#ask papa nihil

[papa-0-nihil]

Nihil how tf did you fumble the bag with sis. Imperator she's so hot and your...not.

I was hot back then!! And honestly...... I was just way to hypersexual- Saw pretty girl, kissed her, angry wife and angry life...

I'm working on it though!!!! (she does NOT want me....)

[ficandkaboodle]

At least once every day, I think about Primo’s costume and Nihil’s costume and I almost want to laugh because just look at this shit

The contrast is just wild.

Primo’s costume is exactly that: It’s made with that same shiny materials as a Disney Princess dress-up outfit is. Meanwhile, Nihil’s is all extravagant and I look at that and I’m like “Yeah, that is indeed a Satanic Pope of the Satanic Church, mhm.”

And I absolutely understand why this is. I completely understand that when Tobias started Ghost, there just wasn’t enough in the budget for something too insane. I mean, Primo’s mask is a generic old man’s. They just needed enough of the costume to communicate what they were about and, for as costumey (derogatory) as it was, it did just that. Well done, Tobias and Primo.

But then. Ghost’s costuming just gets more and more intense and ornate with each passing guy until you wind up with Copia, who is essentially a blue art deco disco ball.

So you kinda just. Have to look at Primo and try to reconcile some sort of in-universe explanation as to why his father and brothers are all dripped to the devils while he’s. Like that.

Personally, I like the idea that his devotion to Satan means he doesn’t care as much about his appearance because, in his mind, obsessing over detail distracts from his message about his god.

Or, better yet, as we recognize that Primo was actually batshit insane and hated people, he probably was just asked by the satanic tailors what touches he would like done to his chasuble and he just went “Idfc we’re all trash and are gonna die anyway, just make sure it has red on or or whatever 😒”

[emeritus-fuckers]

The papas (plus sister because she needs more love) - A new ghoul gets summoned but they seem more shy and afraid, how would they react?

Papas and Sister Imperator with a shy, freshly summoned ghoul

Primo (he/him)

He knows what to do, he's seen it once before, but a long time ago.

Sometimes Ghouls just are really shy at first, and scared. Of course they are, the Ministry is a whole different world to them.

You ran straight off and hid. It took Primo a few hours searching to find you hiding in a secluded spot in the garden.

Primo left you there to get used to things and went back to his garden shed. He brewed a very special tea, he wasn't too fond of the smell but that's because it wasn't meant to appeal to him.

He went back to the your hiding place and left a cup just in reach. He smiled as you reached a clawed hand out to take it.

The next day Primo left the cup of tea so it was just out of your reach. You slowly came out to take it and caught sight of Primo.

He smiled and gestured to say it was just him, you looked back at the tea and then to Primo before settling down on the soft summer grass.

"Let me show you around?" Primo says with a kind smile. "I promise you, it will all be okay. And if it ever gets too much you can always come back here. I won't tell a soul that this is your spot and I will bring you tea whenever you need it."

You smiled and swished your tail. With Primo's steadying influence you started to slowly come out of your shell and bond with the other Ghouls.

Secondo (he/him)

You blink open your eyes as you lie on the cold stone and see the most terrifying Papa. His stern gaze and piercing stare had you running for the nearest shadow.

Secondo lets out a huffing sound and orders everyone from the room.

He sits down next to you and to your suprise his expression has softened. "I know its a big change."

You just kind of nod, still very confused by the man.

"And there is a lot to get used to. But there are a lot of exciting things here too and more importantly nice people..." Secondo seems to stop himself saying the rest of the sentence, which would have probably been 'as annoying as they all are'.

You wait for him to carry on and then he says "I will introduce you to my most trusted Ghoul and you will not shy away. In return I can promise you that they will take care of you and look after you, you have nothing to fear. Also, no one will expect you to introduce yourself or talk to them until you are ready to do so."

You nod, still scared but Secondo's gaze is so steady you just trust him, he is Papa after all, the one who summoned you.

Thankfully you settle in well and once you are more relaxed Secondo lets you see his party animal side. Which surpirses you all over again. Who knew he could be like that, eh?

Terzo (he/they)

They really count on Omega in situations like these.

While Terzo has a sort of magnetism that pulls people to him, especially when he flirts like a kindergartener (informing someone about a hole in his shoe, for example), but he also recognizes that a big, strong ghoul might help a new, shy one open up.

And Omega is very inviting unless he's pissed off. Which he never is, if Terzo's in the room. If Terzo's around, Omega is happy. It's a simple equation, really.

And Omega is also very welcoming. You end up feeling safe with their presence pretty soon.

You also end up getting adopted. it's not up for discussion.

Enjoy your new dads, I guess.

Copia (he/him)

Copia has summoned plenty of ghouls by now. He's got experience with the shy ones, too.

Although his previous originally shy ghoul (Phantom) had relatives in the Ministry already, so that was a bit easier.

This time, he's on his own with it.

He just chills in the room, leaving snacks nearby as he just sits in the corner of his room, playing something on an ancient-looking gameboy.

He's just there, not invading your space. It's a bit like with a new puppy.

Eventually, you get closer, stealing his snacks and slowly trying to look at the screen of his console.

And after that, it all goes easy. Yolu eventually get more and more comfortable with him.

You get really involved in the game, too. Copia's not allowed to finish it, watching him play is your comfort source.

Not that he minds, he fucking sucks at that game.

Old Nihil (he/him)

He is just confused, really confused why as to why you are hiding all the time. Normally when freshly summoned, Ghouls have far too much energy and want to see everything.

"Seeeestor, why is the Ghoul broken?" He asks her. She tuts and explains you are not broken just shy.

So Nihil decides to try and help.

He sits near where he knows you hide in the shadows and tells you stories of his youth.

Sometimes these stories are long and rambling and you fall asleep.

Other times they are really interesting and excitng and you find yourself coming out of the shadows to listen.

Nihil grins at you and offers to introduce you to some people he thinks you'll like.

Young Nihil (he/him)

He doesn't really think anything of it, all the Ghouls are odd and different in their own way. Which he loves, all so unique.

He'll just sit with you and offer you a drink or something stronger.

At first you think he is just doing this to help you settle in, but then you realise he has started to rely on you as much as you on him.

It's nice to hang out with him, very laid back and you two can just be yourselves. There is never any pressure to talk or anything.

When you feel a little more confident Nihil offers to teach you the saxophone. He's learning too and thought it would be fun to learn together.

He produces some, err, interesting noises from the instrument at first but he quickly gets better. Partly due to your support, you are the only person he feels comfortable enough to make mistakes in front of.

He also invites you along to parties or his shows or anythin really, but never puts pressure on you to come along. If you do agree he gives you the biggest smile and puts an arm around you showing you all the cool things. He'll keep an eye on you to make sure you don't get overwhelmed.

Old Sister Imperator (she/her)

As intimidating as she can be, she's also a very caring, motherly woman.

She will inform you where you are, who she is and why you're there.

All while calling you "little one", as if you're a child.

And while there's always this slightly unnerving feeling of authority she has over you, you actually like her! She's nice!

She leaves you snacks, small plushies and fidget toys so you can have some nice things that will comfort you in this new situation you've gotten yourself into.

She leaves one of her ghoulettes with you for comfort. She doesn't mind waiting. Take your time.

Young Sister Imperator (she/her)

A lot more intimidating and a lot less motherly than she is later in life, Sister Imperator wasn't the most patient in her youth.

She summoned a ghoul because she needed one now, not later.

Still, she's not cruel, she's not gonna just... abandon you. She can summon another ghoul for the matter at hand and then just... find some use for you.

She checks up on you regularly, just sitting in the room for a bit. it's almost like a break for her, honestly.

Over time, as you both become more and more comfortable with each other, she starts viewing you like a little pet.

She likes playing with your hair and tail. She's always incredibly gentle with you, too.

Perhaps she's already found your function. A companion. A little pet.

Doesn't sound so bad, does it?

~

Papas I, II and Papa Nihil written by Nyx.

Papas III, IV and Sister Imperator written by Nosferatu.

[cityofmeliora]

What does terzology know about the overthrow of Papa III? Do we have a hypothesis about the reasons for it?

very topical question. i was just thinking about this, actually.

as we know, Terzo was dragged off the stage while singing 'Monstrance Clock' at his final concert on September 30, 2017 in Gothenburg, Sweden.

it's tempting to think Sister Imperator simply hated Terzo and couldn't wait to get rid of him so she could put Cardi in charge, which i think is at least a tiny bit true, but not entirely true.

i watched the Era 3 lore video series 'The Summoning' with some friends the a while ago, and it was the first time they'd watched it. one of them remarked they were surprised that Sister Imperator seemed to be genuinely hyping up Terzo.

this is true! Sister Imperator did actually hype up Terzo during his first year as Papa. at the beginning of Era 3, she was deeply disappointed with the Nameless Ghouls and The Ghost Project's failure to make significant progress in their mission to convert the world to their cult. she was initially very excited for Terzo's reign and believed that he would be extremely successful.

SISTER IMPERATOR: Brothers and Sisters, you know why you are here tonight. This Ministry is now seven years into The Ghost Project. Seven long years of work. Two Papas, two albums, one gold. These are indeed some respectable numbers, but let me give you some others. Churches opened: zero. Governments toppled: zero. World leaders converted to the cause: zero. You call yourselves salesmen? Masterminds? You have done shit! And don't blame the music. The music is the very manifestation of His Dark Majesty. And don't blame this fine merchandise! It's a disgrace! Papa 2 has been let go. He is a miserable, wounded, and bitter old man, and he is washed up! But let's look forward now. This is a new piece of music. And these are your new masks. And this is Papa 2's brother. He is a full 3 months younger. This man will take the band further than any of us could ever have imagined. I present to you now… Papa Emeritus III! The Summoning (part 1) (May 20, 2015)

Terzo did end up being very successful, even before Meliora released.

SISTER IMPERATOR: It has arrived! Some of you did not believe the new Papa would be able to cast a shadow as wide and as far as his great predecessor. Your faithlessness is now dust in my mouth. You should be on your knees humbling yourselves before what has been accomplished here! All you need to do is look outside. Look at the graffiti on the walls, look at the lights illuminated at night, where once there was only darkness. The Summoning IV: The Arrival || Unholy / Unplugged - Los Angeles, California, USA (August 21, 2015)

Sister Imperator felt she was right to have faith in Terzo. she continued to preach about Terzo's power and demanded that others respect him.

SISTER IMPERATOR: Welcome! Welcome, my faithful brothers and sisters! Your presence here is proof of your commitment. If you are unsure, cast off your doubts now. There is no turning back. The rite you're about to witness is but one small but essential movement in our spiritual revolution. We prayed, and he has arrived! But! But! He will demand more of you! He will need to hear from the abyss of your hearts that you are ready. His is a voice of the pit and the pinnacle! His Nameless Ghouls are the music of the [UNINTELLIGIBLE], but your holy noise is the key! You must cry out his name! Say it with me now: Papa Emeritus! Again! Again! Again! Very good. Shh! Shh! Shhhhhh! Listen. Do you hear it? Do you? It's the terrible sound of the ignorant– the mistrust and anger of the masses. The world is unstable and they have lost their balance. But we, here together, are the new foundation. We are the shape of things to come! There's not much time. We won't be able to do the required incantation. We must let the music do the summoning. My brethren, my brethren, bow your heads and raise your horns to pierce the veil of heaven, so the skies will be torn asunder! And Papa may fall into our midst! Now is the moment. Now, there is no other. Papa Emeritus III! Ghost! Ghost is here! Los Angeles, CA, USA (October 26, 2015)

so what was the turning point? the 2016 Grammy win.

listen. Sister Imperator hated that Grammy so fucking much. this seems weird because she wanted the band to be successful, but here's the thing: Sister Imperator is a zealot. a real religious freak. as shown by her words in The Summoning part 1, she fully believes that the true mission and purpose of The Ghost Project is to serve satan and convert the world to his church. she was happy that Ghost's success meant more people were hearing their message, but she was very, very mad that Terzo and the Nameless Ghouls seemed to be enjoying their success a little too much. she felt like they had lost focus, forgetting their mission for satan and instead focusing on their commercial success. and to her, the Grammy was representative of the establishment / mainstream society, something they should avoid as the leaders of satan's flock of black sheep.

SISTER IMPERATOR: The industry has noted our good works with their trinket. And as a result, our message is carried further and wider. But do we take such trinkets as sacrament and the measure of true accomplishment? No! We don't need their approval. The truth of our work is not measured by awards and nods from the establishment. [...] I have here letters from your followers, demanding that we explain why nothing has changed. They have made their own sacrifices. But what have you done? How will you answer them? By holding up your golden gramophone? Is this the change you promised? Is this the sign of a new age? It is nothing! It is another false idol. The Summoning V: The Square And Hammer (September 13, 2016)

notably, she never said anything negative about Terzo while verbally abusing the Ghouls. she still demanded respect for him and his position.

SISTER IMPERATOR: You are supposed to lead. It is your task. Your task! To lead! I think you're afraid of real change. Let's take a breath. I think I understand the problem. You think Papa's words should be enough. But then you misunderstand the nature of true power. Papa is not a mouthpiece for the Dark Divinity. He is not a pawn. He is a mediator. He is the path. His way is the truth and the darkness! And you– you are his apostles. And yet, you deny, you deny! The Summoning VI: The Proceedings Intensify (Oct 17, 2016)

... but that doesn't mean she wasn't also mad at him, too. we just didn't see it.

Terzo was very proud of his Grammy, and he did like to brag about it a little bit. Sister Imperator would have definitely been mad about that.

PAPA EMERITUS III: Alright! How are you feeling now? Quite good, right? Yeah! Alright, I know you like your hard-rocking shit here in Skåne, right? Enough of those ballads– award-winning ballad, actually. AUDIENCE: [APPLAUSE] PAPA EMERITUS III: Oh, thank you. Malmö, Sweden (February 25, 2016)

PAPA EMERITUS III: Yes! A Grammy award winning song! Right here, right now! That doesn't happen every day. Acoustic performance at 93X Radio - Minneapolis, Minnesota (July 28, 2016)

Sister Imperator had respect for Terzo's position as Papa, but she didn't respect him.

it's not like Terzo didn't care! Terzo is actually described as "less rebellious". and we know from the words of Bishop Necropolitus Cracoviensis II that Terzo had always been very dedicated to his church and the people in it. Terzo was a believer in the dark lord, and he was a very hard worker. the problem is that Terzo genuinely wanted a better and brighter future for the world, while Sister hoped to hasten its demise. (don't forget the original explicitly stated mission statement of Ghost was to promote the apocalypse + human extinction). i think they both knew his vision for the future of the church / the world was not in alignment with hers. i think Sister Imperator turned on Terzo when he started acting too confident in himself.

Sister Imperator started making plans to replace Terzo as early as November 2016, almost an entire year before he was dragged off the stage at his last concert. while i do think Sister Imperator disliked Terzo and was happy to get rid of him, i don't think she felt her decision had anything to do with her personal feelings. Sister Imperator talks directly to satan (as shown in Chapter 5) and receives visions (as stated in The Summoning part 5 and part 7). she had a vision that indicated it would soon be time to replace Papa 3 with Papa 4. she started making arrangements accordingly, and Nihil went along with it.

SISTER IMPERATOR: Despite your weakness, and your cowardliness, your failures, I still believe in you. And I believe in you because I have seen the future! I have already been witness to three transfigurations, and each time I can see that we are closer to the final glory, and I have seen you rise to the occasion each time. So can you do it again? [...] After all we have been through in these past few days, all the shames laid bare, are you ready to start anew? The new coming is about to begin. Will you take up your instruments? Will you be able to commit to the utter annihilation of all this is false? All that is greed? All that is staid and conformist and empty? Hm? Then rise. RISE!!!! Now! I give you another chance at transformation. But you must beg. You must demand to be sacrificed! You must prostrate your hearts while you stand tall in the dark, for the fourth incarnation of Papa will guide us. The Summoning VII: Believe This (Nov 14, 2016)

i don't know why Sister Imperator and Papa Nihil decided Terzo's reign would end on September 30th, 2017. and i can't fully explain why they chose to humiliate him by having him dragged off the stage. (even Secondo, who they thought was terrible at his job, was allowed a dignified ending.) and i can't explain why they desecrated his body by using his severed head as a prop for a photoshoot. but idk, it kinda seems like maybe they just hated him.

TLDR: Sister Imperator genuinely believed in Terzo, but she turned on him when he started acting in a way she didn't like. Terzo died as he lived– being used and betrayed by the people he dedicated his life to.

[askdewydrop]

Name: Dewdrop/Dew

Element: ▵ fire ▵

Height: 5” 10” and will still bite

Very short temper and will not hesitate to pick a fight when bored

Was once a bassist and is now lead guitar

Friends: Rain, Phantom, Mountain, Swiss (when he is not foaming at the mouth)

Personality: on stage very short temper, will not hesitate to throw things, flip off everyone and everything, blepping and being a cocky menace (this can be soothed by cookies and a weighted blanket if you dare get close to him)

Figured since I’ve seen Rain, Mountain, Phantom, Swiss and basically everyone under Satan’s sun make an ask blog…figured I might as well jump on board with it…

My mix

Some information below the cut for you!

⚠️ MDNI BE AWARE! This is a blog will deal with triggering subjects, swearing, sexual content and mature themes. You have been warned!

⚠️SFW AND NSFW asks are welcome, if you are a minor do not ask a NSFW question

⚠️ PLEASE DON’T CALL HIM SODO! This is just a preference for me since I do try to keep the ghoul personality far away from the actual musician!

THIS IS STRICTLY A ROLEPLAY BLOG! Please no questions about the actual person behind the screen! If it is an out of character moment I will put “//“ to let everyone know it’s the creator of this blog!

DM ROLEPLAY IS ACCEPTED! If you got a plot then go on and DM me for plotting!

[mintea-in-space]

Ghoul Clergy Au(Species Swap): Hands!!

Copia(Fire/Air): Has beans! They're very sensitive so he very rarely takes his gloves off. The pads glow a pretty cyan. Has to be careful because his hands get very hot very easily, he’s given up trying to hide the burnt handprints that end up all over his furniture. His claws match his skin tone, but he likes painting them too. Copia has a bad habit of biting his nails, so they tend to be all uneven. Eventually his human ghouls catch wind of this and set off on a journey to help him stop. Dewdrop ends up being the only one allowed to take his gloves off, so Dewdrop is the one that offers to help him clip them and keep them filed down. It becomes a special routine for just the two of them.

Terzo(Quint/Air): Has beans but very subtle ones. Look more like calluses than anything else. Slightly textured. He also has he sharpest claws of the group and keeps them very well maintained. (He has a fancy cat scratching post in his room. Omega laughs the first time he sees it.) He has gold claws, and his pads are also a very faint shimmery gold.

Secondo(Water): No beans, but as a water ghoul, his scales cover his wrists and part of the backs of his hands. He also has webbed fingers. Is the only Papa that can't wear gloves unless glamoured because of this. Secondo's claws are better suited for breaking rather than piercing (think like a crab or lobster claw, for breaking open shells) His are probably the most durable.

Primo(Earth): No beans. But the backs of his hands are covered in soft fuzz. He has black claws that are almost blunt at the ends, but very very strong. Primo just disappears outside and comes back with his claws worn down. No one really knows what he does. (He digs. Dead ass. He finds a cave and claws the rock. He also fucking climbs. Like a mountain goat. No one who has seen it lived to tell the tale, as it's usually when he's hunting)

Nihil(Originally Water/Air): Has beans! Size is somewhere in between Copia and Terzo. Has scales on the backs of his hands like Secondo, but no webbing. He has to get his claws clipped for his own safety really but that does not stop him from being absolutely pissed about it every time. Just picture Nihil hissing and spitting like a cat while Sister calmly clips his nails for him. Just thrashing around while simultaneously keeping his hand still because he knows if he makes her mess up he'll get his ass whooped. Although before his elemental loss he was probably the diva that clawed the ministry doorways just to make sure someone knew they pissed him off. His claws used to be semi translucent and sparkly.

Sister Imperator(Fire/Quint): Queen of beans. Hers are a bit leathery, but they also glow a light green like Copia's! Hers also used to be sensitive but she powered through until it didn't bother her anymore. Probably has the best kept claws next to Terzo. She routinely files hers and they are razor sharp.

Psaltarian(Quint): Has very calloused beans. Upon further inspection they are a dark purple, but mostly blend with his skin. Clips his own claws, but also has a scratching post in his nest to properly file them down. His claws are black, with a slight metallic sheen to them.

[kabukiaku]

I saw the Character ask game you reblogged and I would like to know thoughts on Nihil :> young or old

Papa Nihil for Character Ask Game

How I feel about this character

S Tier Character, absolutely goofy man, given that Nihil is one of the more grounded Ghost characters in the canon lore. I love his LA Adventure video he's so silly in that one. The fact that he was so pathetically devoted to winning Sister back after his major screw up in Whiskey a Go Go. The Chapters is where I was first introduced to him and I enjoyed every second he was on screen.

All the people I ship romantically with this character

Well, him and Seestor of course! malewife / girlboss dynamic amiright?

My non-romantic OTP for this character

hmmm I don't know! I've yet to explore this character more on what kind of other relationships he would have.

My unpopular opinion about this character

I don't think Nihil is a cold-hearted dude. He's just a little stupid and maybe needed a bit more parental experience when he had his sons <3

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon.

I would've loved to see him interacting with his sons Terzo & Secondo. What would their dynamics be like? Guess it's up to me.

[ask-apostle-ghoul]

Sister Imperator: I know you love them. Apostle: I am not in love with Nihil! Sister Imperator, staring at Apostle: I never said who… Apostle: *realizes* Apostle: Shit. Well, anyways-

[anamelessfool]

Scenes from the Void AU Ages and Timelines Masterpost

Note, this is my AU. Ages and years are different. Also they're Americans. Why? Rule of cool, bro🤘

Primo

b. 1953 New York City d. 2001 Ministry HQ

Irving Robert Olson Parents: Nance and Nihil

Left the Church in 1960 with Nance, returned after her death in 1972.

Bodyguard for Mater Emeritus Jocasta 1972-1979, Groundskeeper/Super for Ministry HQ until elevation

Papa Emeritus: 1994-2000, died from exhaustion caused from the Papa Emeritus Curse

Secondo

b. 1961 Ministry HQ

Michael Aulenbach changed to Michael Leider in 2008 Parents: Rebecca and Nihil

Rebecca passed over for a promotion to Mother Imperator due to her surprise pregnancy (the magic ritual would kill the fetus)

Child prodigy pianist. Tours eastern United States as "Modern Mozart" from the ages of 6 to 10. Piano teacher to this day.

Magician of the Church 1977-2008. Head of the Conclave of Magicians 1990-1999. Papa Emeritus II 2001-2008.

Married Sandra Leider in 2006. Three children Paul (2004), Eden (2010) and Samuel (2013). Left the church in 2008 to help Sandra's family run the Leider Memorial Home. Funeral Director.

Terzo

b. 1965 Milan Ministry location d. March 2018 Ministry HQ

Arsenio Moretti Parents: Nihil and a Catholic novitiate only known as "Maria"

Fathered during Nihil's first major tour of Italy. Mother died and so he was returned to Nihil in the US in 1969.

1984 Last seen at Bishop Camino's funeral in NYC. Missing for two years, returned to Ministry in 1986 and never speaks about it to anyone (except Omega eventually) Now has photography and filmmaking skills.

Director of promotional materials, films Primo's tours 1994-2000. Elevated to Cardinal in 1998. Choir Director until his elevation to Papa Elect in 2004.

Summons Omega in 2005.

Papa Emeritus III 2008-2017. Forcibly removed from office 2017 for [REASONS REDACTED].

First Papa Emeritus formally executed by the Church in 300 years for the crimes of [REDACTED]. (you will have to read hehehe)

Copia

b. 1976???? Unknown

Copia is his real name. Unknown origin. Unknown parents, although raised as prev characters' youngest brother.

Found by Primo in mysterious circumstances in 1979. Parental figure found murdered. (My fic Violence and Gentleness focuses on this mystery)

Raised primarily by Primo. Homeschooled by Rebecca until 13. Secondo is his piano teacher.

He had a very strong bond with both Primo and Secundo and considers them father figures. Primo taught him how to be a moral person and Secondo taught him how to be an intelligent person. Secondo started teaching him piano at the age of five and by fifteen he was learning on the organ.He had an interest in math and science and pursued that at the academic level. He was the first of the family to actually go to a college outside of the Ministry. He graduated top of his class as a CPA in 1997, and immediately began working under the Head Treasurer. He was head treasurer for the Ministry from 2005-2017.

Met Cardinal Marian in 2006 was in a relationship with her until 2017, then back again in 2019.

Elevation to Cardinal 2010. Elevation to Papa Elect 2012. Finally Papa Emeritus upon Nihil's death in 2019.

Nihil

b. 1930 Milwaukee, WI d. 2019 onstage Mexico City

Robert Irving Olson Parents: Betty and Irving

Father gambler and alcoholic. Mother church organist. Church choir and guitarist. Older brother Archie lost at sea in 1946 (WWII Navy). Forced to drop out of school and work to support family in machine shop. Ran away from home in 1947. Rode the rails with the nickname "Zero". Picked up by the Satanic Church of the Void in NYC 1950. Multi-instrumentalist in Bishop Camino's house band until 1958. Odd jobs all throughout his life from taxicab driver, singing telegram, model, busker, roadie, trucker, etc.

Transferred to Ministry HQ thru Bishop Camino's recommendation. Brought Nance and Primo with him. Affair with Rebecca led to Secondo's birth and Nance leaving the church altogether. Elevated to Papa Emeritus 1963. First American Papa since Papa Camino in 1940s. Sister Imperator 's first Construct (after she underwent her magical rite she bestowed on him the Curse to make him Papa). Toured Italy and Europe 1964-1965. Secret bastard child Terzo discovered in 1969.

Got his ghouls terminally addicted to slot machines in 1972, foisted from position for that mistake. Protegee Jocasta took over until 1979.

Personal Assistant to Sister Imperator 1972-1984. Leader of the College of Cardinals 1986-2017. Return to Papa Emeritus 2017-2019.

[styona]

The question is can Nihil play the sax solo from Careless Whisper

[siriusly-rem]

Alright yall listen. I’ve known about the band Ghost for like a year now and I followed them like crazy during this most recent tour.

I know all the ghouls and ghoulettes “names” and am pretty good at identifying them. I know about all the previous papas (not their relationships with each other nor their storylines) and some lore here and there but some of it still confuses me.

Like why are Omega and Terzo such a big thing?

Was Dew previously a water ghoul before being fire?

Was Swiss human before being a ghoul and if so, is he the only one?

Are all the previous papas dead?

I really want to get into all the lore both canon and fanon, where do I start??

[papa-0-nihil]

”Papaaaaaaaaa” -(Magma hissed, slinking into the room with a toothy smile, maybe some new teeth from that hunt are in there, whatever.)-

“What are you you up to?” -(He asked, tilting their head to the side)-

-@magma-ghuleh-asks

(HI AGAIN TWINK)

Magmaaaaaaaaa-

*he looks up*

Hello, dearie.. just getting all my old papers and books settled- for some reason my office is a mess- heh-

[sovaghoul]

Hello, for the (non) anonymous ask thing: I am interested in the most random headcanons you have for each Papa.

Nobody's ever asked me this!

Tbh I don't think abt Primo or Secondo very much, but I always want their voices deeper and more gravely. More old man sounding. Primo's is kind of weak whereas Secondo's can still be booming and commanding, the zaddy that he is.

There are hcs out there that Copia is a pathetic baby meowmeow, but I think that's Nihil, especially with Seestor. Malewife and Wifeguy (derogatory). Kinda stupid actually. Maybe not so random.

Terzo acted like a total whore but in reality he was deeply emotional and devoted to Omega. Monogamy in the extreme, a clear boundary between his flirtations on stage and his private relationship. Maybe not that random either I guess.

Copia is aroace, but turns to Aether (pack breeding stud) to educate him in all things sensual and sexual, to improve his stage performance, presence, and persona. So he's had plenty of sex, but it's unironically for science.

I don't think I know how to hc things lightly lol

Thank you for the ask! 🖤

[emeritus-fuckers]

may i request uhhh.....the papas reacting to their s/o teasing them in public?

Papas with s/o who teases in public

You knew what you were doing when you wore those stupidly small shorts and tank top with his jacket over your shoulders, half pulled down and showing off your chest.

And you made sure to press real close to him when you sat down for the dinner, placing a hand on his thigh.

Primo

At first, he just thinks you're being touchy, and smiles softly and holding your hand on his thigh.

But then you start to slide your hand up, and he softly asks what you're doing, turning to you with a adorably confused look.

And when you cup your hand over his dick, gently rubbing at him through his robes?

He's growling into your ear, warning you to not play with fire.

And of course, you jump headfirst into it. Continuing to palm and practically jack him off under the table.

But primo is a patient man.

He can wait until you two are back home, then throw his robes off and bend you over the nearest surface and slam in over and over until you're nice and mindless.

Secondo

Unlike primo, he is not a patient man.

You will be dragged to the bathroom and fucked against the wall, hand on the back of his head and keeping your head shoved against the wall and a hand cupped over your mouth as he rudely pounds in.

Will not stop until he has came twice and you've learned your lesson. Then clean you up best he can and take you back to the Ministry.

If you're still being a brat, he will fetch the paddles.

If not, he draws you a bath and scrubs you down, so you can both go lay in bed.

Terzo

He is patient.. to an extent.

He will tease you back. Only tenfold.

If you have a dick, he will purr and whimper of how much he need's you to fill him up, how much he needs you to shove him down and fuck him stupid.

If you have a cunt, he will growl and beg for you to slam down onto him, begging for you to ride him stupid, pleading and kissing your neck.

If you manage to not fuck him in the bathroom, and manage to get back to the bed?

Don't expect to walk.

Copia

Oh this poor baby.

It won't take much to get him to cum in his pants

He also has to bite down on your shoulder to stay quiet, because this boy does not know how to muffle his moans, He will scream with each orgasm.

He will not last to the bedroom before cumming at least once, but when you two are back at the ministry? He will begging for your cock or cunt, sobbing about how much he needs you.

Will need a bath afterwards.

Old Nihil

He's been staring at you the entire time with a happy dreamy look on his face.

Then you place your hand on his thigh and he just grins even more. He was happy enough just to be in your company, but this... this is even better.

As your hand slides up his thigh he raises an eyebrow with a little chuckle. It takes him back to his youth.

He cannot believe his luck when you continue and he rests his head back with a contented smile.

He is too old to even care it's in public so he'll let you take it as far as you want to.

When you get back to the Ministry he'll wrap his arm around your waist and take you straight to bed a glint in his eye.

Young Nihil

Brave idea with this one. He knew exactly what you were up to the moment he saw what you were wearing.

Of course he immediately starts playing his own little game. His shirt buttons are undone lower than usual as he fixes you with his charismatic gaze. it's enough to make anyone melt on the spot, but you hold your nerve and just smile.

You put your hand on his thigh and Nihil gives you the most lascivious smile you've ever seen.

Eventually your hand reaches it's destination as you rub him through his jeans. Nihil lets out a soft moan, then some louder ones, people start to notice. "What's wrong babe?" he says with an innocent smile. He's calling your bluff, "too public?" For all his bravado, you can feel how hard he is, you have him.

His hand now rests on your thigh and he traces gentle circles with his fingers, higher and higher until it's too late, you as much under his spell as he is yours.

You both get up at the exact same time. He takes your hand and hastily leads you out of the room, enjoying the shocked expression on peoples faces. Then up some stairs and out onto the roof, it's a beautiful warm night and there you fuck under the stars.

~

Papas I-IV Written by Zenith/Jasper.

Papa Nihil Written by Nyx

Taglist: @charlie-is-a-menace @copias-fluffy-asscheeks @randodummy @tuttifuckinfruttifriday @calliedion-dungeon @randominstake @callmeicaro @dio-niisio @firefirevampire @mybotanicaldemise @emo-mess @natoncesaid @sirlsplayland @ouijaboardemo @lightbluuestars @igodownjustlikeholymary @thatoddboy @strawberriiblossoms @dark-angel-is-back @choco-meow69

[cityofmeliora]

notes / thoughts on the Papas' (lack of) involvement in the songwriting process and their connections to the concepts / themes of their albums

thanks for the kind words and thanks for the ask! these were great questions and really enjoyed writing this response. your questions really made me think! (and when i start thinking i always think too hard and take forever to answer– sorry this took so long!)

i'm putting these questions together because i feel they are closely related. this is a topic i've recently been thinking about a lot, actually.

A Ghoul Writer was first mentioned in that 2010 interview with Primo. the Ghoul Writer is Special Ghoul, the Nameless Ghoul character who gave interviews in Eras 2 and 3. in interviews with him, either he himself or the interviewers would usually mention he's the Writer. i'm not linking anything specific here because you can find this happening in pretty much any Era 2 / 3 interview. (though there's one Era 2 Nameless Ghoul interview that refers to the Writer as a separate character.)

the only Papa who wrote his own music was Nihil. the music video for The Future Is A Foreign Land shows that he and his Nameless Ghouls wrote the song together, and he's credited as a writer on Seven Inches Of Satanic Panic. (pic: back of the SIOSP record)

after Nihil, none of the Papas were involved in the songwriting process. everything after Nihil was written by A Ghoul Writer.

PITCHFORK: On the new album, the songs/lyrics are credited to "A Ghoul Writer." Are you this "Ghoul Writer"? If so, what inspired the words? PAPA EMERITUS: I am not the Ghoul Writer. Pitchfork (April 2013)

Does Papa contribute to the composing process? NAMELESS GHOUL: No, Papa doesn’t contribute to the song-writing. Metal Paths (August 2015)

so the later Papas were interpreters of the music, not writers.

as for the question of whether the Papas embody the sins of society or criticize the sins of society by parodying them, i think it's a bit of both– and i think it depends on which perspective we're looking from.

obviously from a real-world perspective, Ghost as a whole is meant to criticize and parody the issues the music is about, and the personality and characterization of each Papa is closely tied to the themes of his album.

from an in-universe lore perspective, as interpreters of the music, each Papa has his own relationship with the themes of his album. i think the Ghoul Writer writes each album for / about the Papa who's going to perform it. however, this is not necessarily a positive gesture.

here are my notes / thoughts on how each Papa relates to the themes of his album:

(trigger warning for mentions of misogynistic violence / rape / forced pregnancy)

Opus Eponymous and Primo: Primo refuses to comment on his interpretation of Opus Eponymous, but it's pretty clear what he thinks. Primo is a misanthrope who believes humans are “vermin” that have doomed themselves due to their “intellectual decline”. in his eyes, humanity is unworthy of life and will eventually be destroyed. Opus Eponymous has been described as an "orthodox devil-worshipping" album, and it is a very violent album, which is great for Primo because he's an orthodox devil worshiper and he loves violence and murder and wants everyone to die. 'Elizabeth' celebrates an alleged serial killer who is said to have killed hundreds of women / girls. 'Stand By Him' is about a woman being raped by a priest, who then accuses her of witchcraft and has her burned at the stake in order to cover up the assault. and the overall narrative of Opus Eponymous is about a woman being raped and forced to carry + birth the Antichrist, which will eventually kill her. this is something Primo thinks is good and anticipates happening because he believes in the cult very literally and agrees with its message / mission of human extinction. Primo is definitely a villain.

Infestissumam and Secondo: interestingly, there is actually an instance of Papa telling us about his interpretation of this album. in Secondo's own words, "the new album is about the presence of the Devil. The title, Infestissumam, means 'the biggest threat' and refers literally to the arrival of the Antichrist, but what it is also is about is what man has traditionally regarded as diabolical presence– namely female form and swagger." Infestissumam is about how humanity can connect to the presence of the Devil, both physically and spiritually. i think this theme really shows through Secondo. to him, all the things traditionally regarded as sin –especially sexuality– are good things. to him, Satan is the way to freedom and enlightenment. on the flipside, all the things promoted by christianity –holiness and virtue and repression– are stupid and stifling. Secondo is a jerk and he loves to have sex and party and he just doesn't care. Secondo, more than any other Papa, is dedicated to indulging in sin and saying "fuck you" to christianity.

Meliora and Terzo: it's complicated. i don't want to give a detailed explanation right now because i already have a separate post in my drafts about my analysis of Terzo's relationship with the themes of Meliora (it will be long). for now, this is what i'll say: Meliora is about the absence of god, and it's described as futuristic and "pre-apocalyptic." the title "Meliora" means "for the pursuit of better", but it's meant to be ironic. it's about the mistakes people make / the bad things people do in pursuit of better. so as your ask states, it criticizes ambition, greed, and abuse of power. i think Terzo wants to criticize those sins. but i think that he also embodies them, to a certain extent, and i think Meliora is also criticizing him.

Prequelle and Cardinal Copia: we don't really have any canon material that indicates Cardi's personal opinions on the album, but there is certainly a connection between the character and the concept / themes of the album. Prequelle is described as a "positive" album about the plague. it's an album about society falling apart during the apocalypse. it's also an album about celebration and survival in spite of being faced with the inevitability of death. i think Cardi certainly embodies this. Cardi is surrounded by death. Prequelle Era begins with Papas I, II, and III being murdered in order to promote Cardi's success, and it ends with Papa Nihil dying, which allows Cardi to ascend and become Papa IV. in a way, Cardi is both a plague rat and a survivor. it's not his fault they died. he didn't ask for them to be killed, and he was not their killer. but he is the herald and the carrier of the true killer, the actual driving force behind everything (Sister Imperator). through all this, Cardi is having a good time! he's dancing the night away! he's glad everyone standing in his way has dropped dead! he is a rising star and he feels invincible! and he is certain he will survive this.

IMPERA and Papa Emeritus IV: the main themes of IMPERA are "spiritual annihilation", reactionary sentiment, and regression. it's about how people who fear progress are afraid of losing their sense of meaning / purpose and their place in the world, so they turn to misogyny, violence, religious dogma, and fascism. they cling to the idea of having a cause to fight for. i think Cardi is certainly criticizing these issues. he doesn't agree with any of this at all. however, there's still a connection between the narrative of IMPERA and Cardi's character arc in this Era. narratively, IMPERA is a concentrated / condensed version of the apocalyptic narrative that plays out through the first 4 albums. it's about the cyclical nature of the rise and fall of empires. IMPERA Era begins with Cardi ascending to the title of Papa. but after the feeling of triumph wore off, Cardi became very aware of and very fearful of his own inevitable end. he knew that no matter how great his achievements were, he would be forced to step down so his successor could take his place, just like his predecessors had for him. Rite Here Rite Now is about Cardi struggling to make peace with this idea. as a side note: i really like the irony of the fact that Cardi was never actually the leader of his own empire– he was a puppet emperor who got his marching orders from his mother. it connects to IMPERA's theme of political manipulation.

[askdewydrop]

Is it just me or is Omega too good for social media? Like the dude is with a walking embodiment of the social media algorithm! But noooooo big guy Omega says he doesn’t need a social media because it will ‘make your brain turn to mush’ or whatever kind of crap that pompous guy thinks. And yet Terzo has every sort of social media! Instagram, Twitter, Tumblr…you name it, he probably has an account on there. And not only does the guy have every social media account…he also has three phones. The reason? One for work and social media…one for one night stand and saucy pictures and then A WHOLE ASS SEPARATE PHONE FOR BULLYING COPIA! This man needs to be stopped! I’m out of words! I need to be snuggled into my nest…where is Mountain or Aether when you need them?!