Free States of the Crescent

[Through the Living Hope]

1 minute ago, The Stormfather said:

“Yeah, I’ll go knock on some doors.”

And knock on doors he did, gathering those that he could find. It took a while to get to all of the houses, but his pace did not slow as he strode across the streets.

@Lotus Blossom @Scars of Hathsin @Mags

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If any of you want a brief cameo, Mark is rounding up the Cosmere tributes for a funeral of some of Drominad’s deceased tributes

At first, Mare and Tinker seemed annoyed that their honeymoon was interrupted, but after a bit of explaining they both quickly agreed to come.

[Lotus Blossom she/her]

On 4/29/2026 at 11:39 AM, Through the Living Hope said:

@Lotus Blossom @Scars of Hathsin @Mags

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i am here! what must i do

 

[Through the Living Hope]

49 minutes ago, Lotus Blossom said:

 

@The Stormfather

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Nothing as of yet, once we get to that point you should probably interact with Mark since Maj is his “brother” and she’s dating Mark

 

[Lotus Blossom she/her]

2 hours ago, Through the Living Hope said:

Nothing as of yet, once we get to that point you should probably interact with Mark since Maj is his “brother” and she’s dating Mark

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ah yes. 100%.

lmk when Mark is around  

 

[The Stormfather He/Him]

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Where is the funeral taking place?

@Through the Living Hope

[Through the Living Hope]

3 minutes ago, The Stormfather said:

@Through the Living Hope

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Probably in the graveyard, at least that’s what I thought. Mark can decide

 

[The Stormfather He/Him]

57 minutes ago, Through the Living Hope said:

 

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I think a graveyard would make sense seeing as we have coffins to do something with.

Mark had gathered those who he could actually find, which at the moment was Marewill’s family, he and Astra, and a few other of the tributes who were standing around like npcs because their rpers aren’t looking at this thread.

They had assembled at the graveyard, ready for the ceremony (assuming there’s some kind of ceremony in the free states) and the burial of the coffins.

[Through the Living Hope]

26 minutes ago, The Stormfather said:

Mark had gathered those who he could actually find, which at the moment was Marewill’s family, he and Astra, and a few other of the tributes who were standing around like npcs because their rpers aren’t looking at this thread.

They had assembled at the graveyard, ready for the ceremony (assuming there’s some kind of ceremony in the free states) and the burial of the coffins.

Falr led the service, mostly doing the customs established in the states, but also doing bits of what he knew from the districts’ services. He gave Mark the option of giving a speech. 

Marewill and Tinker stood there quietly, respectfully. 

[The Stormfather He/Him]

11 hours ago, Through the Living Hope said:

Falr led the service, mostly doing the customs established in the states, but also doing bits of what he knew from the districts’ services. He gave Mark the option of giving a speech. 

Marewill and Tinker stood there quietly, respectfully. 

“I never met most of these people.” He prefaced.

“But what I saw when they fought in those games was bravery and valour unlike anything I’d seen before. Most of us, we know how hard it is to compete in those games, and we know how difficult it is to try and kill people who hadn’t done anything wrong. We know how wrong it feels to kill because of the luck of the draw. These people did not cower. They fought, fought with all they could. Once they knew that they weren’t escaping, they knew that their last chance was winning. A thought process I think many of us can relate to.”

Mark paused for a moment.

”Many of you know that Maj was a part of my…group…the Steeles. But he was a lot more than that, in many ways. He was a friend to me, and a good one. When we knew that he was going to be picked, I began to train him. We sparred, but I also tried to teach him about the way things are in that arena. In the end, he died of his own choice, of his own abandoning of the gamemakers ideals. He did what so many tributes have thought about doing in the past-

“And with it, he will live in the hearts of people like us, the opposers of the games, of the Dystopia, of the Peacekeepers,” Mark was speaking passionately now. “He was a spark that may have ignited a far larger fire than he thought.”

”And he was my brother.”

[Through the Living Hope]

2 hours ago, The Stormfather said:

“I never met most of these people.” He prefaced.

“But what I saw when they fought in those games was bravery and valour unlike anything I’d seen before. Most of us, we know how hard it is to compete in those games, and we know how difficult it is to try and kill people who hadn’t done anything wrong. We know how wrong it feels to kill because of the luck of the draw. These people did not cower. They fought, fought with all they could. Once they knew that they weren’t escaping, they knew that their last chance was winning. A thought process I think many of us can relate to.”

Mark paused for a moment.

”Many of you know that Maj was a part of my…group…the Steeles. But he was a lot more than that, in many ways. He was a friend to me, and a good one. When we knew that he was going to be picked, I began to train him. We sparred, but I also tried to teach him about the way things are in that arena. In the end, he died of his own choice, of his own abandoning of the gamemakers ideals. He did what so many tributes have thought about doing in the past-

“And with it, he will live in the hearts of people like us, the opposers of the games, of the Dystopia, of the Peacekeepers,” Mark was speaking passionately now. “He was a spark that may have ignited a far larger fire than he thought.”

”And he was my brother.”

It was not a time to cheer. But if it was, the small crowd would have. Tinker held Mare a little tighter, and Crocus did the same with Meron. 

@Lotus Blossom

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Funeral is happening 

 

[Lotus Blossom she/her]

11 hours ago, Through the Living Hope said:

It was not a time to cheer. But if it was, the small crowd would have. Tinker held Mare a little tighter, and Crocus did the same with Meron. 

Astra looked over at Mark, and offered out her hand.

How could she possibly offer comfort? By simply saying syruped words about how the world is all the darker with Maj no longer in it?

Death was 

Twisted.

In weird ways.

It didn't let people breathe.

Like an asthma attack that spiraled endlessly and caught you when you least expected it.

And came back

again

and again.

Amyra had killed herself in the hunger games long before Astra was born. And Astra hadn't even heard of her existence until years ago.

She hadn't talked to anyone from her family for years, actually.

It was lonely.

And now, Mark had lost family.

Another relentlessly unhealing wound cut into a lifetime.

How could "I'm sorry" be enough?

@The Stormfather

Edited May 5 by Lotus Blossom

[The Stormfather He/Him]

10 hours ago, Lotus Blossom said:

Astra looked over at Mark, and offered out her hand.

How could she possibly offer comfort? By simply saying syruped words about how the world is all the darker with Maj no longer in it?

Death was 

Twisted.

In weird ways.

It didn't let people breathe.

Like an asthma attack that spiraled endlessly and caught you when you least expected it.

And came back

again

and again.

Amyra had killed herself in the hunger games long before Astra was born. And Astra hadn't even heard of her existence until years ago.

She hadn't talked to anyone from her family for years, actually.

It was lonely.

And now, Mark had lost family.

Another relentlessly unhealing wound cut into a lifetime.

How could "I'm sorry" be enough?

@The Stormfather

Mark clasped her hand, a tear rolling down his cheek. “Thank you,” he whispered, almost silent.

[Through the Living Hope]

1 hour ago, The Stormfather said:

Mark clasped her hand, a tear rolling down his cheek. “Thank you,” he whispered, almost silent.

Mare turned. Her friendship with Mark was… new, to say the least. Should she do something, or just let Astra handle it?

[Lotus Blossom she/her]

Astra could feel herself closing again. Was it self protection or self sabotage?

After loss, she always jumped to

cauterize

the wound. Dump alcohol deep

into the marrow of

what's left.

And scowl a bit downwards, rubbing her eyes dry with

sandpaper

and wake up.

She forced her nails further downwards in her pockets and looked around and nodded, a short nod that was

indicative of nothing else but

all the blinks an eye will never have---glassed over with rot

and rolling in the sockets

with austerity.

"Well." she said, and that was all.

The negative space filled the rest.

@The Stormfather @Through the Living Hope

[The Stormfather He/Him]

Mark stepped aside from where he had been speaking, trying to indicate that someone else could say some words.

Saying anything to anyone didn’t seem right, seemed like it would be unfair. If he were to ask, someone would feel obligated.

So silent he stood. 

And in the passing silent moments, in the tranquil sorrow and painful memories of times lives so happily in such terrible conditions…

Mark found himself feeling strange, without even the hint of the other Hims in his head.

He knew it was good, it was a development that could only be positive.

He would just have to figure out how to patch himself back together after the parts of him were gone.

He exhaled softly, the thoughts of theoretical futures of pain leaving himself with it.

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Lotus the way you write those posts like poems with the line indents is storming amazing.

 

Edited May 14 by The Stormfather

[Through the Living Hope]

21 minutes ago, The Stormfather said:

Mark stepped aside from where he had been speaking, trying to indicate that someone else could say some words.

Saying anything to anyone didn’t seem right, seemed like it would be unfair. If he were to ask, someone would feel obligated.

So silent he stood. 

And in the passing silent moments, in the tranquil sorrow and painful memories of times lives so happily in such terrible conditions…

Mark found himself feeling strange, without even the hint of the other Hims in his head.

He knew it was good, it was a development that could only be positive.

He would just have to figure out how to patch himself back together after the parts of him were gone.

He exhaled softly, the thoughts of theoretical futures of pain leaving himself with it.

 

Tinker squeezed Mark’s shoulder in support.