#HOW R THEY GONNA FIX THIS

[therealpeppermintpatty]

WHATS WRONG WITH HIM.

[lovesickeros]

☆ even the gods bleed [ pt 4 ]

{☆} characters arlecchino, furina, lyney {☆} notes cult au, imposter au, multi-chapter, gender neutral reader {☆} warnings blood {☆} word count 3.7k {☆} previous [ 1 ] [ 2 ] [ 3 ]

Fontaine was bathed in darkness, not even the moon daring to illuminate where the common man fears to walk. The streets were bleak and empty save for the constant, rhythmic ticking and clanking of machines marching on endlessly, dauntlessly wading where even the bravest dared not to venture. Not even the sharp click of the Gardes boots followed the occasional hisses of steam as they walked the barren streets.

It was haunting, and it'd been like that for days now. It showed little signs of stalling in the slightest, too. Every inch of Fontaine was practically crawling with Gardemeks– like a swarm of rats skittering about.

Arlecchino had secluded herself in the Hotel Bouffes d'ete for days at this point, waiting– biding her time. Her nails clicked against the wood as she tapped at the table in a stilted rhythm, the subtle click of the clock mixing into the clanking outside, weaving in and out of earshot as the patrols slipped by. She reached forward after a moment of thought, reaching for the white king.

She leaned back against the chaise, tilting her head just enough to catch a glimpse of a patrol of Gardemeks as they vanished behind the rows and rows of buildings. It wasn't enough to keep her attention for long, however, her features twisting in disinterest as she glanced back to the chessboard– and the letter neatly resting beside it. The seal was unmistakable and a sobering sight, demanding her attention– the soft hues of blue etched into the shape of a dragon stared back at her in a way that almost unsettled her.

She had already parsed through it's contents hundreds of times, but she was met with only vague, flowing script that only served to irritate her more then anything– it filled the page top to bottom yet managed to say nothing at all. Her hand reached out again, but instead of reaching for the letter she plucked the black rook from the board, setting it down with a soft click.

Arlecchino had all the time in the world to sit back and observe her prey, but all that time would be useless if she lacked the information to act.

And he was quite tight fisted about it, evidentially. None of her inquiries or attempts to decipher any potential codes in the letter left her empty handed. She could not act without even knowing the reason for his summons– it was almost worded like a personal affair rather then one would expect for a foreign diplomat. In truth, she'd expected a scalding report on her operatives, but it lacked any mention of anything of the sort.

She was no stranger to people masking hostility behind pretty words and compliments, not that it was ever unwarranted per se– the Fatui did not create connections through honesty and genuine kindness. They have strong armed more then their fair share of people into cooperation to the point distrust is all the Fatui are met with outside of Snezhnaya. Every word was meant to conceal the deceit, every action meant to conceal the price later paid.

So she had been..skeptical of the letter, to put it lightly. She doubted the Iudex of all people would offer a hand to the Fatui without a price attached– a trap, perhaps, meant to lure in the most powerful piece left on the board. Her eyes narrowed, reaching for a white rook and moving it to the right.

Or he was hiding something. Something that he simply couldn't risk getting out to anyone, not even the Divine themself. A tempting prize, whatever it was.

..A dangerous prize, too.

She'd considered burning the letter and forgetting it all together– the risk was great, and she couldn't risk getting caught up by whoever else the Iudex may have on his side of the board. But she could hardly pass up the challenge and the prize that he fought so hard to keep from prying eyes and ears. Even her agents came back empty handed each time. She lazily picked up a black rook, sliding the white pawn aside.

"Lyney," Arlecchino drawled, crossing one leg over the other and turning her gaze to the door as it slowly creaked open. The pale visage of Lyney stepped through, though his siblings were noticeably absent. The weariness that weighed down on his shoulders was apparent in the slightest furrow of his brows and the subtle creak of leather as he clenched his fists behind his back. "Father." He choked out, the title dragged out by the sharp inhale and shaky exhale.

He looked out of breath, she noted.

The silence that lingered after the small exchange was punctuated only by the click of another chess piece being moved. She sets aside the black rook, letting it sit among the dozen other pieces that had been wiped off the board. She can see the conviction glinting beneath the fog of exhaustion, but if he would utilize it was another matter all together.

He had seemed to make his choice quickly, at the very least.

"Our contacts and operatives within the Fortress of Meropide have gone silent– all we have is their final confirmed missive.." His voice is confident, but it is rigid as the words spill from his lips. He takes a sharp step forward, unfolding his arms from behind his back and opening his hands– the small, water stained and messily folded note catches her eye, plucking it from his palms with a half hearted interest. "They believe the Duke left the Fortress of Meropide..and that he may be coming to the Court of Fontaine."

Her eyes narrow dangerously, nearly crumpling the thin paper in her hands– yet just as quickly, she collects herself.

But she cannot get rid of the bitter taste on her tongue, lingering as she sets down the note and slides it to the side, her lips pursed into a thin line.

So the Iudex had shown one of his pieces..she tightly grasps a black rook, tipping over the white rook, letting it roll against the board.

If the Duke was involved, things were much more complicated then she expected– he would be a problem, she was certain. She couldn't blame the lamb for fearing the wolf, either. Whether her agents had been killed or captured by the man mattered little. He had his ways, and he was a force that could instill fear in even them.

Which meant the possibility that her operation was already compromised was far too real.

What had the Iudex so concerned he had gone through the trouble of bringing in the Duke and herself? The Fatui was one thing, but to specifically request one of it's Harbingers..

The Prophecy? The thought had her clenching her fist, but..no. If it were to rear it's head now, the Iudex could simply not afford to waste time on his contacts deciphering his nonsensical script– If the prophecy were to be the issue, there time would be limited to mere minutes in the worst of cases. Which meant it was worth biding his time in order to ensure absolute secrecy.

So if not the prophecy, then what?

Her next moves were..limited. She was already walking on eggshells considering her position and the reputations of the Fatui– especially with a Harbinger in the midst. If they caught wind of her operations, they'd weed out her operatives and be on guards for any snakes that lingered in their garden.

She reached for the chessboard again, picking up one of the white rooks from the board with a scowl. The sharp click as she sets down the white rook and sets aside the black pawn draws a shaky inhale from Lyney as she moves another black pawn, the dull click of the pieces drowning out the distant clinking of machines.

..A draw, perhaps.

The pieces were all falling into place– the players of this game were slowly being revealed. Whether she could secure her victory..she was unsure.

She wasn't even sure who her opponent was. Only that the Iudex himself was but another piece in their game.

Arlecchino reached for the board again, yet this time she hesitated. Perhaps she could still swipe the win from beneath them, if she played her cards right.

She would simply have to capture the king– or, if need be, let it end on a draw. Either way, she would not concede. She could not afford to concede. Down to the last piece, she would drag out this match until she was in a position to force their hand into the outcome she desired.

She stood slowly, picking up the king piece and observing it for only the briefest of moments before she set it down on the table, taking measured steps around the table and across the room. She was hunting a much more dangerous quarry today– it would be no simple runaway traitor this time.

"Do you remember the directive?" She inquired coldly, her hand lingering on the door for that long, tense moment. "..Yes, Father." Lyney faltered, taking a hesitant step back and bowing at the waist. "Then do not stray."

All that was left was the silence and click of the door shutting behind her as she disappeared down the hall, her boots clicking harshly against the floorboards. The rest of the agents knew better then to linger in her path as she stepped down into the lobby, adjusting the cuffs of her sleeves. She barely even acknowledged the Fatui agent standing at the ready by the heavyset doors, their gloves hands held out with her cloak held loosely in their palms. She quickly snagged it from them, tugging it over her board shoulders and clasping it around her throat.

With a quick tug, she brought the hood up over her head to conceal her sharp features, lifting her hand and placing a neatly folded note within their waiting hands. She had only one chance to make the right moves and secure her victory– no matter the cost.

Each piece had it's purpose.

Oft, that purpose was a bloody and horrible end– but for the grand goal of the Fatui built on the backs of the dead, it was an honor.

She didn't bother speaking a word as she dismissed them with a wave of her hand, pushing open the heavyset doors and stepping out into the barren, damp streets. The rhythmic clink and whir of Gardemeks was still distant– she needed to move. Her boots clicked and splashed in the rain soaked stone of the streets as she slithered between the buildings, ducking through the openings in the patrols.

It was almost too easy.

She tilted her head back, taking in the towering Palais Mermonia with a scowl, her hands clenched into fists. The final moves were being played– the king was within her reach, yet she felt no more confident then when she began.

The air carried a sense of unease, thick and heavy, filling her lungs until she felt her breath still in her chest– listening to the empty, bleak night that seemed so..quiet.

She'd done her fair share of research, had more then her fair share of her agents try to peer into the Iudex's office or the Archon's supposedly hidden chambers, but every attempt was a failure. She had to give them credit, they were quite elusive when they wished to be. Though now she only thought about it bitterly– this was all a risky gamble, in the end, and only time would tell if it paid off.

With minimal effort, she'd managed to pull herself to the flat, tiled roof, eyeing the massive tower peaking out of the center cautiously. At least here the wandering patrols down below weren't likely to notice her..she could hear them passing by the spot she'd been in only a few minutes ago, just beneath her. She pulled the hood further over her face, peering through the sheer darkness of the night for any oddities, but it was almost impossible to see in the dark.

Her boots clicked softly against the tiles as she approached the tower jutting out from the Palais, her hand gliding along the smooth stone, pressing against odd indents or crevices. If it was for the Archon's chambers, she doubted they made it very difficult– she'd only met the woman once, but she doubted the Iudex make it all that complex just from a brief glance. And it surprised her little when one of the stones sunk into the wall, gears whirring as the walls split open to reveal a stairwell straight into an inky black hall. Only the barest hint of light peaked under the door at the bottom, but it's occupants must have heard her, considering it went out not a moment later.

She cautiously stepped down into the small crevice, her breath visible in the bitter cold air– her shoulders tensed at the subtle sound of muffled footsteps behind the door, her vision flaring with a molten heat between her shoulder blades as she reached for the worn handle of the door. The heat of her vision was enough to just barely heat the metal, her vision flaring like a quickly building inferno.

Arlecchino was prepared for a fight, if it came down to it.

The door creaked as she pressed against it, shoving it open with a grunt of effort and surveying the room with narrowed eyes and a biting remark on the tip of her tongue– the lavish opulence was expected, she supposed, but the lack of the towering figure of the Iudex was not.

Yet before she could get a word in or even take in her surroundings properly, the light flickered back on and she had to squeeze her eyes shut with a hiss at the sudden brightness. She could hear the door being shoved closed behind her, the hurried footsteps retreating just as quickly as her eyes adjusted to the light.

..This was a joke, wasn't it? It had to be.

She'd expected the Iudex, perhaps even the Duke if she'd been unlucky, not the Hydro Archon. She had half the mind to test her worth as an Archon then and there, her temper flaring like an uncontrollable blaze, barely kept at bay. It took all her self control to force herself to smile politely at the woman rather then snarl.

"Miss Furina," She sneered beneath her hood, x shaped pupils locked onto the startled, trembling Archon with thinly veiled contempt. "What a..pleasant surprise. You'll have to forgive my manners, I assumed I was meeting with the Iudex." She observed her body language carefully– the way her eyes darted about like a frightened rabbit seeking escape, the slightest tremble of her lips..

Arlecchino opened her mouth to offer another scathing remark, but her jaw audibly clicked shut as her entire body seemed to lock up. Even her vision went cold against her back, a chilling feeling creeping up her spine as someone, or something, crept up behind her. Their footsteps were almost silent, the slight rustling of their clothes the only thing she could hear over her heart pounding against her ribcage.

Arlecchino had always prided herself on being on the other end of that sensation– she was the monster, and her target was the prey frozen like a deer between the hunters crosshair.

It was a chilling feeling to have the dynamic shifted on it's head.

She couldn't even swallow, her jaw clenched so hard she could hear it creak as she tried to reason with her quickly splintering mind– a futile effort, her joints locking up almost painfully. Black spots were quickly swallowing her vision from the lack of air in her lungs, the sound of shuffling behind her barely audible over the ringing in her ears.

For a moment – a moment too long to have only lasted the seconds that it did, yet so quick it gave her whiplash – she thought she would hit the floor dead before she could even glimpse her assailant.

And then it was gone. She came crashing back into reality with a startled inhale, her lungs burning and her knees nearly buckling under her. The instinct to lash out and kill whoever had done it was intense, yet she couldn't bring herself to move even a finger– it would be so easy to twist around and ignite them with searing flames, but her feet were rooted in place.

She almost didn't notice the surprisingly gentle hands unclasping her cloak, tugging it off her shoulders, if not for the sheer intensity of the presence still lingering behind her. Her mind was still fractured, struggling to right itself after the ordeal, and it had her seething.

"..Are you certain you held back enough?" Furina croaked, the normally soft lilt raspy and almost hoarse. "Not– not that I doubt your capability, most Divine!"

Arlecchino felt her nails dig harshly into her palms, heat swelling beneath her skin– Divine? Had she lost her mind? The Divine was..

The Divine was upon their throne where they belonged. She'd seen them!

"Hm. Well, maybe? Sorry, I didn't think it'd affect you too." Their voice was sickeningly soft as they stepped around her like she wasn't even there, focusing their attention on the Archon who seemed more then delighted about it. "What gave you that impression, most Divine? Aha, I..was completely unaffected, as you can see! Perfectly fine."

Furina let out a small squeak when they pinched her cheek, but the almost affectionate smile that tugged at their lips revealed the lack of malice behind the action.

"You're a bad liar, Furina. You might want to sit down..please?" They didn't take her protests for an answer, gently pushing her to sit on the bed before abruptly turning to face Arlecchino once more, a forced smile on their lips. "Oh, good, you're..uh, not dead. That's good. I thought I fried your brain. Sorry?"

..Had she hit her head on the way here? The Divine should still be on their throne, yet she couldn't shake the weight of their stare– it felt tangible. She felt like she was standing face to face with the stars– galaxies and constellations bearing down upon her.

She grit her teeth and clenched her hands until she felt the sting of her nails against her palms, grounding herself in the pain through the sheer overwhelming nature of their existence.

"You.." She croaks, reaching out with a shaky hand and grabbing them by the collar of their shirt, lifting them up until their feet left the floor– she pays no mind to the startled protests of the Archon. Arlecchino would crush her like a bug before she even got the chance to intervene and they both knew it. "You shouldn't exist– you aren't them, and yet you..you're the imposter, aren't you?" Her grip tightens yet they face her without an ounce of fear, meeting her unyielding glare with a pondering look.

Arlecchino wanted to make them bleed just to see if she could, the urge to sink her teeth into skin welling up in her chest to the point she visibly snarled, her mask of politeness long . "You're the imposter." Her expression falls for a moment before she schools it into one of apathy, setting them back down and holding them there for a moment, finally releasing them after a tense moment. "Or you were supposed to be."

Hers brows furrow– she wants to demand answers, to throttle them for damning them to being nothing more then dolls for the supposed Divine to break at their whim, but none of the words come to her.

"..Why now? The current Divine has been in power for years, yet you descend now?" Her shoulders tensed, lips pursed into a thin line– it's impossible to ignore the truth that lay before her. The Divine is a fraud and this..imposter is the true Divine. How many years had they been in power, now? How many years were they waiting? Why did they wait? Was the suffering of Teyvat not enough? Was the blood that painted the steps of their stolen throne not enough?

She'd personally been on the wrong end of the Divine's wrath– she wonders..had they watched? Had they seen the cruel hand of their imposter and turned their back on Teyvat?

"I.." They hesitated. It made her seethe, her hands clenching into fists at her sides– her vision flickered, flames swelling within it's casing just to be smothered by the presence of the Divine. But once that spark had been lit, she refused to let it go out. "I didn't know."

The answer does not satisfy her. There is an itch beneath her skin that she cannot scratch, a fire that burns in her chest so hot it scorches even herself.

"And what about now? Are you content to cower like prey in the safety of the Palais Mermonia?" She snapped, taking a step forward, her brows furrowed and her glare intense– she can see the slightest bit of worry in their eyes. She revels in it. "Will you let them use your acolytes like pawns? How many more need to be broken on the steps to your throne before you act?"

Again, her vision flares and dims– it refuses to be used against the Divine that created it.

"Have you no answer?"

The room is silent. They do not speak and neither does she.

Even the world itself seems to quiet in the face of her accusations, fury boiling to the surface so hot it incinerated all it touched.

"I will kill them myself."

Their words are quiet, but they are not soft– there is a vindictive, searing anger that explodes out like dying stars within their eyes. The sight of constellations replaced by a void that would not be . The smell of ichor grows stronger– to the point she feels almost lightheaded.

"..I am aware that I have failed in preventing this, but I had no choice in the matter. Still," They muse, their voice like the tolling of bells. A solemn melody that stills the swelling fury burning in her chest, if only for a moment. "I will rectify it– I will tear down their throne of lies and let not even the earth tarnish itself by burying their corpse among it's soil."

They pause for a moment, holding out their hand– scarred and bandaged by the weapons of the devout, yet still they take upon the burden of dirtying their hands to save those who did not save them.

"Do you trust me, Arlecchino?"

Did she?

"Will you help me?"

She exhales heavily, meeting the starry iris' of the Divine with a scowl still tugging at her lips. Arlecchino trusted no one but herself.

"..Yes."

[twinstxrs]

there’s something so personal about the scene in fantasy high s1e7 where gorgug calls himself stupid & fabian, who up to that point had basically entirely been acting like the bad kids (especially gorgug) were beneath him & had also been the one calling ragh stupid two lines ago, instantly says “okay, do not put yourself down like that. don’t you dare do that to yourself.” like it was obvious he liked the bad kids at that point but the instinct to protect his friends manifesting as an immediate strong refusal of gorgug’s self-deprecating talk kills me. that boy loves his friends so bad oh my god i feel sick.

[luyo-mi]

Is silver silvering

[house-on-neibolt-st]

50s DINER AU (or its just a costume) FOR MY BIRTHDAY >_<

i wanted to give him roller skates but hes so fucking tall it wouldn't fit LMAO

[size-two-shrimp]

dumbasses fell in the sand lmaooo

[rosegasly]

YIKES

[resizura]

if they remake code veronica i pray that they make steve look/act like a normal 17 yo like please dont model him after a mid 20s actor please dont make him super edgy and dark for the purpose of “realism” please just keep him the tragic, cocky, silly (and canadian) character he is please please please

[opens-up-4-nobody]

...

[zestyderg]

You guys wanna hear about the Festelcan because I am ready to discuss the Festelcan!

Festelcan are an alien race native to Vytas, an earth-like planet with one main landmass that hosts a variety of different environments and lifeforms. They have long bodies, short legs, large eyes with no visible pupils, retractable claws, long pointed ears, and pitch black skin contrasted with brightly colored markings.

They can be mistaken for dragons, but Festelcan are not considered true dragons.

There are four different varieties of Festelcan; fire, storm, toxic, and ice. All have unique traits that allow them to thrive in different parts of the supercontinent.

A more in-depth look provided under the cut. Note that things are subject to change.

Festelcan themselves are omnivores, and typically eat anything in their environment, be it plant, animal, or even ore.

They have what we consider long lifespans, often living around 150 to 200 years. They reproduce very infrequently, and only have one pup at a time. Pups are born blind, deaf, and lacking any ornamentation or wings. Pups are typically raised by their parents, although it's encouraged for the rest of the community to pitch in and help, too. Once they reach young adulthood at around 18-20 years they'll cocoon themselves and develop into their adult form, adorned with functioning wings, horns, spines, manes, etc. Sometimes this transformation happens early, though it is extremely rare and often a sign that something is wrong.

Most Festelcan live in the southern portion of the supercontinent, the exception being the Ice Festelcan, who live up north, separated from everyone else.

Festelcan occupy four main regions that also serve as nations, and each region typically is dominated by a specific type of Festelcan.

FIRE FESTELCAN

Fire Festelcan, live mostly in Scorchrocks, a quite barren region located around a massive volcano on the western side of the supercontinent.

They commonly sport orange, yellow, and red markings, with spots being quite common. All adults have wings, and oftentimes horns, spikes, and spines. Fire Festelcan are also on average the largest Festelcan variant.

They can withstand extremely high temperatures, being immune to being burnt by fire and lava. They also produce a very hot stream of fire from their mouths, which is an excellent weapon against other Festelcan types.

They eat the ores and other minerals that are located within the volcano. They'll take any prey where they can get it, but the fauna that does exist is either massive and extremely dangerous, or small and escapes with ease. The few plants that thrive here are too tough and taste horrible to the Fire Festelcan.

Scorchrocks is ruled by a queen, and the role is typically passed down to her daughters. It's said that the first queen was chosen after she had saved her people from an unusually large infernal worm, large invertebrates that prey on Festelcan. Ever since then, it's been tradition for princesses to prove their worth by taking on an infernal worm in combat. If they fail, they are barred from being queen. This tradition has its critics, some deeming it too risky to send an heir to possibly die, especially if there is no one to take her place. In the event the current queen does die and leaves no heirs, with no female relatives that can be chosen instead, the people will vote on a new queen.

Festelcan as a species just aren't big on clothes, especially Scorchrocks residents, but the Festelcan of Scorchrocks do love one particular thing: Jewelry. Scorchrocks is full of precious gems that Fire Festelcan simply adore. They're excavated by miners and given to craftsmen to turn into the most exquisite jewelry on Vytas. Scorchrocks will trade their jewelry with other regions. Jewelry is seen as a status symbol, the more you have to wear, the more well off, important, and respected you are. The queen, for instance, typically covers her horns, neck, tail, and ears with the most high-quality of gems.

Scorchrocks isn't the best region for building structures for housing. Wood will burn if used, and the rocks aren't much better as building materials. Volcanic eruptions and other events can totally destroy anything they do successfully build. So, the Festelcan of Scorchrocks carve out elaborate tunnel systems underground. Their homes may not be comfortable for most, but Fire Festelcan find the hot, rocky tunnels plenty cozy.

STORM FESTELCAN

Storm Festelcan mostly live in Rainhigh, a large cloud forest just east of Scorchrocks. This region sees a lot of precipitation. That, combined with the high altitudes and thick fog make Storm Festelcan feel right at home. There are also small numbers of Fire and Toxic Festelcan who live here, though Toxic Festelcan are more common, since they find Rainhigh more comfortable.

Storm Festelcan typically come in different shades of blue, pink, and purple. Markings vary wildly but patterns resembling rain or lightning bolts are common. Adults may have antler-like horns, manes, fins, and barbels or tendrils. Adults can also fly, not needing wings to do so.

They thrive in bad weather. They are immune to being electrocuted and can control storms to an extent. They can't summon storms, but when storms do pass by Rainhigh, they are able to manipulate them. Some Storm Festelcan can control the winds, others the rain, and quite a few can use the storms to summon lightning bolts. They usually cannot control multiple things at once. Additionally, Storm Festelcan have breath attacks that they can use at any time. They either can spew powerful blasts of wind, beams of electricity, or spray jets of pressurized water.

There are a few species of plant in Rainhigh which bear fruit that Storm Festelcan find irresistible. There's plenty of small animals that they can also try their luck with, and a river located at the base of the mountains provide lots of aquatic life that Storm Festelcan eat regularly.

Rainhigh is ruled by a council of five Storm Festelcan, four councilors who typically make the rules and an archcouncilor who oversees everything. Councilors and Archcouncilors are voted in by the people and stay in power until they either die or retire. Archcouncilors break ties when the rest of the council cannot make a decision, and they meet with leaders of other regions while the councilors stay behind.

Storm Festelcan are often skilled artists. Rainhigh is home to painters, sculptors, musicians, and more. Music in particular is very popular, and Storm Festelcan have a variety of different genres, to gentle, graceful songs that incorporate rain or wind to bombastic, energetic songs that incorporate thunder and lightning. They dance a lot, too, usually by performing elaborate aerial maneuvers or busting it down on the ground.

Rainhigh is filled with towers, open plazas, and and several kinds of housing. Many entrances are located above the ground, only accessible by flight. Because only adult Storm Festelcan can fly, most buildings have at least one accessible entrance for youngsters. They typically use dried plants, similar to straw as bedding.

Rainhigh is currently at war with Scorchrocks over territory, and while the fighting is growing increasing unpopular by civilians, their leaders continue the battling anyway.

TOXIC FESTELCAN

Toxic Festelcan mostly live in Greendepths, a dense jungle south of Scorchrocks and Rainhigh. It's filled with giant trees and little to no sunlight.

Toxic Festelcan are the lightest, most agile Festelcan variants. They are longer and thinner than the others, with adults sporting flexible spines and fins that let them glide around with ease. Their markings come in any bright color, they have prehensile tails, the largest eyes and best night vision of any Festelcan type, and they have both fangs to inject venom and a throat pouch so they can spray venom too. Even their flesh is mildly poisonous. They are speedy, excellent climbers, and can maneuver through Greendepths better than anyone else. Other Festelcan find them kind of off-putting and a bit intimidating. If they could fly, they'd be considered the most horrifying Festelcan on the planet.

Greendepths hosts many organisms besides the Toxic Festelcan who are either poisonous or venomous. Toxic Festelcan, being immune to both venom and poison of nearly any kind, do not care and simply eat anything they get their claws on. They are quite the chefs, and absolutely love creating exquisite dishes. Unfortunately other Festelcan will likely be poisoned by most of what they make and it's very hard to test what is and isn't safe without killing people.

Greendepths usually has two monarchs at a time. Toxic Festelcan aren't Matriarchal like the Fire Festelcan of Scorchrocks so gender doesn't matter. Both monarchs share the same duties, making decisions for Greendepths together. When a monarch dies or retires a new monarch is voted in.

The residents of Greendepths live in large tree houses, constructed out of wood. Rarely do they have their homes on the ground. The outside of their tree houses usually have "handles" that jut out so it's easier for the Festelcan, especially pups, to grab onto.

Greendepths never gets involved with whatever conflicts Scorchrocks and Rainhigh have. They readily trade with both nations, and no one is willing to start fights with Greendepths, as both Scorchrocks and Rainhigh are kind of terrified of it and it's inhabitants.

ICE FESTELCAN

The other Festelcan do not know that Ice Festelcan even exist. They live in the northernmost parts of Vytas, cut off from the other Festelcan types, in the frigid Everfreeze region.

Ice Festelcan are the shortest, stockiest Festelcan variety. They have pale, jagged markings, usually white, grey, or light blue, smaller ears, shorter legs, more body fat, and ice-like spines. Most Festelcan cannot tolerate the cold very well, but Ice Festelcan thrive and feel right at home in it, being immune to freezing to death. They can breathe freezing beams of ice from their mouths, and they possess webbed paws, giving them the best swimming ability of any Festelcan type. They can hold their breaths significantly longer than other Festelcan. They cannot fly or glide.

Everfreeze has little to no plant or animal life, being a barren icy landscape all the time. Everything the Ice Festelcan eat comes from the ocean. They dive to great depths to hunt, and often hunt cooperatively to bring down large game to feed as many people as possible. This is, however, very dangerous, as the waters here are filled with massive marine predators that will happily prey on careless Ice Festelcan. One of which is the Polar Worm, a relative of the Infernal Worm. Polar Worms are purely aquatic, and terrorize the Ice Festelcan as much as the Infernal Worm terrorizes the Fire Festelcan.

Everfreeze doesn't have a set leader or group of leaders. The majority of the population is divided into smaller villages, comprised of one to a few families and some unrelated individuals. The oldest members make decisions for their village. The Ice Festelcan are not unified in the way the other Festelcan are. There isn't that much major conflict between villages, most of it typically being family drama, as they don't fight over resources.

Since freezing to death is not an issue, even for newborn Ice Festelcan, housing isn't as big of an issue to them as it would be to other Festelcan. Most Ice Festelcan simply dig out burrows in the snow or ice, to hide themselves from the few terrestrial predators that may pose a threat to them. There are several villages that choose to make huts out of the bones, armor, and hide of their prey instead.

Many Ice Festelcan have tried to explore South of Everfreeze, but they do not handle warmer temperatures very well and every attempt led to them turning back. Who knows what would have happened if they had managed to find the other Festelcan nations?

OTHER INFO

Festelcan as a whole have only been around for a few thousand years.

Festelcan are basically still in the stone age. They don't have any forms of technology and are not space faring.

Festelcan did not evolve on Vytas. They didn't really evolve at all, actually. Festelcan are not a natural species and were instead created and then planted onto Vytas. They do not know this.

The Storm Festelcan considered Cerulean a terrifying anomaly. When she was a pup, her mentor had been teaching her to use her powers, and her electricity badly wounded him. The council quickly got involved and the archcouncilor, Shockjaw, was fearful of her power and wanted her dead. Cerulean's parents tried to defend her but Shockjaw murdered them both, chasing Cerulean deep into the forest before he lost her. He had hoped she died, but in reality she was saved and transported off world by Krim. Cerulean was presumed dead.

Shockjaw had tried to convince everyone that Cerulean was too dangerous to be kept alive, and hid the truth of her parents' murders. Downpour, Cerulean's former mentor, doesn't believe that she should have been killed, but the council silences and threatens him everytime he attempts to defend her.

Cerulean however, has held a grudge ever since, and plans to enact her revenge.

[matoitech]

it’s obviously important for ppl to criticize misogyny particularly transmisogyny in trans male communities since thats a trans community issue but if ur also tme and the only thing u ever exclusively talk about trans men for is talking abt us as bigoted misogynists (usually there’s a ‘binary’ slapped in front of it) i genuinely think you need to put the phone down go outside and remember that whatever insane misogynist guys online are saying is not a necessarily a reflection of like things adult men outside of a weird fringe group of freak transmisogynist dudes on tumblr who think the boys should get our own word JUST like the GIRLS or its NOT FAIR!! or whatever (and one coined by a fucking terf at that..) are saying, or justification for behaving weirdly about an entire diverse community of trans people.

again i do not say this to like dissuade ppl from discussing legitimate problems but like a couple points- 'binary' trans men r capable of talking about it ourselves, and we do, and we’re not the ones whose posts get shared about it. and second: if you’re only bringing us up to talk abt how shitty particularly TRANS men are you might have a problem you need to deal with? this is not a shocking statement. like at some point someone has to point it out to you and sit there and take the shit and patiently explain to you it’s that the problem comes when its literally the ONLY thing you bring us up for and act like we're not capable of talking abt this ourselves, and that its a problem how comfortable ppl r for letting ppl speak over/for us if the only similarity they share w trans men is.. an agab and not being cis (yikes!). or if theyre transmasc and male aligned in some capacity but dont have any interest in engaging with or considering themselves a part of like trans men, THEYRE the ones who need to talk abt it, bcuz the (usually 'binary') Trans Men wont (not saying those ppl cant or shouldnt but they may be treated differently for doing so)

first ppl liked using transmeds existing to throw up justification for treating us like a bigoted monolith you (uniquely) Just Dont Feel Safe Around and its normal to make assumptions abt us being transphobic especially if we don't identify by labels deemed 'safe' and Inherently More Radical, and now its pretending we all collectively cant recognize our privilege thru our intense blinding hatred of women and its up to you to save us from ourselves and beat some common sense into the inherently bigoted stupid about gender patriarchy dicksucker boys. like i dont know im tired of it when trans men being accused of only existing bcuz we want to be patriarchy bootlickers i guess is always what radfems have thrown at us, so its not like this negative perception of trans men filtered thru a supposedly progressive lense is new. a lot of adult trans men dont talk abt like particular hot shit thats discussed a lot on here rn (the 'trans misandry' shit for example) bcuz its was not a problem in the spaces we're in and we knew it was stupid as fuck right away and barely worth talking about to say 'yeah you know that thing we all know is stupid and bullshit? its stupid and bullshit'. bcuz we're not fifteen years old or weird misogynists. we have brains, don't hate women, and we dont all know and hang around the same people.

anyway dont take this post as a stand in for serious discussion and calling out misogyny (again especially transmisogyny) w other men, those posts do need to exist, i am not trying to say this stuff shouldnt be talked about. what i'm specifically pointing out is a frustrating pattern in the perception of and discussion of trans men that ppl probably dont realize theyre participating in. i do think it is very important to talk abt community issues and criticisms but if its literally the one thing you bring up trans men for i think being aware of that behavior has no NEGATIVES here. also do have to bring up i specified other tme ppl early on bcuz this isnt smth ive experienced or seen from transfems and their position as like the affected party of transmisogyny is automatically like .. if they have issues w trans men it is pretty inherently coming from a different place than like, a cis womans, or a tme nonbinary person, or a transmasc person with issues with trans men, or a cis mans, etc. tme ppl who are on a very different ground here, whose behavior is straight up different anyway

[skillzissuez]

Depression is all fun and games until your skipping school even though you’re weeks behind because you quite literally can’t get out of bed

[daughterofsarenrae]

Tfw ur house doesnt have heating so u have to dress up in ur renfest chemise & dress & cloak bc its the warmest thing u have

[reyryz]

this light and shadow duo shit is SERIOUS!!!

[dxsole]

I watched The Continental and like...I always liked the concept of the Adjudicators from the movies, but THIS Adjudicator...stone cold bitch with a mask,,,,damn I need a masked villain oc PRONTO!!!

[taikk0]

JUST SAYING ONCE I LEARN TO PRONOUNCE MY T'S PROPERLY ITS OVER FOR YOU BUTTNUGGETS