#Vishaps

[genshinresource]

Genshin Impact "Shadows in Motion" Web Event Official Album Photo Wallpapers: Miniaturized Nations (Mobile)

[sunnynwanda]

Part 2 Part 3

The shackles drag across the floor, filling the space with the clanking of the metal against marble. The hall is dark but warm enough to make the chained creature shiver from thermal shock, numbness being replaced with pain as his white fingers start growing red. He fists his hands, pressing his trembling lips into a thin line to dissociate from the sensations rushing through his body.

Once they reach the middle of the hall, the guards step back, allowing his body to sag to the cold floor. It’s nothing compared to the snow that he was buried in.

Someone enters the room - he can hear the guard speaking but fails to discern words. His brain must be shutting down. He uses the last of his strength to lift his head when one of the guards nudges his shoulder.

The man in front of him is already staring at him, his expression nothing short of austerity. He looks to be in the second half of his life, grey streaks lining his temples and forehead, but his features have not yet lost their sharpness. There is a small scar on the underside of his chin, only visible under intent observation, and a much more noticeable crown on his head. Oh, no.

“What are you?” The King’s voice is tense. His hand rests on the pommel of his sword, never leaving, even when he reaches out to tilt the creature’s head up with his other one. The captive gulps, afraid to speak or meet the King’s intense gaze. “What is your purpose in my land? Answer.”

“I-” he tries, but his throat seizes, clumping in to try and swallow himself up. He coughs, facing the floor once again, lips coated in blood from a wound no doubt inflicted by the guards trying to detain him. The guard on his side steps back, scared of the dark crimson poision dripping down his chin. “I didn’t know I shouldn’t be here... I didn't know where I was.”

The King raises an eyebrow at that, not convinced by the act. His kingdom has lived in peace for over eight years - ever since he reached an agreement and outlawed vishaps from entering his land. In return, humans were banned from crossing into Vishap territory for fear of never returning, which was the least of all evil for the safety of his people and, most importantly, his family. The King sighs, rubbing his temples in slow circles.

“He was found half-buried under the snow right by the Edge,” the guard that captured the young creature informs. “He did not shift when attacked.”

This caught the King by surprise, which was written quite obviously in his features. He glanced at the guard before returning his attention to the young creature still slumped at his feet. It looked young - perhaps nine or ten years of age. Too young to be sent after him or be capable of inflicting significant harm. Vishaps did not tend to leave their younglings alone if they couldn't shift yet. Unless his parents were not in the picture, that is. “What is your name, child?”

“Vanki,” His voice comes out weaker than he intended, so with another cough, the creature repeats. “My name is Vanki.”

“Vanki,” the King repeats with a nod. He motions for one of the guards to lift the boy from the floor. The guard practically picks him up, supporting him as he stands, bone-weary from days of running and hiding in the woods with no proper food or rest. Vanki doesn’t know where they are taking him, but an unconscious fear settles in the pits of his empty stomach. He knows he is too weak to put up any fight. Damn, he was too weak to so much as move when the snow started falling, so all he did was roll to the side and hug himself to keep whatever warmth he had left in his sinking heart.

“I didn’t know,” Vanki claims, panic flashing in the depths of his dark eyes. His eyes dart to the King’s face, who looks at him quizzically. “I wasn’t aware I was trespassing.”

The guard hisses for him to be quiet, but Vanki shakes his head no. He has no strength to struggle against his chains or captors, but he won’t go down without a fight if it’s the last thing he does.

“I was lost.” It comes more pleading than he intended, but that can be attributed to the frailty of his voice. Or so he hopes.

“No.” The King’s answer is plain and straightforward, his voice void of emotion. It sends a chill down Vanki's spine.

“Please,” he hates himself for begging, but the prospect of being executed or, worse, thrown into a dungeon to be tortured for public entertainment gnaws at his side, threatening to rip his ribcage open and wrench his heart out. As it is meant to be.

“You weren’t lost, you were running from someone," the statement catches Vanki off guard. The King’s tone is even, but there is something in his eyes that the boy fails to decipher. “Other vishaps chased you out. Isn’t that right?”

Stunned into silence, Vanki struggles to answer right away, terrified of what his reply may entail. The King approaches him again, standing so close that the boy can see the small scar under his chin again. He wonders if it’s one of his kind that gave it to him.

“Well?” The King prompts, cupping the boy's jaw with a warm hand. His fingers are rough but his touch is featherlight, careful not to hurt. Vanki can only muster a short nod, his eyes getting watery at the contact. For a moment, he envisions his misfortune retreating. The King sighs, seeming satisfied with the answer. “Take him away.”

“I didn’t harm anyone.” Whatever was left of the boy's resolve shatters in an instant. Not paying him any mind, the King waves a hand, and that movement stirs something within Vanki - something feral, something animalistic, something dangerously close to his true nature. With a desperate cry, he hauls away from his captors, yanking at the chains until the shackles loosen around his wrists. “I didn't do anything! You can’t just kill me... you can't!”

“Kill you?” The King turns around with an incredulous look adorning his face. He almost chuckles at the suggestion, shaking his head in disbelief.

“Let me go, please,” Vanki can feel his eyes watering again, and his voice is a whisper by the end of the sentence. Misfortune grips his limbs with renewed vigour, marks the skin on his forehead with a sharp kiss that makes him hiss, baring his teeth. “Please.”

“You have nowhere to go,” the King notes, correctly so. He has nowhere and no one to go to - having escaped the Vishap territory and stepped into the land that considers him nothing but an animal, a monster, a god too vicious to trust. “But you can stay here.”

Vanki isn’t sure if he heard it right, but the King looks as stern as when he first came in, albeit with less hostility in his gaze. At a loss for words, he doesn't have a chance to object when the King speaks again. “So I can keep an eye on you,” he explains before waving the boy away and departing the room.

Vanki is still processing the situation at hand as he is led across the hall and along dimly lit corridors of the castle. It’s too early in the morning for anyone to be awake yet, so they meet no one on the way to the spacious room allocated to him.

The guard walks him in, only stopping to inform the boy that a servant has filled a warm bath for him and left food on his bedside table. He then bids him a good night and locks the door, leaving Vanki alone and utterly confused. He cannot comprehend why or when all of this was arranged for him, but none of that matters when he lowers his aching body into the warmth of the bath, his head lolling back at the sheer pleasure of his element enveloping him. It takes only fifteen minutes for it to soak his bones, healing all of the cuts and bruises littering his skin.

Vanki has no way of knowing what is going to happen in the morning or what the King intends to do to him. He doesn't know if he will be allowed to stay or handed back to his kind. He can't even tell if he is a prisoner or a guest. The only thing he does know is that he is safe, warm and sated. Even if only for a night.

Part 2 Part 3

Lore: Vishaps are serpent-like dragons in Armenian mythology, closely linked to water. They were seen as guardians or spirits of water sources that lived for thousands of years. They lived in the mountains or beneath lakes and had shape-shifting abilities. Vishaps' blood was believed to be deadly poisonous.

Author's note: This is based on the beautiful request by @annablogsposts.

Thank you so much for this, I enjoyed it incredibly ♡ As I've mentioned in my first reply, it corresponds greatly with my WIP novel and I took the liberty of aligning it even more. I hope you enjoy this as much as I did but even if you don't, feedback is welcomed.

Masterlist

Taglist: @marvellousdaisy @alltimelowing @lateuplight @surplus-of-sarcasm @betwist @excusemeasibangmyheadonawall @enemies-to-idiots-to-lovers @miaowmelodie @thatonerandomauthor @hhabaddon @burningoutlikeicarus @daemonvatis @weepingcowboywolfbat @thelazywitchphotographer @kaiwewi @soul-of-a-local-bard @pigeonwhumps @aflyingsheepnamedrose  @thatneptune @ohwellthatslifesstuff @worldsfromhoney @thiefofthecrowns @crow-with-a-typewriter @qualityrabbitsoup @stargeode @villain-life @villainsblood @whumpifi @silviathebard @misskowe @ayeshaturnedtoashes4444

P.S. I know this isn't my usual content, so if you don't wanna be tagged in stories like this one, just let me know! Sunny xo

[the-curious-cat24]

Genshin 4.7 Livestream!

get your codes everyone! Excited for the new event and pulling for Clorinde!(who are you pulling for?)

Natlan crumbs at the end with the cute dragons!! ohhhh!

the twins! ohhh I got teary eyed watching the animation and the song, it hits right through the heart.

[ceruleanvermillion]

AU (headcanon ?) where Morax is half-vishap, half-qilin, like the rumours of what his vessel is. Half of his ancestry belongs to the vishaps of light realm, but the other half belongs to the "new" world, as a celestial immortal. This makes him rather powerful. But the vishaps and celestia hate each other for reasons that we already know of in the lore, so... he's never quite accepted by either. The light realm resents him, celestia is suspicious of him. So he was never actually considered a real part of celestia or one of the vishaps. He resides in the mortal realm, then. But as an immortal, he can never truly understand what it's like to be mortal, either. He becomes an archon, and it's because it makes it easier for celestia to watch over him and act if he does anything out of line. So Zhongli has never really belonged anywhere, or was ever considered a part of anything- which is why he holds guizhong and the original seven so dearly, because when he's with them, he truly feels like he's a part of the group, that he's not hated for his history, that he's with people who understands his plight, that he's with those in the same boat as he is. It's why he's so insistent that he's just a "normal human" after his retirement, even if it's clear that he sticks out like a sore thumb- because he genuinely fears the ostracism and the loneliness he has felt all those years ago. It's why he chose to work with Hu Tao, too, because to an extent, he thinks he knows how she feels.

[mynameis-a]

[welcome-to-fernweh]

Higher Beings Preview

So, in addition to the mortal Hetrans, there are other, supernatural creatures that go under a super-category called, "Higher Beings." Their label comes from the fact that they are believed to live a more complex life within nature, for better or for worse, and are usually supernaturally powerful. Someone can be born a Higher Being, or be created.

Here's the list:

• The Formless Ones (formless forces of the Universe)

• The Drakones (the lóng gods)

• The Ancient Peoples (Currently contains the Serpent Folk (based on Nagas) and their special kin, the Grande Serpents (based on legendary and giant snakes) and Noble Serpents (basilisks))

• Demons (expanded further below)

• Divums (expanded further below)

• Fox Spirits (based on Hulijing/Kitsune)

• Shas (based on the Set animals and Sutekh himself from Ancient Egypt)

• Vishaps (based on sea dragons of myth)

Possible other Higher Beings are:

• Wivers (wyverns)

• The Twinned Foreigners

Divums and Demons

Divine Creatures are benevolent spirits, collectively called "divums:"

• Blessed Spirits (People that have ascended through supernatural means, whether it be through gods or personal willpower)

• Drakonic Horses (based on the Longma)

• Listening Beasts (based on the Diting)

• Medley Singers (based on the Luanniao)

• Motley Dancers (based on the Fenghuang)

• Royal Unicorns (based on Qilins)

• Scaled Specters (based on aosagibi)

• Serpent Birds (based on Quetzalcoatlus and amphitheres)

• Variegate Hound (based on Theows and reindeer)

• Warding Panther (based on the Pixiu)

There will be more added in the future...

Demonic Creatures are malicious spirits, collectively called "demons:"

• Accursed Spirits (fallen Blessed Spirits)

• The Corrupted Eight Principles (corrupted Bagua elements in the wild. Totally not a Jackie Chan Adventures reference)

• The Four Perils/Evils

• King of the Damned (the demon king)

• Vampires

• Winteko, and the Cannibals it spawns

There will be more added in the Future...

[starcurtain]

I don't post about it often, but my favorite brand of Wriolette is definitely:

Despite being however many centuries old, Neuvillette still has significant dysphoria about being in a human body and doesn't think himself even capable of physically doing things the way humans do, so when he starts experiencing attraction to Wriothesley for the first time he's just like

"Oh dear."

But maybe Traveler is right? Maybe Sigewinne is right? Maybe it's time to truly start living the life he's been born into? This is his body, racing heart and trembling, drippy palms and all, and maybe it wouldn't be the worst thing to just... give it a go?

His mind is made up. Neuvillette is going to express his interest to Wriothesley in a mature, respectable, and perfectly normal manner!

But, ah... how?

Meanwhile, Wriothesley is growing ever more confused at Neuvillette's odd behavior by the day, but like... it's an endeared sort of confusion. Dragons are just kinda weird like this; it's all perfectly logical. Neuvillette has Wriothesley's unwavering support even if he does keep swimming down to the Fortress of Meropide in his full suit and cravat at 5am in the mornings and scaring the shit out of the morning shift gardes.

Wait. Wait. Run it by Wriothesley again--Neuvillette wants to what--?! The consent can only be described as enthusiastic.

Still, the ultimate takeaway is that Neuvillette doesn't just learn how to love a human, but also learns how to love himself, the strange vishap in smooth human skin that he's become.

[asbestos-11]

neuvillette dragon form concepts. idk just wanted to draw him cunty in every form

[that-foul-legacy-lover]

MELUSINE CREATOR MEETING PAHSIV

MELUSINE CREATOR MEETING PAHSIV ‼️‼️‼️

PAHSIV PAHSIV PAHSIV YIPPEE!!!!!!! SHE'S SO CUTE

one day, you're taking a rare trip to the upper world with Foul Legacy, needing a bit of sunlight after spending several weeks down in Merusea Village. he sweeps you up into his arms and takes you to a distant forest, all surrounded by trees and mist and moss, where not even the Treasure Hoarders dare step in. but to you, both protected by an Abyssal monster and hidden from a cruel, unforgiving world, it's lovely and fascinating. Legacy's steps are several of yours, so he can easily keep up with you as you explore the foliage and fantastical reed pipes. his lilac ruff of fur bristles when he hears the unmistakable howl of Riftwolves, taking your mitten-like hand and gently tugging you away from the old, rotted willow that looms in the distance, wandering towards a lake dancing with wind and floating globes of water. it calms in your presence, though, and you're dancing among the lakelight lilies when your antennae twitch at the pitter-patter of small, stumpy feet

"Creator! Creator! Pahsiv!"

a Melusine with brilliant fuchsia eyes happily darts through the grass, tapping her feet in a little excited jig as she stands before you and Foul Legacy, whose wings flutter in surprise. she skips in a circle around you in particular, examining you at all angles but never touching as her tail wags. after a moment you stick your hand out to shake, and she stares and tilts her head before extending her own and giving you a light, friendly smack on the palm

she's a Melusine even stranger than you- or perhaps, like you, she's not a Melusine at all. but she's friendly and curious, with a sharp interest in tidalgas, and whatever fear she had of Foul Legacy evaporates when you explain that he's a friend, dancing around and allowing herself to be picked up and placed on Legacy's shoulder opposite of you. he's strong, after all- carrying two not-Melusine is nothing to him! you gift your new friend some tidalga you were carrying, much to her delight, and she pats her mittens over the shimmering patterns across your body with a knowing look in her eyes

she doesn't come with you when you leave Erinnyes, but somehow you know that she'll be there to greet you if you ever come to visit again

[gold-rhine]

he's SO FUNNY about it btw, like his character stories have so much angst about like oh.... he's forced to pretend to be "normal human"... it's so hard for him.... ppl are so judgemental....

but he de facto makes NO fucking effort to pretend to be human, doesn't even try to "hello my fellow humans" like zhongli does, he refuses to lie, he goes "LMAO archons wear FAKE visions to BLEND IN? imagine being such LOOOSERS"

he could have lied that he's an oceanid or smth when ppl saw that he's too long living for a human, but tho he doesnt disclose hes a dragon, he doesnt give ppl any explanation AT ALL. when asked if he's a trial demon bc ppl didn't know what the fuck he is, he was like no, i'm not and i don't actually care about trials, it's just 9 to 5 for me, so ppl were like ????? High Justice doesn't give a fuck?? it's a springboard job for him??? huh???

like he created so much PR problems for no fucking reason just bc he refuses to compromise even a tiny bit on pretending to be smth he's not. like wow ppl didn't trust you at first? when you obv act nonhuman and refuse to explain shit? asdfghjkl

[draconesmundi]

Happy Dracones Monday! The Vishap

Found in the Armenian highlands, in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Iran and Turkey. Here we see one perched on a vishapakar stone ('dragon stone') in Armenia - these stones are often in the shape of fish or have a carving of some sort of animal sacrifice on them (often a bull), and sometimes they have a mix of fish and bull carvings.

This is just my interpretation of a vishap for Dracones Mundi - I chose to go a little more flamboyant with the design rather than make something that looked like a bull or a fish - especially as it's uncertain whether the carvings on the vishapakar are supposed to represent the dragons physically, or if they are more symbolic of summoning good luck for livestock, fishing or fertility.

I post new dragons for my project every Monday on this blog: @draconesmundi

[genshinresource]

Genshin Impact "Shadows in Motion" Web Event Official Album Photo Wallpapers: Miniaturized Nations (Desktop)

[sunnynwanda]

Part 1 Part 2

It did not take long for Vanki to get used to his new life as part of the Duke's family. It surprised him how easily they accepted him. No questions were asked, no hostility or attempts to chase him out.

Since his first meeting with the Duke's children, every morning would start the same way - with Sar knocking violently on his door. Sometimes, Vanki thought that if he didn't open in time, the boy would knock until the door fell apart. Then they'd go to breakfast together, barely managing to finish chewing on their food when Sar dragged Vanki and his sister outside.

His interactions with Amber warmed much slower. She would nod and smile under her nose but never uttered a word to Vanki, even though he had seen her talking to others before. One day, during Sar's nap time, the boy gathered the courage to ask if she didn't want to play with him. Amber shook her head, curls dancing across her shoulders and falling into her eyes. As if to prove her point, she took his hand, not letting go of him until dinnertime.

A few weeks later, she finally said her first words to him. A simple 'thank you', but even that was a start. It had been raining since early morning, so the kids were ushered to the Duchess' chambers. Vanki was shy in her presence at first - but soon discovered that her strict demeanour had no truth to it. When Sar spilt his water all over the sofa (partly due to an impromptu pillow battle with his sister), their mother let out a soft laugh, and ordered them to move onto the fluffy carpet while the couch dried. It took Vanki a minute to figure out there would be no punishment.

And if that wasn't enough, the Duchess decided to join them, announcing rehearsal time. Vanki watched Amber and Sar shriek in excitement as their mom pulled out a picture book and started reading the lines, pausing here and there for them to reenact what played out in the tale. Amber pretended to be a princess, except she was no damsel in distress, more like the cause of distress to the young boys. Sar was saving her, while Vanki preferred to be the evil wizard.

This game would repeat, every so often, during the colder months until, one day, the Duchess declared that they were to exchange roles. Amber chose to be the saviour, and Sar ended up being the cheekiest little villain. He kept giggling to the point that George had to wrap the noose around his neck himself, playing hostage to his snickering kidnapper. That day marked the first time Amber addressed him with a full sentence while claiming she'd save him no matter what. Vanki almost froze at the declaration, forgetting his line until Sar poked his cheek, demanding he look terrified for his life.

The floodgates seemed to open after that because now that Amber was talking to him, there was no shutting her up. So much so that the Duke joked the boy must regret making her comfortable with him. Vanki did not. If there was one thing he liked more than playing all together, it was Amber's constant chattering. He discovered early on that Amber liked to read - a lot.

Every afternoon, when Sar got taken away, they would escape to the library, hiding away in the depths of it, while she told him something new she had learned about the world. She spoke about everything, and Vanki, who was never allowed to set foot outside of his grandmother's den, listened hungrily, swallowing every bit of information she shared with him.

Sometimes, Amber told him about vishaps. They seemed to entice her like no other topic; she could go on for hours, retelling their myths and legends, describing what they supposedly looked like and behaved, why there weren't any in their land and how much she wanted to meet one. Oh, did she dream of meeting one!

"I'm going to visit Vishap territory one day!" She exclaimed one day, turning to face him with a look of excitement in her eyes. "Just like daddy."

"He got a scar out of it," Sar reminded, but if there was one thing Vanki understood from Amber's expression, it was that reasoning with her was pointless. She was determined and reckless, much like her father, despite his gentle nature.

Vanki never told her. Not because he was scared of her response but because he was trying to forget. Erase any memory of his past, his blood, and his heritage. Stay as far away from it as he could. Part of him knew it would come to light one day. Even at his young age, Vanki knew his grandmother would not let him go.

But he had time. While she slept, he had time. Twelve years was long enough for him to find an escape.

Or so he hoped.

Part 1 Part 2

Masterlist

Taglist: @marvellousdaisy @alltimelowing @lateuplight @surplus-of-sarcasm @betwist @excusemeasibangmyheadonawall @enemies-to-idiots-to-lovers @miaowmelodie @thatonerandomauthor @hhabaddon @burningoutlikeicarus @daemonvatis @weepingcowboywolfbat @thelazywitchphotographer @kaiwewi @soul-of-a-local-bard @pigeonwhumps @aflyingsheepnamedrose  @thatneptune @ohwellthatslifesstuff @worldsfromhoney @thiefofthecrowns @crow-with-a-typewriter @qualityrabbitsoup @stargeode @villain-life @villainsblood @whumpifi @glassthedumbass @silviathebard @misskowe @ayeshaturnedtoashes4444 @m4iloblu3

[minecraft]

[caluupin]

neuvi is meeting his peepaw rn

[saccharinerose]

When Scylla mentioned wanting an audience with Neuvillette, the idea for an AU formed in my head where Neuvillette grants him a physical body again and takes him to the Court of Fontaine to witness humanity,

Of course he's butt naked upon being given human form so Neuvillette lends him a shirt... It's uhhh... a bad fit but at least he can walk into the city without being arrested.