#cursed mer au

[gamerbearmira]

I have no ideas lmao

This is so random, I’ve been doing giftless grandkids and really wanna give attention to other random aus lmaoooo

Bro’s a cutie patootie

[ominouspuff]

Gift-piece for @ghosts-of-rishi for some ideas we were playing around with. Fives discovering Echo is alive but possibly even more cursed than they already were.

They say there’s no good that can come from making deals with the Piper, but what Jango’s after is hardly what most people’d call ‘good’.

(Featuring Cursed!Jango, who went looking for a son in the wrong places, made a deal with a sea-god, double-crossed said sea-god, and now has three million cursed children.)

“Flesh and blood, you said,” the sea-witch taunted, gloated, condemned. And they are, they are — Jango’s split up, every bit of him, flesh and blood he never even had, divided between every blessed child — but no amount of clever carving of meat can account for a soul, and that’s the real curse. It is not Jango, not Jango alone, who is caged within the unnatural ribs and skull and pounding veins. “Watch them grow, fool; nurture them.” The sea-witch sentenced, and Jango does, he does; silently screaming, unable to separate himself from a single one, unable to sleep even when they sleep, too split up in too many inhuman ways to speak or think beyond wishing it was over… but they know he’s there, and speak to him sometimes. He can hear them cursing, over three million souls better left dead at the bottom of the seas, plucked and borrowed and wiped clean with new flesh sewn together. Why didn’t you leave us be? One is sobbing because he knows he should be dead and they say that’s as good as being at peace, and he is neither of those things.

His children are his spitting image, but they have old, old eyes and no memories of how they came to be that way, and there are three million of them — and not a soul that ever knew Jango Fett before — before — before — can explain it. He watches them all try through six million eyes.

[sunnydbeam]

TW: BODY HORROR | DISTURBING

Remember this ugly Mer!Sun from that AU I always forget? Well... I keep forgetting, but I'm offering those I found in my gallery and never posted because I forgot.

《Cursed Lake AU》

[procyonv]

mareowind

[discordiansamba]

thinking about the potential of the canon Gaang meeting literally an AU Zuko is just. so fucking funny to me. unlimited potential. just imagine:

the Gaang meeting avatar Zuko. they don't even realize he's the Avatar at first, they're just distracted by the fact that his vibes are so different from the Zuko they know. this one gets really confused when Aang says he's the Avatar. he points at his canon counterpart and asks him how the fuck he's alive if that's the case. the Gaang puts it together and is just. what the fuck do you mean there's a universe where ZUKO is the avatar?

the Gaang meeting spirit bridge zuko and iroh and their whole. reverse uncle nephew deal. it's so weird. the feeling is mutual on both sides- especially since if you have the two Zukos stand next to each other, they're completely identical.

the Gaang doesn't know Shun is a different version of Zuko. but Shun does. Shun knows. what the fuck.

dragon cursed zuko's entire existence. the two of them just stare at each other for a long time. what the fuck. why do you look so normal.

(mer zuko and canon zuko also have a very similar interaction)

Gaang meet assassin Zuko. assassin Zuko, meet the Gaang. he could in fact, be so much more fucked up.

ikem's son Zuko still looks enough like Zuko that they can still recognize him as Zuko. canon Zuko is jealous of there being a reality where he's not Ozai's son. ikem's son Zuko will tell him yeah. that's not all it's cracked up to be actually. living in the palace fucked him up for years.

what do you mean there's a reality where Suki and Zuko are twins?

werewolf zuko and toph. they are so confused by their human counterparts. why are you two not wolves. what's wrong with you? canon toph doesn't know why she feels so insanely jealous right now.

if you put book one zuko and feral zuko in a room together they would probably try and kill each other.

[angeart]

AU Masterpost [tags]

I think it's time. So I can keep track, and you guys know what's out there and how to search for it <3 I'll try to order AUs based on how much there is to them. Some AUs will only have a single thought/art underneath their tag, but there might be more added to them in the future, and if you're curious about anything, you can always ask. (I'm very easily convinced to drop rambles, as has been proven in the past—)

*

Help Me To Breathe [hmtb]

my main multi-chapter story, set in s8 boatem. deaths abruptly hurt on hermitcraft, and each respawn makes it worse. scar dies a lot by grian's hands, before grian even learns (the hard way) that things hurt now. welcome to a scarian angst hellhole where 3rd life flashbacks hit like bricks and guilt is mercilessly spilled everywhere <3

this fic is the epitome of it gets worse before it gets better. trust me.

cws: violence, ptsd, anxiety attacks, delusions, unhealthy coping mechanisms, suicidal ideation, suicide, temporary character death... please check tags on AO3 which i try very hard to keep updated

tags: #hmtb - an all-encompassing tag for fic updates, rambles, and art. (sometimes #hmtb art is also used in tandem, where relevant.)

fic: Help Me To Breathe on AO3

*

Hunted hybrids [hhau]

hermitcraft s8 got code-attacked and all the hermits got scattered into different worlds, lost and stuck in unfamiliar places, not knowing if their home still exists. the au follows scar and grian who ended up in the same world (although originally unaware)—a world dangerous and hostile to hybrids. grian is an avian, scar is a vex, and they're hunted relentlessly. also, it's permadeath <3

this au is self-indulgently used in RP and co-owned by linkito

cws: violence, blood, dehumanisation of hybrids, self harm (feather plucking), mentions of suicidal ideation... [updated cws in the hhau masterpost]

tags: #hhau

this one got out of hand so >> hhau masterpost <<

*

Boatem circus

scar, a sea-lion hybrid, builds a circus as a safe haven for all the hybrids and misfits that have nowhere to belong and need a place to heal. they all carry their own traumas and wounds, and scar gives them what they never had: gentleness and options and freedom to roam or leave. but it's not easy, navigating a growing community of varying triggers and buried pasts.

au put together with stiffyck

cws: ptsd, panic attacks, fear of fire, loss and grief, mentions of captivity/torture/abuse

tags: #boatem circus au

fics: don't be afraid, little bird (there are no cages around you now); elegy

[AO3 series link]

*

Sleep demon Grian

grian is a sleep demon, existing in the dreamscape, able to manipulate dreams and thriving on giving people nightmares. he meets scar in a dream, immediately intrigued and amused by his reactions, and he keeps coming back to him. scar, despite all the nightmares being thrown at him, catches a glimpse of his perpetrator, and grows curious in turn. they start talking, everything eventually culminating into a ritual and a summonning circle. grian, in the waking world, needs to learn how to exist somewhere where he can get actually hurt, and come to terms with the fact that he has locked away memories and trauma.

cws: injuries, fear, panic, nightmares(?), trauma, violence, memory repression

tags: #sleep demon grian au

au rambles: here

fics: the nightmare snippet; even if it hurts (and even if it isn't a dream) you can have a home here

*

Cursed forest

found family boatem, where each of them carry their own heavy past and an attached curse. they thought they'd never find a place to settle that'd accept them and let them heal. but they found each other, deep in a hidden away forest, littered by bones and flowers, death and hope. (honestly, just see the au rambles.)

au put together with stiffyck

cws: animal death, necromancy, grief and guilt, body horror

tags: #cursed forest au

rambles: here

fics: even with death haunting your footsteps, your flowers will bloom again

*

Ari au

grian (he/she) is ariana giande (ari), a famous singer beloved by the crowds. except things start getting a bit too out of hand. there are stalkers and people who think they have the right to ari's personal life, the right to see and dictate everything. the press gets out of hand. maybe the crowds get too rowdy. maybe—

more scared and overwhelmed by the second, grian gets a bodyguard. that bodyguard is scar. things continue to escalate though, and by the time ari calls a break in her career, everything's irreparably breaking down around her.

(If it wasn't clear yet, this is one very dark, very heavy, very human story. There's love and so, so, so much despair. Things go wrong and then worse.)

au with Ben

cws: papparazzi hounding, stalkers, lack of privacy, blurring of self, drugging and [attempted] SA, physical assaults, self harm, overdose, medical trauma, restraints, seizures, ptsd, depression, suicidal stuff (including several attempts)

tags: #ari au

au rambles: [part I] - [part II] - [part III] - [part IV] - [part V] - [TBC]

au art:

downfall in three stages - here lake scene art - here

*

Assassin au [work title]

grian is an assassin, scar is elven nobility. one day, grian is sent to kill scar, but upon meeting, they find out that they know each other. i promise i'll add a better description at some point.

cws: blood and violence, mind control, being generally oblivious about life, survival scenario, murder, possible animal death

tags: #assassin au (subject to change)

*

Misguided Heroes

scar is secretly hotguy, a hero meant to protect the people. grian is a shopkeeper at barge, but with self-proclaimed king ren wreaking havoc on economy and making life of ordinary citizens so much harder, he decides to secretly play vigilante, cuteguy, and stage a one-man rebellion.

also, scar and grian are roommates.

au for rp with sima <3

cws: injuries, illusions messing with perception/reality, [to be determined]

tags: #misguided heroes au

*

Ghost Scar

grian is a paranormal investigator. scar is a ghost. they meet, they talk, and grian resolves to do his best to make scar feel less lonely.

cws: dead character??? he's a ghost dw he's fine-

tags: #ghost scar au

fics: you exist in silence (i'll help you make a sound)

*

Silly vampire Scar

scar is a vampire living in a mansion too big and too lonely for him. grian and mumbo are survivors in a world riddled with monsters, which they learn to hunt and kill. one night, they seek shelter in what seems to be an abandoned mansion—

cws: general vampire stuff, [to be determined]

tags: #vampire scar au

fics: [one day]

*

Cuteguy au

things do be angsty in this one. scar is hotguy, grian is his sidekick cutecuy. one day, things go wrong and a building explodes with scar still inside. the body is never found. hotguy is presumed dead. that is, until cuteguy comes face to face with a new villain that is oddly familiar—

idea loosely bounced off of stiffy's TOGH au

cws: blood, violence, delusions, brainwashing, grief, loss of identity, presumed major character's death (twice. wild. huh.)

tags: #cuteguy au

*

Papers please au

what it says on the tin. scar lives with his cat jellie in a cold, small, state-provided apartment and gets assigned a job as an immigration officer at a border checkpoint. he... isn't great at the job, but doesn't have a choice, and needs the money to keep them fed and healthy. grian is the head of resistance, because of course he is <3

cws: dystopian world, cold, hunger, sickness, potential pet death, injuries

tags: #papers please au

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Spirit au

grian is an avian living freely in a patch of forest. that is, until he gets caught by people who think hybrids are on-par with working animals, and is shackled and hurt and trained, to serve. there is a looming war, and flight-capable carriers are very valued (but not much cared for). scar is a vex hybrid, coming from a settlement that's kinder to hybrids, who also gets captured. they meet in captivity, and things happen.

cws: hybrid slavery, hybrid dehumanisation, loss of freedom, abuse, warzone stuff

tags: #spirit au

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DL rp au

grian and scar in double life, soulbound and with vague memories of previous life games. their soul connection transfers not only all the pain and injuries, but also emotions. and they both feel. a little too much. (they're a mess, but also in love, as they should be)

au for rp with sima <3

cws: they very sad; self destructive tendencies (sorry there's no self in this one, they are linked and there's always collateral-)

tags: #dl rp

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Half sea town au

a town half-submerged into the sea. the upper half is reserved for humans, who are seen as better, richer, the posh and the nobility. the lower half, the submerged part, is slum-like, reserved for seafolk, seen as lesser. many seafolk learn to live on land, to improve their standing (not necessarily living situation; they do need water). mumbo lives amongst the nobility. scar lived his whole life in the sea. grian, even though he belongs to the seafolk, lives on land. mumbo's best friend, forever trying to be something he isn't.

a crackers collective au

cws: er.. class divide?, self worth issues, needs denial in a way?

tags: #half sea town au

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The underwater au that somehow fails to have a name the first thing i ever posted on tumblr woo.

an underwater au set somewhere in the wide, deep sea. merfolks. mumbo is a prince, grian, jimmy, and joel are his guards. scar is a deep-sea fish, and tales say those are scary and horrendous and dangerous. (he's just a silly guy, pls)

stiffy/crackers collective au

cws: injuries, idk

tags: #mer au

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smaller aus/ideas:

last life scar: #post-ll scar's issues with touch

fixing double life scarian: #fixing dl au

puppeteer scar: #puppeteer scar au

cannibal scar/forest (the game) au: #forest au

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others' aus that i have yoinked and might have content for:

#grumbo apocalypse monster au - ben's au that i slinkered my way into <3 - ben's au masterpost here - grian is very much a (horror) creature :3

#space grian au - also belongs to ben. also burrowed my way in to this one. hehe. (ben none of your aus are now safe from me.)

#snifflins au - crackers group au, based on that one time jimmy and scar were piglinmynose, and joel and grian were sniffermyfeet - twisted into snifflers and piglin hybrids (snifflins!) in the aftermath, trying to get used to their new bodies and instincts and needs.

#desert alien scar au - belongs to stiffy

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+ a whole bunch of aus (some collective ones) that i haven't talked about on tumblr yet <3

(for example, the zombie whisperer scar/dancing zombies au - postapo, (mum)scarian, with one redscape-focused fic (written for stiffy): the blooms in a dead world)

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(if i missed any cws for any of the aus, please let me know!)

reinstating that if you're curious about anything, i don't bite! come ask!

[my AO3]

[linuxealcipher]

What’s this? Our first sight of moon? Doesn’t look like he’s to friendly though…..

[lunarmoves]

legit on my hands and knees BEGGING my brain to focus on the two long fics i have before starting any new ones sjxjskxks

[scribbling-dragon]

so many things to do. yet i am afflicted by the worst possible disease: fic thoughts

[calboniferous]

for @greenbeanssssss, pspspsps gome get ur dreamling Mer AU

--

“Did I hear you say that you have no intention of ever dying?”

Hob starts upright, nearly falling from his perch on the end of the pier as a mellow voice rises from below.

And there, where his feet skim the waves, void-like eyes gleam up at him from a strange, handsome face framed by trailing raven locks—a man like night itself given form. That is, if night swims bare-chested by the pier of some lonely fishing outpost, pearlescent under the full moon and adorned with translucent fan-like structures—with fins.

He should probably flee. Every song he’s ever heard about such creatures of the deep point to Hob being eaten or drowned should he stay.

Yet he is transfixed. The buzz of alcohol warm in his limbs likely has something to do with it. His lowered inhibitions weaken him to this ethereal stranger but by god he is gladly a weak man tonight.

Perhaps he is dreaming. Night visions of mythos brought to life by drink and the darling illusions from the full moon pouring silver over the docks, through wisps of cloud masquerading as swirling horses and silk banners.

They look at him expectantly and he remembers their question.

“Uh, yeah,” he replies. Dreaming or not, it seems the polite thing to do. “Yeah, that’s right.”

A smile haunts their face.

“So sure,” they hum. Fishhook nails dig into the wooden planks by his knee and closer, he can make out fine pattern of scales like those of a whiting, green-blue-silver iridescence playing over their proud features. “Yet you do not lie.”

The moon’s soft rays shatter off their skin and scales, fractals dancing as they fold long, bony arms in front of them, bracing against the planks to lift themselves half out of the water and Hob stills at their closeness.

In his chest his heart flutters—with fear or something else he cannot tell. And he should be afraid, with the long, sinuous curve of their spine ending not in legs, but with a serpentine tail that winds back and forth, idly stirring eddies.

He swallows.

“Aye.”

They’re near enough to make out the individual strands of hair plastered wetly to their crystalline cheeks and shoulders, to feel the coolness radiating from their body.

“A curse none would wish for,” they tilt their head, “none save you.”

“All the more living for me, I suppose.”

That razor smile flashes again.

“Then you must tell me what it’s like, Robert Gadling.” A webbed hand comes to cup his cheek, their voice resonating in Hob’s own chest. “Let us meet here, again, ten years hence,”

He doesn’t dare move.

“Ten years’ time, on this day?”

They nod, amusement flickering in the dark pools of their eyes.

In return he gives his own silent vow, and the creature surges up and catches his lips with theirs, silencing his surprised cry.

Their hand is cold on the back of his neck, tangling in his hair, nails grazing his skin as they press closer, deeper, kissing him like the tide: salty and relentless, and Hob yields to it thoughtlessly, arm sweeping to cradle their back and finding scaled gills rippling under his palm.

He forgets to breathe.

The sea roars loud in his ears and he’s dragged impossibly closer, bowed toward the water. It is only by some miracle that he keeps his grip to the pier, tethered as he is by his solitary hold on a mooring.

Sharp teeth prick his lip and the sweet tang of copper blooms on his tongue as he bruises and drinks moonlight from their cool, cruel mouth like a man dying of thirst.

He burns, he freezes and is unmade, shivering under their touch—the sharp tug of their hand in his hair, the press of their chest to his, and the blinding force of their kiss.

For a moment, he thinks he dies.

Then they break away then and he gasps. The rush of his own pulse nearly deafens him to their murmured goodbye against his cheek.

“Ten years,” they say and it’s the hush of sea foam and sand washing against the shore—the soul-heavy pounding of waves against a headland, felt more than heard—and they draw back, silver pinpricks of stars glowing in the inky darkness of their eyes.

“Ten years.”

And they are gone, a spray of diamond droplets in their wake.

Shirt soaked through and breathless, Hob sits there until dawn.

[gamerbearmira]

Mermaid AU, except that the entire Madrigal family used to be humans that got turned into mermaids due to some kind of family curse

VERY COOL I LOVE IT...maybe a lil too much. Went crazy with the drawings and ideas BUT YEAHHHHHHH. Uh before I start ranting. I seriously recommend listening to Hole Dwelling by Kikuo (the english version or just look up the english lyrics) because that song reminds me a lot of this au. Like. A lot. I WANNA GO TO THE KIKUO CONCERT IN MY CITY SO BAAAADDDD

Anyway, most of, if not all the mer aus on this blog are sorta just viewed as a plus to the magic but this would be pretty much the first (that I can think of) where it's an actual curse.

Anywayyyy uh, the candle magic came from Pedro's side, so maybe the family curse came from Alma's side?? Maybe the magic and the curse sorta clashed in a way.

Anyway that leads into my other idea, maybe after the first ceremonies the clash got too much and. Boom catastrophic stuff, idk. Maybe a sinkhole formed beneath Casita and after a few months, it finally collapses into the hole. And a storm fills it with water. Whether it's caused by Pepa or not, I'm not sure, but maybe not? Because I sorta like the idea of there being a perpetual cloud above it, and anytime the smallest amount of water is taken out, whether manually or by natural causes, I think it immediately rains to fill it back up.

If it happens early on, I think it's considered a myth by a lot, except for those old enough to remember Alma and the triplets at the time, and it's told to children mostly to scare them into staying away from the sinkhole and getting them to stay safe around water.

They like to tell the kids that if you look into the sinkhole (which seems infinite and VERY dark), you can see one of them. But you can never see their faces for some reason. Idk

UHHHHH. I like the idea of them not being entirely normal merfolk. Like the girls are all jellyfish merfolk, and the guys manta rays. That ides came later tho, that's why lil Antonio sort looks like a baby jellyfish (or Ponyo in a way), and then in the last one I was debating between the two. Leaning towards manta ray.

Reason why they have clothes is because some people genuinely believe that the Madrigals are down there and feel bad, so they sorta just. Throw clothes down there. And other miscellaneous. Sometimes something else will pop back up, almost as a thank you.

Uhh Antonio is very curious about the surface, but he's not allowed up there. Doesn't necessarily stop him. He usually harasses Camilo or Mirabel to go up there with him, usually only for a few minutes. I also had an idea where part of there curse is they can’t leave the water, even breaking the surface. Or at least, they can’t stay above surface for long. They can get pretty close though. Might scrap it idk

Mostly Antonio tbh 😭

I like this idea way too much tbh

[all-of-the-good-ones-are-taken]

Alkan "La chanson de la folle au bord de la mer (The song of the mad woman on the sea shore)" No. 8 from Vingt-cinq préludes Op. 31 | performed by Laurent Martin (1990)

[sunnydbeam]

TW: HORROR

It's spooky month!

Here, a mechaMer!Moon from that weird AU

[discordiansamba]

the contrast between half-dragon zuko (still omnivorous) vs merman zuko (obligate carnivore) is so funny to me. local half-dragon balks at the idea of eating his food raw (and it would make him sick anyways) but merman zuko doesn't bat an eye at it. you can't cook things in the ocean. there's too much water in there.

[puppetmaster13u]

Ohohoho. I am weak to local myths and legends and the locals themselves being cryptids to outsiders.

I feel like part of the curse is accepting Gotham as your home. Those just there for work or temporarily continue to think everything else is fucking crazy. Very feeling like they're in uncanny valley central.

Those that start to feel Gotham is their home start to have the effects you mentioned, like the city and water is calling to them. Not many people permanently move to Gotham, but those that do don't move away either.

Some leave as children, parents terrified of the changes in their child, but the waters will always call them back. They'll find their way back to the city one way or another, when their skin becomes unbearable, when their mind nearly goes mad with forever staying on land. There's tales that warn to not bring your child to the city, whispers of changelings, of curses and poisons that will forever effect them.

Meanwhile Gotham is just violently vibing, and I think that's hilarious.

Oh my god I bet there's designated swim times during school, especially for the younger kids who might not be as used to sitting there for hours at a time. Bet Outsiders would be confused when looking online and it shows that schools in Gotham have two PE periods.

Also, have these tags by @internet-m0m who is so very right when it comes to when the JL finally find out about the Gotham water curse lmao.

I bet the goons who work at the docks get paid so well because they have a high chance of falling in the water and ruining their clothes. Because I bet most clothes- unless specially made and probably a little expensive- don't transform. Pants would definitely be destroyed. (I wonder if skirts are popular in Gotham lol)

Mermay Special Prompt 3

“Are you kidding? No one goes to Gotham, that place is like,” Aquaman made a motion with his hand, a not-quite grimace on his face. “Like things should not be living in the water, like it should be impossible, and things should be dead, but they aren’t and it’s like, like the equivalent of an undead apocalypse over there!” 

Bruce rolled his eyes behind his cowl, taking a sip of his coffee as the others continued drinking. Socialize, they said, it’ll be fine they said. Well excuse him, but the waters weren’t that bad. Sure there were always dumped bodies, and chemicals from the rogue attacks, but it was far worse at one point.

One thing he’ll always be relieved for is how the… curse (thank you broken statuette back in the beginning of his vigilante career that fused with the other many curses of Gotham) made the people of Gotham actually care about the waters around them. 

Though also, he couldn’t help but thank anything that might be listening for the fact that the curse only interacted with Gotham waters, because losing legs with any risk of a drop of water would be downright annoying. 

“No dude, you don’t understand, no one goes there for a reason! That shit is horrific- someone saw a big thing with bits of rebar stabbed straight through it and still chased after a big alligator-thing!” Oh. Oh that had been him. Oops. Hopefully his kids didn’t find out about this, but they were probably already on the cameras. Dammnit. 

[linuxealcipher]

Refs for my cursed tails and sea trails au! I changed them a little from how they’ve looked in my last drawings, but I like these more. More about them under the cut!

Y/N is based on eels and sea snakes, the striped pattern coming from this sea snake, and the tail from this eel Reference

Sun wasn’t really based on any actual fish, just what I kinda know about fish anatomy. His spines are poisonous but he only really uses them in defense. He is carnivorous and mainly swims along coral reefs, taking badly of the open sea and the deeps. I did inspiration from these fish for him!

Moon is somewhat a twilight zone mer. Highly carnivorous, and according to sun, would not hesitate to eat other mer. Keep in mind they are not on good terms in this au. He has a few glowing parts. His lure, the yellow along his fins, and along the line of his underside. He usually doesn’t use his fins for bioluminescence though. He has the jawbones of a larger fish somewhat attached to his lower face, a sort of trophy he carries around of his first big kill. These were his inspirations.