#Nox Manor

[nini-dirthara-lothlenanas]

Working a lil bit on my House. A small treat.

[sabbats]

Nox Arcana ─ Grimstone Manor

[slavonicrhapsody]

What was life as a member of Caria like? It’s weird that, despite ruling over the academy, they have their own study hall and preceptors on the exact opposite side of the region to Caria manor. At any rate — I would assume Caria went through like, four phases? Pre-academy, post establishment as royalty, and then Rennala’s children with Radagon. And of course to the present day.

I’m so glad you asked… this was the perfect opportunity for me to start organizing a collection of Carian-related lore text and I went a little insane and wrote an entire treatise on Carian culture. I hope you enjoy this frighteningly in-depth wizard family analysis

CARIAN CULTURE AND PRACTICES

We know that the Carians were descended from a group of astrologers who lived in the Mountaintops of the Giants, implied by the Sword of Night and Flame (the Carian royal family’s ancestral sword) description: “Astrologers, who preceded the sorcerers, established themselves in mountaintops that nearly touched the sky, and considered the Fire Giants their neighbors.” This group of astrologers must have at some point migrated down to Liurnia and established a society there.

I get the impression that the Carian astrologers might have once been quite numerous, since as you say, the Carian study hall is rather far from Caria Manor — perhaps at their height, they were pretty spread out across Liurnia. I’ve also said before that the Carian Filigreed Crest description might imply other layers of nobility and a wider society among the Carian astrologers, as it mentions Carian knights guarding multiple “princesses” (it’s also possible that “princess” was a noble title among Carian society before Rennala established herself as a queen, as the Discarded Palace Key description is said to be “passed down to Carian princesses” but Rennala was the first Carian queen).

Speaking of princesses, there is strong evidence that Caria was a matriarchal society: though we don’t have much information about Carian society, in the few scraps we have, only queens and princesses are ever mentioned. We also know that Ranni is the youngest child, and yet Iji names her as heir to Caria, suggesting that she might have primogeniture over her older brothers. The Carians also have ties to the Nox people (affinity for the night/moon/stars, the art of puppetry/fate manipulation, silver tear technology at Raya Lucaria and in the Albinaurics, the Nox Swordstress statue in the Church of Vows), which also seems to be a matriarchal society judging by the fact that the Night Maidens and Swordstresses are the highest clerical ranks.

There are many other details that characterize Liurnia as a unique region in the Lands Between that developed apart from the Erdtree: I’ve mentioned before that the nobles in Altus and Limgrave dress in distinctive robes…

This style of dress does not appear anywhere among Liurnians. Instead, the Carians and their knights dress in a distinct color scheme of royal blue and red, ornamented with glintstone in different shades. The sorcerers of Raya Lucaria also dress in the same red and blue, and I think that this style of dress actually comes directly from the Carians! The Queen’s robe item description is stated to be a “robe indicating the highest order of sorcerer.” We also know that the Academy’s name “Raya Lucaria” itself is named for the Carian royal family, no doubt added when Rennala took over. So it makes sense that the Carians had influence over the sorcerers’ uniform too!

Liurnian characters also have a distinctive way of speaking apart from the rest of the Lands Between; every single Liurnian character in the game is played by a Welsh voice actor speaking in their native accent (including both Raya Lucarian sorcerers and Carian-affiliated characters).

The Carians’ standout trait is their mastery of astrology and glintstone sorcery — they craft their own spells and use a distinct royal blue glintstone. Their knights were renowned for their skill in both swordsmanship and sorcery, and notably, some of the Carian knights are trolls, who are viewed as equals in Carian society! Another important magical role is the office of preceptor, which directly served the royal family as experts on reading fate within the stars. Lastly, as I mentioned earlier, The Carians had great influence over the Academy. After charming the sorcerers with her lunar magic, Rennala presided over a new sorcerers’ conspectus: called the Lazuli conspectus, these Academy sorcerers studied Carian sorceries and believed the moon to be equal to the stars.

GOLDEN ORDER INFLUENCE

Power dynamics in Carian society changed drastically when the Golden Order sent Radagon to subjugate Liurnia, and Rennala ended up marrying him: there was a peace brokered between Caria and Leyndell, symbolized by the entwining gold branches and blue glintstone of the Glintstone Kris, a “ritual blade once presented to Leyndell by the Academy of Raya Lucaria to celebrate their newfound peace.”

This peace began an era of coexisting ideas… As Rogier says, “the Golden Order was pliable enough to absorb practices that contradicted itself in the past.” Radagon himself began to learn sorcery from Rennala, and he also had an authority over the royal preceptors (commanding them to don masks as a vow of secrecy). Golden Order devotion also began to spread through Liurnia alongside sorcery. The Converted tower and the Converted Fringe tower in Liurnia show a coexisting of Golden Order faith and glintstone sorcery — there is a statue of Marika inside, and to complete the puzzle, the erudition gesture must be performed in front of her.

This theme of entwining cultures is also reflected in the Carian royal family themselves — Rennala and Radagon’s three children inherit two lineages, the moon and the Erdtree, entangled in their very blood.

Unfortunately though, this was not exactly an equal partnership… though Caria manages to stay independent, they are now inextricably tied to the Golden Order, which was not always a good thing. The telescope item states that “during the age of the Erdtree, Carian astrology withered on the vine. The fate once writ in the night skies had been fettered by the Golden Order.” Whether this description is referring to Radahn or not is a whole other post, but the simple fact is that the Golden Order is the reason why the Carians’ power is in decline. The three royal children also seemed to struggle with their dual heritages and loyalties, especially Ranni as both heir to Caria and an empyrean of the Greater Will.

Of course, we know that in the end Radagon essentially dealt the death blow to Caria’s influence in Liurnia. The Queen’s robe description states that when Radagon left Rennala, her heart went with him, “and then, those at the academy realized. That Rennala was no champion, after all.” Rennala’s weakness led the Academy to rebel against the Carian royal family and launched Liurnia into civil war. And with Rennala’s heir killing herself in the Night of the Black Knives, and the Shattering war breaking out, Caria’s power is now a shadow of its former self.

[magpiefngrl]

writing patterns: last lines

I love the first lines meme, but what about last lines? I find them as vital as first lines, if not more. A first line should do a lot of things (indicate POV, tone, voice) while also catching the attention of the reader and inviting them to read on. But it can be invisible, just a way into the story, and that's perfectly fine because the story is what will amaze/impress/entertain the reader.

The last line, however, is the last impression: it can be a powerful punch, or it can be underwhelming. It's the vibe, the feeling, the aftertaste that the reader will carry with her when she closes the tab/book. It doesn't do as much work as the opening, but a really strong (or really weak) last line might colour what has come before.

For this game, instead of recent fics, I decided to check my longer fics; the last line of a longer piece of work sort of carries more weight, in my mind, idk.

Rules: write the last line of your 10 longest fics. What patterns can you see, if any? Which ones are your favourites?

Something I noticed: in my longer fics, I often have a short epilogue at the end of the story. Like a post-credits scene. I'm including both last lines for pattern-seeking. Also, a while ago, I'd done a before-during-after ask thing and posted some sequels at the end of a few fics. I debated using only the original ending here, but the sequel's last line is what will stay with readers, so I added both. Finally, The Boy Who Died has a coda but it's so long I'm treating it as a chapter.

I. 9 ½ Days (drarry, E, ~70k)

(story) Harry burrowed closer to him, eyes fluttering open. ‘You’re real.’ ‘I am.’ Draco tangled their legs together. It was snug under the covers. ‘Touch me and see.’

(epilogue) Harry took his hand and together they stepped forward into the green, living wood.

II. dirtynumbangelboy (drarry, E, 39.4k)

(story) ‘Home,’ Harry says, nuzzling Draco’s hair. ‘Take us home.’

(epilogue) He wants them to look smashing at the betrothal.

III. The Miseducation of Draco Malfoy (drarry, E, ~38k)

(story) Draco decided he would be happy to spend his life making Harry laugh, and thrust in.

(epilogue) “Let’s give them something good to talk about then,” Draco suggested, and Harry smiled, bent him backwards, and gave him a proper kiss, tongue and all.

IV. The Boy Who Died (drarry, E, ~27k)

Overthrowing the regime will take a miracle, Kingsley had said in the dark Edwardian manor. Draco had smiled at that and gazed at Harry. Indeed. Which is why we’ll win.

V. The Gift (drarry, E, ~26k)

Before [Draco] casts Nox, he takes a last look at his packed trunk, and then, in the whispering night, he allows himself to dream.

VI. Hush, darling (drarry, E, 23.6k)

But Draco holds Harry tighter — and doesn’t let go.

VII. The Unquiet Grave (drarry, E, 21.5k)

Draco glanced at Harry and smiled. ‘I’ll be fine. I have a bodyguard.’

VIII. Through the Looking Glass and What Draco Found There (drarry, E, 17.5k)

(original) This world was fucked up. It had pain and grief and sick people and dead people and stupid decisions and bad hair days and fear and regret—although it didn’t have Smith in leather gear, which was something. It also had Harry Potter, who buried his face in the crook of Draco’s neck, and who liked this Draco, the Death Eater Draco, and that made everything worth it.

(sequel) ‘Pull them down yourself,’ Draco said and kissed him.

IX. The Full Monty (drarry, E, 10k)

First, he goes to the kitchen to make sure Arthur is indeed alive — he is, nibbling at some seeds on the counter — but after that, yes, he goes straight to where Potter is waiting, hopefully all soapy and wet.

X. How to Court your Husband (drarry, E, 5,5k)

(original) Their escorts maintained a discreet distance when they arrived and saw what the princes were up to, and twenty minutes later in the palace courtyard, the Fountain spurted a jet of water the likes of which had never been seen before.

(sequel) Harry smiled and stroked Draco’s face. ‘We’re in no hurry, husband.’

Patterns

JFC. I like my epilogues and codas and sequels, don't I? Lord. I don't think I'd noticed it before as clearly as I do now. This isn't even everything: I actually started a coda for The Gift a while back, and I have a half-finished sequel scene for dirtynumb in my folders. I can just never leave off. But it's true: I do love epilogues.

I end with dialogue A LOT more than I start with it. First lines, I estimated a third of them are dialogue, but a good half of the endings are.

A large majority of my endings involve kissing or cuddling or touching in some way. Love language touch anyone?

There's a fair bit of Draco glancing at Harry and smiling.

In the two fics that have a sequel scene, the original ending is, imo, vastly superior to the sequel's. Hm.

Faves

I like the epilogue ending of 9 1/2 Days; the ending of Unquiet Grave, which works better I think in context; the rather poetic ending of The Gift; the original ending of Through the Looking Glass, which, imo, perfectly captures the theme; and the original ending of How To Court Your Husband, which is hilarious in context. Several readers commented on that one.

Tagging

I'll no-pressure tag @lettersbyelise @lqtraintracks @the-starryknight @skeptiquex @etalice @coriesocks @gracerene @citrusses @lower-east-side @hogwartsfirebolt @queenofthyme @writcraft @shealwaysreads @phdmama @stripedroseandsketchpads @sixappleseeds to get the ball rolling-- and of course YOU, reading this! Feel free to tag me so I can read your last lines, I'm ever so curious x

[battyaboutbooksreviews]

🌈 Queer Books Coming Out in March 2024 🌈

🌈 Good afternoon, my bookish bats! Struggling to keep up with all the amazing queer books coming out this month? Here are a FEW of the stunning, diverse queer books you can add to your TBR before the year is over. Remember to #readqueerallyear! Happy reading!

[ Release dates may have changed. ]

❤️ Shift: A Memoir of Identity and Other Illusions - Penny Guisinger 🧡 Tempting Olivia - Clare Ashton 💛 Monilinia - Free Mints 💚 Guillaume - Aurora Dimitre 💙 The Marble Queen - Anna Kopp & Gabrielle Kari 💜 The Baker & the Bard - Fern Haught ❤️ Rainbow! - Sunny & Gloom 🧡 The Safe Zone - Amy Marsden 💛 The Weavers of Alamaxa - Hadeer Elsbai 💙 The No-Girlfriend Rule - Christen Randall 💜 A Different Kind of Brave by Lee Wind 🌈 Cirque du Slay - Rob Osler ❤️ Wizard’s Debt - Niranjan 🧡 One Last Breath - Ginny Myers Sain 💛 Nothing Special - Katie Cook 💚 I Feel Awful, Thanks - Lara Pickle 💙 The Tower - Flora Carr 💜 Be the Sea - Clara Ward ❤️ What Grows in the Dark - Jaq Evans 🧡 Heirs of Bone and Sea - Kay Adams 💛 The Haunting of Velkwood - Gwendolyn Kiste 💙 Thunder Song - Sasha taqwšəblu LaPointe 💜 Mona of the Manor - Armistead Maupin 🌈 Like Happiness - Ursula Villarreal-Moura

❤️ Ellipses - Vanessa Lawrence 🧡 Saint, Sorrow, Sinner - Freydís Moon 💛 Blood & Brujas - Mikayla D. Hornedo 💚 Infinity Kings - Adam Silvera 💙 Really Cute People - Markus Harwood-Jones 💜 How You Were Born - Kate Cayley ❤️ These Bodies Between Us - Sarah Van Name 🧡 Icarus - K. Ancrum 💛 The Emperor and the Endless Palace - Justinian Huang 💙 How Not to Date an Angel - Lana Kole 💜 Enemy Colours - R.M. Olson 🌈 Broken Parts Included - Alyson Root

❤️ Who's Afraid of Gender? - Judith Butler 🧡 The Duke’s Cowboy - Andrew Grey 💛 The Secret Something - Emily Wright 💚 Colstead & Andie - Olivia Janae 💙 Play It Again, Ma’am - Sienna Waters 💜 Love Is…? - K.J. Wrights ❤️ Welcome to Forever - Nathan Tavares 🧡 Just Another Epic Love Poem - Parisa Akhbari 💛 The Phoenix Bride - Natasha Siegel 💙 These Letters End in Tears - Musih Tedji Xaviere 💜 Truly Home - J.J. Hale 🌈 Monster Mixer - Robin Jo Margaret

❤️ The House of Hidden Meanings - RuPaul 🧡 Promised to the Queen - Barbara Winkes 💛 A Conclave of Crimson - Nicole Eigener & Beverley Lee 💚 A Hunt of Blood and Iron - Cara Nox 💙 The Fealty of Monsters - Ladz 💜 Ariel Crashes a Train - Olivia A. Cole ❤️ Those Beyond the Wall - Micaiah Johnson 🧡 Dancing Toward Stardust - Julia Underwood 💛 Heir to Dreams & Darkness - Ben Alderson 💙 Comet Cruise - Niska Morrow 💜 Dead Girls Walking - Sami Ellis 🌈 Blackout - Carlos E. Rivera

❤️ Monster Crush - Erin Ellie Franey 🧡 Blessed Water - Margot Douaihy 💛 These Fragile Graces, This Fugitive Heart - Izzy Wasserstein 💚 Kiss of Seduction - Rawnie Sabor 💙 Sunbringer - Hannah Kaner 💜 Evacuation to Love - C.A. Popovich ❤️ Sin - Brooke Matthews 🧡 Falls from Grace - Ruby Landers 💛 Lean in to Love - Catherine Lane 💙 A Small Apocalypse - Laura Chow Reeve 💜 Cascade Failure - L.M. Sagas 🌈 The Mars House - Natasha Pulley

❤️ All This Time - Sage Donnell 🧡 The Romance Lovers Book Club - MA Binfield 💛 View from the Top - Morgan Adams 💚 Number Call - Nagisa Furuya 💙 Crossing Bridges - Chelsey Lynford 💜 The Boyfriend Subscription - Steven Salvatore ❤️ Love the World or Get Killed Trying - Alvina Chamberland 🧡 Synthetic Sea - Franklyn S. Newton 💛 The Prince & His Stolen Groom - J.E. Ridge 💙 Chrysalis and Requiem - Quinton Li 💜 Where Sleeping Girls Lie - Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé 🌈 A Botanical Daughter - Noah Medlock

❤️ Wednesday Nights - by Donna Jay 🧡 The Woods All Black - Lee Mandelo 💛 Song of the Huntress - Lucy Holland 💚 Rainbow Black - Maggie Thrash 💙 Spirits & Sunflowers - A.D. Armistead & Austin Daniel 💜 Floating Hotel - Grace Curtis ❤️ Far From Camelot - Rylee Hale 🧡 This Way to Change - Jezz Chung 💛 Mexican Bird - Luis Lopez-Maldonado 💙 Android Affection: Unveiling - Beau Van Dalen 💜 Welcome to the Damned - Astraea Long 🌈 She Came for Blood - Darva Green

❤️ Cover Story - Rachel Lacey 🧡 The Poisons We Drink - Bethany Baptiste 💛 The Perfect Guy Doesn't Exist - Sophie Gonzales 💚 In Walked Trouble - Dana Hawkins 💙 Never Leave, Never Lie - Thea Verdone 💜 Guardian: Zhen Hun - Priest ❤️ All the World Beside - Garrard Conley 🧡 Rainbows, Unicorns, and Triangles - Jessica Kingsley Publishers 💛 The Feast Makers - H.A. Clarke 💙 Synthetic Sea - Franklyn S. Newton 💜 All the Painted Stars - Emma Denny 🌈 A Hard Sell - Jennifer Moffatt

[erisweekofficial]

Tonight we are super pumped to be highlighting @lexluvswriting!!!

They are the author of L'autunno, an xReader fic inspired by Vivaldi's Four Seasons Concerto album!

🩰 If you love fics about dancing, this is PERFECT for you, not to mention it possesses the perfect combination of angst, fluff and 😏

Please give this a read (and listen to the music while you do!) 🎻

Look under the cut to learn about the creation of L'autunno, Lex's dreams for future Eris content, and where Eris goes to vacation! 🏝️

How did you come up with the idea of a Ballerina reader for ꔫ L'autunno?

Coming up with L'autunno was really easy!! I was just listening to my classical music playlist (yes, i'm that person w 30 playlists I fear) and then Vivaldi's L'autunno Allegro came on. Looking at the title, I immediately thought of Eris and Nesta's waltz and wondered what type of music he would like- would the Autumn Court value their creative/performing arts as much as Velaris? (basically L'autunno is one big headcannon that went out of control, but I'm falling in love with writing it so I can't stop, I fear.) As for the ballerina, I've always wanted to be a dancer myself (nothing ever came to fruition) so I decided to let reader dance bc we all deserve to feel beautiful!!

What's something you want to see eris say or do in future books?

 In future books? I want Eris to reunite with Lucien! I want the Vanserras to stick together, bc I know damn well that LOA did not suffer all of this abuse for her children to not get along!! (keeping in mind, i am aware of the traditions in the Autumn Court but surely we can start breaking cycles or smth!!) perhaps this is asking too much but SJM, can we PLEASE have some LOA + Eris wholesome moments please please pLEASE can one of your characters have a good relationship w their parents in ACOTAR 🫶🏼

What ballet do you think Eris loves watching the most?

 OMG I love this- I referred to it slightly in the earlier chapters of L'autunno but I think Eris would love Swan Lake because of his mother!! whatever version it is, I think he'd love them all (I associate a lot of pieces in Swan Lake with Eris)

Where in Prythian do you think Eris likes to vacation and why?

 I'd like to imagine that there is this MASSIVE lake in the Autumn Court that Eris has not a manor, but a humble little cottage at!! Eldest son, daddy issues, loves his Mama, you're gonna look me in the eye and tell me he DOESN'T have a place for just him that isnt unnecessarily glitzy and glamorous?? I'm thinking he makes himself a nice cuppa and goes fishing, or bird watching, and just exists (coming from an eldest child 🫶🏼)

Give us a name for one of his brothers

I'd like to think that one of his brothers is called Theon (idk why) like Theon Vanserra... or maybe Aiden/Aidan Vanserra (I think Aidan is associated with fire?¿) but that's just my brain lol!!

Give us a name for one of his dogs!

OMG. okay, I have a LIST AHAHAH (I'm normal about this I promise) Definitely think Bruno, or Cain, maybe Nox/Lennox idk. but um yeah!!

[cosmosdevourer]

𝓣he hemlocke family - whitepine

𝓟review tracks

( 01 ) Danse Macabre in G Minor, Op. 40 - Camille Saint-Saëns / ( 02 ) Salem’s Secret - Peter Gundry / ( 03 ) Satin Birds - Abel Korzeniowski / ( 04 ) Grimstone Manor - Nox Arcana / ( 05 ) Kill Of The Night - Gin Wigmore

[catcas22]

Prehistory of Elden Ring

I can't rightfully call this a theory. This is somewhere between a fanfic and an elaborate headcanon. But it accounts for a lot of little lore-tidbits that I don't really have enough canon info to do a proper theory on.

            Eiglay was the first of the gods, the World Serpent who held all potential for life within himself. Having consumed the world that came before, he birthed a single egg and then laid down to die. While the egg slumbered deep within the molten core of the world, Eiglay’s corpse lay unburied. The Twinbird descended to peck out his eyes, and where the cold blood spilled there sprang up a sapling.

         ��  The sapling grew tall and black, beset by thorns. This was the birth of the World Tree -- the Lampwood Tree, vessel of souls. The Twinbird roosted in its branches.

            As a being of twinned natures, the Twinbird gave birth to two broods. The Deathbirds, corpse-eaters who embodied the decay of the flesh, and the Angels, winged maidens who embodied the immortality of the soul.

            When the Numen sailed from across the fog, they found the Lampwood Tree and its ghost-light towering above all. They built their city of Helphen at its roots, and they both feared and worshipped the Twinbird. For they were a long-lived people, and they dreaded the end all the more for it.

            Far across the stars, a spawn of the void fixed its eye upon the Lands Between. It sent forth soldiers graven from stone, raining as a shower of meteors upon the Lands and led by generals of onyx and alabaster.

            The greatest amongst these were the dragons, animate stone armed with the power of the storm. They were the teeth and claws of the void, and none could withstand them. In a final desperate stand, the angels met them in a great battle in the sky. In an early mirror of the Dread Communion, the angels allowed themselves to be devoured. In doing so, they granted the dragons the gift of free will.

            Now imbued with souls of their own, the dragons took names for themselves and turned against their former masters. Led by the mighty Placidusax, the Lord of the True Storm, they hounded the lords of the void from the Lands Between. They raised up beasts to serve them, giving the gifts of will and reason as they had been given in turn, and they raised up their city of Farum Azula to the south of the Lampwood Tree.

            When they looked upon the eternal dragons, the Numen resented their own mortality all the more. In all things, they sought to cheat death. They built great stone golems to fight their wars. They hid away within their walled city, prolonging their years through alchemy and dark hexes. And at last they created beings made by hands, the children of silver. They sent these thralls out to do the work of the living, to risk and to struggle, while the Numen hid away as if already entombed.

            As the dread of death consumed every waking moment, the Numen dwindled in splendor and in number. They built grand mausoleums to house their dead while the homes of the living stood empty. They embalmed their forefathers and set them in places of honor while their sons died childless. They spent their years seeking the riddle of immortality, and all the while they left the business of living to their silver thralls. And at the end Helphen became a mausoleum in truth, street upon street lined with manors for the dead while those few who still lived lingered in ruined houses and dark corners.

            The Numen remnant who rejected this slow entombment intermarried with the children of silver, and their descendants were the Nox. These were a people equal in stature and nobility to the Numen of old, and where their fathers had cowered at the shadow of death, the Nox looked to the stars.

            Having seen the calamity that had once fallen from the stars, the Nox set themselves to study the movements of the firmament. They raised the Eternal City of Nokceles atop the dead city of Helphen, and in the years to come they established the sister cities of Nokron and Nokstella.

            As their crowning achievement, the Nox constructed the Black Moon, a gravitational well of such magnitude that it could guide the paths of the very stars.

            It came to pass that the Twinbird hated the dragons. The great raven coveted the warmth of the living, and it sought to gather all souls back to itself. While the Deathbirds continued to bring it ashes to eat, with the loss of the angels all the souls of the newly dead were left to roam free. Most of all, the Twinbird hated the ancient dragons, for they lived without fear of death and refused to relinquish their souls.

             In the midst of this, a great ember fell to earth, the burning core of a red star. A giant by the name of Uhl took it up, for the giants had ever worshiped the flame. He sought to carry it down to the Lampwood Tree, to break the hold of death and lay the seed of a new age.

            The Twinbird descended upon him in great fury, cold ghostflame in its wings. It would have snuffed out the ember and Uhl with it if not for the intercession of Placidusax. Twice the dragon and the raven clashed within the storm, and twice death was beaten back. At their third meeting, the Twinbird cast down Placidusax and ripped away one of the dragon’s five heads.

            Uhl might have fallen then, but the lords of the Nox raised up their Black Moon as a shield. For a few precious moments, they confounded the Twinbird. Then Uhl split open the black tree of souls and planted the ember within its heart.

            As souls once frozen and calcified mixed into a great molten core, the World Tree changed -- no longer the Lampwood, guide of souls, it became the Crucible, the wellspring of life. Uhl carved the face of the Fell God upon his breast and named himself the god of the Age of Fire, and he welcomed Placidusax as his lord and consort.

            Now the Nox were consumed by envy, for they were proud, and while they were permitted to exist within Uhl’s order they were given no place of prominence. As their bitterness festered, they fell to the vices of their forefathers.

            They delved once more into alchemy, seeking to thwart the very laws of nature. They raised up thralls of their own, silver tears as warriors and albinaurics as menial slaves. They denied that they had ever been born of silver, and they were all the crueler to their creations for it.

            At the height of their hubris, they called out to the void that they had once sought to hold at bay. For it was whispered amongst their most gifted scholars, if a Black Moon made by hands could sway the paths of stars, then what power had set those paths in the beginning?

            Might there be a god of the void, a Dark Moon of whom their Black Moon was only a paltry imitation? Might this god be beckoned, coaxed to inhabit a mortal vessel as the Fell God had inhabited Uhl?

            By the labor of their greatest alchemists, the Nox crafted a vessel for the Dark Moon, an Empyrean born of silver, a Lord of Night to challenge the Lord of the Crucible. But in the end they were taken by the very void they had beckoned, dragged beneath the earth and left to grow low and stunted.

            And as the age of the Nox perished in its infancy, a new star fell to earth. An unnatural thing, a beast of light that despised the chaos of the living, a beast of void that denied the primacy of death. And from the ruined scions of the Numen, the Beast plucked an Empyrean vessel.

[haveyouseenthisskeleton]

S/O drags skeleton into a haunted manor by surprise and doesn't let him any choice before pushing him in. The house is full of actors in scary costumes. Main skeletons reaction?

Undertale Sans - It's infuriating as Sans is just punning at the scary monsters all the way, making everything a lot less scary. Sans doesn't care, he's full poker face the whole time and he doesn't even get jumpscare once. However, as soon as you're out, you suddenly find yourself all alone in the street. As you're calling him, worried, he suddenly appears in front of you with black eye sockets, scaring the shit out of you. Here you go.

Undertale Papyrus - He's having fun! He didn't know haunted houses existed and now he wants to try them all. He won't stop congratulating the actors who actually managed to scare him. That's a great day, he's glad he went with you!

Underswap Sans - He got jumpscared once and then decided he would be the actor's worst nightmare. Now he's the one hiding to scare them. He made a horrible clown cry and a zombie had to take a break because he fainted. He asks the haunted house if he can be hired the week-end after that.

Underswap Papyrus - He's crushing your hand and refuses to leave you side. He's also trying so bad to make you turn away because he's so scared every time you're both entering a new room. He hates it. He just wants to go home and watch some Disney movies, please.

Underfell Sans - He's playing all brave and all, but he's clearly not comfortable in the place, jumping at every sound and growling at any suspect movement. He won't say it out loud he's scared though. He's big boy. He better die instead of saying he's scared.

Underfell Papyrus - Not your smartest move. Edge is jumpy, and so very protective of you. He's wary, and he hates getting surprised by the actors. Every time a clown or a zombie tries to get you, he throws you behind him and summons huge bones to attack. The actors ask you to leave after a few minutes lol.

Horrortale Sans - All the lights, noise and screams give him a headache after ten minutes. He's grumpy during the visit, not even getting scared (and thankfully because he would attack). He just wants to be done with this as soon as possible. He prefers to stay home on his couch, thank you very much.

Horrortale Papyrus - A bunch of kids screamed seeing him and now Willow is just sad. People keep thinking he's part of the show and it's making him very uncomfortable. After a few minutes, he's just following you in silence, just sad :(

Swapfell Sans - His reactions are hilarious. Nox is terrified of the place. Every little thing is making him screech in absolute terror. He keeps running to hide every time a monster is chasing you, and he doesn't hesitate one second to push you towards the danger before running away. He hates supernatural shit.

Swapfell Papyrus - He takes every opportunity he can to scare you even more, randomly chasing you or touching your neck very slowly just to see you shriek in fear. He's having way too much fun and it's giving him a ton of ideas to torture you and his brother for a few weeks. You regret your decision afterward.

Fellswap Gold Sans - He can't understand why humans think this is scary and keeps pointing all of this is just plastic and doesn't look realistic at all. If you want to make it scary, actually add real monsters into it? And blood? Screams? Real torture? You're not sure if he's joking or not. You prefer not to know actually.

Fellswap Gold Papyrus - After two rooms, he's having a panic attack and cries, begging you to get out of here. He's really scared and he really doesn't like it. He's paralyzed with fear and refuses to move after a clown chased him around for ten minutes because he went the wrong way.

[thatboreddrake]

The Tripartite Pantheon of Volcano Manor

Ok, so bear with me here. Was playing Elden Ring earlier, and was hit by a realization that is absolutely, positively an example of one of the following memes:

So buckle up and lets go because Drake is back on his hyperactive conspiracy theory bullcrap!

First off, the snake-worshippers of Mt. Gelmir:

Serpent-God’s Curved Sword: Curved sword fashioned in the image of an ancient serpent deity and tool of a forgotten religion practiced on Mt. Gelmir. Formerly used to offer up sacrifices

Fairly cut and dry. They worshipped Eiglay, Serpent of the First Sin, and used such swords to sacrifice to it (her? Idk).

Next, the assassins that also operated out of Mt. Gelmir:

Serpent Bow: Malformed bow in the shape of a pair of poisonous snakes. Imbues arrows with poison through pagan magic, revealing its true worth when used with poison-infused arrows. Used by assassins known as the Formless Serpents.

Based on the common snake motif and the allusion to “pagan magic”, I think it’s fairly safe to assume that these groups were at least connected, if not one and the same.

But wait, the Serpent Bow uses poison. What other deities that we’ve talked about in the past are associated with poison?

Poison Armament: Those who dwell within poison know rot all too well. The death that begets life, that comes to all equally. That is to say: it is the cycle of rebirth put into practice.

“But wait,” you say, “that’s just a coincidence!”

And I would’ve thought so too, except for one thing. May I present:

Scorpion Talismans: A talisman carried by assassins who strike unseen. Patterned on a scorpion freshly shed of its exoskeleton, its claws seizing a heart that (sparks with lightning/burns with fire/with a blessed glow/shimmers with magic).

Granted, this is a bit of a stretch. However, unless I am sorely mistaken, the only assassin groups we hear of in-game are a) the Black Knives, b) the Sellian sorcerers, c) the Ravenmount assassins, and d) the Formless Serpents.

The Black Knives may strike unseen, but they wouldn’t carry the symbol of the scorpion, a heretic’s relic according to the Scorpion’s Stinger. The Sellian sorcerers use magic to hide their presence, but their connection links them more to the Nox and the Eternal Cities. Ravenmount assassins dress so as to evoke the imagery of the Deathbirds and are in no other way associated with scorpions. Thus, I propose that Scorpion Talismans were carried by none other than the Formless Serpents who struck “unseen” from afar using pagan magic to enhance their archery. After all, one need not fear increased damage (a secondary effect of the scorpion talismans) if one does not plan to be within range of one’s target.

And so, I propose that the Formless Serpents worshipped both the God of Rot, the Divine Scorpion, and Eiglay, the Devouring Serpent. Targets assassinated and sacrificed in the serpent’s name are thus inducted into the rot to which all life must return to be born again.

But wait, that’s only two deities! How then could I call it a Tripartite Pantheon? Friends, may I once more present for your perusal:

Bloodboon: Thrust arm into the body of the Formless Mother, then scatter the bloodflame to set the area ablaze

Granted, this is THE most threadbare of my connections. However, I would propose that draw a portion of their name from the Formless Mother. Not much evidence other than this, but I feel that it helps draw the theory together into a cohesive hole.

In conclusion, I propose that the “forgotten religion” of Mt. Gelmir is as such: the Formless Serpents were an assassin group worshipping a triune pantheon featuring gods of death, life, and rebirth. Their god of death was, if not Eiglay themselves, then at the very least the cultural memory of a devouring serpent. The god of rebirth was none other than the God of Rot, as discussed in my previous lore theory. The god of life was the Formless Mother, desiring wounds and granting new life. Thus did the assassins operate: targets were assassinated, their souls fed to the devouring serpent. From there, poison and rot returns their bodies and souls to that from which they came, and the Formless Mother of blood crafts their soul-matter into a new form and grants them new life.

So yeah, not sure if any of that makes sense, but it feels like I may be onto something here.

Actual footage of my thought process:

[nini-dirthara-lothlenanas]

Nox Garden under the Moonlight

[alders-simblr]

Rowanwood Estates

Rowanwood Estates - WillowCreek - Sage Estates

I'm calling this the 'lite' version because I'm going to go back and clutter it up and change it but it is by no mean 'light' on CC. This one is going to be a long list of links just as a warning and includes my own mod tweak packages for the two cars on it (further explained below).

As with ALL my builds, you're going to want to have bb.moveobjects ON before placing the lot and I DID use TOOL to place some of the more complicated tweaks.

As with all my builds, it is on my gallery under EA ID: alderwitch but you can also download the tray files on my patreon as well here.

Lot Size: 50 x 50

Furnished Price: 915,012 Unfurnished: 336,018

Bedrooms: 6 Bathrooms: 7

Details and CC Shopping List below the cut.

Packs Used: HSY, Cottage Living, Snowy Escape, Eco Lifestyle, Island Living, Get Famous, Seasons, City Living, Get Together, Get To Work, Werewolves, Wedding Stories, Dream Home, Dine Out, Spa Day, Little Campers, Blooming Rooms, Courtyard Oasis, Bust the Dust, Nifty Knitting, Fitness, Backyard, Romantic Garden, Movie Hangout, Cool Kitchen

CC Used: CM Designs: Isla Pt 2, Jasper, Oakley, Rugs, Thermostat Oni: Traditional Japanese Room, Artist's World Room, Custom Food Pink Baddie: Baby Food, Magical Rug, Play Kitchen Sooky: Abstract Frames, Moroccan Rugs, Hydrangea Jug, Kids Rugs, Pretty Blue Rugs ClutterCat: Shiba Inu Rug Aira: Vanilla Rice Cooker Amoebae: Half Strip Tile, Statement Walls, Hallway Stone ATS4: Bagclutter AWingledLLama: Diaper Pail House of Harlix: Bafroom, Baysic, Harluxe, Jardane Brazen Lotus: ABP Closet, Greenhouse, Chronicles of Dressup, Reupholstered Sofa, Phoenix Fence Black Charly Pancakes: Lighthouse Collection, All CC Merged? Felixandre: Chateau, August 2019, Berlin Pt 3, Colonial Pt 2, Florence Set Pt 1, pt 3, Georgian, Grove Pt 4, Paris pt 1, Pt 3, Shop the Look Season 1 Walls That Make Sense: Dynasty, Fundamentals, Lights, Opulence Harrie: Country, Octave, Livin Rum, Tiny Twavellers Icemunmun: AirFryer, Canning Preserves, Finger Sandwiches, Floral tea, Burger Essentials, Mill, Soup, Soda Joliebean: Padtow LBB: Grannie's Cookbook, Recipe Tin, Recipe Stand LilacCreative: Body Butter, Candle LeafMotif: Magnolia Bathroom, Sunbeam Study, Starlight Crystals Ivy LittleDica: Chic Bathroom, Rise N Grind Cafe, Sleek Slumber, Modern Kitchen, Roman Holiday MadameRia: Back to Basics, Luxe, CoL Wallpaper Addon, Lucky Man Marvell: Lux, Janina, KC, Tiny Footsteps, UPcycle MyCupofCC: Maple Manor Books, Curtain, Macrame Shelf Max20: MasterBedroom Pack, Pouf Soft, Washing and Drying Machines Myshousun: Nora Living, Serene Bathroom, Zephyr Office, Dawn Living, Garden Stories, Freja, Gale Peacemaker: Atwood, Grasscloth, Bayside, Caine, Coulor Me Rugs, Drapery Delights, Elme Jute, Elsie, Futura, Gorgeous Georgian, Glass Tile, Hamptons Hideaway, Hamptons Retreat, Hinterlands, Hudsoon, Kingston, Kitayama, Lennox, MCE, Mina, Myra, Nox, Oasis, Quintin, Serenity, Vara, Marcissus Folly PieriSim: David Apartment, Domaine Du Clos, MCM, Oak House, Teeny Weeny, The Office, Tidying Up, Winter Garden Redhead Sims: Nintendo Switch RVSN: Advant 2020 Holiday Decor, Bidet, Binge Inking, CakeABreak, Cupcake Machine, Don't Be Alarmed Alarm Clock, Flood Saucer Light, Hoarders, Void Critter Gaming, Kids Toybin, Knit Happens, Major Inspo, MOtivational Speaker, Personal Brewer, Cod Fish Tank, One Nightstand Short, Peg to Differ, Procraftination, Shop Chef, Shut the Front Door, Smeglish Dishwasher, Sport Retail Therapy, Throw Shade, ToolTime, Watts Not to Love, SP Built Ins, You know the Drill, Ruggable SimCredible: DishDrainer, Naturalis Pantry SimKoos: Boba Storage, Home Clutter, Infant Bottles, Office Tour, Stroller Deluxe Sixam: Cozy Family Room, Gothic W Lighting, Home Basics, Home Improvement, Luxbath, Mixer, Private Surface, RetroVibes, Small Spaces, Spring Six, Stylish Wood, Teen Room Softerhaze: Bramblefinch Powder Walls Syboulette: Oceane, Advent 2022 Wood Parquet, Attic, Bayhouse, Boho Wedding, Brigette, Bougainvillers, Candy, Clarisse, Coraline, Crossfit, Delphine, Designer Meeting Table, Diane, Dino, Dreamy, Faveo, Fitness, Helios, Karaoke, Laundry, Louane, Millenial, Mozaik, Nothingtowear, Pascaline, Petite Chef, Ratatoulle, Sabine, Serenity, Unicorn Birthday Taurus Design: Cassandra Bathroom, Eliza Bedroom and Closet, Elsa, Jade, Katrina Tuds: 2nd Wave, Cave, Crib, Cross, Emma, NCTR, SHKR, Wave WhoisSage: Shag Rug, Handful of Mats, Simply Striking

Functionality

These mods are not technically in the build but are needed to have mods (syboulette's crossfit and aira's rice cooker specifically) functional.

ZulfAndHakrabr: Let's Get Fits Modpack Ricky: Useable RiceCooker

Vehicles

Technically, the two vehicles used for this build use the the Breeze Motors 2018 Mercedes E-Class Wagon and the 2020 Maserati Quattroporte as their base. I won't link to the download page as its a perma-paywaller and I fundamentally disagree with how Breeze Motors is handling their patreon personally. I will leave it to you to decide if you want their CC and how you acquire it if you choose to do so.

For my personal game, I have edited and stripped down my copies of these two cars and modified them so that they work with Simnation Travel. I have a pinned patreon post that is not paywall locked here explaining that more in depth and include the required files HERE.

If you go that route, and would like to download the cars, you can find them here:

Maserati Quattroporte

Mercedes E-Class

I should note that in addition to lacking the door open /close options of the original as those were stripped down, the textures were redone with simlish for a more maxis match look in game.

Mods for this Build

These are not technically required for the build to function but this build was built using overrides for both Sim Realist's SNB Bills mod as well as Simnation Travel vehicles. You shouldn't get any weird errors if you load the build in without those mods but if there's an exception caught by MCC related to that, it's probably just reconciling that the override the lot was built with is not in place in your game. It should only be a one time alert the first time the game loads in if it happens and should not cause any issue other than MCC making a noise at you about it noticing weirdness.

(The SNB provides the High Speed Internet trait to the lot and I think it will just set that trait to empty if its loaded without but I haven't personally confirmed it, hence the note here. ) Additional Note

I'm pushing this to live today just to make sure it hits my tumblr the same time as I pushed the build to my gallery but I will be going back to add links into the list. There are just a LOT to track down and it might take me a day or two to finish that part.

[busterblackcherry]

REVIEWING MOVIES WITH VISUAL KEI BANDMEN IN THEM PART 1!!!!!!

All of these movies were watched with my friends @secretly-mothman and @thorns-no-roses since we planned visual kei movie nights. up first we have the movie from Malice Mizer, Bridal of Rose.

IMDb Summary: A silent movie with a storyline similar to Bram Stoker's Dracula. It contains Japanese and English captions as dialogue. The protagonist-like character has received a letter from the Earl of Dracula who asks him to travel to Transylvania to finalize the purchase of a manor. Klaha is engaged to Cecil but must push back the wedding. Dracula imprisons Klaha and travels to London to meet Cecil. Meanwhile, the resident Vampire in London is not happy that Dracula has gone there to hunt. He wishes to thwart Dracula's wishes but is prevented by his sister the Nun who is a minion of Dracula.

My review: 10/10 just for the love put into this movie. we did not watch the version with the better subtitles so we did not understand a lot. It was like every member of the band wrote their parts in one night and then tried to mash them together in a weird little adaptation of Dracula where every character is wearing stripper boots. I still watch it at work sometimes. and the original subtitles make it so hard to understand that it's funny. I really love that freaky dungeon scene it came out of nowhere but that was also kind of funny.

Ash's review: 10/10 it was so funny I had no idea what was going on the whole time. Banger soundtrack. Also nun mana and vampires. Need I say more?

Nox's review: 10/10

@secretly-mothman 's art:

and the video that I made after the movie

[cainluvr69]

Final Chapter - 22.11 - What I Saw That Night

Previous Chapter

****TL Note: just want to say before we get into it that every single character is in their jammies in this chapter

✦✧☾✧✦

Akira: Haah… I'm so tired. I think I'll turn in early tonight. C'mere, Saku-chaaaan.

Sacrificium: … …!

Akira: Saku-chan?

✦✧☾✧✦

Oz: …

Nova: Oz.

Oz: …! <Vox Nox>! …!

Mithra: Hah?

Oz: ……

Mithra: Hey, don't just summon someone and then…you're already asleep…

Oz: …

Mithra: …Oz…? …Is all of that blood…his…?

Nova: It's been a while, Mithra.

Mithra: …! <Arthim>! …?! My doors aren't opening outside the manor?!

Mithra: …Wake up, Oz! <Arthim>!

✦✧☾✧✦

Rutile: Huh? What happened to Mithra? He's vanished.

Riquet: Did he get bored and leave?

Mitile: Didn't he say he had some good cards in his hand?

Rutile: Wah…!

Mitile: Parts of the roof are falling!

Riquet: I believe the rooms at the top of the manor above us are Oz's and Owen's… Should I go tell them to quiet down?

Rutile: Maybe Mithra went to visit one of them? I wonder if I can see him from the window…

Figaro: Everyone, get down!

Mitile: Dr. Figaro?!

Figaro: <Possideo>…!

Riquet: Waah…!

Rutile: There's something outside the window…?!

Figaro: Artificial wizards…!

✦✧☾✧✦

Rustica: Wah…

Chloe: Woah…that startled me. That was from the top floor, right? Do you think the Northern wizards are getting in a fight?

Rustica: …

Chloe: …Rustica? Do you want me to go check out the top floor?

Rustica: Chloe, stay next to me.

Lennox: You both need to run…!

Chloe: Huh…?! Waah…?!

Rustica: <Amores Viesse>

Lennox: <Forsettao Meiuvat>

Lennox: They're coming from the southern side of the manor! Escape out the window into the courtyard…!

✦✧☾✧✦

Shylock: Oh my, the manor is shaking. What could those naughty children be doing this time of night?

Murr: Fireworks! Fireworks?

Shylock: How lively. We've only just returned home today, so they should be more…

Shylock & Murr: …!

Murr: <Eanul Lambru>!

Shylock: <Inviebelle>

Faust: …!

Shylock: Faust?!

Faust: …Get out the window! Hurry…!

Murr: Did something slam you into the wall?

Faust: …Yes, something I never wanted to see again!

Faust: <Salliuqnart Mulcredo>!

✦✧☾✧✦

Arthur: Master Sage…!

Cain: Are you okay?! There was a huge noise…

Akira: Arthur, Cain! Something's upsetting Saku-chan! Something's really wrong…

Nova: …

Arthur: …! Who are you? State your name. Long white hair, and a scar over the left eye… No, it can't be…

Cain: …White hair…

Nova: You.

Akira: …!

Nova: Are you the new Sage?

Akira: …Ah…

Shino: Sage! Are you okay?!

Heathcliff: …! Nova…!

Akira: …! This is Nova…?!

Nova: It's wonderful to meet you, beloved Sage.

Akira: Wahhhh…!

Arthur: Watch out! Master Sage…!

✦✧☾✧✦

Mithra: <Arthim> …This is the third one. How many are there?! Tch…! And here's another one!

Owen: <Cure Memini>

Mithra: Owen!

Bradley: What's goin' on?!

Nero: Oz…!

Painting Snow: Goodness!

Painting White: Are they after Oz?!

Nero: Brad, Mithra, Owen! Can I leave Oz to you guys?!

Mithra: What?!

Nero: If this many of 'em managed to sneak in here, the kids are in danger! Snow, White, we're moving!

Bradley: It looks like all the lil' ones are in the courtyard! I can snipe through the window and cover them!

Nero: Do that!

Painting Snow: We must hurry! Faust only barely defeated one of these artificial wizards!

Painting White: The young wizards will be turned to stone…!

✦✧☾✧✦

Akira: Waah…!

Shino: Sage!

Heathcliff: Prince Arthur, Cain! Take Master Sage to the courtyard!

Arthur: Got it! Nova's hidden himself! Both of you, be careful!

Shino: I know! Look after the Sage!

Cain: Akira, I'm going to carry you!

Akira: …!

Heathcliff: <Repsev Aivulp Sunos>

Shino: <Matzah Sudipas>

✦✧☾✧✦

Arthur: They're swarming from that direction, too…!

Cain: How many are there?!

Arthur: …Cain, move! I'll be their opponent! <Pernoctant Nixzo>!

Cain: …Master Sage! Don't let go!

Shylock: Cain, Master Sage! Are you unhurt?!

Lennox: Don't stop moving! It's going to fire that beam…! Don't let it hit you!

Cain: …Aghhh…!

Akira: …ah…Cain…!

Lennox: There's another coming from that way!

Faust: We're going to get caged in! I'll stop them here somehow! All of you, get to the dining hall!

Cain: …gh, I'll stay here too! Shylock! Murr! Take the Sage and run!

Shylock: Understood! Master Sage, this way…!

✦✧☾✧✦

Chloe: Shylock, Murr!

Rustica: Use magic to hide the Sage and take them to the bar on the second floor.

Akira: Chloe, Rustica…!

Rustica: You don't need to worry about us. Shylock, Murr, if you'd please.

Murr: Gotcha…!

Shylock: We're going…!

✦✧☾✧✦

Figaro: <Possideo>

Mitile: Dr. Figaro, you're so strong…! I'll help protect everyone, too! <Scintilla>!

Riquet: Mitile, watch out!

Mitile: Huh?!

Rutile & Figaro: …Mitile…!

Snow & White: <Noscomnia>!

Rutile: Lords Snow and White!

Nero: <Adnodis Omnis>!

Riquet: Nero! Nero…!

Nero: Are you okay, Riquet?!

Riquet: Nero, behind you…!

Nero: …! <Adno…>

Bradley: <Adnopotensum>! Don't cluster! They'll circle you! C'mon, scatter…!

Figaro: Take care of Riquet! Mitile, Rutile, this way!

Nero: Got it! C'mon, Riquet…!

Riquet: Okay…!

✦✧☾✧✦

Chloe: …The flames are spreading…

Rustica: Stay close to me, Chloe.

Nova: That will be difficult.

Rustica: …Ahhh…!

Chloe: Rustica, Rustica! Why did you do that to him?!

Nova: …

Murr: <Eanul Lambru>!

Nova: …Haha…

Murr: …Uwaah…!

✦✧☾✧✦

I could distantly hear everyone's screams. I'd had magic placed on me to hide me from sight, and I was huddled in a corner of the bar. Shylock had his pipe at the ready, his face taut. Nova had appeared before him… …with a badly injured Murr, broken and discarded like garbage.

Shylock: …Murr…!

His expression stiffened even further. But he flicked me a glance and smiled as if to say everything would be okay. He was going to keep me safe. Shylock stood opposite Nova and laughed, looking for all the world that he was calm and composed.

Shylock: Well now… I suppose I can indulge you. Shall we?

Everything sounded far away. Shylock suddenly fell to his knees, gripping his chest, his body curling in on itself in pain. His injury from <the Great Calamity>. His heart was set aflame, just like everything else in the manor was.

Shylock: …kh…

His face was twisted in agony. Sparks fell from between his fingers, inviting ever more destruction into the manor. Nova stepped towards Shylock, silently but purposefully. This was, I was sure, what the Reaper's footsteps sounded like. I wanted to rush out and help him, but I had no strength in my body anymore. All I could do was continue to hide unseen in the corner, without letting my screams or sobs be heard.

Akira: (Shylock…!)

Nova knelt down and reached towards Shylock. He was going to kill him. But when that thought passed through my brain… Nova pressed his hand against the flames at Shylock's chest. The look in his eyes as he watched Shylock's face was frighteningly gentle. It meant something. Surely the softness of his gaze meant something. The flames upon Shylock's chest slowly, gradually, began to die down in Nova's palm. With all the kindness of someone treating his wounds.

Shylock: …What…?

I was called the Sage, but I hadn't been able to do anything for him. Oz was called the world's strongest wizard, but he hadn't, either. But Nova had granted Shylock's wish. And then he simply disappeared.

Akira: …Huh…?

✦✧☾✧✦

Nova and his artificial wizards had all vanished in the blink of an eye. Even Oz had managed to hang on despite the severity of his wounds. Arthur was grieving over his wounds, and the Northern wizards were trembling. What had they come here for? Why?

✦✧☾✧✦

Snow: What a terrible sight… When Oz wakes up tomorrow morning, we shall have him clean everything up.

White: His wounds have always healed quickly. He'll be all better by tomorrow.

Arthur: Lord Oz…

Heathcliff: Oh, Prince Arthur… You must be so worried about him…

Owen: They left things half-finished. They almost kill Oz, they almost kill the Sage, and then they just leave? What in the world did they come here for?

Snow: That's a very good question…

Snow & White: Ah…!

Akira: Snow, White?!

Arthur: Where are you going?!

✦✧☾✧✦

Snow: It's not here…!

White: It's vanished…!

Lennox: If something's missing, then… Did they steal it?

Riquet: First they leave the manor in such a terrible state, and then they resort to petty thievery on top of that? Unforgivable.

Akira: Snow, White. Just what is it that's gone missing?

Snow: Surely you should recognize it.

White: They took the Goblet of Judgment.

The Goblet of Judgment. That was… That was what I'd used in the ritual to summon new Sage's wizards.

Akira: … But why…?

✦✧☾✧✦

Murr: …

Murr: What a naughty one you are, sneaking about like this in the middle of the night.

Murr: Shh. I'm here to steal the Sage's jacket.

Murr: They'll be worried, you know. If such a tragedy played out within their very room, and they were powerless to stop it? Goodness.

Murr: This isn't a tragedy.

Murr: Mu…

Murr: Monch. Gulp. … This is a poor excuse for a comedy.

[wraith-caller]

Hi, Wraith! Lemme just start by saying that I ADORE your lore posts. Your mind is incredible and I love reading your thoughts, speculations, extrapolations, etc. Which brings me to a question I’m dying to hear your thoughts for: How did Iji die? I’ve been scouring Reddit and any other forums I can find and everything I’ve found is cyclical non-answers. The obvious answer is Black Knives- because their bodies are scattered around him. This tracks because Blaidd, when you find him in front of Ranni’s Rise, is also surround by Black Knife corpses. However, this does NOT track for several reasons. First: Iji is drenched in black flame, a sorcery (power?) used by the Godskins, not the Black Knives. I’ve seen lots of people say it’s probably just an oversight on FromSoft’s part. Altogether possible, but would make me sad and I deeply want to believe it’s intentional. Second: The Black Knives are (were?) RANNI’S assassin’s. While she’s self-serving and stone-cold, she claims to love Blaidd and Iji (and tells you to tell them). I find it hard to believe she’d have them killed. MAYBE if they were only found near Blaidd (in preparation for his coming madness), I could buy it, but I’m not sure I can get onboard as it stands. Now I did find two interesting thoughts. One, someone said the Nox were recruited as the Black Knives and turned on Ranni when she killed her own body, because the plan was only to kill Godwyn and plant one of their own on the throne. I’ve never seen or found anything in my own playthroughs to support or indicate this, but it would make a lot of sense. Two, and I feel that this hinges heavily on one, someone soeculated that Gideon killed Iji. They pointed out that he uses black flame sorceries, and he definitely tries to kill any threats to his ascent to lordship. Anyway, this got WAY longer than I meant for it to be. But IF it’s a topic that interests you, I’d love to hear your thoughts! (And if not, no problem at all!) There’s definitely plenty I don’t know/understand and if I’m incorrect in any of my points above, I’d be really interested in knowing what I’m missing. I feel obligated to sign this, too, since it got away from me 😂😅 -nightingale-ghost-writer

@nightingale-ghost-writer sorry to answer this way, tumblr's not cooperating with answering asks lol. Hi!! Thank you for the kind words haha I'm happy my ramblings are of interest to others! I do hope you really enjoy a ramble bc your question sorta set me off on one here lol

I've thought about Iji's death now and then, and found some of the same answers you did about the black flame effect around his body. It may simply be a mistake by the devs like people frequently say. Especially since, iirc, there's no deathflame animation analogous to the blackflame one left on Iji. It could have been a 'close enough' kind of thing, which yeah I agree would ultimately be disappointing! However someone in this reddit thread had something interesting to point out:

"There's a weird detail, possibly an oversight: if you use a Blade of Death weapon art (for example Maliketh's Black Blade or the Gargoyle's Black Blade) on a troll, the effect looks like black flame rather than the usual red and black flame. I doubt there's a lore reason, but maybe something about how that enemy type is coded causes that effect to appear like black flame, and that also extended to Iji who uses the same model."

I haven't tested this myself, but if it's true, it lends more support to the idea it's just an unintentional effect. However, in that same thread, a few folks point out that Godskins were spotted in various places relevant to Destined Death - in the Volcano Manor and Divine Tower of Liurnia. Rykard has a piece of the Death rune, and Ranni's corpse is on the tower, along with her cursemark. It may be that they are searching for the Rune of Death themselves. Their presence in Farum Azula may suggest they were seeking to free the rune and restore the true power of the Black Flame. So while I still believe it's the Black Knife assassins who killed Iji, I suppose there is room to argue the Godskins have a stake in his death, too, in that Iji stands between them and Ranni.

While the Black Knife assassins worked with Ranni, I'm not sure that they were necessarily under her command. I think they collaborated as they both thought they could benefit from each other. Ranni would get to shed her flesh through the ritual, and the assassins of the Eternal Cities, who have beef with the Golden Order, get to strike down one of the GOs most shining and noble icons and throw the world into chaos. As you've said, they have their own agenda with ushering in the Lord of Night, who may either be an outer god or an envoy/vassal to one. This Lord may also have some connection with Ranni's Black Moon and, strangely enough, the Tibia Mariners who, in Japanese, are referred to as "Night King's Kin"(more info in this Zullie video here). The Mariners hold deathroot and raise up Those Who Live in Death, so I have been under the impression they only came into being after Godwyn's curse spread, which is of course a direct consequence of the assassination.

So while Ranni and the Assassins stood to gain from each other in this plot, their ultimate goals are sort of actually at odds. Ranni, while devoted to her Black Moon, seeks to remove the influence of Outer Gods from TLB and leave everyone to their own devices. Meanwhile, the Nox/Assassins are seeking to deliver a new one to the throne. We see indications of this struggle in Alecto's imprisonment in the evergaol at the Moonlight Altar and, if you are partial to the theory that Miquella collaborated with Ranni, in Ordina. Then there's the further evidence of the Assassins coming for Ranni's group to kill Blaidd and Iji. So I agree, I don't think Ranni had Iji killed. Like you, I could potentially see her ordering them to kill Blaidd, as she knew he'd be fated to try to destroy her. While it is cold and calculating, she does express her sympathy for him. But she is ultimately dedicated to sacrificing everything to achieve her goals. When we do find Blaidd with the dead assassins, he's not saying anything about them. He's frantically denying that he could be a danger to Ranni, as if their attack on him is connected to that. So I do see how people could connect the assassins coming for him with them being ordered by her to kill him.

But then we get into the matter of why they'd be ordered to kill Iji, and I just can't think of a good one. He's clear-minded, and not fated to betray her in the way Blaidd is as her shadowbound beast. I've seen people claim it's a matter of 'tying up loose ends' but I can't imagine in what way he'd be a 'loose end' given that he's entirely faithful to her. Loose ends are tied up because they pose a threat. What threat is Iji to Ranni and her goals if he is emphatically supporting her to the very end? And then when I think of Alecto in the evergaol, I'm really inclined to believe it's purely a matter of bad blood between Ranni's group and the assassins after the conspiracy was through. It may even be that we led them to her, as her whereabouts were previously unknown until we found her(though you'd hope people would uh check her home before declaring her missing?? lol).

That being said, I kind of like your idea about Gideon's involvement. Some elements of that make sense. I'm not sure how much he knows of Ranni, since he says they don't actively seek her out due to her having cast off her rune. While he generally seems to send lackeys to go do his dirty work, the Carian Manor could be a pit stop he made on the way into Leyndell. He may have somehow or other learned of Ranni's whereabouts, learned she was behind the conspiracy, but what I struggle with is him learning her motivation for it. She reveals this to us only after we've spent some time in her service. So did Gideon suspect her of being after the throne? Would he have known she wanted to rid the world of all the troubling influences of the Outer Gods? If he did, would that be much of a threat to his desire to become a lord? While he wouldn't be an Elden Lord, there'd still be power to be had in a world without the Golden Order. And the power vacuum left in the wake of Ranni achieving her goals would seem like a good opportunity for him to position himself in a leadership role. But I'll be honest, I don't fully understand him and his revelations about Marika's will, and how that effects his perspective. By the end of it he seems to think vying for Elden Lord is a futile struggle and that the whole thing is just a meat grinder that Tarnished are being fed into. So does he even still want that power by the end, if he believes it to be utterly unobtainable? Still, it's not entirely unbelievable that he would eliminate potential threats to that power before he comes to that fatalistic conclusion.

Okay, anyway, I hope all of this makes some sense!! Thanks for the interesting ask and for sharing your theories about this strange little mystery!!!

[lil-gae-disaster]

i love those stupid ass adult fags who are almost in their 40's (as of 2011)

I might've given Nox a bit o' alc in this one... wanted to see how that'd be 😔

Edit: HOLY SHIT THIS TURNED OUT TO BE LONG AF

Kisses for you (Because I love you too)

Ever since the parent day at Hogwarts - a day from which Nox still needs to recover mentally - said man started to hang out with a certain other man. None other than Blaze Allard, his teenage love (allthough the love was, most likely, one-sided.)

Being the obvious but also oblivious person he is, others around them started to notice how close they've been lately and how they look at eachother. Nox for his part was still to notice that his love - which hasn't died since he was 14 - wasn't as one-sided as he thought it to be. Quite on the contrary, seen as his love was more than requited. Everyone seemed to notice. Except them, somehow.

People around them all felt different about this. There were some who couldn't stand the idea, such as Ivy, who was utterly jealous of Nox, and Leo, who was being pity and hated idea the in general. Others couldn't care less. Clorinde, Nox' significantly younger sister, was one of them. But being the wingwoman she didn't know she was, she invited them both to her birthday.

So here the two lovebirds were, sitting in Clorinde's living room. The party had already winded down, the guests had all started to return to their own homes and even Clorinde headed to bed, being so kind as to let both of them stay at her's for the night. "Just don't stay up for too long now.", she reminded them, like some sort of mother would. Which makes sense considering she's planning to adopt a certain student of hers.

Little did they know, Clorinde left them alone in the room on purpose. And little did they know, the fact that her sofa functions as only one bed was on purpose too - though if they'd notice, she'd brush it off as being drunk while setting it up.But that'd be a thing to worry about later. Because right now, neither of the men were worried about anything. They were happily chatting, allthough a little quieter than before, telling eachother stories about the happenings in the magical world and the muggle world. It was clear that one of them definitely had a few sips of alcohol - Nox was starting to sound a bit tipsy and his words were sounding slurred. Blaze on the other hand had barely touched a drop, having expected drive home later in the evening. So, natural, he was still completely sober.

Unlike Nox, who was clearly somewhat drunk, seeing as he was repeating a story he had already told that night. It was cute, really. The way he kept stumbling over his words, his face red from the alcohol he drank. It caused the older of the two to chuckle multiple times. Does Nox even know what his drunken behaviour is doing to Blaze? When he finally couldn't take it anymore, he spoke up, knowing he needed to confess while the other was still somewhat sober.

"Nox?"

"Hmm?"

"I love you."

The silence was loud. Nox was staring at the man next to him with wide eyes until he laughed slighty in his drunken manor, causing Blaze's heart to flutter with both butterflies and a slight feel of hurt. "Hah... You're amazing. That was a good joke." The taller man took another sip of his wine, brushing it off as a joke until the silence made him look at the other again. "Hold on. You're not joking, are you."

Another silence. Then Blaze nodded, making Nox believe it even less.

"You can't be serious! How- How can some like you, beautiful and astonishing, like some as me? I mean, just look at me!" He gestured to himself. "I can't control my liquor! I'm half-blind, I'm reckless, heck, I mostly don't even feel like a man! No, Blaze, you cannot possible love someone like me." With that, he finishes his glass to drown his sorrow and the hurt he feels at his own words.

But then the beautiful man next to him speaks again. "That's where you're wrong, Nox. I love you. I don't care if you don't feel like a man at times, I love you despite that. I couldn't care less if you can't control your liquor, because goddamn it, you're cute when you're drunk. And good fucking hell, your scar makes you even more handsome. I love you, regardless of what you call your flaws. I love you for who you are. So, if you love me too... Will you allow me to be your boyfriend? And if you don't feel the same, then-"

He was cut off as Nox suddenly pulled him in for a kiss by his shoulders. Both of their faces were red and hot, both of flustered as hell. Nox felt as if he could die at this moment. He doubted he'd remember this the next day, but he hoped this wouldn't be the last time he'd get to have the feel and taste of Blaze's lips.

It was when they were both at a loss for air that Nox pulled away from - in his opinion - the most beautiful man in the world, allthough he did so reluctantly. Both men just stared at eachother with red faces, until a soft and loving smile sneaked onto the faces of them both. So, they just stared at eachother in comfortable silence. Until Nox dared to speak.

"Blaze?"

"Yeah?"

"I love you."

With a chuckle, the older of the two placed a kiss on his new lover's nose. "I love you too, dear."

And Nox swore to Merlin's beard, he felt the happiest he ever was when he woke up in Blaze's arms the next morning, knowing he was loved by the one he loves.

Gay.