Heimdal steps forward. [color=red][size=125]None may pass until the Prince of Asgard has finished his discussion with the mortal girl.[/size]
Fleur smiles at Heimdal "Okay, we aren't exactly with them, so could you give me some idea where we could find either Vulcanus or Baldur, for when they are done?"
Heimdal shakes his head. [color=red][size=125]You speak falsely. Though you took different paths, I watched as you both traveled from the distant mountain home you share, and you both enered the cosmic plane from Wadanzee to seek the Bifrost. Nothing escaped my notice, mortal wizardess. Right now I can see a butterfly fluttering accross the Barrow of the Boneless, and count the spots on its wings.
My decree is thus! If the weather witch manages to win her debate with Thor, you may all enter and go about your business. If she fails, then you will all be turned away.
As to the location of Vulcanus, that so happens to be the nature of the contest those two lightning happy thunderheads are engaging in, and I shall not interfere.
Baldur sits in the hall of Volstagg, and his condition is dire for he is unconsolable even with the legendary hospitality of the voluminous one at his disposal. All he does all day is drink and weep. At night he is plagues by terrors. He has been like this ever since his return from the dead.[/size]
"Well," Lucas says, looking over at the fight between Carmen and Thor. "Not much to do but cheer on Carmen and hope she wins."
Frey, who has shrunk down to mortal size, puts his hand on Lucas' shoulder. [color=green]See, this is why mortals, even wizards, remain bound by fate. They allow outside events to have control over their thoughts and actions. We here have beaten fate, stemmed the tide of doom and overcome Ragnarock. Though some say we merely postponed it. The Norn Queen mocks Odin's triumph.
Still, the lesson I learned is that there is always something you can do.[/b]
Fleur looks to Lucas. "Why would she be seeking Vulcanus? I thought she wanted to avoid him?"
"True, Carmen and Antoine want to avoid Vulcanus," Lucas replies to Fleur. "But what better way to make sure you avoid him than to know where he is."
Then he turns to Frey. "I'm all for finding my way around trouble," he adds. "But Heimdall doesn't seem like a guy who misses much. Eyes on the back of his head, that fellow. And I'm not too keen to get on his bad side. But my friend Antoine, here, needs to get through and retrieve something that was stolen. So if you think there's a way to get past him, We're all ears. For example, is there any rule against us 'helping' Carmen to make sure the battle ends more quickly? Or would such interference be unacceptable in such a fight?"
"Also, I don't suppose you know where Vulcanus is at the moment, would you?"
Frey smiles. [color=green]From what I understand of the situation, they are not in any sort of formal duel. They are in an argument. Thor would have smitten her by now if he had truly wanted. This is just how Asgardians flirt. Strange customs, I know. I was born a Vanir and our people take a different approach with our displays of admiration. That's what it is really. Not romantic flirtation. Thor really admires her spirit. She chickened out last they conflicted. Did her fast-leap trick. [strike]Ryu[/strike] Thor and Heimdal kicked her out because of that. This time she demands entrance and will not be denied.
I think Thor called her a nasty name too. Something bad. An ethnic-sexist slur involving her mother.
So what can you do? Hmmm...
Calm your friend down and show Thor a united front. Know well he can smite you all in an instant, but don't back down.
As for Vulcanus, I am guessing he is a guest at Thor's house?
Off to the side, Cornelius of Bonisagus is writing like mad in his journal. Which is why he has been quiet this whole time.
His deep study of Nordic Supernatural has led him to a pair of possible conclusions.
Either...
There are two sets of things, a High mythology based in magic, and a Low Mythology based in Faerie. The two mirror each other and are intertwined in sybiosis for reasons not yet understood.
OR...
It is all a blend of true Faerie-Magic. The grail of Quendalonand perhaps evidence that there is more tham simply four realms and this fifth deserves a new name.
This is all superceaded by his Improbable Possibility theory, which is that everything is merely a shade of Faerie, and all our lives are just a chaotic series convoluted and contrived stories imagined by beings existing in the "real" world beyond Plato's cave of shadows.
Fleur glances at Cornelius' notes and listens to his muttering, then smiles "You should chat with Adan, the two of you could talk circles around anyone with these alternate realms theories. Although I think his theories are of a theological nature." She then turns to Felicia "Any suggestions?"
Felicia thinks a moment "Thor does bless weddings for the Norse, and is a fertility God, though mostly fertilizing his wife which is the earth."* She performs a gesture which is remarkably like a shrug for a cat.
Felicia considers this then decides to approach the situation "Excuse me, Thor? I realize you are a bit distracted at the moment, but if I could have a moment of your time? I have some questions about your glorious self."
- this reflects the real world religion of the Norse, and comes from Felicia's Font of Knowledge ability. How usefull it is or appropriate to this version of Thor is of course a storyguide decision- it may simply be an errant rumor Felicia has heard.
That would be an example of the dichotomy Cornelius contemplates. There are several Thors! A thore of folk tale, a Thor of saga, a Thor of Theology, a Thor of Diabolatry, a Thor of Primal Force, a Thor of Geneology, and more. And multiple names too.
Felecia's take on it is similar to how SuGarr is presented. He engenders storms that fertilize the earth and has spawned thousands of dragons.
Okay, they differ in that 
Whatever your angle, it is your approach that is key. Thor tuns to pay attention, Ignoring Carmen as her lightning bolts bounce harmlessly off of him.
"[color=red]Finally! Someone who knows how to show respect.
How may I help you?"
"I have heard widespread tales of your virility, that you can fertilize the earth and bless those newly wed as well, If you don't mind taking some time to discuss how your might and virility can and may manifest" Fleur glances occasionally at Thor's pelvic area "Perhaps the others could go about their business, I know there are many who seek Vulcanus. I sought him as well, or more accurately his boys. Did you have anything to do with his sons be born with the Gift?"
Lucas stapes back and lets Fleur do the talking. Her sweet words seem to be moving Thor more than any of Carmen's lightning bolts could.
It is Fleur's approach that attracts attention, not the subject matter. A slight diversion to explain where my mind is at. It is true that comic are the source and origin of my imagination. Most start with The Hobbit or some such. For me, it was Thor and Conan comics starting when I was about five. From there I started reading actual mythology in the library. Ot continued through college. I reid the Heimskringla, Egis's saga, the Prose Edda, and more.
These all trace back to Snorri Sturluson. The texts I mention are all current and "modern" works of the 13th century. Snorri just died last year in 1241 at age 61. Politics and feuding.
Anyway, I am heavilly influenced by the Prose Edda. There, Snorri put forth the idea that the gods were/are moral warchief who, after generations of veneration, are remebered as "gods".
This was/is a revolutionary idea. It made an apology (meaning "explaination") for Nordic paganism, while still venerating their heroes and explaining how they are still real. At this point in history, Scandinavia is thouroughly Christian. The very first Crusader king was Siguard I of Norway.
But the "old ways" live on through the 18th century, in what scholars refer to as "Low Mythology". Peasent people, though Christian, continued many of the superstitions and practices of their ancestors.
As best as can be told.
I am unable to find anything in period that details Nordic theology. Only a few practices and stories. It may be out there. I have never seen it. Only latter day work based on conjecture.
And there is no evidence or writings that suggest the Vikings were covered in tattoos. But it looks cool on TV, and it is likely many several did.
Anyway, there is nothing in the Prose Edda that gives full details of pagan theology or religeous practice. Nor anything in these stories to suggest that they even want worship.
The word "Faerie" or Fae comes from the word Fate. The Norns are Faerie, perhaps the Vanir.
But not Odin. He is a magician.
So my take on it is that the Aesir were once mortals that, through constant exposure to magic and eating golden apples, have become Immortals not to unlike the Daimons that ascend to the hall of heroes. The Norns, Fates/Faries keep messing with them. There may well be faries that manifested in response to mortal worship and/or based on the sagas. I view the actual Aesir as Magic Humans (or Daimons), transformed and elevated, but not Faeries and not "gods"
But there may be cosmic beings out there who are "gods". On that higher plane, the "god" of storms and fertility appears as Thor to some, as SuGar to others, as Yahweh or Baal to the ancients, and so on. On that note. Jesus may be (he is) the actual son (manifestation) of Divine God. And at the same time, there are dozens of Faerie Christs doing stuff all around.
Christ does fit into Norse Mythology as a seperate but equal "god". The Hivitachrist. I am also a big fan of the Vikings show on History Channel. Ragnarssaga is one I have not read. But I looked up a bunch of stuff and the show is 90% accurate. I think. The play dead trick Ragnar used to get into Paris. In history, that trick is attributed to his son Bjorn Ironsides (founder of the Sweedish House of Munso).
Anyway, talking to Thor about fertility and blessing is just going to confuse him.
I am also basing a lot on Comis. Especially the work of Walt Simonson, who brought a lot of authentic myth back into the Thor comic. Gave him a beard 
Sif has black hair. Loki shaved her golden locks and the Drarves forged a new mane from silky smoke.
Odin has triumphed over Ragnarock, but that just reset the clock.
Baldur had already died and has come back from the dead. But this has shaken him to his core. Something I did in mt D&D game 20 years ago, but have trpidation about doing here, is have Baldur convert to Christianity. But that might offend Silveroak so I won't do it here. It also offends hyper conservative Christians who are too uptight for imagination. I say "crew them". These are the same idiots who think Ozzy is the devil. Ozzy is a registered member of the COE, and everyone of his songs has a positive spiritual message if one bothers to listen. I consider Black Sabbath to be one of the first Christal rock bands :mrgreen:
But this is all fiction. A fictional Thor, a fictional Jesus, a fictional Fleur. None of this is real nor needs to be held to a high standard.
Thor is God of thunder and rain, rain brings fertility to fields, the rest branches out from there.Thor's wife is an earth/plant goddess (her hair is representative of grain), so Thor may be doing fertility work without thinking of it as fertility work, just making the wife happy...
In which case Thor is likely not responsible for Vulcanus' children being Gifted (though his wife might...)
In any case if he knows nothing about it he may well think Fleur is simply asking him to brag about his manhood and asking if he is the real father to Vulcanus' boys...
Interesting. I has always thought Sif to be like a Valkyrie. Frigg, Odin's wife, is whome I thought was the fertility goddess. I man, it is right there in her name 
The Prose Edda, if I remember right, refered to the earth as Odin's wife/sister/mother/daughter.
But it doesn't matter. As I said, there could be multiple "Thors". This one is based on my imagination and does not preclude someone else (or even me) doing something totally different. Four different authors inspire me. I already mentioned Sturluson and Simonson. There is also Roy Thomas, and then Alan Moore. Thomas used to write for Thore and adaptad Howard stories to script for Conan (and wrote some originals). He has done a lot of other stuff pertaining to the revival of fantasy and merging it with graphic media.
Then there is Moore. I reccomend you all read Promethia. But that is not my point here. He also wrote The League of Extaordinary Gentleman. The comic. I never saw the film. Heard it bombed.
But in the last volume, "The Black Doisser" (takimg place in the late 1940s), he explains (his version) of Ragnarock. The Dossier itself, main plot device for characters, contains many stories. The government suppresses them because myths are real. One of those stories placed Ragnarock in the 5th century. I likes that idea.
Roy Thomas introduced the idea of a Ragnarock cycle. Each "generation" hears legends based on the cycle before them, and their attempts to avoid fate result in everything happening again. And the cycle perpetuates.
I am mixing all these ideas together and dancing for two specific reasons. One is to be as neutral as possible in creating Aesir that do not offend Silveroak nor does it specifically conflict with any ones religious belief. In the context of fiction. Second it to justify my own desire to use magic (or faerie-magic) based Aesir, as opposed to the Ars standard of the gods as faeries.
There probably are faerie Aesir out there. Those are the guys that crave worship. These guys are magic, and they really don't care. The do sort of. Loki has his vanity and would love sycophantic minions. Thor cares about people, being a heroic and noble soul. If he sees trouble, he acts.
Odin is different. He is crafty. He has a plan. He wants to beat Ragnarock.The whole cycle thing is a stop-gap measure of his devising. He may seem to beat it, but he just pospones it. Perhaps the Norns are the faeries, gaining vitality from messing with him.
And I just realized I am chatting endlessly for no good reason. I should just play and let everything be told and obscured in story form.
All the crap I just said, those are just theories of Cornelius. I just wanted to lay out specific sources I am using. I am happy to learn from you guys, so Silveroak feel free to always always interject your knowledge. I might not use it here and my nature is always to bounce back what someone tells me.
Like from what you said about Thore, I really want to push that idea forth with SuGarr (who is magic and chthonic).
Oh! I also discovered a fertility goddes and cave on Ibisa, where both Roberto and Fleur both live.
Enough. Next post will be story. /babbling_gibberish...
Thor turns to Fleur with a cheerful grin. He utterly ignores Carmen, who is now even more infuriated because there is just nothing she can do.
[color=red]'Twas no involvement of mine. Not that I am aware of. But their mothers are twin redheads and they say their grandfather claimed to be descended from me. I have never had children so this cannot be. But there are others that have been me, so who knows? Odin works in mysterious ways.
I am Thor Odinsson! Prince of Asgard. Come with me as my guest. I will take you to Gladshiem, my hall. The boys and his two wives are there, being watched over by my comrades while he is away in Nithvillar preparing a challenge for a follower of his wizardly ilk. Then he will attempt the Challenge of Duragon!
The boys, he named them Modi and Magni. The Fates prophecey that one day I shall sire twins so named. Might and Power.
Vulcanus should be back within a fortnight. You can ask him what he thinks. He came to me with strange ideas and wild preconceptions, yet I was amazed at how much he revealed was true. After I told him what I told you, that others have been me, he has come to believe that such may be he! Odin, in his silence, has affirmed that there is some sort of connection between myself and Vulcanus. All my father would say was that a new mystery will soon be revealed and another would soon usurp the pretender and restore the the lost lineage. After that riddle he again remained silent on the matter.
So come with me 
You can bring your friends if you want. Even the angry little girl. Is she an elf? I met her one before and she acted the same way, all freaked out like I was going to hurt her.
Fleur follows Thor smiling at Carmen and starts up an idle conversation while they walk. "So do you ever vacation further south? Meet dieties from other pantheons or enjoy a warm beach?"
Lucas smiles and shrugs, following along. It seems that the way to a man's heart wasn't through his stomach, it was through his -er- ego. Regardless, they were in and Antoine might well get his sword back. That's what was important.
This Thor is still young, late teens, and many of his grand adventures have yet to take place. However...
[color=red]I have heard tales of other celetial tribes. Besides ourselves and the giants, there are the Vanir and their cousins the Dannan. There is also a tribe of elder gods that dwell on Midgard upon a mountain called Olympus. I met one, a half mortal named Hercules. We fought, then drank, then fought some more. Then we slew the Gorgon-Troll and parted ways. We run into each other once in a while. We fight or drink or fight and drink. Good times.
But otherwise I don't go to Midgard much anymore. It got boring. And creepy. That is another tale. Besides, there is a countells infinity of worlds to explore and adventure in!
But Enow! Ho! we have arrived!
That seemed quick but it wasnt. You walked accross a rainbow in the stars. You entered a citadel built upon an island in the cosmic void. Stylistically very Nordic. But so massive and hyper advanced beyond even the greatest Roman accomplishments, one can only imagine it was built by gods. You walk though villages and city streets, through pastures and orchards. You arrive at Gladshiem, Thor's hall. A ginormous longhouse nine stories tall.
Outside chopping wood is a handsome young man that sets Fleur's blood racing. Blond, strong, little soulpatch beard, dressed in green pats and boots with no shirt.
[color=green]Ho! Thor! Hail and well met! I see you mended your grudge with the storm elf, and have won a prize! Greetings o fair one. My name is Flandral the dashing, so called for I am fleet of foot and swift of tongue.
Flandral approches Fleur with a fancy bow.
Antione and Cornelius chat the whole way about alternative magic theory and rune magic. Antoine mentions the Iberian script runes and the Valdarian Mystery that is so similar to the Futhark Elder runes of Verditius. Cornelius explains that it doesn't matter. They are the same thing. The magic of runes doesn't lie in the shape. It is in the act of communicating magical intent. Just as in spellcasting. Latin holds no magic power. It is in the act of incantation.
In the far background, Carmen follows along muttering I am not an elf!
...
Meanwhile, Frey chats it up with Lucas. [color=green]So what's your part in all of this?