#also I reference in-game armor and weapons but they look nothing alike that is because I make the rules here

[catebees]

Marian Hawke's wardrobe through the years (9:30-9:42)

[brushstrokesapocalyptic]

it’s time for the “overanalyzing one-off lines” show!

so the very first thing magnus says when he sees pit in chapter 2 of kid icarus: uprising is as follows:

“Well, I didn’t expect to see an angel here. Hope this doesn’t mean I’ve kicked the bucket.”

now, i’m not sure if you’re aware, but that’s a really weird thing for someone to say, and it’s even more weird that no one comments on it. pit and palutena go on talking about unrelated things, as if that’s a totally normal and expected thing for magnus to say.

now, if you’re like me, you probably also didn’t really react to this line the first few times you saw it. it’s the second chapter, kiu has a lot of slightly-odd lines which turn out to be foreshadowing. me, personally? my first thought was “oh, i guess angels are probably associated with escorting the dead to the afterlife,“ and then i moved on.

they’re not, though. that’s what reapers do. and there’s no way humans have these two races mixed up. just fucking look at them.

do they look anything alike to you??? no. they don’t. which raises the question of why, exactly, magnus said that.

now, we don’t know a lot about angels as a whole. pit (and by extension dark pit) is emphatically not the gold standard of angeldom. we can assume he looks fairly ordinary for an angel, seeing as no one has trouble identifying him as such. beyond that, though, a lot of what we know about angels comes from what pit isn’t. for starters, he can’t fly. and there’s something else, too, but i’ll get to that later.

before that, though, i’m gonna go through the various unsubstantiated comments made by people with a dubious level of authority on the subject. (incidentally, i sourced these screenshots from the wiki— much more convenient than trying to dig through youtube for every single random conversation.)

without any further ado! let’s get into it!

Angels as Messengers

Gaol: Aw, Palutena’s little messenger boy. And Magnus, it’s always a pleasure. (src)

in the specific context of overanalyzing magnus’s first line, this is an important sentence to pick out. magnus and gaol are both humans, both with presumably a fairly similar history as mercenaries up until gaol got stuffed in a suit of armor. but while magnus makes a weird comment about death, gaol calls pit a messenger.

and pit agrees with her!

Viridi: I wish I had an angel to do my bidding. It’s like having an intern.

Pit: I’m not an intern. I’m a messenger of the gods!

Viridi: Poor Pit. Don't you know that the definition of angel is "errand spirit"? (src)

this particular conversation is the most insight we get into angels as a whole, i think. viridi thinks of angels as like divine interns, there to do little tasks for gods, and palutena doesn’t exactly disagree with her. pit says they’re specifically messengers, which lines up with biblical mythology. i could see the traditional role of angels in the world of KI being exactly that, showing up to tell the humans what the gods have to say because the gods themselves are too busy being petty jerks to do it themselves.

The Angel’s Code of Conduct

Magnus: You go in fully dressed? Don't you at least want to change into a...swimming tunic or something?

Pit: Oh, no no no! The angel's code of conduct says that we must always be ready for duty.

Magnus: I guess you wouldn't be an angel if you didn't do things by the book. (src)

Pit: Hey! You know the angel's code of conduct! I need to be prepared at all times! (src)

another random little thing is the angel’s code of conduct. without a larger sample size, we can’t know if it’s a real thing or just an excuse to save on laundry, but apparently it’s against the rules to not be on call at all times. in pit’s case, the duty he has to be ready for is doing palutena’s dirty work, but it can easily mean just about anything— including, of course, being a messenger.

No Warrior

Chariot Master: But you are no warrior, angel. Tell me, why do you fight?

Pit: I fight for Lady Palutena. And I fight for the people under her protection!

Chariot Master: That's not reason enough for an angel. (src)

remember how i said there was something else weird about pit? the chariot master seems to think angels aren’t very prone to battle— or perhaps even that they’re actively opposed to it. this lines up well with the idea that they’re supposed to be messengers, peaceful go-betweens for gods and mortals. this does not line up well with pit, the adorable weapon of mass destruction.

and it also does absolutely nothing to explain the question driving the whole existence of this post.

you know what does kinda lean towards an explanation?

No Other Angels

Pit: Do all gods have their own angels, like you have me?

Palutena: No, I don't think that's necessarily the case. (src)

i said before that the Intern Pit conversation had the most illuminating information on angels. this is what i was actually referring to. on its own, it’s pretty innocuous, but it’s just as weird as the magnus line. shouldn’t pit know about other angels, seeing as he is one himself? but he doesn’t know if there are other angels.

the only angels we ever see are him and his clone. no one ever directly references the existence of other angels, they only make general statements about what angels as a whole are like— statements which clearly don’t apply to pit, meaning they’re not just extrapolating based on the one angel that definitely does exist.

the one time someone does comment on the hypothetical existence of other angels, palutena gives a vague answer to the tune of “no,” the topic is changed, and no one brings it up again.

let’s go over everything i’ve established about angels up to this point. they can fly, they’re peaceful messengers of the gods, and pit is the only one that seems to exist as of the start of KIU.

it should be pretty obvious at this point what answer i’m dancing around, if it wasn’t obvious from the start. pit is the only angel around because all the other ones are dead. the reason why magnus said what he did is that his thought process went something like this:

See an angel.

Think “Aren’t angels extinct? Is that a ghost? Am I a ghost? I sure hope not.“

Make a quip about that.

Move on with his life, because he isn’t dead and evidently neither is this guy.

i’m not gonna pretend i went into this post with the intent of any other conclusion to that mystery. anyone who’s bothered glancing over a plot summary for the original kid icarus can draw that conclusion. it’s certainly what i did, reinforced by fics by people who had the same thought!

the truth, however, is that this was all a trick to get you to read my analysis of the theoretical nature of angels as a race. now that you’re invested, i’m going to dramatically throw aside my cape and reveal my TRUE FORM: telling people that fandom consensus is wrong, and my ideas are cooler and better than everyone else’s and you should all throw roses at my feet and bow before your king.

(or just, y’know, take it as the subjective analysis that it is. whatever floats your boat.)

Hot Takes

the original kid icarus does not actually tell you about angels going extinct. here’s the wiki article with the full text of the backstory, just for convenience, so you know what i’m on about for the rest of this post.

so, the part of the story that i think gets misinterpreted is this part about palutena’s army.

Medusa led a surprise attack on Palutena's army which could barely fend off the attack. Palutena's army suffered major losses and was heavily defeated in the final battle.

specifically, i think a lot of people interpret said army as having been made up at least partly of angels. sure, in the actual game it consists entirely of centurions, but you have to take old NES games with a grain of salt. i know i don’t buy for a second that pit was part of palutena’s guard before the original game (he was just too goddamn young), there’s nothing wrong with reinterpreting things.

recall everything i established about angels already, though. this is the hot official lore, from the game everyone knows and loves. angels are messengers, and if the chariot master is to be believed, never warriors. pit is an outlier. palutena’s army consists of centurions, not angels. if medusa wiped them out, it wasn’t because they were fighting for palutena.

(and honestly, i don’t think angels are necessarily associated with palutena exclusively. sure, she’s got the wing imagery, and she’s got the one known surviving angel working for her, at least up until pittoo is born. but angels are messengers of the gods, not messengers of palutena. again, pit is an outlier.)

which all brings us to the real question of this post.

what the FUCK happened to all the other angels? why is there only pit? why does magnus act surprised to see a messenger of the gods, and make a quip about being dead, if not because angels are otherwise extinct?! WHO KILLED THEM, AND WHY?!

thus concludes the “over analyzing one-off lines“ show. see you next, uh, maybe at some point if i feel like it!

(also another thought i had but couldn’t find room to fit it in properly: the gods don’t really act like angels are all extinct, but i feel like that can be explained through the sheer scale of a god’s lifespan. if we assume they were wiped out sometime around the original kid icarus (even if not as palutena’s army) then that’s a whole twenty-five years. that’s a long time for us humans, but for a god, that might as well be last tuesday. “yeah, i know what angels are like. sure wish i could have one. too bad palutena’s got a monopoly on the one single angel that medusa didn’t manage to wreck.”)

[kagrenacs]

Explaining the Iceberg #4

I covered most things in this, but not everything. Every previous post I’ve made describing the tes iceberg I found on google image search can be found here x

Lorkhan’s purposeful failure: Lorkhan was the first spirit to go beyond the universe to see the tower, but didn’t achieve CHIM. He likely did this on purpose to show others how not to do it, and to demonstrate that it was difficult for et’ada to achieve this state because they simply don’t have the boundaries (such as death) that mortals do.

The World-Egg: The universe and the 12 previous Kalpas, everything within existence

The Khajiit Tower: this reddit thread https://www.reddit.com/r/teslore/comments/3oh7wf/the_khajiit_tower/ for everyone’s sake i’ll spare you the details of Jungian psychology, TL;DR the khajiit are a ‘tower’ made to hold up the universe and aspects of this

The Grabbers: Mentioned in the 36 lessons, a race of people in Lyg who are said to ‘have never built a city of their own’ there are theories that these are in fact Magne-Ge, due to their connection to Lyg by Mehrunes Dagon

AE: ‘is’ in ehlnofex, can be interpreted as a state of being

Shezzar became Akatosh: The only solid reference i could find was this thread, that immediately discusses how this is probably incorrect http://www.gamesas.com/could-lorkhan-have-jyggalag-t74581-25.html

The Monkey-Truth: Markuth’s teachings, also a website of tes fanfiction writers and roleplayers 

Red Moment: The potential Dragon Break at Red Mountain

The Provisional House: Mentioned in the 36 Lessons, called ‘a space that is not a space’ that Vivec observes the events of Nirn from. It may possibly protect Vivec from dangers associated with this.

Alandro Sul: The Shield-Companion to Nerevar. Sometimes called ‘the immortal-son of Azura’. After being blinded by Wulfharth, he went to live with the Ashlanders of Vvardenfell and is credited with spreading the idea that the Tribunal killed Nerevar

CHIM: To put simply, the process and state where a person realizes their place within the universe and is able to manipulate the laws of the universe as they see fit. Often associated with the concept of ‘Love’

Skaal Secrets: Discussed in the Dragonborn DLC, it’s unknown what their secrets are, but the Skaal report that they’ve kept them a secret from Hermaeus Mora for generations

The World’s Teeth: Mentioned in the 36 lessons of Vivec, sermon 17. Vivec takes Nerevar to the edge of the world, where they see ‘the bottom row of the world’s teeth’ as Vivec states. This may possibly reference a glitch in Redguard. (as a side note: The Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild, a game that’s confirmed to have taken inspiration from the Elder Scrolls, has an area on the map, near the edge of the world with a row of spikes similar to what’s described here. This might be just coincidence, but I sure enjoy it)

Dagoth Ur’s Endgame: Speculation on what Dagoth Ur’s final plans actually are. He speaks of his desire to remove the Empire from Morrowind, and unite the Dunmer under the 6th House, but beyond that there’s little to go off of.  Ultimately this is just speculation and theories, mostly on what he plans to do with the Anumidium, and how that could possibly have adverse affects on reality.

Pelinal Cyborg from the Future: Another bit of obscure MK lore that’s not implemented in-game. This derives from the description of Pelinal having a ‘left hand made of a killing light’  ‘PELIN-EL [which is] "The Star-Made Knight" [and he] was arrayed in armor [from the future time].’ and his survival of being decapitated. While the text directly states he is from the future, there’s no ingame canon text stating he is a cyborg.

Reymon Ebonarm is Reman: The thought that Ebonarm, a God of War is the same person as Reman, emperor of Cyrodiil. There’s several theories dedicated to this, with different variants on the specifics.

The Enantiomorph: Directly tied to the concept of mantling and the Fourth Walking Way. Put simply, there are three participants in this. Two combatants who are very much alike and trying to become the ‘Ruling King’ and an observer who determines who wins, this observer usually becomes maimed as a result of this. 

The Third Moon: Two different things, a metaphorical or literal secret moon important to the Khajiit that only appears when Masser and Secunda are aligned, preceding the birth of a Mane. The second option is the Necromancer’s Moon, the godly form of Mannimarco.

The Walkabout: A concept in Yokudan religion. The process of spirits surviving one Kalpa to the next, facilitated by Tall Papa

White-Gold Doomsday device: I remember reading this theory a few years back, unfortunately I cannot find the exact page for the life of me. The Tl;DR on this is the White-Gold Tower is a weapon of mass destruction, either literally or in metaphysical terms (being connected to Akatosh and it’s status as a Tower). The closest thing I can find to it is this thread which describes the motives of Umbra in the novels, and how it could potentially take over Tamriel using the White-Gold Tower http://www.gamesas.com/doomsday-scenario-t69430.html

Jiub was the Nerevarine: Self explanatory, headcanon that Jiub was the Nerevarine, similar to a headcanon on tumblr that stated Teldryn Sero was the Nerevarine

House Dwemer: Mentioned as a House within The War of the First Council (which is written by an Imperial for Western Scholars) and The Lost Prophecy (written by a Dunmer) This could be interpreted in a couple different ways. A) The first book was certainly written for western readers, while there is no evidence for this being the case for the latter, it can’t be ruled out. ‘House’ is used as a simplification B) The Dwemer were considered a house, but perhaps not in the way we would initially think (being on the Great House Council)  They were grouped into a singular entity, rather than distinct clans within a cultural group (either during the First Council or posthumously) 

When Dead Gods Dream: https://www.imperial-library.info/content/when-dead-gods-dream referencing this thread. Discusses the mechanisms of Dagoth Ur’s godhood, the thread explains it better than I can here, TL;DR Dagoth Ur is not alive, but he is within the realms of gods and therefor is able to ‘project’ himself onto Tamriel and the minds of his followers.

Khajiit ended the Metheric Era: Nothing found for this

Parabolic Kalpa: A parabola is a symmetrical U-shaped curve. This theory essentially tries to explain why Skyrim is so low magic, compared to it’s history or even ESO. The thought is that as time goes on, the world becomes less connected to Divinity. Towers are destroyed and the gods are gone, but eventually things will begin to kick off again, and there will be a rise in magic, technology and the connection to these beings. Essentially tries to explain why C0da and Loveletter from the 5th era are more high magic compared to the actual games. 

Sithis: Secret Lesson from Vivec: Connects the both Sithis with the 36 lessons by terminology (The Sharmat, false dreamer ect.) and proposes Vivec may have written the book

Bendu Olo: Colovian King, may have been related to Olaj Olo, nordic demigod of mead. Also used as a placeholder name for the player character in Oblivion and the name of the dev’s test character in Skyrim

Trinimac still lives: An ESO lorebook states the Ashpit, realm of Malacath, extends into Aetherius. Some orcs also believe Malacath is nothing more than a demon presenting himself as the remnants of Trinimac. A r/teslore theory states that Malacath wears two faces. While I assume this is the Iceberg author’s sole reference, I propose this could (should) refer to another theory. (Another theory is similar to this on teslore, proposed around the same time, but this one connects the dots)  https://boethiah.tumblr.com/post/621058598373588993/tsun-is-the-shield-brother-of-shor-and-trinimac 

The Aedra are Dead: Seemingly a common topic on teslore. A basic concept in tes, the Aedra gave most of their powers to Mundus to stabilize it.  Their bodies remain as planets, and they can only have limited interactions with Nirn. 

Divayth Fyr was the Hero of Battlespire: An old theory that looks at artifacts in Divayth Fyr’s possession and ties them back to the tes spinoff Battlespire. There are holes in this theory (Divayth Fyr was a seasoned mage at the time the hero was an apprentice)

Three Talin’s: The default name given to the Eternal Champion is Talin, a character creation scenario proposes that their father was also named Talin, and finally Uriel Septim VII’s general was named Talin Warhaft.

Pelagius I was killed by the Underking: The Arcturian Heresy states that the Underking appeared as an advisor to Pelagius I, who was assassinated by the Dark Brotherhood. This theory is a possibility considering the amminosity between Tiber Septim and both components of the Underking. 

Tsaesci Goa’uld: Goa’uld are a species from Stargate that are parasites towards humans. This theory proposes that the Tsaesci are similar, explaining the inconsistencies of their appearance within the lore.

Lunar currency: The thought that the Aedra and Daedra use mortal souls like currency

Historic Star Inconsistencies: Possibly referring to the variations of the number of days within the year in Arena, not sure about this one

Mnemoli/Star Orphans:Mnemoli is either a specific Magne-Ge (spirits that fled the creation of Mundus after Magnus), or a group of them that only appears during a Dragon Break (often nicknamed the ‘Blue Star’) MK states that they’re the writers and distributors of the physical Elder Scrolls (however this contradicts ingame books, so take it with a grain of salt). Star Orphans may or may not refer to Magne-Ge as a whole. Vehk’s book of hours state's them as a ‘group or tribe’ regardless, Mnemoli falls under this secondary classification (along with Merid-Nuda and Xero-Lyg, I have my own thoughts on this which would be better explained in another post) 

Bosmer Hircine worship: Seemingly referring to a thread on 4pleb, I will not be summarizing this theory here because I’m smart and not going onto 4pleb of all places. But from canon content, Bosmer do not worship Hircine, and consider him a force that goes against Y’ffre and wants to return everything to it’s original state of chaos before the earthbones (Y’ffre being among them) stabilized things 

Septimus Signus Zero Sum: The theory that the aforementioned zero-summed at the end of Discerning the Transmundane in Skyrim. Essentially Septimus is in a fragile state, delving into the secrets of the universe and is being pushed by Hermaeus Mora, who may see him as a lab rat, into discovering things he isn’t meant to handle as a mortal, and consequently Zero-Sums. There’s holes in this, namely Zero-Summing supposedly removes all trace of existence. 

The Soft Doctrines of Magnus Invisible: A very obscure text by Douglas Goodall, discusses the binding of various gods

Abnegaurbic creed: An overly fancy word basically meaning religious beliefs, seen in Nu-Hattia Exerpt 

Dunmereth: A Nordic term for the area of Morrowind, during their occupation of it

Fifteen-and-One Golden Tones: A Dwemer term, possibly referring to the spheres of the Daedra, counting Sheo/Jyggalag as a singular entity. Also, the Dwemer swear by these 

Ideal Masters are God of Worms remnants: As Mannimarco is often said to be the first Lich, the existence of the ideal masters seems to contradict this (similar story with Azidal) this tries to rectify this by proposing that the Soul Carin is the Necromancer’s Moon, and the ideal masters are remnants of Mannimarco. This theory doesn’t hold up when examined, but is cool nonetheless. 

Sermon 37: Found in ESO, an extra sermon to the 36 lessons, ties in concepts present in c0da like amaranth. (interestingly on this list Sermon Zero is never mentioned, despite it being older and more interesting imo, but to discuss that would require lots of work)

Flying Whales: Mentioned in Aldudagga. A now extinct species. The bone bridge of Sovngarde could potentially be a reference to this.

Joy-Snow: It’s cocaine 

Mankar=Tharn: A theory that Mankar Cameron is Jagar Tharn, doesn’t hold much weight and relies mostly on the connection of Mehrunes Dagon

Sharmat: A term used to describe Dagoth Ur, an opposite to the Hortator, a force uniting people for evil. Implied to mean or be associated with ‘the False Dreamer’ a person whose view of the universe is similar to someone whose achieved CHIM, but sees themself as the center of it all, rather than a droplet in the ocean of the universe.

Pankratosword: A forbidden Yokudan sword technique that could ‘cut atoms’ similar to our modern day Nuclear Fission. A bit of etymology here, ‘Pankrato’ seems to refer to the word ‘Pankrator’ meaning all-powerful or almighty. 

Landfall: A concept from MK, a future event where Nirn is destroyed by the Numidium, and the people remaining relocate to the moons. 

Cylarne: The oldest ruin in the Shivering Isles, rumored to be the original capital. Home to the Cold Flame of Agnon

[nadziejastar]

What are your thoughts on the various types of lesser Nobodies?

The members of the Organization each had their own distinctive weapons that didn’t exactly cooperate if someone else tried to use them, but Keyblades were even more particular. If someone else so much as tried to pick it up, a Keyblade would simply return to its wielder’s hand. Or so Xion had heard.

We should have gotten to learn how the members of the organization got their weapons.

Nobodies derived their personalities and abilities from memories of their human lives. But what exactly were those abilities? What gave rise to them? The answer that came to mind was the presence of memory itself. They were chained by their memory, and in those bonds was power. So it was probably fair to say that Roxas and Xion were bound by the same memory.

And we should have learned how they got their “personalities” and abilities, too. The Nobodies they control are one of those abilities, no doubt. They should be based off of specific memories from when they were human. Which means that the organization members should have gotten a MUCH more flesh out backstory than they got. I’m really disappointed that most of them remained so flat, even including the popular ones like Axel. He may have been very likable, but his backstory in KH3 left him very flat.

Sorcerer

A sorcerer, magician, or “witch” attempts to influence the surrounding world through occult (i.e., hidden, as opposed to open and observable) means.

There should have been a story/lore based reason for each of their fighting styles. There are no lesser Nobodies based on Vexen/Zexion. It probably means that those two did not have any fighting abilities as humans, which makes sense. But the rest of the organization probably did fight as humans, thus they can control Nobodies based off of that fighting style.

Sniper

A sniper is a marksman who operates to shoot people from a concealed position. Snipers generally have specialized training and are equipped with high-precision rifles and high-magnification optics, and often feed information back to their units or command headquarters.

Braig was a sniper when he was a castle guard.

Dragoon

Dragoon, in late 16th-century Europe, a mounted soldier who fought as a light cavalryman on attack and as a dismounted infantryman on defense. The terms derived from his weapon, a species of carbine or short musket called the dragoon.

Dilan was a dragoon.

XaldinHe has the image of a medieval Chinese military commander. He is excellent at strategizing, and a powerful soldier. I’m sure the players all know that he is a contender for the first or second strongest in the Organisation. I’m satisfied that I was able to depict that strength in his personality, too. I personally really like this character.–Nomura

But he was also based on a Chinese military commander. We didn’t get to learn much about Dilan. What was his motivation? Why did he side with Xehanort? 

Watching that foolish beast flail about only deepens my disdain for humans and their incessant need to be pinned down by feelings. We became Nobodies precisely to avoid the shackles of emotion. It was only later that we realized the scale of that loss: that some things simply cannot be done without a heart. Nonetheless, I see nary a pleasant thing about it.

Why did he want to get rid of his emotions and why did he consider them a weakness? What was his opinion of Ansem the Wise, and how did he feel when he was banished? Did he want to take over Radiant Garden?

Samurai

The ideal samurai was supposed to be a stoic warrior who followed an unwritten code of conduct, later formalized as Bushidō, which held bravery, honour, and personal loyalty above life itself; ritual suicide by disembowelment (seppuku) was institutionalized as a respected alternative to dishonour or defeat.

Aeleus was a samurai.

LexaeusHe’s a character with strength to rival Xaldin. While Xaldin has power plus technique, I’d say to Lexaeus is more of a samurai, or that he has bushido-style strength. If you listen to his very last line in Re:COM, I think you’ll be able to see his spirit. I wanted to do more with this character.–Nomura

Nomura said his final words showed his spirit.

Lexaeus: You are the Superior’s—Forgive me, Zexion. This was a fight I should not have started.

In Re:CoM, these are his last words. He seems to have some honor and was loyal to Zexion.

Lexaeus gave him a cruel smile. “Hmph…so I must accept my defeat here. But do not make the mistake of underestimating the darkness in me! As I am destroyed, it will leave this ruined vessel and drown you!” 

Then there was a terrible shock wave far greater than what Riku had felt from the darkness that Lexaeus radiated before the battle. 

“Wh…what’s happening?!” A relentless swirl of darkness surrounded him, swallowing him up until he disappeared into it. 

Lexaeus laughed madly. “This is my strength… I, number five in the organization… I who was once his favorite pupil!” Those were Lexaeus’s final words before he vanished into the darkness.

In the novel, there’s an extended final scene with his final words where he apparently commits seppuku and says he was “his” favorite pupil. Who’s favorite pupil? Ansem? Xehanort? We’ll probably never know.

Berserker

Berserker, Norwegian berserk, Old Norse berserkr (“bearskin”), in premedieval and medieval Norse and Germanic history and folklore, a member of unruly warrior gangs that worshipped Odin, the supreme Norse deity, and attached themselves to royal and noble courts as bodyguards and shock troops. The berserkers’ savagery in battle and their animal-skin attire contributed to the development of the werewolf legend in Europe. These Viking berserkers were infamous for fighting in a violent rage, recklessly charging at their enemies without armor or any other protection, and seemingly without concern for their own health.

Saïx is a strange case. Unlike the apprentices, we never saw Isa fighting as a human. He was just a kid. So how did he become a berserker of all things?

Prayers are uttered to Odin, as the object of contemplation. Why Odin and not the wolf, bear, or whatever? The berserk trance is brought about by Odin, he is the inspirer, that which brings something outside the self within the self. This is ond, inspiration, or vital breath. This triggers the wod, or fury and possession, which is where the wolf, bear, or whatever comes in. As a god, Odin is a “larger” concept than the animal, and so the effect he has upon the mind during the ritual will be the greater.

Berserkers worshiped Odin. To go berserk, they needed to meditate on him and receive divine inspiration. In other words, they couldn’t just go berserk at will. The needed to meditate upon a divine purpose to go berserk.

Do you know what happens to those who lose their true purpose? Inevitably, they destroy themselves.

I think Saïx was the same.

It infuriated me how you just exited our lives. I lost…all sense of purpose.

He needed a purpose to go berserk. 

Yes, I thought you didn’t need me anymore. If you didn’t need me, then I no longer held meaning.

For him, it was Lea. 

Saïx hesitated for a second, and Roxas ran at him.

He blocked the Keyblade.

Long ago—I remember, I didn’t hate fighting. Saïx flung his claymore at Roxas.

And so, Saïx remembered things from a long, long time ago.

My theory is that Saïx would need to meditate on his purpose before he could go berserk. Before he went berserk fighting Roxas, he thought back to a time before he hated fighting. Back when he had someone to protect and fighting actually had meaning.

Assassin

A murderer of an important person in a surprise attack for political or religious reasons.

One of the things I disliked about KH3 was its characterization of Axel/Lea and seemingly retconning his role as an assassin. On the clock tower, Axel and Saïx revealed their shared goal of finding Subject X. Saïx wanted to work his way to the top of the organization hierarchy so he could find out what happened to her. Axel said that he couldn’t keep up with Saïx and his willingness to do the icky jobs Xemnas wanted them to do to achieve that rank.

This flies in the face of ALL the hints from the previous games about their shared objective:

In order for Sora—no, for Roxas to live, and also for us to accomplish our own goal, Zexion is in the way. And, if it’s for the sake of our own goal, we already decided what to do, that time.

In the novel, Axel references their shared goal and how they decided to do whatever it took. Zexion was in the way and Axel killed him.

Given the right memories, the Replica could mimic the powers of the original. Which meant that if he were implanted with somebody else’s memories, he would, hypothetically, gain other powers. Somebody’s—or maybe even a Nobody’s. He had one particular Nobody in mind. All the members of the Organization were still influenced by the memories of their human lives.

Here, it references Axel’s memories of his human life as a reason he wants to use the Riku Replica to defeat someone and absorb their powers. Sounds like Axel was, at least partially, motivated by revenge.

Axel let out a breath. “Look, I knew Vexen and Zexion would cause trouble for you. That’s why they’re not around anymore.”

That sounded more like he was justifying it to himself, Axel thought. Their lack of hearts didn’t render their actions meaningless. It wasn’t as if they never thought carefully or acted without objectives in mind. Humans and Nobodies alike would pursue their own purposes.

“The dirty work doesn’t bother me,” Axel went on. “You just make for the top.” There was nothing false in that, and he looked Saïx in the eye as he said it. Saïx stared hard back at him. Right. We have our own agenda.

Again, it demonstrates how Axel was always the one willing to do the dirty work to achieve their goal.

“Everything is back to normal. Of course this is for the best, isn’t it?”

The reason I’m unable to answer Saïx is probably because I depend on him, thought Axel.

“Xemnas has also been irritated at the recent changes in plan. Everything has to go back to normal, for the sake of our goal too… Lea.”

Axel finally looked over at the sound of that nostalgic name. Saïx was looking at him. It made him think of his time as a human, and the memories came surging back.

Here, Saïx is trying to coerce Axel into killing Xion for the sake of their goal. He never even considers doing it himself. It sounds like Axel was always the one who handled the icky jobs like killing, not Saïx. Because, obviously, that was Axel’s job. He was the assassin.

I just did what I thought was the best thing at the time. For Roxas, for Xion, for the Organization—and for Isa. But most of all for me.

Axel was at first willing to kill Xion. And who was he doing it for? Isa. And for himself. Because he needed Isa. He emotionally depended on him. Saïx knew Axel needed him and manipulated him by calling him “Lea”.

Axel didn’t care anymore about what the Organization needed, what Xion or Roxas wanted, or even what was supposed to be good for the worlds. He had been using the Organization for his own ends from the start. The only thing that had changed in the meantime was who it was all for. Maybe Saïx would call that a betrayal. But his world had changed.

It doesn’t sound like Axel’s willingness to kill had anything to do with Subject X or finding information about her. It sounds like Axel was wiling to kill for Saïx. He and Saïx wanted to take over the organization for Saïx’s sake.

What were you really after, Lea? We joined the Organization at the same time, and formulated our plan. At this point, it’s just an idle fantasy. Everything changed. You, and me.

When Axel refused to do what Saïx wanted and left the organization, he apparently didn’t need him anymore. And Saïx couldn’t handle that.

Yes, I thought you didn’t need me anymore. If you didn’t need me, then I no longer held meaning.

Of course, Axel’s motivation was retconned in KH3. Instead of Isa being his reason for staying in the organization, it became Subject X/Skuld. And along with that change, Axel’s role as an assassin was whitewashed. Maybe the idea of the fan-favorite Axel being happily willing to ruthlessly murder people didn’t seem appropriate anymore. Especially if it was no longer not for his best friend, but for a girl who is basically a stranger to him. I dunno. But I think it’s BS.

Dancer

A warrior who dances across the battlefield, garbed in colorful raiments. Tends to have low stats and specializes in support magic.

Demyx was a dancer.

DemyxFrom the beginning he was created as a light-hearted character, but his voice actor really made him stand on his own as a character despite the short appearances he had. He is by no means strong, so I think it’s funny how you don’t see it coming when his abilities make him a formidable opponent. His line before exiting was something I thought of on the spot and had them add in.–Nomura

He is described as not very strong. We never got to see him as a human, but he was probably a performer.

Gambler

(Bakuto, 博徒) were itinerant gamblers in Japan from the 18th century to the mid-20th century. They were one of the forerunners of the modern Japanese crime gangs known as yakuza. Bakuto plied their trade in feudal Japan, playing traditional games such as hanafuda and dice. They were mostly social outcasts who lived outside the laws and norms of society.

Luxord has still not received a backstory. I think we can tell a lot about him with this, though.

LuxordIn all honesty he is my absolute favourite Organisation member. I like how he treats everything as a gamble, like Setzer from FFVI of old. I actually wanted to make him stand out more. At least I got him to say some things during the meeting scene added to KH2 FM+… but Luxord should have been able to do so much more…–Nomura

Nomura wanted to do more with him.

The nation of Lucis was said to have worked akin to a mafia crime family since the nation’s ancient beginnings, and despite its peace was said to have engaged in strict rule, including a ban on firearms and a lockdown in the capitol city. Noctis was the crown prince, and Regis the current king. Ignis, Gladiolus, and Prompto—Noctis’s team members—acted as his entourage akin to a Yakuza kyodai-shatei structure.

Maybe his gambler/bakuto job is the reason why he’s apparently going to have a connection to the Verum Rex world. In Re:Mind, Yozora’s driver sounded like Luxord. And Luxord’s wild card is apparently going to be what helps Sora return.

Reaper

Death is frequently imagined as a personified force. In some mythologies, a character known as the Grim Reaper causes the victim’s death by coming to collect that person’s soul. Other beliefs hold that the Spectre of Death is only a psychopomp, serving to sever the last ties between the soul and the body, and to guide the deceased to the afterlife, without having any control over when or how the victim dies.

The Reaper and Ninja Nobodies were introduced in KH3. I think Marluxia’s intentions were supposed to be known by the time KH3 started. He wanted to bring his sister back. That’s why he wanted to control Sora and the Keyblade and take over Castle Oblivion. That’s something that should have been explored in the Dark Seeker Saga, explaining how Marluxia became a vessel. Maybe Xehanort convinced him that if he helped open Kingdom Hearts, he could reunite with his sister.

Ninja

A ninja (忍者) was a covert agent or mercenary in feudal Japan. The functions of a ninja included espionage, deception, and surprise attacks. Their covert methods of waging irregular warfare were deemed dishonorable and beneath the honor of the samurai.

Larxene’s backstory is a Keyblade wielder from the age of fairy tales. But why was she a knife wielding ninja archetype character? What was her life like before she became a Nobody and tried to take over Castle Oblivion? How did she get so twisted and when did her hatred of men develop? What is the nature of her feelings for Marluxia? That’s what I wanna know.

[arrianna21]

~Alchemy et Chaos~

Exploring caves, ruins, and abandoned forts is something you enjoy doing. Normally you do it by yourself, but that changes when your mage friend asks to join you on your latest expedition.

Game: The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

Note: Little bit of gore

Word Count: 4,123

You collect the Morning Glory pulp and put it away while you continue your search. Figuring that 15 pieces of the flower would suffice, you stand up and make your way to the fort’s entrance before stepping inside. This is the last place you needed to search thankfully. As much as you enjoyed looting and exploring various caves and forts, the constant searching for plants and ingredients was becoming a bit tedious.

Normally you would never do this for free, but if it was for your quirky mage friend you would gladly do it without any pay. Especially considering the fact that he had returned the favor multiple times by creating, and giving you, free potions.

The strong metal doors open to reveal the stone walls, free of any torches or light whatsoever. Crouching down, you sneak down the steps and peek through the already open door. A dog was walking back and forth further down the hall, occasionally sniffing the ground before moving on. You keep your knees bent, walking quietly toward the animal and set a piece of venison near it, stepping carefully down another hall where there is a closed gate. It was locked and you use a lock pick, fiddling with it until you hear a click.

Pushing the doors open, you go inside and find a chest with some gold which you happily take. Going back to the intersection, you find the dog eating the raw meat, tearing large chunks out of it and you pass by to the other locked gate. Unlocking that as well, you find another chest with gold.

Continuing on down the main hall, there are three paths each going a separate direction. You contemplate going left or right, but decide to just walk towards the gate in front where you can hear voices. The metal gate is unlocked and upon entering, you find yourself at a balcony overlooking the area. A group of bandits and marauders are below and two of them are arguing to each other.

From what you can hear, they seem to be talking about a deal gone wrong. No one has noticed you yet so you decide to explore the area first.

Going to the left, there’s a small bridge that leads to a locked chest. Opening it reveals more gold and you head to the right where another short bridge leads to a similar locked chest that is also filled with gold.

As you walk back across the bridge, someone yells from below before chaos erupts. Thinking your cover has been blown, you run back to the balcony and find the large group has divided into two separate ones where the bandits and marauders begin killing each other. This actually makes things easier for you and so you stand at the railing while you enjoy the show. You have to actually stifle a laugh when a bandit accidentally shoots her friend instead of the marauder.

When most of them are dead, except for two bandits, you head to the right first and activate a turn handle that opens a metal gate. Walking down the stairs, you see a chest with two potions of healing inside. Rummaging through the box alerts the bandit nearby.

He yells upon seeing you and you pull your short sword out while fighting him.“Is that the best you can do?” the bandit asks as he wields his hammer at you.

Your response is to merely swing your sword, saying nothing while you hit his armor. After a few more hits, the elf crumples into the water and you huff. That’s the second body you would have to loot in the lake, the first being another marauder who was floating face down.

“You’ll regret stepping foot in here!” the bandit archer yells and a green arrow whizzes by you.

Turning around, you see her shooting from across the fort as she stands on a ledge. Muttering under your breath you grab your arrows and begin firing in return. Each arrow that sinks into her shocks her with lightning and it doesn’t take much before she also dies.

After looting another chest and a female marauder, who didn’t have anything impressive, you swim through the middle of the water, searching the rest of the bodies until you reach the other side. There’s another chest near a dead bandit Hedge Wizard that has 745 gold pieces and some repair hammers.

Other than the plants outside the entrance, Fort Nikel didn’t have much for your mage friend so you decide to leave after coaxing the dog outside, making your way back to the city of Chorrol.

Despite the simple dungeon, you were glad it was your last for this adventure, wanting to go back to your home so you could wash up and sleep for a few hours. Upon returning to the city, you stop by the blacksmith so she can repair your armor. After having a range of monsters and people alike attacking you, it was better to fix it before it had the chance to break completely.

Walking past the Great Oak tree in the center of town, you see Dar-Ma and chat with her for a bit. While you and the reptile Argonian talk about some new items her mother brought to their store, there is an explosion from one of the houses. Looking around in confusion, you watch as a small plume of smoke exits a house in the circle. That house just so happened to be yours and you automatically figure out the cause.

Saying goodbye to your friend, you walk to your house as the townsfolk stare with concern though you smile reassuringly. Pushing your front door open, you walk through the living room and immediately head upstairs to the guest room where you find the mage desperately fanning the room.

“Experiment gone wrong?” you ask and your voice startles him as he whips around to face you.

“Y/N! Back so soon?” the man chuckles awkwardly, not having expected you home for at least a few days.

“I’ve been gone for two days, Joon.”

“Right! Ah, how was your journey?” he abandons his post at the window when you hold out your treasure findings.

“Eventful for the most part,” you admit, describing the encounters you faced at the two forts and one Ayleid ruin.

“Good eventful I hope,” he says, organizing the various flora extracts on his desk.

You nod your head somewhat in agreement. “Besides the usual monsters, each location did have something unique. I did find this iron dagger for you.” Grabbing the weapon, you hand it to the surprised mage.

“Are you sure you don’t need this?” he asks, carefully taking it in his hands.

“Don’t fret, Joon. I found it on some treasure hunt that someone must have left behind.” You tell him about the strange note on top of one of the forts that was next to a sword pointing off in the distance. Following the note and the sword’s direction, it didn’t take you long before you found a chest near a boulder where the dagger sat. “I can even enchant it for you later if you would like.”

“Ahh, you don’t have to do that. You’re already busy enough.” Joon replies, clearly flustered by your offer and you roll your eyes.

“You know I don’t mind. Anyway, what were you trying to make?” you ask, referring to the opened window and cluttered desk oozing with various potions and ingredients.

“That? I’m trying to make a new potion, but it’s not going too well.” Joon rubs the back of his head, sitting on his bed with a faint grimace.

Joon, while intelligent beyond compare, was still learning the ins and outs of alchemy. He could easily make small potions, but he also liked to try his hand with more complex and new mixtures that only some high class mages could perfect.

“Taking a rest from that paper?”

You knew his thesis, while tedious, was not very difficult for him, but he needed to make sure he had enough evidence gathered to prove his point. After you had foiled the plans for the Mythic Dawn cult who attempted to take over Tamriel by opening Oblivion gates, Joon noticed a rise in Conjurers going rogue. He believes that certain factions are attempting to summon more Daedra and use them to gain control of the Imperial City. Not as bad as trying to take over all the land like the former cult, but still a problem nonetheless. Unfortunately, he needed to write a substantial paper discussing and proving his hypothesis.

He sighs before nodding. “I’ve made great progress, it’s over halfway completed, I just need a few more things for research purposes.”

“Like what?”

“They’re not too complicated--we can talk about it some other time. Are you hungry? I’m sure you’re hungry I mean you just returned from a long journey.” The man stands up abruptly and heads downstairs while talking and you silently follow after him. “I went out to buy some cheese and bread while you were away. They had some watermelon too.”

You watch as he begins gathering food from the kitchen and also setting the table for you.

“Joon,” you call to which he responds by looking up at you, bread hovering above the plate.

“Yes?”

“What do I need to get for you?” you ask, helping him set the table with more food. It was very early for supper, only the afternoon, but because of your erratic schedule neither of you ate at a set time, meal times changing daily.

“Just some Daedra things,” he replies cryptically.

Digging through a cupboard for some brandy, you begin grabbing some bottles. “Well if it’s Daedric stuff you need I don’t mind going to my house in Cheydinhal for those.”

“I appreciate the offer, Y/N, but those won’t work. They need to be…fresh.”

You lift your head up and shut the door with your boot, bottles clutched in your hands. “Oh,” immediately understanding his dilemma. “I see. Which Ayleid ruin do I need to go to?”

Sitting down, your armor and weapons clang against the chairs loudly which results in you standing back up before running upstairs to change and put your things away. A few minutes later, you return with a simple shirt and pants, going back to your seat so you can resume your conversation.

“That’s the thing. I wanted to ask you something,” he tells you while you start eating with fervor. Taking large chunks out of your loaf of bread, you urge him to continue and he does. “I want you to take me with you.” The sentence rushing out of him in a large gust as the mage resorts to gulping down his drink.

Once you finish swallowing, the bread halfway gone, you take a swig of alcohol to wash down your food. “Okay. We leave at 6:00 in the morning tomorrow.”

Your casual response causes Joon to choke and he coughs on his drink. “I’m sorry, what?”

“I said I’ll escort you,” you say, munching on a cheese wedge, the dairy flavor mixing with the wheat bread.

“You just got back from a quest. Wouldn’t it be best to wait a few days?” he asks in concern.

You shake your head. “Do we need to? If you have everything prepared, I’ll be ready as well. I don’t need much anyway.”

“I almost have everything. I wasn’t expecting such a quick answer to be honest,” he admits shyly.

Nodding, you continue eating and when your mouth isn’t full you respond. “Why? It’s not like I have anything better to do.”

“I don’t wish to burden you,” he replies and you wave him away.

“Joon, it’s fine, don’t worry about it.” You reassure him until he eventually acquiesces.

Once that is settled, the two of you talk about the rest of your journey and your encounters, laughing at the things you saw and witnessed. The next morning you both wake up early as you prepare for the hike to the Gold Road not too far south. Apparently there was rumor of a large Ayleid ruin by the name of Ceyatatar in that area where Conjurers were doing questionable things.

While you gather your weapons and him his potions, you are soon leaving the city gates as you begin walking. Staying on the main path to avoid any wild animals, the long walk is uneventful and you make small talk on the way.

Arriving later on that morning, you are immediately greeted by two Conjurers accompanied by

Xivilai. You battle the blue Daedra humanoids while Joon tosses some spells at the robed man and woman. One of the demons manages to summon a Clannfear while you slash at him with your sword. The spawned reptilian creature lashes out with its claws, but you ignore it, remaining focused on the Xivilai instead. Once it’s killed, the reptile also vanishes and you run to the other demon, sword meeting its giant Warhammer. It dies as well and when you turn to check on your friend he is throwing a bolt of lightning at the last Conjurer who screams before falling over.

“Here’s a potion of healing if you need it,” he tells you, giving the small vial to you and you put it away, deciding to save it for now while you cast a minor restoration spell on yourself.

“Thanks. I assume this is one of the things you need.” You say, looking down at the dead Daedra beside you. When he nods, you jerk your head to the other body. “Take care of that one and I’ll handle this one here,” you direct him while pulling out your dagger.

You pierce the Xiviliai’s flesh, cutting into it deeply, dark blood painting the grass around it as you separate the hard bones so you can pry the Daedra’s heart out. Standing up, you step over the body so you can check the Conjurers where you then steal a few healing and magika potions. Joon finishes with the corpse as well and after checking the surrounding area, you find no other enemies and head to the center of the crumbling ruin before walking down the spiral staircase.

“How many do you need?” you ask, opening the white door at the bottom and gesturing him inside.

“As many as possible,” is all he says and you shrug.

Entering the dark ruins, there are more stairs in front of you and a bridge with a small railing overlooking the main room below. You pull him down when you see the Conjurer walking around, urging him to remain silent. He follows behind you as you go down the stairs until you reach the archway. You stay crouched and make your way to the woman now standing in front of a wooden table, fiddling with some alchemy tools. Drawing your sword, you wait until you are directly behind her and then you swing hard. She grunts before falling over and you stand straight when the room is clear.

Joon comes forward to look around the room while you loot the body, but finding nothing in her robes. Examining the item on the table, you see the alchemy equipment on the wood along with some ingredients, one of which being another Daedra heart. A book was also hidden under the equipment and you inspect the cover with the title reading, “The Book of Daedra.” You show the book to Joon who takes it and flips through the pages while you continue looking around the candlelit workspace. The bookshelf nearby just has random objects, a human skull, plates, and crystal ball.

“I’m not surprised they have this,” the mage’s voice bounces around the cavern. “If they’re summoning Daedra, it would be expected that they would also have books about the demonic creatures.” He explains before putting the book into his bag.

Moving on, you see another staircase leading further down. Reaching the bottom, you see a Frost Atronach down the hall. Again, you sneak up to it and hit the ice giant hard where it easily falls over. You continue down more stairs while Joon collects the frost salts the giant elemental leaves behind upon killing it. There are more Conjurers and Frost Atronachs so you again sneak towards them in the hopes of taking them by surprise.

As you step closer on the cracked floor, there’s a harsh rumbling and you are abruptly yanked back as stones collapse in front of you. You hadn’t thought to look above you to see the rocks falling from the ceiling. The Conjurers turn around to investigate the noise only to find you and the mage struggling to get to your feet on the stairwell. One shouts and begins pelting you with magic while you try to grab your sword and run across, climbing over the fallen rubble.

You hit the ice giants first and there’s a spell flying behind you as Joon retaliates with an attack of his own, engaging with the dark mages. An Atronach almost crushes you with its cold hands but you jump back, whacking at it harshly. The creatures are harder to eliminate because they weren’t taken by surprise, but eventually you manage to kill them and Joon does the same.

Before you have a chance to investigate the area, a bolt of lightning shoots past you as a Storm Atronach bellows down the hall. Joon throws a frost spell at it and the rock monster collapses in a pile of rubble.

“Good shot,” you compliment to which he blushes, his dimples becoming more prominent as he smiles.

“Thank you,” he says and you laugh, finding his shyness endearing.

You search all the bodies while the man walks over to a table in the far corner and looks around. Collecting all the salts and potions, you find two coffers next to them that hold some gold. After gathering the treasure, you join your friend who has also found some more ingredients on another table, along with the same red book about the Daedra.

“It seems like all the Conjurers are reading this book,” you note.

“I believe so. They need to learn about the creatures if they’re going to summon them.” He explains and you both continue to the door that leads further into the ruin.

This next area is just a small cavern with enormous rocks protruding in various places and a

waterfall in the middle, guarded only by one Conjurer who is quickly dispatched. Crossing the bridge, you look at the slanted rock leading into the water and tell Joon you’ll be back while he collects the dead mage’s potions. When you dive in the pool, you swim around and check for any treasure. As you swim underneath, you find a tunnel that leads to a wooden door.

Going through, you rise to the surface for a short breath of air and see a body across the trench. It’s a dead treasure hunter, you realize as you examine the fur clothing. He only has a few pieces of gold and you check the coffer next to him that has some soul gems and a scroll. Joon would be interested in that, you think as you securely tuck it away in your bag so the water doesn’t destroy it. Swimming back to the other area, you show the mage your findings and move on to the next door.

You head down the stairwell and open the gate that leads to a big room with a Conjurer and more Daedra. Whispering to each other, you discuss your plan of action which is pretty much the same as it has been, he’ll handle the magic user while you take care of the demons. Even though you try to sneak up to the Xivilai, the Conjurer seems to sense your presence the moment you slip into the threshold.

Ducking behind a stone pillar, you dodge the flames as they fly into a wall before dissipating. Joon runs out and retaliates with his own spell, the ice crackling when it hits the dark mage. With the element of surprise gone, you swing at the blue demon with your sword, cutting into its torso. Blood spurts out from the wound and it growls, throwing a bolt of lightning, but it is absorbed by your armor. The other Xivilai also comes to its companion’s aid and at one point you are battling two demons simultaneously. It’s not long though as the first monster falls and you focus solely on the remaining one, hitting it repeatedly until it also dies.

Hearing a loud hiss, you see a Daedroth attacking Joon, the large crocodile monster swiping with its claws. Running to the other fight, you switch to your enchanted sword and hit the beast. Ice damages its scaly body and the Daedra turns its attention to you, allowing the mage to return to his battle with the Conjurer Adept.

The Daedroth tries to bite you, teeth nearly sinking into your face but you back away, stepping around until you are behind the creature where you can effectively swing at its back. The crocodile-like monster turns around and breathes fire to which you jump out of the way. A male’s yell rings in the cavern, your heart stopping in fear at the sound, but when the Daedroth fades away you sigh.

You see Joon cleaning his dagger on the Conjurer’s robes before taking the potions he had in his pockets and turning to collect some Welkynd stones sitting on the corner pedestals. Doing the same to the Xivilai, you extract their organs and explore the room. Some chests and coffers hold more gold, along with spell scrolls, soul gems, and another book.

“Joon, have you heard of this book?” you ask and the mage walks over to you.

He takes the gold book and inspects it carefully. “Summon Dremora Tome?” Joon turns the pages and skims through it quickly. “Oh, this is not good. This is a manual on how to summon all kinds of Daedra. Apparently, that includes a Dremora Lord.”

Your eyes widen as you look over his shoulder to see the ancient text. Cursing lowly, you turn to continue checking the area. “You better take that to the High Council with your paper.”

“I know. If the Conjurers learn the secrets to summoning such powerful beings, the Oblivion gates could open all over again. Only this time we have no King to fight for us.”

Your friend sighs harshly and while you look through the locked prison cells, you find an Orc’s body sprawled inside one. “It might be best to make note of this as well,” you advise to him.

Joon turns in your direction and stares at the dead captive. “I will add that to my list of notes as proof that these Conjurers are surely crossing boundaries.”

“Maybe we can send for the guards so this man can have a proper burial.” You tell him, going to another cell where a coffer sits inside. Opening the gates, you step inside and collect more gold.

Continuing your walk around the area, you see a blue stone block in the wall and upon pressing it, the moving cobble next to it reveals a hidden pathway as the stones drop down one by one.

Both of you crawl across and you see two more coffers next to a short ladder leading to a trap door. The small caskets hold over 500 pieces of gold along with some more scrolls and soul gems. You climb up the ladder first with Joon close behind and you find that you are outside in the Great Forest.

Beginning the walk back to Chorrol, you are both silent and contemplative, each lost in your thoughts.

“Y/N?” Joon calls your name after a minute.

You hum in response.

“Do you…think it would be possible for me to start coming with you on your explorations?”

“Why? Do you perhaps enjoy my presence that much?” you chuckle in amusement.

“N-no! I mean, yes, I enjoy your presence, er-company, but I also feel that it is necessary to see what all these Conjurers are doing in person.” The mage stumbles through his statement and you laugh aloud.

“I am only joking, Joon. Of course you are free to join me whenever you like.”

The man also laughs in return, walking beside you while offering an apple for a snack. You take the sweet fruit and bite into it. As you continue through the forest, you chat while pausing every now and then so the mage can collect some flower samples along the way while you carry on to prepare for your next quest.

A/N: It’s finally complete! I was really happy to write about this game because it is my all-time favorite and it has a special place in my heart. Oblivion is just…glorious and so much fun, it’s great, I love it so so much. Anyway this wraps up the last story in the VideoGame!BTS miniseries. If you enjoyed it, please send me some feedback, I would really like to know your thoughts. Thank you again for reading, I really appreciate you all sticking with me through this series!

[kittykatknits]

So this is what frustrates me: When people say Sansa hated Jon when they were kids, or as a post I saw "Sansa hated Jon because he was a bastard" and I disagree with all of this so strongly. They were distant as kids but they didn't hate each other. Emotions and relationships are not binary. Not being absolute faves/confidantes doesn't equal hate. It's not black&white. They weren't friends but none of their memories of each other show hatred or cruelty towards each other

No, she doesn’t hate him. Not at all.

I suspect most people are familiar with the idea of having a brother or sister that you aren’t all that close too. Maybe there is a big difference in age or interests, but for whatever reason, you aren’t all that close. Sure, you love your brother very much, he’s your brother. But, you only see him every few years around the holidays. Maybe call each other for birthdays.

That’s Jon and Sansa, with a bit of complexity around class thrown in to complicate things.

Sansa rarely thinks about Jon but that has less to do with having a low opinion of him as it with the fact that she’s employing a series of coping mechanisms in a Headless Ned world.

Here are the three times Sansa explicity thinks of Jon:

She had always imagined the Night’s Watch to be men like Uncle Benjen. In the songs, they were called the black knights of the Wall. But this man had been crookbacked and hideous, and he looked as though he might have lice. If this was what the Night’s Watch was truly like, she felt sorry for her bastard half brother, Jon

- Sansa III, GoT

She sang with those inside the castle walls and those without, sang with all the city. She sang for mercy, for the living and the dead alike, for Bran and Rickon and Robb, for her sister Arya and her bastard brother Jon Snow, away off on the Wall.

-Sansa V, aCoK

She had not thought of Jon in ages. He was only her half brother, but still … with Robb and Bran and Rickon dead, Jon Snow was the only brother that remained to her. I am a bastard too now, just like him. Oh, it would be so sweet, to see him once again. But of course that could never be. Alayne Stone had no brothers, baseborn or otherwise.

-aFfC

If you read the above quotes, Sansa expresses no negative thoughts, hate, or dislike. Rather, she wishes to see him again, she prays for him, and she feels sympathy for what he may be experiencing at the wall. Also, considering Jon’s story in Game (completely disillusioned), perhaps her sympathy was warranted to some extent?

Readers are projecting a hate for Jon on to Sansa that does not exist, like at all not even a little bit. It’s bias and there are narrative reasons why readers have that bias. I’m working on a very long meta to address POV, narrative bias, author bias in Sansa’s chapters so I won’t address that in any great detail now.

So, what does exist? Sansa has a very clear understanding of the social and class differences she has with Jon. There is one instance where she does not count Jon as her brother, which is sometimes used to justify this opinion:

But she had not forgotten his words, either. The heir to Winterfell, she would think as she lay abed at night. It’s your claim they mean to wed. Sansa had grown up with three brothers. She never thought to have a claim, but with Bran and Rickon dead … It doesn’t matter, there’s still Robb, he’s a man grown now, and soon he’ll wed and have a son.

- Sansa II, SoS

However, if we read the entire quote in context, Sansa is explicitly thinking of her trueborn brothers because of her claim to Winterfell. Under those circumstances, it’s not a particularly damning piece of evidence. Jon is not included in the line of succession and Robb’s will does not yet exist (nor would she know of its existence).

If we look at the three quotes, Sansa does refer to Jon as her bastard brother (just as Arya and Bran do…) but it is largely in part because Sansa is very aware of the class differences between them. Heck, her initial reaction to LF suggesting she pass of as his bastard is negative:

“Natural?” Sansa was aghast. “You mean, a bastard?”

-Sansa VI, SoS

Readers take her awareness and project something on it that doesn’t really exist. To be perfectly honest, I don’t think this constant explicit acknowledgement of class when it comes to her half-brother is her best trait, but it’s hardly a damning one. After all, there is zero textual evidence that his status as a bastard influences her love for him or her feelings about him at all. Sansa does love Jon, he’s still her brother, even if they aren’t close.

The other big takeaway when it comes to this “bastard brother” language Sansa uses, is that her very clear understanding of social and class rules is actually a strength that she uses throughout the series. We may not like this, because, as modern readers, we likely do not consider class differences a good thing. But, they exist here and they exist in Westeros too.

Sansa is constantly employing her understanding to help guide her, to navigate court life, and to survive in the Vale. Like, readers constantly miss how effortlessly Sansa throws out information on families and their relationships and status. The girl gets it. She knows her heraldry. It’s this knowledge that makes her question LF wanting Harrenhal and later helps her understand her station as his bastard. It’s this knowledge, displayed early in Game with Cersei, of what is expected of her as Joffrey’s intended, that helps her to navigate life as a hostage in KL. She tells the reader that Slynt may have been given Harrenhal but it doesn’t matter, his social class means his new status as a lord means nothing. Sure enough, she’s proven right. I could go on and on but the point is made.

Literally, I could go on and on with examples. But, Sansa’s knowledge in this area is one of her weapons, it’s right up there with her courtesy armor. And it’s pretty damn powerful.

So, yeah, anon. I totally agree with you. Thank you for the question!

[evolutionsvoid]

"When the Great War was waging on across the world, the many factions struggled to find new ways to best their opponents. At first, loyal soldiers and armed forces were enough to tip the scales, but as the bloody years went on, it was no longer enough. Then came the planes and the tanks, followed by the rockets and the bombs, all before spilling into robotics and genetic engineering. As machines rolled onto the battlefields, simple men were becoming useless. Bigger guns and stronger armor were added to the arsenals, but these things were expensive, and easily scavenged by the opposing forces. A better soldier was needed, a unit that was a weapon in itself. The scientists turned to genetic engineering to create that perfect soldier, one who could tear through the battlefield and vanquish their foes. One who did not give into the fear that men felt in battle, but rather, it would spread terror into the hearts of all who saw it. At first, man was the template for their experiments, trying to find a way to enhance the common soldier. In time, though, they expanded to many different species. Man was too complex, too emotional. What came out from the labs were often insane and erratic, their minds unable to comprehend what they had now become. So simple animals were used instead. Many were fed into these bloody labs, and many failed to meet their expectations. One species, however, showed promise. Enhancements and alterations worked well on these beasts, and it seemed that the perfect soldier was ready to be born. Their victory came too late, though, as the bombs rained from above and brought an end to both the war and the world.

While the creators perished in the labs below, their creations lived on in the resulting wasteland. Altered by man and radiation, these monstrosities have now become legends across the dead landscape. The survivors refer to them as "Deathclaws," and the name is quite fitting. Their hulking mass is a sight to behold, right before they rip you in half. Their clamp-like claws can crush skulls in their grip, and their sharp blades can slice through armor without pause. The horns adorning their head are perfect for barreling through opponents, able to knock even those in power armor aside. Their tough hide and numerous spikes make them a heavily armored foe, requiring dozens of bullets and lasers to even slow the beasts down. The myths and stories treat them like demons and dragons, but they were not always that way. Scavengers and prospectors have found data files on these "Deathclaws" and have discovered what these monstrosities really are. While they may be dragons of the wasteland now, they were once just simple chameleons. Apparently the experiments done during the Great War had found that the Jackson's Chameleon was a perfect specimen. While others species rejected their enhancements or failed to survive the experiments, these chameleons thrived. Why this species was successful while others failed is unknown. Some think that their DNA had some secret locked within, that allowed them to accept these torturous manipulations. Others believe that the scientists had just happened to finally figure out how the process worked, and the Jackson's Chameleon was just the first one they tested on after this breakthrough. Regardless of how they came to be, the result was lethal. What was once an animal, had now come out as a monster, or at least in appearance. Knowledge of their origin has explained some of the odd behaviors that Deathclaws exhibit. It sure explains why their colors seem to redden when angered. It also does explain why they prefer giant insects over other prey throughout the wastelands. The radiation had done just as much to the bugs of the world as it did to the Deathclaws. The giant radroaches, bloatflies and radscorpions are reminiscent of prey they once devoured, so Deathclaws eagerly hunt down these insects. Their horns are perfect for knocking over prey, allowing them to clamp their claws down on the struggling insect. These giant insects have been gifted thick armor through their mutations, but the Deathclaw has a way to penetrate it. While their old tongues were best used for snaring prey and pulling them into their mouths, this appendage is now more suitable for punching through thick carapaces. It is shorter in range, but it can launch out of the Deathclaw's mouth with explosive force, shattering through chitin and armor alike. Once their thick armor is broken, the Deathclaw can then pull them into delicious meaty pieces. They will eat any other living thing they come across, but giant insects are clearly their favorite. This preference of theirs may explain why they are so eager to hunt down humans and machines. In such a hostile world, one needs to be properly protected by both the elements and other survivors. Armor and metal is often used to cover oneself, which Deathclaws may mistake as exoskeletons. The sight of an armored human or metal covered robot may cause them to interpret the being as an insect, which they love to eat. The Deathclaw will charge towards the mistaken prey, whipped into a hungered frenzy. Power armor is penetrated by their powerful tongues, and the wearers are often devoured in bloody chunks. Robots are ripped apart until they are scrap, at which point, the disappointed Deathclaw will stomp away from the inedible remains."

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The result of when I was playing Fallout New Vegas. It was my first Fallout game, which I quite enjoyed, despite the endless amounts of garbage I had to deal with (I was playing the PS3 version, which functions as well as an underwater toaster). The game was still fun despite failing graphics and routine crashes. During my travels I came across the famous Deathclaws and found them quite neat. I later looked up more about these monsters and came upon a bizarre bit of trivia about them. Apparently Deathclaws are supposed to be altered/mutated Jackson's Chameleons. While hardly a game-changing piece of info, it makes absolutely zero sense to me. Deathclaws, while cool in their own right, look absolutely nothing like chameleons. Yes, I know they were also altered by other genes and animals, but at that point, why not just call them chimeras? Why pick one animal out of the entire stew that made them? Why mention this specific species when it has almost nothing to do with the appearance of the monster? They maybe threw it in because it would explain the horns, but they don't even get that right! The animal has three, not two! Their genus name literally translates to three horn! And where are the zygodactyl feet? The crazy eyes? The long tongue or the curly tail? Why not throw those in to justify calling this monster a chameleon? So in short, I drew this re-imagining of a Deathclaw to create a beast that better matched its origins. A Deathclaw that actually looked like a chameleon, and not some demon dragon beast. Like I said before, I still like the design of Deathclaws and am in no way saying they are bad, I am just saying that the whole "mutated from Jackson's Chameleon" is kinda dumb.