#I like to think that purple is obsessed with all things royalty

[midive]

I have bestowed my most favourite ships upon you! You are now forced to look at it for a moment/j

[larluce]

Arthur and Merlin travel back in time without knowing the other is from the future too AU

Tagging @aceauthorcatqueen , @fallenxjas , @smileytrinity ,@lucifertookmyshoe , @an-entity-i-think , @thecornerofbelu , @griffonskies , @odinjm , @cinnabon-sweetroll-tiramisu , @thelady-mary , @bennedict , @nightninjaboy , @st8-of-grace , @star-rie , @error-username-not-available , @dogberryrowan , @jamieweasley13 , @tansyuduri , @tercais , @robynnemrys , @evadne01 , @serasvictoria02 , @hairdryerducks , @hopeaha , @curiously-lazy , @ harriettesthings

LINKS TO THE OTHER PARTS OF THIS AU HERE: PART 1 , PART 2 , PART 3 , PART 4 , PART 5 , PART 6 , PART 7 , PART 8 , PART 9 , PART 10 , PART 11 , PART 12 , PART 13 , PART 14 , PART 15 , PART 16 , PART 17 (You’re here), PART 18

In Gaius Tower.

Merlin: (enters)

Gaius: Oh, Merlin, glad you're here.

Merlin: Sorry I was moving all my things to my new chambers. Do you need me to help you with something?

Gaius: (sighs, turning very serious) Merlin, my boy, we must talk.

Merlin: But I didn't do anything this time 🥺.

Gaius: No, it's not about you. Well, yes. But it's not because of something you've done... I think.

Merlin: (very confused) I don't think I follow...

Gaius: You are aware that the prince is... very fond of you, right?

Merlin: Oh yeah, sure.

Gaius: I mean he likes you, Merlin.

Merlin: I know, I like him too.

Gaius: (surprised) Really?! 😲

Merlin: Of course, we are friends. How can we not like each other?

Gaius: No, I don't mean in that way, Merlin.

Merlin: Well, I guess he likes me as his servant too.

Gaius: (explodes) Oh, for Gods' sake! I'm talking about romantic love! Of sexual attraction! That's what I'm talking about!

Merlin: …

Merlin: (burst out laughing) Ha! 🤣 Good one, Gaius.

Gaius: I'm not joking.

Merlin: (sarcastic) Yeah, sure.

Gaius: Merlin, Arthur has been obsessed with you ever since you got here.

Merlin: What on earth gave you that idea?

Gaius: He almost lost his mind when you were stabbed!

Merlin: So? He cares about his subjects. That's not strange.

Gaius: He had a man imprisoned for you.

Merlin: Lancelot, yes, and only because he wanted to teach me a lesson for risking my life 'unnecessarily' again. Very childish of him if you ask me.

Gaius: And when you invited a man to sleep in your room-

Merlin: Why does everyone say that like it's a bad thing?

Gaius: -He had you immediately move into the chambers next to his.

Merlin: He still doesn't trust Lancelot and he wanted me to be more comfortable, that's all.

Gaius: He gave you a flower! Tell me, how can that NOT be romantic?

Merlin: Oh, I suppose that could be misinterpreted. Even Lancelot interpreted it that way.

Gaius: Because it can only be interpreted one way!

Merlin: But I swear it has an explanation.

Gaius: I'm dying to hear it.

Merlin: You see, do you remember when Arthur came here to leave me a message for you when the plague happened?

Gaius: The message he never left you in the end because you were too busy talking about your favorite flower? Yes, I remember.

Merlin: I told him that my favorite flowers were forget-me-nots because it's not easy to find purple flowers and purple is my favorite color.

Gaius: A color that curiously only royalty can afford because it's very expensive to make, yes.

Merlin: Exactly! That's why I like forget-me-nots. They are easy to find in nature and they are free. And I told Arthur that: "There aren't many flowers that are purple."

Gaius: And in response he got you a purple lily.

Merlin: Yeah, you see?

Gaius: ...

Gaius: Are you supposed to be refuting me? Because it seems like you're agreeing with me.

Merlin: Gaius, don't you see? The idiot gave me the purple lily just to prove a point.

Gaius: Which is...?

Merlin: That there are other purple flowers besides forget-me-nots. He even wrote me a note telling me just that. That I simply didn't know how to search well.

Gaius: Merlin, do you know what the purple lily means in the language of flowers?

Merlin: "Passionate love." Why?

Gaius: 😒

Merlin: It's a coincidence, nothing more.

Gaius: Okay, let's talk about facts instead. Naturally purple lilies are very rare and difficult to find, to the point that even if someone from royalty wants some, it is more cost-effective for them to paint the lilies purple and, as you well know, purple dye is very expensive.

Merlin: (surprised) Really? I didn't know you could paint flowers. So my lily is painted?

Gaius: No, that's the thing. The prince, who we know has no shortage of money, despite being easily able to have a lily painted purple, decided to find you a naturally purple one and give it to you as a gift.

Merlin: (very impressed) Wow…

Gaius: Do you see it now?

Merlin: Yes… It's incredible that he would go so far just to prove a point.

Gaius: (drops his things) I give up. (leaves)

Time skip. In Arthur's chambers.

Arthur: (In his desk, writing in a parchment sheet, thinking) If Lancelot is here, the griffin will attack soon. (writes that down) What's next? The sidhes, I think. Then the black knight and the questing beast-No, the unicorn was before the questing beast. (Adds note next to 'Unicorn') Important: Don't kill the unicorn.... When was the battle of Ealdor? Was it before or after the unicorn? (thinks hard but can't remember) Well it happened around then. Hmmm... (adds note next to 'Black knight') Don't drink Gaius' drug.

Gaius: (knocks the door from outside)

Arthur: (hides the parchment) Come in.

Gaius: (enters and bows) Your highness.

Arthur: Oh, Gaius. What brings you here?

Gaius: I would like to talk to you... about Merlin.

Arthur: (stands up abruptly, worried) What happened? Is he hurt?

Gaius: No! It's nothing like that, sire.

Arthur: (sighs relieved) So? What is it?

Gaius: First, I want your highness to know that I really appreciate that you care for my ward so dearly. You didn't only give him the position of your personal manservant, you protected him and offer him your friendship even when there was no need and I will always be grateful for that.

Arthur: You don't have to thank me for that, Gaius. As you said, Merlin is very dear to me. I won't let anything happen to him. (thinking) What did that dollophead do this time?

Gaius: (uncomfortable) Right... however, despite my eternal gratitude, I must ask you... more discretion from your part, sire.

Arthur: (surprised and confused) Me?

Gaius: Some actions you have made regarding Merlin have caused... some worrying rumors to be made, sire.

Arthur: Like what?

Gaius: There are a lot, sire. But the most common one, I think, is that you took Merlin as your lover because Merlin is , pardon my words, a seductive greedy whore, sire.

Arthur: (scandalised, shouts) WHAT?!

Gaius: I know, very bold of them to accuse the prince of Camelot of sleeping with-

Arthur: They are calling Merlin a whore?!😡

Gaius: Uhm, yes, a greedy whore, but what I'm trying to get at is-

Arthur: This can't be. I'm going to fix it. Thank you, Gaius. (leaves)

Gaius: Wait! What are you going to do? 😨(goes after him, frantic) Sire? Sire!

Time skip. Arthur reunited with all the servants at his service (which means some servants like Gwen are not there) in the hallway.

Arthur: (with a branding iron in hand, threatening) This is used to mark the cattle but also to mark the gossipers. I do not tolerate gossipers, especially the slandares.

Servants: (scared as fuck, trembling in place)😨😱

Arthur: Rumors are forbidden in this castle. Even more if they involve royalty and those closest to them. I won't ask who did it. I don't care. I'm just warning you that if I hear anything remotely similar again (points the branding iron to them) all of you will pay the consequences. So if you don't want to be marked as cattle (walks and points the servants one by one) you better start controlling yours and everyone's tongues. Do I make myself clear?

Servant 1: (pales when he's pointed at and faints)

Arthur: (looks down as he falls, expressionless) You are fired. Let him know that when he wakes.

Other servants: (terrafied, with a high pitched voice) Yes, sire!🥺

Arthur: (leaves)

Gaius: (in a corner, just as terrafied) What the fu-😨

Time skip. Arthur and Merlin in Arthur's chambers.

Merlin: (putting Arthur his shirt on) Arthur, is there an important event today? Is someone important coming?

Arthur: No, why?

Merlin: Well, everyone seems in such a hurry lately. Every time I run into another servant they run away.

Arthur: Really?

Merlin: (nods, putting Arthur his jacket on) They always apologise though, before leaving. (thoughtful) It's weird. Maybe I did something to upset them?

Arthur: (dismissively) Sometimes there's just too much work in the castle. Don't overthink it.

Gaius: (enters suddenly, almost a wild expression in his face)

Merlin: (surprised) Gaius!

Arthur: (concerned) Gaius, is something wrong? You never enter without knocking.

Gaius: (turns to Merlin, very serious) Merlin, I need some errands urgently. (extends his hand with a peace of paper)

Merlin: Oh, in a minute. I need to-

Gaius: Now, Merlin. People's lifes are depending on it.

Arthur: Go, Merlin. I can handle the rest.

Merlin: (nods and takes the paper, very worried at the sudden emergency) I'll be back as soon as I can. (leaves quickly)

Gaius: (closes the door and turns to Arthur, sternly) This has to stop.

Arthur: (confused) What exactly?

Gaius: Your feelings for Merlin!

Arthur: Oh, that.

Gaius: Yes! I know you fancy him. Don't you dare deny it! 😡

Arthur: I'm not denying it.

Gaius: Please, Arthur! Everyone who has eyes can see-Wait you are not denying it? 😲

Arthur: I'm not.

Gaius: Oh... Okay

Arthur: And I don't just fancy him, I'm in love with him.

Gaius: (taken aback) I... didn't expect this much honesty... give me a minute.

Arthur: (nods in understanding and points to a chair) Do you want to take a seat?

Gaius: Yes, thank you. (takes a seat)

Arthur: I can bring you water if you like.

Gaius: No, it's fine. (sighs and looks at Arthur) How?

Arthur: (shrugs) How does everyone fall in love? It just happens.

Gaius: You've just known each other for less than a month.

Arthur: It's true, but I feel like I've known him for a lifetime. (thinking) 10 years to be exact. (says) I can assure you, Gaius, my intentions are nothing but honorable.

Gaius: I know you wouldn't force Merlin into anything he doesn't want to. That's not the problem.

Arthur: Then What is it?

Gaius: Sire-

Arthur: Arthur. Call me Arthur.

Gaius: The problem, Arthur, is that you are being too intense with your love. You even threatened those poor servants!

Arthur: They were insulting Merlin! 😠

Gaius: That's what I'm talking about! If you are not doing extensive searches just to bring him a flower, you are challenging anyone who has done the slightest offense to him. You were always very correct and careful with your image. Why can't you keep up appearances when it comes to Merlin too?

Arthur: Because I don't want to hide and repress what I feel! (thinks) Not anymore. (Says) And I'm not going to let anyone hurt him. (Thinks) Not again. I won't leave him alone again. I won't fail him again.

Gaius: I know you have the best intentions, but whether you like it or not, you are also harming Merlin with your actions. Your father doesn't have the best image of him at the moment.

Arthur: (worried) And Merlin? Does it bother him that-

Gaius: No, surprisingly, he isn't aware of your feelings yet. I even tried to tell him and he just thought I was joking. I don't know if he's very innocent or just too dense.

Arthur: (laughs, but then blushes a little and asks with a shy smile) But did he like the flower?

Gaius: Oh, for Gods' sake! Yes, he loved that flower and he loves everything you do for him. He may not be aware of your affections, but he's not exactly rejecting them. (Sighs) And that's what worries me the most.

Arthur: What?

Gaius: You are the prince and he is a servant and also a man.

Arthur: I don't care about that.

Gaius: But your father does and the entire court too. At some point you are going to have to marry a noble woman who can give you heirs. No matter how sincere your love for Merlin is, that is something you will not be able to change. You're going to break his heart even if you don't want to.

Arthur: I won't-

Gaius: Don't make me promises. You don't need my approval and whether I agree with this or not doesn't really matter. I'm only going to ask you two things. One, modesty. I think you can manage to woo and protect Merlin without being so brazen.

Arthur: Alright.

Gaius: Two, make things clear to Merlin before you start anything, because he won't believe you're in love with him until he hears it from your own mouth.

Arthur: I do plan to tell him when the time is right, Gaius. Don't worry.

Gaius: And Arthur... (stands up, suddenly threatening) Merlin is not just my ward, he's my boy. You may be The prince, but if you dare to hurt him-

Arthur: (firmly) I won't. I rather die before harming him in any way.

Gaius: (thinking) Yes, you say that now, but just because you don't know. (Sighs and says) Good. Now, if you excuse me, I must wait for Merlin in my chambers to prepare medicine for the imaginary patients I invented. (bows) Your Highness (leaves)

...

Scene where arthur is listing the 'events that are about to unfold' on a piece a patchment ☑︎

Credits to my best friend Rosangela, who helped me with some dialogues and situations, no only in this part, but several ones. Love you so much! ❤️

[internetgiraffekid1673]

KittyBella AU Chloe and Zoe Art

Image descriptions in alt text

It seems that the requirements for a black cat user are "Sad repressed blonde, head-over-heels for the ladybug, and has a close but complicated relationship with Queen Bee"

Anyway, have Chloe and Zoe in my KittyBella AU! I think Chloe is the ONLY miraculous I didn't shuffle around. Queen Bee is just too iconic and too perfect for her! I love both the bee sisters and can never resist making them super close.

Design notes under the cut, as usual.

I picture both these images being when Chloe is well on her way through her redemption arc, so later in the story.

When drawing outfits for Chloe, I always wanna make them glamorous and extra, but I lean more on the "glam" for pre-redemption Chloe and more on the "extra" for post-redemption, because I think she'd stop trying to appeal to her mother's tastes and embrace more of her own style. Specifically, I always want Chloe to look like a visibly queer femme. Obviously, there's no one right way to look gay---if you ARE gay, then you look gay---but I tend to lean heavy on glitter, shiny fabric, and bright colors (especially in her makeup) for Chloe in a kind of "party-girl" style.

I headcanon that her hair is naturally wavy/curly and she has to straighten it, so my post-redemption Chloe always has curls galore. I also have an obsession with giving Chloe a secondary blue color, because I noticed that the only thing about her appearance that isn't imitating Audrey is her blue eyeshadow. The more she breaks away from her parents, the more blue I give her.

For Zoe, I actually really like her canon outfit, but it is a CRIME that they did not give this girl tie-dye, she was MADE for it. In KittyBella, I mostly just pallet swap her so that her pinks are purples and her blues are greens to reference the cat miraculous. I also dislike that she's just wearing leggings---Zoe is such a skater girl in my head, so I always picture her in something sturdier, hence the jeans.

I think Queen Bee's canon outfit is like. ALMOST complete perfection. But it lacks FLOOF! Bees are FLOOFY, and adding FLOOF is a great way to make her look even more extravagent and like royalty! So, I literally just added FLOOF. All the FLOOF.

While I don't think Kitty Noir's canon outfit is bad except for the neon green lipstick and the colors clashing (which is really easily fixed by just cooling the color scheme down and making the purple darker and the green brighter), I'm a self-indulgent loser who likes making things appeal to my exact personal tastes. Zoe, in my mind, should never ever ever be without a leather jacket. She's a 2000s emo, removing it is the equivalent of shaving her bald and changing her name. It's THAT important to her identity. Not giving her a leather jacket is, to me, the equivalent of not dyeing the Couffaines hair or not putting Rose in pink. Everything else is basically just to complement the jacket.

[gilmorenights]

Someone asked you for Your Hugo headcannons so now imma ask you for your Nuru headcannons because our girl needs more love <3

YESS NURU HEADCANONS

Ok so first off, she’s weird. She’s sixteen and she believes that everything is written in the stars and asks the universe for guidance on everything she does and she’s weird

Her dad was actually the one who got her into astronomy and it’s one of the reasons she’s so into it; he’s dead and it helps her feel closer to him

Loves math. Like, almost as much as she loves astronomy. She believes there nothing math can’t solve (the way Varian believes there’s nothing science can’t solve)

This ^^ being said, her motto is “you can solve anything as long as you have the right formula” and it’s how she views every social interaction. She analyzes the situation the way she would a math problem and figures out the best formula for success. It’s part of what makes her such an amazing diplomat, but also what made her stand out when she joined Team Radical. She views people as variables in an equation rather than people because it’s the only way she knows how to function. But to Team Radical, it comes off more as her thinking she’s above them cuz she’s royalty.

Her brain shut tf down when she first saw Amber. Like gay panic, only 10x worse because Nuru might be good at reading other people and helping them with feelings, but she’s never had to navigate a live life of her own before and she was completely lost

Told Hugo that if he wanted, he could come home with her once the trials were over because they’re family now (read this in a fic and it stuck with me)

Was genuinely terrified when she found out one of Varian’s crimes was attempted regicide against another purple-wearing princess who liked astronomy

First few weeks or so after she joined the team, she tried to make herself useful by doing chores but she only made things worse because even though she meant well, she had absolutely no experience traveling/camping

Yong was the first one Nuru bonded with because he could relate to the fear of messing up and constantly being in the way despite just trying to help

It took her so long to get used to Yong’s fireworks/rockets because the loud noises triggered her ptsd from the meteors constantly attacking her kingdom (he felt so guilty when he found out and it resulted in Varian and Hugo helping him create a formula for stealthier rockets, which helped them in battle)

Her family wasn’t very close due to the constant stress of protecting Koto from the meteors, which resulted in Nuru growing up with a messed up idea of what family is. It wasn’t until she’d really bonded with the team that she realized “oh hey, this is what family is supposed to be”

Yong and Varian ask her to read their horoscopes all the time, something Hugo thinks is bs until his horoscope comes true. After that, he still doesn’t admit to believing in them, but he does heed caution

Extra superstitious

Believes in aliens. Idk what to tell you, she’s a weird girl obsessed with space of course she believes in aliens

Super annoyed that she has to constantly remind Hugo that being an astronomer isn’t the same as being an astrologist (he knows the difference, he mixes the terms up on purpose)

Star themed makeup 24/7. Once she learns stuff like eyeliner and eyeshadow, she goes all out with the purple and gold and she rocks it

This is all I have for now but UGHHHH SHES MY FAVE I LOVE MY WEIRD MATH PRINCESS SO MUCH

And thank you for the ask <33

[purplecladmerchant]

Hello me. Do Ravio with the meme.

Thanks me.

Ravio

How I feel about this character: do you know how I'm obsessed about Zirk atm? Make that for like 11 years. My URL is purple clad merchant.

All the people I ship romantically with this character: Link, of course. Hilda also. Ganondorf that one time roleplaying with Furan. And Dark Link! Aka Rin. Aka abomination Aka Asmosdeo.

My non-romantic OTP for this character:Link, Hilda and Zelda. Zelda is his girlfriend in law because she's the girlfriend of his boy/girlfriend

My unpopular opinion about this character: I don't do much of those! He's my bunbun I like all the things about him. And he's so forgotten that it doesn't really matter.

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon: id love to see Lorule again but I don't think so. I'd liked if in canon he was shown to interact with Yuga/Hilda more! I'd like to know how he knew the royalty! What was his life before!!

Doing this ask meme. By myself. Because I can.

[chirpingfromthebox]

A Case for Chaos

With team names and logos coming out today(?), I figure I should dust off this ol' draft of mine and beat the clock to submitting my pitch for PWHL Minnesota's team name.

Since I did one for New York I figure I am duty-bound to make a case for my own team as well.

This way if they pick something stupid, I will have solid proof that I could (and did) come up with a better idea.

And, dear readers, I will ride that small sense of superiority until the wheels fall off.

Part 1:

These Options Are Bad

Let's start by killing some of the other options I've heard floated around for all these months.

The Superior.

Everyone in the Twin Cities has a weird obsession with Lake Superior and I do get it: it's pretty amazing. And I too love the north shore. If I were to move out of the cities I would probably dip to Duluth.

But here's the thing: we are just one of the states and provinces bordering the lake. And we are not even close to being the one with the most area connected to it! So it's far from a distinctly Minnesotan thing. And it isn't even connected to the city they actually play in!

In spite of what happened the last time we named a sports team after lakes, I do love the idea of referencing lakes somehow. And yet I still think trying to claim Superior as our own is as silly as a team being called the Atlantic or something.

And if all that wasn't enough, the biggest reason against it is this: if you call yourself "The Superior" and you lose? You look like such an idiot.

"And with that loss the Superior will continue their seven game losing steak."

I mean, look at that. The jokes against you write themselves.

If you lose you sound ridiculous and if you win you sound pompous. It's a lose-lose situation.

The Valkyries.

Even if it's not intentional it seems way too much like an play on Minnesota's football team The Vikings.

As such: automatic disqualification.

The Reign.

I get it. Purple is a historically royal color. There's the whole Purple Rain play on words from Minnesota native Prince's 1984 movie/album/song. It's clever.

And more importantly it actually works with their prechosen color of purple, which is honestly a hard one to match.

I love wordplay too much to be mad if they went for it. But once again: the loftier your name is the more you sound like an idiot if you lose.

If you went on a losing streak someone on the playground call you the "reigning losers."

And that's just a wicked burn.

The Frost / The Freeze.

I've heard this one floated around since those teaser pictures dropped. But I stand firm that "The Minnesota Freeze" sounds like some sort of Midwest twist on a sno-cone.

It will not get me hyped, it will make just make me want a treat.

The Monarchs.

The Monarch butterfly is the state butterfly. The word can also mean royalty. Purple is a royal color. I see what they're doing here.

But Monarch butterflies are Orange.

Having that on a team with Purple jerseys would constantly give me psychic damage.

(listen, this is my post and I will disqualify things under whatever criteria I want, okay?)

The Grey Ducks.

Honestly? I can't say I don't like it. It's silly so no big league team would pick it. But I like silly things!

People not from around here probably don't get it, but for some reason or another Minnesota seems to be the only state that plays the child's game Duck, Duck, Grey Duck, while everyone else plays Duck, Duck, Goose.

You all already know what I'm going to say here though, right?

Grey is not Purple.

It's weird. It bugs me. And for that reason: No thank you.

Part 2:

Chaos Reigns

With some of the things I don't want out of that way, let's get to what I do want.

My choice for team name would be:

The Minnesota Chaos.

I love this one.

I think it's a strong word. It sounds really cool while also sounding fun. It's a primordial concept, something that was here since the beginning and will be here after the end.

And it's fitting.

Minnesota was all over the place this inaugural season (and post season). They truly could not be predicted. They traded their 2nd round draft pick mid-season. Despite only needing a single point to clench the playoffs they instead went on a massive losing streak at the end of the season, got in anyway, lose two more games, and then reverse sweep to make it into the playoffs? Friggin' wild stuff.

And the great thing about Chaos? It works if you're winning or losing. Chaos can be something strong and it can be something weak. So you sound great no matter how you're doing.

And you've already learned I'm weird about colors, so does purple work here as a color?

Yes!

Your tagline could be "Chaos Reigns" and cash in on that royalty angle. And purple is also often associated with mysticism and magic, and those things have a very chaotic vibe to them if you ask me.

And you know what? There's just a lot of weird fun you can have with chaos.

Part 3:

Getting Weird With It

I personally hate mascots, because costumed characters make me uneasy and I don't know how to interact with them. However, there's some fun you could have with this.

Like the mascot could have one name, but then have like 3 or 4 different mascot costumes and every home game roll a die to determine which mascot is used that day.

Heck, pick up as many different mascot costumes as you can find and use a different one every time. Mix and match pieces from different costumes.

Maybe a mascot from an entirely different team would show up instead? Who knows! But it would be weird good fun seeing who the mascot for the day was.

Look! T.C. Bear is here in a Chaos jersey. Why? Why not?!

Likewise I would sell some merch with the logo spot blank so people could sew in whatever random thing they wanted.

(They would never go for this though, because people hate extra work and the league would want to have a distinct identity to sell their product. But once again this is my post and I can dream whatever silly things I want!)

I doodled out some possible logo ideas, but I can't nail down one I love. But I like the idea of maybe doing some sort of riff on a butterfly symbol to have a chaos theory connection?

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Anyways, I've got a million more ridiculous ideas for why this would be a fun idea and I could go on and on. But I'll save y'all from further silliness.

Thank you for sticking around for this silly post. And happy name day to us all. Hopefully we got some goods ones?

[nerendus]

Thoughts and Speculation on DLC Trailer

This isn't going to be anything professional or going Deep Lore Mode, that isn't going to occur for another few weeks when I officially go insane. Most of these things have already been said, I really just want an accuse to just chatter and scream into the void about details I liked.

First things first, I've seen a lot of people say this is Melina guiding us towards Miquella, but it's most definitely not. The skirt is far too long, and her dress is not heavily designed like this. In the trailer, we do hear (most likely) Miquella guiding us into the shadowlands, so this could possible be him, but I doubt it. We've seen him in the art post and this dress doesn't match what he wears. This may be a new NPC looking for Miquella, or even the player character in a new fit and this frame is just a red herring. Who knows.

To the left, you see a map stand, and right next to it is a settlement that looks very Sellian. It's kind of hard to tell for sure, but it does look very similar and that honestly makes me so happy. More Sellia lore please.

In this frame, I think we are seeing most of the entire DLC and it looks so good. At the bottom, you can see the same settlement. There's some ruins on our side of the bridge. On the right on a cliff, there seems to be a cathedral and close to it on the left is a castle or fortress with more ruins to its left. There's this colosseum-looking structure with land islands surrounding it, and I'm really curious to see what's that's all abouts. It seems to be held up by the architecture similar to the Divine Towers you find all throughout the Lands Between which makes me think it may be related to the people who built them. To the far left you see that castle that seems to be going into a Farum Azula effect. And of course, the centre piece is what's probably going to be the main legacy dungeon.

This person....looks so absolutely cool. They sort of look Zamor, but that might just be the mask. Whoever it is, they are probably a boss and that makes me sad. I want to sleep in their arms.

Everyone has already heard about this person and their connection to Caria and the Dectus medallion. When I first saw them, I thought for certain it was the Dusk Eyed Queen because...purple eyes...but the more I think about it, the less likely it seems. They aren't wearing the clothing associated with her followers, but you know...the Carian siblings all have some ties to the Godskin Apostles, so there might still be a connection. As to their identity, they seem to be...priest-like but also scholarly. It's hard to know for sure if they are supposed to be Carian royalty since the Carians don't wear very extravagant gowns and wear very simple but still elegant clothes (except Rykard but....Rykard is Rykard). Who knows. I can't wait to meet them, they give off major Tanith Energy.

I am just...so obsessed with this place so much. I love the trees so much, they look very similar to the trees in the swamp where I live close to. So major vibes already.

Everyone already knows about the dude, but...the woman. She's holding her belly like she's pregnant and that's just...setting off so many electrical shocks in my brain. Wild theory is that she is Queen Marika's mother. Even wilder theory is that she's the Dusk Eyed Queen before her Empyrean status and Marika is her daughter. Messmer does mention a mother which I guess she could fit that role, however there is a statue of Marika right behind him holding a child (don't have a clear image so I can't include it) so it still doesn't seem likely.

I love these two dudes....they are just sitting....

Farum Azula castle. You can see a little bit of the deathblight swamp at the base of the stairs. Wild theory based on nothing, but I think this might be where we fight the King in Yellow dude.

Love this dude. Looks like a Wormface but like....actually a worm. So proud of them.

I love this guy so much. But first, you see a bit of the Sellian architecture behind him with those black draperies that you see in the settlement, so it's likely that he is going to be an early boss. I've sort of been calling him the Royal Misbegotten since he does seem very elegant, but it's possible he could be a priest or just some high ranking official, but either way, his very elegant stature does seem to suggest that the shadowlands are welcoming to the Crucible as seen in many scenes of the trailer. I love it. I love what looks like runes in his eyes and the second set of human teeth behind beast teeth. I can't wait for the model to be exported so we can see how he looks underneath the robes because.....it's strange alright.

Messmer got a ring. It's on the wrong finger, but still. I'd put (another) ring on it.

Okay, first, he's standing in the way and I can't get a clear image of the statue, But you can clearly see the billowing dress of Marika featured in the other statues, and you can kinda see the circular objects that are behind her. On to Messmer himself, mans look WAY TOO FUCKING COOL. Also, unless the snake is really long, he actually has two snakes instead of one fucked up one. It's hard to say if they are attached to him or not, but given how you can see a bit of his fucked up anatomy in the fighting scene, it's probably likely.

LOVE THIS so much. But one, you can see the Evil Erdtree behind them and it looks very close, so I think this takes place on one of the towers of the main legacy dungeon. Also, the twin trees sort of look like Two Fingers that had grown fucked up and started producing roots. Probably definitely not the case, but it does look cool.

We had the blue dancer in the scarlet rot (red), and here we got a red dancer in a field of blue. Given that this takes place in a field of flowers, chances are she's going to be a really memorable boss. I just really want her fit....

New Crucible Magic!!!!! It looks so cool, I can't wait to read its lore description.....

I love those eyes. Beautiful.

I don't have much more to add that hasn't been said about the King in Yellow, but this image goes SO FUCKING HARD. I love it so much, I love how his neck starts to stretch as he tries to remove the branch sword.

Looks like the Duskborn ending. Fits in very nicely with Miquella's goals in the base game...One thing though, is that it seems that the white effect is only affecting the Erdtree and not the (possibly) Deathblight tree. Maybe it's a way to rid itself of the parasite?

Anyways that's all. Please come scream at me, I never want to stop talking about this trailer.

[ruthlesscalculuss]

Tag someone you wanna know better!

Favorite color: Used to be red but now is VERY much purple. I use it for my bedsheets, my school pens, lighting in my room, clothing and headphones, I have it EVERYWHERE. It reminds me of Jiang Cheng and well, he reminds me of royalty and strength and it makes me feel better about going through life since I struggle with adhd and anxiety.

Last Song: …My Super Hero Movie from the teen titans go move (2018) 😭…I have no words I know all the lyrics by heart.

Last movie: Barbie! I have SOOO much to say about that movie and it made me cry like a bitch. I would say I’m “Allan”, I see the toxicity on both sides of the spectrum, and I have so much to say about toxic masculinity and “bro culture” cuz I grew up around/in it when I was transitioning and it’s so harmful to young boys and— anyways yeah 😭 I think I’ve made a few rants about how good Barbie was at talking about it. Truly an amazing feminist movie, what ut had to say about womanhood/girlhood broke my heart but there’s also so much power there too and that’s beautiful to me.

Currently watching: nothing, I actually haven’t watched tv in a hot minute!

Currently reading: oh boy… mdzs volumes 4/5, 2ha, fanfic (ALWAYS reading it), Stars of Chaos I need to start and I need to annotate my scum villain #1!

Currently working on: Besides all the hectic life stuff, fanfic! I’m working on a (hopefully) long zhancheng/chengzhan fic during the 13 years with co parenting with Jc becoming a shushu to A-Yuan. Hopefully it works out 🥰! Another thing is book binding. I want to practice book binding so I can bind my favorite fics if I get the authors OK, it would mean the world to me to have them with me physically. I also want to work on my time management skills ✍️.

Current Obsession: MDZS!!! JIANG CHENG!! I love mdzs so much and Jiang Cheng especially I haven’t stopped thinking about it exclusively for over a year now and I just 😭 love it so damn much I can’t believe I finished writing fanfic for it it makes me so happy. Sososo happy. I want to know more I want to get involved so badly I always love hearing peoples ideas and hcs and their passion about mdzs it makes me so happy 😭😭😭😭

Anyways I won’t tag but thanks for having me ^_^

tag someone you want to get to know better

🧡Very honored and loved to be tagged by @iri-vail and @incarnadinedreams 🧡

Favorite color/s: In nature; orange. In clothing and personal style; purple. In general or for the vibes; red. Color combo; orange and purple, followed close second of purple and red.

Last song: Punching Bag by Set it Off is so catchy I have been listening to it alot. 🎶So say goodbye / to your mister nice guy / you got your wish / he's rotting in hell🎵

Last movie: The second spiderverse movie. It was too fast for me, but it seemed cool. Good vibes. I do enjoy animation and stylized cg over live action, so I am glad these movies are doing so well, but I think this is it for me on watching any more.

Currently watching: Just finished binge watching The Good Place. An extremely solid show. Well rounded, funny, great acting. Cathartic ending. Cried about it a lot thinking of the message it's trying to convey. Eleanor and Michael were my favorites, but that's no surprise that I like the Arizona trashbag and the fire squid demon in a Ted Dansen suit.

Currently reading: Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio, by Pu Songling. And as always, Modao Zushi every time I have to check something for my donghua rewatch. And slowly catching up with The road to reunion by Onomatopoetikon (prequel movie xmen ff)

Currently working on: Still in the process of my Extensive Note Taking rewatch of the Founder of Diabolism (mdzs) donghua. I am mostly done with notes up to s2, but I binged s3 again because I wanted to write instead of take notes (WIP doc available on the CX Heaven discord). s3 continues to make me so angry I am not sure how I'll convince myself to do the full note taking. Comparing each episode to relevant novel sections is also emotionally taxing, in the sheer damage that the donghua does to the Twin Heroes relationship... so! This will be a while... but this an underlying project for my fem-mxy!wwx fic which ... may... take the place of "mainfic" for ever getting published? Jury is still out on that.

Current obsession: MDZS themed brainrot continues to make a marshy bog of my psyche. Chengxian, Twin Heroes, and Jiang Cheng in that order, but surprisingly I seem to be writing and thinking more about WWX in all my WIPs and I just noticed? Predominately, I have been writing these stories from his perspective 😅 Zoids au, naga!jc au, majority of fem!mxy au, jc wolfcurse post-canon, White Hair Wuxian smutty oneshot... Maybe it's just easier to write him because the novel is a baseline but also I think I understand and respect his multiverse shidivision.

As always, ignore me if you already did this and no worries if you're not up for sharing 😘 Tagging @ohmybookshelves @fanfictiongreenirises @sonik-kun @limonath @thestarlitrose @elliekayy @ruthlesscalculuss @miss-fiery @sailuncharted

[igc0]

Please tell me if I have any errors. English is not my native language. The translator helped me a lot. And we all know how bad it is.

I've had this idea for a Lucemond fanfic Inspired by "scum villain self saving system" I couldn't help myself and wrote a little.

....

Lucerys is a boy who just graduated from marine biology (it's a career he hates but he studied it for his grandfather) he is the middle brother and his latest obsession is a dark medieval fantasy book where one of the villains has cannon fodder the same name as him and yes, he is a little more than offended.

The protagonist is great, he has a difficult story, surrounded by a family that doesn't appreciate him (except for his mother), then he has to prove himself and work hard to get what others give him just by being born. His career is excellent and his personal growth is the best... Luke may also be a bit in love with a fictional character.

but it's not his fault, Aemond targeryan is the perfect combination of wild cold and tender psychopath. judge him if you want, luke has a type (his brother Jace always says he has bad taste in men). Luke thinks he's just being overprotective.

now, the character that has the same name as Luke, is crap. it is simple. luke never thought he could hate a five year old but he does. Fictional Lucerys Velaryon is a spoiled child, a liar and with zero empathy.

the little savage took his eye off his beautiful man Aemond! (luke is not being subjective, no)

So when Luke is swimming with his brothers at his grandparents' summer house and he gets a leg cramp, suddenly he's not just on the surface anymore, he tries to yell for help but it's all water, water in his eyes. in his lungs and in his body.

open his eyes. he takes an intense breath and shakes his arms, he was drowning but he is not anymore, there is no more water, no salty breeze or the screams of his brothers. he's not even at home Lucerys is in a strange and very old style room, his body feels very small.

— My sweet boy, it is time to wake up.

And that is the voice of his mother, his mother who should be with his father right now on their fifth anniversary.

The woman in front of him is similar to his mother, a lot, but she's ridiculously more beautiful. her skin is like alabaster, her hair is like pale silken threads, and her eyes are a fanciful purple.

his mother doesn't have purple eyes.

no one has purple eyes.

the woman approaches and caresses his face and then lifts him up. luke feels like he's having a panic attack, he's had them before, many times. He's never been good at handling them.

It is when they go through a mirror that Luke can see himself in a mirror all childish features, sweet and round. Brown eyes, thick eyelashes, curls and red cheeks. not very different from him, so similar but not him.

Luke at this age was much more robust and did not have such delicate features. holy God. It looked like he was six years old. going to panic.

—lucerys my boy, what is it?

They are walking through long corridors, with infinitely high ceilings, all ancient stone, medieval courts and touches of royalty. Lucerys doesn't want what he thinks is happening to be real.

the threads are coming together and he feels that perhaps, the most logical thing is that he is having a hallucination.

there is a tapestry on one wall. It is a dragon, deep red like blood, it has three heads and its wings look like blades.

Luke accepts his fate he has just reincarnated as the villain of his favorite book.

the pathetic villain who marks the beginning of the hero's path.

the same one who dies in chapter four of the book in a horrible way

Lucerys begins to cry.

[yannysifgen]

This isn't an ask but I love how you assign different flowers for each character! My personal fav is Lucien with the "forever mine" red salvia, really great symbolism for his obsession with the MC!

My first "ask"! Thank you for sharing your thoughts anon!

I'm not sure how or why I decided to add in flower symbolism into the mix but I'm glad I did. I pick flowers based on a mix of their symbolism, language and just general vibes really. I didn't immediately share the meanings in case anyone liked digging around for info themselves, like I do lol, but I think this is a good time to share my thoughts because I just really like to share any cool info I find and use haha

You're spot on with Lucien's flower, the Red Salvia just seemed like the perfect fit for his character and his relationship with the MC! But I also wanted to note that the meanings for the other colors of Salvia do fit in with his character too!

Most of the excerpts I put in this post will be from the site The Petal Republic, I really enjoy reading the symbolism and meaning sections of the individual flower pages, check it out if you'd like! It's my main site for picking flowers for their meanings (but not always)

The red blooming Salvia flower is traditionally associated with love and romance and is symbolic of “Forever mine” gestures.

Purple is a very regal color, synonymous with royalty, success, and good standing.

The pink petals of a flower Salvia plant in the language of flowers are symbolic of love, femininity, gentleness

The blue flowers of a Salvia are often aligned with friendship and family and symbolic of thoughtful gestures such as sentiments of “missing you” or “thinking of you”.

All these aspects tie into his character one way or the other! You'll see more of it as the story unfolds. [Also a little sidenote, I used it to make the little logo for the game too which you can see in the top left of the character bio pages, mixed with another symbol. I may have stuffed a lot of obscure meaning into small things lmao its a trend with me]

Conversely, I picked both Laplace's and Stuart's flowers mainly for their "negative" meanings, but the positives can fit them too.

Candytuft for Laplace because it can mean indifference, which is Laplace's default state. Other symbolic meanings of the candytuft include sweetness and stoic beauty. Also they're often depicted with/compared to fairies, and depending on who you ask fae and daemon can have a lot of similarities.... also why they are tiny at 4'9" lmao. And the appearance also just fits somehow.

I picked Begonia for Stuart, on the basis of "other meanings" section which somehow perfectly translated his role in the story, it's kinda crazy how it all fits.

Warnings of misfortune: Traditionally, a begonia flower stood for an omen of something sinister in the near future. Most people don’t subscribe to this meaning today, but it is the reason why begonias are still so popular as gifts in hospitals. 

Caution: In some cultures, begonias are used to symbolize vigilance. You can give a begonia (of any color) to someone as a way of telling them to take care and stay healthy. 

Harmony: Another typical meaning of the begonia flower is harmonious communication. They symbolize diplomacy, kindness, and peaceful transactions between individuals or businesses. 

If you read till here, wow! Thank you for sticking to the end and reading my rambles, I appreciate it! Feel free to just share your thoughts and opinions too if not any asks! Always welcome

[lavender-silk-sheets]

Oh oh OH! I have been obsessed over my silly little guys and I need to get them OUT of my freaking System!!!!! Waaaaaaa!!!!

Okay okay so I'm making a little story and it's all about loss and war and change and the want to go back to some sort of "Normality". Like, how you can make your own normal, even through the chaos. Make a new better normal as long as you try and put the work into it..!

Oh it's so personal to me and it's been such a good outlet for my brain and AHH!! All of those good things and now I just want to show off the too many works of art I've made

Okay okay okay so first I need to go RAHHH about my main gay- I mean guy. (I should probably say now that none of the characters have names yet!! I want to wait a bit so I can give them names with meanings even though there's a chance I miiight not haha!) ANYWAY my deer boy oh how I love him so and his silly little egg shaped head I mean just!! Look at him!!! Ahh!!!

As you'll see soon all the other characters have alt outfits!!! He will soon too but I'm still working on them!!!!! I just finished his drawing for me to add outfits too not that long ago :]

He's got tons of baggage and trauma up his sleeve it's almost funny. Dead dad, dead mom, and he's searching for his lost sister who ends up dead anyway? Poor boy. But it's okay because all of that was caused by a war his soon to be boyfriends dad started wahaha!!

And here's a quick glance at his sister for a moment.. her design is very much subject to change! I think I might change her outfit a bit and tweak a few facial features :]

And now onto her little found family replacement basically! This goober of a computer head is new to emotions and the world. She's just trying to get by while making her own clashing outfits :D

She's still in a bunch of development (as is much of the rest of this world and story!) And at first I wasn't sure if I wanted to keep her! I'm still not sure.. a little worried she'll be in the way. But I imagine her as a sort of comedic relief character.. one that's silly but helps in the story in her own weird way!

Enough about her though.. We MUST talk about the Prince! Another gay who also has trauma! A dead mom, and unfortunately an alive dad who is NOT very supportive or kind in any sense of the word.

His mother was part of the royal DragonKin line (better name still in progress). A family history that arose from two ancient God like creatures, a Dragon and a Demoness, who gave birth to a child adorned with the twos features. As a gift to their kid, they made a whole new race based on his image. EXCEPT none shared his purple hue, for he was the only one allowed to adorn the color. As did his kin and their after. The more purple you are, the higher class you are basically.

MY that was alot and not even on the Prince theirself! He's very talented and well trained in many ways due to his father being a prick. He fights, plays piano, reads all sorts of books for his studies. A very jack of all trades character. Knows alot about what's going on, about war strategies, about why there's a war in the first place. He's a great foil for our main deer boy protagonist who knows NONE of that stuff.

And for a good little end point here's concept sketches for the Princes dad.. Though not true royalty, he's higher class since he was born into a noble knight family. One with high enough statis that once he became head of the gaurd, he was given the opportunity to marry the princess at the time :]

[demon-of-the-ancient-world]

ASOIAF House Fashion Headcanons : Part 1

So idk if I'm gonna get in trouble for this bc I'm not like, super deep into ASOIAF lore as some people are and might get things wrong, and I'm not very prominent in the fandom, but I'm big obsessed with costume/clothing design so hey, I'll give this a shot.

Basically I've recently been inspired by the art and words of wonderful people such as @persephones-plantpot, @inky-duchess, and @shebsart who have talked about the cultural clothing differences between the 7 kingdoms and I...wanted to do my own? I haven't been brave enough to draw them yet (one day! I'll update when that day comes!), but I do have ~ideas~ for my personal takes on the fashion of Westeros and I'd humbly like to bring them out. Based more on the books (as much as I love the show's costuming!) as sort of an alternative take - not necessarily 100% consistent with what they say about the clothing, but I try to stick to it occasionally. I love hearing different people's ideas on the clothes so I've thrown my own little opinion into the mix.

Warning: I'm wordy. Very.

The Targaryens: So here I'm less talking about Dany and Viserys, because while I'm sure they will have retained some of their cultural heritage through clothing (especially Viserys), they're detached from their homeland and family customs, and therefore have to adapt to whatever clothes they come across in their exile. Daenerys especially I think would adapt quickly, being younger and having virtually no memory of Westeros, and be wearing pretty much only Pentosi clothing at the beginning of the series.

ANYWAY onto the old Targaryen dynasty, pre-rebellion.

In terms of historical inspiration, I actually came up with a weird combination of traditional Russian/Slavic clothing and classical Roman/Greek dress

(Also, @persephones-plantpot drew her version as Byzantine inspired and THAT stuck in my head so, now there's Byzantine touches in my headcanon too *shrugs*).

Lots of Roman-style drapery, but with big yoke/collar situations going on, metal belts, torcs, arm bands and cuffs, hair jewelry and headdresses (similar in shape to the kokoshnik), and of course tons of dragon imagery in a variety of ways.

Big shoulders. Long coats with funky split sleeves for the men and long trains on the womens' gowns, all of it in expensive fabrics like velvet, silk, satin, and intricate brocades - they were the royal house after all.

For all the houses I want to stay away from sticking ONLY to the house colours, but did use them as a base to jump off from. So the Targaryens would obviously have red and black, but instead of a bright ruby red it's a whole swath of darker, more subdued tones. Maroon, burgundy, blood red - they're an old dynasty with a lot of weight behind them, so the shades in my mind would be "older"

Grey and white would also come up, with light draped outer garments in warmer weather

Also - purple. Dany wears it several times in the books, and as it's the traditional colour of royalty I can see them wearing it.

I even wondered if - in true Medieval fashion - they were the only ones allowed to wear purple, or certain shades of it, during their reign (or perhaps only during the reign of certain rulers)

Likewise, I see amethysts being a big part of their jewelry - they can be so polished and soft looking but also raw and spiky and dangerous.

Black stones too; onyx and (possibly raw) obsidian in all it's dragony goodness, and garnets that are such a dark red they're close to black. Diamonds as well. Elaborate jewels and beadwork would be worked into the clothing in a variety of ways.

I also have a headcanon that the majority of their jewelry would be mounted on silver or white gold, but never yellow gold to distinguish them from the Lannisters.

The Starks/North

Like many others, I headcanon a Scandinavian look - somewhere between Viking and traditional Saami clothing

Warm materials of course - mostly a variety of wools, linens, and even some kind of flannel - though I want to honour that velvet and silk are both mentioned as part of the Starks' wardrobe. The northerners tend to value comfort and practicality over aesthetic but the ~fancier~ Starks + allies would wear them for sure

Colour scheme would be fairly limited, mostly grey, white, and shades of blue and brown, but I don't want to ignore the fact that Sansa wears a lot of green in the first few books as well, so I'd like to think there's green in their palette

Not much in the way of jewelry, but a lot of heavy and complex embroidery

I can also see them being masters at pleating and smocking details

What jewelry there is would mostly consist of simple necklaces, brooches, pins and cloak clasps of etched iron and bronze, though I can see amber being used for beads, carved wooden beads as well.

Viking-style tortoiseshell brooches

Possibly walrus ivory used in both jewelry and craftwork along the coasts and in the far north.

Amber is fossilized sap, right? So it wouldn't be implausible to think that ancient Weirwood sap could form a rich, blood-red amber that's considered a Northern specialty and highly valued.

High collars to stave off the wind. Lots of fur.

I feel the common folk (and the nobility to some extent) have mastered the art of visible mending - using patching and stitching on worn clothes as a form of decoration. Northern clothing is durable and made to last, but I feel like the people would also push their clothes past the wearable limit and repurpose them for other uses (i.e. an old dress being cut up into fabric for a shawl or gloves, shirts into skirts, cloaks into dresses, etc.), so you'd see a lot of that

Hats! Hats! Hats! It's cold up there you guys!

Lannister/Westerlands:

Ok here I headcanon an early Renaissance/late Medieval sort of vibe, so like late 14th-early 15th centuries but sort of fantasy-ified

Especially the classic Burgundian dress

The Lannisters are very wealthy, so I'd expect the most expensive fabrics for them and other surrounding nobility - silks, velvets, satin, and lots of damask and brocade

Fancy headdresses, slight variations on those tall pointed hats

Also long veils, not so much covering the face but artistically and elaborately draped over the hair

They're all about house pride, so I feel like their house colours would be reflected more obviously in their clothing, so mostly bright, rich reds and gold/yellow shades, though I can also see some vivid greens and warm coppery browns mixed in

Cloth of gold and even metal-infused fabrics could be a thing

ALL about jewelry. Most of it's gold, but they won't say no to silver, copper, or bronze. Heavy and intricate necklaces, bracelets, rings, earrings, or jewels just sewn right into the clothes themselves

All kinds of rubies, diamonds, sapphires, emeralds , pearls, opals, any precious stone they can get their hands on really

While they like to show off and make a statement with their clothing, I feel like they'd still have a sense of classiness about it - they're just vain enough to toe the line of gaudiness, but still snooty enough to judge those who cross it

Idk I just picture Cersei having bright red fingernails so. Nail polish.

Greyjoy/Iron Islands:

Someone made a post (that I unfortunately can't find) that described the Iron Island culture as being like a cross between Vikings and golden-age-of-piracy-era pirates, and...yeah that's pretty much my headcanon too

I'm going mostly Viking with this one but I can see some flowy shirts and long 18th century-style coats thrown into the mix

They wouldn't be that colourful though; mostly black, grey, brown, some dull greens, blues, and dark gold

Mostly wool and leather, often waxed to make it water-repellent (yes I stole that from the show's costume designer but you know what, it works That Much)

Also, I can weirdly see knitwear being popular. I know it doesn't match with their vibes, but hey, it's warm, and you can't tell me there isn't at LEAST one Iron Islands granny out there insisting her grandson wears the sweater she made for him before going out raiding so he doesn't get cold

Also also: shawls, fingerless mitts, scarves etc

Also also also, complex cable patterns are a big thing in both Irish and Scandinavian cultures, so I love the idea of them as well as having house sigils having like, family knitting patterns that they wear to identify them (or etched into a leather jerkin, that works too)

On that note - the sailor tradition of wearing a gold earring so if they die at sea their funeral can be paid for totally applies here, though I can see wealthier people wearing other ear piercings just for The Look as well

(Part of Theon's Full Hardcore Ironborn initiation in ACOK involved him getting his ear pierced and you CAN'T convince me otherwise)

I've recently seen a lot of people drawing/headcanoning the Ironborn with tattoos and I gotta say I agree

Possibly facepaint too? Like a war paint situation? Eyeliner??? Yes.

I think much of their jewelry/decoration would come from plundering, so there's stuff from a lot of other cultures

However; amber, iron, bronze, mother of pearl, and pearls (I love the idea of them using primarily black pearls) would be their home specialties

I love the idea of some of the more experienced raiders (like Euron and Victarion who have gone all over the place) wearing foreign/ Essosi coins as ornamentation on their clothes or as jewelry

Temple rings? They were more of a Slavic thing but they were a Viking thing too so *shrugs*

I think the women's clothing would have a hint of rural 18th century dress, though less structured, and they'd often cover their hair, more for practicality's sake than modesty though

Like the Starks they're practical, but I think Fancier Islanders would wear sealskin coats and wraps

THat's it for now, there'll be a part 2 soon and I feel really inspired to draw these so you might even get that at some point if I've got time. Feel free to debate or add your own ideas !

[toxicbubblegum212]

Maze runner boys ~The stupid things they would do for you~

Minho: "I bet you i could"

- Ok so you made a bet with Minho that if he successfully kissed Gally that you would date him.

- There was no way in hell he would go cause that much trouble and possibly get a punch to the face.

- Well you were wrong.

- You approached the lunch table to go sit where Minho.

- Minho had a hoodie on, very odd for someone who styles his hair so much.

- Minho took his hood off.

- You saw a missing tooth and purple cheek

- "I won the bet baby"

- "You slinthead i was only joking!"

- You lean forward kissing him busted cheek

- Minho simply smiles, flashing you a toothy grin.

- Your eyes lingered on each other.

- Since he won the two fo you started dating, you didn't wanna go back on your word.

- Minho's cheek got better but man was this on heck of a story to explain to other gladers.

- It was so stupid but the two of you look back on the memory and laugh till you both cry.

Newt: "Did I scare you" *smirks at you*

- Newt had a great Idea to scare the crap out of you.

- It was late and you were walking to the deadheads to clear your mind

- Newt followed

- You suddenly feel a hand grab your shoulder roughly

- You screamed before kicking your leg back hitting Newts shin causing him to fall on top of you.

- You stomach was facing down and so was newts

- You body started to heat up and you could feel yourself blushing.

- Newt pushed himself up off of you with his hands at his sides.

- You wriggle around to face him.

- You both giggle and laugh.

- You apologised for hitting him, giving him a loving kiss on the forehead before pulling him down onto you embracing him in a big bear hug.

- From there on your friendship was never the same.

Thomas: "I told you i would get you flowers"

- You loved flowers and you vaguely remember these exotic bright red flowers that would grown on a particular vine in the maze.

- Thomas snapped you out of the thought and asked you about the memory.

- You explained to him that when your mother passed away the same flowers blossomed had out where she died. You drew many pictures of these flowers, some gladers think you have a flower obsession. 

- Even the smell of the flowers reminds you of your mother.

- Thomas can tell how much they mean to you.

- Sure enough you said goodbye as he and Minho entered the maze.

- Minho and Thomas just made it back out.

- Minho looked flustered and was having a real stern talking to with him .

- You approached him "Hey Thomas is everything ok?"

- "Yeah i just did something stupid.."

- "What did you do?!"

- Thomas pulls out a big reasonable bunch of red exotic flowers.

- The exact kind you described.

- "You almost died, almost got Minho killed. All over getting me some flowers."

- "Yep!" He brightly smiles

- "You dummy i don't need flowers, but its still very thoughtful. All i need is you Thomas"

- You give him a light peck before taking his big warm hand in yours and walking over to the rest of the gladers.

- Thomas's face was as red as a tomato. But it was very cute.

Gally: “Oh yeah watch me” 

- You and Gally were sitting and the dinner tables. 

- You smirk to yourself before you say “Hey gal Truth or Dare?” 

- “No” he grumbles 

- “YES!” 

- “Fine what is it shank” 

- “I dare you to obey Chuck for a whole day.” 

- “Thats easy Green bean.” 

Time skip (the next day) 

- You saw Gally following Chuck around the camp 

- Chuck was treated like royalty 

- Chuck humiliated and teased Gally big time 

- Chuck made Gally wear makeup and put on a girls dress. 

- Gally hated it, parading around the camp. 

- He was so pissed off. 

- You knew it was getting to much so your approached him. 

- “You know you look really sexy in that” you whispered. 

- Gally’s face flushed as. he tried his best to cover himself up. 

- You laughed and continued to tease him all day.  

[agentem]

Shut up about HotD casting Black actors

I am so frustrated people are still upset that there are Black actors in "House of the Dragon" (and also "The Rings of Power" but I didn't like the episode of that that I watched).

There were people of color in Medieval Europe. Stop saying it's "historically inaccurate." And also, even if it is, so are dragons.

These shows need actors and characters that will appeal to many demographics. Adding a couple Black actors isn't just the right thing to do, it's smart business.

Further, I will add that GRRM has stated that the Valyrians could have been Black in his blog:

Speaking of Valyria... right from the start I wanted the Targaryens, and by extension the Valryians from whom they were descended, to be a race apart, with distinctive features that set them apart from the rest of Westeros, and helped explain their obsession with the purity of their blood. To do this, I made a conventional 'high fantasy' choice, and gave them silver-gold hair, purple and violet eyes, fine chiseled aristocratic features. That worked well enough, at least in the books (on the show, less so).

But in recent years, it has occured to me from time to time that it might have made for an interesting twist if instead I had made the dragonlords of Valyria... and therefore the Targaryens... black. Maybe I could have kept the silver hair too, though... no, that comes too close to 'dark elf' territory, but still... if I'd had dark-skinned dragonlords invade and conquer and dominate a largely white Westeros... though that choice would have brought its own perils. The Targaryens have not all been heroic, after all... some of them have been monsters, madmen, so...

Well, it's all moot. The idea came to me about twenty years too late.

Giving this to the Velayrons, who are also Valyrian but not the murderous Targaryens is such a great move on HotD's part.

Corlys is a fascinating character. He made himself the richest man in Westeros (soon to be eclipsed by the Lannisters, but whatever). He was married to "the Queen that Never Was", who was a dragonrider. According to the showrunners theirs was a "love match" and he really believes she should have been queen. He's like a stan of his wife.

His two (acknowledged) kids were dragonriders. Both married Targaryen royalty. No further spoilers but, yanno.

He was Hand, twice.

He's kind of a big deal.

And, yes, I've said it before and I'll say it again, I think Steve Touissaint looks hot in the wig so there. I could just be because he loves his wife and I like that in a guy.

[viviane-lefay]

"She had an air of a queen but didn't hold the crown to back it up. The authority she carried was one she had made herself and bestowing a crown on her would do nothing more than add a fancy, yet useless, ornament to her. She was the first ghost King Boo had seen that didn't need a crown to hold the title of royalty."

Source

~*~

I really, really love that quote! It describes her so well.

Why, yes - she is a very lovely, elegant & regal spooky lady, and I'm quite sure that didn't escape the notice of her beloved monarch (as the respective fic I linked above so nicely illustrates).

Personally, I think he's just as enamoured by her as she is with him ... he's just not that good at admitting it. ;)

King Boo in the fic is so enchanted that he can't stop thinking about her, to the point that he's totally spaced out and loses touch with present reality (like, being called 11 times before even noticing, lol). If that isn't obsession on par with Hellen's ... well, then I don't know what is.

Frankly, I'm quite obsessed with her, too. I just love her design - it's very much my aesthetic! That mixture of Morticia Addams, Lily Munster, Frankenstein's Bride, Elvira, Emily from Corpse Bride, and some WoW Night Elf influence is just gorgeous!

Aside from that, I think she's an awesome character with a lot of potential. Oh, and she's a cat person, so what's not to love!? =)

~*~

Speaking of design & character interpretation, I thought I'd share some ideas and headcanons on that matter (although most of it is already established, given this isn't really a re-design, but merely my personal take on that, which already is).

~*~

Before I continue, a little clarification at first:

This is just about my personal opinion, interpretation & headcanon - and by no means lays a claim to general validity (nor does your POV, btw).

I have more of a pick & choose approach to fandom subjects, anyway, so I can customize the experience exactly according to my needs and wishes. This is fiction, after all - the realm of endless possibilities - where anything goes, and where there is a place for the preferences of all of us.

What this post, therefore, definitely is not, is an invitation for a debate regarding the “right” character interpretation, etc. - and all the potential drama that this might entail. If that is what you’re after, then I’d politely ask you to leave now, because all you are doing is wasting both of our time. Let’s just agree to disagree and move on, k!? I do my thing and you do you!

What I’m here for are mutuals.

I suppose, I made myself abundantly clear now!? Good.

~*~

Now on to the actual subject of this post:

—

The closest thing I have as a face-claim for Hellen would be a hybridization of Megan Fox, Carice van Houten, and Segovia Amil. (They have her characteristic features, such as a heart-shaped face with prominent cheekbones, a dainty nose, and these big, almond-shaped, almost feline-esque eyes. Aside from that, they also have her graceful and fine-boned, yet curvy and feminine built.)

[ BTW, here is a character moodboard I made with a pic of MF, who is my main influence for her look]

I imagine her to be quite a tall woman (5'11'')

her hair must be fairly long for her to be able to coif it into this huge bouffant style hairdo that she usually wears, so I decided ankle-length would be quite appropriate

although you can't see it, because her hair mostly covers this area - her ears are slightly pointy (I wanted at least some elven influence)

aside from the overall ghostly glow, her skin has a slightly iridescent shimmer about it - a little like being dusted by a finely powdered mixture of purple moonstone and amethyst (I'm talking about a natural property of her skin here, and not the powder she uses as a nervous habit of hers, which has a more mattifying effect)

—

The only thing I'd like to change a little, because I'm not happy with it, tbh, is her turning into this banshee-like form, once she loses it.

I'd much rather prefer it to be a "monstrous" form of a different kind - one not any less scary, but a little less unpleasant to look at.

Since she has this association with cats via her beloved Polterkitty, who apparently happens to be one of the cat-like yōkai (such as nekomata and bakeneko) you find in Japanese folklore, I would really like the thought of Hellen turning into a human version of such a creature when she's angry - a "were-cat" of sorts (with fangs & claws, and all that) ... like a Kyuubi-possessed Naruto, or Bruce Banner turning into the Hulk.

Why yes, that IS an appropriate comparison - she did a Hellen smash with her desk after all. There wasn't much left afterwards. So it is understandable that Luigi was scared, given she'd be able to make mincemeat out of somebody that way.

Bad for her opponent that she doesn't have any tails to remove, as a potential weakpoint, like Polterkitty does ... although I'm not entirely sure on that matter as yet (even if she did, it would be a quite risky, if not lethal, endeavour to remove one of those - Polterkitty was pretty fierce already, just imagine what Hellen could do ...).

As for the eyes turning red - that's fine, she can keep that.

That would be about it regarding the more visual design aspects.

~*~

Now on to some thoughts on her name (no changes here, of course, just a little interpretation) ...

I've already pointed out in another post, how interesting, and fitting, I find the mythological references you can see there - one quite obvious, as well as another, that is a little more obscure.

The more evident one is, of course, the reference to Helen of Troy, who is said to have been the most beautiful woman in the world (of this myth, i.e. the Iliad), and there also are close ties to the goddess Aphrodite.

Frankly, I think this totally applies to Hellen, too, considering how lovely she is. She is merely a spooky version of such a lady.

Then you can also find the goddess Hel hidden inside the name, which was pretty much the Germanic equivalent to Hades, being the ruler of the Netherworld (also called Hel, or Helheim) - so there is the spooky theme again ... and, perhaps, an explanation as to why (in the fic) King Boo perceived her as someone with "the air of a queen", something he never experienced before with anyone he met.

If you combine these two references, the result is a "Dark Venus Persephone" kind of being - a sublime beauty, with the power and dignity that would make her a true equal to the god of the Underworld himself (... and his perfect match =D).

Aside from that, it might also be interesting to mention that the word "hell", which can also be seen in her name, is said to be derived from, or at least related to, the word "hel", and, in contrast to the terrible meaning it has in the Abrahamic religions, the Germanic one describes a realm of a more neutral nature - despite being a rather gloomy place overall (btw, the location of her hotel seems to be located quite far in the "north", as you can clearly see the aurora polaris in the night sky).

So, I think, the same could be said of Hellen, too, as I, personally, do not see her as a bad person, but rather as one of a more ambiguous nature. Which side is seen ultimately depends on how she relates to the one she interacts with, which can be either good or bad, as she is seen to be fiercely loyal to the ones she loves, but also quite terrifying, if you get on her bad side (which is when you get to see the "hell" part).

Finally, coming to her last name "Gravely", which, of course, quite obviously refers to the word "grave", and thus to her spectral, other-worldly nature.

What I think it could also give insight into, however, is a facet of her personality, as "gravely" - or the verb "grave" - describes a state of being serious or solemn, thoughtful, and, perhaps, a little strict (she definitely has high standards and expectations, both regarding herself, as well as others) - traits I can definitely see in her, despite the rather dramatic side of hers that she shows more openly.

Anyway, that is what I could derive from the information that her name provides, plus my own perspective on it.

~*~

Besides Aphrodite, Persephone, and Hel, there are also some other goddesses who, I think, fit her symbolism-wise, and who inspired my interpretation of her:

Nut (Egyptian goddess of the Sky) - Hellen's beautiful indigo coloured hair reminds me of the night sky.

Bastet (Egyptian goddess of felines & sensual pleasures) - This, of course, I chose because of Hellen's association with cats, but there is also the affiliation with both moon and sun, which I also thought fitting, as I think Hellen's nature isn't just nocturnal, as her shining, golden eyes make me think of the early morning sun. There is also another aspect, tied to a headcanon I have of her, but I'll leave it at that, for now.

Sekhmet (Egyptian lion goddess of war) - A hint at my interpretation of her fiercer nature (aside from the Japanese inspiration).

Frigga (Norse goddess of the household & domestic arts, as well as marriage) - Since you could say that domestic arts are somewhat related to the hotel business, this is a goddess who reminded me of Hellen's hospitality and profession. The fact that Frigga also happens to be the queen of the Aesir also serves to both emphasize Hellen's position as the boss of this establishment, as well as her regal charisma (and what she is to King Boo imho ;D).

~*~

Other than that, the archetype of Virgo is quite a dominant feature of her personality, as you can definitely see the traits that are characteristic for this zodiac sign (perfectionism, attention to detail, conscientious, service-oriented, helpful, analytical, etc.). Then there are two other signs which are also heavily featured in her characterization, as secondary dominant influences (in equal measure) - Scorpio and Leo.

~*~

That is about it - for now.

Hope you like it.

[therenlover]

The Bay (A Helmut Zemo x GN!Reader Drabble)

A/N: I wrote this on vacation while I was getting emotional about Lake Michigan and completely forgot about it... oops! Enjoy this shitty rushed love letter from my heart to both Helmut and my great state <3

Synopsis: You and Helmut enjoy the final evening of your vacation on the dock overlooking Grand Traverse Bay. 

Tags: Tooth Rotting Fluff, Kisses, General Pretentious Michigan/Great Lakes Experiences, Overly Floral Prose, Mosquito Bites

Rating: T

Warnings: Minor Mentions Of Casual Drinking, Slapping Mosquitos But Like... Not In A Violent Way

Word Count: 1100~

“Have you ever seen anything more beautiful in your entire life?” 

Your question was rhetorical at best. Of course, Helmut had seen things far more beautiful than the sight you’d set before him. He was rich and affluent, a man with ties to royalty and a private jet that would happily take him wherever he wanted to go, but still, you hoped he could humor your small-town sensibilities a bit longer as you enjoyed the final evening of your spur-of-the-moment weekend holiday. 

Before you, the Grand Traverse bay stretched out into the distance, glassy and still save for the gentle ripples made by your dangling, frozen toes. 

The sun was still relatively high up in the sky, nowhere near the horizon, but you could just begin to see purple streaking through the sky. Soon the sky would be filled with colors; red, yellow, orange, purple… a sunset more spectacular than anywhere else in the world. For the moment, though, the sky was still its usual cornflower blue. You wouldn’t have it any other way. 

Helmut hummed from his spot on the dock, reclined on a colorful beach chair, his latest book in hand. “It is… unique, in the best of ways,” Then, he grinned. “What’s so funny?” 

He chuckled a bit to himself before lifting up his sunglasses and smiling down at you. “I am simply enjoying the view,” 

“I thought you said it was unique,” 

“Perhaps, but I was only referring to the scenery. When I include you in the picture, though, any view automatically becomes the most beautiful I have ever seen,”

Despite the fact that you’d known Helmut for years, your cheeks still heated at his endless flattery. “Stop that, you know I was talking about the lake!” 

With little more than a thoughtful hum he slipped from his seat and kissed you softly, the knees of his pants scuffing against the wood of the dock as the pages of his book, abandoned beside his glass of white wine on a small folding table, fluttered softly in the cool, late-afternoon breeze. 

Your combined laughter carried all the way up to the rental house.

You stayed that way for a good, long time. In fact, by the time you thought about anything besides the feel of his plush lips on your own, the mosquitos were out in full force, and a soft purple dusk was settling over the sky. 

The pair of you were squeezed onto the colorful beach chair as the sun descended, falling below the treeline across the water. Neither of you really knew how you’d gotten there exactly, not that you minded the closeness. His natural warmth meant you didn’t have to break away and retrieve your sweater from inside. He definitely wasn’t objecting either if the way his arms snaked around your waist was a good indicator. 

You broke the silence after pressing a soft kiss to his cheek, voice joining the chorus of frogs and grasshoppers alike. “I think I’ll swim tonight before we sleep. You can join me if you want to, but I get it if you’d rather stay inside,”

“I’ll consider it.” His hand fell away from the meat of your side after giving it a soft squeeze, reaching for his glass. “I don’t quite understand your obsession with torturing yourself in 45-degree water, but if it’s important to you, you know I will partake,”

That earned him a soft snuffle of your face against the warmth of his pulse. As he leaned into the touch, the last of his wine slipped sweet and cool down his throat. When you lifted yourself up to kiss him once more you could taste the last of it wet on his lips. 

“Should we turn in for the moment?” Helmut’s voice was soft, almost reverent against your flesh.

“Why would we? It’s gorgeous out here,” 

“Schatz,” a light smack against your flesh punctuated his sharp words, “you’re practically being eaten alive,” Sure enough, a quick glance at your stinging skin revealed a tiny crumpled mosquito, crushed beneath the weight of his palm. A sheepish sigh was the most you could offer in retaliation.

“Alright, alright! You’ve got a point. I just… five more minutes?” 

Helmut tensed, prepared to put his foot down in the very special, gentle way that only he could, but, unlike almost every other moment in your whole relationship where he insisted to know what was good for you, he relented, settling back down into his chair with little more than a smile and an apathetic shrug. “Five more minutes. Then we’ll find some bug repellant and we can get ready for our evening swim,”

Your eyebrow raised slightly. “Our?” 

“Did you think I’d allow you to be alone out here in the dark, falling prey to these blood-sucking fiends?” 

Once again, Helmut slapped your flesh and his hand came away with the telltale red smear of an unlucky bug. You were already starting to itch despite the relatively early hour, which was honestly to be expected so close to the still, marshy water’s edge the swarms of irritating monsters called home. Perhaps, if you were lucky, the chilly waters would numb your senses to what was sure to be an unpleasant amount of bites. 

Even if they didn’t heal your ills, there was something captivating about the seemingly endless waters that awaited you. The curved trees that drooped and swayed above and the blooming lilies that cradled the sunset below and all the endless ebbing, flowing waves that crashed against the pebbled shore in a whisper singing sweetly no matter where you rest- Come home to me! I waited for you! Do you recognize me? You’ve grown!

You’re home. 

The realization doesn’t come all at once. No, it’s a slow thing. The waves crash and the mosquitos hum and Helmut rubs his hands, cold with condensation from his glass, down the soft exposed flesh of your arms. Ever so slowly but all at once, the final piece clicks, and you smile. 

Somehow, you know you’re where you’re meant to be. 

The world would turn, that you were sure of. You’d wake in the morning and pack up your bags before running to wherever Helmut saw fit for your next worldly excursion, and that was fine. You couldn’t stay rooted in one place forever. Still, though, at that moment, you were sure you had found the path you were always meant to find. 

With that in your mind and heart, you leaned closer to Helmut and drew him in for one more soft kiss. Neither of you tried to pull away for a good long while. 

You wouldn’t have had it any other way.