#;; underworld blues (prose)

[wistful-academia]

i think it’s so beautiful how there are certain language features that we reserve purely for poetry and the like; there’s strict syntactical rules when speaking english day-to-day but if you want to play with them? bend them? break them? in the name of art? sure, go ahead. you can go a long way without impairing communication of your message, and on top of that—it just sounds prettier.

[symphoniecalando]

It seems very strange to me,

to be spoken of in passing and yet

be alive and present still.

Not alive, per se, but living

(facsimile as it may be)

upon the ground that spake

and the words not said

of your untimely demise.

[00127am]

signed with love and forever yours, mark

postage. lee mark & gn! reader, mentions of death in the context of greek mythos cost to ship. 712 words

growing up, i never understood the tragedy of orpheus and eurydice. how, upon achieving the opportunity to bring back his beloved, orpheus squandered it all with a single look. it frustrated me, that after all that effort--every song he had written and preformed, compositions which moved all, even gods-- he abandoned all success with a single glimpse backwards. a second of a stare that only captured the whisper of eurydice's figure before she was dragged back to the depths of the underworld. i never understood why he looked back, why he had to fail when he was so close to the edge of triumph.

though i suppose that after meeting you, if i took the place of poor orpheus and you, my eurydice, i'm afraid that i would also lose you for a second time. that i would risk everything i had worked towards, everything that i had done just to see your face in that fraction of a second. to look at you, no matter the consequences. no matter what what i had sacrificed to get to you, no matter if i too would be punished for this singular stare. i would do so, even so close to escape, so close to having you in my arms again without a moment of hesitation. i, not only as orpheus but as mark--your mark--would do anything to spare even the slightest of glances in your direction. even if they would only forfeit half of a second of being captured in the reflection of your eyes and nothing more. for that half of a second, that split sliver in time, would be worth more to me than any hours of gazing upon anything else.

i find us to be more likened to paris and helen of troy. a story i've always understood, at any and all basic fundamentals of its core, though doubted. for how could anyone be so beautiful that others would begin wars over them? that their beauty would be more fair, more compelling than that of the gods? that men would be reduced to nothing more than spurned infatuation, fighting battles--killing-- for any brief moment spent within helen's gaze.

i wasn't sure that any such person could exist. but with you, i find myself to be playing the part of poor paris--destined, perhaps, to starting wars over the mere thought of you.

about mark's love letters.

mark's handwriting is rough and scribbled. oftentimes jotted down with whatever pen he has lying around, series of swirls and scratches at the top margins of the page where he attempts to get the ink to flow. his words, in a stark difference to the somewhat chaotic state of his slanted, all-caps writing, are carefully chosen. hand-picked with the utmost care, the upmost emphasis to ensure the quickening of your heartbeat. though short, his letters are poetic and always very true to himself. you can almost picture the look on his face when he writes them, a fantasy that does nothing but conjure heat into the full of your cheeks.

he first writes these down in his notes app of all places. thumbs frantically typing with every out of the blue strike of inspiration (something that happens rather often, both for songs and for you, though mark could argue that these two things are nearly synonymous). and when he does get the time (something he seems to be always running out of) he transfers these pretty proses to the whitened canvas of card stock. a firm choice, made to last. each one of his letters are signed with less-than-perfect stars and a drawing of whichever thing has recently caught of your fancy (usually him).

mark often sends them in the mail to you but prefers to give his letters to you in person. something he often finds himself regretting when you choose to read them outloud, burying his face in his hands as he begs you to stop. you don't and mark often finds himself begrudgingly thinking that you're much too like haechan for your own good (or his). it's not all bad though, not when the reward for withstanding such utter humiliation on his part is all of your affection. and mark would take anything in the world if it met just receiving one shred of your heart.

your mailbox

taglist. @evilsailorsenshi @222brainrot @chriscentric @trourevaille @firstdonutllamafarm @jenaisnte thank you for supporting me! ♡

🧾 © 00127am 2024

[moonlight1237]

Hel Norse Divine

@ghosting-medium helped write and edit this!

ᚺᛖᛚ (elder futhark)

Hel (old norse) Hell(e) (old english)

Her name comes from a root meaning, covered or hidden kinda like Hades and Frau Holle, and like a helmet or a helm, which is also the name of the realm which she resides in Helheim (old norse=Hel) also meaning “the grave” or to be put in your grave this land is not a place of punishment like the Christian Hell, it was more of a waiting place where Lady Hel takes in the “unchosen souls of the dead”. Helhiem was believed to be guarded by a giant wolf it’s disputed whether it’s her brother Fenrir or another wolf named Garm, Helheim is in one of the nine realms which is Niflheim, her plate and knife are named “hunger” and “famine”

She is the daughter of Loki and the giantess (or a jötunn) Angrboða; her brothers are Fenrir (Vánagandr or Fenris) and Jörmungandr (Midgard serpent). Some don’t realize the gods and giants aren’t different races but different families and titles as Hel was born of a god/goddess parent she has the title of goddess but she can also be referred to as a giantess.

She appears as half-blue or sometimes some say it translate to black both mean she’s half corpse/rotting and the other half is a flesh colored beautiful woman, she’s known to appear to her followers as either or both if she feels the need to scare you or shock you she may come as her rotting side or if she wants to come off more motherly she may show up as her flesh side, some say she has white or black hair it varies to person.

She also had a 3 legged horse also known as “Hel-horse” a scrawny boney white/yellow horse which in the “prose edda” she brought plague and death

She’s said to lead an army of undead souls into battle during Ragnarok to fight in a valley against the undead warriors of valhalla (Old Norse: Valhǫll) aka the hall of the slain or hall of the corpse.

She appears in Baldrs draumar and the Voluspa in the poetic edda also known as the “Elder edda”.

In Baldrs draumar you see her when she refuses to give Baldrs soul back to the other gods and keeps him in Helheim unless everything in the universe weeps for his “death” (gods in norse mythology don’t “die” they’re reborn in a way) when one giantess refuses to weep Hel keeps Baldr in Helheim till Ragnarok. It was known she treated him fairly and even gave him a seat beside her as a guest of honor in her hall.

Ullr was another god who visited Niflheim often so he often visited Hel in Helheim.

Why she was thrown from Asgard is disputed; some believe it was due to her looks that she made the other gods uncomfy, or that like her brothers the Æsir gods condemned her before she really did wrong leading to a self fulfilling prophecy, or that Odin gifted the hall to her.

Hel is the queen of afterlife and the caretaker of the dead in some sources she was also the main god who made decisions on judgements for who received punishments in Helheim as not all who went to Helheim go as punishment and it was said that Helheim had 2 sides.

General association

Death

The afterlife

Ancestor work

Shadow work

Bones

Sickness/plague

Cold/winter

Revenge

Scrying

Hidden places

Tombs

Gold / Sliver

Rotting/wilting

Spirits and death work

Necromancy

Animals associated

Ravens

Horses (black or white sometimes bay)

Wolves (due to her brother and the guardian of her hall)

Crows

Vultures

Any black animals

Elderly animals

Scents

Pine

Amber

Earthy scents

Apple

Cinnamon

Homey scents

Spice scents

Musky strong scents

Colors

Black

White

Blue

Sliver

Gold

Runes/Tarot

Hagalaz (hail)

Eihwaz (yew)

Death

Queen of wands

Queen of swords

Numbers

3

9-Upg this number comes up with her a lot due to her being a ruler of one of the nine realms

Element

Earth - because of her ruling of the underworld, and being under the earth

Zodiac Sign

Scorpio - upg, but Scorpio deals with a lot of secrecy, privacy, shadows, and death

Cancer - upg, she’s “the one who hides or is covered”, since Cancer’s animal is the crab, and that is an animal that is covered by its hard shell. Many individuals that work with Lady Hel associate her with being motherly, but also strict. Cancer is the sign of nurturing, and emotions so it makes sense.

As for other zodiac signs, I would consider any zodiac signs near the end of the cycle. The zodiac cycle is associated with the cycle of life and death; so near the end of the cycle is going to be death. This could be signs like Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces. There is no historical basis for this, as Norse Paganism didn’t really document or use zodiac signs.

Day of the Week

Saturday

Crystals

Any type of obsidian

Black onyx

Hematite

Smokey quartz

Labradorite

Moonstone

Jet

Black tourmaline

Plants

Yew (do not consume yourself EVER)

Any poisonous plant really (deadly nightshade, foxglove, etc) (do not handle unless you are a pro and know how to handle poisonous plants)

roses/dried roses

fungi/mushrooms and other decomposers

Mold

Juniper berries/bush (do not consume yourself EVER)

Pine

apples/apple trees/apple blossoms

Plantain

Black roses

Drinks and food

Mead/alcohol (especially spiced flavors) - classic Norse offerings that are appreciated by all Norse deities

Meat

Bread

Coffee

Tea - Black tea is a type of tea that might be best for Lady Hel due to her strong association to the color Black. If you don’t have this tea don’t worry, I bet she’ll be grateful for any tea you have.

Dark chocolate

Apples

Yew/Juniper berries (do not handle unless you are a pro and know how to handle poisonous plants)

Marshmallows/or marshmallow fluff

Molten/lava cakes

Fudge

Anything bittersweet or spiced

Things to offer/do in devotion to her

Bones/skulls

Learn runes, and casting runes

Learn bone throwing/casting

Raven bones/skulls

Mirrors (especially black or silver mirrors)

Any art you make for her

Black or white cloth

Black/white/silver candles

Crystals

Food/drink, Raw meat

Learning your shadow self

Learning your family history or connecting to your an ancestors

Visiting a cemetery or graveyard and pay your respects to the dead

Cleaning up cemeteries or volunteering at one - make sure you know how to properly clean graves and have the spirits permission before cleaning the grave

Respecting the dead and spirits wherever you are

Saying a prayer to her when you see or find dead animals

Veiling

Skeleton imagery

Wolf imagery or wolf teeth

Learning a scandinavian language (old norse, dansk, norwegian, icelandic, swedish)

Learn runic writing

Flowers/dried flowers/flowers that are near dead if not already dead

If your experienced in norse folk magic a blot (ONLY IF YOU KNOW HOW AND HAVE PROPER UNDERSTANDING AND GUIDANCE AND EXPERIENCE)

Feathers

Fur/animal hides - make sure you get these ethically, do not just injure an animal for its hide, and not pay respect to the animal or Lady Hel during it.

Things that respect that dead like something from your ancestors

Any kind of animal imagery related to her

Signs she could be reaching out

Sudden interest in her

Hearing her name brought up a lot, either in conversation or subconsciously

Sudden interest in death work or spirit work

Seeing black animals

Seeing animal death and bones

Her being in your dreams a lot or her name mentioned a lot

Suddenly wanting to learn to scry or do runes

Drawn towards obsidian, or smokey quartz suddenly

Getting her rune or tarot card a lot

Being drawn towards norse mythology or her myths

seeing dead bugs in unusual places

Hel music/meditation

https://youtu.be/eXl6iGuV_44

https://youtu.be/uIDWg-KqX8c

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0XwuUkj1u31j90LCq3ftau?si=b60faa340c2a45bf

Resources

https://www.angelfire.com/journal/ofapoet/hel.html-A really good article of info on Lady Hel but of course take everything with a grain of salt

http://ydalir.ca/norsegods/hel/- A decent run down on Lady Hel with some good info

The “Prose Edda” also known as the “younger edda”

The “Poetic Edda”-translation by Jackson Crawford also known as the “elder edda”

“The Viking Spirit”-Daniel McCoy

“Tales Of Norse Mythology”-Helen A. Guerber

https://angelorum.co/heathenry/connecting-with-the-goddess-hel/ - A decent article with some UPG and well known facts

https://youtu.be/yg5QyIPXdAI- Info on Lady Hel from a witches view with some UPG.

https://youtu.be/6r_iPQA2vZw- The historical research on Hel including her names roots, what she does, and her realm

https://youtu.be/Ac2veVpMPWA- A complete basic intro to Norse mythology from a historical view

https://www.ancient-origins.net/myths-legends-europe/going-hel-and-back-travel-helheim-where-goddess-darkness-reigned-006174- A little bit of info on Lady Hel

https://www.worldhistory.org/Hel/ - quick blurb on Lady Hel’s history

https://youtu.be/WeW1-oXEubk-Jackson Crawfords run through on the main norse gods and goddesses

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLATNGYBQ-TjqOIFzdVApjXXpWXOzZHKFp- Jackson Crawford norse mythology playlist and run through from a professor and historical standpoint

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLATNGYBQ-TjrPCf9YGy0qzqca1ypcGs50- Jackson Crawfords run through of all the Nordic runes and how they work from a historical standing

https://youtu.be/mhMHTZ2jfXM- Grimfrost academies documentary on Viking age culture and how the norse people lived and used things

[angie-long-legs]

𝐒𝐎𝐍𝐆𝐒 𝐓𝐎 𝐖𝐑𝐈𝐓𝐄 𝐌𝐘 𝐌𝐔𝐒𝐄!

whether it be melodies that give you inspiration for your muse or songs that get you into the writing mood — pick 10 songs you find to give you the urge, the drive, or the creativity to write for your muse!

Kill V. Maim by Grimes

I got in a fight, I was indisposed, I was in despite all the wicked prose, but I'm only a man, and I do what I can [...] B-E-H-A-V-E, arrest us! Italiana mobster looking so precious, B-E-H-A-V-E, never more, you gave up being good when you declared a state of war! I don't behave, I don't behave, oh eh, are you going to the party? Are you going to the show? [...] Oh, the fire hurts alright... the people touch it, I can't touch it, even though it's mine

Butterflies... by Slayyyter

Crystal blue in my head, butterflies, now all dead. Tears for you, crack the whip, heart in two (heart in two), in your bed... Candy hearts in my eyes, you brought me back to life, star crossed love in the nighttime, then you pushed me aside again (Ow!)... I feel sick 'bout the things you put me through, once again I'm not holdin' out for you, I won't watch, now your life is invisible, what the fuck ever made you so miserable?

Born Slippy (Nuxx) by Underworld

Drive boy, dive boy, dirty numb angel boy, in the doorway boy, she was a lipstick boy, she was a beautiful boy, and tears boy, and all in your inner space boy, you had hand girls boy and steel boy, you had chemicals boy, I've grown so close to you [...] Let your feelings slip boy, but never your mask boy

Circus by Britney Spears

There's only two types of people in the world, the ones that entertain and the ones that observe... well, I'm a put-on-a-show kinda girl [...] I feel the adrenaline moving through my veins, spotlight on me and I'm ready to break, I'm like a performer, the dance floor is my stage, better be ready, hope that you feel the same, all eyes on me in the center of the ring just like a circus

Celebrity Skin by Hole

Oh, make me over, I'm all I wanna be, a walking study in demonology [...] No second billing 'cause you're a star now, oh, Cinderella, they aren't sluts like you... Beautiful garbage, beautiful dresses, can you stand up or will you just fall down? [...] When I wake up in my makeup, have you ever felt so used up as this? It's all so sugarless, hooker, waitress, model, actress, oh, just go nameless! Honeysuckle, she's full of poison, she obliterated everything she kissed, now she's fading somewhere in Hollywood, I'm glad I came here with your pound of flesh... You want a part of me? Well, I'm not selling cheap

Drunk Walk Home by Mitski

I will retire to the Salton Sea at the age of 23, for I'm starting to learn I may never be free, but though I may never be free, fuck you and your money, I'm tired of your money... And I sit on the curb 'cause it's the prettiest night, with no one else in sight... You know I wore this dress for you, these killer heels for you... See the dark, it moves with every breath of the breeze

Panic Attacks in Paradise by Ashnikko

Panic attacks in paradise, piña coladas, I'm terrified, I swear I'm not cryin', the sun's just bright, I'm havin' the best time of my life! Panic attacks in paradise, hyperventilating under candy skies, tellin' myself that this is fine, I'm havin' the best time of my life... It's a big joke, ha ha, I love laughin', it's a big hoax, your self-help happy, 'cause I'm okay, I'm pure propane on an open flame, watch me blow up

Addiction by Doja Cat

I am addicted (a little), under the influence (a little), and it makes me want to dance (a little), an itch I just can't scratch, addiction... I've got such a pretty body, looks prettier when I'm a mess, and I just like to call him daddy 'cause the first one he up and left, and you can relate to broken girls, I've been a day without it, I'm proud of myself, baby can you break the curse? I'm so gone I believe in magic

Judas by Lady Gaga

When he calls to me, I am ready, I'll wash his feet with my hair if he needs, forgive him when his tongue lies through his brain, even after three times, he betrays me [...] I couldn't love a man so purely, even prophets forgave his goofy way, I've learned love is like a brick, you can build a house or sink a dead body [...] Ew! In the most Biblical sense, I am beyond repentance; fame hooker, prostitute, wench vomits her mind!

Bag of Bones by Mitski

I'm all used up, pretty boy, over and over again, my nail colors are wearing off... See my hands, pretty boy, what do they tell you? 'Cause I've looked down at them not knowing why, and after everything's done and I'm all undone, you can hear my high heels walking on, clickity-clacking through the night; I'm carrying my bag of bones [...] I know my room is a mess, over and over again I tell myself I'll clean tomorrow; just move the stuff up off the bed and do what you came here to do, but first open up a window for me and let the cool air in, feel the night slip in as it softly glides along your back, and I hope you leave right before the sun comes up so I can watch it alone

tagged by: @hazbinned tyty this was so much fun!!

tagging: @top-shelf-tender @arcanepactguile @sirserpentine

[tiptapricot]

Moon Knight City of the Dead Issue 1… why…?

So. New MK side run has begun, the hyped up full on debut of Layla/new Scarlet Scarab in the comics, with a premise that most writers would twist into an epic and breathtaking journey.

We don’t get that here.

And I have a lot of thoughts on why and how I feel so frustrated with what we got. There’s pieces of something awesome, potential to go to some really fascinating places, and yet it is held back in almost every aspect, creating something messy and clunky that makes me mad to read.

(This is long btw)

First off though, some things I did enjoy!

I really love the art and coloring of this issue. The anatomy and movement and shadows, the stylization of character’s faces and costumes, the sprawling city with its deep reds and blues that feel saturated and weighty. It’s great. Besides a few moments that it comes out of left field with some bad stuff (Layla’s whole face at the end or the MK mask w teeth during the memory slideshow like whaTtt is that), it’s super solid and made for a very enjoyable looking comic.

It was also really fun to see Badr for a little. I think it would’ve been cool to get more, and the pacing of things as I’ll get to later sapped his importance in the story for me some, making him feel more like a prop or a plot device to get it going, but overall it was lovely to see him again. And it was cool to see him being a doctor as well, as we haven’t seen that as recently in MacKay! Always a joy my dear sir please come back soon.

The story in concept. Going to the underworld, detaching a headmate supernaturally to journey to a different plane of reality to save one life, and meeting a dead ally along the way is fascinating stuff, an idea that inspires me to want to explore it myself.

Because (and now it’s time to get into the stuff I didn’t like) the writing doesn’t do this idea justice at all.

This is not the worst MK comic ever rn, not their worst writing. It’s not as violently ableist or antisemitic as things like Bemis or making a joke out of MK like some others, but it’s just stupid, and what it glosses over or gets wrong is weird and uncomfortable and harmful in its own right.

To start this isn’t my Marc. His guilt is not one of punishment for penance, of believing he’s sinned and needs to be washed clean by pain. He is a man stuck in bad coping mechanisms and trying to pretend he’s not. He’s a man who hates himself and uses violence as what I would describe as a form of self harm. But it is not with the goal of erasing his past.

Yes, he runs from the person of Marc Spector, he runs from the idea and the responsibility, but Marc doesn’t try to forget. He holds onto things with a vice grip and never lets himself drop it. He believes in his own mythos and is grappling with his complicated and traumatized history to remember he can love and care and trust people again, that the work of making his life better is not solely on his shoulders. That’s what MacKay’s been dealing with.

MacKay Marc is guilty and self flagellating but in a way he tries not to think about, that he brushes over. He puts on an air of confident collectedness and has more hate for Marc as a concept then specifically his actions, and he’s still able to move forward and find a type of momentum and bravado in the MK suit.

Or in simpler terms: yes Marc has guilt. He does not have this kind of guilt.

The first few pages read so strangely, just this over dramatic spiel that feels more like daredevil than moon knight, like a rehashed dramatic intro to a moody sad 90s comic. And not in a good way. It’s not deep it’s just annoying and tedious and the prose is clunky and again, extremely off in its vibes and message. I think it could’ve been alright, if some of the talk of his guilt had been shifted and the narration hadn’t continued constantly throughout the rest of the issue (which I’ll get to later), but as is in its full context it’s just… weird.

In addition to the weird guilt vibes, there’s further issues with the Khonshu religiosity in this.

Khonshu isn’t something Marc worships, he’s something he uses for his own means. He’ll call on him or talk about being the priest of the mission, but that’s because Khonshu doesn’t have oversight, he’s a tool and form of direction and theming, and at the story’s core Marc is the priest for his mission, not this god’s.

At points in this issue he genuinely sounds dedicated though, and it shifts the flavor of earlier pieces more in line with his usual monologuing to seeming more like strange spiritual devotion. Especially calling Khonshu the greatest of great gods, or saying that him being in the underworld is Khonshu’s mission. It changes his actions from that of Marc to that of a real Khonshu follower and its…. Just weird. It’s all just weird and very ooc.

On top of that, there’s no mention or interrogation or even presence of discussing Judaism alongside all of this. I’m not Jewish myself but have had multiple convos around the topic w those who are n who have made their own posts discussing it and can add on more nuance n info to this should they like (bc more thoughts for discussion are always awesome), but just on a surface level it’s strange. It’s strange to have a plot revolving around going to another belief system’s afterlife and not at all bringing up how it clashes or relates to Jewish beliefs. Yes Marc isn’t really actively practicing anymore but I’d hazard Jake probably is, and Marc has still talked about his connection to his faith and how it’s impacted his time as moon knight and serving Khonshu.

The text treats the Egyptian pantheon belief system as the True and Accepted default here, with Marc not even discussing anything about going to an afterlife he doesn’t belong in (and shouldn’t even have) as a Jewish man, or even thinking about how Badr discussing Ka conflicts with Jewish beliefs on the soul and how Neshamah differ.

And yes, Marc works regularly with the very real Egyptian pantheon and mystical systems but it’s in a different way, and under a different context and understanding by readers of his acceptance of it.

A whole other layer of depth, conflict, and exploration could’ve been added by really digging into the theological implications of this plot, of a Jewish soul in the Egyptian afterlife, and yet it’s not brought up at all, not referenced or mentioned and it makes it all feel weirdly out of place, or like stuff is being glossed over.

That, on top of Jake and Steven (not to mention the entire rest of the main mission cast) being completely absent in mention, consultation, presence, or anything just feeds into this strange sense of Pepose wanting Marc to be the idea he has of him in his head, this guilty, sad, and violent merc serving a moon god with not a ton else. And yes again those are all aspects of Marc, but there is nuance to each of those aspects and treating him as a singlet with no thoughts on the conflicts in faith of his present is… just weird.

I don’t know if he’ll be treated as a singlet the whole run, but the fact that the body’s soul being sent into the afterlife has not already brought in any system conflict at all is an issue. Is it their collective soul? Is it just Marc’s? How does this comic understand alter soul distinction? Has it thought about it at all? I mean the answer is no but the thing is it should’ve.

That’s where so many of my issues with this come from though: choices just being… not good. Not thought out or in line with the characters and world. The writing is off and out of place and gOD THE CONSTANT NARRATION IS GRATING!!

I don’t know why it was chosen for Marc to novel write his thoughts and observations the whole issue but it’s bad. It goes past introducing plots or observations that can’t be shown in text to either:

1. Filling space that doesn’t need to be filled

2. Restating what has just been said or shown in a panel (“we have the power of the four horsemen” “wow they just got the power of the four horsemen”)

3. At worst, telling us stuff that was not indicated at all by anything else (“oh I know something is wrong here even though I have not been given enough reason to pique that suspicion” “oh I reunite with Layla and hold her and take her in but haha you don’t see that ig”)

It’s annoying and makes reading things difficult because he’s blabbering on the whole time in places he DOESNT NEED TO!! And it makes the action and emotional movement feel awkward and forced. I don’t need to know every second of Marc’s thoughts Pepose I can parse out things with my eyes I promise you that. Also can he stop talking about penance for TWO SECONDS!!!

The worst part is narration works when done well! When it highlights things that can’t be shown in art or gives some bits of exploration into feelings or exposition, but we don’t need it in every panel. It actually confused some parts of where to look for me by telling me what was about to happen before it did. Stop being like “I thought it was over but—“ JUST LET US SEE ITS NOT OVER!!

Another moment (similar ish to the start) where the narration would’ve worked for me (if it was not surrounded by just more constant narrating monologue) is when Marc first arrives in the Duat. The prose is pretty, it’s vibrant, it describes things the audience wouldn’t be able to pick up from static pictures and helps to set the scene. The only issue is that it doesn’t stand on its own, it’s not an interjection of observations and thoughts, it’s another entry in the never ending cycle of Marc just talking. And it loses some of its luster because of that.

There’s also just a handful of pieces of either dialogue or thoughts that (in the context of Steven and Jake being absent at the moment despite not being absent at the point in time this should be taking place) make me feel very uncomfortable with Pepose’s vibes on their mental health. Some lines that rubbed me the wrong way in context include “The rage fills within me—and suddenly I have a plan. That said, it would help if my plan wasn’t dangerously insane.” “You know me Badr, mental discipline is my middle name.” And a few similar ones I don’t want to reread again for.

They’re just unnecessary man. We don’t need vaguely or directly ableist vibes in words with MK anymore. It works if it feels like it’s coming from Marc’s internalized ableism IE when he was talking about being called crazy during the discussion with Steven and Jake and Jake called him out for it, but when it’s obvious it’s just how the author sees things it sucks!

Stop using insane, stop using crazy, stop being like “oh I’m so good at keeping myself in check,” WE DONT NEED IT!! ALSO THEY R AT A GENERAL POINT OF SYSTEM COMMUNICATION N HARMONY RN!!

Which also just… man this feels like it’s trying to introduce MK instead of continuing an already established and well under way arc. Yea, this isn’t MacKay writing it, but it’s still in the continuity and set up for his run and like… sorry not sorry but I think you should take that context into account if you’re going to be working within it???

Instead the story props itself up by trying to introduce everything at once and Marc feels like he’s starting from the bottom of development.

And speaking of introducing everything at once! Oh boy the pacing!

No one besides Badr is consulted before Marc goes into the Duat, Badr just. Sends him there. There’s no real build up for why there’s a need go that far, for what the threat is or why Marc would go to these lengths so suddenly. Like yeah I know he wants to save a kid who’s a traveler of the night, but like… Others have died or almost died on his watch and he’s never gone to this point before, even though it seems like it’s always something they’ve had as an option. Like… ok ig if Soldier hadn’t been vamped he would just be dead lmao (though also hey! Why and how do souls end up in this afterlife? Do they have to believe in the gods? Do they have to be in some way tied to the pantheon? Is it just where souls go if they’re near moon knight lmaO? If you want to have your afterlife plot you have to do the worldbuilding for it)

And while yes, a lot of this is because This Plot Wasnt Thought Up During Earlier Parts Of Mackay, it also isn’t introduced in a way that feels natural or makes sense.

Events just Happen. Mysteries or drives are just Said without a good basis for why they’re there. Again, this cult was talked about as just kinda a sadistic gang but then they’re a big deal? And oh the kid is dying and oh he’s worth going to the afterlife for and OH WERE JUST HERE NOW and “oh there’s a conspiracy I’ve decided with no real evidence” and HEY FOUND THE GUY and—Suddenly a whole lot of what is happening. God heart full on cult horsemen of the apocalypse memory flashback and BOMBS NOW APPARENTLY and LAYLA and MK BIG PAST BADDIES BOSS FIGHT INCOMING!!

Like ohhhh my god stuff is so rushed and happens so inorganically and with no time to really understand what’s happening. It’s a type of story where my suspension of disbelief isn’t there and it fully just feels like seeing the writer trying to get to the end goal of what they want to write about (moon knight fighting old villains) as quickly as possible. And it SUCKS! Like this genuinely should’ve been more than one issue, there should’ve been at least sOme more build up to gEtting to the city of the dead in the first place, no matter additionally uncovering a plot of some sort happening and Layla turning up.

It’s just…. It’s so rushed and strange and forced and it didn’t have to be and IT MAKES ME MAD IT IS and it’s just not enjoyable to read. It all feels so shallow and stilted and weird, all while having this underlying idea with so much weight, some generally gorgeous art, some moments that could’ve been really awesome, and last but not least…. Literally a good reference to doing a Duat plot well.

This whole mini run is for MCU synergy, bringing Layla in, exploring the Duat and it’s lore, and again yes, the run isn’t done, but it just…. Compared to the MCU plot for the Duat this feels so…. GraaggHhggh. Especially when it comes to system interaction and exploring different painful memories that effect headmates in different ways.

It’s just. It was an extremely frustrating read from both a technical writing standpoint and a character exploration standpoint, and it worries me and doesn’t excite me at all for future issues. Like we’ll sEe but goddamn this is not a good start no matter how it plays out and it doesn’t give me confidence if it turns out I have to read several more issues of this kind of stuff.

Petty nitpicks speed run because there wasn’t enough enjoyable padding for them to not stand out!

I don’t know if Pepose could’ve specified or not but Marc’s not drinking vodka in the opening scene, it looks more like whiskey or something similar by the bottle, again nailing home how strangely off this Marc is from the Marc he’s meant to be with how Mackay has built him up.

Why do they use Duat and City of the Dead like they’re interchangeable titles it’s just the Duat like I get calling it “the city of the dead” since it is that but like. Let that just b the run title they shouldn’t be calling it that like it’s a final name.

They misspell Dr. Alraune’s name lmao

How did the kid get… hurt..? The only point in the opening fight I can think he maybe got hit was with the gunfire but it didn’t seem like that was aimed towards him and there wasn’t any moment of having a detail in the background showing him get injured. And he wasn’t lethally injured at the start so ???

What… is the continuity between the Hydra vs Karnak Cowboys fight we see in MacKay and the flashback here. They were on an empty road there when they crashed? And now they’re in the heart of the city? AlsO bOMBS???

Anyway all I’ll wrap it up with is when the only thing I genuinely smile at is the cameo and namedrop of Apocalypse you know something is wrong with your story lmaO

[yosefinasays]

A Little About Me:

I wanted to give you all some insight into who I am. I'll probably periodically update this blog post. Sharing more about myself as time goes on. 

My name is Yosefina Justice Nikole Orlando. I am a transgender activist and artist. For a time, I traversed the S&M underworld. Studying under a dominatrix to learn the craft of dominance and submission. I had hopes of pursuing a career in sex work and adult entertainment. Traveling in the set, I came on the fringe of disgusting things. Heard rumors, became aware of tales of what happened to other girls, and bought myself a stun gun to stay safe. 

Now stopping human trafficking is something I'm passionate about. And I plan to work with my digital graffiti enclave, The Kollectiv, to spread awareness and raise funds for the cause. We as a group also champion women's rights, climate activism, lgbtq+ issues, and food disparity, and we also support war-related relief efforts. 

I dedicate a significant portion of my life to art and music. And I love hip-hop. The fashion and culture have influenced all my art, including my collages and prose. The candor in reflecting lived experience with a gritty realism that doesn't fall into the blue but maintains its resistance is a thematic element in a majority of my work. I am currently exploring the scanner as a vehicle for artistic expression. I find it occupies a middle ground between collage and photography, and I'm excited to see where it leads.

[nebris]

Hel (from Old Norse: hel, lit. 'underworld') is a female being in Norse mythology who is said to preside over an underworld realm of the same name, where she receives a portion of the dead. Hel is attested in the Poetic Edda, compiled in the 13th century from earlier traditional sources, and the Prose Edda, written in the 13th century. In addition, she is mentioned in poems recorded in Heimskringla and Egils saga that date from the 9th and 10th centuries, respectively. An episode in the Latin work Gesta Danorum, written in the 12th century by Saxo Grammaticus, is generally considered to refer to Hel, and Hel may appear on various Migration Period bracteates.

In the Poetic Edda, Prose Edda, and Heimskringla, Hel is referred to as a daughter of Loki. In the Prose Edda book Gylfaginning, Hel is described as having been appointed by the god Odin as ruler of a realm of the same name, located in Niflheim. In the same source, her appearance is described as half blue and half flesh-coloured and further as having a gloomy, downcast appearance. The Prose Edda details that Hel rules over vast mansions with many servants in her underworld realm and plays a key role in the attempted resurrection of the god Baldr.

Scholarly theories have been proposed about Hel's potential connections to figures appearing in the 11th-century Old English Gospel of Nicodemus and Old Norse Bartholomeus saga postola, that she may have been considered a goddess with potential Indo-European parallels in Bhavani, Kali, and Mahakali or that Hel may have become a being only as a late personification of the location of the same name.

[assortedvillainvault]

Disney Villain Polycule Posts Part 4 - DV'Cule SQUAD UP

Holy shit welcome to over 1500 words of actual prose becuase the muse has a glock to my head and won't take no for an answer. This is the first time I've written actual prose since I graduated...three years ago?! MAN. DV'Cule stops for nobody.

Mal's been snubbed politically, and her partners assemble to plan VENGANCE. Enjoy! Under a cut because jesus christ I'm not going to kill your dashboards like that.

“You’re kidding me.”

Jafar shifted in place, eyes locked somewhere in the dark beyond the Underworld throne room. “No.”

“You. Are kidding me.”

“Hades. I like to think I wouldn’t attempt to frame this as something so trivial as a joke.”

Said God of the Dead made to roll his eyes, but Jafar could see the way they kept flicking over to the darkness he himself was trying so intently to parse. He hoped a Cthonic God could see further into it than him.

“I just- what purpose does that serve, y’anno??” He gestured wildly as he spoke, and Jafar can’t help the habitual appreciation for Hades’ long, thin, expressive hands even as most of his energy is aimed toward attempting to fix the situation they’d been dumped into this morning. “It’s so cliché! It’s a repeat so stupid even Snoring Beauty wouldn’t have thought of it! I just- Just- What the hell was the aim here??!”

A cold draft and echoing breath comes from the stairs to their right. “The aim is of no importance.”

They turn toward the Horned King as he ascends the final steps, the foot of his robe sodden with Styx water. “The intent was to insult and it was...successful. What matters-” Jafar narrowed his eyes as bits of charred fur fall from the back of the matted stole. “-is how we move forward from here.”

“Well we know that!” Hades huffed and threw himself onto the raised dais of a throne, snapping his fingers for a flame so the King could begin drying off. A small ‘hmm’ of thanks came from the lich’s chest as he began to gently steam.

Jafar takes the moment to take a deep breath in and out, turning from the window. He makes contact with the King’s eye sockets and finds he can’t even muster up the energy for their usual biting commentary. By Allah, what a day. “...How is she?”

His Majesty sighed. “I suspect it is worse than we initially thought.” Both god and sorcerer suppressed a wince. “She had already destroyed several chambers by the time I was able to reach her. By the time I did she would not acknowledge me, nor respond verbally.”

“Fantastic.” Jafar rubbed at his temples, feeling a migraine coming on.

“...She also seemed to be stuck between forms.”

“Well Shit.”

“Language.” He can’t stop the reprimand before it slips out, an incredible sticking point from being forced to help raise a bratty little princess that made his teeth grind.

Luminous yellow eyes narrowed. “Fuck the Mouse and Fuck You, this is my home and I’ll swear when I feel it’s appropriate. Which is now!” Hades flame roared orange for a brief moment before smoothing back to blue. Jafar doesn’t miss how it remained several feet down his arms and robes.

He feels the fizz of magic under his suddenly forked tongue and makes the effort to swallow it down before he starts spitting venom in the literal sense. No need for that towards his allies. Lovers. Confidants. All of that and whichever.

Hades finally takes notice of the burnt back of the King’s robes. His eyes widen. “Fuck. She, uh, she didn’t..?”

Jafar knows that that is as far as any of them are willing to ask, but holds his breath anyway.

He can’t describe the relief when the King started shaking his head almost immediately. “No, no this was...�� he grimaces. “...accidental.” He seems to gather himself, almost as if bracing, and growls. “Part of the ceiling came down. I flinched. Stumbled backward into a brazier and caught alight.” he folds his arms, and Jafar feels his face twist as he catches another whiff of the Styx all but pouring off the lich, ice cold and faintly ringing with voices. “She flung me into the river to put me out. May have miscalculated the force. I was almost thrust upon the shores of Acheron.”

Jafar feels more than sees the air escape Hades lungs and lets him slump back on the throne with no further comment.

That part of their contract is written in blood and stone – they may be villains, but to raise magic, hand and/or weapon against each other would be an instant nullifier, and Jafar knows he’s not the only one afraid that their entire partnership would unravel if but one of them turned on another.

They aren’t good, and they’re well aware of it. One can only hope that keeping this arrangement mutually beneficial keeps it stable. For now, at least.

“I assume Charon was able to fish you out?” he asked. The bony boatman seemed able to materialise out of the river at will.

The unmistakable sound of squelching and popping heralded their final arrival. “Oho no, angelfish, that was all me.” Ursula hefted herself gracefully over the windowsill, tentacle arms braced against the stonework. “His Highness swims like a rock. All that fur doesn’t help.” She snickered. Said undead royalty raised his shoulders in the approximation of a shrug.

“I stopped being able to float about five centuries ago. Were the current not so strong I would have walked back along the river bed. The banks are too sheer to climb up.”

“That’s by design.” Hades grumbled. “You have any idea how many schmucks used to climb out and wander off?? It was a nightmare. The imps used to have to herd them all into the floodplains so I could blast them back in four times a week.”

“Regardless.” Jafar strode forward, before stopping suddenly. “The throne room is twenty stories high. Ursula. Why. The stairs are right there.”

The sea witch inspected her fingernails. “Stairs are for two legs, walls are for eight.” She smacked her lips and grinned. “And I’m not wasting magic on shapeshifting when I can get here and look good at the same time, sweetheart.”

Jafar tried very very hard to not imagine Ursula latched to the ceiling like some kind of vast, malicious, be-tentacled bat and resolved not to walk near to any of the underworlds walls for fear of ambush. Ursula finally seemed to bore of her fingernails and slid further into the room.

“Anyway, I can confirm what the tabloids are blowing bubbles about.” At this her grin dropped. “Invites for the newest arrivals welcome have been issued to everyone.” She glanced at the King and emphasised. “Everyone. Except our Dragon.”

They reabsorb the news with a background of malcontent and dash of something vile.

Maleficent had been seen by the general populace and, eventually, the forces of good as the de facto leader of the Disney Villains for decades. This wouldn’t nearly have rankled so hard if no villains had been invited – that would just be a moral difference and a wish for a quiet party, which they could have left alone.

No. Someone had gone out of their way to not only invite every villain under the sun, including those ignored for decades (no offence to the Horned King, but he kept to himself and when thought of it tended to be with horror), but specifically exclude Maleficent. That’s personal. That’s petty.

That’s downright stupid given that the disrespect shown in exactly the same manner regarding the royal christening of Aurora led to a 16 year curse.

It’s a great big, giant flag absolutely daring her to do something about it.

Jafar gripped his staff so hard his knuckles cracked. “She’s being baited.”

The Horned King’s eyes were already beginning to take on a faint scarlet glow. “The situation requires caution. If she reacts, especially violently, she will lose face, and so will we as a faction.”

“And if she does nothing it tips our hand to our enemies and invites a repeat.” Ursula snarls. The King growled, but did not back down.

“...A united front then.”

They turn to look at him. “The other villains have already seen the jab and will be expecting a riposte. Failing to do so highlights weakness and opportunists within our ranks will not hesitate to explore the new power balance, which is tedious to put down.” He twirls his beard around one finger, not missing the way Hades eyes light up as the elder god cottons on to his line of thinking. “We have kept the nature of our...arrangement obscure enough that reacting as a unit highlights our allyship without revealing anything more than is strictly necessary.”

“It also demonstrates that we are not as separate as the heroes would like to believe, even in matters that do not seemingly concern us individually.” His Majesty nodded. “I am willing to continue with this course of action.”

Hades clapped his hands together, flame crackling. “Get in, cause a scene, block the doors, get some popcorn for Mal’s next level retaliation. Heh, if I didn’t know any better I’d say this is the best date you’ve ever suggested, Jaffy!”

“Don’t call me Jaffy.” His face betrayed him, he can’t stop smiling. A manic thing that made him look wrong in all sorts of lighting. He knew made his partners weak in the knees.

“Aaaalright then.” Hades cracked his knuckles. “HK, Ursie, call up your mens! I’ll get the word out to Sephie and Facilier – feels like Mal’s on the move towards Asphodel so I’ll head out that way and lay out the plan to her, see if she wants us to do anything extra juicy.” He licked his fangs and dropped his voice and Jafar wasn’t going to get weak knees while plotting, he wasn’t, he wasn’t-

“Alright then.” He chuckled, drinking in three faces full of vitriol and malicious compliance. “Let’sssss crash thissss party.”

[nonebinary-leftbeef]

God I love the Mechanisms. 

There are so many little details included in each album about the mythology that’s just so~

Odysseus (the Greek name for Ulysses) tells the giant Polyphemus that his name is Nobody, thus the song “My Name is No One”. 

The line “I was sent here your dog to seize” in Underworld Blues refers to one of Heracles’ tasks being to steal Cerberus. 

Most of Norse mythology has been compiled into either the Prose Edda or the Poetic Edda, so the narrator telling us about the fates of Norse gods has the last name Edda. 

Oedipus being referred to as a motherfucker.

The Mechanisms know their shit and it shows. They take old stories and turn them into their own while still keeping the spirit alive - portraying the Greek Gods as gangsters and mob bosses is so perfect - and still manage to weave in easter eggs that fellow nerds will spot. Disney could never.

[squirrelinameatsuit]

UDAD Translations Masterpost

Here’s links to all my “Ulysses Dies at Dawn” translations, as well as additional information that doesn’t pertain to any one song.

Broken Horses

My Name is No-one

Riddle of the Sphinx

Sirens

Favoured Son

Trial by Song

Underworld Blues

Ties that Bind

Torn Suits

Elysian Fields

Translator’s notes:

The character of Ulysses is a bit difficult to render. Firstly, “Ulysses” is a Latin form of the Greek “Odysseus” and, unlike “Ilium,” doesn’t have a dictionary-certified Greek transliteration of its own. To preserve the separation of Ulysses (and Ilium) from the rest of the setting, I’ve come up with “᾽Υλύσσης” to stand for Ylyssēs/Ulysses. My greater concern was one of grammatical gender, however. Ancient Greek makes the tragic and all-too-common mistake of making noun classes based on gender and not anything cool, like whether something is cute or can die. The neuter gender is a bit more concerned with inanimate objects than individuals of indeterminate gender, so I thought it might be a bit rude or simply confusing to use (don’t want a participle to be mistaken as a noun or anything like that). Trying to alternate genders may also run afoul of making the antecedents of adjectives and participles unclear. The solution I have come up with is a poor one: ᾽Υλύσσης declines as a masculine noun in verse (masculine participles can be shorter; words like παῖς—child—always have a feminine meaning if paired with a feminine article but can be gender neutral is paired with a masculine one, though that’s its own deeply rancid can of worms) and a feminine noun in prose. I’m sure there’s a joke about gender roles to be made or an implication to be noticed about using different pronouns in narration than Ulysses uses in monologue. If anyone has a better idea I’d love to hear it. I suppose the title of the album would be “ὁ/ἡ ᾽Υλύσσης τῇ ἕῳ ἀποθνῃσκει.”

.

I have only been studying Ancient Greek for a few years, and my reading experience has been much more the textbook than the epic. There’s a whole world of vocabulary and colloquialisms and grammatical constructions that I’m unfamiliar with and which surely would make these translations much smoother. If you know any of that stuff, please tell me! If there’s a word you think would suit a line or a misconjugated verb somewhere or simply a misplaced particle irritating your eye, I will gladly take your suggestions for how to improve it.

.

In terms of the prose sections specifically, I don’t know how I would truly go about capturing the tone and style of the narration. As far as I know, there isn’t much preserved of casual spoken Ancient Greek; the closest we might have is plays. I don’t know anything about Modern Greek. I once had dreams of having each character speak in the dialect of the region their myth is set in or originated from, but I don’t know nearly enough for that. Everything instead is largely in Attic Greek, with some vocabulary pulled from all over. I doubt anyone sounds much like a mobster.

.

The main dictionaries I referenced were the Woodhouse English-Greek Dictionary and the Perseus Digital Library, with some help from Wiktionary (sometimes you want someone else to decline your aorist passive participles for you).

.

I translated all the lines to fit the melodies of the original songs. They tend to run long, since individual words in Greek are usually longer than English ones, but they should fit with a little bit of grease applied (subdivide those notes). A lot of lines have lost details, and I’ve stripped out conjunctions, particles, and articles in a way I imagine is rather appalling, but it should all be reasonably legible. If someone out there wants to translate the songs to fit actual epic meter, that would be incredible, but that someone probably won’t be me.

.

I will warn any intrepid singers that some lines only fit if you sing ι/i + another vowel as [j]/y + that vowel. Otherwise, I think you can be rather loose with pronunciation. I’ve drawn the transliterations from the Wikipedia page on Greek transliteration conventions, but I’ve never had much cause to pronounce anything entirely correctly myself. If I really wanted to waste my own time I’d write all instances of θ, φ, and χ as t^h, f^h, and k^h to communicate that they’re aspirated versions of T, P, and K rather than “th,” “f,” and “[actually I don’t think English speakers have much of a consensus on how to ‘mispronounce’ χ].�� But if you just want to say “th” and “f,” I promise I won’t manifest physically in your house or anything.

.

I haven’t yet done all the narrative songs, and while I’d like to get to those eventually, I don’t have a timetable for that. I’m also interested in doing some translations of HNoC, but I don’t yet have a good dictionary—if anyone’s got links to searchable versions of the D.P. Simpson and John Traupman Latin dictionaries, I would be mildly in your debt.

.

Some of the songs have been edited by an acquaintance of mine with a much greater experience in Ancient Greek, if a much smaller passion for filk. His help has been invaluable in my working on this project/understanding what elision is. The vast majority of the work is mine, but some grammatical and vocabular edits were made at his suggestion. “Sirens,” “Trial by Song,” “Elysian Fields,” “Riddle of the Sphinx,” and “Broken Horses,” were all edited thus. Rawdogging the rest of ‘em, though.

.

If you have questions about the way a line was translated not addressed in the notes, feel free to ask about it. I only noted what I thought were the most significant details, and I’m sure I missed something fascinating.

[sexytummyache]

"In the Poetic Edda, Prose Edda, and Heimskringla, Hel is referred to as a daughter of Loki. In the Prose Edda book Gylfaginning, Hel is described as having been appointed by the god Odin as ruler of a realm of the same name, located in Niflheim. In the same source, her appearance is described as half blue and half flesh-coloured and further as having a gloomy, downcast appearance. The Prose Edda details that Hel rules over vast mansions with many servants in her underworld realm and plays a key role in the attempted resurrection of the god Baldr."

From Wikipedia

I dont have any conclusions to draw from this but I think others might find it interesting...

[symphoniecalando]

there is something divine in immolation there is some kind of divinity in it, and i don't mean what is standing behind me, see i know something i should not know; i'd be a prophet if i lived to twenty-nine (i don't think that was ever meant to be).

there is something divine in destruction, in hellfire, in raining bombs, there is something divine in pain and it isn't the divine i grew up with, it isn't the divine i know and the divine i love, and it isn't the sublime i find in my brother— i don't know what it is, but it is there and it has won.

i know who i am, but not what. i know what will happen, but not why. i know that i am the end, and i do not want to be. i know i will die surrounded by friends, and i know none of will want it, and one of them will do it. i know nobody has any choice in the matter. it's not because of fate, but because of inevitability. it's not that it's predestined, it's just that nothing else ever would've happened. you were too kind, you were too trusting of me and he believed, truly, that i knew what i wanted i don't— or, i do, but i never told him. truly, none of you could've stopped this, but only because of who you are. if you were someone else, this never would've happened. if i were someone else, this never would've happened.

i don't regret for a single moment the path that led us here, but i do regret how it will end even knowing it cannot be changed.

i love you. i promise. i love you in ways i cannot say. i love you i love you all and yet i have to be the one to destroy it.

i have no choice, i have no want or wish or will for this, but it doesn't matter. i started it, and i shall end it, just as that which started me shall end me.

it is a cycle and i am just the middle link.

[imintheunderworld]

Night of Gods' Worldbuilding: Seaszora

Seaszora

Seaszora is the part of the underworld where beings like skraros go to after being killed.

Seaszora is a highly protected place, in order to keep skraros stuck in there and not allow any breaches that would make it possible for them to escape to earth.

Seaszora is depicted by being an usually dark blue or dark grey place, with a big red and purple fiery energetic portal through which skraros enter. The portal is sealed to not let the skraros out.

It is a very lonely place where skraros anf alike creatures wonder around. What they do there is unknown to humans, but many have theories that they pass time finding ways on how to break through the portals.

When Night of Gods begins, there are around 5000 srakros in Seaszora, a result from the big war with the dark knights that had happened 4 years before the narrative.

about the author | wip intro | pinterest board

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all of my Night of Gods' worldbuilding posts can be found on my wip tag

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[goldenchocobo]

Dark Road Character’s Daemons

While these characters are still very new, and most don’t get their own scene or dialogue, I’ve tried my best to give them Daemons on the interpretation of their names and references to their ancient Nordic connections. However, due to their newness and having very little time to develop, I don’t think I’ll be including the ‘personality’ portion of the analysis. Most of these daemons are simply based on their name alone and what connections I could gather from other ancient Nordic references I could find, with the exception of Vor, who’s Daemon I based on the fan-interpretation instead. I’ve also included Master Odin- because well, his animal connections are strong, considering the real-life equivalent had two ravens, and turned himself into various birds.

I added Xehanort and Eraqus into the mix here, their analysis can be read HERE. I did change up their Daemon designs a bit from my other piece with their younger versions; making their Daemons look much younger and more ‘innocent’ than before. 

All analysis are under the Keep Read along with a short theory about Dark Road’s story.

Master Odin

Settled: Raven Daemon Name: Hugin Looks: A dark grey bird that has one blind eye. Symbolism:Ravens are the Norse God, Odin’s patron animal, and represent his all seeing, all knowing eyes. He is also sometimes called the ‘Raven god’ due to his associations with the birds. Hugin is the name of one of Odin’s personal ‘spirit’ ravens, who flies around the entire world in the morning and relays what they've seen to Odin by midday. Hugin’s name is often associated with just the word ‘raven’ but the name Hugin also comes from Hugr, meaning ‘thought’.

--

Vör

Settled: Grasshopper Mouse Daemon Name: Viska Looks: A small mouse with dirty-blonde fur and white unders. His eyes are large and his teeth sharp. Symbolism: I chose a Grasshopper mouse for Vör for simple meme sake. In the community, Vör has the reputation for having an ‘innocent look but will actually kill you’ kind of image. Grasshopper mice look small and unassuming, but they actually eat scorpions and ‘howl’ like a wolf. Viska is Icelandic for Wisdom, as Vör is a Norse goddess of wisdom (possibly wisdom of or for women).

--

Hermod

Settled: European Squirrel Daemon Name: Rata Looks: A grey-toned squirrel with an almost blue sheen to her. Symbology: Hermod was the one to ride Odin’s horse, Sleipnir into the underworld to ask for Baldr back from Hel. And as such was a minor messenger for the Aesir gods. The squirrel Ratatoskr delivers messages and insults between the eagle that roosts atop Yggdrasil, the world tree- and Nidhogg, the Serpent that gnaws the roots of Yggdrasil. Rata is the first half of the name of the squirrel that can be interpreted as ‘Traveler’.

--

Bragi

Settled: Red Kite Daemon Name: Vedrfolnir Looks: A ruddy-orange hawkish bird with a silver head. Symbology: There isn’t honestly much I can link between Bragi and his Daemon. He’s one I struggled with the most if I’m honest. But Bragi is the word for a type poet or name of a poet, and Vedrfolnir is a hawk that is perched between the eyes of the Eagle that rests atop Yggdrasil described in the Prose Edda and Poetic Edda.

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Urd

Settled: European Garden Spider Daemon Name: Könguló Looks: Orange with silver markings Symbology: Urd is the fate of the future, and one of three fates that stand beside the well at the base of Yggdrasil. They are all known to spin thread to determine the lifespan of Mortals. Spiders are known for spinning exceptionally durable thread and weaving it into elaborate webs, symbolising the connection we have to one another. Könguló is Icelandic for ‘spider’.

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Baldr

Settled: Swedish Flower Hen Daemon Name: Hel Looks: A mostly white hen with a silvery cape, a muted red comb and wattle and a white tail. Symbology: Chickens are often said to be cowardly, fearful creatures- but those who say that have never met a broody hen protecting her young- who will fight to the death, screaming bloody murder all the way.

Badlr is a beloved god said to give off radiant light- Roosters are often symbols of the sun and fire due to their penchant to calling as the sun rises. However, Balr is also a minor war god, often associated with the willingness to fight. Fighting roosters are still unfortunately a thing, and as said above, hens can also be vicious. Hel is the goddess of the underworld, and the name of it too. When Baldr was killed by Loki, Hermod Traveled to Hel and asked her to give him back to the world of the living, but she only would do so if all things wept for Baldr. They all did- apart from Loki, so Hel kept Baldr.

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Notes:

These analyses were pretty hard for me, but I enjoy reading and learning about Norse mythology. I used Icelandic words for names instead of current Norwegian or Swedish words because Icelandic is the closest we have in modern times to Ancient Norse.

Learning that there was a character called Baldr- I think I know where this story is going. Baldr is going to be killed/struck down- and I suspect it’s going to be Xehanort doing it. As it’s Baldr- A Norse god so beloved he’s said to give off radiant light, killed by Loki that brought upon the beginnings of Ragnarok. How Xehanort will do it, willingly or not, I don’t know, but the story of Dark Road is still new, and there’s lots of possibilities.

[cinder-being-mitsuki]

➠ prose update

WE ARE

SLAVES

We are slaves of so many things. We are slaves of food. We are slaves of words. We are slaves of sleep. We are slaves of everything on earth. We are even slaves of our very own selves.

We are guinea pigs of a lot things. We work all day and stay awake and tend to our so-called needs because of the leash each and every thing that we hold and holds us take us to do. We are their bidding. We don't have a right to complain. It's all because of the fact that we are dead without obedience as well as rebellion.

Which leads us to the main issue. Our greatest masters that drag us along, pushes us we imagine them laugh in every foolishness that we have to do.

We are life and death's favorite toys.

Time? Sickness? Fortune? Survival? All of those things are at the power right in the grasp of life and death. They are two things of opposite sides that come as one to make up the earth. They work two way.

Life gets to be worshipped.

Like how immortality is coveted.

Like a god high on a pedestal.

It is a hypocrite.

It is a demon acting all nice.

Death gets to be feared.

Like Satan himself from the underworld.

Like monsters from the deep.

It is the nightmare we ran from in our sleep.

It is the forbidden fruit tasting sweet as an illusion yet bitter as the truth.

It is the truth.

We run from this truth. I think it's time to see it as it is.

We are squirming slaves in a cage called the world.

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