#chartedworlds: hc

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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. 

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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.

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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.

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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.”

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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.

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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.

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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. 

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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. 

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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.