Video; Where's The Laughter in Slaughter?

[ragnarsson]

[When the camera gets turned on, the first thing to note is that Ivar's face is streaked in blood that has only just started to dry in places. Someone's been out worshiping with the natives in a fashion very familiar to a Viking. If y'all hadn't gotten the impression Ivar was a bloodthirsty barbarian from a bygone era, the imagery is definitely reinforced with the dripping red streaks on his face. Also is that some around his lips as well? Has he been drinking the stuff too? Honestly, though, he seems quite pleased by what's been going on even if everyone else might be disturbed by the casual slaughter of the cows. His tone starts off very serious, since worship is important where he's from.]

About time this place started getting some proper worship going. I know most of you all are from soft places-- [The scorn in his tone is obvious.] --but blood sacrifices are always the best when giving due diligence to these gods where I am from. Blood demands blood, especially if you want them to be on your side in battle, or to favor you at all. It's really not all that different then slaughtering animals for food, just with more rituals and rites to it.

[Then he switches back to his usual tone that ranges somewhere between insanity and half-truths end tends to indulge in.]

It's a good thing we finally got the right sort of animals around here. Otherwise, I might have had to resort to sacrificing one of you. [He muses for a moment before laughing.] I'm joking of course! [Beat.] Human sacrifices only work if they're willing participants.

[OOC: This post is for a general discussion, so feel free to have threads amongst all the characters and thread-jacking rather then just talking with Ivar. Do let me know if you do want a specific thread with him! He has rather...strong opinions about this.]

Comments

ODIN - VIDEO

[asgardswisdom]

[ For those familiar with Odin, his visage in this video feed is... not amused, or humorous, or anything like that really. In fact, it's as close to his regular neutral expression that many might not pick up on it at all - but there's a warmth to his features, a softness in his eyes.

A sort of "ah, the dog shit on the rug but it is so damn cute." ]

Well. This is certainly unexpected.

[ But also kind of endearing. Oh, children humans mortals.

Feel free to hit Odin up with your questions and/or concerns! ]

VIDEO

[theprezident]

[ Oh, good. He's been hoping to see any god. Odin will just ... have to do.

He makes sure to steal himself before he talks, at least. No more embarrassing himself if he can avoid it. ]

So. Quick question. Is this ... helping you at all?

[asgardswisdom]

[ Here's a point 4 u, Rhys; Odin appreciates practical questions. ]

It's hard to say. They're enjoying themselves, which is something we can feel most keenly. But for the blood itself -

[ He gives a half-hearted shrug. ]

- we might have to do more research.

[ Which would mean more sacrifices. Studying the science of blood rituals, a newly emerging field. ]

[theprezident]

[ It's a miracle. ]

Well-- In that case, I guess as long as it doesn't get out of hand ...

[ Sh...rug. Whatever you want, Ivar + natives. ]

I mean. It's a bit, uh. Messy right now. I guess we'd just have to solve that.

[asgardswisdom]

[ At that, there's an inhale that isn't quite a sigh but is close enough to it. ]

Yes, there is that. It's a mess of their own making and they'll be the ones to clean it -

[ which is lowkey a big part of why he honestly doesn't care, they'll clean their shit before he steps in it and that's good enough for him ]

- but some structure and etiquette would do us nicely.

[ To put it lightly. ]

[theprezident]

[ There's a quiet huff. Structure and etiquette when talking about animal sacrifice. What a time to be alive. ]

All right. Cool. That's ... all I was wondering. Thanks.

DISCONNECT

[asgardswisdom]

Very well, then.

[ And that's it. A casual, curt conversation about blood sacrifices. Aren't you having so much fun here, Rhys? :') ]

VIDEO

[momsboy]

Hello. I have a few questions.

[ Peter doesn't like to beat around the bush when it comes to important matters and he doesn't think Odin is the sort of God who enjoys an idle chat. Feel free to ignore the fact he has a sleeping little piggie in his lap, Odin, thanks. ]

Did you all send the animals or it happened out of the blue out of dumb luck? We saw a dragon the other day and then cows and chickens started showing up.

Do the gods have any interest in the sacrifices? It doesn't really look like the locals know what they're doing but it's still concerning that their first reaction to seeing animals is to butcher them and bath themselves with blood.

[asgardswisdom]

[ He appreciates it greatly, Peter. :') ]

We can't create life, not like this. These creatures are a gift from the Mother Herself.

[ Said with the smallest inkling of pride; their Mother truly is tremendous. ]

It's not in our interest to tell them what they should consider sacred, or how they should behave in the worship of those things. They are doing what makes sense for them, I suppose.

[ At least, from a cursory assumption. ]

[momsboy]

[ He's learned to be direct when it comes to important matters thanks to Drax :'> ur welcome. ]

The mother is, Igdr...hm, Igraa...[ Gdit, he can never get the name right. ] ...the Tree?

I see. And what if they decide that stepping up their game and murder other people is what makes sense to them?

The citizens worship you all, they will follow what you decide to tell them. If you speak against the sacrifices my best guess is that they will stop. And if you don't voice your opinion they will take it as a cue to keep doing them.

Given how much Skadi likes animals, what does she think about all this?

[asgardswisdom]

Yes.

[ No clarification on how to pronounce Her name. Just a yes. ]

All creatures slay other creatures. There is nothing unnatural about that. And as young Ivar stated himself, perhaps they might be willing.

[ And who is he to argue with that? ]

Skadi is free to form her own opinions of the matter, as we all are. But their business is their own, save where it might intersect with your business, which is why we will hear your opinion of the matter before making any decrees.

[momsboy]

Big Mother indeed.

[ Works for Peter, he's happy enough that Odin didn't use this as a chance to mock him. ]

I am aware, I also told him I understand why his culture see things that way. But when creatures slay other creatures indiscriminately and without reason, it's also called murder. I'm just trying to avoid this from happening here. Mortals are complicated beings and they can easily go overboard, even end thinking themselves Gods.

[ He's seen it happen to many others before, his father and Thanos being some of the worst among them. But Peter is not as close-minded as not to see Odin, Ivar and Loki's points. ]

Hm...okay, since this is a problem of conflicting doctrines but we all need the animals for different things, either worship or sustenance, maybe we can reach an agreement with the locals? Dunno... set a schedule for the sacrifices? Or have them in a specific temple so the children here and other sensible citizens don't have to stumble upon people acting like Norman Bates on the streets.

[ He includes himself in that 'sensible citizens' group, mind you. ]

[asgardswisdom]

You hold a lot of doubt in your kin.

[ Just an observation, said with an edge of curiosity. There are many things Odin could respond to in his rationale but this seems most prudent. ]

That sounds perfectly reasonable. As stated, this came as quite the surprise. Steps could certainly be taken to be better prepared for any future - [ What do they even call this? A party?? ] - occasions.

[momsboy]

I've sen first hand what my kind can do. [ He doesn't say it with anger but there's a layer of sadness and frustration born from years of surviving in a less than friendly environment. ] Both great and terrible things. You have a world here that's brand new, no need to ruin it so quickly when some mistakes can be avoided before they happen.

[ He pauses again after that last bit, Odin's word sinking in. Oh god, he's the voice of reason? HIM? Things really had gone tits up then. ]

Well, ah...we still need to hear what other people think but that's an idea. Good to know, I appreciate that you are listening to our opinions.

[asgardswisdom]

[ Ah. Odin smiles in a way that is not quite condescending, but still has this edge of suggesting he might know a bit more than Peter imagines; God of Knowledge and all. ]

Who said this world was just beginning? Theirs might be - [ A vague nod to the natives outside, and Asgard as a whole. ] - but Yggdrasil is much older.

[ There you have it, the proper pronunciation. (Or so we assume, fuck if Faith knows for sure. ;)) And although he only says the word "much" once, there is an emphasis to it that implies it's a vast understatement. This is really not that weird by comparison to any of it; it's simply human ingenuity at its finest. ]

For better or for worse, you're living alongside them in our kingdom, and we can't have them doing this every night at any rate.

[ The loss of productivity in cleaning the next day alone, ugh. ]

[momsboy]

[ It's a look he's familiar with, it doesn't bother him anymore if people are condescending or not because Peter's used to it. Odin's is nicer, or at least most polite, than most. ]

Ah, yeah, I was only talking about this city as a whole. I know that the Tree is the start of everything. Back home, Thor mentioned the Nine realms and how...Yggdrasil...connects them. Half of my team went with him to Nidavellir once.

[ Why, thanks Odin. Peter, in turn, makes an effort to actually say the name right. ((Even if who knows what is really sound like, eeeh)). ]

It's really inconvenient. Not only they freak out people but the mess is a pain in the ass to clean once everything is over.

[ He sure not going to be the one doing that, mind you. ]

[asgardswisdom]

[ That makes him smile much more genuinely, a brief moment of appreciation before he adds: ]

A Niðavellir. But precisely so. There's more to this world than what you see here, and these mortals were born in that chaos. They are new to this life, but they are no stranger to death. No one in Yggdrasil is.

[ That would include you all; it is, after all, what fuels all of existence. This really isn't all that strange to them. ]

They'll clean it, with pride I assume. Their emotions right now are… bright, I suppose you could say, and laced with intent. They entirely conscious what they're doing.

[momsboy]

That..Niðavellir. My bad. [ Well, Peter tried. At least it made Odin smile. ]

I'm not used to believing in a higher power, I admit. I know they exist, hard to deny it when I saw them first hand, it's just that so far it had given me nothing but trouble. But I'm just a man.

[ Unimportant in the big scheme of things and the infinity of the universe, like a grain of sand by the shore. Odin's words made him pause, curiosity in Peter's green eyes. ]

You can feel them? Can you feel our emotions too?

Video

[mindseer]

[So, it's a rare moment. She was going to subject him to that awful text of hers, bu she wanted to be absolutely sure she was understood, and for that? Video.

Sitting there on a bench, she raised an eyebrow behind her blindfold.]

Bunches of dead cluckbeasts with blood everywhere? Yeah, little unexpected, little gratuitous, not that I don't mind a bit of cherry everywhere.

But you didn't think that they'd go flying off the handle at some point? I mean, they don't really have any rules guiding them, do they?

[asgardswisdom]

[ Said with his typical deadpan, face and voice belying no emotion or affectation at all. ]

Is this flying off the handle?

[ Does it seem like he's disturbed enough to consider it so? ]

[mindseer]

[Yep, there was the deadpan she'd expected. In fact? She was a little grateful for it. Still, grunt. She snickered only a little for once.]

Scale of 1-10, I'd say it's totally a 6. They went from 'yay moobeasts!' to 'paint the hives red with their blood!' pretty quick there.

I'm just saying maybe they could use a little nudgey nudge to avoid them, say, deciding the way to get more Travelers like us is to kill a few. Cause that totally doesn't seem like that much of a logical leap right now.

[asgardswisdom]

If they harmed one of you, they would know the wrath of their god.

[ It's not said as a threat. Still the same careful deadpan, a statement of fact. Whether or not they'd actually do it is on them - but he imagines not. ]

And we don't want more of you here, besides. Our goal is rather to get you all home, so we'd prefer it if there were fewer of you.

[ :') ]

[mindseer]

Well, ok then... sounds like you guys do have some rules. Do they know all of them?

[She grunted. After all, it felt like the important takeaway, thogh it also felt like the only one anyone had mentioned.]

Uhhh, just so you know? I kind of am perfectly fine with you taking your time with that with me. All the time you could possibly take. I don't really have a whole lot to go back for.

[asgardswisdom]

[ He openly sighs at that point, just a second's exhale. ]

It has nothing to do with any rules. You are our charges, and you are not meant to die here. That's the entire point of all of... this.

[ All this Wanderer business. Does he seem like the type of person to be keen on putting effort into nothing? ]

If it's between all or nothing, it will be all.

[ Again said plainly, not to be cruel but to state fact. ]

[mindseer]

Ah.... ok.... so...

[She frowned and looked over at Odin for a second. This wasn't easy, and she wanted to talk to some of the others, but... it elt important.]

Look, I'm going to have a talk with a few folks, when they've calmed down from this. See what some of them say, and then I'm going to stop back at your temple, alright?

That whole rules thing... this is gonna come up eventually. But that's not important right now.