#soh magic

[telemna-hyelle]

Tellie, if all your Ravios were put in a band, who would play what instrument? Or who would suck at playing any instrument?

Ooooh excellent question!

What kind of band? is this a modern band or more of an orchestra, or something along the lines of do I think the Ravios canonically play music, and if so, what?

We'll get the two obvious ones out of the way first:

Ages plays the harp (of ages, to be exact) as a part of his adventure. If he was in a modern band, I think he'd play guitar.

Flame: in his adventure, he played the Flamecharmer, which is a magic flute that can control fire. So, he plays the flute! I can't really imagine him playing anything else.

Sea: he plays a mandolin. If he was in a modern band, he'd probably back Ages up on guitar.

One: i feel like he may play the panpipes. The micori might have taught him! If he was in a modern band, though, he'd probably play electric guitar, or perhaps be the percussionist.

Myth: i can't imagine he plays music. He might sing, but i think he would probably fulfill the role of conductor.

Sol: He plays the harp, too! I'm not sure what he'd play in a modern band, though. Nothing quite feels right. Not guitar. Maybe still harp?

Magic: He plays the piccolo! This would go for a modern band too.

Lorule: I think he can play the ocarina, but nothing more complicated than that. If he was in a modern band... he might play the banjo, or the harmonica, or the triangle XD

Swords: He plays the harp, too! I feel like he'd play trombone or french horn in a modern band.

Realm: I feel like he'd play the ocarina. Something small that he could easily carry with him. As for a modern band... maybe an oboe or clarinet.

[apricotronin]

Aged up Masashi bc I love him sm❤️

[aylish91]

SOH Master Grand Master

Blue's POV "First" Meeting~ 😉

~~~

Why was my soul so loud?!

The nagging, fluttering, ache in my chest was going to drive me mad. It caused sweat to bead on my skull with each step closer I got to my destination. Definitely not the best when dealing with Axe. If I wasn’t careful, I would get caught before I could figure out what my scary friend was up to. I had seen him carrying someone, or at least, something, back from the slaver. It may have been just a glimpse, but I was certain.

And I needed to know.

The itch pricking my mind paired with my soul’s quivering ache, cracked my already wavering patience. It tore through my self-discipline like a knife, burning me from the inside. The closer I got to Axe’s makeshift room, the hotter it seemed to get. It was stifling!

Pulling at my wetting collar, I did my best to step lightly and focus through it, latching onto a quiet unfamiliar voice.

“And if I refuse?”

“There’s no backin’ out of it now Dove. It’s already done.”

Usually, I prided myself on keeping my temper. But a part of me, deep within myself, stirred. I did not like what I’d just heard. I physically had to bite my glove to prevent a growl. The heat was making it particularly difficult for me to keep from barging into Axe’s space.

I had just arrived for stars’ sake. I needed to keep myself from forming conclusions.

“So, I am your wife now?”

“Heh...”

Axe got oddly quiet and I nearly choked. It was almost nauseating how my already aching soul rolled.

“If only it were that simple.”

…

With how much my mind was spiraling, it was a miracle I was able to overhear Axe’s response. Even then, I don’t think it was meant to be heard. Whoever was inside with him certainly seemed to miss it.

I NEEDED to see what was going on. I COULDN’T TAKE not knowing what I was possibly missing. I HAD to know if I needed to get the others involved or not.

I could feel the bone of my face tightening, contorting into... something. It was probably unpleasant. I was glad no one was around to see it. It wouldn’t do to soil my mostly easygoing reputation unless I knew for sure it was called for.

It was time to move.

Keeping one metaphorical ear open, I did my best to maneuver up and around the crates and barrels. I was the one to help make room for Axe’s space, so I knew there was a certain spot that would be easy enough to access. Whether or not the pocket between the coarse fabric and supplies was purposeful… Well! Who’s to say~

Quietly moving just the right boxes got me where I needed to be, a convenient slit in the “wall” providing me the view I so desperately needed.

…

A… A MAIDEN.

…

 A SKELETON MAIDEN~ Weak and in the most desperate of conditions. Axe ha-had them in his hammock. Their face was turned, hiding most of their finer details, but the pale, delicate bones of their hands and wrists were in perfect view. I could also see the beautiful pearly white, (albeit a bit scuffed with dirt), of their shoulders a-and clavicle.

My soul was already a hammering drum, but then Axe began feeding—

I forced a slow breath, swallowing thickly and closing my sockets. My magic was getting close to bursting! Glowing far too brightly for this late at night. I needed to f-focus on something else to quiet all the… excitement!

But it was so very, verydifficult!

It was as if my body was lighter than air, floating like the stars and the moon in the night sky. My soul was pulsing warmer than ever! It was downright ridiculous! It was a miracle Axe’s soul hearing hadn’t figured me out!

I knew my soul tended to be more reactive than most, but never had it reacted this strongly before! By the time they had finished and Axe rose to leave, I had been reduced to a sweating mess, helplessly gripping the fabric over my chest.

I thought it would be easier with the calm. But simply watching wasn’t cutting it. I so desperately wanted to go. To rip through the canvas to be the one to rescue them. But it was too risky. Too dangerous with Axe awake and lurking somewhere close by. No doubt he would be just as wound up as me. All I could do was grimace and shift in place, my bones and magic crawling with pent-up energy. With how Axe was…

No. It would be an outright terrible idea to interrupt unless things got serious.

However, I was not mentally or physically prepared for the events that came after Axe returned.

Heavily saturated magic pooled in my mouth, sparking through the rest of my already wound-up lines. I-I couldn’t stay in good conscience! It was too tempting to ogle and watch each excruciating swipe of the cloth! It was a vulnerable p-private moment, and I had no right to-to see any more than I had.

Restraint! By the Angel I needed it!

…

Jealousy is a far crueler mistress than I had ever anticipated.

[shepherds-of-haven]

Sorry if this has already been asked before, but have you ever thought about writing a sequel to SoH? I know you said it would be a stand-alone book, but I think a sequel where we explore different continents would be extremely cool. I just love these character so much and idk if I’m ready to say goodbye. I know we still have a bit left but still…

Hi there, this message has been sitting in a long queue of messages I've fallen behind on answering for a while now, but I just wanted to say thank you for taking the time to send it! It ended up being extremely thought-provoking for me, and you may have single-handedly made me reconsider my stance on a Shepherds sequel! XD

I always planned on this entry being a standalone game, though I was toying with the idea of eventually writing a sequel that follows a separate cast of characters (aka different protagonist and companions, though with room for potential cameos with the old characters). Pretty much like how Dragon Age does it! I won't go into the potential plot details now, but I was thinking it might take place sometime between 10-15 years in the future, and it would follow "a new generation" of Shepherds in a different locale. I've sort of hazily cobbled together ideas for the story/main premise, but companions outside of the main protagonist have eluded me at the moment--I really need to focus on this game, its DLC, and my next book first, so I haven't given it too much thought!

However, your comment has unearthed some feelings I've been having about a potential sequel, too! It's hard for me to feel like I'd be ready to say goodbye to the cast, as well... It's so easy for me to write them because they've been in my head for so many years, and starting an adventure in the world of Blest with different and new characters admittedly feels a bit strange. It's like having to hang back a grade while all of your friends graduate high school and then looking around at the incoming freshman class like "welp, I guess you guys are my friends now! 😒" lol. I'm torn on the issue: I don't want to not challenge myself or refuse to move out of my comfort zone as a writer--in short, I don't want to be the kind of writer who recycles the same characters and material because doing something new is daunting to me, and I don't want you all to feel like I'm making endless sequels/trying to recapture old magic and should just move on to something new, either--but I do love my cast and I'm not sure yet if I should definitively say, "No, their chapter is done with this game and it's on to the next!", because I can see so many adventures happening to them even after this story is over!

The problem lies with endings--there are so many different endings planned for this game that I hesitate in treating any of them as the true or canonical one, but otherwise trying to account for all of them in a sequel feels quite impossible to accomplish when I wasn't planning on a continuation--along with other logistical concerns that I can't get into at the moment. Like, what if you end the game with all of the Shepherds except Halek dead? What if your friend ends the game with all of them alive, but the MC is dead? This game alone is already 1 million words, but a direct sequel would probably wrack up hundreds of thousands of variations based on all of these choices in its first chapter alone! 🤔

That's why I figure DLC is the happy medium here: you can expand on or create new content and adventures for the characters, but slot them into the timeline wherever you wish, like in between Chapter 7 and 8, etc. And episodic adventures might keep things small and streamlined enough that I can update them more consistently, rather than hacking away at one giant sequel game!

Aaaaaanyway... All this is to say: I have a lot to think about! Absolutely nothing has been decided yet (not even close), but these are just some of the things I've had rattling around in my head. Thank you again for your sweet and honest words: I'm glad you're so fond of these characters and would miss them. I would, too! But whatever ends up happening, I know this game won't be the last time we see them. :)

Thanks again!

[whinnyornot]

This was the second of my revamped Whinfell designs. 🐎✨

Originally posted on my alt instagram account.

Meet the Ouranos Whinfell. 💠 The name Ouranos is the Greek form of Uranus. Ouranos directly translates to "the heavens." Uranus is, of course, also the name for the seventh planet in our solar system which happens to be a beautiful shade of blue. It also just so happens to be my favorite planet (and one of my fav Sailor Soldiers lol), so it just seemed fitting for this Whinfell. Lore:

"The Ouranos Whinfell prefers to live in tropical and subtropical montane rainforests. This is because it loves to snack on the bark of the Cinnamomum trees that grow in these warmer more humid climates. It's bright blue coloring acts as an eye-catching warning to predators that it is not wise to attempt an attack.

The Ouranos' magical coat was based on the Pompelon Marginata moth, while their neutral coat is a smoky black roan (note: smoky black is phenotypically no different from regular black, it's just that most of the darker "blue" roan images I came across to use as references were smoky black).

You may also notice the neutral coat has a dorsal stripe and a small spot on its forehead. This was intentional. The Ouranos may be able to magically hide its form, but these are tiny giveaways to their true selves."

Whinfell redesigns: [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7]

References:

Star Stable Online, Jwh350a.jpg, digital art, 754 × 373 pixels (7.854 × 3.8854 in), Star Stable Wiki, October 23, 2018, https://starstable.wiki.gg/wiki/Whinfell/Gallery#/media/File:Jwh350a.jpg

Star Stable Online, Jwh350b.jpg, digital art, 754 × 373 pixels (7.854 × 3.8854 in), Star Stable Wiki, October 23, 2018, https://starstable.wiki.gg/wiki/Whinfell/Gallery#/media/File:Jwh350b.jpg

Jennifer Hoffman, “An Interactive Introduction to Equine Coat Color Genetics," horse.jenniferhoffman.net. accessed August 12, 2022, http://horse.jenniferhoffman.net/horse-color-genetics.html.

Fred Smith, EN79VxUWAAACSQg.jfif, photograph, 1728 × 13.5 pixels (18 × 15.625 in), Twitter, January 10, 2020, https://twitter.com/savebutterflies/status/1215687502880759808.

Soh Kam Yung, Photo 6162112, photograph, 1365 × 2048 pixels (7.583 × 11.378 in), iNatrualist, January 31, 2017, https://inaturalist.nz/photos/6162112.

[pixies-and-poets]

Oooh now you got me thinking!! What if in SoH Rabbid Peach was able to grow her hair to a short length so she still wears the wig for the time until she reaches her desired length

HIYA, this is like three months old but I was going through asks because I knew there were some still in there I wanted to draw-

For those who don't know/remember, at one point we were talking about a headcanon that between Kingdom Battle and Sparks of Hope, Rabbid Peach was able to grow her hair (with a little help from Peach and her magic/knowledge!) intead of using a wig.

So yeah, here she's happy with her progress even if she probably won't show anyone yet except her best friends :3 I just wanted to draw our girly with short hair especially since I haven't drawn her in a while!

[thedragonagelesbian]

FOR THE SPOTS TO KISS PROMPT - 29. a kiss on the inside of the wrist.

Spots to Kiss

@omgkalyppso tyty both sm for the prompt-- i adore hand kissing so much..................... the of all time...........................................

29. a kiss on the inside of the wrist

(set vvv late act 3)

"It's spread so much..." Sosiel sat on Kyr's bed with a frown as he tried to rub some semblance of warmth into the winter witch's forearm. Of all the magic embedded in the dhampir's body, nothing concerned Sosiel more than this suppressor sigil. Tendrils of arcane ice etched into Kyr's skin to dampen the worst--the hungriest--of his nature. When they first met, it had been confined to his shoulder. Now, the frostbitten magic extended from the nape of his neck down to his wrist, reaching reaching reaching toward the tips of his fingers. "Are you sure about this?"

"About what?"

Sosiel's fingers trembled as they caressed Kyr's skin. Working, aching, praying for a miracle of shared body heat and friction. Kyr had assured him before that the cold did not bother him, but there was still the numbness, intermittent paralysis along the length of his left arm. And the pain each time Kyr poured more magic into the sigil, forcing it to expand.

And, worst of all, knowing why he kept doing it.

"About us. I love you, but," Sosiel bit his lip hard, "if I am too much of a burden--"

"I never said that." With his right hand, Kyr took Sosiel by the jaw and tilted his head back. His gaze--the Aeon's gaze--was singular, steady, blank... save for the slightest wrinkling in his forehead. "I would never say that."

"Forgive me," Sosiel said quickly, squirming until Kyr released his face. "I did not mean to imply that you had, but... Powerful emotions weaken the sigil, and every time you have to strengthen it again, it spreads, and so every time that we are together, either you are at risk of your appetites returning, or... or you have to hurt yourself to maintain control."

Struck by the fear and the conviction that this would be their last time so close to one another, Sosiel's grip on Kyr's forearm tightened. He should've let go. For Kyr's sake, no matter how much it shattered both their hearts, he should've pulled away.

Instead, he took Kyr's hand and pulled it up to his mouth, kissing the knuckles, thumb, palm, heel, the edges of frost etched into the inside of his wrist, where he lingered. Everything about Kyr's body was sharp, but tucked away here, lips between bones, was something almost soft like marrow.

"It is such terrible work," Sosiel murmured against his skin, "just to be with me."

"Sosiel..." He had gotten very good at detecting it: the minuscule warble and imperceptible hitch indicating the tidal wave of emotions that Kyr was holding back, never more pronounced than when he sighed Sosiel's name like that. Wax poured between the three syllables, soh-see-el, hot and smooth where the rest of him was cold and stiff. And Kyr tightened again as he swallowed and continued: "You say 'just' as if our relationship is trivial to me. It is not. Second to my duties as Aeon and Knight Commander, there is nothing in this life more important to me than you."

From Kyr, there was never any clumsy poetry or fumbling romantic gestures. Just a sincerity so painfully direct that it left Sosiel rubbed raw. Tender all over. And as much as he yearned to sink into that tenderness and banish all his doubts, he insisted, "But is it worth all this? This painful game you must play with your body? Am I..." his voice broke, "Am I worth it?"

"Yes." Kyr touched his face again-- the furrowed brow this time, smoothing away the wrinkles with his thumb, lips feather-light upon his forehead. "But you require more than that. I will explain myself. Feeling is inescapable in this life outside of my sire's lab, and so I must play this 'game' always. Forever. Whether it is the revulsion at the Worldwound or the bliss of setting it back to order, the joy of a bird's song in the morning or- or the fear that the sigil's magic will run out and you will see me for the ravenous monster that I am, it does not matter. Everything must be either tempered or compensated for to avoid becoming what I was.

"And if the specificity of the emotion does not matter, as the sigil will weaken anyway, and if being with you brings me more happiness than I ever thought myself capable of..."

Kyr shivered, and the ice in his skin began to splinter. Crack. Melt. Droplets of water budding underneath Sosiel's fingertips. He reached for a cloth to dry them, but Kyr caught him in a kiss instead. Whatever the vetala-born might have lacked in fangs, he made up for with sheer, bruising force. Direct. Sincere. Sosiel gasped into Kyr's mouth. All his breath stolen away, and with it all his worries. About Kyr, himself, the Worldwound and its horrors weighing so heavy on his soul.

And the longer he kissed Kyr, the longer it would be until those worries came back again.

"Of course you are worth it."

[uppastthejelliclemoon]

“It was an irreplaceable love”

A little sequel/continuation to my “dyin’ ain’t so bad” fic i wrote back for tuggoffelees week, this time featuring more angst thanks to @soh-da-meatball who broke my heart with her latest tuggoffelees art <3

Obviously this takes inspiration from “saturation” (the song that soh used) but while i was writing i also couldn’t stop thinking about “something to hold onto” from the “between the lines” musical and long story short i’m crying over this

Warnings: mentions of major character death, descriptions of violence (basically what had happened to tugger), unhealthy coping mechanisms (mistoffelees isolating/punishing himself), overall a lot of grief

Mistoffelees stayed in his den for weeks after Tugger’s death.

He spoke to no one, not even his sister.

The only reason he ate was because he knew how much Tugger would hate seeing him waste away, but even then, he only ate the bare minimum to keep himself alive.

Munkustrap, Victoria, and Old Deuteronomy were the only cats who came into Mistoffelees’ den, after every other cat had found themselves unable to enter due to the magic surrounding it.

Munkustrap would sit in the silence with Mistoffelees, a strong, calm presence. He was the only cat who truly understood Mistoffelees’ grief, seeing as he had been there as well when Tugger died.

Victoria held her brother during her visits, wrapping her arms around him and protecting him from the world.

Old Deuteronomy was the only cat Mistoffelees would cry in front of, clinging to the old tom as violent sobs ripped through his body. Deuteronomy cried with him, cradling the younger cat gently, whispering gentle reassurances that Tugger’s death wasn’t his fault, that he had done everything he could.

Mistoffelees wasn’t so sure about that.

Every time he closed his eyes, he saw Tugger’s bloody, broken body in front of him, fur mangled and matted.

He saw Old Deuteronomy collapsing to the ground when he saw Tugger’s body.

He saw Munkustrap falling into Demeter’s arms, the golden queen clinging to her mate with tears streaming down her face.

Every time he sat in the silence, he heard Bombalurina’s screams when she saw Mistoffelees and Munkustrap enter the Junkyard with Tugger’s body on their backs.

He heard Plato’s choked sobs at the sight of his brother in all but blood, lifeless and limp.

He heard Jemima’s terrified questions about what was wrong with her beloved uncle.

Despite Deuteronomy’s reassurances, and Tugger’s insistent final words, Mistoffelees blamed himself. He should have been faster, his magic should have healed Tugger.

His isolation was his punishment, his misery his penance for his mistakes.

So he remained in his den, curled on his bed, Tugger’s favorite blanket clutched in his arms as he breathed in the scent of his mate. Occasionally he would move around, a quick cleaning, a tidy-up of the bed, but that was only if one of the three cats he still saw came to visit.

He didn’t deserve for the den to be pristine.

Mistoffelees did manage to leave his den one night.

Like the other magical cats, Mistoffelees’ powers took strength from the moon, and the full moon shining above him in the sky made it feel as though his magic was about to burst out of him.

He sat in the center of the hidden clearing, the spot where he and Tugger had shared a private dance after their mating, and stared down at his paws. He hadn’t used his magic since the day Tugger died, and when he wiggled his fingers briefly, the rainbow sparkles he had once loved so dearly shot out, the pent-up emotions and magic exploding out of Mistoffelees in a wave of grief and pain.

He spread his arms out, magic flaring around him. The only reason the magic did not spread to the rest of the Junkyard was thanks to the barrier Mistoffelees had constructed around the clearing so long ago, when it had served as a secret place for him to practice.

Mistoffelees waved his arms and spun around, kicking out and lashing his tail until he stopped, hunched over with paws on his knees, heaving great, deep breaths, exhaustion settling into his bones.

“Magical.”

The awed whisper had the tom freezing. The voice was one Mistoffelees would recognize even in a sea of screams and cheers. It was the voice that had spent countless hours reassuring him, whispering sweet nothings as they curled together, giggling over thoughts of a future they would never have.

Slowly, Mistoffelees turned around, and he felt everything around him grow silent.

Perched on the old chair, as though nothing had ever changed and Mistoffelees was simply practicing parlor tricks, was Tugger.

Clean fur, not a trace of blood or injuries in sight, and amber eyes glittering with only love and adoration.

Mistoffelees could think of nothing else do to but collapse on the ground, sobbing. His only thought was that he had finally cracked, his weeks of isolation and punishment had caused him to hallucinate. It made sense, he supposed. His greatest punishment would be to see the ghost of the mate he failed to save everywhere around him.

“Sparkles?” Tugger’s voice was now filled with worry, and much closer than before. Mistoffelees buried his face in his paws, shaking his head. He couldn’t bear to look up and see the vision his grief-riddled mind had conjured for him. Firm, warm paws grasped his wrists, and slowly pulled his paws away, but Mistoffelees kept his eyes shut. Those same paws then cupped his face, thumbs stroking the fur beneath his eyes gently, wiping away the tears. “Come on, gorgeous, let me see those beautiful eyes.”

Mistoffelees could never resist it when Tugger spoke to him like that.

Slowly, he opened his eyes, meeting Tugger’s loving gaze. A soft, warm smile spread over the maine coon’s face, and Mistoffelees couldn’t resist throwing himself forward, wrapping his arms around Tugger’s neck with a broken cry.

Tugger’s arms wound around Mistoffelees’ waist, strong and sure, and the two cats clung to each other, faces buried in the other’s fur.

“I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry.” The magical tom gasped out.

Tugger pulled away, a small frown on his face as he looked at his mate. “Sorry for what, Mist?” Mistoffelees’ face dropped, but Tugger placed his paw beneath his chin, gently tilting his face back up towards him. “Mistoffelees, listen to me. What happened to me was not your fault. I would never, ever blame you for what happened. All that blame? That’s on Macavity. He’s the one who killed me.” He leaned forward, resting his forehead against Mistoffelees’ with a deep sigh. “You and Straps brought me home, Misto. You came after me, and I was able to say goodbye to you.”

Mistoffelees shook his head. “I should have done more, Tugs.”

“You couldn’t have done more, Misto.” Tugger replied firmly. “It was my time, and as horrible as it was, you couldn’t do anything to change it.” Mistoffelees let out another sob, and Tugger pulled him back into his arms, hugging him fiercely.

Mistoffelees wasn’t sure how long they stayed like that, the two cats clinging to each other. By the time they pulled apart, he had cried out all his tears, and Tugger was back to smiling, pressing soft kisses all over the magical cat’s face.

Now that he was no longer crying, Mistoffelees could see the soft glow around his mate wasn’t simply due to his own watery eyes.

“This isn’t a hallucination, is it?” He asked softly.

Tugger chuckled, standing and pulling Mistoffelees up with him. “Not at all, my marvelous, magical magician. You did this.”

Mistoffelees’ brow furrowed. “Me?”

“I’m not sure exactly, but all that magic you let out, combined with your grief and love, it brought me here for just a little while.” Tugger said gently. He looked up at the moon above them. “It’s a full moon, as well. Like during the Ball.”

Of course.

Full moons, whether it was the night of the Ball or not, were when the Jellicle magic was strongest, and the veil between the Heaviside Layer and the living world was lifted, allowing moments of peace between deceased cats and their families.

Mistoffelees let out a soft, disbelieving laugh, tilting forward to rest his head against Tugger’s shoulder as he sent an unspoken whisper of thanks to the Everlasting Cat for granting him a final moment with his mate.

“I’m going to sing at the next Ball.” He admitted quietly.

Tugger’s arm wrapped around his shoulder, tight and comforting. “I had a feeling you would.” He leaned over, nuzzling the top of Mistoffelees head lovingly. He then stepped back, away from Mistoffelees, and held out a paw with a bright smile. “One last dance?”

Mistoffelees felt bittersweet tears fill his eyes. Their last dance in their clearing, the spot where their relationship had started. He took a steadying breath, and waved his paws.

Soft music filled the clearing, just like it did on the night so long ago, when they had snuck away as new mates, giggling and holding paws. Now, he reached out, tangling his fingers with the ghost of his mate’s, and Tugger gave him a sad little smile, pulling him closer.

The maine coon slipped an arm around his waist, and pressed a kiss to the spot just below Mistoffelees’ ear, where he knew the magical cat was ticklish. Mistoffelees laughed, something he had not done in ages, and his grip on Tugger’s paw tightened. He felt Tugger smile, and he felt himself pulled into a slow, gentle dance, Tugger never letting go of his paw.

Mistoffelees’ smile faded into something quieter, something more secretive, and he burrowed into Tugger’s mane, breathing deeply.

As Tugger’s arms tightened around him, their dancing turning into more of a gentle sway, Mistoffelees found himself with a single thought.

“What a precious love it’s been.”

[david-talks-sw]

Okay so this is so stupid but it made me laugh.

There's this line in Yoda: Dark Rendezvous that made me laugh so much when I heard it on the audiobook:

“More than eight hundred years has Yoda survived, through dangers you could not dream." "I know how to kill," Dooku hissed. Yoda's eyes opened wide, like balls of green fire. "Yes - but Yoda knows how to live!”

Because it's great and epic and deep etc... but the first thing that came to my mind when I heard it again was the Jedi from the Auralnauts videos, in which they're all a bunch of party-goers who are so high on heroin they get magical powers.

So for a full 10 seconds what went through my mind was Yoda essentially telling Dooku:

"I've lived for 800 years, I've made love to a Hutt and did deathsticks with Gungans, I've beaten Orn Free Taa at a sandwich-eating contest and I rode a thermal-seeking missile over the Mandalorian skies, I tamed the Terentatek of Kashyyk and had a toga party with the Supreme Chancellor Lina Soh mere hours before she gave an important speech. Yoda doesn't just survive, Yoda knows how to fucking live, Dooku! What have you done with your life?!"

[thatsohkai]

note 2: what's the word? no...not grief (tw: descriptions of grief, parental death, descriptions of drowning)

The flight was gloomy. He’d set it for the evening, on purpose, he needed the entire day to mentally prepare for it. Sleep evaded him, Dae’s words sounded like they were trying to fight through oceans of water to get to his ears, he just felt numb. Maybe, that wasn’t the word for it, it wasn’t, and honestly he’d spent the entire two days of preparations trying to find another word to replace it. He found none, and guessed those scholarship private schools weren’t worth a damn. That’s also what he kept doing, finding problems and tossing the blame on someone else, as if Chicago’s finest schools could help him magically pull a non-existent word to describe something as evasive as human emotions in the times of what he guessed was…grief.

saturday, march 20th 1:27am KST (approx. friday, march 19th 11:27am central standard time)

 His phone buzzing had never startled him awake so hard in the night. Nine times out of ten if you were trying to get a hold of Malachi post blunt on an off day, you’ll  be hearing from him the following business day, if he felt like socializing. But this call felt like a hard knock on your door, one you know is insidious pounding meant to wake the home's occupants on the first knock. He scrambled to answer, fumbling for the vibrating iPhone in the darkness trying desperately to grab it before Dae could begin stirring next to him. 

“Hello?” Croaked from his tired throat and before he could really collect his barings a disappointed and stern tone began rattling off his speech like an automated line, 

“Hello there, this is officer Anthony Jackson with the Chicago Police Department, I’m looking to contact the next of kin for a Ji-min S-suh-,” he cut him off, “Soh.” “Yes, Soh my apologies, I guess it was fairly simple but,” next of kin? Suddenly that aching feeling he’d felt all day rushed back, “Yeah, yeah what’s up, h-how can I help you? Is she in jail? How much is the bail and can someone escort her home?” He was getting annoyed now. 

“Well no sir, um bail won't be needed, we were calling to inform you that a neighbor called for a well-fair check from us and upon entering found her deceased sir.” Kai hadn’t meant to laugh, he didn’t, and the uncomfortable grunt from the officer that came from the other end of the line should have told him to stop the low chuckling he’d begun. 

“I’m sorry fuck, you’ve got the right lady right?” His words were only met with a firm ‘mm-hm’. “I guess, I what…what do I do now to identify the body? Arrange a funeral, don’t know who’s fucking coming to that what?” He assumed the officer cut him off because he probably sounded insane. “Well we’re taking her down to the Cook County morgue and she’ll get checked out with an autopsy if that’s what you want.” “Yeah sure.” “Oookay, and then you’ll come down and identify and what you do after well sir it's up to you. They’ll call you with the details but make arrangements to leave if you’re out of the country based on your phone number.”

The rest was null and void, that's when things started to become the seven seas. Swimming, just swimming through preparations, TSA, baggage claim. Hotel, moms place, morgue, moms place, hotel, flight back to Korea. It was all so fucking fast but he still felt like he was fucking swimming. An hour for him was days for everyone else and he still couldn’t figure out the word to describe it. 

And after a while he’d put it behind him, enjoyed his hiatus, and then insurance called and suddenly he was wondering what to do with the little money she had and left him. He guessed he could say he was grateful that she’d even thought about doing it in the first place but all he could think about was swimming. It wasn’t aimless any more…there was something suddenly bright beginning to peek over the waters edge. But it was so far and it seemed to run from him just as sleep had since he was startled awake months ago. He had to reach it. He had to…or he’d drown in it. The confusion, the loss, the grief, the inability to articulate and understand, it’d all fill his lungs in one swift go, hardening like cement and weighing him down to the black ocean floor, but that sounded more blissful than swimming any longer.

[fearlessdevil17]

Due to this post, i have created Edge into a sky child (i don't have any cool cosmetics for her because i don't have the season pass, so i had to work with what i got)

and took her to see Queen Aurora, and it was so magical <3

(even gave me a whole scenario idea for a SoH x Sky: cotl crossover that i would so love to make sketches of <3)

i have taken a bunch of photo's, and i would like to share them :)

hope you enjoy:

so these are photos i did before the concert started, i was just making Edge chill with the sky people :)

and while i was at it, she relived the memories of the Queen's four Maiden's

when the concert was close to starting, Edge headed up to the colosseum, explored a bit, and eventually found her seat

I'd like to imagine that these shadowed sky kids beside Edge were Mario and the gang. who also arrived with Edge to see the Queen's concert <3

as the concert started, the Queen started to show Edge a glimpse of her power :)

then she revealed herself

the Queen has the ability to grow and shrink whenever she pleases. which makes me think of a scenario of her confronting Cursa in her giant form since i noticed that Aurora and Cursa are the same height :0

i really want to draw what Edge would look like in Sky, but i can't right now because i have other drawings i want to finish but i hope to make them soon :)

but for now, let's finish this off with Edge bowing to the Queen <3

hope you all liked this :) <3

[telemna-hyelle]

Ravios! What are your opinions on your Hildas!

-Sky Floor

Sea: my brilliant goddess!!! The shining star of my life! Her piercing red eyes, her glorious voice, the way confidence and conviction radiate through her like a shining aura of--

Sol: *elbows him* I think we get it.

Sea: *sniffs haughtily* Well then, Sol, tell us your thoughts on your Hilda.

Sol: She has bad taste in boyfriends.

Magic: and I'm sure that's all your thoughts on the subject.

Sol: well, what's yours?

Magic: *awkward laughter* Ah, well, you know... she... she... *his face falls* she was really stubborn. Too stubborn for her own good.

*awkward silence. Sol looks regretful*

Ages *tactfully entering the conversation*: Vision was my best friend as a child. I may have been the one with the plan, but I couldn't have carried it out without her support. I'm glad to have her friendship to this day.

Swords: Sceptre is an inspiration! She dove headfirst into the War, determined to take vengeance on whoever tried to drag Lorule into this mess. I couldn't stand back and let her face it alone. And, well... *he blushes* we've gotten pretty close, I guess.

Flame: Frost is weird, but... a nice kind of weird. And it was really great to not be alone while travelling! Lava is scary.

Realm: Enka can also be strange. She's... not the same as she was a hundred years ago, but it's a good change. She... being a ninja looks good on her.

Myth: Well, well well! Sounds like someone has a crush!

Realm: as if you don't.

Myth: well, who's to say? She could just be a very good friend--

Realm: Fifty rupees that you'll be engaged before the end of the adventure.

Lorule: Can we put in bets for the exact length of time, or--

Myth: please don't, if Paint finds out she'll go ballistic.

*Lorule and Realm look shiftily at each other*

Ages: *coming to the rescue again* What about you, Lorule, anything you'd like to share?

Lorule: ...she's. She's nice.

*the other ravios watch in amusement as his face slowly turns red*

Magic *taking pity on his sucessor*: Well, is that everyone?

One: Ye--

Flame: But you haven't answered yet, One!

One: ...crap.

Sea: well?

One: ... she's fun. AND THAT'S ALL YOU'RE GETTING OUT OF ME SO DROP IT.

[thedragonofdoma]

Introductions

So I realize that, in a setting where just about everyone has their own characters and stories they want to tell, it can get exhausting trying to figure out what each character's deal... is. And mine are no better, given my tendency to not elaborate much on their stories and personalities beyond the occasional wolqotd. So, to try and clear away some of the fog, here's an introduction to the characters I'll probably be posting about on here.

Fair warning, this is a LONG post.

The easiest place to start is with my primary character, Zaya Dalamiq. She is a Xaela Au'ra from Doma, whose parents immigrated from the Azim Steppe.

Zaya's story is one of connections and vulnerability, culminating in her replacing Gosetsu as one of Hien's trusted retainers and advisors, alongside Yugiri. Zaya is a (non)wol x Yugiri ship, and sees Hien as a non-blood related sibling. She also has close relations with Lyse Hext, Magnai Oronir, and Aymeric de Borel.

Zaya has two custom jobs called Demon King (DMK) and Sohei (SOH). Demon King mixes aspects of Dark Knight, Warrior, and Samurai; while Sohei is a very straightforward blend of Monk and Dragoon. She does not possess the echo, and was born with unnaturally thin aether, to the point she is unable to use magic of any sort without the use of crystal conduits. In exchange for this defecit -- and to explain her DRK capabilites -- Zaya has a natural affinity for Dynamis, to the point she is able to freely manipulate the energy as if it were aether.

Zaya is also a talented artisan, specializing in metalwork such as Armorcraft, weaponry, and goldsmithing. A lot of her spare time is spent around the Doman Enclave, training the guard and working to help Doma's reconstruction in the wake of Stormblood.

She's an extremely emotional woman with a measured and controlled exterior that she's developed to oppose her empathetic nature. She is strongly loyal to her friends and Doma both, and puts 110% into every single thing she does. Unfortunately, she does suffer from Impostor Syndrome, and always assumes herself at fault for problems or tragedies, so there's still some stuff that could be worked on.

================================================

Next on the list is Lernea, Zaya's Ancient counterpart. She's much less developed than Zaya, but still has a good bit of lore surrounding her place in the world and how her story goes.

Lernea is a researcher in Elpis, though 'researcher' is a lofty title for what she really does. Put as simply as possible, Lernea's job is to fight things. Despite lacking the level of aetheric control necessary to actually test and evaluate concepts, Lernea serves to test a being's combat capabilities and to determine whether a certain concept will be a threat to the outside world.

Compared to Zaya, Lernea is far more confident and headstrong, to the point of appearing arrogant and brash. She has a short temper, and lives for the thrill of battle, though this comes from an innate desire to protect -- one that, for the most part, could only be satisfied with testing -- which has persisted into her various shards, including Lyna, who I've picked to be Zaya's reflection in the First.

================================================

Moving on to the more... conceptual characters, we have Kanemi and Kawami Munakata, two Hingan Au'ra that come from a wealthy mercantile family near Kugane. Originally conceived to be foster siblings for Zaya, these two have ended up being their own characters with their own stories.

The older of the two, Munakata Kanemi, is usually depicted as a soft-spoken caretaker, leaning heavily into the stereotypical Healer Archetypes. Being the next head of the Munakata family, she doesn't get to do much in the way of combat, as her talents lie more in commerce and communication. Her job is a custom rendition of White Mage, meant to present a far more Eastern aesthetic than the normal job allows.

The younger, Munakata Kawami, is actually from a branch family of the Munakata clan. Despite that, she grew up in the same house as Kanemi, and the two are more like sisters than cousins. Kawami is much more rambunctious and mischievous, fitting well into the 'gremlin' caricature. While originally designed to be a Monk, I've recently changed Kawami to being a Samurai, having trained with the Sekiseigumi in Kugane before eventually swearing her sword as Kanemi's personal protector.

To that end, the two are never far from one another, and I struggle to picture them without the other.

================================================

Of course, I've some other characters that I may eventually explore, but for the time being these are the ones most likely to appear!

Thank you for taking the time to read through this! I've not been doing this sort of stuff for very long, but it means a lot to me to be able to share something I'm passionate about with others.

[cptn-briggsy-kratch]

*SoH 27 tries to steal his magic necklace*

[Perception 27]

*He feels more than sees the action take place. His hand wraps around the medallion and clutches it tight.*

Do not touch my things.

[shepherds-of-haven]

Hey Lena!I just want to say, "I LOVE SoH!" The story, the magic, and Tallys! You have created such an immense and immersive world that even as I type this, I can imagine the Shepherds as vividly as if they were standing right before me. Keep up the phenomenal work, you ingenious author. I shall wait with baited breath for the opportunity to purchase it in its entirety. Much love <3

Ahhh, thank you so much for the lovely message anon! It's so kind of you to take the time to send this, I really appreciate it! 💖💖🫶

[asianartsblog]

Experience the enchanting magic of light and culture at the 24th Great Halloween Lantern Parade & Festival on October 21st in Patterson Park. Join us for a night of unity and wonder as we showcase the Year of the Rabbit lantern sculptures by Ashling Han, Boots Shelton, and Hanshu Ma; a Cambodian cultural procession by the Cambodian Buddhist Society Culture Group, an Indian dance procession by Desi Moves & Vibes, and Korean p’ungmul drumming by Dami Soh Schlobohm, Jihwan Baek, and friends. Don't miss this extraordinary event! 🏮🌟 #asianculture #lanternparade #asianculturefestival

.

Location: Patterson Park, Baltimore, MD

Date and Time: Saturday, October 21. 4pm (Rain date: Sunday, October 22)

Info: https://creativealliance.org/event/the-great-halloween-lantern-parade-festival-2023/