#and I still cannot stop rotating these two in my brain like rotisserie chicken

[pstelwitchcraft]

I've seen much conjecture about Imogen's feelings and how much Laura put into all their little moments but I think ya'll are forgetting Laudna was absolutely not beating the allegations from as early as before they fought Otohan.

I mean- are we forgetting "I've never been in love before... I mean, that's not true, I deeply love Imogen *confused gay pause*"?? Are we forgetting "You have one of the biggest sparks I've ever seen. You don't need a pulse for that" "it pales in comparison to yours"????

Or "I certainly can't lose you" with the fondest look on her face? "You should never have to run into the storm alone". "I choke out, thought the pain, with whatever breath I have left, 'Imogen?'" "I think that depends on you, darling". "I'm still holding on to your hand. In the real world. I never stopped."

I mean, Marisha SAID she was making an unromanceable character but if I had to guess that also went out the window a while ago.

[least-carpet]

MDZS characters and Western astrology, part 2: Nie Huaisang

I said the next one would probably be Lan Wangji but I lied, I'm still rotating that guy in my brain like a rotisserie chicken. It's Nie Huaisang, who I think has a Cancer Ascendant and Aquarius Moon to go with his confirmed Taurus Sun. Bonus: cusps aren't a thing but I would buy a Gemini Mercury for him.

Taurus Sun, Gemini Mercury

I'm actually going to talk a bit about Nie Huaisang's Sun placement, because his birthday puts him at the end of Taurus season and I've seen comments like "he's such a Gemini, he must be a Taurus-Gemini cusp!" One, cusps aren't really a thing. Two, he's an imaginary character and all of this is made up, so I guess you can make him a Gemini if you want to, but I think that would be wrong. Nie Huaisang has big Taurus energy.

Taurus is ruled by Venus, which loves beauty, and it's an earth sign, which is grounded and physical. Taurus is a sign that pursues sensuality (vs Libra, an air sign ruled by Venus, which pursues glamour) and enjoys beautiful and high-quality objects; Nie Huaisang collects pretty fans, which he can carry around and play with. Taurus is stubborn to the point of insanity but hard to rouse; it only exerts itself for things it feels are worth it. Nie Huaisang won't cultivate his saber but he'll stalk a pretty bird for days to catch it.

Finally, Taurus is lazy by default. If there's something it wants to do, you can't stop it; but a lot of the time what it wants is to take a nap. That's partly for pure sensory enjoyment but also partly because Taurus is a placement of absolute wilfulness and commitment. That's how and why Taurus is indecisive. Gemini is indecisive because it's willing to change its mind based on new information; Taurus is indecisive because once it commits itself it cannot stop. It really wants to think things through before committing itself to anything.

There are only a few possible Mercury placements for each Sun sign because of Mercury's orbit. This is why there are a lot of people who have the same Sun and Mercury sign, which is said to make for people who are inclined to say what they think and think what they say. Nie Huaisang notably does not do that, even as a teenager. Mercury rules thinking and communication and in Gemini it's charming, quick-witted, and a little scatter-brained. With a Taurus Sun, it introduces that disjunct between what he says and what he thinks. Finally, it also puts his Mercury placement into the same sign as Wei Wuxian's rising sign, which is harmonious! Those two love to goof around together and communicate well.

Cancer Rising

I felt very strongly that Nie Huaisang absolutely had to have a Cancer placement because of what I can only describe as Cancer's powerful "I'm baby" energy. I was waffling between the Ascendant (Rising) and the Moon placement, and then I dug up Alice Sparkly Kat's Cancer rising breakdown, and uh... here's a quote:

"Cancer rising is the “I’m baby” rising sign. These people can seem a little naive only because they use vulnerability as a shield...This rising sign can be a little oxymoronic because the condition of opening up is how they hide themselves. Capricorn in the seventh house means that Cancer rising is in control even when they are weeping openly. They understand how they are perceived and are capable of changing to shape perceptions...Cancer risings can be incredibly influential but you might not know when they are influencing you."

Do... do I have to say anything else?

Cancer, the cardinal water sign, doesn't have to be manipulative, but is a great placement for a manipulator. All water signs, because they rule the emotions and move indirectly, have the potential for it. Scorpio is the most openly dominant, it lashes out, it's ferocious, it knows its enemies' fears and exploits them to the fullest extent. It applies pressure the most directly. Pisces manipulates via victimhood and the appearance of gentleness or goodness. (This is also why it's so funny to me that Jin Guangyao is a Pisces. OF COURSE HE IS. I too have a big three Pisces placement, so this is also a self-roast.) Cancer is the nimblest, the most flexible, the most adaptable. It has a lighter touch than Scorpio but is more forceful than Pisces. Digression: this is also why Jiang Cheng is so fucked up by his Cancer Moon placement; he doesn't want to trap people with him and he feels like he can't express his feelings without pressuring others or inviting pity. Meanwhile, Nie Huaisang is shamelessly like "Yes, pity me! And then give me what I want."

This also puts his Sun into his 11th house (the public/collective), the same house I put Jiang Cheng's Sun in. You can't escape public life or sect leadership, Nie Huaisang!

Aquarius Moon

Listen, I acknowledge that this is kind of a weird choice, but the more I think about it the better I like it. If Nie Huaisang has Cancer on the Ascendant, this puts his Moon into the 8th house, which is the house of death, sometimes murder, other people's stuff, and inheritance. It's a hidden house. The Moon, broadly, has to do with feelings and needs—physical and emotional. Aquarius is the fixed air sign, and it's individualistic, rebellious, and idealistic. Out of the air signs, it's the least willing to accommodate itself to others; it's also extremely stubborn. (Lan Wanji has his Sun in Aquarius.) Nie Huaisang gets many of his needs met through other people's stuff—he inherits his brother's sworn brothers, who help him with sect leadership and dote on him. And the plot hinges on his pursuit of what he feels he needs to do for the dead, but in an incredibly roundabout, unorthodox way. Like, when asked "Avenge your family member, please show your work," Nie Mingjue follows all the conventional steps and achieves top marks, and then Nie Huaisang... does what he does and still gets to the "right" answer. With extra credit for ruining his enemy's entire life and reputation forever and also, uh, digging up Jin Guangyao's mom's corpse and stabbing himself in the leg?? What kind of exam is this??

It's a hard call to make because Nie Huaisang is extremely opaque while pretending to not to be. But he's kind of a strange guy, set apart from his sect members by temperament and what he values. He completely does not give a shit about conventional success or respect, only about success on his terms. And that's a very, very Aquarius move so—that's my pick!