#my favorite chaos bringer

[cosmiischillin]

Twilight Town: Polyphemus

The groups chaos bringer is Iris. Which I learned the name is from the part of the eye that shows the color, a flower, and the Greek Goddess of rainbows (though knowing the show, it’s probably just from the eye fact but Iris’s eye is purple like the flower so I’ll take it).

Iris is the wild card of the group. They are always active and can barely sit still. I don’t know why but I didn’t like Iris as a kid but I enjoy the design process of her for the AU. So talking about their designing will be fun!

The Insane about of Research

So fun fact. In middle school I had the biggest fixation on Greek mythology. So much so that I’d skip PE to read the mythology graphic novels in the library (I apologize to my gym teachers). While I prefer the goddesses with Artemis being my all time favorite, I had some interest in the monsters of mythology.

I wasn’t really into Cyclops but researching them and assigning the details to Iris definitely made me interested. I didn’t want Iris to be a basic cyclops from popular media (aka Leela from Futurama or even Nifty and Cherri Bomb from Hazbin Hotel) since I applied classical and folklore representation for pretty much everyone with one small exception. I learned about the classical cyclops and they were divided into two types: Polyphemus (the big barbarian muscle kinds) and Arges (the magical psychic kinds). With how reckless and adventurous Iris would be, I decided on Polyphemus.

The Polyphemus Cyclops are the most heavily seen but are more “flanderized” versions of the original from The Odyssey where Polyphemus wasn’t just a hulking beast of a man. I decided that the cyclops in Twilight Town show a lot of pride for their brute strength and durability which is why they take up jobs in which they shine best.

Designing

So I dunno what happened in the design process but when using Iris in the original source material as a basis, her design was lacking a bit. She wore near identical clothes to Ruby and even had a red color motif like her. So I decided that Iris would change from red to pink as it wasn’t used with any of the characters (probably because of the whole goth thing but alt aesthetics certainly got some pink). Her kid self looks similar but I gave her tennis shoes instead of Mary Jane’s.

I used Cherri Bomb and Nifty as references to know how I would portray expressions for a character who only had one eye. Later on Cherri ended up being one of Iris’s inspos with their punk rebel like look which fitted more to Iris being the carefree and chaotic one.

I picked on more brute fantasy art with Iris too! They have orcish ear, her sclera is more yellowish , and sharpen teeth. Her skin was inspired by Greek statues and gargoyles which is why she has all those freckles and scars.

Background and Origins

Iris was born outside of Twilight Town from a clan of cyclops. They were considered a runt due to their smaller stature compared to naturally born Cyclops. However this didn’t seem to affect her drastically. Iris found her way to the mansion due to a freak accident that blasted her there as a kid. She was too far to get back home on feet and simply settled there since they already bonded with Ruby.

She usually is the one that caused the most chaos intentionally (Misery just has uncontrollable forces for the chaos), but they always mean the best. They do alot for their friends even if it means getting into trouble. Outside of her multiple gigs, Iris does local stunts with her worm/moth type monster pet Squig.

[pomegranatelifethis]

It's so boring

It was movie night at Wayne Manor—an extremely rare occurrence where everyone actually gathered in one place. You, the unofficial chaos bringer of the family, were bouncing between couches handing out popcorn like it was mission-critical.

“Tim! Yours is salty with low butter! Damian, caramel for you—but I swear there’s no cat food in it this time!��

Damian scowled. “Stop treating me like a child.”

You grinned. “I haven’t said anything about your height yet. Be grateful.”

Jason snorted with laughter. Bruce, from across the room, was watching you with that classic ‘you’re a menace but also my favorite’ kind of expression.

And then… you accidentally hit the panic alarm.

Everyone was on their feet instantly.

Dick: “Are we under attack?!”

Barbara: “The signal’s real—what happened?!”

Bruce, dead serious: “Everyone, move to position.”

You: “NO—WAIT! I was just… playing with the remote. And I pressed the glowing button. Because it was glowing.”

Tim facepalmed. “Y/N, seriously?”

You raised your hands with a sheepish smile. “It was glowing!”

Bruce let out a long sigh, shaking his head. “One day I’m locking you in the Batcave.”

Jason shrugged. “I’ll stay with you. Guaranteed entertainment.”

[gh0stly-mp3]

HIII I really like your work can you do this suggestion for me please ? The bllk boys reaction when they found out that Rin has s/o but not just any s/o but they're a famous footballer that every country want them to play for them and they're also the one who led France to victory in the world cup ! Thank you!!

Hi!! Thanks! Sorry for keeping you waiting! Well, I absolutely loved it! I really like the idea of badass reader, its one of my favorite tropes! Hope you like it! ♡

why choose him?! -> bllk fanfic

rin itoshi x soccer player gn!reader

synopsis: the bllk boys reactions to discovering that you, a badass player, is rin's partner

tags: kinda crack kinda cute, you're a badass, rin being rin (but in love), tried to be accured with the characters personalities but idk

warnings: none :D

masterlist.

It was supposed to be a normal, common and simple Instagram photo. You annoyed your boyfriend, Rin, until he finally let you take and post the damn picture. It was alright, the light wasn't the best, but there was a small smile on Rin's face that lit up the whole composition. You posted it. For you, everything was calm.

For Rin, everyone was chaos.

Isagi, Bachira and Reo were the first ones to talk to your boyfriend, dragging Nagi along. They were more than impressed, almost shocked that you would choose him.

"I didn't think that one of the best players in the world, would choose such a killjoy as a partner" - said Bachira. Rin almost murdered him that day, but since you would be mad at him, he chose not to go to jail (or worse, to disappoint you).

Reo and Isagi were much more polite, and showed their admiration. When leaving, Rin heard Reo say: "two very good players together, as partners... that sounds nice."

Then came Otoya who asked how did you both start dating and how long has it been. Karasu and Yukimiya complimented the picture and the relationship, but the first had a weird, curious look on his face, clearly jealous of you. Still, the three seemed quite excited to have someone so close to you right besides them.

Shidou obviously annoyed the hell out of Rin. He joked how he didn't know Rin could love another person, since he didn't know Rin could like anyone at all, but congratulated him on - "managing to seduce the all-mighty bringer of the world cup". - Charles, on the other hand, kept asking questions about the relationship, some quite invasive, some quite funny.

When discovering such a deed, Loki didn't know what exactly to feel. While it was good that Rin started dating, everyone was just... so excited. He almost felt jealous of your reputation. But if he wanted to surpass your abilities, he'd better keep working on that.

At the end of the day, pretty much everyone discovered your relationship. They either wanted to ask questions or were too surprised to say anything. Aryu did comment on how "glam" was your union, and Aiku complemented how much more "glam" it could become if a certain different player dated you instead of Rin.

[multi-fandom-imagine]

I would DIE to see you write more stuff for Ian. He's definitely one of my favorites.

A/n: I CAN GIVE YOU THAT! If you want more please let me know

Chaos and Cooing that is what your life now consisted off.

The night is quiet—eerily so, considering that in this house, quiet is as rare as a perfectly functioning dinosaur park. Ian Malcolm leans back against the couch, his infamous black shirt slightly unbuttoned, sleeves rolled up as he cradles a chubby, giggling baby in his arms.

“Ah, well, now this is unexpected,” he murmurs, bouncing the baby on his knee, who responds with a delighted shriek and a kick of pudgy legs. “The real chaos theory at work—not in the form of dinosaurs, no, but in the genetic masterpiece that is my son.” He waggles his eyebrows. “Clearly, he takes after me.”

Across the room, you, his very tired but still stunning wife, groan from where you’re curled up in the armchair. One hand grips a cup of lukewarm coffee, the other rubs circles into your temple. “Ian, for the last time, he’s giggling because you keep making ridiculous faces at him, not because he understands chaos theory.”

“Ah, ah, but that’s where you’re wrong,” Ian counters, pressing a noisy kiss to the baby’s round cheek. The baby gurgles in response, drool dripping onto Ian’s wrist, but he doesn’t seem to mind. “You see, my dear, chaos theory states that small changes in initial conditions lead to vastly different outcomes—case in point, had we slept last night, we wouldn’t be in this state of delirium. But! Because our son, this delightful little agent of chaos, decided sleep was, ah, unnecessary, here we are.” He gestures vaguely to your exhausted form and his own slightly disheveled one.

Your eyes narrow as you sip your coffee. “Are you seriously trying to lecture me on chaos theory using our son’s sleep schedule as proof?”

“I lecture because I love,” Ian replies smoothly, shifting the baby in his arms as he gazes down at him with something absurdly soft in his dark eyes. “And because I haven’t slept in three nights, and my brain has officially left the metaphorical building.”

You sigh, watching as Ian continues his one-man performance, making exaggerated faces that send your son into another round of belly laughs. The sound is so sweet, so impossibly joyful, that despite your exhaustion, you feel your heart melt.

For all his dramatics, Ian is an incredible father—dotingly attentive, full of boundless energy (somehow), and completely enamored with the little miracle you both created. It’s a sight you never tire of: your eccentric, brilliant, sometimes infuriating husband wrapped around the tiny, chubby fingers of your son.

The baby coos, reaching up to grab a fistful of Ian’s dark curls, and Ian winces but lets him. “Ah, yes, son, excellent grip already proving Darwin’s theory of natural selection. If you can cling to my hair with such tenacity, surely you will thrive in this chaotic world.”

“Or he’s just a baby, Ian.”

“Ah, ah, but is he just a baby?” Ian lifts a dramatic finger. “Or is he the next great scientist, the next disruptor of the status quo, a bringer of groundbreaking, world-altering change?”

The baby sneezes.

Ian nods solemnly. “I rest my case.”

You chuckle despite yourself, shaking your head as you set your coffee down and push yourself up from the chair. Walking over, you press a kiss to your son’s soft, round cheek before meeting Ian’s gaze. “You know, for all your rambling, you’re really just a big sap.”

Ian gasps, feigning offense. “Me? A sap? I’ll have you know, darling, I am a man of science, a man of logic, of reason.” He pauses, looking down at the baby, who is now sleepily sucking on his fist. Ian’s voice softens as he gently rocks him. “But… if loving my son so much that it defies logic makes me a sap, well… I suppose I can live with that.”

Your heart clenches, and you lean against him, resting your head on his shoulder. “Well, at least one of us is still functional,” you murmur, feeling your own exhaustion creep back in.

Ian chuckles, pressing a kiss to your temple. “Oh, my love, that implies I was ever functional to begin with.”

A scoff left your lips yet a smile remained and with that, the baby sighs, nestling against his father’s chest, and finally...finally...falls asleep.

Chaos has, at last, taken mercy on you.

For now.

As your eyes drifted closed, Ian's fingers running through your hair gently.

[a-mortal-turned-god]

{open starter} chaos

(red means villain Haley plus photo of her for reference, plus villain Haley won't have much effect on regular Haley)

(tw for smoking)

*in the mortal realm it was complete chaos with robots going around and being chaotic you saw Haley nearby and she was smoking*

What do you do?

(tags @acezinspace @emdabitchass @urbestestwindgod @cloak-of-ares @least-favorite-hades-kid @penelope-is-waiting @odysseus-of-ithaca-is-lost @aura-of-the-winds @lucifermorningstar-official @the-speedster-god @lethia-not-athena @the-god-ofwar @seleneandheliosog @mother-of-trust @princess-of-jade @notesbyaphrodite @justice-bringer @god-of-smithing-and-cozy-vibes @amber-the-unknown @apollo-ask-blog @least-favorite-ares-kid @that-roman-arsonist @/anyone )

(my master list)

(tell me if you want to be added or remove)

[virginiaoflykos]

What to read after Light Bringer? (Series similar to Red Rising)

August 2023 update!

Red Rising is my favorite series of all time, and since I first read it, I have sought series and books similar in both spirit and execution. Some of these recs are books I haven’t read personally, but have often come up in discussions with other users!

1. The Stormlight Archive by Brandon Sanderson

Status: ongoing, expected 10 books in total, 4/10 out at the moment

Book 1: The Way of Kings. The Way of Kings takes place on the world of Roshar, where war is constantly being waged on the Shattered Plains, and the Highprinces of Alethkar fight to avenge a king that died many moons ago.

2. The Craft Sequence by Max Gladstone

Status: finished, 6/6 books out.

Book 1 (in publication order): Three Parts Dead. Comprised of 6 standalone books set in the same universe, the Craft Sequence tells the tales of the city of Alt Coulumb. The city came out of the God Wars with one of its gods intact, Kos the Everburning. In return for the worship of his people, Kos provides heat and steam power to the citizens of Alt Coulumb; he is also the hub of a vast network of power relationships with other gods and god-like beings across the planet. Oh, and he has just died. If he isn’t revived in some form by the turn of the new moon, the city will descend into chaos and the finances of the globe will take a severe hit.

3. Hierarchy by James Islington

Status: ongoing, 1/3 planned books out

Book 1: The Will of the many. The Will of the Many tells the story of Vis, a young orphan who is adopted by one of the sociopolitical elites of the Hierarchy. Vis is tasked with entering a prestigious magical academy with one goal – ascend the ranks, figure out what the other major branches of the government are doing, and report back. However, that isn’t quite as easy as Vis or anyone else thought it was going to be…

4. Suneater by Christopher Ruocchio

Status: ongoing, 5/7 books out

Book 1: Empire of Silence. Hadrian is a man doomed to universal infamy after ordering the destruction of a sun to commit an unforgivable act of genocide. Told as a chronicle written by an older Hadrian, Empire of Silence details his earlier adventures and serves as an introduction to the characters and the setting.

5. Dune by Frank Herbert

Status: completed, 6/6 books out

Book 1: Dune. Set in the distant future amidst a feudal interstellar society in which various noble houses control planetary fiefs. It tells the story of young Paul Atreides, whose family accepts the stewardship of the planet Arrakis. While the planet is an inhospitable and sparsely populated desert wasteland, it is the only source of melange, or "spice", a drug that extends life and enhances mental abilities.

6. The Expanse by James S A Corey

Status: completed, 9/9 books out

Book 1: Leviathan wakes. Set hundreds of years in the future, after mankind has colonized the solar system. A hardened detective and a rogue ship's captain come together for what starts as a missing young woman and evolves into a race across the solar system to expose the greatest conspiracy in human history.

7. The First Law by Joe Abercrombie

Status: completed. 3 books in the original trilogy + 3 standalone books + 3 books in the newest trilogy

Book 1: The Blade Itself. The story follows the fortunes and misfortunes of bad people who do the right thing, good people who do the wrong thing, stupid people who do the stupid thing and, well, pretty much any combination of the above. Survival is no mean feat, and at the end of the day, dumb luck might be more of an asset than any amount of planning, skill, or noble intention.

8. Cradle by Will Wight

Status: completed, 12/12 books out

Book 1: Unsouled. Lindon is Unsouled, forbidden to learn the sacred arts of his clan. When faced with a looming fate he cannot ignore, he must rise beyond anything he's ever known...and forge his own Path

9. Hyperion Cantos by Dan Simmons (one PB’s favorites)

Status: completed, 4/4 books out

Book 1: Hyperion. The story weaves the interlocking tales of a diverse group of travelers sent on a pilgrimage to the Time Tombs on Hyperion. The travelers have been sent by the Church of the Final Atonement, alternately known as the Shrike Church, and the Hegemony (the government of the human star systems) to make a request of the Shrike. As they progress in their journey, each of the pilgrims tells their tale.

[thebugcollection]

My favorite color is green, so I'm really drawn to bugs that are green. Luckily, there's so many to choose from!

This is an Aphid, or also known as a plant louse. Aphids suck the sap from plant leaves and are a common pest. They are super destructive when it comes to plants, they suck the life out of them, transfer plant diseases, and carry around mold.

They are the embodiment of chaos in the insect kingdom.

Crazily enough, though, some types of ants have found a way to farm these tiny little death bringers. Its a mutual agreement between them, the aphids feed the ants, the ants protect the aphids.

A bargaining system, if you would.

Without them, our ant population would probably drop, and we need ants, my man.

So good on you, aphid. Good on you.

[saline-coelacanth]

I'm gonna try to articulate myself when it comes to explaining why I love Zeke so much because I just wanna scream about him but that's gonna take a long time. This post is probably gonna be pretty long. Also spoilers for Xenoblade 2. I'm gonna kinda explain this in a way that you can understand without knowing about the game, but there will probably still be some things I don't fully explain because doing so would take a lot of time.

Some of my favorite types of characters are the ones that are considered comic relief, but they still have more depth to them than that. They're written as actual characters instead of the one who needs to be funny all the time. And Zeke may just be the best version of that type of character I have ever seen.

When Zeke is first introduced in Chapter 3, he is not taken seriously, like at all. He shows up to fight the party and is completely baffled by the fact that the party does not know who he is. How have they never heard of the mighty Zeke von Genbu? The Bringer of Chaos! Mostly known as Zeke, and also addressed as the Zekenator! (Yes, he does call himself the Bringer of Chaos as well as the Zekenator, he is very silly)

So yeah, you fight this guy (as well as his blade/partner Pandoria, but she doesn't do much in this first encounter, in fact she doesn't even speak) and then after you beat him, he tries to show off with his super cool badass sick as fuck special move; Ultimate Lightning Fury Slash! Which by the way, did I mention he has a big ass lightning sword? Because he has a big ass lightning sword which is awesome, I love him.

But yeah, he uses his cool move, but instead of looking cool, he accidentally causes the cliff that he's currently standing on to collapse, making himself and Pandoria fall off the cliff screaming. The party then just moves on from this.

And yeah, that is the first impression you get of Zeke. He is introduced as this silly, sort of antagonistic guy who you shouldn't take too seriously. And the second time you encounter him goes about the same, except this time Pandoria actually speaks! And she just kinda sasses Zeke for the most part. (I love Pandoria so much btw, this post is mainly focused on Zeke but Pandoria is also great)

The other main difference is that Zeke does not cause a cliff to collapse underneath him this time! No, instead he uses the exact same move as last time, except this one causes a giant boulder to fall and start rolling towards him and Pandoria. They try to run, but end up just getting blasted away by the boulder Team Rocket style.

Also yeah, Zeke and Pandoria are SO Team Rocket coded. They even have a Meowth in the form of Turturs, their beloved mascot who is a tiny turtle. I didn't mention him before, but he is shown in the first encounter with Zeke.

So now we get to the third time you encounter Zeke, which you know, starts about the same with the party just kinda going "Not this guy again..." However, you also have a newer party member who wasn't with you the first two times, that being Morag. And Morag, she actually does recognize who Zeke is and decides to sit this fight out. So the rest of the party get ready for another simple fight against Zeke, only for Zeke to singlehandedly knock them all onto the ground in one speedy move, which leaves them all genuinely shocked at the power he has. Morag then reveals that yeah, Zeke actually is kind of a big deal. He's the most powerful driver from his kingdom, and ALSO the prince of that kingdom! Yeah, this goofy ass guy is royalty.

And yeah, you fight Zeke again. After defeating him, Zeke still kinda has the antagonistic persona up, asking to see the Aegis' true power, to which Rex says that that power is only used for bad guys. Zeke laughs it off, and from here he drops the act and starts acting genuinely friendly towards the party, although his personality remains the same. He is still a silly guy who is very much a show off.

Pandoria also explains to us that Zeke has TERRIBLE luck, which explains the whole falling off a cliff and getting chased by a boulder. Zeke tries to argue this, but then accidentally falls into the cloud sea below, basically proving Pandoria's point. She's also very nonchalant about Zeke falling. The rest of the party is concerned about him, she she's just like "Nah, he'll be fine."

Oh yeah, also forgot to mention that the whole reason for Zeke following the party was because he was sent to retrieve them by Praetor Amalthus. (He's an important character but I don't have time to get into everything with him) And now is the part of the story where the party actually goes to Indol to see Amalthus. This happens in chapter 5 and Zeke first appeared in chapter 3. So yeah, it took Zeke quite a while to actually get the job done.

There's a bit of story stuff that happens, and then Zeke officially joins the party! Which is also a great time to mention that from what my sister has told me, Zeke is the best party member of the game, and the only big downside to him is that he's a show off and his animations take a long time because of it. I love him so much.

Anyway, a bit more plot stuff happens, and we actually get to see Zeke being serious. Like, genuinely serious. No jokes, nothing like that, he is treated as an important character just like the rest of them, which as I've established, I LOVE when silly characters are able to be serious when the scene calls for it.

Not to get into a mini rant, but often it feels like comic relief characters are either still cracking jokes even when the situation is serious and joking would take away from it, or they are simply given nothing to do. The writers don't want them to interrupt the serious moment, so they just have them do nothing. And let me tell you, Zeke does not have either of those problems. He is silly when he needs to be and serious when he needs to be. Zeke is also one of, if not the most emotionally intelligent person in the party. He says a lot of deep stuff and has a really interesting view on the world and people as a whole. But I'm getting ahead of myself, let's get back to things.

So the first thing you do when Zeke joins the party is go to Temperantia and have a big boss fight there. But after that, we kinda get to dig into Zeke's backstory and plot more. We have to go to Tantal, which is the kingdom Zeke is from. We find out that Tantal is a strictly isolated society, which is basically the exact opposite of Zeke. Pandoria lets us know that Zeke was kicked out of his kingdom at the age of 15 because he kept leaving all the time, and he's been out on his own with Pandoria since then. (Zeke is 25 during the game for reference)

We also find out that the reason he was staying in Indol was because Amalthus found him on the brink of death and saved his life, so Zeke felt indebted to him for that. Yeah, this guy has had it a bit rough. And this isn't even getting into some of the side things that aren't part of the main story. One of the side things reveals that when he was younger, Zeke wanted to be a hero that could save everyone, but then was hit by reality and realized he can't actually save everyone. He saw a lot of the worst sides of humanity, but joining up with Rex sort of brought back his hope for humanity. AAAA HE'S SUCH A GREAT CHARACTER!!!!

Ok, getting back to more main plot stuff. When the party gets to Tantal, Zeke explains how he disagrees with the way his father handles things, pointing out how poor everyone is because the kingdom is too cold to properly grow food and crops, and since they stay isolated the only way to get stuff from other kingdoms/countries is illegally. The party then goes to give the king a message from Amalthus (I don't remember the specifics about it) And the king immediately rips it up and captures Pyra because he wants to destroy the Aegis before she can destroy the world. The rest of the party (minus Zeke and Pandoria) get locked up afterwards. Zeke if FUCKING PISSED over this, as well as being upset after learning the royal bloodline has been a lie this whole time, so he goes to break out his friends. They actually break out without his help, but you know, it's the thought that counts.

They go and they save Pyra, Zeke also goes a super cool move, jumping onto the giant cannon thing pointed at Pyra and stabbing it with his sword to try and stop it. That's another thing, Zeke is genuinely badass, and the game gives him plenty of time to be genuinely badass and cool. Again, Zeke is treated with respect and he's given time to be serious and cool, he's not silly and goofy ALL the time.

The stuff in Tantal is kinda where Zeke gets the most focus, although I still have a few moments afterwards I wanna talk about. So more plot stuff happens, Pyra ends up getting kidnapped by the bad guys so now the party has to go to this ancient tomb-like place called Spirit Crucible Elpys (I usually just refer to is as the Spirit Crucible). However as they go deeper into the Spirit Crucible, it's revealed that all the Blades in the party are having their energy drained, which is not good. Zeke orders Pandoria to stay behind because he wants her to be safe, but she adamantly argues that she goes wherever he goes, and after a bit of arguing, Pandoria sticks with the team despite the dangers.

Later on, Rex notices that Zeke seems to be getting tired as well, and Zeke reveals that he has part of Pandoria's core crystal in his chest. Mini explanation, a core crystal is basically a Blade's heart/energy source/life source type thing. Rex asks Zeke about it and Zeke brings up the story he mentioned before about how he almost died.

And we get a flashback, yay! I cried while watching this the first time, yay! But yeah, Zeke was dying and Pandoria was pleading with him to get up, not wanting him to die. Also another thing I should mention, but drivers and blades have a deep connection and when a driver dies, their blade returns to their core crystal and they lose all their memories. So one of the reasons Pandoria doesn't want Zeke to die is because she doesn't want to lose her memories of him.

So Zeke passes out, and Pandoria tries to carry him to safety, although she is very much struggling. Eventually, she can't go on and collapses onto the ground, which is when Amalthus finds the two. He saves the both of them by taking part of Pandoria's core crystal and putting it into Zeke's heart, keeping him alive and also making him what's known as a Blade Eater. And again, I don't have time to get into everything with Amalthus, but Amalthus is a terrible person who does a lot of horrible things, but saving Zeke and Pandoria is the one good thing that he did. But this post isn't about Amalthus, so let's get back to Zeke.

Zeke initially feels bad about the whole thing, blaming himself for Pandoria having to lose part of her core crystal, but Pandoria assures him that she's ok with it and that she's glad part of her is keeping him alive. (These two are so cute I could also scream about them all day)

And yeah, the reveal that Zeke is a Blade Eater explains A LOT. It explains how he's able to survive falling off of cliffs, because blades have strong regeneration abilities. It explains why he can move so quickly and why he's such a powerful driver, because he's basically part blade. It just adds so much to his character and I love it!

One last thing I wanna mention real quick, just because it is one of my favorite lines from Zeke. It's in another flashback, this time from when Zeke was in Indol, having a conversation with Amalthus. Amalthus asks Zeke if he's ever had to kill a person before, and Zeke says that no. he hasn't, because he's never seen the need to. And to get into the actual quote that I love:

"Why does anyone kill others? Because they're in your way, or because you can't bear the sight of 'em. You kill because you're weak. But I'm not weak. So I don't need to kill anyone. And I don't mean physically, yeah? I mean in here." *Zeke points to his heart*

Just FGHJKGHJ Zeke is such an amazing character. The entire time I was playing the game, I kept thinking "Surely this is as good as he gets" and then he just KEPT GETTING BETTER! Zeke makes me go insane by how much I love him AGH!

But yeah, sorry this post was so long, I just had to go in depth with talking about his character. I mean, I don't expect too many people to read this entire thing which is fine, I just wanted to get these thoughts out here as they're been sitting in my brain for so long.

TLDR: Zeke is an amazing character who perfectly balances being a silly guy and a genuine character with depth to him, and he's probably the best version of that type of balanced character I've personally seen

[alex-the-bringer-of-chaos]

This post of mine:

has become even more true now that I'm actively teaching because guess what teacher I'm subbing for a year? Exactly, the P.E. teacher. Every day that goes by, I become more and more like coach Ben. The wilderness really chose him as my blorbo for a reason.

[queen-of-prophecy]

Mun Rambles: Vine's Character

(warning, ridiculously long post underneath)

I would like to preface this rant by saying, I am not the originator of Vine. Vine did not spontaneously burst from my head in a fever-dream, nor did I conceive her character all on my own. The original person who deserves the credit for bring Vine to life, would be my friend and special artist, @trissschmidt43. Triss (who is also the artist who made Triss the Imp, her own impsona) presented a concept of a Goetiasona that she thought represented me pretty well. And when I saw this fanfic-writing, Undertale/Deltarune inspired Queen, I was astonished.

Because while I don't view myself as a regal figure or even a very powerful person, Vine is essentially an amalgam of my favorite literary tropes. Or at least, that's how I've made her during her development this past year.

I bounced so many ideas off of Triss regarding Vine, who didn't even have a name at the beginning. I scoured the Lesser Key of Solomon for a proper monarch she could be, and settled on "King Vine" as he as represented as the patron of witches and someone who could read the future. And sensing an opportunity to improve her story, I made her to be a parallel to King Paimon, someone with whom she shares high status, but also a familial relationship. This relationship was also inspired by @avispatr, who brought a depth to Paimon's character that we haven't seen in the show due to his short appearance. Finn's Paimon reads as a keeper of order, both as the King who insures Lucifer's laws are kept in place, but who also established the Goetia's laws and protocols that keep them as the ruling class.

With such a character as Vine's opposite, I decided to write Vine's main character type, as the bringer of Chaos.

Chaos vs Order can arguably be seen as an argument of good versus evil. Order is often seen as an important necessity to keep society from an amoral state, the enforcement of laws insuring people don't devolve into anarchy. It can also be argued as a balance of nature, insuring the world is kept turning for the continued survival of those living in it. Chaos however, is unpredictable, and unstoppable. You cannot avoid the wreckage Chaos brings, through storms, freak accidents, or simple bad luck.

At the same time, I avoid the usual trap of believing one is good and the other evil. Order can be used for bad purposes as well, establishing systems to trap people in rigid structures, such as the development of a fascist state. Yes, fascists states operate on order, it's just the order in this case is enforced through extreme police brutality and the subjugation of peoples. Chaos however, while being destructive, is an element of change and growth. Chaos forces you to think and improve. Chaos breaks up the order and exposes the flaws. Chaos cannot be prevented, but instead can be used as a stepping stone for people to grow stronger.

Thus I chose Vine to represent it. Because she does not have a respectful view of Order. And I think I've managed to explain this pretty well in regards to her trauma.

Writing Vine's trauma was actually very interesting to me. When I saw the design for Vine, with her floating hands, I immediately thought- "Why would her hands be like that, instead of attached to her wrists?" and thought of a story that involved her losing her hands. My biggest inspiration for this tragic punishment was the story of the Selkie, something very near and dear to my heart.

To those who don't know, the story of the Selkie is the story of a mythical creature who is a seal in the water and a beautiful woman on land. When the Selkie comes ashore, either to dance, or to pick fruit, or do whatever else she likes, she sheds her sealskin. Typical Selkie stories involve a man stealing her skin, her ticket back to the sea, and forcing her into the bonds of wedlock. Clearly its meant as an illusion to female freedoms being restricted in the home life, and even when the Selkie has children, she longs for the sea. The story often ends with her finding her skin by accident, and abandoning her family to return to the sea.

With Vine's backstory though, I wanted to fit in with Vivzie's own storytelling elements of religious trauma and a loss of innocence. Thus I tied her story in with Lucifer's, with her becoming the first Heretic. The definition for heresy in the dictionary is split into two definitions; a belief or opinion contrary to Orthodox religious/an opinion profoundly at odds with what is generally accepted.

This helped tie in Vine as the Chaos half of Paimon's Order, because to be a Heretic, you need to speak up against the status quo.

Continuing on, and starting this RP blog, I had fun fleshing her out. And while playing with her superpowers as both a witch and Goetia is fun, I typically don't grant these powers simply to have an unstoppable force. I'm not a power-scaler type person, and I feel like writing based on arguments on "who's stronger" kind of misses the point of power. Vine's power is not meant to dominate or crush opponents. It is specifically meant to protect herself and her independence. Like the Selkie's sealskin, her enchanted hands are the key to her independence and freedom.

While I understand not all opinions for Vivzie's style of storytelling are unanimous, I do think she has a particular fondness for exploring trauma in characters in a tasteful way. Vine's third eye is another part of her trauma that was interesting to write for me, because it's what keeps her stuck in the past. Because that third eye, once a gift from God to allow her to read the future, now becomes a curse that forces her into the position of a helpless observer. Vine repeatedly sees terrible futures playing out, and while some minor things can be averted, the ending ultimately plays out the same.

The "seer" trope dates back very far. From the Fates of Greek mythology, leading up the the Witches of Macbeth, I observed the interesting Rule of Three with this archetype. While seers can be individuals, most of those projecting the future do so as a trio. The Maiden, Mother, Crone is a very iconic piece of imagery and I wondered how I could fit Vine into these storytelling elements without sacrificing a core part of her character.

I will defend this choice of mine to the end; Vine does not want children. I understand that having children is not inherently bad or good storytelling...that part is dependent on the character you're writing to become a mother. But I do think that there are characters who can benefit fighting this feminist battle against being mothered in popular writings. Vine's clarity over the future solidifies her choice not to have children of her own, and I'll argue it comes from a place of responsibility. She understands full well the kind of hell she's bringing her child into, with her own trauma not yet fully addressed, as well as the politics of the ruling class coming into play. I've written Vine as foreseeing that any potential of having a child will end in tragedy, because she can't protect them from a grim fate.

Vine's maiden period comes from being an angel. Her mother period comes from being a leader...not a literal mother.

Mother figures in media are meant to represent a figure for children to follow. If you've grown up with a supportive mother in your life, you most likely can quote back your most important virtues and life lessons straight from her. Thus the formation of Vine as Queen of Witchholm was a fun opportunity to portray her capacities as a leader and mother to her people.

True to the archetype of Chaos, she is very hands off with her governing style. She lets the Society of Hags handle the nitty gritty stuff, but she has the confidence she can just remove them at will if they prove to be an obstacle. And though the flaw of her witches is their selfishness and indulgence, Vine does teach them how to embody shameless freedom and finding community in their covens. Interestingly, this education comes from something Vine wants, but doesn't have. The Witches of her domain live pretty care-free lives, and are very expressive, but Vine herself still struggles due to the issue of losing her connection to her brother and Lucifer.

Something to know about Vine, is that she rarely focuses on power-plays. You would think she would, given she can see how things would turn out, but knowing the ultimately fruitless end of all things has convinced her this is pointless nonsense and a waste of her time. What she craves above all is the company of those she loves. It's why she almost never exists without a companion, and why she enjoys writing fanfiction. She enjoys being praised and adored, but fails repeatedly to get her validation from the two sources she respects and loves the most, Paimon and Lucifer.

In her head, Vine is still following the original will of Lucifer; freedom above all. However, she's failed to see how Lucifer and Paimon have changed since adopting this mindset, which leaves her stuck in the past.

The conflict of being trapped in a period of time, one that's already long gone, or being trapped in a cycle that doesn't make things better has two influences, both from star performances in two of my favorite movies. There is Gloria Swanson, performing as Norma Desmond in the movie Sunset Boulevard. And there is Catherine Hepburn, performing as Eleanor of Aquitaine in The Lion in Winter. Both of these women would be influential on Vine enough with their dramatic ways, their general aesthetics and flair, but it's their cycles of familial and self-neglect that condemn them to unhappiness the worst.

Norma Desmond, a "has-been" actress of the silent film era, still views herself as a star, despite the world of movies having long since left her behind. Norma's delusions about this piece of the past, and her desperation to preserve her self-image of a Hollywood glamour queen, was something that was very much a call-out to Hollywood's obsession with youth and ageist views on older women. There's a particular line that made me inspired for Vine's trauma, in regards to her desperate desire to be acknowledged. In the scene, Norma is just fresh off of a series of brutal beauty regiments meant for her "comeback". We as the audience know the comeback will never come, but Norma goes through exhaustive stages of treatments to look as youthful and beautiful as possible. She tries to earn the male lead's adoration, but sensing his disinterest and detachment, she urges him with this line;

"All I ask is for you to be a little patient and a little kind!"

Likewise, Eleanor of Aquitaine is someone fighting for recognition. In the film, she's been imprisoned in a castle due to an attempt to overthrow her husband, King Henry the Second, who famously formed the Angevin Empire where England ruled all of Britain and its isles, and half of France. Eleanor is no pushover by any means, and had staged multiple civil wars to put her son Richard, later known as Richard the Lionheart, on the throne. As the couple plots against each other to put their respective favorites on the throne, their playful plotting soon turns severe as the scheming becomes more emotional and personal. When Henry finally baits Eleanor with the possibility of being released from captivity, she turns the situation in a bid to force his hand. The insuring argument leads to a very well-performed scene between Hepburn and co-star Peter O'Toole:

Henry: "Does this please you, is it satisfying?"

Eleanor: "No."

Henry: "Then stop!"

Eleanor: "How? It's what I live for!"

With both of these characters, we form a familiar image. Vine lashing out at her brother with her misbehavior, attempting to force a connection. And Vine waiting on tenterhooks for Lucifer to give her love back. These relationships are more or less familial and platonic, but we see the ache from an eternity of neglect that hurts Vine so badly.

The last trope I wanted to talk about in regards to Vine's inspirations is that of the Witch. It can be argued that it's a tie in with the Seer trope, but the Witch is more specifically one about outsiders and noncomforming women. I like to think a lot of Disney villainesses made up Vine's style and vibe. There's Ursula's bad relationship with her brother and her penchant for making deals. There's the Evil Queen in Snow White's wish to be the most beautiful, as well as a means of "seeing" what the answer is to her questions. And then there's more obscure ones I liked, like Madam Mim's eccentricities, and even Cruella De Vil's habit of saying "darling" when talking to Anita.

Disney villainesses back in the day weren't given much backstory as to why they were like this, and didn't really get any until later iterations. The general message was there though, and they tie into the Witch trope. The witch is typically a character existing on the fringes of society, one who loathes children, is vain, and uses her magical powers for self interest.

Having a very selfish character is very fun to write. Vine lives for her own indulgences, and even with those whom she binds in soul contracts are encouraged to express their deepest desires. This decadence in which she lives her life is more or less due to her fatalistic view on life. It's easy to say she doesn't have a lot of faith in the world changing for the better anytime soon. Or at least, she has no say in it if it does. So why not live for yourself? Vine already is an outcast (or at very least a scandalous figure) in Goetic society due to rebelling against the arranged marriage set-up, as well as opposing having children. And given she's a master of both Goetia magic, given through titles, and witchcraft, which she created, she has the power to live as fantastically as she chooses.

Yet with all these influences lending to a self-centered, expressive and individualistic character, I also had fun in playing with her more depressive episodes. Like for the Ring of Heresy events I've been doing, this was more or less my opportunity for Vine to be forced into confronting who she is deep down. With Vine exiled to her own realm, forced to hold it up under her own power and fend off dangerous monsters while planning its revival, Vine is stripped to her bare bones and has to acknowledge what life is like without those she loves the most.

Alone in Heresy, punished by her king and abandoned by her brother, Vine has to come to terms that her relationship with the two of them is no longer what it was. In exile, Vine is pushed to such extremes of despair, she can't ignore what's happening anymore. Whether she likes it or not; the dynamic between those she cared about the most has changed drastically. And now having to stand alone, Vine will have to decide the way to step forward. Even if it means walking alone the rest of the way.

It's not a certainty yet, of course. But the fun part of playing a all-seeing seer is watching what happens when Fate does a double cross, when the future takes a turn. I think Vine will always be changing, so long as she values a world of pure freedom, and eventually will move on from her world of pure darkness to life-giving light.

To wrap up this ramble, I've got lots of feelings about Vine. I literally think up of alternative routes that leave me in tears over how something could have happened, or a possibility that might happen next. Vine is a really emotional person underneath it all, and definitely has a heart that aches from all that she's had to see throughout the ages. To those who managed to read all of this, I can't believe you just did that, this was absolutely me just spilling my guts.

Thanks a lot and see you soon!

[xyxofspades]

Laurence Zvhal Classpect Analysis

Hello everyone and welcome to “Xyx mashes the mythos of their first fandom with the characters of their other first fandom because they’re so normal.” Wherein I classpect the characters of MCD to better analyze them, their actions, their relations to other characters, and their individual values, as well as their place within the canon. Classpecting is a typology originating from a webcomic called Homestuck. It is a wildly complex and intriguing system and can be learned standalone, meaning you do not actually have to read Homestuck to learn how to classpect yourself. I highly encourage anyone who loves character analysis to look into the intricacies of classpecting. This is a good document to start with, giving a general overview, but some nuances and teeny tiny minute details are left out. You can find more by doing a quick Google search and there’s tons of videos on YouTube. Introductions aside, let’s get into it-

Why not start with a fanatical fan favorite? You know him. You love him.

The Casanova of Meteli, The Mage of Rage, Laurence Zvahl

In Laurence’s introduction the very first thing he ever does in the series is try and flirt with Aphmau. Confused and taken aback, Aphmau immediately screeches for him to cool his jets, after which he introduces himself properly. His flirtatiousness is a behaviour he keeps up throughout the series. However, he himself identifies it as a mask. A character he puts on rather than himself, telling Aphmau “I guess I act this way because I’m not really interested in any of them. I just don’t know how else to conduct myself.” There is a common theme within the Rage aspect of the theatre. Alongside this mask he’s created for himself, Laurence often uses flowery, performance-like language. He uses pretty words like “alas” and waxes poetic almost as if it’s a part of him rather than an extension. He is a person who lies for the greater good. When Cadenza goes missing he says, “We’ll come up with some kind of story to keep everyone safe from the wrath of a father and lover.” He even uses the word story himself as though he’d rather put on some semblance of a stage play than tell the people nothing. 

The Ragebound are defined as bringers of chaos but in Laurence’s case, I don’t think he does it on purpose. The Ragebound are known to be “bringers of confusion and doubt.” While Laurence’s first ever action was to flirt with Aphmau his first words to her were actually “Oh my.” That is such a non-specific statement but it dredges up a sort of confusion and sinking feeling deep in your stomach if a man you had never met were to start a conversation with “Oh my.” It could be a good thing, maybe you look especially nice today. Or it could be a bad thing, what if there’s something stuck in your hair you didn’t know about. It turns out to be a positive comment when Laurence then proceeds to liken Aphmau’s beauty to a pearl of Atlantis, but for a split second, you’re unsure. 

The Extended Zodiac states that the Ragebound can be “frustratingly difficult to convince otherwise when they have attached themselves to an idea”. Laurence is a shining example of this trait. He attaches himself to the idea of Aphmau to haul himself through the process of becoming a Shadow Knight. He latches on to the idea of Aphmau so hard that when forced to say he does not love her by the king of the South-Eastern Wolf Tribe, he is physically incapable of doing so, leading to the order of his execution. 

The Ragebound also deal in absolutes. The way Laurence perceives Aphmau’s love for him is an absolute. He knows she will never love him the way he loves her. The way Laurence decided it was immoral for Garroth to keep his relation to O’Khasis a secret was absolute. You either tell her or I will, which resulted in a fight. His absolute conviction to staying by Aphmau’s side. The absolute madness of The Calling and the slaughtering of the wolf tribe. All of these things are things that Laurence cannot comprehend being undefined, uncertain, or ideas that need compromise. To him they are all solid entities, not necessarily easy to define, but most certainly definable. 

There is a common idea that the Rage aspect is when you add limitations to yourself and your decisions through fear, anger, or skepticism, and are prone to paranoia. Laurence does this constantly with his thinking of “No, I can’t be around these people. I’ll hurt them.” Laurence consistently and constantly lets his status as a Shadow Knight define what he can and/or cannot do. It’s honestly frustrating to watch. He pushes everyone to a distance because he believes that he has fundamentally become a pretty bomb. The Calling ready to take him at any given moment and him fearing that he’ll let it.��

But Xyx, doesn’t Laurence have a lot of Time-bound traits? Yes, he sure does!

Following the theory of overwriting aspects (such as Rose’s Light being infected with an overcharge of Void in the Homestuck source material) it can be theorized that the Shadow Knights all suffer from an overload of Time thanks to Shad practically pouring it down their throats like motor oil into an engine. Time is just as much an aspect of… well, time, as it is an aspect of death. The steady clockwork of one's heartbeat or the decaying of a body over infinite hours. 

The Extended Zodiac defines those bound to the aspect of Time as “fighters, full stop”, and that their lives are “often marked by struggle”. While this is true for Laurence, this is true for every Shadow Knight. The Timebound are also described as relentless problem solvers at their best and ruthless, defensive, and impulsive at their worst. Sure, these are all traits that can be applied to Laurence, but these are general traits that can be applied to plenty of characters. Laurence does not have the bigger traits of a Time player. Not without Shad’s influence. Laurence does not partake in any metamorphosis or reinvention. Not without Shad’s influence on him as a Shadow Knight. Laurence does not have a hand in death and decay without the death and decay Shad gives to all his Shadow Knights. The Timebound’s need to move to their own rhythm. For nearly all of season one Laurence crafts a persona to move deliberately to other people’s rhythm. Albeit his persona is different before and after his experiences in the Nether, he still creates one based on other’s view of him. First for the women of Meteli and then later as a strong, infallible protector when in reality he’s suffering through the confusion and frustration of what’s happened to him. 

I think we can sufficiently call Laurence a Hero of Rage. But what about his class? I think Laurence would best be described as a mage.

A mage is one who understands their aspect and who understands through their aspect. As such, mages experience their aspect differently than other classes. Unlike most classes who have to learn and fiddle with their aspect, mages just know. This is my biggest reasoning for the whole ‘Laurence doesn’t use Rage on purpose” argument. He’s so intrinsically locked into it that it’s a part of him. To him, the use of Rage is perfectly natural. 

Mages often suffer tragedy at the hand of their own aspect. In an incredibly small sense this is the confusion and bewilderment he causes everytime he flirts with Aphmau. It’s the turbulence from Garroth whenever he, again, flirts with Aphmau. In a more major sense this is the distress of Ungrth’s death and the unsettling choice Aphmau is forced to make when he comes back as a Shadow Knight and Garroth insists he upkeep the Guard’s Oath, putting Laurence’s life in her hands. 

Mages are also predisposed to be selfish. Laurence continues his advances towards Aphmau not because she reacts positively towards them, but because he finds them entertaining. He pokes at Garroth in Malachi’s castle because he wants Aphmau to know what Garroth is hiding. A mage is someone who uses their aspect to their own benefit and Laurence, for all intents and purposes, did benefit from those decisions. 

Classes are all connected to archetypes. The mage is connected to the archetype of the Prophet. This is the part where I remove us from MCD and into some real world connections. I’m talking about Laurence as The Blind Prophet. The Blind Prophet is a trope that shows up in many stories, the most popular of which being Tiresias in Greek mythology. 

Most of Tiresias’s mythology revolves around his sex change, which, hey. Trans Laurence? But putting that aside, Tiresias was a prophet of Apollo, who presides over music, song, dance, and poetry. So various aspects of the theatre? 

I am very confident in calling Laurence a Mage of Rage.

There’s a missing third thing though, his lunar sway. 

Lunar sway is far easier to determine. It’s based in how you see the world. Whether you lean more pessimistic or optimistic. That’s a bit oversimplifying, but compared to what the hell is going on with everything else it’s allowed to be simple. 

Laurence is pretty easily dropped right into Prospit. He’s personable, intuitive, and incredibly trusting of those he’s close with. Extroverts are often Prospit dreamers and his default temperament is nonchalant and amiable. 

Laurence’s debut episode was posted on May 5th. We don’t have any canon birthdays so for all intents and purposes I’m going to be using their debut date as their “birthday” to determine their zodiac. 

The Extended Zodiac puts Laurence, a Ragebound Prospitian Taurus, under the label of Tauricorn, sign of the Gratified. I didn’t talk about blood castes because it doesn’t exactly translate cleanly into MCD, but for all intents and purposes I’ll relay some traits of the Bronze caste copy pasted from the web page itself. 

“Bronze Signs have a warm and generous disposition, but you might not accuse them of it the first time you meet. They have a tendency toward being withdrawn and slow to open up with new people. This can make them come off as arrogant and cold, like they think they are too good for everyone, although the reality couldn't be further from the truth.They crave stability and safety, and if they have the means, their homes will be full of beautiful things. Some might accuse them of being hedonistic; they would probably just claim to know what they like. As lovers they can be quite needy, wanting assurances that the affection they feel is reciprocated.”

While a lot of these traits apply to Laurence, I wouldn’t call him withdrawn and cold upon introduction. That guy came in hot. I wouldn’t call him arrogant either. Also I wouldn’t quite know where to place the adjective “gratified” on him. 

Personally, even though Laurence doesn’t necessarily strike me as a Libra, I would put him in the Teal caste. This would make him a Libicorn, sign of the Dismantler. Once again pasting in some teal traits from the web page;

“Teal Signs are natural charmers. Social and flirtatious, they are great at parties and public speaking events. They aren't afraid to use their many engaging qualities in both personal and business ventures. They have a strong moral sense. Right and wrong are very obvious to a Teal Sign, and it can frustrate them that others don't see the world the same way they do. They have vibrant imaginations, and enjoy fiction and roleplaying, and often those games will resemble the lives they want to be living. Unfortunately, they have a tendency to get involved with people who are very obviously wrong for them out of a desire not to be alone.”

Laurence is an incredibly natural charmer. His strong moral sense drives a lot of his decisions. The way he interacts with Aphmau like it’s a game is a mockery of a life he would love to be living. If you have an interest in LaurGene then that last statement of getting involved with the wrong people is obviously for you. Lastly, dismantler is an adjective that is very easily applied to Laurence. I bring it up a lot, but again at Malachi’s castle, dismantling Garroth’s secrecy. Dismantling what it means to be a Shadow Knight. Hell, even his current plotline is whatever rebellion he’s got going on in the Nether to quite literally dismantle it. 

Laurence is a brilliant example of “not all Rage players are evil.” This is all speculation. If anybody has a different take on classpecting Laurence please hit me up on it! I would love to hear any counter arguments. I almost called him a Rogue.

[not-glorfindel-stop-asking]

You have 30 seconds to prepare a formal excuse for why Elrond's favorite vase is now in four pieces. What’s the most convincing lie you can come up with?

—Gasp—

WHAT DID YOU DO TO LORD ELROND'S FAVORITE VASE?!

No, no—don’t tell me. Let me guess. A tragic tale, surely. One of heroism, sacrifice, and utter calamity. After all, there is no other explanation for such a heinous crime.

Very well. Here is the official statement you could use:

"Dearest Lord Elrond, Keeper of Imladris, Loremaster of the West, whose taste in décor is impeccable and whose collection of priceless vases inspires awe:

It is with the deepest regret and profound sorrow that I must inform you of a most unfortunate incident.

You see, a sudden breeze—yes, a mighty gale—swept through the Hall of Fire. Strange, truly, for Rivendell is shielded by mountains, but perhaps Manwë himself wished to inspect your fine collection. In my heroic attempt to close the window and protect your treasured belongings, I stumbled—nay, was thrust—into the pedestal.

In that fateful moment, Eredin (Maker of Cocoa, Bringer of Chaos) tried to catch me—but alas! His hands were full of pastries. Lady Arwen gasped. Glorfindel dove across the room but slipped on his own hair. A tragedy unlike any other.

And thus, the vase—your favorite—descended in slow motion, shattering upon impact with a sound so heartbreaking the birds fell silent. The waterfall ceased its flow out of sheer respect. I believe even the stars dimmed.

...But, if I may, the vase now has four pieces—perfectly balanced, as all things should be. Perhaps it is not broken but rather... modern art? Symbolic of the fragile nature of beauty?

With deepest apologies and a hopeful heart,

Then your name, dear Anon."

Truly, Lord Elrond, a visionary, could surely appreciate this formal apology.

Lindir of Rivendell—Innocent Bystander, Accidental Art Curator, and Survivor of the Great Vase Tragedy.

[tsunem-dilem]

Tsunemi Hirano

Dazzling sunny idol, illuminating the stage with her color☆

(art above by my v cool friend @crikuu!!! full creds to them thank you shawty <3)

A young woman who wants to spread light and experience everything about ES and idols. She is sociable, friendly, and wants to get along with everyone they meet, but holds a hidden serious side when things need to change or get done. With a bright singing voice, she gives peppy performances guaranteed to bring your mood up.

She is currently a member of ShawtyPOP! under NEW DIMENSION, featuring herself, SSERII (created by @yume-tonin), Camellia Kordula (created by @floriographica), and Kanami Lovette (created by @crikuu), and produced separately by A.D. Vyse (created by @musical-ghostie).

Age: 19

Graduated From: ???

Circles: Niki's Kitchen, Manga Club, Mystery Researchers, ASOBI Club, Ibara Lecture, BIBLION

Height: 160cm (5'3")

Weight:  55kg (121 lbs)

Date of Birth: April 18th (Aries)

Extra

Roommates: SSERII, A.D. Vyse, Kanami Lovette, Camellia Kordula

Handedness: Right-handed

Blood Type: B

Likes: Plushies and other comfy objects, sweet snacks, collecting coins

Dislikes: Oranges, pessimistic outlooks

Favorite Food: Chocolate (and any sweet related)

Family: Parents, older brother (distant)

Hobby: Collecting coins, helping others, drawing

Specialty: Making people smile

Image Color: #FFF189

Relationship Descriptions:

Ibara: Old coworkers (sort of) reconnecting. Ibara is down bad nasty insane about her but is also EMOTIONALLY CONSTIPATED AS FUCK. Tsunemi tries to help him open up and turn his face toward the sun, the light he abandoned, while he sways between wanting to manipulate and conquer her and falling more into a genuine, softer love. The Toxic Straights of all time. Fated lovers but evil. Yuzuru: Gentle and genuine x completely shy and in love. Watched him perform in a fine live one time and completely fell for him. Wants to close the distance between them but is intimidated by him and his seemingly perfect persona. Cares for her v much and wants to always support her. Prince x commoner (imagined) vibes lowkey. Please serve her you perfect man I love you Yuzuru. Tsumugi: Guardian angel x bringer of smiles. Works under the same agency, and Tsunemi helps out Tsumugi whenever she can since she knows he's busy. He's super shy and wants to confess but doesn't think the feelings are reciprocated (they are) and thinks that Tsunemi will definitely find someone better (she has room for you!) Fated lovers sort of, but sad. Chin up bird boy you've got it!! Chiaki: Helped her come out of her shell in her past, and she's his #1 fan!! They're like. besties in love, almost? They're super close and super friendly and they want to help each other shine and spread hope and justice!! Really wants to repay him for how much bravery and strength he gave her in the darkest time of her life... RYUSEI Red, my hero!! Keito: Fear crush. Fear crush. Has a quest to collaborate with every idol in ES, and is... rightfully terrified of AKATSUKI, more specifically, their leader. With a bit of pushing from Camellia (the AKATSUKI representer) she learns at least to get a bit more comfortable around him! But that fear turns into a weird... longing, as she realizes that huh, maybe he's a little attractive and is maybe my type and thinks a little too hard about it... Does not tell anyone about it ever (but is so obvious about it that practically everyone knows) and buries it as the universe keeps trying to get her to say something to him. Chaos and ridiculous shenanigans ensue. Fated lovers but not evil. But evil for Tsunemi. She's dying. Help her. Hiyori: Started out as rivals at some point (there can only be one sun here!) but slowly evolved into a weird disjointed sort of friendship! They bond and grow, and Hiyori begins to find Tsunemi so cute, like, she's the most adoooorable little thing. Begins to pamper her and take her out more, in hopes of winning her affections and getting closer to her! He has so much love to share, and she's the perfect vessel!! Nagisa: Circle buddies! Autism and ADHD/AuDHD creatures, respectively. Both very curious about everything, and became friends because. well, she's friends w practically everyone in Eden. She finds him really pretty and interesting, and he finds her very... cute, like a cat. They hang out when they can :D Madara: First person she meets in ES! Family trauma (poor relationship w mom) builds into the sweetest little found family duo you've ever seen. Helps her find her strengths as an idol and put her feet on the ground. Souma: Kitchen circle buddies! Friendliest with him out of all of AKATSUKI. Wataru: Just a couple of sillies. Idk I just like the thought of them interacting a lot. Other friends: All of Ryuseitai, Hiiro, Tatsumi, Niki, Tsukasa, Arashi, Nazuna, Mitsuru, Natsume

Psst, hey, do you want to imagine what sort of songs Tsunemi would sing as an idol/want a better read into her joyous energy? *throws this at you!* (and an alt ver with no ES!! music for those who do not want to engage w their content at this time!) Thanks for reading! If you made it down here, you get a high five! 🤚

[aeithalian]

Light Bringer thoughts

spoilers below:

So the fact that Virginia disappeared from the narrative after the first half of the book kinda threw me for a loop, but I suppose if she had gotten a subplot of her own, it would have felt like we were getting pulled from the action too much… because the Darrow/Lyria/Lys*nder side of the story was all one cohesive plot, and Virginia’s POV, had it been maintained, would have added a certain level of unrelated chaos, with the audience getting jerked away to Mars every so often. So while I missed her, I can appreciate why Pierce didn’t include her as much. 

I LOVELOVELOVE getting outsider POVs of Darrow. Our only other one was from Lys*nder in Dark Age. When Lyria hung around and got to really know Darrow was when she was solidified as one of my favorite characters, for the pure merit that she was able to change her perspective from the myth to the man. It made me realize that more people would like Darrow if he wasn’t famous for war. That and I love the stark difference between how Darrow is in his own head and how he is to other people. It’s so much fun. Likewise, an outsider POV of Lyria was equally fun as well. 

Figment. It’s… I don’t know. I think I expected it to have a bigger payout? Or I expected Lyria to have it for longer. Figment was a really cool mystery that didn’t get fleshed out. But then I realized that the story didn’t really need another physically powerful female character. We have Virginia, Victra, and Volga for that. Aurae, Athena, Theodora (RIP), and now Lyria are a new brand of strong female characters that I’m really glad Pierce has gotten into a groove with - strong, empathetic women who don’t need to hold their own in a fight to be respected and awesome in their own rights. So no, I don’t think Lyria will ever be that ‘red god’ character people thought she might become, because that’s not where her strength lies. And who says Figment won’t return? (No, I don’t think Matteo left it in, but who knows)

I honestly wish Volsung Fá had been introduced earlier, I think it would have made him seem like a bigger threat. The fact that he was introduced as Atlas’ puppet, which was supposed to be this huge mystery to the Volk and the Ascommani, is something we knew the whole time, and decreases on the ‘drama’ of it, I think. I’m excited for an adaptation of him, though! The fear that he supposedly evokes is something that I was kinda missing, so I’d be excited to see it on a screen for a bigger effect. 

BREATH OF STONE HOLY SHIT this entire sequence was so good. I actually teared up. I was so excited. The ‘clang clang clang’ “confess”? Daddy Darrow. ohmygod. Darrow rediscovering his roots in the mines of Mars? A spiritual experience. AND he recreated the Trojan Horse moment from Red Rising and it was like a little part of me was healed. It was so good. That moment where he talks about the game he played with Eo as kids really got me because I think this is the first time in a while where he’s looked back on his memories of Eo and not thought about her death and her dream, but her life. I think he remembered why he loved her so much, and it made me like her a bit more too. But the power up moment. So good. Ugh. 

I’m gonna be honest. I saw Cassius’ death coming from a mile away. But it hit me WAY harder than I thought it would. I was never his biggest fan, even in Iron Gold, but I knew I was in for it when he rejected the ‘au’ honorific to Matteo, and I really started seeing his development. And his last words? Gut punch. I’ll never get over that. Formally rejecting Gold? Claiming Darrow as a brother in life and in oath? Declaring solidarity with the Republic? Yes, Cassius. Your honor does remain. 

The fact that Atlas died in this book kinda freaks me out, because I really thought he was going to be the big boss at the end of the story, because Atalantia doesn’t scare me enough just yet. But now that Lys*nder has the Eidmi, I’m getting a bit nervy. Lys*nder was fine before because he was never a real threat. But there’s nothing more terrifying than a man who has all the power in the world and doesn’t know what to do with it. 

My last thought: Fuck Lys*nder. This absolute pisspot. This pubic hair of a being. This man - no, *BOY* - is going to forever taint my idea of the word ‘honor’, not because he has any, but because he is a bastardization of everything honorable people stand for. He can say he has honor over and over again, but when it clashes with his reputation, he always fails to do the honorable thing. Killing your brother? Not honorable. Doing it for a weapon that will let you commit mass genocide? Hm….. not very honorable, methinks.

Predictions for Red God:

Red God is Darrow. No question. The term ‘red god’ has come up before, in direct reference to Darrow in Dark Age (someone was talking to Alexander) and I heard someone saying it might be Lyria, but honestly, I doubt it.

There are still a couple mysteries that didn’t get revealed that I was curious about: in Dark Age, Virginia says that the Pandemonium Chair was only ever used twice, once being on Lysander… so what was the other time? Similarly, when Atlas is getting un-carved from his Helios-doppleganger body, it’s mentioned that this isn’t his first time, and Lysander noted it as unusual. So what’s up?

I still really think that Lyria’s brothers were the snipers Darrow ordered to kill Lysander during the Long Night. We’ll have to see where that goes. 

Eidmi. It honestly feels too simple, and I’m worried that Atlas wasn’t telling the full truth. Bitch didn’t even have a plan for it, but the thing is, he was afraid of Atalantia having it, because he was afraid she would use it wrong. But oh honorable Lysander (please sense the sarcasm) I don’t really think you should be any less afraid of genocide just because you’re the one holding the trigger. I actually think he’ll try to use it on Luna first, but I don’t know if he’ll be able to get it that close to the planet itself. He probably won’t use it on Mercury, because that’s where he’s going to try his major rejuvenation efforts. And he’s more afraid of Atalantia than he is of the Republic, so Mars probably isn’t that high up on his priority list - remember, he thinks Darrow is dead, doesn’t know the Volk, Daughters, and Rim are all flying to protect Mars, and has wildly underestimated the power of the Republic. He might blame it on the Republic, in a last-ditch effort to get any Golds that haven’t claimed a side to do so. It's almost impossible to predict, because Pierce is inherently a very unpredictable author.

The Abomination is an interesting stone left unturned. The thing is, I thought Virginia might have had a chance to turn him good (?) before she tried to kill him, and I thought she actually could have done it if not for Lilath. Maybe she’ll use the PsychoSpike on him, and somehow implant memories of the real Adrius in him so she’ll have a chance to show him the love he didn’t have before. Because I saw someone say the same thing about wiping Lysander’s memories, but I really don’t think Lysander would take any chance he has for redemption, he’s already turned his back on ‘honor’ too many times. The Abomination, on the other hand, probably wouldn’t have done anything wrong had be been guided by a hand other than Lilath’s. I think there’s hope for him. 

I don’t think Rhonna is dead! No body, no death, especially with Pierce. In the Dramatis Personae, she’s described as ‘lost’, not dead. Chekov’s gun, and all that. 

Darrow better not die. Here’s the thing, though. If the Darrow we saw in Dark Age had carried over through Light Bringer, I think Pierce would be setting him up to die. But now that he’s got the Breath of Stone, the Path to the Vale, and the power given to him by letting go of his guilt and worry, it’s setting him up for a happy ending, moreso than I remember ever reading the rest of the series. I think LB!Darrow is the first time we’ve really seen him believe that he could also live. Remember, he’s always thought he’d end his story as a martyr for the Rising/Republic. But now I think he knows he can not just fight for more, but live for more too. Sevro said it well. We’re tired of this shit. Let’s band together so we can start living rather than surviving. 

[cocommunitymoon]

Oc Spotlight! Aidonea, goddess of the dead and Queen of the Underworld

Using this Ask Game by @cwritesfiction, I wanna get a better feel for my character outside of what I already know about her! So come along for the ride 🥰

😋 Tres Leches Cake: Describe your character in three words.

Refined. Self-assured. Forward-thinking. Hyphenated words count because I said so lol

😋 Fruit Tart: How does your character feel about spring? What’s their favorite and least favorite thing about the season?

😏😏😏😏😏 lol Aidonea is in love with Spring and married him to prove it 😌 I imagine Spring to have always been a slower season for her. It’s a time of optimism, blooming, and thawing. I think she’s always felt on the more positive side of neautral about spring until she met Timothée, now it is synonymous with her husband. More bittersweet because he leaves her then but she’s comforted by the beauty and life he brings

😋 ^^ Summer? Fall? Winter?

I’ll lump Lemonade, Pumpkin Pie, and Gingerbread all together! Summer her workload gets a little spike, heat related deaths and exposure. In general she doesn’t like excessive heat or gaia forbid sweating so summer is her least favorite season easily. Fall is her favorite because not only is it a time of plenty and harvesting (so her work slows a bit again) but that is also the time her husband returns home. Winter, work picks up for the same but opposite reasons as Summer but she at least has her husband to rule over presidings with her. Her workload may increase but her days don’t feel long and grueling.

😋 Chocolate Covered Peanuts: Describe one character who’s sweet and another character who’s salty.

Ooo im taking this as one person she’s sweet to and another she’s salty to. Absolutely she’s sweet to Adonis. She never really has to be the disciplinarian with him so he gets only sweetness from her. They’re adorable together. Salty? Hands down Zeus lol like yeah Demeter too but she at least doesn’t bite her without provocation. Zeus? On sight, on hearing, on sensing, on smell, on touch, Aidonea is attacking him verbally or just giving him the most caustic glare

😋 Ice Cream: How does your character feel about the cold?

Certainly prefers it. It’s where she’s most comfortable

😋 S’mores: Is your character an outdoorsy person? 

As evidenced by her earlier, let’s call them dates, with Timmy, she can be! As long as she isn’t overexerting herself in a hotter climate, she’s pretty outdoorsy

😋 Milkshake: How does your character deal with change? Do they prefer a consistent routine, or do they like to shake things up?

Change is an inevitability and so she deals by mentally preparing. As I said, Aidonea is very forward-thinking. Her life is mostly routine because that is the most efficient way forward. There is a general schedule to her days. But when presented with new input or a stimulus, she’ll analyze the multiple possible outcomes and prepare for it to go any way. She leaves actively shaking things up to her husband. She married the Bringer of Chaos, so she knew nothing would be the same for her again 🤣

😋 Smoothie: What would your character do on a warm day at the beach?

Sit under a large umbrella with someone fanning her with a large leaf lest she suffer heatstroke

😋 Iced Coffee: Describe how your character runs errands. When they have things to do, do they just get up and leave, or do they make a list and a plan?

Babygirl is a PLANNER let me tell you!! She’d be the type to have multiple journals and planners and calendars and to-do list tear away packs and actually use them all. If she’s ever ill-prepared for anything or if anything is spontaneous or done last minute, bet your ass Timmy is why

😋 Donut: Describe your character’s morning routine.  

Rise at what amounts to dusk aboveground. (If Tim doesn’t ahem delay her 😏) Have a bit of breakfast, usually on her way to court. Judge souls for a few hours with one or two recesses before ending for the rising. Eat again (if Timmy doesn’t delay her). Go to her study, retrieve the prayers for the day, and find a spot in Del to sit and answer them. The devote the rest of her rising to her husband and her subjects. Rinse repeat.

😋 Brownie: What would your character do if they suddenly became rich? (Or, if they are rich, describe how they spend their money.)

One of her epithets is Plouton which means the rich one as all of the riches underground are her domain and at her disposal. Aidonea is a benevolent monarch and is hospitable as any ancient greek is expected to be. She is generous and charitable with what she has and only sees her riches as tools or as beautification.

😋 Sugar Cookie: Does your character enjoy decorating their space or do they prefer keeping things plain?

Enjoy might be a stretch but she gets in moods I’d say. It’s more done in service of her subjects, she wants them to have a beautiful place to spend their afterlife. Decoration is much more Timmy’s lane but she’s no slouch

😋 Tiramisu: Describe your character’s layers. How do they appear to others on the outside? What are they like on the inside?

On the outside, it is clear her aura exudes from her and effects people differently. To mortals, it is a conflicting scary finality and welcome, comforting inevitability that death presents. She’s gorgeous and ancient and powerful and she carries herself as such. To those who know her better, you can never forget she is both a queen and a goddess, but you see her rare playfulness, her generous nature is a touch warmer and her smiles are still small but more frequent

😋 Birthday Cake: How does your character celebrate their birthday?

If Aidonea has a birthday, she definitely doesn’t know it 😂 I honestly think Timmy just declares it her birthday whenever he wants to spoil her. She could have up to 6 birthdays a year lol

[gettingtimewarpedagain]

cough coUgh- is this thing even on?

Oh, Hello, I'm sure you know who I am. But, incase you don't- I'm

*☆°Atticus.°☆*

The best deal maker, striker of fear, chaos bringer- among other things. But I'm reformed! I swear.

Nothing like a good recreational time... but no more wars! Promise!

Incase you don't know, I'm the combination of Argo Castellan, Eris, and Kronos. Better than the three combined!

He/they- but if you buy me enough nice things, you can call me whatever you want~

🩸°○*🩸

ugh. I hate it when he does that. ACK- WHY ARE YOU STILL HERE?!

...

I'm Luna. Castellan, Luna.

I'm 13.. but I've been.. a lot of ages. I like glitter, and my wings.

I've been to Tartarus, had my mind wiped.. and met my older self. Not a pleasant time! Now, I'm babysitting this cunt. So, please don't bother me unless you have a puppy, glitter, or hard drugs.

🩷*○°🩷

hihi.. it's @another-argo

woag.. it's my favorite guys (seperated from my boy at long last :3333)