asgardchrysalis | GOD CURSE: Skadi's Wildlife Preserve

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GOD CURSE: Skadi's Wildlife Preserve

Who: anyone!
What: skadi's curse is turning folks into a variety of creatures. mayhem likely ensues
When: 17th - 20th
Where: anywhere, but extra in skadi's district
Notes: see THIS INFO-POST for deets. also, my deepest apologies for the lateness of this log - something moderately urgent came up and ate my log-writing time.

Creatures. They're one thing that this city lacks - Skadi has touched the minds of a mere handful of Wanderers and already she recognizes some of the common differences between their world and this one. In the background of nearly every memory she's seen, there have been creatures. Bugs skittering. Birds flying,, chirping. Mammals, lizards. Sometimes creatures even more mystical.

It's unfortunate, really, that this city is polluted by quite so many Wanderers and yet no creatures roam. A dilemma which, as far as Skadi is concerned, has a rather obvious solution.

Between the 17th and the 20th, many individuals (both within the boundaries of Skadi's domain and outside of them) will be going about their day and find that, painlessly and in the span of a blink, they've taken the form of some sort of creature. There's no real explanation. It may last for a few hours; it may last for an entire day.

As what can only be described as the curse lingers on, many find that their form isn't all that seems to be changing. Foreign needs and urges cling to the periphery of their minds, driving some to act at times as their animal form might, whether or not they're even familiar with that animal in the first place. It likely doesn't even occur to them that they're acting strangely until the curse has worn off and their form has returned to normal.

But where did this magic come from? Some may catch the subtle clue, if they're paying attention. There's the faintest orange haze around their vision, only really discernible when they look at a source of light (or anything purely white) and see it tinged slightly orange instead. Some may just dismiss it as how that creature sees, but others may recognize the hue from the Skadi's banners and streamers at the coin hunt and seek the goddess for some sort of relief.

As the days progress, the creatures get stranger and more fantastic. And then, as quickly as it started, the curse disappears.

This is a catch-all log for anything relating to Skadi's curse, spanning from the 17th - the 20th. See the notes at the top of the post for more information!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Is something wrong with poor Klaus's eye? Ariadne' forehead crinkles in concern for a moment. But he seems all right. Actually, quite personable.

...for some kind of...warrior?]

Did your mother give you that name because that's what she wanted you to be? I've heard that some Humans do that.

[please, don't tell him he's going to have to explain a wink. although, he'd admittedly delight in knowing he's affable.]

Uh. If that's the case, she sure as hell named the wrong child ‘Klaus.’ [luther with his name and him with luther's is just not right, though. he's way more of a klaus than his big brother.]

Well. Maybe she just liked the sound of it.

[That's how Alastrians pick names, anyway. They try to avoid names that mean anything in any language. It's hard to do, considering the number of languages out there.

But it's better than trying to determine a hatchling's fate.]

"Ariadne" doesn't mean anything, really. Even if "Airy" does.

Seems more likely. I always pretend it's because they got me from Germany.

[shifting his position slightly, klaus tosses his mane, shuffles his hooves against the ground then attempts gently laying himself down, even though it's more a flop than anything.]

Yeah? Does it mean anything particular to your people?

[She kneels down beside him, careful not to crowd, but not exactly far away. Not as far as she'd usually sit from a horse.

At some point, she'll have to ask what "Germany" is, but based on the context, probably a kingdom she'll never see.]

No. Not particular. It's just...

[Ariadne flutters her hand in the air, like petals falling from a branch.]

...airy.

My aunt says it suits my personality. But that was probably just an accident.

[he waits until she's settled before shifting around again himself, attempting to tuck his legs in a way that's comfortable. might take a few minutes, but he gets himself laid down where his horn is visible and as far away from her as possible.

it's an awkward way to lay because he can't see her all that well (unless he turns his head), which is fine, he's trusting her to not attack him or whatever. he is a unicorn, after all, and not the usual idiotic fool.]

Airy like ‘filled with air’ or in the more ‘lighthearted’ kinda sense?

[a beat] Not that, like, you're filled with air? I just. [another moments hesitation then,] Parents can be cruel, yanno?

The second one. I think.

[Even if there hasn't been much cause for lightheartedness as of late. Back home, anyway. This place feels calmer, somehow. Wilder. But in a way that feels like anticipation, instead of fear.]

And they used to say that gravity couldn't really hold me.

You think? [although his voice holds mirth when he repeats it. so far, his stay on asgard has been quite a trip (and this is before he's taken any psychedelic mushrooms). it's been different, but not in a bad way.

klaus laughs between their telepathic link; the noise comes out as a huff through his nostrils in the horse-form, though. not quite the same, yet easily conveyed enough.]

Your head's always in the clouds?

[It's funny, hearing the unicorn snort and hearing the laughter at the same time. It makes Ariadne giggle a little bit. A bell-like, carefree sound.

But her smile fades away a little bit at his next question.]

Well, not any more. I used to go up there all the time, but...

[She shifts slightly, showing him her back. Just above the droop of her neckline, there are two long scars where her wings used to be.]

[that went zero to a hundred in a direction klaus wasn't expecting. they're laughing and he's making a joke, but then ariadne turns her back toward him— and suddenly, the amusement fades away, like sand slipping through his fingers.

well, shit, he hadn't meant for that to happen. also, he's pretty sure this is something she wouldn't be telling him if she knew he was actually a human.]

Sorry, [because it feels proper.] Must've been a rough transition.

Translation?

[She turns back to him, clearly puzzled. It's very rare that anyone can accuse Ariadne of not knowing a language.

...figures of speech, on the other hand.

Well, someone needs to tell her it's a figure of speech before she realizes, inevitably, she got it wrong.]

Clouds?

[And she points up.]

N...o...? Transition was right.

[‘changing from one state or condition to another,’ right? it's a word, he swears! regardless, klaus averts his attention upward, momentarily watches the clouds drifting by, shakes his head not long afterward.]

I meant, like, going from having wings to not having them. It must've been a weird adaptation.

Oh!

[She flushes a little, pale purple against her green skin.]

Well, yes. I suppose. But it was worth it. I mean. To be Human. Or the next best thing, I guess.

[A pause. Ariadne would never admit this to an actual humanoid but...]

I miss flying.

[oh no, that's... actually kind of adorable? he can't very well nudge her with his elbow, so with the utmost care, klaus shifts and gently bumps his nose against her shoulder.] S'alright.

Why would you wanna be human? Being human suuucks.

[he pulls back, averting his attention skyward again.] Being able to fly would be way more badass! I totally understand why you miss it.

Being Human is wonderful!

Being able to walk down a street without anyone chasing after you or being afraid of you? Being able to go into taverns or inns or markets without any problem?

[She shakes her head.]

Not being called a "demon." It's worth it.

[uhm, wow. okay, when she puts it that way...

klaus turns back to her once more, slowly and carefully, still cautious about the possible murder weapon atop his head.] Alright, well, you got me there. I've never dealt with problems like that.

Although, I bet if I tried to go into any of those kinda places right now, there'd be some objections.

[She laughs softly.]

I don't know about that. You may not be Human, but you're very pretty. People like what's pretty.

[A universal truth, although she doesn't dwell on it.

Something about his "right now" has her on edge, but she can't quite place it...]

[‘pretty,’ she says. to be fair, he's ‘pretty’ in some peoples' opinions while he's a human, but that sounds too smug to repeat, even for a unicorn.]

Also... a fair point. [his chuckling fills the link between them.]

Guess I've got that going for me in this form.

Form?

[Now that perks her interest. Both because it's new information and because she's lost her other form. She would give anything to get it back, short of her hair. She could blend in so much better.]

You can shapeshift?

[at the shapeshifting comment, klaus chuckles, shakes his head a little too haphazardly, yet manages to avoid any injury.]

God, I wish. That'd be one of the coolest powers ever. [another faint shoulder twitch.] I've got no idea why I look like this suddenly.

Oh.

[Well, that's a lot of new information to parse out. Ariadne eyes him now, trying to spot any difference between him and a regular unicorn. But she sees nothing.]

What do you normally look like?

[because the only difference between this unicorn and any other unicorn is that he's not supposed to be one. whatever's happened, which he'll later figure out, has simply graced him with an equine beauty.]

Uh. Tall, pale, green eyes, dark hair? Super attractive. [to himself, at least.] And human, I might add.

[Human. Well, that's slightly alarming. She tries not to let the fear show, but she can feel her pulse speeding up a little bit.

Her fingers flex. It's a reflex. She's not sure she really has to defend herself. Anyway, she couldn't if she wanted to. Her talons are just gone.]

I...

You're Human?

[he notices the instinctive gesture because of course, he's too observant for his own good, even in an unnatural form. klaus blinks then slowly, measuredly, moves his head to see her better.]

Y...eah... Is that a problem? My bad, I know I should've probably mentioned something when you started talking about all that [an awkward beat] kinda personal stuff.

Don't worry about it, though. I won't tell anyone.

[It's terribly awkward. Because Ariadne loves Humans. She really does. But her whole life she's been told not to trust them. And here she is, accidentally spilling her guts to one.

Albeit one in a very different sort of form.]

I...I feel like I should be apologizing to you. I made...assumptions.

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