[It was right at the end of their trip when Esther had been able to slip away from the rest of her group to do a little "tourist sightseeing." She couldn't quite place it, but there was a... tone? Maybe? in the back of her mind. It only got stronger, more like a vibration, as she headed out toward Ayers Rock. And then... She found it.

Well, officially speaking, she "heard" it first, and then almost tripped over the partially-buried object. Clearing away the dirt with her hands, she managed to unearth it--about the size of a dinner plate, and unlike anything she'd ever seen. Surreptitiously tucking it into her jacket, she managed to get it safely back with her...]

[Filter: JCs]
Hey, guys? Found it.

[Filtered to JCs]

I think there's a possibility our object might be Down Under. As it turns out, I have the opportunity to go as a diplomatic attache to Australia next week. I'll take a look while I'm there in case anything turns up.

Those who intend to travel to Ireland make yourselves known here. Summer is drawing to a close and that does have an effect on availability. Sooner is preferable to later.

Hello, Godlings. Have you all been playing nicely together? I do hope so. You'll need to.

You've done well otherwise so far. Finding your lost treasures. But those won't be enough. There is more to find.

[Filter: Celts]
A secret has been lost in Eire, and it sings where the living voices went silent.

[Filter: Egyptians]
Once your blood ran through the veins of kings, and their power remains there buried. Find it, and it is yours again.

[Filter: Greeks]
Westward where the son of Troy, and the children of Venus and Mars brought forth their power, a piece remains.

[Filter: Hindu]
Far in the East, near where warriors come forth from the earth, a touch of power remains. Its music can make you dance again.

[Filter: Judeo-Christians]
You must seek the song in the wilderness again to find the lost power, far to the Devil's own continent.

[Filter: Norse]
The mountains hold secrets again, high in the clouds, but you must go south to seek the power that was lost. It sings in the shadow of the lost city.

[/filters]

Remember. You must strike while the time is hot. Let it grow cool, and it may slip through your fingers.

I'm sorry to call so late, but something just happened I think I should tell you about.

[Filtered to Lilith; also visible to Celts]

Hey, don't forget, we'll be arriving tomorrow morning at 9:30. Can't wait to see you and the rest of the family.

So! I had a bit of a run-in on the subway today. I think I might stop taking it altogether. Work's not that far away. I may call off for a day or so.

Um. But, I got grabbed. And not like...on accident, or because somebody stumbled or anything like that. It was a grab and a pull. I didn't know what he was doing until he started dragging me backwards. If it wasn't for a few other guys on that particular train, I might have ended up in pretty bad shape. :|

But like, the weird thing was the argument that took place afterwards. I mean, the guy that grabbed me started trying to get in my face about homosexuality and trying to tell me I was a horrible person for a number of related reasons. I don't know. But it was scary. x| I tried to stay out of the way. It's not like I did anything to him. I didn't even realize he existed until he touched me. Then he called me a rent boy.

Anyways, I'm just going to sit at home for a little while with some tea and...I don't know. Lock the doors or something. What is with people?

This is my new favorite thing. Fuck. I don't even know. I'm not even big on video games, but fuck...experimental video game themes remixed into witch house-y chiptune drone goodness? Fuck yeah.

& I love the fuck out of Spell Hound right now. So fucking trippy.

[Filtered to Judeo-Christian Pantheon]

So. What the fuck-i mean- ^Er.

Do either of you happen to have any plans if shit really hits the fan?

(just curious.)

[The first thing visible is Tanner's smile, as he's a little too close to the camera, still trying to adjust it as it blinks on. He bites his lip for a moment, looking for the little light indicating that it is indeed on, and once he finds it, he gently settles himself back into his computer chair.]

Hi. [He smiles, shyly. His face overtaken with a hint of pink.] I'm Tanner. You might know me as...[He stops, and worries his lip between his teeth a little, looking decently self conscious by now.] Ganymede.

I've looked through the other posts here and some of them are really-[He stops again, and just shakes his head.] Um. But...I think I kind of get the gist of this place? I'm not sure. [He shrugs.] But I figured I'd make a video post, because I...don't think I'd know how to introduce myself just typing. [There's a bit of a giggle.] It doesn't...carry tone well, you know? And I wanted to be friendly.

So, hi! [He waves, and smiles brightly at the camera, before winking, and cutting the feed.]

Fucking shit. If they've gotten sentient enough to start sending me e-mails, I think I'm fucked.

tHeRe. I played along. I did the registering thing. I posted. Now please, stop.

Wonderful. Just when I thought that they were going to try and get back to important issues... A bill is being proposed now that would require all of us to register ourselves as godlings. With our names, addresses, and powers. So the entire world would know who we are, where we live and what we can do.

I promise, I'm doing what I can to fight it.

Well, this is certainly not how I saw my day going. Don't get me wrong, I can appreciate a joke, but when it hinders my job it becomes..irritating. So could someone kindly explain what is going on here?

I tell you, even if you're a god, there's something about turning 40 that just makes you feel like a geezer.

But, I got a nice (if kind of strange) arrangement sent to me, so it's not that bad.

[Those opposed to the rise of the godlings continue to get louder and more prominent.

Godlings who have been outted in the public eye will begin receiving anonymous threatening letters and have protesters standing outside their homes and businesses...]

"We have to let them know they aren't welcome among us. That this is a Christian nation with no room for their kind! The Foundation for Christian Families will not stand for it!"

--Mimi Osmond

Uhmm... Hello? So, I got this email, and here I am.
I don't know if I've missed a worldwide memo here or something, because I have no idea what this is. I mean, I get a lot of anonymous mail—you know, fan mail, proposals, and such—but this is creeping me out more than usual. I must have also missed some technological advancement, since I'm pretty sure printers had to be turned on before they spewed out papers.

Just to make things clear, I'm Nathaniel Gallagher, age 21, male model yes, contain your orgasms.
Again, if anyone could kindly explain the situation, I'd be very much entitled to rewarding someone with a nice dinner or a glass of wine.

Melpomene--Paean told me the news. He's got you set up to come in for an appointment at two on Friday. I don't suggest trying to get out of it. You know how he can be.

Something tells me that Melpomene isn't the only one with a bun in the proverbial oven. All things considered, we should probably have the numbers on record, in case the Anti-Godling squads come looking for us. How many of you ladies are also expecting?

[She's been working up to this for more than a day. She'd reach for the phone then, talk herself out of it with this or that excuse. But Esther had been right. She had to tell him sometime. So finally, she dialed his number and waited for him to pick up.]

Hey. It's me.

[She tried to sound as upbeat as possible, not giving her nervousness away, except maybe in the slight shortness of her breathing. If he was even listening that closely.]

So... things I've learned in the past couple weeks:

It is amazing how many drinks strangers will buy for you when you're dressed up like a Persian courtesan and saying it's part of your birthday celebration.

Also, it only takes fewer than two dozen godlings to catch the attention of the world.

...and that leads me to the last thing... Godlings... we've got a problem. No joking.

[After her birthday celebration, Esther is getting ready for another day of work, not really thinking about things until the sun comes up...]

What?! What is this? What has happened to my clothes?! I can't go to work like this today! No one is going to take me seriously dressed as a Persian courtesan!

[Text to Lilith]
Ebony! Need another girl with me on this. Get back to me when you can.

Today is a sad day for the world of knowledge.

After 244 years, the printed Encyclopedia Britannica will no longer exist. Sure, there will still be the digital editions and all, but it's just not the same experience. Not the smell of the pages, the careful illuminations, the weight of all that information right there in your hands... It was always an investment in learning, solid and dependable. I'm going to miss it.