nexus_sages | Stories and hobbies and other ways to pass the time

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Stories and hobbies and other ways to pass the time

Verity's in her favorite seat in the forum, drinking coffee and trying to read a book that's frustrating her. It isn't long before she puts it down with a scowl aimed at the cover (or possibly the concept of books). "Does anyone understand Norse mythology? Is that a thing? Because I do not get it."

"Alternately, any suggestions for hobbies for someone with lots of time and few skills? Preferably things that aren't group activities."

((A note about Verity: she's got a magic spell stuck in her that lets her always know when someone is lying to her. Please respect this; if your character is trying to lie to her, please make that known so she can react appropriately.))

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She lets him take it. It's a dense and scholarly work on Norse mythology, the sort of thing really hardcore nerds like.

"Are you always this friendly, or are you making a special effort just for me?"

"What?" He leans back away so he can open and thumb through the pages, somehow carefully holding it in his crab-claw. Apparently, he's just always, uh, brusque. "It's an intensive craft; a great deal of concentration and discipline. Why, do you think you have what it takes? If you had to choose an element, which would it be?"

He pauses to read a passage on Örvar-Oddr's account of the Lyngbakr. Hmm!

She watches him read the book for a moment before shrugging. Probably for the best someone's enjoying the book. It's what books are for.

"I don't know yet. What do the different elements do in your style of magic? I wouldn't want to make an uninformed choice."

"Do they not have fire, water, wind or earth where you come from? They do what they will. Burn, flood, flow and stand, among other things. Have you seen this beast in your world?" He points at a woodprint illustration of the Lyngbakr, which looks like some kind of big whale with moss all over his back. He seems interested by it and the prospect it's out there somewhere.

"Er. No. Those sorts of things probably live in another realm. Or work for Namor."

But let's be realistic here. "Actually, probably just the other realms, if Namor had one he probably would have used it in one of his invasions. Is there an air spell that would let me fly?"

The prospect of flying is very interesting to her.

He frowns and looks at the woodcut again. Bummer. That thing's pretty neat and gave him a better impression of what her world is like. "Why are you reading about it, then?" Disregard all the other content of the book, why isn't the giant island-fish REAL?

At the question regarding flight, Naugus thumps his staff down once and, just like that, there's a gust of wind gathered under him and he's floating! "Granted, it's quite an advanced level of air magicks. But if you applied yourself, who knows!"

"Because my best friend is a god and I'm trying to understand where he comes from." And figure out where he went. And why there's giant flying goats. "It's not something I want to ask him about because his parents are... let's say really strict. Like putting your heart in a goose egg if you miss curfew strict."

That's almost what happened anyway.

Okay, she's impressed with the flying. "That looks like fun. What's the price?"

"Why would his parents matter? Inquire while they are out of earshot, assuming your best god friend is a mere child. Why are you making friends with godchildren to begin with?"

Naugus shifts to a more leisurely position from where he floats, hands behind his head and his tail curling around his staff to keep hold of it instead. "Price? It would simply be assigning yourself as your apprentice. There is no price."

Lie.

"Okay first, they're gods, and it's probably safer to assume they're always listening. Two, I didn't so much mean to make friends with the kid, he just showed up and somebody's got to look after him." And that whole subject makes her feel really guilty.

Not so guilty she misses the lie. "Magic always has a price."

"Ah, well. Why would they care if you asked about his world and his past? Get someone else to ask for you? I'm not sure why this is such a struggle. There are alternatives to you looking angry at books." He waggles said book, still in one hand.

"All right, not a price per se. But as my apprentice, there would have to be an agreement. A contract. You would defer to me in matters concerning your teachings and my magic. That's all."

It's like there's a little sliver of a lie worming around somewhere in those words, but it's so thin and pale, it might not be there at all. Just a breath of something he's not elaborating on, perhaps?

"He's... missing." Happy now? Because she's not. "An alternate future him showed up and now I can't find him." It's a pretty consuming issue for her, so she's not even thinking about the possible apprenticeship right now.

"Ah." Naugus lowers himself to the floor again, the action accompanied with a quiet 'whoosh' and puff of air moving outwards from under him. His staff is passed from tail to hand once he's got his feet under him.

"A pity. So is this research in the hopes of locating him? I take his parents are not forthcoming with the information if you are so reluctant to call their attention. Or that whole goose egg matter you mentioned; perhaps they are behind his disappearance?"

She gives a little nod. "I'm really worried about him. I."

Nope, not going to talk about that. "His apartment is gone. It just vanished. His brother is a little crazy right now I think, and I don't have any way of getting in touch with the rest of his family. I thought maybe I could find a way to find him."

And he's seen how well that's going.

He glances at the book again, then hands it back to Verity finally. "I'm not sure if the answers would be in this, but if it's your best hope, you'd do well to stick with it. An entire dwelling vanishing, however, speaks of temporal matters. Do you know if the godchild was tinkering with things of that nature? The make of reality's fabric, meddling with portals? One who is not trained or prepared may find themselves, well...not."

She takes the book and folds her arms around it. "It's a place to start. I don't think he was doing any time magic, but I know the him from the future was. I can't find that one either. Not that I want to so much."

She doesn't want to believe he's dead, but it's starting to get hard to believe anything else.

"For what it's worth, in my experience and study, most gods do not simply die or vanish; they weaken and fade, but natural death isn't within their grasp. Most gods must be killed to reach such a final end."

No lie there. And he should know; he has a very direct hand in doing the job once.

Then again, bringing up potential murder might not be as comforting as he thinks it is. But hear him out!

"So the odds of him being entirely removed from this mortal (or immortal, in his case) coil are not likely. As you said, you've seen other timelines that contain him. Perhaps he has simply been pulled from one to the next?"

He's really trying, for what it's worth, to make an effort at putting Verity's mind at ease. He's not super good at this kind of thing, but he's doin' his best.

It's really shocking that he's bad at this. Nevertheless, Verity appreciates the effort. "That makes a lot of sense. Thank you. I don't know how I'll find him if he's in another timeline, but," she glances around, "at least I have a place to start."

She hopes he didn't get sent to King Loki's future.

Isn't it? Stop the presses, new headline: Mad Old Wizard Bad At Being Comforting. At least the effort should be...heartwarming? Okay, maybe not really. "Indeed! I've been informed readily that this zone is every bit a hotbed of intersecting timelines, let alone other realms. And you've come across him once; maybe the one you knew will find his way in time." He reaches to give a very stilted attempt at a pat on the shoulder. Pat pat?

Well that's a surprise. But this time she's smiling at the end. "That's true. He might come through here trying to find his way home. Think I should put up flyers?"

"Why not. LOST: One Godchild. If found, please report or return to red-haired Overlander in glasses. Answers to Verity. Reward?" He puts out his hands as if framing a square piece of paper with this information on it. "Maybe a picture or two. I'll leave you to work out the reward. Don't go outside your means."

He's grinning, but at least it doesn't have the usual malicious glint to it. He's just having fun joking around.

Congrats strange horned beast, you've made the pretty lady laugh. That's probably going to unlock an achievement or badge or something. "Eh. Depending on who finds him, they might pay me to take him back. I wouldn't want to rule that out."

ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED! He'll put that one on his steam profile.

"Disclaimer at the bottom, very small print: He's a problem child. Return immediately and I will not charge. Not responsible for damages to self, goods, furniture." Gods can be pretty wild, after all! The ones he knew were the placid types, but it didn't mean they couldn't tear stuff up if they felt like it. ~~And he spent a good couple decades being nearly a demi-god himself; might explain his ego and blunt manner.~~

"That sums him up really well," she admits. "You sure you haven't met him?"

She's watched his apartment get messed up by fighting twice, both times involving him being thrown out the window. It would not surprise her at all if he messed up other people's furniture too.

"I just tend to know what gods can be like." A pause. "And the young." Those blasted youths and teens!

"If I may continue to inquire, why can't he be invoked like his parents might? You fear they are watching, but perhaps he can still be reached via the usual means with gods. Communing, offers, visions? Although you said his brother is present and he is equally distraught. Hrrm." He's not sure what to make of THAT part.

She's just be pleased he's not lumping her into the category of annoying youngsters.

"I don't know how to do that. He doesn't have any priests or temples, not that I know about anyway. If there's prayers and invocations... well, we've never been like that. Maybe they're in the book."

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