[Day 2, Night - A House South of Town]

[direstnews]

[Written into the ground alongside one of the houses to the south of town tonight are a series of strange letters, forming a rough circle near the wall. A figure of approximately Loki's build, not there during the day's exploration, leans against the wall at the corner. The door to the house is open.]

[Some hours after the sudden switch from day to night, Loki stands in front of the door, a candle before him, a kitchen knife in one hand and a spoon in the other. He checks the mirror set carefully in the darkness, nothing yet visible in its surface. Then he strikes the knife with the spoon's handle, and he holds his breath - and he waits.]

Comments

Re: [Some time later]

[beeductionist]

Teller of Tales?

Re: [Some time later]

[direstnews]

Beings that dwell beyond the tales we live. They craft the stories of ones such as us.

Re: [Some time later]

[beeductionist]

[ ...... that's a weird ping ]

And? You can communicate with such a creature?

Re: [Some time later]

[direstnews]

[Nods.]

By means of an ancient spell.

Re: [Some time later]

[beeductionist]

Show me.

Re: [Some time later]

[direstnews]

You saw the aftermath. Would you have me cast it again?

Re: [Some time later]

[beeductionist]

Hardly. But surely you can describe the process.

Re: [Some time later]

[direstnews]

The words I derived from an ancient tome. At the time of casting, they are carved upon the ground, and then metal is touched to metal. The one who would converse with the Teller concentrates to make it so, and then the creature arrives in answer to the calling.

Re: [Some time later]

[beeductionist]

What does one typically offer such a creature?

Re: [Some time later]

[direstnews]

Tales.

It deals in what it knows.

Re: [Some time later]

[beeductionist]

And that was what you intended to give it?

Re: [Some time later]

[direstnews]

It had received an impartial trade in previous dealings. I might have offered it what it was denied.

Re: [Some time later]

[beeductionist]

Something to do with your own tale? Or someone else's?

Re: [Some time later]

[direstnews]

My own. It was bartered away by someone who made false promises.

Re: [Some time later]

[beeductionist]

And yet here you sit.

Re: [Some time later]

[direstnews]

You needn't be so literal. A story is naught but a story.

Re: [Some time later]

[beeductionist]

But your world operates by very different rules than mine.

Re: [Some time later]

[direstnews]

It does indeed.

But in this, you'll find, it behaves much the same.

Re: [Some time later]

[beeductionist]

Who made false promises then?

Re: [Some time later]

[direstnews]

You recall I mentioned a rebirth.

Re: [Some time later]

[beeductionist]

Your predecessor then?

Re: [Some time later]

[direstnews]

As you say.

Re: [Some time later]

[beeductionist]

Which makes you...?

Re: [Some time later]

[direstnews]

Loki. As he was Loki.

Re: [Some time later]

[beeductionist]

But you aren't nearly as cruel as he is, are you?