#cause I remember even spirits referred to them as Ancient Ones | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

teshadraws · 9 days

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Nia references Trubbish and Garboder in one of the earlier chapters when counterin Tobias' argument about the oddities of the human world…

How could such a species even exist if humans never naturally came to be in this Pokemon world of Seekers?

One of Trubbish' Pokedex entries says, "... was created when garbage and industrial waste mixed, causing a reaction that generated Trubbish."

Unless you may have an entirely different origin in mind for them, lmao.

Same goes for both forms of Muk and Grimer.

… Do Kantonian Voltorb and Electrode exist in Seekers? I can't remember if either have ever appeared...

And I guess the regional forms directly affected by humankind's actions (i.e. Alolan Ratata and Raticate, Alolan Meowth and Persian, Galarian Weezing, Galarian Meowth and Perrserker, Hisuian Zorua and Zoroark) could technically have unique ways of comin to existence due to certain historical or cultural events in the past.

Apparently the Vanillish and Klink lines came first and are what inspired the creation of ice cream and gears…

What about Golett and Golurk and Baltoy and Claydoll? Both lines were created by ancient civilizations… Same POSSIBLY goes for Bronzong and Bronzor.

And I can see Rotom existin... they jus can't inhabit appliances because those jus don't exist in Seekers' pokeworld.

And what of the Magnemite line? Castform? Castform was shockinly actually artificially created in Hoenn to help predict weather! I could see them existin somehow through natural means (clouds that became sentient through mystical means).

What about Deoxys? Deoxys simply came from space when its virus inside a meteorite mutates in the planet's atmosphere… Not from any manmade means.

Does Spiritomb exist and would it be comprised of 108 Pokemon spirits?

The ones I can def rule out from previous asks and convos are Mewtwo, Porygon line, Genesect, Megearna, Type: Null/Silvally, the Galarian fossilmon, Future Paradox Pokemon… And that would also go for Past Parodox Pokemon as well.

I'm also guessin that rules out Meltan and Melmetal as well (can't remember if you mentioned that).

And ya said Ultrabeasts don't exist purely because of no Ultra Wormholes, so no Lunala, Necrozma, Solgaleo, Cosmog, nor Cosmeon. (Though someone made a point in the server about that tombstone possibly havin a depiction of Lunala on it…) I do like the idea that Lunala and Solgaleo have existed once in this world, but someday jus... vanished.

Eternatus is said to be from another world as well… I'm guessin it doesn't exist, or maybe it does to some compacity? Do Zacian and Zamazenta exist in some shape or form?

And since gimmicks like Z-Moves, Dynamax, Gigantamax, and Mega Evolution also don't exist, it'd only make sense the Terrastalization phenomenon also doesn't exist, so no Teragapos either… (Maybe they did at one time but have all vanished or gone extinct).

Could the Treasures of Ruin (Chien-Pao, Wo-Chien, Chi-Yu, and Ting-Lu) also exist in some capacity? It could've been some long forgotten or scarcely known Legendary crafted the items they possess and planted them as precious artifacts across rhe world that intrepid explorers or passersby found and the resultin avarice of whomever owned the treasures caused their curses to bring them to life and take on their corporeal forms as a form of punishment or some sick pleasure from that Legendary? I dunno, I jus really love this quartet! They're so fascinatin and I myself have actually found a way to incorporate them into my PMD EOS AU lore!!

I know this is an enormously long ask, but thanks tons if ya take the time to comb through this and offer some answers! I know a lot of this is reachin and not really pertinant to Seekers' main plot, but it'd be really cool supplementary material! Sorta like what ya guessed for Zekrom and Reshiram.

Oh dang, this is a beefy ask, haha! Here we go.

The Pokemon in Seekers still create waste, even if most of it isn't nearly as manufactured and toxic as the human world's! Plus, the runoff from natural poison types like the gulpin and clodsire lines contributes to the natural poison waste in the environment. I will say that poison types like trubbish and grimer are much less common in Seekers than in the mainline Pokemon worlds, though!

Kantonian voltorb and electrode exist as a natural steel-type offshoot of the Hisuian variant! They just happen to look a lot like the pokeballs of other Pokemon worlds. :]

Hm...I'm going to say the golett/baltoy/bronzor lines just came from ancient Pokemon civilizations' artifacts, rather than human ones!

Magnemite aren't artificially created, so they're present in the Seekers world! I agree that castform could exist through different means, but it's likely a rare occurrence since they would have to come together through a sort of "freak accident" of weather phenomena.

Deoxys isn't currently present in Seekers, but they would have the potential to show up at some point if the space virus made its way to the planet!

Spiritomb does exist, but it's Pokemon spirits instead of human ones as is usually implied in Pokemon's canon.

The meltan/melmetal line exists, though they're rare! They're not manmade and are born from natural steel components.

Whoops. Forgot that I mentioned Lunala on the crobat's tombstone, haha!!! 😅 Let's say that Lunala and Solgaleo are largely considered legends, then, even more so than other Legendary Pokemon. They were thought to exist once, but have long since returned to their own dimensions and are no longer present in the Seekers canon.

Similar to Deoxys, Eternatus isn't currently present in the Seekers world, but could potentially show up if the meteorite it was born from in canon showed up in the world!

Zacian and Zamazenta exist, just without the same lore from Sword and Shield (so no Darkest Day). Instead, they simply guard their territory from threats. I don't think they'll be considered Legendary in Seekers, though. They feel more like regular (albeit powerful) Pokemon to me. I don't have an area in mind for where they dwell, though!

Terapagos probably exists, but its ambient power isn't enough to cause terrastalization in other Pokemon. No game gimmicks here.

The Treasures of Ruin might exist, but that's another quartet that I wouldn't really consider "Legendaries" in Seekers canon! I'd say they're lying dormant in their shrines throughout the Seekers world, but I don't have any lore currently on who sealed them away. They were sealed away due to being dangerous, though, since they were created from negative emotions! Not that that nixes the possibility for redemption down the line. 👀

Hope that satisfies some of your curiosity!

#trookay #ask #tesh talks #seekers of soul lore #long post

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amelikos · 10 months

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Some character notes and episode notes for HZ029, writing them down for future reference.

Roy getting scolded for making a hole in the wall really felt "kid-like" which was nice to see! Roy usually doesn't cause trouble so him playing inside the ship and breaking stuff really shows he is a kid.

Friede telling Roy "didn't you have something to ask" before Roy asks Karna about the Ancient Pokeball is a small moment I really like too. It feels like Friede is giving Roy permission to ask, which is the polite thing to do, instead of Roy just doing so himself. Really like how the series is aware of stuff like that and it shows through in these moments.

Karna making her own Pokeballs was cool to see too. I don't really remember seeing anime only Pokeballs before. I wonder what kind of Pokeball was the one she gave to Orio at the end? We got names for the ones Roy used, but not the one she gave as a parting gift. I wonder if Liko kept the one she was holding too.

Everyone on the ship blaming each other for asking too much from Orio was fun. Mollie is the one pointing out that Orio needs to relax every now and then, it shows how close they are.

I enjoyed Orio and Karna bonding over their passion for their respective crafts. Also liked that the possibility of Orio taking up Karna's offer wasn't played as a misunderstanding with everyone hearing about it or trying to dissuade Orio. Liko heard their conversation and worried about it and subtly tried to know about Orio's feelings about being on the ship by asking her if she was having fun every day. In the end though, the choice was all Orio's and she declined Karna's offer on her own accord.

Horizons depicting older characters struggling with their paths or questioning their lives has been really nice so far. We had Mollie talking about it to Liko in HZ011, then Friede revealing his past in HZ018, and now Orio. Orio was content but felt something was missing in her life and Friede's words made her realize that she wanted to test her abilities which is why she accepted trying to build the Brave Asagi in the first place. Liko got to bond with Orio like she did with Mollie, and sees shades of herself in the women around her. Liko got her sense of adventure from her grandmother. Mollie drew parallels between her experiences and Liko's by bringing up the fact that she didn't know what she wanted to be when she was younger. Orio admits that she wanted to do things she had never done before by going on a journey on the Brave Asagi, and points out that it must be the same thing for Liko. It's really good and I like that Liko gets to have these talks with them.

Friede found a way to calm down the Pokemon by taking into account their characteristics. I like when he shows why he is a Professor with his quick thinking and knowledge.

Friede and Orio's dynamics is great. Friede completely trusts Orio and knows how to ignite her spirit (the callback to "can you do it?" was cute), and in turn she holds the same amount of trust towards him and knew that he probably had something up his sleeve. She didn't even question him because she knows him that much. It's also cute that Orio seems to have her moments of "oh, didn't I tell you?" like Friede. Really shows how they go back a long way. Even Karna knew that Orio would decline her offer to work with her because she saw how Orio talked about Friede (and probably guessed that Orio would want to keep traveling with him, and the others).

I hope Orio and Karna will keep in touch. They get along so well, so it'd be nice if they sent each other messages every now and then.

Also, little moments of Nyahoja and Terapagos playing together are cute... they are getting closer little by little.

I don't know if this was ever confirmed before this, but Orio's Elekid was credited in this episode and it turns out his VA is Horie Shun (Amethio's VA).

#hz029 #character notes #episode notes #orio #liko #karna #friede

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self-loving-vampire · 2 years

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Thank you for your post on NPD!

I had a parent who suffered from it, like a lot of people. It was agonizing watching them continually destroy their own life, and knowing they were probably the common cause, but unable to stop.

They died relatively young as a result, miserable and alone, and there's basically no way to feel anything without also feeling an overwhelming sense of hurt and sadness for them, because they certainly didn't want to be that way.

It's extremely important to acknowledge the damage they did to others -- damage that will long outlive them -- but that doesn't mean they weren't also a victim of their own condition.

I think the core of the issue with NPD is similar to the issue with autism: The narrative is pretty much fully controlled by people who don't have the disorder or really know what it's like, so they end up in echo chambers where they convince themselves that somehow a disorder that can make people feel worthless when they are less than perfect or perfectly pleasing (as is the case with C-PTSD and other conditions that come from trauma) is somehow not painful to the person suffering from it, who is just assumed to be evil for the sake of being evil and has no emotions beyond malice.

Not helping matters is that I notice that there seems to have been a change in discussions of abuse, with practically all of it being pinned on this one disorder to the point of making "narcissist" a synonym for "abuser" even though that doesn't work out demographically given how common child abuse is.

I remember that when I was growing up a lot of what now gets called "narcissistic abuse" used to just be called "abuse". If any qualifiers were added to it they usually referred to the type of actions taken by the abuser (emotional abuse, sexual abuse, financial abuse, etc.) rather than whatever personality disorders they were imagined as having.

I get the impression that this also results in people having a twisted perception of NPD as "evil person disorder" and literally caused by demons (some people do believe that sincerely).

The most troubling thing is that when people pin all evil on this one condition, which often a result of abuse in itself, they also neglect thinking too deeply about the wider social issues that encourage and enable it (most notably the extremely ancient and widespread idea of children as property of their parents and the family being a system of domination in which children are often expected to be violently "trained" into decent behavior).

The fact that the people who are most vocal about quite literally demonizing NPD are so often pro-spanking conservative Christians rambling about satanic conspiracies and "the Jezebel Spirit" is also enough to make me suspect some amount of misdirection is involved, consciously or not.

After all, if you blame abuse on external forces and mentally ill individuals like that rather than accepting it as a consequence of the values you endorse then you can keep the image of the church and the family clean.

It somewhat reminds me of when certain people started trying to blame school shootings on autism. It felt like blatant scapegoating.

#long post

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tipsycad147 · 1 year

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How Do I Know If Hades Is Reaching Out To Me?

In ancient times, the Greeks felt inhibited and terrified to pronounce the name of the Lord of the Dead, as they believed it was a bad omen. Along those lines, they referred to this god by the name of his kingdom, the Hades, because nobody knew (or dared to evoke) his real name. For centuries, Hades has been marginalized, demonized, and only summoned when desperate measures had to be taken. People would invoke the King of the Underworld to claim justice for a crime against their deceased loved ones, especially regarding defamation, homicide, and kidnapping; or to ask for someone’s smooth transition into his kingdom. Modern witches, however, understand that death is also part of life, the end of a cycle, and as such, it should also be respected. We also understand how misunderstood he’s been over the centuries. That’s why we want to remove the stigma around his figure, tell you more about him and show how you can benefit from working with Hades.

If you’re starting deity work or want to learn about it before getting into it, don’t miss out on our How To Work With Deities and Ancestors and How Do I Know If A Deity Is Calling Me? posts. As you do your research, you may find you want to work with Hades, but also, that there are other spirits, such as Hekate, Thanatos, or Anubis, that share similarities with him. So, how are you to confirm that it’s him? Keep reading to find out!

As with other deities, the primary sign that this deity is reaching out to you is that you feel drawn to them, their mythology and their essence. For instance, with Hades, it could start with an interest in necromancy or the Afterlife, or even feeling the need to do shadow work. Moreover, he could show up in dreams or in the astral plane as a large man with a black beard —according to popular opinion.

Associations with Hades

Associations with the Lord of the Dead include skulls, bones, the helmet of invisibility, the bident (a two-pointed spear), Cerberus or dogs in general, snakes, sheep, black wolves and horses, chariots, narcissus, mint, cypress tree, white poplar, iron, the color black, keys, pomegranates, and the planet Pluto.

Most of his signs are correspondences of either his figure, his mythology, or his domain. And some of them are related to other spirits’ myths that are somehow associated with him. For example, pomegranates correspond to his wife, Persephone, and her time as a victim of Hades’ abduction; and the keys open the doors to the Underworld.

Alternatively, coins or money in general, cinnamon, and the cornucopia, as all are associated with the symbolism of wealth, which is Hades’ second domain. You can also experience a sudden increase in your salary or amazing discounts on things you’ve had on your wishlist for so long.

How do I confirm it’s Hades?

Being aware of his mythology and what his job entails will help. As I mentioned, some of his signs are related to other spirits he’s been involved with —Persephone, Sysiphus, Heracles, Hermes, Zeus, et cetera— which is useful to validate his presence and not confuse him with other deities ruling over their respective Underworld.

Doing deity confirmation Tarot readings is one of the most basic ways. The cards that represent Hades are Death, in connection with Pluto —the planet of changes, renewal, and transformation— and The Judgement, in relation to his role in the Underworld. Contrary to popular belief, Hades isn’t the God of Death, but the Dead, as he takes a role in judging the souls that come to his kingdom, assigning them a place in the Elysian Fields, the Asphodel Fields, or the Tartarus pit; and imparting a fair punishment on those who caused damage when they were alive. Because of the latter, Hades is often invoked to ask for justice for innocent victims who have passed in the hands of criminals, murderers, and rapists. Remember to ask further questions related to his story. For instance, the six of swords (Rider Waite-Smith deck) can represent his ferryman, Charon, and the nine of swords, his association with wealth.

How are signs from deities received?

Signs can appear in many different ways. But you’ll know in your heart that what you’re perceiving is a sign because of the frequency and the vehemence in which you receive them. You can notice these signs through your clair senses (clairvoyance, clairaudience, clairalience) or dreams; or you can see his imagery, symbols, and correspondences in social media, in nature, in your house, or even another person can reach out to you on his behalf.

How to start working with Hades?

Even though the Lord of the Underworld usually reaches out or favors people with depression, necromancers, or Scorpio Sun witches, you can also choose to have him as your spiritual mentor.

If you decide to answer his call, you can expect him to be gentle, patient, and respectful of your boundaries. Hades will never see you as broken or damaged, for he understands what it feels like to be lonely and cast as the villain. You can certainly expect him to help you get through shadow work, especially if you want to work through trauma and abandonment. What’s more, in association with necromancy, he can help you communicate with the deceased. It is said that you can ask him to have a loved one who has passed show up in your dreams or get rid of nightmares. In regards to money, as the ruler of wealth, he can assist you in managing your funds and expenses.

In case you're working with Persephone, don’t be surprised if Hades reaches out to you as well, as you cannot have one without the other. If you’re not working with her yet or wonder if she’s trying to contact you, don’t miss our blog post on Signs Persephone Is Calling you.

What offerings are suitable for Hades?

As the God of Wealth, it is safe to assume that Hades has it all and that material expensive offerings aren’t that appealing to him. He appreciates dedication, care, and devotion. Anything worthy of his approval is a good offering. You can give him imagery or elements he’s attributed with, you can do good deeds, such as helping the poor, donating to charity, volunteering in animal rescue shelters, cleaning tombstones, honoring the dead, leaving coins at the entrance of a cemetery for the lost souls, visiting and decluttering rivers, and many more. At the end of the day, it's your relationship with him. You can ask him what he would like as payment in return for the favor granted to you.

What should I be careful about working with Hades?

As with any other spirit, remember they come from the Higher power, he’s superior to humans. So, treating him as your friend or an equal would be disrespectful. Moreover, ever since modern witches started to work with Hades and educate others about his true nature, people began to refer to him in childish ways, which lead to disregarding his authority as king and his power as a god. Furthermore, making foul comments toward his spirit allies, especially Persephone, can cause his wrath.

If you work with multiple deities, try setting up his altar or placing his offerings near spirits’ he gets along with, like Thanatos, Hekate, Hermes, and obviously, Persephone; and away from those he’s not very fond of, such as Lucifer, who he’s believed to have had feuds with.

As always, working with spirits shouldn’t be taken lightly, as they’re ancient beings who, like people, have their limits and moods. Remember to be respectful of these boundaries, no matter the gender or title of the entity, and to take your time before agreeing to bond with them. Do your research, check your protections and think hard about what working with this entity would mean to you and how it can help you align yourself with the Universe.

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buzzcharacters · 8 months

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The Speaker - Thistle in the Weeds

Non-binary (she/her) - 36 moons - Ace Biromantic - Single

The Speaker was a strange cat from the moment she was born. Able to see the ghosts of cats who were deceased with nowhere to go, interacting with living beings got harder and harder for her the less and less she did it. After moving to the Clan territories and establishing herself in the local graveyard, she figured she'd just settle in and live a peaceful life with her spirits - helping them get messages to still living loved ones and all that. But when ShadowClan moved in, intent on getting the graveyard as a piece of their territory, her idyllic life was shattered.

Personality:

driven, with purpose, loyal to her cause, odd, creepy, intelligent, wary, observant, mistrustful, prefers the dead to the living

The Speaker is defined, literally, by what she does. She speaks for those who do not have voices of their own (the dead), and is quite driven and motivated toward this purpose. While she no longer often does it for other people, it’s important to her to make sure everyone, even those passed, have a voice. It’s her purpose, the meaning behind her gift. If the dead ever come to her with a request, even if it is just to talk, she is always eager to lend a listening ear and try to fulfill anything they may ask of her - within reason, of course. The Speaker is, at her core, a good person, so a vengeful spirit would have a hard time getting her to enact any sort of revenge or violence against those still living.

The only loyalty she can remember feeling is toward her ghostly companions. As such, she has become loyal to her cause, which extends now to protecting the living from the beast the dwells within the graveyard. While she may be a speaker, she considers herself also a protector, unwilling and unable to watch anyone get hurt solely because the Ancient One hungers. The Speaker rarely leaves the graveyard for this very reason, even if the voice of the Ancient One is starting to grate on her nerves.

To many cats, The Speaker is odd. She very rarely blinks, and her eyes look quite large on her narrow face. That alone would be enough to classify her as creepy, but her actions and the way she speaks further drives this point home. The Speaker often jumps between referring to herself as “I” and as “We”, though this makes sense to her. When she is speaking to and for spirits, she thinks that the all inclusive ‘we’ makes more sense, even if it might unsettle other cats. She also tends to speak slowly, as if she is considering every word, and tends to stare at or past whomever she is addressing.

When she isn’t speaking for the ghosts, The Speaker is using her paws to create. She’s incredibly crafty, something that has helped her with protecting the graveyard. She finds it easy to use nimble paws to weave sticks and vines together, to dig shallow pitfalls to scare others away. Alongside this, The Speaker is intelligent, both logically and emotionally. She has to be - spirits can be tricksters and try to get away with things that The Speaker would never allow. Being able to discern a cat’s intentions from body language and voice alone is one of her skills.

Through her travels, The Speaker has grown more cautious. She knows that cats are not inherently good, that you are born a blank slate and it’s up to you what you become. She’s met many cats who aren’t afraid to kill to get what they want, and are followed by the ghosts of their victims as they scream for vengeance. Because of this, The Speaker doesn’t trust easily, especially when it comes to living cats. It’s no secret that she tends toward preferring the dead to the living, as they’re who she’s been surrounded by and encouraged by for most of her life.

Family:

Father - Hunter - Deceased Mother - Caretaker - Deceased

Brother - Oldest Son - Deceased Sister - Youngest Daughter - Deceased

Timeline:

cw for car accidents (moon 2), graverobbing (moon 24), grave desecration (moon 24), death (moon 30) throughout timeline.

00 Moons: Born to Caretaker and Hunter alongside two other kittens. They are a part of a group, but that group's beliefs include being on your own to raise your kittens and, when they are of age, they can choose to join the group.

02 Moons: She starts hearing voices and seeing cats that her family cannot see. Her mother informs her that she has 'the gift', but only elaborates insofar as to say the cats she is seeing are ghosts.

02 Moons: Being the youngest, Speaker remains behind with her mother as her father begins teaching her siblings how to hunt. They are struck by a passing car while trying to cross the road.

03 Moons: Being raised the sole kitten for a moon, Speaker allows her mother to stay in contact with the rest of their family, as their ghosts follow her around. She learns how to hunt from her mother, but neither are very good at it.

03 Moons: Caretaker gets sick and dies, leaving Speaker to care for herself. The ghosts of her parents continue to guide her and teach her basic hunting and fighting skills.

06 Moons: Gets caught up in a group of cats. The leader of the group has a lot of spirits following him, and they all try to warn Speaker to stay away. She eventually complies, but not before warning some of his other followers.

08 Moons: Word spreads through the area of a cat who can speak to ghosts. Some seek her out and ask her to speak to their dead loved ones, and for the most part she does in exchange for food and shelter.

10 Moons: Speaker picks her name ("The Speaker") as she has become a voice for the wayward spirits in the area. However, the pressure of everyone always asking things of her and using her gift for themselves starts to get to her, and she begins to plan an escape from the village.

11 Moons: Speaker escapes her current group with the help of a cat she knows only as Worm. They ask nothing of her and keep her escape quiet.

18 Moons: After many long moons of travelling, Speaker has grown used to only the dead for company. She eventually stumbles upon a strange flat area covered in crooked stones. Many ghosts haunt the grounds, and Speaker decides this might be a good place for her.

21 Moons: Though she has made her home in the graveyard, there is an area The Speaker has not dared explore yet. After three moons, she decides to take a look. The area saps her strength, and as she gets closer she can hear an ancient voice, hungering for weak spirits. Perturbed by this, she retreats.

21 Moons: Deciding that the cemetery can be very dangerous, Speaker begins warding off intruders. The first group she scars off is a ShadowClan patrol, using carefully made traps.

23 Moons: Speaker begins to notice spirits going missing from the graveyard, and eventually figures out that they're being consumed by the one she knows only as 'The Ancient One'. Speaker tries to contact them again, but cannot make out anything they say except for the fact that they hunger for more. Unsettled, Speaker wonders what this means for the living. Through observation, Speaker learns that it can mostly only harm ghosts, and is only active sporadically and rarely. She tries to document the active times and when (if at all) they manage to harm living cats.

23 Moons: A good cat by nature, The Speaker decides to protect both spirits and living by banning entrance to the graveyard to any mortal cat.

24 Moons: The Speaker begins planning and enacting plans to make the graveyard undesirable to anyone who may pass by. She painstakingly creates shallow pitfalls (surprising, but able to be crawled out of), rudimentary snares, and even misplaced bones (after asking permission from the spirits they belonged to). She manages to convince the ghosts to help her keep others out. The bones she arranges are put back by the human groundskeeper, and she does not make another attempt.

25 Moons: Not long after her traps have been set, another patrol of cats smelling the same (ShadowClan) make another attempt at claiming the graveyard. This time, the Speaker takes a more active role in convincing them otherwise. She stands, almost completely obscured by the fog, and simply stares at the group from a distance. Around her, the spirits make shapes in the mist and what eerie noises they can that the other cats are likely able to just make out. All it takes is a few bumps and nudges, claws of cold in the pelts of the cats, and they're convinced she's a ghost and leave. The rumours about a ghost haunting the graveyard grow more common.

26 Moons: Much of The Speaker's time is monopolized by trying to keep creatures out of the graveyard. A few slip through, but she always eventually manages to scare them out either through her ghastly appearance or the help of ghosts. The territories nearby begin spreading word of a malicious spirit that keeps cats out of the graveyard. She manages to scare off a few groups of young twolegs as well, using the spirits to aid her in making the area unappealing.

28 Moons: Cats from that persistent group make another attempt at the graveyard. By this point, the Speaker can tell they know something is up, as they are bringing gifts and trying to communicate with her, though they seem completely unaware of what. It starts much the same, with her standing in the gloom where the group can only partially see her, with her friendly spirits helping her to convince them (through spooky actions) to leave. However, one warns her that a young cat has broken from the group and is wandering toward The Ancient One, this being a night it is active. Panicked, The Speaker gets her spirits to cover for her, warping the mist as best they can as she races to save the young cat. They only just make it, with the young cat at the maw of The Ancient One. The Speaker grabs them by the scruff and forcefully drags them away until they come back to themselves, and once they do they flee the rest of the way to the group. After that (the Speaker misses the conversation) the group leaves in a hurry.

30 Moons: One day, a human manages to get through her traps and evade her long enough to get to the bad part of the graveyard. The Ancient One manages to influence some of the spirits around to drag the human toward them, and they use their impressive force to make a large tree fall on the human. Their spirit is absorbed before The Speaker can try to figure out if she can influence human spirits and get them out of the area. She realizes just how dangerous the Ancient One is, and how important her job has become.

32 Moons | Site Moon 0: Repeated ShadowClan intrusions on her territory begins to irritate the Speaker, and she starts forming plans on how to keep them out. One such plan requires more contacts with other stray cats, and the Speaker starts forging relationships with the inhabitants of the lawless lands beyond the Clans. She resists the temptation to just let the Ancient One have the ShadowClan cats.

33 Moons | Site Moon 1: The Speaker is shocked when she watches the sky fall and destroy one of the Clan territories. While the Speaker feels no sympathy for Clan cats after ShadowClan's constant invasion of her home, her thoughts do flicker back to Cinderflower. Wasn't that her home?

34 Moons | Site Moon 2: Despite her better judgement (and the urging of her trusted spirits), the Speaker ventures onto the former ThunderClan territory. She very quickly leaves - the sound of many distraught spirits unnerves her more than it ever has before, and she vows to go back and try to lay some to rest when she can. For now, though, she had to return to protect her home.

Extras:

Originally adapted from a site adopt on Thistle in the Weeds in May of 2022, she evolved quickly into her own character.

The later portion of her timeline draws from major site events - any other iterations of this character have those connections removed.

Other Iterations:

Bones Like Bare Roots

Hybrids AU

#the speaker #warrior cats oc #titw

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mask131 · 2 years

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Magical summer: Väinämöinen

VÄINÄMÖINEN

Category: The Kalevala / Finnish mythology

“The Kalevala” is a great epic considered to be one of the greatest works of literature of Finland and its national epic, the very heart of its mythology. But it might surprise you to know that The Kalevala is actually not an ancient text, but a quite recent one: it was written in the 19th century by Elias Lönnrot. You see, Lönnrot was a folkloristic who kept collecting the folklore, tales and legends of both Finnish and Karelian culture. We are not quite well-informed about what Finnish mythology was originally, before Christianity came over and conquered the land, due to Finnish legends being mostly oral – with only pieces of texts, old fairytales and fragments of belief surviving to this point. There were several folklorists who worked hard to collect ancient tales and rebuild the old mythology, but Lönnrot went one step further. After collecting enough material, he decided to give Finland a great national epic, the same way the Greeks had Homer’s work or the Norse the Edda. So he recreated one great story from all the bits and pieces he had, and wrote this story in a total of 50 poems, gathered together as the “Kalevala”. It might be an artificial patchwork of legends and old tales with some inventions thrown in it (Lönnrot did place in his work his personal theories and invented some characters to fill the holes that he had discovered), but its impact on Finnish culture was HUGE. It is still to this day a work that all those that study Finnish mythology use as a reference ; it was the work that recreated a passion for the Old Finnish language and started movement that preserved the language as it was about to fade away ; it became part of what would later be Finland’s own national identity – and in a way it was said that this work moved so much the national spirit that it actually might have played a key part in how Finland finally got its independence as a country from Russia in 1917. And even beyond Finland, The Kalevala influenced many great authors and artists : J. R. R. Tolkien was greatly inspired by it, Michael Moorcock also used this work as an inspiration, and it was also one of the favorite works of none other than Don Rosa!

And the main character of The Kalevala is none other than Väinämöinen…

Väinämöinen is born from Ilmatar, a primordial female spirit that played a key part in the creation of the world. Descended from the air, Ilmatar went to the sea (because at the time there was only the air and the sea) and became pregnant from it, but she could not give birth and she had to wait in the waters for seven hundred and thirty years – until a duck laid eggs on the goddess’ knees, and she broke them, the shells becoming the earth and the sky, the whites the moon and the stars, the yolk the sun. Then, she could give birth to Väinämöinen, who was the first man, and swam to the land. (Well technically speaking, it was Väinämöinen that got tired of being in his mother’s womb and prayed to the celestial bodies to be released).

I am not going to cover the entirety of the Kalevala because it is an ENORMOUS work with a lot of things in it.

As I said, Väinämöinen is one of the main characters of the Kalevala, opening and closing the book and his adventures forming the bulk of it. He is a sort of demigod, born of a goddess with magical powers but still considered a man and human. He is usually depicted as an old man, because due to the very long pregnancy he was born already adult – not just adult, but also very wise, because staying for centuries in his mother’s womb caused him to learn all sorts of things, more than any regular man would know. He is remembered nowadays as a “sorcerer” or “wizard”, though it is incorrect. Väinämöinen is indeed a magic-user and spell-caster, but is true nature is between a “shamanic hero” (he is a man who happens to be in contact and good pal with numerous forces of nature, and his numerous journeys are typically shamanic in nature, he can talk to the trees or summon the gods) and the “eternal bard”. You see, Väinämöinen is primarily a story-teller and singer, always bringing with him his kantele, but this is precisely what makes him a “wizard”. In Finnish mythology, spells are actually songs, and magic is cast by telling stories. If you want for example to appease the sea or split it into two or anything like that, you have to sing the story of (for example) how the sea was created, or how the sea was tamed, and the magic will work. (In fact, in real-life there were “magic contests” between bards-sorcerers in Finland, where the contestants had to throw as much “spells” to each other as possible – in practice, each one had to tell and sing as many stories as they could remember, and the one with the most won. Magic is all a question of memorization, story-telling and good singing). And so Väinämöinen, simply by telling the story of how iron was born or how the first tree was cut, can have boats sail on their own without wind, entire kingdoms put to sleep, or dry out waterfalls.

Väinämöinen is a bringer of order over the chaos, who at the beginning of times worked actively with another mythological character, “Sampsa Pellervoinen, the architect of forests” to sow trees, help plant life grow and make the once-barren earth fertile. Väinämöinen is also a monster fighter : to create his kantele (the first in the world), he killed a gigantic pike, and to learn more spells he had to fight a giant that swallowed him whole (but he managed to escape by using harmful spells from inside the giants’ belly). “The Kalevala” gets its name from the main kingdom and country where the story takes place, the kingdom of Kalevala in which Väinämöinen lives (and that he helped create) – and many of the stories are about the tense and often warful relationships between Kalevala and its many male heroes, wizards and warriors, and the northern kingdom of Pohjola over which reigns the witch-queen Louhi, a rival and mirror image of Väinämöinen.

Originally the two weren’t truly enemies – in fact, in the beginning of the story Louhi rescued the eternal-bard from an angry and arrogant man who wanted to kill him; but in exchange she had him help her trick a mythical smith into creating the Sampo, a magical item of abundance (similar to the Cornucopia). This would prove a dreadful mistake, as the Sampo would become an object of war and desire between Pohjola and Kalevala, resulting in many battles between the two kingdoms until finally the object ends up destroyed by the feud. Louhi also gets into numerous conflicts with the Kalevala men because they keep falling in love with her daughters, and the possessive and greedy witch-queen keeps asking the suitors for impossible and deadly tasks – and Väinämöinen is one of the numerous suitors that tried to woo a daughter of Louhi.

It all culminates in one last attack: Louhi, enraged after the Sampo’s destruction during a war between her army and the Kalevala’s, ends up launching a massive magic attack on her rival kingdom. She sends all sorts of diseases, upon it (actually each disease a child of Loviatar, an evil goddess of death, decay and pestilence), but Väinämöinen heals them all ; she sends a gigantic destructive bear to kill all the cattle, but Väinämöinen appease it and tames it by singing his birth story and singing the peace and prosperity of his people ; and finally Louhi steals away the sun, the moon and the fire to plunge the world into darkness – but Väinämöinen recreates fire, and takes back the sun and the moon from Louhi – finally the witch-queen admits she is vanquished and lets Väinämöinen, with his songs of peace, prosperity, light, health and order, win over her own powers of greed, cold, darkness and disease.

However, despite being the main hero and protagonist, as well as a force of good, Väinämöinen is not actually a man without flaw, or a being of pure morality. He has various vices, and committed mistakes in his life – growing as foolish and arrogant as those he had to fight. And the end of the poem is also the end of the shamanic bard. In the last poem, Väinämöinen is asked to check on a mysterious and bizarre baby that was born when a maiden ate a talking cowberry. The child is to be baptized, but only if he is deemed “good” and “worthy” – the old bard-sorcerer examines it, and declares the child is wrong, unfit for anything, and should be put to death. But as soon as he says that, the baby starts speaking and declares that Väinämöinen is visibly a bad judge of character, and is now too foolish and rash in his decisions – and despite being just two weeks old, the babe starts listing all the past mistakes and sins of Väinämöinen, reminding him of all his crimes and shortcomings. He notably recalls one incident at the very beginning of the Kalevala: remember the arrogant young man that wanted to kill the bard? Originally the young man was just a rude and foolish boy who was envious of the old man’s power, but after being defeated by him in a contest he had to promise to give him his sister in marriage. Now the man’s sister did NOT want to marry Väinämöinen, and she made it quite clear – but despite her refusal, the wizard did not flinch and insist that she was to be his wife. Desperate, she decided to drown herself to escape the marriage – and as the baby points out, Väinämöinen could have used his powers to save her, or mercy to deliver her from her bonds, but he did nothing and let the maiden kill herself in the sea. This incident actually did haunt before Väinämöinen, as the maiden returned under the shape of a perch to haunt and taunt the sorcerer some times before – but hearing a baby (a thing still pure and innocent) remind him of that, and many other flaws… It is the end for Väinämöinen.

He realizes and accepts that he has been growing old, that his powers and hold on the land have been weakening, that he is not as wise, important and powerful as he used to be – he can be beaten by a mere baby, who turns out to be more intelligent and honorable than him! Filled with sadness and anger, Väinämöinen goes to the seashore and summons a magical boat of copper that will take him far, far away from the land of the humans: he will leave Finland, abandoning behind his kantele and his numerous songs and poems as a “gift” to the rest of humanity. His time has passed and he is retiring – but before leaving he makes one last prophecy/promise: that he will return when his craft and powers are the most needed, when the sun and moon will disappear from the sky and when the air shall contain no more joy.

- - -

The last part of the Kalevala is of course an attempt to show the arrival of Christianity in Finland replacing the old religion (Vainamoinen being chased away from Finland by a newly baptized baby). And the old shaman's promise to return is typical of the myth of the "returning king", a legend that has many variations but is most exemplified by the legend of King Arthur, the "king sleeping under hill" - according to which King Arthur is not dead but in an endless sleep somewhere under a hill, and when England will be in its most dire time and in great danger he will wake up and return to the world to save it. Now this is the version of Väinämöinen in the Kalevala. However one thing Lönnrot did was remove all the divinity from him. You see, before the publication of the Kalevala and in most of the old folklore and texts we have... well Väinämöinen was a god. More precisely he was the god of songs and poetry, the bard-god. It notably explains why he has such enormous powers and why he is part of the myth of the creation of the world. But Lönntor didn't like the idea of Väinämöinen being a god, so he made him much more mortal and human like: he was convinced that he was a great hero or shaman that ended up being divinized through time, so for his "Kalevala" he decided to turn the "eternal bard" into a powerful demigod, a Finnish cross between Orpheus and Merlin.

#magical summer #wizard #vainamoinen #kalevala #finnish mythology #magic

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emblemxeno · 3 years

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JP vs. Localization in Fire Emblem Fates: Revelation

(Okay, for real this time lol)

Again, here’s a link to my sources post.

Fortunately, this route follows suit in terms of good localization quality after Conquest. It’s the shortest out of all the posts, since I don’t really have a lot to talk about. Mostly subtle line changes, references and a few key points of information that were cut out. I also went through Hidden Truths and Heirs of Fate to see if I could add stuff from those on here, but there were no big problems that I found.

Once again, the main part of this post will all be put under the cut. If a chapter isn’t covered, it means I didn’t think there were any differences worth talking about.

I’ll use localized names for characters and locations, unless I feel the need to do otherwise.

I’ll be using she/her when referring to Corrin in this post. (I flipped a coin to decide the gender lol)

Also, note that after Chapter 14, the translation of this route on Fateswartable ends, so I mostly relied on the English patch done by Serenes at that point forward. (I also used PegasusKnight.com as a reference to fall back on if I needed it)

Chapter 7

-A minor gripe I have with localization. The JP version compares Touma (Valla) to hell constantly. To jump ahead a bit, I believe in the JP versions of the End of All Sky/Land/Below tracks are even called The End of All Roads Heaven/Earth/Hell. The Vallites are also often called demons in the JP version, and Anankos himself is known as the ‘Invisible Demon Dragon’.

Another cool thing I just thought of too, is a connection to a popular Japanese short story. Zelda fans might be familiar with the story, “The Spider’s Thread”, which inspired the Ancient Cistern dungeon in Skyward Sword.

The beginning of the story has Buddha walking through paradise (heaven), before coming across a pond. The pond is filled with crystal clear water, and covered with water lilies/lotuses. As Buddha gazes further into the pond, he begins to see the depths of hell.

Sound familiar? “Azura is walking through Hoshido, before coming across a lake. The lake is filled with crystal clear water, and when she gazes into the lake she sees the fallen kingdom of her birth. Valla, the kingdom associated with water lilies/lotuses in the game, has been turned into hell itself.”

This association loses its meaning a bit when the comparisons to hell are a bit toned down, as well as when the Buddhist inspirations were kind of supplanted in favor of Greek renames. It’s not supremely important to the plot as a whole, but it’s something interesting I wanted to bring up.

-In the JP version, while explaining what happened in Valla, Azura eventually says “Using the art of manipulating people’s souls, he (Hydra/Anankos) made the people kill each other.” This bit of the people killing each other was cut in localization.

Chapter 12

-In the JP version, when Corrin asks Flora if she knows anything about dragons, Flora says “Sorry, I don’t know…The ancestral dragon of the Ice Clan has already perished and isn’t part of the legend. I don’t know what role it plays, sorry…” Localization makes her response “I'm sorry, but I can't think of anything... They've been gone so long that we don't even have tales of dragons in the Ice Tribe. I'm sorry I couldn't be of more assistance...”

So, the JP version explicitly says the Ice Dragon is dead (I believe Fates’ second artbook mentioned this as well), whereas the localization only says the First Dragons have been gone for a long time.

Chapter 16

-There’s not really much of a problem that I have with what Ryoma says about Corrin “having leadership qualities at a young age” but I wanted to do comparisons regardless cuz the word choice might lead one to different conclusions. In localization, Ryoma says this:

Ryoma: Huh... So she told us the same thing... I don't think it's in Corrin's nature to lie. And there's a leadership quality about her that just attracts followers. I remember being jealous of her as a child, in fact. Even at such a young age, she displayed the characteristics of a ruler. Silly to be jealous of her, right?

In the JP version, Ryoma says this:

Ryoma: Oh... So, she told you the same thing. …Corrin isn’t one to tell lies. She’s been like that since childhood. She’s always genuine and honest... She has this mysterious appeal that draws people to her. Seeing my younger sister with the qualities of being a ruler... Honestly, it makes me feel envious. …What a ridiculous thing to say, right?

Again, I don’t necessarily have a problem with how it was localized, but some might. The localization version might have people think that Corrin somehow was a fantastic leader at such a young age, but JP is more clear that it was about the qualities she had at a young age that would be valuable as a leader.

Chapter 19

-A minor gripe. In the localization, Azura says that Anankos uses his magic to send Vallites to Nohr and Hoshido to stir up conflict. In the JP version, she says he uses magic, along with the help of a body of water. That’s why whenever you fight Vallites outside of Valla proper, there’s a body of water nearby; Hoshido’s lake (and the ponds shown in Hinoka’s CQ battle which are in the capital) for Chapter 5, the sea for BR chapter 11, the burning falls for BR chapter 21, and the city for Rev chapter 13. Similarly, the consequences of being a victim to the curse are described as “turning into sea foam” in the JP version. Localization as a whole kind of toned down how much water has an influence on the story.

Chapter 23

-Probably the pettiest gripe I have lol. As Arete is fading away from Azura’s arms, Azura has a different reaction in localization and Japanese. In localization, Azura says “Mother? Mother!” while a voice clip of her in-battle pain cries plays. In the JP, she says “*Sob... Sob*…! Mother... Mother...!”, while a voice clip of her crying plays. Her crying voice clip I don’t recall hearing anywhere else.

This is one of the few times in the you get to see Azura express a heavy and heartfelt emotion, since her rough childhood caused her to remain guarded and stoic around everyone. The equivalents to this scene in other routes is her death scene in Birthright, and her crying with Corrin over Ryoma’s death in Conquest; a normally unflinching and aloof character breaking down is a rarity, and indicates that the cause of it is something to take note of for the character as a whole. Localization softened this aspect, and I take issue with it, despite it probably seeming trivial to most other people.

Chapter 24

-When Corrin is questioning the phantom Mikoto, an exchange happens. In localization, part of it goes like this:

Corrin: But this can't be... Are you truly my mother?

Mikoto: I am. Even as a puppet of Anankos, my spirit at least remains my own.

Corrin: I... I believe you.

In the JP version, it goes like this:

Corrin: It can’t be... …Are you really my mother?

Mikoto: Yes... I became an Invisible servant, controlled by the Invisible King... Even so, I am your mother.

Corrin: …………

Again, a minor thing that I don’t personally have issue with, but replacing Corrin’s silence with an admittance of belief could make some believe she has “reverted” back to being too naïve.

Chapter 26

-While Gunter is relaying his past, an exchange happens. In localization, it goes like this:

Gunter: I ask myself that, every day. I cannot understand the minds of royals. To you all, we commoners are little more than pawns in your schemes... Or weeds to be killed on a whim.

Corrin: That's not true...

Xander: Is that how people view the royalty?

Ryoma: Such an impression would easily breed powerful resentment...

In the JP version, Corrin, Xander and Ryoma don’t say anything. They just remain silent.

Endgame

-Not a major problem so much as a general thing about the game, but I can think of like... at least three memes that Treehouse inserted into the localization. Now I like memes, but there is no better way to date your media nowadays. One of them was Kana’s “That’s dragon for I love you” which tbh, is kind of cute and isn’t the most well known meme so I guess I can let it slide. Another is Felicia saying “I had one job!” when she messes up in the dining hall, which isn’t that big of a deal since the dining hall is very optional.

The last one I can think of is why I put this specific grievance here, and it’s during Corrin’s speech before facing Anankos.

Corrin: We won't back down! This is my... This is our destiny! Ready your weapons! Fight for your friends! With the Seal of Flames... With the Fire Emblem on our side! We fight for our world!!

Yeah, she says “Fight for your friends” which is everyone’s favorite Ike line from Brawl. Now, this isn’t even a totally inaccurate translation either, but it kind of just... makes the moment funny for the player when it’s supposed to be commanding and serious I guess.

But yeah, not the most important issue by far, but something I’d thought to mention. Hell, it’s not even that bad compared to how they made Peri’s, Effie’s and Hisame’s quirks into exaggerated and tired jokes. And the Beruka-Saizo support. Never forget.

-When Azura and Corrin are by the lake and discuss the latter’s plans to rule, Corrin says this in localization:

Corrin: I'm going to make Valla a wonderful place! In honor of the true last king and for Queen Arete. And everyone who fought... I promise to make them all proud.

In the JP version, she says this:

Corrin: I’ll make the Invisible Kingdom (Valla) into a great land. For the previous monarch, Queen Shenmei (Arete)… And for all of my allies who fought beside me. I promise.

So, JP version only mentions Arete as the reigning monarch of Valla. Which makes sense, cuz unless there was some wild “keeping the bloodline pure” shenanigans in Valla, Arete being the Queen keeps in line with what we know about the rest of Valla’s history. Arete was royalty from birth, as was her sister Mikoto. Arete is the one who passed down Lost in Thoughts and the pendant to Azura.

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kyogre-blue · 4 years

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Tianqiu and Nantianmen

I think everyone probably already noticed this, but there's a fairly obvious thread being laid down about a future boss/event in the Nantianmen area.

tl;dr since this got long:

There is a dragon sealed in the tree in Nantianmen.

It is connected to geovishaps and possibly Azhdaha in Tiangqiu Valley. There may be two separate but connected beings involved.

It(/they) will awaken soon. (Future event!!)

Now, for the details below!

Let's start with the tree:

At the foot of this Moonlit Tree is a stone tablet:

And also a creepy little girl named Jiu:

The games very sure you are aware of her via the quest "The Secret of Nantianmen" which consists of purely going to this tree, talking to her, and fighting two geovishap hatchlings.

Her dialogue (with some minor lines removed):

"The awakening is coming... and with it, the storm..."

Jiu: You're a little early... Are you here to witness the resurrection of the most ancient, most awe-inspiring individual in Liyue's history?

[about Rex Lapis] Jiu: Hah... That usurper?

Jiu: Humans... They care only about history since the dawn of the age of mankind...

Jiu: Are people really happy to just draw a line under the litany of atrocities humanity's ancestors are responsible for, call it "ye olde worlde," and just get on with their merry little lives?

Jiu: Well, I hope that anyone who willfully indulges in this fantasy world of false prosperity will be consumed by it, and thus get what they deserve.

Jiu: The adepti thought to suppress it with trees. Hah! Fools! Little did they know that after thousands of years... the trees that hold the beast shall surely become one with the beast...

Jiu: And lo, it shall stretch wide its arms, and unfurl its body, and reach out with its roots... And the ley lines of the world shall heed its call.

Jiu: Then, once the beast has quenched its great thirst for that energy which only the ley lines can provide...

Jiu: I imagine any significance we presume to have in this world will vanish for good. Wouldn't you agree?

(Worth noting: Jiu refers to a "He" in a reverent manner during The Secret of Nantianmen, but talks about "it" "the beast" instead dring her normal dialogue. These may be separate things.)

Whatever is sealed in Nantianmen is also mentioned in the description of The Unforged, a claymore that ran along side Vortex Vanquisher. (The theme presumably being "past enemies of Rex Lapis that he only sealed instead of killing properly.")

A long time ago, a dragon there was to be found in Liyue. But it was not a dragon that soared through the skies, but one whose abode was the mountains. Indeed, this ancient dragon of stone was as large as the very mountains it called home.

The legends say that it slumbered in Nantianmen, seeming not at all unlike the surrounding hills.

Then, Rex Lapis came before the dragon, seeking to stop the earth's quailing. They say that for a long while, the land knew peace, and that Rex Lapis gained another comrade by his side.

But in the end, the union of dragons, gods and men was perhaps not to be... The dragon was sealed in the bowels of the earth, and fearing the burning ire of the gods and the adepti, that great vishap, that had once caused rock and stone to tremble, fled into the roots of the mountains.

But over the passage of millennia, the dragon would stir once again...

The legends hold that those who triumphed over the dragon stabbed this sword into the giant tree that subdued the ancient dragon. As one of the seals, monsters and malevolent mortals would be unable to touch it. Indeed, if the legends are true, only those with hearts as pure as clear mirrors could even come near it. Yet, if those legends are true, how did this sword come to be lost?

Nantianmen, check. Sealed in a tree, check.

You can see, this is all connected to geovishaps in some way, and their lore ALSO talks about then returning after a long time. Two hatchlings spawn when talking to Jiu causes an earthquake, The Unforged talks about "that great vishap," the Primo Geovishap's boss area is right near Nantianmen...

Here is the Primo Geovishap description:

After many years, the awesomely powerful Ancient Geovishaps grow accustomed to changes in their elemental environment.

Folktales hold that after the great draconic calamity that led to the ruination of Tianqiu Valley, the overlord of the Geovishaps and Primo Geovishaps was imprisoned deep beneath the earth, and so too did they burrow into deep and unseen places, awaiting their chance to rise once more...

(Note again that the vague language here and in The Unforged makes it entirely possible that the "draconic calamity"/"the dragon" sealed in the tree and the "overlord of the vishaps" are two separate beings.)

But here we get to the next point: Tianqiu Valley. And with Tianqiu Valley, there is an important name: Azhdaha.

One of the associated wiki pages suggests that the dragon in Nantianmen might be the Chi. But I don't think that's likely, given how far away Qingce is and that we do find what is probably the Chi's heart in a cave near the village there. Far more likely is Azhdaha.

Now, Azhdaha is mentioned in two pieces of lore. One is a tablet in Tianqiu Valley, during the "Trails in Tianqiu" quest.

Ancient Tablet: "At Tianqiu Valley the adepti's ancient trail grows cold, I fall down and weep at the ruins I see. Though defeated is mighty Azhdaha of old, there's no restoring this past land of beauty."

(The trail "grows cold" in Tianqiu, so it might have started elsewhere, like Nantianment.)

Something in the valley is very much lingering, based on the notes of the treasure hoarders who tried to solve the puzzles first:

Scratched-Out Treasure Hoarder Notes: "I'm to the point where I'm trying to crack this puzzle in my dreams, or maybe nightmares is more accurate... I saw an old man squatting beside me with a wide grin, urging me to hurry up and solve the puzzle."

Scratched-Out Treasure Hoarder Notes: "Hmm, no... was it an old man or a young girl? ...Ugh, I can't remember."

Old Treasure Hoarder Notes: "And all of the guys who've been in start acting strange once they get out. They insist that the monsters followed them out, but I don't see any monsters."

There is more details about Azhdaha in regard to the "Nameless Treasure" items:

Linlang: I just had a look at this one. These markings are definitely those of Liyue, and you can see inscribed here an anecdote about Azhdaha.

Linlang: They say that Azhdaha was a dragon spawned by a convergence of the spirits of Geo in Liyue, and that even Rex Lapis could not easily subdue it.

Linlang: Rex Lapis thus summoned three adepti to his aid, and together they created a cavernous realm.

Linlang: Rex Lapis then battled the creature, luring it into the cavern, before ordering the adepti to seal the entrance, trapping Azhdaha within.

Linlang: The patterns on the thing you brought seem to describe the three adepti joining hands to create the cavern.

And when you get all three treasures:

Linlang: You... actually managed to put them together? Please, let me see... Indeed, these three patterns, when put together, do tell the story of Azhdaha.

Linlang: This crane must be the adeptus Mountain Shaper, and this deer might be Moon Carver. But this last one...

Linlang: Eh? It seems like this pattern has been... intentionally ground away by someone, to the point where I can't make it out. Who was this third adeptus?

Yes, who was the third adeptus??

Obviously, there is a discrepancy here, saying Azhdaha was sealed in a "cavernous realm," but it's all vague enough that the mechanics can be explained away with more detail. Also, I do feel like there might be two connected beings, once in the tree, one deep underground.

#genshin impact #genshin lore

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mybabygirlelsa · 3 years

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So I was watching Frozen II the other day and the whole confusion about the voice visited again. Like, who's calling Elsa? Is it Ahtohallan? Her mom? Her own self? Jennifer Lee (I think) said that the voice belongs to Iduna, but that doesn't sit well with me. And then I remembered that I've written my own theory about it, which why not share it with you? 😂

It's probably very inaccurate based on the things we know, but it was really fun to write!

Hope you enjoy!

(A/N: italics are extracts of the book "Frozen II: The Junior Novel")

The Fifth Spirit

Very long ago, in a time no man can recall, humans weren't the dominant species on Earth. There were no rules, yet neither freewill.

Or so it was thought.

People lived under nature's laws -they interacted with it, respected it greatly but mostly feared it. Prophecies about nature's rage were foolishly believed and seriously taken into account.

But it wasn't nature they truly feared -it was its magic.

Humans never succeeded to understand magic -it was considered unreachable. Only a small group of people that repeatedly refused to take part in the "vision of civilization" decided to co- exist with the magical elements and spirits of nature. These people were the first human inhabitants of the Enchanted Forest and the ancestors of the future indigenous Northuldra.

As time went on, people grew more and more arrogant, thought they were capable of everything and gradually stopped believing in nature's power. They began sacrificing and falsely taking advantage of nature's goods. Seeing their audacity getting out of hand, the spirits of air, fire, water and earth sought help from Ahtohallan, the mythical river said to hold all the answers.

The then- small glacier, foreseeing the consequences of people's hauteur, sacrificed a part of herself and sculpted a female figure, with hair and skin as white and pale as freshly fallen snow and eyes as blue as shining ice. With her ancient magic, the glacier gave life to the woman, who was none other than the Fifth Spirit.

According to scanty myths, the woman had achieved great and extraordinary accomplishments in her previous life and the magical river had collected and kept her soul to be used for greater things when the right time would arrive. However, those speculations never came to be confirmed.

Nonetheless, why she was there and why she was chosen, that she never came to know. And a part of her wondered if she ever would.

People's conceit kept growing in an astonishingly fast pace while the Fifth Spirit was given a duty -to connect humans and the magic of nature, as well as protect the only home she would ever know in her existence; the Enchanted Forest.

Apart from her duty, she was also given a power no human had known and no spirit had possessed -the ability to create ice and snow, to control and bring winter. After connecting with the other elements, she was also gifted and given powers to represent all four spirits, such as wings, the ability to strike lightning and control the water, as well as the power to cause earthquakes.

The Fifth Spirit was sent to humans after fully mastering her powers and understanding her purpose. Under the guidance of the unseen deity, people began having faith in nature and underlying yet great respect.

However, this was not an easy task to achieve. It took her almost a hundred years to restore people's faith and trust -but she successfully accomplished it.

Each passing day her power grew significantly, and so did her fondness for her creator. To show her gratitude, she used her unprecedented power and expanded the length and height of her beloved glacier, making Ahtohallan an extension of her powers and mostly, herself.

To honour her child, Ahtohallan assigned to her a new task; she had to visit a chosen woman's dream and recite a poem that would soon be heard from every young Northuldra mother's lips -the lullaby of Ahtohallan. The old glacier also gifted her with a beautiful staff that could summon power and turn into a crystal necklace when unneeded.

Having already mentioned the lullaby, it's important to subjoin the meaning behind a specific lyric -"dive down deep into her sound, but not too far or you'll be drowned". The youthful spirit created a sheer drop that ended to an ice sheet to keep there the utmost truth, for only the most selfless souls would be fearless enough to ignore the warning, as well as brave enough to dive into the abyss. That, if anyone would ever manage to reach the frozen river. For the mighty Water Nokk -who shared a very special bond with the Fifth Spirit- guarded her secrets.

For the very start of her existence -as well as in the meantime of her mission to restore people's faith-, the Fifth Spirit would travel across the Earth to bring winter and joy to the children. She was the very first winter spirit -Jack Frost made his appearance a lot later. Legend has it that she was the Snow Queen the Danish author, Hans Christian Andersen, spoke about in his fairytale. However, unseen as she was, this theory had never had a requisite basis and was never further explained.

As time went on, the forlorn deity was assigned tasks that aimed for specific, chosen people freeing their potential, resulting their lifework to be considered admirable, and almost magical. All spirits had agreed there were and there would be humans that deserved to be known for their own "magic". The Fifth Spirit helped people accomplish dreams and bring visions to life, as she was the only spirit that had the power to transform, painlessly get into one's head to guide and/or give advice and take a human form of any needed age as well as gender when one's achievement was considered of great difficulty. She even had the power to seek a specific ability she didn't possess -which would later on be declared hers- so her efforts could be crowned with success.

She could do anything. There was only one thing she was unable to do; feel.

She was emotionless.

Even her fondness for her mother was taken away after the second century passed. It was thought that if she was given the ability to feel, she would show mercy and compassion and her unlimited patience would spare.

So forsaken she remained. Nameless and isolated, unseen and walked through by people, having to serve her cause on her own, merely meeting with the other spirits on specific occasions.

One of them was on the first day of spring every five years, when everything was blooming, blossoming and growing. A great part of the Enchanted Forest was her deed -she expanded its length and grew more trees, more grass, bloomed more flowers, added more bushes, a small river -where the Earth Giants would be sleeping in the future- that floated into a waterfall which ended at a sheer drop, a pit full of black rocks later known as the Lost Caverns. Because of this, the spirits gave her the appellation "The Reincarnation of Mother Nature" -the only name she was ever given.

For most of her existence -as long as she was waiting for her next task to be handed-, she lived close to her glacier. Away from any kind of life, on her own, in her Ice Palace of memories. She spent so many years close to it, that her fondness returned and she wanted to praise her treasured river.

So she gifted her her voice.

Her act was pure and sincere and played a significant role in the Enchanted Forest's and spirit's future. The iconic and quintessential call would later on be heard, and then, much later, known worldwide as one of the most famous melodies of the Gregorian Chant -the "Dies Irae".

During one of her missions, on the fjord south of the Enchanted Forest, while she was making sure the protector of people, the famous warrior of old, Aren, had achieved his life-changing goal, something changed. Aren was a little bit like her, a protector who served people as his cause. She was protecting the Forest and was serving both nature and humans. Yet a big difference grew the gap between them; he was loved and surrounded by people.

He was feeling.

She wasn't.

Occasionally, she would roam the night skies to witness a life she had never known, to witness how people felt.

And remind herself how she couldn't.

She had been told to distance herself from sunlight, as if she was a single snowflake that would melt when she met with sun's light. She had been told humans were weak, mischievous and unpredictable creatures. She had been told she was greater and superior. Yet she caught herself longing to spend a day warm in the sun, longing to see people dancing...

Longing to feel.

And so she did. Painfully, her as cold and hard as ice heart melted and its first beats sounded like heavy raindrops hitting the dry soil loudly.

She had never felt so alive. She had never... felt.

However, her accidental action required a cost to be paid.

The same, previously mentioned scanty myths, referred to another woman's soul, which had been collected and kept by Ahtohallan. She was certain she would be the one given the great purpose and when she wasn't, her soul never reached the heavens as she swore revenge on the young soul of the Fifth Spirit. Hiding her true intentions, in Ahtohallan's chambers she remained, nurturing the young spirit like mother Ahtohallan did.

Once she learned the youthful deity had broken the laws she had been restrained from ignoring, the resentful soul brought her bitter foe to the Enchanted Forest, secretly from Ahtohallan, and for the first time in forever, she allowed her to feel.

While she burned her.

The Fifth Spirit was set on fire and was obliged to feel her skin melting, like snow on a bright, sunny day. It was unimaginably painful. Her haunting call, that was later on used by a young Northuldra girl, tore the sky apart and meant only one thing;

"Help me".

If it wasn't for Ahtohallan's and Water Nokk's intervention, the Fifth Spirit would have vanished. The evil soul was banished to the Lost Caverns, a place with no way out, where one would be at their lowest emotional point from that day forward. However, before she was sent away, the hateful soul put a curse on the traumatized spirit -when she failed to serve her cause, she would be burned. If the mistreating soul still existed, that no one ever confirmed.

After her adored water horse healed her with the water's curative properties, the Fifth Spirit swore not to feel again, and accepted the prohibition of getting any near the land where the future kingdom of Arendelle would come to be.

Thousands of years passed and the unseen spirit's heart had gotten colder than ice, preventing her from repeating her mistake. Ahtohallan and the other spirits mourned for her, for she was not who she had once been, and made great efforts to change the past's design, intentionally forgetting what had been done was unchangeable.

Despite her change -and most likely because of it-, the Fifth Spirit had dedicated most of her attention to her precious forest. Seeing this, Ahtohallan assigned her the task of looking after a young Northuldra girl, so the deity could be surrounded by her forest.

The Fifth Spirit and the young Northuldra were somehow connected. Iduna, the young Northuldra, would occasionally hear the eerie melody of the spirit, since the deity would "sing to those who hear". The girl would also be seen playing around with Gale, the feisty Wind Spirit. Iduna was connected with nature in an unexplainable way -she was different and destined for great things; she was chosen.

One day, ships arrived at the entrance to the fjord south of the Enchanted Forest -wooden ships full of people who were determined to create a home for themselves near the water. Soon, the kingdom of Arendelle came to be and the Fifth Spirit knew what that meant.

The newcomers were welcomed by the Northuldra's ruler when he met with their king on a cliff as the sun set. The leaders firmly shook hands at this meeting, which was seen by others only in hazy silhouette. Yet the deity saw everything clearly.

To demonstrate their goodwill and friendship, the Arendellians built a mighty dam in the Enchanted Forest. They placed it on the river that flowed into the Arenfjord, the deep blue body of water upon which Arendelle Castle had been built. The dam connected all the lands and made it easier for the Northuldra and their reindeer to roam. King Runeard, the leader of Arendelle, offered it to the Northuldra as a symbol of peace and cooperation between the two groups. But the powerful spirit could see past his facade.

When the dam was complete, the Arendellians threw a great celebration. Northuldra from all over the land gathered at the base of the dam to mingle and feast with the Arendellians. The Fifth Spirit tried to warn the indigenous tribe about the trickery behind the kindness for months but no one listened -they were all busy welcoming and celebrating with the frenemies.

The poor spirit could see how it would all end and attempted to warn young Iduna. But it was too late -the battle had already begun.

Arendelle had turned out to be harmful once again. And as the lush beauty of her beloved forest was being destroyed, as the chaos continued beneath her, she cried, with her plangent call shaking the trees and crumbling the ground.

Her cry echoed as another voice synchronized with it -a pleading for help. Her eyes spotted Iduna holding a young boy in her embrace, as the girl called for help in agony. The Fifth Spirit, overcome with grief of centuries, wailed her eerie melody, mourning for her forest.

As well as for herself.

Her end was near and she was about to meet her tragic fate. She had failed to protect the Forest. She had failed to serve her cause -and the curse continued.

The Wind Spirit heard her call and took the children to safe ground. But it was the only one who listened.

Overcome with rage, the Fifth Spirit cried sorrowfully one last time before a mist, as thick and impenetrable as stone, enveloped the forest, as a promise she would forever guard it from foreigners. Then she disappeared, since people had stopped listening.

However, this was not her end. The Wind Spirit carried the remaining bits of her body to the devastated glacier that grieved over her lost daughter for days, in the meantime causing great parts of herself to collapse. The Water Spirit, overwhelmed with pain as well, told the river about the girl the Fifth Spirit was assigned to look after. Ahtohallan understood the importance of the young Northuldra's deed and finally let the soul of the deity find its new body, knowing she would not return the same.

The Fifth Spirit's soul travelled across the skies and on the Northern Lights above Arendelle it remained, looking after young Iduna, for she was destined to carry in her womb the reincarnation of the lost spirit.

And so, the spirits waited -waited for the Fifth Spirit to be reborn and return to where she belonged.

They waited for her to rise again.

#i know this wouldn't make any sense if it was canon #but well #here we are #i tried 😂#elsa #frozen 2 #frozen headcanons #fifth spirit #my writing

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kolachess · 3 years

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Behind the Entity ‘Zhang Qiling’

Since @black-rabbit-99 requested it, here’s a post on Zhang Qiling’s name! But it also derailed a little into Zhang Qiling the role, and subsequently, Xiaoge and the Zhang family... brevity is not my forte lol.

Some of you might already know this, but Zhang Qiling is not actually a name, but rather, a title. I’ll talk both about the context around this name / title, a little of the history of the role and Xiaoge’s involvement, as well as the translation mishap of ‘Kylin’, which I also touched upon in this post.

NOTE: this does contain spoilers, as it delves more into the Xiaoge’s past and Zhang family history. I will keep this scoped to history directly pertaining to the role of Zhang Qiling though, as the Zhang family history is like... a whole essay itself.

The source for this information is actually rather easy to lookup (for once). Daomu Biji Vol 8. Ch 52 is even entitled, The Meaning of the Name Zhang Qiling. (Although that’s the translation title. The original does not appear to have a title.)

What does Zhang Qiling mean?

Zhang, of course, is still the family name. It’s Qiling that represents the role, and thus together with Zhang, becomes the full title. This is the patriarch of the Zhang family.

Qiling is written 起灵, which are the words 起 (raise) and 灵 (spirit).

In Wu Xie’s words, from merebear’s translation linked above.

Qiling, if seen by itself, is indeed a word with other meanings. It means to remove the dead and transport the coffin to be interred. The Zhang family was a family of tomb robbers, so this Zhang Qiling may just be another name for a very important position.

How does one become Zhang Qiling?

Based on an epitaph in the room, the person selected to become Zhang Qiling will have his name replaced by the title. How does the selection process work? I think there was some speculation or net results indicating the amount of qilin blood, but I have not confirmed with source.

The following info is sourced from Tibetan Sea Flower, Ch. 53: Once someone is selected though, they’re supposed to have a transition, so to speak. So first if you’ll remember, Zhang family has a thing with bronze bells which will cause hallucinations. It’s a common thing that shows up in all the tombs. And then, there is a special hexagonal bronze bell that has the ability to offset all other bronze bells (one ring to rule them all, hmm?). This is something the patriarch carries with him all the time. When the patriarch is nearing his death, he and the new successor are supposed to enter this mysterious room that can only be entered using the special hexagonal bell. Only after the old guy dies, can the new successor bring his body out. So yes, if they timed it wrong, they could be stuck in there for years (don’t understand the logic behind this, but it’s what we are told.)

How did Xiaoge become Zhang Qiling?

Continuing from the source above, when it came to Xiaoge’s generation, the succession had broken. The previous successor died elsewhere, and Xiaoge had to dig the special bell out of the place where that Zhang family had died. He then could take this to access the special room, which contained Zhang family secrets, including that of the ‘ultimate’.

How Zhang family got the destitute state it did, and how Xiaoge got re-involved in the Zhang family when the line of succession was broken, is yet another post unto itself. :D But all of this is addressed in Tibetan Sea Flower and Tomb of the Sea.

How did they come to learn about Zhang Qiling being a title?

Alright. Backtrack now to the actual title again. For those of you who have watched Ultimate Note, you know that Wu Xie and co. were trying to get into the Zhang Ancestral Family Manor. Wu Xie was in a totally different location from Xiaoge and Pangzi when something went drastically awry, and we were left hanging. I won’t go into details of what happened next (it’s in the contents of Daomu Biji Volume 8 though), but eventually Wu Xie does make it into the Manor, first meeting up with Pangzi, and then onwards in search of Xiaoge.

In one of the rooms, they stumble upon a burial room that had a coffin labeled ‘Zhang Qiling’. However, there was an explanation that this person became ‘Zhang Qiling’ at the age of nineteen, and so Wu Xie deduced that this was a title rather than a name. They also noted here, that some items had been taken away, judging by the imprint left behind. One of these was Xiaoge’s black-gold ancient sword.

What else did they learn there about the Zhang family and ‘Zhang Qiling’?

Several interesting things they learned, a lot which can be found here:

There was a genealogical tree carved on the inside of a coffin lid, and there, they found another ‘Zhang Qiling’ by the original name of Zhang Ruitong, who went on to grandfather… Zhang Qishan!

There was another Zhang Qiling who died from ‘loss of soul’, or ‘amnesia’, which had Wu Xie starting for a second.

Longevity was a feature of this family, with one person’s epitaph listing him to have lived 170 years

Zhang family had relations with the royal family and had connections in each dynasty, with strong roots / activity in Northern China, mainly near North Korea and Changbai Mountains (sound familiar?)

There were many branches of the family, Qipan Zhang being an important branch because they ‘carried’ or ‘possessed’ the qilin. The exact word phrasing is “身怀麒麟”. Now, Wu Xie here does not understand the metaphor, but we can, from knowledge elsewhere, assume this might be referring to the qilin blood.

Zhang family practices intermarriage i.e. they did not marry those of the outside world

Why ‘Kylin’?

In case you haven’t seen me rant about this enough lol...

Again, here’s Zhang Qiling’s name: 张起灵.

And here’s the character for Qilin (Chinese romanization), Kirin (Japanese romanization), or Kylin (modification based on Qilin): 麒麟.

起灵 =/= 麒麟 obviously. Two entirely different characters. And different pronunciation too.

My guess is that some translator decided Kylin was a cooler translation to attract an English-speaking audience, and went with it. Because he does also bear the Qilin / Kylin tattoo.

Hopefully that helps explain some things about our favorite Mr. Tall, Dark, and Mysterious!

#dmbj #daomubiji #zhang qiling #wu xie #ultimate note #the lost tomb #spoilers #connecting the dmbj dots

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ammocharis · 3 years

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Avvar History Reconstruction, Part 2

In this part, I’d like to pose a couple of questions: where exactly did Tyrdda’s tribe live? Why did she decide to break away from the Alamarri? Where did her people go? The answers are not as straightforward as it may seem.

The Seven Magisters weren’t the first people who tried to get into the Golden City.

Read >Part 1<

The next major event in the timeline was the separation of the Avvar from the rest of the Alamarri tribes.

-1815 Ancient: The Alamarri living near Lake Calenhad break away, becoming known as the Avvar. The two groups war with each other for centuries.[1]

The reason why Tyrdda chose to break away from the Alamarri was a conflict with Thelm Gold-Handed, a chieftain who subjugated multiple lesser tribes.

(As a side note, Lake Calenhad obviously wasn’t known as such in the times before Calenhad, who lived during the Exalted Age - some 2300 years later. I’ll continue calling it Lake Calenhad so as not to cause too much confusion.)

“Thelm Gold-Handed, fingers greasy, jeweled rings with glitter shone,

Took in tribes in times of trouble, fed them fat to weaken bone.

Warriors great and great in number, sun-kissed swords to fight his wars

Drake-scaled shirts their bodies covered, heart-wine stained the salty shores.

Told his tribes a tale of treasure, over sea to north it gleamed,

Whispered words to drive the droves to golden city where he dreamed.

Counseled quick in dreams alone,

Voices wiser man ignores,

Pushed the tribes until they screamed,

Heed the dreams and cross the Waking.”[2]

As we can see, Thelm wished to cross the Waking Sea and collect a treasure within the golden city he had been promised by mysterious voices in his dreams. It appears that he controlled a large territory lying by the sea.

Personally, I subscribe to a theory that Kirkwall was the place where the Magister Sidereal breached the Veil to get to the Golden City. I won’t elaborate on the details here, but it’s a widely popular theory so I invite you to read about it on your own, if you haven’t come across it already. I mention it here because I believe that Thelm was one of the first people who were influenced by whatever is lurking inside the Golden City, and he was being prompted to follow the same steps as the Seven Magisters, which includes finding an entrance to the Fade - an it just so happens that a there’s a suitable location, atop the Primeval Thaig, near the place where the City of Chains would once be built. Kirkwall is located north of the Fertile Valley, across the Waking Sea. Perhaps Thelm was contacted in his dreams because the area he controlled was located in the vicinity of a possible Fade entrance.

I’d also like to point out that Tyrdda was aware that the gilded city was nothing but a lie, a trap for the greedy. She received a warning from the Lady of the Skies.

We’re told that prior to the separation movement, Tyrdda’s tribe lived near the Lake that is now known as Lake Calenhad, but that’s the extent of the information we’re given. I want to propose a somewhat counterintuitive idea and say that Tyrdda’s tribe inhabited an area to the east of the Lake, not west.

Figure 3. Green area - tribes led by Thelm Gold-Handed Blue area - tribes led by Tyrdda Bright-Axe (Disclaimer: All maps included in this write-up are meant to represent only rough estimations of areas that might’ve fallen under the influence of various tribes that belong to the Alamarri cultural group. These are not firm borders.)

Firstly, the Saga of Tyrdda mentions that:

“Tyrdda Bright-Axe, bold and bloodied, took her tribe from placid plains Tribes with blades by farming blunted chased and fought, their parting pains.”[3]

Which makes me think that her tribe lived in the Fertile Valley proper. West of the Lake is already a mountainous region, judging by the way it’s depicted on Thedosian maps.

Figure 4. Lake Calenhad and the surrounding area on the Inquisition map

Furthermore, it stands to reason that the region controlled by Tyrdda was adjacent to the lands under Thelm’s rule, which, as I explained before, appear to have been located in the northernmost part of the Fertile Valley. Thelm was aiming to gather a massive number of warriors in order to cross the Waking Sea and claim the riches of the Golden City for himself. Naturally, he would first look for “allies” in the neighbouring tribes.

And so Tyrdda abandoned the other Alamarri tribes and led her people away from the plains.

“To the mountains, shorn of shelter, snow-slicked peaks gave wind its bite”[4]

Here I’d also like to pose another theory - Tyrdda didn’t lead her tribe west, to the area that’s considered the Frostbacks in modern Thedas. Instead, she took them south, following the shores of the Lake, until they reached the place that is now known as the Hinterlands. Let me explain why.

In Dragon Age: Inquisition, we explore a mountainous region called the Hinterlands, specifically the part that surrounds the settlement of Redcliffe. A storyteller encountered in the village describes it as such “Even before the sky fell open, this was a land of spirits and demons. Magic grows wild in the hills of Redcliffe.” During the exploration, we can find landmarks that reveal the Saga of Tyrdda Bright-Axe. After discovering all stanzas, a war table mission becomes available, titled “Locate Weapon of Tyrdda Bright-Axe”. Sister Dorcas Guerrin, a Fereldan scholar, explains that:

“The rich oral tradition of the Avvar has been largely lost, leaving only these rune-marked fragments. [...] Based on marker runes left at each of these locations, I may be able to find the site where Tyrdda’s legendary axe is located.”[5]

So it appears that there are Avvar marker runes sprinkled around the Hinterlands, which point to a place where Tyrdda’s staff, along with her other earthly possessions, were stored. It leads me to believe that the Avvar had presence in the Hinterlands after they separated from the Alamarri, since the Saga of the Avvar-Mother describes events from Tyrdda’s life up until her death. When Tyrdda died, her tribesmen (perhaps with the help from dwarves, as Tyrdda had allied with prince Hendir) installed marker runes in the Hinterlands that if combined together would reveal a path to the site where Tyrdda’s relics had been safely put away. This vault was located in another part of the highlands, but it’s unclear where exactly. In my mind, it just makes sense that the marker runes would be left in the place where the Avvar tribe settled after they separated from the Alamarri.

(As a side note, the Avvar do cultivate their oral traditions. Tyrdda’s identity as a mage wasn’t a shock to them - “the Avvar were completely unsurprised by Tyrdda being a mage. While it was lost to Fereldan history, it was evidently taken as an unspoken truth among the Avvar.”[6])

Figure 5. The region where the Avvar might’ve settled after separating from the rest of the Alamarri

Another argument for why the Hinterlands were the place the Avvar relocated to is the tree dedicated to Tyrdda’s lover, which can be found on Dennet’s horse farm.

“The farmers remember the old ways and the old blood, and we’ll honor that [...] If the farmers want to leave that tree to honor Tyrdda’s leaf-eared lover, we’ll let it be, and whatever we lose from the land, we’ll gain in loyalty.”[7]

The age of the tree in question is unknown, I would assume it’s not from Tyrdda’s time since it’d have to be over 2500 years old (though it’s possible, the oldest known tree on Earth was almost 5000 years old) but it’s still a sign of the Avvar beliefs being present in the area for a substantial amount of time. Admittedly, the Alamarri also believed in the Lady of the Skies, though in this case, the importance seems to be attached to the deity being Tyrdda’s lover specifically, not the goddess of the skies.

In Jaws of Hakkon, Scout Lace Harding mentions that when she was a little girl “a lady in our village used to tell me Avvar tales” which is yet another hint of the Avvar influence on the Hinterlands, as Harding was born and raised in a settlement located near Redcliffe.

I imagine that for the Avvar lore to become so ingrained in the Hinterlands, the Avvar had to be present in the area for a long time, well after their separation from the Alamarri. I theorize they held it at least until the times of chieftain Morrighan’nan who lived around -355 Ancient (more on her and the area she might’ve controlled in Part 4).

To sum up - I think that “Frostback Mountains” used to refer to a much wider area. The highlands located west and south of the Lake were all included in its definition, while “Fertile Valley” was the name of the lowlands east and north of the Lake. When the Alamarri tribes first crossed the mountains, they settled in the Valley, and the Frostbacks remained largely uninhabited until the Avvar took them as their home.

Figure 6.

Redefining regions Blue area - Frostback Mountains Green area - Fertile Valley

Next up - did the Avvar completely disappear from the Fertile Valley?

Sources:

[1] Dragon Age: The World of Thedas, vol. 1, p. 13

[2][3][4] Codex entry: Saga of Tyrdda Bright-Axe, Avvar-Mother

[5] War Table mission: Locate Weapon of Tyrdda Bright-Axe

[6] War Table mission: Send Relics of Tyrdda Bright-Axe

[7] Note: Tyrdda's Lover, written by Elaina to her husband, horsemaster Dennet

#dragon age #dragon age lore #avvar #alamarri #theory #theorycrafting #fictional history #tyrdda bright-axe #avvar history reconstruction #part 2

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ingek73 · 4 years

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Stifling, Toxic and Racist—Duchess Meghan Never Had a Chance at The Palace

Royal editor-at-large Omid Scobie sounds off on the outdated practices and attitudes within the royal family that left the Duke and Duchess of Sussex forced to make a change.

BY OMID SCOBIE

MAR 10 2021, 3:20 PM EST

I remember the feeling of frustration well. My work on an extensive biography of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Finding Freedom, was coming to an end. After hearing countless stories from multiple people close to the couple about how they felt unsupported and unprotected by the institution of the monarchy, it was time to address the matter with the palace side. A chance for them to respond.

“This is nonsense. … We did absolutely everything [for Meghan],” the senior aide told me over the phone. I asked for examples. “Everybody welcomed her, and she was given all the support she needed,” they continued. I asked again. “They forget how accommodating we were when it came to navigating the duchess through her first steps [as a working royal],” the aide added, somewhat curtly. I had several conversations like this over the weeks that followed—each party, be they from Clarence House, Buckingham Palace, or Kensington Palace, for the most part seemingly baffled by the Sussexes’ grievances. Finally, I took what I had and moved on.

Well over a year has passed since these calls, and the full severity of Harry and Meghan’s situation has finally been laid bare. Sitting in front of Oprah Winfrey, the duchess tearfully opened up about her darkest days as a working member of the royal family. Unprotected, undefended, and left to face a near-daily barrage of hateful commentary and negative stories, Meghan revealed how her circumstances had, at times, seen her virtually stuck indoors for weeks on end. Lunch with friends could have momentarily lifted her spirits, but social outings were dismissed by royal family members and aides who said it would be better to lie low. Her image was “everywhere right now,” they told her. Her isolated existence stood out in particular to her worried mother, Doria Ragland, who during a summer 2019 visit to Frogmore Cottage was surprised to discover that neither she nor her daughter was able to go out into Windsor town to pick up coffees. “You’re stuck in here,” Doria told Meghan at the time, according to a source.

The Oprah interview was the world’s first time hearing Meghan describe the true toll of the palace’s “no comment” policy when it came to dealing with inaccurate press coverage. One report that caused Meghan particular upset was the November 2018 allegation that she’d made the Duchess of Cambridge cry during a children’s bridesmaid dress fitting for her Windsor Castle wedding. Though the palace knew the claims were untrue (and that it was, in fact, Kate who made Meghan cry), Meghan was repeatedly told that it would not be possible to set the record straight, despite it being a story that fed into a stereotype-laden narrative. Other royal family members were often afforded more sympathetic support when it came to dealing with inaccurate press (officials even issued a statement to deny Kate’s use of Botox in July 2019), but both Harry and Meghan felt they did not have access to this same privilege.

The couple’s exasperation came to a head in January 2020, when Kensington Palace urgently requested that Prince Harry cosign a statement against an “offensive” newspaper report stating Prince William “constantly bullied” the Sussexes before their decision to step away. “Well, if we’re just throwing any statement out there now, then perhaps KP can finally set the record straight about me [not making Kate cry],” Meghan emailed an aide, asking why side of the story public image was never considered important to anyone. But, as with many requests made by the couple, her suggestion was ignored. The Duchess of Cambridge, she was told, should never be dragged into idle gossip.

Meghan’s state of well-being deteriorated as the institution refused to defend or protect her during her toughest moments. Talking to Oprah, Meghan revealed that her mental health was so fragile during her pregnancy that she “didn’t want to be alive anymore.” She turned to senior staff—including the palace’s own HR department—but her plea for help in January 2019 was repeatedly shut down. It’s not a good look for the family, she was told. Even friends who wanted to help her or speak up in her defense were regularly reminded by palace aides to keep quiet. As the cruel commentary, racist attacks, death threats, and negative tabloid stories piled up—and the institution continued to ignore the problem—Meghan later likened the experience to a friend as “death by a thousand cuts.” Her reference to an ancient Chinese execution method was no coincidence.

For the millions around the world who watched Meghan share her story, some of the experiences shared were perhaps all too familiar. Princess Diana revealed in several interviews that she considered suicide during her marriage to Prince Charles and spoke candidly about her battles with bulimia and mental distress, both of which were ignored by the institution of the monarchy. Sarah, Duchess of York, was also open about how the pressures and loneliness that came with palace life led to her own struggle with eating disorders.

When Kate quickly found public adoration as the Duchess of Cambridge, the palace would proudly tell members of the press that lessons from the past had been learned. “There has been a concerted effort to ensure that history never repeats itself,” one senior staff member working for the Cambridges told me in 2014. Yet, here we are in 2021, with a very real image of Britain’s oldest and most revered establishment once again engaged in neglect and gaslighting, and dismissing mental health.

This time, however, race—or more specifically, racism—plays a major role. Harry and Meghan’s revelation that a member of the royal family (not the queen or Prince Philip) had expressed “concern” over how dark the skin of the queen’s great-grandson might be, left many, including Oprah herself, openmouthed. But for those familiar with the institution—which on Sunday celebrated the diversity of the Commonwealth realm’s population of 2.4 billion—it comes as less of a surprise. This is an establishment that only last week briefed The Times of London that Meghan wanted to be royal “the Beyoncé way,” and that the help offered to her included establishing the queen’s Black equerry (a senior attendant, if you will) as a “mentor.” Princess Michael of Kent’s ignorance regarding wearing a blackamoor brooch during her first encounter with Meghan is a reminder that even racial sensitivity can be lacking within the family. An establishment that, as Meghan herself explained, has yet to learn the difference between rude and racist press coverage. The stiff upper lip, no matter how painful the attacks, was expected to remain impossibly rigid at all times.

The palace has continually proven itself to be unable to empathize with any person who crumbles under the pressures of its outdated and unreasonable expectations.

But when does forced silence turn into abuse? Ignoring gossip and drama may fall under the royal family’s famed (but questionable) “never complain, never explain” mantra, but expecting the victim of racism to remain voiceless while sections of the press call her “ghetto,” “straight outta Compton,” and “un-royal” borders on complicit with the attacks. As does refusing to learn how to identify the existence of the very racism that fuels them.

If it’s not considered appropriate to acknowledge racism or racial ignorance when aimed at a mixed-raced senior royal, then how should the 54 countries of the Commonwealth and its predominantly Black, Brown, and mixed population feel about the realm’s figurehead belonging to an institution that claims to celebrate “diversity” but in practice appears to uphold white supremacy? And if the lack of awareness Harry described to Oprah is true, then were race-related public duties, including Prince William recently calling out racism in British soccer and Prince Charles speaking out about racism in architecture in 2000, simply performative? It’s hard to forget that across the full lineup of working royals, all failed to acknowledge last year’s Black Lives Matter movement, which saw just as much protesting across the United Kingdom as the United States.

A brief, 61-word statement shared on behalf of the queen by the palace on March 9 revealed that the family is “saddened” by how challenging recent years have been for the Sussexes. But with the note also admitting that the family are somehow only just learning of the “full extent” of the couple’s experiences, isn’t it all a bit late? With yet another “commoner” leaving the House of Windsor emotionally battered and bruised, the palace has continually proven itself to be unable to empathize with any person who crumbles under the pressures of its outdated and unreasonable expectations. A glass-half-full view is that recent events could perhaps serve as a catalyst for change (and I hope they are). But given Harry’s own admission that his family is trapped within a “system” so fearful of the British press and public that they’re often unable to live up to their own ideals, is it actually time for us to just finally set them free?

#royals #meghan markle #prince harry #brf #duchess of sussex #duke of sussex #kate middleton #prince william #british royal family #duchess of cambridge #duke of cambridge #omid scobie #princess diana #sarah ferguson

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deborahdeshoftim5779 · 3 years

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BBC Merlin 4x05: His Father’s Son

Here's a round-up of my main observations from BBC Merlin's "His Father's Son" (4x05).

1- MERLIN AS A KNIGHT

I have to admit that Merlin as a sorcerer and trusted adviser appeals to me the most, but I did write a lengthy post analysing how Arthur had turned Merlin into an excellent fighter. This refutes claims that Merlin gave more to Arthur than he received in return.

At the beginning of 4x05, we see Merlin selected to play a new role: that of knight. How did this come about? Arthur Pendragon is best known for his skills as a warrior, but he deserves more credit for his military tactics. These destroy the popular yet false idea that he is unintelligent. More on the latter in a forthcoming post.

One of Arthur’s favourite tactics is using decoys. Previous examples of him using decoys include: The Castle of Fyrien (3x07), when Arthur used Merlin as a decoy to entrap Cenred’s soldiers; Aithusa (4x04), when Arthur used himself as a decoy to get Sir Percival to safety; Arthur’s Bane Part 2 (5x02), when Arthur uses Merlin as a decoy to enrage the slave traders before they escape-- by far my favourite example.

All things considered, I don’t think it takes long for Arthur to choose Merlin. Furthermore, this decision may have taken place before they reached their selected location, as Agravaine later mentions a previous attack by Caerleon on the border. This choice demonstrates that Arthur has higher confidence in Merlin's abilities than he does of in his knights-- else he would have chosen them. We must conclude that Merlin is Arthur's best fighter, though at first glance, we wonder why an unarmed man follows trained knights into battle.

Merlin is sharp, fast, has high stamina, and is incredibly resourceful. Most of all, however, he is incredibly brave. In fact, when rewatching 1x02, I was surprised to see Arthur acknowledge that Merlin was "braver than you look." This despite Arthur’s frustration that Merlin did not try hard enough during practice ("Come on, Merlin: I've got a tournament to win!").

What’s more, in that same episode, Merlin complains about his first day, but later on, we see his fascination wth the ongoing tournament. Then he admitted to Gaius that working for Arthur (in the context of said tournament) "isn't totally horrible all the time." It took one day for him to change his opinion!

Sure, Merlin would continue to treat the fighting as pointless violence, and Arthur as having nothing more in his head than a desire to knock "the seven bells" out of other people (3x04). However, even in 1x02, when he applauds Arthur's fighting, his actions tell a different story. We associate this habit of liking something whilst pretending otherwise to Arthur, yet Merlin has it as well.

As I have said before, Merlin and Arthur have profound differences, yet are profoundly alike.

2- MERLIN AS A SERVANT

It comes as no surprise that Merlin would return to serving after the beginning of 4x05. However, what that change represents sets the tone for this entire episode: Arthur dismissing Merlin's counsel repeatedly in favour of listening to his uncle.

When Arthur says, "so please, stick to what you do know," you have to wonder whether Merlin remembered being entrusted with the role of knight. Now, Arthur puts him back in his place.

Here's another example: "My conscience is clean, which is more than I can say for my room, so just... do your job, will you?" Yet just yesterday, that job involved Merlin risking his life against enemy forces by dressing as a knight.

By the way, you can tell that Arthur doesn’t believe his own excuses, because he keeps using the passive voice to justify killing Caerleon: “...a show of strength was necessary… an example had to be made… My conscience is clean…”

Merlin’s face after Arthur claims he doesn’t need anyone is self-explanatory.

3- NEW THOUGHTS ON ANNIS

Is Queen Annis a good person? Actually, no.

First of all, she knows and approves of her husband invading foreign kingdoms to plunder their wealth. Such invasions naturally cost not only the lives of Arthur's men, but her own, too.

Furthermore, despite accepting Arthur's offer of a fight by single combat, she is prepared to cheat by enlisting Morgana's power. Perhaps if Arthur had died, too, she would have felt some remorse. Yet she still takes a monumental risk with Arthur's life in blatant violation of the knight's code. One has to wonder about her reaction had Camelot plotted against her armies in the same way.

Then we have Annis calmly ordering Merlin’s execution without giving him a chance to explain himself. The lack of emotion in her voice suggests she has done this before.

Speaking of cruelty, Annis’ champion seems to enjoy inflicting pain on his enemies, yet the Queen claims that he “served my husband well.” I dread to think what she means by “served”.

I will also note that Queen Annis disdains magic, referring to Morgana as “witch”. As I have said before, Uther did not begin prejudice against magic; sorcerers were disliked and feared elsewhere, too, including by those who disliked Uther. Many sorcerers caused this prejudice by engaging in manipulative, violent, and wicked deeds.

Examples include High Priestesses using Fomorrohs to enslave people’s minds (4x06); Cornelius Sigan using his power to change day into night and acquire vast wealth (2x01); sorcerers using special blades to murder people (3x04), and so on.

None of this takes away from Annis’ complexity, nor does it undermine her immense humility when she accepts defeat and withdraws from Camelot. After all, much of Annis' rage and desire for vengeance stems from intense grief over Caerleon's death, so we can assume her marriage was a happy one.

Forgiving the man who destroyed her domestic happiness (as well as leaving her people without a king) shows tremendous nobility on Annis’ part. I think Arthur sees that, for he is always humble and respectful before her.

4- LONG LIVE THE KING

Few people respect Arthur more than Merlin. So when he doesn’t join in with cries of “Long live the king!”, you know something is wrong.

5- CONTROL YOUR FEAR

Episode 4x03 has a hilarious scene where a drunk Arthur claims he isn’t even a little bit scared, because, “I’m a warrior. You learn to control your fear.” Then Arthur walks smack bang into a pillar. Never fails to make me laugh. Minus the drunkenness, Arthur was telling the truth about controlling his fear.

You can see this at least twice in this episode: first, when he sees how many men Annis has brought against Camelot, and secondly, when he sees the size of Annis’ giant. In both cases, Arthur harnesses his fear into determination, which is another sign of a great warrior.

Next up, we have a fascinating scene where Arthur watches his men joking by the fire. It's a great way of showing Arthur’s care for these men, as well as his guilt that impending war will end their lives. In a sense, Arthur has to control his fear yet again.

6- TRUST IN MERLIN

After the above scene, Gwaine asks Merlin if Arthur is all right, and the fact that Merlin can describe Arthur's feelings without even questioning the King once again shows the unique nature of their friendship. Merlin sees Arthur's expression, and he just knows. And Gwaine knows that, hence why he does not question the King himself.

Listen to the silence after Merlin's response. Nobody questions Merlin's judgement: they just reflect. Given the way Arthur has repeatedly dismissed Merlin's advance in favour of his uncle, I think he could have learned something from his own knights.

I wonder whether the knights would ask Merlin something about Arthur in this way, whenever the king was absent. In ancient kingdoms, kings had advisers, and in order to earn the monarch's favour, you spoke to the latter first. Did Merlin ever play that role for the knights?

7- MERLIN’S IDIOCY

Now, I have a problem with Merlin telling Arthur that 1)- he would have taken any other option but to face war with Annis, and 2)- his decision to kill Caerleon “was made in the best interests of Camelot.”

Sorry, but it wasn’t. Merlin knows that. I understand that he has to rally Arthur’s spirits so that they can win against Annis, but I am glad that Arthur knows full well he has done wrong. Both Merlin and many fans do not give Arthur enough credit for recognising his own errors.

However, even these foolishly optimistic statements pale in comparison to Merlin's reckless and self-righteous interference when Arthur negotiates with Queen Annis. I burst out laughing when he trips and falls headlong into the tent, a metaphor for his impetuousness.

Merlin eavesdrops outside Annis’ tent, gets caught (so he didn't conceal himself), and then has the audacity to say, “Sorry about this!” to Arthur! Not only that, he got angry over being called a “simple-minded fool”, when he couldn’t even walk in a straight line to follow the king, got himself caught and almost killed by enemy soldiers, and made Arthur look as though he were double-crossing Annis!

I completely agree with Arthur’s anger: “Oh, I was being kind, believe me: you almost got me killed in there!” Correct. Merlin simply could not trust that Arthur knew what he was doing, and decided to interfere. Instead of apologising for getting Arthur into trouble, Merlin remains on the defensive, claiming without evidence that Arthur was “doing a pretty good job of that yourself!”

This is untrue. Arthur surrendered himself to Annis’ men. The most injury he received was a slap. He asked a favour. That isn’t risking your life. In fact, Arthur was trying to save lives, and if Merlin had been listening properly (or just stayed in bed), he would have seen that. Only after Merlin’s sudden entrance did Arthur face serious danger from Annis.

Now, Merlin’s explanation for this is, “I’m your friend! I was looking out for you.” I don’t doubt it. But once again, Arthur is right: “I appreciate that in your very confused way, you’re only trying to help, but please: don’t do it again.”

Condescending? Of course. But this time it was Merlin who provoked him into this anger.

8- MORGANA

Despite all her power, Morgana still has to defer to non-magical kings and queens. After all, she requires their military assistance to take over Camelot.

You can also see how Queen Annis detects Morgana’s hatred, greed, self-righteousness, hypocrisy, and bloodlust. In one glance, Queen Annis begins questioning the wisdom of working with a sorceress she does not trust, not least on account of Morgana being a sorceress.

In fact, Arthur’s prowess as a warrior impresses her more: “You have as much to lose as I if Arthur wins…” Fascinating scene.

9- THANK YOU, OLD FRIEND

It’s ironic that arguably the best scene in 4x05 begins by showcasing Arthur’s cynicism. No guesses why Arthur did not tell Merlin about breaking off his relationship with Gwen earlier. That speaks volumes. If he had told Merlin, I think they would have had an argument similar to that of 4x11.

Only when Arthur realises that he may die does he ask Merlin to pass his ring onto Gwen with an apology. You can see the guilt etched onto his face as he refuses to make eye contact. Interestingly, Merlin does not ask any further questions.

Arthur’s entrusting Merlin to look after Gwen in the event of his death says a lot. For example, that ring is technically royal property, yet Arthur gives it to a servant for safe-keeping, rather than his next-of-kin, Agravaine. Despite claiming to need his uncle’s advice, Arthur will not trust Agravaine with such duties. Has Arthur made a medieval will or testament? Obviously, I have no idea, however, this episode already shows Arthur’s reliance on Merlin to deal with family matters.

Another interesting aspect to this scene is Merlin’s silence after Arthur makes an indisputable point. This dispels any idea that Merlin’s advice was always correct. On several occasions, Merlin had to defer to Arthur’s judgement, because he saw the truth and wisdom behind it. “I don’t know what will happen. But for the first time since I became king, I know in my heart I’ve made the right decision.”

Got to love Arthur’s half-amused, “You’re not about to start crying on me, are you?” He expects Merlin to be either in good spirits or confident, because that is how he, too, remains confident. Arthur is an optimist, yet Merlin becomes a pessimist, so the king must pull Merlin together with light and yet serious teasing.

Needless to say, Arthur calling Merlin “old friend” implies that they have been friends for a long time. So why do some fans still think that Arthur had trouble admitting that Merlin was his friend? Also, the word “old” in this context can imply reliability, constancy. Arthur chose that word to describe Merlin’s value, as well as the length of their friendship.

The great thing about Arthur is that while he makes some serious errors, when he does repent, he does so well. Not only does Arthur graciously thank Merlin for his concern, but he makes it clear to Agravaine that he relies on Merlin’s judgement prior to entering battle. This supports my earlier statement that Merlin is Arthur’s best fighter, as well as right-hand man; Arthur does not leave for the fight until Merlin has confirmed his readiness.

On top of this, Arthur later admits that he might be a cabbage head. “I should have listened to you, Merlin. Just this once, I think you were right-- even if you are the worst servant in the five kingdoms!”

By implication, Agravaine is wrong. Arthur won’t say that, of course, but we saw Merlin’s sound advice competing with Agravaine’s lies for this entire episode. We can only conclude that regardless of what he says, Arthur trusts Merlin more than members of his own family.

And this is a theme which will continue and grow for the remainder of Season 4.

FURTHER POINTS:

Merlin’s fighting skills

Paradoxes of Arthur and Merlin’s friendship

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kanyniablue · 4 years

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hws characters & belief in the supernatual

we’re not done yet w/ the headcanons

this is about interpreting the individual characters, not a statement on whether any real-life beliefs are true or not.

a.merica: extremely superstitious but doesn’t believe he is. every plane he’s ever flown, ship he’s ever sailed, and gun he’s ever carried has good luck charms. his bomber jacket has lucky patches. he wouldn’t let a rocket launch without first making sure the commander has lost a poker game. and of course, no matter how secular he claims to be, he’s got religious--mostly protestant christian--imagery out the ass. he’s got lucky rocks, lucky shoelaces, lucky underwear, lucky breakfast foods. he particularly likes reverse-lucky things, saying black cats or the number 13 are actually good luck for him. these are all “for fun”...except he would never go without them. he half-believes in ghosts--moreso when he’s just watched a horror movie or it’s the middle of the night--but he’ll go on a ghost hunt at any time for any reason, just because it’s fun to believe (no i don’t believe he has a phobia of ghosts. i think most of the things that cause him to feel real fear are too intense to be “fun,” so he likes horror movies and roller coasters and everything that can give him a thrill with no pressure). he loves cryptids and gravity hills and the bermuda triangle, more for what they represent than what they actually are--finding bigfoot would just mean discovering a new species, which is great and all, but thinking bigfoot might be out there somewhere means you can go bigfoot-hunting or think you saw one in the background of a blurry photo. his roommate is a literal space alien, but like, bro what if that was a ufo just now???

e.ngland: he’s a sailor, of course he’s superstitious. add into that how he can apparently see and talk to spirits, practices magic, and has sites like stonehenge across his land, he’s just going to outright tell you he’s not going to whistle on a boat and that he wants you to refer to macbeth as “the scottish play.” he only gets upset about it, much like everything else he gets upset about, if you laugh at him. the bigger question is, does he believe in the rest of the world’s superstitions or are they “silly legends and old wives’ tales” while his are real, and the answer i think is an “everyone else’s is fake until something happens right in front of me.”

f.rance: he loves things like love locks on bridges (until they cause the fence to collapse) or visions from saints (esp jeanne d’arc), but he doesn’t necessarily believe they’re real. more that it’s very romantic to think they’re real, and if something as strange as a Nation can exist, who’s to say other mystical things can’t exist too?

c.anada: he has some old beliefs about where you don’t want to fuck around and find out--if you want a successful hunt you don’t insult the prey, if you don’t want to freeze to death you don’t talk back to general winter--but for the most part he doesn’t have that sort of belief system. he’s a lot more about what’s directly in front of you and what it means in literal terms.

c.hina: his grocery list always includes snacks for wandering spirits. if he hears a strange noise in the house he talks to it like it’s a person, just in case it is. he consults fortune tellers before buying a new cellphone. his house is carefully organized for most harmonious energy flow right down to the color of paint on the walls. yao lives by the rituals he’s made for himself, some of which are so ancient or personal to him that even the humans who study ancient chinese culture & mythology have never heard of them. it’s not myth for him any more than tying your shoelaces to make sure you don’t trip is a myth--you do it because you know how these things work; you’d be foolish not to.

r.ussia: he’d tell you no and furthermore any sort of supernatural belief is stupid, but don’t leave him alone in the middle of the woods where there might be...something. this is mostly from after his revolution--in earlier days he’d have anything from good-luck hunting gear to lucky gambling dice. he still has a lingering belief that talking about wolves makes them more likely to show up. he couldn’t say why, except that it’s such an old fear even modernization couldn’t get rid of it. he’d also never disrespect general winter, which is a theme with northern Nations. (he’s also got his lucky rocket launch ritual, as mentioned in that ripley’s article i linked before...😒...) much like alfred, he’s less scared/interested in a physical, literal being than he is in the concept--more afraid of being afraid than of dealing with an actual monster.

j.apan: you’d be surprised; as someone who loves ritual and whose mythology is known the world over, kiku tends to disregard supernatural belief. he’ll join in the activities surrounding holidays and ceremonies, but that’s more for the joy of participating than because he thinks it will actually change anything. in his past he fully believed in all the things that caused those rituals to come into existence in the first place, but nowadays he considers them more “cute” or “fun” or “cultural” than “necessary.” if one of the others comes over to his house looking for yōkai or something he’ll join in, but mostly in a mildly amused way. not that he’d say that out loud, obviously; that’d just be impolite. he is however sometimes outright rude to yao about his devotion to rituals, claiming he’s living in the past or holding up their business. they’ve known each other long enough they don’t sugarcoat how they talk to each other.

north & south i.taly: these two are super superstitious. feli consults his horoscope for daily business and has good luck charms for everything from the weather to love to money to traffic. he’s a gambler and a fisherman, he’s not taking chances. lovi is a weird mix of catholicism-to-the-point-of-paganism and ancient roman rituals--not that he’s sacrificing animals to the gods, but it wouldn’t be unusual to see a miraculous medal and a roman god’s icon both hanging from his keychain. they frequently swear by a broad selection of saints, they always eat lentils on new year’s, they’ve got a million idioms and hand gestures they themselves only half-remember the origins of. they also get into arguments as to which of them is interpreting such-and-such sign or saint the ‘correct’ way. feli also starts brushing off on kiku & ludwig when he hangs out with them; he’s just so into it they subconsciously start doing the same things he does.

g.ermany: extremely no-nonsense, practical, matter-of-fact...except for how he’ll talk to his computer as if he can convince it to work better. oh, and don’t take candy from strangers living in gingerbread houses or offering to take you to your grandmother’s house. and much like alfred & ivan, he’s not scared of ghosts or monsters until he hears a bump in the night.

p.russia: in his early years when he was devoutly religious, he was constantly praying, lighting candles, following his book of hours...usually after “smiting” a bunch of “heathens,” but like, it’s moral when he does it...but as time went on he became more interested in what could be scientifically proven. even still early european science was a mix of magic, religious belief, and nature, and he basically did the same things as before except now he claimed it was all an experiment instead of all for the Glory Now And Forever Amen. i firmly believe he lost his faith in any sort of religion by the end of WWI and nowadays he’d laugh off most of his past beliefs as ridiculous superstition. since he ‘died’/got laid off from being a Nation he’s more interested on where the line between Nation and normal human exists, and where that goes past nature and into the supernatural--things he never really thought about when he could rely on his super-healing to keep himself alive and could feel his citizens’ emotions if they were strong enough. those diaries he keeps have a lot of notes and observations along those lines nowadays.

#headcanon #hetalia #hws america #hws russia #hws england #hws china #hws france #hws canada #hws italy #hws japan #hws prussia #hws germany #hws romano

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reginrokkr · 2 years

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→ Study 𝐈: Forgotten tales and secrets of aeons old domains —Part I—

Not too long ago a dear friend brought to my attention the domains and a couple of their descriptions here and there. This alongside the premise that all of them have in common that 1) they’re the remains of what used to exist a long time ago that’s been long-forgotten or 2) the scenery of what we see in said domains is the result of the wear and tear of time. So I’ve been skimming over all of them to read their descriptions and I’ve encountered interesting tidbits, some of which have been explained further with more emerging lore that followed their release sometime after.

Starting with the domains of Mondstadt, it caught my attention the reiterated mention of white trees (all of them related to Irminsul, I’d dare to say, given its presence on the entirety of the continent but also up and below to the skies and the underground), an ancient civilization which could be the already existing civilization that predated the Second Who Came’s (presumably Celestia) arrival, said to be a massive and unified civilization before the clash between Phanes and 3/4 of his Shining Shades and the Second Who Came, thus causing the fall of the celestial dome, the kingdom that dwelt the sky and the earth below that might’ve been flooded. This could be a direct nod to (at least) the second Ragnarök and subsequent Long Night that this planet endured as a result of this clash of the heavens (the first Ragnarök would be between Phanes and the 7 Dragon Lords that each presided over an element and a world of Vishaps in its origins) and a determination to explore a long-forgotten past. Their descriptions would be as it follows:

- Forsaken Rift: It is said that in ancient times, people would venture into the valley to seek out the ancient tree on the altar. They would whisper their secrets into the tree hollow, relieving themselves of the burden of keeping the secrets to themselves. The Forsaken Rift is filled with such long-forgotten secrets. - Valley of Remembrance: After a period of time, the people of the continent lost track of the past. They attempt to explore downwards, searching for the things that they had forgotten. - Cecilia Garden: The ancient civilization that once enjoyed the scent of the Cecilia was lost, and so too was the sea of white flowers. - Ridge Watch: Legend has it that its gates and blessings are only open to those whose hearts are lit with an eternal blaze.

There are two particular domains worth directing our attention to, as there is something peculiar about them besides the similarities in the ancient civilization and white / ancient trees mentions that they share with the previous ones, regardless:

- Midsummer Courtyard: With the fall of the ancient lost civilization, the once prosperous and magnificent Sommernachtgarten was also buried underground, leaving only its ancient trees and stones to remember its past glory.

One of the reasons I’m highlighting this domain in particular is because it’s the same domain that we have to go through every time we’re increasing our World Level, which lets on a more depth to this domain than most of the others. But there are another two reason that I find even more fascinating, which are not only included in a fictional novel —Flowers for Princess Fischl— but that irregardless of whether this is fiction or not, it has links to a real occurrence that I’ll address later.

In this novel, Sommernachtgarten is addressed by saying that: It is said that those who are highly skilled in the magical arts will possess their own unique domains of consciousness. Their loves, hatreds, yearnings, jealousies, adherence, and passions of the soul will be stored here. Moreover, there is also a specification of the original Chinese term [for Sommernachtgarten] as 夏宫灵囿 “Summer Palace Spirit Garden”. The term 囿 specifically refers to ancient Chinese gardens built for emperors and nobles to hunt and play in.

Putting aside the premise that the magnificence of the entirety of this domain as shown during the Ascension part of increasing the World Level could be actually befitting a ruling figure, it’s particularly interesting the prospect that selected individuals are able to create their own domain of consciousness. Who else have we seen doing this? None other than Ei herself with the Plane of Euthymia.

The reason I wanted to bring this to attention is because this opens the possibility for strong beings to do the same and given that it is a realm of consciousness, this could apply to gods that have been slain in a physical manner but that their consciousness / feelings / memories / etc. are still virtually existent albeit in a non-physical form. In view that Ley Lines alone sustain memories besides the seven elements to nurture the entirety of the world to health, they could be a solid option as well that could explain how these particular places (the domains in general) are still upheld despite how much time has allegedly passed.

- Peak of Vindagnyr: The city entombed in snow once had a proud, romantic name to call its own, just as the mountain itself was once lush and verdant in the ancient past. But after the nail that froze the skies over descended upon this mountain, the festive site where priests ascended to face the heavens can no longer hear its voice, nor will those priests ever return again.

Last but not least, I wanted to give a special spotlight to this domain. The reason why is because a particular set of artifacts (plus one that to my knowledge has not been released, but there is a description of it available that connects to the others’) that talks about what happened to this place:

↳ Prayers for Destiny: They say that, once upon a time, the people of the land could hear revelations from the heavens directly. Then, the envoys of the gods would walk among benighted humanity, and the ancient flames were extinguished amidst the first falling rains. It was a prosperous time, a period of bountiful harvest. Then the earth was blessed and ruled by heaven, and the elemental flows were smooth and well-ordered. A hundred years of bounty were written in the stars, and none could change this divine law. But what of the time after, a hundred, a thousand years from now? Would they have famine where they had plenty, poverty where once were riches? Would their altars and palaces become one with the soil, with only that silver-white tree for company? The heavenly envoys, who ever spoke what they knew, were silent. So to understand this doom, the chief priest, head crowned with white branches, would delve into the deep places of the world…

↳ Prayers for Illumination: They say that, once upon a time, the people of the land could hear revelations from the heavens directly. The eternal ice had just begun to thaw, and the first fires were still new. It was a time of great prosperity, when all was left in the hands of such heavenly revelations. The envoys of heaven said that the world would soon enter a new and brighter age. This was predestined, that future immutable. But would a day come when such wonderful times might come to an end? To this question the envoys gave no answer. So, the people chose from among them a chief priest, and adorning his head with a crown of white branches, they sent him out into the deep places of the world, to antediluvian ruins and long-buried altars of sacrifice, to seek answers and enlightenment…

↳ Prayers for Wisdom: They say that, once upon a time, the people of the land could hear revelations from the heavens directly. Then, the envoys of the gods would walk among benighted humanity, and the waters ran dry as thunder first pierced the skies. People enjoyed untold wisdom, and that wisdom was their boon. Their prosperity brought pride and ambition, and the mind to question. So they questioned the heavens’ authority, and schemed to enter the garden of gods. And though they had promised to the people divine love, prosperity and wisdom, the envoys of heaven were angry. For to question eternity was forbidden, for earth to challenge sky, inexpiable. So the chief priest who wore the white-branched crown went forth to appease the divine envoys, and into the deep places he went, seeking the hidden wisdom of the silver tree in the ancient capitol…

↳ Prayers to the Firmament: They say that, once upon a time, the people of the land could hear revelations from the heavens directly. The envoys of the gods walked among benighted humanity then, when the distant thunders ceased, and the mighty winds arose. People enjoyed prosperity, but feared that its end would come. With the magnificence of prosperity came seeds of wisdom and the freedom to think, and wisdom and thought brought endless doubt and fear. So the people of the land tried to reach the heavens, for if they could but glimpse the island in the sky, they would perhaps no longer doubt that the promised land the envoys sang of existed… So the white-crowned chief priest, even as his fellows marched towards the heavens, walked alone in the deep places of the world. He found there a warning, deep within the long-forgotten ruins and altars. But this time, no one would welcome the answer he brought back.

Notice how each of the artifacts’ description can be divided in two parts and the second part in other two parts: First there is god talk, then human talk. Within the human talk, there is a period of a “paradisiac” time and then there is an abrupt change to the exact opposite.

The first part may be a direct depiction of the stages of benightedness humans had —also reflected on the Seelies lore that talks about their beautiful and anthropomorphic forms and their tasks of imparting knowledge to benighted humans— and some sort of near post-apocalyptic setting that’s left behind which is reflected in “Forty Years After the Held Branches” briefly: Forty winters entombed the flames, and forty summers churned the seas. Alongside the subsequent creation of the heaven and the earth, animals and humans.

The first half of the second part where humans benefitted from the wisdom of the envoys of the gods / heavens and of the bountiful harvests. The latter is reflected in the “Year of Jubilee” that says as it follows: If there was hunger, the heavens would bring down food and rain. If there was poverty, the earth would bring forth its riches. If melancholy were to spread, the heavens would reply with their voices. The one taboo was to succumb to temptation. But the path to temptation had already been sealed. Whereas the first part has already been depicted in one of the murals of the old Sal Vindagnyr drawn by its princess who was blessed with prophetic Visions for being born under the Irminsul tree that was in that place. The translations for the scriptures say: Listen and be silent, if you wish to learn and The angels help the faithful.

As for the second half of the second part, it talks about how wisdom bred doubt and said doubt angered the envoys of the heaven. If until then there were angels willing to impart wisdom to them and the gods offered the Sal Vindagnyr people everything they needed to subsist, then why would their wish to ensure that they won’t go through famine eventually be so offensive? If we go back to the Prayers of Illumination, there is a sentence that forebodes a change: The envoys of heaven said that the world would soon enter a new and brighter age.

While this could perfectly be up for interpretation, there are chances that the people of Sal Vindagnyr lived during the time when the Five Saints (Phanes + the four Shining Shades) existed and that they didn’t notice the shift from them to the Second Who Came, so of course they’d be dealing with different celestial beings. But if they didn’t notice the change, then why wouldn’t they notice the mess that happened with the sky shattering and all that jazz? For this, I’ll be addressing to a plausible explanation that happens to be the description of a domain in Inazuma:

Sometime in the ancient past, the mountains rose higher than the skies, and the earth was larger than heaven’s dome. But one day, the mirror shattered, and the oceans arose.

We don’t know if Sal Vindagnyr would fit this criterion, but it would certainly be a good reason as to not realize the changes byproduct of the war of the heavens between Phanes with three Shining Shades and the Second Who Came. The ascension of the people to Celestia seeking answers could be as well regarded as human arrogance and with it the fall of the nail.

#◟༺✧༻◞ analysis within the ley lines ichor ┊study.┊#◟༺✧༻◞ memories are all but forgotten in the river of time ┊queue.┊

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