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[vigilantsera]

Transitioning on Ravnica: A Guide

Introduction

Ravnica, the city of guilds. Of all the planes on which to be trans, it is perhaps the one with the widest variety of options on how to transition. Indeed, each of the guilds seems to have their own preferred method by which their members (or guildless with enough coin) can become their true selves. But if transitioning is your aim, or if you are unaffiliated and seeking guidance, which guild should you join? We walk through the most common process each guild’s members use to transition below:

The Azorius Senate

Widely considered the most boring of the guilds to transition with, the process for the Azorius Senate does indeed largely consist of filing a large number of forms. In some jurisdictions, assessments by mind-mages are required to assess if the applicant is ‘truly in need of gender correction’, though these practices have been made unnecessary in most districts as of now.

Most applicants hoping to change their gender with the senate will find themselves having to file the needed forms multiple times to correct minor procedural errors, paying additional filing fees and correction fines each time (the Azorius often give the Orzhov a run for their money in this department). As such, the speed and smoothness of the transition process with the Azorius is in many regards a matter of the skill of the applicant (or their assistant, hired or otherwise) in navigating the endless bureaucracy of the senate.

However, transitioning with the Azorius does have several upsides, contrary to the popular view of them being the worst guild to transition with. For one, the forms by which one applies to revise their gender double as forms by which to amend any unwanted element of one’s body, and if one knows the proper procedure, one can sculpt their ideal body using their process down to precise elements. This is a far cry from most of the other guilds, where one’s post-transition body will often be quite similar to their old one or have a somewhat random element to how it turns out.

Furthermore, though the process of obtaining, correctly filling out, and waiting for the forms to be filed does often take months, once approval is obtained, the actual process of ‘correction of applicant’s misaligned bodily attributes’ is performed instantaneously via magical decree.

House Dimir

The Dimir are perhaps the most efficient and effective at changing one’s gender of all the guilds. They have mastered countless methods of shaping one’s appearance – illusory, transformative, temporary, permanent, magical, alchemical, and countless more besides. Though their methods were devised originally largely for the purpose of disguising oneself, they know quite well that there are those who seek them for personal reasons more than professional ones.

It is even rumored that for those of the genderfluid persuasion, or who simply enjoy flexibility of expression, that they possess methods to transform someone of any origin into a shapeshifter capable of near-instantly rearranging one’s body precisely and at will.

If they have such skill and magic, why then are they not the definitive go-to for all trans Ravnicans? Well, the answer is quite simply that the Dimir are loathe to part with their secrets, and even more loathe to surrender something of value for less than its worth. They will use their methods to allow those outside their guild to transition, to be certain… if the one who seeks their favor can pay the price.

Over the centuries, countless guild secrets have been surrendered, and many an aspiring trans person conscripted into spy work and other clandestine missions in exchange for the Dimir’s gifts of transformation. Interestingly, it is thought by some that this may be at least partially responsible for the fact that each guild has developed their own paths to transition – so that those seeking to realize their gender have options besides betraying their home guilds to the Dimir. Still, the speed and comprehensiveness of the Dimir’s methods still draw in the curious even in this more enlightened modern age….

The Cult of Rakdos

Known by many as the ‘murder clown orgy’ cult, the Rakdos of course have more than a few ways to change one’s gender. The two most widely known and commonly used will be described here.

First is the way most commonly seen by those outside the cult’s membership, as it is a frequent ‘party trick’ of sorts at their gatherings. This method involves ‘cursing’ someone to shift into the form of the greatest sexual fantasy of another linked person. Though the ‘safe’ version of this spell links the cursed to a specific other person, other variants link the cursed’s appearance shift to the most amorous person viewing them at the moment, the last person to touch them, or the person in the world most attracted to them.

This can involve the ‘cursed’ person’s gender to shift if the fantasy of the linked person is of someone of a different sex than them. Normally, this curse is intended to be temporary, used for a wild night of debauchery and nothing more, but permanent variations exist, and aside from that the curse seems to have a habit of ‘sticking’ to people who enjoy the new bodies it thrusts them into.

Like most things the Rakdos create, while this ‘curse’ is not seen as such by many who it is cast upon, it obviously has a lot of potential for misuse, and even when used ‘properly’, can sometimes shift not just the physical body but the actual gender identity of the cursed, causing them to see themselves as the gender of the body they have been made to inhabit, even if they were happy with their body before. As such, this curse is best used with caution, though given where it comes from, it almost never is.

The second most common method of transition is largely reserved for actual cult members and is quite a bit different than the curse described above. This form of transition is done via an enchanted ritual dagger, and most commonly performed in a fittingly ritualistic fashion. The person who wishes to change themselves is restrained on a table while a cultist wielding the enchanted dagger asks them to renounce the aspects of their body they wish to be rid of. Though commonly performed with an audience (as voyeurism is quite prevalent among the Rakdos), it can and is often done in a more intimate one on one setting.

In any case, the process is quite gruesome on the surface. The enchanted dagger is used to carve away the unwanted parts of the body, literally slicing off genitals, secondary sex characteristics, and carving into the skin where changes are to be made. Though intensely painful, the enchantment on the dagger is that of healing, and as the flesh is parted, it regenerates swiftly into the form of the desired sex. A severed penis will grow a fully healthy and functional vagina in its place, sliced off breasts will reform into a masculine chest, cuts along the face will soften or harden the flesh as it regrows, and the like. A sublime torment that ends in a newly idealized form, born in a ritual of blood.

The Gruul Clans

The Gruul clans, despite their reputation as uncivilized barbarians, by and large have fairly enlightened views on gender. Many in the clans see gender as what it is – a societal construct, and laugh in the face of gender norms and the rigid views many others have on the subject.

As such, quite a few in the clans transition socially only, not feeling the need to change anything about their bodies to feel confident that they are the gender they feel.

That said, for those Gruul who do desire to change themselves physically to match their gender identity, options exist. Perhaps the most common is going to clan shamans who prepare alchemical treatments from herbs, which change the body over the course of a few months. This is essentially the same treatment commonly used by the Selesnya, despite the specifics of the preparations varying somewhat.

The other method some clans use is the trial of the true form. Using a spirit-calling spell, shamans transform an aspirant into a being closer to the spirit seen as closest to them. Typically, this is some sort of animal or beast. Though temporary, when one reverts to their original form after the trial is completed, aspects of their ‘true form’ remain – often animalistic features, but for trans people, this commonly includes a full (or at least partial) transition of their sex characteristics in line with their true gender.

The Selesnya Conclave

The Selesnya take a very open and accepting view to gender and encourage those in the conclave to explore their presentation and meditate on what they desire even from a fairly young age. Those who decide they wish to change their bodies in alignment with their thoughts are given one of a wide variety of herbal alchemical concoctions which, when taken over the course of a few months, alters the body towards different sex characteristics.

Those undergoing this process are not simply given the way to change their bodies, however, and the Selesnya place a large emphasis on the social aspect of transition as well. Those in the conclave who transition commonly find themselves a mentor who will guide them on how to socialize as their new gender.

Though the Selesnya are very free with their resources to physically transition, their attitudes also interestingly lead to their ranks containing many who choose to transition solely through social means, or in only minor physical ways. Conclave members often ask the pronouns of those they meet, and are somewhat famous among other guilds for their members using a wide variety of neopronouns rarely seen in the other guilds, especially not in as large of numbers.

Overall, the Selesnya are one of the guilds most freely accepting of trans people, and are a common choice for guildless, as they offer their herbal remedies and guidance freely to any who come to them. The subtle price of course, is having to listen to their recruitment pitch to join their guild, but despite general social pressure, they don’t make any more insistent demands of those who transition with them.

The Orzhov Syndicate

Syndicate members in high standing often have the money to pursue transition through other guilds that meet their specific needs. The services of both the Dimir and Azorius are popular, as both are efficient, customizable experiences whose main issues are access and money, both of which the Orzhov elite have in spades.

That said, there are two methods of transition unique to the Orzhov, though they are unpopular among the elite for reasons that will become clear.

The first is through so-called ‘total possession’. Though the Orzhov deal frequently with ghosts and possession is a rather common occurrence, total possession is a more involved affair. This involves a ghost completely taking over a person’s mind and going so far as to reshape their body as well. Most commonly, they reshape their host into the form the ghost had in life (though often somewhat idealized). This can of course can be a fairly drastic change when the host is a different gender than the ghost.

Now, obviously this is an ineffective method of transition as long as the ghost remains in control, but using it as a method of transition involves allowing the ghost to reach full possession, to reshape the body into the desired form, and then to exercise them. As this involves the host losing control of their body for some time, not getting much if any control over their final form (unless they called a specific ghost whose living form they wished to look like) and then relying on an outside exorcist, it is considered a risky method of transition at best.

The other method of Orzhov-specific transition is known as ‘soul reshaping’. If someone has given their soul over in debt to another, that new holder of the soul, if they know the right spells, can reshape the soul of the one they hold in thrall to whatever they want. This can be extreme – often being used to make the subject’s mind pliable and obedient and to twist their body into a thrull or other pitiable being.

However, it is certainly possible that a kind soul-holder might reshape someone’s soul so that it fits more with what they view themselves as, with their body soon following suit. In cases where a trans person’s soul is held this way, their soul is usually already ‘shaped’ closer to their desired gender anyway (in such a way as a soul can be said to have a shape) and thus the actual effort needed on the soul-holder’s part is minimal.

Like total possession, the fact that this method of transition requires surrendering oneself fully to another makes it all but unheard of among those with other options, but it is a frequent dream of the highly indebted and the desperate.

The Izzet League

The Izzet league is famous for their odd experiments and outlandish inventions, which might lead one to believe that they’d have a wide range of options for those seeking to change their gender. And in a way, that’s not entirely wrong. But the thing to remember is that it is the Simic Combine who focus more on the biological side of experimentation, meaning that options within the Izzet tend to be less varied than one might expect.

Now, given the highly individualized and experimental nature of the league’s countless inventors and mages, likely there are a dizzying array of unique and one-off devices capable of altering one’s body to fit their gender identity. However, we will focus here on the two methods most commonly found that can perform this effect – both of which are quite effective, so long as you don’t care about remaining humanoid.

The first method is the ‘weird’ method. Weirds are ooze-like elemental creations, and the Izzet are (usually) quite good at making them. Transferring one’s mind into a weird, whose body can then be fluidly reshaped to fit whatever gender presentation one desires, is a well-trodden field of Izzet research, which isn’t to say it doesn’t often go wrong in unpredictable ways, but that’s true of basically anything the Izzet work on.

Similarly in the field of mind transfer, uploading one’s consciousness into a robotic construct body, while not extremely popular, is also a burgeoning field of Izzet research. One could sculpt their own ideal construct body in advance this way, and then live out their life outside of humanity, upgrading or changing things as desired.

The Golgari Swarm

The swarm are an interesting situation when it comes to transition resources. As the guild in charge of handling Ravnica’s trash and refuse, they often come across the methods to cobble together close-enough facsimiles of the methods that every other guild uses in their transition methods and rituals, and it is through these second-hand acquisitions that many members of the swarm make their transitions.

The swarm’s primary unique method of transition comes from specially grown fungi. Similar to the herbal transition methods of the Gruul or Selesnya, these fungi alter one’s physical body towards another gender expression. However, unlike those methods which produce a gradual change across several months, the fungi of the Golgari take effect after just a few doses. This rapid shift is accompanied by intense pain and vivid hallucinations, though those who utilize this method often say that they see both the pain and the visions as important steps not just towards a body they can feel more comfortable in, but towards self-acceptance and the abandonment of fears over not ‘truly’ being their desired gender.

The other method of transition within the swarm is through the sting of the shifter wasp. A single sting from this creature causes a total shift of sexual characteristics over a single agonizing day. The wasps are rare however, and the pain is not always survivable, making this a method seen as dangerous and undesirable. It is also one of the few on Ravnica that is commonly inflicted on the unwary and unwilling. Fortunately, there are many ways to alter one’s body back to what it originally was if one finds oneself transitioned against their will.

The Boros Legion

The Boros are perhaps one of the least interested in the process of transition. They aren’t against it, per se, and it is legion policy to treat all as they wish to be treated, a policy actually enforced and with harsh punishments for violation to boot.

That said, legionaries seeking transition often go outside the guild to obtain the transition services of another guild, something the Boros do allow, if not openly encourage. That said, there is an ‘official’ method of transition within the guild, but due to the legion’s practical, militaristic focus, it is quite specific and comes with certain requirements, to which it owes its relative unpopularity.

Despite being egalitarian in their overall forces, official Boros transition resources are split into two distinct paths for female to male and male to female. There is no official Boros resource for nonbinary members, who typically just seek the services of another guild.

Legionnaires who wish to transition from female to male within the Boros go to minotaur program. This program involves drinking a volatile potion brewed from minotaur blood and bottled lightning which transforms one into a male minotaur. As a side effect, the drinker often goes temporarily berserk, but this is a known side-effect and usually well-handled. The potion is somewhat difficult to make, and as a result, those who take this method of transition are typically conscripted into a specialized unit for a period of time as ‘compensation’ for their use of the potion.

The process for legionnaires wishing to transition for male to female also involves a transformation, but this time and even more drastic one. Only a few legionnaires every year are eligible for this process, an honor often reserved only for the most elite and successful soldiers. The process involves being turned into an angel – and, as some know, the angels of the Boros are all clones of the original angel, Razia. As a result, the transformation necessarily involves taking on the physical characteristics of a female, red-haired angel, rippling with muscles and infused with powerful magic.

Like the minotaur program, the transformation into an angel (often referred to as ‘ascension’) can come with mental side-effects though in this case they tend to be more severe, with new angels often finding their mindset shifting to become more practical, focused, and emotionally detached, save for the emotions needed for battle.

The exact process used for ascension is a closely guarded Boros secret, but it is known that it is fairly extensive – certainly much more than the potion required for becoming a minotaur. Persistent rumors, likely spread by the Dimir, say that the hopeful ascendant’s body is slowly burned away by holy flame and remade by the songs of existing angels. Though new angels are sworn to secrecy on the process, their defensiveness over accusations towards the process working that way seem to imply it is at the very least, close to the truth.

The Simic Combine

The Simic Combine is famous for their bioengineering, and of course, this means that altering a body to fit one’s desired gender is trivial for them.

The combine see transition as something desirable, and many in the Simic transition just to see what its like even if its not a deeply held desire of theirs. Transitioning with the Simic often comes with other body modifications (or 'upgrades' as they more commonly refer to them) and so most trans people in the Simic are also sporting gills, claws, and any number of other exotic features in addition to their new gender expression.

Ironically, despite their well-honed mastery of the art of transition and the stunning array of ‘extras’ they have on offer, the Simic are rarely sought out as a path to transition by those outside the guild, as they have a bad habit of including ‘unwanted additions’ in the form of experimental biogenetic alterations to those outside their guild. That said, those who seek to transcend not only their gender but their humanity often see the Simic as their saviors, and the Simic certainly has no shortage of members willing to perform changes for free to those willing to participate in a few experiments along the way.

[ukiyowi]

Mini PAC I

Notes: Please check out the Masterlist for more! Reblogging and paid readings help a lot! Pls DM me if you want one!

What flower are you? 🌸🌸

Read from left to right, 1 - 3 then 4 - 6

Note - I know its not long, but I am still coming into things because of the long break I had taken from pick a card readings which is why I will slowly build up to reach my ability to do longer readings again whilst doing shorter readings in the time being.

Paid readings || Old PACs

Pile 1: Crocus

Your energy resembles that of the flower crocus. Although these usually symbolise the welcoming of spring and the start of youth, as well as cheerfulness and hope, some cronus flowers also grow with the start of fall or winter. These signify the changing of times and renewal alongside new beginnings.

You may be the kind of person that changes constantly for the better, you're always trying to see how you can improve yourself and work on yourself, whilst keeping a positive mindset and optimistic approach to life. You may be someone who's constantly hopeful even in times of dire stress or situations where people may feel hopeless, being the well needed light in times of darkness.

Pile 2: Hydrangea

Hydrangeas often symbolise gratitude and understanding but can also represent abundance, prosperity, love, peace and grace. Certain cultures also associate them with forgiveness and apologies.

You could be the kind of person who finds it very easy to forgive people, you could also be forgiving to a fault at times which might end up hurting you. You may be conventionally attractive and be of a calm demeanor, knowing how to keep your cool and the kind of person who will always vouch for peace or often stay neutral during arguments, acting as a designated mediator.

Pile 3: Lunaria

Lunaria often symbolise honesty, transparency and the flow of money due to its other names being Honesty or Silver Dollar plant and the names stem from their translucent seed pods that resemble silver coins. In some cultures, it is also believed that keeping these plants near the alter or at the home, helps ward off monsters or negative spirits.

You may be the kind of person who finds themself to be lucky in the matters of finances and carry goodluck in general. Your guides may be extremely strong and great and warding off any sort of lingering negative energies near you which can often result in you having a lot of moments where something bad almost happens but then doesn't. People value you as the name of the plant suggests for your honesty and how you are able to give them straightforward responses.

Pile 4: Xylosma

So this plant is not as known and was a little tough to research upon however, it is very special in my opinion. The plant I usually used for ornamental purposes and beautification due to their adaptability in different kinds of environments and has a very strong network when it comes to the structure of the plant itself.

You may be the kind of people pile 4 who are grounded in reality and may be realists to a fault. You find peace and quiet in the smaller things in life and may have found yourself in positions of having to be resilient because of fast-paced challenges being thrown at you like constantly changing jobs or schools or constant movement. Furthermore, you are able to provide people with the safe space and security they need as well.

Pile 5: Ixia

Ixia represents, joy, happiness and cheerfulness and with it's very colourful and bright appearance I think it also represents the innocence of youth and childhood. It also often represents the fulfilment of wishes and aspirations and an environment where dreams and hopes can be cultivated.

You pile 5, are the dreamers and the people who actually go after what they are passionate about and see it through rather than simply thinking about it. You are able to execute your ideas and plans which lead to the fulfilment of your desires which may put people off at times because they may think you have it easy. However, your youthful spirit keeps even people envious of you to hold you in high regards.

Pile 6: Blanket Flower

One of my favourite kinds, blanket flower represents warmth which is suggested by the name itself, protection, nurturing and perseverance. In some cases they are also associated with festivities and celebrations due to their vibrant colours that stand out in any room.

You could be the kind of people who are always looking out for others and may be the first person someone goes to when they are having a hard time because of your warm and comforting presence. You may also be a little bit of a party animal where you love to go all out and dance and sing and celebrate even the smallest of your victories because you have had to cultivate that habit so that you prevent yourself from becoming overly critical.

[varlaisvea]

A Guide to the Art of Fortune-Telling with Tales of Tribute

Part I: How to read the cards, plus interpretations of six Patrons

For the free day of @tes-summer-fest, here's the first half of a "how-to" on reading fortunes with a Tales of Tribute deck! (Note: this is fictional and in-universe; I have some ideas for ways to approximate this, but as far as I know, sadly, there's no real Tales of Tarot.)

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Like many who wield psijic magic, in my youth back in Sunhold, I used to make a bit of coin telling fortunes. I fell out of practice when I left Sunhold after the Maormer invaded, but when I travel, I still make a habit of seeking out fortune-tellers to see how they weave their tales. A few years ago, when I was in Black Kiergo as a healer, I met one of the finest tellers I’ve yet experienced, and his deck of cards had an alluring hexagonal shape that I felt added so much flourish to his interpretations. So when I first saw Tales of Tribute cards, whose shape is based on Pellitine tarot, I knew I had to try using them to read fortunes! Of course it had been a while, but I dusted off my old skills and started reading for friends and lovers. Since then, I’ve met several others who use Tales of Tribute cards for mystic purposes, and since these cards are seemingly in every tavern, it’s easy to get your hands on them.

This little book represents what I’ve learned so far, I hope others will publish their findings!

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Learning how to read the cards

You’ve seen a fortune-teller use cards, no doubt—they lay out their cards in a mystical sequence in front of them, and then read from those cards their querent’s future. Tales of Tribute is a game about storytelling, and above all, you should see your reading as a story—this is actually the highest function of fortune-telling, no? There are countless meanings for each component of the reading, and if you try to understand them all separately, you will lose your mind and your client! While it is useful to be able to pick out specific meanings, the goal is to take the tableau as a whole and then view its parts. Therefore, I strongly advise you do not read the full tableau until all of the cards are dealt.

The layout I will cite here is the classic layout used for fortune-telling, but there are countless others! As you learn how to read the cards, you may decide there are layouts that work better for you, or that give more insight in specific situations.

Step One: Choose your Patrons

For this reading, we are going to use four Patrons—the classic and most common. In general, you should choose at least two but no more than four—one perspective is never the full picture, but more than four is too many voices. A note: it is best for beginners to choose Patrons at random from the bag of tokens—if you’re doing a reading for a querent, let them pull the medallions from the bag. (Choosing specific Patrons has its value; you may have certain Patrons you’re drawn to, or Patrons whose energy you specifically seek in your reading. I recommend saving that for when you have developed a good sense of the personalities of the various Patrons.)

Step Two: Place the Patrons

Place the four tokens in positions representing north, south, east, and west.

The four cardinal directions are associated with many things—heroes, legends, constellations, elements, and many more. You may choose not to place meaning on the positions of the Patrons, or you may choose to derive meaning from this—whatever you like. I have noticed certain Patrons have stronger influence on the reading in certain positions, for example, Ansei Frandar Hunding in the east (typically associated with Yokuda) tends to be more powerful than he would be in other positions, likewise with Sorcerer-King Orgnum in the west (typically associated with the sea).

Take a moment to look at your four Patrons and meditate on what they say about the reading, the querent, or the question at hand. What themes are represented and reinforced by the four of them together? Where are their conflicts? The four Patrons together will tell you the broad strokes and big picture of the reading. In the final chapter, I will detail the meanings I have noticed for various Patrons, and synergies I have found recurring through my readings.

Step Three: Deal the cards and place them in the spread

Next, remove the starter cards and shuffle all four Patrons’ decks together. Ask your querent to meditate upon their question or situation, and have them cut the deck.

It is said that change in Nirn happens in six ways, and fortune-telling is all about telling stories of change. So, for this spread, we will use six cards. Deal them, and place them in a roughly hexagonal shape, like so:

Again, you may notice associations with the various positions, or with the order in which the cards are dealt, or the orientation of the cards, their proximity to the Patron tokens, or many other things. Notice what calls to you, what stands out. Notice also what your mind wishes you to ignore—this is always a valuable lens.

Step Four: Interpret!

Look over the spread as a whole—what energies are strongest?

For example, if four out of six of your cards are from the Red Eagle deck, the tone of the entire reading is likely to be colored by the stark and resilient energies associated with Red Eagle, and the position of the Red Eagle medallion might have extra meaning or strength. Likewise, if you put down three threes, you can expect the energies associated with the number three to play a large part in the interpretation. As another example, more expensive cards are rarer. Sometimes, I have found that a spread heavy with expensive cards is a sign of good luck and fortune for my querent, whereas other times, it adds a flavor of challenge, difficult-to-reach objectives; walking against a strong headwind. It all depends on how the cards fit into the overall context of the spread.

One last point of advice: remember that your culture, heritage, and life experience will matter a great deal to your perspective and your interpretation, but it is foolish to stop there. The most well-rounded readings draw from as many cultures and sources as possible.

Guide to interpretations

Please note, this is information I have gleaned from my own experiences, and chatting with others who are using Tribute to tell fortunes. You may find that the cards have different energies in your hands, or on certain days, or many other factors—the best way to learn is to keep practicing! And don’t take any of this too gravely—take it from a seasoned fortune-teller: sometimes a fanciful or flimsy interpretation is more satisfying than a literal one. As I said, above all, your reading should tell a story—even if it is not a pleasant one. And of course, don’t forget to use the art on the cards to help guide your interpretation!

Finally, remember that Change is the most sacred force we experience, so no matter what the cards portend, a different outcome is always possible!

Card costs in gold

We will primarily be using the Patrons to guide our reading, but of course, it's the cards you're reading! So a good place to start is the gold value of each card.

In general, even numbers tend to correspond with order and stability, while odd numbers tend to correspond with change and chaos. This is also true when speaking of other numbers beyond the cost—months, days—any number associated with your reading.

Twos — Hints, portents, beginnings. The essence of the thing in question. Threes — Ephemeral. Sacrifice. The right thing at the right time. Fours — The source of power, the edge. A thing working the way it is supposed to. Fives— Chaos, secrets and subterfuge. Acquisitions, thievery. Sixes — Order. Important person, the agent, the one who carries out the orders. Protection/protector

Numbers above six are less common, so their themes are more specific to the individual cards.

Keep in mind that different Patrons affect different numbers differently. For example, Rajhin's upgraded five (Grand Larceny) is to me the most five card possible, for reasons you'll learn very soon. As another example, save for one card, the Duke of Crows has only fours and sixes, so those numbers will have extra meaning when you're working with the Duke. And so on!

Moon phases

I was fortunate to spend several months traveling with Baandari healers, many of whom are also fortune-tellers. They taught me how the phases of the moons are interpreted in fortune-telling—or at least they taught me well enough that I can somewhat-capably use it in my readings! The Baandari fortune-tellers explained it like this: when Azurah created Khajiit, she gave each of the sixteen furstocks different abilities and strengths.

One could view it as a spectrum with Alfiq and Senche-raht at either end. If we’re talking about individual Khajiit, of course there are Alfiq brawlers and Senche-raht wizards and everything in between, so for fortune-telling purposes, these characteristics define the moon phase rather than the people born under it, even though it also tends to describe the people born under it… eh, it would take a long time to explain the finer points, but very roughly: Alfiq represents great mystical power and nimbleness of the body, Senche-raht is great physical power and nimbleness of the mind, and all the rest fall somewhere in between. I have noted the moon phases when I have found a strong connection in my readings.

Associations with months of the year and constellations

This is where the Patrons draw some of their strongest energy. Some of the associations, I have found to be very strong, while others are loose or vacillate between a few different constellations/months. Here, I have listed each Patron along with the month/constellation I have found it most strongly associated with, both for myself and others, as well as some of the most common traditional interpretations of each constellation—as with everything else, you may include or discard these as you see necessary!

A note on The Serpent

Currently there are twelve Tales of Tribute patrons, so none is associated with The Serpent—as is appropriate, The Serpent’s energy is everywhere and nowhere, affecting every patron at one time or another. If there is ever a thirteenth patron, I’d put coin on The Serpent becoming most strongly associated with Sorcerer-King Orgnum—for me, he is usually far more Serpent than Lover—but the snake’s presence will most certainly continue to be felt everywhere. You will know The Serpent when you feel it—as if there is something else pulling at your thoughts along with the patron’s normal energies.

Some patrons are far more susceptible to The Serpent than others in my experience. For example, St. Pelin often struggles to escape The Serpent’s energy, and Hermaeus Mora is a strong personality who is nevertheless vexed by The Serpent. The Druid King and Red Eagle are associated with old magic; when The Serpent arrives with them, it is an adversary, but one they welcome, as they have mastered its energy. For the three guide constellations, (Mage, Warrior, and Thief, represented by Psijic Loremaster Celarus, Saint Alessia, and The Duke of Crows respectively), their relationship with The Serpent is part of their identity—never look at The Thief, The Mage, or The Warrior without also wondering where The Serpent is! I will note The Serpent’s effects where applicable, but all I can say is be sure to listen to The Serpent when it arrives!

Below, you'll find the first six Patrons, and notes on interpreting each.

-----------

The Druid King

Cohesion. Overwhelming might. Ancient magic, nature magic, the Earthbones. Insularity. Teamwork/collaboration within the chosen group. Synergy, abundance. Experimentation.

Constellation: The Ritual (a charge of The Mage) The Ritual is associated with magic, especially old magic. Despite being associated with change, its association with old magic means it’s the sort of change that often has very old roots which have weathered hardship—late winter; the moments of silence before the rebirth of spring begins. As an image The Ritual represents the Eye of Magnus itself, magicka itself, and the Druids revere The Ritual above all. The first month of the year is a fitting place for the roots of magic.

The Ritual has seven stars and occurs in Morning Star, the first month of the year, so it is associated with the numbers 1 and 7. This makes it strongly mutable, associated with odd numbers and thus change. Morning Star is Vakka (Sun) in Jel. (Another association with Magnus.) To the Dwemer, The Ritual was The Laboratory. In Yokudan song, The Ritual is turning through the night. It is a protective sign, and Celestials associate it with protection of the head.

Moon phase: Dagi-raht Copious raw mystic power, with understanding of earthly things sufficient to master old magics.

———

Sorcerer-King Orgnum

Pressure. Groupthink. Piracy, plunder, mercilessness. All-or-nothing. High risk and high reward, priority of the whole at the expense of the individual. Keep in mind, I’m from Sunhold, where we’re generally not terribly fond of Maormer, and that surely colors my interpretation of the Sorcerer-King, but we better than most can attest to Maormeri efficiency. Orgnum represents what we came to call ‘the triumph of rats’—on their own, each individual problem is fairly easy to deal with (if you can catch them), but if too many of them overwhelm you, their victory is all but assured, and you’ll have to scuttle your ship to be free of them completely. King Orgnum means that a querent could be in danger of losing everything if they’re not vigilant.

Constellation: The Lover (a charge of The Thief) As I said, for me King Orgnum is the most mobile, and brings The Serpent more than any other. Still, The Lover works for him when I think of how the Maormer see him: they tend to think as one, with Orgnum as their guiding light. The Lover is associated with relationships of all kinds, and with protection and safety. The Serpent is everything for King Orgnum—sometimes I think he's been assigned The Lover because it was the last sign left over. If nothing feels Lover at all about your reading, just look to The Serpent!

The Lover has twelve stars and occurs in Sun’s Dawn, the second month of the year, so it is associated with the numbers 2 and 12. The Lover is very fixed, associated with many even numbers—order and security. Sun’s Dawn is Xeech (Nut) in Jel. In Yokudan song, The Lover is sighing through the night. It is a protective sign, and Celestials associate it with protection of the hands.

Moon phase: Suthay Represents potential, and power yet to come.

————

Grandmaster Delmene Hlaalu

Cold ruthlessness. Mastery. Gold. Subterfuge. The power of coin. Everything and everyone has a cost; enough gold opens any door. Everything is negotiable, a smile on the face with a dagger behind the back. The long game. Shrewdness, financial intelligence, opportunism. Trade and commerce. Luck in business affairs. Avoidance of conflict in favor of negotiation. The Grandmaster is calculating, a master at finding opportunity, even in seemingly-bad situations. There is always a solution, it just may not be palatable; she is the opposite of sunk-costs. No matter how bad things get, no matter how many people you must hurt, no matter how much you might harm your own long-term plans, there is always a way to get ahead in the short term.

Constellation: The Lord (a charge of The Warrior) The Celestials say of The Lord, who wieldeth both sword and plowshare, planting both seeds and foes? That’s what the Grandmaster represents: control of the game board—winning not with soldiers or resources, but by controlling the movements of both, and playing them against each other when useful. The Serpent rarely affects the Grandmaster—she simply has no time for it. When it does, it's in subtle ways; uncharacteristic carelessness with coin, relinquishing the upper hand in business choices, and other such anomalies.

The Lord has nineteen stars and occurs in First Seed, the third month of the year, so it is associated with the numbers 3 and 19. First Seed is Sisei (Sprout) in Jel. In Yokudan song, The Lord is advancing through the night. It is a combative sign, and Celestials associate it with swords. The Lord is mutable, befitting both sword and plowshare; associated with odd numbers and thus chaos and change.

Moon phase: Ohmes Versatility, cunning, hiding in plain sight.

———————

Psijic Loremaster Celarus

Manipulation. Control. Hidden agendas, farseeing, scrying. Time. Order, hypocrisy, upholding status quo. Puppetmaster. Kingmaker. The long game. A check on power, a deus ex machina. Eternal knowledge, fate, plots, the long arc of history. Celarus reminds us that someone is always watching, whether we like it or not, and that no matter how powerful we are, Time is stronger. The Loremaster allies himself with power and status, for a good only the Psijic Order gets to define, so he represents shadowy forces we do not control, and agendas to which we are not privy. A heavy presence of his cards is a warning that there are forces at play you do not understand, and cannot affect.

Constellation: The Mage I am an adherent of the ancient psijic tradition from which the Psijic Order long ago untethered itself, erasing its roots in the process, so in this case, like Socerer-King Orgnum, my own life colors my opinion of the good Loremaster. While it may personally pain me to associate him with the celestial Mage, I cannot deny that the Loremaster represents the very concept of magic itself, and specifically, mastery thereof. To the Dwemer, a Mechanist would be a crucial person indeed, whose abilities and choices impact the very functioning of life. We who still follow the psijic way, the Old Ways, have had our magic branded as witchcraft, but Reachfolk use the word witch with the great reverence it deserves—and whether Celarus likes it or not, it describes him: a master of very old, very powerful magic, poorly understood by most. The Serpent is never far away, though—in the hands of a powerful mage like Celarus, The Serpent's touch of chaos is a harnessable and exploitable energy like any other. But, it adds a very unwelcome hint of urgency that weighs on Celarus if it is not dealt with quickly.

The Mage consists of twenty-seven stars, plus the planet Julianos, and occurs in Rain’s Hand, the fourth month of the year, so it is associated with the numbers 4 and 28. This makes it strongly fixed, associated with even numbers, stability, and order. Rain’s Hand is Hist-Deek (Hist Sapling) in Jel. To the Dwemer, The Mage was the Mechanist, and to the Reachfolk, The Mage is The Witch. In Yokudan song, the wise Mage orders. It is a combative sign, and Celestials associate it with staves.

Moon phase: Alfiq The most mystically gifted, with the power to pull the strings of the Moons.

—————

Rajhin, the Purring Liar

Deception. Zero-sum games. Self-sufficiency, self-promotion. Smooth talkers. Rain of sand, war of attrition. Isolation is the word most associated with Rajhin—he has trouble making allies; the master thief, at best, has allies of convenience. Rajhin is clever and nimble enough to stop an entire army with only his sleek wits and his shadows for help, so Rajhin reminds us that one person’s cunning can bring gods and mortals alike to their knees. But shadows land no blows, so Rajhin is also the only Patron who cannot win on his own. When someone does get the upper hand on Rajhin, he is doomed, and when he is finally forced to learn his lesson, it is painful. Don’t forget about the sweet purrs in Rajhin’s lies—a skillful tongue opens at least as many doors as a key! But just as forcing your opponent to sustain losses is no substitute at all for winning, talking your way into someone’s bed is no substitute at all for true love.

Constellation: The Shadow (a charge of The Thief) The Celestials associate The Shadow with shoulders—uncovering only to strike from below. Rajhin is fittingly associated with the shoulders, as Rajhin is always looking over his, always sleeping with one eye open. Becoming a master thief is only half mastering the art of swiping things—the other half is not getting caught. If the Serpent is around, Rajhin makes mistakes, and nothing dooms nimble cleverness faster than a few missteps—work through The Serpent's energy quickly, or everything falls apart, and it's just you and your very, very angry adversary.

The Shadow has five stars, and occurs in Second Seed, the fifth month of the year, so it is associated strongly with the number 5. Second Seed is Hist-Dooka (Mature Hist) in Jel. In Yokudan song, The Shadow is lying through the night. It is a protective sign, and Celestials associate it with protection of the shoulders. The Shadow is mutable, associated with change and chaos.

Moon phase: Dagi Nimbleness of mind and body, well-suited for hiding and moving swiftly, unseen.

—————

Ansei Frandar Hunding

Choices, especially forced choices. Flexibility. Well-rounded warriors. Preparedness. Mastery of martial skills. Hunding is loyal to whomever has the might to employ him, so while he is a formidable foe with an equally formidable force behind him, he is also a reminder that loyalty is for friends, family, and lovers—one who lives by the sword is ultimately loyal only to their sword. Hunding is the only Patron who has no neutral position; once he has entered the fight, you must contend with him, either as an ally or as a boon to your opponent, and there is no third option. The lack of neutrality also means that sometimes there will be no warning that defeat is at your doorstep—keep an eye out for people whose shift in loyalty could turn the tide without notice. You may need to be an extra step ahead to keep them from leaving you in a lurch.

Constellation: The Steed (a charge of The Warrior) The Steed is prancing through the night according to the Yokudans, and Frandar Hunding represents the warrior-poet; he who understands that battle is a performance and a puzzle as much as it is a test of might. In my experience, Hunding is rarely affected by The Serpent—The Serpent is usually smart enough to avoid being underfoot of The Steed. However, when The Serpent does upset fixed, staid, orderly Frandar Hunding, it’s absolute chaos: up is down, yes means no, and the stars feel as if they’ve spilled out of a bowl—totally unfamiliar and useless for guiding your ship or your choices.

The Steed has eight stars and occurs in Mid-Year, the sixth month of the year, so it is associated with the numbers 6 and 8. Mid-Year is Hist-Tsoko (Elder Hist) in Jel. In Yokudan song, The Steed is prancing through the night. It is a protective sign, and Celestials associate it with protection of the feet. The Steed is fixed, associated with order and security.

Moon phase: Pahmar-raht Represents physical capability well-tempered by intellectual and political capability.

——————————

Please look for Part II, which will detail the other six Patrons, plus some interesting synergies I have noticed!

[theresattrpgforthat]

this might be a big ask, but do you know of any fantasy adventure RPGs that does idk fantasy napolionics, not nesesarily actual napolionics with fantasy elements, but sorta 18th very early 19th century tech + magic and other fantasy stuff, pre/peri-industrial but only just, whfrpg leans (allover the place but) earlier, and a lot of other fantasy stuff with guns leans eather Piracy, or steapunk?

THEME: Fantasy Napoleonics.

Hello friend, there's a lot of different elements going on here, so I"m casting a pretty wide net to show you what's out there. I hope something in here strikes your fancy! I primarily looked for games that felt like they fell within the right time frame, but I also threw in some games that maybe fall just outside your parameters in the hopes they spark something for you.

Castle Falkenstein, by R. Talsorian Games.

When computer game designer Tom Olam found himself sorcerously shanghaied by a rogue Wizard and a Faerie Lord, little did he suspect that he would soon become the pivotal force in the struggle to control an alternate Victorian Universe. But before the deadly game could end, he would first have to battle gigantic Landfortresses, outwit Dragons, romance a beautiful Adventuress, and defeat the Evil legions of a Dark Court determined to destroy him at all costs.  Then maybe, just maybe, he could find a way home again …

Originally published in 1994, Castle Falkenstein is set in the Victorian era, but with a magical twist. This is a world of swashbuckling and adventure, complete with elves, dwarves and magic - but also submarines, Sherlock Holmes, and England’s courtly sensibilities.

There’s going to be many different kinds of roleplaying options in this kind of game, including combat, feats of derring-do, and diplomacy! The thing that possibly makes this game a bit far from what you’re looking for is the ruleset. Rather than using dice, this game uses a deck of cards, with different suits being suitable for different tasks, while card value determines skill or difficulty.

When it comes to setting, however, you’re going to have a lot of great things to look at. The supplements for this game include The Lost Notebooks of Leonardo da Vinci, Curious Creatures, Steam Age, and more!

17th Century Minimalist, by Games Omnivorous.

Welcome to the 17th century minimalist.

This is a fast-paced and highly-deadly game with a pinch of black humour that puts characters as wanderers in 17th century Europe. You will play as tricksters, thieves, former soldiers, bankrupt swashbucklers and petty physicians, roaming the Old Continent in search of coin and glory. The system is designed to allow fast character creation, compatibility with other games (mostly in the OSR community) and a reckless style of play. 

The closest thing to magic in this game is an illusionist, but that doesn't stop this game from pushing your imagination. Games Omnivorous is pretty well-regarded in the OSR community. 17th Century Minimalist is meant to be simplified, fast-paced, and deadly, with technology like flintlock fire-arms, and goals like searching for treasure and glory. If you want to see a fuller review of this game, I’d recommend looking at Questing Beast’s video that covers the rules and the layout of the game.

A Guide to Casting Phantoms in the Revolution, by World Champ Games Co.

A Guide to Casting Phantoms in the Revolution is a single-session roleplaying game, in which players work together to summon specters to fight the aristocracy during the French Revolution. Featuring the pentacrawl system, Guide is different every time you play. Played on a story map in the shape of a pentagram, create a cast of characters, interpret symbols to create unique moments, and have the phantoms do you bidding—or you’ll do theirs!

This is a game with a number of physical, in-person components required to play. However, if you just have the pdf, the creator also directs you to online resources that you can print for the full experience. You are members of a secret cabal, casting phantoms to help you fight. This is a game that evokes the feeling of a ritual, and might feel magical or personal depending on how you play. It’s a strange mix of thematic storytelling and complex mechanics, so it might not be for everyone, but if you want to feel like a cult enacting revenge through eldritch rituals, I’d recommend checking this out!

Tales from the Aerosphere, by EfanGamez.

Tales from the Aerosphere is an original steampunk TTRPG that is powered by the Neon Nights system, a system that prioritizes seemingly limitless character creation freedom. From medics, to assassins, to mechanics, to a literal barbarian, there are THOUSANDS of character combinations you can play in Tales from the Aerosphere.

This game has its own setting, but all of the set pieces could be dropped, altered or changed if you like. The focus on this game is on character creation: the creator has outlined a number of discrete parts that you can use to not just put a unique character together, but tell you something about the world you’re in. If you’re a Spy, then there’s some kind of international conflict that hasn’t blown open into full-out war yet - perhaps there’s technology being developed that some nations don’t want others to learn about.

The game is extremely steampunk, with airships, CogWare that gives you exceptional abilities, and Tesla technology. It’s going to be on the more fantastical side of things, so if you really want to immerse yourself in another world, why not give it a go?

Shot & Splinters, by Tom Mecredy.

Shot & Splinters is a tabletop roleplaying game of naval adventure, inspired by Horatio Hornblower, Aubrey & Maturin, and Richard Sharpe. Drawing on history but not beholden to it, the game is set against the backdrop of the Napoleonic Wars, thrusting your characters into the heart of the conflict. 

If you want seafaring and piracy, this is probably the game for you. It’s set in a napoleonic time frame, but it has strange creatures located upon uncharted waters. The mechanics are OSR, so expect simple stats, tables upon tables of gear, and a hex crawl map of the uncharted seas. If you want more adventure in this world, you can also check out Beneath the Battlements, a city crawl that brings your characters through a city under invasion. Honestly, I think this game might be the closest on the list of what you're looking for in terms of technology level, and possibly theme.

Games I’ve Recommended in the Past

Lady Blackbird, by John Harper.

[shithowdy]

if you want a perfect example of what guillermo del toro meant when he said that animation is afflicted with "emoji-style behavior" akin to "emotional pornography" then look no further than this clip Disney posted from their Proud Family reboot

everyone has said enough about the dangerous and abusive parenting depicted for laughs in this so i'm not going to post about that; i'm going to instead dwell on the lazy shorthand body language that leaves no room for interpretation. the character is never allowed to turn away from the camera, have a moment of silence, or show subtlety in their facial expression-- every movement tells, not shows, exactly what the character feels.

(as an aside, wow-- taking these shots i realized the mom's lineart clips real bad into the phone hand at multiple points)

look at these expressions and movements. this doesn't convey a relatable childhood frustration of parents valuing control over safety, this looks like the lead-in to a mobile game ad where she gets guided through a series of traps except when you play it it's actually just bejeweled again:

Even the details themselves are deeply insulting to the intended young audience-- the phone's time depicts it being afternoon (don't worry, just reuse assets, kids won't notice):

and in the end, she gets handed a scrooge mcduck sack of coins with a big dollar sign for... bus fare, a very normal and relatable way to carry around one's coinage, because god forbid he just hand her a regular coinpurse or a ziplock bag full of quarters or literally anything a normal person would (i get they are an eccentric family and the show has exaggerated visuals, but, come on-- let's work on tone). are they afraid a six-year-old won't understand what's in an unlabeled coinpurse via the spoken context?

anyway like, not my fandom and not my business or whatever, but god what a dire clip for so many reasons. disney needs to stop undervaluing its animators, the very cornerstone of its existence as a company. it's embarrassing that one of the wealthiest companies in the world can't quality control its animation or take a little risk with emotional complexity.

editing to add (it's 4am and i'm ranting sorry) that the original quote about emoji behavior was more specifically directed at animated feature films, but i think the sentiment shouldn't just be reserved for it. kids are smart and absorb everything that enters their radius, and i think that needs to be respected in the art we make for them too.

[themedievalproject]

Textile Time: House of Dragons Season Two Opening Credits

It took nearly 2 years for House of Dragons to come back to us and yes, this post is a bit late with only one episode left of the season 😬 but I’m trying to embrace the "it's better late than never," and I'm working on being an im-perfectionist these days, so here we go.

A rush of excitement ran through me like an electric jolt as I heard the first notes of epic opening credits theme.

I settled in on the couch and to my utter delight, I saw not the expected template of blood spreading rapidly while fueling the mechanical architectural map of last season and GoT but a fabric becoming blood stained as it is digitally embroidered, threading a chronicle of Targaryen history (updated throughout the season) and expanding before our eyes.

What makes the new opening credits so stunning beyond the Targaryen content is the method in which the captivating digital embroidered effect, coined “threadification,” is executed by design studio yU+co’s 3D division. Kudos for taking a medieval art and a modern art form and created a striking Medieval-esque masterpiece.

The success of which can only be credited to the commitment in understanding the threading process and how it could be transformed into a digital media.

I embroider myself and am self-taught. It was something I picked up more than a year ago, so this truly hit the spot for me.

Research pays off

yU+co’s design team studied the embroidery process from the Game of Thrones Tapestry and examined the Apocalypse Tapestry. It comes as no surprise that the GoT show runner would pitch The Bayeux Tapestry as inspiration for yU+co. 

The Bayeux Tapestry is not a tapestry!, it is a 1,000 year old embroidery narrative depicting the series of events leading up to the Norman conquest of England in 1066, fought between William the Conqueror, Duke of Normandy and Harold, Earl of Wessex, later King of England.

Using this real world pictorial testimony of medieval war as a guide for the House of Dragons opening scenes only adds to the credibility and stellar execution.

Now a confession -

I was only this many years old when I found out about the existence of the Game of Thrones Tapestry😳. I thought I was a fan.. but apparently I was living under a rock because how did I miss this amazing piece of GoT content and art???!?

Game of Thrones Tapestry, Season 7, Episode 4 📸 Kal242382, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

I believed the new opening credit sequence was completely original, as in no embroidery existed in the GoT world until HoD’s season two opening. Nevertheless, the opening credits are still amazing, still impressive, still educating people about the middle ages and how not dark they were.

Embroidery vs Tapestry

Magaret Wade Labarge in her article, "Stitches in Time: Medieval embroidery in its Social Setting," defines embroidery as:

"..the art of applying decoration by needle and thread to the surface of a piece of woven cloth, usually called the "ground." It is an optional decoration worked after the while weaving process, including the dyeing and finishing, has been completed."

When we look at the Bayeux Tapestry we clearly see the richly colored stitches embroidered on top of a cloth. The “design” is independent of the weave.

See what the Bayeux Museum has to say for itself-

So why does this misnomer matter? Because knowledge is power or maybe not, but you never know when this topic will come up at a dinner party or when you might bump into Chris Helsworth.

But really why should you care? First of all, it's important not to take things at face value, like The Bayeux Tapestry. And also this visual record is an extraordinary piece of history. Do you know how difficult it is to find textiles that survive, let alone in this condition?

The Norman Conquest was a big deal in European History. French speaking Normans ended up conquering England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland and even got to Southern Italy and Sicily! And, in doing so, they brought a wealth of new words, thousands of which are still used by us English speakers today.

Want more?

How the Medieval Tapestry in the New ‘House of the Dragon’ Opening Sequence Got Its Weave

Game of Thrones Tapestry

Frenchified English - thank you, Normans

[soranihimawari]

Somewhere Only We Know

Pairing: (implied) Nanami x reader x (platonic!) Gojo

Word Count: tbd

Rating: MA

TW: language, a beheading is mentioned

"Perhaps it's about time you knew of what happened to this place," you sigh into your coffee mug. It's been nearly three lifetimes since you've made the journey home. Your child, a halfling, stares up at you from the trunk they sit upon.

"You always asked about your father," I smile sweetly as I think about the yesteryears. "He was a proud man, like you."

You put the coffee mug down next to your child. The blonde streaks in their hair are now a silvery white, aged with wisdom and grace. A few scars surely litter their clothed body, hunting curses is a nasty business, however today was a special day.

Inhaling a deep breath, you begin your tale with the old addage, "Once upon a time..."

The land was a dark and cruel world-filled with reddened earth and volcanic sand. Quite barbaric, yet you seemed to have thrived. Evolutionary lines occur like normal, until the paranormal begins to develop along side it.

Centuries later, as time would have it, you did come to be born in this world. You were dubbed a ghost-royal. Your family had failed to successfully hide you as they were mere peasants. Peasants in the outer kingdom of a peculiar ring of the cursed world. Being a mortal here is a taboo, yet here you were with your parents' initial regenerative gene.

Over time, you grew into an adult, wild and free in your choices. This attracts the attention of curses. They report back to the oddities of your hobbies. In your mortal life, wars break out every now and then, you somehow out maneuver the enemy invaders most of the time. Skills like you being a keen strategist has you catching the eye of a king.

This king, this tyrant, chooses to send his cursed minions after you.

You've been quick with your wit, strategies, and whatnot can only get you so far. Mortal short-sightedness has now led you to be on your knees, chained up like a criminal. The king of curses sits on his throne of skulls. He leaves you with a choice: join him as a mortal eye or have your line end with you.

"As long as you don't have a loving bone in your body, my allegiance lies with you," your eyes are determined. "Whatever keeps me alive."

And alive it has made you. Body modifications, surgeries, etc. Time progressed around you and you had turned 30 years old according to the mortal realm. Your books in the tower carved out for you in the palace has left you bored. You can't keep reading the same books of witchcraft, myths, and legends especially if you are one yourself. Dubbed the Ghost Royal, you were seen by many of the king's men as a pet, a most valued concubine, or just a mortal milking the fascination of the king.

Regardless, one night, in the middle of the king satisfying his woman of choice, you make a bold move as you were told to merely watch. Watch as he kisses her, holds her, fucks her forwards and backwards, moaning in elicit pleasure when all four arms and stomach tongue entertain her. You are curious if you could even make those sounds, those faces, so you boldly ask at the height of their ecstasy:

"Lord Sukuna? Let me visit the surface world...it's for research purposes," your voice is background noise after a particularly loud moan coming from the woman.

A grunt of acknowledgment is heard from your lord and master, so you make it out like a thief in the night.

Summer's eve has come to pass. You break out of the mausoleum the last stairs that Charon guided you to. Death has a place in all religions and creed, even myths die, yet you press the golden coins to the old boat driver. The world you've read so much about is modernized. You walk around in old robes with singed threads. Many of the people who see you walk out of the cemetery give you weird stares. Either they are in awe of you, or the fact you speak a language no one can barely understand makes things a bit complicated.

Things become more tumultuous when you see a man, around six feet tall, cerulean spectacles, sharp features, hone in on you. He has someone with him. A gray haired annoyingly talkative friend, perhaps? When the first one sees you, he nods to his friend who also gives you a look of acknowledgement. Are they sorcerers like you? Or are the foes who fight against the tyranny of the king you serve.

Needless to say, they both approach you. With one on either side, they gently grab your arm and lead you down a close alleyway.

"What do we do?" the white haired one asks. "We can't just leave a fine person here on her own. They did come up to the surface..."

"Gojo," the one on your right is thoroughly annoyed. You might not understand what a 'Gojo' is, but you understand the distasteful tone. "They are a curse. Look at how they're dressed. Must've come from Sukuna's hellscape."

You must've seemed terrified or rather your features relaxed, bowing your head in defeat for being found out.

"Look, Nanamin, ya made 'em deflate," the one you new was called Gojo now speaks.

"Do we exorcise it?" Nanami does not hesitate, gripping the handle of his cleaver.

You glance up tilt your head to the side before you open your mouth to speak. You're trying to say no in every conceivable language, attempting to plead your case why they shouldn't. However, you should know your master's reach is a far one. Mahito, the one he sends after you, enters the cemetery and soon finds your location.

Things were about to get worse before they got better.

"Oh, it's you," your ears know that voice anywhere.

Sighing you pick up the wilted flowers you replaced. You glance up at the shaded tree, recalling how once upon a time, you came here with those two human sorcerers who taught you how all life-cursed or not-is precious. How you saw past their entertaining banter makes you smile while you let Mahito go on and on about his latest adventures with the one they all fear: Kenjaku. Needless to say, Mahito turns to leave and right before he is rightfully beheaded, you give him a warning:

"Mahito, watch where you're going. I hear Malaysia's got a present waiting for you."

You barely hear the slice of the air as strands of iced periwinkle hair contort in the wind. A beheading well deserved. You turn your attention to the two graves. Granted, it's nearly been a century (a blink of an eye to you), however you kneel down and burn away the excessive moss growth: "rest now-both of you."

[leviackermanscleaningbuddy]

Yaaay prompt game

How about image 1 nmbr 39 and image 4 nmbr 36

Members minho and jisung, although i dont care of its them as pairing or a member/y/n pair .... i just want both of them involved lol love your work

Byeeee

SKZ prompt game

Prompts: "We need to talk about what happened last night."

"Could he make you feel as good as I do?"

Members: Lee Minho, Han Jisung

Relationship: Pirate Captain!Minho x Merman!Jisung

Genre: Fluff, Angst

Warnings: Mentions of slavery kind of? They're gonna sell Jisung but they don't actually because Minho's a secret softie.

Minho didn't believe in Fate.

He'd seen enough thoroughly prepared ships crushed against rocks by unexpected storms and enough reliable old maps lead to the middle of fuck knows where to believe in that shit.

He did, however, believe in using the stars as a guide, in his grandfather's heirloom compass which had yet to lead him wrong, and in the value of a good brewed beer after a particularly rough day at sea.

No, Minho did not believe in Fate.

But, as it turns out, he did believe in Merfolk.

And sometimes, Fate comes disguised as a particularly pretty Merman with large dark eyes and a propensity for bad luck and a heart as bottomless as the depths he came from.

And Minho-nonbeliever that he is-might have to reconsider that he'll need more than the stars and his trusty compass on his side to get him out of this mess.

********************************************************************************

"Down here, Cap'n."

Minho ducks his head beneath a low lying beam as he follows his first mate into the bowls of the ship, already cursing himself for wasting time over this.

When the crew had come to him and told him they'd caught a Merman in their nets that morning, he'd been uninterested, waving them off and telling them to throw the thing back.

But then they had convinced him to keep the pathetic thing-on his ship no less-and see what coin they could glean from selling him off to the highest bidder at the next port.

And now Minho is well and truly fucked.

The first mate comes to a stop outside of one of the cabin doors, and Minho takes in a deep breath, pinching his nose as he feels the beginnings of a headache coming on.

They should be well and truly underway to their next destination by now.

Instead, they have yet to push off from their anchoring spot because of this little 'find.'

Minho is not happy.

His first mate must sense that, because he offers some mumbled excuse and flees the scene, leaving Minho standing outside of the locked door, warily considering whether he actually wants to see what's on the other side or not.

He really should just let his men do what they wish here-it doesn't affect him either way-but he is the captain, and he can't have underhanded dealings happening without his sanctioning.

Thus, the door before him.

With another deep, disgruntled sigh, Minho unlocks the padlock and steps inside the small bunk room, shutting the door firmly behind him, before he takes in the cramped quarters.

There's the two narrow bunks shoved up against the far wall, the latrine bucket in the corner, and a rickety chair in the opposite corner, jammed against the wall for stability.

In said chair sits a man-dark complexioned, wavy, long black hair-large, doe eyes study Minho with the same wary consideration he's now staring back with.

Minho notes that the man has very two human legs beneath the overly large tunic he wears.

"Are you going to say anything? Or are you just going to stand there?" The mystery man asks with slight annoyance, arching a brow at Minho, crossing one slender leg over the other.

Minho's eyes catch on the delicate chain he wears around his ankle, the shells tinkling lightly against each other as he moves.

Minho returns the man's stare and asks steadily, "Do you always take on human form when on land, sea dweller?"

The man snorts, rolling his eyes heavenward, as if Minho is stupid.

When he glances back to him, there's a slight curve of a smirk on his plump lips, and Minho's gaze drifts unwittingly to his mouth.

"A tail would be quite inconvenient on land, would it not?" The man queries with slight amusement.

He kicks a long leg toward Minho, the smooth skin slightly shiny in the lantern light, as if his scales shimmer just out of sight beneath.

"24 hours. That's how long it lasts."

Minho's gaze catches the merman's once more, and he finds curiosity raising its head unbidden at his words.

"How long it lasts?" He repeats carefully, suddenly wary again, as if the man sitting before him is hiding some sort of secret skill or weapon from his knowledge that he should know about.

The man snorts again. "My legs." He reiterates, slower this time, as if Minho isn't understanding something.

It makes his skin prickle with annoyance, but he holds his place solidly against the door.

"I'll need water again after the time period is up." The man continues, stretching his legs out in front of him, staring at them as if he's really seeing them for the first time. "That's how it works. 24 hours on land, and then back to the sea."

Minho fights the urge to ask him anything else, and instead, holds his face expressionless as the merman once again looks him up and down, openly studying him.

"Well." Minho clears his throat and pushes off the door, reaching for the handle.

He's seen quite enough.

"Luckily for you, we should reach our next port well within the time period. You'll be sold off and no longer my problem by the time you need to return to the sea. Your new owner can then decide whether to give you what you need or let you suffer."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa."

Minho hears the chair screech, and the man clamber to his feet, slight panic in his tone.

He doesn't turn around, his hand still on the door knob.

"You can't-" The man falters, as if deciding how to win Minho over. His voice is smaller when he speaks again, trembling with something akin to anger. "You can't do that."

"Why?" Minho asks blankly without looking. His fingers clench tighter around the knob. "Why can't I?" He turns to look at the man now, standing beside the thrown chair, hands in fists at his side. "You stumbled into my nets cast by my crew, you're on my ship-you're my property now, sea dweller, and I can do with you what I see fit."

The merman's whole body trembles, and Minho doesn't know if it's from rage or fear.

"You can't." He repeats, softer this time. "Do you know what they'll do to me?"

Minho arches a brow. "I don't, but I find I don't care."

And with that, he turns and leaves the room, locking the door behind him and making his way back toward deck.

God, he really hates the underbelly of the ship.

********************************************************************************

When they reach the next port, Minho gets bad news.

Bad fucking news indeed.

"No." He slams his knife down into the wood of his desk, making his first mate flinch across the room. His eyes flash and he can feel the anger-hot and heavy-start to wash over him. "We're not keeping that thing aboard."

"But cap'n-" The mate tries again, holding out his hands and inching forward, as if that will soothe Minho's ire.

It doesn't.

"We've heard from some reputable sources that we'll catch a mighty fine price fer the merman if we wait and sell him in one of the bigger ports where there are more bidders."

Minho can see the greed sparkling in his first mate's dark eyes, and he curses himself for not seeing this was coming.

They're pirates.

Of bloody course they want to get the biggest haul imaginable.

It's what they do. What they all do.

"If we keep that thing on here for more than 24 hours, we're gonna have more fucking problems than a few lost coins." Minho growls, digging the sharp point of his knife deeper into the wood.

The first mate nods, his cap still held respectfully in front of him. "We understand, and we've accounted fer everything, Cap'n."

Minho blows out a harsh breath, staring past the other man, out to the dark rolling waves of the sea beyond the bow.

Finally, he wrenches his knife from the wood and throws it down wearily.

"Fine. But I don't want to hear a word about it. And if that thing gets out of control, it's on your head."

He motions with a jerk of his head toward the door.

"Now get the fuck out of my quarters."

********************************************************************************

They're two days into their journey when Minho breaks his word.

The door to his private quarters opens and the first mate shoves the merman inside, looking more than a little worse for wear since the last time Minho saw him.

"Leave us." He commands, and his man leaves without a word, shutting the door behind him.

Minho stands from behind the table, walking slowly toward the man, hands behind his back, looking him slowly up and down, as if he's eying an animal on sale at an auction.

The merman holds his ground, staring Minho down, but the circles under his eyes are darker than Minho remembers, the sway of his feet on the deck a little more pronounced.

Minho comes to a stop in front of him, and cocks his head.

"I hear you've been refusing the food my men give you."

A slight sneer flashes across the merman's lips, and Minho catches sight of a flash of sharp, pointed teeth. "If slop is considered food, then yes."

Minho doesn't waver. "I'm providing for you out of the grace of hospitality you know. I could just let you starve."

The man lifts his chin and continues to stare Minho down. "Why do you care?"

Minho pulls his knife from his breast pocket, and ticks the sharp point lightly beneath the other man's chin, forcing him to hold his gaze as he arches his brow pointedly.

"You are my product, sea dweller. If I don't present you in the best possible condition, what will my buyers think?"

The merman's lips twist into a slight growl, and Minho smirks, turning away.

He crosses back to sit down behind the table-laden with his five course supper-and flips his knife end over end mindlessly, playing with it between his fingers before he glances back up to the other man, watching him warily.

"Come." He motions to the chair across from him with the knife. "Sit."

The man doesn't move, and Minho sighs.

"That wasn't an invitation. You can sit of your own free will, or I can simply call back in my first mate to force your hand. Your choice."

After a brief second of hesitation, the man crosses the room and stiffly settles into the chair across from Minho.

"Good." Minho nudges a platter heaped high with broiled, crispy fish toward him. "Now eat."

The merman hesitates briefly, eying the food, as if Minho is going to poison him, and with another long sigh, he leans forward, grabbing one of the fish and ripping it to shreds between his teeth as the merman watches.

He makes a show of chewing and swallowing, staring pointedly at the other man the whole time.

Only once he has swallowed the bite of fish and washed it down with some red wine, does the man across from him make a move toward the offered food.

Minho watches him tear apart a fish hungrily with his abnormally sharp teeth, followed closely by a second, and a third, and only when he stops to take a long gulp of wine does Minho allow himself to speak.

"The darkness of the underbelly does nothing for your complexion. We cannot arrive in port with you looking peaky. You shall be allowed above deck, staring tomorrow, with my supervision of course."

The man glances up at him, surprise and suspicion written clearly in his dark eyes, and Minho holds his gaze, leaning forward to rest on his elbows as he studies him.

"One slip of your siren song though, and I shall chain you to the bulwark in the dungeon until we arrive."

The merman snorts, and reaches for another fish, eyeing Minho with open judgement.

"Siren songs are a myth. Merfolk can't compel anyone. We're made out to be big scary creatures of legend with razor sharp teeth who lure unwitting sailors to their doom and feast on their flesh, but all of those stories were made up by humans who were too scared to face the truth for what it actually was."

"Which is?" Minho can't help himself from asking, and the man pauses, staring at him.

He gives a little shrug. "That we're just like you, if you can look past the scales and the giant tail."

Minho sits back, watching him steadily as he rips into the fish, and something inside of him knows the merman is telling him the truth.

But why?

And why does he suddenly find that he cares?

*******************************************************************************

Minho watches the merman watch the sea and he realizes something.

They both love it.

They're alike in that regard.

They both can't get enough of the unpredictable waves, the dark, mysterious depths, the roiling violence that belies the calm that lies just underneath.

Minho has always loved the sea, and he's never quite met anyone who loves it just as much as he does.

That is, until he met him.

Minho watches for another moment-the way his face lights up as he glances past the long dark strands of his hair to watch the seabirds circle, the way his fingers tap along the railing, as if he itches to run them through the cold, turquoise water below.

He watches, and then he steps up silently beside the man and asks without preamble, "Do you have a name, sea dweller?"

The man glances at him sidelong, face suspicious and suddenly shuttered, and Minho finds himself missing the open softness he had sported moments ago while regarding the sea.

Something inside him wants this strange man to look at him the same way.

Finally, he says, "Jisung."

Minho wants to repeat the name, try it out on his tongue, see how it feels to roll around in his mouth, but instead, he hums in acknowledgement beneath his breath, and glances back out to the safety of the waves.

The sea is familiar.

This merman-Jisung-is not.

There is a beat of silence, and then Jisung says with slight irritation, "Well? Are you going to return the favor? Or shall I just call you 'captain' the rest of my time here?"

Minho glances to him, and can't help the smirk that crosses his lips at his words.

"I wouldn't be opposed."

And then, Jisung does something Minho never thought he'd see.

He blushes.

He looks away and clears his throat, his gaze once again fixed on the waves cutting sharp around the ship's bow.

Minho feels something inside him soften, and he says, softer this time, for only Jisung to hear-"Minho. My name is Minho."

Jisung glances to him in surprise, full lips slightly parted, and then shuts his mouth once more, letting his gaze follow Minho's down to the familiarity of the sea.

He gives a nod, and whether it's accidental or not, his finger brushes Minho's for the briefest moment on the railing.

Below them, the sea laughs.

********************************************************************************

It's been four days since they left the last port, and Jisung has eaten with Minho in his private cabin every night.

As Minho watches the merman dig into another plate of fish, something inside of him nags, sour and unsettled.

Only two more days until they reach their home port, and then what?

Minho knows. He's known from the beginning.

His crew will look to him to auction off Jisung to the highest bidder and that's that.

He's known that was the plan all along, so why, now, suddenly, does it put a hollow pit in his stomach?

Minho comes back to himself to find Jisung watching him curiously, the half eaten fish held lax in his hands.

"What?" He asks, a little more sharply than intended, but Jisung just smiles and goes back to eating.

"Nothing."

Minho shoves his food around his plate a few times, but doesn't take anymore bites.

He finds he's suddenly not hungry.

His gaze is once again pulled unwittingly back to the man across from him, and this time, when his eyes meet Jisung's shockingly dark orbs, he doesn't say anything.

Instead, the merman huffs a little laugh and shakes his head. "You do that a lot, you know."

"Do what?" Minho asks, butterflies suddenly swarming in his stomach.

He flips his knife around in his fingers, just to ground himself.

"Stare at me." Jisung announces, cocking his head, as if he's studying Minho right back.

Minho gives a little half shrug and directs his gaze back to his plate. "Just thinking of all the money I'm going to get from your pretty ass."

The sound of a chair scooting back, and then suddenly, Jisung is in front of him, leaning back against the table, crowded between his legs.

Minho feels like he can't breathe.

A smirk crosses Jisung's lips as he stares down at Minho.

"You think I'm pretty?"

Minho feels panic start to creep across his skin.

His fingers tighten on the arms of his chair in an effort to control himself, to not reach out and touch the man standing directly in front of him.

Between his legs.

"Relatively, for a sea dweller." Minho says gruffly, trying to play this whole thing off, because the longer Jisung is in his space, smelling like surf and salt and looking that good, the harder it is to keep his hands to himself.

Jisung continues to stare at him, and Minho feels a muscle tick in his jaw.

"I'm curious about you, captain." Jisung admits, reaching up to run the tip of his finger down Minho's cheekbone, and Minho practically growls at the physical contact.

Jisung had told him that siren songs were a myth, but then what the hell was happening to him right now?

His body was on fire. He'd never felt anything like this.

"What about me?" Minho manages to grate out through clenched teeth, suddenly wondering how Jisung's long dark hair would feel between his fingers.

Probably fucking amazing.

Jisung tips his head, his lips curving upward. "Do you have a lover? Perhaps, lovers?"

Minho doesn't miss the sharpness to Jisung's questions, but he can't quite put his finger on what emotion flickers across his dark eyes before it's gone.

"Life on the sea is lonely. That's just how it is." Minho remarks quietly, seriously. "I don't usually take it upon myself to get to know people long enough that I grow attached."

"Ah." Jisung hums like he understandings, flashing those sharp teeth at Minho as he smiles. "I see. A lone wolf type then."

"More like a jaded, cynical sea captain who doesn't stay in one port for more than a few days." Minho retorts back, his own lips starting to curl into the hint of a sardonic, humorless smile.

Jisung leans closer, and Minho catches the smell of driftwood and seaweed, before he's placing his palms against the planes of Minho's chest to steady himself.

His skin is warm, and Minho is sure the other man can feel his heart pick up pace beneath his touch.

"Interesting." Jisung muses softly, eyes never leaving Minho's. "What about someone in the crew? Your cook? She seems to like you." His lips hint at a smirk. "For whatever odd reason."

Minho scoffs beneath his breath, staring into the dark depths of Jisung's eyes, so much like the turbulent waves of the sea at night. "She's very sweet, but she's not my type."

"What is your type?" Jisung pushes, and Minho watches the way his plump pink lips form his words, hears the sultry lull of his voice, and fuck, if he isn't in trouble.

Fuck it. He's going to do it.

His hands find the curve of Jisung's tiny waist, and something inside of him settles into place.

"Sea dwellers who have a penchant for being in the wrong place at the wrong time, usually." Minho replies back in little more than a murmur, a smile tilting his lips as he stares at Jisung.

Jisung grins, all heart shaped and razor toothed.

"I've been waiting to hear you say that ever since I came aboard, captain."

Minho arches a brow. "I'm sure you had more pressing issues on your mind when we first met. Like how to escape my ship and crew."

Jisung shakes his head with a little, soft laugh that has Minho feeling warm all over.

"No way. I caught one glimpse of you, and you're all I've thought about ever since."

He's practically sitting in his lap now, arms around Minho's neck, and it takes next to nothing for him to lean forward and connect their mouths with a hunger that catches Minho off guard.

But Jisung's lips are soft and satiny, and he tastes like salt and sun, and soon, Minho finds himself slipping his tongue inside the other man's mouth, abandoning all previous hesitations.

Jisung groans into the kiss, and Minho tightens his grip on his waist, tugging him to him, running his hands up and down his body.

He swipes his tongue along the inside of Jisung's teeth, and a sharp painful sting has him pulling back abruptly, tasting a sudden salty, copper flow of blood in his mouth.

Jisung stares at him for a brief moment in horror, his eyes flicking to his lips, and Minho grins, bloody teeth and all.

"Seems like the stories were right about the razor sharp teeth."

"I'm sorry-" Jisung starts to squeak out, but Minho silences him with another kiss.

"Shut up-" He whispers, palming Jisung's face and tugging him down to him once more with a smirk. "-and let's get to the bottom of all the other myths."

********************************************************************************

"We need to talk about what happened last night."

Minho doesn't look at Jisung, staring through the spyglass at the approaching port, and consequently, the looming, bustling city behind it.

"Do we?" He queries back, his attention still on the direction of the hull, the speed of the wind, the slap of the waves.

"Yes." Jisung argues, standing in front of Minho with his hands on his hips, blocking his view with a scowl.

He drops his voice as Minho lets the spyglass drop with a sigh.

"We can't just-" He blushes, shrugging slightly, and Minho leans against the ship's wheel now, smirking with amusement. "-you know, and then not talk about it."

"Why?" Minho asks, enjoying watching Jisung squirm now, pinning him beneath his pointed gaze. "I do it all the time."

Jisung stomps his foot. He actually stomps his foot.

Minho resists the urge to laugh.

"Well I don't." Jisung pushes back, and Minho wants to pinch his cute red cheeks between his fingers.

He glances past Jisung as a flash of movement catches his eye, and sees his first mate standing down on the deck, staring up at them.

When he notices Minho looking at him, he leers, motioning to Jisung with a tip of his head, before he mimes rubbing gold coins between his fingers.

Minho has known the plan all along. He has.

But now that he can see the port, barely half a day's journey out, something sick and heavy settles into every bone in his body.

Suddenly, he knows, with an absolute certainty, that they can never talk about last night.

He brings his gaze back to the still pouting Jisung and steels his expression into something stern, something hard, something frozen.

When he speaks, his words are cold and firm, unyielding, unfeeling. "We will not be talking about last night, because that would blur the lines between us, giving you the false idea that you're anything more to me than incredibly lucrative cargo."

Jisung's face falls, and Minho feels something inside of him die.

"Minho-" Jisung whispers, reaching out a hand for him, and Minho jerks away, turning back to the ship's wheel and the deserted spy glass.

"You'll be confined to your quarters until we reach the port. My first mate will bring you ashore when we arrive. Until then, do not forget your place aboard my ship, sea dweller. You are still a captive here. Now, leave."

Minho doesn't let himself watch as Jisung walks away.

********************************************************************************

Minho eats alone that night.

And the next day, they reach the port.

He steps foot on shore as his crew begins to unload their cargo, and oversees the carting of dozens of boxes holding priceless, stolen artifacts to the warehouse before he allows himself to retire to the small residence he keeps here.

He doesn't see Jisung.

Maybe that's for the best. Not until the auction later tonight.

Minho spends all day trying to force his thoughts anywhere other than the upcoming bidding.

When the sun dips below the horizon, washing the sea in pink, Minho straightens his waistcoat and opens the door to reveal his first mate ready and waiting.

He arches a brow. "Well?"

The man grins, and steps aside, revealing Jisung's huddled frame hidden behind his large hulking one, clad in a pair of trousers and a loose linen shirt far too big for him.

Immediately, something inside Minho tolls a warning.

The man pushes Jisung toward Minho, and Jisung stumbles, pitching forward.

Minho catches him easily, holding him up, and the merman's skin burns against his own.

"What the fuck did you do?" Minho growls at his man, still keeping Jisung from hitting the ground, as the merman stares up at him with bleary, unfocused eyes.

His skin has been sapped of all color, and he's trembling so violently that Minho can feel the vibrations work their way through his own body.

The first mate shrugs.

"We just thought we shouldn't give 'im access to the water before the auction, cap'n, makes 'em too strong and his new keeper will want 'im sweet and docile, don't ya think?"

He has the audacity to grin and wink at Minho-wink-and Minho sees red.

He's trembling now too-trembling with fury, with rage-as he stares down at the beautiful merman in his arms, weak and helpless.

"Get out." Minho whispers, voice strangled, and the big man stares at him in confusion.

"Cap'n-"

"Get. Out." Minho roars, and the man scurries back down the path with his tail between his legs.

Minho doesn't waste time watching him go.

He carries Jisung bridal style into the house, already calling for one of the waiting men he employs on his small staff.

The man appears instantly, and if he's surprised to see his master carrying a limp man in his arms, he doesn't show it.

"Yes sir?"

Minho is already going up the stairs as he barks over his shoulder, "Get me my tub, bring it to my private quarters, and fill it to the brim. Now!"

The man rushes off to do his bidding.

Minho kicks in the door to his room, leaving dirty boot marks on the fine wood, and stands there for a moment, Jisung still in his arms.

He's not really sure what to do now.

Minho feels a brush of a finger on his cheek, and he glances down as Jisung's limp hand makes contact with his face in a little brush of acknowledgement.

Minho feels the panic well up again as he sees just how pale Jisung really is.

Where is that damn footman?

"I'm sorry-" Jisung whispers out, voice barely above a breath, but Minho shakes his head, cutting him off.

"You have nothing to be sorry for." And he means it. "I was a complete asshole, and you deserve so much better."

Jisung's lips part, as if he wants to say something, but all that comes out is a soft little puff of breath.

The footman appears, carrying Minho's large ornate copper tub, and as he settles it in front of the fire place, the maids follow, carrying large steaming buckets full to the brim with water.

They make quick work of filling the tub, and Minho dismisses them with a wave of his hand.

The footman shuts the door quietly on his way out.

Suddenly, Minho's unsure once again.

"Any water will do?" He asks Jisung, more than a little uncertain as he stares at the tub.

Maybe he needs to take him to the actual sea and dunk him beneath the waves-

Jisung is nodding weakly. "Yeah. Any water." He gives a hoarse little laugh. "Beggars can't be choosers."

Minho would laugh at the poorly timed joke if he weren't currently so worried he could scream.

He moves to place Jisung in the filled tub and pauses, glancing down at his clothes. "Do you want-?"

Jisung shakes his head in response. "It's fine. I can take them off when I get in."

Minho gives a curt nod, because the thought of undressing Jisung with the way his hands are currently trembling is probably not the best idea, and leans over the lip of the tub.

"Ready?" He asks softly, staring into Jisung large, dark eyes, and the merman nods.

Without another word, Minho carefully lowers the man's body into the water.

The effect is immediate.

Jisung's dull eyes regain their sparkle, his skin flushes with healthy copper again, the shuddering of his body stops completely, and before Minho can even think to react, he's laughing.

"Holy fuck. I really thought I wasn't going to make it that time." Jisung admits breathlessly, playing with the ripples of the water as he grins.

It's weird, but the water almost seems to want to move toward Jisung, encircling his body and lapping at his skin like it's greeting an old friend.

But the thing that really draws Minho's attention is the large, webbed tail hanging over the lip of the tub and dripping on the floor where Jisung's legs used to be, covered in shining, iridescent scarlet scales, that almost hurt Minho's eyes to look at directly.

Jisung must notice his gaze, because he flips his fins a little for Minho's perusal, his smile dropping just a little.

"Oh, right. You haven't seen this before."

The air is suddenly warm with something unsaid, as Minho takes a step closer to the tub, eyes still locked on the merman's large, muscular tail.

Jisung clears his throat and when he speaks, his words are laced with nervous energy.

"It's weird, I know, and people don't usually know how to react-"

"It's beautiful." Minho breathes, and Jisung immediately shuts up, jaw dropping, his large dark eyes watching as Minho takes another step, and then another.

"Really?" The other man asks quietly, his voice shaking slightly.

Minho nods, studying the sweeping pattern of the scales, the perfectly angled fins made for cutting through the water.

His hand itches to reach out, to touch-

He glances to Jisung for confirmation as his hand wavers just short of the tub, just short of the merman's magnificent scales.

"May I?" He asks, and Jisung gives a short nod.

Minho lets his hand rest on the curve of Jisung's tail, just below the fins, and the scales are rough beneath his palms, but almost slick at the same time, like the salt of the ocean coats them even when he's on land.

He feels the thousands of muscles move individually beneath his touch as Jisung moves his fins just a little, and Minho suddenly can't breathe.

This is amazing.

And weirdly intimate.

But surprisingly, Minho feels calmer than he's ever felt in his entire life.

Something inside of him settles into place, just like the night he kissed Jisung.

He glances up to see the merman watching him, and Minho holds his gaze, his hand still resting on his scales.

"How long do you stay like this?"

Jisung gives a little half shrug. "It's my natural form, so, forever, if I want? But it's kinda hard to get around on land with a tail."

He lifts his fins for good measure with a roguish grin that isn't good for Minho's heart.

"My legs will reappear when I leave the water if that's what I need at the time."

Minho nods thoughtfully, and then Jisung asks quietly, "Though, you might get a higher price if you let the bidders see my true nature."

Minho jerks his head up, everything coming to a crashing halt.

He removes his hand from Jisung as if he's been burned.

The red is back, creeping along the edges of his vision.

"I'm not going to let anyone else fucking touch you." He swears vehemently, and Jisung's eyes go wide.

His mouth forms a little 'o.'

"When did you-"

"The first night you ate dinner with me." Minho admits, his tone lowering, his expression gentling. "I knew you were no longer something I could ignore."

Jisung's lips curve up into the hint of a smile. "Not just cargo then?"

Minho winces slightly at his former, hurtful words and shakes his head. "It's been a long time since I thought of you that way."

Jisung cocks his head, studying him silently, and then he pushes himself up with his arms out of the water, and Minho watches in amazement as his tail swiftly splits and forms back into two very human, very naked, legs as he leaves the tub.

Minho tries to stop his thoughts-and his gaze-from wandering, as Jisung approaches him.

"Why, captain." He purrs, leaning over where Minho sits, his arms going on the arms of the chair. "If I didn't know better, I'd think you have a soft spot for me."

"I do." Minho murmurs back breathlessly, his eyes tracing the droplets of water that drip down Jisung's bare chest, and if he squints, he can almost see the shimmering, rippling scales from before along his rib cage, just beneath his human skin. "Stay with me."

Jisung's eyes widen again, and shock ripples across his pretty face at Minho's candid plea.

His expression turns thoughtful, and Minho lunges upward, capturing the merman's lips with his as he pivots them back toward his bed, intent on showing him just what it would mean if he stayed.

His hands rover over Jisung's bare skin, his lithe, toned body pinned beneath him, and when they break for a breath, Jisung's full lips are swollen, red and slick from kissing.

Minho wants to never let him come up for air.

"Do you have someone waiting for you?" Minho asks carefully, not really wanting to hear the answer, but needing to know.

Jisung's lips curve into a teasing smile, one that has Minho's heart thudding against his chest.

He reaches up to brush Minho's long hair back behind his ear, his fingers playing with the piercings there.

"No." He finally says, slight amusement in his tone at the hopeful look that crosses Minho's face. He laughs, tugging Minho down for another kiss, where he murmurs against his lips, "Though there might be a certain merman that's severely going to miss our non-committed, no strings attached romps."

Minho growls at that, low in his throat, and pins Jisung's hands above his head, even as he laughs.

"Could he make you feel as good as I do?" Minho demands, lowering his lips to Jisung's bare skin, and Jisung's breath hitches.

"No." He admits again, breathless now, and Minho sucks a mark onto his heaving pec. "Minho, fuck, I-"

"What?" Minho growls out, letting his teeth scrap across the writhing Merman's bare hip bone.

"I haven't stopped thinking about that night since it happened." Jisung gasps out, arching up into Minho, and Minho's fingers dig into his hips.

He can almost feel the rough scales beneath his fingertips if he tries hard enough.

"Good." Minho remarks back, leaning over to plant a quick kiss onto Jisung's full, red lips. "Because I'm going to make every night feel like the first for as long as we both live."

Jisung arches a brow, lips curving. "Promise?"

Minho rewards his cheeky tone with a nip to the full, plush skin of his bottom lip, and thinks, for just a moment, that he's never been happier.

"Promise."

[plutonislunae]

Inaugural

"...let us lock arms to be a voice of a centuries old, withering deity, and sing to a sleeping soul the words of fair death, cut throat love, grief struck music, and witted justice— the themes a god finds his home in."

Greetings, fellowship. What you have just come across is the extracted essence of an oath poured to your acquaintance. The oath of solidarity and camaraderie for those seeking a purpose in this mere life. The society of Plutonis Lunae (PL) seeks to provide with this same purpose, much more so with the bewitching lure of the dead.

And what better a preacher, a conusseior of this art, than the abiding and just ruler of that which lures— the god of dead, Pluto.

Pluto: Celestial and Divine

As would be recalled to you, planet Pluto is named, much like its kin, after a Roman god. A god sidecast into the shadows, shown the way out of Olympus by those ichor-bound to him. A god bereaved of family, shouldering duties without appreciation. Such is the fate of a god, such is the fate of an entity stuck in an orbit.

So, where does Plutonis Lunae come in?

As a society, you may expect to find PL's work to be to pay homage to Pluto—the entities. Said work consists of endeavours of academic nature while giving a fair chance to additions and opinions. Expression is valued at PL and is considered crucial to participation. Your voices are indulged in, your words immersed in.

No religious adherence to Pluto mandatory.

Kindly feel free to resort to your pre established faith. Pluto is the face of the dead. Who could he not resemble? Who could a god not be?

Body: Celestial

The structure of PL's working body comprises five heads: the five moons of Pluto. His five followers. These followers, and more subjects if they desire to join and do not perish in the Styx, besides Charon, are guided by the ferryman to the land of the dead by a ceremony whose practices are best kept under the silk cloth.

How to reach the shores of Styx

To be eligible to be a part of such fellowship, one must be at most a year younger than maturity. Pluto, dear god, has held up his righteousness, his justice at all times*.

Candidates must be versed in the basics of Pluto's mythology and may be tested on the same. Similarly, knowledge of planet Pluto is equally appreciated.

Candidates must entertain a question in their mind: were they this era's Orpheus, and had the greek musician been a writer instead, would they have been able to bring tears to Hades' eyes? While such a question poses a lot of ambiguity and vagueness, it is insisted again that PL is an academic society of written or verbal expression.

Your way with words is what takes you far.

Charon's coin

What more is needed, if you possess just skills and desire to seek the land of your god, is but a coin. This metaphorical coin is what shall be the payment for your journey. As the holder of Charon's mortal position, what indeed do i expect? Not a coin strictly.

Presenting to you, Drachma:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeYzoFo78FpoqmgLv7kwaTYTAveyjANWO2AtfiK_LesJGPsPg/viewform?usp=sf_link

A small test, which if you pass, would get you certainly enrolled into the fellowship after a brief interview.

We at Plutonis Lunae await your response.

[sburbian-sage]

howdy, i just got into my third session, and its kinda setting in that I'm stuck in this forever now? fuck. gotta look on the bright side and all that, godly powers are cool. the trauma, not so much.

currently i am a ward of dust, and I haven't been able to find much clear information about what that means so any help would be appreciated. i am a native heir of rage so I shouldn't struggle too much with being a ward right?

~chronicMalady

THIS ISN'T A CLASSPECT POST

You're right on the money with regards to the Ward. As an Heir, you likely went through something of an archetypal "hero's journey", getting schooled by various mentors and your Whispers, learning a lot about what being an Heir of Rage means until it was time for you to step up and assume your rightful place as "big dick MVP hero of the session", right? Being a Ward is a lot like that, except you're not getting schooled all the time now. It's your job to step up, all of your ambition behind you, and seize as much as you can. Straightforward progression, cocksure that everything will go your way, as it will, never settling for the easy road ahead. The upside is that your endeavors will frequently plan out. The downside is that you will still get schooled now and then. And when you do, you'll need to learn to rely on others, as opposed to doing things on behalf of them. Always try to exceed your limits, but be aware of them when you hit them.

As for Dust, it's about investing in things that don't seem impressive now, but could become something in the future. It's the opposite of Coins, which is about assessing the value of things and what they can do for you now. Imagine you want a fast bike. Rage Players will ride any old bike and simply scream at it to go faster. Coin Players will go to the store and discern which bike is the fastest, and how they can acquire it. Dust Players know that their bike might not be the fastest, but it just takes some TLC, maintenance, and modification, and soon enough it'll be faster than both of them. It's about commitment and trying to unlock the true potential in things, while avoiding lost causes. This should be fairly understandable, these are like koans, but your Aspect will guide you a lot more directly as a Ward than it did as an Heir.

The more important advice I think you need is about acclimating to the whole "you play the game forever now" thing. This tends to be harder to cope with than the game itself.

If you meet someone you're genuinely friends with (or want to know after the Session ends), make sure you exchange contact information. Value your comrades, but make sure that it doesn't turn into one or two people stressdumping on the other, otherwise your friendships will become chores.

Find a hobby. Something you can retreat to in order to clear your mind. Running this blog is my version of touching grass. Have some "devoted" hobbies you can reflexively engage with when it's time to decompress, but ensure you have a rotating set so you don't associate (e.g.) watching movies with feeling miserable.

Maintaining a blog is like having a hobby, a journal (diary), and a "centerpoint" for your friend group, all at once.

Internalize a reason to keep going, even if it's petty. "I'll hold out in case I escape" is a bad one that will lead to inevitable disappointment. "I'll be there to hang out with my friends" is a classic, but watch out and make sure you don't lose the will to live if one of them ends up going silent forever one day. For me, I always end a day by checking the archive of pre-SBURBAN media. I personally think there's something significant about booting up a never-before-seen video game or cartoon, even if I know it's ultimately a relic of a bygone era. It kind of reminds me of the Replayernet as a whole. A group of people who should by all means be dying alone and afraid, contributing to a greater continuity of culture that will outlast all of them one day, but be there for the next generations. Even if I'm not so idealistic as to believe that it'll be our foundation for rebuilding those cultures when (if) the door starts working.

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[noxxha]

How do you envision the Uchiha clan culture to be? Collectivistic? More individualistic than the Senju's? Harmonic? Militaristic? Merciful? Ruthless? Generous? Selfish? I'm so curious!!!

Hello anon! Thank you so much for your question - and what an interesting question indeed! I have had thoughts of pinning down how I perceive the Uchiha clan - so your question feels like the “answer” that yes, its time to finally do so. x3

But I wish not to keep you in suspense for too long, and I hope this answer will satisfy your curiosity:

*Note* the following headcanon(s) is not an accurate portrayal of Japanese culture. It is inspired from some historical and cultural aspects of it, but I have taken liberties in my portrayal of a culture to a fictional clan.

And yes I did not respect canon 100%…

This is also the type of headcanon that might undergo changes in time, but this is how I would answer your question atm, anon.

———

I see the Uchiha clan as more individualistic than collectivistic. They value harmony and peace, but not to the same collectivistic degree as the Senju. Their mentality was first and foremost focused on their loved ones - then the clan as a whole. But even then there existed those that saw the collective before the individual.

From the eyes of outsiders the Uchiha appear quite selfish and ruthless, but each and every Uchiha has a strong sense of kinship with one another despite their loved ones being their priority. Trust flows freely between one Uchiha member to the next.

Everyone also has the back of one another in times of need, but it is no secret that they do value a sense of independence before a sort of “hive mind”.

In a sense “survival of the fittest” can be used to describe the clan - but it is a very simplified way of viewing the clan.

The Uchiha clan of old - long before Konoha was even founded, and the Warring States Era had even begun - was actually a very peaceful clan that shunned conflict and preferred a peaceful living; until the daimyō began to grow both restless and dissatisfied with the land and power they already had. Conflicts broke out and spread quickly. Before they were called “shinobi” all the different clans that would emerge during the Warring States Era were called samurai. It was only around four centuries before the Warring States Era happened, that the different clans began calling themselves “shinobi” and began the form of “hire for coins” that would define the entire Warring States period.

During the Warring States Era the entire world was in upheaval because of the earlier power structure completely breaking down.

The Uchiha clan quickly made a name for itself, and it took not long until the daimyō had formed a cycle of hatred between the Uchiha clan and the Senju clan

Leadership

The Uchiha clan is unified by one single leader, who then guides the entire clan to follow a shared conviction. The Uchiha clan chooses their leader on the basis of strength (physical and emotional) and there is a high degree of trust in their leader’s decision(s). 

Leadership is generally given to males, but there have been three cases of women leading the clan as its leader. 

The process of leadership itself is a dance of ruthlessness (in the eyes of outsiders) and democracy (unity).

While anyone in the clan has the potential to become its leader, throughout the history of the clan many of its leaders has had a military background – whether high-ranking or not. Aristocratic and peasants is a distinction that doesn’t exist in the clan, unlike in the Hagoromo clan (which is said to be direct descendants of the Sage Hagoromo himself).
Uchiha Tajima was a renowned warrior, but a “mere” lieutenant, by the time his successor – with no living child of his own, and dying on the field of battle – asked him to lead the clan. 

A leader undergoes a strict “appointment ritual” before they are officially made leader. This ritual includes a process of voting (to see if they are in favour of the rest of the clan), to battle the other potential candidate(s) (which is often the son or someone close to the second-in-command) into submission, battle strategy/war meeting and philosophical questions to discern values and whether they align with the wishes of the clan.

The leader appoints a second-in-command, and it is not unusual – as a sign of respect – to give that specific role to the very person they fought for leadership. The prior second-in-command steps down if that is the case.

Co-leadership (or “symbiotic leadership” as it also is called) was very common, and yet it is not the same as being appointed the role of second-in-command, not entirely. If the leader of the clan appoints someone as co-leader, they have the role of acting as second-in-command, as well as a “pseudo-leader”. This type of leadership was common during the peaks of the war, as it kept leadership intact should one of the leaders fall in battle. It was most common to appoint a fellow male as co-leader (often a relative to which there was a strong bond), but Uchiha Tajima was one of few that made his wife his co-leader. 
The most famous example of co-leadership throughout the entire history of the Uchiha clan, was the co-leadership between Uchiha Madara and Uchiha Izuna. It was so effective at keeping the clan unified, yet it also polarized the clan – something that was painfully seen the moment Izuna succumbed to his wound – that the entire clan was split, and many even defected to the Senju of all clans. Even years later the death of Uchiha Izuna would forever haunt the clan, and it was only during the founding of Konoha that co-leadership was abolished once and for all. 

While leadership generally falls onto the son of the current leader, that is not entirely a given. There have been exceptions in the past (as was the case for Tajima) as well as not all leaders having had a son. Leadership comes down to their readiness to rule and care for the clan in the end, but the oldest son of the leader (Madara in Tajima’s case) and the son of the second-in-command, tend to be those that are trained into the role of leader. 
While the “me versus you” system puts tremendous pressure onto each of the children, they know that it must exist as a precaution should one of them be deemed unfit to care for the clan.


The wife of the leader (matriarch) has a very high position socially. She cares for the clan the same way the leader does - but on a different front. Tajima cared for anything related to the battlefield, and used the funds for the sake of battle, while Kiyo - his wife - cared for the clan’s internal order. She used the remaining funds for medication, food (that they could not get themselves) and other necessities to keep the clan afloat.

Climate
Despite the leadership being a ruthless affair, the climate in general is one of harmony and a peaceful co-existence – if a highly competitive one as well. As much as the clan cares for one another outside of battle, during the midst of combat everyone is expected to fend for themselves. 
Weakness is frowned upon in other words. As well as being “sloppy” and “careless” with training. 

Training itself is harsh. It is here that the more individualistic mindset of the clan reveals itself at its strongest; kill or be killed is drilled into every child. 
Children have to be strong so to fend for themselves, if they don’t, they will only bring everyone else down with them. Families do try to keep an eye on inexperienced members, but there is only so much focus they can expand without dying themselves. 
Weakness also guarantees death.

Parents teach their children early the life of shinobi (it is to them the morally right choice, not necessarily the choice of the highest love) and children as young as three years old begin their shinobi training (said training becomes much more ‘real’ around the ages of 4 – 7). Generally children follow their fathers into battle around 5 – 8 years of age depending on the circumstances.

Children are barely allowed to be children at all. Everything they know is the lifestyle of a shinobi, even something innocent like playing “tag” is training. Even skipping rocks across a river is treated as training.

Despite the above the clan is in general a generous one, sharing with the less fortunate ones and helping one another, but everyone does first and foremost care for themselves and living by the premise of “I can only help others if I myself am taken care of”.

This is easily seen as being a “survival of the fittest” scenario - and on some level that is correct - in the eyes of outsiders, but the clan knows from experience that they cannot help their kin if they, themselves, are dead. It would also be a waste if their help was met with death, especially if resources are scare.

That is the most genuinely cruel the Uchiha clan will be to one another.

Social hierarchy (family + clan)

The social hierarchy in a family is well defined and each member addresses their fellow family members with respect (as well as affection through their tone, or the occasional use of nicknames that have a very deep, profound meaning). “Anata” is common to hear from married couples (the names of husband and wife only pass their lips when there is obvious disagreement with a choice).

Izuna, for example always called Madara “nii-san” (and was called such in return by their three younger brothers), and addressed Tajima as “tō-sama” and his mother “kā-sama”. His deepest sign of love for his family was calling Madara by his childhood nickname, “Mada-nii”, his father “tō-san”and mother “kā-san”. But no matter if more formal or not, there was always a particularly strong bond between them.

The oldest children help care for their younger siblings, and they are also taught various skills from their mothers (cooking, sewing, treatment of illnesses) to be there for the family should the parents be away at the time (war meetings as in Tajima’s case, or traveling for supplies or other reasons) - but the entire clan is there to help their fellow Uchiha.

Tajima has never laid a hand against his sons, and never would dare to do so. He shows his disapproval through voice and eye-contact (never with the Sharingan active though). And that is in general how parents discipline their children. Physical violence to discipline children is met with contempt, which is partly a reason the Uchiha loathe the Senju and their willingness to resort to physical violence against a child.

When amongst their kin the Uchiha clan are respectful and mindful of the social hierarchy in place. Younger children are chided should they make mistakes, but its only when they are a tad older - and step out of line - that the tone of guidance becomes a sharp glance in disapproval.

While families primarily focus on their loved ones, the Uchiha clan of old was not below caring for other children, or the elderly and sick, as a group. Compassion and kindness is very important for the clan, but their strongest drive to care for one another was out of love for one another.

Affection and gestures

In private families are very affectionate towards one another (some more than others, of course) but physical touch is not frowned upon. Children generally sleep in the same room as their parents (more common during winter than summer) both for their comfort and their safety.

While perhaps more a social gesture, to take a bath together is still a very intimate experience as well. It is a sign of affection to wash the hair of a fellow Uchiha (a gesture reserved mostly for family - but between potential lovers it is a first sign of trust and that there is fondness there that goes deeper).

Hugs are more common among children than adults, through. But its not unheard of for adults to embrace each other - it is simply very intimate to do so.

The most intimate gesture of affection between a couple is to look into each other’s eyes, and watch their emotions reveal themselves.

Kissing someone is generally a very sacred gesture, and is done in private with their life partner. It is also a very intimate gesture as Uchiha - who rely heavily on eye-contact for communication - close their eyes while sharing a kiss. To brush a kiss against the eyelids of their partner is considered the most intimate of kisses - as with it follows the unspoken promise to look for one another in the next life.

The gesture above would be interpreted as romantic in the following generations, but during the Warring States Era this particular kiss/oath is platonic in nature. It was actually more common for siblings, rather than lovers, to exchange it. The bond between lovers had to be exceedingly deep to make such a promise as to reincarnate and look for one another again.

Gesture-wise the above has the same meaning as saying “Ai Shiteru” to their lover. Uchiha generally prefer gestures of affection over words, but if a couple speak “Ai Shiteru” to one another their love for one another is profound, absolute and genuine.

Children

Children are generally born in the winter months (December - February/early March) as it was the winter time that (while harsh in its own right) allowed the clans a brief respite from the wars that raged at the time (most of the time). This weakened state was as much a disadvantage as it was an advantage for the few clans ruthless enough to strike outside of a contract.

Most families had many children. To have 5 to 7 seven children was not uncommon. Not many reached adulthood, though. Most barely made it into their teens when the wars were at their peak.

Children, sons rather, were acknowledged as adults by the time they mastered the “Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu” (daughters were taught the jutsu by the time Konohagakure was founded and equality could be established)

It was not unusual to know the jutsu by the age of nine to thirteen. Cases than the usual development frame are not unheard of, such as Madara - gifted beyond compare - who learnt the jutsu by the time he was seven. Izuna was close to seven himself (the age gap between them was 14 months) when he followed in his brother’s footsteps.

But those cases were exceedingly rare as most simply could not handle the destructive nature of the fire element until they were a touch older than the above mentioned prodigies.

Wedlock and parenthood

Wedlock was done out of love and compatibly. It was also not as common as it was in other clans at the time - the only exception to the rule was the leader of the clan: they were required to enter wedlock out of legal reasons. It was both for the sake of their wife - securing her status to the rest of the clan - as well as having a potential “crisis mediator”. While it was very rare that the clan’s structure would collapse, there was once a particular siege that nearly eradicated the Uchiha clan. During that particular battle they were wounded severely in every way imaginable. Only the wife of their leader remained from the Uchiha in high-ranking positions - and that particular woman single-handedly brought order and structure back to the Uchiha clan, that was on the verge of internal collapse from having lost their entire leadership in the bloodiest war in that particular period. It was thereafter that marriage was required of their leader, and the matriarch gained the single most important role in a time of absolute chaos, a role that throughout history became more or less obsolete - but it would remain up until the founding of Konoha just in case. When the matriarch had made her choice for a fitting candidate she would often step down from her position and work as an advisor for the next wife of the leader.

Like wolves, couples (whether married or not) lived together their entire lives (or until death parted them). Most found someone new, but those in the position of leadership generally refused to love anyone else. Wearing black was the sign of their grief, and that was something they wore until their death.

The Uchiha clan made a very important distinction between love/emotional partnerships and sexual partnerships. While most loved (and were emotionally faithful) to only their lover, it was not uncommon for men (and women) to seek out sexual pleasure with someone else. The act of love-making, however - the creation of a child - was a sacred experience that was shared only between lovers.

While the Uchiha strongly preferred unions in the clan, it was not unheard of for Uchiha men and women to form unions with one of their allied clans at the time (Like the Hagoromo clan). While still out of love, most of these unions were the very few cases of political marriages existing in the Uchiha clan.

Marriages were kept purely in the Uchiha clan after the Hagoromo clan were eradicated.

It was not unusual to become parents young (15 - 25). To become parents around 15 was common when wars were many, but not as common in more peaceful times. Wedlock was usually entered around the same time or even later than that. As only the leader was required to marry, most others saw no true need for such (it was more a symbolic gesture in those cases).

Women and their role

Women were treated with respect and even reverence - despite not fighting in the wars with their loved ones. As much as the notion appears sexist, the reason was because women secured their survival at the time (through children, yes). Exceptions existed, such as women who were infertile, but pretty much all women were taught the art of hunting and gathering rather than combat for the battlefield. During the winter months, especially, women secured the survival of the clan through hunting of fish (and some meat), gathering of herbs and resource management.

Women were exceptional at treating the most various of illnesses - from fever to hyperthermia, to more complex cases of amputation to removal of eyes and even cases of organ transplantations - and from a young age girls were taught to help out during childbirth.

Young daughters were seen as women the day they “bled”.

While most women were not taught the art of combat in the same capacity as men, they were taught to defend themselves should other clans perceive themselves as particularly clever for going after them.

Madara and Izuna were two of the first Uchiha teaching their lovers combat the way they were taught since childhood (a training session that would have appeared abusive in the eyes of outsiders).

Their lovers would end up becoming the clan’s strongest women, as well as a symbol for many young girls who wanted a different life for themselves.

Women were known to nurse their own children and children of others if breastfeeding did not work for a new mother. Older women were especially considerate and kind to young, inexperienced mothers and helped out their fellow woman the very same way men supported each other on the battlefront.

Women were also known to adopt orphaned Uchiha children if they had the capacity to care for them. As was the case for Ryoko - a healer in the clan - who adopted a fair share of orphaned children (girls) to teach them the art of healing (not medical ninjutsu as we know it from the Naruto canon), they were much more primitive with treatment of illnesses, as records of more elaborate healing had vanished through time (yes, that includes the Senju as well, who were quite advanced for their time)

Medical ninjutsu - both in theory and practice - began in this era through.

As absurd as it sounds, barely anyone saw the very fact that chakra - which caused such destruction - could be used for its opposite as well. That is how destructive the Warring States Era was to the generations living through it. They could only see destruction rather than healing.

Religion

Religion and particular shinto practices were quite important to the Uchiha clan. Families would pray at particular shrines for good health and the safety of their loved ones.

Reincarnation was a deep seated belief in most Uchiha, as most of their gestures and social practices actually originated from the belief that they were allowed a second chance at life (which did not mean that they were reckless with the life already given, not the Uchiha of Tajima’s era at least).

Their were many deities that the Uchiha believed in, but the most respected deities were Amaterasu, Tsukiyomi, Izanagi and Izanami and Susano’o.

Children were especially fond of hearing the various stories about the above mentioned deities.

Another mythical creature that children enjoyed hearing about was the Tengu and Minamoto no Yoshitsune.

Sharingan

The Sharingan was something the Uchiha clan was proudest of. In battle it was the greatest asset of the clan, but outside of battle the Sharingan was not seen activated, and if so, it was under very specific circumstances.

Most Uchiha actually sparred without the Sharingan to better hone their abilities. Over reliance on the Sharingan was frowned upon, as - while it was their greatest strength on the battlefield - it did not make them invincible. Arrogance was often met with warnings to be careful, at least on the battlefield.

The Sharingan was NEVER manifested while disciplining a child. To do so would be akin to physically hit the child, which is the type of abuse the clan abhors in the Senju clan.

To reveal the Sharingan to a fellow member of the clan was a sign of open contempt for said member. This hostility was often fought out and ended not seldom in death.

If a man revealed their Sharingan when looking into the eyes of their lover, it was the deepest sign of love for his partner. If a women did the same (the handful that actually gained the Sharingan during this time) they exchanged a vow that was even stronger than the vow of marriage.

If the Sharingan was manifested during love-making it was a sign of reverence and respect.

Uchiha clan (Konoha)

The Uchiha clan living in Konoha was not much different from the Uchiha clan of old. The climate did change a touch more than during the Warring States Era, such as becoming even more individualistic than during Madara’s era. The clan remained important, though, and especially when the clan was pushed to the outskirts of Konoha. It was during that time that they returned to the values of their ancestors.

——-

And that concludes my answer.

Thank you, anon for this question, it was a lot of fun answering this. :)

All the best and take care o/

[vacantgodling]

I was looking at the guide to Hya again and it made me wonder - what is money like in Galere? do they have paper money, coins...?

~@void-botanist

yknow this is a really good question. i wanted to answer this yesterday but a lot of nonsense happened but all of june is paramour celebration imo SO WE'RE A GO

so i think the money system is broken into 3 kinds of... separate but transferable economies.

business transactions -> are solely based on credit, iou's and paper forms of currency to represent the capital invested. they are backed by banks full of ingots of some variety but actual paper money isn't a thing. its basically just a checkbook. most people in business ventures don't call to collect on these funds unless someone is going under or they're pulling money for some sketchy purpose, and most homes do have a private vault for their funds if they are involved in a large enterprise of some kind. this realm of transactions and getting into the weeds of it is going to be something i explore more in requieum for the monochrome (aka lavendula's book) because she spends more time with myrtus and he's the current owner of 'the nautical spokes' company which is perhaps one of the biggest names in trade rn so he deals with a lot of that.

nobility -> whenever nobility like hya go shopping, they usually have a line of credit open within a store that gets added to their tab (and then the money on certain days of the year is transferred between banks; its needlessly complicated tbh). their storehouses are usually filled with ingots, bars, gems, etc. so technically they're directly paying for things with gems and gold but they aren't carrying it all on hand at the same time bc that's stupid lol

poor -> the lower class tends to pay for things with labor, bartering, or coins. coins are an old galerian relic that existed before the chamber and they're not currently produced which makes their value stable. they aren't necessarily backed with gold like our money is or whatever. the lower class only tends to trade coinage amongst themselves; usually when they cross between jobs into upper society (like amon, erecia, terian or any of the servants in paramour and tfog in general) their employers open bank accounts in their names and transfer a share of their storehouses to that servant to pay them. its why servant jobs are actually quite sought out, as if you play your cards right and have a generous master you can work your way into debut of society. however, a lot of workers also are debtors so they are working from deficits. more often than not, from debtor's prison nobles will send in personal guards to 'steal away' (legally ig) some of the debtors to work for them. its like consolidating a loan basically? instead of owing your debt to The Country you now owe your debt to your master and its like. indentured servitude. to keep people from earning wages its very easy for masters to tack on other expenses that keep you at their beck in call. and still other workers only work for food, shelter and stabiliy.

so like long story short (1) i barely know about money and economy so i hope even a modicum of this makes sense (2) galere is a fucked country LMAO.

[mannlibrary]

Mend and  Make New

Featured in the photographs above is some remarkable hand and sewing-machine stitching done in 1893 by Dorothea Beach, a 6th grader at a public school in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The sample is from the archives of the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences housed at Cornell University Library’s Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections.

Above: Title page, Lake Placid Conference of Home Economics Proceedings;  photo of Flora Rose (l) and Martha van Rensselaer (r) at a League of Women Voters meeting, Hyde Park, NY, 1920 (from Human Ecology Historical Photographs

The AAFCS was founded as the American Home Economics Association at the Lake Placid Conference of 1909. Participants at the annual conference, who had been meeting annually for 10 years,  were passionate about turning the formerly invisible work of women into vibrant arenas for building creative expertise. For the early pioneers of the field, Cornell’s Martha Van Rensselaer and Flora Rose among them, home economics (also known as domestic science and, later, family and consumer sciences) would be a force for liberation. As a newly emerging field of study in land-grant colleges and other educational institutions, it would help women transform practical skills into creative capacity for finding innovative solutions problems that affect both individuals and society as a whole. A key area for this work was the challenge women faced keeping themselves and their families well clothed, despite the hardships of poverty and crises in the national economy.

Above from top:  Display of garments made from men's shirts arranged by Cornell home economics faculty for Farmers Week, 1919; Display of conserved hats prepared for an exhibit at the New York State Fair, 1918.(Both photos from the Human Ecology Historical Photographs collection). 

Through community workshops, live demonstrations at county fairs, and free publications, home economists have sought over the years to help their communities take on the issue of making, maintaining, and repurposing clothing. Teaching children good stitch work was an important start, but the ultimate goal was to grow this basic skill into a nimble ability to refashion unlikely resources, lean household budgets and thread bare clothes included, into fresh elements of a pleasing wardrobe.

“Keeping Clothes Wearable”, by Gladys L. Butt. Cornell Extension Bulletin 536, October 1942, in the archives of the Cornell Rare and Manuscript Collections at Cornell University; also viewable online.  

“Mending Clothes and Household Fabrics,” by Gladys L. Butt. Cornell Extension Bulletin 871, 1954; in the archives of the Cornell Rare and Manuscript Collections at Cornell University; also viewable online. 

“First Lessons in Sewing: A Manual for Junior Extension Workers in Clothing,” Cornell Junior Extension Bulletin No. 1, 1918, in the archives of the Cornell Rare and Manuscript Collections at Cornell University; also viewable online. 

Page from the handout “Restitch and Renew to Keep Clothes in Use,” by Bernetta Kahabka, Extension Specialist, Cornell University, 1974, in the home economics archives of the Rare and Manuscript Division of Cornell University Library. 

Most of the guides to sewing and stitching shown here are available as part of Mann Library’s online Home Economics Archive: Research, Tradition, History (HEARTH) ,  the Cornell Historical Literature of Agriculture (CHLA), and the Hathi Trust Digital Library. These online repositories offer valuable (yet free!) resources for anyone interested in re-learning the art of making new from old.  “Upcycling,” a term first coined in the early 1990s, has become a common word as awareness of more sustainable “slow fashion” principles has grown. What does it mean exactly? According to merriam-webster.com, to upcycle is “to recycle (something) in such a way that the resulting product is of a higher value than the original item : to create an object of greater value from (a discarded object of lesser value).” For (happily) growing numbers of us, upcycling has become a fine craft that combines old traditions and techniques with contemporary style to create uniquely personalized wearable art that also signals a conscious effort to avoid harmful waste and use resources sustainably. With a little bit of mindfulness and maybe some handy “how-to’s found in digitized, freely available historical materials, the old can indeed become some bright new for one and all.

Excerpted from Mann Library’s spring 2023 exhibit, Sustaining Style: Towards Responsible Fashion

Display in Mann Library exhibit, Sustaining Style:Towards Responsible Fashion (March 23 - September 15, 2023)

[nixtape-foryou]

✿ SHOP BUTTERCUPS

Buttercups symbolize humility, childishness, cheerfulness, and goodwill. According to legend, fairies are responsible for the creation of buttercups. When a group of fairies asked an old miser for charity as he crossed a field with a sack of gold, and he refused, they cleverly cut a hole in his sack with a blade of grass. As he walked away, coins dropped and scattered, giving rise to buttercups where they touched the earth.

LIMITED STOCK - VENDORS NEEDED

Bouquets = Series | Stems = Oneshots | Seeds = Drabbles | In Shipment = Ongoing

STEMS

Lee Felix’s Guide to Hating You by yyxgin (21.0k) || College AU, Unrequited Love to Lovers || There’s a list of things Lee Felix knew before applying for college– and that is: 1) he really, desperately needs a degree for his grandparents to value him as an equal adult, 2) college in young adult movies seems like fun and partying and alcohol really does sound like his wettest dream, 3) he doesn’t need to work for another 4 years, which is fun and 5) he is really, horribly bad at studying. Here’s a list of things Lee Felix, however, did not know before applying for college, and even though it’s fairly shorter, it hits you in the guts deeper, and that is: 1) studying for college means never ending chapters of insomnia and 2) he is always going to feel like the second choice for everyone.