#yes I know their family history is very much like a Greek tragedy although they certainly aren't gods

[cafeleningrad]

alright several rambly drafts later, I still try to formulate my thoughts on a show I haven’t watched yet but I think the show is doing Alicent a good service not only for fleshing but also highlighting the Targaryen belief in their own superiority as their ultimate downfall.

The show uses the narrative threat of misogyny to stitch together the events from Fire and Blood but I also think that naming the show “House of the Dragon” isn’t coincidental. The Dance of the Dragons is a highlight of misogyny fueling Westerosi society, the framing of a family drama highlighting possible paths and dead ends of women in such a society.  But I’m not here to talk about the themes of misogyny and it’s many layers but the theme of the Targaryen beliefs in their own superiority which will lay the foundation of Rhaenyra’s downfall, later Aerys. So yes, Fire and Blood was written in the narrative of a character who’s part of guild strongly biased against the Targaryen as well as magic, trying to examine different highly subjective historical records and anecdotes. Still, I think there’s a good reason why in the later record of the Dance of Dragons does not so much focus on personal motivation like when characterizing the family rift before the war. Instead we get very gruesome accounts of the destruction and war crimes committed in Tumbletone, King’s Landing, and the Riverlands, the aftermath of the was still causing destruction, the Iron Men having become the genie out of the bottle, only highly traumatized children left behind. I don’t think the the themes of misogyny and critique of monopoly on power (namely the power monopoly of the Targaryen’s) are mutually exclusive, actually the dance of the Dragon highlighting misogynistic machinations can occur due to Rhaenyra’s birth. No other family has so much power, not only in loyalists but in terms of weapons of mass destruction in the shape of dragons, so the highlight of misogyny couldn’t be so apparent. The frame of a family drama allows for a close, intimate characterization about women navigating a misogynist society. Outside of the frame of a family frame their personal drama causes war crimes, destruction all for the race for power. In that sense I found the scene in which Alicent accuses Rhaenyra to “do as she pleases without sacrifice or duty” very interesting. As many analysis broke down is it a telling characterization of Alicent being trapped in her societal role, I think Alicent correctly points out a flaw of Rhaenyra’s if not in the the Targaryen’s doings. Alicent does everything by the book, giving birth to many heirs, looking beautiful as society expects of a woman and still she’s dubbed Alicent Hightower in Fire and Blood, she remains an outsider even though doing everything expected of her. While, yes, Rhaenyra having an active love life, having bastards like many otherwise respected Lords, is no indication of her political abilities (the narrative of Fire and Blood alludes to her being much better suited than Aemond or Aegon II), she does seem to only allow her actions for herself because of her inherited name. Also partly because she grew up with Viserys letting a lot of things for which larger society judges her slide. What I want to get at, outside the family frame, Rhaenyra is still a Targaryen, seeing her actions for her sake as justified. Lately I stumbled upon a post speculating that the fact Rhaenyra not being able to establish female inheritance as new law against her counsel is a hollow victory, as Rhaenyra would be the only woman temporarily winning in a conflict originating in misogyny. I could neither agree nor disagree to this prediction because the show does thematically rearrange and reframe book events, which is seems to do very thoughtfully, the books narrative certainly opening up this possible reading but... in the continuation of F&B the narrative speculates Rhaenyra to narrowly focus on her sitting on the Throne, focusing on her victory. Then there is also how she actually does as she pleases but judging others for the same things or if they are beneath her. There’s this excellent post about the possible symbolism of Nettles which got me considering the Targaryen mindset in the first place. Rhaenyra’s first three sons are obviously bastards. When they are accused of being bastards she sends out Daemon to kill Corlys’ nephew, even Viserys ushers punishments against those claiming Rhaenyra’s sons to be bastards. Rhaenyra committing social infringement is treated by her and her father as untouchable. Yet the bastards of the Dragon seed are the first to receive unfavourable treatment. Character flaws aside, Ulf White and Hugh Hammer are treated as tacticle figures to be used, their promised rewards getting constantly delayed despite the undeniable advantages they bring towards Rhaenyra’s warfare. And who gets suspected of treason after White and Hammer switch sides? Mouse’s bastard sons. The linked post already said everything so well about Nettles, but all in all Rhaenyra loosing dragon riders, i.e. strong warfare assets is due to her narrow view on who could be seen worthy of trust due to their birth, her believing Daemon remaining loyal because she looks down on Nettles for so many classist and racist reasons. If nothing else, there’s the death of the dragons by the angry mob in King’s Landing. Rhaenyra believes so strongly in her dragons, the source of power and symbol of her house being untouchable that the angry population of King’s Landing killing them comes to an absolute shock. In that sense, the still outsider of the family Alicent, the woman who’s marrying into the family without any previous family ties, who can’t get into the family dynamic, she and her children are the ones seeing the freedom the Targaryen family members can enjoy without barely any consequences while she is not given such freedom not only because of societal expectations for women but also because she isn’t actually let into the Targaryen circle.  I neither like nor dislike Rhaenyra I’m just super interested in the shift in perspective in how the Targaryen’s race for power, focus on themselves, causes their downfall, kills their source of power (dragons) but also looses them allegiances from those they look down upon, and act as if their flaws are untouchable but judge others for them. The family had to invent an entire doctrine of their exceptionalism, propagated by faith, yet the later F&B records lend an ear to the civilians dying, causing the downfall of Rhaenyra’s side, a barely known woman killing Dalton Greyjoy who terrorized the Western coast, undermining the narrative the Targaryen’s of almost godhood the Targaryens cultivate for themselves.

[qqueenofhades]

Hi, I hope this isnt annoying to ask but w the old guard ive seen a lot of people mixing up catholic and christian when it comes to nicky. when by todays standards theyre not interchangeable as catholic is a specific strain of christianity. i was kinda under the impression the crusades were a purely catholic thing since the pope. is that right or were other christians involved??

Hmm. Just to be clear what you’re asking, are you wondering whether it’s a mistake to use “Catholic” and “Christian” interchangeably when talking about this time period or describing Nicky’s faith? And/or asking for a basic religious primer on medieval Europe and the crusades more generally?

First, it’s not a mistake to use “Catholic” and “Christian” as synonyms during the crusades, especially since a) Catholics are Christians, no matter what the militant Protestant reformers would like you to think, and b) until said Protestant reformation, they were the dominant and almost (but not quite) singular Christian denomination in Western Europe. Our source material for the period doesn’t describe the crusaders as “Catholics,” even if they were; they call them Christians or Franks. (Likewise, the word “Frank,” i.e. “French” was often used to describe Western European crusaders no matter which country they were from, since so many crusaders came from France and that was where the crusades were originally launched, at the council of Clermont in 1095.) To call them “Christians” points us to the fact that the crusades were viewed as a great pan-Christian enterprise, even if the reality was more complicated, and nobody would need to specify “Catholic,” because that was implicit.

In short, medieval Europe had two major strands of Christianity, which developed out of the centuries of arguments over heresy, the contents of the biblical canon, the nature and/or divinity of Christ, their relationship to Judaism, paganism, and other religions of late antiquity, and so forth. Eventually these two competing branches took on geographical, cultural, and linguistic associations: Western (Latin) Catholic Christianity, and Eastern (Greek) Orthodox Christianity. The Great Schism in 1054 split these two rites formally apart, though both of them had at least some thought that the internal divisions in Christianity should be healed and dialogue has continued intermittently even up to the present day (though they’re still not actually reconciled and this seems highly unlikely to ever happen.)

The head of Western Catholic Christianity was (and is) the Pope of Rome, and the head of Eastern Orthodox Christianity was (and is) the Patriarch of Constantinople. Both of these branches of Christianity were involved in launching the crusades. To make a long story short, the Byzantine (Greek) Emperor, Alexios Komnenos, appealed to the Catholic (Latin) pope, Urban II, for help in defending the rights of eastern Christians, territorial incursions against Greek possessions by the Muslims of the Holy Land and North Africa, and the city of Constantinople (and Jerusalem) itself. So although the actual French and Western European participants in the crusades were Catholic, they (originally, at least) joined up with the intention of helping out their Orthodox brethren in the East and “liberating” Jerusalem from the so-called tyranny of Islam. To this end, the accounts of the council of Clermont focused heavily on the brotherhood of western and eastern Christians and the alleged terrible treatment of these Christians by the ruling Islamic caliphate in Jerusalem. At that time, that was the Isma’ili Shia Muslim Fatimids (who had replaced the Sunni Muslim Abbasids in the early 10th century -- there are many names and many dynasties, but yes.)

However, despite this ecumenical start, relations between Western and Eastern Christians started to go bad very quickly over the course of the crusades, indeed within a few short years of Clermont. Alexios Komnenos wanted the crusade leaders to swear loyalty to him and pledge to return formerly Byzantine lands that might be recaptured from the Muslims, and the crusade leaders did not want to do this. There were deep cultural, linguistic, religious, social, and political differences between Greek and Latin Christians, even if they were both technically Christians, and these caused the obvious problems. The Greeks were obviously located in a different part of the world and had a different relationship with their Islamic neighbors (they fought them often, but also traded with them and established diplomatic ties) and this caused constant friction during the crusades, since the Westerners always suspected (not entirely wrongly) that the Greeks were secretly in league with the Turks. Albert of Aachen, writing his Historia Ierosolimitana in the early 12th century, referred to “wicked Christians, that is to say Greeks,” and our primary source for the Second Crusade (1145--49) is Odo of Deuil and his De profectione Ludovici VII in Orientem (Journey of Louis VII to the East.) He spent the entire time grousing about “treacherous Greeks” and blaming them for the crusade’s struggles (though the Second Crusade pretty much sabotaged itself and didn’t need any outside force to blame for its failure). There was some truth to this accusation, since Byzantium was then engaged in a war against Sicily (Louis VII’s ally, though it had its own connections to Muslim culture and indeed had been Muslim before the Normans conquered it in 1061). The Greeks had thus been working with the Muslims to undercut the invasion of Western Europeans into this contested territory, and this was not forgotten or forgiven.

The best-known example of Western-Eastern relations during the crusades going catastrophically awry is in 1204, at the sack of Constantinople as the culmination of the Fourth Crusade. Basically: the crusaders were deeply in debt to the Venetians and had already attacked the Catholic city of Zara (Zadar in Croatia) in hopes of getting some money back, then got involved in the messy politics of the Byzantine succession, went to Constantinople, and eventually outright attacked it, sacked and destroyed the city, and raped and slaughtered its inhabitants. This obviously poisoned the well all but permanently between Latin and Greek Christians (frankly, in my opinion, it’s one of the worst tragedies of history) and Constantinople never regained its former wealth and pre-eminence. It declined until it was captured in 1453 by the Ottoman Turks and Sultan Mehmed II, and has been an Islamic city ever since. (It was renamed Istanbul in 1923, under Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the “founding father” of modern Turkey.) Obviously, Latin and Greek Christianity still had to work with each other somehow, but the crusades were actually the single biggest factor in driving the two branches further apart, rather than reconciling them.

The words “catholic” and “orthodox” both have connotations of universality, overall correctness, and all-encompassing truth claims. Therefore, in some sense, to a Catholic Christian or an Orthodox Christian, defining themselves as such, with both words, is repetitious; they are Catholic/Orthodox and therefore the correct sort of Christian (even if their theological opponents would disagree). However, historians obviously do use that convention to distinguish them, since the identity is important, and makes a big difference as to what religious landscape an individual is living in. As for heresy, it was an equally complicated subject. Numerous “heretical” (i.e. not mainstream Catholic Christianity) Christian sects existed in Europe for this entire period, most notably the Cathars. (They got their own crusade launched against them, the Albigensian Crusade of 1209--29 in southern France.) The lines between heresy and orthodoxy (small-o orthodoxy meaning in this case, confusingly, Catholic Christianity) could often be blurred, and religious practices were syncretic and constantly influenced each other. A big problem in the Albigensian Crusade was identifying who the heretics actually were; they looked like their Catholic neighbors, they lived in community with them, their friends and family members were Cathar and Catholic alike, both rites were practiced, and plenty of towns were just fine with this hybrid arrangement. Hence it was not as simple as just pointing and going “get those guys,” and indeed, one of the leaders of the Albigensian Crusade, when asked by a knight how to tell them apart, advocated to just kill them all and God would know who the good Catholics were. Welp.

Northern and eastern Europe also remained pagan relatively late into the medieval era (into the 10th and 11th centuries) and the Northern and Baltic Crusades were launched with the aim of converting them to Catholic Christianity. (You will notice that the crusades have a complicated history as both a vehicle of religious warfare and as an attempted theater of conversion.) Heresy was a constant preoccupation of the Catholic popes, especially Innocent III (the progenitor of the Fourth, Albigensian, and Fifth Crusades). Especially in the thirteenth century, splinter religious groups and localized sects of “heresy” were popping up like crazy, and it was a constant point of contention as to how to deal with them, i.e. by force, persuasion, reconciliation, dialogue, etc. No, the medieval Catholic church was not the stereotyped instrument of fear, oppression, and tyranny, and could never enforce its views universally on all of western Europe. Church attendance on the parish level could be so low that in 1215 at the Fourth Lateran Council, Innocent issued an order requiring Christians to take communion at least once a year. So yes. The standard was very far from “everyone believed Catholicism fervently at all times and if they didn’t, they were immediately punished/burned alive.” The idea of burning heretics at the stake wasn’t even introduced until the early fifteenth century, and even then, it required an often-months-long formal church trial and wasn’t just something that the local village priest could hand out on a whim.

There were also monastic orders, and these (at least in Western Europe) were therefore Catholic, but they had different ways of practicing it and what their orders emphasized. The most common order were Benedictines (founded in the 6th century by Saint Benedict), who adhered to the Rule of Saint Benedict, which is still the basis for the following monastic orders. There were also the Cluniacs (founded in 10th-century France at Cluny Abbey) and the Cistercians (founded as rivals to the Cluniacs at the end of the 11th century, also in France). In terms of the crusades, the Cistercians were by far the most involved with/zealously supportive of them (Bernard of Clairvaux was a Cistercian) and took part in directly financing, preaching, and launching the Second, Fourth, and Albigensian Crusades alike. The better-known monastic orders, the Franciscans and Dominicans, weren’t founded until the thirteenth century, on the tail end of the crusades, and didn’t take much direct part in them. The Dominican inquisition, however, took over the business of dealing with the Cathars after the Albigensian Crusade petered out, and their concern was often with heresy thereafter.

Anyway. This has gotten long, as per usual. But I hope this gives you some introductory sense of the religious landscape of medieval Europe, the divisions within Christianity, and the fact that it’s entirely accurate to use “Catholic” and “Christian” interchangeably when discussing Nicky’s crusades-era faith and counterparts. The crusaders themselves did not specify themselves as being Catholic, and the crusades were (at least initially) viewed as a pan-Christian movement, even if eventually fatal tensions with Orthodox Christians left a permanent scar. The idea of identifying the precise denomination of Christianity is also another Protestant Reformation-era innovation, and wasn’t, at least in this case, necessary to do.

[writerofthespiral]

Kane's Court Analysis #1 - Phule

Author’s Note: I don’t know if I’ll make this a full series or not, but I really just thought that the Armada court, and Phule by that extension, was interesting, especially read from a historical and psychological standpoint. Yes, I'm a nerd.

Word Count: 4,205

Tw: Mentions of Mental Illness

Kane’s Court Analysis - Phule

I. Introduction

A lot can be said about Kane’s court and the machines he built to achieve his grandiose ideas of a perfect world, but more can be said about the cogs in his system. Phule is a broken cog — one that stepped out of line, helped us, and saved the day. He’s someone to be cautious of, love, or fear. There's a certain complexity about him that, when put into perspective, adds a fresh layer to Phule.

II. Behind the Design

When talking about a character in any game, film, or media space, it’s important to tackle the significance of their design. Oftentimes, a person can tell a lot about someone from their looks, which is especially true for the Armada Elites. Phule, for example, is obviously based on a court jester, but it’s not all jokes and laughs.

The Meaning Of The Mask

When talking about Phule’s appearance — or any of the Armada Elite’s — it’s important to understand that they’re mainly based on the Venetian Carnival, the Commedia dell’Arte, and Greek theatre (with hints of Roman influence). Phule’s mask is based on four different masks: The Joker Mask, Comedy & Tragedy, the Pantalone Mask, and the Arlecchino Mask.

The most straight-forward element about Phule is the Jester Mask, seeing as he is a jester. Simply put, "The Joker or Jolly Venetian Masks depict the role of the Jester in the Italian Middle Ages...The Jesters... wore brightly colored clothing in a motley pattern and they were known for their incessant laughter" (Venetian Mask Company). The Jester Mask represents someone who is colorful and entertaining to his audience. It's a universally known mask meant to be taken at face value, just like Phule, until one looks at the other key components of his mask.

When looking at Phule, one sees the famous Comedy & Tragedy Mask associated with theatre and the extremes between euphoria and sorrow. But what most don't know is that the mask has a long, rich history associated with emotions and the human psyche. According to The Greek Designers, "The Comedy mask is known as Thalia, who in Greek mythology is the Muse of Comedy and Idyllic Poetry, portrayed as a happy, cheerful young woman crowned with ivy" (The Greek Designers). The Tragedy mask, in turn, is known as Melpomene, the Muse of Tragedy, who's depicted with the mask in one hand and a knife or club in the other.

The historical significance fails to stop there. "People often relate the masks to Dionysus originally. Dionysus is the Greek God of wine. The masks depict the happy and sad emotions that drinking wine can bring. They have also been linked to the Greek God Janus which is known as the two-faced god of beginnings. It is said Janus lent the name to the masks" (OnStage Blog). This detail is important, because Dionysus and Janus are both significant Gods. Commonly known as the God of wine and ecstasy, Dionysus was the God of madness. And as the God of madness, he was often a symbol of liberation and rebellion for the lower class and marginalized of Greek society — namely slaves. Then, there’s Janus, known as the two-faced Roman God, representing the transition between war and peace, and beginnings and endings.

In addition to this two-faced mask, Phule's mask has hints of the Pantalone Mask. The Pantalone Mask's features include: an exaggerated nose, cheekbones, eyebrows, and a mustache. The Pantalone Mask is the best-known Venetian Masks. It arose from the La Commedia dell’ Arte character, Pantalone, who was one of the most powerful characters. But, the mask itself was created before the Commedia dell’Arte theatre began to use it.

The character of Pantalone is described as “An old Venetian merchant, often very rich and highly esteemed by the nobility, Pantalone is originally known simply by his formal title, Magnifico. A self-made man, he has reached his wealth with ruthless tactics and keeps his money close to him" (The Venetian Mask). He is rich, greedy, lustful, and naïve. Pantalone is, “gullible enough for being taken advantage of from his “servant lovers” or male subordinates: servants, doctors, captains, whoever can get money out of him" (Roberto Delpiano).” His lust also leads to him being rejected by the women he pursues, making him an enemy of the youth.

Applying the Pantalone Mask to Phule, it’s easy to see why he and the Pirate — for the majority of the game — were enemies seeing as Pantalone is a natural enemy to the young. However, it also implies that he was taken advantage of by those around him and was a laughing stock. And, of course, his willingness to save himself and betray his father to save himself is 'selfish' in nature — more on that later.

The last mask, of course, is the Arlecchino Mask (which also inspires Phule's general get-up). More commonly known as the Harlequin Mask, the wearer serves a similar purpose to the Jester, which evolved over time. According to one article:

"As one of the lower ranking, lazier, and stupider servants, he [Arlecchino] is often abused by being yelled at or beaten (with slapstick stage combat) by his masters and others or never paid his wages. Yet he does have a certain luck and can be clever enough to grab hold of any seemingly fortunate situation that happens upon him. He might not think up a plan on his own but he can come up with some amazingly complicated and absurd explanations and rationalizations. Later period harlequins were more prone to become clever tricksters and rascally tramps while still often being foolish or stupid" (Commedia Dell'Arte).

On top of being a tragic figure for the entertainment of others, Arlecchino is said to have demonic origins. “One of the demons in the XXIst, XXIInd and XXIIIrd cantos of Dante’s Inferno is, indeed, called Alichino. The name itself seems to be related to the Old French word for “ghost”, i.e. hellequin, which, in turn, comes from the Germanic root for “hell”. Starting from Dante’s Inferno, this demon would therefore develop into a comic character" (CA’ MACANA). In a way, this gives one some insight into Phule not being a monster, but a tormented soul.

What It Means To Be A Court Jester

One can’t analyze Phule without talking about what he is — a court jester. But his role is no laughing matter. In fact, in a historical context, Kingisle did a decent job in portraying him.

To understand fools, it’s important to understand the three different types of fools: the innocent fool (or natural fool), the amateur fool, and the professional jester (or licensed fool). A natural fool was someone with physical or mental deformities that made it hard for them to receive employment as anything else. Typically, “wealthy or noble families also adopted men and women who had mental illnesses or physical deformities, keeping them almost as pets for their amusement or as an act of ‘Christian charity’”(History extra).

A licensed fool, on the other hand, could best be described as someone hired for their wits and talents, normally wearing regular clothes. Lastly, there were Amatuer fools — they usually wore the jester costume we’re associated with. In any case, “..those with physical deformities, such as extreme hunchback, malformed limbs, particularly ugly visages, etc. were prized, as were dwarves…” (TodayIFoundOut). Taking this into account, and the brazen nature of Valencia, it’s apparent Phule served as both a natural fool and a licensed fool, possibly serving as entertainment for King Casimir. But seeing as court jesters had duties other than entertainment, Phule served Kane very differently.

Although we didn’t see the entertainment-based responsibilities of Phule, we, as players, did see part of his militaristic responsibilities. That’s right — court jesters served important roles to their lord during times of war. In fact, they were political advisors. “Because they had no real fear of reprisal, jesters were able to speak their mind and offer advice when others may have feared to give it” (WeirdHistory). Kings and Queens would often go to them for advice on political matters and choices they’d made. On top of that, Court Jesters were expected to be the bearers of bad news for their lords, having to utilize their wit and comedy to tactfully deliver unsavory messages.

In addition to delivering messages to their lords, jesters would also deliver messages to their enemies during times of war. They were theoretically protected, but there were some that would shoot the messenger — from imprisonment to execution. In addition to their messenger duties, jesters would entertain the King’s troops during times of war to raise their morale.

On top of that, they were also masters of mental warfare as well. Some jesters would ride on the front lines, spewing insults at the enemy. They rode in front of troops to make sure the opponent could hear them. And while this may seem ridiculous, "...the idea was for the jester to provoke those enemies who had explosive tempers into breaking ranks and charging prematurely" (Weird History).

Phule did his job, and did it well, despite his apparent shortcomings. He got under our Pirate’s skin by claiming that he could hear our heartbeat, and lead his own squadron of soldiers. He’s just as threatening when we next see him captured in Fort Elena, albeit much friendlier. And of course, he still manages to affect the Pirate, though he has little time on screen, by causing us a few inconveniences.

He may not have been Spymaster, but he was effective in implanting fear and paranoia in his enemies. Take, for example, the Villa Trigante instance in which the Pirate is — presumably —betrayed and sent to the cellars by Don Giovanni. One of the resistance fighters we face, Beniccio Amati, is quick to say: "You're persistent. I'd expect no less... From Phule's spies…” (P101). And although we aren’t one of Phule’s spies, it makes one wonder: Just how many times has this happened?

In addition to his competence, we can presume Phule is powerful. He’s clearly akin to a Witchdoctor, but we don’t know much else about him. We have, however, seen the results of a battle with him. He cleared a path for the Pirate to enter The Machine, in which, there are plenty of Armada soldiers strewn about. It’s possible that his abilities manifested themselves similarly to Bishop’s use of electricity, that he had some mojo capabilities comparable to Kane (meaning that he could possibly teleport), or that he is wholly chaotic and mojo-based like the Player (if they're a Witchdoctor). If the latter is true, it plays into what Phule said about being destroyed due to being imperfect, especially since the Armada banned hoodoo within their sphere of influence. In any case, it is interesting to see how so much can be told from Phule’s character design alone, but there's still more to explore.

III. Character Analysis

Kingisle put a lot of thought into what type of character Phule would be. According to his Rouge’s Gallery video, Phule “seems to operate purely out of whimsy and caprice” (KI) and “speaks in two different voices, shifting back and forth between twin personalities who are as antagonistic toward each other as they are to any enemy…” (KI). Phule isn’t all there, but make no mistake: he is very capable of doing what he does. The video goes on further to elaborate “that Phule shifts allegiances faster and more often than any other court member”(Ki), which makes sense with how his relationship with the Pirate turns out — which will be touched on later — and gives the player a basic idea of who Phule is, though there is more to analyze.

Our Meetings With Phule

Besides a few outside sources, most of what we know about Phule comes from the three times we see him: Granchia, Fort Elina, and at The Machine (with the exception of the Villa Trigante Cellar), in which a lot more can be observed.

When we first meet Phule in the Granchia Catacombs, the Pirate sees him leading a small squadron of soldiers. It is here that we first meet the two sides of Phule (whom I will refer to as Comedy and Tragedy).

Comedy is a mix between welcoming, eccentric, and mischievous. In one breath he says “Don’t bother trying to hide, I can hear your heartbeat” (P101), yet he also claims to want to let us go. Furthermore, he calls the Pirate resourceful, saying that, “you’d be quite a thorn in the side of Deacon, Bishop, or Kane himself…” (P101). Meanwhile, it is Tragedy that orders his captains to attack us, calling for our surrender.

What's interesting about this first meeting, upon reflection, is that Comedy seems to think about helping us. I’m not suggesting that one side of Phule is ‘good’ and the other is ‘evil’, but that Tragedy seems more inclined to be protective of whatever is in Phule’s best interests. Comedy, on the other hand, is Phule’s desires. This may be why the two sides often disagree. One side thinks we’d be useful in his desired goals while the other does what needs to be done.

When the Pirate discovers Phule in Fort Elena, their interaction is short, but something to note: Phule slightly warms up to the Pirate. Tragedy is still hostile, but comes off as though he was attempting to keep up a facade. Comedy, of course, is the opposite, going so far as to ask us about why we weren’t in Cool Ranch messing with Deacon. In fact, Comedy gives us a well done, because “...[you’ve] become quite the thorn after all” (P101), then tells us to run along with our quest.

And then, there’s the final time we see Phule — right before the machine. Instead of arguing, both sides of Phule are working together for a common goal: to oppose Kane. Both sides of Phule were waiting for us at the machine, both of them told us Kane’s plan, and both agreed to give the Pirate the Key.

And why does he do this? Phule is able to recognize that he isn’t perfect as Kane would say, in his own words. As Comedy it’s, “I've grown fond of this world, and would hate to see it destroyed. I've also grown fond of you. But most of all? I'm just curious to see what will happen" (P101). And after Tragedy sends his regards to Kane, this is the last we see of Phule.

Another thing of note, is when Gazpaccio calls Phule a tormented soul, which begs the question: Does Kane see Phule in the same light he sees Gazpaccio? More than likely, yes, which may have influenced the way he treated the Clockwork. Another thing — how well Gazpaccio and Phule knew each other? Sadly, there’s not much to work with to answer this question.

In any case, these events reveal the type of person Phule is: part of him is chaotic and wants freedom, the other side of him is objective, if not spiteful. Together, the two sides of Phule make a being that is neither wholly good, nor bad, but certainly eccentric, which begs the question: What is Phule to us, the Pirate?

Friend Or Foe?

Although it’s safe to say that Phule is on friendly terms, he and the Pirate aren’t exactly friends. He did betray Kane, but had ulterior motives of his own. And while it appears he’s been contemplating his betrayal for some time, there have also been times when he’s antagonized the Pirate. We also know that he’s a jack-of-all-trades with experience in espionage, being a general, and an admiral. And referring back to the Rouge’s Gallery, “the most paranoid Valencian intriguers wonder if Phule’s antics aren’t just a clever act, hiding a method behind the madness” (KI).

The thing is, we may never truly know if we can or cannot trust Phule. While he may not be our friend per se, our goals aligned, and it's been established that Phule’s alliances don't often last long. He may laugh and revel in the failure of his fellow court members, but he isn't there to like us. In fact, we may serve as a form of entertainment to him, because Phule did watch us instead of fighting by our side (which he clearly showed himself capable of doing). But, it's unlikely he’s going to show up as a foe in the future, and it would be a surprise if that were the case. It’s more likely that Phule simply disappeared somewhere, and the player may never know what happened to him.

The State of Phule’s Mind

Before ending this section, it’s critical to talk about Phule in terms of his light and dark side. While in the game, he is described as eccentric or insane, it’s clear that Phule is mentally ill by our standards. And although it’s hard to judge him by human standards, due to the fact that he's a Clockwork, since Clockworks have shown their ability to showcase complex emotions, they can exhibit mental illnesses.

In Phule’s case, he likely has Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), but here are some important things to understand: you cannot be born with DID, an alter is not necessarily a different personality, and the portrayal of Phule is not wholly accurate. Again, Phule isn’t a human, though his backstory does somewhat align with the development of this disorder.

DID usually occurs in children who have undergone immense stress and trauma for long periods of time, and as a result, were not able to develop a unified sense of identity due to the weight of their memories. Due to this, they develop a system of alters in order to cope with day-to-day life. Similarly, Phule was created to be perfect by a narcissistic father who could never admit to being wrong, and as a result, his mind was ‘off', and he was written as 'insane'.

Phule also has two distinct alters: his light side (Comedy) and his dark side (Tragedy). Comedy is whimsical, friendly, and mischievous and may very well serve as the host, as he seems to front the most, talk the most, and has the most lines out of any of the events. While Tragedy may serve as either a protector, seeing himself as a beacon of logic and strength doing what needs to be done; or a prosecutor, who may have protective goals in an attempt to keep the system from reliving the trauma and abuse they’ve faced, but tend to be harmful and have a distorted view of reality.

In any case, understanding the two sides of Phule is essential to understanding him as a character. He is someone who’s been persecuted due to both his appearance and his mind, which he could not control, and it clearly has had an effect on him.

IV. Phule & Kane’s Court

In analyzing who Phule is as a character, it's just as important to ask why he is the way he is. It’s easy to see how he developed, but, due in part to a lack of backstory, the question of why is somewhat hazy. The player is given a few details in the form of implications about Phule, but also information that was info dumped that leaves behind more questions than answers.

What Was Phule’s Role In The Court

Cannonly, nobody really knows Phule’s role in the court. As said by the Rouge’s Gallery:

“He is neither general nor admiral, though he has captained Armada fleets and armies. He is no spymaster, yet he has performed espionage and been involved in the deepest of Bishop’s intrigues. He is the ultimate wild card, appearing in the most unlikely of places from the Great Halls of the Palaces of the Spiral to the humble backwaters of Skull Island” (KI).

As a character with multiple roles, Phule proves himself to be a valuable player and a jack of all trades. Due to this, one can assume that he would have been more sociable than the rest of the court, or at the very least close to it, due to the fact that it’s established that his allegiances are often fleeting. Though, it can be speculated that his strongest relationship may have been with either Bishop, seeing as he worked for him, or Deacon since both of them seemed to be the most active of Kane’s court.

In relation to the historical context within Pirate101, I could also possibly see Phule being a sort of voice of reason for members of Kane’s court — at least those who would listen. We know what Phule thinks of Kane, but have never actually seen Kane interact with Phule on screen, so the details are murky here. On top of speaking with Kane’s court, it’s possible that Phule entertained and advised King Casimir, in addition to Kane.

Aside from military duties, with how festive Phule is — in concept at least — he may have either planned out various events in Valencia, or at the very least been apart of them. After all, Phule is a court jester, and one of the fundamental jobs that comes with being a court jester is making other people laugh.

Phule’s Relationship With Kane

Another important part of who Phule is is his personal relationship with Kane. Kane is many things: a military genius, a diplomatic wonder, and effective in ruling with an iron fist, but he fails as a father — just as his father failed before him. Kane is a narcissist who expects everything he creates to be unquestionably perfect, which is why he looks at Phule with absolute scorn.

Phule is what he would, likely, consider a worthless child. He wasn’t born right in his eyes, yet Kane continues to use and depend on Phule for his missions. It’s likely that Kane wanted to keep Phule in place, as he did with his other court members, but Phule is the only elite who’s not based on a chess piece.

Phule is a wild card who knew he wouldn’t live up to Kane’s expectations, and he decided to save himself. And although this choice may seem selfish, it’s important to remember that many victims tend to stick around for various reasons — sometimes they aren’t mentally capable or able to leave. We, the player, have seen Phule express himself, and learn kindness. And although he may have hurt people in the past, he was willing to make up for it.

He decided to leave behind a father that never loved him, and never would love him or see him as an equal. He had every right to be scornful and bitter, maybe even take after Kane, but he broke free from the cycle and decided to help the Player because he maybe, genuinely, fell in love with the world that never loved him and all its flaws. That is the beauty of Phule’s character. He’s neither here, nor there, but he’s just as human as you or I — ignoring all the cogs, of course.

V. Conclusion

In terms of character design, personality, and backstory speculation, Phule is a great character despite the little screen time he got. He may be one of the strongest members of Kane’s court, is definitely one of the more mysterious ones, and is an interesting, tormented soul. Whether or not he’s friend or foe, Phule illuminates the environment around him.

Works Cited

CA’ MACANA. “The Arlecchino Mask: a Motley History.” The Best Venetian Carnival Masks in Venice: Ca' Macana, www.camacana.com/en-UK/the-arlecchino-mask.php.

Commedia Dell'Arte. “ARLECCHINO.” Mayhem, Madness, Masks and Mimes - Commedia Dell'Arte, mayhemmadnessmasksandmimes-commediadellarte.weebly.com/arlecchino.html#:~:text=Arlecchino's%20costume%20and%20mask%20are,Arte'%20Character%20Analysis%22).

“Drama Masks: Thalia + Melpomene.” The Greek Designers, 6 Nov. 2018, thegreekdesigners.com/2016/03/07/drama-masks-thalia-melpomene/.

“Jester (Jolly or Joker).” Masquerade Masks & Venetian Masks Company, www.italymask.co.nz/shop/Decorative+Masks/Jester+JollyJoker%3Fcat=01108.html#:~:text=The%20Joker%20or%20Jolly%20Venetian,known%20for%20their%20incessant%20laughter.

KingsIsle, director. Pirate101 Rogue's Gallery: Phule. YouTube, YouTube, 3 June 2015, www.youtube.com/watch?v=3VdwBDdeMYo&list=WL&index=69&ab_channel=KingsIsleEntertainment.

“Pantalone Mask.” Kartaruga, 7 Aug. 2017, kartaruga.com/mask/pantalone-the-magnificent/.

“Pantalone Masks.” THE VENETIAN MASKS, 21 Jan. 2021, www.thevenetianmasks.com/pantalone-masks/.

Staff, OnStage Blog. “The Origins of the Comedy and Tragedy Masks of Theatre.” OnStage Blog, OnStage Blog, 21 June 2020, www.onstageblog.com/editorials/comedy-and-tragedy-masks-of-theatre.

TodayIFoundOut, director. What Was It Actually Like to Be a Court Jester in Medieval Times? YouTube, YouTube, 31 Oct. 2019, www.youtube.com/watch?v=tkLZYEIslWM&ab_channel=TodayIFoundOut.

“Welcome to the Pirate101 Wiki.” Pirate101 Wiki :: The Largest and Most Accurate Pirate101 Wiki :: Featuring Guides, Companions, Quests, Pets, Bosses, Creatures, NPCs and Much More!, www.pirate101central.com/wiki/Pirate101_Wiki.

“What Life Was Really Like As A Medieval Jester.” YouTube, YouTube, 3 Apr. 2020, www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7F5ioUQLJc&ab_channel=WeirdHistory.

“What Was Life like for a Court Jester?” HistoryExtra, 26 Nov. 2020, www.historyextra.com/period/medieval/what-was-life-like-for-a-court-jester/.

www.delpiano.com, Roberto Delpiano -. “PANTALONE.” Pantalone | Pantalon De' Bisognosi | Grevembroch Watercolor | Traditional Mask of Venice Carnival, www.delpiano.com/carnival/html/pantalone.html.

[homestuckexamination]

Ideas for troll denizens part 4!

Hey, I’m back, I didn’t post this for a while because of a certain discouragement, not because of personal problems or something, maybe out of laziness? Well (I have to stop this excess of saying “well”) let’s start! >:D

You’re writing like several paragraphs of stuff here, I think “laziness” is the LAST thing people are gonna think of you. X3

Gamzee, Dionysus and Yaldabaoth: Time to talk about one of the most horrible characters in the Homestuck universe, and when I speak horrible, I mean in the sense of evil, not in the sense of being a “very bad character built”, they don’t hate me , OK? First contextualization. Dionysus is the god of the grape-harvest, winemaking and wine, of fertility, orchards and fruit, vegetation, insanity, ritual madness, religious ecstasy, festivity and theater in ancient Greek religion and myth (information taken from Wikipedia). Gamzee was a clown who drank substances with drug-like effects, leaving him as a harmless clown who wanted to make his friends happy and “relaxed”. He was also part of a “dark” cult of clowns who believed that their messiahs would one day arrive to take them to a paradise-like world, but as we all know, he had a moment of “explosion” and bla bla Horrorstuck bla bla pat pat. But the point I want to make is that Gamzee is not only related to DionySUS (sorry for the pun) only for the drug, party and religion parts (Although they are strong indications of a connection between the two) but he is also strongly related to theater, as one of their marks being the masks of tragedy and comedy, which were connected with keys that were able to give the ability of Caliborn and Gamzee to look at all Homestuck events and influence them, and stopping to think .. .Homestuck is a great theater! Each part of the story having the name “act” and with a curtain opening when an act begins, and with a curtain closing when an act ends (not to mention that each character’s speech is considered a script for a play of theater or a story). At this point you should already be aware of what I want to talk about the connection between these two characters, but I want to make one more point. The figure of Zeus is quite associated as a dimurgical figure, just like LE, and in ancient myths, Zeus ended up with a mortal, who ended up dying for reasons that I will not go into details, but as the fruit of the relationship was a god he is still alive, and Zeus draped him on his leg so that he did not die, being responsible for his second at birth. Gamzee after having his faith disrupted, as a refuge in a god that really exists, and became part of him, or rather, being absorbed, being part of him, and being born again. Well, but what does Yaldabaoth have to do with Gamzee? Well, in addition to Gamzee being a part of the great villain, or the Yaldabaoth figure of Homestuck, he also has gigantic strength, being capable of much more damage than Equius (who is known for his uncontrolled brute strength) But, as a person would say “having a powerful power without control is easy, but the most powerful is the one who has control over the powerful power”, and furthermore, he can be seen as a demonic and evil figure, being able to do countless atrocities with those around and … JESUS ​​CHRIST! This part already has more than 3000 thousand lines! I better go to the next one.

Eridan, Zeus and Miguel ?: Well, Eridan is a complicated case, so I will be brief. Zeus, is a big ass, like, of the big ones, In addition to having an ego that is only surpassed by the size of Mount Olympus, he is a professional “traitor”, he betrayed his wife, so many, and so many times, that half of history of Greek myths, was responsible for his penis. But well, let’s go to the connections with our troll soon with his hatred surpassed only by Cronus. Eridan has an inflated ego, I mean, that was supported by his extremely high position in society, but it still counts, he is also quite related to quadrants in general, and to sexuality in general (but … which hope player does not have a association with sexuality? Am I right or am I right?) Besides all that, something that blew my mind was seeing the myth of the “Greek flood”, is that Zeus was responsible for basically KILLING ALMOST ALL HUMANS FOR HE THINKING THAT PIGS, THAT DON’T LOVE THE GODS AND BLA BLA !!!!!! And Eridan, he would have done the same with the earth’s inhabitants if Vriska’s doomsday device hadn’t failed. Wow, so far I’m slaughtering Eridan and Zeus, but look, I don’t hate Eridan as a character, but as a person, and I’m sorry if I was too aggressive. But something you are asking yourself is “Miguel?”. Miguel is closely associated with Hope being an archangel, and he is described as a “very humble prince”, which would teach Eridan a lot on his journey and in his land.

Details: -Eridan was isolated on his land as Zeus was isolated on Mount Olympus a few times. -Eridan has a rivalry with Sollux, which as I said in post 2, has Hades as Denizen, which brings the rivalry between Zeus and Hades again.

Feferi and Persephone: Ah yes, we got to the top, let’s talk about Persephone and Feferi. In Greek mythology, Persephone, also called Kore or Kora, is the daughter of Zeus and Demeter. She became the queen of the underworld after her abduction by Hades, the god of the underworld, with the approval of her father, Zeus (information taken from Wikipedia). Feferi is a cheerful and practical troll, with a great plan to change every alternation and the lives of all people (but he can also be naive at times), he is also the tallest troll in all of society, being the future heir to Alternia, but is stuck with her huge lussus that needs high amounts of food to live. The parallels between these two are very clear, they are related to life, but like everything, not everything is so simple. Both have a family member who controls their lives (and who are coded with the life aspect), Feferi has “glubglub” and Persephone has his mother Demeter (the goddess of agriculture) who controls his life, barely giving him freedom, moreover, both have a lot of empathy, relating to the dead to such an extent, that Demeter was able to influence Hades to create the Elysian fields, and Feferi was able to make the Horrorterrors create the dream bubbles, places capable of making the dead rest in peace. . Another point to highlight is that Persephone had a loving relationship with Hades (the god of the underworld, related to the doom aspect) which I theorized would be Denizen de Sollux … and that concludes the posts.

Uh, it was a long journey, and I wanted to say I’m sorry if I was too aggressive or exaggerated in this post, but well, some must have noticed that I ended up leaving an irritated friend out of that post, but he will receive an exclusive post, have a Goodnight!

Good insight and thematic ties, but I will NEVER forgive you for DionySUS.

X3

Also just as a note, it’s curious I know a lot of this just from playing Hades-

[isthisfilmgay]

More book recs!

Apologies to the people who want movies and movies only, but I’ve been reading more than watching movies lately so I thought I’d share regardless. (Also reading is fun!)

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

Warnings/Notes: 😢 ☠ Summary: Achilles, "the best of all the Greeks," son of the cruel sea goddess Thetis and the legendary king Peleus, is strong, swift, and beautiful irresistible to all who meet him. Patroclus is an awkward young prince, exiled from his homeland after an act of shocking violence. Brought together by chance, they forge an inseparable bond, despite risking the gods' wrath. Recommend?: Yes Why: Everyone has probably heard of this one already, and as sad and tragic as the ending is, I personally think the softness and (very latent) growth that the characters undergo is beautiful. I think the empathy afforded to them and the entire situation of the Trojan War is really well done, and it offers us a better version of events that aren’t so violent against women for no reason (homer sux pass it on). If you’re into Greek mythology, Miller knows her stuff and this will be a fun, quick read.

Lie With Me by Philippe Besson

Warnings/Notes: 😢 ☠ 🏳️‍🌈 Summary: The award-winning, bestselling French novel by Philippe Besson about an affair between two teenage boys in 1984 France, translated with subtle beauty and haunting lyricism by the iconic and internationally acclaimed actress/writer Molly Ringwald. Recommend?: Yes Why: As much as I dislike tragic endings in gay books (in fact usually I rage about it bc it’s so boring and stupid) this one really got me. First of all it’s heavily implied by the author that the story is autobiographical, so it’s hard to get mad at a real series of events. Second, the tragedy is treated with deeper empathy than I’ve ever seen it. Even when the protagonists do things to hurt the other or make bad decisions, it’s so clear why they’re doing it, and all you feel is what they’re feeling. Short and well written. 

The Music of What Happens by Bill Konigsberg

Warnings/Notes: 👊🏼 🏳️‍🌈 Summary: Over the course of one summer, two boys will have to face their biggest fears and decide what they're willing to risk -- to get the thing they want the most. Recommend?: Yes Why: I was challenging myself to read more YA this year and I think I finished this book in a single sitting. I usually find a lot of queer YA problematic but this one was really good! It avoided a lot of romance tropes which I greatly appreciated. It breaks the mold of what you’d expect from these character archetypes and handles heavy issues like parental neglect/abuse and sexual assault with surprising empathy and also without a heaviness that would drag the narrative down. There were times the dialogue made me gag but it’s for kids and overall a fun read.

Lot by Bryan Washington

Warnings/Notes: 🚫🏳️‍🌈 Summary: Stories of a young man finding his place among family and community in Houston, from a powerful, emerging American voice. Recommend?: Sort of? Why: This is a collection of short stories surrounding characters in a particular neighborhood of Houston, with one character who is revisited every other chapter. The prose is solid and the voices are engaging, if not repetitive. I found it to be a little bit of a slog to get through considering how short it is, mostly because the characters never seem to grow and all have very similar perspectives. It’s all very ~vibey. However, a lot of people like vibey so if you do, then this is for you!

We Contain Multitudes by Sarah Henstra

Warnings/Notes: 👊🏼 🚫 Summary: Jonathan Hopkirk and Adam "Kurl" Kurlansky are partnered in English class, writing letters to one another in a weekly pen pal assignment. With each letter, the two begin to develop a friendship that eventually grows into love. But with homophobia, bullying, and devastating family secrets, Jonathan and Kurl struggle to overcome their conflicts and hold onto their relationship...and each other. Recommend?: No Why: This is one of those problematic YA books I talked about earlier. It’s a little on the longer side but I also read it in one sitting. To begin with, there’s a large-ish age difference between the main characters for seemingly no reason, pairing a 19-year-old with a 15 year old (which in high school is a large inequity). I found the voices a little unbearable and the epistolary format felt extremely contrived throughout. There’s a lot of completely unnecessary conflicts and leans in to unhealthy romance tropes rather than putting anything fresh on it. At times I flat out didn’t want the characters to get together because their whole dynamic was so unsettling. Also, the shoe-horned family drama side-plot was unengaging and forced. Also I think the author is straight so I’m not that surprised lmao. 

Sissy: A Coming-of-Gender Story by Jacob Tobia

Warnings/Notes: ⓣ 🚫 🏳️‍🌈 Summary:  A heart-wrenching, eye-opening, and giggle-inducing memoir about what it's like to grow up not sure if you're (a) a boy, (b) a girl, (c) something in between, or (d) all of the above. Recommend?: Yes (with conditions) Why: This book is a memoir written by a 27 (?) year-old, so that’s something to keep in mind. It’s fairly long considering how short of a time period is covered, but overall this book would be a great tool for young readers. The prose is written a lot like a twitter thread too, which younger audiences will find more palatable than I. You 'll probably be left with more questions than you started with if you’re a complete newbie to non-binary identities and trans people, but it’s a good place to start. 

Looking for Lorraine: The Radiant and Radical Life of Lorraine Hansberry by Imani Perry

Warnings/Notes: ☠ Summary:  Lorraine Hansberry, who died at thirty-four, was by all accounts a force of nature. Although best-known for her work A Raisin in the Sun, her short life was full of extraordinary experiences and achievements, and she had an unflinching commitment to social justice, which brought her under FBI surveillance when she was barely in her twenties. While her close friends and contemporaries, like James Baldwin and Nina Simone, have been rightly celebrated, her story has been diminished and relegated to one work—until now. Recommend?: No Why: To be honest, I couldn’t finish this book. It’s not long at all but it felt like it was written in another language, so, it reads very slow. Lorraine Hansberry herself is very interesting and I would love to read a biography about her, but not one that focuses just as much on the biographer as the subject. Also, if you don’t have an in-depth college-level knowledge of american literary history you’ll likely have a hard time keeping up with the cast of characters. 

Anyway that’s it! Happy queer reading!

[sad-goomy]

GladMoon Week Day 7

Endymionis somnum dormire

Summary: Gladion is fairly certain his life is becoming a Greek tragedy, but it's somehow so much more complicated than that, with a Classics minor, a recurring dream, and a new waitress. Read on Ao3

Moonflower Dreaming of love

“Why would you minor in Classics?”

Because I know what it’s like to have a dysfunctional family, Gladion thinks, but he has a feeling that’s not the answer his mother would be pleased with. He sighs on the phone, leaning back in his chair as he runs a hand down his face.

“Employers like well-rounded candidates.”

She tsks, and he’s on edge, but he knows that she usually drops the argument when he brings up his resumé. It’s the entire reason he’s had to go into business school. He thought that would be enough to satisfy her, but then she found a way to access his classes, and saw a few too many electives that she didn’t like, and now he has to speak to his mother for the first time in weeks.

He holds his breath a moment longer and then she mutters, “Just don’t let it distract you.”

“I won’t.”

There’s a pause, and Gladion debates if he should go ahead and wrap this up with a goodbye.

His mom hangs up on him without another word.

“Good talking to you, too,” he mumbles to the air, and places the phone back down on his dining room table, going back to the marketing plan he was working on.

At least she isn’t Medea.

Up the hill, the path he’s never seen but knows so well. The staff in his hand is worn, smoothed wood grain that crooks at the top. He pauses to smell the night breeze of salt and dirt, and looks out over the grassy hills, spotting his heard scattered amongst the hills.

And when he reaches the top and settles in his usual spot, she is above him, waiting for him as always. She smiles down from the clouds, soft and glowing, and long hair flowing from her until it melts into the stars.

Neither of them says it, but he knows what she is thinking all the same.

As surely as I rise, I love you.

“Same dream?”

Gladion blinks as he steps into the kitchen, still half-sleeping. Hau only waits expectantly for his answer, somehow up to his usual peppy self despite it being too early in the morning.

The half-full coffee pot explains that mystery.

As he takes a (mostly) clean mug out of the cabinet and helps himself to a generous pour, Gladion asks his roommate, “How can you tell?”

“You always have the same smile afterwards.”

The mug pauses halfway to the blonde's lips, because he didn’t even realize he was smiling. After the caffeine starts to hit him and he can think in more than disjointed phrases, he mumbles, “It’s been getting...fuzzier though.”

“Fuzzy?” Hau parrots, rinsing his mug in the sink and all too aware that he’s almost late to class.

“Less clear, almost like there are layers of static over it.”

“Huh.” They consider it for a moment, and then Hau’s cell-phone beeps to remind him that his lecture is starting soon and he grabs his bag, making his way towards the front door. “Wonder what made it change?”

Gladion shrugs, unsure himself – he's been having some version of that same dream on a weekly basis for almost a year now, and there isn’t anything off the top of his head that would cause it to go away. To be fair, he doesn’t even know why he started having it in the first place.

He manages to give Hau a wave before he steps out, leaving Gladion to think, to try and conjure the face of the woman in the dream.

He never can.

About a week later, he stops having the dream altogether.

It’s too soon to say if it’s gone completely, but it’s distracting nonetheless. He finds it hard to focus in the mythology class required for his minor, tapping his fingers absently against the keys instead of taking notes.

“Which brings us to the Lunar Goddesses.” The squeak of marker against whiteboard brings Gladion back to the classroom, watching as his professor writes out three names on the board. “Artemis, Hecate, and Selene.”

Looking down at his laptop, Gladion realizes his notes are a little too sparse, and chastises himself as he resumes typing. I’ll have to ask Ilima to share his notes.

The professor finishes writing, turning back to the lecture hall and continuing, “Although all three are associated with each other and the moon, only one is the actual personification of the moon: Selene.” He pauses, looking over the crowd of college students from his podium before he asks, “What do you know about her already?”

A few hands go up, and he calls on a girl in the third row. “She fell in love with – I forget his name, but he was a shepherd, I think, and he fell into eternal sleep, so she visited him every night.”

Nodding, the professor goes back to the board and writes down a fourth name, next to Selene. “Yes, she’s best known for her love of Endymion. As with all the myths that we’ve studied so far, there are several versions. Does anyone know one of the reasons why Endymion was put under eternal sleep?”

Those same hands go up, and Gladion listens and takes notes as they throw out theories, begin to tell stories.

Zeus allowed him to choose how he wanted to die.

He fell in love with Hera and begged for eternal sleep instead.

Selene sentenced him to it so she could watch him every night.

Their professor stops behind his podium once more, chewing on his cheek in thought for a moment. With a lopsided smile, he decides to ask, “How about we make our own version?” A murmur ripples through the students, and Gladion sinks further into his seat subconsciously. “Does anyone have an idea why he might have been put into an eternal sleep?”

Several moments of silence pass, and then a few students hesitantly raise their hands, barely high enough to count. With a scan of the room, the professor’s eyes land on Gladion.

He didn’t even realize he had raised his hand.

But he’s walked himself into this now, and he swallows his surprise, only to find an answer waiting right at the edge of his lips.

“Maybe he fell in love with the moon, and it’s the only way he could reach her.”

Gladion sees a few heads nod, and the professor seems happy enough, leaning back and nodding as he mutters to himself, “Now that’s interesting...”

Thankfully, he doesn’t ask any follow-up questions, instead collecting a few more answers, letting Gladion let out a sigh of relief, because he doesn’t know what else he would have to say.

I mean who would fall in love with the moon?

Lillie warns him that their mother is upset, but he can’t avoid the screaming match over the phone.

It’s two hours long, which isn’t the longest argument he’s had with his mother, but it’s the most vitriolic in a while. It doesn’t end so much as he feels himself losing his voice and hangs up before she can say something else that will set him off.

A soft knock at his door is followed by Hau’s voice. “You good, dude?”

Gladion checks the time – 11:30pm. “Yeah, I...” He lets out a deep breath, feeling some guilt take the harsh edges of fury off him. “Sorry about that.”

“Oh, no worries, it’s just, uh,” Hau falters, and even through the door Gladion can practically see him scratching the back of his neck, “Do you want to talk about it?”

It’s the same thing he’s offered since Gladion’s moved in, and doubly so after meeting Lillie and hearing the full extent of their home life. But it doesn’t make it any easier, and the thoughts are too messy, and so Gladion simply responds, “Maybe later.”

“Alright, uh, good night.”

The footsteps recede, and he waits until he hears Hau’s door close before grabbing his laptop and shoving it in his bag, deciding that he’s too worked up to even try to go to sleep.

It’s a quick walk down the street to his favorite diner.

Not that it’s a good diner, but it stays open 24 hours and the coffee is cheap.

The usual crowd of a Thursday night is there, which amounts to just about no one except another student and about three people having a meal before they work the graveyard shift.

He settles into his favorite booth in the corner, the red vinyl of the seat always peeling and not all that comfortable. With his laptop open, he decides to finish up an assignment for his accounting class before starting on the readings for his mythology course.

And just for the hell of it, maybe he’ll look at what the job market is like halfway across the globe (and as far from his family as he can get).

“What can I get you?”

It’s a voice he’s heard before, but he frowns when he looks up from his scream, because the face – from the freckles to the gray eyes – is entirely unfamiliar. Yet when he looks at her, his heart settles into a stronger, steadier rhythm, like some final piece has clicked in his life and the rest is history.

“You’re not Ruth.”

The young woman raises a brow, but there’s a secret in her smile. “No, I’m not.” 

She says her name, but it feels like she says seven, and they all slip out of his mind like silk. When he furrows his brows and tries to recall it, it only slips further from his mind.

“But you can call me Moon.”

His eyes widen, and he wonders how many coincidences he can chalk up in this moment. She’s still waiting for him to order, though, adjusting the apron of her uniform and watching him with a spark in her eyes that sends a wave of nostalgia washing over him.

“Just coffee.”

“Cream and sugar?”

Gladion shakes his head, and Moon smiles, nodding her head – her long black ponytail bobs with the movement. She turns on a heel, white sneakers squeaking against the cheap linoleum floor, and he goes back to his laptop, very nearly missing when she mumbles, “Be right back, Endymion.”

He freezes, sitting up and calling out, “Sorry, what?”

She stops, turning to him with a bemused expression, but he swears there’s a wink hiding in there somewhere. “Just said I’d be right back with your coffee.”

And he watches her walk behind the counter, humming a little tune as she brews a fresh pot, and leaving him to sit there in wonder, feeling remnants of that one dream beginning to stir in his mind and settling on the one phrase that always ended it.

As surely as I rise, I love you.

Maybe he’ll have to start coming here more often.

[goingknowherewastaken]

Meet Allie Bennet

► Allie Bennet was created for the Polyvore group In Love With A Celebrity. As the name suggests, she was made to be the fictional love interest of a real life celebrity (Who wants to guess who I picked for the celeb? ;) ). This set was created for her personal information which is listed below the cut. At the very end I am including the requirements that I needed to follow while creating the set. 

Enjoy!! ♥

| FULL NAME;

☾Allison “Allie” Bennet

| NICKNAMES;

☾Allie – basically everyone calls her that

☾ Allison – if the full name comes out, then she did something wrong

☾ Al – Byron is really the only person who can get away with calling her this

☾ Picks – a random nickname given to Allie by her friends due to her being a Picker

| GENDER;

☾ Cis Female

| FACECLAIM;

☾ Emma Watson

| DATE OF BIRTH;

☾ 5 / March / 1989

| AGE;

☾ 29

| NATIONALITY;

☾ American, British – She was born in America, but she and her family have dual citizenship.

| ORIGIN;

☾ Before Allie was born, her parents moved from England to America for her mom's job. While both her parents grew up in England, her father's side of the family has Greek traces and her mother's side has French traces. When she was growing up, she gained their accents and never really lost it.

| HOMETOWN;

☾ Portland, Oregon

| EDUCATION;

☾ Allie double-majored when she went to college. By the time she graduated, she had a bachelors degree for both History and Business.

| OCCUPATION;

☾ Allie is a picker and she co-owns a small shop with her brother. They drive around the country, stopping at places that have 'junk' on the property and buy some of that 'junk' to restore/sell in their shop. While both will go out to find items to buy and sell, she mainly stays behind and runs the shop since someone needs to be there and she has the business background.

| SEXUAL ORIENTATION;

☾ Demisexual Heterosexual

| FAMILY;

☾ Marylin Bennet – Mother – Marisa Tomei – 52

☾ Paul Bennet – Father – Nathan Fillian – 49

☾ Byron (Moore) Bennet – adopted brother – Tyler Hoechlin - 28

| FRIENDS;

☾ Byron (Moore) Bennet – brother/best friend/roommate/business partner – Tyler Hoechlin – 28

☾ Larissa “Lacy” Hanlin – childhood friend/roommate – Rose Leslie – 27

☾ Carrie “CC” Clark – college friend/roommate – Paulina Singer – 25

☾ Robert “Robbie” Martin – friend/part-time employee – Darren Criss – 26

| HOBBIES & INTERESTS;

☾ reading, traveling, collecting Breyer horses, restoring vintage items, baking, cooking, clothes/fashion, collecting salt & pepper shakers,

| LIKES;

☾ getting a good deal, seeing others get excited about history, cats, “Say Yes to the Dress”, traveling, donuts, meeting new people, “American Pickers”, people who are just pure little cinnamon rolls, french fries/chips, books and reading, “Expedition Unknown”, Breyer horses, restoring old items, shopping, England, road trips, those ridiculous tourist traps, “Mysteries at the Museum”,

| DISLIKES;

☾ when people make Pride & Prejudice references because of her name, customers who don't know how to listen, spiders, making a bad call on a pick, the song 'What's New Pussycat?' by Tom Jones, geese, flying, mushrooms, clowns, thunderstorms, people who take advantage of others,

| BIO;

☾  Allison Bennet was born March 5th, 1989, in Portland, Oregon to Marylin and Paul Bennet. It was a difficult pregnancy for Marylin, one that resulted in a hysterectomy, but she and her husband were blessed with a beautiful and healthy little girl. With being born in America and having a majority of her family living in England, Allie's parents worked to get dual citizenship to go between the two countries. It was no surprise then when she ended up with more of an English accent (that never actually faded). When she was 6, her parents took her to her first flea market. She fell in love with the place, begging her parents to bring her (and, eventually, her friend as well) to the markets as often as possible. The items were so cool to look at and the sellers were just as awesome to listen to.

Despite not having any siblings, Allie found a brother, and best friend, in the neighbor boy. Also an only child, Byron Moore attached himself to Allie and they became like two peas in a pod. Even though Byron was one year older, the two pretty much ignored each others classmates. They played with each other, protected each other, and helped each other out over the years. When she was eight, tragedy struck. While the Moore family was heading back one night from a trip to Seattle, their car was struck by a drunk driver. Byron was the only survivor, leaving the wreckage with several scrapes and bruises, a concussion, and permanent damage to his ears. Since he had no other family that could take him in (his grandmother was in a nursing home), the Bennet family brought him into their family and eventually officially adopted him. Allie and Byron became even closer as she helped him deal with the aftermath of the accident, spending hours learning ASL for when he didn't want to wear his hearing aids.

When Allie was 12, she gained a new friend. Allie had just entered the school with Byron when they were pulled into office and placed face-to-face with a small red-haired girl. From that second on, 12 year old Larissa Hanlin, former resident of Scotland, turned the dynamic duo into a troublesome trio. Even though it wasn't the same, it was comforting to Allie to hear Lacy's accent. It was also wonderful to have another female she could talk to. Byron was great, but there were some topics that were just plain weird to discuss with him. With Lacy, Allie discovered a love of fashion and makeup, as well as some cute boys as school.

At the age of 15, the trio was snooping around at the local flea market when Allie met the person who would forever change her life. The lady was a Picker – someone who travels around the countryside looking for places with a lot of junk - “rusty-gold” is what she called it – outside. With the landowner's permission, they then dig through the items and buy old pieces to then resell, and sometimes restore, to prospective clients. Road trips? Antiques? Meeting new people? It was the best thing that Allie had ever heard of! She immediately started making plans to have this future. She could picture it then, having long days of picking before heading back to a cute little shop to display her finds.

A few years later, with Byron having gone off to study mechanics a year prior, new graduates Allie and Lacy both became roommates for their college experience. As Lacy started acting classes, Allie decided to dual major in History and Business. If she wanted to have her dream of picking and owning a business, this is what she had to focus on. Her first year passed without a hitch and in her second year she met a guy who they've come to call D.B.. Attractive and charming, they had English together and D.B. wasted no time with his flirtatious comments. Allie, having no previous dating experience, was beyond flattered. After a few dates they came out with an official label on their relationship, but, since this was all new to her, she wanted to take it slow so she could get comfortable with the concept of dating. The first month was pure bliss for their budding relationship, but after that D.B. grew a little prickly towards her. It was another month before he finally admitted that he was irritated that their relationship hadn't advanced beyond a certain point. Allie was hurt. She didn't understand why he was so upset. They had agreed on the pace at the start of their relationship, yet, here he was, seemingly on the verge of dumping her. Sure she hadn't exactly told him the 'L' word yet, but Allie did care a lot for him. Since she didn't want to lose him, she thought 'why not?'. Weeeeeell, D.B dumped her two days later. Actually, dumped isn't really the right thing to call it. After two days of silence on his end, she more of saw him flirting and hitting on another girl on the campus quad. While Lacy consoled her with comfort food and Byron threatened to beat the guy to a pulp, Allie decided to swear off relationships for the time-being.

It was in her third year, while she was working at the local library, that Allie met Carrie Clark – a first year history whiz with big plans for teaching the newest generations. The two quickly hit it off with their love of history and soon Carrie joined their little squad. It was Carrie that introduced Allie to the second biggest revelation in her life. C.C. had been going on and on for days about this awesome new website she found called Tumblr. When Allie and Lacy couldn't stand her rambling anymore, they each made their own account. A few weeks later, an intriguing post popped up on Allie's dashboard late one night. It was about different sexual orientations and gender identities. Once section in particular caught her attention and the more research she did, the more Allie realized that she was Demisexual. Suddenly, the idea of dating wasn't so daunting anymore.

When graduation loomed on the horizon, the question of 'What to do after this?' came up more and more. For Allie it was easy – buy a roomy vehicle and hit the backroads of America. The only problem was where she was going to live. That was decided over pizza. Since none of the girls wanted to be separated and with Lacy searching for acting jobs, Los Angeles was perfect. They could find a house to rent together and it would offer each of them a chance for jobs.

It seemed like seconds had passed from the time Allie and Lacy had moved to when C.C. join them down in L.A. two years later. Allie had bought and sold enough items to be able to keep up with the picking lifestyle. Although, she hadn't gotten her storefront yet. An online store, yeah, but not her physical shop. Though that changed after three years in the bustling city. Allie mainly focused on non-machine antiques; things like toys, furniture, signs, and the like, but occasionally a vehicle caught her eye. That's when Byron would be called. When she was in the middle of Kansas, she found and bought an old, decrepit Harley-Davidson, Byron was summoned down to L.A. from Portland to see about it's restoration. Three days of talk ended with him quitting his mechanic job in Portland, moving into the group's little house, and becoming Allie's business partner. Together they bought a small storefront using the money they got from selling the old motorcycle (among other items) and set about stocking it with their finds. Allie, with her business degree, took over the shop and dealt with clients and customers while Byron took on the picking aspect and the mechanical restorations. Bennet-Moore Antiques officially opened for business when Allie was 25.

When she was 26, Robert Martin joined their merry troupe. Robbie, a local L.A. mechanic, had come into the shop to look at a bike they had for sale. After chatting with the siblings about their business, Robbie ended up becoming a part-time employee and full-time friend. When he wasn't working his own job, he helped Byron with restorations and learned the art of picking, a skill that Lacy and C.C. helped him develop as well.

Now 28, with a thriving store, a dream career, and great friends, Allie honestly doesn't know how her life could be any better.

♔ REQUIREMENTS ♔ 

[+] Include 2+ colored pictures of your OC’s faceclaim.

[+] Include 1+ black&white picture of your OC’s faceclaim.

[+] Include lyrics of a song that captures your OC’s personality and link the youtube link here:

If Then // General Ghost // https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_lEMsBlH5w

[+] Include 1+ speech bubble.

[+] Include a magazine article.

[+] Tag the members in the comments.

♔ BONUS REQUIREMENTS ♔

[+] Include an outfit your OC would wear.

[+] Include a featured item.

[+] Make your set square.

[+] Include a filler of a person.

♔ DESCRIPTION ♔

↳ All of the OC information listed above

Tagging (using my All taglist and a few others): @red-shirts-always-die4444 @captainsbabysitter-blog @loststarlight @southernbellestatues @jiminthestreets-bonesinthesheets @doctorginsberg @kjs-s @feelmyroarrrr @yallneedtrek @haveyouseenmymind @reading-in-moonlight @annathewitch 

*previously made with Polyvore (account : popularculture) and currently posted on shoplook. I don’t own the images used to make the set and it was made for entertainment purposes

[musicallisto]

Bonjour Belle✨, Can I know more about your ES MC with the MC ask game? ✨

Thanks for asking! I love talking about my OCs until I annoy the heck out of people ^^

#01. Name? Any nickname? Taylor Hera Montgomery-McKenzie, although she doesn’t know she has a middle name. It isn’t written on any of the paperwork involving her since her birth, adding to the mysteries surrounding her. Hera, in addition to being a mythological figure, of course, is also said to derive from the Greek ‘ηρως (heros) “hero, warrior”; ‘ωρα (hora) “period of time"; or ‘αιρεω (haireo) “to be chosen”. Those three ideas combined pretty much sum up her personality and fate.

#02. Birthday? As her file says, she was born on January 1st on La Huerta.

#03. What’s their family like? She has lost all rememberance of her family. It started bothering her more and more as time passed on the island. When she got on that plane, she clearly remembered her parents, her father’s kind smile and her mother’s warm eyes, her little brother’s cheerful enthusiasm, but the more time she spent on La Huerta, the less she thought about them and the more those colors and laughs started to blur as though the island was having some tricky effect on her mind - or perhaps it was revealing the true nature of what she deeply considered as her memories and her history. She has only confessed those doubts to Jake during their honeymoon, but brushed it off lightly, not wanting to kill the mood between her husband and her, and aware he could do nothing about it.

#04. Relationship status? She is handfasted to Jake McKenzie, which can be considered as a marriage despite not being one in the Western norm.

#05. Top 3 songs?

3. Enrique Iglesias - Bailando2. Amaral - Alerta1. Muse - Unintended

She’s definitely one for what people would consider “guilty pleasure music”. She loves all genres, but has always had a soft spot for reggaeton and hispanophonic music in general, whether it be from South America or Spain. Spanish is a language that she’s always felt drawn to, maybe because of its warm and sensual sound. Alerta is a song she finds utterly beautiful, despite not understanding any of the lyrics at first. If you hear her humming a tune, that’s probably the “ale ale, ale ale alerta”s from the chorus. And Unintended… Unintended reminds her of her adolescence, when she went through her rock phase like almost every 90′s kid - the thing she’s never quite gotten out of it, and fell utterly in love with this band and this particular song when she was fifteen. It reminds her of her relationship with Jake every time she listens to it and always manages to soothe her.

#06. Fave book? Taylor is one for mystery, thriller and science-fiction. She’s in love with Agatha Christie’s books, always been, so it’s clear that her favorite book of all time is Ten Little Niggers, a novel that is so different from everything she’s ever read before. The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux is a very close second though. She didn’t think she would like it that much when she first picked it up, usually not that interested in romance nor historical fiction, but it became her number two through the years thanks to the deep, complex personalities of the characters and the mystery surrounding the phantom.

#07. Fave movie? Although the Phantom of the Opera adaptation from 2001 holds a special place in her heart because of how much she adored the book, her favorite movie is Silence of the Lambs.

#08. Fave show? She’s never watched a lot of TV-shows, but if she had to choose one, it would be Black Mirror, which she never finished because of her life-changing trip.

#09. Hobbies? Swimming. She’s a very strong swimmer, it’s her favorite sport and what she’s always done when she needs to get her mind off of things a little bit. She’s never participated in any competitions though. She also used to practise horse-riding when she was little, but stopped when she entered middle school.

#10. What Perfect Match type would they be? She is the Leader. She has that little something that makes all people instantly confide in her and trust her to make the best decisions and guide them through the storms. She’s most comfortable when in command.

#11. Biggest guilty pleasure? As I mentioned before, it’s all about Latino music! She doesn’t personally consider it a guilty pleasure, just songs that are often played at parties and nowhere else, but she loves to have a little Gente de Zona dance party on her own. She’s a terrible dancer, but that doesn’t stop her from enjoying it, right?

#12. Deepest darkest secret? Apart from being the Endless, she doesn’t remember anything very huge, and her life as she remembers it has always been pretty uneventful and calm. Nobody knows that she has stolen money from some of her classmates in high school when she was in very tough times. It’s not something she’s proud of, and wouldn’t really mind if that shameful memory turned out to be a scam.

#13. Fave childhood memory? She remembers when she went to Disney World in Florida with her parents and her brother - she must have been six or seven, and insisted on going on every. single. ride. much to her parents’ dismay, they were dragged by her brother and her all around the park, but that’s still Taylor’s most prized memory.

#14. Sweet or savoury? Savory, and if possible, spicy.

#15. Hogwarts house? She is a Gryffindor through and through!

#16. Fave food? Argentinan parrilla! More commonly known as grill, but Argentinan parrilla sounds better to her, and Argentinan steak is definitely the best of all.

#17. Fave drink? She doesn’t like sodas, so she would stick to water or lemonade most of the time, but she is also a great mojito fan.

#18. Most treasured possession? A quartz necklace her mother offered her when she turned eighteen, something that has passed through her family for generations and generations. She doesn’t know if everything in her past is false, but at least the necklace isn’t, securely resting on her neck.

#19. Their goals for the future? She wants to escape this hell of an island, spend a few years away from everything by the shore with her husband while helping him clear his name and attending college to finally graduate - then find a stable career and maybe have kids.

#20. Dog-lover or cat-lover? She’s a dog lover! Dogs are better than anything or anyone in her opinion. She doesn’t necessarily hate cats, but she does dislike their tendency to be very independent and snobbish at times.

#21. Early bird or night owl? She’s a night owl. She has no trouble being awake past midnight, but is unable to wake up before seven in the morning. Ever. E v e r.

#22. How do they relax after a bad day? She takes a bath, a long, hot shower or goes swimming in the pool. As I said before, she’s literally a fish in the water and that’s her element.

#23. What do they see as their biggest flaw? She’s aware of her tendency to be quite bossy. Accostumed to being the leader of her group of friends or in school projects, the respected older sister, and with lenient parents, it’s understandable that she would develop the tendency to think that she’s in the position to give orders to anyone. When meeting other strong, commanding personalities like Sean, it was obvious it would clash at first.

#24. And their greatest strength? On the other hand, she is cold-blooded and knows how not to lose her temper when facing a dangerous situation. She knows a lot about survival and feels at ease with responsibilities.

#25. Tragedy strikes! How do they handle a crisis? At first, she shuts everyone off, isolates herself and tries to think about it on her own, but not for long or she’s bound to go crazy or do something stupid. Most of the time, she tries not to show the effect it has on her, but it’s sometimes difficult to hide her feelings from people she’s with all the time.

#26. Coffee shop order? I’m not sure she really likes coffee, or at least, if she can avoid drinking it, she will. She often orders a hot chocolate instead.

#27. It’s Friday night and they’re home alone, what do they get up to? Probably go clubbing with friends or throw a party at her place! She loves music, she loves dancing, she loves being surrounded by people, so it’s the best alternative to concile those three things.

#28. Fave pizza toppings? There’s this pizza that has BBQ sauce, lardons and mushrooms… it’s her ultimate favorite.

#29. What would their superhero name be? Harley Quinn. She’s always liked the tortuous comics character and her complex relationship with the Joker, and their partner in crime-like dynamic reminds her of her complicity with her friends and especially with Jake - besides, Joker was the first nickname she gave him.

#30. What would their ideal day look like? Something adventurous, ourdoors, something out of the ordinary, a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Something like paragliding over the bay, or one of her biggest dreams: swimming in the open sea with marine animals.

#31. What did they want to be when they grew up? Has it changed? Believe it or not, when she was little, she wanted to be a firefighter. She’s always been attracted to the idea of helping other people and being in the heat of the action. After she grew up, she abandoned that idea and thought about becoming a doctor. She doesn’t mind what field, she’s sure about the fact that she wants to save people, whatever the cost is.

#32. Do they believe in ghosts? I mean, after being repeatedly saved by one, it’s a little hard not to. But even after La Huerta, a part of her always believed in them.

#33. Do they like amusement parks? oh YES she adores them and would spend DAYS in there if she could.

#34. How many pillows do they sleep with? Three. She likes to be comfortable when she’s sleeping and bury her face in the soft fabric.

#35. What song always gets them dancing? Bailando by Enrique Iglesias. No matter the context, she will always try a few flamenco moves (and fail).

#36. Fave boardgame? Mafia! She’s the one who proposes a game of Mafia at literally every party ever and therefore kills the mood with her childishness lol

#37. If they play Monopoly, what token are they? The ship. To blow up her enemies better, she says.

#38. What does their laugh sound like? High-pitched, a little airy and always with her infamous flirtatious notes.

#39. Describe their aesthetic. Dancing until four in the morning, summer nights and their infinity of stars, tipsily walking down the streets in the unholy hours of the morning, neon lights, cocktail umbrellas by the beach.

#40. Do they exercise? Yeah, she loves running and as I mentioned before, swimming, so she does both on a daily basis. She’s quite athletic, but absolutely not gracious or flexible. So forget everything about dancing or gymnastics.

#41. Fears? Waking up before seven a.m., essentially. Also, she’s terrified ogf being alone, she cannot stand solitude. And she’s never told anyone about her phobia of bugs. Especially wasps. Those creatures deserve hell. She will lose her mind if a wasp is around and try to find the closest source of water to avoid it. They’re the worst for her, and she’s already had panic attacks when being bothered by a wasp when she was little.

#42. Proudest achievement? Surviving La Huerta is already a good one, but apart from that, running 500m in 1′31 minutes when she was eighteen. She hasn’t been able to beat that record ever since, and it’s safe to stay she will never do it again… unless she’s chased down by a horde of zombies.

#43. Fave type of weather? Sunny! She hates the cold and can’t stand foggy weather.

#44. Fave animal? I can see her really liking small monkeys, malicious and clever, but her favorite animal of all of them is the tiger. There’s something so majestic and venerable about them.

#45. Do they like fairytales? She loved them as a kid, but they remained in her childhood. Let’s say she doesn’t care about them that much.

#46. Describe them in 3 words. Fierce piña colada. That’s it. That’s Taylor.

#47. Biggest pet peeve? Slow walkers. she’s always moving, jumping, hyperactive, she has to have space to move.

#48. Hobbies? Swimming, dancing, running - she used to take some guitar lessons when she was younger, but basically only remembers how to play the intro riff of Come As You Are and it’s a very, very painful process.

#49. Extrovert or introvert? Extrovert! That doesn’t mean she can’t be shy in some situations, but she feels more at ease when she’s around a large group of people.

#50. Random headcanon She’s never been to a music festival, nor a concert for that matter. She promised herself she would go one summer to Reading Festival or Coachella with Diego, but never got the chance to do it. It’s one of her biggest regrets when she’s stuck on La Huerta.

MC questionnaire!

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To be a black empowerment in this country stop making excuses evil place on earth my wife both estoppel is an Omega so we had a good quality black candidate for 2024 in Wyatt is going to be wild is glory while between importance to us by support people to support both do is wait becoming so big barbecue and apologized and was supposed to be fine with we are having more morbidity for our sales and dignity for focus on the last word both you know my rights back is not the so stand tall on your ancestors your children and the life and alignment in the things that will be there and have some. For two all for you guys who with your brother I did yes he is my twin brother identical when we were identical we were born identity I don’t know 18 we started to divert a little bit that’s it a young box I think of when you need to maybe go there now is a really do not look identical but yes you okay saying I yeah if had a people you know they don’t like it that’s that youand your brother with Sammy Sammy yeah that your brother took full advantage of having yes I did what we were bad bad bad boy mom in the audio for you are out in certain situations I keep going okay I went by he was having trouble at school is about to UCLA yesterday I went to UCLAand he was the Greek studies is one of his degreesand is having trouble passing was actually not going to graduate I was coming back from actingand he said listen my teachers offered me the points that I will need to graduate I just have to deliver a Greek monologue from the Greek found what are the chances that you know a Greek tragedy is 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[archivesdiveronarpg]

Congratulations, CASPER! You’ve been accepted for the role of EDGAR. Admin Bree: I was beyond excited to finally see an app for our beloved Everett, but by the time I finished your application, Casper, I was ecstatic. I knew you were right for the role when you wrote that he is “kind in a way that is almost cruel,” and the rest of your submission, from the interview to the sample, lived up to my every expectation and more. He’s a golden boy, yes, but gold only refrains from tarnishing when it’s pure, and you’ve shown that despite what he may believe, he’s far from it. Well done! Please read over the checklist and send in your blog within 24 hours. 

                                                                                 WELCOME TO THE MOB.

Out of Character

Alias | Casper.

Age | 22.

Preferred Pronouns | She/her.

Activity Level | Around a 6 on a number scale, I’m currently in school and will be taking classes in the summer. That being said, I will definitely make time every day to try and get something out.

Timezone | CST.

Current/Past RP Accounts | http://alastairofdivinecruelty.tumblr.com/ Here is Alastair’s account from Legion. :)

In Character

Character | Edgar. Everett Jairus Craven.

Edgar; Parts meaning wealth and fortune (ead), though interestingly enough, spear (gar). He was fortuitous to be a legitimate son, his father’s golden boy, and there is an edge to his kindness should it require one. In essence, he is the golden lance of Verona.

Everett; Composed of parts that equate to “strength of a wild boar”, Everett is resilient and level-headed through any given turbulence. Not necessarily a wild beast by any means, he is still capable of a greater strength than he might be given credit for and his tamed nature could very well be a facade at any given moment.

Jairus; Greek form of Jair, meaning “he shines”. As if to really hammer home the idea that he’s golden and without any noticeable flaw, Everett has taken well to being a giant golden peacock of the Capulets. A peacock with excellent manners and an even better trigger finger, when compelled to use it.

Craven; To him it is a legacy and a purpose, though others would seem him as cowardly for not openly engaging in war whenever the need to might arise. It is also a mask. If they think him a coward, then the warrior will surprise them. There’s more reason for him being Captain than his father’s name.

What drew you to this character? | He actually was a character that grew on me over time as I’ve been looking between a handful of them fot a couple weeks! He’s not the sort of character that I typically write, as I lean more towards the outwardly menacing and unrestrained characters. But there’s something about Everett that I really enjoyed, particularly this line in the biography: “Call him haughty, call him prideful, call him arrogant, but sin—true sin, the kind that wreaks havoc on the soul and taints the mind—is a poor man’s endeavor, and Everett Craven is anything but.” That part stuck with me for days before I took to writing an app, because a man with all the arrogance that the world will allow him just cannot be bothered by sin or negativity in terms of his character and that’s honestly fascinating. Everett sees himself as someone to be gilded in the annals of Verona’s history and his family name, but gilded things tend to flake over time. That part of Everett would be interesting to flesh out, the cracks in the gold that might show through a smile too tight or a word too stressed.

He is kind in a way that is almost cruel, like a poison that’s administered through simple greetings and small talk that isn’t even noticed until the very end. And even then, he has done no wrong and will never see himself as having done a wrong. Everett feels that he’s Aristotle’s golden mean. Not to mention his entire relationship with Easton, who he does legitimately care for after everything’s said and done. There is absolutely a love there between them, as incredibly one-sided as it is. I don’t mean to say that he doesn’t give a damn about anyone, as he clearly does care with the example of Catherine in his connections. He just…cares for himself a little bit more than he does others. Arrogance and ambition rarely make room for family or hell, even friends, and Everett’s complete ambivalence is incredible. The character in King Lear isn’t outlined sharply, but is rather a blur of a human being. The one here wears a smile and will shake your hand. He’s a gentle Patrick Bateman-esque character with outward appearances being everything and the very careful concealment of any extreme emotion. (Maybe even some Henry Winters from The Secret History.) That leads to stress and we all know that continued stress will lead to a fracture, so I’m curious and would be absolutely thrilled to write that out over time. Which Everett would come out after that?

What is a future plot idea you have in mind for the character? |

Ignis Aurum Probat: Fire tests gold. I honestly want to see Everett well and truly stressed the hell out. As a captain of the Capulets, he is the very image of elegance in combat and duress, but I would like for something or someone to push him to a limit that could very well be his or hell, even theirs, breaking point. A man of strategy and keeping himself a handful of steps before everyone he has ever had to face, brought to a moment where he isn’t allowed to simply stop and think…I think that would make for something explosive that Verona isn’t particularly ready for.

Astra inclinant, sed non obligant: The stars incline us, they do not bind us. The Cain and Abel tragedy waiting to happen in dear Verona. In the steps of his father, Everett should hate and loathe Easton, yet he chooses not to follow the path that has been set before him. He retains and cherishes the one-sided familial love that started from childhood. He is the master of his own fate, in most regards, but is absolutely driven by the need for approval above all. Everett is thirsty for his father’s posthumous approval, but when it comes to Easton and his father’s utter disdain for him, Everett falters. In terms of love as Everett understands it, Easton comes second to himself and in a situation where their blood feud comes to a head, would Everett act on his father’s wishes/his own pride and violently disavow his little brother? He believes that he very well would, as what he has earned is rightfully his by will and birthright alone. And yet…Easton is family and family is family.

Deus Vult: God wills it. For years, Gabriel Craven was God in the eyes of Everett. Everything was (and arguably still is) done to appease him so that the golden son might bask in the glow of his father’s approval. Wherever it may be. But God is dead and the Craven name is left to Everett. It would be easy to become Gabriel. After all, Everett was made in his image, but Gabriel was not a merciful god of the household and the violence of his father was something that Everett did not approve of though he never raised his voice against it. Especially when it comes to Easton. (He chooses not to see the irony of this when he washes blood from his gloves.) The struggle of wanting his father’s approval and to become a worthy bearer of the Craven name is a constant. In that struggle, Everett has lost some of himself as he pours himself into the mold of his father. I think it would be interesting for Everett to have a come to Jesus moment where the human Everett, who loves his brother and feels for others, reconciles with the warm-blooded machine that that the Capulets call Captain. And who he used to call father. What would it take for Everett to revoke his father?

In Depth

What is your favorite place in Verona? |

“My father’s home, of course,” Everett answered with a swirl of his drink. His cigar, perched in its holder, smoldered and went untouched. “Although The Tempest is as entertaining as its drinks are delicious, I prefer to find my peace of mind at home. You understand, yes?”

His father’s home. He would never say as much and he often fought against the truth of the thought, but it was moreso that he tended to the home rather than lived in it. In fact, he had changed very little in the home after his father’s passing. Same structure, same memories. Clean knife marks stacked atop jagged ones that marked the growth of the Craven boys on the door that led into his mother’s kitchen. A quiet truth was that he loved his home.

“I could show you the garden, if you’d like,” he said as he adjusted his posture to remove the lean from his spine. His eyes glanced down to make note of the coaster before he set his glass down. No rings on the wood, boy. His face shifted into a warm smile, eyes crinkled and lip quirked at the corner. A genuine one. “You might notice that it’s… rather unkempt compared to the rest of the house, but I prefer it that way.”

What does your typical day look like?

Everett hummed low in his throat as he pondered the question, though he did not pause the slow pouring of his guest’s drink. Something akin to a gentle chuckle rose from him when he looked at his guest from the corner of his eye. The drink was served and he returned to the heavy desk, a gift from the Capulet’s South African connections, that kept him at a certain distance.

“My day,” he said aloud to himself. “My day. Well, do you want the long or the short of it? My mornings are busier than my evenings as that’s when I do all my soul-searching. Something rather cleansing about a dawn, don’t you think?”

He smiled into his drink, pleased with himself.

“I spend my day with the others, doing whatever it is that you think I might do as their captain,” he waved his hand as he continued before he folded them together. “And my evenings are spent entertaining company or wherever duty calls.”

He said the words almost apologetically, as though his answer did a disservice to the question. It was very much the opposite, Everett mused. His smile invited with a sharpness that lingered just beneath taut skin.

“I can be rather predictable, I’m afraid.”

What are your thoughts on the war between the Capulets and the Montagues?

“It certainly keeps me busy, that’s for certain,” he said with a faint laugh. He gestured toward the paperwork on his desk to make a point of his statement. The Craven man waited, curious if his guest would make a move. “Tempting, isn’t it?”

There was no threat in his tone as he sat down and filed the weapon’s trade paperwork away under lock and key. If anything, his composure softened. If they acted under his roof, they were subject to his terms and conditions, but he wasn’t concerned in the slightest. He had always been a good host. Hospitium above all else. No one would be harmed under his watchful eye. Never again, he thought invasively. He took a swig of his drink and let out a tired sigh.

“War is a temptation in itself, I believe, and it invites further temptation,” he said matter-of-factly and heavily. “Something about it calls to everyone. Power.” Easton. “Money.” Cosimo. “Blood.” Himself. “Isn’t that the holy trinity of reasons to raise your weapons?”

For a moment, Everett allowed his face to crease. Furrowed brow, slight frown, and eyes downcast. His cigar continued its slow path to an ashy death. It would be a lie to say that he detested the war and he couldn’t entertain the idea of being a conscientious objector of all things. Cosimo’s war was his war and it was a righteous one, after all. It was the war he had sworn his life to.

“It will continue on and end as all wars do,” Everett said as he raised his head. His complacent smile returned and the golden son shimmered once more. “And I’ll have the paperwork to prove it.”

In-Character Para Sample:

Everett met the sun in the morning and invited the light into his home by throwing the curtains back from every window. (All save for the one in his father’s old study.) He didn’t flourish in the dark like copper-leaves. There were no remnants of the night before in the dining room or in the study and his hands ached with the memory of scrubbing away the perspiration ring that Tiberius had left behind. At the time, Everett hadn’t minded and he wasn’t one to make a fuss of something so small when they were meant to be celebrating as fellow captains. A job well done, as always. He had enjoyed himself to say the least, but the tiger of a man always left such a damned mess behind.

That reminded Everett. Paperwork, as all unholy things did, carved out a certain portion of his life out and he hadn’t had the time to tend to his beloved pastime. His breakfast of plain oats with a gluttonous teaspoon of sugar was consumed quickly as the thought of the mess in the backyard hurried him through every motion of the morning. The Craven man was mindful to feed the birds when he finally stepped outside and they were grateful to him for it. It did well to feed the meek and less fortunate before tending to one’s own affairs, Everett found. In only a few matters, however.

Luckily, his worried mind had painted a worse picture than the one reality assured. There were weeds, yes, but they could be torn out easily enough. Somehow, annoyingly enough, purple toothwort had woven themselves all through his oleanders like a spilled cabernet sauvignon. Why they were drawn to such poison, he didn’t know nor care, and they were razed all the same. Even through his woeful mistreatment, the kaleidoscope of his aquilegia blossomed beautifully and the weeds were barely noticeable through the blossoms of blue, white, and violet. He could always count on those to bloom in spite of.

Underneath the hanging corner of his home on the eastern edge, not too far from the main garden but far enough that it often went overlooked, was where he kept the copperleaf bushes. There, more so than anywhere else, weeds and the parasites they invited often made a nasty home. When he had first planted the seeds, he knew what to expect and he was patient them. Their home wasn’t in Italy (nor his home, it seemed) and they needed constant maintenance, the woman at the florist had reminded him, but she was awfully quick to assure Everett of his capabilities when he simply smiled and thanked her. The check must have changed her tune or the carefully written signature.

“Cazzo!”

Everett restrained from tossing aside his shears as it would be unseemly. He frowned instead and apologized for the slip of his tongue. A larger portion than what he was truly comfortable with was dead by the time he cleared away the uninvited and he loathed to do away with even the smallest section. Yet, he reminded himself that he had taken it upon himself and to get frustrated would unwind the months he had spent doctoring the slightest hiccup in every leaf. A small sigh passed through the eldest Craven’s lips as he sat back on his heels. At the end of the day, he reasoned, they would simply wither away in the shadows and it wasn’t within his power to bring back what was dead. All he could do was plant another and keep a better mind about it.

“There you are, much better.”

The poison had been cut away with care and he patted the smooth, clean earth next to the remaining copper-leaves. A loving gesture if anything. As right as the florist had been, he would never admit flaw in his gardening as long as he breathed. Not when everything else under his hand flourished.

Extras:

Here’s a pinterest board - https://www.pinterest.com/abinconvenienti/vincit-qui-se-vincit-edgar/

Some Songs -

The entirety of the song could really sum up his relationship with Easton, but this part in particular of Coheed and Cambria’s ‘Domino the Destitute’: “This disaster binds us absolute/A thousand lies/You tell yourself/That no one ever loved you right/Ooh, but I would do anything for you/The question fits the question mark/Your signals crossed, your message lost.”

This might sound super cheesy, but Fleetwood Mac’s ‘Landslide’ is kind of the song I have for Everett’s rose-tinted glasses view of his father but also him gradually growing out of it: “Well, I’ve been afraid of changing/‘Cause I’ve built my life around you/But time made you bolder/Even children get older/And I’m getting older too.”

Crystal Castle’s ‘Deicide’ is how I imagine Everett’s kindness outside of his immediate social circle although, it still could very well be applicable given that it’s more a weapon than an outpouring of his soul more often than not: “Their kindness is charade/It’s used to sedate/They remain unashamed/If you are being used/You should remain confused/To keep them amused”.

Finally, an instrumental, but it’s John Murphy’s Sunshine (Adagio in D Minor). It has hopeful notes to it and considering the context, Everett is an Icarus that has flown or at least been lifted incredibly high. He just hasn’t burned yet and there’s a rather abrupt end to the song.

And a couple of quotes to top it off!:

“[HE] IS AN EVER-LIVING REALITY, A SUN AFLAME WITHIN ME, A SUN THAT WILL NEVER SUFFER ECLIPSE.” - Paul Verlaine (Everett about himself lmao.)

“YOU ARE A THEATRE OF HOLLOWNESS.” - Kim Hyesoon

“WE CANNOT WAIT / FOR ANGELS. WE’LL BE OUR OWN GODS NOW.” - Nancy Reddy

“THE WORLD IS CHANGED BECAUSE YOU ARE MADE OF IVORY AND GOLD. THE CURVE OF YOUR LIPS REWRITE HISTORY.” - Oscar Wilde

Hope this is alright, sorry for any errors, and thank you for reading! :)