#cephaliarch

[nonbinary-octopus]

oooooh

Finally getting around to posting this, but last week I got my bound copy of the fic [variable_affection] by @alex-van-gore​ and @lillow​

Thanks SO MUCH to my wonderful and very skilled friend @acemartinblackwood​. I am always blown away by the thought and detail they put into their books, but this one surpassed even those expectations. A beautiful hard copy of an incredible fic.

[kydra-umbra]

Hermaeus Mora, Daedric Prince of Forbidden Knowledge

Gardener of Men, Master of the Tides of Fate, Scryer, the Great Eye, and my personal favorite title of his, the Abyssal Cephaliarch

I just know that every single book in Apocrypha is uncomfortably moist.

[elderscrollsconceptart]

The sheer amount of names and titles Hermaeus Mora has is insane...

Hermaeus Mora (sometimes spelled "Hoermius", "Hormaius", or "Herma" Mora), The Daedra Prince of Forbidden Knowledge, The Demon of Knowledge, The One Who Knows, The Master of the Tides of Fate, Gardener of Men, Prince of Fate, Lord of Secrets, The Keeper of Forbidden Knowledge, The Golden Eye, The Great Eye, Ur-Daedra, The Abyssal Cephaliarch, Old Antecedent, Scryer, He Who Records All Knowledge, Inevitable Knower, Daddy's little pumpkin, Lord of Fate and Knowledge, Herma-Mora, the Woodland Man or "That which speaks in the wastes," Hyrma Mora, Hermorah.

Which is your favorite?

[tidesfate]

Rarely are things perfect upon the first draft. Creation was no different-- - the first blueprint of Magnus, it had proceeded far enough that the Dragon of Time had been called upon to provide the initial steps of test. Alas, the design was imperfect; the workbook tossed, save for pages torn from it that held the glimpses of hope to provide more to a new craft.

Within Infinite Abyss and Indeterminate Sea did the discarded sink; it cradled the riddled carcass of creation, and the Indefinite Limits welcomed. For in time the creators would seek its disposal, when the absolute would be put in place and there was no purpose for the 'what could have been' and 'what never would be'. The book unreadable.

The architects plucked from the expanse, unaware of what swam within until the ink had long since dried-- - unremovable. With it had the Creation that Wasn't burrowed within the Creation that Was, its removal to create festering wounds grander than merely leaving it within. The Awoken had barely blinked, and before it stretched the Infinite.

The Creation that Wasn't sought not but to feed the ache within it; to know, to understand was what it place it as. And it fed; happily, contently was there so much to be claimed. The barren Infinite Abyss and Indeterminate Sea made itself a repository, welcomed once more for the Creation that Wasn't to its expanses; it shall be its home, and in turn the Indefinite Limits shall not be lost to the Limits Set.

It sought to understand. 'What am I', a riddle. 'Prince to Nothing, for you have no place to put', an answers. Creation that Wasn't once more blinked-- - for it had seen the outcome of those that built. Creation was a hungry beast, for this was shared; those that gave were consumed, either in full or in part. It sought not to be consumed but to do so. Youngest of what was, the first of the Princes of Nothing.

Creation that Was settled into place, Daedra and Aedra given name and purpose; and Daedric Prince it shall be. It slotted not true within sections, not Original Spirit amongst the masses-- - but a spot must be determined, and so it was. It collected, its purpose unguided. From the Indefinite Limits did Knowledge that Was, Would Be, Would Never Be, The Apocryphal drip from; this was its inheritance. Before its eyes did Fate unravel itself, the Tapestry a favored piece of its to gaze upon; this was its journal. To it did the Waters of Memory seep into its unstable, oozing flesh; this was its vice. But it could mere view; for it was the disconnected. It could hoard and take and spin the tongue to watch the pieces move to their places, but it could not truly touch the Was. That door was unopenable. It did not matter, it consumed. There was so much to taste.

But to watch the Was grew thin-- - there was only so much to gather from what was readily presented. From watching seasons change, the growth of reality, to observing the actions of Mortal proceedings. There is only so much to be gained from the natural flow. To see something work was only one section of Knowledge; to break it apart to discover how it did was a new possibility. Why should it not break its toys? It knew not such a lesson, thought the echoes of it a burden and a restraint. They were ever so small, ever so menial and temporary. They were not its, so why should it care?

The One that Wasn't, The Old Antecedent, The Great Eye, The Abyssal Cephaliarch-- - it grew, and so too did it change. It grew and changed and changed and changed-- - but the banquet grew thin, for the Was did not change. It was the set design; new things may evolve, may become, but they were predetermined. Everything was predetermined; sometimes, sometimes there was the glimpse of that which was not set. Mortals were the often the hosts of these fragments of the 'What Wasn't', and from it too could it gain something... new. Frustratingly New, for it could not own all to feed its becoming Want. Temptingly New, for it fed that Ancient Hunger. And it hungered, oh so endlessly. Where once it fed constantly, now it mere plucked upon scraps. 'Once I have it all, I shall be full.' So why does the hunger only grow, not abate the closer?

'Why do I hunger?' Oh foolish Prince of Knowledge, you cannot see what you are. You, whom know so much are Blind to the Truth. You view through the lens of reality, so you cannot see what is not within-- - yourself. You hunger for that which was removed, and for that you shall never be satisfied. You were born hungry. You were born and that is your burden.

This question is unanswerable.

[uesp]

While at a Necrom preview event, the UESP founder Dave Humphrey took some time to document the details of the Arcanist class, including all of its abilities. We're going to share the details with you here:

One of the main features of this Chapter is the introduction of the first new class in ESO since the Necromancer in 2019, which has been in development since late 2021. The devs had a hard time deciding on which class to add and simply named it "Bob" for a long time so as to not pigeon-hole themselves into any particular class. Eventually they decided on the Arcanist as it ties into the book/knowledge theme of the chapter.

The unique mechanic of the Arcanist is the building and spending of "Crux". You can have up to 3 points of Crux at any one time and it is shown both in your ability bar and around your character (and other players) in game. Some of your abilities will create Crux and some abilities will use Crux to create bonus damage or other effects. Some abilities will also gain bonuses from Crux but not spend it.

A short description of all the new class skills are in the following sections. Keep in mind there are still balance tweaks to be made so skills may change once on PTS.

The 3 Arcanist skills lines are:

Herald of the Tome -- Damage

Soldier of Apocrypha -- Tanking

Curative Runeforms -- Heal/Support

The skill line role listed above is general and you'll find useful skills and passives in all lines depending on your desired role. Skill animation are based around using a book in your hands keeping with the theme of Hermaeus Mora for the chapter.

Note that any spelling mistake on the following skill names is my fault (2 hours of play testing doesn't last that long).

Herald of the Tome

The primary damage skill line of the Arcanist.

Unblinking Eye (Ultimate) -- Summon a "scion" of Hermaeus Mora that does damage via a beam. Morphs into Tide King's Gave (beam follows target) and Languid Eye (adds snare).

Runeblade (Active, Mag/Sta) -- Costs Magicka or Stamina depending on your max resource. Does Magic Damage and creates Crux. Does more damage with increased Crux. Morphs into Writhing Runeblades (adds Crit Chance) and Scaling Runeblades (adds Damage).

Fatecarver (Active, Mag/Sta) -- Costs Magicka or Stamina depending on your max resource. Does beam Magic Damage. Spends Crux if you have any to increase Damage.  Morphs into Exhausting Fatecarver (increases duration/strength of snare) and Pragmatic Fatecarver (spends crux to reduce cost).

Abyssal Impact (Active, Sta) -- Adds snare and "Ink". Morphs into Cephaliarch's Flail (creates Crux, adds damage to enemies below 50% health) and Tentacular Dread (Mag, spends Cruxs, adds Ink strength and immobilize damage).

Tome Bearer's Inspiration (Active, Mag) -- Creates Crux. Adds Major Brutality/Sorcery while slotted. Adds Rune damage to weapons, increases damage with Crux. Morphs into Inspired Scholarship (more frequent damage) and Reperative Treatise (restores mag/sta).

Imperfect Ring (Active, Mag) -- Does AOE damage. Morphs into Rune of Displacement (creates a rune that damages and pulls mobs) and Fulminated Rune (more area damage).

Fated Fortune (Passive) -- Adds Crit Damage/Healing whenever you gain or spend Crux.

Harnessed Quintessence (Passive) -- Adds Weapon/Spell Damage when you restore Mag/Sta.

Psychic Legion (Passive) -- With a Herald of Tome ability slotted gain status damage.

Splinted Secrets (Passive) -- For each Herald of Tome ability slotted gain penetration.

Soldier of Apocrypha

The primary tank skill line of the Arcanist.

Gibbering Shield (Ultimate) -- Absorb damage. Morphs into Sanctum of the Abyssal Sea (adds shield strength) and Gibbering Shelter (gives allies a damage shield).

Rune Jolt (Active, Mag) -- Does damage, Major Maim, taunt and creates Crux. Morphs into Runic Sunder (Sta, reduces target armor, gain armor) and Runic Embrace (Mag, adds heal and Minor Lifesteal).

Runespite Ward (Active, Mag) -- Damage shield, uses Crux to increase shield strength. Morphs into Spiteward of the Lucid Mind (crux refunds cost) and Impervious Runeward (much more damage shield for 1 second).

Fateworn Armor (Active, Mag) -- Adds Major Resolve and Minor Breach. Morphs into Cruxweaver Armor (adds buff duration, creates Crux when damaged) and Unbreakable Fate (adds block mitigation, spends Crux to increase bonus).

Rune of Eldritch Horror (Active, Mag) -- Paralyzes and adds Minor Vulnerability, undodgeable. Morphs into Rune of Uncannny Adoration (charms and snares) and Rune of the Colorless Pool (adds Minor Brittle).

Aegis of the Unseen (Passive) -- Adds Armor will using a Soldier of Apocrypha ability.

Wellspring of the Abyss (Passive) -- Adds Health/Magicka/Stamina recovery per Soldier of the Apocrypha ability slotted.

Circumvented Fate (Passive) -- Adds Minor Evasion when casting a Soldier of the Apocrypha ability.

Implacable Outcome (Passive) -- Spending Crux gains Ultimate.

Curative Runeforms

The primary healing and support skill line of the Arcanist.

Vitalizing Glyphic (Ultimate) -- Spawns a total that adds Weapon/Spell damage and healing. Grows in power when healed. Morphs into Glyphic of the Tides (spawns with more health) and Resonating Glyphic (damage totem to power it up).

Runemeld (Active, Mag) -- Heals and creates Crux. Heals more if you have Crux. Morphs into Evolving Runemeld (increases HOT heal) and Audacious Runemeld (gain ultimate at low health).

Remedy Cascade (Active, Mag) -- Beam heal, spending Crux restores Mag/Sta. Morphs into Cascading Fortune (heals more at low health) and Curative Surge (heals more as you channel).

Chakram Shields (Active, Mag) -- Spawns 3 discs with Damage Shield. Morphs into Chakram of Destiny (creates Crux, recasting increases shield) and Tidal Chakram (uses Crux to reduce cost).

Arcanist Domain (Active, Mag) -- Spawns an area that adds Minor Courage/Fortitude/Intellect/Endurance. Morphs into Zena's Empowering Discs (effect remains when you leave area) and Reconstructive Domain (adds a HOT).

Apocryphal Gate (Active, Mag) -- Creates 2 portals that you can walk into to teleport to the other one. Gain Crux when teleporting. Morphs into Fleet Footed Gate (increases move speed) and Passage Between Worlds (allies can use synergy to teleport).

Healing Tides (Passive) -- Adds healing done with Crux.

Hideous Clarity (Passive) -- Adds Mag/Sta when creating Crux.

Erudition (Passive) -- Adds Mag/Sta recovery.

Intricate Runeforms (Passive) -- When you have a Curative Runeform ability slotted reduce cost and increase strength of Damage Shields.

[ilovedthestars]

For the Asks: 🦋🧩🌻

Please and Thank you!

Hello very polite anonymous friend!! Thank you for the asks!

🦋 ⇢ share something that has been on your heart and mind lately

I have been feeling really insecure about my art for....a while now. Months, at least. I think the transition to art school was a big part of that. You know that thing where people who were used to being the smartest/most academically successful student in their class/school go to college and are suddenly surrounded by people who were all the smartest kid at their school, and have a crisis about not being exceptional anymore? Turns out that same thing can happen with artists. It's hard not to compare yourself. And I've been feeling like it's been so long since I got to make the kind of art i want to be making, and made it well.

Fortunately, this semester I've gotten some assignments that give me a little more freedom, and also some opportunities to do some illustration work, and I'm working on several things I'm really excited about right now! I'm starting to feel like maybe I'm dragging myself out of the self-pity hole. (unfortunately all of these projects are on tight deadlines and I'm also fighting off burnout with a shovel rn)

🧩 ⇢ what will make you click away from a fanfiction immediately?

Hmmmm...most stuff I don't like I manage to filter out based on tags and summaries. I think a fic that's trying to be funny, but doing it in a way that feels out of character or just isn't my brand of humor, is a pretty immediate nope for me. Likewise if it dips into intense social awkwardness. I have a painfully strong sense of secondhand embarrassment and I'm not putting myself through that XD

🌻 ⇢ tag someone you appreciate but don't talk to on a regular basis

@ineedlelittlespace and @cephaliarch , i think I met both of you through exchanging long gushy comments on each others' fics!! I've talked in DMs with both of you a little bit, but it's been a while. I still think of both of you fondly! feel free to say hi anytime :)

[eldritchborn]

ahneksh approached their creator with an offering - snowberry crostata - it was a bit burned. it was nothing more than another day. the celebrations of mortals on nirn were not significant in the realm of apocrypha, but neither were in the halls of the extensive, endless library of knowledge. at least for the foreseeable future. "i do not want to interrupt you from your thoughts, but i overheard a few mortals discussing a holiday. creators are honored by their creations. i, too, wish to take part in this festivity by honoring you with a tribute." (happy father's day for vesseled mora!)

❛[ UNPROMPTED ASKS ≻ always accepting

ABYSSAL CEPHALIARCH DELUGED WITHIN THE PASSAGE OF TIME. No longer did it catalogue the passage through a disconnected eye- a central point where all time crested beneath // WHERE TIME DID NOT TOUCH BUT WAS SEEN ALL THE SAME-- - now the Prince was absorbed within it (AND WHERE ONCE IT WAS PASSIVELY AWARE OF THE MENIAL EVENTS CRAFTED // SUCH DID NOT REACH THE FOREFRONT OF SINGULAR FOCUS). The holiday had slipped the once all seer-- - focus rather upon where next they must tread to bring them yet another step closer to the return of WHAT SHOULD BE // WHAT SHOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN STOLEN.

SO FOREIGN WAS IT THAT THE PRINCE OF KNOWLEDGE COULD BE PULLED FROM THOUGHTS. That separation of active awareness and the deeper patterns was necessary-- - though Hermaeus Mora did not sneer or snap upon it being withdrawn // SIMPLY TURNED THOSE GOLDEN HUES TOWARDS THAT WHICH ALSO WORE FALSE FLESH. What had been gifted as a mere curiosity upon the other within time passed, now an asset to the now (AN UNSEEN CIRCUMSTANCE // ONE IT BROUGHT NO ATTENTION TO). The mention of holiday, a gift presented; through the endless library of memory did it scry. “&– - Ah- the mortal holiday celebrating fathers, is it....” A statement of exactness, of absolutes, of KNOWLEDGE (IT SPHERE NOT BE TAKEN FROM IT).

THE ACT OF OFFERING WAS ONE OF FAMILIARITY. Recognition-- - in different manner, but still a favorable comparison to a return to norm. Digits took the pastry, teeth whose edges a bit sharper then should ignoring the hard tact of burnt flake // INDULGING IN A DISCOVERY IT HAD FOUND (THAT TASTE HAD A CERTAIN ASPECT TO IT THAT COULD NOT BE EXPERIENCED THROUGH MEMORY ALONE). The God finishing the sweet with ease before voice perched with a hum. “&– - How unakin to those of your dominion you continue to prove-- - your interest in my inclusion in such mortal holidays persist, as before and as now. You need not their fleeting celebrations to honor-- - we are beyond their menial grasps on the passes of time, other than that of enjoying the passing curiosity of such.” // @dalasinis

[stolememory]

BASICS.

Legal True Name: probably something incomprehensible lets be honest Nicknames: Hermaeus (or Hoermius, Hormaius, Herma, Hyrma, etc) Mora, God of Knowledge, Demon of Knowledge, One Who Knows, Master of the Tides of Fate, Gardener of Men, Prince of Fate, Lord of Secrets, Keeper of Forbidden Knowledge, The Golden Eye, The Great Eye, Ur-Daedra, Abyssal Cephaliarch, Old Antecedent, Scryer, He Who Records All Knowledge, Inevitable Knower, Lord of Fate and Knowledge, Woodland Man, That Which Speaks in the Wastes, The Keeper of Whispers, there are dozens of more Date of Birth: Before time itself Gender: No real gender, use whatever you please Mora literally does not care. He/They/It is what is used on blog Place of Birth: The vast void Currently Living: Apocrypha Spoken Languages: Everything that is in existence plus probably a thousand more Education: They are the One Who Knows Hair Color: do tentacles count? Eye Color: fluctuates, usually green or gold Height: fluctuates but true form very big. like about the size of a city Weight: also a high number its a giant eldritch sea space beast god guess you can say they thicc

FAMILY.

Siblings: Ithelia and Mephala Parents: Born of the tossed out ideas of creation so take that as you will Relatives: this is where connections get muddy Children: Knowledge and Secrets maybe their daedra too for funsies Pets: Probably has some I don't know about

RELATIONSHIP INFO.

Sexual Orientation: I mean its there. Mora will do it for a trade but is that trade really worth making? Status: Mora cannot be tied to any one being (single). Also good luck.

tagged by ; i stole this from like 20 people on dash tagging ; you. yes you. right there.

[old-antecedent]

It is quite funny that mortals think shipwrecked sailors still go to Aetherius. If they wash out of the sea, sure, but otherwise they are the property of your Abyssal Cephaliarch

[sleepymarmot]

I have finally beaten the first boss of Scrivener's Hall solo! And finished the dungeon with the help of others.

A day or two ago he killed me many times. After improving my build a bit, I returned. My many attempts at killing him with a two bar Pale Order build were unsuccessful. At first I tried to do the mechanics, but it was too hard to keep track of where the books were shooting their lights, so I was overwhelmed. Then I tried to burn him down, but got swarmed by the mechanics. But I was improving: last time I kept dying around 70-80%, maybe 50-60%, and now my best attempts were around 30-40%. A big help was that early in the fight today I finally figured out I should swap Azandar from tank to healer, and he went from dying within the first thirty seconds to staying alive throughout the entire fight.

Then I realized that 1) in the middle of the fight I was neglecting the back bar because I had no time to swap; 2) I could really use a bonus to stamina and magicka recovery. So I changed to my solo Oakensoul build, edited it a bit... And managed to defeat the boss on first try!

Here's what we were using:

(Me: Chakram of Destiny; Pragmatic Fatecarver; Cephaliarch's Flail; Inspired Scholarship; Spiteward of the Lucid Mind; Sanctum of the Abyssal Sea. Azandar: Abor's Augmented Ward; Triptych Physic; Ritual of Salvation; Shields of Erudition; Crimson Font)

Unfortunately, that was not nearly enough for the second boss. I could survive the poison vomit once or twice in a row, but that only got me to around 80%. I tried several times, but it was obviously hopeless with the gear and skills I currently have. So I had to call for help in the group finder, and I had a full team in approximately 5-10 minutes and cleared the rest of the dungeon in the blink of an eye.

This was actually my second completion of the dungeon; earlier the same day I asked in group finder to run it in "story mode", but the team who assembled ran through the dungeon pretty fast and also didn't hunt the scamps, and I didn't feel comfortable stopping to admire the scenery or ask them how the scamps work. So I was unsatisfied with that as Jarcanist's one canonical chance at this quest, and returned to try again solo — and that's how I ended up spending approximately two more hours on a single clear.

I have to say: going through the dungeon alone and discovering it for yourself is significantly more fun than blindly running after strangers from the queue who already know everything. It feels like a real adventure! I wish this way of doing dungeons were more accessible — I'm not even talking about the kind of story mode in which every enemy dies from a light tap on the shoulder, but something that might pose a challenge, but still a challenge that is solvable without having extremely specific gear and skills at hand. Don't get me wrong, I'm very grateful to the people who come to my rescue, and playing with other humans is its own kind of fun, but I wish it were an option instead of a necessity.

And now, I'm going to run it a bunch of times again. Need that Velothi lead asap! So far I've killed only one scamp (during that solo run), and of course wasn't lucky enough to get the lead in the very first chest. Oh, and give me those sweet, super expensive Glass Eyes of Mora too.

Btw: shout out to this video of the dungeon's full content that I used as one of the guides.

After this, doing the Runemaster Xiomara boss in Apocrypha even one competent partner, let alone with a group, is pleasantly familiar! I visited him on a whim, just to check how the boss feels after beating his dungeon equivalent, and ended up in a group in which we quickly did a Bastion Nymic and two other bosses I needed for the Defender of Necrom achievement. Did the Runemaster three times, and still no lead...

As you can see from the long post, this was all pretty exciting! I'd been looking forward to this dungeon for the entire year, it's relevant to the character I'm playing, has cool design, and rewards I'm interested in — so I'm happy to finally get around to doing it.

[abyssfate]

❛ what’s wrong, you don’t trust me? ❜ from sheo ! [reignkil]

❛[ HORROR THEMED SENTENCE STARTERS ≻ accepting

`NOTHING BEFORE HAD BLINDED THE GREAT EYE. Millions of lenses stared from the abyss, but for once the great void FELT MURKY-- - like the dweller of depths had suddenly been STRIPPED OF WHAT WAS NATURAL TO HIM (THE CLARITY // KNOWLEDGE // AND THEY COULD GET LITTLE MORE THAN SILHOUTTES). The Prince of Madness' presence upon thin soils breaching towards Apocrypha had not been with invitation, and Abyssal Cephaliarch lens narrowed ever so fractional. What a damned occasion the others SCRAMBLED MIND keen enough to notice it.  “&– - My trust for you holds as strong as trust of yourself. So it is ever so..... fickle. Changing and displacing like the stars...”

`HERMAEUS MORA LET NOT UNBALANCE SULLY THE GREAT SEAS. Nor let paranoia strangle the atmosphere already THICK WITH ATRAMENTOUS PERCIPITATION AND MUTTERED RECOLLECTION like a breeze. Despite intrinsic ties to the Mad Lord // ONE OFT LEAD TO ANOTHER // didn't dismiss Sheogorath as a potential Prince behind the desired assault on Apocrypha (OR EVEN MINUTELY AIDING FOR ONE REASON OR ANOTHER). The others strings were so messy in their natural state, even the Great Scryer had trouble reading them from time to time. Now, with Hermaeus Mora unable to directly figure out who to pinpoint directly.... or how many it was. Just that it lay WITHIN THEIR COLLECTIVE GROUP (NOT A DIFFICULT CONCLUSION EVEN IF FULLY IN THE DARK // NONE HAD SUCH CAPABILITIES BEYOND THOSE OF... SIMILAR POWER).   “&– - Your visitation was not discussed. I would've remembered... some would consider this trespassing. I am not excluding myself in that. I assume you have good reason... or as good a reason as you can ever provide.” The Lord of Fate does not DIRECTLY SPEAK ITS MIND-- - does not question or pester or INTERROGATE. Lets the grains of the sand of time begin to fall, and observe what happens outside the glass (BEFORE DIGGING DEEPER // EXTRACTING, IF NEED BE). The ever so FRACTIONAL of the whole form of the great beast of knowledge rests as ACTIVE and EBBING as ever-- - tendrils breached from waters of the same inky tones, eyes never here for long but returning all the same // ALL BESIDES THE GREAT GOLD EYE STARRING. // @reignkil

[tidesfate]

THE ABYSSIAL CEPHALIARCH COULD SENSE THE OTHER BEFORE HE EVEN MADE SELF KNOWN. It was not the feeling of intrusion upon realm, nor its ever present eyes watching // IT WAS MORE PRIMORDIAL THAN THAT. Memories, thoughts; the consumer of such pieces, the knotting of them around the other-- - blood in infested waters before the fish even came swimming into view. While composure still licked frame of the One Who Knows, its form betrayed interest in the ever shifting eyes providing numerous focus to the manifestation within realm // MORE THEN IT WOULD GIVE THE MORE FLEETING FASCINATIONS. “&– - Indeed I do know, Cipher, for that is my nature.” Voice droned and pulsed collective and even // CALMNESS MISTAKABLE FOR DISINTEREST // if not for other factors. “&– - Just as I'm certain you've felt my eyes upon you, and the inevitability of this meeting.”

NICKNAME MERELY SLID BY AS IF IT WEREN'T A MINIMALIZATION OF HERMAEUS MORA. Not unnoticed, mere inconsequential // IT WAS THAT OF MANY NAMES AND TITLES GIVEN, OF RESPECT AND OF ITS OPPOSITE. Wasted time and effort spent to care about it-- - especially when a piece of a puzzle it sought completion of slid into place. “&– - As a show of.... hmm... hospitality, perhaps, you may speak freely first. Your reasonings; we both know you do not visit merely to have a chat without gain.” And the Great Eye did not act without its own, of course. WHAT IT HAD SEEN // WHAT IT HAD COME TO KNOW. The demon could offer an opportunity to open up restrictions 'pon the barriers where it lay and everything else did. The disposition and... unpredictability of Bill even for something such as it // A PROBLEM THAT NEEDED OBSERVATION AND CAREFUL MEASURE.

 𝐀  𝐒𝐖𝐈𝐑𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐆  𝐕𝐎𝐑𝐓𝐄𝐗  𝐎𝐅  𝐃𝐈𝐒𝐉𝐎𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐃  𝐌𝐄𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐒,    ㅤㅤㅤ   half-formed  thoughts,  and  fragmented  emotions.  The  air  crackled  with  the  energy  of  countless  tangled  connections,  and  somewhere  within  it,  a  figure  waited  —  a  figure  who  should  not  belong  here.

a  demon  shifting  realities,  static  and  voices  layered  above  one  another  seemed  to  resonate  everywhere  getting  louder  and  louder  until  a  bright  eye  locked  onto  the  rather…sizable  eldritch  being  with  an  intensity.  His  form  flickered  in  and  out  of  clarity,  ever-shifting  like  a  mirage.  The  edges  of  his  form  were  jagged,  pulsing  with  a  glow.

   ㅤㅤㅤ   ㅤㅤ—  Then  came  the  laughter. and  a  shift  -  a   physical  form  manifests  itself.  Bill’s  triangular  form  spun  lazily  in  the  air  as  he  chuckled,  his  laugh  sharp  and  grating. 

   ㅤㅤ❝    Squid-for-Brains  !   I've  been  meaning  to  have  a  nice  little  chat  with  you  -  you  know   !   ❞   ㅤㅤ

@tidesfate    ,       summoned bill  !  △

[tidesfate]

Item: an simple array of gold jewelry ( made from his golden scales for intimacy ;)) )

❛[ GIVE MY MUSE AN ITEM ≻ accepting

ALREADY DID A HANDFUL OF TRINKETS LAY UPON THE RUINED VESSEL OF THE ABYSSAL CEPHALIARCH. An oddity-- - Hermaeus Mora cared little for decorating its TEMPORARY BODIES, and even beyond that the shine of the wearable articles were treated with little more than appreciation of the shining piles that lay at the bottom of Apocrypha's seas. (BUT ODDITY DUPLICATED, FOR THIS DURATION WAS CAUSED BY THAT AND ONLY GREW IN TIME.) While something the Old One examined every so often, now was not one of those-- - instead eyes, numerous even upon what was once more SINGULAR, looked 'pon both Agravaine and the jewelry that lay within hands. It knew source // VOCALIZATION NOT NECESSITATED // and as it spoke from where it sat voice fitted with a rumbling that was unmistakable from a purr. “&– - I see fitting that you be the one that places them where you see fit, mgepvulgtmah uh'enyth.” // @lordsrot

[ilovedthestars]

10 lines tag game

@alex-van-gore tagged me! Thanks alex :)

“Rules: share the first lines of ten of your most recent fanfics and tag ten people. If you have written less than ten, don’t be shy and share anyway ❤️”

It was actually really interesting to notice the patterns in my first lines. I left out a bunch that were very short and generic first lines which are followed by a longer and more interesting sentence (second line tag game when??), which seems to be a thing I do a lot. But I think a lot of the ones I did pick have a similar vibe.

The ship says that it is my client. (Ship’s Unit, on ao3)

There was something in my head. (i thought i’d lost, on ao3)

Remember, ART said, it is vital that you are not discovered. (Operation Parsec, on ao3)

In the files it gave me, Murderbot 1.0 described Pin-Lee as “the CombatUnit version of a lawyer.” (As Your Legal Counsel, on ao3)

I didn’t know why the prisoner was important. (Acceptable Mission Cost, on ao3)

This time when I restarted, I wasn’t on Preservation Station, or in a cubicle, or back on my last company survey. I was lying on the platform of ART’s MedSystem. (This is from a wip with the working title “Lies”)

No one knows who brought the file back first. (carry us to freedom, on ao3)

“Dr. Belmonte,” the executive says, tapping a stylus against the small display surface in her hand. (Polite, on ao3)

The client had been arguing with the company representative for twenty minutes already, and I was getting tired of having to keep my face in the standard neutral expression. (Deployment Center, my first ever pubished murderbot fic! on ao3)

When it’s over, SecSystem shuts me down, and I think that will be the end of everything. (From a very angsty wip which is just a bunch of really short snips between Ganaka Pit and murderbot going rogue.)

i never know who to tag in these things, so no pressure: @ineedlelittlespace @elexuscal @cephaliarch @specialagentartemis @hummus-tea Also if you see this and are sad that you haven't been tagged yet, i am tagging YOU

[stolememory]

`ENTROPY AND CATACLYSM FESTERED LIKE A STUDY IN MICRO BACTERIUM. Small and inconsequential little planet, A SPECK IN A GREATER EXPANSE // BARELY PAST THE CRAWL OF EVOLUTION (THE ADAPTATION OF LANGUAGE // THE FINITE TOOLS OF DISCOVERY). Thus perfect-- - cruel bait, twisted trap. The Abyssal Cephaliarch handing down knowledge of things WELL BEYOND these mortals scope-- - that which could bring TREMENDOUS ENLIGHTENMENT AND TECHNOLOGICAL IMPROVEMENT // OR UTTER ANNIHILATION. Truthfully, either would provide Hermaeus Mora with a show-- - but despite haze when it came to sight of that which tied to self, the One Who Knows was keen to the ruinous ways of many. The Great Eye watched warfare and strife, massacre and destruction all in name of such a MINUTE piece of knowledge it had granted them (BUT TO THE DENZIENS, IT WAS A SPRING OF WATER IN THE DESERT OF IGNORANCE).

`AND THE MASTER OF THE TIDES OF FATE HEARD THOSE THAT PLEADED AND BEGGED. They had wormed way into isolated pantheon of one-- - they were the vocal voice, one true Deity to those that knew not others. (THE MASSES PRAYED TO THEIR GOD // THOSE HUNGRY FOR MORE // THOSE HUNGRY FOR ANSWERS TO SILENCE KNOWLEDGE GONE TOO FAR). And he answered-- - and gave; but knowing demands use, and the cycle repeats.  “&– - They know not when to stop; I gave, they received. They did what they pleased with the gift, but still they request more; the conclusion is approaching.” Old One muses to familiar ears, the unseen maw has a laugh scrapping at the bends of throat; threatening to escape, to circulate (BUT FOR NOW IT JUST TAINTS SYLLABLES WITH LEVITY).   “&– - I often prove to be an unfair betting partner, but speak your mind about which end you anticipate. Or if you wish to place a new piece upon this board, proceed.” // @the27percent liked for a horror starter

[skyshattering]

┆ ❧ ❛ @cephaliarch.

          it was hard to remain unfazed in the presence of the many-eyed prince. his sheer appearance was unsettling, as was being in the presence of a daedric prince. elyon’s breath caught in her throat, fingers clutching the hilt of her sword tighter, though she made no mention to unsheathe it -- merely gripping it to steady herself. “forgive me,” she started, voice wavering, “i’m not familia with the proper way to address a daedric prince.”