[Application] Nidhögg, the Völuspá.

[yggdrasilgnawer]

((Apped with approval from relevant characters. Apologies to the mods for taking ages to post this up, RL's been getting in the way.

ETA: Sorry for the massive slow down on replying! Am currently in another country for boring work stuff. I also get to see Dethklok... twice. \m/ RL's very hectic right now, I'll get back to tagging regularly when I'

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[blood_and_souls]

The albino nodded affirmatively, replying, "To all apparent circumstances, it is. But, I have no distinct proof that the Hat does not have other masters." It was easier for Elric to accept the Hat's ridiculous manifestation by likening it to Balo the Jester, who was not precisely a Lord of Chaos, but, served them- something of a demigod of Chaos, rather than a god.

Elric had presumed that as Nidhögg had not been pulled to the Sorting Room by the Hat, that he would have been free to leave the realm. But perhaps this was not the case? A sinking sensation clutched his gut as a sudden wave of misery washed over him- could his summoning of Nidhögg doomed him to the same strange fate that he was afflicted by? Had he once again caused deep harm where he had not intended to? He already liked Nidhögg, due to his affinity for dragons, and despised himself for the possibility.

"Perhaps destruction might suit it best, Lord Níðhöggr. And, I would not discourage such an attempt, and would aide it if I could. But, this castle is a strange one, and, it may simply manifest itself again. The castle often changes, for the stuff of Chaos is mutable. Destruction might mean very little, as it is merely another of infinite possibilities." He sighed deeply as he added, "If I had known that its magic might enmesh you, I would not have called you from your misty home. This place defies all magic I am familiar with- aside from my sword's. And even that is twisted." He hung his head sullenly, surrounded by a near-palpable gloom.

[yggdrasilgnawer]

If Nidhögg had had any inkling of Elric's misery, he might likely have enjoyed it; but he was not omniscient, and despite being capable of sharing his thoughts with those perceptive enough to hear them, he could not know Elric's mind. This was probably for the best.

But, then, it was Elric, and so it was merely a matter of time before the albino expounded on his inner turmoil and misery. Nidhögg would soon learn this.

"I do not believe anything binds me here," he replied, shifting his body backwards slightly as though testing whether he was literally stuck or not-he didn't appear to be. Perhaps later he would attempt to return home. In the meantime, there was much to see in this strange realm, much knowledge to be gained, and even an old acquaintance to torment. The dead of Niflheim and Yggdrasil's inviting roots could wait. He began to lower his head slightly while peering at Elric. "What occupies your time in this place?" he asked, more than just idle curiosity. "For how long have you been stranded here? There is much I wish to learn." Not simply about Hogwarts, but indeed about Elric himself. It would benefit him to know the extent of Elric's capabilities and knowledge, particularly in light of their pact.

[blood_and_souls]

((Sorry about my slow reply! RL distracted, the weather was good, so went to enjoy some hiking before winter sets in.))

Elric, being the gloom-ridden soul that he was, would indeed end up expounding on his misery at some point. And probably at a point not too far in the distant future. If there was nothing else to focus on, the albino's mind tended to drift there almost instantly.

He was relieved, however, to hear that Nidhögg thought he wasn't bound there. It was one less thing to be miserable about, and, he had enough already. Not that he wasn't sure to find some more soon, since he was as good at that as he was at moping about it. He mulled Nidhögg's question, attempting to determine just how long he'd been at Hogwarts, and was rather staggered at his own additions. "I believe I have been here for the span of six moons, and have found no way to leave it yet. I also cannot figure out why I am here, when so much in my own realm is at stake. For this time, I have dwelt mainly in the forest surrounding the castle grounds, near the abode of Smaug the Magnificent. In the forest, it is possible to feed my sword properly." After the Baby Sun incident, he wasn't going to feel too tempted to try out Stormbringer again within the radius of the castle's magic. "I sometimes come to the castle, to learn what foul deeds the Hat might be contemplating, or to attempt to communicate with my Patron. I am not sure if he ignores me deliberately, or, if the castle's unnatural magics prevent it somehow, but I fear the former." He occasionally tried to pick up strange women as well, but, he didn't think this was worth mentioning. It didn't really add to the 'doom' factor of Hogwarts, which he hoped to emphasize.

[yggdrasilgnawer]

((I can't complain, RL's pretty much eating me alive right now and making my tagging ridiculously slow... but I'm glad you've been able to enjoy the outdoors! Something I need more time to do.))

"I have seen the forest," Nidhögg acknowledged, his eyes narrowing in curiosity. "Smaug the Magnificent, this would be your dragon companion?" he guessed, recalling the way the other dragon had remained close to Elric at the lake shore, in a manner that had obviously been protective. Though Nidhögg was easily several times his size, Smaug's fiery breath would likely be a good defense against a dragon accustomed to the frigid realm of Niflheim, should it ever be required. Luckily for the mun who sucks at socking, Nidhögg was more likely to leave this other dragon in peace than torment him, particularly if he, too, were an ally of Elric's.

"Tell me of your sword," he said as he slithered forward again, squeezing as far inside the room as the opening in the wall allowed, and settled onto the stone floor. The coolness felt very pleasant against his scales, particularly with the heat of the natural sun beating against the rest of his body outside. He would likely come to claim the lake as his own, as it would probably be closer to the temperature which he preferred. "And your Patron," he added. "I wish also to know more about him, and why you remain faithful to one who will not answer you."

[blood_and_souls]

Elric nodded to Nidhögg, replying, "Aye, that was Smaug. He claims the forest, and another dragon claims the mountains. I have yet to meet this other dragon, for it is rare for him to venture from his lair." He did hope to meet Ancalagon one day, namely for the purpose of helping Smaug to assert his claims, and perhaps even expand his territory a bit. It hadn't occurred to Elric that there might be territorial issues between Smaug and Nidhögg, as, he'd never encountered such issues with the Beast Lords, who viewed the representatives of their species as something like children. Of course, Nidhögg was not exactly a Beast Lord, and he was starting to realize this. He hoped that it would not lead to conflict, for, despite his word to Nidhögg, his loyalty to his few friends tended to trump his various pacts. And, he had no desire to break his agreement with Nidhögg.

Predictably, Elric let out a mournful sigh, obviously well-practiced, when asked about Stormbringer. "My weapon is named Stormbringer, and, it has a mind of its own. It is said that Stormbringer is as old as my world is, which is very old indeed, and it is said that the black sword is one of many. It was destiny that brought us together, and despite Stormbringer's unfortunate tendency to drink the souls of my friends, I am bound to the blade, as it bound to me." He glared at the sheathed blade as he recalled some of those incidents, Cymoril's death still standing out the most painfully. "As for my Patron Arioch, I serve him because we have made a pact. He aids me, and I give him blood and souls. I still do not know how I have fallen from his favor, or even if I have." Another melancholy sigh. "It may be the magic of Hogwarts, for he looks at me as if he knows not what I say. Or, it may be the whimful nature of Chaos, whose actions are nigh impossible to predict. Or it could be that in this realm, Arioch does not know me. There are many possibilities, of which having fallen from from his favor is the easiest to accept. For, it means there is a chance that it may be regained."

[yggdrasilgnawer]

While it was very true that Nidhögg was neither a Beast Lord nor necessarily the literal father of his species, he did feel a certain kinship with other serpents, and for that reason he would likely in time come to enjoy the company of Smaug and Ancalagon. Particularly since Ancalagon's player suggested there be some creepy-wrong gay dragon romance. "So long as neither claim the lake," he replied, the implication being that he would leave the other two dragons in peace, unless they disturbed him first. Though if there were to be a conflict at some point, the collateral damage was bound to be pretty spectacular.

The reasons behind Elric's willingness to make a pact with a serpent-who were, after all, historically known for their cunning manipulation and treachery-became much clearer as he described his living sword. If indeed he was bound to such a faithless creature, dealing with a serpent of Nidhögg's nature would presumably be very familiar territory to Elric.

"Yours is a tragic tale, Elric of Melniboné," he said, with a fairly convincing imitation of sympathy in his tone. He was mocking Elric, knowing the albino was unlikely to realise it. "It does not sound as though your Patron aids you here, and yet still you pay him tribute? It would seem wiser to invest your efforts... elsewhere." Namely, in becoming Nidhögg's faithful little lapdog servant instead. "Until your Patron decides to acknowledge you, of course. Am I likely to encounter him? Perhaps you should introduce us," he idly suggested, curious despite himself about this so-called Arioch.

Poor Vladimir Harkonnen.

[blood_and_souls]

"Neither Smaug nor the other dragon claim the lake- the lake appears to be the home of Pyaray, the Tentacled Whisperer of Secrets, who takes on the form of a giant squid." Of course, Elric's explanation was quite wrong, as, it was simply a giant squid, but, due to the creature's prodigious size, and his unwavering belief in Chaos, it of course had to be 'Pyaray' in his mind. He did not much mind what Nidhögg might do about this other inhabitant, since, Pyaray wasn't his patron, and Chaos didn't even tend to be loyal to itself. It was Chaos, after all. He hoped that Nidhögg's choice of the lake would avert any potential territory conflicts, as he rather hoped that Nidhögg and Smaug at least might become allies.

Melniboneans were also known for cunning manipulation and treachery, which was perhaps one of the reasons why Elric didn't entirely mind his bond with Stormbringer. He wasn't a 'typical' Melnibonean, having a bit more compassion than most, but, only a bit. It was enough to set him apart as weird to other Melniboneans, but, not nearly enough for the humans of his world to see him as anything other than a firm representative of his own race, and a terrifying one at that. His mentality was better inclined to dealing with beings like Nidhögg, whose sort seemed quite reliable when compared to the unpredictability of the Chaos Lords.

Elric entirely missed the mockery, and replied, "It a tragedy that is well-deserved, for I have brought most of it upon myself." He appreciated that the serpent appeared to understand his misery, at least to some degree. "And as for my Patron, I am unsure why he does not aid me here. He has aided me many times in my own realm. I believe it possible that he too is entrapped by some magic of this place, as are other Chaos Lords, for, in different words the powers of the Dukes vary. In my own, he is amongst the most powerful. Here, it may not be so. So it is indeed likely that I should focus my efforts elsewhere, although if I can find a way to unlock whatever strange bonds are upon the Chaos Lords entrapped here, I would." As then, he presumed, he could go home.

"He resides here, acting as one of the 'professors'. It is possible that this service is part of the foul magic that infuses this place. I would introduce you, but I have not even been able to speak to him. It is as if he cannot understand my words. He tells me to go away, and leave him alone, and has set the strange elf-creatures out to keep me from his territory." He sighed, recalling that every time he approached the Muggle Studies wing, a house-elf appeared and used its odd magic to toss him elsewhere. "I have observed that he appears to chiefly wear two forms, here. One is that of a massively obese red-haired man, usually clothed in red, and floating. It is evident that it represents the indulgent and decadent potential of Chaos. His other form is that of an unnaturally beautiful young man, with pale skin, and golden eyes. On observing him in the latter form, it is impossible not to feel the strange allure that Chaos can manifest." Poor Vladimir Harkonnen, and poor Jasper.