[ic] inbox for ryslig

[freezeflame]

WELCOME TO YOUR PRIVATE CHANNEL, SHOUTO. FOR SECURE COMMUNICATION, USE 005.24.001.11 *** SHOUTO has joined 005.24.001.11 <SHOUTO> Hello. <SHOUTO> Please leave a message.

Comments

< xiao.xingchen > 1/11, just after the public thread

[daozhangs]

Shouto? This is Xiao Xingchen, from your public posting.

I assure you, I'm in no danger. I simply prefer to have these discussions in privacy, as the gods are somewhat of a polarizing topic.

Very little is known of the gods, but I will share what I'm aware of.

The Fog God brought us to this realm, and within this realm she distorts each of us into some manner of monster which feeds upon humanity for our own survival. Her intentions are misguided, not cruel. She believes that she bestows a gift upon us, and she thinks that she cares for those whom she has brought here. None have thus far managed to help her reach the understanding that her gift causes suffering, nor has anyone persuaded her to allow any of us to go home of our own volition. Her fog fills the land twice each month, then disappears after a few days. Most of that which brings chaos or misery within this realm originates from the fog.

The Fourth God is granted his capabilities by a stolen piece of the Fog God's own power - the only time to my knowledge that anyone has sincerely wounded the Fog God. He is the reason much of our more useful technology is capable of functioning. He is also a child, or at least, he was one prior to receiving his power.

The Day God and the Night God are religious figures, nothing more. Perhaps they were once alive and present in this land. Perhaps they have always been myth. This, I do not know.

I hope I was able to offer you something which you hadn't yet known. Precious little is known about these gods, even by their own followers.

< shouto >

[freezeflame]

hello, thank you for your message. i am glad to hear from you.

i actually did not know anything about the child god. the fourth? and he became a god after stealing the fog god's power? i assume they are not working together, then, which would make sense, given there is dissention between the followers.

also, when the fog appears twice a month, does that mean the fog god herself is available for communication?

[daozhangs]

The Fourth, correct. If you prefer the nuance, I believe the boy's father stole the power and inflicted it on his child.

They aren't working together. Quite the opposite - though the war between them moves slowly. In my six months here, I've only become aware of one instance of conflict: A fog priest and his ally attempted to steal back the Fog God's power from the Fourth. It ended poorly. Mayhem beset Bavan for a week. The Fourth regained his power quickly.

I know that the Fog God is available to speak with, but not the circumstances by which to do so. I intend to look into it. I have questions as well.

[freezeflame]

i see. i wonder if it is possible to reach out to the boy god, as well. it sounds like it was not his fault, and i'm wondering if he and the fog god could come to some sort of amicable conclusion.

though i don't know if that would help us in the least, since the fog god acted alone in bringing us here.

[daozhangs]

I prefer to avoid such things as war when I'm able, so it's with a great deal of regret that I say: Very little good can come from a peace between the Gods. At current, the Fourth is the only one able to even attempt to keep the Fog God in check, something we can't afford to lose at current.

Though the details are scarce, it sounds as though this realm was far more unpleasant before his creation.

[freezeflame]

i see. my apologies. i was only trying to think of a solution. i don't want to resign myself to this fate, but it's been tough. i had powers back home, and they were taken from me when i arrived in this realm. i feel like i'd let down a lot of people if i didn't struggle.

[daozhangs]

There's no need to apologize for trying to solve the issue at hand. A good number of us are doing just the same.

In my own time here, I've found that a single-minded focus on the larger problem isn't sustainable. Turning one's eyes on finding the means to make life here more tolerable, perhaps even livable, can fortify a person for the war of attrition we've found ourselves trapped in.

Killing the innocent, for example, is intolerable to me - and so I myself have put effort toward minimizing the harm that I do to others. A companion of mine has done similarly, shifting his method of feeding from one which kills by necessity to another which can be sustained without doing so. Are you familiar with the one called Mana? Her aid will prove invaluable in your time here, should you choose to do the same.

[freezeflame]

i have not heard of Mana. i didn't know such a thing was possible. can you tell me more about her?

[daozhangs]

Her magic is unaffiliated with any known god. She grants favors in exchange for a sort of token - you'll start finding these tokens soon enough, they appear quite inexplicably in the vicinity of those of us whom the Fog God has pulled here.

She's capable of a great many things. Items and weapons, even the spiritual or enchanted sort. Buildings, designed as requested or even pulled from memory. Changes to your monstrous form, including the manner in which it must feed. With enough tokens, she's even capable of changing that form altogether to another monster of your choosing.

She is straightforward about her capabilities and her prices, and has thus far been entirely forthright in my dealings with her.

[freezeflame]

[holy moly... he had no idea! he's a bit dumbfounded, and even excited]

can she stop changes altogether? or is it just that she can change you into some other type of monster?

[daozhangs]

She cannot. By my understanding, she's capable of granting a sort of relief - the ability to 'change back' to a purely human form for a number of hours each day - but not to stop the changes entirely.

[freezeflame]

this is fascinating. how do you locate this person?
person? god?

[daozhangs]

Person. Others have used the term 'witch' to describe her, if that helps at all.

To summon her, read aloud the word engraved on the her tokens, once you come upon some. Once you do, she appears before you prepared to barter.

Ah, I've just recalled - In addition to coins, you may be asked to participate in some manner of ritual or to gather the supplies which your request calls for. My own and those of my companion have been brief and lacking in difficulty, hence my nearly forgetting to warn you.

[SOMETIME mid feb idk]

[assblasted]

[A RARE WILD TEXT]



icyhot you still around

[freezeflame]

[DUN DUN.

actually he is surprised by this text. it’s apparent who is contacting him]

yes, i’m here.
what’s wrong?

[assblasted]

[there's a long delay before he sends another reply, partly due to feeling fucking stupid for trying to avoid this, and partly because well, typing is harder with talons]

nothing
. . .
anymore
have you gotten any more stupid changes?

[freezeflame]

i didn't think so, until i realized that there are two bumps on my head. i found them this morning.
they are kind of sore, so i suspect they will be horns.

[NOT LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT]

[assblasted]

yeah your heads gonna fuckin split open good luck with that
but nothing else?

[freezeflame]

thanks.
no.

[assblasted]

Good, keep it that way.

[and that's it, nothing to see here, he can just stop typing.



on his side of the screen he drags his hands over his face in frustration. and starts typing again.]

I wanna work out, let's do it.

[freezeflame]

[hold on. Shouto blinks widely at his screen when the next message comes through. it isn't that a lot of things catch him off-guard, but Katsuki seems to do it quite a bit. it's an invitation, huh? he'd be a fool to say no, even if his head is bothering him]

alright.
at the park again?

[assblasted]

Yea
be there in half an hour?
don't be late or i'll kick your ass.

[freezeflame]

[he nods absently at his screen before realizing that Katsuki cannot see him. so he types a confirmation]

ok.

[good thing he's not busy. for some reason, Shouto feels like something is about to happen, but he doesn't know what. he'll just... get ready to head on out, and take things as they come]

[assblasted]

[sometimes you just expect someone to drop everything they're doing and agree to your vague demands, no big deal!! he seems relieved that he's coming though, and after a bit of mentally prepping himself, he heads out, too.

Even though he's got wings now, he doesn't take to the sky. He's slowly getting the hang of flying via limbs and not like, explosions, but he's determined to use his body like normal and not give into his new harpy instincts. . .hard to do when your reflection reminds you every five seconds. Feathery markings mimicking his hero mask covers his eye and create an explosive plumage in his now fluffy hair, and the spurs growing from his arms legs tear through his clothing.

Needless to say, even though he tried to dress in normal workout out clothes, there's no mistaking he's a fully harpy now.

That said, is he going to call attention to it immediately? Nope. He stands at the entrance to the park, hands pocketed, and scratching at the back of a leg with his taloned feet. everything is perfectly normal.]


Tch. Took you long enough.

[freezeflame]

[Shouto is dressed in his own workout clothes and already jogging to the meeting place to warm up. he comes upon Katsuki and has to do a double-take. he almost passes him. almost, until he sees those glowering eyes boring holes through him.

oh. oh dear.

so Xingchen had been correct. Shouto gulps but he's not going to bring it up if Katsuki doesn't. not yet, at least. he may do poorly at social skills, but he's not stupid. he wonders how Katsuki is taking it, probably not good. he also wonders if everything popped up at once, or a little at a time. it's none of his business, he guesses. though the bumps on the top of his head don't feel significant anymore]

I'm right on time.