#lays down face first

[decaeysa]

He appears much the same as he always does, with a ripple of shadow like silk sheets being tugged, but when he materializes everything is wrong. His eyes shine a bright blue, his lips are twisted into something that might have been a grin once, and his hands are blackened almost to the elbow, like he dipped them in ash. Kayn takes a step, and a moment later he's behind her, trailing his fingers — now free of Rhaast's corruption — along her shoulder and down her arm.

"Rhaast is dead," he murmurs, and something dark lives in his voice now. "I killed him myself, and now his power is mine." -- @umbane

her skin prickles at the strange touch that follows the usual journey kayn's fingers would take across her skin. she can't explain how she knows the difference [ had she no other senses to see him for what he was, she would still recognise him by touch alone ] when it is very much him, but there is a distinct strangeness to the sensation as he touches her. it's cold. not icy, but has a distinct lack of warmth that she can only chalk up to a lack of light. her eyes widen as she realises the transformation that has befallen him as well as what it means.

she fumbles for words to express the sheer shock and horror that roots her to the ground but leaves her jaw slack, mouth hanging open as no sound dares to escape her. even when he's fully materialised the shadows still cling to him -- she could swear wisps of them tangle within his hair, that his veins ripple with something other than blood under the ashen skin of his wrists.

it dawns on akali just how close they have become over the seasons : this had started as nothing more than a distraction, a social encounter that didn't drain on her as much as everything else. they'd never set out to enjoy each other's company so much as tolerate it. but they'd never turned each other away. how could she when he was the only person that actually understood her? even shen couldn't claim that.

it's near impossible to remember anything from the past few months that doesn't include him. what began with the occasional chance meeting had eventually led to more calculated affairs, and then...

" shieda. "

she doesn't want to think any more.

no matter what he's become, it's still him.

right?

her gaze meet his new eyes, desperate to find something she recognises in the empty coldness. the distinct lack of humanity in them scares her more than the accursed red that rhaast had given him. even that felt more human than this...

a hand lifts as though she's about to rest it upon his jaw but she falters -- she doesn't know why. she's happy for him, or at least that what she desperately keeps telling herself. he's no longer struggling, but ionia doesn't seem to be in any less danger now that the darkin has gone. now it just faces a new threat.

a threat she's chosen to ignore this entire time.

she steps back to free herself of his touch and the chill that surrounds him.

" I'm proud of you. "

and she is. of course she is. he's no longer suffering, no longer fighting a battle that no human could wish to face. she's been with him through some of his worst moments, held his hand through even the most painful of nights. no one in their right mind could ever wish for him to suffer for even a minute more, to watch him fight for control of his own body -- away from a darkin no less.

but what is one person's suffering compared to that of many? there's no denying the danger that presents itself before her.

fear turns to anger inside her chest, her body and mind transmuting the foreign emotion into something that she understands. something she can use. akali shakes her head -- half in disbelief, half scolding herself for letting herself get so close to one of them.

" so... so fucking proud of you. "

further steps are taken away from him, fingertips shakily resting on the hilt of her weapon. there's no way she can fight him now. there's no use in it. no one knows where she is or what she's found. it doesn't stop her, doesn't calm the fire that burns her throat. tears burn her eyes but she can't look away.

" you did it, kayn! now you're zed's perfect weapon. the shadow order's finest, the thing they're going to use to tear ionia apart. "

[secriden]

*takes a deep breath* Fadel. Fadel, my adorably grumpy winter child. What are you trying to say here? Are you possibly?? implying?!?! that if you weren't incapacitated, if you didn't have a broken arm, you would be offering to push the car along side Style???

"I never fell for you" thE FUCK YOU DIDN'T--

[butmakeitgayblog]

AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!! AGATHAAAAAAAAAAAA ANDDDDD RIOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!! KISSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!

Listen to me

They didn't have to kiss for Rio to claim her.

After centuries of stealing power and evading the end, Agatha Harkness chose to surrender herself and give up her mortal life by devouring her lover's lips. She chose to die by claiming Death's kiss.

That wasn't required, yet that's exactly how Agatha chose to bow out. How they both chose to end it, simply because they wanted to kiss that badly and melt into each other in those final moments.

How am I supposed to be normal about this

[ratatatastic]

captain finland deigns to comment on his teammates turned rivals and their physicality notably maffhew who he has "seen him from too close for a long time" "one of the best players in the world", benny and gustav who "you have to be aware of" and reino who he "knows what kind of player he is"

Media Call Interview | 1.30.25 (x)

[derelictwreck]

psychonauts is a good series

[slutdge]

day 9,047 of the dont kill yourself challenge

[fear-no-mort]

btw i loved this so much i love it when rick gets super excited about something and his first instinct is to include morty in it by venting his excitement through stuff like grabbing him and shaking him around and getting up in his face. it’s a really subtle demonstration of like oh that’s how you know you really love someone and it means a lot to me . and also the fact that in this case what rick is getting SO worked up about is the fact that he’s gonna be spending time with morty

[onigiriico]

Amane audio drama (t2) - English TL

[ links: Spotify | Youtube ]

So much religion talk in this one. So much. I typed so much stuff into DeepL my JP keyboard app crashed at some point, but! it is done at last! 🎉 As always, if you've got any questions or find a mistranslated line, you can find me on Twitter or send me an ask (and in case you've got some money to spare & feel like supporting me extra, you can also find me over on Ko-fi)! But, without further ado:

⬇️ translation under the cut ⬇️

(Es enters)

E: Prisoner no.8, Amane. It’s time for your interrogation. Let’s talk for the first time in a while.

A: Warden.

E: What is it, Prisoner?

A: We've been disappointed by you.

E: Hah?

A: Even though we could sense the possibility of the new world we desire here in Milgram… and in you.

E: I don’t care how much you look down on me. I told you that won’t work.

A: Furthermore, you may say incomprehensible things, such as us “not being forgiven”...

E: Oi.

A: But we are generous. For now, let us make some time for a conversation with you. After all, our history is one that is built on dialogue.

E: Oi. Listen to what I’m saying.

A: What is it?

E: Amane. Don’t think you’ll be able to lead the conversation with that total change in attitude. Is it the result of the judgment that you’ve ended up like this?

A: “Like this”?

E: The dazed look in your eyes. The atmosphere around you. The way you speak. In comparison to the first trial, it’s like you’re a different person.

A: Hm.

E: Everyone who was unforgiven told me they heard voices judging their sins. They’re experiencing a lot of emotional stress as a result. Were your changes influenced by that as well?

A: Hah? Those stupid voices, huh? Yeah. I have heard them as well. However, such things do not pose a major problem.

E: What?

A: We have firm teachings. We have a clear and noble faith. No matter what kinds of things other people might say, these things cannot be shaken.

E: Faith… That would be referring to the religion you believe in, right?

A: Yes. It seems like the power Milgram holds is real. Did you have a look as well? At our faith.

E: Yeah. Though it was a depiction of a fairly small group of people… I’ve judged that your murder was the result of religion – of faith.

A: It wasn’t murder. It was merely a punishment in line with our doctrine.

E: So it’s not a sin, you mean?

A: Is faith a sin?

E: Faith itself is free. I’m not religious myself, but I understand that some people might be saved by it.

A: Hm. Is that so? Are the prisoners who weren’t forgiven feeling lost right now? Maybe they need our faith as well.

E: I’d rather you spare me the missionary work inside the prison.

A: Faith is free. It exists for people who are feeling lost.

E: … We’ve digressed. So – just what are you right now? You’ve been saying “we” this whole time. Does that mean you are not Amane Momose right now?

A: Right now, I am both Amane Momose and I am not. I am speaking on behalf of our faith. I am speaking as “we”, who believe that dialogue and warnings are in order since you made the misjudgment to not forgive us.

E: So you’re saying I’m talking to the very concept of your faith right now?

A: We don’t mind you thinking of it that way.

E: Huh.

A: Well then. Let us warn you once again. Warden. You judged that Milgram couldn’t forgive us, correct?

E: Yeah, that’s right.

A: As stated previously, our actions were in line with our doctrine, and thus cannot count as sins. Thus, Milgram is in the wrong.

E: You’ve killed a person.

A: In line with our doctrine.

E: You understand that you’ve broken the law, right?

A: We’ve talked about this before. There are things more important than the law. That would be our teachings.

E: I won’t acknowledge you turning such selfish rules into a standard of judgment. I won’t allow it. End of story.

A: …

E: Both religion and faith are free. However, a doctrine can’t become a universal standard of judgment.

A: You fool. Isn’t Milgram trying to enforce a new standard of judgment precisely because laws cannot guide this world onto the right path? Are you still being weighed down by the law?

E: As someone who’s just the warden, it’s not exactly my ambition to know about Milgram’s philosophy. It’s not because it’s against the law – but as Milgram, your murder can’t be forgiven. I judged it that way. That’s all.

A: …

E: Milgram… denies your doctrine.

A: If you do not adjust your way of thinking… we, too, will never be able to forgive you.

E: Heh.

A: What’s so funny?

E: What do you mean, “we”? You’re making me laugh. What you’re doing is just plain murder – no matter whether we’re talking in general or according to religion. It’s murder.

A: …!

E: Understand that. Amane Momose. It’s not “you” (plural) who killed someone – it’s you (singular). Don’t look away from your own actions by playing pretend!

A: … Ha…haha…! - You’ve insulted us… [You’ve insulted] God…!

E: So what?

A: This is unforgivable! I won’t forgive you! (screams)

(Amane tries to strike Es, but gets stopped by the barrier)

E: I’m telling you it’s impossible for prisoners to attack the warden.

A: I won’t forgive you…! I won’t forgive you!

E: Did you get those scissors from the storage room? Were you never taught that you’re not supposed to use those on people?

A: In light of our doctrine, your insult to us is more than enough to warrant a punishment! I won’t forgive you! I won’t forgive you!

(she tries and fails to attack them again)

E: Well… it’s in vain, so you might as well just listen to me like this.

A: I won’t forgive you! I won’t forgive you!

E: Prisoners can’t attack the warden. This is one of Milgram’s core rules, though a certain guy with multiple personalities slipped past it.

A: I won’t forgive you! I won’t forgive you!

E: Which means that Milgram doesn’t decide who the prisoners are based on their body, but based on their mind. If the mind is a different one, the rule doesn’t apply. It bothers me that it has a loophole, but…

A: I’ll kill you…! I’ll kill you!!

E: Thanks to this defective rule, we’ve now confirmed this: the you holding those scissors right now isn’t a god or a concept. It’s Amane Momose herself.

A: … I’ll…!

E: So, what you’re doing right now really is just a game of pretend. This is stupid.

A: …

E: This is the head-on battle with Milgram that you wanted.

A: Shut up…!

E: What’s wrong? Have you ended up wanting to be treated like a child after all?

A: Shut up!!

E: In fact, if you ask me, the fact that you are a child has a lot to do with this matter.

A: …!

E: No matter what you do, no matter how grown-up you behave – you’re a child. That’s an unchangeable truth.

A: You’re a child, too!

E: Wrong. I’m fifteen, so I’m an adult in Puerto Rico and Haiti. You’re twelve, so you’re a child no matter the country.

A: …!!

E: Hehe. You look angry.

A: I don’t.

E: You do.

A: I don’t!

E: Well, either way is fine. In the end, there’s two main reasons as to why children get reduced sentences under the law – the possibility of reformation and the influence of the environment, I believe.

A: …

E: In this case, it’s mainly the latter. I’ve said this before – during childhood, the things that the parents teach a child have a great impact on them, and the environment one grows up in has immense influence as well. A child who is born into a very religious environment will grow up believing that those are the rules of the world.

A: What are you trying to say?

E: In other words, they will turn their faith into their entire life – feeling as if their doctrine is the whole world.

A: …

E: Previously, you objected to being considered [mentally] underdeveloped based on your age. I suppose you were right about that. Your self really is fully developed. However, that self is one that was built in a particular environment, isolated from society.

A: …

E: That’s exactly why… We have also speculated whether this really was your crime, or that of your parents – of your surroundings.

A: …!

E: But as I said before, there’s different ways these components could have worked together—

A: “We”? What’s “we”? Are you not just “I”?

E: … I…?

A: Aren’t we the same? Me and Warden-san. You know, I’m aware that I’m out of the ordinary. That my environment was peculiar, and that everyone [else] is normal.

E: Amane…

A: In fact, there have been people who said that to me. I’ve been told things like, “You’re being deceived.” “You can still make it right now.” “You’re crazy.”

E: …

A: You are treating me as a child after all. Because I’m a child, you believe that I must have been brainwashed. It’s not like that. I, too— children, too, understand everything! Please don’t just decide that people must be unhappy.

E: …

A: I’m happy that I was born to my parents! It was a bit difficult, and it could feel restrictive sometimes, but I’m really happy that I could grow up on such beautiful teachings! I want to live this way!

E: Is that so…

A: You call that brainwashing, don’t you? From my perspective, you also generally oppose religion based on your personal values. Why can that be blindly trusted just because you’re more people?

E: I got what you’re trying to say.

A: It’s only natural that we, who weren’t acknowledged as a society just because we’re fewer in numbers, would view the possibility of a new world through Milgram as a dream.

E: Yeah, I’ve got it! Still, I won’t recognize your doctrine. By my standards, a doctrine that approves murder cannot be forgiven!

A: Yes. I’ve understood that.

E: Milgram is a three-trial system, though. I’ll be watching and listening to the footage from your mind for now, going into deeper depths this time… and if I feel something there, I plan on firmly accepting that.

A: Facing me head-on, is that right?

E: Yeah. That’s it.

A: If you end up deciding not to forgive me – not to forgive us –, then I will not forgive you, either.

E: Yeah.

A: Ah… no, that’s wrong. I will not forgive you (plural).

E: Wha—

(machinery whirrs, bell rings)

A: “Don’t look away from your own actions by playing pretend” – that’s my line. Warden-san, it’s not just you; it’s all of you. You all said you wouldn’t forgive us. We’re meeting each other on eye level. You all won’t be allowed to not get your hands dirty.

E: … What are you saying…?

A: What could it be? Warden-san, you were the one who said “we”, so…

E: (falls to their knees) … My head… Huh…?

A: Oh? Do you have a headache? Are you alright, Warden-san?

E: …

A: Do get back up by yourself, alright? That’s a trial given to you by God.

E: (heavy breathing)

A: Both pain and illness are trials. According to our teachings, those who run from them are the worst evil there is. That’s one of the four great principles. No matter who you are, that cannot be forgiven.

E: What are you…?

A: Oh – speaking of which, there is one among the prisoners right now. An evil existence that’s trying to steal people’s trials away from them.

E: …!

A: Shidou Kirisaki… His actions violate our rules. I have given him a warning. If he continues, I suppose it will be inevitable for me to intervene.

E: …!

A: Or… could it already be too late?

E: Shut up!! (hits her) … You’re getting ahead of yourself…!

A: Using one-sided violence… that’s unfair of you.

E: Shut your mouth…! I am the one casting the judgements here!

A: Hehehe. And how does that set you apart from us?

E: … I told you to shut up… Listen to what I’m telling you.

A: Hehe… This is nice. If the world you’re striving for is admirable in my eyes… That is to say…

E: Prisoner no.8, Amane… Sing your sins…!

[peacockrulz]

Funny stuff happens on twitter sometimes dkslfjsdlkf

[willowser]

Omg! Now my thoughts are plagued with roommate touya. He listens to you rant about the craziest things, takes your car to the shop when you don’t want to deal with the weird mechanic men, you cook dinner for the two of you (because he burns everything) and just eat and watch movies together 🥺 and maybe, MAYBE cuddle

roommate touya is truly so special to me he is like The Guy 🥺🥺🥺 he will GLADLY let you rant about whatever !! 🥺 just like you'll do the same for him !! 🥺 and he definitely knows a guy who knows a guy who can take a look at your car 🥺 but he'll go that way you don't have to deal with him 🥺 WAAAHHHHH it's like you reached into my brain you GET IT !!!!

[giddlygoat]

being adhd is crazy ill spend all day worrying that i’ve forgotten something, triple checking my calendar and my messages to make sure i haven’t missed an appointment or left someone hanging, and it still happens anyway. incredible

[decaeysa]

what does your heart look like?

a compass that doesn't waver.

you are someone who is certain of what you want. maybe you always have been, or maybe you made a discovery that you haven’t been able to tear your eyes away from. your heart is set and certain. you fight endlessly for your goals. above all else, you know who you are and what you are trying to achieve. just be careful not to tear yourself or others apart in pursuit of your ideals.

[burningcomputerpersona]

i almost forgot i caught a pick at sad summer fest!!!

[madsmilfelsen]

so anyways Rust met Claire when she proctored his GED exam

[oldxenomorph]

can I be absolutely cuckoo bananas insane for a moment and ask, from one yapper to another, for ALL THE QUESTIONS from that meme 😤😤😤

CHARACTER ASKS.

as part of the national yapper coalition, i have to oblige. let me just put everything under a cut because man this got long. i yap and i am a sap. i love the reaper emperor so much 😭💕

What was the original thought that led to the creation of this character?

originally, i played mass effect and mass effect 2 on my cousin's xbox 360. the series changed my life and the rest is history.

but eventually i learned that there's so much more joy and light when you hunt the original canon for sport and send it to the anatomical opera to be vivisected and experimented on. eventually the emperor and her version of mass effect became an outlet for me to be cringe, but free. everything i enjoy (mass effect, cthulhu mythos, alien, dune, wh40k, hellsing, hades) all gets thrown in there.

How long was the process before the character reached its final version? (or a version that would be clearly recognizable as the character?)

i think i made my first sketches of the emperor in 2012, back when mass effect 3 came out. so over 10 years. the difference between then and now is pretty drastic. she's had different iterations over the years, but eventually i shaped her and shaped her until i was finally happy with how she looked.

the things that have remained constant for all these years: alien pale skin, vantablack hair, black lips, red cybernetic eyes and scars.

this final version of her forms bring me a lot of joy. she is true to how i envision her, and she continues to be the entity/story i pour most of my time, energy, and inspiration into. she's my rotten soldier, my sweet cheese, my good time centipede. (she's the reason why it's so hard for my to make other oc's, i'm dedicated to her. i dream about her, i think about her.)

What was the first thing you decided on, the character's name, appearance, personality or their role in the story?

appearance, probably. i thought it was very cool that you can make a goth shepard who looked even more cool in mass effect 2 with the renegade scars and red cybernetics in her eyes.

And reverse, which one of the four things did you struggle with the most?

personality. i think for a long while, as i was trying to adhere to the canon the best i could. renegade shepard as she is presented in the game didn't quite match how i envisioned her, she didn't feel quite right whenever i wrote her. for a long while she was a brutal hard-ass and a stickler for military regulations. i didn't feel creative, nor did i feel any real joy.

How did you choose their name and why? Was it simply based on vibes or is there any specific meaning behind the name? Are the reasons behind their name different in- and out of universe?

this would require you knowing what the emperor's true name is, haha. [i get yoinked into a vent by a xenomorph tail]

in-universe: only immediate family members and nyx know the emperor's true name. neither azathoth nor shai-hulud know how she got her name, other than it was probably given to her by the thing that created them. it was the sound they heard when she was born, it was the word seared into their minds. they don't refer to her by her name because they feel it is too sacred to ever be uttered so freely. hence why they refer to her as "precious extinction", "precious emperor", "o precious centipede", "o end of all things," etc.

out of universe answer: when you grow up in the 90s/2000s and your name is also the same as a very popular disney character and nobody your age believes you when you say that you were named after a character from shakespeare's the tempest (your mother's favorite play), you learn to hate your name. i think giving shepard/the emperor my name was a way for me to feel good about myself and it just stuck. very corny, i know.

(i obviously don't hate my name anymore. i'm also fairly certain that because of the source of my name, my brain internalized the idea of an immensely powerful non-human who has a love for humanity.)

What was the thought process behind their appearance? Did you go mostly for the aesthetic or are there other reasons they look the way they do?

well first came the renegade scars and red cybernetics, i loved those, but i wanted to redesign the way the scars looked so they were more.... mysterious. more.... brutal.

as i sent the canon off to the anatomical opera, i began to shape her to be something that i think reflects her strange nature, her connection to her family, and visually indicate that she is the mother of the xenomorphs.

i'm also someone that uses faceclaims as they help me visualize my own character better (when i have no time to draw). the emperor's gone through a couple (lady gaga when her hair was black, cate blanchett as hela) before i finally settled on rhea ripley as i think she best represents the emperor's facial structure, body type, and aesthetic.

for her true form, i had a slightly more eldritch version of a xenomorph queen in mind. ultimately i changed it when i received inspiration after seeing some cool centipede-monster-hybrid art on my dash and pictures of centipede mothers. so her true form is more like a colossal, 30ft xenomorph-centipede hybrid with her face. also thematically, it fits more in line with azathoth and shai-hulud as ancient worms. the youngest and most beloved and most worshipped sibling should be a beautiful centipede.

What is an aspect of their appearance that you like the most?

if i say everything, that would be cheating i'm sure.

aside from her face, i think what i like the most about the emperor's appearance is her second form’s body. i didn't want her to have a femme biomechanical body as it didn't really suit her, felt ill-fitting. her very masculine, muscular xenomorph-biomechanical body, making her 15 ft tall, giving her tentacles and a xenomorph tail feels right to me. i wanted both of her forms to be both very strange, but also very beautiful. i didn't want her appearance to adhere to any gender binary, she exists and operates beyond that.

What is the origin of their personality? And let's be honest - how much of it is projecting?

little to no projecting, lmao. our only similarities is our place of origin, our love for nyx, the xenomorphs, our families, and humanity? i guess?

but the emperor's personality is very different from that of canon shepard, because oh my god there are some things She Would Not Say or Do.

the origin of a lot of the emperor's personality is alucard from hellsing: arrogant, cruel, sadistic, but she is also unashamed of her love for humanity. she believes that the cycles of organic life should be as diverse as possible, that the stories of civilizations should be equally triumphant and tragic. the cycles of extinction are a necessity, yet she also revels in brutality, violence, and eating, eating, eating.

she loves deeply, with all her heart and all her soul. she will do anything to protect her wife and her daughters and her family. she hates deeply, with every every fiber of her being. she takes greatly enjoys eating stars and organic life and lesser beings. she loves who she is, knows what her purpose is, knows exactly what she is.

How big is their role in the story? Do they make a frequent appearance or are they a character with little "screentime" but big influence? Or are they just a favourite background guy?

shepard is the main character of mass effect, thus the entire canon mostly revolves around the emperor/shepard. the perspective shifts to the great family and nyx when she's asleep for 8 million years until her second shape (shepard) is born. it also changes when you get into different universes and worlds where the emperor is just an unseen force that shapes the way civilizations evolve and advance.

it's been interesting exploring different universes where the emperor is the latter, like in dragon age and warhammer 40k. i like exploring the idea of the looming dread of her arrival in a far future and the race to prepare the world/galaxy for extinction. also, i have a hard time making other oc's, so everything is connected back to the emperor.

What is their main character arc in the story? Where do they start and how do they develop? Do they get a happy ending or is their story a tragic one?

the emperor-as-shepard's time amongst humanity and organic life was to learn and develop a reason for why they must be harvested: to preserve the history and diversity of organic life, to make way for new civilizations and new histories. she could only do this by living amongst humanity, by enduring what she endured as a commander.

of course she gets a happy ending. she gets a second form that she loves along with her first one, the wife that she adores, the daughters she cherishes, the machines that were made for her, and reunited with the family that worships her. there are no sad endings here, that's just not my style.

Is there any existing character from other media that your character resembles? Was the resemblance intentional or was it a coincidence?

as i mentioned before, alucard from hellsing is the blueprint for the emperor. her appearance, her personality, her beliefs about organic life. it all goes back to him. even though she's not as sad as him nor does she wish to find a worthy opponent, most of what she is as an eldritch being that is equally brutal as she is empathetic all stems from him. underneath all of her horror and strangeness is a sense of humanity.

in terms of physical appearance, it also kind of goes back to alucard. hellsing was very much a core formative influence for me and he just immediately imprinted upon my brain. one of my oldest muses. i give him a kiss.

i think the funniest sort of resemblance i've noticed that the emperor of mankind (wh40k) looks like a healthier, more human version of her. or maybe it's the neurons in my brain activating when i realized that they both have long black hair. that's all they really have in common.

(maybe nyx can ask the mi-go to make the emperor a black and red crown of laurels with little young black holes scattered amongst them? but the little xenomorphs would probably yoink it off her head constantly to play with it.)

Do you have a playlist for the character? What songs do you associate with them and why?

i do have one, but it's in a perpetual un-finished state. i'm very picky when it comes to making playlists.

the genres i typically associate with the emperor are noise, experimental, dark ambient, dark techno, industrial. i like songs with harsh, unsettling, or unusual sounds. (i know people hate to see me make playlists because i put lorn in almost every single one.)

i mostly try to find things that would either sound like what it's like inside of a reaper, or inside the ziggurat. i also try to find things that give the feel of what high level indoctrination sounds like.

Do you have a voice claim for the character? What do you imagine the character sounds like?

when the emperor speaks, her voice is that of soveriegn's but deeper. it is an immense and cold sound, like that of a machine; alive, immortal, infinite, and eternal.

i also pull inspiration from the voice of magos dominus reditus from wh40k: mechanicus.

(i watched the venture bros. a lot on adult swim when i was a youngin' and dr. girlfriend permanently altered my brain chemistry. and maybe my perception of gender.)

Do you have any quotes tied to the character, either from the story itself or from another source that fit them?

from sovereign's dialogue.

"there is a realm of existence so far beyond your own you cannot even imagine it. i am beyond your comprehension." "we are eternal. the pinnacle of evolution and existence. before us, you are nothing. your extinction is inevitable. we are the end of everything." "we impose order on the chaos of organic evolution. you exist because we allow it. and you will end because we demand it." "we have no beginning. we have no end. we are infinite. millions of years after your civilization has been eradicated and forgotten, we will endure."

from the reaper on rannoch's dialogue.

"you represent chaos. we represent order. every organic civilization must be harvested in order to bring order to the chaos. it is inevitable."

Have you ever made a moodboard for them?

i have a pinterest board for her! i'm not super active on pinterest (as it's become mostly generative ai slop) but i occasionally poke my head in when i'm looking for something.

Is there any memes or running jokes associated with the character, both in- and out of universe?

nyx likes to lightly tease her, which she doesn't mind. (anything to hear nyx's beautiful laugh.)

out of universe jokes? o great reaper emperor, can you help me connect to the wifi?

i do think that a kind of running joke/theme in my writing is that the great family seems to be in competition for who spoils her the most.

nyarlathotep can try his hardest, but doesn't come close to shai-hulud, who kills millions of little sandworms so it can send her crates of the water of life. which she has consumed ever since she was a baby and the universe was brand new. the old worm of eternity also sends her spice, in face she is the only being who it gifts spice to and is allowed to enjoy it recreationally.

Are there any motifs or symbols associated with the character? How are they represented, in their design, personality or in some other way?

puts my hands on my hips and exhales. man.

the sign of extinction - the symbol of the reaper emperor and her house. beautiful, sacred, holy, embroidered in vibrant red upon the black veil she wears to conceal her face when outside. a representation of her and her presence beyond the reapers. it is an eye, a gate, a mouth.

black holes - her imperial crown is formed from an ancient black hole and was placed upon her head by nyog'sothep and nyarlathotep, her stomach/endless appetite, her vantablack hair, the pull of gravity, event horizon, her black lips, her black teeth, her heartbeat, the mouth of god.

the black tar - annihilation, thick and viscous black liquid, bloodline, the material from which she birthed the xenomorphs and the tyranids, that which she fills nyx with every night, black ichor mixing with black tar to create new xenomorphs, new daughters full of stars.

tonalli, teyolía, ihíyotl - the head, the heart, the liver. the soul in three parts. each favored to be devoured by extinction.

death of the sun - her eyes, the death cycle, red giant, the end of earth.

tentacles - thick and black tentacles, strength, instruments of love and pleasure, home, safety, the horror her presence and beauty, the immensity of her presence and power, the reach of her influence. she holds her daughters close, she caresses her wife; writhing, dipping into flesh, crushing gravity.

machine voice/biomechanical body - the reapers, harbinger, indoctrination, cycles of extinction.

some of these overlap with each other and there's probably a lot more i can't think of at the moment.

Does the character have other characters connected to them? Do you have a family tree and "offscreen" connections made up for them or do they exist in a vacuum purely for the purpose of the story?

me, becoming the girl crying while drawing meme whenever i try to chart out the great family. (also this is by no means accurate to ol' howard phillips lovecraft's original tree and/or the additions made by authors after him. this is my personal real estate.)

azathoth - nyarlathotep - yhouneh (marriage) - slaanesh (consort) - lilith (child) - alucard (consort) - nyog'sothep - yog-sothoth - shub-gorgoroth (marriage) - cthulhu - idh-yaa (marriage) - ghatanothoa, ythogtha, zoth-ommog, cthylla (children) - kassogtha (consort) - nctosa and nctolhu (children) - hastur - cassilda (marriage) - camilla (child)

(not including all of the extra lovers taken and children sired by various members of azathoth's line because then this list would be stupidly long and my brain hurts.)

shai-hulud - sandworms (children) - chani kynes (granddaughter)

the emperor - the xenomorphs (children) - tyranids (children, as they were created from her blood) - nyx (marriage) - nemesis - celestial xenomorphs (children with the emperor)

(also not including the rest of nyx's children that she had on her own because they mostly are not involved with the great family)

What is your general favourite thing about the character? What is your least favourite?

my favorite thing(s) about her is that she is so beautiful and strong and she loves her wife, her daughters, and her family so much.

my least favorite thing is that i overdesigned her and now she has too many details i have to keep track of. i did this to myself.

Bonus question: share any additional thoughts, art, favourite scenes, anything you've been waiting for a chance to ramble about

continues to show everyone this incredible art of the emperor by @fatherentropy like i'm a beauty influencer.

a thing i want to write more of is nyx and the emperor interacting with other people, be the great family or other members of the house of hades. because i mostly write lemons and/or them being sweet, loving mothers of the xenomorphs and tyranids.

and mostly because i want to utilize the emperor's size more, especially in the gestures and touches nyx does in order to show everyone that the emperor belongs to her. (especially if she's wearing something nyx commissioned for her. hehehe.) oh look at all these ovomorph-shaped lemons i have acquired.

[sskk-manifesto]

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