#they love narinders final form so…

[amimuu]

“Dream logic.”

Guilt can sometimes find some very interesting ways to manifest itself in.

Listen. So if you were to ask me what in the scallop is even going on in this comic…I don’t know either—I passed out and four hours later this was on my screen with a blurry effect to make emphasis on the “dreamy” vibes.

STILLLL THATS a lie because I do know what’s happening. I present to you: pre-story VTA!Narinder being bullied by a dream version of the Lamb….it must be quite the experience to see the face of your devoted vessel whom you killed in cold blood every time you try to get some shut eye because sleeping is kind of the only thing you can do when you got no one to spend time with, huh.

If you wonder what’s up with the Lamb’s extravagant outfit, that’s simply the clothing they put on the day they died. And so the form that their dream self chooses to manifest itself in.

Y’know when it’s the day of your death but also the day your god whom you love more than anything will be liberated and you’ll finally be able to rest��in some way it could count as the “happiest day of your life” which is also another way to call your wedding day…ykyk

Anyways I am sorta falling asleep so I’ll be leaving this here and going to bed— Until next time!

[artichao]

Here's some Cult of The Lamb fanart I've done in the past! The one of Narinder and The Lamb was received pretty well, SO well in fact I remember having to storm over to Reddit to force an art thief to not steal my work. ;D

Anyway, I love everything about Narinder. I just think he's so cool.✨ I feel like not enough people give love to his cool scary final boss form! It was suuuper fun to draw, though the rendering process was pretty draining (；´∀｀)

[the-artist-grimm]

Brainworm won't leave me, about angst of your Narilamb but on the other side of the coin.

So Imma just write about it even if I should be sleeping right now. Do what you wish.

Fate is irreversible. The Lamb would die a sacrifice, even the God of Death couldn't prevent it. Sure they had delayed it; allowed the Lamb to show the Bishop of Old that their fate was already written. But with it done, there's nothing stopping fate to strike once more.

The Lamb could feel it in the air, in the bones. Perhaps the crown had allowed them to feel the presence of an end. And theirs was soon to arrive.

Perhaps Narinder still had hope, that their weapon could return after their sacrifice. That the Lamb could be kept by his side and that of his kits. Yet the Lamb knew better than to rely on only hope.

The Lamb's heart was full, of love for who is now considered family to them. For Narinder, Aym and Baal. And for them, The Lamb would do it. Sacrificing their life for their freedom. For the kits to finally see the world the Lamb has told them so much about. For Narinder to feel the rain against their fur once more.

With a resolve of steel, the Lamb is ready, in an outfit they've carefully curated for their last moment. Perhaps it is full of old memories; inspired by any remaining traditions of the sheepfolk who will soon vanish with the Lamb. Maybe something akin to marriage; as they have accepted that they would never see the day of their own and that the freedom of their loves should be the happiest day of their life.

With a sad smile, the Lamb dedicate their death to the three person who fills their heart with love. Ripping it from their chest and crushing it; letting the large amount of devotion they had for their God, and the Red Crown, float back to its rightful owner. The Lamb swore they heard the screams of Aym and Baal, calling for the first time their Baba. They could feel a pang tug and their heart, even if no longer in their chest; never knowing before how much they longed for the both of them to see the Lamb like a parent.

Their weapon discarded, both kits rushed to the Lamb's side, begging, pleading for them to not leave; grasping at the Lamb's ever colder body.

Maybe in a moment of clarity, The One Who Waits sheds their gargantuan form for that of a more reasonable one. They are silent, whirlwind of thoughts and emotions flying through their head yet they chose to ignore most; going straight for the Lamb. Tears already flowing unbeknownst to him. Maybe they were the Crown's.

It's kinda funny, the Lamb never thought they would had been able to hold Narinder in their arms fully; yet even in this form he is as beautiful as the day they first met him. The Lamb smile softly at him, barely hearing him talk about promises to bring them back, cursing himself for his greed and his stubbornness, that he shouldn't had ignored his feelings when really the only thing he now desired was fading infront of him.

Maybe, just maybe, the Lamb can reach for a goodbye kiss. Not the one they had dreamed of, but it was their last chance before vanishing into the same ashes that covers the entirety of Narinder's realm; leaving now three black cat free, yet so cold and alone.

THIS IS AMAZING WHAT THE HECK. ALSO HOW ARE YOU IN MY HEAD (adding the angst art first in case people don't wanna read my lore dump lol)

Like Anthea WOULD have died had Narinder not let slip just how much he cared about them. He didn’t confess his love-he wasn't ready to do so just yet, but upon seeing the lamb break down in the ruins of their home village shortly before they'd started on Silk Cradle, seeing them finally let all the years of grief and anger and guilt take over and swear that no matter what they’d get him and the kits out-that while they couldn’t save their family they would save his even if that meant their death, in the ‘good’ ending sort of speak (which yeah has the betrayal but it leads both to grow and eventually be happy again), he tells them no-that freedom isn’t worth it without the lamb leaving the gateway alongside the twins and himself. He would not accept any outcome that didn't have them by his side.

Having spent their whole life giving up things for others, Narinder essentially saying he’d give up his freedom, the thing he wanted most, for them was what made the lamb want to try and have a future. Because here was someone who wanted Anthea by his side because he cared for them, and they realized they wanted that too. It's why in the good end Anthea starts weaving a courtship sash for Narinder, because while they didn't bet on his feelings being romantic, that admission was what made them realize they'd long fallen in love, and it was the one thing they could do to show just how much those words meant to them. A promise in return to be by his side as well in whatever way he'd have them. A promise to live.

Had Narinder held his tongue and not given into the impulse to say ‘no’, or had he instead told the lamb that their fate was to die, then Anthea would have laid their life down one last time. They might've realized they'd fallen in love sometime before that, but the desire to see their beloved and their children free would've outweigh the desire to be 'selfish' and want to be free with them.

5 chains bound the god they’d grown to love, and though 4 were linked to his siblings the 5th metaphysical one could only be unlocked by the sacrifice of a devout heart. It had been Shamura’s final failsafe. They knew that Narinder may be able to kill the bishops in his rage, but had counted on him never finding someone willing to sacrifice themselves like that.

But the main theme of Crimson Angel is expressing your feelings, and in the bad end, neither Anthea or Narinder learn to do so. Narinder keeps his love close to his chest, while Anthea loves the one way they know how-through sacrifice.

So yeah thank you for the fic and I shall now add it to the little metaphorical trinket box of ‘fanart/gifts to look at in awe'

[bamsara]

Howdy! I just want to take a moment (or two…or three..yeah this is longer than I thought it would be) to talk about your characterization of Narinder in your TRoD fanfic, specifically his grievance over what he perceived the lamb to be and betrayel.

I like to think Narinder repeatedly calling Lambert a traitor (I think at least once a chapter actually lmaoo) over and over, is trying not so subtly to avoid thinking about the why behind the betrayel and the pain that comes with it. Especially since he'd already spent an eternity wondering about the previous betrayal of his siblings. How emotionally torturous it must feel to be in this cycle of rejection, from the people he depended on, even now from his own followers who don't recognize him. And then, when he and Lambert finally appear to be on the same page about something, Lambert goes and spares Leshy, reminding Narinder once again that his divine commands hold as much weight on the Lamb as they will decide to hold.

It isn't up to Narinder to decide how the lamb will act, as much as he wants to. It's one thing for Narinder to have people listening to him, but it's another to actually be heard, and after an eternity of silence during his imprisonment he's absolutely desperate for some form of control and impact. For someone to truly hear him. Which is a shame, because Lambert does, but Narinder cannot recognize it since they don't always give Narinder what he wants (since being a God is all about what you want), and instead are more interested in giving him what he needs.

I assume at this point, after being revived into a mortal form, he's actively given up on trying to understand why everyone just keeps "betraying/rejecting him" and would rather use his own inferences of their behavior as explanation, once again, for that feeling of control, since he's utterly mortified of hearing those words come from their mouths instead of his own (doesn't help that he can actually read minds either). He'd rather kill his siblings than hear the why (not saying the siblings were justified ofc, but understanding one's motivations is, y'know, important to effectively communicating with them in a way that's healthy) Despite needing to be heard, he's internalized that many won't bother listening unless he has control over them in some way, like he did before when he was powerful. When he mutilated his siblings, had Lambert create a cult in his name, being heard isn't just an emotional or mental aspect to his wellbeing, but is literally part of his power as well.

He was/is a God, he's used to followers prostrating themselves just to hear the time of day, giving their all to listen, hear, and follow him. It's why he struggles to separate the aspects that are ingrained in a follower, from those who are a friend. Unless they're also God he can't comprehend much of a difference, and expects them to be of the same or similar standing. He was friends with Lambert when he was Godly, yes, but he still saw himself as above Lambert, and expected them to lay down their life to him like a follower would. Yes, Narinder didn't want to cut them out of his own life in their death, but still expected them to just..die for him. He didn't ***just*** see Lambert as a friend, he saw them as a friend that was also his follower. An exceptional follower he loved, but not an exception. There was a power imbalance that Lambert now sees.

It's why Narinder's utterly baffled and offended, fearful even, at Lambert, someone he deemed as "traitorous", investing their time into still trying to talk to him..listen to him.. for virtually no gain…at his lowest point...when he himself is now "lesser".

Narinder tries so hard to not become invested in those he deems as "lesser" or "traitors" but its near fucking impossible, because like it or not, his desires and needs are so inherently mortal and genuine (desire for power, companionship, love, understanding, control, etc) that if he doesn't close himself off, he may have to face falling into the same pit of disappointment and failed expectations he fell in with Lambert/his siblings once again. So he doesn't, and hides away in his shack until Lambert comes knocking.

And now, as the cherry on top of this emotionally constipated bundle of angsty cat woes, he has to live and breathe as the very thing he deemed as "lesser". Being forced to invest in these mortal needs, now that they're a necessary component to his survival. This is also why I believe he goes on these little crusades with Lambert in the first place as well. Not only because they return to him a sense of routine and normalcy (also pining, coughocoughghhrbogh who said that?), but also because it allows Narinder to forget about investing in his own wellbeing for a while.

He was a God, he didn't have to go through the work it took to just do your laundry, eat, brush your teeth, or take care of yourself since he never had to. The thrill of adventure and battle, the adrenaline rush of near-death experiences, can't hold a candle to the mundanity of work. So when he's not crusading, he just..sleeps..wanders around..the fact he's not socially accepted by his own followers doesn't encourage him either. I mean fuck, he such a complete wreck after Lambert spared Leshy, he crusaded and neglected his health for so long he passed out.

His life is all work now, investing in himself, in others, being forced to have his ego get knocked down a few pegs, and care again despite how much it hurts. None of these things are "given", Lambert's love is not just given (as in, blindly follow) and that's what I believe will be an eventual "eureka" moment for him.

Living is work, but it's worth working for

He ain't hot shit anymore, but that's ok.

Anyway, sorry for the long-winded ramble this was all actually just a very roundabout and ineffective ploy for me to talk about how I relate the song "Don't Speak" by No Doubt, to your Narinder's character. Happy belated New Year, hope you're doing well. :]

LKSDHGKLSDHGD HELLO. This is such a well articulated analyzation of Narinder holy moly, I hope you don't mind me answering this with not much to add on because WOW I'm really vibing with your takes on him and I wanted the world to read this too slkdghlksdhgs. I have a lot of my own takes on Narinder and how he'll progress to be as the story comes along, and eventaully some of this will be talked about in TROD either with the lamb and/or with other characters, particularly Ratau, as he comes to an understanding that others are understanding.

I have not had coffee yet this morning but I could go on for a day and a half about Narinder being used to getting what he wants as a god and the entire process of how actaully lonley and isolating it can be to be continously pedastaled and worshipped verses being on equal, human level with other beings and how long it takes for him to realize that.

HAPPY BELATED NEW YEAR

[g0dwat3rwritings]

The Gods (all bishop, Narinder, and Haro) reactions to you wanting to pet them headcannons.

(You can decide the relationship vibes)

𝐈 𝐚𝐝𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐒𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐫, 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨.

𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬: 𝐍𝐢𝐛𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 (𝐍𝐨𝐧-𝐒𝐞𝐱𝐮𝐚𝐥), 𝐩𝐮𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬,

𝐑𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩: 𝐑𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐜

𝐓𝐲𝐩𝐞: 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐧𝐬

𝐋𝐞𝐬𝐡𝐲

He... didn't expect that.

Just a little weirded out.

How could you possibly pet him?

Intrigued on how you would do it, he let you.

He almost immediately melted into your touch, and you could see his branches start to wiggle a bit.

Petting him on the top of his head, the 𝙂𝙧𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝘾𝙧𝙤𝙬𝙣 could noticably start to blink more.

The 𝘾𝙧𝙤𝙬𝙣 also started to have a slight hint of red tinting the sides, almost as if it were blushing.

Petting him under his "chin", would cause him to completely melt in your hands.

Keep that in mind.

If he ever gets angry, well, too angry, just give him scritches and he's putty.

𝐇𝐞𝐤𝐞𝐭

Oddly, it flusters her the moment you bring it up.

She's hesitant, and her blush never leaves, but she allows you.

The 𝙔𝙚𝙡𝙡𝙤𝙬 𝘾𝙧𝙤𝙬𝙣'𝙨 eye seems to widen, and seems to stop blinking.

It also seems to get slightly redder at the sides.

Either way you pet her, whether on her head, or under her chin;

Heket seems to get extremely flustered, and her eyes seem to look anywhere but you.

Although, to you, it's obvious she loves it.

𝐊𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐫

Kallamar immediately lets you.

As consistently anxious as he is, he trusts you.

Completely.

When you pet his head, the 𝘽𝙡𝙪𝙚 𝘾𝙧𝙤𝙬𝙣'𝙨 eye softens, and it has a slight aura.

The aura seems as though it's smiling.

Kallamar loves it, he nestles into your touch, and peppers soft kisses to the inside of your forearm.

Well, if you're alone.

He has a facade to maintain, y'know?

If it's under the chin, he seems to act as Leshy does, melting into your touch and is basically putty.

𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐦𝐮𝐫𝐚

You ask them while they're reading in their study.

Shamura cocks their head, but ultimately lets you.

"𝐃𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭?" They'll question, letting out a small chuckle.

Afterward, you pet them

And immediately, they're putty.

They actually fall over.

like onto the floor.

You both laugh about it, but you pet them again, and they just melt into the floor.

Needless to say, it's their weakness

(is it obvious that they're my favorite and the absolute love of my life)

𝐍𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫/𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐖𝐡𝐨 𝐖𝐚𝐢𝐭𝐬

He would immediately say no

A small hiss erupted from his throat as he said so.

After consistent and constant begging, be finally let you.

He purred, immediately.

His eyes became half-lidded as he nuzzled into your touch and nibbled at your hand lightly.

He'd lose his footing a few times, but unlike Shamura, he wouldn't fall onto the floor.

He would blink kind of like a frog, despite his half-lidded eyes.

𝐇𝐚𝐫𝐨

A gentle smile would appear across Haro's beak.

They would kneel down slightly, letting you pet them.

No matter which way you pet them:

Their feathers would fluff out.

And underneath their cloak, you could notice their wings start to flap slightly

Not enough to fly, let alone hover, but just flapping slightly.

"𝐈𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐧𝐨𝐰, 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐭𝐡? 𝐈 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐞 𝐟'𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬." (Is this alright, love? I thank you for the affections.)

They would hum, gentle and spaced purrs erupting from them.

𝐌𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐒𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐫

It would huff, shaking it's head.

Both in disappointment and flusteredness.

It would mostly be flustered by the fact that it... didn't have any clue what you were asking.

But inevitably, it would let you.

It would shift one of it's eyes into lips and softly peck your brow.

The petting wouldn't really affect them, but they did like it.

Considering that it was a form of affection, it obviously liked it.

Well, it only liked affection from you, which is a plus, i guess.

[cosmica-candy]

ATTENTION COTL FANS!!!!

Have you ever wanted to have your art or let the developers know how much you love the game personally! Please read the following thread for all information!! Submission Link at end of thread.

(this is the template!

To start us off our first and most important rule is to

KEEP THE LETTER CLEAN. NO GOING INTO DEPTH OF HOW MUCH YOU WANT A BOINK NARINDER. YOUR LETTER WILL BE DELETED IF YOU DO.

Secondly DO NOT ALTER THE SIZE. It will affect printing

You are free to edit the template to fit your needs you can draw you can write, but so long as you do not edit the size of the image you are free to do as you wish so long as it is clean. Please add a social media handle so they know who you are

All letters will be combed through red and judged if your letter is deemed inappropriate Yours will not be printedFinally the letters template was originally created by

@gummysaurusrexart

And finally! Here is the link! Have fun!!!

[teruuu]

Ok ok ok hear me out FUCKING HEAR ME OUT. What if, in COTL, the Lamb was actually fucking insanely obsessed with Narinder? I know I touched up on this topic in my fanfic but listen. What if the Lamb is straight up just yandere for Narinder, Narinder hates them for turning him into a follower, and every single day they engage in combat to the death—but Narinder falls for the Lamb the more they fight one another???

The Lamb is beaten and bruised by their past. They spent years in the run escaping from those in the Old Faith. They are so, SO mentally broken that all they want to do is die. So when they are captured by the Bishops, they succumb to their fate. But then… Narinder revives them. The Lamb finally gets a taste of power and experiences a drop of what it feels like to be divine. And they’re obsessed with it.

They’re ESPECIALLY obsessed with their one and only savior, the one who waits. So they brutally slaughter heretics and don’t waste a second in killing followers if they showed even a HINT of dissent. They essentially rule with violence and an iron fist and force devotion out of their followers through bloodshed.

And get this, Narinder is prideful and loves his godhood, right? So he enjoys it whenever the Lamb just GROVELS before him and praises him and showers him with their love. It’s been eons since he’s had such a devoted follower, and my goodness does it feel good to have someone pray to him as fervently as the Lamb. So imagine his surprise when the Lamb betrays him and converts him into a weaker form of himself.

Narinder lashes out. He attacks the Lamb and makes continuous strikes at their vitals and is just so fiercely violent and hateful from the Lamb’s actions—but get this, the Lamb enjoys it.

The Lamb loves having their God’s attention on them, whether it be violent or not. They relish in combat with Narinder, loves it when they inflict wounds on him and when he in turn inflicts wounds on them because it felt just right.

Narinder, surprisingly, finds himself enjoying it too. The rush of combat was such a sharp contrast from the stillness of being chained down Below. It felt wonderful releasing his stress and anger on attacking the Lamb.

The two end up badly wounded and bleeding. But Narinder’s laughing.

[fuzzyspiderpawz]

Drew these a little while ago but I thought it’d be fun to finally post them anyway here’s my interpretation of all the bishops in their follower forms (i put them all in the regular cult member shirts but I think they’d actually wear something different)

Narinder

Has a bit of a love hate relationship with the lamb if you couldn’t tell (I’m a big fan of Narinder making cat noises) and also him and the lamb have an enemies to lovers arc FOR SURE. He takes out a lot of his anger by picking fights with other followers (ESPECIALLY his siblings) also takes on the role of executioner from time to time.

Leshy

Green worm man who causes problems on purpose and then falls in love with an orange/yellow cat👍 I also imagine he grows all sorts of different plants in his personal garden not just Camellia flowers.

Heket

my baby girl my queen my lovely frog wife whom I love she is the head chef but she also steals food from the kitchen aaaallllll the time. She gets very hungry very easily and also it’s her way of rebelling even if she can’t leave. She’s a surprisingly good cook. She can talk but barely and sometimes talking results in her coughing up blood so she’s learning sign language from another follower

Kallamar

He’s pretty pathetic tbh. He’s a good doctor but not super kind, he’d chastise and insult his patients a lot cause he’s still super upset and moody about what the lamb did. That is until followers started complaining to the lamb and the lamb intimidated him into behaving. Now he’s still moody and passive aggressive but less so, out of all his siblings he’s the most scared of the lamb. Can’t hear super well but he chooses not to listen most of the time anyway. Might also try learning sign language alongside Heket, as soon as they learn how they’d sign insults at each other until it devolves into a full on physical fight that the lamb has to break up.

Shamura

They actually get along very well with the lamb, they’ve made their peace with their fate and the fate of their siblings. Sometimes on rare occasions they will have long philosophical talks with the lamb. They did in fact ask to have an upper floor bedroom with a balcony for their house so they could be dramatic and brooding. They also adopted Webber as their child. Their friendship with the lamb might also be due to their very spotty memory.

The lamb gave all of them immortality necklaces they didn’t want to see them die again. Even if they weren’t gods anymore the lamb didn’t want to be the only one left who wore a godly crown. Most of the bishops are all still somewhat scared of the lamb. I imagine they eventually get used to them though.

[missing-n-human]

Hi there! Was wondering if we could get headcanons of the bishops being parents? (Or finding out they're gonna be parents? You can choose ^^

Bishop Parent Headcanons

𑁍 Featuring 𑁍

♡ Platonic & Romantic ♡ ✦ I decided to do both since I got heavily inspired for some reason seeing this request ✦ For finding out ‘you’ is their partner so Romantic ✦ For being parents ‘you’ is their child so Platonic ✦ Also set around post-game ⋆ Sorry if it seems low effort or anything I was about to go to sleep when I saw your request and suddenly felt like I had to do it ⋆ Also side note, no Narinder included just the main four bishops

|⌨|Finding Out|⌨|

✎ Leshy, Bishop of Chaos

✿ He was surprised at first, thinking he misheard you

✿ It took a few tries before he finally believed you weren’t messing with him

✿ He would check in on you more than he used to in case you needed him

✿ Would spend the nights cuddling with you though and listening for the baby’s heartbeat

✿ Ends up becoming more affectionate, nuzzling into you, and overall more touchy

✿ Quick to show up if you even slightly sound like you’re in pain or call for him

✎ Heket, Bishop of Famine

𖥧 Accepted it pretty quickly, not questioning you much

𖥧 Makes sure you are well fed and sometimes even cooks for you herself

𖥧 Did become overprotective quite a bit, excusing her actions as wanting to keep the baby safe… many followers were lost for being too close to her comfort

𖥧 Helps with any cravings you end up having no matter how strange they might end up being

𖥧 Do expect a lot of surprise visits from her when she isn’t busy

𖥧 When both of you are in bed she will end up touching your stomach a lot and talking about the baby’s future

✎ Kallamar, Bishop of Pestilence

⚠ Had a near heart attack when you told him the news and did faint somehow

⚠ Worried for you 24/7 now and does not let you out of his sight

⚠ Constantly asking if you are okay and if you need anything

⚠ Tries to help keep you as healthy and pain-free as possible

⚠ Refuses to let any followers get close to you just in case

⚠ Lots of cuddling at night and he ends up telling you about how he worries about what happens when the kid is born

✎ Shamura, Bishop of War

𖦹 You had to tell them a few times before they could actively remember it

𖦹 Helps you research how the pregnancy will be and all the effects so you aren’t in the dark

𖦹 Has everything planned out to help you through it, cravings, pain, even had the labor planned out

𖦹 Tries to remember to check in on you so you don’t hurt yourself by overworking

𖦹 Leaves you under the care of Allocer (the witness of their area) when they are busy

𖦹 Informs you about the prophecy they had about the pregnancy and the child.

|⌨|Parenthood|⌨|

✎ Leshy, Bishop of Chaos

✿ Encourages any form of chaos caused by you as long as it does not hurt you. Want to light stuff on fire go ahead just don’t get burned

✿ Gives you flower crowns and likes teaching you about plants

✿ Is very affectionate with you and praises you a lot

✿ Calls you his little camellia & wormlet (word for baby worms I guess)

✿ Tries his best to be a good parent and keeps you away from his followers

✿ Gave you a mini version of his robes as a birthday gift once

✎ Heket, Bishop of Famine

𖥧 Her way of raising you isn’t the most positive

𖥧 Teaches you basic life skills like cooking and how to start a fire

𖥧 Keeps you away from everyone besides a selected few until you are older

𖥧 Criticizes everything you do and is very nitpicky about it while still speaking few words

𖥧 Thinks being tough on you is the best way to make sure you aren’t a pushover

𖥧 Calls you tadpole and pumpkin

✎ Kallamar, Bishop of Pestilence

⚠ Overprotective & overbearing

⚠ No interactions with others unless he’s there

⚠ Tries to keep you locked away from the world since he doesn’t want you to be hurt

⚠ Very loving and affectionate as long as you follow his rules

⚠ Calls you his crystal and little minnow

⚠ Thinks what he’s doing is best for you

✎ Shamura, Bishop of War

𖦹 They sometimes forget you exist but make it up to you once they remember

𖦹 Makes sure you are well educated about the world and how they run their cult

𖦹 Doesn’t hide much from you, letting you interact with anyone you want as long as you are careful

𖦹 Did consider revoking leaving the temple without an escort after you had a run-in with a certain fluffy purple spider

𖦹 Does give you some affection here and there with sparse praise when you prove you have been following your studies

𖦹 Introduced you to their siblings when you were ‘old’ enough and often gets you books about war tactics for your birthday

𖦹 Calls you spiderling and little poppy (I swear it’s not that random)

_____________ Before you make any requests, please review/check my rules on requesting stuff. I will prioritize requests that include the stuff I requested when asking for something. Requesting Rules

[yellowflowrs]

Hello! If I may ask, where did you get the idea of Carillonneur title for Sheep God in your Swap AU, if you haven't answer that yet? What inspired the design? What was the relationship between Carillonneur and the other Bishops? Friends, family, or sealed enemy? What's the Carillonneur's real name? Did Narinder ever found out, like in the game? What's the Carillonneur like in the cult after being defeated? What inspired Carillonneur to create the resurrection ritual in your AU? What skillset attacks and eldritch form did you give them?

Have a lovely day come to you, drink water and eat vegetables regularly! Love your AU and designs of it.

Hihihi!!!! ♪(๑ᴖ◡ᴖ๑)♪ The first bit of the question has already been answered so I’ll just relay what I said!! ;

I got the idea for the name, and design, from the term ‘For whom the bell tolls/the bells of death’, and I forgot to mention in the last ask that the term ‘pull wool over your (?) eyes’ was also an inspiration.

The ‘Bishops’ in The Swap AU haven’t been really expanded on yet, but the general idea is that the stand ins for the Bishops are called The Shepherds, The relationship they all had were more so like co-workers, not really friends nor family, and each of them had their own personal opinions about the others. But overall they did have a generally positive ‘workspace’ if you could call it that, up until The Carillonneur was sealed away (kinda like getting fired lmao) so the workspace is a bit more toxic now.

(How the Carillonneur feels specifically about them; Before they were chained The Carillonneur was fond of generally all of them, after getting chained they want to skin them all then pour salt onto the exposed flesh)

Though, if your talking about the OG bishops (that are now mortals), The Carillonneur views them as simple nuisances and distractions for Narinder

The Carillonneur’s real name is Hades (named after the god), Narinder only finds out when they reveal it during the final battle. No one can actually say the Carillonneur’s real name, as saying it will burn your tongue. It’s a spell that the Shepherds cast to make sure no one speaks of them.

After getting slingshotted into the cult, to say they were absolutely batshit feral would be a disgusting understatement since an already deranged, unhinged and insane god being put into a mortal form is NOT a great mix. To put it lightly they killed (and ate) a few people.

They had to be put in a straitjacket and muzzle with shackles around their hooves in a special cell for them for a good (and I do mean good) while. No one is allowed to be in their cell except Narinder. Narinder visits them frequently to give them food which they usually attempt to kick at him, readjust all their restraints, or just talk to them. He taunts them every so often and finds glee in watching them in such a state in a really strange way. yeah their relationship is really , really weird. I’ll get into it eventually maybe

Overtime, they loose the shackles around their hooves first, then the straitjacket, and then the muzzle, and Eventually after a couple of years The Carillonneur actually chills out enough to be properly released and gets a cool makeover. By chill out I mean they now don’t ACTIVELY try to disembowel everyone they see… but hey progress is progress and now Narinder has a 6’6 something ex god of death running around. On good days they participate in sermons and rituals and they get the job of… wait for it…… playing the carillon for the church……. 💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥A💥💥AAAAA💥💥💥AAHH💥💥💥HH💥💥💥💥💥

They actually retain a bit of power and in the cult their status as the former god of death is known and they’re highly respected and simultaneously extremely feared, just as they like it. When dissenters or spies arise Narinder sends them to the Carillonneur as either something to rip apart or bones to grind their teeth on.

As for the resurrection ritual, I’m deciding if them creating it was actually as much as a big deal as it was with OG Narinder creating it, as The Shepherds may have different concepts than the Bishops do, so I don’t have a clear answer at the momentt,.,.. though if I do go down the route of resurrection ritual being as crucial as it was, The Carillonneur’s reasoning for it may be that they wanted to see if they could truly see where the boundaries were for them as the god of death, if they could find any loopholes in their power, and if maybe the bells of death could be rearranged to possibly toll the bells of life instead? Although , im not sure! :P

Ive posted their eldritch form, and if im understanding the term ‘skillset’ correctly then I haven’t quite decided yet as I only created their eldritch form recently. I guess they would have similar attacks to OG Narinder, only on steroids with tweaks here and there to their abilities. The general idea I have is that they’re very violent

THANK YOU FOR THE ASK!!!! So so so so sorry for the very big info dump here and I apologise for any mistakes …. Geehahrhrhy

[clanwarrior-tumbly]

OH MY GOODNESS GRACIOUS I ADORE YOUR WRITING!!!

“I need you, why do you always leave me?” With Narinder from Cotl with a reincarnated mortal s/o who always dies young? I’m such a sucker for this kind of troupe oh my lawd

Thank you so much and have a wonderful day/night!

Ong this trope is so good it hurts </3

Request more angst/horror prompts here!

.......

"Lamb, you must perform the resurrection ritual again."

"Narinder, it's barely been two days.." With a weary sigh, the sheep closed their gospel book, already becoming irritated with their former master's blunt request. "I may have taken your role as death, but even I have my limits. I can't just do that ritual whenev-"

"I had to bury my spouse yet again."

".....oh." A small pit in formed in their stomach, knowing exactly who he was talking about. "Again? What happened this time?"

"Some fool thought it would be funny to dare [y/n] to eat a deadly dish...and they accepted it, only to die puking their guts out." Narinder huffed, although deep inside it killed him to know that your death this time around was entirely avoidable.

He never thought he'd ever care for a mortal..much less one of Lamb's first followers, who somehow kept dying young and became the first one they resurrected.

Your existence has become a never-ending cycle of death and rebirth, and he wondered when they'll finally accept that you're simply not meant to live a prolonged life.

However, now that he himself was in the cult and wedded to you...he saw things differently. From a new perspective.

After you died once right before his very eyes--and not through the Red Crown--he suddenly understood that same grief Lamb endured ugh after they killed one of their spouses, who became mind-controlled by Shamura.

He thought of them as weak.

But not anymore.

Not when it became his turn to suffer in a similar fashion, counting the hours (or days, even) until Lamb could resurrect you.

He lost count of how many times you've died since then, although he knows you aren't trying to kill yourself on purpose. You were very "accident-prone" and sometimes did stupid things that you shouldn't have---such as accepting a dare to eat a "deadly dish" stew.

You might've been a fool for that, but he still loved you.

Unfortunately, not even the golden skull necklace Lamb gifted you provided any protection from death....besides old age, of course.

At least Narinder knew you'd never pass away naturally, but knowing it couldn't spare you from other causes didn't make him feel any better.

"Fine..I will do the resurrection at dawn." Lamb finally caved, understanding how much you truly meant to him. "But you must talk to [y/n] about this. With each rebirth, they slowly forget more and more of their past lives."

"....is that so?" The black feline raised an eyebrow, surprised.

This was new information to him--although he never exactly had the chance to revive somebody over and over, except for his former vessel whenever they foolishly perished during a crusade.

But they were very different.

They were nigh-immortal...you weren't.

"First they forgot how they previously died, then they forgot which shelter they slept it, and then they forgot how to cook their favorite meal...you see where I'm going with this?"

He didn't speak, afraid that his former vessel was correct. But it's not something he wanted to think about at all...even though it's certainly possible.

Suddenly he was beginning to realize the repercussions of the same doctrine that got him exiled over a millennia ago..

"I can't watch over them all the time..as their spouse you're gonna have to step it up, or else...they might-"

"Just do the ritual, please.."

Lamb's ears flicked up with surprise, never expecting Narinder to grovel at their podium. The only other time he acted this way was when he begged them to kill him instead of sparing his life, although it didn't do him much good as they chose mercy.

But this time, they felt a bit of pity for him.

He must truly care about you.

They simply nodded. "I will need more bones."

.........

You found yourself back in a familiar place:

Floating over a glowing red sigil, followers in hoods kneeling all around you, Lamb's eyes glowing with a powerful energy....and you expelling ichor from your body in a rather disgusting display.

You never did get used to puking out this black magical goop.

But once you landed on the floorboards of the temple, you sighed in relief, wiping your mouth on your sleeve before gazing at everyone surrounding you.

"So...what have I missed?"

A few of them uncovered their hoods and greeted you, happy to see you return to the land of the living. Others kept their distance, looking rather annoyed that Lamb decided to resurrect you for the umpteenth time.

One, however, stood there motionless, refusing to remove his own hood.

You looked to him, watching as he approached you, being unsure of his intentions. Although judging from the way other followers hastily moved out of his way...this person must have held great influence over them.

The fact that he had three glowing red eyes was most alluring.

Have you met him before?

Before you could ask him who he was, he suddenly grabbed you by the wrist. "H-Hey! Ouch!" You winced, feeling his claws slightly digging into you as he began dragging you out of the temple.

"Where are you taking me??"

"....stop talking."

His voice was low and quiet, and also....sad?

You were immensely confused by this mystery follower's behavior, especially as he led you to his hut--one that was more decorative than the standard shelters on the other side of the cult grounds.

While you remained silent, you couldn't help being bedazzled by the outside of it, although you didn't have time to really get a good look around the inside.

Because the next thing you knew...

You were pushed onto the bed, with him crawling onto it and laying beside you. Then he uncovered his hood, two long cat ears flicking upwards as his eyes met yours for a brief moment.

And in that split second, you swore they were filled to the brim with tears.

You blinked, afraid to speak considering how angry he sounded just moments ago, but you were even more perplexed when he flopped onto your chest. From his throat, a purring sound rumbled, and you could feel it throughout your entire body....and in your very soul.

"Please..don't do this to me..." His ears flattened.

"Do....what?" Reaching down, you awkwardly placed a hand on his head, slowly petting his fur and hoping it provided him some comfort. "I don't know what's wrong, but..I hope this is okay."

Your uncertain tone only further devastated Narinder. This was exactly how you'd comfort him after his nightmares. He only ever allowed you to see him in such moments of vulnerability, so you never needed to ask for his permission. You would simply do it.

Had you forgotten that, too?

Was that damned Lamb right after all?

Were you forgetting.....him?

"I need you, why do you always leave me?" He mumbled, heartbroken as the tears slid down his cheeks, droplets splattering onto the symbol adorning your ragged shirt. "With each new life, I-I'm...losing more and more of you, [y/n]. I don't know if you are cursed or if it's fate deciding to test me....o-or maybe Lamb's followers wish to see me suffer....but...I'm so tired of watching you die and being unable to do anything about it. I've taken you for granted.."

"................."

".....forget it. You don't even know what day of the week it is..why do I bother trying?" With a sniffle, he reluctantly removed himself from your arms, believing he blew his last chance to save your memories..

Now you were acting like a total stranger to him, and it honestly felt as though you had already died before you even left the temple.

Maybe this was a sign that he needed to stop and move on.

Maybe he simply wasn't destined for love.

Maybe this was karma for all the atrocities committed in his name.

Maybe the next time you perished, no matter the reason, he'll-

"It's easy to forget things like that, Nari...but how could I ever forget the love of my life?"

Blinking through his tears, Narinder felt his breath hitch when your hand gently grasped his own. He looked back at you with astonishment, before glancing down at the matching rings that still adorned your fingers.

Then he gazed into your eyes, seeing your smile.

"You..remember me?"

"Of course I do, you silly kit---woah!!" You were suddenly tackled back onto the bed by your husband, feeling him nuzzling up to you and purring even louder than before.

But you simply giggled and held him closely, petting his fur in a comforting way. "I'm sorry for scaring you...it takes a while for all my memories to come back. D-Did I do anything dumb last time?"

"Just...promise me you'll never accept a dare from anybody again." He huffed, trying to hide the fact he was still sniveling like a helpless kitten.

"Alright." You sighed. "I promise to be more careful. I'll try harder to watch my back, too."

"Do you swear it?"

"...I swear it."

"Good."

[cowbok]

Character Analysis: Narinder (The One Who Waits) Part 2

Part 1 Here!!

Alrighty, let's start!! Last time we left it at the begininng of Narinder's jealosy towards his brothers, and the affections the mortals gave them while he received fear and hatred from the mortals.

But before turning on his brothers, he tried to do something about this. He thought "Why do mortals fear me?" The answer was easy. He was the personification of dead. Judge of the souls, the reaper themselves. Of course they would be terrified of Narinder!

So, the curse of action was obvios. What if he wasn't just the God of Death? After all, it was fair! Their brothers weren't the gods of just 1 and 1 thing alone! Shamura was war and knowledge. Kallamar was pestilence and health. Heket was famine and harvest. Leshy is order and chaos.

So why couldn't he be the God of Death AND LIFE at the same time as well?

Of course, Narinder didn't knew about how to create living creatures, not even about the magics that went on the creation of a soul. But he would figure somehow.

It is said that Shamura nurtered this ambition of his. Without truly knowing Narinder's intentions, maybe Shamura knew the God of Death wasn't well received so they wanted to support Narinder as good as they could.

Dialogs of Shamura right here.

Narinder was so close to figuring out the secrets of life, and he manages to created ressurection! Finally, after millenia! He would no longer be just the boogey-man of the mortals folkclore!

No longer feared, but loves just the same as the rest of his siblings as the god of Death AND LIFE. No longer he who lays a soul to rest. But also, he who reaweakens a soul anew.

And for this, for trying to go against the natural order, the bishops had to stop him. Of course, at the time Narinder couldn't understand the gravity of what he was trying to achive, he was just so full of ambition and desire.

So he felt so enraged when his siblings denied him. Weren't they supposed to be different from the brainless gods that slaughtered themselves during the purge? Weren't they supposed to be brothers in arms? That there was nothing they couldn't understand?

It seemed like it wasn't that way. And so, the bishop of Death saw red that day, causing the wounds in our bishops that they still hold to this day.

I like to think Narinder felt some guilt from this. But he never admitted it. Specially not after what happened later.

Chained, trapped into the deeps of the underworld, unable to leave for eternity. How could they? They were his brothers, his family, his only home. The only ones he trusted with his life and they dis this?!

Once again, shunned away, hated, feared, left alone to rot forevermore. The tittle of god meant nothing, for nothing had changed from the time he was a mortal.

The only mercy he was given was the company of the two kittens, Baal and Aym.

I like to make a parenthesis for them. Even after Narinder tells us he does not cares of them i believe he's just being a huge tsundere. The kits talk so higly of Narinder that its difficult to imagine they didn't form some kind of bond over the centuries.

I know he does cares but of course, he loved his siblings and look how they repaid him? He would never be found showing love and appreciation over anyother, ever again...

At least he thought so...

The Lamb

A prophecy of a liberator, the most loyal of the followers of dead.

At this point Narinder knows better than to let himself form a bond with his vessel, its supposes to be just bussiness but...

It has been ages since he had devotion poured into him. And the Lamb, he's so different. No fear or hatred, no prayers to keep him away, but true love. The kind of love the followers of their brother gave them, instead of that rancid fear and horror disguised a respect he used to get.

That's why it comes as such a surprise to our cat that the Lamb refused to be sacrificed. They were their most loyal, weren't they?!?! Once again met by betrayal?!?

It seems Narinder has a tendency to see only his way, tho. Of course the Lamb has all the right to feel equally if not even more offended by Narinder's word.

I would give him, that it seems flesh sacrifices were the norm and that it was a way to show devotion. Judging for the scenes where the bishops get powered up by their willing followers. Narinder thought this natural, without taking into account if the Lamb was or not okey with it

(And that depends on the type of gameplay of each one. Personally, i hate doing sacrifices, so i headcannon my lamb as the same).

But this is about Narinder and how he felt when he thought was, once again, betrayed. The heart of the bishop of death cannot get a fucking rest.

After his defeat, might as well die. Why keep living this life that has done nothing more but to stab him in the back and front over and over again? And what's worse, he's not even a god anymore...

And then... The lamb spares him.

And the the Lamb gives him a second chance. And the Lamb takes care of him, and shows him a new life, and shows him things CAN be different, and the Lamb keeps him safe.

(And depending on the gameplay you choose, the Lamb even loves him, shows still devotion. And the feelings are complicated. The lamb betrayed them but... They still... Love him?)

And it's all so weird. So many conflicting emotions over millenia. But at last... He is free. And he has all the time in the world to figure out his place in this new world.

And that's all!! Hope you liked this analysis. I just needed to take it all out of my system haha (HYPERFIXIATES TOO MUCH ON NARINDER HELP)

The cow now leaves. Bye!!

(Not going to talk about finals where the lamb kills him or keeps him alive to put him in the pillory forever because they make me sad 😔)

[heyitsghost57]

Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing 1

Pairing: Lamb x Narinder/The One Who Waits

Chapter: Chapter 1 | My darling’s betrayal

Chapter Summary: Lamb was excited to have their final meeting with their God, their beloved, their devoted. They’re upset that this reunion is soured with their followers tagging along, though they suck it up, doing anything to please their God. How will this meeting go, Lamb wonders?

Content Warnings: blood, gore, killing enemies, obsession, idealization, and injuries

Word Count: 3k

Authors Note: credit to @maibel-mai for inspiring me to make this fic & giving me permission to post this! this fic is also cross-posted on AO3

Centuries ago, Lamb wasn’t like this. Past Lamb couldn’t imagine themselves as the cruel, desperate, insecure monster they were today. Standing in front of their mirror, it was hard for Lamb to recognize themselves as the docile creature they were before. The night before, Lamb had finally brought down the last god of the Old Faith, Shamura. Although Lamb was a skilled fighter, they weren’t left unmarked. There was a gash along their stomach, slicing their pretty wool, and their knees were scraped. A slight cut marked their face. Lamb was never known for their vulnerability and their cultist being able to see their injuries, so obvious on their face, felt like a failure to them. It would take a bit longer before their wounds healed. With bandages and their fleece worn tightly, Lamb hoped it wasn’t obvious. Before the prophecy was made, Lamb never entertained the thought of being a fighter, let alone a cult leader. Unfortunately for them, they had the perfect little mind that their God could manipulate to his liking. Back then, they had a loving family located in a tight-knit, small village. Lamb had an older brother and a younger sister, as well as kind parents. They adored their family and their quiet little life; it was simple and calm.

However, Lamb didn’t socialize well with others, resulting in them having very few close friends. It was always so hard for them to connect with those around them, though they tried their best. It was like Lamb could physically feel the distance between them and others, making it hard for them to form connections. Although Lamb loved their family, with them long gone, it was hard for them to trust others. Lamb forgot what they looked like and how they sounded, only remembering their names. The only one they truly felt a connection with was their beloved savior, The One Who Waits. Perhaps that was a warning sign of what they’d morph into all along?

Upon meeting The One Who Waits in the gateway, Lamb felt a swirl of many complex emotions. Hatred, fear, aching, and loneliness. When realizing their family was really all gone, Lamb was disturbed and their heart felt heavy. They had expected themselves to cry and pound the ground in heartbreak, though they felt too numb to do so. Tears threatened to spill, yet they were afraid of letting it happen in front of the creature towering before them. They were slightly snapped out of their state of panic when their God spoke. To Lamb, it was outrageous for him to request their life for his freedom. How could Lamb go on at all, after what had just happened? They stared at their chained hands, covered in grime with dirt caked into their nails. They wanted to scream and refuse, just wanting to be in the afterlife with their family, though they couldn’t find the words to do so. They hoped it was just due to the shock they were feeling. Certainly despite their fear, they could deny this request. This had to be the one time they could properly talk, when it mattered the most. They had survived execution and now they were met with Death himself. They could barely process the words he was saying; something about a cult and worship. They were still reeling in their head, trembling and panicking. Just seconds ago, they were laid before a blade, their hands painfully pinned to their back by chains.

However, it felt like something in them had snapped, cracking within their skull. It took them a second to collect themselves after this painful sensation, processing a change within them. Unbeknownst to Lamb, Narinder grew tired of their panicked state and used his divine powers to get them to focus on what mattered most: him. They hummed slightly, cocking their head to the side to look up at their God. Starting a cult seemed tiresome. They were never known for their social skills, but what choice did they have?

“I guess I could,” they answered, rocking on their heels and sighing. Their God narrowed his eyes at the lack of respect. Sensing his annoyance, Lamb cleared their throat and tried again. “I suppose I can, my Lord,” they mused, smiling a bit. It was a weak smile, as they were exhausted and numb. With little motion from The One Who Waits, his crown and powers were given to Lamb. Soon after they were resurrected, they felt phantom pains in their neck. There was a prickling sensation underneath their wool underneath the collar they wore. They had little time to react to this, stumbling to gain balance against the cracked stone. Their blood from moments ago stained the ground, warm under their hooves as their crown morphed into a sword.

It felt wrong to Lamb, to be killing these people. While they had just killed them or aided in it, it was hard for them to stomach emotionally. The screaming and resistance the skin gave before being pierced made Lamb wince. Their ears turned down at the sounds as they continued their slaughter. Once they were in the clear for the time being, Lamb stopped to catch their breath; they were protected by rocks preventing others from crossing without breaking them. While they did labor in the village as a woodworker, they never had to strain their body the way they did now. Their calves ached and their lungs burned. There was also the uncomfortable burning feeling of foreign energy coursing through their veins.

After catching their breath, Lamb cautiously continued to the next room. At the sight of something burrowing out of a hole, their sword was raised in defense. They were met with Ratau, a rat. He reassured them that he was an ally to their God. Lamb breathed through their nose in amusement. What did Ratau look like when he served their Lord? It seemed hard for Lamb to imagine. However, they didn’t look much better in comparison minutes ago, with a tattered tunic and their hands bound in chains.

Lamb sighed, a bit upset watching Ratau burrow underground again, before continuing their wandering through Darkwood. If Ratau knew of a way to safety, why didn’t he lead Lamb there through the ground? Their thoughts were interrupted with a chaser worm crawling towards them, trying to ram into Lamb. Their breath hitching, Lamb dodged as fast as they could. Their slow reflexes led to them getting slashed in their calf by the worm’s twigs. A low hiss came from their throat, their grip on the sword loosening briefly. They held it steady once more and cut through the worm, then the next that followed. Lamb cleared three more areas of heretics; it was already deep into the night by the time they had reached a chest. Upon opening the chest, it held a single gold coin. They huffed, looking up at the sky. They could hardly see, considering how dark it was. Their sword was covered in blood, invading the Lamb’s senses and gleaming against the red hue of the crown’s eye, so they wiped it against their cloak.

Already breathless and tired, Lamb rolled their eyes when met with heretics and a tied-up, lavender rabbit. They seriously debated leaving her there to be sacrificed by the heretics; however, they held slight sympathy for yet another victim to the Old Faith’s blade. They hadn’t noticed Lamb yet, looking through the bushes, and they convinced themselves to leave the heretics to their own devices. As they were turning back around, a sharp pain pierced their skull. It hurt much more than last time. Groaning in pain and stumbling forward, they numbly gripped their sword in front of them before lowering it when seeing Ratau. Tired, Lamb tuned out Ratau’s speech about indoctrination and fought against their foes quickly, hardly noticing Ratau moving underground again. They tried to make their work as quick and as painless as possible, as to not scare the poor rabbit more than she’d been already. It was more for their sake than hers; they couldn’t have a traumatized rabbit as their first follower.

Cutting the rabbit’s bonds haphazardly, Lamb supported her to her feet. They felt their speech failing them as it usually did, Lamb avoiding eye contact momentarily. They had to say something, though. The poor bunny was crying and whining in fear on her knees. “Don’t be scared,” they forced out, “I know of somewhere safe. You can rest there.” Their voice was meant to be comforting, though she only let out a whimper in response. The crown teleported her to safety and Lamb quickly saw Ratau again.

“We’re safe now. You’ve done well so far,” Ratau praised. Humming slightly, Lamb thought about how that praise would’ve meant more to them coming from their God. They had half the mind to ask why Ratau didn’t help them more, tired and grumpy, though they held their tongue. It was early into the morning by the time Lamb got to the cult, dried blood caking into their wool. The fact that they killed so many heretics and enemies made them sick. Exhausted from their first day as cult leader, they laid down next to the bunny, Nana.

They watched her rest. Ratau told them to order her to work. They tried doing so immediately, though Ratau argued she deserved a break. Bitter, Lamb wished they had gotten a break before getting sent to do The One Who Waits’ work. They watched her chest rise and fall as she rested, getting a much needed nap. Lamb felt emotionally tired, their limbs sore, though sleep never came to them. Groggy and opening her eyes slightly, she saw her savior and smiled briefly. Her paw grabbed their hand softly. Lamb held back a noise of disgust, their hand burning up at the unwelcome sensation. Begrudgingly, Lamb stayed still and already wished for Nana’s death.

Present day, that promise didn’t hold true. Despite it being centuries ago, Nana continued to work throughout the cult, a golden necklace clasped to her fur. She worked as a farmer and as one of Lamb’s disciples. She was one of his most loyal disciples, in fact. Lamb noted how they could use this to their advantage. Besides Lamb’s hesitancy in the beginning, they grew to be an amazing cult leader. They were kind, hardworking, and great in combat. Of course, Lamb only cared about The One Who Waits’ approval; they could care less if all their followers had fallen ill and died. It was so draining to keep up this persona. Their followers idolized them too much to the point it made them sick. Giving babies blessings, listening to the elderly’s confessions before they passed on, comforting the ill till their final breaths; it was all too much. Lamb often gave themself a pep talk before facing their cult, hyping themselves up to please their beloved.

Smoothing out their fleece and playing with their wool slightly, they sighed deeply before forcing a slight smile on their face. When Lamb rose, it was signal for their flock to rise as well. It was time for their daily morning sermon and this one was possibly the most special of them all. The night before, Shamura had fallen to their blade and their master had praised them. Just recalling it made Lamb’s heart race. Many followers gave greetings as Lamb walked past and with a saccharine smile, Lamb sweetly returned the welcomings; their daydreaming of their god was interrupted. A chime went off that rung within the common grounds, signaling everyone to gather for Lamb’s speech. Cats, deers, dogs, and many other animals huddled within the temple, watching Lamb elegantly take place in front of the altar. Their legs stilled and Lamb opened their prayer book, thumbing the pages till they found the desired scripture. Although Lamb smiled calmly at their flock, internally there was indifference. They all looked like insects to them, lesser beings that Lamb would kill to crush under their feet. It took control and strength for Lamb to not let their mask slip as they eyed their followers. It was a bit easier today, however, because they could be reunited with their beloved soon enough. A genuine smile stretched across their face at this, their heart fluttering.

“Good morning, my flock. As you all know, thanks to your devotion and our God’s blessings, I was able to kill the last of his betrayers, Shamura. With them being slayed, our Lord may finally be free from his capturing. Rejoice, for I couldn’t have done it without my devoted following,” Lamb spoke, projecting their voice so their followers in the back could hear them clearly. Animals cheered in excitement, clapping and praising their leader. The words were in one ear, out another. Their words felt so empty to Lamb, making the constant aching within themselves much more present. Swallowing down their internal hollowness, Lamb continued, “You’ll be delighted to hear that our Savior has requested your presence, as well.” Lamb smiled and let their flock express their excitement, lowering their ears at the tortuous sounds as they grimaced slightly, “I declare a Sabbath today, as it’s an important one. After years of dedication, you can finally meet our Lord.” Lamb smiled, though the thought of sharing him with others annoyed them, “That is all, my faithful. Please enjoy the Sabbath.”

Floating slightly, Lamb felt the familiar warm presence of their devotion overtake them. Their eyes turned white as they happily absorbed their faith. It felt so strong today, given their soon meeting with Death. Once it ended, their hooves met the hard floor again and they blinked until their eyes were normal again. Dismissing their following, they were quick to leave and don their Sabbath clothes. Today was important and they didn’t like keeping their Lord waiting, though to keep up appearances, Lamb let their flock enjoy themselves a little.

Before meeting with The One Who Waits, Lamb nervously breathed in. They made sure their fleece and collar were adorned properly and that their face had no blood on it from their previous escapades. They were pleased to see their past markings had healed, so they removed their bandages. For such a big achievement, Lamb had hoped for praise in private. However, he stated at least twenty of his followers had to be present for him to be freed. Begrudgingly, they complied, with their followers trailing behind them like ducklings following their mother. Though this wasn’t how they envisioned this meeting going, Lamb would hate to disappoint their lord. With all of them joined together, they prayed on the marked stone with Lamb in the center, transporting all of them to Death’s doorstep. No matter how often Lamb was sent to the afterlife, the blinding hues of whites and creams never failed to hurt their eyes. It always felt cold in here. Thankfully, Lamb had thick wool; it didn’t make it that much more comfortable though. Lamb was beaming with pride, awaiting their love’s sweet words. They felt giddy and butterflies filled their stomach, their face flushed while being in the same realm as their God. They were snapped out of their delusions when they noticed they were met with weapons and curses at their disposal. The sight of it made their stomach drop. While he had mentioned Lamb would “lay down their life for him,” they didn’t take it literally. They thought it meant they’d spend the rest of their life devoted to him, which seemed like a dream. Lamb’s hopes were being crushed before them.

He spoke of how with Lamb’s death, he’d finally be freed and stronger than ever. Thinking to himself, Narinder was proud of his vessel’s work. He decided he’d give them a merciful death and they’d have a peaceful ending before being resurrected again, always at his side. Although he didn’t like admitting it, he had grown attached to this vessel in particular. He grew fond of them and wouldn’t mind their relationship developing into more. He brought a single claw down to Lamb’s head, patting and stroking the soft wool softly. It made Lamb’s breath quicken and despite this betrayal, they couldn’t help feeling swooned momentarily. Lamb wished time would stop here, with their beloved’s affectionate touch being all they felt. He didn’t know what he did to them. Weak to his touch, Lamb wanted to drop to their knees and be held in his hand. Lamb let out a slight whine, sighing. They felt dizzy. Lamb usually welcomed their God’s touch, but now it felt slightly tainted. The idealization Lamb held for their savior lessened slightly due to this betrayal.

He didn’t seem that bothered by losing his vessel, which stung. It brought out an icky side of Lamb they tried hard to control. Although Lamb had died countless times before, sometimes to their own blade just to see their savior, this was different. If Lamb kneeled for their sacrifice, that meant their beloved would eventually get someone new to worship them. Not a new vessel, but perhaps a new disciple. The thought of that made them sick, their face flushing slightly as possessiveness overtook them. They couldn’t let that happen; they forbid it. Narinder was theirs, their God, their beloved, their savior. It was fate that Lamb was the last sheep to be sacrificed. It had to mean something; it couldn’t just be a coincidence. It was destiny for them to meet their God. No, Lamb thought, he doesn’t really want this, he just doesn’t know it yet. Staring up at their God, Lamb felt hurt. It was very similar to when they were first resurrected in his domain, with that familiar helpless feeling they hated. Lamb couldn’t let him be taken away from them. He was theirs and they were his. It was fate. Fueled by their need to have their God as their own, Lamb refused to kneel. Although they didn’t know it yet, this was the best decision Lamb had ever made; to Narinder, this was the worst outcome possible.

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[strawdool]

Let me tell you Straw, your Modern AU has given me an immense amount of inspiration. At one point I would have liked to write some fanfics around it but it wasn't really in my right to do so, so I didn't. I think I like this AU in particular because in order for Lamb and Narinder to even remotely make it work they have to fight through a ton of issues. I like seeing characters get completely broken by the consequences of their actions and then learn how to fight their own demons. It's also a bit of hit or miss on whether people like this relationship development, but I really like the kind of relationships in fiction where the characters have to really fight for it. It's all well and good to have a story where the characters fall in love instantly and after maybe one calamity or two, they set off in the sunset. But for me, I like the relationships more where you aren't sure where things are going. There's clear signs but the two characters really have to want that relationship to make it work and fight through a lot of problems. It can suck seeing the characters stumble but in the end to me, it's very rewarding that once they have (hopefully) solved said issues, they will probably have a stronger and healthier relationship than most. To me, any kind of foundation that has seen struggle and survived it will always be stronger than one that has never experienced conflict. In other words, a relationship that could survive its issues and find compromise and resolution I think is more likely to last in the end. This is not always the case but in fiction we can force happy endings right? That said though, I have to really wonder if your modern Narinder and Lamb will ever get their act together to actually forge a peaceful and successful life together. I don't know if you have a full story planned out or not but if Narinder has already screwed up to the point of a breakup then there may be no recovery from that. The path forward I see is him finally addressing his problems and trying to turn his life around. As the Lamb, hopefully they can find a life where they're not in threat of the outside world. Maybe the two could eventually reconcile and form a long lasting friendship even if it never fully repairs. I'm just always hoping that characters will learn from their mistakes even though often in real life some people never learn and will constantly do the same horrible things. If I had to say what the most appealing part of your au is, it's the hope aspect. It's the hope that someday Narinder will realize what a trash bucket he is and do something about it. It's the hope that the Lamb can realize their self worth. Maybe it'll end with Narinder, a fully cleaned up man with a plan, formally apologizing to the Lamb for everything he's done and after a cordial conversation he disappears, on to a new life. The Lamb doesn't really know what becomes of him but hopes that he will do some good with his life. Maybe somewhere in the back of their head they'll lament too that Narinder figured things out too late. I don't know, thinking out loud at this point. But hey, this is a very interesting AU and it has sparked far more ideas than just those. So have a good day and I very much look forward to more if you happen to do so.

me when anon goes into a full rant about my au i feel so happy that my au had make you have a lot of inspo <33333

anyway answering your question, Narinder and Lamb spiral after the breakup: lamb bc they were betrayed at their most vulnerable and Narinder trying to justify his bad action with "they deserved it" but deep down knowing he fucked up badly but he doesnt want to accept that and so he doubles down and he gets into a very bad place mentally.

but while Lamb finally opens up to their insecurities and their situations to goat and ratau after all. Narinder had already pushed everyone away; no family, no friends, nothing.

it takes a while until one day Narinder finally comes to the realization how badly he is and starts getting his life together. (i like to say that it all starts with cleaning his apartment lol)

he doesnt contact lamb for a whole year at this point he even got a job and is now reconnecting with his kids, until he remember Lamb and finally accepts that the way he treated them and all the blame the put on them wasnt right.

And so he tries to find them to talk things throught (goes to a point he kinda starts stalking them for a bit) and when he finally gets to them Goat is the one who interrupts him with punching him in the face. but mf doesnt give up which results in him getting his ass beaten many times.

For Lamb and Narinder to finally get on good terms it takes a while, if reconstructing their friendship already took them months, rekindle the romantic relationship its another can of worms that both try to take it slowly and not rush things. Narinder in that he becomes really nervous, afraid to hurt them again and Lamb tries to takes things step by step specially for trusting him again.

[ribbonzregretz]

AUGH... i-i'm dying... the only thing... that will... save my life... is you... telling me more... about your... leshylamb.... /lh /j

ok so where do i even start. for one. i have been obsessed with leshy since i first bought the game. inherently silly guy. he bites people and gets away with it. he has youngest child syndrome. hes so amazing i love him.

how he and lamb met to me? well, same way as in canon, but with a fun twist of leshy finding the rabid ferocity hot. he says "hear me out.." to heket and nearly gets his tail bitten off.

the lamb indoctrinates him and he just starts wrecking shit like a cat, and gets sent to jail immeadiately. he makes several sex jokes but the lamb finally reciprocates and he gets so flustered he cant speak. they are wed by the next dawn.

they flirt. so horribly. half of the "flirting" is just them joking about brutally killing eachother like a buncha freaks. they bite eachother as a love language. and fight [re:brawl] as a love language as well. half the time it ends with leshy in the medics tent as the lamb feeds him poppies. they are terribly in love and everyone around them is disgusted. narinder disowns him 4 times. shamura is actively adding to the disownment count as they speak. kallamar is weirdly ok with this and heket could care less, as long as they arent freaks around *her*

they have horrid little babies. all of them are horrific eldritch creatures in child forms, and leshy and the lamb love them all dearly despite all the torment and chaos they cause. actually leshy loves them because of it. they have their own little corner of the cult with the lamb and leshys tent and it looks like a honeymooners most vivid wet dream. theyre so sickeningly sweet in their own fucked up way. i want them both dead immediately and they haunt my thoughts constantly.

also. they are both so this song.

in conclusion

[shentheauthor]

How do you think the bishops were born?

The lands of the old faith were war-torn and bloody thousands of years ago. Gods were fighting constantly over their territories, and so it was only a matter of time before a new god formed from the wreckage.

Shamura came from the trenches. Blood and bones and swords bubbled and came together, forming a body. The viscera and gore became their blood, the bones became theirs. The god of war was born from the wreckage and refuge of the territory battles around them, as was the Purple Crown.

Bishops are born when the concepts they are the gods of become large enough. A god of prosperity and harvest might come about because of centuries of good harvests and good luck. But this is not a land of easy times and good harvests.

Shamura was born because the wars became too great. Think of it like baking. Each war, each death, was an ingredient. It was building up for centuries before they came about. When a particularly awful war rolled around, a horrible massacre, that was when the ingredients were finally baked into bread.

Shamura was born a child, barely understanding what was going on. Other than the fact that wars were their domain. They were alone for a while, fighting for their life and hiding from other gods who might want to cut their life short.

Until Kallamar.

Kallamar was also born from trenches. Wars and battlefields are breeding grounds for disease, so it was only a matter of time before the pestilence and plague was enough to form a god. Dying soldiers and rotting limbs came together into the squid we all know and love.

Kallamar was born alone, but Shamura wasn’t too far away. They found the young squid roaming the trenches and barracks, spreading infections and plagues as he was born to do. Fearing for this child’s life, Shamura took him in. Shamura was still young themself at the time (think like 13-ish in human age terms) so they weren’t yet afraid of new gods taking their power. All they knew was they didn’t want Kallamar to be alone.

Narinder was next. Death is a very old concept, and it existed before Narinder, but he wasn’t formed until deaths started to increase. Dying gods and witnesses sped up the process, so Narinder joined Shamura and Kallamar not too long after Kallamar was born.

The gods are born with natural instincts for their domains. Narinder didn’t know much as a kit, but he already knew what he had to do. He was found clumsily harvesting souls, and unlike Kallamar, he was not afraid of Shamura when they came to collect him. Narinder knew most gods would try to kill him instantly, so he was prepared to fight.

Get adopted, idiot.

Heket was born from fallow crops and salted fields. I did mention that territory wars were a huge thing, so naturally many of the gods fighting ordered their followers to destroy the other gods’ lands. Heket came from centuries of starvation and people resorting to cannibalism, only to die anyway.

Unlike the others, Heket was born away from the battlefield. She was completely alone, in a field that had been salted and destroyed beyond repair. She was the one who found the others this time, walking until she came across Kallamar, who was already searching for the infant Yellow Crown.

Starvation is terrifying. That fear, that constant hunger, slowly built up over centuries, allowing Heket to be born.

Leshy was last. His birth, ironically, marked the end of the Wars of the Old Faith. Deaths and fear were at an all time high, as was hysteria. At that point, mortals were abandoning their gods and starting to join the bishops we know today. Everyone was terrified, and the lines were so blurred they weren’t even there anymore.

Leshy was born during a battle. The last few gods were in the process of killing each other, desperately trying to win. From this chaos (ha) came Leshy, forming from the grass that the gods trampled beneath their feet.

Leshy was born in immediate danger, as he was just a child, and the other gods noticed him immediately. What saved him was his natural instincts to cause as much havoc as possible. He wasn’t a natural fighter, but he could burrow and bite and charge, and that was enough. He was slippery enough to get away, and after those last few battles, the Lands of the Old Faith finally began to calm down.

There were at least a few centuries between each bishop’s birth. Shamura, Kallamar, and Narinder are closest in terms of years, while Heket and Leshy had a bit more time to form. As I said, death and the other concepts are very, very old, but it takes time for gods to be born.

Unless you’re the lamb. Then you steal your power lol. But the bishops formed naturally. The old gods before were probably more positive, like harvest gods or nature gods, like wind, water, etc. A war between them wouldn’t exactly spawn positive gods tho.

And those are my thoughts! This is my canon. I want to come up with a whole history for the Lands of the Old Faith, like significant wars etc etc, but college is keeping me busy. I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about this stuff, so I hope it turned out ok