#brutus as temperance

[tiktaaliker]

anywayz im not going to be ACTUALLY doing this for a while but. this is what started my oooooh oc tarot card thoughts and ideas. gazer/rasputin as the tower....

[trikaranos]

TRIKARANOS CHAPTER I: S·T·T·L

TRIKARANOS is a dramatized narrative based on ancient events following Crassus (and Pompey and Caesar) through the years 87-48 BCE. Intended for an adult audience.

⭐ Trikaranos will always be free to read. In the near future, you’ll have the option to support this comic & my ability to spend time making it (I Am Extremely Fucking Broke And Have Bills To Pay etc etc) through Patreon! currently, I have a tip jar!

⭐ There is no set update schedule (chapters vary in length and will be posted as I finish working on them)

⭐ alternative places to read it (coming soon!)

CREDITS all additional art used are in the public domain, and the specific images used are open access, etc

🍊the first collage panel is combination of: Plate 113: Greeks Battling the Trojans (from Ovid's Metamorphoses), Antonio Tempesta / The Trojans pulling the wooden horse into the city, Giulio Bonasone (after Francesco Primaticcio) / Terracotta hydria displaying Achilles waiting to ambush Triolos and Polyxena 🍊the second collage panel is: The Lictors bringing Brutus the bodies of his Sons, Jacques Louis David / the paint over of Brutus executing is own sons is my own work based on the composition of this relief of Brutus and condemning his sons to death. 🍊I also used my own art: a panel from the Prologue, and my own illustration of Brutus with the bodies of his sons

📖 PREVIOUS CHAPTER | START HERE | ToC (under construction!)

UNDER THE CUT creator’s commentary, ancient citations, whatever else seems relevant. ideally, this is optional! you shouldn’t need the citations for it to make sense as it unfolds since it’s a comic and a story first and foremost, but it’s here if you’re curious about something or want to see where the inspiration is coming from!

I'm so fucking normal about Crassus and his family (<<< this is a lie)

Marcus Crassus was the son of a man who had been censor and had enjoyed a triumph; but he was reared in a small house with two brothers. His brothers were married while their parents were still alive, and all shared the same table, which seems to have been the chief reason why Crassus was temperate and moderate in his manner of life. When one of his brothers died, Crassus took the widow to wife, and had his children by her, and in these relations also he lived as well-ordered a life as any Roman.

Plutarch, Crassus

like, it actively fucks me up that this is something that's survived about him for over 2,000 years. they all ate together at the same table. Jesus Christ.

so! Crassus' dad! Publius Licinius Crassus (consul 97) fought on the side of Cn. Octavius (consul 87) in the Bellum Octavianum, and it didn't go great for him.

Crassus: A Political Biography, B.A. Marshall

also. currently, if you look Publius Licinius Crassus up on wikipedia for an overview, his page lists his son (and also my main character for this comic) with the cognomen Dives, which is in-fucking-correct.

Marcus Crassus and the Late Roman Republic, Allen Mason Ward

and to circle back to houses and meals shared with family, some citations that made me feel some kind of way when I read them

Marcus Crassus and the Late Roman Republic, Allen Mason Ward

finally, there is discourse or whatever on the placement of the sons of Publius Licinius Crassus. Crassus is the baby brother here simply because I'm writing this story and I get to pick the themes, but also because no one has provided a solid enough argument for him being the second eldest son that I'm willing to buy into with enthusiasm, and I'm more inclined towards G. Sampson's conclusion on the matter.

Defeat of Rome: Crassus, Carrhae, and the Invasion of the East, Gareth C. Sampson

and while I'm just kind of talking about stuff that I read that I enjoyed, this article by Martin Stone lives in my head rent free

A Year of One's Own: Dating the Praetorship of Marcus Crassus, Martin Stone

[queenie-the-court-jester]

It's raining cats and dogs

My cat and dog hybrids, and random things about them! [Not proofread]

•°. *࿐ ⋆ •°. *࿐ ⋆ •°. *࿐ ⋆ •°. *࿐ ⋆

★ Brutus the german shepherd

He's a big boy alright. A startling 6'6 frame, but that doesn't stop him from acting like a little bastard. He's playful and cocky, a little protective but that's just in his instincts to protect his little herd! In his physical appearance, He's starting to grow out his buzz cut, a pair of German shepherd ears ontop. he's hoping to maybe dye a couple strands of hair blond once they're long enough. green eyes that stare into your soul, absolutely no thought process behind them

★ dolly the doberman

Everyone loves dolly. There used to be another doberman named Danny but they sent him to the pound when he bit both the farmer and his granddaughter. She used to have puppies with Danny but they didn't survive the winter, they got sick and passed the coming spring. She's a little rough around the edges but you'll love her too right? Don't let Brutus hog all the love! In her physical appearance, she has very short brown hair and a pair or doberman ears, with one of them being a little bit, ontop of her head. 5'7 with a deadly brown eyed stare.

★ bladviba the black Russian terrier

A messy mop of brown curls he calls hair sits atop his head. He's usually out in the fields observing the cattle, black eyes staring out Into the distance. The others say he used to be a fisherman's dog but then he had to find a new home since he passed away one night. Stoic and serious, he's secretly a 5'8 softie who wants to hide and cuddle you somewhere. But that bastard Brutus would probably find you in less than an hour.

★ molly the chow chow

molly may be the smallest out of all them, but that doesn't mean she won't let them do all the work. Usually she's trailing behind dolly, claiming that since their names are similar they have to stick close together. She has a short temper and a little brutish, but you'll get used to her. Spiky short brown hair, with dark black eyes that sparkle when she sees you. A 5'2 sweetheart- wait who gave molly a knife-

★ sweet pea the Samoyed

Sweet pea loves many things! You, bones, their house, sleep. Okay maybe not many things but atleast some things! Usually quiet and following you from behind, they quietly take up the role of your 6'1 guard dog. Helping you around the barn, and in exchange all you have to do is let them scent you for another 2 hours every 4 hours! Dirty white hair, with black eyes as dark as charcoal.

★ bubba the borzoi

Bubba is so fucking done with both you and the others. Can you stop fucking singing 'let me do it for you' like shut up he's trying to do his job here. He refuses to let you see the slightest smile but just know he is smiling. He's just stubborn. Like VERY stubborn. Sarcastic and empathetic, a deadly combo. He could be comforting you and then calling you a blubbering fool the next. 6/10, would bite my ass. He's a startling 6'11, with blue eyes and light blonde hair

★ princess the ragdoll

Name the most spoiled housecat who ever lived. She lives up to her name, she's been in many beauty pageants and won a many prizes. Ribbons, trophies, photographs all align the walls of her room. She'll give you a side eyed look before making you go through a 600 step beauty routine, before ever allowing you to touch her. Atleast she'll cuddle you for hours on end, so the torture was worth it all. King is the only person she respects, aside from her owners. White long curly hair, blue eyes and 5'5

★ prince the Norwegian forest cat

He's the most humble cat ever known, all he really wants is to settle down, have a couple litters, and be a good dad. But princess hated his guts and quite frankly, he hated her. He much preferred you, he wondered how you'd look with a belly full of his kits.. he'll respect your wishes, but don't mind him breaking into your room every now and then. (He leaves hair everywhere, don't let him.) Ginger fluffy hair, green eyes and 5'7

★ king the Khao manee

King could either be planning your downfall or planning the entire family you'll have together. The greatest manipulator ever known to cat kind. He could convince you orange is red and red is blue if you let him (don't let him), he manipulates princess to do things for him but now that you're here, you won't mind taking over now will you? Sandy blonde hair with heterochromiac eyes. 5'6

Bonus: the forest pack ೄྀ࿐ ˊˎ- ︶︶︶︶༉‧

★ Roxy the wolf

butch werewolf? Butch werewolf. She's stoic and quiet, but she's just a gentle giant. Following her brothers around, she's very obedient and surprisingly, loves gardening! Long Spiky black hair, red eyes and 6'7

★ Silas the wolf

Silas is the leader, commanding his siblings when to act and when to fall behind. But he just wants a break and to lay down, take a nice long nap. Until one of his siblings comes running to him for help. Oh well, he had a nice sleep. He loves them, he truly does, but he wants a nap in peace. Very short spiky black hair, red eyes, 6'9

★ Milo the wolf

Milo is selectively mute. With a deadpan look always on their face and they seem emotionless, but that's not the case. They're just always distracted and can't really focus on many things. Be a little patient will you? Medium long spiky black hair, red eyes, 6'6

★ Kiki the Pomeranian

Kiki is some dog hybrid they found off the road and decided they're one of them. Feral and has a big dog complex. Tries to be intimidating but they just aren't. Sometimes they watch you work on the farm from the edge of the forest, a little jealous of the animals that get to watch you everyday. Messy blonde hair, black eyes that hold the anger of a toddler being forced into A school play, and very short. 4'9

•°. *࿐ ⋆ •°. *࿐ ⋆ •°. *࿐ ⋆ •°. *࿐ ⋆

[pampushky]

Teaser: My Name Is Brutus (And My Name Means Heavy)

Alpha! Lando Norris/Omega! Lauda! Reader

oooo what's this?? me dropping a juicy little teaser of probably one of my favorite things I've written??

so. this is basically an ABO au with a race engineer & lauda mc, with the wonderful trope of enemies to lovers thrown in, as you will soon see from the scene I'm releasing a bit early.

other things about the fic: slow, and i mean fucking slow, burn. exploration of what disabilities would look like in the ABO world (especially centered around the sense of smell and how that could be considered a disability if someone doesn't have one in a world where most things are communicated by smell), societal pressures about what the ideal alpha/omega/beta should look like to the rest of the world which leads to Lando making assumptions about MC's secondary gender/sex, mentions of past emotional & mental abuse, PTSD, scarring, and worries about self-worth. Oh. and obvious hurt/comfort. But again, and I cannot emphasize this enough. Slow. Fucking. Burn.

uhhh i guess i'll do a tag list too for this so. tell me if you wanna be on that.

“I do have… issues, with the way you run things here,” you scratch your claw into the wood of the table, a low rumble in your throat. The scent blockers you have on are distracting to Lando. He wonders, briefly, what your scent is like, when it’s not so medicinal. “You need more discipline. Less media. It makes you seem… soft.”

“Soft?” Lando leans forward, tilting his head. You look back at him with your constantly blank stare, a slight frown on your lips, icy eyes that challenge even the Lauda death stare. “What do you mean?” You hesitate, looking to Zak and Andrea, who both gesture for you to continue. You then look at Oscar, who bites his lip and makes eye contact with you, and shrugs softly, as if permitting you to say whatever you were about to say.

“....you will take offense to what I’m about to say, I’m warning you.”

“Please, I’ll be fine,” Lando waves it off, grinning lazily. His nose twitches. The heavily medicinal smell of your scent blockers is getting to him. Do you truly need to cover your scent that much? Are you worried that he’ll act aggressively because you’re also an Alpha?

“.... no. You won’t. I’ve seen your interviews.” You say dryly, and fold your arms. Lando balks. 

“I beg you pardon?”

“You don’t take criticism well.”

“I take it just fine!” Lando shoots back, feeling himself starting to get frustrated. Why did you have to wear them? Even if you are an Alpha, the medication provided by the FIA should be more than enough to keep anyone’s tempers from flaring.

“Then you won’t throw a hissy fit when I list out all my problems with the way you work?” 

Your tone is icy. Even. Perfectly calculated. 

“Oh, you know I want to hear about your issues with me,” Lando slams his hands down onto the table, and you just raise an eyebrow at him. He’s down to his undershirt, his fireproofs hanging at his waist as you stare at him. “So say it! Don’t hold back!”

Andrea just massages his temples as Zak looks like he wants to be anywhere else. 

“Only if you don’t throw a tantrum when I’m right.” You state, examining your nails from where you sit, as though this is boring for you. Monotonous and icy-calm. 

Lando hates your voice. Specifically how robotic and monotone it sounds. What little he knows about you— which is as much as the rest of the world, with how private the Lauda family is— is that you apparently have some vocal chord and brain damage. Nothing substantial enough to impede your thought process or the way you speak to make you mute, but enough to have caused the monotonous way you talk. A small enough problem that Lando doesn’t feel like a total dick for what he’s about to say.

“Oh, just fucking say it, you robotic bitch!”

That gets your attention. You pause, slowly bring your hand down, and look at him. With the classic, terrifying Lauda glare. Your eyes pierce his soul, and for a second, just a second, Lando considers apologizing. Tucking his tail between his legs, his ears folded back. But then, he remembers who he is, and he meets your glare with his own, lips drawn back to bare his teeth....

[prisen09]

HC that .Ok so Jed and Octavius had like opposite peraonalities irl, right? Jed was a VERY mild-mannered person with a good temper. He could speak multiple languages, read, write, and he didn’t drink, smoke or even swear.

Octavius on the other hand cut off Julius Caesar’s head and then uhh lost it but ahem- he also exiled his own daughter like.

Also Jed was brunette with brown eyes and Octavius was blonde with blue eyes

So I’d imagine that when they first showed up at the museum they saw a little of each other in each other and I like to think that they both, at the same time, tried to get down/rise up to the other’s level, and one thing led to another and they started fighting

I obviously LOVE other headcanons more but this is just something I thought up at midnight

Edit: it was Brutus’s head

[srbachchan]

DAY 5642

Jalsa, Mumbai                 July 29/30,  2023                   Sat/Sun  12:43 AM

Birthday - EF Moses Sapir  .. CSN Murthy  .. Sunday, 30 July .. wishes and happiness for this day and all the best from the Ef family .. love  ❤️

I deliberate .. late as always but deliberate  .. on what I do not know or can say but I deliberate .. 

Deliberation is the constant of them that find themselves , quite mistakenly , as inferior  .. they deliberate to seek the attention that the superior gets without effort  .. they know all, they have opinion on the World and its matters and , will refuse to accept reality .. theirs is the last word or no word at all .. 

🤣

... the midnight hour plays havoc in the temper of the writing and simply refuses to register any move, that one wishes to make .. it is a midnight default at the offices of the carrier of the Internet .. each day each night it simply shuts shop .. take it or leave it .. and none of the ‘dongles ‘ work too .. 

.. how life has dictated its might .. 

and the might of that which gets written here .. either in bold or in italics .. !! 😁

no need for the news paper .. you write your own news on the Blog on the Social Media .. and revel in the dexterity of the presenter of how to attract the eye balls , to the extent of them falling out of their sockets at times .. !! 😳

wait wait dear Blogomaeastra .. wait for the Ides of the Morrow   .. for Caesar doth move unaware to his brutal killing  .. errr , brutus killing .. 🤣 .. 

.. and the declaration of the public voice, marlon brandowed on the ramparts of the city .. 🤣🤣

ah ..  I behave mischievously ! pardoń .. folded hands and the seek for forgiveness .. brutus was an honourable man  !!! 🤣😳 ...

so I lost my train of thought and deliberated for a while and gave up ..

GN ..

Love 

Amitabh Bachchan

[msweebyness]

💖💖💖Myvan May Headcanons💖💖💖

Hello, all! I’m celebrating my favorite couple in the Miraculous universe with some cute headcanons for them in canon as well as all our various AU’s! Enjoy some Myvan cuteness as a kickoff, before we officially get into Myvan May! (I just learned that’s a thing and am so happy!) I’m gonna be releasing a lot of Myvan content this upcoming month! The parentheses let you know when I’m switching to a different AU! @artzychic27 @imsparky2002

(‘Canon’) Mylene often comes over to help Ivan babysit Sasha, as she finds the girl to be the sweetest, cutest thing in the world. The three of them always have so much fun playing games and going on little outings together. They even did a little group costume for Halloween one year, with Sasha being Boo, Ivan as Sulley, and Mylene as Mike.

Ivan sometimes still worries that other people, especially Mylene are afraid of him. He knows he didn’t have the best control over his temper in the past, and he was the very first akuma. Whenever he starts to sink into these kinds of thoughts, Mylene is quick to remind him of all the reasons she could never be afraid of him now, and how much she loves him.

(Class of Heroes) The first time QuasiIvan met the seven dwarves he was incredibly nervous because he was sure they weren’t going to like him, that they would think he wasn’t good enough for Snow Mylene. To his surprise, they didn’t care about his appearance and accepted him as part of the family pretty much off the bat. Even Grumpy liked him! (Snow Mylene was similarly nervous upon meeting Esmeralda for the first time, but left that day with a bevy of cute and embarrassing stories about when her boyfriend was a child. Esme loved her.)

After their marriage, besides ruling over the kingdom of Mylene’s family, they start a side project based on something they’re both passionate about: helping animals. They set up a clinic to care for wounded creatures in a smaller wing of their palace, where they help critters of all shape and size.

(Class of Villainy) Of all the villainous couples, Ivan Oogie and Mylensula are the absolute WORST when it comes to PDA. At least once a day, they start making out in the middle of the hallway with no regard for the discomfort of the people around them. Most people know better than to say anything.

Whenever the school gets fumigated, Mylensula is usually the one who ends up having to care for Ivan Oogie if he accidentally breathes it in and gets high as a kite. She doesn’t mind this though, because sometimes he just randomly says the cutest things (in her opinion) and he mostly just gets really cuddly with her.

(School for Monstrous Youths) Ivan Bumble has a strong bond with MyLeaf’s ‘babies’, who he often helps her take care of during his free time. He’ll usually bring sticks to play fetch with Brutus and Gigi, and Cookie loves when he brings his drumsticks to play music for her. He’s a pretty good Plant Dad, to be sure.

Most students at DuPont avoid upsetting or harming MyLeaf in any way at all costs, because her Bumble almost seems to have a sense for when this is happening, and will be there faster than you can blink, with the Yeti Death Glare™️ and ready to deal with whatever threat is presenting itself before carrying his flower away.

(Creepsters) Ivan’s temper in his full werebear form can be considerably more volatile than in his normal state, but this is nothing cuddling from his witch of nature can’t fix. Mylene loves how fluffy and soft he is in his huge bear form, and he’s very gentle with her.

(Ghoul Squad) Ivan Kong and Mylentasma first met when they were younger and some bullies had upset him so much that he took on his full Kong form. Her singing calmed him down and the two just kept spending time together from there.

Mylentasma confessed to Ivan Kong that she loved him by way of an entire operatic piece that detailed everything she loved about him. By the time it was done, he was in tears because he was so happy and he loves this girl so much. She still performs the piece for him on their anniversary every year!

(MiracOlympus) As the god of blacksmithing, some of Ivan’s best work have been gifts for his beloved girlfriend. He made Mylene the golden wreath of wheat sheafs with flecks of amber that she wears almost every day, as well as numerous other gifts. In return, she created a new species of flower for him, the gladiolus, which today symbolizes strength and honesty.

Mylene is fiercely protective of her boyfriend and does NOT tolerate any disrespect being shown to him. Once, a mortal king made the grave mistake of leaving Ivan out of the statue line-up in a temple honoring the Olympians, because he didn’t want ‘the ugly one’ to ‘ruin the image’ of the temple. A furious Mylene turned him into a goat for the insult, and he was forced to spend the rest of his days on a run-down old farm.

(WereMiraculous) As the pack medic, Mylene is responsible for treating the wounds of her packmates. One of her most frequent patients is, much to her dismay, her own mate. She understands that Ivan is doing his job as a guard to protect her and the pack, but it still pains her heart to see him hurt.

(DC/Arkham AU) When Venom Bringer first met MalevoLyricist, he was just so slightly jealous of his closeness to Nightmare Weaver, all the affection they showed each other and the multitude of inside jokes. Mylene was quick to notice this however and assured Ivan she saw Jesse as a brother and that he had nothing to fear.

(Marvel AU) Ivan and Mylene have a game they play on slow days where he throws his shield up in the air and she tries to nail the center of it with one of her arrows. She’s never missed, so he tries to throw it in different ways to make it more challenging for her.

(Phantoms of Paris) In Ivan’s opinion, Mylene has one of the most beautiful and haunting singing voices of any of the phantoms. After a particularly stressful akuma battle, his favorite thing to do is lay down with his head in her lap and listen to her sing some of the soft lullabies she uses to calm the children they rescue.

(Batraculous) Ivan and Mylene are one of the only couples that don’t use the lounge space for making out. They like to cuddle in the Bat Quad’s comfy seats, and there’s less of a chance of someone bursting in on them. They also like to drive out to the parks for picnics, where they help community groups with clean-up efforts.

(Land Before Time AU) Ivan once got his tail stuck in a tree he was ramming with Alix and it took hours to get him free. Mylene sat with him and kept him company the entire time until the others were able to find his parents to help free him.

(Actor AU) Ivan actually gets incredibly nervous in front of the camera, so Mylene does breathing exercises with him before takes. She’ll also hold his hand to keep him calm when they’re not in frame. Sometimes when they are too.

(Akuma AU) Stoneheart carries Horrificator pretty much everywhere, no matter how long or short the trip. It’s easy for him since he’s enormous and incredibly strong, and he just finds her too cute not to want to hold her all the time.

Very few people know that Horrificator, the ‘Queen of Fear’, actually has a fear of thunderstorms herself, and she plans to keep it that way. However, whenever a storm rolls through Paris, she prefers to spend the duration of it curled up in her boyfriend’s arms, listening to his heartbeat through the stone of his chest. It keeps her calm.

(Shadyverse) Ivan has a serious jealous streak when it comes to his girlfriend, and everyone knows about it. Most guys avoid even talking to Mylene because they know they’ll get pummeled into the dust if Ivan catches them. (Mylene thinks it’s adorable when he gets jealous and often actively creates situations that would have that outcome.)

Here’s to arguably the most wholesome and healthy ship in the entire show! Leave your thoughts in the comments and reblogs!

[hallibahar]

So I had been obsessed with Greek Mythology in like forever and my brain immediately went to this ridiculous Godly!Victors AU, some of them made so much sense then I kind of got...this

For the ones who doesn't know anything about mythology in detail or at all, I tried to summarise as blunt and vibe-y oriented as I could. Enjoy my brainchild

(All the Victors mentioned in this chaos belongs to @lorata)

Callista: Fun fact, she is the reason all of this au started. At first I thought of Aphrodite because, you know, Goddess of Love and Lust and Beauty who also has quite a vindictive nature in some of the myths. But then I realised Dionysus kind of suited her more; God of Wine, Theatre and Madness. He borned twice, turned men into dolphins and also had an insane cult...and I thought, you know what, Calli would absolutely rock as him--like, she parties with you hard but then you slightly, slightly get on her nerves and she reminds you why she is the embodiment of lunacy with one sharp gaze.

Nero: Hephaestus. Had a rough childhood -got thrown out of a window (by?? Well, in some myths Hera, some myths Zeus and sometimes both, you make up your mind) from Mount Olympus-, and is a blacksmith who likes to create things with his own hands, finding it soothing. He does not socialise much, kind of like the Eeyore of the immortals which I juxtaposed with Nero.

Emory: Low aggression, cares about the people, family, is really kind and understanding. She'd be excellent as Hestia. Hestia is the Goddess of Hearth and Home, who also is regarded as one of the kindest and most compassionate amongst all gods but she is also the first child of Rhea and Kronos; the first one who got eaten by her own father because of sheer prophecy, so she is fiercely protective as well. She also is really considerate; Hestia gave her throne to Dionysus -making him the newest and 12th Olympian- in order to prevent the potential war in her siblings.

Artemisia: Another fun albeit useless fact; I misread her name as Artemis, who is Goddess of the Hunt and Virginity when I first started reading wmbk--and it still is with me to this day. Let's leave the laughs aside, i think she'd be great as either Até: Goddess of Mischief and Reckless Impulse or as Hermes: God of Thieves, Travel and also Mischief as well. They are both her vibe to be honest and I love that for her.

Brutus: Persephone. Listen. I know this is unhinged but let me explain. She likes nature (Goddess of Spring, so obviously) but also had been abducted by Hades ->re: bb Brutus, who has a loving home -kind of like Demeter's, Persephone's mother, garden where she grew up safe and sound- going to Centre -Persephone going to Underworld, Hades' domain- and even though he turned out a Victor, he still has his mother's, Heidi's love -Persephone visits Demeter for six months, and stays with Hades six months, results in creating seasons. It's the vibes honestly. And we deserve Brutus covered up in flowers and be happy so how could I resist.

Adessa: Athena. I think this is self explanatory enough -someone needs to be the representative genius-, but also consider this: apart from being the Goddess of Wisdom, Athena is also Goddess of Warfare and Heroic Endeavor. She represents the intellectual and civilised side of the war but also is highly hot tempered even though she shows it by quiet but permanent action rather than showering people with emotions. (re: Athena turning Arachne into a spider and Adessa killing Nero's cougars after over 30 years of planning)

Ronan: Being the First Career Victor Ever™, he obviously was the hot topic back in the day; so Nike, who is the Goddess of Victory would be appropriate for him. But then I switched it to Ares, who is God of War and Courage would be better because: 1. There is a high chance of bb Ronan witnessing the war between the districts and Capitol, 2. Ares' sacred animal is a dog--so yeah, figures.

Lyme: This is as unhinged as Brutus' Persephone but...perhaps it's even more so; I think she would be Aphrodite, who, as I mentioned with Callista, is the Goddess of Love, Beauty and Lust (the third one is unrelated to Lyme but well). At first I was like; yeah, she'd be a war goddess probably, not that deep, then I went --oh, Aphrodite is Goddess of War as well then it just clicked. So my theory with Aphrodite, as in the most modern retellings of myths I see, she changes her appearance to people's ideal vision of beauty--which is pretty diverse (quick headcanon: in this au the first person who saw Lyme's true appearance, which is her canon look, is Nero--he cherishes his girl and says that he thinks the most beautiful thing is one being themselves) and Love because even though she went through an abusive household to the murder academy, she still loves in her own way, like people do. (re: Mentor Lyme with Misha, Claudius and Sloane)

Odin is not here because he is the Odin in the Norse mythology which I think was intentional.

So this means Hera as Hera and Iris as Iris because why not

So these are the main ones I have clear thoughts on, though I might add even more in the future or even write a few thousand words about this whole au because it intrigues me a lot.

[rise-my-angel]

Imagine getting into a tiny fight with modern!robb and he snaps/yells and greywind is NOT having it. Like you can fight with him but robb is not allowed to fight back. And hes just like my own dog? et tu brutus?

It ends the fight really fast, you both were home alone, it was after Robb had a rough day at work, tensions were high and in a moment of bad judgment Robb snaps and yells at you. Of course he doesn't mean it, nor does he want to be aggressive with you or scare you, but he's never raised his voice at you specifically in a hostile way before, and Greywind comes up beside you with a low growl towards Robb until he backs off.

Like Greywind absoutely lets you yell at Robb but not the other way around, because when you yell its more of just a higher pitched plea to get him to listen to you rather then a yell, but Robb yelling is rare and is a proper anger towards you and Greywind is like "Oh hell no".

That finishes the fight quick, Robb realizing he took things too far and Greywind only lets Robb approach you when he apologizes and you accept the apology. It's easy after, you and Robb cuddle on the couch to watch something to ease the tension back down to normal, Greywind coming up on the couch to rest his head on your lap. Nipping at Robbs fingers at first when he'd reach over to pet him, but eventually letting him without fuss once you snuggle into his side and rest your head on Robbs shoulder, signifying to Greywind that all is forgiven.

Robb goes to the main house and tells the story to the others the next day, and while Ned is laughing at how Robbs own direwolf sided against him, Catelyn secretly beckons Greywind into the kitchen to give him a treat. It doesnt stay secret for long when Nymeria smells treats and runs into the kitchen which attracts the attention of Summer and Shaggydog, and comedically enough even Lady almost knocks Sansa over when she tears from her room down the stairs because everyone else is getting treats she wants one too.

When Robb goes into the kitchen like, "Mother, what is this?"

She just gestures to Greywind sitting down gnawing on a large bone treat, and brings your name up like "Rewarding him for ensuring my son doesn't treat her like an unruly brute."

Greywind likes to keep his distance from staying so close to people other then Robb or the other Starks, but his exception everytime is you and sometimes Robb is convinced Greywind likes you more then him. Not that he has a problem with it, he feels terrible he lost his temper and yelled at you in a hostile way so he's glad his direwolf was around to not let him get away with that behavior towards you.

[gritsandbrits]

Rewriting Secret of NIMH 2: My Style

Issa mess but here's my rewrite of The Sceret of NIMH 2. First let's change the title to something more adventurous because Timmy to the Rescue sounds lame. How does "Salvation of Thorn Valley" sound?

Second let's remove that dumb prophecy, it makes no sense and tbh Timmy didn't do anything to warrant the Chosen One. Instead his rivalry with Martin is given more focus.

The tone is still serious like the first movie but with more hints of romance. Dr. Valentine is the main villains overseeing all operations and a very intense final battle amidst a burning building. And lack of Jeremy until the finale also shows the darker tone compared to the canon sequel.

The new story is a blend of the movie's plot and the novel sequel Racso and The Rats of NIMH.

Just like canon the movie takes place 7-8 years after the original. Mrs. Brisby is a storyteller who doesn't care for pomp over her adventures. Her sons Martin and Timmy pursue different interests. Martin wants to be a warrior and spars a lot, while Timmy spends his time out exploring the woods collecting plants and rocks. Because of these differences the brothers tend to butt heads.

After a particularly rough argument ruins a ceremony meant for their mama, the frustrated woman sends her sons away for a few weeks in Thorn Valley so they can learn peace from Justin.

Thorn Valley is now a city populated by the mice of nimh and other intelligent animals. Timmy and Martin meets three other teens: Racso, a streetwise rat; Jenny a feisty female mouse, and their shy friend Maggie (an OC). These three work like a well oiled machine, unlike Martin and Timmy.

Timmy manages to adjust to Thorn Valley quite well but Martin's attitude makes him unpopular with the class, and even more unpopular with Racso.

Martin arrogantly assumes Maggie for her supposed boringness. During a fencing class Martin and Maggie are set to spar, Maggie shows great talent with a sword and beats martin. She goes over to him to help him up, but he ejects her, ashamed over losing to a girl. Maggie leaves disappointed prompting Justin to intervene and tell Martin he has to learn to work with others.

With Timmy while he adjusts to the city, he is problem to be something of a know it all, much to Jenny's annoyance. However she softens up after hearing about Timmy's past. She opens up about her own past as an orphan, her parents being the rats who died in NIMH.

The Thorn Valley council receives word that NIMH plans to build a dam. Justin and Brutus goes to stop them, Martin tries to go but is told to stay home. Justin tells them it be best to stay because martin's temper is a liability. That night Martin sneaks out of his dorm but is stopped by Timmy. Martin explains that he wants to prove his stuff but timmy said they need to follow orders. The two start bickering but then they see a weird shadow and run to see who it is. The shadow turns out to be Jenny, who also planned to sneak out. She wants to find her parents who she believes is still trapped in NIMH. Racso agrees to go with her since he knows the human city well. Timmy resigns and agrees to go on the condition that they need a medic. Maggie is the last to go because she fears for her friends' safety (and to spite Martin).

In the forest the five encounter threats like birds of prey and a rabid fox. At one point, martin and Maggie saves each other, resulting in mutual respect. Timmy also learns to trust Racso and Jenny and rely on his own strengths by identifying plants that could be useful for their journey. Jeremy takes them to see Cecil the Caterpillar. Cecil was an apprentice of Nicodemus who taken over after his death, he's comedic but is also wise. He tells the group that they need to find their worth outside petty squabbling and their father Jonathan would hate for his boys to be estranged. Feeling guilty, Timmy and Martin realize that they need to work together. Before the group leave, Cecil requests to talk to Racso privately. We don't know what he says to Racso but it is enough to leave the boy visibly shaken.

The quintet find a truck belonging to NIMH and hitch a ride on it. In the city Racso takes the group to the Underground where they meets up with his old friends the Savage Rats. The rats aren't as friendly towards the other four mice. However the rats are called off by none other than Racso's mother.

Racso's mom explains she and Jenner had a fling which resulted in Racso, but was separated after the first escape from NIMH. Racso corroborates her story and admits kept it a secret so his friends wouldn't judge him. Jenny replies she and Maggie will never judge him for his father's sins. Jenny glared at timmy and Martin daring them to disagree. Racso's mom easy she has no plans to leave the city but wants her son to pursue his own life. She adds she did meet some lovely male rats who Timmy realize she was referring to Justin and Brutus.

Things fall apart when Martin and Maggie are kidnapped by two cats, who take them to NIMH. Timmy, Jenny and Racso go and find Dr. Valentine has been conducting illegal experiments. They hatch a plan to free their friends, then they are discovered by Justin and Brutus. They're angry at the children's disobedience but Timmy tells them they got martin and maggie and they they know how to stop Valentine.

At NIMH Martin and Maggie find Jenny's parents who tell them Valentine is using the mice to create biological weapons. Valentine also oversees on creating a dam that could flood Thorn Valley. Martin uses his dagger to unlock the cage, and he and Maggie go about freeing tbe othet animals. As everyone make a run fir it, Valentine's cats Floyd and Muriel chase them. In an act of selflessness martin distracts the duo long enough to Maggie to escape. Martin is then brought back to be experimented on.

Timmy and Jenny meet the escaped animals and Maggie, who got the schematics.

The evil martin and timmy duel, while timmy holds his own for a bit the sheer strength from martin proves too much and he is knocked down. but just as evil martin is prepared to strike he notices the lack of fear in timmy's eyes. This causes an internal struggle as he starts to remember his brother, seeing this timmy loudly encourages martin to fight back against The brainwashing. Martin thrashed about and knocked himself out. When he comes to Timmy is tending to his wounds. Horrified at what he tried to to Martin somberly apologizes but Timmy says he doesn't hold it against him. No matter what happens they will always be brothers. The two make up and leave but Martin suggests staying to try to stop Valentine. With Justin and Brutus they managed to lure muriel and floyd to their deaths.

Racso publicly admits he is jenner's son and he doesn't care what they (the townsfolk) think of him because he has real friends who accept him no matter what. He begs them to save the judgement late and help him save the city. Together everyone starts to sabotage the machinery guerilla style using the schematics Maggie brought.

At NIMH the four mice try to flee suddenly Dr. Valentine arrives with a butcher's knife ready to kill them. Justin attempts to use the amulet but is knocked back, causing it to slip. The brisby boys scatter trying to avoid the blade but timmy sees that there is a live wire and as Valentine approaches, Martin bites the mad scientist causing him to stumble onto the wire, electrocuting him and shutting the motherboard down. They stare at Valentine's body for a bit then realize the fire is close and they escape. As fire engines circle around the building timmy and martin are outside and climb onboard Jeremy (who was flirting with female pigeons when he heard about tbe incident) and gets his bird friends to carry the mice back home.

Back in the valley, the kids are reprimanded for disobeying. Mrs. Brisby defends them and says they more than made up for it by saving the valley and the experiments. Racso & Martin bury the hatchet. Jenny reunites with her parents. Timmy and Martin are changed by the experienced Martin having taken a life deciding to use his strength to protect people, and Timmy decides to be a master healer. Maggie is gifted with her very own sword and she and Martin admit their feelings. A few weeks later everyone gathers in the valley to welcome the two statues of Jonathan and Mrs. Brisby.

Mrs. Brisby doesn't play much of a role here, but to be fair the same can be said about the books. But she does get full recognized as a hero, she's just more humble about it. I also decided not to use the amulet too much or else it may come off as a deus ex machina. i want to emphasize the characters' strengths and how they work together.

Maggie is an oc meant to be martin's love interest, i thought it make for a cute Parallel to timmy x jenny. Racso comes from Racso and the Rats of NIMH.

[residentsofhollowville]

Howdy, Magnus Archives roleplaying community! My name's Guy, my pronouns are he/they, and I just discovered you exist! I wanted to make a blog to rp with my Magnus Archives OCs, but the trouble is that there's a lot of them, so before I start trying to talk to anyone, I wanted to make a master post to help keep track of them all and establish an organization system, so, here we go.

Judas Trinidad

Avatar of the Desolation, marked by The Flesh and The End, he/him, a contrarian, rebellious young man who moved away from Hollowville after a terrible house fire destroyed his family home. He's recently returned to find his brother missing, and is struggling to find his place in the world and, ideally, make meaningful social change along the way. Failing that, he's perfectly willing to just start throwing rocks through rich people's windows. Posts from his perspective will be tagged with BURN IT ALL DOWN.

Brutus Herald

Currently not an avatar, marked by the Desolation and the Buried. The son of a rich man who lost everything more or less by happenstance. His terrible experiences have made him resilient, moreso than anyone his age ever should be. Posts from his perspective will be tagged with My Name Means Heavy.

Cassandra Herald

Currently not an avatar, marked by the Desolation. Cassandra is a brave, tempestuous girl who is willing to destroy anything or anyone to be revenged for the damage done to her, even if that means burning herself out in the process. The only life she truly values is that of her younger brother Brutus. Posts from her perspective will be tagged with The Infant Immortal.

Anna Holloway

Avatar of the Extinction, marked by the Corruption, she/her, Cerise's former foster daughter and a deeply troubled girl who's quite sick of being told that her generation will have to be the ones to save the world. She's familiar with the startling speed at which the world is deteriorating, and at this point in her life, she welcomes it. Posts from her perspective will be tagged with The Poison Child.

Teddy Lukas

Avatar of the Lonely and the Spiral, he/kit, an odd, quiet, and strangely docile young boy. Supposedly a ward of the Lukas family, though no one's ever seen its patriarch give him a kind word. He's wandered into Hollowville seeking out shelter and hopefully kinship, which he isn't likely to find, given his generally antisocial demeanor. Posts from his perspective will be tagged with The Lost Boy.

Jack Trinidad

Avatar of the Stranger and the Desolation, marked by the Hunt, he/they/it, Jack recently returned to town after wandering the world for many years, getting into plenty of trouble along the way. He's not unkind, but people have a tendency to get violent towards him, especially after hearing them play their guitar. Their gentle, mirthful demeanor belies a rather uncanny nature. Posts from its perspective will be tagged with Jack.

The Dreaming

Avatar Entity of the Spiral, it/she, The Dreaming exists purely in the subconscious mind, feeding from the fear provoked by nightmares and fantasies grown out of control. She has the demeanor of a benevolent trickster, but her true motives are difficult to discern. It's something of an enigma, and even those who trust it aren't sure whether or not she was ever human. Posts from its perspective will be tagged with Dream Within A Dream.

Mort Graber

Avatar of the End Eye, marked by a frankly stupid number of other entities, he/him, Mort is the last in a long line of gravediggers, serving the only cemetery in Hollowville. He's patient, calm, and unshakably temperate, rarely growing truly angry with anyone. Perhaps the increasing certainty that the fears will rise up and consume this hateful world does him some good in that regard. Posts from his perspective will be tagged with The Gravedigger.

Morgause Graber

Avatar of the Slaughter, marked by the End and the Dark, he/they, Mort's uncle who's best known for breaking the family's oath of nonviolence and promptly being exiled. He's not a sadistic man, but the cold ruthlessness with which he carries out acts of violence strikes fear into the hearts of many. He has often been described as heartless. This is not a description he rejects. Posts from his perspective will be tagged with Morgause the Traitor.

Wichita Fairchild

Avatar of the Vast, marked by the Hunt, the Spiral, and the Desolation, she/her, a religious fanatic with an increasingly intense obsession with natural disasters, particularly those that come from the sky or sea. Her difficult past has left her bitter and vindictive, and she's grown to consider herself a designated bringer of the wrath of God. Posts from her perspective will be tagged with Wichita Falls.

Azazel Blake (Az)

Avatar of the Flesh, marked by the End, the Desolation, the Spiral, and the Hunt, he/they, a local boy who took his quest for perfection via self-modification a bit too far. Something of a flirt, although he tries to avoid crossing any lines, and obsessed with beauty and perfection in all things, including himself. Posts from their perspective will be tagged with Ideal Male Body.

Belladonna Hirschell (Bella)

Avatar of the Eye, she/her, a high-profile influencer and self-proclaimed reputable source of supernatural news. Her entire existence is digitized, repackaged, rebranded, and wrapped up neatly with a bow, seemingly whenever it suits her. Hypothetically, she works for the Usher Foundation, managing their social media pages and uploading as many statements as she can to the world wide web, but her poor conduct and disregard of personal boundaries lead people to question her usefulness. Posts from her perspective will be tagged with Stay Connected!

Shrike Moonstone

Avatar of the Web, marked by the Corruption, he/they, a prolific, albeit rather reclusive, author. His work is known to tug at the heartstrings of its readers, sometimes even influencing the choices they make in the future. He is virtually the embodiment of authorly sadism and as sharp as a tack, but even a web-weaver like him can't escape the constraints of fate. Posts from their perspective will be tagged with The Author.

Alexis "Creep" Lotis

Avatar of the Eye and the Corruption, she/her, a journalist and researcher known and renowned for being willing to get down in the muck and resort to tactics other people would never dare to. She's been accused of being a muckraker, insensitive and, as the nickname would imply, a creep, but for the most part, she's just a girl who believes people have the right to knowledge, including knowledge they don't want. Posts from her perspective will be tagged with Creep Show.

Posts in which other ocs are mentioned will be tagged with #(insert tag name here) mention, ex. a post by Judas that mentions his brother Jack will be tagged #burn it all down #jack mention, and anything else that's relevant. Posts that remind me of a given character will be tagged with #(insert tag name here) inspo, ex. a really cool photo of a moth would get tagged with #the widow inspo. I have somewhat unintentionally started tagging posts that make me think of all of them with #hollowville inspo, I promise I plan things so well

All images but The Dreaming, Mort, Judas, and Creep are from wxarringtxn's Magnus Archives Fear Avatar Picrew. Mort and Judas are from Bright's Picrew Hell, Creep is from PotatoLord's Picrew, and the Dreaming is the only one I drew myself. I hope I get to do some cool stuff with them sometime, I hope people like them, and I hope you have a good day.

[irenespring]

TV characters and their mentors

I have realized as I watch TV and find myself liking a character I also start considering who their mentor in @lorata's THG District Two system would be, almost as a personality test. I've put too much thought into it to not publish it somewhere. So, here is a very niche character analysis. TV characters and their District Two mentors. If you are a fan of these shows and have no idea what I'm talking about because you don't read Lorata, do it now. I haven't read the Hunger Games since middle school but I return to Lorata's District Two every few months.

The Mentalist:

Patrick Jane: Callista. The way this fits is actually one of the reasons I decided to actually write a post. He considers himself immune to the rules. He hates authority. He is charming and manipulative, with only fleeting indications he has a conscience. A chaos agent. Exactly what Callista looks for. He would absolutely break up the career alliance early because he decides he doesn't want to kill the youngest tributes if he doesn't have to for his survival and he would rather kill his "allies." It gets Callista in hot water with the other alliance mentors but she is just like "he's excellent."

Teresa Lisbon: Brutus. Lisbon is actually a lot like what Petra would probably become in twenty years. Still hot-headed, still stubborn and rules-focused, still wanting respect at all costs... but a little more chill about it. She's a pretty easy choice for Brutus because she gets things done and doesn't resort to the flashy nonsense of certain Calli tributes. Speaking of... Jane and Lisbon kind of work as an inversion of the classic "back-to-back Victors are a wild girl and chill boy" and would probably hate each other at first before slowly becoming closer as time goes on.

SVU (this is a weird case because I've published a THG AU, but lets just say all of them are Two in this case):

Alex Cabot: This is the hardest of all of them for me, but I'm going to say Devon. She fits the dreamer archetype of always wanting to make things better for everyone (even with the weird season 18 twist SVU pulled, Alex is still fighting for what she perceives as justice). That twist however does rule her out for most of Brutus' branch because it's coloring too far outside the lines. She's very charming and witty, but is focused on trying to do right in the world, rather than the more self-focused goals of Callista or Misha (my runner up for this character).

Olivia Benson: Brutus. Pretty much for the same reasons as Lisbon. She is very closely tied with the rules; even when she disagrees with them, she never really thinks about leaving. She is District Two in the AU I published, so I'm to promote myself and say for more insight into how she views the Games as a Career, go read that.

Rafael Barba: Lyme. The essence of a Lyme tribute. Abusive childhood, attachment issues, using flash to cover for insecurities, depression, and ambition. Has a very tough time in early recovery because he has difficulty squaring the horrors of the Games with his motivation for volunteering---a Claudius-esque (though less intense) desire for family and acceptance.

Sonny Carisi: Tough to decide between Devon and Emory but I'm going to go with Emory. He bakes for everyone. He tries to be a good person even the face of horrors. He has no real desire to do violence to people except when under massive amounts of pressure. He didn't even necessarily need to be volunteering, he just did his best, tried to make friends, and figured they'd tell him to stop when he failed.

Bones (this is another interesting case because I have written a THG AU but have not posted because of how much it uses Lorata's characters in the absence of mentor characters in Bones, and in the AU Temperance is from District Nine, but they will both be Two in this case):

Temperance Brennan: Artemisia. She isn't really sorry about anything from Career training, viewing the Program as the only rational choice given the Capitol's governmental system. She often insults other candidates on accident, because she is the best according to the rankings so why do they take offense when she points it out? She avoids serious injury because she really is the best. It cracks Misha up just reading the file. After it becomes clear in recovery that many of her nightmares come from the foster family that she was sent to after he parents and brother abandoned her, Misha tracks them down to make sure they...understand her displeasure.

Seeley Booth: Emory. He is Two in the AU I'm writing so I've thought this through at length. In the show, he is very pre-occupied with being a good person despite having killed people, and Emory is described as the most decent of the Victors. I've thought of an argument where as Lyme is to Claudius, so Emory would be to Booth growing up in District Two. He also has a habit of pushing all his emotions down because he views them as unimportant, something Emory is shown to have a very good way of countering as a mentor. Emory and Misha meet up to talk about how their Victors are clearly infatuated with each other, Emory dismisses it because Misha had a crush on her, but Misha is like "no this is different." They wager a batch of cookies (Misha's would be baked by Devon). Misha accepts her cookies at Seeley and Temperance's wedding.

ER:

Kerry Weaver: Lyme. A lot of the characters I like have similar vibes, so the explanation for this one is kind of similar to Rafael. She has a harsh persona that is used as a cover for someone struggling with abandonment issues and wanting to belong. As a District Two candidate, she likely would be a lot like Petra (quick to anger, sensitive to being disrespected or not taken seriously), but with less regard for duty and more personal investment. She cares about the people of her district, but she wants to win for herself and the family she would be promised. I've almost written an essay on Kerry and how she behaves and her mental health while she thinks she has a shot at fitting in to ER's found family, and how it declines after she realizes that they will never accept her around season 7 and 8. She really, really wants a family, and Lyme is drawn to those types of tributes.

[heliza24]

Shakespeare Comparisons: Young Royals and the Henriad

I saw this post comparing Young Royals to Julius Caesar the other day, and I actually don’t think Young Royals is that closely connected to Julius Caesar. Sure, August betrays Wilhelm. But there are lots of things that don’t match up at all: Brutus, not Caesar, is the protagonist of that play, Caesar is not a contemporary of Brutus but something of a father figure, and Brutus and Cassius decide to kill Caesar because Caesar is threatening to become king and end the Roman Republic. None of those things are actually very similar to August and Wilhelm’s characters or relationship.

There is, however, a glaringly obvious Shakespeare comparison available to us in the form of the Henriad, or the plays Henry IV Parts 1 and 2 and Henry V. The protagonist of Henry IV Parts 1 and 2 is actually Prince Hal, the prince that will go on to become King Henry V in the final play. At the beginning of the first play, he spends most of his time shirking all royal duties, drinking in a tavern in Eastcheap with his perpetually drunk and broke friend Falstaff. Over the course of Henry IV Parts 1 and 2, Hal has to wrestle with the idea that he will soon inherit the crown, and decide how and when to step up to this responsibility. These plays are literally about the coming of age of a young and erstwhile prince just like Young Royals. 

There are few similarities and differences between the stories that I think are interesting to explore. In the Henry IV Parts 1 and 2, Henry IV struggles to maintain control of the crown. He took the throne as a usurper, defeating Richard II, and throughout the course of these two plays he fights to defend his position from rebels who would in turn usurp him. Because of this precarity, he’s aware of the fact that Hal will have a hard job as his successor, and that currently he’s showing no signs of being up to the task. He instead sings the praises of Harry Percy, also known as Hotspur, the young rebel who is Hal’s age currently vying for the throne. Despite Percy being his enemy, Henry IV recognizes all of the qualities of leadership that Percy displays, and wishes that he were his son instead of Hal (“In envy that my Lord Northumberland/Should be the father to so blest a son/A son who is the theme of honour’s tongue”- Henry IV Part 1, Act 1, Scene 1). But Percy is also hot-tempered and impetuous and possessed by toxic masculinity, and it becomes clear to the audience that he would not be a good king. When he learns that the reinforcements he expected are not going to arrive, he rushes into battle against Henry IV’s forces anyway, allowing Prince Hal to kill him.

In Young Royals, there is a similar precarity to the monarchy, not because someone is threatening to overthrow Kristina, but because modernity threatens to make all contemporary monarchy obsolete. Because of this, Kristina puts a lot of pressure on Wilhelm to maintain the image of the crown. In addition, August becomes a pretty neat parallel to Percy. August succeeds at fulfilling the expectations of a nobel placed upon him: he is straight, feels comfortable wielding authority, and actively wants power where Wilhelm rejects it. August is in some ways the favored son of the royal court, and his promotion into the line of succession feels reminiscent of the way that Henry wishes Percy could be his heir instead of Hal. Similar to Percy, August’s hamartias also revolve around his impetuousness, anger, and complicated relationship with masculinity. 

There’s an incredible scene in Henry IV Part 2, where Prince Hal is called to his father’s deathbed. Mistakenly thinking that Henry has already died, Hal tearfully takes the crown from his father’s pillow and places it on his own head. Henry later comes to and rails at his son, accusing Hal of wishing him dead and of being too impatient to assume Henry’s power. Hal protests; he meant only to wrestle with, and lay blame upon, the crown which he assumed had already killed his father. Hal speaks of the crown as a metaphor here, as something that sucks the life from those that are forced to wear it: 

Coming to look on you, thinking you dead, And dead almost, my liege, to think you were, I spake unto this crown as having sense, And thus upbraided it: “The care on thee depending Hath fed upon the body of my father; Therefore thou best of gold art worst of gold. Other, less fine in carat, is more precious, Preserving life in med’cine potable; But thou, most fine, most honored, most renowned, Hast eat thy bearer up. (Henry IV Part 2, Act 4, Scene 3)

Hal putting on the crown in this scene is a significant step towards his ultimate acceptance of his responsibility to rule. Even though he believes the crown to be a kind of poison, he knows he must wear it. It points to the self-sacrificing, humble king he will become in Henry V.

There’s no direct allegory to this scene in Young Royals, but the discussion of the crown as a kind of poison feels very apt for the themes of the show. As Lisa is fond of saying, Wilhelm being queer would not be an issue if it weren’t for the spectral crown hanging over his family and his destiny. This scene also makes me think of how Wilhelm asks Kristina to just be his mother and not the queen for once in season 2. Even though the crown has not literally affected Kristina’s health, it has killed off the part of her that is Wilhelm’s mother first. The crown has permanently altered their relationship.

I think if we’re drawing parallels between Young Royals and the Henriad, there’s a couple of different ways we can find connections between Prince Hal’s days of frivolous drinking at a tavern in Eastcheap and Wilhelm’s time at Hillerska. Eastcheap was a market street in the City of London (by which I mean the historic city/The Square Mile, not what we think of now as the entire city of London.), far away from any palace, which would have been populated by working class folks. The tavern is a place where Hal can be with his friends, away from the pressure of royal life. So in some ways, Hillerska works as Wilhelm’s Eastcheap. Or maybe I should say Erik’s– Erik’s description of sowing his wild oats and enjoying his time at school before things got serious seems very similar to Prince Hal’s attitude. Or perhaps more accurately we could say that Wilhelm’s adventures in Bjarstad are analogous to Prince Hal’s time in Eastcheap. This is Wilhelm’s predominant exposure to working class people, and he forms a close connection with Simon much like Hal does with Falstaff. (This however, is where the similarities between Falstaff and Simon end). 

At the end of Henry IV Part 2, Hal is crowned King Henry V, and willingly renounces his old way of life. When he sees Falstaff at his coronation, he tells him that he should “presume not that I am the thing I was” (Act 5 Scene 5) and banishes him. To me this feels reminiscent of the way Wilhelm renounces Simon publicly at the end of season 1. The difference here is that by the time Prince Hal renounces Falstaff, his transformation into King Henry V is complete. But Wilhelm’s rejection of Simon only occurs at the end of his first act, while he still has all of seasons 2 and 3 to continue to grow and make different decisions. Because of this I think it’s important to keep in mind that we don’t need to draw one-to-one comparisons between Young Royals and the Henriad, or any other classic text, in order to acknowledge that the two works are playing with the same themes. Lisa and the writers of Young Royals didn’t set out to create an updated version of Prince Hal in Wilhelm, but I think it’s impossible to write about the coming of age of a young prince in the Western World without being influenced, at least indirectly, by Shakespeare’s work. 

On a personal note, I think it’s amusing that I've been obsessed with the Henriad for about a decade, but it took me writing this post to realize that this long standing interest probably primed me to love Young Royals. I really am consistent if nothing else. 

Thanks to @bluedalahorse for helping me organize my thoughts on this as always. If there are any other Shakespeare/Hal lovers in the Young Royals tag I would love to hear your thoughts on these comparisons. And if this has you interested in the Henriad and you want to check out a production, I highly recommend the recorded Globe productions starring Jamie Parker as Prince Hal/Henry V.

[samobservessonic]

We pick up from last time with level-headed Johnny prioritising evacuating the locals, while Amy worries about Sonic, who’s held in the hands of this seemingly unbeatable dinosaur badnik

The duo decide that their best bet helping Sonic will be to find Shortfuse. Now, in the last issue, Mekanik wiped out Shortfuse instantly, but this is a Stringer story, so I have every faith that Shortfuse will be fine and will probably play a big part in today’s victory

Yeah, see, he’s fine

And he’s just in time to free Sonic from becoming robot dino food

While Shortfuse made the save, it looks like he isn’t as used to Sonic’s ego yet in the same way that the other two are. Well, he is new on the scene, after all

Then we get what seems to be the start of a bit of tension between the two. Sonic quickly brushes off his own comment, while Shortfuse’s short-temper leaves him feeling put-out by it

Shortfuse is reluctant to follow Sonic’s instructions, but as we saw from the holiday issue last time, when Sonic has an idea, he’s probably right. That isn’t a critique, by the way - Sonic’s been fighting Robotnik for a long while in these comics now and I’d expect that his experience sees him through on a lot of occasions

With a hole made in the armour, Sonic’s able to get inside to take down the beast, while Shortfuse keeps it distracted

Sonic here, sounding like every British mechanic talking about the work of the last British mechanic they’ve been called in to fix the failings of lol

With Mekanik defeated, Sonic takes one last jab that Shortfuse is less than pleased about, but honestly, they part ways on good terms. I actually thought they might be setting up for some friction between Sonic & Shortfuse that would reenforce Shortfuse’s choice to not work with the Freedom Fighters, but I’m glad they’ve kept it amiable for now

They round out the story by checking in on Robotnik, who decides to get over this setback by starting something called Project Brutus. If you don’t know what that is, then you soon will do, as it becomes a plot point that lasts for quite a while

[thesoldiersminute]

🎶✨when u get this, list 5 songs u like to listen to, publish. then, send this ask to 10 of your favourite followers/following (positivity is cool)🎶✨

Thank you so much for thinking of me!!!! <3 here are the 5 songs: Nirvana - The Man Who Sold The World (MTV Unplugged) J. Cole - Crooked Smile ft. TLC Arctic Monkeys - Arabella Bring Me The Horizon - And the Snakes Start to Sing The Temper Trap - Soldier On

Also, I will add a 6th song to the list because I will go to the bands concert next week :) The Cold Stares & Brutus Backlash - Suffer Me

[brineffxiv]

Back at Camp Broken Glass, we inform the company of what has transpired, and they in turn inform us that we've manage to cure several of Maximus' allies of tempering. These fellow populares have been able to fill us in on exactly what's been happening here in Garlemald.

Ah. The Ist is loyal to Varis. I wonder what they wanted, with Varis dead? Or did they just oppose Nerva taking the throne?

Ooh! New name! Titus. Hrm. You make it sound like he's specifically a former political rival. Is he dead now or is he simply too old? He'd be Varis' Uncle, after all. Did Solus only have two kids, or were there more?

And, yo, that was the rumor we started. Is it gonna turn out that yes, we indeed did light the spark that burnt Garlemald to the ground?

I also find it telling that there was no faction fighting for Zenos to take the throne, despite him being the heir apparent. Poor bastard seriously didn't have anyone that liked him even for political reasons.

Ah, so Elidibus' systematic disposal of Varis' political enemies didn't go quite as unnoticed as he let Varis believe. There was quite a political storm brewing in Garlemald before Varis died.

So those loyal to Varis claim the assassination was part of a coup as a means to contest Nerva's claim to the throne. Thus, the Ist and the IIIrd started a civil war.

And into that mess poured the coffers of House Brutus, courtesy of "Asahi."

After their tempering, the victims have no memories, save being ordered by Emperor Varis to construct the "Tower of Babil."

Sensing something familiar, we present our friends with Licinia's radio, and fill them in about being told Varis spoke through it.

Sorry, I don't get it.

Oh come on. No. That's ridiculous.

*grumble grumble* Nidhana did all that work and... *grumble grumble*

*Sigh*

Okay, okay, the lore for that ore is... it's from Locus Amoenus? Which is what the Garleans renamed Corvus. Which is where G'raha is from, and used to be big important for the Allagans. Ah yes. Probably something to do with them, then.

Fine. I will accept this. It's more tragically compelling to have a handful of non-tempered Garleans around to provide points of view anyway, and that has to happen somehow. And this is really just a minor part of an otherwise very compelling plot. And it is good that this essentially happened by accident.

But I want the jury to know I think this explanation is stupid.

*mutters darkly*

Okay, it's not stupid. It's just... it's too coincidental for my suspension of disbelief to be happy with it. I'd be happier if it was the radio entirely that did it, like, it radiated protection while it was running or something. As opposed to the ore.

Regardless, I still don't get it. How does the radio acting like a warding scale explain them thinking they heard Varis talking to them through it?

...Nope, still doesn't explain Varis.

Hrm. So. I theorized that the Telophoroi had somehow managed to turn the Empire itself into a primal. Like, the idea of the Empire, they summoned it.

So maybe... ? Since Varis was the last Emperor, that is part of how this primal manifests?

Suddenly an inturption!

This is Jullus. He was caught stealing supplies. He also does not believe we are here to help.

Nice. Let him keep some dignity. That could help smooth things over with-

Haha, nope.

Jullus will take no more than 3 people to meet with his commander. It's almost cute. He thinks he has the power here.

And plus me makes 3. I am concerned about the twins' motivation here. Yes, we have seen firsthand the hardships that the Garleans are facing, but I worry that your sympathy for them will leave you vulnerable when we essentially walk in the front door of an active military base.

LOL Jullus, oh, this should be fun.