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[laufeysons]

PLAYER INFORMATION
Your Name: Lindsey
OOC Journal: pap_chuseyo
Under 18? If yes, what is your age?: Nope
Email + IM: lgcohick@gmail.com ; papchuseyo
Characters Played at Ataraxion: N/A

CHARACTER INFORMATION
Name: Loki
(note: technically Loki Laufeyson, but he never goes by that in the movie, and up until the end he's even referring to himself as a "son of Odin," i.e. Odinson; so I’m sticking to just Loki)
Canon: Thor (2011 movie)
Original or Alternate Universe: Original
Canon Point: Post-movie
Number: 084

Setting: handy wiki link
History: When Loki first appears in the movie, he is a young boy, probably not even 10 years-old, walking with his brother Thor behind their father Odin as he regales his sons with the tale of his victory over the Frost Giants, while cautioning them about the dark side of war. Thor, even as a child, boasts that when he's king he will hunt the Frost Giants down and "slay them all." Loki says nothing, seemingly thoughtful. As they leave the weapons vault, the boys each take one of their father's hands, and state their readiness to take the throne. Odin tells them, "Only one of you can take the throne, but both of you were born to be kings."

Fastforward to coronation day. Thor's coronation day. His closest friends and family stand on either side of the throne for the ceremony, Loki in his signature horned helmet. While it seems only natural that Thor, as the eldest son, would become the next king, when Odin announces, "Thor Odinson, my heir,"—the camera cuts to Loki and shows him with his gaze lowered and a controlled look of what is probably disappointment. Resentment and jealousy just beneath the surface. The coronation is cut short, however, when a couple of Frost Giants crash the party. Or more specifically, the weapons vault, which houses the Casket of Ancient Winters that Odin took from them many years ago. They are stopped, killed, before they can take it back, shortly before Odin and his sons appear in the weapons vault to inspect the break-in. Thor is outraged and demands war against Jotunheim, and Odin scolds him for his hotheadedness, reminding him that he is not yet king and as such has no authority. Loki looks on in silence.

Thor, frustrated by his father's inaction, causes havoc in the empty dining hall, which had been set up in preparation for a celebration feast before Thor came in and flipped the table over. Sitting to fume on the steps, Loki appears beside him and takes a seat, even though Thor warns him that it's not wise to be in his presence. But when Loki doesn't leave, Thor starts venting his anger, about how that day was supposed to be his "day of triumph," and Loki quietly assures him that "it'll come, in time." Then Thor's friends, Lady Sif and the Warriors Three, enter the scene, horrified by the wreckage Thor caused. Before they can get near, Loki starts doing what he does best: talking. Quietly, suggestively, being that little voice in Thor's ear, telling him how Thor was right about Jotunheim and that who's to say that they really are safe from the Frost Giants? An idea starts to form. Thor decides that he needs to take matters into his own hands and go directly to Jotunheim. But he seems to treat it like an adventure, a fun excursion under the pretext of a diplomatic mission looking for answers. Loki, however, seems distraught with the turn of events and after a feeble attempt to talk Thor out of it (it's too dangerous, it's madness, but at this point Thor can't be dissuaded), he concedes to accompany his brother on his suicide mission. Sif and the Warriors Three grudgingly follow suit.

Heimdall, the Asgard's Gatekeeper, lets them travel the Bifrost to Jotunheim, where they face the Frost Giant king, Laufey, who openly insults Odin and mocks Thor, and that combined with Thor's quick temper brings them to the brink of an all-out brawl. Except Loki swiftly steps in and tries to calm Thor down, and even after Thor tells him to basically shut his face, Loki continues to mediate, trying to placate Laufey so that they might all leave with their limbs and lives intact. Laufey makes warnings very similar to the ones Odin made, about the dangers of reckless behavior and not knowing the consequences of your actions (warnings that once again go straight over Thor's head), and seems willing to let them go in peace. But just as they're about to leave, one of the Jotuns makes a jab at Thor and that sets off a fierce battle between Thor & Co. and the Frost Giants.

At one point during the course of the battle, Volstagg is grabbed by a Jotun and suffers severe frost bite, and warns the others not to let the giants touch them. When one of them grabs Loki's arm, however, the cold shatters the armor from his body but when it touches his skin, has no damaging effects—except for turning him the same blue as the Jotuns themselves. Panicking, he wrests his arm free and his skin turns back to normal, completely unharmed. He promptly finishes the Jotun off.

The Asgardians hold their own for a while, but at some point the tide starts to turn. When Fandral gets stabbed through the shoulder by an icicle, they decide to hightail it out of there. Loki yells at Thor that they must go, but Thor pays them no mind. Gathering their wounded friend, Loki and the warriors make a run for it, leaving Thor to fight on his own, which he doesn't seem to mind one bit. He joins up with them again shortly after, but at that point they're crowded at the edge of a cliff, surrounded by more giants than they can handle, and just when it seems like they're done for, the Bifrost opens and Odin appears to save their sorry asses. He tries to make peace with Laufey, but it's too late for that; Thor's actions spelled out war. Disheartened, Odin takes them back to Asgard where he gives Thor his worst scolding yet. But Thor, rather than shutting up and taking what's coming to him, argues back like the arrogant, foolish hothead he is. Loki tries to intervene but is once again shut down, this time by Odin. Upon realizing that it's impossible to make Thor see reason, Odin takes drastic action: He strips Thor of his powers, his hammer, Mjolnir, and banishes him to Midgard.

Earth, that is. Drops him straight into the middle-of-no-where New Mexico, where he meets Jane, Darcy, and Dr. Erik Selvig, three mortals who somehow manage to look after him while he finally learns the lessons his father tried to instill in him all along, but the hard way. Loki, however, is still back in Asgard, pondering over the sudden turn of events. While Thor's friends are discussing and grieving over his banishment, Loki admits that he's the reason Odin showed up just in time to save them, having ordered a guard before their departure to go tell his father what was happening. Shocked, they urge him to go to Odin and plead on Thor's behalf, but Loki refuses. He claims that Thor proved today how he is unfit for the throne, and implies that Asgard is better off without him for the time being, before storming out of the room. Sif says that no matter how much Loki speaks for the good of Asgard, he's always been jealous of Thor, and Hogun points out that a "master of magic" such as Loki could have found a way to sneak Frost Giants into Asgard unnoticed. But the thought of someone so close to Thor and to the throne being capable of that kind of treasonous behavior is not something any of them want to accept.

Loki is shown next in the weapons vault, hovering over the Casket of Ancient Winters. He grabs it just as Odin comes in behind him, and when Loki turns around he's reverted to his true Jotun form. It's there and then that he demands answers from Odin, and Odin confesses that the Casket was not all he took from Jotunheim that day: He also took a baby Frost Giant, Laufey's runt that would've otherwise been left to die. Loki is beside himself with hurt and anger at having been lied to his whole life about who he was. He screams at Odin, his so-called father, and Odin, overwhelmed by the stress of Thor's banishment and an impending war with Jotunheim, and now having to reveal the truth of Loki's heritage, falls into the Odinsleep.

The throne is passed to Loki, the only remaining son of Odin in Asgard. Thor's friends find him sitting in Odin's stead when they go to plead with the All-Father about ending Thor's banishment. Loki of course refuses their request, assuring them that it's for the good of Asgard that Thor remain in exile. Then, in Odin's chambers, he talks with his mother, Frigga. Asking why Odin lied to him, to which she replies that they never wanted him to feel different (which failed miserably, anyway). When she says they must hope for Thor's return, he asks, "What hope is there for Thor?" She tells him that there's always a purpose to everything the All-Father does.

It's likely that these words rang ominous in Loki's ears rather than reassuring, and in an attempt to ensure that Thor doesn't come back, he pays a little trip to Earth where he finds Thor being held in a government compound, after having tried and failed to get Mjolnir back. Thor is surprised but hopeful at his brother's appearance, thinking that maybe Loki has come to bring him good news of Asgard or bring him home. But of course, that's just not the case. Instead, Loki tells Thor that stress has killed their father, that the throne has fallen to him, and that their mother has forbidden Thor's return because of a truce with Jotunheim that is conditional upon Thor's banishment. Thor is heartbroken but accepts this as the truth (because why would his dear brother lie to him about it??), and apologizes to Loki for creating this burden for him, and thanks him for coming to see him. Loki says farewell and slips out, but before returning to Asgard he makes his own attempt at lifting Mjolnir. But of course, much to his irritation, he can't.

Quite the busy little life-ruiner, Loki then makes his way to Jotunheim to negotiate with Laufey. He admits to being the one who did, after all, let the Frost Giants into Asgard to disrupt Thor's coronation. And he says that he'll let them into Asgard again to kill Odin, and then return the Casket to them. Laufey readily accepts. Upon returning to Asgard, Loki talks with (threatens, really) Heimdall, who is clearly suspicious of him, and then sets about trying to "repair" Asgard after the damage Thor apparently caused. Meanwhile, Thor's friends plot to bring him back to set things right in Asgard. With Heimdall's help, they travel to Earth and locate Thor, but their joyous reunion ends in the sobering revelation of how Loki lied to his brother about pretty much everything.

Loki, aware of Sif and the Warrior's trip to Asgard, sends the Destroyer—a metal fire-spitting guardian at the command of Asgard's king—to Earth to ensure that his brother doesn't return, with the command "destroy everything." Then he goes to the Bifrost observatory where he confronts Heimdall. Loki, after Heimdall admits that he's onto him, fires him from his Gatekeeper post and then whips out the Casket to turn him into a living ice statue. Meanwhile, the Destroyer is on Earth, doing what it does best and destroying the little New Mexican town in search of Thor. After Sif and the Warriors prove to be no match for the Destroyer, Thor confronts it, confronts Loki, pleading with him to stop the destruction, to take his life and spare everyone else. Just as it seems like Loki's had a change of heart, he has the Destroyer smack Thor down with force enough to kill him in his mortal form.

Or so it would seem, but Thor's sacrifice is apparently just the ticket to proving himself worthy of Mjolnir. The hammer flies to him, restoring his powers and his godliness, which thereby makes him strong enough to kick the Destroyer's metal butt. Loki, infuriated, moves fast to put his plans into motion before Thor can return. He goes to the observatory and lets the Frost Giants into Asgard, Heimdall still standing frozen at the gate. But when Thor calls for Heimdall to open the Bifrost, he forces himself into action, breaking free of the ice, and slaying two giants as they enter Asgard. Then, using what's left of his diminishing strength, he opens the Bifrost for Thor and his friends. Leaving his friends to look after Heimdall, Thor hastens towards his brother. In Odin's chambers, Laufey is preparing to kill Odin, when Loki double-crosses him and kills Laufey instead—fashioning himself as the hero. And just as it seems like everything is finally going according to plan, Thor has to show up and ruin it all. That is, he exposes Loki as the crazy, lying little shit that he is. And what is an evil brother to do at that point but blast Thor through the wall, before riding off to the observatory where he opens the Bifrost on Jotunheim so that it will tear Jotunheim apart (as leaving the Bifrost open for too long in one area will do).

Thor quickly catches up with him, and they have an angsty brotherly moment where Thor tries to talk his brother down and Loki shows how much he has truly lost it. They fight, Thor's brute strength against Loki's tricks, and finally Thor pins his brother down to the rainbow bridge with the weight of his hammer. But this still leaves him with the problem of how to save Jotunheim, and Loki taunts him that there's nothing he can do. But he'd be wrong. Thor makes a decision. Calling his hammer back, he starts destroying the bridge, therein shutting down the Bifrost. The resulting explosion sends Thor and Loki flying, but Odin appears suddenly to catch them, having woken up just in time from the Odinsleep. He holds onto Thor, who holds onto Loki, the brothers dangling over the broken edge of the bridge. Loki yells to Odin, "I could have done it, Father! I could have done it—for you! For all of us!" Odin shakes his head, "No, Loki," and it's those two words that finally break him. Thoroughly defeated, Loki lets go of Thor and falls into space, disappearing into a wormhole to possibly never be seen again.

Personality: Loki is a highly dynamic character, and the 2011 movie version of Thor is, in a way, the story of his origins. He begins as a relatively harmless trickster, seen as both a joke and a vile influence, a sorcerer and a coward, by most of Asgard. He ends as a villain who completely loses himself, but in losing himself, discovers who he really is.

One of the key things to note about Loki is that he is Thor's little brother. As the younger sibling, he's had to shoulder less responsibility, and has had more freedom, more time to himself as it were. More time to develop his magic and perfect his tricks. He has a penchant for mischief, and these things set him apart growing up in a world of Norse warrior gods who value bravery and strength over cunning and tricks. Not only is he disadvantaged in this sense, but he has the added bonus of living in Thor's shadow—Thor, the golden child, Asgard's shining champion and Odin's favorite son. This is the perfect recipe for jealousy and resentment with a dash of bitterness. But for the most part, Loki hides these feelings well. He is a master at hiding, in fact, not only his feelings, but his motives, his intentions, and even his physical presence—the only one able to cloak himself from Heimdall's all-seeing eyes and all-hearing ears, as is mentioned a few times throughout the movie. He's a slippery character, hard to get a read on most of the time. But whatever he's thinking or planning, it's always safe to bet that he's up to no good.

Most of Asgard knows this on some level, even Thor who is at times the most foolishly idealistic and trusting of them all. In a key scene that was cut out of the beginning of the movie, when Thor and Loki are talking before Thor's coronation, they're bantering, back and forth, and Thor tells Loki, "You are incapable of sincerity." But with a smile, because at this point in the movie, Loki is still just a harmless prankster. His tricks are jokes. Towards the end of the movie, though, when Thor returns to Asgard to take his brother down, he says, "You're a talented liar, brother. Always have been." This time with a little more heat, because by then it's been clearly demonstrated that Loki is more than just a harmless prankster. Fueled by jealousy, resentment, ambition, and desperation, he becomes a dangerous villain who has moved beyond pranks and tricks to full-out manipulation, deception, and specific schemes to win his father's favor, even if it means wiping out an entire race. What is it that leads to this evolution, from mischief to evil? Mostly, it's circumstances and certain events that change him, although really they just catalyze things—great, ingenious, evil—for which Loki already had the potential.

One of the first events is his discovery of his true heritage. Although Odin and Frigga decided to hide Loki's Jotun heritage from him to keep him from feeling "different," it's obvious that he's always felt that way anyway. A sneaky sorcerer instead of a brave warrior, constantly looked down upon for not living up to his older brother's standard and never quite taken seriously. There are multiple instances throughout the movie where he tries to speak, tries to assert himself, only to be shut down. On the rainbow bridge as they attempt to leave for Jotunheim, Loki tries to sweet-talk Heimdall into letting them pass.

Loki: Good Heimdall.
Heimdall: You're not dressed warmly enough.
Loki: I'm sorry?
Heimdall: Do you think that you can deceive me?
Loki: You must be mistaken—
Thor: Enough! Heimdall, may we pass?

Heimdall does let them pass, and as the warriors walk by Loki, Volstagg quips, "What happened? Silver tongue turned to lead?" Everyone laughs, except for Loki. A similar thing happens when Loki is trying to calm Thor down in front of Laufey to prevent the outbreak of a fight between them and the Frost Giants

Loki: Thor, stop and think. Look around you. We're out numbered—
Thor: Know your place, brother.

And again when Loki tries to intervene during Odin and Thor's argument, after Odin rescues them from Jotunheim. He's never quite held to the same standard as anyone else, always a rung below. Always the less favored. He takes refuge in lies, possessing, as Volstagg put it, a "silver tongue," which also sets him apart from other Asgardians who are generally good and honest to the point of seeming simple-minded. So when Loki discovers that he is not a true Asgardian, that he actually belongs to that race of monsters ("that parents tell their children about at night"), it makes entirely too much sense. But rather than coming as a relief, it's devastating. Knowing that he is different, and it's for reasons almost entirely beyond his control. And knowing that he'd been lied to his whole life by the people he holds most dear, his father and mother. Odin claims that they wanted to protect him from the truth, but Loki sees it in an entirely different light.

Loki: It all makes sense now, why you favored Thor all these years. Because no matter how much you claimed to "love" me, you could never have a Frost Giant sitting on the throne of Asgard!

This revelation at once confirms everything Loki ever wondered or doubted about himself, and turns his world entirely upside down, thereby catalyzing his descent into madness.

Another major event is his ascension to the throne, by default since Thor had been banished from Asgard, making Loki the only remaining son of Odin. In another key deleted scene, when Loki is handed Odin's spear, Gungnir, and told he is to become king, his initial reaction is not what most people might expect. He seems confused and almost distraught by the prospect. And when he visits Thor on Earth, he calls the throne a "burden," and though he's mostly choosing his words in order to deceive Thor, it's possible that that part at least isn't a total lie. At the end of the movie, he tells Thor, "I never wanted the throne! I only ever wanted to be your equal." This, I believe, is an instance where Loki is being entirely honest. At that point, there is no reason to lie or deceive anymore, and he's unhinged to the point where lying probably doesn't even occur to him. Regardless of whether he wanted it or not, Loki does find himself in possession of the throne, and in possession of power for which he was not at all prepared. Combine a sudden endowment of great authority with deep-seated feelings of jealousy and bitterness, driven by ambition and a desperation to prove oneself, and you have a disaster waiting to happen. Which is exactly what happens.

Once he's become king, Loki does everything in his power (newly enhanced) to ensure he gets what he wants, at whatever cost, even if he has to kill his own brother or deceive his mother, or let the Frost Giants into Asgard. What he wants is to rise above the brother in whose shadow he's always dwelled, and to prove himself to the father that always seemed to favor him less than Thor. In order to achieve these aims, he lies and he schemes. He effortlessly deceives Thor into thinking that their father is dead and that he's forbidden to return home. He tricks Laufey into agreeing to come to Asgad so he can kill Odin. And he fools his mother into thinking he's the hero when he double-crosses Laufey and kills him instead. For that brief shining moment, he is the hero. But then Thor returns from Earth and all but ruins his plans, exposes him for the liar he is. Still, Loki tries to salvage his plans, which are to destroy Jotunheim, and still, Thor tries to stop him. But, despite everything, Loki is still Thor's little brother. Thor needs to make sense of it, and when he directly confronts his brother, the truth comes out.

Thor: Why have you done this?
Loki: To prove to Father that I am a worthy son! When he wakes, I will have saved his life. I will have destroyed that race of monsters. And I will be true heir to the throne!
Thor: You can't kill an entire race!
Loki: Why not? [laughs] And what is this new found love for the Frost Giants? You, who could have killed them all with your bare hands.
Thor: I've changed.
Loki: So have I.

"Now fight me," Loki says. Thor refuses. "I will not fight you, brother!" "I'm not your brother, I never was." "Loki, this is madness." "Is it madness? [starting to cry] Is it?" It is at this point that Loki has quite possibly entirely lost it. And in the end, he loses to Thor as well. Upon seeing his father once more, as he dangles over the Bifrost, he tries one last time to gain his father's approval, to see if after everything, after he tried his best, he's finally proven himself. Odin just tells him No, Loki. And that's when Loki seems to lose all hope, and gives himself up to the depths of space.

Abilities, Weaknesses and Power Limitations: As a “Master of Magic” Loki’s powers may very well be limitless. The powers he displays in the movie include transforming (e.g. wine into snakes), creating illusions (of himself), and making objects appear from thin air (like when he pulls the Jotun Casket out on Heimdall). He also hints at being able to travel between worlds through secret means, and in the post-credits scene, he is shown existing in some in-between space, appearing only in a mirror, which further hints at his ability to travel between worlds and slip in and out of places undetected. (He’s slippery.) Although he’s a better sorcerer than a warrior, he is skilled at fighting with throwing knives, and later when he’s crowned king, he acquires the spear Gungnir and seems to be able to fight well with that too. Also, when he comes into contact with the Jotuns or their Casket he reverts to his true Jotun form (the blue skin and the red eyes, impervious to cold), though whether he retains any Jotun-like abilities is not clear. He is able to wield the Casket with ease, at the very least.

Loki is the God of Mischief, and through the first half of the movie it is both implied and plainly shown that he uses his magic and his cunning for tricks and pranks. As the movie progresses, however, he becomes increasingly unhinged, developing greater schemes of domination and even genocide. He may be a skilled magician, somewhat skilled in combat, and descended from Frost Giants but ultimately these are all accessories to his greatest asset of all: his mind. It is through cunning, scheming, and lying with his so-called “silver tongue” that he gets as far as he does in the movie, fooling his brother, his mother, and most of Asgard except for Thor’s closest friends, Sif and the Warriors Three. It is through deception that he kills Laufey, King of the Frost Giants, and thus almost succeeds in destroying all of Jotunheim itself. It is his jealousy (jealous of his brother), his anger (at his so-called father), his bitter hatred (of Thor, of Odin, and perhaps even of himself, of his true heritage), and his desperate desire to prove himself that drives him. But, these driving forces are just as crippling as motivating; they are weaknesses more than strengths, that make him flawed all the way through and lead to his downfall. In the end, he’s no match Thor’s strength and his good heart, and Loki is defeated in true supervillain fashion.

As magical power is central to Loki’s character, removing it entirely, while not rendering him necessarily unplayable, would render him more difficult to play. His powers are in general hard to pin down or specifically identify, but they mostly involve moving through space (whether transporting himself or objects), changing shape, and casting illusions. For power limiting purposes, these could be further narrowed down and reduced if necessary.

Inventory: Throwing knives.
Appearance: Loki as played by Tom Hiddleston:
(exhibit a.)
(exhibit b.)
Not much altered, except for the clothing (no fancy helmet or metal and leather!!) though he’ll probably be a bit roughed-up.
Age: Old. Although he appears around mid-twenties by human standards.

AU Clarification: N/A

SAMPLES
Log Sample: He woke up in the dark. But that wasn't what had worried Loki; truth be told he favored dark places. No, what had worried him was the strange way he seemed to be breathing, though before he could identify what was so strange about it, his surroundings shifted—and not in a way he was comfortable with. His throat muscles contracted and he felt something slide over his skin, and then he was falling. So disoriented that everything was happening too fast for him to focus, which was nerve-wracking to say the least for someone who was used to a keen sense and focusing on everything all at once. Always so totally aware of his surroundings and always calculating how best to manipulate them. Being robbed of this sense made him helpless, and that made him cranky.

If there was one coherent thought he could drag from his muddled mind, it was that whoever was responsible for this was going to pay, and pay dearly. He'd been in the middle of something, something big, on the brink of discovery and always bringing himself one step closer to his goals, and to interrupt that was a crime worthy of death. Or maybe a punishment slightly less severe, he'd see how he felt about it later. Once he gathered his bearings...

Taking a deep breath, he pushed himself up from the cold, hard floor. If he felt a chill, he didn't shiver. Jotuns didn't really get chills, now did they? That brought a wry twist to his lips, but no, he had to stop such trivial thoughts. He needed to focus. Focus. He took a step, wavered. For a moment he thought with he was back in Asgard, at one of their rowdier celebrations when he was young and had been pressed to drink more wine than he ought. Thor had had to help him back to his room. Focus. He took another step and he was back in this stark empty place. That step was steadier than the last. He wondered if Thor was behind this. But it didn't seem like his brother, it wasn't loud or brash. And this didn't feel like Asgard, he couldn't be back there. He took another step, pretty sure he wasn't about to walk into his father's guards, and then another, until finally he felt balanced again. His feet carried him to a doorway, where he paused and gazed at the rows upon rows of...metal boxes, all stacked together in neat lines. He stepped through, went to one of the boxes and lifted his hand to touch it, but stopped before his fingers could reach. There was something on his arm, something that had never been there before.

Someone had marked him? A frown pinched his brow, as he rubbed at the inked-in 84 with his thumb, only to discover that it wouldn't come off. Yeah, whoever was responsible for this was definitely slated for death. But 84 what? What was the meaning—?

The boxes were numbered. Loki moved, now with a new mission (a series of small goals, reasons to keep himself moving, to keep himself stimulated so as not to fall into despair; although part of him was curious; another part wondered if this were all just a dream), he moved down one row, and then another, until he finally found the one marked 84. It opened for him, and he felt a small bloom of triumph in the pit of his chest. Wary, but unafraid of what he might find inside. He was less and less afraid nowadays, not the cowardly sneaky young prince of Asgard that everyone used to know and scorn. He was still just as sneaky, if not sneakier, but he found little to be afraid of anymore. Instead, it was the world that needed to fear him. His father, his brother, everyone in all the Nine Realms. They'd learn well. But first he needed to find his way out of here, to get back to what he was doing before he'd been so rudely interrupted.

He peered inside.

Comms Sample:

[ The comm device flickers to life, to show one rather disgruntled looking god of mischief. Loki stares into the screen, eyes narrowed. Testing, one, two...

It turns off again. ]



[ And then, sometime later, he's back. Looking less disgruntled, more self-assured. Even if he's still not entirely sure of anything at all; he has theories. Ideas. It's time to do some research to find out what's what. ]

Greetings.

[ His voice rasps a little from disuse. He cocks a half-smile, devoid of mirth. ]

I need information about this place. Anyone who can provide any useful insight will have my eternal gratitude. [ For what it's worth... I mean, hey, it might mean that when he takes over the world he'll spare your life! That's something, right? Then again, he might not.

It all depends. His smile hitches a little higher, and his eyes dart off to the side, before sliding back to the screen. ]

I understand that information does not always come free, and if it's compensation you seek, well. That can be arranged as well.

[ There's a certain gleam in those sharp green eyes, or perhaps it's just a trick of the light. It's anyone's guess really. But there's little time to decide before the video quite abruptly. Ends. ]