text; follow up survey

[indispensable]

Type: Text
Sender ID: vulturvolans (Alhaitham)
To: Public
Subject: Follow Up Survey
Warnings: Subtle unsubtle bragging, and Gay

This is Alhaitham.

I have a survey for people to respond to. Those who have filled up my previous survey from last year may consider this as a follow up of sorts to it—those who have not are free to respond to this one all the same. Regardless, there are similarly no restrictions or stipulations to the nature of the responder; the only thing that I request is for honesty when filling this in.

1) Are you currently in any sort of romantic relationship? (Arrangements made purely for physical reasons do not count.)
2) Does an institution of marriage exist in the world that you come from? Does it play any sort of significant cultural role? Feel free to describe as much or as little as you want.
3) Do you consider the idea of marriage important? What is the primary endgoal in any romantic relationship that you pursue?
4) What do you envision as your ideal future with a partner?
5) What does the concept of 'home' mean to you?

You are free to leave your answers in this post or direct them to my inbox. I will follow up on whatever answers that I feel are necessary.

Thank you for your time.

Comments

[inherlight]

Bragging? Oh, is he in a relationship?

Oh I see! I do agree that learning about other cultures is fascinating. I could go more into details about drow culture if there is something you wanted to know more about.

[empyrean_mirror]

He is my husband.

Oh, if you wouldn't mind...you said marriage isn't really something done in your homeland?

[inherlight]

Oh! Congratulations two the both of you then.

Speaking strictly only for drow, then yes. We don't 'get married' like other races do. That isn't to say one can't have lovers. Mistrust is sown deeply in my culture and letting your guard down even among though belonging to one's own House could kill you. Love and romance is simply unheard of.

[empyrean_mirror]

Thank you. Our anniversary is coming up shortly, hence him feeling the need to show off.

[But now he has to pause. Don't say "that sounds fucked up and awful", Kaveh, don't say it, that's rude, don't say it--]

Completely unheard of? I'm having trouble wrapping my mind around how that happens.

[inherlight]

Oh I see. He must be very proud of you to be flaunting like this.

Not completely, no. I'm living proof of that. But I bare the scars of my 'first love'. You can thank the Spider Queen poisoning my people against compassion. Things like love is seen as weakness and those who fall victim to it make easy targets.

[empyrean_mirror]

<span style="font-family:courier new;>He chooses the most roundabout ways to show off, I swear. Spider Queen?</span>

[inherlight]

How adorable. You are very fortunate to have someone like him.

Oh, right, sorry. Lolth is her proper name, she's a goddess. All drow are sworn to serve her. I guess you can say she is the mother of my race.

[empyrean_mirror]

I am, but if too many people tell him so, he'll get even smugger about it.

The...mother of your race? Did she create your people?

[inherlight]

Haha, well the secret is safe with me.

Kind of? Lolth used to go by a different name when she was apart of the other Elven Gods. But she tried to usurp Corellon, the leader of the Seldarine pantheon, whose was also her lover. As punishment, he cast her and all those faithful to her into what is known as the Underdark. To tell us apart from other elves, he marked our skin as black as the sunless sky and bleached our hair white. These were the first drow, my ancestors.