magua-vida

[magua-vida]

No post today, sorry. I'm awfully tired and feeling a little under the weather.

[magua-vida]

talking to mutuals guide

dming a mutual tricks and cheat codes

basic techniques for reaching out to mutuals

recent advances in talking with mutuals

talking to mutuals okay?

will my mutuals think im weird for talking to them

messaging mutuals in a mutual-honoring way

[magua-vida]

Huggg

Aww. Imagine what being hugged by Nocturne is like (tho, I think you kinda already described that briefly in Minuet?). I dunno what being in the arms of an Aeldar is like aside from them being mostly lean with little to no excess fats due to their biology, but still nice and warm in a different way. The average human as a friend or lover is probably like a soft pillow for them for all I know.

Speaking of cat-and-mouse, I've talked to another Harlequin/Rogue Trader fan about this and... is Nocturne like a cat? He's like a cat to me. Nocpurrne... Nocpurrne of Oblivion. What if you bring that random feline association to his face?

It would probably be strange but really nice all at once, honestly. They're so tall and skinny, it's not *cozy* exactly? Not like a hug you can just sink into. But still all warm and nice. Long arms to wrap all the way around you. Although, yeah, they would probably find hugging a human to be more like hugging a plushy or a pillow or something. Most Aeldar would deny they like it, but they do. xD

Hmm, I've never thought about it. I think he's definitely more cat like than some of the alternatives. But, like, one of those cats who's more elegant and likes to be near their people, rather than one of those ones who sadistically like to pull legs off bugs. (That's totally Marazhai). I think the Aeldar probably have somewhat feline features anyway, with those sharp, slanted cheekbones and stuff. Cat-like eyes would suit them well, too.

[magua-vida]

Oh. Forgot. (I should stop forgetting and just put it in the ask, but some questions escape my head) In the process of distracting RT as a way to console, can being her company and hugging also count as distractions if he knew those are also things that can give comfort to her?

No worries, things escape sometimes, it happens to all of us. :) Oh yeah, definitely. If he knows that's a good way to distract her, and he probably does, because it's a good way to distract *most* humans, he would definitely give cuddles and things. Maybe blindfolded kisses if things got that far. Otherwise, a lot of his favorite ways of distracting her are playing games, mostly word games and puzzles, but also, like, leading her across the ship in a weird cat and mouse kind of game that he would find very entertaining.

[magua-vida]

I forgot if I uploaded this, but WIP

of a li'l what-if of Nocturne of Oblivion being romanceable

I haven't been uploading art much, IRL stuff in the way

[magua-vida]

WIP of Nocturne in a hypothetical romance scenario

[magua-vida]

Hornsss

[magua-vida]

me as a writer

[magua-vida]

hold the goopman gently like hambubger

[magua-vida]

early stages of friendship are Soooo embarrassing like yea sorry....... it's me again............ i enjoy talking to you and spending time with you....... you can shoot me point blank if you want i dont mind

[magua-vida]

Harlequins Argue About Humans [Heirs of the Laughing God: A Deadly Wit & Death's Mercy excerpts]

A Deadly Wit audiobook cover art by Akim Kaliberda (idk if Death's Mercy is also done by him, but I couldn't find the artist name behind it and can't see it in his socials)

These are excerpts of three Harlequins, namely (in case you haven't listened or read the two Heirs of the Laughing God audiobooks yet): Duruthiel, the self-aggrandizing but mostly warmhearted Troupe Master of the Masque of the Fading Dawn who banters a lot with his two companions— most often with the (comparatively) sensible but cynical Death Jester Adroniel. The calmest one of the three is Echo, the sometimes-high Shadowseer who confounds even his fellow Harlequins with his vague sage words.

________________________________________

A Deadly Wit

Context: Duruthiel and the others go battle orks because someone from the Masque of Reaper's Mirth insulted his leadership. The Masque of the Fading Dawn encounter a prison full of malnourished human slaves along the way. He decides to free them regardless of the risk, no strings or backstabbings attached, much to Adroniel's dismay.

As the Harlequins entered on foot, the anti-grav craft of the masque slid away across the town luring the vengeful mob on a false chase into the depths of the gorge. Inside was pitch-black, lit only by the ghost gleam of their holo-suits. After a plain entrance hall they came out into the starlight again, a small rectangle of pinpricks in the velvet night above bounded on three sides by the silhouette of the buildings and on the forth by the jagged rampart of the citadel wall. In the faint illumination they saw rows and rows of barred openings in the walls. Above, floor after floor of cells mounted up through ramshackle scaffolding, ladders and precarious stairs until the view faded into the distance. Adroniel: ‘A prison, castoffs from the warlord’s favor, perhaps, kept close at hand for easy gloating.’ Duruthiel: ‘Children of the Emperor, forsaken against their fate, bound into terror unto death and death is the release they long for. A clamor of torment lies in this place, a torture of souls in pain. Slaves…’ Adroniel: ‘Of no concern to us, Red Swan. We are sent to your destiny, remember?’

The emaciated prisoners begin to stir, pale hands reach from behind the bars. The Great Harlequin shudders. He signals the Tragedy to move on along with the Troupes without him.

Duruthiel: ‘This clamor shall wake all foes to our progress.’ Adroniel: ‘Then waste no time with pointless words and make more haste.’ Echo: ‘From the lamenting of the disfavored comes the darkness. The great powers sup on the nightmares waxing strong as they drain hope from the misbegotten and unremembered.’ Adroniel: ‘What point in releasing them? They are too starved to fight. The orks will slay them out of hand.’ Duruthiel hesitated at the next ladder. His eyes lingered on a human male pressed close to the bars. The man’s ribs showed through paper-thin skin. His eyes were sunken and devoid of any understanding deeper than a farm beast.

Orks roar from above. A cannon shoots; whether the orks suspect the Harlequins are there or just want silence the ruckus among the slaves is unknown. Adroniel leaps past Duruthiel unto a scaffold bank and flips herself up with one hand.

Adroniel: ‘No time to lose, Duruthiel. The foe has murderous intent for this place.’ Duruthiel pulled himself up to rungs, but hesitated still looking down into the fire that had started on the lower levels. The smell of charred flesh wafted up towards him as the opened space acted as a huge chimney. Adroniel: ‘It is simply mon-keigh killing mon-keigh, just what they always do! This is no place for the Laughing God. It is a death trap.’ Echo: ‘In alliance even the unspeaking beast can carry its burden. What strength is shown to sacrifice the weak save to bolster the grandeur of the benighted gods of the warp?’ Duruthiel: ‘Our corpses would lie beside theirs. Better that the enemy remains distracted.’ The Great Harlequin dropped back to the platform at the base of the ladder drawing his sword. Duruthiel: ‘Cegorach’s mercy, I cannot allow it. Does not the Laughing God dare the grasp of She Who Thirsts to snatch up our fleeing souls even as her grip closes?’ Duruthiel’s sword sang as he lashed out cutting the crude lock from the nearest cell door. (FX - CELL DOOR SLOWLY OPENS WITH A SQUEAK) Duruthiel: ‘Make swift work! A thumb to the eye for the great enemy! Let not desperate prayers rise to the ears of the dark powers but have them answered by a folk more kind to look upon them and more gallant of act.’ Adroniel: ‘Oh, fool, you doom us!’

Duruthiel ignores Adroniel's protest and resumes slashing down more locks. The freed are first unsure what to do as the zooming zephyrs continue to unleash more of them, but the former prisoners manage to get their bearings and exit their cages. They try to express their utmost thanks, but the Harlequins are too fast, swiftly spinning and ducking away from grateful embraces. The orks fire again while the Harlequins quickly move. Hundreds of humans reunite with one another, hugging and kissing as they continue the work left of freeing the rest.

Duruthiel catches up with Adroniel at the jail's summit. Screams shattered the air.

...A few troopers below were less fortunate. The next salvo crashed into a gantry where they still worked to free the slaves incinerating three of Duruthiel’s followers, sending two more tumbling to a messy end far below. Adroniel: ‘Happier now?! Shall I name those that gave their lives for these animals?!’ Duruthiel: ‘They confound the orks and distract from our presence.’ Adroniel: ‘Circumstance, such was not your intent!’ Duruthiel: ‘Reward for a good deed I would like to think. Unwitting, but they repaid their debt.’

Duruthiel's closing lines on the matter while watching humans arm themselves with weapons from their former captors:

Duruthiel: ‘Does the heart good to see the caged run free, whatever the uncertainties are faced that await them. Aye, not all was vanity today.’

________________________________________

Death's Mercy

In-between the fighting, these three colorful companions give different perspectives on humans.

[...] Echo (smiling): ‘The scale of the tale is not in the length, but in the depth.’ Adroniel: ‘As of mass, I agree. These humans have changed the galaxy and not for the better. But as individuals they are a fleeting annoying flicker. Nothing of note can be accomplished in the blink of an eye.’ Duruthiel: ‘I disagree, for in a blink the world changes. A star can be born, a seed spark into life. A miniscule event can occur that would ripple across the skein of fate for a lifetime.’ Adroniel: ‘Hm, you have a strange fondness for these mon-keigh, Duruthiel.’ Duruthiel: ‘And you have contempt unworthy of the Laughing God, Adroniel.’ Adroniel: ‘Unworthy? Since when did Cegorach make judgment upon any of us?’ Echo: ‘In the lesson, perhaps, not the entity.’

(some slaughtering later)

[...] Echo (smiling): ‘Death is the means not the arbiter, but you are falling into judgment. The purpose of death is not to crush life, but to fan the spark of its existence into a flame that burns bright.’ Adroniel: ‘There is no spark in the humans, just kindling that disappears with a puff in an instant.’ (FX - ADRONIEL TAKES ANOTHER SHOT) Echo: ‘Not so. For those short-lived that flame burns so brightly, it sets the galaxy aflame for long after. The life long-lived drains the spirit, forcing us to seek greater stimuli for our passions to continue.’

______________________________________

The invaders retreat back, the brutality of war now seem so distant that the battleground seems almost peaceful.

Duruthiel: ‘If it is our role, oh seeker of joyful death, to quash hope from and bring meaning through ending, is it a mercy not spite to pursue these flagging mon-keigh?.’ Adroniel: ‘Hm, an interesting question, Duruthiel. There is a new objective, mercy or spite. Such things exist only at the motive of the act. And the motive is wholly dependent on belief of the subject’s desire. If I believe the humans to desire death, it would be a mercy to give it to them. If I believe they wish to live, it is a spite to slay them.’ Duruthiel: ‘So would you have us chase them down or not?’ Adroniel: ‘Oh, I am not the leader as Echo choses to remind us frequently.’ Duruthiel: ‘I did not say we would enact your choice, but I would hear your opinion and arguments.’ Adroniel: ‘Chase them down! Kill them all, ahahah!’ Echo: ‘For mercy or spite?’ Adroniel: ‘In this case it is neither. They are mon-keigh, beneath mercy or spite. Opportunity presents itself for a cull of their numbers, we should cease it.’ Duruthiel: ‘A cold reasoning with which I am not in total agreement, but we will pursue.’ Adroniel: ‘For mercy.’ Duruthiel: ‘For something to do. I yet have desired to avoid standing sentry at the Webway portals. Onward, Endorieth!’

While Duruthiel does order everyone to attack the retreating human invaders out of boredom, this seems to be circumstantial as they are up against enemies invading a Craftworld. Just a story ago, he freed human slaves and he didn't even know there were others aside from orks present in the first place.

They do even more killing, argue about perspectives on each others' roles, and decided to take out a Titan from the inside. Later on, they encounter an unarmed wounded guardswoman. Adroniel was about to kill her immediately, proving to her comrades that what primarily drives her cruelty towards the humans is spite, for what reasons is unknown. Her two allies accuse that it harkens back to her past in Commorragh, but not much is said. I've already posted an excerpt of that event (and its outcome). But, here's a shorter version if you want just that:

(FX - ECHO PREVENTS ADRONIEL FORM SHOOTING) Adroniel (angrily): ‘Ah, what is this, Shadowseer?! Do not interrupt me at the moment of releasing death’s mercy.’ Echo: ‘By your own admission it is spite that moves you.’

The guardswoman speaks. Echo points out to Adroniel that she can talk despite the latter's assertion and that she just wants to survive. Adroniel is having none of it. The injured begs to be let go. There is a brief sass-off between clown and mon'keigh.

Adroniel: ‘Events are moving on without us. It is time to rejoin the company so I must end its miserable life.’ Echo: ‘Or… spare it?’ Adroniel: ‘Why?’ Echo: ‘Must there be a reason? Think of possibilities, of endless fates yet unplayed. A simple act, the execution of which costs you nothing, might one day bring great harm to She-Who-Thirsts. It is in your gift to deliver a deadly fate, but equally to grant extended life. Is that not powerful to you?’ (FX - WOUNDED GUARDSWOMAN SOBS ON THE FLOOR) Echo: ‘Act without reason for we are the Harlequins of the Laughing God. As a spirit is snatched at whim from damnation, why not spare this life?’ Adroniel (thinking that over and finally taking the gun away): ‘Hm, you may go back to your companions. If our paths cross again, you will die.’

The guardswoman stands and runs away.

Echo (smiling): ‘Is it a sound for the spirit to grant hope as well as crush it?’ Adroniel: ‘Hm, there might be something to be said in its defense. In moderation, of course. Yet the battle goes on and we must still fight it.

In the end of Death's Mercy, they spy on the one they spared flee back to her fellows. The three Harlequin friends are elated to see her welcomed by her allies, at first. The guardswoman is shot by a Commissar. Duruthiel is enraged at the kinslayer. Echo asks what Adroniel thinks.

Adroniel: ‘Ahahah, I hope you see the truth now. I am the Death Jester. There is nothing of me that is turned to life, only its ending. My work shall never cease until I claim myself and another steps up to the role.’ Duruthiel: ‘You are not saddened?’ Adroniel: ‘Why should I be sad knowing myself, Duruthiel? Does the rampant ego of the Red Swan depress you? And I am glad for fate has guided me to my next target.’ Echo: ‘To avenge the slaying of the one you spared?’ Adroniel: ‘Do not be so sentimental, Shadowseer. It is merely a glimmer from the skein that has caught my eye. Perhaps, it is a sign, the will of the Laughing God... but, probably not! Ahahahaha!’

Adroniel aims her cannon. This isn't the only time Adroniel deliberately made her answer vague.

_______________________________________

While they do still think of humans as barbaric (as many non-humans often do for various reasons good, bad, and neither), these Harlequins differ in opnion when it comes to humans, and for different reasons. It's as if they each represent the different Troupe mentalities and outlooks.

Duruthiel is the most openly compassionate of the three despite his impulsiveness. He risked himself and his fellow Harlequins to save human slaves from imprisonment. And while he does kill humans in Death's Mercy, it's largely due to them being invaders this time (and he has fun doing so as long he isn't bored). I've read a few theories that Duruthiel might be a Light Troupe Master for these reasons. He's forgetful and ready to decapitate a Warlord just because a Harlequin from another Masque taunted him, but he's also bold, heroic, good at improvised tactics, and tries to see the brighter side (to a quixotic degree, in Adroniel's view).

Adroniel views humans as mere mon'keigh animals not worth saving, let alone risking life for them. It takes someone else's convincing to make her drop her aim. This is more apparent when comparing her battle against orks in A Deadly Wit where her attitude towards their slaughter is more joyful while her killing of humans in Death's Mercy sounds more spiteful (although, this could also just be because Adroniel is given focus as the main protagonist in the latter). The others accuse that her special contempt towards humans traces back to her Commorragh past, a rare instance of a Harlequin's past life being brought up. However, not much is said about it still. Duruthiel thinks she ironically worries about certain things too much for a Death Jester.

Echo is somewhere in-between. Sadly, a third audiobook didn't come to be (it was supposed to be a three-parter series), but from what he's shown, he was from Biel- Tan and he's at least likely to spare a human to see if fate would lead to one becoming instrumental (and also seems at least somewhat more sympathetic towards humans compared to Adroniel).

[magua-vida]

Accidental Predictions

https://magua-vida.tumblr.com/post/745576654084227072/which-one-is-better

a few things that became coincidentally more in-line with the (then) future canon

[magua-vida]

You guys want to play a game? REBLOG and put in the tags why you follow this person

[magua-vida]

doodle

[magua-vida]

I love that Motley and Nocturne present two different flavors of Solitaires; the former is loud, casual, and very affable while the latter is mostly calm, cool, and somewhat cold. Both are dramatic, insightful, and dangerous.

Also, it'd be hilarious to see the party's reaction to you Going Down With The Clown.

That's swell~ Motley plays more like The Fool kind of archetype but knows what he's doing. One scene is him planting a foot on a knocked down Drukhari and the latter can't do anything about it. A moment later,

"Motley frowned unhappily and shot Ozarhylh a mournful, pleading look. For all the cheap theatrics Ozarhylh understood that the Harlequin was telling him to come along now or suffer retribution later."

_____

Hmm, tbh, Idk who would suit voicing Nocturne. There's Samuel Ramey with a deeper register (albeit, he's an operatic bass), who voiced the Beast in Over the Garden Wall and performed as Phantom, but idk much else.

_____

What does Meli like about Nocturne? And how do you think Yrliet and Marazhai react to finding out that she's being romanced by a Solitaire? How would the two find out about it?

I love that "acts like an idiot but is actually absurdly smart and competent" trope. I dunno why, but I've always liked it. I feel like I'm going to enjoy Motley a lot. XD

Oh man, it's been forever since I've watched Over the Garden Wall. I may have to look it up, because I don't think I remember his voice, even.

There's definitely an allure to the mystery of Nocturne for Meli. He's got that sort of charm that's difficult to resist. Also, he's helped her out a lot when she's in difficult positions, which helps, lol.

As for Yrliet and Marazhai, I think they'd both definitely be taken aback. Marzhi less so, since he's somewhat more used to seeing Harlequin in Commorragh. He doesn't understand it, but he doesn't care enough about Meli on a personal/romantic level to do anything about it.

We see in game that Yrliet is definitely afraid of Solitaires in the same way many aeldari are, even saying something about how it leads to misfortune or something similar, iirc. She definitely tries to talk Meli out of having any sort of relationship with him, and genuinely thinks that this will end with Meli dead and the rest of the crew possibly joining her.

[magua-vida]

That part is probably the nearest thing to actual Solitaire romance so far.

And yeah, I was that anon and I am de-anonizing myself (am shy). I'm just really into Harlequins and I love Motley and Nocturne as two of my favorites.

Sorry, three WH40K reblogs in a row and have no art to post today, but I am tired and just want to soak in these clowns T-T

Context: Motley notices he's being chased while investigating alone in Commorragh.

"‘You don’t even have a weapon ready, I’m disappointed,’ purred Lady Aurelia Malys as she stalked forwards across the twisted metal. The Archon of the Kabal of the Poisoned Tongue was a shimmering vision of exotic beauty in the light of the firefalls. Her armour was fitted to accentuate every alluring curve, her hair was a river of pure midnight touched by flame and her red, red lips held a secret promise of maddening desire.

‘Clearly I am disarmed by your beauty, dear lady,’ Motley said with an ingenuous smile, ‘although the truth is that I’m more of a lover than a fighter, which is to say I’m more a clown than a grim warrior type. Perhaps you were hoping to challenge me to a duel or something? Not really my thing I’m afraid.’"

[some more flirt-fighting later]

"Lady Malys’s blade shivered aside at the last instant as it was deflected by a short, curved blade that appeared in Motley’s hand as if by magic. ‘So you do come armed after all,’ Malys mocked as she flicked her steel fan at his wrist to sever the tendons. ‘So small though – you must feel inadequate around the incubi with their great klaives.’

The Harlequin knocked aside the razor-edged fan and ducked beneath Malys’s follow-through swing with her sword, rolling beneath the hissing blade to gain a pace back onto the shaky framework. ‘I find it adequate for my needs,’ he explained equably as he parried another of her attacks, ‘although I always consider my wits, limited as they are, to be a better weapon.’"

This is all while Motley just dodging and blocking because he has no plans on hurting Malys.

______

Oh, do tell when you do look Ramin Karimloo up. The vids of him as Phantom are on YT and he's arguably the most famous version outside of Michael Crawford and the movie version for good reasons. He knows to crank up the hamminess as well as smoothly lower his voice to a gentle lullaby.

_______

Lastly, how do you think Nocturne consoles RT?

And ngl, it'd be funny if RT brings up that tropes are happening.

Omg, Motley sounds fantastic. I definitely need to read those books now. I can already tell I'm going to love him. :D

I did get a chance to watch Ramin Karimloo as the phantom and he's got such a good voice! I can definitely see him in the running for a voice headcanon for Nocturne, more in the lower, smoother range, though. Very, very nice.

As far as consoling Meli or another RT, Nocturne is very good at deflecting and distracting, I think he'd be pretty good at helping them get their mind off their troubles until they've calmed down and feel better.

[magua-vida]

Speaking of community, that reminds me that the Harlequins also sometimes act as ambassadors between the Aeldari factions (Motley from the Path of the Dark Eldar series is an example) and have been pretty much "Guyssss, stop fighting each other" in regards to how they treat Aeldari society as a whole.

On the perspective on humans, it's better than the typical reception towards humans, at least, huhu (as much as Aeldari do have reason to think humans are mon'keigh, but it does get tiring after a while if your character's far from, well... barbaric). A well-meaning Iconoclast RT is a rarity among humans, as far as people trying to be decent go in the galaxy of 40K

Yep~ And yeah, Motley's a different flavor of Solitaire compared to Nocturne. Personally, they're both hella *fine* to me. You'll get to see more of Motley's thoughts and morality as you go on to Path of the Archon (also where the euphemism-filled flirt-fight happens).

I'd like to think being Iconoclast is the primary trait that got Nocturne into RT (Meli, in your case) too. What about her being Iconoclast that sets her apart from the others that made him attracted? And from that latest character study, what interesting thing about humans that he finds "unpredictable"?

I do like seeing a variety of xenos perspectives. In the Heirs of the Laughing God audiobooks, you have three Harlequins that, while they do think humans are barbaric, also argue about whether they're worth saving/sparing from different perspectives.

I love seeing different personalities in Solitaires, and how differently they all can react to their position in things. I'm looking forward to reading more about Motley and seeing how he is.

For me, at least, I think a lot of it is sort of rooted in the Harlequin's focus on community (for lack of a better word). We see in several stories their focus on making sure the past isn't forgotten, yes, but also, in Masque specifically, we see them investigating the destruction of a craftworld. They *care* about other aeldari and about getting justice for them. We see this with Nocturne, too, in how he wants to avenge Crudarach and see Yremeriss punished for it. I think he sees an Iconoclast RT, Meli specifically, and recognizes that empathy in her as something similar to how he views other aeldari. She's not like those who give themselves to Chaos, or those who are fanatical for the emperor. It's probably pretty refreshing to him.

As far as the unpredictability, a lot of different fantasy media talk about how, compared to longer-lived races, humans move pretty fast and sometimes almost erratically, since they don't 'look at the big picture' as much. I think Nocturne find it entertaining to see how humans react, and especially enjoys it when they can surprise him, as Meli does.