#(she may not know much Norse but she is very observant)
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Widening her dark eyes at Hiccup, Stranger tilted her head at him dumbfounded. It was one thing to be invited to stay temporarily after they had been found, the idea of them leaving on their own still in their heads even if they had sort of been...dragging their feet on that idea. But it was another for the leader of this place to offer them some sense of permanence, to make something that belonged to them where they lived. "You do that for us...?"
It would certainly make things easier and safer for them in the future. They weren't sure what winters were like above ground, but they knew enough to know that it was cold and they likely wouldn't survive otherwise. There were plenty of dragons here that didn't survive in the cold normally, so the humans likely had a way of protecting them and keeping them safe in the winter where dragons would otherwise struggle to.
And whether they decided to leave or not, shelter from storms especially in the coming winter would help them. They didn't exactly have certainty elsewhere and if they wanted to know how things actually worked up here - mostly Stranger, though she could tell that her brothers were just as curious as she was, at this point - then staying would likely be in their best interests...at least for now. "That would be...nice. Safer when it is warm. Day is warmer than night. Lets us hide better when it warmer." It wasn't just their coloration, it was also the quality of their scales and the effectiveness of their cloaking that was affected by the time of day.
But how to explain that to Hiccup...
Spying a stray plank of wood in a nearby barrel, Stranger grabbed a hold of it that was dryer than the stick she was using to draw in the mud and tapped on Sunchaser's shoulder, Seabreak already arguing with a flock of Terrible Terrors about a fish he had staked a claim on and Streak watching carefully from a nearby rooftop from above. Sunchaser wanted to stick close to Toothless in case something changed that required his immediate attention - like his sister asking him to light a fire.
Obliging, lighting the end of it for her, Stranger trilled affectionately towards him as she then turned back to Hiccup. The hand that was holding the plank was tucked back into the sleeve to protect her hand from accidentally burning and she was holding it underneath her other sleeve, the flames warping the quality of her dragonskin wrappings until they shimmered into a perfect mirror sheen. "Scales can get really hot and not hurt us. When sun is out, day is warm, so we can hide longer." Pulling the flame away from her sleeve, it took a decent few moments for the mirror shine to wear off, the skin translucent once more. She carefully watched for Hiccup's reactions to see what he thought of this little adaptation of theirs, curious to see the thoughts that would flicker across his verdant gaze. "Night is cold, so is harder to stay hot. So, we can't hide as good at night when cold."
To demonstrate this, she heated up her sleeve again and then once it warped to its reflective quality, she then dipped it in the closest barrel of water and pulled it out quickly, the scales of her dragonskin changing back much faster than before when she allowed it to wear off gradually. "Scales get really hot, but not good at staying warm. If too cold...it get really hard to be warm and stay warm. W-winter can be really bad. Not safe for us. Mothermouth never too cold, so...never had to be scared of winter, before."
With a lopsided grin, he nodded, "Yes, exactly! Humans certainly do that!" It was a good way to look at it, though he preferred people weren't like that. Unfortunately, it was inevitable.
Hiccup's brows furrowed slightly as she cringed, but any worries he had were quickly put to ease. "Oh! Don't worry too much about that."
When dragons first started living on Berk, there were quite a few surprises in store for both them and the humans. Eventually, all got used to the others presence, but it took some time.
Though, that brought up an idea...
"Hey, would you like a shelter built in the cove? For future storms? A, a place that will stay warm in the coming winter?"
Shrugging, he answered, "Oh, mostly in the day. But we've taken our fair share of flights at night as well. I suppose you and the others prefer to fly in the daytime, you can certainly blend in better than at night..."
#dragonmasterhiccup#rp thread#hiccup horrendous haddock iii#(she may not know much Norse but she is very observant)#(white reflects all wavelengths of light and doesn't get as hot as quickly)#(being heat resistant due to being white or even just pale is a double-edged sword)#(great for staying cool but not great for staying warm)#(since black absorbs all wavelengths of light and converts it to heat)#(it would have the opposite effect)#(which is probably why it took more than just plasma for toothless to be able to cloak himself)#(since his natural colour is already absorbing heat regularly he would need a higher temperature point to achieve the same effect)#(apologies in advance i am very much a science nerd xD)#httyd ocs#httyd rp#httyd#rp#{Stranger}#{Sunchaser}#{Seabreak}#{Streak}
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Intro post!
Heyos everyone, I'm Cally (she/her), and this is a dump/blog (?) of my writings, two cents, possibly memes and my feral fandom and sapphic side here.
So here are my namecards:
Fandoms (current/used to be in there/knows a bit and vibing):
80% of the MCU but mostly in Agatha All Along and Loki, PJO, MCGA, Iron Widow, Good Omens, Sandman, Wicked, Wednesday, ATLA, TLOK, One Punch Man, Haikyuu, Demon Slayer, Violet Evergarden, think that's it-
If Shakespearean and Austenian stuffs are counted as fandoms, there's Hamlet, Macbeth, Measure for Measure, Merchant of Venice, and Pride and Prejudice
Special interests
Writing a whole range of stuff 😈
Lots of character building (if I'm drunk I may or may not dump some of my OCs here)
Neurodivergence because I love learning stuff on ADHD and autism and neurospicy ppl 🙂↕️
Literature, but for now I mostly studied Shakespeare and Austen, but I have read a bit of Kafka and Poe and even Ocean Vuong so yes
Pre-Raphaelite and classical paintings because YouTube shorts have me entranced-
Mythology, and I'm somewhat biased to Norse myths but I'm still learning about Classics in Greek plays (screeches in Ne Zha movies after a while)
Horoscopes and personality typings (MBTI/enneagram) once in a while
Anything metaphysical and magical, a bit of witchcraft like tarots (though I don't practice), or even religion
Stuff I write
More poems than short stories because they're easier to write, and stuff like contrapuntal poems/twin cinemas 😈
A few of my poems are also inspired by vivid styles of those like Plath and even Ocean Vuong sometimes so yay
Lots of character building that's inspired by stuff I read and watch and even by existing myths and religion
Short stories and even flash fiction
Snippets of things in play format even though I'm not much of a playwright
A bit of Shakespearean English if I can 🔥
In terms of genre I gravitate to fantasy mainly, if I'm very pissed I can whip out some horror fantasy, but majority of the times it's more of cozy fantasy bordering on magical realism, and I've done slice-of-life settings as well as satire and a bit of sci-fi
My poems tend to be more romantic but that's not my main alley
Currently trying to write a lot more gay stuff because bi-
I also write about what I observe from news outlets and videos from Palestine and I write Pro-Palestinian poems as a form of advocacy, while also shining the light once in a while on others who are suffering like Lebanon and Ukraine and Sudan etc
I also have a few poems that express struggles and everyday life of mentally ill people whether we know it or not as a form of raising awareness as well
And yes of course I will write fanpoetry here (cough Agathario-)
Writers I pray to for guidance because they're too good and national treasures
Jane Austen, Elizabeth Jennings, Ocean Vuong, Xiran Jay Zhao, Shakespeare, Jac Schaeffer, Sylvia Plath, Franz Kafka (obviously not in order)
Current/recently finished books
Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao, The White Book by Han Kang, Nightly Sky with Exist Wounds by Ocean Vuong, Emma by Jane Austen, The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
Current listens on loop
Bardcore/dramatic violin renditions of Running Up That Hill, Runaway by Aurora, Me and the Devil by Soap and Skin, Viva La Vida Nightcore songs, Defying Gravity from Wicked (it's the only song from Wicked I listen to don't kill me 😅)
TRIGGER WARNING TAGS
Will sometimes write stuff that are emotionally and mentally triggering like su*c*de and implied SA even though I never experienced these before, but I will be careful in not being too explicit, as well as gory violence because horror fantasy, nonetheless there will be relevant TWs put when necessary and please feedback politely if you find a piece of writing that's genuinely triggering but I didn't realise
I will also likely write horny and erotic things here so uh get ready I guess
If you are someone who is a hypocrite or do not subscribe to my values of being Pro-Palestinian, in solidarity with the neurodivergent, LGBTQIA+ communities and racial minorities and you're an evil or brainwashed hater or defender of moral plagues in the world or subscribe to AI taking over the jobs of artists, you won't just get blocked you will face a wrath from me that will make the circles of hell a paltry playground, mark my words-
Socials
IG: sh_ttysoliloquy
Substack: studiesinsoliloquys
Also because I like the word soliloquy and now I'm basing my platforms on this because it's a decent word
Personality labels (and miscellaneous)
INFP, enneagram 4 (sx/not sure sp or so), Pisces Sun and Scorpio Moon, loves the number 7 and 12 and somehow likes the High Priestess tarot card best and the Perthro rune best because Hearthstone from MCGA
Final words before strapping you guys to the rollercoaster
I'm super forgetful because object impermanence so expect inconsistency but also expect some feral shit here
Bad grammar even though I speak English more than my mother tongue
Being super good in sarcasm while sometimes taking things too literally is a thing but I'll try to remember to do tone tags like /s or /lh when I can
I reblog too many things
Yeah I think that's it sillysoliloquyshits signing off~
(cue the screaming as you bolt backwards into the void)
Donation links docs:
This is a compiled list of Palestinians fundraisers from both IG and Tumblr, along with Operation Olive Branch's spreadsheet of links (all vetted from there) and Xiran Jay Zhao's LINKTREE that has links to various donations campaigns not just for Palestinians.
I'll keep adding families if they are vetted or approach me so please open this document and help those families who's names are bolded or underlined as well because they tend to have the least funds!
#intro post#introduction#writing#writeblr#marvel mcu#agatha all along#loki#magnus chase#percy jackson#good omens#the sandman#avatar the last airbender#wednesday addams#pro palestine#lgbtqia+#lgbtq community#neurodiversity#neurodivergence#mental health#im bad at tags#im bad at tumblr#despite being here with two accounts you dont have to know
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I love your nanobomb hcs so much they need more recognition!!!!😤😤 Do you happen to have anymore? Maybe a bit of angst?
I WAS SO SCARED PEOPLE WOULDN'T LIKE MY HEADCANONS IF I ADDED THE ANGSTY ONES OMG THANK YOU
✨Angsty nanobomb✨
This one is a fanfic though, Idk what name to give
This fanfic takes place soon after Clove's arrival to the VP
My native language is not English so I used Google translator for lots of words, therefore, they might be incredibly misused (also, I can't put sentences on their proper order)
I will also post this on AO3, profile is yukasyukas, I'm still thinking about the title
Tayane had just came back from a mission in Icebox. The Brazilian had always had a hard time in missions there, mostly because of the weather, going from tropical country weather to cold, snowy was NOT easy, she had almost died while trying to get the omega Deadlock, who, according to her, had the weather advantage. Now she just wanted to take a warm bath and cuddle with her lovely girlfriend under the blankets, possibly while watching a movie and eating some snacks.
The girlfriend, though, had other plans.
When the duelist looked for Killjoy at the sentinels section, Chamber informed her that she was at the lab fixing something on her lockdown. She, then, proceeded to look in the engineering lab, where she found the German.
“Not now, Raze, maybe later?���
“There's nothing wrong with the lockdown, it was working perfectly the last time you used it”
“I know, but it can be better” the girl didn't look at the other's face while saying so
“Can't you do this tomorrow? I really missed you during the mission, poxa” (Brazilian slang for disappointment, discontent)
“Not now, Raze, I’ll go see you when I finish this, I promise”
“There’s nothing to finish if it's working fine!”
“Can you two please stop shouting? I'm working with a very delicate gadget right now” Raze hadn't noticed Deadlock until the woman talked. She seemed stressed
“Sorry, Iselin. Raze, can you please wait? I’ll talk to you, I promise” asked Killjoy finally looking at Raze
“Hm, sure” mumbled
“Thank you”
And with that, not really wanting to get the alpha Deadlock angry as well as the omega, Raze left and went to the duelist section. Maybe they’d want to watch a movie? Sunwoo would probably be down for it.
On the next day Tayane looked for Klara at the canteen. Nothing. ‘Maybe she's still sleeping?’ she thought to herself.
“Bom dia, Tayane” (good morning, Tayane) greeted a deep voice with a Norse accent from the nearest table
“Erik, hi” responded her as she sat down beside him “Kirra”
“Did something happen? You seem worried, mate” asked the second.
“Have you seen Klara? She doesn't want to talk to me since… well, since I left for mission three days ago”
“No, not at all, and I’ve been awake since 4 am, have you checked the sentinels section?”
“Not yet, I was expecting to see her here”
“Honestly, it seems like she's avoiding you. Hella toxic”
“I’m not breaking up just because she's stressed, Breach”
“I was just making an observation”
“Did anything happen that may have got her angry?” Asked Skye
After thinking for a while, Raze responded “We argued before I left… You know, all that Kingdom stuff. A friend of mine in Brazil said they've been trying to get access to Salvador again since I left and I was asking if KJ could do something about that… Do you think I went too far?”
“Honestly, kingdom has to go to hell, as well as all their workers”
“Breach, shut up” retorted both the women
“But he isn't completely wrong though, Kingdom has done damage in so many areas” continued Kirra
“I know, but talking about it with Klara, who's in such a high position there… She might've felt attacked? I mean, I was kinda attacking her. But I wasn't wrong.”
“I don't know, maybe you should ask someone closer to her, Cypher or Neon maybe?”
“Yeah, sure, thanks” thanked her as she got up
After talking to Neon, Cypher and Chamber, they confirmed Tayane's thoughts. Klara was angry and offended by what the other said.
“Do you want me to talk to her?” Offered Tala
“No, I'm good. I'm gonna talk to her later… as soon as I figure out where she is”
“Maybe on the lab?”
“Nope. Already checked there when I talked to Cypher”
“Well, then I don't know… the sentinels’ section maybe?”
“Still looking for KJ?” Asked Jett, who was on the couch right next to them
“She said she'd talk to me today, is she too mad?”
“Look…” a pause “I don't know”
“Wow, Sunwoo, very helpful” picked Neon
“At least I'm trying to help!”
“I'm gonna try the sentinels' section” sighted Raze “Hopefully she won't be able to dodge me if there's more people there”
The sentinels' section was on the other side of the floor, which meant Raze would have to walk all the way across the living room, where Killjoy and KAY/O were talking about some projects.
“It would indeed be ‘cool’, but it doesn't make my style, Killjoy, I'm sorry”
“Oh, c’mon, some fire could make you so much stronger! You could easily beat the shit out of Phoenix”
They didn't seem to have noticed the duelist arriving.
“Killjoy, can I talk to you?” asked Raze as she approached
The other ignored.
“Klara, can I talk to you?” Asked again
KAY/O was awkwardly looking at both while Raze tried to get Klara's attention
“I mean, sure you can take him on a fight but-”
“KLARA BÖHRINGER, CAN YOU PLEASE LISTEN TO ME?” shouted Tayane for everyone in the room to hear
“Jeez, there's no need to scream, Alves” complained Killjoy as she finally looked at Raze “I'm right beside you”
“Oh, really? It didn't seem like it a few moments ago. Why am I only relevant if I'm being loud? If I'm drawing attention to you?”
“That's not true Raze, you know you're always-”
“Then why have you been ignoring me?!” spitted her
“I haven't” replied her carefully choosing her words
At this moment, Raze was consumed by anger.
“WHAT DO YOU MEAN, ‘I HAVEN'T’? I tried to talk to you before I went out to the mission four days ago, I tried again yesterday and you barely even looked at my face.” She spat “Why is it? Are you angry with what I said about Kingdom? Are you so arrogant you can't realize the damage they’ve done even conviving with people who are miserable because of them?!”
Killjoy was crying. Raze had never talked like that to her, she had never even shouted at her. They did argue, and a lot, in the past, but never to the point where Raze visibly showed her rage.
“Oh, crying are we?” Continued her “Why? Because your family was killed for Kingdom's interests? Because your sister is dying because of your work? Huh? Why?”
“Raze, I'm sorry!” She cried “I didn't… I don't…”
“Seriously, Klara, breaking down over things that don't affect you at all? Why just now? Why not five years ago, when Amir’s family all died? Why not when Kingdom took over Ryo’s home neighborhood and made all locals’ lives miserable? You had all the time in the world to cry, why only now?” at this point, Killjoy was begging Raze to listen to her “I'm gonna tell you why; you're not crying because you have sympathy for them, you're crying because I'm angry at you, because you fear you’ll lose someone you love. You ignored me for days after I told you some things that were true and now you think you deserve pardon for being careless about people's lives”
“Raze, I’m sorry, I didn't know any of that happened when it happened, I-”
“But you don't want to do anything to stop that from happening again either!”
“It's my job, Raze! I can't just turn my back from myself”
“Then die, Böhringer, die!” Shouted Raze as she slapped Killjoy’s face.
And with that, the woman walked back to the duelist section.
#nanobomb fanfic#nanobomb#raze x killjoy#killjoy valorant#raze valorant#angsty#angst with a sad ending#valorant#lesbians#kingdom angst#idk what else#nanobomb angst
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so i had an absolutely horrible (and by horrible i mean upsetting) idea today for my thw fic in regards to skuld the sorceress and im kinda torn on whether or not to do it because i dont know if i want her to be quite as evil as this would make her
so for context: skuld is a sham sorceress who tricks people into thinking she has powers, etc etc. at the point she's at in my plot, i want her to be very good at making her intelligence look like magic - so her "prophecies" will be very astute observation wrapped up in confusing language with some smoke and a trance like state for pizzazz. her "curses" might be psychological manipulation or a stealthy poisoning disguised behind mystical words. she's very willing to pull out the bells and whistles because it makes people more likely to believe her. ultimately she's an advisor but because she doesnt come from a powerful family or anything like that, she needs an in to get people to listen to her - thus, magic
i was thinking about the idea of having one of her divination practices involving haruspicy (divination through examining the entrails of a sacrificed animal) - although im not sure if her character would get her hands dirty with something like that (need to reread the comics for chracterization)...she might have someone do it for her and then observe (ok actually yes i like this)
BUT i was also thinking it would be particularly dark if the animals she were sacrificing were dragons - probably smaller and more common ones on a more regular basis (sorry, terrible terrors ) and then bigger or rarer ones before important battles
i havent made up my mind yet because i dont know if i want her to be quite this cruel , especially considering that she doesnt even believe in her own powers, so all of it is really just for show, or what she might think is a necessary evil to maintain her position of power
i also dont know how much value drago (who she's advising) would put into magic. he might have been skeptical at first but then got on board when he saw that she was right more often than not? im thinking she's spinning it as doing the will of the the gods (whose gods? uh...good question because idk what religious beliefs drago's culture may have...just...gods in general for now) maybe shes convinced him that some of the more powerful the norse gods support him and he finds some of them to be analogous to his own) abhoring the idea of humans and dragons being equals (uhh something about dragons being forces of chaos that upset order, say theyre the spawn of nidhogg or something and is dragos destiny to subdue them etc etc) and at first he's like yeah i can get behind that as a general idea - and then over time he takes the more mystical elements seriously because she's convincing
alright i think i do want to go with the order vs chaos prophecy angle. still figuring out the dragon sacrifice though
#skuld the sorceress#thw rewrite#httyd 3 rewrite#the more i plan drago and skuld the more theyre becoming stannis and melissandre#drago/skuld#skuld/drago
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agoddessinherownright:
“I know i am the one who’s a strange place, far form my home. and yet, you are the one who seems to be lost.” Sigyn said, speaking English to him, though she held a heavy northern accent. She was a norse goddess, wandering the midgardian world. she was heartbroken in sorrow at the ragnarok in her home asgard, her husband in so much agony he shook the earth ; she feeling the earth vibrate as she is pouring out the poison from skadi's snake. midgard could feel the vibrations too, she placing her soothing hands on the earth. “Why?”

“WELL, I…” This stranger was observant, to say the very least, or was it truly obvious? Did his expression or body language indicate such? “I am torn between two gods, my lady…Of Christ and Óðinn.” As he looks to the shaft of light in the window. “May I ask why you are far from home?”
She says, she wants to see what midgard is like, saying she was Sigyn. She is healing the rift of much war.
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Dark Road Upperclassmen Daemons!
It seems natural that I make Daemons for the Upperclassmen as well, so here they are!
I think I only struggled with two of these- Helgi and Sigrun; since both don’t get a lot of lines or screen time, and when they do, it seems they’re mostly telling plot details. Vidar and Vala came to me naturally, and surprisingly, so did Vali. Hoder was a no-brainer giver her connections to the Norse mythos.
Instead of the usual line-up I do, I thought I’d do something a little fancier and give them all a little circle background based on their primary colours. I was going to add more detail, but felt it cluttered the images too much.
Out of all of these, Sigrun was the most fun to draw; I don’t know why, but I had a lot of fun. It may be unsurprising, but Hoder was the hardest to draw; I’m not sure what it is about her, or her brother- but those two are just difficult for me to draw properly. But I did my best, and I think she turned out well.
Images include their name, their Daemons name and species if you don’t want to risk spoilers.
Keep Reading for more info, and some spoilers for Dark Road.
Vidar
Settled: Grey Heron Daemon Name: Geirr Looks: A mostly grey bird with shimmering black and blue wing feathers and a white head tapering to a stripe along her neck. She has yellow feet and a yellow beak.
A focused Daemon who always reminds Vidar to stay on track of their goals, whether it be personal or academic.
Symbology: Vidar seems to be very precise and to-the-point when talking to Vor, much like how herons need to be precise when hunting fish. Not to mention some species of heron lure fish; much like how Vidar lured Vor to join him. Geirr is the Norse word for ‘Spear’.
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Vala
Settled: Snowy owl Daemon Name: Frode. Looks: An almost completely white owl with black star-like shapes on his back.
Always taking things into consideration, Frode is one to think about things and put them into perspective before making a decision on anything.
Symbology: Vala’s named is based on the Norse word for ‘witch’ or ‘seer’- Volva. Owls are often associated with wisdom as well as sorcery and magic due to their elusiveness and large eyes. Frode means ‘Wise’ or ‘Learned’ one.
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Vali
Settled: Cape Genet Daemon Name: Alfhild Looks: A dusty-yellow genet with deep black spots and piercing icy-blue eyes.
No one has really heard Alfhild talk- except of course Vali themselves. They’re an observant Daemon who likes to watch rather than take action, but is often the first to move when danger is abound.
Symbology: Vali gets a single sentence in the entirety of the game, so it was hard to pinpoint something for them; so I gave them a sneaky, arboreal mammal, since they always jump down from the ceiling, as well as them having the entire Ninja get-up. In a Norse legend, a woman named Alfhild disguised herself as a warrior to escape an arranged marriage.
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Heimdall
Settled: white-tailed Eagle Daemon Name: Modgud Looks: A large dark bird with a shining white tail.
Not one to judge quickly, Modgud is a Daemon who likes to think first before taking action, as well as make sure she has all her facts in order first.
Symbology: In Norse myth, Heimdall keeps watch for invaders and watch for signs of Ragnarok. He was also noted to have exceptional eyesight and hearing, which is why I chose an Eagle for him; as Eagles have some of the best eyes in the animal kingdom. The name Modgug is a Latinised translation of a Jotun who stood on the bridge of Hel and made sure the dead souls passed through while letting no living thing pass.
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Sigrun
Settled: Mute Swan Daemon Name: Hothbrod
Looks: A large white bird with black feet and an orange beak.
A sweet Daemon, he means well most of the time, but can be a bit over-bearing.
Symbology: I had a lot of trouble with Sigrun. In North myth, she’s both an instigator for a battle, as well as being reborn as a Valkyrie. I can’t find much on her apart from that tale, although sometimes it has an alternate ending where she is killed in the guise of a swan, so I simply took that and ran with it; as even if that ending is not true; Swans are both feminine-looking and very much an aggressive animal. Hothbrod is the Latinised translation of the Man Sigrun was arranged to marry before running off with Helgi.
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Helgi
Settled: European boar Daemon Name: Svava Looks: A large mostly brown pig with no visible tusks. she has an unusually blonde tail.
A headstrong Daemon who acts first before thinking, and hates waiting when she could be doing.
Symbology: Helgi was the one I had the most trouble with, because there are two Helgis in Norse myth(Hundingsbane and Hjorvathsson); both are related as well, so I don’t know which Helgi this character refers to. Helgi in-game also doesn’t have a lot of lines either, but seems to be strong-headed and overly-confident, which is why I chose a boar. Svava is the Valkyrie who gave Helgi his name in Norse myth.
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Hoder
Settled: Inland taipan Daemon Name: Tyr
Looks: A white snake with a dark head. he has gold flecks in the shape of mistletoe leaves that zigzag across the length of his body.
A Daemon who has a strong moral compass that never wavers from what he thinks is right. If he sees something wrong, he will convince Hoder to set it right.
Symbology: In Norse myth, Loki was bound to a rock forever to be tortured by a snake dripping venom onto him. Since the roles are reversed in Dark Road, and it's Baldr who killed the classmen, and Hoder wanting to kill him to get rid of the Darkness within his heart, I thought it was apt to give her a snake Daemon. The inland taipan is the most venomous snake in the world although there have not been any reported deaths from taipan since the invention of its antivenom, and Tyr was a Norse God of battle and justice.
#Kingdom Hearts#KH#Kingdom Hearts Dark Road#KHDR#His Dark Materials#HDM#The Golden Compass#Daemon AU#Goldenchocobo's Art
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Learning how to use the runes with Caster Cu (FGO)
I spent 6 hrs writing the most shamelessly self-indulgent headcanons ever Here, Caster will teach the FGO master the basics of the runes. Follow the master as they learn a bit about their origins, face rigorous testing, make their own set of runes; and use them for the very first time!
*Disclaimer: These headcanons will focus on the use of the Elder Futhark runes. (In fgo, they use both elder and younger futhark) As I’ve only been researching the Nordic runes for around 9 months, please take these headcanons with a pinch of salt! (also, fgo master will be gender neutral! Please enjoy.)
As soon as you broach the topic to him, Caster Cu’s face pales considerably; as images of Odin hanging upside down on the world tree for 9 days permeate his mind. Hopefully you weren’t asking him if you could do that... you weren't, right?
‘Shit...I knew this day would come.’ Awkwardly lowering his hood over his face (so then he can avoid looking at your expectant expression); Caster sighs. “Ah, yeah...Rune magic. Sure, I’ll teach you later...yeah, later.”
Hoping that his bluff is successful, he tries to dematerialize away as fast as possible. However, once you latch onto his pale blue coat to ask what you should do first, he finally caves in; knowing that there’s no way for him to worm his way out of this perilous situation.
“You know, you could try asking Skadi. Or how about Shishou? There’s a hell of a lot of other servants who know bits and pieces about the runes as well. How about you give ‘em a try first?”
When you admit that you want to learn from him, due to your deep appreciation for his extremely flashy use of the runes; Caster stifles a laugh. Yep, there really was no room for escape now.
“Well, I can’t fault you for that; I do look pretty damn cool in action!” Twirling his staff, Caster strikes a pose. “But I don’t get it. You’re already training in other arts. Why would you wanna load rune magic on top of that? You like drowning yourself in work or something??”
As you excitedly flapped your arms around, explaining how you liked watching him trace sparkling runes with his hands; and wanted to take his tree branch summoning skills for yourself, his eyes widen with surprise. He wasn’t expecting you to be this observant.
“Ah, you mean the Berkana/Berkano (ᛒ) rune? Yeah, that one represents the birch tree, so I can summon it. It also commonly symbolizes new beginnings and fertility...” Caster trails off as your braincells physically implode at his explanation.
Berkana? Birch trees? Fertility?! You had no idea what he was talking about right now. As a dour silence weighs heavily upon the two of you, a lightbulb of inspiration strikes Caster right in the head.
“Oi, master. Read up a little on the runes, and remember at least some of their names first. As your new teacher, that’ll be your first assignment. See ya!” And with that, he was gone, vanishing into thin air. Realizing that he had just agreed to teach you, your face sparkles with glee. Clenching your fists with all of your might, you march towards the library. Time would wait for no man!!!!
Exchanging friendly greetings with Murasaki, as you trundle through an entire emporium of books; it takes hours for you to find a book on the runes. Many of the books were in a language that you couldn’t read, however this one looked rather easy on the eyes.
Titled ‘Easy Rune Magic for Modern Mages’, you flick through a rather simplistic guide that provides you with the names and a single definition for each rune; but it provides you with little to no information on how to truly understand their meaning. With subheadings such as ‘How to use the Fehu (ᚠ) rune to generate wealth to pay for your magecraft PHD at the Clock Tower’ and ‘Is Thurisaz (ᚦ) more effective to use as a defensive spell or curse spell?’ you were officially BAMBOOZLED. Tired, you decide to throw in the towel for today.
However, on your way back to your room, a stroke of excellent luck manifests itself before you. Situated upon a sturdy pine table are none other than Sigurd and Byrnhildr, who are reading together. Although you find this scene to be rather adorable (seeing as they were both entirely intact, with no stabbing wounds to be seen); you decided to interrupt their date anyway.
“O-oh, master...” Byrnhildr blushes, as Sigurd waves politely. “What brings you here today?” Slamming your hands on the table, you passionately declare that you wish to learn more about the runes, but can’t understand them without gaining some insight into their history first. As Brynhildr’s eyes glimmer with a sense of appreciation at your open display of interest of their culture, Sigurd haphazardly pulls out the chair next to them.
“I’m glad to see you profess such a profound interest in the runes, master. Please sit down and join us.” Glasses sparkling ominously, Sigurd explains a little bit more about how the elder futhark runes work. He not only explains how Odin discovered their wisdom after hanging from the world tree Yggdrasil; but also tells you about how Odin shared their power with humankind, making him none other than the ‘Allfather’ of the runes.
At the mention of his name, Byrnhild’s expression sours somewhat; making you realize that the two most likely share personal ties with him.
“They’re a special alphabet that we can use to invoke the power and wisdom of the Norse gods, so be careful with them.”
Sigurd then goes on to explain how all 24 runes are separated into three Aetts- which are basically a means of dividing the runic characters into different categories.
“Each rune comes with a short poem. That way, you’ll be able to understand them and their context a little more.”
Once you thank him for the information, he replies with a “I hope I was of use. I’m very proud of you for asking us for help.”; as Byrnhildr returns with an entire truckload of books tucked within her arms!!!
“These books will be helpful! This one’s about the myths associated with the runes, and this one is a practical guide that’ll help cultivate understanding. As for this one, it explains their etymology.”
Byrnhildr chuckles at your gobsmacked expression, as the two of them heap the books into your own arms. “You don’t need to know everything about them, but it’ll be handy for you to develop a little bit of historical and lexical knowledge as well.”
‘I thought I only had to know their names and descriptions...!!’ Tears pooling within your eyes at the mountain of books, you thank them for their help and leave, as they wish you all the best with your studies (and prayed that one day you’d wish to speak to them in the language as well. They couldn’t wait for that opportunity!)
Sighing all the way back to your room, you gasp in surprise as you bump into none other than Skadi.
“Oh, good timing.” Passing you a bundle of golden-trimmed strips of ancient paper, Skadi smiles vigorously. “You can use these as flash cards for your rune training, as well. I’m surprised that you didn’t ask for my guidance, but that may have been for the best. I would’ve trained you thoroughly in the arts.”
A chill jolts through your spine at that. Who knows just how hard she would’ve trained you? Part of Skadi was Scathach, after all. Thanking her for her assistance, the two of you split paths.
‘I seem to be bumping into a lot of people today...’
Was this a mere coincidence, or perhaps something more?
A busy month full of book reading and writing notes onto your flash cards passes within a blur.
Mash had also shown great interest in your studies, and would help test you with your flashcards every day! However, you were still pretty confused about how long this stage of research would last for.
Whilst reading up on how runes could also be used to predict the future and provide advice for one’s dilemmas; and how the Nornir (3 deities of fate) determined this form of divination, you groan.
All of the people within the books had their own sets of runes, which they would use to communicate with the gods.
In other words, they could be used for divination as well as magic.
‘Why can’t I do that yet?’ You pout indignantly; snapping the book shut.
If Caster wouldn’t teach you rune magic, he could at least teach you about divination! Patience running thin, you decide to leap back into action.
It was time to confront your teacher, once and for all.
However, as soon as you exit your room; you are greeted by none other than Caster himself.
Almost tripping onto the floor with surprise, you gawp in shock at his appearance. With his staff and a mouth-watering cup of Darjeeling tea he had brought from one of Marie’s posthumous tea parties in his hands, Caster smirks. “Yo, master. Looks like I came just on time.”
As the two of you settle in the canteen for class (?), after a bit of small talk; you declare that you want to learn how to use the runes for divination. “If you won’t teach me magic, then I would like to learn how to communicate with the runes first, please!”
At this, he lets out an unusually loud guffaw of laughter. “Ahaha, so you finally worked it out, huh? Before you can use their magic; you gotta understand and communicate with the runes, as well. You’re a faster learner than I thought you’d be.”
Unsure whether this was a compliment or not, you enquire as to what he means by that. “It’s pretty simple: you can’t cast these bad boys without building a relationship with them first. On that note, let’s see how much you’ve learnt from your studies.”
His test is a nightmare.
As he barks the name of each rune from the First Aett (the first eight runes), you are forced to draw each and every one. If you get a rune wrong, he repeats it consistently until you draw the right alphabet for each one.
Afterwards, he takes you through a hellish journey as he asks you to provide at least one definition for each rune.
By the time you are done, night has already swept its veil over Chaldea; the halls devoid of any signs of life.
In other words, the two of you had been at this for the entire evening, which had definitely garnered you both the attention and pity of many staff and servants.
Stomach rumbling, you beg Caster to finish class for today.
“Yeah, sure. Whoops, looks like I got a bit carried away right there.” He has definitely inherited his deadly teaching style from Scathach.
When you ask him if you’re ready for the next bout of training; he frowns. “Nope, that was only the First Aett. You’ll only move to the next stage when you’ve memorized all THREE. In other words, get to learning all 24 runes!!” As you cry in despair, Caster shoots you a mischievous wink as he helps himself to the bar.
The dreaded tests continue on a weekly basis.
Not only do you have to deal with the challenges of the saving the world, helping out your allies and maintaining your own health; you also have to leap into the hellish jaws of rune testing with Caster Cu.
Albeit suffering greatly from the challenge, your spirit was also greatly roused. Learning about the runes was fun!
So much fun, that you’d often dream about them, and see their shapes in the food that you ate; and would even accidentally use their names in conversation sometimes, like saying: “Oh, I’m sure the energy of this rune would help with your headaches,” to a very bewildered Mash; or comparing the sunrise to the runes (which confused Shakespeare and Hans greatly. Actually, they are now worried about your health).
All in all, your studies were starting to take effect!!
It was finally time.
As Caster more or less yelled the name of each rune at you, your response was astounding. Not only were you able to draw the shape of every rune in a matter of seconds, you could also provide multiple readings for all 24 of them.
Eyebrows quirked with surprise, Caster sighs with relief. ‘Phew. Looks like class will be shorter than usual today.’
“Holy shit. You’ve done a damn great job, master. You got them all right!” As you roared with joy, pumping your fists into the air with glee; Caster almost fell off his chair- clutching his sides as he tried (yet failed) not to laugh. “Alright, buckle up. We’re gonna get you a set of runes now.”
A set of runes?! Your eyes sparkled at the prospect of finally being able to have runes of your own. It was about time, as well. You had grown sick of using your flash cards, you wanted the real thing!
However, you were confused about the concept of needing your own set. If Skadi and Caster Cu could manifest them just by using their hands, and magical devices; why would a person need to have a set of them? As you expressed your concern, Caster nods his head in understanding.
“I see your point. But even I have a set of runes, you know? It’s every bit as useful a method.” Unleashing a small, worn-out felt pouch; glimmering gems -whose rune inscriptions were engraved upon them in gold- splashed across the dining table. They were beautiful. “’Sides, there’s something exciting about making your own set.”
Your mind swims with excitement, as he describes the different materials that runes can be made from: bones, metal, gemstones, pebbles, glass, clay...there were endless options.
However, when you asked him if you could use your collection of Evil Bones to make a rune set, he chokes on his coffee- pure horror drenched across his features.
“No way in hell! You trying to get yourself killed? Never invoke the power of the runes on cursed items, master.”
Then how about using QP or Mana Prisms as a base to inscribe the runes instead? Once you suggested this, his face paled somewhat. “Yeah, about that...don’t even think about it. You need those materials, you know.”
Grumpily threading his hands through blue locks of hair, he sighs. “Look, I’ll help you find some materials. Guess we could rayshift the next time I’m free or something...” As you cheer exuberantly, he can’t help but crack a small smile.
Being a teacher was a lot more amusing than he originally anticipated it to be. There was something fun about departing his knowledge. Besides, he had dedicated himself to becoming the guiding light of Chaldea anyway. ‘A little teaching hurts no-one.’
Using the light of the Soliwo (ᛊ) rune to guide the way, the two of you traverse through a forest heaving with verdant green trees and wildlife.
No matter how many pretty trees and tumbled pebbles you found by the riverside; you weren’t sure if they were the right material for you.
Just when you were about to give up, a powerful jolt of electricity beckons you; almost as if it’s calling your name. As soon as you alert Caster of your instinctual powers, he looks rather flummoxed at first; but is somewhat awed once his Soliwo rune’s light begins to shine in exactly the same direction as the one you’re pointing in!
‘Huh, that sure is weird.’
Things only get weirder, once you both come upon a ginormous slab of Labradorite. Situated neatly upon a bed of leaves. Placed carefully within the middle of the forest.
This timing was too good to be true.
As the electricity coursing through your veins triples in intensity, Caster has to hold you back before you cut loose. “Oi, wait up. Let me test this stone for safety first.”
Placing an Algiz (ᛉ) runestone in your hands to guarantee your protection, he saunters towards the massive hunk of Labradorite.
Chanting an incantation beneath his breath, the forest glows in an eerie blue light; as a pale magic circle glimmers beneath the stone. “Yeah, it’s safe. Pretty strange for it to be out here, though.”
As he sketches Thurisaz (ᚦ) (which not only symbolizes thorns, defense and danger, but can also be used as a means to channel a power akin to Thor’s hammer, mlonjir) onto his staff, he smashes it against the mass of Labradorite; splitting what was once an enormous rock into 24 neatly divided; brilliant blue gems.
Gathering them up, he thrusts them before you. “Here you go. That was a pretty lucky find, if I do say so myself.”
You thank him for your help- making sure to also pay homage to the awesome power of your intuition at the same time, which tickles Caster right in the funny bone.
As soon as the stones drop into your hand; they crackle with an immensely powerful energy, as if these gems were waiting for you!!
As you turn them onto the side; you are gobsmacked to see rune inscriptions already engraved onto each and every stone, as if they were reacting to the mana flowing within your body.
You ask Caster to take a look at this strange phenomenon for you.
“Whoa, are you kidding me? That’s pretty awesome. Let me take a look, too.” As you gently stretch your palms towards Caster- trying to keep the runestones steady in your hands- he gently takes your palms, leaning towards them.
As he catches sight of the engravings lying upon them, his crimson eyes widen with bewilderment. “Holy shit...I think the gods just made you an offering. You’re secretly packing a shitload of power in there, ain’t you? Great job!”
Ruffling your hair, Caster grins. “Think you’ve got time for more teaching?”
As you nod your head, anticipation clear on your features; he plonks onto the ground, handing you a felt pouch. “Put them in there. Try doing your first reading, see what rune speaks to you first!”
Eagerly plonking all 24 runes into the sparkly pouch, you close your eyes and concentrate; beseeching the contact of the gods. Imagining yourself encountering the Nonrnir, as you visualize dropping into the center of the world; you place a hand within your pouch.
Rummaging around the bag, a single rune sends energy rippling through your fingers. That was the one! Pulling it out of the bag, you grin excitedly...only to see that it was none other than...
Nauthiz (ᚾ).
‘Aw shite...’ Disappointed by the rune, you sigh. You wished that your rune could’ve been a more positive one! However, Caster’s reaction was rather different to yours.
“Hey, it’s not as bad as it looks.” Figure illuminated by the sun, he looked much more chill than usual. “Nauthiz is all about your needs, you know? With all the singularities popping up recently, I wouldn’t be surprised if you’re pushing yourself too far.”
“But this rune is basically saying ‘lol you’re suffering’...It’s frustrating.” You counter him.
You knew all too well about the massive strains your body was going through, the transformations you were forced to undergo. Sometimes, it was just too painful for you to bear. Seeing this rune only served as a reminder of that fact.
“How about you look at it from a different perspective? Even though things are way outta wack for you, a small fire still burns. Doesn’t Nauthiz look a bit like two twigs that you’d see in a fire?” Now that was a funny observation. As you smiled at that, he continued. “It just means that no matter how hard things become; all you gotta do is balance your needs and continue to fight. Nauthiz is also screaming ‘oi, damnit! Don’t give up here, you can survive and make it out the other side sparkling like brand new, you hear me??’”
You were very grateful to hear that. Now you realized that even the most ominous of runes also came with signs of fortune and peace.
In other words, they would be there to support you all the way. Thanking him for his great insight, he replies with a simple “Well, I’m the wise one you know? Anyway, you know the saying. Even the coldest of ice thaws someday.”
As you correctly link his adage to the runes, he claps with pride. “Nice, nice. Well, that’ll be all for my teaching. Soon you’ll be able to do readings with nine or more runes!”
But once you yell to him about how you want to use runes such as Kenaz (ᚲ) to fulfil your long-standing desire to set shit on fire; his expression hardens.
“I ain’t teaching you rune magic until you learn how to master rune divination. Don’t push your luck too far~ Come visit me again once you learn how to read the past, present and future with them!” As you indigently complain about how you still want to summon birch trees, and about how difficult it was to learn about the runes; he bursts into rancorous laughter. “That’s not my problem! C’mon, lay off a little...”
Frustrated, you finally give up, asking for one last request. “Caster. What rune will you get if you do a single reading? I would like to see.”
Begrudgingly adhering to your request, he unearths none other than the Ansuz (ᚨ) rune.
“Ah, my favorite. Well, that’s it for today. Let’s go back.” As he turns away, a frightening wind blows through the trees, as a dark shadow drifts over his figure.
In that very moment, he becomes a dark specter within a bountiful forest filled with brilliant light; as his form briefly flickers and shifts, melding into an entire kaleidoscope of distinct beings.
But all it took was a single blink for his form to return back to normal again.
How strange...Was that none other than an illusion? Were your eyes playing tricks with you? Silently trailing behind, you contemplated the meaning behind the rune he had drawn.
Ansuz...It commonly symbolized communication, breath, and chiefly of all...it was the rune that represented none other than Odin himself.
In addition to that, you saw how the rune landed on its side when Caster drew it, and the mysterious glint in his eyes.
Was Caster hiding something? You couldn’t quite put your finger on it.
‘Just who is Caster Cu really?’ Such a thought weighed dangerously heavy within your mind as the two of you took the steep path back home.
By learning more about the runes, you may have unlocked the door to an endless chasm of mysteries; one that had ties directly linking to the deeper truths lying behind Chaldea...
THE END
Omg this was only meant to be like 1,000 words. But I got extremely invested within this concept and was burning with great excitement, which lead to this becoming SUPER LONG XD Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this ;; Also dw learning runes in real life isn’t as hardcore as this, I promise you!
#fgo#fate series#caster cu#cu chulainn#sigurd#byrnhild#gilgablog#my writing#AAAAAH THIS TOOK 6 HRS IT WAS FUN VERY FUN BUT I ALSO WAS LOOKING AT ALL ME BOOKS ... but im like if dw wont do it then i will! so i did.
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After lurking for a while, I’ve decided to try out writing. We’ll see how this goes...
Something New, Something Ancient
Kyo Sohma x demigod!reader
Well, this seems to be everything. Honestly, you weren’t sure. It was hard to tell where things are when they’re all packed up into uniform cardboard boxes and stacked neatly in front of the stairwell of your new home.
Not that there was much. You had a ridiculously small number of boxes compared to your older brother. Was that your brother being extreme, or a fault of your own? It doesn’t matter; it meant less to unpack. Best to get started, then. After pulling up your hair and rolling up your sleeve, you got to work moving your things into your new room. It didn’t take too long, and soon you were mostly unpacked.
You checked the clock. It was almost four in the afternoon. Joshua, your half-brother, wasn’t supposed to arrive for another three hours. Giving a long look at his stack of boxes, you had an internal debate. Should you be a nice sibling, or take a nap? Sighing, you decide that you would be nice. It was a new start, after all. May as well make the best of it. As you lift the first box, you decide that moving could be a good thing. Initially you had disliked the idea of moving half a world away from your friends, your camp, and your family. But after seeing the beautiful scenery and sights upon arriving, you couldn’t help but fall in love with Japan.
You were the best candidate for the job, and it made the most sense for you to go. Your dad had been from Japan and had taught you the language. Being a daughter of Aphrodite and blessed with the ability to charmspeak, you would be the best representative for the Greek demigods.
If there was anything to represent to. After discovering that Greek, Roman, Norse, and Egyptian mythologies were all alive and kicking, Camp Half-Blood had wondered what other ancient mythologies were real. So, you had been sent to check out Japan for any potential friends. Unfortunately, you didn’t know too much about the religions in Japan. After you dad taught you most of the language, he found a new wife and a new family for himself. A normal family. He didn’t have enough time to teach you Japanese culture anymore. After running away twice, you made your way to Camp Half-Blood where you also made a new family. People you trusted and made you happy.
Now here you are, alone in a new house in a new country. Joshua had been kind enough to go with you. He said he didn’t mind going, after all, you were only 16 and needed supervision, but you considered him an angel for sacrificing so much.
The rest of the afternoon passed fairly uneventfully. You and Joshua went out to eat to celebrate the first night in Japan, then went to bed early. Unfortunately, you had school the next day.
***
The next morning was rough. The feeling of jet lag was still very present and ached in your mind and body. Downing two cups of coffee seemed to wake you up enough to make it to school on time, something that you were rather proud of. Of course, being a demigod came with the misfortune of poor school records. Despite trying hard, you had moved school systems twice for “disruptive behavior,“ a staple demigod trait. Some things just couldn’t be helped. You were still determined to make it through the end of high school in the same school, though. You chose to sign up for the co-ed high school because the alternative was an all-girls academy. The thought made you shudder.
Most of your first day was the usual new-student routine. Getting lost, finding your way, introducing yourself to strangers, and forgetting everyone’s name right after they introduced themselves. Most of it was a blur, up until the last class of the day.
The school required every student to take a foreign language. You had decided to take English. That way, at least one of your classes would be a breeze. It was your last class, which meant it would be a perfect end-of-the-day nap period.
Settling down in a set near the back of the class, you were approached by classmate. She had long brown hair with a yellow ribbon on each side of her head. A very cute girl, if anyone asked your opinion.
You recognized her face and remembered that she introduced herself to you during your home ec class. Her name? It didn’t come to mind after racking your brain. You had forgotten it already.
”(y/n)! It’s nice to see you again! I’m glad we share another class together!”
Forgotten-name girl spoke very politely, you observed. It was cute, but you really hoped not everyone here did it. That would drive you insane.
”Oh, it’s nice to see you again too! It’ll be nice to know I have a good friend during the last class of the day!”
May as well reciprocate her politeness. And perhaps you were laying it on a bit thick, but you were desperate to be on good terms with at least one other person. It would make the whole new-girl experience bearable, and besides, you had a good feeling about this girl.
Your comment seemed to make her happy, at any rate. Her smile, already big, got bigger, and a slight blush appeared on her cheek. A very cute girl indeed.
Before she could respond, a guy you recognized from a few of your earlier classes spoke up.
”C’mon Tohru. You don’t want the teacher catching you out of your desk for talking again.”
He had a slightly annoyed expression, making you wonder if you had done something to offend him. No, you decided, it wasn’t anything on your end. He was just looking out for Tohru, it seemed. You prided yourself on your ability to read other people. It was a trait most children of Aphrodite had, but you were nonetheless proud.
However, it wasn‘t this interaction that piqued your interest. No, you had experienced similar ones all day. It was the feeling you got from the boy. He seemed... strange. Different from a regular mortal. Not quite a monster, but still. Your demigod senses were telling you something was up with that boy.
After that, you observed him closer. Thankfully you sat behind him so he wouldn’t notice your staring. He had bright orange hair, an uncommon color in Japan. His eyes, at first glance, also seemed orange. Surely it was a trick of the light, but it was hard to tell.
Before you got ahead of yourself, you stopped to check if it really was your demigod senses. One time you mistook your feelings for a guy as your demigod senses telling you he was a monster, and that didn’t end up well. It was really embarrassing and you didn’t want to make the same mistake. No, it was definitely your demigod senses. He was attractive, you’d give him that, but this was something more. You needed to look into it. That would be a difficult task, you could tell. He seemed to be stand-offish and disliked people. He seems to friends with Tohru, maybe that would be your way to observe him closer.
Guess you had your work cut out for you.
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My OC, Fenris
... and the Eldarya AU that she’s in, because I just can’t see her in the original Origins storyline with her differences from Guardienne/Erika. And I think my AU has some pretty interesting ideas. I’ll explain it after I introduce her.
Yea, I know, Fenris Theorem, Fenris, it all connects, huh? Hehe. I like the name, that’s all.
(This page is informational, so it’s written in a bit more of a note-taking fashion rather than a story fashion. It’s written in a very choppy manner but it’s comprehensible despite not having any stress on having it beautifully written.)
This page just introduces you to my OC. I decided to create a page on her for the poll (now ended) because I think some people will really like small excerpts on her story with Lance, but obviously you need to know about her before deciding that for sure. You’ll notice that some theories I may have posted on Lance in the past are a part of this AU - these theories have been in my mind and I posted them only because I thought they could exist in the actual plotline (it’s where a lot of my theories come from, and then some ideas fit into the AU, and then some ideas could exist in the actual plotline as well based on what I observe), so this is where some of those theories come from.
For the poll - if anything, I would recommend reading the paragraph titled “*Her story in Origins (where many things are explained in moderation, because if I went in-depth I wouldn’t need to write stories on this):” above all else because that describes what I will be writing if the poll results shows that that’s wanted. Everything else is just extra information for you to know my OC and the AU better. The paragraph is at the bottom of the post.
Above all else, this is an AU, and a fantasy world. I like to try to give rationality and logic to a lot of things, so you’ll read a lot of me explaining things, but at the end of the day it’s all fantasy and can be perceived - and therefore approved or unapproved of - in a multitude of ways. If you like my AU but find it illogical in some ways, that’s no problem! Just enjoy reading about it if you enjoy the ideas within it. 😊
~ This is long so continue below the cut ~
A lot of this information can be a bit vague at first but it comes together when I explain the basic plot.
Her basics: She goes by Fenris but her actual name is Dakota. However, people usually call her Kota, or occasionally Ko (Fen is used later for Fenris, first by Ashkore / Lance, but later when she was discovered by the guard as well). She was 18 when she came to Eldarya via mushroom circle (like Guardienne/Erika). The guard test placed her in the Obsidian guard - she’s very happy with that outcome. Was in a relationship with Valkyon before leaving him for Lance (*explained later).
Physical Appearance: Unfortunately I don’t have a picture of her and nothing in Eldarya describes her and her clothing very well, so you’ll just need to imagine the physical features that I describe on Eldarya’s Guardienne sprite. Also, she’s pretty flexible with how she styles her hair and dresses, so I don’t think a single picture of her would describe her well.
Fair and light in skin tone, perhaps a slight tan-ish tone. Thin, but broad shouldered. She’s well-muscled (later on, less so when she first arrived), which gives her a bit of thickness, but not too much. Nicely curved. About 5 ft. 5 in. (167.64 cm). Dark hair, but not exactly black, with brown-hazel eyes. Her hair is medium-length and is usually braided in a multitude of styles. Her eyes occasionally glow a brilliant gold (explained under ‘abilities and genetics’ and ‘her story in Origins’).
Usually wears dark, ancient / tribal-like clothes (think Norse Vikings) with thin, form-fitting but strong armor around her forearms, lower legs (below the thigh starting from knees) and chest/midriff. She wears a good amount of red, blue, gold, silver or dark green clothing and accents with the black base for color. Usually nothing over-the-top, she likes to have her own unique style and express herself but doesn't like to draw unnecessary attention. Doesn't like most faux fur as it doesn't look nice in her opinion, but may wear some that she likes occasionally. Is more likely to wear real fur from hunted animals, but doesn't wear it too often. She wears a sword on her hip, and has a few semi-concealed daggers placed on her body (thigh, boot, torso) for quick use if needed.
Personality: She has a wide spectrum of how she acts depending on people, situations, what she knows, and her current mood. She's typically quite calm, and doesn't seek for trouble or drama, however, she does like to hear the recent news/gossip from around the guard; to stay updated on things, know what may effect her, try to think ahead and just for the sake of knowing. She's very curious and typically observes the situation around her, but in a very subtle way. Is a planner and likes to think ahead, and usually knows how to react to anything because of her observations and forward thinking. Around friends, she's very kind and welcoming. They can talk about anything to her and she'll keep her mouth shut - she has a good loyalty streak (but it does have a limit). However, she doesn't have any friends that are like family to her, but on the day she does find friends like that her loyalty will truly be endless. It's ride or die, and she'll always stand by their side. She has a major independent streak and can’t be around people for too long, otherwise she’ll crack and get a bit irritated more easily. She likes her alone time. In general, she's very cordial with people. Again, she doesn't like to cause unnecessary trouble or drama - she's had a rough past (discussed under ‘history’) and quickly shuts down anyone doing so in a professional but aggressive, don’t-argue-with-me sort of way. She can be harsh, cold and withholding - especially with people she genuinely dislikes - but doesn't like to act this way. On the note of people she dislikes- it's hard to get her to truly dislike someone, but it can be a bit easy as well. In general rule, as long as someone is conscious of the reality of the world around them and doesn't seek to cause issues, she's fine with them, but the instant someone starts continually spreading rumors that are clearly false, or acts (especially in a way that hurts others) solely in their selfish interests, or takes part in willful ignorance (purposely ignoring an issue that you know shouldn’t be ignored), she keeps note of that person and reminds herself to be wary of them in the future. They could be a source of trouble or misinformation that may need to be stopped, and she won’t be very forgiving. However, this is just a general rule, it doesn't always apply - remember she can change based on the situation and what she knows. She recognizes that sometimes people dislike things that are good for them, or like harmful things, and sometimes the villain is actually the hero, history and set rules are created by the winners and anyone against it is considered the villain, and sometimes you need to be cruel to be merciful. She's fully aware that sometimes the bad of life is good, and may defend that, but she's always sure to think long and hard about it before giving a decision like that. A lot of terrible things have happened to her, so she tries to avoid being a source of those terrible things for the world. She feels emotions very deeply and can be a bit impulsive, but fortunately she’s not typically hurt or gets others hurt due to her impulsivity. Again, she is very curious and observes things a lot, so she can usually get a good read on anything new she comes across and work from there, or she can use other information she knows and apply it to the situation. That being said, she won’t drag her friends or anyone else into her occasionally dangerous impulsive decisions. She’ll offer it if they’d like to join her, but she won’t pressure them. Their safety is their decision, and she’ll do her best to protect them although she can’t truly guarantee it. Being in the Obsidian guard, she can’t really condone anyone to risk their safety for fun, especially if it’s her idea. She has a good sense of responsibility when she works for what she believes in, and will sacrifice some of her comfort and fun making sure that she follows her responsibilities if needed. On the topic of her guard - when she first came to Eldarya and joined the Obsidian guard, she wasn’t too bad of a fighter upon basic training, but it was when she started training with Ashkore / Lance where her skills greatly improved until she was perhaps the best fighter in the guard, rivaled only by a few other warriors - including Valkyon. She’s not against helping others improve, but she’s very careful with what she tells the guard - if anyone knew her skills were due to Ashkore, she’d be in massive trouble and may be treated as a complete accomplice. She doesn’t like to lie unless truly necessary, so she’ll usually withhold lots of damning information, and she thoroughly thinks over everything she says, any possible answers to theoretical questions, how her words can connect with other things, and how it might be taken from someone else’s perspective, before revealing any information. Did I mention she’s very cunning and smart, especially after knowing Lance? She has prior knowledge in how to utilize sarcasm and wit, but that’s also improved after meeting Lance.
She changes in time to be quite a bit more harsh and unforgiving when she starts working with Lance.
(For media reference, think of Lagertha from Vikings and Octavia from Netflix’s The 100. She’s a bit of a combination between the two, both in personality and appearance, although Octavia represents her a bit better in appearance.)
Abilities and Genetics: When she first came to Eldarya, she had no idea of her faery genetics. She never felt as though she belonged with humans and always felt that something was off, but she truly thought she was human genetically - until the guard had her take a test and realized she apparently had some faery blood in her (like what actually happened in the original plotline). She went a good while not knowing about what her genetics were, until Lance told her she was a dragon. She learned her abilities under his mentorship, and found that - to be more specific - she’s a shadow dragon. Her shadows appear usually like a pitch black fog, but can be manipulated into almost any form; hard or soft, thin or thick, curved or straight. It has a bit of a cold feel, but she can’t actually control the temperature of her shadows. She can adjust the color of her shadows along a grey-scale until it looks like any grey or silver, even looking like normal fog, but she can’t make it lighter than silver. She can also make pre-existing shadows darker or lighter depending on what she wants. Being a dragon, she also has a dragon form and can shift into a half-transformed body (like what’s seen with Tia). She has premonitions and prophecies as well. This ability typically manifests in dreams and can come to her the night before it manifests in reality, or even sometimes years in advance - there’s really no way to know. She struggles a lot trying to learn this - and to learn the difference between a premonition dream and just a normal dream - and has some basic understanding of it’s rules. She has absolutely no control over when she has these dreams, but she can occasionally put herself in a bit of a calm, meditative state where she can observe her surroundings enough to faintly feel energies, and from there she can receive some premonitions. When she receives premonitions or prophecies while awake, her eyes glow a brilliant gold - this stems from a more spiritual side of her genetics (*explained later). This ability to very hard to control, though, and can rarely be done despite her persistence in it.
History: She... didn’t have a very peaceful life. Since her birth, her parents had basically been at war with each other. She grew up under a distinct combination of good influences and bad influences from both parents, but for the most part her mother was her major support as her father failed to be there for her. Neither extended family had much impact, but her father’s family knew of the terrible things he did and didn’t do anything. She continues to hold a grudge against many humans for being forced to live an endangered upbringing when she and her mother were so clearly crying for help. However, she’s aware that this is also what drives her some days, as she didn’t live through all of that just to die shamefully with an unlived life. In time, her grudge against humans has calmed, but it flares back up whenever she’s reminded or learned about something terrible that humans have caused or do currently - it’s a continuous battle and she has a hard time giving an honest opinion on humanity due to her complex emotions. She came to Eldarya when she was 18 (like Guardienne/Erika) and the rest is history (*and is explained below).
Relationships: Miiko is... alright. It’s a bit of a love hate relationship sometimes, but Fenris is usually quite cordial with her. Nevra and Ezarel were irritating at first, but Nevra’s lovableness and Ezarel’s humor slowly grew on her. She liked Valkyon when she first arrived and somewhat quickly pursued a relationship with him. She didn’t mind Leiftan - he was always very kind and left her alone while being cordial (remember, she’s not an angel in this so Leiftan wouldn’t be into her like how he was with Guardienne/Erika). Karuto is like the good father she never had, but she puts her foot down with him on occasion - she doesn’t like to be told what to do, scolded, treated like a child or anything. This is only because she views him in a bit of a fatherly way, and doesn’t want a repeat of her original father. She makes sure he knows that she truly appreciates him, though. Jamon is a bit of a brother if anything, but he’s really just a close friend / colleague that she likes a lot. She appreciates his gentleness and protectiveness for everyone. Ewelein is basically a second mom, she reminds Fenris a lot of her mom back on Earth and has a deep respect for the Elf. Chrome is a bit like an irritating little brother, but she also has a sisterly affection for him. Ykhar and Kero are the panic colleagues; she has a hard time seeing them doing anything else than panicking. She worries a bit for their health as long-term stress is destructive and tries to be as comforting and as nice as possible with them without betraying her personality and morals. Karenn and Alajea are close friends, almost sisterly, but not exactly so. She’s a bit closer with Karenn than she is with Alajea. Cameria is similar to Karenn in the way that she has a bit of a sisterly relationship with Fenris, but in more of a battle partner way. They have a tendency to train together a lot, and they heavily trust each other to have their back in war. Huang Hua is a bit of a friend / leader - she respects the phoenix a lot and has a bit of a close friendly relationship with her. Feng Zifu is a bit of a father figure in the manner that she respects him a lot. She likes to listen to his advice and appreciates his formality.
The AU: So before I explain the plot of the AU, I need to explain a few basics of how I set up the world. In this AU, the crystal breaking could destroy Eldarya, but if it’s shattered in a certain way with certain spells and chants, it’ll release the spirits of the dragons (who sacrificed to create the crystal) and allow them to retain a sort of half-living form - basically they’re alive but... not? It’s weird to explain. Why does the crystal breaking in this way not destroy Eldarya? The sacrifice allowed a release of energy that originally created the world and then primarily manifested into the shape of the crystal that maintains that world, so this ritual that would be preformed upon it’s shattering would basically allow the energy of the dragons to maintain the world while allowing them to roam around in a different form - hence why they’d be half alive in a way. They’d be physical, but they have additions and limits on what they can and can’t do because they’re still technically dead. However, this isn’t common knowledge (because the guard protects the crystal, they’re the ‘only’ source of ‘accurate’ information on the crystal and both Yonuki Kaze and Miiko have stated that if the crystal breaks Eldarya will fall), only Lance has figured this out (and many of his mercenaries believe him or are working with him because of his destructive habits), so due to this, his ambitions are sort of split in two; destroy the crystal to revive the dragons, and destroy anyone who may try to stop him. In terms of history, Lance in this AU witnessed Miiko (and Nevra - there’s a history behind that that I won’t go into right now) sacrificing dragons to the crystal when he was a part of the guard to try and maintain balance and confronted her about it, only for her to threaten him (in basic; she was convinced sacrificing was the only way to keep balance, and that’s because Yonuki Kaze influenced her into thinking that, so from her perspective Lance coming along and saying it was wrong and had to stop was basically him saying to let the world die) to not tell anyone and stay out of it. Lance then spent a while researching and devising an idea on how to actually balance the world and this included destroying the crystal in a specific way to release the energy (technically there are two ways; the sacrifice was supposed to happen with dragons AND angels, so the ritual was devised to work with the two, but a ritual originally for two races used only with one is basically a ritual preformed improperly, and therefore bound to yield improper results - hence the infertility of the world and shiftiness of it. Undoing the ritual would allow the world to stay while “canceling out the sacrificial imbalance”, but if an angel or demon were to willingly sacrifice - preferably alongside a dragon at the same time - then it would be solved in that way as well). Lance tried to explain this to Miiko later, only to barely get past “I have another idea” before being shut down again. He kept quiet because he feared for himself and his brother (and the only reason Lance could have known that dragons were being sacrificed - without being a dragon himself - is that Miiko said it during the sacrifice he saw, so he didn’t want to raise suspicion onto him and his brother). Later on, Lance is sent to lead an army in a foreign land and is nearly killed, but he saw a chance to escape the guard and took it. From there he’s been Ashkore.
Basically this AU - instead of being “oh no, he’s trying to destroy the world because he’s angry and hurt” - is actually more like “if you had listened the world could be stabilized and also a powerful race could be revived.” It takes the trope of hero and villain and twists it, so the villain is actually a bit of an underdog, villainous hero while the hero’s are - in a way - villains who are heroes because their damning stories haven’t been revealed in a wide-spread manner. Overall, it’s supposed to blur the lines of good and bad, and right and wrong - showing that both sides have good and bad within them, and which side is ‘good’ can depend solely on perception and one’s life anecdote.
*Her story in Origins (where many things are explained in moderation, because if I went in-depth I wouldn’t need to write stories on this): Dakota came to Eldarya by accident via mushroom circle and was placed into the Obsidian guard. She adjusted in time (and willingly took the potion in episode 13 to ease her family / mother of pain and worry) until she got used to things and entered into a romantic relationship with Valkyon. She was sent on basic missions and such and met Ashkore a few times in war (and around the guard), and then she met him accidentally while alone later on outside of the guard. He offered to train her (more like threatened if she didn’t?) and she accepted in time. They trained at night, which was a bit of an issue as she now shared a room with Valkyon and, therefore, had to sneak around. Her skills quickly improved, and her relationship with Valkyon began to decline as he began to become a bit confused / suspicious about her sudden and seemingly random upturn in skills. There were feelings of neglect as well. This carried on for many months and Dakota learned more about Ashkore as well as herself. He eventually admits that she’s a dragon and that he’s investing some of himself into her because of that, and she does her best to explore her abilities with him after that. Eventually she accidentally discovers his actual identity, but keeps quiet about it. As they grow closer, she begins to ask more about him and his reasoning, and he explains his motives for going after the crystal while brushing on the topic of why he’s ruthless to some, but leaves others alone. As she discovers the truth about the dragons and Lance, she realizes that her feelings to the guard were based on lies and false implications, and she begins to grow mentally and emotionally closer with Lance. She becomes less empathetic / sympathetic with Valkyon and eventually sleeps with Lance. This happens a few more times and they enter a sort of limbo where they don’t talk about their relationship with each other but know there’s something heavy going on. Back in the guard, she’s still with Valkyon, and she begins an internal war on what exactly her plan is knowing that she’s sleeping with two guys on the opposite side of a war and that it can’t continue. Her and Valkyon break up in time and she invests her full time into training with Lance, expressing interest in joining his cause. They begin to work together and he gifts her with a specific outfit / armor (that can alternate between identity concealing and revealing for her comfort and safety) so she can go on missions with him. They develop an elaborate scheme to allow her to go on long-term missions with him without suspicion from the guard. She’s eventually sent on a mission and it’s on that mission that she discovers her relation to an ancient dragon named Fenris, and then expresses her interest in taking that name to Lance and the rest of his allies that she’s met (from then on she’s known as Fenris with Lance and Dakota in the guard). Back at the guard, she continues training with Lance and maintaining some sort of odd relationship with himin secret. She’s found elaborate ways to get out of the guard without their suspicion so she can spend many days at a time alone with Lance in a cabin he has hidden in the forest. Over the span of many months / years, she goes on missions with the guard to foreign towns / establishments that are attacked by Ashkore - whether she knows that prior or not - so as she trains she also has actual encounters where she needs to truly fight Lance without actually hurting him while looking as though she’s truly trying to hurt him. When she’s allegedly away on some missions from the guard, she wears the armor that Lance gave her to campaign with him and this occasionally leads to her fighting against the guard if they’re around. In this time and when they’re alone, Lance and allies calls her Fenris as she’s requested them to do. Eventually they go to Memoria together and find out that they have a deeper connection than they think - Fenris (who was an ancient dragon that Dakota took the name of due to her relation with him) and Tia actually knew each other and had a complex history that carried forward to Lance and Dakota / Fenris, and there’s a prophecy of sorts surrounding them. Their relationship after that is still complex, but is more stable as they confirm an attachment to each other. Lance’s identity is eventually revealed to the guard, and sometimes later Fenris is revealed as well, and Lance - in very short, important seconds - offers her to join him completely outside the guard’s walls. She accepts and they flee the guard for a while and plot. Eventually they attack the guard in a final push and get to the crystal, successfully breaking it with... some losses. From there is the skip to ANE, but New Era is... complicated. I haven’t yet thought how she fits into ANE, as many things would be different. Maybe I won’t put pressure on creating her story in it, but if I do I might list it here. Her story in ANE would need to be based off of her story I have here in Origins.
If I write excerpts of this, there may also be many more adventure scenarios that are written but aren’t mentioned here (Lance offering to “help” the guard bring down another greater threat and then turning his forces on them in the midst of war for his own gain, sending them on a wild goose chase, the guard tracking them through rough, unforgiving landscapes trying to catch them, etc.) depending on how the details of her story manifest.
I apologize; that’s a lot to read but I can be very specific and this AU has a lot of important detail that separates it from the original Origins storyline. And this talks over my OC’s details and an AU, which is a lot since there’s not a lot of referencing because I’ve never talked about either before... However, if you’ve read all the way through this post - congrats, and I hope you’re interested in it!
Again, writing excerpts about my OC and her storyline in this AU is an option you can vote on in my writing poll that determines what I’ll write now so I can post later when I can’t access my Tumblr for a few weeks, so if you’re interested in reading about this then please read the info I have about the poll here and feel free to vote!
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Writing Tag Game
Thanks for the tag @cleverblackcat and @tejaswrites!
1. How many works do you have on AO3?
12 as of now, though some of them are parts of the same story and I might weave them all in a single work one day, but I decided to split them due to time skips and changes in tone. I don’t know when I’ll be able to bridge all the gaps but I still wanted to share what I wrote, so I ended up creating a series with a couple of installments.
2. What’s your total AO3 word count?
140 699 words
3. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?
Watch the Skies - 125 kudos
Vatna of Two Falcon Hold as a companion in Dragon Age - 8 kudos
Mirrors and Braids ex aequo Rattle the bars if you like, but I chose to enter this cage - 7 kudos
Aval'var, it means - our journey ex aequo Avvar History Reconstruction - 5 kudos
4. Do you respond to comments, why or why not?
Yes, I do respond to almost every comment and I really appreciate receiving them. When someone comments on certain aspects of the story, I usually try to explain some of my choices, like why I decided for that character to react in such a way, why I deviated from the canonical storyline, or why I included those lore tidbits. It allows me to share my perspective, my reasons for writing the story in the first place.
5. What’s the fic you’ve written with the angstiest ending?
Well, I have started writing an alternative storyline for my Avvar Inquisitor, Vatna, in which she becomes a part of the Jaws of Hakkon, which ought to be super angsty, but it has no ending yet.
6. What’s the fic you’ve written with the happiest ending?
Do limericks count? They’re fun but each is five verses long.
7. Do you write crossovers? If so what is the craziest one you’ve written?
I had, in fact, the first fic that I wrote was a crossover between Dragon Age and Puella Magi - it’s just not published on AO3 and probably never will. It's pretty crazy, that’s for sure, given how wildly different those two pieces of media are, though strangely, I found a few of thematic parallels that compelled me to explore them for a while.
8. Have you ever received hate on a fic?
No, and I hope I’ll be spared from it. My writing is not perfect by any means, and I do welcome constructive criticism and corrections, but I probably wouldn’t deal well with hate comments. Mustering motivation to write fics is hard enough as it is.
9. Do you write smut? If so what kind?
No, not really. I have written some scenes that focused on sexual interactions, but they weren’t quite smutty, if that makes sense, as the POV character is a sex-indifferent asexual.
10. Have you ever had a fic stolen?
No.
11. Have you ever had a fic translated?
No. I write in English, even though it isn’t my native tongue, so I could probably translate my own fics if I wanted, but I didn’t feel like it so far. If someone approached me with an offer to translate my fic into a language I don’t speak, I’m not sure what my reaction would be, as I’d like to know how they present my characters in the translated version. Translation is a tricky craft, and there are many ways to express a single concept. Sometimes, a translated work has a completely different tone from the original.
12. Have you ever co-written a fic before?
Yeah, I wrote Fool's Gold with Toshi Nama as a part of Discord server collaboration, in which her Warden, Farin Brosca, and my Inquisitor, Vatna Einarsdotten, meet up to investigate a red lyrium smuggling operation in the Frostback Mountains. It was a fun challenge!
13. What’s your all-time favorite ship?
I’m not sure, I don’t focus on shipping that much.
14. What’s a WIP that you want to finish but don’t think you ever will?
I probably won’t get back to finish my unpublished crossover xD But I enjoyed thinking about the possibilities, and I did have the general storyline thought out, but I don’t think I could finish it. For one, it would take a lot of time and motivation that I don’t have, and if I ought to pick a project I would like to see till the end, it’s the story of my Avvar girl.
15. What are your writing strengths?
I’ve been told my worldbuilding is well-thought out. I do have the benefit of writing fanfiction, so there’s no need to built a world from ground up, but I do expand upon what’s presented in the original work, and I greatly enjoy it. I wonder a lot about the unexplored details, like when I’m writing about the Avvar, I imagine what kind of holidays they could celebrate, what cultural taboos they might observe, what is their main source of food, how their families could be structured, little things like that, which, hopefully, create a compelling picture together.
16. What are your writing weaknesses?
My pacing is probably not that great, when I think about what I’d like to write, I don’t really ensure that each story beat is nicely spaced out, that there are no sudden accelerations or decelarations of plot. I do have a general plotline in my head, for the most part, but when it comes to writing, I focus on individual chapters.
17. What are your thoughts on writing dialogue in other languages in a fic?
I think it has its time and place, but I believe it should be done sparingly. I wouldn’t be excited to read a super long dialogue in a language different from the one that the work is written in, and I won’t include such things in my fic. It disrupts the flow and doesn’t benefit the story very much, in my opinion. If it’s necessary for the plot or characterization to show that someone speaks in another language, I think it’s enough to use a foreign word or a phrase from time to time, hint at its meaning through context, and describe how the communication barrier affects the characters.
My main character, Vatna, does alternate between her native tongue (Avvar, which is I represent as Icelandic/Old Norse) and a second language (Common Tongue, which for all my intents and purposes is equivalent to English) so I do include some lines in a different language, but I keep them short. Usually, it’s just a single word whose meaning can be easily inferred from the surrounding text. More often than not, I signify the language barrier through other means. Sometimes, Vatna slips into her native tongue for a longer moment, and she may even have conversations with her fellow Avvar, but the actual dialogue remains in English (i.e. Common) - instead, I use the narration to show that the language barrier is ever present, like describing the reaction of accompanying characters.
18. What was the first fandom you wrote for?
Dragon Age
19. What’s your favorite fic you’ve written?
My favourite is Mirrors and Braids, a part of the Saga of the Avvar-Daughter series, which focuses on Vatna’s reaction to the loss of her arm. Though it’s not really a “fun” story by any means, I am quite fond of it. It was somewhat cathartic to write.
Tag list under the cut
@samuraisaucefrites @dreadfutures @crackinglamb
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What I Thought About Loki (Season One)
(Sorry this is later than it should have been. I may or may not be experiencing burnout from reviewing every episode of the gayest show Disney has ever produced)
Salutations, random people on the internet. I am an Ordinary Schmuck. I write stories and reviews and draw comics and cartoons.
Do you want to know what's fun about the Marvel Cinematic Universe? It is now officially at the point where the writers can do whatever the hell they want.
A TV series about two Avengers getting stuck in a series of sitcoms as one of them explores their personal grief? Sure.
Another series as a guy with metal bird wings fights the inner racism of his nation to take the mantel of representing the idea of what that nation should be? Why not?
A forgettable movie about a superspy and her much more mildly entertaining pretend family working together to kill the Godfather? F**king go for it (Let that be a taste for my Black Widow review in October)!
There is no limit to what you can get with these movies and shows anymore, and I personally consider that a good thing. It allows this franchise to lean further into creative insanity, thus embracing its comic roots in the process. Take Loki, for example. It is a series about an alternate version of one of Marvel's best villains bouncing around the timeline with Owen Wilson to prevent the end of the universe. It sounds like just the right amount of wackiness that it should be too good to fail.
But that's today's question: Did it fail? To find out my own answer to that, we're gonna have to dive deep into spoilers. So be wary as you continue reading.
With that said, let's review, shall we?
WHAT I LIKED
Loki Himself: Let's get this out of the way: This isn't the same Loki we've seen grow within five movies. The Loki in this series, while similar in many ways, is still his very own character. He goes through his own redemption and developments that fleshes out Loki, all through ways that, if I'm being honest with you, is done much better in six-hour-long episodes than in past films. Loki's story was already entertaining, but he didn't really grow that much aside from being this chaotic neutral character instead of this wickedly evil supervillain. Through his series, we get to see a gradual change in his personality, witnessing him understand his true nature and "glorious purpose," to the point where he's already this completely different person after one season. Large in part because of the position he's forced into.
Some fans might say that the series is less about Loki and more about the TVA. And while I can unquestionably see their point, I still believe that the TVA is the perfect way for Loki to grow. He's a character all about causing chaos and controlling others, so forcing him to work for an organization that takes that away allows Loki time to really do some introspection. Because if his tricks don't work, and his deceptions can't fool others, then who is he? Well, through this series, we see who he truly is: A character who is alone and is intended to be nothing more than a villain whose only truly selfless act got him killed in the end. Even if he wants to better himself, he can't because that "goes against the sacred timeline." Loki is a person who is destined to fail, and he gets to see it all with his own eyes by looking at what his life was meant to be and by observing what it could have been. It's all tragic and yet another example of these shows proving how they allow underdeveloped characters in the MCU a better chance to shine. Because if Loki can give even more depth to a character who's already compelling as is, then that is a feat worth admiration.
The Score: Let's give our gratitude toward Natalie Holt, who f**king killed it with this series score. Every piece she made is nothing short of glorious. Sylvie's and the TVA's themes particularly stand out, as they perfectly capture who/what they're representing. Such as how Sylvie's is big and boisterous where the TVA's sound eerie and almost unnatural. Holt also finds genius ways to implement other scores into the series, from using familiar tracks from the Thor movies to even rescoring "Ride of the Valkyries" in a way that makes a scene even more epic than it already could have been. The MCU isn't best known for its musical scores, partly because they aim to be suitable rather than memorable. But every now and again, something as spectacular as the Loki soundtrack sprinkles through the cracks of mediocrity. Making fans all the more grateful because of it.
There’s a lot of Talking: To some, this will be considered a complaint. Most fans of the MCU come for the action, comedy, and insanely lovable characters. Not so much for the dialogue and exposition. That being said, I consider all of the talking to be one of Loki's best features. All the background information about the TVA added with the character's backstories fascinates me, making me enthusiastic about learning more. Not everyone else will be as interested in lore and world-building as others, but just because something doesn't grab you, in particular, doesn't mean it isn't appealing at all. Case in point: There's a reason why the Five Nights at Freddy's franchise has lasted as long as it has, and it's not entirely because of how "scary" it is.
There's also the fact that most of the dialogue in Loki is highly engaging. I'll admit, some scenes do drag a bit. However, every line is delivered so well that I'm more likely to hang on to every word when characters simply have honest conversations with each other. And if I can be entertained by Loki talking with Morbius about jetskis, then I know a show is doing at least something right.
It’s Funny: This shouldn't be a surprise. The MCU is well-known for its quippy humor in the direct acknowledgment that it doesn't take itself too seriously. With that said, it is clear which movies and shows are intended to be taken seriously, while others are meant to be comedies. Loki tries to be a bit of both. There are some heavy scenes that impact the characters, and probably even some fans, due to how well-acted and professionally written they can be. However, this is also a series about a Norse god traveling through time to deal with alternate versions of himself, with one of them being an alligator. I'd personally consider it a crime against storytelling to not make it funny. Thankfully, the writers aren't idiots and know to make the series fun with a few flawlessly timed and delivered jokes that never really take away from the few good grim moments that actually work.
It Kept Me Surprised: About everything I appreciate about Loki, the fact that I could never really tell what direction it was going is what I consider its absolute best feature. Every time I think I knew what was going to happen, there was always this one big twist that heavily subverted any and every one of my expectations. Such as how each time I thought I knew who the big bad was in this series, it turns out that there was an even worse threat built up in the background. The best part is that these twists aren't meant for shock value. It's always supposed to drive the story forward, and on a rewatch, you can always tell how the seeds have been planted for making each surprise work. It's good that it kept fans guessing, as being predictable and expected would probably be the worst path to take when making a series about Loki, a character who's all about trickery and deception. So bonus points for being in line with the character.
The TVA: You can complain all you want about how the show is more about the TVA than it is Loki, but you can't deny how the organization in question is a solid addition to the MCU. Initially, it was entertaining to see Loki of all characters be taken aback by how the whole process works. And it was worth a chuckle seeing Infinity Stones, the most powerful objects in the universe, get treated as paperweights. However, as the season continues and we learn about the TVA, the writers show that their intention is to try and write a message about freedom vs. control. We've seen this before in movies like Captain America: The Winter Soldier or Captain America: Civil War, but with those films, it always felt like the writers were leaning more towards one answer instead of making it obscure over which decision is correct. This is why I enjoy the fact that Loki went on saying that there really is no right answer for this scenario. If the TVA doesn't prune variants, it could result in utter chaos and destruction that no one from any timeline can prepare themselves for. But when they do prune variants along with their timelines, it takes away all free will, forcing people to be someone they probably don't even want to be. It's a situation where there really is no middle ground. Even if you bring up how people could erase timelines more destructive than others, that still takes away free will on top of how there's no unbiased way of deciding which timelines are better or worse. And the series found a brilliant way to explain this moral: The season starts by showing how the TVA is necessary, to later point out how there are flaws and evil secrets within it, and ends things with the revelation that there are consequences without the TVA keeping the timeline in check. It's an epic showcase of fantastic ideas met with exquisite execution that I can't help but give my seal of approval to.
Miss Minutes: Not much to say. This was just a cute character, and I love that Tara Strong, one of the most popular voice actors, basically plays a role in the MCU now.
Justifying Avengers: Endgame: Smartest. Decision. This series. Made. Bar none.
Because when you establish that the main plot is about a character getting arrested for f**king over the timeline, you're immediately going to get people questioning, "Why do the Avengers get off scot-free?" So by quickly explaining how their time-traveling antics were supposed to happen, it negates every one of those complaints...or most of them. There are probably still a-holes who are poking holes in that logic, but they're not the ones writing this review, so f**k them.
Mobius: I didn't really expect Owen Wilson to do that good of a job in Loki. Primarily due to how the Cars franchise discredits him as a professional actor for...forever. With that said, Owen Wilson's Mobius might just be one of the most entertaining characters in the series. Yes, even more so than Loki himself. Mobius acts as the perfect straight man to Loki's antics, what with being so familiar with the supposed god of mischief through past variations of him. Because of that, it's always a blast seeing these two bounce off one another through Loki trying to trick a Loki expert, and said expert even deceiving Loki at times. Also, on his own, Mobius is still pretty fun. He has this sort of witty energy that's often present in Phil Coulson (Love that character too, BTW), but thanks to Owen Wilson's quirks in his acting, there's a lot more energy to Mobius than one would find in Coulson. As well as a tad bit of tragedy because of Mobius being a variant and having no clue what his life used to be. It's a lot to unpack and is impressively written, added to how it's Owen Wilson who helps make the character work as well as he did. Cars may not have done much for his career, but Loki sure as hell showed his strengths.
Ravonna Renslayer: Probably the least entertaining character, but definitely one of the most intriguing. At least to me.
Ravonna is a character who is so steadfast in her believes that she refuses to accept that she may be wrong. Without the proper writing, someone like Ravonna could tick off (ha) certain people. Personally, I believe that Ravonna is written well enough where even though I disagree with her belief, I can understand where she's coming from. She's done so much for the TVA, bringing an end to so many variants and timelines that she can't accept that it was all for nothing. In short, Ravonna represents the control side of the freedom vs. control theme that the writers are pushing. Her presence is necessary while still being an appealing character instead of a plot device. Again, at least to me.
Hunter B-15: I have no strong feelings one way or another towards B-15's personality, but I will admit that I love the expectation-subversion done with her. She has this air of someone who's like, "I'm this by-the-books badass cop, and I will only warm up to this cocky rookie after several instances of them proving themselves." That's...technically not B-15. She's the first to see Loki isn't that bad, but only because B-15 is the first in the main cast to learn the hidden vile present in the TVA. It makes her change in point of view more believable than how writers usually work a character like hers, on top of adding a new type of engaging motivation for why she fights. I may not particularly enjoy her personality, but I do love her contributions.
Loki Watching What His Life Could Have Been: This was a brilliant decision by the writers. It's basically having Loki speedrun his own character development through witnessing what he could have gone through and seeing the person he's meant to be, providing a decent explanation for why he decides to work for the TVA. And on the plus side, Tom Hiddleston did a fantastic job at portraying the right emotions the character would have through a moment like this. Such as grief, tearful mirth, and borderline shock and horror. It's a scene that no other character could go through, as no one but Loki needed a wake-up call for who he truly is. This series might heavily focus on the TVA, but scenes like this prove just who's the star of the show.
Loki Causing Mischief in Pompeii: I just really love this scene. It's so chaotic and hilarious, all heavily carried by the fact that you can tell that Tom Hiddleston is having the time of his damn life being this character. What more can I say about it.
Sylvie: The first of many surprises this season offered, and boy was she a great one.
Despite being an alternate version of Loki, I do appreciate that Sylvie's her own character and not just "Loki, but with boobs." She still has the charm and charisma, but she also comes across as more hardened and intelligent when compared to the mischievous prick we've grown to love. A large part of that is due to her backstory, which might just be the most tragic one these movies and shows have ever made. Sylvie got taken away when she was a little girl, losing everything she knew and loved, and it was all for something that the people who arrested her don't even remember. How sad is that? The fact that her life got permanently screwed over, leaving zero impact on the people responsible for it. As badass as it is to hear her say she grew up at the ends of a thousand worlds (that's an album title if I ever heard one), it really is depressing to know what she went through. It also makes her the perfect candidate to represent the freedom side of the freedom vs. control argument. Because she's absolutely going to want to fight to put an end to the people who decide how the lives of trillions should be. Those same people took everything from Sylvie, and if I were in her position, I'd probably do the same thing. Of course, we all know the consequences that come from this, and people might criticize Sylvie the same way they complain about Thor and Star Lord for screwing over the universe in Avengers: Infinity War. But here's the thing: Sylvie's goals are driven by vengeance, which can blind people from any other alternatives. Meaning her killing He Who Remains is less of a story flaw and more of a character flaw. It may be a bad decision, but that's for Season Two Sylvie to figure out. For now, I'll just appreciate the well-written and highly compelling character we got this season and eagerly wait as we see what happens next with her.
The Oneshot in Episode Three: Not as epic as the hallway scene in Daredevil, but I do find it impressive that it tries to combine real effects, fighting, and CGI in a way where it's all convincing enough.
Lady Sif Kicking Loki in the D**k: This is a scene that makes me realize why I love this series. At first, I laugh at Loki being stuck in a time loop where Lady Sif kicks him in the d**k over and over again. But a few scenes later, this setup actually works as a character moment that explains why Loki does the things he does.
This series crafted phenomenal character development through Loki getting kicked in the d**k by the most underrated badass of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It's a perfect balance of comedy and drama that not every story can nail, yet Loki seemed like it did with very little effort.
Classic Loki: This variant shows the true tragedy of being Loki. The only way to survive is to live in isolation, far away from everything and everyone he loves, only to end up having his one good deed result in his death anyways. Classic Loki is definitive proof that no matter what face they have, Lokis never gets happy endings. They're destined to lose, but at least this version knows that if you're going out, you're going out big. And at least he got to go out with a mischievous laugh.
(Plus, the fact that he's wearing Loki's first costume from the comics is a pretty cute callback).
Alligator Loki: Alligator Loki is surprisingly adorable, and if you know me, you know that I can't resist cute s**t. It's not in my nature.
Loki on Loki Violence: If you thought Loki going ham in Pompeii was chaotic, that was nothing to this scene. Because watching these Lokis backstab one another, to full-on murdering each other, is a moment that is best described as pure, unadulterated chaos. And I. Loved. Every. Second of it.
The Opening Logo for the Season Finale: I'm still not that big of a fan of the opening fanfare playing for each episode, but I will admit that it was a cool feature to play vocal clips of famous quotes when the corresponding character appears. It's a great way of showing the chaos of how the "sacred timeline" works without having it to be explained further.
The Citadel: I adore the set design of the Citadel. So much history and backstory shine through the state of every room the characters walk into. You get a perfect picture of what exactly happened, but seeing how ninety percent of the place is in shambles, it's pretty evident that not everything turned out peachy keen. And as a personal note, my favorite aspect of the Citadel is the yellow cracks in the walls. It looks as though reality itself is cracking apart, which is pretty fitting when considering where the Citadel actually is.
He Who Remains: This man. I. Love. This man.
I love this man for two reasons.
A. He's a ton of fun. Credit to that goes to the performance delivered by Jonathon Majors. Not only is it apparent that Majors is having a blast, but he does a great job at conveying how He Who Remains is a strategic individual but is still very much off his rocker. These villains are always my favorite due to how much of a blast it is seeing someone with high intelligence just embracing their own insanity. If you ask me, personalities are always essential for villains. Because even when they have the generic plot to rule everything around them, you're at least going to remember who they are for how entertaining they were. Thankfully He Who Remains has that entertainment value, as it makes me really excited for his eventual return, whether it'd be strictly through Loki Season Two or perhaps future movies.
And B. He Who Remains is a fantastic foil for Loki. He Who Remains is everything Loki wishes he could have been, causing so much death, destruction, and chaos to the multiverse. The important factor is that he does it all through order and control. The one thing Loki despises, and He Who Remains uses it to his advantage. I feel like that's what makes him the perfect antagonist to Loki, thanks to him winning the game by not playing it. I would love it if He Who Remains makes further appearances in future movies and shows, especially given how he's hinted to be Kane the Conqueror, but if he's only the main antagonist in Loki, I'm still all for it. He was a great character in his short time on screen, and I can't wait to see what happens next with him.
WHAT I DISLIKED
Revealing that Loki was D.B. Cooper: A cute scene, but it's really unnecessary. It adds nothing to the plot, and I feel like if it was cut out entirely, it wouldn't have been the end of the world...Yeah. That's it.
That's my one and only complaint about this season.
Maybe some scenes drag a bit, and I guess Episode Three is kind of the weakest, but there's not really anything that this series does poorly that warrants an in-depth complaint.
Nope.
Nothing at all...
…
...
...I'm not touching that "controversy" of Loki falling for Sylvie instead of Mobius. That's a situation where there are no winners.
Only losers.
Exclusively losers.
Other than that, this season was amazing!
IN CONCLUSION
I'd give the first season of Loki a well-earned A, with a 9.5 through my usual MCU ranking system. It turns out, it really is the best type of wackiness that was just too good to fail. The characters are fun and likable, the comedy and drama worked excellently, and the expansive world-building made me really intrigued with the more we learned. It's hard to say if Season Two will keep this momentum, but that's for the future to figure out. For now, let's just sit back and enjoy the chaos.
(Now, if you don't excuse me, I have to figure out how to review Marvel's What If...)
#marvel cinematic universe#mcu reviews#loki tv series#loki#sylvie#mobius#ravonna renslayer#hunter b 15#classic loki#alligator loki#he who remains#kang the conqueror#what i thought about
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The White Vault 4.09: Glimpse
oops I forgot this was in my drafts
ALL RIGHT HERE WE FUCKING GO, TIME FOR YELLING SINCE I’M NO LONGER DISTRACTED BY F/EBHYURARY, SPOILERS AHOY MY VAULTLINGS
SHE DID IT. EVA DID IT, SHE BLEW THE CHARGES. I AM SOBBING, BUT SHE DID IT.
...this leads me to wonder if the call the Documentarian’s mother gets in the pre-season Indications short wasn’t about the tremors that the rescue team experienced in the cave but actually about Eva blowing up Cerro Torre
God, Graham needs a hug.
Rosa’s teeth is the most glaring goddamn Chekov’s gun I’ve yet to see in this show, wow. Katie, that better be some hella payoff.
I was not expecting a philosophical discussion but, honestly, it really provides some fascinating perspectives is a nice breath after all the goddamn tension of this season. And, like, Graham is also the absolute last person I would have expected to talk about positive forces but, hell. He ain’t wrong. Surely there has to be something to balance all this awful shit?
*SLAMS FISTS ON TABLE* LET GRAHAM CASNER SHOOT A SHADOW MONSTER WITH A SHOTGUN.
*ahem* *sips coffee*
[Andean condor noise] *SIPS COFFEE LOUDER*
and then
they got off the mountain
THEY. GOT. OFF. THE MOUNTAIN.
WHAT THE HELL THEY GOT OFF THE MOUNTAIN OH MY GOD THEY DID IT THEY DID IT THEY DID IT
I don’t think they’re home free yet. They have Rosa’s teeth, they blew up Cerro Torre, Simon’s badly injured (possibly hallucinated Eva, has hallucinated the statues before (OR DID HE), has referred to Cerro Torres as ‘sacred’--listen I think signs are pointing to that something got to him, but the not same way it did with Eva), shit ain’t perfect. but. THEY GOT OFF THE MOUNTAIN
which brings us toooooooo:
THE DOCUMENTARIAN’S MOTHER
[concern.jpg]
there is no jpg, gif, or emoji that can properly capture the complicated feelings I bear for this woman, but if I had to pick two, they would be “deep confusion” and “boiling hatred”
I forgot to mention this with 4.08, but I googled “Sveiða“ and got two possible returns in Old Icelandic on what that...charm’s...name means: “to burn” (doubtful) or something like “of the sea-king” (much more likely and appropriate for a “charm” that vaguely looks like a walrus monster)
please note I have absolutely no background of Icelandic or any other Norse or Scandinavian language so these results may be wrong and/or not Katie’s intention with that name
“Dúrnirga“ returned a whole lot of Absolutely Nothing, though. which. has me doing a concern. o_o;
ANYWAY so, like
Mor’s comments very strongly imply that her family’s relationship with these shadow monsters/totems/charms/what-the-fuck-evers gives them a degree of protection and health. the Documentarian’s great-grandmother is still alive and healthy as a horse, and so is her grandmother
(there...also seems to be a degree of matrilinealism occurring here, too; Mor makes no mentions of grandfathers or brothers or sons. great-grandmother, grandmother, Mor, the Documentarian and her half-sister. and Jonas’s wife is strongly implied to be involved, and they have twin daughters...this can’t be a coincidence)
and, like. “accidents don’t happen to us.” nothing ever happens to them, with the implication being that the Documentarian’s accident and the accident that killed Essie was because they either weren’t under the charms’ protection (Documentarian) or they rejected whatever “duty” they have to the family/the charms/the monsters (Essie)
(of course I also think that there’s a serious possibility that Essie was deliberately offed because her lack of acceptance of her family’s circumstances made her an active threat to the charms. her car skidded on a patch of black ice when we know the charm monsters and whatever forces are associated with them can affect the weather.)
it also seems like that as much as Mor accepts and goes along with whatever the fuck is going on, perhaps there’s a degree of uncertainty/knowing deep down what’s happening is wrong. she hedges A LOT in actually giving the Documentarian an answer (frustrating both the audience and the Documentarian), and one of her lines in Swedish (untranslated in the podcast, but has a translation note included in the transcript) is, “I hated having this talk with my mother.”
oh and then there’s that thing at the end where the stone on the pillar suddenly has a completely elongated shadow and is vaguely person shaped.
*STARES AT KATIE*
IS THAT STONE OR SOMETHING A WAY FOR THE CHARM/SHADOW MONSTERS TO MANIFEST/SEMI-INTERACT WITH THE FAMILY IN A WAY THAT’S, Y’KNOW, LESS LIKELY TO RESULT IN UNHOLY TERROR OR SCREAMING. OR JUST A WAY FOR THEM TO OBSERVE THE CONVERSATION BETWEEN MOR AND THE DOCUMENTARIAN.
goddamnit this show is gonna give me ulcers
I’d like to conclude with a reiteration of a statement I’ve been saying most of the season as we eagerly/apprehensively await the season finale:
LET GRAHAM CASNER SHOOT A SHADOW MONSTER WITH A SHOTGUN.
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hi tina 💞 not sure how easy this is, since my astrophysics knowledge is nearing -273 *C, but you could do mutuals as astronomical sights? comets, planets, galaxies etc... sorry if not!! 💖✨

anna! and anon! you’ve given me a wonderful chance to ramble about space. you may come to regret it, however...
if i’ve forgotten you, please do not take it personally! i didn’t mean to. my mind is just but a glorified puddle :)

@archaicmusings — vega
vega is the brightest star in the constellation lyra, and happens to be my favourite star. don’t ask me why vega is my favourite star, or why lyra is my favourite constellation, because i haven’t got a coherent answer for you. i’ve just always been drawn to them. a bit like cal, really. i feel like we’ve known each other for far longer than just four months, and she’s so lovely that i’m fairly sure i could say anything to her and she’d just accept me for whatever rubbish i’m rambling about this time. and, in the depressing year that’s been 2020, cal has been a bright star.

@drivenbybri — halley’s comet
honestly, is there anything more iconic than halley’s comet? there can’t be much. probably the best known comet of all time, halley’s comet is a short-period comet (and if you’ve read starstruck, you know how much i prefer short-period comets to those long-period comets with their damned 200-year perihelions, even if certain people suggest that this makes them quite special), meaning that it is visible from earth every 75-ish years. halley’s comet last made an appearance in the lovely year of 1986, and will thus appear next in 2061 (i’m so excited for my 59-year-old self!!!). halley’s comet, though well-known, is still a rare breed, so to speak. it is rare, and extraordinarily beautiful that a comet appears to a human twice within their lifetime. sofie is rare, just like halley’s comet, and equally beautiful, both in heart and with that lovely curly hair of hers. i’m honoured to know her, just as i shall be honoured to see halley’s comet one day.

@brianmays-hair — cassiopeia a
cassiopeia a (or rather, the remnant of cassiopeia a) was a supernova within the constellation of cassiopeia. for those of you who do not obsess over interstellar matter the way that i do, supernovae are explosions of massive stars, or white dwarfs drawn to nuclear fusion, within their final stages of life. not much is known about how these explosions necessarily take place, and nasa has only caught on video one such explosion, back in 2016. the most commonly presented image of the remnant of cassiopeia a is a false-colour image, composed with three different wavebands of light. it is, as you can see, very beautiful. supernovae radiate energy and light throughout the cosmos during their existence, and thus having a great effect on the space surrounding them. i therefore liken jess to cassiopeia a because she has a brilliant personality, vibrant and inspiring, which comes across especially in her writing. but of course, the beauty of cassiopeia a has nothing on her.

@deacyblues — sirius
as far as we humans and the scientists among us know, sirius is the brightest star in the observable universe. housed within the constellation of canis major, sirius has always been monumentally important in terms of navigation, since ancient times. i tell pearl this all the time, but truly, i mean it; her outlook on life is inspiring, how she never fails to be positive even in times of great trouble. like sirius, pearl is a light, ever-present within the mindset of living for today, ever-determined, and unfailingly kind.

@joemazzmatazz — black hole
please let me explain before this gets taken the wrong way: I LOVE BLACK HOLES. i specifically want to study black holes, whenever i get the chance to specialise within astrophysics. they fascinate me to no end, with a kind of allure that only the mysterious can hold. furthermore, black holes may be the key to understanding the universe; if we understand black holes, we will be able to make headway on other matter, such as dark matter, and dark energy, the latter of which makes up the majority of the observable universe, and will lead us to astronomical (if you’ll pardon the ill-worded expression, and the unintentional pun) conclusions concerning both the beginning of our universe, and the eventual end. regan, just like a black hole, is a wealth of information, especially concerning the knowledge she harbours about disney, and the business management sector of it. it’s quite truly inspirational.

@im-an-adult-ish — the milky way
ah yes, the milky way. home to all of us. and that is the essence of my explanation here. meredith has such a friendly way about her, and she’s the kind of person you can easily turn to and feel welcomed. a bit like our little corner of the universe <3

@almightygwil — the sun
i think this is probably self-explanatory, if a bit repetitive, but ellie is a ray of sunshine. but perhaps that sells her a little short, because ellie is just so genuinely lovely that she must herself be the sun. her writing talent astounds me (you could say it blinds me, ha ha), and she never fails to be somehow both sweet and very chaotic at the same time. it’s very admirable (and certainly relatable, on the chaotic front). the sun itself, if we think about the surface and the fusion that takes place there, is both the sweetest sight ever seen, and quite chaotic, so i think it fitting that ellie is the sun.

@hijackmy-heart — callisto
callisto is one of jupiter’s moons, and my favourite, because it looks like a piece of the night sky decided to curl up into a ball. i don’t know nat too well, but i know that she’s gorgeous, like callisto, and loves roger taylor. let me explain. jupiter, in roman mythology, is the god of the sky and of thunder. in norse mythology, thor is the equivalent of jupiter, and to me, roger has always had a bit of that typical scandinavian look going, with the blonde hair and blue eyes (not to say that all scandis look like this, but he fits the stereotype :)). nat loves roger, and callisto orbits jupiter, so there you have it.

@six-bloodyminutes — the moon
the moon has a serenity about it, and mo has a knack for telling quite wild things with a most casual air. for instance, according to my sources, when a certain dorm room caught fire (?). mo thus bears this serenity, akin to the serenity i associate with the moon, with equal grace and chaos.

@dancingdiscofloof — pluto
pluto! the not-planet-oh-wait-maybe-it’s-a-planet-jk-jk-unless..? i still think that pluto should be considered a planet, despite the many arguments against the poor sod. pluto was once a planet, and should therefore have remained a planet, for the plain and simple fact that taking away its planethood was like giving a person a present, and then taking it back immediately afterward. anyway. i’m rambling. i also do not know rove very well, but i know that she’s kind, and, judging by the memes she shares, both of ryan gosling and tom hanks, that she is quirky— a bit like our beloved pluto.

@imcompletelylost — aurora borealis/aurora australis
also known as the northern lights/the southern lights, the polar lights, the merry dancers, the fox fires, or swarms of luminous herring (you can thank my ancestors, followers of norse mythology, for that one), the aurora is an astronomical phenomenon precipitated by the complete ring of light surrounding the poles, “which at its brightest has a distinctively green tint” (may, brian, et al. the cosmic tourist. carlton books, 2016.). yes i just made a citation from one of brian’s books. don’t worry about it. anyway, particles emitted from our sun are caught by the magnetic fields of earth’s poles, and thus produce this ethereal effect. but you know what the aurora has always reminded me of? disco lights. and libby is noting if not the queen of disco. oh, and, libby’s makeup talents? the aurora could never.

@aprilaady — butterfly nebula
the butterfly nebula is incredibly beautiful. but also, depending on from which angle it is beheld, it looks quite different. dor will surprise you, in the loveliest way possible (and sometimes the funniest) with a kind word or a joke, or even just a relatable comment. she has so many talents, being rivetingly smart within so many fields, especially the sciences, and in this, conveys multitudes, like the butterfly nebula. one might say her soul is painted like the wings of butterflies...

@doing-albri — solar eclipse
the alignment of the sun, moon, and earth. difficult to see, especially in totality, if you continually live in the same place. but there’s something magical in that alignment, i think. something quite poetic. it’s partially in the name ‘eclipse’ and partially in the nickname— a “ring of fire.” i saw the solar eclipse in august of 2018, and looking up at it, i was quite awestruck. you’re not supposed to stare directly at solar eclipses, because despite the moon overshadowing the sun, you can still damage your eyes significantly by looking at them. vi is so bright, both in her attitude and in her intelligence, and thus i’ve chosen the solar eclipse for her. also, when a solar eclipse occurs, using a piece of cardboard with a hole (or generally any thick-radius circular object with an opening), you can recreate the phenomenon on another surface, resulting in beautiful patterns and light-art, which i think speaks to vi’s eye for aesthetics.
@imalososos — meteor shower
meteor showers are perhaps some of the most beautiful phenomena i have ever seen. back in the summer of 2016, i stayed up all night to watch the perseids rush across the sky, and i was not disappointed, by any means. within the early hours of the 12th of august, an estimated 80 meteors darted across the heavens each hour. meteors, in essence, are clusters of mineral, usually debris from comets, which enter the atmosphere of a planet, and thus seem to shoot across the sky. now, you may be wondering, what’s the bloody blooming difference between meteoroids, meteors, and meteorites, and why are we talking about meteors in particular? well, meteoroids are cosmic debris that have not yet entered an atmosphere; as soon as a piece of cosmic debris enters a planet’s atmosphere, it is classified as a meteor. as for meteorites, nothing is a meteorite unless it strikes the ground. anyway. you didn’t come here for my science ramblings. meteors are also called ‘shooting stars,’ and let’s be honest, they’re space’s idea of art. streaks of light across the sky? sounds like a painting to me, and darya, among many other things, is an artist— and a brilliant one, at that. so i think it very fitting to describe her as the art of the universe <3

@mazzell-ro — saturn
i! love! saturn!!! being the only planet in our solar system with highly visible rings, it just stands out to me. it’s absolutely gorgeous, and an object of much inspiration to me, when i was little and decided that space was absolutely something i wanted to see. i could write an eight-verse song about saturn, i love it so much, and honestly, i think ro could write one too; she’s an excellent musician. but aside from its lovely rings, saturn is unique because its composition, in the ratio of its gases, would allow the planet to float in water. ro is uniquely wonderful, and her writing!!!!!!!! makes me so soft and happy and makes me want to give her the word. quite how i feel when i look up at saturn.

@mistiermistshazierdays — zodiacal light
you may recognise this term as brian’s speciality from when he was studying astrophysics. but what is it? zodiacal light is that strange triangle of light that appears glowing in the sky after twilight and before dawn, and is the subject of much earth-based astrophotography. extraordinarily beautiful, scientists are still not entirely sure what the phenomenon is, but most research and practical experiments are in favour of zodiacal light being sunlight reflected off of cosmic dust (also known as stardust!). now, if my knowledge of ancient greece and its mythology serves me, the name phoebe comes from phoebus, and (thank you google) means ‘bright.’ zodical light… bright… phoebe… you might say it’s a match made in the heavens. quite literally if we’re talking space. phoebe, you kind soul, you are stardust.

@speciallyred — andromeda galaxy
and last, but certainly not least, dear anna. i name thee the andromeda galaxy, partially for your own name, and partially for its poetic beauty. andromeda, the neighbour galaxy of our deal ol’ milky way, is actually about 2.5 million lightyears (15 trillion miles, 22.5 trillion km) away from us, here on earth. call me vain for the number of times i’ve described the beauty of space throughout this rather extended exposition, but andromeda is startlingly beautiful. one reason for this objective beauty is that andromeda is estimated to be home to roughly double the number of stars within our own galaxy. anna is one of the most talented poets i have ever come across, hands down, and what be the food of poetry, if not the stars?
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Uuh dunno if you would like this prompt : Anna and Elsa as a mythical creatures.
Would love too see what you will write them as ^^
@like-redhead-probably I sat thinking about this ask for a long time, because while I IMMEDIATELY thought of one for Elsa, Anna’s absolutely eluded me. And I know you were probably looking for a story, but I am unable to stop myself from first EXPLAINING my choices xD
I was already thinking about the myth of the Hulder (or huldra if we’re speaking of the creature in general instead of the specific Norwegian myth) for other story-related reasons, and as I did more research, I felt like the Hulder REALLY shared similarities with Elsa.
Generally speaking the huldra is a Scandinavian myth of a pale skinned, blonde or brown haired, attractive young woman who lives in the wilderness, often luring men away with song or dance to be killed or misled, stuck wandering forever. Sometimes she’s connected strongly to water, and instead of making men lost, she drowns them. Sometimes she is described as similar to an elf or fey-like creature, with characteristics related to other Huldufolk (we’ll get to them later) such as living in a parallel world, or a world Underground, and therefore preferring caves or appearing and disappearing suddenly. Sometimes she is depicted as having a hollow back, or a cow’s tail, which she hides out of embarrassment or to conceal her true identity. Which… how cute is that?
Before the 11th century, the myths were focussed more around the Huldufolk, which literally means “Hidden Folk”. There are lots of stories as to why and how the Huldufolk came to exist, but for the purpose of Elsa I think it most appropriate to look at the Christianization of the myths. Why?:
Frozen and Frozen 2 are modern movies made by an American company and Christianity is nigh untanglable with American culture, they take place in ~1840s Norway, F1 has a dedicated place of Christian congregation depicted in said movie, an official royal crowning overseen by a Christian faith leader, and the adaptation of Frozen generally comes from author Hans Christian Anderson and therefore should take his life and society into account, etc.
The Christianized myth says that one day Eve was washing her children (presumably after Cain, Abel, and Seth) in the river, when she heard God approaching. Ashamed that He would see her kids unclean, she hid the half she wasn’t done bathing, and when God asked, “Where are the other children?” Eve claimed that she had all of them present, indicating the clean ones. This gave God pause, but in the end He said, “Then let all that is Hidden, remain Hidden.” The children that Eve lied about became the Huldufolk, unable to live among humans. These people would eventually become characterized as dwarves, elves, fairies, etc., as time and interpretations rolled on, the huldra being just one of many mythical “species”.
So. Who is Elsa? She’s a:
fictional, blonde-haired, blue-eyed, fair-skinned young woman who led thousands of men wlw to wander helplessly into the dark caves and wildlands of social media with a power ballad and a jaw-dropping transformation sequence
Okay I’m joking… mostly…
In fact my interest in choosing the Hulder for Elsa lies purely outside of any romantic or sexual appeal, especially since Elsa as a character exhibits next to 0 romantic or sexual interest across two whole movies and an additional two shorts. Indeed, there’s a reason people headcanon her as either asexual, aromantic, or both! No, the reasons I chose the Hulder are:
Elsa’s name
Her upbringing
Her duty as queen, and
Her general behavior, specifically in regards to Frozen 1, as Frozen 2 Elsa is, at times, an almost completely different character
Elsa’s name was chosen very specifically by the filmmakers because it means “God is my Oath”. Oaths are binding, heavy, and invoke the maker’s or subject’s actions and personhood in the future. In Elsa’s case specifically, it invokes divine witness: perfect for a queen, someone born to rule. A promise to be fair, to uphold, to protect, to lead, to be a dignified and honorable face for the country. And Elsa was so ready to be that… except for the powers of course. Or at least, when they became something other than a magical gift of wonder and joy. When they became dangerous. Then there comes another oath, spoken to powerful creatures of magic, the Trolls, and born from parental fear: “She can learn to control it.”
Binding, heavy, invoking of Elsa’s future. As she grows, Elsa becomes closed off, quiet, hiding in her own home. She still takes her duties seriously, but now that she has been Other’d, taught to hide herself and her curse, she is just as much shadow as person. To young Anna, Elsa must have been almost ghostlike, disappearing right when Anna thought she’d cornered her, only to reappear sometime later down the hall, out of arm’s reach.
God promised Adam and Eve that their children would inherit the earth, even after leaving the Garden of Eden. Then suddenly that changed, due to Eve’s fear and shame of her unwashed children, and some would now inherit Underground, or somewhere else entirely. The lost children of Eve had become Other’d, needing to hide, disappear, and resort to inhuman tactics just to exist. Maybe they’re jealous, maybe they're just tricksters. But it’s not their fault. And it wasn’t Elsa’s either. Another reason they are similar.
Now, it’s not all doom and gloom for the Hulder, or for Elsa. While the Hulder is generally known for her more chaotic and negative attributes - just like our favorite snow queen, there’s a light at the end of the tunnel. There are a few myths that say burning a charcoal fire -instead of a coal or gas one- is most pleasing to the Hulder, that she’ll even watch over it during the night, and wake the sleepers in case something happens. If a traveler leaves supplies behind with a note or offering for the Hulder, they will travel safely. In fact, some people leave caches for her, as though to cater to specific requests. Coming across the Hulder by chance can have a multitude of outcomes, but if an astute observer spots her cow tail and mentions it, she may become shy and run away. Don’t mention the empty back though, that’s almost certain death.
Basically my point is… trade out the word “traveler” for the name “Anna” and we can draw all the similarities we want. Anna did all of those things, in a way. Anna gave Elsa a little gift of their favorite snowman every Christmas. Anna knocked on Elsa’s door and spoke to her, treated her kindly despite the distance between them, literal and metaphorical. It’s not hard to imagine that Anna left little notes around the castle, hoping Elsa would find them, read them, and know that Anna still loved her, still missed her. And, well, hopefully Anna wasn’t setting any fires and falling asleep next to them - but Anna always kept a light on for Elsa, in her heart. And it flickered and wavered sometimes, but it was a strong fire most days. And we know Elsa was always drawn to it, drawn to Anna because she loved her right back. Loved her first, even. And because it was a warmth that pleased Elsa, she tended it, quietly, carefully, warmly. Like putting a blanket over an Anna that had fallen asleep in the painting room, refusing that slice of chocolate cake so Anna could have two desserts, and listening, for hours and hours, days and days, for the sound of Anna’s glorious bonfire-like soul outside her bedroom door. Even when her secret was revealed, Elsa believed that the best way to protect Anna’s life, her flame, was to distance herself, running to a secret, special place all her own - much like the Hulder might run away back to the Underground.
And this last part’s just me, but I’d like to think that if the Hulder was treated kindly, respected, and given dignity, maybe it wouldn’t be so bad if someone came across her accidentally. That instead of being instantly drowned, or the Hulder becoming sheepish and attempting to run, it would feel recognized. It could be called by name. And instead of feeling the need to hide it’s Otherness, it could be treated as part of it, and cared for just the same. I don’t even need to be subtle here: Anna called Elsa by Name, really saw her, and reframed her darkness into light. Anna hasn’t fought God yet, but she did walk through hell and back for a sister that everyone else saw as a threat, monster, and sorcerer. A category 9 Other. Too bad for them, Anna’s got a Category 10 heart.
Speaking of. We finally got to Anna.
Anna was difficult to pin down because to me, Anna is so very, very human. That’s what makes her special! Yes, yes, you could throw any mythical creature at Anna and the fun part would be trying to make it work within her personality and characterization BUT since the question was Anna AS a mythical creature, that changes the game! The word ‘creature’ itself tends to conjure something distinctly INhuman. So I…. tried, and cheated maybe a little. Because I picked for Anna the Norse Valkyrie.
Most people know what Valkyries are so this one takes significantly less explaining. Valkyries are women that are warriors, shieldmaidens, and the hands of Odin, and they choose who lives and who dies during battle. Their chosen dead ride with them to Valhalla, while those they choose to live are usually granted honors in life. There are the darker sides of Valkyries that paint them as blood hungry maidens waiting on the sidelines before a war, singing the names of who will die with glee… but generally speaking the version of Valkyries that most people know and admire today are accurate! And thank goodness because attempting to depict Anna the other way would probably give me an ulcer.
Anna, much like the Valkyries, is a woman of valor and strength, who is perceptive, guides others, sees into people’s hearts and reveals their goodness. Valkyries are also warriors of prowess themselves, and Anna in Frozen 2 with that ice sword? We all know she was ready to use that for real. She also exemplifies traits that Valkyries both look for and have! Bravery in the face of danger: hello Marshmallow, Elsa’s own blizzard, Hans’ lethal sword strike, LIVING MOUNTAINS, and a damn collapsing.... dam. She also defends those who cannot do it themselves: saying publicly that, “My sister is not a monster… she was scared, she didn’t mean any of this,” even if that cast suspicion or doubt on herself, and the crown, as a whole. Anna knew and believed in Elsa, despite all the years and heartbreak and anger. Despite the impossible magic that literally just happened before her very eyes. Belief in character, despite appearances. And once they were reunited, Anna made every effort to stay by Elsa’s side because she STILL had that faith in her. Anna’s name means “Grace” or “of Grace”, and damn if she didn’t extend that to the person others found most unworthy, even to Elsa herself. Valkyries see what others don’t, and their decisions are final.
[Deep breath] SO! You asked for Anna and Elsa as mythical creatures. You got… a small academic paper, by social media standards xD. I intend to write a little piece about a Valkyrie who encounters the Hulder on the edges of a battlefield and… realizes she never made a choice about this particular woman. And wonders why she can’t ;). BUT I didn’t wanna leave you hanging any longer. Hope you like my choices!
Oh also, nobody asked, but Kristoff is a werebear. No research required
#there's almost 2k words to this uhhh..... eyup that's all I have to say about that#the inner academic kinda popped out#begging to be utilized after a few dusty years xD#I have links to all this stuff btw if people want them#but now I should REALLY go to bed#or I'll be slowly flame-broiled by a certain someone who is about to find out I'm awake in the worst way possible#like-redhead-probably#mythical creature au#Hulder!Elsa#Valkyrie!Anna#mythology#also yes I know I didn't stray far from Scandinavian territories for the mythical choices I couldn't help it#once I got digging into the huldra I had a hard time looking anywhere else#still I think Valkyrie fits so nicely for anna#she might as well be on irl tbh#Elsa#Anna#my writing#and yeah I'll get to a little short story bc they're so CUTE like this!!
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Eitr | Chapter 10

Fanfic summary: In an alternate universe where the Raven Clan is wiped out, Sigurd ends up being rescued by the son of a Saxon ealdorman, and is tasked with being the boy’s new bodyguard. Upon meeting the boy’s father however, Sigurd soon realizes that the ealdorman is responsible for his clan’s destruction, and secretly plans for revenge while hiding behind the guise of a Norse pagan turned Christian.
Point of view: third-person
Pairing: Sigurd Styrbjornson x Male OC
Author’s note: Thanks for being patient with me guys. I know I’ve been sucking ass in terms of getting these chapters out at a frequent rate, but I really appreciate you all being so understanding with me. Hope you enjoy this part, and thanks again for the support.
This story is also on AO3 | Previous chapter | Next chapter
ONE WEEK LATER
ELMENHAM, THE LONGHOUSE
Oswald threw an incredulous stare at Eivor upon hearing the news, unable to deny the doubt that was settling into his mind.
“The ealdorman of Wedenscire did this?” He asked. “Are you certain?”
Eivor shrugged, fidgeting with his axe as he relaxed in a chair.
“That’s what Gjuki tells me. There is still much information to be uncovered when it comes to the nature of this ambush, but based on what he has brought to me so far, I think it’s safe to assume that Aegenwulf was involved with the attack at the very least.”
The king placed his hands on his hips and began to pace around the room. “I just... I find it difficult to believe that he would act so brazenly -- especially in the middle of a war, no less. Aegenwulf has never been fond of the Danes, that is true, but he is a man of honor; a man of God. If he truly is behind the attack on Ravensthorpe, why would he do such a thing? What reason could he have to treat your people in such a way?”
Eivor sighed, tracing the edge of his blade. “I do not yet know, but his crimes go beyond what happened at Ravensthorpe. He also has my brother.”
That caught Oswald’s attention. “Aegenwulf has Sigurd? Is he holding him prisoner?”
“Not officially, but he may as well be. I have only heard fragments of the entire situation in Forangal, but Gjuki tells me Sigurd is slowly being brainwashed. He bears their sigil, and raises a blade in the ealdorman’s name. He obeys Aegenwulf’s every word, and apparently, has expressed some hesitation in terms of going along with my plans to assault the fortress. There are even whispers that he might convert to Christianity soon. They are turning him into a thrall.”
The Saxon king shook his head in sympathy, gazing blankly at the floor. “I’m... so sorry, Eivor. You’ve made it quite clear how much Sigurd means to you. I can’t imagine what it’s like watching a loved one lose sense of who they are. I wish I could make all this go away with a snap of my fingers, but we’ll need more men if we are to breach the walls of Forangal Castle.”
Eivor rose from his seat, sliding his axe back into its sheathe. “Have no fear, Oswald. We will have the forces we need soon enough. I have just finished securing an alliance in Eurvicscire. A couple more, and we should be ready to get Sigurd back.”
“Good. In the meantime, I will do all I can to prepare. A fragile peace hangs over East Anglia, but if there’s any chance we can save your brother, I’ll be there when you call for me. So will Valdis.”
“Thank you, Oswald.” Eivor said sincerely. “I know I’m asking a lot, but if we don’t rescue Sigurd from Forangal, he could end up dead. Or worse.”
“I understand. This is not something we can simply let go. If Aegenwulf really is at the heart of all this, we must bring him to justice. He has the blood of many innocents on his hands, and that cannot go unpunished.”
Oswald strolled back to his throne, finally having a seat after a long day of work.
“Carry on with your plans, Eivor. I will inform Valdis of what is to come. In the meantime, do your best to keep your head high. I know these are trying times, but Sigurd is going to need your strength if his situation is truly as bad as Gjuki reports.”
Eivor gave him a nod, making his way out of the longhouse. “I know, Oswald. And I will. I’m not giving up on him yet.”
~~~~~~~~~~
THAT NIGHT
FORANGAL CASTLE, SIGURD’S CHAMBERS
Dragging a small stone along the edge of his sword, Sigurd sharpened the blade underneath the pale moonlight as he sat by the window, continuously checking to see if Gjuki had lit the brazier yet.
It had been about a week or so ever since he began searching for Algar’s hidden crypt, and with no further updates to inform Sigurd of what was going on, the man couldn’t deny that he was starting to grow anxious.
What if something had happened to Gjuki? What if he had been caught? What if all this was for nothing? What would he do?
The last thing Sigurd wanted was to think about the possible outcomes that could arise if their plan was foiled, but the thoughts continued to creep into his mind regardless. There were so many risks at hand and so many lives to consider, that he was beginning to wonder if all their effort was doomed to end in futility.
After all, they were heavily outnumbered in this part of England. Aside from Gjuki and his men, Sigurd really had no one else to rely on in Wedenscire. Of course, he had the support of Aegenwulf’s children to back him up, but in the face of true monarchy, he doubted that their approval of him would mean much to the ealdorman in the end.
Still, he supposed there was no use in worrying until he had a solid reason to believe something was amiss. Gjuki had already proven himself to be a skilled warrior in the past, and with Eivor waiting just beyond the horizon to bring Aegenwulf to justice, Sigurd remained confident in the fact that they would reunite someday.
Though, of course, that didn’t mean he wasn’t frightened.
“...Sigurd?” A man suddenly said from behind the door, their gruff voice muffled by its material. “Are you in there?”
The viking placed his sword down and walked over to the entrance, straightening his tunic along the way.
“One moment.”
Swinging the door open with a firm pull, Sigurd paused in surprise when he saw an unexpected face greeting him from the other side, admittedly confused about their presence here.
“Thegn Raedan?” He said. “Is there something you need?”
The nobleman took a moment to observe the Norse in front of him, flicking his eyes up and down.
“So...” Raedan replied quietly, not wanting to wake Forangal’s people, “you’re Sigurd the Lone-Wolf. I apologize for the abrupt visit -- especially at such a late hour -- but I wanted to speak with you face-to-face. After all, I don’t think you and I have had the chance to sit down and have a proper conversation yet, have we?”
“No, we haven’t.”
The Saxon quirked a brow at him. “...May I come in?”
Sigurd stepped to the side, allowing him entry. “Of course, my lord.”
Walking into the dimly-lit chamber, Raedan strolled towards the window and leaned against the wall beside it, resting a hand on the hilt of his sword as Sigurd closed the door behind him.
“So,” the viking said, “what did you wish to speak about?”
Raedan was quiet for a second. “...Well, a few things. But mainly, my wife. Moira. You’ve met her a handful of times by now, haven’t you? I know she’s been giving you some trouble since we first arrived, and I’m sorry about that. She is a good woman, but she’s also very protective. And I fear that the history between our people and yours has been anything but peaceful.”
The viking crossed his arms. “I assume her distrust towards me isn’t without reason.”
The Saxon nodded. “And you’d be correct. I’ll spare you the details, but... just know that she lost her own mother to the vikings. Many years ago. It’s the main reason her father arranged a marriage between the two of us. He wanted to secure an alliance with my family in order to drive the Danes out of their lands. It worked in the end... but at a great cost.”
Sigurd’s tone softened with empathy. “...I’m sorry to hear that. I know how it feels.”
“I imagine we all do, nowadays. Unfortunately. It’s rare to find someone who has evaded the tragedy of this war, and even rarer to find someone who hasn’t been changed by it. But I digress...”
Raedan approached Sigurd, lowering his voice so that it was barely above a whisper.
“May I ask you something, Lone Wolf?”
The Norseman nodded. “Certainly.”
“...From what I understand, you’re quite close to Aegenwulf, aren’t you?”
Sigurd shook his head. “Not particularly, no. In fact, I hardly know anything about him.”
“Is that so? Well, I must admit, that’s somewhat of a surprise. I simply assumed you were friends since he’s allowed you to stay here. Most Danes that cross paths with Aegenwulf end up with a severed head.”
“It was mostly his children who influenced his decision to spare me,” Sigurd explained. “Initially, Aegenwulf was going to have me executed.”
Raedan chuckled softly. “Ah, yes. That’s more what I expected. Still, it doesn’t sound like the Aegenwulf I knew all those years ago. He’s always been a stern bastard, mind you, but... I feel as if he’s changed lately. And not for the better.”
Sigurd recalled what Edric told him. “Well, he did lose one of his sons.”
“Aye. Gareth. I heard about that. Such a horrible death, and one that I fear has left Aegenwulf in a perpetual state of despair. He always puts on a smile when he’s around me, but I can’t help but feel as if it’s no more than a facade.”
The viking picked up on his tone. “You’re worried about him?”
“I am. That’s why I came to you. I hate to talk about a man behind his back, but I thought you might know something that could help. Seems he’s keeping secrets from everyone these days, though.”
Sigurd couldn’t hide the sharpness in his voice. “Not everyone.”
“Oh? You have someone in mind?”
The Norseman sighed out of hesitance, somewhat reluctant to answer the question. Part of him trusted Raedan to handle information like this with an objective mind -- he seemed quite rational, after all -- but the other part regretted saying anything in the first place.
Still, he wondered if it’d be best if someone from outside of Forangal knew the reality of the situation. Sigurd wasn’t willing to open up to Raedan about everything just yet, but... maybe it could’ve helped if one of Aegenwulf’s oldest allies had the gist of what was going on.
He only prayed he wasn’t wrong.
“...It’s Algar.” Sigurd finally confessed.
Raedan furrowed his brow. “Algar? You mean Aegenwulf’s housecarl? What about him? Have you noticed anything strange?”
“Nothing specific,” he lied, “but it doesn’t take much to see that he’s influencing Aegenwulf’s way of thinking -- and not in a good way.”
Strangely enough, the other man didn’t seem too shocked. “Yes... I’ve heard the folks in this castle whispering about him. Edric’s mentioned him a few times as well. I get the impression that no one here is really fond of him, and now I’m starting to suspect there’s more to it than mere speculation.”
“Indeed. Everyone I’ve met so far has called him a snake. Perhaps it’d be worth keeping an eye on him--”
Sigurd came to an abrupt pause, suddenly noticing a lone flame glowing in the distance. It appeared to be coming from the pier just as Gjuki said it would, and he could’ve sworn he saw someone moving around in the shadows.
It must’ve been him.
“Sigurd?” Raedan said, pulling the viking from his thoughts. “Is... everything alright?”
The bodyguard brought his gaze back to the nobleman, quickly conjuring up an excuse.
“Erm, f-forgive me, my lord. I hate to cut our conversation short, but I just remembered I have an important matter to take care of. I’m afraid it can’t wait. If you’ll excuse me...”
Raedan nodded, giving him a casual wave. “Of course, Sigurd. Do what you must, and thank you for lending your ear to this old dog. I’ll keep in mind what you said about Algar, and I think we’d both do best to observe his every move. In the meantime, keep Aegenwulf’s children safe, understand? I don’t know what’s going on with his housecarl, but those little rascals don’t deserve any harm.”
“Understood. You have my word.”
The Saxon began heading for the exit, satisfied with the information he gathered. “Very good. I’ll see myself off, then. Take care of yourself, Lone Wolf. This place is far from safe, and I fear it’ll stay that way for quite some time.” He gave him one last glance.
“Until we meet again.”
~~~~~~~~~~
A FEW MINUTES LATER
THE PIER
Tugging his hood further down his face, Sigurd stuck to the path as he navigated his way through the darkness, doing his best to stay concealed in the overwhelming blackness of the night.
So far, he had yet to notice anyone tailing him through the wilderness, and the foliage around him remained calm with inactivity, but he couldn’t seem to fight off the sense of dread that was crawling underneath his skin.
It just felt... ominous out here. There was too much silence; too much stillness. The world was devoid of any life during this time of day, and it didn’t reflect the same atmosphere Sigurd experienced when he went hunting with Edric at all.
Perhaps it was just nerves, he thought. The night always seemed to draw out a certain type of fear from people’s hearts, and the fact that he wasn’t supposed to be out here in the first place certainly didn’t help.
His mind may have been racing with about a thousand different thoughts at the moment, what with all the anxiety that was building up in his chest, but he had to remind himself to stay calm.
Panicking would only make him stand out more after all, and he couldn’t afford to be caught.
“...Gjuki?” Sigurd whispered cautiously, quietly approaching the pier as he stepped into the brazier’s circle of light. “Gjuki, are you there?”
There was no response.
“Gjuki,” He repeated a bit louder, starting to grow concerned. “It’s me, Sigurd. You can come out.”
Still, he received no answer.
Where was that damned bard? He wondered. Had Gjuki been forced to flee prematurely due to some sort of threat? Or had Sigurd simply mistaken this flame as his signal?
He assumed the fire had been lit by Gjuki, considering that this pier was abandoned. No one else had any reason to make use of this place, and the timing of its appearance had to be more than just a coincidence.
Though, in spite of all that, the bard remained nowhere to be seen. There was no trace of Gjuki lying around the vicinity, and if Sigurd looked closely enough at the wooden floor of the pier, he could’ve sworn he saw some type of red liquid staining its surface.
Wait a minute.
Was that...?
“Hello, Lone Wolf.”
Whirling around at the sudden voice, Sigurd barely had any time to react before he felt the sharp sting of an armored fist bashing him in the face, causing him to fall to the ground.
He heard a group of footsteps swarming him as soon as he hit the floor, and within the blink of an eye, a pair of men had grabbed him by the arms, restraining him in their grasp.
“Hold him down!” A familiar voice bellowed over the commotion.
Sigurd struggled violently in their grip and desperately attempted to break free, only to receive a firm kick to the stomach. His head was still spinning from the initial punch, and now, his organs felt as if they were about to climb up his throat too.
“Stay still!” One of the men barked, shoving Sigurd’s face into the ground as he bent the man’s arms behind his back. But the viking wasn’t done fighting yet.
Despite being somewhat dazed from the attack, Sigurd wrestled even harder with the guards and let out an aggressive grunt, trying to weaken their grasp.
Before he could resist their seizure any further however, a metallic scrape suddenly reached his ears, forcing him to bring his attention to the dagger that was now kissing the flesh on his throat.
“Move one more muscle,” his captor hissed, “and I’ll plant this little beauty straight through your eye.”
Sigurd glared at the man on the other side of the blade, instantly recognizing their face.
“...Algar.”
The housecarl grinned widely, leaning in closer to him as he pulled his hood back. “Well, well. If it isn’t the blue-eyed demon. I had a feeling you would turn up sooner or later, Sigurd. I’m so glad to see you again.”
Sigurd ignored the man’s taunts, focused entirely on the absence of his friend. “Where’s Gjuki? What have you done with him?”
Algar raised a brow. “Oh, you mean the bard? There’s no need to worry about him, mate. I assure you, he’s receiving the exact treatment he deserves.”
The viking glowered at the malevolence in his tone, horrified to imagine what Gjuki could’ve been going through at the moment.
“I’ll kill you for this, you dog...!” Sigurd growled through clenched teeth.
The Saxon offered nothing but a chuckle in response. “You’ve certainly got a fire in you, Lone Wolf. There’s no denying that. I almost... respect it in a way. But unfortunately, I doubt you’ll be doing anything in your position.”
Algar grabbed Sigurd by the hair, yanking his head upwards from the ground with a hard tug.
“Did you honestly think I wouldn’t figure out what you and your friend were doing? How blind do you think I am? I warned you what would happen if you defied me, Sigurd, but it seems my threats fell on deaf ears. A shame, really, seeing as how you would’ve made a great warrior. All you had to do was follow our fucking orders. Now though, I’m afraid your fate rests in Aegenwulf’s hands.”
Algar let go of the viking’s hair and stood up from the ground, giving his men a series of commands.
“Tie him up, and bring him back to the castle. I’ll inform the ealdorman of what has transpired here. In the meantime, make sure this one stays put in the dungeons. I don’t want him to see even a sliver of sunlight until Aegenwulf permits it.”
“Right away, sir.” They answered in unison.
“Good. Then our business here is concluded. Oh, and Sigurd?” Algar shot a smirk at him. “Have no fear. I’ll personally see to it that your friend Edric hears of this. Can’t wait to see what he thinks.”
Sheathing his weapon, Algar swiftly walked over to his horse and prepared to return to the castle, dousing the brazier’s fire with a splash of water from the river.
Meanwhile, his men wrapped a cloth around Sigurd’s mouth and secured him with an abundance of ropes, ensuring that the man couldn’t move. Afterwards, they hauled him up from the ground and threw him over the back of one of their mounts, rendering him completely defenseless.
Sigurd was terrified right now. He had no idea what Algar intended to do with him, nor if Aegenwulf would spare him a second time -- and considering the fact that Gjuki could’ve been dead, he assumed he had lost his only chance to discover what the housecarl was doing behind closed doors.
Everything was going to hell.
Not only would he be a prisoner of Algar’s now, his identity would also be exposed to everyone in Forangal. They would learn his real name, and finally hear the truth of his cryptic background. Edric would believe that his clan was responsible for the death of his brother, and the trust that they had built thus far would crumble into ash.
Blood of Tyr, Sigurd thought to himself. What on earth had done? Would he even survive this next week?
How was he going to contact Eivor now? Were Gjuki’s people aware of what was happening? Surely, Eivor would realize something was amiss with the bard’s disappearance.
Or perhaps... he would just assume they were dead. Hope was in short supply nowadays due to everything going on in the war, and it wasn’t much of a stretch to believe that Sigurd had been killed whilst in the hands of Saxon enemies. Eivor probably had many other things to worry about at the moment, and the viking could only pray that his brother would be vigilant enough to notice that something had gone wrong.
Otherwise... Sigurd didn’t know what else he would do. There weren’t many chances to escape in a situation like this, and the odds were heavily stacked against him.
Right now, his only option seemed to be compliance. He imagined his stay with Algar would simply worsen if he fought back, and any defiance would’ve surely swayed Aegenwulf towards a less forgiving approach.
Edric was the one person who had any hope of changing the ealdorman’s mind, and just like before, Sigurd had no choice but to rely on the young man’s help.
He was the only one who could’ve saved him now, and unless his view of the viking changed after hearing Algar’s report, Sigurd hoped he would be able to see reason.
There was something deeper connecting the two of them, and now, after all this time, he would finally see for himself if it ever actually meant anything.
#assassin's creed valhalla#ac valhalla#sigurd styrbjornson#male oc#sigurd x male oc#ac valhalla fanfic#eitr
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This is faaaar from a complete list and will be spotty at best but I’ve been pondering MCU characters a lot as I’ve been getting slowly back to work on my mega-fic. I LOVE minor head canons. Simple stuff like favorite foods or what music they listen to or were they ever a smoker or whatever whatever. So I’m gonna give myself the challenge of crafting some head canon and anyone else is very welcome to dive in! (some things are already established via canon)
~ Ethnicity ~ Faith ~ Smoker ~ Alcohol ~ Favorite food ~ Favorite cookie ~ Favorite animal(s) ~ Favorite music ~
Tony Stark: Ethnicity: Mixed European-American-Jewish (he refers to himself as a “mutt”) Faith: “No thanks” being the initial answer but if he feels like opening up he’ll admit to believing there’s likely “something” out there but at the same time figures that “something” stopped caring about humanity a long long time ago. Smoker? Never liked cigarettes but smoked a few cigars when he was younger due to Obie’s influence. He never was a big fan but wanted to fit in with his mentor. Alcohol: Influenced both by his father and Obie, Tony started drinking hard liquor semi-regularly as young as 14 (his Dad let him try his first sip at the age of 6). He pretty much sticks with Scotch or Bourbon but is not opposed to cheap beer at a ball game. In fact the cheaper the better - a requirement for any self-respecting American. Favorite food: hot dogs. Neither one of his parents cooked. Breakfast and lunch were whatever whenever for all three of them but dinner? You better be sure you were at that table before the plates were set down or you could go without (and Tony got a slap from his father when he’d observed that rule only seemed to apply to him). But on the nights he was sent to his room, Jarvis would slip upstairs, later, with a sandwich or, on really rough nights, a couple of hotdogs. Favorite cookie: Those Christmas wreath ones made with cereal and marshmallow with the cinnamon candies. Favorite animal(s): he likes all animals but if he had to pick one for a pet he’d get an iguana. Favorite music: well duh lolol.
Stephen Strange: Ethnicity: Mixed European-American (borrowed from Benedict Cumberbatch’s ethnicity and adding the American) Faith: Originally atheist but now closer to Buddhist. Smoker: Never. Even prior to becoming a sorcerer he has always been conscious of what he takes into his body; especially given the history of cancer on his mother’s side of the family. Alcohol: Wine, occasionally, though he isn’t really a social drinker per-say. Favorite food: The spicy shrimp and pork dumplings from a Thai place in Midtown. Favorite cookie: Hmmm.... not a big sweets guy but he won’t turn away a few ginger-pecan cookies with coffee. Favorite animal(s): dogs - unequivocally. He had a border collie growing up on his family farm in Nebraska. Favorite music: please don’t make this poor man actually have to choose.
Steve Rogers: Ethnicity: Irish (as per comics) Faith? Irish-Catholic (as per the comics). Smoker? Prior to the serum there was no way he could safely do so with his health issues. After he started traveling with the performers all of the girls in the group smoked and he tried it out a few times but never developed a taste for it. Alcohol: he drank A LOT - easy enough to do as it never had any real effect on him. He enjoys scotch and bourbon (a taste he picked up from hanging around Howard Stark). Steve seems to low-key always have the munchies (like most enhanced) and once Tony picked up on that there are always a variety of snacks scattered here and there throughout the compound (also of benefit for Bruce, Peter, Thor, and, later, Bucky). Steve’s favorite foods typically remind him of his mother’s cooking. While they’d never had much (especially after his father died) his mom could do a lot with limited supplies. She used to make a fantastic meat pie with ground beef or tongue. He hates SPAM. They ate it in the Army, constantly, and just the smell will occasionally send him back to those days and not in a good way. Favorite cookie? Oreos. He can clean up a family sized pack in like 10 minutes. Steve loves animals but is especially fond of horses and dogs. There was a dog in his unit in WW2 and Steve, like most of the other men, would share bites of his rations with it. Steve is nostalgic about music from the 40s but finds that 70s rock really resonates with him.
Bucky Barnes: Ethnicity: Romanian-American (borrowing a little from Sebastian Stan’s ethnicity) Faith? Possibly agnostic. Smoker? Heck yes - both cigarettes and cigars. Like Steve, the serum he received (via Hydra’s experimentation) means he gets to dodge the detrimental side effects of smoking. Alcohol: He likes to drink but is almost exclusively a beer drinker. He has a big appetite but refuses to eat around others if he can at all help it. His favorite food is corned beef with cabbage. Steve’s grandmother was an Irish immigrant and would make it every Sunday before the war impacted rations. Since both Bucky’s parents were dead he’d often have dinner with his best friend. Also, unlike Steve, he actually likes SPAM. But then, arguably, he isn’t terribly picky about food in general. Favorite cookie: molasses. Favorite animal(s): birds - eagles in particular - though he doesn’t look too deeply at the psychology of their ability to just fly away. Needless to say a crafty observer might spot a former Winter Soldier tossing seeds towards the pigeons. Favorite music: He’s pretty eclectic though he shies away from anything too loud like death metal. He finds classical very soothing.
Peter Parker: Ethnicity: Mixed American-Scandinavian-German-ish Faith: Protestant upbringing but unsure where he currently stands. If pressed he’d say he’s “leaving his options open” Smoker? “Oh gross!” Alcohol: “Um, too young to drink, thanks! But if I WERE to... you know, try it just to taste it there was this mudslide at one of Flash’s parties that was super good...” Favorite food: spaghetti and meatballs. Lots of meatballs. Favorite cookie: chocolate chocolate chip with chunks. Favorite animal(s): NOT spiders. And NOT birds given how many rooftops he’s traversed layered in pigeon ick. He’d probably say cats. Favorite music: The B side of techno rock - especially Depeche Mode.
Peter Quill: Ethnicity: Half mixed American and half celestial. Faith: His Dad was a god and he killed him so he figures he probably isn’t on the best terms with the Big G God should He... or She... or Them... be out there. Look he just wants to do his thing and cause a little trouble without mixing it up with any other celestial types but if they DO wanna throw down he’d like to point out that he’s 1 for 1 and willing to rumble. Smoker: He would not say no to a really good cigar and may have possibly lifted a case from Yondu’s stash when he struck out on his own. Alcohol: Anywhere any time and in large quantities. Favorite food: A thick steakhouse bacon burger with potato chips right on the patty. Extra cheese please! Favorite cookie: He’s a simple guy with simple tastes. classic chocolate chip no frills no fuss and fresh from the oven. Favorite animal(s): He likes dogs - who doesn’t like dogs? But he really likes cows. Just maybe don’t mention the burger thing. Favorite music:
Thor: He’s a Norse god of legend so I figure we can forego the ethnicity/faith questions lol. Smoker: He has never understood this human custom nor has he felt any inclination to try it himself Alcohol: Beer, mead, and anything capable of knocking him on his ass. Favorite food: chili with ghost peppers. Though nowhere near as hot as the fire chilies of Muspelheim (which would be instantly fatal for humans so its just as well). Favorite cookie: strawberry cheesecake with macadamia nuts. Favorite animal(s): It’s a tossup between bilgesnipe and whales. Favorite music: The mighty horns of battle! He also enjoys old school country, much to Tony’s disgust. The story aspect of that music is what appeals to him.
Bruce Banner: Ethnicity: Italian-American Faith: Catholic in his childhood; currently Atheist or maybe agnostic. Smoker: He tends to avoid any substances for, you know, obvious reasons. Alcohol: See previous. Favorite food: Waffles with sliced mango. Favorite cookie: Oatmeal. Favorite animal(s): Mantis shrimp - “did you know they can generate so much power in their attacks that they can briefly super-heat the water up to 7,700 °C??” Favorite music: Indian- especially Krishna Bhajan.
Clint Barton: Ethnicity: Mixed European-American and Panamanian. Faith: His parents were both Protestant but he’s never latched on to any specific faith and hasn’t really devoted a lot of thought on the matter. He has a sorta loose idea of “maybe something out there” but that’s all the further he’s gotten on the subject. What he tells anyone who asks it’s that his religion is coffee. Smoker: Briefly when he was a teen. Alcohol: Beer - he’s a fan of dark lager. Favorite food: Coney Island dogs, Pizza, and pickle flavored potato chips. Favorite cookie: Monster cookies with the mini M&Ms. Favorite animal(s): Dogs Favorite music: 80s rock and some country.
Natasha Romanoff: Ethnicity: Russian. Faith: She was not given much choice when younger and was raised as “state atheist” (per comics). In the years since escaping that life, however, she has tried to discover more about herself. Her parents were both Russian Jewish and there has been a pull to discover more about that faith - especially since meeting Wanda - who is Jewish. Smoker: No. Alcohol: Some vodka - that’s a given. But she actually prefers wine; and honestly her favorites are wine spritzers. Favorite food: Favorite cookie: Krumkake filled with creme and berries. Favorite animal(s): Favorite music: Overall she listens to a pile of little-known bands and whomever is playing at whatever bar in whatever city she happens to be in. She also is a huge fan of old school Spice Girls.
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