[video] Newcomer Memorial
Hey. [sometime late tonight, the Port gets the most awkward of greetings. Sam's sitting in an armchair, leaned forward with his elbows on his knees, his hands clasped so he doesn't do anything stupid with them. He's a little dressed up tonight - which, for him, means a navy blue collared shirt with his jeans.]
A lot of you know me already, but for those who don't, my name's Sam Merlotte. I'm a newcomer, and as of... January 2nd, I'll have been in Siren's Port for two years. I was part of a real big group that appeared all at once, and of those I think... [his brow furrows] ...hell, I'm not sure how many are left. But I know it's not a lot.
Two years is a long time. I like to think I've seen the best and the worst of what this place can do to somebody. When I first arrived, I pretty much grabbed onto the first thing that seemed like home. I'd owned a bar back in my world, so I signed up with AGI so I could run one of their clubs here. ...'Course it was only later I found out what I'd signed on for. But I guess learnin' is the part of experience - and I've had plenty of experience. I'm in my third apartment - fourth, if you count the time I spent livin' in the Towers. I've survived blackouts and earthquakes and contagions and crazy... magic shit that ain't even been figured out yet.
I've seen people go home, and I've seen 'em come back. Sometimes they remembered me, sometimes they didn't. I've gone home twice myself and been Pulled right back again, spendin' months and years at home that only measure up to a day here. [a wry, tired grin.] Seems like I'm a habit the Core can't quite quit.
[he takes a breath.] I've seen people killed. I've seen cases where they came back again, lookin' good as new. ...And I've seen cases where they didn't. I've seen 'em show up like Darkness monsters. I've killed things in the Dark, been attacked by things from the Dark, and even turned into Darkness things.
I've made friends here. Real good ones, close an' true, and it's made me remember how precious a thing that is. I've been betrayed, too. It's a hurt that never goes away. I've been lied to an' used and I've made enemies. I've fought against fellow Newcomers - physically fought 'em - and there's Newcomers I've helped rescue. Hell, there's been times I've needed rescue myself. ...And there's been a time I couldn't be rescued.
I've been on the receivin' end of the worst of the companies. I've been captured, tortured, held prisoner, auctioned an' enslaved. Wasn't all that long ago that there was a man I called Master. I've been affiliated and I've gone Neutral. I was even on the Newcomer Political Comittee, 'fore the slavery bit. I've started and run my own business - Merlotte's, for the unknowin'. I've been threatened and extorted and I've had people close to me hurt just to send a message. And I've had people stand with me against 'em, even knowin' that. This place can be as amazin' as it can be cruel. New or old, never forget that.
[he leans back, runs a hand through his hair.]
But that's somethin' I've been guilty of myself. Forgettin'. Like I said - two years is a long time, and if nothin' else I'm an example of all the things a person can go through here. All the people a person can meet. ...Months ago, Jinx made a post that reminded me just how many Newcomers have come an' gone, an' how constant that is, and how easy it is to just... forget about it. All those people comin' in and outta our lives, and it's hard to find somethin' to hold onto. Sometimes there ain't even a body to bury. Sometimes a person comes back, but they ain't the same, and the person they were and you knew is still gone.
And it ain't right. [Sam sets his jaw and lifts his shoulders, staring the NV down.] There oughta be more to mark the mark they've made on us - good or bad, doesn't matter. They deserve a memory. And we deserve to have a place to connect with 'em, same as the other citizens here have a graveyard they can mourn in. So I've made a place.
[he links to a blueprint and a map showing some land at the edge of Sector 7, near the Tower Apartments.]
...It's not finished yet, but the crew an' the landscaper seem pretty sure it'll be up by January 3rd. The land's not the best, but it's close to the Apartments and it allowed for a maple tree to be put at the center. There'll be stone benches surroundin' it, and past those will be stone posts: one for everybody who's come an' gone from here. Every two months, new stones'll be added. The markers'll have the person's name and the date they arrived, and thanks to a good man named Sirius Black, they'll also have an enchantment on it projectin' the person's face. There'll be a stone wall circlin' the place, but Sirius's also been kind enough to ward the whole area with protection spells. If anybody knows Riku, he's the one who was able to get me the names in the first place, and I owe him a debt for that. I owe them both a lot.
So there it is. And whether you think it's a good idea or a stupid one, the Newcomer Memorial's my gift to the Port. ...And to myself, I'll admit. So take it as you want to.
Merry Christmas, everybody. Happy New Years.
A lot of you know me already, but for those who don't, my name's Sam Merlotte. I'm a newcomer, and as of... January 2nd, I'll have been in Siren's Port for two years. I was part of a real big group that appeared all at once, and of those I think... [his brow furrows] ...hell, I'm not sure how many are left. But I know it's not a lot.
Two years is a long time. I like to think I've seen the best and the worst of what this place can do to somebody. When I first arrived, I pretty much grabbed onto the first thing that seemed like home. I'd owned a bar back in my world, so I signed up with AGI so I could run one of their clubs here. ...'Course it was only later I found out what I'd signed on for. But I guess learnin' is the part of experience - and I've had plenty of experience. I'm in my third apartment - fourth, if you count the time I spent livin' in the Towers. I've survived blackouts and earthquakes and contagions and crazy... magic shit that ain't even been figured out yet.
I've seen people go home, and I've seen 'em come back. Sometimes they remembered me, sometimes they didn't. I've gone home twice myself and been Pulled right back again, spendin' months and years at home that only measure up to a day here. [a wry, tired grin.] Seems like I'm a habit the Core can't quite quit.
[he takes a breath.] I've seen people killed. I've seen cases where they came back again, lookin' good as new. ...And I've seen cases where they didn't. I've seen 'em show up like Darkness monsters. I've killed things in the Dark, been attacked by things from the Dark, and even turned into Darkness things.
I've made friends here. Real good ones, close an' true, and it's made me remember how precious a thing that is. I've been betrayed, too. It's a hurt that never goes away. I've been lied to an' used and I've made enemies. I've fought against fellow Newcomers - physically fought 'em - and there's Newcomers I've helped rescue. Hell, there's been times I've needed rescue myself. ...And there's been a time I couldn't be rescued.
I've been on the receivin' end of the worst of the companies. I've been captured, tortured, held prisoner, auctioned an' enslaved. Wasn't all that long ago that there was a man I called Master. I've been affiliated and I've gone Neutral. I was even on the Newcomer Political Comittee, 'fore the slavery bit. I've started and run my own business - Merlotte's, for the unknowin'. I've been threatened and extorted and I've had people close to me hurt just to send a message. And I've had people stand with me against 'em, even knowin' that. This place can be as amazin' as it can be cruel. New or old, never forget that.
[he leans back, runs a hand through his hair.]
But that's somethin' I've been guilty of myself. Forgettin'. Like I said - two years is a long time, and if nothin' else I'm an example of all the things a person can go through here. All the people a person can meet. ...Months ago, Jinx made a post that reminded me just how many Newcomers have come an' gone, an' how constant that is, and how easy it is to just... forget about it. All those people comin' in and outta our lives, and it's hard to find somethin' to hold onto. Sometimes there ain't even a body to bury. Sometimes a person comes back, but they ain't the same, and the person they were and you knew is still gone.
And it ain't right. [Sam sets his jaw and lifts his shoulders, staring the NV down.] There oughta be more to mark the mark they've made on us - good or bad, doesn't matter. They deserve a memory. And we deserve to have a place to connect with 'em, same as the other citizens here have a graveyard they can mourn in. So I've made a place.
[he links to a blueprint and a map showing some land at the edge of Sector 7, near the Tower Apartments.]
...It's not finished yet, but the crew an' the landscaper seem pretty sure it'll be up by January 3rd. The land's not the best, but it's close to the Apartments and it allowed for a maple tree to be put at the center. There'll be stone benches surroundin' it, and past those will be stone posts: one for everybody who's come an' gone from here. Every two months, new stones'll be added. The markers'll have the person's name and the date they arrived, and thanks to a good man named Sirius Black, they'll also have an enchantment on it projectin' the person's face. There'll be a stone wall circlin' the place, but Sirius's also been kind enough to ward the whole area with protection spells. If anybody knows Riku, he's the one who was able to get me the names in the first place, and I owe him a debt for that. I owe them both a lot.
So there it is. And whether you think it's a good idea or a stupid one, the Newcomer Memorial's my gift to the Port. ...And to myself, I'll admit. So take it as you want to.
Merry Christmas, everybody. Happy New Years.