#soapstone bear

[shaylogic]

I cannot believe this fandom was so blindsided by the gay drama that we missed the obvious lore drop of Sedna hinting at the greater worldbuilding of Inuit Mythology implied at the end of the season with Niko and all the other afterlife folklore season 2 may explore

[stonesmithshop]

(via Hand carved bear figurine, brown soapstone)

[mimble-sparklepudding]

Humble Victory.

In generations past, warriors seeking fame and glory would journey out into the untamed wilds of Abalathia's Spine in search of the giant grizzled bears that roamed the mountains, and would wrestle the beasts into submission, riding their prizes back to civilization. That is, or die trying.

[mr-gay-sex-man]

okay this is gonna be a weird ass post but bear with me (this is a pun that will make sense shortly)

So I have this craving to do a ritual, as one does, and I have this little soapstone bear figure and I think oh hey that's cool I could do something with that.

and now I want to preform blood sacrifices and I'm too much of a pussy to nick my finger so does anyone know how to catch like small birds

Fish won't work because they don't have souls and I don't want to use anything bigger then like a pigeon because then there would be too much blood and I'd have to bury the body

If it helps I have a lot of knives and way too much time on my hands

Also like maybe something that doesn't make a ton of noise

[waitingjackal]

Carved soapstone gray bear on rectangular selenite slab, carved figurine sculpture

[dysquirkinix]

Warning: SPOILERS FOR THE END OF DEAD BOY DETECTIVES

------------------------------------------------------------

The Netflix official website provided information on the last episode of the first season and it includes information on Niko!

In the fight with Esther we see Niko save Crystal's life by jumping in front of her and taking a magic blast to the chest causing her to die.

At the very end of the episode we see three figures in fur coats in an igloo and one of them is holding a little figurine. The same one the Tragic Mick gave Niko. He said it was a lucky charm of some sort.

Netflix says; "In her hand, she’s grasping the soapstone figurine. “She has it when she’s killed by Esther,” Yockey explains. “The soapstone polar bear pulls her soul out of her body and sends it to the astral plane. And the astral plane is where we find her and the Dandelion Sprites in the igloo at the very end.”"

So Netflix confirmed that Niko isn't dead dead. She is just dead and her soul is in the Astral Plane with her Dandelion Sprites.

[aria-hannah]

So Steve Yockey has started posting fun facts that would've been spoilers on insta...

A lot of people wondered about this because of Niko's case file being shown while she was looking at the board and the use of the phrase "You never know when the good you do will come back around," which Tragic Mick said to Niko when he gave her the soapstone bear.

I have 2 competing theories for why she wouldn't just tell the boys who she was.

She doesn't truly recognise/remember them. As part of her transformation or just from it being a very long time ago from her perspective she may have forgotten them and only sparks some recognition when she sees her own name on the case board.

She can't tell them because there's rules that need to be followed that she's loop-holing her way around to protect them and if anyone in the Lost and Found Department realised she was originally their human friend she may lose her power to protect them.

I guess my overarching theory for why this occurred is because Niko's greatest wish was to protect her friends so the soapstone bear put her in a position where she could, even if it cost her.

[edwin-paynes-bowtie]

in a netflix article it said niko and the sprites are on an astral plane! the soapstone bear that tragic mick gave her pulled her soul out and took her there (netflix . com/tudum/articles/dead-boy-detectives-ending-explained)

I've been DEVOURING interviews left and right, so I have NO IDEA how I missed this! Omg.

Here it is for people who want to see it but don't have the time/ability to read the article:

In her hand, she’s grasping the soapstone figurine. “She has it when she’s killed by Esther,” Yockey explains. “The soapstone polar bear pulls her soul out of her body and sends it to the astral plane. And the astral plane is where we find her and the Dandelion Sprites in the igloo at the very end.”

I'm so happy about this omg! That means that she's a ghost already, right? Cue my season 2 wish for Edwin to teach Niko ghosty things...

(Still want to know if the sprites are big or if she's tiny. I'm assuming the former, but... pocket Niko in Edwin or Crystal's pocket would be SO fun. Or Charles's! I want more moments of them together.)

Also I love the confirmation of this! I already thought this, but it's nice to see an official source say it:

Niko’s clothing reflected her journey through the series too, says Dunsmore. “If you go back and rewatch and notice whatever color she’s wearing, it fits what’s happening in that episode,” she says. “The first time we see her, she’s in the green because it’s the Sprites’ influence on her. She’s wearing blue in an episode when Jenny is mad at her, so she’s feeling blue. She’s got the orange that represents her whole moment with the Night Nurse/the Night Nurse’s red hair.” 

<3333 Thank you anon I appreciate you!

[pixelbumblebee]

Tiny lore drop on Niko, under cut bc spoilers.

There's an article on Tudum now about episode 8, here's the interesting part:

Wait, is that Niko in the igloo?!

Just when you think it’s over, there’s more! In the FINAL, final scene, we are transported to a lonely igloo, where Niko sits by the fire with the two Sprites. “It was really tight and snug in there,” Kitamura says.  In her hand, she’s grasping the soapstone figurine. “She has it when she’s killed by Esther,” Yockey explains. “The soapstone polar bear pulls her soul out of her body and sends it to the astral plane. And the astral plane is where we find her and the Dandelion Sprites in the igloo at the very end.”

[iwritenarrativesandstuff]

I’m very confused on why people are going on about Niko being dead, like, we saw the ending scene where she’s in the igloo - the soapstone bear Mick gave her protected her! And if you look at the interviews, Yuyu Kitamura said that she was the one in the igloo, and the writers said that in a season 2 if they get one, that Niko will be trying to get back to the others. She’s not gone for good!

I mean, jury’s still out on what exactly happened to her and whether she’s still alive or human or what but she’s not dead and gone!!! Niko will be okay!!!

[apilgrimpassingby]

Magic School Continued

The magic school now has three new sub-schools:

Cunning folk are located in a series of blackhouses atop a mountain covered in forests of ash trees and sheep-filled moors, and they have a population of brags who like pranking students. Cunning folk wear fawn robes with blue-grey trim and fawn-coloured wizard hats, and have fawn cloaks with blue-grey trim held in place with a cat-shaped brooch, made of tiger’s eye with bronze fittings. The basic cunning implement is a crystal ball, used in conjunction with tallow candles and a cauldron. The cunning folk’s mountain has wells that turn anything thrown into it to stone. The mountain is magically locked in perpetual moderate weather. Cunning folk teach and write their books in Old Norse, they write their documents on ostraca and other scraps, and their heart book is The Long-Lost Friend, which turns into a ferret, hare or other hard-to-catch animal if a person without magic picks it up. The crown is a wool cap adorned with wolfsbane flowers and numerous ribbons with incantations written on them, and the coronation implement is a ragged staff of yew carved with pentangles, witch marks and other such symbols.

Illusionists (stage magic) are located in a Baroque Revival mansion atop a mountain covered in 19th century urban structures, and they have apparitions of various white animals (rabbits, doves, stags, etc.) that talk to people before vanishing. Illusionists wear dark purple robes with black trim and wrist-length white gloves, and have dark purple cloaks with black trim held in place with a rabbit-shaped brooch, made of amethyst with gold fittings. The basic illusionist implement is a black-and-white baton, used in conjunction with a top hat and a deck of cards. The illusionists’ mountain has mirrors in which the person’s reflection will only show in a different mirror, and hence can be used for long-distance communication if mirrors can be paired up. The mountain is magically locked in perpetual dawn. Illusionists teach and write their books in French, they write their documents on decks of cards, and their heart book is Seven Wings and Seven Eyes, which makes things appear, disappear and reappear around the reader. The crown is a top hat adorned with lace and purple ribbon and made of fine velvet, and the coronation implement is a knotted scarf printed with numerous brilliant colours and designs.

Occultists (Lovecraftian magic) are located in a bastion of slime-dripping cyclopean masonry atop a mountain covered in blasted heaths and bogs of toads and fireflies, and they have a shoggoth deep in a cave to whom the rubbish is fed. Occultists wear medium green robes with dark blue trim and silver rings with the bezel decorated with interlocking rings, and have medium green cloaks with dark blue trim held in place with a tentacle-shaped brooch, made of peridot with silver fittings. The basic occultic implement is a black soapstone pyramid statuette carved with symbols, used in conjunction with an iron key bearing the same symbols and a spellbook. The occultists’ mountain has monoliths with writing that no-one has ever been able to translate or even transcribe. The mountain is magically locked in perpetual dusk. Occultists teach and write their books in Proto-Oceanic, they write their documents on various mediums disguised to look like mundane books, and their heart book is the Secret Book of Hassan, which causes nightmares and hallucinations for weeks after in whoever reads it. The crown is a diadem made of gold decorated with images of sea monsters, and the coronation implement is a staff of dark wood with silver tentacles curling around it and a round silver head with multiple eyes and tentacles coming from it.

Personalities:

Cunning Folk: Raw unfiltered blue-collar attitude, with all the implied positives and negatives.

Illusionists: Very witty, very athletic, very well-read and impossibly arrogant, but if you earn their respect they'll give it to you.

Occultists: Difficult to get to like due to their love of morbid and gruesome things and very dark sense of humour, but very likeable once acquainted with.

Tagging @arcenciel-par-une-larme, @cryptidsaints and @merthwyn for your thoughts/reactions.

[mimble-sparklepudding]

Hi Mimble! Happy holidays, I hope you're having a wonderful evening! I come bearing questions for one Humble Soapstone! 🦁

Mistletoe: Peace and Friendship.

Who was your OC’s first friend?  What drew them to each other?  Were they expecting to get along? Or was it a surprise to them both?

Fir: Endurance and Hope.

Would your OC ever fight for a lost cause on principle?  Or would they give up – or even change allegiance – in order to ensure the best outcome for themselves?

Hello Anon friend! Thank you for the questions and I hope you are having a nice anonymous day!

Mistletoe: Peace and Friendship.

Humble did not have many friends as a child, due to his low social status as an orphan and the general distrust with which he was regarded, since he was seen as a source of misfortune following the death of his mother in childbirth - a reputation that was not helped by his occasional Echo-induced trances and the spiteful gossip of his relatives.

Once he arrived in Ul'dah as a young mercenary, and entered into employment as a trainee caravan guard, he got on well enough with his comrades, but generally had a reputation as being a bit on the quiet side.

So the first true friend he ever made was probably Minfilia - to be fair he did meet Thancred first, but Minfilia was really the first person to call herself his friend (and he wasn't at all sure about Thancred at first, on account of him appearing quite cocky). He felt a sense of connection to Minfilia through the Echo and, whether it was fate, or Hydaelyn's intent all along, they developed a quiet friendship that began to break down some of his inherent shyness.

Fir: Endurance and Hope.

Humble is stubbornly loyal, almost to a fault, and would sooner go down fighting for a cause he considered to be right, even if a less honourable alternative would be more profitable. That said, he isn't stupid - single-minded yes - but not stupid, so he would prefer to stick doggedly to what he believes to be the right cause of action, whilst also looking for ways to turn the tide, rather than simply abandoning himself to a tragic sacrifice. In Humble's experience victory isn't necessarily about knowing all the answers, it's about knowing the people who might have some of them.

[scottishaccentsareawesome]

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

[text: As for Yuyu Kitamura (Niko Sasaki), the series' writers have confirmed that Niko is still out there. In a Tudum interview, co-showrunner Steve Yockey explained, "The soapstone polar bear pulls her soul out of her body and sends it to the astral plane. And the astral plane is where we find her and the Dandelion Sprites in the igloo at the very end.” ]

[mybeingthere]

I like to carve what I feel, not merely what I see.” —Pauta Saila

Inuit artist Pauta Saila (1916–2009) is best known for his series of dancing bear sculptures. Soapstone was his favourite material to work with. Although Saila was also a skilled hunter, he focused his work in the early 1980s on carving.

Pauta Saila was born in a hunting camp on Baffin Island called Kilaparutua. His father was Saila, an important Inuit leader. In the southwestern area of Baffin Island where young Pauta grew up, he had a unique advantage of being able to observe polar bears from a close vantage point. They are known to stand up on their two hind legs, as a human would. The Inuit regard them as man-like in their behaviour and it was considered the utmost honour to have your soul transferred to a polar bear after death.

[kassandras-one-braincell]

i have so many more thoughts about eivor help me

- i saw your post and you’re so right. she literally gives off warm vibes. even her smell just makes you want to curl up in her arms and never move

- trinkets. she loves trinkets. any time she’s working on a project outside or out and about, she has to pick something up. every time you come home, there’s a new rock or small object on a bookshelf that you specifically dedicated to eivor’s trinket collecting.

- okay i… do not know anything about building. or dirty work. i hate getting my hands dirty (this is a complete self-serve please bear with me here). eivor would LOVE to do all of the handy work for you. especially if she comes home after a long day and sees you (cue gasp) trying to fix a drawer or a shelf on your own with her tools. she would rush over to you and tbh (me) you’ve probably been crying because why is building stuff so hard??? and you chipped a nail which made you even more upset. eivor just.. gently easing the tools out of your hands and telling you to go take a nice shower and relax while she takes care of it.

- on that note, eivor would be great at taking care of your anxiety. especially if you’re more on the shy/quiet/introverted side.

- in public, it’s a protective arm around you, and mean glares to anyone who might make you anxious. sweet forehead kisses and reassuring words whispered into your ear after you have to order at a restaurant. ushering you into a quiet space when you get overwhelmed and hugging you close, providing warmth and comfort <3

- in private, she amps it up a lot more. i have anxiety, so i get anxious at random times over random things. if you’re cooking or working on some homework or paperwork and get overwhelmed, she’s there in an instant with a big bear hug and all the kisses you could ever want. maybe it’s just one of those days where you wake up and feel like crap. eivor takes the day off and stays in with you, encouraging you to eat and at least read a little bit of a book or take a shower. if you can’t? she’s more than happy to stay in bed, snuggled up with you.

- speaking of which.. eivor’s bed is probably the comfiest thing in the world. minimal but extremely fluffy and comfy pillows, a big comforter with some extra throw blankets. expensive ass sheets. probably silk or something. she wants you to be as comfy as possible. also she has one of those attached lights on her headboard for when she reads late at night and doesn’t want to wake you. i don’t make the rules

okay i’ll probably be back with more but um. here’s this

Eivor absolutely gives the impression that she's patient and sympathetic around people of a more anxious disposition, yeah. I see her as encouraging without being demanding during those bad days. She would contentedly spend a day with you doing nothing but relying on comforts, but she'd move you and your blankets to the sofa, so your sleep pattern wouldn't suffer, and you'd get some more natural light come through.

By nature, she's very rational and wouldn't let you neglect yourself, but she understands how ordinary tasks can be daunting when you're in a shit state of mind. If you can't bring yourself to eat a meal, she'll offer you lighter, snackier foods intermittently. If brushing your teeth is too overwhelming, she'll bring you some mouthwash and a cup to spit it into (no word of a lie, this is how I avoided serious dental damage when I was at my lowest - a little goes a long way). She'll take care of your hair for you, and encourage you to walk with her into the kitchen for the sake of your joints. She is your rock, but a soft rock. Like soapstone.

Eivor loving building and tinkering is canon, that's the law, give her a toolbox and some flat pack furniture and she'll be busy for hours. While I'm a bit of a high femme handyman who can vividly imagine having hers-and-hers toolboxes, you're on the mark, she wouldn't mind one bit if all the diy is left to her, especially if you hate it! Why would she want you distressing yourself when she has powertools?Speaking of, don't let her loose in a diy store. You won't see her until it closes. Love her for that even more.

[pipwasreal]

Febuwhump Day 7: Alternate timeline self

Characters: Niko Sasaki, Crystal Palace (mentioned), Jenny Green (mentioned)

Content warnings: death and dying, blood, illness, loneliness, lack of agency

As Niko lies dying, hot blood pooling on her chest and soaking into her obi, the world doubles oddly.

Her whole life flashes before her eyes, that's what the stories say, right? That's how it starts, but then it goes... wrong.

She sees herself meeting Crystal for the first time, the beautiful girl in the cool jacket who had just moved into the room across the hall... but who she never saw again.

She sees herself vomit colourful goo and collapse in the bathroom. Jenny finds her, hours later, and calls the doctor. She sees herself bedridden, feverish and disoriented and so very alone.

She sees her body puppeted downstairs and into the butcher shop, sees the sprites put on their light show and feed and feed and feed, uninterrupted.

Niko sees herself explode.

Then her vision splits further, dozens of shimmering portals of possibility overlayed around her. She sees a version of herself who doesn't leave Osaka, a version who is eaten by a giant snake, a version who kisses Crystal, a version who moves too slow to shield her.

The soapstone bear feels heavier than worlds in her hand. She lets it lead her somewhere cold and safe.