eachdraidh | video

[ The locket, as always, is held up in mid-air when the Outsider turns it on. He is not alone in this recording, though; behind him are four women in long, gauzy black dresses and veils. With them are several children, eyes all black; the women are gently ushering them along the shore of the beach behind them while two massive dogs run back and forth.

In the distance is the black line of the Void, creeping over the ocean.

Next to the Outsider is another one of the children, and next to him the resemblance is clear: the same eyes, the same curious tilt to the head, the same bony cheeks. The child looks a bit more fey, but he sticks close to his sire, hands clutching to his arm. ]

Do not harm the children, [ the Outsider begins, and his voice is cold, shows every century of age and power. ] Do not harm the children or we will use your blood and bones, and you will be lucky if you are dead when we start.

[ A large palm smooths over the hair of his son. A daughter comes up on the other side, humming. She smiles at him and her teeth are sharp and red. The Outsider leans in so she can murmur in his ear. ]

Ah, yes. Should anyone find themselves with a need to desecrate shrines further -- the same warning applies to you. I will know, should you touch one of mine.

[ His daughter giggles and takes the hand of his son, and the two go to join the others. The Outsider watches, head half-turned. A seagull swoops down and perches on his shoulder, ruffles its wings, and the feed ends. ]

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[ She watches what he displays for a long time, the children and their haunting melody, the dogs she had seen months ago. Lavellan is silent while he warns the people, inspecting instead, and only after some consideration does she speak: ]

So you've seen it.

[ Quite obviously. He doesn't seem particularly perturbed by the sight, and why should he, if he is not unfamiliar with the Void from his own world? ]

Those children are...yours? Your followers?

[ Or something else? ]

Yes, I've seen it.

[ To be fair, Lavellan, he does not appear particularly perturbed about anything. ]

Mine by blood. They hatched this spring.

[ The Outsider does not sigh, but he strokes over their hair again. ]

But they prefer the shore, and there will be none left, should the Void continue.

[ She looks at the children quizzically but, at length, nods. There's a ghost of a smile there, genuine. ]

I'm happy for you. Congratulations.

[ Totally not going to ask who's the mother.......

Lavellan watches him for a moment, the small smile slipping back into a muted frown, contemplative. ]

I hope to find a way to stop it. This can't be allowed to continue.

[ Not alone, of course, but she says it as if such a thing were possible. ]

Thank you.

[ Another stroke, and the children are gently ushered back toward the others. He does not sigh, but he does spend a moment watching them go. ]

No. No it cannot. An inconvenient time to become invested in the world, and yet- here I am.

You're not alone in that feeling.

[ Thedas is most important, she tells herself, but now she is so entrenched in friendships she never thought possible, in bonds she will never break, and in something deeper with someone she cared for... This world cannot die. None of them can. She will not allow it to happen. ]

The question is, as always: how can we stop it? They say the Void began to eat at the world when Uaine Cridhe split.

[ He rather doubts anyone has ever been less invested than a god who only gets involved when something interesting happens, but... he'll let that thought pass. ]

And they say that the Unseelie need Seelie shards to repair it, to use its power to cast back the Void. Yet that seems... rather slow.

A completed crystal. But, if so, would that not mean that all of our shards are forfeit, not simply the Seelie?

[ It doesn't make sense to her. ]

If the shards need to be together, if many of us were close to the Void, could it have some effect on it? Slow it down, possibly halt it for a time?

It could, perhaps. I imagine that is what they would wish from us if they were to gather enough Seelie shards, but I am uncertain. Though few know how to use the power of their shards.

I've only heard rumors of such a thing. I thought it was only for those who did not have magic, but--

[ It could be useful. ]

Can it be taught?

Shards enhance your natural abilities. They are why we are so much more dangerous than the natives of this world.

It can be taught, yes. I can activate mine, though what else they can do... I do not know. Other things occupied my time.

video | unseelie

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