#gremory family

[gainprincess]

Does Rias tend to be a bit of a slob when it comes to demon-like feasts? Or does she have a more of a refined eating style?

"I have not used a napkin in years, and I am near-offended that you think I would do so."

[neppednep]

Ravel Phenex w/ Gremory Reader

"Help. I'm addicted to Ravel again." - Me, 6/14/23

Ravel Phenex w/ Gremory S/O, Part 2 (Coming soon)

》 The youngest and the only daughter of the Phenex clan could be a bit spoiled and entitled at times, even if she was usually well behaved. Getting told ‘no’ was something she was far from used to, as her older brothers and parents gave her pretty much anything she wanted. Luckily, she never really asked for anything too crazy, and when she was refused something, she got a bit snappy and that was about it.

》 There was only one time in particular she can remember getting bad, to say the least. Bad as in setting your older brother and various objects on fire, going on a hunger strike (that lasted a whole two hours), and just being an overall nuisance or jerk to anyone who tried to interact with you. What was all that about? It was about a little crush she had. While quite comical now, Ravel still looks back on it and slightly dies of embarrassment.

》 Of course it was all about her childhood friend, Y/N Gremory. Ravel didn't really talk to too many people outside of her immediate family, not counting the servants as she didn't really think too highly of them. Since devil birth rates are astronomically low, there weren't too many devils around her age either. That combined with the situation going on between the Gremory and Phenex clans, it was inevitable the two crossed paths eventually.

》 The two would often hang out, playing together while their parents did the boring political stuff. Being one of Ravel's only friends at the time was cause for some... interesting situations. There was almost never a dull moment when going along with her antics, not that you really had a choice. Whether it was trying to bake (almost burning down the estate) or trying to reclaim things she 'borrowed' it was fairly fun with her, even if she is a bit snooty.

》 Yes, Ravel is one of those girls that 'borrows' a lot of your things. You would think being able to get whatever she wants, she would just get her own, but no. She enjoys taking things that belongs to other people, especially when it belongs to someone she is definitely not in a million years starting to get feelings for. Usually it's nothing too big, just clothes or something small... except that one time she borrowed your pet camel.

》 The two of you got pretty attached fairly quickly if Ravel casually robbing you didn't make that obvious enough. It was more uncommon to see the two of you separated, to the point you practically lived together, consistently staying at each other's houses. Anything from homeschooling to training, you did it together. Ravel was always competitive, even if you were a friend, she didn't want to be left behind. It was a constant competition, the two of you constantly pushing each other to new heights trying to one up the other. Though, it was fairly obvious what was going on to anyone looking in from the outside.

》 It took Ravel much longer to figure out those feelings herself though. She was smart, but her pride often pushed her true feelings aside for the sake of proving how good of a devil she was. She was the youngest daughter of the Phenex clan, surely she could have anyone she wants, but...

Ravel let out a deep sigh, her the tip of her index finger tracing circles on the rim of her teacup. Her bright blue eyes were locked onto the table in front of her as if in deep thought.

"Is something wrong dear? You've been spacing out a lot lately."

Ravel's gaze shifts to her mother whose sitting across from the table from her. She's a bit embarrassed at being called out like that, but she knows it's her mother so it's not too big a deal. She takes a second to gather her thoughts before slowly nodding. "There's a boy that-"

"Y/N, right?" Lady Phenex questions with a small smile. Ravel didn't even need to answer, her blush telling her mother everything she needed to know.

"Yes, it's him. I just..." She takes a deep breath. "I really like him but I don't know if he likes me back. He's all I really have and I don't want to ruin it."

Ravel's blush only deepens as Lady Phenex laughs at her. "Seriously, you act much more mature than some of your brothers, sometimes I forget how old you really are."

"M- mother! This is serious!"

"Yes, I know." Lady Phenex nods. "Listen, you have nothing to worry about. If I didn't know any better, I'd say the two of you already have something going. You're a beautiful young lady and anyone would be lucky to have you. I'm not saying go out and marry him, but you're still a devil. Be greedy, Ravel. Go get him before someone else does."

Ravel only huffs, she crosses her arms but the small smile growing on her face shows anything but annoyance. "Of course, mother. I already knew that. But... thank you."

》 It didn't take long after that little pep talk for Ravel to see you again. When she did the young blonde already had went through this in her head dozens of times, a metaphorical, and probably literal, fire burning inside of her. She had no problems taking things she wanted in the past, and she wasn't going to start hesitating now.

》 However, Ravel didn't ask right away. She didn't want to just walk up and start yapping. She was a lady and had to time this right. It was nearing the end of the day, the artificial moon was already in the sky, a gentle breeze blowing aroung the two of you as you sat on the roof of the Phenex estate after a long day of classes. 'It's now or never.' The young Phenex thinks to herself before turning to you.

"Y/N, I've been wondering something. Are you planning on getting your own peerage?" Ravel questions, her voice steady, even if she felt like her heart was going to explode.

You look at her for a second, a bit confused at her sudden interest but nod. "Yeah, can't imagine I'll get as lucky as Rias did with all her pieces, but I think it would be fun. What about you?"

Ravel shakes her head, her twintails swaying as she does. "No, I don't have any plans to at the moment."

"Oh..." You hum, now a bit confused at why she bought it up in the first place. "Is there any reason you wanted to know."

The Phenex nodded, determination flashing across her face as she continued. "Y/N, we've known each other for a long time now. I really trust you and I hope you trust me just as much." She pauses. "When you do get your evil pieces, I want to be your queen."

Your eyes slightly widen as her request. It wasn't really unheard of for nobles to serve others, but Ravel of all people? She was one of the most prideful people you know. Yet, there wasn't really a reason to not believe her. While you wanted to just agree, you felt like there was something more to this. You were proven correct as she continued.

"Before you answer, I want to fight you." That was definitely not what you expected. You two have fought a lot in your training but you knew this time would be different. Honestly, even Ravel herself didn't know where that came from. She wasn't huge on fighting, but she felt like she had something to prove. She didn't feel like it was for you though, herself maybe?

You knew you already had your answer, but the look in Ravel's eyes told you she wasn't taking no for an answer. You couldn't help but smirk as you stood up, holding your hand out for her to take. "Fine. No holding back anymore. Got it?"

Ravel had a smile of her own as she took your hand and pulled herself to her feet. She didn't say anything. She didn't have to. As you two began walking to your usual training area, she knew no words needed to be exchanged at this point. That's what this fight was for.

Not even gonna lie, this story is some scuffed spark notes version of a full story I wanted to write a year or so back. I think it turned out pretty well though. Part 2 will be more relationship stuff as opposed to build up. I've been in a DxD mood recently so it should come soon enough.

PS: The camel's name is Humphrey. That really isn't important but I was giggling like some schoolgirl when I thought of it. I need sleep.

PPS: MY GIRL IS CAKED UP!!!

That is all.

[liviavanrouge]

Royalty AU

Mars: *stares down at the papers of the private party he was working for his family to have*

Bertram: Your majesty-

Mars: All of this… I didn’t even surprised them.

Mars: *tears rolling down his face* I didn’t get to tell them what I was planning…

Mars: Just a simple mere party where we can have fun without worries about being royals….

Stolas; Even the twins planned to surprise.

Gremory: They are crying as we speak.

Mars: *stands up as he walks outside* I will calm them down.

Mammon: *Sighs, touching his head* This is a mess, we have no queen, Mars is down in the dumps, nobles are taking

Mammon: The kingdom has been thrown into chaos, factiond for Livia to stay queen are fighting with factions for Nora to be queen

Mammon: Now the Twins are crying and upset...

Lilian: *Looks down worriedly*

Mammon: At this point the kingdom is gonna become a bloodbath...

[chaifootsteps]

asking for demonology experts here:

aren't all the male Goetia so far proper demon names - Stolas, Paimon, Andrealphus

while the female side of the family aren't? Stella, Octavia

it's long been established female characters don't get many crumbs in HB, but I wanted to ask - does anyone know if there are female demons in the Ars Goetia? I had a quick look on wikipedia and the ranks they're split into imply only male demons - is that accurate?

None explicitly, but there are some that are said to appear as women. Gremory and Astaroth are known to do this.

[mostrandomgallery]

And now, for the main healer of the Cotton Candy Elephants, give a round of applause for Delicia von Hevring!

With Delicia von Hevring’s enrollment into the Officers’ Academy, it has been speculated whether or not the Hevring family themselves or the Crest of Cethleann naturally makes one disgusted at the sight of blood, as was the case with Linhardt von Hevring. In Delicia’s case, the mere mention of blood makes her want to puke on command. For this reason, she took up faith magic and healing in order to heal gross, icky injuries involving blood and guts. Rumor has it that Delicia would rather eat broccoli than look at blood—and she absolutely despises broccoli.

And now, time for Delicia's stats!

Crest: Cethleann (major)

Heroes’ Relic/Sacred Weapon: Caduceus Staff

Strengths: Faith, Reason, Flying

Weaknesses: Sword, Axe

Hidden Talent: Lance

Personal Skill: “Ew!”— After landing a hit with a battalion, will push away all enemies in range 5 spaces away and gain 2+ to Mag, Res, and HP

Ideal Classes: Monk, Priest, Bishop, Gremory, Dark Flier, Pegasus Knight, Falcon Knight

Learnable Magic: Heal, Physic, Ward, Restore, Nosferatu, Aura, Seraphim, Wind, Cutting Gale, Excalibur

Ideal Combat Arts: Tempest Lance, Knightkneeler, Hit and Run

Selection Quotes (Academy): "Ugh, Battle!" (normal), "Okay, I got this…" (mid-health), "I think I’m gonna be sick!" (critical health)

As the primary healer of the Cotton Candy Elephants, Delicia specializes in Faith Magic first and Reason Magic second. However, her Reason growth rates are slightly higher than typical healers, and are on par with an offense mage like Dorothea. Delicia herself was envisioned as a combination of Dorothea and Linhardt, having the fashion sense and attitude of the former, combined with the healing focus and smart-mouthed personality of the latter, minus the sleepiness (there's another student in this class who's always sleepy, but she's related to Lorenz). She's even got his Academy Phase selection quote. Her best stats are Res, Mag, and Cha.

A social butterfly, Delicia is super easy to build support with. Due to her high Cha stat, she is easy to have tea parties with an is an excellent candidate for the Dancer class (I'm just gonna say that making Tristesse the Dancer is funnier). For dining, her favorite meals are: Vegetable Pasta Salad, Sweet Bun Trio, Saghert and Cream, Peach Sorbet, Two-Fish Sauté, and Bourgeois Pike. At the dining table, she has unique dialogue with another classmate, Envidia Desiree Dominic. Delicia's preferred gifts include the Stylish Hair Clip, Floral Adornment, Gemstone Beads, Tea Leaves, and Roses. While she can support with everyone in her class, her supports outside her house are limited to: Dorothea, Linhardt, Ferdinand, Sylvain, Lorenz, Hilda, Constance, Manuela, and Flayn. As for S-Support, she is locked to Male Byleth.

Fun Fact: Delicia's name means "delightful". Ironic, considering that she's someone who is rarely delighted by anything, and is easily repulsed by everything around her.

DO NOT REPOST!!! Also on deviantART

[demvalhaken]

Lion boy, Purson. He’s a bit protective of his friends and family. Purson is always like the mom of the group, he always packs everything needed.

Here’s some silly little facts about him!

He has beans on his feet!

He loves animals and angels

He’s a hardcore pacifist, always battles with every else’s “evil” plans

He cares about Gremory and her pet camel

He can have horns on command but he rarely used them as he likes to look less demonic

He is scared of Buer… for whatever reason

He’s besties with Ipos and Sabnock

He is a king

He’s 6,3

WERE LIKE A BIG HAPPY FAMILY OF FELINES!

(All other characters shown here except Purson aren’t in their final designs yet these are just ideas for their appearance… Buer is definitely the most finalised… he’s like that one weird cousin…)ars

[dragonotaku-justineverything]

Can I request Rias and Akeno with a Vampire S/O who refuses to feed from them because they're entirely unsure what demon blood will do to them?

Rias

Says that is completely fine and she understands their hesitation to do something like that as she does agree, the not knowing the outcome of doing so is definitely scary

She would do her best to find whatever information on vampires to see if she could find an answer to their question. After all, the Gremory family is quite old and probably has a lot of knowledge in it's members or libraries

Akeno

She understands and knows it's even more unknown about what her blood would do since she is also part fallen angel as well as a devil. So she just lets them know that if they truly need to or change their mind, the offer is always there

She does let them know that even though they don't want to drink her blood, the can still bite her if they'd like~

[spiraphobia]

Manny by A.Rasen

Currently I'm reading Manny - a horror webtoon by A.Rasen and it's absolutely gripping. The story centers around Manny, who enters the Rodríguez family's life with a charming facade that quickly unravels, revealing a much darker and more sinister nature. As the plot unfolds, the tension within the family escalates, and secrets begin to surface. The family is forced to confront the true identity and twisted motives of Manny, their supposed caregiver.

This series delves into graphic content and heavy themes like mental health, bullying and abuse - which might be really triggering. The author's ability to blend horror with deeply unsettling themes is on full display here, making Manny a must-read for fellow horror fans.

I've been following A.Rasen's work for years, and Manny lives up to the high standards set by his previous works. Melvina's Therapy remains a favorite of mine, with its equally chilling atmosphere and psychological depth. In fact, one of the reasons I love his style so much is that it feels like a combination of Junji Ito and Inio Asano - with Junji Ito being one of his influences. I also highly recommend Gremory Land and Counting Sheep, both of which feature incredibly creepy imagery and creative, gripping storytelling.

READ IT HERE

[malsfefanfics]

OC Profile: Medee

Art by la-horrorosa, edited to icon size by me.

"I've only known Lady Medee for a short time. But she is incredibly intelligent, and a devoted member of the Vestra family. Though as I get to know her, some of her children's more interesting quirks have suddenly made much more sense. She seems to know things just before they happen, and can tell who is right behind her without even looking. Also, Sylvain seems to avoid her like the plague." --Edelgard, about Medee.

Full name: Medee von Vestra (Formerly Medee von Anavros) Nicknames: Witch (by her enemies) Birthday: 14th Day of the Great Tree Moon, 11XX Age: Unknown Crest: None Family: Iason von Vestra (Husband, deceased), Hubert (Eldest Son), Rosamund (Daughter), Tancred (Youngest Son), Absyrtus (Younger Brother, deceased), Chalciope (Younger Sister, deceased) Nationality: Adrestia Titles: Soaring Faith Scholar, Healing Matriarch, Mother of Faithology Voice Claim: Coleen Clinkenbeard (Yuko Ichihara in xxxholic)

Interests: Faith study, Magic Experimentation, Science, Alchemy, Autopsy Likes: Science/Magic, Flying, her children, Pretty Rocks Dislikes: Her husband, Nobility, The Church, Tomatoes

Favorite Meals: Garreg Mach Meat Pie, Bourgeois Pike, Beast Meat Teppanyaki, Vegetable Pasta Salad Liked Meals: Sautéed Jerky, Cheesy Verona Stew, Peach Sorbet, Country-Style Red Turnip Plate, Grilled Herring, Small Fish Skewers, Fried Crayfish Disliked Meals: Gautier Cheese Gratin, Daphnel Stew, Notes: In meals with Tomatoes, she picks them out. Do not ask her why she dislikes them.

Tea Preferences: Crescent-Moon Tea, Bergamot, Four-Spice Blend, Chamomile, Almyran Pine Needles

Liked Gifts: Any flower, Arithmetic Textbook, Blue Cheese, Coffee Beans, Tea Leaves, Riding Boots, Ceremonial Sword Disliked Gifts: Goddess Statuette, Landscape Painting, Legends of Chivalry Notes: Gifting her "Legends of Chivalry" will cause her motivation to go down and for her to vanish for the rest of the day.

Lost Items:

Silver Scalpel: A tool meant for carving into things. Looks well cared for and belongs to a set. There's a mark of an old Adrestian family on the handle.

Silver Masquerade Mask: A full-faced mask meant for festivals and feasts. Looks refined and elegant, yet it is very unsettling.

Quilted Children's Blanket: A blanket specially sewn for newborns, meant to last for decades. It has the names of many relatives on every square.

Starting Class: Noble Preferred Class Path: Noble –> Monk/Soldier/Myrmidon –> Mage/Preist/Pegasus Knight –> Warlock/Bishop –> Gremory/Dark Flyer Strength: White Magic, Black Magic, Dark Magic Weakness: Axe Budding Talent: Sword Personal Skill: Spoon Full of Sugar - Restores 5HP to any Magic Unit within one square of her if their HP is at less than half at the start of your turn.

Weapons Starting Levels:

Sword: C Lance: D Axe: E Bow: E Brawling: E+ Reason: B Faith: B Authority: E+ Heavy Armor: E Riding: CFlying: B

Base Stats: (At Recruitment)

HP: 35 Str: 13 Mag: 29 Dex: 17 Spd: 16 Lck: 11 Def: 10 Res: 19 Cha: 14

Learned Faith Spells: Heal, Nosferatu, Rescue, Silence, Abraxas Learned Reason Spells: Miasma Δ, Bolganone, Luna Λ, Meteor, Agnea’s Arrow

Recruit Requirements: Crimson Flower Exclusive - Must have all three Vestra Siblings

Potential Supports:

Byleth

Edelgard

Hubert

Rosamund

Tancred

Constance

Lysithea

Sylvain

Felix

Seteth

Flayn

Manuela

Alois

Hanneman

Shamir

Crit Quotes:

Silence!

You need a time out!

Let's test that hypothesis!

You'll need a doctor.

Bedtime for you.

DO NOT SPEAK HER NAME! (Against any Kingdom Commander)

Mother's here, darling!

I will not pray for you!

Defeat Quotes:

That experiment failed. Best return to the drawing board.

I'm sorry, but I'm afraid I must withdraw.

That was....very unfortunate...…

My dear children....I'm afraid.... your mother won't be coming home.....

Chalciope....I'll see you soon, sister.....

And so.....House Anavros truly ends with me.... (if her children all died in battle)

Skill Level Increase Quotes:

This should help my experiments.

This will impress Tancred.

Rosamund will enjoy this.

I shall make use of this for Her Majesty.

Oh, I know Hubert will find this delightful.

Hmh. Interesting.

Even an old crone can learn something.

Level Up Quotes:

Every day, a little life.

The Anavros Standard.

I suppose I'm still rusty.

You'd be impressed what age can do.

Eventually we learn all we can.

Gift Quotes:

Liked Gifts: Oh, sweetheart. You're far too kind to an old lady like myself.

Neutral Gifts: How thoughtful. Thank you, darling.

Disliked Gifts: Well, I was in need of something to test this new potion on.

[gremoria411]

A twofer today, just some general impressions on the ASW-G-16 Gundam Zepar (left) and the AWS-G-61 Gundam Zagan. I still haven’t watched Urdr hunt unfortunately, so I’ll be mostly talking about Zagan’s design, as opposed to anything that goes on in-series.

Another reason I’m pairing these together is because they’re both Post Disaster Gundam units, that have a two-syllable name beginning with a Z and a serial number that has a 6 in it. I’ve been able to remember them by the fact that the Zepar is Zippy. And that the Zagan has nothing to do with Carl Sagan.

Moving on from naming conventions, what do I think of them? Starting with the Zagan, I like the weight it brings to the table, it feels like it could compete with other heavyweights without much difficulty, essentially functioning as a giant can-opener to the mobile armours. It should be noted that with the possible exception of Agnika Kaeru himself, the Issues were the most prolific killer of Mobile Armours during the Calamity War. Presumably some of that was by dint of its pilot, but the Zagan cannot be discounted. It’s possible the apparent focus on defence aided in its survivability, enabling it to cope with battles of attrition better, functioning as an anvil to the other Gundam Frames’ hammer. It’s also possible that it’s missing some armament, since the hands are free. I know there’s precedent for knuckledusters in IBO, but it only being armed with the shields feels a little odd.

The design specifically reminds me of the Gremory (most likely the armour) and the Abyss Gundam from Seed Destiny (colouration and bulk, though I always remember it bigger than it actually is)

The Zepar I have considerably less to say on - it’s a nice design, agile and suited to closing the distance and stabbing things, but I do want to talk about it in relation to House Kujan, Specifically Iok Kujan.

Iok is……hm. He’s essentially a perfect example of somebody you don’t want in command. He’s a twit, and furthermore, he’s a dangerous twit, since his actions have a tendency to backfire on literally everyone besides himself. But let’s walk back a little. Who is Iok in relation to the story?

Iok Kujan is the heir to House Kujan of Gjallarhorn’s Seven Stars, the Seven Noble Families that wield the most power in Gjallarhorn, as McGillis, Gaelio, Carta and Rustal are to each of their houses (and of course Nemo, Elek and Gargin, but they’re less focused on). He only ascended to the position fairly recently, but everyone has high hopes for him since his late father was beloved.

Unfortunately, he’s really bad at it. He’s reckless, callous of those he’s fighting against and is absolutely unable to recognise his own failures.

@wordsandrobots has done an excellent analysis on Iok which I’m just going to link to here, since it’s very good:

But the crux of Iok is that he represents a great many of the failings of nobility - he’s incompetent, he’s unqualified and he displays a lack of care for how his actions effect others - not out of malice, but out of stupidity. He is a walking talking, killing example of how promoting based on blood rather than ability is such a poor idea.

But then look at the Zepar. Look at how it stands, how it moves. There’s a poise to it, an elegance, a sense of nobility. It’s armed with a sword and shield - simple, yes, but something that focuses on defence, on protection. Even the way it fights seems to be in pushing the enemy away from something, protecting it. So I would say that if Iok is representative of the realities of nobility - the incompetence and disregard for others, then the Zepar is the romanticisation of it - of a noble, red-armoured knight who would protect the people. It also represents how far the Kujan family has come since the Calamity War - Once a great and loved pilot who fought at the frontlines using a Gundam Frame, to a lacking and foolish one who fights from the rear and has to be bailed out at the cost of his subordinates lives. (I know Iok’s father didn’t pilot the Zepar, but it ties in with the theme of Iok being the end result of a lineage, rather than the beginnings).

It also draws attention to the Gjallarhorn’s meritocratic roots - Embrilla Kujan was able to slay multiple mobile armours using this machine, whereas Iok is too blinded by his own self-importance to recognise the threat that they pose, to the point he severely underestimates what it will take to kill one.

[almacambiondaughterofsaleos]

Gremory : Stella darling are you ok?

Stella : No gremory

Gremory: It's stolas again i'm really sorry let me talk some sense to him so that he ca-

Stella : That won't be necessary but thank you for coming here. He just make my life miserable, stolas can you please try to help? Guess what he done nothing! Stolas do you aware how bad this affair was Octavia gonna get judge too? He only care about that imp than his own family

Gremory : I'm sorry dear to hear that

4 hours later

Stolas : Gremory what are you doi-

Gremory SLAP him

Gremory : To remind you

Stolas : WHAT WAS THAT FOR?

Gremory : Stolas your misery make you believe other people misery is not your concern

Stolas : That woman didn't give two shit about me

Gremory: True but why did you have to hurt her and octavia?

Stolas : I didn't hurt her and octavia was fine

Gremory: Fine you say. Stolas you would left her for that imp Twice you actually forget about her, you supposed to be her father

Stolas : I loved her and him

Gremory : So what? Does that imp even like you. Love is nothing without action that imp is not obligated to love you at all stolas

Stolas : HE REALLY LOVE ME HE DOES!

Gremory : Tell me something about him beside his name, tell me what his favorite colour, tell me about his favorite stuff, TELL ME!

Stolas : I i i

Gremory : You're a man with brain and reasonable ability stop whining & find something to do being in love. If you don't start becoming responsible i have to take Octavia you don't want that do you?

Stolas : No

Gremory : Stolas you are selfish for forcing him to love and forcing your daughter pitying you

Great

[liviavanrouge]

Royalty AU

Mars: *eating breakfast with his family*

Bertram: *smiles a little* First time seeing them eating together for a while huh?

Stolas: *looks around for Gremory* Where the hell is that girl?

Mars: *looks at Kilian* Kilian from what ansel and Senna’s father have told me, your skilled with ninjutsu has improved a lot.

Kilian: *chuckles as he smiles* Indeed they have. Do you wish for me to show you a demonstration?

Mars: Why yes-

Astaroth: *bursts into the dining room* MARS WATCH OUT THATS NOT KILIAN-

Kilian(?): *grabs a knife and throws it at mars*

Mars: *swiftly dodged the knife as he looks at Kilian in shock* Kilian…. What…

Kilian(?): Are mars you fool…. *cackles as he opens his eyes and stared at him* Miss your dear father~?

Mars; *froze* F-father….

Kilian(?): I didn’t came alone too! *gestures to Harume* Say hi to your former fiancée!

Mia: *Giggles, flowing attached Harume's back as a dark spirit* Hello~~

Livia: *Stands up in alarm, her eyes wide* What?!

Seon: *Narrows his eyes, looking alarmed*

Hallow: Can we never catch a break?

[crossoverproductions]

Rap Battles of the Bizarre

Here's a remake of my old Weird Rap Battles post I made a while ago.

RAP BATTLES

Anna Nishikinomya Vs. Patrick Bateman (Shimoneta Vs. American Psycho)

Jigsaw Vs. Monokuma (Saw Vs. Danganronpa)

Junko Enoshima Vs. Handsome Jack (Danganronpa Vs. Borderlands)

Angel Gabby Vs. The Intruder (Angel Hare Vs. The Madela Catalogue)

Nicole Vs. Micheal Afton (Class of 09’ Vs. FNAF)

SMG4 Vs. CG5

Satou Matsuzaka Vs. Arthur Hasting (Happy Sugar Life. Vs. We Happy Few)

Natsuki Subaru Vs. Colt Vahn (Re: Zero Vs. Deathloop)

Michael J. Caboose Vs. Serial Designation N (Red vs. Blue Vs. Murder Drones)

Leonard Church AKA. Alpha Vs. Ruby Rose (Red vs. Blue Vs. RWBY)

Rainbow Dash Vs. The Scout (MLP Vs. TF2)

Phone Guy Vs. Wally Darling (FNAF Vs. Welcome Home)

The Riddler Vs. Light Yagami (DC Vs. Death Note)

Meat Canyon Vs. Junji Ito

Green Goblin Vs. Goblin Slayer (Marvel Comics Vs Goblin Slayer)

Jacket Vs. The Punisher (Hotline Miami Vs. Marvel Comics)

Hannibal Lecter Vs. Karin (Silence of the Lambs Vs. Cooking Companions)

Alastor Vs. Rias Gremory (Hazbin Hotel Vs. High School DxD)

Celestia Vs. Ra (MLP Vs. Egyptian Mythology)

MAD Vs. Robot Chicken

Mr. Burns Vs. Mr. Beast (The Simpsons Vs. Youtube)

James Gunn Vs. Vivziepop

Trevor Henderson Vs. Okayado

Himiko Toga Vs. The Spy (BNHA Vs. TF2)

Barbie Vs. Emmett (The Barbie Movie Vs. The Lego Movie)

The Ghostbusters Vs. Mystery Inc. (Ghostbusters Vs. Scooby-Doo)

Adam Vs. Adam (Hazbin Hotel Vs. Record of Ragnarok)

Red Hood Vs. Alucard (DC Comics Vs. Hellsing)

Asia Argento Vs. The Medic (High School DxD Vs. Team Fortress 2)

Loud Forger Vs. Austin Powers (Spy X Family Vs. Austin Powers)

Issei Hyoudou Vs. Henry Stein (High School DxD Vs. Bendy)

Donald Trump Vs. Kokichi Oma (Real Life Vs. Danganronpa)

[most-stylish-competition]

Most Stylish Competition official bracket!

list under bracket since the image quality died

List:

Group1/2:

Shadow the Hedgehog (Sonic series) VS. Sans (Undertale)

Mel Medarda (Arcane) VS. Sailor Pluto (Sailor Moon)

Kairi (Kingdom Hearts) VS. ENA (ENA)

Shinji Hirako (Bleach) VS. Kim Dokja (Omniscient Reader)

Gyorik "York" Rogdul (Drawtectives) VS. Eugene Finch (Drawtectives)

Elliot Goss (Search Party) VS. The Weird Guy (The Hollow)

Draculaura (Monster High) VS. Frankie Stein (Monster High)

Stede Bonnet (Our Flag Means Death) VS. Manfred Von Karma (Ace Attorney)

Group1:

Team Rocket (Pokémon) VS. winner of 1/2.1

Papyrus (Undertale) VS. Waluigi (Super Mario Bros)

Mettaton (Undertale) VS. Hatsune Miku (Vocaloid)

Cecil (Welcome to Nightvale) VS. Ebony Dark'ness Dementia Raven Way (My Immortal)

Winnie the Pooh (Winnie the Pooh) VS. Ryan Evans (High School Musical)

The Onceler (The Lorax) VS. Harry Dubois (Disco Elysium)

Fred Jones (Scooby-Doo) VS. Hunter (The Owl House)

Teruki "Teru" Hanazawa (Mob Psycho 100) VS. Shigeo Kageyama (Mob Psycho 100)

Group2:

Ciel Phantomhive (Black Butler) VS. winner of 1/2.2

Yor Forger (Spy x Family) VS. Morticia Addams (The Addams Family)

Miss Piggy (Muppets) VS. Rarity (My Little Pony)

Dr. Facilier (Princess and the Frog) VS. Yzma (Emperor's New Groove)

Marz (I Was A Teenage Exocolonist) VS. Scaramouche (Genshin Impact)

Lelouch (Code Geass) VS. Consul Valerius (Arcana)

Sensei Garmadon (Ninjago) VS. Taako (The Adventure Zone)

Mitsuba Sousuke (Toilet-Bound Hanako-Kun) VS. Rias Gremory (High School DxD)

Group3:

Mizuki Akiyama (Project Sekai) VS. winner of 1/2.3

Alex Fierro (Magnus Chase) VS. Luz Noceda (The Owl House)

Pearl Houzuki (Splatoon) VS. Gumi (Vocaloid)

Dr. Starline (Sonic series) VS. Jinafire Long (Monster High)

Noctis Lucis Caelum (Final Fantasy XV) VS. Ratchet (Ratchet & Clank)

Frank N Furter (Rocky Horror Show) VS. Dean Pelton (Community)

Eddie Munson (Stranger Things) VS. Eleven Hopper (Stranger Things)

Gonzo (Muppets) VS. Gyro Zeppeli (JoJo's Bizarre Adventure)

Group4:

Carmen Sandiego (Carmen Sandiego) VS. winner of 1/2.4

Red Hood (DC Comics) VS. Nightwing (DC Comics)

Professor Venomous (OKKO Let's Be Heroes) VS. Noisemaster (Cucumber Quest)

Inspector Cabanela (Ghost Trick) VS. Shelby Presipence (Plainview)

Miles Edgeworth (Ace Attorney) VS. Akutagawa Ryuunosuke (Bungou Stray Dogs)

Coco Adel (RWBY) VS. Espresso Cookie (Cookie Run Kingdom)

Susie Greene (Curb Your Enthusiasm) VS. Boyd Crowder (Justified)

Al Calavicci (Quantum Leap) VS. The Obituary Writer (Death By Dying)

Group5:

Lewis Pepper (Mystery Skulls) VS. winner of 1/2.5

Kuranosuke Koibuchi (Princess Jellyfish) VS. Nana "Hachi" Komatsu (Nana)

Eda Clawthorne (The Owl House) VS. Lilith Clawthorne (The Owl House)

Darius Deamonne (The Owl House) VS. Sanji (One Piece)

Link (Zelda: Breath of the Wild) VS. Spock (Star Trek)

Apollo (Hades) VS. Zagreus (Hades)

Rhonda Wellington Lloyd (Hey Arnold) VS. Malfina (Conneticut Clark)

Kanaya Maryam (Homestuck) VS. Daphne Blake (Scooby-Doo)

Group6:

Steven Stone (Pokémon) VS. winner of 1/2.6

Yuki Rurikawa (Act! Addict! Actors!) VS. Nikki (Love Nikki Dress Up Queen)

Bruno Bucciarati (JoJo's Bizarre Adventure) VS. Padme Amidala (Star Wars)

Zhongli (Genshin Impact) VS. Franziska Von Karma (Ace Attorney)

Klavier Gavin (Ace Attorney) VS. Saul Goodman (Better Call Saul)

Grillby (Undertale) VS. Spades Slick (Homestuck)

Prosciutto (JoJo's Bizarre Adventure) VS. Kira Yoshikage (JoJo's Bizarre Adventure)

Mr. Compress (My Hero Academia) VS. Swatch (Deltarune)

Group7:

Loki (Marvel) VS. winner of 1/2.7

Castiel (Supernatural) VS. Aziraphale (Good Omens)

Hypnos (Hades) VS. Alucard (Castlevania)

Howl (Howl's Moving Castle) VS. Blitzo (Helluva Boss)

Blackbeard (Our Flag Means Death) VS. Anthony J. Crowley (Good Omens)

Luce (Drawfee) VS. Mac McDonald (Always Sunny)

Villager (Animal Crossing) VS. Blathers (Animal Crossing)

Jurgen (Sam & Max) VS. Rosemaster (Cucumber Quest)

Group8:

Joker (Persona 5) VS. winner of 1/2.8

Chuuya Nakahara (Bungou Stray Dogs) VS. Dazai Osamu (Bungou Stray Dogs)

The Doctor (Doctor Who series) VS. Sissel (Ghost Trick)

Professor Hershel Layton (Professor Layton) VS. King Dice (Cuphead)

Jolyne Cujoh (JoJo's Bizarre Adventure) VS. Bayonetta (Bayonetta)

Samus (Metroid) VS. Velma (Scooby-Doo)

Harper Finkle (Wizards of Waverly Place) VS. Elle Woods (Legally Blonde)

Fran Fine (The Nanny) VS. Klaus Hargreeves (Umbrella Academy)

Good luck to everyone who's voting and have fun!

[gothimgem]

𝔗𝔥𝔢 𝔔𝔲𝔢𝔢𝔫𝔰 𝔬𝔣 ℜ𝔥𝔢𝔤𝔢𝔡

The Kingdom of Rheged was a constitutional monarchy. Although originally a hereditary position, the queens of Rheged were later selected among the magically gifted as brought forward by the priestesses. Rheged queens also acted as spiritual leaders of the country, overseeing construction of temples for the Goddesses of the Seal and secure divine favor by theestablishment of their rule. Selection of the next queen involved dangerous rituals, and those in power as queen were capable of making broad religious decrees and ensuring peace with neighboring nations. This spiritual role came with restrictions, however, as the Queen of Rheged was required to never take a husband, restrictions presumably passed after the hereditary line of royalty was abolished. This rule would later be abolished by the thirteenth and last queen of Rheged, Buer, who took King Marchosias as her husband.

I decided to think of a family name for Sirene for when she was princess of Rheged. Since the hereditary system and original surname was lost after the seventh queen couldn’t have children, they would eventually pass down a surname in honor of the first queen to continue the lineage. I went with something Croatian since that’s where I think Rheged would be indicated by the shrine ruins in Chapter 2 and that the kingdom was more magic and goddess worship centered. The suffix -evic is “little" or "successor of” and the first queen of Rheged was named Eisheth.

Eishevic. “Successor of Eisheth”.

Eisheth was the first, 1000-1022. Descending from a clan of magicians, she was granted the title of nobility after the fall of the Intoner Empire. Known for fighting off fierce monsters and offering refuge to people. Her younger sister, Nestis, became the third Goddess of the Seal. Had taken a husband, Lucif, and bore two heirs.

Leraje was the second, 1022-1035. During the ensuing years, she successfully ruled and greatly expanded Rheged’s national power. She studied magic and brought a rule to never use it in the service of demons or evil, or to acquire power. Had taken a husband, Andrelphaus, and bore six heirs of which only one survived.

Paimonia was the third, 1035-1038. Locked in war with southern invaders, she fashioned a blade that blessed her with three lives. It was also a weapon of torture that would be banned by the kings of old. Had taken a husband, Balan, and bore four heirs.

Meridiana was the fourth, 1038-1045. The eldest of Paimonia’s children, who survived the Red Eye disease while her siblings did not. She established temples and shrines of religious worship outside of the Cult of the Watchers, offering tributes to the Goddesses of the Seal. Had taken a husband, Zagan, and bore three heirs.

Amy was the fifth, 1045-1052. The youngest of Meridiana’s children. Once locked in war with the kingdom of Caerleon, she established peace and agreement with the construction of the Castle of the Goddess. Had taken a husband, Allocer, and bore a lone heir.

Lilith was the sixth, 1052-1056. She had a forceful personality and bright intellect, having accomplished much in her youth. She fought bravely to liberate her people during the Red Eye invasion. Had taken a female lover, Lady Naamah, after her two husbands, Ronove and Amon, were executed by the disease with her two heirs.

Samiginia was the seventh, 1056-1069. While she loved Lord Gremory, she was arranged to wed Lord Crocell. She was unable to bear children, thus she changed the law so that people with strong magic could ascend to the throne and did away with the hereditary system. She established further diplomatic relationships with other kingdoms.

Byleth was the eighth, 1069-1073. Successor of Samiginia, she was able to wield lightning magic, implant magic into weapons, and have powerful hypnosis. Facing numerous invasions from foreign powers who attempted to conquer it through military force. She eventually abdicated after taking numerous terms due to popularity among her subjects.

Kimaris was the ninth, 1073-1075. A shrine maiden who worked with Byleth as her lady-in-waiting. Capable of healing and decaying magic through ancient incantations. Having to finish the remaining forces from foreign invasions, she established the kingdom’s internal affairs, improved economy, and administrative offices outside of magic. She had twin sons, though the father remains unknown.

Furfur was the tenth, 1075-1077. A quiet yet ill woman who served as a priestess, she was capable of poison magic and swapping souls between bodies. Her frail body gave out after purifying an old beggar with Red Eye Disease and resulted in her death.

Glasya-Labolas was the eleventh, 1077-1080. A self-taught sorceress capable of powerful blue fire magic and a plethora of dark magic spells. She established the usage of dark arts within the court, though the opinion was very unpopular. Her three nephews would later contract the Red Eye Disease and join the Empire.

Levia was the twelfth, 1080-1088. A powerful sorceress, regarded with respect by her peers. As such, she possessed a wide range of magical talent, becoming the most powerful queen from a young age, among her powers was the ability to wield blood magic and tame dragons. Unfortunately, after years of becoming queen, she experienced bouts of mania followed by depression.

Buer was the thirteenth and last, 1088-April 1093. The younger sister of the twelfth goddess, Asherah. A vision of grace, wisdom, and strength of character, Buer was fiercely dedicated to the well-being of her family and kingdom, carrying the weight of the kingdom’s peace on her shoulders. Having taken a husband, King Marchosias, she failed to have children with him. She adopted Sirene as a precautionary heir, abolishing the rule in favor of the old hereditary bloodline. She died from an invasion by the Empire along with her husband...

[wordsandrobots]

IBO reference notes on . . . the Gundams (part 3)

[Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Addendum 1]

And now for the late-sequence freaks.

To re-emphasise, spoilers. If you know your Gundam numerical order and you've seen the show, you know why I'm stressing that at this point. If not . . . I really don't want to deprive you of the chance to have your heart torn out of your chest, so be warned.

ASW-G-54 Murmur

Sneaking out right as I was finishing this up, here's the very latest Gundam to be revealed. Fortunately I lucked out and it fits squarely into both the number group and theme for this post, because what in the Hinge and Bracket is this?

I am morally obligated to state that bestowing the world with a chintz Gundam is far from the Fareed Family's worst crime, yet I still find myself dumbstruck by the sheer audacity required to wheel out this hideous offspring of a Qubeley and a craft store and give it floral print armour. Good gravy.

Perhaps this would be a good opportunity to consider the unified aesthetic of the Gundam frames, or rather, its absence. Because while they certainly share the same general structure -- for reasons that scarcely need stating -- the construction of the armour varies wildly from machine to machine. In some cases, there are obvious reasons for this. Yet Murmur is distinctly over-designed for its intended mode of operation. Even the twined swords used for close-range combat appear decorative as much as functional.

One can only surmise that while practical considerations were important, there was space in the Gundam construction effort for personal taste to play a role. In this case, the founder of the Fareed Family (who was named Makie Fareed, by a strange stroke of coincidence) obviously wanted to look glamorous while taking out mobile armours with the world's biggest Stanley knives.

Ah, yes. Those drones. Seems I spoke too soon about the lack of smart-cable weaponry on Gundams. Well, possibly. These 'Surgical Feathers' are linked to the Alaya-Vijana system using cables, but they seem to have flown using the thrusters built into them, possibly making the wires themselves were inert. Nevertheless, this does draw a line through some of my theorising from last time. Gundam Murmur did use a comparable weapon to that of its foes and it worked well enough to grant its pilot a seat among the Seven Stars.

This being said, the equipment is extremely bulky, extending far behind the frame itself, so I would thus assume this was a weapon best used in space and not something that saw generally deployment. Additionally, the released text states the feathers were operated via the Alaya-Vijnana, implying a fairly taxing job for the pilot. That this is the only example we have of this kind of system does still lend credence to the idea the technology was not widely used on the side opposing the mobile armours.

However, they certainly tried and that speaks to how thoroughly they explored all options for the sake of winning.

From the Ars Goetia:

The Fifty-Fourth Spirit is called Murmur, or Murmus, or Murmux. He is a Great Duke, and an Earl; and appeareth in the Form of a Warrior riding upon a Gryphon, with a Ducal Crown upon his Head. There do go before him his Ministers with great Trumpets sounding. His Office is to teach Philosophy perfectly, and to constrain Souls of the Deceased to come before the Exorcist to answer those questions which he may wish to put to them, if desired. He was partly of the Order of Thrones, and partly of that of Angels. He now ruleth 30 Legions of Spirits. And his Seal is this, etc.

More griffons but the key part here is the 'partly of [the order] of angels' line. Because yes. A Gundam that is part-mobile armour seems to about sum Murmur up.

ASW-G-56 Gremory

An answer to the question of what the next step up from nanolaminate armour would be, Gremory possess a 'nanolaminate coat', which has exponentially more resistance and shock-absorbing capabilities than standard. It's basically invulnerable, or at least the black parts of its body are. In the Moon Steel manga, the only effective counter-strategy was to smash it through an ice sheet, immobilising it long enough to have a conversation with the pilot.

At 20.5 metres tall, Gremory is also the tallest Gundam, beating out Kimaris Vidar by a metre. Given its extraordinary defensive capabilities, it's down as being extremely versatile, with the manual stating it can be used in both leadership and reconnaissance roles. Its armament, by contrast, is very straightforward, consisting of the giant 'battle anchor' (which was originally double-sided before being broken into the scythe-like appearance seen above) and a pair of auto-cannons built into its shield gauntlets.

(The Gundam wiki errs on the side of discounting the Generations CrossRays adaptation of Moon Steel that mentions the latter but I think it's a perfectly reasonable addition.)

Three parts of Gremory's armour are articulated beyond what is necessary for movement. The aforementioned gauntlets can swing forward to act as 'handheld' shields. Additionally, the 'hood' and 'mask' can be retracted to expose Gremory's ostentatious head.

Presumably this would allow for greater use of the sensors built into the head, but no official material has shown Gremory in action with its hood folded back.

One final obvious feature are the claws, which are noticeably longer than standard Gundam hands. From Barbatos, we know these can act as weapons in their own right, so possibly Gremory was designed to place greater emphasis on this mode of combat.

Up to a certain point, Gremory must have beem a success story. House Nadira, who I assume are descended from the original pilot, became important within Gjallarhorn, heading up an internal security division called Ollerus (somewhat amusingly, given the smashed-through-the-ice-incident, this is named for a god depicted using skis). But they are not part of the Seven Stars, so Gremory cannot have racked up as high a kill-count. Furthermore, this is the only Gundam among those held by Gjallarhorn wielding a broken weapon; whether that is a mark of pride or not, it's suggestive.

A more concrete line of exploration on this matter is the existence of the Jizin Family (a member of whom acted as field leader of Ollerus) who are notably not descended from a Gundam pilot. Rather, their inherited machine is the Valkyrja Oltlinde, which fought alongside Gremory in the later stages of the Calamity War.

This is the only instance where a Gundam and a Valkyrja are clearly stated as having operated together, despite the two frames being developed for the same purpose (putting an end to the War). While excellent machines in their own right, the Valkyrjas were overshadowed by the more powerful Gundams and saw only a limited production run (9 mobile suits, compared to 72). Given they would form the template for Gjallarhorn's modern 'suits (the Geirail, Graze and Reginlaze), however, the cooperation makes sense.

And perhaps here lies the reason for Nadira failing to achieve sufficient medals to reach the top table: unlike the other pilots, they shared their kills.

From the Ars Goetia:

The Fifty-sixth Spirit is Gremory, or Gamori. He is a Duke Strong and Powerful, and appeareth in the Form of a Beautiful woman, with a Duchess’s Crown tied about her waist, and riding on a Great Camel. His Office is to tell of all things Past, Present, and to Come; and of Treasures Hid, and what they lie in; and to procure the Love of Women both Young and Old. He governeth 26 Legions of Spirits, and his Seal is this, etc.

I should say that current head of the family Deira Nadira definitely belongs in a mecha named for a duke of Hell who appears as a beautiful lady and has power over the love of young women!

ASW-G-64 Flauros

I'm using the Ryusei-Go for the image because 1) I'm an incurable Shino fan and 2) I assume this better represents Flauros' full starting load-out, in contrast to the short-barrelled version used for the official art of the War colour scheme.

It's unclear which configuration it was in prior to being entombed on Mars, since the missing components could simply have been ripped off (and why restore them at all if they weren't recovered along with the main body?).

However, presumably each is a valid variant, so we can probably say it saw action during the War in both forms. And speaking of forms, that's the party trick this time around: Flauros is the only IBO Gundam to be able to fully transform.

Flauro's conversion is not especially complex, but it does provide a stable gunnery platform for the two Dáinsleifs mounted on its back. This is the only Gundam designed primarily for long-range combat; that is, with ranged weaponry as its main armament. And we should probably pause here to take another look at Dáinsleifs because this is kind of a big deal.

The Gundam Wiki provides a translation of a chart from the Mechanics and World books, which breaks down how military units were deployed against mobile armours during the Calamity War. For ground battles, on Earth, Mars and the Moon, the majority of the combat was handled by Gundams, with other mobile suits operating as their support. Meanwhile, in space, the largest percentage of the fighting force was made up of Dáinsleif launchers.

As I mentioned in the section concerning Gamigin, 'Dáinsleif' refers to a weapon designed to puncture nanolaminate armour with spiked projectiles fired using electromagnetic rail-guns. Examples include:

Gamagin's Revolver Gun Axe

Astaroth Rinascimento's Bastard Chopper (this uses gunpowder as the propellant and is therefore not considered a 'true' Dáinsleif

Kimaris Vidar's Drill Lance

Oltlinde's Double Blade (the Dáinsleif mechanism in this was disabled after the War, so it's unclear how it actually functioned)

Flauros' rail-guns

And of course, the large-scale version that we may consider the template all the others emulate

Everything indicates these are actual Calamity War-era weapons mounted to modern Grazes, an act carried out in contravention of a ban Gjallarhorn themselves instituted after the War was over. Since these things basically amount to hooking an Ahab reactor (a potentially limitless energy source) up to an electromagnet and using it to accelerate ~25 metre long spikes to phenomenal speeds, their destructive potential is enormous. Despite the theoretical restriction of these to space combat, they were at one point deployed on the surface of the Moon.

It did not go well for the Moon.

Undoubtedly something you want aimed at the giant killer robots, but with clear drawbacks when used on the ground, of the 'where did that mountain range go' variety.

Yet what is Flauros if not a platform for deploying Dáinsleifs in a planetary environment?

And we're not talking the smaller varieties here. Both Gamigin and Kimaris use relatively small staves, the kind that might not cause too many collateral craters. Flauros, however, is equipped to fire projectiles that look like this:

Now. We don't have any direct evidence this is what it was using during the battle that left it buried under the Chryse desert. From Tekkadan's deployment of Flauros, we know it was fully equipped to fire conventional munitions, in the same manner that Gjallarhorn has its own rail-guns that are not technically Dáinsleifs.

Still, I can't help thinking it relevant that when I say Flauros was buried, we're talking dozens of metres down, alongside a mobile armour and its entire pluma swarm. It doesn't seem like a massive stretch to speculate this may have been the result of firing something as big as the above point-blank into Mars' surface.

Even setting that theory aside, we still have a machine with a shelling mode clearly intended for ground use. So either this predates the point where it was decided using Dáinsleifs on the surface was too dangerous . . . or it speaks to the urgency with which the War needed to be ended. In either case, Flauros marks a considerable escalation in destructive output.

Which is of course, somewhat ironic.

Oh. Right. Yeah. This is the point where I have to go back and reference from 'If This Is The End' again, isn't it? Fuck.

OK. Deep breath, everyone.

Gundam frames are not themselves indestructible. We already know this by the point Shino is killed, not least because a Gjallarhorn Dáinsleif took Flauros' arm off shortly prior to his attack on the Arianrhod Fleet command ship.

But what the scenes of the Ryusei-Go's demise underline is the limits of the Gundams.

While chunks of the frame survive, the missile attack tears Flauros apart. One thing I have not discussed so far is how mobile suits in the IBO setting are designed to neutralise the beam weaponry utilised by the mobile armours. Their nanolaminate armour can easily disperse such attacks, allowing them to shrug off laser beams capable of annihilating small towns or punching holes through space colonies.

This does not immunise them to conventional weaponry, with the joints remaining clear weak points. Indeed, even Barbatos does not come through its battle with a mobile armour unscathed, losing its right arm in the process.

It's a detail that doesn't quite make it into the show, but from the concept art, the implication is the pluma locked in a death grip with Flauros was attacking the Gundam's cockpit, ripping it open before going offline. This tracks with mobile armours going out of their way to kill the pilots of enemy mobile suits: perfectly logical behaviour, to target the vulnerabilities in their opponents and aim for the human component.

I think this is important to bear in mind when looking at the Gundams. For all the trappings of mythology and demonology, they are not magic. They are machines with firm limitations, intentionally reliant on their pilots to operate.

Their achievement in stopping the mobile armours is made all the greater by that fact that, as Flauros demonstrates, defeat was always a possibility.

From the Ars Goetia:

The Sixty-fourth Spirit is Haures, or Hauras, or Havres, or Flauros. He is a Great Duke, and appeareth at first like a Leopard, Mighty, Terrible, and Strong, but after a while, at the Command of the Exorcist, he putteth on Human Shape with Eyes Flaming and Fiery, and a most Terrible Countenance. He giveth True Answers of all things, Present, Past, and to Come. But if he be not commanded into a triangle, D, he will Lie in all these Things, and deceive and beguile the Exorcist in these things or in such and such business. He will, lastly, talk of the Creation of the World, and of Divinity, and of how he and other Spirits fell. He destroyeth and burneth up those who be the Enemies of the Exorcist should he so desire it; also he will not suffer him to be tempted by any other Spirit or otherwise. He governeth 36 Legions of Spirits, and his Seal is this, to be worn as a Lamen, etc.

The facet of Flauros as a shape-shifter, moving between a four-legged and human form certainly fits well, as does the part about 'burning up' enemies. Interestingly, the concept art I mentioned depicts this seal decorating the back of the 'head' that covers Flauros' torso in shelling mode. While this is not 'canon' from what we see in the show, it is rather cool. I also think there is a nice through-line with Shino's character, if we read the mix of absolute honesty and absolute lies with respect to self-delusion. I might come back to that at some point.

(I've actually worked up my own version of a theoretical IBO sigil for Flauros, trying to follow the pattern of changes seen in other examples. Fun exercise!)

ASW-G-66 Kimaris

I want it on record (again) that Gargin Bauduin was so wedded to the colour lilac, he dyed his Gundam frame and then his entire family line.

That aside, Kimaris is an interesting entry in the line-up because at first, its gimmick appears to be speed. Its legs open up to deploy extra thrusters, it is extremely fast anyway, and its primary weapon, a lance, is geared for charging attacks.

Looks are deceiving. What Kimaris really is, is an example of a single frame being provided with multiple sets of equipment to suit different situations.

If the first configuration is designed for use in space -- in conjunction with its booster unit -- the second is to afford it comparable manoeuvrability under gravity. The 'Trooper' form adds an extreme version of the flight units we see on other 'ground type' variants, making this one of the most agile machines in the list.

Variants of Kimaris' main weapon also existed, going from the Gungnir lance used by the flight form, to the Destroyer Lance used by the Trooper form, to the Drill Lance that would be used by this Gundam's final modern iteration, Kimaris Vidar. This form too is reliant on equipment dating from the Calamity War, though we can't rule out some modern adjustments due to the intervening steps required to disguise Kimaris as ASW-G-XX Vidar.

As previously discussed, the Drill Lance contains Dáinsleif launchers, loaded via the shield armatures, in a step up from the conventional guns built into the first two lances. Indeed, everything about this last form seems to be about maximising defensive and offensive power, sacrificing the speed of the earlier incarnations for raw strength. Interestingly, it is this version that bears a place for the Bauduin Family crest -- a feature that appears in key art for the other Seven Stars Gundams but absent from the plain Kimaris or Kimaris Trooper.

All this optional equipment being stored alongside the frame up to the present day highlights that versatility was an integral part of the mobile suit's intended operation. This includes a wide variety of less obvious weapons, including flash-bangs fired from the head, a sword stored in the Trooper form's shield, foldable knives, razor-disc launchers, and even drill knees for extreme close-range kills.

As relatively simple as the giant lances might appear at first glance, Gargin seems to have been something of a tricksy fighter, putting him a little at odds with the chivalric knight Kimaris' aesthetics evoke. But of course, in a war to save humanity from extinction, such concerns must take a back seat. We know nothing about the man save his coming out of the War with a great number of kills to his name (and his favourite colour). Yet we can make an educated guess at the adage he lived by:

It is better to be prepared than dead.

From the Ars Goetia:

The Sixty-sixth Spirit is Cimejes, or Cimeies, or Kimaris. He is a Marquis, Mighty, Great, Strong and Powerful, appearing like a Valiant Warrior riding upon a goodly Black Horse. He ruleth over all Spirits in the parts of Africa. His Office is to teach perfectly Grammar, Logic, Rhetoric, and to discover things Lost or Hidden, and Treasures. He governeth 30 Legions of Internals, and his Seal is this, etc.

Well, it's got the horse motif that goes with the Bauduin Family crest. And the association with grammar, logic and rhetoric feels fitting for the aristocrats the Bauduins are in the present, for good and ill.

In a blink and you'll miss it moment (I certainly did!), we can glimpse the Gundam sigil for Kimaris at the back of its hangar on Vingolf, showing the usual alterations, not least a 90 degree rotation!

I'm genuinely not sure why its orientation should have been adjusted like this, save that once more, it centres the cross element.

ASW-G-70 Seere

We know next to nothing about Seere, so perhaps grouping it in with the freaks or indeed including it here at all is unnecessary. Even its appearance in the panel above is subject to this being the memory of a traumatised kid, so we don't know if it looking so similar to Astaroth is accurate to life.

The solid facts are that Seere remains in operational condition and it was used to destroy a shuttle flight departing the Avalanche colony cluster (situated in the vicinity of the moon) some time during P.D. 318. It is highly likely that it is under the control of a Gjallarhorn bureaucrat named Ville Klaassen, the man responsible for framing and ruining the Warren Family. Exactly why he should have wanted to down this particular flight and what became of the Gundam since are mysteries.

This, of course, is the status of the majority of the 72 Gundams: lost, hidden, abandoned by the organisation that created them, and forgotten by the world they once saved. Regardless of the few that retained some prominence or emerged to retake it, they are the products of a bygone age, rendered unnecessary by their own triumph.

In some ways, that might be for the best. In others . . . well. An unknown mobile suit swatted a spacecraft one day and dozens of people died. Keeping better track of that sort of thing might be in everyone's interests.

From the Ars Goetia:

The Seventieth Spirit is Seere, Sea, or Seir. He is a Mighty Prince, and Power-ful, under Amaymon, King of the East. He appeareth in the Form of a Beautiful Man, riding upon a Winged Horse. His Office is to go and come; and to bring abundance of things to pass on a sudden, and to carry or re-carry anything whither thou wouldest have it to go, or whence thou wouldest have it from. He can pass over the whole Earth in the twinkling of an Eye. He giveth a True relation of all sorts of Theft, and of Treasure hid, and of many other things. He is of an indifferent Good Nature, and is willing to do anything which the Exorcist desireth. And this his Seal is to be worn, etc.

The coming and going in the twinkling of an eye certainly fits. We also have the 'true relation of theft and hidden things', which ties in to the intrigue surrounding Klaassen, the Warrens, Seere and Astaroth.

ASW-G-71 Dantalion

Dantalion is the highest-numbered Gundam we know about and canonically it only saw action right at the very end of the Calamity War. Consequently, it should not come as a surprise that it represents a synthesis of many of the armour and weapons options we have seen previously.

The base machine is stripped-down in comparison to other models, to the point of being extremely lightly armoured. This gives it a uniquely skeletal appearance, intended to accommodate combination with two external booster units. The T (top) and B (bottom) boosters could be used independently in various 'half cowl' configurations, but unlike Kimaris, where the add-on simply increased the Gundam's thrust, they can also transform into enhanced limbs, granting Dantalion greater strength and armour coverage.

A similar transformation function can be seen in the main armament provided, a 'bayonet rifle' that could unfold into a sword and fire in either form. This permits extremely quick switches from ranged to melee combat, especially as two such rifles could be wielded at once.

Furthermore, combining both booster units with an optional shield unit allowed Dantalion to assume its 'perfect cowl' mode, turning it into an all-round juggernaut. This includes extra armour for the head and chest, upping the protection for the pilot quite considerably.

The same philosophy behind Kimaris' multi-tasking design has been turned into an integrated function. Unlike its predecessor, Dantalion does not require anything to be swapped out ahead of time to adapt its operations, and the interchangeable modules can easily be slotted on and off. At the same time, its arsenal emphasises handheld blades and guns, in addition to raw strength. We come full-circle, even as we see previous advances and enhancements merged together.

If we can call Dantalion the summation of Gundam development history, it came too late to match the earlier machines for sheer quantity of kills. Although the Zalmforts became one of Gjallarhorn's high-ranking families, they fell short of joining the Seven Stars. Still, to have risen so high in the waning days of the conflict marks Dantalion out as a success story.

Did the engineers take pride in that, as their penultimate creation cut a swathe across the battlefield? Or were they merely relieved the necessity for it was nearly over.

From the Ars Goetia:

The Seventy-first Spirit is Dantalion. He is a Duke Great and Mighty, appearing in the Form of a Man with many Countenances, all Men’s and Women’s Faces; and he hath a Book in his right hand. His Office is to teach all Arts and Sciences unto any; and to declare the Secret Counsels of any one; for he knoweth the Thoughts of all Men and Women, and can change them at his will. He can cause Love, and show the Similitude of any person, and show the same by a Vision, let them be in what part of the World they Will. He governeth 36 Legions of Spirits; and this is his Seal, which wear thou, etc.

Obviously the 'man of many faces' aspect is what's important here. But I do think the 'showing the appearance of another' is an interesting angle to take with Zadiel Zalmfort, who eventually brought his family down by making a show of following his father's orders in a battle with Tanto Tempo.

----

And there you have it. The fifteen known Gundam frames that survived the Calamity War, the origins of their names, and a certain amount of musing concerning what they tell us about the circumstances of their creation.

At this point, we are missing three of the Seven Stars Gundams, those of the Issue, Kujan and Baklazan Families. We do not know for certain all of these survived to the present day, though its seems likely this is the case -- and that the Iron-Blooded Orphans MSV will eventually get around to completing the set.

In the meantime, while I want to write a similar post up for the mobile armours to complete this exploration of the Calamity War backstory, I shall probably have to wait until the Urdr Hunt reaches its conclusion before doing so. Given the hints of what's to come, I don't think any such essay would be complete without what awaits the Afam gang at the end of their quest.

So until then, thank you for reading!

Other reference posts include:

IBO reference notes on … Gjallarhorn (Part 1)

IBO reference notes on … Gjallarhorn (Part 2)

IBO reference notes on … Gjallarhorn (corrigendum) [mainly covering my inability to recognise mythical wolves]

IBO reference notes on … three key Yamagi scenes

IBO reference notes on … three key Shino scenes

IBO reference notes on … three key Eugene scenes

IBO reference notes on … three key Ride scenes

IBO reference notes on … the tone of the setting

IBO reference notes on … character parallels and counterpoints

IBO reference notes on … a perfect villain

IBO reference notes on … Iron-Blooded Orphans: Gekko

IBO reference notes on … an act of unspeakable cruelty

IBO reference notes on … original(ish) characters [this one is mainly fanfic]

IBO reference notes on … Kudelia’s decisions

IBO reference notes on … assorted head-canons

IBO reference notes on … actual, proper original characters [explicit fanfic – as in, actually fanfic. None of them have turned up in the smut yet]

IBO reference notes on … the aesthetics of the mobile frame

IBO reference notes on … mobile suit designations

IBO reference notes on … the Gundams (part 1)

IBO reference notes on … the Gundams (part 2)