#Snelly's Shameless SPOP Headcanons

[snellyboi]

SHE-RA AU MASTER POST

As I start getting into gear to write more over the summer (a full length She-Ra fic, as well as one shots and short fics for lackadaisy, hilda, etc.,) I figure I need to get the AU written out somewhere. And that will be here!

WHAT’S BELOW THE CUT:

-Links to other relevant posts -Information regarding important recurring original characters -Information regarding politics/how the nations work, but only in brief -Information regarding relationships -Some less relevant stuff at the top just for fun and worldbuilding.

IMPORTANT: Deities can be found here.

Advisors in Brightmoon can be found here.

Swords and Swordsmen can be found here.

CULTURE/ FUN FACTS:

The culture in the alliance is anything but homogeneous! There are, of course, stereotypes and things about nations. There’s relatively little hate between nations outside of sporting events and the occasional alcohol fueled boasting.

Dance and song vary from place to place, but the artistic capital of the world is Bright Moon, with museums dedicated to art, big halls for concerts, etc. Plumeria comes in a close second, but Dryl isn’t known for it and while Salineas does have a rich culture of song, it’s mostly oral tradition rather than actual writing. Plumerians do the most dancing of anyone, and the Kingdom of Snows tells story exclusively through song.

When it comes to cooking, you may be surprised to find that Brightmoon tends to be at the bottom of most people’s lists! The Plumerians have them licked in that, and the Salineans, while relying a lot on seafood, also have some more exotic fruits that don’t even grow in Plumeria, like Skyfruit, a sort of blue citrus fruit. 

Dryl is best known for its technology; lightyears ahead of the competition. It’s also well ahead of the others in the realm of fabric and material production. Along with the former fright zone, Dryl is the largest textile producer in the alliance. 

The Kingdom of Snows exported ice for centuries, and still do! Using ice magic they can keep the stuff frozen from the northern border to the southernmost point of the continent!

ORIGINAL CHARACTERS TO WATCH FOR

Beylock: Beylock, the Wise, is an immortal wizard, who comes form a mysterious island nation. He was an important figure in magic, as he’s been around to write about it for...well, 500 years! He’s a very stereotypical wizard; pointy hat, thick glasses, whispy beard, star and moon robes, big staff, lives in a tower...he even has a dragon! Well, has is a strong term. It lives in a cave underneath his tower. He is a magical advisor for the alliance, and comes when something DRASTIC is needed, like hardcore healing and big magical mishaps. During the war, he was away, due to a magical incident.

Roke: Rokelian Marshen Haws, better known as Roke, is a 20 year old Plumerian and a member of the Graethites, a cult of Plumerian swordsmen who worship Graenoth, a mortal made god. One of the best swordsmen in the world, Roke was kicked out of Sword Rock as it was being raided so he could continue the order. He was one of 2-4 surviving graethites at the end of the war with the horde.

More originals will be coming soon!

POLITICS/POLITICAL CLIMATE

Very basically, in a lot of the world, feudalism is still sort of a thing. There are noble families, yes, but how much power they have varies depending on where you go. In Brightmoon, for example, they have relatively little power; they own the land, sure, but unless they’re involved in one of the political houses they aren’t really making too many decisions. There are political houses in Brightmoon, but they all answer to the crown. 

Plumeria, on the other hand, is made up of 14 different lordships, known as Pastures. They make up a council, and make the laws. The Kingdom of Snows has a similar system. Mystacore also has a similar system, however the council is replaced every 5 years, not by popular vote but by a vote from the heads of various magical institutions.

Salineas is unique in that there’s the kingdom of Salineas and the outlying islands, which are in a region of Salineas and usually either have their own governments that are left unchecked but that answer to the Kingdom, or not enough people for a government at all. Salineas is actually a landmass that goes as far as the south pole, so it’s tough to govern, but they manage!

No one’s quite sure how Dryl works, but the place hasn’t collapsed yet so it’s safe to say things are alright. It’s the same with whatever Scorpia’s up to.

RELATIONSHIPS

MARRIED: Bow/Glimmer, Catra/Adora, Seahawk/Mermista, Spinnerella/Netossa

ROMANTICALLY INVOLVED: Scorpia/Perfuma, maybe Hordak and Entrapta but no one’s really sure because they never bring it up at Alliance meetings, Castaspella/General Juliet, Shadow Weaver/the fucking grave

CURRENT STATE OF THE WORLD:

Immediately after the war, things are starting to look okay. Salineas is rebuilding itself, as is Plumeria. The Kingdom of Brightmoon is seeing a surge in activity, and the fright zone, now called Pincerica, is being helped to rebuild by Dryl and Plumeria. There is tension between nobles and the crown in Brightmoon, but after a few brief interventions nothing has gone too wrong.

There is currently renewed interest in a continent to the north, an island nation, where Beylock claims to be from. The nation’s residents, other than Beylock, have not been seen in hundreds of years.

In short, everything is fine with the Alliance and there isn’t a whole lot of drama, and there’s this new place which people want to go to, but which Beylock is being shady about. Most of the changes are minute details and tweaks for the sake of world building, because I love a good world building session.

QUESTIONS? COMMENTS? CONCERNS? Let me know!

[snellyboi]

Swords and Swordsmen of Etheria

With Etheria being a planet, it’s naive to assume that there’s only one type of swordsmanship there. let’s get one thing out of the way first, though:

Swordsman/men will be used as a gender neutral term. The very antiquated Swordwer and Swordwif are just that, antiquated, and create confusion, and Swordsperson is an awkward read. Swordsman/men is going to be used to refer to men, women, and non-binary individuals. with that, let’s begin!

Bright Moon is home to many proud swordsmen. The tradition of swordplay in Bright Moon goes back to its earliest days, and has evolved to more or less become centered around the rapier. The rapier is used predominantly as a stabbing weapon, and can be used with a buckler, a dagger, and in some cases another rapier. For the cavalry, however, the saber is the de jure weapon, as it is better for cleaving and slashing. Swords are not heavily regulated in Bright Moon, and can be owned by most anyone; however, they are rather expensive. The only areas of Bright Moon where members of the public cannot have a sword are the Palace District of the capital, and some outlying lordships on the border. Other popular types of sword would be side swords, which are worn by certain town guards and foot soldiers.

Plumeria has one of the richest swordsmanship cultures, as it contains Sword Rock, and thus, the Graethites, an order of swordsman that dates back nearly a thousand years. While the Graethites are an old order, they have evolved over time. Still, their sword of choice tends to be the broadsword, if more modern forms of it. There are varied teachers from all over the planet with the Graethites, however, so many forms are present. But what they call the Plumerian form favors something better for slashing, like the basket hilted broadsword, or the backsword. Most Plumerians do not use swords, however, as Plumeria has no standing army. Swords are slightly more regulated in Plumeria; unless you’re a Graethite, or a protectorate of the queen (which is essentially a caveat made for graethites in training and guards of foreign ambassadors) it is unlikely you’ll be allowed to carry a sword into a larger town. Popular swords include broadswords, particularly basket hilted ones, typically used with a buckler. 

Salineas is no stranger to swords. In more coastal areas, the favor seems to go to scimitars and cutlasses. This holds true for most of Salineas, save for remote parts of the south, which use something more similar to a katana. These parts of the south have not been well explored, as they have a pact to keep their lands their own which has been respected by the Salineans for centuries. Swords are not regulated in Salineas, however it is seen as an offense worthy of death to draw one in the presence of the queen unless she is in imminent danger.

Mystacor has no tradition of swordplay. However, ornamental and enchanted swords, said to improve the wearer’s combat magic, have existed in the past, and are still present to this day. The Mystacoric sword tends to be purely ceremonial, but can be used if necessary. They are better for slash and thrust models of attack. Swords are heavily regulated in Mystacor; foreigners may not have one on their person unless A) they are a member of a friendly army who wears it as a status symbol or B) they have a religious purpose to carry it, the last caveat being made almost exclusively for the Graethites. 

The Kingdom of Snows also has little to do with swords. Most of their might comes from war hammers, axes, and pole arms. The typical sword used there is a large, two handed one, used to be able to cleave through thick coats and layers of clothing. As with all weapons, presence within the kingdom unless used by armed guards is banned. 

Dryl has no real regulation on swords, nor does it produce them. No one really knows if there ever was a swordsman tradition in Dryl, but it’s more likely that there never was a need to have one.

In most outlying villages and areas within the boundaries of the alliance, the more popular option is either the arming sword, or the messer. These options are cheaper, but provide mostly the same protection. Regulation varies, with some villages allowing them and some chasing the unlucky swordsman who traipses into the square out of town!

In conclusion, the swords and swordsmen of Etheria are varied. While the origins, archeologically, are in Plumeria, the sword has changed the face of the planet both for good and evil, proving itself to be both a reliable companion, and a vengeful tool. Understanding the sword is not the only key to understanding Etheria, but it is a worthy start. 

[snellyboi]

Snelly’s Shameless SPOP Headcanons: The Ancient Deities

In my fanfiction The Last Fight of She Ra, (next 2 chapters drop tomorrow btw) I put in a METRIC TON of OC stuff, from simple stuff like my OC Roke, to more complex factions like the Graethites, all the way up to a pantheon of goddesses and, like, 2 gods. This is gonna be part of the Snelly’s Shameless SPOP Headcanons post series, which you can find by following the handy dandy tag of the same name. 

IN THIS EDITION, I’ll cover the basics of the ancient deities. Who were the ancient deities, what did they do, who worshipped them, and why did they fall out of favor? 

I know this is a strange thing to make, but if anyone is interested or has more questions, please, feel free to drop a question in my inbox! 

The Ancient Deities were worshipped by the Ancient Etherians, that is to say, societies that lived on Etheria between the arrival of the first ones and before the kingdoms were truly solidified, other than, say, Bright Moon. They were, as the ancients said, created after the ‘event’, which is believed to be the first ones crashing thousands of years prior. The event sent a shockwave that woke the old goddesses and god up. (Yes, just one god, even though I said there were 2, we’ll get to that)

Let’s talk MAIN GODDESSES first, the ones with most of the power. 

Ilthos is the goddess of the suns and magic, and thus, the goddess who is in charge of the others. She rules from her land on the highest sun, called Kria, and she was the most revered of them all. If you worshipped one of the minor gods almost exclusively, you still worshipped Ilthos. She was typically depicted as an older, brown haired woman, wearing robes the color of the sunrise. Her role in folklore is typically as a guide for wisdom. If you were a wizard in ancient Etheria, chances were you would end up with her after you died, which is why they worshipped her specifically. 

Pastrea is the goddess of heroes, victory, and heroic deeds. She is basically who you pray to if you’re a warrior. She was portrayed as a dark skinned woman with long, black hair, and piercing eyes. She’s also incredibly muscular in most of her depictions. She lives in Ogel, a large, valhalla like hall where warriors fight away evil spirits. Most are destroyed, but some make it to the mortal world. If you’re telling a story about a hero? She’s in it. 

An is the goddess of the seas, and lives in Sala, an island somewhere on one of the suns, on a side hidden from view, covered with islands, water, and of course, boats. She was tan, and wore what was described to be ‘sailing clothes’, which is believed to be a loose fitting tunic and some sort of breeches. Speaking of sailing, are you a sailor? You worshipped An. No doubt about it. If she was in a folk story, then there was a water scene. 

There were also a few less powerful, but still important goddesses as well. 

Mylian is the goddess of nature and its beauty. She is typically depicted as a fit, tall woman, with red hair, and...well, most people depicted her as a nudist. She lives in the Siim, which is a deep, dense forest, full of gorgeous streams, flowers, mountains, and views like nowhere else. She was worshipped mostly by farmers, who also worshipped her brother, who we’ll talk about later. She appears in folklore as the wife of Pastrea, and she goes to visit Ogel every year to see her, which is why winter happens. 

Saltra is the goddess of seers, divination, and fate. She is a mysterious one, indeed. She’s depicted as a sort of all gray being, with no real form, save for her eyes. She lives in Antaranal, a cave close to the sea. Seers worshipped her, and when she was in a story, chances are the main character would challenge fate...and pay dearly! 

Pithonae is the goddess of storytelling, memory, and song. She is depicted as a woman wearing robes and carrying a lute, reciting stories of old. She isn’t depicted much in folklore, but the line ‘Praise to Pithonae’ is told at the end of most stories. She rules over Lia, a vast plain, where countless taverns fill the night with stories, laughter, and festivities. If you were a party animal, or just liked a good tune, you worshipped Pithonae. 

Nell is the goddess of mercy, and rest. She was depicted as a young, pale woman, with long black hair, and dark clothes. She lived in Nosikur, and took pity on those who came to her realm; innocents murdered in cold blood, rape victims, those who died of disease or died alone. Nosikur itself was a calm place, at the foot of a mountain, with plenty of food and drink, and a warm, comforting atmosphere. She was worshipped, mostly, by healers. She is mostly absent from folklore, and is usually taken as the most minor of the goddesses.

That’s the goddesses out of the way. Weren’t there two gods?

Konus is the brother of Mylian, and is the god of edible crops, such as corn, wheat, grain, and other such things. Farmers would worship him as well. He was a farm hand, with a large beard, brown, long hair, and tan skin. He also lives in Siim. 

 Graenoth is the god of the blade. Ascended from mortals after being named the first He-Man by Pastrea, he was worshipped by a sword cult called the Graethites. He lives in Ogel, as an aid to Pastrea. 

That’s all of them! But wait...why’d we stop worshipping them?

Worship of the ancient deities was common for a thousand years, but slowly, as kingdoms began to form, worship of these gods fell by the way side. It wasn’t like there was a big, christian-esque religion that came and converted everyone, but the ideas became less and less practiced over time. Bright Moon and Mystacor moved towards less religiously involved cultures, and eventually it was down to the Graethites. No one else really did much worshipping. It was all just a bunch of weird old stories at this point, we all knew that magic wasn’t from a sun goddess, it was from a stone. 

But then Skeletor returned...and things changed. But that’s a story for another time. 

[snellyboi]

Snelly’s Shameless SPOP Headcanons: The Graethites, The Luruks, and the Drogs: important players in future fanfics.

Just because She-Ra is over doesn’t mean I am! And it also doesn’t mean that my made up factions from my extended Universe are gone, either! 

The Graethites pop up in Last Fight of She-Ra, and will be popping up in a future project I’m currently outlining. In short, I’m gonna be a busy guy for the next few months. Even if Quarantine is keeping me inside my house, it won’t keep my shameless ideas inside my head! 

Today we’re talking about the Graethites, The Luruks, and the Drogs. Who are they? What will they do? And will I write more basic introductory one shots for them? Yes the answer is definitely yes. 

In all seriousness, this is pretty much just gonna be a reference for people who are interested in getting into the next big project I’m gonna do. And while I write those shorter fics I talked about in the possible vote (shown here) the BIG fic will be happening in the back. Again, I know I don’t really have a fanbase, especially not in the She-Ra fandom, but just in case anyone’s out there and wants to know? The gang’s all here!

The Graethites:

The Graethites are started by one of the ancient heroes of Etheria, Graenoth, the Heman. Graenoth was a mighty swordsman, and when he died, the Goddesses thought it best that he become a minor god, a mortal-made-deity, god of the blade and justice. Graenoth’s order has a long and storied history, but for the most part, they exist at Sword Rock. 

Sword Rock is a cave formation in the northern area of Plumeria. Secluded and safe, it leads to a massive underground temple, where the Graethites operate from. 

The Graethites are led by an Abbot, typically either chosen by Graenoth, or the previous Abbot. The Abbot’s main job is to run things, manage teachers, and make sure the standards of the temple at Sword Rock are up to snuff. 

The Abbot Former is the one who is currently running things, and the abbot Latter is the one who WILL take things over when the Abbot Former dies. 

An abbot former can choose to become an Abbot Latter, as well. For example, in the modern day, that is, the events after the show, the current Abbot Latter, Roke, was originally designated to be Abbot Former, but gave the job to a former guard leader in Bright Moon, Markalus. 

The job of joining the Graethites takes you through a path of meditation, sword training, and forming an intense bond with not only the sword, but the rest of the Graethites. Ideally this starts at the age of 10, but anyone, really, can become one. 

The Luruks:

Little is known about the Luruks. What IS known is that they were, and according to some, ARE, a cult of Mystics and magicians and warriors who see it fit that they should rule the planet. They helped win the war against Horde Prime, sure, but that was just a moment of ‘enemy of my enemy’. They once almost accomplished their task, but they were thought to be destroyed by the Drogs. 

The Luruks are a dangerous group, and some say they have infiltrated the highest levels of government, even at Bright Moon. Queen Glimmer refuses to believe it, however. Such paranoia is just that, Paranoia. 

The Drogs:

The Drogs were a group of intensely powerful wizards. They sought to create the gift of immortality, or perhaps, at least, a very long lifespan. Drog comes form a minced version of old Mystacoric ‘Draga’ for Dragon and ‘Og’ for Human. The Drogs were seen as noble, but only one ever lived long enough to accomplish the goal of immortality. He is known as Beylock, the Wise. He lives in a tower near Mystacor. He has done for 500 years, and is seen as one of the most powerful wizards of all time. He keeps Immortality a closely guarded secret, lest the potion fall into the wrong hands. It could be dangerous that way...

I know that this isn’t a story. But it does clear up a lot of One Shots coming Y’all’s way that’ll basically be ‘Oops, all OCs!’ until I can get THE BIG ONE finished and ready to roll out. 

Stay tuned!

[snellyboi]

Snelly’s Shameless SPOP Headcanons: The Advisors at Bright Moon

Hello! This post is mostly just gonna talk about the Advisors that Glimmer has at her disposal. So, uhm...yeah. You can skip it if you want. Although, if you like the corny 80s names, some of these folks have them!

Financial/political advisors are important to a kingdom. You can’t run a kingdom if you haven’t got the coin or constitution. And Glimmer has one of the best.

Finara is an older woman, who has dedicated her life to the current dynasty since she was young. She’s always been particularly good with numbers, having mastered several forms of mathematics by age 12, and being particularly dominant in her class at Bright Moon’s Alchemical/Mathematical College. (Yes, alchemical, it was founded long ago when that’s what science was). She’s a fan of Glimmer’s policies, and always has her back fiscally. She’s also one of the more loyal advisors.

Legista is not necessarily an advisor in the traditional sense. A younger woman, she is the speaker of Bright Moon’s Parliament. The speaker, once chosen, is no longer allowed to vote or make decisions based on political views, and is typically just there to report the day’s doings to the queen. Typically they’re chosen from the upper house, the Burgesses, but Legista is one of only 5 speakers in Bright Moon’s history to be from the House of the Public. 

Gavella is one of 9 judges of Bright Moon’s ‘Esteemed Court’, the highest in the land, and is Glimmer’s legal advisor. If Glimmer ever, EVER wants to put a law through to Parliament, she has to go through Gavella first. Gavella has been the advisor since King Micah selected her many years ago. She’s middling in age, now, but she’s still the sharpest mind of all when it comes to the law. 

So those folks are important, but what about her Military Advisors? Well, those are just as important. 

Honorable, Field Marshal Spurra of Cand is currently the highest ranking person in the army of Bright Moon, bearing 4 (soon to be 5 due to the impending war) crescent moons. A wealthy land owner, she was purchased into a commission with the Cavalry, Bright Moon’s crown jewel, and served with the 7th Cuirassiers during the Second war of Alst, the battle of the Crimson Waste, the War of the Whispering Woods, and the First Plumero-Hordic War, making an astronomical rise through the ranks of Bright Moon, eventually ending the first Etherian-Hordic war as a general. She commanded troops successfully at the reoccupation of Plumeria...and judging by recent events, she may have to retake Plumeria again soon. 

Honorable, Grand Admiral Gannet of Pairn’s Shore is the primary naval advisor to the queen. He was instrumental in retaking Salineas, but also in several other naval battles, of course, aiding the Salineans. Gannet is the only reason that Bright Moon, a nation with a relatively small coastline, has any sea faring ships in its navy; originally the brother of King Micah, but being one year younger than he, he had access to extreme wealth, and married into a lordship, which gave him even more money. He expanded Bright Moon’s navy from a few schooners to several barques, men-o’-war, and even a massive, 5 gun decked ship, recently christened and completed, called the Queen Angella.

Honorable, Field Marshal Lloyd-Klaus, First Lord Warrel, Grand Champion of the Realm, more commonly referred to as Lord Warrel or Wartime Warrel, or affectionately Warrel the Warthog by his men. The head of the Infantry. he had an unremarkable life, as far as this sort of thing goes - born into nobility, commissioned in, and hey presto, his cleverness paid off. He was involved in every war Spurra was. He’s been around, too, preferring to lead from the front; his office chair is usually quite cold...

Honorable, General Juliet Marcomb, First Duchess Marcomb, Protector of the Realm serves directly under Warrel, but is in charge of the 1st and 2nd armies, the armies situated around the castle. In Warrel’s ill health and old age, she has taken over, and is expected to take the position from him...and least she’d better, or Warrel’s gonna be pissed.

Other members of Queen Glimmer’s Court exist, as well, but are a bit too miscellaneous to be grouped in with any of those. For example...

Ladies in Waiting, who happen to be Glimmer’s other friends. You see, Adora and Bow are great, but...I mean c’mon, they’re had to relate to after being brought up in a palace all your life! She has several ladies in waiting who grew up alongside her as daughters of nobles, including Abigail, Lynneta, Winnie, and Alma. They’re personal assistants and maids, essentially, but it’s a position with status; they can boss other servants about.

Adora, Queen Glimmer’s Housecarl. A Housecarl is a sort of bodyguard, and Adora, for now, fills that role, and fills it well!

Castaspella acts as one of Glimmer’s more day to day, personal advisors, but also doubles as a magic advisor. 

Beylock is about as cliche as a wizard can get. The robes with the smiling sun, moon, and stars on them. The pointy hat. The long beard. He’s her primary magic advisor, which is much better than Shadow Weaver doing the job, because he’s not some crazy manipulative nutcase.

Markalus, Lord of Guard, Head of the Life Guard, Marshal Apparent, the head of the royal guards essentially. Markalus was a graethite, but since the graethites aren’t a control cult, you can kinda just...leave if you want. This position offered more job security and money so he took it first chance he got!

Bow claims to be her ‘Aesthetic and image’ advisor. This is mostly an excuse to get to spend more time with her. He’s actually the Prince of Zolnesh, officially, and is in charge of Artillery and artillery development.

Are all of these people found in the court all the time?

No. Hardly. Most days it’s just Finara, Casta, and Adora. There are designated days for the others to arrive, though; Once a week she only meets her political and financial advisors, then one day of the next week she sees her military advisors, then one day of the next week she sees her other advisors, and on the last day of each month, they all convene, unless there’s an emergency. 

During times of war, she may meet with political/financial/magical advisors less in favor of more time with military advisors and princesses of the alliance, but in peace time, the schedule above is more commonly observed.