#<- III // V - [ CHARACTERIZATION ] - O N H X ->

[lasplaga]

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐈𝐍𝐒𝐏𝐈𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 ~

Stolen from: @illuzijan ( I'm a thief, sorry! ) Tagging: @ricardo-irving @ascendedpath @antiibow @bi0kill

𝐓𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 :

[ijprsteam-blog]

Effect of Leptin Analogue and Leptin Antagonist on Hypercaloric Diet Induced Oxidative Stress

INTRODUCTION Obesity is a nutritional disorder associated with several co-morbid diseases which includes hypertension, asthma, diabetes mellitus and hyperlipidemia. Each of these co-morbidities alone can increase the oxidative stress burden. Obesity is an inflammatory disorder characterized by higher levels of oxidative stress biomarkers compared with their leaner counterparts1. Also weight gain is one of the parameter significantly increases the concentration of these biomarkers2. There are multiple sources for oxidative stress in relation to obesity. Increased adipose tissue and visceral adiposity are significantly correlated with systemic levels of oxidative stress biomarkers3. Adipose tissue-mediated systemic oxidative stress and systemic inflammation may be secondary to increased leptin-to adiponectin ratio and increased levels of other adipokines, such as tumor necrosis factor4. Oxidative stress in obesity has a cumulative effect that favors the development of end-organ damage. It is unclear that whether obesity-mediated oxidative stress directly affects the lung or not. Evidence suggests that weight gain, diabetes, and poor glycemic control with obesity are associated with reduced lung function5. Compared with non-asthmatic subjects, subjects with asthma have increased systemic oxidative stress6. It is also found that children with asthma had higher plasma levels of MDA with healthy controls, and the MDA levels were higher in children with more severe asthma. This is partly explained by the fact that acute asthma exacerbations can worsen the degree of oxidative burden. In severe asthmatic, the increased airway concentrations of MDA, macrophages in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid correlate with decreased levels of reduced glutathione (GSH), increased oxidized glutathione (GSSG). Present investigation was to prove that whether oxidative stress could potentially play a role in mediating obesity associated asthma. At present there are limited treatment options available for these two co-morbid conditions. Even current treatments also have numerous side effects. Therefore there is need for identification of newer cost-effective treatment approach for asthma with obesity. Present investigation was done to find possible role of leptin as an anti-oxidant in pathogenesis of asthma with obesity. We investigated effects through high caloric diet induced obesity model and with ovalbumin induced asthma model in Swiss albino mice. MATERIALS AND METHODS Swiss albino mice of female sex weighing between 24 ± 6 g were obtained from the central animal house of faculty of pharmacy, Dharmsinh Desai University, Nadiad. The animal studies were approved by the Institutional Ethics Committee (DDU/FOP/06/17). Animals were kept individually in polypropylene cages in an environmentally controlled room of the animal house and maintained at a temperature of 25 ± 2°C with a 12 h dark and light cycle. 7 days of acclimatization were provided to animal. The animals were provided water and food ad libitum. Mice were fed with standard pellet diet or special high caloric diet according to the protocol. Composition of experimental diet (gm/kg diet) was according to Soni et al.7. Experimental Design In this study, a total 60 mice were used and divided in to ten groups of 06 mice each. Induction of Obesity State High caloric diet control mice were maintained on the high caloric diet for eight weeks to induce obesity. Induction of Asthma State Normal control mice maintained on laboratory pellet chow diet for to eight weeks and then induction phase asthma was started. Mice were sensitized with Ovalbumin (OVA) conjugated to aluminum hydroxide as well as challenged with saline to induce asthma. The induction with Ovalbumin was done on day 1 to day 23 but challenge was for every 7th days for three weeks. During asthma induction phase mice were fed with laboratory pellet chow diet with water ad libitum. Group No. Group detail No. of animal I Normal Control 06 II Obese group 06 III Asthmatic group 06 IV Obese asthmatic group 06 V Obese + Leptin 06 VI Asthmatic + Leptin 06 VII Obese asthmatic + Leptin 06 VIII Obese + Leptin Antagonist 06 IX Asthmatic + Leptin Antagonist 06 X Obese asthmatic + Leptin Antagonist 06 Total 60 Induction of Obesity and Asthma State High caloric diet control mice maintained for up to eight weeks and then induction phase asthma was started. Mice were sensitized with Ovalbumin (OVA) conjugated to aluminum hydroxide as well as challenged with saline to induce asthma. The induction with Ovalbumin was done on day 1 to day 23 but challenge was for every 7th days for three weeks. During asthma induction phase mice were fed with high caloric diet with water ad libitum. Leptin analogue (0.4 mg/kg, i. p. for 7 days) and leptin antagonist (3 mg/kg, p. o., for 7 days) were given intra-peritoneal or oral gavage respectively. At the end of experimental period the animal were anaesthetized with ketamine, following overnight fasting and assayed for antioxidant enzymes. Only lungs were excised out, washed thoroughly with saline and blotted dry. A 10% (w/v) homogenate was prepared in Tris-HCI buffer (0.01 M, pH 7.4) containing 0.25 M sucrose. The enzyme extract was obtained by centrifuging at 8000g for twenty minutes. Measurement of Anti-Oxidant Parameters Super Oxide Dismutase (SOD), Catalase, Reduced glutathione (GSH) and MDA were measured for the assessment of oxidative stress condition8. Estimation of Super Oxide Dismutase (SOD) SOD activity was determined by use a simple and rapid method, based on the ability of the enzyme to inhibit the autoxidation of pyrogallol. The autoxidation of pyrogallol in the presence of EDTA in the pH 8.2 is 50%. The principle of this method is based on the competition between the pyrogallol autoxidation by O2•¯ and the dismutation of this radical by SOD9. (Cu-Zn) SOD activities are expressed as units/ml. One unit of (Cu-Zn) SOD activity being defined as amount of enzyme required to cause 50% inhibition of pyrogallol autoxidation10. Absorption was read at the wavelength of 420 nm against Tris-EDTA buffer at zero time and after 1 minute of the addition of pyrogallol. Estimation of Catalase Catalase was assayed colorimetrically at 620 nm and expressed as moles of H2O2 consumed/min/mg protein as described by Sinha11. The reaction mixture (1.5 mL) contained 0.01 M pH 7.0 phosphate buffer (1.0 mL), tissue homogenate (0.1 mL) and 2 M H2O2 (0.4 mL). The reaction was stopped by the addition of dichromate-acetic acid reagent (2.0 mL, 5% potassium dichromate and glacial acid were mixed in 1:3 ratio). Estimation of GSH GSH activity was determined by the procedure of12. The assay solution contained 10% BSA, 50 mM Phosphate buffer (pH = 7.6), 2 mM NADPH, 20 mM GSSG. Absorbance at 340 nm was recorded at a temperature of 25 °C. The activity was calculated the using the molar coefficient for NADPH of 6.22 μ·mol−1 × cm−1 and expressed in U/gm tissue. Estimation of Malondialdehyde (MDA) Thiobarbituric acids (TBARS) content, a measure of lipid peroxidation, was assayed in the form of Thiobarbituric Acid Reacting Substances (TBARS) according to Ohkawa et al.13. Briefly, a reaction mixture consisting of 8.1% sodium dodecyl sulphate (0.2 mL), 20% acetic acid solution (1.5 mL) adjusted to pH 3.5 with sodium hydroxide and 0.8% aqueous solution of thiobarbituric acid (1.5 mL) was added to 10% (w/v) of PMS (0.2 mL). The mixture was brought up to 4.0 mL with distilled water and heated at 95 °C for 60 min. After cooling with tap water, distilled water (1.0 mL) and the mixture of n-butanol and pyridine (15:1 v/v, 5.0 mL) was added and the mixture centrifuged. The organic layer was removed and its absorbance was measured at 532 nm and compared with those obtained from MDA standards. The concentration values were calculated from absorption measurements as standard absorption. Statistical Analysis Statistical evaluation of analytical data was done by one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by Tuckey’s test using statistical software GraphPad Prism 3.0. Data were expressed as mean ± standard error of the mean (SEM) and P Read the full article

[lasplaga]

If Osmund were to meet Mother Miranda (or if he already has) what are his thoughts? Would he have any thoughts on the Lords? Is there a secret meeting between cult leaders we don't know about?

「𝔖」 Not canonically because Osmund was in exile until 1984 at the earliest. However, in my verses where Osmund was resurrected post 2004, I do explore a dynamic with Mother Miranda. I've been a mutual of @fallesto for a while, who writes her VERY well, so I do suggest a follow if you're not already.

Osmund pities & sympathizes with her because it is extremely traumatic to lose a child. Lord Saddler has endured his fair share of trauma itself to the point it was insanity inducing ( such as with Glenn, sound familiar? ), so he really resonates with her in that aspect. Mother Miranda's power & influence is also respectable, but not nearly on the same level as him, as he was motived enough to eventually target / infiltrate people close to The President & United States government as a whole. We don't have anything to support if Las Plagas & Mold is compatible besides them both being related to fungus, so unfortunately, they wouldn't be welcomed into Paradise if they were incompatible. Whether or not Osmund would go out of his way to kill them is a different story. Mother Miranda only wanted her daughter, whereas Osmund wanted the entire world, so if he could / can bribe her sect to look the other way while he dominates the globe, if not assist him outright, I'm sure they would get along swimmingly. Osmund has no quarrel when it comes to experimenting upon children, therefore he has no moral issue with finding a suitable vessel for Eva, no matter how long it takes or how many times he fails. A part of him internally asks why Mother Miranda simply wouldn't make "another one" to replace Eva, but this VERY GROSS line of thinking is just a byproduct of his ancestral lineages life expectancy being extremely poor. Lord Saddler is very desensitized to the loss or suffering of children as he grew up in an environment where it was normal to cannibalize your siblings / comrades.

I haven't had the chance to interact with an Alcina, Karl, or Salvatore, ( so I won't comment exactly on them yet ), but Osmund finds Donna FAR from hideous, & does wish that she would eventually leave from her isolation. There is an entire religion that would not see her as a failure, nor disfigured, or as an abomination. To them, mutations are a blessing & it is something his congregation seeks to obtain. With @dollhidden's Donna specifically ( I also recommend following! ), he truly enjoys her company, & feels terrible for her. It's important to keep in mind that he values a mutant much more than he would a human, as he sees the latter as biologically imperfect & inferior.

Any of The Dimitrescu Daughter's he is fascinated by & feels a sense of kinship for, due to being more related to arthropods / insects than a human being, additionally with the fact he worships them. Lord Saddler is aware of the whole "man-eating" sentiment & is absolutely down for that sort of thing, but he is too dense to see that it also applies for himself. Lord Saddler doesn't see himself as masculine since he is not BIOLOGICALLY masculine, there's also a whole historical thing with male monks dressing / behaving feminine but that's an entirely different conversation, however it does contribute to his identification as non-binary & androgynous, he is a parasitic hermaphrodite, & sometimes he is pretty clueless to the fact that not everyone is inside his own head, 24/7. Some information he expects others to know without prompting because he is so used to implanting / exchanging thoughts via a hivemind, & that God doesn't really have a gender, he's "just" God. One day he will learn that he is also a disgusting "man-thing", according to the majority, sadly. Unless he's offered an exception on the basis he can literally make / have children by a parasitic technicality. Which, he does consider his plagas offspring his own children, the same as a human would with a baby.

[lasplaga]

hc + 🗡 for a weapon-themed headcanon

「𝔖」 Although this is more or less canon, it's going under a headcanon for organization sake + to match the prompt. This was found by a Resident Evil mutual of mine who is a practicing Buddhist in Japan ( @Valley_82 on Twitter ) but the Commanders ( which would extend to Osmund as well ) unequivocally use a modified form of a shakujō staff. The lanterns themselves are also a modified form of a Buddhist altarpiece. They are primarily used for ritual meditation practice but can double as a weapon, & it has it's own martial arts form. This is most recognizable by the metal finial, rings & bell(s) which are staples of this type of staff, unlike a pewter staff seen in other religions.

Although the Commanders we encounter are far from their prime, Osmund is relatively "young", highly mutated, & with exceptional ability. The staff he uses, although further modified & not as recognizable as a shakujō, is capable of severing a human being completely in half.

The Iluminados insignia is utilized not only as a symbol, but as a weapon, with each 'arm' acting as it's own blade. The bottom ends in a very long spearhead, which is over a foot ( 12inch ) / +300mm in length. We can also see that the staff is capable of being untwisted in half ( also a staple of shakujō ), with the potential of dual-wielding --- or for morbid ritual ceremonies. The staff can not only reflect projectiles such as knives ( which takes an insane amount of skill & mastery to do so, which he can! ), it can shatter knives entirely. It is solid metal, & an average human will not survive an assault by this weapon.

I headcanon that he uses a sickle as a weapon as well. The cultists sacrificing human beings depicted on the town church walls are adorned in purple, which is solely reserved for High Priests / Gurus in Los Iluminados, thus, Osmund.

[lasplaga]

♚ - casual / everyday

「𝔖」 A casual / everyday outfit would definitely be his black thawb ( Note: this is NOT a cassock ) as he dresses modestly, even outside of his worship schedule. The only time Osmund removes waistcloth + cross + coins + medals + etc. is before bed, but the prayer beads stay 24/7 as a personal choice, as meditation with them helps him to sleep or casually relax.

[lasplaga]

「𝔖」 ( 7/? ) 𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 & 𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐎𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲, 𝐇𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐢𝐬𝐦, 𝐈𝐬𝐥𝐚𝐦, 𝐒𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐨𝐧 𝐁𝐮𝐝𝐝𝐡𝐢𝐬𝐦 & 𝐒𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨𝐢𝐬𝐦 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐋𝐨𝐬 𝐈𝐥𝐮𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐝𝐨𝐬 𝐚𝐬 𝐚𝐧 𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐩𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐧 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐭.

*𝐖𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐫: I am not a Japanese individual myself, however, Project Umbrella is a global community in which there are Japanese contributing members, which have confirmed these sources as accurate & part of their own traditional culture, either in the present or past. These sources were deliberately added by Capcom to incorporate elements of their own culture or those found within Asia, they are not 'easter eggs', & they reflect cultural / ethnic elements of the characters, & should not be seen otherwise. A large portion of this document was researched & written by a close collaborator of mine named Russ. Further findings will be added or be made into a new post. 𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃 𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐄 :

Capcom for RE4R decided to create their own unique world-building instead of copying & pasting from cultural artifacts which had no presence in Spain the time period the old cult took place. This is why you will find MANY elements from Japan, the continent of Asia, as well as India. Although Los Iluminados may largely present itself as an Abrahamic sect to the uninformed, many of their core ideologies & practices actually have roots within ( orthodox ) Hinduism, Shingon Buddhism, Shintoism & Pre-Judaism Greek / Roman paganism, which does include human sacrifice. I will begin this analysis VERY CLEARLY that they do not believe in the Abrahamic God / YHWH, & the fandom at large is extremely misinformed about the cultural elements present within the game, including REWIKI.

This image is drawn from scratch. It is completely fictional, & you can be certain that the developers didn't take from someone else's photos. Nevertheless, any artist has references, & you cannot do visual storytelling without universal motifs, because drawings are a type of language, so they have their own kind of words. & this line of thought leads us to the question of who this mysterious figure is. Who is this weird monk-looking figure?

Well, this imagery is based on the motifs of South Asia & Hinduism in particular. You see, his position & the "sun" in place of his head have a common denominator : They're associated with the lotus. If the pose is known to many ( especially for those who practice yoga ) & needs no introduction, the head can be confusing. & here I will make a small digression : I can see how it reminds someone of René Magritte & Drew Struzan's masterpieces :

However, these arts have no actual connection with our monk. They do have a common trait, but it's very superficial & goes down to hiding identity with light. The authors' intentions are different, nonetheless : Magritte explored the paradox through how light, which helps us see in the dark, prevents us from seeing a face in a dark room, & Struzan presented an image of an alien, often associated with bright artificial light, which can have the shape of a human. In contrast, the monk from RE:4 has a Hindu motif, for his head is a version of the golden chakra ( "wheel" or "circle" ), the Sahasrara ( the "thousand-petalled lotus" ), which represents unity with the divine, where the body is a channel of godly energy. & symbolically, the golden hands resemble the manus dei motif from the early Middle Ages, which was designed by Christians to represent YHWH's intervention without depicting his body, since it was unacceptable to depict god as a full human figure. However, it looks like the deity from the game has multiple hands, which again reminds us of Hinduism :

In other words, if we are trying to draw a conclusion, the monk is an avatar of God worshipped by medieval monks. You may ask what all this has to do with Los Iluminados, except for the praying hands, which are also depicted on the statues of Osmund's predecessors, & human sacrifices. & I will answer that the lotus pose & chakra have another universal denominator : they represent enlightenment, & this is exactly what the name "Los Iluminados" refers to. This conclusion could have been the end of the story if Leon hadn't discovered a genuine Sokushinbutsu 即身仏 in the castle earlier, the practice of Buddhist monks observing asceticism to the point of death & entering mummification while alive. In fact, there is an entire cellar full of these mummies, so this is a standard practice of the cult. The practice of asceticism to the point of death whilst in lotus is not seen in any Abrahamic religion, nor has any association to European Abrahamic faith :

It looks familiar, doesn't it? The significant difference is that we have a parasite instead of a chakra, but the material / textures of this asset are still labeled as "god". This bit leads us to the faith that Lord Saddler preaches : he calls each plaga a "Holy Body," which in any modern Christian denomination means the body of Jesus Christ, the incarnation of YHWH. BUT in the context of this game, as well as paganism / Buddhism which predated Christianity, Los Iluminados believes that these parasites / 'Holy Body' are remnants of god that were discovered by Adam.

What might be interesting about this god is that Lord Saddler tells Leon during the final battle that he has made the decision to sacrifice his body & consciousness to god so that he—this god—would be reborn, & the final form of the character is labeled as a "hashira" in the game folders. Hashira, meaning "pillar", in Shinto is a unit of god, represented by a tree, which houses a kami. This type of tree is a spiritual symbol which represents the connection / pillar between heaven & earth. Osmund, figuratively & physically, became a "human pillar" / Hitobashira, which was a form of sacrifice within Japan well until the 16th Century, which was regarded as becoming wholly connected to the god(s) & providing divine protection.

Pillars not only apply to buildings within Shinto, they are also applicable to trees, which are regarded as worshipping sites. This practice of sacrifice & worship of divine trees, again, is not seen in Abrahamic religion. If you observe the regular trees in Valdelobos & The Church shrine, you can see that their depiction of a pillar is also knotted with rope, which is seen in Shinto as Shimenawa. Capcom, naturally, took creative liberty so that it is unique :

More on the nose, Los Iluminados associates human / animal hands & limbs with the branches of god in their very holy book. So becoming to the likeness of a type of spiritual tree found within Shingon Buddhism / Shintoism is something sought by the zealotry.

An addition, namely a comparison that can reinforce the parallel between the monk & Lord Saddler. Throughout the game, Leon finds the holy book of Los Iluminados, & one of them is open on a page with a curious miniature. We can see Osmund's representation, which corresponds to Ramon's subjective vision of this character, that is, as a source of light & enlightenment. This characterization is emphasized by the sun's image as a halo, as well as the gesture of the right hand in the form of the so-called "palm of the righteous", which is a symbol of sincerity & trust. This "unknown" man is a saint, & the fact that he is faceless, since the insignia of Los Iluminados replaces his face, illustrates that he is an agent of the divine will, god's speaker.

There are other tidbits I have mentioned prior, such as High Priests in Buddhism wearing purple ( as Osmund does ), Osmund wearing a coin-belt which is strictly attributed to Asia / India, as well as his robes being stitched with the infinity knot, which represents their Hindu / Buddhist ideology of rebirth / living throughout eternity ( also found in Asia / India ). I could dive into more of their cultural / religious practices & how it compares to Hindu Aghori. But, as a most stark example, every monk in Los Iluminados wears Sarashi 晒し as Fundoshi ふんどし/褌) / breast-binding, which was traditional in Japan prior WWII. This style of clothing & wearing cloth bandages was certainly not the norm within Spain. Continuing, their use of drapery is also seen in Japanese Buddhist sects, going by a variety of different terminology :

This post is getting SUPER long, so I'll save more info for another time! Any questions, concerns, etc. feel free to let me know!

[lasplaga]

What does Osmund think about the Merchant? Do they have a history?

「𝔖」 I'll be diving into the canonical history* that is present in 4R. This will be a mixture of an analysis post & a headcanon post ( to fill in small gaps of missing information ), so I'll be throwing it under the former for organization sake. It's very lengthy as the lore of The Salazar's feud with The Saddler's is pretty extensive, so 𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃 𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐄 below!

*𝐖𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐫: Anyone who roleplays Merchant IS NOT FORCED to roleplay him this way, but this is the default relationship / dynamic I will have Osmund mention IC in threads & in his background, as it is crucially important. Diego The Severe is objectively a VERY TERRIBLE PERSON as the result of Spanish Nationalist / Catholic Supremacy & indoctrination, & these same beliefs were passed onto his subjects. Some of these views, such as an extreme prejudice towards foreigners or the disabled community, I know is a very triggering subject for some, & I will never force people to write their muse bigoted if that makes them uncomfortable. Merchant present in the original did not have a backstory & existed solely as a game mechanic, in the remake, he is a fully fledged character that supports the protagonists.

What I'll tackle first is that Osmund & Merchant DO have history, but Merchant is not a singular entity, he is part of a community, or 'Guild', that hunts demons in Valdelobos. 'Demons' in Valdelobos is a discriminatory catch-all term for mutants that are afflicted with the plagas parasite, which can refer to humans, animals or born-mutants. In his very order notes, you can see that they are stamped with The Salazar insignia. Merchant, due to his age, would have been born during Diego's reign, where hostility towards Los Iluminados was at it's most appalling in centuries. We know due to Iluminados Scripture 3:2 that there was an active war occurring upon the mainland for an unknown length of time, & it ended officially with Diego's assassination.

Merchant's activities are endorsed by The Salazar's, even after Diego's assassination, for Merchant(s) believe Ramon is a False-King, tyrant & usurper, & they do not follow his cult teachings imposed by Lord Saddler. Thus, they are the last remaining line of defense between mutants & human beings within Spain, outside of public government entities. Nothing suggests they are directly supported by the national government as the existence of mutants are suppressed from the public eye, however, they do acknowledge real-world governments which took hold over Spain. The villagers & castle inhabitants canonically were affected under Franco's rule, as they strictly use his currency, & some even uphold his xenophobic / nationalist beliefs ( Bitores Mendez ).

You can see that Merchant's associates / compatriots are killed frequently by powerful hosts. For example, in the Merciless Knight file:

This of course is referencing Armadura, suits of armor possessed by Las Plagas. In The Japanese localization, it even suggests this plaga has undergone a special mutation, & that these humans were cut in half with a single blow, which emphasizes that Leon is truly not to be compared to the average citizen :

"I seek a brave soul willing to dispose of that monstrosity of a knight." "But be warned: it is much stronger than the others. He cut down our best with a single strike."

特殊な変異を起こした騎士の化け物を始末してくれ。他個体に比べ明らかに強靭だ。オレたちの同胞も一刀両断にされた。気をつけろよ。-> "Eliminate the knight monster that has undergone a special mutation. It is clearly stronger than other individuals. Our compatriots were also cut in half. Be careful."

Their hatred towards each other grows more serious as you continue reading the note files that are found around Merchant.

For example, Merchant refers to Novistadors ( disciples ) as foul / disgusting creatures. In regards to the blue medallions, Merchant refers to cult members as religious lunatics, crazy zealots, heretics --- & that he is making his stand to resist their reign / will in the community. Merchant also eludes to 'the old days', prior their reemergence upon the mainland. Merchant in Japanese localization also suggests or hints that the rats may be infected themselves, & that he is a clean-freak as a result, & I WOULDN'T BLAME HIM! もう我慢の限界だ。ネズミどもめ、我が物顔で走り回りやがる。オレたちゃみんなきれい好きだってのによ。あのちっこい悪魔どもの退治、頼んだぜ。-> "I've had enough. Those rats run around like they own the place. We're all such clean freaks. I need you to get rid of those little demons." Merchant's allegiance towards The Salazar's continues to be emphasized as any human that converts to Los Iluminados are seen as traitors & deserve to be desecrated in death. The Merchant also notes that the insect hives have taken many lives & that they are necessary to destroy to prevent further tragedy.

The tips you find throughout the game are also written by Merchant, & he is the first to tell the player / Leon they have a weakness toward bright-light / sun-light. This would not be possible unless he had prior experience dealing with these mutants.

However, the most promising evidence that Merchant is allied towards Diego is that he mentions himself that his family belongs to 'The Master', which at that time would be none other than The Severe himself. It is not as prominent in the EN localization, but the Japanese localization sheds more light : カラスに奪われた宝石を取り戻してくれ。奴め、どうやら巣に持ち帰りやがったらしい。カラスを追跡すれば巣の位置が分かるはずだ。あの宝石はオレたちの主家にゆかりのある品でな。鳥のオモチャにさせとくわけにはいかないのさ。-> "Recover the jewel stolen by the crow. It seems he took it back to his nest . If we follow the crow, we should be able to find the nest's location. That jewel is related to our master's family. We can't let it be the bird's toy."

--- & above all, of his extreme hatred towards Ramon Salazar, which was a sentiment grossly shared by his own biological father. It's important to note, Ramon was viscerally hated BEFORE he converted to Los Iluminados due to his infection soon after birth, as his illness was incurable & lethal. He was SEVERELY ABUSED, physically & emotionally, for being born a sickly / disabled child, which is not okay under any circumstance. His ancestors were notably very strong ( Gregorio was over 7ft tall for reference! ) but the royal bloodline gradually fell into hereditary sickness / disabilities for reasons unknown / unclarified, but suspected to be incestual in nature. Ramon had no support system outside of his mother ( & then later the cult ) which is why he lashed out so violently & began murdering his own castle staff in spite, which is also not okay, but an explanation of his psychotic behavior.

To summarize all of this for Osmund's feelings : Merchant is allied with his oppressors, his most hated adversary & he would crave nothing more than to infect / murder him & his compatriots in cold blood as a result. There is no compromise between them, as this feud has been ongoing for nearly 500 years, beginning with Gregorio Salazar. The only reason Merchant eludes Los Iluminados is that the blue flames biologically incapacitate the parasite ( which designate his spaces as ' safe rooms ' ). Ganados are either stunned or pacified ( forcibly made calm ) in the presence of these flames, & they will not attack him. The same would also be true for Lord Saddler with these flames, which is why more severe forms of Ganados prefer ambush tactics upon humans.

[lasplaga]

[META] + alcohol

「𝔖」 In some aspects the cult of Los Iluminados prides itself upon excess. Nothing in their scripture suggests they are to abstain from 'earthly' pleasures, drugs included. We even have evidence that they may partake in smoking tobacco, opium, marijuana or hashish, as the monastery personally own hookahs, also known as shishas or waterpipes. --- Historically, even, monks have been known in the production of winemaking since The Middle Ages for the celebration of mass or for The Catholic liturgy. But, granted the Abrahamic faith adopted PRIOR practices spanning thousands of years from paganism, I'm hardly scratching the surface. There is no reason the cultists of Los Iluminados would be any different, especially as they not only have their own gardens & livestock, they also have a cellar specifically for storage of different types of alcohol. From my own personal knowledge & research, I have noted bottles of wine / champagne, jars for mead, & large kegs for beer.

As the cultists collect crates upon crates of figs & dates ( it is literally everywhere outside of the cellar ) I suspect they are brewing Boukha or Mahia with these fruits, distilled beverages originating from North Africa. Anyone familiar with the cultural / religious inspiration of Los Iluminados should know why this is appropriate. They also brew from blood & ashes, but I'm omitting that for right now as everyone ( should ) know this about The Cult by this point. --- The villagers & aristocracy, on the other hand, purchase(d) large imports of wine from France until they became isolated from the outside world. This was discovered initially by another data-miner, but the specific brand is Grand Vin de Chateau Latour, highly refined & in EXPENSIVE taste.

To emphasize more that drinking is heavily common in their society, it is a caloric supplement to aid in fasting. Darker beers especially have a large number of calories, so for monks who fast during specific periods but are allowed beverages, a high-calorie beer provides them energy & helps them complete their fasting. We know that the monks canonically fast, as some accidentally or purposely die during the process of fasting & become a form of Sokushinbutsu ( Buddhist mummy ).

Outside of regular brewing & drinking, I don't think Osmund has a frequent form of alcoholism like Ricardo Irving, or say, Leon Kennedy. Lord Saddler's coping mechanisms primarily involve heavy meditation & prayer, & he has a much different ideological view upon methods that would constitute as self-harm. To him, in general, alcohol is seen as a very positive thing, he is a relatively responsible drinker, & if he were to become drunk, I don't believe he would act wrathful --- if anything I think it would spiral him into a depressive emotional state or an energetic period of being happily loose, where he can forgo his anachronistic mannerisms & royalties.

[lasplaga]

[ META ] + Salazar.

「𝔖」 This isn't so much a headcanon but in fact a gameplay observation, but the water hall was changed into a mausoleum for The Salazar's. Los Iluminados pays their due respects before tombs of the aristocracy / royal bloodline, despite slaughtering them in life. I think it is a very obscure, but dignifying detail that the zealots do not wish or bring further harm upon their enemies once they are dead. Instead of carelessly graverobbing ( which they do upon their own kind in times of famine ), the bodies are left well alone to be worshipped.

In that aspect they are a more humble enemy than a villainous faction that has never been presented in the forefront of the series before.

As a matter of fact, they pray for the opposite of damnation, they hope that their souls find peace & their bodies be made holy in the afterlife : " Que los vivos reciban tu juicio, y los muertos se consagren al Señor. " / " May the living receive thine judgement, and the dead consecrate themselves to the Lord. " ---⮞ Make or declare ( something, typically a church ) sacred; dedicate formally to a religious or divine purpose.

THAT cannot be said of The Salazar's, who depict their enemies, even in death, in extremely gruesome / violating ways. They never pray that they find peace. What you find is many disturbing artistic depictions of Los Iluminados members being cruelly punished & martyred, it is even embedded into their very architecture. They undoubtedly were afflicted with an unhealthy / disgusting obsession for torture & death with no biological necessity or explanation.

[lasplaga]

[ META ] + blood

「𝔖」 Las Plagas is inspired from The Thing, an alien which must replace it's dying cells with that of suitable hosts, or consume suitable hosts in order to reproduce. This is how it gains energy / feeds / spreads in order to function. Of course, Las Plagas does not match the biology of this parasitic alien 100%, but the gist is very similar, as it is also a parasite biologically. This is done by literally & physically, sucking the hosts dry until they are absorbed of all essential nutrients, most horrifically their blood, organs & marrow. Eventually, their prey are left to crumble as skin & bones, or a pile of absorbed cells, dead.

This was, again, first established in Archives II as hosts can express these tendrils through their mouth ( & hands if they underwent a certain ritual ), acting as proboscis or ovipositors, depending upon if they are feeding or implanting. Unlike humans, other animal species may have multiple biological purposes for their appendages / organs. This is no exception to Las Plagas parasite, which consumes & reproduces both through it's mouth ( or tentacles ). It was then developed for 5, Mercenaries 3D, Umbrella Corps, until finally making it's way into the remake of 4, predominantly seen with Pesanta ( & shown briefly with Osmund ).

The images below will clarify what I mean more in-depth, as the pictures pretty much explain themselves, but they are VERY graphic:

As I've noted before, their cannibalistic / flesh-eating obsession isn't just rooted in religious symbolism, it is a biological necessity. They MUST feed on other hosts, or they will have no choice to feed upon themselves. As they are mutants, utilizing their mutations & keeping up with their enhanced metabolism costs a lot of energy. Their dietary needs are different from humans, so it is silly to expect them to eat as such. Cooking inherently destroys nutrients in food, which is why raw flesh, organs, & carrion are seen predominately throughout the entire game. Ganados / Mutants cook MUCH LESS OFTEN than they do scavenging upon raw or spoiled food. The butcher-house, to emphasize my point, is filled with gallon bags of meats & organs, completely unfrigerated. It is not going to waste, as that is how they feed the village.

You can see here that mutants who grow tentacles from their bodies can ensnare prey to revitalize themselves off from blood, killing their target quickly. The plaga is a highly adaptable organism which uses it's bodily appendages in a myriad of ways, which includes self-preservation off the expense of others, especially if their target is already weakened or on the verge to die. Pesanta, after being injured by Ada, uses this ability to heal herself without expending energy ( why this scene was removed even though it occurs off camera, I'm not sure why, as it already appears as a death animation ).

The 'mummified' description is a bit of a exaggeration, but more or less the host was consumed of it's life-force. They were the original representation of 'vampires' after all in the series.

I do headcanon that Osmund fed off from Ada in order to mend his injuries so quickly, as I find it EXTREMELY HARD TO BELIEVE that she was held hostage without a fight. Drained to the point of temporary unconsciousness, but not killed, makes sense to me. However I will not force this HC upon other Ada roleplayers if they do not deem it fitting.

[lasplaga]

is there a sound that drives them crazy? ( like the sound of nails on a chalkboard, styrofoam rubbing together, cardboard boxes, etc?)

「𝔖」 Most of this is actually derived from Ada's Report with sprinkles of creative liberty. I highly suggest giving it a read, as most of these concepts carried over to the remake timeline.

So, none of these examples included in the prompt, but Las Plagas, biologically, is highly sensitive to sound ( as well as mutated T-Virus hosts such as Lickers, as they can communicate with Plaga hosts to an extent! ). They can perceive acoustics & sonic waves that are incomprehensible to humans, & be controlled in this manner, but it is not described HOW they are controlled. Artificially spreading these sonic waves is noted to be similar as using a dog whistle, & this is why I refer to Los Iluminados members being 'enslaved'. The Salazar's intent were not on training them, but to eradicate them.

Las Plagas hosts are OBVIOUSLY more intelligent than the average dog, they cannot be 'trained' to blindly obey orders by humans, otherwise we wouldn't have the problem of them infecting / killing outsiders. They value the call of their own kind ( or similar ) rather than that of a chime or bell, these frequencies are in a 'hierarchy', if you will. What I imagine happened in the 1600's / 1700's is that The Salazar's discovered a high frequency that was insufferably painful for them to endure, hence their banishment off the main-land & retreat underground. ( But even then, it wasn't 100% fool-proof as outside infections persisted! ) This continued for centuries until they eventually became desensitized to the high frequency & / or it was stopped by Catalina's betrayal ( as it's noted they received a signal to invade from beyond the island ). Thus, they brought war to the fortress & put the castle under siege, & Osmund finally assassinated Diego. The knowledge of this art was then subsequently destroyed, it's last user being Ramon.

The remake emphasizes that specific frequencies can influence host behavior, even as far as inducing sleep incantations / hibernation, suspended animation, encouraging bloodlust or 'birthing' parasites from their core, destroying their bodies in the process. It is very likely frequencies exist that could 'burst' this sensitive organ, killing the parasite & host in the process, but it hasn't been found yet. It has been long established there is a certain 'trick' in mastering these frequencies, so there is no guarantee blanket experimentation will be WHOLLY successful. As noted by the video, it's beyond simple chimes or whistles, the parasite plays a part as well. For example, if you attack the villagers that retreat upon ringing the church bell, they will attack you in turn, it is not the same blind obedience / possession that Lord Saddler or The Commanders are capable of.

This trait DOES carry over to Osmund, but as these sound waves are impossible for humans to hear, it is very rare for humans to replicate unless they study samples of Las Plagas for a very long time. &, even then, Umbrella Corps & the remake timeline has established the parasite can mutate or become desensitized to prior weaknesses, so it is not a permanent solution. But, in the case of hypotheticals, if someone were to be aware of these frequencies, they would have an immense level of power over Osmund causing him pain, which would infuriate him. Caution would be advised they know how to properly distribute these frequencies, for one wrong move would end up regressing him into a state of pure animalistic savagery that can only be mitigated by putting him to sleep.

[lasplaga]

✈ : My muse and traveling. (If they do it frequently and why, if they never left their home town, e.t.c.)

「𝔖」 So it's important to note that Lord Saddler & the rest of Los Iluminados became isolationists post 1700's. Prior that point, the mutants were implied to have free reign over their territory, if not in other areas of Spain / Europe. However, once it became clear that humanity became the enemy in the midst of their crusades, they virtually had no choice but to isolate themselves & live in hiding out of self-preservation. Vastly outnumbered, it was not safe to live or practice their faith freely*.

*Adding a disclaimer, the way in which they reproduce their species & operate their religion is objectively wrong, but I'm writing this from the point of view of the antagonists, who believe they were unjustly oppressed.

Osmund is not well-traveled, & canonically, he has never left Valdelobos. --- BUT, I do portray that he leaves SELDOMLY for business or raiding purposes, but never for vacation / leisure. The fact of the matter is, the world of Resident Evil is no longer 'safe' towards any kind of mutant, & they are subject to forced experimentation, made classified augmented mercenaries / soldiers, discriminated against or in worst cases, under mass calls for execution. It is no longer the 1500's where villagers did not have access to modern technology & could not understand fundamentally what a mutant was ; Of course it made the most sense they would be worshipped as a divine being or feared as a dark spiritual entity. It wasn't until hundreds of years later that scientists began to understand it was the workings of a virus, fungus, or parasite that altered a hosts DNA, for better or for worse.

Osmund has no real intention of traveling ( unless it is for the reasons I listed above ) because he knows, realistically, the civilian public would never take kindly to him, & that he is, biologically, detrimental to their overall health. That is unfortunately the cards he was dealt being born a mutant with very grotesque bodily mutations, unlike other mutants ( such as Mold, Progenitor, Prototype, etc. ) which are more or less 'human passing' the average day. It's absolutely possible he could travel the world via using the body of a Ganado / Superior Host which could blend into a healthy society ( such as the villagers or researchers ), but he ultimately doesn't care to. He wouldn't succeed at anything besides making himself perpetually miserable as he always has to 'hide' in a different body to remain safe. If he were unwillingly chaperoned, even more so. Osmund so much as can't even feel safe in his own kingdom with Demon Hunter's / Mutant Slayers around & about ( which is what The Merchant does! ), his anxiety would only increase tenfold being thrusted into an outside nation unrecognizable to him personally.

[lasplaga]

How can someone gain high approval from Saddler? What do they need to do?

「𝔖」 It's extremely easy but also the most difficult for a muse to do, which is why a large number of my interactions over the years have been negative ( & this isn't inherently a bad thing! ). Other muses ( or writers ), by nature, do not take kindly to being forced to do things they don't want to do, or outright possessed & / or assaulted against their wills. Other muses ( or writers ) may also change their minds over time on certain beliefs, but Osmund is steadfast & biologically INCAPABLE of changing for the better. Narratively & spoken by other Ganados, his likeness for domination is unmatched. I respect & follow this, & am firm that no-one can 'change' him, & that he will never change his beliefs.

Osmund loathes individualism, disobedience, & blasphemy. The entire culture of Los Iluminados is based upon eternal submission to Lord Saddler(s), where questioning or straying from his ( or their ) will is strictly prohibited. Challenging his authority under most circumstances is met with death or cruel torture. In life he / they practice servitude to God Almighty ( Las Plagas ) & preforming works that spread the glory of God Almighty ( Las Plagas ), nothing more. They represent EXTREME religious fanaticism & single-minded zeal. It is inherently oppressive by nature, & Osmund desires to erode ( "purify" ) human beings / outsiders into becoming suitable vessels for a mind-controlling, reproductive parasite. Those who cannot or who are picked from lots are sacrificed as they thrive upon rivers of blood & flesh. Unless a goal / motive / belief suits to better the superorganism, it is considered heresy, & the speakers are punished.

The fastest way to gain his approval is being ready to conform to the authority of his will in whatever capacity possible ; Behaving meekly obedient or passive is a great start. Sentiments that you BELONG to him, & no one else, is also something to consider. If you are a human, acknowledging you are inherently weaker & meant to serve his superior kind is another way to gain his favor. Expressing support of his beliefs, his nature, will also garner his praise. Allying with his cause & providing monetary / material gain for The Cult to bolster their resources is prized as well, & does not go unnoticed. However, gestures of good-will are usually 'repaid' by the forceful implantation of a parasite, as they view such as a gift. Many character interaction conflicts have occurred in the past because Osmund is incapable of understanding that not everyone desires a parasite. It is a biological incapability with the human race / other mutants outside of T-Virus.

This is sadly the disappointing part of writing a canonical controlling / conservative character because he ALWAYS wants things his way, or its the highway. &, I think in the past other writers couldn't really grasp the severity of what that meant, especially in the context of religious institutional or cult abuse. Osmund is entirely unyielding in his beliefs, he will never & can never be convinced otherwise.

[lasplaga]

What are his thoughts about Krauser?

「𝔖」 Going to begin that these thoughts are built off from the fictional characters, they do not represent the opinions of the writer in any way. To start, Osmund & Jack are both similar in being veterans of the military, but not the SAME military ( Los Iluminados does not have a 'recognized' military, but a militia, & their faith is intertwined with battle ).

However, they both endured brutal training, physically & mentally, to become a combat ready soldier. The harsh discipline they trudged through I think is an experience that can't be easily explained to civilians, but immediately understood by others brought up or signed up in similar environments. It is the same principle of Osmund attempting to describe his rituals of faith, such as self-mutilation or periods of fasting, to an outsider who does not practice. It's not something that can be wholly understood solely by words. --- In the aspect of 'he felt that he could not function within society & believed that his service & the thrill of combat were what gave his life meaning' they are both TWINS. They both have a sense of their lives having meaning & the only way they can FIND meaning is through service. In Osmund's case, it was through religion & warfare. Jack was warfare & mercenary work, respectively.

Osmund, also similarly to Jack, has an obsession with obtaining power. The latter expresses he experienced a 'revelation' within the jungles of South America, upon realizing where the strength of humanity fell short. This sentiment may have also been brought about from resentment towards Leon. 'As the two make their way through Javier's mansion, Krauser continues to contemplate the mission. He soon finds himself agreeing with Javier's mentality of "becoming stronger to survive," & --- This leads Krauser to become obsessed with the power of the Veronica virus. As Javier merges with the Veronica Plant, becoming the "V Complex" bioweapon, Kennedy, Krauser & Manuela work together to defeat it. All the while, Krauser becomes more & more convinced that the power of this virus is beneficial, & that destroying it would be a mistake. He thus becomes fully convinced that he must become stronger, viewing Kennedy as a "coward", & deciding that he will become more powerful.' This is very similar to Osmund's own ideologies, that humanity is an inherently weaker & imperfect species, & that Las Plagas should bring about biological evolution.

Obviously, those who share the same mindset & echo the same sentiments will be enjoyable company with each other. They will also be unstoppable if working together, which is what made their alliance & conjoined skills / networks so dangerous.

I think Osmund sees A LOT of himself in Jack, albeit a much more younger & bloodthirsty from battle version, which invokes many feelings of bittersweet nostalgia. I think the dynamic of Lord Saddler being a 'veteran' & Major Krauser being a 'hardened soldier' works well, because they both understand each other under a respectful military environment. I don't follow the xenophobic English localization of 2005 where he blatantly distrusts Americans, I REALLY PREFER the remake iteration alternatively. So if the newer installment is anything to go by, I think Osmund genuinely considers him a close friend, someone he would personally confide in, in regards to their shared struggles & a true ally. Jack being his guardsman but also an 'attack dog' to sick upon those he wishes is an entirely separate conversation, but it does fulfill his morbid, violent fantasies.

[lasplaga]

What sort of life do you expect Osmund would live if he was born into a human family away from Valdelobos, i.e. Madrid, Majorca, etc.? Do you think he'd be drawn to Valdelobos regardless? Would there even be a modern Los Illuminados without Osmund?

「𝔖」 No, there would not be a modern Los Iluminados without Osmund. Unless another Prophet was willing to cure Ramon ( & it's suggested, but not explicitly confirmed all were dead besides Osmund by the early 1980's ), it would be impossible for The Cult to escape their banishment. Diego would have never been killed, & every Ganado upon Sanctuary would be in a much worse state, if not completely extinct. Osmund not only was a Priest, he was a Warrior proficient in combat. Diego held himself to the same standards as Gregorio The First, which was famously known as a bioweapon / Las Plagas slayer. The assassination wasn't easy by any means. What would remain is wild parasites inducing themselves into hibernation in order to survive the lack of host availability. The only way another plaga resurgence could possibly reoccur is if Albert Wesker or Ada Wong DRASTICALLY messed something up while trying to retrieve The Amber or another living specimen. & I doubt an aristocracy would allow either of them to trespass with a sanction imposed to begin with.

In terms of your other question, it's a big what-if. Osmund was born in the era of WWI, would have lived throughout WWII & Spain's Civil War. A large part of his characterization is that he witnessed A LOT of warfare personally, or lived through wars that were occurring in neighboring cities / nations. There was also religious / political civil conflicts on the constant rise in this particular century. If he worshiped the wrong religion, identified with the wrong political party, or Hell, was even the wrong race ( & he was all three! ), he may have been expelled or executed. There was also the possibility he would have been drafted to war & killed. --- I imagine at his core, outside of religion & politics, that he would be an expert artisan & craftsman. Osmund values tradition above all & creating things, especially by hand & with great effort, plays into that. It REALLY depends what kind of human family we are talking about, because the core of his characterization is that his behavior stems from generational oppression & abuse ( which doesn't excuse his villainy, of course, but he was indoctrinated ).

[lasplaga]

Does Sadler believe he would be resurrected?

「𝔖」 Osmund does, but it's not so much a matter of belief, but a matter of 'when'. Even if it takes hundreds of years to do so.

Resurrection / reanimation / rebirth is a pretty common staple in their ideology. It's why the threat of death isn't really a deterrent when it comes to their religion, goals for the world or behavior. In fact, the parasitic organism that is housed in the ancient chantry was resurrected from the depths of the earth. As it has the same biological appearance / functionality as a Dominant Plaga ( which only The Saddler's possess ), I portray this is an ancestor of Osmund, if not Adam himself.

The existence of that parasitic organism ( or others offscreen, which is highly likely ) offers a 'failsafe' on the off-chance a prophet is ( temporarily ) killed. That way, the consciousness of all the hosts are preserved, experiencing the death throes of their Master TEMPORARILY : Otherwise we wouldn't have the existence of Vendetta or Umbrella Corps with survivors of Los Iluminados seeking revenge.

The downside / cost of course is eternal servitude & slavery to a parasitic organism. Progenitor, for example, does not have such a symptom. Which is why Spencer avoided the use of Las Plagas, or any other B.O.W. that would not achieve his plans of creating an immortal 'master race'.