[ STONE BROADCAST ] - JUNE 16TH

[aftrnpc]

Story-walkers! [Munin’s voice booms out of everyone’s stones in unison. And booming, in this instance, meaning a grizzled but chipper shout. Her cheerful volume does not lower for even a second as she continues.]

Ha! These stones - very clever! Perhaps my people could make use of them, too.

But I am speaking to you for another reason. There are those of you who do not know of the Jormun. If if you come across my people on your beaches, do not fear us, for we are sworn allies of your kin - churned in the waves of battle!

But there is no battle for us to join forces in, not now. We are here to conserve those the Storyteller would call…kaleidoshells. [She falters on the word, her accent thickening.] Schorvalsh is a better name.

You are all welcome to assist if you have the time. The schorvalsh have been receding in numbers, and now that we have reconnected with the land, we are able to protect their hatchlings, and bring them back as we did the sun!

We also owe you greater hospitality than what we have given in times past. We shall have a proper celebration if our joint efforts triumph, shall we say…in three noon's time? We shall bring our finest entertainment for you all.

[A wet, faintly fleshy smack, as Munin pounds her chest with a webbed fist.]

And you shall tell me of your land-dwelling practices, so that we may partake of those as well! The one named Connor - will you bring your greens?

Of course you will.

[You goddamn fool.]

Comments

[demonpuppy]

A-are you gonna bring that spicy drink? The, uh, the burr-shaka?

[Look, they tried, okay?]

[aftrnpc]

[They tried, and that's what truly matters.]

The brrkshavak? Of course! [There's the distant thump of a scaly tail thwapping against the ground for emphasis.] It is essential to any celebration!

[demonpuppy]

Yesssss--oh, uh, thank you! We don't have a whole lot of stuff to grow that's spicy, and I missed that a lot, and--

[Aaaaand they're rambling and they should probably shut up, whoops.]

Th-thank you, miss Munin.

[aftrnpc]

Of course, child. [Munin's tone is warm. How could it not be? Land-dwelling fingerlings are not so unlike the Jormun children.]

What of the moklavarr? Does that suit a story-walker's taste as well?

[In Jormun terms, a sort of rich hot chocolate they once shared with the surface in early February, prior to their return to the ocean's depths.]

[demonpuppy]

[They relax a little hearing the warmth in her voice, and a smile creeps into their voice in turn.]

The--oh, yeah, yeah! That stuff was great! Do you have other sweet things, too?

[What would a sea cake be like?]

[aftrnpc]

Of course we do! Is that manner of food typical for land-dweller party-gatherings?

[She is presuming yes, but confirmation would be ideal, of course.]

[demonpuppy]

Yeah! Sweet foods, and, uh, lots of little stuff? Like a whole bunch of sandwiches and cooked eggs and tea.

[To everyone that hates church foods: I am so sorry.]

[aftrnpc]

Little stuff...

[Munin muses the words over in such a way that suggests she's committing them to memory.]

Yes. Yes, we should be more than capable of fulfilling that request!

[demonpuppy]

Yeah!! Um...what kind of things to you guys eat? Do you have games?

[Wait that's stupid why wouldn't the Jormun have games what kind of idiot thinks people don't have games, stupid stupid--]

[aftrnpc]

Oh, a great many.

[You can practically hear the toothy grin flashing through the stone.]

Many are played in the water, though...I suppose some could be done so on land. [Munin laughs. It is a low, throaty sound, the bass rumble of a cat's purr that rasps like grating stone.] When I was a fingerling, my sisters and I would bait one of the krakens that dwelled in the crags on the seafloor. They can be such dull creatures - if you offer them something to grab onto, they will seize it without hesitation!

[demonpuppy]

Kraken? But that's just...

[They thought stories about kraken were just mermaids playing tricks, but if the Jormun have seen them it can't be that. But nothing else that big could possibly live down there...except--!]

You mean a dragon? There's a dragon there?!

[aftrnpc]

Dragon? No, no - a great, tentacled beast. They have been known to crush ships in their grasp, and feed on the sailors foolish enough to brave those waters.

[She sounds almost fond, as she relates the tale.]

Not many still linger in our waters. They seem to have taken to roaming the oceans instead.