them. It broke his heart. He felt the candles, or his stars, were too far away now, their fires fading without his care. With time, they all went out, and he cried in his fear.

Wanting to fix this, Valathaan built a small boat, leaped inside, and sailed away from the darkness of Earth and past the clouds where his beloved stars lied. There, he reli all the candles and one more, this time housed inside a lantern, and perched it into the sky. This was the birth of the moon. Happy he was no longer shrouded in darkness, he decided he did not want to return to the Earth, for if he did, there would be no one to make sure the candles would not go out. So it’s in the skies where he remains, making sure that there’s always a light in the darkness.

[chartedworlds-blog]

HC: HEBOG RHYFELW

The hebog rhyfelw, or falcon warriors, were a group of soldiers of Aedd Gynvael, and their their name can be taken quite literally: they were falconers and also warriors. 

Able to tame birds of prey such as eagles, hawks, kites, or owls, they were then trained and used for a multitude of purposes such as hunting--the main method of obtaining food in their cold climate--communication such as the passing of messages; scouting the land as a sort of border control, locating possible enemies; and, lastly, warfare. In the old wars between dwarves and elves, the hebog rhyfelw were indispensable for Aedd Gynvael. Their birds, sent soaring through the sky, would be able to spot dwarves and return to their masters, relaying their enemy’s location. They were also used to disorient and disorganize the opposing force, swooping low among them in combat, and if large and powerful enough, were even commanded to attack. 

Many times, the hebog rhyfelw tended to their own specific bird, highly bonded. However, they were not limited to one. The falcon warriors were also birdcallers and, be it the nature of elves, had a special affinity for animals. When making a bird call, many of these winged creatures would flock to them from the trees or mountains awaiting a message or command. Many times, the one bird the soldier had specifically bonded with lived nearby among the wild, too, where it is said it would call upon others of its kind should its “master” (though it should be noted they were regarded as something of equals, and it was not a mere owner-pet relationship) call for them. 

Some even believed all the birds near Aedd Gynvael were working with the Aen Seidhe there, as though all spies. Enemies thought none could be trusted. 

Valathaan hails, from his father’s side, from a line of hebog rhyfelw and was taught by his father how to birdcall and use birds to hunt and communicate. He, however, is not a falcon warrior and, though able to wield a bow, is far from a soldier. 

[chartedworlds-blog]

Tagged by: No one, but thought I’d do it anyway! Tagging: @adellaenchanted, @theeternalsun, @oneiromanc, @fcrestmaiden, @cxrvinae, @apcthecary, @aenseidhx, @reinepomme, @detancarville, @strmqn, @loveardently, @witchlion, @bleiddast, ​@vrohiir

01. What does your muse smell like?

It’s a subtle scent, one you’d have to be more up close to smell, but he has the aroma of lemon thyme and of magnolias, which have a blend of both a lemon-y scent and vanilla. 

02. How often does your muse bathe/shower? Any habits?

As regularly as he can. He doesn’t sweat much at all and, aside from coming out of something violent or intense, covered in soot or otherwise, he always seems to be remarkably clean. If he doesn’t have the means to really bathe then he makes it a point to at least use a wet rag. He doesn’t like the feeling of grime. 

03. Does your muse have any tattoos or piercings?

No.

04. Any body movement quirks (ex knee shakes)?

He very often holds his hands behind his back and raises a sharp, angular brow. He also dips his head with a small smile after he’s purposefully teased and brings a hand to his brow when frustrated or to his mouth, as he’s sitting, when in deep thought.

05. What do they sleep in? 

When he’s at home then in a tunic. I imagine something like Legolas during his stay in Lothlorien. When he’s out crossing the lands, though, then his usual travelling gear. 

06. What’s their favorite piece of clothing? 

His favorite thing he wears is his hair comb, which shows three white magnolias and leaves with gold branches which can be seen here. As far as actual clothing goes, however, then it’d be his cloak. 

07. What do they do when they wake up?

When he’s roaming the world, he lazes for a few minutes. The time spent is listening to the last of the crickets or the chirping of the birds and the rustling of the trees, soaking it in or thinking. He then fixes his hair, eats whatever he saved from the night before, then goes, perhaps hunting on the way.

When at home, he lies in bed a short while, mulling over thoughts, then gets up to braid his hair and take care of his responsibilities, whether that means tending to whatever troubles are on the settlement or teaching the younger elves. Whenever he can, he likes to sit in the garden and listen to the birds as he messes with a piece of parchment–work from yesterday, most likely–or studies through a book with a cup of water by his hand. He enjoys sketching in the calm of the dawn, too.

08. How do they sleep? Their position?

He can doze off anywhere whether sitting up or lying down and, on occasion, has episodes of microsleeps. He also has a long-time, centuries-old habit of pretending he’s asleep. 

When he’s in slumber then he lies on his side with his face half-covered by his pillow. He wears around his neck a pendant an old sorceress gave him to ward off bad dreams, and though he doesn’t toss and turn, he’s been noted to look entirely too serious in sleep like he’s trying to prove a theory. 

09. What do their hands feel like? 

Valathaan’s hands are soft, smooth, and his touches gentle and precise, something he may or may not attribute to his being a cartographer. He is also very warm. An elven furnace. 

10. If you kissed them, what would they taste like?

Kisses don’t taste like anything, so I don’t imagine like anything.

[chartedworlds-blog]

SMALL HEADCANONS

His favorite kind of food is savory and his least favorite is sweet. Despite this, cherries reign supreme for him.

He can’t handle drinks. 

He loves stories, both non-fictional and fictional. He enjoys recounting folklore and putting his own twists for dramatic flare, and he’s quite good at spinning his own tales, too.

He dislikes the ocean because it’s a hassle for cartography. He also simply dislikes it. Then there’s the fact that he hates getting wet and so he isn’t fanatical about the rain, either.

That said, he also has no love for the heat. 

He can sleep almost anywhere. 

That said, one of his habits is pretending he’s asleep.

He smells of lemon thyme and magnolias. Magnolias have a light lemon-y and vanilla scent. 

His name, Valathaan, comes from an old elven children's’ story called The Tale of Valathaan. It has come to mean “bright moon.” 

He has a horse named Eirlys for “snowdrop.”

As a cartographer, he’s good at drawing and has an eye for color and composition.

He learned bird calling from his father who was a falconer. He favors wrens, though.

He finds great comfort in physical contact. Someone touching his shoulder, being hugged, etc.

When he’s off in his ventures, sometimes he brings back artifacts and interesting items for the younger elves.

One of his favorite places to be is a specific elven ruin. Many of its books remained intact and he likes to travel there to look through them. 

Can’t sing, can’t dance, and he doesn’t know karate. Face it, he’s never gonna make it.

[chartedworlds-blog]

Does Valathaan have any fears?

He does. Valathaan’s two greatest fears are 1) being forgotten, both on a personal level and concerning the whole of the Aen Seidhe and 2) losing his own memories. 

The first has gradually been happening for a long, long time, unfortunately. Elven culture is being erased by humans and has been for centuries. Their way of life and their very essence are disappearing to the cruel hands of time and Man and, understandably, it isn’t something he takes easily especially since he has been alive before all of the turmoil started. As for he himself being forgotten, he knows what it’s like in a more immediate way. It is a pain he would not wish to relive.

[chartedworlds-blog]

HC: AEDD GYNVAEL WEDDINGS

During Belleteyn, an old elven fertility festival that occurs on the night of the May Eve, “tying the knot” was extremely popular–mindbogglingly so. To the Aen Seidhe of Aedd Gynvael, however, it wasn’t just this day when the number of marriages soared. 

FULL MOON

Typical of the customs here, many ceremonies were held during the nights of a full moon. Not only did they believe that this lunar phase symbolically represented new beginnings (to them, what we know as the new moon was actually viewed as the end of the cycle not unlike winter), and thus the couple’s new life together, but they also thought that unions during this time were blessed with abundance and fullness of life and love. Because the moon is at its brightest at this moment, it was believed that its great, silvery light would shine upon the couple and illuminate their path through hardships. 

Conversely, marriages during what we know as new moons were considered bad omens. Darkness was said to befall the newly weds and, through toil, they would struggle more than necessary.

POLAR STAR

The moon wasn’t all, though. Even if through grave misfortune they were to tie the knot when the moon was black and hidden, they still had hope to rely on one thing: the polar star. Because it is a fixed star, unmoving as the rest of the constellations are destined to revolve, it was thought to represent lifelong love and an unbreakable bond. Additionally, it was a common sentiment to think of one’s partner as the North Star because it always led one back home, and so in turning to your lover would you always find where you belong. 

During ceremonies, it was customary for one of the pair, commonly the new wife, to walk, eyes closed, guided by their soon-to-be spouse. They would then open their eyes to the North Star, pinpointed by their love, once they are told to do so, and so the story goes that they will then, forever and always, be bound for life, never to be lost or adrift.

SNOW

Because of its purity, it was thought that light snowfall was another sign of happiness and prosperity to come. Since Aedd Gynvael is situated so far north and cold (its climate is similar to north Sweden which typically experiences an average of 55 Fahrenheit or 13 Celsius during its hottest month), this phenomena is not uncommon. 

TOINA RIVER

The importance of the Toina cannot go unwritten. Since the city was built over this river, they viewed it as a giver, providing for them water, the very stuff of life when all else froze over, and many weddings occurred beside it. A popular tradition was for those attending the ceremony to set down offerings onto the Toina because then “all good things would flow to the couple.” Laying candles on small paper-like boats was said to help light up and guide these offerings to the gods in case the stars and moon were ever hidden. The gods, pleased, would grant the newly weds good fortune.

EXCHANGE AND VOWS

Working a bit off of @scoiakrol‘s headcanon on a Valentine’s Day-like holiday called Lathanna Minne, the prospective newly weds did not exchange rings, but one, usually the husband, was to bestow upon his wife a garland of flowers, flowers both her favorite and, according to legend, were used by the aen saevherne for love incantations. However, because Aedd Gynvael’s climate could not foster a wide variety of flowers for long, it was very common to use the sprigs of evergreens. Over time, it came to develop its own heartfelt meaning: their love, like the evergreens, would be eternal and undying. 

Once the groom placed the garlands of evergreens upon his bride’s head, in the moonlight and after finding the Pole Star, they would exchange vows and promises then kiss. They did not do so on the lips, though, which was saved for consummation, but the groom would kiss the bride’s forehead while hand-in-hand. Meanings were tied to these. A kiss on the forehead represented sharing one mind and coming to all decisions together; the vows was sharing every thought and feeling, for nothing will be kept secret; and holding hands represented unity, that everything they do, they’d do together, unbreakable in their connection.

MAGIC AND MOONLIGHT

Magic was a near-indispensable part of these ceremonies.

In truth, even before the marriages ever take place, it was tradition for a serious couple to see an oneiromancer, sources who were largely revered and admired by the elves of Aedd Gynvael. The source would interpret the two’s shared dreams and reveal to them the good and/or bad omens that may await them in their union. Many then determined whether or not to continue their relationship, depending on the nature of the omen, or end it.

During the actual ceremony, a source often led the couple into the center of the moonlight. Around them were to be several candles that, traditionally, were to be lit only by the magic of the mage whose mystical power and flames were to ward off evil spirits, curses, and creatures, keeping the couple safe from bad luck and harm. The source, too, would have in their possession crystals that, after the couple’s exchange of vows and promises, would catch and be infused with the moonlight of the night they married under. This crystal would shine then on, trapped within the silver glow of the full moon.

Sometimes the husband and wife chose to leave their crystals untouched as the night they married. Many, however, chose to fashion them into pendants or rings to carry with them at all times. This way, with them no matter where they were even when apart, their love remained as the North Star and shined light in the darkness both literally and figuratively.

[chartedworlds-blog]

3, 5, & 6!

Sensual Sunday

3. Is there a kind of music they associate with their loved ones or time spent with them?

Elven music, the chant of druids–they both make him think back to his home of Aedd Gynvael and to all his family, friends, and people. In part, it’s because they’re all in Elder Speech, the language of his kind, but it’s also more personal. With old, old elven songs and especially lullabies, it makes him think back to the days when all was well and when his mother sang him to sleep.

Birds in general tend to stir his memories, too. It reminds him of the days he accompanied his father when he hunted and also of Gwendolen, who was twittered at by angry birds for having destroyed nesting places. Women singing to themselves remind him of when she used to fill the lull with a tune whenever she was working or lying peacefully, closing her eyes with her head on his lap. It also reminds him of when she sang absentmindedly, sitting down, gazing blankly out a window.

5. Does your muse enjoy any specific scents? Are there any that bring back fond memories? Any that they associate with certain situations?

I touched upon this is a similar headcanon, so I’ll copy the answer there to here!:

Aedd Gynvael, his family, friends: The smell of evergreens in the bitter cold air and the earthy scent of wet dirt by a freezing riverbank. The smell of fresh cakes and fermented wine and even of burning ash and wood, bringing him back to the days when his people celebrated Belleteyn, the elven fertility festival, around cackling bonfires. He remembers when one of the young maidens dared him to jump the flames of love with her. But they also make him think of destruction, of death, the fall of Aedd Gynvael. 

His mother smelled of a fresh river, even the mountain air. His father, of the woods. 

Gwendolen: The sweet, light scent of vanilla and soap, crisp and clean. The salty brine of the ocean. Flowers. Herbs of all kinds, but mainly thyme, still fresh with soil. She was an herbalist and so their scent brings back memories of her, memories of anything and everything. There’d be too much to list. 

6. What terms of endearment might your muse use for their loved ones? Is there a theme, or something special for everyone based on their relationship?

He does use terms of endearment, but there’s no overarching theme connecting them all. For Gwendolen, he called her "en'ca minne," which is Elder Speech for “little love.” He also called her “my love,” “my moon,” and “my Northern Star,” also all in Elder Speech. He calls Tauriel (@fcrestmaiden) “little bird” or “milva,” which means kite (the bird), because of her desire to see the world and go beyond the confines of home. For the most part, aside from his love, he only uses terms of endearment for the young. Friends are usually, and quite simply, “my friend.”

[chartedworlds-blog]

9. Through what way does your muse most often convey their affections? Are they subtle, obvious, or somewhere in-between?

Sensual Sunday

Depends, but in most cases, subtle yet unquestionable. It will be in the manner of his speech–it’ll be more personal. He won’t just say nice things about you if he holds you in good opinion, but share with you his secrets, stories, memories and wishes. He will make more jokes. He will play with you, tell obvious lies, and be more teasing as he pulls small tricks, giving knowing smiles pretending he hasn’t said anything at all. He will stand by you and enjoy the silence when conversation has died. The fact that he’ll choose to stay alone with you even when there’s no reason to be with you other than to be with you is a very clear indicator he cares. A lot.

Then there are more obvious ways like physical contact. Him touching your back, your arm, your shoulder. Him hugging you firmly or holding you close because you want it or because you can’t be alone. Him checking on your health, making sure you've slept or eaten. Him stroking your head, fixing your hair. He will give gifts, too, and want to watch the stars with you, show you his secret places, his little havens in the world.

[chartedworlds-blog]

mallow &. cadmium yellow B]

Mallow: what sorts of things might remind your muse of those close to them? any scents, objects, sounds?

His family and Aedd Gynvael:  The smell of evergreens in the bitter cold air and the earthy scent of wet dirt by a freezing riverbank. Bare trees in the dead of winter blanketed only by thick mounds of white snow. A silvery moon dangling in ink-black skies, its face shimmering over the surface of water. Clear nights and bright stars. Children sitting in their mother’s laps, their small fingers pointed to the constellations. Carefree celebrations. Old, forgotten songs. A flock of elves all happy, forgotten, for once, by the troubles of the world. Death. Fire.

Cadmium yellow: what subjects or topics does your muse avoid, because they bring up harmful / painful memories?

Valathaan has lived an incredibly long time and has had a lot of time to compartmentalize and work through any hardships or griefs he’s had. Two topics in particular, though, he can brush upon but rarely ever goes into great depth are 1) the nature of Gwendolen’s death and 2) why he started no family of his own.

He's quiet when it comes to talking about Gwedolen, not only because she was human and he elfkind, and thus their relationship looked upon as a mistake and even a farce, but because her memory deteriorated up until she finally died of illness. Slowly, she forgot their time together. She forgot him. He grieved before she passed.

His reason for having no family also stems from the animosity between the Aen Seidhe and Man. He feared that any child he and Gwendolen had would be hunted and hated by everyone, both elves and humans, and he didn’t want to bring them into that life of loneliness, suffering, and the isolating feeling of rejection. It’s still a source of dissatisfaction, though, because he does want a family of his own. He still wonders what it would have been like, especially when he sees half-elves and quadroons. 

The fall of Aedd Gynvael is something that hurts, but he can talk about it. Other elves have suffered the same thing and understand what it's like to lose your home. It's a shared experience.

[chartedworlds-blog]

HC: Valathaan’s Fate

Although he has always been able to move on past hardships and even live happily, as the years dragged on, his homesickness for days long gone became stronger. Towards the later stages of his life, eventually, he saw a sorceress to aid him.

It was then that Valathaan slowly but surely lost touch with reality. 

But he didn’t see this sorceress, this oneiromancer, to help him dream dreams for fortune telling. He wanted an oneiromancer to help him relive those lost days. The experience overwhelmed him at first. Everything he saw looked real, everything he touched felt real, and smelled and heard. It was as though he was ripped from the present and thrown headfirst into the past. So fond of his experience, he frequented several times. At the end, when revisiting the past was not enough, he managed to convince her to make for him a charm, something to help conjure for him dreams he desired without having to always see her. She enchanted the necklace he wore around his neck, an old gift that another source had given to him in his first one hundred years to help alleviate troubled sleep. Now re-cast with another spell, it would give him the dreams he sought if he just envisioned with all five senses, best as he could, of what he wanted before falling into slumber.

He was warned to be careful, though. Rely on it too much, and his dreamworld and reality would start to converge. 

That was exactly what happened.

It was a slow transition. At the very start of it all, they were like lucid dreams, and in each sleep he would continue the story where he left off. When the convergence began, the incidents were innocent. Everyone hears something that isn’t really there or believes, at some point, that they’ve seen something that was just their imagination. That was how it was in the beginning. But as he used the charm more, these supposed lapses deepened. Those voices he thought weren’t real were now familiar and talking to him. Flashes out of the corner of his eyes lasted longer and were not flashes at all, but people and things standing before him. What he discussed with friends caught them by surprise. He spoke of events that they didn’t remember and of things that never happened. His dreams were seeping into his waking world. He was slowly mistaking his hallucinations for reality. 

At this time, however, the Aen Seidhe had already learned to open portals. His people were departing for greener pastures, their own Tir ná Lia (or Tír na nÓg). 

Yet Valathaan chose not to leave with them. It is here, on the Continent, where his home was built and it was here all he loved came to be, and so it was here he remained. Having given centuries of his life for his own people, he no longer had to anymore, and Valathaan now did not have to worry that, by using the pendant and living in dreams, he was abandoning his people. So he continued using the necklace. He was able to walk in Aedd Gynvael again and be among all those old and familiar, friendly faces. Fleeting illusions became more permanent, and he began spacing out more over time, as though unresponsive. Most profound of all, he was able to be with his family. He was able to share his life with Gwendolen again, to see her, feel her warmth, hear her voice, taste her kisses. In his growing delusions he created a fantasy world living the life he missed and the one he’d always wanted. Though at first he had thoughts to abandon these falsities, they were quickly engulfed by his fondness for the joys of the fabricated. Later, his illusions became just as tangible as reality itself. His life was lived in dreams.

With the last of the Aen Seidhe gone, he sailed west according to an old wish, never to be seen or heard from again.

Some would call it a sad fool’s ending. Despite the illusion of it all, it was real to him and he was unapologetically happy.

[chartedworlds-blog]

HC: JOURNALING

Valathaan keeps two types of journals: one for important notes; the more professional. The second is for the personal.

He never used to put much thought into writing down his day to day life, and this change did not happen suddenly. It only occurred to him to do so once Gwendolen’s health and memory had faded too much, and when sitting beside her helping her recall was no longer enough, he picked up where she left off. Whenever she had forgotten something–an event, what she wanted to do, a memory she wanted to keep–he had it all right there just at the turn of a page. At first, it worked. As time passed and the seasons changed, however, it served little purpose. It was like reading to her stories she’d never heard of before even if she had a hundred times.

In his personal journals lies everything. It contains not just recounts of the day’s events, but is littered throughout with old memories full of all the inconsequential details–her mottled cheeks the night they planned to see each other again on, mistakenly, a rainy winter day; the way her hair stuck up whenever she wanted to tell him something under the blanket because she was afraid someone would hear; how she sat next to him watching as he pretended to sleep in his chair and, unable to hide it any longer, broke into a smile, eyes still closed. There are also great details of the dreams they made together and all his thoughts, including the ones he did not have the heart to tell her. Even if memories fade, these things, written down, were tangible and real–evidence that they did actually happen.

He did not stop journaling after Gwendolen’s death. Throughout the books, one can read his encounters with new people and old friends, big and small events, and his feelings, fears, desires, and confessions. There are drawings, too, of those whose faces he could not get out of his head. 

Towards the end, when his touch with reality began shaking, he started to write ‘It is a dream’ whenever he was in the sleeping world and ‘It is not a dream’ whenever he wasn’t. Later on, he started to confuse the two, and if someone were to crack open his actual journal in reality, they would see a combination of both lines as his two worlds converged. 

[chartedworlds-blog]

Is there any activity your muse would enjoy doing with someone else? A particular experience they want to share?

Sensual Sunday

Valathaan loves stargazing with someone else, not only to bask in the beauty with another person, but to share the folklore associated with each star, their names and their histories. Shamelessly, he even likes to make a little game out of naming as many as you can, which may or may not be because he’s an astrocartographer and will likely come out on top. One of Gwendolen’s wishes was to sail west together and to lie down on the boat, peering up to the starlit skies. It is something he’d always wanted to do. He never could. 

He’d want to be under the stars with someone, under the moon, climb up a high point to see it all the better. Follow the northern lights.

Other than that, Valathaan would love to travel with another person because he does it alone so often. Step through a portal and see what’s on the other side. Grow a flowering garden. Sit in peace in that garden. Share a dream together, to literally be aware like lucid sleep in each other’s dreams. Experience telepathy. Make up a grand tale with someone, completing it together, trying to make it more exciting and enticing than them each time. Finishing a drawing with someone else. 

[chartedworlds-blog]

1 & 8 & 10!

Sensual Sunday

1. What is one place your muse would enjoy intimate physical contact? In what contexts? (i.e. holding hands, walking with a friend or S.O. with arms linked, a hand on the back, etc?)

He loved his face being held, stroked. He loves feeling the warmth of someone’s palm over his eyes and forehead then moving up, sweeping through his hair and pushing back loose strands. He finds all of that very comforting and lulling. He would surely die for the feeling of hands resting comfortably on his chest or lines and circles being traced behind his neck, the sensation of fingertips brushing lightly against the back of his head. 

On purely platonic levels, hugs can never go wrong. They feel safe and comforting and inviting. 

8. What levels of intimacy does your muse have with others? Do friends get regular cheek kisses, cuddling, hugs? Or does it take more work for people to see your muse’s ‘soft side’?

Valathaan is a very affectionate elf, but how he displays his affection does vary depending on your relationship with him. With stranger or acquaintances, the most he will do is briefly lay his hand on your back to help guide you somewhere or squeeze your shoulder for reassurance. His friends, on the other hand, won’t be strangers to his firm, safe I’ve-missed-you hugs that last two seconds too long or a hand on their arm. He strokes the top of their heads if they’re close to him, too, and he doesn’t mean it in a domineering way but means to comfort them when they feel troubled or hurt. He will hold them for as long as they need for the same reason. 

He doesn’t give cheek kisses, really, and only does so when someone else has given him one. 

In romantic relationships, he holds hands, holds close, walks arm in arm, wraps the middle from behind and stays like that for a time, indefinitely. He kisses the temple, forehead, nose, lips–anywhere–and sometimes as a surprise. He dances despite not being good at it. 

10. Are there any actions your muse sees as showing absolute trust in someone else? Something they might not openly enjoy but might eventually tell someone about?

Only to those Valathaan is especially close to–those who mean the world to him–would he play with their hair and let them play with his whether it be combing it, running fingers through it, twirling it, braiding it, or even tucking it behind the ear. It’s a deeply personal thing and it has a calming effect despite him being quite calm as is.

Perhaps it’s because you have your back to them and it typically takes a fair amount of time to do, so standing so close to each other for so prolonged a time while being touched is very intimate. 

The last, more profound way, is him telling you his memories and grievances, perhaps even glimpses of the thoughts he leaves in his journals. 

[chartedworlds-blog]

acacia & moss?

Acacia: how much does it take for your muse to hate someone?

The short answer: a lot. Though jaded, disenchanted, and still unable to overcome his feelings about Mankind, he’s forgiving, but only if you earn it. “Forgive but never forget” would be the best way to describe it. For him to really hate someone, you would have to be like Radovid or the witcher hunters of the Eternal Fire–warped murderers who hide behind illusions of providence or lies about the greater good in order to justify mindless slaughter or the destruction of innocent lives, histories, and people. He hates selfishness, greed, heartlessness. 

Additionally, he greatly dislikes it when you slight elven ways, elven history, and elven people. He was alive before their fall from grace and has seen his kind, day by day, century by century, crumble away. He misses the old ways. He’d proud of his roots. They’ve suffered enough without being spit upon, and hearing people, especially people who have not endured what they’ve endured, ridicule or mock them as they fade into history is a sore spot. 

Though he doesn’t hate easily, it’s also hard for him to shake off bad impressions. He’ll try to be amicable but he holds his judgement. 

Moss: how easily does your muse adapt to any new situations they’re thrust into?

He does fairly well. Given his incredibly long life, he’s amassed a lot of experiences and, when push comes to shove, he usually has some frame of reference to fall back to. Additionally, although he’s nothing to talk about when it comes to battle and is better at avoiding trouble, he’s calm, observant and a quick thinker, creative despite his image of being a scholarly stiff-shirt. In nonphysical confrontations, he can be quite good at appealing to people’s wishes and understanding where they’re coming from, so compromising and quelling sudden situations is something he can do.

Because he, too, is seen as an elder among his people, he’s not much a stranger to being looked upon and holding responsibilities. He’s also well-traveled and has learned a lot surviving alone and relying on himself. Still, when he’s failed avoiding an unwanted situation and realizes he has no choice but to fight back, his chances are very slim to none. He’s had to be saved multiple times. 

[chartedworlds-blog]

What are Valathaan's religious/spiritual beliefs? Do they differ at all from what those in Aedd Gynvael believe in? Life after death? Reincarnation? etc etc

HC: RELIGION

Valathaan is a polytheist, believing in the existence of multiple gods and goddesses, and worships the land and all of its natural beings. To him, there is a spirit within everything–the trees, the water, the stones and all the wolves and hares and everything in between–and because of that, everything has to be respected. He believes in Dana Méadbh, the Queen of the Fields, and that there are goddesses and gods that preside over woodlands and mountains, and even divine beings that influence the weather and harvests. Really, he worships Mother Nature, the Earth and all Her beings. He prays to goddesses of trees, the moon, the sun, the stars–everything. This was the dominant view for the elves of Aedd Gynvael. I imagine it’s the dominant view for the Aed Seidhe in general. 

Additionally, it’s because of this mindset that, though his people were primarily hunters, they were very strict about using every part of the animal, leaving nothing to waste, even praying and thanking its spirit. They also never took more from the land than they needed to. The Earth provided all they needed. Hurt it, and you hurt yourself. 

There is one thing, though, that the elves of Aedd Gynvael differed from others. It concerns the afterlife. 

“There is a belief all but forgotten. A belief that tells of the return of loved ones long departed in the form of stars that hang upon the night sky. There, they forever guide home those who linger and in our darkest moments devoid of all hope and meaning, they remain, casting light through the ceaseless despair that blinds us.”

In the above, Valathaan shares with the priestess his people’s idea of life after death. A common belief to those of his home was that deceased loved ones would depart the Earth to the distant stars, shining light and hope to those that could not follow while also symbolizing that they are always watching over. Once you yourself were to pass, you would cross space and reunite with them on these distant stars. This was a common sentiment among the elves of his home, and a variant, though similar and less popular, belief was that those who died are reborn as actual stars.

Valathaan does not believe in this, though. When asked whether or not he did, in fact, he replied, “I do not. A star is not spared the winding hands of time.” Since stars eventually do die out, he finds little comfort in the idea that loved ones depart to them or are reborn as them, because once these suns themselves expire, what happens? Where do they go? They’ll be nowhere to be found, and they won’t be there for you in your darkest moments. 

There are, of course, elves who believe in reincarnation, that everything is a cycle and so, too, is life. I think this is the prevailing belief. He does not quite align himself with this, either, though. If anything, he tends to lean towards the idea of “returning to the Earth.” After one dies and one’s body breaks down and becomes part of the land, he believes that so does their spirit. It becomes one with the world. 

Still, he isn’t really quite definite on any one idea of the afterlife. It’s the unknown, and he can’t hope to uncover it.