#and thus the dragon priestess’s

[wanderingmausoleum]

mostly-finished the dlc last night which really made me realize how many npc quests i fucked up or locked myself out of despite trying to be really careful to avoid that lmfao

[coreene]

Drow Name Tables from Dragon Magazine

Have a little treat for you drow lovers - a name table for your characters! I was trying to find a name for an OC and came across this post in reddit, thanks to u/dalioftheWoods.

I went ahead and found the Dragon Magazine issue they mention on the post in internet archive here. Issue #267 and page 28.

I am putting the transcript of How It Works text under the cut along with Table 1. Tables for the names are already shared in the reddit post.

Minthara's name can also be found on the this table. Min meaning "  lesser, minor, second" and thara meaning "glyph, marker, rune" It's up to you to decide what her name could mean. The Second Glyph, Lesser Rune, Minor Marker.

I've also noticed a few other names for the drows used in the game on the table.

Nere - Neer "core, root, strong"

Sorn - enchanted, spell

Nym - lost, skeleton, skull.

Interestingly, Nym is the masculine version of this name but female drows can use masculine names without issues, unlike males who will be labelled troublemakers.

How It Works

Each drow name consists of a prefix (from Table 2) and one or more suffixes (from Table 3). Since female and male drow names are often very different, many table entries list a female name fragment and then the male equivalent. Although the names might not seem particularly gender specific to an outsider. any drow will be able to tell the difference immediately. Rarely, a female drow might take part of a purely masculine name. However, any male who uses a solely feminine name fragment would be considered a rogue or troublemaker.

You can randomly generate a drow name by rolling on Table 1 Definitions have been included in these tables to help determine what a name means once it has been generated. If you prefer, it is also possible to pick a set of definitions you like and assemble a name that matches them. If your character is a powerful priestess of Lolth, you might decide her name should reflect this. Looking at the definitions, you decide her name will mean “Spell Weaver." This results in the name “Instra.” For a man, the name would be “Sorntran.”

Keep in mind that drow names frequently sound odd to human ears and might be difficult for humans to pronounce If you really don’t like a particular combination, try adding one or more letters or an apostrophe between the name fragments. Although not every combination of prefixes and suffixes will sound right, usually only a minor change is called for. If you can’t make a particular name work, try one with a similar meaning. If you didn’t like “Instra." try a name that means “Web Priestess” instead.

If you have randomly generated a name and don’t like its definition, try altering the order of the words. It is also possible to use the definition as a starting place for a name’s meaning. Often this definitions can be combined in a poetic way for better results. In the case of a three-fragment name, try dropping one or more of the definitions.

Thus “Halicedril" could mean “The Spider-Taken Warrior.” “Deft Knight." “Nimble Warrior.” or just ‘The Spider Taken.” Don’t worry about two names sharing the same meaning or having two definitions for one name. Two names might sound the same to a human, but a drow would know the difference.

Although some drow have a surname that denotes what family they are descended from or to which guilds they owe loyalty, noble drow and titled commoners can use the name of their noble house, clan, or trading house as a surname. Those drow are free renegades, owing allegiance to no one, sometimes keeping their house name as a reminder of where they came from and what they've escaped. A house name can be assembled from Tables 4 and 5, either by choosing a definition or by rolling once on each.

Table 1 (Roll 1d10)

1d10 Result

1-3 - Roll once on Table 2 and once on Table 3.

4-5 - Roll once on Table 2 and twice on Table 3.

6-7 - Roll once on Table 2, once on Table 3, add an apostrophe, then roll again on Table 3.

8-9 - Roll once on Table 2 and once on Table 3 for a first name, then roll on Table 1 again for a second name.

10 - Roll once on Table 3, add an apostrophe, then roll once on Table 2 and once on Table 3.

[astarionposting]

tell us more about ren she’s so pretty i need lore

Hello anon!! I am so flattered u want to know more about her! Ren is an alternate universe version of my usual Tav. I’m much better at storytelling visually, so I’ll explain some of my visual choices I’ve made for her character, which contains a bit of the lore I have created thus far. (also thank u for the excuse to just create a character dump post for her lol - i spent way too much time on this)

content warnings: mentions of dissection, scarring one's own face, unhealthy obsessions, stalking, religious trauma... just general fucked up Bhaalist things. + spoilers for BG3

EYES

A keypoint in her design are her eyes; Ren has the same eyes as The Dark Urge's Fiend butler, Sceleritas Fel, reflecting her origin as a creation of Bhaal Himself. Similar to other creations like her and Sceleritas, she was made with the purpose of serving and assisting Bhaal's Chosen.

SCARS

The right side of her face is deliberate scarring of her own doing during her priestess "training". Her body scars, however, are the result of the experimentation performed on her in her early training days. These experiments are often done with the purpose of making unnatural "improvements".

HANDS

I really love how Scarlet Witch's fingertips will stain black as a result of her use of the Darkhold's chaos magic spells, so I took that inspiration and headcannon that Ren's hands/arms do something similar from her "training" as a priestess of Bhaal and her use of necromancy/shadow magic and rituals.

For her general aesthetic, I was mainly inspired by the concept art for Bhaal for BG3 and this art of a priestess of Bhaal. She often wears a large dusty cloak over her usual gown. Placed on the top of her cloak, she will also sometimes wear a crown of thorns, mimicking the "spiky" style of common Bhaalist attire. During their time in the temple, before the events of BG3, she often adorned her face with a broken piece of a human skull. Since her coat is quite heavy, she walks a little hunched over… kind of like a creepy gremlin. Additionally, she will wear a small Bhaalist charm at the collar of her cloak.

Underneath, she wears her typical black gown; the top half resembles Orin’s carapace and blends into her skirt, with leg slits for better mobility, of course! When she isn’t wearing her cloak, her hair is loosely tied back and styled into a collection of braids, accessorized with Bhaalist jewelry.

*Keep in mind I am not a lore expert in terms of D&D deities or Bhaalist lore in general. I took some stuff from the forgotten realms wiki but also just made some stuff up lol, so this NOT D&D or BG3 lore accurate.

Also, again, warnings for unhealthy relationships/obsessions, as well as brief mentions of torture but not in detail.

THEY ARE BHAALISTS THEY HAVE ISSUES!!!!

Similarly to Sceleritas Fel, Ren has a lot of "care" for The Dark Urge. She favours him over Orin, and often clashed heads with her... but of course I have to have some doomed yuri content too!!!!!! so maybe they kissed once or twice >:) (but waaay before the events of BG3) Her "training" as a priestess of Bhaal consisted of torture, religious indoctrination, and extreme mental corruption/manipulation, especially by Orin. As implied before, she faced experiments in order to "improve" her usefulness to Bhaal and His Chosen. As a result, she is not the most stable person you'll meet. She is mainly chaotic evil aligned, however, her final loyalties will always lie with The Dark Urge, and she is accepting of his resistance/redemption path, as well as his acceptance/murder hobo path. She is essentially a certified Real One (also doesn't rlly vibe with Bhaal after he kills her evil Dragon boyfriend yk). The tadpole in someway also helped "release" her mind of Bhaal's influence, and while she is still an obsessive and violent girlie, she can be persuaded to not be a total murder hobo and sometimes even decides on her own to go against Bhaal's wishes (she still cool with murder though). As I previously mentioned, Ren was created by Bhaal to assist His Chosen in his duties and leading the temple, as most priestesses/priests of Bhaal do. She is more of a companion and advisor to The Dark Urge, rather than a servant like Sceleritas Fel. She is deeply (obsessed) "in-love" with The Dark Urge, and supports him over Orin. A while before the whole tadpoles, absolute, blah blah blah stuff, her and Orin had a brief history, but it was moreso Orin's jealousy of what Durge had. Her in-game class is a Bhaalist class mod! It is very fun so far, and she just levelled up to level 3 and can now has the ability Verminous Metamorphosis, so she can turn into a… RAAAAT!! 🐀 sorry, Astarion :( However, I see her as a combo of this and a death cleric of Bhaal. In terms of how her story is going in the BG3 campaign, i still haven't fully fleshed anything out yet! I would assume she would have a large impact on Durge's memory loss. Maybe she will have her own gaps in memory, but knows they have a reason to go to Baldur's Gate. As for other durge events, I believe she would be proud of The Dark Urge for such a "beautiful display of gore!" after Alfira night lol. I'm still undecided if I want to do redemption or murder hobo durge... I don't want to kill Isobel so I'm probably going to headcannon that Bhaal tasks The Dark Urge with killing her, as a way to test if he is "losing his way", or if he cares more about the life of a "mere servant of Bhaal" than his own "birthright" as Bhaal's Chosen.

For now I am just going with the flow of the game and doing some fun photo and gif series of Ren and Durge's adventure in my Durgetav playthrough!

Face preset | hair | scar | eyes | makeup + bloody lips | body tattoo & autopsy scar Orin top, arms + legs | dress + accessories | cloak | hood + crown/mask | lingerie

♡ PLAYLIST

dividers made by me with canva; graphics by @/brand314195326 and @/dhtgip. screenshots by me ♡

[skyminsworld]

We are of Fire

Rhaenyra Targaryen x Oc Aelyx Targaryen

Rhaenyra Targaryen and her sister-wife Aelyx Targaryen stood on the windswept cliffs of Dragonstone, the ancestral seat of House Targaryen, where the great Valyrian lords had first settled after the Doom. The sky above was a tapestry of swirling gray clouds, reflecting the ancient magic that still lingered in the air, and the sea below roared its approval as waves crashed against the black stone of the island.

The ceremony was steeped in the traditions of Old Valyria, a tribute to their heritage and a reminder of the dragons’ might. Rhaenyra, with her silver-gold hair cascading down her back and her violet eyes shimmering with resolve, stood proud in a gown of red and white. Beside her, Aelyx, her sister-wife, matched her in a similar gown, their hands entwined in a bond stronger than the most unyielding Valyrian steel.

The ritual began at dusk, under the auspices of the Blood Moon, a celestial event said to bless the union of two souls destined for greatness. The High Valyrian words of the priestess echoed through the stillness, invoking the favor of the gods. "Jal Wun Azantys," she chanted, "by blood and fire."

Their dragons, Syrax and Vermithor, stood sentinel nearby, their eyes glowing like molten gold in the dim light. The presence of the dragons was vital, for they were not only mounts but symbols of the Targaryens' dominion and their unbreakable bond. As the ceremony progressed, the dragons roared in unison, sending chills down the spines of all present, a clear sign that the old gods were watching.

A sacred blade, forged in the fires of Dragonstone itself, was brought forth. Rhaenyra and Aelyx each pricked a finger, letting their blood mingle on the blade. "A binding of blood," the priestess intoned, "as it was in Valyria, so it shall be now." The blood was then mixed with fire, a small pyre lit by the dragonflame, representing the unity of their house and their shared destiny.

The final vows were taken in High Valyrian, their voices strong and unwavering despite the howling winds. "Nyke ēdrutas ao," Rhaenyra pledged, "I am yours." Aelyx responded, "Nyke ēdrutas ao," echoing the eternal promise. As the flames flared brighter, they clasped hands, their fingers stained with each other’s blood, and kissed, sealing their vows not only to each other but to the legacy they would forge together.

The feast that followed was a lavish affair, with roasted meats, exotic fruits, and the finest Dornish wines, a celebration worthy of their union. Songs of Old Valyria were sung, and the air was filled with laughter and the roar of dragons. In the great hall of Dragonstone, banners bearing the three-headed dragon of House Targaryen fluttered, illuminated by the flickering torchlight.

As the night drew on, Rhaenyra and Aelyx slipped away to the heights of Dragonstone, where they could be alone under the stars and moon up the sky. The future was uncertain, filled with both promise and peril, but in that moment, they were together, bound by ancient tradition and their indomitable will.

Thus, under the watchful eyes of their dragons and the ancient gods, Rhaenyra Targaryen and Aelyx Targaryen began their journey as sister-wives, their fates intertwined, their hearts aflame with the promise of the legacy they would create together.They knew what will come ,lots of hardship but they had each other

A promise of life ,once a dragon has it's treasure it will keep it to itself burning anyone who tries to steal what is rightfully theirs.

[templeof-demeter]

Animals of Demeter

If you have an altar to her, I’d suggest putting a photo or miniature statue of any of these animals on it.

🐷 Pigs - offered to Demeter to aid in crop fertility, and likely they were used to purify during the Mysteries. These pig sacrifices were very common for her.

🐮 Cows - cows aid in the production of crops, and thus became associated with Demeter

🐍 Snakes - snakes help in naturally protecting crops, and multiple dragon-serpents guided her and Triptolemus’s chariot

🐝 Bee - Demeters priestess were sometimes called “Melissae” which means bee

🕊️ Dove - specifically the turtle-dove, I couldn’t find specific reason for this, luckily solarsev did! Linked here

🦎 Gecko - this may be because they are similar to snakes, or because of Ovids “Metamorphoses” where Demeter transformed a boy into a gecko.

🐟 Red-mullet fish - sacred in the cult of Eleusinian Mysteries, possibly because it gives birth three times in a year

[sororalice]

On The Blessedness Of Reaching Out To The Dead

A homily for Samhain on October 31, 2024.

Dearly Beloved,

A very blessed Samhain to those in the Northern Hemisphere and a very blessed Beltane to those in the Southern Hemisphere! I pray that all of you are blessed and comforted as the Wheel Of The Year continues to turn!

In my home, we are honoring our dead, our Beloved Ancestors, Mighty Dead, and Blessed Saints. As we move towards the dark of the year, we take this moment to reach out to all of those who have come before us, those dead to whom we owe our honor, respect, and love.

I often meet this time of year with mixed feelings, because while I wish to celebrate our dead, I am also reminded of my own feelings of sadness and loss. Death has brought too many missed opportunities for me, too many lost moments, and too many people cut down far too young. So I weep a little bit, even as I celebrate the holiday. But this is only to be expected…it is natural to feel sad about those whom we have lost. It is natural to mourn. But it is also natural to cherish our lost and to celebrate and honor those who have come before us. Thus I am moved on this high holiday to speak of those honored ones, those beloved ones, those who have journeyed off to what some traditions call the Isle Of Apples, mystic Avalon, Hades, or simply the Underworld.

So let Charon sound His dread horn and let us speak of reaching out to the dead.

Magick, throughout its history, has had an intimate relationship with the dead. Some of the most famous mages of ancient myth, such as the famed Witch Of Endor spoken of in the “First Book Of Samuel”, worked with spirits of the dead, and the Greek poet Homer, whose epic poems were considered divinely inspired by many ancient Greeks, includes an act of necromancy in Book 11 of “The Odyssey”. Clearly, the magick of working with the dead is ancient.

But many times when modern pagans are working with the spirits of the dead, we lack the pragmatism of those ancient necromancers. As is implied by the name, necromancy is the art of divination by means of communication with the spirits of the dead, and while Samhain is definitely a fine time for divination, I know that when I take my journey into that in-between place that lets us communicate with the dead, I am not trying to divine anything. Instead, I merely want to spend time with my beloveds. I call my father, my grandparents, and even my fallen cats. I sit with them in the candlelight of my temple, as the smoke of the incense drifts between our world and the worlds beyond. Sometimes we talk. More often we are silent and simply keep each other company in the dark. Sometimes that’s all love needs, especially among family.

But there is another sort of spirit I also wish to discuss and honor here. Over the last couple of weeks the Mighty Dead and Blessed Saints, those mages and mystics who have died and live on as mighty spirits who may become our allies in the Work, have been making their presence known to me. Jake Stratton-Kent, one of the mages most responsible for the recent revivification of the Grimoire Tradition, has come up in conversation by “chance” no less than six times with six different individuals over the period of four days at the time of this writing. Jerry Cornelius, the leader of an important lineage of the A.’.A.’., has come up just as frequently. Copper Persephone, an important teacher and priestess in the Reclaiming Tradition, has also come up again and again. And of course, for me there is always my father, Anthony “Dragon” Spurlock, witch, artist, and musician, who casts a long shadow over my life. These Mighty Dead are always with us, but in this moment, this special moment where our worlds are as close as they ever get, they are especially with us, reaching out to us, ready to hold our hands and guide us forward as we step forward into the darkest time of the year.

So let us reach out to these spirits in those shadowy places between the worlds, for what happens between the worlds affects all the worlds. Let us go to them or call them to us. Let us tell funny stories around the fire or cry ourselves to sleep in remembrance, as our hearts guide us. Let us sing their names in joy as we celebrate them and whisper their names in sorrow as we mourn them. Let us hold them all in our hearts on this, their special day. Let us lift them up in song and honor them in memory.

Let us reach out to the dead.

Happy Samhain.

In love,

Soror Alice

Art: Odilon Redon, “Apparition”, (~1910)

[teriri-sayes]

Reactions to Tsunami Creator's Chapter 180

TL;DR - Cale's group infiltrate the city in disguise and got found out. Blood Demon is a scary evil mom. Flashback with CJG. CH destroys lots of buildings.

The Infiltration Blood Cult members wore white clothes and a white mask with a large blue teardrop drawing, so Cale's group did the same. Yes, we have masked Cale today. 🥰

Unfortunately, they quickly got discovered, thanks to the blue lights shining everywhere. It's still a mystery on what those blue lights were. Even Raon did not know what it was.

Evil Blood Demon Mommy We finally get introduced to this arc's villain - Blood Demon. She's a gray haired woman whose hair shines blue under the blue light. And it seems like everyone is scared of her, especially her daughter, Myung, who's another successor candidate.

I couldn't help but feel sad for Myung here. Blood Demon kept treating her daughter affectionately, but Myung knew that if she did something wrong or out of line, she would get hurt. She was cautious in all her actions towards her mother, and constantly scared.

Besides, how is "I'll kill you comfortably so you won't feel pain" affectionate? And forcing your daughter to smile because it looks good?

CJG Flashback Surprisingly, Myung had once been in Aipotu, the world of the dragons, and met an adolescent-looking CJG there! CJG was smiling at her, but worriedly asked her if she wanted the life she was now living.

And when questioned about his identity, he playfully smiled and introduced himself as the first Dragon Slayer. He eventually left after their short conversation.

But this part illustrated Myung's helplessness. Even CJG recognized that she did not want her current life. The question now is, will Cale's group save her? Or will dying free her?

One more thing, it was mentioned that "Aipotu" had its name erased because its world died. And this reminded me of Cale's world, Nameless 1. Does that mean Nameless 1 used to have a sentient world like Jungwon and Xiaolen, but died a long time ago, thus having its name erased and becoming "Nameless"?

Ending Remarks I'm unsure what to expect next chapter. It seems Blood Demon headed out to greet the "guests," so we'll have to see if Cale will meet her first or the priestess. But the part about CH being so good at destroying stuff that Raon and Cale were dumbfounded was quite funny.

[tgrailwar-zero]

Perhaps once we’re fully on our feet we can join you in jolly co-operation in fighting the foe that has taken over the Moon Cell.

SLAYER: "That's the hope! That Titan that took everything- that Titan that wished to destroy humanity! We're the only ones standing in it's way!"

KEEPER: "We won't ask you to do anything you don't want to, but your help would be appreciated."

SLAYER: "Ahaha! And-- this Solar Cell is a secure box. It can bang on the 'outside' for eons if it wants, it's not getting through. Which gives us plenty of time to prepare and come up with a perfect plan. We were each summoned for a reason. That's right! You must have come for a reason! More allies, willing to go into the fray and join us in saving Humanity!"

PRIESTESS: "…Once the core of the Solar Cell gathers enough power, then we can begin our assault. It'll be far from 'jolly', our adversary carved through true Divine Spirits from the Age of Gods. Just thinking about fighting it gives me the chills, bringing back horrible memories…"

PRIESTESS: "But we can't afford to be cowardly! If something has to be done, then we'll have to do it!"

SLAYER: "Hear, hear! We ride in ready to die, and thus we shall prosper! Ahahahahahaha!"

KEEPER: "Hah, look at you, matching Slayer's energy. Well, not exactly, she's still a few notches higher. Still... I like this, it's better than your usual gloomy self. Maybe you really are feeling a bit more hope?"

PRIESTESS: "Maybe you're right, either way… I can't waver. I am of a unique body, but I was summoned with this strange Saint Graph for a reason. And if that means laying down some dragon-fox wrath, then so be it!"

PRIESTESS: "We'll show that Umbral Star the might of the Sun!"

.

..

...

You felt a shudder.

At this point, you knew the rest.

War, fire, death. It was as if not to torture your brain with irony for much longer, your mind mentally began fast forwarding through everything else. There wasn't any changing the past, after all.

At some point, you recalled that you had slain the Slayer.

...Your fractured memory told you that it wasn't easy.

You recalled the moment of your 'end'. Where you had been cast away, and sealed.

The last time you had recalled this moment, it had been more twisted. More horrifying, more monstrous, more viscous. A beast, clad in shadow, mechanically slaughtering you and casting you into the abyss.

Now, the memory was clearer.

Powerful magic coalescing, a sealing spell beyond compare. The Priestess of the Sun had her hands raised, her expression bitter and filled with betrayal and contempt. A goddess that had seen tragedy, and now was more than willing to enact divine retribution.

A voice screaming. Hoarse.

"For what reason… for what purpose?!" "Show me, tell me, do something! Please!" "Why did you destroy my world…? Why did you crush my dream…? We could have saved everything! Avenged everyone! And now... and now it's gone! Are you happy?! Are you proud?! The war is over before it even began!"

"I'll… I'll curse you! For a thousand years, I'll curse you! May you and your sins burn for a thousand, thousand eternities!"

She brought down her hands with rage, the might of a wrathful god slamming down on you and pushing you deeper and deeper into darkness.

Deeper and deeper.

Blacker and blacker.

Dark, for so long.

You felt your hands let go of the teabowl. Not even a second had passed, it seemed.

The sweet taste ended bittersweet in your mouth. Still, it felt a bit like a jolt. It'd be easy to stay in that memory forever, but waking up was the important part- as hard as it was, sometimes.

RIKYU: "..."

RIKYU: "..."

RIKYU: "I see."

[imagineargonians]

apparently, reddit nuked the "meridia is a black hole" post. here's how I understand/remember this theory

meridia was once merid-nunda, a star orphan. black holes form when massive stars collapse at the end of their life cycle

massive objects (like black holes) create strong gravitational fields that curve and stretch the "fabric" of space-time. "… thus does Merid-Nunda [ride? slide?] across the rainbow road from end to end, at one end stretching the Dragon [Akatosh, the Time God], at the other end compressing him …. - Exegesis of Merid-Nunda

black holes can "bend" the light rays that pass close enough to them. this is how meridia created her colored rooms. "But Merid-Nunda formed of her substance a great drag-lens, and the light of Magnus was bent thereby. The rays [carved? focused?] a new sphere from the chaos, which Merid-Nunda, [laughing? sparkling?], did claim for her own." - Exegesis of Merid-Nunda

"For Meridia, time is said to be relative, and her priestesses have been known to grant time-altering blessing" - UESP just google "black holes time travel"

"the Daedra Lady of Greed" - UESP yeah, it's about her strong gravitational field

"To MERIDIA who contains the Plenum" - PGE. Plenum (physics), a space completely filled with matter. black holes are incredibly dense

meridia's light is not her own! if material such as gas, dust or stars gets too close to a black hole, it gets sucked in by the enormous gravitational force. as it falls towards the black hole, it heats up and becomes incredibly bright

meridia, you're not fooling anyone with your beams of light. we know it's your relativistic jets. stop LARPing as a sun/light goddess

[lovelyladyabsinthewrites]

From the Ashes Pt. 32

64.media.tumblr.com

Pairing(s): Pairing(s): Rhaegar Targaryen x Lannister!Reader, one-sided!Jaime Lannister x Lannister!Reader, Jaime Lannister x Cersei Lannister

Warnings: slow burn fic, changing povs, Reader POV

Words: 4513

Part 1  Part 2  Part 3  Part 3.5  Part 4  Part 5  Part 6  Part 7  Part 8  Part 9  Part 10 Part 11 Part 12 Part 13 Part 14 Part 16 Part 17 Part 18 Part 19 Part 20 Part 21 Part 22 Part 23 Part 24 Part 25 Part 26 Part 27 Part 28 Part 29 Part 30 Part 31 Part 33 Part 34 Part 35 Part 36 Part 37 Part 38 Part 39 Part 40 Part 41 Part 42

Book Two of Dārilaros hen ōrbar se perzys (Heir of Ash and Fire)

“No way. . .”

“My lady. . . Where did you obtain such a treasure?”

As you gawked at what you had thought to be a normal opal gemstone, you felt your mind spin uncontrollably with disbelief. There was absolutely no way. Dragon eggs had been all but gone in Westeros, even in Dragonstone where centuries earlier they had been abundant. The few that had been found by Aerys early on in his reign were unable to hatch and thus destroyed as they proved useless to him.

Maybe that was why you had been feeling a deeper type of warmth resonating from the beautiful egg. A life that had once had potential.

You told Inniros of Thalina and how a knight from Westeros along with Tyrion had delivered it to you. It indeed hailed from Dragonstone where you had spent your childhood with Thalina.

“To think that maid was actually a red priestess.” mused Tyrion as he was unable to tear his gaze from the dragon egg. All the stories hadn’t prepared him for the real thing. Inside was a baby dragon that never got the chance to live. Impossible to both you and Tyrion to view Thalina as this secret keeper as she had been a lovely, ditzy girl when you had known her. “She knew all along.”

Inniros picks up the egg and examines it with his one good eye. Now Tyrion stared at the darkin. Another tale that he had thought was only make believe. A darkin and a dragon. He towered over you and Tyrion, his face fully visible now that he could no longer hide behind his long, red, locks. His sheared head bothered you. Who had done it? Or did he cut it off himself? You knew that some men of the Fiery Hand could be malicious.

“Granted, who knows if there’s anything left alive in it.” He murmurs, fingers scraping against a scale. “For all we know it could only be a beautiful fossil now.”

“Are you sure it’s an actual dragon egg?”

“Positive.” Inniros immediately replied without waiting a second. “There is a forgotten city in the heart of the Shadowlands called Stygai. It is void of human life and only the darkins are brave enough to venture out there. Strange creatures have taken over the ruins and there are rumors that dragons are still present there too. My master Batur brought me as close as he thought appropriate. I will never forget the shriek that shook the land beneath me. Batur told me it was from a dragon. The Shadow Hills where the darkin call their home are on the outskirts of Asshai and lead to Stygai. In a way we protect unknowing travelers from stumbling upon the Shadowlands.”

Inniros hands the egg back to you, very carefully as if there were still life in it. “Be very careful to who you show this to. Even if it’s just a fossil now, it’s still worth a fortune. Especially one as beautiful as this one.”

You purse your lips and cradle the egg in your arms like an infant. “If dragons are still alive in the Shadowlands. . .”

As if reading your thoughts, Tyrion continues your musing “Then it may be possible for the egg to still hatch if it’s brought there?”

The darkin shrugs and sits on the edge of his small bed, way too small for his height and long legs. “Who knows how old that egg is. But I wouldn’t say it’s impossible. Many odd things happen in the Shadowlands. From the River Ash that glows green at night to the creatures that lurk in the Valley of Shadows, anything could happen.”

Noticing the expression of unconditional hope on Tyrion’s face, you carefully tell your brother not to get his hopes up. Like Inniros said, this could only be a fossil now. Tyrion wasn’t having any of it though. His life prior had been filled with neglect and abandonment. He had entered the land where anything is possible and tales from his childhood were coming true. Darkins and dragons, creatures that lurked in the dark and all of the adventure that it carried with it. Even if Tyrion begged you, you knew he couldn’t accompany you to Asshai. There were too many uncertainties and you didn’t want to put Tyrion at risk now that he was safe in the temple. It pained you, the thought of leaving him again. But he would be with Jaime and you knew Jaime would do anything to ensure that Tyrion stayed safe.

A gentle rap against Inniros’ door sounded before Vidarr poked his head in. “Sorry to interrupt but the Red Priest who presides over the dungeon would like to know what to do with the Fiery Hand you sent down there.”

Yes, there was still the issue of that Fiery Hand to deal with. You look down at Tyrion. “I’m afraid I must leave you in the watchful eye of someone else.”

“I can’t go with you?”

“The dungeons are no place for a young boy.” You told him and immediately saw the fight that was ready on his lips. Trying your best at a ‘stern big sister stance’, Tyrion bites back whatever words he had on the tip of his tongue for he respected and loved you too much to cause you any type of displeasure. “Hey, don’t worry. I’ll leave you off at the training grounds so you can watch the others. Jaime must already be there after this morning. You can always find Jaime there.

Stiffly, Tyrion nods. “Alright. But what about the egg? Inniros just said to be careful who you show it to.”

“The temple is safe. I have no enemies here.”

Even so, you knew you couldn’t walk around all day carrying the egg. Hopeful eyes glance at Inniros who was glaring at Vidarr from his spot on his bed. “Inniros, would you mind terribly keeping an eye on this?”

“An eye is all I have.” He murmurs but holds out his hands so that you could once again place it in his care although he seemed hesitant.

You thank him and take Tyrion by the hand. “Are you too old to hold your sister’s hand?”

“Never!” To reassure you, he gives your hand a little squeeze.

The both of you smile and walk out.

The training grounds were loud as ever with the vibrato of clanging swords and grunting men and women alike. On his typical bench under the shade, Nuahlin sits pleasantly. He watches the army that used to be under his authority which old age had stripped him of. Neither seemed to bother him though as he smiles amicably. Next to him is the tall priestess Siofra with her short curly hair that was uncharacteristically blonde for someone with such dark skin. There was always a priest or priestess with him as he was still highly revered.

Her dimpled smile emerges when she sees you and Tyrion approaching. “Hello nuha kosh!”

You lead Tyrion over to them, guiding him as his attention was on the skilled fighters. In the depths of the ring was Jaime having it out with Weles. As of late they had been consistent sparring partners and you knew that they had a sort of friendship budding quietly.

“Rytsas (Hello) Siofra, Nuahlin. I don’t think either of you have been officially introduced to my brother. This is Tyrion. Tyrion, Nuahlin used to be the commander of the Fiery Hands. It has now been passed down to Weles who you see sparring with Jaime. And this is one of the Red Priestesses, Siofra.”

Tyrion greets them and blushes when Siofra gushes over his two different colored eyes. “How interesting! One is black and the other is green like your sister’s.”

Nuahlin pokes at the small sword that hung off of his hip. “Do you know how to use that, byka azantys (little soldier)?”

“Somewhat.” He looks down momentarily at his stunted legs. “It was hard to learn because I’m a dwarf, but I had an excellent teacher who taught me the basics.”

Gently nodding his head, Nuahlin seemed to already know who Tyrion’s teacher was. “The Westerosi knight you traveled with.”

“Ser Barristan Selmy.” Tyrion nodded.

“Yes, Ser Selmy. What a shame he couldn’t stay longer. It would have been wonderful to watch him spar with the Fiery Hand. Watching Jaime when he first started here was quite entertaining. He fought stiff as a log, now look at him.”

You and Tyrion turn your head to watch said brother swipe a leg under Weles, making the captain momentarily slip but flipped back on to his feet. It was a challenge to knock Weles off balance, not many were capable of succeeding. In the flash of an eye, Weles’ curved blade strikes out at Jaime while the sword he held in his other hand jabbed near Jaime’s stomach. The blade only caught a piece of his robes, sending a ribbon of fabric drifting through the breeze. You even heard Tyrion suck in a sharp breath at the close call. Jaime was holding his own though and was equally fluid in his footwork. He had become such a beautiful fighter.

“I am excited to see what the Fiery Hand can do with you.”

“Even if I’m a dwarf?”

His smile was tender. “Yes, byka azantys. In the Fiery Hand, we accept everyone. Former slaves, vagabonds, you name it. As long as you show faith and work hard.”

You catch Siofra’s attention. “Do you mind keeping an eye on him? There is a situation that calls for my presence in the dungeons.”

“Of course nuha kosh. I will take good care of Lord Tyrion.” she smiles happily.

Patting your younger brother on the head, you tell him that you would see him in a little bit and to behave. He nods, partially listening to you but his gaze couldn’t be torn away from watching Jaime.

Silently making your way all the way down to the temple’s jail cells, you were greeted at the gate by a Fiery Hand who bowed at your appearance. You nod to them and offer a small smile before opening the door and going to a cell where you were told the offending warrior was being held. Guilt flickered inside of you that someone who had been so dedicated to R’hllor should be behind bars for simply voicing worry. You knew trusting Inniros may have been viewed as extreme and unwise. He had murdered a handful of Fiery Hands without much thought and so efficiently. The power of the darkin terrified them and made them angry that he had not had justice brought down upon him. Inniros still stood while they were forced to bury their brothers. What would the actual Azor Ahai done with this man?

Even facing him you still didn’t know what to do. You stared into his dark eyes that flickered with the torch’s dancing light. Tattoos showed devotion to the Lord of Light.

In Valyrian you ask what his name is. He lowers his gaze and replies “I am Tejas.”

You repeat his name, practicing it on your tongue. “I must apologize that I had to resort to sending you here-”

“While the darkin walks free above.”

Trying to mask the wince, you felt your heart race. “Yes. Inniros. I know the crime he has committed is unforgivable. Inniros has done many things to obtain riches. But even R’hllor is willing to give grace to someone who repents, is that not correct?”

“You don’t understand the dark side of the world because you are but a girl, even if you are Azor Ahai reborn. You are young and trusting. Too trusting. You might have been able to get away with it back in your land of Westeros where the people are soft. Not here. Men will forsake religion in order to obtain wealth beyond their wildest dreams. The darkin lies.” He spat out the last sentence. “They are lost in their ways and have forgotten who gave them their abilities in the first place. And yet you let one into the temple after he murdered the men in charge of protecting you.”

You were quickly losing your courage. “What’s the proof you have that all of them have lost their way?”

“Speak up." You heard your father’s voice ring in your ears.

“Speak up and look right into my eyes.”

There weren’t many times when you thought back fondly on your father Tywin Lannister. Yet you found yourself drawing on his strength and remembering his harsh words. For at that moment, you needed to be a little bit of your father if you were to get through this without looking weak. And Tywin was anything but weak.

Tejas presses his lips firmly together before answering “You really know nothing because you were born an outsider.”

You envisioned your father glaring down at you behind his massive desk. Pale green eyes made you want to cry. He hated when you showed any sign of cracking. A Lannister didn’t show their fear. Better yet, a Lannister didn’t have fear. Courageous like the lion on their crimson banners.

“Then tell me, Tejas. Educate me for the priests and priestesses don’t seem to be doing a good enough job to your liking.” Attempting to fix your face like Tywin’s had been when admonishing you, you forced yourself to become steely. Finely honed like a blade of Valyrian steel. You wouldn’t show Tejas how nervous you were. At that moment he was a five year old (y/n); cowering before her abrasive father.

He took on your challenge though, not prepared to let a little girl like yourself intimidate him. You weren’t a little girl. That was his mistake for thinking you a fool. You knew the dark, cruel side of the world. Had the wounds to show that you had survived. “When Azor Ahai died, they did not join the rest of R’hllor’s worshippers at the temple. They wanted to be their own agents, live in those haunted hills of Asshai. They left without a word.”

“That doesn’t necessarily mean they lost their way. I understand your doubt, but was it not I alone who stopped him from causing anymore damage? I put an end to his reign of terror. When he saw Lightbringer ablaze, he knew what he had done was an error. Let me ask you, do you doubt that I am Azor Ahai reborn?”

Flushing slightly, he scrambled for useful words. “I-I personally wasn’t there to see Lightbringer’s glory. . . but according to my brothers it happened.”

“That didn’t answer my question. Do you think me a fraud, Tejas?”

You were unnerving him now. “O. . . Of course I believe you are Azor Ahai reborn, nuha kosh.”

“Then trust that I know what I’m doing with the darkin. While they may not have allied themselves with the temple back then, they will now. Azor Ahai is back and they’ll obey the call when I go there. They were created to help Azor Ahai win against the Others. There’s a reason for everything, Tejas, and it might not be clear now. A bigger event is at play and while I mourn the loss of the men that died protecting me, there will be more lives lost in the upcoming battle and we need the darkin to ensure we don’t lose more lives than need be.” Despite your hands trembling at your sides, you kept your voice level as Tywin would have. “I will allow for your release, but don’t you dare question me again.”

Tejas immediately presses his forehead to the ground. “Yes, nuha kosh. Please forgive me.”

You paused a few steps away from the cellar’s door, up on the stairs that led back to the brightness of day. Heart still pounding and a fever on your cheeks, you took a deep breath as the rest of your body trembled. To be that tough had been hard to do. You knew that being like that was necessary in order to prove your authority. You couldn’t have your men thinking you as a sweet, stupid, girl from Westeros.

Still jittery, you carefully make your way back to retrieve your egg from Inniros. The guards greeted you a second time before letting you in. Inniros was stationed by a small window that was held above a table and chair. On his lap lay the beautiful fossil.

“Are you alright?” He questions when handing you the egg.

You nod. “I never thought I would ever say this, but I’m grateful for my father being who he is. He’s a bastard, but his men respect and fear him. I had no idea how much effort it was to be like that.”

“Because that’s not who you originally are.”

“It’s who I have to be though. If I want the Fiery Hands to respect me, I have to act like the Lord of Casterly Rock.”

“You don’t want to be like him. Your sister is like him and she was not the least bit pleasant to be around. I walked into the shadows in front of her just to wipe that conceited look off her face.” Inniros told you.

Only imagining the fright on Cersei’s face made you smile a little. “I bet that felt good.”

The faintest hint of a smile made the corners of his lips twitch upward. “Yes, it did.”

He must not be used to smiling for it was quick to disappear and Inniros turned his attention back to the window.

“By the way, your hair. . .’

His hand goes up to where his mass of scarlet dreadlocks once covered the right side of his face; concealing the eye that he was missing. “The priests shaved it.” That was all Inniros was willing to divulge. You didn’t press any further on the issue but you felt angry that the priests would do that to him. Now he acted even more self-conscious around you. You thought the two of you had made progress during your visits to his cell, now all that progress seemed to be lost. Like the shadows that bent at his will, his hair had acted as a security blanket that he could hide behind. At least it would grow back. Perhaps on your journey to Asshai it could reclaim its former glory. When you got back, you would have to discuss with the priests that Inniros’ hair was off limits unless he wanted to cut it.

“If anything else happens. . . please let me know.”

You catch his nod before you leave Inniros’ room to go fetch Tyrion.

Back on the sea again, it wasn’t the same without his small companion.

Selmy would every so often look down to his side, expecting Tyrion to be there gazing out at the glittering Sunset Sea that would lead him back home to Westeros and to an uncertain situation.

There was no reason to feel melancholy as his job was done and he could return to his post. That’s what he had wanted when he first started out on his journey. Selmy had wanted to get back as soon as possible so as to not procure the wrath of Aerys. Once Tyrion had joined him everything had changed. Barristan started to enjoy the travel, enjoyed in Tyrion and his incredible brain. If the boy had been born in a normal body, he would have gone places- no, he WOULD go places regardless. While his blades skill was nothing to brag about at least Tyrion would be able to go down fighting and not like a helpless lamb. He was safely with his family now, the only family that loved him. And Jaime, Jaime seemed to have changed for good.

Barristan had to restrain himself from glancing over his shoulder, back to where the Red Temple looked out over the ocean. By now it was probably just a speck in the horizon since he had been on the water for some time now. The priests were eager to get him out as soon as possible. Even with (y/n) claiming that he was a trusted friend, they seemed skeptical of his presence. The girl had become a deity to them. At least that was what Barristan surmised. No one had really answered his question on what (y/n) was to them. It was clear that she was incredibly important to everyone in the temple. Serving as her castle, (y/n) seemed to have the last say in many things and they waited on her every word. Ilta had been passionate about serving (y/n) and this Lord of Light.

A while later the horn that warned of an approaching ship was sounded. Whether it was a friendly ship or that of an enemy was still yet to be seen. The sound had roused Selmy from a nap he had tried to force upon himself. On his feet in a flash and sword shaft ready in his palm, he dashed back up to the deck. By that time the ship was closer that Barristan could discern purple sails. The closer it grew, Barristan realized that there was a silver sword and star emblazoned on the purple sails. It was House Dayne’s sigil. He couldn’t believe it yet there it was. Lady Ashara Dayne’s ship that had transported Selmy and Tyrion to Lys. He made sure to inform the captain that it was a friendly ship and to stop.

The ship that belonged to Ashara slowly pulled in next to Selmy’s and a long plank was thrown so that their lady could board.

Still a sight for sore eyes, Barristan’s heart beat faster as he had thought he would never see her again. Her long dark hair was pulled back into a ponytail to help relieve her of the stifling heat. Waves splashed against both ships that made the plank wobble a bit but Ashara didn’t seem to mind. With her knee high boots, she took casually calculated steps forward with perfect balance. There was no fear on her face that she would fall over. She wore a revealing gold gown that billowed from the sea breeze. Gold bangles around her wrists could be heard clinking together.

“You look as if you’ve seen a ghost, Ser.” She chuckles once she is assisted onto the deck. With her feet safely planted, she waltzes over to the surprised knight.

“Forgive me, my lady, but what are you doing out here? I thought you had returned to Starfall.”

Her smile was ever dazzling as she laughs again. “You can’t get rid of me that easily. No. . . Where is Vaiko?” Ashara looks around him, perhaps expecting the boy to be hiding. Her eyebrows flicker down when she does not see him.

What he told her wasn’t a particular lie but it did dodge around the truth of Tyrion’s situation. “He has family in Volantis who wished him to stay. He will be better off there as I must return to King’s Landing.”

Ashara nodded with acceptance but she still looked a little sad that Vaiko was no longer there. Much like how Selmy felt. “I’m afraid you won’t be returning to King’s Landing quite yet, Ser Barristan.”

He frowned. “And why is that my lady?”

Long lashes flick up revealing her rich colored eyes. “I need your help. Is there a place we can speak privately?”

The captain allowed the two to use his personal quarters. In there they were secure from prying eyes and ears.

“News has spread from Westeros that the young Prince Viserys and Princess Daenerys Targaryen have been abducted from Dragonstone.” She sits on the edge of the captain’s desk, her eyes drilling into Selmy with dark urgency. “I plan to find them and bring them to Prince Rhaegar and my brother Arthur. But I desire your help. While I have my own guards, it could never hurt to have the most renowned knight in all of the Seven Kingdoms by my side.”

It was a lot to take in in such a short amount of time. Selmy’s stomach sank at the thought of someone kidnapping Aerys’ children amidst a war. Friend or foe, it didn’t bode well. “They could be anywhere by now.”

She moves her hair off her shoulder with such flippant ease. “Precisely. I’ve already sent some of my men out to start the search. Any kind of rumor or tip, they will follow. I must do my part too.”

“Why would you want to bring them to Rhaegar?”

“You can’t be serious.” Ashara momentarily chuckles. “I wouldn’t even dream of giving them back to the Mad King. And you’re too good of a man to do that to them. Despite your vows, you know how twisted Aerys is. You know that Viserys and Daenerys would thrive with their brother. Anyway I hear the war has turned against Rhaegar for the meantime. Aerys is implementing his wildfire on the battlefield. Who knows how many lives have been taken from that damn wildfire.”

He heard the worry in her voice for her brother Arthur. Ashara cast her attention down to her boots, brows knit together in the center as she grimaces.

“I pray to whoever is listening that Arthur is safe. There has been no news on who is left in Rhaegar’s army. It scares me, Barristan. Even before you arrived in Starfall I worried about Arthur. He hasn’t written to me since Tumbleton. Now all is quiet and I am not home to receive any missives even if they come. If I can do one thing for him that may help turn the tides, I will do whatever is in my power. While the Targaryen siblings may not seem like much of a bargaining chip, I think just having them with Rhaegar will completely unsettle Aerys enough for him to make a stupid mistake. We just need an opening.” Her tears refuse to fall, instead making her eyes glitter like polished amethyst. “I want to see my brother alive after this is done. That is all I ask for.”

How could he deny Ashara Dayne anything when she was that close to tears yet looking so strong and resilient; a woman ready to take on the world. She was asking more of him than Varys had. Now she was asking him to be a turncloak and work with Rhaegar’s allies. If this plan of her’s succeeded, he would be participating in the undoing of Aerys. Barristan remembered the day he was sworn into the Kingsguard. What a joyous occasion it had been and what honor he felt when King Jaehaerys smiled down on him and placed the pristine white cloak around him. Times had been easier back then.

If Tyrion were there, he would have wanted him to do this. To do the right thing instead of turning a blind eye as his king burned people alive.

He just hoped that what Ashara had planned actually worked.

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[prue84]

The Current and Future Pendragons

Fandom: BBC’s Merlin (canon divergence, post-canon) AU AU: The Royal Husbands (Aithusa Pendragon)

High King Arthur Pendragon and the royal family of Camelot.

AU in which a series of canon divergences lead to Arthur surviving the mortal wound inflicted him by Mordred at Camlann and, with the help of Merlin who then becomes his Prince Consort, bringing the golden age foretold by the prophecies.

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Manip planned few years ago, but started on the prompt of @tavernfest​. It's all @papysanzo's fault on Tumblr for reblogging the May round. Also @merthurotica​, but their post on my RSS feed turned up later.

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More about the AU under the cut and also at the AU edit. (More fanworks from this AU at the links above) (All rambles and how this manip was made under the cut. Please suffer with me.)

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Arthur Pendragon, king of Camelot and High King of Albion. He successfully reunited the lands as the prophecies said, and also brought back magic. Few years after the victory of Camlann he married Merlin, who has become prince consort and second ruler of the kingdom. But, since unfortunately Merlin might be many things, but a woman with a womb he's not, Arthur (with Merlin) had to find a way to conceive a heir while being married to a man. Cue in Mithian, crown princess of Nemeth, equally saddled with the duty to give the throne a heir but uninterested in finding a husband trustful enough to sit at her side without potentially become a danger to her right to the throne. Together, the three of them reach an agreement that satisfies them all and they've been tight-close since. Their peculiar settlement initially was met with confusion and diffidence, but Mithian earned herself the thrust of everyone, and eventually the title of Queen of Camelot, third in line after Merlin. Peter is the first born of this union and rightful heir to the throne of Camelot. He's a talented swordsman but he suffered through all his teen years because of the never-ending comparisons with his warrior father who is on another fighting level. With age he learned to accept that he'll never be a war king and nobody ever asked him to become one either. He isn't his father, his name isn't part of legends or prophecies; he wasn't born to unite Albion but to keep it united once the Age of the Once and Future King sees its dawn. He will be a good and fair king for the peaceful times of the golden age, and his duty will be to make sure all his father - and his father's husband - sacrifices won't be wasted, that what they built is preserved. Susan was conceived because Mithian wanted both a heir for her to entrust Nemeth and a daughter. She's stubborn and strong but also capable of great empathy and kindness, as her mother and the Pendragon women (when they not meet High Priestesses who manipulate them). She's a formidable archer. Handsome Caspian, the son of Gwaine and Lady Vivian, is courting her and she welcomes this game, but Susan is enjoying too much her freedom to settle for a marriage and a family of her own. She has time though. Aithusa is the cute, small thing of the family, although she's actually the oldest of the new Pendragon generation - not counting the centuries spent in the egg that make her older than the castle of Camelot itself. As per usual with the dragon race, Aithusa's growth is stunned by her remaining with her parents. Only by being left on their own to tend to themselves, a dragonling is forced to grow. Thus, despite she was hatched on the dawn of the golden age, before Arthur married Mithian, she's still a dragonling that can fit Arthur's shoulders - her second favorite spot after the sling she made Arthur wear for years under his shirt. She learned the human language and can talk with her half-dragon impaired siblings Peter and Susan, but her speech pattern still needs some work. She doesn't care though. She's not so eager to leave the nest.

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Aithusa, (officially the ward of the king, unofficially considered by anyone in the court his scales-covered, flame-breathing daughter) is actually the eldest, since she was the first to come to the family. So yes, she's the older sibling. Make of this knowledge what you want. She also is firm that Arthur is a dragon, just one kind that looks like humans. But he's totally dragon. And if he doesn't breath fire or doesn't understand the dragon language, is all Uther's fault who didn't teach him his dragon gifts. Since Arthur is clearly a dragon, while Mithian sadly isn't, Peter and Susan are to her half-dragons. She still claims that it's because of the half human blood in their veins that they are impaired and don't have any dragon skill.

There's a fanfic for Aithusa as the (still only) daughter of the royal husbands during Father's Day, if you're interested.

When the time comes, and Arthur retires to Avalon to sleep, Peter will ascend as new king of Camelot, whose court will be moved to the renovated Castle of the Old Kings (or a new castle - still have to decide on this). Susan will succeed to Mithian on the throne of Nemeth. Aithusa will inherit the nest itself, the castle of Camelot, to own and protect until Merlin will be ready to make use of it.

I decided that Caspian would be Gwaine's (and Vivian's) son out of looks alone, and out of a (wrong) belief that he was meant to be Susan's love in Narnia. I never watched the second movie, and by the time I finally read the books, I didn't want to change it. For the same reason, I don't have a woman for Peter. A potential daughter of Gwen and Lancelot wouldn't be bad, but not necessary. (The AU idea ends with Arthur's travel to Avalon for his sleep and a mention of Peter moving the court to another castle, to then a time skip focusing on Merlin, so I didn't really focus on Peter's or Susan's life.)

While I'm writing this I wondered if Merlin wouldn't want to have a child so to kickstart the dragonlords kind (although, unless Magic changes its rules, the child would never inherit the dragonlord powers, since Merlin doesn't die). It never occurred to me before. I'm not sure he'd feel like having children, if he already knew that he would be immortal and he would then be forced to see his children grow old and frail and then die. But who knows. He could have one or more with Mithian, especially once Arthur is gone to Avalon. In case, Edward Pensive is there for the picking. Also Lucy.

About the AU When Lancelot is sent sent back to the world of the livings after he sacrificed himself to close the Veil, Gwen realizes that, between the two boys she loves, a relationship with a knight of humble origins has better chances than the one with a king that comes with a throne and a heavy kingdom, and so she picks Lancelot over Arthur. Arthur, who has given his blessing to the couple, doesn't find the time nor interest to find himself a wife and he's still a golden bachelor by the time Camlann happens. Merlin manages to save him and they eventually acknowledge their feelings. The Court backs Arthur's wish to marry a male servant on the premise that Arthur will pick a woman to give the kingdom a heir. And here comes Mithian, who might be more interested in women, so Camelot and Nemeth can make an agreement that will make both households happy. Since Mithian is wonderful, and fondness between her and the Royal Couple of Camelot grows, she's eventually given the title of Queen of Camelot, third in line after the King and the Prince Consort. Arthur and Mithian will have two children, the first born a male who will inherit Camelot and the second a daughter that will inherit Nemeth.

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Tec stuffs (aka Behind The Manip) Both a challenge and a nightmare. The original picture is four people. I needed five. Now, onto the specific characters - in order of making. Mithian, who had to be moved to make space for Merlin, was surprisingly easy to make. I wished to delete the lions on the dress, and replace them with either the Pendragon dragon or the Nemeth bull, but it was too much even for me, so I gave up. Removing them altogether felt odd - the dress is black with little movement, and without the lions it felt just one blotch of black. Susan. I'm not satisfied. The actress picture was perfect in pose but it has something in colors/lights that makes it stand out and look a bit more fake. Whatever. Peter. It took me a while to find the picture that would fit the body. Initially I kept the original body's curly hair, for I didn't feel like William Moseley's hairstyle would acceptable in a Medieval setting. But then I changed my mind, and remade it. He might be a bit too stocky for my liking but the body is that and making him less bulkier is out of option. On the chest the costume featured a cross: I erased it to be replaced it with the Pendragon dragon in the same style. Quite proud of how that turned out. Can't say the same for the sword. Yes, Arthur's son has a name sword which is coincidentally the sword of Peter Pensive. But the change was a given. Merlin was one challenge. I planned to use another body for his (the same king from Vikings but with another costume) but the picture just didn't work out. The one I chose... featured the man from the knees above. Which meant reconstruction for legs (which meant stealing the legs from Arthur's base - coincidentally it's always the same character!)... and the cloak. That was the true challenge! Also. I like how it turned out, but it just irks me that Colin doesn't look in the camera. But that picture was perfect and the result is fine. It did take me some tinkering to place the circlet but all in all I'm satisfied in how prince Merlin turned out. Bonus point for my headcanon marriage ring that didn't look good (the manip is too small for decent rings renderings), but I managed to add another from a jewelry maker that does rings in a style very similar to Ygraine's canon ring. Be sure to visit their Etsy and die. Ygraine's sigil, that replace the medallion the original body was wearing, is a given as well. Too bad we don't have a decent prop pic of it. Now. Arthur. Bloody Arthur. Tinkering with the original body to change colors from blue to red was funny. The rest NOT. Replacing the original sword with Excalibur, which was mandatory, gave a mild result. Ygraine's ring is there but, given the small size, isn't looking good enough. And those were the easy things! Because then it came the time to place bearded Bradley. Now. We do have few nice bearded Bradley pics, courtesy of the man himself, but they were mostly too small to work with in this manip - and/or in poses that wouldn't fit the body. You might say: there's Vikings: Valhalla. No, my friend. I downloaded ALL the screencaps available and very few worked, and - given the costume the character wears, there was never a inch of Bradley's bearded neck. In the end I worked with one of the pics Bradley released on Instagram. A pic with a black background in which bear and hair blended in. And an hard shadow on the right side of the face. A nightmare to cut, a nightmare to fix. And then the crown. The crown comes from The Hollow Crown. It looks similar but it isn't the same refurbished prop (different decorations, slightly different proportions of the fleur-de-lis). Years ago, when I saw the pics, I decided this would be older!Arthur's crown, for it's more regal with its fake gems and golden coating. There wasn't a pic with the proper perspective, so I had to tweak it a bit. It doesn't look awful, mind me, but I feel something's off with how it's placed on Bradley's head. I can't tell what, though - I used one of Arthur's coronation pics as reference while working, but still I can't fix what's wrong. In hindsight I wonder if I should've used a crowned Arthur pic with the original crown and be done with it. And then Aithusa. We literally have two pics of her, unless you want to work with night/dark screencaps. I knew where I wanted to have her, no idea how to. Still not happy. Does she looks fake? Yes. But at this time I just gave up. Whatever. (Besides, the other options didn't work. Her standing promo pic at Arthur's feet? Her fore legs are in a different perspective. Her standing promo pic on Arthur's shoulders? There was enough space, her head would be cut out from the picture and there was no way to extend the base pic by 50px, that specific background is a bitch to work with).

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Credits

1. + 18. Vikings, season 4 promo pictures. ( farfarawaysite.com/section/vikings/gallery4/gallery21/gallery.htm ) 2. Janet Montgomery from Salem, season 1 promo picture. ( farfarawaysite.com/section/salem/gallery1/gallery14/gallery.htm ) 3. Anna Popplewell from Reign, season 1 promo picture. ( farfarawaysite.com/section/reign/gallery1/gallery1/gallery.htm ) 4. Vikings, season 2 promo picture. ( farfarawaysite.com/section/vikings/gallery2/gallery1/gallery.htm ) 5. Colin Morgan from We Hunt Together. ( farfarawaysite.com/merlin/actors/colin/filmtv3/gallery.htm ) 6. The Hollow Crown, season 1 - Henry V. ( farfarawaysite.com/section/hollow/gallery1/gallery3/gallery.htm ) 7. Merlin, deleted scene - screencap. (Merlin's Keep at Far Far Away) 8. Spinner ring by artisanlook on Etsy. ( etsy.com/listing/462981991/spinner-ring-ruby-ring-silver-band ) 9. William Moseley from Bonnie Paul's 'It Was Love, Now It's War' Music Video photoshoot. ( justjared.com/photo-gallery/2650927/william-moseley-bonnie-paul-it-was-love-now-its-war-01 ) 10 + 11. The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian original prop (Peter’s sword and scabbard). ( uk.propstoreauction.com/view-auctions/catalog/id/78/lot/18159 ) 12. Merlin, original prop. (Merlin's Keep at Far Far Away) 13. Bradley James, photoshoot by Jose Palma (2021). ( instagram.com/p/CVvMc_AMC8m ) 14. Merlin, season 2 promo picture. (Merlin's Keep at Far Far Away) 15. The Hollow Crown, season 1 - Henry VI. ( farfarawaysite.com/section/hollow/gallery2/gallery2/gallery.htm ) 16. Bradley James from Vikings: Valhalla, 2x06 - screencap. ( kissthemgoodbye.net/PeriodDrama/index.php?cat=510 ) 17. Merlin, 4x11 - screencap. ( kissthemgoodbye.net/merlin/index.php ) 19 + 20. Merlin, creature picture. (Merlin's Keep at Far Far Away)

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Crossposted Livejournal: prue84.livejournal.com/97890.html Dreamwidth: prue84.dreamwidth.org/89442.html Deviantart: deviantart.com/prue84/art/The-Current-and-Future-Pendragons-964446326

[angrennufuin]

Party Dossier: Cinders

[How Aysel would describe:] [as of the ship battle/search for Halberd]

Brân

[they/them, ??? (changeling) beast-path barbarian/Archfey warlock]

A mysterious figure clad in shadow-colors, with incredible strength and power in battle. They’re touched by something unworldly. Their reflection doesn’t always match reality. They have no memory of their past. None of this excuses them being so Goddamn tall! Oddly nice for someone clearly being whispered to by dark forces, and I should know.

Gawain

[she/her, goblin artificer]

Little spitfire. Bit me on the ship over here, which I think was more a feral defense response than actual aggression. Missing two out of four limbs, don’t know why yet. She seems Cannith-aligned and I don’t have any patience for houses, but it’s fun to have someone sworn to me by blood oath… if that is what the friendship pin situation was about. And I believe we share a certain element of chaos in our souls.

Harth

[she/her, half-elf forge cleric]

A quiet little mouse of a house mage. Maybe an ex-house mage now? Priestess of Onatar, how boring, but fun to tease. Desperately afraid of getting into trouble. Afraid of lightning, too -- I think she felt the kiss of my God in that accident she talks about. Isn’t she tired of being nice? Doesn’t she just want to go apeshit? Or is she actually as boring as she acts?

Haze

[he/him, kalashtar monk, way of the ascendant dragon]

For a guy whose midriff is always out, he’s a total square. Every time I say something outlandish, he looks like I personally ruined his beauty sleep, which is obviously a reason to keep doing it. Used to live in a monastery but he’s not spiritual. Fights barehanded, and therefore not to be underestimated. Nice hair.

Ishtar

[she/her, minotaur inquisitive rogue/fighter]

Pretty minotaur. We share a similar ethos on earrings and dramatics. Seems kind of nerdy and know-it-all, but I get the impression the all she knows is from books. That said, she’s been shockingly competent thus far, and sometimes you need a nerd to figure out stupid wizard puzzle bullshit. Goddamn can she sprint.

[metaphysicalpistolsoraclemine]

Atlantian Cataclysm, the Dark Age

Approximately 50,000 years ago, the NAA began the genocidal agenda to eradicate Celtic Kings Grail DNA and Melchizedek Christ Teachings from Atlantis, with RH Negative tracking, spreading disinformation, and destroying the records of humanity’s star origin and historical artifacts. See Historical Timeline Trigger Events and Ascension Timeline Rebellion.

During the Atlantian Cataclysm cycle, after they conquered Solar Dragon Queen Merida and stole the 11D Emerald Founder Records that were entrusted in her Guardian protectorate, this was the last stand of the Solar Feminine Melchizedek’s that embodied the Blue Staff of Mu’a. The 11D Arthurian Grail lines are the Celtic-Druid Grail Bloodlines that reside within Ireland and Scotland, which has the highest percentage of people with naturally red hair. Thus, sadly the ongoing covert genocidal agendas to eradicate these lineages that hold the genetic records of the Celtic-Druid Grail Bloodlines have a long history of repeated campaigns known as the Celtic Massacres and Druid sacrifices.

The Dracs went to the Lemurian continent to finish off the genocidal massacres in Kauai some 22,000 years ago, in order to kill off all the remaining tribes of Solar Female Melchizedek’s that were also Mu’a staff holders. This was to prepare for a completely patriarchal society on Earth as run by the invaders which formed into the Atlantian Brotherhood of the Snake containing; Nibiruians, Thothian Leviathans and those connected to the Orion Group who later formed the Luciferian Covenant. This was the final genocide of the matriarchal society lineage of Solar Female Melchizedeks running civilizations on the Earth surface, that was aided by the Annunaki negotiations and agreements, and was the last stage of the Lemurian Holocaust and the end of the Atlantian Golden Age.

After the utter destruction during the Atlantian Cataclysm, the NAA brought in the Moon craft which generated the dreaded lunar female principle, enabling the Moon Chain parasitic infiltration with Sexual Misery programming and the rapidly growing satanic force infection that resulted over the next thousands of years. The insertion of the Lunar Matrix was accomplished in part through dragging in the Moon satellite, to be used as a base of operations and for transmitting lunar broadcasts for magnetic field manipulation and Mind Control programs on NAA’s Prison Planet. Over generations, this digressed the human female principle through merkaba magnetic spin damage, molecular compaction, and associated reproductive distortions as lunar forces filled up the breath channel, sacral energy center and womb.

Most women on the planet lost control over their conscious choice to have sex, their higher participation in when to reproduce and bear children, and thus became enslaved through the NAA’s assorted Genetic Modifications for Breeding Programs and Alien Hybridization agendas, with their violent rape and misogynistic mindset being instilled into the population. Patriarchal organized religions, spiritual leaders or shamans started to crop up with narratives that women were infiltrated with unclean spirits, menstruation and black holes existing inside their wombs, making them prone to demonic Possession and committing evil deeds. Thus, it was commonly thought that women were not to be trusted, were less than men, committed the original sin by disobeying God, and could not become enlightened or spiritually developed, thus they had to be owned and dominated by male brute strength. The Solar Feminine Melchizedeks who were commonly holding powerful roles supporting their community as legitimate Mother of Dragons and as the High Priestesses intermediating between the earthly kingdoms and Mother- Father God, were targeted for extermination.

Such are the many histories across the globe that ensued with the stories of female witch hunts and erupted hysterias of false accusations made of women supposedly doing the devils work, through which to effectively persecute and kill off the solar female with embodied sophianic wisdom, not unlike the misogynistic targeting that still persists even today.

This twisted NAA misogynistic narrative sourced in regard to this horrible history of lunar infection, of SRA human Blood Sacrifice and Moloch tanks that corrupted the planet, was indeed very damaging to the inner female principle existing within both the male and female biology. It is accurate to say in some cases, that the heavy distortions of human race Miasma and the lunar magnetic spin in the lower section of the female reproductive organs made sacral solarization and lunar Transfiguration of the breath channel much harder to achieve for women, unless they were holding Solar Feminine Melchizedek genetic records within their Lightbody.

[forgottenamira]

Amira, Witch-Queen of Kolchis

headcanon time!! ok so this has the chance to get loooong so imma spare us aLL and bulletpoint this one, but everyone and esp @forgottenedmund as both admin and the other person currently playing a calainon, lmk what you think bc this might just be ~too insane and idk what you have planned etc alskdjflkjsdfjkdf

KOLCHIS & INTRO

house calainon does not exist or, it perhaps once did, but if it ever truly did, the ages have turned its true history to legend and myth

nonetheless, amira and her brothers make claim to that descent through one tenuous proof: witchcraft

while, given her husband's acute hatred of all seers, this might seem a great shock, this is also the truth, and it is (part of) why amira so tenaciously clings to the memory of her grandmother's gift

so real talk, im using kolchis as the place-holder name for the place amira's from (yes i ~did lift that from greek myth and just partially changed the spelling and no i will ~not apologize ;D), but im picturing an ancient athens meets mythological colchis meets constantinople/the byzantine empire w/ just a dash of ptolemaic alexandria sdlkafjskljdfjkdsf gotta grab all my greek-rooted mega cultures ig laksdjfkjlsdf (and yeah im sure the soldiers there def dip into sparta shhhh) so yeahhhh when you picture amira growing up, its that

CALAINON

in ages past, it is written, there once lived a young and ambitious warlord, called calainon, who is said to have conquered the known world (think alexander the great meets achilles meets hercules meets oedipus meets pelops meets atreus etc etc)

many legends speak of this ambitious fellow, holding often that he was the son of a god and a mortal woman, that he was possessed of superhuman strength and skill and daring, and that no mere mortal could stand before him

while there is no certainty, in truth, that this person ever did exist, it is said that he was the founder of the great city of kolchis, which he made the center of his great empire and that he built the still unfinished, storm-struck tower which was, for many eons, the highest building in all the world and called the stair of calainon (as according to legend he had built it as an attempt to reach the heavens and tear the gods from their holy temples in the skies)

there are two versions of the tales of calainon -- one in which he is cast as a tragic hero, and another in which he apears as a twisted villain

known to history both as calainon the deathless (for it is said that he groans still, buried deep in the bowels of the earth, half unable to die as his father was a god and half unable to live as his mother was a mortal) or, more popularly, cursed calainon the balsphemer

it will probs not surprise you to learn that calainon has always been a great hero of roderick's and thus that, tying his own burgeoning legend to the great calainon's, was a very appealing prospect to roderick

many hero-kings, horrific monsters, celebrated seers, cruel despots, and tragic martyrs of myth and legend are said to have descended from the house of calainon, and it is said that the line of calainon will endure until the end of all time for, cursed though they may be, half-gods they once were also

yet, if any of them ever did exist, it is ages past since any of them were known, save one source: local legend of kolchis speaks of the high priestesses of kolchis...

CALAINON THE VILLAIN

often held up as an example of hubris, calainon dared so much that the gods, themselves, stepped in

a great war took place and, it is oft said in kolchis that calainon committed the heresy of not merely daring to lock away the gods -- a heroic act -- but of attempting to steal their power

all of this he attempted w the erstwhile help of the guardian of kolchis known as the kolchian dragon

some myths hold that the great poisonous drake aided him only in sealing away the gods, and he forced the guardian's hand in attempting to steal the power of the gods

but others hold the guardian wished to aid him in both quests

tales disagree as well on how much calainon achieved: did he manage to seize for himself the power of the gods, or did he fail?

all sources agree on one thing however: there was a titanic battle fought amongst the clouds. the earth shook, lightning broke the fortress below, tidal waves sweeping the broken battlements away, and whole islands were drowned in the uproarious fury of the gods

but ultimately, though sealed away, the gods prevailed and cast down the heretic calainon in his hubris, imprisoning him forever beneath the earth

in his defeat, they cursed him, blinded him, and buried him alive, hurled from the heavens into the abyss of the earth (think: fall of lucifer sort of imagery)

in some variants, the gods also cursed his bloodline forever after, but this is another point upon which there are several variants

CALAINON THE HERO & THE HIGH PRIESTESS OF KOLCHIS

one of the many myths of calainon relates to an unending fire and a dragon, and it is in this version of the story (which happens to be roderick's favorite), that calainon appears not as a villain, but as a hero

in this legend, calainon's war with the gods is a fight for freedom, suppressing the deities with the help of kolchis' legendary guardian, known most often as the kolchian dragon

in the tragedy of the great calainon, he fights the gods only to be cast down in their vengeance, but not before sealing them away forever

in this version it is said that his warrior's spirit shall someday be reborn in a new form to lead the world once again (i invite you to guess how roderick might think he could potentially tie into this myth ;DDD)

according to a local legend in the great city of kolchis, before launching his campaign against the gods, calainon as god-king of kolchis appointed his eldest daughter, arsinoe, as high-priestess

she was a great seeress, famed for her wisdom and power, whose responsibility it was to tend the sacred eternal flame at the shrine of the kolchian dragon

hers was a fiery offering to keep the dragon-guardian strong against the fearsome gods, where her female descendants (for in kolchis it is held that a true seer must be a woman) shall forever after continue her great work, tending the eternal flame to assure that it may never go out or the kolchian dragon, the great guardian, will fade to nothing and die and, it is said, upon that day the gods will be unleashed and bring apocalypse upon the mortals who dared give them chains

this flame was a great bonfire at the center of the shrine, so vast that in ancient days, it was said that it could be seen in every part of the old city, a beacon that never went out

according to this legend, it is the divine blood of calainon which gives a seer her powers and, thus, it is believed -- according to this obscure kolchian legend -- that every single kolchian witch may trace her descent back to mighty calainon

A THOUSAND THOUSAND YEARS PASS...

in roderick's day, the most recent high priestess (sometimes called the 'fire-keeper' or 'witch-queen' of kolchis) was none other than the seeress who was amira's grandmother, with amira seemingly destined to be the next high priestess after her

while once the high priestesses of kolchis were revered, regarded almost like oracle of delphi meets melisandre of asshai-type figures, and each was regarded as the chief and best mystical advisor to the so-called god-kings of kolchis (so called bc it was calainon half-god who had established kingship in kolchis)

these priestesses were known as a powerhouses in their own right, the last known vestiages of calainon himself, ruling the hearts of the people of kolchis, and running a powerful temple overflowing with priestesses and acolytes, almost a small religious city within the greater city, itself, leading to them being known to outsiders as the 'witch-queen of kolchis'

yet by the time of amira's birth, the position had centuries since lost any luster, becoming a ruin of its former self

as the old religion faded into only memory anywhere but astaira, the high priestesses came to be despised, an embarrassing reminder of an age of backwater supersticion compared to the cosmopolitan center kolchis had became and wished to be

without the temple economy still running strong, kolchis' stratification intensified, till it was said that in kolchis, the rich fed not on fruits but on the poor

still worse for the temple, itself, nearly a thousand years ago, a war of religion broke out and the temple was sacked, much of it pulled down and the rest -- though marble -- burned (fun fact: marble ~will burn if the fire is hot enough) till all that was left of the erstwhile 'jewel of kolchis' was a crumbling, burned out shell of its former self. still, the high priestesses endured in the slums, and still the eternal flame burned on

the old city, where the ruined temple was located, was now located in the slums and grime of kolchis amongst its most dangerous dark corners

there, only the lost or the most daring would venture: the ruinous temple of the dragon and its keepers were seen as a supersticious and untrustworthy lot who lurked in the shadows, preying upon unsuspecting tourists

pick-pockets, liars, and harlots who played at mysticism and fortune telling to make off with valuables and steal souls, so the supersticion ran, for their dark, twisted magic

THE LIFE & TIMES OF AMIRA CALAINON

it is with this reputation and in this situation that amira and godfrey grew up, doing their utmost to protect little tristan from the sad truth of the world around them

their father had disappeared when tristan was a babe at the breast, likely murdered in the dangerous streets where they lived, while fleeing with what few valuables the family had left

their mother, the high priestess's only child, died of the pox while her children were still quiet small

thus, though blind and decrepit, it fell to their grandmother to raise her grandchildren

not thinking much of men in general, and regarding the sight as the realm of women anyway, as the kolchian culture long had held, the grandmother relied largely upon amira, training her in what arts she could with the expectation that, someday, amira's magic would show itself

a true believer, her grandmother was sure that, as the last female calainon, amira must be a witch or else the line of high priestesses would die with the grandmother, herself, unless amira were to produce a seer for a daughter

not wishing to surrender her only utility to an unborn daughter who may never even arrive, amira did her best to play along as a witch

a thing which exulted her in her grandmother's eyes who, though she loved her grandchildren fiercely, regarded only other seers as her equals

amira learned to read bones and fires and stars for potential futures (or at least to guess at them)

she learned to read people and 'see' in their futures what they wanted

she learned trickery and slight of hand and, perhaps most of all, she learned about poisons

such things were sacred to the kolchian dragon, known for poisonous fangs and breath and fire hot enough to melt the bones even of beings divine and cold as winter

meanwhile, living in extreme poverty, godfrey and amira learned to lie, to steal, to spy, and to cheat simply in order to subsist

RODERICK

by the time roderick invaded, things were desperate indeed

the star of the cosmopolitan center of kolchis, even, was well into its decline

kolchis had become so corrupt and top heavy that the rich knew little at all of what their ppl suffered -- and cared even less -- living in sublime luxury while everything they sat upon rotted beneath them

still, the god-king was eager to keep what little was left of his so-called empire, now reduced only to a single city

it was soon quite clear that kolchis was roderick's target

the god-king sent many troops to die in vain upon the teeth of roderick's armies, but nothing he did would hold the young would-be conqueror back

at last, with roderick upon him, the god-king ordered the impregnable gates of kolchis closed and laid in wait for a siege

the people in the streets began to starve -- and soon enough amira's own grandmother succumbed

but watching their grandmother slowly die, amira and godfrey had already long since sprung into action, lying and deceiving their way into the palace as servants

there they watched and listened and plotted, aligning themselves with a growing restless movement amongst the poor who meant to tear their god-king down w them

so it was that the common ppl stormed the god-king's castle, killing his guards and his ministers and hanging their bodies from the high walls and trees of of kolchis (yes this is a golden fleece reference)

ultimately, guided by amira and godfrey who knew the freedom fighters of kolchis could not possibly overpower roderick, the god-king's head was delivered to roderick as a gift, and the gates opened to him, inviting him inside as their celebrated and longed-for emperor, with amira as the chief intermediary sent to treat with him given her status as high priestess of kolchis

seeing an opportunity, amira immediately set about seducing the emperor, cleopatra and anne boleyn-style

while also taking full advantage of the local legend she'd heard from her grandmother, and introducing herself as amira calainon, supposedly acknowledged descendant of calainon, the first god-king of kolchis

she was willing to bet, afterall, that roderick probably admired and wished to associated with himself. she wasn't wrong.

so she brought him a head and a crown of laurel leaves and slowly made herself a queen

amira crowned roderick king of kolchis (roderick abolishing all use of the term 'god-king'), herself, in her role as high priestess of kolchis, in the sight of all the kolchians, at the ancient temple of the dragon which roderick had had esp restored for the event

before her marriage, she appointed an acting high priestess to keep the eternal flame burning

which roderick permits as a cultural tradition relating to the cultural hero, calainon, his own relative by marriage

a connection sealed with the birth of their son, edmund

VENGEANCE -- OR FEAR

to be clear, amira is not in love with roderick (they have some weird twisted thing that i could write its own novella on probs but that's for another time), he is the means to an end. for one thing, with one move she had gone from desperately clinging to survival in the slums to one of the richest and most powerful women in the known world, but this was not her only goal in wedding roderick.

amira wants money, she wants power, and she wants revenge. she wants vengeance on roderick, as she blames him (as well as the god-king of kolchis, but she's already wreaked her vengeance upon ~him) for the death of her grandmother, the only person besides godfrey who ever really looked out for amira, and certainly the only one who ever saw smth superior to all others in her.

she also wants revenge against all those -- and even the symbols of those -- who held her head underwater so long so that they, themsleves, could breathe

amira enjoys, endorses, and encourages all of roderick's worst traits bc his zest for conquest is a weapon she wields against the rest of the world. now ~she's the the one holding ~their heads underwater. bitch.

but most of all she wants revenge upon the world for allowing any of it to happen

she means to wait a long time to avenge herself on roderick, himself. when she is ready, he will die, as will all of his children save her own, and edmund will reign at last, and they will finally, finally be untouchable.

in the end, however, even amira's quest for vengeance is rooted in the deep horror she cannot face, the fear that she, too, will be conquered, defeated, helpless, and left to starve to death w the only ppl she truly loves in the fetid streets, just like the only woman who ever loved her.

however, she seeks always to project strength (even to herself!), as it is an armor, her last line of defense, to prevent this from happening, so she will stop at nothing, doing literally whatever it takes, to see her goals met bc then and only then will she be truly safe, or at least as safe as anyone in this world can ever be, with edmund as emperor

as a result, she is always quick to remind herself that it is vengeance and not safety she truly seeks -- but is that really true?

[lrdvyke]

stats.

STR 15 ( +1 ) DEX 20 ( +3 ) CON 17 ( +3 ) INT 17 ( +3 ) WIS 15 ( +2 ) CHA 20 ( +5 ) proficiency ( +6 ), armor class ( 18 )

saves.

dexterity ( +9 ), constitution ( +7 ), charisma ( +8 )

skills.

acrobatics ( +11 ), athletics ( +7 ), insight ( +8 ), intimidation ( +11 ), medicine ( +8 ), survival ( +9 )

class. paladin ( lvl 5 ), sorcerer ( lvl 15 ) details. oath of devotion, draconic bloodline ( bronze, lightning damage ), wild magic ( frenzied flame homebrew ) languages. common, draconic weapons. war spear, gravel stone seal

story.

a lone adventurer who can be hired muscle for select jobs that he finds worthy, Vyke moves around Faerûn as if there is a known heading in mind. a look towards the distance, guided by something but he will not say what no matter how pressed he is. does he even know? what he does tell is that he came from the north, an area known only as the Badlands, escaping a tribe under its rather brutal chieftain, Hoarah Loux, but the rest is left to guessing. Vyke's kin are the nightfolk who were said to bleed silver and the ones who kept count of the stars, hoping for a day they would soon return. a nebulous concept, one that Vyke found wanting, which only further pushed his desire to move forward, away from the north, towards a better odd in life than the one he was given at birth. thus, he finds himself in more populated areas to lend his hand and spear to those who desire it, following an oath of devotion he made with himself to do what his fellows will not. yet his selfless loyalty leads him down a path deeper and deeper—the cult of the dragon was first, for the love of a priestess, he only knew later was a metallic dragon, who taught him the ways of the draconic bloodline sorcery that he could tap from within himself with her blessing. but the wandering continues. friends are made, friends are lost, but still he continues on without pause. he circles back around, he meets another in a small village upon the outskirts who fears whoever is after her, but she does not name her pursuer nor does she say why they pursue, but Vyke desires to do what he can for another blossom of love is there to force a heart to action. just like with everyone else, he expends every effort for another with little questions asked. so she whispers to him of a secret below the earth, seemingly further than the underdark, further still somehow; there rests a god who would grant him strength enough to save her. so he takes the plunge. and somehow he comes back out alive, yet changed beyond all sense with burned skin and eyes with sickly yellow flames within them. though he returns to a corpse with blood on his hands, and the madness burning deep within his chest comes forth in its burst of wild magic. the screams do not stop. the small village succumbs, bows underneath the unknown frenzied god and joins Vyke in the ceaseless screams that even the rats themselves carry within themselves. a divert in the path: was he killed when found? or was he taken to Revel’s End and jailed there? was the seal within his hand cut out, or was it taken and locked away just like he was? if he was jailed, would he be let out and allowed to live outside another day, or will he be killed inside the small cell? it seems his life is in another's hands once again, unable to keep count of the stars...

[anadorablekiwi]

Genshin Impact Lore and Theories: Sangonomiya Kokomi

Spoiler-free overview: why Kokomi is so powerful (for example walks on water in burst), and why her constellation is a dragon

Mention of Neuvillette

Spoiler analysis under the cut

So the theory that Kokomi is the hydro dragon has been circulating for a while now, but with the release and confirmation of Neuvillette being the Dragon Sovereign of Water (Reborn) i wanted to research and revisit this theory and found some interesting things

First off: her constellation

Pretty self explanatory lol

Second: the Dragon Sovereigns

The only Dragon Sovereigns that we confirmed know of are Apep the Dendro Dragon and Neuvillette the Hydro Dragon. Dvalin and Azdaha being dragon sovereigns are theories that have not been officially confirmed in game yet. There’s also the Dragon King whom doesn’t seem to have an associated element, Nibelung

We do not know anything (even among theories that i know of) about the electro, pyro, or cryo dragon sovereigns

Also, the dragon corpse killed by Ei that is connected with Watatsumi island, Orobashi, is Not a dragon sovereign.

Orobashi is a dragon unrelated to the Seven Sovereigns, who became the dragon god of the people of Enkanomiya/Watatsumi

Fun fact, watatsumi coral was broken off from Orobashi (by orobashi) in order to create an island for its people to live on

Sangonomiya Kokomi

If she’s not the hydro dragon, is she even a dragon?

My theory is Yes, and you may have seen this coming but i think she is Orobashi reborn, or at least was born with its powers (descendant maybe?). Or perhaps a secret third option

As the Divine Priestess of Watatsumi, it would make sense that she would have a connection to the deceased dragon god her people worship.

Secret third option: Draw from its power, thus becoming a dragon by default (she has additional power within her that is yet to be unlocked, a ‘sleeping dragoness’ so to speak yet to be awoken)