#conquest of tenebrae

[raven-6-10]

@a-world-in-grey

Right, after some deep diving through FFXV wiki and some research into hereditary titles, inheritance laws and various historical and fictional courts, I think I have a general idea of what I want the Niflheimr court in general and the Aldercapt dynasty in particular to look like.

***

Let's start with the inheritance laws.

I settled on agnatic-cognatic (male-preference) primogeniture i.e. the throne goes to the eldest son, then his brothers by order of age, then his eldest sister and so on. And since the Aldercapts don't have Bahamut artificially pruning the family tree to one child per generation in recent centuries, there are actually people related to the Emperor with a legitimate claim to the throne.

(Side-note: some pruning is still happening as a result of children competing for the throne. Iedolas' brothers and one sister had died before he even came to the throne.)

The issue here is that Iedolas is an ambitious man - even if he's not obsessed with reviving Solheim (at the moment) - and wants to leave a legacy. Which means he wants his heir to be his child/grandchild.

You raised a valid point about Iedolas having children before that point. Which. Uhmm. Canon doesn't exactly help here. The only thing we know for certain is that he had at least one son (b. 720 ME) who died at the earliest in 748 ME (because that's the birth year for Solara Antiquum) but was definitely dead when the game kicked off in 756 ME. Considering Iedolas is from Mors' generation that's kind of late to have your first child.

So!

I'm gonna make an executive decision here.

Iedolas did have children before that with his wife. Specifically two sons and a daughter. Possibly some grandchildren even. However they all died due to combination of illnesses, accidents and deliberate action. At that point he tried for another child with his wife, which canonically ended up with her death from childbirth complications within a year. In this au, the son in question was born early - resulting in underdeveloped lungs plus host of other health issues - and died as a young teenager due to pneumonia.

Hence, the order for Besithia to create an heir for him.

***

Situation at the Imperial court is surprisingly stable at the moment.

Just because the Emperor has no children doesn't mean he has no heirs*. The current heir presumptive is his younger sister but since she's rather elderly, the throne is actually probably going to be inherited by his great-niece. The woman in question is from a high-ranking house, married to a man from similarly titled house, has a range of useful political and military connections and a daughter of her own at the time of Prompto's birth.

(Iedolas had been planning to betroth Prompto to his great-great-niece and name the mother a regent just in case he dies before his son is an adult.)

So most of the politicking is currently about getting into the good graces of the imperial heiress and discrediting the rivals. The most opposition is from warmongers (Ulldor) as she's much less militant than the current emperor, so will likely focus on consolidating the imperial gains in Tenebrae and addressing social issues instead of continuing the conquest.

***

As for where that would leave Prompto (or whatever Iedolas would rename him)?

I'm headcanoning that Niflheimr royals don't introduce their kids to public until they are at least 10. Before that there might be rumours, especially if the Empress is obviously pregnant, but nobody will confirm anything outright.

There's a bunch of historical reasons behind that, but mostly it's very useful if you need to, erm, adjust the family tree.

And right now it means that Aldercapt still has time to get his kid back instead of writing him off as a lost cause and trying again or just formally declaring a new heir from among his relatives. Because nobody will bat an eyelash on the boy not being seen before his formal introduction.

If the Nifs actually recover him, he will be raised in a secluded estate on the outskirts of Gralea with staff being responsible for his upbringing and Iedolas visiting often to check on him.

***

*I was inspired by the House Arryn. Somebody once joked that even if you are five generations removed from lordship, you can still end up being the Heir Arryn. A peasant sneezes in the Vale and they've lost half their house members.

[the-tomato-patch]

The Hand that Holds You

Summary:

"One moment the final incarnations of the Emperor were upon them, wreathed in power, radiating centuries worth of conquest. The next... nothing. Tenebrae and all that he had embodied simply ceased to be. " Scourge takes a moment to appreciate his Jedi following the death of the Emperor.

Pairing:

Jedi Knight x Lord Scourge ( Pre-relationship )

Word Count:

1.6k+

AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/50029708

One moment the final incarnations of the Emperor were upon them, wreathed in power, radiating centuries worth of conquest. The next... nothing. Tenebrae and all that he had embodied simply ceased to be. Hardened to stone and scattered to dust, his soul forever cast from the Force itself. In his place lingered an odd reverberation, a raw sense of imbalance as the Force recoiled in confusion and disarray at the sudden power vacuum torn in its place. Scourge sensed a fraction of the Emperor's power as it dissipated—ancient and forbidding, almost as old as the stars themselves, laced in darkness. It was a pure, staggering manifestation of the Force and it had been extinguished. At long last. 

All that remained were the timeless echoes of his victims. Everyone he'd murdered, betrayed, manipulated. Countless beings, both known and unknown to history. They now felt appeased at last. Free from bondage, free from the chains of horror. And from these ancient, battered echoes came a hum, not from anger or hatred. No, this was an open declaration of peace—a faint ripple of completion. So brief, so delicate that Scourge knew it would have been easy to miss. He let go and sought that tender, vulnerable sensation. Beguiled by its sincerity and the future it promised. All of it was welcome after knowing the eternal bile that were the final echoes of the Emperor. 

And like distant, ethereal stars burning away their last flames, the spirits began to wink out, joining the eternity of the Force. Their ordeal ended.

~~~~~

Scourges eyes snapped open. A sharp gasp of air, returning to the cold, hard world of the living. His heart hammering in his chest. He felt his age, more than he had in years. Raw and weak. As though his spirit itself had been stretched to its breaking point. Every ounce of weariness he hadn't realized he'd ignored flooded through his body, washing out the strength in his very marrow. Old bones, new wounds. 

"Welcome back, big guy." Kira's voice, full of grim relief. His vision was bleary. Nothing registered. Just a great smudge against the gray and shadows. For a short eternity that was his entire universe.

Then the fog began to clear, and details edged in, hazy and dark.

"Kira." His voice was hoarse and felt raw. "You live?"

"Ha." A bitter laugh, yet she smiled through it. "Yeah, we both made it. Never been happier to see that scowl of yours."

Scourge picked himself up off the cold tile, standing tall and proud once more. They registered one another with a cool gaze that spoke volumes, uncharacteristic warmth showing in his visage at the same time as hers. Until he shot her a sour glare as though in warning for her cheek. Kira pulled a face at him in a barely controlled display of mirth. He did his best not to roll his eyes and turned to view the varying degrees of disarray the others found themselves in.

At length he took stock of the faces around him. Most were on their feet—or in Theron's case, knee. Others still huddled close to the floor, unwilling to move as of yet. Regardless, they all wore expressions of haunted wonder, eyes still darting in curiosity. Still absorbing the magnitude of what they'd witnessed in their trance. Somehow they'd managed to pull it off. What had once seemed an impossible task became a feat of reality. And they'd survived it. Scourge didn't quite believe it himself. Despite those thoughts, it appeared everyone had woken from their shared trance. Save for two. His Jedi and the Grand Master.

Scourge went over to Rhiasen's side while Kira and the others that had ventured into this madness with them tended to their own. He dropped to one knee and felt the stirrings of life within her, deep in communion with Satele. This much he could tell, yet nothing more. What happened now was the will of the Force. Nothing to be done about it except wait. 

Gently, he reached under her shoulders, then knees and lifted her small frame carefully, pulling her from the cold of the tile to his arms. Holding her with an unaccustomed reverence, letting a thin hint of pride linger in his eyes. They'd both gone to extraordinary lengths to bring this about. She'd done more than most could conceive of—for both Sith and Jedi. What awaited her upon the morrow... well. It remained to be seen. She'd changed his life, and this he would not forget. 

Truly, his Jedi. One he admired. Respected. Cherished..and perhaps.. 

Scourge cradled her slight form against his armored chest, her head lolled to his shoulder as he allowed himself an indulgent moment of emotion. He pulled her up and softly leaned down a fraction to press his forehead to hers, closing his eyes against the world that still carried on despite this change in the Force. There he lingered. Feeling her heartbeat against his arm, her breathing. Gentle exhales warm on the bridge of his nose. Her presence that still glowed, now strengthened. The assurance that she yet lived brought a curious feeling of ease to his old heart. So too did the knowledge of his Emperor's demise.

At last. At last he'd fulfilled the task the Force demanded of him. It felt... good. Not something that happened often with a being such as he, yet he chose to entertain it for however short the time. He stayed that way, enjoying the moment. Basking in the soft rhythm of the breath that brushed past his features. Letting everything else fall away. There was no guilt, no doubt, no regret. At least, nothing to weigh against the rest of his long, wretched life. This had been his penance to make amends and he was glad that he had been able to see it through. He owed his life to her, twice over.

How odd a sentiment... and how far he'd fallen.

"So." Kira's amused voice. He didn't respond. Rather he raised his head away from Rhiasen's face and looked down at Kira. "She's finally worn you down, has she?" Kira's knowing tone was jovial.

He looked her over, cocking a brow ridge in curious challenge, keeping silent. However, she said no more and continued onto the task at hand, informing him that they were to escort Satele and her students. Lana would follow behind to retrieve Rhiasen. Leaving any remaining clean up for the Republic, Alliance or the Jedi. After their actions this night, none would gainsay it.

Cradling Rhiasen securely against himself, Scourge waited until all but Kira had filed out and turned a sideways glance to her. It was not missed, and she returned his gaze. 

"He's gone." Her tone was unusually tender. A true statement that was rife with meaning. She glanced up at the doorway leading out from the inner sanctum into the vaulted chamber ahead and took her leave. Scourge followed her at a slow, even pace. "An Emperor free galaxy.. Can't say that's anything I'd expected in my lifetime, or the next," she remarked quietly. "Feels weird, actually."

Scourge almost inclined his head in agreement with a gentle hum. Yes. Indeed, it was strange and wholly unknown territory now, a step towards a brand new era. "Weird. Yes, that is one word for it."

 Kira went on, gazing thoughtfully at nothing in particular. "You know, I can actually hear myself think again."

"I noticed the lack of chatter," he deadpanned.

She rolled her eyes with a shake of her head, half smile spreading across her face. They arrived at the hangar before their little interlude was broken. Rhiasen shifted a little in Scourge's embrace, gently, a movement to better seek his warmth. To that he looked down and could feel her almost rousing from her meditative trance, nuzzling into his armor without realising. He chuffed, unable to hide his amusement, but careful not to disrupt her.

"Hmm.." Kira chanced a quizzical look at Scourge, eyebrows climbing. A glint to her eyes, a glint to her Cheshire grin. The corners of his lips twitched upwards ever so slightly, and she nearly burst into a bout of good-natured chuckles. However, Kira traded those in for her trademark impish smile instead.

 Scourge glowered at her as though to say, 'Whatever inane remark comes out of your mouth next...' but there wasn't any malice to it, his expression had softened for a fleeting second, just a blink, really, before he hid the genuinity of his emotions behind the usual callous mask, and that seemed to tickle her all the more.

Kira merely nodded her head toward the entrance of Lana's shuttle, her grin lingering. Scourge growled at her with a scornful air and turned to enter the shuttle. She did not follow and briefly parted ways to go deal with their own people.

Scourge carried Rhiasen into the ship and sat her down against the wall of the cockpit, settling her onto the floor with care, taking his leave afterwards so Lana might take his place. She gave him a curious look.

"There is an important task I must see to. Look after her." was his final request as he paused. They stood not exactly eye to eye, given his height and the short stature of the female Sith lord, but she stood tall nonetheless. 

Lana glanced at him, "I'll be sure she'll stay out of trouble while I sort things out." Then she softened and added, "She'll be well cared for."

A short nod and a murmur of his gratitude was all he could give, turning his back and walking away to join Kira. Eager to leave this miserable ship, and remnants of the Emperor behind.

[den-of-the-blue-dragon]

What was Celesta Knight like during her young years as a recruit? And how did conquest galaxy react to Ciela(celesta) when they first discovered her? Does she have any parents?

this is somewhat long, so under the cut it goes

pseudopuffs are independent as soon as they hatch, so no, celesta knight didn't have anyone taking care of her when she was a child. she lived with arcta knight during this time, and they cared for each other.

celesta knight does have a parent who laid her egg, but I haven't really thought much about them vfbhjvf

they were likely either very ill or exposed to a strong mutagen (or both) while her egg developed inside their body, as her lungs are deformed and part of them developed into her wings.

the entire conquestian military is massive and there simply isn't any reason to have millions of individuals go to one planet and recruit any adolescent pseudopuffs living there. instead, small groups of roughly one hundred individuals will do this task. recruiting is low priority for the conquestian military, so there will typically be about two planets searched every year, with an average of one pseudopuff joining the conquestian military every decade. most young pseudopuffs refuse to join. (it should be noted that the conquestian military is a lot different from real-world militaries. would-be recruits never refuse to join for moral reasons, unless one is hellbent on breaking the peace code for some reason.)

new recruits are hardly celebrated within the conquestian military, so it's highly unlikely that any of the other denizens of conquest galaxy had any idea that celesta knight even existed until the battle against haba maal. it is an entire galaxy with trillions of inhabitants, after all!

her mentor was tenebra knight, and celesta knight was a handful (like most new pseudopuff recruits). she was fully wild and had to be taught how to speak the common language (as well as other languages) and interact with a civilized world. like all other pseudopuff recruits, she was taught to co-exist with her instincts, not suppress them. (in fact, tenebra knight, being a vampire himself, was a bit of an enabler fvjfdfvj)

one of her biggest issues was not knowing the difference between friend and food. fortunately, she knows better now! (mostly.)

[lucent-nargacuga]

Disma Knight

Tag

Full title (pre-Snappening): Sir Disma Knight

Full title (post-Snappening): Esquire Disma Knight

Other titles: Little Butler, Bird Boy, Dizzy

Orientation and pronouns: aroace (he/him)

Disma Knight is an exceptionally small Astral, being no larger than Kirby. His monochrome body is covered in a thin layer of downy feathers which, before he was sent to Hades, could change colour based on the temperature. (His body feathers would turn red in heat, all the way to purple in cold. Magenta meant he was very ill.) His black feathered wings are stunted and small and can only be used to fly for short distances, although Disma Knight prefers to not fly at all due to his fear of heights. He wears a mask that's nearly identical to those worn by plague doctors, as well as a pair of smooth pauldrons that bear no markings. His eyes seem to be grey in colour, although they could once change colour like his body feathers could.

Nowadays, he wears black gloves and a red tie that were given to him by Tenebra Knight, whom he works for.

Disma Knight's ability is an upgraded version of Cleaning, called Butler.

When Disma Knight was discovered as a baby, he was unusually small and had an anomalous aura, although nobody was sure what exactly was wrong with him. He was raised in the GSA and was bullied severely by his mentors and peers alike for his inability to learn to fight and perceived uselessness.

He seemed to be a lost cause until he chanced upon a mysterious camera one day. As it turned out, this camera was actually an extremely powerful artifact that could turn pictures into reality. With this newfound power, Disma Knight was suddenly praised and admired and quickly became knighted. It was during this time when his wings finally grew in, although they never grew in properly.

However, this new life of appreciation and praise would quickly be taken away from him.

When one of his peers was depressed, Disma Knight decided to try to cheer them up and took a picture of himself with his magic camera. He immediately disappeared in the camera's flash of light, and he and his camera were never seen again.

Disma Knight appeared in Hades, with no memories of his life before the incident. However, he knew he had to escape. Disma Knight lived in Hades for many years while he used his camera to help him escape. When he finally escaped, however, he ended up far away from his home galaxy.

Disma Knight had ended up in Conquest Galaxy, and he wandered for a short time before he was discovered by Tenebra Knight, who offered to take him in. Disma Knight happily obliged, and became the vampiric Starborn's loyal butler. He has never been happier before, even before the Snappening. Interestingly, being an undead helped Disma Knight learn how to use his Butler ability, and he finally learned how to fight while under Tenebra Knight's wing.

Disma Knight used to exist in two separate AUs before his two selves were fused as a result of the Snappening. (These two AUs are: my AU where KRBAY-exclusive characters have been heavily altered to exist in the Kirby series' gameverse, and an AU adjacent to the one by @startistdoodles [thank you for inspiring me!!].)

Disma Knight is based on the Swatchling enemies from Deltarune Chapter 2, as well as Viewfinder.

[ertrunkenerwassergeist]

How excited was Regis in BitW to learn that the Galahkari know Sol and in fact all of them learn it in school? Will he try to learn it himself?

Regarding how Sol was otherwise lost worldwide: I headcanon that when the Lucis Caelum were off on their conquests, they were destroying all the records of Solheim in subdued nations. Books, scrolls, paintings, inscriptions on buildings and so on.

Plus anything and everything that painted Lucis and their Kings in bad light - like, say, how Somnus actually got the throne or how Bahamut's temple dealt with people who didn't want them as the head religion. (Because I absolutely believe that 2000 years ago Niflheim, or rather the continent it's on, would be prime destination for those trying to escape persecution. Far away enough that nobody would bother chasing them.)

Very excited to say the least

His goal is to hire someone to translate the oldest texts they have in the royal archives, since they're written in Sol. He would also want to learn the language very much. But he knows he doesn't really have the time for it. Doesn't stop him from trying though.

Funnily enough, forgetting Sol didn't have only to do with the Lucis Caelums. On what is now the Lucian continent, Solheim was a conquering party. They were basically Ancient Rome in that regard and superimposed their language on top of the existing one. When Solheim fell, many people stopped speaking Sol and/or teaching it to the younger generation. They were liberated after all. Another aspect is that people wanted to distance themselves from Solheim since it was destroyed because of an Astral's wrath. People didn't want to incur that wrath and distanced themselves from Solheim as much as they could. Which means they destroyed Solheimr cultural things all on their own.

Lucis did have part in it though. Especially through their cultural reformations. The Pious spearheaded the first one. (Someone remind me to talk about the cultural reformations sometime. It's some of the background lore I did, I somehow never got around to talk about.)

The old Nifasi tribes aren't the friendliest. (In fact, they were that era's Vikings.) That didn't deter the truly desperate though, to settle in the borderlands between modern Niflheim and Tenebrae. They are the ones who introduces lighter skin tones into the desert.

(Look, it's a pet pieve I have. Niflheim was supposed to be a desert until not even 50 years ago according to canon. So why are all people supposedly from there, white skinned? That's not how this works!)

[tenebraebuzz]

Under the cut, you will find Lux et Tenebrae's base plotline as well as some of its canon changes. Our plot serves as a starting basis to an ongoing story furthered by events. As an AU site, we are able to present a variety of opportunities for the originality of the roleplay as well as inspire character creativity. Our discord is now open so you can join in on the buzz ! By joining the discord early you may make two face reserves in the corresponding channel. Lux et Tenebrae is an au Marauders Era roleplay set in 1985, a year after the First Wizarding War has drawn to a close, witches and wizards seek balance as they traverse a new age of fallacious peace and political intrigue. But echoes of the Dark Lord continue to haunt the air, and his life not wholly dispelled, lurks in the shadows, gathering strength to rise again.

PLOTLINE

1983. Terror and insurmountable loss carry through another year, the Ministry’s shortcomings long evident in the failure to quell the threat of an ascending Dark Lord and his impending insurgence. The Wizarding World in ruin, he is close to conquest, helming as its tyrannical victor and laying waste to all who oppose him. The Order alone is not enough to keep errant forces at bay nor are they powerful enough to breach the Dark Lord’s seemingly unnatural immortality. As the year stretches on, a great yawn of fatigued time, the tally of fallen wix reaches a new sum that is too costly to count. Near the end when all is thought lost, as the skies are cast ever darker across Great Britain, hope manifests itself within an unexpected source — one of Voldemort’s own. A Death Eeater, Regulus Black, uncovers a clandestine secret that lends to the candour behind Tom Riddle’s impenetrable defence. Disillusioned for a prolonged swell of time, his covert efforts lead to unveiling a Horcrux, a wicked mass of dreadful magic bound to Salazar Slytherin’s locket. 1984. The tides begin to turn, and the Order gains their first foothold in a war the world had begun to deem lost. The Dark Lord’s lethal militia of Death Eaters begins to break off as he becomes debilitated in the wake of the locket’s destruction, fortuitously annihilated by the research of its defected thief. It is here that the Order, led by Albus Dumbledore, overcome Voldemort and his reign in a final battle that bears witness to his physical dissipation. A body that sheds tendrils of fractured shade, drifting into the night. With news of the Dark Lord’s demise boldly headlining The Daily Prophet, Millicent Bagnold, the newly minted Minister of Magic, seeks to herald in an era of peace with the conclusion of the Death Eater trials. It is found that many of Voldemort’s followers had fled his ranks post the Horcrux’s eradication, but those that the Aurors can capture and condemn are seen to the depths of Azkaban. And some, in more peculiar cases, are pardoned with alternate deals, members of their tribunals perhaps bearing lasting ties to the Dark Lord’s whims. Though Millicent garners much approval throughout the Wizarding World by the end of her first year in office, there are several who fought and bled during the war that believe she is too quick to dismiss the potential of enduring threats. 1985. For many, the passage of time does not mend the persisting wounds of their buried dead. The pain of memory is a stain that cannot be scrubbed clean, and trepidation stalks even the bravest of wizard kind who struggle to reintegrate into daily life after the ferocity of such vast conflict. Even a year post the contest, a volley of trauma clouds heavy above the lives of survivors. And they are right to dwell on the past, as the Dark Lord remains, not entirely whole but able, methodically manoeuvring taut strings as he operates in his weakened state from the shadows, calling upon his sympathisers and sycophants that have remained unbroken and unbridled to once again aid in his pursuit of blood purification and wizarding rule. His soul still split into four pieces, his form strengthens, ready to rise again.

CANON CHANGES

Millicent Bagnold succeeded Harold Minchum as Minister of Magic at the terminal stage of the First Wizarding War in early 1984. Minchum was unsuccessful in containing Voldemort’s rise to power and rumoured to have perhaps even been in league with him, leading to Bagnold’s swift ministry interference. She gained further universal approval post the successful Death Eater trials.

There are four Horcruxes remaining as not all have canonly been created by the starting time of the roleplay. With the locket destroyed, Harry’s birth having not taken place and Nagini not turned into a Horcrux until 1994, the only remaining items are Hufflepuff’s cup, Ravenclaw’s diadem, Tom Riddle’s diary and Marvolo Gaunt’s ring.

The Wizarding Wireless Network, or WWN, has a pirate radio channel still active from the First Wizarding War in which most Order members and Order leaning individuals used to keep track of Death Eater movements and other related issues ( think of Potterwatch for an example ). The station is only accessible by those with the correct password and accompanied wand movement which changes weekly.

Those with Dark Marks will find that the mark has faded in colour, but has not vanished or scarred over, lending them to believe amongst one another that he is not entirely gone from the world.

To be updated as needed.

[giallofever2]

Happy Birthday/ Buon Compleanno Claudio Simonetti (born 19 February 1952, São Paulo) is a Brazilian-born Italian musician and film composer. The keyboardist of the progressive rock band Goblin, Simonetti has specialized in the scores for Italian and American horror films since the 1970s. A long-time collaborator of director Dario Argento, Simonetti has worked on several of the director/producer’s films including Deep Red, Suspiria, Dawn of the Dead, Tenebrae, Phenomena, Demoni, and Opera. His work has long been an iconic staple of Italian genre cinema, collaborating with directors like Ruggero Deodato, Umberto Lenzi, Lucio Fulci, Enzo G. Castellari, Lamberto Bava, and Sergio Martino. His highly experimental scores are known for their signature, electronic and progressive rock-influenced sound, and have been imitated numerous times. He studied at the Conservatorio di Santa Cecilia in Rome. #claudiosimonetti #claudiosimonettisgoblin #claudiosimonettigoblin #darioargentosoundtracks #moviesoundtrack #moviesoundtracks #colonnasonora #ilcartaio #dracula3d #demoni #demons1985 #nightmarebeach #suspiria #laterzamadre #tenebre #conquest #jenifer #thecardplayer #tenebrae #giallofever #giallosoundtrack #horrorsoundtrack #horrorsoundtracks #cultsoundtrack https://www.instagram.com/p/BuHxAS1lSJj/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1wgamju65lxsb

[secret-engima]

Where do you think the original Kingdom of Lucis was? And the original domain of House Fleuret before they settled in Tenebrae? (I'm trying to figure out how the Kingdom expanded over the centuries and I figured I'd ask you in case you had any notes from Deleantur.)

Uhhh, I'm not sure I ever worked it out in *detail*, but I've always believed that the island that Insomnia is on was the original kingdom of Lucis. It's covered in a city now, but it's modeled after Tokyo and that city is- huge. There's more than enough space on that island alone (not counting the tinier islands dotted around it) to establish a kingdom, and *tactically* it's in a good position. It's not so far from the Mainland that you couldn't establish a supply chain for trade or later military expansions, but canonically it took a really really long time for there to be any oceanic daemons. Water back then would have served as a barrier both for human enemies and *daemons*, which makes it an ideal spot for Bahamut to put the Crystal while it charges up.

By the time of Somnus and Deleantur, the Kingdom would have expanded to have some mainland territory, how large is variable really, but I ... personally HC that it covers Cavanaugh (the island next to Insomnia), and some (if not all?) of the Leide area (with part of it being territory/routes leading to the Galdin Quay area because Somnus would have picked Angelgard for a reason and needed a route to get there/have guards in the og timeline) with a port town likely formed either where the bridge will be built in modern times or the Keycatrich area, which we know in Noct's time used to be a town "for rich folks", which means it's probably old. I am- stupendously bad at distances, but I definitely think they're either edging into Duscae in places as well or have holdings up north in that (massive) area of the map we never get to go to.

Idk how big that is for an ancient kingdom, but we don't know how long the Lucis Caelums were kings other than "long enough for Somnus and Ardyn to be part of a lineage". But considering there is only medieval technology to fight them and the Lucis Caelums have both magic *and* the Nox Fleuret family of Oracles (and thus the gods themselves) backing them I can see them expanding either by conquest or just by *alliance*. Smaller kingdoms and nobles signing up for some of that sweet magic protection.

I never did figure out where the Oracles originally were located, but again, considering the tactical advantage of being an island and that the Oracles clearly used to be able to journey to commune with the Astrals via Crystal, I'd put them not too far away. Either on the island of Insomnia itself, potentially on the sister island of Cavaugh (we never see it so who knows what's on it, and hey, that means Titus could be an descendant of the original kingdom of Nox Fleuret), or again, up in that unexplored northern area of the map. It's close enough to Leide and Insomnia that one could journey there, and from oggling it from afar and staring at the map it appears to be heavily forested rather than desert, which fits with the Nox Fleuret's later jungle vibe.

Last minute edit: I cannot remember if I put Taelpar Crag as part of the Lucian kingdom in my Deleantur fic. The part of it we visit in the dlc is in Cleigne, which is pretty far from the island of Insomnia *but* that thing stretches on for *miles*. And I think that some of it goes up into the Duscae??? We just can't get to it because of Map Things.

I also always thought it edged into Leide, mostly because in the Kingsglaive there's a giant canyon that Niflheim hides in near Insomnia and I always assumed it was the shallow end of Taelpar Crag. Even if it's not- none of the ancient kingdoms would have claimed the Crag because it's known as rift formed by Bahamut fighting/killing Ifrit and it's also a very spooky place. So the Oracles of *this* time deciding to pack up and move to the highly magical Crag and surrounding area would not be contested. Heck the kingdoms would probably *give* the Nox Fleuret's some of the land around the Crag on the condition the Oracles make sure none of the daemons, demons, and ghosties they think live down there will come up *here* and harass them.

[tsukikoayanosuke]

The Tale of the Two Apprentices

“There are some tales that some people never heard of. For those from the World of Tenebrae, news of light never reached them for the wind never got passed the separation. Thus, this tale can only be heard in the World of Lux.

But, no worries, my children. For we will tell this just for you. It was a classic tale, a tale of jealousy. And history will always repeat itself.

Separations always end in tragedy. For the Brilliant Light whose heart is lost forever and unable to satisfy her need, she kept creating and creating and creating. Her companions, the Master of Passing, were merely servants who clean up her mess, but none of them are able to fill the emptiness. For who was patient enough to hold the Light's hand?

So, she searched for those hands. And two people reached for her. Two people were chosen. Two people came to reach out for the Light. They were chosen. The Light's very own apprentices: a girl from a high status with all riches in her hand and a boy of the ghetto with nothing but his loyalty.

The girl was ignorant of the world outside her small world, lonely like a canary in a cage. The boy felt like he didn’t deserve to wish for the world, prayers were too heavy for him. United under the blessing of the Brilliant Light, for they were her successors.

Different backgrounds, yet close like siblings. For the girl to have someone who can show her a brand new world. For the boy to have someone who love him for how he was. They stood by each other through thick and thin, along with the Light, learning about the incredible power they would someday inherit and dreamed of ruling the universe together.

And yet, the Light only chose one. Only the boy was blessed with the power of the light. 

The girl didn’t get anything. And her heart became corrupted. Pain. Anger. Jealousy. Betrayal. What’s the point of learning everything when in the end you’ll be cast away?

So, she ran away. Cutting her connection with the creator of the universe and the boy who was once her brother. Isolating herself in the other side of the continent, in a land where flowers always bloom regardless the season. She had the skill, learned from the Light herself, to built a kingdom with her bare hand. Her heart was corrupted by the will for revenge. She swore that no matter how many generations will pass, her descendant will sit on the throne of the Brilliant Light, for she deserved it just like her former brother. 

There was not a day when the boy would beg for the Brilliant Light to give a blessing for his sister, but the heartless Light wouldn’t do it. There were times when the boy would be angry at the Light for the injustice, but he couldn’t raise a finger. He was the king of the land and it was his duty to protect the world his master had trusted him. But, if he could make one selfish wish, it was for one day to unite with his sister.

For generations, the kingdom of birthright and the kingdom of conquest would always be in conflict. With new kings sitting on the throne, a new decision needed to be made. Whether the cycle would continue or stop at this age, only they can decide.

It was heartbreaking that separation must happen again, my children, but history would often repeat itself...”

[swtorpadawan]

😎 😳 for whoever you want

They Come in Threes - Head Canon Meme Thanks for the asks, @grandninjamasterren !

I think I shall mix it up....

😳 - Three Embarrassing Head Canons

All three are a result of sheltered childhoods.

Corellan Halcyon grew up isolated and sheltered, even by Jedi standarads. He lacked many nuances for things that many people took for granted. Fortunately, he had Kira's street smarts and Teeseven's decades of experiences to help keep him afloat on his early adventures.

But when his relationship with Kira began... well, he was acutely aware of just how little he knew about the practical aspects of certain things. He was very embarrassed about that, and he doesn't embarrass easily.

(Yes, this means sex. He understood the biology but not the... you know what? I'm explaining too much.)

Fortunately, Kira was more than willing to help him through those early days.

Deviah Sarnova shared one common quality to Corellan's upbringing: She was sheltered.

Despite being highly intelligent and even compassionate, she had a completely justification ready for every questionable policy within the Empire, each of them completely rationale and logical... from her world view. Slavery, conquest, the war with the Jedi ... all of it made sense.

And then she was exposed to the rest of the galaxy and saw how poorly that all worked in practice.

She felt stupid. And embarrassed.

When Rhi’khi was rescued from being a slave to the Hutts, there were so many basic things she didn't know that embarrassed her. She didn't know how to cut food with a knife and fork, for example. It was very humbling, and took time to work through.

😎 - Wildcard Three Random Head Canons

Kael Nosrol Krannus was a Tenebrae true believer. He was genuinely devoted, like the Servants, Children, and Imperial Guard among others. It was only when Zu'fanda told him (proved I should say) that Tenebrae was plotting to destroy the galaxy that he flipped. Having his faith destroyed broke him on a level he never recovered from.

Xadya's favorite alcohol is Merenzane Gold, which was introduced in an EU Boba Fett short story back in the day. It seemed to fit her, even though its her sole luxury.

Moyraah Gargun was a niece to Commander Gargun, an officer in Imperial Intelligence. The Commander and a strike team were sent into the Dark Temple not long before Moyraah was transferred to Dromund Kaas, and unfortunately, they were all driven insane. An Intelligence Captain then hired a bounty hunter to hunt down Gargun for professional reasons. (That bounty hunter eventually became the Champion of the Great Hunt. So the OC Hunter is required to kill Moyraah's uncle every playthrough.) Moyraah truly regrets not getting to kill Medle. She hopes to hunt down the bounty hunter someday.

Thanks for the asks!

[a-world-in-grey]

King’s Speech in Eos

Prompted by and ask from @ends-of-the-wayward-storm that spiraled out of control. Tagging @secret-engima because she’s always down for my rambles.

If anything doesn’t make sense or you notice any grievous errors, let me know!

I’m gonna cover the broad history of King’s Speech, including origin, evolution, and its spread throughout Eos, along with some hcs on the varying concurrent historical events that would influence the language. It’ll be somewhat vague, because we don’t have hard dates for... a lot of events.

Origin

Gonna start with a bit of set up for what Eos might have looked like around Somnus’ time.

Going way back, we’ve got Solheim. We know it existed in at least Cleigne and Duscae, given we’ve found ruins there. I also theorize that the rest of the Solheim Empire stretched further north of Cleigne and maybe even up to the three islands off the north-western coast of the Cleigne region. It’s possible the Solheim empire stretched into Western continent - most likely Tenebrae and Succarpe and Eusciello - but I don’t have enough information to make a solid assumption one way or the other.

As the ruling power of the time, Solheimian would have been the dominant language within their territory (think Roman empire and Latin), and it would have persisted amongst the survivors after Solheim fell.

On the Eastern continent, that would have been the Cleigne and Duscae regions. On the Western continent, Pitzala, where they did find very ancient remains of humans that I think were theorized to be from that time period?

So Ancient Solheim would have influenced the languages in Cleigne, Duscae, and part of Tenebrae.

Now we get to Somnus’ time. Somnus, who founded Lucis, whose tomb is in Duscae. It is very, very likely that Duscae is Somnus’s birthplace, and the birthplace of the Lucian Kingdom. And early King’s Speech.

So, we’ve got at the moment, the various regions/kingdoms: On the Eastern continent - Cleigne, the newly formed Lucis in Duscae, Leide, Cavaugh, and Galahd. Accordo is in the middle of the ocean to the south. And on the Western continent - Tenebrae (the mountainous Ulwaat region and the coast Pitzala region) and Niflheim (the regions of Succarpe, Eusciello, Vogliupe, and Ueltham).

At this point, the Old Lucian language will have the most in common with the language of the Cleigne region (they might even be different dialects of the same language) and Tenebrae, as Aera and Ardyn are shown to have no issues communicating. (Admittedly, the historical world building in the game is not what I would call extensive, so it’s likely the game developers and writers never actually considered this when making the game.)

Leide will have its own language, as will Cavaugh and Galahd. Accordo has its own language, one likely to be vastly different from any of the others on the continents. As far as Niflheim, the Ueltham region will have a separate language, perhaps similar to the Vogliupe region, and the Succarpe and Eusciello regions might have similarities but will be separate from the Tenebrae and inland languages.

So there’s Old Lucian (Duscae and Cleigne dialects), Old Tenebraen (which is separate but mutually intelligible to Old Lucian), Old Leidan, Old Cavaugh, Old Galahdian, Old Accordan, Old Niflheimian (Ueltham and Vogliupe dialects), and Old Succarpe/Eusciello.

Someone please write a fic of that era where the characters have to deal with language barriers. Please. Think of the sheer opportunity for miscommunication! The drama! The comedy!

Old Lucian to Middle Lucian: Birth of Continental Lucian

Also known as the Lucian Kings get Conquest Happy.

Rome falls, Latin lingers but ultimately falls out of global use, and Late West Saxon is the predominant language in England.

And then 1066 rolls around and the Normans invade, bringing both French and Latin with them. The West Saxon language of the common locals eventually picks up the Norman and Old Norse from the ruling upper class, and the Latin from the Church, becoming Anglo-Norman, better known as Middle English.

Congratulations, this is exactly what happens when Lucis conquers Leide and Cavaugh. Just replace West Saxon with Old Leidan and Old Cavaugh, and French-Latin with Old Lucian-Tenebraen.

Mix well, and bam, we’ve now got what Lucian historians will call Continental Lucian.

Galahd is still minding its own business, and no sane Lucian wants to go to the jungle, so while Old Galahdian isn’t the same as was during Somnus’ era, vocab falling in and out of use, it hasn’t changed all that much.

Old Niflheimian has changed however. Ueltham is somewhat isolated from the rest of the continent, so their language changes less, but the Vogluipe region has evolved to the point they are no longer a different dialect of Old Niflheimian but their own separate language as they pick up bits and pieces from Tenebrae and Eusciello. Old Tenebraen will develop two different dialects by this point - High and Low Tenebraen. Low Tenebraen will shift closer to Vogliupe, Eusciello, and Succarpe influences and is the common language in Tenebrae. High Tenebraen is the language of religion and used by the Oracles, priests, and upper classes. It’s the language used for higher education on the Western continent.

Accordo, unlike Galahd, has become the trading hub of the world, and picks up influences from Leide, Lucis, Succarpe, and Tenebrae, which shifts them from Old Accordan to Middle Accordan.

Global Conquest: Rise of the King’s Speech

Or, in other words, The Warrior.

Loses his wife, wages global war in his grief. Only one of the Kings of Yore to have his tomb outside the Lucian continent. (Which I also have hcs on but that is a completely separate post.)

Now, the writers do not tell us just how far the Warrior or the kingdom of Lucis managed to conquer. The Warrior is buried in Tenebrae, so we know he made it at least that far.

Which, I’m going to quibble on in just bit.

Given how the King’s Speech is global, even in Niflheim (presumably, we don’t ever see your run of the mill Niflheimian commoners/working class), it’s highly likely that Lucis once controlled both continents. And Accordo.

And here’s where we get into some, well, very not nice parts of history.

King’s Speech is the language of Eos. The only other language we ever see is that of the Astrals (and maybe Ancient Solheim? That wasn’t in the cutscenes so I’m a bit iffy), which means either the majority of Eos are bilingual, or King’s Speech is the only language.

How do you make half a dozen other languages disappear?

Genocide.

Not necessarily full on Holocaust round them up and exterminate them. But by forbidding them to speak or write in their language. Ever. By taking their children and raising them in a different culture, until there’s no one left who remembers how to speak their language at all.

It’s horrible, I know, and I doubt anyone wants to go that dark when writing their fics, but that’s what history tells us. The Indigenous tribes of North America, forced onto reservations and sent to ‘cultural’ schools to raise them as ‘white men.’ Britain, making it illegal to speak Welsh, Irish, and Scottish. Those are the examples I’m most familiar with, but I don’t doubt there’s a lot more.

A language is a representation of its people. Of its culture. It changes with its people.

And dies with them.

So for at least a couple generations - probably closer to five or six - Lucis occupied most of the world. But not all of it.

Tenebrae.

Tenebrae, the longstanding allies of Lucis. Tenebrae, ruled by the only other family with Bahamut’s Blessing. It would not be surprising at all if Tenebrae served as a foothold for Lucian forces to strike into Niflheim territory, to conquer the continent.

It can be so very easy to go from, we are blessed, to we deserve this, to we deserve more. When a Blessing becomes a Birthright, where does it stop?

When your Empire crumbles.

We don’t have a date for the rise of the Aldercapt dynasty. Only that they became the rulers of Niflheim, and they later decided to conquer the world, using magitek advances uncovered from Solheim ruins.

Which, if you are the ones to lead the faction that frees your home from the occupying forces, you might just get put in charge. And then if you need a way to defend your people in case the magic wielding enemies come back, you might just turn to the ancient civilization rumored to have fought the Astrals.

Yeah. Can’t really argue with that.

So King’s Speech becomes the global language. Ueltham, Vogliupe, Euscellio, and Succarpe disappear. Low Tenebraen likely disappears as well. Accordo may suffer its own occupation during this time, in which Accordan disappears, or it gets so heavily colonized by Lucians that the two languages merge, producing the Accordan dialect of King’s Speech.

Modern King’s Speech

With the entire world - with a couple exceptions - now speaking the same language and Lucian forces pushed back to their own continent, we’re going to start seeing different dialects emerge again.

Niflheim will develop their own dialect, different accents in Ueltham, Vogliupe, Eusciello, and Succarpe, but the same dialect depending on how rapid Niflheim’s technological advancement is. 

Tenebraen King’s Speech will be closest to Old Tenebraen and Old Lucian, and therefore known as High King’s Speech, favored by the upper classes around the world, but especially in Tenebrae, Niflheim, and Insomnia. 

Accordan King’s Speech will be the dialect most different from Standard King’s Speech, due to lingering Accordan influences but also due to Accordo being a major trade center and being influenced by the other dialects.

Lucian King’s Speech will become known as Standard King’s Speech. There will be a couple notable dialects, the Leidan and Insomnian dialects though the Leidan dialect will be the most noticeable.

At some point, Galahd is also conquered, but while they submit and King’s Speech becomes part of Galahd, they remain insular enough that they keep their native language alive. Though there is enough influence from the mainland through King’s Speech on Old Galahdian that it firmly shifts into the Modern Galahdian language.

[den-of-the-blue-dragon]

12 for the dark OC asks (can be multiple OCs if you want to)

12. If your OC was arrested, what would the charges be?

celesta knight, arcta knight, casey, misty, tintreach, queen glacia, tenebra knight, dlp-010, dr. zenith's assistant, armoise, crysta knight, gabi, protocomet, qe, q, havet, and emperor grausam raen'halx would all have at least one charge of murder

dr. zenith would be arrested for his dubiously ethical experiments, sneaking under the radar of the entirety of conquest galaxy, and royally pissing a creation deity off

victor is 100% guilty for causing the city he lives in to fall into ruin. however he'd probably be let off the hook because it was a massive uninformed decision on his part (and not even he was safe from the curse)

meer, hazel and jackie would get arrested for comic mischief.

haba maal... is responsible for fucking up nearly everything in my au.

[lucent-nargacuga]

new oc time! his name is disma knight and he's been chilling in my head lately

he's based on the swatchlings from deltarune and also this one game

his ability is an upgraded form of the cleaning ability, called butler!

pre-snappening his body and eyes would change colour based on the temperature (red = very hot, purple = very cold, magenta = he's very ill), but post-snappening he became completely monochrome

disma knight was once part of the gsa

when he was found, he was smaller than most baby astrals and seemed to be somewhat anomalous, although nobody could figure out what was wrong with him

as he grew up his milestones came later than his fellow astrals and his wings only grew in (and ended up being permanently small) after he was knighted

he was unusually small and terrible at fighting, even with intense training, and one of the more mean-spirited mentors called him dismal, which is where his name came from

before he was knighted he found a magic camera that could essentially copy and paste objects, including living beings

it was because of this camera that he finally was considered a somewhat "useful" soldier and finally was knighted

not long after he was knighted, disma jokingly took a picture of himself with his camera to try to entertain a fellow knight and instantly vanished without a trace

disma was transported to hades as a result of the snappening and became undead, losing his memories. he was determined to escape however so he used his camera to escape into the land of the living

after escaping, he eventually ended up in conquest galaxy and met a starborn (tenebra knight) who offered to give him a home

so now disma is tenebra knight's butler, and he couldn't be happier!

[ertrunkenerwassergeist]

Whitemage AU - Concept

It’s in the middle of the night but I can’t sleep because my brain won’t stop thinking about this. So I made myself some tea and you get more stuff (concepts) about my newly named whitemage au.

Noctis first learns that he has different magic than basically any other Lucis Caelum when he was barely seven. He did not do anything spectacular, just conjuring lights that were violett flecked gold and not the traditional light blue.

When asked about different coloured magic in the family Regis does not tell a pretty story. Bahamut “is the protector of our nation, my son, he must have his reasons” does not like white magicks. Regis tells this with an air of desperate belief that Noctis doesn’t quite grasp.

There have been Lucis Caelums with different magicks, but they all died before having children. Bad things happened when a Lucis Caelum was not a black mage and those that weren’t became an omen of tragedy in the future.

What Regis doesn’t (can’t) tell his son, is that they all died horrible, bloody deaths with too many causalities in their wake. Some monarchs grew so desperate, they killed their own children, if they were suspected of not being black mages. The risks were too high. It’s a chapter of family history best be forgotten, thinks Regis.

Noctis finds out anyway. Years later, after learning old Lucian and clobbering together broken fragments of ancient Sol through sheer force of will. He found the gaps where people should be, found names long forgotten and their fates and knew: It was good his father didn’t know.

He nearly cripples himself when he has to supress his magic when he is wounded by the Malarith. He has not yet read the old records but he remembers his fathers story and he wonders if this is the catastrophe that will kill him.

It doesn’t. Instead he sleeps and meets Carbuncle the Dreamwalker who helps him hide. Carbuncle guides him to Etro the Ever-Dreaming and in the folds of her darkness Noctis learns about magic. Afterwards he will only retain faint impressions, but for a time those are enough.

Luna is a quick friend. Noctis cannot help but be fascinated by her and her family. They give a name to the golden coloured magic he has: white magic. (Something about this is familiar to him, like a dream. It reminds him of shadowy protection and long hair that caught the stars.)

He wants to learn more but only get’s confusing answers about Gods and prophesies and Chosen Kings. Sometimes Gentiana would just stare at him, he thinks she doesn’t like him and try to avoid her.

When Tenebrea falls and he sees the dead queen amongst the fires and the metal men, that made his skin crawl, he cannot help but think: Was that my fault?

After that he becomes even more shy, even more hesitant to talk to people if he doesn’t have to.

His training begins and his magical talent starts to shine. Just not where people can see. Noctis has close to no talent in black magic and while very gifted with a staff “even the Pious was proficient when handling swords, my son”.

People start to talk about his lack in motivation, his lack of talent. How can their prince, the only heir, be a good king when he lacks the basic foundations of what made the Lucis Caelum kings? 

They do not see the energy he puts into is magic (how much it hurts him when he has to conjure more than the most simple of black magic spells). They do not know about the time he puts into developing his own fighting style beacuse no one in his family fought with a staff before (it is a pain to try and combine it with his acrobatics and warping). They do not see the medical texts he reads at night and hides from everyone because he is scared out of his mind, but also wants to know and help.

It all ends (or maybe it starts) in an allyway when he is fifteen. A homelss drunk tries to attack him and Gladio gets hurt. He gets hurt and Noctis wants to help him. But he can’t because then, surely, there will be consequences. He thinks about his fathers story, the nameless family members, the death and blood and tragedy. 

And he runs. 

[xthe-ocean-deepx]

It’s such a shame how Luna’s character development was cut. Often, I think about how much she must’ve suffered in her childhood after the Empire’s conquest of Tenebrae.

[sxrtis]

{ @infideliis​ }

Home. Tenebrae.

She was not supposed to see it again after leaving for the Covenants, and even still the downtrodden state it was in broke her heart. The Empire had seen to burning it almost immediately after her brother’s ‘betrayal,’ and despite the heavy work that the locals had already put into restoring Fenestala Manor, there was still much to be done to bring it back to its former glory.

There had been a call for Lunafreya and Noctis to be wed after all, especially with the Scourge depleted, the Empire defeated. And perhaps it would have been a perfect storybook ending to it all. But it was not what the King nor the Oracle yearned for. Instead, leaving with promise for both of them to continue their work together, the vow to restore their nations and surrounding back to their pre-conquest states. 

Luna roamed the halls of the darker parts of the manor, noting the parts that were still needed, what construction would need to be done, what needed attention first. ❝These rooms do not look so terrible now that the smoke and soot have been swept up,❞ Her attention turned to Ravus. ❝Even the wallpaper mostly remains... Should we focus on this wing now?❞