#I couldn’t abide watching them (Radzam)

[childrenofmeyneth]

Machina-centric Sea-faring based AU

I'm doing a little exercise where people voted on what kinda AU I should make, and I make an AU based on it! It's an AU that'll basically be f2u if you see it and like the concept a lot and wanna expand in your own way, I guess is a way to put it?

Let's go, then, under the cut. Starting with: basic lore of this AU

The world is set in an endless sea, one people are slowly starting to explore more. There's only two known actual land masses, but also a bunch of artificial ones set up by Homs.

Homs and Nopon are naturally land-based, while High Entia and Machina are sea-based

High Entia are merfolk -- instead of headwings they have headfins!

Machina are deep sea monsters, bioluminescent the lot of them. Think... sea serpents but make them mermaids.

Machina also have full-on sea serpent forms and fully humanoid forms. Usually, they take on the merfolk-like forms, however!

Machina are huge. Like. Big Enough To Constrict and Break Your Ship Huge

Both Machina and High Entia can breathe out of the water, but are more comfortable breathing in the sea

Similarly, Nopon can breathe in either but prefer the feeling out of water most of the time (those that prefer breathing in the sea often move to Alcamoth).

Homs, however, cannot naturally breathe underwater. A kiss from a High Entia or a Machina can allow them to breathe underwater, a bit uncomfortably.

High Entia are more likely to do this, as they can have children with Homs. Machina only do it when necessary to save lives, as Homs are often afraid of their appearance.

Face Pilots equivalent in this are Homs who are cursed to turn into sea monsters similar to the Machina whenever submerged in water.

Meyneth is the Goddess of Darkness, Zanza is the God of Life. This is reflected in where their creations live (Homs/Nopon/High Entia live above sea/places in the sea where sunlight reaches. Machina live in the depths of the Endless Sea)

The curse affecting some Homs has unknown uses, though it was definitely made by Meyneth. The reason for it has been lost to time.

Machina seem to see this as more of a blessing, when not forced on someone and instead something chosen by the Homs

One of the real pieces of land houses Frontier Village, the other a Homs colony. Underwater both Alcamoth and Agniratha exist!

Agniratha is full of lights, for the sake of Homs who were too injured to be taken back to the surface. Machina can survive on the low light they generate, but Homs cannot.

Homs often travel the seas in ships with crews, setting out to see how far they can travel through the sea. Nopon often join them on their journies.

Pirating has become quite the norm, due to cutthroats being the type to often venture out further. High risks, high rewards, and all that.

These wrecks are often where both High Entia and Machina find Homs that they kiss and take to their cities.

Now some general plot things:

Land is limited, and it's a problem. There are resources underwater, and tech to look down there is becoming more common... But that leads to High Entia and Machina being more known.

High Entia are more easily accepted by Homs as they look a bit more Homs-like... Machina are terrifying, though.

Agniratha is basically in danger because of this. High Entia never liked them much, anyway, so they aren't much help.

This is where the curse comes into play. It started popping up around the time Homs started pushing against the Machina. Homs think it's a trick of some sort by the Machina to scare them away.

This just makes tensions Worse!!!

Now to get Machina focused!:

Egil is the reason the curse started going off like it does. The other Machina are not pleased with this and it puts tension between them all.

Egil believes it must be done, to show them they are not threats like Homs think. Why else would Meyneth leave them this curse?

Vanea, meanwhile, is having a crisis of faith. She believes in Meyneth with all her heart, she really does... But why would their kind goddess leave a blessing that can so easily be turned into a curse?

She pulls away from people a lot because of this. This sweet girl known for always checking on others pulls in on herself a lot, studying texts left by Meyneth.

She often argues with Egil, tries to make him step back. He accuses her of not knowing what Meyneth wants and it makes the crisis... worse!

These siblings are not alright and the rift grows more and more the more Egil uses the curse! :,)

On the other end of things, Linada is starting to question her job as a doctor. More and more Machina are getting hurt by Homs...

She wonders if there's much of a point, wearing herself so thin like this when she just can't keep up with the injuries and illnesses. But she can't stop -- they need her.

Radzam, meanwhile, is keeping things as calm as he can between the Homs living in Agniratha and the Machina.

If they start pointing fingers at each other, things will get worse for all of them, right?

In my hc these two are cousins, so that carries over here, too. Both are stretched thin, but only Radzam seems to want to do something about it.

Linada and Radzam act as confidants for Vanea, often trying to counsel her through her crisis of faith and her issues with Egil, to varying effects.

Meanwhile, they butt heads with Egil. He's making their job harder but he believes this is the only way to make Homs understand. Linada nearly strangles him at some point.

At the very least, the latter three can keep Egil from outright attacking Homs directly. Egil takes chances inflicting the blessing-slash-curse on drowning Homs, instead.

Linada specializes in helping these Homs adjust to this change in their life if she's able to get her hands on them. Radzam supports her however he can.

Vanea blames herself a bit because guess what! She gave Egil the needed text to understand the curse! Oopsie doodle!

[childrenofmeyneth]

Teelan: I love you guys, you're the best thing that's happened to me. Radzam: We're the best thing that's ever happened to you? Teelan: Yes! Tyrea: I'm starting to feel a little sorry for you.

[childrenofmeyneth]

Egil: There is no future. there is no past. do you see? Time is simultaneous, an intricately structured jewel that humans insist on viewing one edge at a time, when the whole design is visible in every facet. Linada: Vanea: Radzam: Everyone Else At Egil’s Surprise Birthday Party: Linada: All I asked was if you wanted to cut your birthday cake first.

[childrenofmeyneth]

Egil-Vanea-Ylvex-Linada-Radzam? Defintely a friendgroup when they were all young Machina, I make the rules.

[childrenofmeyneth]

radical zamuel (radzam) for the meme

Send me a character and I’ll tell you:

Sexuality headcanon: Gay ace. Also nonbinary but thats bc i hc all Machina that way ehe

Favorite ship(s): You know I'm on that Dunban/Radzam/Kenny Rohan bullshit babey!!! Also think he and Shilx could be funny given they both have the taste/food thing going on lol

Brotp: Teelan! i think it's cute they would spend like an hour debating when Radzam would see him off.

Notp: ? Don't really have one! Guess him and Melia, which I've seen?

A random headcanon: He never lets Maxis live down being so shitty to the Machina. Never (It's in good fun, tho. He likes to tease, is all)

General opinion: I like him! Wish he had a unique design, he deserved one...

[childrenofmeyneth]

Linada: We need a plan to beat them. Radzam: Okay, listen up. First, we fill their shoes with wet cat food. Linada: Radzam: Judge me all you want, I get results.

[childrenofmeyneth]

Radzam: Miqol! Have you no dignity? Miqol: Of course not! How long have we known eachother?

[childrenofmeyneth]

Linada: Don’t worry, I know exactly what I’m doing. Everything is going to be fine! Radzam: How can you still say that? Linada: Because sometimes, when things get tough, denial is all we have.

[childrenofmeyneth]

The fun thing about the Machina is so many images of them have this energy

[childrenofmeyneth]

Radzam: Gay - Asexual - Nonbinary pride flags

[childrenofmeyneth]

Radzam: Which movie are you and Linada going to see tonight? Fiora: Oh, I always go to whichever movie Linada wants. Radzam: Which one does she want to see? Fiora: I haven't decided yet.

[childrenofmeyneth]

Radzam: And what do I get out of this? Linada: I will give you a dollar. Radzam:: What do you think I am? A chump? I would never do it for a dollar! Linada: How bout two dollars? Radzam: You got yourself a deal.

[childrenofmeyneth]

Miqol: Are you an ‘arr’ pirate, or a ‘yo ho ho’ pirate? Radzam: I’m a ‘I’m not paying $600 for photoshop’ pirate.

[childrenofmeyneth]

Linada and Radzam are related, cousins to be exact!

[childrenofmeyneth]

This is proof of it /lh

Egil-Vanea-Ylvex-Linada-Radzam? Defintely a friendgroup when they were all young Machina, I make the rules.