#rule of three au

[multiversetravelingjournalist]

Rule of Three!Arknights AU: Sarkaz Language Sketch

As part of the fun of messing with the canon of this - surprisingly young IMO game franchise - I decided that the Sarkaz (and Aegir but that's another story) should have their own original languages. but as I am a conlanger novice, the progress has been slow since I first undertook the project. However, I still have some ideas as to what "unique" features I want to include:

a set of circumfixes that turns a noun into a source of motivation. the circumfixes forming a table where one axis is Gaining vs. keeping vs. losing something and the other is whether the motivation is in pursuit vs. avoidance of the previous axis' outcome. these configurations are then placed after the subject (known in-universe as the "Victor") of the sentence as to "why the agent did the thing" and/or after the object ("Victim") to "accuse the patient as to justify the agent's actions." still a WIP.

verbs are marked for two "tenses": "Present" and "non-present". I write "tenses" as they can be used for more than that. e.g. "present" can be used for confirmations, statements, declarations, etc. anything that is happening right now; "non-present" can be used for speculation/prediction, requests/orders, denial, etc. anything that is not happening right now. this could be me trying to rationalize the Realis/Irrealis moods.

All, if not most, verbs are derived from nouns. this is possible with a set of affixes that "give", "take", or "holds" the noun in question. using one of the words that has remained stable through revisions, "tra" a noun meaning "death", the derivations are as follows: tetra > the taking form meaning "to die", trate > giving form meaning "to kill", and tetrate > the holding form meaning "to be dead". most of the time the derivations slip into metaphor and idiomatic meanings and are not as predictable as one (myself) could think.

This what has stayed in the grammar (for now) and I quite like it. though I am open to any suggestions.

[poorly-drawn-mdzs]

oh hey! i was reading a fic the other day where Wangji was once misspelled as Wangu. which leads me to: MDZS Pingu-style??? noot noot!

Do you think love can bloom on the sea ice?

[journey-to-the-attic]

the new nightmare is cool but i think not putting them in hanfu was an missed opportunity

(+ long hair version that i wasn't as sure about)

[starry-bi-sky]

okay a few more danyal al ghul au memes because i think they're funny to make. with bonus yaelokre danyal memes!

yaelokre! danyal 🤝 threes! danyal: being five years older than damian

yaelokre danyal comes from my oneshot right here. however, i would frankly recommend reading the version i put on ao3 because it's been edited and includes more content! shout out to my boy, he's got amnesia </3

Do i think that the LOA has technology in it? Absolutely I do. LED lights but in 3000k warm white instead of the jarring bright sterile white, if they've got glass windows they're those solar panel glass panes my college natural science building uses that detects sunlight position, which in term controls the lights, which in turn saves energy. Amber lights for outside, solar panels. Just. anything environmentally sound and friendly, they've got it, they use it.

Do i think they've got computers and tvs lying around for casual recreational use? ....that i'm not so sure about. For this au? I'm gonna say nooooottt really. That stuff is typically reserved for like, mission planning, debriefing, research, etc. Frankly danny probably does know how to use a computer, however i thought it was funny if he didn't. so the meme is staying in lmao.

If they're not training, they've probably like, got a greenhouse or two somewhere on base they can help with. The LoA's whole thing is balance, harmony, restoring the natural world with extreme environmentalism. All that jazz. Probably plenty of ponds, recreational areas outside, gardens, just, stuff to do that's not technology based. My most basic understanding is that these people are the world's deadliest hippies. They can't be training all the time, that's neither good for morale nor for their bodies, so when they're not training... they're off doing shit. If Ras has kept this thing running for thousands of years then it’s gotta be pretty lit enough that nobody’s revolted lmao.

[sapphicseasapphire]

Ravio my beloved!! I have some lore to share! I’m sorry if I’m repeating myself but I want to make sure I have everything together! I’m very heavily considering throwing Ravio in with the rest of the Cryptid Chain since 1) he’s my little guy and 2) he’s a Link, right??? Technically?? Let me know if you’d be interested in seeing him included in the adventure!

Anyway, yeah. Lore under the cut! (This one gets rough so be warned. Blood and gore and violence against children)

Ravio was born to a small pod of Mer that lived in Lorule’s sea. He was always such a happy child, excitedly babbling about everything he could see, playing with his friends, swimming freely under the watchful eyes of his family.

(Pods of Mer are very close. While they are not all blood related, they’re very close! It’s pretty communal: for example, Ravio had parents but was raised by every adult in the pod. While he didn’t have any siblings, the other children were all basically his brothers and sisters. In such a tight knit community, trust is very important. It’s one of the things that makes the Mer so strong).

Since Mer are 100% aquatic and never leave the ocean, they were oblivious to the horrors that had taken place in the land of Lorule. Years ago, their Triforce had been destroyed, which corrupted everything that resided there. Aquili, being amphibious, were affected by this. While most of them were in the ocean at the moment of the Triforce’s destruction, those that were on land were overcome by evil, transforming into horrible monsters that would come to be known as Ku. These Ku were ruthless, attacking everything in sight, both on land and in the sea.

As the years passed, their numbers grew, along with the surge of other monsters that plagued the land. Lorule fell to ruin, but the ocean remained lively. Of course, it became dangerous with even more monsters. In this world, instead of turning against each other, the Mer and the remaining Aquili issued a truce, agreeing to work together to fend off their common enemy.

Ravio’s pod was part of the alliance, but he was too young to remember it. Back then, all that mattered to him was his parents, his friends, and collecting little trinkets to play with. Children were sheltered from such issues, and while Ravio grew up in the throws of war, he never looked the enemy in the eye. Aquili didn’t often visit his pod- if they did, they met with the adults. Ravio never met any. Even with his life upturned by the Ku and other monsters, he never knew bloodshed or violence.

He was only five years old when that changed.

It was a quiet night, peaceful, no different from any other. He slept soundly in his father’s arms, a soft kelp doll snug in his hands. He was sleeping so deeply that he didn’t wake when the screaming started. He didn’t wake when his father’s arms tightened around him. He didn’t even wake when the scent of bloody water met his little nose.

No, what woke him was when he was suddenly thrown into open water. In an instant, the arms that held him were gone. His little pocket of warmth and comfort, gone. His father had thrown him. The force of it ripped his doll out of his tiny hands and his eyes snapped open instinctively.

At the time, he didn’t comprehend what he was seeing. But when he’d remember that night years later, he’d wish he’d kept his eyes closed.

The water was cloudy and red, and smelled like iron and sick. Screams rung out from all sides, horrible and aching. And in front of him was his father… and a Ku biting into his shoulder. Ravio’s father flailed in the open water, and the plumes of red coming from where the monster’s mouth had closed around his flesh only got darker and darker.

The beast did not let go.

He met his father’s eyes. Eyes that were pleading, begging, screaming for him to get out of here.

Red.

Red.

Red.

Ravio was frozen.

And he watched as more Ku swam to the scene, all of them bloodied. Their eyes were crazed, their minds warped by a corruption that Ravio was too young to understand. They swarmed the area, and two more grabbed his father. The child, frozen as he was by fear, could only watch as they tore him to shreds.

He watched his father die at the hands of the Ku, and then he watched as those crazed eyes fell upon him.

They stalked closer, slowly, as if they knew they could take their time. Ravio choked on the bloody water, his eyes burning with tears as he watched their approach. They were going to kill him. He was going to die, just like his father, just like the rest of his pod, and there was nothing he could do about it.

A clawed hand grabbed him by his tail and he screamed.

Red.

He was pulled forward, claws tearing his flesh, and the five year old was helpless to stop it.

Red.

A monstrous face loomed above him, the clouded water doing little to hide the jagged teeth and crazed eyes of his attacker. Ravio cried out and squeezed his eyes shut tight, squirming in its grasp-

Red. Red, red, red-

Before he could feel the bite of those awful teeth, the Ku above him let out an awful scream and released him. Ravio screamed again as the claws were torn from his tail, but he opened his eyes just in time to see the beast under attack. By now, the Ku was far enough away from him that the murkiness of the water blurred any details, but he’d recognize that silhouette anywhere: it was his mother. His mother, tearing at the Ku with nothing but her fists. His mother, bathed in bloody water. His mother, injured and exhausted and winning.

The Ku went down after one hell of a fight, and when it was over, Ravio’s mother was looking worse for wear. But she weakly made her way over to him, urgency in her eyes. Ravio cried as she pressed a kiss to his little forehead. He clung to her- and she held him. But only for a moment.

She looked between his injured tail and his pale, terrified face. And then she brushed his hair out of his eyes and leaned in close.

“It’s going to be okay, Ravio,” she had said, and even though her voice trembled, he believed her. “You’re going to be okay.”

Ravio could say nothing in response, choking back sobs as she held him.

“I’m so sorry,” she whispered against the top of his head. “I’m so sorry, baby. I need you to listen. Can you do that for me? Are you listening?”

Ravio nodded against her chest, still unable to speak.

“I love you, Ravio. I love you so much.” She squeezed him closer. “And when I tell you to, I need you to swim away as fast as you can. Do you hear me? As fast as you can. Don’t stop for anything.”

And that’s when she let go of him.

“Mama,” he sobbed, and she hesitated before she turned to face the remaining Ku. There were tears in her eyes as she swam upward, her shadow falling protectively over her son.

“I love you,” she said one more time, “Now go. Go, Ravio. Now!”

And then the Ku were upon her.

Red.

Red.

Red.

Little Ravio turned and fled the scene, swimming as fast as his injured tail could take him. He swam through little tunnels in the rock and coral, ensuring that the bulky Ku would not be able to follow him. He swam until the water was clear of blood, until he could see the rippled patterns in the sand at the bottom of the seafloor, until the sun’s light filtered in through the waves above.

He was in shallower water than he’d ever been in before.

His tail had stopped bleeding at some point in the night, but it was painful. He could not keep going forever. And where… where was he supposed to go? Back to his pod?

Ravio did not stop swimming. He was tired. He was hurt. And he was confused. Later, he’d admit that he didn’t comprehend what he had seen. He fully expected his parents to appear out of clear water and take him home. He didn’t understand that they were gone… he’d never known death before that point.

Well. His parents did not appear. Neither did anyone else from his pod.

His mother had told him to keep going. To not stop for anything. And so, he continued. His heart racing in his chest, he swam on. He didn’t know how long he was swimming for. The water got shallower and shallower until he blinked and suddenly he could touch the bottom of the sea floor with his little hands.

Ravio’s wide eyes scanned the Surface. There were no monsters with jagged teeth and sharp claws and bulky bodies. No clouds of red. No screaming. The small child lifted his head above the water, holding his breath, and was greeted with the soothing sounds of waves crashing against the shoreline.

The ocean wasn’t safe. Not anymore.

And so, with trembling arms, Ravio pulled himself onto the beach. The sunlight directly on his skin was uncomfortable, and the sand was rough against his scales. He coughed water from his gills and wheezed as burning air entered his lungs. For several minutes, Ravio’s entire body was seething in pain. He desperately gasped for air that hurt to breathe, and his skin burned as it dried.

But once the initial discomfort passed, he felt… numb. Screaming echoed in his ears. The scent of blood lingered in his nose. When he closed his eyes, he saw his father’s desperation. His mother’s sacrifice. He saw them die, over and over again.

Red.

That’s when the tears started anew. And goddesses, when they started, they didn’t stop. His body heaved with sobs, his throat aching and his face slick with tears. He sat and cried for what felt like hours, but even looking back on it, he has no idea how long it truly was. Only that at some point, a curious sound caught his attention.

It was like the click of two rocks coming together underwater, but higher pitched. Melodic. It reminded him of his pod’s songs. And as he looked down to find the source of such a sound, ge was surprised to see a small Surface creature.

Ravio, being a small child, had never seen Shrface creatures before, so he had no way of knowing that what sat beside him was a “bird.” Only that it was tinier than he was and looked just as lost as he did.

He named the bird Sheerow, and he would become Ravio’s closest friend. A companion, a guide, a light in the dark. An anchor to cling to as his world crumbled around him.

They would be inseparable from that point onward.

. . .

Ravio would go on to become quite the figure in Lorule! He was discovered living in the woods by a local blacksmith, who brought him to the castle. (A strange child in the forest? Forests that are overtaken by monsters? Suspicious).

But the king determined that he was no monster, and sent him to live with the blacksmith and his wife. He never ventured back into the ocean- he never had the luxury of soaking in salt water. No, he stayed firmly on the ground where it was safe, even if the blacksmith and his wife could never be his family. He barely ever left their house until he was eleven, and even then he’d only go to the castle and back.

For years, he and Sheerow would frequent the castle, having deemed it one of the few safe places they knew of. They’d make deliveries for the smith, then stay a little longer just to talk to the princess. Hilda would be queen one day, and Ravio knew that she’d do anything to aid her suffering kingdom.

Anything.

Ravio never quite trusted her.

Her eyes were Red.

He was seventeen years old when his distrust for Her Highness was validated. After her father’s death, she rose to the throne and her desperation to help her people became palpable. She’d made a mistake in trusting a vile man named Yuga, and sought to steal another world’s Triforce in order to bring peace back to their own. Ravio, knowing the damage that this would cause to that other world, was against this idea wholeheartedly. And when Princess Hilda decided to go through with her plan, Ravio knew he couldn’t stick around.

He couldn’t stand idly by and witness another massacre.

But he couldn’t fight. No matter how hard he tried, he could not raise a sword against his princess. He couldn’t stomach the sight of an arrow or the sound of a bomb’s fuse. The thought if such violence brought him right back to the ocean, bloody water, screaming from every direction.

In the end, Ravio was too much of a coward to fight on his own. And so, he set out to find someone that could help him. He took all of his supplies and stole a relic from the castle, a bracelet that allowed him to slip into the second dimension and crawl through the cracks between worlds.

He found himself in a land called Hyrule, having emerged from the walls of a sanctuary. And that’s where he found a boy his age garbed in green and unconscious on the ground. Ravio rushed over, and upon determining that he was alive and well, he took him to his own house.

Well… what would have been his house if he had been in Lorule. He’s not in Lorule anymore.

He’s…. A long way from home.

. . .

Some notes!

• Okay I know that my description of that massacre was really bad but Ravio’s memories of that night are EXTREMELY hazy. He was literally five years old. Details are lost, but he remembers that feeling. He still has nightmares about it.

• Whenever Ravio feels unsafe or uncomfortable in any way for any reason, he says “Red.” A topic of conversation that makes him uncomfortable? Red. Just saw something that kind of messed him up (monsters, aggression, etc)? Red. Woke up from a nightmare? Red. This usually lets people that he needs some space/needs comfort. He’s VERY vocal about when he needs a break. We’re proud of him.

• My guy’s so against violence of any kind. He’s NOT a fighter. He’s clever enough that if he finds himself in a dangerous situation, he’s usually able to talk his way out of it. If he’s not able to talk his way out? He has a boyfriend that’s more than happy to do violence.

• Going off of that last point, Ravio goes to Legend for everything. I know I said he’s against violence, but if it’s an actually dangerous situation, Ravio gets Legend immediately. He’s more than happy to provide Legend with the weapons and tools he’d need to win- he’s not about to watch Legend get hurt on his behalf. But Legend’s not about to let anyone mess with Ravio for any reason

• Unless Ravio scammed them

• But he won’t let Ravio get hurt

• Legend’s so gay for him but it’s a big secret shhhhh don’t tell anybody (everybody knows).

• Also Legend’s very protective over him. Ledge has a pretty icy demeanor but the moment Ravio says “Red,” all bets are off. Hugs. Cuddles. No one is allowed to judge him for how soft he gets around Ravio. Also if anyone ever tries to harm him, they will meet the business end of his sword.

• For as protective as Legnd is of Ravio, Ravio is JUST as protective over Legend. Legend is not nearly as… eh, we’ll say emotionally aware as Ravio is. If something upsets him, he doesn’t simply take a step back and say a safe word. Legend is a fighter, and that often means bottling things up until they explode. While Ravio is against fighting, he’s not against confrontation. Even if Legend is too worried about being perceived as weak for telling someone he’s upset, Ravio just seems to… know. And he’s not afraid to tell whoever upset him to back off. Or if he upset him, he’s not afraid to apologize and give him space. If no one in particular has upset Legend (just… hero stuff. Missing Marin. The pressure of saving the world over and over again. Those kinds of things have a way of getting to people), then Ravio is the first to take Legend into his arms and just hold him.

• Ravio is the only person that Legend will let hold him without any complaint. Not even a half hearted attempt to argue. Ravio opens his arms and Legend just falls in and curls up.

• This is sweet and all but they definitely still banter and argue and stuff (mostly lightheartedly). What I said before in this post about Legend calling Ravio his roommate and “little rat” is still true. He likes Ravio but you’re not supposed to just KNOW THAT. He’s! Big scary Hero of Legend!! Untouchable!!! Strong!!! This rat man cannot crack his tough exterior!!! (Ravio calls him Mr. Hero and gives him a cool bracelet one (1) time and he’s head over heels)

• For more information about that war, I made this post a while back!

• I’ll talk about this more in Legend’s origin, but it is FUNDAMENTALLY WRONG for Mer to have to live on land. Like it’s killing them slowly. Especially Ravio, who doesn’t have the opportunity to soak as often as he should and hasn’t been in the ocean since he was five years old. Ravio’s first time back in the ocean happens much later, with Legend. And he’s terrified. He has some… not so great memories, and Legend understands that. Ravio and Legend are both fearful of Aquili and even other Mer soldiers. But honestly? The biggest thing he’s afraid of about going back into the ocean? Is that Sheerow can’t follow him.

• Emotional support bird. More effective than you’d think. Rav and Sheerow are absolutely inseparable.

This is…. Incredibly long. Let me know if you have any questions! I’m happy to talk about my little guys. (Seriously, I think Ravio is my second favorite after Sky).

[awkward-sultana]

"According to the criterion of stipend, the haseki, or favorite concubine, enjoyed the greatest status in the imperial harem after the valide sultan. The haseki, a slave concubine and no blood relation to the reigning sultan, ranked higher than the sultan's own sisters and aunts, the princesses of the dynasty." - The Imperial Harem: Women and Sovereignty in the Ottoman Empire by Leslie P. Peirce

[tsunochizu]

I know this is not what all of you followed me for but deal with it

Ragequit head bonk

[crocodilenjoyer]

what if you 🫵 wanted to take a nap 💤 but god said ☝️ asl dunmeshi au 💥

[honeyxmonkey]

"What happened to your face?" Inej demanded, grasping Wylan's cheeks in her hands as she surveyed the deep purple bruise forming around his eye. She looked at Kaz as he passed by her, cane tapping against the ground. "Kaz?"

"He kicked Pekka Rollins in the balls."

"Totally worth it too," Wylan said with a shit-eating grin.

Inej closed her eyes and sighed. Sometimes she worried Kaz was rubbing off on Wylan a little too much.

[eskawrites]

realized that part of the reason the charmed au brainworms are getting to me is that this is? the first time? I’m writing a long fic where they are in love from the start? Like don’t get me wrong they’ve got so much to figure out and it’s def still a slow burn but these women will be YEARNING from chapter 3 onward

[carnivalcarriondiscarded]

So wait, Frank helped Julie out in the fantasy AU? What or who was Julie running from? If its a spoiler, you don't need to mention it.

oh yeah i imagine that they were friends while Julie was still ~Princess Juliette~ and when Julie decided to run away from her royal life & home, she went to Frank on her way out in the hopes that he'd help her

[myalchod]

For the three sentence fic... Silrah + fake dating/marriage pretty please 💜

Well ... I was going to write just the one, but I can't pick between them, so have a stab at each? 💙 It was so tempting to write one of these as a canon AU but I felt like that would have been cheating. 😂

Fake Dating:

She knows she gives herself away as soon as the familiar manse looms into view, though she’s pretty sure Saul would have known even absent the reflexive tightening of her fingers on his arm with how long they’ve been friends, even if he gives no sign of the pain he must feel at her death-grip, just shifting so his shoulder knocks companionably against hers in silent acknowledgement and sympathy; when she loosens her hand once more he slips his arm free, and she thinks he’ll move away but he only slides it around her waist instead, palm curving warm and solid and reassuring over her hip, and her startle this time has nothing to do with memories of a life she’d gladly walked away from suddenly slamming into her with the weight of all of her years away.

“Alright?” he murmurs, voice near as warm as his touch, and some of the tension ratcheting through her eases as she is reminded of why she’d asked him to come with her, the easy comfort of his presence steadying her in a way no one else can — why, in a moment she does and does not regret already, she’d added and could you pretend to be my boyfriend?, when it meant he could not only accompany her for what promises to be an excruciating family reunion but stay close, just like this, through all that she knows awaits her.

There’s a world she’s not ready to face again behind that imposing front door, but she’s got him at her side, and they’re armed with a pretence she hopes will prevent at least some of the questions she wants to avoid, and so the smile she offers him is less forced than fond; with that, surely she can weather anything the day throws at her, and so she just threads her fingers into his belt loop and leans closer still to murmur an affirmative as they start up the stairs.

Fake Marriage:

“I don’t believe you,” he persists, and Farah rolls her eyes, surreptitiously searching for an exit as she does so; inconsiderately, none appears, and she damns again the distraction that left her backed into a literal corner by a man just drunk enough to belligerently call out the ring she wears to fend off most would-be partners when she just wants a relatively quiet night of drinking — a ring that has done her more harm than good this evening, when it’s been the cause of what is shaping up to be an ugly altercation.

A hand settles on his shoulder; a face dimly familiar looms in shadow behind him, and her frown clearly telegraphs enough because he turns, ready to protest further, only to be pushed out of the way. “Farah, love,” her unexpected saviour says as he extends his other hand her way, and she’s suddenly more grateful for the support of the wall at her back than his intervention as she recognises dark hair and pale eyes and that self-deprecating smile, properly registers the even more familiar voice, and a past long dead floods back, “I wondered where you’d gotten to.”

[ send me another ] [ all fills ]

[tending-the-hearth]

okay but what if echo did testify in the senate.

what if it was broadcasted live, all over the galaxy, because they believed riyo would be proved wrong.

what if echo's words are sent out and heard by everyone, everyone listening, for once, to a clone, a clone who tells a story of horrors, of experiencing things no natborn could ever dream of surviving, of running and taking his family with him, of the desperation to provide his sister, the youngest of them all, with a life far, far away from war and harm, of watching, feeling, hearing his home destroyed, and being able to do nothing about it.

(fully imagining a scene similar to hevy’s testimony in @meridiansdominoes’s fic, just echo staring down every single senator around him, making sure every single one of them hears the words that he's saying)

omega would be standing with riyo, hidden away from the cameras, of course, but watching her brother with the brightest, most awe-filled eyes

rex, sitting in the warehouse with hunter, wrecker, and tech, watching echo and trying not to cry, because that's one of his boys up there, defending every single one of their brothers, protecting them.

tucked away, their children fast asleep, cut and suu listen, cut unable to stop the bittersweet smile as the brother he barely knows pours his heart out and tells the story of the clones.

somewhere, hunkering down, a deserter hiding, cody hears his echo, hears his ad, and all he feels is fierce, burning pride for him, and wonders about what the ramrod, reg-following shiny would think of himself now.

maybe crosshair hears the broadcast, watches it tucked away in his bunk, alone and exhausted, staring at the face of his ori'vod, and something starts to stir, something that makes his heart yearn just a little for his siblings.

and maybe, just maybe, hidden away on some isolated planet, there’s a trio of clones sitting in darkness.

one of the clones isn’t even listening to echo’s words, only his voice.

a voice he hasn’t heard in years.

far away from coruscant, fives shares a look with tup and dogma, and makes a decision.

they’re helping their brothers, continuing the fight they started.

[websitewizard2005]

more lloydven yuri content that i keep forgetting to post. rip lorraine allen and daisy adams you would have loved good luck babe by chappell roan.

colored pencil sketch version under the cut because i think it looks neat:

[nostalgia-tblr]

What do English people call a close? You know, the stairwell bit where all the flats are in a tenement? If you go to visit someone at their flat, what do you call the bit where you wait for them to answer their door? That communal stairs… area?

("Modern AUs don't require research" MAYBE IF YOU'RE ENGLISH THEY DON'T 😭)

[majorasnightmare]

from one mineru lover to another ... can i pleek hear the headcanons you have for her

KICKS DOWN DOOR

YES ABSOLUTELY

some loose context for the headcanons i have for her

the zonai hail from the silent realm and formed 3 major settlements originating from the decaying trial gates, one in the sky islands, one in faron, and one below in the depths (using the eldin gate that had since been buried under hyrules changing landscape). by the time of totks ancient era, the zonai had been slowly and steadily migrating back to the silent realm with mineru and rauru being the last to stay

hailing from the silent realm, the zonai culturally place a massive emphasis on self betterment through trials, self inflicted or otherwise, as a way of marking time through growth, in service to the goddesses

im using the oot elements, so the gerudo get spirit (which manifests as lightning) and mineru gets shadow, linking her to the sheikah and the technology theyll create

rauru and ganondorf are exes who had an EXTREMELY messy breakup before rauru founded hyrule

i can elaborate on that more (and will later) but for NOW

MINERU

so i headcanon mineru as this character thats deeply atheistic and autistic. which doesnt make a lick of sense until i explain it further lmao

mineru, to me, is this person thats deeply materialist, whereas her brother rauru is deeply idealist, and sonia is a staunch spiritualist (which is why her and rauru make such a good match for each other). minerus primary concern is The Real. the golden goddesses are Concretely Real but their influence is negligible. mineru grows up in a culture that dedicates themselves to spiritual self growth through trials of self betterment for, ostensibly, the sake of three goddesses no one will ever see or talk to or be touched by. they exist, surely, because the triforce exists, because their power exists, but mineru will never see them, hear them, talk to them, touch them, or see their hands mold reality. in every aspect she would care about, They Are Not Real. and so ascribing to a cultural norm of "betterment through trial" (needless struggle and self doubt) just. doesnt click for her. why chase spiritual enlightenment when theres shit to do RIGHT here?

shes this kind of gruff, non social person who nonetheless cares deeply and intensely but wants to dedicate her effort and energy to things she considers important. her brothers important. her work is important. vague divine approval? unimportant. shes more concerned with how things tick than the Grand Plan of it all.

a lot of this makes itself manifest in her role (in my headcanons and aus) as the sage of shadow, if you understand shadow as Unseen (Concealed) Truth. why do the islands float? how does zoanite work? what can we do with this energy? what can we make? how can we build on it? shadow magic, imo, requires a strong thread of creativity. its what makes OoTs shadow temple so brutal and the history behind it so heinous. but it isnt inherently bad. its creativity, imagination, the Unreal. its the drawing of a curtain and the throwing it aside. this underlying current, the need to understand How and Why, is what makes minerus cutscenes with this understanding so much more enjoyable to me.

mineru is this character defined by her inventions, whos headpiece mirrors the goggles purah and robbie wear, whos role as shadow, the creator the inventer the counterculture, will be revisited when the sheikah create technological wonders that will spread throughout hyrule. she makes a mech to house her soul to survive the thousands of years into the future. whereas other sages choose a successor, mineru says "youll see me there in the temple my damn self." because if you want something done right you do it yourself!

i headcanon mineru and rauru as hailing from the sky island zonai civilization, and theyre the last hyrule dwelling generation. she grew up watching these senseless tests of courage that just risked major injury for no good reason, and then her baby brother goes off to better himself because he wants to make a meaningful impact in the world, and it just cascades into a dominos of bad decisions. she doesnt put any stock into divine intervention because the only people who can save anything are us. i picture her being endlessly fascinated by her home and the constructs and that curiosity being the foundation for a lot of what she does from there on out. becoming a fantasy mechanic, an inventor, getting down into the nitty gritty of a machine and getting covered in grime and oil but not caring because theres a problem that needs fixing and she has a wrench. voraciously tearing into any book she can find, any historical record, being this treasure trove of information and trivia and history because she cant help but come back to those questions, how?, why?, again and again.

itd be easy to hear her described as anti social and gruff, and see her interpreted as a little standoffish and blunt, and end up viewing her as kind of an ass, and you wouldnt be wrong per se but its really just that mineru only really puts effort into a relationship she cares about, and she really REALLY pro cons that shit. her first and foremost concern is rauru, her little brother, and as the zonai migrate back to the silent realm, her last remaining family. when rauru descends to the surface in search of problems to fix and Be Of Help, mineru correctly assesses his budding relationship with the gerudo royal is one fated for disaster, because nothing good comes from entering a relationship just to "fix them" regardless of how well intentioned and kind hearted you may be. because of this she doesnt invest much into getting to know ganondorf as he interacts with her brother, because shes expecting it to blow up and doesnt want any of that blowback. nevertheless when that comes to a head in the WORST possible way (a situation in the au that results in the creation of the gibdo queen, the first blood moon, the deaths of several gerudo guards and the eventual deaths of koume and kotake, a situation that will then contribute to The TotK situation) mineru beats herself up every day for not being more involved. her brother is sweet, and truly believes in the ideals of the zonai he was raised with, that to struggle is to overcome trial and better ones self, and such an effort is a spiritual responsibility of those hailing from the silent realms, created by divine hands, because of the power theyre capable of wielding. she cant fault him for that, because rauru IS capable of great good and he WANTS to help people so bad, but as mineru surmised years earlier, when your inundated with this concept that You Have Power and your Obligated To Use It, you never stop to think that maybe you arent the best person to solve this issue. you cant use a wrench for a screwdrivers issue. and knowing that, knowing rauru is driven to help but too inexperienced to know what he CAN help with, mineru feels responsible for not stopping him from biting off more than he can chew. (rauru, on his end, solely blames himself)

so shes a bit More Present when he meets sonia and when his idealism leads him to found hyrule, she stays close, but she really can NOT be assed to be dragged into politics because jesus christ. no. but she continues to be like. Peak Older Sister. every time rauru has a problem, shes the one he turns to. every time rauru wants advise, he asks mineru. he loves her a lot and relies on her guidance because he considers her one of the smartest people he knows (she is, along with sonia) and even though most of the time its rauru once again trying to fit a square peg into a round hole, theyve basically been abandoned by the rest of their people (who have written hyrule off as this kind of Fun Ordeal but Not Worth It as they go on being fucking. philosopher kings in a realm of Eternal Silent Trial where you can freely perfect whatever magic bullshit you want without worry of a body count or, ya know, consequences because very little is physically tangible there). mineru isnt going to like. continue that trend, and just leave rauru to it. hes a grown adult for sure, but that just means its his responsibility to grow and change as a person, not that he cant ask for help. especially because she doesnt want him to handle everything alone

so shes hands off with the hyrule business, and plus sonias got a good head on her shoulders, shes a nice balance to raurus Impulsive Do Gooding and helps him move from individual action to Systemic Good (tho that in itself is another one of Raurus Bad Impulsive Ideas because founding a Divine Kingdom of Good is a fools errand). and for the most part mineru is fairly assured that it wont blow up too horribly (*loud incorrect buzzer*) but man. when they show up with zelda.

so raurus very much a "im divinely obligated to help people" and sonias v much a "fate ordained our meeting" type and mineru is very very much Not That. but zelda? zelda is so much closer in personality to mineru, so when rauru and sonia show up with this girl from the future that theyve basically adopted, minerus like "alright you are once again Back On Your Bullshit so im NOT getting Into It" AND YETTT. zelda ALSO cant stop asking how? and why? (because light and shadow are closer than most people think), and zeldas so invested in what makes this tech work, how it functions, what makes it go, and while rauru and sonia try to give zelda the best they can, zeldas also similarly thrilled to get her fancy white dress all gunked up with oil cuz theres a plug that needs reconnecting and mineru cant get her hand thru the gap. they get on like a house on fire and despite herself mineru loves zelda. absolutely adores her. which was NOT on todays to do list, for sure. and so despite herself mineru is now including zelda in her (very small) circle of family and similarly mineru is this gruff no nonsense figure zelda can earnestly talk to whos similarly concerned with the Real and the Practical and how it can be applied to solve our problems instead of omens chasing and prophecy fulfilling. which is why mineru goes out of her way to help zelda in a way she generally doesnt for sonia because well. zeldas basically her niece. and sonia can handle herself. and also zelda loves hearing about weird programming quirks in the constructs. so its really just kind of inevitable

but minerus pursuit of knowledge is why she knows about draconification (and rauru doesnt), and why rauru comes to her for help because thats kind of his habit. its a lot like asking big sis to beat bowser for you cuz you cant get it, and like she clowns on you for it but still takes the controller.

and when rauru and sonia are like "the ganondorf situation is Our Problem and we arent involving zelda" mineru is 100% behind that because uhh YEAH rauru it IS ur problem this is YOUR ex and your series of Questionable Decisions, but also why she throws herself into it because she does still carry that responsibility. she still feels that guilt for not protecting rauru from himself as his older sister, and that so many people suffered, and that now more people she cares about ARE suffering and WILL suffer. a feeling thats compounded by raurus sacrifice sealing ganondorf

understanding how the sky islands float was a childhood dream of minerus, to understand the hand of the divine and make it tangible and real, and while she achieves that, with the help of someone who really truly gets her and her work, the context surrounding it is so grief stricken and heart rending it thoroughly spoils the joy of scientific pursuit, which is probably why it isnt something mineru records in a lot of detail. in a lot of ways mineru loses all the people she considers family to that same Hand of Divinity, which imo makes mineru being atheist more richly thematic and adds to her character. its this combination of "am i being punished for my lack of faith?" alongside this determination to assert your individual power in SPITE of divine influence, taking herself to the present by her own craft and the sheer power of ingenuity and creativity and the aid of an equally learned peer. also her spirit bond is on the middle finger. i love that for her

this is long as fuck so im throwing bonus thoughts in the tags