video | unseelie

[extramural]

[ The locket, as always, is held up in mid-air when the Outsider turns it on. He is not alone in this recording, though; behind him are four women in long, gauzy black dresses and veils. With them are several children, eyes all black; the women are gently ushering them along the shore of the beach behind them while two massive dogs run back and forth.

In the distance is the black line of the Void, creeping over the ocean.

Next to the Outsider is another one of the children, and next to him the resemblance is clear: the same eyes, the same curious tilt to the head, the same bony cheeks. The child looks a bit more fey, but he sticks close to his sire, hands clutching to his arm. ]

Do not harm the children, [ the Outsider begins, and his voice is cold, shows every century of age and power. ] Do not harm the children or we will use your blood and bones, and you will be lucky if you are dead when we start.

[ A large palm smooths over the hair of his son. A daughter comes up on the other side, humming. She smiles at him and her teeth are sharp and red. The Outsider leans in so she can murmur in his ear. ]

Ah, yes. Should anyone find themselves with a need to desecrate shrines further -- the same warning applies to you. I will know, should you touch one of mine.

[ His daughter giggles and takes the hand of his son, and the two go to join the others. The Outsider watches, head half-turned. A seagull swoops down and perches on his shoulder, ruffles its wings, and the feed ends. ]

Comments

private.

[vrykolakas]

[A very thin smile. The image waves in and out of focus; none of the Brucolac's alternative communicators have a video function, and he's out of practice framing shots.] I am glad, truly, to have an accord with you. I'm doing what I can to keep the Shrines safe...

I don't know whether the personal presence of a vengeful god would make the situation better or worse. [He says that in a genuinely uncertain tone, eyebrows lifting as he considers it. It would be interesting, to say the least.]

None of your little ones were too seriously threatened, I hope?

private.

[extramural]

I imagine it would depend on the courage of those damaging them.

[ Still, the Brucolac gets a smile in return. He's- not really any better at them, over the past year, but the attempt is there.

One of his children peers at the locket, blinking pale eyelids over black eyes. ]

They are capable of handling themselves against most, but shardbearers have always been something different -- as are groups of angry fishermen. Still, the truest threat at the moment is the Void. It will swallow this coast first, and so these young ones are relocating. Perhaps with more siblings in one place, they will be safer.

VIDEO.

[selfimage]

[ he's looking around the Outsider at the background, at the Void, before his eyes go to him and then his children. ]

I may be able to be of service. One god to another, of course. It looks like you have your hands full.

VIDEO.

[extramural]

And what service would you offer?

[ The seagull has left his shoulder and his daughter is peering at the locket now, licking the blood off her teeth.

He will help? she asks, cautious and curious, fingers twining in her untamed mess of hair. ]

[video]

[chaoticwhimsy]

Woah.

[Lumina knew the Outsider had a magical ocean girlfriend, but still.]

Cute kids. How many of them do you have, Lev?

[video]

[extramural]

Many.

[ Does he know? Does he not know? Hard to say.

The girl at his side waves at Lumina through the locket, curious. ]

video

[ziggyzoggy]

[When the cast comes over the locket, Vol'jin just listens, face expressionless, though one brow creeps ever upwards as he watches the kids. The threats end, and it takes the space of a few breaths before he can think of something to say that isn't a flat "What." Because what.]

Been busy?

[bro, bro, what the hell bro. wat the h e l l ]

video

[extramural]

[ And the implication totally misses him. ]

Not particularly.

[erythristic]

You had children? When?

[had she really missed something this important?]

[extramural]

They hatched this spring.

[ It's not like he advertised it much. ]

[video]

[semiurge]

[ Billy Kaplan is always concerned when kids are at risk. Even if the kids look kind of creepy and like they can probably take care of themselves. ]

Wait, has someone been threatening your kids? Are they okay?

[video]

[extramural]

Other than the Void?

[ The children look around five years old, each and every one. The little boy peers at Billy through the locket, head tilting. ]

They are predators, each and every one. People fear what they do not understand. And gods and their worshipers clash and snarl, and are unafraid of killing those connected.

Video

[raavashing]

...so they are yours. I had wondered.

[A small gaggle of them had come up to Wan on the coast of Leathann to give him a bone charm after he found them eating the corpses of a half-dozen human natives that had obviously been dead for a while. Probably killed by them. They weren't human, though, so he didn't chide them for their actions. He was surprised at how they'd rushed up to giggle and circle him like they wanted to play.]

If I see anyone attacking them, I'll do what I can to stop those people. And the shrines... I've been trying to right the ones I come across. Not yours, since I haven't been near any of yours for several days. But...

[He signed deeply and rubbed his eyes. It was obvious from the bags under his eyes he hadn't been sleeping well lately.]

Stay safe.

Video

[extramural]

Yes.

[ They are young, his children; all appear around five, but all hatched in the spring. As much as they look like him, they take after their mother in their predatory nature, the way they draw humans in. And he adores them, as much as he adores anything. ]

Thank you. I do not doubt that someone may set a trap for me at one, eventually.

[ But he has been careful not to leave anyone he catches alive. ]

video;

[arla]

[ She watches what he displays for a long time, the children and their haunting melody, the dogs she had seen months ago. Lavellan is silent while he warns the people, inspecting instead, and only after some consideration does she speak: ]

So you've seen it.

[ Quite obviously. He doesn't seem particularly perturbed by the sight, and why should he, if he is not unfamiliar with the Void from his own world? ]

Those children are...yours? Your followers?

[ Or something else? ]

video;

[extramural]

Yes, I've seen it.

[ To be fair, Lavellan, he does not appear particularly perturbed about anything. ]

Mine by blood. They hatched this spring.

[ The Outsider does not sigh, but he strokes over their hair again. ]

But they prefer the shore, and there will be none left, should the Void continue.

video;

[digophelia]

[ This still throws her in a loop of confusion and maybe she still is shocked. Also, how the hell did Alice find herself discussing children with him, of all people. ]

They're so evenly tempered -- you're fortunate. Sometimes my children aren't as calm, especially now that one makes a point to take off her prosthetic arm and tease the others.

[ Aithne and Drest are absolutely a handful, sometimes. ]

Will you move them away from the Void, too?

video;

[extramural]

[ #drabwurldproblems ]

They are not human, after all.

[ Half siren, half god. ]

Yes. The Brucolac has welcomed them at Srathmarbh; I may take him up on it.

video

[benumbing]

[Jack clicks his tongue gently. Does that mean he's not available? That's a shame.]

So many little bundles of joy. My mother only managed to squeeze out two of us at once.

video

[extramural]

[ Well, they've never talked about exclusivity. And if the Void has its way, she won't be alive for much longer. ]

I doubt your mother laid eggs.

Video

[huntedby]

I had been wondering what you had gotten up to, Nun.

[Vanessa watches the creatures with a soft smile. They are beautiful things, in a horrible way. But it is fitting. And she can't deny it suits him.]

Video

[extramural]

The sea, as always. For as long as it remains.

[ Each child is young, looking no more than five. Each has the eyes of their father, each is perfectly comfortable around him and the dogs and the Maidenfish.

A large, unexpected family. ]

And how are you, my dear?

[Video]

[edgar_of_etheria]

Why would anyone want to do such things?

[Video]

[extramural]

Fear. Anger. Men do things for many reasons.

video;

[zerotohiro]

[There are several questions here (including who the hell would sleep with the Outsider in the first place) but he's not going to willingly ask. Instead, he's just watching the video feed for a moment before he speaks. Actually, a lot of his attention is shifting between the Void and the children themselves before he returns his attention to the Outsider.]

Well, since you asked so nicely...[Seriously man.] We'll keep an eye out to make sure they aren't harmed.

[Granted that smile from the Outsider's daughter has sufficiently creeped him out but you know what, whatever.] Anything else we can do to protect the shrines, too?

video;

[extramural]

Thank you.

[ She's hardly human, Hiro. None of them are. You deal with it. ]

Keep an eye out, I suppose. I will feel it, should any draw near to them. But they may well be expecting that.

video

[wipedclean]

[His eyes have a haunted, murderous light behind them, and his voice is tightly controlled.]

Yours too?

Somebody... has something against shrines.

video

[extramural]

Yes. But they will regret their choices.

[ ... oh, and- ]

It is good to see you awake, James.