#nimue lore

[otherpigeon]

ok so Nim gets along *really* well with Shadowheart & Lae'zel despite the fact that all 3 of them argue with each other constantly and after doing the 16 personalities quiz for my girl (ENTP, scarily accurate), I GET IT I understand why she gets along with them so well

"Loyalty, support, emotional feedback – these are not what Debaters look for in their friendships."

"Debater personalities are quick-witted, and their primary means of expressing this is in the form of arguments and discussions, where they will easily spend an entire evening debating an idea they may not even believe in. These debates are never taken personally, no matter how heated they become or how striking the disagreement."

"The epitome of Debaters’ friendships is when someone can hold their ground in these arbitrary debates with valid, rational arguments."

[andrevalias-tes]

'To Bloodies-His-Face,

Yes, I can teach you how to read and write.

I am still resting at Gottlesfont Priory, but I will hopefully visit and see you before Evening Star. I will tutor you then.

Yours Faithfully,

Brother Cirro'

-- A reply letter from Cirro to Bloodies. A calendar and a separate letter is attached for Gaius below:

'Dear Gaius,

Please read the letter to Bloodies. Don't laugh at him while you do so.

And show him how to use a calendar, for Akatosh's sake. I know you use yours to mark when the Dibellan dancers make their pilgrimage to the Imperial City.

Yours Faithfully,

Brother Cirro'

[mirrists]

unrest / memory

[akechis-special-case]

Sona Intro (Basics) - Annalise

Fandom: Honkai Star Rail

Paired with: (The) Herta

Temporary(?) Reference - Picrew Link

I will draw them eventually. ... Probably... Knowing me that might take a good while.

Pronouns: She/They

Path + Element: Abundance, Lightning

"But they are green-" Yeah because Aro flag colors. I like lightning shush

Well renowned author and literary scholar. Inexperienced with science yet seems to try understanding it. Usually calm and collected, gentle even (calm older sister vibes). Yet seems to be oddly infatuated with Herta. The dolls are (jokingly) the daughters. It becomes visible when they are in the same room with (The) Herta. Annalise is valued for their smarts in a different field.

As a person focusing on literature they have different views on things and look at things from a different lense, like stories. Has a talent for analyzing speaking patterns and anything written down. If you allow them they might talk your ear off about literary stuff, practical and theoretical.

Their gentle nature results in them being sought out for advice or helping out others, seeming too close to other people sometimes. This could result in jealousy yet Annalise is oblivious to it. They just want to help.

If anyone is ever interested in them, they won't notice. Literally has only eyes for Herta and is the genius's biggest enabler.

Hates being a burden, thus keeping all their troubles to themself. Also doesn't like talking about their past, hence why they bury themself in literature overall. To most they may as well have just plopped into existence.

[mmhawkes]

March to Camelot - Love

[thekingofthenameless]

how do the like, species work in tkn? nimue is a siren(?) thing and charlie is a dragon but are there any others? what makes them different?

Thanks for the ask! :D

I can’t exactly give an answer without infodumping all the species I currently have lol. It’s going to be a two parter because I have too many photos. Already used all 30. They’re going to be categorized into separate sections for easier reading, though!

Nimue’s a mermaid, actually! For sirens, if I do use them, they’ll be more aligned with the bird women counterparts that Greek Mythology originally had. Sirens being mermaids annoys me so much 😭. And apparently it started in the Middle Ages, soooo that’s hard to shake off.

Yes, there are other species! A few of them are gods, dragons, spirits, mermaids, fairies, elves, orcs, and vampires.

I actually made a list for creatures I wanted to include in Daylight’s Redemption: Emerald Embers, but I think it could still fit for TKN! Crossed out ones are species I already have.

Cambions

Demons

Dragons

Dwarves

Elves

Fairies

Ghosts

Gnomes

Goblins

Harpies

Kitsunes

Manticores

Mermaids

Phoenixes

Sirens

Trolls

Changelings

Unicorns

Yetis

Gods:

They’re one of the most important species in the world of Galdorcræft (Gall-dor-kraft; the Old English word for magic). They aren’t a monolith, and they all look vastly different, from humanoids with a couple of different features such as glowing eyes, to a completely non-human wolf-spider hybrid.

For the most part, they currently have one domain each, but they can have multiple! For example, the aforementioned hybrid (who’s named Helena) has fertility and children as two of her domains, and Merlin has magic and justice as his.

All of them have resurrective immortality: after they’re killed, their body disappears with them when they go into limbo, and once a little bit of time passes, they come back to life. They can choose to either go back to where they died, or spawn somewhere else. The injury or injuries that caused their death are healed, but depending on the severity they’ll scar (which is how Merlin got the scar on his throat from it being slit). Gods who aren’t dead can also go there if they’ve already died before.

Sometimes, depending on their domain, the more one uses it, the more it invigorates them; the more Gunnar, the god of war, fights, the harder he is to defeat, and the same applies with Merlin using his magic. Does Merlin sometimes use a ton of magic to stay awake longer? Yes, yes he does.

For some, there isn’t really a way for that, because if Helena is the god of children, what is she supposed to do? Make people have more babies?

Most of them also can’t logically get cut off from it, besides Merlin. Magic suppressants also affect him much worse than other wizards. For them, it literally just takes away their magic, and they’re completely fine while they’re on otherwise, as well as once they’re taken off. He, however, feels worse the more he’s without it, and he can even pass out from having them on for too long.

Some of them bleed an aspect of their domain, if that makes sense. Catherine, the goddess of the sea, bleeds water. Merlin bleeds a mix of his magic and blood the color of brass, like what older weighing scales are made of. While Helena’s blood is colored green, it still makes plants grow.

Others with more abstract concepts, I suppose, or things that wouldn’t translate as well, like Adhan (the goddess of animals) or Amara (the goddess of life), bleed a mixture of red and gold that sometimes almost gives off the appearance of lava due to the colors. I got inspired from Gwendy’s cut concept of ichor in EPIC: The Musical!

Unlike Greek Mythology, where gods getting along depends on which ones, the majority of them get along with each other, even if their duties sometimes take them away for a bit. Adhan (Merlin and Ganieda’s mother and the goddess of animals) and Helena are best friends, partly because they both understand what taking care of helpless creatures that sometimes aren’t cared about by people are like.

However, like Greek Mythology, sometimes being the descendant of a god means absolutely nothing. Ganieda didn’t win the genetic lottery like Merlin and is a normal human, buttttt she was made immortal through another way. 👀

Not gonna lie, I struggled with that for a quite a while. Enjoy the copy and pasted segment of me spitballing cut concepts to @gaylightisminetocommand lmao.

I HAVE AN IDEA. Okay got busy for a little bit lmao. anyways, not to sound like the guy with a conspiracy board but: What if Gunnar was Merlin’s father? Wait I realized that wouldn’t this make him a demigod?? I want him to be a full god 😞 Um. Unless Adhan was a goddess??? The question is why would she be living on earth if so, and ummm. What’s her domain Or not earth I guess Cause the world is Galdorcræft Okay wait. Merlin’s name actually means “sea fortress” in Welsh so… Adhan, goddess of the sea?? Waittttt I wanted Ganieda to be. human so um. Ugh I don’t think a kid could be born human with two god parents?? Okay okay hold on um. I briefly had a little idea of like human and gods procreating having a chance of their kids being completely human despite the god heritage?? Sorry for the ramble spam my brain isn’t braining consistent things 😭 Sooooooo wait if I have furred dragons and scaled dragons being the same species could gods be born to human parents?? Okay wait. Ummm what if like gods completely cancel out human heritage so they’re born fully gods?? Doesn’t solve Ganieda though 😭 Unless I make her a goddess of smth Idk Or I retcon lore and make her not his twin again?? I don’t know my brain is dead I was thinking more and maybe Ganieda is just a very minor goddess compared to the rest of her family? 🤔

Anyways, being divine doesn’t exclude them from being disabled: Eleanora (the goddess of love) has a prosthetic peg leg, and Merlin, of course, has schizophrenia, psychosis (as a symptom of it), anxiety, C-PTSD, and misophonia.

There are ✨also✨ queer gods! Merlin is a transgender man and non-partnering romance and sex repulsed aroace, and Amara is a transgender woman. They’re shaking hands being trans gods lol. She had bottom dysphoria and changed it when she shapeshifted into a woman, and while she’s happy now, she wishes she could have grown up a girl.

Their names are all vastly different, and only a couple directly correlate to their domains:

Helena, fertility and children - “light” or “bright”

Merlin, magic and justice - “sea fortress”

Gunnar, war - “fighter, soldier, attacker”

Catherine, the seas - “pure”

Adhan, animals - no known etymology from her name

Amara, life - several different meanings, but in Latin “everlasting” or “bitter”.

Mórrígan, fear - translated to “great queen” or “phantom queen”

Eleanora, love - either unknown or “shining light”

Design reveal time!

Helena:

She was an adoptable from Ko-Fi! I wasn’t sure what I was going to do with her at first, but I got ideas pretty quickly. She was my first non-human goddess!

Merlin:

You already know what he looks like!

Gunnar:

Furry

Some characters are just an absolute bitch to nail down a design for, and he was one of them. Merlin and Uther are just two examples, although Merlin wasn’t really frustrating? Probably because he’s my blorbo besides Charlie lmao.

Some of the Gunnar design saga posts are at the bottom since I’m at the 30 photos limit. You can really see how he changed!

I made him again in Heroforge yesterday after trying to combine two designs from his previous attempts, but my sister and boyfriend both thought he seemed too much like a tiefling. As well as being very generic, and that next time I mentioned him in a post they wouldn’t remember what he looks like.

I looked through other species to make him, and I thought of changing his species to a Lionfolk! He won’t be called that here, though. He’s more like Egyptian Mythology where they have an animal head and mostly humanoid features otherwise?

Catherine:

I’ve had her for quite a bit! I first made her April 29, 2023. I thought she’d be a fierce queen of deep sea mermaids or something, but I decided to use her for Catherine instead of making an entirely new character. Made her in HeroForge yesterday!

Adhan:

She doesn’t have a set design yet unfortunately. 😭 I’ll hopefully reveal one soon!

Amara:

I’ve had her design for quite a bit too! I first made her on May 13th, 2023. I redid her hair on July 9th, 2024, as well as making her a goddess after not knowing what to do with her, and I finally made her in HeroForge yesterday.

Mórrígan:

I made two concepts at like 5 AM on July 16th, but the first one is what I ended up going with! I also made her in Heroforge, but alas, photo limit.

Eleanora:

She’s actually my first oc ever! From Narnia. I first made her in Gacha Life in 2019 at least. I wanted to use her in Emerald Embers, but I don’t remember if I ever figured out a role for her. I wanted to still use her for TKN, and had the idea to make her a goddess! Didn’t know for what at first, but then I basically said “fuck it we ball she’s the goddess of love”. I also said “fuck it” with giving her the peg leg lol.

I’ve had the thought of a “‘my leg broke!’ and everyone freaking out, but it’s a prosthetic joke” multiple times lmao. But I never had a character with one until now. Lol.

Dragons:

They’re actually a bit different from their usual depictions! Many of them have fur instead of scales, and are far more mammalian in general instead of reptilian, such as giving birth to live young, producing milk, and purring like domestic cats.

A lot of their characteristics are inspired by big cats, actually. (Lions and tigers mainly, lol.) Examples are: eating one big meal and then not eating again for four to five days, liking water, hissing, growling, and roaring like a tiger, and flicking their tails when angry.

It applies to their designs as well, since they have lion-like fangs, paws, and paw pads, and soft, cat-like fur.

Charlie specifically also has characteristics from other animals; his claws are like bears, his face is long-nosed and fox-like, and his wings are high-speed and tapered like peregrine falcons. His parents’ wings seem a big too long and thick to be that type of wing? I think the paws and claws could still work for them, though! And maybe the facial structure.

Unlike the aforementioned big cat characteristics, dragons don’t need to sleep that much compared to them! 7-8 hours a night, like the average adult human, is enough. (Lions sleep for twenty hours a day.)

Land dragons, anyway. Undersea dragons lay eggs, and are far more reptilian, as well as having translucent bodies. They’re wingless, since having them underwater would only be a hindrance instead of a help. They also lay soft-shelled, snake-like eggs instead of giving birth to live young, and all of them are blind because of underdevelopment. Like olms! And like olms, their senses of smell and hearing are great.

Despite the differences between the two subspecies, as a whole, they age one physical year every fifty-five chronological years. At a year old [fifty-five], they’re still too small to open their eyes. Five years later [60], they’ve opened, but their teeth haven’t grown in yet. Ten years later [70], they’re able to be weaned off milk. At two years old [110], they’re able to speak. From there, the main changes are their bodies slowly changing into adulthood. They become full adults at five years old [two hundred seventy-five].

That’s when they finally leave their parents, since both of them raise their kit, and set out to find a mate. Like lions, they can find one throughout the year, but they also have a breeding season. Theirs is in the summer, from July to September. The males gift the far larger females carcasses of deer and other animals, and if she accepts, they begin courtship rituals, such as nuzzling and flying together. They test each other’s strength through fights, and eventually, they fall in love, or at least deem each other to be compatible mates. Their bond is lifelong, like swans, because I think that would be sweet :)

Their gestation period is two years, with the aforementioned aging process.

Unless they become immortal, like how Charlie did through his familiar bond with Merlin, they live to be fifteen [825 years]. Dragons hold funerals for their dead, settling the body ablaze and mourning.

And yes, you read an earlier paragraph right. All dragons are sentient and can talk! Most of the land dragons can’t read, but they can be taught to. Charlie can since he grew up around humanoids.

Also, a lot of dragons do have huge hoards of treasure and the like! Charlie doesn’t, though. Guess what his hoard is instead :)

Believe it or not, I actually struggled with the worldbuilding for a while. 😭 I’ve had how dragons age for a bit, but for a while I wanted to have both mammalian and reptilian land dragons. I had them all be the same species and officially considered dragons, but there was a furred subspecies and a reptilian subspecies. Like now, the furred ones gave live birth and were more mammalian in general. The scaled ones usually laid eggs and were more reptilian. Charlie was obviously the mammalian side, and there were actually more variations in between the two.

But some people kept saying that didn’t make sense, and that the furred dragons should have scales, despite my insistence that Charlie’s a mammalian dragon and I was not going to give him scales.

“but they’re still reptiles so they should have scales though if he doesn’t have scales he isn’t a reptile” “HE’S A MAMMALIAN DRAGON” “can’t he have SOME scales” “I SAID THIS “NO “NO SCALES FOR HIM” “😐 boring”

Despite them also telling me it’s fantasy and to do floating islands because it’s fucking sick?? We had multiple arguments about other aspects of dragon worldbuilding, like how Charlie shouldn’t be so knowledgeable as a baby, but I didn’t care; I was ignoring them and making them the same species.

Later, I realized that sometimes you’ve just gotta be silly and goofy in your worldbuilding, and I finally had a reason as to why mammalian dragons and reptilian dragons were the same species: the god who made them was drunk lol.

I eventually scrapped that and chose the furred dragons, thinking maybe reptilian land dragons is an accidental false depiction. They’re usually taught to be feared from an early age, and Charlie is one of the few, if not the only one, who lives among humans.

Design reveal time!

Charlie:

Despite how big he looks, he’s smaller than an average male dragon even as an adult. He’s thriving, though! ◝(ᵔᗜᵔ)◜ His original design is at the bottom; it’s the one called Fulgent Flames!

Rachel:

She may look cool, but I can promise that she absolutely sucks! She abandoned her baby and said he died because he wasn’t growing fast enough for her. She has scales because of her father being a land dragon, and her mother being an undersea dragon. They can interbreed, but it’s somewhat rare.

Alwyn:

You can see where Charlie got his red eyes from! But like cats, they can look entirely different from each other and still be related. He also sucks, since he actually fully agreed with Rachel. He can’t give an excuse of inaction, either, since he actually went with her to see his son being abandoned.

Possible long-lost sibling?:

Technically just a recolor of Alwyn, but I’m adding them in anyways! I’m still not sure what to name them… I think they’d be a sister if I do it?

Wingless furred variant:

Maybe a genetic malfunction made them be without wings? Or maybe there are just some wingless dragons lol.

Undersea dragons:

Aren’t they cool? :D I think their skin might feel smooth and cold, and slimy if one of them had just come out of the water.

Mermaids:

Last for this post, but not least, mermaids!

They have the same core trait: tails (of course). Otherwise, they look vastly different. Some of them have webbed hands, while some don’t; some have ear fins; some have fins on their tails; along with having vastly different skin colors that range from human-like to more fantastical, such as purple, green, and blue. Even their tails aren’t all the same. Nimue, for example, has a traditional mermaid tail, while others can have tails that resemble goldfish or sharks. Some of them also have scales that trail up their bodies, while others don’t.

They live in vastly different locations, as well. There are shallow water mermaids, deep water ones, lake ones, pond ones, river ones, and tiny rock pool ones! Basically imagine a body of water, and there might be a mermaid or two in there!

Many of them are highly social and live in pods, and often venture out with their friends. They share platonic affection a ton, and take care of each other’s hair without any stigma. Since many of them have long hair, it’s quite helpful. Queer mermaids aren’t a surprising sight, and Nimue herself is aroace!

When mermaids want to court one another, one will bring the other fish they hunted themselves and seashell necklaces. Sometimes, they accidentally end up bringing each other gifts at the same time. They might give a love confession, but for some, actions speak louder than words, and nothing has to be said. It depends on the prospective couple, really. To propose, they bring their partner a piece of brass jewelry they made themselves, using some of the air pockets in caves around them to forge it.

When they get married, they have a simple ceremony with family and friends, with the leader of their pod, royalty or not, officiating.

When they have children, they lay fish-like eggs, since they have fish parts. They have human-like ovaries, but the rest of their reproductive organs are fish-like. They have traits from different fish, such as having a genital papilla like oarfish, for one, which according to Wikipedia is: “a small, fleshy tube behind the anus in some fishes, from which the sperm or eggs are released”. Their eggs are also fertilized externally/outside the body like salmon, and it takes a period of eight to twenty-three days, like cod, for mermaid guppies to be born.

Design reveal time!

Nimue:

Aroace queen! She’s actually my second newest mermaid! Catherine is the newest.



Three unnamed ones:

At one point I thought these three were a trio of friends lol. I was thinking the lighter purple one could be more cautious than her friends? I also had an idea for them being a best friends squad with the princess down below. 🤔

Unnamed queen and princess:

I’ve had these two for a bit! I’ve had the princess since January 7th, 2023, and the queen since February 11th, 2023.

Links to their individual posts, if applicable: Merlin name meaning, Gunnar name meaning, Catherine name meaning, Mórrígan name meaning, Helena name meaning, Eleanora name meaning, Amara name meaning, HeroForge, Helena (on Ko-Fi), Gunnar’s design struggles (1, 2, 3), Embrace, Merlin and Charlie’s redesigns, Fulgent Flames, Overseer, Gilded Rose, Bear, (all on Ko-Fi), Lurker (on DeviantArt), Current Nimue (on DeviantArt)

Artist credits: brick/mechagender (on Ko-Fi), @heropaws, @theeio, NaldThal (on Ko-Fi), rawwwwrw (on DeviantArt), sebreesi (on DeviantArt)

Picrew credits: baydews [BAYDEWS’ avatar maker!! | V2], elequinoa [Mermaid Maker]

TKN taglist: @gaylightisminetocommand, @the-arson-author-gamer, @aroace-edward-elric, @fate-is-a-lie, @figureitoutinthemorning, @mxxnlightwriting, @lets-zofifi-stuff

[reina-os]

reina's gay little october drawing prompts i guess??? day 19 - makeup

[atlasspade]

Nynyve fell for Pelleas’s sad wet cat energy if you think about it

[dzvagabond]

Hello there! Hope you all are having a fun day! I have a question for Piccolo if that is alright! I'd be curious to hear how you met your partner! And what was your first impression during said meeting? @nimue-hidden-lake

It is quite alright, we just finished training for the day. I’m still getting used to using 13’s communicator so I apologize that this is a late response.

Android 13 and I met not too long after the Cell incident. They had pretty much come out of nowhere and was unnaturally excited about meeting us despite the fact we had killed their “master” Dr. Gero. I was skeptical, immensely skeptical as was Vegeta. I didn’t trust them.

Come to find out, our instincts were right. And to make a long story short: they tried to kill us, it didn't work. Bulma reset them, and the rest is history.

[otherpigeon]

*screams*

I had an idea that is making me FERAL

I’m about to change Nim’s class to a fighter and I’m going to have another mage/warrior combo 😩

[andrevalias-tes]

'Honest to Akatosh, I thought I was being cursed by the Madgod. Gaius, the Arena Blademaster, sitting with Bloodies and teaching him how to read and write? It was surreal.'

-- Keo at-Azad, recounting what he saw.

[fereldensheroesa]

How many times can I watch the LOTR trilogy in a row without adding LOTR verses?

[akechis-special-case]

As you can see, my Fates replay is going lovely. My husband is totally not on a killing spree and doesn't have to be contained. Totally not.

[finelyfrenzied]

Nimue Moonsworn. he/him/they them.

A tall, sharply featured drow elf. His hair, once pitch black and long, is now cut just below the chin and peppered with shocks of silver. Their wardrobe tends towards the dramatic - favoring billowing silks and delicate lace with capes whose linings twinkle like they were woven with the stars themselves.

Nimue was always fascinated with magic, though he was not initially an arcanist, but a scholar dedicated to their research after The First Impact. After the death (and immediate resurrection) of heir apparent Morgana, they were tasked with doing what their sister, Caelia, could not: Find the God that did this to their family - to their home. Make him kneel, and make him beg for forgiveness.

His magic manifests itself warmer than that of the rest of the House Moonsworn - likely a reflection of the woman he married in secret: Ophelia of House Shimmerglade.

Upon being promoted to Arcanist, Nimue was gifted with his Astir - a large mech which he named Igraine. Since being gifted to them, Nimue has built extra bookshelves into various spots both inside and outside of Igraine. Candles of varying heights litter the pauldrons, melting wax seeping into the engraved “stonework” that covers the metal of the mech.

Thank you sooo much @finelyfrenzied for commissioning me to draw your little guyyyyy ;0; this was so much fun to work on, thank you so much for your patience!

[kiirostarz]

I love AFK Journey and its lore beyond all the stories and characters, there’s something that truly intrigues me: Merlin’s role in the story. Am I the only one curious about the character we play as? I became so fascinated that I even started researching the real Merlin, the one who inspired this version.

I’m not sure if it’s because I enjoy finding similarities and references, or because I want to better understand his role in the game and try to predict his future in the lore. I know the writers don’t necessarily follow this kind of analysis, but I’ll do it anyway!

The Original Merlin and His Powers

According to the original story, Merlin (or Myrddin) was born from a demon, a corrupt spirit, and a mortal woman. He was considered the most powerful magician, and according to different legends, he had incredible abilities: he could talk to animals, become invisible, shape-shift, control the weather, and manipulate the elements. However, despite his immense power, he was always careful in his actions.

More than just a simple sorcerer, Merlin had deep knowledge of the world—the sun, the moon, the stars, and everything around him. His wisdom allowed him to earn the respect of magical creatures such as fairies, gnomes, and even dragons. This reminds me of our Merlin in AFK Journey, who is not only a great magician but also seems to have a deep connection with the world and its beings.

Another interesting aspect is his relationship with Nimue. It is said that Merlin fell madly in love with her and taught her his most advanced spells. However, she feared his demonic heritage and, using his own knowledge, imprisoned him forever in a crystal prison, a rock, or a tree—depending on the version of the story. This made me think of Mirael. I don’t think she would ever betray us, but I can definitely imagine her using a similar spell to protect us from a greater threat.

Additionally, Merlin wasn’t limited to a single role—he was a druid, bard, shaman, and prophet. This reminds me of the different factions in the game, each with its own philosophy. Perhaps our Merlin, just like the original, transcends these barriers and isn’t tied to a single faction.

The fact that the original Merlin was the child of a demon immediately caught my attention because, in the world of AFK Journey, the Hypogeans fit that role perfectly. Throughout the story, there are hints that our character has some kind of connection to them, which leads me to two theories:

We are the true Merlin, and therefore, the “child” of a Hypogean, which would explain why we have a special relationship with them.

We are not the First Merlin, but rather someone who inherited his power, meaning our connection to the Hypogeans is more indirect but still significant.

Both options are fascinating because this connection isn’t obvious in the story, and if it were revealed, it would be a huge twist. What if the very source of our power comes from the same beings we fight against?

Another idea that came to me after rewatching the opening cinematic is the possible existence of a "First Merlin." In this scene, several characters are trying to claim a sword, but one of them doesn’t take it. Instead, they hold up a torch in the darkness.

If this scene has actual value in the lore and isn’t just a symbolic representation for the players, could it be that the Merlin holding the torch was the very first one? The torch could symbolize knowledge, enlightenment, or even the origin of our power.

This leads me back to the recurring question in all my theories: What are we, really? Are we immortal? Are we a reincarnation? Does our body remain the same, but our essence changes?

I don’t want to believe that all of this is just a coincidence. Since the game allows us to interact with other players, I’d like to think that this is a small reference to the fact that we’re not the only Merlin out there.

Where are the other Merlins? If there were others like us in the past, what happened to them? There aren't many mentions of them in current history, which makes me wonder about two possibilities:

Many succumbed to corruption, using their power for dark purposes.

They were eliminated or sealed away, and that's why they're rarely talked about in the present. If this is true, what makes us different? What allows us to endure where others have fallen? Perhaps our existence is an attempt to right the wrongs of the past.

Another detail that strengthens the possibility that more people like us exist is Serene Lyceum Academy. Based on what we know in the story, we weren’t just a professor there—we were also a student in the past.

At first, I assumed that this school was located somewhere in Holistone, but after checking again, I realized there’s no clear reference to its location. This makes me think that it could be a secluded place, similar to a magical academy like Hogwarts, located in a yet unexplored region of the game’s world.

If we consider how new areas like Cedartown and Rustport have been introduced, it wouldn’t be surprising if Serene Lyceum Academy is in an unexplored region. And if that place truly exists in the game’s lore, then it means we are not the only ones with the potential to become Merlin.

Maybe the protagonist was chosen from within the academy, just like others could have been selected before. This reinforces the idea that Merlin’s power isn’t unique, but rather a legacy that can be passed down or inherited.

Another interesting detail about the opening cinematic and the idea that Merlin (Original) is part human and part demon is the stained glass window that appears in the game. I feel like this image could be a direct reference to Myrddin's original story.

In the window, the yellow part could represent humans or celestials, while the purple part symbolizes the hypogeans. This aligns with the legend of Merlin, who in many versions of his story is the son of a demonic spirit and a mortal woman. In the center, the image fractures, which could point to an internal conflict between both natures or even our character's destiny as someone caught between two worlds.

Also in another trailer, Merlin (AFKJ) appears in front of a tree, but behind him there are only heroes; perhaps this emphasizes that the yellow part represents his more human side.

Well, that's it, I really found it interesting to find Myrddin's story and I wanted to do this kind of "analysis" of references in AFKJ, in the end I think I got too excited and talked about a bit of everything, but I hope you liked it.

I also want to mention that, after all this analysis, I remembered that AFK Arena does have a character named Merlin. However, I didn't consider him in this theory because his story in that game suggests he's from another dimension. I wanted to focus more on an analysis that fits directly with the lore of AFK Journey. Still, including him in the discussion would be perfectly valid, as there could be some hidden connection between the two games, or perhaps his existence in Arena is a clue about what might happen in Journey in the future.

[llamagirl28]

The public demo has just been updated with the first half of chapter 5. Elaine and her family have arrived in Lothia in preparation for her upcoming wedding to Gareth. The engagement has taken the castle by storm. Lot is dead set on the engagement while Morgana vehemently opposes it. Explore the aftermath of chapter 4's shocking revelations while navigating the rising tensions, and find some time for your day to day life. Meet Elaine - make a friend or fall in love however inadvisable - deal with Lot, prepare for the wedding and make time for your history lessons.

Besides all that we have some changes made to earlier chapters:

Reworked Nimue's conversation in chapter 1. Added a new dialogue option

Morgana's first POV in chapter 3, confronting Arthur has been polished and expanded a bit Changes have been made to chapter 4 to reflect that Mordred also keeps in touch with Guinevere if they're close to Arthur (she is not present at the birthday party but she is mentioned in correspondence)

And the dragon lore changes I mentioned before here

LINK TO DEMO: https://llamagirl.itch.io/the-bastard-of-camelot