#the call of knighthood; headcanon

[confiteorims]

Notes on the new AU:

The setting is the typical fairytale type kingdom: castle, village, idyllic farmlands, creepy mysterious forest older than the kingdom that people typically try to avoid being stuck in after nightfall.

Turns out the forest is kind of a "gateway" to the faerie realm and when the sun sets the fae come out in force. People who stay in the woods after the sun sets have a high chance of never being seen again, leading to stories of the fae stealing people away. Just ignore that sometimes when people go missing there's a new boulder or strangely shaped tree or bush along the only road through the forest. Totally just a coincidence, really.

E'mrys was abandoned as a baby deep in the woods but the fae upon finding him decided to take him in since they have a soft spot for children. Due to growing up in the faerie realm and all the magic there, he's now essentially agelessly immortal.

Often going out in excursions to the mortal realm while disguised in a cloak and mask, E'mrys has become a bit of a folk legend among the kingdom as the "Faerie Knight". With stories being spread around throughout the years warning young and foolish people, and would-be heroes, to not remain in the forest once the sun begins to set. Or else they risk being stolen away by the Faerie Knight to be given to the King of the Fae as tribute.

Personally, E'mrys has never really bothered with that, instead choosing to just watch whoever is brave or foolish enough to risk the woods. Until one day his eyes are caught by a certain prince.

[averagewriter-inthedark]

Symphony 🎻 | Rhaenyra Targaryen Headcanon

GOT/HOTD Masterlist

note: I wrote this because I want to be part of Rhaenyra's symphony 😩😉

Rhaenyra falling in love with a musician would look like:

The first time the Crown Princess laid on eyes on you was during her name day celebration. The king had called upon the finest performers, artists, dancers, and jesters in Westeros for the eighteenth birthday of the Kingdom's heir. You were part of a traveling music group, where you played the violin and were the lead vocalist. 

Immediately drawn to your captivating presence, Rhaenyra barely paid attention to the others in your group, and when the rest of the performers were brought on stage, her thoughts lingered with you and zoned out the rest of the celebration. Searching the grounds the moment the final performance ended to try and get another glimpse of you. When she finally did, Rhaenyra swore she'd never seen anything as beautiful as you before in her life. 

"Princess!" You abruptly stood from your chair upon realization the young lady was behind you, too emersed in the conversation with your friends until one of them cleared their throat with wide eyes and pointed over your shoulder. "My apologies I did not realize you were there." "Please, do not apologies, I should've announced myself. I was wondering if you'd be interested in talking a walk with me. I'd like to hear more about your music and travels of the country."

For an hour you strolled through the area reserved for the performers and vendors. Tents and stands on every corner. At one point you stopped to see the small animal enclosure with baby goats and cows. Rhaenyra learned you were from the Riverlands, and your family were nomadic. Traveling all over Westeros, from Dorne to Winterfell, at the request of lords and ladies to perform. The most recent journey before coming to King's Landing was High Garden to celebrate the knighthood of Lord Tyrell's son.

There was an evident spark between you two. You felt it. Rhaenyra felt it. The warmth in your chest spread each time you made eye contact, her cheeks flushed when you complimented her. She hung onto every word you spoke, and in return you observed her body language. When someone interrupted, there was visible annoyance where she pretty much pleaded with whoever to leave with her eyes, and dismissed them with a, "Yes of course, tell my father I'll only be a moment."

When the celebration came to an end and it was time for the dinner, the princess asked you to join her table. Of course you were surprised, and a little nervous, "My Princess, my thanks to you for the generous off, but I fear that would be inappropriate. I am employed by your father, not a guest." "Nonsense, you are my guest. I've said it--and it is my name day after all so it shall be upheld. Join me so we can continue our conversation." How could you say no after that?

When the day rolled to the next, you and your group were set to leave after breaking your fast, but as you loaded the carriage a guard rushed with a note and informed you the Princess had requested your group to remain in King's Landing and be the permanent performers for when the Royal family hosted banquets, balls, and tourneys with the promise of payment, lodging, and all the benefits employees of the Red Keep get. 

Yeah, you all accepted that without a second thought. 

To say you didn't miss traveling would be a lie, but you enjoyed living in the Red Keep. You were given food, clothes, money, and a section of the lower levels for your friends to live. The Princess called on you regularly, to play your violin or sing ballads while she either admired you from beside or read her books. Soon you two fell into a routine. Progressing as the weeks go by to moments where you broke fast together, strolled the gardens, accompanied her on trips around the kingdoms. 

Each time you performed, Rhaenyra sat as close as she could to the stage. Staring in awe as your fingers and bow moved graciously across the violin, your beautiful voice so enchanting it'd make the Seven fall in love, echoing against the walls. Eyes full of love, finding each other's with smiles painting your face. 

Unfortunately a union between you would never be approved. Not by the court, the country, or her father--no matter how happy you made Rhaenyra. She was the Crown Princess, the heir to the Iron Throne. It was expected of her to marry a nobleman, bear children, and take her place as Queen. You'd have to remain in the shadows. A secret to the people.

Of course, rumors spread of the tales between the Princess and her close companion. Most of them diminished upon Rhaenyra's marriage to Ser Laenor---which the three of you had come to an agreement that the two would uphold their image to the Court, but in secret Rhaenyra's heart laid with you--but even then, whispers echoed the halls.

She's sneak to your quarters in the middle of the night to hear you play when she had trouble sleeping. You gifted her favorite sweets whenever you went into the city. When she felt the threat of the Greens growing as her father's conditioned worsened, you joined Rhaenyra at Dragonstone. By then your musical group had decided to part ways, many stating they wanted to return to their homes and raise their families.  

Over the course of your relationship with Rhaenyra, you wrote many songs of her and your life together. She'd become your muse, the inspiration for your works. Sometimes you'd sing them for an audience, but there few reserved only for her ears. 

So when the decades passed and you two were lost to the Dance of Dragons, the songs of Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen and her violinist lived on. Passing from generation to generation like the songs of the Conqueror and eventually Jenny of Oldstones. People live and die, but music is immortal. And you had immortalized the beauty and love of Rhaenyra through your art. Making her part of a symphony. 

[paradife-loft]

welp, I continue to learn about the world and the people in it by means of violence and murder 😢

Knight Artorias continues to be one of my absolute favorite boss fights

"victim of the Abyss" is the sexiest description one can read on a soul in this entire game by far

decided midway through fighting him that I wanted to go for a no-healing kill, mostly to prolong the experience and see if I could, and: success!! I can and did!

[vanillablankcanvas]

Part 2 Trolls Headcanons/ Theories/ Thoughts/ Ideas

Part1 Part3 Part4 Part5 Part6 Part7 Part8 Part9 Part10

Trolls - letting another troll touch your hair is a very huge sign of trust.

All the brothers definitely hold doors open for the ladies and then close it on John Dory.

Clay - receives special recognition alongside Viva for protecting the Putt Putt Trolls. (Knighthood? Trollstopia's official CFO?)

Clay - has a stupidly complicated coffee order

Clay - plans to move the Hole N Fun between Pop Village and Bergen Town. Imagine the business!

Bruce - absolutely gets into the trashiest reality TV shows. "If Alejandro doesn't confess his love in this episode I will flip this table"

Bruce - makes Troll cuisine for his kids

Bruce - there aren't any Troll sized clothing stores around so Bruce sometimes has to make his own clothes.

Bruce - has considered getting his kids hug time bracelets

Viva - does not knock on doors and absolutely will walk straight in when someone is changing clothes

Viva - snorts when she laughs too hard

John Dory - freaky level spice tolerance, looks people in their teary eyes as he bites a raw ghost pepper

John Dory - says "Gotta get home to the missus" when referring to Rhonda

John Dory - narrates himself "Against all odds, the brave and handsome Troll was able to tame the ferocious beast" he says as he's washing a purring Rhonda

John Dory - the Uncle that buys Bruce's kids toys that are either loud or that make a huge mess

John Dory - didn't finish school, made sure his brothers did

Floyd - absolutely judges you for your star sign

Floyd - knows exactly how to pop away that pain is someones back/shoulder/hips. Grabs JDs shoulder "Relax John. After three. One...two.." CRACK

Floyd - moves back to Pop Village for what JD calls 'early retirement' works in a sort of wellness center that has music therapy and yoga and stuff.

[visarcana]

What do we know about... Cesario (Chezario)

For those who keep up with the fic; last we were somewhere around the country of Cesario (otherwise known as Chezario, which is closer to how it’s pronounced in the original). Let’s scour the artbooks and all for info about this Gaean country!

Previously in the WDWK series: Basram, Egzardia

Canon information

1. Cesario is the country that asks Van to lead their decimated vanguard to “boost the troop morale.”

The situation is, Van comes back after retrieving Hitomi (episode 24), and lands at a Cesarian military camp, in an unspecified area close(r) to the Zaibach border. The soldiers say they were humiliated as they were overwhelmed by Zaibach’s military might. The state of the camp is pitiful with many dead and many destroyed melefs. 

By the way, there are Cesario troops and leviships in Palas at the same time, so the defeated camp is definitely not all of the country’s army.

Next time we see Van, the main Alliance army is arrived but he is still with this Cesario force and separate from Allen and the others, so it seems there was a bit of camaraderie present at that point if they stayed together instead of Van joining the Asturians as usual.

The filmbook has a note saying they “value knighthood” and “take it upon themselves to spearhead the attack against Zaibach”. From this, I sort of always had a headcanon that people would know and like Van in Cesario. Like, if they like honor and chivalry, and they appreciate the young boy and his legendary guymelef enough to ask him to lead them, you just sort of know they have a fondness for a story like that and see magic in it.

2. The design of the soldiers/guymelefs

The design of the Cesarian characters looks like medieval European knights, I would even go as far as to say, actual Crusaders (not to be confused with the Crusade crew).

The settei gives us, as usual, an image of an ordinary soldier and of a general, plus the general’s name. This time, it’s Ferme (Ferume) or its variations. Easter egg, Escaflowne Compendium had a mention of “Vermeer” in the code on the subpage about characters (it was something that was not visible on the website itself), I believe it could be one of the many possible transcriptions of this guy’s name from Japanese (I don’t think there is a source for that or any other romanization though and that’s probably the reason why it was hidden from view).

By the way, the names of these generals are pretty solidly confirmed; I have found three artbook sources for them already although they are never used in the series and the whole role of the alliance generals is practically to order their troops to turn on each other. Here is the Ferme guy calling for Cesario to “use the chance to rise to lead Gaea,” please note the color scheme looks a bit different in episode 26 (pale blue instead of dark).

Anyway, back to the design. The chainmail, the cross-quartered overshirt... where does it lead? I think the answer is pretty clear this time...

First of all, it has to be said Crusades are WAY older stuff than what I found before, showing the inspiration for the designs of soldiers of Basram or Egzardia that seems to be the 17th-19th century Europe, which is coincidentally also the level of development of Gaea according to the official materials. Crusades are hundreds of years before that! Plus, there were several of them, spanning centuries.

So, finding a drawing of a Crusader that would be authentic, non-fictional, and from the same period, is way harder. Many of the illustrations from which we form the image of a crusader come from later period, especially around the romantism movement in 19th century. And these representations, especially the most common image of templars, fit our Cesarians quite well. 

With the way their head gear is constructed, I think the reference may have been some encyclopaedia depiction of knights templar. These are some of the closest examples I could find (obviously, the variation is too great and probably also was with the real people).

But just out of curiosity I took a look:at the contemporary art (14th/15th century and older), it seems way harder to detect that typical image of the crusader with that huge cross across his chest, but yeah, you can obviously often see the motif of a cross and the chain mail.

And these two are prominent even in the design of our Cesarians. The same shape is visible even on their guymelefs (title picture), and yep, on their flag.

4. The flag/coat of arms

The cross on Cesarians seems to match the design of their flag, and to me, it looks nothing more like than the sword handle/crossguard. 

This time again, we don’t have the official Sunrise image for ants but we have plenty sources of how it should look in color so I spent 3000 hours in MS Paint and there you go.

Anyway, the sword hilt would obviously match it being such a heroic and militaristic country, although it’s quite simple imagery, I like the decorative detail put in there. Any other ideas?

5. Cesario is a neighboring country to Asturia and possibly to Zaibach

I repeat myself once again, this is because we know Asturia formed an alliance with its neighboring countries (episode 23) and Cesario came to their help. But actually, this is also confirmed in the text of the Roman Artbook. 

It also strongly looks like they may share a border also with Zaibach, although the filmbooks just say they are in the vanguard in the attack against them. That was my idea without looking at the books anyway since they are attacked by them in that camp and once the main force arrives to the same place and then they practically fight to invade Zaibach already! 

There is a bit of a mystery of Zaibach general Adelphos, too, who is impatiently waiting for the orders to attack “the alliance filth” that he believes can be easily defeated. After this scene, we are shown Allen and the alliance main force still in Asturia, so it seems Adelphos could have meant these Cesarians? 

So, from all this, it would seem to me the main forces of Zaibach and the Alliance have gathered on the border between Cesario and Zaibach although it does not say explicitly that in the canon.

And what did I do with this for the fic? Well, we currently (as of chapter 16) find ourselves in Cesario. For a quick recap, Van escaped Fanelia with Hitomi, and, followed by a Zaibach squad headed out north. They got as far as Cesarian forests, where they were reunited with Crusade who had visited Fanelia shortly after their escape and started searching for them. And here is where they come across the Cesarian elite squad. 

I just sketched those characters vaguely in my head but I wanted to make them, you know, elite knights who are admirable for their strength but also kind of scary, especially to a POV character like Hitomi. Van leaves with them on their leviship that is also a pride of Cesarian army. Anyway, this elite force is also present in the questioning of the prisoners from chapter 16, again, I’m not too explicit due to POVs used, but obviously, when Van arrived to the camp up north with them, they planned their actions together and they will continue to be together for a while. 

We’ll see how much detail I’ll include about these guys in the next few chapters. Regarding Cesario itself, I imagine a pretty big country. Because I imagine Zaibach (including conquested land) as even bigger and if these guys are able to hold the candle to them, they probably aren’t little or weak either. Since we are coming up north, I imagined a lot of forests but also increasingly mountains. I also made them more technologically advanced than the medieval designs suggest; simply because they are close to Zaibach and these things tend to spill over the borders, unless you are a really isolated country. And if you’re waging a war against such an advanced enemy, technological progress becomes a matter of your survival. So yeah, after few years, these guys will not be so easily wiped out as they describe in the episode 25 scene.

The scene showed in the anime shows bare stone landscape that looks similar to what we see of Zaibach, but I decided it is just that particular area. Alliance is trying to make a breach from a different point, and the sceneries will be much different there. Bit of it was already revealed through Hitomi’s eyes when they make a stop in the Cesarian city. Allen rides to send a message to his king (I was not explicit but this is what he did there) and Crusade is refueling a bit. Hitomi makes some observations of the land and the city. 

Another bit is the camp and the mountainous border that we explore from both sides in chapter 16. I imagine pretty bleak (but beautiful) mountains and snow plains. Similar to the background of this blog, actually, one of the reasons I picked it! By the way, we will spend some more time here, so I will use Cesario as a playground some more!

[twisting-echo]

So, you're the local Mirrorverse shipping blog, Any thoughts on Hook, or The Beast, or Anna? I'm getting back into it to finish the plot before it's gone, but that sure has me thinking about this goofy little game and all the fun interactions it had the possibility for.

I see my reputation has finally caught up with me, hehe. >:3

Hello! Yes, I am your friendly neighborhood Mirrorverse shipping blog. Thank you for noticing~

Anywhoodle, what do I think of Captain James Bartholomew Hook, AKA the Vainglorious Vengeful Swordsman?!

Well, despite the fact that his tiny waist and hourglass figure make my knees weak. His prominent, sharply defined chin that juts forward with a hint of arrogance. His face is a portrait of cunning with high cheekbones and a perpetual smirk. Luxurious, jet-black curls cascade down to his shoulders, always impeccably styled. His thick, arched eyebrows convey a constant look of mischievous plotting. And finally, his mustache is a thin, curling work of art, highlighting his sophisticated yet sinister demeanor. Not to mention how proud I am of him for getting over his fear of crocodiles—I think he's DROP-DEAD GORGEOUS! Who doesn't love a man in heels?! 😍😭💖

Now, where was I going with this? Oh, yeah! Who do I ship him with?

Okay, I ship Hook with Jafar, Hades, Gaston, Maleficent, Ursula, Cruella, the Evil Queen, Tinker Bell, and finally Aurora/Briar Rose.

Hook and Aurora are my current OTP based on my mood right now because I love to imagine Aurora wrapping her elegant arm around his delicate, womanly waist and pulling him close as she uses her mighty faerie shield to protect them both from the Fractured. Aurora is a wrecking ball with rose-shaped bangs and a flowy dress that makes his knees weak~

Hook's the only one who consciously remembers to call Aurora by her preferred name, Briar Rose. Mickey and the other guardians slip up constantly, but she's too polite to say anything and appreciates that Hook always remembers. He often engages in chivalrous acts, like offering his hand to help her down a step or draping his crocodile skin coat over her shoulders when it's cold. He likes to play his piano for her and grows daffodils (a headcanon inspired by Shrek 3). And guess whose hair is the same color as daffodils? 👀

Now what do I think of Prince Adam of France, AKA The Beast and the Knight-Errant of the Enchanted Wood? First off, this beastly beauty is looking sharp in his family armor! Puns fully intended! I love that his armor is a family heirloom, with that rose emblem is on his breastplate and cape. You know, I always liked Beast/Adam's human form, but Disney Mirrorverse made me LOVE his human form! Look at him; he's like Edmond Dantès from Manga Classics: The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas, Jareth the Goblin King, Howl Jenkins Pendragon, and Adrian Țepeș/Alucard all wrapped up into one! Seeing a grief-stricken, half-formed beast is something I never knew I needed in my life! Oh yeah, knighthood and that battle axe look gewd on him.

Okie dokie, I ship this beastie boy with Belle, Gaston, Aurora, Snow White, Ariel, Jasmine, Tiana, Cinderella, Aladdin, Hercules, Kuzco, and my fave, Elsa.

I love him with Hercules because Herc is just so sweet and soft to him. But... Beast and Elsa are my OTP because my friend @frie-ice brought the "Beast of Intentions" Disney Mirrorverse event to my attention and lost my mind. I ship them because they're both social outcasts who were ashamed of who they are and thus shut themselves off from the rest of the world. But I love to imagine that they take comfort in and identify with each other over their shared experiences of isolation and self-discovery. Beast, with his struggle to accept his monstrous form, and Elsa, with her fear of her uncontrollable powers, found solace in one another's understanding and empathy. Together, they learn to embrace their true selves, heal from their past wounds, and discover the beauty in their unique qualities~

Now what do I think of Queen Anna, AKA the Ward of Arendelle?! I love this little ray of sunshine right down to her perfectly coiffed hair bun, elegantly accented by the striking white streak that runs through it. Her armor is nothing short of magnificent! Encrusted with troll crystals, embodying the enchanted protection she wields! The Joan of Arc-esque design symbolizes her bravery and leadership, with intricate detailing that showcases both strength and grace~

She is my favorite melee guardian to use because of her special ability called Elemental Surge. This ability is fantastic because it wrecks everyone within her circle, unlike Hercules and Snow White's abilities, which are limited to one enemy. Anna has carried me through this game and was my strongest melee guardian until I got a duplicate Snow White crystal that unlocked her fifth astral rating/level.

I ship this sunspot with Merida, Ariel, Cinderella, Belle, Moana, Jasmine, Elizabeth Swan, Rapunzel, Aladdin, Hades, Aurora, Mulan, Ian Lightfoot, Snow White, Tiana, Kuzco, and finally, Sheriff Woody Pride. Anna just has that personality type that makes her very shippable.

Despite Anna and Buzz Lightyear being in the Hopeful Heroism Disney Mirrorverse Event together, they see each other only as friends. Meanwhile, Woody is a rugged, heavy-hitting cowboy who secretly crushes on Anna... hard! He gets all flustered and stutters around her like he did with Bo Peep from his source world. Anna, ever the warm and welcoming soul, remains oblivious to Woody's feelings, treating him with the same kindness and camaraderie she shows every guardian. Woody's heart races every time she smiles at him, and he's constantly torn between his duty as a sheriff and his burgeoning feelings for her. He’ll throw hands at any and all Fractured to protect her and often lets Anna wear his hat, a gesture of his deep affection and trust. The two share a unique bond, sometimes even finishing each other's sandwiches~

This game has truly provided a canvas for me to think of so many imaginative scenarios and relationships. There’s a lot of fun and potential in exploring these characters’ dynamics because, since their source worlds have changed, maybe that means their romantic and platonic relationships can change too. For instance, we know that Belle and Beast end up together in their source world, but ever since two blazing stars, one light and one dark, collided, their destinies have shifted. This opens up new possibilities for who they could become and who they might connect with. So maybe Belle might find herself attracted to a big, blue, compassionate, and caring guy like Sulley. 😳👉👈

Anywhoodle, sorry for the long info dump/rambling. I genuinely loved answering this! It’s great to hear you’re diving back into it. Disney Mirrorverse has always been such a delightful and quirky game. If you ever want to chat about your favorite moments or characters, I'm all ears!

[coolclaytony]

Random headcanons for Sinner's human lives:

Sir Pentious served in the British army and after an off-the-cuff act of heroism that made him (and the army, by extention) look super competent to the public, was given a fast-track promotion to general and a knighthood from the queen. But a critical tactical error on his part resulted in his first major campaign ending in horrible disaster, to such a degree that he was discharged and imprisoned. His fame vanished practically overnight and the whole ordeal has been a critical blow to his self-esteem ever since.

He died when his first deathray prototype backfired and set his zeppelin on fire whilst he was attempting to vaporize the parliament building.

Husker was a draft dodger and had a habit of letting himself into "whites only" bars and gambling dens, practically daring the proprietors to make him leave.

He had a bad habit of hitting the bottle whenever he was sad and there weren't any good magic shows to distract himself with. He died of alcohol poisoning during a particularly bad episode of binge drinking.

Niffty has had multiple boyfriends and every man she ever tried to love either left her because they couldn't handle her personality, or she murdered them for one terrible slight or another.

Her last lover gunned her down when she caught him with another woman and she tried to stab them.

Vox died when a he punched through a television screen in frustration and accidentally electrocuted himself.

Valentino lived his life much as he does in his afterlife. He was poisoned by one of his prostitutes, who put mothballs in his wine.

Velvette used her social media influnce to defame one of her critics and have her fans harrass them, resulting in their suicide.

She died of an undiagnosed food allergy. OH! Better idea, she died of Covid because she refused to wear a mask and made the especially stupid desicion to participate in an online event called "No Wash (Hands) November" while also attending a massive fashion show.

[fragaria-imagines]

For the pregnancy headcanons you could make headcanons for Merold, hallrit and tuxam when their s/o (who is in bed rest because she feel sick) call for them and reader just hugg and snuggle on him...but she take their hand and put in her belly to feel the baby kick for first time

Merold

Merold is usually known for his cheekiness and laid back attitude, he tries not to take anything too seriously, and often likes to poke at and tease people.

But when he gets the call that you were sick and bedridden, he immediately drops everything that he was doing, and tends to your needs.

It was the first time that you ever saw Merold look so serious, it was also the first time that he was doting over you so relentlessly, it was quite interesting to say the least.

Though he doesn’t always show it, he truly does care for you and the baby, and would go above and beyond to make sure that you and the baby are safe and healthy.

And while you appreciate his relentless doting, you weren’t really in the mood to rest, and would rather take this opportunity to snuggle and cuddle with him.

It took a bit convincing on your end to get Merold to relax and let loose, but once you did, he was out like a light once his head hit the pillow.

His nap was short lived, however, because as soon as he closed his eyes, you shook him until he was wide awake.

He looked at you, still half-asleep and groggily, wondering why exactly were you waking him up for?

You didn’t answer his question, instead you placed his hand on top of your stomach. He raised his eyebrows at you, wondering where you were going with this.

But before he could say anything, he felt a hard kick against his hand, you let out a gasp at the feeling of the kick.

You both stared at each other, too stunned to even speak, not expecting the baby to finally kick. Once you both regained your voices, both of you blurted out at the same time:

“Did you hear it?!”

“Heard it? I felt it!”

After the initial shock wore off, you two bursted into laughter, overwhelmed with joy that your baby was finally kicking and moving.

“They’re such a strong kicker!”

“Well of course they are! They have me as their dad after all, seems like the “strongest knight” genes are already kicking in!”

You rolled your eyes as Merold unashamedly boasted about himself, but you couldn’t help a smile from forming, as you thought of your future life with Merold and your baby.

It was scary not knowing what the future holds, but you two had each other, and that in itself makes all the scary stuff worth it.

Hallritt

New to knighthood and being new parenthood? Someone cut this poor man some slack, because it’s one thing after another.

First the seeds attack the kingdom, then he was told he wasn’t a good enough knight, and now he founds out that you’re sick? Safe to say, it’s not a good day for Hallritt.

But even with so much trial and errors that were happening, Hallritt has never been the type to give up! He would go above and beyond to ensure your and the baby’s safety, healthiness, and happiness, as well as the kingdom’s.

And even though, it may look like he did a pretty awful job at ensuring both goals, that won’t deter him from being a helping hand.

While he doesn’t like that you got sick, Hallritt is someone who likes to live in the present and think about the now. What happened in the past can’t be changed, so there’s no use in feeling upset about it.

So that’s why he does his best to make up for his incompetence and lack of attentiveness, by being there for you and taking care of you while you are sick.

Cooking, cleaning, whatever it is that you want, he would do it for you in a heartbeat. And while his eagerness to please you is very admirable and you greatly appreciate it, you draw the line when it comes to Hallritt cooking.

Not wanting to be subjected to Hallritt’s cooking for fear of food poisoning, or god forbid, he burns the house down, you politely but urgently suggested that he should take a break from his caregiver duties, and instead cuddle with you in the bed.

Hallritt shot you a toothy grin, completely oblivious that you’re more scared of his cooking than the actual sickness that you were facing, and made his way to the bed, but not before pulling a Hello Kitty mask from his pockets, and putting it on.

You raised your eyebrows at the notion, since when did he have that?

Noticing your stare, Hallritt answered in defense:

“Well I’m not trying to get sick too, you know!”

“You know I’m not contiguous, right?”

“Yeah….for now”

Grunting in disbelief, you playfully hit him with one of your pillows in faux annoyance, he of course, dodged it, before settling next to you on the bed.

The playful loud banter started to settle, until there was only comfortable silence between the two of you. You didn’t mind, even though you two were both extroverts, the times where you both just sat down and sit in silence, were one of your favorite moments. It was never awkward or stifling, but rather the opposite, peaceful and comfortable.

The silence was quickly shattered, as you groaned in pain at the sudden feeling of a sharp movement. Hallritt, immediately sat up straight at the sound of your groans, his initial happy go lucky attitude from before was replaced with a look of seriousness that you have never seen before.

“Y/N are you alright? Are you hurt? What happened?”

You could feel the sense of urgency in his voice, every word that he left his mouth was filled with so much concern and so much worry.

“Yeah, yeah, I’m fine, it’s just that…the baby kicked…”

It was like the words that you just said were not registering at all with Hallritt, for he looked utterly dumbfounded, the serious expression that he had left as fast as it came.

“Baby…?”

And then it dawned on him.

Baby.

Your baby. His baby.

Kicked.

“Wait the baby kicked!!”

You rolled your eyes at him, wondering how did he ever pass his knight exam, but nevertheless, you took his hands and placed it on top of your belly, so he can feel it himself.

The baby kicked again, and this time he felt it, and he couldn’t have been any more happier.

Tuxam

Being the gentleman he is, Tuxam immediately went into auto-pilot mode and took drastic measures to ensure that you and the baby were healthy and safe!

From checking in with you every 10-15 minutes, bubble wrapping the house to make sure you didn’t fall, making you soup, and covering you with fifteen layers of warm blankets, it was a lot to say the least.

Tuxam’s nagging and Mama Bear tendencies aside, he truly does care about you and the baby, and would be devastated if something were to ever happen to you two.

There’s a part of him that feels partially responsible and guilty for not being attentive enough, that you ended up getting sick because of his carelessness.

And while logically, Tuxam knows that’s not the case, and that you can do everything right in the book and still get sick, he couldn’t help but feel responsible for it anyways.

After all, what kind of gentleman was he, if he’s not there to protect the person that matters the most to him?

Before he could indulge in any more self-deprecating thoughts, he felt your hand on his shoulder.

And though, Tuxam puts on a brave face and acts like everything is fine and dandy, you know him better than the facade he puts on. You know how much he beats himself over the most littlest things, and it breaks your heart every time.

“Tuxam, why don’t you come back to bed with me?”

Knowing Tuxam would never say no to you, he reluctantly obliged to your request, but he still felt that there was still so much work to be done. However, all of his worries and concerns seemed to disappear the minute his body hit the mattress, snuggling your sides, and burying his face at the crook of your neck, like he was a small child.

You giggled at the sight of him, it wasn’t everyday that he let loose and act so childlike, it was refreshing to see. You grabbed the palm of his hand, gently placing it in on top of your swollen belly, wanting to bathe in this gentle moment with your soon to be child.

Tuxam smiled at you, before he leaned over and gave a big kiss on your stomach. He felt a large kick against his lips, as he did so. Pulling back from your stomach, he stared at you in utter shock and confusion, and your expression was the same.

The wheels in his head slowly start to turn, as he realized what had just happened… the baby kicked him! The baby kicked! The baby moved!!

“Oh my god, the baby kicked!”

You snickered at his late reaction, before adding on:

“Well it does appear that way!”

But Tuxam was not listening to you, going on a long tangent about how he couldn’t believe it, and how excited he was, and how your baby would be the most healthiest and best baby ever to grace the Noir Continent.

Once he finally came down from his high, he looked back at you with a toothy grin, the excitement and pride were so apparent in his face, that it made it your heart ache in happiness.

“We’re really going to be parents Y/N…! I’m so happy…!”

[buttercuparry]

I wonder if those who outrage against "masculinized" female characters ever stop to consider that the more our society is progressing, we are moving further away from the concept of gender roles. And that what you are into and what you do is actually a personal quirk and not something that classifies you.

I mean the manliest heterosexual cis man to have ever manned can find embroidery soothing. Like his love language can be gifting his friends pretty embroidered things. It is not a question of his capacity to be "feminine"...it is a question of talent and passion.

I think when fandom characterizes Arya as this masculine coded violent girl- they just can't fathom that a young girl can ever have any other interests than those who came before her. But if it is all about aesthetics, how come Arya cooing over babies, her collecting flowers, her scrubbing floors, prepping meals etc are not considered part of it?

Here is the thing though, gushing over babies is not something that's limited to the female. Samwell ( I know I use him as an example a lot) sang lullabies to his baby brother. He loved this particular nightly ritual till his father thought it "soft" and put an end to it. Soothing babies is not being soft, it's providing them with the emotional care they need. And the only reason it seemed freakish to Randyll Tarly is because this care was being provided by his son. And that's bullshit.

I also think the matter of this supposed criticism resides in part with stereotypes of sexuality. I mean the most tradfem of the characters is headcanoned to have one hundred and one children. While a mother who lost her son in womb is deemed to forever remain infertile. Like I know Dany was cursed by Mirri Maz Duur but this is a fantasy series! Anything can happen. And even if one claims this to be a personal view on the text, linking infertility to her supposed madness is not it.

I feel like there was this checklist going on where they have stuff like: do male characters lust after these women, do these characters dress up prettily, are they attracted to men- if so then they are the definition of feminine. When unfortunately Dany passed all of these ( even the one with many gross male characters almost wanting to prey on her)- they went with the infertility- madness thing.

They can't do this with Brienne because I think Grrm has made it impossible to do so with her. She actively tried to participate in the role subscribed to her but was made fun of by those around her. So she took to knighthood. It has been abundantly made clear that she loved Renly and there is this weird push and pull between her and Jaime. And it's weird how much the scale of femininity lies not with the characters, but in the kind of association this character has with a man. And Jaime is one of the most "desireable" man of Asoiaf. Brienne not being in the way of the one who they think is embodiment of the feminine helps too I guess.

I think this is what stumps them about Arya. It doesn't matter how much she says: the woman is important too. How much she whines when people call her a boy. To them it is all about aesthetics. They go: is she wearing pretty dresses? And they answer is: her dresses are muddy because she runs around in it just as a child would do. They go: okay does she like wearing them- the answer is she never complained before. Only perhaps during her whole riverland arc because she thinks it is impractical. And to them these immediately translate into- but! But!! Sansa was said to be a lady at three. She never thought to go against that which was prescribed to her!! Demureness and subservience is what is feminine!! And also dresses, songs, dancing, embroidery are absolutely hated by Arya because these represent traditional femininity and she has internalized misogyny so she would rather fence and horse ride and wear pants as they symbolize her affinity to the masculine.

They are so so obsessed with a particular kind of beauty and if it is all soft and demure. And of course how it appeals to the male gaze ( all those edits about how beautifully sansa suffers) . Arya is targeted because she in the text is set up against someone who can be whitewashed into their idea of the feminine. Which is why there is this repeated conjecture and criticism of fancasts because how can Arya look like that ? She is afterall called horsefaced (doesn't matter if it's done by bullies) and there is nothing feminine about her ( she is too rebellious)!

This again brings in the case of Lyanna. Right now the fandom is fawning over Elia but there was a time when the most common theory was Arya inherited Lyanna's willfulness while Sansa has her aunt's beauty and femininity. Even now in bits and pieces I get to see this take because how can someone fight over one who looks like Arya.

And what does Arya look like? A pre-pubescent child. Because she is one. And with all the trying to stay alive while disguised as a boy: yeah I think personal grooming wasn't the first thing that was on her mind back then. But all these somehow reinforces her masculinity. Her having no option and turning up to the HoBaW and having to play by their rules somehow does the same. And I think last of all this is what forms the crux of it.

Arya's storyline is her own. She hasn't yet been to a place where her themes can get intertwined with a male character. Up until now her story provides a commentary that is purely her own, independent of any man. And I say this because I know how GoT was written, I see what is happening with Rhaenyra and Alicent in HoTD. I feel like in asoiaf fandom the trend is that themes discussed about women characters often end up being more about their male ship partners. Or they are completely removed from any significant action- and moved as passive pieces across the storyboard in a way that would best glorify or vilify a man.

So here is a female character who is on a journey that is solely her own. It cannot be twisted into anything relating to any man. And I think this at a subconscious level feels peculiar to them. Which is why show!Arya got butchered because to D&d Arya's rebellion got translated into " I want to be one of the boys".

And I think this is why there is also this urge to headcanon her as someone who won't be interested in romance. They don't see her admiring Gendry when he is working, the sensuality of her interaction with Jaqen in the bath house ( i know it's creepy. Grrm at times makes me want to side eye him), that Jon literally compares Ygritte to Arya. Romance to them looks unnatural on anyone who is not playing by "norms".

[blood-darkened-moon]

What is your view about the characterisation of the overall Ashford family? I think they are Scots in origin, since the majority of them are red-rehaired, and likely they made their fortune on the British Empire. I have the impression that all of them had Ph.D. and were scientist, which is a rarity among European nobility.

Omg, what have you gotten me into? Don’t get me wrong, doing all the research was fun, but there is so much stuff I cloud write about here, so much stuff. Every time I thought I could see an end, new points popped up, and I had to keep it going. This is long. I hope you don’t mind. Anyway, I tried to limit this answer to speculations and useful information without drifting too much into headcanon territory.

Surname

The surname Ashford was first found in Cornwall and Devon in southern England. Later a branch of the family migrated eastward to Kent, where a town with the name Ashford can be found. There are seven places in total with the name Ashford in the UK. The surname Ashford originates from a place called Ayshford, which was located in Cornwall. Many Cornish surnames appear to be topographic surnames, which were given to people who resided near physical features such as hills, streams, churches, or types of trees. They are also characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. “Ashford” was also derived from the Old English words aesc and ford which meant a ford where ash trees grew.

Surnames became common during medieval times. English people were formerly known only by a single name. During medieval times the spelling of surnames was rarely consistent. Names were recorded as they sounded rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules. It wasn’t unusual that the same person was referred to with different spellings of their surname. Spelling variations of Ashford include Aishford, Ayshford, Aysford, Asford, Asseford, and many more.

Peerage

In the UK, five peerages or peerage divisions co-exist, the Peerage of England (titles created by the kings and queens of England before the Acts of Union in 1707), the Peerage of Scotland (titles created by the kings and queens of Scotland before 1707), the Peerage of Great Britain (titles created for the Kingdom of Great Britain between 1707 and 1801), the Peerage of Ireland (titles created for the Kingdom of Ireland before the Acts of Union in 1801, and some titles created later) and the Peerage of the United Kingdom (most titles created since 1801 to the present).

The peerages in the United Kingdom include both hereditary and lifetime peers. The latter ones form now the majority. The titles comprised in the peer system are duke/duchess, marquess/marchioness, earl/countess, viscount/viscountess, and baron/baroness, with duke being the highest and baron the lowest rank. Peers can hold more than one hereditary title by virtue of different peerages.

The title earl is equivalent to count. The difference is that “earl” is only used for counts in the UK, while “count” is used for the same rank in other countries. A female form of earl does not exist. Thus, “countess” is used as a word for both a female count and a female earl.

Peerages are created by the British monarch by either writs of summons or letters patents. The Government in the United Kingdom makes recommendations concerning who should be elevated to the peerage after external vetting by the House of Lords Appointments Commission. The initiative to award a peerage, baronetcy, or knighthood today comes from the British Prime Minister.

Typically, the title is only inherited by the direct male line and is lost if the peer has no sons. In certain peerages in the peerage of Scotland and in exceptional cases, the titles can be transferred to daughters if there isn’t a male offspring available. Other descendants can be specified in the letters patent by a special remainder. Letters patents are not absolute; they may be amended or revoked by an Act of Parliament.

Family members of British peers aren’t peers themselves. They count as commoners until they receive a title, for example, through inheritance. Though, the children have courtesy titles. The eldest son of an earl, for example, receives the courtesy title viscount, and daughters receive the title lady.

English, Irish, or British (but not Scottish) peerage can only be inherited by a legitimate born child (parents are married at the time of its birth) and not legitimated by a later marriage.

Only 18 (2.2%) of 758 hereditary peers by succession were female as of 1992. A female peer, in their own right, keeps her title after marriage. Her husband does not receive a title by marrying her. If he has a higher-ranking title, she bears both titles. The higher-ranking one is mentioned first. Her title is inherited by her eldest son or daughter if she doesn’t have sons.

Notes:

Veronica was a countess. I haven’t found cases of women receiving titles on their own during the 19th century and a few 100 years prior. (I’m not saying they don’t exist, but I haven’t found anything similar.) I only found cases of women inheriting existing titles due to the absence of male children.

Veronica’s female descendants can probably inherit the title if they don't have brothers.

Alfred and Alexia weren’t born legitimate since Alexander wasn’t married. Alfred shouldn’t have inherited the title. Maybe Alexander requested a change in the letters patent, or Alexander married the surrogate mother and got a divorce after the twins were born, or this rule doesn’t exist in the RE universe.

Harman addresses Alfred and the other Ashfords incorrectly in his letters. He wrote Sir Alfred and used Sir for the others too. Sir is used for the gentry. The correct way to address Alfred is My Lord or Dear Lord Alfred. Only in the file Butler's Letter, he addresses Alexander correctly as Lord Alexander.

Timeline for reference (calculation can be found here):

Minimum estimation/Maximum estimation [Time as the head of the Ashford family] official and unofficial estimated dates

Alexia: January 1971 – December 1998 Age: 27 Alfred: January 1971 – December 1998 [1983 – 1998] Age: 27 Alexander: 1938/1943 – (March/April 1983) or December 1998 [1968 – 1983] Age: 40/45 or 55/60 Edward: 1910/1915 – July 1968 [1958/63 – 1968] Age: 53/58 Arthur: 1875/1885 – 1958/63 [1910/1925 – 1958/63] Age: 73/88 Thomas: 1875/1885 – 1910/1925 [1900/1905 – 1910/1925] Age: 35/40 Stanley: 1840/1855 – 1900/1905 [1875/1885 – 1900/1905] Age: 50/65 Veronica: 1805/1825 – 1875/1885 [1830/1850 – 1875/1885] Age: 60/80

Veronica

As I already said in the Veronica post, I dislike the background information from DC about her because it makes no sense and raises more questions than it answers. Therefore, I will ignore the part about her being a child prodigy (let’s say Leon made this up too). As for the rest, that’s ok, and I tried to integrate it. However, good looks and charming people with your manner of speaking won’t give you titles. I tried to find out what Veronica possibly could have done to receive hers without much success. Well, human nature never changes, so I guess the answer is the same as it would be today: lots of money and powerful friends in high positions. Money is always the best option to bend existing rules. Now have some, hopefully historically less inaccurate, speculations: Women during the Victorian Era and before didn’t have many options for what to do in their lives. They were mostly limited to being a housewife and mother, plus a few other career choices that would never explain Veronica’s success. Apparently, Veronica got her title in her mid-20 or so. She was definitely young, judging by the portrait. Starting at the bottom is unlikely since it would consume too much time. She must have had a lucky start. I assume she was born into a wealthy family, probably of commoners, since she is considered the founder of the Ashford family. If she was born into a noble family, even a low-ranking one, I assume, they would be at least worth mentioning. And based on the origin of the name, I think her side of the family originated from England rather than Scotland. Maybe her father profited from industrialization or had a trading business. Trading with the colonies or sovereign Asian countries was lucrative back then.

Veronica was probably the only (living) child of her parents. Because of that, they were either unusually supportive, or they died early (when Veronica was about 16-18). I prefer the second possibility. It would also offer a way to escape her fate. Veronica must have been highly intelligent and received a good education. However, not to the extent DC described. Why should her parents send her to a university (assuming this is even possible) when she’s just going to become some rich dude’s wife and a mother? Realistically this would be what her parents expected of her during that time. With her parents gone, she was free to do what she wanted. Inheriting her family’s fortune and her father’s company is a good starting point and a plausible way to make even more money. Maybe she had innovative ideas, took the right risks, and was able to multiply the profit immensely within a few years. Meanwhile, she used her economic power to make friends in high positions and gain more political influence.

Linguistic skills are certainly helpful for manipulating people and in the trading business. She could have been one of those people who could sell you sand in the desert. And when you make your money by trading with other countries, speaking the local languages is an advantage. It makes you more independent since you don’t need an interpreter, and direct interactions could make trading easier. (It is possible that she spoke other languages as a ten-year-old child, but only a few and probably not that fluent.)

I don’t think Veronica was a scientist, nor that she graduated from a university. Before she became a countess, she must have put a lot of work into her business and building relationships. There was no time to study. And afterward, why should she go back to learning? She was successful without a degree. There is no reason to get one. Plus, her position, especially since she was a woman, must have been very fragile. “Friends” wouldn’t have hesitated to backstab her if she would have shown any signs of weakness. She must have been ready to defend her position and do what was necessary. What I can see, however, is that after she retired, Veronica became a hobby scientist and attended lectures at a university. According to DC, she was interested in mathematics and biology. Owning a trading business would be an easy way to get her hands on exotic plants and animals from around the world. It is also possible that she invested a good amount of money into a university. And maybe she was rewarded with an honorary title for her commitment.

Personality-wise, Veronica must have been very ambitious, even hungry for power. I also think she was manipulative and ruthless since otherwise, she wouldn’t stand a chance in a world that could turn against her in a second. Thus, Alexia and Veronica seem to have similar personalities, which makes sense.

It looks like her husband took her family name. Unusual, but it is possible that he wanted to upgrade his status. Therefore, I think she married after becoming a countess, and her husband stood below her. He could have been a wealthy commoner like her or a younger son from a lower-ranking noble family. Maybe he even was a scientist and from Scotland. Her son had red hair. It is likely that it came from his side of the family. I know she must have carried the gene too, but her hair was either natural brown or blond and dyed brown for the portrait. Henna became popular in Europe only in the late 19th century. But people used an extract of onion skin or chestnut leaves to dye their hair brown before that.

Stanley, Thomas and Arthur

I don’t have much to say about them. There is no information given except that they exist. They all seemed to be successful in what they were doing, but they did not achieve anything outstanding. Stanley and Thomas were the eldest sons. I think it was expected of them to continue the family business. Though times change, and I don’t know how long it went on. Maybe they sold it at one point and invested in something else, or at the latest, WW1 put an end to it. As with Veronica, I think it is more likely that they were businessmen rather than scientists. Stanley had enough time to visit and graduate from a university. I’m not so sure about Thomas. I think he began his studies, but if he finished them is another question. He was young when his father died, in his early 20s. Stanley wasn’t that old at the time of death. Maybe he was sick, or it was an accident. I assume Thomas had other more important duties for the time being and suspended his studies for a while or later decided he was doing well without a degree. And we shouldn’t forget he died relatively young. Based on my reconstructed timeline, his death (between 1910 and 1925) may be somehow related to WW1 (1914-1918). Though I don’t think he was a soldier nor that he died on the battlefield. In case he had a family, maybe they died along with him.

As for Arthur, as the younger twin, becoming the head of the family was probably unexpected. He was in his late 30s and must have already established his own career. Without many obligations regarding his family’s business, he was free to choose a job to his liking so he could have been a graduate scientist. It appeared to be ok for him that his son became a virologist. As a scientist himself, he may have had a better understanding of Edward’s passion.

Edward and Alexander

Edward was apparently a very passionate scientist. He even went to Africa for research when he was already in his 50s instead of settling into a desk job. It appears a bit weird to me that Edward was the most notable member of the Ashford family after Veronica. Besides the foundation of Umbrella and possible academic awards, he hasn’t achieved anything we know. Ok, the foundation of Umbrella was a huge success, but Edward died in the same year and pretty much had nothing from it.

I already wrote several things about Alexander. Right now, I can’t think of anything new. So I will just link the other posts here. Alexander’s personality Alexander’s relationship with Edward Alfred and Alexia’s backstory and how Alexander treated them

Ashford family – General notes

It is possible, even likely, that Veronica, Stanley, and Arthur had more children than the ones we know of since the family tree in the game only considered the family members that inherited the title. Other potential children were either female or younger male children or older male children who died at one point.

Rockfort Island belonged to the Ashford family before Umbrella started the construction of its facilities in the early 90s. The island is small and located in the South Pacific. It has no strategic value and probably no precious resources, and without a plane, it is hard to reach from the UK. I doubt that Veronica, Stanley, or Thomas acquired it. There is nothing they can do with a tiny piece of land at the other end of the world. Most likely, either Edward or Arthur, in his later years, purchased it somehow.

Forget what I said about Rockfort Island. @midori-laboratories (thank you again) has pointed out that this island could have been a coaling station for refueling HMS ships. Before the Panama Canal was opened in 1914, the routes around Cape Horn and through the Strait of Magellan were the shortest navigable waterways from Europe to the west coast of the American continent. An island as a place for refueling and stocking up supplies nearby would have been a valuable possession. So it was probably indeed Veronica who purchased Rockfort Island. I still think the Ashfords (we know of) didn’t live there or visited the island frequently before planes became publicly available. Therefore, Arthur or Edward would still be the first family members who could have spent more time in this place.

Research degrees, such as Doctor of Science and other higher doctorates, first appeared in the UK in the late 19th century. The Ph.D., like it is today, was introduced in 1917. Therefore, the first Ashford, who could have an actual Ph.D., is Edward.

Alfred and Alexia – Veronica Project

Ok, the whole cloning plot wasn’t thought through very well at the time, but I want to offer a reasonable explanation anyway. It’s almost ironic that the scientific progress in the last decades helped to make some sense of it.

I always doubted that Alfred and Alexia were monozygotic twins because they were genetically obviously different. I want to point out that Alexander never claimed this was the case. He just wrote twins. Of course, seeing them as monozygotic twins is one way to interpret the situation, but not the only one and certainly not the one that makes the most sense. I think Alfred was rather an early-stage experiment/prototype that never should have made it into the final stages or some kind of backup plan.

First, it is almost impossible that Alexia was the only Veronica clone Alexander had prepared. In scientific experiments, you never do things just once, and they work immediately. Creating a Veronica clone is a multi-step process. If you want to avoid going back to zero, if something goes wrong in the end, you prepare yourself. There are many things that could go wrong: the clone dies while it is still in a cellular stage, the surrogate mother has a miscarriage, the clone dies during or shortly after birth, the clone is sickly because of genetic defects, and so on. Alexander probably had at least 5 to 10 Veronica clones ready to go. Alexia was only one of them. And who says Alexia was the first one? She was the first successful one but maybe the second or third attempt. Who knows? Now, this does not only apply to the final product. Alexander would have needed lots of pretests and methods testing. He may have produced dozens and dozens of Veronica clones and “clone precursors” ranging from laboratory waste over ok, but not what he was looking for to suitable but unfinished clones.

Also, the more I’ve read about cloning, the less likely it appears to me that Alfred and Alexia were true Veronica clones. For cloning, you need an intact cell with a complete genome and an egg cell from a surrogate mother. The nucleus of the egg cell is removed, and the other cell is inserted. Then you need an electrical impulse to start the cell division. The latter part is partially described by Alexander. My problem is the first step: finding an intact cell with a complete genome in a mummified corpse. As I already said in another post, I doubt DNA can persevere well under these conditions. Maybe it is possible, but I think it is very, very unlikely.

There is another way to “clone” something. I got my inspiration from the cloning attempts of mammoths. One approach involves taking DNA from Asian elephants, cutting out genes, and replacing them with other genes to make the resulting animal more mammoth-like. Alexander could have used a similar approach. This would not only solve the problem described above, but it would also even tie the loose ends of the cloning plot together. After extracting as much DNA from Veronica’s corpse as possible, Alexander could have used his or Edward’s DNA as a base. Edward, who was still alive when the project started, would have been the better choice. He is more closely related to Veronica, and maybe scientific interests, virology specifically, have a genetic component. However, I wouldn’t be surprised if Alexander used his DNA, considering his slightly creepy attitude toward his ancestor. These clone hybrids are the closest thing to having children with Veronica he could get. In any case, everything Alexander had to do now would be cut out and replace the respective genes to create a Veronica/Edward (or Alexander) clone hybrid. The genetic difference between humans is less than 1%. Alexander doesn’t have to replace that many genes. And maybe the resulting hybrids were even more Veronica than Edward (or Alexander). DNA shearing must have existed in the RE universe in the 60s because this is how Alexander inserted the intelligence genes, right?

Alfred and Alexia being hybrids instead of true clones would explain the different hair colors. Veronica had brown hair, the twins had blonde hair. Veronica could have dyed hers brown, which is possible. But maybe the blond hair color originated from Alexander’s or Edward’s (if he was blond) DNA. The hybrid theory could also explain why Alfred is male. If the base DNA is taken from Alexander or Edward, the first attempts would only produce male clone hybrids. Alexander was so fascinated by Veronica. I think he wanted the final result to be as close as possible to her, which means a female clone would be preferable. So Alexander must have exchanged the Y for another X chromosome somehow. Although, keeping some male clones just in case the procedure doesn’t work as intended or causes problems would make sense. A male Veronica clone hybrid is still better than nothing. And he can use less valuable clones for testing purposes. Alexia having the intelligence gene while Alfred doesn’t can also be explained this way. I assume the insertion of this gene is the last step of gene editing. If Alexander had planned to use the male clones only as a backup or for testing, then that’s a step he may have skipped for (most of) them. After the gene editing, he can proceed as described above.

Anyway, I assume Alfred is the result of a flawed experimental setup. Alexander didn’t pay enough attention at one point, switched the storage vessel, and ended up with Alexia and Alfred in the same vessel, which led to using them both instead of only Alexia. It would even add an additional layer to Alexander seeing Alfred as a failure. This explanation works with one single mistake without hinging on an arrangement of spontaneous mutations, coincidences, and whatnot.

Overall, if Alexander already had access to modern or futuristic techniques (from our world) in the 1960s, then I honestly think the cloning plot isn’t even that farfetched. Of course, it’s still science fiction.

Notes:

CRISPR gene editing, which is most commonly used, was first published in 2012. The researchers Emmanuelle Charpentier and Jennifer Doudna, who work on this method, were awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2020. There are similar methods, but they were also published after RE Code: Veronica came out.

Chromosome replacement therapy is a more recent approach to treating genetic diseases. The defective chromosome is removed and replaced with a healthy one. Y chromosomes can be replaced with X chromosomes with this technique.

Alfred and Alexia – General notes

I think Alfred didn’t study anything science-related, even if he may have been interested in it. No matter what he would achieve, Alexia would have towered over him with her achievements. Alfred never envied his sister’s intelligence, but constantly being compared to her must be tiresome. I think he either studied business administration or maybe history. At least medieval torture methods and war-related history fascinated him. He even brought an ultra-rare Wehrmacht tank.

Despite his fascination with war and the military, I doubt Alfred ever joined the British Army. He was in charge of the Antarctic base, Rockfort Island, and studied. When should he have done this? And then we have his mental state. No sane person would give this man a loaded gun, ever. It is possible that he tried and was declined, though. I think he got some training on Rockford Island along with the UBCS soldiers, at least he can fly a Harrier jet. Alfred must have brought the medals he wears on his uniform.

In the portrait puzzle, Alexia is called the true master of the family. I think this was Alfred’s personal addition to show his devotion to her. Since the title is only inherited by the male line, Alfred is the true hire. It doesn’t matter if he or Alexia was born first. Alexia could only become a countess if Alfred died. Harman never mentions her, either. And Alexia looks a bit older in her portrait than Alfred in his. Alfred, dressed as his sister, probably modeled for the painting.

It is strange that Alfred took control of the Antarctic base after Alexander disappeared and Alexia allegedly died. He was 12. But otherwise, Umbrella would have discovered Alexander and Alexia. It seems that Umbrella has lost interest in the facility after the incident with Alexia. So, it could be part of a deal. Alfred can have it, probably unofficially, until he turns 18, and in return, they build on Rockfort Island.

I don’t know what Alexia did to fake her death, but I assume it was something big, like an explosion or a massive fire that destroyed all or most of the labs. That’s the only way people wouldn’t get suspicious if they couldn’t find her body. Also, Alexia got rid of her research results this way. I think many researchers died during this incident too.

[gryffindorhealer]

I'm going to have to ask about Professor Kreacher! What's it about?

Thank you for the ask, @forever5hines because quite simply Kreacher is one of my favorite characters!. Professor Kreacher is a "working title" for a group of (mostly) one-shots, as well as other appearances Kreacher makes in some of my fics. It sounds better than the first title I put into the Notes-Timeline file.

Kreacher, as a character, actually experiences a redemption arc. He's this very curmudgeonly old house elf when we first meet him, in OotP. Initially, most of what we know about him comes from Sirius. Much as I like Sirius as well, his view of his family, house, and all that are in it is colored by his experiences. Still, that Kreacher lived in that house alone since his Mistress Walburga died, with only her prejudiced and close-minded ranting for conversation for the previous 10 years decidedly affected his outlook. And we see that he is, as nearly all house elves in service are, quite dedicated to preserving the House of Black. Over these three books we also learn that he does feel his duty to Harry, even though initially he doesn't like him. We discover the tragic backstory between him, Regulus, and Voldemort. And we see him respond strongly to a gift, a memento of his beloved Regulus, and Harry's promise to complete Kreacher's last quest, Regulus' order to destroy the Evil Locket.

The thought occurred to me that Harry, being the clever lad he is, begins to review his education at Hogwarts and about Wizarding Society overall. He realizes there are huge gaps in his knowledge, and comes to understand that Dumbledore's lessons about Riddle covered something more basic: know your world, and know those you need to pursue in your work (Auror). He also sees Kreacher's growing respect and fond regard for the Young Master of the House of Potter-Black (Kreacher's concept, it may not ever be called such in Wizarding Great Britain).

During the summer of 1998, Harry calls Kreacher when he and Bill Weasley are checking out Grimmauld Place. This is also the point when Harry comes to understand he needs another teacher, per the above, one with a good understanding of Magical Society and a unique viewpoint, and he commands Kreacher to be his teacher about these things, and more. Initially reluctant to do so ("Kreacher must not contradict Master. It is unheard! Impossible!"), Harry convinces him that, while doing his duties as "Professor Kreacher", he will not be committing any violations against "Master" because he will be fulfilling a (as Kreacher described to him in the books) house elf's highest calling, Masters Orders.

Some of the influences on this relationship for me are Reginald Jeeves and Bertie Wooster, and Lord Peter Whimsey and Mervyn Bunter (his valet, and both of them experienced PTSD from their experiences in The Great War). One of their first conflicts is that Harry doesn't like being called "Master", both because of his experiences with the Dursleys and from seeing how Dobbie was treated. Kreacher adamantly responds, "Kreacher must show proper respect to the Master of the House." After Harry receives the Order of Merlin First Class (which I headcanon brings a Knighthood), Harry proposes that Kreacher call him "Sir".

After stipulating that there will be some occasions, particularly while teaching, that the word "Master" must still be used because it describes a role, Kreacher grudgingly accepts the proposed referent.

I've several one-shots roughly outlined, and this relationship is glimpsed as it develops in my stories (listed chronologically for when they "happen'"," not when I wrote them) Service, Proposals (Chapter 1), When Ginny and Harry Eloped, Sort Of (last chapter), and Portrait.

[confiteorims]

Some headcanons in regards to Bozja to give E'mrys more of an actual country for a homeland.

First and foremost: Bozja didn't truly have a concept of gendered clothing. People simply wore what they liked best and that was that, no one made any fuss about it. The only real restrictions were certain patterns, fabrics, and dyes were far more expensive and generally belonged to higher castes than others. This is why E'mrys has little concern with wearing whatever he finds comfortable be it a dress or a pair of pants.

In regards to local specialties, Bozja was once known for producing exceptionally fine lumber, pigments for dyes and inks, and perfumes. The wheat and barley grown in the more fertile regions of the country were also regarded as high quality. Prior to the Garlean invasion and conquest, Bozja would export these various goods with its neighboring nations, particularly Thavnair and Dalmasca. To this day perfumes boasting the Bozjan wild rose are a rarity and a symbol of wealth.

[fratricideknight]

headcannons about sir lancelot (the best knight)?

also, what is your favorite lancelot moment from s4/s5 (bc the darkest hour pt. 2 didn't happen obviously)

i thought you'd never ask

headcanons about sir lancelot

uhhh quite sad but: i think he's depressed and has a lot of unresolved trauma. there's literally a motif in the soundtrack called 'Lancelot Leaves' - he never stays, even when he finds something good and has people who will fight for him. it probably has something to do with the way his entire village was destroyed and his family killed when he was young. he doesn't want to become too attached in case everything is taken away from him again, but he wears his heart on his sleeve and is incapable of repressing completely and shutting himself off from others, so fleeing is the only defence he has. knowing him, there's probably also a sense of survivor's guilt which has morphed into "it's my fault that they died; i couldn't protect them." the guy dedicated "every waking moment since that day" to the art of combat, which is of course a healthy response. he dreamed solely of becoming a knight of camelot and yet even when arthur was fighting for him to stay, he left. because he lied, he felt unworthy of the knighthood, but i also think he's scared of having a home in case he loses it again, and perhaps feels that tragedy follows him. maybe he'd rather be miserable fighting others for the entertainment of bloodthirsty assholes than achieving his dream, because it validates the misery which lingers inside of him. it's emotional self-harm, basically. speaking of which: i think he, honestly, wants to find a way to die honourably. that is the perfect way out for him: he doesn't have to cope anymore, but he's not just giving up. i mean, the guy does borderline suicidal shit every episode he features in.

1x05: charging solo at a creature which took out an entire group of knights and is said to only be killable through magical means.

2x04: sacrificing himself so gwen can escape, knowing that he will be caught eventually and put to death by a bloodthirsty crowd.

3x13: going into a castle occupied by immortal soldiers, unaware that merlin has a means to kill them.

4x01: setting out on a mission against another unkillable foe (the dorocha).

4x02: actually sacrificing himself to the callieach.

to be fair, all the knights risk their lives constantly; it's in the job description. but it still feels particularly pronounced with him. this theory is contradicted by the line from 4x02, "I look at you and I wonder about myself. Would I knowingly give up my life for something?" but tbh i still feel that lancelot was always going to die, as much as i hate to say it. staying alive is ooc for him.

also, what is your favorite lancelot moment from s4/s5 (bc the darkest hour pt. 2 didn't happen obviously)

definitely when he said "it's lancin' time" and lanced all over and killed kilgharrah and deprogrammed merlin so he was a normal person again and convinced him to give mordred a chance and everything turned out fine.

okay, being serious: literally every single lancelot moment has a special place in my heart. the scene where merlin collapses and lance immediately runs to help him is SO adorable and so in character i LOVE it. his sheer wonderment when the vilia show themselves; he's such a sweetheart. he really just takes everything in stride and truly accepts magic unconditionally. also the moment where gwaine takes a bite out of an apple while the knights are sneaking around and lancelot shakes his head in exasperation. gwaincelot crumbs!! i have my head tipped back ninety degrees to retrieve them from the very base of the metaphorical crisp packet. he's just too damn sweet. i love him so much ;-;

i absolutely despise 4x09 but he's soooo sexy in that episode. when he rises from the fucking lake naked and dripping with water??? i didn't react in any way i really didn't

[welcome-tothe-madness]

Nimona pony fanart :)

Headcanons

Nimona: little baby horns on head to represent her being dragon or part dragon. Her cutie mark stays no matter which form she takes. The wings are shapeshifted on. Nimona has some form of chaos magic (like Discord or Pinkie.)

Ballister: In my head, he’s an Earth Pony. While he has the personality of a unicorn, I believe earth ponies would be the “commoners” of this world making it even more unbelievable that an simple earth pony that can’t fly or do magic is appointed knighthood. I believe when he got his cutie mark (a sword) the Queen was present which is why she understood his destiny as a knight and decided to choose him personally. However, he often gets teased by the other knights, they like to crack jokes implying Ballister’s true calling is making the swords for them since earth ponies are stereotyped as laborers.

[vanillablankcanvas]

Part 9 Trolls Headcanons/ Theories/ Thoughts/ Ideas

Part1 Part2 Part3 Part4 Part5 Part6 Part7 Part8 Part10

Trolls - Hard Candy = Hard Drugs 🍭

Boom - Floyd's solo music helped Boom when he was coming out. 🏳️‍🌈

Floyd - high pain tolerance and godlike levels of patience.

Floyd - has been to rehab for hard candy, is currently 10 years sober. Now advocates for health and wellness in Pop Village.

Floyd - Broke up with several ex's when he found they were all only using him for his fame. 💔

Bruce - can and will reorganize someone else's kitchen to what he deems is more efficient.

Bruce - always the first to volunteer to babysit other Troll's kids. Not that he doesn't appreciate his own children, he just loves being about to dote on kids he can actually hold on his hip and carry in his hair. Just being able to do the little Troll things he can't do with his own giant kids.

Bruce - noone on the island knew about his 'past life' except for Brandy. (Canon?)

Clay - had to quit being the Fun Boy cold turkey so that the Putt Putt Trolls would trust in his leadership.

Clay - I imagine a running gag that random Trolls keep calling him Viva's boyfriend/husband, and he keeps trying to correct them, but he is always cut off or they immediately forget. At some point a random Troll is like "What, is Viva not good enough for you?" And he is so exhausted from fighting it, he just gives up and rolls with it.

Clay - will stay up to sunrise reading 'just one more chapter'

John Dory - when doing outdoor work, his brothers silently bet how long it takes before JD is unnecessarily shirtless.

John Dory - ends up helping with raising and handling the critters kept in the village. E.g rearing orphaned Cuddle Pups, shearing the Puffalos, breaking in the Adorabulls, taming wild flyer bugs.

John Dory - when living on his own, he would only come back to civilization just before the start of winter when it would be harder to forage and hunt food. He would spend a week or so stocking up on supplies, interact with the locals, then disappear again.

Rhonda - really likes rolling around in mud, especially after she's just been cleaned. JD > 😑

Random One - the medals that I designed for Clay and Viva's knighthood are supposed to be designed after the Troll Tree.

[imaginarianisms]

#IMAGINARIANISMS. an independent, private & selective multiera, multigenre, multifandom, multimuse, multiship & multiverse aesthetic, worldbuilding ask/rp blog featuring both canon & original characters of naruto, gangsta., a song of ice & fire/game of thrones/house of the dragon, the walking dead, & more. predominantly headcanon & exomemory based with both canon divergency & canon compliancy. sporadic activity; predominantly discord based & mutuals only. non-spoiler free. 15+ years rp experience. alternate universe, crossover, group rp, canon compliant, canon divergent, original character & fandomless character friendly. previously dominusornatum; originally established in 2019, archived in 2020 & restarted in 2023. haunted by angel / arcana & the imaginarians galaxy system.

a 𝖘𝖙𝖚𝖉𝖞 on abandonment, trauma, madness, the nurturing of others when one never received it for oneself, gender, queerness, indigeneity, disability, neurodivergency, alterhumanity, plurality, what makes a monster & what makes a human, indigenous spirituality, coming of age, young adulthood, indigenous pessimism, indigenous existentialism, indigenous psychology, holy eldritch abominations, enlightenment, apotheosis, witchcraft, occultism, prophecy, quests, dreams of the future, legacy, kings & lionhearts, messiahs & machiavels, whatever our souls are made of yours & mine are the same, family horror, platonic lovers, psychosexual tangles, unholy soulmateism, doomed by the narrative, cannibalism as tenderness & love, love is hunger, the divine within the profane, knighthood, queer chivalry, flower language, gods & monsters, coming back wrong, collective rage & grief, raw passion & power, the art of dominance, submission, trust & eroticism, sexual exploration, found family, troubled youth, children forced to kill, the corruption of youth, the face of love's rage, women in power, sex workers, cults, human exploitation, god loves you but not enough to save you, all the eyes on you, colonialism, intergenerational trauma, indigenous historical trauma, having faith in humanity despite everything, all my relations, the lengths you're willing to go for the ones you love, wars in the mind, hedonism, glamour, pleasure, desire, wrath, survival, vengeance & justice, undying devotion & unconditional love.

𝐃𝐎𝐒𝐒𝐈𝐄𝐑.

angel / arcana / ansale'wit / ᐋᓐᔐᓃ • 24 • poc; indigenous "canadian"; mixed native & jewish • predominantly transmascfem genderfluid two spirit & intersex bodied • bi; omni; bi/omni vincian/lesbian/enbian; aspec; ambiamorous • any but indigenous & plural pronouns preferred • disabled & neurodivergent; autism, adhd, cfs, pots, stpd, bpd, cptsd, did, etc. • future ambulatory wheelchair user & multipurpose psychiatric service dog handler • multigenic hc-did system host

POINTS OF INTEREST:

MUSES | MINIBIOS | PROMO | INTEREST CHECKER | SHIPPING & DYNAMIC INTEREST CHECKER (REVAMPING) | MUSE SHIPPING AVAILABILITY (REVAMPING) | OPEN STARTERS | PERMANENT STARTER CALL | MEMES | WISHLIST | INTERMUSE CONNECTIONS | PINTEREST | SPOTIFY

𝐑𝐔𝐋𝐄𝐒 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐓𝐀𝐆 𝐒𝐘𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐌.

• Please be 20+ to access any of the content here, ty!!✨

• Absolutely no discourse, bigotry nor fakeclaiming of any kind is tolerated here, nor are any debates or drama or callout posts. This is our& personal space. Do not waste our& time.

• Affiliated with @creolejesus & @familiarblood / @stillgcod & @loyalpromise & @doedsdans & @velcryons / @brokcncrowns & @scndor / @prodigum / @cregcn / @krakened & @lcerys / @jofreys / @burninghils & @lary5trong !!

main focus : daenerys targaryen, jon snow, misa amane, helaena targaryen, aemond targaryen & alys rivers.

current writing level : medium.

𝐁𝐘𝐅 . . .

• Predominantly beta editor & dashboard user; i'm& still working on the finer details of everything as in actually setting up things but please feel free to inquire about our& muses, we& have plenty! <333 • Read rules before interaction please & thank you! • This blog deals with heavy, triggering themes & has many problematic characters from problematic families from "problematic" fiction & we& have 0 intention of softening them! • This blog is run by a system of color, please be respectful of all of us& & understand that because of this the overwhelming vast majority of our& roster are muses of color, specifically indigenous muses of color & that I& mostly rp with other muns of color but I'm& not opposed to writing with white muns as long as you're respectful, this blog is mostly run by me& but there will be times when my& system members post or possibly even rp as themselves, so if you believe we are faking having did or our plurality as a whole & our& experiences around it, if you do not enjoy any of our& presences while you may do with another or mine&, if you ignore my& system members just to only speak to me& or you are not comfortable with us& often making posts / mentions relating to did, plurality & each other, block us& & move on. our& traumas & copings for them are just as real as we& are, & everyone in the system deserves to & should have the equal amount of respect, love, dignity, honor, care & undivided attention. we& will not tolerate any bullshit from anyone, so if that's something that intimidates you i& suggest you either check your internalized ableism & pluralphobia & learn to do better or leave!!

𝐃𝐍𝐈 𝐈𝐅 . . .

General DNI criteria, just... basic things like minors, bigots, racists, -phobes, ableists, sanists, antisemites, if you're going to drag us& into any kind of discourse, y'all get it. hopefully.