#I'm pretty sure Harrow's like 18 or 19 or something like that

[moosethewriter]

"Death first to vultures and scavengers" is such a hard line I wish that there were scenarios where I could use it in my day to day life without eventually having to explain that the quote was said by a scrawny teenaged(?) nun in response to what is essentially a dick measuring contest run by a bunch of idiots who have no business being unsupervised for that long anyways.

[starberry-cupcake]

I've been reading, but didn't have time to sit down and do this, so you're getting a bit of a mess in this one, sorry about that!

I want to clarify, before starting, that if I ask questions to the void in these posts, or if I wonder very loudly about something, I'm not really looking for answers immediately nor am I doubting that things will be explained later, I promise I trust the process. If something's going to be explained, somewhere in the books, I'll get there eventually, I promise I will. You have probably noticed by now but, if you give me a hint, I'm gonna grab onto it for dear life, so better not give me anything at all. Just leave me here to die, I beg you.

previously, in harrowberry the ninth:

this happened

currently, chapters 17-19:

I'm gonna start by the end, actually

which maybe is fitting for this book

but I'll start by the end because I have a new theory and I feel this one in my bones

(pun intended)

I might be totally off but I'm gonna say it anyway because I'm excited about this one

so much so that you'll get no memes while I explain it

it's about G and P

yes, I know, I'm fixated with that, but hear me out

I think Lyctortus isn't actually called Ortus

I think his name is Gideon

let me explain

at the end of chapter 19 (I'll get there, but I need this off my chest, I really do) harrow asks mercygirl why ortus the first wants her dead

to which mercygirl distractedly answers "who?"

that's the last thing I read so far, but it got my wheels turning so fast I came running to write it down

I thought "wait, what if, just like ortus is replacing gideon in the gideon-less re-telling, the name is also a replacement?"

so I went to the character list and lyctortus's cavalier was called pyrrha

so what if they're G and P

Gideon and Pyrrha the Second

and what if the Gideon in the paper was this guy

so this is not a case of Ortus 1 and 2 but of Gideon 1 and 2

not!dulcinea told our gideon "you're very brave—a bit like another Gideon I used to know. But you're prettier in the eyes"

which is, all things considered, actually funny, because it's a reversal of what mercygirl was saying, that yandere twin and harrow aren't as pretty as their predecessors

I'm gonna risk looking like a fool later and calling this now because I really feel this one

again, let me clarify, I'm not asking you to tell me whether I'm right or wrong or anything at all, I'm just placing my bets with myself

and I know starting by the end isn't really the best way to go about a recap, but I think I'm on to something

MOVING BACK, to chapter 17

harrow starts looking into mercygirl for her new and probably not improved diary, because she knows less things now

augustine the saint of annoyance tells harrow that mercygirl and him are the oldest lyctors in the band and that it took generations for these space planet destroyers to assemble

emperor john silver tells harrow that his stupid nicknames that don't fit were meant to represent the cavaliers and not the necros

of course augustine's brother was patient, he had to put up with augustine

mercygirl is also a body expert

an anatomist, if you will

which will come in handy later/earlier (later in the reading order, earlier in the timeline order)

augustine says that he didn't bother learning that because the only use for it would be to kill lyctors

tbh it'd come in handy right now that I want to kill him, but I digress

here, harrow again mentions that ortus the first (also known as lyctortus, also known as allegedly gideon the first, also known as I'm super super sure of this you guys) wants her dead

CHAPTER 18

we're back on canaan house in the gideon-less version

these are the chapters I'm having the most fun with, which wasn't what I expected

I don't know why, I really like this whole re-written mystery thing

the slasher film vibes have doubled this time

I keep drawing parallels and enjoying my time with these old and new friends

and, talking about old and new friends, judith is dead

remember judith? remember how she died?

it wasn't like this

in this gideon-less version, instead of becoming besties with the sixth, harrow and ortus have become besties with the fifth

because 1) the fifth didn't die and 2) the fifth is in a polycule with ortus

with gideon there, they befriended the sixth because gideon saw camilla fight 5 seconds and was like "she's friend shaped :)"

so, the fifth and the ninth are taking care of judith's corpse

she was shot repeatedly with a carbine rifle

harrow says "it would have been like being set upon by a ghost out of time"

gonna put that in the 3d model

martita is outside and she's the only pseudo witness to this situation

the gideon-less version of the deaths so far is being handled like this

martita says to harrowbean "why am I here?"

she explains that they were doing the two door test thingy and, while she was in the other room, judith was shot

now, here's the thing

I thought the Sleeper that had been mentioned was the construct thing but no, it's not

it's a new thing

I'm picturing sorta this

it very well could be a person though

it's person shaped

huh

it's in a coffin where it sleeps unless it's woken up, but they don't know how it wakes up, because martita went to town kicking and punching the coffin after judith was obliterated and nothing happened

and what keeps it contained, snow white style, isn't plex glass, plex or glass

ortus proceeds to say a eulogy

martita says "Is this really how it happens?" like we've been hearing all this time

harrowbean tries to make her feel better by telling her that, at least judith died quickly

mmm...about that

martita says "No. That's not...Don't know why I thought...No."

martita doesn't know judith died slowly and painfully and wrong about everything btw, she died first, it memory serves

but still, savage

harrow regrets not telling ortus to take the pledge of silence and says "but only a very obedient idiot of a cavalier would have stuck to that"

she's your obedient idiot, though, harrow

so, the rundown is this:

the sleeper can move

the sleeper can pass necromantic wards

the sleeper shouldn't be waken

people don't know what wakes it

it has a rifle

the sleeper is lying on top of sword that's a two-hander

me, having breakfast while reading this

I didn't mention this but

harrow and abby say that judith was killed by a deadly shot and then was subsequently used for target practice and left like a colander without any reason for it

judith disrespected camilla, so

that's what you get, bitch

CHAPTER 19

we travel in time, but in the timeline of the emperor's bolthole

because WHY NOT, AT THIS POINT

we're keeping track anyway *picks back up the timeline I keep discarding and re-using*

this one is 10 months before the emperor johnny boy is ended, so this is before what we've been reading

we are told the following essential info:

harrow has written a letter for yandere twin in case of harrow's death that says: "Get what joy you can from my corpse, you devious bitch"

filed under potential resignation letter drafts

apparently a lyctor can live without food but not without water

so harrowcita is getting herself a sopita

and then lyctortus also known as I'm sure he's gideon the first stabs her

this tiny baby kitten with her sopita

man has no heart

no decency

no decorum

not his real name, according to me

mercygirl helps harrow with a lot of skill (those anatomy skills we talked about) but not much empathy

she tells alleged gideon who goes by ortus, when he says "I do things face-to-face" that "that is what got you into trouble nineteen years ago"

HELLO TIMELINE

nineteen years ago takes us back to the whole leader of the BOE going missing and gideon's mom drifting into space and the person sent with the eggs and all that

well, the eggs thing isn't directly related yet but I'm relating it

especially since there were lies involved and somebody sent to placate another somebody

DUDE CAN YOU IMAGINE

IF HE WAS INVOLVED WITH GIDEON'S MOM IN SOME WAY

AND OUR GIDEON IS NAMED AFTER THIS GIDEON????

LIKE ON PURPOSE????

HELLO?????????

AGAIN, NOBODY TELL ME, I'M ASKING AT THE VOID

YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO LIVE WITH THE IMPULSE OF TELLING ME BUT DON'T DO IT

I'm making up telenovela theories about how this gideon could be involved into our gideon's mom business and our gideon being named after him

and gideon's superpowers of being hercules having something to do with all this

I need to stop before I say too much and then feel embarrassed at my theories

ALSO

gideon ortus wants harrow's sword

harrowbean doesn't want to give it to him

it is at this point when mercygirl says "who?" at harrow's question about "ortus", so we end how we begun, because today it's that kind of day

also, another day without her coming home

I may be late but boy do I have theories. And yeah, nobody tell me any spoilers, please. Let me make a fool of myself.

[laceghost]

End of the year ask

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I'm so late but ty for the ask!! <33 1. Song of the year? That's so fucking hard to answer?? I think it's a tie between Spillways and Griftwood

2. Album of the year? Legally obligated to say Impera. cmon

3. Favorite musical artist / group you started listening to this year? Very end of the year find but House of Harm is becoming a favorite of mine really quickly

8. Game of the year? I barely played anything this year tbh :/ I'll say Omori bc I finally finished it and it was super good!!

9. Best month for you this year? So glad that I had such a good year that it's hard to choose lol my whole summer of july to september were the absolute best, I got to spend a lot of time with my best friends, traveled to visit some amazing places and saw some really cool bands! I can't just choose one bc these three months felt like a whole year to themselves

11. Something you want to do again next year? I went to a very cool underground bar/venue in my town for the first time and I really hope I get to go more often!! I really want to see more little shows this year basically

12. Talk about a new friend you made this year HI HIIIIII @niimuue !! Ok so technically we've known each other since before this year. BUT. I didn't meet anyone new and I feel like we really got to know each other this year!! I'm so glad we started talking more,, not to be sappy but you're a literal ray of sunshine in my days when I talk to you. ok i love you

13. How was your birthday this year? Pretty fun! We had a picinc at the park with my friends and I got to eat some good cake :) Didn't cry this year wich is an achievement (yipee)

14. Favorite book you read this year? Oh Gideon The Ninth hands down. I jumped head first into tlt and I don't regret anything (currently working on a Harrow cosplay too!!)

18. A memorable meal this year? Oh I got a real stupid one for this. My bf and I went on a trip to Italy this summer and on our last day we were eating outside and we had?? a french youtuber stumble and almost fall RIGHT beside our table it was such a weird moment of recognition I was stunned because?? is this who I think it is that almost ate shit right beside me?? in Italy of all places???? And when I asked my bf if he recognized the guy bc I wanted to be sure of who I saw, he didn't even know him.

19. What’re you excited about for next year? Seeing Ghost again lmao. Also getting more tattoos!

20. What’s something you learned this year? Kinda learned to set better boundaries! It's helped a lot to be able to protect myself and not let people walk all over me, and being able to communicate in a healthier way when ppl I care about are hurting me and not realizing it

21. What’s something new about your place of residence (room, home, or general location) now vs the start of the year? Umm acquired more trinkets and Miku figures lmao,, Oh I also reorganized my print wall but other than that not much has changed!

22. Favorite place you visited this year? Edinburgh for suuuure I really fell in love with the whole city but the castle was especially beautiful

25. Did you create any characters (in games, art, or writing) this year? Describe one Yeah I made a few new characters for my graduation portfolio :^) I don't want to spoil too much so I'll briefly talk abt Josué! He's a member of my main cast of monsters and he's a cool guy with 4 arms ans that's all you'll get for now!! I'll post about them all when I make full illustrations hehe

[athena5898]

Just say it's Shakespeare no one will check that shit.

"Death first to vultures and scavengers" is such a hard line I wish that there were scenarios where I could use it in my day to day life without eventually having to explain that the quote was said by a scrawny teenaged(?) nun in response to what is essentially a dick measuring contest run by a bunch of idiots who have no business being unsupervised for that long anyways.