asgardchrysalis | EVENT LOG: FROM THE GROUND UP

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EVENT LOG: FROM THE GROUND UP

Who: ANYONE that wants to interact with Laufey, Queen of the Earth Giants, in person
What: Laufey is visiting Asgard for one day, as part of the From the Ground Up plot
When: July 17
Where: throughout Asgard
Rating: PG, probs

early morning: unshaken but stirred

[ Those awake in the early hours between midnight and sunrise will hear the rhythmic stomping of stone, one sickening crunch after another. Anyone paying attention to the timing of them might begin to wonder if they aren't footsteps - and to make such a sound, those feet must be large. But looking outside reveals no behemoth charging towards the kingdom. Only darkness and silence between each one as it comes closer. And closer. And closer.

And then it stops. Silence takes over the night once more. And nothing in the city indicates that anything was disturbed at all. Perhaps it's your imagination. Perhaps this is all just a dream.

Or, for those that couldn't sleep on such a thing - perhaps if you take to the streets and move quickly enough, you might catch a glimpse of a dark figure walking through with seemingly no urgency. Her feet are bare but rather ordinary in size and shape otherwise. The ground does not rumble beneath her, and there seems to be nothing else of note other than perhaps the curious glance she gives every inch of the city as it passes. She doesn't stop or slow her pace for anything, remaining steady on a straight course towards the castle - but she drags her fingertips along a wall or dips a toe into a bed of soil along the way. Perhaps this is entirely unrelated to what you heard. Perhaps it really was nothing after all.

Approach her if you must, but do so quickly. Despite her interest in the city, nothing seems to keep her from her goal. Once she's reached the castle, she's gone. ]

CLOSED to the gods + peter quill and finn: a busy morning

[ Tyr came to her asking for help sealing a colossal hole in the earth that broke through to something quite dangerous for their new Wanderers - and now she's here at the castle helping with some absurd communication thing they requested as well. It leaves a subtle shade of humor glinting in her eyes as she regards the gods now, her kin that seem to have found a species to spoil. ]

Well now, darlings. You have me, for the time being. Tell me how I can help.

[ There's a tone of amusement to it, like this is some adorable pet project that she's agreed to contribute to. But it cannot exist as they want it to without her, and there's a certain amount of authority that comes with such a thing. Doing this is her choice. Since we immortals seem to be in a benevolent mood, this era. ]

throughout the day: what's this, what's this?

[ Where she hadn't much time to explore the city properly on her way in, now that the network has been successfully established and Asgard's residents are bustling around under the bright sun, Laufey wanders through the streets of every district with a stoic curiosity guiding her path. She is not particularly moved by any one feat of architecture or greenery, but she brushes her fingers along everything she can reach all the same.

Perhaps she reaches out to tap a single finger against something you're working on. Or maybe she's staring directly at you, unblinking and unmoving, measuring you up to some unknown scale. Or perhaps she simply passes you by completely as she walks, still barefoot and unhurried, feeling the sun on her skin and the earth beneath her feet - basking in this time like a cat with no particular attachments to anything but its own being. ]

late, late at night: goodnight, moon

[ Yet again, those awake in the early hours of the morning might catch her wandering through the streets - this time, on her way out towards a seemingly random edge of the city. This time, if someone is observing or following her, she continues her walking but snaps her attention directly to them, unblinking eyes trained solidly on them no matter where they might be lurking from. There's no heat to them, and a quietly amused smile curls at the edge of her lips as she regards you silently. ]

Better to rest your weary hearts, dear. There are things in this realm that are not so kind to those that encroach upon their territory.

[ She says the last word with some weight behind it, a warning that might apply to far more than just space. After that, she continues walking, but not without throwing a sidelong glance that suggests she might not be adverse to you joining her, at least for the time being. When she reaches the edge of the city, however, she gives anyone still trailing her a sly wink before vanishing completely into the woods. No matter how hard one looks, they will not find her there in the wilderness surrounding Asgard.

But if they stay awake for another hour or so, they will hear the same tremendous and powerful footsteps walking away from the kingdom. ]

[ OOC: This is the optional log for interacting with Laufey, Queen of the Earth Giants, during the From the Ground Up event! She is only in Asgard for the one day, but she is not adverse to having a conversation with any of you Wanderers. You can find the accompanying network post here. Let us know if you have any questions! ]

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[ There's something about Laufey that reminds Peter of Gamora. Could be the gorgeous eyes or the vague sense of danger he gets, the knowledge that she's not one to be messed with. Which only makes him more curious.

Until now, he's been quiet (for his standards) and behaved (mostly). Peter's familiar, Sandy, is curled around his shoulders in the shape of a weasel, like some sort of furry scarf. Laufey's tone of voice makes him smile and he speaks up after glancing briefly at the other gods. ]

We think that a portable way to communicate with each other might help us to provide a quicker emergency response in case another disaster happens. [ There's a pause before Peter adds. ] We also like to chat just to know how the people we care about is doing. Oh and send pictures of cute animals.

[ He pets the familiar's head absently as if to make a point. ]

[ From the highly practical to the utterly ridiculous. This seems on brand for what little she knows of them - after all, aren't all sentient beings? Laufey smiles, but it's not a particularly amused thing. ]

Essential to a quality of life, certainly.

[ The weasel is cute. She regards Peter in practically the exact same way. ]

What did you have in mind, then? I can think of no faster means of communication than to link your thoughts telepathically, something your patrons can easily accomplish without my presence.

[ A subtle way of asking why am I here without explicitly stating her limited reserve of patience. ]

[ Mortals are complex and layered like that and Peter's a prime example of a life full of contradictions and flaws. He gives the smallest of shrugs after seeing that smile and keeps his voice polite. ]

You'd be surprised how much people thrive when they have ways to express themselves. Even if said ways are questionable.

[ He's been called a pet before, especially when he was a kid and living with the Ravagers, so wouldn't be particularly offended if she voiced those thoughts. Humans are a rarity in outer space and there are some aliens like the Collector who might even want to keep them as some sort of living decoration. ]

Oh, wow, ehm...that's very cool but also very dangerous and overwhelming. So many things could go wrong if humans are involved. Many of us come from really different cultures and there would be clashes in our ways of thinking.

[ Peter doesn't even want to imagine how disastrous that could be. Mantis sensing emotions already caused trouble among the Guardians at first; if everyone in the city could hear other people's thoughts, they would be at each other throats in a matter of days. ]

In my world, we have portable, smaller devices that function as communicators. I have one of my ship and an another on my person but it doesn't work without electricity. Taping on them makes a holo screen appear, like a little image floating in the air you can interact with. Maybe making something like that would be possible...? If you would be so kind to help us, of course.

[ For much of what Peter says, Laufey only fixes him with a stony gaze, unmoved by it all. Expressing themselves? Clashes in their ways of thinking? What does any of that mean to a being of earth and stone and soil? Why should she care?

But then he speaks of "devices," physical things that can be interacted with, and though her expression doesn't really change, there is a new glint of interest in her eyes. ]

Well, if you ask so politely.

[ A quirk of the brow, a sly curve of the lips. ]

Show it to me.

[ Did an immortal being just ask you to whip it out? Yes, yes she did. ]

[ He doesn't seem deterred by the look even if part of Peter knows he would do well feeling a little intimidated. He's been in presence of Queens and Empress before, just never a Giant one form another world.

So forward, Laufey. The demands only makes Peter pause for a second before he reaches for something inside one of the pockets of his jacket. Look at that, he can follow orders

The Guardian even gives a 'yes ma'am' before he shows her a metallic device with buttons on the side, the size of a small phone. This one can only transmit text and voice, doesn't come with the holo-screen, but since it's not working at all, maybe that won't matter much. ]

[ Her smile then is a different kind of sharp, pleased and amused by his manners and obedience. She reaches out to pluck the device from his hands without asking and without breaking her gaze on him either; she's just as idly curious about him as whatever it is that they're asking her for here.

But after a moment of lingering on him, Laufey finally turns her attention to the communicator. Turning it this way and that, looking at it with the same amount of blank intrigue as everything else, she taps the useless buttons and then delicately runs the first two fingers of her free hand down the front of it. ]

Hm.

[ She doesn't seem impressed - but rarely does she ever. Laufey looks back to the human and offers his little gadget back. ]

You said there's another on your ship?

[ Sandy, still clinging to Peter's shoulder, wags her tail a little and perks up as if to greet her when the Queen look at them. Until the intense stare, it never occurred to Peter that maybe she's never seen humans before, or never seen them up close.

He really should have realized that sooner given the number of times in the past 30 years that he's got aliens looking at him the same way. On the bright side, she doesn't want to eat him.

...Probably. ]

I do. [ He pockets the gadget with a small nod. ] It's bigger and covers an extremely long-range, allowing communication across different points in the galaxy. My ship crashed in Skadi district and without electricity the screen won't light up but I can show you everything else.

[ There's a faint amusement in her smile as she listens to him explain everything. Even though some of it is nonsense in comparison to what exists in Yggdrasil, it is still something that can be touched and broken and rebuilt. This is her specialty, and it lingers at the sharp corners of her gaze. ]

We can make our own sparks without your "electricity". Come, show me.

[ And then she abruptly turns around to walk out of the castle without waiting for him or anyone else to lead her in the right direction. ]

I like her.

[ Peter murmurs almost to himself, looking over his shoulders to see if the others are following. He doesn't waste more time, easily following the woman and keeping a step behind her out of courtesy. He ants to ask a ton of things but also know it's better not to annoy their guest, lest she changes her mind about helping. And yet, Peter always has a hard time keeping his mouth shut. ]

Have you know the gods here for a long time? [ Do you trust them? it's implied in the question. ]

[ She totally heard that, Peter. Not that she belies it in any way; there's still that ever present subtle smile, like she's winning at a game that no one else is playing and having the time of her life anyway. She continues walking at an unhurried pace as he joins her, not turning to face him as she answers his questions. ]

For as long as there as been land to walk upon.

[ There's a sidelong glance, some kind of sly, conspiratorial Look that she gives him. ]

And for some time before that as well.

[ Because she is the one responsible for giving them that land. She doesn't state it, but that air of pride she carries with her isn't there for nothing. ]

[ Ah, oops. He should have considered that Giants and gods have better hearing. Laufey is holding all the cards and well as his attention so she has all the right to look smug and satisfied.

He smirks back at her after that knowing glance, giving a small nod before teasing. ]

You don't look a day over two hundred, miss. [ Now like she needs the reassurance but Peter wouldn't be Peter if he didn't say those things. ] This place is like nothing I've seen before and I traveled across all galaxy. I don't know how to explain it, it feel different from any other.

[ She laughs, a quiet chuckle that carries the faint echo of distant stone. ]

You are at the heart of pure creation right now, darling. There is nowhere else like it in existence, because it is existence itself.

[ She says it with as much stony confidence she has everything else, and continues walking at a steady rhythm. ]

This space represents the raw possibility of everything that ever could be and everything that has already been. We are, in every conceivable way, only what we make of ourselves and our reality.

[ And again, there's that hint of humor to it, that subtle ribbing that might suggest she isn't only speaking about the immortals here. "In every conceivable way" certainly applies to all things, both living and otherwise. ]

[ It's funny, and a little strange, the way the sounds makes peter think of when he was a kid and his grandfather took him to play by the lake or go fishing. He hadn't even thought of that in years. ]

It's a bit overwhelming, I'm not going to lie. [ Peter's voice is low, now so much because he doesn't want others to hear him as because he's concerned about that 'any conceivable way'. ]

And I don't know how familiar you are with human and other mortal species but we have a great talent for fucking things up, especially if we're granted the tiniest amount of power. I've seen it far too often. Is the reason number one why we Guardians do what they do.

[ He can already see the Benatar in the distance, big as it is, so it will only take a few more minutes to get there. ]

[ Her name is Laufey, and she is female and regular-sized and definitely not blue or in the habit of trying to eat him, so Loki is intrigued. How can he not be when the differences are so enormous as to make her a completely different person? Perhaps she is. Will another Laufey rise up out of the Jotnar instead, sometime in the future? Loki is plagued with curiosity as he stalks her through the murky city, shifting his appearance with Skadi's magic so that he appears to be a different person should she glance his way, wanting to remain part of the background traffic for as long as possible until called out.

When finally pinned by her gaze he drops the illusions and slinks out of the shadows, keeping some distance between them but casually stuffing his hands in the pockets of his coat and rocking back on his heels, a picture of nonchalance. ]

What territory would that be if not Asgard? You walk with purpose away from the fire-pits and songs, it's a strange way to spend a chilly night.

[ Likely she's no ice-giant either way, but it doesn't hurt to probe the matter. ]

[ She is none of those things, and he is nothing familiar to her either. Unlike the gods, she doesn't glance into the realms of reality that exist beyond what is right in front of her; she sees a boy and nothing more, nothing less. ]

A mountain does not shiver in the cold.

[ Said with a stony indifference quite appropriate for her claim, but there is also a curl of faint amusement at her lips. Earth and Frost and Fire may be kin, but what reason should she have to fear them? ]

And it is not swayed by the warmth of songs or fires either. My place is not here.

[ But she's not saying where it is. ]

Cryptic, aren't you? Unlike another who bears your name.

[ If he had to take a wild guess he would say she lives out of reach of heat and cold, somewhere temperate. Protected.

He cocks his head. ]

Where I come from you are a thousand feet high and have dead blood full of ice-water.

Ice water?

[ She can't help but smile at that, a wry sort of amusement breaking through at the curve of her lips. ]

Now there's an idea. Yggdrasil has quite the imagination, I suppose it must be so for another Laufey somewhere along the branches.

[ That is, after all, the purpose of the World Tree. But now she regards him with a renewed curiosity, her own head tilted ever so slightly as she considers him. ]

Does that bother you?

He's one of the Jotnar. [ Loki's expression doesn't change, not missing a beat before deciding, ] I couldn't miss my blood-father if I tried.

[ Her interest catches on two words in particular; while the concept of a "father" is a rather strange one to beings such as they in this Yggdrasil, even moreso is the word - ]

Jotnar, hm?

[ She turns to face him in full then, regarding him with an unblinking intrigue that would be difficult to describe as warm, exactly, but is also not the unyielding cold of stone. ]

Curious, that words never spoken in this realm might still echo true. The Frost Giants are my sister's children. Her name is Thiazi - and perhaps she might have dead blood of ice water.

[ A subtle way of calling her a bitch? Maybe. ]

[ Thiazi. Yikes. A woman this time too, that's interesting and still very workable: Loki knows more than most how universes echo each other, he feels he isn't entirely without bartering tools here.

Better to stay on Laufey's semi-neutral side than the one she stomps on. ]

As a sign of good faith between you and I, there is some advice I could lend you that would curry favour with Thiazi were you to enlighten her. [ He rephrases, making a point of underlining the manipulative sentiment to Laufey, as though a gift. ] She would, at the very least, be indebted to you ...

[ She laughs then, a raucous sound of clashing stone and rumbling earth that echoes strangely in the empty streets around them. ]

The only thing I might ever want of her is her absence, something we have happily maintained for millennia.

[ But perhaps there's something more interesting to be found here. ]

Such a grand thing to offer, though. Tell me, what "good faith" would you have between us, son of Laufey?

[ There is a vague hint of amusement at the phrasing, as though it should probably carry a weight that it does not. ]

[ Tricky to pin her down into an avenue of use to him, but that shouldn't be surprising. He gives a careless shrug as if he isn't racking his brain for the best way to appeal to her. ]

Only that we listen to one another when each feels the need to raise our voice in a crowd, perhaps. An attentive friend is the very best, they say.

[ Someone watching his back if he gets into shit, Laufey the trump card. ]

[ Her smile then has an edge of both amusement and sharp confidence. ]

My voice can be heard wherever there is stone or soil, and I tower above any that would crowd me.

[ She takes a step closer to him then, seemingly the stature of a normal adult human but the hard surface of the street cracks beneath her bare feet. The gesture is hardly meant to intimidate him; it's rather to serve as a gentle suggestion that she very much chose to appear before them in this way. ]

Don't be coy, dear. If you want something from me, ask me for it.

[ In the small hours of the morning Thrawn was also wandering the streets alone. But as he wandered he traced his fingers across the nearest wall. Always his fingers stayed in contact with a wall, even when he came to a turn he may take it...then seem to backtrack until he found a wall or at least a surface to lightly drag fingers against.

He wasn't being foolish about it. Thrawn had made use of the "powers" that had been granted to him by putting on the illusion of an exceedingly tall but otherwise normal-looking human.

The only thing about him that stood out was that he had his eyes closed.

When she spoke, he stopped walking and turned his face toward her though his eyes still stayed closed. ]

But nothing would encroach at all if we were not first brought here against our will. It is curious to make a prisoner of a being and then chide him for looking for the bars of his cell.

Edited (wayward word) 2019-07-18 02:40 (UTC)

[ She keeps her eyes on him but otherwise continues walking at a slow, steady pace. ]

Push against those boundaries as you must, darling, as is the nature of living things. Only take care not to unwittingly wander into the maw of a beast.

[ She says the words like it would be such a shame - and also vaguely like she might like to be the beast. ]

[ He still keeps his eyes closed, his head turning to follow her. ]

You speak as if one is waiting already.

All of creation is a beast that seeks to devour things both living and otherwise. And you are so terribly far from home.

[ Like a little lamb lost in the woods, waiting to be gobbled up by the nearest passing shadow. ]

[Finn licks his lips, trying to think of where to start with this. And really, he feels like there are others who can dictate what they're looking for so much better than he. But since he was one of the ones to bring this to the attention of the gods... Guess he gets to be the mouthpiece for this venture.

And he has to admit, at least to himself... Well, maybe not to himself at all either. But somewhere out there in the universe is the fact that he's more than a little flustered. Perhaps really it's just talking to anyone that has a touch of otherworldly to them. (Even if this was their world.)]

Well... We were wondering if there was any way to get some sort of communication network going. A way for us all to communicate without being face to face.

[ There's a nervousness about him that makes Laufey smile in a way that could vaguely be described as hungry. ]

Is there something so terrible about being face to face?

[ She tilts her head just barely as she says it, unblinking eyes roaming his face curiously without any attempts to conceal the fact. ]

[S c r e a m.

But at least he seems to be doing slightly better the longer he stays in her presence?]

N-no! [...Okay, scratch that.] It's just sometimes—especially if we're across the city, say—it'll be easier to pass on information. Especially if there's an emergency going on.

[ Her smile widens incrementally at his initial response, but nothing changes in her eyes or tone of voice. Stoic and somehow still playful, like an unhurried game of cat and mouse. ]

Ah, an emergency. I suppose time is of the essence for such fleeting things.

[ Mortals, she means. ]

What would you have instead, then? To share your thoughts without sharing a space.

[ There's almost a vague element of disapproval, a teasing tut tut at the idea. ]

[Finn would look cute in mouse ears...]

Fleeting? [Well. Yeah. Finn takes it a different route from what she means, though.] Hopefully most of the fighting will be. Or any kind of medical emergency. We just want to keep a lot of what happened last time to a minimum. [The damage to buildings and life.]

What? No. [Shaking his head quickly, definitely not.] Maybe something more visual? The comm units in my home were either just your voice or a hologram. Either of their full body or a portrait kind of thing from the shoulders up.

[ Not a bad idea…

She listens to him chatter on with the same faint amusement before saying very plainly: ]

Many of your words are nonsense.

[ Without context, and just in general too. She is a being of earth, of tangible things and a solid foundation. Finn is adorably prattling on about what essentially means nothing to her. ]

How does it work? What does it look like? Can you hold it? Can you break it?

[ These are the things she's interested in, the things that are laced into a smile that is both welcoming and hungry. ]

Can you show me it?

[...Well, at least he's adorable?

Finn hesitates a moment and then rattles off the basics of the holoprojector, the item being about the size of a small saucer. Mentioning maybe that it could be attached to their bracelets, which other than marking their god, seem rather useless. But definitely yes to the breaking one.]

I think there might be one in the ship from my home that fell from the sky a few weeks ago. [Finn gave up rather quickly on breaking it apart and settled for uh...blocking it all off.]

[Ivar has been busy setting up some targets outside Tyrhaus. He mustn't let his skills get rusty. The dragon attacking had made that clear enough. So here he is, throwing axes at one he'd managed to put up against a tree at about the height of a tall man's head.

Then he feels a pair of eyes upon him. There is a woman watching him without moving. A very beautiful woman, he thinks to himself. Just as she measures him up, he does the same to her, not speaking quite yet. He thought maybe she was the one he'd seen with Tyr on the network.]

[ She doesn't really shift or otherwise react as he turns to look at her aside from the slightest tilt of her head and the traces of a curious smile. ]

Do continue.

[ For any other being, the words might have an element of a challenge to it - and perhaps there still is, but Laufey doesn't expect a thing of him. It's more that she's greedily observing whatever she wills, and he's caught her interest for the time being. ]

Very well.

[He takes careful aim with his next axe at one of the targets. His entire body is focused on the task at hand. In a movement so fast it seems almost abrupt, he suddenly throws the axe. It lands in the dead middle of the target.

Then he turns his bright blue eyes back over to Laufey, a slight smirk hovering over his features as if he's silently asking her if she's entertained.]

You were one of those showing how to use this thing, were you not?

[He holds up one of the bracelets on his wrist.]

[ And still, she remains imperceptibly still as he throws the axe. Is she watching the blade slice through the target? Or at the fascinating way the mortal frame strains to make it possible? She may be equally intrigued by the fragility of both.

But at his question, her smile takes a chiding edge to it. ]

Ah, your patrons' charming trinkets. To connect beings in a way that is both physical and not -

[ She doesn't even blink, hasn't this entire time, but there's some faint edge of humor in her voice and the curl of her lips. ]

- you could say I was made to teach this lesson.

[ As Queen of the Earth Giants, physicality and what exists beyond it is her domain. ]

[He picks up another, this time throwing it with his off-hand. The blade's path isn't nearly as clear of a straight line as it is when he throws with his right, though it still hits the target dead center, even if it doesn't embed itself nearly as far into the wood as one might think otherwise.]

I've heard tales back home about you. It has led me to wonder if they are true.

[His eyes run over her form, and had there been any coveting nature in the gaze, it would have seemed like lust was what he was looking at her with. But instead it's more like he's drinking in the sight of her, seeing if her nature is as impressive as he's been led to believe.

After a few moments, he nods, having satisfied himself on finding what he was searching for.]

I'm guessing at least some of them are.

[ Paltry things like lust and attraction might be how other beings navigate their reality. But Laufey is a creature of creation, overseer of things that demand a space and refuse to waver from it. When it comes to his display of physical prowess, she is the axe that cleaves through wood, the wood that yields to sharp metal, and the raw power required to join the two.

When she smiles at him, it's with the pleased curl of one that knows what rightfully belongs to them, a hunter prowling through its territory and observing the beasts that roam within. ]

Are there tales about me, now? At least some of them must be good.

[ If at least some of them must be true. ]

What are they teaching you, then, out there in the Mother's branches? Surely more than how to cut down wood that's already been felled.

[ A tease, certainly. ]

Oh, there are a few. Stories about giants are never dull.

[He assumes with the name Laufey that she is indeed a giant, even if her size matches his own right now. He knows from the tale of Thor in Utgarda-Loki's court that they have great powers of illusion and shape-changing. Of course, he also is under the mistaken impression that she is a fire giant rather then an earth one. The myths didn't get everything right.

He smiles at her questions, one of his sharp-toothed ones that suggests he too is a predator, though on a much, much smaller scale of measured power then that of the queen.]

How to please the gods and win battles. I try to do both with equal fervor.

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EVENT LOG: FROM THE GROUND UP

CLOSED: a busy morning

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night.

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Night;

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Closed to a busy busy morn~

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Throughout the day

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