#bc it's Forbidden

[convexicalcrow]

Where The Vex Come From

Ya boi's back with some more pages from the Vex magic grimoire! :D This time Cub's talking about the origins of the Vex, or as much of that as he knows, with a few other musings along the way. It touches on the Vex Cathedral, the Vex Mother, and totems of undying.

Normally I wait to finish the illustrations before I post full entries, but I'm planning something a bit more special for this one, and I need some shiny metallic cardstock that I don't currently have in order to make it work, so. Have the Lore for now, and I'll post the art when it's done. <3

Transcript, as usual, under the cut so you don't have to read my shitty handwriting. :D

Where The Vex Come From

Sometimes, I question why They let me know this, as it's buried deep in the hivemind, but the Vex have to come from somewhere, right? I always suspected They weren't self-created, that there was some kind of mother source giving birth to Them, so to speak. And, well. There is one, or was. I cannot say what happend to Her; that is forbidden to speak about. But I have seen Her, or what remains of Her. Let's just say there's a reason totems of undying look the way they do.

And I didn't understand for a long time why the Vex didn't just want me to build them a temple of Their own back in season five. Scar and I would have done it. It could have been a great honour to build Them a temple worthy of Their greatness. But They kept talking about Wels' cathedral. It was like They were fixated upon it for some reason. They knew nothing of Christianity as far as I was aware, but somehow They were drawn to the place. So when the time was right, we took it over, and it became the ConVex Cathedral, decked out in all its glory.

I don't remember any of the process of building it, and what we were driven to change or leave alone, but that's to be expected. But I do remember being in there later with Scar and taking it all in. Seeing the offering tables, the high priest, the Vex face on the ceiling. So much of it made sense, except for the cross on the wall behind the altar. It'd have thought They'd just remove it, or cover it up at least, but the Vex scolded me for that thought.

For a long time, They didn't tell me why. I kept wondering why They'd even want it there. There was no Vex Jesus that I was aware of. But They wanted it there, and in time, They told me why.

For the Vex, it reminds Them of totems of undying, and totems of undying are actually made to resemble the Vex Mother, not a villager as some commonly think. They said She was a witch who was cast out from the village, and in Her rage, gave life to the form that would ultimately become the Vex. They are… vague about this and how it happened.

The impression I got was that the rage She brought down on the village mixed with Her magical power and She became a Vex. The Vex, or so it is said. She is the reason witches became hostile to villagers and joined patrols. Before that time, witches were tolerated and lived in vllages. Afterwards, they were run out and settled in swamps, which is now their home.

She is the one who created the Vex as living beings, and as an energy source, to Evokers who were creatures with similar powers to witches. Before then, in fact, they were not called Evokers until they could harness the power of the Vexes. This became their specialty, as only the Vex mother ever learned to wield Vex power. Other witches never wanted to handle them and were happy with their potions.

She also created and mastered the secrets to undying, and taught these to the Evokers. If you're expecting me to spill, then you'll be disappointed. The methods needed to create totems of undying are forbidden knowledge. I don't know anything about them except that for the Vex, they are symbols of devotion. Reminders of the mother who birthed them. And yet, even as Vexes, Scar and I are denied this knowledge about Her, and what happened to Her. It took long enough to convince Them to let me see… It isn't a grave, not really. She is undying, as much as She is dead. I can't explain it. There was a lot They refused to explain as I looked at Her. I wasn't allowed to touch Her either. And I suspect if I say any more, They'll get mad. This place, it is holy and sacred, but not a place of pilgrimage. It is cared for, protected, guarded, forgotten, forbidden. A place you don't, and never should, go. I made Them take away my memory of how to get there from me, just so I don't end up back there again. No one needs to see that place.

So I look at totems now and I see the Vex mother, but I also see many unfathomable mysteries reflected in its gold and emerald eyes. In some ways, I feel like I'e already said too much. That even this is too much information to commit to writing, given all the taboos surrounding Her. But then again, maybe They wouldn't have let me write this at all since I'm a Vex, but I'm not a Vex, but more like a kind of Evoker, and while this book may not be read by anyone outside of the hivemind, there's still danger in writing too much.

I'm not sure how much of this Scar knows, either. He's better at just going along with things and doesn't have all the curiosity I have to want to know more.

What I do know about the origins of the Vex is that it sounds like egregore magic, that perhaps She - intentionally or otherwise - created a being tied to Her that, given enough energy and attention, became the Vex. That's the only thing that makes sense to me, given how little They will tell me.

I dunno, maybe it's like, so old no one really remembers anymore. Or the story's changed so much that what They tell me now is just what They believe. I don't think there's necessarily anything wrong with that. The Vex tell me They've lived for millenia; the Vex are also known to lie when it suits Them. Does it matter, really? Nah, not really. I know some of it's true, but there's so much that's simply unprovable at this point.

There must be something in it though. It definitely explains why the Vex are so protective of Their Evokers. That's Their legacy. Their origin. They're so wrapped up in each other's histories that you can't separate them. Maybe that's a good thing.

I mean, I've often sat here wondering how I became Pharaoh. It's not like it's something I asked for. All I knew was that I wanted to build that pyramid, and at some point after I arrived in the desert, something… happened. Something I still can't explain. Like, I'm not one for religion, but something got me out there. From the dreams to the visions to the burning pain when - how do I even explain it? I'm not sure I can. All I know is that I became a god, and everything changed. I am a divine soul in a mortal body, an old body, and I'm very well cognizant of the fact that I'm building my own tomb.

Maybe the Vex are aware of this. Maybe that's why They've been urging me to write all of this down. I'm dying, and with me would die a lot of Vex knowledge that Scar doesn't have. If I don't write it down now, he'll be lost once the old man finally goes west.

I don't think that'll necessarily be a bad thing, though. This body is old and tired. Magic disguises it, of course, but I feel it. It's bone deep. I just have to keep on writing and building and maybe one day I'll learn all the secrets of the Vex and come out triumphant, a magician - a god! - so powerful he's unstoppable. By my will may it be so.

[biggest-gaudiest-patronuses]

we need more divorcebaiting. how strongly can canon imply (without technically outright stating) that these two characters are bitterly, acrimoniously divorced? essential we explore this

[mysillycomics]

[bakedbeanchan]

Sokka and Yue reuniting in the spirit world

[taddymason]

him

[han-ban-bam]

we return to snow leopard

[olessan]

🥲

[noideawhatidobutfit]

close enough welcome back the creation of adam

[satoruan]

Now... Now let's talk about good ole step dad Nanami because.... 💦🐱

so much to talk about w/stepdad Nanami!! he’s so emotionally and sexually stunted, it’s both sad and adorable. stepdad!Nanami is the type to have a deranged stepdaughter who brings meaning back into his life...

I can see stepdad!Nanami just being so sick and tired of life after decades of eat, sleep, work, repeat. he has nothing to come home to, so he forces himself back out into the dating field. he meets your mother, and she takes advantage of him, but he doesn’t know because he’s been out of the dating field for so long, he just thinks that's how it’s supposed to be. 

stepdad!Nanami who meets you after a handful of months and he hates himself for feeling such attraction to you. he knows he shouldn’t—you're the daughter of the women he’s dating—but he just can’t help himself. you’re so different from your mother, albeit you have her crazy spirit, you genuinely care for him. you ask about his health, interests, hobbies, and work. nevertheless, that fact that you’re absolutely stunning. he looks forward to the talks you two have when you come down from college. it feels so good to have meaningful conversations with someone who cares. 

stepdad!Nanami who is a bit naive, so he doesn’t realize your sexual antics at first. he doesn’t think anything of it when you leave the bathroom door open while you shower, he just shuts it for you, trying to respect your privacy. nor does he think anything when you wear the shortest shorts and the tiniest tops. he pops a boner for sure but automatically feels like the worst man on planet Earth. he tries to stop his eyes from wandering but some days—but being so sexually frustrated, he can’t help himself. poor old stepdad!Nanami who you sent a video masturbating, and he thinks you meant to send it to another, so he doesn’t open it. what he doesn’t know is that in said video you're moaning and crying about how much you need your daddy Kento.

...that stepdad!Nanami?? because I can talk about that Nanami <3 

[lazylittledragon]

about to start my yearly critrole campaign 2 rewatch so prepare for me to be absolutely insufferable

[starpawedart]

.......... anyway

[hiddensneker]

This part of the finale went crazy

[just-null]

YO, SUPER LATE SUPER LONG SUPER MESSY OCTOBER POST THAT I JUST SHOVED EVERYTHING INTO BC I DIDN'T WANT TO DO MULTIPLE. FUCK IT.

I forgot halfway that these were supposed to be costumes and not mini aus... SO REMEMBER IN MY PLACE, EVERYTHING IS HYPOTHETICAL. also. some have a bit of yandere elements to them bc its SO FITTING FOR NORITOSHI.

Happy late October, everyone. it's winter now. Let's get it, baby.

[Long rambles and doodles under the cut!]

Vampire!

I kept asking myself, "How sexy is too sexy.." and "How the fuck does a sexy vampire even look like without it being a shirtless guy w fangs or Edward Cullen....." I think I figured it out

Sure, sure, vampires are superhumans with sun allergies that can drink blood really hotly. They can also easily overpower you to feast and blah blah blah, but what if said vampire (Noritoshi) was too weak to do any of that? Not literally, but he craves your say. He wants not only your blood but your affection. He wants to get praised as he drinks you in. Are you comfortable? How much will you allow him to take? Do you want to get him back in return? Guidance with this makes him feel more at ease. It's still Noritoshi at the end of the day. He's going to find a way to be a little awkward about you because of his crush. He refuses to drink from anyone other than you, even if it causes his death. Therefore, he has to keep you healthy! For the rest of your lives..! Besides, he can't really go outside or else he'd.. y'know. So if you think about it, this is a very beneficial relationship for both of you!!

The only downside is that you're losing blood on the regular, and for some reason, more people are moving away... Probably nothing, right? Noritoshi is always there to keep you company and help you recover anyways.

Witch!

my attempts also bled into the witch design.... you got greedy with requesting two in one ask, but I'll spoil you this time bc I also wanted to see Noritoshi as a (sexy) vampire and witch. heh. AND I DIDNT REALIZE HED BE SO CUTE AS A WITCH..... WHAT THE FUCK?? rip momo, fight for your title of cute witch...

Noritoshi strikes me as one of those witches who'd rather be left to their own devices because they're running some important magic whatever in the background. though, he'll take some breaks and indulge you if you insist on having him around. Insist meaning you pass by and strike conversation, leaving him to neglect anything and everything to prioritize his time with you. He doesn't want to use magic on you unless it's beneficial for either you or both. Noritoshi likes a natural progression with you that he knows for a fact is true and not some product of some spell. Though it doesn't mean he wouldn't use charms and such to get you to interact with him more often to speed up the process!

Can't sleep? He has a remedy perfect for that! Bad luck? Oh no, take a charm. Nerves? A potion he perfected will help you ease your jitters. Annoying peers? With a snap of Noritoshi's fingers, they're gone! Just don't ask what happened. Enjoy yourself instead and come to him with any new issue. He's quick to resolve it.

Definitely has some sort of doll that looks suspiciously like you.. Noritoshi would probably talk to it and practice one liners that give you the strongest sense of nostalgia once he uses them. He's simultaneously giddy that the charm he put in the doll works but also a little annoyed that his hard work isn't surprising you, but leaving you with deja vu.

Idol!

i was crying the entire time bc what does an idol look like.... noritoshi is handsome enough to be an idol without actually being an idol... now i can confirm that idols are very well dressed though. thumbs up 100% but i had some thoughts...

[Idol]

Noritoshi would be the type to cherish his fans, but hold clear favoritism over you. he'd be those idols that look cold, but they talk, and they sound smug in a charming way. i don't know much about idols, but i know he'd be so fucking good.... he'd be the type of guy to sing to you amongst the hundreds in the crowd.... ahhh the interviews w these famous aus. they're just talking and acting like themselves. can you imagine Noritoshi getting asked the question if he has a lover or not? he can lie, im sure you're alright with that, but he doesn't want to!! he does have someone!!! someone he loves more than all his fans love for him combined!!! he just can't say it for the sake of your privacy and his career. so Noritoshi does what any charming guy who's good with their words does. he deflects the question. answering the question, but not really, that'd be something he's known for. fans online are split on why Noritoshi does this. some think he's trying to keep that side of his life private, others think he's trying to mess around, and others think he's hiding a secret lover!!! though the last one is usually seen as the outlandish one, sometimes it makes Noritoshi's heart drop bc they get some things right. "Having a lover is a complicated question hidden behind a simple disguise. If I had to answer, I'd say my lovers are my audience. they make sure i'm well cared for, some more than others." AND HIS FUCKING LITTLE SMIRK I CANT COUGHS UP BLOOD. IM A THEORIST TOO. SECRET LOVER. 🫵🫵🫵🫵🫵

ON THE FLIP SIDE....

[Not an Idol]

An amusing thought where Noritoshi goes out in his casual clothes, and he's mistaken for an idol. No one knows who he is, but he just looks like he'd be one. bro's just trying to buy groceries, and now he has a fan group asking him to take pictures with them.. He'd tell them that he's just a guy, not an idol, but the group would still want a picture with him. it'd be a waste to pass by someone who's so naturally gorgeous, so with a sigh of defeat, he relents. It's just a photo, right? No harm done. Noritoshi'd go home and feel overwhelmed/embarrassed by the whole ordeal. later, he gets a call from someone in the kyoto group or you to inform him how he's all over social media, known as that handsome guy in the supermarket. HED BE COMPLETELY UNREACHABLE TO MEDIA OUTLETS BC NORITOSHI IS THAT GUY WHO DOESNT HAVE SOCIAL MEDIA.... he'd have to make one to make sure no one pretends to be him online. "Hello, I don't use social media, but I've been informed I've been getting attention online. To prevent anyone from being fooled by an impersonator, this is my official and only account. thank you." P.R. STATEMENT WRITING ASS.. his single post gets flooded with likes, comments, and DMs. it almost blows up his phone..... he was just buying bread, dude...... people try to dig up and find him through the other Kyoto group's social media.

[bonus] my second in command requested to put him in a fem idol outfit bc he thought it was funny. after frothing at the mouth and coughing out blood, I complied.

Doctor!

THIS IS SUCH A STRAIGHT FORWARD ASK BUT IT HAS SO MANY IMPLICATIONS. MY BELOVED CULT MEMBER.. THOSE EMOJIS GIVE ME A DIFFERENT IMPRESSION BUT IM NOT SURE.

Noritoshi as a doctor...... apple sales would plummet. his little clinic's business would skyrocket. sick cases would peak in his area. getting your heart checked by his stethoscope would be so fucking embarrassing bc all he'd hear is THUMPTHUMPTHUMPTHUMP

LIKE IMAGINE IF THAT WAS YOUR DOCTOR? BRO.

COUGH COUGH HACK WHEEZE COUGH COUGH.

Noritoshi would probably own a small clinic that he wants to expand. That or he opened one after working for a hospital for a while. He's a great doctor who's most likely respected but a pain in the ass to work with. Among patients, he's gotten the hot doctor reputation. Most want to be treated by him, but he's so professional, any chance of trying to flirt goes down the drain. Yeah, he puts his hair up to avoid it in his face even though his eyes are closed classic lab safety procedures. He seems like the type to have a soothing but authoritative voice during examination, so he gets his message across. it's a bit difficult when dealing with patients for Noritoshi. If he sees them too often, he firstly scolds you for not taking care of yourself, then feels guilty for not giving you the proper care. Keep yourself safe and healthy, or else Noritoshi will clearly :( Putting him in a yandere setting would be dangerous. He'd have a lot of control over you, considering he can prescribe medication, shots, visits, and other things.... he'd have a ball.... nothing that would cause you any harm, of course. he's only looking out for you and doing what's best for you..!

Pirate!

my second in command wanted a pirate. pirates are so fucking cool and i know damn well if this guy were a pirate he'd have a bunch of battle scars under that fancy coat.

Noritoshi as a pirate would be more than a little odd, but also fitting. He looks like the type of guy who'd be well put together, yet he's willing to get his hands dirty. Like the guy who got into the pirate life because of some personal issue that couldn't be solved fast enough through conventional means. Even as a pirate, i imagine he holds everyone to high standards. They're still pirates though.. so his expected standards aren't even that high. He has more freedom here, so even he himself lets loose once or twice. Especially with you. He's even able to get away with more violent actions for you, the seas are unpredictable, after all. While taking some treasure, Noritoshi'd toss you a gem or golden coin, just so you can say you were the first to claim it. Just so he can see that happy glint in your eyes when getting your hands on treasure. God forbid anyone try to get their hands on your hard earned goods. They'd be met with a bullet to the foot or a sword at their neck. Everyone and their mother knows how you're his favorite, but Noritoshi downplays it. Its not a crime to help out someone from his crew is it? Not in the seven seas. He leans more into his cold ruthless killer side here. He has goals and people to help keep in line whether hes captain or not. Yet when around you, he's almost adorable in how he shows you a pearl so entrancing that it reminded him of you.

Corpse Bride!

my submission to my Noritoshi Halloween costume closet.. CORPSE BRIDE, THIS MOVIE FUCKS. esp w the yandere elements.

Noritoshi 100% made you recite the wedding vows to him before accepting the ring. If you fumbled up, he'd correct you with SO much attitude and expect you to start from the top until you got it perfectly.

Hypothetically, in the chalice scene towards the end..

Noritoshi is the type to never be fully relaxed unless he knows for sure you'll be eternally his. In this scenario, YOU proposed to HIM but have to die to continue being together. Not only that, but someone in the living world is also after your heart. Someone who bleeds. Someone who's the obvious choice. Someone who can give you the life that you deserve. Someone who will succeed in their pursuits if you. remain. alive. Noritoshi's life was cut short, yet he still managed to lose so much and be abandoned a considerable amount of times. When he meets you and finds out about the possibility of having to go through that again even in death, it finally clicks in his rotting mind. He realizes he's been doing something wrong to keep constantly failing. Noritoshi revises his methods to a more.. selfish course. Why should he care about anyone else's wants or how his actions hurt them? You were the only one who made him truly fulfilled, to make him feel alive. The only one who deserves anything and everything good that comes from this world. Destiny is never done toying with him when he realizes your marriage is invalid because of your pulse and his lack thereof no matter how hard he'd try, but the opportunity arises. of course, he's ecstatic to give you an afterlife worth much more than what a silly beating heart can achieve. "All people die eventually. If you miss your living family or friends, all it takes is patience, darling. I'll wait by your side in the meantime." He weighs the pros and cons of everything, but when it comes to swaying manipulating your thoughts he only highlights the ones that'll get you on his side. in this case, the pros of dying to be with him! Honestly, the answer was so obvious that Noritoshi didn't know why he was stressing about it before. It hurts him to see you in any type of pain, but he reassures both himself and you that it'll only be for a moment. Afterward, he'll have the rest of your afterlives to make it up to you!! What happened to Till Death Do Us Part? Noritoshi thinks it's insulting that something as shallow as that could be so widely accepted. If your love were true, it wouldn't stop just because the world decided to take them away. "Till death do us part? Darling, don't be silly. 'Not even death will do us part' feels much better, doesn't it?" 

[johnslittlespoon]

yeah

[allegorism]

good for them.