#Dreamers of Myths & Legends

[thedreamworldlibrary]

Made by @gigilefache!

Here is the Dream 4 and their Pokémon!! Next chapter is coming soon and you're gonna love it!!

Some spoilers for upcoming chapters, but Sara's Skiddo is the chapter after the next one and you'll meet Oliver's Scorbunny soon!

[emdotcom]

Man. The Herobrine really is summat else. We got:

A glitch of a ghost in the machine that causes every error in the game

The White Eyes character, stemming from a texture error, which becomes associated with the cave noise & eventually leads to the creation of the Herobrine myth

Transgender swag

The fucken. Brocraft stream that links to that ONE image & implies that either you or Herobrine are "asleep" & dreaming

The way that Herobrine myths kicked up due to the TF2 influx, after the devs made mention of the game

Every single unexplained structure in the game, all abandoned, all without a clear group that created them can & will be associated with Herobrine

The mineshafts. The ruined portals. The deep dark. It's kind of like a story, told in three arcs, if you squint right

Like something that used to live there, toiled in the soil along with the worms

Like something that got locked away, that wants to go back

Like something that needs to be kept out

Every single zombie looks like Steve. Does that say anything? Does it imply something about Herobrine, another reflection, but maybe a bit more sentient? With teeth that are a bit more sharp, with a malice that is a bit more cold?

Mojang putting the "Removed Herobrine" note in for YEARS, then one day dropping it, only to bring it back 3 years later

N*tch being scrubbed from the game's lore, so he's also (sometimes) scrubbed from Herobrine's lore, leading to alternate origins

He is the first player. He is the ghost of a fellow player. He is an architect, a miner, a builder. He is a friend to all the mobs, & an enemy to those that take all the trees & never replant the saplings. He is a curious onlooker, probably harmless. He is a deep loathing. He is a danger, a legend, just a myth, but is he?

The way that people's opinions of Herobrine have shifted through years, like a litmus test for Minecraft players as a whole

It starts with the eerie feeling of being in a room you KNOW should be empty, but feeling eyes on you, anyways & ends with a sad type of goodbye, a dreamer seeking a dreamer condemned

The way he's more quiet, more calm, less prone to the griefing & attacks he was once known for, like his fire has cooled with time

The Minecraft end poem. Maybe. Do you think Herobrine ever got to hear those words? "I love you," & "You have played the game well"?

The person with the Herobrine username, which has had the catboy Herobrine skin on for years o7

[visit-new-york]

Chrysler Building: A Shimmering Icon of Art Deco Elegance

In the heart of Manhattan's bustling skyline, one architectural masterpiece stands tall, capturing the imagination of all who gaze upon it. The Chrysler Building, a shimmering beacon of Art Deco elegance, is not just a skyscraper but a symbol of New York City's enduring spirit and architectural innovation. With its captivating history, exquisite design, and a touch of old-world glamour, the Chrysler Building continues to enchant and captivate, leaving an indelible mark on the Big Apple's iconic skyline.

The Chrysler Building, completed in 1930, was the brainchild of architect William Van Alen. Its distinctive design is a symphony of style, blending Art Deco with influences from the Machine Age. The tower rises to a staggering 1,046 feet, making it one of the tallest buildings in the world at the time of its completion. Its crowning glory, the iconic stainless steel spire, reaches even higher, ultimately soaring to 1,476 feet. This bold architectural choice, combined with the building's tiered setbacks and intricate ornamentation, immediately sets it apart from its contemporaries.

The Chrysler Building's spire is nothing short of a masterpiece. Composed of seven concentric stainless steel arches, it seems to ascend endlessly into the sky, a testament to human ambition and ingenuity. The polished metal glimmers and reflects the ever-changing hues of the New York City skyline, giving the building a dynamic and ethereal quality. The spire's tip is adorned with a spectacular sunburst design, a symbol of hope and optimism that encapsulated the spirit of the Roaring Twenties.

Beneath the shimmering façade, the Chrysler Building holds a treasure trove of architectural marvels. The lobby, in particular, is a breathtaking work of art. A soaring, marble-clad space is adorned with ornate, artful details, including intricate friezes, Egyptian-inspired motifs, and a magnificent ceiling mural by artist Edward Trumbull. The lobby's elegance and opulence transport visitors to a bygone era of sophistication and glamour.

The Chrysler Building's enduring legacy goes beyond its architectural significance. It has played a prominent role in popular culture, making appearances in numerous films, television shows, and works of literature. Its silhouette, unmistakable and timeless, is a symbol of New York City itself, representing both the city's storied past and its ever-evolving future.

Yet, beneath its polished surface and captivating design, the Chrysler Building harbors an air of myth and mystery that adds to its allure. One enduring legend is the tale of a secret spire race between the Chrysler Building and the Bank of Manhattan Trust Building (now known as 40 Wall Street), a nearby skyscraper under construction at the same time. This tale, though perhaps more myth than fact, only deepens the intrigue surrounding this architectural wonder.

The construction of the Chrysler Building was not without its challenges. The architects and builders had to contend with the limitations of 1920s technology, including the absence of modern safety measures and equipment. Nevertheless, the determination and expertise of the builders triumphed over adversity, resulting in an enduring symbol of human achievement.

As we look ahead to the future, the Chrysler Building continues to stand as a symbol of resilience and creativity. While no longer the tallest building in New York City, its timeless elegance and iconic spire remain a source of inspiration for architects, artists, and dreamers alike. Recent renovations and preservation efforts ensure that this shimmering gem will continue to grace the Manhattan skyline for generations to come.

For those who wish to experience the magic of the Chrysler Building firsthand, tours are available to explore its exquisite lobby and learn more about its history and architectural significance. Standing in the shadow of its gleaming spire, visitors can connect with the past, marvel at its beauty, and imagine the countless stories that have unfolded within its walls.

In a city that is constantly changing and reinventing itself, the Chrysler Building remains a steadfast symbol of New York City's enduring spirit, artistic excellence, and architectural innovation. Its shimmering spire reaches for the heavens, while its hidden treasures and legendary history capture the hearts and minds of all who encounter it. As an icon of Art Deco elegance, the Chrysler Building is not just a skyscraper; it's a living testament to the dreams and aspirations of a city that continues to inspire the world. It's a reminder that in the ever-evolving urban jungle of Manhattan, the Chrysler Building's brilliance still shines as brightly as ever, inviting all to partake in its timeless allure.

Chrysler Building -  Next page>

[funeral]

The affective component of the dream stirs the dreamer's emotions and bars the way to associations. For the dream expresses itself in strange, often mythological images. From the treasure house of the psyche it draws forth unusual shapes and figures, for the most part numinously charged. The best way to understand them is to go back to the world of collective images contained in legends and fairytales, in myths and poetry, or in the cultural and religious symbols of human history—the world in which dragon and serpent, treasure and cave, tree and blossom, gods and demons have their home and from which they speak to us in imperishable symbols.

Jolande Jacobi, Complex/Archetype/Symbol in the Psychology of C.G. Jung

[republicsglory]

the star dreamers are deities or at LEAST linked to moonlight. éclair's dream was a vision. —a theory

you know what time it is! the theory i ALWAYS ramble about.

some parts of this may be taking stretches, but let's not waste any time. more important factors are in bold for ease.

this is in sections.

- a summary of the story

- an observation of the costume set's descriptions and inspirations

- observation of the costume set's bond story

- why the nightfall butterfly was used by moonlight to induce éclair's dream as a vision

with that, allow me to begin.

a summary of the story :

the bond story is linked here if you'd like to read it for yourself. butttt, for those of you who can't be bothered :

éclair cookie falls asleep whilst writing a relic journal on nightfall butterflies. he dreams of three cosmic entities, constellation guardians. these being financier cookie, wildberry cookie and cream unicorn cookie. éclair wakes up, and there is assumption his dream was from the nightfall butterfly, tales say it can cause dreams of the night sky.

an observation of the costume set's descriptions and inspirations :

éclair cookie, stargazing scholar :

let's clear éclair up first, shall we? éclair is not as significant as of currently compared to the other three. he is an astronomer and the observer, serving as the gateway to what we see about the star guardians. he is based around the fantasy-astronomy aesthetic. he has no zodiac basis, yet for...some reason the fandom just appointed him as aquarius someday. he is the main character of the story.

financier cookie, brilliance of justice :

alright, to the deities here! financier cookie's brilliance of justice costume is based upon libra, as well as the greek titan-goddess themis (lady justice). the theming of lady justice is extremely blatant.

and as of the manner the costume is described in. it's pretty straight up.

the phrasing of so divine that you do nothing but revere to her is head on. that's a deity right there! these descriptors are...obviously deliberate.

wildberry cookie, hero blessed by the stars :

wildberry's costume is based off of heracles, the greek divine hero. there are also hintings of the leo and serpens constellations.

also pretty on the nose. the beginning of a new legend, plus this description is literally how you'd tell an epic tale or legend..... a hero protecting the peace of the night.

cream unicorn cookie, memories in the night sky :

cream unicorn's costume's basis is pegasus! the fandom also kind of collectively agrees there's virgo stuff LOL

a moment too magical to be true. this theory can also lean on cream unicorn a little more due to them being a mythical creature and powerful figure already.

yeah? yeah! the common theme here is that the three guardians are described like you'd think of a divine myth or something.

the theming is also very well picked out. the costumes could have easily been designed with the same midnight theme as éclair, but they chose great figures. verrry deliberate.

it's also established in stormbringer cookie's update that gods and deities appear to be a different matter in cookie run. deities are seemingly “lesser”. do what you will with that.

you probably think "this is just a dream this is going to happen", i can counter that

observation of the costume set's bond story :

hope you didn't forget the summary too fast! lets get into this next part where we apply more onto this.

as i said, the story begins with éclair adjusting himself for a night of stargazing.

the first constellation he falls onto is wildberry. wildberry knocks out the serpent and lion constellations via a punch, calming them. apparently things have been growing dangerous in the northern sky. his powers seem to include peace induction.

this isn't normal, no shit sherlock. oh but wildberry in the real world is something i'd like to discuss.

wildberry cookie's strength does not appear to be natural, or at least stronger than the average cookie. okay, gauntlet, sure, but he doesn't seem to have much problem fighting an ambush of white masks bare-fisted. he also can carry his gauntlet around without problem while crunchy chip (a strong WELL trained cacaoian warrior mind you, literal beast tamer) struggles with it. we can assume somethings going on here

wildberry is outshone by the dazzling light of financier cookie's sword. financier, as her description pretty obviously states, weighs out justice with her scales. the stars with "murky lights in their hearts" flee from her.

financier in the real world has a great sense of justice (see: cookie odyssey). it'd be a nice pointer to these things. a fair just paladin, the glass slipper of serving as lady justice would fit perfectly.

and finally, cream unicorn's mild light pacifies both stronger lights of wildberry and financier's. well, i'll use the dream excuse for them walking across the milky way because How™.

cream unicorn's case in the real world is interesting. they are already powerful, the role of a deity wouldn't be far off from them. at least i believe so? i'm not too caught up on their lore and i apologise for that.

and the story concludes with éclair awakening. he makes his way to the natural ecology wing to see a faint glow coming from the nightfall butterfly. as stated, tales say they can induce dreams of the night sky.

this actually gets into the next point.

the nightfall butterfly and why moonlight used it to induce éclair's dream :

for reference, here's the relic!

in the bond story it's actually called the nightlight butterfly, but we can pretty easily equate them to be the same thing. plus the butterfly is in the nature hall, no doubt the ecology wing.

the alternative name to the butterfly is the star jelly butterfly. the city of wizards has a motif of star jellies throughout, especially with say, milky way cookie. it even takes place on moonlights clock tower!

also wings like the night sky? providing dreams? that's the city of wizards for ya.

onto miss "night sky and dreams" herself — moonlight cookie!

moonlight's crescent guardian attire is on par with the guardian star dreamers costumes. right off the bat.

moonlight providing the dream makes sense. note this could have been ANY cookie as the observer, though they chose to play around with éclair's relics. moonlight can prooobably grant specific dreams.

this, is moreso a vision than a dream. the nightfall butterfly was in the reach of éclair. and listen, he's knowledgeable enough to hold such a revelation and to piece the puzzle. it'd make sense for him to be plucked out.

wouldn't it be nice to see some of the stars moonlight yearns for, those who she'd dance with upon twilight?

moonlight is awake when gaining her crescent guardian state. this is reality. it is achieved upon reuniting with stardust cookie (look. STARdust. the stars). stardust is essentially the key to this, and this perfectly falls in line if we assume this time period is when éclairs dream happened.

my point is also to say that the dreamers are in a state of dormancy of some sort.

a few extra points to this :

sea fairy blesses the gem mermaids with powers. why shouldn't a fellow legend be able to do the same?

the odds of the costumes having relevancy to lore is NOT impossible, contrary to belief. due to the setting being a dream, it could've actually happened and had no effects on the lore quite yet. also, white lily's costume was presumed to just be an "au" but became canon to the storyline. it's not impossible!

éclair doesn't know these cookies. or at least, he is never seen to interact with any of them. éclair DOES interact with financier in the crunchy spring picnic story, but wildberry and cream unicorn? debatable. why dream of cookies you don't know? the brain cannot make up faces.

this is a stretch but getting a whole bond story when easily able to have been lumped in with crunchy dreams?? goddamn!!

also.. face it. if devsisters can get money off of this for a beast yeast plot or something, why not go in for it? AND there is still room for a moonlight update. she will gain a crystal jam eventually, as well as other untouched city of wizards things that could be expanded on.

some of this might not make sense, i was extremely tired typing. butttt.. here's my whole input of it. thanks for coming to my ted talk

[okkotsuus]

we all still die (satoru g.) !

features: satouru g.

contents: general tw. jjk manga spoilers (shibuya). angst. blood. death. kidnapping. blindfolds. death threats. narcissism. imprisonment. major character death (it’s not gojo). curses. trial. fear. crying. fighting. yelling. animal death. graphic descriptions. heartbreak. grief. ego death. inspired by willow tree march by the paper kites. 3.6k words

tagging: @king-of-dreamers

the tags are a doozy but i promise it's really not that bad...

gojo satoru was the strongest and the strongest was satoru gojo.

he was the peak of jujutsu society, of this era, of this world even. but you? you were so incredibly average that it almost disgusted him. you, y/n l/n, his classmate in his first year of jujutsu tech.

with a technique like yours, you were destined for greatness, your life was served to you on a silver platter. yet, you were so plain, so unassuming, so underwhelming,

gravitational manipulation, it was a technique from your family line that hadn’t been born into this world for the last thousand years. it was created back in jujutsu’s golden age: when sukuna and greats still roamed this earth. it was the mark of myth and legend, it was a shining light in jujutsu. but it was you who possessed it.

boring, unimaginative you. gojo was angry, because he too was a child of miracle, he was just like you. yet, the two of you were so different. he doubted that he was more different than anyone else.

he first meets you at school he’s loud and boisterous as he introduces himself. he knows who he is, and he is proud. “heya! i’m satoru gojo, who’re you?” his eyes peek over the rims of his sunglasses that are far too dark to see out of, they’re a blue that you’d never seen in this life.

“y/n l/n.” your answer is gruff and meek at the same time, hands shoving into your pocket as your back hunches to remove his sparkling pools of eyes from your view. gojo takes all offense to this.

he is the prime of jujutsu society. yet you do not even look at him, like some form of insubordination he feels a bitter spitefulness curl in his chest. you, this meek thing, dares to be so uncourteous to the pillar of jujutsu. gojo has one hell of an ego on him by the age of fifteen.

at this point, he decides he doesn’t like you. later on, yaga makes everyone introduce themselves and their techniques.

“suguru geto and i use curse manipulation.”

“ieiri shoko, i use reversed curse technique.”

“satoru gojo, bearer of the six eyes and limitless!” his eyes shift over to you, wanting to see that shock and awe that he got from the other two. but it never came. your hands stayed deep in your uniform pockets as you stared down at the ground, his blood boiled in a way it never had before.

you didn’t go to speak, until yaga prompted you. “y/n l/n, gravitational manipulation.” your eyes finally looked up from through  the shadow of your downcasted face. e/c eyes like unpolished gems, matte but such potential to glow.

gojo’s mouth flopped open like a fish, you, this meek thing. was also a miracle? in a semblance of something that was almost ego death, gojo realized that not everyone with power was like him. that was the first day that you entered staoru gojo’s radar.

satoru gojo sees you first use your technique in combat only a week later. you were assigned a solo mission, which he forcibly tagged along on, insisting you needed his help. satoru gojo has been a special grade sorcerer since practically the day he was born. so why were you, a second grade who’s name is not known to the world, assigned solo missions that even he is not privy to?

satoru gojo experiences true fear for the first time that day. he stands beside you watching as you stare at a curse, hands still comfortably concealed. the curse is writhing on the ground, letting out strangled chitters as it is crushed under some sort of invisible force. or rather, by gravity. it’s as if it is compressing, being contorted into some sort of compacted form that is so miserably small he begins to wonder if this is actually you doing this, with how you were, this couldn’t be you. 

the curse dies and before blinking, your eyes slide over to him, for the briefest moment gojo feels this crushing weight on his form. he is sent tumbling to his knees, but then it’s immediately gone. blood comes rushing from between his lips as tears are squeezed from those crystalline eyes. his entire body shakes, as if he had just bore the heaviest weight of all time, as if he was atlas bearing the weight of the world.

from this position, the first time he’d ever knelt before another, his eyes truly meet yours for the first time. in those endless, hollow pools of e/c, he sees a guilt swim. in your pockets your fists ball, you stalk off without him. a muttered apology is lost in the wind and the swirling of thoughts in the white-haired boy’s head.

this is the day that you become more than just a blip on satoru gojo’s radar. you become more than just another body in the room with him. you become known in his mind, you become y/n l/n to him.

you don’t see him for a week, avoiding him in some sort of guilty haze. gravitational manipulation was activated ocularly, which is why you tried your best to not look at people. lest you end up with accidental activation and another mangled body on the floor.

your curse claims its first life at the age of six, the day it manifests. your bright e/c eyes slide across the room to meet the family dog, who had been avoiding you for the last couple of hours. excitement surges through you as you continue to look at your beloved pet. the dog lets out a loud yelp as it’s fur is suddenly matted with blood, mangled as if smashed like a bug under a shoe.

a scream parts your lips as tears well in your eyes, obscuring your vision. a servant comes rushing in and when your eyes meet hers, she bears the same fate. squashed like a ketchup packet. your walls are red, your vision is red, everything is red.

but then your vision goes black, you feel a sharp pain in the side of your neck as a rough cloth is wrapped around your eyes. everything is foggy in this memory. all you know is that you woke up in complete darkness, that rough sheet of fabric wound tightly around your head.

you’re roughly grabbed as you are dragged into some sort of room, a faint candlelight seeps into the gaps of your blindfold, but you are unable to see anything but those amber splotches in the corner of your vision.

“let the records state that this is the trial to determine whether l/n y/n is a threat to jujutsu society, and whether they will be allowed to live.” blood pounds in your ears as you sit there, trying to soothe yourself by rocking back and forth. you are just six, a small child, yet you have killed about five people by know. you don’t remember any killings but that of the dog and your servant, but apparently it happened when you were being transported here.

you don’t remember much of the trial, only blips of shouting. you didn’t speak once, just sat there and sniveled, you are only six. what did they expect, for you to bed for your life? you hadn’t even lived yet, there was nothing for you to beg for. you had nothing to live for.

all you remember was being picked up from under your arms and being taken away by a large body, they were warm. so warm. you fell asleep almost instantly after contact.

you wake up without the blindfold on your face, your eyes open to see for the first time in nearly a week. everything is blurry before it focuses. the room is dim, a boring concrete box with one metal door. candles burn on the walls like some sort of medieval passageway.

when you stir, a smaller metal door opens and a rabbit hops in. your eyes shift to it and immediately it’s crushed, tangled and matted just like your dog. it’s leg twitches one last time before it dies.

a shriek rips from your dry throat, echoing in this cement boc as it reverberates and pierces your own ears.

a voice rings out, with no visible source. “y/n l/n, you will not leave this room until you can look at a human without instantly crushing them.”

they stayed true to their word. it took three weeks until you could look at a rabbit without killing it. two weeks for a cat. three weeks for a dog. four weeks for a monkey. after those three months you were allowed to look at a human, they sent the person in and they fell to their knees, blood pooling out of their mouth. but they did not immediately die. they later died of injuries, but it was not instant. so you were allowed to see the sun for the first time in three months. now, you were seven years old, spending your birthday in that miserable room.

you remained in the facility for seven more years. everyday you trained, you learned just how much pressure was needed to kill various species, from a fly to a human. it was ingrained into your mind. you learned how to target, how to crush a specific organ or body part. you became some sort of auto-kill machine. they also taught you how to reduce your own gravity, to reduce gravity on weapons. you became a soldier. you figured out that if you manipulated your gravity close enough you could fly. that was your favorite, it was the only time in your life where you had felt free.

you were freed under order of jujutsu officials, forced to go to a jujutsu high school so that they could perfect you into a weapon for the higher-ups. all your life that’s what you have been, a weapon.

but now, a week after nearly killing him, gojo satoru stands in front of you. he proclaims that if you were to use the full force of your technique that you wouldn’t kill him. he proclaims that his technique surpasses yours. you want to believe him, you really do. but you have too many bodies under your heel to take the risk.

“y/n l/n, you cannot kill me as i am right now!”

you shake your head and go to leave, but he catches you around your elbow, like a hook for him with your habit of keeping your hands concealed. your head spins and you lock eyes with him, delivering a slight force to try to get him to let go, but he does not budge. unlike last time, he stands strong, he remains unflinching, he remains the satoru gojo you had heard so much about.

your eyes widen as your heartbeat thunders in your ears.the pressure keeps increasing as you ready yourself to instantly cancel if needed, but he does not relent, he does not fall. the ground around him is cracking and crumbling inwards but he stands tall and true. you release, feeling your entire body lose tension, for the first time in seven years you feel your gaze soften.

you lower your gravity as you begin to float up, he remains hooked onto you, coming upwards with you. when jujutsu tech looks like a dollhouse, you stop ascending, choosing to stare at the boy in front of you.

this is the day that you recognize satoru gojo. as the burden of always being the strongest slips off your shoulders and onto his, you are truly free for the first time in your fifteen years of life. your hands leave your pocket as you hold his cheeks in your palms, limitless was turned off long ago as you lowered his gravity too.

your eyes meet his own and you feel a warmth spread in your chest.

“thank you satoru gojo, for lifting the burden of strength off my shoulders.” his eyes widened, those empty eyes of yours glimmered in the unfiltered sunlight like gemstones, shining and pure. your palms are warm against his cheeks, he cannot help but lean into your touch, like a cat.

that was the day satoru swore he would be the strongest, for the both of you. not for the world, not for the non-sorcerers, but for you. to keep this free euphoria splayed across your cheeks, to keep this warmth in his heart.

satoru gojo swears that you will not have to carry the burden of being the strongest ever again.

gojo satoru was the strongest and the strongest was satoru gojo.

but we all still die.

gojo is now a teacher as he stands here, staring at you as you stand in front of him with that smile on your face. he can’t shake the sense of foreboding he feels as you look at him with all that love in your eyes.

he can’t help but hold you a little tighter and kiss you a little harder as he goes off to shibuya to address the command for his presence. he was to go off first, and you were to trail a pace behind him. after satoru gojo, you were the strongest. you two would be able to resolve this all on your own, and additional forces would be sent in to clear lower grade curses while you dealt with the master minds together.

that was how it was supposed to go.

gojo stands in front of suguru geto, not seeing him as he is behind the sorcerer, you stand a pace behind him, slowing as you take in the man who had died last year. he was a dead man walking, talking, and fighting. your heart stops as you watch the prison realm open. your blood runs cold as those shackles you thought had escaped you clamp tight again over your neck, choking the words that are about to part your lips.

“yo! satoru !!”

“huh?”

“it’s been a while.”

in that brief moment that it takes for gojo to turn and process his best friend, one minute passes in his mind, you know what is going to happen. but you refuse to accept it as you spring forwards to try to shove your beloved out of the way, but it’s too late.

prison realm wraps its tendrils around the man you love and in that moment you feel the manacle around your neck tug you back up like a noose. you are pulled back up to your title as the strongest as you feel satoru’s cursed energy cease. it chokes you as tears slide down your cheeks, escaping from eyes that the light has yet again died in.

“c’mon now satoru. are you letting your mind wander during a fight?” you watch as gojo desperately tries to push out the fainest shred of cursed energy, but fails. you take your hands out of your pockets and hold them together, focusing on generating the cursed energy into a single point. if you were going to be forced to be the strongest, you were going to die with the title while fighting for the man who took that burden off your shoulders for seven years of your life.

“domain expansion: black hole” your eyes are completely black as they lock onto the body of suguru geto, a singularity swimming in the palm of your hand as the domain curls around the two of you. you can hear the shouts of gojo but you ignore him, if you had to die for this world, maybe you would finally fulfill the path that was served to you on a silver platter at birth.

your domain is pitch black other than the singularity in your hand, it has a ring of light around it. there is one moment before it activates and you take this moment to whisper out a final goodbye. “thank you for freedom, satoru, let us meet in the next life.”

you are in your second year in high school when you tell gojo everything. everything: the facility, your past, and the secret of your technique. there was a reason why it had not been born for the past thousand years. there is no other body suitable.

the technique is used ocularly, but it reaches it’s climax when activated with the hands. the technique is cursed to kill when it is used with the hands, to follow in the fate of its creator. chiyoko l/n died when using the technique with their hands, forming a black hole when fighting amaterasu. it sucked up both themself and a portion of the god, which is what allowed the cursed technique to be able to pass on to the next generation despite its creator having no heir.

this technique was known as black hole, appropriately named. it was the strongest cursed technique in history, but it would always kill its barer. there was no way to survive the use of black hole, it is a desperate last-ditch attempt to save a life other than your own. chiyoko used it to try to save the earth from amaterasu’s wrath, and now you use it to try to save the world and the man you love from the thing pretending to be suguru geto.

memories of the former bearer flood your mind before activation. and you are able to recognize the man in front of you. noritoshi kamo, known under the alias of kenjaku. the scum of the jujutsu world. 

but you weren’t the only one who was allowed a moment of peace before activation. kenjaku knew the incarnation of chiyoko l/n walked this earth, and when he gained suguru geto he knew that they would come rushing in with satoru gojo. so he planned accordingly.

after chiyoko l/n rose to fame, a cursed object was created to combat them, but it was never able to be tested, as they died at their own hands against the sun god. pocket space, a single-use item that allows the user to briefly relocate to a pocket dimension for exactly 0.2 seconds.

suguru geto smashed into the orb and he’s gone, your eyes widened as you desperately try to shut off your technique. but it’s hunger is relentless. you feel true pain for the first time in your life as a scream is ripped from your throat, the sound is eaten by the black hole, along with the left half of your torso. it shuts off, but not quick enough to spare you.

the domain crumbles around you as your flop onto the ground, weakly sitting up to lock eyes with satoru gojo, who is crying for the first time in years. you feel your life seeping out of the gaping hole in your side where your heart once was.

“guess i really am the strongest, huh?” a cough thunders out of your mouth as blood spatters the floor in front of you. a single drop of the warm, thich substance slides down gojo’s cheek as he stares dead at you. you stare at him with that damned smile on your face as blood drips from the corners of your mouth.

suguru geto reappears as you turn to him, still smiling. “take care of his body, kenjaku, satoru will need something to bury when this is all over.” the curse laughs and idly nods, kicking you down against the ground and watching as the blood seeps out of you like a burst pipe.

gojo does not speak as he watches the light leave your eyes, all he does is shake like a leaf in the wind. kenjaku steps on your back as he hears you wheeze, gojo goes to try to defend you but he is unable to move even an inch as he is forced to remember the situation at hand.

the love of his life and the most important person to him is dying in front of his eyes, he is about to be sealed for possibly forever in an inescapable dimension. and there is nothing that he can do to stop it.

for the first time in his life, satoru gojo experiences a true ego death as his world dies on the ground in front of him. life pooling out of their side.

gojo satoru was the strongest and the strongest was satoru gojo.

but if that was true, why are you dead on the floor in front of him, why is he trapped, why is he powerless to this all? why can’t he do anything? why is this happening?

he isn’t allowed to steep in his thoughts as suguru geto approaches. smile on the face of what was once his best friend.

“good night, satoru gojo. let us meet again in the new world.”

everything goes black as the prison realm seals in on him and the final thought that satoru gojo has in this world is simply: “why?”

okkotsuus 23

[zorishy]

Symphony of Gods and Dreamers (DSMP AU)

🟢 DSMP (sorry for bad grammar, this was mostly just me vomiting my ideas onto the post)

My DSMP au makes the world so much bigger and full of life than canon.

The arctic empire from SMP earth exists, hypixel is a whole kingdom, the bear SMP exists and that’s where Niki is from, the wreckage of tales from the SMP locations can be found in the woods, places from fanfics such as the blue valley are very important to the story. The story takes place over a much longer period of time, the L’Manberg revolution alone lasts several years! Dream is like 50! He was an adult before Wilbur was even born. Tommy and Tubbo had families before being adopted by Philza, but they were killed by Dream’s armies in their quest to conquer the world. Dream stole the revival book from Kristin decades ago.

Dream is a tyrant and a cult leader with armies and followers dedicated to his mission to control as much of the world as possible. The DreamSMP is a continent that Dream has discovered and, at the beginning of the events of the server, it has small townships spread around the woods that are full of people gathering resources for colonies. The original L’Manberg members were followers of Dream who had begun to question his power.

Las Nevadas is not just one street with some restaurants and a casino! It’s a massive fucking city with hundreds of thousands of citizens, they have communities and schools and farmer’s markets, It’s the first city in the SMP with paved roads! Snowchester is a cosy little college town up north surrounded by mountains. Students from schools in Snowchester and Las Nevadas go on field trips to L’Manberg and Eret’s castle. The center of the SMP is this huge historic town kept in top condition by volunteers dedicated to preserving the history of the land.

Kinoko Kingdom was built by natives of the SMP and can be found deep within the forest. The people of the kingdom have myths and legends of a time when dragons and demons and gods roamed the earth. When Sapnap showed up, being half demon, they worshipped him and made him their ruler.

There is an entire cult that worships DreamXD! every few hundred years XD selects a member of his cult to give godhood to (Techno, Foolish, and Callahan are amongst those selected). DreamXD is older than the universe itself and has witnessed the rise and fall of countless worlds. Several SMP members were gods in their past lives and knew XD personally (some relationships were more positive than others). That’s why XD is so infatuated with George and so hateful of Bbh.

Characters like Puffy, Antfrost, and Sam are just single individuals who are members of entire original species. Ranboo was born a prince in the end but his people were driven out. The nether was accidentally discovered by cultists and legend says that’s where the demons came from.

My vision of the SMP has grown far beyond a Minecraft roleplay. I wish I could tell you everything but that would take way too long to write. For now I’m just focusing on Wilbur and the other bursonas. I can’t possibly talk about every single character and that makes me mad. Maybe in the future I will go into more detail on sbi and DreamXD.

[void-ink-studios]

Myth of the Wishmasters - Part 1

Alrighty folks, here we go.

Part 1 of the finale to Wrath of the Wishmaster.

It's been a really wild ride writing this fic for y'all. Honestly, it's the most fun I've had writing fic in a long time. But, I don't want to keep pushing to the point of me hating it. So, I'm going to give this fic the send off it deserves, and let it be my first truly complete work.

Will I come back to this?

Probably.

But I can't keep writing 2,000+ word chapters every day. I'm out of ideas for now, and I'm not going to force it. If I come up with more ideas, I'll happily come back and write them as one-shot accompaniment to this series.

Until then, as always, I hope you enjoy this and the next chapter. It's been a fun go around.

Full credit to @realmofthefirebird for inspiration. Go check out their comics, they're flipping awesome.

Word Count: 3,000

They speak in legends, in tomes, in myths, of the one called the Wishmaster.

At the beginning of it all, in the Age After Nothing, there emerged the one called the Wishmaster.

In the center of everything, in the center of nothing, there is the Time Room, keeper of the one called the Wishmaster.

In a place at the center of time, in a place where time cannot touch, there is the one called the Wishmaster.

It is a god of no equal. It is a god of many names, in many forms. But it is always the one called the Wishmaster.

How one meets the Wishmaster may very. It takes something powerful, something capable of building a bridge into the void. But all require a piece of the Eternal Dream, for it is the Dream that is the threads of the Void. Objects with fragments of the Dream are the most reliable vector to crossing into the Void.

In its current form, it calls itself Prismo. The Almighty Prismo is a kind spirit. An aloof one. He does not exist in the way you or I may think of it. For he is not a being of physical form. No, the Almighty Prismo has no need for physicality. For he is but an extention of the Time Room itself. He is the Time Room, and the Time Room is he.

He is the walls and floors, the ceiling and corners. He is everything, and he is nothing. He is everywhere and nowhere. He is infinite, and he is nothingness.

The Almighty Prismo can almost be mistaken for someone mortal. He does not act with malice to those who seek him, but he will give little favor. Those who do, the most powerful and persistent amongst mortals, might find themselves communing with gods.

The Almighty Prismo, the one called the Wishmaster, offers the same bargain to any who find his domain, his domain of the Time Room.

One wish, anything your heart desires, you may ask of him. And he will make it so.

But do beware, wish makers.

Realities may warp or split or merge, people and objects may shuffle through time and space, memories, lifetimes, erased or rewritten forever. But he will make it so.

For while Almighty Prismo is not a cruel god, he is a tricky one. Any wish lacking detail, he will fill the gaps. And lapse in thinking, and forgotten factor, and unforeseen consequence, he shall consider. To those he favors, he may advise. To those he doesn't?

Well, you will receive what you wish for.

Whether or not you can live with that is not a trouble for the Almighty Prismo.

He is the crossroads, the boundary, the space between it all.

And when the name Prismo grows tiresome, it will be cast away, and the one called the Wismaster will take a new name. For the Wishmaster is eternal. For the Time Room must have a Wishmaster.

The Wishmaster is the era is Prismo.

Who it shall be the next?

Only the Dreamer can decide.

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

Prismo had long ago accepted that he wasn't meant to be a being a wants.

He thought about what it'd be like to want things. It was his job to grant the wants of others, it was only natural to wonder what he would do in their position.

Some wished for power. They wished to be kings or queens or emperors. They wished to be at the top of their pile, unstoppable, unquestioned. They wished to be the one sitting at the top of the tower, smiling down at all the peasants, waving in smug satisfaction.

Prismo had no desire for power. He had everything he'd need right here. He could conjure almost anything he could think of. He was already near the top of the pile if how everyone talked about his was any indication. The only ones who could override him were the Higher Ups, Golb, and the Boss themselves. And well... he had no desire to usurp or overtake them. Just listening to the Organizer describe even a part of her job exhausted him. All powerful Wishmaster or not, he still had a mortal brain. It was incomprehensible to him, to be a Higher Up. Honestly, it was a big mind boggling even being in this position.

So, no, he wouldn't wish for power.

Some wished for wealth. They wished for mountains of gold or jewels. They wished to be head of the greatest company ever conceived. They wished to never have to worry about the cost of life ever again, and then some. Most wanted it as a ticket to power.

Prismo liked gold, that was true. He liked decorating himself with jewelry when he got the opportunity, he liked how it sparkled and glittered. But, he could just conjure it. He had no real need for wealth. Gold was meaningless to him, except in how it was pretty. He knew, even as a mortal, he'd never need the amount of gold that these wish makers were asking for. It was more than could be spent in a lifetime. More than could be spent in several lifetimes, even. And he didn't see the appeal.

So, nope, wealth wasn't it either.

People wished for so many things. Power and wealth were the most common, but they certainly weren't the only things.

People wished for love, they wished for family, they wished for health. Some wished for noble reasons, like Finn, trying correct a great evil, trying to save millions. Some wished for the pettiest things imaginable, like cursing a rival with sickness or pain.

And then there was Prismo.

A god who wanted nothing. Or, did he?

He never dwelled too deeply on the thought. It was a pointless endeavor, after all. His role as Wishmaster excluded him from wanting things.

So, he chose not to think too hard about it.

Until a certain roommate challenged that.

Because Scarab... Scarab made him want things. Prismo wanted Scarab, wanted his affection. Scarab made him think about what he wanted.

Prismo wanted to be friends with good people. He was done with being "everybody's pal." He was only that because he didn't want anything from anyone. But, now he wanted something. He wanted kindness. He wanted compassion. And he found out how little of it there was to go around within the pantheon.

Scarab made him think about what he wanted from his space. The unchanging Time Room had completely transformed with Scarab's help. Prismo felt... good in here. He felt good to call this place home, because now it actually felt like home. Because Scarab made him realize there were things that's make him more comfortable.

Prismo, the person, not the Wishmaster, wanted things.

And he realized he had everything he could want. At least with Scarab there, in his arms, chirping and purring in a warm bundle, in the soft glow of the magic clouds above them.

A small ring interrupted the quiet calm. A familiar sound, of something being conjured.

Prismo cracked an eye open, a single letter on the ground in the center of the Time Room.

"Lovebug" the Wishmaster whined.

"Hmm?"

"There's mail."

"So there is."

"Can you go get it?"

Scarab scoffed, rolling his eyes as he dislodged himself from the blanket pile. He picked the letter up, but froze as he read the address.

Prismo tilted his head.

"Lovebug?"

Scarab was frozen. Eerily still.

Okay, now Prismo was worried.

"Scarab?"

Scarab finally seemed to return to himself, looking at Prismo with wide, uncertain eyes.

"...It's from the Boss."

Prismo felt his stomach drop out from under him.

"...Excuse me?"

"It's from the Boss. Prismo, why are we getting a message from the Boss, what did we do?"

"I-I don't know man! Come here, open it!"

Scarab's hands were shaking, slowly opening the letter, with starkly simple writing.

To Prismo the Wishmaster and Caretaker Scarab,

Caretaker Scarab's position has been altered due to exceptional work and recommendation from a superior.

Caretaker Scarab's title has been updated from Time Room Caretaker, to Assistant Wishmaster. Responsibilities now include occasionally granting wishes under the supervision of Wishmaster Prismo. Continue upkeep of Time Room. Majority of wishes are still expected to be granted by Wishmaster Prismo. As a guide, for every 10 wishes granted, one may be granted by Assistant Wishmaster Scarab.

Assistant Wishmaster Scarab will remain in the Time Room until further notice.

The Organizer has advocated for this position change. While unorthodox, she does not petition me often, so I am inclined to believe it is after thoughtful consideration. I will be surveying your progress.

Do not make me regret this, Scarab. There has never been two Wishmasters at a time. Consider this a trial run.

Good luck,

-The Boss

The two gods stared at the piece of paper.

An unassuming piece of paper that just upgraded Scarab to one of the highest positions in the pantheon.

Granted, it was assistant, not full, but still!

"...Scrabby...?"

Prismo could see Scarab's form shaking, before he let out the loudest, most energetic chirp the Wishmaster had ever heard come from such a small body.

Scarab seemed to be honest to Glob dancing, hugging the piece of paper close to his chest. He turned to Prismo, eyes so wide, to match his smile, before running up and nearly flinging himself into his partner's chest, practically vibrating.

Prismo chuckled, catching the bug and holding him close, smiling and kissing the top of Scarab's head.

"PRISMO! PRISMO, I... I-I...!"

"I know, Lovebug, I know! You earned it, baby, you deserve every bit of it!"

Scarab seemed a bit lost in his own excitement, almost ready to cry, before his shoulders seemed to remind him of humility. He groaned as he rubbed at them, but not even that seemed to put a damper on his good mood.

"I'm so happy for you, Scarab. Two Wishmasters, hmm?"

"I-I know! It's unprecedented! It's never been done before, not even since Time began! I'd know, I checked." Scarab seemed to pace, his shell buzzing with excited energy.

"Tell you what, Lovebug. It said in the letter that in every 10 wishes, you should grant one. So, how about I grant the next nine, just to show you the ropes, and then you grant wish number 10! Give you some time to study, maybe start thinking of your own wish granting style before you give it a go. Sound good?"

Scarab considered before nodding sagely.

"Wish granting style?"

"Well, yeah. How you chose to interpret wishes. Most people who pass through here leave gaps in their wishes. It's up to the Wishmaster to fill in those gaps. How you choose to fill them sets the tone for who you are as a Wishmaster."

Scarab hummed, giving Prismo a studying look.

"Well... What is your style then?"

Prismo scooped Scarab up to let the beetle perch on his shoulder as he flipped on the screen wall.

"Well... I tend to approach it with a Monkey's Paw deal. The example I like to give is... What if you wished for a back rub? Who's giving you this back rub? An actual masseuse, a random sweaty guy, a bear? If the wish maker doesn't specify, I tend to fill in gaps in ways I find funny, mostly. Next question, where does this masseuse come from? Do I just spawn someone out of the either? Do I pull some random dude out of his reality, away from anyone and anything he knew? How is that universe's timeline effected with him gone?"

Prismo flipped through a few realities made from his wishes.

"This Farmworld here. It was made with good intentions. Finn wished for the Lich to have never existed. He didn't specify what exactly that meant for his reality. Did he mean the Mushroom War never happens? Did he mean for the Catalyst Commet containing the Lich to miss Ooo? The way I try to think of it is to preserve as much of the wish maker's original timeline as possible. Something that world altering gets separated and made into its own reality. I interpreted the wish as the Lich never getting to leave the Mushroom Bomb, as that leave most of the timeline intact, up until the 1000 years after the Lich's emergence. Keeps the threads more intact, rather than rewriting 65 million years if the Catalyst Commet missed, or rewriting that realities interaction with the cosmic timeline by deleting Catalyst Commets entirely."

Prismo turned to look at Scarab who was utterly transfixed.

"Make sense?"

"Yes, I think I understand your logic... Interpreting the wish in such a way that makes reality rewrite itself as little as possible."

"Exactly. Even then, it still needed to be isolated into a new reality. A lot of things happened in Ooo over those 1000 years, all of which are because the Lich emerged."

Prismo flicked through a few more timelines, explaining how those wishes were interpreted and the knock on effects they had.

"Prismo. Do you have something you'd consider a perfect wish?"

The Wishmaster thought.

"Hmm... Perfect wish? If it did happen, I wasn't Wishmaster when it did. 99% of the wishes that come through here are too simple. Too filled with gaps to ever go the way the Wish Maker intended."

Prismo thought a bit longer, pausing on Scarab's intense expression.

"I think... the most complete wish I ever granted was... actually a bit sad. They wished to be removed from their reality. Completely. They got pretty much exactly what they wanted. No one in their time line remembered who they were, all of their future accomplishments were distributed to other people, and they ceased to exist as a person, turning into some kind of... non-sentient cosmic wind I think. It was the most specific wording I've never gotten for a wish. Fewest gaps to be filled. But... I'm not sure I'd call it a perfect wish. It just seemed so..."

"...Depressing?"

"Yeah..."

The two sat in silence for a long moment. Scarab seemed to be in deep thought before nodding his head.

"Thank you, Prismo. I hope to learn a lot from you."

Prismo smiled, lightly nuzzling the side of Scarab's waist as the beetle purred.

And so, Prismo carried on, not thinking much of it. A perfect wish? It probably wasn't possible. Not in his tenure as Wishmaster at least.

So, he continued to teach.

He had to admit, Scarab was an avid learner. He took diligent notes, studied through countless realities Prismo had created, breaking down where and how the gaps in wishes were filled.

He watched, carefully, as Prismo granted the first wish since the new change.

The Wishmaster kind of felt bad that Scarab's first real observation was one of the most boring types of wishes. This one wished to be famous. No details on how that fame would be achieved, or if that fame was even positive.

Prismo wasn't malicious as a Wishmaster, but he wouldn't lie and say a little bit of bias didn't slip in depending on the Wish Maker's attitude. This one treated Prismo like an object rather than a person, and was very smug about even making it here.

So, Prismo granted the wish alright. He was certainly famous. Maybe it was for the most embarrassing speech and presentation of all time, but it was fame. His name would live on for a long time, that was for certain.

"I don't like how that one treated you" Scarab chittered from his corner.

"Yeah, well, you get some good ones and some bad ones. The bad ones I just send on their way. No real skin off my nose."

"...Does it not bother you when they don't seem to see... you?"

Prismo shrugged.

"I mean, what am if not the Almighty Prismo, the Wishmaster. No one sticks around long enough to care, so why should I?"

That didn't seem to sit well with Scarab, but the beetle dropped it for the time being.

As time ticked by, more and more wishes poured through.

A wish to make sure their town never went hungry again.

A wish to become king of the solar system.

A wish to make the love of their life never feel despair again.

All had their faults. All were granted accordingly. And Scarab was there, taking notes on it all. He observed, commented when the Wish Maker left, and noted on Prismo's explanations.

A few Wish Makers commented on Scarab's presence. The ones who were nice to the beetle might have found themselves with slightly more favorable interpretations, but no one needed to know that.

A wish to bring back a loved one from the dead.

A wish to be the most irresistible thing on the planet.

A wish to gain all the magical knowledge of the cosmos.

A wish for the ability to turn back time.

All came and left. All decided their own fates. Prismo had eventually forgot about Scarab's inquiry into what he'd consider the perfect wish.

Until the last wish before Scarab's trial run came and went. A bit anticlimactic in his opinion.

A wish to never die. Poor bastard didn't know what he was asking for with that one.

Scarab was quiet, his usual commentary suspiciously absent.

"Well, you think you're ready, Lovebug?"

Scarab hummed, tapping a pen onto the notebook, clearly deep in thought.

"Scarab?"

"Hm? Oh, yes, I think so. But... well, I have one more question for you, Prismo."

The beetle was slow to rise, flicking through his notes one more time, before putting it all down.

"You remember, how I asked you if you had ever had a perfect wish?"

"Oh, yeah. Like I said, and like you probably saw, most of the wishes aren't super exciting. Was hoping for something a bit more... I dunno, showy for your first set, but not like I control what other people want."

"Right..."

Scarab seemed to hesitate.

"...You alright, Lovebug? Looks like you're about to pop, you're thinking so hard." Prismo chuckled as he curled around the beetle, nuzzling him softly.

But Scarab had a look. A dead serious one. He looked up at the Wish Master with... a conviction. A scary kind.

"...Prismo. What would you wish for?"

[wrongydkjquotes]

Guy: Look, mailmen are a myth, like any of these made-up legends. (pointing at board with pictures of unicorns, dragons, phoenixes, and narwhals)

Cookie: Guy, narwhals are real.

Guy: You mean, like, in your heart...where anything is possible?

Cookie: No, I mean like in the ocean where they swim and dive and exist.

Guy: Oh, Cookie. Always the dreamer-

Cookie: Mailmen, like narwhals, actually fucking exist, Guy.

(Source: Puck and Elvis, Breaking Cat News)

[thedreamworldlibrary]

Quick Update for Dreamers of the Myths and Legends (Pokémon AU)

Hey guys! This is some news I have to share about the WTDW Pokémon AU. No it's nothing bad, but just something going forward pretty soon.

So I finished working on Chapters 6 and 7 and realized those two have gotten long roughly about 20 pages or more. Seeing how long the chapters have been going makes me exhausted, so I've decided to split certain ideas into 2 or 3 chapters (maybe 4 at the most).

This is to make things easier for me as well as not wear me down going forward. I'd say by Chapter 8 is where I'll start splitting chapters, but after 8 and 9, some may stay 1 full 20 page idea while some will be split into parts.

That's all for tonight! See you in the next fanfic update~

[yoshiyoshitaniart]

Heya! I’m not sure what questions’ve been asked/answered already but I’ve been keeping up with your progress on the oracle cards (can’t wait to get them btw! I already own the tarot you made and I love them) I just wanted to ask about the “theme” of each of your five suits? I have theories but nothing solid.

Also, something that caught my attention was how most of your card names in the four suits with depictions of specific myths are nouns (specifically concepts— ambition, order, purity, etc.) but the Amaterasu card is the verb ‘Ascend’? You also have two cards labeled ‘Trickster’ and ‘Dreamer’ which also break the pattern of ‘name-of-concept’ like ‘Trickery’ or ‘Dreams’ in favor of ‘person-engaged-with-concept’ and I was wondering what the significance of that distinction was to the meanings of those cards. Knowing how the meaning behind oracle cards is largely dependent on the deck’s maker, I got curious but I /have/ been known to read too far into things in the past so thought I’d just ask.

So sorry that this ask got so long! I’m too hyped about this deck I have to k n o w but I also don’t want to bother too much if this all gets explained in a guidebook like with your tarot cards.

Thank you for your question! I am extremely flattered that you're following my oracle deck so closely, and I really hope that it can live up to your expectations! tldr; the exact names are a work in progress. I have strong feelings about the energy of each card, but I'll probably be tweaking until the last minute what each TITLE should be. It's hard to encapsulate everything a whole character and theme represents, and you're right about the adjective/verb/noun jumble being confusing. It's definitely something I'm taking into consideration, and have been talking with my publisher about. If you're interested in following along, I recommend joining my monthly newsletter! I put updates there and will keep everyone apprised of publishing news

Longer answer:

My oracle deck has 12 Myths/Legends, which each myth being represented in 4 cards: Hero, Advisor, Challenge, Desire

To show you, these are the 12 cards for the 3 myths, Amaterasu's Cave, Ishtar's Decent into the Underworld, and Panji Semirang.

Hero Cards (Laurel Wreath icon): These are usually characters of action and movement. The embody change, creativity, and the symbol of fire. While these are generally speaking more positive cards, there are a few that can lean more negatively. While I absolutely love Ishtar, her Ambition does not always endear her to the rest of her pantheon Advisor Cards (Eye Icon): These are characters of stability and advice. They embody intellect, the mind, and the symbol of wind. Again there are positive and negative cards. There is Introspection but also Gossip

Challenge Cards (Skull Icon): These are cards of opposition and confrontation. They embody emotion, volatility, and the symbol of water. While they tend to be more negative with traits like Envy and Greed, they can also be necessary like Sacrifice an Reckoning

Desire Cards (Heart Icon): These are cards of aspiration and hope. They embody the heart, wishes, and the symbol of earth. These are some of the more diverse cards, with desires ranging from the stability of a father figure, to a throne of power, to good time.

The 12 cards for the 3 myths The White Snake, The Industrious Daughter, and The Tale of Huathacauri

So I'll go over a little bit of my thought process for the names of these cards. Specifically you mentioned Amaterasu as the Ascend card, so I'll talk about that set. Originally when I was creating these cards my intention was to have each card named the name of the character/object. So, Amaterasu was going to be named Amaterasu, Ame no Uzume was going to be Ame no Uzume, etc etc. But when I started showing the cards to friends and family, the feedback I got was that the cards were extremely hard to use unless you were already innately familiar with each of the characters and their stories. This was really helpful, because I do want to encourage people to learn these stories--but I don't want to Assign Homework just so you can enjoy this oracle deck. I want anyone to be able to use this deck instantly, and if they want to learn more, there is a rich history for them to dive in to.

So that's when I started considering Titles for each of the cards, similar to many existing Oracle decks.

In summary in Amaterasu's Cave, the Sun Goddess Amaterasu (Hero) loves her weaver handmaiden (Desire) . This handmaiden is killed by Amaterasu's brother Susanoo (Challenge), which causes the grief stricken Amaterasu to hide in a cave. She eventually lured out by the charms and humor of the goddess Ame no Uzume. To start of easy, Susanoo and the handmaiden are clearly opposites of each other. The handmaiden is a weaver in Amaterasu's comfortable life and home, and so she represents peace and ORDER. Susanoo comes in and wrecks the harmony, causing CHAOS, ANARCHY and WRATH (I'm not sure which of these names I like best). Amaterasu, when she leaves her cave, ultimately represents the end of depression, moving on, and like a sun, ASCENDING once again. Although a better name might be REJUVENATION, RECOVERY, or maybe RE IGNITE to get more of the sun imagery in there again. It's tough to find a good single word for "I-was-too-depressed-to-get-out-of-bed-but-I-am-getting-better-and-now-I'm-ready-to-go-outside-again" But if you know one please tell me! Lastly there is Ame no Uzume, who is that friend that reminds you life is still worth it by showing you all the fun and beauty in the world. I originally called her REJUVENATION, but she might be better described as CELEBRATION, or JOY as it is her party that brings Amaterasu out of hiding. She can also be seen as a representation of a healing S-xWorker, as it is specifically her hilarious and lewd striptease that calls to Amaterasu.

But lastly let me also talk about the 5th and last suit of the oracle deck, the suit of Symbols

Symbol Cards (Star icon): These 12 cards are symbols that show up repeatedly in multiple myths and fairy tales from around the world. I wouldn't go so far as to call them Universal Symbols, because not every culture has every single one of these, but they are strong and impactful Archetypes.

For example The Forbidden is every box or door that we are told Not To Open. Some famous examples are Pandora's box, Cupid's Bed Curtain, or Bluebeard's Basement. While these things are expressly off limits, these are often lines we will need to cross in order to learn or grow. We just also have to realize there will be consequences.

The naming for these ones is really easy, as they will all be "The Noun"

All told there will 60 cards (12 myths with 4 cards each, and 12 symbol cards) If you're interested in following along, I recommend joining my monthly newsletter! I put updates there and will keep everyone apprised of publishing news

[dreamnoteprincess]

Question

Because my brain is on WTDW hyperfixation mode this week, who here would like to jump into my fanfic blog @thedreamworldlibrary and ask me questions on my WTDW AU's?

Mainly:

Nothing Bad Happens AU

Twin AU

and Pokemon AU (Dreamers of Myths & Legends)

[takeeachdayonebookatatime]

AUTHOR INTERVIEW- Zeec Rustom

ABOUT ME:

I am first and foremost a voracious reader and dreamer, who loves & lives for stories. I spend my free time doing anything from sketching, painting, embroidery, and even singing off-key karaoke songs, when I am not reading. I am a debut author from India and have published my first Contemporary NA Romance book named A SENSE OF BETRAYAL. The book is having a good response in India, especially among the young readers.

I love reading and writing Romance primarily, but also a few other genres like fantasy, mythology, thriller etc. I am planning to try my hand at all or most of the sub-genres in Romance. I recently also wrote an Erotica on the online platform Inkitt and it is getting a good response.

Further, I am planning to try and promote the Indian myths & legends through fantasy books and also introduce the Indian supernatural elements to the world through Romantasy books. We are all familiar and fond of Romances with vampires, werewolves and witches, but India has a few of her own supernatural/paranormal and mythological elements for me to explore. I also plan to try my hand at some other genres as well in future.

Q & A

(Laura)

1-Is there a special reason behind the title of your book/series?

(Zeec)

My book's title is A SENSE OF BETRAYAL, and the word "sense" is the most important one to notice here, as this word makes it clear that the story is not about betrayal but about something which seems like or is misunderstood as betrayal. The FL of my story Pragati is sent away from home in disgrace as punishment for a prank gone wrong during her teen years. Her childhood sweetheart Vikram, the ML supports her rival during this incident. Pragati feels hurt by this betrayal, as he doesn't support her at her time of need. She is sent away after this and they are parted. Hence the Title name.

(Laura)

2-What was the inspiration behind your story/series?

(Zeec)

My book is equal parts about friendship as it is about love. So, the inspiration is my love for romances as a reader, and also the value I place over the strength of having good friends in life and true friendship.

(Laura)

3-Are there any more books in the series?

(Zeec)

There are going to be 2 more books to this series/world. Though they will be spin-offs telling the stories of some other characters from my debut book. Each will be a standalone but will have interlinked characters.

(Laura)

4-How many books have you written?

(Zeec)

I have published 2 books. But I have written 3 books and am working on a couple more right now.

(Laura)

5-What can your readers expect from your next book?

(Zeec)

My next book is a spin-off of my debut book, A SENSE OF BELONGING. It is also an Indian NA Contemporary Romance.

(Laura)

6-What made you want to write?

(Zeec)

My fascination towards stories. I started writing around the age of 8 with short stories, and have always wanted to get a whole novel published one day.

(Laura)

7- Can you explain your book or series for the people who haven't read them yet?

(Zeec)

My book is about a girl named Pragati, who used to be a tomboy during her childhood days. She was sent away from home after a teenage prank goes wrong. She is finally back home, after being sent away in disgrace for seven years. When she had needed him the most, her love Vikram had chosen to stand with her enemy. Only her best buddy Nik was with her throughout the ordeal. Now that she's back Vikram intently pursues her as if nothing's wrong between them. How can she avoid Vikram when being with Nik, makes it near impossible to avoid his elder brother. Can Pragati keep her heart in check? And where does Nik stand in all this?

(Laura)

8-What is your favorite part of your book or series?

(Zeec)

As this is my first book, the whole book is endearing to me. But, if asked to choose, I think my favorite will be the part where Pragati & Vikram get lost in the jungle and what ensues after that.

(Laura)

9-Do you prefer paperbacks or ebooks?

(Zeec)

I am a total book addict, so the format doesn’t matter much. I even listen to audiobooks. But, like any other booklover, the feel & smell of a physical book does appeal to me a lot.

(Laura)

10-Softcover or hardcover books?

(Zeec)

Hardcover definitely.

(Laura)

11-Do you have a favorite book or series from when you were a child?

(Zeec)

I was crazy about Enid Blyton’s books and her Famous Five series was my favorite.

(Laura)

12-What is one of the most important things your readers should take away from your books?

(Zeec)

The meaning of true friendship and how life-long friends can enrich your lives even during the darkest of times.

(Laura)

13-Why do you think more people should read books?

(Zeec)

Book addiction is the only ‘addiction’ which is encouraged by everyone and not frowned upon…LOL. Jokes apart, books are the best away to uplift your mood or relieve your stress in a positive manner. A good book can transport you to different magical/distant realms and take you on an adventure, whisking you away from your life. Also, reading books improves your vocabulary. It also widens your perspective, by improving your imagination, understanding and way of perceiving things.

(Laura)

14-Do you think beta readers should be compensated in some way? And are they necessary?

(Zeec)

To be very frank, being very new to the writing world I was not aware of the role a beta reader played in the journey of writing a book. I published my first book without any input from beta readers. But I am definitely looking into getting a few beta readers for my second book now. As, I very much feel that having someone look at your manuscript through the eyes of a true reader before you publish, is a good way for an author to further improve the work, based on the reader reaction.

Regarding compensating beta readers, it depends on a few things. I have seen some authors worry that paid beta readers might not be truthful in the reports, as they would not want to offend their clients. Also, sometimes paid beta readers do tend to pick up books, not of their genre and then end up giving a generic report, not of much help to the author. Whereas, there are others who feel that paid beta readers are professional and you can be sure to get your beta report in correct time and with quality work done.

Personally, I think it’s not wrong to compensate them as they are putting in some time and effort to work on a story. But the rates they charge should be reasonable, because most of the indie authors, especially the new ones like me are on a limited budget. And when it comes to cutting down our expenses, beta reading might be the only place we can do that.

(Laura)

15-Paper, computer or typewriter what do you write your story on?

(Zeec)

Plot on paper initially and then write the story on computer.

(Laura)

16-The last book you read was?

(Zeec)

Its an audiobook, ‘Vow of the Shadow King’ by Sylvia Mercedes.

(Laura)

17-Name one character you liked writing for/about in your book?

(Zeec)

Pragati my female lead.

(Laura)

18-What three adjectives would best describe your book/story?

(Zeec)

Heartwarming, fast-paced, fun.

(Laura)

19-How would you best describe your characters to someone who has not read your book yet?

(Zeec)

Pragati--- A mischievous tomboy during childhood. She is bold, loyal, steadfast, brave and honest. She has average height and slim figure. Thick black wavy hair, black eyes and an indomitable spirit. She would always stick up for her friends and go to any lengths to help them.

Vikram--- He is handsome, tall and masculine. He has an amazing chiseled body. He has thick jet-black wavy hair. Vikram has a clam, mature and understanding personality and has always adored Pragati since they were kids, indulging all her whims and supporting her in her mad capers.

Nik--- Pragati’s best friend and Vikram’s younger brother. Nik is as mad and riotous as Pragati and both together caused a lot of mischief and mayhem in their childhood days. Nik has a charming, fun loving and happy persona making it easy for everyone to like him. He is a total flirt and charmer, making hearts flutter anywhere he passes by. Nik is also steadfast, loving, loyal and inherently caring towards the people he is close to.

(Laura)

20-Current book you're reading?

(Zeec)

I am presently listening to the audiobook ‘Heart of the Shadow King’ by Sylvia Mercedes. It is the final instalment of the Romantasy series ‘Bride of the Shadow King’.

Any social media pages our very few readers can find you at and were they can buy your books

My reader friends can find me and catch up for a chat, on the following social media pages…..

My website…. www.zeecrustom.com

Instagram Handle…. @zeecrustom

Facebook…. @Zeec Rustom

Twitter…. @Zeec_Rustom

Email…. zeecrustom@gmail.com

[paint-lady]

🖊 + Maru!

Send me a “🖊+an OC“ and I will talk about that OC! It can be a headcanon, a fun fact, a small paragraph of backstory- anything! Alternatively, send in just a “🖊“ and I will talk about any one of my OCs at random!

Oh, Maru my beloved.

Maru "Maru-Maru" Maru is my character in Secret World Legends and my NPC (and eventual PC) for the Secret World ttrpg. They are the current OC im constantly rotating in my brain like a rotisserie chicken.

I had attempted to write a longer form comic for them and even finished a first chapter. Unfortunately, life got busy and started taking more spoons to other tasks and I am not able to dedicate the time and energy I want to the comic. And thats okay. In the year I have been cold, I have expanded upon the Maru-verse even further, and discovered even more interesting loops and details to incorporate. And I cannot wait to illustrate them one day.

So without further ado, please enjoy this extensive lore breakdown on Maru-Maru:

For your convenience this post has a keep reading <3

Name Significance: Of course Maru is not their given name. Its partially a joke, partially an echo of a long-lost memory, partially a misheard role to fulfill, and their first grasp on their identity.

The name Maru firstly comes from my Exalted Zenith character. My partner and I wanted to name our bees after them, as a way to honor the fun we had with such a short campaign. Little did we know how smoothly Exalted and SWL can blend together- the transition from one age to the next, apocalypses rising, and powerful beings beyond comprehension changing Creation. The tone is certainly different though: an Exalted chronicle is uplifting and with epic heroes to save the world, whereas SWL is riddled with uncertainty about how long the collective will of reality can hold.

The SWL version of Maru can barely remember their previous incarnation, it's more like a weird dream than anything else. If they look to closely, the memory vanishes; like the people of the Third Age trying to grasp their memory of the Second, and their predecessors before them. The golden light within them feels different, yet can still vanquish monsters with their touch, and aid people plagued by nightmares seeping through cracks in reality.

A more recent discovery has played nicely into my friends headcanons and names of their characters. SWL Maru was discovered by experienced agents of names Inanna and Ninshubur in Kingsmouth. While the name Maru is not a Sumerian/Assyrian deity, Mamu is. There is not a lot written about Mamu. They are most notable for being a god of dreams and having both male and female depictions. We love a lil gender fuckery in the pantheon. There was temple built in Imgur-Enlil (modern Balawat) to them. Dreams were not seen as depictions of the subconscious (thanks Freud) but rather true portents of the future. This is all over the epic of Gilgamesh as a literary device to keep that long ass story going. Regardless, the Assyrian King who had dreams of Inanna vanquishing his enemies felt the portents were significant enough to build that temple to the messenger: Mamu. Additionally, there are oodles of accounts of death-dreams and glimpses into other worlds (namely the Underworld) across several sites, whether its recorded dreams from priests and priestesses- or more Enki myths.

And this is what Maru does- even by accident. They catch glimpses into the other worlds, talk to other versions of themselves to relay messages and warnings, and make sure Inanna and Ninshubur are aware of whatever weird shit is out there. In the SWL ttrpg, I intend to have Maru explore this role to fulfill more, as a messenger and a dreamer. Funnily enough, the surname I gave Maru is 夢宮: Yumemiya, which can translate to Yume: dream, and Miya: a shrine, or place for gods. Don't you love it when the narrative falls into place like that? (But in truth, I borrowed the surname from Kanae Yumemiya, an actress who portrayed Usagi in a Sailor Moon Live production...)

Lastly on name significance, we have the japanese translation that Maru means ◯, and is literally a circle. Depending on the characters used to spell Maru, it can also mean truth, and expanded to mean a complete unending cycle. Putting two ◯◯ together is like censoring a name or word, similarly to how $#%&#! is used in English. In a way, Maru-Maru is saying their name is Redacted, or blankety blank or So-and-so. This was incredibly hilarious in the SWL game when QBL labels the player a terrorist after climbing Orochi Tower. Ah yes, you've definitely found the ringleader who set off the Tokyo bomb: It was ◯◯! Excellent journalism, QBL, no notes.

But in truth, its a clever and funny way to hide themself. Searching Maru on google is gonna get you a stardew valley villager and a cute, chubby cat youtube sensation. And they like it that way.

So whether it's Maru, Mamu, Redacted, ◯◯, or some other weird fifth thing, they'll always be that one odd baby bee who reaches across dimensions to keep reality running just a little longer. They won't have to face the end alone, in fact, its statistically improbable.

And if you survive. If you are still you. Think on the questions. Remember when you were a bright little thing, so full of questions?

THE LIFE CYCLE:

Time is a funny thing when dealing with several versions of the same individual. The smallest changes completely alter a course of events. Many Marus recall gaining their bee not long after the Tokyo Filth bomb around 2012, and being swept up by whichever agency got to them first. Many recall their parents working tirelessly at their jobs at the Orochi Group. They learned how to cook for themself at a young age because Mom and Dad wouldn't be home til late. Many recall the first time they heard the buzzing static was as young as 6, following the sweet whispers through a soon-to-be park and a newly planted flowering tree. There are a few that never receive a bee, or receive their power through other means. These timelines are the strangest ones.

A riddle to kill a sphinx: What's one, then three, and then one again? Wait- that's not how it goes...

The Lumie, Templar, and Dragon Maru all share the same origin. Depending on where an outsider glances, the three realities are so close, they are nearly one. Nearly. They grew up in Kaidan with their parents. They did attend the Orochi-sponsored schools and attended several programs, but flew right under the radar for "gifted abilities" that Orochi was seeking. Little Maru was aware of whispers in tv static, rattles in old pipes, the shrieks of summer cicadas Evangelion style. As a young child, they marched to the beat of their own drum, ignoring or indulging the whispered warnings as they saw fit. The dreams were harder to ignore, but when they told their parents about the big scary monsters that couldn't get out- it was written off as their overly active imagination. After all, they had failed an aptitude test to get into the nearby elementary school near their work. Its uncertain whether or not Maru's parents knew what that test was truly analyzing- and whether or not they were relieved to see they failed. Decent Orochi employees have excellent poker faces.

Sometimes one is born special. Sometimes specialness is genetically modified into one. Not every child is equal.

As they grew older, the supernatural continued to burrow into their eardrums. Maru was an average student, but occasionally received top marks on answers whispered to them. They earned a reputation for being a little bit of a tech whiz, and had an observant eye for finding errors in codes. Not really a "super power" but troubleshooting tech is an immensely useful skill. Maru was exceptional at the ol' percussive maintenance with old printers, punchcards, and fax machines. When things went to digital interfaces, Maru found the tried and true "have you tried turning it off and back on again," to be a real winner.

When they didn't want to hear the whispers, they'd make use of bulky, noise-cancelling headphones. Maru would often be seen wearing them outside of class and in their home, enjoying the peace and quiet. Maybe the headphones were a placebo. It only worked because they believed it worked. However, at night, their mind would be plagued with vivid dreams and even louder whispers and messages. Headphones can't keep hide the noise if its already in their head. Frustratingly, they'd always wake up and immediately forget what they dreamt. This was their normal. Caffeine to keep themself up during the day, wear headphones to keep out the messages, and TV to drown out the static at night.

And there wasn't really anyone to talk about it with. Last time some Orochi kid fessed up to their weird dreams and whispers, he'd definitely vanished. Teachers said the student moved away, but Maru knew his parents still worked in Faust upper management. Another girl said she could hear thoughts before you could finish thinking them. Maru thought that one was bullshit- but she disappeared too. Lesson learned. Keep the static to yourself.

Don't fear It. Fear Nothing. Fear the Foundation. It's no wonder; they say once you hit four, it's all downhill from here.

When it came time to apply for highschool, a few of their peers found this "Clubhouse" and despite its messaging, were blabbermouths about it. Maru always felt uneasy about the place. If there were whispers saying they had nothing to fear, they didn't trust it. They couldn't believe the claims that were coming from this place. Free drinks? Can play games as long as you want? You can be yourself without any fear? Maru especially didn't trust the last one. None of their classmates knew how they felt wearing the girls uniform. None of them knew how exhausting it was to shut out the whispers, keep the eyes on them sated with just the right expectations, and then complete their coursework on top of it all. Maru absolutely did not want to "perform" there either.

Upon finishing highschool, Maru was presented with an opportunity. They'd complete a university comp-sci degree and then immediately dive into a job at the company. Orochi is not devoid of nepotism. At first, this seemed ideal. They'd attend university in New York, and take their summer internships with the American branch of Orochi. Should everything go well, which... it was going to go well that was the expectation... they'd be looking at a substantial salary and generous benefits while working in the Tower.

America was loud. America is loud. But the sheer volume of everything drowned out the buzzing whispers. They still needed the headphones to drown out the rest of the noise though. They could focus a lot more on themself outside of the Orochi bubble, even if their presence was just a few streets away.

Maru figured out a lot about themself in the four years at Uni, especially the gender thing. They enjoyed building weird robots and programming them to do silly things- in addition to their assigned tasks. They enjoyed the few college parties they attended. They even had a steady, long term relationship with a classmate named Caesura (nods back to Exalted). As graduation loomed, they dreaded going back home. They realized how much time they spent alone and really did not want to go back to that solitude at Orochi. So they avoided it. They delayed their graduation by a year and a half by swapping majors, making absurd connections and promises with subdivisions of Faust and Anansi, and prolonging which classes they needed to graduate.

What was the cause of all this, sweetling? Where is the zero point?

Everything changed sometime in 2012. Maru couldn't get anyone on the phone back home when the bomb went off. Even the work lines in Faust were gunked up. They have zero clue if a letter they wrote made it through security and into Orochi's headquarters. Caesura had also vanished. (Unbeknownst at the time, the man was abducted by the Dragon. In most timelines, he does analog calculations for the faction, figuring out where pieces need to move rather than doing field work himself). And then they get their bee, freak out and wreck their apartment, get nabbed by one of the big three, and then get sent out to Kingsmouth.

Things start to break and differ sometime after this for our Red, Blue, and Green iterations of Maru. They all admit to being unaware of their prowess for chaos magic before meeting two other big bees: Ninshubur and Inanna. It was Ninshubur who gifted the confused baby bee a chaos focus, and Inanna gifted a them an empowering gadget. Receiving these items are one of the more prominent cracks on the flickering timelines on the Reality Engine.

Though the most prominent tears in their time are when the Dreamers made themselves known to Maru. The first, a gift. The second, worship. The third, freedom.

Templar!Maru, believes they were tricked by the gift. They swear they would have never have listened to the bubbling voices, but deep down they know that they fell for their sweet words. Whenever the Dreamers approached them, they were certain to make sure they'd never be fooled twice. Their choices are marked with unbound Blue wings.

Dragon!Maru had already begun developing their philosophy on the cyclic end of the world: however messy and destructive it was going to be, whatever was going to rise out of the ashes was going to be just as magnificent. Decay is a form of life. They morbidly want to see what the world will look like at the end, but have to be strong enough to make it there. Accepting the gift, begrudgingly worshipping, and freeing the Dreaming Ones is all part of their dream. Their wings drip with filth. Unease sits in their stomach, they do not know if they'll get their wish.

Lastly, Lumie!Maru was keen on not listening to more voices in their heads. They are the only iteration to refuse the gift. Their wings gleam gold. What is done cannot be undone, and they loathe that their defiance to one set of voices is obedience to another.

Go ahead, glance back. Don't sweat it, sweetling. You won't turn to salt and you can't make yourself impossible. History will conserve itself. The continuities will hold.

Again, time is funny when dealing with several iterations of the same individual. The slightest changes make immense impacts on their lives. There are Maru's who graduated on time. There are Maru's who never left Kaidan. These individuals work with Orochi, whether they want to or not. There are Maru's who's last memory is the filth exploding from within that guy's jacket. There are Maru's still sleeping. There are Maru's who joined the Council of Venice, there are Maru's who hacked the Swarm's game back, and fled their factions. There are Maru's who want nothing to do with the secret world and just want a peaceful goddamn life with their wife and accounting job. There's a Maru who is just really into boats...

But they are all connected, tethered to one another. Like a rat king on reality, fated to meet and tangle.

FUN and STRANGE DETAILS:

BLOODY VALENTINES: Uta, the rabbit killer in Kaidan, is three separate individuals who used to inhabit the same body. Lilith is responsible for splitting her like a worm and separating the sibling souls into new bodies. Maru is an anomaly: they are physical duplicates of the same individual existing simultaneously. Both Maru and Uta fight with unprecedented coordination, switching aggro and balancing their buffs between the three of them. The showdown at the top of Orochi tower was certainly a spectacle... And a vocabulary lesson for swears in several languages. Some agents have noticed the similarities between Maru and Uta, but Maru is quick to squash any speculations. This is not because the two actually know each other, but more Maru does not want anyone to know their Orochi background if they can help it.

The buzzing on Uta reveals some interesting clues about Maru and their existence. Uta was not plagued with insanity but rather hypersanity for the new age- and with new software there are bound to be bugs. While Maru didn't absorb their twin in the womb or was misdiagnosed with schizophrenia; Maru was also sensitive to whispers just outside reality. And so were other children born around the same time. Maybe Maru and that generation of kids got the patched version.

A LUCID DREAM: The Black Signal, or John, tells the Chuck's who will listen that he's no longer singular, he is plural- but remembers what it was like being a sole individual. To Maru, this is so old news. In fact, Maru loves to snark back at him saying that he is not special and they're plural too. There are many Maru's. The Black Signal doesn't really tend to listen to this. Maru may be many, but Maru is still meat. If they would hatch, then they'd have a new conversation. Again, Maru disregards this, and says they've spent enough time being an egg.

They don't want to think too hard about what it means to have "hatched." They know John's not talking about them being nonbinary. Maru is an adept and experienced enough chaos user at this point to recognize when a timeline is too different for them to safely pull on. There's a phantom pain in their outreached hands and fingers when they try to go too far. They are aware that there are some selves they used to be able to call upon and cannot anymore. Something about them has changed. They are aware they can become "out of sync" with their doppelgangers or even be "out of phase," and get stuck somewhere overlapping two or more timelines. But to not be able to call themself at all is terrifying. If only they had the ability to glance at all it all from the outside ... oh.

At least, Maru can't do this consciously. Some versions of Maru have swapped places with their doppelgangers in their sleep or had rude awakenings of being pried from bed to be used as a meat-shield for another. While dreaming, they can go anywhere- so long as they don't forget how to wake up. These ones don't know how close they get to bleeding out of reality.

MAKE THE RIGHT CHOICES:

In my SWL playthrough, I of course ran into a whole bunch of bugs and glitches. And I love them. But, there were times that it made the game do absolutely weird things- which provides some very fun stories to weave into the glitch. The most notable was at the Second Choice in the City of the Sun God. At this point, my partner had played ahead and was almost through Translylvania when I had finally defeated Aten. He knew there was an Ultimate Move behind the choices and spoiled a little (with my permission). I didn't know what "Blue Wings" meant but I understood to get them I would need to, against my better judgement, listen to the Dreamer's at least once. So after defeating Aten and being greeted by the Filth bird saying "hey you should do the worship emote" I then obliged and typed /worship.

And the game crashed. No worries- this happened all the time for me. My laptop would get obscenely hot running this game and would shut itself down so it wouldn't fry itself. Upon reloading, I had to do the Aten fight again but found myself having trouble with some of the UI interface. Reloadui did not solve the issue, and I found myself in front of the Filth bird again. I typed /worship and Maru did nothing. I opened the emote tab, and clicked, and Maru would do nothing. In fact, all of my emotes were not functioning- except the dances.

I laughed as I watched Maru dance and devour tacos in front of the Dreamer, not knowing how frustrating it must have been for the cosmic entity to watch some small, nascent angelic thought just proceed to do anything but what it requested. How much longer? Out of frustration, I eventually attacked the creature, triggering the next cutscene. The Dreamer's were angry, and I laughed and laughed.

Now the strangest thing is in game play, Maru sometimes has golden wings. I have had friends say they see blue wings and I will see gold on my screen. I've also had the opposite. In all cutscenes, they are blue. Considering the overlapping timelines, it seems like Lumie!Maru's almost choice bleeds through onto their timeline sometimes.

INITIATE THE D20 SYSTEM:

I have been very fortunate to be the storyteller for some very avid fans of the Secret World and have presented an alternative timeline to the world they know and love. Maru of course, is no exception to this. Everyone is operating with different times and circumstances. Eventually, I will get the chance to play Maru in the game. But for now, Maru has only made one appearance: to Olivia, the newest bee of the group. Of course, Olivia has zero idea what implications she has encountered by merely interacting with this version of Maru, untethered to their doppelgangers. The TTRPG timeline is indeed one of the strangest.

Thank you for reading this absurdly long OC lore post, I have spent easily 3 week writing and editing and rewriting and adding. I hope you enjoyed and it sparks some fun thoughts about SWL and maybe a lil Exalted. As a treat.

[understandableparadox]

Zapika Zapity

64.media.tumblr.com

lh7-us.googleusercontent.com

Zapika is a self-proclaimed inventor and infamous local mad scientist. Her voice quirk is that she speaks like early season BlackButler Mei Rin. She is a Prospit dreamer, Mind-bound, iceskateKind, and psiioniic! Her design started as a joke when I randomized troll doll maker in 2020. Been my fave HS OC since! 

"Best darn inventor on this side of the space-rock, aint no-one gonna tell ya otherwise, they aint!"

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

Fendir Sanqui

64.media.tumblr.com

lh7-us.googleusercontent.com

fendir's a bronzeblood adventurer who idolizes troll indiana jones! hes got a pretty large collection of artifacts and loves learning about history. he also really likes myths and legends!! hes a very emotional guy who wears his heart on his sleeve, though he often (unintentionally) ignores the emotions of others. he's very very silly.

[the-black-zoroark]

“Dreaming...”

Dreaming of everything... Of nothing...

The sky, night, but brighter than the day... A road of spilt milk, shining down with a million twinkling stars, like the eyes of a mother ever watchful of her young...

Running... The forest, dark as pitch despite the sky... Crawling with childhood fears, the kind only a warm hug can burn away... The Big Bad Wolf... The woods, from all the oldest fairy-tales... The ones where they all live happily...

Everafter...

“Everafter...”

...

Auzī didn’t want to stop running... It also didn’t want to move at all... Most of all, it didn’t want to learn, not now, not from old stories where everyone is happy in the end... Written by people who either had no idea how life really works, or who stuck their heads in the sand because they didn’t want to acknowledge the truth...

...

“If they weren’t worth learning from, they wouldn’t have been remembered... Wouldn’t have survived these many lifetimes... I taught them to you because at the end of the day, they help you make sense of the world around you, that’s why they’ve stuck around so long...”

...

“...It doesn't matter... I don’t want to be a part of the world they’re teaching about anymore, anyway...”

“You don’t mean that, little one... If that’s true, then why are you running?”

“Because... Because there’s a Wolf in these woods... The Wolf... Big and Bad...”

“And you want to escape it... You want to live...”

The forest makes no sound, no sight, no sense... It’s like... A trick...

Trickster...

“Trickster...”

“What?”

“What qualities to the heroes in all these stories have in common? They were smart, they were able to trick the evil, think around the issue, solve their problems without needing might, or powerful weapons, or impossible magics...

Smart is something anyone can be, really, it’s not an impossible thing locked behind years of study... You just need to be able to look at the world around you, and have the soul to live in it... That ability, to show a hero who anyone can be, a trickster, is why these stories have stayed in the world’s memory...”

Auzī’s feet splash through mud, still moving on into nowhere... But as it’s mother’s voice surrounds it, Auzī begins to think, it's paws slowing on the path...

“A memory is a kind of illusion... As is a dream... And most especially, your imagination... When we make our illusions, all we’re doing is dreaming for the world to see... This place is your illusion, my child, what do you think you’re really running from? Why do you run from it?”

Auzī knows the answer, knows that running will never work, knows that it has to be smart... But it doesn’t know what to do... The Wolf chasing it is Fear Itself... And Auzī doesn’t want to face that yet... However, even so, it is forced to come to a sudden realization... It’s paws go still, resigned...

“What have you learned?”

“That these trees look a lot like teeth, viewed from inside the maw of the Big Bad Wolf... That no fear is chasing me, I’m already caught... The one thing I feared above all else is losing you...”

“Half correct... You are not caught... Like a true Trickster, you thought through the problem and understood it, but the solution is never that it’s too late... Not for you, at least... You can still act, still change the world, still live... The thing you feared didn’t swallow you, it has long since passed you by... I’ve been gone for some time now...

But now, you must live...

I pass this honour onto you my child, to be the Trickster Everafter... The Everafter Trickster...

To paint your dreams onto the air like a canvas, with no restrictions at all... Myths and Legends at your fingertips, limited only by your imagination...

In Title, I name you...

The Dreamer...

...

I love you, Auzī...”

Auzī’s eyes, once as deep dark as the rest of it’s body, are Golden... It finally understands, at least in part... The thing it feared is in the past, and it can never be changed... But the past itself should not be feared... It cannot hurt you, not if you don’t let it... And Auzī is tired of sleeping life away... Its time to dream in the light of day...

“I love you too...

Goodbye... Mama...”

...

Somewhere in Joltik-Guy’s Nimbasa dorm-room, a Trickster opens it’s eyes...