Gotta admit, Dungeon Meshi Maniacs. I don't know that I've ever heard of ramen leftovers before. It's a soup with noodles. Noodles that get soggy! Those aren't great, DMMs. Ramen broth is usually made daily but I have heard of other noodle shops using a "perpetual stew". Think a long stewing broth that you keep going for decades! Long past when a normal stew would go. Which is a clumsy way of getting into this week's topic. If broth can live longer then why can't humans?
She wants everyone to live as long as she will, One Thousand Years. You see Marcille is a half-elf. In this world elves live to be around 500 years and dwarves around 300. Humans and half-foots? About the average in our world, 70ish years. But half-elves are special. Provided they aren't killed in some other way they will not die of natural causes until around a thousand years. That's a staggering amount of time, DMMs! But why wish for everyone to live that long? Simple, Marchille has already had her heart broken by death. She watched her father grow old and die. The advice she got at her father's graveside?
I guess some people just rip that band-aid off, DMMs! This is something Marchille will have to face. She is going to watch everyone around her die, again and again. Could be an accident, could be old age. No matter what she does Marcille will lose the ones she loves. I have to admit, one life of lose is a lot for me to face. To that over what would be several lifetimes? Not sure I could do it, DMMs. So I don't judge Marcille too harshly. One person does, however.
Oh man, to be shutdown by Laois. This really has to sting Marchille's pride. The big guy has a point. Not everyone is going to want to have that much time. Not everyone wants to see a thousand years. Overcrowding concerns aside I'm not sure I would want to live that long. Some would, some wouldn't. But you can't force everyone to do what you want. That's, as Laois puts it, forcing them to eat only what you want to eat. Which you know goes against what this blog stands for! This did get me to thinking about the idea of immorality, or at least very long life. Our history is full of people searching for a way to live just a little longer. Every culture seems to have a story or myth about a beast, potion or magic that could grant immorality. Even going back to the oldest written story!
What's wrong, DMMs? Can't read ancient Sumerian? No worries, very few can! The Epic of Gilgamesh never looked better! For those that don't know the poem it tells the story of the hero Gilgamesh, a great and powerful king though a bit cruel in the beginning. The people pray to the gods for help and the gods send a wild man named Enkidu to Gilgamesh. They become close friends which seems to mellow Gilgamesh out. Things go great for a while, two bros hunting, boozing and sexing it up. That is until they cross the god Ishtar who they anger so much that he causes Enkidu to fall ill and die. This drives Gilgamesh into a massive depression. Not only has he lost his closest friend but that friend died of an illness. It could happen to anyone...even him! Gilgamesh has heard stories of someone granted immorality by the gods so he seeks out Utnapihstim.
Stop me if this sounds familiar, DMMs. Utnapishtim was warned by the gods of an oncoming flood that would destroy the world. He built a grand ship to escape the flood and filled it with family and animals. Look, a lot of our Western stories all come from the same region so of course there is going to be some crossover. I do like that the bird that told Utnapishtim that the flood receded was a raven. Way smarter than a dove. Back to the topic, the gods made Utnapishtim immortal as a gift for doing what they told him to. Gilgamesh asks for the secret and Utnapishtim says Gilgamesh must defy sleep so Gilgamesh tries to stay awake. He doesn't make it, DMMs. Passes out after a few days. My limit is two and a half days, by the way. Next Utnapishtim tells of an herb that would restore Gilgamesh's youth. Gilgamesh does find the herb but a serpent steals it! This is enough to satisfy Gilgamesh. Wasting time seeking immortality is wasting the life he has. He just has to accept the fact that even he will die someday. Utnapishtim won't but he will. I'm telling you, DMMs. The Epic of Gilgamesh is worth a read. It's also useful if you need to talk to aliens who only understand metaphors!
What Gilgamesh discovered is something we all have to deal with at some point in our life. As a middle aged slime I do tend to think about my own mortality. For me I stopped obsessing over it a while ago. May as well try and stop the sun from rising. I'm not in a hurry to get superplexed off the top of the mortal coil, mind you. I just don't think about it much. That's not me giving you advice, everyone has their own views on the subject. I'm not telling you what menu to eat, DMMs!
Big question, DMMs. A talking animal comes up to you and wants to grant your greatest desire. Anything is possible. What are you going with and why is it more ramen? At least it isn't something you have answer immediately but I'd encourage you to study on it. Knowing what you want to work toward is a real blessing. I know I'll be thinking about it as I get back into the kitchen. Next week is an important one. Why? We will finally be eating someone's sister!
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