#What do you mean Odin is missing

[reslari]

I love Elden Ring lore, because it's like George R. R. Martin wrote a world heavily steeped in Norse Mythology, and then Miyazaki went to read a book about Norse Mythology, got to the part where it said the gods knew they were going to die, but accepted it because it was ~fate~ and their ~noble obligation~ and ~necessary~. That upon their deaths, and after the Ragnarok, the world would be born fresh and lush and new and just...

Miyazaki: [looks at Norse Mythology]

Miyazaki: [looks at Dark Souls]

Miyazaki: [looks at Norse Mythology]

Miyazaki: [looks at Dark Souls]

Miyazaki: Pff, yeah right, like they'd ever just give up THAT easily.

[beah388love]

Too quiet…?

18+ Minors DNI!!!

Full Masterlist Marvel Masterlist

Pairing: Daddy!Thor x Little!Reader

Summary: someone says you’re too quiet for Thor and too different to be together

Warnings: crying,insults,mean comments,age regression!!!(please tell me if I missed any!!!)

You was picking flowers with one of the servants.

“God you’re so quiet..” she huffed as they sat on the floor picking the grass.

“Do you talk at all?” She scoffed

“I talk..” you mumbled but he didn’t hear you.

“Why’s the son of Odin even with you? He’s an extrovert, like a golden retriever” she sighed annoyingly, you could feel tears brimming your eyes.

“I’d be a better girlfriend to him than you.” She muttered but you heard.

“I’m gonna go get a drink. Stay here!” She spat at you and you nodded. As she walked away she stood on your flower pile, crushing them.

As soon as she left you cried. Your flowers all ruined.

Maybe she was right? Why was he with you?

You were the complete opposite of him?

You ran back into the palace, you rushed past the guards and servants as you covered your face.

And you ran straight to the place you always went to.

The greenhouse. Your favourite place, it was quiet,empty and had your favourite things…

Flowers.

You sat in the corner of the room, holding your legs up to your chest, resting your chin in your knees as you tried to stop your tears.

Your thoughts were racing so quickly you didn’t even hear Thor walk into the room.

“Little one?” He said softly but it still made you flinch.

“Buttercup? Why are the tears?” He asked you worriedly as he knelt down in front of you and you sobbed harder.

“Buttercup?” Thor repeated giving you a soft kiss on the temple. Hoping your favourite nickname would calm you.

Your favourite flower.

“W-why are you with me?” You asked wiping your tears and he physically jumped a little.

“Why are you asking me this?” He asked you confused and you pouted.

“S-she was sayin- we was too different t-to like eachother- and she’d be a better girlfriend for you-“ you stuttered out through cries and he pulled you into a tight hug, embracing you in his warmth, all you could smell and feel was him.

“That is entirely and completely untrue! We are so alike, we both like popcorn and the rain! And..Miss bunny!” Thor said making you smile at the mention of your stuffie,

“And we like colouring! And ice cream!” You beamed making him nod with a chuckle.

“Who is this woman anyway?” He asked you and you huffed.

“Buttercup?” He asked again and you nuzzled your face into his neck.

“M’ not sure she’s new…” you said and he nodded as he rubbed your back up and down softly.

“Did she do anything else?” Thor asked as he tried to hide his anger.

“She stepped on my flowers…” you said sadly when you remembered.

“What?” He said through gritted teeth and he was even more mad as he looked at your puffy face and wet eyelashes, he stood up with you in his arms.

“Daddy-“

“Shh..it’s okay just rest” he said stroking your hair as you rested your head back down in the crack of his neck.

“I want all servants lined up here now!” Thor shouted covering your ears but you still jumped a little.

Everyone flinched and lined up panicked

“Buttercup? Tell me if you see her?” Thor whispered to you and you nodded, hesitantly removing your face from thors neck as he walked down the line of terrified servants.

And you looked down when you saw her, catching thors attention.

“Is this her?” He asked you and you nodded.

“Is it true you said that were to different? To be together?” He asked and she looked down nodding her head reluctantly.

“Is it true you said you’d be a better girlfriend for me than Her?” He asked and she nodded her head as she sniffled.

“Y-yes s-sir”

“Well you are wrong, you could never be a better girlfriend than her, she’s the best anyone could ever have” he said giving you a kiss on the hand.

“And is it true…you stepped on her flowers?” He asked and she nodded sobbing.

“Y-yes..”

“Guards take her away!” Thor shouted and she sobbed as they dragged her away.

Thor put you back on the floor and held your hand, bending down a bit from the height difference.

“C’mon buttercup, let’s make another flower bouquet” he said making you squeal, and he couldn’t hold back a smile.

You went back to the flower garden and made a beautiful bouquet of your favourite flowers.

“Look! A buttercup!” You beamed catching thors attention.

He picked it and held it under your chin, the yellow tint glowing under your chin “you like butter” he said you gasped “I do!” You agreed making him laugh.

“Your so cute little one” he smiled as he pulled you on top of him, laying on the grass together.

You forgot all about what she said, because you both were indeed made for each other.

[ficretus]

RWBY teams get reorganized.

CRWBY: Hello RWBY characters.

Ruby: Who are you? Are you Gods?

Salem: Please tell me you are destroying the world.

Cinder: What do you mean RWBY characters? Does that mean that brat is the protagonist?

CRWBY: No, no, yes. Higher ups in Viz demanded we make some changes to the show. So we are gonna reorganize the teams based on the origin of their fairy tale allusion.

Yang: I didn't understand a single word you just said.

CRWBY: Andddd... reshuffle!

*magic poof*

TEAM GERMANY:

Ruby: Why do I no longer like strawberries and cookies?

Weiss: Take this pretzel and shut up.

Ruby: Weiss? We are still partners?

Weiss: Of course we are, nothing can separate us.

Ruby: That's great. Where are the others?

Weiss: It appears they are not German enough for our team.

Ruby: Look! There is another one of our teammates! *turns into rose petals*

Weiss: Ruby, don't jump a complete stranger like that.

Ruby: *tackles them down* Hello, I am Ruby Ro... oh.

Salem: Somehow this curse keeps getting worse.

Weiss: Scheisse!

TEAM FRANCE:

Oscar: I hope ze Ruby is my partner, hon hon hon. Ugh, what the hell happened to my voice.

Ozpin: Oscar, you are taking a dangerous route I cannot follow.

Oscar: Oz, what ze happening?

Ozpin: You are turning French. *soul gets ejected from Oscar's body*

Oscar: Nooooooo. It feels like part of me is missing now. I have a sudden urge to fill it with cheese and wi... Sacrebleu, I am really turning into ze Frenchman. I need to talk to someone, where are my teammates. *hears loud noises* There they are.

*walks up*

Oscar: Bonj... Hello, I am Oscar.

Cinder: We know who you are Farm Boy. Now, as the leader of this team...

Jaune: Who the hell put you in charge of this team?! Why are you even on this team, Cinderella story has many origins!

Cinder: Because I am Cinderella with glass slippers nimrod! Only French one has glass slippers!

Jaune: Great, I'm on the team with Pyrrha's murderer.

Cinder: Oh give me a break, they revived her. She is over there tossing Mercury. You are just salty because now there is no excuse for you not getting laid.

Oscar: Wait, why am I the only one with ze French accent?

Blake: Because you are an impressionable kid.

Oscar: Blake! You are ze here too!

Blake: *chuckles* Yes I am.

Jaune: Oh shut up!

Cinder: Make me!

Blake: How long will it take before they start making out?

TEAM ENGLAND:

Yang: Of course it's raining. Can this place get any worse?

Jax: Hello peasant.

Yang: I am gonna pretend I didn't hear that.

Jax: Me and my sister need someone to observe our polo game. Now move your arse.

Gilian: Polo? I am not playing polo with you Jax. You always rile up my horse with your Semblance!

Jax: So what? Are we suppose to just sit here and drink tea?

Gilian: I wouldn't mind that. Peasant, bring us some tea! And make sure it is Darjeeling, otherwise I might throw up.

*Yang knocks out both*

Yang: Can't pretend twice in the row.

Blake: Yang, is that you?

Yang: Blake! Where are you?

Blake: I am on the other side of the Channel!

Yang: What's going on on the other side?

Blake: Jaune and Cinder fighting... scratch that... making out. Oscar is losing himself to his French side. Toss me some fish and chips before his Frenchness fully overtakes him. You know what, throw some for me as well.

Yang: Are we suppose to be enemies now that you are French and I'm English?

Blake: Yes we are, but that's so hot.

Yang: Oh yeah. Wait, someone else is here.

Robyn: *pickpocketing Asturias siblings* No time to explain, I'm repurposing their funds.

TEAM NORDIC:

Winter: This is something new. I... I've never had a partner or team. I just hope it's not...

Qrow: Hello Ice Queen!

Winter: Branwen...

Qrow: It turns out Ice Queen is based on Snow Queen, how original.

Winter: What are you even doing here? Don't you have some other places to be, other people to bother?

Qrow: Nope, I am as Nordic as it gets. It turns out I am based on one of the Odin's messengers. Other one being... oh crap.

Raven: Hello brother!

Qrow: Raven... Don't you have some other places to be, family members to abandon?

Raven: And miss out on this? No way.

Winter: Wait a minute... You kidnapped Weiss!

Raven: Oh please, she ran into me. Can hardly count it as kidnapping.

Winter: Oh don't worry, this will hardly count as a beatdown. *draws swords*

Raven: Pfff, another Maiden to beat.

Nora: Heya Qrow, what did I miss.

Qrow: Not much kid, just some of the reasons I started drinking.

TEAM USA:

Ozpin: Come on James, don't be a buzzkill, we are doing the Wizard of Oz walk.

Ironwood: I am starting to believe that it wasn't a coincidence I tried to kill you.

Ozpin: Ha ha ha, good old James and his deadpan humor.

*walks down the road holding hands with Glynda, Theodore and Lionheart*

Adam: So, drinking alone on the sideline.

Ironwood: What are you doing here Taurus? Aren't you suppose to be on Team France?

Adam: Well, I tried. But they argued I don't count since most of my allusion comes from Disney's Beauty and the Beast. And Blake filed a restraining order... typical.

Ironwood: You know I can have you arrested.

Adam: Arrest a teammate? Who does that?

Ironwood: I do.

Adam: Fair enough. You know, I stabbed a teammate before.

Ironwood: Cheers.

Adam: Cheers.

TEAM ITALY:

Penny: *sad lonely robot noises* Wait, who is there?

Neo: *signs* It's me, Neo. *sits next to Penny*

Penny: Aren't you based on an ice cream?

Neo: *signs* It's an Italian ice cream. Do you want to be alone?

Penny: No. *shifts closer*

[abby118]

Body language - another thing the series failed at

To preface this, I do not consider the series canon (as with anything released post TDW due to it being extremely ooc and contradictory to the established canon) but I think this is something many series fans don't realise even though it's glaringly obvious. I did not include comparison photos because I think I'm speaking for many og Loki fans when I say we have seen far too much of this joke of an attempt to depict our favourite character and we don't need more of that.

I am not going to list every single instance I've got in mind because there are far too many and tumblr has its limits but these are details I consider important.

Loki does not move a whole lot, but that doesn't mean he's not aware of his surroundings, quite the opposite in fact. You have to keep in mind that, unlike Thor who has the opposite personality (is very expressive) and is the crown prince, Loki is the tactician; he was raised with the goal of being there for Thor to provide counsel would it be needed. He's quiet, subtle and observant. He has to be. X

(Notice how he goes from not looking at a fixed point while listening to Odin to looking at Thor when he speaks)

I also noticed Loki is very efficient in how he moves, which is probably the most apparent in TA due to what he's gone through up to that point and the lasting effects of that. His movements are very controlled and precise. He does not waste his energy on what's not required by the situation. He looks directly at the people giving him infomation, he does not flinch when Clint fires and his movement oscillates between being either very slow or faster than that of the people around him. The scene of his arrival to Midgard is a great example of that. X

Then there's his interaction with the Other. This scene shows us that even though he is directly threatened, with the Other in his personal space, he remains still. Yes, he flinches, because that kind of blinking is his giveaway of being nervous (you can also see this during his sentencing in TDW) but he doesn't move.

Speaking of nervous gestures, I can't leave out the picking at his hand that he shares with Frigga but I'm sure we all know that one.

Kurse/Loki scene

Loki's stillness and stealth is accompanied by his microexpressions in which lies a lot of his expression. You can find these in pretty much every one of his scenes in the trilogy. He is not overt with how he presents and it's easy to overlook some of these cues because of how subtle and short they can be which is precisely who he is. He is not obvious and loud like Thor, you have to really pay attention to understand him which adds to the complexity of his character.

The series missed this completely. I feel like they wrote their character with zero understanding of who he is and similarly to what you see in children's shows so the viewers would understand and not strain their brains thinking about what they're watching. The person they wrote is not and will never be Loki.

[darkficsyouneveraskedfor]

Dirty Work 38

Warnings: this fic will include dark content such as bullying, familial discord/abuse, and possible untagged elements. My warnings are not exhaustive, enter at your own risk.

This is a dark!fic and explicit. 18+ only. Your media consumption is your own responsibility. Warnings have been given. DO NOT PROCEED if these matters upset you.

Summary: You start a new gig and find one of your clients to be hard to please.

Characters: Loki

Note: I've been awake since 2am.

As per usual, I humbly request your thoughts! Reblogs are always appreciated and welcomed, not only do I see them easier but it lets other people see my work. I will do my best to answer all I can. I’m trying to get better at keeping up so thanks everyone for staying with me.

Your feedback will help in this and future works (and WiPs, I haven’t forgotten those!) Please do not just put ‘more’. I will block you.

I love you all immensely. Take care. 💖

After breakfast, you get ready to go into town with Frigga and Hela upon their vaunted ladies’ trip. An air of uncertainty persists around what exactly that means. Flowers, shopping, and what else?

You try not to let the mystery overshadow the Odinsons’ hospitality. You’d hate to come across ungrateful after all they’d done. Odin and Frigga hadn’t asked for anything in return all while receiving you with an open hand. Just like with all things, you go along to get along.

The drive has you in a sort of trance as you watch the landscape pass. The lush greens and speckles of violet and pink across the fields, thickening to looming forest of coniferous pines and towering oaks. Finally, the wilds thin into even ground and open into a township with a painted wooden sign.

The buildings are old but well-kept. Not like the large city with its pitted brick and steaming sewers. Every street here is like those that surround Laufeyson’s own estate. Curated and pristine. Just like the Odinsons themselves.

You pull in at a large gated lot. The iron barrier is overgrown with flowers and as you enter, you gape around at the expanse of petals and stems. You’ve never been anywhere so spectacular.

You trail behind Frigga as she browses the selection. You shy away from Hela but she’s hardly concerned with you as she admires a bunch of dark roses. You peer around as an assistant approaches at Frigga’s signal.

“What do you think, dear?” Frigga calls to you, “we want white for the event. Lilies, baby’s breath, gardenia?”

You blink and give some thought, “what about daisies?”

She smiles, “daisies, so simple but pretty.” She turns to the assistant, “do you have many?”

“We should have a few boxes ready for delivery,” she answers.

“Wonderful, we will have some daisies. Oh, and we could have some wisteria hanging. Mm, and miss, white tulips? You have those too?”

The assistant scribbles on her pad, “we can do those as well.”

“Hydrangea,” Hela insists as she approaches, standing behind you, “for the posts.”

“Yes, certainly, hydrangea,” Frigga repeats with a sharp point to the assistant. “Oh and lastly, I spoke with Val about the moonflowers, tell me they’re ready.”

“Yes, Mrs. Odinson, we have those set aside already.”

“Good, good,” Frigga remarks, “well, we’ll look around a bit more and let you know if anything else is required.”

“Yes, Mrs. Odinson,” the assistant nods and prompts strolls away.

“You wouldn’t like a splash of red, mother? Maybe some black?” Hela muses, “this Walpurgisnacht will be blinding.”

“Oh, tosh,” Frigga dismisses, “we have a theme. Which reminds me, darling,” she turns to you, “do you have a white dress packed?”

“White?” You blink, “um, no, I didn’t…”

“Not to worry, it’s why we came to town,” she tweets.

“Oof, mother,” Hela cringes. 

“Well, I know you certainly don’t have suitable attire,” Frigga reproaches.

“Actually, I’ve a marvelous white jumpsuit selected for just the event,” Hela challenges, “I can listen, I just often choose not to.”

Frigga gives a pinch look before she returns her attention to you, “well then, our task will be easier. I think chiffon might be nice…”

“You know, mother, I do feel as if I’m being replaced,” Hela snickers. You send her a guilty look but her smile holds no malice. She winks and arches a brow. “And yet I do think this little creature will look delectable in white.”

“Mm, yes,” Frigga side-eyes her daughter, “you do have a way with words, don’t you?”

“Oh, pardon me, I should be more like my brothers, would you prefer Thor,” Hela mocks and reaches for your hand, taking it as she caresses it emphatically, “oh lady, you are beautiful, I should wonder if what you hide under your skirt is equally as stunning–”

“Hel,” Frigga exclaims, mortified as she snatches her grasp away from you.

“Ah, alright, Loki,” Hela clears her throat and stiffens her posture, adjusting a non-existent tie, “yes, you are rather adequate. Hm, very acceptable.”

“Don’t,” Frigga commands, “you didn’t have to come if you’re only going to make a joke of it.”

“Oh, mother, that’s simply what it is, a joke,” Hela bats her lashes, “loosen up. Is that not what this day is for? To enjoy ourselves?”

Frigga sighs and shakes her head as she turns away. Your mouth slants as you watch after her nervously. Hela clucks and flicks her fingers dismissively, “once she has a taste of wine, she’ll let go.”

✨

You stand in the fitting room, staring dreadfully at the two hangers. One chosen by Frigga, the other by Hela. They are both beautiful but you’re not certain either of them suit you. You feel the long chiffon as you mull over the choice.

“Well, darling, let us see,” Frigga calls through the curtain.

You wince and recoil. You pull down the longer of the two, the flowy chiffon that caught Frigga’s eye. The one-shoulder cut cinches to draped skirt which drowns you. You look at yourself in the mirror and frown. The fabric seems to drown you.

You turn with a swish and pull back the curtain, stepping through awkwardly as you tug the skirt out of the way of your feet. Hela makes a noise somewhere between a snort and a gasp. Frigga fawns and daintily touches her cheeks.

“Oh, gods, that is gorgeous, isn’t it?” She comes forward and pinches a fold in the skirt.

“She looks like she’s caught in a snowstorm,” Hela muses, “please, she won’t be able to do much in all that.”

“I suppose,” Frigga backs up and folds her arms, “but I like the style, perhaps we might find something similar with less length.”

“Try mine,” Hela demands.

You look between them, not daring to argue with either. They seem to do enough of that. You spin and sweep behind the curtain once more. You shed the chiffon layers and pull on the satin sheath. There isn’t much to it. Thin straps and not much length, a slit up your thigh. It’s more lingerie than a dress.

You peek out shyly before you make yourself come out. Frigga’s face flushes and her lips part. Hela smirks and tilts her head as she bites her lip.

“Oh, fabulous,” Hela remarks.

“She cannot wear that,” Frigga throws a hand up.

“Why not, she has nice legs.”

“That isn’t… appropriate.”

“Well, mother, she can’t dress like an old matron either.”

“It was a perfectly nice dress–”

“For 1912,” Hela shoots back.

You shrink before them and let their back and forth fade into the background. You glance over the rack of white garments and zone out. You just want this to be over. You’re tired of being pulled back and forth like a game of tug-of-war.

Your name draws you back and you focus on the women watching you. You wince and teeter on your feet, “sorry, I was distracted.”

“I was saying,” Hela intones, “we should let you choose.”

“Me?” You blanch.

“Well, it is your dress,” Frigga utters reluctantly.

“Oh, but I… don’t know much about… clothes.”

“Never too late to learn,” Hela insists, “go on, have your pick. Surprise us.”

You glance back at the rack and wiggle your fingers. You slowly approach as the two other women retreat, still muttering to each other. You push through the hangers; too heavy, too stiff, too sheer.

You think you like this one. A simple sheath lining with a mesh overlay, little crepe flowers sewn into the out later. The straps are slender but the bodice is straight cut. It’s wonderful and dreamy. You take the hanger and quickly scurry back behind the curtain.

You switch out the short dress for your pick. You look at your reflection and nearly stagger. You love it. It’s adorable. You go to the curtain and brace yourself. What if they don’t like it? You exhale and ready yourself for disappointment.

You step through and the women face you. Neither say a word as they look at you. They consider you, eyeing you head to toe. Oh no! It’s hideous, isn’t it? You have no taste.

“I love it,” Hela chirps, “what about you, mother? Isn’t it gorgeous on her?”

“I… it’s so… you,” Frigga squeals, “yes, it’s perfect. And the little flowers. Ugh, amazing.”

“Really?” You stand on your toes nervously.

“You must have it,” Hela insists, “next, shoes… the pairing must be perfect.”

“Shoes…” you murmur. Does it ever end?

✨

Your day doesn’t end after the boutique. The tumultuous night slumps in your shoulders and droops in your eyelids as the hours stretch on. Your next stop is a sleek white building with sparkling glass doors. As you enter, the sterile lobby has you minimizing yourself in fear of staining the pure white tile or breaking the crystal counter.

Frigga and Hela strut towards the woman who stands behind the glass table and greet her breezily. She welcomes them by name as you trail behind like a mouse. You don’t belong here. Not a place like this. You might be with them but you’re not one of them.

Once more, you sink into a daze, trying to distance yourself from the present. From those feelings of unbelonging. Those old wounds from the schoolyard when you stood by the fence and kicked rocks, not daring to provoke anyone with an errant gaze.

“Dear,” Frigga jars you as she gently touches your arm, “did you have ID?”

“ID?” You say dumbly, not processing her request at first.

“They serve alcohol so it’s required to check-in,” she explains.

“Oh, um, yeah,” you clumsily grab your purse and unzip the top. You dig out your ID card and hand it over. Frigga has a brief glance at it before handing it over. The twitch beneath her eye worries you; has it expired?

You wait as Hela taps her short nails on the counter top. Finally, the woman behind the counter approves you for entry. You still don’t really get what this place is. There’s no signs aside from the marquee in swoopy cursive; Hvergelmir.

Another woman appears and takes you through an angular doorway. You’re guided to a private room with robes on hooks, cushioned benches and small cubbies. You watch Hela and Frigga as they remove their heels and set them on the low rack. You do the same, doing everything they do at a delay.

They tuck their bags into the cubbies and undress without shame, keeping only their underwear on as they wrap themselves in the silken robes. You face the corner as you strip and pull on a robe yourself.

It isn’t until you move on to the next room that you realise what this place is. A spa. You’ve never been to one but it’s exactly like you’ve seen on television. You recline as a woman smears your face with a mask and places cucumbers over your eyes. It’s relaxing even if it feels a bit strange.

After laying there for what seems like forever, a woman comes in to offer stemmed glasses of sparkling wine. You remove the sliced veggies from your eyes and accept one in kind with the other women.

“I think I might get a wrap,” Hela declares, “I need the cleanse.”

“Mm, I think I might do the steam room,” Frigga drawls before she sips from her glass. You take a tiny sip, reminding yourself of your last indulgence and the disaster that followed. Hela downs half the glass in a single gulp.

“What about you?” Hela looks at you pointedly. “Would you like to join me for the seaweed wrap?”

“Um, what is that?” You ask.

“Oh, darling,” Frigga sits up and grabs a leather folio, “have a look. You can choose whatever you like.”

You accept the little booklet and open it up to the laminated inside. You read through each item and the description below. The steam room sounds uncomfortable, you’re not a fan of sweating, and the seaweed thing sounds slimy…

“Mud bath?” You read allowed.

“Good choice,” Hela praises, “I might join you after my wrap.”

“Oh, okay,” you close the book and put it on the small round table close to you.

Frigga picks up the small golden bell and rings it. The same woman appears and Frigga lists off the treatments for each of you. She’s led away first, then someone comes to fetch Hela, and finally, you’re taken away by another woman with a high ponytail.

The woman helps you cover your hair with a towel and hands you back your wine glass. She leads you into a room with long rectangular tubs filled with reddish brown muck. She points you to one at the end and you put your glass on the little ledge that juts out from the side.

She helps you remove your robe, “you can keep your underwear on if you like. We can provide a fresh pair after, but you may want to remove your bra.”

You nod and dip your head down to unhook your bra. She reaches to take it and you hesitantly hand it over. She hangs your robe from a hook on the wall and leaves you there. Alright, so you just get in?

You step over the high wall of the tub and lower yourself into the warm mud. It doesn’t feel too bad. You slide around slightly before you’re able to find your bearings and reclining against the slanted back. Is this relaxing? 

You close your eyes but not for long. You end up staring at the lines between the ceiling tiles. You stir the mud with your fingers. You feel childish, like you're making mud pies.

You stop as you hear voices. You peek over for just a moment as someone else enters. A tall woman with a swirl of black hair escaping the towel on her head strides in, her tall figure draped in one of the ivory robes. The attendant takes her to the tub across from yours.

You try not to watch as she opens her robe, revealing her sleek body shamelessly. She eases into the tub with a sigh and the attendant leaves. You keep your eyes up as tension fills the space.

“The mud is nice today,” she says, startling you.

You nod and look at her as she stretches her arms around the walls of the tub. Her chest is barely concealed by the muck.

“You don’t come here often. I’ve not seen you around.”

You shake your head, “first time.”

“Ah,” her blue eyes gleam, “special occasion?”

“Erm, not really, I… Walpurgisnacht,” you pronounce the word delicately.

“That’s not for a few days,” she intones.

“You know it?”

“Yes, of course, everyone around here does. And this year, with Frigga hosting, it will be a spectacle.”

“You know Frigga?” You wonder.

She laughs, “of course I do. Who doesn’t?” Her tone is dry and her expression haughty, “how do you know her?”

“Um, I… work for her son,” you utter flatly.

“Thor?”

“Mr. Laufeyson,” you correct her.

“How amusing,” she smirks, “what’s your name?”

You answer, your chest binding up tightly. You feel like you shouldn’t be talking to her. Something about the way she grins.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” she purrs, “I’m Sif. You might tell my ex-husband I send my regards.”

You swallow dryly and stare at her. Your heart is pounding and your ears ringing. Sif? In the flesh? She’s absolutely gorgeous. You can see why she haunts the Odinsons. She’s perfect. 

Now you know why you will never live up to Laufeyson’s expectations. Why he’s so hard to please. Compared to her, well, you can never compare to her. She is immaculate.

[the-golden-comet]

✨🌺 Writing Share and Questionnaire Tag 🌺✨

Hello, everyone! Thank you so much for tagging me! If you’ve done so recently, know that I appreciate you and was probably not alerted (sorry if I missed any!) HOWEVER, I did catch a questionnaire tag here from @willtheweaver ! Thank you for the tag! 💛✨

I’ve written some progress from ITROG, and I’d figure I’ll share a little more of Tyrell’s personality through these questions. Stick around for a story snippet at the end 💫

My questions:

1. What would it take for you to forgive someone who wronged you?

Tyrell: (snorts in a sneer) Hel if I know. Usually if someone crosses me, they’re not comin’ back into my good graces anytime soon.

2. You are given the chance to resurrect someone you loved for 24 hours. Would you do it?

Tyrell: Já, of course I would! Who wouldn’t? Odin’s blessing, I’d keep móðir alive a lot longer if I had the chance.

3. What is the one job you don’t want?

Tyrell: Probably being second in command to a man like Bartok….ugh, nei. Someone with a stick shoved that far up their own ass would be tastin’ tree bark on their tonsils. Nei, þǫkk.

And speaking of Bartok, here is a bonus writing share from ITROG! ✨

On the route to the food storage, Bartok snickered over his shoulder: “What’s wrong with yer sonr? Did he have another faint?”

“That’s none of your business.” Stefan answered curtly.

The warrior whistled through his teeth. “Ah, it’s a shame….you aren’t thinking of enlisting him in the Ursyne Trials, are ya’?”

“Haven’t decided yet.”

“Ya’ can’t be serious, Chief.” Bartok scoffed. “Imagine: Tyrell climbs up Feldin’s Peak, and halfway his heart gives out….”

“…..” Stefan ground his teeth in silent seething.

“…..Or when he has to duck under the icy wake. If the cold isn’t enough to shock his system to shutdown, the faint’ll due him to drown 30 deep until his skin’s the color of a Frost Jötunn—”

“—Enough, Bartok! Must you be so descriptive about my SON?!” The viking chief lashed out. “And keep those Hel-forsaken demons off of your lips before I sew them shut with runic thread.”

A nervous laugh crested Bartok’s voice “My apologies, chief. I don’t mean to rattle you. Only meant to warn….” He shrugged in nonchalance. “…..I’d be rightfully worried, though. These trials are no joke.”

“I know. They’re to train warriors—the strongest to lead the Bear Clan…..” Stefan nodded in conviction. “…..of which my son shows heart.”

@gioiaalbanoart and @wyked-ao3 , you’re gonna need the shovel for THIS one 😂

Thank you everyone! If you’ve previously tagged me, make sure to poke me twice—Tumblr notifications can be hit or miss sometimes, and I love seeing what everyone’s working on! ✨

Speaking of tagging, let me tag the following (no pressure, join if you wish ✨): @wyked-ao3 , @gioiaalbanoart , @jev-urisk , @tragedycoded , @autism-purgatory , @finickyfelix , @theink-stainedfolk , @drchenquill , @deanwax , @the-inkwell-variable , @mysticstarlightduck , @illarian-rambling , @leahnardo-da-veggie , @ominous-feychild , @mrbexwrites , @sharkblizzardblogs , @agirlandherquill , @rhikasa , @houseplantblank , @justabigoldnerd , @justanotherchangeling , @pippinoftheshire , @noxxytocin , @alinacapellabooks , @seastarblue , @talesofsorrowandofruin , @theaistired , @paeliae-occasionally , @aurumni-writes , @smellyrottentrees , @lavender-gloom , @cowboybrunch , @aziz-reads , @dyrewrites , @kaylinalexanderbooks , @theeccentricraven , @birdycage , @nczaversnick , @honeybewrites , @somethingclevermahogony , @topazadine , +open for whoever else wishes to join! ✨

Your questions for your OCs (in cut/paste format) 👀✨

1.) What location is always considered a home to you? 2.) Do you enjoy traveling with company, or alone? 3.) How many landmarks in your world have you visited? Were they fun? Horrifying? A place to remember?

Thank you all again! I’m excited to pick up ITROG and (hopefully) answer more questions and games about the story! Have a great week everyone, and Happy New Year! 🎊✨

[rocksanddeadflowers]

Love considering Brian's weird morals often bc my morals seem weird to the standard kind or so I've been told? So really I think you make a great point about sentience - so I think it's not just sentience, but innocence? Not sure if that's the word I'm looking for but... all living things definitely have some level or variation of sentience, plants and animals and people all communicate and so forth. (Arguably intimate object have a certain life/sentience to them but that's an entirely different argument i don't know how to get into rn so ignoring that.) But I think a possibility for Brian's morals is to value all sentient life equally. A man's life, a cat's life, and a rose's life are all worth value, all equal value because of the life that they hold. So letting the rose die is the same as letting a cat or a man die. Nit certain that's how it would be with Brian but I think it works here well enough?

(Also, like I said I like thinking about Brian's morals a lot so to add to "innocence", I mean it like... you hold the rose's life, the man's life, and the cat's life to the same value in this scenario. But say, what if the man killed the cat, and saw fit to kill the roses next? And say you could stop the man from killing the roses, but only by means of death. Would you kill the man to save the roses, or stand by to avoid taking a life, and watch the life you spared take another? Okay idk why I stuck with the same analogy trio there so now this sounds a little silly and oddly specific but. I was trying. Dunno if this made any sense. But I always think about that line at the beginning of The Boondocks Saints movie "Now, we must all fear evil men. But there is another kind of evil which we must fear most, and that is the indifference of good men.". It's one of my favorite things ever and I think that's something Brian probably struggles with a lot in MJE. When is indifference better than action if all the actions betrays his morals? Is it ever? Is it always? Is it never? Basically I think he should be allowed to kill in MJE but figuring out when murder is actually appropriate is...... Well. Very tricky for someone living a life like him to say the least. I mean, his crewmates are his family but also very big criminals and murders so is it appropriate to shoot Jonny for sealing the last soda. If he was mortal probably not but he's immortal so- *window's shut down noise that's either coming from Brian or my brain bc it's midnight*)

anyways making you laugh and you liking my description made me very very very happy bc I value my humor and mediocre poetry in random convos so <3

You're very right bc I have a completely separate headcanon-ish idea about TS being with Brian when the Station falls into the sun. We are trying so hard to give him love and companionship.

I feel like the continued and growing talk (+think about them none stop bc I am thinking about them constantly) about these roses is poetically ironic to me bc as they grow up and into our drumbot they climb and weave their way through our words. Neat :) but YES the roses binding him to the gallows as the catgut rots.... oh my goodness obsessed

Also agreed!! I feel like Mordred would honestly be the first person to even truly directly asked why he was hung. Also I keep imagining the idea his was hung bc of the mother (+maybe also baby) dying in childbirth that he was trying to help deliver (which I'm like 95% sure was your idea from another post but it's muddled in the trenches of my mechanisms headcanons that are stored in my brain). Which Mordred would definitely argue wasn't his fault, to which Brian still would not leave the gallows. For one the roses, for two to hang was his punishment which he feels he deserves because, three he feels it was his fault.

And oh!! I feel so silly now bc that's the type of glasswork I was picture but I always think of the word glassblowing instead lol. Also tho a few days ago me and my mom we watching an archeology docu and they were digging up Anglo Saxon graves and talking about the beads they made that archeologist found buried with the folk in the graves (among other things obviously). Can't remember exactly how the guy explained the process of the bead making but it was very fascinating and however Galahad ends up doing his I'm going to picture them very similarly to those beads I think. I mean there's definitely plenty of info available about the beads so I'll probably end up looking into it again later cause I'm too curious about the mixing of materials for painting/coloring the beads.

(also very silly but glass/metal beads are so much more satisfying than plastic/wood bc of the weight..... think about the weight and the clinky sounds of Galahad's beads is scratching my corvid brain)

The flowers!!! Growing around his heart!!!! The thorns scrap and scratch but never tear or puncture, carefully, kindly, lovingly weaving around veins that transition from flesh to metal. Ugh!!!! Also okay grabbing the rosa filipes from the tags and stuffing them in my mouth now actually. While I felt like have bold/brightly colored flowers would be neat for the pop of color in an otherwise dull colored world would be so cool ... Well first off red/orange hues wouldn't actually stand out on the station, from rust to blood. Second, actually? White flowers tend to be some of my favorites ever. Idk why (must've started somewhere as a tiny tot between feeling genuine upsetness over the roses getting painted red in the alice and wonderland cartoon bc they were pretty as is you don't need to be changed to appeal to others who don't actually care about you, and also the clover flowers I called popcorn flowers that grew all over the place where I lived). But while still not traditional looking roses petal shape wise I'm already in love with them. AND wait back to the color thing. I think the thing about these flowers that would make them stand out on the station is that they're clean. Something not stained by the rust and sand and waste of the station is hard to come by, muchless anything bright white. But when the blossoms freshly bloom, they're brilliant white and blinding and clean and just so pure. It's a treasure of a sight for a place like the station. The clean soft color doesn't transfer over when turned into beads, of course, but the weight in Galahad's hands is enough to remember the image of something many folk on the station would live and die without ever seeing.

please consider: Galahad always carrying around rosary beads/prayer beads that carry the image of Merlin, The Hanged Man in the style of a saint or of a crucifix. Also he handmade the entire thing of beads btw.

[reallydifferentcaptain]

Here's something i dont think we talk about enough:

✨Berk is a small town✨

So some background for those who don't know what that means:

(skip to the bottom iyk)

1. Everyone knows everyone. They know everything you do. All the time. If you think they don't knoa you, they know your parents or a friend of your parents or a friend of a friend if a friend. Everyone knows everything.

2. Because everyone knows everyone, you get a Reputation from a young age. And it never leaves. If you high achieve, you stay that way, If you're good at soccer you stay good, etc.

3. You either are dying to leave or never want to leave. This affects all of your relationships with literally everyone.

What does this have to do with Berk?

Well!

That means Hiccup has always been the screw up. In Riders and Defender he gets questioned all the time because he can't escape that.

And you know it put the fear of Odin in him when Stoic told him "there's nothing on this island he doesn't know about" because for the most part THAT'S TRUE

It also makes RTTE more understandable: Hiccup wants to LEAVE, he's a little tired of the screw up routine and it even takes his father until the latter part of RTTE to really earn his full respect. THIS ONLY HAPPENS IF YOU LEAVE A SMALL TOWN!

And in the movies you see Hiccup wanting to leave and how that affects his relationship with Astrid, his mom, and his dad.

In the 3 rd movie there are also moments where he is questioned and STILL TREATED LIKE A SCREW UP.

Pls add more if i missed anything!

TLDR; BERK IS A SMALL TOWN AND IT'S SUPER RELATABLE.

[lightandfellowship]

Was Odin testing Xehanort here?

I’m starting to wonder if the Child of Destiny is supposed to have the ability to banish darkness/dark entities from people’s hearts.

I say this due to Odin’s wording in the scene where Xehanort strikes Baldr down:

Odin: This is our only chance.

Odin: Xehanort, rid him of the darkness!

I used to misremember this scene as Odin encouraging Xehanort to deal the finishing blow on Baldr, but no, judging by Odin’s phrasing here, he was actually asking Xehanort to save Baldr from the darkness.

But isn’t that a strange thing for Odin to ask of Xehanort? Odin is no doubt a much stronger Keyblade wielder than Xehanort due to his experience and age, so if banishing the darkness from Baldr’s heart via a Keyblade was ever a viable option, wouldn’t Odin have done that himself? Either here and now or before everything went wrong? Why is he entrusting that to an underclassmen who’s still in training? Especially when the spirit of Hoder, an upperclassmen on the cusp of graduating into a Keyblade Master, is standing right there? (I have to imagine he can see her there the same way Xehanort and Baldr can, especially when you consider similar scenes from KH1 and KH3.) Like, it makes sense for Eraqus to ask Xehanort to banish Baldr’s darkness, because Eraqus is desperate and doesn’t know any better, but Odin?

Instead, it almost seems like Odin was hoping for a miracle, hoping that Xehanort would, somehow, have the ability to banish Baldr’s darkness. If Odin secretly knows who Xehanort is, knows that he’s the chosen child who was sent away to Destiny Islands, then maybe the prophecy states somewhere that the Child of Destiny is supposed to be able to save people from the darkness, and Odin was hoping that Xehanort would demonstrate that ability here and now. Both as a means of saving Baldr and as a means of proving that Xehanort is, in fact, the chosen one as they suspected. Keep in mind this detail from the finale Q&A where Nomura says that Odin was entrusted with a task that aligns with the Blue Robed Figure, implying that Odin is somehow involved in all of this Child of Destiny stuff (excerpt taken from KHInsider, translated by Goldpanner):

Q9: What did Master Odin mean at the end when he spoke of a "teacher" and a "cruel fate"?  A9: Master Odin himself once had a master who taught him, naturally. His master entrusted him with a certain duty - parts of this align with that of the blue robed figure. This will be revealed in detail in Missing-Link, which depicts a later period. 

(Odin mentioning his teacher during this scene is exclusive to the Japanese dialog, as far as I know.)

But of course, Xehanort is not the chosen one, didn’t have the ability to banish Baldr’s darkness, and thus couldn’t save Baldr in the end despite his best efforts to do so, instead choosing to just kill Baldr when he ran out of options. So when Odin responds to Xehanort killing Baldr with “Destiny can be so cruel.” maybe he was referring to how unfortunate it is that Xehanort wasn’t the Child of Destiny after all like they were hoping. Because if he WAS, then maybe all of this could have been prevented.

Of course, this then begs the question: "Why didn’t Odin try to get Xehanort’s help earlier in the story?", but maybe it’s like the Power of Waking where you have to learn it through your experiences and it’s not something you just inherently have access to. Maybe a high-stress, high-stakes situation like this is the only way to manifest the ability. I don't know.

I think this might also give more context to Xehanort removing Vanitas from Ven in BBS. If Xehanort thinks he’s the Child of Destiny, and discovered that the chosen one should have the ability to remove the darkness from people’s hearts, that might have motivated him to try and demonstrate that ability to prove himself. But since he probably doesn’t actually have that ability, the separation process was flawed and resulted in two imperfect halves of a whole, with Ven falling into a coma and his heart becoming fractured.

[fornasedensgudar]

A while back ago I had a lil rant about the pagan/heathen/witch community and made this list with my friend about some problematic aspects about our craft/faith/practise or what ever you call it to help pepole who are new to it.

Idk if it any of worth or if anyone will bother to read all this but I hope its somehow helpfull for you new ones to this path.

(Pardon my 🇬🇧, im a 🇸🇪)

1. Not every polytheist does magic or has an intrest in it and thats ok.

2. Not every norse heathen knows runes or has to know every Rune and meanings to have a meaningfull relation to the gods and nature.

3. Not every raven is a sign of Odin, sometimes it just means you saw a raven and thats just as good if not better if you ask me.

4. Being able to quote havamal in old norse or know every myth and kenning of the gods is good. But does not mean you have a stronger spirital connection the land and the gods then those who dont know it all. It just means you are good at reading. And that in it self is something you should take pride in.

5. A good acorn and some dirt is just as good if not better than any long ritual with ancient chantings sourounded by a collection of crystals.

6. The pebble you find on a walk can shine just as fine on your altar, as the amethyst that was mined and payed for.

7. Your altar dont have to look Nice, it just need to feel Nice.

8. An offering dont have to be big to work. It just have to mean something.

9. Offering one loaf of bread you baked with your own two hands, is worth more than five loafs you payed somone to bake.

10. Just because a pebble dont have a story, does not mean it never had one. And just because a star has a story, does not mean its a good one.

11. If all nature is holy, that includes the parts you dont like or find nasty. Yes even ticks and spiders, mud and horrnets. No one said you had to like holy things.

12. Your body is a temple yes, but you and only you decides what rites and offerings are right the god within said temple.

13. You can still be a drunk horny ape and be spiritual.

14. No illustration of the gods is more corect or more true to their form.

But then there is no garantee everyone will see who its meant to be. And thats ok.

15. Doing spirtual junk and practise magic or healing does not make you more enlightened...

16. Just because you wrote a book about magic, healing and spiritual matters, does not make it a good book or you a good author.

17. Just because someone you look up to said it, does not make it more right. It just means they said it.

18. Making this list to remind the pagan/witch/heathen community to hummble them selfs does not make me better. Im also doing this to just remind myself. Im not better or wiser than any of you lot.

19. Dont ever expect to have your craft respected if you dont give that same respect back to others.

20. It does not matter how old or big your coven or group is. If it has toxic and harmfull parts that clearly hurt and or make pepole unhappy. Then its ok to criticize it. Age or size does not make it untuchble.

21. If a craft or faith says its all about nature but cant change its ways, then it has clearly missed a very important thing about how nature works.

22. Every rock is an altar and every forest is a temple.

23. For every horn of mead you offer to the gods, you should plant at least one seed.

24. If all in this world has a spirit and is alive, does not mean you cant take space and exist and live in it.

25. Its not about beliving. Its about to experience and to perceive. That if you ask me, is the core of animism and polytheism.

[gettinshiggywithit]

𝐀𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬

Summary: In which you find out loki’s secret and he fears your reaction.

Pairing: loki x reader

Genre: fluff ,maybe a hintt of angst

W/c: 928

A/N: saw someone talking abt jotun loki and my brain went brrrrr.Wrote this at 5/6 in the morning on 0 sleep so apologies in advance!If yall liked it id love to hear your thoughts

Marvel MasterList

A frost giant.unbelievable.

Loki stood in odin’s vault,hands firmly gripping the handles of the casket. He watched as his skin changed to an icy blue,an equally icy chill running down his spine. The all father had conveniently fallen into the odin-sleep.

“Leaving me when i need him…typical” he said to himself. It wasn’t like he had an audience and with him being the acting ruler,and his mother being in his ‘father’s’ chambers, he needn’t fear intrusion.

The only person aware of his little secret,who was awake anyway, was his mother and he intended to keep it that way.for as long as he could.

Eliminating thor would guarantee him the throne and by destroying jotunheim,he’d garner enough of the public’s love to hopefully keep his throne,should his secret come to light.

‘Does heimdall know?’ He wondered to himself.

‘No matter,He can be dealt with if necessary”

Loki was so lost in thought that he missed the,

“There you are!” You huffed out.

You marched on upto him and noticed he wasnt…himself.

At this sudden revalation, you started taking quieter,more measured steps towards the boyfriend-shaped figure in front of you.

You let out a tentative “loki?” To which he jolted, his hands immediately letting go of the casket and his now-red eyes staring at you with both surprise and slight fear. Not fear of you,but the fear of being discovered.

“Y/n, dont…dont do that.” He said letting out a breath he didn't know he’d been holding in. And when you didn’t reply, instead merely staring at him in bewilderment, he suddenly remembered how he looked. He stumbled backwards, his hands flying to brace himself against the stand of the artefact behind him.

His finger gently brushed against the casket and the fading blue returned once again.

Noticing this, he pulled his hands to his front.clasping them and lookin on at you,awaiting your reaction.

What would you do? Yell at him? Leave him? Threaten to tell the rest of asgard?

All the worst possibilities ran around his head and he began to tear up.

He was broken out of his turbulant thoughts by your hand brushing against his cheek.

He was shocked, to say the least.

Of all the reactions he’d thought up,this wasnt one.

He leaned into your touch,fearing this would be the last time he would feel it,your soft cold hand against his wretched skin.

“What is this loki?” You ask in a whisper,staring at him with not fear,not anger,but wonder and curiosity.

You were now stood quite close to eachother not impossibly so, but quite.

“I-“

“Were you cursed?”

“In a manner of speaking…y-”

“Does it hurt?”

You knew what he was,you’d seen frost giants before so it wasn’t illiteracy that made you disregard his current state.

You really were asking him if he was okay as he stood before you, a blue monster,kin to those you’d fantasised about killing in your youth…

Was this real?

He needed to know it was,so he spelled it out for you,

“Y/N,im a Frost giant.”

He let out in a voice laden with melancholy,regret and was that fear you heard?

“I know” you merely replied as you traced the patterns on his skin.

At this he pulled your hand away and held it.

“What do you mean you know?! Y/N im a monster! Dont you understand!”

Your expression shifted to one of annoyance,another unforseen reaction.

“I understand quite clearly loki.”

“Then why haven’t you-”

“Why haven’t i run out screaming? Cursing you? Why havent i tried to kill you?”

His silence told you that was exactly what he was about to ask, more or less.

You sighed before stepping towards him and placing his hand on your shoulder,he flinched but didn't move otherwise.

You took this as your go-ahead and wrapped him in a hug.

You stayed there for a good three minutes in silence before saying,

“Loki,i dont give a single ratatosk whisker if you’re a jotun.i love you.”

You pulled away at that to look him in the eyes and saw the tears forming there.

As they fell from his eyes,you caught them with your thumb and placed in on tongue.

Now it was his turn to look at you in confusion.

You waited a beat before saying, “for a jotun you cry asgardian tears.”

He smiled at that,scoffing at your antics.

“You’re ridiculous”

“Yeah well im also yours so get used to it” you said as you went in for another hug and this time he hugged back holding you like you were the most precious thing in all the nine realms,and to him,you were.

“Are you sure?” He whispered out,almost like he hoped you wouldnt hear.

“Always.And never forget it” you said,pressing a soft kiss to his lips which had him chasing yours as you pulled away.

“Why did you come down here anyway?” He asked finally realising it was rather odd for you to have come to the artefacts vault;unless there was a purpose for your visit that is.

“Ah yes, Frigga was calling you.” You said pulling away and pulling him by the arm towards the exit.

“Alright then” he said as he let you drag him out of the chamber that held his secrets. You really were something else,and he’d never been more grateful for anyone in his entire life.

Tag list(open):- @diagonal-queen

All rights reserved © 2023 gettinshiggywithit. Please do not repost, modify or claim as yours. Reblogs and comments are greatly appreciated!

[thelovelylolly]

Comfort

Summary: you go comfort Loki in the dungeons after Frigga's funeral. Warnings: angst, hurt/comfort, mention of death, little argument but its itty bitty, reader is implied to be more fem and has similar abilities to loki, let me know if i missed anything :) Notes: in honor of loki season two coming out this week, here's loki content! i love him so much and this will probably get worse when the show comes out (I MEAN THOSE SHOTS OF HIM IN A SUIT????? YALL) also i wrote this with one of my ocs in mind, so sorry if there are any more specific details than usual :)

Loki watched as you glided down the dungeon stairs, making a gesture to the guards to put them at ease. You stopped in front of his cell, your body and usual outfit concealed by a black, mourning cloak. Loki could see dried tear streaks on your cheeks, but your expression was neutral.

“What are you doing here?” He spat, pacing slowly.

“I’m here to see if you’re okay,” you replied calmly.

Loki scoffed. “You come down here to comfort me instead of fighting against my father’s orders, like you always did, so I could mourn my mother with the rest of Asgard.”

“I did try, but Odin didn’t budge.”

“Well, you didn’t try hard enough.”

A tense moment of silence followed, then you turned to the guards. 

“Please let me into the prince’s cell,” you ordered in a calm voice.

The guards quickly obeyed and you stepped in, the cell closing you in with Loki. Then, you used your magic to shield the both of you from the rest of the world, casting an illusion to everyone outside the cell and sound proofing it.

“I know you’re frustrated-“

“Frustration can’t begin to describe what I’m feeling!” He exclaimed, causing you to flinch at his tone, but you quickly regained your composure.

“But you did this to yourself, Loki! You weren’t able to go to Frigga’s funeral because of your decisions and the consequences of them!” You paused to take a deep breath. “I was there when she died. I tried to defend her, but they were stronger than I am. I wish…I wish I took that blade instead of her, but I can’t change that, just like how I can’t change what you did and your punishment.”

Loki’s cold gaze softened a bit, his jaw clenching as he turned his back to you. “You don’t understand any of this, darling.”

“Maybe you forget that she was the closest thing I had to a mother. She is the reason I met you, that I allowed myself to fall for you. It’s because of her that we were allowed to court, Loki. I do understand this, I understand you.”

Loki didn’t answer, allowing you to keep going.

“The first night you spent down here, I went to Frigga. I needed to talk to someone about you, about my feelings, and I knew she would be there for me. After I talked things out, she told me she had hope for you. She wanted you to be better, and she wanted to free you from here as soon as she thought you had learned your lesson. She loved you, she wanted you and I to run away from Asgard to live our lives peacefully and happily. She…she wanted us to be married and start a family like we dreamed about. She wanted you, her son, to be happy.”

You saw Loki’s shoulders start to tremble as soft sobs escaped his lips. He quickly crumbled to the ground, his hands covering his face as he broke down into sobs. You quickly went around him and crouched in front of him, your cloak pooling around you two. Your arms wrapped around his neck and he hid his face in your shoulder, soaking the fabric of your cloak with his tears.

You held him tightly, running a hand through his hair comfortingly. You felt tears of your own start to form, but you blinked them away quickly. You had cried enough, now you needed to comfort your love.

After a few minutes like that, Loki pulled his face away and met your gaze. You cupped his cheeks and wiped away any stray tears. The sight of his bloodshot eyes and tear stained cheeks broke your heart.

“I love you, Loki,” you whispered softly, your voice shaking with emotion.

“I love you, too,” he replied just as quietly.

His hands fell to your waist, holding you close as he pressed his forehead to yours. You didn’t kiss, neither of you wanted to. You just wanted this. The quiet, the closeness, the vulnerability. Loki was scared to show this much emotion to you, even though you two were in love. He didn’t want to burden you or make you think he was weak. Maybe he did regret what he did, but only because he nearly lost you.

“Loki…” You said softly, trailing off as you slowly pulled away from him.

“I know,” he replied, letting you go.

You stood up and walked past Loki, who was still on his knees on the floor.

You stopped, looking over your shoulder. “My illusion will last for at least another hour. I will be back tomorrow.”

With that, you left the cell. Loki watched as you glided up the stairs, your cloak trailing behind as you disappeared and left him alone once again.

[grievedeeply]

the less time, the better. pt 8.

PREVIOUS | NEXT — SERIES TAGLIST | GENERAL TAGLIST

pairing: heimdall x gn!reader

summary: still reeling from the events of what happened on niflheim, you grapple with having heimdall by your side while surrounded by people who hate him.

notes: thank you all so much for the continued love and support on this silly little series. this is taking so long because i fluctuate in and out of my god of war obsession.. so i'm very sorry for making you all wait forever lol. tagged everyone who was tagged last time, but if you're no longer interested please let me know! thank you again and please enjoy this chapter and the canon divergences <3

your father didn't know who he was at first— heimdall. he stared at him with narrowed eyes for a few moments then turned his attention back to you, his gaze softening as soon as he did so. you could feel his presence behind you. you could tell he felt out of place, scared.. these people, this man standing in front of him was the one who killed his brother, his nephews. even if he was never particularly close to them in the first place.. they all meant something to someone, didn't they?

did he? did he mean something to anyone? if kratos killed him right then and there.. would someone back in asgard care? would his father mourn him?

he shoved the thought out of his head and kept focused on the task at hand. the man in front of him had yet to pull out a weapon, so he didn't either. instead, his eyes drifted to you, only for you to be looking at him already.

"who is this?" your father's voice rang out in the silence, echoing throughout the branches of the yggdrasil. "that's.. uh," you chuckled awkwardly, lips pressed together in a thin line as you turn your focus back to him. "let's get home first, yeah?" you changed the subject, deciding that having him sit down for this whole conversation would be better than having it here.

he only grunted, still eyeing him suspiciously.

deciding to take the initiative, you gestured for him to follow after you. he was stuck here now, at least for the time being, and you know odin would want him back. with him at sindri's.. you had a feeling that the environment would be far from a calm one. you wanted to groan at that realization. why did you have to reach out to him like that? it would've been fine if he was still there!

the gateway door opened and you walked through, the feeling of warmth washing over you as you did so. heimdall followed after you and your father came close behind, his eyes still focused on him.

this would be awkward, and this would be horrible. what kind of reasonable explanation was there for an aesir god to be here? you supposed the only thing to do was tell the truth and hope that they would understand. but would they, really? heimdall wasn't their friend. they didn't know him like you did.

they didn't see that vulnerable side of him that you saw back on niflheim. that conversation replayed over and over in your mind as you pushed the door open to sindri's house. this would be horrible, you told yourself.. but you'd get through it. you got through everything.

"y/n!" you heard atreus' voice approach you, arms immediately wrapping around you as you got inside. you chuckled, returning his hug after recovering from the impact of him running at you. "i missed you," you told him, pulling away enough to look at him. "i missed you-" he cut himself off, brows furrowing as his eyes shifted from you to heimdall, who looked incredibly uncomfortable by this entire situation.

"who's that?" he asked, looking back at you. he pulled away, tilting his head as he took in heimdall's appearance. his eyes widened as he settled on the horn on his back and he turned his head to look at you once more. "don't-" you cut him off before he could say anything else, lips pursed into a fake smile. he blinked a few times and let out a sigh.

"heimdall?" freya's voice sounded out from across the house, hands on her hips as she walked towards you. you heard your father grunt again, in frustration this time. you expected he would have more to say about this whole thing, but he seemed suspiciously silent.

"frigg," heimdall spoke up for the first time since arriving on the branches of the yggdrasil. "don't call me that," she replied without missing a beat. "what is he doing here?" she asked you. you knew she had little personal history with him.. but she surely didn't like him all the same. anyone associated with odin was horrible in her book.

"i didn't mean to.. bring him with me," you muttered. by now, the entire house surrounded you. atreus had left to go pick up mimir from your father's room, knowing that he would want to watch whatever happened. "it was an accident, really." you sighed, scratching at the back of your neck.

"an accident?" sindri said. "it should've only been one person.." he murmured. you assumed it was directly only to himself than to you or anyone else as he eyed heimdall. "can he leave?" brok's voice rang out, arms crossed over his chest. "he ain't supposed to be here," he continued after a pause, referring to your obvious plan to kill odin. you were sure he knew about that already.

you let out a breath. this had been going better than you'd expected.

"no." you heard your father say from behind you, deep baritone echoing throughout the confines of the house. "we use him."

"what?" atreus asked, brows furrowed. in his hand, mimir seemed to already know what he was suggesting.

"we keep him here. begin ragnarok under our terms. use him as leverage."

heimdall laughed, shaking his head. "if you think the allfather will come for me, you'd be sorely mistaken."

it seemed like, in your time away from asgard, he had taken some time to think about his relationship with his father. had he finally realized that he only ever wanted to use him as a tool? he had never cared for him. did he know that, now?

"he will want the horn." your father muttered, eyes narrowing at heimdall as they had done so many times before. you swore you could see something fall in his eyes at the realization that he was right. he wouldn't want his son. he would want the horn.

he fell silent, clearly unhappy. there was a part of you that wanted to rub it in his face— the fact that you were right— but the other wanted to comfort him. you pushed the thought aside, your eyes focusing in on the rest standing around you.

sindri's expression was a wary one. an aesir, in his house? you were sure he hated the thought of it, but he didn't speak up to voice his concerns about it either. brok looked like he wanted to punch heimdall then and now and freya's expression almost matched his.

freyr had been suspiciously quiet the entire time, but that silence was quickly broken. "no," he laughed, shaking his head. "his family burned me alive." he held out his arms in front of him, eyes trailing down to look at his burnt skin that had never fully healed. "sorry, but no. it's a no from me." he said after a pause.

freya seemed torn on the whole idea. you knew she had only recently mended the relationship she had with her brother, and disagreeing could put another rift between them. she pursed her lips. "if he gets me closer to killing odin, so be it." she said.

"fine," mimir spoke. "but i won't like it!" he continued after a brief pause.

you heard tyr sigh from where he stood, his eyes studying heimdall who had still yet to say anything else since your father pointed out how odin would want the horn back. "this isn't a good idea," he settled on saying, eyes shifting over you and to your father who now stood next to you.

"i say we do it," atreus chimed in, cutting him off from saying anything else.

you felt their eyes on you, all waiting for your thoughts. your gaze trailed over to him, lips pursed. would it be better here for him? could he eventually be an ally? would he ever want to be? you could only imagine the turmoil he was dealing with in his mind. his bright purple eyes met yours briefly, and you swallowed the lump that had formed in your throat.

"yeah, okay." you concluded, awkwardly looking around at everyone else. you could only hope that this was the right decision. a decision that led you and everyone else down the right path.

"that settles it, then!" brok exclaimed. "majority rules, he stays." he stated.

freyr looked uncomfortable and you felt bad for making him deal with this. you understood why he didn't want him around.. but he could help. he could, if he wanted to.

with the conversation concluded, everyone split apart, looking over their shoulder as if heimdall would attack them right then and there. you cleared your throat. the only people next to you now were him and your father.

"he's alright," you muttered. it was something you would never imagine saying when you first met him, but it was the truth. he was cocky and annoying and full of himself.. but he was alright. your thoughts drifted back to the moment you'd shared in niflheim, how he had looked at you as though you were the only person in the realms he cared about.

your father said nothing in response to you, his eyes now focused on the wall in front of him. you could only watch him walk away, your heart sinking as he did.

you couldn't help but to think you'd disappointed him.

before you could dig yourself into an even deeper hole, you turned your focus back to heimdall. he looked a little more grounded now and you had wondered what he was thinking about when the entire conversation was happening. you cleared your throat, chest feeling heavy at the entire situation.

"c'mon." you told him, gesturing for him to follow you. you led him out the front door and onto the branches of the yggdrasil again. everything felt much lighter than it did with your father.

"your father," he cut himself off, swallowing. "he is right, y'know. you were right." he murmured, gaze stuck onto the ground beneath his feet. "everything i did, i did to make him proud." he admitted with a sigh, looking up towards the endless purple above the two of you.

you had brought him to the garden on the side of the house, a place you spent a lot of time at before you ever went to asgard. "i know," you told him, turning your head to look at him. a sigh escaped your lips as you took his hand in your own.

"he wouldn't dream of coming for me." his voice fell to a whisper. "he wants.. the horn." he laughed in disbelief. "i dedicated my entire life to him and i got nothing in return. but why do i still feel.. "

"feel what?"

"guilty. for thinking this way." he replied after a pause.

"you shouldn't. you were.. manipulated, heimdall." his name fell from your lips easily, but he was always happy to hear you say it anyways. "he used you. it's what he does. he uses people." you continued. "but you're his son. it's.. not your fault, for believing that he loved you."

"he never loved me, did he?"

you pursed your lips, deciding to squeeze on his hand instead of saying anything else. in your eyes, the answer was no. odin loved power and he would do anything to get it, including using his own sons.

he shook his head. he still didn't want to believe it all, but he knew it was all true. your words had perhaps gotten through to him too well.

"hey," your voice cut him out of his thoughts and brought him back into reality. "you've got me, now." you hummed, a small smile forming on your lips as you met his eyes. there was something about your gaze that was playful, full of light. something that he needed— that he wanted.

still, he said nothing in response. with every second you spent with him you swore he let you in more. what happened to the less time, the better? you had practically lived off of that statement during your time in asgard. the less time you spent with heimdall, the better it was for you. you supposed the sentiment was still true. after all.. if he wasn't with you on niflheim, perhaps you would be here by yourself and you would never see heimdall again.

that wasn't what you wanted, was it?

it was crazy to think about how quickly your mind changed. he had wiggled his way into your thoughts first, and now he was making himself a home in your heart. a part of you still hated that.

you could only hope everyone else would get used to having him around.

"your father," he started, "he killed my family."

"i know." you replied.

"did you?" he asked.

you immediately knew what he was referring to. while you had no part in the deaths of magni or modi.. your part in baldur's was much bigger. while you didn't strike the killing blow you were certainly part of how he had gotten weak enough to get there.

"i was.. there," you told him. "i.. participated. i wasn't the one who killed him. but i was part of the reason why he died."

heimdall pursed his lips. it wasn't like your answer was surprising. he didn't even know why he cared so much. perhaps it was because baldur was younger than he was. perhaps it was because he had watched him grow up, he had grown alongside him, even. it wasn't like he was close to him. but he would be lying if he said his death didn't bother him.

maybe it bothered him so much because it meant ragnarok. it meant the end, and that scared him more than he would like to admit.

"not a day goes by where i don't think about him." you admitted. your words were truthful. you were certain you would never live a day without picturing his face in your mind. would you always feel as guilty as you do for your part in his death? the answer to it, you didn't know. but you had come to terms with that you had done all the same.

"i'm sure." he said in response, his back pressed up against the wall of sindri's house.

"i'm sorry i brought you here," you changed the topic, "i didn't mean to, really." you sighed.

"it's done now, isn't it?"

you supposed he was right. it was done now, and there was no changing the past.

"still. i'm sorry."

"if you hadn't taken me with you, do you know what i would be doing?" he asked, shifting his gaze to look at you from where he stood. you shook your head.

"i would be patrolling the wall, as i always do. and i would be thinking of you." he laughed, a smile forming on his lips. his grin looked like he was in disbelief. "i would be thinking of you, y/n. that is what i would be doing. but i don't have to do that now, because you brought me here." he breathed out.

"perhaps i should be the one thanking you." he chuckled.

you pressed your lips into a thin line. you thought back to that moment in the mess hall. it felt like forever ago, now. you had teased him, claiming he had feelings for you. t felt like he really did.

would you complain, if he did?

it would be difficult, given the fact that no one in your family was a fan of him. but if you liked him.. why would that matter? after all, your life is your own.

"sounds like you're in love with me." you decided to say, your voice taking on that same tone as it did in the mess hall. only now, it sounded more genuine. less playful and more curious.

"what if i was?" he asked in response, turning his entire body to look at you, now.

"i'd think you were lying."

"i'm not lying. i don't lie." he scoffed. "i do.. feel a certain way for you, y'know." he admitted, purple eyes meeting yours. you swore that you could get lost in them. they almost looked like the sky surrounding you now.

"do you?" you asked.

he nodded.

"i can prove it."

"oh, can you?" you laughed, rolling your eyes.

"would you like me to?" he asked, his voice matching your tone from earlier. suddenly.. this all felt much more serious.

"yeah, okay." you whispered to him.

your words were all he needed to take action. in one swift move, his hand came to rest on your hip and pulled you closer to him. his other hand caressed your cheek, and his lips pressed against yours.

you froze for a moment. 'is this really happening?' you thought to yourself, but it was— it was happening, and you liked that fact. after regaining your composure, you found yourself gripping onto the fabric of his shirt. as you ran your hand over it, you noticed a tear. sewn up now, but a tear, nonetheless.

this was the outfit that he was wearing the day he meant you. this was the shirt you cut through. the shirt that you embarrassed him in, and now the shirt he was kissing you in.

it wasn't very long, but it was enough. he pulled away with a sigh, but quickly pressed his forehead to yours, eyes opening to look at you.

"how is that for proof, hm?" he hummed. you could tell from his voice that he was trying to tease you. you rolled your eyes, shoving at him playfully.

what did this make you?

you didn't know.

maybe everything would be okay after all.

tags: @ic-yourface @alisblackgf @engardeitsme @venfia @dijanur @s1mpss @gorepitt @callalillie15 @bluehorizon987 @vanserrar @trippingoverstars @mysiax @beaniebear152 @rei64bit @neverendingdumptser @a-bunny13 @lei-leigha @candy4bonez @yyourmotherr @blobdrake-theory @zarizee @rainygamingstreamingturtle @kise-kae @aesthetic-of-a-director @unodostrescuatrolove @nixeustheclamity @aiciteaa @multifand0m-gal0re @chibi668 @wonderkive @lentillo @luffysoctopus @elizabeth-hatake @black-star1472 @lacm-ac @sxmirae @maggot-baggage @emc2beans @suzumi-hiddenmistclan @white-lyra @lmorg149 @iamverydreamy @giornos-curls @reinabxitch @ourchampionofthesun @paintmekala @the-eternal-sunflower @alextric-overload @lynn-haitani

[the-au-collector]

Scalan Names

So something I've noticed about Missing Link is the names. It's very interesting that they're Roman myth names when the rest of the times we've seen Scala, we've only seen Scalans having Norse names. Especially since we have characters like Freya, whose name does come from Norse Myth, walking around with characters like Remus (and Neptune). I doubt Nomura did this on accident, so I'm curious about the implications of the Norse vs Roman names in Missing Link.

So I went back through Dark Road and Union X and gathered up all the characters with mythological names (yes this includes Missing Link beta content and theorizing). It's a long post, but stay tuned for the end where I've thrown all my Remus thoughts:

Skuld

So in Norse Myth, Skuld is a Norn. Specifically, the Norn of the future. The Norns also closely resemble the Fates from Greek myth, which is interesting. I find it really interesting that Skuld is named specifically after the Norn of the future when her game takes place in the distant past. Obviously all the Union Leaders travel to the future--so why is Skuld the only one named after a myth figure that specifically has to do with that? I can't wait to see how this all lines up later, since so far we've only had one game with her in it.

Baldr

He's the important guy, both in Myth and in Dark Road. In myth, he's the son of Odin that's deceived and killed by Loki, however it is Hod who deals the fatal blow. I feel like his name lines up with his myth inspiration very nicely--he's tricked by darkness, which ultimately leads to his death. However, one really interesting thing is that Baldr is said to survive Ragnarok, so does that mean we'll be seeing Baldr again someday?

Bragi

So Bragi is interesting. In myth, he's actually a poet who was diefied as the god of poetry. He's also known for his wisdom. The really interesting thing though is that myth Bragi's wife, Idunn, had a tree with the apples of youth, which keep the gods from aging. Really interesting that Dark Road's Bragi is actually Luxu, a guy who does not die... Clues lying in plain sight, really.

Vor

There really isn't much to find about Norse Myth's Vor, other than Vor was a minor goddess of wisdom. I just think it's cool that Vor's name is based off of a goddess of wisdom, since Vor's whole arc in Dark Road is figuring out who's right and what she wants to do.

Hermod

So in Norse myth, Hermod is the messenger god and a son of Odin. He also uses magic. In one particular myth, Hermod tried to rescue Baldr from the underworld, but ultimately failed. He has other myths where he acts like a messenger too. I don't really have much to say about Hermod's name inspiration and how it ties to Dark Road, but it is interesting how Hermod dies immediately after visiting the Underworld trying to find Baldr.

Urd

I... I have the least to say about her (at least about the main DR cast). In myth, Urd is a fate like Skuld, but she's the fate of the past. It's just weird she's named after the fate of the past and not the present. Or maybe not since this game is technically Xehanort's past...

Odin

Can you tell he was based off of Odin? He has the long beard, he's old, he's got a long coat, and a wide-brimmed hat (those are how Odin is usually represented). In myth, Odin is the god of war and also poets. He's got a horse named Sleipnir and was a magician. I know there are also theories floating around about Yen Sid potentially being Master Odin and honestly? Yen Sid fits the description.

Heimdall

In myth, Heimdall is the protector of the rainbow bridge and the entrance to Asgard. He also had heightened senses and didn't need to sleep. He and Loki actually ended up killing each other in myth as well. I have even less to say about the upperclassmen, honestly, especially ones like Heimdall who are only in a few scenes anyways. It is ironic that Heimdall was killed by darkness, though (and darkness, in my eyes, takes up a very Loki-like roll).

Helgi and Sigrun

I'm merging these two since their myths are very connected. So basically, Helgi was a Norse hero figure that is the son of Sigmund. He fell in love with a woman named Sigrun and ends up getting killed by her brother, Dragr. Sigrun eventually dies of sadness, but both she and Helgi are reborn. Sigrun is reborn into a Valkyrie named Kara whereas Helgi gets to keep his name. It's very interesting that their myths have aspects of reincarnation tied to them, which isn't true for any of the other DR characters. It's also very curious that Sigrun got a new name... and DR Sigrun looks like Strelitzia...

But that's just a theory a--

Vala

So Vala isn't an actual mythological figure, though they do show up in myths a lot. Basically, a vala is a priestess/shaman. In myth, they could use magic, see the future, and influence battles. I don't have much to say about Vala despite her being one of the more interacted with members of the upperclassmen, but she does appear to be the most wise/level-headed of the group.

Vali

I could have sworn Vali was a girl but Vali is, indeed, a guy in Dark Road. Anyways, in myth Vali is the son of Odin who was born to avenge Baldr and killed Hod. Vali does survive Ragnarok as well. It's just interesting how he has a reverse to his myth inspiration, considering be dies to Baldr and Darkness, though he does try to avenge Hod's death.

Hoder

The blind god of the night in Norse myth and son of Odin. Hod was actually tricked into killing Baldr and so was told by the other gods to avenge Baldr's death by fighting Vali. Vali won, Hod died, but when Ragnarok happened, both Hod and Baldr returned and survived Ragnarok. Very interesting implications when it comes to Kingdom Hearts...

Vidar

In myth, he's the son of Odin and was also fated to survive Ragnarok. He killed the wolf Fenrir, who's Loki's son who ate Odin. That's about all that's known about Vidar from myth. I do think it's very ironic that DR Vidar died to a Heartless when his myth inspiration killed Fenrir. Also interesting that his is the name of someone fated to survive Ragnarok despite him dying in DR...

Sigurd

I nearly forgot him but here he is! His name in myth is Siegfried. He's a hero figure who fought a dragon and awakened a valkyrie from sleep. In some stories, he's of noble blood but was an orphan. He's also associated with the ancient Germanic princess, Brunhild, who had Old Norse origins. Basically the story of Brunhild is that she vowed to marry the man who could beat her in strength, and Siegfried was able too, but he won her for another person. Brunhild got vengeful, and Siegfried died. Not every story of Brunhild leads to his death though.

He's a lot more interesting than I thought, especially for a character who shows up for like 2 lines in Union X's secret ending lol. Likelihood is, he's from another Society or the people in charge, and he welcomed Brain in Scala ad Caelum (this we know). Judging from his myth and what we already know about him, he's likely of noble or blue blood and is probably a Keyblade wielder. I wonder if we'll see any grand feats like fighting a dragon or if he'll die in Missing Link, though?

Freya

I can't really say much for Freya either since she's so new and her game isn't even out yet. She is the sister of Freyr in Norse Myth and is the goddess of love, fertility, battle, and death. So just keep in mind that she's an option for the tragic siblings trope.

Now for the really interesting guys!

Nept

I've decided to start with Neptune since Remus is a whole can of worms. So Neptune is the Roman god of the sea, and used to be just the god of freshwater until the Romans identified him with Poseidon. His myths are the same as Poseidon's: get eaten by his dad, get vomited out, draw sticks to see which realm he gets, yada, yada, yada. He was loyal to the Roman Zeus, Jupiter, and married Salacia, though he had many affairs. He also created horses and bulls!

We really don't know much about Nept since he only has a few released scenes so far, but the fact that he's probably named after the Roman god of water is interesting (i've said it before but Aqua's ancestor??? Perhaps???). I'm a little worried about the loyalty aspect though...

Remus

This. This fucking can of worms. Remus do you even know the implications of your own name?

So the myth of Remus and Romulus! Their mother, Rhea Silvia, was the daughter of the king of Alba Longa, Numitor. Numitor got removed from the throne by his brother, Amulius, who forced Rhea to take a vow of chastity by becoming a Vestal Virgin. Well she ended up having the god of war's, Mars', twin children: Remus and Romulus. They were cared for by Mars' sacred animals (she-wolf and woodpecker) and taken in by farmers, Faustulus and Acca Larentia. When the twins grew up, they killed Amulius and restored their grandfather to the throne. The twins then went on to found a city, and after Romulus built some walls around it, he killed Remus, and the city was named Rome after Romulus.

So this myth is interesting for a number of reasons. First and foremost: the siblings thing. Tragic siblings being a staple of the KH mobile games and all leaves Remus and Romulus perfect candidates for being the tragic siblings. This is also why I'm so worried about Remus being late to showing Player the Astral Realm because--is he already dead? His mythological self dies! It's practically written in the Book of Prophecies at this point!

However the second most important thing about the Remus and Romulus myth is how Remus and Romulus are the grandsons of a king who got overthrown. What if, somehow, the Baroque Society is the very last remnant of Ephemer's line/society? Somehow, what if Ephemer's line gets usurped and its last remains of his society dwindles down to at least 4 people (the question is if there's 5 members considering Freya's "another one" line)? After all, the scientists do say the founders' societies. Who are these other founders? Are they even real? What is going on with Scala ad Caelum's governing situation? We already know that it can't be good, but we don't know how bad it is.

Another really interesting thing is that Player specifically, very weirdly, reaches out to Remus when they're by Ephemer's statue. That scene was all shades of odd. Which begs the question--is Remus somehow connected to Ephemer? Is Remus is the descendant of Ephemer, and all these silver-haired characters are just there to throw us off? Did Ephemer's bloodline somehow get usurped? Is Missing Link going to be about reinstating his family line, or watching it all fall to ruin? Is Remus going to get killed by his own brother?

It's just. It's all shades of interesting and worrying at the same time. And I'm not even mentioning Remus' similarities to Lea!

Conclusion

Remus nearly made me forget this post had a point: the differences between Roman and Norse names. I thought maybe there was a connection between the "sons of Odin" thing going on, but no. Baldr and Hermod both are sons of Odin, but Baldr has a gold Master's symbol and Hermod doesn't. Even for the non-sons, Heimdall has a gold Master's symbol but Bragi doesn't.

It's also too early to really tell anything distinct about the new Missing Link characters, since a) we don't see much of them and b) the naming doesn't differentiate them either. Freya is a member of the Baroque Society alongside Remus and Nept. There's no distinction there either. There is no visual disctinction between Freya, Nept, and Remus except for their underclothes, and I'd say those design choices are more geared toward their personalities than anything else. They also don't have Master's symbols (which is another interesting thing. Sigurd doesn't have one either. Do they not exist yet? Are they the symbol of another society?). Even if they did, we still don't really know the difference between silver and gold ones, though one theory is gold = blue blood, silver = non-blue blood.

There is definitely a naming convention going on here, though. It's no coincidence that all of Dark Road's characters have Norse-inspired names, but not all of Dark Road's do. I just really want to crack why there's this distinction. I'm betting it has something to do with these noble houses/blue blood families, though (I'm willing to overlook Xehanort and Eraqus as they existed long before these concepts were even thought up.). For now I'll leave it at that and post this so that we have a bit of a collection of all the name inspirations for our myth-inspired Kingdom Hearts characters in one place.

Also, if anyone knows more about ancient myth than what Google could tell me, please let me know! I absolutely could have missed something!

[sejdkvinna]

rune misconceptions

Learning and studying runes is no small task, and there's a lot of misinformation and misconceptions out there! We are also limited on historical sources of magical uses for runes, so reconstructing how to use runes often requires some creative liberties. Modern interpretations of the runes absolutely have their place, but understanding what we do and don't know about runes for historical sources can help you discern where information is coming from.

Blank Rune

The blank rune isn't a rune! Ralph Blum's "Book of Runes", published in 1983, is responsible for the creation of the blank rune. He preferred a 5x5 grid system over the 3 aettir sets, so adding a blank rune was convenient for this purpose. Additionally, the blank rune can be considered redundant. The blank rune is associated with wyrd and that you are not meant to know the answer, which is a meaning I've also seen many attribute to the rune Pertho.

Rune Spreads

While rune spreads can absolutely be useful in modern witchcraft/divination, we don't actually know that rune spreads have a historical basis. Our knowledge on the potential of rune casting in old customs comes primarily from Tacitus in "Germania" (not written by a practitioner, only an observer), who writes:

"They attach the highest importance to the taking of auspices and casting lots. Their usual procedure with the lot is simple. They cut off a branch from a nut-bearing tree and slice it into strips these they mark with different signs and throw them at random onto a white cloth. Then the state's priest, if it is an official consultation, or the father of the family, in a private one, offers prayer to the gods and looking up towards heaven picks up three strips, one at a time, and, according to which sign they have previously been marked with, makes his interpretation. If the lots forbid an undertaking, there is no deliberation that day about the matter in question. If they allow it, further confirmation is required by taking auspices."

However, this still doesn't necessarily indicate that the runes were the symbols in question, so whether runes were used for divination is still disputed! If rune castings and spreads work for you, keep at it! My only advice is to recognize that runes aren't just Norse tarot cards, respect their differences and treat them as separate. But be wary of sources that claim that their rune spreads or methods of casting are based in ancient practice - we know very little about divinatory uses of runes!

Origins

I've heard a few different stories on the origin of runes (mythologically speaking). Some claim that Oden created the runes and therefore belong to him. Others claim that Freja is responsible for teaching Oden the runes. While Oden is heavily associated with the runes and Freja did teach Oden magic (specifically sejd/seidr), the runes were revealed to Oden when he sacrificed himself on Yggdrasil and waited nine days and nights.

Learning the Runes

"Runes none should grave ever Who knows not to read them; Of dark spell full many The meaning may miss. Ten spell-words writ wrongly On whale-bone were graven: Whence to leek-tending maiden, Long sorrow and pain."

Egil's Saga warns people to not use the runes if you do not know them well. This isn't meant to fear-monger or discourage people away from learning the runes, but take your time learning them! Reflect on their meanings, understand how they fit into their mythological/cultural context.

References

http://whispersofyggdrasil.blogspot.com/2012/04/wyrd-blank-rune.html?m=1

https://www.groveandgrotto.com/blogs/articles/whats-up-with-the-blank-rune-how-and-whether-to-read-it

https://norse-mythology.org/runes/runic-philosophy-and-magic/

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Runic_magic

"Germania" by Tacitus

Egil's Saga

https://norse-mythology.org/tales/odins-discovery-of-the-runes/

[stromuprisahat]

Do you have any ideas/theories on what the ‘thisness’ vs ‘thatness’ mentioned in the first SaB book is? Or is it just one of those things we’ll never know because of the surface-level world building?

Some bullshit in pseudoRussian mentioned once to make it look like the author bothered with consistent, coherent worldbuilding?

The grounding principle of the Small Science was “like calls to like,” but then it got complicated. Odinakovost was the “thisness” of a thing that made it the same as everything else. Etovost was the “thatness” of a thing that made it different from everything else. Odinakovost connected Grisha to the world, but it was etovost that gave them an affinity for something like air, or blood, or in my case, light.

Shadow and Bone- Chapter 10

And that's literally EVERYTHING we get on these "basics" of Small Science. Ever.

Or not?!

“It is not too far,” she sneered. “You are as much there as you are here. The same things that make the mountain make you. It has no lungs, so let it breathe with you. It has no pulse, so give it your heartbeat. That is the essence of the Small Science.” She thumped me with her stick. “Stop huffing like a wild boar. Breathe the way I taught you—contained, even.” I felt my cheeks redden, and I slowed my breathing. Snippets of Grisha theory filled my head. Odinakovost. Thisness. Etovost. Thatness. It was all a muddle. But the words that came back to me most strongly were Morozova’s fevered scrawl: Are we not all things?

Ruin and Rising- Chapter 7

Sorry, that's just repetition of the terms, but nothing else. :(

If I understand it correctly, the first one is basically "Everything is made of particles.". Even if it's so, it's worded rather poorly.

The second one doesn't make much sense to me. Especially since whatever affinity's described, doesn't really matter if you have enough power to push through any differences. Besides we have no idea how do Grisha manipulate matter to begin with...

I miss my physics teachers.

I've also seen people point out the linguistic nonsense in these:

odin - one eto - this

That's like... the same thing?! There's no obvious difference between meanings. If you're referring to something as "the one", you're basically pointing a finger at it, saying "I'm talking about THIS!".