#i still personally refer to it as the [redacted] anime but i left it out bc it’s bad to let my bias show yk~~~?

[deus-ex-mona]

[citrusinicake]

omg thank you again! ^^

heres the edited version for easier reading:

text says:

By {redacted} Breaking news, Murderer and drug dealer Mapicc {redacted} has escaped from prison {redacted} a warrant has been put out for his arrest. Police say he escaped at 3:50 on the 3rd of September with the help of fellow inmate Roshambo {redacted} if any information is found please contact {redacted} Police suspect he broke out using a {redacted}

i think this proves my theory that the locked dropboxes are the ones with info where zam didnt know about it beforehand

something of note is the emphasis on the number 3 -- the breakout happened at 3:50 on the 3rd of september which is made up of 3s considering its the 9th month and 3 x 3 = 9 (although tbf its the month where this started and is likely done for syncing reasons as well) and this is on the post right after log #33 which has a :3 emoticon at the end

the first post on the snowsancuary blog also happened around 3 weeks before the bloody note happened -- specifically 24 days which is also the log number the blog started at (although mapicc broke out 4 weeks, specifically 28 days, before the bloody note)

just remembered timezones exist so i would like to say that i live in the gmt+8 timezone and for me the first snowsancuary post happened on september 7 while the bloody note happened on october 1, not sure what timezone snowsancuary happens in but im not sure if it matters all that much

rip walter: hidden text

original vs edited

the text says: "I Can See You through the window :)"

log 35: the only normal log so far without any drawings of any kind, the second log without any drawings if you count the bloody note which is log 34 (although it doesnt say its log 34)

log 36: tag says "he wants to help you" with zalgo text, "him" most likely refers to the same person in the red house post tag

walter note: link (be warned: animal death specifically drowning is detailed in the prose)

the link redirects to yet another prose called "Submerged Kid" -- overall it seems to be about walter's death, fitting considering the note it's attached to simply says walter and has a doodle of what can be assumed to be walter

at first it seems to refer to (what i assume to be) walter as "Kid" before the sequence of events that lead to his death and portrays him and someone referred to as "the man" to be happy, walter is then referred to as "kid" right as he was drowning, and then "goat" when he died

"the man" is described as having a smile that captured the sun and who sung like a bird but couldnt fly so i think its safe to assume that this refers to zam

it seems walter died on "a dark afternoon when the clouds still covered the moon" when the sun was "still dead on the horizon" (twilight maybe? or maybe not since it mentions the clock striking at 2?) while zam was deeply in a dreamless sleep and wouldnt wake up despite all of walters shrieking

it also has binary code at the end that links to this video which is posted on the account @/snow_sanctuary with a display name of "sanctuary" (the subscriber count doesnt mean anything, its me lol)

its a bit scary and loud so im gonna describe the video for those who dont wanna watch: the title is "cOLd", theres a still and darkened "deepfried" image of an upside down goat while faint text pops up occasionally, the audio has a constant noise that may possibly be a waterfall or perhaps a really strong current while something keeps shrieking

original vs edited

reverse image says its a boer goat which are meat breeds that can also be show breeds and the overall shape of the creature indicates to me that it's still a kid albeit an older one, theres also a blue streak in the corner which may indicate a body of water

text:

00:06: "Im SO cOLd" top right corner 00:07: "So COld" top left corner 00:14: "LeT mE In ITs cOLd" left middle and "LET ME IN ITS COLD" almost bottom right

initially i assumed these were walters thoughts but the "let me in" part made me second guess that notion and now im assuming its mapiccs (may be proven wrong we'll see)

equation note: flower + crown - symbol = house

each symbol can be found on a different log and converting them into their respective log numbers turns the equation into 32 + 28 - 33 = house = 27

editing log 27 doesnt really reveal much of anything so this is probably something to keep in mind for later rather than for right now

(10/11/2023): it seems the red house dropbox requires access permission now lol, unsure when exactly this happened but yeah

log 39: url that leads to the image below

editing doesnt seem to reveal anything, it's also the first dropbox picture to have an actual name "Little_Mesite"

noisy neighbors note: doesnt seem to have any secrets but talks about some noisy neighbors, may be important for later

snowsancuary evidence collection

some of these may not be as significant as the rest but whatever

warning for mild horror, mentions/implications of stalking, and scopophobia

header: link (can get a copy by replacing edit with copy)

header with brightness, saturation, and contrast turned up, doesn't seem like anything's hidden but maybe i did it wrong idk

actual doc has a prose in playfair display font that i will call the mesite poem, it has generally proper punctation with the exception of a few misspellings which im guessing are not intentional (unless they are?), strangely placed commas which im not sure are intentional or not (i dont read poems idk how they work lol), and a few strangely capitalized letters: R U E T H E D A Y M E S I T E (RUE THE DAY MESITE)

it references a few things from the castle arc such as a snow abode which is later referred to as a cage (zam's base, his safe space later turning into a hostile one), the bird singing to those it should not (zam talking and teaming with ppl dualityduo dont approve of or even actively hostile towards), the bird going out to eat bugs and worms then hiding in the dark (the eating is possibly(?) a reference to zam only ever killing ppl when he needs to/when he thinks theyre evil and then hiding away in his base for the rest of the time), the dog lifting the bird with its two bruised hands to its heart (could be a reference to ro and mapicc and team awesome but maybe im reaching), a feeling of freedom and confidence due to being flightless and therefore disadvantaged and having nothing to lose (zam losing like 14 hearts or something), the bird that starts fearing the dog that stalks outside its cage (mapicc literally stalking zam in mc and zam slowly getting increasingly paranoid each time)

it also specifically mentions the 30th (i didnt watch the streams and havent caught up with the vods yet so idk if thats referencing anything) amd a red house on the street

mesite according to wikipedia (made the interesting parts bold):

"The mesites (Mesitornithidae) are a family of birds that are part of a clade (Columbimorphae) that include Columbiformes and Pterocliformes. They are smallish flightless or near flightless birds endemic to Madagascar. They are the only family with more than two species in which every species is threatened (all three are listed as vulnerable).

"The mesites are forest and scrubland birds that feed on insects and seeds; brown and white-breasted mesites forage on the ground, gleaning insects from underneath leaves as well as low vegetation. The subdesert mesite uses its long bill to probe in the soil. Other birds, such as drongos and flycatchers, will follow mesites to catch any insects they flush out or miss. Mesites are vocal birds, with calls similar to a passerine song, used for territorial defence. Two or three white eggs are laid in a stick-built nest located in a bush or on a low branch. The Mesitornis species are monogamous while Monias benschi is polygamous and, unlike the other two, shows significant sexual dichromatism.

"Historically, mesites’ phylogenetic relationships were not very clear; they have been allied with the Gruiformes, Turniciformes and Columbiformes. Recent phylogenomic studies support Pterocliformes (sandgrouse) as the sister group of mesites while some more recent studies place this clade with another clade constituted of Columbiformes and Cuculiformes (cuckoos)."

mesite according to rankred.com:

"Brown Mesite is a flightless bird species found only in Madagascar’s humid evergreen forests. The Brown Mesite is classified as a vulnerable species. Due to its preference to remain in low altitude regions of the forest, where dogs and other common predators are widespread, they are an easy target to prey upon. Loss of habitat is also a major factor for their declining population."

bio: binary code

[01001111 01100011 01110100 01101111 01100010 01100101 01110010] translates to [october]

log 24: weird smiley

the fact that this is the first log implies that the first 23 logs were writtenon the walls which i would honestly like to see

log 25: morse code

[- …. . .-. . … / … --- -- . - …. .. -. --. / -- .. … … .. -. --.] translates to [theres something missing]

the tag before it says [i cant put my finger on it.], idk if tag order was intentional or not, probs doesnt matter either way lol

log 27: cheating scandal

idk just thought it was something to take note of for later

log 28: crown

the only log so far with the crown symbol

could just be because of the competition

log 29: only one with 1 dot at the title rather than 2

milk post: red, first evidence of stalking

log 31: binary code

leads to this link which leads to this picture (poated for those who cant access it):

original vs edited

no idea what the text behind says, interesting that this is specifically on the log that mentions getting robbed and "him"

to watch post: purple, idk theres just something weird about it

the fact its not a log and the fact that zam seems irritated in the drawing means theres a non-zero cahmce he didnt write it

[jq37]

The Report Card – Fantasy High: The Seven Ep 5

Through a Glass, Darkly

Welcome back to the Temple of the Earth Defiant where the girls and their magical horses (and one pony!) have found refuge from the strange, twisted, fae creatures that have been chasing them. The statue of Asha Hammerheart that Ost animated last episode is still alive and wrecking house on the remaining harpies and beasts that are foolish enough to keep fighting and the rest soon get the hint and flee. 

Ost does some healing (boosted by the ambient Hallow effect of the temple which gives everyone a short rest) and then, seeing the damage to the temple caused by erosion, starts using Mending to fix things up. Her friends help out too with Sam and Yelle being most effective--Sam by repairing water damage and Yelle by creating tree cover and other druid-y tricks. But of course, we can’t overlook Katja’s crucial addition of carving “A Horse is a Home” into one of the walls of this sacred temple. 

Anyway, the girls are nesting super hard, the horses are having their scrapbooking reviewing club (an insane thing that was established last episode) and then Sam asks a question. Did y’all mention something about a photo of me going viral? Everyone’s like yeah, but don’t worry, you looked super hot. That’s not the part Sam was worried about. What she’s worried about and what all the girls except Zelda don’t really seem to know is that Sam doesn’t really have a social media presence. So like, 180k and climbing views (as decided by a dice roll) isn’t really what she wants. She scrolls through the comments really quick and sees that they’re not awful but one person is like, “Hey that girl looks a lot like that character from that old show”. Which Sam doesn’t love. She says that she’s fine but also that, even without an Insight check, she’s obviously not. 

Sam kind of looks to Zelda to bail her out and Zelda is like, “Hey, I’m gonna delete this video.” The other girls follow suit, even though they don’t quite know what’s happening. When they have to split up to investigate, Sam has Zelda kind of bail her out again and they split up to go check a nest outside--Zelda waving off Danielle when she wants to go with. Ant and Yelle decide to check out a cache of some treasure they saw earlier and Ost and Katja stay with the horses to keep fixing the temple up. Penny initially goes with Ant and Yelle but rushes back to be with Ost and Kat when Ost discovers a hidden lock while she’s fixing a wall.

So, the girls are split up, let’s run all these scenes.

Antiope and Yelle

Ant and Yelle go see the pile of treasure (near the statue of dwarven paladin Yvonna) which they learn is like a “take a penny leave a penny” situation for weapons and items. They were left by adventures who were similarly chased here and you can take what you need as long as you leave something to help others. Like, “Oh no I only have an ice sword and I need flaming arrows.” It doesn’t have to be equivalent exchange, you just need to leave something useful.

In this space, Yelle feels a weird melancholy and like they’re within the watch of something vast and powerful. She tries to check for TK’s presence but rolls low. Antiope leaves her Kalvaxus killing shortsword and takes some really nice, white feather fledged arrows with mirror tips and an ax Kat wants as a present for her dad. Danielle takes a bandolier of potions (3 healing and 2 mystery I believe) and leaves a bunch of mushrooms. Some of them are psychedelic and Ant takes one because this is probably a good time to be high, right?

It’s not messing with her competence obviously though because she rolls a 25 on Primeval Awareness and gets a weird sense, like something is closing in on this place. And like something very powerful is bleeding, which combined with the chaos of the mountains might explain the weird harpies and the cat/dogs. But she’s high so she explains this is a very spacey, stoner way. Probably a good thing she’s with Yelle.

Sam and Zelda

Sam can fly and Zelda can basically walk vertically with her goat legs so they check out the nest. Well, ostensibly that’s what they’re doing. Really they’re just having a heart to heart. Sam thanks Zelda for saving her ass and apologizes profusely for being so short with her. Zelda gives her a huge mid-air hug and says it’s not a big deal because she knows Sam is just lashing out because she’s hurting but Sam says it’s not a good enough excuse and she’s truly sorry. It’s been her coping mechanism for so long but she doesn’t want to be that way. She tells Zelda that the Everpetals are divorcing and that she’s living alone and Zelda says that any one of the girls would be happy to have her stay with them. Sam further explains that this is a big part of the reason she’s been so broken up about the possibility of their group splitting up and Zelda immediately takes out her crystal and texts her “I’m in” in the thread, breaking Sam again. 

Since they’re in heart to heart mode, Sam tells her that she talked to her bio-mom and an agent and she’s not sure what to do. Zelda says that she’s gonna be spectacular no matter what she does and she doesn’t have to do any of them but it’s cool doors are opening for her but also Antiope and Penny are gonna be PISSED that she’s out here making side plans after she gave them so much shit for theirs. Lol, well it’s a nice moment in the meantime and we cut to…

Penny, Ost, and Katja 

While Penny is lockpicking (and also trying to teach one of the horses to lockpick because sure) Katja and Ost go talk to the statue of Asha Hammerheart. It seems to be animated with at least some level of her true consciousness from beyond the grave and that she can kind of woge into her statue when she wants, which is cool. She’s been there for like 250 years so that’s a lot of history to see. 

Ost is maybe the most polite we’ve ever seen her talking to Asha (at least to begin with lol) and they ask her about TK. Asha says she saw TK show up 12 years ago but she never left, at least not through the front door. And then about 2 years ago (right around when they were in the crystals) that’s when the harpy queen showed up. At first they were normal and then they started mutating. Also, recently, Korra (one of the other statues/heroes) saw a woman in the mountains--not TK. 

Ost then takes a page from the book of one St. Kristen Applebees and asks, “Hey. What’s the deal with our god? He never talks to us, does he just suck?” Asha--who has never talked to him even though she’s a martyred hero and literally in dwarf heaven makes some excuses for the guy but Katja scoffs at them. “If people wanna take care of you, they do.” Ost then straight up asks if Logran Soulforger is even real which sets Asha off but Ost isn’t mad AT her, she’s mad FOR her. You go and do all this cool shit to the point where you have this cool ass statue, you fully DIE for him and he doesn’t even say hi? With a 21 Persuasion check, Asha admits that yeah, she would have liked some recognition. She decides she’s gonna go do some talking to some people and leaves after getting Ost’s number but before they can ask more about the woman Korra saw (who they think is Charity). 

OK, that’s all the small group stuff! Everyone comes back as Penny finishes up with the lock and they go down into this room that’s full of polished, precious stones. This is probably where people who were upkeeping the temple stayed. While everyone else is going down, Sam feels some powerful magical pull--much like her episode 1 Lightning Lure--calling her from the top of the stairs so she goes back up. We’ll get back to her in a bit. 

Penny rolls a high check to clock what’s going on down here. First off, she finds flintlock bullets and airship uniform scraps which makes it seem like there was a battle here involving some airship guys from the Baronies. Which is not just the place of origin of Riz’s imaginary Romance Partner. It’s a cluster of nations known for high rates of monarchical turnover and renaissance style intrigue. I’m picturing just a nation of [REDACTED]s from Crown of Candy. 

With all of this stuff, Penny finds an emblem of a billionaire airship mogul named Lord Talcidimir Tallbreeze who is a friend of her dad’s. Yelle is immediately like FUCK billionaires which isn’t plot relevant but it’s nice to know she’s always on brand. 

Oh also, Penny just casually finds the Legendarium so that’s neat. 

To be safe, Ost casts Protection from Energy on Ant (who is the one who knows how to use it) and brings out her Spirit Guardian (who is a combo of her mom, nona, and Asha, with her dad’s rings). Ant checks it out and sees that there are currently no A, B, or C quests in all of Spyre. While Penny cross references the bylaws to see if there’s a way to get around this, Yelle does some druid BS that I still do not understand to use the crystals in the cave to jailbreak this super powerful magical Artifact so they can just have copies on their crystals. While that’s happening, let’s check on Sam. 

Sam goes back up the staircase where she sees Ending who doesn’t look menacing at all, just extremely sad. She’s looking out the mouth of the cave and, when she turns, Sam can see she’s crying blood. 

“What’s wrong?” asks Sam, the acid-tongued but good-hearted. “Can I help you?”

With a 25 Persuasion check to get her to talk, Ending apologizes for scaring her and her friends before. She didn’t mean to. She sometimes forgets that her very nature can be frightening and dangerous to others. She says that when she escaped, she tried to rejoin her sisters but found their mirrors shattered and them gone. Sam thought they escaped but that doesn’t make sense to Ending. If they had, why wouldn’t they have freed her as well?

Sam asks who her sisters were and we finally get true names for Ending and her sisters:

Chrona, Terra, Pyrria, Nira, Zefira, Anima, and herself, Talura (which is what I’ll be calling her now that we know). Talura is the baby, the youngest. Sam realizes she’s talking about the Eidolons and Talura seems surprised and a bit pleased that Sam recognizes them. 

Sam asks if she can hug her and Talura hugs her tightly in a very cold embrace that doesn’t hurt. Downstairs, she hears her friends (Penny specifically) freaking about about the lack of quests but she doesn’t break the hug. 

“My own sisters are struggling right now but I’m gonna stay with you because you don’t know where yours are. But maybe we can find them.”

Talura clocks that the way that Sam is being is her true nature, not the bitchiness she often uses as a shield. Then she starts to talk about her history. That she and her sisters were sealed away when the gods were done with them (Sam can relate to being used and set aside) and the only way out was death. Talura has been crying and looking for her sisters to no avail. Her tears of blood leaking seems to be what caused the monsters to mutate which is in line with what Yelle and Ant were sensing. 

Talura doesn’t think anything could have destroyed her sisters so she’s very confused. Sam offers Talura her Mirror of the Past because it almost knocked out Sam to get god-tier information but Talura presumably won’t have that problem. Talura offers her a boon in exchange for this great kindness but Sam says she doesn’t need any quid pro quo. “This is just because you’re hurting.”

Talura is supremely touched and still wants to do something for her new...friend? Sam accepts the title and says that what she needs is some help on her GED quest. Once she explains what she means, Talura again recognizes Aguefort and is like, Oh, you need a quest? I can totally help with that! As we learned earlier, these guys are kinda genie connected so it’s not super surprising when Talura very happily goes full your wish is my command.

Downstairs, a Class A quest suddenly appears in Spyre on the screen. 

Back upstairs, Talura says that it’s been too long since she got to grant a wish and seems really happy about it. Sam gives her the mirror so she can check what happened to her sisters but when she does, she totally flips out and gets super angry--not at Sam, just at whatever she’s looking at. She can hardly believe it. Sam tries to figure out what’s wrong but she just gets super big and then disappears into a puff of smoke, leaving Sam's mirror on the ground, covered in frost. 

Downstairs, the Class A quest expands across the entire globe and then the Legendarium cracks. Ost’s spirit guardian disappears because of alarm bells ringing in the afterlife. And the girls learn that a Class A quest is a quest that affects the whole MULTIVERSE. Yikes!

So anyway, they girls go upstairs to check on Sam (on a bear that Penny makes because sure) and they see that something clearly just happened with Sam. Yelle asks if she’s good and Sam is like yeahhhh I don’t think ANYONE is good right now. Sam seems like she’s about to cry and Antiope instantly forgets all the petty bullshit going on between them and rushes to make sure she’s not hurt. 

Sam gives the girls a rundown of what happened and Yelle concretely puts together what I said earlier about Talura’s tears messing with nature. 

Sam wants to check her mirror to see what Talura saw and Brennan says she can do it the safe way with risk of failure of the surefire way with risk of personal harm. She, of course, picks door 2 and rolls a 13 on her con save which means she rises into the air like Storm from X-Men, eyes wide, and then instantly passes out and goes into shock. Antiope is there to catch her as she does. 

Also, she looks SUPER hot while falling on a 31. Honestly, it’s a shame she doesn’t allow herself a social media presence. 

Anyway, we’ll get to what she sees in a bit. Yelle and Ant make sure she’s OK (she is, but the has to be knocked out for this or she won’t be able to handle it). 

Penny tells them what she knows about each Eidolon from her earlier research which is what element each goes with:

Chrona: Time (Related to astral and elemental planes) 

Terra: Earth

Pyrria: Fire

Nira: Water

Zefira: Air

Anima: Life

Talura: Death 

They also talk about TK never leaving via the front door and all this airship stuff being around. Maybe she left out the top of the mountain on an airship? Katja has the hookup with this Tal guy (she’s met him when she was younger) so they decide they need to check it out once Sam is good. 

The girls fix the Legendarium and Ost, when she goes to pray for her spells for the night, doesn’t pray to her usual god. She prays to Asha. And not only does she get her spells, she also gets a new one--Commune. 

And now let’s get to what Sam is seeing in her Vision Coma. 

She was told by Talura that the only way out of the mirrors given to them by the gods was death. And what Talura saw that drove her to do whatever multiverse threatening thing that she did was every one of her sisters walking out of their mirrors and choosing death. I will specifically highlight that the oldest sister leaves almost immediately with a small, “Oh,” of realization and Anima, the closest sister to her seems terrified before coming to a joyful realization and leaving.

And that’s the end of the episode! Join us next week when apparently there is talk of a masquerade ball?????? Brennan, you shouldn’t have!   

Superlatives 

Sam: Most Likely to Accidently Snag a Brand Deal

Did you guys ever read the Greek myth of Cupid and Psyche? Where Psyche was born so hot that it was basically a curse and she was miserable because she was so hot that Aphrodite hated her? That’s Sam. She is incapable of almost dying in a non-aesthetic way. It’s like a Pantene commercial every time. This is my favorite running gag.

Random Thoughts

Man, I have so many feelings about Sam. She’s such a BITCH in so many ways but it’s so obvious that she has a good heart. Every time she has an opportunity to be nice with no gain--helping Lola find her dog, magically turning the pages for the horses during book club, fully refusing a boon from Talura--she does. And I’m glad she gave Zelda such a sincere apology and didn’t let the extenuating circumstances absolve her because she said some pretty uncalled for things. But at her core she’s so kind and I want only good things for her. 

Also those of you who know me from my FH recaps know I’m a messy bitch for sister stuff so Talura and Sam both referring to the other maidens as her sister had me dead. You can tell when something in this show is f’ing me up when I just start directly quoting instead of paraphrasing. 

Katja being richer than Helio but having no idea what any of the brands Ost is mentioning are is peak comedy.  

As is Ant’s response to the take and penny leave a penny translation from Ost, “No, Penny didn’t come with us.”

Ost: I get service in the afterlife.

You could really tell which of the players watched Sophomore Year because the Baronies came up and all of them went into fight or flight immediately. 

Very Elsa vibes from Sam during the top of the scene with Talura. (Sam is, of course, a better sister but we simply do not have time to get into my feelings on Frozen 2 right now).

I was wondering why this season was called just “The Seven” when it dropped initially. Like, was it snappier? Did they not want to use the word “maiden”? But they still call themselves the Seven Maidens in the show so it’s probably not that. Now I’m wondering if it’s just to parallel the 7 of them w/ the 7 Eidolons. 

So it seems clear based on the reactions of the first and sixth sisters that they didn’t just “go gently into that good night” as Ant would say and ditch Talura. It seems like they figured something out. Also Brennan isn’t really a “and then they all died, the end” kind of DM, you know? Credit to my friend @camwritery for getting here before I did but the gods said the only way out was death and she is death so you know? Those def seem like puzzle pieces that go together. 

The only crit rolled this episode is a 1 by Penny which she gets to reroll as a halfling. 

[goosedawn]

goose lore?? goose lore! :D!!! .... loredump abt species and stuff under the cut because i sat down yesterday and went “im making a new species from scratch :']” 

-------

goose is basically a construct made of coalesced magic, lilypads and goose feathers. she was unfortunate enough to get picked up some inexperienced poachers who took her from her home shortly after she awoke. they escaped purely by chance- usually when a construct wakes they are basically an empty shell for a while as sentience seeps into them, and are sapient but not sentient for a few months or so. goose however, woke with a consciousness and memories about a week after their creation. unfortunately this week was long enough for the poachers to have taken her far from her place of origin. she knows she was not always a construct, but their memories from before are hazy at best. they think they were an acolyte of a minor deity, and are searching for information. they think if they can find the place they were taken from they may be able to answer some of those questions.

In areas of intense arcane activity it is not uncommon for residual magic to "cling" to an object or location. Given time, this magic residue may develop into g'val sevraq, or, as they are more colloquially known as: Garden Constructs, due to their propensity to appear in gardens or wooded areas.

[Note: These creatures may also be referred to as g'val, sevraq, or just constructs.]

These creatures will latch onto the location they were formed in (their "source" of magic), often taking on characteristics of the environment including plants and animals, as well as items that are in the general vincinity. Rarely, if there are no non-sentient creatures or organic structures to mimic during their creation, a sevraq may take on an entirely inorganic form.

Each individual construct varies in the way its components tie together, as well as how humanoid they present. Some constructs may be mistaken for hybrids, but some notable difference is that the organic or inorganic components cannot be

G'val may take on characteristics of larger animals, such as wolves or deer, but will maintain a size similar to that of a borrower or a fairy, as the coalesced magic may destabilize if they take on a larger form. If left in their place of origin however, a g’val may take the shape of an animal they have bonded to, but removing them from said location in this state will make them unable to switch back until returned. Inorganic sevraq are unable to shapeshift, but often have better control over the items their body is made out of, and tend to become skilled craftspeople and mechanics.

Constructs will often take care of or protect the location they formed in, be it a person’s garden, a city, or a shrine. They are not stuck in their place of origin, but they are bound to it- destined to return no matter how far they travel.

While sevraq do not tend to socialise with other sevraq, purely due to how spread out they are, they are social creatures and can be found interacting with other sapient and sentient species. 

Sentience in sevraq grows over time, when they first form they are an empty shell, with animalistic instincts as they learn about the world they have developed in. These "shells" are often preyed on by poachers, to extract the magical resources in the budding creature. Removing a young construct from their home is considered unethical, as their forms are still unstable in the weeks following their creation. If taken from their place of origin during this time, they will dissipate into magic.

Older constructs are able to travel far from their homes, however they will often bond with "anchor homes" where they will attempt to cultivate their original environment in a new area, or otherwise settle into a space. This is only done when a sevraq has developed an emotional attachment to a location. Anchor homes are also created by constructs who are unable to return home, either due to it getting destroyed or the construct getting lost. While anchor homes will not provide the g'val with a source of magic, it allows them to feel more comfortable

In some cases it is possible for a construct to develop an anchor home that is not a physical space, as 'home' may be a vague term. Sometimes an anchor home may be a certain situation or a group of people. In the event of a sevraq bonding with one or more people, the term "anchor family" may also be used to refer to them.

-------

also more info that didnt fit into that lore dump that i wanna share:

- g'val sevraq is what constructs answered with when asked about what they were

- despite rarely interacting with other constructs, they also appear to have their own laguage that uses common syllables and sounds, but in a different order/combination. they use this to talk to one another but take to learning other languages quickly if given the chance.

- g'val sevraq does have a meaning and it uses a common code lmao

and goose specific info:

- goose anchors to aperson and later apersons kids :>

- they often dissapear to go look for more information, but they always, always return.

- this is goose before they were a construct:

- gooses(??) wings are drippy and wet, seemingly surrouned by a layer of water

- yes thats a halo

- i redacted it for the purpose of "c!goose doesnt know" but theyr the "herald of the dawn"

[whisperingrockers]

would u. i dunno. perhaps articulate some thots on toh infinity train au 😳 if u can

HM. i will do my best. but...i dont really know how to organize my thoughts.  i guess i should probably just start with the characters and go from there, huh. also in this particular au these characters don’t actually take the place of tulip, lake, jesse, grace, etc- i think they’re all just there under different circumstances. 

Luz

okay so we’ll start with Luz because. she’s the main character, y’know. very important. i think the catalyst that brings her to the train is her mother signing her up for Reality Check summer camp because as a creative it’s just! disheartening to have someone you love tell you that you’re not going to make it in this world if you don’t conform to what everyone else wants. so of course when a huge mysterious locomotive suddenly pulls up to the bus stop you KNOW luz gets on, no hesitation. after all, isn’t that something right out of a sci-fi adventure novel? 

unlike tulip, luz is THRILLED to find herself on some unknowable train where each car is a new adventure just waiting to happen, where there are always new friends to make, new places to see, and tons of puzzles to solve? she’s made to feel like the protagonist right out one of her fave animes. 

also, really important to note that her number is probably tied to how she relates to the other passengers on the train. i feel like there’s an overarching theme in the show about how luz is going through a lot of firsts when it comes to interpersonal relationships, especially friendships, so i wanted to keep that going in this au- i imagine her number goes up when she finds her friends tapes and convinces them to watch with her because this is obviously the easiest and most straightforward way to get to know them! (luz poppin that bad boy into a vcr player: this mama is ready for trauma!) 

realized how wordy this is going to be LOL

Eda

hough so this is a human au also (i assume? infinity train world really do be existing in some limbo state of reality where your reflection can just up and ditch you). i see her as a jack of all trades, master of none type, with a lean towards perfumes and handmade soaps that she sells at fairs or farmers markets and also pickpocketing. i think she sees something that reminds her of the life she used to have/would have had before lilith [redacted because i do not know what she DID yet but on GOD we will have canon continuity] and that drives her to get on the next train headed anywhere.

her number is tied to how much she allows herself to open up; the more she uses her salesman cover to keep others at arms length, the higher her number goes, which is why it’s so important for her to team up with King and Luz; they help her open up and be more honest with herself.  

King

king is actually a denizen of the train in this au; i love him too much to turn him into a real ass dog, so i wont. eda meets him in a car full of plush toys, which he refers to lovingly as his army of the damned. i almost want to hold off on writing up any more for him because i know there’s more to king’s character than meets the eye. still torn between eda trying to bring him off the train with her or having him realize that the whole TRAIN is HIS KINGDOM, and all its passengers loyal peons who need their mighty rulers HELP, for without him they would PERISH.

for now though eda sees him and is immediately like get over here (reaching emoji) 

Willow 

willow is a tough one for me because in all honesty having your longtime friend tell you out of the blue that they can’t be friends with you anymore would be enough to send me packing to the train, but with willow i think it’s less about amity and more about how the fallout between them affects her social and academic success. the frustration reaches a tipping point that has her running out of the classroom and finding the train. 

and yes, willow is a very sensible, bright girl, but she was also SO ready to trick the principle and steal from the emperor for her friend so i don’t think getting on a mystery train is wholly out of the question for her, y’know? 

There’s a lot about repression in the way willow deals with things generally, so her number is tied to passivity. the more she allows others to infringe on her personal boundaries to keep them placated, the higher her number goes. when she stands up for herself to others (sometimes even her friends!) the number goes up. willow x agency and clear limitations is my otp

Gus

gus was actually a SUPER easy one for me we know so much about him from the episodes he’s been in; he’s an overachiever, he’s passionate about what he loves, he’s a natural showman, and he is constantly pushing himself to be the best that he can be, all the time. the hustle doesn’t STOP for gus, and i...i...(tears up) 

anyways, i think the thing that draws him to the train is getting suddenly ousted from the club he formed at school. he’s young, and having everyone you had assumed were your friends turn their back on you and throw you out of the space that you CREATED FOR THEM would be shocking to anyone, but it broke gus’ heart clean in two. after he’d picked his bag and himself up off the hallway floor, he’d left the building in a daze, not even realizing as he boarded the train door that had suddenly opened up in front of him until it was too late. 

i’m actually going to go so far as to say that gus would likely be the one MOST interested in the truth of the train- he’d be asking the tough questions, like what is the purpose of the train? who made it and its technology? where does it exist that it can be both at his school and also speeding across a barren desert landscape at the same time? How does it create sentient lifeforms? the train helps him discover a new passion; journalism. he finds a journal that speaks to him as a friend and advisor in one of the trains, and he takes careful note of everything that happens to and around him. by the time he meets up with willow, he’s got so many ideas and theories that the other girl would have never thought to consider until that very moment. 

idk what his number relates to because he’s perfect the way he is but if i had to take a shot in the dark it probably has something to do with finding somewhere he feels he can belong, as well as being able to mourn and let go of the people he’d considered his friends before he’d gotten on the train. 

sorry this is so long i just have a lot of . gus feelings. 

Amity ( + Edric + Emira )

lumping these whites together 

okay so nobody wants to hear me talk about blight angst there are 800 posts about blight angst, so long story short the three siblings run away, get into an argument with each other, amity ditches them for the train while they’re asleep, and the twins panic and chase after her, determined to find her because in the end they’re all they’ve got. 

‘next stop: amity blight’ 

i think it’d be a cool journey to see the three of them going from ‘we need to be together out of necessity’ to ‘we need to be together because we love each other, and that genuine support structure will pull us through when everything else fails.’ but in order for that to happen they all have to have their own journey, so at some point edric and emira finally get into a spat and that’s enough to get edric and emira stuck on opposite ends of a retracting bridge. send that mans to the BACK of the train. 

emira: my greatest fear is being stuck with edric forever emira: (gets separated from edric)  emira: haha wait please say psyche

amity’s number is definitely tied to her fear of failure, of not being enough for the people she holds closest to her- in this case her siblings, and then lilith, and then luz when they finally meet. when she acts without concern for what the people around her think and when she sticks up for what she knows is right, even when the majority is against her, her number goes down. 

for ed and em im...i don’t want to think about their feelings because they’re supposed to be clowns but i am forced to consider that they may be jealous of their sisters independence. also separating them means they both have to take responsibility for all their own actions and choices, which is probably pretty new for the twins. 

Lilith 

im out of energy actually znzzzsnsz uh. estranged sister who sees something that reminds her of the relationship she used to have and she’s not actually as over it as she thought so the train....she..hghrg

[themanip]

alternate routes

SYNOPSIS — how do you go throughout life? well, you find someone you like. get to know them. start dating. break up a few times, get back together. get married. have some kids. die old. typical. fucking in a back room of an awards show, not once, but twice as complete strangers, was definitely not how most relationships start out.

PAIRING — taehyung x metzi (oc) WARNINGS — descriptions of cheating, fliphones, mentions of getting laid, really bad intros tbh, the introvert line being introverts, and girls who are rlly bad at timing, an asshole named ryan, cursing WORD COUNT — just over 3.1k AUTHOR’S NOTE — hi! i am so fucking bad at writing the first chapter or two, i promise if you can bear the beginning of this story, it gets better. i have two and a half chapters written so far but i am writing super often! once a few more chapters get published i will create a masterlist. please enjoy and if you have any comments or recs don’t hesitate to let me know!! :)))

𝟏: 𝐀𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐓𝐄 

𝟐𝟎𝟏𝟖 ⇥ The universe known to man is a labyrinth—an irregular maze, a passage that cannot be routed—and to understand that took more than an average mind. The matter was far too complicated than any obsolete man to comprehend on a whim. Millenia passed before galaxies were formed, planets were created, all unbeknownst to the stars bursting just miles apart.

From early amphibians, to the ice age, to cavemen, evolution has made great strides in every species. Humans in the past were variants called homosapiens, and most likely came from chimpanzees. Great strides like this were something to be proud of, you'd think.

When Metzi Ludovic realized that birds can fly with natural evolution, while humans had to industrialize it (thanks to the Wright brothers) she was pretty distraught. As an imaginative and critical eight-year old, fifteen years later, not much had changed. Currently, she was pondering over the fact that humans are one of the few species with opposable thumbs.

Majority of animals had not yet evolutionized to create opposable thumbs. While frantic over this, she also imagined her beautiful Pomeranian, with thumbs popping out of his paws. Her thoughts were quickly subdued, thanks to her coherent thoughts making an appearance. As cool as it would be, all other animals would devour humans if they gained that ability.

Is that the only reason humans are all mighty? They can industrialize and aim properly due to their adaptations, so that they somehow became top of the food chain?

Thankfully, she was redacted from her thoughts as her manager, Emmy, let out a distressed sigh. "Wren, we cannot change your outfit again. You look beautiful," At this point, looking at Wren, she knew that she would look good. Somehow, she couldn't convince herself.

"Wren, we can switch. I don't hate green, so you can take blue if you want it. I really don't mind," Metzi smiled softly, and she knew it was the right thing to offer as Wren's face lit up, a few tears being wiped away. "Really? Are you sure?"

"Yeah, just do me a favor and loosen the ties on that, please. I have had way too many tacos yesterday to fit into it with the strings that tight," a small laugh left her mouth, and as she laid on the comfortable sofa. It was plush, but somehow offered no lumbar support. Who the hell makes a couch so soft, yet so unbearable for convenience of naps?

Selfish, she thought.

This dressing room was beautiful, so you'd think they'd have enough funds to make a decent couch. She could enjoy the aesthetics of the room, anyways. A luxurious baby pink covered the walls, and was bordered by pristine white. Plush gray carpet was under her feet, and was stain free. With Malorie in here, that probably wouldn't last long.

She was over by the double mirrors, applying powder over her face. She was so beautiful, Metzi couldn't fathom why she insisted on so much makeup. The same could be said about herself, so she kept her somewhat inner misogynistic comments at bay. She was pretty quiet, but something was off. She wasn't usually this quiet, so Metzi shot her a text.

She was very personal, and barely talked about what bothered her. Occasionally, Metzi would get her to open up, which she could physically see the relief on her face as she broke down. A brief, but to the point was written out on Metzi's phone.

you don't seem okay. wanna talk about it? Read 2:33 PM

The three dots popped up, and Metzi's attention was quickly brought to Vida, who sat down next to her, letting out a sigh. "How much longer until Olive gets here? I'm so close to taking a nap," Vida quickly put her hair into a makeshift ponytail, and leaned back, closing her eyes.

"It's only two, so I imagine not for a good hour or so, a nap sounds kind of nice," Wren commented, stood in the other corner of the room, with Emmy helped her undo the straps of her outfit. Her green silk top complimented her skin perfectly, but Metzi knew it was too late to convince her.

"Well, I'm out, wake me up when she gets here," Vida quickly blurts, and her head is now comfortably laying on the arm of the sofa. "I'll get up, I have to go to the bathroom anyways," Metzi commented, sighing before getting up.

Silence followed, and the blonde decided to take a look at her phone. A text was sent back on Malorie's behalf, and she widened her eyes momentarily. Standing still, she turned back to look at her. A face of guilt was evident, and she tried her best to hold her breath.

i have something to tell you, i'm not supposed to. i just feel so bad knowing while you don't i really shouldn't have said anything forget it

meet me in the bathroom

Read 2:37PM

Metzi's mind was in a whirlwind, and she couldn't think of anything she'd be referring to. Of course, it was useless, because clearly she wasn't meant to know about it. She hurried out of the room, the last thing she heard was Wren complaining once more about her outfit.

The hallways were empty, mostly because they'd came so early, and Metzi took her time reaching the bathroom. It was communal, so she really hoped that nobody else was here yet. The awards were meant to start in a few hours, and considering they had three faces to paint with makeup, early was a necessity.

"I hope you won't be mad at me," A small, timid voice aired behind her. The blonde turned around, and clutched her phone in fear. "I'm not, please tell me what's going on,"

As Malorie opened her phone, Metzi tapped her foot anxiously.

God, she really had to piss.

The brunette looked up at her, and showed her a photo.

"What is that?"

"That, was Ryan. On Saturday."

Ryan was her boyfriend of six years. An anxious cramping formed in her stomach at the mixture of his name and the tone of Malorie's voice. The photo she was now staring at made her want to vomit. Her stomach was now doing somersaults.

In the photo, it was indeed Ryan, in Metzi's own bed, with a mop of curly red hair under him. Most was covered by the sheets, but it was enough to come to the correct conclusion. He was clearly enjoying it too, judging by his face. Upon further inspection, she noticed something odd.

Grabbing the phone out of Malorie's hand, she zoomed in. On her nightstand, where a picture of the two usually sat, was now face down. While he fucked another woman in her bed, he turned her face down.

Tears pricked at her eyes, and she took a deep breath in.

What happened Saturday? She was home mostly all day, so when did he have time to do this?

"What—how did you get this?"

"I came to give you your present, and I heard something. Y'know since you gave me keys? I figured it was okay to come in, and your bedroom door was open. I knew Ryan would try to make me the liar, so I took a picture. He told me that if I told you," Malorie pursed her lips, "well he threatened to do something pretty fucked up."

"Holy fuck," Metzi whispered, "I just—I had no fucking clue. This entire time, and who knows how long he's been fucking her?"

One lonesome tear fell down her cheek. In anger or sadness, Malorie didn't know.

Opening her phone, she opened Ryan's contact. "Hey," Malorie whispered, her voice now soft. "If he tells you anything about me, promise you won't believe him?"

"Of course, you come first. Always."

She debated on whether or not to call him, but instead opted on a text.

I hope you enjoyed fucking merida, we're done. get your things out of my house by tomorrow. delete my number.

She wiped the tears from her eyes, and a smile adorned her face. Her bladder problems now the least of her concerns, she started back for the dressing room. Emmy now sat at the vanity, on her phone, and Vida and Wren were basically cuddling.

Surprised at the sudden intrustion, all eyes landed on the pair standing in the doorway.

"Ryan cheated on me, so now we're all single." Metzi gave nobody the chance to respond, as if anyone could think of what to say, and took a deep breath in.

"I haven't been fucked in months, and now I know why. So, I'm gonna get laid tonight, feel free to join me."

All seven of them had their faces beat to perfection, their outfits tailored and steamed of any wrinkles. They looked absolutely impeccable, as if the world around them kissed their feet. Hell, some reporters actually acted like that.

The members of BTS were now known worldwide, and it seemed that they were sought after by nearly everyone. Each member was so unique—so captivating in every aspect. Personalities somehow intertwine perfectly, yet polar opposites sometimes.

Proud but humble men, they basked in the warmth of positive attention. All eyes were on them for now, and they proudly understood it. As they walked on the red carpet of the music event, Yoongi and Jungkook both hated what they would be forced to do in mere minutes. As self-declared introverts, social interactions were about to start, and they honestly would rather sit in the corner and get this over with.

They would meet a few smaller artists, an occasional household name, (which they would fawn over for the rest of the night) and then be on their way. It would probably be in a few news articles, and some artists would insist on pictures, and they would be spread around within minutes. It was the same routine, and almost every time they would speak as little as possible, save for Namjoon, and would discuss it later. Hollywood was English dominated, and they despised it.

"Right now we only have to meet one group, and then we're okay for a few hours," Namjoon spoke quietly and quickly, and they piled off of the red carpet into a building. The hallways were scary, dark and empty, but a light above them quickly lit up.

To their surprise, the hallway was beautiful. The walls were an navy blue, white accents on top and bottom. Numerous gold paintings and records lined the walls, and it seemed to go on forever.

"Who is it we're supposed to be meeting? This hallway is a bit sketchy," Jimin perked up, and Namjoon chuckled. "WB,"

"Who is that?"

"I can't remember what their name stands for, but they sing that one song," Namjoon goes on to hum the tune to a familiar song that got pretty big, and all of the members start singing along. Of course, the lyrics are completely off and the tune is absolutely horrid, but they all recognize it vaguely.  

All numbly following Namjoon, he was taking rough instructions from their manager to get there. This was not how it usually happened, but he had said something urgent came up. He had told Namjoon how to get there, and he knew that they were smart enough to make it without breaking a couple ligaments.

"Group? I thought it was one singer," Jin commented, and Taehyung nodded in agreement. "I would have never thought it was more than one. Are they American?"

"I guess we're going to find out," he snickered, and they all stopped at the corner. The door was slightly creaked open, and soft laughter could be heard. It was feminine, soft. It sounded like pure happiness was inside that door.

To double check, Namjoon eyed the sign on the door.

A large, black WB was written so even the partially blind could read. It was odd, the only dressing room out of probably at least a hundred, was all the way back, alone. They had no time to question it before Jin took a few strides forward, and boasted his English abilites.

"Come on-uh, guys."

The rest of them burst into laughter, and Namjoon quickly followed suit, knowing Jin would not be the prime candidate for introductions. He would simply utter a few English words, turn to Namjoon for help, and in panic, make a really bad play on words in Korean.

Timidly, Namjoon's knuckles rapped on the already-open door, accidentally pushing it further open a bit. "Come in!"

They were met with three girls stuffing their faces with chocolate cake, and another laying on the floor, fiddling with a.. flip-phone?

Jin grimaced at the reminder, glad it wasn't pink.

All eyes awkwardly met at the realization, and two of the three muffling down cake choked a bit. "Emmy, I thought you said 5:30?" Malorie was the one to ask, but none of the boys knew that.

"It is 5:30,"

The cake was swallowed within seconds, the flip-phone was now laying on the table, untouched. Four girls scrambled up simultaneously, and watched as the rest of the men piled in. An awkward stout of silence followed, and this so called Emmy, rose and met the boys first.

She had a firm grip, and introduced herself as their manager. The situation was humorous to say the least, these girls who could pass off as teenagers, were standing in single file in shame. The first was a beautiful girl with a large afro, and she kept a tight smile. She did not know who they were, nor did she really care. She introduced herself as Wren.

Next, was a taller woman, who seemed a hint older, with large winged eyeliner. She was Vida. Jin's first instinct was that she reminded him of him, she was definitely the oldest. Then, a smaller girl with a thick smile and soft curls was next. Soft hands, gentle grip. Her name was Malorie.

The last, was a young woman with blonde hair. Realistically, she didn't have any defining features besides her hair, she was the average American-looking girl. She introduced herself as Metzi, and to their surprise, bowed.

"It's really nice to meet you guys," Emmy let out a soft chuckle, and Namjoon nodded tightly. "Are you performing tonight?" It was Malorie who had asked, a soft question. "Yes, actually,"

"I heard you are as well," Namjoon replied, hoping to end the small talk quickly. "Yes we are! I'm surprised you've heard of us, I mean we're not huge."

She wasn't lying, but they definitely weren't small, either. Sixth biggest girlgroup of all time by album sales just behind TLC. Thirtieth on the most followed Spotify artist. Their debut album was certified Gold in six countries. Humble was the key to success, though.

"I'm not sure how big they are in the States, but aren't they pretty well known in Korea?" Yoongi spoke, but of course he wasn't talking to the girls, he was talking to his bandmates. He also spoke in Korean, which is why he nearly had a heart attack when a very feminine voice responded in Korean as well.

"We're big in Korea? I knew we were pretty well known in Japan, but I never really knew about that," It was the blonde one, Metzi. All seven members were in shock, the way she spoke it so effortlessly. If she didn't look the way she did, she could pass off as Native Korean by language alone.

"I know South Korea is very conservative and insistent upon how they operate things, and we're probably the farthest thing from it. I just was under the impression that we didn't fit the mold to do well there," Metzi continued talking, and Wren, Vida and Malorie had absolutely no clue what was going on or being discussed.

Had this been in Spanish, all the girls could have participated. Metzi just insisted on learning Korean, though.

They didn't seem too bothered, though, instead more humored.

"She's been waiting to use that one, huh?" Vida whispered, laughing lightly. "You're not wrong, Korea is known to be very conservative, however, that doesn't mean you have to fit stereotypes to break Korea or any other Asian country for that matter," Namjoon spoke in English this time, and finally the other three girls got a whiff of the conversation.

"We are the farthest thing from ideal boy-groups in America, and we broke it for the most part. Obviously a lot of it is due to our fan base, but point still stands." Seokjin broke in, the conversation now half Korean, half English.

"Good to know," Metzi said softly, a grin on her face.

"How did you learn Korean?" Taehyung spoke up in curiousity, and crinkled his eyes. "I started learning a few years ago before we kind of blew up, and when we visited Korea a few times, I just picked it up a bit. Still a lot I don't know, but I can speak pretty fluently now."

Taehyung nodded in understanding, silently applauding her ability to simply pick up on a language. He doesn't think he will ever gain fluency in English, no matter how hard he'd try. It was a lot harder than he imagined it to be.

"I'm gonna be honest, from media portrayals you guys are made out to be asshats, but you seem pretty down to Earth. Nice to know the fame doesn't get to your head, you know?"

Now it was Wren speaking, and a few snickers sounded from Jungkook and Jimin's mouth. "Asshat," Jimin repeated softly, and they broke into more laughter.

"We appreciate that, thank you. Ignore them," Hoseok spoke this time, a large smile adorning his face. "We will watch your performance tonight, and cheer you on."

"Ditto," Metzi responded in English this time, and Hobi's eyes crinkled in confusion. "Same to you," she clarified in Korean, and he nodded.

They said their goodbyes, and Metzi told all the girls to bow. Namjoon and Vida had a brief talk, and it was no time before BTS and WB were now separate, discussing the events that had just taken place.

The talk of the night was the mysterious blonde girl who spoke fluent Korean. 

taglist: @princessoftheroad​ <3

[snackerdoodle]

(via https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7vTyjuuslUqiHauSgsmbuQ?si=WJHuwxgiQ422gub_5ZEC5w)

I got a little obsessed with the idea of creating a Lyctor Love Songs playlist for The Locked Tomb. I’ve finally finished fussing with it and wanted to share! You can read a breakdown of my rationale for these songs below the cut because I always wish other people would do this for their playlists, and now it’s time to put my money* where my mouth is.

This playlist is conceptually a definite spoiler for the process of achieving lyctorhood as revealed at the end of Gideon the Ninth, so proceed with caution if you haven’t finished that book yet. I also made this after reading Harrow the Ninth, but I’ve tried to censor (or at least be vague) in my references to spoilers for that book.

Possibly obvious content warnings for murder, suicide, toxic relationships, and cannibalism mentions—stuff you’d kind of expect from this series, honestly. I’m adding an additional content warning for the lyrics of We Both Go Down Together by the Decemberists including implied rape, which is not in line with the content warnings you might expect for these books. 

*obsessive energy

Umbrella - Rihanna

This is a much more wholesome song than the rest, but I really wanted to include it for "When the sun shines, we'll shine together, told you I'll be here forever, said I'll always be your friend, took an oath, I'ma stick it out til the end," and "You're a part of my entity, here for infinity." It has a bit of a “one flesh, one end” feeling to it. 

#1 Crush - Garbage

This song is creepy, obsessive, and uses some upsetting violent imagery, which is exactly the mood I’m after here. I really like the idea of being haunted by the other person—”See your face every place that I walk in, hear your voice every time that I’m talking.” I also like the implications of seeking power—”Throw away all the pain that I’m living [...] and I could never be ignored.” The line about selling their soul doesn’t hurt this song’s case either. 

Drain You - Nirvana

This feels like a pretty easy connection to syphoning for me, and for this context the gorey, semi-medical imagery is spot on. Also how could I resist “with eyes so dilated I’ve become your pupil,” when there is just so much eye-related lyctor baggage in this series?

Animals - Maroon 5

Here comes the cannibalism. There are so many cannibal songs. I also included this one for the language about absorbing the other person and not being able to escape each other.

I Will Possess Your Heart - Death Cab for Cutie

Here for creepy possessiveness, pure and simple. Also, “I wish you could see the potential, the potential of you and me”—the potential for achieving ultimate necromantic power? Maybe!

Banks of the Ohio - Dolly Parton

When I first had the idea for a “Lyctor Love Songs” playlist, it was just going to be a bunch of murder ballads, but expanding my criteria turned out to be more fun. I really love the way Dolly Parton sings this traditional American murder ballad. This one gets to represent the traditional songs on this playlist because of its river imagery and because I think lines like “she cried my love don’t murder me, ‘cause I’m not prepared for eternity” play well with the lyctor concept. It also makes me ridiculously happy to include a 19th century song on a playlist for a distant future sci-fi setting. We’re all lucky I’m not making a playlist of the oldest extant folk songs I can find for the archives on the Sixth.

Phenom - Thao & the Get Down Stay Down

More cannibalism imagery, yes thank you. Anatomical imagery? Yes, thank you. “Scorched earth”? Sure, I’ll just take that for my distantly post-apocalyptic playlist, thank you. I also like the narrative in this song around rising to power. “First of the secondary class” plays well for me with our spoilery knowledge about the nature of lyctorhood in relation to the powers of the Emperor. 

Under My Skin - Jukebox the Ghost

I’d never heard this song before I started working on putting this playlist together, and a friend suggested it in our group chat. It’s completely perfect, and in my opinion, a total bop. “I can fit two people under my skin […] crawl up in there and join me within. I can feel your heart beating under my skin,” etc, etc. 

Two of Hearts - Stacey Q

Same vein as the one before! I also think there’s room here for intentionally misreading “I got this feeling that you're going to stay, I never knew that it could happen this way, Before I met you I was falling apart, But now at last I really know we're made of two hearts that can beat as one…” with lyctoral intent—the narrator is in a stronger position now that they’re entwined with the other person.

Tears of Pearls - Savage Garden

So this song is here in part because my high school friends and I once accidentally listened to this Savage Garden CD on repeat at a sleepover for like 5 hours straight, so I love taking the opportunity to break out this song in particular. That aside, I think the toxic relationship structure described here plays well with the lyctors, especially as we see them in Harrow. I particularly like this part near the end: “We twist and turn where angels burn, Like fallen soldiers we will learn, Once forgotten, twice removed, Love will be the death, The death of you.” I would love to include some religious imagery on this playlist, thank you Savage Garden. Also, as we see in Harrow, the older Lyctors sure do handle their emotions...poorly. 

I’m Sorry - Margaret Cho

An excellent murder ballad! “I’m sorry I killed you dear, I only wanted you to be near,” and “And I sincerely apologize, My actions were unwise, And now I realize that it killed me when you died,” and “My pride was stronger than your will to live.” 

We Both Go Down Together - The Decemberists

Another murder ballad, and even within the murder ballad genre, I think this one is exceptionally creepy. Especially with the murder-suicide implications, I think “we both go down together” works well with the creepiestreading of “one flesh one end.” 

Arms Tonite - Mother Mother

Another absolute bop suggested by a friend in my Locked Tomb group chat. I love the imagery, and I think it works exceptionally well for the lyctoral concept—”That I died right inside your arms tonight, That I'm fine even after I have died, That I try to escape the afterlife, That I try to get back in your arms alive.”

Genghis Khan - Miike Snow

Another super possessive song. I know it isn’t really explicit to cannon, but between this and Banks of the Ohio, I really like taking the literally all-consuming lyctoral process as a weird extension of the possessive “I don’t want you to get it on with nobody else but me” energy in this song and some of the others. Please also accept for consideration these lines—“'Cause I don't really want you, girl, But you can't be free, 'Cause I'm selfish, I'm obscene.” That has been part of the fun of this playlist for me—while I think some songs track for some characters more than others, I’m really having more fun with playing with the idea of someone who would intentionally murder and absorb someone they love in exchange for power. 

The Beast - Concrete Blonde

Another creepy, somewhat cannibalistic song. “Love is the leech, sucking you up, Love is a vampire, drunk on your blood, Love is the beast that will, Tear out your heart, Hungrily lick it and, Painfully pick it apart.” Cannibalism and that idea of draining someone of their power is a great combo. 

Savages - Marina

I love Marina, which is probably the only reason I’m not bowing to the fact that it bothers me that this isn’t even arguably a love song. We see in Harrow how vicious the old lyctors are, and  how their dinner parties feel like a thin veneer of civility over some truly rotten cores (I say this as a person who genuinely loved Mercymorn, but like… they’re terrible). Also, how am I supposed to resist “Is it a human trait, or is it learned behavior, Are you killing for yourself, or killing for your savior?” and “I’m not afraid of God, I am afraid of man.” More religious imagery? in my locked tomb playlist? It’s more likely than you think.

Cannibal - Kesha

More cannibalism! I love how vicious this song is, for this purpose. I also feel like “I have a heart, I swear I do, But just not baby when it comes to you,” works well, even if I’m not sure I can 100% justify it. 

Bring Me to Life - Evanescence

An explicitly canonical choice. “Now that I know what I'm without, you can't just leave me, breathe into me and make me real” and “Save me from the nothing I've become.” Because I’m an absolute turd, I love the semi-joke I’m finding in many of these song lyrics about the partner being unable to leave. Also because I’m terrible, I really like that this song can be read as regret over having become a lyctor in the first place. 

Monster - Lady Gaga

Cannibalism again, and I like that there’s some eye stuff in here. 

Cellophane - Sia

I like the anatomical imagery, with veins and blood and brains and all that. I also like “Patience is your virtue, saint o' mine” for a little call out to one of our extant lyctors. 

Most of All - Fuel

Like “Bring Me to Life,” I really like the regret and self loathing in this one. I also like the mentions of memories because [redacted]. “And I hate you now, And I miss you most of all, All those times we laughed, The scars that you left.” 

‘39 - Queen

First of all, I really like this song. I don’t think I should quite call it a bop like some of the others—maybe a jam? A song that’s explicitly about leaving Earth behind for deep-space exploration and the passage of time works wonderfully well for this sci-fi series about a society that has abandoned a dying(?) Earth and that is populated with a group of very damaged people staring down the barrel of a traumatic immortality. I also like that there’s a bit of eye imagery in the song. I especially like “For my life still ahead, pity me” as a cutting line for a lyctor. 

[kintsugi-sheep]

2021.01.10: Redcaps and Manga Reviewing, Vigor and Nostalgia

Alright, so what happened this week?

Well, I don’t think I’ll ever forget what happened this week. I was six when September 11th occurred, so I wasn’t really cognizant of what had happened. But I am cognizant now. And I won’t forget what happened on January 6th for a very long time. I don’t consider myself especially patriotic or loyal to the democratic system of government as it operates in this country, but I do acknowledge when something so sacrosanct is violated.

I don’t want to spend time getting into this. If you’re old enough to find this blog post you’re old enough to know what happen. I hadn’t intended for that to be what I wanted to talk about anyway.

Where I left off last week, I wanted to announce my intention of making a video on Shaman King.

There are a number of hurdles—some might even dare to call them issues—with this idea. I’m not a reviewer. I don’t have any video editing experience. I don’t have a platform of great enough scale to protect my work. And, for the nature of what I intend to write, I may not even have enough time to get it out before the series drops in April.

So why bother?

Because I love the series. For years, it almost never came up in conversation, but when it did, I was pumped up with the nostalgia I had while reading it. I didn’t know where this excitement came from for years.

It’s a good manga. Not the best that there ever was, but yet I inexplicably loved it. And I didn’t really know why. But when I was asked what my favorite manga of all time was my answer would be Shaman King.

When I heard the anime was getting a re-release and when I heard they were going to re-publish the manga in full this time, I was ecstatic. I told my friend about it and, being the type of person who’s typically late regarding news related to anime releases, they already knew.

Then, I saw the articles. And my heart ached.

Read my article about how Shaman King is pulling a Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood.

Read my article about ten characters that will be in this anime that weren’t in the original.

Read about whether or not this character is okay for woke 2021.

And I my stomach sinks when I think about what will be coming next.

Theories made by people who read the series and are reciting spoilers for clicks.

Essays on why Hao is the greatest anime villain of all time for clicks.

Speculation on whether or not Yoh can beat Goku in a fight.

I don’t have a very high opinion of journalism. And knowing that the series I love will be used and disposed of for quick clicks is upsetting to me.

In deciding to do this project, I put it all together. I realized why I loved this series.

When I drew as a youngster, Shaman King’s stab-your-eye-out-on-my-protagonist’s-edges art was my early influence for character design.

Every story I’ve come up with—whether or not it’s been continued, recycled into another idea, or wholly abandoned—has had themes of spirituality that I’d only seen present in Shaman King as a child watching it on the FoxBox.

It was my exposure to the reality that manga and anime don’t always coincide; I hadn’t watched FMA or FMAB yet.

I used to record the Saturday morning cartoons and watch them with my grandmother, and while for years I’d hop between Fox, the WB, and ABC recording cartoons so that we’d watch things like Lilo and Stitch, Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends, the Proud Family, Xiaolin Showdown, Coconut Fred, Ultimate Muscle, Johnny Test, Mucha Lucha, Jackie Chan Adventures, even One Piece—to name what I could from the top of my head, these shows didn’t all run on these channels in the same breadth of time—I’d skip over Shaman King, keeping it selfishly to myself like a child would.

This week, it hurt watching a bunch of redneck monsters trample over the Capitol. As someone cynical of the government, it hurt to know something so sacrosanct could be treated so shamefully. But it hurts so much worse to imagine that I wasted all these years, like a boy concealing his affection for a girl until she falls into the arms of someone else, to actually take the time and express the love I have for this series.

The image of this post is an issue of Jump a buddy of mine bought at a thrift store or yard sale and gave me almost three years ago. I posted the picture with a long blurb about how my week feeling on Facebook. A lot of it is auxiliary, but I’d like to recount what I wrote here.

Spoiler alert, I was feeling a little pretentious that day:

 “Vigor. Even writing this feels more cumbersome than it actually is.

How do I say what I mean? I hate nostalgia. It’s true, if hyperbolic. I see it cut down so many peers, creatives, and critics like a guillotine; a sloppy, artificially guided, swift force that lops their heads into a collective basket of thought.

Still, this past week I’ve felt my own dismissive chest opened with a more surgical precision that permissed” [NOT A WORD] “nostalgia to play with my heart strings. I reflected on Avatar, a show from a time when animated shows didn’t have their runtimes bisected for the simpler consumption of children that would choke on anything longer, that powered itself on the labor and inspired vision of its creators and crew as opposed to memes for the children and references for the adults, and had the temerity to demand that an audience be comfortable going thirty minutes at a time without a joke to amuse them.

My friend went to Pennsylvania and got me an issue of the now defunct Shonen Jump magazine from 2004. It had series of comics I’d forgotten about and an ad for Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man 2, but those were inconsequential. I find Shaman King to be the greatest comic I’ve ever read and in August, the month of the issue I’d received, the protagonist was featured prominently on the cover. I remembered how engrossing it was to read something with that level of complexity; taking into account my age. And never since have I seen a series with such a great balance of brutality and humor and never since have I seen any form of media where” [REDACTED FOR SPOILERS] “led to a happy ending.

To round it off, within the hours before writing this I’d watched Feel Good Inc. I couldn’t help but feel my eyes begin to water at the genius of Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett. An unforgettable song latticed with moments of haunting beauty and brilliance.

As a child I would sit down for hours to draw terribly. And I loved every warped, misshapen, humanoid, tailed thing I drew. I’d scan my grandmother’s cookbooks and write recipes by mending foods I liked together in a manner similar to Frankenstein assembling his monster. I wrote chapter after chapter of a terrible story because I wanted to prove to my first girlfriend that I could write something better than twilight. I had a sense of self-motivation. I hadn’t struggled through college for a year to graduate without confidence in my own abilities. Or lost friends to unfair circumstances beyond my control or the ignorance of how much control I had. Or been stressed to the point of genuine fear from some of my earlier work. In many ways I still feel like the child I was when I lived at my grandmother’s house. Except now as a child too anxious to do anything besides what he knows will keep him alive.

How do I say what I mean? Not well. That, too, may have been a bit too hyperbolic. It’s not that I hate nostalgia, but that I fear being stagnated in memories of better days. Still, like a failing vegetarian having a hamburger the time I’ve taken to indulge myself has let me realize something I’ve been missing from my diet.

Vigor.”

[xaphanthedemon]

"..... Gene how do you use this?"

..

"Wait nevermind I think I figured it out."

..

"Hello there. My name is Xaphan. As stated before, I am a demon of [REDACTED] and a servant to the demon lords and demon prince. For now, that is all you need to know."

---

Hewwo people!

Its gene ùwú

Meet Xaphy! One of my ocs for Obey Me (and Mythos of Madness- learn more about that on my other sideblog @whumpandramblecorner)

This is her info for Obey Me:

Name: Xaphan

Gender/Pronouns: female, she/her

Age: unsure.. though she physically looks around 15-16.

Species: demon

Likes: reading, fucking around with Lucifer, cats, books.

Dislikes: most demons, all of the angels, humans, dogs, being called a cat.

Personality: If I am being 100% honest?: Xaphan is a cat. One moment, she seems to be rather social; the next she wants to be left alone. She is blunt as shit; and is unafraid to snap at anyone, even to Diavolo or any of the brothers. However, certain topics seem to trigger her, and she'd rather just avoid them altogether. Most of the time though, you can find her in the library, reading whatever books she can get her hands on. She can be a stubborn ass, but she can also be a curious kitten, especially when it comes to things she's never seen or heard of.

Extra:

- Nobody really knows what type of demon she is, or how she got to her current position.

-^ Xaphan is a servant of the demon prince (sort of like Barbatos in a way), and also tends to help out the Lords. Well, Satan, Beelzebub and Belphegor at least, she isn't a huge fan of the others.

- wear an eyepatch over her eye. Rumors say she was in a pact with a human and whatever happened, caused the pact to break; the actual seal being in her eye. Though, no one really knows.

- She probably gets into arguements and/or snaps at Lucifer a lot; and those two will go at it for hours. How she isn't dead yet? Who knows

Appearance:

What Xaphan will do and what I accept:

- role-play! This is a primarily rp blog. You can ask her questions, interact, etc etc.

- SFW. I am a minor. Even though Xaphan is an oc and she is much older, I still will not be accepting NSFW. So please keep it appropriate.

- ✨ whump ✨

-^ I am a whumper and Xaphy had been through a lot. I will put tw (trigger warnings) on the post where I do that, depending on how long and how detailed it'll be.

- cat references. Shes a cat, even though she denies it, she is one specifically Xaphan is asheep cat and I always joke around saying its her soul animal dhdhd. So feel free to do that uwu

What I will not accept:

- NSFW. Again, I am a minor.

- bullying! While I do accept cat references, bullying is not allowed here. She may be a character, but treat her with respect as well.

- politics. Irl politics I don't accept so don't mention them :D

- homophobia, transphobia, racist, or sexist comments. I do not tolerate that in the slightlest. And it will not be accepted here.

Other then that

Enjoy!!!

[kyuubi-writes]

Original Story Idea

My first Story Idea on here, though it's actually number 18 in my notes. Hope you find this interesting. 

For future reference, these are all gonna be probably a very rambly and full of things that I've gone back and added later on.

These are also super bare bones since I'm trying to get ideas out before I lose them. If people enjoy this, maybe I'll post more. Maybe I'll post more anyway. Idk.

Title?: Mother's Garden

For a webcomic or manga? Setting: Anime-like high school, you know the drill.

Main Character Boy - Juno (Roman goddess of mothers and family. He was Mother's favorite, and she was grooming him to be the next "Mother" before he left. Mother genuinely loves him, and either she gave him this name, or he named himself that, in honor of her)/Something else (a code name/the name he uses for interaction with the outside world) Not sure what his real name is yet.

Main character dude is school pretty boy

General shoujo shenanigans ensue

Girls chase him all over the school and constantly ask him out and generaly treat him like (Komi-san) a god, but he's good natured about it and a good dude all around

A Shoujo Shenanigan - Confession

"You're are a good person Juno." Girl-with-a-crush-on-him #17 says. A bright smile on her face as she confesses.

Juno looks down at her, her short brown pigtails bound with pretty orange ribbons. She's got warm brown eyes, and looks at him as she speaks, which is more than most of the girls he's caught the attention of can claim. All in all, she's cute. He knows that she's smart too, since she's in the same advanced science class with him. (Add more stuff about 17's background that Juno shouldn't realistically know just from being her classmate)

Honestly? It wouldn't be the worst decision to actually go out with her. He knows her quite well after all.

Too bad she doesn't know anything about him.

Juno thinks to himself, a sad and wistful smile on his own face.

'She thinks I'm a good person.'

He shakes his head.

"I'm sorry, but I can't go out with you."

'No. I'm not. Not even a little.'

She really doesn't know him at all.

Other Shojou Shenanigans

The girls constantly try to pull him into shenanigans to get his clothes off, but no one can ever make him take off his shirt.

There's a reason for that.

He's got an extensive tattoo on his back from when he was part of an assassination organization called Mother's Garden.

It took in children and gave them a home and a family. All it asked for in return was undying loyalty

MC boy is probably the only one ever to get out and try to live a normal life.

Eventually though, his past catches up to him. He was their best agent, and had to do an impossible mission to qualify for escaping (they thought he would die, and if he didn't he deserved his freedom [like John Wick])

A Family Visit

Some of his "Brothers and Sisters" come looking for him (though NOT at Mother's behest)

[They all have number names] holds a hand out, an offering of peace, perhaps. Juno is a still as looks at his "Older Brother" from where they sit, across from each other, on the floor.

"Come home little brother." he pleads. "Mother misses you."

"If she wants me back, she can come here herself and get me." Juno remarks calmly.

He's said it once and he'll say it again (although he's starting to get tired of repeating himself).

He's not going back.

A younger girl than him and [Older Brother's number] seethes at his back. She had been grinding her teeth the whole duration of this mission. He could read it in her body that she was new.

"How dare you speak of Mother with such disrespect! I should cut out your tongue!" She nearly screams.

Juno can't escape a slightly amused exhale under his breath. This girl? This child? The very thought is laughable. (He almost wants to see her try, but he'd probably end up being mean to her and cut off an arm or something. The Gardeners would be able to put it back on of course, but they'd probably use it as a lesson in discipline. He'd been lucky enough to only ever have lost a finger, and that one was mostly his fault anyway, and against Mother so...)

As if sensing his mirth at her "threat" the red-haired "Little Sister" growls at him and brandishes a weapon.

This...is taking it too far. They are in his home, his quiet, lovely sanctuary (a garden of his very own), and this one dares raise a blade to him? He wonders for a moment if he should kill her (she may be a Child, but most of them know better than this).

Sensing the coming danger, even if the little one doesn't, someone else takes action.

An older Sister steps close to the Child (and he's decided that she is a Child, to him anyway, regardless of her actual designation) and backhands her across the face. The redheaded child looks up at the other girl with wide eyes, a reaction more of surprise than of pain.

"Mind your tongue, little sister, or it will be you who looses the ability to speak. You know not of who's presence you are in. We are in our Brother's Garden, and you will show the proper respect and reverence to Juno."

Juno senses a shift in the crowd. Ah. So only a few of them actually knew who he was when they came here. Though, glancing around out the corner of his eyes, he can tell that some of them suspected. (Hm. He'd kind of liked the anonymity. Oh well. What's done is done.)

Logistical and World Building Stuff for Understanding

Members of Mother's Garden's names are written as: Big/Little Sister/Brother # in full

Informal is just their number when speaking of them, and as Little or Older Sister/Brother when speaking to them

Those younger and who have not yet completed their training are refered to as 'Child' or 'Children' (for plural)

Calling a 'Sibling' a 'Child' is an insult to their skill

Being a 'Child of X' denotes what you were trained for after the basics in combat. You can also specialize in something

'Children of the Green' become 'Gardeners' (a nickname people have come up with, they tend to the Garden, keep it healthy and strong. I might replace all these with flower names though, and what those flowers can add to a garden) and learn how to use incredibly advanced healing tech that can reattach limbs and add biometrics and really good prosthetics

'Children of the Black' are trained in stealth and become 'Nightshade'

'Children of the Pink' are trained to teach the children non-combat related skills like languages and the kinds of things you learn in school, and maybe dance or extra stuff?

'Children of the Blue' are trained to gather info

There is only one 'Golden Child'. They are chosen to be the next 'Mother' when the time comes that the Mother decides that they are ready, or when he or she dies

There is only one 'Silver Child'. They are next in line to become Mother ONLY if something happens to BOTH the Golden Child and Mother. Once a Golden Child becomes Mother, they can choose a new Golden and Silver child, though it is often that the Silver Child goes on to become the Golden, and someone new is chosen as Silver

(Being the Silver Child to the Golden one sometimes breeds resentment, but all Children must pit the good of the Garden before their own ambition or feelings. Only Bad Children feel resentment after all.)

Bad Children are [REDACTED]

More to be added to the 'Children of the X' section

The 'Eldest' are the ones who teach the younger children how to be 'Children of X'

They would introduce themselves as 'I am Brother/Sister #, Eldest son/daughter of [color]'

Anyway. That’s all I’ve got for this world for now. Later.

[apocalypsegay]

uhhhhhhhhhh snagged mega-questionnaire from @gridarnian and decided to also cobble together something resembling some sort of updated references lmao. OC fun facts after the read more

► BASICS.

FULL NAME: The Warrior of Light/Sechen of the [redacted] if you’re family

NICKNAME: Warrior

AGE: 26

BIRTHDAY: fuck if i know but cancer sun taurus moon thank you

ETHNIC GROUP: Xaela / black-central asian

NATIONALITY: The Steppe i guess !!

LANGUAGE/S: what do they call English in Eorzea. but also Qestir Sign Language yes that exists i made it up fuck off

SEXUAL ORIENTATION: Bisexual!

GENDER IDENTITY: Agender. They/them only baybey. It’s literally the only thing they’d ever get ornery to strangers about.

RELATIONSHIP STATUS: Extremely Taken By A Cranky Elf (and others)(this is a polyam house)

HOME TOWN / AREA: The Steppe (their tribe was nomadic)

CURRENT HOME: Estinien The World (they are still, technically, nomadic)

PROFESSION: Warrior of Light, Master Artisan, Soft Lizard

► PHYSICAL.

HAIR: Short, auburn-ish brown. Was a shaggy mess until Estinien cut it for them. Still does so regularly.

EYES: Droopy, with white pupils with bright teal limbal rings sitting in black-blue sclera. Makes them look more intimidating than their soft gaze would otherwise be.

FACE: uhhhh Not Soft but Not Square Either??? Somewhat androgynous, with scales over their cheekbones, jaw, chin and the tip of their nose, giving them a bit of a lion-like appearance.

LIPS: Soft and round, always pouted into a look of mild bemusement.

COMPLEXION: Ruddy brown, with freckles over the bridge of their nose and shoulders.

BLEMISHES: Nope.

SCARS: [MISCELANEOUS] but a bad one on their shoulder+one of their horns sliced open by Zenos, slowly growing back.

TATTOOS: nope.

HEIGHT: 5′5 (168cm) a giant by afab au ra standards whoaaaaa

WEIGHT: do i LOOK like there’s a good resource where you can find what a person with decent musculature and some fat would weight.

BUILD: Solid, between rectangle and apple. A warrior’s body under a soft layer of fat. The sort that looks cozy and squishy until they flex.

FEATURES: Four horns, two at each side of their face, two smaller ones sitting on their temples, tipped with a light blue. The scales on their throat form a heart-shape, usually kept hidden by a gorget. Extremely long croc tail that tends to set them apart from other au ra, aside of their height.

ALLERGIES: Nope.

USUAL HAIR STYLE: Just. Combed down?

USUAL FACE LOOK: perfectly neutral, a litle detached.

USUAL CLOTHING: Leather coats and skirts, several layers, a headdress and a face mask around crowded areas. Usually wear the same in and out of the battlefield. Does Not like metal armor.

► PSYCHOLOGY.

FEAR/S: losing everything and everyone and being the only one left standing.

ASPIRATION/S: Actual Long-Lasting Peace. They know they’d never actually put down the lance, but they hope to just create a peace where the world isn’t at the brink of destruction every few months and they can live for themself a little without feeling like they’re betraying someone out there.

POSITIVE TRAITS: Kind, compassionate, nurturing, brave, determined, understanding, hard-working

NEGATIVE TRAITS: Distant, emotional walls 6 inches thick steel, selfless to the point they’re self-sacrificial, uncommunicative

TEMPERAMENT: Phlegmatic.

SOUL TYPE/S: Helper/Hunter

ANIMALS: Crocodilians, komodo dragons, bearded dragons

VICE HABIT/S: Self-isolation, working themself to exhaustion

FAITH: The vague knowledge that there’s forces out there to be respected and people give them different names. They’re unsure if those names and their lore may be perfectly accurate but they respect them. Their tribe’s custom was to worship Nhaama, and they Know of Hydaelyn’s existence.

GHOSTS?: They’ve seen enough to know they’re real

AFTERLIFE?: Won’t know until they visit it

REINCARNATION?: Not in the way the Dotharl think of it, at least

POLITICAL ALIGNMENT: The Eorzean Alliance thinks they’re on their side but they’re ready to bite their hands for the sake of native tribes at any time so they better watch their fucking selves (threatening Merlwyb’s breach of the deal with the kobolds with a knife.png)

EDUCATION LEVEL: What education level do you call being a highly skilled dragoon and white mage along with being a master artisan. They prefer learning through oral tradition and doing, so they’re not much for reading, but they can make their way through stuffy tomes if they have to (can u say Master Tomes).

►FAMILY.

MOTHER: Kharachar (deceased)

FATHER: Sorocan

SIBLINGS: None.

EXTENDED FAMILY: Who knows...........

NAME MEANING/S: [MADE UP FANTASY NAME] but let’s say it means something like Stars

► FAVORITES.

BOOK: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

DEITY: Nhaama

HOLIDAY: Starlight. They like being Generous. Fucking dork.

MONTH: do they make a difference when seasons just change wildly between wherever they’re going

SEASON: Autumn.

PLACE: The Twelveswood

WEATHER: Sunny and cloudy.

SOUND/S: uhhhhhhhhhhh

SCENT/S: worn leather

TASTE/S: mild sweetness. food in the shape of animals is their favorite (shoutout to pastry fish)

FEEL/S: Snugness. Like when you have 5 blankets on top of you.

ANIMAL/S: All of them

NUMBER: 14 (do u GET IT!!!!!!!!!)(no i dont have anything)

COLORS: Black, navy blue

► EXTRA.

TALENTS: master crafter baybey. they’re the sort that can’t be left idle for long w/o spiraling into an anxious mess so when they’re not adventuring they’re huddled away in a workshop making something or other. building and making and cooking have always been tools of survival, so they simply see it as an extension of that skillset.

aside of that: their Battle Prowess - they’ve been trained in the lance and hunting since they could walk, practically. they’ve also dabbled in conjury to ensure a degree of versatility on the battlefield, and then white mage-ness fell onto their lap. this is kind of a tough spot because gridania’s xenophobia makes their teeth grind.

BAD AT: any sort of social interaction or smooth talking whatsoever. all the points that’d go into charisma went to everything else. they don’t make a fool of themself just because they just... don’t speak, most of the time.

TURN ONS: kindness, affection, the drive to do what’s right, thinking of others, selflessness, Legs for Days.

TURN OFFS: lack of compassion, superiority complexes, cruelty, arrogance

HOBBIES: c r a f t i n g, cooking and baking particularly

TROPES: Cool Mask+In The Hood, The Silent Bob/Protagonist, All-Loving Hero, The Determinator, Broken Ace

QUOTES: “I do not love the bright sword for its sharpness, nor the arrow for its swiftness, nor the warrior for his glory. I love only that which they defend.”

"Just because i carry it well does not mean it is not heavy."

► MUN QUESTIONS.

Q1: If you could write your character your way in their own movie, what would it be called, what style would it be filmed in, and what would it be about?

A1: just a cool fuckin fantasy movie with action scenes and a shirtless elf somewhere. something abt the power of being Kind but not being a Weenie Pushover.

Q2: What would their soundtrack/score sound like?

A2: idk if i could say their entire Score, but their leitmotif would be soft and a little melancholy with a hopeful Surge near the end [with startled realization] like ardbert’s theme but a bit less sad

Q3: Why did you start writing this character?

A3: to be perfectly honest: jesse and i just wanted to write sbdy riding estinien+nidhogg’s dick LMAOOO monsterfuckers make some noise. they did not even have a set appearance or story until i started chiseling away at them

Q4: What first attracted you to this character?

A4: i was like “what’s to stop me from never giving them a gender and making them fat, HUH” squeenix get owned challenge

Q5: Describe the biggest thing you dislike about your muse.

A5: it’d be literally impossible to RP them with anyone who isn’t my babe with whom i can just shoot the shit because 1. they are the warrior of light. their Character and Journey wouldn’t work as Just An Adventurer that seems to be the norm in the FFXIV RP scene (which is just fine i wuv it) 2. they don’t. speak. at least, not any more than they have to. they would not work in a regular RP setting at all. they cannot hold a conversation for the life of them, and they don’t reach out to people. their only connections are really whatever canon has thrown at them.

tbh these aren’t even things i dislike, just Observations??? they are my sweet asocial being and i adore them.

i hate that i cant actually play them properly in-game because squeenix is allergic to fat people and the female au ra model animations are so fucking unbearably feminine WE GET IT, SOMEHOW YOU THINK ALL STEPPE WARRIORS WOULD BE DAINTY LITTLE DAMSELS AAAAAAAAAA

Q6: What do you have in common with your muse?

A6: fat, nonbinary, autistic.

Q7: How does your muse feel about you?

A7: {/shrug}

Q8: What characters does your muse have interesting interactions with?

A8: pours out me and my fiancee’s RPs. their journey with estinien was fun (tentative allies to he almost killed me to tentative allies but i dont fucking trust you motherfucker to oh he has a thing for me but im taken to oh im not taken anymore and im dying inside to also i guess its back to killing each other again to we eventually fucked?)

and it’s always fun to write them breaking their absolute silence to offer some wisdom or completely eviscerate another character in five words or less. called magnai an arrogant prick to his face. told off thancred for being mean to ryne. cut emet-selch off in the middle of a speech. absolutely ruthless.

Q9: What gives you inspiration to write your muse?

A9: the entire game TBHHHH especially bc the whole thing i have built up w jesse is just “ok imagine this in the msq... but estinien was there too.” that and fixing what canon makes me want to throttle the writers over (no. we don’t nod in sympathy to sad fascists). so i guess just writing ffxiv but better and gayer (which is still part of the Better thing).

Q10: How long did this take you to complete?

A10: uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh do the hours i just shoved this away into my drafts count.

[ribbonshades]

☾  identity

It was much harder than any other game Charles had played, and he didn’t think he would win. It was days of willing his frail body to keep running away from Noise and Reapers, hiding in the alleyways of London and ducking into store fronts to survive. No matter where he went, though, he knew that the Composer had her eyes on him the whole time and that she decided arbitrarily who wouldn't move on at the end of each day, anyway. Luckily for him, she seemed to have a soft spot for the shy, defenseless ones. Soft to the point of being rotten, probably. 

"It's Charles," he'd mumble every time she got his name wrong. 

"Oh, I'm sorry, dear. Your name is written [REDACTED] in your soul, you see. It's nothing personal, love." Eliza waved her continuous mistake off, making his heart sink to his stomach. But he was too timid to say anything more. 

"You're so precious, [REDACTED]," she'd say, insistently reaching forward and brushing her thumb over his cheek. He flinched away from the touch, only ending up with her repeating the process, more roughly this time. "I love mixed Asian girls, I can't wait to doll you up," she went on. Charles felt numb, ice seeping in his bones. She'd smile serenely and bid him well on the day's mission. Day after day, he wondered if he should have joined Mom and Dad if it meant sparing him this. 

In the end, she and her preferential treatment were the only reasons he survived the Game. Someone he didn't recognize stood next to her when the end of it came. They looked otherworldly, high strung, sympathetic, tired. They reminded him of the only teacher he had that referred to him as a boy. He felt like he could trust them.

"Charles, correct?" the newcomer said. His face brightened and he nodded. "Ah, good. Well, congratulations on winning the Game. It has been quite a week, mm?" 

Eliza was nearly bubbling over with excitement, already her basket was full of 5 pairs of new, lamp shaped wings and Charles could feel that she wanted him to be her sixth. He swallowed and tried to keep his eyes up on the stranger in front of him. 

"You may come back to life, or you may live the rest of your existence in the London UG, as a Reaper. What would you like to do?" the figure said. 

"Uhm… I… have a question…" Charles mumbled. 

"Yes, dear?"

"My parents… they're gone, right…?" he said, swallowing back heavy tears in his throat. The stranger gave a small, weary sigh. 

"Yes, I'm afraid so. Do you have other family that would take you in?" they asked, their brow knit with the slight worry they allowed themself to show. 

"... No," Charles exhaled. He truly didn't know what would be the better option. If he went back to the RG, he would be forced to live as someone he wasn't, without his medications that served as his lifeline. He may even be strong enough to end it all, if it came to that point. But if he stayed in the UG, while he would still struggle to live as Charles, his body would stay the same. He could escape, one day. And, well, if it didn't go favourably, he supposed he had the option of ending it all then, too. 

Charles shivered. Eliza was watching him with wide, glassy blue eyes, her silver hair in curls framing her face. 

"I'll… become a Reaper," he said, looking up at the angelic figure with tears welling in his eyes. 

"... Alright. If that is what you wish, Charles." 

-x-

He was whisked into a whirlwind of a first few days as a Reaper. He was given a dormitory to live in, a small one bedroom with a communal bathroom, the wings separated by gender. His closet was full of tartan skirts and blazers that he resented, the desk piled high with books on the UG, Reaper powers, and the history of London. As soon as he was settled and dressed appropriately in the wrong gender’s uniform, he was subjected to various tests that drew out his Reaper power and tested his Noise Form. 

"Shadow powers? Oh, that is lovely, [REDACTED], I've been needing a new Reaper in the Espionage department," Eliza gushed. The pile on his desk grew higher with texts on spying and assassination techniques. He was assigned a number, used in place of his old name when necessary. He almost liked the number better.

His only respite was Allen, the only person who seemed to be able to keep Eliza in check. Charles couldn't quite tell what gender they were either, though Eliza referred to them as a woman, as Alexandra. He wondered if that was the reason why they were the only one to call him Charles. He decided he liked them, and he looked forward to spending time with them, whenever he could, and upon seeing the amount of work they did for the city, he gained a great respect for them. 

"Say, have you ever wanted to alter your appearance or anything?" they had asked one day while they were eating crumpets for afternoon tea time. 

"Ah– Uhm, sometimes…" he responded, nearly dropping the butter knife into his cup. They knew very well that he did, why were they bringing this up? 

"You've always seemed a tad uncomfortable in your skin, Charles. What would you change?" They smiled knowingly. 

"Well… I guess I want to look cooler… like an albino bunny?" he said, tilting his head. 

"Aha, bunnies are cute though!" Allen smiled, leaning back. He felt his lips move on their own, cracking a small smile himself. 

Other than those rare, fleeting moments, Charles endured his day to day, undergoing harsh training to optimize his powers and to sharpen his skills as an assassin. He was showered with praise and unwanted affection from Eliza, with comparisons to various female, Asian assassins in media. 

"Oh, but you wouldn't turn against me like some of them do, will you, love?" Eliza smiled, leaning in and giving him a kiss on the forehead. 

The thought never occurred to him, but after he mulled over the possibility, he couldn't stop thinking about it. 

-x-

Once it was all done, Charles left a note on his pillow addressed to Allen and fled the city. He sunk into his shadow the instant the rest of Eliza's body dissipated into static, only narrowly catching the salute of gratitude from the newly crowned Composer. Truly, there was no real threat to staying in London, but he didn't want to wait around to be employed by the new monarch and to spend eternity repeating the last two years. He appeared somewhere outside the bounds of the city, where he wasn't sure if his powers would be as reliable anymore. With nowhere else to go, he did what any respectable Brit on the run would do and boarded a train to Paris. RG or UG, he knew any Parisian would help him in his escape if they knew he was trying to get away from London.

With some luck and a shaky conversation in half English and half French, he ran into a winged man who he knew would be able to help him. Charles briefly explained an embellished version of the truth, though the man connected his story of "I was wrapped up in a political scandal" with the news of Queen Eliza meeting her demise and was delighted to help him. 

"Please, do stay 'ere!" the man offered, "I can only 'ope to assist ze one who ‘az liberated London!" 

"Uhm… Do you know who could change my appearance, maybe…?" Charles asked, tugging on his hair nervously.

Somehow, Paris was a vain enough district that there were powerful Reapers who's sole purpose was cosmetic alterations. He was face to face with yet another Reaper whose gender he couldn't determine at first glance. 

"Ah… S'il vous plaît, uhm… Cheveux… court? Courts? Et blanc? Blanche? E-et, les yeux… rouge," he stuttered, holding up a picture of the haircut he wanted. The Reaper clicked their tongue and nodded. 

"Rouge vif ou foncé?" they responded, and jesus christ Charles would have to learn French fast if he wanted to stay here. 

"Vif… ah… comme ça, ici–" Charles pointed at a bright red fabric scrap hanging from the Reaper's belt. They gave a thumbs up and gestured for him to get onto the table and lay down. The procedure itself was quick and painless, and he couldn't help but smile when a mirror was brought to show him his new reflection. 

"C'est tout pour vous aujourd'hui?" the Reaper asked, tilting their head. Charles took a breath. He had blindly trusted Allen and gotten favourable results there, so… 

"Ah, euh… Aussi… Ici…?" Shakily, Charles pointed his hand downwards to the bottom of his torso. The Reaper watched him and waited for him to continue. 

"... Efface-là, s'il vous plaît." 

-x-

He spent almost two years district hopping across Europe, learning several languages along the way. It was wonderful, having freedom. He relished being able to dress how he wanted, being able to use his powers for something less ugly for once, focusing on learning how to configure his stealth powers into various cute animal forms. His tour ended in France again, this time in the southern city of Marseille as a bunny hopping around the gardens flanking the mansions. The day was just beginning, and Charles was just basking in the sun for a spell when–

"Papa! Un lapin!" 

He peeked his eyes open to see a young boy run out of the terrace area towards him. A girl stood at the door warily, watching her brother move with such little restraint over a grey lop in the grass. Charles was picked up into the boy's arms and brought inside, placed on a cushion and fought for in frantic, accented French that he couldn't quite understand fully. It seemed that the mother was trying to argue that they couldn't take care of a bunny, and the boy fired back that they should at least take care of him until they find the owner. It was one phrase in specific that had him, though. 

"Nous pouvons être sa famille!" 

At that, he burrowed closer to the boy. The mother conceded and instructed a butler to purchase supplies to temporarily house a bunny. In the meantime, the boy hugged him, victorious. 

"Je m'appelle Jean, Monsieur Lapin! Et vous?" the boy grinned. His sister sighed and came over to pet him on the head, too. Charles wondered if he could imprint an RGer from this form, seeing that he asked his name– so he tried it, suggesting his own name in Jean's head. 

"Hm… il ressemble à… Charles!" Jean grinned and squeezed Charles more, the latter utterly confused at how it worked, despite the French accent making his name something quite different. Moreover, considering how Charles was very much not a French name in the least, it will be interesting to see how he justifies this to his parents. 

Nobody minded, though, and the missing bunny posters went largely ignored. Once two months had passed, the father patted his head and announced that the rabbit was now part of the Duvert family. 

Charles' nose wiggled happily at having one again. 

-x-

After years of obsessively consuming anime and video games, Charles could barely believe that he was now living in Japan. As a bunny, of course– he couldn't get away with running off for a week quite as often as he did before, but he knew Carel's schedule and he knew how to teleport out of his cage, so he spent many a day loitering around Shibuya until it was time to head back home.

It was a lovely routine, though it lasted only months. That December, Jean died in an accident that Charles knew resulted in him playing a game. He wanted to go to where he died and work the game and ensure his survival, but Carel's grief was too much for her to bear by herself. Charles steeled himself, hoping that he could come back and waiting for the day Carel's memories of his death were wiped, to no avail. 

Wanting answers, Charles waited for a time where Carel would be out of the house for longer periods of time and took a train to Kawasaki, where Jean died. 

"Haha, you're gonna get erased if you don't keep up, newbie!" Jean laughed horridly, blood from his last erasure still speckled on his glasses. 

"I'm… keeping up…" Charles gritted his teeth, keeping an eye out for the partner of the Player he had erased earlier that day. 

"Sure you are. You couldn't keep up with me, I bet," Jean retorted, licking his lips. Charles squeaked as Jean moved closer into his space, his arm resting on the wall behind him. "Maybe you can keep up in other ways, though. What do you say?" he asked, his voice lowered. 

"N-no thank you," Charles huffed, quickly slipping into his shadow to safety. The district had done awful things to Jean, and Charles couldn't bear to see more. He made an effort to avoid Jean for the rest of the game and slipped away from Kawasaki as soon as he was able. 

-x-

"Charles! I missed you!" Jean said, holding his arms out to hug the bunny. "It's been so long, huh?" 

Not as long as you think, but I'm glad that Carel knows you exist now, Charles thought, snuffling in Jean's arms. 

-x-

"You, ah. Knew I was a Reaper even before I came to Shibuya?" 

"Uhm… yeah. I worked a week in Kawasaki while you were there, and…" Charles trailed off, looking to the floor to avoid seeing Jean's reaction. 

"Ah," Jean responded, "I remember now. I, uh… I'm sorry." 

"Be sorry to yourself, you tried to get your pet bunny in bed with you," Charles scoffed. 

"H-hey, I was just like that back then, it was a phase–!" Jean squawked indignantly, failing to save face. 

"A phase is something that ends, Jean…" Charles tsked, turning back to his newly decorated room. He heard Jean sputtering more behind him as he closed the door. 

-x-

A few months after becoming Conductor, Charles sat down with Jean and told him how he became a Reaper. It went exactly as he thought, Jean crying on behalf of him and wallowing in pity that wasn't even for him. 

"Sorry," Jean breathed, wiping his glasses, "I just can't believe everyone has gone through hell. Please tell me you're happier now, where you are." 

Charles reached forward and swiped his thumb over Jean's teary eyes, wicking away more moisture, his palm resting on his cheek. Jean's eyes widened at the gesture, having never seen Charles be that physically intimate with him before. 

"I'm much happier now that I can finally be who I am. So, thank you, Jean." Another rare smile surfaced on Charles' face, and the combination seemed to be too much, as Jean burst into fresh tears right after. 

-x-

With approved leave, Charles arrived back in London, almost 15 years after he last left. He was dressed smartly, a dark grey suit with a red tie, and a pair of rabbit shaped cuff links that Jean had lent him for good luck. He still remembered well the way towards the entrance of the God's Palace, and his feet led him there without much thought. Once just inside, he approached the reception. 

"Hello, I'm the Conductor of Shibuya, here to meet with the Producer of London," he said. The receptionist looked over the schedule and gestured for him to sit down. It was a short wait before Allen appeared at the door, looking a little confused at having a meeting with a foreign Conductor, though the answer was clear as day as soon as they laid eyes on the man sitting in front of him. 

"You're alive," Allen remarked once they had gone outside for privacy. 

"I am." 

"You're also taller than me now," they laughed, looking up. With the slight heel of his shoe, Charles was indeed 5 inches taller than he was before. He chuckled and took a seat on a bench nearby, Allen following suit. 

"What made you reach out? I thought you'd never come back with the letter you left me," they said, their hands folded in their lap. 

"I was telling my friend… the Composer, about how I became a Reaper, and I realized that I never got to thank you." Allen tilted their head, a brow raised.

"For not intervening in Eliza's assassination? I mean, I'm not supposed to get involved in that, but–" 

"For seeing me as Charles. Honestly, I don't think I would have held onto that if nobody saw me as who I am for two years," Charles explained, a serene smile on his face. Allen smiled widely. 

"Of course I would have. You saw me as Allen, too." They smoothed out their skirt, their smile widening into a grin. "Might I say, you're looking quite sharp. Almost made me swoon when I saw you."

Charles' cheeks pinkened slightly, though he was a large contrast to the flustered mess he would have been even a few years ago. "I did some growing up," he replied nonchalantly, bravado enough to keep an air of confidence up. 

They talked for hours, catching up from over the years, walking around the city Charles had called home for half his life. He felt reacquainted enough with the city by the time that he had to go.

"Thank you for meeting with me, Allen." Charles held his hand out to theirs; confused, they placed it in his. As was his nightly routine so many years ago, he knelt down to a knee and kissed the back of their hand, eliciting a startled noise from them. 

"H-hey, you don't need to do this again–" they sputtered. Charles looked up from his position and smiled. 

"It's the ultimate sign of respect here, isn't it? I'm doing it because I want to, not because I have to," he responded, getting back up afterwards. "Either way… keep in touch. I'd love to come visit again when I can, I didn't realize how much I missed London." 

"London's a home for you, Charles. Come back anytime, okay?" Allen grinned again, taking a step back to let them part ways. 

"Thank you, Allen. Take care," Charles said, letting go of their hand. He waved as he slid into his shadow to make the journey back home, feeling light and fulfilled. 

[makeste]

Index of BnHA Stuff (Essays/Metas/Misc.) (old version)

this is part two of my giant index of all my BnHA chapter recaps, essays, and so forth (see part one for more on why I split them up). the other indexes are linked below.

index of the indexes:

manga recaps (no spoilers)

essays/metas/misc.

anime recaps/other anime stuff

fic recs

manga recaps cont. (spoilers)

---

part two of the index (essays, metas, and so forth) is below the cut.

(ETA: this is the original version of my bnha meta index! it is not sorted by category, and is in chronological posting order with both spoiler and non-spoiler posts. I’m keeping the post up because I know some people have it saved for reference, but moving forward all new metas will be added to my two new indexes instead:

essays/metas/misc (no spoilers)

essays/metas/misc (spoilers)

this post is current to about chapter 277 or thereabouts. anyways, that’s all!)

---------------------------------------

essays/metas/misc.:

---------------------------------------

(tag: bnha meta)

(also please take note of posts marked with **manga spoilers**!)

BnHA Bonus Rant: Top 10 Anime Betrayals (a.k.a. who is the U.A. Traitor)

BnHA Bonus Rant #2: Dad for One (a.k.a. All for One is Deku’s dad)

Nighteye Deserved Better: The Essay

on superhero culture in BnHA, and Horikoshi’s concept of what makes a hero

and part 2 of the above, featuring a lot of rambling about Bakugou

the good, the bad, and the basement (a.k.a. my list of pros and cons of the Overhaul Arc) (this one has some very good replies from @elanorpam and @herongale (who I can’t tag for some reason) in the comments that are honestly more worth reading than my initial post lol)

BnHA Bonus Rant #3: “Kacchan”

BnHA Bonus Rant #4: Bakumom

top ten characters as of March 2019 (**manga spoilers**)

regarding the parallels and contrasts between Deku and Gentle

on fandom’s response to chapter 192  (**manga spoilers**)

on Endeavor and whether or not he can be redeemed (**manga spoilers**)

piecing together the whole Dabi thing and the Todoroki flashbacks (**manga spoilers**)

and an addendum to that which isn’t actually my meta (credit to @baezetsu) but is cool regardless so I’ll link it here (**manga spoilers**)

ranking of the class B kids’ quirks (**manga spoilers**)

weird theory post related to the you-know-whats from chapter 193 (**manga spoilers**)

my predictions for future arcs, as of chapter 228 or thereabouts (**manga spoilers**)

“could you do a meta about Bakugou’s expression in chapter 40?” (yes. yes I can)

the new BakuDeku status quo (**manga spoilers**)

“do you think Bakugou is unusually divisive for a shounen rival?”

Top 10 Favorite Bakugou Moments

on Shigaraki Tomura and whether or not he can be redeemed (**manga spoilers**)

U.A. Traitor Theory 2: Electric Boogaloo (**manga spoilers**)

favorite BnHA arcs ranked (**manga spoilers**)

“When there’s a wall before your eyes... you smile.” (a.k.a. my giant essay about Bakugou and winning) (**manga spoilers**)

BnHA Bonus Rant # 5: All for One for All (**manga spoilers**)

Top 10 Favorite Deku Moments (**manga spoilers, but tagged**)

“how do you feel about Izuku and Ochako’s romance in the story so far?” (**manga spoilers**)

"when you say Shigaraki will be ‘redeemed’, what exactly does that mean?” a.k.a. another essay about Tomura and whether or not he deserves redemption (**manga spoilers**)

“how do you think Bakugou feels about Izuku choosing ‘Deku’ as his hero name?”

on AFO and his intentions regarding his “heir” (**manga spoilers**)

Favorite BnHA OST Tracks

BnHA Bonus Diversion: Horikoshi’s Sketches

probably like my 500th rant about Deku and Kacchan and their confused relationship (**manga spoilers**)

some musing about the upcoming plot and a forthcoming character interaction (post-ch. 242) (**manga spoilers**)

a hero under construction (a.k.a. essay 700-b about Bakugou, this time specifically about him being a complete and utter shithead in the first chapter, and why he’s still my favorite anyway)

why Kaminari Denki is not the U.A. traitor (and why the traitor is actually Hagakure) (**manga spoilers**)

ITP: an incomplete but lovingly assembled list of people who have it out for my kid (a.k.a. my ranking of possible main antagonists for Bakugou) (**manga spoilers**)

some very brief metaing about chapter 244, the possible implications of Bakugou and Deku reading a certain book, and a potential storm looming on the horizon between Bakugou and a certain other character (**manga spoilers**)

“what I lack” (a.k.a. a chapter 247-prompted essay about Bakugou’s continuing journey as a person) (**manga spoilers**)

a quick meta about Bakugou’s lack of a tragic past, and why I think that’s important

what we could have been (a.k.a. an essay about the differences in Deku and Bakugou compared to All Might and Endeavor) (**manga spoilers**)

“what purpose does our strength serve?” (a.k.a. what Bakugou learned about himself in the latest arc, and what choice he may have settled on) (**manga spoilers**)

meta about what “Kacchan” would potentially mean as a hero name (**manga spoilers**)

some reactions to Horikoshi’s 12/22/19 interview with Cinema Today Japan, particularly his remarks about Bakugou

the mortifying ordeal of being known... and rejected (a.k.a. an essay about the importance of Bakugou and Deku’s bond and how Bakugou secretly fears losing it) (**manga spoilers**)

some predictions on who is & isn’t making it out of the latest arc (**manga spoilers**)

why I think a traitor plot would be good for Hagakure’s development (**manga spoilers**)

so, Heroes Rising (a.k.a. my thoughts on the second BnHA movie) (**manga spoilers**) (**spoilers for Heroes Rising**)

receive, and entrust (or, my rambling thoughts about That One Thing that happens at the end of Heroes Rising) (**manga spoilers**) (**and again, spoilers for Heroes Rising, obviously**)

some more thoughts about Hagakure being the traitor and even possibly being a certain someone’s sister (**manga spoilers**)

killing is not so easy as the innocent believe (a.k.a. a very misguided essay about Hawks lmao) (**manga spoilers**)

some rambling about legacies, and opening up, and All Might has two sons more at 11 (a.k.a. a discussion of Bakugou and Deku and their relationships with All Might) (**manga spoilers**)

a ranking of all the kids in U.A.’s first year by how likely they are to murder a bitch (**manga spoilers**)

my take on a certain someone’s hotly debated actions in chapter 266 (**manga spoilers**)

on Shigaraki Tomura and his motivations and current goals (**manga spoilers**)

some speculation about the role a certain recently-resurrected character might play in regards to the battle against Tomura (**manga spoilers**)

literally just a giant post of Bakugou faces

a series of posts about how short Dabi is (shh, he’s sensitive) - 01 - 02 - 03 - 04 (**manga spoilers**)

“what do you think about the sexualization of the girls in the anime/manga?” (**manga spoilers**)

“how do you feel about the anime changing things from the manga?”

some thoughts about the occasional sexualization of the boys in BnHA as opposed to the girls, and why the two things aren’t equivalent

a theory about Deku (and One for All)’s connection to All for One (**manga spoilers**)

“being a hero means protecting everyone” (or, my thoughts on Katsuki’s character growth as of chapter 274) (**manga spoilers**)

my thoughts on Shouto sometimes being left out of BKDK antics, and the TDBKDK dynamic and how it works in the series

“...just to protect you.” (a.k.a. "why Deku still hasn’t told anyone else about OFA”) (**manga spoilers**)

some brief musings on why I think [insert spoiler character] is going to lose their quirk (**manga spoilers**)

some more meta about why said character losing their quirk would kickstart some long-awaited character development (**manga spoilers**)

obstacles do not block the path -- they are the path (a.k.a. yet another meta about this person losing their quirk, and how the series has been foreshadowing it, and why I think it should happen) (**manga spoilers**)

a bit of a rant about the ratio of male to female characters in the series, and why Horikoshi had better not mess with the lady heroes we do have (**manga spoilers**)

some speculation on a certain character’s future role in the series after the injuries they sustained in chapters 267& 271 (**manga spoilers**)

some brief thoughts on the “Eri can just heal such and such” theories that crop up from time to time (**manga spoilers**)

quick rambly post about my initial thoughts on Bakugou and why I loved him from the start

needlessly long and tangent-y post about whether or not Bakugou should have any more angst in the series, feat. a comparison to various other characters’ traumas just for perspective (**manga spoilers**)

yet more meta about a certain character hypothetically becoming quirkless, and what kind of impact it might have on them, and how they would try to move forward (**manga spoilers**)

“do you think OFA’s secret should be shared with more than Bakugou?” (**manga spoilers**)

top ten characters as of July 2020 (**manga spoilers**)

---------------------------------------

other people’s meta / meta back-and-forth:

---------------------------------------

more essaying about AFO and whether or not he’s the final villain (thequietmanno1) (**manga spoilers**)

on Re-Destro and the source of the “stress” that fuels his quirk (thequietmanno1) (**manga spoilers**)

more discussion about BnHA 237, and the bystander effect (thequietmanno1) (**manga spoilers**)

some meta on chapter 236 regarding Kotaro, [redacted]’s quirk upgrade, and potential ways for AFO to continue tormenting the Shimuras in the future (thequietmanno1) (**manga spoilers**) 

if you’re going to stan a villain, stan them as a villain (a.k.a. some musings on whether liking a character isn’t the same thing as endorsing all of their actions) (waywardhellhound) (**manga spoilers**)

a brief meta on what we know about Kacchan and Deku’s childhood friendship and them knowing each other since they were lil babbies (class1akids) (**manga spoilers**)

[twigstarpikachutroll22]

What is it you like about Trolls? And what did you think of the movie? :)

*i blink once**my eyes widen**i blink twice**slowly a grin spread over my face, wider and wider until it almost looks insane, and my eyes get bigger and bigger…*Warning. This is going to be a LOOOOOONG response. And, because I don’t know if you’ve seen the movie, I’ve had to censor some parts of this text to avoid giving too many spoilers. I hope the story of how my life changed forever will be worth it. *Clears throat*

When I went to see Trolls, I expected to get what I usually got out of animated movies. Some awesome characters, an amazing story, quite possibly some great music, a lot of humor, some action, a heartbreaking moment or two, and plenty to keep grinning about for months.But I got a LOT more than I bargained for when I walked into the movie theater that day.I was NOT expecting such a gut-wrenching backstory for [REDACTED]I never would’ve believed there would be SO much more to him and that he could change so much.I never expected the Bergens to be anything but bloodthirsty evil monsters.And everything that happened in that cooking pot? Not to mention afterwards? It was too MUCH for me. So many scenes my brain could not fully process. My brain didn’t WANT to fully process them. I couldn’t accept that Branch could [REDACTED]. I couldn’t accept that the Bergens could be [REDACTED] and could not just be Troll-eating monsters.I left the movie theater that day with my jaw slack and my eyes goggly, thinking, “that was the craziest thing I have EVER seen.”But somehow, Trolls was ALWAYS on my mind. To an insane degree.I was constantly reliving and fangirling over all the random funny scenes and the incredibly catchy songs. I watched every internet clip I could find. I read the wiki pages. I memorized all kinds of stuff. Everything reminded me of Trolls. Pizza–Gristle and Bridget! High fives–Cloud Guy! The color blue–a certain scene that made me gape into the distance with goggly eyes and a slack jaw whenever I thought about it! Everything was an opportunity to make a Trolls reference, even if nopony understood it except for me.Heck, I was blurting out random quotes from it at random times. “NO TROLL LEFT BEHIND!” became sort of my catchphrase for the next several months, and some people would yell it whenever they saw me because they knew I was that 7th grade girl who always yelled it for some reason.But really, it was those mind-blowing scenes that resonated the most. The [REDACTED] in Bridget’s hair. True Colors. Somehow, even if my stubborn brain didn’t want to let itself believe them, it became fascinated with them, perhaps even more so than the rest of the movie. When I took a moment to think about them, it would be somewhere quiet on my own, in the bathroom or in bed. And somehow, I started to somehow enjoy the utter shock I experienced every time I relived them.No other movie had ever given me that experience before.And the more I thought about those parts of the movie, the more my mind began to understand them. Began to realize just how good those parts were. How heartwarming and utterly amazing. The Bergens weren’t evil–they were just sad people who wanted to be happy and didn’t think they could be. It was GOOD that [REDACTED]. [REDACTED] was…complicated. In a great way. He was a thousand levels of awesome, not just one. And it was incredible and awe-inspiring, really, how far he came. Not to mention his [REDACTED] are AMAZING.I’m a person who lives strictly within my comfort zone, rarely tries to consider anything new, and usually hates it when I am forced to. Thinking about it, Trolls was actually the first thing EVER that presented me with ideas completely outside of my comfort zone at first that I had actually eventually managed to accept and enjoy.Also, it was just an incredibly positive movie full of positive messages that came about at a good time for me.Trolls came out late in 2016, in the aftermath of what had been THE worst year of my life on a hundred levels, and I was still struggling to get over the experience. But Trolls taught me to always look for the cupcakes and rainbows. To always try to see the best in people and things. That they can be more than what they seem. That people and things can always change for the better. That  there is always a bright side. I began consciously try to think more positively about things, and trying to spread that positivity to people around me, some of whom REALLY seem to need it. And it was partially due to that that I started to actually feel better in my daily life. I’d always been an optimistic and generally happy person, even if I didn’t realize it. But it wasn’t until Trolls came that I realized just how important and how powerful that could be.And at the same time that I was working with both of those things, Trolls was also inspiring me to try some other things I hadn’t given much though to before. I started using glitter in my art projects. And I mean LOTS and LOTS of glitter. I started to sing in public more and more and more (I’d always been told I had a good voice, but I’d always been shy about people hearing me for some reason). I started carrying yellow confetti around in my pockets every day to throw in the air if there was any excuse to (it’s yellow because “i got that sunshine in my pocket,” get it?). And I started throwing big, loud, crazy parties on a certain other website, with tons of fireworks and disco balls and dancing. And y’know what? I LOVED IT. All of it.Within a few months, I went from a kid who was goofy and fun-loving but slightly grouchy, pretty anti-social and incredibly unsure of her life directions… to pretty much a human Poppy. (Although I do like conspiracy theories, and I don’t hug people because physical contact with anypony outside my family is Sensory Heck.)More things came out of the Trolls franchise. A half-hour holiday special. A Netflix cartoon. And yes, I enjoyed them for the fuzzy critters and bright colors and glitter, the amazing singing, the ridiculous humor, and the awesomesaucetastic characters…but I also enjoyed them because they kept giving me moments that would blow my mind and shock me on a dozen levels, but would fascinate me and slowly become my favorite moments ever. Plus there’s a SEQUEL to look forward to in 2020, which I know will knock me off my feet the way the first movie did, perhaps to an even greater degree, and I can’t WAIT!!!!Other movies have given me lots to fangirl about, but as much I fangirled like crazy over Zootopia and The Angry Birds Movie, I’ve probably fangirled WAY harder over Trolls.Other movies have given me incredibly strong feels. But as much as laughed and screamed and gasped and nearly cried during Inside Out, Big Hero 6, and Kung Fu Panda 3, none of them gave me the mind-blowing shocks that Trolls did.And as awesome and amazing as all those movies are, none of them have impacted my perception of the world, and the way I live my life, the way Trolls did.That’s why Trolls is and always will be my all-time favorite movie.At least until the sequel, Trolls World Tour, comes out.Then we’ll see.

:-)

[acidwaste]

hey so it seems i’ve forgot to do a l o t of tag memes, and i’m lucky i drafted a big bunch of them! lots of questions overlapped so i did my best to answer in different ways, sorry for the lateness! also @ the people that tagged me here, i wouldn't hesitate to kill for you

@natcaptor / @gayspaced

name: leon or lionel!

nicknames: literally the only nickname I’ve been referred to is “big gay” and like. word!

gender: im pretty sure im a guy, i have been kinda 🤔🤔🤔 abt my gender identity since around november-ish though

star sign: sagittarius!

height: 6’1! i’m told that I’m tall but my uncle is 6’7 so...

time: 3:36pm rn! ive been watching video essays and binging music all afternoon

birthday: december 9th!

favourite bands: animal collective, beach house, camp cope, car seat headrest, death grips, fleet foxes, florence + the machine, gang of youths, glass animals, gorillaz, hop along, iceage, idles, kero kero bonito, mgmt, miike snow, modest mouse, run the jewels, superorganism, the avalanches, the cat empire, the go! team, the mountain goats, the wombats, xiu xiu

favourite solo artists: alex lahey, anderson .paak, ariana grande, billie eilish, bjork, cashmere cat, charli xcx, courtney barnett, cupcakke, d.r.a.m, eric taxxon, frank ocean, gfoty, hatchie, janelle monae, jeff rosenstock, joanna newsom, jorja smith, jpegmafia, kacey musgraves, kali uchis, kendrick lamar, khalid, kimbra, lorde, mac demarco, madeon, mick jenkins, mitski, oneohtrix point never, perfume genius, ravyn lenae, rina sawayama, serpentwithfeet, sophie, st. vincent, sza, vince staples

song stuck in my head: caramelo duro | miguel // kali uchis! its a bop, miguel is one of the few singers that can convincingly make sex jams

last movie i watched: deadpool 2! it was even better than the first, which is a feat in itself ngl

when did i create my blog: december 2016??? i only started using it properly in february last year tho

last thing i googled: “im in my mums car broom broom.” dont @ me

do i have any other blogs: yeah, plenty actually!! i have blogs for aesthetic (@moltenstar), general inspo (@wverns), flight rising (@szarising, kinda inactive?), and overwatch (@blackhardts) tbh the vast majority of my ‘sideblogs’ are just saved urls H

do i get asks: when i say stupid shit like “rung has the ass of a dilf but the dick of a cockroach”

why i chose my url: that one panel where kobd have a vacation at the acid wastes because fuck its finally canon babey!

following: 1,767, which is kinda horrifying!!

followers: 890?? somehow??? thats almost One Whole Thousand and i don't even make content

average hours of sleep: around 6 or 7!! n e v e r more though

lucky number: 43 and 64!!

instruments: i'm too poor to afford music lessons or instruments jsbddsjknfs

what am i wearing: a grey shirt and nothing on my bottom half so my [redacted] is hanging tf out, i should put on some damn clothes

dream job:  oooo uhhh, i’m studying to get an education degree rn because i’d love to teach children (around grade 3-4s preferably because i'm too jittery to handle anyone younger and older kids probs won't listen to me as much as i lack plenty of assertiveness), but!! i’d honestly love to be a musician, one of those underground ones that get lots of critical acclaim

dream trip: one day i wanna gather up some friends and just go on a road trip! idm where we go to, as long as we just have fun and just! adventure!

favourite foods: rare steak, mashed potatoes, eggs, and energy shakes made with like. fruit / cheese / yoghurt / oats / chia seeds ! protein is a large part of my diet

nationality: new zealand, but living in australia

favourite song right now: best part | daniel caesar // h.e.r - gosh i need to re-listen to daniel’s album again, i don’t remember this beautiful song being there and that’s a crime

@damndesi / @novarebel / @luciform-philogynist

APPEARANCE - I am 5'7 or taller - I wear glasses - I have at least one tattoo (but I am getting a tā moko in December, I believe) - I have at least one piercing (planning to get a nose ring, like a bull!) - I have blonde hair - I have brown eyes - I have short hair - My abs are at least somewhat defined (b a r e l y) - I have or had braces

PERSONALITY - I love meeting new people - People tell me I am funny - Helping others with their problems is a big priority of mine - I enjoy physical challenges - I enjoy mental challenges - I am playfully rude to people I know - I started saying something ironically and now I can’t stop saying it - There is something I would change about my personality

ABILITY - I can sing well - I can play an instrument - I can do over 30 pushups without stopping (barely) - I am a fast runner - I can draw well - I have a good memory - I am good at doing math in my head - I can hold my breath underwater for over a minute - I have beaten at least 2 people arm wrestling - I can make at least 3 recipes from scratch - I know how to throw a proper punch

HOBBIES - I enjoy sports - I’m on a sports team at my school or somewhere else - I’m in an orchestra or choir at my school or somewhere else - I have learned a new song in the past week - I exercise at least once a week - I have gone for runs at least once a week in warmer months - I have drawn something in the past month - I enjoy writing - Fandoms are my #1 priority - I do some form of Martial arts

EXPERIENCES - I have had my first kiss - I have had alcohol (tastes like shit) - I have scored a winning point in a sport - I have watched an entire TV series in one sitting - I have been at an overnight event - I have been in a taxi - I have been in the hospital or ER in the past year - I have beaten a video game in one day - I have visited another country - I have been to one of my favorite bands concerts

MY LIFE - I have one person that I consider to be my Best Friend - I live relatively close to my school/work - My parents are still together - I have at least one sibling - I live in the United States - There is snow where I live right now - I have hung out with a friend in the past month - I have a smart phone - I own at least 15 CDs - I share my room with someone

RELATIONSHIPS - I am in a Relationship - I have a crush on a celebrity - I have a crush on someone I know - I’ve been in at least 3 relationships - I have never been in a Relationship - I have admitted my feelings to a crush - I get crushes easily - I have had a crush for over a year - I have been in a relationship for over a year - I have had feelings for a friend

RANDOM - I have break-danced - I know a person named Jamie - I have had a teacher that has a name that is hard to pronounce - I have dyed my hair - I’m listening to a song on repeat right now - I have punched someone in the past week - I know someone who has gone to jail - I have broken a bone (do fractures count?) - I have eaten a waffle today - I know what I want to do in life - I speak at least two languages (not fluently) - I have made a new friend in the past year

@smstransformers

age: 16

birthplace: auckland, nz

current time: 4:19 pm rn!!!

drink you last had: i just skulled half a liter of water whoops

favourite song: jesus etc. | wilco if we're talking abt an all-time favourite

grossest memory: accidentally swallowing a bee when i was seven years old (somehow nothing bad happened?)

horror, yes or no: not unless it’s an incredibly tame horror t b h, my threshold for scariness is very low

in love: i believe so!

jealous of people: lots of times, over really dumb things

love by first sight or should I walk by again: i believe that infatuation can exist at first sight but true love not so much. wish that could happen tho :C

middle name: shane!

siblings: my sister is eight years old, and my brother is seven!

one wish: EZ, make my anxiety disappear, i’d have a much more productive life

song i last sang: jupiter | haiku hands

time i woke up: 7:13, woke up immediately because i usually like to wake at 6:30

underwear colour: blue + purble

vacation destination: auckland / kingston / sydney!

worst habit: not remembering to make my goddamn bed, it looks like garbage

favourite food: mashed potatoes….

zodiac sign: sagittarius !!!

@alyonian

relationship status:

at the moment i’m single! and while being in a relationship sounds brilliant, the last two relationships i was involved in? didn’t work out to say the least, lucky i’m still young

favourite colour:

it’s been emerald green for the longest time but orange seems to be dethroning it at a steady pace

lipstick or chapstick:

i haven’t used chapstick since i was six but i probably should use it again, water is my substitute rn fdghdgh - and i haven’t ever used lipstick in any capacity? so i’d have to go with the former

last song i listened to:

the space traveller’s lullaby | kamasi washington - i’m trying to get through his second album rn (i left off on the second disk yesterday) and while everything he makes is undeniably amazing, it’s? a three hour album? i don’t have the attention span for his spiritual jazz, as great as it is

last movie:

monsters inc is playing on the television right now, i’ll go with that! the animation aged kinda badly but it’s still such a fun movie! sidenote: james p. sullivan? a childhood crush, so this gives me memories

top 3 tv shows/podcasts/comics:

i rarely, if ever, venture into these forms of media but! if i had to answer, i’d say;

unbreakable kimmy schmidt / parks & recreation / luke cage

taz / mbmbam (i havent like. watched a full episode of either but they seem cool,)

tf idw / …………. yeah that’s it, i’ve never read anything else. probably should!

additional favs:

my friends, writing (in theory), listening to video essays, learning music theory + instruments and understanding audio production software

top 3 bands / artists:

HHH okay if i had to limit my choices to just three artists, uh. lorde, the mountain goats, and sophie. i couldnt even fit janelle in i hate th is

----------------------------------

@alyonian

color(s): light colors are always nice and pleasant, though anything peachy and sandy are the best! orange (specially pastel orange) is like. the best thing

last band t-shirt i bought: usually merchandising is very expensive and i dont have the money to accommodate that, but like. i do recall having a wiggles shirt when i was five. i wore it all the time, shjdjgsksd im sure that counts

last band i saw live: i almost went to splendor in the grass last year with family, which wasn't only cool since i’ve never been out of the state since i immigrated - the festival was in queensland, which is around a two hour flight from victoria - but the lineup was pretty fuckin lit too! the xx, haim, peking duk, tash sultana, future islands, vallis alps, a.b original,, i was p excited! unfortunately my uncle fell ill and so they had to give the tickets to extended family :( otherwise, i haven't been to a single concert in my life

last song i listened to: street fighter mas | kamasi washington - up to this song on the album and i really fuckin dig this! also the video is hypnotizing

last movie i watched: monsters inc is about to finish and up next is monsters university! which like…. honestly, this is an extremely unpopular opinion but, i like it just as much as the original? my opinion might be skewed because i’m a monster [hugger], but i like everything abt the movie! except for the finale of the scare games and the last five minutes of the movie, both were just. dreadful.

last three tv shows i watched: if aggretsuko counts that’s the last series i watched of my own volition, which is a miracle in itself considering that’s legit only the second anime i’ve watched to completion (the first being shirokuma cafe, which i probably need to re-watch). otherwise, the last two shows i had beared witness to were thirteen reasons why and queer eye bc my cousin put them on! that first show i could completely do without but queer eye is iconique

last 3 characters i identified with: grimlock (legit. all of them), urdnot grunt (mass effect) and vector the crocodile (sth), i’m not sure what this says about me other than Big

book(s) i’m currently reading: i’m reading ‘maus’ by art spiegelman at the moment, for the third time i believe? i believe my classmates are supposed to be writing an essay on this next term and shit, this novel is heartbreaking, i haven't been this emotional when reading a book than… ever, really. it’s a recommendation of the highest caliber

@victorion

name: leon / lionel, i picked up the second name because i was in a server with an admin that was also a Leon™

nickname: besides ‘Big Gay’ i also have the nickname ‘lemon lion’ which is! nice!!

zodiac sign: archer man

height: Tall™

language(s) spoken: english / some maori + italian

fav fruit: watermelons (only when in season)

fav scent: the smell of a freezer tbh? it just smells Nice i don’t know how to properly explain it

fav season: spring! the breezes are welcoming without being overbearingly freezing

fav color: ornge,,,,

fav animal: SHARKS + CROCS + FERRETS

coffee, tea or hot chocolate: tea! with some milk tho

average hrs of sleep: too little

fav fictional character: One character?????? uhhhhhhh……. like. biggest cc right now is either idw skids or oz from monster prom

no. of blankets you sleep with: depending on my mood but i’d say the average is like, 3??

fav songs: i quickly whipped up some songs i listen to

fav artists: i came to the realization that i like acts that are considered ‘bad’ like maroon 5/drake/lil yachty etc in specific doses… i wouldn't call them good yet, but! i have no beef and thats good

fav books: remember ‘where the wild things are’??? that shit was like. literal childhood, man.. :happytears: i really need to look for a copy again

@thonany-klieme

name: leon / lionel, interchangeable really

gender: male, im probs an nb guy

star sign: sagittarius!

height: 6’1

sexuality: gay??? im not sure, im mostly attracted to other guys but i have had very brief crushes on girls + nb people? sexuality’s confusing so im gonna just latch to the gaybel (gay label) for now

lock screen image: its the album cover of 1992 deluxe by princess nokia, tho it was “T Hanos” a few days ago since i change it often - my home screen is venom but his torso says ‘fuck machine’

ever had a crush on a teacher: no??

where do you see yourself in ten years: ideally i’m teaching kids math n english, realistically i’m probably going down with the political climate

if you could go anywhere, where would you go: new zealand!! or the netherlands

what was your favorite halloween costume: halloween is not big at all where i live, the only time i tried trick or treating was when i was like 7?? i threw a bedsheet on myself and pretended to be a ghost, though since there were no eyeholes + the sheet was blue, it looked more like i was just a moving lump

last kiss: never had one

have you ever been to las vegas: nah and i dont plan to?? how do you handle regular days of 40C wtf

favorite pair of shoes: i have this pair of jandals that ive worn for a fair bit longer than my other pair of shoes, tho i only wear them in summer + very warm nights

favorite book: ngl its. ‘the very hungry caterpillar’ by eric carle. i just, love it alot and i cant explain w h y

[vinniekpop]

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{By Selecting 'I Agree' You Are Consenting to Receive Confidential Information that, if Disclosed, Could Be Dangerous to All Parties Involved:  For The Purpose of Preventing the Unauthorized Disclosure of Confidential Information, All Parties Accessing this Database Agree to Enter Into a Confidential Relationship Concerning the Disclosure of All Proprietary and Confidential Information. Violation of this is Punishable Under {{{REDACTED}}} Law. This Agreement is Binding.}

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[Excerpt From the Recovered Files of Dr. Ira Ehrlich, World Historian]

THE DESOLATION: A BRIEF HISTORY

In the year 2100 a star in the Vela Constellation known as Velorum A went supernova.

A part of the Gamma Velorum star system; what was referred to as a singular celestial body was in all actuality a spectroscopic binary star; two stars that appear as a single point of light when viewed from a great distance, often shifting between blue and red in color. What was once Velorum A consisted of a blue supergiant and a red wolf rayet star. The wolf rayet star ended its life in a Type IC Supernova. A supernova is an astronomical event that occurs during the last stellar evolutionary stages of a massive star's life; a dramatic and catastrophic destruction marked by one final titanic explosion. This particular type of supernova occurs when the core of the star has been stripped of its outer layer of hydrogen and most of its helium shell. In wolf rayet stars, the loss of the protective outer shell can occur suddenly and the rapid expansion of the inner gases results in the far flinging of materials away from the star. This drives a fast moving shockwave into the surrounding interstellar medium.

In the case of Velorum A, the shockwave drove that celestial detritus from the core of the wolf rayet star into the heart of its neighboring blue supergiant. The supergiant absorbed all that it could, but the resulting build up of energy resulted in the supergiant going supernova as well, not long after the wolf rayet.

The inevitable consequence of these cosmic events was a high dose of gamma radiation that travelled the 840 light years across space to eventually collide with a planet called Earth, burning away a significant portion of its atmosphere, destroying electrical grids, downing planes, and essentially grinding the civilizations that lived there to a resounding halt. This initial event, called the Desolation, marked the beginning of the end for humanity as they knew it.

In the weeks after the radiation hit, the death toll topped ten million and showed no signs of abating. Despite extreme precautions, even the rich and powerful proved to be just as susceptible to the cosmic onslaught as the homeless, the panicked, the reckless, and the everyday citizen. In the months to come, radiation poisoning left more than sixty percent of world leaders dead or dying, along with more than a billion others worldwide. With the government in chaos, fear of anarchy and terrorism followed in its wake. But the terrorists were as busy dying as everyone else.

Urban areas became war zones, with thinning police forces fighting against survivors who looked at the end of humanity as an opportunity for blood, brutality, or profit. Commercial air travel shut down almost immediately, the planes that hadn’t crashed during the initial electrical surges were left abandoned on the runways with no one left to fly them. People tried to outrun what they couldn’t even see, leaving their homes, their cities, even their countries, only to die elsewhere. Others opted to ride the death and destruction out, stockpiling supplies in their homes and apartments- even their office buildings. Locking their doors and windows, guarding against an enemy that was literally in the air around them. They had all the comforts of dying in their own beds.

Those who locked themselves in and managed to survive, clung to sporadic news coverage hoping for a miracle. It wasn’t long until even that was gone, and the Earth fell silent.

The gamma ray burst, while it lasted only a short time, was the cause of long term and sometimes irreversible chemical reactions that took place in the Earth’s atmosphere; mostly involving oxygen and nitrogen molecules. Creating first nitrogen oxide and then nitrogen dioxide, affecting the planet threefold. This depletion of the ozone layer by up to 75% in some areas of the world would last for years to come. This reduction of protective atmosphere dangerously elevated the UV index levels on the surface. Those who survived the initial breakdown of civilization soon succumbed to a bevy of radiation based illnesses.

The nitrogen oxide produced by the depletion of the ozone layer eventually created a sort of photochemical smog which darkened the sky and blocked out parts of the sunlight spectrum. While this helped reduce the amount of people dying from UV exposure, it also negatively affected photosynthesis on the surface, causing a sharp drop in plantlife. This photochemical smog also attributed to the severe cooling of the Earth’s surface, impacting the climate and producing a cosmic winter; a period of prolonged cold weather resulting in the formation of a new glacial period. These phenomenons culminated in a devastating loss of life in the form of plants and the animals and in the mass extinction of other animals higher up on the food chain that relied on those plants eating animals to survive. Ultimately, a further 25% of the remaining human population perished from lack of food.

In the remaining human population, the gamma ray burst along with prolonged exposure to ultraviolet radiation acted as a rapid mutagen, creating sudden changes in the brain’s neurological processes. As a result, individuals began to develop preternatural abilities. Dubbed the Vela Effect, these ‘powers’ often took the form of psychic or accelerated/enhanced physical abilities. Common powers included the ability to manipulate weather or encourage plant growth, all of which were needed to combat the effects of the new Ice Age. Individuals with these gifts were later called the Touched and were instrumental in securing humanity’s survival and future in the days after the Desolation.

Even with the mutagenic advantage, population levels were stagnant. In some areas, the birth rate continued to drop and the death toll continued to rise. The dwindling human population suffered from a lack of resources including clean water, shelter, and renewable energy sources. Human survival became dependent upon people dividing themselves into small, manageable groups. Over the next few decades, those who had survived their brushes with radiation sickness began to note physical changes to go along with the sudden emergence of latent preternatural abilities.

Slowly, they became stronger, faster, and more resilient; while others succumbed to a mysterious illness people began to call the Star-Blight. Marked by a swift mental deterioration, the ill were quickly overwhelmed with madness and became violent and deranged before falling into a sudden coma, followed by heart failure, and then death. An individual could remain ill for years or days before death took them, leaving those around them confused and terrified of who would fall next.

Some viewed the Star-Blight as a form of natural selection; humanity was changing, becoming stronger and more suited to their wild, dangerous new environment. Those who couldn’t handle the change would die. But even with their newfound resilience, life spans were still too short and birth rates remained low. Too Low.

In 2200 the Alpha-Beta-Omega Mutation was first reported. Humanity had changed. Evolution, in an attempt to battle declining birth rates, created a new system in which more of the population could potentially reproduce. Male and Female no longer dictated whether or not a person could bear a child; instead three new ‘dynamics’ or ‘subgenders’ emerged.

Alphas; characterized by their superior strength, protective instincts, and natural leadership abilities as well as an instinctual biological drive to sire children.

Omegas; naturally agile, graceful, nurturing beings whose biological need to bear and raise children made them ideal caretakers; dedicated to preserving peace and fiercely driven to guide and teach future generations.

Betas became the ballast, necessary to provide balance and genetic stability. The most unique amongst the new dynamics, their hormone production is dictated almost entirely by the biological makeup of those around them. If their family group is lacking in alphas, their bodies produce the necessary hormones to fill that role. If they lacked in omegas, the hormones they produced would allow their dormant reproductive organs to mature and enable them to bear children. Without the balancing aspects of Beta DNA, alphas and omegas would cease to exist.

Three a/b/o generations were born before, in 2275, the first people shifted from human to wolf. The ability to take on a primal form was considered by many to be evolution’s ultimate last ditch effort to preserve humanity; by providing them with a weapon in the form of their own bodies and shelter within their own fur. Perhaps the nomadic lifestyle humanity adapted had something to do with the form nature chose for them, but truely, like the development of the strange mutagenic gifts, the origin of the ability to shift would remain a mystery…

In those who were Star-Blighted, the ability to shift was not a blessing, but rather, a curse. People who suffered from Star-Blight found themselves unable to control their shifting. The would shift back and forth between human and wolf at random until one day they would simply get stuck somewhere between the two forms. These monstrosities, called the Rabid, were violent, bloodthirsty beasts that hunted what was left of humanity with a single minded focus. It was considered a blessing for a Star-Blighted family member to pass away before they became one of the most horrifying monsters that haunted their new world.

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[Excerpt From the Recovered Files of Dr. Chae Jeongsik, Professor of Sociology and Post-Desolation Histories]

 POST-DESOLATION: THE WALLS

By 2280, the amount of Rabid roaming free in the wilds of what was once the Korean Peninsula became a real threat to what remained of humanity that called the peninsula their home. To protect themselves, in 2282 it was decided that the isolated packs would return from their self-imposed exile and join together to rebuild select cities, surrounding them with strong walls to keep out the Rabid. They could start over, not only with their own lives but with the story of the human species. They’d have to live simply at first, but they would not have to live primitively. All of humanity’s knowledge was stored away in books and journals. They could rebuild, slowly, with sustainability in mind.

At first, the need for cooperation kept everyone working in cooperation. The need to build up a defensible perimeter quickly and efficiently had to come before anything else. These fledgling cities were collectively known as the Walls. Outside of the Walls, smaller walled villages known as Compounds received resources and militarized protection from the Walls in exchange for their agricultural and industrial contributions; as long as they agreed to follow the law as decreed by the ruling body inside the Walls - The Committee.

Doctors and Scientists became world leaders and as a result, an extensive amount of focus was put on maintaining the status quo between the three dynamics. Large-scale genetic testing was performed and the subgenders were broken down into six distinct genotypes. AA and AB Alphas, OO and OB Omegas, and BB and AO Betas. This research was what led to the initial discovery of just how essential Beta DNA was to ensure the continuation of all three dynamics and that, without the genetic contribution of BB Betas in particular, the dynamics would become unbalanced and humanity would go back to being unable to produce enough offspring to maintain the population.

To prevent this from happening, The Committee declared a ban on all relationships that were not with partners who were ‘genetically compatible’. This regulation has resulted in a culture where betas are often controlled and manipulated by their families for social and political gain. Male betas in particular were prized for their ability to mold themselves to the needs of their community; to assume the role of either alpha or omega in terms of siring or bearing children and in terms of ability.

Some communities inside the Walls, seeing the danger in this new system, sought to re-isolate themselves from this newly reformed version of civilization. They sought to carve out their own place in the world, and so they left the city of Seoul behind to make use of the many islands surrounding the south western side of the peninsula. Teams were sent to clear the Rabid from a large island in the Western Sea known as Saeloun. There, the settlers rehabilitated what was left of the infrastructure of abandoned villages. Over the years the people who settled the island began to worship the moon, as it soon became apparent that the celestial body had an astounding effect on both their bodies and their preternatural abilities.

A religion, built around the story of an Omega called Tal and her two mates, a Male Alpha named Hae and a genderless Beta called Chugun, became the basis of their society. A society that emphasizes a person’s right to live on instinct rather than the cold science that dominated life inside the Walls.

These islanders, called Taliians, lived a life in direct opposition to those inside the Walls, but in a world where humanity was dwindled to nothing more than a smattering of life in varying corners of the world, the two factions let each other live in peace.

On the peninsula in what was once South Korea, initial projects aimed at restoring the major cities and walling them in, but it soon became apparent that without the population the world used to boast, there would be no way to maintain and protect so many fledgling communities. After a particularly devastating series of Rabid attacks, the decision was made to abandon construction in all areas except for Seoul, Daegu, and Busan.

The dwellers of those cities that were to be abandoned were invited to join those inside the Walls and many took them up on this offer. There were, however, those who regarded the ruined cities as their homes, their ancestral pack grounds, and refused to leave them behind for the safety of the Walls. They chose instead to carve out a place for themselves amongst the ruined cityscapes. While they lacked the resources to construct the great walls that surrounded the sanctioned cities, they used their survival instincts to make themselves invisible inside the ruins, relying on hunting and foraging to sustain themselves and eventually became the peoples known collectively as the Wolfolk.

In 2300 the MATCH program was set into motion inside Seoul; a program designed to sustain the population and balance the dynamics at the same time. At the age of five, every child inside the Walls is tested for their subgender and genotype. They are tested a second time at the onset of puberty and added into a pool of potential mates. At eighteen they receive a list of individuals deemed to be more than 95% compatible. They are required to meet with at least one person on the list for at least an hour once a month. Every year an updated list is sent and citizens have until they are twenty-five to choose a mate deemed as ‘compatible’.

After mating, a couple is required to meet their Reproductive Quota. Depending on the population needs in their area of the city, couples will be asked to produce a child of a certain subgender within the next five years to maintain a steady rise in all dynamics for future generations. Most often a second child is required of the couple as well. Any children produced that are not of that subgender are accepted but the couple is still required to produce the requested child. Failing to produce the requested subgender in a timely manner results in a fine. Failure to choose a compatible mate before your twenty-fifth birthday results in a fine. Choosing to mate someone outside of your government approved list of candidates results in a fine. Nothing is done to prevent you from making these choices, but the fines are meant to be harsh enough to discourage anyone from diverging from the approved course of action.

Since the prevailing message from the Committee is that the MATCH Program is ‘for the future’, the attitude of the general public towards those who did not follow the rules is less than favorable. Choosing to follow instincts when it came to finding a mate is seen as a sign of poor self-control and overall selfishness. It is viewed as a person being too emotional and not thinking logically, as them thinking only of themselves and not of the good of the community or of how their actions could affect the future of the city as a whole. People in relationships that couldn’t provide anything ‘beneficial’ were especially looked down upon. Relationships between two individuals that could not produce any offspring were, in particular, regarded with an attitude of confusion and revulsion. For example, a relationship between two male alphas.  

Relationships consisting of more than a single mated pair were outright illegal, with the Committee declaring that those relationships took ‘useful’ DNA out of the available reproduction pool and therefore was a crime against the future of the Walls. Anyone discovered to be in a relationship like that would face forced separation and jail time, and little to no mercy from the public.

That same year in 2300, The Committee announced its blanket ban on shifting inside the Walls, proclaiming that those who shifted into their primal form had a higher likelihood of going Rabid. The Committee declared that those who allowed themselves to give into their base urges and become a literal ‘beast’ were uncivilized and undeserving of a place within the Walls.

One year later, they proclaimed those with mutagenic abilities, called the Touched, to be a danger to society, ordering family and friends to turn those they believed to be Touched over to Enforcement.

Initially, those who were found to be Touched were simply exiled from the Walls and left to fend for themselves out in the Wastes. However, it soon became obvious that individuals with certain abilities were essentially, and therefore those who were deemed useful were rehabilitated and trained as Special Operatives for Enforcement, those deemed dangerous were locked away or killed, and those who were deemed simply unfit for polite society were made to live out the rest of their days inside specially designated Sanatoriums.

In 2320 it became apparent that the MATCH program needed more individuals with unique DNA to sustain itself and so The Committee enacted its plan to bring the Wolfolk into the fold, sending out Enforcement teams to offer them a place inside the city and to take them by force if needed. Orders were given to killing their alphas, bringing their bearers and children back to the Walls. At the same time, they began to spread rumors that the Wolfolk, called the Shameless by Committee propaganda, were dangerous, lawless individuals who abhorred the Walls and everything they stood for. This ensured that the Compounds wouldn’t offer aid to any Wolfolk who managed to escape Enforcement.

The Committee also tightened their control over who could enter and exit the city, effectively trapping those Taliians who came to the city for things like specialized medical care and trading, detaining them until it was ‘safe’ to leave while at the same time trying to force them to assimilate into life inside the Walls by forcing them to stop shifting and to renounce their ‘heathen’ religion. Often Taliians who entered Seoul would end up trapped there for a year or more depending on what time of year they entered.

Seoul’s harsh rules acted in direct contrast to the general mayhem inside Daegu, and to the Monarchy that ruled with an ironfist in Busan. The populace accepted the rules put forth by the Committee as necessary to avoid the failings of the other resurrected cities, but there is a fraction of those inside the Walls who would see things change. Reports of a rebellion brewing right underneath the Committee’s nose are passed from person to person; whispers that those who are Touched might live in the shadows and those who would follow the instincts of their beasts have laid plans to demolish the system that would keep those who don’t follow it in poverty rather than give a single inch.

[File Corrupted - Unreadable]

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[Excerpt from the Journals of Mr. Jo Hodong, Explorer and Amateur Cultural Anthropologist]

THE TALIIANS

In 2290, ten years after the decision to construct The Walls, a group of dissenters decided that life inside the Walls wasn’t for them and set out to find a place of their own. It was decided that attempting to live on the mainland wasn’t feasible without the protection the Walls provided and instead, guided by a vision of the future from one of their own, they chose to make their home on an island far out in the Western Sea. A team was dispatched to the 1636 sq. kilometer (632sqm) island consisting of two mountainous peaks and plentiful lowlands for agriculture, and ancient pine forests for hunting, alongside numerous sources of fresh water. They combed the island and its abandoned villages, eliminating any Rogues and Rabid they came across. The first group of defectors settled down in the remains of the largest village on the east side of the island, led by an omega woman and her two mates. The woman, who’s name was lost to history, is remembered mostly for her Touched ability; her prophetic visions. Over time she was deified by those who followed her and she became the embodiment of the Moon on Earth, Tal. Her mates consisted of an alpha man who history called Hae with the ability to manipulate fire which lead to him becoming the personification of the Sun to his mate’s Moon, and their co-mate a beta whose androgynous nature lead people to make their own assumptions about their gender, who was a healer of great stature known to have been so powerful they could bring people back from the dead if they got to them quickly enough. Called Chogun, they became the deity of life and death, personification of The Stars, the spark of chaos that wrought so much change on Earth.

Legend has it that the other deities the Taliians worship were the children of Tal and her mates, but science says that this is not possible. Individuals who are Touched who actively use their powers are infertile. The process of using their abilities raises their core body temperature so high that it renders their bodies incapable of procreation. People who have Passive abilities, like Foresight and Empathy, are incapable of controlling when or how they use their powers, though they can learn to manipulate and guide them in the right direction with practice over time; those with Passive abilities can never regain their fertility. Individuals with Active abilities- powers that require thought and action to use- such as power over the wind and rain- can choose not to use their powers for a time, usually a period of a year or more, and regain their fertility. Sadly, this is only true for people who can sire children not those who can bear them. Damage done to eggs stored in ovaries is permanent and irreversible, while those with testicles can hope to recover sperm production over time.

Unfortunately, this means that Tal more than likely never had any children, let alone so many children with Touched abilities. Nevertheless, the Taliians choose to believe that their various gods and goddesses, called the Brood, are the children of Tal just as the Taliians themselves are the Children of Tal; The Great Moon Mother.

After the settling of Saeloun, the Taliians spread out to occupy most of the islands surrounding the southwestern edge of the peninsula. Life on the islands consists of mostly homesteading. Homes are usually large, multi-family pack houses that function off of alternative energy sources such as solar, wind, and water based power. Farming, raising livestock, hunting, gathering, and salvaging from the Mainland are key components to their survival. While most homes have electricity, they enforce strict lights-out hours and are very conscious of conserving energy. In most Taliian villages, two places have constant power, the Main Hall and the Temple. Average pack size is between two hundred and five hundred, with the largest settlements boasting upwards of three thousand residents. The Main Hall serves as the central food storage area, with large walk-in freezers and refrigerators and an industrial style kitchen that serves the whole pack. The Temple serves as their emergency medical location, with a small surgical theatre and the ability to administer general anesthetic. The Temple receives medical supplies that they trade for from the Walls, although when it comes to most medical needs they rely on traditional and natural remedies. Both places are connected to back-up generators at all times.

Taliians are a diarchic society as their leadership is divided between the Pack Alpha and the Head Acolyte of Tal. The Pack Alpha sits at the head of the pack council, while the Head Acolyte of Tal is the leader of The Temple. The pack council sees to the day to day aspects of the pack including handing down justice when needed, while The Temple sees to the spiritual needs of the pack as well as their health needs as they train and provide healers to the village.

Every Pack Alpha comes together to form the main governing body of the Children of Tal. They meet once a year during the annual Summer Meeting on the Mainland. The leadership of the various temples form the Light of the Moon and meet yearly in the same way. In between meetings messages are delivered by trained birds and via Storytellers. The leader of the Alpha’s Council is called the Prime, and they are acknowledged as the overall leader of the Taliians as a whole.

The Prime is the alpha all other alphas defer to, historically they have often earned their place by challenge, but can be democratically voted into the position as well. When a Prime steps down or passes away, they name an heir. The Taliian people can either choose to accept that heir or name one of their own. A competition will be held to determine whether or not the Prime’s Successor will maintain their hold on the title of Prime.

The leader of the Light of the Moon is simply called The First. They are almost exclusively an Acolyte of Tal, but other servants of other members of the Brood have held the title in the past. Like their Prime counterpart, their authority inside the temple is absolute. They lead the important ceremonies during the Summer Meeting and once a year they administer the test that determines whether or not a trainee is ready to move onto acolyte status

To reflect their diarchic leadership, members of Taliian packs dedicate themselves two-fold; picking a profession to master and a deity to pledge their loyalty to; a Calling and a Devotion. A person is expected to work hard at their profession and they spend their life trying to live according to the ideals of their Devoted. Each person chooses their own path and the Acolytes help them achieve a closeness to Tal and Her Children as they follow that path. The goal is to have a population who individually excel at unique skills and who have a steady relationship with their gods.

Inside the main body of the Pack exists individual Hearths. Each Hearth is led by an alpha who submits to the Pack Alpha. Newly mated individuals can choose to stay in their family home or establish a new Hearth. Some Hearths, such as the Saltwater Hearth maintained by the Kim Family in the Village of Haedoji can be traced all the way back to the founding of the village while newer Hearths, such as Kim Hongjoong’s Aurora Hearth are only a single generation old.

Taliians are marked so they can easily identify each other and to show which Packs they belong to. They also believe that the marks keep them honest; you can’t lie and deceive anyone if your true identity is right there for everyone to see. The backs of their right hands are tattooed with the unique, distinct insignia of their Pack. Receiving your First Mark is a right of passage and signifies a juvenile's ascension into the rank of adults. A mark on the bicep shows which dynamic a person belongs to, and one on the shoulder declares the temple a person has Devoted themselves to, and a more complicated series that begins at their right wrist and travels up the arm with time, is made up of symbols that when read detail a person’s history; the hearth of their birth, their Calling, their mating, anything that someone might need to know about them is etched in a design that flows together almost seamlessly to the untrained eye.

Those who serve the Temple have an additional tattoo across their right cheek bone depicting the phases of the moon. The more complete the cycle is, the farther into their training an Acolyte is. A fully trained Acolyte will have the entire cycle from start to finish spanning across their cheek. Certain embellishments to the design depict an acolytes rank within the Temple as well.

Common Mating Practices  

In contrast to those who live inside the Walls, Taliians believe that their wolf is part of their soul and to ignore it is to ignore Tal herself. Therefore, they believe that following your instincts can be an almost religious experience. Because of this belief, Taliians tend to be a more sexually free society than any other Post-Desolation peoples. Jealousy is considered to be a toxic emotion and possessiveness is frowned upon up to a certain extent. Following the example of their Goddess, many Taliians have more than one mate.

Their three main deities represent the alpha, beta, and omega spirit. They are represented in an Earthly way by the sun, moon, and stars. The saying used to go, ‘the sun is the counterpart of the moon, the moon compliments the stars, and the stars mirror the sun, but the sky is not complete without all three.’

It used to be that unions between alpha, beta, and omega were considered the perfect relationship as it mirrored the relationship of the Founders. But gradually over the years, those types of unions fell out of favor. Partly because it became harder and harder to find a third person that they could get along with to complete the trio, but also because people became more concerned with lines of ascension.

In the past having more than one mate was something you did only out of love, but as times changed and people jockeyed for status a marked change began to happen among the mating habits of Taliians.

People began to take on mates for a variety of reasons, which led to the concept of First Mates and Second Mates. A First Mate would be a mate an individual took on for love. They are bonded and there is a real, true relationship between them as partners. A Second Mate is usually a mate that is taken for status, for political gain, so a bearer can have an extra set of helping hands around the house, or so that an alpha can gain an heir if their First Mate fails to produce one. In this situation, there is usually one person who has two individual mates, but those mates have no relationship with each other. These are called Cross-Mates. A trio of people or more who are all in a romantic relationship with each other are called Co-Mates.

There is a difference between Co-Mates and Second/Third/etc Mates aka Cross-Mates. Co-mates are people who are in a mutual relationship with each other. They are all mated to each other and all enjoy an intimate relationship. Co-mates are people who are in love, a unit, they’re all equal in their bond. A Second/Third/etc Mate is a mate that a person chooses to take on outside of and separate from their original union. Second/Third/etc Mates are usually for social or political gain or to produce heirs and it’s not considered socially acceptable to show them any favoritism over a First Mate.

Example: An alpha who is already bonded with an omega decides to mate with another omega. The two omegas have no feelings for each other and therefore do not want to be in a union together. The second omega would then become the Alpha’s Second Mate and the two omegas would now be considered cross-mates as opposed to co-mates.

Most of the time, Second Mates are for political or societal gain; usually more along the lines of a contractual agreement. Often they are brought into the fold so that more children can be born to a specific Hearth. The Second Mate and the First Mate are not often involved with each other, and if they do become romantic/intimately involved, they can become co-mates. First and Second Mates might even live in different homes, though more often than not they simply have their own quarters within the packhouse. For example, the First Mate has a set of rooms, a drawing room, a bedroom, and a room for their pups that they share with their mate, and then the Second Mate will have the same style of apartment, and the shared Mate will stay with them when the mood strikes. It is considered inappropriate to live permanently with a Second Mate. One must still provide for them and acknowledge their children as children of one’s Hearth.

Typically, the custom of taking a Second/Third Mate is practiced by alphas and betas, rarely will an omega or an omega-aligned beta take on a second mate that is not a co-mate. When it comes to Second Mates, no one is forced into anything. Taliians are very much concerned with an Omega’s right to choose their own mate. If a Second Mate really wanted to, they could find another mate of their own. But because it would make lines of succession difficult to untangle, omegas are generally discouraged from having more than one dominant mate. Overall, the actual parentage of a child does not matter; it only matters whose Hearth they were born to as that’s where they get their status from. Agreeing to become a Second Mate can guarantee an Omega’s children have higher status, which is usually more than enough for most Omegas to make the choice.

Sexual freedom is important to Taliians, and people often have sex outside of their unions. For the Children of Tal, Moon Festivals are a time of socializing and celebrating. It was discovered long ago that the cycles of the Moon influenced hormone levels, and that even those who aren’t expecting a heat or a rut can feel the effects of a full moon. To discourage unpleasantness, anyone who is willing or wanting to have a little fun in their heightened state of arousal is invited to attend the Moon Festival where people indulge with whoever they want as long as all parties are willing.

In fact, Moon Festivals are so important to their culture that children thought to be conceived during a Moon Festival are often considered to be lucky and it’s said that they’re destined for the Temple.

Bondmates are what mated wolves are called after they exchange a mating bite; or ‘mark’. Not every mated pair/trio/etc choses to bond, and not every bond takes. A rejected bond can make a wolf very sick, so people have to be very sure that their wolf halves have accepted each other before they attempt to exchange marks. Often choosing to become bondmates involves going to the Temple for guidance and seeking counseling with the Acolytes there.

In addition to bondmates, there also exists the concept of Fated mates. Anyone can mate with anyone, but everyone has at least one Fated mate. Meeting your Fated mate is signaled by the Pull, the Pull is a physical/biological response to someone who is your perfect mate, on a scientific level. Often described as a sensation of the Earth moving beneath your feet but you’re standing still, the pull is more so a sign that two individuals are essentially designed for each other—perfectly compatible. In terms of science they'd produce offspring with superior genes. The instinct to act on the Pull is the same instinct that drives people to mate during Heats and Ruts; a deep seated need to ensure their lineage.

Among Taliians, hunting partners are bonded similarly to mates. It’s said that hunting partners exchange pieces of each other’s soul to keep them in tune with each other and encourage them to look out for each other in dangerous situations.

THE TALIIAN PANTHEON:

Tal - Moon Goddess; The First Omega. Legend has it that she birthed the Taliian people and continues to guide them through their Earthly lives until they one day return to her side. Mate of Hae and Chugun. Goddess of the Past, Present, and Future. Patron Deity of the Touched. Sacred of Omegas, and Protector of Bearers. Worshiped in the Temple of the Moon.

Hae - Sun God; The First Alpha. Watches over Her People while She sleeps. Deity of Justice, Civil Order, and War. Mate of Tal and Chugun. Sacred of Alphas, and Guiding Light to all Alphas. Worshiped in the Temple of the Sun.

Chugun - Life & Death. Genderless, but often depicted as male. The First Beta. Guides Tal’s People from their Earthly bodies back to Her side. The souls Chugun returns to Tal are healed and returned to Earth to be reborn. Mate of Tal and Hae. Sacred to Betas. Worshiped in the Temple of the Tomb.

THE BROOD

Chijin - A Beta God of the Earth. Male. He Who Provided the Islands. God of Fertile Land. Worshiped in the Temple of the Stone.

Konggi - An Omega Goddess of the Sky. Female. Bringer of Rain, Clean Fresh Air, and the keeper of the Moon Temple where Tal lives. Worshiped in the Temple of the Wind.

Mul - A Beta Goddess of the Sea. Female. The Endless Provider; Goddess of Fishing. Guides and Protects those who travel to the Mainland on Salvage Expeditions and ensures that they return safely. Worshiped in the Temple of the Waves.

Namu - An Alpha God of the Forest. Male. Provides foraging and building materials; Patron of Famine and Shelter. Worshipped in the Temple of the Glade.

Pul - An Alpha God of Fire. Male. Fire is essential for Taliian survival, but it can also be deadly. Pul is a respected, revered, and feared God. Worshiped in the Temple of the Flames.

Sanyang - An Alpha Goddess of Hunting. Female. Guides hunters on their quest for prey, directs their hand as they hunt. Provides dutiful worshipers with good luck in their hunting endeavors. Worshiped in the Temple of the Beast.

Tongmul - An Omega Goddess of Animals. Female. Watches over animals in the fields and ensures their good health. Worshiped in the Temple of the Beast.

Nongbu - An Omega God of Farming. Male. Patron of the Harvest, Planting, and Protector of Fields. Worshiped in the Temple of the Harvest.

Kongang & Uihak - Beta & Omega Twin Deities of Health & Healing; Brother and Sister. Kongang is a Beta God who specializes in Traditional Medicine, and Uihak is a Omega Goddess whose realm in Childbirth. Worshiped in the Temple of the Soul.

Nunbora - An Alpha Goddess of the Snow. Female. Snow is a big factor in how Taliians live their day to day lives; Cosmic Winter means long, hard periods of cold and heavy snow. Respecting Snow as the game changer that it is, is an absolute necessity and therefore they pay Nunbora the utmost respect so that their winters will be short and the frost will come late enough for them to secure the harvest. Worshiped in the Temple of the Frost.

Misul - An Omega Goddess of Crafting. Female. Source of Inspiration and Artistic Ability of all who wish to create. Worshiped in the Temple of the Masteries.

Nanlo - A Beta Goddess of the Hearth. Female. Watches over the Hearth, Protects the Packhouse when no one is there. Ensures Harmony within the Home. Worshiped in the Temple of the Heart.

Kyolhon - A Beta God of Mating/Bonding. Male. Works Closely with Tal and Nanlo to find the perfect mates for each of Her Children. Blesses Unions and Bonds. Fertility and Love are his specialties. Worshiped in the Temple of the Heart.

POWERFUL EVILS:

Chaos - the Spirit of Desolation

Geulimja - the Dark Shadow. He travels the land and spreads sickness and death wherever he touches. Animals starve, plants will not grow, water becomes poisonous and dangerous to bath in or drink.

Gongpo - the spirits of those who failed to return to Tal after death. They try to inhabit bodies already holding a wolf spirit and drive them insane (Taliian myth for the origin of the Rabid)

THE WOLFOLK

Originally called the Wolf Folk, the name over time flowed together to become the Wolfolk. The ancestors of the Wolfolk were those who chose to stay behind in the ruins of what were once great cities, refusing to abandon their ancestral homes. While some Wolfolk are nomadic, most have a permanent home hidden away somewhere in the stone tombs of cities long dead.

They rely a large amount upon hunting and foraging as raising livestock and growing crops requires large amounts of land space and makes it hard for them to keep themselves hidden from Rabid and Rogues alike. Each pack has uniquely adapted to the territory they live in. Every Wolfolk village is different, with different cultures and rules unique to their pack structure.

Packs are generally small, twenty to thirty being the norm while packs of fifty or more find it hard to stay safe and hidden. A surprising amount of the Wolfolk are Touched, most likely due to the fact that in the early years of the ban, the Walls used to throw those whose powers they deemed to be too ‘dangerous’ out of the city which lead them to intermingle with the Wolfolk.

In addition, or probably in part due to this phenomenon, most Wolfolk packs have traditions and rituals that are conducive to genetic diversity. The most benign of those being that matings inside the pack are frowned upon and mechanisms exist for young people of different packs to meet. More extreme packs will have bans of mating with someone who shares the same Clan name as them. Slightly more problematic traditions include young alphas being kicked out at a certain age and they can only return if and only when they bring a mate back with them.

Perhaps among the worst of these practices are those Wolfolk packs who raid the homes of young omegas from other packs, systematically capturing them and sometimes killing all of their relatives to prevent anyone coming after them. Most Wolfolk tribes are peaceful and resent their barbarian reputation inside the Walls, but some of them have given into their more base instincts, especially those closer to Daegu where chaos seems to reign even in the surrounding areas that make up the Wastes outside the city.

Wolfolk are incredibly territorial when it comes to both their cities and their hunting grounds, and skirmishes between both other Wolfolk packs, Rogues, and even Compounders are not uncommon. They tend to rove far from home in their wolf forms in search of hunting and areas to forage, often traveling with their smaller, lighter weight packmates riding on their backs in human form in order to carry supplies and help bring their haul back.

Most Wolfolk packs are ruled by a single family with an alpha handing down leadership to their first born alpha offspring generation to generation and therefore are called after the Clan Name of their ruling alpha, i.e. the Choi Pack.

AN ANNOTATION OF IMPORTANT PEOPLES AND PLACES:

PEOPLES:

Citizens: Those who live inside the Walls; particularly Seoul.

Compunders: Those who live inside the sanctioned villages outside the Walls, who supply the Walls with useful agricultural products and industrial resources in exchange for supplies and protection from the Rabid.

The Colonies: Fledgling Compounds often far, far from the Walls. Often located in the most dangerous parts of the Wastes, they are tasked with settling the land and carving out a foothold for the Walls in that area. Often people are sent to the Colonies as a punishment, and people who struggle inside the Walls will often volunteer for the Colonies as a last ditch effort to survive. The Colonies are notoriously dangerous, untrained, and undersupplied. Most of them are wiped out by Rogues or Rabid barely a year after they’re founded.

Taliians: Those who live on the islands along the southwestern coast of the peninsula and revere the Moon.

Sangilions: A particular subset of the Taliian people, native to the island of Saeloun; they reject Tal and instead worship the sun, her mate Hae. They are a civilization of raiders that rely on brute force to survive on top of their mountain.

The Chayuroun: A small civilization founded in 2285 on an island far to the north in the Western Sea. Their population consists of almost entirely Omegas with a few genetic throwbacks to Betas mixed in.

Wolfolk: Fringe dwellers who live inside the ruins of abandoned cities. Called the Shameless by those inside the Walls for their reliance on their wolflike ability to survive in the Wastes.

The Rabid: Those who have reached the final stages of the Star-Blight and have descended into madness; stuck between their human and wolf forms, driven by a need to hunt healthy humans. They roam the Wastes attacking anything living, human or animal. Most often they are little more than animals themselves, but some have retained a sort of warped, sadistic intelligence. Rarely, they organize into a sick, twisted facsimile of a functioning pack. At worst, they band together in blood thirsty, destructive groups to prowl the forests, mountains, and abandoned cities of the Wastes in search of prey.

Rogues: Those who choose to reject any form of law and order, roaming nomadically throughout the Wastes. They rely on violence and survival of the fittest to sustain their way of life,; often at the expense of others. Murder and thievery are their bread and butter. Rogues often act as slavers, kidnapping Wolfolk, Taliians, and Citizens alike and selling them to the highest bidder.

PLACES:

Seoul: Most Commonly Referred to as ‘The Walls’. A Walled City built upon the ruins of what used to be the Capital of South Korea. Ruled by the Committee, the Walls uphold an unwavering belief in science and uniformity, believing that it is key to the continuation of the human race.

Wonju Compound: A Compound to the North West of Seoul, dedicated to the Walls they are a lumber district overseen by the Bang Family.

Saeloun: An Island in the Western Sea, about eight hours by boat from Incheon. Saeloun is the location of the original Taliian settlement. Those who live there follow the guidance of both their pack leaders and the Temple of the Moon; a religious sect dedicated to the worship of the Omega Moon Goddess Tal.

Haedoji: Located on Saeloun; The Oldest Taliian Village, the Original Taliian Settlement. Home of the Shore Pack, their leading family is the Kim Clan.

Kangbyon: Second Oldest Taliian Village, the Second Settlement on Saeloun founded after Haedoji became too crowded. Home of the River Pack, their leading family is the Bang Clan.

Sangil: Third Oldest Taliian Village, the Third Settlement on Saeloun. Founded after a fissure developed over the leadership of Kangbyon. Home of the Mountain Pack, their leading family is the Oh Clan. A splinter religion, they instead choose to worship the Alpha Mate of Tal, the Sun God Hae.

Baengnyeong: A island far to the North of Saeloun off the coast of what use to be North Korea; home of the Chayurouni Tribe - a Warrior Race comprised almost entirely of Omegas and a select few Betas who generations ago escaped from a dangerous group of alphas who intended to enslave them. They isolate themselves and do not associate with people from off their shores. Alphas are forbidden on their island.

The Haven: A Secret Village located inside the Ruins of Jeonju, North of what is left of Old Gwangju. A Wolfolk settlement; home of the Choi Pack- it is located almost entirely inside of a few rehabilitated apartment buildings, sort of like a town inside of a building.

Jirisan: A summer village belonging to the Taliians located in the heart of an ancient forest near the Southern end of the Korean Peninsula. Large enough to accommodate the entirety of the Taliian nation, it is only occupied from Mid-May to Mid-August. Designed as a summer home to allow their islands to recuperate from constant human occupation, Jirisan consists of a collection of sturdy wooden packhouses- one for each Pack- with enough cleared land to pitch tents in between; as well as a Temple and an arena for competitions such as wrestling and foot races and a central square area for festivals.

The Walled City of Daegu: One of the three remaining Walled Cities, Daegu is ruled by a ruthless monarchy that rules over it’s people with an iron fist. A strict class system exists with those who are Touched composing the highest tier and Omegas taking on a role as second-class citizens.

The Walled City of Busan: The last of the three remaining Walled Cities, Busan succumbed to a mysterious illness known only as The Virus. What is left of it is rules by lawlessness. Their Compounds have all been taken over by Daegu, leaving the citizens of Busan without any resources, but with nowhere else to go.

[The Remainder of this Journal was Never Recovered]

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[Excerpt from the Research of Dr. Enomoto Yasuka, Geneticist and Bioengineer]

 A/B/O SUBGENDER GENOTYPES

As a result of the gamma radiation combined with environmental stressors, human evolution responded by separating the second chromosomal pair back into two distinct pairs. Called 2A and 2B, these chromosomes then mutated. 2A developed the genes that would lead to the ability to shift into wolves, and 2B developed the genes that determined a person's reproductive anatomy in regards to their subgender.

The pair of chromosomes that make up 2B each contain one of the Alpha, Beta, or Omega alleles. Each person inherits one allele from each parent. The paired alleles are called genotypes. There are a total of six different genotypes a person can have: AA, AB, OO, OB, BB, and AO.

Alpha and Omega alleles are dominant, meaning people with the AA and AB genotypes are Alphas and people who make up the OO and OB genotypes are Omegas. The BB genotype results in a Beta, however, people who have the AO genotype are Betas as well since the two dominant alleles cancel each other out.

Example: A Male Alpha, Genotype AB and a Female Omega, Genotype OB would have a 25% chance of producing a AO Beta, a 25% chance of an OB Omega, a 25% chance of an AB Alpha, and a 25% chance of producing a BB Beta, or a 50% chance of producing a Beta offspring as opposed to the likelihood that they’d produce another Alpha or Omega being 25% each.

REPRODUCTIVE ANATOMY

The presence of the Alpha/Beta/Omega alleles in Chromosome 2B rewrites the rules when it comes to how the X and Y Chromosomes behave.

All embryos are endowed with the same all-purpose structures that determine the growth of the developing person’s reproductive organs. The development of these reproductive structures are triggered by secretions released from the testes called androgens.

At the direction of these androgens; male alphas, male betas, and male omegas will develop typical external male genitalia- and the absence of these androgens for female alphas, betas, and omegas when it comes to developing typical external female genitalia.

It is the presence of the omega and beta alleles in combination with the Y Chromosome; and the alpha allele in combination with the X Chromosome that alters the configuration of the internal reproductive structures.

Between the fifth and seventh weeks after fertilization, human embryos of either sex develop two primordial gonads that will by the eight week commit themselves to becoming either testes or ovaries.

If either the Y Chromosome or the alpha allele is present, one gonad will become a teste. If there is no Y Chromosome or alpha allele present one will become an ovary.

Embryos start out with two sets of ducts known as the Müllerian Ducts and the Wolffian Ducts. In absence of the testes, Wolffian Ducts atrophy while the Müllerian Ducts grow into the uterus, fallopian tubes, and the inner part of the vagina. With testes present, the opposite happens; androgens produced by the testes stimulate the Wolffian Ducts to develop into seminal vesicles, vas deferens, and epididymis.

In male alphas, a testicular protein called Müllerian Inhibiting Factor prevents the Müllerian Ducts from developing into the internal childbearing organs. In female alphas, the presence of the second X Chromosome prevents Müllerian Inhibiting Factor from being produced, allowing female alphas to develop their childbearing organs.

The combination of the second X Chromosome and the alpha allele influences the synthesis of each individual enzyme required to build functioning internal reproductive structures, leading to the unique alpha female configuration of organs that allows them to both sire and bear children.

In female alphas, one gonad develops into an ovary while the other develops into a teste. The ovary is connected to the uterus by a fallopian tube while the teste and the surrounding epididymis are housed in a protective layer of tissue that is connected by a vas deferens to a seminal vesicle that takes the place of one Bartholin’s Gland located in between the vulva and the opening of the vagina. While the ducts of the Bartholin’s Gland secretes the fluids required for the natural lubrication of the vagina; the ducts of the seminal vesicle in combination with the vas deferens secretes semen and spermatozoa upon orgasm; allowing an alpha female to potentially fertilize any other individual with childbearing organs.

During sexual intercourse the presence of submissive pheromones causes a female alpha’s cervix to swell, closing it off and preventing her own reproductive material from reaching her eggs. When a female alpha chooses to submit to another person, her cervix does not swell and instead the tissue housing the teste and epididymis swells, preventing sperm from being secreted upon orgasm. When allowing penetration, an alpha female’s vaginal walls swell to lock her partner in place; similar to the knot developed by an alpha male.

In male alphas, the first gonad descends into the scrotum and divides into the testes, and the second gonad descends and becomes the bulbus glandis aka the ‘knot’; tissue located at the base of the penis that swells up to lock the alpha into place inside their partner in the moments before ejaculation. They remain locked together until the swelling goes down, ensuring that no sperm is wasted. Often a male alpha will cycle through numerous orgasms as their knot goes down, all while locked in place with their partner.

In female omegas and betas, the process is fairly simple; the second gonad atrophies and is reabsorbed into the body leaving them with a function set of childbearing reproductive organs.

Similar to Female Alphas, the presence of the Y Chromosome in relation to the Omega and Beta Alleles in Male Betas and Male Omegas determines the unique way their internal reproductive structures develop, one gonad becomes the testes, splitting and descending into the scrotum, while the other develops into ovaries which are then attached to the uterus by fallopian tubes. A short vaginal opening is located inside the rectum leading to the cervix. Outside of Heats, the opening is sealed shut by a flap of tissue. During heats, the tissue blocking the vaginal opening swells, blocking the rectum and allowing for sanitary access to the cervix and thus the uterus. Hormones secreted during Heats allow for enhanced muscle elasticity, easing anal penetration. A Bartholin’s Gland located a the vaginal opening secretes what it colloquially known as ‘slick’ during Heats as well, to aid in the process of anal penetration. Those same hormones allow for the tissues of the anus and rectum to easily and safely stretch during childbirth, giving male betas and omegas the ability to birth their children naturally without medical intervention.

Male Omegas begin to experience their Heats at the onset of puberty, while Male Betas reproductive abilities remain dormant until their place in their pack structure is determined. Once their role has been assigned, they will either develop a Heat or a Rut to suit their role. A Beta can switch dynamics based upon the pheromones of their sexual partner and once bonded often falls into one role and stays there. For example, if a Male Beta is mated to a Male Alpha, the beta's body will be triggered to begin producing Omega Aligned Hormones, which will in turn trigger the maturation of their childbearing organs and thus a Heat, allowing them to become pregnant and bear children. A Male Beta mated to an Omega would begin to produce Alpha Aligned Hormones which would trigger a Rut and thus the production of the reproductive material needed to sire a child. A Male Beta mated to another Male Beta’s designation would depend on which individual was more Dominant in terms of rank within the pack structure. A Male Beta in a relationship with more than one person might struggle with their place in the pack, especially if one mate is more dominant while the other is more submissive, causing their hormones to swing rapidly between Alpha Aligned and Omega Aligned. The rapid hormonal shifting often leads to an illness called Diametrical Breakdown Syndrome characterized by hot flashes, night sweats, sudden weight loss, nausea, loss of appetite, stomach cramps, loss of muscle mass, irritability, trouble sleeping, fatigue, memory loss, and lowered sex drive. If the issue is not resolved it can lead to a coma and eventually death.

Reproductive Potential of Each Dynamic:

Male Alphas - Sire Only.

Female Alphas - Bear and Sire.

Male Betas - Bear and Sire Depending on Alignment; Difficulty with Conception/Sustaining Pregnancy Due to Hormonal Imbalances.

Female Betas - Bear, With a Lowered Chance of Siring; Difficulty with Conception/Sustaining Pregnancy Due to Hormonal Imbalances.

Male Omegas - Bear, With a Lowered Chance of Siring.

Female Omegas - Bear Only.

Cultural Note:  

In same-sex relationships the person who contributed their dna to the creation of the child is called the Sire and the person who gave birth to them is called the Bearer. A female alpha who contributed their DNA is referred to as ' Isa  ' by their children and a male omega or beta who birthed a child is called '  Beba '. Mother and Father are normally used by male-female pairings. However, any combination of terms that suits a family best is tolerated. For example, a pup can have a female omega bearer, aka their mother and male alpha father, aka their sire. Another pup can have a male alpha sire, aka their father and a male omega Bearer, aka their  beba .

BIOLOGY OF SHIFTING

A person’s ability to shift relies entirely upon a special cell similar to stem cells called ‘Catalyst Cells’. Like stem cells, a person’s body contains catalyst cells throughout their entire lifetime and their body can use them whenever it needs them. Catalyst Cells do not have a specific role in the body and can become any cell that is required of them. Unlike stem cells, which become more tissue-specific when an embryo reaches maturity, Catalyst Cells retain their embryonic state. Produced and circulated by dual-functioning scent glands located on the sides of the throat, inside of wrists, and on the inner thigh; Catalyst Cells are present in the brain, bone marrow, blood and blood vessels, skeletal muscles, skin, and liver primarily. Most of the time they are dormant and have to be activated when the body ‘calls’ on them using certain hormonal triggers; but in times of dire need the body can use Catalyst Cells to make repairs and grow new tissue- lending to humanities new found resilience and increased healing factor.

Catalyst Cells can divide and self-renew indefinitely, meaning they can mimic various cell types, allowing them to heal flesh wounds, knit broken bones, and even regenerate damaged organs if given enough time. As previously stated, Catalyst Cells remain dormant until the right combination of hormones activates them. Once activated they begin to divide rapidly, attaching themselves to the nearest aspects of their host’s body and altering the body from the inside out. Some Catalyst Cells attack and break down existing bodily structures to make room for new growth or reshaping them into the best base to suit a person’s transformation from human into wolf.

A person’s body can on average produce and store enough Catalyst Cells to transform from human to wolf and back at most three times in a twenty-four hour period. The cells require the right combination of hormones to activate, but the quickness with which they allow a person to change requires that an exhaustingly large amount of energy be available to burn, meaning that those who shift have to eat a high calorie, high protein diet to be able to change with any kind of speed or grace.

After a person has burned through their store of Catalyst Cells they usually require a cooling down period of twelve to twenty-four hours to build up enough cells to shift again, leaving the individual essentially trapped in whatever form they were in last when their reserves ran out. It is recommended that a person try to avoid becoming trapped in their animal form. Spending too long in wolf form puts one at risk for memory loss, personality changes, and eventually the loss of the ability to shift back into their primary human form as the beast takes over entirely and overrides the shifter’s human nature. It is also recommended that a person not try to shift again until the required time has elapsed and their stores have been renewed as there is the potential to become ‘caught’ in between forms; a condition known as going ‘Rabid’.

While forcing yourself to change and becoming caught between form is a rare feat, one often only accomplished by those who are truly desperate to change, there is an illness known as the Star-Blight that causes a person’s Catalyst Cells to become unstable, activating outside of normal protocol, and therefore causing a person to shift back and forth rapidly without being able to maintain a proper cool down period. Prolonged time in their wolf form coupled with their inevitable fate of becoming stuck in between the two forms eventually causes them to go mad and thus they become one of the Rabid, a condition for which there is as of yet no known cure.

[End of Recovered Information Available At This Time]

{Would You Like to Continue?}

 [YES] or [NO]

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THE YEAR IS 2395; ninety-five years after the imposition of the MATCH program and one-hundred and five years after the Taliians separated from the Walls. The Wolfolk have been resisting the Committee's attempts to bring them into the fold for the past seventy-five years, but things are beginning to come to a head. The Committee; currently led by Kang Jinsun, a cold and calculating Alpha whose ruthless pursuit of the Wolfolk and recent crack down on those who would avoid the MATCH Program is beginning to stir feelings of dissent in the general population.

 On the island of Saeloun, the Shore Pack- the oldest and most powerful of the Taliian settlements- is led by Alpha Kim Kyuwook while high in the mountains, the Village of Sangil rots from the inside out.

 In the ruins of Jeonju the Alpha of the Choi Pack has passed away, leaving his young son San to lead in his place.

 While away in the Compounds outside of Seoul, Yeonjun struggles with a gift he can hardly stand to bear. Inside the Walls, locked away inside the Sanatorium, a man with a similar gift struggles to find his way in a world that looks to only be made up of varying shades of gray.

 And a young beta runs from it all.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/29254905/chapters/71838882