#mentioned: nidhogg

[paintedscales]

disc.01 :: Tending Wounds

The twins learn that playing stupid games earns them stupid prizes.

(I don't know what to make the summary. It's late, I'm tired.)

Word Count: 1,271

The sound of pained wailing was more than enough to have Nomin drop everything that she had been doing in the island cabin. To the deepest pits of hell with whatever it was, even as the ceramic bowl shattered at the bottom of the sink, and the water still ran. The feeling of her heart dropping straight into her bowels as her legs moved on instinct alone made Nomin extremely tunnel visioned as she rushed outside and looked around before bolting in the direction the wailing was coming from.

Hurrying past foliage and through the desire trails, Nomin soon came across a scene where she steeled herself to stay as calm as possible.

One of the twins was curled on the ground, whimpering and wailing as she clutched her bloodied arm. The other twin had a look of horror etched on her face, an all too familiar lance in her possession. That look of horror melted away into guilty sadness as the standing twin started bawling now that their mother had arrived, the lance slipping from her grasp. It fell to the ground with a muffled metallic clatter against the dirt.

“What happened!?” Nomin asked, attempting to keep any anger or panic free from her tone. The anger was easier to keep out than the panic, as it turned out.

“F-Fleur cut m-m-me!” the twin on the ground sobbed. Her arm was coated in scarlet, the other hand clamped over the wound and doing its best to keep pressure on it as Nomin and Estinien taught them in the past.

Letting out a sigh, Nomin hiked up her shorts and then knelt down next to Cyrielle, frowning as she looked over what she could. Holding out her hand, Nomin recalled how the aether felt when she focused on casting Vercure. As the aether pooled and created a healing white light accompanied by gentle wind, Nomin gently reached out with her other hand and placed it upon Cyrielle’s head.

“Come now… Let me see the wound so that my magicks can work more efficiently…” Nomin calmly instructed.

“I-I’m sorry, mama. I…I d-didn’t mean to…” Fleurette sniffled. She was rooted in place, her hands coming up to messily wipe away her tears.

“I’m not the one you need to apologize to, Fleur,” Nomin replied. She kept her attention both on Cyrielle and keeping the flow of healing aether going. Seeing the cut for herself, finally, however, made Nomin give a silent sigh of relief. The cut was not too terribly deep -- deep enough to leave a scar, but not deep enough that some simple curative spells would not have done the trick overall.

Fleurette’s bottom lip trembled as she sniffled again and hesitantly said, “... I’m sorry, Cy.”

“You’re to apologize to your father as well when he returns home,” Nomin sternly said. “He will not be happy that Nidhogg has been taken from his armory for the type of play the two of you decided to get yourselves in.”

At this, Fleurette’s eyes widened as she blanched at the very thought.

“C’mon, Cyrielle, up we go. That should ease the pain for now, but we need to get you bandaged up…” Nomin said, slowly rising to her feet as she offered her hands to help Cyrielle up onto her own. All while sniffling and hiccuping, Cyrielle allowed Nomin to help her up. Meanwhile, Fleurette was still in stunned silence, her gaze having gone to the ground.

Walking over to the discarded Nidhogg, Nomin picked the lance up into her possession, frowning as she did so. She looked over at Fleurette and sighed once more. “I’m not even going to ask how you managed to get into your father’s armory. The important part is that your sister is not going to die, nor will she lose her arm, if you were ever worried about that. However…that does not change the fact that both of you will need to be punished somehow.”

“But it was an accident!” Fleurette sobbed, burying her head in her hands.

“Accident or no, you could have seriously harmed your sister, Fleurette. If not harm, then potentially have even paralyzed or even killed her with your father’s lance…” Nomin replied, keeping Nidhogg in her grasp as she placed her free hand on Cyrielle’s back. She was still babying her arm, though at least her wailing had died down to small hiccups and sniffling now that her arm had healing aether to aid her.

“Why am I…why am I b-being punished, too?” Cyrielle asked, taking in a stuttering breath as she bit back her crying.

Motioning the girls back toward the cabin, Nomin considered her words carefully. The experience was traumatic enough, surely, without her having to chastise or yell at them to get her point across. So…she finally gave her response: “you see, Cyrielle…even if you were the unfortunate victim in this bout of play with Fleurette, you still went with it. Both of you know that your father and I teach you what we can not so that you may play with one another with what you’ve learned, but so that you may defend yourselves or even each other should the time arise for such things.”

“But…you and father always look like you’re having fun when you fight…” Fleurette protested, folding her arms over her chest as she walked alongside the other two.

“Your father and I have spent many years of our lives training in our own ways and methods of combat. We know our limits,” Nomin replied. There was a moment where she paused, though she elaborated on her statement: “I was… Admittedly, I was made to learn combat against my will for much of what I know. Your father chose his combat lifestyle for his own reasons. I'm sure he’ll tell you once he feels you’re old enough, or the time is right.”

Once the garden was in view, Nomin urged Cyrielle forward and nodded to Fleurette to go into the house. Looking down at Nidhogg, Nomin’s expression grew distant before she frowned and tightened her grip upon the shaft. She felt his essence that still stained the steel, even after all these years. Likewise, she felt that familiar tug of malice and turmoil within the twins themselves.

It was nauseating at times, though Nomin shook her head and took the lance back inside. She glanced in the girls’ direction, noting how they had taken up their seats in the dining room. Satisfied for now, Nomin took Nidhogg and got it put away back in the somewhat sizable walk-in closet space that both Estinien and Nomin used for their arms and armor.

There was a moment where Nomin paused. She looked back to the armor that Estinien typically wore and placed her hand against the cool steel of it where one’s heart would be.

“... Ysayle…you would protect them, too, right?” Nomin softly asked. She knew her question would go unanswered, but she liked to believe that some trace of her lingered outside the aetherial sea. That she truly watched over them.

Dropping her hand back to her side, Nomin took one last look at the armor before leaving the room and making sure to lock the door behind her. Striding back into the dining room and then into the kitchen to retrieve a medical kit, Nomin placed it upon the counter while getting some soothing and healing salve, along with some bandages.

“Well, looks like you two are going to learn some basic triage today. We’ll discuss the punishments you two should have to do after I teach you both how to care for wounds without magic.”

[tovaicas]

I think the main reason the way the dravanians are handled (other than the kinda shitty implications of this game wanting to have its cake and eat it too re: the dragons, so that it doesn't have to engage with the honestly terrifying and extremely sad plight of the dravanian horde so that the player can still have mindless dragons to fight that you don't have to feel bad abt killing) annoys me so much is that heavensward had an honestly good curated experience of you learning gradually and then all at once just like an ishgardian would that the dravanians are real people with lives, families, customs, and dreams and not the mindlessly hyper-violent animals you've up until anyx trine you've been made to believe they are, something that is started in ARR with midgardsormr but really hammered home that all the dragons, even the ones you've killed, are sentient, intelligent beings with lives and many simply want quiet lives away from the war and don't want to lose their children to it. up until then you've been made to fear dragons and think of them as deserving of violence in turn simply for being what they are under the assumption they're mindless swarming beasts...just as the ishgardians do. heavensward does an honestly very good job of mirroring the ishgardian mindset and viewpoint of the war to you so that you can experience what ishgard feels when the truth is finally laid out for you.

but then as soon as we get anywhere close to actually engaging with that nuance, with what that says about the situation of the dravanian horde and ourselves, combined with the previous, initially offhand lore that the dragons literally cannot ignore the calls of their sires (which is the entire potential crisis that drags aymeric in for his first on-screen appearance, because midgardsormr can drag every dravanian currently alive into the war if he wants) and that maybe this is a far more complicated and tragic situation for all sides than we initially expected, and that maybe nidhogg's brood suffers in a way that's actually very similar to the ishgardians - we drop all of that. we drop it so that we can have an enemy in dungeons we don't have to feel bad about killing, so that we don't have to feel too uncomfortable with our actions or with running these two dungeons.

[the-manderville-mambo]

Speaking of how boss music with lyrics is a great way to add characterization, I'm reminded of my personal headcanon regarding Dragonsong's singer. Officially it's supposed to be Hydaelyn, but tbh it would make more sense (to me at least) for it to be Ratatoskr singing it, especially after going through Endwalker

Firstly, Ratatoskr was noted for being a singer. Several of her descendants are mentioned as succeeding her legacy in the same way (that one PvP mount). Secondly, the word choice within the song doesn't match up with another one that's sung from Hydaelyn's PoV: Answers. Where Answers has "my children," Dragonsong has "children of the land." It doesn't make as much sense for Hydaelyn to say something like that, but if we consider that the people who once dwelled in the Churning Mists were known as landlords, in comparison to the dragons being called skylords, it would make far more sense for it to be said by a dragon

Thirdly, it would have greater emotional impact for Dragonsong to be Ratatoskr's spirit lamenting this thousand-year war and wondering why mortals would do such a thing, why they would betray her so, than for it to be Hydaelyn doing so when she has a far greater understanding of mortals (compared to something as alien as a dragon). Especially given that Dragonsong is a track more closely associated with Nidhogg and Hraesvelgr, Ratatoskr's two closest siblings, than with Hydaelyn or even Midgardsormr. You hear a vocal-less version at Zenith, where Hraesvelgr lives, and the full version during the Final Steps of Faith, the culmination of the Dragonsong War and the final confrontation with Nidhogg. Midgardsormr, meanwhile, has his own personal theme (Primogenitor) and Hydaelyn is notably absent from most of HW's story

[nekhcore]

a suitable vessel. a lingering thought in the night.

it's my headcanon that the reason misha was able to harness the eye of nidhogg at azys lla is because he is also an azure dragoon. i don't ascribe to being the warrior of light being enough to facilitate that. so of course, he hated it. he hated every moment of it. he became an archer to get away from all of this, and it comes right back to him in the end.

when they reunite with thancred, alphinaud says a little bit too much and mentions two azure dragoons. so the cat's out of the bag.

thancred now finally has another piece of the puzzle. another clue as to why misha disappeared and became an archer. but even though he'll acknowledge it now, he refuses to elaborate. on the eye. on its effect on him. on how much it scares him. so all they get is this. little moments in the middle of the night when misha is too tired to stop the words from coming out of his mouth.

thancred will understand. eventually.

[ofdarklands]

so in hw there's nidhogg's mate (lets not ask where she came from) and their brood, multitude and spiky etc

ratatoskr doesn't seem to have had a brood herself, because they're never mentioned, unless you go the technically correct way of ishgardians being the closest thing to her brood

meanwhile hraesvelgr has a brood that seems to have existed since before shiva, since they remember his 'beloved'. did he sneeze them out by himself? is there a dragon exwife out there? since gender and genetics are irrelevant for dragons did he make them with nidhogg? ratatoskr?? both???

[clockworkdragonffxiv]

Further thought about the dragons in Final Fantasy XIV because my power has grown beyond control because I was bored at work and it popped in my head:

It's mentioned a lot in Heavensward that dragons don't remember things the way humans do. Their memories are perfect to a degree that memories don't fade so for them every trauma is this gushing fresh agony in their mind, like how Nidhogg is so incredibly pissed off because he remembers in excruciating detail finding Ratatoskr's butchered corpse and the Ishgardians gorging on her flesh.

Well, not so much remembers as he's actively experiencing it. All the time. Forever. Dragons live in the now with an intensity humans can barely comprehend, and I really think they don't process time in the same we do. We experience time linearly. Past, present, future.

Dragons don't. For them existence is experienced all at once forever. I'm not sure they even entirely distinguish between present and past and future, because it all feels the same to them, and I think that it impacts them in strange ways.

Like I don't think dragons really plan the way humans do. Everything is experienced in the Now. So I think for the vast majority of them, human tinkering and building completely baffles them. Oh they see the utility but it's not something they'd come up with on their own.

This extends to things like buildings. They certainly have the raw strength to repair the structures there, but it's not something they'd ever think of. Because repairing the castles means scouting out the proper stone, quarrying it, planning the repairs, etc.

Nidhogg's war against Ishgard is the closest thing to planning we see from them, and that was literally "torture them forever."

Also why Nidhogg was batshit insane. Because for him, he's always and will forever be at that one moment in time: finding his sister's corpse as the Ishgardians she'd been fascinated by and befriended feasted on her flesh like a pack of jackals. He never left that moment. I mean, the narrative flat out tells us that, but really holy shit is that a horrifying thing to think about. Like existentially.

It's probably the reason he could bodyjack Estinien so easily: because until the end of Heavensward, whenever Estinien closed his eyes for a second he could smell the ashes and roasting flesh from Nidhogg burning Estinien's family and entire village alive.

Also, consider that Midgardsormr went through far, far worse. The fact that the guy mostly comes off as grumpy and old should tell you about just how ridiculously tough he is. And why he spends all his time sleeping. Because whenever Midgardsormr was awake he was watching his world burn.

That and probably why he loved Hydalen and his alliance with her and devotion to her. She was as tough as he was, and had been through so much and carried on despite unimaginable woulds and pain. And she still gave him shelter when he had nothing left. That kind of compassion and strength was something he respected.

As a side note, I would be interested to hear from Middy about his thoughts on Hydalen's passing. Then again, he might not mourn her. After all, she'll live forever in his memories, as whenever he closes his eyes he still sees the radiant woman with the weight of the world on her shoulders meeting an exhausted and desperate dragon with the last eggs of his kind and providing them shelter and safety. And he feels the intensity of the sudden hope he felt then with every breath. How could he not love her?

She'll always be with him.

[meowww-ffxiv]

Every time I think about writing WoLstinien it's like pulling teeth. Estinien is someone hard to write in general and then you think about him in close relationship with someone like... I can write aloof characters more easily tbh. Estinien is just so matter-of-fact about people he loved (the WoL, Aymeric, Alphinaud) that it's wild. He called you "aibou". He's basically Alphinaud's older brother. He mentions Aymeric fondly and thinks about souvenirs for him out loud.

He named his armor Iceheart, by the way. His spear was Nidhogg, whether the dragon's aether was inside that thing debatable. But bruh. Estinien, man. The guy who never put down anything or anyone he'd ever picked up, and for awhile that sucked for him because he was Mr. Vengeance and Hatred, but now he still carried all of it and he was all the happier and more whole for it.

And he clearly knew the people he loved very well. Aymeric wore that stupid blue elephant suit Estinien sent back for him.

[voidsentprinces]

"How can WoL be challenged if they've literally fought the end of the universe and the eldest primals?"

Occams Razor. This is Tural. The new world. It might contain magics and skills, WoL isn't use to dealing with. Its like asking how Stormblood could still challenge a WoL who faced down First Brood Dragons like Nidhogg and Hraesvelgr and even Bahamut Prime. Simply because we're not use to dealing with Kami or the martial arts of the regions we are entering. Not to mention there are creatures and environments we aren't use to dealing with. Or like how Shadowbringers could challenge WoL after they've dealt with Omega and fought entire armies and Zenos. Because we weren't use to dealing with Sineaters and Lightwardens.

Every new expansion is a simple explanation on how trials can still be difficult for us narratively when we've dealt with greater foes before. Also Zodiark was incomplete and being driven by a mad man who didn't have actual full control of it, Hydaelyn was at her weakest and Endsinger can to contend with the prayers of our friends and us channeling dynamis in a way she couldn't of predicted. We still have plenty of room to grow.

[keicordelle]

After Estinien gets his body back from Nidhogg, he finds himself changed. Always a little surprised to uncover the differences. Most of them are benign: a few scales in places they don't belong (as though they belong anywhere), a few barbs in places not worth mentioning, a sense of smell and hearing that far outpaces his comrades'. And a weakened immune system (or so he thinks).

Years of thinking he just gets horribly, terribly sick for a few weeks out of every year - a peculiar kind of sickness, to be sure, that leaves him flushed and sweaty and aching in places that the common cold usually leaves untouched, but undoubtedly, unquestioningly ill.

The first one strikes while he's still in Ishgard, recovering from being possessed, and suddenly every part of him feels like it's on fire again. The healers can't do anything for him, but they refuse to allow Aymeric to see him until he's recovered.

And then he leaves, off to wander the world, and suffers his new chronic illness alone for untold moons. He's accepted it as routine by the time he makes his way back to Ishgard.

And yet the instant he catches a whiff of Aymeric's scent, familiar despite the years spent apart, he feels himself falling ill. Curses his luck and his shitty immune system for its timing, but pushes through. He wants to at least greet Aymeric before hiding himself away for a week of suffering. But he can scarcely make it through dinner before he's forced to retreat, panting and fevered and aching.

Except that this time there's no chirugians to keep Aymeric away. He shows up on Estinien's doorstep the following day, worried for his old friend. Estinien tries to stop himself from what comes next, he really does, but... it's a battle he's destined to lose.

And to his astonishment, Aymeric is more than willing to do whatever it takes to help him feel better. Whatever it takes.

[shoggothkisses]

"BEDTIME STORY" - Preliminary Archon Quest (Ch. 4- Act IV) Thoughts

My diligence has finally paid off! For the first time in a while, I got to play through a Genshin quest as soon as it dropped! So, while energy is still high and the novelty of the event is still - well, novel - I offer you a collection of observations and examinations from the most recent Archon Quest.

HERE THERE BE SPOILERS - do not click unless you've played Bedtime Story or don't mind being spoiled on its events!

FIRST, and arguably (for me) most importantly - THE SINNER HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED, and before yesterday there was NO way you could have convinced me that it was Dainsleif's brother. (Has he even mentioned having a brother before this?) (The "Dain is the twins' sibling" theorists are probably deeply unhappy. Sorry for your loss.)

(A bit sad that it's not Deshret, personally, but that's not relevant atm.)

His name, Vedrfolnir (or Vethrfolnir, or Veðrfölnir or any number of phonetically similar spellings for those of us who can't do Scandanavian languages to save our lives), comes from the name of a hawk that, in Norse mythology, is partnered with a (nameless?) eagle that sits on top of Yggdrasil (Irminsul). Vedrfolnir is believed to represent the eagle's wisdom, able to see everything in the Nine Realms (likely why Genshin!Vedrfolnir's title is The Visionary) and passing information back and forth to it - much in the way that Odin's ravens are believed to pass information back and forth to him.

It is also believed to play a role in the battle between the eagle and Nidhogg (the serpent at Yggdrasil's roots) at Ragnarok - possibly similar to that of Ratatoskr, whose gossip back and forth between Nidhogg and the eagle (and Vedrfolnir by extension) is what causes their mutual aggression.

The name Vedrfolnir means something akin to "pale wind."

As far as the other "Five Sinners of Khaenri'ah" are concerned:

Hroptatyr is another name for Odin (huge? can you say HUGE?). The "wise" part is self explanatory. The name means "sage" in Old Norse.

Rhinedottir is, as we know, a Norse spelling of the German "Rheintöchter." She's named after the Rhinemaidens, three water spirits who dwell at the bottom of the Rhine river and are said to protect the Gold(tm) that can grant anyone immeasurable power. This origin is, however-

While the original Nibelungenleid (the 12th century German poem-epic) makes mention of mermaids, and Norse mythology makes mention of the proverbial gold (see below) the massively significant role mentioned above was almost COMPLETELY made up by Richard Wagner while writing the Ring Cycle. The Rhinemaidens are mentioned nowhere in Norse mythology, whereas all the other Sinners' names are pulled directly from old Norse sources. (Considering Rhinedottir's level of importance to the overarching plot, especially in Mondstadt, I have a hard time believing this difference from the other Sinners isn't equally important.)

I have discussed Surtalogi previously, so lemme just... (clears throat). Caaaaaalled it.

So yeah. He's the "Fire of Surtr," the jotunn who burns it all down. Dain and Surtalogi, sword buddies. Nice neat explanation. (Who's gonna be Surtr? Will we have a Surtr? We'll put a pin in that.)

And...if he's "the Foul," then I guess anyone who adopts his power has...the...Foul Legacy...yeah. No need to delve into that much. At least not for now.

Rerir is a little more to unpack. Or a lot more. Who am I kidding. In the Norse Volsungasaga, Rerir is part of a long and complicated line of royal births and deaths that result in rise and fall of the titular Volsung clan (similar to, but not the exact same as, the Nibelungenleid). A brief overview:

Odin gives birth to Sigi.

Sigi gives birth to Reri. Sigi is killed by his brothers-in-law.

Rerir avenges his father's death (for all you Sherlock Holmes fans - Racher is "avenger," or one who gets revenge [Rache].)

The goddess Frigg has a crow bring Rerir and his wife an apple because they're having a hard time getting pregnant. It works.

Rerir dies while his wife is pregnant - for six years.

Volsungr (Rerir's son) is born by C-section (something that seeems to happen with a lot of heroes in different mythologies, just saying). His mom dies in the process.

Volsung fathers (in addition to like ten other kids) the twins Sigmundr and Signy (in German, Sigmund and Sieglinde).

Sigmundr fathers Sigurd (Siegfried in German).

Sigurd is the dragon-slaying, Nibelung's-hoard-and-ring-of-power-having king that ends up being killed during a combination political dispute/relationship drama.

The chunks of the Volsungsaga from Volsung on are retold in Wagner's Ring Cycle, albeit with his own embellishments (see Rhinedottir).

The aspect of Rerir's title here that's confusing me the most is "Solnari." Based on Rerir's mythological origin, Solnari should be his father - but then, why not just call him "Racher of Sigi"? Meanwhile, Sol is almost certainly a reference to a Sun deity (in Norse and Germanic, the sun goddess), but the "-nari" suffix is more confusing. From what I can tell,

1) "Nari" is Sanskrit for "woman" or "maiden" - so if Solnari were The Lady Sun it would make sense, but it seems weird to randomly throw Sanskrit into a Norse civilization; and

2) Nari, or Narfi, is a different deity in Norse mythology that is supposed to be either Loki's son (killed by his wolf-shifting brother Vali), the personification of night (Nott), or both.

I can't really make sense of it in the moment, but hopefully we'll get more info as we go - preferably before another year goes by, Dainsleif, please!???

The Vinster King is, likewise, difficult to parse. There is, on one hand, the Swedish word “vinst” meaning to win, or make a return/profit - which would make the “vinster king” the king who…won? This isn’t totally impossible as we know there have been plenty of wars of succession between both gods and humans in Teyvat. On the other hand, this may be a butchered spelling of the German “finster,” meaning “dark,” “sinister,” or “gloomy.” I wasn’t super sold on my own interpretation of this until I remembered this sweet loot drop we get in the Chasm:

So that may be the case, and, as such, the “Vinster King” may be another name for Irmin.

(Side tangent: I now think it would be super funny if we found out later that Irmin and Pierrot really ARE the same person…Gloomy King…becomes a Clown…? Love that…anyway.)

I have already heard that someone has translated the message in Caribert’s memory-travel/loading-screen thingy, but I DON’T TRUST PEOPLE! So i’m gonna do it here for myself.

From the top, line by line:

FAREWELL ATOSSA

I APOLOGIZE

FOR MAKING YOU KNOW ME

UNWILLINGLY

STILL I DONT WISH

YOU TO FORGET ME

This is written in Sumeran script, not Khaenri’ahn. A nice easter egg, and very touching to be sure. ;v;

One last thing: on the Sea of Flowers.

There are a few things that this Sea of Flowers reminds me of - Nabu Malikata and her connection to water and flowers comes to mind, for one - but the thing that I was IMMEDIATELY reminded of was the Dandelion Sea.

For those who don’t particularly enjoy coming through Genshin’s archive: The Fox in the Dandelion Sea is a whopping 11-volume story series found hidden throughout Mondstadt. In the story, a hunter makes a deal with a fox (or spirit. or fox-spirit) who believes that he intentionally saved her life (he was just a bad shot, and broke the ice that was keeping her trapped on a lake): teach her fox-child to speak the language of humans, and she will teach the hunter how to transform into other creatures.

In order to meet and teach her cub, the fox takes the hunter to a “sea of dandelions, stretching as far as my eyes could see.” All foxes who “disappear during the hunt” come here, and time appears to be meaningless. While the hunter appears to move toward learning a lesson, by the end of the series, he still informs the fox that his reason for learning transformation magic is to be a better hunter. At this, the fox turns him into a dandelion puff and blows him away to a “faraway land.” He then wakes, as is from a dream, with none of what he could have had (the magic, the beautiful fox-woman, or the peaceful sea of dandelions).

While I’m unsure if the Sea of Dandelions actually has anything to do with the Sea of Flowers, it would be interesting if we found out that the Sea of Flowers is some alternate version of reality - a domain, an isolated region, or even a beautiful (but ultimately unattainable) dream.

THAT IS. basically all i have so far. This is coming off (as i said) basically 4-5 hours of sleep followed by all day on-and-off research to try and process everything we got since yesterday. and yes i know I didn't mention the Loom of Fate even ONCE but honestly between the pretty explicit "it weaves ley lines" description and the Abyss twin's equally explicit "I don't know what I'm gonna do with it yet," I don't really feel like any deeper picking has to be done for now.

okay byeee

[starsfic]

Summaries:

A two parter DoTMNT fic, with the turtles adjusting to the fact that they are biologically related and the Hamato brothers discussing their eldest brother.

In the wake of learning about Splinter’s real identity, Leo and Raph struggle with deciding on how to handle it. (Or, according to @stylishbutdefinitelyillegal, Hamato Saki earns the Worst Uncle award.)

Modern AU where Azure, the head of security in a fancy casino, meets a beautiful golden man. Smut

After Iron Fan manipulates her son into a state of possessiveness over his mate, Red and her enter a civil war. DBK and Qi Xiaotian are watching on the sidelines. (Or, Ironbull and Spicynoodles keep fucking in each other’s bed. Smut.)

Inspired by an AU discussed on Discord with @rain-bow-donkey and @draw-of-the-moon, Sun Wukong has reincarnated into Pigsy’s neighboring shop. Azure must process this during their first meeting. Smut

Sun Wukong is trapped in a real life harem romance. The issue is that he wants none of them.

The gang, fresh off a new attempt at breaking the spell around the town that keeps them trapped, are hired in order to investigate sabotage around the town's yearly magic festival, the Carnival of Souls. Mr. E's spying is complicated by Pericles and Nidhogg's plans.

Qi Xiaotian's birthday is coming up. Sun Wukong jumps at the chance to do an old-fashioned bash because Xiaotian is his favorite person, and he deserves it. His parties are legendary, not just among the Brotherhood but throughout Heaven and the demon community. So imagine the reaction when, out of nowhere after 500 years of sudden silence, Sun Wukong is throwing a party. Not just a party, a PARTY.

Based on King Thrushbeard, after Red Son rejects suitor after suitors, DBK loses patience and married Red to the next peasant that passes by. Qi Xiaotian, the peasant in question, is very confused.

That one fic I mentioned to @twinklecupcake: AU of Pignapped where Tang and the kids instead land in the capture where Zhu Bajie joins the journey and must work with Sun Wukong and Tripitaka to wrangle the pig. What Tang also finds is a rival over his husband- Blue Orchid.

[epicfroggz]

I’m curious if you have any ideas on what the Abyssal Serpent is/represents? I’ve been trying to puzzle it out to make more sense of Messmer’s deal but I’ve come up with a whole lotta nothing.

Yes, thank you for the ask!

In short, I believe the Abyssal or Base Serpent is the traitor to the Erdtree that is prophesied to commit the “cardinal sin”, aka burn it. Marika was so afraid of the serpent’s power that she sealed it away behind Messmer’s eye and left him in the Land of Shadow for good measure, where it grew and festered alongside his hatred.

In real world mythology, it is most similar to Nidhogg of Norse myth: a serpent or dragon that chews upon the roots of the World Tree. Nidhogg is said to preside over a part of the underworld where it punishes sinners. If ever to be released from the roots, Nidhogg would be one of the driving forces behind chaos, helping to bring about Ragnarok.

(Long post, so more under cut!)

This all sounds familiar. Messmer presides over the Land of Shadow—the underworld—where he punishes those stripped of the grace of Gold—the sinners, including those that harmed his mother’s people. When Messmer breaks the seal of grace his mother gave him, he unleashes the Abyssal Serpent, and his kill dialogue changes—“Embrace thine oblivion, as shall I.” This, his Remembrance’s text—“They have accepted his fate as much as he”—and the fact that serpents have eternal lives a la Rykard, makes it sound like Messmer has condemned himself to a fate worse than death. He states the Abyssal Serpent is “shorn of light”: that he has cut out what grace or light he had by removing the seal, and that the nature of the serpent is inherently lightless. I believe the serpent is akin to the concept of Shadow itself: “born of dark notions that bear no sense of Order” (Remembrance of the Shadow Sunflower). A concept that was born alongside Gold, when Marika ascended to godhood (from the story trailer). The serpent represents the opposite of her Order, the ushering in of chaos, the destruction of the Erdtree—and for that, it had to be sealed away.

But, the Abyssal Serpent IS Messmer. This we know from how it retains his hair and how they share their wounds between his humanoid and serpent form. With the seal, Marika separated her son from what was violent and malevolent and left only the part of him that was compassionate and loved her. Even so, she imagined that his devotion was fallible, and hid him away in the Land of Shadow. Her fear won over her heart, and she abandoned him there, creating “a hatred that would not be confined” (Remembrance of the Impaler)—really creating problems where there were none. It’s no wonder he curses her upon defeat! And, it can be said, the curse specifically is himself: “the [red snake] embroidery on the apron is itself is a curse upon the Erdtree” (Depraved Perfumer Robe).

So, we know that snakes are curses to the Erdtree, and that “the snake is viewed as a traitor to the Erdtree” (Duelist Helm). Now for why/how. While Nidhogg chews upon the roots of the World Tree, the Abyssal Serpent chews on Messmer’s kindling, of which I will post the full text:

“The kindling that burned inside Messmer the Impaler. A dark thing, eaten away at by a wicked serpent. Burns the sealing tree said to be found at the old Rauh ruins. Messmer, much like his younger sister, bore a vision of fire.”

The kindling is stated to be “a dark thing” in itself, reinforcing how Messmer is the serpent which embodies the concept of Shadow. “Bore of a vision of fire” must be in reference to the cardinal sin—it is interesting how the prophets that foresaw this sin were exiled, much like Messmer himself, and yet they were ones most devoted to their faith. Mentioning Melina (the “kindling maiden” (Blade of Calling)) here invokes this as well, as it is with her we commit the actual cardinal sin. The only other mention of “kindling” we get is a description of the prophecy: “The prophet despaired, looking up at the Erdtree, for soon the kindling would burst into flame, bringing ruin. ‘The burning of the Erdtree is the first cardinal sin. That is not the domain of mere men’” (Fire’s Deadly Sin). Of course, for it is the domain of the demigods, Melina and Messmer. The difference between them is that Messmer’s kindling was a curse to his mother’s new Order, while Melina’s kindling is a blessing that will allow a new Lord and age to be ushered in via the burning of the thorns.

So, the Abyssal Serpent will bring ruin to the Erdtree, a fate so assured that Marika sealed her very own son (which she seemed to care about) away in the underworld and abandoned him. And we helped set the serpent free. Good job, Tarnished! Though, honestly, Messmer was just looking for a reason to rip out the seal: the “eternity of suffering” thing wasn’t good for his health at all, as we can see from his and the serpent’s wounds and clear signs of neglect. Another case where separating a complete being results in great suffering for the both of them, as it does for Miquella and St. Trina. Although his purpose is to destroy, at least Messmer has become whole again. </3

I hope that answered your question! (?!?)

- Froggo

[mamma-marimo]

A Secret in the Night

A/N: Turns out I am not immune to this silly dragoon. Call him Nidhogg the way he keep trying to possess me <33 this is my first time writing him so fingers crossed he isn't too ooc

Summary: Thancred Waters finds something unexpected upon returning to the Rising Stones after a long mission and it's not you baking at 3 in the morning.

WC: 1k

Rating: E

Pairing: (GN)Reader x Estinien

Tags: fluff, wholesome goodness, Thancred Waters jumpscare

It’s in the Witching hour Thancred returns to the Rising Stones from yet another stealth mission. His shoulders sag and his feet sore from the endless tracking he’s just accomplished. With most of the scions aside from the small handful on night watch turned in for the night, he decides the report is more than fine to turn in come morning. 

With a sigh, he rubs the back of his sore neck mentally debating on if he should take a shower or just crawl into bed. While it’s never appealing to lie in a clean bed with mission musk, his exhaustion does bring up a concern of passing out the moment he’s encompassed in the comforting warm water.  

His thoughts are interrupted when a fragrant sweet scent welcomes him, activating a low growl in his stomach. He supposed there’s nothing wrong with grabbing a quick bite from the communal kitchen before crashing for the night. As he furthers his journey down the hall he notices one of the lights on within the kitchen. 

There is a sneaking suspicion as to what soul would be up at this damned hour baking something and the

laughter that echoed confirmed it. 

“They better not be stress-baking again…” he sighs to himself, praying he’ll be intervening in time to avoid a repeat of the last incident. While delicious, it took forever to get through all of it and Tataru wasn’t too pleased with exceeding the grocery budget. Not to mention how long it took to work off the damage the carbs did to his seductive figure. His pace quickens. One step, two step and then-

“Quiet. You are going to wake up all of Mor Dhona at this rate.” A familiar gruff, brooding tone chastises. 

“Sorry-“ he hears you giggle. “You’re just really funny, you know?”

Thancred’s brows furrow. Estinien was a man of many things, sure but funny? Not intentionally at least. Well, you can be quite odd so your amusement in odd things should be of no surprise. 

He retracts his pace, slowing down as he quietly treads closer and closer to the kitchen. 

“In what ways do I amuse you?” Estinien inquires. 

Thancred has his back against the wall near the entry. Pausing for a moment he’s relieved to not hear any sounds that could allude to something lewd being committed. Praise Hydaelyn for that. However, his keen sense of hearing picks up the soft sound of steps along the tiles. 

Carefully, he leans in peeking around the corner and into the open doorway. 

Estiniens back is to him, an arm wrapped around your waist and the other elevated, fingers interlocked with yours. Their bodies sway in sync left to right according to a rhythm all their own. 

Pale brows arch up and Thancred withdraws, blinking a few times then rubs his eyes. Normally it would take a few more days of sleep deprivation to make him this level of delirious. Was he seeing things? He isn’t old enough to need glasses just yet, right? 

Once more he peaks over, Estinien now hovers as he dips his dance partner. 

“Oh a lot of ways!” You chime.

“I like your little pout, that little huff you do when we try dragging you into things and– now that I think about it. You remind me of an old dog. A cute little thing that sighs now and then a bit sadly. Makes you wonder what goes through their little minds to make them so tired.” You chuckle, peering up at the Elezen with a sickening amount of affection.  

Estinien scoffs and Thancred can feel his eyes roll. Briefly, he withdraws the hand that supports your back. 

“H-hey!” You gasp, quickly clutching onto Estinien’s back for support to avoid hitting the ground but his hand returns, guiding you upwards to the standing position prior. 

“It is quite exhausting keeping up with your antics. You handful of Scions are more taxing than a squadron of untrained Dragoons.” He retorts, turning them around. your back now facing the voyeur. Your body leans against Estiniens with your head nestled against his chest. 

“In my defense, half the antics are Alisaie and Alphinaud getting ahead of themselves. Although, you can get pretty ahead of yourself too Mr. Lone Wolf.” You retort and Thancred can see a rare smile gracing the Elezens elegant features. 

“I dare say your boldness has influenced a great many men. Including myself but especially the younger ones.” His head rests against you own. For a moment it remains like this. Calm gentle sways like a graceful tide grazing along the shore.

DING!

The timer on the counter chimes, bringing the dancers out of their rhythm. Thancred pulls away, having seen more than enough. With a shake of his head, he feels a strange pit of embarrassed guilt in his stomach for peering in on such an intimate moment. Hell, he feels it would have been less embarrassing to walk in on them in the nude. Either way, snack be damned. He’ll be sure to enjoy whatever was baked come morning with its flavor made even sweeter with the image of their brooding Dragoon being so docile.

“Ah, the bread is done.” You break from the embrace, grabbing a pair of moogle themed oven mitts to pull it out of the oven. 

Estinien resumes his typical stance, arms crossed over his chest. His head turned to the entrance, and eyes narrowed. 

“Something the matter?” You tilt you head at him, glancing between the empty entryway then back.

With a scrunch of his nose he shakes his head. ���No. If we are done here, let us head to bed.��

“Alrighty. I just need to put this up.” You set it in the breadbox and return to him. 

“Thank you for keeping me company.” You lean in to peck his cheek. “I never knew you would be such a lovely dance partner.”

“As I said. Any Ishgardian worth their salt knows the basics. However, I prefer not to do so in front of others. I will say, you are improving at the very least. You only stepped on my foot twice unlike dozens of times in the past.” There’s a soft smirk along his thin lips, bracing your reaction.

[dawnslight-aegis]

6. halcyon

Estinien sat on the edge of a bluff overlooking the ruins of a town, blackened timber poking out of snowdrifts, perfectly desolate and serene. He had been back here before, but not for years, and never with company.

The small, dark-haired xaela next to him pulled her knees up and rested her chin on them, arms loosely wrapped around her legs as she looked down. “This is it, then? Ferndale?”

“Aye. Or what’s left of it, at least.”

The ruin bore no resemblance to the home of his childhood, devoid of the rolling green hills where he’d wandered with his family’s flock, the ponds frozen solid, no scent of braised mutton on the wind. What Nidhogg had not taken, the Calamity had, and left naught but his own fading memories behind.

Without preamble, he raised a hand, pointing out landmarks. “There, and farther to the east, were the grazing fields. ‘Twas not so damnably cold then, but grass was still sparse, so we had to range far, even with the small handful of karakul we had. My father took me with him until I had seen seven summers, and after that, it was my duty alone. There is the river where we fished on warm summer days, and the pond in which I learned to swim. The market where my mother sold the clothes she made from the wool we sheared in the springtime, and the spare milk from our goats. The church, where we gathered on Iceday mornings, to hear the teachings of the Fury and learn our letters.” He let his hand fall, sighing. “I was far afield the day Nidhogg came, and did not arrive until he had gone.”

Weight settled against his arm as Marz leaned into him, a comforting reminder that he was not alone. He knew he need not explain what came after, not to her, who had seen his past through his own eyes. Who had lived through her own version of that hell, though her tormentors were garlean, not dravanian.

“What were your parents like?” she asked, her voice uncommonly quiet and gentle.

Estinien felt his mouth twitch into what might have been a small smile. “My mother was kind. She was a weaver, and a seamstress, and a damned good cook. She helped us make ends meet by doing whatever needed doing in the village – mending clothes, washing them, birthing lambs… I believed she could do anything, when I was young. And my father was… Gruff. Distant. Not given to idle chit chat.”

A snort shook through her whole body. “Sounds familiar.”

He grunted noncommitally in response, and she snickered at him so neatly proving her point.

They both lapsed into silence for a while, looking out over the landscape, until Marz spoke again. “What about your brother?”

Estinien’s jaw clenched and he breathed out slowly through his nose, riding the wave of grief that the mere mention caused, until he had steadied enough to speak again. For so much of his life, he had refused to speak of him at all – but this entire trip was meant to make it so someone else would know that his family had lived, so that when he died in battle, they would live on. He would not deny his brother that.

“Hamignant was… nothing like me. Quiet. Kind. Well-mannered. He misliked violence, even when it was necessary. He named every lamb, no matter if it was destined for the market, or the flock, or the cookpot. Read every book he could get his hands on. My mother wanted to send him to Ishgard someday, to the Scholasticate. He told me he wanted to join the priesthood, so he could come back to Ferndale and teach other children, more than one day a sennight.” Once he started, the words came tumbling out in an awkward rush, heedless of if he meant to speak them or not. Only narrowly did he bite back the words that would have followed – that it would have been better if Estinien himself had perished in Nidhogg’s flames, if it meant his little brother might have lived in his stead.

Such black thoughts spoken aloud would only serve to sour both their moods. Not that it was particularly good to begin with, but…

“Did you know that one time, my brother convinced me that one of our clan elders was a wavekin? He was so old, thin and bony and covered in scales, so that barely any skin could be seen. I believed him for two whole years. My mama was so angry when she found out, but my papa thought it was hysterical. He was always playing pranks on me, always acting as if I was so annoying, but he’d stop and help me with anything I asked. Taught me to dance, and how to braid my hair, so he wouldn’t have to anymore.” Bright green eyes blinked up at him, and her fingers laced through his. “I know what it’s like to have a good big brother. And I’m sure you were one.”

A reluctant smile tugged up the corner of his mouth. “One time, Hami wanted to pick flowers for our mother. I thought myself too old for such things, so I spent the day lazing about, not minding what he was doing. That night, there was mysteriously a frog in my parents’ bed – they thought I did it. I ended up taking the blame for him, and he felt so bad that he snuck me extra sweets for days after.” Estinien sighed, but the weight in his chest – everpresent, even after so many years – felt a little easier to bear. “I have not thought of that in ages. I could not respond to the happy memories with anger, and I had no wish to fall to grief, so I simply… did not think of them. I have done my family a disservice in this, I think.”

Marz shook her head. “No one can judge you for what you have done to survive. And living is always harder than the alternative, isn’t it?”

“Aye. It is. But it is worth it, I think.”

He had not always. Had long counted his life as simply a delayed death, determined to take as many enemies with him as he could before he finally succumbed to the fate that should have awaited him that day in Ferndale. That man had died on the Steps of Faith – and given a second chance at life, he had taken it, even though he knew not what to do with it. Still did not, at times.

All he had known was that he wanted it, and Marzanna had been, alongside Alphinaud, the one to give it to him. It seemed only right he share it with her, past and present alike.

[arcteris]

Honestly it would probably undercut a lot of the emotional moments from Heavensward but it would be really funny if Nidhogg just kept shit talking to the party through his eye. Like an annoying magic eight ball that speaks Shakespeare. The party takes turns shaking the eye to get him to shut up

hmm funny that you mention magic eight balls --

[onedivinemisfit]

My personal opinion has always been that Skyrim lore alone spits in the face of established lore in the TES universe, which is hardly the first time. The retconning of Cyrodiil’s ecology comes to mind immediately.

I’ve long had a headcanon that the tale of the World-Eater Alduin is, if not wrong, then misunderstood. Certainly he’s supposed to be inspired by the Wyrm, Nidhogg, from Nordic mythology.

But what if that was a corruption of his sphere of influence?

Anu and Padomay were Stasis and Change, Order and Chaos, respectively. Paarthurnax and Alduin seem to be a reflection of these primordial siblings, and given they are “children” of Akatosh, that adds a layer of bittersweet tragedy to their roles. Imagining a lonely Akatosh/Auri-el/Anu recreating himself and his lost sibling makes my heart ache.

Going by the idea that Akatosh, Auri-el, and Anu (among others) are just facets and interpretations of the same godly being, him assigning to Alduin the almost identical purpose as what ended up corrupting and causing the fall of Padomay feels cruel.

And beyond strange, given that Nirn is the corpse of Anu’s wife Nir, and their many children. Whom Padomay slew. Why on earth would Anu want anything to devour Nirn, least of all a son he himself created to maybe [fill the void] of his previous loss. And this is the same guy who chucked Lorkhan’s heart to fuck for daring to intervene with Nirn even a little, and established a dynasty of mortals infused with his blood and will to protect Tamriel from Daedra. Who sent Padomay to the Void, whence he can never come back.

Change itself isn’t even an evil by design. Lorkhan’s desire for change won out, even if he was punished for it. Mehrunes Dagon, the Daedra of Change, Natural Catastrophes and Revolutions, is not evil by what he influences, so the same can be argued for Alduin, even if he’s more demigod than Daedra. And demigods are also an established thing, there have been several mentioned throughout Tamriel’s history, like Morihaus Breath-of-Kyne. Alduin claiming to be a son of Akatosh isn’t farfetched.

The idea of a World-Eater who regularly eats the world flies in the face of all lore about Anu. We know this because the Aedra are actual living things in this universe, who influence, appear to, and even talk to the people on Nirn. Auri-el walked among the Aldmer for a long time, just to have a walk. No biggie. The Septim line could all summon his Avatar in dragon-form as part of their bloodline’s contract. Note that the Avatar is one of Protection, not Destruction. The Septims could destroy as many mortals as they liked, even reshape lands and landscapes, but notice how they were still duty-bound to protect Nirn. From forces that could actually harm [her corpse].

So who exactly would benefit from Alduin the World-Eater?

Whose sphere used to be Change, whose corruption led to Nir’s death [the corpse of the world], who wishes for all things to come to the Void, to be Ended, more than anyone else?

Padomay. Sithis.

Hell, even the color palette of Sithis’ legion is the same as Alduin; black and red. The painful irony of the Betrayer Brother corrupting the son Anu created in his very image is just. No words. Even more so if Alduin doesn’t realize, doesn’t know he’s fighting under the banner of his father’s enemy. And what an amusing showdown it’d be; instead of a Dragonborn just Shouting the Problem away for Someone Else To Deal With, it’s trying to talk someone out of continuing down a path they were never meant to tread. A classic “come back to your senses”, only it’s aimed at a giant demigod dragon with a daddy complex.