#experiment on humans within codex | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

erme-maererme · 4 months ago

Text

the funny thing about dragon age is that sometimes the narrative of the game is aware of the narrative of the chantry and separates itself from it, and sometimes the narrative of the chantry becomes the narrative of the game, and it just keeps hopping back and forth in this respect. which not so subtly points to who the writing identifies with and in what contexts.

there's a degree of absurdity to reading codex entries such as "turned the purity of justice into the unthinking hatred of vengeance". it could have worked if it were just the chantry/other characters/even anders himself saying it, but character codex entries are held as the ultimate truth of the game (on par with game mechanics instructions via codex), this particular passage is supposed to function as an argument and explain to the player who anders is. but i argue that it only makes sense within a very particular paradigm. why are "justice" and "vengeance" treated as opposites? why is justice pure and vengeance an "unthinking hatred"? how is the line between the two defined? who defines it?

it is not surprising exactly, christianity and the concomitant discourse have been deeply embedded in the story from the very beginning, but one must keep an eye out for when it rears its head unquestioned by the narrative of the games.

sure, there are instances when the games are critical of the chantry and what it represents, or at least offer the player some roleplaying options in this respect. same for the fade-related things, you have merril’s “spirits are people” which denies this division into demons and spirits as bad and good emotions, in dai you have cole and solas's interpretaion that goes somewhat beyond the chantry's taxonomy of demons.

ultimately, however. cole "the good spirit" or "not really a spirit anymore" lets the templar who killed him (and how many more?) go either way. this is what humanity means, this is what true compassion means, forgive and forget. solas's interpretation merely increases the number of categories of spirits and demons, he still separates them into morally good and bad emotions/concepts. it is curiously close to what has previously been held as the chantry's teachings.

merril is portrayed as eventually proven wrong by the narrative, a pride demon outsmarts her and forces her to kill the keeper and the rest of the clan.

interestingly, other than anders, merril is the only other character (and the two of them are your two main mage companions in da2) whose doom is brought on by a demon. a demon of pride to punish you for trying to restore your culture that has been systematically and most violently erased. a demon of vengeance to bring on your execution for resisting the oppression and annihilation of your people. the conclusion to draw here, other than "trying to change the status quo ends badly, so don't you try anything", is also that the chantry's interpretation was right. and it is quite curious as well that despite blood magic being much more accepted among the dalish (the keeper herself is a blood mage too) than under andrastianism, they treat merril with such hostility for it. or for trying to restore the eluvian. why do they suddenly agree with the chantry?

1 the existence of the blighted magisters (the architect, corypheus), the elves (i'm sorry the elven empire and the evanuris) now being responsible for the blight is also how the chantry was definitely right about something

then, there's the whole schtick with “oh this particular feeling/experience is A Sin”. directly borrowed from the christian tradition. so we have desire demons. and pride demons. the rage demon in the fade who was a mage just way too angry at the oppressors (i reference this note here).

in conclusion, while dragon age offers some room about spirits and demons and the chantry, enough for your alternative interpretation of the text to be a time well spent, the hauptnarrative, the leading idea, remain such as they are. when it matters, the chantry stops being merely a speaker position (that is, one of many perspectives) in the tapestry of thedas. its point of view, its mode of knowing the world is how information is revealed to the player. oh, the chantry meets the sky, why? well, you see, the guy who was fighting to save his people is just too possessed by a demon now, that is the reason. this is where our story has been heading the entire time. a pity the mages could not find a compromise with the fantasy stand-in for fascists templars who intended to kill them all just for existing because of this guy. you are expected to sympathize with the chantry and elthina specifically (sebastian spells it out for you, that's why he is there), it is supposed to be the last straw for hawke to stop supporting anders, this should be a step too far.

it is the sentiment the player might have in relation to the real life equivalent of the chantry that is expected to prevail over your knowledge of elthina's direct complicity and the chantry's ideological and physical support of the oppression that are responsible for creating a regime where it is normalized to order people into prisons to later kill them all without consequence simply for the way they were born. importantly, i mean this not necessarily and solely in the sense of being religious, but in terms of how the player is expected to view hegemonic institutions. within a dominant reading the receiver interprets a text the same way the author does, they have the same blind spots, they define common sense the same way. if we identify the said blind spots and the aspects of the story that are treated uncritically by the narrative, we can glean on the culture (with its ideological dimension) in which the text was made.

2 it has been said before that the most interesting explorations of oppression that dragon age allowed are largely a by-product of the writing approach focused on representing different points of view and allowing a vast range of player choices. it made the games well-written, it did not make them unbiased

3 if everything else is not a hint enough, there is textual evidence that the portrayal of the templars in da2 was inspired by fascism, "the tranquil solution" and "death-squads" are very pointed references to nazis. and then they turn around and expects me to disagree with anders about mage rights. it is absolutely no wonder that the fandom is so divided about him

4 and elthina is certainly complicit. she appointed meredith, she could have removed her from her position (it wasn't just cullen's right to do so), she could have supported the mages. and it's the chantry that promotes this violence, gives it justification and orders it. it is the system elthina is quite successful in and the one that grants the templars the right to enact the annulment

i have set out to write this to explain to myself the dissonance that follows my experience of playing the games, my freedom for interpretation comes with the constant awareness of the story's own views. to recount, in this essay i've established how, despite its occasional attempts to criticize the chantry as a system and analyze various perspectives on it, dragon age treats its narrative as the ultimate truth. the magical lore is regularly used to affirm a point being made about power relations between oppressed groups and the oppressor. they converge to illustrate how attempts to change the status quo or resistance against the oppressive system are punished. to demonstrate that one must simply accept the system. and how, ultimately, the system knows better than you. vigilskept et al (read the tags too, i meant to say) discuss the ties of such ideologemes to colonialism.

in other words, magic and all the related lore are a metaphor, and not a fixed one, it is worth investigating how it is used to support the main narrative and themes. thus, "he is possessed though" or "she did blood magic" are not reasons on their own. they may be presented as self-explanatory by the text, but as a player you need to acknowledge that the fade, magic and spirits are simply narrative tools to amplify the leading idea. so feel free to question them as well.

52 notes · View notes

cardinalcanis · 8 months ago

Text

CODEX: The Viridian Phantoms

Summary: I did a thing. Been wanting to write about the custom space marine chapter that has been eating my brain the last few days. The Viridian Phantoms, my loyalist Mortarion successor chapter. They have been SO much fun to write and will totally do more things with them in the future. They are my first ever custom chapter so I would LOVE LOVE LOVE your reviews and opinions about them.

TW: People WAY too comfortable with death.

Word count: 3314

"Can I make my own fanart/OCs/head cannons/fics about/with the Viridian Phantoms?" First of all I will die <3, second of all, of course! As long as you credit me as the og creator of them I have no issue with it!

Tag squad (let me know if you wish to be tagged on stuff): @druidwolf21 @wolf-feathers12 @artemisareia @cosmic-cryptid-from-beyond @adhd-fandom-hyperfocus

@gallifreyianrosearkytiorsusan @kit-williams @egrets-not-regrets @jaghatai-khock @horuslupercal @moodymisty

@sinistermojo @beckyninja @justallll @ms--lobotomy @pluvio-tea @lemon-russ

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

General information:

“We are Death, so Humanity may live.”

-Chapter name: Viridian Phantoms.

-Other nicknames and given monikers (at least the nice ones): Angels of Krieg, The Bone Collectors, Krieger Kites, Jumping Tanks, Climbing Banshees.

-Loyalty: Loyalist.

-Homeworld: Krieg.

-Symbol: A ghostly skull wreathed in chains.

-Colors: Light viridian green accented with black and silver.

Origin:

“Father, see your children, battle-worn and pale,

Holy Chains and hooks prepared,

Father, see your children, dead but not failed,

By their blood may the corruption be cleansed.”

After the events of Baal and the Plague Wars Belisarius Cawl saw the necessity of having more resistant troops. Capable of weathering extreme conditions, facing bio-monstrosities and gargantuan enemies, and being Immune to plagues and other chaos or mortal-made maladies.

The Viridian Phantoms were born from Cawl’s experiments, using a modified strand of Mortarion’s gene-seed to create warriors who could endure almost everything. They stand as an act of defiance to Roboute Guilliman’s will in the face of what he considers advancements in the name of the Imperium’s survival, magnificent discoveries that honor the Omnissiah. Making them only female was the loophole he found to make their existence possible, even though kept in secret for many years. Recruited and trained on Krieg for their innate resilience and loyalty, these Marines are honed to become the embodiment of human perseverance.

They possess their gene father’s legendary resistance combined with an aspect of Mortarion not exploited by the previous Death Guard; his untapped psyker potential. The Viridian Phantoms are unyielding assaulters, designed to weather any blow; be it a plague, environment non compatible with life, or physical force. Their combat style is defined by their heavy armor, equipped with hooks and chains, allowing them to latch onto massive foes, scale them, and pull them down into submission so they can be butchered. Despite their heavily reinforced armor, their biomantic prowess allows them bursts of agility, enabling them to jump over large enemies and strike from unexpected angles. Even other Astartes speak about a sense of uneasiness seeing what in all senses is a terminator-like unit swinging in the air and climbing light as a feather. This makes them formidable in melee, where they wield chainswords and scythes with deadly precision. Learning from the Thousand Sons’ mistakes, they do not over rely on their psyker powers, biomancy is meant as another tool in their arsenal. Their uncanny resistance aided by biomantic regenerative capabilities make them the perfect unmovable wall for humanity.

Made behind the primarch’s back:

“Father, we are ready, take us if you must.”

Cawl’s unprecedented authority within the Mechanicus and his status as the architect of the Primaris project provided him with enough leeway to conduct this experiment. His known… quirks and disregard for strict Imperial protocol helped him fly under the radar. His projects are already known for secrecy, but even with the trust on his skill and status he couldn’t afford for Guilliman discovering the Phantoms before they were ready.

The choice of Krieg didn't only rest on its hardy loyal woman but also for its isolation, secrecy of what truly goes in their underground hives and lack of general scrutiny from the Imperium. Krieg’s conditions allow for secretive experimentation; the people of Krieg, known for their discipline and loyalty never questioned nor revealed Cawl’s activities, they were ordered not to anyways. It is said that long lines are made to this day for parents to proudly offer their daughters for testing, even though they didn’t know what it was about, the Emperor was looking for female children so they served accordingly.

Cawl carefully controlled who knew about the Phantoms’ existence and purpose, involving only trusted Mechanicus personnel and Kriegsmen who were at a need to know bases of their assignment and sworn to secrecy. Any record-keeping or tracking was obfuscated through a complex mix of bureaucracy and Mechanicus’ religious beliefs, already only revealing the biggest secrets to the worthy in the Omnissiah’ eyes.

The Phantoms were obviously kept isolated from other Astartes chapters and Imperial forces to avoid detection. In their deployments, the Phantoms engaged enemies with minimal support, focusing on missions that required little to no backup. Training and conditioning was completed in Mechanicus-controlled facilities under Cawl’s lock and key, keeping them away from inquisitive eyes. He implemented protocols restricting their interaction with other Imperial personnel, ensuring their knowledge and exposure remained minimal.

The Phantoms’ early deployments were limited remote or particularly hazardous battlefields far from populated areas or Imperial forces, where only the toughest units were expected to survive. These are regions affected by warp taint, plague, or xenos threats, where the survival of any unit would be notable but not easily verified.

Cawl specifically chose high-mortality missions where the Phantoms could demonstrate their resilience. By deploying the Phantoms to zones where no ordinary Astartes force could feasibly operate, Cawl ensured they’d operate in isolated conditions, where successful missions were difficult to track or verify independently.

Later on he made use of trusted Rogue Traders and Mechanicus explorator missions to test the Viridian Phantoms in the fringes of the Imperium.

Reports and data on the Phantoms were filed under vague terms or ambiguous classifications, described in ways that did not reveal their true origin or makeup. Listed as specialized Krieg regiments or other “experimental” Mechanicus units when deployed. These reports kept them concealed, making it appear as if they were simply part of a contingent of the Death Korps or other Mechanicus-approved forces rather than a unique chapter of Astartes.

Physical appearance, chapter culture and personality:

“Through pain and flame, we fall

And if you can stay, sister, then we'll show you the way

To return from the ashes we call.”

Moration’s gene seed gives the Viridian Phantoms a formidable yet eerie appearance that sets them apart from other chapters. Considered some if not the tallest Primaris Marines, they are built like a block of muscle, needing great upper body strength to hold their full armored weight while hanging mid air. Their skin turns a pale white or slightly grayish hue with visible veins. Their hair typically ranges in shades of white, silver, or light gray. They tend to keep their hair very long and extensively braided. Their eyes are described as a ‘pale gaze’ and ‘lifeless’ or with an almost glassy appearance, people claim that the Phantoms' gaze is ‘detached’ looking through them rather than at them. The intensity of their gaze is increased by how little they tend to blink unnerving those unaccustomed to their manner. All of these add up into giving them their phantom-like appearance they are named after.

They barely speak, when they do, it is done with precision and brevity. There is no room for flowery language or embellishment; they say what needs to be said and nothing more. Their speaking cadence tends to be emotionless and unenthusiastic, not due to lack of emotion but their little interaction with non Phantoms. As very sensible biomancers, they are constantly in touch with the inner processes inside those around them, including emotional responses. Spoken and gestured communication is just a poor mockery of the higher level subtle, unspoken connections they share. This makes them seem distant or even cold to those who rely more on direct communication, this lack of visible emotion could create misunderstandings or discomfort.

The Phantoms struggle hard to connect with outsiders, as they find typical methods of bonding cumbersome or shallow compared to the natural closeness they share among themselves. When interacting with other chapters, they struggle to adapt to more conventional forms of camaraderie, finding it challenging to communicate complex intentions in ways others understand and at the same time making them highly aware of the moods or intents of others. Knowing of the fear, frustration, anger and paranoia they cause first hand; but without the skills to properly address other's concerns.

This sensitivity fosters deep bonds between the Phantoms, allowing them to anticipate and understand each other in ways that most Astartes can’t. It creates a near-unbreakable trust, as they’re constantly aware of each other's emotional state, intentions, and even physical condition, reinforcing the idea of sisterhood beyond the individual. The electrical discharge in one sister’s muscles ordering to lift a bolter is sensed by the others, copying the same movements, making them capable of reacting to their environment like a well coordinated flock of birds. This gives them an almost meditative focus in battle. Their awareness of their sisters’ movements allows them to coordinate without spoken commands, making them seem eerily calm and united.

Krieg’s women to the core, their loyalty to the Emperor and their battalion is absolute. They see themselves as living tools of the Imperium, willing to sacrifice anything, including their lives, without hesitation. This unwavering dedication makes them reliable but can come across as suicidal, looking for death in death’s sake. Each Phantom believes their existence is expendable if it means the mission succeeds or the forces of humanity are protected.

The Viridian Phantoms also hold a profound respect for their fallen allies, whether they are their own sisters, other Astartes, or even mortal guardsmen and civilians. They view these fallen as martyrs of the Emperor’s cause. As a tribute, unless the remains are corrupted by Chaos, Phantoms often collect small pieces of armor, bones, cloth, strands of hair, or even rubble from the battlefield and fashion them into beads and charms. These adornments are extensively braided into their hair or hung across their weapons and armor, serving as personal memorials and tokens of respect. Teeth, in particular, are a favored keepsake known among the Phantoms as "flesh pearls," close second to hair which they braid with their own.

With so much of their time spent among the Mechanicus it is of no surprise that one of the most significant aspects of their culture is the ceremonial tending to their gear and weapons. Each battle-sister sees her armor and weapons as an extension of herself, considering them "bound" to her flesh and spirit. Outside of battle, Phantoms often spend hours in silent preparation, maintaining and blessing their chains, hooks, and weapons in a ritual that reinforces their connection. It has been reported that this strong belief on their gear as part of their flesh has ended into several occurrences where their biomantic powers also restore cracked ceramite or instances where guns keep shooting when it is obvious that the magazine must have been emptied.

This meticulous care for their gear makes the Phantoms selective about who is allowed to handle it. They permit only trusted Mechanicus priests or highly skilled serfs with whom they have overseen working many times to assist in maintaining their equipment. These chosen few would be expected to respect the Phantoms' many rituals and understand the reverence the Phantoms have for their weapons and armor. These selected few granted the honor of working with the Phantoms' gear have to undergo bonding rites, long meditations and purification rituals to align with each specific Phantom that has chosen them to tend to this sacred part of themselves to the highest of standards.

The Phantoms’ secret rites, meditations and mantras help them both handle their oversensitivity to all life around them and reinforce their religious adoration for death and sacrifice. The Phantoms hold pre-battle rituals where they recite personal death vows. These vows are spoken in low, emotionless tones, acknowledging their acceptance of death and pledging to die honorably if it serves the Imperium. Followed by their well known Death Hymns which they sing in ritual and even during battle, Viridian Phantom Death Hymns are the only instance of them raising their voices and carrying emotionally charged statements. They most are directed to a figure they ‘Father’, if it refers to either The Emperor, Mortarion or both is unknown. These chants carry an ominous, almost haunting quality, blending grim acceptance, defiance, and reverence for their purpose. The chants are rhythmic, echoing through the battlefield and unnerving allies and enemies alike with their strange, almost theatrical longing for death. They possess sections where the volume crescendos to shouts or quiets to an eerie whisper, transitioning between powerful declarations and subdued, haunting verses.

Currently, the Viridian Phantoms have no official Chapter Master due to their uncertain experimental state. Leadership has fallen by the battle sisters consensus upon Revenant (Captain) Lena Arendt, a figure respected for her exceptional combat skill and biomantic abilities. She is often referred to as the ‘Ceramite Fae’, due to even amongst other Phantoms her seamless grace mid air while fully armored creates the illusion of effortless flight. A fatal flaw her and many phantoms inherit from Mortarion is how much of a hard time they have at asking for help from non Phantoms, maybe not much out of their gene seed but their desire to prove their chapter is worthy to exist.

Gear and unconventional battle tactics:

“We are the scythe that reaps the corruption,

We are the chain that bounds the monstrosity to a kneel,

We are the knife that carves the names of the fallen onto our enemies,

We are the Emperor’s unbroken might,

We are his bleeding sacrifice so we could still have a light,

We are to fall so the many may rise,

We are the Viridian Phantoms,

And we are Death, so Humanity may live.”

As mentioned, The Phantoms hold close reverence to their gear and decorate them extensively with allies’ remains, one of the most memorable are their oracles (librarians) and gravekeepers’ (chaplains) complex teeth veils. Their armor is modeled on the reinforced Mark X, heavily modified for maximum durability. The plating is reinforced to withstand corrosive environments, disease, and warp-tainted toxins, often appearing thicker and more robust than standard armor. It is painted in a ghostly viridian green with black accents on the trim and silver detailing. Their helmets’ visors emit a ghostly pale green glow, most of them are inscribed with small runes or faint biomantic symbols.

Each Phantom carries many sets of chains and hooks designed for their signature combat style. These chains are attached to their gauntlets or armor and can be used to latch onto large enemies, structures, or terrain. The chains have runic symbols carved along each link alongside attached beads and charms, and when combined with their biomantic abilities, they become unbreakable extensions of the Phantom’s will, allowing them to anchor enemies or secure themselves in chaotic battles. The hooks are often engraved with the names of fallen sisters or even fallen guardsmen or civilians whose names they find on dog tags and forgotten personal effects among the rubble.

The Viridian Phantoms favor chain swords and most importantly scythes for close combat, weapons that symbolize their affinity for melee and their willingness to face foes up close. All of them also have the ability to extend into chain and grappling hooks. Their scythes are heavy, with blade edges honed to a sheen, used for sweeping attacks against larger foes. Made to grab, mutilate and disembowel in single clean swipes. Alongside their melee weapons they can also favor large shields that chained together create shield walls to push back at the latest of waves.

They are no strangers to range weaponry, which even if they aren’t their favored, each is shown equal love and customization as the melee does. Sometimes even consecrating every individual bullet in day or even week long rituals meant for deep meditation and calming their psyker abilities.

Even though they may be great assets for them, The Phantoms shun the use of chemical and viral weapons of any kind in their fight to distance themselves from their genesire’s legacy and fall into nurgle’s claws.

Appart to what they are known for, falling gargantuan monstrosities; the Viridian Phantoms' unparalleled resilience, little regard for their own lives and biomantic abilities would lend themselves to shockingly bold, almost reckless battle tactics and strategies. These tactics seem suicidal to other Space Marines and not Codex Compliant at all:

-Shield killbox: The Phantoms would march forward under heavy enemy fire interlocking shields with one another. Using their scythes they would pull and mutilate anything that comes closer, then throw the helpless bodies behind them where other sisters await to finish them up. Functioning as an efficient assembly line of carnage.

-Fire on my position: In coordination with allied forces, the Phantoms move into a position where friendly heavy artillery or orbital bombardment is directed. Knowing their unique resilience, they would withstand the controlled onslaught that devastates their foes, emerging from the smoke and flames, most of the time.

-Living bait: Phantoms would feign retreat or send vulnerable looking single units, drawing enemy forces into pre-arranged kill zones laden with explosives. Then, they would walk on the trap while still in the blast radius, relying on their enhanced durability to survive. Phantoms might also herd unknowing enemies into the blast radius of allied tanks. Or charge headlong into fortified enemy positions or into the path of tanks, absorbing fire and drawing attention while the rest of the battalion encircles the distracted enemy.

-Suicide landings: Phantoms generally do not fight alone unless they have a strategic purpose. Like sending one charging (or jumping off flying vehicle) into enemy positions or even the heart of their formations with explosives strapped to their armor, activating them upon impact. This act would be often followed by the surreal sight of the Phantom emerging from the carnage, bloodied but alive.

-Walking beacons: They do have a unique skill to escort survivors through dangerous zones normal humans would not survive. Making the helpless human stay close to them inside their auras so fire, disease or acid would not hurt them or would not feel the pain and heal quickly. They tend to cover the survivors' eyes and even ears so they feel no fear or run away in the presence of danger, as running away gets them out of the Phantom's aura, which means they will succumb to the factors the are being protected against. And the people's trust and faith that the Phantoms can protect them actually makes it easier to work their biomancy on them.

Cawl’s secret brought to the light:

“Hear hear, Father, we're all going to die

Father, we're all going to die

Do not sing me any farewells, for me you must not cry,

hear hear, Father, we're all going to die.”

The Viridian Phantoms' first encounter with Guilliman was intense and deeply scrutinized. After proving themselves time and time again completing dangerous missions in secret under Cawl’s direction, the Phantoms were finally brought to Guilliman’s attention as a fully-formed, specialized force created to withstand the most hostile environments and fight the Imperium’s most monstrous foes. Masking themselves as just another battalion of the Unnumbered Sons, with the help of voice modulators in their voxes making them sound masculine (aside from restricting their vox channels when singing).

They were deployed alongside his forces in a brutal battle. Observing them, Guilliman noted their resilience and uncanny coordination as they maneuvered in unison, taking down enormous threats with sacrificial tactics. The Phantoms suffered grave wounds but continued to fight, showing an almost eerie selflessness that unsettled many nearby Ultramarines.

After the battle, Guilliman confronted the Phantoms directly, demanding to know their origins. Their leader, Revenant Lena Arendt, revealed their loyalty and their gene-sire without hesitation, asserting their purpose and loyalty to the Emperor, not to Mortarion’s legacy. Guilliman, appalled by Cawl’s audacity, proclaimed that their very existence was an affront to the Imperium and must be erased.

The Phantoms responded by raising their bolters to their own heads, ready to end their lives at Guilliman's command. Stunned, Guilliman halted them. They remain a battalion awaiting Guilliman’s final judgment, will they be eliminated? Given a suicide mission hoping they never return? Will they ever back their birthright as the 14th? The future looks bleak and uncertain for the Viridian Phantoms. But the primarch must hasten as talk is spreading.

40 notes · View notes

armouredgoblin · 1 year ago

Text

In regards to my previous post about Fem Custodes

I have a few points to make If I made you mad. That's not my problem. I still hold the opinion that they should not be a thing due to 30+ years of lore stating that they have always been men. I have heard a few arguments.

"Its always been political"

Well yes but actually no. Internally it has its own set of politics depending on which faction you look at. You can have politics that are separate to the real world. A good example of that outside of the Warhammer Universe is Helldivers.

Helldivers developers Arrowhead decided that they would not put anything that would represent the real world beyond the fact that humans exist. They rejected putting things such as rainbow capes and country based capes because it would take away from the actual internal lore and would cause division in the community.

The people that want these things tend forced into the media/lore to be the people who wont actually play it because they never wanted it in the first place.

"Its just a small change what's the harm?"

Its a step. One small step towards creating female space marines. If you can make custodes gene seeds work in woman; then you can make the space marine ones work in them too because who cares any more?.

Its an active attempt at slowly moving the Warhammer universe and turning it into the grey sludge that only appeals to the "Modern Audience" filled with the political messages that only goes one way.

I wanted to enjoy the lore as an experience separate to my own existence. I want to use this as an escape of this work but I am seeing it slowly being infiltrated and ruining the immersion.

"There isn't enough representation in Warhammer40k"

Who the fuck wants to be represented in the universe that is basically one constant war. Were the standard imperial guardsmen (of which contain both genders) eat what is called "corpse starch".

To be fair in the spotlight there is mostly the Space Marines which is an all male team of genetically altered super humans (the Custodes are further up that chain and are seen as even more powerful than the average Space Marine). Space Marines are barely recognisable as humans due to the effect of the gene seed.

However if people actually looked they would find there is plenty of representation within Warhammer40k. There are many factions outside of the Space Marines that have both female and males on the frontlines of this eternal war.

Factions: Eldar (Male and Female) Dark Eldar (Male and female) Imperial Guardsmen (As mentioned before) Sisters of Battle (All female) Sisters of Silence (All female) Not sure about them: Tau: I know they take from many species and I am not so sure what they have on the male and female ratio.

Errm: Tyranids: Alien bug species, fuck knows what they have. Chaos: They will defiantly have both, Slannesh will torture fuck you all.

Speaking of Slannesh While often referred as male, he actually can be both and neither.

"GW can do what they wish with their IP"

Yes. There is not much to argue with there. They could even pull a Disney Star Wars and state that everything from the next codex is now the true canon and everything before it no longer exists. In my opinion this would be stupid.

"Warhammer40k is for everyone"

Is it tho? You seem to be ready to throw out many people who don't immediately agree with you.

No media in any form is for everyone. People have a preference and can not like things.

Using myself as an example. I don't like sports games. Therefore I don't play them as it's not for me. I am not demanding sports games change the entire premise and add things to attract me to the game.

In short if you don't like it, don't force yourself into it. If you are interested. Experience it before making decisions. and especially before you decide that you can change the entire hobby to fit you.

Make your own thing.

Chances are there will be an audience however small or large it may be.

For those of you on the frontlines of the Gatekeeping Hold the line.

#politics #warhammer 40k #adeptus custodes #female custodes #media #invasive species #gatekeepers

54 notes · View notes

swaps55 · 2 months ago

Note

Starting my first reread of Opus bc I can't stop thinking about those dorks. Your world feels so fleshed out and real. Honestly, I forget that the Yang Gang and Fugue aren't canon LOL. I fully believed that the Can for N1 was mentioned in a codex somewhere until my sister gave me a strange look when we were discussing N7 training. Anyways, I was wondering if you could bless us with any headcanons (especially me1 and me3 headcanons��) that have been cut/might not be mentioned in Opus!!

The Can was largely the Brain Child of Real Life Romance Option, and you just made his day!

Here's what's really fun about the Can. It is technically not canon. But it is canon compliant if you are willing to squint. If you have ever played ME3's multiplayer, you may have played on the Firebase Rio map, which was introduced with the Earth DLC, in which you fight on a ship off the coast of Rio. Now, if you look over the side of the ship at extract on that map, you'll see this (this shot of it comes from the wiki):

It's a giant hole in the ocean.

Why is there a giant hole in the ocean off the coast of Rio? Well, it doesn't say anywhere that it ISN'T the Can, right???

ANYWAY.

A ME1 area headcanon!

This one is related to my favorite headcanon of all time, which my dear late friend Sara let me borrow for Opus: the construction of the Normandy nearly ended in disaster because turians use a base-6 mathematical system while humans use base-10. My extension of this headcanon is that the compromise between the two species was to use base-12 as a compromise. This would be easy for turians, and humans are also well-suited to base 12 (just look at our own calendar/time system). The base-12 idea came after I went down a rabbit hole learning about the Sumerians, who used a base-60 number system!

It's a small headcanon, but I think it's neat.

I have some killer headcanons heading your way about Biotic Charge, but those are incoming within a few chapters so I won't say much here. But it's REALLY COOL, and I am REALLY EXCITED.

ME3-era headcanons, let me see what I got.

Something I am dead set on that I don't know if I'll really be able to work into the ME3 story or if it will have to come later is how I want to handle Kaidan and his biotic students. Opus hasn't really set him up to go into teaching or training, but I did give myself an important opening. My version of the N program includes a specialization course during N4. The list includes:

Advanced weapons training

Advanced engineering training

Advanced medical training

Advanced infiltration training

(This is my nod to the Mass Effect class system without having to use the game mechanic in fic.)

What is notably missing from this list is a biotic training program, because biotics are still new and the Alliance still isn't sure how to integrate them. So my thought is that Kaidan develops this program. He works with the Alliance to design procedures and tactics around biotics, creates the specialization training course, and helps select the first round of instructors. I don't think there will actually be time for this to happen between ME2 and ME3, though maybe he'll be discussing taking it on. Likely it would happen after the war.

Another world building headcanon that I *think* I am going to use in ME3 involves Javik. I'm still not sure exactly how I am going to use him narratively, but something I insinuated through Liara's experiences during her return to Ilos - which is backed up by Shepard's canonical experiences with the cipher and the beacon as well as Javik himself - is that prothean technology is strongly reliant on touch telepathy, which is why this cycle has had such a hard time making heads or tails of prothean technology they actually find. It's not designed to have keypads and haptic/physical interfaces, making it extremely inaccessible to the species of this cycle.

Which means someone who can actually interface with it would be extremely valuable from an intelligence standpoint. Javik would be too powerful of an asset to waste on the battlefield, which I think would be a tremendous source of frustration for him. He was born to fight his enemy, not translate a technical manual. But translating the technical manual is where he can make a bigger difference.

What's really going to be fun about ME3 is re-wiring the plot to keep all the main story beats from the game without ever having to use the words "crucible" or "catalyst." I know the broad strokes of how I'm going to do it, and the headcanons that come from that are going to be a lot of fun.

At least present!me thinks so. Future!me might not have as good a time with it. XD

#swaps replies #Anonymous #opus!verse #mass effect meta

17 notes · View notes

minweber · 11 months ago

Text

Musings on Custodes: Assorted Headcanons

Decided to get together some of the stuff that's been rattling around in my head for a while and which doesn't seem significant enough for a topic of its own. As usual, everything presented here is basically just my headcanons for Custodes, only some of which are supported, to varying degrees, by current lore:

Custodes don't communicate with each other in combat - as in, fight and perform complicated group maneuvers without talking to each other. This is barely a speculation, because the codex straight up says that they fight silently. There, however, it is used mostly to denote that they don't have a battlecry, and they do also use Thoughtmark, so can still very much communicate while staying silent. I think it would be very cool and fitting to push it further, and take it to mean that they actually don't communicate, as in don't pass any information to each other in battle. Instead, whenever they fight as a group, each of them just knows what each of them should do, and has an absolute certainty that everyone will do their part, perfection in all things and all that. They essentially operate like a reverse hive mind, with each individual thinking for every member of the group, and it all always syncing up through the magic of Posthuman Big Brains. It is very silly, but the exact kind of Dune-like super brain powers that 40k in general seems to find so irresistible.

Custodes despise the Minotaurs - like, as much as they can despise someone who is not an actual traitor... Maybe a bit a more. Have you ever noticed how High Lords of Terra, the mighty rulers of the Imperium of Man, are not in full control of the very world from which they rule? How there is an incredibly powerful military force, over which they can exert exactly zero influence, always lurking around their seat of power? And how they seem to have created for themselves an army spear-wielding superhumans with a hellenistic motif, armored in red and... bronze? Yeah, I have no idea how intentional this was on part of writers of old Imperial Armour, but Minotaurs are 100% poor man's (lord's?) Custodes, made to imitate control over something that was forever beyond their creators' reach. And I do oh so believe that Custodes themselves would see it, and man oh man would that grind their nuts. They aren't keen on Astartes in general, and the ones that are essentially parodies of them, bound in service to those they would certainly consider lesser men? Oooh, superhuman patience or no, there would be salt.

Most custodians are what we would call some variation of aroace - this one is a full on headcanon of mine, based on nothing save my quixotic quest for depiction of warhammer posthumans that is more than just "very smart and very scary when angry". Whenever we talk about "more evolved human beings" in sci-fi context (I genuinely hope that my slight obsession with this topic is viewed solely within it), it is worth remembering that evolution is not like, a scale. Nothing is just "overall better" than anything else, it is all about adaptation to circumstance and environment. So too custodians are not simply "humans, but better" - they are shaped specifically for their role as Emperor's companions. Which, I think, would have interesting effects on those parts of them that lie outside this purpose - like experiencing attraction very differently from most humans. Here I should hurry to add that I am using the term aroace incredibly broadly, more as a closest available analogue to something that maybe doesn't exist in observable human experience, rather than in all of its defined nuance. But yeah, I like to imagine that a lot of them don't experience romantic and sexual attraction at all, their brains and body chemistry just not wired for it anymore, and those that do, do so in ways that may be alien to us. For example - being more detached about it, their feelings blending the line between emotional and intellectual, their love or lust less... visceral than ours can be? Something that is not more or less, but instead just different.

They do not idolize the Emperor, and may actually be pretty critical of him - Wait, stop, I can explain! Yeah, we begin to really veer off now - but I do so love characterization rooted deeply in contradiction. I don't challenge the idea that they are unflinchingly, mind-numbingly loyal to him and would commit any heinous crime on his word. But I also like to imagine them having the same sort of "predisposed towards the same personality traits and flaws" thing that Astartes have with their primarchs. Having their unique personalities all grow around the same powerful inherited core. Basically, they all see him in themselves - and if they thought that he was infallible, then... Well, it's not as interesting as the opposite, is it? What if instead they see him as a deeply flawed figure, and see those flaws reflected in them, but at the same time are too much like him to admit either? Isn't it delicious - to be able to see how deeply flawed and toxic are the ideals that you follow, and yet be shaped by them to such an extent that you cannot help but desperately chase them?

Kind of flowing logically from the previous two - Custodes are capable of experiencing attraction, but never to each other. It's just all too easy for them to see all the parts of him, of themselves, that they don't like in others of their kind. In fact, maybe this goes beyond attraction - maybe this is the reason that they have trouble truly working together and trusting one another?

#kinda see now that the first two are not quite like the second #and that maybe I could have actually made a separate post out of the latter #where I could lay everything out more cohesively #but what's done is done #more stuff to add onto this #will probably do so once it better crystalizes #warhammer 40000 #Adeptus Custodes #Musings on Custodes

23 notes · View notes

thefadecodex · 7 months ago

Note

Hello human :)

What do you think about souls and how they differ from spirits? I always wondered about them since they've been mentioned a few times, but they aren't really a concept delved into much.

- ⭐️

Greetings, seeker of veiled truths!

In DATV, The Dawn of Consciousness codex states:

Let us consider wisps, and urges slighter than wisps. When do these forces—I dare not call them beings at this juncture—begin to change? How does one discern the slow shift from pure magic to that which can name its own interests? What begets a spirit's own self-reflection?

This highlights the gradual evolution of raw Fade energy into conscious beings, implying a progression from magic to self-awareness—a key trait of both spirits and, perhaps, souls.

Later, upon recruiting Emmrich, another codex offers this insight, in response to Harding’s question about the difference between souls and spirits:

A soul is the richly numinous force within every living being. You and I, our companions, our opponents—all possess a soul. When we slumber, it slips into the Fade, our most intimate connection with the land of dreams. A spirit is an entity formed entirely in the Fade from raw magic. While both dwell in intangible regions, a trained mage will never mistake one for the other."

This explanation frames souls as inherent to living beings and spirits as unique entities born from the Fade. However, Solas's memories complicate this: the first elves were spirits who took physical form, blurring the boundaries between souls and spirits.

Given this lore, The Fade Codex proposes that souls and spirits may be identical—or at least near-identical—forces with distinctions drawn largely by perception and context.

Souls as a Manifestation of the Fade: If all life originates from the Fade, then souls could be seen as a spirit’s essence, tied to a physical body. This would align with the idea of elves as spirits who became mortal—they retained their Fade-born essence (a soul) while adapting to corporeal life.

Individuality and Purpose: Just as no two humans are the same, no two spirits—be they of Wisdom, Valor, or Curiosity—are identical. A soul may reflect the same unique essence as a spirit’s purpose, shaped by the being’s thoughts, emotions, and experiences.

The Key Difference: A soul might be the form a spirit takes when tied to a physical body, its Fade connection limited to dreams. A spirit, meanwhile, exists entirely within the Fade, unbound by physicality but still driven by purpose.

Souls and spirits may not be as different as they seem. Perhaps the line between them isn’t a question of nature but of perspective—whether that essence resides in the Fade alone or is bound to a mortal life.

Thank you for this thought-provoking question—there’s so much more to explore!

May your path through the Fade remain well-lit!

—The Fade Codex

11 notes · View notes

necrodette · 26 days ago

Text

Odette Tavelyen - Thayan Heritage

**Below is a combination of headcanon original creations and references from the 5E resources - I will source references for works not my own if they're from books!

PREFERRED NAME: Odette "Tav" Tavelyen

TRUE NAME: Gellana Toth (pronounced "Ghel-ahna")

AGE: 32

RACE: Human

CLASS: Order of the Scribe Wizard (Level 2 prior to BG3)

ALIGNMENT: Neutral Good

Unbeknownst to her, Odette is actually a descendant of Ilyn Toth, the Red Wizard that fled his Thayan homeland. This is the very same Red Wizard that is tracked to the town of Moonhaven, the blighted town where he used the townspeople to conduct his macabre experiments. HIS GOAL: Learning how to perform true resurrection to bring back the woman he loved, *Qulone Trythkul, the ex-lover of the zulkir Szass Tam - and the one person who could possibly bring the lich to heel. Tam, having tired of Qulone's existence, tried to kill the woman; however, his ploy failed and, instead, made Qulone immortal. In an effort to stop her from becoming a source of conflict against his rule in Thay, he trapped her in a tome - the Necromancy of Thay.

Below the cut is a thorough breakdown of Odette Tavelyen's heritage, the history of her family, sources for references, and the implications of her lineage in the BG3 game events. Spoilers, spoilers galore!

Her great-grandfather, Ilyn, had escaped with three things:

The Necromancy of Thay

His reluctant, resentful apprentice: a young Thayan man named Azilos who despised Ilyn for abandoning their home in pursuit of bringing the Zulkir Szass Tam out of power through the Necromancy of Thay's dark knowledge.

His familiar, Shovel the quasit. A cheeky little thing, Shovel enjoys the simple things in life: murder, fisting, and mischief.

Pre-BG3:

A hooded figure arrived at Candlekeep's gates with a crying child in a basket and an offer: take the child and raise her within the halls of the library and, in exchange, the Readers would be given the donation of The Tharchiate Codex. This darkly dangerous vellum-bound tome held the secrets to unlock the complex glyphs and mysteries of the Necromancy of Thay.

Odette was raised as a custodian of the tomes, a young woman steadily working her way through the hierarchy of the Avowed with a quiet dream of one day ascending to the rank of Reader.

She has no inkling of her true heritage—a secret known only to those who must guard it: the Keeper of the Tomes and the First Reader. To reveal her lineage would endanger not only her life but the library itself, for the Necromancy of Thay remains one of the most coveted grimoires among Red Wizards still hunting its hidden knowledge.

But when The Tharchiate Codex is stolen from the Restricted Section of Candlekeep, suspicion falls squarely on Odette. The wing where the tome was kept was heavily warded against any who might dare to claim it - yet someone whose bloodline resonated with the book, someone who had spent her life uncovering every hidden corner of the library? The connection was too compelling to ignore.

Since The Tharchiate Codex would only respond to the bloodline from which it was first bound - the Toth line - Odette is charged with retrieving the dark tome before it falls into the wrong hands. The last reports placed it traveling toward Baldur's Gate, where the library's scouts had gone ominously silent.

To Baldur's Gate, she shall go.

Act One:

During Act One, Odette is forced to navigate the impossible balance of concealing her true identity while grappling with the fact of it at all. She has now glimpsed a version of herself - a truth buried in her bones - that she doesn't recognize. And what's worse, her heritage isn't just a burden to carry in secret; it's a mortal danger to everyone around her.

With the theft of The Tharchiate Codex no longer hidden, it is only a matter of time before Thayan Hunters or Red Wizards come seeking it - the only key unlocking the maddening whispers of true resurrection contained within the pages of the Necromancy of Thay.

When the group comes upon the ruins of Moonhaven, Odette begins to feel the stirring of something dark within her - a whisper of the Necromancy of Thay calling to her blood and bone. She knows she must tell the truth to the companions who have trusted her with their own confessions, but terror roots her tongue. If she speaks it aloud, she is certain that they will leave her behind to deal with her dark responsibility.

Yet when she confesses at camp that night, she is met with a measure of support - a trust she neither expects nor believes she deserves.

Later, as the group explores the abandoned Apothecary Shoppe that once belonged to her great-grandfather, Ilyn Toth, Odette's keen eye uncovers the hidden laboratory below, shelves lined with brittle vials and rotting scrolls, and there - resting as if it had been waiting for her all along - lay the cursed tome itself: the Necromancy of Thay.

The moment her fingers brush the vellum-bound cover, Odette becomes a vessel.

Qulone Trythkul, the imprisoned spirit whose screaming face is forever immortalized in the leather binding, begins to whisper. The secrets she spills are seductive and terrible - knowledge that gives Odette command over her magic in a way she never imagined, but at a cost.

Soon, her hands can summon the dead to speak, to rise, to serve. And though she tells herself it is only temporary, only out of necessity to fulfill their quest to remove the tadpoles and return the book to Candlekeep, she can't help but wonder if this was the power she was always meant to claim.

Act Two:

In the Shadow Cursed lands, Odette finds herself uniquely (though uneasily) prepared for what awaits. While her companions struggle to fend off the unrelenting wraiths and corpse-laden fields, she begins to realize that the Necromancy of Thay offers her an unnatural advantage. The tome's whispers, once only a sinister undercurrent in her mind, have become something closer to a second voice - one that teaches her to pierce the veils between life and undeath.

The wraiths that drift along the roads seem to pause when she draws near, their eyeless faces tilting as if in recognition... or perhaps in fear.

Odette learns quickly that, with effort, she can exert a tenuous control over these cursed creatures. When a ghoul emerges from the blackened soil, she does not need to lift her quill to spell a scroll. Instead, she meets the sunken gaze and feels a thread of understanding between them - the result never perfect, more an insistent compulsion than absolute dominion, but often enough the ghouls would shamble past her in reluctant deference.

Its a power that unnerves her as much as it aids her, for every act of command seems to bind her more tightly to the spirit coiled within the tome.

At times, she can almost understand the groaning wails and violent hisses of the lives ruined by the Shadow Curse. Qulone's voice in her mind serves as translator and tutor both, urging her to listen rather than recoil. When faced with the battle against General Ketheric Thorm, Odette learns to raise the dead of the men and women and creatures killed by the Sharran curse and Absolute alike - bringing the vengeance of those dead back to fight alongside her (this also ties into Withers' offer to bring the hirelings back to life!).

Though Odette tries to keep these abilities hidden, there is no denying the uneasy relief that they provide. While Odette insists to herself that she's using this power solely to protect the living, the innocent, and destroy the Absolute, she wonders who she will be when and if she makes it through this alive.

Act Three: Coming soon!

I'm finishing up Act Two on my playthrough right now, so I'll update this post and reblog when Odette's bond with the Necromancy of Thay escalates in the next act!

If you made it this far down in my tangential torrent of brainworms for Odette, please know that I am holding you gently in my hands and smooching your forehead (with consent, of course)! Thank you for reading and I hope that this was compelling for an OC! ♥

*Qulone Tyrthkul is a fictional character mentioned in the Thay Land of the Red Wizards by Ed Greenwood, Alex Kammer, & Alan Patrick. It's a wonderfully thorough reference for any Thayan interests, I'd HIIIGHLY recommend picking up a copy from DMsGuild!

#bg3 #baldur's gate 3 #baldurs gate 3 #bg3 rp #the candlekeep librarian #my tav: odette tavelyen #lorespelling #divider by cafekitsune #order of the scribe #bg3 oc #bg3 oc lore #bg3 tav #I just really loved the Necromancy of Thay the moment I saw it #and my very new-to-dnd self was enthralled with the classic evil of the Red Wizards and the myriad of conflicts within Thay #so I made it my whole personality basically uaslfdalksdjfa #The Necromancy of Thay needed more lore so here is Odette #forever haunted by some Dark Shit™ apparently

4 notes · View notes

floral-incantation · 6 months ago

Text

The Spellweaver’s Grimoire

The Spellweaver’s Grimoire is one of the most revered and mysterious artifacts in the magical world of Enchancia. Created by Aelric Spellbound, the founder of the Spellbound lineage, it is not merely a book but a living repository of magical knowledge, bound by enchantments that evolve with each generation of the family. The Grimoire is considered the heart of the Spellbound legacy, holding secrets and spells that have shaped the course of magic for centuries.

Origins of the Grimoire

The creation of the Spellweaver’s Grimoire dates back to the Age of Arcane Awakening, a tumultuous period when magic was feared and misunderstood. Aelric Spellbound, a visionary mage, sought to bridge the gap between magic and humanity by creating a tome that would preserve the balance between power and responsibility.

Legend has it that Aelric spent decades crafting the Grimoire, drawing upon his deep connection to elemental spirits and his understanding of magical harmony. He infused it with spells that were not only powerful but also designed to work in harmony with nature and human intent. The Grimoire was enchanted with self-writing magic, allowing it to record new spells and insights from each Spellbound who contributed to its pages.

Physical Description

The Spellweaver’s Grimoire is a massive tome bound in dark emerald leather, its cover embossed with the family crest—a phoenix rising from intertwining vines. The pages are made from an enchanted material that resists decay, glowing faintly when touched by someone of Spellbound blood.

The book is locked with a magical clasp that can only be opened by those deemed worthy. When unworthy individuals attempt to open it, they are met with harmless but humiliating enchantments—such as being temporarily turned into a harmless creature or covered in glittering magical dust.

Magical Properties

The Grimoire is more than just a collection of spells—it is a sentient artifact imbued with Aelric’s essence. It has several unique properties:

Adaptive Spells: The spells within the Grimoire evolve over time, adapting to new magical challenges and incorporating innovations from its users.

Selective Access: Only those who demonstrate balance in their intentions can access its most powerful sections. Even members of the Spellbound family must prove themselves worthy.

Guiding Voice: The Grimoire occasionally communicates with its wielder through whispers or written messages on blank pages, offering advice or warnings.

Elemental Resonance: The book reacts strongly to elemental magic, amplifying spells cast by those aligned with their elemental affinity.

Notable Sections

The Grimoire is divided into several sections, each focusing on a different aspect of magic:

The Elemental Codex: A compendium of spells tied to earth, air, fire, and water magic.

The Weaving Arts: Instructions for creating complex enchantments that blend multiple schools of magic.

The Healing Pages: Spells for restoration and purification, contributed by healers like Esmara Spellbound.

The Shadow Wards: Defensive spells designed to protect against dark magic and corruption.

The Prophetic Verses: Cryptic prophecies that foretell significant events in the magical world.

Role in Family History

Throughout history, the Spellweaver’s Grimoire has played a pivotal role in shaping the destiny of the Spellbound family:

During times of war, it provided protective enchantments that shielded entire villages from harm.

In eras of peace, it served as a guide for teaching younger generations about balance and responsibility.

When Thalion Spellbound attempted forbidden experiments, it was the Grimoire’s warnings that ultimately led him to abandon his dangerous pursuits.

Winifred often referred to the Grimoire as "the soul of our family," emphasizing its importance in maintaining their legacy. Goodwyn valued it as both a tool for heroism and a reminder of their duty to protect Enchancia.

Cedric’s Connection to the Grimoire

As a child, Cedric was fascinated by the Grimoire but struggled to unlock its deeper secrets due to his insecurities and impatience. He often spent hours poring over its pages, hoping to find spells that would help him prove himself worthy of his parents’ expectations.

It wasn’t until Cedric began working alongside Seraphine that he truly connected with the Grimoire. Her influence helped him approach magic with greater balance and humility, unlocking sections he had never been able to access before. Together, they discovered forgotten spells for purifying corrupted artifacts—knowledge that proved invaluable during their adventures.

Seraphine’s Contributions

After marrying Cedric and becoming part of the Spellbound legacy, Seraphine added her own contributions to the Grimoire. Her healing spells—rooted in both traditional magic and her unique affinity for water—expanded its Healing Pages significantly.

One spell she created, known as Seraphine’s Embrace, became renowned for its ability to restore harmony not just within individuals but also within entire ecosystems affected by magical imbalance.

Modern Role

Today, Cedric and Seraphine see the Spellweaver’s Grimoire as more than just an artifact—it is a living symbol of their family’s mission to preserve balance between magic and nature. They have begun using it as part of their teachings at the Academy of Balance, ensuring that future generations understand both its power and its responsibility.

As Cedric often says:

"The Grimoire doesn’t just teach us how to wield magic—it teaches us why we should."

#sofia the first #spellbound hearts shipping #Cedric Spellbound #Spellbound ancestors #cedric x seraphine

6 notes · View notes

donmuchasalsa · 21 days ago

Text

Character Roster (Horde & Alliance)

⟢ My Characters ⟣

Welcome to my character roster! Each one of these characters has been carefully crafted over time — shaped by story, emotion, and experience. Whether you're looking for deep lore, intense conflict, emotional depth, or simply interesting interactions, I hope you'll find someone here who sparks your curiosity.

From tragedy and solitude, to madness — and perhaps even a bit of comedy. Each story offers a glimpse into a different side of the world and the people within it.

Every name holds a piece of a larger world. Some seek redemption, others vengeance. A few just want to be understood.

Feel free to explore — and if someone catches your attention, don’t hesitate to reach out. I'm always open to plotting, worldbuilding, and creating meaningful connections.

Hao’tkal “The Scourge of the Empire” – Death Knight (Zandalari Troll) Once a revered Prelate of Zandalar, Hao’tkal walked a path of honor, faith, and discipline — until betrayal shattered everything he believed in. Killed in battle and abandoned by the empire he served, he was brought back to unlife by a force unknown, reborn with eyes wide open and a heart set ablaze with vengeance.

Now a feared mercenary, Hao prowls the world not as a hero or villain, but as a force of reckoning. To many, he is a ghost — a myth whispered in fear. To others, he is salvation cloaked in shadow. Beneath his cold, calculated exterior lies a complex soul: one shaped by love for nature, scars of betrayal, and an unwavering resolve to destroy the very system that once demanded his loyalty.

He is the Scourge of the Empire — and he has only just begun.

Theromus Xeranis – Scholar / Inventor (Nightborne) Born into a noble family of revered arcanists, Theromus possesses no magical talent of his own — a source of shame in the eyes of his lineage. Yet what he lacks in arcane power, he more than makes up for in intellect and heart. A brilliant inventor and scholar, he creates astonishing devices designed to make life easier — both for himself and for those in need. Naturally timid and easily frightened, Theromus nevertheless holds strong moral convictions and a sincere desire to help others. He is always accompanied by “Cody,” a sentient magical codex that acts as both his guardian and maternal figure.

Wokhan Skywind – Sun Priest (Tauren) Wokhan hails from the open plains of Mulgore — a noble soul wholly devoted to the path of An’she. A skilled healer in both body and spirit, he offers his aid to any in need, expecting nothing in return. With the calm wisdom of a sage and the strength of a giant, Wokhan walks the world not as a warrior, but as a guide. He is known for his serene presence, his deep love for tea, and the kindness he shows even to strangers. Wokhan helps anyone he deems worthy — regardless of faction, race, or beliefs — as long as he senses genuine goodness within them. Wherever he goes, healing follows — along with a quiet warmth that comforts the weary.

Thomas Marshal Raynor – Bounty Hunter (Human) A young, sharp-eyed man with a rugged sense of justice and the grit of someone who’s seen better days. Once a celebrated figure, Thomas is now a shadow of what he used to be — haunted by his past and driven by a quiet determination to reclaim a piece of his former self. With the look of a cowboy and the instincts of a seasoned hunter, he faces each day with defiance. But even the strongest men need help sometimes — and deep down, Thomas knows his greatest trials still lie ahead. Jambali "of the Red Sand" – Witch Doctor (Sandfury Troll)

Once a fanatical cultist, Jambali devoted himself entirely to the bloody rituals he performed in the name of his Loa. His ceremonies were so brutal that he even sacrificed his own kind, staining the sands beneath his feet red — hence his infamous title. Everything changed after a terrifying vision. What he saw was enough to shatter his faith and fill him with dread about the eternal fate of his soul. From that day forward, Jambali abandoned his old path. He now practices a different craft, hidden away in a secluded place known only to a few. His rituals — disturbing, bizarre, and unconventional to most — are nonetheless undeniably effective. Few know the truth behind his transformation, but some whisper that deep down, Jambali still fears the price of his former sins has yet to be fully paid.

Falrandir Moonglen – Druid (Night Elf) Originally sent from Darnassus with a mission to guide others in respecting and preserving nature, Falrandir began his journey with wisdom, compassion, and purpose. But after years of witnessing humans, dwarves, and gnomes exploit the land without remorse — ripping the earth apart for profit and power — something inside him broke. His teachings were ignored, his warnings mocked. Now, he walks a darker path. If they would not learn through reason, they would learn through fear. No one would be spared from nature’s wrath — and none would resist learning what reverence truly means. Harkkan Stormbane “The Blood Horn” – Druid (Highmountain Tauren) Once a proud and disciplined druid of the Highmountain tribes, Harkkan fought valiantly during the Legion's invasion, leading with strength and unwavering resolve. But the war took everything from him — his kin, his home, and the balance he once maintained within. Consumed by grief and fury, Harkkan gradually lost control of himself, falling into a savage rage every time he shifted into one of his animal forms. Branded a danger to those around him, he was exiled by his people. Now he wanders alone through the wilds of Azeroth, trying to find something — anything — that might bring him peace again. His scars run deeper than flesh, and his heart still beats with a rage that refuses to fade. ╭━━━━━◇◇◇◇◇༺༻◇◇◇◇◇━━━━━╮

The Story of the Dawnveil Siblings

Born under the same sun and bound by blood, the three siblings of House Dawnveil once shared a single path — one paved with dreams, laughter, and the warmth of a home long lost. But fate, ever cruel and untamed, shattered that bond and cast each of them into a different corner of the world.

Now, their lives unfold apart, touched by pain, purpose, and unanswered questions. Though the threads of their stories no longer weave together, whispers linger in the wind… that one day, when the time is right, their paths may cross once more. Lyradreth Dawnveil – Assassin / Pit Fighter (Blood Elf)

The youngest of the three Dawnveil siblings, Lyradreth was once a spoiled and well-guarded girl — until tragedy tore her world apart. Forced into a life of blood and survival she never chose, she became a weapon. Behind her delicate features lies a deadly killer, forged in the pits and sharpened by countless contracts taken in the shadows.

Despite the brutal path she walks, a part of her still yearns for the warmth of her past. The memory of her family clings to her like a whisper, and somewhere deep inside, she still dreams of going back to the home sweet home she once knew — if such a place even exists anymore. Lortanel Dawnveil – Former Sha’tari Skyguard (Blood Elf) The middle brother of the Dawnveil trio. Proud, a little vain, and quick with a smirk — yet underneath the charm lies a heart that longs for connection. Once a member of the Sha’tari Skyguard, Lortanel now wanders the world in search of his siblings. With no clear path or useful clues, he clings to the hope of reunion. He dreams of the days when the three of them stood side by side — and perhaps, of recapturing the warmth of a time long gone. Lothemir Dawnveil – (???) (Blood Elf) The eldest of the Dawnveil siblings. Once a proud son of Silvermoon, his path has long since diverged into obscurity. While his origins lie in family and tradition, his present is veiled behind shifting faces and whispered rumors. Wise and immensely powerful, Lothemir is driven by an insatiable desire to surpass his own limits — both magical and personal. Though he still carries the memory of his kin, it lingers more like a distant echo than a guiding light. Whatever he has become, it may be far removed from the brother his family once knew. ╰━━━━━◇◇◇◇◇༺༻◇◇◇◇◇━━━━━╯

Arthur Blackhallow – Cult Leader (Worgen) (THIS CHARACTER IS ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY WITH ERP PURPOSES - ¡WARNING!) Once a brilliant mind driven by love and desperation, Arthur’s descent began with a failed attempt to save the woman he cherished most. What followed was not madness — but clarity. Twisted, unwavering clarity.

Now the self-proclaimed prophet of a secretive and depraved cult known as the Crimson Creed, Arthur has forsaken the boundaries of morality. No longer bound by the laws of man or beast, he walks the world as something far more terrifying: a god in flesh to those who follow him — and a nightmare to all who cross his path.

As a Worgen, his presence is monstrous — primal yet poised, with a voice like velvet wrapped around broken glass. Every mark he carves, every parasite he breeds, every whispered prayer within the Creed’s walls is an extension of his will.

To outsiders, he is a heretic. To his victims, a monster. But to his faithful? He is salvation.

#rolplay #original character #world of warcraft

2 notes · View notes

lairofdragonagelore · 1 year ago

Text

The Claws of Dumat and the Tevinter Bird/Dragon

The Claw of Dumat was introduced to us for the first time, visually, in DA2, and it was not until DAI that we got information about it via a note. However, it was not alone; a second artefact that lacks of any information appeared beside it: a metallic sculpture of a bird or a dragon that I called along this blog the Tevinter bird.

[This post belongs to the series “Analysis and speculation of Statues”]

[Index page of Dragon Age Lore]

The Claws of Dumat

Where does this artefact appear? We have seen it four times already: In the Valdasine Thaig in DA2, in different places within the Fade of DAI, in Fairel's tomb in the Hissing Wastes of DAI, and in the DLC The Descent, inside a chamber of the Heidrun Thaig.

In DA2 game

The claws of Dumat appear for the first time in DA2, in the Primeval Thaig's entrance, at the sides of the main corridor that will lead us to the Thaig filled with Red Lyrium. This implies that this Thaig, which has no typical Dwarven decoration of Paragons and the writing on its walls was not traditional Dwarvish, was deeply related to Tevinter. The Thaig was located below the Deep Roads and was built before the First Blight [exact same characteristics than the Heidrun Thaig] .

We learn later that the Dwarves than inhabit this Thaig had strong trade relationships with Tevinter [they gave them lyrium, according to the codex Valdasine], and it is not clear if they were involved in the construction of Emerius [former name of Kirkwall]. The configuration of the Thaig makes us suspect that Tevinter made experiments here. There is a constant pattern along these rooms: blue lyrium, Claws of Dumat, and red lyrium, that makes us speculate that these three elements are related one another: immense source of lyrium that must have been used to feed the Claws of Dumat until the magisters used slave blood, which in the end, corrupted the lyrium and turned it into red one.

As we continue exploring the Thaig we find an interesting and mysterious codex: The profane. We interpreted it in details in the post Primeval Thaig and Red Lyrium : we assumed that these profane may have been dwarven or humans who were abandoned in this Thaig when it was closed, and hungry, started to eat lyrium, the "blood of the gods", becoming through the aeons into the "profane" creatures, that only endure hunger. Hence, they brought the attention of Hunger demons in a place where the Veil was already thin due to the experiments performed with Claws of Dumat. These profane creatures don't look similar to the abominations of the Red Templars, so we could assume that they only consumed blue lyrium and the corruption of it into red lyrium happened later.

As we continue exploring the Thaig, Varric recognises the last chamber as a Dwarven “Vault”, filled with many Claws of Dumat from which the red lyrium grows. Here, we find a staff called Valdasine, which codex says that before the First Blight, the Dwarven House called Valdasine provided lyrium to all the Empire. However, one day, they closed the doors of their Thaig and blocked communication with everyone. When the doors opened after a time, it was empty, no bodies were found, and there were no clues of what happened. From a design point of view, clearly the profane and this event must be connected: This thaig is the Valdasine’s Thaig, and the profane are all those families that were trapped here and forced to eat Lyrium. The age seems to coincide roughly: both events happened before the darkspawn existed. It's also worth noting that the presence of a staff implies that this Thaig had mages, since dwarven were unable to use magic. This reinforces the idea that Tevinter had a deep relationship with this Thaig in particular, and Tevinter mages were present here with some purpose [most likely, an experiment that required big amounts of Lyrium]. We have to remember that dwarves and Tevinter mages had shown another similar situation where Tevinter Mages experimented within dwarven Thaigs in Golems of Amgarrak. In it, a Tevinter mage was trying to recreate a fleshy alternative to Caridin's golems, crafting the mysterious Harvester.

In DAI game: The Fade

The second time we see the Claws are in the Fade of DAI. They appear at different times and contexts: In The Raw Fade - Part 1 among statues of the Free Marches eagle, implying a strong relationship of this artefact with Kirkwall. This may reinforce the idea we explored in DA2 in Kirkwall history and design and in particular with the Enigma of Kirkwall : It is likely that Kirkwall was where the breach to the Fade was done centuries ago, through blood sacrifice. This is also reinforced by the codex Claw of Dumat, where we learn that Corypheus trusted that this artefact would allow him to bring back Tevinter to its former glory.

In the section of the Fade that I called "The Tevinter Path" in The Raw Fade - Part 2 we find more Claws, implying that they were used in the process of reaching the gods that had gone silent. This event can be interpreted as the Magisters breaking into the Black City in the Fade physically.

In Flemeth’s Fade – Part 1 , we find another Claw in an intersection, where a statue of the Free Marches is shown in front of some Avvar Keepers of Fear. Again, this seems to represent the tumultuous history of the region of Kirkwall: Tevinter invaded natives of this place to build Emerius with a hidden purpose beyond the mere extraction of stones for the construction of the Imperial Highway [more details in Kirkwall history and design]

In DAI game: Fairel’s tomb

In the Hissing Wastes: Fairel tomb we find a Claw in one of the tombs, implying that the whole story of Fairel may have been related to Tevinter and its magisters as well. This makes sense if we remember that the Fairel were a clan specialised on Runecraft, and this art was used in the construction of Kirkwall. There is also a mention of runes/sigils that can only be seen from the Fade in the Heidrun Thaig in The Descent – The Sacrificial Gates of Segrummar.

The tomb where the claw appears displays a specific fragment of the story of Fairel:

Fairel, Paragon, fled from the strife his brilliance created, the strife that destroyed thaigs, sundered houses, from weapons that clan used against clan. His own clan and his two sons followed Fairel to the pitiless surface, the surface where they would hide from the war that took their home.

As we see, it is related to the exodus of Fairel and its causes: a weapon he developed, which provoked strife and destroyed clans. During this quest in DAI, we learn that this secret weapon is a kind of rune, but the game doesn't give it more importance later [it feels more because the rush of ending the game, than something lore-related]. This is the main reason why I think Fairel’s house, as runecrafters, may have helped magisters to develop Emerius [which is built following glyphs and runes patterns, for more details check Kirkwall history and design]. As a clan alone on the surface, during a time when most dwarves were underground, they may have relied on Tevinter or accepted any deal in order to survive.

There is clearly a link between the Fairel ruins and Corypheus: Corypheus knew about these forgotten ruins when nobody knew they were there, thus he commanded the Venatori to dig them and look for Fairel's particular weapon: a rune.

Also, the presence of Tevinter elements in this tomb must have been brought in the past, during the times of Corypheus when he was a human magister, since these ruins where not known by anyone until now: it was Corypheus who informed the Venatori about them. The Shaperate, the only other institution that may have had this knowledge, never knew about them since they “recorded Fairel as dead” as soon as he left the underground. So I think it’s reasonable to keep supporting the idea that this clan and these ruins were involved with the ancient Tevinters quite deeply.

In DAI game: DLC, the Descent

In The Descent – The Deep Roads we start the exploration of this region with a big Claw in the main room. It is flanked by two elven rounded trees in the dwarven style. This is already telling us that this Thaig, which predates the Blights, had Tevinter presence not only for trade: their blood ritual instruments had been incorporated to the decoration of the chambers of the Thaig Heidrun, built on a lyrium mine and then destroyed by and earthquake caused by unknown reasons [the stir of a woken-up Titan by an unknown event]. .

In front of the claw, there is a table with a game and a Dwarven stone-paintings that belongs to these strange paintings we found in Hissing Wastes: Fairel tomb, where we speculated that maybe represented Kirkwall, or another city Kirkwall-like.

Later, we find more Claws in another room where they are exposed in a way that implies worship. Since it's in here where the Tevinter bird appears, i will talk about this room later, in the Tevinter Bird section down below.

What do we know about the Claws of Dumat?

In the DAI Fade [ The Raw Fade - Part 1] we find an extremely juicy codex explaining about this artefact. The codex is written by Corpyheus’ slave who was sacrificed later. What we learn here is:

It implies that Corypheus has been developing different altars to “bring Tevinter to Glory” [Would that mean that the Tevinter bird is a prototype?].

We are informed that the Old Gods have been silent for a while and that has caused the loss of followers. This has been a source of fear in Corypheus. [This info is confirmed by Corypheus as well during Orlais: Shrine of Dumat]

This slave knows that Corypheus has been meeting with other “priests” to try to find a solution to the decline of the cult to the Old Gods.

Corypheus took his name around the time the Tevinter Magisters entered the Golden City. So we can assume this is a narration very close to the time in which the Sidereal Magisters stepped into the Fade physically.

Corypheus knew that the old elves were tied to the Fade, and the mortal elves have something of that power in their blood, hence he wanted to use their blood for the ritual of entering the Fade.

The Claw of Dumat supports the victim on its top, with shackles, and seems to drip blood along the statue to a pool with runes. [Could these runes be a creation of Fairel?]

It is implied that Corypheus used little blood magic before the silence of the Old Gods. The loss of god's voice made him fall in despair.

These words were written and reflected/preserved in the Fade at the base of one of these Claws of Dumat we find just after we pass by some Free Marches eagles. Again, the presence of the Free Marches eagles around the Claws of Dumat may be a representation of Kirkwall, but it could also represent another thing, maybe related to the Tevinter bird.

The Tevinter Bird/Dragon

It is a metal statue of something that looks like a bird or a dragon. It could be the “Tevinter” style of the usual Kirkwall eagle, or something else that escapes me completely. If one is careless, these draconic-bird-like statues can be mistakes for Claws of Dumat, but they are not. They share the same style than the Claws: they are Tevinter, made of dark metal, in an angular and pointy shape.

When we compare it with the statue of Mythal dragon shape, we can see some similitude, as if it were the same one but in the pointy “Tevinter” style. Of course, if this were the case, this metallic representation of Mythal lacks of its iconic spike.

In DA2 game

The first time we see this statue is in DA2, in the Primeval Thaig [read Primeval Thaig and Red Lyrium ], in a Chamber that Varric refers to as a Dwarven Vault but its key claims it to be a crypt. There are veins of red lyrium around these statues and around the Claws of Dumat.

In DAI game: Crestwood Caves

The next appearance is in Crestwood: Flooded Caves, at the entrance of a chamber of a Dwarven ruin.

This place seemed to be important, since it is decorated in this fashion. This entrance even has an illustration in the Book of Inquisition [image above], showing that these statues are placed at the side of the entrance completely on purpose. The position seems to be similar to Mythal statues we find in the elvhenan ruins or Temples.

In that illustration, however, we also see a big mask-face over them, reminding us those faces we saw in dwarven Thaigs in DAO, or in the Avril of Void. These faces always gave me the impression of being unconcious representations of the Titans within the dwarven culture.

Later on, I found a plaque close to this place, in a locked room, that seemed to imply this whole dwarven ruin was a route that connected Aeducan Thaig with Gundaar Thaig [another famous Thaig, and one of the first in falling under the darkspawn threat]. It’s interesting that the name Gundaar appears here, since it’s one of the three Thaigs that the lore considered lost and have been hiding curious developments [the other two are Kal-Sharok and Hormak, for more details read Orzammar, Witch Hunt, and The Horror of Hormak ].

In DAI game: Heidrun Thaig

The last appearance of the Tevinter bird was in DLC: The Descent – The Deep Roads where, despite the lack of information in a codex, we find a curious chamber in the Heidrun Thaig that may provide some insight.

The chamber in question seems to honour four statues: two Claws of Dumat and two Tevinter birds. This could have been a chamber of summoning or enhancing magic, since we know the Claws of Dumat were used with blood sacrifices to empower magic. So even though we don’t know what the Tevinter bird’s function could have been, the presence of the claws makes us infer that it may have been related to blood sacrifices and the process of breaching the Fade.

Another detail that supports this hypothesis is that, in this Thaig, blood magic has been performed long time ago: we meet an Arcane Horror in The Uncharted Abbys, Bastion of the Pure, who still performs blood magic with animal bodies [we find some dead animals that are still warm]. The curious detail is that this chamber has a lot of elvhenan objects: several inukshuk, an eluvian with the same frame that Merril's, and a statue of Humanoid Mythal. In the same chamber we also find one of the Tevinter sacrificial altars, which makes us suspect that Tevinter and Elvhenan knowledge have been fused in this place. That these elements appear in this part of the underground may be related to the fact that the Bastion of the Pure it's where we find the densest amount of lyrium [important component to cast powerful magic].

However, I'm not sure if we can assume this Arcane Horror is an ancient magister of that time. I’m more inclined to think that it is the father of the builder of The Sacrificial Gates of Segrummar, who needed to be in the Fade in order to see the sigil that is present in all this Thaig, apparently.

Speculations about the Tevinter bird/dragon

The information we have collected in here is rather scarce. We can have a good understanding of the Claws of Dumat, but it's hard to extrapolate all that to the Tevinter bird. So, I developed several hypothesis:

It's a prototype of a Claw of Dumat

According to the codex of the Claws of Dumat, Corypheus had been working on different prototypes, so we can assume this Tevinter bird may have been one of those: a mere prototype. However, if it was so, why would it be present in Valdasine's Thaig? You don't use failed prototypes. Unless its presence, in combination with the Claws, is what makes the claws work.

It's something related to Emerius

Kirkwall always had an iconic metallic statue of an eagle [1, 2]. We can even say that the geometrical symbol of Kirkwall [7] looks like an eagle extending its wings [7] even though the origin of that symbol has a strong resemblance with the original symbol of Emerius: a raising dragon [7].

In the Viscount's Keep, we see different other representations of the eagle [2, 3, 5, 6]. The origin of [3] seems to be [4] which is a symbol closer to the Emerius style than the current, geometrical one, so this design detail tells me that this symbol may have belonged to the time of Emerius. The fact that the claws of Dumat appear in the Fade close to the [1] eagle statues may represent something. Maybe the original rising dragon represented in the Emerius symbol was hidden later in a bird-like figure?

Since the dark metallic eagle represents Kirkwall [or Emerius if we are talking about old times], this draconic/bird statue may be the representation of another city with similar characteristics than Emerius, maybe less important during the time of the Tevinter Empire glory.

This idea is also suggested when we find a Claw of Dumat in the first chamber of DLC: The Descent – The Deep Roads , where we see one of those Dwarven stone-paintings, which is neither the usual painting we saw along DAO, nor the usual one representing Kirkwall in DA2.

There is also a weird "bird" statue that we only see in DA2, that I talked about it in Xenon and his Black Emporium, depicted as a humanoid bird with chains that holds a mask on it. I can't bring a decent, non-conspiracy relationship between them, but it's the only bird-like statue I can think of through all the games. This weird statue appears in many houses of Kirkwall in DA2 [specially noticeable in Danarius house].

It's a Forgotten One which, as a dragon, was taken by the Tevinter interpretation as Dumat [or any other Old God]

In the way it is presented in the Vault of DA2, and considering it has a draconic shape to it, we can even speculate that this statue is a small representation of Dumat himself.

Hence, this statue is attached to big chunks of metal and close to the Claws of Dumat in that Vault as a mere decoration.

I like to play with the thought that it may be Myhtal [as I did in the beginning of this Tevinter Bird section]: I already talked about the speculation of Mythal being of double nature [Evanuris and Forgotten One, that the unreliable oral tradition of the Dalish lore twisted to give it to Fen'Harel, details in Speculations about the Vinyl Art or Dragon Age Iconic Patterns: The Sun], and the Forgotten Ones being dragons that were worshipped by the Elvhenan until they claimed their divinity [read more in Attempt to rebuild Ancient Elvhenan History]. In that moment on, they may have erased the ancient gods turning them into the forgotten ones, who escaped to the Abyss [which is related to the underground, where we know many dragons hibernate]. Therefore, there is a possibility that these forgotten dragons were taken later by the newly arrived humans [the Neomerians] who developed the cult of the Dragons, aka The Old Gods, being completely oblivious of the relationship that these creatures had with the Elvhenan, a civilisation they hated and despised. So that, they took the image of Mythal and considered it Dumat, and for that reason, they used this statue as a decoration to place around the Claws of Dumat.

The con of this interpretation is that it's not clear what kind of Dragon was the real Dumat-Archdemon which desolated the lands during the First Blight: was it truly Mythal? Another fragment of her? or was another Dragon? We already made a lot of speculations about the true Mythal being trapped in the Black City in the post Speculations about the Vinyl Art that makes this current speculation to falter.

Considering this horrible counter-argument, we could assume that maybe this is another Forgotten One that we have no name at all, but again, why would you put it close to the Claws of "Dumat" then?

Conclusion

It's clear that all speculations are pretty weak and lack of consistency to be considered seriously. For the moment, we know this statue exists, and may have some relationship with Tevinter, the Dwarves, and Emerius, even though we can't detail how that relationship is. Let's hope that future games, if they are not meant to destroy the DA lore, may give us some enlightenment on this matter.

#Analysis and speculation of Statues #Tevinter bird #Mythal #Free Marches eagles #Dragon Mythal statue #Claw of Dumat #Tevinter objects #high speculation #emerius #kirkwall

20 notes · View notes

rpgsandbox · 1 year ago

Text

Memento Mori - A Roleplaying Game of Dreams and Corruption

Actual photo of the first edition of Memento Mori

Memento Mori is a folk-horror roleplaying game set in Europe in 1347.

The Black Death is exacting its toll on Europe, and it will quickly exterminate a third of the population. The characters are a group of Drifters, infected people who come in contact with dark creatures from folklore due to their condition. With every new horror they experience, the characters will become ever less human and increasingly similar to the creatures they are fighting.

Only the Dream burning within them can keep them alive. What will they sacrifice for it?

Actual photos from the Italian edition of Memento Mori

Memento Mori has an original game system created to highlight the process of corruption and transformation undergone by the characters.

The system uses two pools of six-sided dice distinguished by color. White dice represent the human skills of Drifters, while black dice represent the supernatural powers and monstrous features that they develop.

The Drifter Sheet

When rolling dice, the Players’ objective is to roll as many 5 and 6 as possible in order to overcome the difficulty set by the Narrator. The powers developed during the Drifters’ adventure come at a steep price, because the Players are forced to choose a part of their character to sacrifice whenever the corruption grants them a new ability.

Every element on the character sheet is subject to change in order to achieve their Dream and unlock new powers.

We will produce 3 books for Memento Mori, plus a book-shaped box containing official dice and tarots. You will only need the Memento Mori corebook to start playing.

MEMENTO MORI: [Corebook] 200+ pages in black and white, hard cover, A5 format. The corebook contains everything you need to play, the setting, and a short introductory adventure complete with four Drifters ready to play. All neatly binded, with a canvas-style hardcover with gold lettering, and a ribbon bookmark.

CODEX GIGAS: 200+ pages in black and white, hard cover, A5 format. This expansion is composed of Addendum (setting), Bestiarium (creatures), Herbarium (plants), and Lapidarium (minerals). Thanks to the supernatural myths, descriptions, treasures, and ingredients in this book, the Narrator can lead the group of Drifters beyond the boundaries of the known world.

EX VELUM: 150+ pages in black and white, hard cover, A5 format. In this compendium of esoteric knowledge from Beyond the Veil you will find everything that was previously kept secret from Drifters because too dangerous and too powerful. Rules to use Tarot cards, and menacing revelations, a Lost Bestiarium (secret creatures), Legends from the Ephemeral Land (prominent individuals), and a Grimorium (rituals and magical items).

ARCA FATI: Box shaped like an A5 hardcover book. This box holds the most precious materials from this edition of Memento Mori. The Tarot deck and the custom-made dice, as well as many other surprises that we may unlock as stretch goals during our campaign. NOTE: You will need the Ex Velum supplement to use Tarots in Memento Mori.

DEATHLESS EDITION: Slipcase with a detachable magnetic 3-panel Narrator Screen. This slipcase holds the 3 Memento Mori books, and the Arca Fati box. The front is a detachable 3-panel Narrator Screen that features summary tables for all the main game rules.

Backerkit campaign ends: Feb 8, 2024 at 10:59pm GMT.

Website: [Two Little Mice] [facebook]

#RPG #backerkit #Memento Mori #Two Little Mice

14 notes · View notes

rosykims · 1 year ago

Note

❤🤍😊💯 for ashara my beloved???

🖤 BLACK HEART — has your oc killed or seriously wounded anyone before? have they broken someone's heart and/or broken someone's trust?

for all her flaws ashara is a DEEPLY reliable person. she takes people's trust in her very very seriously and she will ALWAYS keep her word <3 not really any broken hearts either because she's never actually broken up with anybody willingly. usually SHES the one getting her heart broken lmao

as for death and destruction, ashara HAD killed people prior to the events of dai unfortunately, just once. she hunted down and killed a group of human farmers who assaulted her sister. she also burnt down their farm and a significant portion of their land in the process for good measure. she was about 17 when this happened. in the lead up to this she had gotten herself so incomprehensibly murderously biblically angry that she'd been in very real danger of losing control and becoming an abomination, but managed to ground herself enough to make some key decisions, ie freeing the animals and saving the farmhands + stable people who had not been involved in the attack. i actually wrote a slay little codex entry for it which i never posted but i might as well now i have an excuse lol

Knight-Commander, There was nothing left of the farmstead when we got there. I’ve never seen anything like it. If I hadn’t grown up around the area I’d have never believed any houses once stood in that scorched clearing to begin with – for when we arrived there was nought but ash and blackened earth to be found. I fear the corpses are beyond identification - not even bone could endure such flames. All that remains are a few scattered teeth and the melted steel from belt buckles and the like. No normal fire could do this, sir. Maker, I’d suspect a high dragon if I hadn’t already confirmed none were sighted in the area. A stable-boy claims to have spotted a darked-haired she-elf fleeing the scene, and some neighboring villagers reported Dalish movement shortly after. I’ve sent out our best to investigate. Best case scenario, this was a premeditated attack from several apostates within the clan. At worst . . . well, I shudder to think of how powerful – or possessed – a single mage would have to be to wreak such havoc upon the world. [A Markham templar’s report to his Knight-Commander regarding the deaths of several farmers and the suspected involvement of apostates.]

anyways it was a key moment in her life because it was that experience which allowed her to finally sit through her vallaslin ceremony (for those who dont know, vallaslin rituals involve receiving the tattoo without flinching or crying out) . she had tried about 3 times prior to this to receive dirthamen's markings, with no luck. after this night she was able to sit through her ceremony with complete conviction, although she ended up deciding last minute to go with mythal's vallaslin: for justice.

(i think she still struggles internally with the distinction between justice and vengeance which is why im soooooo excited for elgar'nan to make an appearance in datv hehe)

🤍 WHITE HEART — what are three of your oc's neutral/questionable traits?

she can honestly be quite gullible sometimes, a trait she's aware of and combats with a lot of natural suspicion lol. she was THEE best target for pranks within the clan growing up bc she does tend to take people at face value. a hunter once taught her a "bird call" which was absolutely incomprehensible and stupid and yes she believed it wholehearted and DID try it before someone finally took pity on her jfdkfjkd. needless to say the first few days with sera were unbearable for her before she wisened up to sera's ways lmao

not really a personality trait but definitely a quirk, she taught herself how to read and write from scratch (with only a few early years of help from her keeper) and yet she's quite self-conscious about how "behind" she feels when she joins the inquisition and is suddenly surrounded by well educated noble humans. esp bc prior to this she had taken SUCH pride in her efforts . she loves reading and writing thinks of it as a hobby. she's an avid reader of anything she can get her hands on (limited since they rarely traveled anywhere more populated than small villages) and has filled DOZENS upon dozens of journals back to back since she was a kid. she writes/documents everything religiously, but if an outsider was to read it they would struggle quite a bit because her penmanship is self taught and quite messy, with a lot of spelling mistakes. her reading is also a bit slower than other peoples, which of course frustrates her so much bc back in her clan she was used to being the best reader and writer by a long shot. she improves very quickly working with the inquisition but its difficult for her at first for sure :(

finally just, in general, she has hard time regulating her feelings when it comes to love and friendship. her personality is abrasive and blunt and suspicious due to a whole myriad of reasons, so its rare that people care enough to stay and look past that. and for the most part shes resigned to that. when people DO stay, shes immediately ?????????!!!!!!! and the joy and relief and awe is unmatched. she falls in love WAY to quick and gets way, way too attached. when she finds someone who she wants who actually for some reason wants her too, she cant bear the thought of ever losing them or letting them go. she'd do anything for them, give anything for them, endure whatever it takes for them. when she and solas got together was the happiest and most lighthearted she'd ever felt because she wasnt alone, and i think he could have honestly manipulated her a LOT more than he did if he were so inclined lol. she loves soooooo so so intensely and utterly, and it tends to end up eating away at her and leading to really horrible traumatic switchups when that love falls flat.

😊 SMILING FACE WITH SMILING EYES — what are your oc's career/general life desires? what do they want to get the most out of life?

she does NOT want to be inquisitor or even first to the keeper - even though i think objectively shes very very good at it (the military side of it at least) and shes a great person to BE in that role because she has such a strong sense of duty and can put her people above herself for as long as it takes. but she doesnt have any real desire to dictate peoples lives or tell them what to do.

in saying that, being inquisitor definitely has some perks that shes eternally grateful for (she directs that gratefulness at mythal not andraste lol). her whole life she's wanted to Do Right By People, not necessarily Lead them. she wanted her clan to be safe: to be better than they were yesterday. she wants her inquisition to be safe and for them to be better than they were yesterday. she wants to make her community BETTER - ideally through knowledge and progressive movements. her favorite part of the inquisition was all the exploring and truth seeking she got to do - she's a little adventurer at heart and she values TRUTH over anything else: its the total foundation of her character imo :3 so being able to go to incredible places and learn amazing things and sketch/record everything in her journals meant everything with her. everything.

she spent a lot of nights with solas daydreaming about that kind of life and how she wanted to share it with him: she repeatedly said she was excited for the day she could finally stop being the inquisitor and instead focus on traveling with him and exploring the real world and the fade, together. bc thats another key thing. maybe more than anything else she wants to feel loved and stable and wanted: she wanted children so so so badly, and to be a better mother to her family than her mother was to her. a lot of her late night conversations with solas went in that direction too, and when she daydreamed about her plans with him - visit every remote corner of thedas, discovered every secret in the world etc etc etc - she also privately hoped they might settle down and have a family together afterwards. LOL <3

💯 HUNDRED POINTS SYMBOL — share three random facts about your oc that others may not know.

ashara keeps her hair in a signature bun virtually every single day . for a few reasons ! firstly, she has sensory issues and haaaaaates stray hairs in her face lol. secondly she thinks it makes her look Respectable and she desperately needs that bc she hates not feeling like people take her seriously. but lastly, and the main reason, is because she's a pyromancer, and she HAS set her hair on fire several times. lesson learn; keep ur hair out of the flames lol

ashara's family name is dhavise, and the origin of that name traces back to her ancient elven ancestor and source of her whole unhinged family tree. dhavise was a reaver (ie : guy who drinks dragon blood on the regular. not the qunari reavers introduced in dai lol but the OG nightmare fuel dao reavers who consumed the souls of their enemies and usually went Very insane as a result lmao). it's the source of ashara's family's affinity for fire, and also the reason why so many of them struggle with mental health including her. ironically i think he was actually one of solas' allies and sort-of-friends JKGJKFGJ but i dont think they were superrrr close given dhavise was. out of his damn mind and a liability to solas' entire movement lol. but i think he would've been to solas what harding was to the inquisitor: not part of his inner circle, but adjacent to it <3 dhavise was a lot like ashara in that he was hot headed and stubborn and formed VERY deep/loyal attachments to people, but i think he was a bit more lighthearted and didnt take himself as seriously lol

lastly, theres a fun little banter where iron bull describes how all the companion mages fight aesthetically. for ashara, i think her fighting style appears very overly aggressive and untamed and sort of "feral" on the surface. if you were to watch her fight more closely however you'd notice that her magic is actually *very* disciplined, careful, and self contained. she makes her flames appear wild and unstoppable because, growing up dalish, the main threat was usually animals and scared peasants who didnt know any better. she uses big scary theatrical flames in order to scare off wolves and pitchfork wielding townsfolk. honestly, she'd rather not hurt people with her magic - if she had a choice she would prefer to just punch people the old fashioned way fjgkfjgk

#tw assault #oc: ashara #this is soooooooooo crazy longwinded im so sorry nett JKFGJKGF the brainrot just jumped out #but thank u for asking i love u MWAH <3

6 notes · View notes

randumdude0 · 2 months ago

Text

The Black Gospel Collective

Alias: The Collective, BGC, The Keepers of the Black Gospel

Type: Secret Occult Organization / Supernatural Research and Containment

Founded: Circa 1887

Headquarters: Hidden compound in the Oregon Cascades (primary); numerous clandestine safe houses worldwide

Overview:

The Black Gospel Collective is a secretive and highly organized institution dedicated to the documentation, study, and containment of supernatural entities and phenomena—particularly those intertwined with religious and theological horror. Operating in the shadows, the Collective strives to maintain the fragile balance between the sacred and profane, ensuring dangerous knowledge and entities do not breach public awareness or cause apocalyptic disruptions.

Origins:

Formed in the late 19th century by an eclectic alliance of theologians, occult scholars, and former clergy, the Collective arose from a shared experience of encounters with inexplicable horrors. Their founding document, The Black Gospel, a codex of initial research and firsthand accounts, inspired the name and guiding philosophy of the group. Early efforts centered on gathering evidence and understanding the intersection of faith, mythology, and supernatural terror.

Mission:

Catalog and understand supernatural and religious phenomena.

Preserve critical knowledge while restricting dangerous information.

Contain and neutralize entities threatening humanity’s spiritual and physical wellbeing.

Operate covertly to avoid mass panic and interference by secular authorities.

Organizational Structure:

Archivists: Specialists in artifact recovery, documentation, and preservation. Custodians of the Collective’s vast hidden libraries and relic repositories.

Field Operatives: Trained in theology, combat, arcane arts, and investigative tactics. Deployed on expeditions to confront, contain, or study entities.

Scholars: Linguists, historians, and cryptologists tasked with deciphering ancient texts, interpreting signs, and formulating theories.

Theologians: Provide spiritual and doctrinal insight, mediating between orthodox faith and occult knowledge.

Leadership Council: An elusive inner circle making strategic decisions, often cloaked in secrecy even from other members.

Methods and Practices:

Use of sacred relics, arcane rituals, and experimental science to study and combat entities.

Secret surveillance and containment of supernatural hotspots.

Development and use of coded languages and encrypted records to prevent information leaks.

Collaboration, cautious or hostile, with other occult or religious groups depending on circumstances.

Worldview:

The Collective perceives supernatural forces as manifestations of a cosmic conflict between divine order and chaotic corruption. While respecting religious faith’s power, members adopt a pragmatic stance—sometimes transgressing orthodox doctrines for the greater good. Knowledge is regarded as a double-edged sword: essential for defense, yet dangerous if misused or revealed.

Relations:

Largely unknown or dismissed by mainstream religious institutions; often viewed as heretical or conspiratorial.

Some internal factions advocate aggressive preemptive actions against entities or suspected cults, causing tension within the Collective.

Occasionally cooperates with law enforcement or government agencies in highly sensitive cases, but always maintaining control over information.

Known Base Locations:

Primary Headquarters – The Cascadian Sanctum

Located deep within the dense forests of the Oregon Cascades, this heavily fortified and magically warded compound serves as the heart of the Collective’s operations. It contains extensive archives, research labs, training facilities, and containment cells for captured entities. The Sanctum is accessible only via secret forest trails and protected by both technological security and occult wards.

The Portland Safehouse

A covert urban hub disguised as an old church on the outskirts of Portland. Used for city-based investigations, short-term containment, and liaison with local contacts. Its catacombs hold relics and sensitive documents.

The Crater Lake Observatory

Situated on the rim of Crater Lake, this remote outpost specializes in astronomical and metaphysical research. It monitors supernatural celestial events believed to influence entity activity and houses a small team of scholars and mystics.

The Willamette Watchtower

An ancient lookout repurposed in the Willamette National Forest, serving as a forward base for field operatives. Equipped with surveillance equipment and quick extraction facilities, it’s often the staging ground for expeditions into the surrounding wilderness.

The Pacific Coast Archives

A hidden underground vault near the Oregon coastline storing sensitive historical artifacts and recovered relics linked to maritime and coastal supernatural phenomena.

Protocols and Operations:

Initial Investigation Protocol:

Upon receiving reports of supernatural activity, Field Operatives conduct discreet surveillance to confirm the phenomenon. This phase prioritizes gathering evidence without alerting civilians or local authorities, using a combination of mundane technology and occult detection tools.

Containment and Engagement:

Once an entity or phenomenon is verified, Operatives deploy containment measures which may include sacred wards, binding rituals, or physical restraint using relics. In hostile cases, non-lethal force is preferred, though lethal means are authorized if civilian safety is at risk.

Documentation and Analysis:

All encounters are meticulously documented by Archivists and Scholars. Physical samples, witness testimonies, and environmental data are analyzed to understand the entity’s nature and weaknesses. This informs future tactics and updates the Collective’s extensive codices.

Psychological and Spiritual Support:

Members exposed to traumatic supernatural events undergo debriefing with Theologians and mental health professionals within the Collective. Ritual cleansing and spiritual counseling are standard to maintain operatives’ mental and spiritual resilience.

Information Security:

Communication within the Collective uses encrypted channels and symbolic ciphers to avoid interception. Sensitive data is compartmentalized to restrict access, preventing leaks that could endanger the group or the public.

Emergency Protocol - Black Gospel Lockdown:

In the event of a catastrophic breach or entity escape, a lockdown procedure is initiated. This involves sealing off affected zones with magical and technological barriers, mobilizing rapid response teams, and coordinating with external agencies under strict information blackout conditions.

Inter-Organizational Relations:

The Collective maintains cautious contact with other occult or religious groups. Collaboration is strictly controlled and limited to mutually beneficial goals, often involving knowledge exchange or joint containment operations. Distrust is common, and covert surveillance of these groups occurs regularly.

Notable Members:

Dr. Miriam Callas: Renowned theologian and cryptologist; credited with translating The Black Gospel’s most cryptic passages. Believed to possess knowledge of several forbidden rites.

Agent Elias Thorn: Veteran field operative, known for his brutal efficiency and survival of multiple entity confrontations. Rumored to carry relics from early Collective expeditions.

Father Jonas Morrow: Former Catholic priest turned theologian in the Collective, advocating for balancing faith and occult knowledge. Sometimes clashes with more radical members.

“The Archivist” (real identity unknown): Shadowy figure responsible for managing the Collective’s secret archives. Rumored to have lived for over a century due to arcane means.

Known Achievements:

Successful containment of certain entities and cult members in isolated Oregon sites.

Recovery of apocryphal texts and relics lost to history, preventing their misuse by cults.

Prevention of several potential outbreaks of supernatural chaos through discreet intervention.

Symbols and Codes:

The Collective employs an intricate system of sigils derived from ancient religious texts combined with modern cryptography, used in communication and protection.

The black gospel itself serves as a physical and symbolic artifact, treated with reverence.

Current Status:

Active with a global network of agents, researchers, and informants. Their influence remains hidden but vital in the ongoing war against unseen, otherworldly forces that threaten both flesh and spirit.

#horror #worldbuilding

0 notes

codexmaledictus · 2 months ago

Text

🕯️ Codex Maledictus – Glyph Fragment 001 - Mutoid Vermin: Chapter I: Origins and Genesis

The parchment did not consent to be read. It tore itself open.

What follows was not scribed, but remembered—pulled screaming from the vault of The Endurance and transcribed before the scribe was consumed.

You read this now because you were always going to.

Codex Maledictus

Entry I: Mutoid Vermin

Chapter I: Origins and Genesis

Extracted from the suppressed archives of the Ordo Hereticus—Inquisitorial Seal broken by order of Lord Inquisitor Valerian.

The festering corridors of Mortarion's dreaded flagship, The Endurance, have long echoed with whispers of the dark alchemy conducted within its depths. It was within the bowels of this accursed vessel, amidst laboratories cloaked in perpetual darkness and rife with plagues so potent they corroded adamantium bulkheads, that the first stirrings of the abhorrent entities known collectively as Mutoid Vermin were noted.

In the wake of the Horus Heresy, the Death Guard, trapped and tormented in the Warp, surrendered wholly to Grandfather Nurgle. The Lord of Decay, pleased by Mortarion’s forced devotion, bestowed upon his legion gifts of pestilence and grotesque immortality. Yet, among the countless plagues and pathogens cultivated by Typhus the Traveler, first captain of the Death Guard and Herald of Nurgle himself, there arose a particular strain—initially disregarded, mistaken for mere infestation.

It began humbly, hidden in the bilges and sub-decks of the warship, bred from spilled vats of diseased gene-seed and abandoned mortal remains left to rot in the relentless heat and humidity of Warp-infused decay. These neglected fluids, forgotten beneath layers of filth, coagulated into primordial pools of mutative potential. Here, Nurgle’s boundless creativity birthed life from rot, sparking rapid, uncontained mutations. The first generations of vermin, minute scavengers and parasites, were considered little more than annoyances by Mortarion’s Plague Marines.

Yet soon, whispers began among the mortal servants aboard The Endurance. Strange tales recounted how plague-serfs vanished mysteriously, only to be discovered weeks later as hollowed husks, drained of flesh and bone, their interiors swarming with an undulating mass of grotesque vermin. Amid these unnerving discoveries, the Death Guard sorcerers and plague alchemists of the Legion began to take note. Intrigued by the potential of these spontaneously evolved creatures, they sought to harness and accelerate their evolution.

Under the grim guidance of the daemonically gifted alchemist Fabius Bile, who briefly collaborated with the Death Guard during the Scouring’s chaos, a series of unholy experiments commenced. These vile manipulations fused dark warp-sorcery with bio-alchemical rituals, accelerating the vermin’s evolutionary paths and granting them terrifyingly adaptive traits. The Death Guard’s goal was straightforward: to weaponize this resilient infestation and transform it into a living embodiment of Nurgle’s endless fecundity and virulent contagion.

Canonical Records: "The Breeding Pits of Nurgle’s Garden"

In the early stages, massive vats were constructed within specially reinforced chambers aboard The Endurance and later replicated across the Death Guard’s many plague-fleets and worlds. Within these grotesque containers—filled with a sickening slurry of human remains, daemonic ichor, warp-contaminated gene-seed, and disease-ridden fluids—vermin colonies thrived at alarming rates. Mutation occurred swiftly, with each generation surpassing the previous in terms of lethality, cunning, and virulence.

The creatures, soon dubbed Mutoid Vermin, quickly evolved distinct traits, such as their fearsome "Diseased Claws and Fangs," dripping constantly with lethal contagions that could reduce even Astartes armor to rusted debris. Their physiology mutated at a rapid, uncontrollable pace, facilitated by their intimate bond with the Ruinous Powers, specifically the corruptive essence of Nurgle himself. Their inherent ability to ignore grievous injuries, a biological reflection of Nurgle’s own twisted benevolence, manifested as the trait known colloquially as "Feel No Pain," an unnatural resilience to trauma and suffering.

The Death Guard soon recognized their tactical potential. Released onto targeted worlds, the vermin spread rapidly, corrupting the environment, infecting indigenous lifeforms, and destabilizing entire planetary ecosystems. Notably, during the infamous Siege of Vraks, as documented by scribes of the Ordo Hereticus, vast swarms of Mutoid Vermin infested the trenches, overwhelming defenders, poisoning water supplies, and shattering the morale of Imperial forces before the arrival of Chaos infantry.

Whispers from the Warp (Fanon): "The Unholy Genesis"

Yet, even within the deeply forbidden texts of Chaos cults and heretical inquisitorial interrogations, a darker myth persists—whispers in the warp that claim the vermin were never a deliberate creation. Instead, they emerged spontaneously as a physical manifestation of Mortarion’s own despair and bitterness at his forced subjugation to Nurgle. These vermin, according to warp-tainted legends, symbolized the slow corruption and decay of Mortarion’s own ideals, becoming parasitic reflections of the Primarch’s tortured psyche.

Such accounts speak of dark visions granted to sanctioned psykers driven mad by glimpses of Nurgle’s Garden. They claim that each Mutoid Vermin swarm shares a psychic tether to Mortarion himself—an assertion deemed heretical and suppressed brutally by Mortarion’s inner circle. Despite this, the persistence of these whispers serves as testament to the grim, hidden truths possibly lurking behind their origins.

Forbidden Knowledge (Inquisitorial Archives): "Alchemical Damnation"

Recovered logs from rogue Heretek biologis sects working alongside traitor factions mention crude attempts at replicating the conditions aboard The Endurance. These experiments, universally ending in catastrophic contamination, reinforced the belief that Mutoid Vermin can only be truly born through direct warp-infused rituals performed by those who bear Nurgle’s mark. This underscores their uniqueness and the near-impossibility of artificially replicating their creation outside Death Guard sanctuaries or daemonic nexuses of Nurgle’s influence.

Furthermore, recovered vox-logs from the planet Ignatus Prime detail terrified Imperial Guardsmen encountering fully formed infestations erupting directly from Warp-rifts—a deeply troubling revelation. If accurate, this suggests Nurgle has begun directly implanting swarms into reality, bypassing traditional summoning methods, significantly elevating their strategic threat.

Final Inquisitorial Annotation:

“It is imperative to recognize that the Mutoid Vermin are not merely another bioform corruption or biological weapon. They are a direct, sentient expression of Nurgle’s infinite capacity for decay, mutation, and regeneration. Their existence—abomination though it is—is symbolic of humanity’s inherent fragility in the face of the Ruinous Powers. Should these creatures ever evolve beyond their current horrific forms, Emperor save us, for humanity’s end shall be neither quick nor merciful.”

—Inquisitor Carthus Vrax, Ordo Malleus (Declared Excommunicate Traitoris shortly thereafter)

Thus ends Chapter I of the Codex Maledictus on the Mutoid Vermin, collated and transcribed under secrecy. Further chapters shall elaborate extensively on their biology, tactics, and evolutionary potential, each explored with the utmost dedication to detail, grim realism, and narrative depth.

Fragment 001 sealed. Next breach pending.

🩸 To view the full rot, follow the glyph trail.

youtube

#codexmaledictus #warhammer 40000 #warhammer 40k #fanfic #fan fiction #death guard #grimdarktales #Youtube

0 notes