Well. Not a lot of access to stuff on mythology back home, and I never really thought to connect - there's Loki Loki, and you. Are you the same? In your world, anyway. Are you, you know.
[Loki blinks a few times, surprised. He keeps his expression carefully blank as he tilts his head.]
That depends on how you define "god". It's not as simple as you'd think.
[What has she heard? The stories range from false and embarrassing to true and shameful. Once, he would have reveled in a mortal calling him a god. Now...
His gaze drops to the table.]
I doubt a god in the sense you're thinking would end up here.
[All too suddenly after a long period of not thinking of it at all, she begs to differ. Thumbs drumming her mug, she considers that - her definition.]
If there's worship. If you hear anything when people talk to you, or offer things. Stuff like that. I'm not sure I can believe it's just about raw power or stories people tell.
[Loki's lips press into a thin line as he considers how to respond, his fingers fidgeting together in his lap.]
Well, at the point in time I came from-- not far off from your own, from what I gather --worship of Norse deities was rather out of fashion. But when it wasn't, that belief did offer some power to spellwork, if I chose to take advantage of it.
[He finally raises his gaze to her again, gauging her reaction as best he can.]
Much of it was just stories, though. Some true. Many fabricated. I was considered the villain on Earth long before I did anything to earn that title.
[A new dimension, a vital, important layer she's surprised she hadn't thought to investigate sooner. Her eyes widen attentively, and once he's said his piece she nods - expression softening around the edges, a twitch of a smile.]
I'm not asking because I heard some colorful story, I promise. All I know about book-Loki is fish and nets, I'm not turning on your reputation.
Was there any reciprocity to things like that? Reaping belief for spellwork, did anything come back to the people offering it?
[At that admission, he finally relaxes a little, letting out a soft chuckle. Really? The salmon story and none of what comes after it?]
Some might say belief is its own reward. [He smirks, shrugs before turning more serious again.] Occasionally I would bestow favors. Offer assistance to those who even thought to consider me. But trickster gods rarely received worship in the...admiring sense. That sort of thing was for Odin. For Thor.
Which stands to reason, after all. Thor was a fertility god. He brought abundant crops and healthy children. Trickster gods are mostly appeased. Fended off.
[He moves on, hopefully before she can draw any painfully obvious conclusions from any of that.]
[He's wise to move quickly, but it's something she'll be pouring over later. Anything she can get will be subject to earnest, focused extrapolation in coming days. To do otherwise would feel irresponsible.
She sips her tea, remembering again she never got a name. Wonders if she'd want it.]
New fellow around, had some very...well, some insights. It's sticking in my craw a little. Just suddenly worried about how it works for those folks, if that's something important they're cut off from here or not. What that state of being is like.
[Considering becoming some flavor of pagan out of care and spite? More likely than one would think.]
Bread and cream for a hungry someone that dangerous?
[Sincere - what answers or speculation he has are worth hearing and considering. They're not her people, not her rules, alternate perspectives have value.]
It really depends on what that bread actually is, and whether you're willing to give it up. Some creatures feed on fear. On memory. On identity. And if they truly are cut off from their usual source...
At the risk of ruining my credibility with you forever, I was known as the God of Lies. Amongst other things, but the fact remains. I know this better than most. Even truly honest people will lie if their survival is at risk.
[He shrugs, eyes darting away.]
Perhaps it is selfish of me to suggest you not give others the same chance you did me, but there it is. Gaining a god's favor isn't all its cracked up to be, if I'm any indication.
[She listens, and resumes thumb-drumming her tea. Gears turn away as her head lilts to one side. Ultimately she smiles.]
I'll take all of this into consideration, then. I appreciate the forthrightness. It's literal bread I'm talking about, I should maybe say that now.
If I hit that point it's not so much that I'll be looking for favor or favors. Probably make a point not to. More...I'm not sure, the spirit of the thing. Some seem made up of more durable stuff than others.
What would happen to you if no one believed at all?
[Loki looks skeptical-- is it just bread? --but he trusts she'll figure it out if things do progress beyond baked goods without her consent.
At her question, he hums, considering.]
Well, I am a living being. I inspired the stories because I already existed. But if I were to truly fall out of living memory as an idea, perhaps my power would diminish. I do not claim to have a full understanding of the nature of my magic.
[A bit self-deprecatingly:] And we've discussed how much I enjoy attention. Perhaps it would just make me very sad.
And that would be a shame! I'd hate that for any of you t actually applies to, and it's a lot to suddenly worry about. Sounds so...precarious. You ever find yourself suddenly needing bread, don't hesitate to ask.
Bread. Acknowledgment. [Pointedly, for both of their sakes and on principle, she does not say 'worship'. Faith fits, but seems trickier.] But if there's a breadth of ways people can boost your types, I'd hear out reasonable alternatives.
[It's what within reason was intended to preempt, but she sees it, and resigns herself to vague amusement.]
Not sure I'm at liberty to say. Conversation ended kind of abruptly and I didn't ask if they'd prefer it kept private. If I have that cleared up before you've weeded them out, I'll loop you in.
[Or explain how private she needs her half of that conversation to be, but, bridges to cross as they arrive.]
[She wouldn't say, but he can't help but wonder why the conversation ended abruptly. It doesn't seem as if it ended badly, but it does raise some questions as to whether that was an intentional thing on the "god"'s part.]
If anything goes sideways, I'm more than happy to assist. After all, I imagine worship from a fellow god might be more powerful.
I'm not gonna pretend I won't be wanting to look, but I can promise I won't go taking any of it to heart. Stories are stories, I'll keep a healthy fence between them.
I might reserve, like, one tease, but it won't be over anything painful.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
-> spamtown
[And there she'll be waiting for him, settled in with a mug of tea.]
Hey! It's really no to-do, promise. Just some things I'm realizing I never thought to clarify, and it's suddenly feeling topical.
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Topical? Have you been talking about me?
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Well. Not a lot of access to stuff on mythology back home, and I never really thought to connect - there's Loki Loki, and you. Are you the same? In your world, anyway. Are you, you know.
[A vague gesture.]
A god?
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That depends on how you define "god". It's not as simple as you'd think.
[What has she heard? The stories range from false and embarrassing to true and shameful. Once, he would have reveled in a mortal calling him a god. Now...
His gaze drops to the table.]
I doubt a god in the sense you're thinking would end up here.
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If there's worship. If you hear anything when people talk to you, or offer things. Stuff like that. I'm not sure I can believe it's just about raw power or stories people tell.
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Well, at the point in time I came from-- not far off from your own, from what I gather --worship of Norse deities was rather out of fashion. But when it wasn't, that belief did offer some power to spellwork, if I chose to take advantage of it.
[He finally raises his gaze to her again, gauging her reaction as best he can.]
Much of it was just stories, though. Some true. Many fabricated. I was considered the villain on Earth long before I did anything to earn that title.
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I'm not asking because I heard some colorful story, I promise. All I know about book-Loki is fish and nets, I'm not turning on your reputation.
Was there any reciprocity to things like that? Reaping belief for spellwork, did anything come back to the people offering it?
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Some might say belief is its own reward. [He smirks, shrugs before turning more serious again.] Occasionally I would bestow favors. Offer assistance to those who even thought to consider me. But trickster gods rarely received worship in the...admiring sense. That sort of thing was for Odin. For Thor.
Which stands to reason, after all. Thor was a fertility god. He brought abundant crops and healthy children. Trickster gods are mostly appeased. Fended off.
[He moves on, hopefully before she can draw any painfully obvious conclusions from any of that.]
What did make this suddenly occur to you, then?
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She sips her tea, remembering again she never got a name. Wonders if she'd want it.]
New fellow around, had some very...well, some insights. It's sticking in my craw a little. Just suddenly worried about how it works for those folks, if that's something important they're cut off from here or not. What that state of being is like.
[Considering becoming some flavor of pagan out of care and spite? More likely than one would think.]
Doesn't sound great.
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You...do know that a powerful man claiming to be a god and demanding worship is the oldest trick in the book, yes?
[Not that he. Knows from experience or anything.]
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[Not quite insulted, but not flattered.]
I've heard people claim that title before and not humored it for a second; I promise you I'm being discerning, here.
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[Sincere - what answers or speculation he has are worth hearing and considering. They're not her people, not her rules, alternate perspectives have value.]
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At the risk of ruining my credibility with you forever, I was known as the God of Lies. Amongst other things, but the fact remains. I know this better than most. Even truly honest people will lie if their survival is at risk.
[He shrugs, eyes darting away.]
Perhaps it is selfish of me to suggest you not give others the same chance you did me, but there it is. Gaining a god's favor isn't all its cracked up to be, if I'm any indication.
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I'll take all of this into consideration, then. I appreciate the forthrightness. It's literal bread I'm talking about, I should maybe say that now.
If I hit that point it's not so much that I'll be looking for favor or favors. Probably make a point not to. More...I'm not sure, the spirit of the thing. Some seem made up of more durable stuff than others.
What would happen to you if no one believed at all?
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At her question, he hums, considering.]
Well, I am a living being. I inspired the stories because I already existed. But if I were to truly fall out of living memory as an idea, perhaps my power would diminish. I do not claim to have a full understanding of the nature of my magic.
[A bit self-deprecatingly:] And we've discussed how much I enjoy attention. Perhaps it would just make me very sad.
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And that would be a shame! I'd hate that for any of you t actually applies to, and it's a lot to suddenly worry about. Sounds so...precarious. You ever find yourself suddenly needing bread, don't hesitate to ask.
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And when you say bread this time, you mean...?
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Bread. Acknowledgment. [Pointedly, for both of their sakes and on principle, she does not say 'worship'. Faith fits, but seems trickier.] But if there's a breadth of ways people can boost your types, I'd hear out reasonable alternatives.
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Well, I would be very hurt if you stopped acknowledging me. But, to my knowledge, I don't really have those sorts of needs, personally.
[And, because he'll find out either way:]
Who is it, by the way? This other god?
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Not sure I'm at liberty to say. Conversation ended kind of abruptly and I didn't ask if they'd prefer it kept private. If I have that cleared up before you've weeded them out, I'll loop you in.
[Or explain how private she needs her half of that conversation to be, but, bridges to cross as they arrive.]
Fascinating, though.
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If anything goes sideways, I'm more than happy to assist. After all, I imagine worship from a fellow god might be more powerful.
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It'd be awhile yet, have a lot of reading to do.
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I might reserve, like, one tease, but it won't be over anything painful.
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