[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.
Fine. But only because I do need to know why exactly you just ignored my name this entire time. Did you really think it was totally unrelated? I just assumed you hadn't heard of him at all.
[This is teasing for sure, but he's also oddly touched that she was willing to trust him so readily and not question him at all.]
It could've been! [She laughs, mock-defensive.] Or your world could've just not had that pantheon, or you could've just been some wizard named after him, weirder things have definitely happened on this ship.
This seems like the place for people who'd pretend to be gods to show up, and without some sign that they're - tied to people like I'd imagine gods are, seems better to just not think too much on it. Better to wait it out and talk, and that's turned out to be plenty.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
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.
no subject
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.]
no subject
[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.
no subject
no subject
[Sincere - what answers or speculation he has are worth hearing and considering. They're not her people, not her rules, alternate perspectives have value.]
no subject
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.
no subject
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?
no subject
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.
no subject
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.
no subject
And when you say bread this time, you mean...?
no subject
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.
no subject
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?
no subject
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.
no subject
If anything goes sideways, I'm more than happy to assist. After all, I imagine worship from a fellow god might be more powerful.
no subject
It'd be awhile yet, have a lot of reading to do.
no subject
no subject
I might reserve, like, one tease, but it won't be over anything painful.
no subject
Fine. But only because I do need to know why exactly you just ignored my name this entire time. Did you really think it was totally unrelated? I just assumed you hadn't heard of him at all.
[This is teasing for sure, but he's also oddly touched that she was willing to trust him so readily and not question him at all.]
no subject
This seems like the place for people who'd pretend to be gods to show up, and without some sign that they're - tied to people like I'd imagine gods are, seems better to just not think too much on it. Better to wait it out and talk, and that's turned out to be plenty.
no subject
no subject