#but with plateaus instead of mountains

[downtofragglerock]

The production bible's little lore drop of "originally there were going to be six gsrs that crashed landed and Mata Nui was just one of them" has really got me thinking

The text states that they were each going to be in different and varying environments, but Mata Nui alone already had six pretty distinct biomes that covered a lot of varied ground, so what environs would be left to give a distinct feel?

[kiwiwisdeathday]

somewhat of a dumb idea I had a year ago but what if instead of skywings living in boring ass mountains they lived in plateaus so they can actually kind of blend in and not stick out with their bright red n orange scales

[hunn1e-bunn1e]

神話 - "Ardent Dragon Rests Upon Resplendent Cliffs"

🐇.•°•.🐇.•°•.🐇.•°•.🐇.•°•.🐇.•°•.🐇.•°•.🐇.•°•.🐇.

In which the Traveler and Paimon unknowingly come across a mysterious adeptus by the name of Sky Weaver while the two are exploring near the sparsely populated cliffsides of Mt. Mingyuan. Or; In which the long-forgotten tale of the adeptus Sky Weaver is uncovered by Aether from the lips of the various Adepti of the Nation of Liyue and the people who know them.

Prologue | Part 1 | (1.5) | Part 2 | (2.5) | Part 3 | (3.5) | Part 4 | (4.5) | Part 5 | (5.5) | Part 6 | (6.5) | Epilog | Extra 1 | Extra 2

                                                                                                   

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The cliffs of Mt. Mingyuan were a dangerous place for any person to fool around on, but even more so for a child. Yet it made for the perfect place for tuning into nature and taking in the sights of the surrounding terrain, such as a magnificent view of Yilong Wharf, Mt. Lingmeng, river Jademouth, and the distant silhouette of Chiwang Terrace, the ruins of Fort Charybdis and Lumidouce Harbor in Fontaine. The most notable sight that one could witness upon the cliffs of Mt. Mingyuan however, was a breathtaking view of the sky that suffered no light pollution despite the proximity to Yilong Wharf.

Although, for a certain ochre-eyed child, Mt. Mingyuan was the perfect place to sneak off whenever he wanted some distance from his family or to practice his passion for wushu dancing.

Gaming had once again climbed up the mountain, carrying with him the hollow costume lion head that was many sizes too large for him at his current age. The costume head is held over his own to prevent it from collecting stains by being dragged along the damp mud and grass as he walks. Occasionally it tips forward and obstructs his view, causing him to stumble to regain his footing and tip the object back to its original position.

Today was particularly different from other times he had come up the mountain. This time, instead of grinning with excitement and running up the familiar path to reach the grassy plateau-like area he usually practiced at, he frowned with tears collecting on his lower lashes as he glumly dragged his feet along as he walked. Earlier, not even an hour ago, Gaming had gotten into an argument with his father; the older man telling him that his dream was foolish and that he should focus on continuing the family tradition of being a tea farmer.

Now, here he was, curled up around the costume lion head with his back to the trunk of a tree. The dew that rested on the grass beneath him soaked into his shorts but he couldn't bring himself to care. The fur of the costume head was damp with his tears, the wetness causing the faugh fur to clump together in places.

“...Mortal child, it is dangerous to dwell upon this mountain unaccompanied is it not…?”  

A soft but masculine voice just to his left gently called out to him.

Gaming flinches in shock as he whips his head in the direction of the voice. His red teary eyes widened in shock and confusion at the abrupt appearance of another person. Once the ochre-eyed boy really took in this person's features, however, his jaw dropped in awe. 

A man, likely in his late twenties, who had long h/c hair with streaks of misty blue that were braided in certain places and seemed to reach his knees, long, thick lashes that hung over beautiful e/c eyes, and a peculiar blue symbol on his forehead. The man was draped in an elegant four-layered silk robe; the outermost layer being white with a navy blue and desaturated green bamboo leaf pattern. He was possibly the most beautiful person that the aspiring wushu dancer had ever seen before.

An amused chuckle from the mysterious and handsome man pulled the ochre-eyed child. from his thorough observation and reminded him of the question that was asked of him.

“Well, I'm not alone since uncle is with me now.”  

Gaming answers, shyly averting his eyes from the stranger's face with pinkened cheeks at the embarrassment of being caught staring.

The man tensed for a moment –from what the brunette child could tell from the other's body language– at the word uncle, but quickly regained his relaxed but regal posture. It seemed that this enigmatic stranger wasn't too fond of strangers, how ironic.

“Uncle, you called this one? Is that not a term reserved solely for those that one trusts?”  

The long-haired man asks with apprehension, worried that the child in front of him would find himself in trouble due to being too trusting.

Gaming giggled at the man's contorted expression, it was rare to see an adult become shy around him, so he couldn't help but find it a bit funny. He grinned at the stranger, his previous sadness momentarily forgotten as he focused all his attention on the man to his left.

“Well yeah, you're older than me and I don't know your name. Plus, you seem really nice. You wouldn't have asked if I was alone if you were a bad person. So, you're uncle.”  

The ochre-eyed child chirped, giving the man a close-eyed smile so bright it could put the sun to shame. He pauses, however, eyes opening with curiosity as he asks the stranger a question.

“Actually, what is your name, uncle?”  

The e/c-eyed man, still registering the child's first and very worrying statement, doesn't answer. He heard the question, but his mind was preoccupied with his increasing worry for the previously crying boy, so he paid it no mind.

“Mortal child, this one's name is not of importance at the moment. What this one concerns one's self with is that you trust far too swiftly.”  

The robe-clad man expresses his worries, his face holding a mix of pity and concern as he takes a step closer to the boy; his posture growing more protective.

Straightening his back and stretching his arms above, causing the costume lion head to roll off his lap, Gaming stands from the damp ground. He sends a quick glance to the low-hanging sun to the west, letting him know that he should probably make his way back home within the hour lest he worry his mother. Picking up the costume head off of the grass, he turns to the beautiful stranger as he pulls the costume head over his own.

“I'll think about what you said, Uncle Měilì. I have to start heading back though, or mom will get worried about me.”  

The brunette child smiles warmly as he balances the lion's head properly.

The man, now dubbed ‘Uncle Měilì’ raises a brow at the boy in confusion. That certainly wasn't his name. By reflex, he sweeps his gaze around to check if there are any other people present, but, of course, there aren't.

“Měilì? Is it this one that you are referring to, mortal child?”  

‘Uncle Měilì’ asks the boy as he points at himself with an air of disbelief and amusement.

Gaming turns to him with a pout, annoyed at the robed man's question. The ochre-eyed boy had already asked for his name, only for the inquiry to be ignored. He huffed and turned away from the man as he began to walk back the way he came.

“You said your name wasn't important, so I gave you a nickname instead. I can't just keep calling you Uncle, y'know. Also, my name is Gaming, remember it, okay?”  

He called out as he continued walking down the mountain, the costume lion head held up above his own with his little arms.

Stopping when he doesn't hear a reply, the child looks behind him to see no one there. Only a retreating spectral-like mist could be seen, sweeping through the sky in majestic arcs and swirls as it climbed up the mountain.

The cliffs of Mt. Mingyuan were a dangerous place for any person to fool around on, but even more so for a child. However, for a certain ochre-eyed child, Mt. Mingyuan was the perfect place to sneak off whenever he wanted some distance from his family or to practice his passion for wushu dancing. It also served as a wonderful place where the boy met someone who would be a shoulder to lean on in his time of need.

Mt. Mingyuan is where a young Gaming first met that mysterious adeptus known as Sky Weaver.

🏞•♡•🏞•♡•🏞•♡•🏞•♡•🏞•♡•🏞•♡•🏞•♡•🏞

                                                                                                   

Footnotes:

Sky Weaver's appearance is heavily based upon the character Chuyi Flower Cake from ‘The Tale of Food’. I was actually going to add Cloud Retainer in at the very end, but changed my mind since this half chapter was already twice as long as the previous one. The word Měilì or 美麗 means Beauty, it's a simple nickname that I just grabbed on the fly.

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[elbiotipo]

Notes on a South Asian Tropical Cyrodiil (and more!)

So, many TES fans know that before Oblivion, Cyrodiil was supposed to be tropical. The most striking phrase to describe it, "most is endelss jungle", says it all. The quick and snarky explanation is that Todd Howard watched LOTR, was "inspired" by it, and that's why everything in Oblivion looks sort of like a Rennaisance Fair. In any case, I think it was a huge missed opportunity, especially in a world where most popular fantasy is European inspired, to have replaced what could have been very cool tropical enviroments with what is frankly a lame "Talos used his magic" lore retcon. You can read the 1st edition of the Pocket Guide to the Empire to see what we missed.

But it's not only Cyrodiil which we missed this way… Tamriel just makes more sense as a tropical continent. While the size and the exact location of the continent is discussed by nerdier nerds than me, I think it does make sense like this, and not only that, we have a very interesting world parallel to compare it to: India. From a tropical rainy south to the cold mountains of Skyrim, Tamriel is surprisingly similar to the Indian subcontinent, and many of its geographical quirks can be explained if, instead of assuming a temperate Cyrodiil, we go all out with that concept. This is going to be a long post, you have been warned.

So with that in mind, I'll try to make a not-so brief tour (with some evocative pictures along the way) of a rebuilt tropical Tamriel, following the rains of the moonson:

The position of Tamriel, in this case, would be roughly where the Indian subcontinent is located in real life, that is again, tropical, stretching the Tropic of Cancer (is there a name for the tropics of Nirn? Interesting to think about) Here, we see our numbers pan out well: Tamriel is mentioned to be between 4000 and 3000km across east to west and 2000 and 3000km south to north. VERY, VERY roughly, there is 4000km between Pakistan and Myanmar, and 3000km from Sri Lanka to the northern tip of Tibet. Plot that on a map, and you already can see some coincidences. Now, this is a rather average continent, not Pangea sized like some imagine Tamriel to be. This does help explain why, for example, the interior of Cyrodiil is rainy and good for agriculture instead of a desert. But it also means that it's very likely that Tamriel is ruled by monsoons. Monsoons are complex, but they basically form when there are plenty of warm places for water to evaporate (the South Indian ocean), and mountains that block cool winds from the opposite direction (the Himalayas). We have a very similar situation here, with a mountainous Skyrim on the north of a tropical Cyrodiil facing an equatorial southern ocean. So, what happens are monsoons, perhaps not as strong as IRL India, but carrying rains very deep into the continent. This would feed the rivers and the rich agricultural areas of Cyrodiil, and would have some other consequences.

So let's imagine our trip South to North. In the South, in Black Marsh, Blackwood and Lleyawiin, and Pellentine (southern Elsweyr) we would find, much like in the original lore, humid tropical climates, jungle, wetlands, and my favorite, mangrooves. I would expect mangrooves to stretch in this whole area, across rivers. In fact, one of the reasons why Black Marsh could be so hard to explore and control by the Empires at Cyrodiil would be the presence of thick mangrooves all over its coast. This is the region of Cyrodiil that would most resemble "endless jungle".

(Rice fields in India, what I imagine most of this Tropical Cyrodiil would look like)

However, as any lore person knows, Anequina, northern Elsweyr, is arid desert. Does this mean a contradiction? Far from it, we have a similar example in IRL India: the Deccan Plateau, which has a semi-arid to arid climate. This can be easily explained by higher elevations up to a small mountain chain separating it from Cyrodiil to the north, and the fact that little rain would reach behind this "Anequina Plateau" would make the region of Kvatch and Anvil more dry much like in canon, in this case, more scrublike. This highland desert would not be as harsh as Elsweyr is usually concieved, maybe, but its driest regions might justify places such as Dune. (On that matter, it always bothered me to read about the "cities" of southern Elsweyr and there being only two or three there. If I had to redesign it, I would move some from the north to the south).

(the Deccan Plateau in India, it gets greener or drier according to the monsoon)

Keeping on our tour of Tamriel, the Topal Bay and the very rainy Black Marsh funnels the rainy monsoon from the south towards central Cyrodiil. Here we find the endless jungle of the Nibenay Valley. But unlike the rainforests of Elsweyr and Black Marsh, these dense forests and rich river plains are mediated by the monsoon winds, with dry seasons alternating with copious rain. This has huge effects on agriculture and culture in general, as agriculture is defined by the rythms of the rain. Keeping with our South Asian theme and the 1st edition of the Guide to the Empire, Cyrodiil would have huge extensions of rice paddies, as well as terrace farming and much hardier crops in the highlands, instead of the… well, almost absent agriculture we saw in Oblivion. The food, clothing, architecture and overall culture of Cyrodiil would be very different with this. The original Pocket Guide said some of its main exports besides rice and fruit are moon sugar and silk. Moon sugar in Cyrodiil, can you believe it?

Another thing I imagine Cyrodiil would be famous for would be fish and seafood, well, river food. Rice plantations can host fishes and crustaceans to get some extra protein, and well, what about mudcrabs? Hell, as preparing muddy soil is vital for rice cultivation, no wonder mudcrabs are considered a nuisance. Imagining critters in gameplay in such an enviroment also makes my mind roam. Tigers, elephants, rhinoceros, and this is not even getting into the more mythical creatures you could find, instead of endless wolves… Rice cultivation is also more labor intensive than other crops, and it also has a deep impact on the terrain, "terraforming" so to say, huge expanses into paddies and terrace farms. This level of cultivation also requires an established infraestructure of irrigation. While this does not necessarily means a centralized goverment, as farmers can build it and maintain it by themselves, the rise of an empire, i.e., the Empire, will also increase the complexity of these systems, adding canals, dams, reservoirs and more ambitious projects, like we see in India and China. I am sure some people more knowledgeable about those cultures can comment more.

While this Cyrodiil is a tropical/subtropical region covered in "endless jungle", some parts might indeed resemble the rolling hills and grasslands you see in Oblivion. Deforesting jungle for pasture is something very common around the world (some have joked this mass deforestation was later in canon explained as a gift from Talos lol) and you can see the results, like in tropical Australia and my closer Mata Atlantica, do superficially resemble temperate pastures in say, Europe. Until you notice the palm trees, of course. But yes, I can see the Nords being a mostly herding people (more on that below) bringing their sheep and cows to the tropical lowlands and, well, deforesting to make space for them.

(ranches in Sao Paulo state, Brazil, notice the palm trees)

Imperial City just so happens to be built in an island in the middle of several river crossings, in what seems to be a swampland. The first thing that came to mind when I read that was Tenochtitlán. The districts of Imperial City would have been built over the centuries on artificial islands on a shallow lake, using plentiful mud and organic matter to make fertile chinampas. I believe this would make for a striking sight. Instead of just a city in the middle of a empty island, you would see the White-Gold tower and the rest of Imperial City rising from Lake Rumare, surrounded by rich farmland and its districts joined by walkways. (much like the old descriptions, actually, could you believe I wrote that without reading them?)

(Reconstruction of Tenochtitlán... and I just noticed, it's surrounded by (volcanic) mountains too, much like Imperial City)

Much like the Pantanal is one of the sources to the Paraguay River (which merges with the Paraná and then the Río de la Plata) IRL, here, the swamps of central Cyrodiil would be the source of the Niben. This does raise an interesting question, where is the source of the Niben? Is it Lake Rumare? No, I believe it would be several smaller rivers all the way from Bruma and even Skyrim. These small, violent mountain rivers eventually flow into the Rumare wetlands and only THEN in the placid great Niben. You DON'T want to be caught in one of the mountain valleys in rainy season. This does raise the question; won't the developments upriver, like Imperial City itself and the surrounding farmland, affect the course of the river downwards? There's plenty of water from the rain, but a more developed Cyrodiil might indeed have to grapple with this, supposing, for example, they manage to dam the river.

Looking west, we got the Colovian region, said to be composed of drier highlands and cliffs in the early Pocket Guide. Probably cut from the rain because of the Anequina Plateau, this is indeed more arid or "mediterranean", though I actually see it as more Australian. Maybe some of the drier parts near Hammerfell, resembling Argentine Cuyo and the northwest, would be a distant cry from the wetlands, having thorny dry forests and dry valleys, where yes, you could plant wine. The wetter cloud forests (much like the Yungas in South America, the place where the rain reaches last) could maybe be the home of the last pre-Imperial cultures of Cyrodiil. Fascinating places.

(Jujuy, Argentina. Just *near* are the Yungas cloud forests, where the last rains from the Atlantic meet the Andes, making for some AMAZING places)

Given that I mentioned enviroments near to/on the Andes IRL, let's talk about potatoes. Potatoes are unique crops, because they are the only ones who offer such calories and also be planted in cold enviroments like Europe. Or Skyrim. The discovery and spread of potatoes would cause demographic shifts on people living in cold areas. And they also originated in a unique enivorment IRL: the Andes, actually with possible hybridization from the Magallenic foresWHAT I MEAN, is that potatoes are very important and have been domesticated in very specific conditions. The Wroghtgarian Mountains would seem like a perfect equivalent of the Andes at the first glance, but they would be very different. The Andes, located between the Pacific Ocean and the greater Amazonian region, are very, very unique enviroments. These mountains, however, are in between inner seas. Something like the Atlas or the Alps? In any case, if there is some people who would appreciate hardy tubers that can grow in mountainous places, they are for sure the Orcs, or perhaps the Reachmen. Maybe an hybridization even between them?

This returns me back to Bruma and Skyrim. Some people (who make those excellent Oblivion mods) imagine Bruma with a Tibetan flavor. Personally, I imagine it more like Pakistan or Afghanistan, with lots of mesas and plateaus and valleys. It would look dry and rocky with some very fertile valleys by snowmelt, but it would look like a snowy wonderland on winter, indeed, Pakistan and Afghanistan are very snowy. Eventually, of course, ending up in the great barrier of the Jerall mountains and finally, Skyrim.

(the Alps? Skyrim? No, this is Kashmir on winter!)

In this scenario, Skyrim would be a quite dry place… or would it? There is no need for the Jeralls to be a straight line of peaks like the Himalayas. They could be a more "broken" series of mountains, like the southern Andes, but in any case, the rain from the south would clash into the higher mountains. Indeed, that is what actually happens in the Himalayas, the foothills of the Himalayas are some of the rainest places IN THE WORLD. These small valleys are something very unique and not very well known part of the world IRL. I can imagine the Skyrim equivalent would be as unique too, hard to navigate and live in. The forests of the Rift and Falkreath would be mazes of windy forests valleys, each with their own unique secrets under a perpetual fog and drizzle. This is a very interesting enviroment to imagine, where again, some of the older cultures of Tamriel could still live.

(forests of Bhutan, note how the humid valleys stretch into the distance before the cold Himalayas begin)

However, what does Skyrim look like once you cross the border with Ralof? I imagine some sort of more fertile Tibet, not as high as the Tibetan plateau, allowing for forest and alpine tundra. This is mostly because, while Skyrim is high up, I don't imagine as a plateau, but rather a series of broken mountains like the North American Rockies, which makes sense when you account for all the volcanic activity (there is another super-volcano down in Skyrim but nobody notices). I imagine that Skyrim would be a primarily herding pastoral land before the introduction of hardier crops such as potatoes, and even then. Nord culture would be very interesting reimagined like this; hillforts guarding herds of sheep and cows. It would also create a clash between the very, very agrarian south and the nomadic herding north, with High Rock and Hammerfell a gradient between the two.

I decide I will stop here, I haven't even touched Valenwood (though its subtropical forest seems rather coherent to me), High Rock (the most boring part of Tamriel IMO), Hammerfell, Summerset Islands (if you don't have tropical elves in your setting, you're a coward), or whatever the hell is going on Morrowind. But I hope you enjoyed this worldbuilding exercise and how to make sense of Tamriel's crazy geography. Next time, I'll try to play with tectonics and see if we can make it even more interesting.

But here we enter a problem; if we are operating on a level where Cyrodiil is roughly at the same latitude of India, wouldn't that make Skyrim too far from the poles to allow its tundra like climate, even with elevation? No doubt. Tibet is only as cold as it is because it's the roof of the world and far from any ocean. The northernmost tip Skyrim, like Tibet, would be at the latitude of Turkey, Korea or California, which can get quite cold, but not to the level of what we see on Winterhold or Dawnstar (Solitude sounds familiar, though). What's more, having an ocean up north would only moderate the temperature. Cool currents often don't bring cold per-se, just decrease rainfall. This would end with a very temperate and pleasant Skyrim instead of tundra. Which is on its own, interesting to explore.

Could Nirn be going through an ice age, like it's implied with the dissapearance of Atmora? Possibly, but it would imply revising everything I said before, as ice ages decrease rainfall and mess up with weather patterns all over the world. A colder Nirn would explain a lot, though.

If you liked what you read and would like more worldbuilding, consider tipping me on Ko-Fi and send me stuff to talk about, or just send an ask! I'm the kind of guy who reads encyclopedias and RPG manuals for fun, so I have plenty to talk about about everything from fantasy to science fiction to speculative evolution and alternate history!

[gothicminxx]

Satosugu x afab! Reader

Word count: 5.2K

CW: Angst with comfort, mentions of blood, major character death, polyamory, mentions of established relationship with Gojo, pet names (angel, pretty girl, my girl, sweet girl, etc.), instead of Y/N Name will be used instead, all around sad af

Part 2 here

Summary: Has a connection to the movie JJK 0, similar but not quite.

I think of Satosugu and I sob.

Hope you enjoy!

Twilight arrived over the horizon, painting the sky of soft purples mixed with pink and blue. Mountain tops capped off with sheets of white that sparkled underneath the setting sun. Silence loomed overhead with the subtle sounds of a breeze, the air crisp with a harsh bite. The grass is glacial from the previous snowfall a few hours ago.

But the world was covered in darkness as the giant hand that pertained to Satoru lay flatly over your eyes, sitting in between his legs on a rock. A habit that he had formed in recent years to mollify the bitter head of anxiety that crippled your body. When the thoughts began to race and the hammering of your heart refused to disperse from your side, Satoru placed his hand over your eyes. The rasp of his voice tickled your ear as he requested you focus, following his deep breaths, and hushed praises for succeeding. When the dark silence consumed the crevices of your brain it pacified the cavernous void that Suguru left behind. The reason for every apprehensive thought that consumed the confinements of your brain. A gaping hole resided in the depths of your pumping heart, one he had overfilled before-- a spilling pool of red wine: warm, gentle, and welcoming, the essence of pertaining to two lovers.

Satoru shared the absence of light with you simply by covering your eyes. He wore blindfolds to protect his six eyes, to keep the core of his energy balanced so as to not fatigue himself, he experienced the bliss of darkness daily listening to the calmness of his breath, the steadiness of his heart, and the sounds of his surroundings. It was peaceful when things seemed to spiral out of control, tensions at an all time high giving Satoru that moment to ease his mind. It was the only thing he could think to do to alleviate the strain of life that gnawed at you constantly like a tender cut of meat.

The coolness of this year's harsh winter stung your cheeks, penetrating at the surface to numb your whole face. You placed your hands on top of Satoru’s, holding it in place to increase the darkness, focusing on the environment you found yourself in. Snow that the wind carried tickled your skin, dampening it slightly as the flakes melted. The comfort of your puffy jacket and beanie kept you toasty to endure the frozen conditions, but in this very moment the cold brought you solace as you embraced the blackness. You could feel the warmth of Satoru’s chest radiate into your back like a warm blanket, the breeze that blew on the side of your face howled softly, swooshing of powdered snowflakes followed. The plateau you and Satoru sat in was desolate of noise, it calmed the erratic beat of your heart and soothed the harrowing thoughts in your mind.

Since Suguru’s impetuous departure from the both of you things had been difficult, words left unsaid with various questions that had gone unanswered. An empty spot on the bed that used to belong to him had now turned cold and desperately clung onto his scent, you and Satoru had found yourselves leaving that space open, as if he’d ever walk through the front door again and reclaim the life he once had. His hoodies still hung up in the closet, his toothbrush still had a spot in the holder, boxes of his favorite tea littered the cabinet-- you preferred coffee, and Satoru liked soda. Suguru’s things were left untouched in your home, things he left behind, and things you and Satoru held onto tightly; protecting the last bit of residue on those items.

Satoru snaked his free arm around, pressing his palm flatly against your abdomen, fingertips caressing the polyester fabric of the puffer jacket that adorned your frame. He gently removed his hand from your eyes as he felt you relax in his hold, leaning forward to rest his chin against your shoulder. The world had come back into your view, the sky had become a darker shade of blue accompanied by a few stars that twinkled. The sun had fully hid behind the snowy mountain range taking away the last bit of warmth it had offered in the winter months. Satoru had insisted on taking you far from the city today despite the ice on the roads, the sunken bags underneath your eyes had prompted worry that he could not ignore. You were the only thing keeping him sane since Suguru had left, Satoru had grown petrified of losing you too. He could sense the ugly cloud of melancholy looming over your head, the way you slouched at the kitchen table-- barely touching the food on your plate, a frown etched on your lips, and tears left to dry on your cheeks. The way you stared at Suguru’s spot in bed wearing one of his hoodies, the yearning and agony you felt all too evident to him that he had to get you away from home for a few hours.

He had always been better at tucking away his emotions so as to not worry you. But Satoru felt the same agony, the cavernous hole in his heart that felt as though a knife had stabbed through and ripped a chunk out. The bile that burned the back of his throat and left a bitter taste that it didn’t matter how many times he brushed his teeth; it remained. That each time he smelled Jasmine or cedar wood he immediately burst into tears, teeth piercing his bottom lip as he tried to mollify the dreary emotions that raked his body. Oftentimes he found himself wearing Suguru’s clothes, wrapping his arms around his own body and pretending as though it was Suguru comforting him. Satoru grieved the relationship that once was, in silence, wanting to be strong for you, the most precious thing in his life. You needed Satoru more than anything in moments where you barely found the strength to get out of bed. When anxiety consumed you like the last meal on earth, he had to be strong for you.

Placing a kiss to your cold cheek Satoru hummed, “You calm now, angel?” He held you tighter in his embrace, shutting his eyes to engrave every curve of your body, the warmth you provided as you sat in between his legs, and your scent. The trepidation he felt of losing you too was one that made him lose his appetite.

Leaning your head back on his shoulder, your eyes followed the depth of the night sky, each star glimmering like a diamond. With the darkness the cold in the plateau stung your face, your nose runny and icy to the touch, but you could only focus on Satoru’s arms, “Yes, shutting out the world always seems to help,” A small smile reached your lips, “Thank you.”

Intertwining your gloved hands together he brought the back to his lips placing a kiss there making your heart flutter. Since Suguru deserted his lovers, through the agony and stabbing wound in one's heart, you still had Satoru. The six eyes refused to leave your side even for a moment, clinging onto you as a sort of life support.

The anguish was evident in his cerulean eyes, deep purple bags had found their home under his eyes, hidden under a blindfold so as to not worry his students— to worry you. Even if a part of his heart clung onto the memory of Suguru, the rest was yours. Glowing sun of warmth that caressed his cheek, holding him tightly to always feel the ardor of your heart. Lulling the anxiety he felt with lingering kisses, fingers tangled in snowy white tuffs, and the sound of your sweet voice covered in honey— speaking saccharine words.

Even if he tried to hide from you, keeping his emotions tucked away in a metal safe— you knew, of course you saw right through him. Having the privilege of meeting Satoru Gojo years ago meant understanding every single emotion he felt. A strong intuition to sense when something was off, he never truly spoke about it, only on the rare occasion of dawn drawing near, his eyes half lidded, and voice coaxed of sleep that he spoke— tired of the torment of a racing mind. You would hold him tightly in your arms, resting your chin on his hair as he sobbed into your chest, allowing his emotions to ripple like a waterfall. He was yours, you wanted to be there as much as he was there for you.

His giant hand cupped your cheek, leading your lips to his. The kiss was gentle, slow, and filled with love, Satoru’s tongue was warm as it found yours, eager to taste more of you to have more of you— he couldn’t get enough. He held you tight, pressing against your abdomen as it bunched up the polyester fabric in between his fingers. His thumb caressing your cheekbone, kissing you was a piece of heaven; Satoru’s sanctuary. The way his lips connected to yours reminded him that you were perfect for him in every sense of the way. That you were still here with him.

Satoru pulled away, resting his forehead against yours to catch his breath. His eyes remained closed but a goofy smile was ever present, his heart thudding loudly he truly believed you could hear it, light pink dusted his pale skin, “My girl. Mine.” He murmured, attaching his lips to yours once more.

It was moments like these that you truly cherished, engraving his every word into your brain like a chanted prayer. Satoru was here to stay, he could not imagine parting from you; it wasn’t possible.

Together you grieved Suguru, the fallen angel that had big aspirations of changing the world for the better. Ideals that you could not see eye to eye on, the raven haired man swore up and down it was a world for his lovers. Even if it seemed selfish at the time he would burn down the entire world for you and Satoru. If it had meant taking the life of the innocent— the weak, for those he loved, he’d do it over and over again. But the question had always remained: Would either of you do the same?

✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧ ✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧

The sun blazed down on the asphalt in a persistent manner, the heat waves radiated off of the dark pavement that burned the soles of shoes. Summer was unforgiving this year, humid and sickly that shade did little to provide an escape. The metal bleachers burned to the touch from constant heat smacking against them, the grass seemed as the only comforting place to sit underneath a Japanese cedar tree. Strands of green sticking to your thighs that you regretted wearing a skirt, almost.

First grade Jujutsu students practiced their combat skill in the enormous field, sweat dripping down their faces after an hour of intense training. The new student Yuta Okkotsu showed promise— improving his cursed energy little by little. Satoru had taken a liking to him, a powerful curse that followed him around— killing those that harmed him without a second glance. Your husband had a soft spot for teenagers that had a tough life, a man that could come off as arrogant had a huge heart. A few weeks ago Satoru had come to you, announcing he would be pleading Yuta’s case to avoid an execution even if it meant losing his job. You could never argue with him, standing next to him as you petitioned for the young boy as well.

Training had gone as any other day, students complaining about the heat but refusing to go inside— each competitive. Satoru stood with Yaga on the far end of the field coaching Maki and Yuta, while you and Shoko sat under a tree watching over Toge and Panda. The smell of tobacco wafted into your nostrils as Shoko lit up another cigarette, stating it would help with her irritation as she wiped sweat from her brow. Your fingers found the roots of grass to slowly pick at it, a distraction from the unbearable heat that made your body feel as if it would combust into flames.

Leaning back on your elbows you sighed loudly, throwing your head back further into the shade to look at the intricate leaves— hiding from the wretched sun. “How much longer are we going to torture the students in this goddamn heat?” Shoko groaned beside you.

“‘Dunno, until one of us drives Yaga up the wall with our complaining.” You chuckled, “Knowing Satoru I’d say soon.”

Due to Satoru being born in the winter season the six eyes preferred the cold and icy snow over the blistering heat. He thrived at the first snowfall, dragging you out of the warmth of your cozy bed to admire the sheet of white. His long legs would race to the backyard without the proper clothing to handle the freezing temperatures, slender fingers grabbing a handful of snow to feel the cool softness on his flesh. He’d spend a few hours outside admiring it with childlike wonder, you would oftentimes fight him to come inside as if he were a husky— stubborn and flourishing in the snow. It wouldn’t surprise you if your husband was currently throwing a fit about the sweltering heat to Yaga.

Booming voices ricocheted from the trees in the field, snapping you out of your thoughts. Shoko’s ears perched giving you a confused glance as she licked her finger to put out her cigarette, “What could that be?” She wondered.

Together you stood, requesting Toge and Panda to follow along in case it happened to be something serious. Sweat decorated your brow as the impending heat found you, raising the temperature within the confinements of your body. In the distance a large bird bigger than a human flapped its wings, the radiant golden color catching in the sun, throwing its head back to emit a loud squawk from its enormous beak. Bodies of students surrounded the creature, tuffs of milky white hair came into view as his tall lanky figure pushed past bodies. From where you walked you could see the tension in his shoulders, jaw clenched, and fists white-- something was wrong.

The length of your legs began to take lager hurried strides, loud pounding rang in your ears from the erratic beating of your heart. Heads turned as you drew closer, wandering eyes with a look of confusion stared back at you, “Satoru, long time no see!” A silky voice called, sweet like honey, a soft melody to listen to. A voice that closed up your throat, heart dropping to the depths of your stomach, eyes stinging with ocean water because it had been so long since you had heard it. The voice that comforted you when a tough day crossed your path, made you laugh until you cried, talked you through it in moments of ecstasy, and spoke sweet nothings to you.

As you pushed your way into the circle Satoru stood taut, a white blindfold covered his cerulean eyes, expression hard to read but his tight jaw spoke for him. You followed his gaze, time had frozen still as long raven hair met your eyes, glistening in the light of the sun. A smile adorned his features as he greeted Satoru with an arm around Yuta’s shoulder, he had yet to notice you. It had been nearly a decade since you had seen the familiar face, had him in close radius. “Suguru?” Your voice barely above a whisper, cracking pathetically towards the end.

His attention drifted towards you, “Name, it’s been a while.” The smile he wore faded the moment brown eyes truly caught a glimpse of you, the sight nearly broke his heart. You looked on the verge of tears, the yearning to run into his arms was evident as your hand blindly reached out-- but you held back, taking a hold of Satoru’s sleeve too paralyzed to move. The white haired man placed a protective arm on your waist as if to challenge Suguru to take a step further to either of you. But in truth Satoru would break down if given the opportunity, trying his best to remain strong, to come off as intimidating to the man that ripped his heart open; you both knew this.

“Step away from those kids right now, Suguru.” Satoru’s voice held a stern edge, the man in front of him was the only one that could affect the usual confident demeanor he had.

Suguru held back a smirk as he slowly removed his arm from Yuta, “ I heard the first years were quite special, it seems you still have an eye for talent, Satoru.”

Your gaze was fixed on the raven haired man, it felt like a sick joke, one that your mind deemed fit as a punishment for past mistakes you had once made. He looked different than before, his hair was much longer, reaching his waist. The purple eye bags and look of misery that had become a part of him almost a decade ago had disappeared, his skin practically glowing, he looked happier-- cockier than the man you once knew. You wanted to be as calm as Satoru, to appear stoic and un-bothered but the air felt heavy, the lump in your throat had formed so thick that it was nearly impossible to swallow back. For a decade you still found yourself grieving his sudden departure, the closure he had refused to give you and Satoru, leaving nothing behind but memories and a freezing empty spot in bed. “What are you doing here?” You asked, voice hostile yet the sense of longing was still there.

He tore his gaze from Satoru avoiding your watery eyes over to his entourage, “I came to declare war,” Suguru put it simply, “Five days from now I’ll be in Kyoto, I hope to see you all there.”

“A war?” Shoko scoffed, “Your ideals truly have gone to your head.”

“I’m simply creating a better world.” Suguru’s words left a bitter taste in your mouth, like rusty metal that had sat out in the sun long forgotten for an extended period of time. He no longer sounded like himself, his voice remained velvety and yet, the disconnect of the man he used to be was immense. It had brought you back to the time you were once a student, noticing his distant demeanor with hazy eyes that he looked unrecognizable. He closed in on himself, shutting you and Satoru out. Most nights had been spent sleeping on the couch or too wired as he stayed up an entire night frantically scribbling gibberish in his journal-- ideas to cleanse the world of the weak. He refused the assistance of the comforting arms of his lovers, rejecting their words of reassurance. Suguru had lost a drastic amount of weight, the churning of his stomach accompanied by a burning in his throat that kept him away from consuming food. He had become a shell of himself until one day his radio silence became permanent; leaving his lovers to fend for themselves without another word.

Only for him to return months later in the crowded square of downtown Tokyo claiming that it was all for his lovers. The world he was creating was the perfect one for those he cared about, asking to accompany him in the journey of discovering it together, only to be met by your tears and Satoru’s anger. It was the irreparable end of a relationship.

Biting your bottom lip harshly, you could taste the tang of metallic blood on your tongue, holding Satoru’s sleeve tighter, only for the milky haired man to search for your hand to intertwine your fingers-- squeezing it tightly, he could feel your agony, resentment, and pining. Focusing on his features, you wanted to burn them into your memory, hold them close to your heart because you would be damned if you forgot his face, “I think it’s time for you to go, Suguru.” You muttered, digging your nails into the palm of your hand imprinting crescent moons in the flesh; fighting back the tears that threatened to spill as you urged the man that still owned half of your heart to go.

Silence loomed overhead as Suguru processed the words that escaped your lips; soft that he almost missed them, how desperately he wanted to ignore them to take you and Satoru in his arms and make things better. The version of him you had known before was gone, that man was no longer a part of who he truly was, the weak and strong simply could not co-exist. Why couldn’t either of you understand that for his own selfish reasons, this was all for you? He turned on his heel, sauntering over to the enormous bird, only turning his head enough to catch a glimpse of the two people he adored the most, “I’ll see you in Kyoto. Until next time.” With that the creature expanded its wings, descending in the air with the man that still held onto your hearts.

Satoru watched as the massive bird disappeared into nothingness, the stitches in his heart that had once existed ripped open-- crimson blood gushing out, the ache unbearable. Holding your smaller hand tightly he began to walk toward the direction of his classroom, a small sob escaped your lips before you tried your best to hide it but he had heard it. The tall man stopped, only to see your pretty face covered in fat tears with quivering lips as you tried to fight off dramatic sobs. “Oh, my sweet girl.” Satoru cooed, bending down to envelope you in his arms. His large hand cupped the back of your head, stroking your hair as he held you tightly. He buried his nose in your hair, a small tear falling from his own eye but he was quick to wipe it.

“I- I miss him,‘Toru,” You choked out,“So much.”

“Me too, angel, me too.”

✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧ ✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧✩

Dark gray clouds covered the sky, leaving Kyoto in complete darkness. The sounds of war engulfed the city with crumbling buildings, destroyed vehicles, and thick clouds of smoke from small fires that had started. The perfect distraction Suguru had created to get to Yuta, it hadn’t registered in your minds that it had been his plan to get everyone away from the vicinity of Jujutsu High School.

You stood in a medical building to assist in healing those injured alongside Shoko, gifted the same ability of reversed curse technique with the upper hand of bringing those back from the dead on rare occasions. A skill you had spent most of your life trying to achieve, it had only been possible with the help of Tengen and Satoru. The consequences of cheating death had yet to show themselves to you, bringing back countless from watery graves— a draining task that consumed most of your cursed energy for a few days, it wasn’t used often.

Crouching over a severely injured fourth grade student the grand glass door of the building opened, as footsteps scrambled to deliver another injured student you felt the familiar cursed energy of your husband. “I have to go back to Jujutsu High, he set this whole thing up. Suguru is after Yuta.” He stated, gritting his teeth.

“I’m coming with you.” The urgency in your voice was hard to miss.

Satoru could only shake his head, holding his hand up to stop you from coming any closer to him, “No, it’s too dangerous, Name. Stay here and treat the wounded.”

He was always overprotective of you, your safety had always been the six eyes priority only growing ten fold the moment Suguru abandoned the both of you. You understood, but at the same time you weren’t weak, classified as a special grade two weeks after attending school. Training day in and day out when it came to combat, craving to be as perfect as Satoru and Suguru— the two strongest sorcerers. “I don’t care! I’m going with you and that’s final.” You had always been stubborn, constantly standing your ground and refusing any form of rejection when it came to proving yourself. It was a trait Satoru adored about you, but oftentimes it drove him crazy with worry, he knew you were strong but you were the last person he had besides Megumi.

Determination painted your features, clenching your fists at your side to show Satoru you weren’t going to give up. He couldn’t argue with his beautiful wife, especially with the way you looked at him as if you would follow him to the ends of the Earth. “So stubborn.” He huffed, taking your hand before teleporting the both of you to Jujutsu High.

It was silent the moment you arrived on campus grounds the smell of burnt wood wafted in the air as you walked hand in hand. A knot formed in your gut as if it were signaling you that something had gone terribly wrong, it made you tighten your hold on Satoru’s hand. The silence was deafening as the residue of a previous battle remained in the air and grubble of buildings.

Turning the corner of vacant buildings, you could see a figure in the distance covered in crimson liquid, missing a limb, long raven hair a disheveled mess as his signature bun had come undone, “You guys are late as usual.” Suguru weakly chuckled, clutching his side.

“The students in Kyoto were under your control?” Satoru asked, though he held no confusion, you both knew the answer.

Suguru leaned back on a cement wall letting out a ragged breath, “Yes, they all were.”

Letting go of Satoru’s hand you couldn’t care less about the things Suguru had done, the misery he caused when he disappeared, or even those he hurt. Your vision became blurry with tears as you took in his condition, bloodied and bruised as he struggled to maintain a steady breath. You could not bear to listen to much more, this time you had allowed yourself to run to Suguru as you had longed since seeing him on school grounds five days ago. Not giving Satoru a moment to think as he watches your figure bolt for the raven haired man.

Kneeling in front of him your arms wrapped around his neck bringing his body close to yours, without hesitation he wrapped his arm around your waist burying his bloodied face in your neck. The smell of jasmine and cedarwood welcomed you, the scent that had always belonged to him, the one that caused a sob to escape your lips. “You idiot.” You cried into his hair, clutching him tightly, afraid to let go and discover that he was a figment of your imagination.

You were warm, skin silky soft— he had forgotten how good it felt to have you in his arms, if he was being honest with himself he had forgotten your scent, how sweet and delicate it was. “There’s my sweet girl.” Suguru croaked, after a decade of pushing away the hurt he caused himself for leaving, was finally flooding out. Trembling as he hugged you tightly, burning your scent, curves, and hair into his memory. A treasure he’d lock up and guard with his entire being.

“I can fix it, let me fix it… let me heal you.” You begged, cupping his cheeks, blood staining your hands.

“Name, you can’t.” Satoru whispered, tilting his head down.

“What?! No, I'm going to fix h-“

Before you could finish your sentence Suguru took your hand, placing a kiss to the back of it, “It’s for the best, angel.”

You shook your head frantically, sobbing loudly as you looked between Satoru and Suguru, begging to not allow it to end this way. Burying your face in Suguru’s neck, closing your eyes as if to wish to wake up from this nightmare. To wake in your huge bed with them on either side of you, each wrapped around you as they slept soundly. The harsh cold breeze flowing in through your window as it snowed outside, dreading the moment Satoru woke up because he’d drag the two of you outside. Wanting a life back that once was, when Suguru was content with the things he had, when the two of you were enough for him, just one more time.

Suguru grabbed your hand, swaying your two bodies together. Noticing the rays of sunshine bouncing off of a rather large diamond on your finger nearly blinding him, he took a moment to admire it, chuckling bitterly as a wave of jealousy flooded over him. “My love’s got married.” Suguru could only blame himself for abandoning you both, envious he wouldn’t be able to share the Gojo last name with the both of you. A part of him was truly happy for you two, moving on after his selfish act. It wouldn’t have been fair to request either of you to remain stagnant.

“In October two years ago.” Satoru smiled sadly, twiddling with the diamond band on his ring finger. Proud to call you his wife, to be the one to take care of you and cherish moments spent together. It hurt that Suguru couldn’t be a part of it.

“I can fix you… then… then we can try to mend everything. Sugu please.” You choked.

But the decision had been made for you, the conclusion that Suguru was on death’s doorstep had become destiny in the moment. Your pleas and cries went unanswered even if it pained both of the men to cause such agony for you. In the end Suguru no longer had the ability to change, too stuck in his ideals to let them go. “I still love you.” You weeped.

Suguru’s heart sank at your words, even after the crimes he had commited and the torture he had put you through your emotions remained in tact, “I love you too.” The raven haired man kisses your temple, “and I love you, ‘Toru.”

A few tears had finally escaped his cerulean eyes, “I love you too… I’m sorry.”

A flash of purple came into your peripheral vision, the ringing in your ears was painful. Time had slowed as Suguru’s muscular body fell limp in your arms, the look of horror on your face was one that Satoru would remember forever. A loud scream erupted from your lungs that it felt as though they’d rip open at the seams, oxygen became impossible to inhale as you wailed out to the sky clutching his lifeless body in your arms. “No! No, ‘Toru… no. Suguru please,” The only thing you could muster was to beg and wail, preparing to use the entirety of your cursed energy to bring back your dead lover.

But Satoru pulled you away before you could do anything, holding your flailing body in his arms as he howled alongside you. He would hold onto this guilt for the rest of his life, ripping Suguru away from your lives as he meant nothing when he was everything would tear him to shreds. Suguru had perished by his own hands, he felt like a monster. All he could do was throw you over his shoulder and listen to the heart wrenching wails that left you as he dragged you away from Suguru.

He’d never forgive himself.

✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧

[blackblooms]

So, didnt have a lot of progress to talk about on my new game since i had taken about 2-3 weeks to work on other things, but heres some of the work i`ve been putting into the world map and struckture.

So here we have what i call "zone maps" which consist of rough drawings of what areas are planned and how they are placed and connected. Since the game is themed around fire and wilderness, most areas are fiery twists on common fantasy environments and explore the many forms that heat and fire can take.

Some notable areas are:

Great caldera/Caldera outskirts: (dark red) Since flamebearers are highly resistant to heat and fire, it was an interesting subversion for the first area of the game to be a volcano. Boiling ridge/Boiling caverns: (cyan) The water area of the game, featuring harsh cliffside battered by a raging sea and plenty of geysers and thermal vents.

Pyrewoods: (bright red) A perpetually burning forest. The trees have adapted a thick insulating bark to protect themselves from the flame. Ashen highlands: (pale grey) An expansive plateau, located above the smoke of the forest. Deposits of ashes from the forest and caldera, fertilize the ground, making it a suitable place to build fields and villages. Sundered plains: (bright orange) A deadly desert, with plenty of glass structures formed from the scorching heat battering the sand.

City of cynders/Charred city (brown) The capital of an ancient civilization, burnt to the ground in times long past. Now only rubbles of sandstone and glass remains, and many myths of how exactly this city may have fell...

Frostburn pass: A gnarly canyon where frost and flame meet. Located between the great caldera and the ashen highlands. Brimstone bogs (dark green) ADark, smouldering swamps, where monstrous creatures lurk. A place long abandoned by the flamebearers and left to rot. Fuming crags (purple) Toxic fumes emanate from ancient fissures in the ground, rendering this region extremely dangerous to korugues and flamebearers alike. In the distance, an old castle lurk, long abandoned by those who used to call it home.

The melting pot: A loathsome pit of molten sludge, the heart of a twisted curse that cannot be destroyed or contained...

- Since were giving some building here, lets also describes some faraway lands that exist i nthe lore, but wont be seen in the game. South west: Nameless islands The great sea house many archipelago, conquered by the descendent of the flamebearer of the sea. South east: The frozen continent A distant landmass, overtaken by the ruthless cold. Ruled by the descendent of the frostbearer who could channel its power into cold instead of flames. North west: The endless peaks Towering mountains, reaching higher than the eye can see. Conquered long ago by the flamebearer of the sky and her children. North: Desolated expanse The sundered plains make way for a great wasteland. Long ago, the flamebearer of earth crossed through the desert and was rumored to have found habitable land on the other side, but very few dared cross the waste to verify those claims. East: The dark lands Lush forests cover the landscape, but those lands have long been forbidden. It is said that none of those who ventured to the east, not even the eldest and strongest son of the original flamebearer, was ever heard from again. My goal with these was that i wanted to imply a much bigger world beyond what is seen in the game (compared to irredeamable, almost claustrophobic worldbuilding) This next game will have plenty of distant lands and families to speculate on. I probably just wont do much with them myself. Anyway, all that stuff is subject to change as i work on it. The maps i provided are already pretty inaccurate, but that just means there will be much to discover when the actual game comes out.

[finrays]

Sometimes I think about Kyoshi moving an entire peninsula out into the ocean and as someone with an undergrad minor in Physical Geography, I go slightly insane.

So, basic plate tectonics review; we live on what's essentially a pool floatie raft that's sitting in a pool that's PACKED with other floaties. They move around and bump into each other, but most of the pool/planet is fluid. Unfortunately, giant slabs of rock aren't really as bouncy as pool floaties, and they tend to smash into each other and keep pushing instead of rebounding gracefully;

Which is how you get things like trenches, mountain ranges, etc. Continents are rooted to the plates; they don't float around on top of the water like ice cubes. It's solid all the way down to the parts where the rock gets hot enough to hit caramel-like consistency. Continental crust is lighter than oceanic crust, and tends to pop up when a continental plate and an oceanic plate collide, while oceanic crust is more dense, and tends to go down and crush into the mantle. When it's two of the same, the denser plate subducts.

So the Yokoya Peninsula would have been part of a tectonic plate... either in the middle of a plate, or on the boundary of one, it doesn't really matter.

Because Kyoshi either undercut the peninsula like an ice cream scoop and then connected the rock to the seafloor again, which would have been INSANE and left a big submerged plateau off the coast of the Earth Kingdom.

Or, in an INCREDIBLY MIND-BLOWING MOVE, she might have moved the entire tectonic plate. Considering we see magma in the show, which implies that she cut through the entire fucking lithosphere? It's not out of the question.

Look at those plates up there; you can see what would happen on each end of Kyoshi carving out a new tectonic plate and moving it the fuck out into the ocean. On the back end, nearest the Earth Kingdom, you'd have a new seafloor ridge, possibly with some volcanic activity, but with all that bending in play, she may have just put a plug in that. Or not... there might be a bunch of steaming vents there now. Sick.

On the other end, the place closer to the final spot she's moving the island to? You would have two oceanic plates crushing together and subducting.

Which creates something I'm calling the Kyoshi Trench; she could LITERALLY have gouged a deep hole into the seafloor by crushing the back edge of the new plate (which I will refer to as the Kyoshi Plate) into the adjacent one.

So Kyoshi didn't JUST make an island if this is what she did; she also made a new tectonic plate, a new seafloor spreading ridge, and what's possibly the Avatar world's version of the Marianas Trench.

tl;dr: Q U E E N S H I T

[nizar-dreams]

As amazing as Fantastic Beast is with all of the interesting creatures and additional lore, I loathe the take on the American Magical World. And not because American pride (‘Merica🇺🇸🦅🇺🇸🦅🇺🇸🦅) but because that might work in New York, but that social structure sure as fuck don’t work the farther west you get.

Each state is different, it gives them their charms, and each state also has… drumroll please 🥁🥁🥁🥁

NATIVE AMERICANS!!! Yes the people who’ve been on these lands since before the first of the 13 colonies even existed!!!

Can you imagine Magical America? The creatures who lived alongside tribes? The giant forests? Hell, the other sentient beings like the centaurs, goblins, elves, etc.? Imagine:

The great Rivers and Lakes guarded by the merfolk and swimming with the great salmons, occasionally assisting the tribes along their borders so they all may share what the waters have to offer them

The great Plains and Forests with centaur tribes being mighty and powerful, guardians of the lands and occasionally allying with the human tribes

Elves that are still short but mighty and healthy and who get mistaken for native children when they live alongside human tribes

Goblins living deep in the caves of mountains, living happily with little human interaction besides for trading for safe passages and materials.

Imagine the werewolves loving their inner wolves and having their own tribes and living peacefully in their homes.

Imagine that, for thousands, and hundreds of years they lived in peace, occasionally waring against themselves but things happen of course but they way the magic and earth had never been so healthy as it was. Gods imagine Yellowstone or the Grand Canyon? Or the Mojave Desert? The great basins, the plateaus…

And then, when the Europeans started claiming the land that the magical beings fought to protect the lands they have lived on for centuries, the creatures of the forest hiding the remnants of their great lands from human eyes and hands, protecting the magic that slowly dies as the land gets destroyed and the magical beings who called those lands home started to die and could no longer protect the land.

That they tried to cling and hide and fight for their homes with whatever they could, but when the magical Europeans got involved it just went to hell for the magical beings.

The Native Reservations, National Parks/Lands, and deep into the mountains, are some of the few places that magical creatures can live in relative peace. The centaurs are not as many, and the elves either live on the reservations or the forests. The goblins are not like their European kin, but they are not the same as they were, now instead of trade for safe passage it is trade for protection of human materials or trading for goblin creations. The merfolk have perished in most lakes and rivers where humans have polluted or hunted their food to extinction. The magical creatures who once lived on the land are either hunted down for sport or for being declared born of hell.

Now imagine Ilvermorny, created by a mother who wanted her children to learn magic, and turned into a way for tribes to take shelter and teach their ways as well as learn other ways for magic. The school cropping up in the midst of Magical Americas downfall becomes a place that the few tribes not driven out of their home learn different form of magic while creating a foundation for Native American magic to survive and be taught in the school. Imagine multiple sister schools (because America is too big for there ti be only one school) to the original Ilvermorny being created to teach, to embrace and preserve a culture they refuse to let be erased.

Years later and it is a core course that gets taught, and keeps a part of a culture alive that was on the bring of complete erasure.

Imagine that when African slaves started appearing and become enslave, those who escaped and found themselves at Ilvermorny schools, they started teaching their magics as well. Then as more minorities started to appear in America, so did the lessons in certain Ilvermorny schools where these minorities were prevalent.

America is a cauldron full of magical cultures being mixed, and Ilvermorny is the first to openly teach different magical cultures. The southern schools involve more Mexican, Spaniard, some French, and African magical courses, while the north is more French. The east coast is more influenced by British magics, while the west coast is influenced by the Spaniard, Chinese, and Russian.

They all had their own mix and all have the main course shared by the people who lived their first, but magical america is sooo much more more fascinating and so young still! There is still so much that I can’t possibly cover without a month of research! And we haven’t even reached the southern hemisphere!

Fantastic Beast is great, but it’s missing the uniqueness and complexity of America. And I can only dip a finger into the endless possibilities of the magical American world.

[cypherdecypher]

Animal of the Day!

Bale Mountains Tree Frog (Balebreviceps hillmani)

(Photo from AmphibiaWeb)

Conservation Status- Critically Endangered

Habitat- Ethiopia

Size (Weight/Length)- 50 mm

Diet- Small insects

Cool Facts- There’s just something about frogs with tiny legs that makes me laugh. The Bale Mountains tree frog is native to only a tiny stretch of mountains and plateaus in Ethiopia. Preferring areas of thick woodland and plentiful leaf litter, these frogs stay moist under leaves, moss, and logs. The Bale Mountains tree frog is completely terrestrial and never goes through a tadpole state. Instead, they go directly from egg to tiny frog. Despite their range being completely encompassed by Bale Mountains National Park, these frogs continue to decline in population. Threatened by a mixture of deforestation, Chytrid fungus, and agricultural development, the Bale Mountains tree frog remains one of the most endangered amphibians in the world.

Rating- 12/10 (What a funky frog.)

[teaah-art]

Some Ponniyin Selvan themed tarot card designs! In no particular order. And there will be more!

Some design notes under cut

The Fool : Chose Vandiyadevan for this one. The Fool Card I referenced had a dog in it and I chose to replace that with Semba. Instead of a traveller's bindle, Vandiyadevan here is holden a sheathed sword, symbolic of Aditha Karikalan's sword he received in the beginning of the story. Instead of snowy mountains, around him are green Nilgiri Hills and black basalt rocks, typical for the Deccan plateau.

The Magician: Chose Ravidasan for this. My train of thought was essentially = Sorcerer? Magician? Kinda?. Kept the left hand pose same as the original card but replaced the white wand with the fire in hand which is how the PS movies portrayed Ravidasan praying to Kottravai (I haven't read the books). Chose not to draw anything else from the original card, since it didn't fit Ravidasan's aesthetic and I also kinda liked the look of the card without anything 🤷‍♀️

The Hierophant: This one's Madhurantakan. It just fits him so well! My intention with this was to draw him sitting on a throne in a Chola style Shiva temple, but I found it more appealing to have a blurry/dark background with the lighting on Madhurantakan himself, which ended up making the background details kinda pointless. The two people kneeling are supposed to be Periya Pazhuvettaraiyar and his brother, though honestly, interpret it how you will. Original card ref.

The Hermit : Chose Alwarkadiyan Nambi for this. Replaced the lamp from the original card with one of those deepams that have a deity at the center and are throne shaped. The one my mom owns/ the ref I had in mind has Vishnu at the center so it sorta felt fitting, at least on a personal note. He's supposed to be standing on a beach but unsure if that's coming across (I'm not that great with backgrounds....)

[t34-mt]

hi, i hope you don't mind this question, but what sport does nau'stikah exactly play?

surprised an anon knows he plays sports, i don't remember if i even mentioned it on my blog honestly? also no i don't mind character asks im just shy :>

organized combats in the style of southern momui'oma region, specifically Nuinuk colony, which is the biggest momui'oma colony and holds the biggest festivals of the region. Some would argue out of every coastal group that Nuinuk festivals are the best to attend to, a must even. The main sport nau'stikah practices are organized theatrical combats, usually taking place during the renowned festival month where they're presented several times a week, the schedule being quite tight sometimes for the actors.

although theatrical combats are held all year, but the most prized and memorable happens at this month which is momui'oma's new cycle celebration. Other combats will be held for small festivities of the colony and do not attract so many voyagers. Passing by people will be here sometimes because of Nuinuk being a big colony in general. other sports are mainly a hobby because he enjoys physical activity (and showing off but that's a detail he wont admit). One of them being wrestling which is a sport born in northern regions, believed to have been started in polar maanul groups. It was imported in Nuinuk via northern immigrants. the wrestling is different and incorporates things from the southern continent theater standards thus creating its own sub genre in momui'oma. It works quite close to staged wrestling we have!

organized combats are mainly staged, wearing gears that look closer to a festival costume but still have the required padding on the stomach area to endure talon kicks. While the talon kicks wont cut them, they still can get out of here with nasty blue marks if the combat was intense. The shows are over the top, and incorporate almost dance-like performances too. Since they happen during the theater play acting is part of the sport too. The combat recreates either folklore or mythology tales, or made up storyline between fighters! The combatants are seen as popular sports figures among colony but the favorites will hold an almost "unbeatable near living diety status. Which is what nau'stikah immigrated here to achieve, and he did! he did acquire his own unique title as many fan favorites do. His being "fire catcher".

talon kicking combat is a thing worldwide, with different rules and gear worn, and levels of dangerosity in it. For example talon kicking in plateau region inside the mountain range is quite violent. little to no gear worn, they're short, around a minute or less but quite damaging. They firstly originated from a plateau kyhuine courting practice, where "female" members would fight violently for the prettiest "male" (i put " " because the way their concept of gender works there isn't through assignment via birth sex like humans generally do) as a show off of their capabilities, and while that practice is still alive it also derived into a sport with rules. But the intensity of it is still very present.

babbling -> i still want to develop one that requires swinging (not throwing) an instrument. But at the same time, i have to make a diagram of arm movement and how far they can move them around. since their arms arent on a ball socket joint, they can't do a full circle rotation. they can move it up to a certain degree and rotating it backwards is very limited. I think id be enough for what i have in mind though. Their butterfly joint is limited but not bad though. Also if they ever had sports that require throwing it would be thrown like a frisbee, again using the butterfly joint instead.

people forget this often but humans are like little freaks that are extremely good at throwing things and other primates arent able to do it as well as us. a lot of our sports when you think about it revolves around running around and throwing things, which are the 2 things our bodies excell at. and i think its fun and cool, humans are cool in their own ways ok. anyways, for maanuls and kyhuines their sports generally will also revolve around running around, length jumps and talon kicking

[icey--stars]

Stories To Be Told: PART 3

Series Index

A shadowsinger, a warrior, an Illyrian, that's what she was. Trained by one of the most formidable female warriors. Escaped the Illyrian camps and her clipping when she was barely sixteen and is now the holder of 6 siphons. What happens when she tries to sneak into the City of Starlight? And starts down a whole new road of chaos?

↢ 『 ☾ 』 ↣

I awoke early in the morning. I didn’t sleep too well, but I didn’t fall out of the tree or anything and no creatures dared to come near.

I launched myself into the air after packing my things away and flew towards the huge mountain. I rounded the area, ignoring Velaris in my peripherals and instead focusing on where I saw people coming out on the flattened plateau area at the top of the mountain.

I glided for a little, observing, before I landed, tucking my wings in tightly before I went to face whoever was near.

I saw Nesta and the two females beside her regard me carefully. One had wings, and one had red hair. There were other females as well, but they seemed to focus their attention elsewhere.

Cassian was near a wall. I met his gaze for only a moment before turning to assess the training grounds.

It was sandy and had many fighting rings, as well as weights and dull training weapons lined against a wooden wall.

I spotted Nesta and her friends coming up to me. The Illyrian I took more attention towards when I saw scars running down her wings. Clipped. My heart ached a bit for her.

“Hello there,” I said when they had come close enough.

Nesta just dipped her head in greeting. The red-headed one spoke, “I’m Gwyn, nice to meet you.”

“Y/N,” I replied.

The Illyrian female spoke up as well, “Emerie.”

I dipped my head towards her. Despite not knowing her, I knew from the scars on her wings what she had potentially faced in life, so I respected her more than most already.

I saw Azriel land across the area beside Cassian. I just merely regarded his presence with a quick glance before focusing on the females in front of me again.

“I suppose we’ll see how well you can hold those weapons soon,” Nesta said before she walked off. Gwyn waved a bit as she followed. Emerie stared at me just a while longer, her eyes glancing at my wings. I blinked slower, letting a very slight smile onto my face. Emerie did the same back before she followed Nesta. If I wanted to get to know anyone here, it’d most likely be Emerie first, I decided.

Cassian walked up to me next. “I don’t know how skilled you are, nor what you can do, so join in wherever you want. The more skilled train with me for weapons and the newer ones train with Azriel at whatever skill level they’re at.”

I nodded. Cassian walked off toward Nesta and her group. I took a glance at Azriel who was with the other females before I walked to a corner of the training area, setting my bag down along with my sword. I kept most of my daggers on me though. Then I walked over to where Nesta, Gwyn, Emerie and Cassian had already begun stretching.

I joined in. My flexibility wasn’t the best of the best, but it was certainly better than most; I confirmed that when I was able to do all things that Cassian was able to do. I suppose I could use him as the standard for my skills for now, I decided.

“Alright, shoes off ladies,” Cassian ordered. “We’re going to review the basics again. You guys haven’t done it this week.”

“Why is it always the basics,” Nesta groaned.

“It’ll be fast, Nes, you know that,” Cassian said with a smirk. “You’ll get to play with your sharp stabby things in a bit.”

Everyone unlaced or toed off their boots. I set my own boots to the side, stretching my arms one last time before getting ready to do “the basics” or whatever they were. I paid very little attention to what the Illyrians considered the basics, and instead familiarized myself with their flight, formations and signals. Never with their basic sword fighting. Perhaps it’d be similar to what Rainne put me through.

“Balance on your right foot,” Cassian ordered.

We obeyed. I was slightly confused. This was their basics? I’d be perfectly fine then, I chuckled. I kept my foot raised for a long time, only almost falling once before I mastered myself and took a deep breath to focus again.

“Left foot.”

I switched my feet mid air, landing on my bare left foot, heel first to my toe, a silent and very light landing. I’d mastered this sort of balance first with Rainne. I knew my fighting style differed from a normal Illyrian fighting style, but this much? Perhaps they really didn’t like their footwork, I thought, amused.

Cassian brought out a bunch of wooden sticks, handing us each two.

“Stretch out horizontally with your arms out holding the sticks.”

I flipped the wooden poles in my hands as I stretched my leg out behind me, and balanced each pole in my opened palms facing upward. This, at least, was familiar to me. Rainne had loved to torture me using this technique. Palms up to the sky, balancing some sort of pole or dagger or stick while my head remained up, and body balanced.

“Good,” Cassian praised as he did the same with us. I took a deep breath, closing my eyes for a second.

“Switch.”

I completed the order quickly, my thighs and calves flexing as I again balanced myself.

Another technique Rainne loved to use to torture me was making me spread out my wings and hold them up as far as they could go. I didn’t do this now, but these exercises were certainly bringing up a lot of memories.

“Good. Let’s do our squats now,” Cassian ordered after we’d held each position around a total of 10 minutes.

Squats, in my opinion, were terrible, but necessary sins. When we finished, my thighs ached subtly, but at least Cassian hadn’t had to correct my posture or anything like he did for Gwyn and Nesta.

“Great. Let’s do the 8 pointed star next,” Cassian suggested. “Grab a training sword.”

The other three females went immediately to grab a sword. I hesitated. 8 pointed star? What was that? 

Cassian noticed my hesitance. “I don’t know the Raven’s teaching method. The 8 pointed star is just sword maneuvers. You can follow along, or I can show you.”

I met his gaze. “I suppose I’ll learn it. Learn how the Illyrians do it and all that.”

Cassian nodded. I went to pick up a training sword. It was significantly heavier than the sword I carried, and shorter, but I’d manage I suppose.

“Nes, you three do your star,” Cassian ordered as he turned to me, holding an Illyrian blade that he drew from his back.

I met his eyes and he blinked. “Seeing as you already know how to use a sword, this, in theory, should be easy,” Cassian assured, speaking quieter than when he was ordering us into balancing. “Perhaps sometime we should spar, and you use that lithe blade you left in the corner.”

“Perhaps,” I replied. “Compared to the Illyrians I’ve fought, my style is much lighter.”

Cassian nodded. “Interesting,” he merely regarded. “Get into a stance,” he then ordered.

I spread my legs farther, holding the training blade with both of my hands and faced my head forward, my weight settled more onto my haunches as I bent my knees slightly.

“Hm. Good,” Cassian decided. “This will work. I’d rather not mess up whatever you already have memorized internally. Hold the sword out in front of you.”

He copied my position in front of me. I noticed his weight sat more on his feet than mine, but it worked. I held the sword out, elbows bent so that I was looking through the blade at Cassian.

“Copy what I do,” He simply ordered. Then threw out his sword in a powerful arching slash, flipped the blade and blocked an invisible blow, then downward. And he paused there, looking at me.

I copied what he did exactly, easily and without any faltering. An easy maneuver, I noted. But it was a powerful one.

He simply grinned and then did the next set of movements. I copied them without any problem. This continued until we’d completed eight different maneuvers, each easy to complete and slightly familiar to me I noticed. The Illyrians I’d fought tried these on me. And I’d learned how to block them. Not use them.

“Good,” Cassian said as I finished the last movement, a side step into a stab. “Memorize those movements, if you plan to continue coming to training.”

I dipped my head slightly. Sweat was coming off my brow and I wiped my forehead, shaking out my wings to feel a slight cool breeze blow into them.

I copied the 8 pointed star with the other three females. It was only a memory issue, if an issue occurred, and I quickly revised it, completing each set of movements with skill and confidence.

“Good, alright, let’s pause now,” Cassian ordered after a bit of time. We rose to face him. I saw the other females taking deep breaths, eyes closing for a moment before opening them. They looked a lot more focused, I noted as I took deep breaths to let my lungs catch up.

“If I can steal Azriel, we’ll spar, but otherwise, we’ll do some weight training,” Cassian explained, and then walked off with an amused grin as Nesta immediately protested.

Emerie looked at me now. I met her gaze. She was strong-willed, I noted as I saw her back straighten and gaze harden. That told me I was slightly threatening to her. So I took a slight step back, showing I meant no harm. She blew out a breath and just nodded to herself. I could tell she wanted to ask me questions, but hesitated.

I spoke just loud enough for her to hear. “Just ask, I don’t mind,” I promised.

Emerie jerked her head up. Then, after a beat of silence, she asked, “You’re able to fly,” She said, a simple observation that I was not clipped.

“I escaped a long time ago,” I replied. “I was almost not able to.”

Emerie nodded. Understanding flooding her gaze. “Who?”

“The camp lord. It was before Rhysand was High Lord,” I explained.

“Ah,” She murmured.

Nesta gave me a look, as if in warning, but I also saw a bit of sympathy flood her gaze. I tried to ignore it.

Azriel and Cassian were walking over toward us now.

“Alright. Nesta, with Emerie. Gwyn, Azriel. Y/N, you’re with me. You can use whichever blade you choose. But I am quite curious to see how you fight.”

I dipped my head, and decided to return the training blade and retrieve my own sword. I belted on the short leather sheath before walking over to Cassian. Everyone else had begun a spar, blades flashing in the light.

I withdrew my sword from my hip, the thin and long blade shining with the light beating down.

Cassian lowered into a fighting stance, as did I. Then we began. It was slow at first. We each tested each other. I grew more confident with each swing though. These were sword techniques I recognized from other Illyrian males. The thing that kept me at bay was the fact this was a spar, not a murder, and Cassian was told to be the best warrior in Pyrthian. He was confident in his skills, and sometimes that can prove fatal.

We drew apart for only a split moment before rushing each other, gazes hardened. I parried his blow, and attempted to knock the blade from his hand. I failed that maneuver miserably and quickly leaped away, landing on my right leg as I flared my wings slightly. Cassian didn’t let me gain an inch.

We fought for a long time, being the last pair to finish, almost a whole half hour later. Cassian had moved forward when we had our blades pushed together, something I wasn’t expecting, and caused me to lose my balance. He used this to trip me. I had to admit he was very skilled compared to other Illyrians. I noted his movements as I took his offered hand to stand. Strong and confident. If I ever had to face him in a fight to the death; Mother help me, I prayed. I put my blade away in its sheath.

“Fancy footwork,” Cassian complimented before turning to everyone.

Azriel, I noted, was watching me closer than before, but he turned his gaze away after he saw me staring right back. He was walking back to his own charges after a couple moments, shadows swirling around him. I tried not to think too much about it. Maybe he was just weird. His job was being a spymaster. And what did spies do for the courts? Kill people... torture people... be sneaky and mysterious. Honestly, he could just be like that, I considered.

Nesta dipped her head toward me, as if in respect. I dipped my head back in return. Very subtly though. Lest she think I'm going to openly show her respect this early into knowing her. People earned my respect. The less subtle my head dip, the more respect I have for you.

The sun was much higher in the sky, I noted as I glanced up. Close to noon.

“Alright, everyone, water break and cool down, then you can be done for the day,” Cassian spoke.

I followed the crowd over to a water station near an archway. I made sure I’d gotten my fill before wandering back over to the training area for my final stretching. Luckily, the term “cool down” wasn’t foreign to me.

Cassian ordered us into the final stretching for the day (it was a pretty easy day of training to be honest, for me). I stretched out my wings wide as many of the females who trained took a breather and sat down.

I went back to my things, staring off into the sky in front of me. I suppose I could train, but I’d need to find somewhere to stow away my belongings preferably. A tree hole would do, I thought.

Azriel came over towards me. “You’re impressively skilled,” He commented.

I perked up, folding my wings as I turned toward him. “Thank you,” I replied. He didn’t leave, just kind of staring. I quirked a brow. “Is there something you want to ask me?” I asked.

“Why do you keep your shadows hidden?” Azriel asked, his own dark beings floating in the air around him.

I turned away slightly. “It’s not safe,” I replied simply. “And while the whispers I hear are comforting, it is much safer to not have them around me.”

Azriel’s jaw tightened, but he just nodded as a form of acknowledgement. “Will we see you tomorrow?”

I hesitated for a second. Should I come back? Is it a good idea to attach myself? Sure, the training was most likely useful, and I might even be able to share some of what I know, but, was it really a good idea to come here, and get used to having people around me again? It’d be nice… but I didn’t trust it. Not completely.

“Maybe,” I said, deciding to not decide yet.

Azriel seemed uncomfortable for some reason. “What are you going to do for the rest of the day?”

“Probably fly and then hunt for rabbits. I saw a warren not too far away when I arrived,” I replied, turning around to gather my things, slinging my bag over my shoulder and right wing. 

“You’re welcome to come to the House of Wind for dinner,” he offered. “Unless you are uncomfortable, but the House can provide a meal for you elsewhere besides the dining room if you’re uncomfortable there. Just ask aloud.”

I dipped my head. “Perhaps,” I decided. It’d be easier than hunting rabbits, but I didn’t know if I was ready to come back here so soon.

“Goodbye,” I said, half spreading my wings in preparation for a flight.

Azriel replied, “I’ll see you later.”

Maybe, my mind helpfully reminded me.

I didn’t waste another beat, eager to get out of the awkward conversation with the weird spy. I glided down to the forest, finding a hole in a tree right at the base of the mountain. I settled my bag into it, and after a second of thought, my sword too. I blocked up the entrance with sticks and then launched myself into the sky.

I glided on the other side of the mountain, over forests and other, smaller mountains around the House. I didn’t fly over Velaris, deciding that wouldn’t be the best of my ideas, even if Cassian and Azriel knew I wasn’t a threat this time.

I opted to glide just above the treetops, enjoying myself plenty enough. I checked up on some aerial maneuvers I knew, and flew high up in the clouds where the air grew thinner before I regarded the sun’s position in the sky. Just high enough to hunt.

Then I thought about Azriel’s offer. I could go back, having a well prepared meal rather than just cooked rabbit over a fire. It’d taste better, and be probably healthier. I pursed my lips before turning my course towards the House. I silently swore to myself it was only for tonight.

I landed on the same balcony as before, walking inside the doors. Nobody was there to greet me. I explored a bit, coming to a small area by a window with a simple stool and table. Books were in one corner, piling up on bookshelves, and the small table beside it. A nice little nook in the entirety of this mansion.

I recalled Azriel’s instructions. Just ask aloud? That seemed weird, I thought. “May I please have a meal?” I asked aloud, quieter so if anyone was near, they wouldn’t hear me.

A plate with food popped up on the table. Magic.

“Thank you, I guess,” I chuckled. “A sentient house. Interesting.”

I ate my food relatively quickly. When I finished, the plate disappeared.

“Alright, I best be going,” I said aloud to myself, and just in case the House was listening. Though it was very weird to be speaking to a literal structure.

I glided down to my things before once again setting up to rest in the branches of a tree. I decided it was most likely safe enough and decided to rest in the tree at the foot of the ridge. I didn’t know when I’d decided I’d go to training again, but something in me just said to go.

So I did.

[cascadeclangen]

Oh no, Para is procrastinating on cascadeclan with… cascadeclan.

The four clans of this land are Blazeclan, Iceclan, Cascadeclan, and Whisperclan.

Cascadeclan territory:

The Camp - Cascadeclan’s camp is located in a cave system behind a waterfall, accessible through a path that leads up the steppes to it. Clan meetings are hosted in a side cave with a skylight, mini waterfall, and a small pool of water. All the nests are together in one cave, aside from those in the medicine den for the sick and injured. The medicine cats only sleep there when they have ill clanmates to look after.

6. The Upper Steppes - much of Cascadeclan’s land is significantly lower than the other clans. Instead of dropping down in a single cliff or being a steady slope, there are tiered sections marking past flood levels and eroding of the ground.

7. The Islands - at the base of the steppes, the various waterfalls all flow into a basin with many small islands. The land is somewhat swampy from the seasonal flooding, but also rich and fertile for plant life. They also provide good locations for fishing.

8. The Lower Grove - Marking a portion of the boundary between Blazeclan and Cascadeclan is a grove of aspen trees. While not Cascadeclan’s main source of food, the forest is vital when the island basin freezes over, and again later when the snowmelt floods much of their territory. A thunderpath runs between the edge of the trees and Blazeclan, before looping further into the trees and back out of clan territory.

Blazeclan territory:

The Camp - Blazeclan nests in a clearing in a field of heather and brambles. The prickly plants act as a natural defense, with the entrance hidden behind a winding maze. Blazeclan’s dens have loosely woven walls to let in breezes for the intense heats of greenleaf, but thick roofs to keep out snow and rain during the colder moons.

1. The Heather Field - Hiding the camp away, the heather field is a dense weave of its namesake flower, and other prickly foliage. The naturally formed animal trails make for a difficult to traverse terrain, but once one learns the layout, they are perfect for hunting rabbits and smaller rodents.

2. The rest of Blazeclan’s land is pretty homogenous, rolling grassy hills that turn scorching and dry during greenleaf. Wildfires aren’t uncommon to see, during which Blazeclan often takes shelter in the gathering hollow, or with Cascadeclan in extreme situations.

Iceclan territory:

The Camp - Iceclan’s camp is carved directly into the ice and rock that makes up the face of the glacier their name comes from. All of the floor of the camp has been packed with leaf litter, dried prey pelts, and moss to insulate against the ice’s inherent chill. The prey pit is left untouched however, as the Iceclan cats learned it lasted longer in direct contact with the ice. Like Cascadeclan, all of Iceclan sleep communally to stave off the freeze of their camp.

3. The Snow Fields - the surface of the glacier. Snow, ice, and rock stretch out into the mountains, with deadly crevasses gouged into it’s surface. Unsuspecting cats could fall down into these, in which it is almost always a death sentence.

4. The Glacial Face & The Runoff Plains - The face of the glacier is riddled with caves and tunnels that snowmelt pours out from every season but leafbare. The brittle ice that much of it is made of can crumble off, a danger to anyone walking below. The runoff plains are a field of nutrient rich soil and grasses, fed by the minerals that the glacier has picked up over time. Herbs grow thickly here, vital to Iceclan when so much of their territory is inhospitable to plant life.

Whisperclan territory

Whisperclan Camp - Whisperclan set up on a plateau in their woodland, with the only entrance being a hollowed tree with a soil ramp inside. Thorn bushes grow up the edges of the plateau and form a natural barrier, with less thorny bushes forming the dens. Careful weaving of the branches has made the dens completely waterproofed over many seasons, and cats tend to decorate their living spaces with pretty rocks, plants, and feathers.

10. The High Aspens - The entirety of Whisperclan’s claimed land is an aspen forest, a much larger, older forest than the lower grove. Fog pools between the trees every night, and even lingering through the colder days of leafbare. Whisperclan’s foliage is filled with a diverse array of prey, though they have the second lowest access to medicinal herbs in comparison to Iceclan’s runoff flats and Cascadeclan’s mini marshlands.

11. The Foothills - The aspens stretch right up to the mountains, where the trees grow sparser and the ground rockier. Whisperclan tends not to head this way as often, not suited to the mountain environment in the ways Iceclan is.

Neutral Territories

5. The Gathering Hollow & Star Spire - The clans hold gatherings in a hollow just above the steppes, and set into the runoff flats of Iceclan. A tunnel leads down from the hollow, connecting to a cave system that leads to the Star Spire. With such close proximity to Cascadeclan’s cave systems, it is theorized they connect, however the unstable nature of these peripheral tunnels discourages exploration.

9. The Mountains - Past Iceclan and Cascadeclan, the mountains rise up into a jagged skyline. A group of cats is claimed to live in the mountains, but they haven’t been sought out. According to stories passed down by elders, the founder of the clans came from the mountains. An apprentice who fell during a journey, washed out of the mountains and into what became Cascadeclan.

[breannasfluff]

The pack–two wolves and a hylian who’s more wolf than hero–continue toward the split in the mountain. Time keeps his nose to the wind for people, as does Twilight. Instead, they find a tower, like the one on the Great Plateau. 

It’s also surrounded by enemies. Time would dearly like Wild to have a map of the area, but even he and Twilight can’t clear the whole area by themselves. Wild is still refusing to use a sword correctly, so there's a poor chance of him doing anything past biting.

With a regretful huff and slumped tail, Time leads the little pack in a wide circle. Wild seems–disappointed, but thankfully doesn’t hare off to try anything on his own. Time and Twilight stay close anyway. 

Past the tower, there’s a road with one end stretching to a great bridge. The road also continues the other way toward some forests. Maybe there are people in either of these directions, but the split in the mountain lies directly between the two ahead. They do little more than cross the road before entering the forest. There’s no one on the path and Time’s at a loss for whether this is a good or a bad thing.

How will the cub react to hylians? The longer they go without seeing someone, the more worried he gets. Then again, Kass went well, so maybe he worries over nothing.

Wild finds a shrine in the woods and descends, leaving the two wolves to fret on their own. 

Cub okay? Twilight paces, pawing at the floor that refuses to lower for him.

Time is worried as well, but instead of pacing, he sits in place. His tail thrashes a bare spot behind him; he can’t seem to stop it. 

We’ll be okay, he rumbles. When Twilight doesn’t stop, he gets up and puts his head on the other’s back. The weight pushes down and Time leans into it until Twilight sinks to the ground. Okay , he says again and leaves his head across the furry back.

When Wild leaves the shrine, it’s with a new collection of scratches and a glowing blue sword clutched in one hand. This, at least, he seems to know how to use.

Twilight nearly knocks the hero over when he jumps, planting his front paws on the Cub’s chest to lick his face. Worry, worry, worry!

Pack good, yes! Okay!  Wild says back, dropping to the ground so Twilight can reach him easier. Time joins his protege and leans into Wild’s back, adding a lick of his own to the hylian ear that flicks his way. 

They settle nearby for the night and the two wolves curl on either side of Wild, guarding as much as warming. They’ve made progress toward the split in the mountain and Time mentally pats himself. They can do this. Ears half-pricked for danger, he settles for sleep.

Read the rest here!

[skyward-floored]

this is your invitation to yap about TOTK

- hero-of-the-wolf

And I will yap!

First of all watching Zelda geek out under the castle was the best, she was so giddy by the time she figured out the murals and everything, and Link was just nodding along like “I only half know what you’re saying but I love hearing you infodump”. Plus the stuff about her always being told “the tunnels under the castle are forbidden” like girl you’re telling me NOBODY went down there?? Highly unlikely. I don’t buy it.

The lore in this game is already driving me nuts. There’s people from the sky but they’re not skyloftians. They founded hyrule even though the skyloftians did that but also the inprisoning war is in there somewhere which makes NO sense because it seemed like in twilight princess it had nothing to do with the founding of hyrule, and what’s all this about Rauru being the first king? Excuse me? Did nintendo just soft reset everything because I don’t like that—

*ahem*

I’m holding out hope that more will be explained. And it will make more sense. Maybe. (I’m not very positive lol)

Zelda gets an amber relic but it’s white and shiny instead! Neato! Obviously this is important since more with it shows up later. I don’t totally know what yet though... I’m suspicious.

also I didn’t know the corpse would talk. that was terrifying actually. listening to him crack as he shifted around was! Horrible!!

I’ve screamed about the hand grabbing thing back when the trailers came out but hwwwwaaauuugghghhg. He tried so hard to save her and she fell anyway hhhhhhhhhhh. Link my poor son.

WHY DOES POOR LINK KEEP WAKING UP UNDERGROUND IN HIS UNDERWEAR WITH NO CLUE WHAT’S GOING ON. Once was weird enough but twice??? this poor man. And he doesn’t even have the questionable luxury of memory loss this time, you know that boy is worrying his head off about Zelda. And his arm. Ow.

Nothing funnier than hearing a disembodied voice be like “sorry, I couldn’t save your arm so I just gave you mine.” Sir.

The sky islands are so pretty. I saw one of those weird hairy ostrich things and for about two seconds went LOFTWING?? but alas. it was not so. I like all the animals up there, though I have to wonder how there weren’t issues with in-breeding, and how several species are identical to ones on the surface despite being separated for literal thousands of years.... I’m probably thinking about it too hard.

The robot guys are so cute, and the noises they make are pretty too. They look kinda like geckos to me :) though the enemy ones are mean. At least I stole a flamethrower from the one guy.

Rauru: dang it my arm is too weak to go through the door. Sorry bro. Fortunately there’s these shrines—

Link: *flashbacking to the Great plateau* say no more.

GLUE GLUE GLUING THINGS EHEEHE

Koroks again... oof man. At least the little quest things you do with them get you two. Helping them is fun, plus they’re so weighed down by their bags their legs just wiggle in the air ahaha they’re like beetles who got stuck upside down. They’re so cute.

STICKING THINGS ON WEAPONS EYEBALL ARROWS AND CRATE SWORDS HEHEHE

Of all the things I expected going into this the giant blupee frog was not one of them. Whuh. Cursed blupee? Blupee that ate too much? Something?? Hrmmmm. I bet you’ll have to give the little blupee pendant things to Satori or something. Or somebody on Satori mountain.

The glow flowers (who’s name’s I forget) are soooo pretty. I love how there’s caves in this game, it’s so fun to climb around in them :D except when there’s a like-like because eeeeuuugghhgg. I didn’t think anyone could make a like-like grosser than it already was and yet here we are. EW. kill it kill it kill it—

Bird gliders are SO FUN

All of the abilities are fun but I like rewind a lot because it’s so simple. It’s like, fun because it’s less complicated? Idk it’s just neat. Plus Zelda gave it to us so it’s special :3 or her echo did. Or something. I’m suspicious.

Okay. Glowey spot. Broken master sword. Chiming and Fi’s theme (waaaaaah). Put the sword in the glow and it looks like we rewind and Zelda takes it. THEREFORE Zelda must have been yeeted to the past by that weird rock she picked up, and I hate nintendo because SERIOUSLY TIME TRAVEL AGAIN???

I already have a headache trying to make this fit into my understanding of Zelda games. *shakes fist*

Okay Zelda talked to us at least, that’s good, now we’re getting somewhere. Surface time babey!!!!

Trying to orient myself after I fell was so confusing and it took me a solid half an hour to figure out where I should maybe go and then Skye reminded me there was a glowey marker on my map telling me where to go lollll

Also I caught a horse and there were shenanigans involved in getting him to a stable but I did eventually register him (his name is Lucas after Lost’s dad but also I just like the name). And pony points are the best thing I’ve ever heard of <333 mad you still can’t pet the dogs though. LAME.

Lookout Landing is amazing. It’s so great. The music is catchy and they’re all so organized and rebuilding and Hyrule in general just seems so much more thriving now and I’m so proud of Link and Zelda waaaaaaaaaugh

Also everyone being so worried about Link (or straight-up not recognizing him lol) was sweet, I love how relieved people were to see him again.

PURAH’S OLD(er) AND IT KINDA HAS ME SHOOK. Her assistant is real sweet though, Josha I think? Nice kid. I don’t know if she’s eleven or sixteen or some other age entirely, but nice kid.

Just realized this is getting very very long. I didn’t do a ton else except pop up to the castle (creepy and unsettling with no guardians trying to kill me) and see Zelda appear then disappear (very weird and I’m suspicious again) so I’ll stop here. Ohhh also I popped down to the depths, but I didn’t do too much under there either. Just crept around and caught some bugs and killed some monsters (weird-looking monsters) and took a picture of a statue.

So endeth the thoughts of peggy on totk. For now lol.

[smallmariofindings]

On the Japanese official site for New Super Luigi U, the screenshot frame for Frosted Glacier calls it "Sherbet Falls" instead. Interestingly, this is also not the Japanese name for that area (which is "Frozen Plateau" instead); it appears to be unique to this site and is never used anywhere else.

While various languages use the words "sherbet" or "falls" for parts of the area's name (e.g. "Sherbet Mountain" in French or "Ice Cube Falls" in German), none of them call it "Sherbet Falls".

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