He huffed in amusement. "Unsettling for us, too. You aren't supposed to be able to see us. It's against the rules. And dangerous, besides."
"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
"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]
"You can touch us, I assume? If we're in solid form from one day to another." He stroked his beard. "There are some of us here you probably shouldn't tell."
"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
Ky swallowed hard, looking at him with wide eyes. “…so you’d be able to touch me? Could-could you — any of you—?” She looked around, afraid. “So if I can see any of you, you — broadly — could hurt me? Physically?”
"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]
"I don't know the rules exactly." He shrugged. "Have any of us touched you 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
“Um…Liesel kind of put her hand on my shoulder but… but… I don’t know, I was distracted… and she wasn’t trying to hurt 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]
"I don't know why touching would only apply to my great-grandmother, then. But harm will have to be trial and error, hm?" He set down the book he'd been reading and it disappeared. Then he stood. "Have you told anyone about this?"
"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
Ky involuntarily took a step backward in retreat, heart pounding in her throat. She wanted absolutely no trial or error with this man. Should she run? “Yes. They both know. And they know where I am.” Always best for strange men to know you had someone waiting for you… right?
"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]
"Both meaning Tomhas and my son?" He nodded and headed for the bookshelves. "I expect they've taken that news with characteristic dismay."
"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
Ky watched him warily, resisting the urge to inform him that it was, in fact, dismaying. No point in inviting abuse. And he… wasn’t? Coming for her? At least not now. She took a deep breath. “It… has been a little unsettling for all of us… we… thought the afterlife was further removed… from the Keep.”
"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 is." He scanned the shelves. "On the planar level it's quite far indeed. Unless you make a choice to stay. The layers thin a little for individuals that aren't ready to move on."
"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
"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]
"Like me." He glanced back at her. "You look frightened; I'm not going to bite you."
"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
“…yessir,” she blushed and dipped her head. “Apologies. I meant no offense.” Although this was the man that abused her father and uncle. So. It wasn’t that unreasonable of an assumption that he’d do something nasty to her in turn.
"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]
"They've been telling tales about me, I imagine." He took a book from the shelf. The cover melted from the physical copy and he flipped the new version open, scanning the contents. "Probably true tales."
"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
You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You're on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the one who'll decide where to go... — Dr. Seuss
