"What?" He blinked at Pratik. "Who say that? Why they think that?" There was a small tremor in his voice.
"God..." She shuddered. "Are trolls aggressive?"
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
"They don't know." Pratik shook his head quickly. Of all the people he didn't want to upset, Rönn was near the very top of that list. Especially in this very moment. "They're just speculating. They don't know anything. That's why they want to ask you." He'd need to remember to warn them to be delicate when they did come out.
"Yes." Ky nodded. "At least, that one is. Rönn said they normally don't bother humans but that they're bad-tempered and the males -- which this one was -- are really aggressive... as tends to be true." Across all species.
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
"If gods waking, Ky tell me. If they waking up then I not going after Zander. Important things to do up here if they waking up." He began to pace, rubbing at his bracelet. "Need to talk to Builder."
"That's just...wow. Why is it walking around so close If they don't usually bother humans?" she asked. "Why didn't people believe in them before?"
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
Pratik noticed the bracelet and wondered where he got it from -- it was clearly a comfort item, which seemed... out of place. "I think you'd know better than they do," Pratik said gently. "They thought everything was just stories until Ky met you... I've found when humans don't know the answer, they tend to guess gods, first. Whether it's really them or not."
"I don't know." Ky shook her head, furrowing her brow. "Rönn doesn't, either. He said they usually don't come out until the sun goes away and are shy of humans. He doesn't know why this one is out wandering around like this."
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
"Maybe, maybe." He shivered. "Maybe. I be here in morning. I want hear what Ash say about gods."
"And Ash somehow thinks it has something to do with the gods?" She grimaced. "The Northern gods aren't kind, from what I hear. If they wake up then you're going to have an interesting time up here."
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
"I'm sure they'll both be up studying up on it all night... I guess we all will. I'll probably tag along, too," Pratik said. "Are there any other creatures nearby? Beyond the ones humans know about?"
"I already am," Ky huffed, bending down to grab the books as requested. "Apparently everything is asleep up here and it's going to be dark for four months. There are only like..." she tried to count quickly how many siblings and cousins and aunts and uncles she had now, and decided that it was far too complicated to keep track of them now. "I don't remember. But I'm related to the only good parts of this place."
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
Okay. So. Don’t judge me (jk judge away this is indefensible) — but there is this enby on tiktok who posts satyr thirst traps. I really, really hate how much I enjoy them xD but my brain tonight decided to make the tiktoker into Rönn and I know he’s really, really not but now my brain wants Rönn to be hot and that is such a distressing thought xD save me
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
Wow first of all that person is VERY hot with their makeup on. Second of all, that is absolutely hilarious, especially considering Rönn's head is like the only thing that's completely goatified You're making me want to insert satyrs into my lore now Maybe I'll consider slapping them down in the East since the East is hornytown apparently
He thought about it, tilting his head up and sniffing. "Mm...don't think so. No big bad ones. Maybe small in ground and in trees, but they not hurting anyone. Like nits. They hiding from troll too."
"I think we can agree on that. Everything else up here is terrible. Except the big white horses; those are lovely." She scanned the shelves. "He's going to have us coming back for more, I'm sure. Are there other titles here he might want?"
(Feel free to make some up, there are definitely useful books)
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
(Omg that actually makes me feel so much better that you find them attractive too haha I always feel borderline furry admitting I find them attractive which I am not — but omg do it)
“What are nits?” Pratik asked.
That was a good question she scanned the titles and began reading them to herself, then realized that was a jerk move and resolved to read the useful looking ones aloud. “Ummm… huh, that one is Symbolism of the Ancients. Wonder if that’s useful.” She scanned for more. “And that one is Creatures of Legend - volume one… and I’ve got a good gut feeling about this one.” She pulled one with a faded spine that couldn’t be read off the shelf. It looked very old.
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
(It's mostly the eyes for me on that person in particular; the horns and fur act as rad accessories)
(Satyrs in the East then!)
"Bugs in hair." He rubbed at his head. "Harmless, sometimes annoying. Things in ground and in trees much like them."
"I can carry those if you carry the others," Ada offered, holding out her hands. "That one looks delicate."
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
“…so… like squirrels?” Pratik asked hesitantly, feeling like he’d just asked a stupid question.
Ky glanced down and nodded. Gods knew she didn’t want to break one of Gaius’s books. He could forgive her destroying her bedroom — at least he pretended he could. But the books were his pride and joy. “Good plan.”
Ky plucked the other two from the shelf and stacked the old one on top, then offered the whole stack to Ada.
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
(The six volumes are information on the Northern pantheon and myths and legends surrounding them.)
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
“I don’t understand,” Pratik admitted. “What do they look like? What do they do?”
Ky squinted at the titles of the books they were actually supposed to be grabbing. “Looks like a history on the gods or something.”
She pulled all of them off the shelf and then bent down and hefted the heavy stack off the ground with a grunt. She stepped towards the way they’d come. “Probably better be prompt.”
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
"Lots of different ones," Rönn replied impatiently. "I talk more tomorrow, go inside. Dangerous right now."
She nodded. "If they wake up will they start killing people?"
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
Pratik glanced nervously towards where the troll had disappeared. He almost wished it would come back so he could see it. But certainly not when he was outside. He looked back at Rönn. “Okay. Thank you.”
“I don’t know,” she sighed, shrinking even as she tottered under the weight of the books. “I haven’t read these yet.”
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
