#nouma

[fullscoreshenanigans]

(Chapter 102)

Rambled about this before on this post, but I really wish they would explained how the search party is able to see out of their masks, even if it was a single panel of Emma pointing out something like nearly imperceptible eye slits.

(Chapter 147 | Chapter 149 | Chapter 150)

Older, classical masks like those of the elder Bayons (compared to those of Bayon II's wife and children), Yverk, and Geelan's clan incorporate a pair of symmetrical, horizontal, and frequently vacant eye holes among their designs.

In the chapter 90 bonus sketch, this is mentioned as respecting tradition, which I interpret as a holdover from the days of demons hunting humans, and the intention of that incorporation was to play on pareidolia-enhanced fear among humans who, out of habit, would look toward the horizontal pair of eye holes first when gazing upon demons in combat and would frequently be treated to an unflinching, menacing abyss. It's a good subtle tactic to unnerve them before they take in the rest of the mask.

Once the farm system was instituted and demons weren't regularly warring with humans anymore, it became unnecessary and seemed to fall out of style among the general population who weren't banished like the Geelan clan.

I assume this is the main reason the kids don't opt for horizontal eye holes. There's also the issue of demons potentially catching sight of their human eyes, but there has to be some black cloth to work with in the bunker that could have lined the masks if they couldn't get whatever magic Bayon and Yverk use for no other eyes or skin to show through their horizontal mask sockets.

Either way, it's one less thing to make them stand out from the crowd when they're already contending with their comparatively short statures, human hands and feet, and having to wear perfume.

[deathblightprince]

"Thou hast something on thy face"

Adeodatus gestures to his own cheek. There was even a little tug on the corner of his lips. The twins had drawn on dadas face and it magically got this draconian papa to ALMOST smile?

Godwyn looked at the old man with confusion at first. "What art thou talking about? What's on my face?"

He was still half asleep, his back ached from the awkward position he sat in while he and the twins napped on a chair in the cabin. Why was this man damn near smiling at him? What could he possibly be up to?

Wiping the sleep from his eyes, he turned towards the small mirror in the corner of the room. He picked it and gazed into it, quickly noticing the little scribbles all over his face.

Now it makes sense as to why he woke up very suddenly, and his children scampered away from him as soon as he did.

"Not again." He groans.

[postcard-from-the-past]

Kanaka man from the Solomon Islands, Oceania

French vintage postcard, mailed to Nouméa, New Caledonia

[silver-prince-corian]

"Papa"

"Papaa"

"Papaaaaaa"

Carlo yells from his crib. Still too early to be up

His eyes fluttered open as he sat up, rubbing his face with a soft groan before he got out of bed to see what his son was crying out for.

He was still adjusting his shirt as he made his way to Carlo’s crib, a soft smile on his face.

“It is still so early, little one.”

Even as he said that, he gently brushed his fingers through Carlo’s hair.

[deathblightprince]

Continued from X.

Godwyn aided Nouma in putting the babies to bed in their cribs. The room was dimly lit for the babies comfort, but he witnessed Nouma struggle to navigate the more well-lit bathroom so he was wary of her ability to see in the nursery. He guided her to each crib, letting her lower each one and he helped adjust the babies so they can rest comfortably. He shared gentle whispers to Nouma and the babies as he wished each one a goodnight.

He met Nouma at the door of the Nursery, feeling the somber tone in her demeanor. He was almost certain he knew why.

"Very well." His voice was hushed as he gently closes the door behind them. He led her to the bedroom next to the nursery so they could speak privately.

"What is on thy mind?"

[postcard-from-the-past]

Town Hall of Nouméa, New Caledonia

French vintage postcard

[silver-prince-corian]

Nouma had put their son in a cute little bear onesie. The newborn is just frowning. Angry little bear cub

"Happy valentines day!"

“Aw, look who it is!”

Corian gave his son a kiss on the forehead before giving Nouma a kiss as well.

“Happy Valentine’s day, dearest.”

[bunedycom]

Pascal Nouma, Galatasaraylı taraftarın parmağını kırdı!

Pascal Nouma, Galatasaraylı taraftarın parmağını kırdı!

Beşiktaş’ın unutulmaz yıldızlarından Pascal Nouma, futbolu bıraktıktan sonra oyunculuğa başlamıştı. Son olarak Aşkın Saati: 1903 adlı sinema filminde rol alan Nouma’nın geçtiğimiz günlerde sette kavga ettiği iddia edildi. Çekimleri Sarıyer’de gerçekleşen filmin setine giden bir kişi, Nouma ile fotoğraf çektirmek istedi. Eski futbolcu da hayranının isteğini kırmadı. Ancak Nouma, genç adamla…

[deathblightprince]

In the cabin, Nouma sat down on the small stool in the twins room. They're in a deep slumber to not notice their mama has returned. How long was she gone? A few days? A week or two? Time became lost to her.

"I need to inform Godwyn of my return..."

Nouma whispered to herself. She returned to the main area of the cabin. Nouma knows he would be giving her a lecture about her disappearing like that. He has every right to be angry. As well as Godfrey, who she told she would be back in a few days.

If you have known sin, if you grieve for this world, then yield the path forward to us.

The memory replayed in her head. She sat in a chair by the table. Pondering about everything. It's impossible to believe the one who said them was really Godwyn's younger brother, Miquella. Along with horrific discovery of what became of her Dear Lord Mohg. There were multiple other things she never had time to emotionally process til now.

"Gods...How am I gonna tell him"

She whispered. Her face now in her hands. Her shoulders shaking slightly.

[huehuehue big angst]

He never slept. He did not truly need to sleep, but his soul begged for it. His aching body begged for rest of any kind. But tonight, rest would elude him. If Nouma had not entered the cabin, he likely would have spent the rest of the night staring at the ceiling, wondering where she was, and how he would find her.

A door creaks open. There is a profound silence that follows it, before Godwyn speaks.

"Three weeks." He starts, his tone is low and quiet, but sharper than a blade, "Three weeks they spent without thee. I do not know what thou hath faced in thy journey, but it better hath been worth it.

[fullscoreshenanigans]

#tbh I'm also interested about the perfume we got to see Violet did use #even wrote a whole chapter for my fic about the other kids stumbling over a plant smelling like demons #coming up with the idea to let the search party blend in even better (via @officersnickers)

It makes me wonder what other topics were covered in The Adventures of Ugo. I could see Ugo needing to sneak into a location and blend in with some fantastical monsters just as easily as it being plainly spelled out in a book in the bunker, along with the Goldy Pond kids picking it up on their own after years surviving the hunting grounds.

(Chapter 102)

Rambled about this before on this post, but I really wish they would explained how the search party is able to see out of their masks, even if it was a single panel of Emma pointing out something like nearly imperceptible eye slits.

(Chapter 147 | Chapter 149 | Chapter 150)

Older, classical masks like those of the elder Bayons (compared to those of Bayon II's wife and children), Yverk, and Geelan's clan incorporate a pair of symmetrical, horizontal, and frequently vacant eye holes among their designs.

In the chapter 90 bonus sketch, this is mentioned as respecting tradition, which I interpret as a holdover from the days of demons hunting humans, and the intention of that incorporation was to play on pareidolia-enhanced fear among humans who, out of habit, would look toward the horizontal pair of eye holes first when gazing upon demons in combat and would frequently be treated to an unflinching, menacing abyss. It's a good subtle tactic to unnerve them before they take in the rest of the mask.

Once the farm system was instituted and demons weren't regularly warring with humans anymore, it became unnecessary and seemed to fall out of style among the general population who weren't banished like the Geelan clan.

I assume this is the main reason the kids don't opt for horizontal eye holes. There's also the issue of demons potentially catching sight of their human eyes, but there has to be some black cloth to work with in the bunker that could have lined the masks if they couldn't get whatever magic Bayon and Yverk use for no other eyes or skin to show through their horizontal mask sockets.

Either way, it's one less thing to make them stand out from the crowd when they're already contending with their comparatively short statures, human hands and feet, and having to wear perfume.

[postcard-from-the-past]

Anse Vata Beach in Nouméa, New Caledonia

French vintage postcard

[silver-prince-corian]

Brush little carlos curly hair back and boom. He is his papi's little me

“Hey Nouma, look,”

Whenever she looks at Corian he is holding his son’s hair back like the way he wears his own.

“Mama,” says Corian as if it is his son speaking, “We must impose taxes on cookies.”

[noumasblog]

Been thinking, some guards or employees be reporting about unusual paranormal phenomenon that happens to the security puppet

Horror aside, the puppet is found damped at times despite the fact there's no water that could leak inside the room she is in

I see that the ghost of Charlotte is seen all soaked in water, like her whole body is soaked wet since she died in the rain, thus that makes the marionette she possesses have that kind of side effect

[justladders]

To the kiddie strangler, do you work out or consume protein powder like a maniac to have that build, sir 🤨🎤

[fullscoreshenanigans]

Highly recommend checking out @puff-poff's posts on demon culture for anyone who hasn't read them already for the most comprehensive analysis on subjects in this vein.

(Chapter 90 Bonus Sketch)

Luce having the most ostentatious mask of the poachers as a reflection of him being part of the garish nouveau riche compared to the quiet luxury of Nous, Nouma, Bayon, and Leuvis is a familiar and fitting dynamic given the commentary on class division Shirai leans into.

Regarding being able to reveal their faces, I disagree.

(Chapter 102)

While the two demon brothers have never seen meat from any of the four top class farms—with their bodies completely intact upon serving—we do see a collection of mass production heads in a jar available for sale among the lower classes, probably the most expensive jar in the shop with the value the human brain has among demonkind. (One could argue they meant they never saw it because it was in the very back of the shop in that particular panel, but I'd say it's pedantic for ignoring the intention of this speech to be another nod to the class divide and strife among the demon populace.)

There's also the issue of the horizontal placement of human eyes compared to the vertical placement of demons'.

(Chapter 147 | Chapter 149 | Chapter 150)

Older, classical masks like those of the elder Bayons (compared to those of Bayon II's wife and children), Yverk, and Geelan's clan incorporate a pair of symmetrical, horizontal, and frequently vacant eye holes among their designs. In the chapter 90 bonus sketch, this is mentioned as respecting tradition, which I interpret as a holdover from the days of demons hunting humans, and the intention of that incorporation was to play on pareidolia-enhanced fear among humans who, out of habit, would look toward the horizontal pair of eye holes first when gazing upon demons in combat and would frequently be treated to an unflinching, menacing abyss. It's a good subtle tactic to unnerve them before they take in the rest of the mask.

(Mystic Code Book Chapter 7 Q&A)

This is also why I have mixed feelings about the kids' demon masks. On the one hand, I do understand why they wouldn't want to draw attention to themselves and risk having their human eyes being seen through more conspicuous holes.

(Chapter 102)

But I really wish they would have spent a panel acknowledging Gillian, Nigel, and Sonya incorporating nearly imperceptible eye slits or something to clarify exactly how they see while wearing them.

But unrelated to the mask conundrum, there's also the issue of humans having five digits on their hands compared to six that demons have (though I know there's a joke about Sonju having varying amounts of toes throughout the story).

I don’t think it’s been confirmed how well they can smell humans since they had to wear perfume

I'd say them having to wear perfume at all is a good indicator the demons' sense of smell vastly outclasses that of humans.

(Chapter 83 | Chapter 1)

The only reasons the two lackey demons don’t come after Emma and Norman right away in chapter 1 is that they’re caught up in conversation and probably a bit intoxicated off the idea of being able to eat even "just a fingertip" of meat from a top class farm, which is not something for the likes of lowly farm workers to enjoy, though Shirai notes they and even those working at mass production farms do have more prestige than demons of the same class working in other jobs.

(Mystic Code Book Chapter 7 Q&A)

interesting hypothesis…

I have made other posts about how demons differ based on what they eat. I thought this scene when Don, Gilda, Emma, Ray, Violet and Zack were searching for the golden water temples was every interesting

We as the readers have seen demons with feet like that! (These are just Bayon cuz his outfit makes it the easiest to see his feet)

i don’t think it has ever been explicitly said that masks are a sign of wealth, we only know that older/richer/ more dangerous demons have masks that are harder to break

but if they are a sign of pride and status then lower class demons that the protags were interacting with would not have seen the faces of rich demons before!

so hypothetically the humans could show their faces/feet and claim they were rich demons that didn’t show regeneration? The poor most likely haven’t seen human faces before because brains are the most valuable part

but I don’t think it’s been confirmed how well they can smell humans since they had to wear perfume

[deathblightprince]

SMACK!

A blob of mud landed right on Godwyns desk. It squeaked at him. As if he was trying to get his attention. Then slid off the desk. Towards the door of his office. Squeaking at him to follow

"boobooo! boooboooo!!"

Solis yelling down the hall. Same with Luna. The twins are here? Since when? The little blob slid under the door and squeaked again. The girls giggling and yelling at seeing the thing. Then a knock on the door.

"Godwyn? Are you busy? I need help"

Nouma said, not wanting to open the door. Just in case he was...busy with something

((next stop in the castle. See Godwyn

The Prince couldn't have been doing anything more important- falling asleep at his desk reading the most boring letter to date.

His head rested in his hand, leaning over the letter, straining his heavy eyes to read it. He spent so much energy into this endeavor that he failed to hear the little muk sneak into his office.

"Dear Gods!" He flies back from his desk in shock. "What the-" He watches the little glop of mud on his desk squeak and ungulate before it slips down his desk, squeezing out from under the door. Is it over? He thought. Far from it.

Then he heard the undeniable sounds of his children. All of what happened was so quick that his brain failed to process it all in time. He stood in shock, listening to the voices behind his door for a moment before Nouma knocks. He jumps again, but is more quiet now. Gods, he can feel his heart pounding.

Realizing what's happening, he shakes off his initial shock. "Y-yes, just give me a minutes. Please." He needed to breathe and let his heartbeat slow. Rubbing his eyes, he took in slow, deep breathes.

Once he takes that minutes to breathe, he then pads his way to the door, walking over the trail of slimy mud that led to it. He would open the door himself to see Nouma at the door, and Solis and Luna playing with Booboo in the hall.

"What doth thou need?" He closes the door behind him, not really to hide something in his office, but more to prevent the muddy little bastard from crawling back in and causing a mess. "Has something happened?"