#〘 𝗭𝗜𝗚𝗚𝗬 𝗠 . 〙— ✧.* isms . | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

( d'pharaoh woon-a-tai . trans man . he/him ) — blasting hold on till may by pierce the veil down main street we’ve spotted ZIIGWAN " ZIGGY " MASKWA sporting their worn-out dog tag necklace with a date etched into it. the twenty-four year old NYMPH who’s been in town for two years often can be seen trying to befriend every dog he bumps into, tidying up any cast-aside litter on his morning jog, attempting to up his deadlift weight, or info-dumping to anyone who'll listen about his favorite comics & movies, or working as a CLERK at APHELION BOOKS. people say they display selfless and obstinate traits, but we rather trust their vibes: wild curls with daisy chains braided through them, flashing a bloody grin while sporting bruised knuckles after driving off the punks ashing cigarettes out on the tender leaves of a budding plant, the golden heart of a larger-than-life comic book hero, and a smattering of freckles against tanned skin. also, we’ve heard they love VINTAGE COMIC BOOKS ! aren’t they fascinating ?

TRIGGER WARNING FOR : DEATH .

nymphs – protectors of the land , nature , and all that mother earth holds dear … ziigwan maskwa was born to protect the heart & soul of the great lakes. as one of the last descendants of an ancient clan of nymphs that has always overseen the rocky shores of the lakes , whispering promises of benevolence and kindness to the creatures shuffling through the wooded undergrowth and standing steadfast as the protectors of everything the land had to offer , ziigwan always viewed life as a gift. it was something precious , something to be kept sacred for as long as one could stand to – and though mortals came and left this plane in a mere blink of an eye , nymphs like him were meant to remain on this earth for as long as eternity , itself. he knew it would be his responsibility when the time came to be the guide for the voices of nature – that soon enough , the duty he had been born to fulfill would fall upon his shoulders. he danced in the rain , befriended the rabbits and the foxes alike , and sang the melodies of the wind for much of his youth …

until he made a friend – a strange , belligerent young boy that appeared in the woods he called home. he wasn’t kind and sweet like ziigwan was – he was instead callous , brutish , quick to sneer and jeer at the slightest hint of weakness. where ziigwan wept over the broken wings of a young chick that had toppled from its nest , the boy that found him in the forest scoffed and told him not to cry – that crybabies couldn’t be protectors. that he needed to be strong if he ever wished to be brave. ziigwan would look at him with wide-eyed awe , mystified by his bold proclamations … and though the boy would stomp away and declare that he had better things to do than putter about in the undergrowth , ziigwan felt something pull at his chest – tethering him to the stranger that seemed to appear in the shadows of the trees every day at dusk , like clockwork.

ziigwan was innocent and kind , a boy who had nowhere to go but deeper into the woods – and as he chased the boy that appeared before him , something kindled between them … a friendship that ziigwan was certain would last beyond an eternity. the boy seemed irritated at first , asking why a crybaby like him would toddle after him like a lost puppy – but the irritation soon grew into begrudging acceptance … and soon enough , they were inseparable. the stranger to the forest and the boy who would soon grow to protect it formed a kinship that became unbreakable.

when ziigwan’s mother grew ill , it was the boy that held his hand as he wept while he watched the last dregs of life ebb away from her frail form. when the world started to feel bleak and empty , flowers wilting at his feet and birdsong growing silent whenever he passed , it was the boy that grabbed his hand and demanded that he keep pushing – because a crybaby like him should only cry when he’s overcome with joy and happiness … not like this , not when the earth needed his smile to continue thrumming with the gift of life.

they grew together – and in that time , the boy would come to him in the woods with gifts and tokens. they shared books – comics , the boy would later tell him , full of vivid colors and tales of heroes from a land far beyond. they sat together under the stars , heads tucked closely together , as they pieced together the stories over the different editions and volumes they had been able to scour. he taught ziigwan about life among humans , a world of technology and strange devices – something a nature druid like him could barely even fathom.

years passed – decades , even – and along with the modernization with the outside world came troubles he could have never anticipated. malicious entities – mortal and supernatural alike – encroached upon the sacred land of the great lakes , destroying its natural beauty. ziigwan , blessed with the magic of nature , had the ability to communicate with animals around him and siphon life into wilting plants – a peaceful and benevolent manifestation of magic … but when his home was threatened , something inside of the pure-hearted boy snapped .

overcome with anger that the land his mother had died in was being desecrated , ziigwan lost control of the kindness in his heart and instead allowed the darkness to gnaw at his insides until it consumed him entirely. natural disasters came in swift succession ; mortal lives were lost as cliffsides grew weak , crumbling into avalanches. the lakes began to flood, drowning those foolish enough to try and steal its beauty and splendor. the earth began to quake and splinter underfoot. even the kindest hearts had their breaking point – and just when ziigwan was on the cusp of falling victim to his own pain , the boy he had grown up with shouted through the void , begging him to stop.

he doesn’t recall the details of that night , nor will he ever allow himself to. not when it had robbed him of the only other love he had left. the next thing he knew , the boy was gone – dead , another victim to the calamities of nature. a lifeless body was all that remained and as ziigwan held him in his arms , he wept. the trees grew barren , leaves falling from the gnarled branches until they were laid bare , just like his heart.

just like the boy.

dead and gone , empty and lifeless … the opposite of life , ziigwan learned , was devoid of beauty. it was ugly and full of pain – and if he could have it his way , he’d never bear witness to it ever again. he took the silver dog-tag necklace around the boy’s neck and cradled it to his chest as he wept. the great lakes , the lands he had been sworn to protect , were nothing to him if all it did was drive him to cause havoc and destruction. deceit against the mortals was a foolish game that won him no favors.

he turned his back on the lakes and fled , swearing on the body of the boy he had grown to love so deeply and wholly that he would never , ever let his heart be swayed by the mortal darkness that dwelled within him again. ziigwan promised that he would wear his smile and show his kindness no matter where he went – and that whenever he wept , it would be from joy , not pain … just like the boy had always told him. he would become the hero in the comic books they giggled into during all those nights. he would persevere with nothing but joy and warmth in his heart – even if it left him feeling like a fraud , even if it felt like a life lived as a lie. he would do it – for him. always for him.

guilt ate at him for abandoning his post – but as he stumbled into portum , the quiet sanctity the strange hamlet offered him was a welcome reprieve. here , ziigwan reasoned , he could learn to be what the boy always believed he was. here , he could learn to find happiness until he felt ready to take back the realm of nature he had been born to protect.

here , he would smile. and ziigwan hoped it would be enough.

𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 …

ziggy is a nymph , a nature druid that was born to an ancient clan that oversees the great lakes ; his generational magic is elemental in nature – specifically , he can control plants and communicate with animals. he can speed up a plant’s life cycle or slow it down … and through the years , he’s also learned how to mutate a plant into taking shapes it wouldn’t naturally. he can create thick vines that can be used offensively if he so desires , but his abilities are capped due to his youth. he has very limited control over other elements – he can just barely manipulate water and has an extremely weak affinity for fire. however , he’s unable to successfully create fire or transform other forms of water into its liquid state ( ie : gaseous or solid water. ) his communication with animals is not a clear or direct understanding ; he is , in a way , an empath that can interpret the general feelings and moods of animals he comes across. for example , he can sense that a yapping dog is anxious and can accommodate for that to soothe the dog’s mood.

𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 …

ziggy is a kind-hearted boy with an overly-excitable personality. he chooses kindness , always – even at his own detriment if he has to. he is , however , painfully guarded about his own feelings and thoughts. his gentle and warm demeanor allows many to feel comfortable and safe , but if one thinks about it deeply enough , they will notice that ziggy will take on everyone else’s burdens before he voices his own sorrows. he very rarely lets anyone see what lurks beneath the veneer of his puppy-boy energy. he’s genuine , though , and many find his truly kind disposition to be rather endearing. he’s got , what i like to call , the ‘tism rizz ‘em – he loves to info dump and chat about things he finds an interest in … and most recently , it’s been anything superhero related. he has a deep-seated love for vintage comics because of the dear friend he lost. coming to portum has allowed ziggy to immerse himself in modern technology and he is so terribly eager to learn about it that he doesn’t realize he’s been talking someone’s ear off for the last seven minutes straight about all the old-school cheesy superhero movies he binge-watched on piratebay through a vpn last night. he’s also a bisexual trans man who has a hard time managing his feelings ; he’s a romantic at heart , but due to his own hesitance when it comes to getting close with others on a truly intimate level , he grows very awkward when faced with true romantic opportunities. he’s much more likely to go “ wait , put your clothes back on , i didn’t finish explaining the spider-man lores and how the multiverse works – “ but also … if you have the wherewithal to assert yourself a little , he is quick to fold. the physical pleasure is a convenient dopamine rush that ziggy won’t deprive himself of if it’s truly offered to him – but that requires some patience and a real desire for him. once you’ve gotten him comfortable , though , he begins to lean on the physical touch more and more. he’s a friend who likes to hold hands and cuddle … and he’s also a friend that’ll do the [ redacted ] if you let him get comfortable enough. tldr – a yapper golden retriever of a guy that really likes vintage comics , works at the local bookshop , and tries his damndest to keep smiling … even though he’s actually shielding his very real inner turmoil deep below the surface.