#| :OnceANäota: |

[worldsandfeathers]

Continued from [here] with @daylightisminetoconsume

The moment Owl saw the hulking stone behemoth enter the room, he took flight, eager to be out of the great troll’s reach. He alighted in a far crystal, a few feet above the great stone giant’s head and flared his wings with a hiss. The patterns upon them bore a faint glow, not unlike the green crystals that littered the throne and other chasms of the darklands. It was an instinctual thing to do on his part, something that all Tyto’s did when they felt threatened or frightened. But this was a troll, no, a Gumm-Gumm, and for a moment, Owl felt grateful to have his claws sheathed in metal for once.

Still, should he speak or should he fly? The beast had already spotted him, and the way back to the changeling gate had been lost amidst the other tunnels.

‘Best stay and wait,’ he thought, gazing down at the Gumm-Gumm chief. ‘See what the beast does before acting.’

[worldsandfeathers]

//OK, so while chatting with @cantstoptherot, we thought up this scenario where Angor Rot gets Owl’s mask and Owl becomes a Näota. Well, like any self-respecting Näota, Owl goes on a quest to make a mask fit to reclaim his True Mask - and thus this mask+fella was born!

//This mask was made from the helmet, pauldrons, arm and foot of a gumgum, the skull of a hippo, a set of raptor talons, the leather-bound arm bones of a giant sloth, and a pair of broken handcuffs to break any ties of loyalty the previous owners of said “materials” might’ve had.

//While wearing this mask, Owl takes on the persona of Garl the Berzerker - a hybrid monster of terrible strength, dexterity and physical resilience. His body is comprised of bone, troll stone, and metal (which I think will cover a good portion of his body like a pangolin. Still thinking on it though.)

//He’s usually hunched over, walking on all fours, but when he stands up he’s a good 10-12 feet tall/long (thanks to the hippo in him). He’s quite a rumbler when he gets going and can cause a good deal of damage to anyone or thing that gets in his way. He’s omnivorous - preferring grass (again the hippo in him) but capable of eating flesh (the gumm-gumm in him). He’s also not opposed to devouring other trolls, impaling & crushing them with his tusks and massive jaws should they prove to be foes.

//However, his purpose and goals are encapsulated by the chant Owl used to create Garl’s mask. 

“Talons claw, Teeth that bite, Jawbone’s strength and Metal’s might!

“Made for peace, made for war. Take back my soul, that’s what it’s for!”

//Needless to say, the only thing on Garl’s mind is getting the True Mask back for Angor Rot’s clutches!

[worldsandfeathers]

Twili-Mask Owl

After a fateful battle between Owl and the Usurper King, Zant, Owl was defeated and his True Mask taken by Zant. But without his mask, Owl became a fearsome Näota that savagely attacked Zant’s sentinels, breaking one of their masks in half and claiming it for himself. Now with the essence and magic of a Twili pulsing through his form, Owl stands before Zant, king and wielder of the Näota’s mask.

[worldsandfeathers]

There was one a question Owl had read in a book once that perfectly summed up the feelings he had at this very moment. “Why do you hit your head with a hammer?” had been the question, with the answer of, “because it feels good when it stops.” Such a thing was mentioned in one of Earth’s religious texts - something about having the bitter so one could recognize the sweet.

Owl took a deep, shuddering breath, closing his eyes as he tried to keep himself from weeping. He could feel again! His face, his hands, the touch of skin, the sound of music, the smell of rain in the morning! All such things brought him into a state of ecstasy to exquisite for words.

Of course, it wasn’t the first time he’d been a Näota for a prolonged period of time. It had happened on handful of occasions previously, but even so, nothing ever felt as wonderful or as terrible as having his personal void filled with all he was. Emotions both positive and negative were vile and wondrous, but in that moment, nothing could convince him to return them to his mask.

Letting out a small cough, Owl cleared his throat. “I apologize, but I need some air. I’ll be back in a moment.” 

Giving a small bow to the group, Owl slipped outside and rested his hands on the porch railing. A soft wind blew by as the soft chirp of crickets filled the air. Whether it was a moment or an eternity, it didn’t matter. What mattered was that he could feel everything again.

[worldsandfeathers]

Musings! TH!Owl & the Masks of Power ( Pt2 )

//Tonight’s Train of thought pt2: Where would Owl and his Masks of Power be and how would affect the Troll Hunters’ world?

//Owl would probably settle down somewhere in Rome, Italy - preferring to utilize the underground catacombs for his various masks and secrets. He’d want to keep them hidden but within his reach - especially since he’s had to search and retrieve many of masks he’d lent out in the first place. He also doesn’t want anyone with a weak will to have them bc weak wills can’t control the power in his masks and can lead to rampaging personas - which are a pain to deal with.

//However, if there’s one Mask he wants, it’s his own since it has the power to command him and will grant that power (plus any knowledge he has) to anyone who holds/wears it and has a strong enough will to use it. (once again, weak wills cannot utilize his masks, but unlike the others, his True mask won’t devour them. It just won’t work for them). This includes extracting information from him, getting him to do tasks, and even having him make masks for his masks’ new “Keeper”.

//Like holy cramoly, can you imagine Gunmar or the Changelings getting a hold of his mask and making him make masks so that they can transform humans and other species into what they want before enslaving them? TALK ABOUT NIGHTMARE/APOCALYPSE FODDER.

//However, if he can corner a hero, he’d definitely promis almost any means/favor he can provide to them/anyone who can retrieve and return his mask. Such a task would earn the person an endless debt of gratitude and possibly an alliance/REALLY BIG FAVOR. Doubly so if they don’t use it before giving it back to him. 

//Once he has it back, he’d immediately flee to a safe place and puts it on to keep ANYONE from taking it from him again, and probably weeps with sheer joy bc he can feel again. He knows who he is again. He is him and he has his soul again.

//If it were the Troll Hunter who restored his mask to him, Owl would offer his alliance/ties of loyalty and any mask he could make for the Troll-hunter’s use. Anyone else, and he’d just offer a single favor in exchange for their tremendous deed.

[worldsandfeathers]

musings ! Owl LoZ boss fight?

//.... Y’know, after looking at my Hyrule Historia book, I’m kind of astounded at how well Owl would fit in a LoZ game both as himself and as a Näota. Like, he could legit be one of those big bosses that becomes your friend/ally after you defeat him. Like, as a boss, you’d find out he was this empty robbed figure that couldn’t be killed but could be stunned and temporarily driven away outside of the main boss fight.

//In each preliminary fight, he’d have a different mask with different abilities. Then in his final boss fight, he’d switch between all of them, using each their abilities in order to defeat his opponent. The way to defeat him would be to break his masks by parrying certain magical attacks of his back at him. When struck, he’d be stunned for a moment (allowing his enemy to get in another physical strike on him/the mask) before switching to a different mask. After a certain number of strikes to one mask, that mask would be broken by its own power and he’d be unable to switch back to that one.

//Once all the masks were destroyed, his true nature as a Näota (Faceless) would be revealed and he’d try even harder to defeat his opponent and capture them & their abilities in a mask. In this maskless form, he’d do a lot more damage per strike but he’d also be a lot more susceptible to physical blows himself. Knock out that HP bar of his and he’ll collapse to the ground before vanishing out of sight.

//He’ll reappear post-boss fight as a kind of faded shadowy figure, not nearly as intimidating as he was with his masks, but who’ll disappear when you try to approach him with your weapons drawn. (clearly still has some self-preservation instinct there). However, if you approach him unarmed, he won’t vanish but will actually talk with you about the things he knows of his “new master”, including how he lost his True Mask (and his freedom) to them. He’ll then beg you to get his “True Mask” and bring it to him, promising any assistance he can offer in exchange for it and his freedom.

//Needless to say, I’ve been thinking A LOT about this today and it kind of makes me excited to see how it would affect certain threads if the storyline of this were to play out in a verse/thread. :3

[worldsandfeathers]

Forgive me, reversed - Discordia forgiving Owl for what he had done back when he was still a Näota, and his reaction to that. (I don't know if my first ask was even sent, so I'm sending it again. Sorry for any inconvenience ºuº' )

The bespectacled brunet swallowed as he felt his chest clench and tears threatened to fill his eyes. He was filled with so much emotion that his very words failed him. He couldn’t even choke out a ‘thank you.’ Instead, Owl sniffed and put his hands on his hips, trying to regain his composure.

She forgave him. Despite all that he’d done, all the faces he’d stolen and returned, and the strife and peril he’d inflicted and could still inflict on the entire camp…  Even though he himself, had chased her and several others down on the day they first met… she still forgave him.

“I don’t know what to say,” he croaked, glancing at her. “Though the only thing I think I can say is… thank you. I-I don’t think I’ve felt so human.. or like I could be human again. Even when the mask is gone, most don’t see past the Näota to the man or woman they used to be… who I used to be.”

Owl rested a hand on the table beside him, his grateful smile falling into a somber frown before he continued. “I know that even if I look it, I’m not quite human anymore and that I’m still quite dangerous if I were to lose my mask. But...” He paused for a moment and looked up at Discordia, his blue eyes filled with emotion. “Discoridia I... I’m going to help you. Whatever I can do, I’ll do it if it means I can thank you for helping me feel human again.”

[worldsandfeathers]

⭐️

For each “⭐️” I get, I’ll write a headcanon about our muses. || No longer Accepting

Since Dee is his go-to for learning how to read and speak the common tongue of Haven, it’s actually not uncommon to see him hanging around her tent. Though there are a considerable number of people who strongly disapprove of him being so close to Dee, especially with his condition as a Näota.

[worldsandfeathers]

Date?

Send me “Date?” and i’ll answer… || Accepting!

Who asks for it:

[ ] Your muse asks mine

[x] My muse asks yours

Type of date:

[x] Platonic Date

[?] Romantic Date

[x] First Date

[ ] Double date with: ____ & ____

Location for the date:

[x] Movies  • [x] Romantic Comedy  • [x] Adventure Movie  • [ ] Animation (Pixar/Disney)  • [ ] Horror  • [x] Drama  • [ ] Buddy Movie  • [x] ___ (other options)

[x] Restaurant  • [x] Expensive/High Class  • [ ] Small and familiar  • [ ] Fast Food

[x] Nature • [ ] Beach • [x] Park • [x] Forest     • [x] …and having a picnic

[x] Visiting a Museum

[ ] Visiting an amusement park

[ ] Visiting a haunted location

[ ] Staying at home • [ ] Watching movies • [ ] Playing Video Games • [ ] Reading

[ ] ___ (other options)

The date might hopefully end with…

[x] …holding hands

[x] …a kiss

[ ] …in bed

[x] …knowing each other better

[ ] …sleepover between friends

[ ] …a marriage proposal

[ ] ___ (other options)

Should you reblog this?:

[x] Yes. I want to send you one.

[ ] Yes.

[ ] No.

[worldsandfeathers]

“I won’t let another one die.”

Owl narrowed his eyes as he gazed down at the young woman and then at the injured that surrounded them. So many dead. So many on the brink.. and he had a way to save them all. But would it be worth the curse it might unleash?”

“Miss Discordia…” the fellow ventured, his voice low and grave. “I… have a way to save lives, if you will let me, but.. it will be at a great cost. Do you wish to hear it?”

He wanted to help. It was all he could do to repay her for restoring his humanity. But would she consent to the purveying of his own curse as a means to rescue the lives of those mere inches from death? After all, he was no stranger to the mending of soul masks. He’d done so many a time with his own.. But once it was done… it would never be undone. This would be a true test of both their mettle and conviction. 

[worldsandfeathers]

Kiss on the forehead from Dee because why not?

Kissday Meme?? || No longer accepting

Owl sat reclined in his hammock, a simple children’s book still open in his lap.  He’d been using it to help him learn how to read Haven’s common tongue, but it seemed his need for sleep had won out over his scholarly discipline. However, even with all of his worries and endeavors, his face had been smoothed by an expression of ease he only wore in his sleep.

Maybe it was this rare, possibly charming sight that induced the young woman to pause? Or perhaps it was the near-death experience they’d shared earlier that week retrieving his mask that did it? But for whatever reason, the scholar could’ve sworn he felt the gentle lips of the princess brush press a gentle kiss on his forehead.

Owl stirred slightly and let out a soft hum before turning his head and falling into a deeper, more contented slumber.

[worldsandfeathers]

Caress: face

Darkness and tingling. That’s what made up the world after the creature had put on the mask. But then something else entered his awareness. Something new. It was a smooth, soft, and warm at the center with slightly chilled tips and for a moment, he didn’t know what it was. But as his cheeks were caressed, he began to remember.

Touch. Yes, that’s what it was called. How long had it been since he’d felt touch? A very long time, it seemed.. long enough for him to almost forget.

Owl drew in a shuddering breath as he felt the brush of young fingers on his face, the sensation almost shocking his body into action. He gulped down air, tasting the various scents in the air on his tongue. Taste. As he continued, he discovered the sound of his own breaths and his heart pounding in his ears. He could hear!

His eyelids fluttered before two brilliant blue eyes peaked out from behind mousy brown locks and squeezed shut at the brightness around him. Swallowing hard, Owl lifted his head again and opened his eyes, blinking until light became color and color became shapes. After a minute or so, his vision cleared and he was able to see the face he’d only partially known as a Näota.

“Dis…cordia?” the fellow asked, lifting his hands in order to feel hers, his voice barely over a whisper. “You… you got it. Y-you got my mask back…”

At that moment, he felt a drop of golden emotion and the floodgates burst, his world now full of emotions. A bright, heartwarming smile spread across his face as he threw his arms around her. Tears of gratitude spilled down his cheeks as his soft, scratchy voice became a whooping laugh of unbridled joy. He had his mask back! He had his ‘self’ back! He was him and he was free!

[worldsandfeathers]

Musings! TH!Owl & the Masks of Power ( Pt1 )

//tonight’s thought train: What if Angor Rot lost Owl’s Näota mask in battle?

//Just thinking of Owl spending centuries making countless masks to try and find his soulbound mask and the numerous legends that would spring from it.  He’d probably be know as a “Master Mask maker”, a phantom craftsman with 1000 faces and identities. 

//Whether he’s a wizard, a shapeshifter, a changeling, or some other unearthly beast, no one knows. All anyone knows is that his masks grant their wearers unimaginable power so long as their will is strong. But should their strength of will fail, they will be devoured by the mask and will be forever trapped within it’s power.

//There’d be stories of trolls and humans who came to him for help and was granted one of his masks. Some accomplished the task of not succumbing to the masks’ powers and either returned it to him or kept it as a relic for if/when trouble again arises (kind of like an “LoZ Master sword” thing). 

//Those who failed and succumbed to their masks lost themselves (their names+identities) to it and became the creatures embodied in the mask. Once they die though, their souls go to the void, leaving behind the mask that became their identity. The sad thing about that fate? The identity tied with the mask would stay with the mask, rendering the souls who succumbed to it without memory of who they are, only what they’ve done. As if someone had taken the book of their life and erased their name from every page.

[worldsandfeathers]

"Are you not comfortable being intimate?"

Picking up one of the books he’d been working through, Owl froze mid motion and pursed his lips at the question. He ran her question through his mind several times before deciding that he had heard her right.

“No, not particularly,” he answered, setting the book aside. “I’m not all that experienced in such things and the experience I have had has led to nothing but tragedy.”

The man’s voice trailed off as he ran a hand over the books cover. He seemed to have more that he wanted to say but when dealing with such sensitive topics and the language barrier between them, it was probably best that he left it at that..

[worldsandfeathers]

//So I was thinking about Garl and what it’d be like if he yawned.

//So I looked up “hippo yawning” and

//peeps be frickin’ terrified of Garl’s yawns simply bc of how big his frigign’ maw is.

//Could probably eat a small troll or goblin if he wanted. @x@;; 

[worldsandfeathers]

//Y’know, I’ve been thinking about how Owl might “die” as a Naota and I think he might just do the gem thing and “poof”.

//Like, he only has so much strength to hold himself together - so if he sustains enough damage his body is going to poof into a dark cloud, leaving his mask on the ground until he can reform his body again.

//He might not “die” permanently, but heck if it isn’t the most inconvenient in the world to go through!