WEEK 1

[strangerpeople]

WEEK 1

[The train wouldn't stop. Not until very early the next morning. The few who might have been awake would be able to exit the train, entering the cool twilight of the dawn. The star is dark, and few stars can be seen in the sky as a cold breeze begins to blow from the mountain beyond. You can see some chunks of rock floating idly nearby, far away from the station that it won't hit trains, but near enough that one can see they are larger than the train they just disembarked.

Lastly, laid out in front of them, the first port of call: Menahoven. The mountain: The Throat of the World.

But which world? Who knows. Not any of yours. Maybe it doesn't matter. Not when you are so far from home. Not when you have no way to get off this rock without the aid of the trains-and they will not let you pass.

It looks like you're stuck here until the Conductor decides to leave. In the meantime, everyone will need to get comfortable.


There are fifteen strangers left in this place.]

Comments

[eternaldivide]

If... you don't mind.

[ he doesn't believe it to be more than a coincidence but he's... still curious. he didn't expect to hear his last name being in some myth from someone else's world? ]

[biddentodance]

....Where do you want me to start? Guess general idea of the world used in those myths woudl probably be best...

[Well, alright, let's??? Maybe go find somewhere to sit??? And get some tea or something.]

[eternaldivide]

I think that'd be a good starting point. Whichever is easier for you.

[ he doesn't want minato to struggle explaining it. but yes finding a place to sit sounds like a really good idea now. lead the way minato ]

[biddentodance]

[Let's fast forward to when they've got someplace to chill and talk old myths!]

Alright.... Norse Mythology envisioned their cosmology as nine worlds. All of them connected to Yggdrasil. An ash tree. Nine worlds are divided roughly into three levels. Probably easiest to call them heaven, earth, and the underworld.

Heaven, where the trunk and branches of the tree are, is where Asgard, Vanaheim, and Alfheim are. Alfheim is home to the light elves. Asgard is the land of the Aesir, the most important and best-known Norse gods. Vanaheim is the land of the Vanir, other gods. Fewer stories about them, kind of got the idea the Aesir were more glorious and warlike, while the Vanir were more peaceful and artistic Also an eagle in the branches of Yggdrasil.

Upper roots of Yggdrasil hold earth. Much of it is Midgard, the world of humans. Connects to Asgard via Bifrost, the rainbow bridge, which is guarded by one of the Aesir - Heimdall. Midgard is circled by Jormungandr, the world serpent, who bites his own tail. Also part of earth is Jotunheim, world of the frost giants or Jotuns, longtime enemies of the Aesir. Mimir's Well, where one of Yggdrasil's roots ends, is in Jotunheim. Underground in earth are Svartalfheim, home to the dark elves, and Nidavellir, realm of the dwarves.

Underworld is half Muspelheim, an inhospitable world of fire. Other half is a slightly less inhospitable world of ice, Niflheim. Houses Hel, world of the dead, and the Niddhogg, a demon dragon thing, gnawing on one of Yggdrasil's roots. Supposed to brak through it at Ragnarok, the end of the world. Niddhogg and the eagle in the branches exchange insults, delivered up and down Yggdrasil by Ratatosk the squirrel.

Muspelheim and Niflheim are the oldest worlds. Everything else was built out from the primordial void between them called Ginnungagap.

[eternaldivide]

[ Mithos listens and .. wow ... he recognizes so many of the names that Minato is saying. Asgard, Ratatosk, the Ginnungagap ..... Heimdall.

After Minato is done speaking Mithos is quiet for a moment. Okay, deep breath first. ]

I ... recognized a few of the names you had said. Although who, or what, they are in Norse differs a bit to what they are on my world.

[ ... ]

If you'd like, I could explain to you the differences thus far. Or I could wait until you are finished before doing so.

[ Minato is giving up his time to tell him all this the least he can do it offer Minato information back. ]

[biddentodance]

From there.... Can explain if you want to. Could tell the world creation myth, next....or, if it's easier, you can ask about anything.

[It's difficult to just....tell a whole mythology. Easier to take it piecemeal.]

[eternaldivide]

[ Mithos simply nods. He'll go ahead and explain the similarities and differences with the information he has right now. ]

Many of what you had said are villages. Asgard is one. Another one is ... Heimdall, so rather than a God it's the Elven Village.

Niflheim I suppose is kind of similar in my world. At the very least, it is the Underworld , also known as the demon's world.

The Ginnungagap is a gap between the world and Niflheim. It's also where Ratatosk lives. Ratatosk... [ he has to pause here because really imagining Ratatosk as a Squirrel is amusing to him. but anyways-- ] isn't a squirrel. Rather he's the Guardian of the Ginnugagap as well as the guardian of the World Tree.

[ ... ]

Besides the names I don't recognize, Heimdall seems to be the biggest difference...

[biddentodance]

Huh... Seems like a few more than should be a coincidence. Heimdall's a guardian. Watches out for Jotuns...guards Bifrost. Has a horn for when there are Intruders. Think the myths say he doesn't sleep, and has ridiculous sight and hearing.

Has a nemesis among the Aesir. Loki. Blood brother to Odin, king of the gods, but a Jotun by birth. ....God family trees are weird. Anyway.... Heimdall and Loki slay one another at Ragnarok, the- the end of ev-- the end of days.

[Shhhh he's fine it's fine.]

Don't know all the details, didn't research him as much as some of the others.

[eternaldivide]

Hmm ... I suppose I can see how there is a resemblance. It was the elves that brought the Giant Kharlan Tree to the world from ... another world. They're the ones who watch over the tree moreso than the humans.

[ who were the reason the Tree is dead but let's not go there-- ]

Beyond that there doesn't seem to be much. None of the other names you mentioned are familiar to me.

[ Though are you okay Minato you stuttered. Mithos isn't going to say anything though it's Fine. ]

[biddentodance]

[It's fine he's fine his breathing stopped hitching right away and everything]

Huh... Would've thought Odin and Loki would come up before Heimdall. Thor, too.

....anything I've mentioned you want to hear more about?

[eternaldivide]

[ mmmhmmmmm sure you are minato. ]

Thor ... I recognize that one. Could you tell me more?

[biddentodance]

Probably the most well-known. God of storms and thunder. Hammer, Mjolnir, that would always return when thrown. Might've been unusable by anyone else? Not sure...

Also a favorite target of Loki's pranks. Rode a chariot pulled by rams, if I remember. Wife named Sif, known for beautiful golden hair...until Loki cut it off. And then got her new hair, literally made of gold.

[eternaldivide]

[ hmmm... it all sounds fascinating but there one thing that sticks out from what Minato had said ]

A hammer?

[ ... ]

Back home the humans made a weapon out of magitechnology called Thor's Hammer. It's ... a really powerful weapon that consumes a ton of mana.

[ And boy does he sound a little bitter about that. Just one of the stupid things the humans made ]

[biddentodance]

And....that;s what killed the tree.

[Logical conclusion based on what he's learned so far. But, speaking of logical conclusions...]

'The humans' - you're not? [He doesn't sound suspicious or anything, just...simple curiosity.]

[eternaldivide]

One of many weapons, yes.

[ Mithos' eyes widen slightly at Minato's next question. Even if he doesn't sound suspicious... ]

.... No. I'm an elf.

[ a full-blooded one y e p ....... ]