#grishaverse hcs

[violets-and-books]

Grishaverse Holiday Headcanons

I've had a lot of thoughts about how holidays would translate into the Grishaverse and my wonderful friend @jesperfaheys-defenseattorney has convinced me to make a Tumblr post about it so. Here I am

Christmas - Sankta Clauda

This is one of the few holidays that is celebrated worldwide with very few changes across countries

Sankta Clauda is the Grishaverse version of Santa Claus

It takes place in mid-winter and is a one day celebration

Sankta Clauda is all about giving the gifts of the Saints, so people give presents to their loved ones

There's a feast of dried fruit from Autumn and bread

People get drunk a lot, especially in Kerch

Usually, there are plays or concerts depicting the story of Sankta Clauda or other feel-good stories

Kerch has pantomimes and other comedy plays - they have a more relaxed approach to Sankta Clauda

Some smaller villages in Ravka, the Wandering Isles and Novyi Zem have talent shows for Sankta Clauda - people giving the gift of music to their whole community

Halloween - De Dag van Sankta Dood

De Dag van Sankta Dood is a three-day celebration to celebrate "the death of the Saints"

It takes place from the 30th of October - the 1st of November

Each country has a varying level of piety about it, as each country has a different view of death

Kerch takes a very lenient approach with it. Day one is a day to spend time with family and remember those you've lost. Day two is a day to party and get absolutely sloshed. Day three is recovering from day two and trying to be slightly more pious about it. That's the day to remember the Saints (or Ghezen, depending on your religion)

Sankta Dood parties are common in Kerch but also all over the world. People dress up as Saints and have feasts and dances. There are lanterns and, more often than not, masks and very good booze (usually cider or wine)

Novyi Zem, on the other hand, takes a very demure approach to it. Most of the time is spent in worship or with the family. White is commonly worn, as it's a colour associated with mourning and remembrance. More often than not, day 2 and 3 of Sankta Dood are for remembering family members who have passed on, and honouring their memory

Sankta Dood is more often than not an excuse to spend time with those you love, watch scary films and eat good food

The traditional food for Sankta Dood is Appels van het Dood, which are a type of toffee apple

The Days of Harvest

Most common in Novyi Zem and Ravka, countries that rely heavily on farming

It takes place during the last week of September and came out of the tradition of schools being nearly empty during that time, as so many kids were out helping their parents in the field

It's a time to spend outside, under the stars. People stay up all night, star-gazing and telling stories around campfires

Traditionally, people eat a lot of dried food. Preserved fish, smoked meats, that sort of thing. It's to symbolise the beginning of rationing food at the start of the winter

Valentine's Day - De Dag van Sankta Valentin/Maradi

This is celebrated practically worldwide, like Sankta Clauda

The main change is which Saint the day is named after. Sankta Valentin is common in Kerch, Ravka and the Wandering Isles. Sankta Maradi is more common in Shu Han, Novyi Zem and Fjerda, although crossovers between the two can occur

Sankta Valentin/Maradi celebrate all different types of love, not just romantic

The traditions differ but there's always some form of gift giving to loved ones. In Novyi Zem, necklaces called Maradi Beads are made and given as declarations of love. Different traditional foods are given in the Wandering Isles and Fjerda. In Kerch, people usually exchange detailed letters. In Shu Han, people usually exchange bracelets made out of beaded ribbon or string. In Ravka, people give each other favours like handkerchiefs or short, sweet messages

The actual day of it varies, but it often takes place at the end of February

Handel

A very Kerch-centric holiday

Takes place over April, the most fortuitous time to trade in Kerch

People get four weeks off from school to "go into business" and "learn the ways of Ghezen"

In modern times, it's an excuse to chill for a month and have fun with friends

People usually attend ceremonies to worship Ghezen but it's not enforced. Mostly, on the very religious families or merchers with reputations to uphold go

[jkriordanverse]

wait i kind of understand why Kaz renamed the Emerald Palace into the Silver Six now (i saw @randomfandom-3's screenshot and)

SIX FOR GOLD. FIVE FOR SILVER. THERE ARE FIVE CROWS ALIVE. COINCIDENCE? I THINK NOT

[barrel-crow-n]

Young Kaz hcs that are real because I am correct

(Edit: Kaz Rietveld edition)

He bit stadwatch officers

He subtly sassed Haskell all the time, but Haskell never picked up on it

He snarled at people like a dog

When in prison he would be really violent at the beginning to show inmates that they shouldn't mess with him (because he was 10 the first few times and suffering from malnutrition)

He smashed people over the heads with bottles

He put on disguises to try and sneak back into gambling dens he had been banned from

He would try make people feel sorry for him and then robbed them blind

He didn't talk a lot and just stared creepily

[lunarthecorvus]

just sibling things

[zoyalaisobachka]

I like to imagine that after Zoya becomes queen, Nikolai occassionally goes back to being Sturmhond now and then, and he always brings her little gifts from his travels. Sometimes she joins him somewhat undercover (not to the extend like he's with his Sturmhond identity) (she doesn't really like being on the ship, but she likes to see him enjoying this life).... I just...Zoyalai at sea.

[apathetic-kiss]

something about nina and inej coming back to ketterdam. it's two-ish years after the ice court, it's summer, the city is as bustling and crazy and as stinking-to-high-hell as the two remember. they're greeted at the shore by an elated jesper and wylan, and a quiet man in the shadows with a secret smile.

something about their drunken nights together at the van eck estate, sharing stories and toasting to matthias. jesper and wylan curled up together in delirious laughter recalling their experiments and meetings, nina sprawled across the floor grinning up at them as she sips her drink, inej giggling and gripping kaz's hand underneath the coffee table.

(his tie is undone, and they've never seen his hair this messy. no one says a word.)

something about their quiet mornings; a note from kaz saying he has business to attend to, but to come by later, and a pile of waffles sat on the counter. nina yawning, wylan rubbing his eyes, jesper watching inej watch the sky. they eat together on the kitchen floor, comfortable silence between them all.

something about inej saying she is heading into the barrel to see the dregs. something about nina saying she will join her, and jesper and wylan sharing a smile.

something about inej and nina turning the corner to where kaz said to meet them, and seeing the sign.

something about the two girls, gazing up at 'The Silver Six' engraved into the sign above the door.

[lilisouless]

Show Jesper calls Wylan “my love, baby, darling,pumpkin” book Jesper calls Wylan “dorkface, pinky, weasel, bro”

[applecidersstuff]

Kaz Brekker is Marya's favorite crow.

Mr. Ghafa adores Jesper and Nina for the chaos they bring with them. Mrs. Ghafa finds Wylan charming and adorable. Colm likes Matthias and Inej because they are the ones with the most conscience.

But Marya choses Kaz.

Wylan can come into his house and find his mother - sitting at the kitchen table and ranting about prices on the stock exchange. While Kaz Breker - the bastard of the barrel - one of the deadliest people in Ketterdam - pours tea into a tiny cup.

Kaz regularly joins Marya and Alys for weekly "meetings." In those "meetings," they discuss the high-class "tea" and how one of the ladies was dressed on the promenade.

Marya teaches Kaz how to tell fortunes by tea leaves. He brings her flowers and little presents every time he visits.

Marya practices human interactions with Kaz. He does the same.

[aleksanderscult]

Do you have any Aleksander/the darkling headcanons ?

This post is for 18+ people only!

(Yeah this one got sexual)

Oh I have so many, anon!

His favorite season is summer.

Most of his lovers were otkazat'sya (if not all).

In canon, he probably got his black hair from Baghra. But I headcanon that I inherited his beautiful grey eyes from his father. And his pale skin too (since we can see that in the graphic novel Baghra has olive skin complexion).

Although that's more or less canon - he has a penetrating gaze. An intense one. It makes you uncomfortable almost.

He must be around 1.85 and 1.88 tall (That's equivalent to 6'1 and 6'2 respectively)

He's really good at dancing. Very graceful. Although in canon he finds it boring ("When Water Sang Fire").

He particularly loves chocolate.

But even though he loved sweets I don't think he indulged in them much while he resided in the Little Palace throughout the centuries. I think he ate whatever the other Grisha ate as well. Didn't want to use his position and act all privileged like "Ooh I'm gonna eat sweets for the 35th day in a row!".

In his free time (which is basically almost never) I imagine him walking in the grounds, in the forests. Sitting beside a lake or river and listening to the sounds of nature. Also, I can see him reading books.

He's more of an introvert. Loud parties and balls don't excite him although I see him having absolutely impeccable manners at social gatherings and being an eloquent conversationalist if the situation demands it.

At the beginning of his life he slept quite a lot (at least eight hours the day if his mother didn't wake him up). But as the years and centuries passed he slept less and less. Now he probably sleeps three-four hours the day (at most).

This one is almost canon but he's touch-starved. All those years being either fearful or hesitant to touch other Grisha cost him psychologically.

Moving on to some sexual headcanons, he has a throat/neck fetish.

He is a butt guy.

In sex, he is a dom.

Lots and lots of bites and hickeys. He definitely leaves his mark and likes it too (that man managed to make Alina's lips look bruised after kissing her for two minutes. Imagine what he can do in the bedroom 💀)

Missionary position usually but not always on bed. I can imagine him doing it on the table, on the couch, on the floor, on the wall. Especially on the times when he's too impatient.

As for his love language, I don't find him the type of person to bring flowers and little chocolates. I believe his love language is touch. Stroking someone's cheek or hand, touching someone's skin, putting his arms around that person. It's all touch and touch. He doesn't express his love verbally ("Oh I love you! I can't live without you!" etc.) as much as he does physically and with actions. He would give gifts but the kind that have a deep meaning. Not superficial things. Also, quality time spent together ('cause he hates being left alone and he wouldn't leave Alina alone for five minutes).

He never married.

He didn't want children and I don't think he ever had any.

He chose the purple kefta for the Fabrikators not only because he likes bright colors but also because Ilya Morozova (his grandfather, idol and the most powerful Materialnik ever) was depicted wearing purple in Istorii Sankt'ya.

And since I'm a bit of an astrology freak I imagine him having a Scorpio Moon (intense gaze, secretive nature, dark hair, difficult relationship with his mother figure, hot jealous feelings, difficult in trusting others) and Taurus Venus (possessive, sweet tooth, constant touching, throat fetish, can't commit unless developing some strong feelings first).

[badgrishaverseaus]

actually, consider: nina and kaz being exactly the same height. it pisses them both off.

^^

[neptune-scythe]

No longer a kanej endgame truther

Now a kanej right person wrong time soulmates doomed by the narrative truther

[jkriordanverse]

so funny to me how Inej when she was freed from the Menagerie had a sort of inkling what Kaz or Per Haskell wanted her to do based on her previous experiences but as it turns out Kaz is like

"haha no pack up looser we're going to steal from the rich now hehe and also you will have to put up with my edgy personality :D"

[barrel-crow-n]

Having my headcanon that Kaz actually speaks lots of languages (because of his great memory and love of spying and eavesdropping) and that he makes Nina translate for no reason because he finds it funny be supported by @19burstraat is so validating

[greensaplinggrace]

the darkling needs to soak up sunlight like a black cat every once in a while or the state of his mental health literally devolves

[zoyalaisobachka]

I'm usually not a fan of "kids of-" headcanons, but- Nikolai putting Zoyalai kid(s) to bed and telling them stories from his time as Sturmhond and the crew singing Bones from Sail North to the kids is an imagination I can't get out of my head anymore.

[dreamtigress]

Teenage Kaz before the undercut? Heh.