#ancient solheim

[savage-rhi]

Your latest ask about Prom and Gladio reminded me of a prompt I wanted to throw at you!

I’d love to see a written take on Noctis going through Pitioss. The player got to experience all the bullshit with a few lines from Noct, but I want to see what he was REALLY feeling while doing that dungeon. You can decide if he wins or says fuck it and gives up 😂😂

@seradyn OH LORD HAVE MERCY 😂😂😂 this was the ONE mission in the game I never completed. I spent 2 days at it and rage quit. NEVER AGAIN. Anyway, Noctis questioning his life choices coming right up!

The black hood shook in Noctis's grasp while he trembled. Even through the commotion of cheers and concern from his friends, Noctis didn't register a sound. A faint buzzing was all he could latch onto, followed by how the sun both felt welcoming and like an enemy at once.

Three days. He had spent Three days in what could only be described as the perfect hell. An endless menagerie of puzzles and traps at every corner and sight. Noctis lost count how many times a giant sphere almost ran him over. How on the second night he cried himself to sleep, wondering what sort of closure his friends would get if they could never find his corpse. How Eos would be doomed to calamity because he decided to screw off and perform a dangerous feat; all for some damned piece of cloth.

Noctis didn't know what he was expecting when he got to the end of the dungeon. There was no hidden knowledge acquired, no interesting artifacts, no treasure; just a rag of a hood and a window leading right back to where he started. The lackluster experience further added to his irritability while he clutched the hood and felt a strong temptation to rip it in half. He almost died for this thing, and the thought pissed Noctis off to no end.

"What did you see down there?" Ignis couldn't help but ask with excitement. His growing fascination with Ancient Solheim showed through his tone.

"What Ignis said!" Prompto chimed.

"By the ass of the Astrals, you look pale! Holy crap...you good, Noct?" Gladio raised a brow.

Noctis went neutral, his gaze poised on the Regalia straight ahead. He marched over to the car without a second thought, ignoring the confused glances his friends gave.

As soon as Noctis opened the door and slammed it behind him, be broke down. Crying hard into the black hood while the boys watched on from afar.

"Whatever he witnessed, it must've overwhelmed him with awe." Ignis murmured.

"I uh, don't think it's quite that..." Prompto chuckled nervously. "Um, should we go and check up on him?"

"No," Gladio shook his head and made a face. "That right there, is a man who has been broken down to where he's having an existential crisis. Let's give him some space."

"Considering the end game for Noct, that's messed up..." Prompto winced.

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[charlottedabookworm]

Ok, now I've got to ask: how would you write that Eos in Pegasus crossover?

i think-

i think it would depend on what type of story i was trying to tell

am i writing fic about the stargate crew meeting eos? am i writing a fic about the people of eos meeting stargate, and the universe beyond that? is it a full fusion? if eos is in pegasus, how haven't they already been culled to near extinction? do they have stories of the wraith?

but- i think maybe the story i'd tell is that eos is a planet on the distant edges of the pegasus galaxy

once upon a time, long before lucis, long before even solheim, it was... probably a planet of the ancients. maybe a research facility, maybe they lived in harmony, who knows? the ancients are twats but eos had to get it's gate somehow anyway

the wraith already existed when the ancients flee, near ten thousand years ago from canon. the wraith are why they fled after all. so, once upon a time, the people of eos had stories of the monsters in the night, the creatures who stole away their children adn their loved ones to eat them. daemons, they were called by the people of eos all those years ago

eos forgot this, after the ancients left

(how could they not, when their gate became nothign more than a monument? how could they not, when the controls that powered the shield around their whole planet were long forgotten?)

(the ancients isolated eos as an experiment)

(it saved them, in the end)

the ancients left and eventually the civilisation of solheim fell and lucis rose in its ashes and the scourge, discovered when some unknowning travellers visited a small island that had buildings made of clear stone and brought countless riches back to the mainland with them, spreads

it mutates

(as ancient experiments so often do)

they mutate

the creatures born are called daemons, after the monsters they told their children about at night, a myth older than memory

bahamut, ramuh - the astrals, all of them, (ascended, all of them) stare, some in horror and some in fascination. they debate on what to do. they are not supposed to interfere

they do anyway

(eos is, perhaps, worse off for it)

time passes. ardyn and somnus are born. a betrayal. a monster born of ancient experimentation. a bloodline gifted from ancient experimentation

time passes

canon approaches

the astrals, the ascended, they are still not supposed to interfere . they are supposed to be distant, recorders of history, detatched. except they have watched this planet for two thousand years now, daring not to rejoin the others for fear of their first interference being noticed. they are supposed to be above the mortals below them

eos is dying

bahamut is certain in his plan. with it, eos will be saved. the survivors can rebuild. and, with ardyn adn noctis and lunafreya sacrificed at the labratory alter, well. they can finally return to the other ascended as all proof of their interference would have passed

bahamut is certain

the other astrals are... less so

they are worshipped here (like the ori and they flinch from the comparison, flinch from the power it gives them) and their people beg them for aid and they-

bahamut is certain

(bahamut is drunk on worship, he becomes less and less the man they knew with each day, just as ifrit had before they had been forced to intefere and they-)

they interfere

ships are guided to that small island with its laboratory. the notes on the scourge are conveniently written there in Sol, a language only their scholars would know but still one translatable

a new path is found

(bahamut rages-)

they interfere

(the gate is unearthed)

they interfere

(the block, the disconnect that had removed it from the rest fo the pegasus system, fades away)

the stargate lights up in the centre of a field in lucis, in an eos that is scourge free if not daemon free, and the man who happens to see it is a man old enough to remember when daemons were myth

to remember the stories of world travellers told to him by his father, by his grandmother, passed down from century to century until there was no one left to tell them

(atlantis' system flickers, releasing a hidden file, a hidden address)

the stargate lights up. AR1 steps through

Ardyn Lucis Caelum meets them when they do

[zhylia]

𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐄 𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐓 : 𝐂𝐑𝐎𝐒𝐒𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐑

01. ff vii - the princess of a forgotten and isolated kingdom founded by the cetra hylia several thousand years ago. zelda is force to go into hiding after witnessing her kingdom become invaded by usurpers. taking with her an important artifact of hyrule, she takes on a new identify and finds herself seeking assistance in midgar. her knowledge in subjects involving the old world and cetra is invaluable, but her cluelessness on modern technology seems to hinder her understanding on the new world completely.

02. ff versus xiii - during the golden era of solheim, zelda's family ruled the capital with the blessing of solheim's heavenly artifact. under their rule, they were able to fend off hostile invaders and formerly assert themselves as a holy city. solheim was considered a world power that worshipped the ancient god lindzei ( and in turn was loyal to the slumbering god bhunivelze ). unfortunately, despite its current advancement it was unable to fend off niflheim and their surrounding allies attacks. the crystal broke and sent the world in period of darkness for the first time. the current chosen was zelda, who underwent a pilgrimage to save the ailing world. with the blessings of her ancestor and holy artifact, zelda was able to bring light back into the world at the cost of her life. similar to xiii, zelda has fulfilled her "focus" and while humanity considered her gone, the light maiden fell into a deep slumber embrace by crystal stasis for several centuries. she would eventually be awoken to a modern period where etro's power now wanes and a forgotten god slowly marks his return.

[raven-6-10]

Did Solheim have a space program? Have they ever landed on the moon? Are there remains of ancient space missions perfectly preserved in the vacuum of space left on Eos' moon?

[mandala--moons]

Hello! Thanks for reading. This is part of a collection of head-canon postings I wanted to make regarding my current fanfic’s universe and lore. The fanfic takes place in an altered omen!verse, along with bits and bobs from the alternate ending of Episode Ignis, as well as when FFXV was still Verses XIII. I’ve always been super fascinated by the Omen trailer, and what would have to occur for said trailer to end up happening. Also, I deserve to be self-indulgent. This is a VERY personal, non-factual imagining of my own headworld regarding FFXV and is really not meant to be taken as a legit theory. Please don’t come for me I’m just a nerd. 

——

The origins of the Six, as gods of the Cosmogony are murky at best given the lore we’re exposed to within the game, only giving us bits and pieces through Noctis’ eyes. However, a theory I’ve always liked and enjoyed is the idea that the Six are not innate protectors of only Eos, but have traveled to and fro from various worlds and planets, where they deem themselves needed, or perhaps out of necessity. 

It’s been stated I believe, by a few producers and directors, that FFXV, FFX, and FFVII all take place within the same universe. (FFXIII is probably in here too, but I’m not done playing the series lol)  It’s never really been truly elaborated too much about what this means, or in what way. A popular speculation is that all of these games are within the same universe but, different planets. We see, in the only opportunity we really have in the ruined Insomnia that both Spira, and Shinra are mentioned. It could of course, be written off that these are just winks for final fantasy fans, and implications, I however like the idea that FFX, and FFVII are different instances of the same planet, different time periods. 

I present to you this idea FFVII’s Midgar, is in fact XV’s ancient city of Solheim.

I don’t particularly have any hard evidence for this, mind you, just a collection of loose brain worms that have been clunking around in my mind since XV’s release. 

For my fanfic, the first human, upon whom Ifrit bestowed his gift of fire to, was a longstanding predecessor of Rufus Shinra, and that it is remnants of Shinra’s technology, that form the civilization of Solheim. 

And thus, this introduces us to the real meat of our head-canon/theory, where the six come into play. We see the Six deities, Ifrit, Shiva, Leviathan, Bahamut, Ramuh, and Titan appear as materia summons in Final Fantasy VII initially. The timeline for FFXV calls the period of Solheim, the Cosmogony, the Age of Myth, so let’s start there. 

THE AGE OF MYTH 

I’ve always been a big fan of the idea that the scourge was something infecting the planet, perhaps due to the gods themselves. A lot of people posit that the gods traveled from world to world, and while I like this idea, I imagine gods spend quite a long time on their particular world, and that civilizations don’t particularly seem all that long to them. Shiva and Bahamut in the 2nd FFXV Comic Anthology compare humans to flowers, and state that they’ll only grow if cultivated correctly like particularly grouchy botanists. 

I believe the Six and their messengers and minor deities arrived in a similar fashion to Jenova (I have another head-canon post planned bearing the similarities between the Goddess Eos from Verses, and Jenova and think that they MAY be one and the same)

 they both got lil weird wings. lol The gods are quite eldritch and almost unfathomable in their states in XV, which is one of the things I really like about the series, and I like the idea that the parts of them we see, are in fact their true forms. The summons in VII are more minor forms of the Six that we know and love, perhaps like the way grecian gods interacted with the world around them in their own myths. 

It’s loosely possible, that this was the the beginning of the starscourge, and that even directly interacting with minor forms of the Six could transmit the parasite known  as Plasmodium that causes the scourge. We’re shown in XV that even interacting with the gods for long periods of time had detrimental effects on Luna’s health, and that was her whole bloodline’s purpose. Who’s to say ancient Midgar/Solheim stood a chance.

 However, as Shinra became more more corrupted, and post advent children the more these magical crystals or Materia were used for humankind’s own ends. Ifrit believed this to be a betrayal of mankind, and was a denial of the sacred bond between humans and their deities, thus igniting the war that struck FFVII’s world to ruin, the gods warred over this, and eventually slept to allow themselves a clean slate. Jenova, or Eos, was then imprisoned in what we know as Pitioss. 

Afterwards, the gods then slept, awakening next to bestow the ring upon the Lucis Caelum line some centuries later. 

I'll be updating this with a part 2 soon!

[ertrunkenerwassergeist]

How excited was Regis in BitW to learn that the Galahkari know Sol and in fact all of them learn it in school? Will he try to learn it himself?

Regarding how Sol was otherwise lost worldwide: I headcanon that when the Lucis Caelum were off on their conquests, they were destroying all the records of Solheim in subdued nations. Books, scrolls, paintings, inscriptions on buildings and so on.

Plus anything and everything that painted Lucis and their Kings in bad light - like, say, how Somnus actually got the throne or how Bahamut's temple dealt with people who didn't want them as the head religion. (Because I absolutely believe that 2000 years ago Niflheim, or rather the continent it's on, would be prime destination for those trying to escape persecution. Far away enough that nobody would bother chasing them.)

Very excited to say the least

His goal is to hire someone to translate the oldest texts they have in the royal archives, since they're written in Sol. He would also want to learn the language very much. But he knows he doesn't really have the time for it. Doesn't stop him from trying though.

Funnily enough, forgetting Sol didn't have only to do with the Lucis Caelums. On what is now the Lucian continent, Solheim was a conquering party. They were basically Ancient Rome in that regard and superimposed their language on top of the existing one. When Solheim fell, many people stopped speaking Sol and/or teaching it to the younger generation. They were liberated after all. Another aspect is that people wanted to distance themselves from Solheim since it was destroyed because of an Astral's wrath. People didn't want to incur that wrath and distanced themselves from Solheim as much as they could. Which means they destroyed Solheimr cultural things all on their own.

Lucis did have part in it though. Especially through their cultural reformations. The Pious spearheaded the first one. (Someone remind me to talk about the cultural reformations sometime. It's some of the background lore I did, I somehow never got around to talk about.)

The old Nifasi tribes aren't the friendliest. (In fact, they were that era's Vikings.) That didn't deter the truly desperate though, to settle in the borderlands between modern Niflheim and Tenebrae. They are the ones who introduces lighter skin tones into the desert.

(Look, it's a pet pieve I have. Niflheim was supposed to be a desert until not even 50 years ago according to canon. So why are all people supposedly from there, white skinned? That's not how this works!)

[exarchs]

⸻ QUICK VERSE DROP !!

FINAL FANTASY VII .

G'raha is a well - studied historian who works under Heidegger with the Turks as a planetology researcher for the Ancients . He takes a particular interest in their connection to the life stream & their ability to commune with the planet , & his fascinations take his research to the next level . His interest and knowledge on the subject earned him his place beneath Heidegger , but G'raha didn't understand he was being used by Shinra . I think his research could tie him easily into interactions with Aerith & I know he'd just be infatuated with her ( even though no one is supposed to know of her being a Cetra , I think G'raha would because of his position with Shinra ) , but I also believe that his interacting with her could be a slippery slope into leading to her capture by the Turks . I think he's intuitive enough to notice the patterns of Shinra's manipulation of him & quit before things went intensely awry , but because of what he knows , he does not escape them with ease , & spends much of his time running away from them , which could be the cause to the join the main party . I see him as kind of an optional character you might find whilst adventuring Midgar's slums .

FINAL FANTASY XV .

Born as a prince in Solheim of ancient past , G'raha grew up with great knowledge of magiteknology and eventually went to study it & its history . He dedicated a mass amount of his time to developing a mechanism that could take him back to a time in society before mankind went corrupt , when peace filled the lands , & Ifrit loved his people . He eventually managed to create something that could assist him with timelessness , but it failed to take him to the past as he'd intended . Instead , it led him into a deep sleep , the crystal he'd worked with putting him into a stasis of sorts , only for him to maybe wake up to Noctis's presence in the Pitioss Ruins . That is to say , if you have a character in FFXV , we can always jump ahead to their meeting point or form something pre - established , given these events transpire ! Just note that G'raha is from a different time and he is not used to way things go in modern society .

KINGDOM HEARTS .

For this verse , I have a lot more work to do which might involve developing alongside KH muses in order to make it work ! I want to have him be found in Quadratum , perhaps aiding Sora or Riku on his adventure , but also has ties to Yozora and the others . I kind of want to work with connecting him into that universe as someone who assists with knowledge of the city's history & whereabouts . Right now , we don't know much about Quadratum aside from setting , so it'd be a lot of discussion and headcanon / lore building until the new game is released , but I think it'd be a fun idea to tamper with !

[rosahope]

disclaimer: huge thank you to @asterites​ for allowing me to not only pick her brain but use some of her lore and concepts for this verse! art credit.

𝐚 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐟𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐬𝐲 𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐮𝐬 𝐱𝐢𝐢𝐢 𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞

In ancient times, Solheim was considered a pure, holy land which guarded one of the FOUR CRYSTALS; these Crystals were considered what remained of the god, Bhunivelze, sealing him away in the sea of Chaos. Serenity, Solheim’s heiress and chosen individual to protect the power of the Solheim Crystal, was renowned throughout the land for her beauty, grace and kind heart. Her aura remained a warm and pure one for her people. 

However, a day came when the Solheim Crystal came to be in danger. Darkness encroached upon the land, threatening to swallow the planet in its entirety. In an effort to save the world from darkness, Serenity channelled the power of the Crystal through a sceptre which had been passed down through her line for generations — a sort of conduit for which the immense power of the Crystal could be used by human hands. 

The use of this power, however, came at a great cost to Serenity herself. By using such a large amount of its power, the Crystal responded by encasing the princess in a crystal stasis. Serenity was rendered into a soundless slumber, unaware of the ultimate fate of Solheim or the world as the centuries passed. 

It was only when she was awoken by representatives of Niflheim that Serenity’s role began anew. Niflheim was quick to realise, however, that the princess held no memories of her life or her previous deeds as Solheim’s saviour. Seeing an opportunity, the Empire managed to convince Serenity to join their cause by capitalising on her role as the Solheim Crystal’s protector and her worship of the god, Lindzei — a god which linked Solheim and Niflheim through their shared advanced technologies and culture. 

Though the Solheim Crystal had broken long ago, some of its power remained, heavily muted, from the crystal shards of Serenity’s imprisonment. This allowed her to once again take up the mantle of attempting to banish the darkness from the world. With knowledge of the only remaining Crystal, the Lucis Crystal, in the possession of the Lucis Caelums, Serenity became an ally of the Niflheim Empire, falsely led to believe that it was Lucis and its Crystal’s protector that was threatening to plunge the world into darkness once more.

[adagaium]

big shoutout to the ffbe sprite website for saving me.

POKEMON VERSE, as promised! made to work with generation 9 (scarlet + violet), and per usual tied into the lore i have on every goddamn pokemon blog i've run, ever.

a king of light who ruled over an ancient civilization called solheim, mithra was hailed by his people as a savior capable of subduing monsters made of the remnants of the darkest day. he is thought to be the father of the immortal king adaliz of the vale and high king yvon of galia. however, legends of mithra are few and far between, as the surviving ruins of the kingdom of solheim date back to before 4000 BCE. historians believe the kingdom of solheim fell to ruin in a single catastrophic night.

multiple surviving accounts exist of a king of light, somnus, who ruled over a kingdom of light, blessed by the gods; the kingdom was called lucis- and somnus was best known in legend for slaying the dark legendary god adagium, believed to be the harbinger of the darkest day. per surviving records, somnus sealed adagium in a tomb that was left undisturbed (and then forgotten) for thousands of years. eventually, the kingdom of lucis also crumbled, giving way to modern nations.

ardyn izunia is a peculiar trainer, mostly because he is the trusted companion of a valean dragon called bahamut. his other pokemon are titan, ifrit, shiva, leviathan, and ramuh- all of ardyn's pokemon seem to have godlike power, and no one knows why. ardyn says it's because they have strong bonds, which isn't WRONG. in truth, these pokemon have been with ardyn for thousands of years- the six in a deep slumber while ardyn was locked away...

powerful and charismatic, he enjoys traveling the regions to learn about their history- or so he claims. despite having a powerful team, it seems he is rather uninterested in pursuing champion titles. he strangely enjoys politics, but even more than that, he enjoys fine wines, cars, and naps. many suspect that he has ties to many powerful political figures, and beyond that, he is suspected of pulling strings for his own gain. not that he'd ever admit to it if he was!

he has no connection to the relics of ruin, although people sure like to associate adagium with those, and he is not the harbinger of the darkest day. he is, however, a harbinger of destruction, which is similar but not as specific.

notes

this verse literally is me board with strings meme with my lore across various blogs. adaliz (az) and yvon are the stand ins for arsalaan and yuhan (see im smart a + y names). lore here also ties in with @mallaacht and @kingsthunder (the latter is my own goddamn blog). there is a lot to unpack, but these are the basics. feel free to ask me questions about things because my god i know this looks scattered.

[ffxvficrec]

by sensational_legislational It's now almost been two years since the first sunrise after the long night. As the world rebuilds itself, New Solheim rises from the ashes of Tenebrae with a new young ruler at its head. Bearing the Crown of Solheim, an artifact from its eponymous ancient civilization, Solara Antiquum is the undisputed heir to the newly-reestablished throne. This is something of a sequel to It All Began on the Night of the Opera. It is intended to be episodic, each chapter comprising a single story or a contribution to the main arc. I hope you enjoy! Words: 8723, Chapters: 1/?, Language: English Series: Part 2 of The Consequences of a Night at the Opera Fandoms: Final Fantasy XV Rating: General Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Categories: F/M Characters: Aranea Highwind , Ignis Scientia , Solara Aldercapt Antiquum , Biggs Callux , Wedge Kincaid , Gentiana (Final Fantasy XV) Relationships: Aranea Highwind/Ignis Scientia Additional Tags: episodic , Post-Canon , Sequel , Series , Food , Fluff

[tourporlaindiaseo]

Nelly Korda

The American professional golfer Nelly Korda has had a big influence on the LPGA Tour. Born on July 28, 1998, in Bradenton, Florida, Nelly is from an athletic family: her sister, Jessica Korda, is a successful golfer, and her father, Petr Korda, was a former professional tennis player.

Nelly started playing golf at an early age and advanced through the junior golf divisions fast. Throughout her amateur career, she represented the United States in international competitions including the Junior Ryder Cup and Junior Solheim Cup, among other notable accomplishments.

Nelly became a professional in 2016 and joined the LPGA Tour, where she quickly established herself. At the 2018 Swinging Skirts LPGA Taiwan Championship, she won her maiden professional match, demonstrating her skill and promise as a rising star in women's golf.

Nelly has since maintained her success on the LPGA Tour, winning the 2021 KPMG Women's PGA Championship as well as the 2019 ISPS Handa Women's Australian Open. Within the golfing world, she has gained considerable recognition and respect due to her constant performance and dedication to her art.

Nelly's confident putting stroke, accurate iron play, and strong drives define her style of play. On the course, she has a cool, collected manner and frequently exhibits maturity above her years under stressful circumstances.

Nelly is well-known off the course for her pleasant and modest demeanor, as well as her close-knit family bond. She gives her sister and dad credit for providing constant support and direction during her golfing career.

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[savage-rhi]

Oh boy-

I saw the most recent writing prompts and got SO excited. I had a really hard time picking. There were SO many good ones

But we need Ardyn with the protective writing prompt:

"Whether you like it or not, You're safest with me"

@sillylittlevulpine Thanks for being patient with me hon. I hope you like this, I haven't written for Ardyn in a while and I feel rusty AF. Hope it's okay!

Y/N was no diplomat.

They were a mere common citizen, fed up with the Lucian crown not doing enough to keep the people safe while many starved and were displaced by the war. They themself were on the brink, having lost everything they held dear in the recent skirmish between the kingdom and empire.

It was why they were smuggled amongst provisions on an Imperial air ship, a last ditch effort to try and make a difference on their own terms.

Y/N knew that the moment they set foot in the lands of Niflheim, there were a thousand ways they could die—a thousand tortures that could befall them. Yet the consequences were outweighed by the hope that somehow, out of the mouth of someone lesser, their words might bring an end to the calamities in Lucis, even if it meant bartering with the enemy. However pure their intentions, there were many things Y/N neglected to consider.

They didn't consider being found so soon on board, immediately being treated with contempt.

They didn't consider the welcoming of fists and weapons at their throat, being blamed for crimes they had never heard of—all because of where they had come from.

They didn't consider being paraded around in public, a spectacle to behold as the soldiers escorted them to the Imperial Palace.

They didn't consider the consequences of being brought to the feet of Emperor Aldercapt himself, who was more than willing to dispatch justice in the form of a grandiose beheading in front of his hundreds of guests amidst an Imperial Ceremony. He proclaimed the sudden intrusion as a sign of the Gods' favor, a sacrificial gift on the eve of Niflheim's name day, three days removed from the anniversary of Solheim's ancient calamity.

Out of all these terrifying events that unfolded so quickly, Y/N never considered that the Chancellor himself would step in to call off the execution.

Nor did they anticipate sitting in the man's very chambers at this moment.

It had been several hours since then, and Y/N's heart pounded heavily in their chest remembering what transpired. How Chancellor Izunia managed to undermine Aldercapt's authority and Niflheim's very traditions, but still kept the peace by appealing to logic, reason, and exploiting hundreds of years of superstition in the same breath.

"It's reasonable to assume a token of good faith by the esteemed six who watch over our endeavors. Yet I beseech the council and the Emperor to remember there is always a price to pay from accepting a boon from gods. Unwrapping such a precious gift could very much bring great misfortune to our feet, especially on an eve of celebration and remembrance. I believe on such a rare and auspicious night, that we let the people of the Empire decide our fate. What say you, excellency?"

The crowd erupted with so much enthusiasm, and so much vigor that Aldercapt had no choice but to bend the knee or lest he be cast unfavorably for weeks to come.

Y/N could remember the Emperors ire toward the Chancellor the rest of the evening, but the latter merely smiled and watched as thousands debated before settling on their choice: to let Y/N live, for now.

Y/N knew so little about the Chancellor, but in that short amount of time, understood he was very much a career politician as much as he was a man of the stars, and that made him perhaps more dangerous than anyone Y/N could've been at the mercy of.

Their breath hitched when the doors suddenly opened, and the very man came waltzing in. Y/N noted how his amber eyes seemed to glow under the dimmed light, casting a shiver down their spine.

"Ah, fancy seeing you still awake at this unholy hour!" He faintly smiled; stopping to let out a breath he had been holding.

"Considering the circumstances, how could anyone sleep?" Y/N murmured under their breath, surprised when he chuckled sincerely at their comment

"A fair observation if there ever was one," He remarked amusingly then gestured for Y/N to remain seated at the foot of the bed as soon as he noticed them adjust. "I don't care for curtseys or for you move an inch. It needn't take me long to get comfortable."

Y/N swallowed as the Chancellor walked across the room, watching him pick up a chair from a large desk. For a moment, an intrusive thought of the man throwing the furniture piece at them crossed Y/N's mind, and they were astonished to see the Chancellor gently place the chair in front of them and casually take a seat.

"You caused quite the commotion back there in the grand hall."

His comment took Y/N aback as they blinked; unsure of what to say. It almost sounded like he was complimenting them.

"I think you outperformed me there, Chancellor."

"Please, call me Ardyn."

Y/N made a face. "Ardyn?"

"An unusual name, I know." He grinned. "There's no need for formality in my own dwelling. You can speak freely, more or less."

More or less...Y/N felt a bead of sweat trickle down their head from that remark.

"I wasn't trying to offend or--"

"What do you call yourself?"

"Pardon?"

"What's your name, dear? Last I checked Lucian's could comprehend such a simple question."

And there it is...Y/N could feel the disdain in his words despite his tone being outwardly charming.

"It's Y/N."

"Y/N," Ardyn repeated it a few times to himself, as if allowing his tongue to grow accustomed to a new flavor. "Spare me of sob stories and gruesome detail, but what brings you to Nilfheim and so, so far away from home?"

There was nothing malicious in his words nor the question Ardyn imposed, but Y/N's muscles tensed as if there was nonetheless. It seemed in comparison to his public image—where he liked to draw things out, Ardyn wanted to get to the point. Neither did Y/N want to prolong this any further than necessary. Whatever the Chancellor intended on doing to them, Y/N had no doubts he would carry it out regardless after this conversation. There was nothing to lose or gain.

"I came to the empire for help."

"Help?"

Y/N nodded.

"And why would you do such a thing, in the middle of a war between our two nations no less?"

Ardyn looked so puzzled that it scared Y/N he was irritated. The confusion on his face seemed uncharacteristic of a man of his stature. The thought didn't stop Y/N from raising a brow, just as bewildered as the man himself.

"I thought you didn't want a sob story?"

"Are you being smart with me, dear?"

"No, no!" Y/N protested. "I'm just--!"

The way he suddenly laughed made the air in the room grow thick with tension, and as Y/N made a fist against the sheets of the mattress, Ardyn let out a content sigh and smirked.

"I'm merely speaking in jest." He said in his defense, letting out a faint but dark chortle. "You are right, however, I'd appreciate some context to our precarious situation."

Just get to the point...Y/N repeated to themself over and over, trying to ignore the sinking sensation that grew in their stomach at how he had been toying with them.

"I came here to talk to Imperials who don't want this war as much as I. There's nothing else to say. I'm not a spy, nor defecting my country, nor do I wish to gain anything. I just...want to talk. To get a conversation started, so we can end this."

The silence that hung in the air after Y/N's testimony was palpable to where not even a knife could cut the tension. It didn't help that the Chancellor's features went neutral, almost unreadable save for his eyes which Y/N noted seemed to dance to an invisible tune that no human could comprehend. The way he looked at them was scary in a manner Y/N couldn't describe, but feel on a cellular level.

Ardyn slowly canted his head, a look of wonderment crossing his face briefly as he studied them. "How most naive of you..."

"What's going to happen next?"

"I beg your pardon?"

Y/N gulped. "What's going to happen to me? Am I to be shot outside your chambers or taken to prison?"

"You have quite the grotesque imagination," Ardyn chuckled at their expense, shaking his head in disbelief. "You heard the people back at the Grand Hall, you're to live this night."

"And after?"

He went silent again, and Y/N tried not to avert their gaze from his as he hummed.

"That remains to be decided, that being said, I believe we might be able to help each other."

Y/N's pulse spiked yet again as Ardyn's smile grew, and his pupils expanded; nearly overtaking the orange that covered his irises.

"Contrary to what you no doubt assume, I hold nothing nefarious toward you. You can snuff out the flame of whatever ills are invading your head at this moment." Ardyn said as a matter of fact before continuing. "Perhaps your tale of woe is a boon from the gods after all."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Let's just say I've been looking for an 'in' to get back into the good graces of your king's court for negotiation." Ardyn debated with himself on speaking further, then uncrossed his legs and adjusted in his seat. He scooted the chair a little closer to Y/N, eyes locking onto theirs. "You and I seem to have a similar appreciation for the art of conversation, and I find this potentially useful."

It became difficult for Y/N to comprehend what he was saying now, as the fear that overtook them seemed to filter out Ardyn's words. They could barely hear their voice over their heart beating, blood pumping so loud in their mind that the noise began to drown out everything else.

"You're trembling."

Ardyn's faint murmur snapped Y/N out of their trance, and they shook their head in protest. The hidden maliciousness they had sensed earlier returned, growing even stronger as Ardyn suddenly appeared inches from their face. Y/N didn't have time to breathe, much less comprehend the seconds in between.

"Do I frighten you?" He asked, his voice low and dark.

There was no point lying to him, not when those eyes could see through anything.

"Greatly..."

"Good..."

"I'd like to be placed in custody elsewhere," Y/N whispered, trying not to blink out of fear they'd find themselves in the jaws of a predator. His little laugh made their nerves freeze over.

"After the trouble I went through on your behalf, you'd soon rather leave me than hear further of my proposition?"

Y/N nodded. "I would."

"Well, I must implore you to listen carefully," Ardyn's voice dipped as he glared for the first time. "So long as you remain in the Empire, whether you like it or not, you're safest with me."

"I..." Y/N's body picked up on something their mind had trouble feeling out. It didn't help that this played in tandem with their stomach churning in knots over the way he stared them down. "I don't believe you."

And just like that, a dark chuckle from Ardyn broke the atmosphere and Y/N stared in confusion as he backed away and stood, looking down at them.

"I shall leave you to your thoughts," Ardyn gave a soft bow with his head toward Y/N and smirked. "We have much to discuss tomorrow once I sort through how to keep you alive."

He was starting to leave his chambers, until Y/N called out, still bothered by something.

"Wait!"

"Hmm?"

"Why did you speak on my behalf in the first place? You didn't know my intentions until now. What made you put on that performance and keep Aldercapt from cutting off my head?"

Ardyn once more debated with himself, his confidence from earlier waning as he hadn't expected them to cut to the chase as much as he did with them. A faint smile graced his lips when he noticed the connection, furthering the wheels that had been turning in his head.

"The night was dull," He shrugged. "And I was bored out of mind..."

He departed without another sound, closing the large doors behind him.

Y/N didn't even get the chance to ask where they would sleep.

Meanwhile, Ardyn ventured out of his dwelling and into the main hall. Not far from the doors, Verstael awaited him. The older man held a weight of exhaustion in his aged face as Ardyn grinned and walked past him.

"I came down from the keep as soon as I heard what you did." Verstael called out, and began to follow his colleague.

Ardyn smirked, slowing his pace so Verstael could catch up. "You missed out my dear friend! The ceremony became quite a spectacle after that. One could argue I saved the day in more ways than one."

"Be it as it may the party is over," Verstael sighed, shaking his head. "What says Aldercapt now about your new little friend?"

"For now," Ardyn began. "The gods show them favor."

"Just the gods?"

The pair stopped walking, and Ardyn's gaze burrowed into Verstael's as the old man stared him down. The hall became heavy with unspoken words that yearned to bubble to the surface.

"Just the gods..." Ardyn answered bluntly.

Verstael let out a small huff and smiled. "Let's keep it at that."

"You're worried?"

"A man in my position can't help but worry, especially when a dear colleague of his days ago confided he had been missing his home and, what would you know, a piece of it comes stumbling to our doorstep."

"Don't make me ill," Ardyn sighed, trying to cease rolling his eyes. "A distraction is fun, but not the end game as we both know."

Verstael gazed over Ardyn a few more times before deciding he had enough interrogating for now. "Come. I'd love to discuss what your plans are with the Lucian we now have at our disposal."

Ardyn didn't say a word as he and Verstael continued their walk. There were many things he neglected to consider when he vouched for Y/N's life, but he never considered they'd still be alive after their conversation—for he had fully been set on turning his pent-up daemonic tendencies loose upon them after they said their piece.

Nor did he anticipate growing fond of them already.

He bit the inside of his cheek.

Y/N was no diplomat, but Ardyn loved the prospects that stemmed from the fact.

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[bitchsince1976]

Random FF15 thought:

The ancient people of Solheim didn't trust the rest of Eos.

Their monuments/dungeons test your patience and are annoying as hell!

Yet, here I am determined to complete the menace of the deep quest.

I better get a trophy for this!

[mikumixtwix]

this just in on ffxv thoughts:

could the circles and squares we see in the Solheim ruins and runes be regarded as perfect circles & perfect squares, which would connect the ideas of Virtruvius, an ancient Roman scholar. The fact that Solheim is clearly based on the Roman Empire could support this idea

[manofnooutcome]

Ardyn Izunia: Father of Solheim AU

[holyguardian]

@loqis​ | X

His movements had been suspicious. Scouting around the royal campsite would have been easier in the midst of an army, but they were traveling lightly, the bulk of the Prince’s forces bolstering the defenses of an embattled farming community. The soldiers were trusted with the task of building more permanent structures while their smaller, more mobile group sought out any outliers, though they found the same disheartening scene again and again. Those who lived isolated weren’t surviving the plague.

... Then there was this man. Aerith’s frown deepened as she doubled-down on her position, securing him in place with her shield weighing down on him. He was displaying a few signs of being infected, which unfortunately went hand-in-hand with someone being incredibly angry. That he had been spying on them and caught out made her lean a little more to him being naturally agitated but she couldn’t take chances.

“Are you alone?” she asked, ignoring his hissed insult.

Though he didn’t answer her directly, his slip of ‘we’ had been answer enough. Perfect. There were more heathens prepared to be thorns in her side... nothing comparable to Bahamut attempting to split her brain open, but it was an inconvenience nevertheless.

“Watch your tongue!” Aerith lost her calm when he insulted Somnus. That was the quickest way to shorten her temper, like a knife slicing through thread he cut short her patience. “I’m the one asking the questions!” She had the thought to draw her dagger and hold it to him... she thought, but she didn’t act, not quite yet. He was only being mouthy. “So, you’re not alone. Who are you with?” she paused a beat. “You’re lucky I’m the one who found you lurking in the shadows. Planning an attack against royalty? You don’t deserve to be questioned. I am giving you a courtesy, if you aren’t going to return a modicum of respect I’ll have you tried by the Gods. You know they won’t listen to a word from a non-believer.” another pause. “I’m more open-minded than that. Talk to me and perhaps your situation won’t be so hopeless.”