[SE] Festivus for the restivus

With the Ethereal Frostbloom for Torchline’s quest safely closed into a terrarium that kept its troublesome scent and pollen contained, Hadama was finally able to relax and enjoy his visit properly. It was his first visit to his friend’s home and the recently-made demigod turned his head to take in the construction and furnishings with curiosity that gleamed brightly in his emerald eyes. He took off his coat and hung it where Noah indicated and then followed his host’s lead in unlacing the wool-lined boots that had kept his large feet warm even though he was not at all certain about the feeling of confinement around his toes.

”May I borrow your fireplace?” he asked, looking around to try and determine what this tradition of decorating with dying greenery indoors would entail. Maea had explained something of the ritual to him and taught him how to weave garland and decorate wreaths, at least, so he was not entirely without skill in their imminent endeavor. ”It is for a quest from Safrin. To improve my armor,” he clarified, returning his attention to his host with a quirk of his lips in a small smile. ”It needs tempering.”

”Sure?” Noah said with a raise eyebrow, cocking his chin slightly in Hadama’s direction. Thankfully, the once-mer filled in the details quite quickly so Noah’s raised brow was transformed into two raised brows and a nod of understanding. “Then yes. Definitely use it. I need to finish my quest for Safrin as well, soon.” He said leaving some details vague because of their other ongoing thread.

”I am going to work on hanging these. Cordelia left me an entire box of stuff to finish before she headed back to the Citadel. She wants both homes decorated. I think it helps her.” Noah picked up the box as he spoke and strode over to the large oak table off the kitchen area. He set it down and started rummaging through it. He found several lengths of evergreen branches to hang off the mantle, as well as woven fabrics together in long strands that he knew Cordelia liked to weave between the mounts on the walls.

the forsaken

"Thank you," Hadama murmured, kneeling down while he removed the silver armlet with its subtle pattern of constellations from his bicep. He held on to the metal for a moment, reluctant to part with it, but after a deep breath he used the poker to carefully and gently set it in the heart of the flames.

Rising and turning back to his host, he moved to stand beside Noah near the kitchen and look down at the boxes curiously. "Mmh. Keeping two homes is... difficult," he agreed. Watching his fellow demigod for a moment to see what he pulled out, Hadama reached in to lift out several more garlands of fabric and evergreen boughs and held them in easy reach of his friend. "What are Halo's traditions at LongNight?" Every region had their own, it seemed, though few were quite as relaxed as the parties of Torchline, where even the chill of Deepfrost and the longest week of darkness could not steal all the warmth from the tropical coast.

Once Noah had taken an inventory of exactly what Cordelia had left for him, he set off to get a small ladder. As Hadama reached his armor into the fire, he placed the ladder against the wall. Grabbing up some supplies, the demigod then climbed a few rungs.

His answer came quick and was a tone mixture of half serious, half jest. ”Stay alive.” Noah chuckled, throwing a glance sideways at the once-mer as he strung ribbon of fabric and evergreen through the antlers of a rather large mount. ”When the heralds were still within the boundaries of the Hollowed Grounds, Longnight was difficult. Not as difficult as those tainted and tortured by the Voice and her creations, but without the sun…you can imagine how cold it would get here. We would gather as many people in as little homes as possible and just tend to fires and stay warm. We’d drink, and play games, but mostly we focused on staying warm and staying alive.”

Noah hung the rest of what he had gathered before coming down the ladder and going for more. ”We have much better times now. I think most people still gather with families, but its not unheard of for lots of people to gather in the palace and have some festivities.” He paused before climbing up the ladder again to decorate another mount. ”What did you do in the sea?”

the forsaken

Hadama lifted the supplies that Noah indicated up to the man on the ladder, putting his height to good use so that his friend would not have to climb up and down as often. He listened with the intent expression of a man who was learning something new, and nodded slowly at the mention of the Voice, though he'd never seen the Grounds until after the War had ended. "Indeed... Before the War Halo was unreachable by Merfolk. Even in Longheat the ice was too thick for us to travel here." The thought of huddling together in great schools to stay warm was strange but more understandable now that Hadama shared in the practices of legs and layered clothing.

He steadied the ladder and then moved back to the boxes, shrugging several layers of dark green garland twined with a sparkly silver thread and crimson balls that he assumed were intended to be berries over his shoulder. He followed Noah and handed up one end of the garland as he considered the other demigod's question in return. "Hmm. LongNight is no different than other weeks. Sunlight does not reach the Underwater City. So it's absence means little there." He did not quite shrug, but there was a gleam of mischief in his emerald eyes. "But there are some landwalker traditions that the Mer have adopted with more... hm. Enthusiasm than others. The week-long party at year's end is one of them. Family and friends. Food and drink. Games and pranks. It is a time to celebrate surviving another year." And for quite a few, an excuse to get thoroughly drunk in the safety of the City's perimeter.

"You are welcome to come visit, when there is time," he offered to his friend. "Perhaps you can find a gift for your wife in the Spiral Marketplace." Something unusual and unique for a Halovian, that would bring a smile to Cordelia's face.