#i bet this sacrifice is what got silas attention too!

[siderealxmelody]

Mother & Father's Greatest Sacrifice

Cybele and Mammon were from rival hives. Their hives didn't leave when Mother and Father's ancestral hive fled Silas.

It was by accident that Mother and Father met them. They were trying to find ways to close the border and stop the Zanna raids against their people.

Father met Mammon one day on the border. Mammon held no blessed powers but he was a master of magic. He made money for his hive and regularly brought his hivemates back from death to understand how they died.

He was invaluable to the hive but Adnai and he struck it off immediately. Mammon could taste the distant Chimera ancestry on him and so agreed to help him with his quest.

The friendship turned to romantic love fairly quickly but Mammon put a stop to it. He wasn't the ones his hive agreed to procreate - he couldn't go against his hivemates like that.

Adnai persuaded him join the "hive" he and Namaah were forming of Grisha/Oecrimi. There everyone was allowed to mate and love as they wished.

It took some convincing but Mammon eventually agreed. Adnai was pleased, he had found someone who thought of the greater good like he did. He had found someone who could give him knowledge he didn't already know - a feat that was so rare in those early days.

----------

Cybele was from a different hive, not from the same one as Mammon or Mother & Father. She found Namaah one day deep in her hives territory badly injured.

She healed her and asked of nothing in return. Namaah wasn't used to that, everyone had a price - everyone had something they wanted from another.

Cybele had said she didn't want or need for anything. She had shelter and her hive, there was nothing Namaah could offer her.

Namaah was fascinated by Cybele and her way of thinking. She met her everyday for her patrols, wanting to learn as much as she could of this lifestyle.

Maybe she could replicate it in the hive she and Adnai were building.

It was Cybele who confessed her feelings first. She had been asked to marry into another hive. She had struggled with her feelings but finally decided that wasn't what she wanted for her life.

Her hive was safe, they didn't need her. But Namaah and this hive she was building did. She confessed ok her regular morning patrol her feelings and intentions. She and Namaah crossed the border that evening.

----------

But the Grisha/Oecrimi were not thriving. The land was not conducive to farming and livestock. Mother and Father tried everything as did their mates.

They tried praying to the stars, they tried Rain dances and sacrifices of animals.

But nothing worked. It was as if the land did not wished to be farmed or fed on by livestock.

It was an old book that gave them the horrible answer. A sacrifice of not just animals, but of faith.

If Mother and Father entrusted the land with that which they held most dear - the land would care for them in turn.

Namaah and Adnai both knew what they needed to do - they went to their mates with the question.

Cybele and Mammon readily agreed. This was not as painful a decision for them.They'd been raised that the only thing that mattered was the survival of the hive. Individual lives and goals were meaningless when placed in opposition to or against the Hive.

Once Namaah and Adnai sacrificed their mates the land reciprocated as the books had said. Their people had food and shelter now.

Their people wouldn't starve anymore.

----------

While the story has changed over the eons. The most recent retellings by angels and demons say that Cybele and Mammon didn't wait to be asked and sacrificed themselves without telling Mother and Father.

The practice of giving sacrifices to the land hasn't changed.

Babies born with deformities and other ailments are regularly given to the land as a sacrifice and with the hope of blessings in the future.

----------

@silentwcrds

@waywardlightbearer

@dhampirslays

@theimpossiblestandard - ie why the lands of the Celestials are so fertile!

I don't think Abzu and Liluri know this fact. They just know their siblings lost their mates. And at some point the land accepted them as its caretakers.

[crimsonrevolt]

Congratulations Stacey you’ve been accepted to Crimson Revolt as Walden Macnair!

↳ please refer to our character checklist

Your application immediately drew us into everything that set Walden apart from so many of the Death Eaters we already have, Stacey, and you managed to personify the chilling nature of Walden’s personality to such detail that it was haunting to see. I love all the thought you put into your application and how thoroughly you thought about his background and what might have influenced his decisions. Having him be an executioner is perfect! We’re really excited to see what you do with him! *your faceclaim change to Charlie Weber has been accepted!

application beneath the cut

Trigger Warning: Personality Disorder mentioned / explored in headcanons. Blood / Murder mentioned very briefly in para and questionnaire, but neither are explicitly described.

OUT OF CHARACTER:

INTRODUCTION Hello! My name is Stacey (her/she). I’m 18 years old and in the Eastern Time Zone.

ACTIVITY Generally about 6 or 7. I know expected activity levels are higher/stricter for those with more than one character and think that meeting the activity requirements shouldn’t be a problem.

TRIGGERS *removed for privacy

HOW DID YOU FIND US? I play Gilderoy for those who don’t know, but I think initially I found Crimson Revolt through a post from the promo blog while searching the tags.

WHAT HARRY POTTER CHARACTER DO YOU IDENTIFY WITH MOST? Keeping with the generic response, I have to say Hermione Granger because of her determination and loyalty. She was the “geek / goody-two shoes” of the Golden Trio ( always following the rules, encouraging Harry and Ron to study, etc. ) which is definitely how I feel around any of my friends. From playing a key role in defeating Voldemort to becoming Minister of Magic, I think her character is overall extremely empowering.

ANYTHING ELSE?

IN CHARACTER:

DESIRED CHARACTER Walden Silas Macnair.

Walden: “Mighty” or “Strong fighter”

Silas: “Man of the woods”

Macnair: “Son of the heir”

FACE CLAIM If the Admin Team is feeling it, I’d prefer to use Charlie Weber instead of Jake Gyllenhaal.

REASON FOR CHOSEN CHARACTER For a few months now I’ve been really interested in picking up another muse, but wanted to make sure I had the time to really give them the attention that a new character needs. I was always fascinated with Walden though, especially because I’ve explored him a couple times before in one on one roleplays.

He’s someone who was raised in what I imagined to be a very formal household where absolute perfection was expected of the children, meaning strict manners even with their friends and families. Where the Macnair household may have differed from most other Pureblood families is that when they weren’t entertaining guests or attending prestigious events, the children were expected to be outside getting dirty, causing trouble for Muggles, fighting each other - Samael and Aline Macnair believed that promoting activities like these was the best way to help transform their boys into steadfast men. As a result, the woods will always feel more like home to Walden than any mansion.

Young Walden was a submissive boy easily pushed around by others, however, which angered his father to no end. In an attempt to toughen his youngest son, Samael Macnair resorted to punishments that bordered abuse and included forcing Walden to accompany him on creature executions. The killings became an art to the boy, who began studying magical creatures years before he attended Hogwarts because he enjoyed thinking of new, more satisfying ways that they could be killed. When the Dark Lord began to rise, Walden didn’t need his father’s encouragement to offer his services to the cause.

From the age of twenty to twenty-three, Walden was married to a respectable woman named Emily. After her death, he became absolutely consumed with his work at the Ministry and for the Dark Lord. As he didn’t wish to marry again and had failed to produce an heir, he began to view his work and role in the rising war as his legacy and something that is simply expected of him to fulfill.

As an Executioner, Walden didn’t need to be guilty of anything to spark the stories that he was a sadistic, sick man. The rise of the Dark Lord and unexpected death of his wife only heightened these rumors, none of which he chose to confirm nor deny. He doesn’t care about being remembered for years to come in a positive or negative light, but is simply doing what he feels is his duty as a Pureblood.

PREFERRED SHIPS // CHARACTER SEXUALITY // GENDER & PRONOUNS Walden (he/him) is heterosexual. Considering the stigma surrounding homosexuality during this time period, I don’t see the idea of being with males in any romantic or sexual way as being something he would be comfortable considering or even thinking about. He’s drawn to women with wicked tendencies and an appetite for inflicting anguish, typically those allied with Death Eaters due to his strong dedication to the cause. He’s attracted to beauty and is prone to obsession, often going out of his way to observe the women who spark his interest. He would rather spend his time stalking than talking, but derives pleasure from introducing altruistic women to a darker side of humanity and themselves.

CREATE ONE (OR MORE!) OF THE FOLLOWING FOR YOUR CHARACTER:

HEADCANONS

Family: Ruled by a meek mother and detached father, affection was as rare as birthday presents in the Macnair household. From a young age, Walden appeared to have inherited more from his mother than his father, as even in a crowd he basked in his wallflower nature as though he were alone. As a result, his father was stricter with his youngest son than he was with his oldest. On more than one occasion, William would say that he had sacrificed himself to save his brother from a punishment from their father, but Walden liked to think that /he/ had been the one to sacrifice his brother.

Marriage: Similar to his brother before him, Walden’s marriage was arranged by his sixteenth birthday. He was married when he was twenty to a woman who he quickly decided wasn’t the worst choice for a wife. Emily was perhaps the closest he ever came to loving someone before her gruesome death three years later. Official reports declare it the result of an unfortunate run in with an unidentified beast, but the only witness to the accident - Walden - still refuses to speak of it twelve years later.

Employment: Walden succeeded his father as Executioner. When he was only six years old, his father brought him to witness his first execution, which sparked a lust for blood that neither parent expected from their youngest, more reserved son. As he failed to marry and produce an heir as his elder brother did, being the Executioner became a way for Walden to retain the approval and respect of his parents and Pureblood society, hence why he takes it so seriously.

Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder: Consumed by details and rules, Walden would rather avoid a task altogether than be forced to complete it imperfectly. His inability to bend his morals causes an erratic temper that, in his mind, would justify violence committed against even an ally if their words or actions inadvertently sparked suspicion. He has a tendency to obsess over his work both as an Executioner and Death Eater, placing a higher importance on such responsibilities than on personal relationships.

Random: Walden learned about poetry from the songs and chants his father used to sing during his executions. As violence was promoted more than literacy in the family, he used to secretly buy or steal Shakespeare books and hide them under his bed to indulge in at night.

Being sorted into Ravenclaw rather than Slytherin was a large disappointment for himself and his family, but not one that anyone dwelled on. “It is what it is,” His father had written to him the next day, and that was that.

As he grew older, Walden gradually began to isolate himself. He still identifies with Pureblood ideals, but has failed to maintain close friendships with those who may have helped advance his place in society or the Dark Lord’s ranks.

PLAYLIST

| Have Mercy - This Old Ark | They kept me in the dark, shouting “One day young boy you’ll be a man and you’ll be guiding this old ark” | Mumford & Sons - The Cave | It’s empty in the valley of your heart | Hippie Sabotage - Devil Eyes | You’ve got the devil in your eyes, you went and took me by surprise | The Shins - Caring is Creepy | It’s a luscious mix of words and tricks that let us bet when you know we should fold | Marina and the Diamonds - Savages | Are you killing for yourself or killing for your savior? | Until the Ribbon Breaks - One Way Or Another | One way or another, I’m gonna find ya’ | The Bright Brothers - Blood on my Name | When the fires have surrounded you with the Hounds of Hell comin’ after you I’ve got blood, I’ve got blood on my name |

AESTHETIC

https://i.imgur.com/buwGmqd.png

IN CHARACTER QUESTIONNAIRE: ♔ If you were able to invent one spell, potion, or charm, what would it do, what would you use it for or how would you use it? Feel free to name it:

Walden’s inner Ravenclaw relished at the question, as inventing something was a fantasy he often entertained himself with as a child. Many years had passed since the nights he spent making lists of potential spells and potions, however, and he could remember only one. “A potion that could make someone invisible for a while would be useful. It could be called ‘Indespectus’.”

♔ You have to venture deep into the Forbidden Forest one night. Pick one other character and one object (muggle or magical), besides your wand, that you’d want with you:

Hogwart’s Forbidden Forest was a scene Walden knew well from his years at the school and the few times that work had sent him back. The word “forbidden” was far too intense for what hid in the shadows of the trees. “I would bring my axe. I haven’t missed a target with it yet,” He answered. Sometimes, he felt he knew the striking tool better than he knew his wand, despite the fact that the latter was meant to be catered to his character. “We work best alone, though. Other people tend to get in the way of getting a job done properly. Sometimes it feels like the axe has a mind of its own, if that’s any consolation.”

♔ What kinds of decisions are the most difficult for you to make?

His first thought was spontaneous decisions, yet the more he considered it the more he realized that most things he did were either upon instinct or pure routine. “I don’t fancy hypothetical questions,” Walden decided. “They’re pointless, really. It’s like… Playing a game and making up the rules as you go, then you never know when it ends. That’s how people get their heads stuck in the clouds.”

♔ What is one thing you would never want said about you?

There was much hearsay already about Walden that floated around, albeit he had never paid much mind to any of it. As far as he was concerned, those who didn’t work gossiped and the cycle was one that was as unstoppable as the cycle of life. “I work hard,” He stated. “I wouldn’t want anyone to say otherwise.”  

WRITING SAMPLE:

“That’s enough, Macnair! You’re just being bloody cruel to the thing now,” Dalton laughed. The sound that came from Walden resembled both a grunt and a dry laugh. He swung his axe down heavily again in an attempt to join the multiple slashes into one large cut. “Besides, it’s almost three. Didn’t you say you had somewhere to be?” With one more swing at the dead creature, Walden stepped back to marvel at his masterpiece. Dalton stepped forward to discard the body and he watched intently like an artist that is willing to sell his work only if he can see for himself that it will be displayed properly. His axe in one hand, dripping with thick blood over his shoulder, he started back down the hilltop on which the execution had been executed, the sacrifice had been made. The scene replayed in his mind and he sang to himself - “I’ve reached a place where the willow don’t bend…” When he returned some time later to his secluded residence, just large and new enough to display a stark difference to the wilderness around it, the house was cold and dark and lifeless - just as Walden liked it. In the depths of his personal library, ( an extra bedroom that had been converted to such ), and by the light of thin curtains, he watched the blood dry and settle into the cracks of his palms before scrubbing his hands of a job well done. It was a quarter before three when he decided upon a suit to wear and five minutes before the exact hour when he arrived at the funeral. Immune to the tears and sniffles around him, Walden stood so quietly by his mother’s side that she didn’t know when he had arrived, but in all fairness she likely didn’t know when or how she had gotten there either. She wouldn’t question it, though. Alina Macnair never questioned the way things were. Samael Macnair had inadvertently taught his children many lessons that as adults, impacted them greatly. For example, the songs he sang on the way back from an execution taught a young Walden what a poem was and set the boy on a path of fascination for the art of word that his father swore was to blame for his sorting into Ravenclaw rather than Slytherin, like his older brother. It was the fact that he forced his subdued son to accompany him to his assignments that set Walden on a greater, more dangerous path, however. He adopted an obsession for every part of the process of death that dominated every other hobby of interest. Samael taught his boys that Macnairs took life - they did not mourn it. As Walden met William’s eyes over his mother, they shared a brief moment in which the brothers appeared to silently agree that though six feet under, it was still best not to disobey their father. A familiar sensation in his left forearm broke the gaze. The man’s brother followed him so quietly that Walden didn’t know he had left the burial until he called out to him. “It isn’t over yet, Walden. Where are you going?” He heaved a silent sigh before facing William. He wanted to tell him to stop trying to grow a beard because he looked too much like their father and someone might get confused, he might get confused and - "I know, Will. I have to go to work,” Walden stated blankly. “It’s an emergency.” “Our father’s death is an emergency.” The reply had the potential for some bite and some anger, but it was too soft for either. “This is a real emergency,” He countered coldly. It wasn’t that he was glad his father was dead, but Death was one debt that everyone had to pay eventually. Life went on. He wondered when his elder brother had forgotten that, or if he had never properly learned it in the first place.

Two pairs of the same eyes faced off in the graveyard, a safe albeit still uncomfortable distance from the funeral of the man whose color they had inherited. To Walden’s surprise, William dropped his eyes first and displayed an expression his brother had never witnessed before. His voice nearly croaked when he asked -

“He’s dead. Didn’t you ever love him?”

“No,” Walden answered, quickly and disgustedly as if he were a child being accused of having feelings for a girl for the first time. “Of course not. I was his son - I obeyed him and I was loyal to him, but I didn’t love him. You shouldn’t have either. People don’t live forever.” Then, Walden turned his back on his family, those both alive and dead, to heed the call of the Dark Lord. As he left, he whistled to himself -

“There’s not much more to be said, it’s the top of the end -”

When he returned some time later to his secluded residence, just large and new enough to display a stark difference to the wilderness around it, the house was cold and dark and lifeless - just as Walden liked it.

He ate and showered and crawled into his empty bed, chanting to himself until he couldn’t keep his eyelids open any longer -

“I am going, I am going, I am gone -”

[radiantxhero-moved-blog]

keep this ask for last and answer all the ones you didn't get

[Boy, this is long...]

Supportive – Who did you S-rank and why? 

In Awakening, I S-ranked Tharja. Not cause she appealed to me as a character or as a “sexy waifu”, but because she shored up my unit’s only stat deficiency of mag/res.

As far as Fates, my Birthright file S-ranked Kaden, and my Revelation S-ranked Reina due to a miscalculation on army-wide supports -- though she surprised me as a marriage a option, even if she can be a little unnerving at times. 

The marriage aspect is overall sort of eh to me, so I rarely have a reason outside of “how is this beneficial to me” or “whups I made a mistake & you need to marry so and so instead lol sorry bruh”

Misfortunate – Unluckiest moment in game? 

Don’t even speak to me of Birthright. I still haven’t finished the damn game because I got so fucking frustrated with it. The entire playthrough was a big “fuck you”. 

Otherwise, probably the time I played through Radiant Dawn and got to the level where you fight Oliver again. Ike & Soren got completely separated from the bulk of the group, and were surrounded by Halberdiers and Snipers. Ike got hit by well over 10 Sniper crits until Soren ran out of staves.

Aching Blood – Did you name/forge any weapons? If so, what was your favorite name that you gave to a weapon? 

Ever since PoR! Back when you could name and change the color of the weapons (not relevant, really, but you could have freaking neon weapons, come on).

I can’t really recall specific names, there’ve been a lot. My most sentimental was probably a golden sword from PoR I dubbed “Golden Claw -- not the most creative sounding, but it stems from a fantasy world I made up when me, my bro & a friend of ours used to play with toy swords in our backyard. It was the first step into writing and world building I ever had, so it’s meaningful to me.

As for sheer punny names, though, I forged Jakob a dagger dubbed “Get Served”.

Triple Threat – Swords, lances, or axes? 

Generally axes, I just love to bash/crush things in games. But, irl, I have more...experience??? (not really, but what else am I to call it?) with waving fake swords around and handling real blades. I have a few in my closet, I really should post some pics of them.

In Extremis – Clutch moment for you in game? 

I’m sure there must have been some -- especially in RD -- but I’m blanking. The only thing I can think of atm is Zihark standing alone in the river, completely surrounded/barraged by Laguz, and Astra/critting for most of the chapter. Barely surviving for most of the time, and quickly running out of healing items and eventually weapons.

Wary Fighter – Are you reckless or careful in your strategies? 

I vacillate. I’m not that great of a strategist. With newer levels/games, I’m more careful -- I fight defensively more often than not, and try to bait enemies; which didn’t work very well in Fates, and it annoyed me. 

With games/levels I know like the back of my hand, I run around like a nutter because I know I can. 

Swap – Did you ever sacrifice a unit in order to save another? 

All the damn time. If you play without perma death, you’ll likely come across a situation where you just...have to. Meat shield was a favored term for me and my bro when we were younger, going through Blazing Sword-Radiant Dawn. Some characters were literally there to soak up hits, block paths, and draw attention in dire need.

Aptitude – Was FE easy for you when you started or was it difficult? 

I started when Blazing Sword came out to the US, so way back in 2003, when I was only eight years old. Some things were difficult on account of obvious lack of thought as a child, but I learned fast what to do and what not to do. I would say it was easy to get into, though there sure were rough patches.

Rally Spectrum – What is your most favorite/preferred stat? 

Defense, followed up closely by Attack. I like my tanks, what can I say? 

Galeforce – What was your most broken unit? 

Not counting my level who knows what MU in Awakening, the most broken unit I’ve ever used was Ephraim. Without using any stat increasing items, at the end of it, he had maxed every stat aside from res (which he was one or two off from max) through just level up. He’s ridiculously unbalanced. PoR Ike is also crazy unbalanced, and it’s not hard to max him in crucial stats without even trying -- plus, he uses Aether like a nut in PoR.

Rightful God – Favorite boss in the series? 

This is really, really, really hard?? I love Nergal and his backstory -- not mention his kickass theme, and flashy magic -- I love Lloyd, because you really just don’t want to fight him plot-wise, and he’s a challenging boss to boot.

As much as I just don’t like Orson, he’s a great boss on account of why he turns sides. It’s fucking heartbreaking, and left a very solid impression on me as a child. It’s really, really sad for those of you who haven’t played Sacred Stones, and I recommend looking into it if only for just that scene in the game. I felt absolutely awful after clearing that chapter. I vaguely remembering setting the game down for a bit, because wow that just happened.

I love the Black Knight, I love Ashnard (the crazy fuck). I love/hate fighting Shiharam; it’s an underrated, but very emotional level in my opinion. Especially if you recruited Jill. It’s sad, but it’s realistic and I love them for not glossing over the real facts of fighting against your own countrymen and family, no matter that you feel you’re doing the right thing by opposing them. Probably loads more of PoR bosses. BERTRAM WAS ALSO A FAV NEARLY FORGOT HIM!

I love so many RD bosses, too. Jarod was a great boss, in my opinion -- I just loved his character a lot. Every single boss in the Tower of Guidance is incredible, and it’s constant “fuckfuckfuck” and angst the whole way. You will never forget going up against Ashera. Never.

That one dude in Awakening after Emmeryn dies, can’t recall his name, but I felt terrible doing that level.

Fates??? Leo was fun to beat up and I liked his cutscene, I guess? I don’t really recall many bosses that I cared about. Does Silas count?

Veteran – Which FE games have you played and what was your favorite? 

Blazing Sword, Sacred Stones, Path of Radiance, Shadow Dragon, Radiant Dawn, Awakening, Fates. Path of Radiance, Radiant Dawn and Blazing Sword will always be my tops in this franchise.

Paragon – Was there a unit that you put extra effort into/ favored over others? 

Harken and Lowen. Gerik. Ike, Boyd, Gatrie, Ranulf, Mist, Rhys, Rolf, Leanne, Rafiel, Oscar, Nolan, Volke, Geoffrey, Mordecai, lots more probably -- ones I did regret putting time into: PoR Sothe, and Kyza in Radiant Dawn. Lon’qu, Stahl, Lissa, Miriel, others I’m forgetting whups?? Silas and Kaden.

Quick Burn – Do you try to get through the game quickly or do you take your time? 

Take my time, especially now. It’s amazing how much dialogue/plot I missed as a kid by punching the A button or skipping scenes entirely. Or stuff I simply didn’t understand as a kid, too.

Vow of Friendship – Do you reset if you lose units in battle? 

Depends on A) the unit, B) how the unit was killed, C) how long I’ve been playing whatever level it is. 

If they’re a favorite unit, yeah, I’ll reset. If the unit (regardless of favoritism) died because of something ridiculous, I’ll reset out of frustration or annoyance at something that was most likely circumstantial, but usually only the once. If I almost clear a level and a unit dies -- especially one I care for -- you bet your butt I’m shutting the game off and swearing up a storm before leaving it to sit for a few hours because I’m pissed at whatever mistake/bullshit I made/happened.

But, on the whole, if someone dies, they die. It doesn’t bother me overly much, and I know that I can just use that character on another playthrough.