#mortals are more than willing to worship those who protect them

[amabela-14]

I'm mentally ill so have some lyrics

One for Julios

And one for Desna!

[cravingpepsimax]

hs reference like a flashbang aside, choosing a dave and rose excerpt activated something in my brain. (stan voice) it’s just like them. in a way

one is a certified journal writer mastering the arts of the horrors and homosexuality, while the other’s a comic drawing “”cool”” twin with a touch of big brother worship. ford a constant knowledge (light) seeker. stan and the motif of fire. the similarities obviously stop at the surface level traits but thats actually so funny

actually, i wouldn’t say the similarities are surface-level at all!

both ford and rose deal with the Horrors, yes, but there’s more to that. the reason they deal with them is for the same endgoal — obtaining knowledge. this even results in them both being taken advantage of a nigh-omniscient, devil figure (doc scratch vs bill). like you mentioned, she journals, but i’d also like to point out her walkthrough. kanaya reads her walkthrough, not knowing the identity of rose, creating an idea of her in her head, using it as a reference for her own journey… hey, doesn’t that sound familiar?

also, like, horrorterrors aside, you’re out of your mind if you don’t think ford would have a book called “grimoire for summoning the zoologically dubious”. like, title alone, that’s a ford thing.

like ford, rose thinks of herself as a character in a story, rather than just… a person (light player moment). she’s surprisingly calm about sacrificing herself to create the Green Sun, like how ford had resigned himself to being trapped in various hell dimensions, as long as that meant his dimension being safe from bill. also, they’re both nerds that are terrifyingly good at combat.

the rose-ford parallels aren’t shit compared to the dave-stan parallels, though.

they’ve both got a father that isn’t easily impressed, that pushes them to learn how to fight and how to fight well, who wears sunglasses 24/7. they both seem to have complicated feelings about their father, despite their father being shitty & abusive.

despite their detached appearances, both stan and save genuinely care for those close to them, and will do drastic things to protect them. becoming davesprite, dying for jade, actually just dying a lot in general (time player moment), and sacrificing himself for the Green Sun are just a few examples of this.

neither of them really want to do what they’re doing, either. dave doesn’t like time travel. it’s complicated. it’s scary. he’s afraid of his own mortality, and time travel involves a LOT of death. not just his own, either — if he fucks it up, he could end up killing literally everyone. but he does it anyways, because he has to.

stan hates science and math. growing up, he struggled in school, even with the smartest kid in school being his brother. but he still taught himself everything he needed to know to get the portal up and running — with only a third of the instructions. he did shit he hated, complicated shit he hated, for 30 years, because he had to. despite ford criticizing his recklessness, there’s not a single timeline where ford gets sucked into the portal and stan DOESN’T try to save him. and, just like how dave sacrifices himself for the Green Sun, stan’s willing to have his memory wiped for the sake of beating bill. sure, the Green Sun might’ve led to dave god tiering, but dave didn’t know that — just like how stan didn’t know his memory would come back.

they’ve also got the whole “i’m not a hero” thing, despite regularly doing heroic things.

(also, couldn’t find a gif of it, but ford calling stanley a hero both in the show after his sacrifice & in the journal)

also, just… read the aspect descriptions for light and time and tell me that isn’t ford and stan. especially time for stan.

…also, erm, fitting the themes of this blog, dave has… some stuff going on

also apparently davesprite and his rose may have gotten together according to the hs book commentary but i don’t own those and i can’t find an actual like. image or anything so don’t quote me on that lmao

[depressedhatakekakashi]

For @konoha-interrogation who asked me for some God of Storms Headcanons focused around Ibiki and who has been very patient with me while I slowly finished it <3 <3 <3

God Of Storms AU- Ibiki

Ibiki’s Lion was a gift to him from Sai when he first became a god. Sai wasn’t sure what to say to him to help him adjust to his new position, so he did what he always does best. He drew something that reminded him of Ibiki. It was an animal that didn’t exist yet, but seemed to burst to life as soon as Sai finished the drawing.

Ibiki is known as a vengeful god. If there’s any instance where he deems proper justice has not been served, he’s willing to step in and fix the problem himself. Unlike other gods who prefer to disguise themselves in the presence of mortal’s, Ibiki will show up in his full glory reading to bring justice down onto those who have done wrong.

There’s a lot of fables about the god of Justice. Most of them have to do with him dealing with mortal’s he has decided escaped the hands of justice, but there are some other stories. One of the most popular fables are actually about the purple water lilies that he is often depicted with.

The fables goes that Ibiki crafted the purple water lily himself as a sign of devotion to his only mortal lover, Kagami. A priest that cared for and worshipped at a small temple dedicated to the god of war (Shisui). There are great stories written about the moment of declaration between the god of justice and his mortal lover, but all of them are wrong.

What these fables fail to realise is that the Purple water lily is Ibiki’s because it was given to him. They are correct in portraying it as a declaration of love, but the romance is written between the wrong people.

Rather than Ibiki giving the water lily to his mortal lover, it was instead a gift that he received from his immortal lover, the god of storms.

In a moment of peace between the two of them the god of storms gathered water into his hand and shaped it into the beautiful water lily that he ultimately presented to Ibiki.

As a god of justice Ibiki is known to be firm and angry, always burning with the rage of those who have been unjustly punished or forgotten by those who were meant to protect them. However, there’s a side of Ibiki that mortals don’t know about. A part of himself that he keeps hidden away from the world, only for his closest friends and lovers to see. It’s the part of Ibiki that see’s Kakashi cry whenever his mortal lover dies, and rather than feeling angry at the world for hurting his lover yet again he chooses to pull Kakashi into his arms and hold him while he hides his tears away from the world in Ibiki’s neck.

Ibiki does have one other lover, though the two of them would be hard pressed to call each other such. What they would call it is more along the line of ‘flings’ or ‘weekend visitations’. Kaiyo, the god of mischief, is someone that Ibiki finds himself going to when he’s feeling bored and in need of something exciting. When Kakashi is unavailable or he just needs a change of scenery. Sometimes their hookups are pre-planned and sometimes they simply happen in the moment when the two of them happen to be spending time together.

When he’s not with one of his lover’s Ibiki prefers to spend his time among mortals. Disguised, walking amongst them as though he’s one of them, watching. He always has his eyes on mortal’s and finds a comfort in being surrounded by them that he has never really felt among the gods. Unlike other ‘new gods’ such as Itachi and Hana, Ibiki never found his spot among the gods as easily. He knows he’s one of them, and he’s confident in his position and abilities, but he doesn’t always feel like he belongs. A feeling that he finds he shares with Kakashi.

Ibiki has two children in his life. Koji, his son with Kakashi, and Nakano. Nakano is not related to Ibiki by blood or design, but she is someone he connects with almost immediately and cares deeply for.

Between the two, Koji is like any other god. He is brought into the world as a child but grows until a recognized adulthood and then stops ageing. Nakano, on the other hand, doesn’t grow. She’s created by the union between Kakashi and his mortal lover and comes into being as a ten year old child. She never ages, which is odd for the other gods. Although they have gods who can choose between an adult form and a child form (most notably Yamato and Sasuke) most gods do grow into an adult form. When she was still rather young Ibiki asked her about this and Nakano admitted that she didn’t want to grow older without her papa there to see. He didn’t quite understand the reasoning, but he supported her in her choice.

Although he’s not recognized as being the god of wrath, Ibiki does have a connection with the idea of wrath. It’s mostly shown through fables that the Mortal’s come up with, but Ibiki is known among the gods releasing his anger onto those who commit injustices. Usually that wrath will be aimed at Mortal’s, but once in a while Ibiki will have a god to direct this anger onto. The best example of this is when Kakazu and Kakashi got into an argument that devolved into fighting, resulting in the two gods ‘killing’ each other. Although a god often cannot die permanently (there is only one weapon in the world capable of killing a god forever and although it is in Kakashi’s hands, he did not use it against Kakazu) the loss of his immortal lover left Ibiki feeling empty and angry. That anger overflowed when Kakazu came back into being years before Kakashi, living as a reminder of what he took away from Ibiki with their argument. In Kakashi’s death Ibiki took possession of his god killing dagger, and in a fit of rage at Kakazu’s tauntings he drew it against the God of greed. It was only when Sakumo stepped in to stop the fight that Ibiki put the dagger away, refraining from becoming the one who permanently destroyed a god.

Ibiki’s wrath largely comes to show in the creation of Koji. It’s in his moment of anger, feeding off of Kakashi’s rage and aiding him in washing away the village that turned their fear onto a lonely child, that Koji is created. A mixture of Kakashi’s vengeful rains, and Ibiki’s wrath.

Nakano and Koji are both Ibiki’s children in his eyes. It doesn’t matter that one is not directly related to him, he treats them both as equals in his eyes and the two of them know for a fact that no matter what happens Ibiki will be there for them.

Ibiki can sometimes be found hanging around with Genma by his forge. Being around Genma is both about the company that the other god provides, as well as the overwhelming heat that radiates from the forge. Although Ibiki feels a constant burning on his skin, lingering from his mortal death, he sometimes enjoys the heat of the forge because it covers the pain. It doesn’t get rid of the pain or ease it (like Kakashi’s rain does), but where Baki’s scorching heat hurts more, Genma’s forge simply covers that painful burn for a short period of time. Not forever, but long enough for Ibiki to focus on other things for a bit.

Ibiki is the one to officially elevate Gai to the status of a God. After a long conversation among the Gods it was decided that Gai had more than earned his place among them and that Kakashi should elevate him into immortality. Rather than doing that, though, Kakashi approached Ibiki after the meeting and asked him to make the choice. He stated that he was entrusting the decision to Ibiki, and that no matter what he chose he would accept it. At first Ibiki was surprised by Kakashi’s words, but the more he thought about it the more he found that he would have done the same thing. As a couple the two of them are intertwined and everything that they choose to do is done as a couple. By extending the choice to Ibiki, Kakashi was showing his trust in him. Leaving his heart in his hands to make a choice that would deeply affect him.

Ibiki of course chose to go through with it, and as such was the God who got to greet Gai when he first opened his eyes as an immortal with the memories of all his lifetimes.

There are some fables that paint Gai and Ibiki as rival’s for Kakashi’s love, but they couldn’t be more wrong. Gai and Ibiki actually get along very well and enjoy spending time with each other even when Kakashi’s not with them. Gai is also thankful that Ibiki was there for Nakano when he couldn’t be there and will often invite him along to adventures that he’s taking his daughter on.

Ibiki is not as close with Hiroki as he is with Nakano and Koji, although he does recognize that all three of the kids view each other as siblings on some level (even Koji and Hiroki who have no direct relation). However, Ibiki is also very distantly proud of Hiroki for everything he did during his four hundred years as a mortal. One way he tries to show this pride is by watching over Hiroki’s daughter, who spends most of her time as a river spirit with Nakano after her death. Ibiki can often be seen playing with the young spirit, and will glare at anyone who makes fun of him for creating animals out of the water for her to play with.

Hiroki is actually one of the few people who Ibiki heard calling for justice and couldn’t help. Not because he didn’t want to, but because there was no one to punish for the pain that Hiroki was experiencing. No one had killed his daughter. No one had done her and Hiroki any harm. It was an unjust moment where there were no real injustices committed but Hiroki’s feelings of anger and hurt were very valid. Because of this Ibiki stayed nearby and listened as Hiroki mourned. He checked in on Hiroki for years, always hearing that little whisper in his ear asking when the day would come when there would be some sort of justice for the loss of an innocent life, and Ibiki sort of hated that he couldn’t do anything to ease Hiroki’s pain. It was times like this that he was exceptionally thankful for Kakashi, because when Hiroki’s voice became too loud in his ear Kakashi would show up and bring his rains with him. Slowly, with the pitter patter of rain against the roof and windows, Hiroki would fall asleep and his voice would fade from Ibiki’s ear. It would return later when he woke up and realised he still existed in a world that had so cruelly taken his child from him, but for a few short sweet hours Ibiki heard only the voices of those he could actually help (or at least voices that were much easier to ignore).

He’ll never admit it out loud, but Ibiki loves to spoil Kakashi’s hounds. He always has treats on hand for them, and if he finds a toy in the mortal world that he thinks they’ll enjoy he’ll happily get it for them. His favourite hound is Shiba because he’s a fun, happy puppy with a cool temperament who doesn’t mind laying on Ibiki’s lap for hours providing cool rain that relieves his pain.

Ibiki and Sakumo get along relatively well. Although he does try to be open and kind towards Kakashi’s father, he finds that it can be a little difficult at times because although he doesn’t intend to be, Sakumo is intimidating. He has a dark cloud that seems to loom over him at all times, and rarely smiles unless he’s around Kakashi, Quinn or Tsunade. Because of this Ibiki finds it difficult to be around Sakumo at times. Though, he does still enjoy Sakumo’s company even if the two of them are just sitting in silence. It’s a weird relationship that Ibiki has with Sakumo, and can sometimes be difficult if Sakumo is teetering into ‘overprotective dad mode’ (which often happens when Ibiki and Obito get into arguments because Sakumo is equally protective of Kakashi and Obito, even when they’re in the wrong) but most of the time Ibiki does genuinely enjoy Sakumo’s company.

[samasmith23]

Jane Foster: Bridging the Gap Between Godhood & Humanity

The Death of the Mighty Thor is hands down one of the most thematically rich and character-centric storylines I've read from not just Jason Aaron's Thor run, but from his body of comics work as a whole!

It actually took awhile for me to fully unpack all my thoughts about this arc after I initially finished reading it, but that's only because there's just so many layers of meaning & symbolism which makes it a truly worthy finale to Jane Foster's saga as the Mighty Thor!

I stated before that Jane Foster is basically the Anti-Gorr in a previous post linked here:

After I read "The Death of the Mighty Thor" in its entirety, I realized that there was far more meaning to that initial description than I previously thought. Jane is the anti-Gorr the God Butcher not just in how she defends the gods from annihilation, but also in that unlike Gorr who was repulsed by the fact that he was becoming the very thing he despised so much, Jane Foster makes a conscious effort to bridge the gap between mortals and gods.

Jane is similar to Gorr in that she too has witnessed first hand the gods' arrogance & failure to protect those they've been sworn to uphold, and has directly suffered as a result. But where Jane ultimately differs from Gorr is that simultaneously has witnessed and recognizes the god's ability to love and protect others. This why when Odinson becomes unworthy and Jane hears Mjolnir's call in his place, she answers that call. She wields the power of Thor to not only live-up to the standards that the gods who came to her were never able to achieve, but also to provide the gods who have simultaneously failed and loved her a chance for redemption. Jane wants the gods to finally live-up to the ideals that they claimed to represent, to finally become truly worthy of the mortals who worship them.

Consequently, Jane is willing to sacrifice her own life in order to save the Asgardians from complete annihilation at the hands of the Mangog, a monster who sees only the negative traits of the gods, believing that they're incapable of self-improvement or change. Jane dies for love, whereas the Magog dies for naught but hate.

But dying is not the end of Jane Foster's story, as Aaron effectively illustrates that while suffering and dying for the sake of others can be meaningful, it's even more meaningful and important to live for yourself and others. Continuously sacrificing one's own well-being for others is a godly ideal that is unhealthy for the human body, which is demonstrated by Jane's cancer worsening every time she lifts the Mjolnir and the the transformation into Thor purges all toxins, including the chemotherapy drugs (which are essentially radioactive poison), from her body.

While Jane does more than once debate on whether or not this means she should completely cast aside her mortal half and remain as the Goddess of Thunder forever, she inherently recognizes that doing so would mean sacrificing her very humanity. And that scares her since while mortal life is painful and filled with unavoidable hardships, life simultaneously contains simple and unfathomable joys and beauties that are priceless and worthy of preserving, cherishing, and experiencing.

This is a point that was repeatedly emphasized by other characters in earlier in narrative. For instance, while Odinson recognizes that for all the happiness Jane has for provided others as a goddess, he states that she still has plenty to give by living as a mortal as well. Additionally Jane's friend and former S.H.I.E.L.D agent Rosalind Solomon makes an incredibly valid counterargument to Jane's desire to control her own fate and refusal to die due to forces outside her control like cancer. Regardless of whether or not Jane desires to die in battle protecting what she loves versus dying from cancer, dead is still dead either way.

So when Jane quite literally sacrifices her life to give the gods who failed her a second chance, in a deliberate Christ parallel she is resurrected with the assistance of Odinson, Odin and the sentient Mother Storm which previously dwelled within Mjolnir. And upon her revival Jane fully commits to living for herself and those who love her by dedicating herself to combatting her cancer with chemotherapy, while entrusting Odinson and the Asgardians to protect the realms which she had protected in their place.

"There must always be a Thor."

There must always be a Thor because Thor in all their various incarnations represents the ideal version of what a worthy god should be: a being whom continuously strives to protect others, questions and improves upon themselves, and cherishes love and humanity. A humanity which extends to not just humans and the various other races inhabiting the Ten Realms, but also to the Asgardian gods themselves, who are idealized representations of humanity. Jane recognizes the humanizing symbiosis wherein God compliments humanity, and humanity compliments God.

And while Jane is a mortal who lives up to godly standards by sacrificing herself to continuously protect & save others her mortal perspective also serves to remind the gods of their own humanity, thereby successfully bridging the gap between humanity and the divine.

Jason Aaron's run on Thor functions as an insightful inverse of real-life theological teachings for humanity to live by the god's standards, by instead teaching the gods to live by humanity's standards. In essence, Jane Foster is the anthesis to Gorr the God Butcher in that she conversely recognizes the gods as being human instead of inhuman.

And The Death of the Mighty Thor arc effectively serves as the enthralling apex of both Jane Foster & Jason Aaron's thesis on godhood.

[hanjeongrp]

Welcome to Hanjeong, Celestine. You are quite the siren. At 29 (???), you have quite a claim to the ravenous.

Enjoy paradise.

OOC:

Name/Alias: dee

Pronouns: she/her/they

Age: 30

Timezone: est

IC:

Biography Information:

OC Name: celestine

FC:(include group and stagename if an idol) lee jiun (IU)

Species: (if half-blood, include which species) siren

Occupation: terrorizing the land, guarding the deep, being iconic

Residence: (what part of town?) she...wanders but, south side

Gender: odd mortal questions, alas, female.

Pronouns: she/her

Age: (must be 18+) 29 (visually)

Claim(s): Ravenous

Biography: (150+ words)

Trigger Warnings: Death, Murder

Deep in the ocean, past the shores and below the crushing waves where the sun does not shine and the merefolk do not venture is the abyssal trench. Hidden there, deep within the dark, where even the undertow has gone stagnant it hides. A graveyard, or a place of most holy worship for those of siren kin; where the deep magic slumbers protected by the old ones.

She has been below for so very long…

Celestine does not remember if she once held a different name, when eternity stretches towards the horizon, a hundred years is just a drop in the bucket. What she does know is that she is, has been, a powerful witch of the sea. A siren trained in full, tapped into the deep magics of the ocean. There are flashes in time, spots of her life that burn brighter than others. Moments worth more attention than others.

The first time she felt the heat of the sun on her skin as she bobbed along within the waves, the sea foam popping against her skin was a peculiar sensation, almost like tickling, a light zap along her nerves that split her lips into a wide smile. Even then it had surprised her, the way wood groaned within the waves, how the ocean exerted its force against the hull, the crash and spray of fine mist. Ropes had creaked and groaned, a song she found most pleasant as the essence of a full meal called her, guided her voice to rise, so very slowly. A soft irresistible pull that grew with the swell of her voice.

Nothing ever satisfies so much, as the pride of a first kill. Even if it was only another notch in the proverbial belt. The first human ship, the first time she had lured them from a craft upon her ocean and not from the shores of the beach or the dense foliage of a forest. Was there anything to a siren more sweet than blood on the tongue and the salt of the sea?

She remembers the great beauty of the merfolk, the glimmering scales and bright colors. How they floated gracefully upon the tide. How from underneath the fins within their tails looked like seaweed. Fish. prey. Even as a young one she had longed to sink the sharp multitude of teeth within her mouth into that soft, scaled flesh and feast until the hunger was satisfied. For a siren, was the hunger ever truly satisfied?

There is a siren, she remembers them by the floating silver of hair and the strength of talons, a singing voice more beautiful than any other she’d ever heard. An orphan was a dangerous thing. So strong willed and impulsive. No training. No control. If she was dangerous to herself or to others was never truly clear, but she knew she had a gift. No. an affinity. So they gave her a new name, this old one, cel-est-tine. Three soothing syllables by which she could identify herself and which sounded more enchanting than a dream when vocalized just right.

What truly made a sea witch? It was a question that would be debated hotly by those who had never truly met an ancient one. A siren, fully trained with an affinity for the magic of the deep, whose will it would happily bend to. A conduit. Like a potter and the clay, never fully living without the other. A siren song capable of so much more than most would ever dare to understand. A sorceress of the tides. Mother of storms and bringer of destruction she was capable of so much more than her feeble frame would suggest.

Years passed, the old one left and alone once more, the witch made her way to shore. The landscape had changed, as had the ones who wandered towards the shore, the humans with their short lives and superstitions. She killed, she fed, she hungered. A tedious repetition, ending only when she decided to journey the lands beyond the seawall, to strip the clothes from her victim and dress as they did, using her powers to assume a form that no human could resist. A pretty woman with shells and pearls adorning her hair, wide innocent eyes and a serene smile. It was astonishing how easily she passed as one of them.

It was death and disease that had pulled her towards the place in which he lived. Salt, not the form she loved so dearly, but in the form of mourning, of children. She had already offered her assistance to the odd family before she could think better of it. A siren was no healer for those outside of her own kin. She would never pretend as much. But for the mortal she could at least…ease…the journey. So she hummed songs that reminded her of the sea, and how the very pulse in her veins ebbed and flowed like waves upon the sand, kept her peaceful. She did not hasten the journey, but made it bearable. Taking time when the woman slept to play with the children, or get to know the strange nymph who had sought to marry her. A supernatural recognizes its own.

Marriage. Family. Happiness. All of it had happened so unexpectedly, she’d nearly forgotten herself in the sleepy blissful years in which she’d forgotten who and what she was. Laughter and easy smiles. But a lion can only resist the hunt for so long. And she was being called. Summoned. A melody she caught herself singing but was not her own. She was hips deep in the biting cold of her beloved sea before she knew what she was doing. home. The depths were calling for her. The old ones. A guard was being formed, the most ancient secret of their kind demanded to be kept.

There was no time for simple silly things such as goodbyes or explanations. Only the stripping of silks and the loosening of hair as she sunk beneath the waves, let loose the magic she had controlled for so long and sighed relief as water flooded through her gills sinking deeper and deeper below to where the sun does not touch and the tide does not flow.

[euphoniaofathousandwinds]

PROLOGUE

"In this town, there is a legend…"

"Of what, grandma?"

"Of a kind and beautiful deity that once roamed these lands.

She was one of many deities in the world before, but her power made her commandant of moments, time, and the thousand winds that spun the Earth. She was neither particularly powerful nor adamantly weak. She was not cruel and heartless, yet equally never gullible or naïve. She was a god among mere mortals… and yet at times, it was almost as though she was more humane than us all."

"You make it sound as though you met her. Isn't this story like, a hundred years ago?" The child scoffed, pouting in annoyance.

"Heh. As I said, she was as loving as she was beautiful. The goddess of moments who treasured the people around her for their strength, guiding them to prosperity. Not once…" her voice cracked, "did she ever abandon her people."

"What happened to her, then?"

"Well," the woman paused, " as much as she was a deity kind, she was a deity scorned. Divine beings fell in the wake of the new world, often their selfish ambitions destroying the lands they laid oath to protect. In their fear, the people who had sworn to worship her grew to seek her power for their own. They reviled her presence, her power, her wisdom. The mere existence of a god, who symbolized a power unattainable to mortal kin, became a threat to them."

The storyteller pauses, breathing deeply as she contemplates the weight of her words. The next part of the tale was no easy thing to tell or listen to, and to an impressionable young mind, the following remarks are paramount.

"They imprisoned her divine form. A company of four, small but many, led by the deity's shrine maiden herself, locking away her thousand winds and scattering her memory upon the Earth. Encasing her in perpetual agony, lost in the passing of time. She was a deity betrayed, and equally forgotten, for a sin she was innocent of."

A look of horror enveloped the little girl as she listened in on the story, "What?! They betrayed her, just like that?!"

"Unfortunately, yes. But fear not little one. For in this small town of ours lies a legend further still. When one has lost their way in the world, they are said to hear a melody in the dead silence of the breeze. A calling, a whisper, a plea. But equally, a taunt, an insult, an outcry. "

"Is that…" the young girl gasped, "the goddess?!"

The woman continued, "And all those who are led by the voice in the winds are granted a single, everlasting wish. To change their fate, to grant their desires, to unveil the truth, to awaken a strength—but only if they are willing to chase for it."

'Woah…It's exactly like the song you and mom used to sing?'

"My my, would you like to listen to it once more, then?"

The child nodded fervently, eyes lighting up in excitement.

"Where do we turn once the thousand winds take flight?

To the south wind that soothes or the north wind that bites?

For all those who hear the hymn of yesteryear,

May your tales live on in the wind's chime

As fragments of the legends in immemorial skies."

[dietmountaindewb8by]

I have come to fulfil my quest of supplying dark!Cardan requests so here we go: set before Cardan becomes king, he and his gang on cronies are still in school and so is the reader. Her and Cardan have an on off relationship and what I mean by hat is that he degrades her consistently, makes her feel like absolute crap only to then double back on his words and claim that she’s the opposite of whatever it is that he said. This has been happening for years so you can see how the reader is confused in this situation and it escalates to a point where she debates just stop talking to him. He finds out, makes a grand plan that sets his cronies on her and for her to then crawl back to him for comfort only this time… he offers her a drink that is poisoned with something that makes her more susceptible to what he says. Do he basically says that he’s all she needs and that she’s his and what not. Have fun!

OMG THIS WAS SO SO MUCH FUN

warning: DARK SUPER DARK DO NOT GO UNDER THE CUT IF YOU FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE WITH STUFF LIKE THIS (mental and mentions of physical abuse, yandere cardan, kinda soft cardan in the end, kidnapping, allusions to stalking), also mentions of sex (like the literal word)

ANOTHER LAYER

You weren’t enough. Not for him, not for anyone.

But that was on Wednesday. On Friday, no one was good enough for you. On Friday you had him worshiping you and lavishing you in affection. 

You didn’t get it. Not one bit.

One day it was “I love you,” the next it was “And how could anyone see anything but a disgusting mortal in you?”

Either way, you remained empty and confused.

Empty, like the glass of wine on your bedside table and the heart that he claimed you owned. Empty like the embrace you were held in, the sleeping prince behind you, arm around your waist.

~*~

He didn’t know what to feel about you.

On one hand, you were mortal. On the other, you were his, and nothing of his was less than perfect.

“Let them go, Cardan,” Nicasia would sigh. “They’re not worth it.”

And that was how she got the long, jagged scar down the side of her beautiful face. 

But of course Nicasia was still beautiful. Who else would he ever compare you to on the days he couldn’t stand that you were his? But you still were at the end of it, so he would try to make it up to you.

A prince’s affection is not something to be taken lightly. 

However, you only seemed to drift away from him every time he did something like that, every time he loved you. He needed you closer.

He couldn’t breathe without you next to him.

He couldn’t live, not like this. He couldn’t live with his mind clogged up with thoughts of you.

So, if you didn’t want his love, what did you want? His hate?

If you wanted it, he’d give it to you tenfold. But the second, the very minute you wanted him fully, his love, everything he could offer you, he’d give it to you.

It hurt him more than it would hurt you.

~*~

And so here you were, once again crying into your pillow from the cruel prince’s equally cruel words. 

There were no more days that he would love you, no more days he would tell you how pretty you were. 

There was just pure hatred and sex.

That was it.

You had begun to miss those days despite the everlasting state of confusion you were always in.

He loves me. He loves me not.

He hates me.

That was it.

A knock sounded on the door, and your older sister walked in. She hated the faerie realm, but stayed for you, to protect you.

“I heard about what happened at school.”

You buried your face further in your pillow, willing your body to disappear in whatever surrounded you, air, magic, whatever.

She approached your body, sprawled on the bed. You could feel her fingers brush your back. “Do you want… would you consider leaving? We don’t have to stay once you turn eighteen-”

That was an idea. A very good one.

You loved him, you realized, but you needed to get away before he and his friends absolutely killed you. 

Your ribs twinged once again, a reminder of the afternoon.

You looked up at your sister, a woman who had so many of your features, and nodded. 

You had never seen her smile so wide.

~*~

It wasn’t working. 

You weren’t listening to him, though he supposed he couldn’t expect you to read his mind.

He could tell you to leave but he really meant to stay.

He could tell you that you were disgusting, but he really meant that you were stunning beyond belief.

But you still weren’t glued to his side as he’d hoped. In fact, you only seemed to get farther away from him, the only moments of contact being sex and whenever he laid a hand on you otherwise. Every crack produced one of equal magnitude in his heart.

Every cry that left your lips made him want to sob.

But it was for you, he remembered. So you would finally, finally give in.

But you weren’t. And he was terrified. Not only could you possibly be hurt beyond repair at any moment, he wouldn’t be able to handle it. He would crumble. 

He couldn’t afford that.

~*~

You were gone. 

He was going to give you a gift for your birthday too. 

You were nowhere to be found; your parents were sobbing, your sister and yourself gone, your rooms empty.

You weren’t there.

You had left.

You had left him.

~*~

You didn’t come back either. Not the next day, not the week after, not even the month after.

That was a problem.

Wine made it worse, as did his friends. 

But, there was one thing that made it better. The opportunity to get you back.

His father would step down soon enough. There was no way he’d ever be giving the position to his youngest son, of course, that would be preposterous. But that didn’t mean he couldn’t take it, and with it, you.

He could make anyone do anything that way. 

He could find you. His people would find you, and he would bring you home. One way or another.

And this time, he wouldn’t hate you, simply because he couldn’t. You’d be proud of him. He’d grown up.

~*~

You’d made a life for yourself. You had a job, a house, your sister.

No Cardan. Nothing binding you to the faerie world.

It was a breath of fresh air.

At least until you kept seeing little flashes of blue and green in the corners of your vision. Just little things, but not quite… concerning.

You were just being paranoid. 

~*~

He was sober. He was dressed in his most formal attire, down to the T.

He’d missed you. Beyond comprehension.

And you missed him, he hoped. But if you didn’t, there was always the vial of whatever sedative was in his pocket, if worse comes to worse. 

He didn’t want to threaten you.

So, with that, he rang the doorbell.

You’d done well for yourself, really. You didn’t do all too well, he could’ve done better if you’d just let him love you, step in and take care of you.

Leaning against the railing leading to the door of your…humble abode, he took in the garden. The smells.

You liked flowers. He took note of that.

Answering the door, you seemed to freeze.

“Prince Cardan.”

He smirked down at you, “King Cardan, actually. But you don’t have to worry about the title, love.”

Your eyes were still wide, wider when he dropped his title. You didn’t even notice the term of endearment. That was fine. There was more than enough time to let you become accustomed to love from him. You hadn’t received enough of it before. He was going to change that.

“I don’t care abou- ok, you need to go.”

“Well of course I need to go, as do you. Do you see what you’re doing to yourself in this place? You’re putting yourself down to a lesser station. You need to come home.”

Your eyes widened larger than saucers. “This is home.”

He arched one perfect brow, “No, it’s not. The palace is home, I am home. And you need to get going. This place is going to make you sick.”

“Cardan, leave.”

“I’m sorry, darling, I can’t.”

~*~

When you woke up you were somewhere other. 

Elfhame.

“You need to drink this, miss,” a servant said. Taking the cup you brought it to your lips, taking one large gulp, curing yourself of your parched throat.

But then, then you remembered. Anything could be in that cup. Any poison or enchantment.

Too late.

~*~

So there you were, two days later curled up in Cardan’s lap as he lounged on the throne, running his fingers through your hair, whispering what could be considered sweet words to you.

He did, you learned, consider them sweet. Sweet enough for you.

But, in the end, immortal and confined to the palace, they were just another layer of entrapment.

[ratofthemedievalsewers]

The Fire I Breathe Shall Burn You Too - Part IV [FINAL]

*NOTE: YOU DON’T NEED TO KNOW ANYTHING OF SKYRIM FOR THIS WORK - Any lore will be explained within the story itself, you don’t need to know any details of Skyrim.

Inspiration from @fanficsforheartandsoul

*****

Geralt of Rivia x Male, Dragonborn Reader

THE COMPLETE WORK

Word Count: 3.7K+

Warnings: Canon Typical Violence, Canon typical language, Very brief and hidden suicide ideation

The high reaches of Skyrim had always been bone-numbing. The cold would bore deep beneath the skin into the muscle tissue below, gripping him with its icy claws, making it a constant uphill battle just to keep moving through the snowy landscape. The furs and leathers on his back could only keep in the heat for so long; the melting snow dampening the material until it hung heavy on his shoulders.

The wind rumbled past the Dragonborn's ears, beating against him like a drum, the ever-growing pain at the front of his head growing stronger and bleeding into his temples, creating a vice-like pressure that made his eyes sting.

"Lok Vah Koor."

His voice boomed, cutting through the storm and forcing the winds to submit. The weather still nipped at his skin like a playful pup, testing his ever-thinning patience. The mountain grew steeper now; each step that fell through the freshly fallen snow met ice beneath, threatening to throw Y/N onto his back and into it's harsh clutches.

"Jesus Christ, what the hell happened?" The voice of the bard was panicked, his pitch high in his fright.

Several moments went by and yet he was not answered.

The body that carried his own was warm against his frozen skin, burning the flesh that it touched. Y/N could feel the tightness brought on by anxiety within the other's muscles; How the other stumbled as he quickened his pace, the uneven weight making it easier for him to slip in the sodden and slick ground.

"Hold him up." The new voice that spoke was raw, as if speaking those three words took much more effort than it should.

Y/N felt his body being moved from that warmth into the hands of someone weaker, shaking with the strain of holding someone else's entire weight. It only lasted a minute or two until he was pulled away from those unsteady arms and saddled on a horse. The warmth from before was now flush against his back, with an arm wrapped around his middle to keep him upright.

The peak of the mountain had always been so peaceful, the silence a juxtaposing quiet to the journey it took to reach it. The Throat of The World, the tallest point of Skyrim, able to see out into the cities and villages that surrounded it; From Solitude with its prominent guard towers and ornate decoration, to Winterhold where the battered college sat protecting its precious secrets of the arcane.

Despite seeing so much life, despite being able to look into the lives of the people below it was so lonely, so distant. Being as close as they were to the heavens made one realise why gods and the divines always sort out the comfort of mortals - So different from their own kind, but so willing to embrace and worship them with open arms.

Y/N turned away from the perch, the hollowness in his throat making him feel sick.

Instead he turned to the curved stone that the path lead to - The face of a warrior of unknown creed sat utop, looking down over the faded inscription he guarded, his eyeline following those who dared to read. The Dragonborn brushed his fingers along the carved words of the dragon tongue, wishing he could make out such ancient inscryptions of his people that came before.

Lonliness made one so desperate.

"Kul haas, dovahkiin." He had not heard or felt the flap of wings as Paarthurnax had joined him, sitting at his usual place at the edge of the curved stone. It was still unusual to see him as a soul; Where great grey-brown plates should sit were instead translucent blue scales, their form oulined by a lighter glow.

"It is good to see you again, Wuth fahdon." Paarthurnax gave his beast's version of a content smile that reached his eyes, happy to see the Dragonborn using his own language.

"You have progressed well... pruzah... with your pronunciation beyond that of the Thu'um."

"I had an excellent teacher," Y/N gave his own smile, sadness tinged within it. "I am lost Paarthurnax. I did not understand the severity of your warning..." He paused for a moment, "Fate has taken me... as it has taken you."

"Dez... Fate did not take me... I chose to... Bo both nii... Take her hand..."

"You said destiny was my enemy."

Paarthurnax hummed in a way that sounded like a cat's pur as he thought. "Destiny... meyz... something new..."

"But I am already dead."

"You are dying... Nu tiid."

Y/N huffed an amused laugh, "There's still time? I am left with nothing and no one. This 'gift' destiny bestowed upon me has become nothing more than a curse that has lead me down the wrong path time and time again. It would not let another man rule the land I swore to save and I ended up coating it in the blood of the men that were my allies."

"The empire and the stormcloaks... krent... Neither were worthy to rule. Skyrim would have been lost." Paarthurnax lowered his head as his voice became a whisper, as if speaking ill of the land would cause it further harm.

"Skyrim was lost anyway, with no ruler-"

"She is free... Ahst drem..."

He could not hear anything but the pattering of rain within the trees and the sound of the two horses galloping. Y/N could barely feel the drops of water on his numbed skin like hair thin needles of ice piercing his cheeks.

He managed to crack his eyes open ever so slightly, squinting in hopes to focus on the blurry colours that made up his vision. The horse's brown head bobbed rapidly as he ran, his main trailing behind and brushing against Y/N's hands that lay limp at his sides. The pale hands of another stood out against the dark clothing he wore. One hand held the reins while another rested on his stomach, fingers spread to hold Y/N up straight.

"Geralt," Some one to his left spoke, the voice shaking and exhausted, "He's waking up," The hand on his stomach held him tighter and the weight on his back grew heavier as he was pushed against it.

Y/N placed his palm on the lowered snout of Paarthurnax, just allowing his hand to sit there for a moment, fingers splayed to feel the convex shape of the bridge of his nose and the way his scales fit around it. It did not feel the same as when Paarthurnax was alive, there was more texture to his skin like it had been through centuries of life. Yet now it was smooth like fine silk.

Paarthurnax closed his eyes at the touch, a content sigh leaving through his pointed nostils. "You cannot stay... Meyz... Bo..."

"But I don't know what I'm meant to do now," The Dragonborn pulled his hand down the snout, slowly repeating the action. "While my path may be foggy, the destination has always been clear."

"Hin Miiraad... The Witcher," Y/N swore he could see a mischievous smile playing at the dragon's lips. "He can tame the dovah within."

"And if I do not wish to be tamed?" Paarthurnax raised his head as he spread out his wings and Y/N's hand fell back down to his side.

"Then history... Hin vod... shall repeat."

Y/N felt the power that still rested behind those great wings as Paarthurnax pushed himself up, taking flight once more into the skies of Skyrim.

The ground the Dragonborn stood upon fell beneath his feet and the abyss that swallowed him stole their air from his lungs.

*****

Y/N woke with a start, gasping at the sudden pain in his side. His head became dizzy with how quickly he was upright. Attempting to move a hand to feel for the wound, the leather straps binding him to the phasistian's table tugged, keeping his arms from moving anymore than an inch. Looking down he saw the restraints, a matching pair around his ankles. He had been stripped of his armor, leaving him in thin black trousers and a dark grey cotton shirt, that by the size, he guessed was not his own.

It had been a long time since the Dragonborn had felt like this; chained and filthy like a dog. He could feel days' worth of sweat and grime coating his skin and clogging up his pores - Most likely from a lasting fever. He smelt the odour seeping from him, making it easy to picture protruding, comical green lines . Never before had he wanted to bathe so desperately.

"You reek," As if able to hear his thoughts, a man bearing the same pendant as Geralt spoke. He stood casually across the room, grazing the sharp edge of a sword with the pad of his thumb - not directly threatening, but an action to get the message across. He wore green padded clothing and had his mousey brown hair half tied up, a few strands hanging across his face in an unflattering way. There was something cocky about him that made Y/N want to challenge his patience.

"Are you sure it's not coming from you?" The man pushed himself from the wall with the sword raised, a look of anger flashing in his eyes. Y/N sat straighter to challenge him, but winced as he pulled on the stitches that held the wound on his lower torso closed.

The man stopped, lowering his sword and huffing an amused breath as a smile played on his lips. "You remember who did that to you?"

Y/N cringes at the thought, "Geralt."

The man bent down so their faces were only inches apart, "If you try anything I won't hesitate to do the same, but don't think I'll give you the courtesy of a second chance like he did. Step out of line and I will kill you."

Naturally not finding being threatened pleasant, Y/N spat in his face, grinning at the look of absolute irritation on the other's face.

The door to the room opened before anything truly interesting could happen. Geralt stood within the doorway, attempting to assess the scene, with two sets of food and drink.

"You can leave now, Eskel," The sound of Geralt's voice sent a subtle shiver down Y/N's spine, but his ego wouldn't let him break away from the staring contest he was currently locked in with, who he assumed to be, Eskel.

Eskel huffed before he turned away, bashing his shoulder against Geralt as he walked past. The Witcher did not seem phased by his attitude, more concerned with the water that had been knocked from the cups he held.

Geralt placed down the food and drink at the table before closing the double doors for privacy. Y/N harshly swallowed as he felt the building, almost suffocating tension, between them. What do you say to the man who, not too long ago, stabbed you?

"Charming friends you've got." Y/N inwardly recoiled at how his voice sounded when he spoke. He didn't realise how noticably breathy and tired it was until now.

Geralt didn't respond to him for a moment, instead, he just looked at Y/n with his brows knitted.

"I will release you," He placed both hands on the cuff closest to him, squeazing his wrist through the thick leather. "But you must tell me everything that I need to know."

A moment of silence stood between them and in that moment Y/N noticed that Geralt's eyes were much more gold around the cat-like pupils and the iris shone a similar colour to the petals of daffodils in their peak bloom.

"Can I get a bath as well?"

A smile pulled at Geralt's lips for a moment before he undid the cuffs holding down Y/N's wrists, handing him the plate of food afterwards - It was a simple platter of basic meats and cheese, with a torn corner of bread to fill. The Dragonborn pretended not to notice the silver knife that sat at Geralt's belt, the harsh material standing out against the comfortable lounge clothes he wore.

"You don't smell any worse than some of the other Witchers here." Geralt sat beside the table, close enough for Y/N to reach him, but only by the brush of his fingers.

"Other Witchers?" There was a danger within the thought, but he did his best to ignore it. Y/N took his first bite of the food and relished in it, not realising how hungry he had become.

"To treat your wound I took you to Kaer Morhen, the Witcher school I was trained at," Geralt took his own first bite after he finished his sentence.

"Why here?"

"I only trusted you in the hands of my teacher, Vesemir," He cocked his head as if in thought, "That and I don't know what you are... or if a regular physician could have healed you. Vesemir would have been better equipped."

"Why?" One word felt like such a heavy question, but it was all he could manage, there would always be something left unsaid. 'Why give me this chance? 'Why go through the trouble?' 'Why even bother?'

Geralt downed the cup of water and placed it back down a little too harshly.

"I'll go heat some water for your bath," He left behind his plate still half full with food and the bounds that had been around Y/N's wrist still undone, an unspoken invitation to leave if he wanted, but with no awaiting arms if he ever wished to return.

*****

Y/N had managed to make it most of the way there without much help from the hallway walls or Geralt, but his legs still shook as he walked and he was forced to take it painstakingly slow. It did not hurt his wound per se, but spending several days unconscious and after losing so much blood it had become a less than easy task.

The room that Geralt lead him to, whether it was on purpose or out of his control, was up several flights of stairs, but the journey was worth the effort.

The double doors opened up into a wide, open room within one of the towers of Kaer Morhen, a lit firepit sitting in the middle, with the billowing smoke being tunnelled out of a hole in the centre of the steep, thatched roof. There was a homely aspect to it like this place was lived in even after being left for a while; Open books sat on a desk, surrounded by stacks of papers and half-melted candles. The bed covers opposite lay messy and unmade, with one of its pillows out of place and almost hanging off of the side.

A bath sat by the other set of open double doors, the steam from the hot water being blown inwards by the gentle winds from over the balcony. The tub was a simple wooden one, clearly old and worn, but still strong and stable.

"Never pegged you for a romantic," Y/N was facing away from the Witcher, but he liked to imagine that there was a blush on his pale cheeks, but he did hear a faint, amused chuckle. He made a move to take off his shirt, yet immediately winced as white-hot pain shot through his sternum, leaving behind a stronger dull ache.

"Here," Geralt stepped in front of Y/N and held the hem of his shirt for a moment, waiting in case of objection. With nothing said he began to pull the shirt up, gently bunching up the fabric within his hands, lifting it over the other's head first, before sliding back down Y/N's arms so he wouldn't have to move and cause any more pain. It was an action that only lasted a brief few seconds, but the intimacy within it made Y/N's heart speed up at the notions that came with it.

He had no doubt Geralt heard his tell-tale heart.

"I can do the rest," He spoke quick, in no more than a whisper, afraid that he might burst at the feeling of Geralt's fingers accidentally brushing his skin once more. The other nodded and turned to leave, believing Y/N was asking for privacy. "No," He grabbed his wrist, immediately pulling away at the sudden action that he did not expect to come from himself, yet he went with it, afraid he may not have the opportunity again if he let this one go. "Stay... please?"

Geralt did not hesitate before he nodded once more, turning away as Y/N removed the rest of his clothing.

"I don't mind if you look," Y/N let out a content sigh as he stepped into the hot water of the bath, the temperature making his skin instantly turn red where it touched. The dragon within hummed at such a simple delight. "I don't wish to hide anymore... at least not from you."

Geralt had seen brief flashes beneath clothing of raised and pink scars before but did not imagine how far they travelled beneath. The outline of an unfamiliar armour coated the Dragonborn's skin, only ever broken by the known neat cuts from blades or jagged scratches from claws and teeth. Although, despite the intriguing pattern, what stood out most was the brand that had been clearly burned into his skin. Despite being healed, it looked angry - It was the silhouette of a dragon, its wings and tail forming in an almost diamond shape.

Geralt could not help but kneel beside Y/N and trace his fingers along the outline of the sigil.

"The Seal of Akatosh," Y/N spoke gently, placing his hand overtop Geralt's before he could move it away in his embarrassment, not fully realising what he was doing. "It was a mark of the Empire." Geralt did not try to pull away though, but instead met his eyes with Y/N's, asking an unspoken question. Y/N let out a small sigh, "I killed the emperor during the civil war within Skyrim and then once the war was over I killed the man who I fought alongside."

"I take it there's more it the story?" Geralt asked, still gently caressing the scar, most likely subconsciously.

"They were both corrupt men... just like me, both hungry for power. I could see it within them. I had no right to be their judgement, but no one else could put a blade to their throat and end it," Y/N looked through the double doors at the scenery that waited below the balcony; So high up and so far to fall. "In the end, my judgement came to, but they did not know how to kill someone like me... so in the end, they striped everyone and everything I had and cast it in flames in front of me, just adding to the death that surrounded me."

"I had saved Skyrim from so many monsters before. From my own kin, the Great Dragon Alduin, but once those monsters wore a man's face it didn't matter if they had killed thousands in a hunt for power, or brothers for his own inflated ego. In the end, because of what I was and what I could do... they were too afraid. They banished me here because they didn't know how to kill me," Y/N turned back to Geralt, unable to stop the subtle shaking of his body now. "Sometimes I wish they bothered to find a way... Sometimes I wish they had ended it on the mountain that they announced and delivered my punishment."

They sat in silence for a moment, holding each other's gaze. "I'm glad they didn't," Geralt whispered, placing his free hand on the curve of Y/N's neck where it met his shoulder.

The water hit the wooden floorboards with how quickly Y/N moved, forcing it over the sides of the wooden tub, also splashing Geralt in the process. Although the Witcher didn't seem to care, too taken aback by the feeling of the other's lips pressing against his own. He didn't hesitate to pull himself closer, his fingers gracing one scar to another as his hand reached Y/N's waist.

The Dragonborn let his fingers tangle within Geralt's hair, pulling at the tie that held the upper half out of his eyes and letting it fall over the their faces as they kissed.

A part of Y/N roared within him, kissing Geralt harder as if a challenge to take it further. The Wither complied without question, biting at the other's bottom lip to accept.

Y/N kissed like he fought; rough and vicious, but with the skill of someone who held control over both himself and the battlefield before him. Geralt was much the same, but entirely opposite, adapting to what he was given by using his decades of knowledge and accomplishments. If the Witcher was to give up his control, it was with the knowledge that he could take it back any moment he pleased.

The Dragonborn had never hesitated to fight dirty and no was no different; he let his nails drag down Geralt's back back, bunching and grabbing at the material until the other tore it from his body and threw it aside. Y/N followed the line of scars that marked the skin of the other, both impressed at how well he fit them and angered at who or what had inflicted them.

"You are... beautiful," Y/N did not know he had spoken until the words had left his swollen and blushing lips. Geralt held a look of surprise for a moment, an expression he had not seen so clearly on the man before he could not help but let out a light laugh. "I mean it in honesty."

Geralt looked as if he did not know what to say. Y/N shook his head and kissed the other's look of shock away, his hands pulling Geralt's face close again by his cheeks. "Would you care to join me?" He whispered against the Witcher's lips, smiling as he did so, something more committal hidden with the offer, his warrior heart racing with nerves he believed to have lost a long time again.

"Yes," Geralt spoke, once he was able to find his voice again.

[moonbaby26]

Title: The Man from the Sky

Pairing: Loki x Goddess!Reader

Summary: You were a Greek sea goddess, just enjoying a typical day of nothing when a strange new god dropped into your land.

Warnings: None yet. There is smut in future chapters already written. Will post more soon.

Notes: I’m aware that what we’d think of as ancient Greece well predates who we’d call the vikings and their like cruising around the seas. This doesn’t take place at the height of the Greek pantheon worship, but old enough in human history that some men still believed in both sets of deities.

Chapters: Next Chapter Here

My Masterlist

—————————

You dipped your feet a little deeper into the warm water as it lapped the edges of the rock you sat upon. The sea was calm today, and the wind gentle as the nymphs chatted around you about the usual things. A bit of gossip one had heard from a local river nymph, a new shipwreck one had found, status of a fish migration from another.

You wouldn’t exactly call it boring though, you specifically chose these more remote areas when you came ashore for this very reason. It was so much more unlikely for you to run afoul of mortals here, or even others of your own kind that you may not feel like putting on airs with at this very moment.

It was so quiet in fact, that you were considering getting up to go lay in the sand on the beach in a few minutes and enjoy a nice nap in the sunlight.

That was before the boom which echoed through the air all around you. Somewhat like thunder, but not quite as all the nymphs fell silent.

When nothing came after, you felt all their eyes then turning to you. Their voices piped back up soon enough, though the tones in them changed to all nerves now.

“Do you wish to leave, milady?”

“Could it be Zeus?”

“But it didn’t sound like him.”

“Is there a volcano nearby?”

“What else could it be?”

“I don’t know what it was, I’ve never heard that sound.” You finally said, though now looking inward to the land. You were at least sure that the sound was not of the sea. But you refused to give in to the nymphs’ skittishness too quickly. And without real reason to leave, eventually you all did start to relax again.

Yet then came the cries. “Goddess, mistress please!” That cry absolutely was from the land as you looked in time to see the river nymph you’d met earlier in the day now running from the tree line and down onto the sands. She stumbled slightly, just before reaching you where the sea met the rocks.

She was panting, clearly having run some distance as she continued. “I’m so glad to still find you here,” She bowed slightly, only because she didn’t know you well enough to realize you didn’t require this.

“What is it?” You asked simply, honestly more curious now than anything else. What could she have seen that would strike her so alarming? Any nymph worth their ilk would know every creature, every natural occurrence, all that existed within their lands.

“There is a man in the forest, he came from the sky!” Yet she continued quickly, sure you would only think of Olympus. “But I do not recognize him as one of your own family. And his clothing, he is not of our territory. This I am sure, my goddess. I watched him only long enough to see that he was very angry. I am afraid of his intentions here.”

A man? But not truly a man. Mortals did not come from the sky.

“An angry god?” You said, now standing as you then stepped down from the rocks. The forest belonged to Artemis truthfully. But being this close to the sea, you thought that the older goddess would forgive you this if it came down to it. She would rather the nymphs be protected you were sure from any childish acts of a god’s wrath that may now come into play here.

You had brought no armor, the possibility of battle so far from your mind when you’d come ashore today. But that didn’t mean you travelled completely defenseless. “Bring me my spear please.” You requested of the sea nymphs.

Though they were still anxious, they responded dutifully, one sinking beneath the waves before reappearing with the glinting weapon in hand. It shone a brilliant silver, sea foam still running off its blue spear tip as she handed it to you out of the water.

“Show me the way, and I will investigate this stranger.” You spoke plainly, hopping down onto the sands as you strode barefoot towards the forest, spear in hand. “We will keep our distance as best we can, we don’t seek conflict, understood?”

“Yes, milady.” You heard, the sea nymphs staying behind you as the river nymph moved in front to lead you upward, the sand transitioning to rocky soil and the sparse vegetation and trees beginning to increase as you climbed the hillside.

For the sea nymphs, you could hear them losing their footing here and there in the loose soil, themselves of course far more adapted to swimming the ocean’s depths at your side rather than hiking up into the forests.

You did hope you were not putting any of them in danger. But if you felt they truly were in harm’s way, you would have no qualms in telling them to retreat back to the water at once.

“Up ahead,” The river nymph whispered to you, pointing towards a clearing you could now see leveling off in the distance. But the opening looked so strange with the density of the other trees now around you.

“Was that always there?” You asked her, knowing something unnatural when you saw it, even when this far from the water.

“No,” She confirmed. “When the sky opened up, it carved out the land as well. He appeared when that force receded.”

“Understood.” You replied, though in truth not really understanding at all as you motioned for all the others to proceed no further. You’d never seen something like this. “I will go alone. If he should attack me, please return to the sea to seek help.”

They fidgeted, looking unhappy but not arguing your choice. “Please be careful, goddess.”

You nodded, but kept on slowly. You tried to remember what you’d been taught as a little girl about stalking and hunting on land. So many moons ago, running through the forests with Artemis and at times Pan, being mentored before returning to the sea to your father, mother, and so many siblings.

But the closer you came, the more you realized that the stranger would likely not notice any sound of light footsteps approaching or ground shifting. As you neared, you saw his form pacing back and forth in the clearing, seemingly cursing to himself in a language that was not your own.

Yet it still sounded familiar. Abruptly you knew where you had heard a dialect like this before. It sounded so much like those voyagers from the northern seas. The ones with their longboats and course beards, sometimes with hair as red as fire as they fished and sang and fought.

And he did look as pale as them as well. But with hair like black of night, and a frame far more slender than the burly mortals you’d seen rowing those northern boats along. And just as the river nymph had warned, his clothing confused you as well. Rich green robe, but with black and gold as well. It was wholly foreign and exotic to you in its styling, as was he.

When she’d said a strange man had arrived, honestly you had also expected someone older in appearance. He looked quite youthful to be honest, even as his brow remained furrowed and his fists clenched at his sides.

And just when you thought his feet may actually cut a path in the earth from his agitated pacing, he finally slowed, then stopped all together.

This is when you froze as well, knowing you now had a decision to make. Should you keep to your hiding, just to hope he should eventually leave in whatever fashion he came? Or should you reveal yourself to question his identity and purpose here?

“Done spying yet, or do you intend to actually do something with that spear?” A cutting voice spoke abruptly to your side, so suddenly that you almost lost your footing, shocked as the same man emerged from behind other trees only feet from you.

But you still saw him in the clearing as well, at least you did momentarily before the image of him there dissolved, leaving only the form now nearest you.

“You speak my language?” Was all you questioned instead of answer him though, as he had said those last words only in your tongue. You also kept focusing on backing away as you chose to keep a safer distance. He was some sort of illusionist at least then, which could escalate the danger here very quickly if he made you lose your bearings.

And he was starting to circle you a bit you realized as he began to walk again. But you willed yourself to keep your spear at a neutral position, rather than aim at him, still not intending to provoke attack if it could be prevented. You had no idea what other strengths he might have, and your primary goal was still to keep the nymphs from getting caught in any crossfire.

“Not all of us are so uneducated,” He snapped back at you, still in your language, though you could detect that foreign accent underneath.

You were not wholly unused to rudeness though, yet it had been a very long time since you could recall being spoken to directly in such a manner. It was more the bickering between others in the palace that you were sometimes forced to be party to. Which was only another reason you often favored the relative isolation of the mortal world.

“You need not be so offended, stranger. I only came to see who had entered our land, and to protect my friends if need be.” You answered as reserved in tone as you could.

“Then you have done your duty, girl, and can now be gone. I came here to be alone. If I was actually intending to plunder this wasteland of nothingness, your little cohort never would have made it back to you to begin with.”

You stared, a little coldness entering your eyes then. So that was what had given you away. He’d already been aware of the river nymph to begin with, and had been waiting for someone to return the entire time while leaving that illusion of himself still in the clearing as distraction.

And he’d actually referred to you as ‘girl’. Did he really think you just one of the nymphs then? It was hard to say if he was intentionally trying to goad you, or if he really was so unfamiliar to not realize you for what you actually were.

You straightened a bit, replying, “Insults to our homeland aside, I will leave you to this quiet then, if you should at least tell me your name. You are clearly not of Olympus, and we still have right to know who it is who traverses into this particular land of mortals which we hold sovereignty over.”

He scoffed, clearly wishing to not speak to you even a moment longer. But in the way his chest puffed slightly, you thought it was only pride then that made him physically incapable of denying his identity.

He actually moved closer to you as well, that agitation still rising further in his voice. “Little fool, you stand before Loki! Son of Odin the Allfather. I am god of mischief, prince of Asgard. Your witless mortals should count their blessings that an Asgardian should ever see fit to even set foot here!”

You didn’t know if you’d been quick enough to mask the true surprise from your face. You had already assumed him a god. But never...never had you actually laid eyes on an Asgardian. They never came to this part of the world as far as you knew. And was he telling the truth? Was he really a son of Odin?

This stranger’s arrogance aside, if he were a child of Odin, you knew your own father would be furious with you if you were intentionally insulting now. Asgard and Olympus had never had the closest ties, but you were not enemies either. Asgard was honored by the mortals of the north, and Olympus still honored by those of the south, though perhaps not quite as much as the true olden days.

It took real will, but you bowed graciously to him in return. “It is an honor to meet you then, Loki, son of Odin.” As you straightened up, in his eyes you could see he was trying to judge you as sincere or not. But you just continued smoothly. “As promised, I shall leave you to your thoughts then. But I would be unmannered to not offer my assistance should you need a hostess in your time here as a guest in our land. My name is (Y/N), daughter of-”

You hesitated only the briefest moment, “of the sea,” is what you decided on though. Unlike Loki, you preferred a little anonymity with strangers. You didn’t wish to be targeted just for your lineage.

And with that, you turned, beginning to walk back towards the beach, even as you finished talking. “If you should need me, you need only find the sea’s edge and call for me. One of our creatures will hear you soon enough and seek me out.”

But some odd part of you regretted not being able to see his expression as you left. You wondered if you only would have seen more disdain and condescension at your offer.

Regardless, he said nothing else and soon enough you were back on the sand, the nymphs chittering in a mix of horror and awe around you.

“Who does he think he is, speaking to you that way!?”

“Do you really think he’s of Asgard? Shouldn’t we alert your father?”

“Why would he even come here? He seemed so bitter. Do you think they cast him out?”

“I’d cast him out, with a dirty attitude like that!”

You looked to the horizon, just taking a breath. “I don’t think we need to rush and tell my father just yet. But I do know where I want to go now.” You looked to the river nymph briefly though, “Please have those in the forest keep a distant eye on him. Should he leave or do anything else of note, please let us know.”

You glanced back to the sea nymphs then. “The rest of you return to the oceans. I’m going to Olympus, to the libraries there. I want to find out more about Asgard, to see if he is who he says he is. I’ll return to the water soon.”

They all nodded, “Yes, milady. Please let us know what you find!”

“I will,” you agreed, just watching them dissolve back into the waves.

Were you excited perhaps? Or just very curious? Nothing interesting in this way had happened in ages. You were determined to learn all you could on this new arrival.

—————————

The Olympians had been a little surprised to see you gracing the halls there. So many of your cousins had dropped in time and again to say hello, curious themselves of why you were out of the water this long and seemingly such a bookworm all of the sudden.

And you did read for days. All you could find on Asgard, on Odin, the Norse mortals, and their language. You found record that Odin had born two sons, honestly an oddly low number you thought in comparison to the many children of your own kings.

But there in these tomes, were those two names, Thor and Loki. Thor, god of thunder, amusing of course in comparison to Zeus, king of all, including lightning. But also Loki, god of mischief, just as he’d said.

You were surprised, but enthralled as you actually found a drawing of Loki within the book. Though not completely accurate you thought, you still recognized that type of clothing. The green and gold, and the pale skin and black hair with his icy blue eyes. You tilted your head a little, looking at the gold helmet he wore in the artist’s depiction, with long horns curving from it like those of a great beast.

Was he really a beast? Or just a too arrogant manchild? And why did you increasingly wish to find out?

—————————

(Continued in next chapter here)

[a-funny-little-sunflower]

♡ Yandere Glorfindel Alphabet ♡

Affection: How do they show their love and affection? How intense would it get?

Glorfindel is highly affectionate! He hasn’t had a chance to let his loving side out in centuries so when his beloved one finally comes along after years of him being alone, he’s gonna be touching them all the time; kisses, hugs, hand-holding, you name it.

Blood: How messy are they willing to get when it comes to their darling?

Although Glorfindel is a diplomatic elf at most times, if his beloved one is threatened, you best believe all bets are off. You have to remember that this Elf not only fought a Balrog, but he also made the witch king himself flee in terror at the very sight of him, its safe to say, he’s intimating, and he’s not afraid to get his hands bloody for you.

Cruelty: How would they treat their darling once abducted? Would they mock them?

Glorfindel adores you more than anything, he would give his Lordship, his wealth, his strength, even his golden locks for you, what in Iluvatar name makes you think that he would ever harm you? No, he treats you like the royalty you are and would never lay a finger on you.

Darling: Aside from abduction, would they do anything against their darling’s will?

Glorfindel is very understanding of how you must feel, especially when being kept against your will, so he doesn’t push you too much, and he would never force himself upon you, but he will try to persuade you into letting him brush your hair, or help you dress, he would definitely try to get you to trust him by doing personal domestic things like that together.

Exposed: How much of their heart do they bare to their darling? How vulnerable are they when it comes to their darling?

Glorfindel is constantly having to hold up a strong and powerful front for his subjects, so being able to shed the heavy burden of Lordship around his love, is definitely a big thing for him. When he comes home from a day filled with meetings and stress, he wants nothing more than to lay his head in your lap and let you run your fingers through his hair, he would defiantly cry if you offered without any hints from him.

Fight: How would they feel if their darling fought back?

Glorfindel would definitely feel hurt if you fought back, all he’s trying to do is protect from a horrid world, and he knows the terrible things it holds, he’s seen them first-hand after all, so when you fight with him about it, it makes his heart hurt. He just wants to protect you, so why won’t you let him?

Game: Is this a game to them? How much would they enjoy watching their darling try to escape?

In Glorfindel’s eyes, his beloved’s safety is no laughing matter, so when he sees you trying to escape, it frightens him to the very centre of his being, after all, anything could happen, and you just so fragile, you could be so easily hurt!

Hell: What would be their darling’s worst experience with them?

Glorfindel is thousands of years old, so he has had plenty of time to learn how to control his temper, so there are very few things that would make him angry, however, there are times where he knows that he must punish you for misbehaviour. During these times, he will pick you up bridal style and lock you in a room for a few hours, he hates doing it, and he feels as though someone has ripped his heart out if he hears you start crying.

Ideals: What kind of future do they have in mind for/with their darling?

All of Glorfindel’s life, he has always had to carry the burden of responsibility for his people, and though he cares for them, a part of him longs for simplicity. So, if you enjoy homebuilding and domestic things, it would be an ideal outlet for those feelings, not to mention that it would make his heart melt.

Jealousy: Do they get jealous? Do they lash out or find a way to cope?

Glorfindel is thousands of years old so he’s had plenty of time to learn how to control his temper, so it is quite difficult for him to get incredibly angry. However, that’s not to say that he doesn’t get jealous when you spend more time with other people than him, but he just does a better job at hiding it.

Kisses: How do they act around or with their darling?

Glorfindel is at his happiest when he is with his beloved. He always has an adoring look in his eyes and a soft smile on his face when he’s talking with them, and he’s constantly trying to interact with them when he can.

Love letters: How would they go about courting or approaching their darling?

Glorfindel, like many great elves, is adept at weaving beautiful words to enchant you, and he has great wealth to back up his affections, after all, if he can spoil you, he gonna. Flowers, baked goods, clothes, jewellery, and if you ask him for a crown, he’ll buy you a crown. Nothing is too high a price for his beloved.

Mask: Are their true colours drastically different from the way they act around everyone else?

Glorfindel is a well-mannered and diplomatic elf in public, and always holds a regal aura around his subjects but as soon as he’s alone with you, his Lord like behaviour drops and he becomes loving and attentive, and very giggly. He’s smitten with you after all, and he has no reason to hide when he’s alone with you.

Naughty: How would they punish their darling?

He would never lay his hands on his beloved, but if you just kept misbehaving, he would put you in a room your own until he learned your lesson. The room is always full functional with an en suite, and he brings you food, but he won’t interact with you when he does, even though he wants nothing more than to gather you up in his arms.

Oppression: How many rights would they take away from their darling?

He will probably take away your right to go out on your own. He might be lenient if you promise to allow 2 guards to accompany you, but if you fall pregnant, you're forbidden to leave your shared chambers, not even if you offer to allow guards to come with you.

Patience: How patient are they with their darling?

Glorfindel is centuries old, so he’s had plenty of time to perfect his patience. He’s also incredibly understanding, despite his yandere nature, so he’s incredibly patient with his darling.

Quit: If their darling dies, leaves, or successfully escapes, would they ever be able to move on?

Glorfindel has never had someone that he loves as much as he loved you. Ecthelion was his best friend and he lost him centuries ago, and although he made new companions, he would never be able to move on if you died or escaped.

Regret: Would they ever feel guilty about abducting their darling? Would they ever let their darling go?

No matter how understanding he is, he won’t let his darling go. He sees taking you and keeping you secluded as a necessary precaution, so he won’t regret it.

Stigma: What brought about this side of them (childhood, curiosity, etc)?

This side of him comes from constantly losing his loved ones. His friends, family and loved ones were all taken from him, and he refuses to let it happen again.

Tears: How do they feel about seeing their darling scream, cry, and/or isolate themselves?

It would break his heart. He wants you to understand that he is keeping you locked away for your own safety, he knows the dangers of the world and wants to protect you from them. But he is highly tuned to your emotions, so if you start sobbing, he can practically feel it in his soul.

Unique: Would they do anything different from the classic yandere?

He’s very diplomatic and understanding, so he may be up to giving you more freedom if you show that you can be trusted.

Vice: What weakness can their darling exploit in order to escape?

If you have the ability to control your crying, you can use that to your advantage. He will do anything to stop you from crying, and he may be so caught up in the moment, that his common sense may leave him, and he will be left unguarded.

Wit’s end: Would they ever hurt their darling?

Never, he loves you.

Xoanon: How much would they revere or worship their darling? To what length would they go to win their darling over?

He worships you as if you were the very being who hung the stars in the sky, and his desperation to get you to love him back knows no bounds. He has influence, wealth, and physical strength on his side, so he has an advantage over others.

Yearn: How long do they pine after their darling before they snap?

It depends, although Glorfindel is patient, he’s also aware that mortal lives are far shorter than elves, so if his beloved is mortal, it would encourage him to move quickly.

Zenith: Would they ever break their darling?

He might do it by mistake. Perhaps due to an outburst or severe misbehaviour, he would lock you in the spare room specifically used for keeping you during punishments. And maybe, just maybe, he keeps you in there for a bit too long. Longer than he had before, and maybe this time, he doesn’t bring you food, and all of that just sends you over the edge.

He comes into the room expecting you to be asleep, because you were so quiet but instead, he finds you sitting on the edge of the bed, staring at the opposite wall, with a dead eye, unmoving. He gently touches you, but you take no heed of you, so he shakes you gently again, and again, and again.

Then it clicks. He broke you. And he’s sure that he feels something in him break too.

[yanderesmythos]

🎼Yandere! Apollo(General) Headcanon⚕:

Tw: Violence, implied dub-con, delusions, mention of flaying, slight nsfw, toxic relationship, curses.

Ah, Apollo is known to be attracted to those that represent beauty. So when he got the gist of rumor spreading through the island of Kythira, that a young maiden has a mellifluous voice and an equally divine figure. He declared that he had to investigate, to make sure the rumours are true.

Thus, the blond god decided to pay a visit to meet the cryptic maiden; that had lit the flames of his curiosity as if it was the flames of Olympus* itself!

Before he descends to the village, Apollo disguised himself as man in his mid-thirties that have a flowing chocolate locks for tresses and stubbles beneath his chin. ' Now, to find the μούσα* of this village.'

The first thing that came to his mind, is that to search for her in the fields of flowers. Alas, he didn't find her which made him the more so frustrated. Were those rumours a mockery, just to taunt him for every lover he had met a tragic end?* If so, how dare they!

Yet, a kind gentlemen has came his way and saw the impatient expression painting Apollo's face. 'χαῖρε*, friend! I saw you were troubled, that's why I am here to help. As far as I am concerned, you're here to meet the allegedly fair maiden of our village. If you want to her, then head to the south east of chora. You'll find her humming a hymn and playing with animals, and Ὑγιαίνε!*'.

Before, he could give his blessing and gratitude to the man. The individual vanished into thin air as if he never existed. Nonetheless a smile tore Apollo's face, as he began heading to the place that stranger told him to go.

When he arrived to the location, his breath was hitched by not the beauty of place. But, with the woman in a flowy white dress who was singing her heart out. His heart was thumping so hard, that he feared that it may stop thanks to the woman in a simple village dress. It seems that the rumours were not an empty gossip, after all. Oh, did he finally 'meet' his muse and he won't let what occured to his past lovers happen to you!

Apollo is obsessive, clingy, delusional, and overwhelming-ly overprotective to the point of being overbearing. But, that's understandable when most of your lovers either wind up dead or turned into some kind of plant!

Apollo adores you immensely, so much that he will go as far as to defying you to his worshippers. Any mockery of you is akin of insulting him, which will steer his wrath. And his wrath isn't something to be taken so lightly, especially if his darling is involved.

It's a guarantee that Apollo will write poems, hymns*, and songs of praise for you. As well as, ensuring one of his devoted servants to sculpt you in the most pristine form and to be spread all through Greece. Then, he'll get rid of them* because he is the only one who has the right to appreciate s/o naked figure. 'What a fair woman you are, my μούσα. How fortunate, for the sisters of fate had decided to bind us together. So, let's take advantage of it and create the masterpiece of our deathless love.'

In fear of your death, the first thing Apollo will do is to force the ambrosia* upon you. Whether be it you're willing, or kicking and screaming to be let go. He simply will ignore it, as he believes those are 'signals' indicating that you desire him as much as he desires you. 'Shhh, μούσα. No need to be afraid, after all we will be together forever. Aww, those tears of happiness has blessed my day. Now, let me return the favour in our private chamber.'

If you're were to be taken away from Apollo, or worse injured significantly. Then, those imbeciles must be prepared to accept their fates. Oh dear, it has been itching him for a while to use his bow and arrow! Or, maybe flay them for their discretion of his sacred beloved.

Plus, he may or may not consider cursing their homeland with a terminal illness to make an example out of any mortal who has any ill intention toward s/o.

On another notice, rejecting or escaping him won't effect the outcome. As he'll accumulate you one way or another, in addition you'll be punished severely for 'breaking' his fragile heart. But don't worry, he won't hurt you....that much.

If you happened to escape on your own accord, not only will you make Apollo upset but also Artemis for upsetting her twin brother. (In which case, I believe from this scenario Artemis would've developed platonic obsession. Mainly, that you make her brother happy and that you haven't been dead yet. And, for that she promised to protect you until her last breath. Not only for her brother, but for herself as it has been a while since she met a kind mortal.)

Then, you'll become the prey of both Apollo and Artemis hunting game. If Artemis was the one to catch you, then you'll be handed to the lovesick god as he begin to drown you in his hold. However, if Apollo was the one to catch her then the s/o must be in for an intense 'love' session. In both scenarios, you'll be handed to him. It's just his reaction, that will differ.

Oh, also don't even attempt to break Apollo's delusions of you. As he will become a horrendous individual to meddle with, if he ever become lucid. And, the punishments will be amped to mind-shattering level. So try not to tread on his delusions, and you'll be safe for the most part. The more you escape, the more he'll be aware. Thus, he'll slowly become lucid. Oh, and just because he's lucid doesn't mean that he'll give up his beloved. NO! he'll be more persistent and bitter in his approach than his deluded state which is more softer and sweeter than any honey.

Anyways, one of his favored hobbies is to enact your and his fantasies with you. He can't help, but gushes at your flushed and drooling visage as he overstimulates your genital. 'Ahh, you're so.... dazzling especially with that flustered expression upon your face. Oh? You want more? Ask and you shall receive. No need to be shy with me, my βασίλισσα*.'

Anyways, as long as you play your cards right you might escape with your wits and sanity intact. But.....at the cost of either becoming the most dreaded immortal or cursed so no one can love you, but Apollo himself.

In which case, the isolation and ostracizion from the mortals will most likely drive you to return to him. 'Ah looks like you've learnt your lesson, κακῶς κόρην*. I forgive you now, so come into my warm embrace.'

Notes:

* Flame of Olympus: Here, I was referencing the myth of the first flame that Prometheus gave to humanity. Leading him, to be punished by Zeus.

* μούσα: Muse in greek.

* Tragic end: Poor Apollo. Each time he loves someone, they die or turn to plants. First, Daphne(turned into a Laurel tree) then Hyacinth(turned into Larkspur flower) then Cassandra(cursed for the rest of her life with the misfortune of no one believing her oracles). The last one, was a prickly act from Apollo ngl. But, then again there is no one right in the mythos. Everyone must've done something shitty for petty reasons with few exclusions (hestia/hades).

*χαῖρε: Hello in ancient greek.

*Ὑγιαίνε: Good luck in ancient greek.

*Hymns: are songs of praises towards a deity.

*then he'll get rid of them: you'll ask why would he spread sculptures of you around Greece, yet will punish anyone who worships it. Simply, because that's called hypocrisy and boy there is alot of it in the mythology. *Cough* Zeus *Cough*

*Ambrosia: Called 'the food of the gods', it is guaranteed to make any mortal into immortal.

* βασίλισσα: Queen in ancient greek.

*The first one to answer this will get a cookie from me: Who was the mysterious man that spoke with Apollo?

A/n: I apologize for uploading late, as I am busy with studying for my finals. Lastly, I hope you enjoyed this and thanks for requesting! Take care!

[shepard-ram]

Here we go the first meeting between the Empire and the new god.

You watched invisible on top of your obsidian wall as the soldiers of the Empire triggered the traps you had added since you saw that plane fly near the wall, the horror stories that the people of your small nation told you that the planes came first then the army sometimes the only sign that a place was going to be attacked was due to those planes. You wouldn't allow the Empire to rampage through your little peaceful part of the world, you wouldn't let your people go through that terror again, nobody was losing anymore family, you wouldn't allow Talos to share his families fate. A smile graced your face as they finally trudged through the traps reaching the wall only to hit the barrier blocks you placed in front, you saw a pair in very fine armor, far better crafted than the soldiers that fell to the traps, mayhaps they were in charge of this army turning your head to the sky watching as you willed it to darken with storm clouds maybe you could scare them off right now.

Philza placed his hand out in front of him it hit something, it was solid but completely invisible and the tnt had no effect only showing that this invisible wall continues below ground. What nation was this? How had the come across such technology as invisible indestructible wall? A glance at his eldests face showed that his mind was also trying to grasp these answers after all they were the most technologically advanced nation on the globe yet this simple wall was truly halting their advance into this hidden nation. He was brought out his thoughts as the sky suddenly darkened, storm clouds appearing from no where swirling around lighting jumping from cloud to cloud, this was no natural storm, then he was quickly pulled back to their front lines by his son as a torrent of lightning struck right where he once was leaving a scorching crator where he once stood. He turned to thank his son but only saw him staring at some thing in the sky following his sons gaze he saw them.

Techno couldn't tear his eyes away from the being looking down upon them a cold glare in their eyes that glowed like embers, a pair of wings larger than his father's and looking almost ethereal as if mortal eyes were never ment to gaze upon these wings that seemed to be made out of the last light of a sunset, dressed in clothing unknown to the Prince that had travelled the world and seen all it had to offer, a pair of halos sat upon their head intertwined with on another one glowing as crimson as redstone the other glittering as if it were made of gold. This surely divine being meet his gaze before speaking " I will not have this land corrupted by your nations incessant warmongering, this land of peace has no need for people drenched in blood such as you little general, leave now before I decide inflict upon you the pain and sorrow you have inflicted onto those you've conquered, those innocents whose lives were ripped away from them by you, those who have had to greave and weep for the lives of those they loved cut short by your hands, leave now for this is the only mercy you shall ever have from me". As the divine beings finished their proclamation he could hear the sound of the army at his back fleeing in terror not that he blamed them as his father managed to pull him back to camp his gaze not leaving the divine beings form until they faded from sight. As the finally reached the war tent he was driven to his knees as chat suddenly flooded his mind( NEW GOD,E, NEW GOD, THE DIVINE HAVE RETURNED, E, THEY MUTED US SO RUDE, THEY WERE COOL, WE HAVE TO WORSHIP THEM RIGHT WHAT ARE THEIR DOMAINS) he realises as chat wondered over the divine that yes he hadn't heard chat for the entire time you were present, you were like a balm to his madness, he had to see them again even if it resulted in them smiting him it would be worth it.

And so we end off with you thinking you've won when this tales only just begun, an Emperor who now had to deal with the fact that not only did the divine grace the mortal plain once more but that this divinity had halted the empires advance in its tracts the army refusing to move any further, an now love sick General Prince who will actively try and court you and a chat also worshiped with you. As for the larger world well once the story of your divine intervention spread, let's just say you have a lot of grateful new worshipers.

Ender-anon

This was way to fun to write.

GUYS COME GET Y'ALLS JUICE-

Even if you were to leave your barrier to defend the city alone it would not have stopped the city from being an image of divine protection. But your little showcase of strength, morality, devotion, will power and pure power put you right in their crosshairs. You really shouldn't be surprised that this won't be the last time you butt heads

[tishinada]

100 Days of Writing – Day 27

The most obvious example of a society completely controlled by propaganda is Zakuul. Valkorion created a society that, for the most part, was passive and obedient. They worshipped him as their immortal emperor and apparently, he delivered an almost idyllic existence for the majority of the population who don't even seem to have to work unless they chose to. (There is a slum, Old World, which was Valkorion's first attempt on Zakuul, and it's not clear how and why people end up there. It seems to be a place for outcasts from society, and possibly how he controls the population.)

The people of Zakuul have been so thoroughly indoctrinated that it's actually extraordinary that any of them eventually begin to accept that he wasn't the benevolent god they thought he was. I've heard Koth criticized for how much he resists accepting that Valkorion might have been a monster, but that ignores how indoctrination works. Valkorion had ruled them for centuries and he delivered on his promises. They literally believed in a god who visibly produced the results he promised; of course they believed in him fanatically.

Sure, you can tell Koth he did all these horrible things, but who are you? You're not Zakuulan, you're an outsider (and we know that Valkorion and Arcann told them that outsiders couldn’t rule themselves, etc.) I mean, sure, he's willing to side with Lana and you against Arcann because he is not the Immortal Emperor and he personally saw how horrifying his war was. But no one asked him to go up against his god. (And as for the dissidents in the swamp during KOtFE, they were also questioning Arcann’s government, not Valkorion.)

We're not even told exactly when he found out that Valkorion and Vitiate were the same person – Lana may not have told him before you were awakened from carbonite. It certainly wasn't common knowledge. It would have taken time for Koth to not only accept that information, and even longer for him to accept that Valkorion's other face was monstrous. Even once he started to believe Valkorion and Vitiate were the same person, he would still resist believing your version of what happened on Ziost, for instance. Again, you're an outsider. He doesn't know how slanted your version of events might be. What are you leaving out?

But once you get the base set up on Odessen, his resistance to the idea fades. And I think that's because at that point, he was in contact with a large number of non-Zakuulans, and he'd be hearing almost the same version of events from most non-Zakuulans, including people who were previously mortal enemies. He probably encountered people whose own families were lost on Ziost (I’d imagine a higher percentage of them would join the Alliance. ) Slowly, his indoctrination was worn down, and he's backing you unreservedly at the end of KotET when you kill Valkorion.

Anyone who thinks he should immediately have believed that Valkorion---who outwardly really was that benevolent on Zakuul---was the monster Vitiate and then accept an outsider's version of his crimes without reservations has never imagined having the very foundations of their religion and their world pulled out from under them. Deprogramming is a slow process. I like to think eventually that he recognized that Valkorion had developed Zakuul into a passive society that he could easily sacrifice for his own power, and they wouldn’t put up much resistance.

And yes, at least early on, Koth’s pretty damned blinkered about protecting anyone except Zakuulans. Again, propaganda and a form of nationalism that none of the other factions is free of (Lana and Theron had had a lot longer to get past that point.) He also gave up everything rather than obey an order to do harm to non-Zakuulan civilians, so he wasn’t completely blind to anyone else and was willing to risk a lot due to those beliefs. It can also be argued that if it had been Valkorion issuing the orders rather than Arcann, he probably would have been more inclined to blind faith in the rightness of the orders. Blind faith is how you get atrocities from supposedly good people.

(Day 26 here) (Day 28 here)

[lunarreaper-ut]

How exactly did killer loose his arm? Was it cuz he got distracted or was it tactic to prevent something even worse?? ;-; how did nightmate take that sight? How did he get the idea to give killer some of his magic to make an artificial arm for him, did he knew it would work? Was it a hard or painful process for any of them?? (God i love the idea of killer getting a shadow arm from nm >w< makes him even cooler! Kyaaaaa~ still a sad thing tho uwu)

Was nightmare ever in the mood/need/curious to ask killer sing somehing (for him~)??

What ships will happen in kingdomverse??

Alsoo... Uhh dont know if thats an OK question but can they get pregnant? I wanna know if babybones are an possibility in the future? qwq

Ah yes... the Incident.

Allow me to explain the unfortunate event in which Killer almost failed at his job.

(This is gonna be heckin, and I mean HECKIN long. We got some worldbuilding ahead!)

How did Killer lose his arm?

This event happened several years after Killer began his duties as Royal Guard. Dream had already told Nightmare he no longer needed a Royal Guard, and Killer already expressed his wish to stay as one. Nightmare and Killer were frequently having their nightly visits, and things were going well.

One night, however, after Killer had returned to his room and the two had settled in for bed, something happened.

Now I haven't mentioned this before, mainly cause your questions have thankfully not uncovered it >w< During Nightmare's reign, there was much despair in the Kingdom. Negativity brings out the worst in people, as we're all aware I'm sure, and it's no wonder that some people would be driven mad by the results of Nightmare's actions.

Some people began to believe that if they worshipped Nightmare, they would be spared from his wrath and from the destruction his crafted creatures wrought. These people formed a cult dedicated to Nightmare, praising his actions and renouncing their loyalty to the Sun King. They called themselves The Corrupted.

Cults are a very hard thing to get rid of, especially if you weren't aware they existed. When Dream returned and cast Nightmare into the Void, the Corrupted hid themselves in the shadows, vowing to return only once their "True King" returns as well.

The issue arose when Nightmare did return from the Void. Nightmare, throughout his reign, was most often seen as his "transformed" self, and it was that self that The Corrupted worshipped, not Nightmare.

The Corrupted believed that they could bring back the "True King", and to do so they needed to remove the "Imposter King". The cult spent time learning the routines of the castle in order to break in to Nightmare's quarters when they were certain no one was around.

They had acquired a drug meant to incapacitate monsters and suppress their magic, and modified it to be several times as strong. Nightmare certainly wasn't at his strongest either, the Kingdom was a naturally positive place when Dream was around.

A few cult assassins threw a smoke bomb filled with the drug into Nightmare's room while he slept, and unfortunately it worked well enough. Nightmare wasn't unconscious, but he didn't have as fine of control over his magic or his own body.

The assassins came into the room, intending to kidnap Nightmare, but it's rather fortunate that Killer is a light sleeper, isn't it? Killer came into the room just as one of the assassins was about to grab Nightmare.

There was quite a few of them, as they'd been prepared for resistance, and though I hate to say it, they were skilled too. They weren't just some guy picked off the street and given a weapon, it was as if they'd been trained for years just for this moment.

It's likely they had been. Killer was having difficulties, but holding his own well enough. He would only really need to hold them off long enough for the guards to get to the room. Well, that's what he thought until he saw another assassin coming towards a practically immobile Nightmare, and he clearly wasn't intending to just kidnap the King.

Killer moved without thinking, and without his armor he was much more vulnerable to attacks... but getting injured wasn't an issue. He had to protect Nightmare at all costs, even if it meant he got hurt. That was the moment he lost his arm.

Killer didn't have time to register the pain, and slew the assassin who dared attempt to harm Nightmare. Killer was outnumbered still, and if he was having difficulties before, it was going to be impossible to hold out now.

He was lucky he didn't have to though, as several Guardsmen burst into the room. Seems they'd finally heard the commotion. The Guardsmen drove out the assassins, only managing to capture two. Killer was tended to, and he refused to leave Nightmare's side until the drug wore off.

How did Nightmare handle it?

Nightmare was half conscious in the moment, and so most of what he saw didn't register properly. It was only when the drug had worn off and he saw Killer by his side, sans one arm (Hehe), that it hit him.

Nightmare was angry first and foremost. He was angry it happened, angry Killer was dumb enough to get hurt, angry he wasn't able to resist the stupid drug, and angry that Killer seemed completely unbothered.

Nightmare didn't react well at all, and he ended up putting Killer on temporary leave. When Killer tried to refuse Nightmare said he was useless with only one arm, and Nightmare didn't need a useless Guard. Killer shut up pretty quickly.

Killer was still allowed to stay at the castle of course, but he was forbidden from coming near Nightmare's office, or taking part in any Guard duties. Nightmare believed that what happened was the stupidest thing Killer could have done, and refused to think otherwise.

It was during Killer's leave that Nightmare did research. He interrogated the cult members, and utilized glamours (Which we all know he's not fond of) in order to leave the castle without issue. Throughout his research, he spoke with the Court Apothecary regularly about Killer's injury. How was he fairing, is he at risk of dusting, is there anything to be done, stuff like that.

The Apothecary had made an offhanded comment that Killer is going to be without his arm for the rest of his life, since skeletons don't regenerate. Not unless he got enough magic to replace the missing arm at least.

He mentioned just getting a prosthetic for Killer, but that went in one ear and out the other, so to speak. Nightmare began to think about the suggestion (even though it was a joke). Nightmare had a large surplus of magic, and he thought about whether or not it was possible to somehow weave his magic with Killer's and form a new limb.

By the time Killer had returned to Nightmare, asking to return to his duties, the King had already figured out a way to properly do the procedure. He of course asked Killer if he would be allowed to do so, that he wasn't certain if it would work and that it certainly wouldn't be pretty.

Killer agreed without issue. The process was indeed a painful one... fusing Nightmare's magic with Killer's was difficult, and it was akin to taking a freezing cold needle and sewing a constantly shifting mass of energy directly to his soul. (Not actually how it worked, it's just how it felt).

The only reason Killer got through the procedure was because of Nightmare's intent. We all know that intent comes through to Monsters when involving magic, and Nightmare's intent made the process a lot less painful. Heal, fix, help, care, all those things came through to Killer.

It helped that Nightmare had a good relationship with Killer. His magic was much more willing to accept Killer's and vice versa. If this had been done between Nightmare and a stranger, it wouldn't have worked.

It took Killer a few days to work the arm properly. It was almost dead weight for a while. After that, it took even longer for him to properly fight with it, and longer still for him to be able to utilize the magic it was made with.

Has Nightmare ever asked Killer to sing for him?

Nope, Nightmare doesn't even know Killer can or that he has a good voice XD Killer has never sung in front of anyone, nor does he care to. It's just not something he does, but I imagine there could be a few scenarios where he gets coerced into it. Singing with friends, soothing a wounded animal (Yes Killer would do that, he likes small animals. They're cute.), that kind of stuff.

Nightmare's never had a reason to think Killer could sing. >w<

What Ships are going to be canon in Kingdomverse?

Well we've already got Cream, Killermare and Afterdeath as being confirmed.

Honestly I've kinda decided to leave the others more open for interpretation! If you want, you can say Errink is gonna happen, Lust could probably be someones s/o, it's all up to interpretation >w<

Theres quite the cast of characters in Kingdomverse?, and there might be more added later (if I can think of them), so honestly I'm sure there's no issue with some other ships coming to life!

Basically theres no other planned canon ships >w<

Can the skellies get preggers?

I don't see why not! Nightmare and Dream being immortals doesn't stop them from having kids, but I would say that if they did it would probably be through a different process than mortals.

I'd say that monsters need to make the conscious, or unconscious decision that they want a child or that they are ready for a child before they can have one.

Nightmare and Dream would probably be a bit difficult to have a child with purely because they have an immense amount of power and magic (even after a bond), so it might be a bit risky even for them to have kids.

(if any of you do make ship kids I want to see them though, I love baby bones >w<)

[tigerkirby215]

5e Kayle, the Righteous build (League of Legends)

(Artwork by Jessica “OwleyCat” Oyhenart and Victor “3rdColossus” Maury. Made for Riot Games.)

You know I find it funny that I haven’t made a build for Kayle yet, given that I made Morgana awhile ago sort of as a spur of the moment thing. Despite the fact that I main support I really don’t play Morgana (can’t hit skill shots omegalul), but meanwhile I really like Kayle. She was one of the first champions I played along with Sona since I was told she was very similar to Terrorblade who was one of my favorite carries in DOTA 2. I dropped her for a bit after her rework but I picked her up again and she’s still super fun! I mean, shame she’s kinda trash in the meta.

Anyways it’s about time I make a build for her since Morgana was alone for so long, especially since she’s coming back along with Pentakill! Kayle’s probably the perfect character to play if you want to go Lawful Stupid, but out of respect for everyone else please don’t play her Lawful Stupid.

GOALS

On wings of fire, hope ascends - It’s the quest of all champions to eventually transcend mortals. Hopefully we’ll at least be able to fly after this.

Fire reveals truth - Kayle is also well-known for her Zealous attack speed, so we’ll need to be able to get out as much DPS as possible.

The worthy survive! - A little bit of Divine Judgement goes a long way. An explosion of flaming swords helps too.

RACE

This may come as a surprise to you but Kayle is an Aasimar. More specifically a Protector Aasimar, which is rather fitting seeing as she’s seen as The Protector in Demacia. As an Aasimar your Charisma increases by 2, but I’m going to increase your Constitution instead of the typical Wisdom increase from Protector Aasimar, for a bit more lane sustain.

You have Celestial Resistance to both your own Radiant damage and your sister’s Necrotic damage, have the Light Bearer feature for the Light cantrip, and can give yourself or an ally a Celestial Blessing thanks to Healing Hands. It only heals up to your level but it certainly helps!

You also get Darkvision and the Celestial language, and Radiant Soul at level 3 thanks to your Protector subrace, We’ll discuss that when we get to level 3.

ABILITY SCORES

15; CHARISMA - League of Legends body types, am I right? Sure you have a bit of an “evil must be purged” personality, but D&D Paladins like that a lot.

14; DEXTERITY - Something something medium armor. I would call what you wear Half Plate, which means that for once the choice of Medium Armor is accurate!

13; STRENGTH - This feels strangely familiar...

12; CONSTITUTION - Kayle is very squishy in League but I like not dying so...

10; INTELLIGENCE - You may have lived through history but most of that time was spent up in the stars. Basically we need everything else more.

8; WISDOM - Yeah I didn’t increase Wisdom with your racial increase because I was planning to dump it. Kayle’s fatal flaw is that she’s blinded by her sense of justice, which is a sign of poor Wisdom and critical decision making.

BACKGROUND

There isn’t a great background for “Half of the Aspect of Justice” but Celebrity Adventurer’s Scion works fairly well. You get proficiency with Perception as well as Performance (you were in Pentakill, after all!), a Disguise Kit (but I’d maybe replace that with something else or ditch it entirely), and two languages of your choice. (Pick your poison.)

Your background feature Name Dropping lets you tell people that your mom was actually a god. You might be able to find people who knew your mom (or more realistically worshiped her before... you know... you became half of her?) and folk might recognize that you’re... half a god, and give you free stuff.

(Artwork by Alvin Lee and Kan Liu. Made for Riot Games.)

THE BUILD

LEVEL 1 - SORCERER 1

Starting off as a Sorcerer because Kayle is about as useless as a level 1 Sorcerer at level 1. (Also because CON saves are nice.) But you can also grab proficiency with Religion (you are a god, after all) and Intimidation. (Because you aren’t exactly nice.)

Sorcerers get to choose their Sorcerous Origin at level 1 and Divine Soul is like being a Cleric but you get to dump your Wisdom because you’re blind to morality. You get one free spell from your Divine Magic and I guess Bless makes sense since its attached to Law? Honestly there are other spells I’d recommend (Protection from Evil and Good would be helpful, and you can’t go wrong with either Healing Word or Guiding Bolt) but it’s honestly easier to just take Bless and call it there.

But of course since you get Divine Magic that means you get Spellcasting! You learn 4 cantrips from the Sorcerer list at level 1 such as Firebolt to smite the wicked, Sacred Flame for enemies with a lot of armor (but hopefully bad Dexterity), Thaumaturgy to make sure your words are heard, and Guidance because it’s good to provide aid to those who need it.

You also learn two spells from the Sorcerer list: we’ll be taking Mage Armor for the same reason you buy Doran’s Shield as a top laner (because laning phase sucks and you’re weak as hell at level 1), and we’ll also grab Healing Word for your Celestial Blessing. As a treat.

You are also Favored by the Gods, so if you miss an attack roll or fail a saving throw you can add 2d4 to the roll to potentially turn it into a success. Given that you’ll likely be making a lot of attack rolls later in this build it’s very useful to be able to give yourself some insurance.

LEVEL 2 - SORCERER 2

Second level Sorcerers get a Font of Magic for Sorcery Points equal to your Sorcerer level. For now all you can really do with them is get one of your spell slots back, but they’ll be more useful later on.

For something that’s useful right now take Ice Knife for the AoE burst of your Starfire Spellblade. Yes it does Cold damage, but you also shouldn’t have an AoE E by level 2. Hell you technically shouldn’t even be a ranged champion yet. We have to make compromises here.

If you want a single target Starfire Spellblade Guiding Bolt is a decent choice I suppose.

LEVEL 3 - SORCERER 3

Third level Sorcerers gain the power of the Aspects thanks to Metamagic. You learn two Metamagic options to change your spells in various ways: Quickened Spell will let you increase your attack speed to slay the unjust with Zealous fervor, and while it’s perhaps not the most practical choice Transmuted Spell will let you wield holy fire, instead of holy ice or whatever other damage type you pick up.

If you don’t care about doing specifically fire damage than Empowered Spell is a good choice to more effectively maximize damage.

As a Protector Aasimar your Radiant Soul lets you sprout wings as an action. For 1 minute you have a 30 foot flying speed and can add your Charisma modifier as Radiant damage to one target whenever you deal damage. It might not be much at level 3 but the extra damage from Starfire Spellblade adds up when you get more AP! Oh and to top it off you can also learn another spell like Misty Step, for Flash.

LEVEL 4 - SORCERER 4

4th level Sorcerers get the first of many Ability Score Improvements. Increase your uneven Charisma score as well as your Constitution score for nice, even, Lawful stats.

You can also learn another cantrip like Message to keep in team chat, as well as a leveled spell like Spiritual Weapon. Kayle summons hundreds of swords for her ultimate so I think it’s fine if you summon one sword for some more DPS.

LEVEL 5 - SORCERER 5

Normally I wouldn’t go out of my way to get 5th level spells but we kinda need Fly more than once per Long Rest. Sprout those wings or grant the gift of angelic ascension to an ally!

The bad witch Tasha also gave Sorcerers Magical Guidance, letting you spend a Sorcerery Point to reroll a failed ability check.

(Artwork by Zeen Chin. Made for Riot Games.)

LEVEL 6 - PALADIN 1

I swear it wasn’t my intention to make two casters with Paladin levels one after another, but we’re doing it anyways because it’s not like Kayle wouldn’t be a Paladin. First level Paladins get Divine Sense to know of any villains who need justice, and Lay on Hands to save the righteous.

LEVEL 7 - PALADIN 2

Second level Paladins get to choose their Fighting Style. Normally I’d take Blessed Warrior for a character who’s more-or-less a pure caster but you kinda get too many Cleric cantrips as is, so we’ll settle for good ol’ Defense because you can’t go wrong with +1 AC.

Protection and Interception are also fine to help your friends if you’re willing to hold onto a shield (no reason not to), and if you want to do a funny joke you can take Blind Fighting because Justice is Blind.

But of course what we’re mostly here for is Spellcasting: sure you got the entire Cleric list at your disposal but Sorcerer spells known is very limited, so take the following from the Paladin list:

Command to force evildoers to grovel at your feet.

Detect Evil and Good to... detect evil and good.

Protection from Evil and Good to... yeah this is fairly obvious too.

Heroism to empower heroes.

Shield of Faith to protect the righteous.

You also get Divine Smite, which sure would be nice if you used your sword as a melee weapon. I mean if you want to hit someone in melee you can turn a spell slot into damage but I kinda have to wonder why would you.

LEVEL 8 - PALADIN 3

Third level Paladins get to choose their Sacred Oath. Honestly just about any Paladin Oath would work for Kayle, but an Oath of Redemption would probably be best after you failed to upkeep justice the first time. Along with adding Sanctuary and Sleep to your spell list you also get two Channel Divinity options: if you go for Emissary of Peace you can add a flat +5 to all your Persuasion checks for 10 minutes. But Rebuke the Violent works great as a recreation of Divine Judgment’s damaging effect! When a creature within 30 feet of you damages someone other than you they must make a Wisdom saving throw after you use this reaction. If they fail they will take the same amount of damage they dealt as Radiant damage, and if they succeed they will take half. This has no maximum limit so you can use it when an enemy nukes your allies to have them experience retribution! "Drown in holy fire!"

The vial witch Tasha also lets you Harness Divine Power with your Channel Divinity to regain a spell slot equal to half your proficiency bonus once per Long Rest. And finally you get Divine Health, because justice doesn’t take sick days.

(Artwork by John Yucedag. Made for Riot Games.)

LEVEL 9 - PALADIN 4

4th level Paladins get another Ability Score Improvement so cap off that Charisma modifier, because we’re building AP in this build. Maxed out Charisma also means more prepared spells, but we’re going to wait for...

LEVEL 10 - PALADIN 5

5th level Paladins get an Extra Attack which sure would matter if you were actually swinging that sword instead of shooting Fire Bolts and Sacred Flames.

But what does matter is that you get second level Paladin spells! Along with Hold Person and Calm Emotions from the Redemption spell list (you should perhaps cast Calm Emotions on yourself at some point?) you can prepare spells like Aid to boost yourself and your allies, and Warding Bond (Tasha’s work once again) to take some damage for an ally. (Which is almost like making them immune to damage?)

LEVEL 11 - PALADIN 6

The only reason to multiclass into Paladin as a caster would be for Aura of Protection. Seeing as your Charisma modifier is maxed out already that means that you (and your allies within 10 feet) can add +5 to all their saving throws! I really don’t think I need to explain why that’s useful: your Constitution saves are now a +11 (meaning that if you take 22 damage or less you automatically succeed the Concentration check) and even your lowest save is still a +4!

You can also prepare one last spell but I’m actually going to take this time to remind you that Paladins are prepared spellcasters. Even though you have a relatively limited amount of Paladin spells be sure to swap them around to whatever’s the most useful for your task at hand. But if you must pick up a spell Detect Magic is never bad to have?

(Artwork by Alex “alexplank” Flores. Made for Riot Games.)

LEVEL 12 - SORCERER 6

Now that the obligatory Paladin levels are done it’s time to go back to Sorcerer. Hope your party didn’t expect you to be the support because you’re only now getting Empowered Healing to spend a Sorcery point and reroll any healing that you or an ally within 5 feet performs. I mean by total level 12 healing numbers will actually get pretty big, so this becomes a lot more useful!

But speaking of healing we’ll be getting not that but Haste instead. While you can’t use it too well (can only use it to make a weapon Attack, Dash, Disengage, Hide, or Use an Object) you can turn your allies into an avenging angel! As long as you can keep your Concentration which I mean... you have a +11 to your CON save.

LEVEL 13 - SORCERER 7

Unfortunately there’s no spell to make someone completely immune to damage for one round (while also still letting them move as normal except the 9th level spell Invulnerability that you can only cast on yourself) so we’ll just have to settle for Death Ward keeping the target you cast this on alive after reaching 0 HP. No rain of holy swords either unfortunately.

LEVEL 14 - SORCERER 8

8th level Sorcerers get an Ability Score Improvement and I think it’s about time for us to grab Metamagic Adept for 2 more Sorcery points to use on your Metamagic options like Twinned Spell to spread your wrath amongst all, and Careful Spell to avoid hurting those allied to your cause.

Speaking of AoE damage Vitriolic Sphere may do Acid damage but it’s a great recreation of the AoE damage of a high level Starfire Spellblade.

LEVEL 15 - SORCERER 9

Behold the might of 5th level spells! Remember how I was a little disappointed that you didn’t have the ability to make flaming swords rain down from the sky? Here you go: Flame Strike! Sure it basically does the damage of Fireball (and hey feel free to grab Fireball if you’re so inclined) but it has the holy flair that’s to be expected of Kayle.

If you want something more interesting than “Radiant damage Fireball” Dawn is also a good spell choice.

LEVEL 16 - SORCERER 10

10th level Sorcerers get another Metamagic option! Seeing as weve already got plenty thanks to Metamagic Adept one of the few options left is Heightened Spell to make sure your foes tremble beneath your might! You can also grab another cantrip like Prestidigitation for more generalized divine power.

And finally there’s also plenty of great spells you can take but Dispel Evil and Good probably fits Kayle the best. Now is a great time to remind everyone that you’re more than welcome to make your own Kayle, and while what I take may be “accurate” it’s not even necessarily what I’d build if I was making the character.

(Artwork by West Studio. Made for Riot Games.)

LEVEL 17 - SORCERER 11

11th level Sorcerers can finally ascend! I hope you kept your Paladin weapons because it’s time for Tasha’s Otherworldly Guise! Calling upon the power of the Upper Planes (or lower planes too I guess if you’re awful) you get:

Resistance to Radiant and Necrotic damage (which you already have. Oops.) (I mean Lower Planes would make you immune to Fire and Poison damage...)

Immunity to the Charmed condition.

A 40 foot flying speed.

+2 AC

The ability to use your Charisma to attack, meaning that you can finally swing a sword well!

And the ability to attack twice, which you already have.

And the cool part is that unlike Tenser’s Transformation you can cast spells and don’t Exhaust yourself after using this spell! If you want to finally use your Paladin levels to bright the fight to your opponents you finally have the power to do so!

LEVEL 18 - SORCERER 12

12th level Sorcerers get another Ability Score or Feat and I’m simply going to suggest the Tough feat. Even if Kayle doesn’t usually build health in League you can, and d6 hit die suck when it comes to actually surviving.

What? Did you expect another spell known? Nah fuck you lmao WoTC says no to Sorcerers having spells.

LEVEL 19 - SORCERER 13

13th level Sorcerers can learn 7th level spells and while this may seem like a copout I have none that I really want for Kayle. Pick whatever you think would be the coolest since you can make your own choices by level 19. (My personal vote for Kayle would be Fire Storm but you are kinda loading up on AoE spells.)

LEVEL 20 - SORCERER 14

Our final level is the 14th level of Divine Soul Sorcerer to finally ascend. You have Otherworldly Wings for a permanent 30 foot flying speed! You did it! You reached max level as Kayle! You’re now unstoppable!

FINAL BUILD

PROS

Kneel before the light! - Your spells known go up to 7th level, and your spell slots go up to 9th. I really don’t think I have to explain that a full leveled caster is extremely powerful.

What is dark in me, I will illuminate - Even your non-spellcasting has great utility. Both your Channel Divinity options are extremely useful, and a little bit of Lay on Hands healing never hurt anyone. Not to mention your Aasimar transformation providing a flat +20 to damage every turn while it’s active!

I am your salvation! - Even if you aren’t running up in melee range Paladin levels do help a ton for staying alive. +5 to all saves is no joke, especially when it means that your Concentration save sits at a whopping +13! (You have to take more than 26 damage to even have a chance at failing your Concentration check!)

CONS

Why have we wings, sister, if not to fly? - You’d think a high Charisma would at least make you good at socializing but... no you’re not even that. Proficiency in the “mean” Charisma skills and mediocre ability scores in everything other than Charisma means you’ll contribute very little other than divine wrath.

Wings of Immortal Flame, lift me from mortal temptation! - How much flight is too much flight? Between your Radiant Soul, Tasha’s Otherworldly Guise, and you know... the Fly spell you have quite a lot of ways to take to the skies which all become near-completely redundant by level 20.

Celestial justice, guide my blade - Ironically enough one of the biggest issues with this build is how long it takes to get online. The Paladin dip may keep you safe but it’s not making you stronger, and I doubt you’ll be sitting beside your friends like a support. If you don’t mind praying to darker powers Genie Warlock is actually a great choice to get considerably more damage (and “attack speed!”) with Eldritch Blast and easily accessible flight by level 6 in Warlock. (Celestial Warlock also exists if you want more healing utility and want to stay in flavor.)

Of course weakness is something to shed as you come closer to divinity, but remember that even if mortality makes you weak mortals are not. Your allies will fight by your side and its your duty to protect them, as they shall no doubt protect you. Treat them with respect and vanquish evil together! Because no one likes a lawful stupid top laner.

(Artwork by Atey Ghailan. Made for Riot Games.)

[curiosity-killed]

hua cheng, the accidental person

okay this is for @bodhimcbodeface because i can’t shut up and make this concise enough for discord. spoilers ahead yeehaw

this is...not comprehensive. i’ve written 11 tgcf fics and am generally a bit fixated on Hua Cheng as a character so. there’s definitely things missing but i tried to hit the main points that i thought of while writing? also obviously this is just my interpretation! i do not expect anyone else to be like “ah yes curio the sage is so correct i have changed my thinking on this” like go live your life with your own versions of hua cheng! this is just the hill upon which i have firmly planted myself and from which i refuse to be budged. as u do.

anyway, LONG explanation of my very niche and very uh self-indulgent, not-necessarily-support-by-canon hua cheng apologism LMAO

tl;dr: (this is really Too Long i’m sorry) I think Hua Cheng reluctantly becomes a person during his 800 years of searching, starting from a point where he views Xie Lian not as a person but as an immutable god and focus of devotion and developing into a person who doesn’t really acknowledge that he’s a person because realizing that you want to live and do things for yourself is scary and overwhelming at times, and he ultimately falls in love with Xie Lian during the novel itself as he recognizes and is in wonder of the humanity of Xie Lian instead of his divinity or absolute judgment.

POINT 1: Hua Cheng doesn’t actually fall in love with Xie Lian till the ox cart

but curio! you say, “my beloved!” he calls him his beloved! and the land of tender!!

shhh. IMO Hua Cheng is more Wuming than Hua Cheng for those 800 years. By which I mean, for most of that time he’s, at his heart, a nameless soldier trying to find and serve his crown prince/general/god. He still views Xie Lian as this perfect and immaculate figure—a sculpture, a painting, a work of art that is untouchable and immutable. And he’s utterly and wholly devoted to that figure but devotion is not the same as love

So Hua Cheng is searching and trying to serve Dianxia all these years and then His Royal Highness finally ascends and is a god again and Hua Cheng shows up in all his glory to give this power and strength and wealth to serve him and—

and he’s met not by a powerful and reckless martial god or an unstoppable calamity but by a young man dressed in bridal robes who lets Hua Cheng lead him up a darkened mountain, who doesn’t lash out with spiritual energy or a sword but instead, only eventually, with the cursed bandage he was carrying back in the darkest part of his life.

and i think that throws hua cheng. like he’s had this image of his god all these years, this divine painting made over and over and over again—and he carries that belief and devotion with him, but there’s a crack in the sculpture and the stone is starting to flake off to reveal a human underneath it

so he puts on an approachable, malleable, unassuming skin and finds xie lian collecting scraps and being a lil awkward, a lil bumbling, generous and kind — and i think hua cheng, after 800 years of knowing everything, having everything — I think he looks at this discovery with wonder

Bc tbc this does not mean Hua Cheng views them as equals. For him it’s like, dianxia has even more to him, is even more than I knew. He’s seen Xie Lian as the flower crowned martial god in all his glory and as the white-clothed calamity in all his horror — and now here he is, wonderful, multitudinous, and human

Meanwhile I don��t think Hua Cheng even views himself as a person really, much less a human.

also i mean. the internet & allo ppl prove time and time again that you don’t need love for horniness so. land of tender’s right out as proof on that

POINT 2: The Live For Me thing

so obviously and undeniably, using one person as a reason for living is....not healthy. Not going to argue that. but my take on it personally is that, when Hua Cheng’s a kid who really, actively wants to die and sees no reason for living, Xie Lian gives him a reason to keep going. he doesn’t have to live for himself—that’s too much, that’s too big of an ask—but he’s been given a command and purpose by the one person who’s been kind to him/whom he respects. it’s a little like... “My life has no meaning but my cat needs me to feed him and clean his litterbox and so I need to keep getting up and taking care of him even if I don’t see a larger intrinsic purpose to my life.”

and i think like...it’s easy to forget that for all of books 2 & 4, Hua Cheng is young. He doesn’t live past 18—he’s still like...a kid. And that’s not to say that teenagers/young adults can’t make moral and rational decisions but I’m going to be honest, when I was that age I contemplated joining the Air Force because of tuition assistance and the snazzy uniform despite the fact that I was a vocal pacifist and repeatedly got into arguments with teachers about school rules and conservative politics. It’s not like. The Most Rational and Mature Age, lbr. 

so Wuming is absolutely capable of looking at what Xie Lian is doing and being like “hey maybe war crimes aren’t a great idea” but he is young and traumatized and the one person he believes in, the one person who gave him a reason to keep going, is deadset on this task which tbh I don’t think either of them (or...necessarily...the society in which they live) views as war crimes in the modern sense (which isn’t to say that we as readers should view it any more lightly bc i think the narrative directly and firmly contradicts that idea) but as revenge, as an eye-for-an-eye. so, bad, but character-wise, I think it’s more nuanced than we sometimes consider

anyway back to the fixation on xie lian. i stand by the assertion that in those 800 years, hua cheng wasn’t exclusively focused on xie lian. like was finding and serving him his top priority? oh god yes. undeniably. there is no other version of this story. BUT eight hundred years is like....a lot of time. and i think in that time he started doing things for himself, even if under the guise of serving xie lian. hua cheng is curious and adventurous—he clearly likes to learn even if he plays it off as nbd—and i think he starts to realize that about himself in those centuries even if he doesn’t allow himself to acknowledge or consider it. 

POINT 3: Mt. Tong’lu in General

“okay, sure but what about the thousands of sculptures and murals of xie lian, curio. what the fuck about them.”

Yeah. FINE. okay we will DEAL with this. dealing with this is the entire reason i wrote “(like i do) in the tall grass.” 

disclaimer: this is probably not supported by canon! i also. Do Not care. My Ghost King Now.

so I have two general avenues I take with this:

going back to the devotion > love — when Hua Cheng reaches MTL, he’s seen xie lian beaten and cast down. what do gods need to survive? worship! we see throughout how important divine statues/portraits/etc. are throughout canon. in this interpretation, the cave is a concentration of all that worship in an effort to support and serve xie lian and hua cheng doesn’t view himself like...as part of it. the sculptures could have been carved by any hand so long as they are xie lian and the worship and devotion that goes into their making can support and bolster him.

my personal favorite version: amNESIA IN THE CAVES —okay i don’t have the text pulled up rn but y’know how Guoshi says Hua Cheng was almost dispersed, in terrible condition, etc., when he reached Mt. Tong’lu. so if baby boy is in terrible condition, barely hanging on, etc., then my immediate favorite option is that he doesn’t, at that time, have even the...uh threadbare sense of self he did in life/as Wuming and is running on only a vague and urgent sense of Something driving him—something he has to do, someone he has to serve—and in that case, the paintings and sculptures are part of his trying to piece together and process his memories as he can grasp them and figuring out who he is/what his purpose is. Is this canonical? PROBABLY NOT. and yet here i am. firmly planted on this hill

Also w/ MTL I think a thing that’s often skated over is the mortals, creation of E’ming, and his ascension. Which is important from a meta lens of Hua Cheng and Xie Lian vs Jun Wu but that’s not the point of this rambling monstrosity and i’m trying not to get too distracted. ANYWAY I think this is one of those times when Hua Cheng does something that he would probably excuse as like “well His Highness would’ve wanted me to” or “His Highness wouldn’t have been willing to sacrifice the mortals” because Xie Lian is still largely his moral compass—but it also is a peek at the complexity Hua Cheng doesn’t acknowledge within himself.

uh i got distracted anyway and no longer know what point i was making here. Hua Cheng Ascension Important....maybe i will remember this at some other point...

POINT 4: Live For Me (Revisited)

I sort of got distracted writing that point but anyway coming back to it now: I maintain that although Hua Cheng’s primary pursuit is protecting and serving Xie Lian he also does develop/realize his Accidental Personhood throughout his 800 years. this includes a lot of things, as previously stated, that are under the guise of serving Xie Lian (I’d put learning the Banyue tongue, finding out about the Gilded Banquet, collecting swords, beating the 33 officials etc., in this category) and things that maybe could be but...are not really (e.g., his friendship alliance with He Xuan, Paradise Manor* in general, the Gambling Den, learning the Wuyong tongue, bullying Qi Rong*, bullying FengQing*, playing with gold foil palaces, etc.)

(*these are ones that like...could be said to be for Xie Lian and I think he might say are for Xie Lian but also have a personal element that is just for him. 

Like yes Paradise Manor is a lavish and well-stocked residence fit for a god or crown prince...but it’s also a luxurious and extravagant collection of all the things he couldn’t have in life. it’s like giving a kid a credit card with no limit and letting them run wild through uh. Fuck. A Fancy Department Store. 

And sure Qi Rong was awful and turned on Xie Lian in pretty damning ways, but I also genuinely think part of Hua Cheng’s grudge with him is from the childhood abuse and from just...hatred that Qi Rong is around and looks like Xie Lian and gets to be there when Hua Cheng can’t find Xie Lian (which is about  Xie Lian but for Hua Cheng). 

Similarly with FengQing, sure a lot of his hate is for them abandoning Xie Lian—but he doesn’t even know till Book 3 when they abandoned him, and consider how much more he hates Mu Qing, the guy he blames for kicking him out of the army, etc. Some of it is totally “in service” to Xie Lian but some of it is because Hua Cheng carries a grudge like a goddamn pro and finds catharsis in beating the shit out of immortals who bounce back and can’t stop tripping over themselves and onto his blade.)