#the hidden political lore of among us……

[apollos-boyfriend]

i think the funniest part about describing among us as a game where you “play as assassins” is that it implies the impostors have some sort of political agenda

[alexkaneinq]

Cultist's Gamble: Start Here!

Welcome! So I decided I wanted to do a writing game/exercise and this is what I settled on! I'm using the system from Reincarnated as the Unlovable Villainous as the base, but I will be modifying it and not playing the game as fully intended. Namely, the main character is a man and has not actually been reincarnated in an otome game. I'm just using this as a flat base for romance writing and intrigue! I'm using the paranormal version that I have further modified into a more fantasy setting that develops throughout the gameplay. I did pair down some aspects of the Love Interest's backstories so they can develop more organically throughout the course of the story. And with that, let's get into the game setup and characters! 

Main Character: Kasper Kosk

Race: Human

Role: Cultist

Lore: 3

Love: 3

Relationship to Rival (Penelope): Opposite sides

Love Interest 1: Grady Ristol

A half-human investigator with heterochromia. He is cheerful and outgoing and is loved by those around him.

Relationship with Penelope: 3 hearts, friendly

Love Interest 2: Eric Fernward

A vampiric doctor with tattoos. He is falsely cheerful and outgoing and is hated by those around him.

Relationship with Penelope: 6, warm admiration

Love Interest 3: Vellum Pew

A freshly turned werewolf and paladin of the Church. He has a facial scar and comes across as cool and aloof, but may have a hidden soft side. He is well-respected among his peers.

Relationship with Penelope: 3, respectful and polite

Rival Penelope: She is driven and resolute. Her hobby and job is science. She is resentful towards Kasper due to her inability to prove his guilt for practicing occult magics and her feelings towards the love interests are platonic. 

There are a number of Bad Endings that can be triggered on a run that can end the game prematurely. These are predetermined and as follows.

Bad Endings:

On Round 2: Kasper is hunted by Penelope because he's challenged the rules/principles by which their society functions. DC: 2

On Round 5: Kasper is hunted by Eric because he has exposed supernaturals. DC: 3

On Round 13: Kasper is killed by His Cult because he's betrayed Grady. DC: 4

On Round 22: Kasper is tortured by The Government because he's been tricked by the supernaturals. DC: 5

On Round 23: Kasper is tortured by Vellum because he's challenged supernaturals. DC: 6

On Round 24: Kasper is killed by Eric because he's exposed Eric. DC: 7

If all Bad Ends are avoided, then there will be 30 rounds each walking through different scenarios and dates. I think that's all the background needed! Let's dive in!

*I have no idea how far the dice will take me romancing these characters, but if I hit 10 hearts this story will absolutely become Explicit! As with all things on my blog, 18+ only.

First Round | Last Round (Spoilers, obviously)

[possessedopossum]

Ok, I'm finally free and cringe enough to post OC lore online. Short story about my Rook de Riva, Noel Benois, under the cut.

Noel's best understood love language was lies.

Growing up in Antiva city, he was the quintessential nobleman – rich, well-educated and raised by doting parents. He was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, yet the opulence he so confidently embraced was a meticulously woven tapestry of deception skillfully crafted by his mother. She spoke little, rarely addressing her son with vulnerability or honesty one might expect in a loving relationship. "My mother is very modest, just like any lady of noble birth should be," Noel used to reassure himself. In truth, she wasn't modest at all; she was terrified of shattering the illusion she had toiled so hard to create.

His parents often spoke tenderly of Orlais, their homeland, ensuring that a certain sense of pride would be developed by their boy. They painted vivid pictures of grand palaces and beautiful estates, carefully omitting the dark shades that lurked in their homeland's periphery – alienages and peasants were never part of the narrative. They never took Noel there, obviously. And their unwillingness to share the reasons behind the omission only fueled his determination. "Fine. I'll go and see it for myself. I'll become a merchant prince and the richest orlesian elf who ever lived. I have no need of your stories" – these were the ambitious child's exact thoughts.

The Orlais from his parents' tales was a place of beauty, like a paradise untouched by the unpleasant realities of life. Noel cherished the correspondence with his grandparents who had chosen to remain there. The letters between them fed Noel's imagination and longing for a meaningful connection. That was, until he stumbled upon the rough drafts of such letters on his mother's desk. He started to suspect that the stories clashed with reality a very long time ago. But he didn't dare to ask if the grandparents from Val Royeaux were even real. They were, to him.

He had never questioned the nature of relationships between his elven mother and adoptive human father. He had never asked his mother where did she disappear at night or about daggers hidden in her drawers. "Every noble should be proficient in fighting. I, though, prefer rapiers, not daggers. And my bow! Maker, I wish father took me out of estate more often. My horse could use some action! What a strange place to store daggers but who am I to judge my mother?" – Noel rationalized his refusal to confront the truth.

Among all his lessons, the ones imparted by his father stood out the most. No tutor could compare with the discussions they shared. Noel was entranced by his father's stories of diplomacy and politics, especially when he spoke of the Empress. "What would you do, if you were in the Empress's shoes?" – he would ask Noel with a glimmer of pride in his eyes. Only one of them knew that elves could never ascend to such heights. But there was no need to say that and dim the light in Noel's eyes. For a single moment, he would transform into the Empress of Orlais, regal and commanding, while his father would bow, treating him as he was truly royalty. Those moments were both fake and real.

The bubble of lies their family cherished eventually broke, breaking Noel as well and leaving him alone amidst the wreckage. The stained family legacy, the unspoken truths, the lineage, however fabricated, held no significance. Noel would never know the reasons that had lead to the crows being sent after his family, and a part of him didn't even want to. Only the lessons taught by his father and a bittersweet taste of deception remained. Fencing, horse riding, alchemy, etiquette, politics, languages – these were the things that he could hold onto in the wake of tragedy. Things, that would keep him alive just long enough. Now, he dons the same crow mask as his parents' killer did.

"Hey, I came back last time. I'll come back from this, too", Noel reassured Lucanis. He maintained a cheerful demeanor, always wearing a mask of positivity, even as he span his elaborate lies. In Noel's world, lies weren't merely deception; they were means of love, an offering of safety in a world he knew was cruel. In that delicate balance of reality and fiction, Noel built a fragile existence that allowed him to dance on the knife edge the way all antivan crows do, being forever bound by the love language he had been taught to speak.

[snugglesquiggle]

why dont more people talk about illurien

A dancing array of droplets swirls before you. In the midst of this storm stands a slender but extremely tall female clad in gray robes. She has no facial features other than her vivid blue eyes. With a graceful motion, she beckons to you. A strange creature composed of countless tears and raindrops, Illurien of the Myriad Glimpses is a collector of information and a keeper of secrets. She is fascinated by the contents of other minds, believing it is her right to obtain and preserve such knowledge for herself.

Strategies and Tactics: llurien engages those she meets in polite telepathic conversation, but this behavior is just an excuse to examine their minds. Once Illurien has selected the brightest intellect among her chosen targets, she moves in, subjecting her foes to her storm of visions. She uses her tempest lash to deal Intelligence damage to her preferred enemy, relying on her cloud of foresight to foil that opponent’s defenders. During combat, she sometimes uses her pointed knowledge to intimidate and threaten her opponents. If pressed, she uses plane shift to flee to the Athenaeum Nefarious (see Environment). Illurien travels the planes in search of knowledge and mysteries to steal and keep for herself. Sample Encounter: Illurien has come to steal information from one of the PCs’ sagacious allies. She talked with that NPC for a while, then attacked him, drained him of intelligence, and slew him. After the murder, Illurien methodically inspected the slain man’s organs and body parts to see his specific internal workings. The characters now have a grisly murder to solve, and the corpse, drained of much of its knowledge, utters only the name “Illurien” if questioned with a speak with dead spell.

Ecology: Illurien is a unique native of the Concordant Domain of the Outlands. Where she came from and who created her, if anyone did, is a mystery. Some suspect she is a minion of Vecna, but Illurien, Vecna’s clergy, and Vecna himself say nothing on this subject. She gains sustenance through collecting knowledge, but her consumption of other minds doesn’t destroy the information she gathers. Rather, that cognition becomes a part of Illurien and her storm of visions. Illurien doesn’t otherwise eat or drink, and unlike other outsiders, she doesn’t breathe. She has no physical needs or desires beyond her thirst for erudition.

Environment: Illurien resides in an extraplanar repository referred to as the Athenaeum Nefarious, a place so well hidden in the wilderness of the Outlands that few have found it—and fewer still return from it. The library contains stacks of dark and forgotten lore, baleful traps, vile guardians, and several one-way portals to other planes. A clue to the whereabouts of this sinister vault is the perpetual storm that enshrouds it. Only Illurien can use plane shift to arrive precisely within the Athenaeum Nefarious. The Shrouded Dispensary, a building 100 miles from the center spire of the Outlands, is where those who wish to speak with Illurien can call her. She comes if she’s willing, carrying a sword of the planes (DMG 228) and protected by the effect the Outlands has on magic, spell-like abilities, and supernatural abilities. Only Illurien can use the Dispensary’s planar gate, which leads to the Athenaeum Nefarious.

Physical Characteristics: Illurien is a graceful, human-like, female figure, roughly 8 feet tall, with shimmering silver-gray skin. She has no distinct facial features other than a pair of silver-tinted eyes with blue irises. Close examination shows that she is composed entirely of iridescent droplets, but this watery composition forms organs and even bonelike structures. So, despite her elemental nature, she does have vulnerable spots. Illurien touches the ground only when she must, otherwise floating or flying everywhere she travels.

Alignment: Illurien lets no emotions stand in the way of her calculated collecting. She can feign kindness when doing so suits her ends, but pleasantries can’t sway her. She enjoys plucking information from unwilling minds, and she doesn’t care if she causes suffering, but she isn’t gratuitously violent. Illurien is neutral evil. Society: Illurien considers herself a scholar, a collector, and a sage. The knowledge she possesses is in demand. Creatures from across the planes seek Illurien’s counsel, despite her fees, which are brutally personal and coldly constructed.

Typical Treasure: Illurien rarely carries treasure, but she might be caught ferrying a tome of disturbing teachings or a mystifying item to the Athenaeum Nefarious. If she is carrying valuables, those objects are worth as much as standard treasure for Illurien’s Challenge Rating (22,000 gp). The sword she carries to the Shrouded Dispensary is worth slightly more than this total. If it occurs anywhere other than the Shrouded Dispensary, Illurien’s death spawns hints to the location of the Athenaeum Nefarious in minds recently touched by the tempest lash. Creatures that survive her attacks might be left with the ability to find Illurien’s gloomy home.

(text is from Monster Manual V for D&D 3.5e)

special shoutout to this bit of homebrew that turns her into a playable class, i first encountered it many years ago; the writing's a bit scuffed, but it's where i first encountered her, what first captured my imagination and it's through managing to track it down that i remembered any of this beyond a vague idea of watery knowledge-hunter. and oh god.

when i was young, i just thought she was cool. now, though? i think i need to sit down

[just-a-mer]

Ooc: It's (kinda) lore time!

To start, I'd like to say that I'm still working on Siren!Ody and his story. Most of these are notes of things that I've hinted to in rp / asks / etc, but there's a few that are ideas I've kept in the back of my mind.

Also! Siren!Ody's personality is not going to be alligned with Epic or the Odyssey's portrayal. Here, he is more playful and emotional for a variety of reasons. Please keep that in mind, along with the fact that this is for fun and that wherever I speak of the gods / heroes negativity, I'm only referring to Epic/this AU.

Enjoy! (And dont be afraid to use these notes. Also, quite a bit of story is hidden... why not inquire about it? /nf)

Fun Facts

💙 Odysseus currently has three kids: Siren!Antinous, Astyanax, and Telemachus

💙 He's not really ticklish, but you can get him by going for the ribs / lower back

💙 Genuinely great with physical touch. Appreciates and reciprocates. Though he DOESN'T like his gills touched. At all. The tail is alright if permission is asked

💙 His ears are rather expressive, capable of folding back and flicking among other things

💙 Their pupils dilate for similar reasons

💙 They bite! Depending on the situation, it can either be based on instinct or cuteness aggression

💙 Top three favorite foods are human, lobster, and snail. Though he will occasionally snack on Krill / shrimp

💙 He can NOT cook, but he loves warm food! (Incredible with cold meals, though. Enjoys helping people prep for cooking by hunting, gathering, setting up, etc)

💙 Odysseus' design is leaning towards an amphibian-based marine creature, so he has a lot of the same traits / habits. Such as: being cold-blooded, absorbing water through their skin, and having some brightly-colored features

💙 When stressed or unfocused, he shifts his form, often to something more natural (eg. His ear fins, claws, eye color)

Scars

💙 Odysseus has seven noticeable scars (which you can see in any art I've done of him, minus the ones where he is depicted before the events of the story)

💙 The first is a large mark on his chest, caused by Poseidon's trident in "Get In The Water"

💙 The second is a tear on his tail fin during the Trojan War

💙 The third is a claw-mark on their left arm caused by the battle with Circe

💙 The fourth is a small scar on his abdomen from when Permides stabbed him in "Mutiny"

💙 The fith is a variety of small scars on their hands where Poseidon's ichor burned them in "Six-Hundred-Strike"

💙 The sixth is a cut on his right ear (also from the war)

💙 The seventh and final is a ragged slash on the lower portion of his tail (caused by a sharp rock)

Bite-Sized Lore

💙 While both his parents: Anticlea(mother) and Laertes(father) had no mer-related heritage, Odysseus was born a siren. This is due to [...]

💙 Because of this odd situation, Odysseus struggled a lot during his early years to welcome his differences. Both his parents and Ctimene(sister) were supporting despite the challenges

💙 During his earlier years, he met Tiresias and Siren!Polites. Both helped him come to terms with his nature and gain a sort of inner peace with himself

💙 Odysseus had gotten legs for a large chunk of his life by means of a divine blessing gifted by [...] However, the siren lost his legs once [...] and got them back a bit after the Wisdom Saga

💙 Odysseus had gotten Siren!Polites killed during Different Beast. The decision to make that command and the dying words of his brother still haunt him.

(More to be added! Don't be afraid to ask - Perhaps I'll divulge more information when it comes up /gen)

[ahc-au]

Heyyy! Love this au and I've gotta know something.

As far as we've seen Bishop's personal guards are all aliens and mutants and an oddly expressive Kraang. Personally I find it hard to believe that even as the beloved and totally-not-evil president, Bishop would ever trust aliens with his personal safety. Especially since in "The Day of Awakening" we see Bishop's personalised task force and it's 99% humans and one Triceraton (and the turtles ig). And I believe that one triceraton is just there for the sake of "Hey, why is there only one alien?"

In short, why do you think Bishop would trust aliens/mutants enough to make them his bodyguards? Or is there more to it?

Hello!! Fellow Bishop stannie 🫵 Very glad to hear you're enjoying the AU!

I'll say that I do believe the majority of Bishop's force is human, moreso because he operates out of earth and humans are still the overwhelming majority there. Any unnamed guards (or maybe they'll get names too eventually?) can be assumed to be human. The four named guards are, in a meta sense, pre-existing OCs repurposed to fill out the background and make the world feel a bit more lived-in.

It's worth mentioning that Bishop does not feel the same about aliens that he did in his EPF days. That's the major reason EPF is gone, after all! He still won't trust any of them, but that's about on par with how he treats anyone: distant and distrustful, hidden under a veneer of politeness. The way I've always parsed it, Agent Bishop didn't see aliens as people, more demons, and then being rescued threw that entire belief out of wack. So now humans/Terrans and aliens are a bit closer to the same level, for him. He'll prioritize Earth's citizens, but that seems to include some extraterrestrial immigrants, too, nowadays.

So! Having said that, there's a few other elements that go into it. For one, frankly, it just looks good for Bishop to employ aliens from among PGA's allies. It's a show of trust-- not that he entirely does; vets them very thoroughly. For another, non-humans just have really handy abilities. This gives him more versatility in how he can choose to approach a problem, if one ever arises (he is, after all, a military commander at heart.) For example (since I doubt it'll ever come up,) Hambone has an elasticity that means she can absorb blunt force and fit through small spaces. Lyssis (who has not made an appearance yet I'm p sure, woops,) can absorb fire and elecricity. Stuff like that, yknow?

Anyway that's about the jist of it, I hope that's a satisfactory conclusion! Some of these characters also have more involved reasons for getting recruited, but since that gets into OC lore I'll leave it below the cut 👍

--Adelram

I think it should be fine to divulge a little lore since, again, background characters, probably won't come up too centrally. Hambone and Lyssis were mutated incidentally in an attack on PGA HQ back in 2080. Bishop publicly took it upon himself to rehabilitate the mutants involved, (who had been driven mad and violent by the strange mutagen,) handing them off to his personal scientists. He kept closely involved, hoping to find a lead to the source of the attack, and for this reason both mutants partly credit him for their recoveries and even being able to meet each other. They're loyal for this reason, and he knows it. They are also undoubtedly citizens of Earth.

Ritter is a bit more of a wacky story, one that won't really effect the plot. But their being an Utrom is not publicly known, as it happens. It's not a secret, per se, but they pass so well that most people assume they're human. They've been around since EPF, having served under Agent Bishop among its ranks. Bishop is aware they're an Utrom, and unfortunately they've proved very loyal and very useful, so he supposes he has to keep them around. It is pretty nice having a guard who doesn't need to sleep and only eats like once a month. This is also kinda the only life Ritter has ever really known, being under Bishop's command. They'd follow him anywhere, would do anything he asked of them.

[donald-darf]

Imma theorize on (Make up) the lore for this cause I feel like it

Trigger Warning: Mentions suicide

First, the Knight is an occultist, or subordinate to, or an important member of a powerful faction, possibly among royalty, nobility, or the army, I assume this since he casually has a key to the royal palace and the effigy

I believe he and or faction has the goal of stopping, controlling, and or manipulating the abominations running amok, and he obviously has occult connections and or knowledge considering he knows that there are metaphysical dilemmas afoot

Him handing you the occult effigy also suggests his connection with the occult, and enough knowledge to know what the hell that thing is for, so I believe he is in fact a member of some sort of royal armed force who secretly researched heretical subjects and or worked alongside some sort of hidden heretical sect that might've been working against the royal family before or after whatever ruined the place

I'm unsure of his and the potential occultist faction's exact morality since he seems to treat you politely but he recruits you, a seemingly random civilian into aiding with the abomination clean-up effort (But to be fair, it could be just a desperation thing, considering the 7th panel shows nobody around in the city aside from you and that god corpse)

I believe his hypothetical faction (I keep mentioning a faction cause I doubt he was attempting a 1 man revolution using mystic arts alone, but I could be wrong) might have dubious morals but the knight as an individual believes he is doing a good thing, the variety of weaponry on the dead abomination suggests he has a mishmash of contacts with various combat styles, maybe a rag-tag monster clean up squad

And despite being of possible high enough status to afford full body armour, he treats you with respect every single time, and he has an obvious anti-authoritarian ideology with his desire for you murder royals and any deities you potentially run into using that effigy to help somehow

This could mean he believes he is doing the right thing by working against the royals and deities of the setting, and maybe has a slight bit of naivety since he just assumes you'll wanna work together with him to kill monsters and royals (The gods thing makes sense since if we're following his questline, we already went with his other dangerous requests), as if the idea of a commoner not agreeing with taking down the institutions of old didn't seem to come to mind at all for him

Last thing for the knight, I believe his tree transformation might've been accidentally self inflicted, trees are symbols of strength, individuality, expression, and calmness according to google

He is always sitting down relaxing, surrounded by ruins and possibly numerous abominationsd civil war, calm despite what the world has become, he opposes the current authorities of the land which he may perceive as tyrannical for one reason or another, and his rag-tag group means he possibly isn't too picky with who he works with, or he may value individuality and expression since he doesn't comment on the ridiculous outfit min-maxing

So I believe he enhanced himself with strengthening occult rituals related to mighty trees, to aide in combat against abominations and royalist forces, but as a result of maybe being in a magical sky island place at the end, overuse, or sabotage, what gave him the strength to stand up for his values consumed him

And he leaves the rest to you, who slew possibly countless horrors, faced kings, queens, heirs, and other royalists of immense strength, somehow following him to the spot where he'll probably produce some acorns in a couple years, the blade broken from a failed attempt probably take his own life before he is just tree, the bark too strong to break with a mere blade, his body now rooting itself to the ground

He leaves his dream to you, he knows you'll win, you probably don't even need the tree strength spell, but his body is probably gonna drop that when his dialogue ends and he croaks, so take it anyway

Second, the setting seems to be mostly ruined city considering the bricks the knight sits on, there are of course still some people around considering the numerous weapons riddling the corpse of a dead abomination

I believe a combination of civil war caused by the occult society (WHICH IS STILL BELIEVE THE KNIGHT WORKED WITH) and the introduction of these abominations has resulted in the ruined state of the city, those abominations probably came from the hole in the big sky egg thing, or maybe were a secondary result of something else that came from the sky egg, maybe opened by the occultists but that could be a stretch and it was some other crazy stuff

Another part of the setting seems to be other worlds, since in the background of the 5th and 6th panels you can see sky islands in the distance and a lack of them in the background of panel 7, or they're simply high above the darkened clouds

These sky islands also seem to hold structures and are of significance to the knight, and quite possibly where he got whatever he needed for the effigy

Maybe these are forgotten temples to the gods he opposed, or to other deities that used to (Or still do) live there, he maybe scraped up any remnants he could get and put it in the effigy jar

Also from the appearence of the effigy, I for some reason have a feeling of senses when looking at it, the eye with 2 pupils and the hand representing sight and touch respectively

Effigies are made to represent individuals and things, and another definition of them is something to be made then destroyed in protest, I believe the Occult Effigy is made from the remnants of gods, and in some sort of mystical way, will render the gods (or maybe just some, or 1) blind and senseless when destroyed, ready to be struck down

Third, I don't have much for the last, I just believe the giant creature in panel 7 was widely worshipped and regularly communicated with, I don't have much evidence beyond the giant elevated stone platform with seats that acts as it's final resting place, but it could've been constructed for officials, people from whatever the group that worships it is called, and the royal family to beseech it for guidance

It's commandments and policies might be some of the reasons why the knight probably wanted some gods dead, whatever those commands may be

Also, I like to think the clergy of the BIG BIRB wear those pointy nosed masks (the one the main character wears at the end) to feel closer to their god

If anyone else has their own theories (headcanons) please tell me

fromsoftware comic

[unbreakablenott]

THE MOST ANCIENT AND NOBLE HOUSE OF NOTT

"The Notts? They're a reserved bunch, that's for sure. Don't know what they're hiding, being recluse like that. Maybe being antisocial runs in the family. The current Lord Nott, Geraint, he's a hothead just like his father. The son, Morcant, ain't half-bad, but he's just not that important yet, you know?"

click the read more to read the family's lore!

Head of the Family: Geraint Nott

Family Crest/Emblem: the Gordian Knott made out of moving snakes.

Motto: "Strength lies in legacy."

Other Symbols: the Unbreakable Vow, since the most used version was created initially by the Nott family. It also symbolizes loyalty and the binding nature of their magical practices. Ancient runes used in warding and protection, reflecting their deep understanding of arcane magic.

Location (Wizarding Community or Region) and Headquarters: The Nott family resides primarily in Nott Manor, a sprawling estate located in the remote hills of England. The manor is known for its labyrinthine architecture and its countless magical protections, warding the family’s magical knowledge and treasures.

Notable Members:

Aldric Nott: The first known member of the Nott family, Aldric wrote the Nott Code, a foundational text that established many of the family’s core principles regarding secrecy, purity, and mastery of magic. His contributions to early magical theory laid the groundwork for the family’s legacy.

Fenrir Nott: The visionary who constructed Nott Manor, Fenrir was instrumental in the establishment of the family’s headquarters, embedding powerful wards into its very foundations. His craftsmanship in both magic and architecture ensured the family’s protection for generations.

Amaryllis Nott: Through her marriage, Amaryllis played a crucial role in rebuilding the Nott Library after a devastating fire in the 1800s destroyed much of the family’s written history. She meticulously restored not only the physical structure of the library but also its vast collection of rare texts, preserving the family’s knowledge for future generations.

Vivienne Nott: Vivienne consolidated the magical practices and rituals of the Nott family, compiling them into the Grimoire of Nott. This tome remains a sacred and carefully guarded family heirloom, ensuring that their magical heritage is passed down in an organized and accessible manner.

Augustus Nott: A highly influential figure, Augustus Nott briefly held the position of Minister of Magic. His tenure was marked by his strong political influence, though his tenure was overshadowed by the Nott family’s association with more controversial pureblood ideals.

Alaric Nott: Alaric helped popularize the Unbreakable Vow throughout wizarding society, making it a standard tool for securing loyalty and obedience among magical families and factions. His contributions solidified the family’s reputation as master practitioners of binding magic.

Isolde Nott: A noted scholar, Isolde was part of the research team that developed the binding magic within the Statute of Secrecy. Her work is considered one of the cornerstones of modern magical law, ensuring that magical society remains hidden from Muggles.

Cantakerous Nott: In 1930, Cantakerous wrote the controversial Pureblood Directory, a compendium of all known pureblood families, their genealogies, and magical allegiances. His work fueled the rise of pureblood supremacist ideology within the wizarding world.

Years of Existence (or traceable history): The Nott family is believed to trace its origins back to Celtic times, although much of their early documentation was lost in a devastating fire at the Nott Library in the 1800s. Current records confirm their lineage back to the medieval period, spanning over 800 years of existence. Their magical practices are rooted in ancient, often forgotten arts, passed down and guarded through generations.

Level of Tradition and Heritage: The Nott family is deeply committed to the preservation of their magical heritage, viewing their traditions not only as a source of power but as a sacred responsibility. The fire in the 1800s that destroyed much of their early history only strengthened this resolve, making them even more protective of their legacy. Their commitment to maintaining magical purity and lineage ensures that each generation upholds the family’s rich intellectual pursuits and dangerous magical practices.

Reputation in the Wizarding World: The Nott family is seen as an enigmatic and aloof entity within the broader wizarding world. While they are acknowledged for their exceptional magical power and influence, their preference for secrecy, and their occasional alliances with darker forces, leave them viewed with suspicion. Some in the wizarding community see them as an intellectual powerhouse, while others accuse them of being insular and dangerously obsessed with maintaining control over arcane knowledge. In recent decades, following Cantakerous and Geraint's allegiance to Voldemort’s ideology, their association with pureblood supremacy has intensified, shifting their reputation toward one of more overt radicalism.

Core Beliefs and Ideology: The Nott family firmly believes that the purity of their bloodline is the key to preserving their magical power and heritage, a belief that was solidified after the Witch Hunts of the Middle Ages. They uphold that magical knowledge should be guarded above all else, and that mastery over the darkest magics is the ultimate path to power. The family views the preservation of their ancient magical practices as paramount, ensuring that no outsider—Muggle or magical—can challenge their place in history. This ideology stems from a deep-seated fear of persecution and a desire to protect their kind from ever being hunted again.

Family Rules and Codes:

Loyalty to the family comes before all other allegiances.

Secrecy is paramount—family matters and magical practices are kept hidden from outsiders.

The family must never lose their magical heritage. Marriage is seen as a means of strengthening the family line, not for political or financial gain.

The Unbreakable Vow is used to ensure loyalty and obedience, particularly within family disputes.

Traditions and Rituals:

The Oath of Nott, a magical ritual where new family members swear an oath of loyalty, often involving the Unbreakable Vow.

Regular private study of ancient magical texts, particularly those concerning rune magic, warding, and dark arts.

A highly secretive rite of passage for heirs of the family, in which they must demonstrate their mastery of an ancient magical artifact or curse in order to solidify their claim to leadership within the family.

Distinctive Traits: Members of the Nott family tend to have pale skin, dark hair, and piercing eyes. There is often a coldness to their demeanor, and they carry themselves with a certain air of superiority and mystery, reflective of their powerful magical lineage.

Recent History: check Morcant's intro!

[jcmarchi]

Nobody Wants to Die Review - A Beautiful But Limited Mystery - Game Informer

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Nobody Wants to Die Review - A Beautiful But Limited Mystery - Game Informer

Nobody Wants to Die’s world terrifies me. Set only a few hundred years in the future, it paints a dystopian society where humanity has unlocked the secret to immortality, but instead of eternal bliss, it paved the way for the government to have full legal control of our bodies. The world is as fascinating as it is upsetting, and a high-profile murder becomes the catalyst for a gripping (though not always actively engaging) mystery within it. 

Since Blade Runner‘s release in 1982, renditions of a cyberpunk metropolis have been plentiful and familiar. Nobody Wants to Die’s bleak depiction of 2329 New York City stands out as one of my favorites due to its effective fusion of Art Deco. The game looks as if technology skyrocketed in the 1930s while retaining that era’s aesthetic; vintage cars soar across the polluted airways of the concrete jungle, and futuristic gadgets have a Tomorrowland-esque design. In addition to a strong art direction, the graphical fidelity is top-notch with beautiful lighting illuminating the densely detailed cityscape and interiors. Nobody Wants to Die is a gorgeous game, and a clever introductory reveal of its world ranks among my favorite moments of the year. 

The visuals invited me in, and the world-building kept me. After developing the ability to transfer human consciousness to different bodies, humanity has essentially solved death. People routinely live for centuries by switching to new, more desirable bodies, engendering a terrible system where citizens must pay a subscription fee to keep their original shell after coming of age. Failing to do so results in government seizure, where your consciousness is forcibly extracted and stored in a memory bank while your body goes up for sale. The less affluent 99% may have to settle for occupying aging or medically compromised bodies. If you can’t afford a new body, your conscious mind could be trapped in a bank for decades or longer. From Orwellian government promotions of a healthy lifestyle to prevent citizens from becoming damaged goods to reintroduction parties where people familiarize loved ones with their new bodies, developer Critical Hit Games has crafted an intriguing culture around this concept. Every lore detail, whether through new paper headlines or radio broadcasts, added substance to the presentation’s sizzle.  

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The politics surrounding immortality means morally dubious politicians and celebrities can maintain their status and control for obscenely long periods of time. In a world where true death is a rarity, the mysterious murder of one elite figure rattles the cages. Protagonist James Karra, a 120-year-old loose-cannon detective, is tasked with finding the culprit in an off-the-books case. The first-person adventure sees James visiting crime scenes and using a small set of high-tech forensic tools to collect clues and reverse engineer sequences of events. Whether using a handheld X-ray to trace a bullet’s trajectory, shining a UV lamp on hidden blood trails, or, most often, using a time-manipulating gauntlet to rewind and scrub through a chaotic moment, I enjoy assembling the pieces of smaller puzzles to form the big picture. 

Detective work isn’t difficult, relying less on deductive reasoning and more on thoroughly poking around and uncovering every intractable element available. I don’t mind this more guided approach, as finding clues can lead to insightful and entertaining conversations with James’ partner Sara, who provides remote tech support in his ear. The two share some fun, sarcasm-heavy banter, such as an optional exchange where Sara asks James to describe the smell of chocolate (which no longer exists). The performances, especially Sara’s, are strong enough to make their relationship feel genuine and endearing. Their back-and-forth also adds welcomed levity, though James’ hard-boiled noir detective act means he often spews verbose monologues with metaphors that sometimes make limited sense.

Connecting clues in a flow chart between investigations is a game of determining which piece of evidence answers the question at hand. In reality, you can cheese this by just slotting in every clue until the right one fits, but I always wanted to deduce the answer properly. That said, Nobody Wants to Die is ultimately a narrative-focused adventure that uses detective-inspired gameplay as a vehicle to tell its story. You can’t really get anything wrong, and so if you’re hoping for true agency in how you approach solving this conspiracy, you’ll be disappointed.

You can, however, steer the plot in different directions thanks to the choice-driven dialogue and significant decision-making moments, adding stakes to conversations. Some choices have timers and can be as simple as deciding whether or not to drink on the job; an inebriated James may open an additional dialogue option. Bigger decisions, like deciding whether or not to kill a suspect or to destroy or preserve incriminating evidence, alter the plot more significantly. While that provides a good incentive to replay the roughly five-hour adventure, you’ll have to trek through the entire game again since it lacks a chapter selection, which is unfortunate.

Nobody Wants to Die does an admirable job juggling three main story threads: the aforementioned murder, James’ struggle to remember and come to terms with a traumatic event surrounding his wife’s death, and a heartbreaking tale involving Sara I won’t spoil. These plot points are disjointed at times; I’d make a big breakthrough in the murder case I wanted to follow up on immediately, only for the story to shift focus on James’ problems for a period. A mysterious villain at the center of it all is menacing at first but winds up feeling too obscure by the end. Perhaps it’s a result of my choices, but I’m still not entirely sure what the antagonist’s true goal was or even who they were. Though the main threat falls a bit flat, the story regularly gripped me and sprinkled a few effective twists and revelations that kept me guessing until the conclusion. 

Nobody Wants to Die delivers a few hours of largely engaging storytelling, easy yet well-presented puzzle-solving, and jaw-dropping sights. It has an ideal length, as it wraps up just when the long investigation segments begin feeling repetitive since your toolset never changes. While I didn’t get to wear my detective hat as tightly as I wanted, I enjoyed my tour through this cautionary vision of the future.

[teine-mallaichte]

Echoes of the Ancient War - Lore Summary

Historical Context

Ancient War: Centuries ago, a devastating war between elves and humans erupted. The nature of its onset and conclusion remains unclear, but its aftermath was profound. The humans significantly expanded their territories. In contrast, the elves, devastated by the war, withdrew into seclusion, concealing their once-thriving cities with powerful, arcane magics that remain unseen by modern humans.

Human-Elven Relations

Conscripted Elves: After the war a tradition emerged among elite human houses to keep elven "conscripts". These descendants of captured elves are born into servitude. Trained as warriors or used as status symbols, these elves are living trophies, regulated by strict laws to ensure their loyalty.

Symbols of Power: Possessing an elven conscript is a status symbol, showcasing power and influence. These elves often serve as bodyguards, assassins, enforcers, or shown off as decorative trophies at social events.

The Human Perspective

Rarity of Sightings: Most humans have never seen an elf, free elves are almost unheard of and the conscripts are generally hidden from view kept within the grand homes of the wealthy.

Elite Privilege: For elites, owning an elven conscript signifies dominance. These elves are paraded at events, adding to the mystique and prestige of their owners.

Modern Dynamics

Human Politics: The practice of keeping elven conscripts is controversial. Some human factions advocate for their liberation, citing ethical concerns and the potential for rebellion. Others see it as necessary a tradition that should be upheald. Most citizens, however, feel detached from the issue.

Government Stance: The central government remains largely supportive of the status quo, influenced by political alliances and economic interests. While there have been some measures to address abuses, substantial change is slow.

Magic System

Magical Affinities: Mages are born with affinities for one of four magical schools: Healing and Creation, Elemental, Destruction, and Spiritual. Mastery outside one's affinity is rare.

Healing and Creation: Mending wounds, creating enchantments, etc.

Elemental: Manipulating and creating fire, water, earth, air, and lightning.

Destruction: Offensive spells and combat magic.

Spiritual: Connections to otherworldly entities, divination, etc.

Magic permeates daily life, from healing and agriculture to combat and spiritual guidance.

Other Races

Dwarves: Many dwarves have moved into human cities (mostly working as craftsmen or in the guilds) others work as traveling mercenaries, but there are also dwarven cities in the mountains that appear large and industrial to the outside world. Dwarven society is caste-based, valuing craftsmanship and tradition.

Gnomes: Gnomes are known for their curiosity and innovation, often living in secluded communities focused on technological and magical research - though sgnomes noving into human cities has been becoming more common. They are master tinkerers and inventors. Most gnomes have an affinity for creation magic, though ones with enough power to be considered "true mages" are rare.

Their societies are collaborative and emphasize education and innovation. They often create intricate mechanical devices and enchantments.

Halflings: Halflings are a peaceful, and somewhat isolated people living in close-knit communities and generally staying out of race relations and politics. They value simplicity, family, and tradition.

They are known for their hospitality and village wide celebrations/festivals. Despite being stereotypical a fairly insular society halflings are incredibly social and welcoming to any outsider who arrived at their settlements.

Orcs: Orcs are a warrior race known for their honor and traditions. They typically live in tribal societies within harsh environments and are often perceived as aggressive. Orcs prize strength, courage, and martial skill, and their relations with other races vary significantly between clans. Many orcs also exhibit an affinity for destructive magic.

Elves: Very little is known about elven culture due to their extreme reclusiveness. What is known is that all elves possess a slight elemental affinity - connected to emotions and manifesting as an innate part of their being. While elven mages do exist, their prevalence is unknown because of the elves' isolation from the broader world.

Echoes of the forgotten war posts master list

[xasha777]

In the heart of a bustling, futuristic London, nestled among the grand architectures of the past, 10 Downing Street stood as an emblem of old-world politics, now surrounded by sleek, levitating vehicles and holographic billboards. But within its walls, a secret meeting was about to change the course of history.

Prime Minister Ava Johnson adjusted her smart-glasses nervously as her chief of security escorted an unusual guest through the heavily-guarded corridors of her official residence. The guest was none other than an ancient creature known as Verdant, a sentient dragon from the reclusive Dragon Realm. Verdant’s skin shimmered with a vibrant green, and his eyes gleamed with intelligence, an unnerving red that contrasted sharply against the stark political environment.

“Verdant comes with a proposal,” whispered her advisor, as they entered the high-security briefing room. “He claims their technology can reverse the effects of climate change, but they need our help.”

The dragon, with a voice that rumbled like distant thunder, began, “Humans and dragons have lived apart for centuries, hidden from each other’s worlds. But your planet is in peril, and so is the delicate balance of magical forces that my kind safeguards. We have the technology to cleanse your atmosphere, but we need access to your world’s energy fields, heavily concentrated here, in London.”

Skeptical but intrigued, Ava weighed the risks of allowing an ancient magical creature access to Earth’s energy fields. The opportunity to reverse environmental damage was too great to pass up. “What assurances do we have that your intervention won’t do more harm than good?” she inquired.

Verdant nodded, expecting the question. “We propose a demonstration. Allow us to cleanse the River Thames right here in London. You will see the immediate effects of our technology.”

Agreeing to the demonstration, Ava authorized the operation. The next day, under the cover of night and intense security, Verdant approached the Thames. He uttered ancient words in a forgotten language, and his scales emitted a soft, pulsating light. Slowly, the murky waters began to clear, the pollution dissolving as if erased by an invisible hand.

The demonstration was a success. News of the miraculous cleansing of the Thames spread like wildfire, and public opinion surged in favor of cooperation with the Dragon Realm. With renewed hope, Ava announced a historic agreement, dubbed the Terra-Draconis Pact, between humans and dragons.

As the pact was formalized, dragon technology began to integrate with human efforts to restore Earth’s environment. Verdant and his kind worked alongside human scientists, using their magic to amplify the effects of new clean energy technologies. The partnership heralded a new era of prosperity and environmental rejuvenation.

The once ancient and mysterious creatures of lore were now allies in humanity’s quest to mend a broken planet, blending the wonders of magic and science. At 10 Downing Street, Ava smiled as she watched the world transform from her office, a dragon perched majestically on the roof, guarding not just a building, but a new future for all.

[maacwanowrie]

Mythical Creatures and Fantasy Worlds

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 Within the realm of fantasy literature and folklore, there exists a captivating tapestry of mythical creatures and fantasy worlds that ignite our imagination and transport us to realms beyond the confines of our reality. These creations of the human mind bring to life a rich tapestry of magical creatures, mythical beasts, and enchanting landscapes, inviting us to embark on extraordinary adventures and discover the limitless possibilities of the imagination.

 At the heart of these fantastical realms lie the mythical creatures, beings that possess otherworldly attributes and captivate our senses with their awe-inspiring presence. From the majestic and wise dragons that soar through the skies with their iridescent scales and fiery breath, to the mischievous and elusive fairies that flit among the flowers, these creatures embody the essence of magic and wonder. They possess powers beyond mortal comprehension and symbolize the eternal struggle between good and evil, light and darkness.

 In these mythical worlds, the landscapes themselves become characters, reflecting the ethereal beauty and boundless creativity of their creators. We traverse dense and ancient forests, where towering trees whisper ancient secrets and hidden creatures lurk in the shadows. We gaze upon vast and sprawling plains, where mythical creatures roam freely, their silhouettes dancing against the setting sun. We venture into mysterious and treacherous mountains, where hidden caverns house untold treasures and fearsome beasts guard their ancient lairs.

 Fantasy worlds allow us to escape the confines of our everyday lives and immerse ourselves in realms where magic is a tangible force. In these worlds, we witness epic battles between valiant knights and fearsome monsters, where the fate of entire kingdoms hangs in the balance. We accompany young heroes on quests to retrieve enchanted artifacts and save their loved ones from peril. We become part of intricate political intrigues and navigate the delicate balance between different realms and magical beings.

 What makes these fantasy worlds truly enchanting is the intricate lore and mythology that underpins their existence. Rich histories and complex societies provide a backdrop for the tales of heroes and villains, forging a connection between the present and the past. These worlds are meticulously crafted with attention to detail, drawing inspiration from various cultures and mythologies to create a cohesive and immersive universe.

 Mythical creatures and fantasy worlds offer more than mere escapism; they serve as vessels for exploring universal themes and deep human emotions. Through their fantastical elements, they allow us to grapple with our fears, aspirations, and the enigmatic nature of the human condition. They ignite our sense of wonder, inspire us to dream, and remind us that there is magic in the world, waiting to be discovered if we dare to believe.

 In the end, these mythical creatures and fantasy worlds invite us to embark on transformative journeys of self-discovery and enlightenment. They encourage us to embrace our imagination, to question the boundaries of our reality, and to find the extraordinary in the seemingly ordinary. So, let us venture forth into these enchanted realms, for beyond their borders lies a world of wonder and adventure beyond our wildest dreams.

[earthnashes]

FINALLY! After a little while of work I’ve finally designed and drew each of the main races for Lorule! So that means, LORULE HEADCANONNNNNNNN!!!!! 8D aight ya’ll, let’s get right into it:

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Lorule is one of the Seven Kingdoms in the world of LoZ (not sure what to call the actual world itself), and the direct neighbor to Hyrule. Despite its harsh climates and highly varying regions, Lorule is prosperous and a staple realm among the Kingdoms. It’s ruled by the queen Hilda and inhabited by the following races (alongside some lore bits for the characters representing them):

-Lorians: A people who are of the same race as Hylians and thus share the trait of having pointed ears. Lorians, however, commonly have darker skin tones and lighter eyes, raging from copper brown to golden yellow in contrast to the common greens and blues of Hylians. While scattered all across Lorule, their capitol resides in the center of the vast drylands, smack-dab in the middle of an oasis.

Queen Hilda is the current ruler of Lorule and the youngest one to assume the crown (she became queen at the age of 16). She gained her position due to her father stepping down in light of ailing health, and has since earned a reputation of being a just and competent queen. She's strict and can be intimidating with how no-nonsense she is, but does whatever she can to do right by her subjects and allies. A bit of a big sister/mentor figure to Zelda.

Ravio is a young farm lad who has big aspirations to be a court mage. Thin as a rail with a timid, shy disposition to match, Ravio scares rather easily, but he works hard and dreams big for his future. He was taken in by Ooccoo when he was just a baby, having found him hidden under a blanket within a ransacked carriage. He idolizes the Queen and wishes to be as strong as her.

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-Yamatami: This race of humanoids are as tall as they are lean and thin, characterized by their unique masks they never take off and their ability to transform into giant snake-like creatures. The Yamatami inhabit the marshlands and mostly keep to themselves, though they are highly sought after trading-wise for their venom. They are lead by the somewhat oafish chief King.

Mamba is King’s daughter, and therefore the next-in-line to be chief once he steps down. As much as Mamba adores her tribe, she longs for a life of adventure, ever so curious about the world beyond their marshland boundaries. Part of her hesitation on being chief secretly banks on her fear of not being fit for the role. She’s a dreamer, very bubbly, friendly, and somewhat naive, but all she wants is to be able to make her own path.

Faux (pronounced “fawks”) is resourceful, fast, and cautious. They’re one of the best warriors the Yamatami have to offer, and through that they’ve become the trusted bodyguard to Mamba. Faux might seem indifferent to the overtly friendly princess but don’t let that fool you; they are ever watchful and ever so protective of their charge.

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-Oocca: Bird-like race with human-esque faces, they are a peaceful people who inhabit a great city hovering in the sky. The Oocca dislike conflict, though this is possibly because they themselves have no means of self-defense nor combat prowess, though they more than contribute their fair share to the Lorule alliance via their expertise in trade and commerce, as well as their advanced technology. Given their general lack of combative means, their city is inhabited by guards from the other native races, as per their negotiations. Anywhere you go, there’s almost certainly an Oocca merchant handling the finances of the city.

Ooccoo, sometimes known as Miss O, is the sweet, gentle single mother of Junior.  She makes her peaceful living running a homely inn and selling knick-knacks in the small farm village Ravio grew up in. She also doubles as the resident repair shop, using her skill in tinkering to keep the village's tech and tools in tip-top shape. Ooccoo has a knack of taking in any stragglers that she may run across, which has led her to taking in Ravio and raising him as if he were her own. She has an unusual assistant: an old battle-worn Lynel (to be designed later!) she calls Lyo.

Junior is Ooccoo's outgoing young son. Ever so eager to make friends and lend a hand whenever he can, Junior helps his mother run her inn and shop. He's high on energy and sometimes runs too fast for his legs to carry him (he has a penchant for tripping), and someitmes he talks a little too much, but all he wants to do is make sure you feel welcomed when under their care. He often uses berry branches as hair ties so he can have a small snack anywhere he goes!

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-Yook:  Otherwise known as Yetis, they are a race of huge, gorilla-like bipedal creatures who live on the peaks of the freezing, snowy mountains of Lorule. Despite their fearsome appearance and gargantuan strength, they're rather friendly, and have been known to guide lost hikers back on the trail to return home. Unfortunately, the Yook were once hunted to near genocide for their thick coats and tough hides before the practice was outlawed, and so they're cautious towards outsiders. It's only recently that they've begun to allow visitors to their humble village, but the current political climate among the Yook is a tremulous one.

Yeto was once the leader to the Yook before being beaten in a fight for the title against his younger adversary, Yuk. Now he and his beloved wife Yeta live out in the outskirts of the hidden village, living a quiet life while dedicating themselves to helping lost travelers and keeping them away from the village. This is mostly because, under Yuk's aggressive leadership, the Yook village is not safe for outsiders.

Yeta is Yeto's soft-spoken wife. Yeta is motherly to a fault, with barely a hostile bone in her body, but she isn't one to be pushed around. Upon her husband's defeat to Yuk in combat, she was outspoken on the harm he would cause their village by leading them down a violent path and was the only other one to stand up against the newly crowned chief, the others too afraid to say anything. She and Yeto were then forced to leave the village, living on the outskirts and dedicating themselves to keep outsiders away for their own safety.

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-Mogma: Andromorphic mole-like peoples who make their homes in the dry grasslands, the closest neighbors to the Lorian capitol. They generally grow to be large with huge, long claws for digging, and their villages and cities are known to mostly reside below ground. They are largely artisan by culture, focusing most of their energies in making, and collecting, knick-knacks and treasures. Their drive for all things shiny and pretty make them excellent treasure hunters, and many Mogma make lucrative careers out of being treasure-hunters-for-hire. They are a semi-nomadic people.

Guld was once the leader of the Mogma before he finally stepped down and gave the title to Ledd. One of the few Mogma to make his residence above ground, Guld has retired to a peaceful life of farming and selling pumpkins and other little trinkets he finds during his evening strolls. Despite long-since stepping down as leader, the Mogma often seek him out for guidance still, and he’s worried that it’s because they aren’t trusting their new leader as much as he’d hoped.

Ledd is the newfound leader of the Mogma, chosen by Guld for his courage and finesse in finding treasures. For all of his perceived confidence, Ledd is unsure of his newfound position, and his lack of action has led other Mogma to believe he is unfit for the role. His only supporter is Plats, his best buddy, and Guld. He’s determined to prove that he wants to be the leader the Mogma deserves, but is unsure how to do so.

Plats is the kindly and rather nervous buddy of Ledd, and the youngest brother of three. Unlike the rest of his kin, Plats is far more interested in simply trading items and hunting for food instead of shinies, which contributes to his round figure and his resident duty as town merchant. Given his rather cowardly disposition, Plats rarely ever tries to go treasure hunting, something his brothers often tease him about. He is the only one who has faith in Ledd’s leadership among their kin with the only other exception being Guld.

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WHEW!!! That got a bit long, but I’m glad to say that it’s out there for ya’ll to see! :3 I had a whole lot of fun working on this headcanon and if you have any questions please feel more than free to ask!! ;w;

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More LoZ headcanons | My Patreon |

[thevindicativevordan]

On Maxima

Every time DC wants to put Supes in a relationship with someone other than Lois, I always wonder why they don't just go with Maxima.

Especially since she's basically what they turn Diana into every time they try to hook the two of them up. Why not just go with the actual Superman Rogue/supporting character who is also a warrior-queen? Who is already almost as violent as she is horny, forcing Clark to try to get her to chill out, even as he's tempted to join her? If it isn't already clear, I like Maxima. Her character archetype, the supervillainess who tempts the hero with sex appeal, is one that's pretty damn popular for obvious reasons. Also for obvious reasons, this kind of character can provoke a backlash nowadays.

Personally I think she can still work just fine, she just needs some revamp. The basics of her character and backstory are still solid and offer storytelling potential. She's the Queen of the alien Empire of Almerac. Maxima is drawn to Superman because of his power. The real big fix is changing why she's attracted to his power, and why she came to Earth in the first place, shifting it away from eugenics to something else.

What I'd Do With Maxima

So I'm going to take some cues from the DCAU incarnation of Maxima in that the reason she seeks Superman out is because she's been deposed.

DCAU Maxima got deposed after she met Superman, but she lost her throne because her people judged her too self-absorbed and immature to lead them. Which she totally was, and changing that formed the crux of her character development over the course of the episode. I'd take a similar route with reworking comics Maxima's backstory.

Maxima has just taken the throne when the Interstellar Empire of Almerac comes under the assault of Mongul of Warworld. Crushing Almerac's defenses, Mongul gives the world an ultimatum: Turn over a selection of their greatest fighters to fight for Almerac's continued right to exist in Mongul's gladiator arenas or he'll reduce the entire planet to ashes. He also demands a sizeable portion of the population be turned over as slaves tasked with keeping Warworld running, and he wants Maxima to be among those slaves as a symbol of Mongul's authority over Almerac. Maxima angrily refuses, but her people don't trust in her leadership on account of her youth and immaturity, and Maxima is overthrown. She's handed over for transport to Warworld, but while en route she breaks free and seizes control of the transport. Alone and without allies, Maxima sets a course for Earth to seek out the one person she's heard is a match for the Lord of Warworld: Superman.

Only interested at first in his power, and planning to use and dispose of him afterwards, Maxima at first presents herself to Clark as a potential mate. Her hope is that will entice him to support her on what could be a suicide mission, and that offering power and wealth via marriage will cement his loyalty. Being betrayed by her subjects still stings her though she takes great pains to pretend otherwise. Superman turns down the marriage offer, but agrees to follow her to take down Mongul and free Almerac. The two travel back to Almerac which is in the midst of choosing who will fight on Warworld. Clark pretends to be a native of Almerac and is chosen as one of the champions. Initially planning to stay on Almerac and purge those who betrayed her while Clark fights on Warworld, Maxima chooses to give herself up to Mongul, after he announces that he will be vaporizing an entire continent as punishment for the Almeracans failure to turn her over to him. Amused at her compassion for those who betrayed her, Mongul adds Maxima to the roster of gladiators, and she departs with Clark to the arenas.

Over the course of a series of battles, Maxima and Clark butt heads, watch each other's backs, and gradually fall in love with each other. Maxima admires Clark's resolve, restraint, and maturity, traits she's forced to admit she lacked. She's skeptical of his idealism however, seeing it as a flaw that undermines his effectiveness, particularly when it comes to killing. Clark admires Maxima's passion, bravery, and refusal to settle for anything less than the best in anyone including herself. All traits that make him ponder if perhaps she does have it in her to be a good leader. He dislikes her arrogance and entitlement however, particularly when it comes to her royal right to rule. A frequent source of fights between the two is whether the common person should have any voice in government with Maxima scoffing at that and point at how the mob gave in to Mongul, with Clark countering that Almeracans had long felt unheard and cut off from their rulers. Obviously that they're both super hot doesn't hurt as part of why they end up sleeping together.

Ultimately through a series of events Superman and Maxima succeed in freeing Almerac and driving Mongul away. Then everything promptly goes to hell. Having fallen for Clark for real over the course of their adventure, Maxima repeats her offer to him of marriage, except genuinely this time.

The two have had sex a couple times already, and Clark is genuinely tempted at the prospect of sticking with Maxima. He's grown to enjoy her company (having sex tends to do that), he enjoys the freedom to be himself without having to hide his powers, the Almeracans embrace him as their champion, and as Maxima's consort he could take an active hand in shaping society. At the point in Clark's career where I'd want to do this story, he's growing out of his youthful rage, but he's still not at peace with his lot in life. Earth's inability to meaningfully change at the pace he wants frustrates him, and leaving behind the restrictions of life there does entice him. My point is that I think the appeal of Maxima to Superman should and can be more than just breeding little Clarks as has been the case in the past.

However Clark ultimately rejects the offer. He can't bring himself to cut ties with Earth, Maxima's unwillingness to cede some of her power to her people isn't something Clark can accept, and Clark is also concerned that taking up her offer would compromise his ability to be a hero. As you would expect, Maxima is pissed at his refusal, treating it as another stab in the back. Due to his help in freeing her people and reclaiming her throne, she spares his life but exiles him from Almerac, declaring him persona non grata throughout the Empire.

Unbeknownst to Clark, who leaves after it's made clear the Almeracans don't want a civil war, Maxima is pregnant with his child. The child allows her to avoid entering into a political marriage, maintaining her independence since she now has a heir. This daughter will be groomed in hidden to take over the Empire, which Maxima now has plans to expand. The humiliation Mongul visited upon Almerac has had a big impact on her mindset. Now she's focused on eliminating any potential threats to her people, and she wants to transform Almerac into the greatest Interstellar Empire in the Milky Way. Then it will never be at the mercy of a foreign power ever again.

For stories, Superman and Maxima are clearly going to clash given she's become an imperialist herself, no better than Mongul. You can tell stories about Clark foiling Maxima's attempts to conquer other worlds, or Earth itself. Maxima would occasionally dispatch assassins or go personally to attack Clark, for the purpose of preventing him from getting "soft". The public reason for this is that he's become a roadblock to her aims, and needs to be eliminated. Secretly, her goal is to constantly push him to be stronger because she wants him to meet his daughter one day. Not for any sentimental reasons mind you, Maxima wants Superman to teach their daughter to be his equal in ability and resourcefulness. After learning everything she can from Clark, said daughter will be charged with leading the invasion of Earth. Conquering Earth, and defeating Superman, will be the girl's rite of passage into cementing herself as Maxima's heir. The world of her father, Superman, is destined to be her own Throneworld as Almerac's is Maxima's.

Think you could have a lot of fun in giving Clark a "Damian" of his own to deal with. Personally I'd have it so that the "daughter" would be akin to the New 52 Maxima who I thought had some potential. You could have Maxima and Maxima Jr. argue about the morality of Almerac's expansion, with MJ ultimately taking her father's side which causes enormous problems for her mother since she can't disown her daughter without a replacement heir. I think that could be a fun family dynamic to explore.

Wondering where Maxima will show up next. Part of me was hoping Almerac was that part of underdeveloped Superman lore PKJ talked about fleshing out, but that seems to be either Warworld or the Phantom Zone. I still think Maxima and Almerac have a lot of potential to be major players in Superman's world, but it's going to take someone being interested in fleshing them out. Maybe the upcoming Superman cartoon will accomplish that? If not I'll just have to hope someone will down the line.

[demonslayedher]

Hi, do you have an idea what Akaza’s name stand for ? I know what these kanjis individually mean but put together they seem kinda random lol

'Sup, Anon, thanks for your patience, today is nerdy name day, so time to get into this Ask-kaza!

(I'm a woman, I'm safe, Akaza won't hurt me for that stupid pun. I may be pushing my luck though.)

My initial thought is that the kanji are kind of random and cool-looking, just fit together like "ateji" (kanji chosen for sound rather than coherent meaning) to express a catchy name. 猗窩座 just plain has a nice complexity and balance to it, something I feel a lot of the Kimetsu no Yaiba demon names have. If we look into them individually we can get "exclamation of surprise/approval" and "hole" and "seat" so if you wanted to get really dumb with your interpretation you could picture someone expressing approval at such a fine hole in a chair (hmm, that's unflattering). But kanji hide plenty of mystery and KnY has too much lore to let it go at that!

To dive into it a bit more, while I think 座 is used more as a phonetic placeholder, it can be used very flexibility, for a "seat" is way, way more than something like a chair. This is a pedastal, a platform upon which something of value is set, a role which needs a place to be settled. If you look back into the Chinese usage it can be used a placeholder for counting very large and prominent things like buildings and mountains or even used as a polite form of address for people with big titles. You still see this capacity for honoring the larger-than-life in the naming of astrological constellations, ending many of them with this character denotes the Chinese (and by extension, Japanese) idea that each constellion is where the stars sit, a platform which is fitting for them. This isn't to say Akaza's name is supposed to denote a constellation, just saying that the use of 座 gives it an air of importance.

If we keep working backwards, 窩 isn't just a hole or a ditch, it's a place in which to hide something. It can even be used to denote sheltering something. A Japanese theory I found suggests that this is in reference to how Akaza has no memories of being human, they've been hidden away as though they disappeared into a hole.

And if we come back to 猗, it can also mean docile among other things (like "luxuriant" which doesn't seem to fit so I'm ignoring it), and according to one Japanese fandom theory I found, seems this is in reference to a dog made docile (snip-snip). We could look at this as Muzan having gelded him into a docile subordinate, but the Japanese theory I found goes on to tie in more of Hakuji's name (I'll be paraphrasing and adding a bit of my own emphasis to it).

The Haku 狛 is part of 狛犬, in reference to the stone statues of dogs who stand guard at shrines. (Fun fact, the -ji 治 is the same -ji in Tanjiro). It's a very righteous sounding name, reflecting the ideals Hakuji's father hoped for him. Tragically, Hakuji does not live up to this easily and turns into a mad dog (狂犬) when he loses his loved ones.

Having his memories snipped off, hidden away in some hollow part of himself, is what turns him into Muzan's docile dog.

[quixoticanarchy]

Cartographic Practices in Arda: Elves

[overthinking fantasy cartography series: Elves, Orcs, Dwarves, Hobbits, and Men]

o   To what extent do Elves need maps? Can their extensive memories, which serve as archives for much knowledge, also hold spatial records? Do they construct elaborate mental maps of whole regions?

Even if so, they would still need extensive firsthand knowledge to draw on, or at least some reference maps to commit to memory. Local wayfinding and habitual travel could be done using memory, if they recalled precisely what paths they’d taken previously, for instance; but traveling somewhere new or planning large-scale geographic movements (of armies, for instance) would benefit from maps

o  Therefore: maps for planning and exploration, not necessarily for navigation (at least after the first time)

Also, maps as art form and aesthetic – it’s too easy with GIS etc. to think of maps as precise and correct instruments, but they’re also subjective, storytelling art pieces. I think Elves could get behind that

Especially if you think beyond maps as an technical representation of a landscape, per se, there’s a lot of leeway for creative depiction, symbolization, and extremely cultural-convention-dependent meaning transmission

Which could mean Elvish maps might be rather incomprehensible to anyone not familiar with their spatial and symbolic conventions

o   From LOTR we get the sense that although Elrond has a collection of maps and “books of lore” in Rivendell, much of the knowledge therein may be quite old and out of date – the map he has of Mordor was made before Sauron returned there (which is also fascinating – who mapped it? Were they on an official cartographic expedition? Was it a landform map? A political map? A war planning map? Was it commissioned by a king (of Gondor? An Elven-king?)? Did the Elves and Men share maps? During the Last Alliance one can assume they did, but whose?)

A problem with these old reference maps (not just for Elves, either) is that even if it’s stored perfectly in your memory, the world isn’t static. Updates and re-memorization would be necessary

(also, by the late Second Age, the world would have ceased being flat and necessitated a revolution in cartographic practices as they suddenly contend with the idea of map projections... who spearheaded this? who drew the new maps? are there still old Elven maps kicking around that are no longer accurately scaled or proportioned?)

(there’s a lot more so it’s below the cut)

o   I think that it’s fair to say that Elven governments might have employed cartography much as early Western states did, as critical tools of statecraft for managing a) war and b) populations. Given how much attention has to go toward war, it would make sense that Elven cartography, at least according to conventions in Beleriand, would be oriented toward visualizing and managing militarized spaces. Maps are probably a tool for kings, their counselors, and their military leaders. Everyday Elves would probably rely on spatial memory but wouldn’t have access to physical maps, per se

o   Significant differences between Beleriand and Middle-earth maps – political boundaries in Beleriand are essentially drawn by and between Elven realms, whereas by the Third Age in Middle-earth they’ve got a sustained presence only in Imladris, Mirkwood, Lothlórien, and the Havens at a stretch

Beleriand maps would also differ greatly based on who made them, given the hidden kingdoms – would Gondolin and Nargothrond even make maps that gave their location? The map in the Silmarillion would almost certainly not have existed (unless made retrospectively?), because it puts together all sorts of information that shouldn’t have been known openly

Having maps of the continent in general would be a good idea even for the hidden kingdoms, in case they ever needed to venture out, but then again, they didn’t really plan on doing that

o   Mapping practices among the Elves (this could be its own essay)

like Dwarves, the Noldor might favor maps of mineral deposits, physical features, resources for craftsmanship, trade routes. I think they’d appreciate intricately aesthetic maps too, or encoded symbol maps that are incomprehensible unless you know how to decipher them

the Teleri would have coastal maps and nautical maps. What about weather maps? Would they map wind patterns and storm tracks? Tides?

Nothing to say about the Vanyar. I don’t know...

Laiquendi - focus on forested lands, the territories deemed peripheral to other realms, the “blank spaces” on others’ maps

We know very little about the Avari and any cartography they might have had – did they have writing, without contact with Fëanor or Daeron? Did they have unlabeled symbol maps? Did they not need them? Maybe if they weren’t planning any extensive travel, casing the area for resources, planning any territorial expansion or war, or ruling kingdoms and exacting tribute, they wouldn’t have needed conventional maps. Their spatial practices could be focused around their daily lives and navigating the proximate world, relying on memory and experience

In mixed regions, like Mirkwood and Lothlórien, whose spatial practices take precedence? Likely the establishment of formal domains, and their need for defense, mapped borders, awareness of other territorial claims and threats, has become more prominent than it would’ve been for First Age Avari, say, and by the Third Age cartographic practices would probably reflect a war footing similar to First Age Beleriand (and Second Age everywhere, but I feel like the whole flat-earth-becomes-a-planet issue might have derailed a lot of their cartographic efforts for a time)