#◟༺✧༻◞ glimpses in the past of a shattered spirit ┊headcanon.┊

[reginrokkr]

𝐗𝐗𝐗𝐕𝐈𝐈𝐈. Vestiges of a quincentennial corruption —signs / symptoms and therapy—.

It is known that corruption makes its way to any creature's being via exposure to the Abyss no matter how brief it may be, its nature of precipitating everything to death permeating their body with symptoms of varying degrees and lengths depending on how swift the pursuit of a cure is.

Signs and symptomatology.

Among the symptoms connected to corruption, the affected individual may experience: warping one's senses, thus reality. It is known that the void energy magnifies one's negative traits and expands them tenfold (someone's sadness can be more than it really is, someone's paranoia will be fed with more reasons to keep it going that are actually nonexistent but in their mind they are existent); visions, dreams and thoughts of those who passed manifested through voices heard by those with a higher sentience to this type of energy; deception of the viewer's sights by presenting an idyllic atmosphere and location that in reality could have them walk in hell without them knowing unless they awaken that awareness in them; organ compromise leading to a faster failure of the same under the exposure of elemental concentration.

When combined with the curse of immortality, one of its prevalent symptoms is the degradation of the individual's physical body through numbness and loss of any skill that requires his body with the passages of time.

Other signs and symptoms not directly attributed to corruption (but equally to the Abyss in a higher or lesser degree) have different ways of manifestation depending if it's:

→ Via direct contact to an external agent like the Tatarigami: the beginning of symptoms starts with overall weakness and dizziness and nose bleeding. Nightmares that give the sign of a bad omen are also part of the symptomatology. As the chaos goes untreated, the host experiences strong headaches, rashes on the skin blood coughs and more frequent nightmares. All these effects are particularly intense when night falls. Lastly, during the last phases of the sickness, hosts experience gruesome hallucinations and they’re able to listen to fallen gods’ whispers until they fall to madness. Failure to treat any of the symptomatology in time can lead to death.

→ Via Delusions: it stands to reason that in order to create weapons of this caliber by using chaos, the amount of chaos infused in these weapons is controlled and aimed for its wielder’s longer lifespan depending on how strong/resistant they are. As such, the symptomatology may be gentler but in essence it will also lead to its host’s death. Given that chaos is all about life consuming, it saps away from people’s vitality which in turn causes an ageing acceleration with the issues that ageing entails. Additionally, chaos feeds more from negative feelings which includes wrath that makes it harder to get out of the vicious cycle Delusion wielders entered. Hosts may experience weakness and coughing alongside side effects byproduct of the deterioration that comes with the fast ageing until they reach their death.

Depending on certain requirements, being touched by the Abyss leads to three conditions said individual may experience: premature death, transcendence (abandoning one's own flesh to become a transcendent being, an abyssal monster) or, in the best of cases, the need to keep oneself on check in order to not aggravate the already existing symptoms.

Therapy.

Human intervention from those who are knowledgeable in the medical field proves to be effective in muting the symptomatology of the corruption if not much time passes between the abyssal exposure and the treatment. Nevertheless, this is a palliative remedy at best: the organs of those who have been touched by corruption are already compromised.

Other methods that are exceedingly harder to be within human reach have proven to hold a higher effectivity in their healing or even purification exist. 1) Ley Lines themselves, due to being carriers of the seven elements that sustain the world (among other elements) and thus extensions of Irminsul, which also holds purification and healing capabilities, count as one of them. The fact that Natlan's weaker Ley Line system caused the same nation to take a bigger grunt because of the Abyss in comparison to other nations suggests their effectiveness in keeping the void at bay. 2) Traveler's purification and lastly, 3) the celestial nails are also known for being effective, too.

Dáinsleif.

In Dain's particular case, the clearest sign he has of corruption is that half of his body has turned black. Furthermore, his continuous exposition to the Abyss in his pursuit to frustrate the Abyss Order's plans —and by extension, his own brother's— in combination to the curse of immortality (potentially of abyssal connection too, despite being inflicted by a god) is enough reason for him to have multiple symptoms.

Lastly, Dain is known for being both corrupted and cursed, which might result in a higher chance at being affected by the aforementioned described symptoms more. Another reason to this cause is his connection to Irminsul for two reasons: 1) aether and void (abyss) when interacting are mutually toxic— given that both of them coexist in Dain's body, there is no denial that they may interact. And 2) the elements and the abyss repel each other, causing yet another negative effect).

Despite being highly susceptible to be in a really bad shape due to the abyssal influence within him, the reality is that he doesn't suffer much from these thanks to his connection to Irminsul. While contradictory all the same due to the toxicity that the interactions between the elements, aether and abyss may bring, he doesn't suffer from physical degradation and his corruption has been at an impasse for the past 500 years.

However, that doesn't mean that he can be careless with emotions running out of control or in his confrontations against the Abyss Order. And while his own symptoms may not be too bad, they are always present. Predominantly, they tend to flare up in moments of emotional vulnerability or if he lingers too much in places that have abyssal presence.

[monstrouslyobsessed]

Hello! Can I ask headcanons for Male Oyuki (Yuki onna) when he meet darling for the first time and the courting process/wedding? Thanks! —anonymous

tw / tags: afab reader (no pronoun explicitly used), gendered language (wife, bride, mother, etc.), pregnant reader (mentioned but tagged to be safe), pregnancy (mostly mentioned), general yandere themes, long post, sfwfeatured character(s): oyuki / ice spirit / husband previous ice spirit installment: link

—note: uhhh right this is super tame, i didn’t really go too deep and hadn't bothered including any ns'fw details. feel free to fill in all the details yourself or ask for more hc's on other aspects. but yeah, i see the o yuki being the type who'd only snap if nothing's going his way, otherwise, he's pretty...decent...ish if you can get past his lies and manipulative ways, and he does dotes on his darling. the horror happens after he gets busted. though, don't get me wrong, he's still a monster and killed many over his time as an immortal spirit. he's really one of those guys you'd have to question the morality of.

》meeting you was an accident. —it was a quiet day in his mountain, with gentle sprinkles of snow drifting to the blindingly white ground and dusting the skeletal trees. —as long as his territory was undisturbed, he was content to remain where he was. —alas his peace hadn't lasted when a scream pierced the chilly air. —fury swam through his brittle veins. —he stormed out from his lofty abode, with a flurry of frost following in his wake.

》he halted, his pitch-black eyes resting on the bobbing head breaking the cracked surface of the lake frozen over. —a child. what foolish child would venture this far from their kind? —with a quick survey, he caught panicking voices of other children and strayed his eyes across the ground, counting multiple footprints. —an accident—or perhaps, purposeful? either way, he shook his head from your situation and was about to turn away, to leave you for the dead. leave you to drown and be claimed by the icy depth. —yet something stalled his feet and his snow quietened at his back. —was it pity? he’d never know—but years later, he’d be forever grateful to whatever gods who whispered to him to listen to what lingering humanity he had left in his frozen heart.

》you vaguely recalled being in the arms of a beautiful god, a man with skin so white he rivaled the purity of the snow, hair long and flaked with ice, and his eyes so dark it clenched your heart with a primal sense of fear. —next you woke, you were surrounded by those who loved you the most. —your father wept, thanking every deity above for your return to the living, and hadn’t released you from his burly arms for what seemed like days since. —you were so young then, when the world seemed so wide and welcoming. —shattered by those who wished you harm for the pettiest of reasons.

》the memory of that god never truly faded from your mind, but you passed it off as a fantasy. a child’s whimsies. —as you became older, reaching the ideal age to be wedded off and have children with your spouse, you drew many eyes and marriage proposals grew steadily on your father’s desk. —only one had you gasping and burned your skin with embarrassment and joy.

》you caught the ice spirit’s eyes. —he hadn’t recognized you as that same child he dragged out from that lake, not at first. —he’d been wandering through his forest, surveying his territory for any threat, when a giggle drew his attention. —annoyed at having an intruder, he turned the gentle snow into a howling blizzard as he hunted down the source of that voice. —then, he halted. —he swore he felt his heart pumping in his chest for the first time in decades—perhaps centuries, when he saw you. —you jumped from your toppled creation, squealing from the pelting frost, and gave him that brief glimpse of your body. your face. all of you.

》you were beautiful. perfect. —the perfect being. —but oh so human. living and breathing. —warm when he was so cold. —you were the opposite of everything he was. —you were like the spring heralding his winter, leaving blooms in your wake. —…he couldn’t face you like this. not yet. —quietly, he tailed you since.

》he watched over you —to learn who you are. —beloved child to a father who cherishes you dearly. —doted on by many, your father’s faithful employees included. —although you were not fond of the cold, you adored the beauty of the winter. adored the soft moments by the fireplace. adored the comfort of warm foods and drinks.

》like that, he was drawn to you. —desires to have you in his arms. —and unable to compel the idea of seeing you in the arms of another. —it angered him and left behind a few too many blizzards in the winter you became of age to be wedded. to find a suitable suitor to have children with. —he decided he must court you properly.

》it was the following spring he took the courage, —to mask himself as an ordinary human male. —a merchant, delivering unusual goods. —he first met you when you were fanning yourself to keep cool on one overly warm day, under the watchful eye of a servant. —even though the warm weather was killing him, feeling himself melting inside his expensive clothing, he wormed his way by your side under the blazing sun, and offered you a rare plump peach to drench your thirst. smiling even under the glare of your father’s dutiful servant. —free of charge because you were beautiful, he claimed.

》it was the first of many encounters, where he’d offer many lovely fruits. —before long, you fell for him. —he was handsome, eerily so for an average human, and he was as doting as your father ever was. —and a massive flirt. —he was a gentleman, complimenting you endlessly, but would never touch you without your expressed consent.

》though you’d later find out that he hadn’t wanted you to feel how strangely cool he was. —it never bothered you though, his touches were comforting. gentle. especially during the hot and overly warm weathers. —and his fruits were delicious.

》when you shared a story from your childhood one day, from when you fell into the lake —he knew right then you two were meant to be. —he must have you for himself. —he must have you as his bride. the mother of his children. —he arranged a meeting with his father. —when you first saw the handsome merchant’s proposal on your father’s desk, you happily agreed and your father sighed at the idea of letting you go, burying that inkling that there was something quite wrong about that smiling man deep within his chest. —you and your father would know the truth behind your future husband’s identity far too late.

》not a man. not a human. —he was not alive. —he was but a man whose heart turned to frost, whose skin was made of ice, and who breathed snow. —a monster, borne from the wrath of a dying man in one hateful winter so long ago.

》it was unfortunate that you found out well after you wedded him and had a child growing within your womb.

[gynaiko]

𝐏𝐎𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐘𝐀𝐋 𝐍𝐎𝐓𝐄𝐒 :

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀[ 1 ]⠀⠀ᑦᴬᴿᴹᴵᴸᴸᴬ ˒⠀⠀⠀⠀CANON COMPLIANT. AGED 47. Carmilla [ Carmela ] Carmine, one of Hell’s most powerful Overlords, reigns over the weapons trade with an iron fist. As the mastermind behind firearms laced with angelic technology, her empire is both feared & respected. With a keen intellect & a no-nonsense attitude, Carmilla tolerates no disrespect & values efficiency above all else. Her grace as a dancer mirrors her business acumen — disciplined, elegant, & deadly precise. Beyond her stoic exterior, Carmilla sees potential in the ambitious, serving as a mentor to those worthy of her time. Her wisdom & power make her a force to be reckoned with in Hell’s ruthless hierarchy,

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀[ 2 ]⠀⠀ᔆᵀᴱᴸᴸᴬ ˒⠀⠀⠀⠀CANON DIVERGENT. BIO HERE;

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀[ 3 ]⠀⠀ᴸᴼᴼᴺᴬ ˒⠀⠀⠀⠀CANON COMPLIANT. AGED 22. Loona is a cynical, aloof hellhound who works as the receptionist for IMP. With a sharp tongue & zero patience, she often displays a disinterested & standoffish attitude toward her co-workers, preferring to scroll through her phone / social media rather than engage in-person. Despite her tough, abrasive exterior, Loona shows glimpses of a more vulnerable side, particularly in her complicated relationship with her adoptive father, Blitzo ( if you were to ask her, he’s not exactly her father, but he’s… well, he’s something! ). She rarely hides her disdain for the world around her, embracing her rebellious & detached demeanor in order to protect herself / mental health, while secretly craving deeper connections despite her efforts to push others away,

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀[ 4 ]⠀⠀ᴸᴬᴰᵞ ˒⠀⠀⠀⠀CANON DIVERGENT / FLEXIBLE . AGED 45. Once a loving & hopeful woman, she was caught in the crossfire of her family’s criminal dealings. After losing her beloved fiancé, she was forced to wed Crimson, her life stolen away. She had dissociated for several years until she birthed their one & only child, Moxxie, who breathed hope / life into her again. She had a reason to live once more. Eventually, she attempted to flee with Moxxie from their wretched life, but Crimson intervened. Though initially believed dead, Crimson actually imprisoned her; now a mere shell of her former self, Lady is haunted by grief, bitterness, & the weight of her tragic past. Locked away for years, she clings to the fragments of her identity, broken yet defiant. Crimson’s possessive grip may have shattered her spirit, but the flicker of resistance within her is far from extinguished,

Her default verse is one tied with @/m0bst3r; however, for scenarios for interaction, Lady has actually escaped confinement & currently works odd-jobs where she can,

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀[ 5 ]⠀⠀ᴹᴬᵞᴮᴱᴿᴿᵞ ˒⠀⠀⠀⠀CANON DIVERGENT / HEADCANON BASED. AGED 32. Mayberry, a sweet-natured schoolteacher, was pushed to the brink after discovering her husband’s infidelity. In a fit of rage, she took his life, an act that sealed her fate in Hell. Now, trapped in Hell, Mrs. Mayberry is haunted by the consequences of her actions & the lost innocence of her former life

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀[ 6 ]⠀⠀ᶠᴿᴬᴺᑦᴱᔆᑦᴬ ˒⠀⠀⠀⠀CANON COMPLIANT / HEADCANON BASED. AGED 37. Originally hailing from the Lust ring, Francesca, Crimson’s loyal maid, serves in the shadows of his criminal empire, silently witnessing the brutality & manipulation that surrounds her. Sharp & observant, she keeps her head low, but nothing escapes her notice. Though bound to her role by circumstance, Francesca harbors secrets of her own, knowing more about Crimson’s operations than anyone suspects. Her stoic exterior hides a calculating mind, and as tensions rise in the household, Francesca may one day find herself at the crossroads of loyalty & self-preservation ( not that she’ll tell you that, of course ) - she’s worked for Crimson for several years & has family in Lust,

[silyabeeodess]

AHIT Headcanons: The Shapeshifter and the Badge Seller

I’m going to put the headcanons for the Shapeshifter first below the cut, in case anyone’s just interested in him, but if anyone wants to read about the Badge Seller’s I recommend checking out the ones I have for Hat Kid’s homeworld first, as some of them will only make sense with those in mind.  That said, here we go:

The Shapeshifter

To most on the planet, the Shapeshifter is nothing more than a legend, an ancient figure few even know about and only through stories.  He’s a demonic entity bent on dragging his victims to the depths of despair, capturing their souls and/or life force to parade as them at will. 

He can only take the shape of those he’s absorbed.  In his true form, he looks like an amalgamated mess with a blackened core and multitude of eyes--that can emote different things and look in opposing directions, as if it were a glimpse of the armada of lost souls trapped inside him.  Even his voice reflects this, overlapping multiples into one insane voice as an echoing cacophony of sobs and screams underlines it if you dare to listen closely enough.  Few, however, see this form unless he wants them to.

There’s no particular type of person he’ll target: Anyone’s fair game and he’ll go after them through various means--offering deals, stepping in to pretend to be their only support, etc.  In the end, he always turns on them.  In the events of Act 2, he stayed in hiding to see which of the birds would fall to their worst natures and could be destroyed by them first: The Conductor with his arrogance and selfish ways or DJ Grooves with his envy and desperation to have his work recognized.  Hat Kid was a newcomer into the “game,” but as her actions pushed them both further on, he didn’t care.  Not until she changed them, that is.  Her actions and continued friendship forced the Conductor to taste a bit of humility and stopped DJ Grooves from letting his feelings/insecurities get the better of him.  Needless to say, the Shapeshifter wasn’t happy losing two potential victims.  He was, however, curious about the girl and all of her abilities--following her in secret from that point onward.

Mortals can’t really tell who he is unless he appears in his true form.  Ghosts and spirits, however, can sometimes sense him due to the extremely dark aura he oozes.  They’re also more capable of actually fighting him, so he has to be careful.  He has no friends among even the worst of spirits.  

The Badge Seller 

At one point in the distant past, Earth used to be an allied world to Hat Kid’s own.  A small mix of her people and Earth’s humans started a home where Subcon is now, where the large, shattered Time Piece is.  The Badge Seller was not only a member of a mixed generation of these people, but grew up to be a Clocksmith in charge of looking after the Time Piece prior to its destruction.  

When it did eventually shatter, releasing a wave of magic that wrecked the planet in various ways, many of Earth’s lifeforms were completely altered: Some animals gained sentience, some humans became part of a subspecies, and lifespans were stretched.  The Badge Seller had it worst: He was part of a rare, smaller group that became ageless.  This group--already having lost contact with HK’s homeworld and its resources due to its own fate--made it their duty to help watch after the planet in this strange, new age and see if they could make contact with other worlds.  Like the case with the Badge Seller’s body, each of them gradually became distorted, glitchy figures over time from their various experiences across different worlds, realms, and through time and space.  By the events of the game though, the Badge Seller is the only known survivor--the rest having been killed by different forces over the years. 

When they became the only one left, the Badge Seller used their magic to siphon the memories of their fallen friends into their own mind in order to gain a collective knowledge/wisdom that would allow them to follow the best courses of action in the future; however, this came at a great cost.  They lost their own identity, to the point where they can barely separate their individual memories from the giant pool stemming multiple people over the course of thousands of years.    

The Badge Seller continues with the group’s work in secret, but takes a much more neutral role now--only getting involved with the affairs of others when they feel they have to and letting the world run its course.  They feel there’s not much left for them to do now besides wait for the next cataclysmic event, that they don’t have much of a reason to be a part of a changing world beyond that given their own permanent, but out of place existence. 

Making their badges was a way of not only sharing knowledge and strength to those who might need them--limiting some badges only to those deemed worthy--but acted as a kind of hobby to make ends meet as they gradually became a kind of nomadic vendor. However, they are extremely interested in Hat Kid, being the only Clocksmith in a long while to appear on the planet’s surface.  A part of them would actually hope to take her under their wing as a sort of apprentice.  Hat Kid could learn a lot from them if that happened, but their centuries of loneliness might cause them to do something... drastic, as an end result of that training. 

The Badge Seller actually knows the Shapeshifter, and has crossed paths with him multiple times.  Out of anything else on the planet, they see the Shapeshifter as one of their final, uncompleted missions: A force that needs to be dealt with before he can hurt anyone else.  They hate each other.

[a-big-apple]

TAZ Fic Recs

I’m bad at keeping bookmarks or remembering titles or remembering authors’ names, so I’m keeping my TAZ recs in a post instead! There are TONS of great fics in this fandom, and here’s a surely incomplete list of some that brought me particular joy.

Newest additions to the list are at the top, last updated February 2020.

Hey hey, marry me Barry by @qpenguin98 - rated Teen and Up

If you want to just be emotionally shattered by romance in really lovely and positive ways, please read this fic. This might be my favorite Blupjeans story I’ve ever read. It’s beautiful, it’s skillfully and subtly written, it has great emotional payoff, and I cried a LOT. I don’t want to give too much description of the plot because it was really impactful going in blind, but it’s all about Barry and the rest of Lup’s family ganging up to make her (and themselves) really happy, and it’s beautiful.

because that’s what love is (equivalent exchange) by teacuptaako - rated Teen and Up

This fic broke me a little. It’s Barry’s POV on the Starblaster, getting to know everyone, falling in love with Lup, and trying to figure out Taako. This is a FAB outside perspective on Taako’s weird outer layers of personality. Plus Barry is just such a good dude, it’s impossible to not love this trip inside his head!

Dumb Interspecies Relations series by nah_tho - rated Explicit

If you’re into Taako and Brad Bradson, well, you’ve probably already read this series? But if you haven’t, DO. What starts out as a fun sexy romp gets plotty and full of worldbuilding, Taako is a fantastic mess, and Brad is trying real hard. This series is hilarious, hot, sometimes suspenseful, and the final story made me cry.

got a license to kill (and you know I’m going straight for your heart) by @hoothootmotherf-ckers - rated Teen and Up

THIS FIC WAS MY GIFT IN THE 2019 TAZ CANDLENIGHTS GIFT EXCHANGE, I STILL CANNOT BELIEVE IT. It’s so wonderful!! A multi-chapter assassin AU with some coffee shop and fake relationship in there too, unbelievable. Lup is a badass. Barry is adorable. They love each other, and also get shot at, and also fight Big Pharma. Please go read it, srsly.

After the War by theauthoress - Not Rated

This fic took a twist I haven’t seen before, and I loved it! Dredging up some good angst from Taako’s past and then from Kravitz’s, it delivers a punch and then soothes you again with some good sibling stuff. I don’t want to say more and give away the surprise, but if you like some Taakitz hurt/comfort, do check this one out.

Apogee by @charmandhex - rated Teen and Up

I admit, I am one of those who think Taako won’t ever forgive Lucretia, but that they can be civil again, and maybe even friends. This fic captures that so beautifully, how much history there is between them that neither of them can escape. It’s lovely, and Taako is baller, and I read it twice in a row.

you know, elf practice series by @anonymousalchemist - rated from General to Teen and Up

Yet another one that I can’t believe I didn’t already have on this list. I know the elf practice thing as a meme has mostly vanished into the tumblr ether, but these two fics are on my mind always. They’re just so unusual, and the kind of creepy that’s treated as matter-of-fact (which is the best kind of creepy). What if elves had to, you know, practice? To become elves? Just thinking about it gives me a shiver, I love this fairycore take on Taako and Lup and their upbringing.

the kid, the future forthcoming by @anonymousalchemist - rated Teen and Up

Seriously, how did I not have this on my list already, I reread it all the time! It’s so incredibly hard to make second person work, and this fic really works. It’s a short and compelling vignette of young Taako’s life, and young Taako-and-Lup’s life, and the difficulties of a scrappy teenhood. It’s a little heartbreaking, and full of perfect moments that I think about a lot. Also, tiny Barry cameo that gives me so many feels! Also also, just...the mood of it is so good, the inside-of-Taako’s-head feeling, wonderful.

Taking the dogs home by Anonymous - rated Mature

What an extremely quiet and beautiful story! Set after Story and Song, at Magnus’ house in an almost dreamlike country woods setting. Taako shows up out of the blue, perhaps escaping a problem he won’t discuss, and falls back into Magnus’ small town routine. There’s a lot of subtly layered domesticity and realistic, compelling Taagnus feeling. Also, a dog! 

Heads/Tails by unprofessionalbard - rated Teen and Up

Short and powerful! I loved this fic. A really well-characterized look at Taako and Kravitz, and how their jobs and their personal lives intersect and interfere with each other. I don’t want to give anything away because it unfolds really precisely, I think, so--just go read it! It’s awesome.

and at a certain age the child is grown by bimaukery - rated Teen and Up

This is a really beautiful, bittersweet modern AU. The IPRE family move into Angus’ grandpa’s house, while Angus is still there, and he can’t understand why. He watches them, tries in small ways to interact with them--as they try to figure out what to do about the little ghost haunting their new house. Honestly, go read this and cry over it for a while, it’s lovely.

The Shrike and the Thorn by JoyfullyyoursDav ( @keplercryptids ) - rated Teen and Up

If you haven’t had enough of crying about Taako and Lup, here’s a great fic for you. That Good Sibling Shit, flashbacks, memory loss, beautiful conversations, just...everything I could want in a lovely little package. Also, PLEASE check out this author’s other stories, so many great ones!

(when i think about you) flowers grow out of my grave by @phantomsteed - rated Teen and Up

This Taakitz fic is one of my fav kinds of modern AU: Taako works in a flower shop, Krav is a mortician, they meet cute and fall in love! The ensemble are all there in the background, including a very adorable Angus and a soon-to-be-married Carey and Killian, but what really got me about this is the gentle and steady way our favorite boys fall in love. There are also SUPER lovely illustrations by @karinhart sprinkled throughout!

a fool for lesser things by himemiyaa - rated Teen and Up

This fic charmed the PANTS off me, and made me teary to boot. Taako and Kravitz are new roommates in this community college AU (and, surprise, they end up together). I love the way Taako slowly opens up in this story, to Kravitz, to the community of friends Lup has built that he’s been keeping himself outside of, and especially to Garyl the cat. It feels so real, and like a reminder to myself to be more vulnerable in my own life! Please go read this, it will lift your spirits.

Among the Ruins by @distractedkat - rated Teen and Up

I don’t know how I went so long without finding this fic, and then for a little while I resisted because I wasn’t sure about the description. Finally over the weekend I read the whole thing in a sitting, and I’m SO glad I did. It’s fantastic!! This AU reimagines the canon if Taako’s time post-Sizzle It Up had gone differently. What follows from that is an engrossing and plausible version of events with lots of action, lots of funny lines, lots of feelings, and lots more Lup! There’s a little angst, a lot of twins and Taakitz goodness, and a wonderfully happy ending. If you’re looking for something nice and long to dive into, definitely try this one.

Angus McDonald and the Flight of the Flying V by @mystery-moose - rated Teen and Up

This was one of the first fics I read in this fandom, before I thought to keep track of things I liked or bookmark them to find them again. Then it turned up in @marywhal‘s rec list, and I was overjoyed to find it again! As the rest of this list will show, I have a special weakness for stories about Taako as Angus’ guardian, and this one really shaped my headcanons about their relationship. In the main portion of the story, a grown-up Angus with his own detective agency is working a case--with a bored and lonely Taako’s help. Interspersed with the mystery are flashbacks to their time on the road as Sizzle it Up with Taako and Company, achingly soft glimpses of Angus’ post-finale childhood as Taako and Kravitz’s sort-of-son. I think it was finished before the actual finale aired, so it isn’t entirely canon-compliant, but it captures the same tone beautifully.

i will buy the flower shop by @weatheredlaw - rated Teen and Up

I saved this fic for an emotionally rainy day, because I had a feeling it would brighten things up. It absolutely did! A modern restaurant AU with all the necessary found family feelings, and all of our favorite characters with lives that aren’t perfect but that get better with communication and vulnerability and persistent joy. If you’re looking for something poignant and satisfying, something to lighten a bad day, this fic is an excellent choice.

Taako and Hurley’s Maximum Fun Drive by detectivelion - rated Teen and Up

WHAT A ROMP! If you’re longing to get back to the high speed action of battlewagon racing, this is the fic to read. Set after the Day of Story and Song, the whole crew (Hurley and Sloane included, of course) face off in a madcap race that really recaptured the spirit of Petals to the Metal for me.

Bureau of Badass ( @bureauofbadass ) by @chemicallywrit  and @miceenscene  - rated Teen and Up

This fic almost feels too obvious to rec, and yet I can’t not. SUCH AN ENGROSSING READ! Take all your favorite characters, stick them in the 90′s, give them attitude and relatable problems, and put them on skates--then you’ve got this roller derby AU. I don’t even know what else to say about it, because if that doesn’t make you want to read it, nothing will. As of this writing it’s a WIP, but there are over 100 chapters extant to read and only a few more yet to come!

and the warmth will never die by Junkyard_Rose - rated Teen and Up

This is an extraordinary fic. It’s a modern setting AU in which Taako and Lup were separated as kids and have made lives for themselves while searching for each other, which is wonderful all by itself. What stands out about this one, though, is the non-chronological way it’s told. Every chapter gives little glimpses into the pasts and presents of both twins, sometimes the same events from different angles, revealing a tiny bit of new information each time. I never found it confusing, just extremely interesting and vibrant, and SO emotionally satisfying in the last few chapters! The prose is beautiful too, sometimes I read it aloud to myself!

songs for revelations by @weatheredlaw  - rated Mature

So many of weatheredlaw’s fics wreck me in a variety of ways, but this one is maybe my favorite. It only has two chapters so far, but it’s SO EVOCATIVE and unusual and sometimes I just sit and think about it and wonder what will happen next. It’s the soft-apocalypse-adjacent AU I didn’t know I needed. Or, if you want to get fucked up by something finished, try their series all the way across the universe!

Bury the Lead by @marywhal - rated Teen and Up

Such a brilliant story! High school AUs are hard to do well, I think, and this is one of the best. It’s an ensemble story but from Taako’s POV, filled with extremely relatable versions of all the characters we know and love. There’s newspaper nerdery, wicked cool language stuff, and a million great moments that made me laugh, or cry, or both. Even if you don’t like AUs, I urge you to try this one!

Patterns of Migration by goodnicepeople - rated Teen and Up

Let me preface this by saying that I really want to put EVERYTHING by this author on my list. Their stories are all incredible, soft and beautiful and painful in good ways. It was hard to choose a favorite to list here, but this one is really special and elegantly crafted. It follows Angus and Magnus as child and parent, a progression over time as Angus grows up and Magnus slows down. In later chapters the addition of Taako to the dynamic produces some really lovely scenes, and also some very sad scenes--I cried a TON reading it.

Angus McDonald and the Case of the Mysterious Butter Wyvern by yassan - rated General Audiences

This is one of the funniest fics I’ve read in this fandom so far, and one of the closest in tone to the actual show. THB plus Angus is a great equation no matter what they’re doing, but when they’re shopping for a birthday present for the Director it takes on a whole new level of crazy. 

what can the harvest hope for by lagaudiere - rated Teen and Up

I think this is the first story on this list from Kravitz’s POV, and it’s GREAT. Full of great Reaper Squad interactions and marvelous Taakitz scenes, alternating with a really interesting, sometimes a little creepy, examination of John Hunger in the Eternal Stockade. If you’re into gray-area redemption stories and Kravitz being wonderful, then this is for you.

Oh have you seen my ghost? by greenglowsgold - rated Mature

Let me say first: if abuse or assault with intent to rape are triggering for you, you’ll probably want to give this one a pass. If that’s not an issue, then this is an excellently written and heart-hurting story about Taako’s past with Sazed, as seen through an unexpected and dangerous encounter. It’s beautifully subtle, and the last few lines legit broke my heart.

Reverie - by ltdominic - rated Teen and Up

Update: Reverie is finished! And it’s so beautiful, everything the first chapter hinted it would be. It’s one of my favorite themes, fucked-up Taako recovering from losing memories and getting them back. It’s painful and lovely, featuring a family who can see that something is wrong but can’t quite fix it, intermingled with backstory flashbacks. This story really captures the day to day struggle; there’s a crisis, and improvement, but there’s no perfectly happy ending.

“Cute, but still fucked up.” - by writersstareoutwindows - rated General Audiences

If you’re looking for a short and sweet pick-me-up in your day, this is it! The author drops you into a pitch-perfect and adorable scene between Taako, Lup, and Angus. They’ve captured a teasing-but-loving dynamic between the three that made me grin like a lunatic.

Taste Test (They Were Delicious) - by @marywhal - rated Teen and Up

Another moving and wonderful Taako-centric fic, made up of a series of vignettes set from the Starblaster years onward. Each section features a different meal (with a recipe, which is exciting), and a beautifully-written glimpse into Taako’s relationships. Lup features heavily, as one might guess, but the real through line is Lucretia, who poignantly bookends the story.

it takes a village - series by neverwinter ( @nxymxrjr ) - ratings range from General to Mature

This series is a modern AU full of extremely beautiful and moving found family interactions, told mostly from Angus’ point of view, and heavily featuring Taako as his legal guardian. You will notice if you read through this rec list that Taako and Angus as flawed-father-figure-and-son is MY FAVORITE THING, and this author does it so, so well. There’s some good parenting, some good sibling stuff with Taako and Lup, lovely Taakitz romance, and frequent cameos by the rest of the TAZ family. None of the stories in the series are explicit so far, but mind the tags for things like mental health issues, past abuse, and blood. Also, DEFINITELY check out their other TAZ stories!

with a pace and fury defiant - by redqueentheory - rated Mature

This author explores Taako’s inner life post-finale and the darker emotions that could follow that glorious happy ending. When he locates Kalen, he and Merle plan a road/camping trip with Magnus as cover and set off to avenge Julia. It’s beautifully written, sometimes painfully emotive (in a good way), and describes so much of what I headcanon about Taako’s feelings and how he deals with them that it’s like the author was reading my mind. It’s WONDERFUL (but check the tags, there is some violence). Do check out their other work as well, especially if you are into Bradko!

running into the sun (but i’m running behind) - by @quillyfied - rated General Audiences

Set between Crystal Kingdom and 11th Hour, this is a fantastic THB bonding fic! The bubble cannon breaks and strands the boys in the middle of the Faerun countryside, forcing them into a road trip that alternates wonderfully between sweet moments, drama from the past coming back to bite them, and very funny goofs. Their voices feel really in character to me, and the tone of this story is light enough that it could be a bonus episode of the show. I absolutely loved it, and I reread it all the time! Also, if you are a Davenchurch fan, definitely read i have loved the stars too fondly.

Wizard of Fortune - series by @fiercebadrabbit - rated General Audiences

This author has resisted the temptation to make Taako a Reaper when he dies--instead, he becomes a servant of Istus, creating a unique, beautiful, fascinating version of the far future in the Balance universe. I LOVE IT, so so much. Taako’s unusual personality shines through in all of his interactions, viewed through the eyes of the strangers who benefit from the hand of Fate. The writing has a lovely, mystical feel, which is a style I adore! This author has also written some very charming Taakitz, so check that out as well.

UPDATE: When fiercebadrabbit asked for ficlet requests, I excitedly asked for more Taako as a servant of Istus--and got THIS WONDERFUL GEM in reply! Go read it for excellent sibling sass!

through the days you will dream of losing me and losing you - by @androidsfighting - rated Teen and Up

I love stories about memory, and this one BREAKS ME every time I read it. An exceptionally written look at Taako after the finale and how he recovers (or doesn’t) from the effects of the Voidfish. There’s some really excellent Taako and Lup scenes, some great Barry, some great Lucretia, and lots of very visceral prose about remembering and forgetting and the confusion in between. It’s fairly short, but packs a powerful punch. I feel like this is both the fic I’ve wanted since hearing the finale and also the fic I’ve been trying to write since finishing the finale, so it’s both perfect and intimidating!

Luster - by @lsunnyc - rated Mature

This one is a WIP, but nearly done and worth the wait! After the finale, Taako is abducted from the train on a business trip to Goldcliff. The story alternates between Taako’s perspective, imprisoned but viciously determined to escape, and the rest of the TAZ family trying frantically to track him down when they realize he never made it to his destination. It’s SO DAMN GOOD YOU GUYS. Taako is very in character here and his intelligence and power really shine under stress; the worldbuilding of the “prison” where he’s trapped is also precise and fantastic. Every day that this fic has an update is a Good Day for me. Keep an eye on the tags though, there’s some carefully written dubcon.

Our own, soft hearts - series by @wildgoosery - ratings range from Teen to Explicit

If you, like me, longed to hear more of Taako and Kravitz on dates, then this series is your antidote! They’re so in character, and they’re so in love, and their every interaction is so wonderful. This fic really brings me joy, and also is sexy as hell. Also, the most recent installment is a wonderfully drawn fan comic! The author’s other work is also sexy and great, do check it out!

<3 If you’ve made it all the way to the bottom of this list and want even more fic to read, may I humbly suggest mine? Mostly about Taako, light touches of angst, and hopefully prose that approaches the wonderfulness of the stories I’ve recced here. 

[reginrokkr]

𝐗𝐗𝐗𝐕𝐈𝐈. Birth of a thought made manifest in human flesh —Dáinsleif's origins—.

◜The Winged One's regret or remorse gave birth to a thought, and as he imagined the path that could have been taken, a new soul was born.◞

As a result of the war waged against the Second Who Came, Nibelung and the ensuing chaos with the leaking Forbidden Knowledge that had to be subdued lest the world was plunged into darkness, thus left with no chances for survival, Phanes' functions were ruined and could no longer use their absolute authority to suppress the original order of this world. In combination with his severely wounded state, the Usurper glimpsed into the wrongs of his deeds and the ones bound to come after if he were to be deteriorated further due to the influence of the Forbidden Knowledge, the loathing and resentments of the world or other forces that could take advantage of his weakened state.

He who loved his human creations more than anyone, and He who cursed the gods to come after to love humans saw himself mired in hypocrisy the moment his creations were at disadvantage the most and were kept in the highest regard no longer due to his own decisions' and that of his closest circle, who should follow his will. Thus in a moment of weakness and lucidity, his regret gave birth to a thought— to a what if. What if things were different, what if his initial desire continued without struggling against the vicissitudes and personal agendas, what if he was stronger to not let himself be corrupted to this point of apparent no return.

What if he could undo everything that made his sacred plans evil.

From these last thoughts was Dáinsleif born as a soul, nurtured in a seed in Irminsul's benevolent aura out of its kindness and will for the world to cease fighting against its own natural orders and to diminish the loathing and resentments of the world that the Primordial One has caused. One day of the countless moons this seed basked under the moonlight and Irminsul's might, he was born in the material world in Celestia as a human, a manifestation of the origins never known by others of Phanes' closest circle until divine's eyes fell upon him. Unrest was among them, yet only muted at the knowledge that they could do with him as they pleased. So repeating the cycle of a once heiress of Celestia that failed in her task to retrieve the Pearl of Genesis and believed herself to be the queen of the kingdom of darkness, Dáinsleif was sent there with the intent to erase his memories of any ties he could have to Celestia.

Thus he would have no connection with the divine, nor his actions would suppose betrayal to any— for it is them who betrayed them first, abandoned him to his fortune. Unbeknownst to them, he who they abandoned would be the one to silence the source of all sins in the deepest abyss and undo the wrongs that began with the greatest Usurper, as well as reweaving all threads of fate.

It would all begin in Khaenri'ah, where Dáinsleif has drifted with a mission he recalls no more, and where he would mature his views of the world, limited at the time as they may be. His love for humanity and pursuit to defend them limitless as the Primordial Sea from where all life is born, even if his personal beliefs about the laws set in the kingdom and its deeds may differ drastically from what it would be expected of anyone who arrives to the kingdom established along the roots of Irminsul.

[reginrokkr]

𝐗𝐗𝐕𝐈𝐈𝐈. Return to the surface from the Kingdom of Darkness —Black Cataclysm unbound—.

When the divine's wrath came to an end and all there was left is the hell they caused to spill open and crawl its way to the surface, a plethora of struggles were present in Twilight Sword's mind. Not only there were abyssal beasts of Rhinedottir's creation running to and from before none of them were left in Khaenri'ah territory, two new kind of monsters appeared: transcendent ones and hilichurls. The first more aggressive than the latter would not hesitate to command them to attack those who opposed the dark ways that were undercover until then. Not only that, even people who had yet to meet their end as a hilichurl, as a transcendent or by passing away with the tear and wear of countless years of life to come that found fascination in these creatures and added fuel to the flames of revenge against the Seven joined the madness.

Difficulty to discern innocent from foe was prevalent no matter how far Dáinsleif advanced. Oppose if he would against these, he would find himself under the risk of finding no other way to escape than to slay humans and monsters alike. This sense of being lost and confusion alongside his own grief and wounds sustained from fighting against the divine worsened his condition.

Irminsul was the first destination he encountered in his wayward path to go to the surface —to Teyvat—, where he would find a dying goddess he hasn't seen in the catastrophe tending the sacred tree. There, a vow was made between mortal and divine, so paradoxical in its manifestation as logic would dictate for them to be enemies instead. Understanding the dangers of Irminsul falling to the poisonous void to the entire world and perceiving its pain, Dáinsleif entrusted the last of his connection with the Axis Mundi to Rhukkadevata as a last resort assistance, key to give her the remaining power she needed to solve the crisis albeit momentarily. It wouldn't be until one day in a distant future that Dáinsleif would continue to exist, the issue would be permanently solved. One duty for another, was the deal. Having come to terms with her impending demise Rhukkadevata would give everything to restore Irminsul, while Dáinsleif would offer a vow in exchange for her absence in Sumeru: he would restore the nation's peace in her name, but also to appease his still lost self that no innocent people will suffer the wrath of the condemned.

Unbeknownst to Dáinsleif, Rhukkadevata's manifestation through the sacred bird Simurgh and her daughters.

The first daughter to be born found an unconscious Dáinsleif holding tightly a ring. Half-monster he was now, but not an ounce of demonic breath could be found in him, nevertheless. By some miracle, Zurvan's mercy or some spiritual reassurance from the now celestial plane that he is to be trusted by that which should've been forgotten but failed in the first Samsara, Dáinsleif was brought to the sea of flowers nonetheless to recover. For terribly flawed, curse and corrupted as he was, genuine innocence and purity could be found in him.

Black Cataclysm swayed everywhere left and right, with sunless and moonless black skies and a prophetic vision reflected in the shattered celestial dome. Where compatriots now turned into transcendent ones wanted to devour the last drop of purity and etheric essence of the land, Dáinsleif saw in them enemies that he reluctantly had to face at the detriment of psychological damage he would suffer in loneliness, wounds still too fresh to now slay people he once protected. But he had to. For the potential masses whose only sin was to be born under the Seven endangered by the now abyssal forces, for his Khaenri'ahn compatriots that were too weak or too afraid to come to Sumeru on their own— hard as the decision was, his heart was true and so were his intentions to dispel the Black Cataclysm from Sumerian lands.

The vast darkness was crossed by Dáinsleif, Zaruvan —the first Pari— and the one-armed sage in order to perform the Rites of Ab-Zohr and Chinvat to restore Harvisptokhm and with it, cleanse the land from the impurities of the dark hollow. Dev's demons disappeared slowly and etheric rainwater fell, giving birth to countless of Pari. In this moment, Dáinsleif returned to assist whatever Khaenri'ahn survivors were left, as there were no more dangers ahead other than the autochthonous creatures and they would have somewhere safe to reach after facing hell and back in their arduous road from Khaenri'ah to Teyvat. Though his deeds weren't recorded by humans, the Pari and the spiritual always remember his feats and regard him as nothing short of a hero for what his deeds brought to Sumeru.

But the journey is just about to begin, for there are other four nations each with their crises where the Black Cataclysm is involved and a destiny to find— a purpose to be in an unwanted and forceful existence he must bear for centuries to come.

[reginrokkr]

𝐗𝐗𝐈𝐗. Vestiges of a quincentennial curse —lift of the celestial demonic curse—.

There is no doubt that however Dainsleif comes to push through the curse of immortality, he's a noteworthy exception. A prevalent symptom of this curse is numbness and loss of any skill that requires his body with the passages of time, one which he lacks to completion given his unquestionable expertise in the battlefield even after 500 years and his praised senses. However, even if he lacks this symptom in particular and others that lean more in the psychic realm, he isn't exempt from physical pain.

Said physical pain is no different than feeling demons inside him wanting to crawl out of his skin, given the fact that he was partially corrupted and because the curse, divine as it may be, holds a degree of the same essence of corruption and the transcendent ones: void. This pain accentuates in times when he's at his low mentally given intense and recurrent PTSD events within a short time span, as the void magnifies one's negative sentiments to the point where giving in to corruption is a kinder escape from all that pain than fighting against it. There is a second factor that accentuates his physical pain, which is the clash between void and ether within his being. These antagonistic energies face one another when the levels of void within his organism increase (be it due to the curse in itself, due to sustaining injuries in his fights against the Abyss Order or purifying attempts) and its excess is too great for the ether inside him to absorb it all.

Furthermore, given his self-imposed solitary life he's led, he never knew anything kinder than the pain he carried until the void is silenced in Teyvat and all threads of fate are rewoven by himself.

Lifting up the curse of immortality upon him doesn't mean that the pain ends right there. Surely the sources of his pain are gone, but 500 years of physical pain cannot be erased with the curse, if it can at all after a considerable amount of time to adjust himself to this new reality. His cognition had grown used to the pain so much that even when it's no longer there, it can be felt— partly because he didn't know anything else other than pain for several centuries. Thus if he's touched at this stage of his life, no matter how soft and careful the touch may be, it'd be beyond him not to flinch, jump or tremble under the touch if he's forcing himself to not pull away from it. With this frustration may entail from knowing that he's no longer in pain but his body reacts negatively against his will. It will be an arduous journey for him to come to terms that being touched, unless intended to be like that, doesn't hurt. And with time he will find out that he's been deprived from something as simple as a kind touch for so many centuries that he will seek it with the adequate person and if their relationship warrants it.

[reginrokkr]

𝐗𝐗𝐕. A power from beyond to defy the destiny —Heavenly Principles— of this world.

When delusions and whispers of the void permeate in Khaenri'ahn's society more than initially expected, the result is nothing but desire for more than what they already have. Hiding from the new divine order, founding a kingdom concealed from their gaze and creating their own ecosystem to thrive wasn't enough for those who forsook every ounce of sanity left. More was needed.

When the success of harnessing infinitesimal amounts of poisonous abyss presented to their very eyes as a means to create it into energy, the notion of controlling its entirety sprung. The reason? The knowledge that this energy of darkness has come with the arrival of the new wave of impostors and self-proclaimed divinity that they've escaped from, as well as the wisdom that this dark energy is detrimental to the gods.

Control that which not even the gods can and you shall control everything, is what they thought.

And with that the fervency to negotiate with the deadly Abyss was born and summonings were made. From the distant corner of the universe two millennial stars have made their descent to Teyvat as a result of the Heaven's answer— the True Sky, the Abyss. With Viatrix's descent renewed strength and new hope arrived at the premise that the Abyss has answered them at all. Through her they would be able to control the Abyss, for in their delusional minds, she was the Abyss. Thus she was made a figure of worship.

In this blog's canon she won't be Khaenri'ah's princess, albeit the rest will still remain. When Khaenri'ah at the time lacked someone of actual royal descent to fill the empty slot of the king's throne and only a regent took such position at the time, it seems off that an outsider would fill in the place of a royal.

As for Dain's stance, he is skeptical and mistrustful of this. As a man of high standing within the society, oracle-priest of Irminsul and Twilight Sword, he is well aware of the intricacies of Khaenri'ah's culture. As he is cognizant of the people who are obsessed and delirious from following the former King Irmin's steps and more within several millennia in the past. Dain is part of a minority that only seeks to uphold Khaenri'ah at its very origin: to stay away from the gods and live their own lives in parallel with the others' on Teyvat's surface without disturbing one another's peace.

Due to his place in the Khaenri'ahn society, he knows Lumine and has struck few conversation with her in the few times they have met, albeit his behavior towards her is one of neutrality. It is nothing short of a miracle that she came from somewhere in the distant universe to Khaenri'ah and that she may be willing to help with the cause so that one less despair would arise in a different world she has never been before earlier and he treats her with the respect deserving towards an entity that is as ancient and is capable of transcending the borders of the universe, but no more. For Dain doesn't support the collective delusion many peers of Khaenri'ah suffer from, and his hopes linger in the possibility that she would imply a change to stop this obsession lest another line is crossed that would warrant the ire of the gods.

Nonetheless, said line has already been crossed with the summoning of the cosmic voyagers.

[reginrokkr]

𝐗𝐗𝐕𝐈. Opposite reflections in one same mirror: Ether and Void.

Outside the realm of the seven elements exist two different and mysterious energies of a different order that may exert power over them, thus they stand in a higher place in the order in terms of rules.

The nature of the 'Abyss' [Void] is essentially irreconcilable with the elements. However, even the elements of gods can be entrapped and distorted before they are subsumed to become tools of the abyssal will. Moreover, albeit their powers may cause irreparable damage to all living beings due to its main characteristic which precipitates everything to death (unless one receives its blessings, giving them the category of transcendent one) or the magnification of ill sentiments harbored in a negative heart, harnessing the power of the Abyss is not as different as doing so with any of the seven elements.

The nature of Ether [Khvarena as the local denomination in the Realm of Farakhkert], on the other hand, assimilates whatever materials and energies it comes into contact with it as opposed to the Void which entraps and distorts them. Furthermore, it has the ability to eliminate or reverse the influence of the Abyss —a type of annihilation reaction—.

Despite their differences, just as they both stand at the same level in terms of rules, they both harbor the capacity to re-write the rules as well as both have a will or a form of self-recognition.

As the Light Prince before him, Dáinsleif was born with Ether within him which, unlike the Abyss, it re-writes the rules of this world in such a manner that brings benefits: reinvigoration of other living beings around him standing at the highest with the undeniable aura around him that continued in his stay in Khaenri'ah. Among its capacities to re-write the rules of the world, he also counts with the ability to defy gravity in performing telekinetic abilities (such as when he seized an Abyss Herald in a strong grip), matter (as when he retrieved the eye of the first Field Tiller through its carcass without damaging the Mechanical Warden), enhance his own speed, heal to a small extent and reverse the effects of the Abyss to an extent. Furthermore, he is capable of using elements within his vicinities by assimilating them with Ether at will.

His connection to Irminsul magnifies greatly his capabilities with the etheric power in a moment in which Void exceeded its present within his body than Ether, as a result of the curse he bears and the corruption. It is thanks to his connection to Irminsul that not only his initial Ether was restored, but increased. With it, he acquires a complete ability to eliminate and reverse any Abyssal traces, to heal at a major extent so the treated wound doesn't become mortal and ensure with absolute certainty that death will not occur and, lastly, the assimilation of elements without the need to resort to elements in his strict vicinities. Given that Ley Lines carry the seven elements and they are Irminsul's veins, he can touch upon their power by making Ether assimilate them on his own volition.

[reginrokkr]

𝐗𝐗𝐕𝐈𝐈. Spectrum of abilities of a fallen celestial: kingdom of light, true sky’s encounter and aria of the Truth II.

Depending on the stage of life Dain is in, he is in the possession of a pool of abilities or another that distributes in three different periods of time. During his stay in Celestia before his descent to Khaenri’ah, the years he spent in Khaenri’ah and the post-Cataclysm stage up until the present time.

Post-Cataclysm: Due to the curse laid by the gods as well as the corruption he experienced, Dain lost all trace of celestial energy that resided within him (with the exception of the housing of the missing Shining Shade’s spirit) and the right his soul had to ascend to the spiritual plane by attaining gnosis (not the gnosis of the Archons, but the enlightenment / knowledge tied to the Gnosticism) even if via Irminsul he does attain enlightenment. However, thanks to his now complete connection to Irminsul, he achieved a series of traits and new abilities.

↳ Omniscience: Given the ties he has with the spiritual tree, Dain is able to tap into the factual knowledge engraved in the Ley Lines at will.

↳ Divination: Occasionally, he receives brief flashes of an event to come of the future via mute imagery.

↳ Purification: It allows him to get rid of any targeted chaos within a living being or an inert body. The duration of the purification process depends on how much chaos there is to decimate as long as the amount of it isn’t big. If it happens to be the case, Dain can absorb the chaos within his body and let it purify with time due to the influence of the Ley Lines that scar part of his body. If the absorbed chaos matches the amount that was needed to corrupt him to the degree he is or it’s less than that, Dain will not suffer any consequences given to the resistance he acquired for it. If the amount exceeds instead, he might experience certain symptoms.

↳ Curative abilities: They have the main intent of soothing pain and make the target be safe as to not suffer bigger consequences due to the injury they sustained but not heal completely. For instance, if someone were to suffer from blood loss, being targeted by Dain’s curative abilities would force their target’s body to scar faster than what the average anatomy would. This in turn might cause an exhaustion on the target given that their body is spending its energies at a faster rate and their body should be sustained with a larger amount of nutritional benefits. Given the consequences of forcing a human’s body into a faster recovery, most of the times Dain opts for removing someone’s pain and give closure to a wound from growing deeper than its current stage. However, what kind of curative ability he chooses is arbitrary and circumstantial. Auto-regenerative abilities stemming from the initial curative ones can be used upon himself when needed.

↳ Ether usage: This elemental use remains the same as it was before being inflicted with the curse of the gods and the corruption with a new enhancement: due to his complete connection to Irminsul, he’s able to tap into the other six elements he didn’t make use of before (first cryo, then hydro, electro, geo, anemo and dendro) by the same means as he did with pyro: joining any element with ether.

Post-Ragnarök: Once all the corrosive Void is purged from Teyvat and the curse and restrictions of the gods lifted from him, Dain is able to ascend to the spiritual plane and thus attain enlightenment. This provokes that he not only recovers what he has initially lost, but transcend the shackles of humanity imposed to him and that which his spirit always remained as (a celestial being / luminary / seraph) can be displayed in the material realm at will.

↳ Invigorating / Soothing / Etheric aura: An invisible aura —only visible dimly to other likewise creatures— that exudes from him at all times, soother of maladies related to forbidden knowledge / void / any of its forms which also fortifies around him.

↳ Omniscience: The source of this knowledge shifts from Irminsul to the Imaginary Tree.

↳ Purification: Unlike its predecessor, only copious amounts of this energy can affect him as his purification capacity without resorting to absorption is increased exponentially.

↳ Ether usage: Given that wherever he goes Ley Lines no longer exist, his innate capacity to use other elements by assimilating Ether with them disappears. In order for him to retain this ability, he must make use of the elemental energy in situ in order to use it (ice in a snowy field).         ↳ By gathering the existing ether within him but also surrounding him in a minor capacity (only when the amount of ether required exceeds his own innate capacity to retain this element as part of him, which is a big amount as it includes his very soul), Dain is able to: boost his speed, use telekinetic abilities, apply pressure to his will and negate the poisonous void.

[reginrokkr]

𝐗𝐗𝐗𝐈𝐈𝐈. Aether and pneuma: animating causes of the universe, heavens, planets and living beings.

During my research to alter Dain's background prior to his descent to Khaenri'ah, there has been something stuck in my mind specially post-Fontaine release. Back when Enkanomiya was released, there was mention of two new elements as code names more than to referring to the elements themselves: ether and void. They're easily skippable and maybe even inconsequential to some as they're only mentioned once to discuss research performed on vishaps, even more so when in Genshin elements always draw their name from Greek. However, while void stands true to this as it lacks a Greek term (which could be arguably ουσία, or an alternate form if proven that there is a difference between terms associated with the Abyss, κενό [void, emptiness]), it's not the same for ether.

If we're to separate two elements that don't take part in the seven we're used to, we'll get whatever represents the heaven and the abyss (maybe hell even, although I digress a bit on this for reasons). Furthermore, if we're to tie different elements in colors and connect them to the heavenly and abyssal themes, we have:

Heaven → Blue and gold (and white). Abyss → Purple and red (and black).

For this headcanon in particular as a means to establish in more detail what Dain is using, I will focus on the heavenly aspect. However, I will say that it'll be interesting to see somewhere down the line if there is some differentiation in the abyssal part and the why we see it mostly represented as purple, while Marana is described to be as one and the same but it's red.

In multiple instances of the story, we encounter energies that are associated with heaven when they are blue or gold in color and personally, I've been treating them as the same for quite a long time until I began to think about Irminsul and then with Fontaine's release. In Khvarena of Good and Evil, we learn about René who has been investigating new energy resources for Fontaine in a short term and for something beyond the crisis of Fontaine in a longer term. Khvarena, the blue/green energy is described to hold similar characteristics with Void but at the same time they're different. Khvarena is the element that later on is going to be known as πνεῦμα‎‎ in Fontaine, part of the pneumousia energy phenomenon by controlled annihilation of one another (due to their opposing characteristics in what makes them different) and ἀρχή [arché] in terms of fighting. Nevertheless, we still have [a]ether (from now on I'll address to this as aether, as I think that it was written ether to make a differentiation from Aether) that doesn't seem to fall anywhere in this yet even if it should be technically the same or at least similar enough to be kept in the equation, so I've been searching up what they exactly are as they tend to be used interchangeably and both can refer to soul or breath of life:

Aether → Material element of the cosmos and upper stratum of the air that envelops the mountain peaks, clouds, stars, sun and moon, depicted in a bright blue color (the middle stratum envelops the mortal world while the lowest one, the realm of the dead). Also considered as the fifth element, the actual first essential element where all other elements in the universe spring from. It's responsible for causing the "vital heat" and the name in itself may stem from ἀρχή [beginning, origin, source of action, first principle].

Pneuma → Breath, flare, life, soul, spirit, angel, demon, divine breath. Considered to be necessary for the function of vital organs and our ability to move, essential for maintaining the vital heat in the body, and the element that sustains our consciousness.

While they may seem similar in many aspects and are considered even synonymous, we can infer that Aether is where everything originates from and responsible for causing the vital heat, whereas Pneuma sustains this vital heat in every living being and essentially forms every living being's soul, consciousness or psyche— furthermore, it's said that the highest form of pneuma is considered to be the divine spirit.

To conclude this, considering that HYV draws inspiration from real life concepts and the similarities presented in Genshin, I'm drawn to think that what's in Irminsul is aether— which fits the concept of being where all other elements stem from and, these elements, are what sustain and nurture Teyvat in a planetary way. For my interpretation of Dain, what he uses is Aether and not Pneuma.

[reginrokkr]

𝐗𝐗𝐗𝐈𝐈. Dying hope vs imperishable hope.

One of the things that caught my attention of everything that surrounds mainly René and Jakob is that, while their intentions seem to be positive as they also look forward to build a safe world for their cherished ones besides humanity, is that instead of using their strength to prevent the world from going in the direction of the prophecy they've seen of what Teyvat will look like in centuries into the future, they're spending their strength to achieve survival in this post-apocalyptic world. Which implies that they either didn't come up with a solution to save Teyvat now or they're believing blindly that said fate will happen no matter what.

Concurrently there is Dain who is also fighting to safeguard Teyvat and the people within it by actively opposing the Abyss Order (who most likely will have a great role in what the world looks like in the prophecy René and Jakob know) as himself to potentially mend what he couldn't do in the past to save Khaenri'ah and so that no more people will suffer what Khaenri'ahns did (those who didn't fall into obsessions and just wanted to live their lives far from the gods' gaze) and so that the people of Teyvat not suffer again another cataclysmic-like event and the Abyss Order's delusions, as they seek to plunge everything in darkness with little regard of the others, seen in a negative light for choosing to live under the Seven. But also potentially as the Bough Keeper— I've been thinking about more options of what could lead the world into not having water at all to begin with, which constitutes one of the seven elements that run through ley lines as Irminsul's extension and I presume that Irminsul will perish too in that future-to-come. Although there will be surely more elements that work in harmony with Irminsul to ensure the safety of Teyvat (such as the seemingly mandatory cooperation between gods and humans, otherwise they won't be able to survive— not even gods, as the humans' intervention is highly relevant too), it's known that Irminsul sustains the entirety of the world, so it's highly likely that this may be one of the reasons why Teyvat might look that way.

While René and Jakob base their actions in their own investigations, experiments and calculations after an exhaustive research of old civilizations, the Abyss and Khvarena, one would think that their course of action could be the only solution. If fate is absolute and that's Teyvat's fate, then by common sense there is no changing it. However, on the other side we have Dain who is a self-proclaimed pessimist who is working on preventing the world's demise rather than spending his power on ensuring human's survival in the post-apocalyptic Teyvat. It would be interesting to see him facing this, to have what he knows questioned and see what he thinks about it. But I feel like fate will have a strong role in all of this, and who knows if among the Abyss Order's schemes of the Loom of Fate operation they do want to change said fate if they're aware of it (something tells me that they're more rudimentary and driven by negative feelings such as hatred, Jakob criticizes them quite strongly and for a while I've been thinking the exact same: eventually, they won't be doing any better than Celestia does). In the case the Abyss Order did contemplate this outcome (perhaps they saw transcendence in turning into what we know as abyssal creatures and that way they'd survive that post-apocalyptic world too most likely) and either don't care and don't desire to change that fate or they can't, I'm positive that Dain may have that possibility himself seeing that re-weaving all threads of fate depends on him as per Travail.

[reginrokkr]

𝐗𝐗𝐈𝐕. Origins lost to time of a celestial being: Hesperus, bringer of light.

It is said that seraphs stand the closest to the Creator in the hierarchy of angels and these, known as the Shining Shades created in the image of the One were four. These may also be known as luminaries, which are also four and are emanations of the Supreme Entity. Together alongside the individual the four of them create are passed through history as the Five Saints.

Among these four, one of them —Hesperus— descended to the moonlight kingdom nearby the realm of night with the intention to save these people from the clutches of night's darkness and bring them to the other side of the moon. Hesperus, known as the evening star but also known as a light bringer possessed a solar aura that made him akin to the sun made flesh and bone, the Light Prince. Alas, before he could do his bidding he suffered betrayal from the pygmies and was left in a death-like stance by the Night Mother, a stance that is reversible if the adequate individual comes to save him.

This has occurred before the invaders came and their dark poison caused plagues and arose delusions left and right, before they warred against the Seelies and the Four remaining Saints alike. Hesperus, with the remaining strength he had, he transmigrated his soul to a newborn of the heavens from a different era, believing that his siblings and his Creator would continue dwelling the kingdom of the skies only to realize that the heavens have become demonic.

This newborn is the prophesized by the Night Mother whom would put a stop to her reign and that would be the only contender she would fear, taking advantage of this fact so that this newborn one day would save him too— which is the only speck of hope he had in an era where the Saints no longer existed and were erased from history.

Though the spirit of Hesperus remains dormant within the prophesized prince of the heavens —Dáinsleif—, during his childhood he had dreams which in truth were glimpses of memories of the Shining Shade that represents logos and whom brought light via thoughts put to words. These dreams are the precursor of curiosity satiated via Irminsul that gave him limited wisdom at the time— wisdom that he was not meant to know in the eyes of the higher entities of Celestia.

It is thanks to Hesperus' spirit that Dáinsleif was born with a solar aura, though those who believe that it is the only light that stems from him are wrong. The solar aura merely opaques the inner light he possesses, only noticeable when the solar and later on lunar aura wear off byproduct of the curse and corruption and passage of time.

Hesperus has another name only unique because he never became a fallen angel, as the heavens had yet to become demonic at the time he was put in a death-like stance. Reason why he lacks a name within the Ars Goetia, but a name from the Shem HaMephorash which collides with the former: Haziel is his alternate name, angel of secrets and mysteries.

Though in essence Dáinsleif is no angel —these stopped existing altogether with the coming of the demonic skies, the fall of the Saints and the true angels: the Seelies—, he is a celestial being whose level of reality was heightened by Hesperus' spirit within him and Irminsul's connection. As his memories were erased by Celestia upon his descent to Khaenri'ah, he has no knowledge over the fact that he's a celestial being, even less about the presence of a divine spirit within him.

However, there is the sentience and acknowledgement that he is no ordinary human in view that the modifications done to Irminsul's data and thus the world's memories do not affect him. The most evident clue remains within his Realm of Consciousness: where his voice has the might of a seraph and his appearance changes slightly. His platinum blond hair, turning whiter as the corruption and the curse advance as well as whenever he performs a purification, is completely white as a signal of the multifactorial weathering of his soul, but also as per his connection to Irminsul. A celestial blue sheen bathes his hair and his sclera becomes the color of his irises while his irises invert to white, the Star of Bethlehem-shaped pupils remain icy sapphire as they are originally, thus giving him an ethereal appearance.

[reginrokkr]

𝐗𝐗𝐈𝐈𝐈. Sapphire, spiritual veins that connect souls of defunct and alive alike: on telepathy.

Amongst the many denominations and functions Irminsul has, its Ley Lines are also known as spiritual veins that carry the souls of the defunct in a physical manner, albeit their remain in this world in a spiritual way until a ritual is done to relieve the Ley Lines and with it, release the souls to the afterlife that corresponds them. These souls not only belong to those who have passed away, but to everyone who was registered by Irminsul as the way it has to reproduce memories via Ley Lines is to project something that matches with what they absorbed at the time, while at the same time they are no mere projections: they can interact with the environment within the memory in itself and with people from differing timespans.

While telepathy is reserved to the divine (two of which connected to Irminsul, one of them no longer in godhood) and it stands to reason that this couldn't be of any other way, there is a detail in the way that Wanderer uses telepathy that serves as key in order to make it happen: a connection. During 3.1 we see Haypasia excited over the fact that she thinks that she has achieved Paripurna Life, the epitome of true insight and allegedly the state of mind that can gather any knowledge, when in truth what she did was connect with Scaramouche at the time and she was able to see his memories and hear his thoughts and feelings.

This lets on the fact that there is a need for a link or a connection for individuals that weren't born divine while those who are can let their words be heard by those who they wish at will (Nahida and the mysterious female who talks to Traveler at the end of Wanderer's AQ), or communicate with others via dreams (once again, Nahida and Greater Lord Rhukkadevata before her, but also Zhongli). Back to Wanderer who achieved godhood earlier on in his life, one of the things that characterize him is his brief connection to Irminsul and the possibility to establish a telepathic connection with Traveler even by bypassing Nahida's supervision. It could be because of the manner his godhood was achieved, it could be because of his connection to Irminsul.

For Dain in specific, I want to focus on his connection to Irminsul to build a path to feasibility that he can establish telepathic communications too. Starting from the fact that Ley Lines permeate the entirety of the world, this would make for a good starter in order to find the soul of who he wants to communicate with. Nevertheless, it is not as simple given the fact that he is no god, thus while the possibility is there, it isn't without its restrictions. I want to stress on the importance of a connection. As in Scaramouche's case a good lead to connect with Traveler telepathically for the first time could've been Haypasia who connected to him first and was able to envision his memories and hear his thoughts and feelings, so does Dain need a lead in order to establish this communication.

This can happen via three methods: 1) to permeate beforehand the individual of desire in question with Ether, 2) to establish a thread of connection with someone who he gave an Inteyvat or 3) to make the individual imagine a specific landscape that Dain described to them previously.

In the first case, given how rare Ether as an element can be to find, were he feel something that isn't the Ley Lines or Irminsul that has Ether within them, it will make it easy for him to discern what that thing actually is, even more so if it is a living being.

The second case scenario can apply with the Inteyvat as they're rare flowers and only as many living people are in their possession— by connection to the Ley Lines of the very location said person is in, Dain will be able to know who is this person without reaching out to a different person by mistake, there will be no mistake in this.

In the last case, the landscape in question that has to be imagined is nothing less than the appearance of Dain's realm of consciousness: an enormous field of Inteyvats atop an ocean of stars, with the celestial dome cracked (like Fischl's dreamscape) and an infinite nocturne sky with glimmering stars and the moonlight shining through and, at the center, the Irminsul tree. The second method is more intimate, as it is not a mere telepathic communication but a communion of souls in Dain's realm of consciousness where they can see each other.

Suffice to say, in order for this to happen Dain must have a strong bond with the individual in question. When this happens his voice will suffer a distortion that makes it sound ethereal and otherworldly— seraphic, in tune with his roots as a celestial being. In the case of the latter case in which the individual is brought to his realm of consciousness, they may be sentient that something is amiss with Dain while it's still the same as he is, something amiss new to them or that they already felt from him before, but that this would serve as a confirmation. It will not be the same case scenario as Haypasia with Scaramouche when she was able to envision his memories and hear / feel his thoughts and feelings, but something far more muted yet still telling.

[reginrokkr]

𝐗𝐗𝐈. Differing views of romance across the passing of centuries.

Dain’s view in romance is intimately tied with his upbringing and his perspective of what the beings of Celestia should do. Reflecting in the fact that I’ve established for him that he’s the younger heir of Celestia as per the Gnostic Chorus cutscene, originally he was meant to be something akin to the angels depicted in the old murals. A guiding presence for humans, to teach them and show them the way to what’s the most beneficial to them while at the same time ensuring that their deeds won’t be detrimental for the world. This was before he learned too much and received a certain wisdom he shouldn’t have that made the beings of Celestia orchestrate a plan to get rid of him. Firstly they made him become a warrior instead as a measure to make him stay away from all knowledge, then one day he’d be made to descent to Teyvat.

His descent to Teyvat would be akin to a maturity ritual to him even if he isn’t ordered to do so until he’s 23 years old of age.

His view of romantic love is purely idealized. He’s someone who holds a love for humans (this also comes from the spirit of the missing shining shade he houses within, but that’s talk for another time) and he seeks to do what’s best for them. In turn, this makes him friendly to the idea of falling in love with a mortal and perhaps even have a family of his own to continue with that idealized legacy (also byproduct of Celestia’s brainwash, we all know that they aren’t what people idealize them for) so that everyone can live harmoniously in this world. Love is meant to be something positive, something that heals people and helps them do better.

This sentiment continues even after his upbringing is forcefully changed for that of a warrior. To him, being discarded as a pacific guiding figure doesn’t mean that he can’t do it still with everything he learned. But this time, he would also be able to protect them from any danger that they can’t fend themselves from. He’s a man with lots of love to give in any variety he can, and he’s also a man who yearns to find that special someone who could love him.

However, this changes when he finally descends and his memories are erased as I mentioned in a recent headcanon. While his wisdom prevails, he doesn’t know who he is or where he came from. He doesn’t know who his family is if he had any at all nor why he’s at Khaenri’ah’s doorstep so to speak. Everything that love supposed to him and his own little wishes completely evaporated, but one resurfaced as soon as he saw Khaenri’ah’s situation and discovered how much he can help these people: his love towards humans to guide with wisdom (acting as some sort of oracle to communicate Irminsul’s word to the people) which results in bearing the title of Bough Keeper, his love to protect which manifests through the second title he received: Twilight Sword.

This love changes from being towards others and seeking to find it himself to be exclusively towards others while thinking nothing of himself. In a way he abandons himself in order to be of service to others and he’s happy with it. Surely he’s not against the idea of engaging in a romantic relationship, most likely the king would’ve wanted to find for him suitors as an act of gratitude for his service towards Khaenri’ah, but in Dain’s mind it was not time to settle for a more normal life just yet.

And this changes even further post-Cataclysm to the present day. If we could argue that during the peaceful Khaenri’ahn days he kind of abandoned himself for the sake of serving others by his own volition, now he doesn’t have any shred of love for himself whatsoever. He hates himself for what happened, he blames himself and he doesn’t think of himself any higher than a monster upon finding out that he had a family in Celestia and due to his corruption. He’s no human nor mortal. No angel nor a full monster. He’s just an entity cursed to immortality to dwell the world until he completely loses his mind and fades to ashes. Or maybe until he turns into a hilichurl or he gives in to his negative emotions and becomes an abyssal creature.

He has love to offer still, his love for humanity is what makes him press forward and not simply stay and be until he’s no more. He could’ve done that, no one could blame him for it all things considered. His love for humanity and concern of what Celestia has done to multiple civilizations upon informing himself via Irminsul makes him want to seek better for humans so that they don’t have to hand in this dangerous area where one step going wrong suffices to be exterminated. And his love for humanity made him turn his back to the people he once protected. He understands their grudge and negative feelings for them after living in the dark under grim conditions for so long while the others basked in the benefits of being under the Seven’s protection. But these people aren’t to be faulted for what happened to Khaenri’ah. They’re just as human as they used to be and they still have saving. Dain wants to do his best so that another tragedy doesn’t happen.

But despite what little to nothing of love he has left for himself, a very tiny part of him still hopes to find that person who can illuminate a light in his dark world. He yearns for a softness and tenderness that he doesn’t think he deserves. But he has these instances in which he dares to wish he had any of it. Buried beneath multiple layers of trauma and negative feelings he has for himself and that damned curse that doesn’t let him rest one bit physically or mentally, there is still that youthful and idealized wish to be loved. If only there was someone who could understand his grief and see beyond his attempts of pushing away when he gets too scared of things escalating into something deeper that he’s undeserving for. Or that the other person would benefit more from having a normal relationship with someone more alike to them.