deernet | [003] video | un: lyreplayer

[ It's early November when Orpheus posts to the network again, this time sitting cross-legged on the floor of his bedroom with his guitar in his lap and the Omni propped up in front of him. The camera catches him leaning back after having set it to broadcast, and he waves as the recording starts. ]

Hi, everyone! I'm Orpheus, and, I thought of something that might be nice for us to do together? I know we're all busy building new lives here, but I don't think that means we have to forget the places we came from completely, or leave those memories behind. Unless you want to? That's fair too.

[ He pauses briefly, looking thoughtful and a little solemn as he considers that, before shaking his head and getting himself back on track.]

But! In my experience a big part of any place a person calls home is the stories that people tell there and the songs they sing, and it seems like it might be nice to share those with each other, as a way of giving each other a glimpse into where we came from, and of preserving them for the future. It can be anything you want to tell us about, whether it's a piece of history or a legend or a song or even a nursery rhyme you like. You don't have to share anything if you don't want to, of course, but I'd really love to hear anything and everything people are willing to add.

[ OOC: This is a mingle post! Please feel free to comment on other peoples' additions and otherwise tag around. ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ And Orpheus buys that explanation immediately, no questions asked. ]

Oh, thank you. I didn't write that one, actually. It was a song from a long, long time ago. Most of the other songs I've sung for people are ones I wrote, though. Were you at one of the bars where I've been playing, or did one of my friends mention me?

[mm. that's an out for her, but it's a depressing one. but it's not wrong, either. she tells a very specific truth about this one.]

Yeah, I've been spending a lot of time in bars lately.
The one you sang, I actually recognized the story behind, so it must be pretty old. Stuff like that has a way of getting around.
Nothing wrong with a little darkness, though. I mean, god knows mine wasn't really sunshine and rainbows.

Right. Like I was saying to some of the others, I usually like stories with happy endings better than tragedies, but sometimes that's just not how things go, in life and in storytelling, and it's important to recognize that. For the sake of accuracy, when you're telling true stories, but also to honor the weight that certain actions and events have, and to make the audience think about it.

Yeah.
Sometimes it's a sad song, but we sing it anyway.
Pretending that everything has a happy ending is just ignoring reality.
And if we don't have the bad times, then what are the good times even worth?

[does she even believe that herself? god, she sure hopes so.]

Exactly! And I think there's an art to telling a sad story and weaving hope in throughout. Hope that maybe it'll turn out alright, either at the end of the story or after the end, in the audience's minds as they imagine what could come after. Or if they can't picture that, then making them think about why that is - where it went too wrong to save, and things like that.

You know, when people say that their art is meant to challenge the viewer, somehow I don't think this is exactly what they have in mind.
But I'm into it, honestly.
God knows I spent enough time trying to give a better ending to a story that was already finished.
But living history is a little different than songs and stories.

It is, definitely. I mean, Perseus and Medusa were real people, a long, long time ago, and I spend a lot of time wondering what they'd think about all of this. All the versions of their story, and all the different messages each one is meant to convey. I also wonder if anyone I know's story will be told for so long that the reality gets lost in the myth. It's a lot to think about.

I hope you found that better ending, though, or that you find it someday if you haven't yet. I don't think it's ever really too late to keep trying.

No, I guess you wouldn't think that.

[she doesn't send that, though. it would blow the tenuously crafted cover story, but she does have to get it out of her system before answering properly.]

You'd be surprised how little time it takes for a story to fall into legend.
But maybe being the only person from my city here in Trench is making that part a little easier for me.
Being the sole keeper of history is a heavy burden. Can't blame people for turning it into myth and legend. Lot to keep track of.

I guess that's true. Stories kind of take on lives of their own as soon as they're told, even if the one doing the telling is someone who was there. Maybe especially in that case, sometimes.

It is a heavy burden, though. That's part of why I wanted to ask people to share, so we could help each other remember. I may not be from your world, but I'll to my best to keep a hold of what you choose to tell me about it.

I appreciate that.
It's just something I've been thinking about a lot since I came here.
The weight of memory.

There's more that I don't even think I'm ready to start giving to others yet.
But if there's one thing I've figured out about storytellers, it's that you guys never seem to run out of patience or time for stories.

Right! If you ever think of anything you want to share, I'm happy to listen, whether it's a story you want someone to help you spread or something you just want to tell to one person.

Oh, but hopefully that's not too presumptuous? I just mean if you want to tell me, and there's no one closer you'd rather go to instead.

Nah, don't worry about it, you're not being presumptuous or anything.
You're a storyteller and I've got stories that I'm no good at holding on to.
Long as I still know how to tell them the right way, I'm not worried.

[ Throughout all of this, Orpheus can't help but feel a little flattered that she keeps calling him a storyteller. It's a simple word, but he takes pride in it, and having that recognized like this is nice. He smiles to himself before responding. ]

Well, I look forward to hearing from you again, whenever you're ready. And thank you again, for sharing what you did.

Hey, no problem.

Keep an eye out for other stories as they come.
Never know who's going to be ready to talk about who.

Right! I'm hoping to do this again sometime, so there'll be plenty of chances for people to share their own as they're ready to. I thought it'd be a nice way to build a community here.

[003] video | un: lyreplayer

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