#RULER & DEVIL「deck」

[cityofmeliora]

i can't sleep. i'm too busy thinking about the fact that 3 of the songs on Meliora are about suicide by jumping / falling–

Spirit is about getting so drunk from absinthe that you start to hallucinate and jump off a building to your death.

Anti-Saint wormwood catapulting your mind Into the jaws of death

A GHOUL WRITER: Lyrically, this is meant as a hallucinogenic trip into the spheres of devils and demons, guided by the green muse. Think 1929, just before the crash: A New York night sky with searchlights. An office inside the Empire State Building. A bigwig sipping absinthe before jumping off the ledge of the observation deck. Face first into the pits of hell. Meliora marketing materials (2015)

From The Pinnacle To The Pit is about both Lucifer, the fallen angel; and Icarus, whose wings melted and caused him to fell to his death when he flew too close to the sun. this song has two main interpretations: it's about how ambition is self-destructive, but another interpretation that it presents is that there is freedom to be found in choosing your own downfall. the main character in the music video for this song escapes the evil rulers of the city of Meliora by committing suicide, jumping off a building. the ghost that rises from his body is Papa Emeritus III, who uses his power to help the people of the city.

You are cast out from the heavens to the ground Blackened feathers falling down You will wear your independence like a crown

A GHOUL WRITER: Lyrically, it deals with the classic tales of Icarus and Lucifer to illustrate how most ambitious souls are ultimately, according to popular belief, facing the fall. Meliora marketing materials (2015)

He Is describes the story of two lovers' double suicide by falling to their deaths. it's compared to Romeo and Juliet– a couple choosing to die together in order to be free to love each other. interestingly, this track comes after Cirice, which is a song about about manipulating a vulnerable person through false love.

We're standing here by the abyss And the world is in flames Two star-crossed lovers reaching out To the beast with many names

//

And we are falling over the precipice

A GHOUL WRITER: Lyrically, it's a Romeo & Juliet esque inspired love song where one of the lovers is guiding them both over the edge in the belief that there will be someplace beautiful somewhere else where their love can prosper without the threat of the outside world. It's a song about faith and devotion. Meliora marketing materials (2015)

[seacret-tarot]

🌙✨Moon-Day - General energy reading for the week (April 14 - 20) ✨🌙

Pick a Pile - Tarot and Oracle Reading

1 2

3 4

Hello everyone~ I've got another general check-in for the coming week! I'll be using the Shadowscapes Tarot and the Prism Oracle, because I feel colorful for this one. Please choose whatever picture you feel most drawn to.

Hope you enjoy your reading and thanks for stopping by!

[Disclaimer: Please use your own judgement when making any decisions based on a tarot reading. Magick and readings are meant to supplement, not replace professional advice. Since this is a general reading, only take what resonates with you – and at the end of the day, we all have free will and the power to shape our lives.]

Pile 1

cards: king of wands; surrender (light gray)

The King of Wands in this deck is quite literally glowing - a brightly shining presence that uses the light from within (in the form of ethereal lions) to pursue their goals. As the ruler of Wands (governing in particular creative ideas and passions, but also willpower and intuition), you might feel called upon this week to put some plans into action you've been thinking on for a while. Combined with the card of Surrender, to me it looks like there might be a project you finally decide to delve deeper into, going with the flow of your creativity and work. If you don't see yourself in the King of Wands, but someone else in your life fitting the description, I wonder if you might feel resistance to their "aura" and like you have to give in to their ideas and - possibly - demands.

Pile 2

cards: 7 of wands; mystery (warm purple)

The 7 of Wands usually speaks about wanting (or having) to fiercely protect something - in the case of this card it is a mother fox shielding her cubs from a badger. Since we're in the realm of ideas, willpower and creative pursuits, I think the Mystery in the Oracle card could symbolize your "fox babies". The society we currently live in has a tendency to weigh down on us with its incessant material and practical demands, so the childlike wonder we still might conjure in more favorable circumstances often gets undermined, dismissed and ignored. The message here is to make sure that despite what the world throws at you, you don't lose that spark and guard your creations and awe.

Pile 3

cards: the devil (15); balance (grass green)

The Devil in Tarot often speaks of addiction, feeling trapped, bad influences and deception; in classic depictions it is also juxtaposing the Lovers card (6 vs. 1+5=6) and in its imagery mirrors the Lovers, previously free but now chained down in a dark environment. In this deck, the trapped person is alone, whilst the Devil figure dances upon the enclosure, weaving webs around a small heart. The thing is, though, that it looks like the trapped person can easily reach the key to unchain themselves with; they're just not looking, too afraid of whatever the Devil above is doing. You might have given your vices and unfavorable habits too much leeway recently or convinced yourself that you're too powerless to act anyway, which is why there's a call to return to balance. The Balance card depicts two sides of a whole, which just have to be puzzled together accordingly again, before one side tips over.

Pile 4

cards: 3 of swords; reflection (pale blue)

The 3 of Swords is one of the most recognizable and clear messages in Tarot, speaking of heartbreak, sorrow and a sense of loss. In conjunction with the Reflection card, I don't necessarily think the events triggering those feelings are going to happen, but already have happened, and now it might be time to allow yourself to sit with them and reflect upon them. Maybe you tried to (or had to) rush through things before you could fully internalize and work through your experience, and now you might have a moment to truly look at it with some distance and hindsight. Alternatively, I wonder if the "reflection" you're experiencing is quite literally in another person's story, such as in a movie, book, song, game etc. and allowing you some outlet that way.

[punkpandapatrixk]

Full Sturgeon Moon in Aquarius ♦︎ Moon Magick Pick A Card

This year’s Full Sturgeon Moon in Aquarius is also a rare blue moon that occurred on 19 August (sorry this PAC is so late aaagh!!!). Following an insane influx of aenergy during the Lion’s Gate, the theme surrounding this blue moon is Perseverance. This period is all about amassing resources and gathering momentum.

I’ve a feeling this year’s autumn (Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius) season is going to be massive and possibly even life-changing for the spiritually awakened ones ^^ You’ve got to be in the receiver mode of miracles and rare opportunities to really notice! Practically all the aenergies now are leading us to a greater sense of freedom to do what we want when we want.

Also, there’s this sense of…a mandate…? That should push Humanity towards liberating themselves from the enslavement of automation and AI. See, technology isn’t necessarily evil, right? Think about how great it is to have the kind of connectivity we have today; how amazing information dissemination has become in this Internet era.

Technology, just like currency, is impartial. In the end it all boils down to how you’re entertaining the evil agendas of evil people using tech for evil purposes. Become aware of your own habits and inclinations if you don’t want to be a fool-tool of the raggedy corporations. In essence, this Full Moon’s Aquarius aenergy is saying: ‘Use tech to your advantage instead of becoming a slave to it.'

‘Don’t be tech’s little bitch; make it your biotch.’

High time you reclaimed your divine birthright to co-create high-quality Reality instead of getting enslaved by tech that seeks to ‘map you out’. This the era you say to yourself: ‘I’m engineering a more prosperous Reality with my clear conscience.’

GNOSIS: The Dark Rise of Brain Rot Content by Moon

deck-bottom: XV The Devil Rx, Gold Astrologer (Simon Forman), Priestess of Ritual

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Pile 1 – Heart Filled with Sweet Colours

t r a n s f o r m a t i o n – Page of Cups

I see that you’ve transmuted very many negative aenergies within yourself, most of all, negative emotions as well as sensations in your body. Seems you were guided to do this by your Higher Self and team of Spirit Guides after having experienced an extreme level of suffering—could be emotionally or physically or both. When you arrived at the most extreme end of what you were struggling with, you couldn’t have gone any other way but to turn your situation around by reclaiming control over your own thoughts and emotions, which effectively shifted your directions and decision making.

There’s a really good quote that says this: ‘When a situation is good, enjoy it. When a situation is bad, transform it. When the situation can’t be transformed, transform yourself.’ You had to learn quite a bit and finally chose to do the last. You’ve known more; now you’re wiser; but wise people are sometimes very pure and childlike. And that’s the beautiful paradox of ‘growing up’ with compassion in your heart. You transformed yourself to be kinder and more loving towards yourself and the crazy-ass situations you found yourself in; now, it’s just easier to extend that love and compassion to the world outside of yourself~♪

t r a n s g r e s s i o n – 4 of Swords Rx

Many of you tuning into this Pile most likely have been in isolation mode for quite a while. The aenergy of this FM in Aquarius, namely the ruler of the 11th House of networking, is pushing you towards becoming social again. And this time everything is going to be (or has been) different. You’ll see that not only are the people in your physical Reality a lot nicer and more compassionate (like you’ve shifted timelines) but you’re also more capable of handling the low-vibing monsters that you may sometimes still have to interact with, with more patience yourself XD

Basically, you’re learning or have learnt to operate in society with more ‘tact’ now. You’ve spent a great deal of time learning to accept a more practical conception of ‘good and evil’ in the world. But to you, good and evil isn’t just black or white; you’re a person who’s come to understand the many colours of good and evil when applied in many different situations. This is wisdom, a gift, that not many have yet to grasp. Your ‘return’ to society is for you to expand this consciousness further and wider!

t r a n s c e n d e n c e – 10 of Wands

The vibe of your ‘return’ to society at large is reminiscent of the Gautama Buddha LMAO He returned to his hometown/home and became a teacher for those who weren’t yet awakened to the higher level of consciousness he had worked so hard to attain! So yeah, a ‘modern priest’ aenergy surrounds you very strongly here; although I find that the majority of you tuning into this Pile are actually quite cute XD Idk why I’m getting a strong ‘gamer girl’ vibe from you. You could also possess a strong sense of aesthetic of your own.

You’re a highly spiritually advanced being but in a cute package, is what I’m getting LMAO At this point in time, your communication skills are getting polished and refined, far beyond what you’re already capable of doing. You may want to look where your Mercury is located in your natal chart, what aspects it makes, and check out what you have in your 3rd House, as well as check out what House is ruled by Gemini ^^ The insight will empower you further at this point in time!

full moon self-care🔻🌒🌓🌔🌕🌖🌗🌘

Red Alchemist (John Dee) & Priestess of Intuition

Access full reading + cards on Patreon🌸

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Pile 2 – Solid to Liquid, Calmly

t r a n s f o r m a t i o n – Knight of Pentacles

Hold up! You’re about to jettison down a new portal of adventure, pretty soon but before that, hold up; planning and a readiness of the mind is very necessary at this moment. This Moon Reading is very tardy so I’m going to be reading an aenergy that’s pretty much already transpired by the time you’re reading this XD More to come for you in the next FM in Pisces PAC regarding this aenergy, OK? But for the most part, I’m sensing that you’re still in preparation mode for something big that’s just around the corner for you.

Just like the liquid in the glass in the pic you’re attracted to, there’s something solid that’s turning to liquid, but slowly and naturally. You’re not being burnt or heated up to melt…you know what I mean? Because melting solid to liquid can be a painful experience for peeps who’ve been through a lot, right? The Universe is gracefully granting you a peaceful time to manifest your Life Purpose in the most natural and pleasant way just yet!

t r a n s g r e s s i o n – 5 of Pentacles Rx

So, enjoy this peaceful time. I sense that it’s possible that a lot of you tuning into this Pile have been SO used to chaos and drama—so used to bubbling madly at 110C—that now you don’t know how to just…be…when no stress, no drama is going on. It could be that you were a dramatic person before. Maybe you were toxic. Or maybe you couldn’t help but be that way because you were simply surrounded by toxic betches! But that’s all in the past, OK?

If you look around and become aware of where you are now, it becomes super clear how far you’ve carried yourself away from all of that low-vibrating Reality ^^v Understand that you’re ‘weaning off’ drama, chaos and other types of ‘addictions’ caused by high-level toxicity in your old Reality. I’m getting that this is the prime time to study as much as possible about ‘surviving narcissistic abuse’ to give you not only knowledge but also validation :D

t r a n s c e n d e n c e – Knight of Cups

Other than just ‘surviving’ trauma, if that part doesn’t necessarily ring true for you, there’s also this sense of just using this peaceful time to readjust yourself to a more spiritually attuned Life. Perhaps some of you are getting into crystals, meditation, healing audio tracks, subliminals and reiki. Maybe there are other ‘spiritual’ hobbies and practices beyond these ones hahah You’ll know if you resonate~ I’m being told that this Aquarius FM really does bring that sense of balance between ‘spiritual practices’ and ‘modern technological living’ for you.

Maybe you’re meant to know more about this (especially if you identify as a Starseed) but a lot of the human qualities that we classify as ‘positive mental states’ are…technology. Things like harmony, peacefulness, positive mindsets, intelligence…all of these are practically technology. There are ways we can trigger such ‘states of mind/being’ by means of…technology. So yeah…Imma leave you with that for now XD

full moon self-care🔻🌒🌓🌔🌕🌖🌗🌘

Green Magus (John Dee) & Priestess of Energy

Access full reading + cards on Patreon🌸

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Pile 3 – Integrity Just Like Jelly

t r a n s f o r m a t i o n – Page of Pentacles

The other two Piles are very focused on the idea of rest and self-care, but as per usual, Pile 3 is always about going places and learning shit LMAO In this regard, if you’re not physically going places, this is indicating your mind going places through meditation, daydreaming, movie-watching, or documentary-binging. You know what I mean~ This the period you’re enriching your inner world through any means available to you at this moment.

Whilst doing this, don’t forget your water intake, OK? Vitamins and real foods are crucial for you at this moment. Your cells are digesting a lot of Light. Remember that Light is INFORMATION. That’s why Darkness is the absence of information, right? Light is Information; when Information is digested well it becomes Knowledge; when Knowledge is applied well it becomes Wisdom; when Wisdom is put to the service of all it becomes En-light-enment~

t r a n s g r e s s i o n – 7 of Pentacles

Prospering towards wisdom, I’m seeing that you’re currently being taught to be perfectly OK with things taking their sweet time to unfold! If this is the Pile you resonate with the most, you’re literally on the precipice of your grandest Life Purpose yet! Your Life Purpose is big, you know that, right? It could possibly even change the world or perhaps you resonate with having a Life Purpose that revolves around the creation of a Prototype what will alter the way Humans think or do shit~

This either shares a resemblance to Nikola Tesla or Adolf Hitler. This either takes on the archetype of Sadhguru or Teddy Bundy~ Your take LMAO Either way, you’re meant to disrupt your society and scatter it all! But that’s the thing, right? If you’re gonna be a social menace that’s in the service of Light instead of Dark, you’ve gotta learn to keep your INTEGRITY. Because… what was that again? Absolute power absolutely corrupts?

t r a n s c e n d e n c e – King of Swords

‘Nothing discloses real character like the use of power. It is easy for the weak to be gentle. Most people can bear adversity. But if you wish to know what a man really is, give him power. This is the supreme test.’ – Robert Ingersoll

‘It is from weakness that people reach for dictators and concentrated government power. Only the strong can be free. And only the productive can be strong.’ – Wendell Willkie

‘To have intelligence there must be freedom, and you cannot be free if you are constantly being urged to become like some hero, for then the hero is important and not you.’ – Jiddu Krishnamurti

Do you understand your role in the next chapter of your ARC? Not to be some kind of a narcissistic wielder of power but to be a gentle-albeit-passionate reminder for the people, that only they can save themselves from this pathetically enslaved existence of theirs caused by a lack of Integrity.

Got no integrity? Got no intelligence? Go succumb to AI already -__-;

full moon self-care🔻🌒🌓🌔🌕🌖🌗🌘

Gold Astronomer (John Dee) & Priestess of Integrity

Access full reading + cards on Patreon🌸

☆♪°・. ☆♪°・. ☆♪°・. ☆♪°・. ☆♪°・. ☆♪°・.

[Moon PAC Masterlist] [Patreon] [Paid Readings] [buymeaboba]

[hadit93]

Keywords for Major Arcana.

A few months ago I sat down with one of my new tarot decks and decided that I would try and condense each card into a single word or phrase. This is what I came up with for the Major Arcana.

The Fool- Neophyte.

The Magician- Adept.

The High Priestess- Mystic.

The Empress- Mother.

The Emperor- Ruler.

The Hierophant- Pope.

The Lovers- Union.

The Chariot- Motion.

Justice- Truth.

The Hermit- Silence.

Fortune- Change.

Strength- Control.

The Hanged Man- Martyr.

Death- Ouroboras.

Temperance- Balance.

The Devil- The Shadow.

The Tower- Destruction.

The Star- Ascension.

The Moon- Dreams.

The Sun- Logos.

Judgement- Awakening.

The World- Goal.

[nephritebabie]

tarot observations: the chariot and the tower

let’s do a little dissection of these two major arcana cards. specifically their similarities and how they differ.

my deck presented me with two cards to study and like always, it did not disappoint 🥰

this is long (and honestly could've been more organized but it came straight from my notes), but I do hope that it is of some use to someone.

numerology

the sevens in the tarot have often been noted as challenges and obstacles to be overcome. The sevens are like a test, and we are either putting some type of action into the world or we are facing something that requires a strong mind to persevere through. Rachel Pollack states that "the tower's 16 reduces to 7 the Chariot, linked by case and others to human speech. the tower destroys in a moment all the careful constructions of culture, language, and consciousness."

so, to me the tower seems to be a more severe version of the chariot if that makes sense? the will power and determination seen in the chariot is being tested by the tower after we've let our desires control us, instead of us controlling it.

what they share

both the chariot and the tower come after cards that present a choice. the lovers (an important choice between desires) and the devil (we're not making good choices at all. we are indulging heavily in our desires, and that is creating unhealthy attachments. we are now a slave to our desires instead of making choices that act in our best interest).

the ego plays a part in both of these cards. the chariot's ego comes from the accomplishments that the fool as made. at this point, the fool is successful, and has control over his emotions and the world around him. Rachel Pollack talks about how the chariot's mind makes all things inferior to the conscious will. but this runs the risk of him becoming inflexible and unyielding.

in the tower card, the tower that these people are in can represent a castle of the ego that we have built up that's meant to shield us. after we refused to let go of the pleasures of the devil, we are now in this castle that jails us.

the tower also shares the themes of control. after losing control due to the events in the devil, the tower releases us. the tower is uncontrollable and causes unexpected changes, but these changes have to ability to set you back on a path where control can be regained eventually.

and the tower can show us what happens when you try to control or overpower something so much to the point where the whole thing spins out of control. just like the chariot, a large ego and arrogance can lead to a much needed humbling/wake up call.

their differences

the chariot doesn't operate from a state of fear like the tower can. in the devil we have these attachments that we are scared to get rid of and we let them control us. so then everything falls apart. Rachel Pollack in her book talks about how sometimes the problems the come from the tower card, stem from neglected mismanaged situations that surprise us at our most vulnerable.

the chariot is a developed ego, due to the fact that we've learned so much, and took in the qualities of earlier cards. but the tower can also be seen as ego going unchecked (depending on the context), and it seems like the ego is prevailing in a negative way. which then leads to the people in the tower having to jump to their deaths. in the fools journey site, they state that the tower has "ejected the occupants who seem to be tumbling to their deaths. The crown indicates they were once proud rulers; now they are humbled by a force stronger than they."

(but I do also want to add that the chariot can also be at risk of being humbled. at least, in the ill-defined position).

I'm sure we all know how tiring and traumatic a tower moment can be. a clear difference is that after the events of the tower, the willpower and strong character found in the chariot has been lost. we can easily lose this confidence after the tower.

we have embodied the characteristics of the chariot to gain our success and to be self-reliant. the tower completely knocks that all of that down, our world is now shaken up. the tower is meant to put you on a different (sometimes better) path, but I think in the aftermath of all of this, it either takes awhile to get the qualities of the chariot back or it's possible to never get it back, depending on the severity of the event that the tower is indicating.

in Rachel's book she says "the chariot's hands hold no reins. his strong character alone controls opposing forces" the opposing force in the tower cannot be controlled. it is wild and incapable of being tamed.

the quotes in this observation come from the book 78 degrees of wisdom by Rachel Pollack (an amazing book on the tarot btw) and

https://www.learntarot.com/journey.htm

[agnerd-bot]

Fate Fanservant: Judas Iscariot, The Traitorous Disciple(Avenger)

Ascension Stages:

First Stage: Judas is clad in tattered clothes, an a large red scar is cut across her stomach, in the shape of a demonic toothy maw. A mask covers her mouth, and her hair is blood-red with white streaks. She is hunched over, with a hangman’s noose around her neck, and a string of silver coins wrapped around her hand.

Second Stage: Judas’s robes have become even more torn and ratted, and the markings on her stomach have shifted and morphed, revealing a massive, demonic mouth lined with rows of teeth and dripping blood.

Final Stage: Judas is now clad in more kept-together cloth, covering the mouth on her stomach. The pieces of silver hang around her neck, and she stands up much straighter. She has a small smile on her face.

Theme:

SCORN RAP by JT Music - "Sick of Myself"

Hell's Comin' with Me

Traits:

Class: Avenger Alternate Class: Assassin, Caster, Ruler, Alter Ego, Beast True Name: Judas Iscariot Source: The Bible Region: Israel Alignment: Lawful Evil Attribute: Star

Known as: Yehûdâh Ish-Kerayot, The Traitor, The Liar, The Woman from Kerioth, The Thirteenth Disciple, The Woman of Pollution, the Thirteenth Seat

Voice Actress: Asakawa Yuu

Deck: QAAAB

Parameters: Strength: C- Endurance: A+++ Agility: B Mana: A+ Luck: E- NP: EX

Passive Skills:

Magic Resistance EX:

As one of the original Thirteen Disciples, Judas Iscariot’s Magic Resistance is at the highest rank, on par with that of Saints. It is nigh-impossible for Magecraft to seriously affect Judas, even those from the Age of Gods.

Even for a fallen prophet, the psalms song still ring true in her heart of hearts:

“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me.”

(FGO Effect:)-Increases own Debuff Resistance by 25%.

Avenger A+:

Judas Iscariot is defined by hatred and resentment. In the New Testament, the Thirteenth Disciple was known as a callous misanthrope, always willing to accuse others of heresy and wickedness, even when the prophet from Kerioth performed the same sinful acts she shunned others for. So great was her hatred that it is said that the Devil was able to enter her heart, influencing her to betray the person she believed in more than anything.

In return, upon her treacherous actions and death, Judas Iscariot became one of the most despised figures within the biblical canon, seen by many as the incarnation of betrayal itself. Those who wrote of the Twelve Disciples have all remembered Judas as the Traitor, the Betrayer, and the Sinful One. The very name of Judas Iscariot has become synonymous with evil and treachery.

Hatred of others and hatred unto oneself. Perhaps more than any other Servant, Judas Iscariot embodies the defining attribute of the Avenger Class.

(FGO Effect:)-Increases own NP generation rate when taking damage by 22%.-Reduces party's (including sub members) debuff resistance by 12% except themselves. [Demerit]

Oblivion Correction C:

As a penitent, Judas Iscariot cannot and will not forget the reason for her self-inflicted damnation. The betrayal of the one man who showed her such unconditional love. The kiss that betrayed Him to his enemies. The failure to redeem herself of her sins. Her hatred will never subside, even in death. Where so many found their salvation from their sins, she alone remained behind, unwilling to accept her Teacher's hand. She has chosen the path of her own Hell, alone, painful, and cold. And yet, it is one she will never waver from.

"O Lord... May you never forgive me for my sins... And may I never forgive myself for my treachery..."

(FGO Effect:)-Increases own critical damage by 6%.

Self-Replenishment(Magic) A:

As a Servant of God and embodiment of the Gates of Hell, Judas Iscariot's magical power is near-limitless. Her rage is unyielding, pushing her through even the most horrific types of pain without even flinching. It doesn't matter how badly or how many times her body is broken. It doesn't matter what kind of opponent she stands against. The answer is always the same: an unyielding march forward, until all who stand in her path are left to face the consequences of their actions.

It is the memory of her treachery that drives her, the fuels her every waking moment. Her sins call out to her each and every day, haunting her, screaming at her. Blood must be repaid with blood. Pain must be repaid with pain. Grief must be met with grief.

So long as the hatred pulses through her veins, the lashing, the torment, the sorrow, it will all drive her forward.

(FGO Effect:)-Charges own NP gauge by 4% every turn.

Pieces of Silver EX:

According to scripture, the price Judas Iscariot received for selling out Jesus of Nazareth to the chief priests was thirty pieces of silver. Upon realizing what she had done by betraying her teacher and friend, she attempted to return the pieces of silver to save him, only to be coldly rebuffed, with the priests scolding her for daring to bring blood money to the temple. Ultimately, these very same silver coins were used to pay for Akeldama, the Field of Blood where she hung herself in despair over her greatest sins.

Even in death, these damned coins follow Judas, strung around her neck as a reminder of her gravest sin. Each coin holds incredible amounts of magical power, and they can be offered up in order to boost Judas's own power, at the cost of the demon within gaining more influence over her. If she offers all thirty at once, she can activate her personal Noble Phantasm, Akeldama, the very same field that she bought with these thirty pieces of silver.

"I hear them... Always. Their clattering reminds me of what I've done... And why I can never accept forgiveness..."

(FGO Effect:)  -Whenever Judas Iscariot attacks, apply 'Pieces of Silver' buff to self, one time per turn(Can stack with other 'Pieces of Silver' buffs). 'Pieces of Silver' Buff: -Gain crit stars equal to half the amount of ‘Pieces of Silver’ buffs -At 30 Pieces of Silver, fill NP Gauge to 300%, and boost NP Damage by 30%. -After NP is used, clear all 'Pieces of Silver' buffs[Demerit].

Active Skills:

Damned for All Time B:

For her role in the death of the Messiah, for her treachery and sin, Judas Iscariot is believed by many to have been subject to eternal damnation, cast within the deepest pits of Hell for eternal torment. Judas herself believes very much the same. Believing herself to be irredeemable, she willingly accepts any and all punishment given to her without complaint, fully awaiting her return to Hell.

However, thanks to the blessings imparted as a Disciple of Jesus, the Thirteenth Disciple recovers quickly from any and all enemy attacks, shrugging off grievous injuries such as limbs being removed, bones being broken, and even her heart being crushed. As a result, her body goes through a constant vicious cycle of being reborn, put back together, and being destroyed once more.

Judas herself claims that this is further proof of how God despises her, refusing to let her die to punish her for her wickedness and faults. A sign that she can never be redeemed or forgiven, and will suffer until the end of time for her evil actions.

And yet... Can this really be the truth?

(FGO Effect:) -500% Chance to draw attention of all enemies to self by 300% for three turns. -Recover 1500 HP at the end of each turn for three turns.

Protection of the Faith EX:

While infamous as 'The Traitorous Disciple', Judas Iscariot has among the highest levels of Protection of the Faith. Unlike many prophets, zealots, saints, and kings who praised their gods from a distance, Judas walked alongside her Messiah day to day. From the day she was cured of her own illnesses, she walked with him, broke bread with him, and preached alongside him. She knew of his dreams and aspirations, as well as his faults and imperfections. She loved and was loved in equal measure.

Even now, in her state of agony and pain, her thoughts are always centered around the man she called Teacher and Friend. While Judas Iscariot does not believe that she can ever be forgiven for her sins, nor does she believe she will ever reach the Heaven that was promised to her all those years ago, she still holds faith in the power and goodness of the King of Men. As a Servant, Judas uses the holy knowledge she was imparted, even when she proclaims herself a vile sinner, all because of the faith she keeps.

More than any Disciple, more than any follower, more than any person who ever lived, Judas Iscariot believed in her Messiah.

(FGO Effect:) -Increases own debuff resistance for three turns. -Recovers own HP. -Increases own defense for one turn. -Increases own attack for three turns. -Apply Guts to self, two times, five turns.

Kiss of Judas A:

It is said that the thirteenth disciple betrayed her Master with a single kiss upon His cheek, signaling to the crowd that came to arrest Him. It is this single act that damned Judas Iscariot for all eternity, fully cementing her as the traitor to God and setting in motion the events of the Crucifixion as well as Judas's own death by hanging.

This moment manifests as a powerful ability, allowing Judas to gain every last fragment of knowledge of an enemy once she kisses them, seeing everything they've done, everything they've seen, and everything they will be. In a Holy Grail War, this ability is especially powerful, granting Judas knowledge to be used against enemy Servants. If used against a divine figure such as a god or demigod, this ability is even more powerful, cursing anything divine and holy with her very existence.

"Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?"

(FGO Effect:) -Lower one enemy's defense for three turns. -Decrease one enemy's charge. -Increase own NP Gauge by 30%. -500% Chance to draw attention of all allies to one enemy by 300% for three turns[Demerit]. -If used against a ‘Heaven’ Enemy: --Remove all Buffs(activates first). --Decrease one enemy's charge. --Increase own NP Gauge by 30%. --Inflict Curse on an enemy for five turns. --Inflict Evil Curse on an enemy for five turns. --Increase damage against 'Divine' enemies for all allies(five turns).

Noble Phantasms:

Noble Phantasm: Judas Iscariot - It Would Have Been Better If I Was Never Born

Rank: A+ Maximum Targets: 1 Range: 10m Classification: Anti-Unit(Self)

The very noose the twelfth Disciple hung herself with on that fateful day. This symbol of her eternal shame manifests as a snapped noose tied around her neck. This rope is taut as ever, but even though its rope seems severed, it can extend to impossible lengths to reach whatever target she aims for. Judas can use this noose as a grapple, allowing her to clear vast distances in a single leap or to grab onto a fleeing opponent. However, its most dangerous feature lies in a hidden property of the rope.

If she wraps the rope around an enemy, it forms a knot around the opponent’s limb, and their lives become ‘bound’ in a sense to Judas. Any damage that her opponent strikes her with is mirrored upon her foe, and vice versa. Even if one tries to cut this rope, the strikes will merely be reflected back onto both Yehûdâh and her opponent. Combined with Judas’s Protection of God skill, the battle becomes one of endurance that the victim is likely not to live through. The only way to possibly escape this deadly Noble Phantasm is to cut off one’s own limb that is attached to the rope, or inflict a wound that one can survive but their enemy cannot.

Noble Phantasm: Gateway to the Inferno - Abandon All Hope, Ye Who Enter Here

Rank: A++ Maximum Targets: ??? Range: 2000m Classification: Anti-World

A powerful Noble Phantasm that manifests as the wound Judas incurred upon her failed hanging. A jagged scar is displayed prominently on Judas's stomach, sharpened into a wicked grin. In reality, Judas Iscariot’s stomach functions as a passageway into Hell itself, and by activating it, the scar morphs into a monstrous maw of a creature, who drags victims into its jaws with its tongue. 

Alongside the innate threat of the Beast's maw, this Noble Phantasm also serves as a pseudo-Marble Phantasm. Due to the mouth on her stomach serving as a gateway to Hell itself, Judas can impose parts of Hell onto the world, creating rivers of boiling blood and towers of fire and bone. With a mere thought, she can change her body's attributes and access a different section of Hell to match the sins of her adversary.

Limbo: Reserved for the unbaptized, the lustful, the greedy, and the gluttonous, that which is known as Limbo is nothing but pure darkness that encompasses an area. A monstrous wind blows strongly in the darkness, and unseen monsters can be heard snarling and growling in the shadows.

Styx: Reserved for the wrathful, the putrid waters of the River Styx flow from the monster's jaws. The waves choke the victims on their own rage, dragging them further into its depths as the damned souls of the wrathful reach out to pull those above them down with them into eternal torment.

Dis: Reserved for the heretical and the violent is the City of Dis. Massive, red-hot spires pierce the earth, forming gnarled and wicked trees made of iron. A boiling river of blood courses through this forest, incinerating those who step too close. Some say this is where the Harpies make their home, clawing and scratching at those foolish enough to enter the forests of Dis.

Malbolge: Reserved for the fraudulent and liars, the Malboge manifests as several pools filled with flaming tar. Those who are caught within the pits of the Malboge are engulfed with flames that will never extinguish. Even those who escape from the pits of the Malboge leave twisted and deformed, inside and out, before they are inevitably dragged back into the depths.

Cocytus: Reserved for the treacherous is the frozen well of Cocytus, the ninth and most fearsome Circle of Hell and the resting place of Judas Iscariot. When invoked, a white mist slowly flows from the devil's maw, and the surrounding area slowly crawls to a temperature beneath absolute zero. Those who are caught within the mist find that their bodies rapidly begin to freeze over, locked in eternal suffering and agony. For some, if they are caught in Cocytus's chill, they will eventually be shattered into dust, with not even their souls remaining. This is the final circle, where even the Devil weeps and mourns in eternal torment, never to be freed.

Whatever punishment the demon's maw wishes to mete out, whatever evil stands before the Thirteenth Disciple, the message is always the same.

Abandon all hope, ye who enter here.

Noble Phantasm: Akeldama - The Field of Blood

Rank: EX Maximum Targets: 1 Range: 18m Classification: Anti-Evil

In the Bible, it is said that after Jesus’s death, Yehûdâh Ish-Kerayot, in a mix of remorse for her betrayal and fear that after Jesus rose, he would take his vengeance upon her, she bought a field with the thirty pieces of silver and tied a noose around her neck, aiming to hang herself. Unexpectedly, the rope snapped underneath her weight, and her stomach tore open on a sharp rock, spilling her innards and blood throughout the field, leaving the traitor to die in agony. And so, the field was known from that point on as Akeldama, the Field of Blood.

This very same Field manifests as Judas’s Reality Marble, a graveyard with a single massive tree hanging up in the middle, towering over all. Nooses hang all around the tree’s branches, swaying in nonexistent wind. A noose drops down, wrapping around the victim's neck. As the foe writhes in agony, they slip and fall, snapping their neck before the branch their noose is tied around snaps, sending their body plummeting into an open grave.

Due to Yehûdâh’s infamy as a traitor amongst traitors, this Noble Phantasm can be positively deadly in the right situations. The area of effect covers a wide range, allowing Judas to entrap multiple targets simultaneously and subject them to their judgement.

Akeldama has a unique property that few other Noble Phantasms share. The resultant damage dealt is different upon each person it is used upon. The Field of Blood harms foes not through the physical realm, but the spiritual, inflicting wounds on opponents based on the lives they have lived. If one has lived a virtuous and relatively clean life, such as Jeanne d’Arc or Xuanzang Sanzang, the Field will only feel like slight pinpricks across the body. But if one has lived a life filled with slaughter, debauchery, and evil like Nobunaga Oda or Nero Claudius? Akeldama will show no mercy to its victim, inflicting the same pain that the sinner has inflicted upon others tenfold.

All Servants, no matter their defenses or Authority, are equal beneath Akeldama’s judgement. No one, god, devil, or man is without sin, and so everyone can and will be judged within the Field of Blood.

(FGO Effect:) -Deals heavy damage to all enemies. -Do increased damage toBeast, Saver, Star, and Demonic Servants. -Do reduced damage against 'Saint' enemies[Demerit]. -Apply Curse to all enemies. -Apply Disastrous Curse to all enemies. -Inflicts Penitent status on all enemies for one turn(effect increases with overcharge). -Apply Penitent status to self for one turn[Demerit]. -Penitent: Grants these effects: --Decrease Noble Phantasm Gauge each turn. --Increase damage taken each turn. --Decrease damage dealt each turn. --Apply Active Skill Seal one time for one turn. --Apply Passive Skill Seal for one turn.

Voice Lines:

Summoned: You… wanted to summon me? I… no, despite my summons, my penitence remains the same. I am Yehûdâh Ish-Kerayot of the Avenger Class. You may know me better as Judas Iscariot. I know not why you have called upon me for aid... But if this is what my penance decrees, then I shall be your monster.

Level Up 1: …why?

Level Up 2: I see you felt I was lacking. Understood, I’ll try not to be as much of a disappointment.

1st Ascension: Ghhh...! S-so... now you see me for what I truly am... A monster. My own transgressions turned me into this creature... A beast borne of sin and evil. Hahahahaha. What a fool you are. Do you understand now? You have opened the gates of Hell... and nothing you do can ever seal them. 

2nd Ascension: I see the way you look at me. I'm horrifying, aren't I? But I don't need your pity. This is simply what I deserve for my wickedness. Through suffering, I grow stronger. Through agony, I grow more resolute. The pain from each battle drives me to move forward, and by my soul, I swear I will not fail you.

3rd Ascension: …what is this? Why... Why do I not feel the pain anymore? Why am I dressed like... like I was back then? I don't understand... Is this meant to mock me? To remind me what I cast away? Or... maybe it means I can... ...no. Never mind me. This is just the rambling of a fool.

4th Ascension: *sigh* ...you truly are a pain, Chaldean. I will never understand people like you, who extend your hands to sinners like myself. You do know who I am, correct? I am the Thirteenth Seat at the table, the Traitorous Disciple. I sold the person that showed me nothing but kindness for thirty worthless pieces of silver, killing a man loved by all for nothing but spite and greed. And yet... here we are. I will never understand someone like you... But I suppose it doesn't matter if I do. I renew the vow I made before: I am Judas Iscariot, and for the sake of Humanity's survival, I will be your monster.

Fight Start 1: Some say that it is through pain that we learn the greatest lessons. Allow me to make you very wise.

Fight Start 2: Repent, ye sinners… Your judgement has arrived.

Fight Start 3: Have you come to join me in penitence?

Skill 1: *clinking of coins*

Skill 2: O Lord, this unholy pilgrim invokes thy name…

Skill 3: If that is what you wish.

Command Card Select 1: Thy kingdom come.

Command Card Select 2: Thy will be done.

Command Card Select 3: On Earth as it is in Heaven.

Noble Phantasm Select 1: O, Lord… Turn your head as I do what must be done.

Noble Phantasm Select 2: You hear them, don’t you…? They’re asking you to join them.

Attack 1: Repent. Or perish.

Attack 2: Hmph. Trying to run?

Attack 3: Your judgement has been passed. Guilty.

Attack 4: There you are. Your time has come.

Attack 5: There is no true escape from your sins.

Attack 6: Scared? I would be too.

Attack 7: You cannot escape your final judgement.

Extra Attack 1: Go. To. Hell.

Extra Attack 2: AMEN!

Noble Phantasm 1:

I am The One Who Sold the World…

There is none whose sin is greater than I…

Now… the time has come for judgement!

Suffer as I have suffered! Come forth, Akeldama!

Noble Phantasm 2:

Can you hear them? The people you have hurt…?

You can’t turn away from your transgressions.

You can’t ignore your sins.

They’re calling you… asking you to join them in this pain…

Now… embrace them.

Noble Phantasm 3:

I am the Heroic Spirit of God’s Vengeance.

While I have long abandoned the right to act on God's will…

Tonight, I will happily reclaim it.

AKELDAMA!

Damage from Noble Phantasm: This pain… is nothing…!

Regular Damage: Nnn.

Defeated 1: N-ngh… I guess this is what a traitor like me deserves.

Defeated 2: *sigh* I should have known this was going to happen.

Defeated 3: So… back to Cocytus, is it…?

Victory 1: Thus. Ends. The lesson.

Victory 2: Be you Man or God, Devil or Angel… You answer to me.

Victory 3: It’s not enough… Never enough.

Bond Level 1: You wish to talk? With me of all people? You truly are a fool... It would be better for your time to speak with someone worthy of your kindness. I am nothing more than a bitter misanthrope waiting for a forgiveness that I don't deserve.

Bond Level 2: *sigh* I appreciate your kindness, I truly do. But all the same, I think you have the wrong image of me. You seem convinced that I am some wayward soul who holds some good in their heart. That I can be 'fixed' with genuine words of friendship. Allow me to make things clear between us, then, as friends often do. I hate humanity. With all my heart. With all my being. I despise the human race. And in turn, humanity despises me. Is that understood?

Bond Level 3: Heh. Back for more? I can’t help but respect that. … When I was young, I was born sick and blinded. They called me cursed by God, punished for my sinfulness. Only one man chose to approach me back then. They called Him the Messiah, God Incarnate, the Savior of the Jews. ...I was just happy to call Him my friend.

Bond Level 4: You have no idea how happy I was to know that the first people to lay eyes on me were so kind, so understanding… But I could never understand what people like them thought. How could He look at this world and think it deserved redemption? How could He see the ugliness of the people around Him and think they deserved to be saved? I'll be honest… I still don't understand, not even now. But it's not my place to understand Him, is it? I simply need to have faith.

Bond Level 5: …it's funny, isn't it? Despite every reason I have to hate humanity... I'm fighting for them. Not because of any obligation to Proper Human History. Not because it's my job as a Heroic Spirit. Not even because I believe it deserves to live. The only reason I'm bothering to fight for this wretched thing called humanity… Is because I know He would want me to.

Dialogue 1: You called upon me to help save Humanity. I answered, and will hunt down all who seek to do mankind harm. That is the extent of our relationship.

Dialogue 2: Whether you be a person of faith or a person of secular manner does not matter to me. I will protect you all the same, as He would.

Dialogue 3(Clear Lostbelt 1): Your sins weigh heavy on you, don’t they? The bodies that you’ve amassed, the lives you can never bring back? Good. That penitence means you haven’t lost your humanity.

Dialogue 4(Unlocked at Bond Level 5): “Does it hurt?” That’s a foolish question. Of course it hurts. Every day, every moment, my life is defined by pain and anguish. …but I simply choose to endure. Because what does my pain matter with the knowledge that I hurt the ones I love a thousandfold?

Dialogue 5 (If you have Martha): So, Martha is here as well… She was one of the kindest of the disciples, always concerning herself with our well-being, keeping the peace among ourselves. Even now, I suppose she’d scold me for not taking care of myself. …but I won’t let her burden herself with my problems.

Dialogue 6 (If you have Martha(Unlocked at Bond Level 5)): Martha… I… Why do you bother with someone like me? Me, the traitor who killed the Savior? Me, the sinner who is bound to damnation? Why…? Why won’t you let me rot in Hell?! I… I don’t understand you.

Dialogue 7 (If you have Martha(Summer)): Martha…?! W-what are you wearing?! I-I should go… I’m sorry, but-ACK! W-wait, don’t put me in a headlock-! Damnit all, why do you always have to be such a bullheaded punk?! … *sighs* Hehehe. Never change, Martha.

Dialogue 8 (If you have Martha(Santa)): …who did this to you? Tell me, Martha, so I may introduce myself. Eh? No, no I’m not angry. Why would I be angry? I’m… perfectly… calm…!

Dialogue 9 (If you have Yù Tù): YOU-?! How…? How the Hell did you escape? …tch. Seems like the Chaldeans have you under control for now. But I swear, if you try and pull another one of your ‘games’ again, I will make your last fate seem like a mercy.

Dialogue 10 (If you have Hernán Cortés): Cortés… You haven’t changed a bit since then, have you? No, I suppose you have. Judging from the look in your eyes… You know your place.

Dialogue 11 (If you have the Harpy Sisters): The trio of torturers… They were in the last Holy Grail War I had entered. Celaeno in particular and I had a contract with each other. …hm? Friendship? No, it wasn’t like that. We simply had a desire to see the same person die.

Dialogue 12 (If you have Awilix): The Goddess of the Moon… I didn’t interact with her much before, but even back then, her power was terrifying. Now? It feels like she’s on an entirely different level than before. What happened?

Dialogue 13 (If you have Baron Samedi): The good Baron. It’s been a while, hasn’t it? Hm? No… No, I don’t think I’m in the mood for drinking now. Perhaps another day.

Dialogue 14 (If you have The Golem of Prague): Tch… So the Guardian of the Lowi Family is here as well… I’d suggest keeping an eye on that one. That monster… Even if they claim to care for you, they won’t be satisfied until they’ve controlled every aspect of your life. Don’t give them an inch.

Dialogue 15 (If you have any other Fate/Undead Crusader Servants): That rowdy bunch from the battles in Jerusalem is here as well… How annoying. If nothing else, I suppose I’m grateful that we don’t have to fight this time around.

Dialogue 16 (If you have Jochebed/Samael): …thank you. Genuinely.

Dialogue 17 (If you have any Angel Servants): So the envoys of Heaven are here as well? I suppose I’d better make myself scarce then. Nothing good can come of one such as myself being in the same space of angels.

Dialogue 18 (If you have Nero or Sodom’s Beast): You… I’ve heard tales of the mad Roman Empress before, but I never thought I’d meet you in the flesh. I may be a lowly traitor, but I still hold the faith. If it wasn’t for the Master, I would not have hesitated to pay you back a thousandfold.

Dialogue 19 (If you have Mordred or Mordred Alter): The Knight of Treachery, is it? Heh, to think the Chaldean would take in not one, but two traitors… I’m glad you’ve found your true family, Sir Mordred. Treasure them.

Dialogue 20 (If you have any ‘Blessed Conqueror’ Servants): Such arrogance… Such pride… You truly think yourself an agent of His will, don’t you? That your life’s work has all been in His service? Allow me to correct you on that… All the suffering? All the war! All the pain you’ve meted out in His name? Your life’s work… makes Him puke.

Dialogue 21 (If you have Lancelot): Heed my words, sir knight… please… find it in your heart to forgive yourself. My soul is damned for all eternity, and it is a burden I will accept. But you? You deserve your happiness. Take it.

Dialogue 22 (If you have Medusa): Such a terrible fate… forced to live blind and alone, hiding such a beautiful face from the world. The Greek ‘gods’ are such cruel and vile beings.

Dialogue 23 (If you have Hassan of the Serenity): Death by a kiss? How fitting that the two of us should cross paths, Assassin. Though which is worse? A kiss of poison? Or a kiss of betrayal?

Dialogue 24 (If you have David): I… It is an honor to make your acquaintance, King of Israel. An honor I do not deserve. I betrayed your descendant, led him to his execution. So why… Why are you so openly kind to me?

Likes: I’ve long forsaken any chance to be happy.

Likes(Unlocked at Bond Level 5): Interests? You wish to ask about the hobbies of such a loathsome creature like me? Well… I guess I’d have to say fishing. I was never as skilled as Peter or his brother, but just being out on the sea, watching the waves go by… it reminds me of better times.

Dislikes: Do I even need to say it?

About the Holy Grail: …pfft. *visibly holding back laughter*

During an Event: A festival? No, I shouldn’t be there. I’d just bring down the mood. I-hey, quit pulling!

Birthday: It’s your birthday. Hmph. What does it matter to me? I told you already, our relationship is merely that between coworkers. Go enjoy yourself with your friends.

Profile:

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Back when the Son of God walked the earth, He took on twelve Apostles. Among the Twelve, perhaps none are more known the world over as Simon Peter, His right hand, and Yehûdâh Ish-Kerayot, known nowadays as Judas Iscariot, the Betrayer. A selfish misanthrope to her very core, Judas was nonetheless one of the Original Twelve chosen to preach the Word of God to the masses. Her motivations and history with her Master have largely been lost to time, save for one moment.

She is the one who betrayed Jesus Christ to the Sanhedrin for a mere thirty pieces of silver, leading to her Master's execution upon a cross To this end, she led the officers of the law into the Garden of Gethsemane where her Master lay praying, identifying Him with a kiss on the cheek. Since then, the name ‘Judas’ has been synonymous with the word ‘traitor’, and Judas herself has been marked as damned by God, a soul who will forever rot in the coldest depths of Hell, furthest away from Heaven.

"Son of God… Son of Man…! Take pity on me! Save me…!"

… 

"Please… someone save me…”

Bond Level 1:

Height/Weight: 166cm • 51.3kg

Source: Historical Fact, New Testament

Region: Israel

Alignment: Lawful • Evil Gender: Female

Judas is a servant of a constant dour mood, rarely if ever allowing herself to feel any happiness. She constantly puts herself down, even when attaining the greatest victories, believing that, after her betrayal, she does not deserve praise or adulation. It’s for this very reason she keeps the noose she hung herself with around her neck, and carries around the thirty pieces of silver that she betrayed her Master for.

The sound follows her with every step. An echo that rings to her very soul, reminding her of her sins, of her greatest mistake. A song of mourning that will never end.

CLINK... CLINK... CLINK...

Bond Level 2:

For years, Judas followed her Rabbi as He preached to the masses, witnessing as He saved many like her through the power of his miracles. Though He was God made manifest, He chose the life of a mere man, taking solace in the little things. Many a night, when the stars were out, Judas found herself nestled in the comforting presence of her fellow Disciples and her Rabbi, happiness found in her heart.

However, life was not perfect as a Disciple. Nothing ever truly is. For many nights, they found themselves having to go to bed hungry, having to resort to sleeping in the harsh streets. This ended up being the source of many an argument between Judas and her Rabbi. As a former beggar, Yehûdâh tried to convince her master to let them keep any of the monetary offerings that they received for their miracles, while her teacher refused to allow any of his disciples to receive payment for what they did.

It was after one of these very same arguments that Yehûdâh made her most grievous mistake. In a fit of passion and temptation, she chose to sell out the very man who saved her life, in exchange for a handsome sum of money. That evening, whilst Jesus lay in the Garden of Gethsemane, Yehûdâh made her move. Whilst the chief priests and their guards waited within the forest, the traitorous disciple made her way to her Rabbi, and planted a gentle kiss upon his cheek. The signal had been given. But her teacher’s next words would haunt her until the day she died.

“Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?”

Bond Level 3:

While still haunted over her teacher’s words to her before he was taken away, a new revelation had come to Yehûdâh later that week. Jesus was not going to merely be tortured at the hands of the Romans. He was to be put to death, executed via crucifixion.

Overcome with grief and horror at the realization of her mistake, Judas ran back to the temple where the high priests lay in wait. She desperately tried to bargain for her master’s life, offering the same thirty pieces of silver she received from them days before. But there was nothing to be done. Jesus had already been taken away to face his execution. Even if he wasn’t, the Sanhedren refused Judas's money on account that it was ‘blood money’, money that was now forever tainted with sin.

Fearing for her life’s end at the hands of her fellow disciples and utterly distraught at the knowledge that she had knowingly sentenced her beloved Rabbi to death, Judas made her decision. Buying the area known as the Potter’s Field, the traitor Apostle chose to end her own life, tying a noose around a tree and hanging herself.

And in that moment... Judas Iscariot's fate was sealed.

Bond Level 4:

A scar runs over Judas Iscariot's stomach. A jagged, red line on her torso, symbolizing not one, but two wounds.

The first was the scar from her death at the Potter's Field. It is said that upon the death of the Messiah, Judas Iscariot hung herself by a noose, only for her hanging to fail as the rope snapped beneath her weight. Her body hit the sharpened rocks below, before splitting in two along the stones. Her death was slow and painful, and she died that day alone and afraid.

The second comes from her eternal torment within the deepest pits of Hell itself. Bound to the icy pits of Cocytus for all eternity, her fate is to be eaten alive by the Devil, constantly bitten and crushed beneath the fallen angel's teeth until the time comes when even Hell will be no more. An eternal reminder of her sins and her treachery.

For many who see this scar, it is a symbol of suffering and pain. A horror to shy away from and flee. To Judas, it is merely a reminder. A reminder of the life of sin and the mistakes she has made throughout her life. Some claim that she can be seen tracing her finger along the scars. Musing. Wondering. Mourning.

Bond Level 5:

In many Christian works such as Dante’s Divine Comedy, Judas Iscariot's final fate is to be damned to Hell for all eternity, her body being ripped apart by Satan alongside Brutus and Cassius as penance for her betrayal. But perhaps this isn’t the case. What if the true torture comes not from without, but from within? After her betrayal, the Traitor Saint sees herself as unworthy, putting herself through agony and pain without complaint in a feeble attempt at reconciliation.

But despite how much she thinks herself irredeemable, Judas was and still is a chosen Apostle of Jesus. Like the rest of her brothers and sisters, she wandered the lands, choosing to help the needy, curing ailments and preaching the word of God. She genuinely loved the Rabbi, following him to the ends of the earth and hanging onto his every word. Signs of that same Judas still live on as a Servant, dutifully helping her Master in any way she feasibly can, no matter how much doubt she has within herself.

Perhaps even for the most wicked of sinners, a spark of goodness can be found deep within. All it takes is the right person to reveal it.

Extra (Clear Interlude “Reunion of Apostles”):

“Yehûdâh…?”

“Yes, my Lord?”

“Come now. I thought I told you to refer to me by my real name.”

“Right… Apologies, Rabbi Yeshua.”

“I have something to tell you. It concerns the both of us. Together.”

“M-my Lo-I mean… Yeshua?”

“Our lives are connected, Yehûdâh. Our fates are destined to be forever intertwined with one another, in life and in death. My Father has told me this in his messages to me, and I felt you needed to know this.”

“What are you saying?”

“Yehûdâh… Yehûdâh, I want you to promise me one thing above all else.”

“Anything for you, Yeshua.”

“Promise me… promise me that when the time comes, you won’t lose sight of who you are. Promise me that your faith, in me, in the world, and above all yourself, will remain true.”

“I promise.”

Spiritron Dress:

Avenger of Jerusalem: Judas Iscariot is clad in a leather jacket that goes down to the small of her back and a pair of jean shorts. The noose around her neck has vanished, revealing a set of scars around her neck where the noose once was.

Theme:

Judas Priest - Hell Bent for Leather (Official Audio)

Description:

A punkish outfit from a Grail War only a few know of. A gift bought my Avenger’s previous contractor, as a means of helping her blend in more within society. While more often than not, Judas Iscariot is a bitter, angry woman, she finds herself far more amenable in this state, even if only a little. She lets her barriers down, allowing herself to smile more often and relax her rage. Perhaps it is because even now, the voice of her Master pushes her onwards, encouraging her.

“Avenger… Selfishness is not a sin. To have your own desires. To want to take things for yourself. To want to achieve your own happiness! That is not evil! That is simply what makes us human!”

Voice Lines:

Unlock Spiritron Dress 'Avenger of Jerusalem': …hah. Well what do you know...? To think I'd wear this outfit again. A dear friend of mine took me shopping once, he told me it'd help me 'blend in'. I didn't really care to argue with him, so I just threw on what I felt suited me. It's... nice, getting to be able to dress like this again.. That being said, I can't help but wonder how he's doing now, without me? Did he ever find that peace of mind he so wanted? ...huh? 'I'm smiling for once'? ...I suppose I am, aren't I?

Level Up 1: I suppose I should thank you for this.

Level Up 2: How very… rock ‘n roll.

Fight Start 1: Alright then… Let’s rock.

Fight Start 2: Sorry that I have to get in your way.

Fight Start 3: The time for judgement’s here.

Skill 1: I would start praying. A lot.

Skill 2: You’ll get no mercy from me.

Skill 3: Hmph. Guess we’re doing this now.

Command Card Select 1: If you think this is best.

Command Card Select 2: No choice, huh?

Command Card Select 3: *cracks knuckles* As Martha always said…

Noble Phantasm Select 1: This place is no longer a House of God. Now… it’s merely a tomb.

Noble Phantasm Select 2: I am no redeemer of souls… I am merely the angel of retribution.

Attack 1: Hah!

Attack 2: Sei!

Attack 3: C’MERE!

Attack 4: GET OVER HERE!

Attack 5: Stop. Running.

Attack 6: Hragh!

Attack 7: You’ll get no pity from me!

Extra Attack 1: Guilty.

Extra Attack 2: You’re mine!

Damage from Noble Phantasm: Damnit…!

Regular Damage: Hands off the jacket.

Defeated 1: Not… the jacket…!

Defeated 2: Ngh… Sorry…

Defeated 3: I can still…!

Victory 1: Well then. Are we done here?

Victory 2: I want to let you know I took no pleasure in this. …well maybe a little.

Victory 3: Understand now? This is why I didn’t want to fight.

Dialogue 1: Hmm~ Hmm~ Hmm~

Dialogue 2: Impressed? My Master has quite the taste in clothing, if I must say. Perhaps you might like trying this for a change.

Dialogue 3: Apparently a band has chosen to take upon my name. ‘Judas Priest’ as it were… Call it vanity, but… I quite like the idea of having a band named after myself.

Dialogue 4: You remind me of him, you know that? Not in appearance, nor mannerisms, but how you choose to live your life. You make your own path, independent of what others say you can or should do, but what you believe is right. That’s a good way to live, Chaldean. Never forget that.

Dialogue 5 (If you have Martha): *sigh* I still don’t understand you, or how you can still show kindness to me after all I’ve done… but thank you. It’s… it’s nice, knowing that I can still be loved after all this time.

Dialogue 6 (If you have Martha(Summer)): I have to admit… that look suits you Martha. Those gauntlets that can crush a man’s skull in a single blow. That jacket that screams ‘omen of death’. That piercing gaze. Yes it suits you quite well-ow! Hah! Hey, quit it! Can’t you take a joke?!

Dialogue 7 (If you have Yù Tù): I recommend keeping an eye on that one… The Lunar Rabbit is cruel, duplicitous, and will do anything to get her way. She trapped an entire city in an endless loop for her own amusement. I shudder to think what she can do now that she seems to have become stronger.

Dialogue 8 (If you have Furbaide Ferbend): Oh it’s you. I suppose you’re wanting a rematch for the last time we met, aren’t you? I hope you have more than cheese to throw at me this time.

Dialogue 9 (If you have Baron Samedi): If it isn’t the good Baron himself. Hm? A drink? …I suppose it wouldn’t be too bad. Why are you smiling at me? I don’t plan on making this a habit.

Dialogue 10 (If you have The Golem of Prague): Adama Lowi… Or do you prefer Yoselle? Either way, don’t think your usual schemes can get past me. I know what you did to your own grandchildren, and I won’t let you do the same to the Chaldean.

Dialogue 11 (If you have the Harpy Sisters): Celaeno… It’s been a while, hasn’t it? I’m glad to see you’ve reunited with your sisters. Would you care to introduce me to them?

Dialogue 12 (If you have any other Fate/Undead Crusader Servants): …why are you looking at me like that? Is there something on my face?

Dialogue 13 (If you have Mordred(Memories of Trifas) or Caeneus(Summer)): …*silent nod of affirmation towards a fellow punk*

Likes: …back in a Holy Grail War, my Master and I bonded over music. He said ‘if you’re going to dress like a metalhead, might as well listen to some of their music’. I admit, I’ve grown fond of rock music since then. It reminds me of him.

Dislikes: …chickens. Poultry of any kind unnerves me, but above all else, keep chickens away from me. Is that understood?

About the Holy Grail: The Holy Grail… Pfft… Ahahahahaha! Ahhh… I’m sorry. I know I shouldn’t make fun of your efforts, but the thought of a ‘Holy Grail’ is just… ridiculous. If the Holy Grail truly was a cup that the Master drank from… Well it certainly wouldn’t be a Grail. And they certainly wouldn’t be rare.

During an Event: Hehe. You want to bring me to a party? I believe that there’s entire scriptures dedicated to how bad an idea that would be. That said, if you insist… what else can I do?

Birthday: Happy Birthday, Master. I can’t thank you enough for letting me in. Someone like me… I don’t deserve everything you’ve done for me. … But hey. It’s your birthday. Let’s not focus on the sad stuff for once. I got something to perform for you. Lemme just get that guitar I borrowed…

[jasper-tarot-reader]

Neopets/Skyrim Tarot: XX. Judgment

Judgment is a card depicting the Last Judgment aka Judgment Day, further emphasizing the fact that tarot came from Italy because come on, man. And people alternate naming it Judgment or Judgement, because both are correct; Judgment just happens to be the more common one. Typically, this is depicted as an angel blowing a trumpet over a family who are obviously dead and about to get yoinked up to Heaven.

This is also one of the most commonly changed cards in the tarot. One of my decks, the Gay Tarot, changes it into "Beyond Judgment" to portray the same feelings in queer men as the usual card does in Christians.

In these two decks, the card is not renamed, but the characters portray the same type of Judgment - the Judgment of someone who will bring villains or criminals to the court of law, a more powerful version of Justice focused on legal and mortal justice rather than cosmic justice. The difference between them is clear once we dive in, so let's take a closer look at our judges, shall we?

Judge Hog is a Blue Moehog who was born in 25 BN (aka 1974, meaning that he turns 51 years old this year, even though he will forever look and be 32 years old in the Neopedia because Neopets doesn't believe in linear time for character designs) and is the head of the Defenders of Neopia. The Defenders of Neopia are a worldwide organization of superheroes who protect Neopia from villains such as the Pant Devil and Iron Skeith, as seen in the card. It's unknown if Judge Hog founded the Defenders of Neopia or is just the current boss.

Judge Hog serves as a superhero bringing down villains, the chief logistical officer and mission control for when other superheroes get sent out, and also as their PR person doing public announcements and appearances for kids. He also lives in a gingerbread house. What a fantastically whimsical motherfucker despite being serious about his job. Truly evidence that you don't have to stop having fun even when you're doing important work.

Mjoll the Lioness is a Nord warrior and ex-adventurer currently living in Riften who is single-handedly trying to tackle the pervasive corruption in its streets and all the way up to the Jarl. She retired from adventuring after Aerin saved her life outside of a Dwemer ruin, but she will follow you if you recover her lost sword Grimsever.

Like Judge Hog, she is dedicated to the protection of others and the clearing of corruption from the streets. Unlike him, she's a one-woman show in a city where the Thieves Guild operate in broad daylight and the real ruler in the city doesn't need to work that hard to puppet the current Jarl (or to take her place if the Imperial Legion takes Riften at any point) and have the city's guards in her pocket (or pay a visit to the Dark Brotherhood). She doesn't have much in the way of outside help, considering the first thing that happens when someone new comes to the city is a shakedown from the guards outside.

Honestly, considering she's literally a Skyrim character, she makes perfect sense for the Judgment card here. Her whole schtick is that she passes judgment on whether or not people are corrupt and strikes against that corruption when and where she can. (However, this isn't reflected in her in-game morality, which allows her to tolerate the player doing any crime...of course, that could be a fascinating look into her internal hypocrisy and justification. More than likely, though, it's a programming oversight because this is Bethesda we're talking about.)

If I were assigning an Elder Scrolls character for a broader deck, I...have no idea who I would pick. Honestly, any Daedra, Aedra, or other divine being could fit this card, as they all represent Judgment in their own way with their own distinct flavor. For some reason my brain keeps throwing Malacath at me though, so what the hell, sure.

[shiningmystic]

Tarot Interpretations: Major Arcana

I. The Magician - Scholar, Student, master of their life, shaper of their world, as above so below, Manifester

─── ─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ─── ───

Upright - Power, influence, willpower, resourcefulness, ability, Skill, logic, concentration, psychic abilities, intellect, science, medicine, creation, magnetism, attraction, creator, Learning from all places, rules of the universe, rules of the world, Alchemist, Ego, Summoner

Reverse - Doubt, manipulation, greed, imbalance, trickster, mental fog, cunning, arrogance, believing self above one's station, loss of faith, grifter, false prophet, loss of motivation,

Planets: Mercury - Virgo and Gemini ruler - Communication, intellect, the exchange of information. how we think learn and express ourselves

Yang energy

Element - Fire

Day - Wednesday

Body parts - spleen, abdomen, fingers, lungs, hands, shoulders, arms, spine, head/skull, face, brain, eyes,

Colors - Red, Gold, white, Yellow, bronze, mercury, grey

─── ─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ─── ───

─── ─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ─── ───

The Magician - The Rider-Waite Tarot Deck

The Magician - The Limbus Tarot Deck - by, Senkai Yami

The Magician - The Robin Wood Tarot Deck - by, Robin Wood

*this post is up for interpretation, this is from my knowledge and perspective of the cards

{{Support me}}

Description of Image:

A young man in long red robes and a white long-sleeved tunic with a grey belt. The young man’s hands are outstretched in different directions; their right hand pointing towards the sky while holding a double ended candle stick lit on both sides.

His left-hand pointing down with his index figure. A white headband adorns his temple with an infinite sign above his head. Flowers surround the magician blooming colorfully. The table with intricate detailing has 4 placed items sitting off to the front left of the magician. The items on the table are a golden chalice (cups), a sword, a Golden coin (pentacle), and a wooden staff.

Metaphorical Description/Observations:

To begin with the most obvious aspects of this card are the blooming flowers, the yellow background and the red robe. Red is usually the color of passion, attraction, leadership. It is a bold color and one that is used a lot to make a powerful impact. Our eyes are drawn to the primary colors (red, yellow, blue) then to the rest of the image. These items on the table (the workbench that holds your knowledge) shows how available they are to the magician and how they use them to create reality and shape it as they should; the more you learn the more that is at your disposal.

The greens of the flowers show life and mastery over life itself, an understanding of their place and balance in the universe. With the magicians finger pointing in such a way as if they had summoned life itself magically when really they are going by the laws of life.

The magician accepts and knows they are still learning the path and that failure is inevitable but when done in the right time, space and with the right amount of light, things grow. The white headband I believe means high sight or thinking beyond normal means. White contains all the colors of light and the sun is a fundamental need in the creation of life. The chalice is in the forefront because water is needed to grow the plants around the magician, in a literal sense the magician is the master of life.

The double-sided candle is the connection between both worlds so like the headband, psychic sight. The magician mirrors the devil card in tarot and represents an understanding of the physical realm and how it is connected to the spiritual (as above so below). The magician allows their imagination to be a tool for their craft and logic to imagine the possibilities they can take before them. The number 1 is represented by the roman numeral I, which "I" in of itself represents the ego and individualism.

The items on the table could also represent the elements as it does through the tarot cards themselves respectively: (Cups = water, Wands = fire, Pentacle’s = earth, Swords = air, the last element is self). The Magician is the next step and the true beginning of the cycle in tarot. The fool being Zero and now entering the physical we begin at One. The Infinite sign speaks of many possibilities while the neutral expression on the magician is acceptance of what is and what must be put together to get a result.

In numerology one sets the stage of ego, belief, an idea, self actualization. As the beginning we have to realize the power at our disposal especially now with technology, tarot still applies today and we should make our own meanings and understandings of the cards.

─── ─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ─── ───

Sources:

The ultimate guide to Rider Waite Tarot by Johanness Fiebig and Evelin Burger

The Tarot Guide which I used a lot to learn what I know (seriously go learn from this sight)

Astrology: the Worldwide Guide to Reading the Stars

[usukustwiceperyear]

2024 Theme Winners & Event-Specific Rules

Poll results are in, and you guys have chosen "Cards, with Spades to Start (Cardverse)" and "Ocean's 1923" for 2024's events! As a reminder, here are the definitions of these two themes.

"Cards, with Spades to Start": Themes based on the Cardverse AU (the Spades King America and Queen England outfits by Himaruya from the Arte Stella artbook bonus card deck).  "Ocean's 1923": Themes based upon love at sea. This includes pirates, navy militaries, and oceanic creatures (merfolk, sirens, krakens, etc.) Each half will have its own rules and requirements, to keep things in-theme and on-topic. See below for the first half's rules. ───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────

Event-specific Rules

Part 1: Cards, with Spades to Start General - Progress updates are required monthly for the next 3 months before works are due. More details on this will be announced in the sign-up form. - Please review the general rules here: https://usukustwiceperyear.tumblr.com/rules About Cardverse - Arthur (or England) and Alfred (or America) must be the rulers of Spades, no other suit. --- If other kingdoms are under the jurisdiction of Spades, then this can be allowed. - Arthur/England and Alfred/America are typically given the "Queen" and "King" roles respectively, as matching the Arte Stella cards, but these titles are not restrictive and both or either can be called any role interchangeably regardless of gender, i.e. Alfred can be Queen, King, Emperor, etc. - Physical, magical spade-shaped marks on the body (i.e. a tattoo) are common fanon to denote the next in line for royalty, but this is not required. Birthright, inheritance, coup d'état, etc. are all valid ways of putting Arthur/England or Alfred/America as rulers of Spades in lieu of marks. - Magic can be used within this AU theme, but this is not required and works can be traditional human AU, nationverse, sweet devil, etc. or any combination of the above. - Works do not need to be set in medieval kingdoms or historical times. Spades can also be a figurative kingdom (i.e. Magical Strike AU with "Spades" as the company name), set in modern day royalty, or otherwise. If you have further questions, do not hesitate to ask the mods! Writer-specific Rules - Arthur/England and Alfred/America can start off in different kingdoms at the beginning, but as listed above, must be the rulers of Spades by the end. - One, both, or neither can be established royalty at the start, but as listed above, must be ruling as "monarchs" of Spades by the end. Artist-specific Rules - Because of the amount of people who did not do this last event, it will be reiterated to please make sure that you ADD A DESCRIPTION AND TITLE with the art that you create so that it has some context for the audience. IF YOU DO NOT DO THIS, we will NOT ACCEPT the art piece and will ask you to resubmit it with the description. --- The description does not need to be elaborate; one or two sentences is fine. - For works done in color, the traditional colors of Spades (shades of blue and purple) must be used somewhere in the piece. - It is not required to use the Arte Stella outfits for either Arthur or Alfred, however it must be clear that they are the rulers of Spades by other means if not their clothing or tattoos.

───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───── As always, if you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please don't hesitate to contact us! ⮞ SIGN-UP INFORMATION HERE ⮜

[thcdevil]

*A GIRL IN THE SHAPE OF A MONSTER / A MONSTER IN THE SHAPE OF A GIRL.

— { samara weaving, she / her, 26 } We just saw { roxana liddell } entering { scotland yard, arrested yet again }. I heard through the grapevine that her loyalties lie with { the jabberwocks }, and that they also go by { the devil }. Be careful, she works as an { underground fighter, freelance trainer, and socialite } and is known to be { rebellious }, { chaotic }, or { violent }. However she's also known to be { resourceful }, { lavish }, and { playful }.   { daisy, she / her, est, images of bugs, depictions of animal abuse } —

»»» a smear of bright red lipstick on the teeth, a never-ending blossom of bruises, lighting a cigarette with the smoke of a gun, pulling death from a tarot deck; the flashing of camera bulbs white-cold and relentless as the snow, balancing precariously atop a balcony railing, pointe shoes and ripped fishnets; a red rose bowing under the weight of snowdrift but never breaking, a blood-tipped knife hanging from the ceiling, the circus act who catches bullets with her teeth.

BASICS, HISTORY, WANTED CONNECTIONS, & EXTRAS UNDER THE CUT !!

i. BASICS.

BIRTH NAME: Roxana Dominika Liddell NICKNAMES: Roxy / Roxie / Rox; The Devil; Roxy Horror ( fight name ) AGE: 26 D.O.B.: tbd BIRTHPLACE: tbd CURRENT RESIDENCE: London, England LANGUAGES SPOKEN: English, French, Russian AFFILIATION: Jabberwocks OCCUPATION: whatever she feels like ( underground fighter, trainer, socialite ) EDUCATION: secondary school / limited university-level coursework  SEXUALITY / ROMANTIC ORIENTATION: whatever, whoever, whenever RELATIONSHIP STATUS: single CHILDREN: none POSITIVE TRAITS:  playful, resourceful, loyal, protective, extravagant NEUTRAL TRAITS:  stubborn, unpredictable, selective, mischievous, determined NEGATIVE TRAITS:  vicious, obsessive, chaotic, destructive, manipulative INSP:  Villanelle, Harley Quinn, Bellatrix Lestrange, Catwoman, Louise Belcher, unhinged noir antiheroines, unreliable narrators, and the girlboss / gaslight / gatekeep meme <333

ii. BIO TLDR.

Roxana is a woman obsessed with life and freedom, but she doesn’t know how to achieve her idea of a fulfilled life, and so resorts to violence as both self-discovery and self-destruction.

iii. FULL HISTORY.

[ trigger warnings for: descriptions of violence, blood, death, drug abuse ]

Beauty and terror have long been the favorite paradox and primary pastime of the youngest Liddell child, Roxana Liddell. It was the only outcome for a girl who, from birth, witnessed the true nature of what truly made her family: tyrants masquerading as fair rulers, violence sheathed by radiance, glass towers so high above the rest that they prevented from seeing those trapped inside, a family cursed to feel nothing and say even less. They were little more than a dollhouse, flawless from the outside, but constantly manipulated and puppeteered by the Crimson Monarch reigning high above. Little Roxie, ever observant and impressionable to a fault, grew into the perfectly cracked mirror of them all: bloodthirsty monster and enchanting witch, caged by thorns yet unfathomably picturesque.   She was the Liddell's unplanned finale turned unfinished symphony, for she saw them exactly as what they were and rejected them with every emotional outburst and triggered temper.  It was never her family members' individual vices or personas she feared, but instead — beecoming like them. Owned and ruled over. Dominated. Bound by the conventions of the family name and promises she never agreed to make.   From youth, this fear was combatted by her innate pursuit of freedom, excitement, and experience, forever searching for proof that girlhood could transform into godhood, and that she could not be defined by that which came before her. Physical prowess honed by aristocrat-appropriate sports soon resulted in playground fights ended only by bloody, broken noses, and a penchant for escaping from authority figures' grasps. It hadn't started as bloodlust. Rather, it'd been meant as a scream for salvation — but there was a particular fascination in the space between the sin committed and its resultant shock, and the world her family created was the perfect place to play at games of destructive delight, bound by the pull of death and ecstasy.   Unlike her siblings, she didn't complete university, choosing instead to spend her time specializing in the art of hedonistic parties and tabloid fodder. While anyone with her Midas touch could throw a bash, Roxana's innately creative mind and love of the bizarre translated into unforgettable nights replete with elaborate themes, fighting and gambling rings, and imported drugs, to name a few. Her money, charisma, and hedonistic streak meant the certainty of that which mattered most: others’ silence, her own violence, and a hell of a night for all.    Her penchant for destruction has left a trail of bodies in its wake, some victims more serious than others. Each high-profile one is, naturally, taken care of with the signing of a Liddell-sponsored check, making the matter go away entirely with the swipe of a pen. But, after the likely Roxana-caused overdose of one of the Royal Family's own, the youngest Liddell has been kept on an impressively tight leash as of late, assigned a 24/7 handler, and stripped of carte-blanche access to the family credit cards and their illicit supply. What's a girl to do under such horrid circumstances? Lie, cheat, steal, and even kill for the chance to be free once more. 

iii. WANTED CONNECTIONS.

Under construction! Some general ideas can be found in the 'wanted' section of Rox's pinterest, and her formal wc list will be updated in the coming days!

iv. EXTRAS

pinterest !!

Roxana has made quite a name for herself within the lightweight class of some underground fight clubs. Specifically, the name she's known by in these settings is "Roxy Horror" — a play on a favorite film of hers and a cheeky nod to the absolute truth of her violence.   

After each arrest and its subsequent dismissal due to her family's name, influence, and money, Roxana places her mugshots in ornate frames befitting the Liddell estate, and hides them amongst the countless portraits adorning the walls. To date, only four of the double-digit mugshots have been found.   

Just as her brother has his antiques, Roxana has trinkets of her own. The only difference, however, is that hers are acquired through petty theft. She's not a full-blown kleptomaniac, but there's certainly a compulsiveness to her steals, and Roxie has kept every trinket and trophy she's ever stolen dating back to childhood — even the sparkly pink gel pen nicked from a classmate on her first day of primary school.  

Roxie has a complicated relationship with her siblings. She openly declares favorites amongst them, but the rankings change at the drop of a hat. More than this, she frequently lies to each one about what the other has said or done, pitting the older Liddells against each other just for her own amusement.  

'Hidden' talents include: a near-eidetic memory, superior verbal /  impression mimicry, ballet and aerial skills.

[mystic-rubysunflower]

𝓐𝓼𝓽𝓻𝓸𝓵𝓸𝓰𝓲𝔃𝓮𝓭 𝓣𝓪𝓻𝓸𝓽 𝓡𝓮𝓪𝓭. 🦁

Seekers Big 3:

Taurus ♉️ ☀️ (fixed earth)

Libra ♎️ 🌙 (cardinal air)

Pisces ♓️ ⬆️ (mutable water)

let's dive into the "Lions Gate" tarot spread and explore what possibilities await you if you activate the lions gate portal 🦁🌀🪞🧜🏽‍♀️🏹

✨ bottom of the deck: (a key element to describe the overall “mood” of the reading) :

• King of Swords (Aquarius ♒️, your 12th house)

👑 The King of Swords ⚔️ suggests that you possess strong analytical and logical abilities. It aligns with your 12th house, indicating a need for inner reflection and intellectual exploration.

1.) source of inner courage: The Hierophant (Taurus ♉️, ruler of your 3rd house and your sun ☀️.) The Hierophant represents tradition, structure, and spiritual guidance. With Taurus being your sun sign and ruling your 3rd house of communication and learning, this card suggests that your inner courage is rooted in following established rules, seeking knowledge, and connecting with your spiritual beliefs. Embrace your natural desire for stability and seek solace in trusted teachings.

2. deepest desires & ambitions: Temperance (Sagittarius ♐️, your 10th house ruler with MC at 28°) Temperance embodies balance, harmony, and healing. This card aligns with your 10th house of career and public image, suggesting that your deepest desires and ambitions revolve around finding a sense of purposeful integration in your professional life. You yearn for a harmonious blend of your diverse skills and interests, seeking a fulfilling career that aligns with your spiritual values.

3.) Challenges/Obstacles: Queen of Swords (Libra ♎️, your 8th house and 🌙) The Queen of Swords embodies intellect, objectivity, and strong discernment. Being associated with Libra, your 8th house of transformation and shared resources, as well as your moon sign, this card indicates that one of your challenges is maintaining emotional equilibrium while making tough decisions. It suggests the need for clear communication and balanced perspectives, acknowledging the power of your intellect in navigating obstacles.

4.) what to tap into right now: The Chariot (Cancer ♋️, your 5th house with Chiron and Mars ♂️conjunct) The Chariot symbolizes victory, determination, and taking charge of your own destiny. Aligned with Cancer, your 5th house of self-expression and creativity, this card indicates that you have the ability to tap into your emotional strength and assertiveness. With Chiron and Mars conjunct in Cancer, this energy intensifies, encouraging you to embrace your vulnerability and use it as a driving force in accomplishing your goals.

5. Opportunities opening for you: The Devil (Capricorn ♑️, your 11th house ruler. with Uranus, Neptune, and Saturn conjunct and in retrograde) The Devil represents earthly desires, material attachments, and transformation. Associated with Capricorn, your 11th house of community and aspirations, this card signifies that opportunities are emerging for you to break free from limitations and transform your social circles. With Uranus, Neptune, and Saturn conjunct and in retrograde, this energy encourages you to challenge societal norms, explore your individuality, and build authentic connections with like-minded individuals.

6. Community/Support system: 3 of Cups (Mercury ☿ in Cancer ♋️, your 5th house ruler. Mercury conjuncts your natal Mars) The 3 of Cups embodies, celebration, and mutual support. With Mercury in Cancer and your 5th house, conjunct your natal Mars, this card emphasizes the importance of nurturing relationships and finding your tribe. It suggests that your community and support system will consist of empathetic and creative individuals who share your passions, providing emotional support and collaborative energy.

Summary: This spread highlights the potential for growth and transformation in various aspects of your life. You draw inner courage from traditional wisdom, seeking balance and harmony in your ambitions. Challenges may arise in maintaining emotional equilibrium but utilizing your intellect will help navigate them. Tap into your emotional strength and assertiveness to manifest your desires. Opportunities to break free from limitations are arising, urging you to challenge societal norms and find your authentic community. Nurture relationships with like-minded individuals who provide support and celebrate your journey. Embrace these energies and trust in your ability to create a fulfilling and purposeful path ahead. 🌈 ✨

[infjtarot]

Sun. Tarot of the old Path

Clarity, happiness, freedom At night, under the moon, everything appears strange, half visible, half in darkness. But when the sun comes out, the way becomes clear. What might have seemed like a malevolent spirit becomes revealed as just a tree. Thus, the Sun card means clarity and the rational mind, with its ability to see and understand the truth. As well as a clear contrast with the Moon, the Sun also completes the liberation of light trapped in the Devil’s darkness. In the Kabbalistic interpretation of Tarot, each Major Arcana card is linked to a Hebrew letter. The letter for the Sun card, resh, means “head,” in particular the cerebral cortex, the part of us that can think and reason. In ancient Greece, the god Apollo, ruler of the sun, brought civilization to struggling humanity. His sister, Artemis, ruled the wild places of nature, the forests and mountains. But Apollo is not simply rationality, for he also ruled music, poetry (the nine Muses lived on his favorite mountain, Parnassus), and, most significantly for us, the power of prophecy. At the greatest oracle center of the ancient world, Delphi, a woman known as the Pythia would go into trance and become the direct voice of Apollo. Thus the Sun card subtly can refer to the power of the seer to reveal truths. The Sun forms one of the Rider deck’s traditional departures from traditional Tarot design. In the Tarot of Marseille, Waite and Smith’s primary model, the Sun shows two people, usually children, sometimes two boys but more often a boy and a girl, together in a walled garden. After all the images of opposites, from the poles of the High Priestess all the way to the dog and the wolf of the Moon, two come together in harmony. In the following card, Judgement, a child stands between a man and a woman; duality overcome, a new self arises. Then why change the Sun card to show a single child? The movement of the figure away from the wall gives a sense of freedom, while the child’s bright countenance shows us innocence and joy. The Fool has returned to childlike simplicity. Notice that the Sun child wears the same red feather that the Fool carried in his hat, while the banner he waves resembles the sash wound around the World dancer. Even more than the Fool and his dog, the child on the horse symbolizes what Waite calls the “perfect conformity” of spiritual openness and animal nature. Waite apparently designed his Sun card from a Belgian Tarot deck called Bacchus (Bacchus, the god of wine, replaces the Pope/Hierophant!). That deck, however, showed a grown man, a warrior it seems, riding across the card and waving a banner of victory. Instead of triumph, the child in the Rider image symbolizes openness to transformation and spiritual light. A lifelong Christian, Waite may have been thinking of the famous statement by Jesus, “Except ye be converted and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.” The Sun gives off eleven straight rays and ten undulating ones. Together they make twenty-one, the number of the World card. But what of the twenty-second card, the Fool? Look at the squiggly black line to the right of the Roman numerals. Does it represent a simple printer’s error or the Fool’s hidden presence as a twenty-second ray? Divinatory meanings: Openness, joy, simplicity. Clear thinking. The rational mind. Good health, happiness, brightness. Rachel Pollack.

[shadow-fell]

my chapter in the Great Wyllstarion Quantum Leap Multiverse Shenanigans AU is up. This fic was so fun to watch be put together, an absolute blast to write for, and has turned out so good. the stuff yet to come....i have no words.

...and, well, am I really aping Carla Speed McNeil if there aren't excessive footnotes? they are hiding, spoiler-filled, beneath the cut.

As I said in the end notes, this AU is based on Finder vol 5: Dream Sequence, by Carla Speed McNeil. While I don't think the chapter itself is super spoiler-y, the notes here definitely are, so be warned. While it might not be the start of the series it's pretty easy to read without context, so if the vibes interest you, I really recommend checking it out.

Finder is maybe my favorite comic of all time. It's kind of sci-fi/post-post-apocalyptic/dystopia. It's from the 90s, and parts of it has aged weirdly? but it's honestly more progressive than a lot of comics printed nowadays. I could talk about all the details and themes and worldbuilding and characters for ages, but I'm here to talk about fanfic, so...

It reminded him, in a way, of being teleported by that damn genie to the jungles of Chult – oh, gods, was this a world where the city had never been built? What was even the point of ascending if it left him ultimate ruler of a bunch of prehistoric cave-dwellers?

The general tone of this fic leans more on humor than angst, but this is one of my favorite beats. Astarion is getting kind of tired of all these dumb universes, and the idea of being stuck without "modern" life is absolute hell. And not just because he's finding excuses to skip worlds and put this off, definitely.

No busy street to check against, he reached up to touch his ears - elven, thankfully. He felt neither vampiric hunger nor the tadpole’s presence, but there was no sensation of blood flowing, of a beating heart, so he might just have been very well fed – this seemed like a forest with ample large prey. Looking down he had a rapier at his hip, well-crafted but not obviously enchanted. His clothes were strange, but were closer to adventurers’ garb than anything else, and definitely required advanced techniques to make, which was a positive sign on the not-cave-dweller front. Ignis summoned fire to his hands, so this world had at least some magic to make it viable for Ascension.

Added this paragraph a bit later after seeing more of the other AUs take shape , and edited around once I knew I was to be this early, because originally written the idea was Astarion has this method down. In context, being in a modern AU has kind of fucked him up (and I truly fell in love the idea he's pissed about how many human aus there are. why isn't there a world where Wyll's an elf)

Unfortunately for his little checklist, he's in VR and his avatar is decked out with magic. This is also the reason he doesn't feel his heart beat despite not being a vampire - he's not in his body at the moment.

Narrowing in on that, he snuck closer towards a clearing where a large bonfire burned. Around it were figures dancing – not humans, but a pack of silver creatures. They were headless, many-limbed, and looked almost like fluid mercury in the way they moved. A drumbeat’s rhythm seemed to come from the very air itself, and at the clearing’s edges he could see shadowy figures silently watching. 

There are a couple images I wanted to steal directly from the comic, and these strange, alien figures dancing around the fire was one of them. It's always stood out to me, and it fits very well as our introduction to the Frontiers.

Clearly, he was in the Feywild. He’d only ever heard stories, of course, but it was obvious really, and surely a fey pact could help him Ascend as easily as a devil’s. Maybe even without the full seven thousand sacrificed to Raphael; wouldn’t it just be lovely to pull off a scam on the smug bastard? 

My main contribution to the slow arc of Astarion coming to terms with not wanting to do the ritual. I really wanted to set up the idea that he is having second doubts about the cost of ascension (listening to Wyll) but absolutely refuses to admit it. Because he still needs wants it, but he admits it would be better without the killing, because (Wyll is right) it would be funny to fuck over Raphael

This ends up getting mirrored (as I assumed it would) in some of the later AUs, the idea that if the problem is the 7000, it'll be fine without killing them. right? right?

So, first things first, find this universe’s Wyll - surely a monster hunter would have all the details on what fey magic was happening here. If he hadn’t been hijacked - it seemed as if Wyll arrived some time after him, clearly trying to catch up, the bastard, so it was probably for the best to hurry and not lose what little lead he had.

This got edited a fair bit to set up being AU#2, mostly emphasizing the rules (Wyll shows up later, giving chase). He has a reason to find Wyll, and it definitely isn't just that he wants to see him!

I could probably have spent more time fucking around establishing the dreamlike quality of the frontiers, but sometimes it's better to just get to business, and he is on a bit of a time limit (impending Wyll)

There was a field of corpses. Given the lack of clothes and the way some of them were still posed embracing each other, a once-impressive orgy had clearly been absolutely slaughtered. Some of the bodies lay across the ground, shattered, while others are twisted up and impaled on spikes. A gruesome sight. He was not at all surprised to find Wyll at the center of it, kneeling down and inspecting one of the bodies.

The other really iconic scene I knew I needed to keep in was the traveling orgy server getting brutally not-murdered. There's something about the combination of sex and twisted corpses, and also, just a hint into the stock horrror of what it means to have your imagination, your mind, your waking dreams just another online site. Since I was eight, like, what a panel.

His clothes were simple, mostly pure black cloth without even the pretense of armor, but a rapier hung at his side, not one of the magical ones Wyll favored in their home, but cold iron alone was protection against fey, wasn’t it? He had no horns, or any other devilish features—maybe he was bound to some Archfey instead of Mizora, a better world indeed—and his hair was longer, what would reach well to his feet if it wasn’t floating upwards weightlessly with the magic of the Feywild, locs mixed with thin strands of silver, both braided in and growing from his scalp, not grey hairs but shining metal. His face had a black circle on it—hopefully some sort of makeup and not the world’s worst tattoo—which emphasized the concerned expression on his face. 

This is the image that kind of inspired the fic - the dream of Wyll with very long locs, floating up in the air like cables (and being literally the cables hooking up to the VR).

The fic doesn't go deep into what the world is like outside of the Frontiers; while there are some things implied, Astarion is very much an outsider POV to what's going on. Mizora is definitely one of the people on the company board manipulating things, though - and with the politics of Anvard, that could go very poorly for Wyll.

I went back and forth about the weird circle on the face, and decided to keep it for what it represents - Wyll, like Magri, isn't fully aware of what it is, and it doesn't quite come up in the fic, but it is his repressed anger - the monster - and having that pointed out is what triggers the final breakdown in Dream Sequence.

“Well, not you, of that I’m certain.” Wyll said – clearly still this world’s Wyll, thankfully. “I’m sorry that you’ve been dragged into this – no one would listen, when I said you weren’t a part of it, that it only wore your face—”

AU Astarion and Wyll haven't actually met. Wyll is a more active character than the very disassociative Magri, but however things went down, he didn't stop the company from grabbing Astarion as a scapegoat.

Even if he's not as dissassociative, Wyll still has to lock himself away from a lot of his thoughts; in canonverse, I imagine there's quite a bit of his time with Mizora he's locked away in a vault. But escaping to a dreamworld is a bit different when it has guests.

“Did they not…? No, I suppose they wouldn’t have. Scapegoats aren’t worth interrogating, after all.” Wyll shook his head. “We recovered memory data from some of the victims who were recording when it attacked my father’s men. It has more than just your face – your full bodyprint.”

I don't actually explain what AU Astarion's deal is, because we never actually interact with anyone who knows him. I thought about it, but the explanations are all awkward. If I'd had him start out on the streets, he'd piece it together quickly, but that loses the Feywild angle.

In Dream Sequence, the monster wears the face of the main character, Jaeger, because ever since he got caught on film in vol3, his face and body have become common in movies, and, as a recurring beat through Dream Sequence, porn. Given some of the framing and setting, that's the context Magri saw him and took his face to be the monster; there's an underpinning about sex and discomfort with the sexual to the monster beyond just the anger issues - the reason why the comic ends with the two making out.

Astarion is definitely not Jaeger, so how his bodyprint came to be a porn star is left up in the air, but you can fill in the gaps that he's had some canon-typical trauma re: sex. And Cazador. And bodily autonomy.

“It’s a traveling server. They move between different sites to avoid moderation. This isn’t the first time they’ve inflicted themselves on the Frontiers – it’s like people don’t even care about the host. For motive… the shareholders would tell you it’s corporate sabotage.” / “If this was a simple hacker, I could kick them out,” Wyll explained. “I have that much strength at least. It’s why I know you’re not the one behind this – they know it too, it’s just easier to have a person to pin the blame on. Because I host the Frontiers, they’re resistant to viruses – even when they do take hold, I can partition them away. I’ve tried that, isolated the victims, blockaded whole sections of the Frontiers. It just keeps coming.”

These bits from Wyll are the hit you over the head reveal we're actually a cyberpunk au and not the feywild. Because he's not explaining the world, it gives a pretty succinct view of his power - he's both creator and moderator of the Frontiers. It's a parallel to Ascension, but also to being Grand Duke.

Astarion has picked some stuff up from this version's memories, but not enough for him to realize that he's not in the feywild because that's already fucking weird, you know. he's still not used to modern aus.

“…Kill it,” Wyll repeated.  “You don’t need to start moralizing, we’re talking about something that did…whatever this was, to all these people. And it stole my face! That alone should be a death penalty, honestly.” “The fact I can’t kick it means it isn’t a person,” Wyll said. “I’m not sure if it’s a thing that can be killed.” “Have you tried?” 

Wyll in this isn't necessarily anti-murder, but he's definitely confused - and while he may have the rapier at his side, he's not actually a monster hunter, he's more like a popular fantasy writer running a massive larp. Astarion is very pro-murder and does not have time to deal with Wyll not being down with that (I mean, he's searching for a Wyll who's cool with killing 7000 spawn).

"it stole my face. death penalty" is one of my favorite beats from Astarion.

He turned away, and as he did, the world turned with him. No more bodies, no more forest; they were in a graveyard now, large crypts and shining stones that seemed to stretch for miles.

So, there are some visuals that were huge multi-page things that stuck in. And then there's this one panel, that hit me hard enough it made me think the setting came back for a larger sequence.

Practically, the switch is meant to be jarring enough to force Astarion to break with the Feywild idea, alongside any readers who haven't yet caught on. The graveyard is here for the tomb that Wyll keeps all the things he's repressing in. But mostly, it's because

Ulder is alive and running the company in this, and I doubt there's the same rumor about Francesca's "retirement" - but Wyll is just as haunted by his mother's death, albeit in a different way. His head is full of graveyards, it's a miracle people aren't constantly stumbling over them.

Tagline, marketing – someone had made a business, inviting people into Wyll’s dreamland. Vile, but not exactly surprising. Could anyone do this, make a world in their mind? Get a bit of ultimate power? Was it this world’s alternative to ascension, perhaps?

Once he realizes they're in Wyll's head, he puts the AU together quickly. He may not fully understand the technology, but he understands greed and abuse. This isn't a full parallel to ascension, but it is fundamentally about what would you trade in exchange for ultimate power.

Astarion is someone who disassociates as a response to trauma, and that makes the idea of your own mind not being private worse - because where else is left to escape to? But as someone who has so thoroughly been compelled, the idea of having control over your mind and those intruding on it has its appeal.

Because it isn’t an external threat – it’s internal. There’s something wrong with me.” “No, no, it makes sense, doesn’t it? I was annoyed, I was angry, that the server came to the Frontiers, and the monster attacked them for it. Which means, if I want to keep everyone safe, then all I need to do is stop having any more negative feelings!”

This is the core of this AU idea. Dream Sequence is mostly a story about imposter syndrome, well, that and "hey, maybe staying awake for a decade straight turned your anger issues into a full on psychotic break". Wyll has shades of this, but I think true to form, it's more about the stuff between him and his father, and his own self worth issues.

Wyll needs to be perfect. He has to uphold the ideals his father set out for him, and failings that are fine from others are inexcusable to him. The Frontiers are his creativity, his joy, and they've been packaged to be sold, and that's fine, because it means he's doing something, that he's helping people, that he's worthwhile. And if that goes away, then he's not the Blade, he's just Wyll, and he can't be just Wyll.

I mean, the core thing about Wyll is that at seventeen he decided his soul was worth less than the lives of a city. He's self sacrificing to a tee. He will become a devil to save one innocent life. Of course his reaction is that he has to be perfect and save everyone, otherwise, what is the point?

“Wyll. Darling. That’s maybe the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard you say,” Astarion told him. “Fuck all these people, it’s their fault, trying to have an orgy in your head. Even if it is you, and not some trick by Mizora or whoever, the solution is to take control of it. Really, you’d be so much better off if you just stopped  pretending that you’re the most perfect noble hero who’s never had any mean thoughts in his life—” / “Fuck them! Fuck your father, fuck the company, fuck everyone who thinks they deserve to have a piece of you! If having a world you control means you can’t have fun then what’s the point! When’s the last time you did something for yourself? Had a feast or fucked someone or took a gods-damned nap?” / “This is why you’re so insufferable, you know that?” he said. “You don’t want to admit that all the self-sacrificial hero nonsense makes you miserable, so you take it out on everyone else! This is why you keep interfering, because you look at someone who might be close to actually being safe and happy and need to sabotage it for your stupid morals. Because you can’t just admit you need to yell at your father for all the shit he put you through! Of course you have a monster in your head maiming people, is it really any surprise!?”

Astarion's rant. He is yelling at this Wyll, but mostly his Wyll.

Most of the shade is about all the things about Wyll that also make him unwilling to let Astarion ascend. The idea that you have to keep playing at being a perfect hero, even when it makes things worse and makes you miserable, come on, wouldn't it be better to take time for yourself, have fun, and let me kill 7000 spawn and ascend?

Which isn't to invalidate his points; the thing I like most about Wyllstarion is probably the "corruption" angle - that Wyll needs to learn to be more selfish instead of self-sacrificing, because if you give too much, it kills you. Astarion isn't always right, but he's great at getting someone to sit and take care of themselves. He helps push Wyll into being healthier at the same time Wyll pushes him to being a better person. They lose the sheen of their archetypes and instead make each other into people.

But mostly Wyll needs an Astarion to let him know he should tell Ulder to go fuck himself.

“Enough!” Wyll yelled, and it was actually angry, enough that Astarion did freeze for a moment and go quiet. “I am sorry that you got dragged into this, I truly am, but I have enough people judging me without adding a stranger to the list. We are done here, and you are done with the Frontiers.”

And our reminder this isn't his Wyll, or our Wyll. This is a very important conversation, but it's not a very effective one against a stranger. Astarion knows Wyll far better than Wyll knows him, but while some things are the same, this is a different universe.

The final straw was bringing up Ulder. They have a complicated relationship - in many ways, more complicated because there isn't a banishment, instead all these years working together, while Wyll is professionally sleepwalking through life.

He mostly takes the comics role of Chester Stilwater, the CEO who's been milking Magri and Elsewhere for profit. Stilwater is, to be clear, a really shitty guy - but in the context of Anvard's atrociously amoral feudal system, he clearly does care for Magri, having tried to advise him against the contract while he was disassociating, and giving him back majority shares in the company when he left. Ulder loves his son, but he also exists within a system.

Wyll doesn't see any of this as shit his father put him through. He sees it as a choice he made to support his father, that he's struggling to meet. If Wyll chose to move on, Ulder would likely support it - but at the same time, if events followed Dream Sequence, he would be sitting at his son's bedside listening to advisors tell him he should be lobotomized to keep things running, and not turning it down out of hand. So. Complicated.

A hand mirror rested beside the bed, its surface shimmering in the way that marked it as Shaundakul’s – within hands’ reach, this whole time, only next to where his physical body had been and not his mind.

There was a line in the overview doc about it being our choice whether the mirror was right there or had to be a Quest. I kind of fell in love with the idea it was always right there, but you needed to wake up first to realize it.

I don't think it's that monumental of a reveal - maybe if he'd spent longer wandering around the Frontiers before finding Wyll? Been confronted by the monster. Except, well...I think Astarion might actually be posessing the monster.

In Elsewhere, guests possess characters rather than appear as themselves, and the monster is another character, being passed between sleepwalkers mid-nightmare. So, he is both himself and the thing wearing his face. freaky, much. Astarion would never have figured this out, even if I'd written like 10k of this AU.

“You can’t be serious – if I sleep, I lose the Frontiers, I lose everything. I can fix this, I just need to be stronger, I just need to—”

We see Wyll angry before; this is him desperate. Because the problem with pinning all your self worth on a single concept. If he isn't the Frontiers, then his father doesn't have a reason to love him. So he has to be the Frontiers, you understand?

Canon Wyll has this but for being a hero.

Wyll’s eyes opened again, a mix of confusion and clarity. “Astarion?” he said. “Wherever we are, whatever you’re doing, please, can we at least talk?” That’s Wyll. Real Wyll, original Wyll, his Wyll – not good, not good.  Before he could think of any words to say, he pulled the plunger and injected the drug, watched as Wyll fell unconscious back onto the bed, to a hopefully peaceful, relaxing slumber.

I think the two scenes I had most clearly was Wyll standing over the murdered orgy while Astarion was like "what the fuck" and this, where Astarion injects Wyll rather than have an awkward conversation.

Big "go to sleep go to sleep go to sleep" energy. I technically offered content warnings but in my heart I know this is a comedic beat.

This world didn’t seem to be one for infernal rituals – only strange, technological horrors. As interesting as the dreamlands were, he wasn’t looking for a new set of downsides to ultimate power. Even if he wanted to stay, free from vampirism, Wyll’s state made it clear this was hardly a paradise, and he didn’t want to see what his own life was like, not kidnapped to be made scapegoat for some monstrous killer. He turned towards the mirror, picking it up.

While plenty of the AUs are horrifying, a lot of them are tempting. Worlds where he's alive, where he can walk in the sun and eat, where he isn't stuck with Cazador. That's what he wants, after all, more than the power, it's comfort and safety. This one could be all those things - but it's a risk, especially coming right out of realizing Cazador was in even light happy ballet world. He can't risk it, and he's probably right; Anvard is not a great place to live, especially if you're worse than a tourist. There's a reason I put dystopia in the genres Finder falls into.

I don't actually know the full details of what Astarion is like in this world, beyond the fact he is definitely 100% not Jaeger outside of this single specific storyline. But Dream Sequence is the furthest chronologically we've seen from Finder, the most we've glimpsed of what seems to be a happy ending, and I'd like to believe that Astarion is similarly already at the end of his arc, and that waiting just outside the door are the rest of the tadfools arguing with lawyers to get him free, and not Cazador.

When Wyll woke, his whole body ached. He was overwhelmed by the sensations of hunger and thirst, and it felt as if he’d slept for days. His head itched, his mind rang, and there was this sense of absence, of something gone.

It wasn't until after reading the draft of the first AU that I chose to end on Wyll's POV, for a bit more structure and consistency. Being in this Wyll's body is a nightmare, especially coming from someone who, while maybe not the best of self care, has a baseline level of maintenance required to do the things he does.

Having slept, the Frontiers are gone. Wyll wasn't awake in this world long enough to feel them - and given he's a different version, who knows what it would have been like if he hadn't been immediately drugged - but their absence is still a very physical loss.

For all it hurt, Wyll was right that staying awake is what kept the Frontiers running - there's only so long after waking you can remember a dream. Although, to be clear, like Magri, he needed to sleep, and there are ways to keep the Frontiers without it Literally Driving You Insane, Wyll. Please I am begging you to take care of yourself.

 A prayer to gods he doubted would be listening even if they were in a normal world, to whatever fates are dragging them along this winding place, that this world had a happy ending, and that Astarion might finally stop long enough to listen instead of drugging him to run at first sight.

Pray for Wyll, he's got another 17 chapters to go and it's not getting any better. He is not surprised about being knocked out, but. Come on, Astarion, he just wants to talk. Also, confirming the beat that it's important for him that they're not fucking too much with the worlds they leave behind, and he wants all their AU versions to be happy.

I believe the vague ruling is the AUs snap back to before the transfer point happens (since, well, it would be weird if this happened in the middle of grand adage). For how it would go without bodyswapping shenanigans...

Astarion isn't going to be quite so up front about confronting Wyll; even if they do meet, it probably won't spark the same realizations. Without being drugged, I think things will probably follow closer to the comics, with a massive breakdown before Wyll finally is drugged into unconsciousness. So, a rougher ride, but I'm an optimist; everything will be better so long as Wyll gets some sleep.

the title is a joke on several layers - obviously, there's the joke about the fact it ends with both Wylls being forced to take a nap, but also, it's an adaptation of a comic titled "dream sequence" that's spent entirely in Wyll's waking dreams. there's a whole undercurrent about needing to sleep, to dream, to live, and naps are the epitome of that most 'selfish' kind of resting.

Reclaim the idea that napping - that sleeping - is lazy. You shouldn't sacrifice yourself for work - no matter how important and meaningful the work maybe, even if it's creative and fulfilling.

But mostly, well. The title is because my favorite panel in all of Dream Sequence is the very last one, and it's where I want to shove both Wyll and Astarion: out of danger, out of the limelight, surrounded by love, and taking a nap.

Drink up, dreamers.

[darkshadowduelist]

SUDA-JP004 Arcana Force V – The Hierophant

Level 4 LIGHT Fairy Effect Monster

ATK 1500

DEF 1500

(1) You can discard this card; for the rest of this turn, your opponent cannot activate cards or effects when an “Arcana Force” monster(s) is Summoned to your field.

(2) If this card is Summoned: Toss a coin.

● Heads: Special Summon 1 Level 4 or lower “Arcana Force” monster from your Deck with a different name from the monsters you control and in your GY.

● Tails: Special Summon 1 “Arcana Force” monster from your Deck to your opponent’s field.

Note: The Hierophant in the Tarot refers to Spiritual and Religious Wisdom and Knowledge, but also a sense of conformity, traditionalism, and the inherent infallibility of institutions.

SUDA-JP005 Arcana Force XIX – The Sun

Level 7 LIGHT Fairy Effect Monster

ATK 2900

DEF 2900

You can only use the (1)st effect of this card’s name once per turn.

(1) If a card that has a coin tossing effect is on the field: You can Special Summon this card from your hand.

(2) If this card is Summoned: Toss a coin.

● Heads: Set 1 Spell that has a coin tossing effect from your Deck.

● Tails: Destroy all cards in the Spell & Trap Zone.

Note: The Sun in the Tarot refers to Joy, Happiness, Birth, and New Beginnings, out with the old, in with the new, leaving the past behind.

SUDA-JP034 Arcana Force EX – The Chaos Ruler

Level 10 LIGHT Fairy Fusion Effect Monster

ATK 3300

DEF 3300

Materials: 3 “Arcana Force” monsters with different names.

Must be Special Summoned by sending the above cards from either field to the GY.

(1) If this card is Special Summoned: Toss a coin.

● Heads: Special Summon 1 Level 10 “Arcana Force” monster from your hand or Deck, ignoring its Summoning conditions.

● Tails: Add 1 card that has a coin tossing effect from your Deck to your hand.

(2) Your opponent cannot activate monster effects on the field while “Light Barrier” is in the Field Zone.

SUDA-JP053 Hikari no Hadou (The Wave of Light)

Continuous Spell Card

You can only use the (3)rd effect of this card’s name once per turn.

(1) During your Standby Phase, if you do not have “Light Barrier” in your Field Zone: Toss a coin, and if the result is tails, this card’s 2nd and 3rd effect are negated until your next Standby Phase.

(2) Fairy monsters you control gain 300 ATK/DEF.

(3) You can discard 1 card; add 2 “Arcana Force” monsters with different names from each other from your Deck to your hand, also you cannot Special Summon for the rest of this turn, except “Arcana Force” monsters.

Note: As I recall, this card is based on a scene from the anime where it’s revealed Saiou is heavily represented by The Devil, a card that represents enslavement to baser passions and destructive desires (or you know, a cosmic force bent on total universal destruction, but same diff). It’s also an alternate name for the Light of Destruction, the entity that kinda served as the comsic villain of GX.

SUDA-JP054 Arcana Spread

Normal Spell Card

You can only use either the (1)st or (2)nd effects of this card’s name once per turn, and only once that turn.

(1) Toss a coin and apply this effect. If “Light Barrier” is in your Field Zone, you choose the effect instead.

● Heads: Special Summon 1 Level 4 or lower “Arcana Force” monster from your Deck.

● Tails: Special Summon 1 monster from your GY that has a coin tossing effect.

(2) You can banish this card from your GY; add 1 card from your GY to your hand that has a coin tossing effect.

SUPREME DARKNESS

SUDA-JP001 Evil HERO Toxic Bubble

Level 4 WATER Fiend Effect Monster

ATK 800

DEF 1200

You can only Special Summon with the (1)st effect of this card’s name once per turn. You can only use the (2)nd effect of this card’s name once per turn.

(1) You can Special Summon this card (from your hand). If Summoned this way, you cannot Special Summon for the rest of this turn, except “HERO” monsters.

(2) If this card is Special Summoned and you control a Fusion Monster that must be Special Summoned with “Dark Fusion”: You can draw 2 cards.

Note: This card is an Evil HERO version of “Elemental Hero (Neo) Bubbleman”.

SUDA-JP002 Evil HERO Death Prison

Level 4 LIGHT Rock Effect Monster

ATK 1700

DEF 1100

You can only Special Summon with the (1)st effect of this card’s name once per turn. You can only use the (2)nd effect of this card’s name once per turn.

(1) If you control a Fusion Monster that must be Special Summoned with “Dark Fusion”, you can Special Summon this card (from your hand).

(2) You can send 1 “HERO” monster from your Deck to the GY; if you Fusion Summon a “HERO” monster this turn, this face-up card can be used as a substitute for any 1 Fusion Material whose name is mentioned on it, but the other materials must be correct.

Note: This card is an Evil HERO version of “Elemental HERO Prisma”.

SUDA-JP003 Evil HERO Hell Rider (Evil HERO Infernal Rider)

Level 6 WIND Fiend Effect Monster

ATK 2100

DEF 800

You can only use the (1)st and (2)nd effect of this card’s name each once per turn.

(1) If this card is Normal or Special Summoned: You can add 1 “Dark Fusion” from your Deck or GY to your hand.

(2) You can banish this card and 4 other monsters from your GY; Set 1 “Super Polymerization” from your Deck, also, until the end of your opponent’s turn, you cannot Special Summon, except “HERO” monsters, but you can Fusion Summon Fusion Monsters that must be Special Summoned with “Dark Fusion”, with effects other than it.

Note: This card references Picador (Arch)fiend, which showed up in O’Brien’s nightmare dreams of Supreme King Judai.

SUDA-JP031 Evil HERO Neos Lord

Level 10 DARK Fiend Fusion Effect Monster

ATK 2500

DEF 2500

Materials: “Elemental HERO Neos” or 1 Fusion Monster that mentions it + 1 Effect Monster on the field

Must be Special Summoned with “Dark Fusion”. You can only use the (1)st effect of this card’s name once per turn.

(1) If this card is Special Summoned, OR if a monster(s) is sent to your opponent’s GY while this monster is on the field: You can target 1 face-up monster your opponent controls; take control of it.

(2) Cannot be destroyed by battle or card effects.

SUDA-JP032 Evil HERO Inferno Wing – Hellback Fire (Evil HERO Inferno Wing – Infernal Backlash)

Level 6 FIRE Fiend Fusion Effect Monster

ATK 2100

DEF 1200

Materials: “Elemental HERO Avian” or “Elemental HERO Burstinatrix” + 1 “HERO” monster

Must be Special Summoned with “Dark Fusion”. You can only use the (1)st and (2)nd effect of this card’s name each once per turn.

(1) If this card is Special Summoned: You can add 1 “Dark Fusion” or 1 card that mentions it from your Deck or GY to your hand, except a Fusion Monster.

(2) If your “HERO” monster destroys an opponent’s monster by battle: Inflict 2100 damage to them.

Note: This card takes its name from the effect of “Evil HERO Inferno Wing”, not the attack.

SUDA-JP033 Evil HERO Dark Knight

Level 8 EARTH Fiend Fusion Effect Monster

ATK 1600

DEF 0

Materials: 1 Fiend monster + 1 Warrior monster

Must be Special Summoned with “Dark Fusion”.

(1) Monsters your opponent controls lose ATK equal to the total original ATK of the Fusion Materials used for this card’s Summon.

(2) Can make a second attack during each Battle Phase.

(3) If this face-up Special Summoned card you control leaves the field by your opponent: You can target 1 Fiend or Warrior monster in your GY; Special Summon it in Defense Position.

SUDA-JP051 Dark Contact

Normal Spell Card

(1) Activate 1 of these effects (but you can only use each effect of this card’s name once per turn);

● Fusion Summon 1 Fusion Monster that must be Special Summoned with “Dark Fusion” from your Extra Deck, by shuffling its materials from your field, GY, and/or banishment into the Deck. (This is treated as a Fusion Summon with “Dark Fusion”.)

● Add 1 “Supreme King’s Castle” or “Dark Fusion” from your Deck to your hand.

SUDA-JP052 Evil Assault

Normal Spell Card

You can only use the (1)st and (2)nd effect of this card’s name each once per turn.

(1) Discard 1 card; you cannot Special Summon from the Extra Deck for the rest of this turn after this card resolves, except “HERO” monsters, also take 1 Level 4 or lower “Evil HERO” monster from your Deck, and either add it to your hand or Special Summon it.

(2) If this card is in your GY, except the turn it was sent there: You can banish it; add 1 “Dark Fusion” from your GY to your hand.

SUDA-JP067 Dark Supremacy

Normal Trap Card

You can only use the (1)st and (2)nd effect of this card’s name each once per turn.

(1) Target face-up cards your opponent controls up to the number of “Dark Fusion” and Spells that mention it in your GY; negate their effects until the end of this turn.

(2) If this card is in your GY, except the turn it was sent there: You can banish it, then target up to 5 “HERO” monsters in your GY and/or banishment; shuffle them into the Deck.

[masterofaster]

.//tag dump #1 don’t mind don’t mind 

[jasper-tarot-reader]

Neopets/Skyrim Tarot: XVI. The Tower

The Tower is the last of my favorite cards (and rounds off the Fuck You Trinity with Death and the Devil) in the Major Arcana. This is a card of catastrophic, cataclysmic change, whether you want it or not (usually not).

The War for the Obelisk is the last Event across the Neopets site that I was playing regularly for. It was a predominantly battling-based event, although there was a small digging element at the very beginning. And now it's more of a cyclical, ongoing battle thing. An earthquake rocked the outskirts of Tyrannia and revealed the tip of the obelisk, so Neopians were invited to help with the digging until the obelisk was fully revealed.

That's when the factions got involved.

A member of the Thieves Guild reported to Kanrik on Terror Mountain; that member was then captured by the Duchess and the obelisk was brought to the attention of the Sway (which is the faction I ended up joining back in the day). The Order of the Red Erisim (man, they keep showing up in this deck) found out via scrying, and Rasala the Bright decided that they needed to get involved. Since the obelisk was quickly becoming common knowledge, Commander Flint of the Brute Squad found out about it; believing that evil was best defeated by pre-emptive strikes, they came to get involved. The Seekers, led by Professor Lambert, found out next and came to study the place. And a pair of undead twins named Lanie and Lillie were watching all of this fighting and mistook it as a grand party that they hadn't been invited to, so they brought their army of undead called the Awakened to come party.

I'm just gonna quote this next chunk directly from the JellyNeo article:

The six factions battled on for weeks, until the faction leaders themselves were forced to enter battle. The battle appeared to be drawing to a close, when something quite unexpected happened - the Obelisk called forth forces of it's own. These spirits set about attacking the already weakened factions, one spirit per faction. They appeared to be manifestations of the fears of the faction leaders themselves. Apathy appeared for the Seekers, tempting them to give up their knowledge seeking ways and become complacent. Death appeared for the Awakened, representing their fears for an end to their immortality and their party. Envy appeared for the Order, representing Rasala's fear that her desire to have as much magical power as others may turn her into someone like Xandra. Greed appeared for the Thieves Guild, representing Kanrik's fear that the Guild may return to the excesses and immorality of Galem Darkhand's day. Pride appeared for the Sway, representing the Duchess's fears that too much pride in her actions could lead her to forget the reason for them - the greater good of Neopia. Finally, Wrath appeared to face the Brute Squad, representing Flint's fears that they become a destructive influence in Neopia - the very thing they were formed to stop.

Finally, after a long and grueling battle to defeat the spirits, the surviving members of the six factions pulled themselves up and finally cracked open the obelisk - the Sway as the strongest, so they earned the right to pop it open. Inside, they discovered the Oracle, who had summoned the fears to test everyone (because it was bored or something? I don't know). The Oracle claimed to know much of Neopia's coming future, but refused to divulge it, opting instead to reward the Sway with 'boons'.

After that, the factions set a tentative alliance that quickly devolved into random skirmishes, hence why this is now a regular battle event rather than a huge one.

Honestly, no better choice for the Tower than this event besides maybe the fall of Faerieland. But this one was likely chosen because the obelisk stands in quite well for the classic representation of the tower.

Sheogorath, Ruler of the Shivering Isles, Fourth Corner of the House of Troubles, the Skooma Cat, is the Daedric Prince of Madness. Because of this, he's often associated with mental illness, both in-game and out of it. On a personal note, playing the Shivering Isles expansion as a youngin actually helped me better understand my own blender of issues. Before the end of the Third Era, Sheogorath was the cursed form of Jyggalag, the Daedric Prince of Order. Even when the Hero of Kvatch/Champion of Cyrodiil mantled the title of Sheogorath to free Jyggalag thanks to the most unhinged scheme ever (and I mean that affectionately) which actually worked, memories of being Jyggalag still remain ingrained in Sheogorath.

Also 10/10, a perfect choice for the Tower card. Sheogorath is present in the Blue Palace in Solitude, which was the current seat of the High King (and still is unless you go Stormcloak route) and has a history of batshit insane rulers. Potema, Pelagius...shit is certainly fucked in Solitude. Add in the Creation Club content from Saints & Seducers (it's in the game and on the UESP so we must unfortunately consider it to be canon) that drags you to Solitude's sewers and then under the arch, and you've got the perfect little mixing pot of chaos.

Funny how the author managed to actually understand the brief for the Tower card but not some of the previous ones...eh, we'll see what else this deck throws at us later.