#Jade Jaguar

[elijones94]

🐾 Jade Jaguar from “Sofia The First” 🐆

[mostdefinitelyahumanperson]

to be clear, Jay, Wu and Harumi are all yelling for different reasons (Jay's having a panic attack, Wu is lecturing a bit too enthusiastically, and Harumi's being mean)

[ross-hollander]

The Three Gs:

Clan Smoke Jaguar are Gaslight because everyone says they were extinct, when there actually were survivors, serving in the Fidelis

Clan Wolf/Wolf Empire are Gatekeep because apparently, when you're ilKhan, Archon and heir to the Federation, nobody can enter the Circle of Equals with you because you have no equals

Clan Jade Falcon are Girlboss, because they had Malvina Hazen, who really can't be contested for the title

[kumeko]

A/N: For the @chaldea-monthly! FGO is really fun for picking apart my fav characters in a new setting and giving them new, different angst. XD And yes, I had to put a little Rin/Emiya because regardless if he’s Emiya or Shirou, they’re my ship. Just different flavours.

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Breakfast

Emiya had thought he’d seen it all: a Holy Grail war as a teenager, countless battles and deaths as an adult, and various wars after he’d breathed his last. Justice never rested and so neither did he, his life and death dedicated to the pursuit of an ideal that had never really existed.

And then the world ended.

And then he got summoned to Chaldea, by an ambitionless master who already had a dozen other servants under her belt. Who had at least six other Archers on the roster, so he had to get used to people calling him by a name he thought he’d long thrown away.

Yet, Emiya could get used to that. The situation was unusual, but his life had been too.

No, the hardest part of his new life here were the ghosts of his past, the facsimiles of people he knew wandering through the halls. Rin, Sakura, his father, Saber; he had not seen any of their faces since childhood, and yet it only took a second and he was a teenager again, grappling with the unknown.

If it were up to him, he would stay in his room until summoned, stay away from all the unwanted feelings of it all.

Unfortunately, life was not fair, especially not his. Chaldea had a food problem—there were too many big eaters and not enough cooks. As much as he’d prefer to turn a blind eye, there were children running through the halls and he couldn’t let them starve over something as petty as an upset heart.

Especially not the kid standing in front of him right now. Lily Artoria bounced excitedly as she stared at the morning menu, her meal tray clasped to her chest as she considered her options. If there was one thing Emiya had learned from his time here, it was that no matter how old Artoria was, no matter what universe she came from, she was always hungry enough to eat a country.

Half of Chaldea’s food shortages were because his new master had the unfortunate luck of summoning not one, not two, but nine different versions of her.

Emiya had not known that even three different versions of anyone could exist, let alone nine. Then again, he’d once fought his younger self, so who was he to talk?

Still, nine was excessive. Emiya looked across the cafeteria, to the overcrowded table laden with food. There were only three of them there right now—the sword-wielding Artoria he was familiar with, a darkly-dressed lancer version of her, and then one that insisted on dressing like a bunny for some godforsaken reason. Even with three, the table looked like it was hosting a feast. Behind him, Emiya could hear Tamamo and his other kitchen help wheezing as they rushed around, trying to fulfill all their orders.

When the rest of them arrived, it would be pure chaos. And that wasn’t even including all the versions of Artoria’s son, who seemed to have inherited her appetite if not her manners.

As though sensing his gaze, the sword-wielding Artoria raised her head, locking eyes with him. Emiya jerked his head away. She was the hardest one to deal with—she looked too similar to the Artoria he’d summoned, to the one he’d fought. Was she either of those? Did she remember?

Was she the one he couldn’t save?

“Emiya?”

Lily Artoria’s voice broke through his thoughts and he looked down to find her looking at him inquisitively. Pinching his thigh, he shoved away those useless thoughts. There was no point in thinking about that now. “What did you want?”

“A dozen sausages, three eggs, two muffins, four slices of toast, strawberry jam, and marmalade,” Lily rattled off, like it was a grocery list, like she was in a five-star restaurant and he was her server. Even at this age, she handled herself like a king. “Are you okay?”

He hadn’t expected the last question. “I’m fine.”

“You sure?” Lily pressed the tray closer to her chest and shifted anxiously from foot to foot. Despite her nervousness, her eyes were clear and determined as she pressed, “You’re always like this when we’re here.”

Had he really been that obvious? “Like what?”

“Pensive. Distant.” Lily frowned. “Do you hate us?”

“No.” The response was automatic, his lips moving before he even considered the question.

“Oh.” She twisted her lips, mulling over the situation. “Then what is it? It has to be something. Can I help?”

She was bright and earnest and almost entirely too eager. While he could find traces of the other Artorias in Lily, in the firmness of her stance, the determination in her expression, the honesty on her lips, Emiya had never been able to find her in her grown-up forms. At some point, this innocence had died.

At some point, Artoria had seen too much, done too much.

If you could stay like this, he almost thought, but that was a fantasy wrapped up in a wish. It was an impossibility. The possible avenues of her future existed in Chaldea, but they all meant the same thing: there was little happiness for her.

And Emiya had never been one to indulge in a fantasy.

“Could you get one of them to help with the dishes when they’re done eating?” he finally said. “We almost have none left for the breakfast rush.”

“Yes!” Lily stood a little straighter and nodded eagerly. “I can do that!”

She spun on her heel, making a beeline to the door when Mordred stepped in. Her son never had a chance—as much as Mordred pretended that she didn’t want anything to do with her father, she was like putty before Lily’s hands.

Especially when Lily had them sit next to each other.

In another time, Mordred would be instrumental in Artoria’s death. In this, they could share breakfast.

A fantasy given flesh.

Lunch

Emiya wasn’t sure what would horrify Rin more about the goddess currently claiming her body: the exposed flesh, the pathetic whine, or the way she often ran away like a c-grade villain. Actually, he did know, and it was the way Ishtar screwed up everything she ever attempted. If there was one thing Rin hated above all else, it was mediocrity.

Maybe that was the reason Rin was currently asleep inside while Ishtar took full command of her body: embarrassment.

Even right now, when Ishtar was merely sighing heavily as she studied the menu, Emiya was certain that the failure of a goddess had an idiotic plan and an even more idiotic method to carry it out. It was only lunch. That only made it more likely.

“I’ll take the special,” Ereshkigal softly ordered, her hands clasped in front of her.

Emiya tore his eyes away from Ishtar and nodded. “It’ll be right out.”

The goddess in front of him beamed. She was the inverted image of Ishtar, in more than just looks. There was a quiet dignity to Ereshkigal, one that was utterly lacking in Ishtar. She gave off the feeling Emiya had expected when meeting a goddess.

Then again, perhaps the thing Rin would boast about the most was that multiple goddesses were using her as a host. As expected of someone like me, she’d crow.

Ishtar sighed again.

Ereshkigal rolled her eyes. “She just wants attention.”

“I can tell,” he replied flatly. “I’ve been trying to ignore her.”

“You can try, but she makes it impossible.” Ereshkigal ran a hand through her hair, the action so familiar his breath hitched. “She’s always been a brat, even more so now.” Her finger tapped her chest and her expression softened. “An extra influence.”

“I’m not surprised.” He knew without looking his own expression had softened and Emiya turned away before she could notice. Ishtar peeked at him again, watching him from the corner of her eyes as she fiddled with her thumbs. When she sighed again, pointedly, he grunted.

He might as well give in. She’d hold up the line otherwise. “You going to order?”

“Yeah…” Ishtar sauntered up to the counter like she was walking the catwalk, hips swaying, hair flowing. She smiled prettily, batting her eyes and parting her lips and he knew exactly what she was after before she even spoke. “Say, do you—”

“No.” It was firm, it was immediate, and it was blunt.

“Hey!” Ishtar scowled, stomping her foot. “I didn’t even ask yet!”

He shrugged. “Either way, no. You want food or not?”

“Everyone knows it’s trouble with you,” Ereshkigal pointed out unhelpfully. It was like tossing gasoline to a flame. Maybe he should make a rule that they couldn’t eat together.

“Shut it, you!” Ishtar turned her glare to Ereshkigal. “And it isn’t trouble this time.” She looked back at him. “Come on, you have to hear me out!”

Her persistence was similar to Rin’s, if more pathetic. Emiya crossed his arms. “It’s going to be something stupid and dangerous. No.”

“What if it wasn’t stupid?” Ishtar smiled winningly, as though that solved the issue.

“So it’s dangerous?” Emiya snorted. He could count the ruined summers that came from Ishtar’s petty drive for vengeance and greed. At the very least, she hadn’t harmed herself yet. He eyed her and muttered, “Try to be careful. You can’t hurt your host, right?”

Immediately, he knew he’d said the wrong thing. Ishtar smiled slyly. “Worried about me?”

He glowered. “Not at all.”

She rested her hand on her hips. “Hmph. You should just lie.” Her voice gentled as she pressed a hand to her chest. “Then, worried about the one inside?” Ishtar regarded him softly, for once looking like a proper goddess. “She might be asleep, but she seems to worry about you too.”

“I’ve felt it too.” Ereshkigal curled her hand in her chest. It was rare enough that she and Ishtar got along, rarer still that they agreed. “There’s a dull ache whenever I look at you or…” She glanced across the dining room, to where Parvati was knitting. “The other one.”

He could guess why. He felt that same ache whenever Parvati smiled. Both goddesses were looking at him, and he could almost see Rin behind them. Emiya looked away. “I’m not worried.”

“Oh?” Ishtar asked, not buying it for a second. “Then what?”

“It’s a debt.” That was the simplest, easiest way to explain himself. The simplest, easiest way to hide everything. “I still owe her.”

“Is that what you call it?” Ereshkigal chided. “Even now, you can’t be honest.”

“If he could, he wouldn’t be in this mess, would he?” Ishtar sighed. She leaned over the counter and poked his chest. “But you should try and relax sometimes. For her. I don’t want to carry this heavy feeling around with me all day.”

Her finger shouldn’t have felt as heavy as it did. Quietly, he rasped, “I’ll try.”

“Good boy. And now that we got that out of the way…” Ishtar rubbed her hands together and smirked greedily. The goddess was gone, leaving behind a cartoon villain. “Do you think you could cater for my next event?”

Ereshkigal groaned.

Emiya ignored her and called out, “Next!”

Dinner

If Ishtar was a failure of a goddess, Parvati was the pinnacle embodiment of one. Her steps were light as she crossed the dining hall, her smile gentle as she set the tray on the counter, and her voice was as soft as a cloud as she thanked him. “Dinner was lovely as usual.”

Her posture was perfect, her touch dainty. Artoria had the regality of a king, and Parvati that of a queen.

Emiya accepted the tray and shrugged. “It’s nothing.”

“Even so, every action deserves to be acknowledged and appreciated at least.” Parvati studied him, her gaze running up and down him before settling on his face. “Have we met before?”

“At lunch,” he replied shortly, not liking where this was going.

She giggled into her hand. “No, that’s not what I meant. Though, I don’t think I met you either…Oh, perhaps you and the little one inside of me?”

His breath hitched and he turned away, taking the tray to the sink. “No. Never.”

“Hmmm, if you say so.” When he looked over her shoulder, her smile told him otherwise. She was a goddess. It wasn’t surprising she could see through his lies. “You’re always short on cooks.”

“Not always,” he denied, wiping his hands on his apron. “Just when the crowd is here.”

“That’s quite often, is it not?” Parvati clapped her hands together. “I know, I’ll help.”

Emiya spun on his heel and stared at her. “You’ll what?”

“Help.” Parvati smiled brightly. She patted her chest. “She has fond feelings towards cooking and it’s been far too long since I’ve last stepped into a kitchen.”

“That…” Emiya ran a hand through his hair. A goddess working in the kitchen felt like a taboo. Then again, they had goddesses fighting at the whims of a mortal, so perhaps this wasn’t as much of a step down as it seemed.

“Is something wrong?” she asked, cocking her head, her hands clasped behind her back.

He could almost see Sakura in her movements. “No. Go ahead.”

“Great. Tomorrow then.” Parvati smiled brightly. “This is exciting.”

“Is…is she happy?” He couldn’t stop the words. Maybe it was nostalgia that forced him to ask. It had been decades, and even now Emiya could remember the faint smell of cherry blossoms and soap as they washed the dishes together.

Even now he could remember the troubled smile he had never been able to ease.

Parvati smiled kindly. “The little one’s in…I suppose you could call it a deep sleep. It’s hard to be happy in that state.”

“Oh.” Emiya looked away. He should have known better than to ask. “Right.”

“But,” Parvati continued, leaning over the counter to clasp his hands before he could withdraw. Her hands were soft but firm. “It is a peaceful slumber. There’s no sorrow or pain in this sleep, just a deep, dreamless darkness. She can recover here. Rest. Heal.”

It wasn’t a satisfying answer, but Emiya’s life had never been satisfying in the first place. He looked down at their clasped hands, then up at the goddess. Her expression was thoughtful. Kind.

Her smile before had radiated of a happiness he’d rarely seen in Sakura.

Emiya didn’t know what would happen after their master was done, after all the servants were returned to the throne. But he hoped Sakura would remember this peace wherever she went.

Dessert

Out of all the servants here, the one Emiya avoided the most was his father. No, not quite his father—the Kiritsugu stalking Chaldea’s halls little resembled the man he’d known. This was Kiritsugu before they’d met, this was the man who still spent most of his days covered in blood. Seeing him, Emiya understood why his father had always looked troubled when Emiya had called him a hero, why he had looked sad whenever he remembered the past.

Still, the assassin had softened recently, in no small part thanks to the woman and teenager clasping his hands as they entered the cafeteria. Emiya watched as the pair of platinum blondes tugged Kiritsugu over to a table. While he was still expressionless, his eyes were softer, his lips tugged into the semblance of a smile.

For his part, Emiya didn’t know what to make of the two women. They looked almost like carbon copies of one another, only separated by age. For a while, he had thought they were the same person, but summoned at different times like Lily Artoria.

The older one called herself Irisviel, and if Kiritsugu often acted like he was dead, she looked like a ghost.

The younger one called herself Illya.

A cheerful, magical girl Illya.

Even now, as she ran over to the counter, her smile bright, her eyes wide, he could only remember the deadly master who had tried to murder him with Hercules. How was it possible for two timelines to be so different? How was it possible that they were the same person?

“Can I get three cheesecakes?” Illya asked eagerly, bouncing on her feet as she stared at the selections available. “Strawberry, chocolate, and…umm…blueberry!”

“Sure.” Emiya pulled out three plates from under the counter, the ceramic warm on his hands. All three of them came for dessert every day, and he knew already that the other two would eat only half of their slice, saving the rest for their daughter.

His sister, in a strange way. Could they have ever been friends, let alone family?

“You’re always overworked, aren’t you?” Illya asked, concerned. Her eyes were wide and bright. “I hope you get a vacation soon.”

It was strange to hear that from Illya of all people. He felt a pang of pity for the girl he’d known. Emiya carefully slid a strawberry slice onto a plate. “Hopefully.”

“Too bad my brother isn’t here with me.” Illya pumped her fists energetically. “He could help. He’s great in the kitchen.”

“Is he now?” Emiya almost choked on the words.

And if seeing Illya like this was strange, it was stranger still to think that in another life, they would have been siblings. That in another life, Kiritsugu would have been a doting husband and Irisiviel a warm mother. That in another life, they could have both been his parents.

That in Illya’s life, they were.

“Don’t worry,” Illya reassured. She dabbed a finger on the chocolate cheesecake and licked the frosting. “When he comes here, he’ll help.”

“What makes you think he’ll come?” Emiya asked, curiosity piqued as he gave her the last slice.

“Because he’s a hero!” Illya replied immediately, beaming like the sun.

Emiya didn’t know if he should be happy or sad to think that in another life, maybe he had been a hero. A real hero.

Bonus: Midnight Snack

Even for a workaholic like him, Emiya liked to keep certain hours. The cafeteria opened at six. It closed at midnight. No exceptions.

“E-mi-ya!” a sing-song voice filled the hallway.

No exceptions except one: Jaguar. Emiya felt a chill run through him as he heard Jaguar laugh drunkenly as she sprinted across the hall. Before he could turn around, she pounced, an arm draping around his shoulders, the other grabbing his hand before he could pull the key out of the cafeteria doors.

For such a short woman, she had immense strength.

Jaguar grinned up at him. “Let’s go drinking.”

If everyone else he’d met here were somewhat different than the versions he’d known, Jaguar wasn’t at all. Fujiwara’s image overlapped on her entirely and not in a good way. Emiya grunted. “I’d rather not.”

“You’re old enough now, right?” Her question sounded more like a statement. It was hard to tell from her goofy smile just who was asking that question. “It’s just a drink!”

“You’re already drunk,” he grumbled as she forced him to unlock the cafeteria.

“Don’t worry.” She slapped his back before skipping into the room. “I can handle my booze.”

Experience told Emiya otherwise. It was going to be a long night.

[gods-blade]

[omgcheez]

misc, but I wanted to share my Jade necklace (jadeite, since jade usually is either jadeite or nephrite)

[jorrated]

Redid my Maya Knux gijinka! Now with notes and sources on how I did the design (It's kinda long, around 2k words jsyk):

The hairstyle:

Knux has pretty long spikes, so I knew I wanted to give him long hair! Braids or dreadlocks look pretty fitting, so I tried looking for references of hairstyles to see if any fit what I was looking for:

Source: Mayavase.com (Photograph by Justin Kerr)

http://research.mayavase.com/kerrmaya_hires.php?vase=1092

http://research.mayavase.com/kerrmaya_hires.php?vase=1453

http://research.mayavase.com/kerrmaya_hires.php?vase=694

http://research.mayavase.com/kerrmaya_hires.php?vase=1340

While all the vases show a variety of interesting hairstyles, I particularly loved the look of the braids in K694 (the third picture). Being tied upwards wouldn’t really fit Knux however, so something like the man in K1340 (fourth pic) with his hair fully down, or the 5th man from left to right in K1092 (first pic) with a cloth holding the hair would be really nice!

I didn’t want to give him a headpiece, if only to not clutter his head, but also I didn’t think it’d fit Knux as a warrior. The ruler’s headpiece in K1453 (second pic) however allows the hair to come off it, and seems to have some dangly adornments on the end of the strands/braids/locks, which I found super pretty. Plus:

“Elite Mayan men and women styled their hair to show off their pointed heads, crafted through the careful head flattening they experienced as children. Women gathered their long hair on top of their heads in flowing ponytails. For special occasions they braided their ponytails and decorated them with ornaments and ribbons. Mayan men grew their hair long but burnt the hair off their foreheads to accentuate their elongated profiles. They would bind their hair into one or many ponytails or tie it in a bundle on top of their head. Mayan slaves had their hair cut short as one visible mark of their inferior status.” p.399

Source: Fashion, costume, and culture: clothing, headwear, body decorations, and footwear through the ages (Sarah Pendergast and Tom Pendergast, Sarah Hermsen as Project Editor), 2003.

https://archive.org/details/fashioncostumecu0000pend/page/n5/mode/2up

Taking all of that! I settled on tight braids with a few adornments made of jade and wood, with a red cloth to keep his hair from his eyes. Almost all of the braids are pulled together into a ponytails, but there are some smaller braids loose.

It’s somewhat of a mixture of styles, combining ornaments of special occasions, with the long hair of elites on a character like Knux. But I kept these ‘contradictory’ aspects of the design to remember that Knux kinda learns about his ancestors on the go, through murals, writings and technology, so I doubt he’d have a great grasp on what he should and shouldn’t wear. I think it adds character as someone who’s trying to figure out himself, his history and his place in the world.

Shoes and Accessories:

For footwear I kept it simple, just turned Knux’s existing shoes into sandals:

“Ancient Aztecs and Mayans of Central America adopted a thick-soled sandal with a protective legging attached at the heel, while the top of the foot and shin remained exposed.” p.135

Source: Encyclopedia of Clothing and Fashion (Valerie Steele), 2005

Although my gut instinct was to cover Knuckles from head to toe in accessories, I also tried to keep it simple like the shoes. He’s a very mobile fellow so he can’t have too much weight or annoying bits flying everywhere and getting in his face. So I kept his moon necklace, like in Fleetway, just adjusted the shape to have a bit more of details:

“The jewelry worn by the Mayan, Aztec and Inca people was rich in variety and quite beautiful. Without metalworking skills, Mayans made jewelry from many materials. Mayan men wore nose ornaments, earplugs and lip plugs made from bone, wood, shells and stones, including jade, topaz, and obsidian. Necklaces, bracelets, anklets and headgear were made with jaguar and crocodile teeth, jaguar claws and feathers.” p.402

Source: Fashion, costume, and culture: clothing, headwear, body decorations, and footwear through the ages (Sarah Pendergast and Tom Pendergast, Sarah Hermsen as Project Editor), 2003.

https://archive.org/details/fashioncostumecu0000pend/page/n5/mode/2up

As stated here, Mayans didn’t have metalwork, so I imagine this is an artifact that his ancestors got from another group of people.

Just a page before they also mention how the Maya people used to file points into their teeth, to make their mouths more appealing. This includes shaping them into pointy teeth, (like the classic shark teeth), but they could also file them into other shapes, like in this picture:

Source: https://www.archaeologynow.org/blog-3/blog-post-title-two-txwxl (I’m pretty sure this isn’t the source of the image, but I couldn’t find an actual source that wasn’t an uncredited blog)

The Maya people are also notorious for their good dentistry, as seen the stone ornaments in the teeth above. I think the filling is something Knux could do on his own, but anything that would involve actual dentistry would be too much. But it’s still interesting to read about!

(Here’s an article named “Mayan Esthetic Dentistry: Using Modern Techniques and Digital Imaging Technologies to Link the Past to the Present” by Yassine Harichane if you want to learn more!)

While a non-permanent version of stones on teeth seemed cool, like Jade incisor-coverings, at the end of the day I don’t think Knuckles is too vain, so I didn’t add that to the design. Although I think he’d definitely try out a bunch of things like this, just to try to understand them.

For additional outfits I gave him a red layered cape and a green huipil! The red cape is just to bring back more red into the design, since I gave him a lot of green. And the huipil is a nod to his poncho in the comics! (Although huipiles are commonly associated with women and girls, I still wanted to give him one, not only to bring up his partial detachment to his ancestors, but also because Knux probably wouldn’t think much about gender in general let’s be honest)

Source: Mayavase.com (Photograph by Justin Kerr)

http://research.mayavase.com/kerrmaya_hires.php?vase=638

Somewhat based the red cape on the 4th man in this picture, from left to right, but I kept it simple, as maybe just some fabric Knux found around the island, nothing too fancy.

For the huipil I wanted to do something more detailed but was having a really hard time coming up with designs. And I didn’t want to straight up plagiarize someone’s else work, so I kept it vague, maybe some day I’ll sit down and give it a more detailed version. I did come across a very nice store/ catalog that sells traditional Maya textiles, and this one was very gorgeous! Highly recommend give this and the other textiles a look!

In the end I made the huipil look vaguely like the ones shown in page 128 of the following book:

“In the Museum collection, costumes that looked very much alike usually turned out to be from villages that shared a language. Among Cakchiquel villages, dialect differences were usually mirrored by costume differences. Working on this principle we were surprised by the striking similarity of style in the huipils of San Antonio Aguas Calientes (fig. 195) and San Martín Jilotepeque (fig. 196). These villages, while both Cakchiquel, spoke very different dialects and were separated geographically (map, below). The similarity of their huipil was so remarkable we felt the need to investigate these two villages more thoroughly and found that a multi-cultural history probably accounted for these unexpected similarities of style. Huipils from these villages may well illustrate the earliest examples of pan-Maya acculturation after the Conquest.”p. 127

Source: Threads of identity: Maya costume of the 1960s in highland Guatemala (Patricia B. Altman, Caroline D.West), 1992.

https://archive.org/details/threadsofidentit0000altm/page/n7/mode/2up

Lastly on accessories, which I don’t know if it counts as an accessory but I didn’t know where to put it: the body paint. Last time I gave Knux a human design I couldn't find a good resource on Maya people painting their bodies. Every source mentioned and was in consensus that some of the people did paint their bodies, but that was the extent of the info. I wasn’t able to find any patterns or meanings of the body paintings, or even good visual reference for it. But! This time I was able to get a bit more:

“Body painting was a common Maya practice. Classic Period murals and polychrome vases depict warriors covered with red or black paint; sometimes their bodies were striped with red paint. Paint was also used around the eyes and nose to give a fierce expression. In the 16th century, these practices continued. Women also applied red paint to their faces and bodies, but presumably to make themselves look beautiful, not fierce. Small paint jars of red hematite mixed with mica were found in the houses at Cerén, and these may have been for cosmetic use. Unmarried young men painted their bodies black, and so did those who were undergoing periods of ritual purification and fasting. Priests often wore blue body paint. “p. 338

Source: Handbook To Life In The Ancient Maya World Lynn (V. Foster), 2002.

Source: Mayavase.com (Photograph by Justin Kerr)

http://research.mayavase.com/kerrmaya_hires.php?vase=2800

http://research.mayavase.com/kerrmaya_hires.php?vase=2573

http://research.mayavase.com/kerrmaya_hires.php?vase=7996

I of course wanted to give him red paint, and I really liked this design of the red lining the cheeks on the face down to the neckline. However in most of these depictions the red on the body is accompanied by the white face, which I can’t actually tell if the face has white paint, or the body has black paint, like described in the quote before. Either way I chose to only use the red, to keep in line with Knux’s original design.

(It’s worth mentioning that these vases shown depict rulers, as you can see the intricate thrones and altars, which isn’t really fitting with Knux. But again, I want to keep some mismatched aspects into his design, not only warrior-related things.)

The main outfit:

Last but not least, the main outfit. Don’t have much notes on this I’m going to be honest, I just tried to keep in line with descriptions of warriors clothing:

“While some warriors may have been resplendent on the battlefield, the common Maya soldier fought with little clothing other than loincloth and body paint, based on battle scenes in the few Maya murals that remain (see figure 2.9, page 54).” p.147

Source: Handbook To Life In The Ancient Maya World Lynn (V. Foster), 2002.

I considered putting him in a loincloth for accuracy, but tbh I was scared people were going to be weird about it, and so I gave him a skirt with some fabric that emulates the look of a loincloth and some scrap fabric around his waist and limbs! He actually ended pulling up a lot from the dude I mentioned in vase K1092 (the very first ref pic in this post) lol!

And that´s all, hope y’all liked it :P

[artifacts-archive]

Mirror with Jaguar or Coyote Mosaic

Teotihuacan, 500–600 CE

For over 2,000 years, polished stone mirrors were an important component of Mesoamerican attire, ritual, and symbolic imagery. This mirror is made of a single sheet of polished pyrite stone and includes a jade jaguar mosaic at its center. Mirrors often functioned as emblems of rank and office and were typically worn at the small of the back. The depiction of such mirrors in ancient murals, as worn by warriors, priests, and state officials, attests to their importance in the spectacular art of ritual performance in Teotihuacan.

[jade-green-butterfly]

'Stars In His Eyes~'🌌(💚John Dory x Amalthea🪐)

As promised in my recent post -> https://www.tumblr.com/jade-green-butterfly/739625758724685824/got-some-more-johnalthea-jd-x-amalthea-my-space?source=share I finally get the chance to share more goodness of my newest Trolls ship, John Dory x my Space Troll OC, Amalthea and...~ 👀👀👀 BEHOOOOLD~!! 😍🌟😍🌟😍

Done by the sweet and epic @fernistired~💕🌿

Done by the lovely and amazing @jaguardorado16~✨🔥 The true magnificent beauties of two stunning masterpieces you see before you~!!💖🤩💖🤩💖

They're both just so, so gorgeous - I could cry!!😭😭😭 I am absolutely love, love, LOVING them both to the stars and back~!!🥰🥹🌠🥹🥰

Speaking of stars, both commissions of this tenderly romantic scene were actually inspired by the famous Aristocats' sapphire eyes scene and a romantically exciting RP me and my dear bestie, @x-elyssa-x are doing of how JD and Amalthea met in an explorer AU - where Amalthea is experiencing life in Troll Kingdom for the very first time after travelling from her Space Kingdom, finds herself in Troll Village during a huge storm and is taken in by Grandma Rosiepuff (yes, she is alive and well in this AU, along with BroZone still together, yet living their own lives but still visit their dear grandma~😌) Amalthea and John's relationship begins to grow over time and JD, feeling love, finally plucks up the courage to propose to Amalthea, which she happily accepts, for she really loves him back for who he is~💚😊The two of them then travel with Rhonda, back to Space Kingdom so John can experience life there, just like Ama did in his kingdom✨ Hope you all like, my lovelies!👍🏻😁💞And a MASSIVE thank-you in a million to my awesome Fern and Jaguar for these wonderful treasures - you have both done such a fantastic job and I am ever soooo happy, over the moon and grateful for them both~!💝🫂🌟🫂💝Bless you both, my dears~!🌹😘💕🫶🏻xoxo.

*~Reblogs are also deeply appreciated as well, so please do reblog as well as like! Thank-you kindly!~*

Space Trolls (c) @x-elyssa-x~💜 Amalthea (c) @jade-green-butterfly (Me~!) John Dory (c) DreamWorks Trolls/DreamWorks Animation

[blackopals-world]

Unconventional Proposals part 2

Part 1

Yuu x Vice Wardens edition

Twisted Wonderland might have its own courting traditions but Yuu might not be from our world. What if they are the one with strange traditions?

Trey- Anyone Can Cook

This isn't fair. Trey literally has his fic already about his proposal. So I'm cheating and linking it here. Sorry, just saving time.

Ruggie- Engraved

Ever tradition is weird when you think about it. This one was no different. When you like someone you carve them a pendent out of Stone or wood. If they accept and wear it you are bound together.

Yuu picked stone knowing the process would take longer to make. The traditional way was to take a cloth and rub the stone until it was smooth while carving a shape. Like the ocean over rocks.

Ruggie had noticed Yuu work on the totem for months and had asked them if they needed help. Yuu denied.

On the day Yuu presented the carving they was given a pendant in return. Ruggie didn't know about the special meaning but he was inspired by Yuu to make a present for them anyways. It was a wood carving of a hyena. They gladly accepted.

Jade- Whale of a Time

A true warrior knows how to prove their love. Leagues deep in the frozen waters they dive to steal the ocean's bounty, a black fish tooth. To prove yourself it must be presented to your true love.

Yuu is armed with a spear, knife, net, and the determination to subdue a killer fish. They had trained their whole life for the moment they would rip the teeth out of the whale's mouth.

Gleefully they presented the blood-stained tooth to Jade. He was actually very flattered by it. The show of strength was very attractive to him. Eels don't court for long and Yuu's tribe didn't have time for lengthy rituals in their frozen lands. They were a couple instantly.

Jamil- Fine Print

"Your future husband must be clever. His eyes sharp. And his mind clear. When you dance he must see only you." Their mother would say.

Yuu understood what she meant as they watched another young woman dance across the stage. Her skin was painted in beautiful curving patterns, unlike the young man who went before. His skin was painted in sharp zig-zagging formations.

Each design had a special hidden message in them. Usually, it was the initials of their chosen partner hidden deep within. If they spotted it then it would mean that they had eyes only for them because they watch the dancer's every movement to be sure.

Yuu wanted to get their message across though so they painted a long winding serpent from their hand to coiling around their torso to the other leg. Within the serpent was 'J.V' written in gold. If Jamil did see it they'd see it as a win(even if they were cheating a bit)

During Kalim's party they performed the serpent's dance dressing in red silks and the only clue that Jamil noticed was him spitting his drink while they disrobed to begin.

He noticed alright and couldn't decide if he wanted everyone else to notice too. It was such a bold declaration of wanting to be his. How could he say no?

Rook- One Jump Ahead

The jungle was harsh and without mercy. A capable hunter is the most desired partner. One who can spot a jaguar in the trees, and hunt boars without them noticing. One who can provide premium meat and herbs for their marriage banquet.

They must put them to the test. Hunter against prey.

Yuu had their eyes on a particular hunter. Tempting Rook to chase was child's play. Leaving items in his path in a bid to get him to return them worked. Rook caught on quickly as the lost items became calling cards to look for Yuu.

One morning he found a letter on his window with a letter of love.

"𝓒𝓸𝓶𝓮 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓰𝓮𝓽 𝓶𝓮.♡"

He needed little convincing as he tracked the elusive Yuu. They were very good a remaining undetected but the trail led to the woods. For an entire day, the game of cat and mouse and Yuu got sloppy. They snapped a twig while climbing and Rook heard. The game had been won and Rook proved to be a superior hunter. And as the loser the rules were set in stone. Yuu would be the prize won.

Lilia- Salt-crusted Dreams

The seers and soothsayers have their ways. Their lives are ruled by stars and visions. That is how Yuu's people have lived since that days man had no answers to the stars and fate. Every day Yuu drew their cards to see what fate had in store, but that day, in particular, was interesting. The lovers were upright, the fool was raising, the star shines brightly, the tower is revered and the hanged man was longer doomed. It spelled good things.

The answer was simple to Yuu. Today was the day. New love was very near and a fated pair will be made. Don't resist and cause strife to oneself, you've already ovoid one disaster so don't make another. The cards can never leave them be with all their ominous warnings even if it's good news.

Yuu knew it was time as they began preparing their family recipe. Whenever a youth wanted to know who their soulmate was a loaf of salty bread was baked. It was to be eaten before sleep. Whoever comes to them in their dreams and offers them water would be their soulmate.

Nothing could prepare the seer for who appeared no matter what they believed. It was Lilia of all beings.

Yuu's family is as close to the fae as they are to the stars. The line was thin between the realms and few walked it.

Donning their robes Yuu approached the bat fae.

"Oh ho? A fortune teller approaches. It must be fate." He gestured Yuu to sit with him.

Yuu nodded and told him it was a matter of fate. They would like to give them a reading.

The reading yielded an expected result. The cards all matched their own. The odds to improbable it could only be fate.

"It seems it was written in the stars."

[mostdefinitelyahumanperson]

villains <3

(close ups under the cut)

[feather-bone]

Jaguar! They’re opportunistic hunters and will eat almost anything. Common prey include birds, monkeys, iguanas, deer, capybaras, and even tapirs and caimans.

[ID: an illustration of a jaguar, sitting facing to the left and looking toward the viewer. Its mouth is slightly open in a smile and its tail is curled up. It is on a jade green background with stylized leaves. End.]

[whencyclopedia]

Dogs and Their Collars in Ancient Mesoamerica

Dogs were an integral aspect of the lives of the people of Mesoamerica regardless of their location or culture and, throughout the region, were recognized as liminal beings belonging not only to the natural world and that of humans but to this world and the next.

Dogs were believed by the Aztec, Maya, and Tarascan to travel between worlds, assist the souls of the dead, warn of dangers to the living and, at the same time, were regarded as a food source, companion, and guardian in daily life. The dogs of the indigenous people are frequently depicted without collars because it seems to have been thought that these would restrict the dog’s movement between worlds.

Even so, collars did exist – fashioned for humans to wear – and it is thought that these developed from dog collars. This model changed with the arrival of Christopher Columbus (l. 1451-1506) in the West Indies in 1492. Columbus’ dogs all wore collars and were much larger than the animals the natives were used to. The European dogs had also been trained for war and so were far more savage than any dog a Taino, for example, had ever known.

After Columbus, who sailed for Spain, more Spanish invaders arrived and made their way north through South America to Mesoamerica, bringing Christianity with them. Christianity began to replace indigenous beliefs and, as the Catholic Church claimed dogs had no souls, belief in the supernatural power of the dog declined. Although there were no doubt many indigenous peoples who still believed in the dog as a psychopomp, there is no widespread evidence of this belief after the arrival of the Spanish as compared with pre-Columbian Mesoamerica. The descendants of the ancient people of the region have only begun restoring their ancient cultures in the past 100 years and so, in time, the dog has slowly regained the status it once held.

Olmecs & Their Dogs

The Olmecs of Mesoamerica lived in the lowlands along the Gulf of Mexico c. 1400-400 BCE and bred dogs as food. The Olmecs are the oldest civilization in the western hemisphere, inventing the first written language of Mesoamerica as well as distinctive art and architecture which would influence the later civilizations of the Aztecs, Maya, and Tarascan, among others. The sacred animal of the Olmecs was the jaguar which was thought to be spiritually related to the dog. The dog was therefore associated with the divine while, at the same time, serving as a food source. There seems to have been no contradiction in this as dogs, servants and messengers of the gods, also served humanity by graciously offering themselves as food.

A tomb of the Zoque peoples, a Mesoamerican population thought to be descended from the Olmec, was discovered in 2010 in Chiapa de Corzo containing jade collars. These were ornamental collars for human wear but could have developed from the dog collar. The tomb dates to between 700-500 BCE and is the oldest pyramid tomb yet found in the region.

The indigenous people of modern-day Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, Honduras and neighboring regions, built pyramids as temples, not as tombs, and this find is thought to reflect an earlier Olmec practice of keeping precious objects in temples – one that was observed by later cultures. The jade collars, though clearly for human use, could have linked an officiant with the spirit of a liminal dog who would bring messages from the gods.

Continue reading...

[themakeupbrush]

Miss Universe Guatemala 2022 National Costume:"Immortal Guatemala - Jaguar of the Americas"

Showing the world the beauty of Guatemala, a country that has 3 thousand years of cultural wealth In the framework of the National Palace of Culture, which is identified as the symbol of the City of Guatemala and the country in its architectural context monumental. This stage allowed our National Queen to be photographed in the Flags, Banquets halls and in the main stands of the compound. The suit is a representation of iconic elements of the country, the Mayan calendar, the pyramid of "The Great Jaguar," the jade. It has a back where the face of the jaguar is highlighted, the universal symbol of Mayan culture. Traveling in time, and with the colonization of Spain, highlight Solomonic columns that adorn the outfit, highlights the national flower "Monja Blanca", surrounded by leaves of the national tree, the "Ceiba Pentandra". Within modern art stands one of the most important works of the artist Efrain Recinos, the National Theater of Guatemala. It includes the marimba, which adorns the bottom right of an outfit that celebrates the richness and splendor of an immortal Guatemala. The suit is complemented by a carpet that represents the Lenten fervor of Guatemala at the Mayor Week, which was recently declared “Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity” by UNESCO.

[ariseur]

I saw the Dante with an assassin reader...

Vergil or V next plz? :)

And if feeling charitable... Nero?

you rolled your eyes, a groan leaving your lips as you saw a pair of death scissors headed straight for you, the desolate hallway filled with their soft cries. you placed a hand on your hip as you unsheathed your weapon, looking upwards as they swirled around the vicinity.

sighing, you looked out of the nearest window, now open as the shattered glass laid below it from when they had entered the building. the sun glimmered in the horizon as it illuminated the desolate streets of redgrave, qlipoth pollen floating around in the air as it radiated off of stiff deteriorating bodies.

your thoughts were interrupted as you ducked, evading the pair of blades headed for your neck with a gut churning screech. clouds of black flew over your head as you swung your sword at the demon, blade blocked by the sharp shears held in front of what would be its chest.

“do i ever get a—break?” you gritted your teeth at the last word, feet placed stiffly above you so as to not slip while you clashed with the creature. its hollow eyes, or more so eye holes of its mask, was a dark contrast to white of its mask as the whispering came from the pit of its mouth.

you swung your blade, managing to get at least one hit. the only reason you knew your sword pierced the demon was the shriek that followed after, blocking the other creature’s attack as it came from behind. you backed up, watching as the death scissor twins spun around the room in dark, inky swirls.

before you knew it, you were on your back, your own blade pressed up against your neck as you resisted the demon— that is, until a certain jaguar attacks the spirits from behind.

your brows furrowed as the distraction helped you take the upper hand, breaking the pair of blades with a sharp clang as you watched griffon soar above you, his obnoxious cackles drowning out the screeches of the other demons.

and as if on cue, you heard a familiar soft voice echo through the hallway— accompanied by the faint tapping off a cane, “tyger, tyger— burning bright,

“in the forests of the night.”

you looked at shadow, sheathing your weapon as you held your hand out in front of her for familiarity, “what immortal hand or eye,”

when v finally came into view, his dark hair coming into frame first, you watched as he walked into the hallway with a book in hand. jade eyes came to meet yours, lips twitching in a half smile before they moved with his next words,

“could frame thy fearful symmetry?”

“always the dramatic entrance, huh?” you gave him a small breathless laugh.

v chuckled in amusement, almost as if saying this was child play. considering you were an assassin, he was somewhat right. you brushed your pants off, watching as v’s familiars retreated back to him. “i apologize, i was—“

“catching up on some reading, i know—i know.”

walking through the next door, you walked side by side. after that encounter with those death scissors, you thought it wouldn’t be so bad to take your time so you could recover a bit. “thank you,” was all you said.

turning to look at v, he kept his head pointed downwards, smirk still evident on his face as he said, “is that an accolade, i hear?”

“well—“

“amusing how the mercenary is the one who seems to be threatened, this time.”

“okay, now you’re just bragging.”

[thepastisalreadywritten]

Aztec Sun Stone (Calendar Stone) depicts five consecutive worlds of the sun from Aztec mythology.

Stone is not, therefore, in any sense a functioning calendar, but rather it is an elaborately carved solar disk, which for Aztecs and other Mesoamerican cultures represented rulership.

At the top of the stone is a date glyph (13 reed), which represents both beginning of the present sun, fifth and final one according to mythology, and the actual date 1427 CE, thereby legitimizing the rule of Itzcoatl (who took power in that year) and creating a bond between divine and mankind.

Stone was discovered in December 1790 CE in central plaza of Mexico City. It now resides in National Museum of Anthropology in that city.

The richly carved basalt stone was once a part of the architectural complex of Temple Mayor and measures 3.58m in diameter, is 98cm thick, and weighs 25 tons.

Stone would originally have been laid flat on the ground and possibly anointed with blood sacrifices.

When it was discovered, the stone was lying flat and upside down, perhaps in an attempt to prevent the final cataclysm — fall of fifth and final sun as Aztec world fell apart following the attack from Old World.

At the centre of the stone is a representation of either the sun god Tonatiuh (the Day Sun) or Yohualtonatiuh (the Night Sun) or the primordial earth monster Tlaltecuhtli, in the latter case representing the final destruction of the world when the fifth sun fell to earth.

The tongue is perhaps also a sacrificial knife and, sticking out, it suggests a thirst for blood and sacrifice.

Around the central face at four points are other four suns, which successively replaced each other after gods Quetzalcoatl and  Tezcatlipoca struggled for control of the cosmos until the era of the fifth sun was reached.

The suns are known by the day name on which their final destruction occurred.

Beginning from the top right, there is the first sun Nahui Ocelotl (4 - Jaguar), top left is the second sun Nahui Ehécatl (4 - Wind), bottom left the third sun Nahui Quiáhuitl (4 - Rain), and bottom right is the fourth sun Nahui Atl (4 - Water).

On either side of the central face are two jaguar heads or paws, each clutching a heart, representing the terrestrial realm.

The band running immediately around the suns is segmented into the 20 Aztec day-names (hence Calendar Stone name).

Then there is a decorative ring surrounded by another ring depicting symbols, which represent turquoise and jade, symbols of the equinoxes and solstices, and the colours of the heavens.

Two heads at bottom centre represent fire serpents, and their bodies run around perimeter of the stone with each ending in a tail.

Four cardinal and the inter-cardinal directions are also indicated with larger and lesser points respectively.