#IOL TRY TO BRING IT UP IF I CAN

[thearchivistsjournal]

Day 235,

Yeah, I needed that break.  Even now my wrist is still sore as I go to write this, but it’s better than I suspect it would have been otherwise.  Not really worth taking a detour back to the healing spring on our way back to the Village though.  Not that I think I could convince the others anyway after that last night there.

But on to more interesting things.

We’d already discussed the plan for the day yesterday evening (and included Iole in the discussion) so we were able to head out this morning without too much delay beyond my usual morning slowness.  (How happy I’ll be to have a real bed once more.)  Maiko was able to lead us to the structure with the other Reader statue without issue, although it was a longer trek than I expected.  Then again, this island is significantly larger than nearly all the others we’ve seen these past couple of weeks, maybe around half the size or so of the main island with the Village.  And we’d made the trek from near the western end of it to what I’m estimating is somewhere near the center.  There really wasn’t much in the way of a trail, so I was glad to have the pale ring back from Lin, although as we made our way I couldn’t help but wonder if she was regretting that decision.

As for the structure itself, I find myself wanting to call it a library, but there really isn’t enough left intact to say for sure.  When Maiko said before that it had been mostly consumed by the jungle, that may have been an understatement.  The roof of the place had completely collapsed long ago.  The outer walls remained only as scattered and fragmented sections.  Were the (book?)shelves not themselves made of stone and tall enough to stick out above the rubble, I doubt we would have ever known they were there.  And as tempting a project as it would be to try to clear some of the rubble away to see what’s buried beneath, most of it has long since been overgrown to the point that we’d have to tear away an interlocking webwork of roots and vines before we could even begin to start moving anything.

Even in that fallen state, the ruins were impressive to walk through.  While there may have been no walls remaining, go far enough in and you can find yourself unable to see the jungle’s trees, surrounded instead by still-towering shelves that have had their contents replaced by ferns, vines, and the nests of small animals that went scurrying and fluttering as we made our way toward the center.  And beneath our feet, the green-matted rubble rose and fell in uneven rolling hills, bringing us alternatingly closer and further from the uppermost reaches as if we were bobbing upon waves as we made our way forward and inward.

I can only imagine that there once must have been ladders of some sort spread throughout to reach the upper shelves.  Alas, if they ever existed they don’t anymore.  Instead, I made due with finding a spot where the rubble had made a passable slope up to the top of one of the shelves.

Wide enough to stand atop, the view from above the shelves gave me a better perspective on the awesome expanse of the ruin.  While there was no indication that there had ever been an upper story, the remaining shelves indicate that this place must have been at least two or three times the area of the cathedral.  Circular in overall layout, the shelves alternated between concentric rings of curved shelves and straight shelves aligned as if radiating outward from the center.  It made for a curiously inefficient use of space that lent a sense of growing claustrophobia the nearer one got to the center.  An effect that was exaggerated by the almost labyrinthian alignment of the gaps in the concentric shelves.  Or rather, lack of alignment.  Stand at the border between any two “layers” and you’ll be unable to see the way forward or back.  No straight or direct paths from outside to center.

Had I not had that early elevated view of the layout, I imagine our journey to the center would have been more disquieting than fascinating.  Maiko walking along the tops of the shelves to guide us certainly helped as well.  I would have worried about stability with her walking up there, but if any of these shelves were going to fall, they would have long before we got there.  Truth be told, if I had her strength to make the jumps between shelves, I would have done the same.  For a gut-wrenching moment back when we were climbing down from that one shelftop I thought that Cass was going to try to follow Maiko’s lead, but she turned back at the end of the row.  And gave me a look that let me know better than to say anything about it.

In a moment of morbid curiosity, I found myself speculating aloud on the condition of these ruins when compared to the cathedral.  Was the original construction of this place inherently less sturdy, leading to it deteriorating more quickly?  Or was it the trees intertwining with the walls and columns that kept the cathedral standing?  Or - and here’s the morbid part - was this a matter of disaster rather than neglect?  Was this place destroyed rather than eroded?  If we looked beneath the rubble, would we find the crushed skeletal remains of this place’s final patrons?

Cass dryly pointed out that any human remains would have been claimed by the shades by now.

I didn’t have much time to question how shades would be “claiming” bodies under mounds of rubble when doors and walls seem to block them, as we reached the center shortly thereafter.

Despite having had blue skies above our heads and the not-yet-noon sun at our backs the whole time to spare us the worst of the shadows, stepping into that central space (concourse? atrium? gallery?) felt like stepping outdoors.  Such was the contrast from traversing the stacks.  This shelfless, rubble-covered architectural focal point could have fit the entirety of the archive all on its own.

Instead it now held only the Reader.

Initially, I was surprised to see that the statue and its immediate surroundings were free of debris, until I remembered that Iole mentioned she had cleared the area herself decades ago, searching for a possible companion to her book or the box she found it in.  She never found anything else.

(I should ask her about that box, now that I think about it.  She’s mentioned it once or twice, but I still haven’t seen it myself.  I wonder what she did with it.)

Even with that rational explanation in mind, it was hard to shake the impression of the statue sitting in the middle of an impact crater, as if it had fallen from the heavens and blown everything else away upon landing.  Or perhaps, with those wings and the way the circle of  cleared debris crested at the top and sloped down inward covered by creeping plant growth, the imagery of a nest was more apt.

Nestled atop their plinth, book on knee, sun at their back but soon to be directly overhead, this Reader was certainly of a kind with the one in the cathedral.  (Or is “reader,” lowercase r now more appropriate with two of them?)  Of a kind, but not the same.  Still robed, hooded, winged, and reading, but the pose was more casual - one foot atop the plinth with knee sticking up and the other leg dangling down - and the face, while still androgynous, we all agreed was different enough to represent a different individual, even accounting for weathering.  And speaking of the weathering, while Maiko had said previously that this statue was “less detailed,” having seen it myself I suspect it’s more a matter of erosion from being directly exposed to the elements for who knows how long.  She was right though about it being slightly smaller

We spent the rest of the day out there, wandering the shelves, examining the statue, poking at interesting bits of rubble, taking notes, making sketches.  Anything that might give more solid indication to the nature of the place.  True, Iole had warned us that she’d spent years meticulously going down every shelf and aisle without turning up anything, so we hardly expected to make a breakthrough in an afternoon, but it was still an engaging activity.  

Also, we had something specific to keep an eye out for that Iole wouldn’t have: possible catacomb entrances.  We didn’t find any of course, but with the apparent similarities to the cathedral I couldn’t get the idea out of my head.  And with all that rubble, and the scattering of toppled shelves, there could be something buried still.  I almost wish it were the rainy season so we could see if this structure has the chanting too.

Maybe we’ll make a future trip back out here for that.  At the fuzzy border between seasons so it won’t be raining all the time.  Perhaps take Prsicilla’s island again so we don’t have to bail out boats in a downpour.

Wrist is sore again.  Stopping here for the night.

<==Previous          Next==>

[quirkwizard]

Hello wizard ugh...”cutter” here. Hay thanks for the feed back, Iol I had to look up the length of half a meter and measure it from my arm to get an idea of it lol. I liked the idea of it. Now I gotta ask? What would even be an awakening of this. I had some idea that they can play with the Curvature of the blades to better suit the situation. Or maybe like being able to extend the blades but only for a moment. I just trying to think of a lot of uses these blades can bring on.

Hay dude it’s “cutter” here. Hay thanks for the feed back. Since you closed the ask box I have been working hard on an OC with that quirk. But I needed some help finishing the quirk. Is it to far for the user to be able to naturally reshape the blades edge like from a razor to hooked or serrated? Also maybe an awakening? I have this idea where the OC can extend the length of the blades 3x the normal length but only for just a moment like enough time for them to swing there arms. Thoughts?  Love all you do boo boo.

Thank you, I hope you find this helpful.

I do think that they could be evolutions, something that can be done as a result of training. Like the user can suddenly extend the blade out for a quick surprise attack or to hit someone from a range, but can only do it in brief bursts or else it will get too heavy. Though the serrated edge idea is pretty redundant, mostly the blades the user makes are already sharp enough as it is. However, I don't think that either of those could be an awakening. Awakenings are supposed to be major changes to the Quirk, greatly expanding what it is capable of. If you want something that reflects that, just make it so the user makes more blades on their body, greatly increasing the options they have available to them. A good example of this is what Daz Bones does with his Devil Fruit, growing blades out of the rest of his body and even turning his body into blades.

[thanzag]

a fight

follow up piece to part one and part two fic masterlist here

zagreus encounters some trouble on his way to mount olympus.

CW for canon typical violence

There is so much to see of the earth on his long walk, even though he does not truly have time to stop and appreciate it. The snow is a constant crunch under his feet, and he’s started to count the days of his travel, if for no reason other than his own curiosity.

He doesn’t have to eat or drink, but he misses the taste of the pomegranates from home. No — from the House. That’s not his home any longer, and he hates that he is reflexively thinking it. When he comes across a river, though, he does stop to taste the water, look at his reflection. His own face doesn’t do anything to combat his mounting loneliness, but it feels good to know that he’s — still the same.

On the fourth day since he left Iole in the forest and began his long walk, something happens. From the East comes a terrible beating of wings, and cackling laughter, and —

The Furies are much different in the light of day. Distantly, of course, he knew that they could fly, but not like this, circling around his head, out of reach. He falls into a defensive stance, drawing once more on Achilles’ training, and eyes them warily. Their presence here can not mean anything good for him.

“Lord Hades says hello, Redblood!” Alecto calls, baring all of her teeth at him. She’s more than pale in the light of day, and her red dress looks the color of blood. It is eerily different to see them like this. Tisiphone is silent and sallow on his other side, staring at him with her yellow eyes. It feels like she is looking right through him.

In front of him hovers Meg, her whip tightly gripped in her hands and a grim look on her face. “For crimes against Lord Hades, we are here to take you back to the Underworld. By any means necessary.”

“C’mon, ladies, you know that’s not going to happen. I won’t give in that easily. How many times have I fought you off before? This isn’t going to go the way you want it to, be reasonable!” It’s second-nature to run his mouth, of course, but in a weird and distant way he is so grateful to see them. To have someone to talk to.

“Murderer,” Tisiphone growls, and Meg shakes her head at him. He wonders briefly if this is one of those situations where she’s doing this just because it is her job, or if she really thinks he belongs back in the Underworld. Back in the House. It’s not like — well. It’s not like he could blame her, really.

“I’m going to look forward to sending you back,” Alecto says, snapping her whip, and when she glances at her sisters, he uses the distraction to dash away. Just in time, too, because she dives for where he was the moment after.

He finds himself behind her, and with Artemis’ power washing over him, he runs back toward her with his blade at the ready. She yells and spins, cracking her whip in his direction, but he dodges out of the way. Overhead, Meg and Tisiphone still linger, but he doesn’t have the time to worry about them right now.

He’s doing his best to stay behind her, because she can’t defend herself well that way — he’s fought her enough times to know that. Aphrodite’s power imbued into his bloodstones make for a hot-pink spray against her back, weakening Alecto for a few moments, and he hesitates to take a breath. Four days shouldn’t be enough time to be out of practice, but he’s feeling winded already.

She’s screaming something that he can’t understand, enraged, and she launches herself back into the air. The first circle of lightning that she calls down on him catches him by surprise — how had he forgotten that was in her repertoire? — and he stumbles.

Stumbles headfirst into a cloud of sickly grey-green fog. He can’t see, he can’t see, he panics and dashes out of it, directly into another bolt of lightning.

Damn it. He curses aloud and focuses, running out of the way of another bolt of lightning. And then one, and another, and then she’s ceasing her overhead spinning to dive at him again.

He catches her in the face with his blade, stunning her briefly. It brings out her feral grin in full force again, like it doesn’t even bother her. “Not so fast now, are you?” she taunts, striking at him with her whip. It just barely misses, and he sends Hermes thanks for it.

“Two can play at your game, Alecto,” he returns, even though it’s hard to talk and fight at the same time. “How does your hair look standing on end?” He drives his blade into the ground at her feet and it calls upon Zeus’ boon to strike lightning in its place, jolting her out of position. She swears at him, and he dashes in toward her. Behind him, a circle of flame appears, and he glances up to look at Meg.

Of course she would have to help them fight him. Right? It’s not like she’s going to do something to endanger her job. Still, he’d rather they weren’t on different sides of this fight. She would be a formidable ally, if he could have her.

…an ally. There’s an idea.

“Than?!” he calls, even as he strikes her again, hoping that whatever connection the other man has with Mort will bring him to Zagreus’ side.

Every time he’d appeared in the underworld, it was instantaneous.

Nothing happens. Nothing at all.

Alecto laughs, something harsh and grating on his nerves and ears, and he growls. Fine. He’ll do this alone. He doesn’t need any more help; the Gods have more than taken care of him.

She turns and whips at him again, and he dodges half a second too late. It catches on his arm and leaves a ruby-red welt, and he hisses.

Well, if Than won’t help him, maybe —

“Athena, lend me your aid!”

He shines, he can feel it, and Athena’s blessing sends Alecto’s whip striking back at her. It cracks on contact, and he strikes at her again. Tisiphone — it must be Tisiphone, anyway — casts them both in another cloud of fog, and he ignores it. Can’t see much of anything, but it’s not like Alecto can really get away from him like this.

He dashes behind her again, something he achieves only because she can’t see him either — or at least he assumes so — and calls another bolt of lightning, unloads another spray of bloodstones into her back.

He strikes, and strikes, and even as Athena’s protection fades away he’s hitting her, again and again and —

He catches her in the ribs with Stygius, somehow, and the pained and gasping look on her face just makes him feel more grim. “Damn you, Redblood,” she curses him, dropping her whip and sinking further onto his sword.

She’s already fading, falling into dust that he can only assume is going to be swept back into the Underworld. He doesn’t expect that Hermes is going to be leading her back, at least.

When she’s gone, he straightens, holding his sword at the ready. Tisiphone and Meg are both looking at him, and Meg has her eyebrows nearly in her hairline. She looks surprised that he fought Alecto off, and he’s nearly offended at the implication of that.

“So, which one of you is next? I told you I wouldn’t go down without a fight,” he remarks, more boldly than he  feels. Alecto got some good hits in on him, and who knows how fast he’ll heal, out here on the surface. He definitely won’t recover any before it’s time to go toe to toe with another Fury. There’s no way.

Meg looks at Tisiphone, and they must be silently communicating. He uses the short reprieve to catch his breath. Or to try, anyway.

It’s really not much of a break, and he’s just distracted enough by the pain in his leg and his arm that Tisiphone catches him straight-on with her whip. She’s lunging for him before he can react, and when she makes contact with him it hurts.

Still, he has to fight back. He is not going back there.

She lashes at him and misses, catching a tree instead, and when she goes following her whip he is following her. The miss leaves her open for a flurry of attacks that he ends with a strong thrust, and she growls at him when she does turn around.

She’s a near-silent menace, and he dashes out of the way of her whip when she finally retaliates. Another running dash takes him into range to spray her with Aphrodite’s blessed bloodstones, and she hunches in on herself. Oh, he recognizes that — the spray of shots in a circle around her are thankfully slow enough for him to avoid them.

The ground underneath his feet is heating up, to a point that even he can feel, and he runs out of the way as Meg summons another circle of flame where he was once standing.

“No can do, Meg,” he calls to her, half-hiding behind a tree as Tisiphone exhausts her shots. He is honestly grateful that she can’t do to the outside world what she was able to do to the arena they fought in. He couldn’t deal with that level of containment, not like this.

She is growling murder, murderer at him when she comes for him next, and though she catches him with the whip he is able to get out of it before she follows through. He strikes her in the arm, though it’s not her dominant one, and she howls. 

Just the sound of her screaming sends a terrible shiver down his spine, but he presses on. If he gets much more hurt, he’s taking a trip back to the Underworld, and that is not happening.

He’s learning the rhythm of her attacks again — dodges her whip so that it catches on the landscape, dashes in behind her when she has to follow through. It feels like fighting dirty, but three versus one was never fair anyway.

Meg calls another fiery ring on his heels as he follows her sister, striking and striking again, and as soon as he gathers up another bloodstone, he fires it straight at the other Fury.

Tisiphone was more injured than he thought, clearly, because the pink spray catches in her skin and turns her to dust everywhere that it touches. She, too, is gone on the wind.

He’s panting, exhausted, when he turns to look up at Meg. Her face is hard, her mouth a hard line, and her whip is folded up in her hands. He’s bleeding, but he doesn’t look away from her when he wipes his dirty palms on his pants.

“What are you doing out here, Zagreus?” she asks finally, but there’s none of the anger in it than he expected.

“I’m not giving up until I find my mother,” he answers, sways a little on his feet when the breeze comes through. He shivers.

She lands on the ground, feet touching down with a soft sound, and takes a half-step toward him. “Did you really defeat your father?”

“I—” He’s surprised that anyone would be brave enough to suggest that, much less believe it. “Yeah. I did. How did you—”

She huffs, tosses her head. “I put the pieces together. And it’s not like Cerberus would have refused you passage, so he must have had a last line of defense. He’s been gone from the house more and more, lately.”

“…yeah,” he agrees. Sighs. The adrenaline is slowly wearing off, and he feels — bad.

Meg takes another step toward him, hand outstretched, and he flinches away on instinct. She could kill him, right here.

There’s no way she didn’t see him recoil, but she doesn’t berate him. Not how he expected, anyway.

“I’m not going to fight you, Zagreus. Come on.” She rolls her eyes. He lets her come closer, then, and when she touches his cheek with her cold palm he leans into it. It’s only been five days on the surface, without familiar contact, but he revels in it. Even though he’s bloodied and sore.

Though, to be fair, a lot of his good times with Meg ended with him bloodied and sore, too. He snorts at the thought, not meaning to, and looks back at her face to see that she’s just watching him.

“What are you going to do, then?” he asks her, even as her thumb strokes his cheekbone. “It’s not like you can help me.”

“Maybe not how you think.” She purses her lips and looks away, then back at him. “You need to go to Athens and seek the Areopagus. Pray to your goddess Athena and hope that she grants you her time.” There’s a disgusted look on her face, but it’s not directed at him.

“What will — what will that do? I’m supposed to be going to Olympus.” He doesn’t mention the nymph he’s helping, doesn’t think it will help. Doesn’t want to push Meg too far.

“Your lord father will not give up on taking you back to the House. He sends us after you under the reasoning of filial betrayal, and unless you are acquitted of that judgment, we will not stop. Can not stop.”

“Meg…”

“Don’t ‘Meg’ me. Go East, to Athens. Pray to your goddess. Don’t make me come after you again.”

Her hand comes down from his cheek to rest against the side of his neck. He can’t stop looking at her. Her red eyes shine in the light.

She’s the first to look away, to step away. He feels rooted to the spot. “The next time I see you had better be at trial. Don’t make me regret this.”

“I won’t let you down,” he assures her, watching as she readies herself for flight. Where is she going to go?

“I know you won’t.”

[tiny-little-bird]

Going of that other question about Sansa and Tyrion, do you think D might make their marriage valid because it gives her legitimacy in the North because Tyrion is her hand? And if so, how would Jon, Sansa, Tyrion, and the other Starklings (mainly Arya) react?

Ok, bear with me, I had written such a perfect reply, but my tablet died on me 😭

*sighs* Let’s try this again, shall we.

Yes, I have actually thought about this a few times myself. Daenerice might indeed try to make Tyrion and Sansa re-marry. I want to clarify, that Sansa and Tyrion’s marriage was unconsummated, thus it was null/annulled. Daenerice could not make their marriage valid, even if she wanted to, no one could. In order to be married once again, Sansa and Tyrion would have to re-marry, they would have to say the marriage vows, again.

Daenerice might propose it, because yes, she might think it would give her legitimacy in the North, and because she might think, that by marrying her Hand to Lady Sansa of House Stark, the daughter of Lord Eddard of House Stark, and Lady Catelyn of House Stark & House Tully, the sister (cousin) of the (now) Warden of The North, she would unite/connect the South with the North, and that would help her gain more support, and look better in the eyes of the people and the Southern Lords/Houses, but honestly, I doubt that anything she did, would make her look better in their eyes, after Field of Fire 2.0, after burning the people’s food, and after burning Dickon and Randyll Tarly alive, but idk, maybe that’s just me.

Now, onto how would Tyrion and Jon and Sansa and Arya feel.

Tyrion

Tyrion was already forced to marry Sansa once, fully acknowledging that Sansa did not want him nor love him, and that he didn’t love her either. I do not see him being happy about it, he would never want do cause Sansa any pain, he would definitely refuse.

Arya

Sansa and Arya have their differences, but they love each other, “You might be as different as the sun and the moon, but the same blood flows through both your hearts.” Arya loves and cares for Sansa, they are all grownup now, and can see past their differences, and accept and respect each other “In winter we must protect ourselves, look after one another.” Arya knows what happened to Sansa, “I would’ve never survived what you survived.” So Arya would get angry at Daenerice if she tried to force Sansa into a marriage, and would strongly be against it. Oh and let’s not forget Brienne, she would be joining Jon with the angry kitten mode lol Brienne loves the Stark kids, and it’s her duty to protect them from harm and pain, she swore to keep them safe, so she would obviously back Jon and Arya up, along with everyone else.

Sansa

Sansa, would be beyond pissed and angry. I can just see/imagine her go: 

Sansa: “See that window? *points to largest window in the room* I’d sooner jump out of it, than, yet again, be forced to marry into the family, who murdered my family. *looks at Tyrion* No offence my Lord.”

Tyrion: “None taken, my lady. I fully understand.”

So yeah, no, Sansa would not stand for it. She has just gotten her destiny into her own hands, and here comes Entitled Tangerine going around thinking she has any right to tell her what to do, who to marry, lol no. She would not obey, Sansa would rebell.

Jon

Oh boy, may the Gods help and prepare Daenerice of House Targarice for the rage that would come her way from Jon. She has only seen him at his calmest and nicest, unlike Sansa, she has never witnessed him lose his temper, she has never fought with him, nor had an intense argument with him, so she’d definitely be taken aback. 

Jon is going to flip tf out and scream bloody murder, if D&D indeed have her say, that a Tyrion and Sansa marriage is neened, that Sansa has to re-marry Tyrion, so she can strengthen her claim. That, might be just enough to turn Jon’s “choke a bitch mode” on Iol

“I'II protect you, I promise.” Starks are known for keeping their promises. Jonwill not, under no circumstances, allow it. I can imagine him slamming his fiston the table and telling her “NO. I will NOT allow it, and it is NOT up fordiscussion.” at Daenerice, with a deep, low raspy voice, the same way he said“Touch my sister, and I’ll kill you mysell.“

Sansa is not hers to boss/order around, NO ONE, would allow Daenerice to do this to her, she is cared about and loved by so many people/characters, they will all jump to help her, they will all jump to make sure she is safe and happy (this will be a very rude awakening for Daenerice, I don’t think she’ll like it very much, I don’t think she’ll like it at all, I could definitely see her being jealous of all the recognition, attention, devotion, and love so many people/charachters seem to have for/give to Sansa). I guess Daenerice bringing up a Tyrion/Sansa marriage, would be a good plot “device” to show just how centric, Sansa‘s charachter is.

She knows pretty much every main character in the show (Varys, Tyrion, Jaimie, The Hound, Theon, etc.), and she has this ability of getting the best out of people, of making people love her, of making people want to protect her, help her, she inspires loyalty, which is why, whenever I post something about her, I always add the “Queen of Love and Beauty” tag, because to me, that’s exactly what she is.

“Sansa had always heard that love was a surer route to the people’s loyaltythan fear. If I am ever Queen, I’ll make them love me.”

Sansa cried, she was teary when she executed Littlefinger. She didn’t want to take a life, “It’s not what I want, it’s what honor demands.”, it brought her no joy to execute him, but she had do it, Littlefinger was threatening her family, her sister, and had caused all the horrors that came to her family, it was her duty to punish him for his betrayals and crimes. “It was his duty, he never liked it.” - Sansa about Ned’s executions

And then we have Daenerice, whom has chosen to live by Olenna’s words and by Cersei’s quote/mentality, “The only way to keep people loyal, is to make certain they fear you more than they do the enemy.”, which is what I think will ultimately cause and bring her downfall.

Daenerice literally looks dead inside, while burning Dickon and Randyll alive, no remorse, no empathy, no emotion. Her humanity, is nowhere to be seen here. She enjoys watching people burn alive, period, we’ve seen it on many occasions.

So yeah, I could definitely see her trying to propose the marriage, and everyone jumping to Sansa’s defense/aid, being like, “Oh, I think tf NOT!” & “Solve your own mess, without getting Sansa/others into it. Suffer the consequences of your stupid and ‘impulsive’ actions.” lol

Ok, thank the Gods I have a good visual memory, because I managed to re-write this, pretty much the same as it was the first time 😃 

Thank you for the ask 😚💙

[belladonaofylisse-blog]

A NIGHTMARE COME TRUE: Iole & Eion Recruitment

@felostheir​

After searching for Maxwell, Iole encounters someone from her past...

CONTENT WARNING: Gender slurs and Death

RECRUITABLE UNITS:

Iole — Level 5 War Cleric, Equipped with a Killer Axe, Mend staff, and a concoction, starts as allied unit ( Talk with Maxwell to recruit ) Eion — Level 3 Valkyrie, Equipped with an Elwind tome, a Mend staff, and a concoction, starts as a allied unit ( Automatically recruited with Iole ) Issak — Level 7 Sage, Equipped with an Arcthunder tome, a Physic staff, and an elixir, starts as allied unit ( Automatically recruited with Iole )

BOSS: Askari — Level 5 Musketeer, Equipped with a Musket and a Dracoshield ( Dropped when defeated ) ENEMIES: 7 Dark Mages, 6 Duelists, 1 Thief, 2 Sorcerers, and 3 Assassins

SCRIPT.

Pyrros: About what exactly? Uh… If you don’t mind me prying, sir. Maxwell: ...You said that Iole left Ylisstol to look for me, correct? Maxwell: How long ago was that again? Pyrros: ...It’s been three weeks, she left after we were briefed on Lord Lucien’s death. Maxwell: And no one’s received word of where she is since then? Pyrros: No, sir… Not since she left Rhea. Maxwell: … Maxwell: To think she would put herself in harm’s way solely to find me… Pyrros: Yes, it was extremely rash of her. I tried to convince her stay, but… Pyrros: Nothing could’ve changed her mind. Pyrros: Your frustration is understandable, sir. Maxwell: I wouldn’t say I’m frustrated… I feel more guilty than anything...

Soldier: Sir Maxwell! Lieutenant Vallis and Private Ài along with a sage were spotted being pursued by a large group of bandits! Maxwell: What!? Pyrros: Then that scream… I-It was Iole’s!? Soldier: They’re towards the cliff side, just ahead of us! Pyrros: We have to hurry and get Elene! Pyrros: W-Wait! Sir Maxwell, what are you doing!? Maxwell: Go find Elene, I’ll meet you both ahead. Pyrros: But you shouldn’t- Maxwell: I SAID GO! Pyrros: Y-Yes, sir! Pyrros: (What did they mean by not deserving her…?)

• • • 

Eion: Iole, you’re being paranoid! You haven’t slept in days, the exhaustion is getting to you. Iole: ...I’m sorry, y-you’re right. Iole: There’s no way he could’ve-

➸

ON MAP ( before battle ):

Maxwell: Gods, why did she have to go through all this trouble just because of me…? Maxwell: No matter, I need to find her and make sure she’s safe… Eion: Iole, get behind me and Father Issak! We’ll protect you from these bastards! Iole: N-No, I refuse to cower behind you like I did with my mother! Issak: Iole… Issak: W-wait… Is that another enemy? Iole: N-No! That’s… That’s Maxwell!! Eion: W-wait, Iole! Don’t run off again, g-get back here!

RECRUITMENT:

Maxwell: Have the dastards harmed you? Iole: N-No, I’m fine… but someone’s harmed you, it seems… Iole: ...That scar doesn’t look like it’s healing well. Have you been taking care of it properly? Maxwell: I have done… some things to deal with it, but it is a frivolous matter. Especially with this battle at hand. Iole: It is not a frivolous matter, not in the slightest! Do you know how easily scars can get infected if you don’t properly care for them? Iole: After this battle is done, you’re going to allow me to take care of your wound. And I won’t take no for an answer! Maxwell: … *chuckles* Very well. Once we route the enemy, I suppose I have no choice but to submit to your care. Maxwell: As long as it does not interfere with anyone else's. Iole: I’ll be able to do both, trust me… Iole: But you’re the one who will be my top priority. I came all this way to find you and make sure you were safe, after all. Iole: Though, my priorities need to shift for the time being. Especially with who is on this battlefield. Maxwell: Wait, is this an enemy you have encountered before? Iole:  Yes… He’s my birth father… Iole: You must be careful around him, he won’t hesitate to shoot you where you stand. And if he realizes that you’re here to help me, he’ll show you no mercy… Maxwell: … I no longer plan on showing any mercy to him, anyway. So, it is quite fitting. Maxwell: He can do his best, but if he gets near enough, he will be feeling my axe. Iole: M-Maxwell, that’s not… Just… stay safe, please… Iole: I don’t want to lose you either… Maxwell: Do not worry, Iole. This battle will not end me. Maxwell: Let’s end it quickly, since that man does not deserve a second thought. Iole: ...Yes, let’s. Iole: But I’m staying by your side from now on, someone has to be there for you now...

SPECIAL TURN CONVERSATIONS:

 —  Issak & Maxwell

Issak: Ha ha! No, no, we haven’t. But I’ve been rather excited to do so! Issak: Iole’s awfully fond of you, after all. How could I not be? Maxwell: E-Excited… Oh. Are you her father? Father Issak, correct? Maxwell: I was unaware that Iole talked about me with her father. Maxwell: (That is quite nerve-wracking) Issak: Yes, I am her father. Very proud of that fact, as well! Issak: And of course, she’s told me about you. You come up in her letters home constantly! Issak: I was not exaggerating when I said she’s fond of you. Maxwell: Constantly? That is kind of her, but I am hardly worthy of her fondness… Maxwell: She is a wonderful soldier and woman. I can see why you are proud of her. As her friend and superior officer, I am proud of her as well. Maxwell: I will say, it is unfortunate that we must meet in battle instead of in a more peaceful setting. Issak: Agreed. It is truly a shame… Issak: But you shouldn’t say such things. I would say you are the most deserving of her fondness. Issak: You burst onto this battlefield because you heard Iole scream, right? That shows me that you are definitely worthy of her. Issak: Anyways… I won’t be able to take care of her much longer, I’m glad that there seems to be someone that would care for her just as much as I do… Maxwell: Father Issak, just because she may be far away from you, does not mean you need to worry. She is a very capable woman… and she will visit you often. Maxwell: But, we must finish getting to know each other better after the battle. It is only fair that if you know so much about me, that you share a few things about Iole as well. *chuckles* Issak: ...You’re right. I’m sure she’ll visit often. Issak: But that’s not exactly what I was implying. Eion did mention that you’re a little slow on the uptake. Issak: Well, my blessing still stands. Ha ha! Maxwell: B-Blessing? Father Issak, what--

 — Issak & Pyrros

Pyrros: Is there something wrong with my face? Issak: H-huh? Oh, no. There’s nothing wrong at all. Issak: I just find it curious that you look like… Issak: Wait a moment. Might you be… Pyrros? Issak: The boy that’s the captain of the platoon that Iole looks after? Pyrros: Yes, that’s correct. I didn’t know Iole would talk about me to you. Pyrros: And...who do I look like? Issak: … Ha Ha, don’t worry about it! My imagination must be getting to me, is all. Issak: Not surprising, I’m an old man, after all! Issak: Ah, yes! She has mentioned you before, a few times actually. She says you’re quite the capable captain and a rather nice kid! Pyrros: I-I see. I’m honored to hear that… Pyrros: Your daughter is quite a dear friend to me so I will do my best to help her. Pyrros: ...So, I guess I would help you as well for her sake. No matter how odd you are. Issak: I am rather odd, aren’t I. Issak: (He’s just like you, isn’t he…? ) Issak: Well, boy? This battle won’t end itself, we’ve got plenty of work left to do! Issak: Tell me if you need any healing, alright? Pyrros: Understood, sir. Pyrros: (...Why does it feel like he knows something about me that I am not aware of?)

BOSS ENCOUNTER:

 — Default

Askari: Oh, how cute. You’re trying to protect my fly-by-night daughter? Askari: What a shame that you’re about to die, you won’t get to enjoy the sight of her bloodied body…

 — Issak v. Askari

Issak: Yes, I’ve heard quite a lot about how you tormented my wife and daughter… Askari: YOUR wife and daughter? AHA HA HA! Askari: Oh, Nura. You little whore… Issak: DON’T YOU DARE CALL HER THAT, YOU BASTARD! Askari: Ohoo~! Did I happen to strike a nerve? Issak: Enough talk, I will not allow you to insult my family any longer!

 — Iole v. Askari

Askari: You don’t intend to hide behind someone like you used to with your mother? Askari: My, I remember how much you would cry and tremble as you cowered behind her… Askari: It was so cute… Iole: SHUT UP! JUST SHUT UP! Askari: Not so quiet now, I see! Your rage is far too amusing! Iole: ARGH, THAT’S IT! Iole: PREPARE TO SUFFER AS MUCH AS I HAVE!

 — Defeated

Askari: Y-You think this is over? I’m far from being done here!

➸

Askari: Oh, you haven’t changed in the slightest… Askari: Tell me, are you still frightened of guns? I still remember how you would tremble when I would point my pistol at your mother’s head… Askari: Do you remember that, dear? Do you remember how much your mother would sob as I pressed on the trigger? Askari: It was so amusing to see you both like that… I miss it.

Askari quickly brings his musket to point between Iole’s eyes, she freezes in place.

A gunshot goes off, echoing through the battlefield, as Issak pushes Iole out of Askari’s line of fire. The bullet hits Issak directly in the chest.

Eion: ISSAK! Askari: Huh? Askari: My, what an interesting turn of events! It almost brings a tear to my eye! Askari: I wish I could relish in this, but I believe I’ve overstayed my welcome. Askari: But, don’t fret. Askari: I’ll be back for you, Iole…

Askari turns and vanishes with the few words of a hex. Iole quickly rushes to Issak’s side while the others look on in horror.

Issak: *Coughs* Iole... Iole: D-Don’t worry, f-father. I-I’ll heal you, y-you’re going to b-be okay. Issak: Y-you know as well as I do that bullet wounds like this don’t heal… Iole: *Sob* F-Father, please don’t say that! Y-you can’t die, I can’t lose you! Issak: Iole… My sweet child…

Issak places his hand on Iole’s cheek.

Issak: I k-knew that this day would come soon. T-that’s why I decided to c-come with you. Issak: I-I wanted to spend m-my last moments with my beloved daughter… Iole: *Sob* Oh, father... Issak: I-Iole, know that you and Eion brought so much light into my life… You kept me going after your mother passed... I love both of you so m-much. Issak: I’ll finally get to see her again, w-won’t I? And Willa, too... Issak: Before I go, p-promise me something. Promise t-that… that you’ll k-keep yourself safe… Iole: O-Of course.

Issak’s hand falls to his side as his eyes close.

Iole buries her head in Issak’s chest as she sobs. Eion falls to the ground, clasping a hand over his mouth.

Pyrros: E-Eion!? Eion: *Sniff* T-this c-can’t be h-happening… Eion: *Sob* Please… T-This all has to be j-just a nightmare…

• • •

Soldier: The arrangements have been made to send Father Vallis back to the city of Rhea, sire. Elene: Yes, good. Thank you very much. Maxwell: … Elene: Maxwell, you’re staring off in the distance again. Maxwell: ...I apologize. Maxwell: Ah... Could you excuse me for a moment? Elene: Don’t apologize, Max… Elene: You can go talk to her. Maxwell: …Thank you.

• • •

Iole: I tend to put on a smile whenever I’m upset… Iole: But you know that already, don’t you? Maxwell: Iole… Maxwell: I know that you want to be strong for everyone, but- Iole: Don’t try to convince me to go home, Maxwell. Iole: If you think I would ever leave your side again, then you are sorely mistaken. Maxwell: ...I wasn’t going to suggest that at all. Iole: You… weren’t? Maxwell: No, not at all. I don’t blame you for not wanting to go home. Maxwell: We all need something to help distract us from our grief… Maxwell: Perhaps, I could be that something for you... Iole: M-Maxwell? Maxwell: Iole… You’re very dear to me, I’m willing to do anything if it means that I could see you happy… Maxwell: So… Please, allow me to be a shoulder for you to cry upon. I want to be there for you… Maxwell: A-As your friend. Iole: Ah… Iole: Yes, as a friend… Iole: ( Ha… I thought for a second they were… ) Iole: Thank you, Maxwell. I’m truly blessed to have someone like you in my life… Iole: But please don’t fret over me, I don’t matter in the slightest. Iole: All that matters now is that I keep the few people that I care for alive… Iole: And that includes you. Maxwell: Iole- Iole: I apologize, but I need to start making preparations for taking care of that scar of your’s. If you’ll excuse me… Maxwell: Iole, wait- Maxwell: Ah… She’s gone. Maxwell: … Maxwell: *Sigh*

[maxwelltheknight]

ALL I CAN SAY IS “!!!!!” and that I love them

@oxeyeink​​

[C]-[B]-[A]-[A+]-[S]

Iole: There, all my tasks are done for the day. Maybe now, I can relax...

Iole: …

Iole: *Sigh* Why am I even trying to kid myself? There’s no way I relax with everything that’s on my mind…

Max: Alright, Maxwell. There’s Iole… it’s time to tell her. Finally.

Max: (unless she’s busy of course)

Max: Iole… I have been looking for you. Do you have a moment?

Iole: A-Ah, Maxwell! Y-you’ve been looking for me?

Iole: That’s a bit of a pleasant surprise…

Iole: Yes, I do have a moment to spare. I’m all ears.

Max: A-Ah, you do? That’s good… erm.

Max: Do you mind if we go someplace else? Only because it would be easy for others to pop in randomly.

Max: (and I’m not sure my heart could take it)

Iole: O-Oh, of course...

Iole: L-Lead the way, Maxwell.

Max: Y-Yes, right. Hm, this way.

[fade to black and then back]

Max: Just a little further…

Max: Here we are. Hope it’s alright with you to be as far from camp as we are.

Iole: No, it’s quite alright.

Iole: Goodness, look at all these wildflowers. There’s so many of them, how lovely…

Iole: But, what was it that you needed to speak with me about?

Max: I’m glad you like it. I had found it while on patrol and thought of you.

Max: I -- well, I had thought this was a better atmosphere than the weapons tent. Because what I wish to speak to you about deserves more than that.

Max: [coughs nervously] Alright. So…

Max: Iole. I had wanted to tell you, in a kinder atmosphere, in a calmer time. In a place that was more appropriate and --

Max: And before my failure.

Max: But now is as best as I can do.

Max: I… I love you. I believe it has been for a long time now, when it was just you and I those mornings when we trained together. Even when we spent time with our comrades and I got the pleasure of listening to your laugh.

Max: When we had spoken last, beyond our basic duty reports and at more length, you had said something that gave me some hope that perhaps you felt the same…?

Iole: M-Maxwell…! I…

Iole: *Sniff* I…!

Iole: *Sob*

Max: !!! Iole! I--

Max: I am so sorry. I did not wish to make you cry by telling you this!

Max: (I had assumed I was wrong but I was not expecting this reaction)

Max: Pl-Please, I’ll never mention such feelings again if they truly bring you such distress!

Iole: *Sniff* N-no, that’s not it… T-that’s not why I’m crying.

Iole: *Sniff* You don’t understand… how happy I am to hear you say that you love me…!

Max: You are… c-crying because you are happy? I’m-- I’m going to be honest with you, Iole.

Max: I don’t understand.

Max: It can’t be a good thing that I brought you to tears?

Iole: Y-you brought me to tears because I never thought you’d feel the same way as I did.

Iole: I don’t think it’s a bad thing, how could it be when you just brought me so much happiness?

Iole: I haven’t felt happy in so long, Maxwell.

Iole: But now… It’s almost overwhelming to feel like this again.

Iole: That’s why I cried, because…

Iole: I love you, too… With all of my heart!

Max: Y-You do?

Max: I… Gods, I want to be honest with you, I was not expecting you to feel the same.

Max: I was expecting that it was just me thinking about it too much…

Max: I am so happy you love me as well.

Max: I’m… sorry, I’m not the best person for you. I’ve failed countless times, but I promise you that from now on I will do everything I can to not fail you.

Iole: Oh, Maxwell… No, Max.

Iole: Please don’t say such a thing, you’ll never fail me. I know you won’t.

Iole: I just pray that we can both be happy together, for the rest of our lives.

Iole: I’ll do all I can to protect that happiness, I don’t ever want to lose it again.

Max: … and I will protect your happiness as well, Iole. Because if you are happy, then so am I.

Max: If… If is alright with you… may I kiss you?

Iole: Heh, I thought you’d never ask!

Max: I’ve had to work up my courage, so… [chuckles] I’m sorry for the delay.

Max leans in and kisses Iole, softly and sweetly on the lips. Their hands rest on her shoulders as they do so. After a moment, they pull away.

Iole: ...Heh, I think that was just as wonderful as I always imagined it to be.

Max: Well, I promise the ones to come will be better than you imagined.

Max: … I am very glad I had a chance to meet Father Issak before this day.

Max: The fact he gave me his blessing is wonderful, as well. Even if I did not understand what the blessing was for, at the time.

Iole: He… gave you his blessing…?

Iole: *Sniff* Oh, father…

Iole: *Sniff* I-I knew there was a reason why I felt his presence here…

Iole: *Sniff* H-he wanted to see his darling daughter with her true love, ha ha…

Max: [reaches out to touch her cheek] I hope I did not make you cry again?

Iole: T-they’re happy tears, don’t worry… Anyways, even if they weren’t, it’d be okay.

Iole: Because I know you’d dry them.

Max: Of course.

Max: Anything for you, my love.

[lovingnikiforov]

Well I’m a Class A ass for switching the titles after gushing over them! (I may have confused myself after reading the cut scenes you shared for your WIPs on Tumblr/Google Drive) Yes. Illustrations of Lying I meant.

Okay that makes a lot more sense! I read your ask at work and was staring into space trying to remember why Atsushi went undercover in dyetyd before I realized he didn’t 😂😂.

Atsushi goes undercover in IoL to draw out the Guild. Just like in canon, the Guild is offering a lot of money for any organization that can bring them the ‘were-tiger’. In canon, Dazai lets himself get captured by the Port Mafia so he can trace back where the bounty came from. In IoL he sends Atsushi to the ADA for the same purpose. He knows a bounty exists, but doesn’t know who placed it and wants to figure out as soon as possible, so he uses Atsushi as bait.

In chapter 7 he explains this to Chuuya:

Dazai: “I’ve been hearing rumors, whispers really, that a certain organization is searching for a boy who turns into a beast under the moonlight.” 

[more dialogue]

“As long as the target isn’t affiliated with us we receive all the work requests for abductions of high-value individuals within Yokohama. If Atsushi is a member of the ADA, I expect to get the request by the end of the month.” 

While Dazai’s plan ends up working, it doesn’t amount to much bc Amelia crashes the party. 

[mythology-rants]

Heracles VS Disney’s Hercules

Alrighty, if you’ve been reading this blog for more than a few entries you know that I really don't like Disney’s Hercules when it comes to comparison to mythology. There’s very little that I actually find really similar, not his feats, not the satyr, and the god relations to him and each other are horrendous. I really don't know where to start in telling you the differences. I guess we can start with the beginning of the movie.

           The movie Hercules starts out on Mount Olympus, with all the gods celebrating the new god Hercules’s birth to his father Zeus and mother Hera. One, Heracles is not a god until the end of his life, two, Hera is not his mother, she actually hates him because he was born because Zeus cheated on her with a mortal (like he does a million and one times in ancient Greek myth). Also I will state (read: shout) this again: Hercules is Roman! His Greek name is Heracles! Hera actually hates him so much that she delayed his birth so another family member became king, lead to him being left for dead (in this situation Athena takes Heracles to Hera to be nursed because at the time the queen of the gods didn’t recognize him, which gave him his supernatural powers) in his and his brother’s crib she sends two poisonous snakes that he manages to strangle with his meaty baby hands. Also in the movie, Hercules is given Pegasus who was created from clouds. Ahh, no and no, Heracles never rides Pegasus and Pegasus is the son of Poseidon and Medusa.

           Hercules fails to accurately portray his youth as well, instead of destroying things and finding out he is descended from gods, Heracles ends up killing his music tutor and sent off to a cattle farm to live more peacefully (newsflash: peaceful doesn’t happen). Sometime during this he is taught by the centaur Chiron. Not a satyr, no goats here. Later he goes to Thebes and marries the king’s daughter Megara. Unlike the movie, she is not a woman in service of Hades because a) this is not a Disney movie meant for good and happy thoughts, and b) Hades is not really a bad guy in mythology, but I’ll cover that another time. He has a few kids with Megara and during this time, Hera puts him into a fit of madness, which leads to him killing his wife and kids. To repent he goes to the Oracle to see what he must do to be forgiven. The answer is to be in the service of his cousin, King Eurystheus for ten years. The king decides on ten labors. Not very kid friendly right? No, it’s really not. Trust me, it gets worse.

           The first of the ten labors was to slay the Nemean Lion, a beast so great that it had impenetrable skin. No arrows, no beatings by clubs, no weapons could injure it. He only managed by using his massive strength to strangle the creature before skinning it with it’s own claws. He from then on used the skin as armor. While the movie does show him fighting a lion and later wearing a lion’s skin, he did not fight a river guardian first (he encounters a river guardian much later in life) and definitely did not have paintings of him done in the skin. He was a busy hero with much to do.

           The second labor was slaying the Hydra, which originally had 9 heads, unlike the movie’s one, and while the heads did keep growing two with every one cut off, Heracles did not defeat it by causing a landslide, as it did not live in a cave but a swamp. He also did not defeat it alone but his nephew helped him, as Heracles cut the heads, the nephew burned the stumps so it could not grow two more. During this time he was also being attacked by a giant crab sent by, who else, Hera, the crab was of course killed, by being stepped on by Heracles. Only the last Hydra head was immortal and was buried under a large rock. Heracles then dipped his arrows in the poisonous blood of the Hydra to make them even more powerful. However, when Heracles and Iolaus went back, the king refused to count the labor, because Heracles was given help.

           While there are another 10 labors after, I’m going to skip over most of them that aren’t really important to the movie and thus don’t fit for the contrasting between Heracles and the Disney movie Hercules. I am however going to highlight this, in the movie Hercules says he ‘wrestled the Gorgon’, no, just no. One, there are three Gorgons, Medusa was the mortal one and her two immortal sisters. Two, Perseus killed Medusa, by cutting off her head, and he just happens to be Heracles’s ancestor. Hercules never met a Gorgon thanks.

           One last labor highlight shows one very important difference, Hades is not the bad guy. The final labor of Heracles was to bring Cerberus, Hades’s triple headed guard dog, to the surface from the Underworld. King Eurystheus thought this would be the greatest way to get rid of Heracles forever, and of course, Heracles had to do it. So, he journeyed to the Underworld and went to Hades to ask if he could take Cerberus for the labor. Hades agreed on one condition, Heracles had to defeat the animal by his own strength. He succeeds and takes the dog to the king, and then lets the dog go, who ends up back at his post. Unlike the movie, Hades is not the villain, he just is there for a tiny portion of Heracles’s life. Hades is just generally an easy scapegoat for everyone’s villain because he is king of the dead. He isn’t even god of death, come on people, stop vilifying Hades!!! (Ok, I know my next post subject, Hades.)

           Remember how I said that Heracles encounters a river guardian/centaur later in life? Well here it is. Heracles married again later in life to Deianeira, and they came across a river. The only way for Deianeira to cross would have been on the centaur’s back, so she was put on his back and taken across the river. However, after they crossed the river, the Centaur, Nessus, decided to run off with her to try to have his way with her. Heracles was enraged and shot one of the Hydra poisoned arrows into the centaur which killed him. However before Nessus died he told Deianeira to take some of his blood and if Heracles ever turned to other women, the blood would make him return to his faithfulness to her. Later, Deianeira was worried about Heracles marrying another woman, Iole, so she sprayed the blood onto a robe and gave it to him. The blood however was corrosive and lead to Heracles dying a harsh, painful and slow death. He climbed onto a funeral pyre to die and after his mortality was burned away, Zeus took him as a new god to Mount Olympus where he was accepted by most of the gods due to his exploits. Hera’s daughter Hebe even became his wife. (Once again, gods marrying siblings.)

           I understand the Disney movie was meant to be child friendly, but there is a limit of how off you can be before it completely misleads people. Heracles and the Disney movie Hercules have many more differences than similarities, and while as a movie it is good for children, keep in mind that Heracles’s life was definitely not that child friendly. Hades, if I didn’t stop here, you’d be reading a book instead of a blog post.

[thearchivistsjournal]

Day 296,

Morning thought: As I lay in bed last night trying to get to sleep I found myself contemplating the logistics of trying to safely sleep in the cathedral catacomb on a mist night to translate the chanting, but then I remembered that it never rains when the mists are out so there’d be no chanting to translate.  And as we’ve seen, the flashes from staying awake through a mist night aren’t long enough to get much of significance.

Or wouldn’t it be if we can correlate it to Iole’s book?

*******

I do hope today’s lessons weren’t too terribly impaired by my distraction looking forward to this evening’s text comparison.  I’ll confess that more than once I caught myself with my mind wandering from whatever it was I was supposed to be teaching at the moment.

Once the school day was done, Cass and I picked up where we left off last night; taking the next segment of the cathedral transcript and comparing it to the next page or so of the copy of Iole’s book.  The result was… not particularly encouraging.  Not one hundred percent off (for as flimsy as our method of comparison admittedly is), but still less of a match than the preceding segment.  This in turn cast doubt on how much of a match what we found last night actually was.

In response to this, we changed our approach, returning back to the “reset point” segment of the cathedral chant and continuing on through Iole’s book to see if we could find another spot that seemed to be more of a match.  We didn’t, not exactly, but what we did eventually find was intriguing in its own right.  By the end of the night we found two other spots that seemed to match our reference segment’s syllabic pattern to a similar degree to our previous “potential match.”  The curious part comes in that the parts that matched were different from the previous find’s parts that matched.  In other words, none of the three spots were a much better than fifty percent match, but if you cut out and overlaid the matching parts from the three different spots in Iole’s book, we’re now looking at more like an eighty percent match.

I’m drawing two possible conclusions from this:

If the cathedral chant does match with the text, then the chant is a jumbled and disjointed version of the text, jumping from one part of the book to another every few sentences or paragraphs.  Strange and frustrating, but ultimately implying that the puzzle pieces are there and we just have to find and arrange them.

We’re grasping at straws and seeing patterns that aren’t really there because we want and expect to find them.  The text and the chant could be unrelated and/or the old script might not actually even be phonetic.  That latter potential really would render this whole exercise pointless.

As much as Cass and I both really want the first one to be the case, we were forced to admit that the second one is more likely.  We agreed to give this a rest for a few days to let some of our excitement over it die down and make us more objective when we come back to it.  We’re also going to try to show this all to Lin and Vernon to get their thoughts on it.  There’s no such thing as an expert on this stuff (except maybe Theo and asking him is right out) so they’re as qualified as anyone to make an assessment and they’re already in the know about the matter.  Well, not what we’re doing right now specifically, but they know we have the transcripts and an interest in them.

Well, now that I’m thinking on it, maybe we could talk to Pat about this.  As weirdly connected as the two of them are I can’t bring myself to believe that he would tell Theo about the project.  Not intentionally at any rate.  He’s old enough and has seen enough outsiders come through, can we really be the first to try to translate the old script or the cathedral chant?  Sure, if any of them did figure something out they don’t seem to have left anything behind or told anyone, but it’s worth a shot.  At worst we might learn what didn’t work for them.

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[thesportssoundoff]

Ten Rando Thoughts After A Big Boxing Weekend

Joey

May 8th, 2017

1- I think we all knew that Chavez Jr/Canelo was going to be an easy (sort of ) win for Canelo Alvarez but I feel like we all had hopes it'd be a little bit of a lot of fun. The problem, at least as it pertains to fun, is that Chavez Jr didn't bring his end of the bargain. As much as it is to see cool to see Canelo whip off combinations and show off his blink and you'll miss it improved defense, JCC Jr simply didn't show up for the big one. Now part of that is obviously due to Canelo but everything from the alleged gameplan (and I refuse to believe Nacho Beristain, a HOF trainer if there was one, would've ACTUALLY thought this gameplan) to the execution to the adaptability of JCC Jr was flat out painful. JCC could have and should have done a lot of things differently BUT perhaps, in the end, it merely boils down to the idea that one guy was there to win backed by super athletic talent, great coaching and vastly underrated technical skill vs a guy who was hoping to win backed by a superstar father, Bob Arum's ATG promotional push, a very limited on paper skill set and noway near enough talent or technique to truly compete. Now having said that...

2- While it didn't bother me, I don't know if I would've appreciated Max Kellerman and company essentially laughing at me for purchasing this event had I paid the full price. I thought Lampley, Jones and Kellerman all did a great job on the whole but Max's continuous almost verbatim "JCC Jr is all marketing banter and promotional push" type shtick probably made people who paid a lot of money for this event feel pretty dumb. Not that JCC Jr didn't do more than his part in that department already, mind you!

3- I mentioned this to the people watching the event and in hindsight, I feel even more confident in it. Talking about JCC Jr in shape is like talking about BJ Penn going back to 155 or Rampage with abs or whatever. It doesn't matter. It will never matter if he's in shape if the guy is shot. Even if you dislike JCC JR, there was a time where he was if nothing else a bundle of energy and body work. He was not a bad fighter; more of a lucky one who seemed to always catch the breaks lucky fighters normally get. When that's gone, it doesn't matter what shape he's in because the jig is basically up. BJ Penn, Rampage, JCC Jr, there reaches a point where it's no longer about what shape you're in and it's more about the tools or lack thereof you possess.

4- Bob Arum has said in the past that boxing undercards don't matter and yeah, he's pretty much right. Having said that, if you give fans SOMETHING underneath, even if that something is just a brawl between two B level guys or in the case of Matthyse/Lemeuix, you give us a B level slugger in a fight where he can throw down and show off a little vs relatively evenly matched opposition and see what happens! All we want are quick and painless appetizers to get us to the main course.

5- Going  back to Bob Arum right quick, IF we actually get Canelo-GGG (and until it happens, I'm going to live in this prepare for disappointment in the event of a joyous surprise),this feels like the first time in a LONG time that Bob Arum will feel completely out of the loop as it pertains to the big picture of boxing. He's essentially left with three fighters who move serious stroke and two of them will arguably never be big PPV movers (Crawford and Lomachenko). The third one is a guy who has seen his stock basically erode in such a tragic fashion in Manny Pacquaio who is fighting some guy in Australia in front of what I'm assuming will be a less than captivated PPV audience. Golden Boy Promotions may be laughable at times when they do things and outright sad when Oscar De La Hoya's continuous struggles with sobriety became public knowledge but they have the biggest active draw in the biz (Canelo), the ability to on paper make a fight with anybody and seemingly good standing with HBO and Showtime as well. They also have an ESPN deal which is SOMETHING at least. Assuming their financial situation can clean itself up somewhat, they've got momentum. As much as we all laugh about the PBC, Al Haymon's obviously got a grip on this sport that's undeniable. European promoters have bigger and bigger hands in the mix, complete with at least one major show a year that does insane gate numbers. Yvon Michel, Lou Dibella and Kathy Duva all feature prominent roles in boxing and so does Arum----but man does it feel like he's sort of out of the loop here. Top Rank feels almost like it's become the forgotten brand of boxing after competing for so many years with the likes of Don King, GBP, Main Events and so on so forth.

Now a lot of this is simply bad luck. A lot of the Top Rank stable at the top half were guys who all fell off at the same time (Pacquaio, Cotto to an extent, Sergio Martinez, Kelly Pavilik, Juan Manuel Lopez, JCC Jr, Nonito Donaire and so on so forth) and even if they weren't PPV movers, they were attention getters. Arum has plenty of great fighters in his stable and he has connections and working relationships with just about everyone but its so weird to see big fights being made and Bob not being apart of the discussion. Over the years, Arum has almost seemed like a guy who did things with an angst for everyone from the media to his own customers and it's such a strange dichotomy to see him almost hanging on the outskirts. Maybe it's a rebuilding year or maybe Top Rank is missing what everyone else seems to be relatively hitting on. It's definitely a weird year so far for the Bobfather.

6- Using that line of logic, I WONDER if Bob would maybe make peace with his hated rival Dana White to try and work together to put together Manny Pacquaio/Conor MCGregor as an acceptable back up plan if Floyd/Conor falls through.

7- SPEAKING of that fight, if GGG vs Canelo legitimately pushes Floyd/Conor out of existence into 2017 and Conor returns to MMA to, ya know, defend his titles? I think we need to put Golovkin and Alvarez in the boxing and UFC Hall of Fame at the same time.

8- I don't know if I should be concerned about this (probably I'm betting) BUT if one of these ABC orgs complicates the fucking picture of this mega fight, I will be writing my congresspeople in protest of such a national catastrophe.

9- There has been scuttlebutt from some folks about the pomp regarding the announcement of Golovkin/Alvarez. Allow me to discuss some anecdotal evidence that may or may not shape a picture for y'all. Friend of mine owns a restaurant that was showing the fight. He told me the house was fuller than usual----but the clientele was not the same as a UFC event or even one of the big WWE events. "Boxing isn't dead but it's fanbase is a dialysis machine away from being dead" was his joke to me and it's something you hear ALL the time. Boxing draws an older audience like pro baseball does,, in fact when Thurman/Mitchell had their AWESOME fight that did an amazing number, the average age of the viewer was trending way close to 55 than ever before. It's an old audience-----and something like this, even if it may be a little too hokey or as I read a few people writing "WWE/UFC esque", it's still something different. Maybe it fails but there's NOTHING wrong with appealing to a younger crowd that's all into cool video packages and shock value. You can do it once or twice and it won't hurt the legitimacy of boxing if such a concept even exists. Just watch the fight if the wackiness offends you.

And let's furthermore be 100% honest here. Canelo as an A side and Golovkin as an A side have NEVER done seriously big business in comparison to Floyd or Manny or Oscar or so on so forth. Without Floyd or Cotto (a proven A lister with the benefit of a Mexico/PR buzz), it's believed Canelo has topped out at 450K (I trust Iole over Dan Rafael on the Khan number) with other shows like Angulo, Lara and Smith all dancing between 250K and 375K or so. A far cry from Floyd and Manny were either actively toppling or dancing around 1M PPV buys. Golovkin's PPV offerings have been really, really, really poor for a fighter who is all action, has the big fight mystique and is the darling of hardcore fans and casual TV viewers alike. We love to believe styles make fights and all that but sometimes you gotta try big for big fights. You have to put a little effort into this game because contrary to popular belief for most boxing scribes, putting Canelo and GGG on a poster and shouting "SO BUY IT!" is not going to work. This is the biggest fight boxing can make at this time-----so it needs to do really well and really well is not 600K or below. This should sell 1,000,000 PPVs. Let's fucking try to promote this thing like it can accomplish that.

10- One thing which came up recently was the idea that JCC Jr finessed the boxing audience for his entire career and I find that grossly unfair. Dude debuted with no amateur fight experience and Arum had him basically main eventing like 20 fights into his career vs fighters who were at the time way better than he was. JCC Jr is a victim of his name and in some ways his own laziness but you know what?  The attempt to make him a superstar did him no favors either.

[thearchivistsjournal]

Day 158,

Catacomb nightmares again last night.  Same as they ever are.  Not that I ever truly get used to them, there’s just only so much about them to bother writing down without getting repetitive.  I do wish the rains and teaching every day didn’t come together to make visiting Siren Overlook so inconvenient.  Then again, these days I question the wisdom of making too much use of that song.

At least none of the kids seemed to have the nightmares this time.  I did check on Saffron though, the one who had them last time.  She said she’d been worried most of the day that they’d come back and was relieved that they didn’t.  Good for her.

*******

Going to make a list of things that I’ve been meaning to do and putting off for one reason or another.  Maybe that’ll help me actually get some of them done.

In no particular order:

Find Tristan at his farm in the outskirts and ask him questions about Iole.  How he found her, etc.  Say that I came across the old archival entry about it and was curious about taking a boat out to see if she was still around.  Maybe ask a bit about how to get there, islands to stop at along the way, landmarks to look out for, etc.

Secure a boat for a trip to visit Iole.  Maybe use Maiko’s?  Might not be great for carrying supplies for an extended trip though.  Especially if it’s more than just the two of us.  Don’t want to take Pricilla’s island to get there because we’d need to wait for it to make another full circuit to be able to leave again, and that’s assuming we don’t miss it.

Make the trip to visit Iole.  See if outsider auto-translation (if that’s actually a thing) lets me read her book.  Check out those ruins.  Ask questions about her so-called “ascended ones.”

Use that same boat to row out to the old castle and explore that (separate trip).  Keep an eye out there for more examples of that script.  See about getting up into one of the towers that’re visible from the Village.  Probably nothing there in particular, but it should be a cool view.

Visit the glassmaker and talk about microscopes.

Go back to the cathedral while it’s raining and bring someone with me.  Try to take notes on the voices.  Maybe even multiple trips at different levels of rain intensity to see if that changes the chanting.

Try to figure out if anyone in the Village can make an umbrella or parasol.  As much as I find myself struggling trying to keep books - particularly this journal - dry in the rain, that could be a big help.  This is the first time I’ve written this one down, but it’s been on my mind off and on for the past few days.

Idea I just had based on the previous: visit Melaina and ask about having a small box or case made for carrying my journal in to help keep it dry and protected.  Then again, maybe a dedicated leather bag or something would be better?

Ask Pat about links between births and deaths.

Ask Pat about Devi.

Talk to Pat about my recent encounter with the sprites.

Ask Pat about “ascended ones.”  Should probably save this one for after visiting Iole so I don’t have to bring up Maiko.

Write down the second half of The Merchant and The Blacksmith’s Daughter.

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[maxwelltheknight]

FINALLY, THE CONTINUATION OF THEIR SUPPORTS!! :3c

@oxeyeink​

[C]-[B]-[A]-[A+]-[S]

Max: Tch… my lip is tender still. Perhaps I can clean it with some of our extra supplies…

Max: If there is extra, of course.

Iole: Hmm? Oh, there you are, Maxwell.

Iole: I was just about to drag you over here.

Iole: It’s been a few days since I last checked your scar, hasn’t it?

Max: Ah, Iole.

Max: It has been a few days, but… your time is more important spent on someone else. I can manage with dabbing some cleaning alcohol on my scar and hope for the best.

Max: (and as long as I do not open my mouth too wide.)

Iole: ...Please just sit down on the cot already. Just putting some alcohol on it won’t help it much.

Iole: You need to clean, disinfect, and dry it properly. You also need to make sure you’re not scratching it… Like I caught you doing the other day.

Iole: And my time wouldn’t be wasted on you. Really, it’s better that I help take care of your scar, it eases my mind a bit.

Max: E-Ehh, well I do try not to scratch but… erm…

Max: *sighs* Alright. *sits on the cot* I apologize for being stubborn… if it truly eases your mind then I will be your patient.

Max: It has healed much better with your help these past few days. I am not cut out to be a healer, even on myself it seems.

Iole: Thank you. And don’t worry about being stubborn.

Iole: I’ve gotten used to it by now, ha ha…

Iole: Hmm… Ah, I can’t see your scar well enough when you’re looking down like that.

Iole: Here, let me just…

Iole: *tilts up their chin* Yes, that’s better.

Max: Ah.

Max: … I know it has been only a short amount of time since you’ve joined us… but, how are you fairing?

Max: Sleeping well? Eating? I have not seen you at meal times as often as I used to while we were back in the capital…

Max: Even if I, too, do not take my meals with the others as much anymore.

Iole: That’s right, I haven’t seen you eating with the rest in a while…

Iole: I’ve been eating enough. Though I don’t have much of an appetite recently, but I’ve been helping with the cooking like I always do.

Iole: And… I’ve been sleeping as much as I can, but…

Max: Iole. *reaches up to pause her hand* You must rest more than you do. I did not wish to bring it up, but your eyes look as tired as the smile you put on around our comrades.

Max: After your loss, I know it is tough to go on.

Max: And I do not wish to speak for Father Issak, but I imagine he would wish for you to sleep.

Iole: I’ve tried, trust me. It’s just… so hard to sleep with my nightmares.

Iole: They’ve been so much more... frightening. I get them almost every night and I can never sleep after I get them.

Max: I… *sighs* I understand how you must feel. I am not one to be giving advice, considering I have not slept a full night since… *closes his eyes briefly*

Max: I wish that I could be of more help to you, Iole. That I could take those nightmares onto myself, to relieve your burden.

Max: Or, at the least, give you advice or proper comfort. But I am incapable of even that, I suppose.

Max: Have you spoken to another healer? Is there not a magical remedy for nightmares?

Iole: It’s fine, Maxwell. Please do not wish that upon yourself, my nightmares tend to be rather gruesome.

Iole: I’ve had frequent nightmares ever since I was a child. And most remedies I’ve tried haven’t helped much.

Iole: ...But you’ve had nightmares as well, correct? I can’t help, but notice the bags under your own eyes.

Max: Gruesome… all the more reason I wish I could take them from you.

Max: Hm, I suppose they considered nightmares. Though, in truth, they are just the same memory on loop.

Max: Over. And over. And over.

Max: But I expected it to be as such, since it would be foolish to let such a memory slide. Only I am to blame for such a thing and it is part of my punishment…

Max: Along with the wound on my face.

Max: But you, you do not deserve such nightmares.

Iole: If I don’t deserve my nightmares, then neither do you.

Iole: I know you tried everything in your power to protect Lord Lucien, but…

Iole: Sometimes, the world is a cruel, cruel place. Naga takes those who we love dearly for what seems like no reason…

Iole: And there’s nothing we can do about it, we can’t change what’s happened…

Max: Iole… *grips her hand tighter* There be nothing I can do to silence my own demons, but please do not hesitate to tell me what I can do to help get rid of yours.

Max: I do not wish to fail you.

Iole: You’re really too kind, Maxwell… But I don’t…

Iole: I don’t matter right now, there are much more pressing matters than what troubles me.

Iole: Like your scar…

Iole: *gently touches their scar* It really is healing better now that it’s restitched and disinfected.

Max: You matter much more than my scar. Not that I do not appreciate your tender care of it, fixing the slapdash attempt I made myself…

Max: And for that, I thank you. With my whole heart.

Iole: ...Well, I was just glad that you let me restitch it in the first place.

Iole: It was so swollen and red when we reunited. I knew that if it was left the way it was, it would quickly get infected.

Iole: Thank goodness it’s doing much better, it can properly heal now.

Iole: …

Iole: Ah, I apologize! I shouldn’t be touching it so much, I could reopen the wound…

Iole: Here, I’ll clean it for you now. Ha ha…

Max: Do not apologize, Iole. Without you, perhaps I would soon be without lips. *chuckles*

Max: But, again, thank you. I am unsure what I would do without you. Please do not hesitate to ask for my help, for anything.

Max: It is the very least I can do.

Iole: Thank you, Maxwell. Truly.

Iole: I don’t know what I would do without you, either.

Iole: ...I’m glad to hear you laugh again. I’ve missed it quite a lot.

Max: Ah. Yes well, it has been a while…

Max: And if I am being honest, I’ve missed you. As selfish as that sounds.

Iole: Y-You… missed me?

Iole: ...T-that’s nice to know.

Max: I… y-yes. *coughs* Erm. Is there anything else you need to do?

Max: For my lip, that is. I imagine there is a lot you are needed for, of course.

Iole: A-ah… Well, I don’t really have much to do. I’ve gotten most of my duties done earlier in the day, but…

Iole: …

Iole: *Sigh* No… I shouldn’t...

Iole: I’ll just pack you some supplies that you can use, but you’ll need to actually use them.

Max: But what? If you need me, in any way, I am yours.

Max: I’ll even promise to clean my wounds with the supplies you give me.

Iole: ...Please don’t say that so casually, Maxwell.

Iole: T-There’s already rumors about our relationship… Some will assume…

Max: Rumors… ah, I’m sorry.

Max: I did not mean to make you feel uncomfortable… I will watch my words from now on.

Iole: It’s not that it made me uncomfortable… It actually makes me happy to hear you say that, but…

Iole: Whenever I think of that, of those rumors, it makes me so… frustrated.

Iole: It’s unbecoming for a superior to be with their subordinate, isn’t it? Anyone could use such a thing as motivation to get either of us discharged.

Max: No one would discharge us at a time like this, Iole. Especially over rumors.

Max: …

Max: …

Max: W-Wait… my words make you happy?

Iole: ...I-I did say that, didn’t I?

Iole: D-Damn it, I did… I didn’t mean to…

Max: Iole?

Iole: I-I’m so sorry, Maxwell… T-There’s so much I wish I could tell you…

Iole: But I can’t… Not now…

Iole: Just… Here’s the supplies you need.

Iole: *Sniff* E-excuse me…

Max: W-Wait, Iole….!

Max: … damn.