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sorcerous-caress · 1 year ago

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A beautiful webbing | Minthara

[Smut, fluff, angst, oviposition, claustrophobia, aphrodisiac, egg insertion, Drider Minthara, spiders, blood and graphic descriptions, happy end, marriage, nb!Reader]

did you hear about the person who married a drider?

The cave was bigger than any you've ever seen. Stone walls isolating a huge area of the underdark, illuminated by various plants in all shapes and sizes, from the smallest mushroom pulsing with a neon like yellow, to the biggest of trees.

The tree definitely caught your interest, its branches curled around the entirety of the cave's dome, bright silver wood hugging the cold dark stones. Various blooms in all shades of blue were scattered alongside the branches.

A haziness filled the air, specks of blue dust floating and glittering as they left their mother tree.

A sussur tree.

You took a cautious step forward, knowing that you forsake using all magic the closer you got to the cave's entrance. Whether it was your own birthright, a one earned with hard work and studies, or even a one granted from a more powerful being. It was all seeped from your entire being.

Even your equipment wasn't spared, all the enchanted swords and flaming shields became nothing by pieces of metal upon arrival. Magical scrolls becoming akin to overpriced napkins, at least those had a use in here.

The cave entrance was deliberately put front and center, as if taunting you and challenging all those who passed by.

No amount of skulls and scattered bones throughout the gardens of the cave would've done the numbers justice, the waves after waves of so called heros that came as a bitter home welcoming gift were well above the hundred of thousands.

Yet the scattered skulls barely surpassed the hundreds. Maybe they were buried deep just when the sussur tree took roots.

The day Minthara Baerne got called into a test of Lolth was the day the underdark held its breath in suspension.

One of the most promising princesses in line for the leadership of the oldest known noble house in all of drow history. Even petty drow fights seized for a single day as all eyes were directed towards her impending fate.

Yet no one knew what the test was about, was her loyalty called into question? Or was it a promotion from Lolth. Just what did the spider queen promise her.

If anything, the Baerne house accepted it as a blessing. They've always prided themselves on their loyalty and faithfulness, even their high wizard has passed several loyalty tests.

Instead of entering the cave just yet, you decide to stroll through its surrounding gardens. Appreciating every flower that blossomed through the butterfly effect of the great fall of a princess.

The disgraced princess is what they called her now. Even at her worst, many still held great fear of her in their hearts, not daring to drop her honorific title that's her birthright.

The deeper you walked through the gardens, the more evidence of the calamity you could find. Piles upon piles of aged skeletons and bones being weaved through each vine of plants.

It was eerie how all the bones were still attached together, as if their bodies were left there for the plants to feast on until nothing but a skeleton remained.

Some of them had their arms wrapped against the thorn filled vines, as if struggling to free themselves from its clutches to no avail.

You kept walking, something called for you, at the opposite end of the entrance.

Minthara's test was considered one of the largest gatherings of the noble houses. At the temple of lolth inside a massive hall, the Baerne matron sat in the front row, Minthara's father, a consort, had the right to sit next to her.

Lower priestesses of Lolth were waiting in front of the curtains that veiled where the test was taking place. Their higher sisters were inside, determining the fate of Minthara.

Her own sisters, both from full blood and half blood, were whispering amongst themselves about her possible fates.

The youngest of them, still unaware of drow customs, suggested the idea of her failing and being turned into a drider. She was immediately hushed and berated by the other sisters as they feared her words might reach one of the priestesses, or worse the Matron herself.

This wasn't the first or last test the Baerne house goes through, countless of their males were brought into their knees in front of the spider queen herself.

Yet maybe, because it's a woman this time, its implications have put everyone on edge.

You were almost at the end of the garden, a sour smell of rot and decay suddenly invaded your senses.

Visible plant roots withered the further in you went, the dirt on the ground stained bright red, it was more akin to mud than dirt. Your steps squelching through the gore and viscera.

While the sussur vines extended far beyond this spot, not a single stray leaf could make its way to the heart of this place. A small bubble where magic could thrive freely.

Devoid of any plants or life, only the remains of countless battles stacked against each other, pulling themselves down by the combined weight of their flesh.

Something called for you, it was getting stronger. You had to endure the pungent odour of death and decay.

In a small puddle of blood that has a sheer layer of magic reflecting off of its surface, a dark green mix of leaves intertwined in symmetry of needle sharp thorns. The bush seemed to thrive in this garden of blood.

A single rose could be seen deep inside the bush, caged by thorn covered steams. It demands a sacrifice of flesh to pluck the flower.

A common bloodrose, despite the name it was anything but common, two thirds of the population could live through ten centuries and never encounter one.

Not to mention how it managed to blossom while caged by a sussur tree, the very polar opposite of its existence. The nature of a blood rose could only thrive on an endless source of blood, agony and most importantly magic.

Magic was the only thing that could protect its fragile petals that are overly sensitive to any temperature changes, magic encased it from the second it was a mere budding rosette.

A sussur bloom and a bloodrose co-existing in the same garden. A miracle in front of your own eyes.

The flower is thirsty, you realise, it's calling for you to feed her.

You reach your hand towards the caged rose, the tip of your finger gets pricked against one of the sharp needles, a single drop of blood escapes from your body before your blood cells start clotting the small cut.

It's so small, you have to gently shake your hand to get the droplet to fall.

It gets caught on the edge of a petal, the flower visibly blooms more as it drinks in your blood.

You look down and see spikey tendrils retract their hold around your ankles, you weren't even aware of it when they wrapped themselves around you.

The voice in your head vanishes, you're free to move again.

As you hurry and retreat back into the lush mushroom filled gardens, the only remaining evidence of what felt like a fever dream are the trail of blood your boots leave behind on the moss covered dirt.

You make your way back to the entrance, walking alongside the cave walls.

The news of the Baerne family scandal reached even the surface, high elves were openly discussing it amongst themselves in official councils, for a week each page printed out haf in some capacity information about the princess turned drider.

Many people wondered what the matron's face must have been like, when the one that emerged from behind the curtains was a monster instead of her beloved daughter.

Was her father killed? What of her sisters?

Part of the reason the scandal was so widespread, is the sinister intentions of the other drow nobles who celebrated this stain on Lolth's favourite house, her golden children.

Yet the scholars weren't interested in the family gossip as they described it. No, they were more interested in how Minthara, a drider, managed to survive when faced with a hall filled with various drow nobles.

In normal circumstances they exile them, but this was anything but normal circumstances.

To kill her right then and there would've been the honourable thing to do, in drow's culture at least. The Matron could've easily killed her and disowned her from the Baerne house.

Some suspected love, most human scholars argued that a mother's love extended further than the worship of a goddess could.

Others sneered at the idea, especially the surface elves, how could a drow love one another? They don't even know the meaning of that word.

But maybe, it was one scholar whose theory was the closest to the truth, a half-elf. Her suggestion was that Minthara actually passed the test, which is why she wasn't killed.

Her theory was torn to shreds and made fun of endlessly after she published it.

You're back where you started, at the entrance of the cave.

Everything looks the same, as if time is a mere illusion in these gardens. The same flowery scented air welcomes you back, silver and blue particles flowing through your legs and inhaling any traces of magic it could find.

Reaching into your backpack, you take out an unlit torch. The all consuming darkness inside the cave wasn't any normal darkness you've seen before.

Igniting the flame, you head into the abyss.

The simple torch light doesn't even reach the walls or ceiling of the cave, it's massive size scattering whatever light your flame produces.

Step after step, you watched the floor carefully. Mostly because it was the only surface reflecting your light, but also in case of any webs you might stumble onto.

Each drider's web was personalised for their own use, harming anyone else but their own maker. A thin almost invisible line of silk was stretched impossibly thin and tensed to connect all the webs together, the slightest touch could send a growing vibrating alarm through the entirety of the cave system.

So you diligently watched your steps, it only took one lucky stray string of silk for your doom.

Even if you somehow managed to break free, the invisible coating of venom on them would've spelled your unavoidable death.

Through the humid air, you could still see the silvery particles flowing. Although their quantity thinned more and more the deeper you went into the cave.

Back at the entrance you couldn't even make out what the walls or ceiling looked like, but now, after you've gone through several branching pathways, the cave closed in around you.

It still wasn't anything but big by any means, much larger than a mere bear cave. But it was more comprehensively big instead of the unrealistic massive size it held at the start.

At least that was the illusion that these pathways gave you.

There wasn't a sign of life, no animals, no insects, not even a single fly. Just the silence and soft echo of your steps.

Wasn't it for the various spider webs, woven every so skillfully at every corner and turn, then you would've doubted a drider resided here.

You haven't seen her yet, haven't heard a single sound or a hint of spider legs scuttering.

Maybe she was out hunting? Maybe you got lucky and found her when she was resting?

Your flame was dying out, even if you turned back now, it won't be enough to get you back out and you'll end up lost in the darkness as you tried to navigate your way out of this maze-like cave.

There was no option but to keep going.

It was only a matter of time before the Baerne family scandal was overshadowed by some other scandal, some human wizard's attempt to ascend to divinity or something. It seemed like there's always one of them per century and they always fail, yet the public eats it up each time.

The history book you've read didn't mention what happened to him, instead jumping ahead to the other documented major news of the past century.

You didn't care much honestly, you were too preoccupied in your search for the spider princess tale origins, and that archive book was enough evidence to empower you through this tedious journey in the underdark.

History long forgotten, the Baerne family recovered and is still ruling the underdark. Sometimes something is too big to fail.

You've researched her for months, getting your hand on each and every documented work about Minthara. Even buying the overpriced drow books and papers that came out around the scandal.

With all the endless questions and theories everyone wrote about her, not a single soul mentioned the first thing that went through your mind after hearing her tale.

How lonely it must have been for her.

Drider are known for their unstable mental health, yet madness wasn't something that Lolth handed to them alongside the eight legs.

No, the madness was acquired after years of isolation, exile blurring their sense around the passing of time. One day you're surrounded by your family and loved ones, the next you're deemed a monster unfit to share society with the rest of us.

Chased out by the threat of violence, your own reflection and body altered beyond recognition at times. How cruel of a fate Lolth gifted her children.

No more walking, no more music, no more fun. You and the fate of silence for the rest of your life.

It would drive anyway crazy, yet people had the nerve to describe driders as people with a death wish. As if it wasn't the fault of the people pointing their fingers and casting their judgement.

Fear keeps us safe, fear keeps us sane.

Driders lacked all known types of fear, much like their own sanity withered inside their brain.

Your torch went out.

Flame extinguished, darkness draped over you.

All consuming, ever cold and numbing darkness. Your brain attempts to make sense of your sudden lack of vision, swirling various shapes into the pitch black surroundings, only for them to evaporate like smoke.

Faces of loved ones, monsters and even promises of an exit. Drawn in illusions as your primal mind tried to lead your path.

You knew deep down that nothing lurked in the darkness, you've been in this cave for what felt like hours by now. You would've seen something.

It wasn't possible not to run into her by now, even a normal sized drider would've crossed your path once or twice. And she was 5 times the size of a normal drider from what you've read, why else would she claim a cave this huge as her own.

With your hand stretched to take hold of the wall, you decided to keep moving forward through the darkness. Eventually you're fated to reach some kind of end right?

Whether it be a dead end or a cave end, is up to the fates to decide.

You kept walking as time lost its meaning, even when the sound of your footsteps disappeared. A soft padding covering the floor that completely masked your steps, you couldn't see what it was in the dark.

Madness knocked on the windows of your brain, paranoia seeping through the cracked glass.

You wanted to speak, to scream, do anything just to make any sound to hear yourself. To hear any sound.

You couldn't hear your own heartbeat, alarms were going off inside your head.

Were you dead? Did that plant hold some kind of poison in its spikes and now you've stupidly signed your own death certificate.

Taking a deep breath, you feel the air rushing through your lungs, you feel the rise and fall of your chest but you still can't hear a single thing.

Stopping in your tracks, your spiral of insanity came to a halt as you spotted a vague dim light in the vast darkness.

Was your brain playing tricks on you again?

You let go of the wall, desperately running towards the light, breath heavy and sweating and legs sore. You pushed your body as you reached towards the light.

It grew stronger, larger. The faint glow multiplied as another and another joined it the closer you got.

You could see your own hands again, the colour of your skin. Your own healthy and very much alive flesh.

It wasn't an illusion, but a very real glow.

A cluster of bioluminescent plants attached to the upper parts of the walls and covering the ceiling, extending into a large opening leading to a big room filled with them.

There were scattered like stars hanging up in the sky, each one is of different colours and shapes. A glistening translucent web connected them together, a faint holographic sheer shining through the web in a quiet dance of rainbow lights.

Faerie lights, the silk was enchantment with faerie light.

This room was at the furthest end of the cave, at the heart where that bloodrose laid no doubt. How else could magic survive here unless it was part of the same bubble the bloodrose thrived under.

It was vastly different from the other parts of the maze-like cave you've seen so far. The air was warmer, drier with no humidity. The walls were devoid of any sharp edges, if anything they shined like marbles instead of stone.

The soft dancing faerie lights give a colourful glow to the room. It was trimmed and carved into perfection, this room was the true heart of the cave.

Stepping fully inside, the lights reflected off of your eyes, you were almost in awe at the beauty of this place. Exploring the left side of the room, you were met with a makeshift bed, made with various soft cloths and feather filled pillows. To your surprise, the bed was more on the normal size, quite big yes but nothing beyond what most nobles had at their homes.

A lyre sat on the table next to the bed, its strings matching the ones hanging above on the ceiling.

Exploring the right side, you found…hay? Not just hay but a large cluster of various soft materials like cotton and wool, connected together in a circle of silk.

Just like any other heart, this cave's heart was brimming with life.

Dread filled your heart as you realised the true purpose of this room, it's a nursery.

That cluster on the left, you could see various eggs through the translucent parts of the silk.

You were at the nest of the drider princess.

Uninvited.

Yes you wanted to meet her but not like this, not an armed stranger intruding on her cluster of eggs.

Taking a step back from the fragile nest, something sticky caught your boots, and you fell back against the padded flooring.

Your thud barely made a noise at all, you haven't really acknowledged the strange floor until now.

Looking down, you were met with extremely thick webs, covering the entire floor. Padding the stones with layer after layer of silk that trailed even outside of the room.

The webs you've spent so much effort avoiding, you were walking on a carpet of them all this time since your torch went out.

Terror echoed through your bones, a sense of impending doom. Minthara had been aware of you all this time

You were sure no one was around you, you swore never saw her. Where could she have been hiding?

Something cold dripped onto your head.

Your limbs were shaking, your fight or flight instincts screaming at you.

Lifting your head, colour drained from your face as you looked up at the ceiling.

Red eyes met yours.

Long silver hair dangling from her head, crimson eyes marking you as her prey. Another set of eyes were further apart on her forehead, slightly smaller in size.

The upper body of the drow, a lean muscular build, clothed in armour that stopped just before her lower spider abdomen.

The sheer massive size of it was difficult for your brain to comprehend, it was abysmally larger than any other drider. A giant spider abdomen of pure blackness that acted as a huge dark mirror behind her figure. Eight legs sprawled from it, each one extremely long and thin. Sharp knife-like edges and jagged saw-like insides.

A single leg went from her abdomen, at the center of the vast ceiling, and trailed down the walls until its end buried under the thick layer of webs on the floor.

Like a bird cage trapping you in place, a gradient of abyssal black that faded into a rich imperial purple.

Various gems and gold circlets decorated each leg, rubies and amethysts being the main theme. Much like the armour she wore, it had the clear holy markings of a high paladin of Lolth. Its carvings giving the illusion of wrapping around her figure and hugging it so deliciously, when in reality it no doubt had multiple thick layers of padding and metal for a proper battle attire.

"You've finally used your common sense, p'luvt." Her voice wasn't quiet like the other drows you've met so far, in fact it was full of confidence.

Crawling her body from the ceiling, she came down from the right side of the room as she shielded her nest with her large spider frame.

She wasn't immediately lunging at you, which was a win in your book. You half expected your head to be bitten off the second you attempted to look up.

"I don't mean any harm, I promise." Dropping your backpack and weapons, you made a point to stay on the floor to not give her any false ideas.

"Harm? You think a pathetic thing like you could even harm me?" Her raspy voice held a hint of amusement, as if the idea of you being a danger to her was the joke of the century.

Minthara only needed to learn her body forward to completely tower over you, "If I had wanted you dead, I would have let the poison take you out." She leaned even closer, her face directly above yours.

You didn't move as she cupped your face with her hand, satisfied with the feeling of your skin against her sharp fingers.

Touching the back of your own head, you were surprised to be met with wetness, a sticky purple fluid. "Is that the poison?"

"No." Her thumb parted your lips, the same purplish liquid bubbled at the tip of her fang before dropping into your mouth. "That's the antidote, the walls had the venom."

Minthara seemed pleased with your obedience as you swallowed without the need for coaxing, her lips glistened with a sheer transparent layer as she pressed them against yours.

The kiss stung your lips, the feeling of an itchiness seeping into your flesh as she pushed her tongue in your mouth.

"That's a small dosage of the poison."

You let her carry you, never resisting as she wrapped her front tendrils around you.

She laid you on the bed, giving you one short kiss after another.

"Your scent is irresistible." She inhaled against your neck, "become part of something greater than your mortal life could ever achieve, become mine."

Wrapping your arms around her, the flame of desire ignited deep below your stomach as you considered her offer, becoming her mate.

You nodded, chasing after each kiss with greediness.

"Use your words." She pulled away, "swariy biu hithern d'ilr ulu uns'aa"

You considered your journey, the months of research, the length you've went to just to find her cave, the madness you've brush against back in the darkness.

Her fangs grazed your ears, "vow my ownership over you." Pulling away, her eyes held a hint of vulnerability in them as she looked at you.

Brushing a side of her soft silvery locks behind her pointy ears, you held her battle worn face so tenderly. "I vow to always belong to you."

Leaning forward, you pressed your lips onto hers. A soft gentle kiss to seal your oath with.

Minthara took your clothes off, with each newly revealed patch of skin she'd plant a kiss on. Her hands holding your body and positioning it however she pleased on the bed. Your own arousal growing the more her kisses trailed down and down.

"Ussta 'chev" she'd whispered as spread your legs, hooking your thighs above her shoulder, face to face with your most intimate parts.

Her gaze filled with hunger, the taste of your flesh still fresh on her tongue. Leaning forward, her tongue gave a testing swipe against your heat, beforehand her whole mouth started devouring you.

The pleasure was worth the pain, the rush of heat clouding your brain and making you melt. Grinding back and pushing against her mouth with desperation, all shame left you at the feeling of her hot wet tongue.

Your fists held on to the bedding below you, pulling on it the more intense the feeling got, you were quickly stumbling towards the edge embarrassingly fast. She kept her hold on your thighs, going even deeper and deeper.

Making a moaning mess out of you, obscene screams of pleasure echoing through the cave. Her fingers joined soon and collected your wetness on them, trailing down onto your hole as they push against the opening.

That pushes you over the edge, the pressing of her fingertip inside you makes your muscles tense in a rippling orgasm. She lets you ride it out against her mouth, swallowing down all of your juicies and cum.

You taste yourself on her lips as she leans forward to give you a kiss, letting you catch your breath.

Hearing a subtle sound at back her throat, akin to a spider purring. "You were made for this" covered in your own cum, her finger push inside you, opening you up as she adds another.

She watches you with keen eyes as she pushes and prodes your inside, watches your teeth biting into your wet lips, your naked body helpless on her bed.

"Take it." Minthara adds a third finger when she's sure you're ready, "take all of me, let me have all of you." It's so deep, brushing the walls of your insides and reigniting the arousal between your legs.

You see two of her spider legs moving in the back of the room, you can't focus much on them before being guided back to looking at her eyes as you twitch and squeeze around her fingers.

You're stretched slowly and deliberately, hole wet and hungry around her fingers. By the end of it, four of them can easily slide in and out of you.

Minthara helps your second orgasm by going back down on you, her mouth forcing your twitching body and milking it out of cum. Her fingers never stop prodding you as you shake and shiver from the intensity.

You've came twice already and she is still fully dressed in her suit of armour, holy symbols now soaked in your cum.

Pulling her fingers out, she leans away, looking at you with pride. "You handled this better than I thought you would, you're strong enough to bear my children."

Only then do you notice the three eggs she was craddling with one of her back legs, bringing them closer to you and setting them on the bed.

They were bigger than normal eggs, two almost the size of your fist. You could only fit a single one in your palm as you held it with a worried look.

"Does the size intimidate you?" Minthara encloses the hand carrying the egg with her own, her other hand rubbing the lower part of your stomach, "it will fit, i will make sure of it."

Giving your forehead a final kiss, she moved you with ease to lay on your stomach instead. Spreading your thighs and exposing your leaking hole to her, she insepcts her handwork with two fingers.

You grab into the pillow, burying your head into it as you feel a hard cold shell pressing against your entrance.

"This is your true purpose. Embrace it." She slowly pushes the egg in, her voice laced with lust as she watches it disappear inside you, "embrace having my children inside you, it's my right to breed you."

The egg stretches you out, completely different than her fingers. You feel impossibly filled as your hole keeps helplessly twitching against it, making the egg only go deeper and deeper.

You hear Minthara moan from behind you, the sight of your needy hole making her lose her senses.

Then the stinging feeling of a bite against your thigh, soft flesh marked with her fangs. Something flows into your body.

A feeling of lightness envelopes you, all the pain disappears and is replaced by a comfortable feeling of being filled to the brim, like it's what you're meant to be.

If anything…you still feel empty, heat quickly spreads through your body as you whine against the pillow. More. You need more of her inside you.

"Please…" your voice sounds desperate and strange to your own ears, "Minthara, it's not enough."

Her fingers go inside you to push the egg deeper, an electrifying pleasure shoots through your spine and makes you arch your back. It's almost as intense as your previous orgasm, the pleasure is melting your brain.

The more she moves the egg inside you the more you leak into her bed, grinding against the mattress cover in an attemp for relief. All the nerves in your body had their sensitivity turned up and everything feels impossibly good as her venom travels through your bloodstream.

Was it even venom that she bit into you? It feels completely different.

You're beginning for the second egg, whining and crying at the deep urge inside you to be a good mate for her, to please and appease your mistress.

Minthara looks at you with love, proud of you for knowing your place, for learning how to properly address her so soon.

She grants you another egg, pushing it slowly inside as you thank her breathlessly.

It slots snugly against its sister, filling you even more as your brain chirps with happiness at the feeling, the sense of purpose this gives you. You feel Minthara's lips against the back of your neck, whispering how good you're being, what an obedient spouse you are to your wife.

The third orgasm hits you out of nowhere, you didn't even realise it until you were squeezing your thighs together and pushing the eggs against each other. Staining her bed with your cum and making an even more pathetic display of yourself.

She seems ever so pleased.

The same clickly purring sounding again as she teases your overstimulated areas, enjoying your squirming and shaking. Your brain barely able to take in all the pleasure she's showering you with.

The final egg is left.

Minthara helps you sit back on the bed, her strong arms holding you up as you lean into her embrace, legs kneeling on the soft matteress with your tears stained face buried into her neck.

Running her hand softly down your back, she lets you cling to her for comfort as you adjust to the new position. Knowing how overwhelming this can be for you to take in, how fragile mortals tend to be.

The air of the room is still comfortably warm, the dancing lights ease your mind as the soft atmosphere helps you catch your breath. You feel safe.

The outside world completely forgotten and ignored "this is your true home" Minthara whispers, "this is your nest, this is where you should be."

And this egg, should be inside you.

After she made no move to press it against your entrance, simply holding it in her arm. You realise what she wants you to do.

You cling to her more, she kisses your ear.

Leaning forward, you stay kneeling as you spread yourself with one hand, carrying the egg in the other.

Minthara watches you with a smile.

Gravity made the other two eggs press against your hole, attempting to force themselves out. You have to push your fingers inside to get them deeper, push them up until they slot in place, until they're perfectly held by your tight insides.

Until they're pressing against where your intimate parts are, keeping you stuck in an endless cycle of pleasure.

That one spot inside you, abusing it and harshly rubbing it with every breath you take. Yet no pain or discomfort could be felt, only pleasure in it's purest forms, a mind numbing pleasure.

Your fingers go out with a pop sound, your own wetness traveling down your thighs. Minthara keeps her hold on you firm, keeping you sitting up in place.

Pushing the egg inside you, the familiar delicious stretch follows up soon. You don't think you can even close your legs fully anymore, forced to keep them open and spread so the eggs remain inside you.

When it's halfway through, is when your poor abused hole is stretched to its limits, opened fully spread so wide. Your fingers keep pushing it inside as your hole encloses around the egg, swallowing it too.

Minthara holds your hands, keeping you in the same position as you squirm while the eggs move to adjust to the new addition inside you. You can barely focus on her lips or kiss as a fourth orgasm comes crashing down on your, your vision blurring fully for a second while your brain melts.

You fall into her, she catches you. Hugging you into her body, rubbing your sore thighs where she left several grip marks.

Darkness surrounds you, exhaustion winning.

When you wake up, you're cradled against her chest, no armour to cover her soft flesh. The scent of lavender envelopes you as you realise all the grime and sweat has been wiped off of your body, you're completely clean and fresh.

Minthara is the same, the bed has new sheets and there is a soft melody in the air. The gentle strumming of the Lyre she held in her hands.

You're lulled back into another slumber, burying your face against her soft breasts.

Time passes, how much? You're not sure. You've kept track of the first few months but after the 7th, everything started becoming a blurr.

This room became your whole world, the only thing you cared for. Even when Minthara brought you back some newspapers from one of her haunts, you just used it as feed for the fire to warm you up.

The two of you fell into a complex dynamic of fragile balance. It was the most consuming and possessive kind of love you've ever felt from someone.

She truly wanted you for her own, you very own soul even. And in return she took care of all of your needs, keeping you safe and protected as you kept her eggs safe and warm inside you.

Speaking of which, she'd replace them daily. On some days you'd carry up to 6 different eggs, on others she merely tasked you with warming one. It depended on how much moving she planned for you that day.

You've explored the rest of the cave with her, hugging her upper body from behind as belt of silk kept you safely secured to her while she showed you the various turns of the cave. Occasionally taking you to the gardens outside.

There were many intruders on most days, yet she dealed with them swiftly as their bodies were quickly disposed on into the blood garden.

Her territory expanded after you became a part of her family, your safety was her main concern and she realised it's better to gather a good amount of soliders under her command to guard the outside territories.

They were drows, from what she's told you, used to be drows just like her, but turned into driders. Working with them irritated her because of how unstable they tend to be, yet something about her massive sheer size made them kneel in admiration and obey her, even when she would've prefered them cowering in fear.

Yet sometimes a gaggle of paladins would slip by, Lathander's or Corellon's or any of those so called good deities that thought it was their duty to purge all evil from the world.

Minthara wasn't impressed by any of them, if the cave didn't kill, then she'd take advantage of the protection the sussur tree offers her and strike them when they're defenseless without their precious magic.

You had plenty of books and gems to waste your time with, practising on the lyre whenever Minthara was too preoccupied to retreat back to her nest.

The bond you two shared, she's described as alurlssrin, the highest form of love a drow can give to another person.

You held her tightly each night, kissed her gently the more of her vulnerability she'd reveal to you after shedding her cold exterior. Becoming her strength when she needed someone to lean on.

One curious night, as the two of you held each other in her bed, you couldn't help but wonder out loud why she still wore the armour of Lolth after all she has done to her.

"My oath still stands" she replied, "Lolth's cruelty can take many forms, this is merely one of them."

She revealed to you what happened that night, at the test. Telling you about all the brutal trails she was put under, all the humiliation she had to endure.

"I prevailed, much to Lolth's displeasure, deep in my heart, i knew she wished for my failure." Minthara explained, "as a reward, i was bestowed with this so called gift" Minthara sneered, words like venom from her lips.

"It must have been lonely, to live like this for so long" your opinions didn't change, ever since the moment you stepped into the cave, you were still the same exact person.

"It was." She held your hand in hers, kissing your fingers. "But now, I have you. What a great distraction you are."

After a while, the eggs were ready to hatch. As much as Minthara tried to always keep a stoic face, the excitement in her voice was unmistakable.

She wanted the both of you to witness it, all the eggs were put in their original cluster of silk and wool. A warm hearth like fire under them, completely harmless to the touch, born from the purest of magic.

Despite the strange feeling of emptiness inside you, having gotten used to carrying at least one of the eggs each day for months, you still felt great pride and a sense of achievement at seeing them all healthy and ready to hatch.

"They will be normal spiders", Minthara explained, "Lolth prohibits all driders from reproducing."

"I know you find spiders adorable" you teased her, "how come each time one gets lost in your territory, they are let go with a slap on the wrist?"

"Well they're clearly more respectful than intruders who claim they got lost, spiders are simply superior."

She was smiling, a genuine smile, the wrinkles on her face giving her a soft glow as she admired you, the person she loves most in this world.

Her lips looked inviting, she leaned in closer to you.

But before your lips could meet each other, one of the eggs started shaking, stealing her attention away.

There was genuine awe in her eyes as she watched the egg, it was her first ever batch of eggs. The first of several to come, as she promised you.

The two of you held your breath when a crack formed through the inner layer of the egg and travelled to the outsider, two fuzzy thin legs emerging from the silk cocoon, moving around as if cutely waving.

"This one is strong, I can feel it." Minthara whispered, holding your hand tightly. You could imagine her cheering for the spider inside.

Another crack though the egg, from the opposite side, another pair of fuzzy legs breaking through.

After the head managed to break the top of the egg, the most adorable shiny dots for eyes looked in your direction, for a second it looked like the spider was wearing the egg like armour

A laugh escaped you at the uncanny resemblance they had to their mother, god they really are Minthara's children huh.

Blinking your tears of joy away, one second the spider was moving, the next a harsh crack could be heard as the spider laid limb.

An arrow, shot right at the egg from behind you and Minthara.

Your world stopped moving.

The clunking of heavy armour and swords being drawn could be heard, the stretching of a bow string as another arrow was being prepared.

It never got to leave the bow. Minthara was faster than all of them, bigger and stronger than all of them.

But this newborn spider wasn't.

You cradled it in your palm, the shell of the egg falling away to reveal the baby spider inside.

Yells sounded from behind you, flesh tearing and the agonised screams that suddenly got quiet as metal was ripped so shred. Whole bodies torn apart limb from limb like paper.

The spider wasn't bigger than your thumb, you didn't know what to do as you stared at it.

Minthara's rage didn't quell, not even after each of them laid dead and dismembered. Not even as she shoved their own arrows down their throats and into their lungs.

One of the swords slid down next to you, covered in their blood, its surface so shiny it was akin to a mirror as you stared at your own eyes on it.

A voice called out to you.

A life for a life, blood for blood.

Pressing the tip of your thumb against the sharp end of the sword, it didn't take much pressure for it to get pricked.

A single drop of blood trailed down your finger, it wasn't bigger than your thumb, you knew what to do.

You gently let it drop over the baby spider, the blood seeped into its body.

Minthara went to dispose of their bodies, scuttering quickly on the ceiling as she made her way to the end of the garden.

You couldn't take your eyes off of the spider, waiting for it to open its own eyes.

The most adorable shiny black dots for eyes met yours

Breathing a sigh of relief, you felt the little bug wash itself with your one drop of blood, slowly regaining its strength.

"Look" you said when Minthara came back, sitting next to you, "safe and healthy, it's really strong like you said."

She gently took the spider in her hand, seeing the small thing crawl around her fingers. There was a look of sadness on her face, a frown to her lips.

"I have failed you" she didn't meet your gaze, "I swore to protect you, and i have let these insects crawl freely into my house, our home."

Your hand enclosed on top of hers, "you were caught off gaurd, it's not your fault."

"No." Her brows furrowed, "I am never off gaurd. I have prepared for this day, i have tested all the webs myself."

The spider curiously went to explore the rest of the room, jumping from Minthara's hand onto the webbed grounds.

She pulled you closer to her, "I couldn't hear them in, I couldn't see them."

She was feeling weak, you knew how much she hated that feeling. For someone to best her.

"What about the sussur tree, Shouldn't it have stopped them?" You rubbed her back with your free arm, feeling one of her spider legs wrap around you.

"....I thought so too. But their magic, it was unnatural, not like anything I have seen before."

She swallowed as she continued, "the crests on their armours, the magic books they carried, it held symbols of a god I could not recognise."

"Doesn't Mystra control all magic?" You were growing more confused by the recent events

"Apparently, not anymore."

Your conversation was cut short as another egg began hatching. This time, Minthara blocked the room entrance with her spider abdomen to not take anymore chances.

The rest of the batch hatched safely to your joined relief, everything went well and you had a cluster of fuzzy small spiders running around and playing with the fearie lights enchanted silk robes.

Minthara stood up, offering her arm to you as unspoken request to let her carry you. You gladly accepted.

Taking you into her arm, she moved the both of you to the other side of the room. Placing you on the bed with a soft kiss to your forehead.

"I have something that I want to show you." One of her spider legs dug through a silk cocoon buried until the webbed flooring, bringing it up and placing it into your hand.

It was different, the silk was finer and more shiny than her normal silk. The cocoon was also wooven with great care. An embroidered symbol of a flower on the outside.

"A secret egg?" You weren't sure if you wanted to ruin the beautiful embroidery of silk.

Minthara shook her head, "open it. It's for you."

Gently prying open the cocoon, something shined below in the hollow insides. Two red petals were rolled up, each one holding a golden ring with a bright clear diamond on top.

Your heart fluttered, stilling your body as your processed the two rings in front of you.

Minthara was looking at you, gauging your reaction. Her red eyes not veiling the love and vulnerability they held in them.

"Ussta 'chev" her lips trembled as she said those words, despite whispering then a thousand times over like prayers against your heated skin in endless nights of passion. My beloved.

Drows Do Not Marry. You remember reading about it over and over in a million different books, drows do not marry but only take consorts.

Yet the rings in front of you told a completely different story.

She asks for your hand.

"You're mine just as I am yours."

You give your hand to her

"And if you leave me, rest assured it would kill me."

She traces her fingers on top of yours, kissing your hand

"Take me as your wife, forever."

Minthara places the ring on your finger, admiring the jewel shining against your skin.

Putting on the other ring herself.

You intertwine your fingers, holding her hand against yours.

The happiness that goes through your body is unmatched, it's most joy you have ever felt.

Minthara gently cups your cheek, wiping your tears away.

You lean over to give her a kiss.

The taste of her venom has grown sweet and familiar by now, it tasted like home.

#♡Minthara #♡drider minthara #♡smut #♡fluff #♡angst #♡dark content #minthara x reader #Minthara baerne #drider Minthara #bg3 x reader #bg3 smut #baldur's gate 3 x reader #tw claustrophobia #tw oviposition #tw spiders

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cum-villain · 1 year ago

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Do you ever think about Yoo Joonghyuk's timeline? Because, the beginning of Kim Dokja's end is the end of Yoo Joonghyuk's beginning. Kim Dokja's epilogue is Yoo Joonghyuk's prologue.

The World of Zero is, of course, his beginning. He's a man who has little backstory, few answers as to how he lived a human life. Then, a calamity strikes, and he's just a normal human man. But a strange Constellation favours him above all others, and throughout his horror, the life that he has more tangible memories of than his normal life, he's guided through it. He has his companions, his little sister, his greatest friends, his wife who he adopts children with, they all make it to the end, they all live a happy epilogue.

Except, this Constellation is still different. This Constellation not only knew so much, but he's still not on earth. He's still far away. One of Yoo Joonghyuk's companions, the one who showed him how to keep the rest alive, he isn't there. So of course Yoo Joonghyuk wants to meet this person, to repay the kindness of saving his world by meeting, and possibly saving, the person who can never exist in his world. And, of course it's worth it. One day, he'll meet this person, and the almost two-thousand lives he's supposed to live in the future will be worth it.

So, he regresses. And he forgets. And he's in the nightmare again, but this time, he has no loving guide. Only question marks as a cold, unresponsive sponsor. And his companions die, his beloved ones die. So he regresses again, to save the world he thinks. And he finds the woman he loves, he has a child, but she dies. The child dies. All he love dies. And he dies too. And his sponsor is silent.

One turns to two, two turns to three, turns to 10, to 14, to 41, to 999, to 1862. And he regresses. Again. He dies, and it will not last, he must return to that subway. That god damn subway. And his sponsor is silent. But then, the 1863rd turn.

In one worldline, it's yet another turn with a cold sponsor. Where he refuses to regress again, and searches only for that cold sponsor, for an end to the regressions, so he may finally have an end. If he can never have a happy ending, at the very least he wants an end to his existence.

But in another, a strange man appears. He has lost everything, a strange woman turning everyone against him, leading him to give in and accept an eternal epilogue, a neverending sleep. But this man, with a frail body, who clearly doesn't belong on this worldline, who he has never seen before in any regression he remembers. He speaks. He speaks of the worlds which nobody around him remembers. He speaks words of hope, of scorn and sympathy, of acknowledgement. He has a guide, not of how to survive, he could do that well enough. But a guide on how to live, how to make it through, how to continue.

So, he regresses. And he forgets. He forgets about that strange worldline where everything was different, he forgets about the strange man who gave him the courage to live. He forgets which regression he's on, believing himself to be so much younger than the many-millennia old existence he is. But still, he is older than the 28-year-old pro-gamer he was when he went through his first scenarios. And here is a strange man, who speaks words of provocation, fearful and arrogantly fearless, who knows of a future even he cannot remember. And maybe this voice is one he's heard before. Or maybe he's so desperate for something new that will save the world. And so, this strange man becomes his companion.

But, this strange man becomes a Constellation. But he's not like other Constellations, he can be spared for the time being. But, this strange man read his life like a story, he's worse than a prophet, he's someone who took the pain of his life for entertainment. He's a true Constellation. But he did so to survive, and he requires this man's help, and something makes him care about this arrogant Constellation, his Life and Death Companion.

But, this man was once the Oldest Dream. His alleged sponsor. But this sponsor was a child, and Kim Dokja never intended this, Kim Dokja, put the sword shard down, this doesn't need to end this way.

And along the way, he's realized something, on some level. This man is arrogant, this man pisses him off to no end, this man's existence serves to relentlessly mock him. And yet, there is no happy ending, no world Yoo Joonghyuk wants to save, that doesn't have him in it. So, he saves Kim Dokja.

But he doesn't know until later that he's failed. That Kim Dokja is gone, at least half of him. And right before trying to recover the rest of Kim Dokja from beyond the wall, he remembers. He remembers what he was fighting for. For all this time, for all these millennia, it was all for Kim Dokja, it was all for his sponsor who showed him how to survive, how to live, how to be happy. All this time, his purpose was to recover Kim Dokja from beyond the wall.

And as he finally reaches beyond it for the second time, this time knowing his purpose, this time knowing exactly what he wants, what he came here for...

Kim Dokja crumbles into the wind. And they both have reached an irreversible end. There is nothing left for either of them now.

#this was meant to be a shorter thing but then i ended up spending an hour ranting about yoo joonghyuk. fragment moment i guess #i could have gone on longer but i was going to go to bed right after writing a 'short' post and i really do need the sleep #braincell posting #orv #yoo joonghyuk #orv meta #joongdok

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hs-transfusion · 10 months ago

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> JADE STRIDER

CHUMHANDLE: gaianGenerator [GG] STRIFE: brssknklkind MODUS: Periodic Table LUNAR SWAY: Derse MYTH. ROLE: Thief of Blood LAND: Land of Rhythm and Rivers

GG: now thats what i call a scientific fuckin BREAKTHROUGH B)

Jade is tough to read, wholly by design. Her IMPENETRABLE STOICISM and DRY WIT lend her an aloof air that convinces damn near everyone that she's HOT SHIT, which isn't an entirely untrue sentiment. There's nary an experience that can GROSS or WEIRD HER OUT. That's what happens when you've already SEEN IT ALL ONLINE, or so she claims.

Though she insists her love for FURRIES and STUFFED ANIMALS is entirely ironic, it couldn't be further from the truth. She LOVES those little guys, but under the Strider name is forced to CONSTANTLY BAG ON THEM. At least she can bond with the CROWS SHE TAXIDERMIES after they meet unfortunate demises in the neighbouring areas. She also has a passing interest in NUCLEAR SCIENCE, but it's, like, whatever.

Jade's PERIODIC TABLE Fetch Modus allows her to store an item only if its name or initials CORRESPONDS WITH AN OFFICIALLY CLASSIFIED ELEMENT. Peanut butter can be logged as Pb, or a Ca-n of Sprite can be logged as Ca.

Jade's relationship with her BRO is pretty complicated to say the least. He strives to HONE HER MARTIAL CRAFT through combat training, and though she puts her all into it, the constant PSYCHOLOGICAL MIND GAMES stresses her out beyond belief. The second any such thought comes up however, she's quick to SHUT IT OUT all together. He's just her BRO. Doesn't have to be more complicated than that. At least he has good taste in PUPPETS.

The Land of RHYTHM AND RIVERS is the WORLD'S LARGEST METRONOME, with a faint, pulsing sound echoing throughout the skies with PERFECT TIMING (most of the time). The rivers run red, though that's likely just because of the RED SKIES. Hopefully. Whenever the planet's heart seems to SKIP A BEAT, terrible calamities strike all across the land, something that the denizen HERA seems to wish fixed.

#homestuck #fosterquest au #jade strider #hiveswap #kidswap

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blorbologist · 1 year ago

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Re-watching Calamity (for ~research~) and this time around Patia has really stood out to me. Of course Cerrit and Laerryn and Zerxes are showstoppers, but I decided to pay more mind to the other three members of the Ring of Brass, and just... Patia Por'co, guys. Patia Por'co.

Patia's relationship to what she knows (and does not know) is, I think, the pure distillation of knowledge is power.

She carries all her knowledge, all of Avalir's knowledge, with her, levitating, all this power at her fingertips. I think that there's something to be said with her about how generational power and knowledge are so often intertwined - children of alumni having easier access to the same academic leg up as their parents, knowing who to know, having the ins and outs of how this works handy. I don't believe any of the other members of the Ring of Brass come from backgrounds like this, and if not it's fitting that the only one that does is the one most tied to knowledge. On top of being an elf to boot, something which must amplify the consolidation of resources throughout the years.

[Shunting the rest under the cut bc oops this got Long]

I think it's interesting, too, how Patia seems extremely adept at navigating the lies and half-truths of Avalir's politics, yet reserves honesty for her friends. If someone lesser than they knows what they shouldn't, she will take that power away from them. On my relisten, I'd forgotten that one of the memories the Ring of Brass analyzes tries to throw Patia under the bus, and how quickly she shows Nidas memories proving that she did as right by him as she could. And the reveal that she and Zerxes tried to bring back Evandrin, and upon the failure she removed the painful memory at his request.

(Mechanically, too; as a wizard, her knowledge literally is her power. That's the wizard thing, baby, and if Laerryn exemplifies a wizard whose INT is intellectual skill/problem-solving, then Patia is probably INT as memory. Streetsmart and booksmart besties. Also revealing herself to goad Dean Hollow into popping back in, only to immediately Sphere her and cause the bitch to get eaten by her own spell? Maybe that's a stretch of my 'knowledge is power' bit, but it's too fucking cool of a moment not to remind you of it.)

The first time she died, it was for knowledge. Touching the Tree of Names, and she never did let it go (would she, if she could have?). When she died - that first time - did she meet the Raven Queen?

Patia's direct tie to quite possibly the second-most knowledgeable being in the Exandrian mythos (behind Ioun, but I'd argue you know a lot to handle fate and death, on top of being a wizard in life) feels very deliberate to me. The Raven Queen, the mage who did what no other could (except Vecna a long-ass time later, and only for like a day or two), was at least a contemporary. Perhaps a teacher, or mentor, or admired idol. And now Patia can't even remember her name.

It's funny how much knowledge was actually taken from Patia, between that name and her parents'. Just as she removed knowledge from others. No matter how powerful you get, even with a protective ring, you are always at the mercy of your predecessors. What they chose to do with knowledge. And what Patia chooses to do, now.

In her last moment alone, she relates this knowledge to selfishness. Her grandfather's decision to make a city fly because he and others could. The Gau Drashari's decision to keep all information about the Tree of Names secret. While I disagree with her a bit, it really rounds out knowledge is power - because it's hoarded, it's made a tool for selfishness and control. And Patia acknowledges it likely always will be selfish, but for now at least she can break this cycle.

She breaks Avalir, the model of it her grandfather holds, and sends the Librarium with all the knowledge she carries to Maya.

(I'll note that Maya probably doesn't know what the orb is or does, so sending the model library is a great way to help get that message across, too, on top of the meaning of the moment.)

When it comes time to send all of Avalir's knowledge away, it's not some mage acquaintance from another city she sends it to. Hells - she doesn't even teleport herself out, with it, to ensure its protection and proper use. She sends it to a child, a teenager, the daughter of her friend. Someone with no power, who will have nothing but her family in the Calamity. I can't quite pin down why she choose Maya. Because a teenager is innocent, uncorrupted by power? Because she wanted to give the family of her friend leverage, knowledge to rebuild, a fighting chance?

There's so much Patia did not live to know. She points it out herself that she never found love, or became a parent, all for the sake of Avalir, for knowledge, for power. To maintain the legacy that preceded her. Excellent DMing on Brennan's part to take the quiet moment, as the sphere is sent to Maya, to then put Patia in the place of a child, one robbed of the knowledge of who her parents even were.

And yet. As she sends all she has ever known away, she still reaches for it. Almost wants it back. Almost.

Her story begins and ends with a wish: happy Replenishment, grandfather. And on that fateful day, in place of the stolen tithe she and Laerryn and Nidas have been shuffling around the city, she gives her life to save the world. and she gives away the knowledge to rebuild it.

And there's nothing else she needs to know.

IDK. I think we should talk about Patia more.

#idk how much sense this makes I just. am holding Patia like one of those cool glass ornaments in my hands #it's been a while since I've written Meta and I'm still Emotional. Calamity is full of such heavy hitters I Get why she gets overshadowed #but MAN. MAN IS SHE A COOL CHARACTER.#exu calamity #critical role #patia por'co #cr meta

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sylviesoothsayer22 · 2 months ago

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Lured Deep Beneath The Waves (Complete)

He Xuan x Wei Ying

In order to save their worthless lives, Wei Ying's village offered Jiang Yanli up on a silver platter to a beast, only for her little brother to step in and oh so nobly take her place. Forcefully whisked away from his -ahem- not so peaceful living situation, he now finds himself in a queer place, looking like the spoiled wife of a dotting lord, wondering what he ought to do with his new circumstances.

That sounds like one of those questionable novels I'd catch jiejie reading. Also, I didn’t exactly ‘step in’ of my own accord.

At least the clucking hens back at the village now have new writing material to work with.

Author's Note:

The idea for this work came to me when I had a mental health retreat by the sea a few months back. Told some discord friends about it and it sorta snowballed to this. Also, I was accused of having a Hua Cheng-bias and needed to clear my name. *shrug*

This fic may or may not have some Deadpool & Wolverine humour here and there. Oops.

Anyways! This whole premise will eventually turn into a series of instalments that deal with HeXian's marital life. Now, onto the first fic!

He would’ve done it had she just asked. Madame Yu really didn’t need to go through all the trouble.

Wei Wuxian had been kneeling for so long that his legs had already gone numb. The cliff he was on faced the roiling, blackened sea, stretching out as far as the eye could perceive, so much so that he was unable to differentiate between the darkened waters and sky. He could taste the bitter salt in the air, the sea-spray clinging to his clothes, the chilling breeze, which forced his body into sporadic shivers. Not a single gull dared to caw, no fishermen hollering at each other to go home before curfew or paddles splashing against the water’s pull. Aside from his own breathing, the only other sound Wei Wuxian’s ears knew were the roarous crashing of waves smashing into the rocks of the cliff that he was chained to.

It was already nighttime, a smattering of stars splashed across the sky, the crescent moon hung high like an arced axe about to fall on his head at any moment, its subtle glow barely providing him any light for his surroundings. Not that Wei Ying could see much through the stupid veil.

All this over some moronic ritual that should’ve died out in a bygone era.

It all began with a rumour. Black Water Demon Xuan was looking for someone, a woman, with hair like shadow, a face as fair as snow and eyes so bright they reflected the night sky. Said rumour trickled its way into the tiny fishing villages located near the South Sea, where the fabled Black Water Demon Lair resides. This led many to believe that he was looking for a wife, a concubine or perhaps just a bed-slave. As you can imagine, it resulted in numerous families offering up their daughters to the Water Demon, praying that it would spare their village from the Calamity’s dismay.

The act of ‘offering’ one’s daughter to Black Water had become so common among the five villages that, throughout the centuries, it warped and spiralled into a ritualistic sacrifice where, every ten years, one fishing village out of the five, Lianhua, Huīshuǐ, Lántiān, Rìluò and Jinyǔmáo, had to place a fair maiden, dressed in the most elaborate bridal robes each village could afford, upon the Weeping Cliff, named after the silently weeping brides who would be carried there. The most hysterical bride would find themselves chained to the cliff in order to prevent them from escaping or even finding a way out of the marriage by plunging themselves into the watery depths below.

Each village has their own method of choosing a bride, ensuring that it was random to make it ‘fair’. For Lianhua village, it was through a single pearl. As soon as it was Lianhua’s turn to sacrifice one of their own, the unmarried women of their village would gather at the main square, there they would find a bucket filled with perfectly round white stones and an opalescent pearl hidden among the identical rocks. Upon the ringing of a bell, each maid was forced to step up and dig deep into the bucket, as it was forbidden to pick anything from the surface, until one woman was saddled with the unlucky pearl. This year’s chosen maid was unfortunately none other than his jiejie, Jiang Yanli.

Well, she wasn’t Wei Wuxian’s actual sister, as the lovely Madame Yu was keen on reminding him every damn day.

Wei Ying’s parents were wandering cultivators that got killed on one of their hunts while he was very young. By some miracle, Wei Ying managed to find his way back to Lianhua where village head Jiang Fengmian recognized the lost little boy as the son whom his parents helped the people of Lianhua deal with some pesky water ghouls a few months back and so, decided to take Wei Ying in as a way to pay his debt to the boy’s parents.

Of course, the Dear Madame Yu didn’t like how her husband seemingly favoured Wei Ying over their son, Jiang Cheng. Going out of her way to belittle every single achievement Wei Ying ever made while growing up. Oh, Wei Ying far exceeded Jiang Cheng in their studies? Madame Yu would give Jiang Cheng a scolding so severe that Wei Ying started deliberately underperforming just so that there would be less friction between mother and son. Wei Ying tied fishing nets faster than Jiang Cheng? Any praise given to him by Jiang Fengmain would be met with an equal amount of derision from his lovely wife. Wei Ying caught more fish than Jiang Cheng? He would wake up the next day and find his fishing tools tampered with to which Wei Ying chose to keep his mouth shut and carry on with his day.

Wei Ying can easily forgive and forget all these little transgressions. After all, he was just an interloper, an orphan who was saved from a life on the streets thanks to the Jiang family’s pity. The least he could do was keep his head down and not offset the delicate balance among his hosts.

However, Wei Ying drew the line at Madame Yu’s ill treatment of Cangse Sanren and Wei Changze’s memory. The woman would go out of her way to stamp out Wei Ying’s tendency to emulate his parents, as in whenever he tries practising the cultivation techniques that the two wandering cultivators taught him. The same techniques that helped Wei Ying survive on his own until he managed to find his way back to Lianhua. Even going as far as to disparage any attempted meetings between Wei Ying and rogue cultivators that found their way into the fishing village. All Wei Ying wanted was to follow in his parents’ footsteps, but the mere idea of him being better than the blood-son in anything was enough to set Madame Yu off a bunch.

Needless to say, once he was old enough Wei Ying spent most of his days out of the Jiang household. Only ever using the residence as a place to sleep or shelter from harsh weather. Wei Ying only hoped that he could make it until he found a wife and finally moved out of that dreary house.

Perhaps if Wei Ying was around more often, he wouldn’t be in this mess or at least spare his jiejie some grief.

I could’ve convinced her to hide out in one of the neighbouring villages until the ritual was over. Her idiot betrothed would’ve certainly helped. Or tamper with the selection process. Or or-

Aiyah, he was overthinking again. Now, where was he?

Ah, yes. His current predicament.

To Madame Yu, it was bad enough that her husband barely paid attention to their son, but finding out that she’ll lose her only daughter to a Calamity of all beings, was the last straw. She secretly hired the Wen Gang to capture Wei Wuxian-Really, Madame? Really?! Of all the scum you could’ve hired to do your dirty work, you chose the bullies notoriously known for encroaching on the villages’ fishing territories and beating up the weak?! Come on, Madame Yu! Have some class!

Anyways, the hired help managed to sneak up on him (Wei Ying blamed it on the wine he drank to drown out his sorrows), knocked him out by a swift log to the head, dressed him up as the bride and chained him to the damn cliff.

Shackled to this lonely rock while bedecked head-to-toe in wedding garb, Wei Wuxian resembled a royal bride shipped off to an ill-fated marriage. He wore scarlet robes with a long gradient train, the colour blending from crimson to sunset red, his shoulders padded and decorated with dangling golden chains, teardrop shaped lapis lazuli dripping at the tailends of the delicate metalwork. Water dragons stitched with silver thread, serpentine jaws open in defiance, their long bodies coiling around his front and waist. Each dragon sporting eyes embroidered with golden thread, glinting eerily. His hair was held up by two golden criss-crossing hair pins. The metal of the pins twisting and bending like roots, the stems cradling shining red flowers nestled within raven tresses. Were one to look more closely at the pins, they’d see that the ‘petals’ were in fact seashells painted in red lacquer, carefully arranged to look like blooming flowers. Hanging off his pale arms were long, billowing sleeves made of satin with a silk, semi-transparent outer layer, offering a ripple effect akin to low tide. The bridal veil had a similar, wave-like pattern at the edges. Underneath it, his ears sported red-pearl earrings with arced silver fishtails attached at the bottom end. Each fin studded with tiny diamonds. His fair face had a light layer of makeup. Bow-shaped lips coated a deep red, golden eyeliner emphasising the silver in his eyes and a soft pink blush dusting his cheeks, completed with the huadian of a lotus flower in full bloom, its soft petals unfurling, beguiling in its simplicity.

For all their atrocious behaviour, Wei Ying had to give it to the Wen Gang. They knew how to dress up a bride. Top marks for their efforts. Truly.

The Madame spared no expense, he was almost flattered! Wei Ying knew he could never afford a single piece of jewellery on this accursed outfit were he to start saving up until he was ninety.

Except for one, miniscule flaw in this elaborate plan:

Wei Wuxian wasn’t a woman!

Sure, he looked like a bride befitting an emperor, but no amount of polish will turn a rock into a diamond! For the past -who knows how many- centuries, all of the sacrifices have been women . What’s stopping Black Water’s displeasure at finding a trussed up male dressed in wedding robes as opposed to a beautiful maiden? What’s stopping him from showing that displeasure to Lianhua village and -potentially- the other villages as well? Would he curse the village heads and all their future descendants? Would he stop providing them with fresh fish and clear waters, have the villages slowly starve to death as they lose their primary food source? Or would he simply drown them all in a fit of rage?

Outcome after outcome flashed through his mind, each one worse than the last. The wound on his temple, where the idiots smashed it with a log, throbbed painfully. Wei Ying was about to slam the back of his head on the rock behind him to stop his spiralling thoughts before remembering the hair pins. Deciding it wasn’t worth stabbing into his scalp, Wei Ying lowered his chin in defeat and sighed.

With his luck, maybe the Water Demon won’t even bother showing up and leave Wei Ying chained here until he dies from thirst, turning the expensive wedding robes into his funeral shroud. Or maybe Black Water will take a liking to him and turn Wei Ying into a trophy wife. Forbidden from leaving the Calamity’s side until he was old and wrinkled, a used-up, shrivelled thing tossed into the sea like trash once his natural good looks fade with age.

By the heavens, if this backfires, he’ll haunt Madame Yu for the rest of her miserable life.

Look on the bright side, he thought glumly, at least you finally got away from that house. Potentially forever.

Wei Ying just hoped that jiejie was alright.

Ignoring the pins and needles running up and down his legs, Wei Ying shifted into a more comfortable position and decided to pass the time by squinting through the veil, counting the stars.

He was on star number thirteen when it suddenly disappeared, like a candle flame swiftly blown out. One by one, the stars winked out of existence, the shadows shaping the moon into a crescent drew back like soundless curtains, until it resembled a great, lone pearl stitched upon endless black cloth. The crashing waves slowly fell into a murmur and Wei Ying was left with his own blood pounding into his eardrums.

SPLAT!

He startled. Back going ramrod straight.

SPLAT! SPLAT! SPLAT!

Wei Ying felt his body break out in cold sweat. Adam’s apple bobbing painfully as he swallowed.

Someone or some thing was climbing up the cliff.

Wei Ying slammed his eyes shut and started doing what he hadn’t done in years. Pray.

Who should he be praying to?! The Flower Crowned Martial God? No. That doesn’t make any sense. He could hardly call himself a cultivator let alone a warrior.

Should he pray to Crimson Rain for luck? Best not. The Ghost King was pretty finicky and he might end up displeasing Black Water if he started praying to a rival Calamity.

Water Master Shi Wudu? Oh, now Wei Ying was asking for eternal torture. It’s no secret that Water Master and Demon Xuan had a rivalry as tumultuous as a ship caught in a malstrom.

Which of the thousands of negligent, apathetic gods is more likely to show Wei Ying a shred of pity? Maybe-

An overwhelming coldness washed over Wei Ying, as if he had just been doused with seawater, the wetness seeping into his skin. Whatever breath he had in his lungs was viciously expelled.

He didn’t need to open his eyes to know that the figure had stopped just a foot away from him.

Wei Ying felt more than saw the hand slowly reaching out towards his face, long fingers grasping at the sheer red veil, carefully moving it out of the way.

The flimsy barrier between bride and groom disappeared. Wei Ying blocked out the feeling of goosebumps rioting all over his skin. With one final prayer for strength, he cracked his eyes open.

What stared back at him had his heart hammering against his chest cavity, ready to burst.

Yellow eyes as bright as molten gold, ever-changing and malleable, reminding Wei Ying of the precious metal’s capacity to shift into whatever form or role the owner fancies. There was a cool temperance behind that hooded gaze, it bespoke of someone who witnessed centuries-worth of depravities, followed by the painstaking build of calculated viciousness to counterattack, of hard-won strength carried with ease, lurking just beneath the surface of faux-boredom. It made Wei Ying think of the sea during sunrise, when the yellow rays have barely touched the darkened waters, still and inviting. Teasing onlookers to take one little dip, since it looked so relaxing, so easy , only to stray too far and get struck by a sudden riptide, dragging down the ignorant into a watery grave.

It was terrifying, it was beautiful . Doubly so when those eyes were all that Wei Ying could see.

He couldn’t make out the being’s face nor his figure. Not when it was enveloped by a mist so dark that the only form of light capable of piercing through were those golden eyes. It wasn’t too dissimilar to squid-ink, now that Wei Ying thought about it. Plumes of blackish-blue clouds engulfing any unsuspecting swimmers, knocking them off course, unable to tell which way was up or down, to move forward or back.

Wei Ying subconsciously leaned forward, a helpless moth in the face of an inviting flame, so enthralled was he by the sight, that he did not pay any heed to the brief flash of recognition, of disbelief, in those golden depths. Did not pay any mind to the smooth, pale hand faintly brushing against his cheek, achingly familiar. Long fingers traced the path of dried blood running down the side of Wei Ying’s head, until they were softly tapping at the wound on his temple.

Wei Ying had been staring into the abyss for so long, he failed to register those two points of light blinking back into the shadows.

~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o

It took a while for his mind to crawl back to consciousness. Wei Ying fully expected for there to be a godsforsaken ache equivalent to a pickaxe slammed into his skull or a gnawing, persistent throbbing in his temples demanding attention the moment one opens their eyes.

Instead, when Wei Ying’s moonstone eyes cracked open, he woke up feeling rejuvenated and fully alert. Like long-awaited rain washing over a cracked and withering field.

It was easily the best sleep of Wei Ying’s life.

Feeling that both his hands were now free, wary fingers prodded at the bump on his temple, checking for any damage.

Only to be met with smooth, unbroken skin.

Wei Ying shot up, pupils blown wide. Head veering left and right, wildly taking in his new surroundings.

He was sitting on a bed covered with pitch black sheets made of satin, the canopy drawn, but Wei Ying could still see through the azure, silken sheets.

It was a windowless bedchamber, five times the size of his pitiful, dingy room back at the Jiang household, with muted grey walls and flooring, seemingly made out of stone.

The closets, nightstand, chairs and low table looked as if they were also made out of this mystifying grey stone, protruding from the walls and floors, completely carved from the material. The bronze mirror appeared to be the only piece of furniture not made out of stone.

Looking down at himself, Wei Ying finally registered that he was no longer wearing those suffocating wedding garments along with another peculiar observation.

To be fair, he didn’t put up much of a struggle, but his movements while chained did result in his wrists to turn raw and swollen, yet Wei Ying could only see unblemished, milky-white skin.

Did… he heal me? He wondered, lightly stroking his fingers against the no-longer-tender skin. Why? To earn my favour? Ensure that I warmed up to him quicker?

Then again, if he was powerful enough to change the sky, healing a few bumps and bruises would be childsplay.

Maybe Black Water just didn’t want any defects on his new merchandise. Wei Ying thought, distantly. Caught between incredulity and exasperation. Now realising that he was put into yet another fancy outfit.

Tentatively drawing back the curtains, feet now on the ground, Wei Ying crossed the cold, rugless floor to the bronze mirror, gauging his current appearance.

Ocean blue outer robes with hints of seafoam green and inner robes the colour of midnight starting from the top, turning into lighter, daytime shades as it reaches the bottom. Leaping fish made of silver and dark blue thread were stitched on the outer robes’ wide sleeves and shoulders, some fish holding what looked like seaweed in their mouths, while the ends of the robe had more seaweed embroidery, appearing as if they were swaying with the water’s currents. He had on a bright blue belt with silver accents and…a fish’s spine overlaying the sash, the bones of its caudal fin curled around the start of the spine like a claw. Blue and grey tassels with white and black pearls dangling off the belt.

Carefully running his hands upon the spinal segments, Wei Ying felt a strange-yet-pleasant shock zap through his skin. As if he had just brushed against a metal pole whilst a thunderstorm was churning above him.

Attempting to move past how off-kilter he felt, Wei Ying looked back at the bronze mirror.

Still gawking, Wei Ying gingerly grazed his fingers against the new accessories cradling his ears. Pearlescent ear cuffs in the shape of fish with long curtain-like fins, the ones that only emperors and nobles would keep as decorations in their private ponds. Their billowing tails delicately wrapped around the shell of his ears, the fins resting beneath his lobes. Lightly turning his head to the side, Wei Ying noticed that his hair was mostly let down, only timidly gathered at the base of his neck, a seaweed-shaped hair clip practically draped across his nape.

At least it’s comfortable. Wei Ying thought, perturbed and somewhat annoyed. To think that he was dressed up like a doll while unconscious, twice in one day.

Is this to be his life now? Dress in whatever manner that pleased his new husband with no sayso? Hanging off his arm like a kept-woman, a walking art piece with no thoughts or opinions of his own, that wasn’t expected to do more other than breathe and warm his bed?

Husband…. His mind numbly echoed. Wei Ying tightly gripped the mirror’s frame to prevent himself from swaying on his feet.

Oh gods. He was married. And to a temperamental water demon at that.

In order to protect their worthless hides, Lianhua village offered Jiang Yanli up on a silver platter to a beast, only for her little brother to step in and nobly take her place. Now whisked off from his -ahem- not so peaceful living situation, finding himself in a queer place, looking like the spoiled wife of a dotting lord, wondering what he ought to do with his new circumstances.

That sounds like one of those questionable novels Liu Mingyan would lend out to jiejie. Also, I didn’t exactly ‘step in’ of my own accord.

At least Mingming now has new writing material to work with.

His thoughts were taking such a leap to the absurd, Wei Ying felt the unbidden laugh sputter past his lips before quickly slapping a hand on his mouth.

Silver eyes darted towards the only entrance to the room, almost waiting for some kind of demonic servant to knock on the stone doors to deliver Wei Ying to its master, like some prized cargo.

Isn’t that how those stories go? Wait until your newest guest wakes up before sending them off to the host with no warning?

Okay. Stop….

One breath….

Two…

..three….

By the time he reached a hundred, Wei Ying’s white-knuckled grip around the mirror’s frame loosened. By a hundred and two, his body started uncoiling bit-by-bit.

No knock ever came. That didn’t mean he was going to drop his guard, though.

Worrying his bottom lip between his teeth, Wei Ying started pacing around the room. There was quite a lot of ground to cover. How generous of Demon Xuan.

Could…could it be possible that he was just…forgotten? Merely tossed into a spare, impersonal room, while his new husband had some pretty little concubine to keep him entertained?

Did he already displease his husband before he even had the chance to greet him properly?

No. He wouldn’t have bothered healing me or letting me sleep if that was the case. Wei Ying thought, mind still racing. Not to mention the attire….

Wei Ying let out a long sigh, which echoed back to him in this grand chamber. Shoulders drooping, he leaned his forehead against the bed frame, its solidity grounding Wei Ying.

He didn’t ask for this! What he wouldn’t give to be back at the village, sitting on the beach with jiejie and her giggling gaggle of friends by her side, a pot of lotus pork soup simmering above a fire.

Maybe if I earn husband-dearest’s ‘affections’, he’ll let me visit her….

Only one way to find out.

Squaring his shoulders, Wei Ying marched towards the wide stone doors, hand poised to push them open, halting just a hair's breadth away at the last second.

Wei Ying instinctively knew that he stood at the edge of a precipice. That the moment he opens the door, he will be sent careening straight into uncharted territory.

A part of him wanted to stay. To keep floating in this pool of uncertainty, at least here, it seems as if he won’t have to keep swimming into the unknown.

But Wei Ying was no coward.

He layed both hands flat on the cold stone, ready to push the double doors with all his might -the stone looked incredibly dense, it would’ve taken at least ten men to make it budge!

Yet, as soon as his hands touched the lifeless grey surface, there was a faint grinding sound as the doors smoothly slid against the hinges. As though this unfamiliar stone recognised Wei Ying as its master. That the lightest of touches was more than enough to make it obey him.

The double doors gradually split open and what met his gaze beyond it seemed so vast and unfathomable that it took Wei Ying a moment to process what he was seeing.

A sprawling hallway lined with numerous stone doors not too dissimilar to the main entrance of the bedchamber he was in.

The hallways were lit by large crystal formations growing out of the hall’s ceiling and floor, the shape and size reminding Wei Ying of some of the underwater caves he was reckless enough to explore, of stalactites and stalagmites, except unlike them, these crystals didn’t have a rippling limestone appearance, but bear more of a resemblance to frosted glass that contained their own soft, eerie light. Bright enough to illuminate his path, but dull enough to leave the high-ceiling and distant halls in shadow.

It made Wei Ying compare these crystals to the ones he saw during one lonely winter night. After an argument he had with Jiang Cheng, what was the fight about, he can’t even bother to remember, all he knew was that he stormed out of the Jiang household to cool off and was met with a world of pure white. The entire ground was covered in soft powder akin to crushed diamonds, deep blue icicles dripping off the edges of every roof, the light of the full moon shining down and reflecting off the ice.

Yet, unlike that night, where the subtle white light brought him peace of mind, these crystals gave off a more distant, melancholic feel. Of providing you with the false assurance of knowing where you’re going, but were in fact, wholly lost and directionless.

The more Wei Ying walked, the more it felt like he was treading a perpetual lane with the same doors, the same walls, the same crystals. Still , he was able to catch a few, minute differences that assured him he wasn’t going in circles. Each door was the size of a palace gate, likely the same width too, all with their own intricate carvings etched into the smooth grey surface. Ships caught in storms with waves as high as mountains aggressively crashing into them from all sides, giant sea serpents locked in territorial fights as they catch each other hunting the same prey, haunting imagery of the seafloor with decaying sunken ships, their wooden skeletons slowly overtaken by seaweed, corals and other forms of aquatic flora, nature gradually staking its claim on those lost vessels, providing a new hub for smaller, more vulnerable creatures.

He took a left, then a right, then another left, climbed ten flights of stairs, turned one more corrido- and I swear to all the gods twiddling their thumbs up in Heaven, if I find any more stairs I’ll tear all my hair out! Then Demon Xuan will have a bald bride to deal with! Does this hallway even have an end?! Should I just take my chances and go through the next door I see?

Why does Demon Xuan even need all this space?!

After walking for what felt like hours, Wei Ying finally found a passageway that wasn’t lined with gargantuan doors. The left side of the hall was a smooth, dull grey wall like any other, whilst the right appeared to be made of glass, from floor to ceiling, segmented by oddly-made pillars with strange patterns.

They seem familiar…. Wei Ying thought, running his fingers into the etches and groves of these pillars, images of stalactites and stalagmites flooding his mind once more. Of how the two halves would grow, one from the ceiling, the other from the ground, both simultaneously dragged downwards and reaching up, eventually meeting in the middle till they entwined as one immovable column.

Only what was beneath his fingertips, what was meant to be dripping water, meant to show signs of steady growth, of life , felt cold, still and dead. Forever petrified where it stands, no longer able to evolve into something more.

Unnerved by where his thoughts were heading, Wei Ying decided to shift his focus on the glass from which these odd pillars were attached to. The more he looked, the more Wei Ying felt disheartened. Keen eyes attempted to parse through the darkness. There were no signs of a faint moon glow or even the glimmer of a single star.

No wonder this place seems so melancholic. If my mere existence would result in the sky blotting itself out, I would feel pretty gloomy, too.

Now wondering what time of day it was -perhaps he slept through the night- something…unnerving caught his gaze. It was bizarre, completely alien, so utterly outside the realm of possibility for an orphaned fisherman like him to see outside of exaggerated illustrations, yet there it was.

A long, skeletal fish about the size of a cottage, slithered past the window. Its head was the ugliest thing Wei Ying had ever seen. Broad, pushed back and slanted with what appeared to be a highly flexible jaw, giving it the ability to swallow prey as big as a horse with one gulp, its teeth were narrow and sharp with large gaps in between, allowing it to slice tender meat between their lips to bits. The creature’s entire body emitted a sinister radiance, its hollow eyes housing twin spectral lights. The behemoth was followed by a school of smaller bonefish similar in appearance, presumably its brood.

It was the cold press of grey stone onto his spine that snapped Wei Ying back to the present. Realising that he’d been backing away from the window that whole time, the reality of his situation finally sunk in.

I'm not looking at a veiled sky. Wei Ying thought numbly. I’m at the bottom of the sea.

The chasm between all that he knew and where he was at now was only getting wider, to the point that Wei Ying wondered if he’ll still be able to leap back. If he would ever be permitted to.

Just as when it seemed like he was about to slip into another panic-induced spiral, something cool and slippery licked the back of his hand.

Wei Ying could’ve sworn that his very soul jumped out of his skin and crumpled up like wet paper. He probably lost ten years of his life from how startled he was.

Praying that this wasn’t something that was sampling him, beads of sweat trickling down his brow, Wei Ying creakingly twisted his head to the thing’s direction, trying to make sense of what his eyes were telling his mind for what felt like the nth time in this bizarre place.

A glowing, iridescent, bell-shaped body, resembling water droplets capturing all the colours produced by the sun’s light, shrinking and expanding like the beatings of a heart at ease, curly tendrils as long as a man’s legs swaying just beneath its body.

For the second time that night, Wei Ying felt a slight, hysterical laugh squeeze past his lips.

A jellyfish… floating in the air.

Sure. Why not? This place is chock-full of eccentricities. Best that I get used to it, since this seems to be my life now.

There have been far too many surprises for him to even care that it just brushed its potentially poisonous coils against his bare hand.

Maybe Wei Ying should just call it a night and slink back to his new room. Crawl into that comfy bed and, with luck, he might be able to convince himself that this was all a dream.

The jellyfish was observing him (Wei Ying wasn’t sure how he knew that, it’s not like he can see the thing’s eyes ). It started floating around him in slow, languid circles. A part of him felt like he should still be on guard, but the way the creature was acting seemed guileless, dare he say almost child-like.

As it made its turns, the gelatinous surface glowed brighter, one dominant color sprouted from its head in misshapen splotches, spreading all over the creature’s body until it was coated in varying shades of blue.

It stopped right in front of Wei Ying, wiggling its body back-and-forth, tendrils swishing in the air with every sway, as if it were showing off.

Is it…trying to say we match?

“Uhh…It looks good on you..?” Wei Ying mumbled, feeling ridiculous after saying that. Maybe he should get his head checked. Who knows if this thing even understands human-speech.

The jellyfish-thing-spirit(?) trembled excitedly, its bell-shaped body inflating the way a child would proudly puff out their chest after winning a silly game.

Its odd behavior felt somewhat endearing that Wei Ying couldn’t help the breathless chuckle from coming out. The tension between his shoulders easing.

Finally, a moment of sweetness in the midst of all the muffled bitterness and uncertainty that threatened to swallow him whole.

The jellyfish drifted closer, gingerly wrapping itself around his arm, having learnt its lesson on not to startle him.

It started tugging him away from the windows, Wei Ying let it guide him to a different hallway. Adding its own bright light among the dim crystals’ glow decorating their path.

Must’ve taken too long. Black Water probably sent this thing to come find me. He thought, studying the spirit. Whilst its body seemed wet and cool, none of that dampness seeped into his new robes and it seemed much more approachable compared to the other sea creatures under his new husband’s command.

Hopefully those bonefish weren’t also air-swimmers like his companion here. Wei Ying would rather have meters’ thick glass between him and them whenever they choose to grace him with their fleshless presence, thank you very much.

“You know…out of all the grotesqueries I’ve seen in this place, you are by far the most friendly-looking. Maybe I can convince my lord husband to let me keep you.” Wei Ying mused out loud, mostly to fill in the silence.

The creature appeared to approve of the idea, judging by how it eagerly squeezed itself around his arm, practically hugging the limb.

They eventually stopped at a set of doors that were easily double the size of the previous ones Wei Ying had seen. He took a moment to study the iconography, an emperor, his wife and what looked like their two daughters, in the midst of a grand feast. Oddly enough, the seat meant for the heir was left empty.

The dining hall.

He’s in there.

The jellyfish gently detached itself from him, hovering by his side now. Beads of sweat ran their cold fingers down his back.

It wasn’t the journey that made Wei Ying’s heart constrict, but what lay waiting for him at the end. He took a deep breath and was about to knock on the door, to wait for the inevitable clipped voice to tell him to ‘enter’.

His new companion stopped him, softly nudging away his raised fist. The creature brushed one of its coils against the grey surface, taking cues from Wei Ying as if it were his own personal servant, wanting to open the door for him.

(You need not stand on ceremony nor feel like a stranger in your own home. His lord husband would eventually remark to Wei Ying later on in their marriage, a harsh edge lurking beneath whispered-tones. You are this Manor’s master just as much as me. Act like it.)

The colossal doors let out a low yawn as they split down the middle and Wei Ying was bombarded by an assortment of scents.

The savoury aroma of smoked fish and chicken roasted on a spit, coupled with whiffs of enriching herbs and seasonings, their distinct citrus notes lively and invigorating, titillating Wei Ying’s vacant stomach. Traces of floral scents interwoven with the striking, yet delectable smell of freshly baked cakes that he could almost feel their honeyed flavours dance across the surface of his tongue. The heady fragrance of various wines, their familiar woodsy undertones tickling his nostrils.

Wei Ying’s mouth started watering. Very much aware of the fact that hadn’t eaten in hours.

He clenched his hands, digging his fingernails into his palms to get himself back to focus.

A great, pillarless chamber capable of hosting a great army while also leaving plenty of room for servants to scurry around at their beck and call. Yet, there was only one Western-style long table as opposed to the standard low dining tables arranged in neat rows.

And a lone occupant sitting at the helm.

Their eyes locked as his host stood and Wei Ying felt all mental faculties screech to a grinding halt.

Wei Ying needed a moment to simply take in this Calamity, this man, this husband of his…..

He had thought those molten pools of gold for eyes would be the most bewitching feature, he couldn’t be more wrong. Flawless ivory-white skin that would enrage even the most regal of princesses, a deceptively wiry frame that reminded Wei Ying of a fragile willow branch, but knew he should never take it at face value. A smooth mouth and brow with no laugh lines or forehead wrinkles to be found, perfectly straight nose, pointed ears and sharp angular features, as if he were an impeccable bust cut and carved from the purest of jades, straight ink-black hair that flowed downwards to the small of his back.

The top of those dark locks were encircled by a golden dragon-shaped guan, holding a gleaming pearl between its jaws. The dragon looked as if it were swallowing the moon. A groom’s wedding robes that were mostly red, embroidered in golden thread were majestic phoenixes, their bright wings spread in triumph, a stark contrast to the vermillion outer robes, whereas the inner robe seemed to be made of a different material all-together, of small, rigid plates seamlessly overlapping each other, reminding Wei Ying of finely crafted chain-mail or fish scales. The top of the inner robe seemed to be a red that matched the outer, yet as it flowed downwards, the shade changed from vermillion to ruby, to mahogany until the slitted edges appeared as if they were dipped in ink. Completed with a pure black belt studded with squared-golden plates that had water dragon motifs engraved into the precious metal, red and white pearls artfully looped around the belt, their tail ends dangling from it like chains.

The surface of Wei Ying’s tongue had suddenly gone dry, breath shuddering, struggling to swallow around the lump in his throat.

What the hell was that back at the cliff?! There…..there’s no way that this is what he actually looks like, right?!

Yes! Yes! That’s right! Ghosts and demons can be such vain creatures….only shifting into forms that suit their own self-absorbed tastes….

So caught up in his new groom’s appearance, he almost didn’t register the other man glide his way towards him till there was only a foot of space between them. Golden eyes meticulously studied his form.

Black Water started speaking.

His mouth is moving! He’s talking to you! Snap out of it, Wei Wuxian!

“-any discomfort?”

Wei Ying blinked owlishly and in his infinite wisdom decided to reply back to the clear question with a:

“Huh…?”

That smooth brow furrowed in what looked like slight concern, but Wei Ying was sure it was annoyance. Their first exchange and he was already making a fool of himself.

Wonderful.

Maybe he needs to start laying it on thick? Does he have to make himself look pitiful to this Ghost King and beg his forgiveness for not paying attention? Should he put on a coquettish mask? Start cooing and twittering like a brainless little bird?

Many men never tire from listening to songs that boast of how great and merciful they are. Was Black Water one of those men?

The older male stepped right into his space, close to the point that they were almost nose-to-nose. Wei Ying stiffened, biting his tongue so he wouldn’t dig himself a deeper grave.

He shut his eyes.

Might as well get it over with….

Fully expecting Black Water to steal a kiss -along with whatever else that was demanded of him- Wei Ying instead felt a slim finger delicately stroke his now-healed temple in what almost felt like a lover’s caress.

Moonstone eyes fluttered open, confused.

Black Water wasn’t even looking at him. Too occupied in assessing whatever damage was left to meet his new bride’s perplexed gaze.

“I was asking if your injuries are still causing you any discomfort? Healing has never exactly been my specialty.” He answered Wei Ying’s poorly phrased question. His words quiet and rich with a touch of gruffness, the deep bass almost caused his skin to vibrate from how close both their faces were.

Wei Ying’s breath hitched, goosebumps breaking out for a different reason now.

Frowning at Wei Ying’s lack of response, Black Water started reaching for his wrists to inspect them.

“No need for that!” He blurted, stuffing his hands inside the wide sleeves of his robes, like frightened snails ducking back into their shells. He rocked backwards, balancing his weight on his heels, hoping Black Water wouldn’t notice his ‘subtle’ attempt at giving himself more space.

Doing what he does best, Wei Ying plasters on his winning smile and starts blathering:

“Lao Gong is so proficient! More than capable of erasing every scrap and bruise on this delicate wife!”

“.........”

The longer the silence went on, the more Wei Ying could feel his very soul start wilting, like a plucked flower that was left to dry out in the sun for too long.

The elder’s brow furrowed deeper as a complicated look crossed his face, but Wei Ying couldn’t possibly discern if Black Water was pleased with the compliment or not. He might have better luck deciphering the symbolic meaning behind every carving that he walked past in his nerve-wracking journey to get here.

Their sudden muteness could have gone on indefinitely were it not for the abrupt break in tension.

A mortifying gurgle rumbled through the lofty chamber, its echoes reverberating back to Wei Ying’s burning ears.

Wei Ying slapped a hand on his hollowed stomach, as if that would silence its cries for food. He started praying for the floor to open up and swallow him whole.

Oh. Just put me out of my misery already…!

“Pfff-!” Black Water just barely managed to stop his laughter from escaping. Covering his mouth and giving an utterly convincing performance of ‘Oh, dear! It seems I’ve suddenly got the coughs!’.

Laugh it up now , you bully! Wei Ying mentally whined. What kind of host stuffs his gullet while leaving his guest, his new wife , to wander around his home without at least feeding them first?!

If Wei Ying weren’t keeping himself in check, he would’ve thrown a fit and cussed out Black Water straight to his face. So focused was he on not vocalising his wounded pride, that Wei Ying couldn’t stop his lips from pouting slightly.

Noticing his new bride’s upset, He Xuan promptly wiped away any traces of humour on his face and cleared his throat.

“What a relief. It seems I’m not the only one with a voracious appetite.” He gestures to the awaiting feast. “After you, Lao Po. ”

End of Part I.

Worldbuilding Notes for this AU:

1. WWX DOES indeed have some cultivation training, but it's half-assed and incomplete. Essentially a hodgepodge between some techniques his parents taught him, tips that he got from some generous rogue cultivators and what he learned on his own. He barely has any knowledge of ghosts, demons and anything spiritual-beast related. Good thing he married a scholar!

2. The five fishing villages are a direct homage to the five clans in MDZS:

Lianhua = Lotus Flower/Jiang Clan

Huīshuǐ = Grey Water/Nie Clan

Lántiān = Blue Skies/Lan Clan

Rìluò = Sunset/Wen Clan

Jinyǔmáo = Gold Feather/Jin Clan

3. Before ya'll got on my case and ask how the hell did HX acquire all those expensive jewellery/robes, etc. The sea IS his domain. I can totally see him ordering his Bonefish to gather all the oysters and mussels they could find for the pearls. The rest have an in-universe explanation and/or HX just increased his debt to HC tenfold.

4. Lao Gong = Husband / Lao Po = Wife

My justifications for the jellyfish-spirit...? WWX needs a friend. Ya'll want him to wander around Nether Water Manor all by his lonesome while hubby's out..? Even XL can just go talk to Yin Yu and/or Ghost City residents whenever HC's not around!!

WWX is confused. WWX is panicking. He be asking: "Should I be wary of this man or jump his bones...?" Who knows?

Now. This whole thing was mainly setup, but there ARE plot-related reasons as to WHY there's a ritual and why HX seems completely okay with his marriage to WWX specifically. If ya managed to catch some of the hints, congrats. If not, stick around for the next instalment.

Hope you enjoyed! If ya did, please leave a like/comment! Many thanks~

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eretzyisrael · 3 months ago

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by Jake Wallis Simons

People often forget that Judaism is two millennia older than Islam and 1,500 years older than Christianity. Israel was the cradle of Jewish civilisation. At least a thousand years before the birth of Jesus Christ, Jerusalem’s most famous Jew, King David, made the city the capital of the Land of Israel. It has been home to greater or lesser numbers of Jews – the very word ‘Jew’ is a shortening of Judea, the ancient kingdom radiating from Jerusalem in the Iron Age – in Jerusalem ever since.

Culturally, Jews have always intertwined their identity with the land of Israel, particularly since they were exiled to Babylon around 598 BC, when their powerful yearning for return took hold. For millennia, Jews in the diaspora have prayed facing towards the Holy City, exclaimed ‘next year in Jerusalem’ at Passover, mourned the destruction of the Temple by breaking a glass at weddings, longed to be buried there, prayed at the remaining walls of the destroyed Temple, and visited on pilgrimage. Many throughout history have taken the step of uprooting their families and returning to their homeland. All these practices continue to this day.

A thread can be traced backwards through Jewish history that shows the ancient roots of the ideal of repatriation. Beginning in 1516, Palestine – as it had been renamed by the Romans – fell under Ottoman rule, which would last for more than 400 years. Less than 50 years after the conquest, Joseph Nasi, the Duke of Naxos, a Portuguese Jewish diplomat favoured by the Ottomans, attempted to return Jews to their homeland without regard for scriptural prophecies about awaiting the coming of the messiah. In a way, he was the first Zionist.

The fortunes of the Jews of the Holy Land rose and fell over the following centuries. In 1860, the British financier Sir Moses Montefiore, who believed in the divine providence of the British Empire and the Jewish return to Zion, founded the community of Mishkenot Shana’anim just outside the Old City of Jerusalem. Composed of red-brick alms houses and a windmill, it was the earliest forerunner of the future state (the windmill still stands today).

Modern Jewish migration to Palestine began in 1883 with an influx of 25,000 Jewish arrivals, many fleeing anti-Semitic mobs in Russia and inspired by a desire to return to their ancestral lands. Jews also came from as far afield as Persia and Yemen, grouping into their own neighbourhoods. Immigrants from Bukhara, Uzbekistan, including the Moussaieff family of jewellers who had cut diamonds for Genghis Khan, created the Bukharan Quarter (Shkhunat HaBucharim), with its distinctly Central Asian feel. Their imperative to return had been building for thousands of years.

Theodor Herzl in Basel, Switzerland, during the first Zionist Congress, 1897.

Writing in the Jewish Chronicle in 1896, Theodor Herzl, the father of modern Israel, laid out the concept of Zionism. ‘I am introducing no new idea’, he pointed out. ‘On the contrary, it is a very old one. It is a universal idea – and therein lies its power – old as the people, which never, even in the time of bitterest calamity, ceased to cherish it. This is the restoration of the Jewish State.’ He added: ‘It is remarkable that we Jews should have dreamt this kingly dream all through the long night of our history. Now day is dawning. We need only rub the sleep out of our eyes, stretch our limbs, and convert the dream into a reality

#israel #zionism #judaism #christianity #islam #theodor herzl #jews

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makomori · 1 month ago

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HOUSE CALLS (Shunsui Kyōraku x OC)

Kotetsu Isane has noticed a sadness in her fourth seat's eyes that only seems to grow. Ise Nanao is also concerned about the shadows that have crossed the Captain-Commander's, well, one eye as of late. On a rare night out, both women share their observations and devise a plan to bring joy--and a bit of trouble--to their unsuspecting colleagues.

Cross-posted on Ao3

CHAPTER TWO

ONE | MACHINATIONS (2.4k words)

A/N: After a million years, I'm finally caught up on Bleach!!! This fic's been in my head for a while, so thanks very much for taking the time to check it out. 💖 There's nothing like a bit of messy matchmaking to bring two grieving souls together. 🥹👀🙈

God not only plays dice. He sometimes throws the dice where they cannot be seen. - Stephen Hawking | Does God Play Dice?

It was a universally known fact that Ryotei served the best sake in the Seireitei. And if you were truly fortunate, sake brought straight from the Kuchiki cellars would be available the night you decided to go out drinking.

Ise Nanao hoped it was one of those lucky nights for her.

The last month had been ridiculously busy, as she was overseeing the final details regarding the yearly joint training exercises for the Gotei 13. It was the Soutaicho’s brainchild, one that he proposed shortly after the defeat of the Quincy King--Yhwach. While the divisions did a fine job of training their respective members throughout the year, the Soutaicho determined those skills could be further honed through friendly competition.

The exercises grew so popular in fact, that its unofficial and affectionate name among the Gotei was, ‘The Tournament of Death’.

And what would a tournament be without prizes? Extra funds were given to all the divisions for their overall parcipitation, but everyone vied for the prizes awarded to the shinigami who finished top ten in the knockout rounds. Those prizes included free food and sake at Ryotei, training sessions with the captains, and monthly use of the Fourth’s specialized recovery services for a year. However, this year’s most coveted prize was a month-long vacation to Gunma Prefecture, in the World of the Living. Kusatsu Onsen and Gunma’s natural landscape were a motivating prize for any tired shinigami.

Unsurprisingly, Captain Kenpachi Zaraki was the reigning champion, a title he held since the tournament’s first year. And true to Kenpachi’s name, he ignored the grand prize and instead challenged the Soutaicho to a one-on-one fight every year to see who was the strongest shinigami in the Soul Society. And the sake of everyone in the Soul Society—but mostly for his own safety—the Soutaicho had been successful in dissuading Kenpachi from following through with his idea.

Most of the tournament’s planning fell to the First Division, which meant a healthy amount of stress for the First's co-lieutenants. Thankfully, Nanao and Okikiba quite enjoyed the process, despite the added duties and occasional sleepless nights. And the true reason behind the exercises kept everyone heavily motivated. With the near-destruction of the Three Worlds almost five years past, the Soutaicho made a promise to himself and the souls under his care that the Gotei would be prepared to face another calamity like Yhawach.

The chances of another Yhawach threatening the balance of the worlds was miniscule, but the Soutaicho wasn’t eager to repeat the same mistakes of his former sensei. Long years of peace and obstinate rigidity brought so much destruction to the worlds, and the tournament was one of the many ways he was working to undo the mistakes of solely following tradition. Though, he gave most of the credit to Kurosaki Ichigo, who’s appearance shifted the fabric of Soul Society. But Kyoraku Shunsui was the best candidate to continue pushing that shift, as he never really fit the mold of a model shinigami.

Nanao was more than happy be a part of executing her uncle’s vision for a better Soul Society. It was the least she could do to thank him for protecting her throughout the years. He was a good man, and she was honoured to be his kin. But that duty took a lot out of her today, so she sent another silent prayer to the gods that the elusive Kuchiki sake was on tap when she entered Ryotei.

The restaurant’s warm yellow lanterns were a welcome sight to Nanao's strained eyes, and the throbbing sensation across the back of her head began to ease as she was escorted to an empty table. Ryotei was also famous for its live music, and Nanao found herself humming along with the shamisen player at the front of the restaurant. At this point, she’d settle for any cup of sake and a hot plate of—

“Nanao-chan!!”

Irritation creased the tired lieutenant’s brow at the familiar use of her name, but a smile quickly shaped her lips when she saw Kotetsu Isane beckoning her over to a more private table near the back of the restaurant. Running into a good friend was always a good way to forget a hard day at work. And Nanao knew she’d be out for longer than planned when Isane poured her a cup of sake from a bottle stamped with the Kuchiki emblem.

“Enjoying yourself, Isane-chan?”

“Immensely. I was hoping they’d serve the Kuchiki sake tonight.” The Fourth’s captain gave her friend a toothy smile when she saw her signal the waiter to bring another bottle of the famous brew. “Are you planning on keeping me company?”

Nanao nods, then steadily downs the first cup of sake. “It’s been a while since I’ve gotten anywhere close to drunk. Besides, drinking with you is fun.”

“I’m glad to hear it,” Isane laughed while pouring two more cups. “Cheers to a good night.”

While the sake flows and hot plates of gyoza and takoyaki are devoured, the two women catch up with each other as only good friends could. It seems like no time had passed since their last extended conversation a couple months ago, before planning for the tournament became a priority.

Isane thrived under the mantle of Captain, and greatly enjoyed it even with the added responsibility of caring for an entire division. Nanao half-heartedly complained of her mostly self-imposed workload, but added that sharing the role of co-lieutenant with Okikiba made her life so much easier. While her uncle had become more responsible since accepting the role of Soutaicho, it was only just. At least now she had someone who truly understood the complications that came with trying to keep up with his infamous wandering spirit.

“So, does our Soutaicho even do any paperwork nowadays?” Isane hid her laugh behind a mouthful of ramen when Nanao rolled her eyes.

“I finally got him to come to the barracks twice a week,” Nanao sighed with exasperation. “Even then, he still tries to sneak off when I’m not looking.”

“Can’t say I blame him. It’s hard not to fall asleep when I’m doing my reports.” Isane smiled in contentment while she rested her hands behind her head. “But how is our Soutaicho doing? It’s hard enough being the Captain of one squad—I can’t imagine overseeing thirteen.”

Nanao has never been the type to contribute to the rumour mill, but the Kuchiki sake brought the thoughts she held close to her chest straight to the tip of her tongue. “He’s…tired. And he’ll never tell me that because he knows I’ll worry.” She twirled the cup in her hand gently, hoping to ease the anxious energy crawling up her spine. “But I’ll always be worried about him.”

The worry in Nanao’s voice began to cut through the haze of intoxication that pleasantly clouded Isane’s vision. It was rare for her to be this concerned about the Soutaicho. Isane reached across the table and squeezed her friend’s hand in assurance. “Don’t worry. The Soutaicho’s concerns are safe with me.”

The First’s lieutenant smiled softly. She knew Isane-chan would never say or do anything to compromise their Soutaicho’s reputation. “I suppose tired isn’t the right word. If anything, he’s…sad. He carries his own losses and those of the divisions.”

The lingering clouds of intoxication in Isane’s mind disappeared on her next breath. There had been so much loss on all sides of the war, and trying to pick up the pieces of an old life was a delicate, lengthy process. The most unfair aspect of loss was that it affected everyone differently. There was no timeline for grief, even for shinigami. This was the most difficult aspect of Isane’s role as a Captain, especially since her division’s primary role was healing. But she know all too well that an easy fix wasn't possible for some wounds.

They simply ran too deep.

“I…have the same worries for my fourth seat.”

Nanao’s brow furrowed for a moment. “Konishi-san?”

“Yes,” Isane murmured, rubbing the beginnings of a headache from between her eyes. “Her older twin brothers died during the war. She hides her sorrow well, but that sorrow settles a little deeper in her heart with each passing month.”

Nanao opens her mouth to respond, but then pauses. She’s unsure of what to say, as she herself hasn’t been successful in bringing the more carefree aspects of the Soutaicho’s personality back to the light.

“Azumi-chan buries herself in work,” Isane continues, concern causing her voice to waver. “It’s hard for me not to intervene, because grief is different for everyone.

“Even after grief has run its course, you’re still left with the fragments of the whole you use to be.”

Daunting silence settled between the two women for long moments. For all their talent and strength, they felt powerless to help the people close to them work through burdens sitting heavy on their shoulders. But Nanao was also never one to let apathy crowd her thoughts for long. As she stared at the pristine sake cup in her hand for answers, the spark of a ridiculous idea began to tickle the edges of her mind.

“…How well do the Soutaicho and Konishi-san know each other?”

“They get along very well professionally.” Isane hiccuped before her brow creased in deep concentration. “When Azumi-chan was a nurse, she was the only one who didn’t run away from the Soutaicho when he dropped by for a visit.”

Nanao poured herself another cup of sake and nodded firmly. “Good.”

The Fourth’s captain smile threatened to split her face in two when she finally caught onto Nanao’s idea. “Azumi-chan also used to help prepare Captain Ukitake’s medications. Actually, Unohana trusted her to mix his medications when she wasn’t able to.”

Nanao nodded twice this time, and with aggression. “Why hasn’t she moved up in the Fourth? I hear that her skills and knowledge are rivalling yours.”

“She enjoys the freedom of being fourth seat,” Isane chuckled. “And she runs a travelling clinic in the districts twice a month. Most of her subordinates volunteer at her clinics as well.”

It was a rare for souls living in the Seireitei to show compassion for those living beyond the great wall. Nanao would always be grateful that she wasn’t transferred to the districts after her mother was executed. She only heard stories of the hardships many endured just to find basic necessities; Konishi-san’s clinics were no doubt helping to alleviate some of those pressures. She indeed personified the traits needed to be an effective leader in the Fourth division.

“Most of the women on her mother’s side were midwives,” Isane continued, pride clear in her voice. “So I think she’s planning to expand her clinics to include classes for new parents.”

“Konishi-san is kind,” Nanao murmured in quiet admiration. “Quite rare for a shinigami, wouldn’t you say?”

Isane leaned forward and rested her chin in her hands. Another smile graced her lips, but this time it was one made of pure mischief. “Our Soutaicho is kind, too.”

Nanao sighed and quickly poured more sake for herself and her co-conspirator. Both women quickly gulped the liquid down. What they were about to propose was risky, but the rewards were potentially worth the trouble. For their part, a bit of planning and a few nudges would be enough to get the key players on the board.

“I never took you for a matchmaker, Nanao-chan.” The Fourth’s captain fell prey to a fit of giggles, which ended on a few hiccupps.

“Do you think it’ll work?” Nanao’s teeth worried her bottom lip as the voice of reason tried make itself known.

“Oh, don’t you back down now,” Isane scolded. She filled her friend’s cup to the brim with the strong Kuchiki brew. “Here, have some more sake to clear your mind.”

Nanao gratefully accepted the freshly-filled cup. “I think having someone new in their lives would benefit both the Soutaicho and Konishi-san. Even if it’s just a friend.”

It was Isane’s turn to nod aggressively. “We just have to figure out how they can have some quality time alone. The Fourth’s barracks are out of the question. It’s been chaotic because we’re preparing for the tournament.”

Nanao crossed her arms, hoping the action would spur more ideas into her sake-addled mind. Moments later, her eyes narrowed. “The Soutaicho has mentioned several times that his right eye has been bothering—”

“That could work!” Isane gripped the edges of the table to steady herself. “The next time he mentions it, have him put a request directly to me for treatment. Then, I'll find an excuse to have the request transferred to Azumi-chan. Should she go to the First barracks to treat him?”

Nanao shakes her head quickly. “The risk of someone disturbing them is high. When he’s at the barracks, so many people need his help.”

“Hmm…then have him request a house call. That way, Azumi-chan can treat him without distractions.” Isane smiled triumphantly. “Then they’ll be forced to talk.”

“That won’t be hard. He loves the sound of his own voice.”

“Be nice to your Soutaicho!”

“I am being nice,” Nanao grumbled, trying hard not to roll her eyes. “So nice, in fact, that I’m going through all this trouble to set him up on a date.”

Another fit of giggles took over Isane’s body. “Now that I’m thinking about it, they make a very attractive couple.”

Nanao couldn’t disagree with that. Warmth and beauty radiated from Konishi-san, and the Soutaicho was still one of the most eligible bachelors in the Seireitei, despite his protests. She hoped the healer’s compassionate demeanor would bring some peace to her uncle’s burdened spirit. And that in turn, her uncle’s carefree approach to life would remind the healer that life didn't revolve solely around the losses it handed to her. But they had to approach this carefully.

“Let’s set the rules.”

“I’m listening.”

“These are our friends.” Nanao’s caution earned a sharp look from Isane. “We won't meddle more than necessary. We'll facilitate the introductions, but the rest will be up to them.”

“And we'll limit our questions about how things are progressing to just the facts,” Isane offered, even though she knew it would be excruciating for her not to pester Azumi-chan for details. “But if they want to supply us with more information, even better.”

“Agreed.”

And like all proper deals, the two friends sealed their scheme with a firm handshake. They were (cautiously) optimistic their machinations would benefit both parties.

“Here’s to causing a bit of trouble!” Isane beamed, poured two more cups of sake, then raised her hand for a toast.

Nanao’s head dropped to the table with a groan. She lifted her own cup to Isane’s, the echoing clink truly sealing the deal. “Let’s hope we don’t regret this.”

#shunsui kyoraku #shunsui kyouraku #kyoraku shunsui #kyouraku shunsui #shunsui kyoraku x oc #shunsui kyouraku x oc #kyoraku shunsui x oc #kyouraku shunsui x oc #bleach #bleach fanfiction #bleach imagines #bleach scenarios #bleach headcanons

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firefly-factory · 2 months ago

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Braids, Mourning, and Timelines

Getting emotional thinking about Astor's braids and the different timelines

(Long post warning. Headcanons incoming)

I've touched on this before, but as a reminder, in my headcanon his braids all signify the most important people in his life (growing up, everyone he knew braided their hair for the same reasons)

But what I HAVENT explained is the significance of the braid that crosses over his face. Put simply, it's a mourning ritual.

When someone loses a loved one (a family member, close friend, etc) they undo the braid that had honored the loved one (these are most commonly done to either side of the face) and then weave a new braid closer to the front of their face. This act tends to be very private, and is often reserved as a moment of quiet meditation for the mourner, amidst the chaos of the loss.

The braid itself is a more public act of mourning, as its prominence on the mourner's face reminds the village that they recently lost someone. Symbolically, it acknowledges that in this moment grief and other such emotions are likely at the forefront of the mourners mind. Its placement is inconvenient, often obscuring the mourners vision slightly. It reminds the mourner that their own judgement might be similarly clouded during this time. Further, when braided with artifacts of the deceased - beads, or even strands of their hair - it serves as a tangible connection to those who are gone.

Okay, so what does this have to do with Astor? Who is he mourning?

It seems counterintuitive, considering how callous he seems in the moment, but Astor's braid honors and mourns Herod, as well as the other cult members who Astor killed in the ritual. It was a small detail, but if you look closely at this snippet of my Harbinger comic:

You can see he is wearing the mourning braid (for the first time* throughout the comic). Because he knows how this is going to end (at least for Herod) and he already hurts, despite the fact that he knows it's inevitable. He hates Herod, but it doesn't stop him from feeling

*starred because I did use this symbolism very early on when Astor's ears were cut, but it wasn't a full braid. A little detail so I doubt anyone noticed, but it's in part because this is a critical "loss of innocence" moment for Astor, and although it's treated likr a celebration by the rest of the family, all he feels is a deep sense of loss (see below)

And there's MORE

A critical part of the mourning ritual - perhaps even more so than the initial braiding - is the moment of release, when the mourner finally feels ready to return fully into society and officially end their mourning period. It doesnt mean that they don't still miss or care for the deceased, but it means that they've come to terms with it, and are more able to focus on the day to day.

There's no set time period for when someone is expected to release their braid. It varies widely from individual to individual, and can sometimes be as simple an act as quietly unbraiding the hair and continuing about your day to day. If that's what you do, no one will question it. In fact, it's a frequent occurrence for people to unbraid and rebraid their hair, as they try to make sense of the emotions and figure out if they're really ready to move on. In some cases, the mourner will come to the end of the mourning period and instead of undoing the braid, they will cut it off (and sometimes make it into jewelry, sort of like Victorian mourning jewelry)

But the thing that was making me emotional is- in the Age of Calamity timeline, Astor never undoes his braid. He never moves on. He is bound, because even though he believes it couldn't have gone any different, he's still the one who pulled the trigger (so to speak).

I'd like to think that in the botw/totk timeline, where his role in Calamity is far less active, he is able to eventually move on (because Herod still dies, even if the circumstances are slightly different).

I want to imagine that there's a timeline where Astor can finally take his hair out of the braid and live for himself <3

#firefly rambles #astor #astor aoc #cw: death #headcanons #i think about those braids way too much for my own good #was just drawing botw timeline astor and got into the feels #zelda fanfiction #my writing

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shinysparklesapphires · 14 days ago

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showtime precure!

Chapter 18: New girls in the theater course!

A/n: the trio are in their 6th year since they are all young adults (19, 18, and 20)

🎀: @baileypie-writes @xryptik @harufallinwonderland

"Um I really like you, please be my girlfriend!" A boy handed Lacey a bouquet of roses, his face bright red. She took them out of his hands and held them.

"Yo sorry to let you down but I'm already dating someone so..." She handed the bouquet back to him, "Also dude I like girls anyway so even if I were single you still wouldn't stand a chance."

"Ah ok I understand!" The boy smiled at her and bowed, even though he was slightly embarrassed and walked away with his head hung low.

"Wow Lacey you got another confession?! That's like the fifth one this week!" Lucia looked at the giant bouquet in her hands. There had already been a pile of love letters and gifts and such sent by other students to the trio, who were rather surprised by thier sudden popularity.

"But that's not important right now, there's something you need to know about curtain call," Dominique popped her head out of the pile of gifts in the corner of the room, Nosferatu trying to dig her out.

"Dominique are you ok?" Amber went over to help Nosferatu dig her out.

"Oh yeah I'm good," she pulled herself out and sat down at one of the tables, "as I was saying, Tragedy is probably going to send her two little brats after you next."

"There are more than Catwalk??" Violet sighed.

"Sadly, and those two are even worse," Lacey took a flower out of the bouquet and twirled it around in her hands, "That's as far as we know though."

"Well atleast we know something about Curtain Call now right?" Lyna looked around, but everyone was bummed out.

"Achoo!" A little girl sneezed.

"Whats wrong?" Another girl sitting next to her looked up from a book she was reading.

"It's strange I feel like someone was talking about me," she wiped her 'nose' that was covered by a tragedy mask.

"Calamity, Catastrophe," the girls looked up at Catwalk and giggled to each other, "Yes Catwalk?" They said in a mocking tone.

"Miss Tragedy wants you two to collect the coins of the academy students."

"Well we were already on our way to do that!" Calamity made a face at him, causing Catwalk to turn bright red from anger before he calmed himself down.

"We're off!" Catastrophe vanished, and Calamity followed.

"Wow those girls from the theater course are so cool!"

"And super pretty too!"

"I wish I could be like them!"

The trio walked through the corridor of the main building in order to get to the cafeteria, but they could still hear the whispers about them throughout the halls.

"Damn they're awful at whispering," Dominique had a pained expression on her face.

"Oh well at least they're not slandering us," Nicolette twirled her hair around on her finger.

"Guys over here!" Lucia waved to to trio from the table the girls were sitting at.

"You guys are way too forgiving..." Lacey took a sip from her drink.

"What do you mean?" Lucia looked at her confused.

"I mean one day you're fighting us and now you're letting us eat with you," she scratched her head.

"I mean you guys were being controlled though right?"

"I mean yeah but-"

"Even if you did do those things, you're purified now, perfection is subjective yknow?" Amber took a bite of her burger.

"I mean yeah I guess so.."

The boy who had confessed to Lacey sighed holding his bouquet.

"I understand why she rejected me but I'm still disappointed," he held his head in his hands.

"Oh how unlucky right Calamity?" The boy looked up to see two young girls hanging from a tree branch, both wore fancy dresses and tragedy masks.

"For sure Catastrophe! The wish of someone in love is super powerful!" She giggled.

"You two should get down from there, where are your parents?" The boy yelled, only to be met with a glare from both of them.

"What a party pooper!"

"No wonder her got rejected!"

"He should be elimated!"

"Misery loves company right?"

The girls clapped thier hands together and laughed, "You're lucks run out today, time to come out and play! Facade, wreak your havoc!"

The boy gasped as he saw a small white light fly out of his body and into his bouquet, before blacking out completely.

"SAWWW!" The group of girls looked up from thier food.

"Did you hear that?"

Lyna nodded, "let's go check it out!"

They ran over to where the commotion was to see a monster tearing up the courtyard.

"Look look! It's the legendary playwrights Catwalk ran his mouth about!"

"We should see if they're really all that!"

"Guys!" Lucia turned to the others, who nodded in agreement.

"Precure, Rollback! Lights! Camera! Action!"

"SAWW!" The monster shot a rose at Showtime's feet catching her off guard.

"Ah! Seriously this is what we're dealing with? Some stupid flowers?!" Wright kicked at it, only to be stabbed in the foot by a giant thorn, "Ouch!" She winced.

"They might be just flowers but they still have thorns!" Action jumped to dodge an incoming attack.

"Set can you try and capture it with your net?" Showtime slid under the creature and kicked it from behind.

"I can try but I can't find an opening!" The monster shot a vine at her, trapping her in its grip, "Shit!"

"Calamity these girls are so boring are you sure they're the Precure?"

"Positive! I'm never wrong!"

"I beg to differ!"

"Like you're so smart you dumbass!"

"Hey! Who are you calling a dumbass?!"

"You!" The girls started fighting each other causing the Facade to look at them confused.

"Saw?" It let go of Cure Set, letting her land safely on the ground.

"Set now!" Set nodded and pulled out her paimt pallete.

"Precure! Set Lasso....Net!"

"Saw!" The monster squirmed around trying to break free from the net that it had gotten tangled in.

The girls held thier hands together and got in a circle.

"Our beautiful hearts will crush your evil! Precure, Roccoco lovely...Shock!" And just like that, the monster vanished.

"Look what you did you weren't paying attention and now we don't have the ribbons!"

"You weren't paying attention either!"

"I'M SO SICK OF YOU!" both girls vanished.

"phew I'm glad we solved that problem," Violet wiped her forehead.

"Yeah but now we gotta deal with those girls," Amber sighed.

"It was weird how they also had masks like Tragedy, they're so....creepy," Lucia shuddered.

"It's too bad you didn't get to finish your burger Amber," Amber's stomach growled at the thought.

"It's cool, I can just get another one."

#🎀! Showtime precure #IM DUMB SHES A LESBIAN/REF 🗣#precure #fancure

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misspelledwordswizard · 4 months ago

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Chapter 2 - My new peaceful life

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I didn’t become conscious until I was two years old. In fact, there wasn’t a single moment when I regained consciousness and my memories, it all came gradually, when I realized, I was living with this information.

So, I was reincarnated. Wow, incredible, my miserable life ended only for a new one to begin. I was born into a simple but loving family, it was just me and my parents, they always did everything for me, even with such low conditions.

I had a normal childhood, I was a normal baby, a little smarter than most after the age of two, but it’s still hard to think with such a limited body. Of course, I noticed the little differences in people in this life and in my previous life, like their pointy ears and different culture, not to mention the lack of technology around there. But I didn’t really figure out where I was until I was five.

Until then, I thought I was in a world where humans were actually elves, until one day when I was still a child. My father was talking to a friend in a meadow near our house, they met by chance on the way, while I was playing in the grass with bugs or whatever else I could find. I don’t remember much, but something caught my attention, and I started to distance myself from my father, who was too focused on his conversation to notice, and I went deeper and deeper into the trees.

I walked a little, picking flowers and the occasional mushroom – I’m pretty sure some of them were poisonous, my hands were itchy afterwards – and then I heard a loud noise as something hit the tree next to me hard. I froze, startled, watching the creature that was bigger than me retreat back into the earth. As the creature prepared to attack again, I found myself in the same situation as a few years ago, sensing my death, I saw the projectile coming towards me while my body did not respond to my commands to escape, and then everything went dark.

Luckily, my father had arrived in time, the darkness I saw was his tunic blocking my vision as he stood in front of me, taking the attack in my place. He quickly picked me up and took me away, I had never been so grateful as in that moment, and after a few scoldings for leaving his side, I finally managed to think and identified the creature.

What attacked me was nothing more than na Octorok, my years as a big nerd in my past life granted me this knowledge, and it was then that I realized, those people were not elves, they were Hylians, and that was not just any world, I was in Hyrule, I was reincarnated in the universe of The Legend of Zelda games. Well, cool, I guess. It didn’t interfere much in my life, to tell the truth. I continued to grow up peacefully, and over time I discovered more specifically where and when I was. My parents lived in a small house in Hateno, the situation in Hyrule was bad for everyone, lots of monsters, the places seemed abandoned, so it was clear that I had been born during the great calamity, a few years before the hero woke up. Despite everything, I was raised with a lot of love. I missed my family from my past life a lot, but my current family never stopped giving me a lot of love and I grew attached to them too. I had some friends in my childhood, but I couldn’t deepen these friendships. After all, mentally I was much older than them, so I preferred to spend my time listening to the conversations – gossip – of the adults.

I met few throughout my life. Since I hardly left the village, I was out of danger, but that didn’t stop me from taking precautions and exercising my body so that I would at least be able to run if I needed to escape. It was when I was sixteen that rumors began to circulate, saying that the hero had awakened after a hundred years of slumber. Hope once again circulated throughout the kingdom. Of course, I was already expecting this to happen soon, which was good, of course, but it wouldn’t affect me directly, at least not until the calamity was finally defeated.

A year later, I decided it was time to start my own life and no longer depend on my parents. Hateno suddenly seemed too small for me, I knew there were wonders in Hyrule, even though I wasn’t the adventurous type, this desire to know more things lived inside me. In seventeen years of life I had never even seen another race other than the Hylians, I wanted to meet new people, new places, to do something different than just following life without real goals like in my last life. So, I went far from Hateno, along with a group of adventurers who could escort me to safety. I went near Dueling Peaks, I started working at the stable there, which was good, because I also managed to stay temporarily until I could find a house in the region. After some effort, I managed to build a small cabin among the trees, isolated but still close to work. It was almost rewarding, now I had my own space with everything I needed, a bed, a bookshelf and a small kitchen area with a table for one. It was good, it was peaceful.

Every three months I would still visit my parents, the journey was long, but the longing was too great to bear, and there were no means of fast communication in that era. Nine months passed like that, until the calamity was defeated. During that time I even managed to see the hero – Link – who sometimes passed by the stable, but I never exchanged even a word with him, funny, I didn’t remember that he had long hair... and I thought he would be shorter. But I just watched as he ran from one side to the other doing his things or helping people. I wonder if he managed to get all the Korok seeds.

Well, things definitely improved with the end of the Calamity, fewer monsters, Hyrule was preparing for reconstruction, I heard that Purah was on the move, leaving Hateno and heading to the center of the kingdom. Again, this may have made things safer, but it didn't affect me directly, my life continued as usual, and everything was fine. I never had any hopes of getting involved with important characters from the games, much less the hero or the princess or the hero. I was fine with that.

Well, which brings us to this moment in my life. Almost a year after the end of the Calamity, I went to visit my parents recently, I had arrived home yesterday and today I was busy organizing my things, since I had to go back to work tomorrow. My day started late, I arrived exhausted late last night after a lot of walking, I didn't even change my clothes before passing out on my bed, and now I had breakfast an hour before lunch time.

Unfortunately for me, I had a lot to do. As soon as I finished eating, I left the house to be graced by the sunlight, which touched my skin and enveloped me in a comfortable warmth as I headed towards the nearest river to fetch water for my chores. Since it was a rather long journey to repeat, I always took a large barrel of water, which I carried in a wheelbarrow I improvised myself. It wasn’t the best, but it worked. After refilling my water, I started cleaning my little cabin. The good thing about a small space is that it also requires little effort. I swept and wiped the floor with a damp cloth, then used a smaller cloth to clean the furniture. I searched the cupboards for food that was out of stock. I needed vegetables and greens, but I couldn’t spend them now. My paycheck wouldn’t be until next week. Well, my only option would be to look for nature.

Having reached this conclusion, I prepared myself by grabbing a basket and left the house again, now walking peacefully while looking for possible fruits, mushrooms or anything else that I could find around here. The wind gently caressed my cheeks as I walked, the sun, just a few hours away from setting, illuminated my path with orange lights. Peace. It was the perfect word to describe it. If in my past life someone had told me that I would finally live in peace only after dying and being reincarnated in a video game, I would have thought it was the greatest absurdity. Anyone would think that, it was crazy, but it’s my reality. I managed to get some mushrooms and apples, but the sun was already setting, even with a low monster count I wouldn’t risk wandering around at night, so I started to make my way back to my hideout. What a shame, I wish I had found carrots.

The sound of crickets was what accompanied me on my way back, in a peaceful and controversially silent symphony. How hungry. The sound coming from my stomach accompanied my thoughts. I forgot to eat lunch, my stomach is empty. After a few minutes of brisk walking I found myself back at the door of my house, opening it, causing a creak, I entered the peaceful and comforting territory, making sure the door behind me was closed. I went straight to my kitchen area.

There were no divisions in my cabin, it was all one room, but it was comfortable, and more than necessary. I took my old pot, filled it with water and put the two potatoes I had at home to cook, then with my small frying pan I used another burner on my wood stove to sauté the mushrooms I had picked today. When I finished the potatoes were already cooked, so I took them out and mashed them, seasoning with a little salt. I put everything on a plate and took it to the table, sitting in my lonely chair.

Mashed potatoes and sautéed mushrooms. Not the best, but it’s good enough for today. Tomorrow I have work, so I’ll go straight to bed after eating. Surprisingly, even in another life I still have bad luck with jobs, I definitely don’t like having to spend the day feeding horses and cleaning up their waste. But that’s temporary. When I can save up enough money to support myself I’ll go on a little trip, I’d love to see Rito Village or the Gerudo Desert, although the idea of dealing with extreme cold or extreme heat doesn’t appeal to me.

I’m not sure what my dream job would be, but maybe I’ll find it along the way. Or just spend my life doing whatever nature gives me, whatever is easiest. My mind wandered, thinking about the future as I ate without enthusiasm. I feel lonely. Well, it was by choice, and of course, I love living isolated from society, but now I feel very lonely. I have no friends, my parents live far away, the most exciting things in my life are the books I read and the stories of the travelers who pass by the stable. Maybe I should adopt a dog... or a cat. After I finished eating, I cleaned all the utensils I used so as not to accumulate dirt, then I undressed so I could clean myself and wash off the dirt and sweat that had impregnated my body. Man, how I miss showers. If I had a shower at home, I would take three showers a day.

Unfortunately, I am forced to take cold showers in the nearby river only a few times a week. I miss perfumes too. I hate being dirty and smelly. I brushed off the thickest part of the dirt and put on my most comfortable clothes to sleep, while organizing a change of clothes for when I woke up. I had already laid down on my small bed when I remembered to pick up a book from my bookshelf to read before going to sleep. It took me a while to be able to read, the speech might have been the same, but the alphabet was completely different. So I needed more effort to learn how to read and write.The good thing is that I always kept diaries in the alphabet of the earth, which protects me from having my secrets leaked. It was very useful, even though my parents tried to exorcise me when I was a child, thinking that I had been possessed by na evil spirit that wrote strange symbols.

As I stood in front of my bookshelf, choosing a book, I thought I heard noises coming from the direction of my bed. I looked around and saw nothing, the noise had stopped too, so I just shrugged my shoulders. As soon as I turned my attention back to my books, a loud noise came from the direction of my bed. I looked up in alarm, unable to see clearly due to the dust that had been kicked up.

Destroyed

Everything was destroyed, the wall behind my bed had a huge and irregular hole, pieces of wood scattered all over the place, my bed was completely broken and crushed under a piece of my wall, and on top of this severed part of my wooden wall was a blond man, groaning in pain, while screams, noises of combat and sounds of bokoblins invaded the air. Through the hole in the wall I could see several men with swords and shields fighting against a bunch of angry bokoblins in a great confusion of sounds and movements. The man who was on my destroyed bed and wall soon recovered and returned to the fight, leaving me standing still in front of my precious books that now no longer held my attention.

— What the fu-

#linked universe x reader #link x reader #legend of zelda #linked universe fanfic #linked universe #lu x reader #lu wild x reader #lu hyrule x reader #lu legend x reader #lu time x reader #lu four x reader #lu sky x reader #lu twilight x reader #lu warriors x reader

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theresattrpgforthat · 4 months ago

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THEME: Mermaids

This week’s games are all about swimming, stabbing, and sinking ships as creatures of the open ocean - or at least, a local body of water.

Siren Silk, by DOCTOR_dev.

Players take the roles of journeyfolk, the umbrella term for travelers that spread word and wares under the waters of the Swiften Sea, home of the branchia and their kingdom Ornata. Trade is done through any number of means: you can barter goods, harvest and deliver natural resources, craft at your traveling workshop, spin stories, or deliver news to the fringe settlements of Ornata.

Siren Silk is still a work in progress, but it has more than just mermaids on offer. You can play as various kinds of undersea folk, including sirens, krakens and sea serpents. Siren Silk is built on the Passkey System, which offers a diceless way to play, using something called EP. You have stat pools with various amounts of EP, which you can spend in order to gain a success; spend more EP, get a more effective success. You can also gain advantage or disadvantage in certain situations, which gives you discounts or higher EP costs. Your PCs might also take on conditions throughout their adventures that help or hinder them in mechanical ways, such as granting disadvantage, giving you extra EP, etc.

If you want to play this game with dice, there’s also a dice-rolling set of rules that correspond to the spending of EP, so I think Siren Silk has the potential to be flexible to your table.

Siren Squad, by Jennafiggers.

The Cerulean Sea needs your help! Join the Siren Squad, where you and your friends are rainbow mermaid secret agents. Summon adorable sea creatures, solve puzzles and explore for clues until you complete your Mission to keep the sea safe. This is a world where magic and technology intertwine, all sorts of fantastic sea creatures thrive, and friendship is the most powerful force of all.

Siren Squad is a cinematic game reminiscent of American Saturday morning cartoons where the heroes win and everything goes back to normal at the end of the episode. If you love the puny, light action of Totally Spies or Powerpuff Girls, the thematic characters of Streetsharks or Skylanders, or the off-the-wall adventures of Chalkzone and Ruby Gloom, you'll probably love this game.

This game is currently in play testing form, but the designers certainly seem to have high hopes for it! You appear to construct your character from a playbook, that is heavily themed to make each PC feel unique, powerful and dynamic. Right now there appears to be google sheet versions of the playbooks, which hold Quickstart characters for people who want to get a bit of a peek into the game before committing to purchasing. One of the cutest things in this game is the existence of buddy beasts! I have no idea how they work but the art for them is very very cute.

Storm Drain Mermaids, by Papertigress.

You are a feral mermaid. You and your sister sirens (the other players) live in the local city/urban waterways, each having a territory and rallying together in flood/drought/calamity situations for survival as needed…

Now is one of those times.

This is a simple one-page game that can be printed off and double as a character sheet for each player. Your mermaid has 5 stats, and a territory that “belongs” to you and therefore gives you an advantage when you act while within it. Each player also has a pool of “scales” that can be used to improve their chances with every roll, or to inflict penalties on an opposing force. The game feels balanced between chance and the spending of resources to ensure your character succeeds a healthy amount of the time. There’s also roll tables a-plenty here, to help the GM come up with ideas as the players swim through the world.

Under the Sea, by rzut-na-angielski

Over the years the story of The Little Mermaid and her horrid end was a cautionary tale for young merfolk. But you - a group of teenage friends - think that Ariel was right. Humans are sexy. Especially the one you’ve been stalking for the past month. If you can’t go up there, then you’ll have to make sure that your human gets to live under the sea with all of you. Play to hatch a polyglamorous plan to get your human some gills AND MAKE THEM FALL HEAD OVER FINS FOR ALL OF YOU!

A goofy game about falling in love and trying to get your crush to like you back, Under the Sea is 2 pages long and grants your character three simple stats: Fins, Heart and Mind. You also carry with you some kind of magic, although how you wield that magic appears to be up to player interpretation.

The game has a very clear endgame scenario: your Human mast have gills and/or be in love with you by the end of the game, or they will die / return to the surface world, never to be wooed again. The course of the game runs over three stages: finding your human, approaching them, and bringing them to the sea (where hopefully, they will fall in love).

Guardians of the Sea, by Ezra Tellington.

"Mermaids used to live in harmony with nature and, for the most parts, humans. Sure, homo sapiens sapiens was both nutritious and easy to charm, but mermaids held no animosity towards their prey. In the last century, though, everything changed: oil spills, plastics, whole species of plants and animals eradicated, what was one day an underwater paradise began to look like a wet wasteland. Mermaid population began to shrink and the remaining ones moved to further removed regions, where humans and their trash could not find them.

In the anarchist society of mermaids emerged harsh discussions: should they wage an actual war against humanity to defend their ecosystem? Some individuals insist that not all humans are at fault, but this opinion is getting less and less popular as the marine animals die out."

Guardians of the Sea looks to be a short game, approximately 9 pages long. The character skills appear to exist as rows of pips, similar to World of Darkness, which might be easy to manage visually. The game itself is mostly about capitalism and ecology; a war rising from the ocean as the onset of climate change makes your characters’ homes uninhabitable. If you like stories that have a little bit of revenge in them, you might like this game.

A Salt Kiss Remains by Whimsy Machine.

A Salt Kiss Remains is game of mermaids, magic, and monsters in the great open sea and the land it crashes upon. We play as denizens of the ocean or other aquatic environments, exploring and protecting this world. These adventures can be lighthearted and fun, exploring sunken ruins of ancient humans, falling in love, and building families, and they can reach like the sea ever deeper. In these dark depths, we explore the damage humans cause to the oceans, what it means to be predator and prey, and the unfathomable mysteries of this vast world.

A Salt Kiss Remains may still be in alpha, but it is FULL of moves, in a way that feels slightly reminiscent of Apocalypse World. Each move references a specific situation in the game, and some of them specifically use a resource called corruption in order to help your mermaids to magical things. This includes (but is not limited to), sapping all life from a location, reading the entrails of dead creatures as a form of augury, and warping the forms of other creatures to your will.

The game also comes with a set of introductory adventures, which may be helpful for GM’s who want a solid place to start, or even just some inspiration for the kinds of stories you can tell with A Salt Kiss Remains.

Radioactive Mermaids of the Burning Sargasso, by kumada1.

In the year 2020, the world was veiled in darkness. The wind stopped. The sea was wild. The earth began to rot. And humanity went into decline. Five thousand and fifty three years have passed since then. It is now the year 2021. Life clings desperately to the ocean.

Two things are true: you are a mermaid, and you are rad.

Specifically, you are a radiotrophic being, feeding on the hazardous background noise of the universe to fuel your cool powers.

In the oceanic zone where you live, the Burning Sargasso, you are unique among lifeforms. Most creatures here are radiation-resistant, but you actively absorb and neutralize it. This makes you something of a keystone species. It also gives you potent science-magic powers, and one heck of an obligation.

Radioactive Mermaids of the Sargasso revolves around building an enclave in the sargasso and improving it, for both your sake and the sake of the wildlife around you. You’ll collaboratively define the elements of your enclave, and work together to make it flourish. Tending to the garden doles out Tedium to the caretakers, which can force your mermaid to leave the enclave if they accrue too much - eventually freedom becomes too alluring to resist. Your character might also accrue something called Rads, which don’t harm you, but can be used to fuel your science-magic powers.

If you want a unique take on mermaids and a collective, clear goal, you might want to check out Radioactive Mermaids of the Sargasso.

Seven Deadly Sirens by Litza Bronwyn.

In this game, you play one of seven types of mermaids and roll with seven deadly sins to power your basic and special moves in order to summon ships, lure men to you, devour their hearts, and collect their treasures.

Previously released, this second version of the game contains updated information based on playtesting feedback, beautiful stock imagery, and new formatting.

Each of the seven playbooks comes with a section for describing your character, filling out the bonuses for your seven sins (used as stats), relationship questions, special moves, and a place to keep track of your wounds, experience, how much treasure you've collected, and how many hearts you've devoured (which you can use to enhance more powerful moves).

Seven Deadly Sirens feels the most gritty on this list, with bonuses and negatives for various moves being determined by your Sins, which measure things such as your desire for sex, food, possessions, etc. You are all different kinds of mermaids, inspired by various sea creatures, granting you unique moves that match your playbook - such as the mer-eel, who is slippery and has a unique relationship with lightning.

This game also highlights relationships, both between the PCs and the men they will encounter. Men are cruel and lovely; they are potential lovers, victims, opponents, and so much more. Will you consume them? Or will they consume you? Play to find out.

#mermaids #the sea calls #tabletop games #indie ttrpgs #game recom #game recommendations #dnd

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