#his name is Mason Harper

[lunar-moonlight]

yeehaw

To be honest I have no ideas for this one

Just decided “why not draw Sheriff standing outside a party?”

Sheriff would probably join in, but he has work to do

[70x1cnature]

Okay so I’ve been watching Keyan Carlile’s retrospective on Wizards of Waverly Place on youtube and I’ve been looking for an excuse to make their magic system/world make sense so watching that has helped me, so here’s my ideas for that. 

The biggest thing I wanted an explanation for was why a wizard can’t be with a non wizard, or even why a “family wizard” is so important in the first place. They act like entire thing with Stevie and taking down the distributer of magic is the most evil thing she could possible want to do, with no explanation as to why. Also, in and earlier season the whole “distributor” thing is contradicted by Professor Crumbs being able to just causally take Alex’s magic but whatever,  one mans continuity error is another man’s method to expand the lore. Without any explanation, she just makes a good point. Why can’t they all just keep their magic? Why do they need the magic distributor?

It made me start to think about why this system would have started in the first place. What motivated them to make this device, because it obviously had to have been invented or I guess the ability to magically take someone’s magic could’ve been the start but I’ll get to that. So, who invented this and why? 

The who isn’t really as important as the why. Going back in time, it’s not hard to point to the witch hunts as a good enough reason to start hiding from the non magical world. Wizards being hunted down left and right, it makes sense that they’d start trying to find methods to protect themselves. It would also be the origin of why they are so against wizards with their powers marrying a “mortal”. The fact that they call them mortals has an interesting implication that wizards are immortal. Then again, all magical creatures seem to kind of be immortal, Mason was even said to be like 200 years old. If a wizard married a mortal, that would only put the wizard and the entire wizarding world in danger, hence the separation. 

There are several things that could be easily pointed to as being created with the intention of protecting themselves. One such thing they’d need is a device to prevent accidental magic from children too young to control or understand hiding from outsiders. Do you remember those stupid tubes that are plugged in the wall of their magic lair? In this little head canon explanation I’m weaving, I feel like that could have started from needing to regulate the powers of children. It would have originally been a magic regulator, so they could learn to control and regulate magic themselves, before outgrowing the need.

If that’s the case, then the next question would be, why does it now appear be the source of their individual powers? Well, I think that the effort of hiding from prosecution and execution started going further. These tubes could have been older than the slaughter of wizards, as a essential household tool, but it was twisted as was needed in the times. When being hunted, having less magic users is safer, so what if they instead took the magic out of the children, and instead had it given back at less intensity via those tubes. The logic would also follow, that for those who do have magic, having more power to protect themselves against those trying to kill them would make sense. The wizarding competition would have been created from that need. The children in a family learn everything they can about magic, and then they compete to find the one who is most worthy of retaining their magic, the one who’s most capable and wanting. 

Now, pardon me as I get a bit “fuck the establishment”, it’s necessary since WOWP seems to have missed that from pop culture at the time. No matter what the original intentions were, it has gone too far, and honestly I feel like Stevie was more right then she even realized about how bullshit the whole system is. If it was originally meant as a regulation and congregation of powers, then how does a non magical wizard and a non wizard have kids that can do magic? How is a wizard still a wizard without their magic, and how are they able to pass magic onto their kids, when they themselves lack it? 

Clearly, magic seems to be a blood inherence of wizards which could be another reason for their racism against nonwizards in modern day, which is very Harry Potter of them. It is something that they are born with and is put into these tubes as a safety mechanism, probably by it’s own capabilities or even having it moved by someone magic themselves. If magic has been established to be easily transferred by other mean, then why does the distributor exist? What if the “distributor” actually had a different purpose? 

Back when wizards were being killed on mass, they needed a place to hide, to keep them out of the harm of angry mobs, and that’s when the “distributer” was formed. It wasn’t called that at the time though, and that wasn’t it’s function. Originally, it was something that could take the magical ability of a wizard and use it to create and maintain a safe haven for wizards. The wizarding world. Wizards are inherently magical, and grow into their magic. When they no longer have this thing regulating them, they’re considered a full wizard, with all the power that entails. Over thousands of years, however, in their efforts to keep magical population down, and to maintain this ever growing wizarding world, the competition started, to determine who out of a generation of siblings would be allowed to grow to a full wizard, and who would instead power this safe haven, and be able to live a normal life free from the constraints placed by wizard authorities for their protections. 

Now, why would this be something that wizards don’t know about? I mean, this is all head canon at this point so for all we know it is available and easily found in wizarding textbooks, but I can’t stop myself from at least trying to fit my head canons into canon so: secrets. Why would the wizards in charge wanna hide the truth? Well, probably because the victors write history!

In the retrospective I’ve been watching, Keyan points out how wizards are very racist to literally every other magical creature, and even seems to enslave some of them.

I can picture this: Magical creatures of all kinds are being hunted for sport. Some creatures (like Fae) have figured out how to create hidden realms that they can retreat to, so wizards decide to create something gather “access” power and do the same. As they continue to grow their realm, other creatures are still being hunted, like the mighty dragon! Well, what are the good wizards to do besides help them? So wizards help, and help, and help. Dragging more and more magical creatures, gaining more and more power, creating alliances, maybe even linking their magical realms with others. Eventually, they become greedy. Wizards think themselves so highly, that only THEY can help their fellow magical kin. They have to help them all for their own good! So if some magical creatures are too stupid to join them, they don’t know any better, and need to be “helped” under any circumstances. Get what I’m saying here? Very America “manifest destiny” coded. Like, “we will literally fight you so that you’ll join and obey us”. Haha, so no matter what good intentions they had in the beginning, they’ve become bigoted colonizers who paint themselves above everyone else. 

Best part, is that along the way they started lying to their own people about the magic competition. The best explanation I can think of is that in erasing all of that horrible things they did to their fellow magical creatures, they also had to erase what they’re doing to their own people. In the end, everyone is being lied to and subjugated and the wizard authorities are too deep in their power hungry ways to want to do anything but maintain it. I’d also imagine that to keep something as big as the truth of the magical competition and “the distributor” secret they’d probably have to be under some magical obligation to be unable to speak of it to anyone without the authority to know. 

That’s my main part of my “wizard government is actually the problem” head canon, and it can kind of be expanded on but idk, I just really hated the competition and wanted a better ending. With this whole idea, I feel like if Stevie and the revolution actually succeeded in knocking out the magic distributor it could have had a domino effect that none of them would have predicted. Depending on how deep that device ran through the infrastructure, it could have given wizards who lost their competitions their magic back. It could have also made some of the wizarding world crumble but what are high stakes without some casualties? It wouldn’t all crumble too, there’d still be some magic feeding it, and honestly they’ve probably absorbed most other magical realms too, so those would be fine. 

All of this was just to make a children’s program make sense so I can make fan fiction. If anyone else is obsessed with Wizards of Waverly Place and are inspired by this then fucking run with it. Or even expand on it, I’d love to hear any ideas people have. Idk if I’ll ever actually write anything with this myself, as I just kinda have fic ideas that take place before any of this would be revealed, but fucking hit me up if you do write something with this idea, I’ll read the hell out of it! (unless it involves incest ships, then you can miss me with that shit, DNI I will block) 

TLDR: the wizarding government is basically just magical America subjugating magical creatures and their own people by controlling and stealing their magic.

[mumms-the-word]

The Shadow Curse Events

If you haven’t already, please enjoy my unnecessarily long totally not me avoiding writing an actual dissertation irl thorough deep dives into Ketheric Thorm and the Shadow Curse!

They are…well, very long, but I wanted to incorporate in-game texts and conversations to give an overall “lore-finding” feel to each post as I was working my way through theories and ideas about how these events unfolded in more or less chronological order.

Each post is written with an attempt to combine elements of in-game books, letters, and conversations with my reasonable(?) conjectures about how things might have happened and an occasional foray into stylistic nonfiction-style writing (which, you know, is interesting when you’re writing about things that didn't actually happen in real life). Basically this started as something I thought was cool and ended with me having, perhaps, a bit too much fun in the nerdiest possible way.

Maybe you’re into that and maybe not. But if you are, then welcome! Please enjoy these deep dives, all of which are linked below c:

Shadow Curse Events Part 1

Ketheric, Selûne, Shar, and Aylin

This first part covers Ketheric's descent from Selûnite devotee to Sharran general following the death of his daughter Isobel. Not only does it touch on him building and training a Sharran army, it also goes over the Selûnite resistance building against him, including one desperate mason named Morfred who makes a deal with a certain devil.

---

Shadow Curse Events Part 2

Harpers, druids, and the battle against Ketheric

The second post is all about the Harper/Druid war waged against Ketheric and the days involved in the battle itself. I present this idea that the Harpers and druids sieged Reithwin for several days without attacking and then launched a three-day battle against Ketheric. But a lot of this is conjecture since I'm trying to piece together a bunch of differing accounts about the actual days devoted to fighting and surviving the brief war between the two armies.

---

Shadow Curse Events Part 3

The first 40 days

The final post is a kind of walkthrough of the first 40 days of the shadow curse from the moment Ketheric dies to about 40 days later. I chose 40 only because it's vaguely symbolic in various cultures, but also because one diary I used to construct the timeline here ends on day 35, and that felt like a weird number to end on too, so...I added a few days. Anyway, this might be the most experimental of the posts, but it was fun(?) to try and place myself in these past events to imagine how the landscape changed into what we see 100+ years later walking into this area with our Tavs and companions.

---

In the end, these posts were just for fun and are not meant to try and convince anybody that my theories are absolutely 100% the way things happened. What I find interesting about this little deep dive journey is that it mimics trying to piece together actual history too. Everyone will have a different account or perspective on historical events, so trying to stitch together a narrative 100+ years later becomes an exercise in drawing sensible conclusions and admitting you can't fill all the gaps.

I could very well be wrong in my theories, and someone else could come up with a way better logical conclusion than I did. That's awesome! Maybe these posts will help others come up with cool theories too.

But anyway. Enjoy my long-winded ramblings about fictional events in a video game that I have put way too many hours into :)

[foxx-queen]

been running around act 2 trying to work out the timeline of what happened back when ketheric was defeated and im still stuck on a few things but i think ive managed to sort out most of it?

isobel dies. she doesn't remember how she died, and if you talk to squire, ketheric's dog, she says that ketheric told her she died the same night as isobel, trying to protect her. but she also doesn't remember how she died/what she was protecting isobel from.

ketheric turns to shar. he and balthazar imprison aylin in the shadowfell and build the gauntlet around that prison. i wasn't super clear on when? this happened, but she's definitely been imprisoned for at least a century, and it would've had to have been not long after he turned to shar otherwise aylin wouldn't have trusted him - i'm pretty sure she said they lured her there by saying someone was in danger? which i doubt she would've trusted if she'd known he'd converted to shar at the time.

ketheric raises an army of dark justiciars in shar's name and rebuilds the fortress in the underdark, which was already in ruin at that point. he plans to lead an assault from moonrise and the underdark.

the harpers and the druids gather in force to stop him.

at the same time, there's a very small selunite resistance in reithwin, lead by the grand mason of the mason's guild. he makes a deal with raphael to wipe out ketheric's forces. raphael sends yurgir and his army via the underdark to wipe out the dark justiciars in the fortress/temple, while ensuring theres still one alive to keep yurgir trapped there. im not entirely sure why raphael offered the mason that deal? he obviously gets the mason's soul, but it seems like a lot in exchange for one soul? yurgir says raphael mentioned 'something about an aasimar', which would've been aylin, but i can't figure out what raphael would've meant by that.

the harpers and druids defeat ketheric. this is where i get a bit confused, because if you ask jaheria about it she says she buried ketheric in the mausoleum herself, and that he was definitely dead. but when he gets attacked in the present day he heals straight away, so im not sure how he was definitely dead if he was already bound to aylin? and if he wasn't dead, it's not like they could've missed that?

im not sure exactly when ketheric was supposed to have been bought back? im assuming it had something to do with balthazar, but again i can't work out if he was actually dead or not. also not sure if he'd just been chilling in moonrise for a century before myrkul offered to bring back isobel in exchange for him becoming myrkuls chosen/joining with the other chosen. isobel probably hasn't been back for that long either by the time jaheria and the harpers arrive at last light in, otherwise ketheric probably would've found another way to try and retrieve her.

in terms of how isobel died, im very suss about the fact that she and squire both don't remember anything about it. it could be just the trauma of dying but i also wouldn't be surprised if their memories were removed, which sharrans definitely know how to do.

[stargazing-sapphire2]

Aleski Pääkkönen

Full Name: Aleksi Joseph Pääkkönen

Date of Birth: April 11th, 1981. West Berlin, Germany

Nationality: Finnish-American

Occupation: United States Navy

Rank(s): Lieutenant-Commander

Age: 43 years old

Family / Relatives:

Lars Pääkkönen - Father (Alive)

Katariina Pirhonen - Mother (Alive)

Svetlana 'Sveta' Pääkkönen - Twin sister (Alive)

Appearance:

*Hair color: Light brown

*Eye color: Blue

*Height: 6'3 / 190cm

*Scars/Beauty marks/Blemishes: A red scar trailing from his left ear to his jaw, and a faded scratch above his left eye; his right hand lacks a middle and pinky finger.

*Faceclaim: Hayden Christensen

Affiliation(s):

-David "Section" Mason

-Michael Harper

-Javier Salazar (Formerly)

-Farid

-Chloe "Karma" Lynch

-Thomas Briggs

-Sveta Pääkkönen

Personality:

Aleksi tends to put on two fronts depending on the situation he is in. Off-duty, he comes off as a goofy and loveable guy, often cracking jokes and sarcastic quips as a way to raise morale and keep the spirits up. Out in the field, however, all jokes and lightheartedness are gone, completely taken over by Lieutenant Commander Pääkkönen. His personality mirrors that of his father's; aloof, cold, and stern, with a complete focus on the mission, but willing to minimize as much casualties as he can.

Aleksi is an outdoorsy guy, enjoying hiking, fishing and hunting in his free time. He is also a huge motorcycle enthusiast, his current bike being a 2022 kawasaki ninja 650.

Outfits / Attire:

Background:

Aleksi was born on April 11th, 1981 in West Berlin, ten minutes older than his sister Sveta. At the time of their birth, his father Lars and his allies had been occupied with the threat of Perseus, so he had not been present, but after it was dealt with in Solovetsky, Lars spent time with his wife and newborns, becoming a dedicated father.

In 1986, at the age of 5, Aleksi was abducted alongside his sister and David by Raul Menendez in an act of vengeance against their fathers and Woods. While they survived, Jason Hudson and David's father Alex Mason were both killed that night, leaving them with the scarred memory for years to come.

In 1999, Aleksi enlisted at the age of 18.

In 2025, the United States was locked in a second Cold War with China, the conflict having been spear headed by Raul Menendez himself. Aleksi finds himself caught within this, and alongside Harper and David is determined to bring an end to the conflict, whether his life will be intact by the end, the future is uncertain for him.

[sweetrinaxd]

i love freckles representation in videogame characters cuz this is my lil complex..as you can see in my art, i always draw freckles on every character :D shitpost btw!! here's my list of characters who has freckles in canon (or not, my hcs)

canon!heather mason from sh3! fav girl

canon!mikaela reid from dead by daylight!

canon!claire redfield from resident evil revelations 2!! also my fav outfit is "sniper"

hc!jill valentine should DEFINITELY have freckles.

hc!moira burton from rev2 too! (i hc freckles on barry, so it runs in the family)

hc!elle holloway from sh homecoming! (i hc alex was definitely jealous of her, think he thought it was really cool)

canon!lynn langermann from outlast 2

semi-canon?eileen galvin from sh4 dont ask why..

hc!kate denson from dbd

hc?anne marie cunningham from silent hill downpour, and also charlie pendleton (think it reminded murphy of his son, so yeah)

semi-canon?sunny smiles from fallout new vegas HER NAME LITERALLY SAYS THAT SHE MUST HAVE FRECKLES!!

semi-canon or canon?I DONT REMEMBER BUT STILL emily from class of 09

hc!rachel jessop/faith seed from far cry 5..

canon!max caulfield from lis1/de

canon!cheryl-heather mason from silent hill sm

hc...rebecca chambers...

hc!maria gomez from re vendetta/di

canon! diana from rule of rose

hc!steve burnside from re code veronica x

hc!helena harper from re6

semi-canon?fiona belli from haunting ground

hc! falin from dunmeshi

hc! jess sherawat from re revelations

hc...unmasked hunk/lady hunk is redhead and definitely has freckles

canon!ellie williams from the last of us/2

hc!ellis from left 4 dead 2

hc!alyx vance from half life 2

thanks for watching me being nerdy

[promoshots]

mason   greene   was   a   promising   young   detective   working   at   the nypd.   he   was   new   to   the   scene   ,   yet   showed   incredible   promise   &   a   sense   of   right   &   wrong   that   was   refreshing   to   see   among   his   fellow   peers   ,   albeit   a   bit  naive.   after   a   few   years   of   taking   smaller   cases   ,   he   would   later   be   promoted   &   put   on   to   assist   in   handling cases based around   larger   scale   crimes.   eventually   ,   the   captain   would   assign   him   to   work   on   the   biggest   case   of   the   decade   ━━   to   find   &   ❛   unmask   ❜      the   heartbreaker   ,   a   killer   known   for   murdering   abusers   ,   cheaters   &   anyone   unfaithful   to   their   romantic   partners   ,   all   in   the   name   of   love.   nothing   is   known   about   this   killer   ,   except   that   their   victims   are   always   connected   to   some   scandal   or   wrongdoing   to   their   romantic   partners   &   they’ve   been   known   to   don   a   plastic   cherub   mask   that   can   be   found   at   any   local   halloween   costume   store   ,   usually   covered   in   dried   ,   splattered   blood.

the   case   was   difficult   from   the   get   go   ,   leading   to   several   weeks   of   no   rest   or   sleep   for   mason.   evidence   that   would   pop   up   would   lead   to   dead   ends   constantly   &   it   almost   seemed   as   though   this   heartbreaker   killer   was   a   ghost   among   the   people   of   new   york   ,   somehow   evading   everyone   ,   yet   always   aware   of   where   they   were   needed   to   drop   their   brand   of   justice.   during   the   case   ,   mason   was   in   the   process   of   separating   from   his   abusive   boyfriend   ,   brad   harper   ,   &   prior   to   being   assigned   to   the   heartbreaker   case   was   on   leave   due   to   an   attempt   on   his   own   life.   brad   was   in   jail   for   his   physical   abuse   ,   but   would   be   released   soon   ﹙   unfortunately   ﹚   ,   so   mason   would   endure   stressful   work   days   on   top   of   stressful   days   at   home   ,   packing   up   his   things   &   contemplating   if   he   should   just   toss   them   out   instead.   originally   ,   the   captain   was   hesitant   to   give   mason   this   mission   ,   not   wanting   to   load   him   with   something   so   heavy   after   what   happened   to   him.   mason   ,   however   ,   insists   on   taking   the   case   ,   wanting   a   distraction   from   his   less   than   spectacular   life.

its   soon   discovered   that   there   is   a   website   for   those   supporting   the   heartbreaker's   actions   ,   praising   them   as   well   as   listing   their   own   issues   with   their   partners   in  hopes   of   the   heartbreaker   taking   care   of   their   problems   for   them.   the   police   begin   to   use   this   as   a   way   to   track   down   more   possible   culprits   &   clues   ,   but   then   the   unthinkable   happens   that   changes   the   game   entirely.   on   the   day   mason's   ex   is   meant   to   leave   jail   &   grab   his   things   at   the   old   apartment   ,   he's   instead   found   dead   &   left   out   in   the   cold   to   freeze   ,   his   heart   ripped   out   of   his   chest.   it   stuns   everyone   ,   including   mason   ,   especially   since   he   never   once   spoke   on   his   relationship   problems   to   anyone   at   work besides the captain.   he   tries   to   lie   to   himself   &   claim   that   perhaps   one   of   brad's   seedy   friends   somehow   did   this   ,   but   even   mason   knew   there   was   no   way   that   was   the   case.

a   few   nights   after   brad’s   death   ,   mason   would   come   home   &   find   an   envelope   sitting   on   his   welcome   mat   outside   of   his   apartment.   upon   opening   it   ,   he   finds   brad's   silver   necklace   inside   ,   along   with   a   note   addressed   specifically   for   him.   ❛   took   care   of   your   problem   for   you   so   you   can   focus   on   important   things   ,   ❜   with   a   heart   signed   at   the   bottom   ,   no   name   at   all   mentioned.   this   freaks   mason   out   to   no   end   ,   &   now   not   only   does   he   feel   like   he   has   to   solve   this   case   no   matter   what   ,   he's   now   got   the   killer's   sights   set   on   him   &   judging   by   the   tone   of   his   letter   .   .   .   he's   enjoying   this   cat   &   mouse   game   that's   just   begun   between   them.

note ﹕ the   heartbreaker   enjoys   toying   with   detectives   ,   but   finds   themselves   endeared   towards   mason   when   he’s   brought   onto   the   case.   further   inspection   shows   that   mason  was   suffering   from   an   abusive   home   life   with   his   partner   ,   yet   could   always   be   seen   sneaking   quick   reads   of   romantic   novels   found   at   grocery   stores   ,   showing   the   true   romantic   deep   down.   in   the   name   of   their   own   personal   justice   ,   the   heartbreaker   kills   brad   just   to   give   mason   some   semblance   of   peace   ,   wanting   his   full   attention   on   them   &   the   ongoing   case.   perhaps   they’ve   grown   a   bit   affectionate   toward   the   new   detective   ,   but   they   are   curious   to   see   how   far   mason   can   come   to   finding   them   ,   &   if   they   do   ,   how   they   will   react   when   they   finally   do   meet.

inspirations   ﹕   the   scream   franchise   ,   death   note   ,   silence   of   the   lambs   /   hannibal   &   moulin   rouge.

[ihonestlycanttellyou]

DoL PC: Onyx the Depraved

My main save and menace to society playthrough! >:]

Cut because it got longer than expected. :p

General

Defiant, Vengeful Sadist, Drooling Masochist, Notorious Slut/Whore/Show-off/Scrapper, and Considered a terror; despite all this, still kinda liked in town.

Would be a Notorious Allfather too but the feature's not really there. :p

Beautiful, Lustful, and Asphyxiophilia traits.

Literally thrives on sick depravity, it's his favorite food.

Lives at Bailey's orphanage but never pays him, prefers to just stomp him and his goons once a week.

A bully at school but his looks and attitude make him very popular despite his more... unsavory actions.

Sending Leighton to the pillory is his favorite past time.

Celebrity chef, Bartender, Adult Shop Attendant, Model, and Brothel Star.

Got a parasite once and was never the same. Now a father of many many many slimes.

Was always an incubus but gained the Cow TF at the farm.

Escaped Remy's secret farm after becoming the farmer's prized cattle. At first, he hated his forced hybrid nature but he loves what being made into a bullboy did to his body; he's super buff and produces milk now. Score!

Escaped prison but lowkey misses pushing the other inmates and even the guards around.

His "types": older men, rich women, brats, and horrific otherworldly beings.

Somehow remembers the names of each of his slimes but not his human children.

Relationships

(Love Interests)

He, Robin, and Corrupt Sydney are bestfriends! :]

Knows about Kylar's obsession and bullies him for it, would probably only gain interest after learning about Kylar's "daddy issues". *

Fucks around with Whitney. Onyx likes the three F's: fighting, fucking, and funds; Whitney provides all three.

At first, he started working for Alex purely to spite Remy but started to genuinely like the guy as a friend.

Thinks Avery is a huge brat, wants to collar and fuck him until he stops whining about his weak standing among the other rich bastards in town. He does like getting $2K just for looking good though so he'll keep Avery around.

Has never met the You are being Hunted trio, so no opinion on Eden, Black Wolf, or Great Hawk.

*He'd love the depravity and really play into it.

(People of Interest)

Hates Bailey but would totally hit it at any given chance.

Has an oddly deep respect for Briar despite her literally being diet Bailey, not even he knows why.

Protects Darryl when working as a Bartender in her club but is mostly indifferent to her.

Absolutely fucking terrified of Harper, that dude literally altered his brain chemistry for one and then tried to take him back to the farm after he escaped.

Indifferent towards Laundry and Mickey but appreciates their business.

Oh boy, where to start with Leighton. Well- [CENSORED FOR PUBLIC SAFETY]

Only knows Niki from the studio, likes them by not by much. If he knew they worked on the farm, he'd flip.

Would charge at and trample Remy since he likes bulls so much, it'd be cathartic for Onyx despite him seemingly enjoying being a bullboy.

Credits Sam for his success as a celebrity pastry chef, still mostly indifferent towards her.

First met Wren in prison and thought he was cool, thought he was awesome when he actually went through with sabotaging Remy during Blackjack. All that admiration flew out the window when he had to suck off all of Wren's friends for his clothes back. >:/

Loves Sirris as a teacher and boss, lowkey wants to make another "sex-ed" video with him.

FUCKING HATES MS. RIVER, He is a complete delinquent so she targets him a bit. He thinks it's funny when she passes out from his antics with Whitney though.

Wants Doren biblically, even more so if she's actually a werewolf like the rumors say.

Hates Mr. Winter, bastard left him in that stupid pillory like five times. Intrigued by his interests in medieval punishment though.

Thinks Mason is kinda hot, not his type.

Never met the others.

Lookbook :D

Everyday Look x3, School, Swimming, Formal, Athletic, Sleep, and finally the Brothel fit, babeyyy!

His tattoos: a horned skull on his chest, "Paradise" beneath his pierced bellybutton with an arrow pointing downstairs (okay fine, it's canonically Size Queen but let! me! have! this!), and ofc a cattle brand on his left asscheek.

[bluehourskyeli]

The world was young, the mountains green,

No stain yet on the Moon was seen,

No words were laid on stream or stone

When Durin woke and walked alone.

He named the nameless hills and dells;

He drank from yet untasted wells;

He stooped and looked in Mirrormere,

And saw a crown of stars appear,

As gems upon a silver thread,

Above the shadow of his head.

The world was fair, the mountains tall,

In Elder Days before the fall

Of mighty kings in Nargothrond

And Gondolin, who now beyond

The Western Seas have passed away:

The world was fair in Durin's Day.

 

A king he was on carven throne

In many-pillared halls of stone

With golden roof and silver floor,

And runes of power upon the door.

The light of sun and star and moon

In shining lamps of crystal hewn

Undimmed by cloud or shade of night

There shone for ever fair and bright.

 

There hammer on the anvil smote,

There chisel clove, and graver wrote;

There forged was blade, and bound was hilt;

The delver mined, the mason built.

There beryl, pearl, and opal pale,

And metal wrought like fishes' mail,

Buckler and corslet, axe and sword,

And shining spears were laid in hoard.

 

Unwearied then were Durin's folk;

Beneath the mountains music woke:

The harpers harped, the minstrels sang,

And at the gates the trumpets rang.

 

The world is grey, the mountains old,

The forge's fire is ashen-cold;

No harp is wrung, no hammer falls:

The darkness dwells in Durin's halls;

The shadow lies upon his tomb

In Moria, in Khazad-dûm.

But still the sunken stars appear

In dark and windless Mirrormere;

There lies his crown in water deep,

Till Durin wakes again from sleep.

[thinkingaboutbetterdays]

roommate's ex. ( mason greyback x reader )

gif belongs to me

Your relationship with Mason, while fairly new, came at an unexpected time, which you appreciated more as you both helped each other heal old wounds. He hadn't mentioned his ex-girlfriend's name, and you knew he would always care about her in some form, but he made it clear that you were the girl he was in love with. In the early days of your relationship, you spent talking about your exes, and Mason found it odd at first, but believed it really strengthened your relationship early on as neither of you had any secrets.

When you found out he was a werewolf you were shocked, but you surprised him with how supportive you were and Mason adored you for how understanding you were when his moods would change leading up to the full moon.

You often stayed with him during the transformation and while he endured a few dog jokes, Mason had never felt so close to anyone before - Alex included.

Your parents moving away from the city spurred your decision to find a roommate and Alex Russo was the perfect candidate, although you learned quickly that her friend Harper was a package deal, not that you minded. You spent most of the day helping them move into the apartment, clearing space for their belongings by packaging away your parents' things. When there was a knock at the door, you glanced at the clock and grimaced when you saw you were running late for your date with Mason who had yet to find out about your roommates as the process had been very quick. The two girls had viewed the apartment at nine a.m and deciding to move in right away, made you lose track of time.

You opened the door, greeting Mason who smiled at you. "Come on in." You pressed a chaste kiss to his lips before stepping aside, and Mason closed the door as he followed you. "I'll quickly get changed then we can go."

"You have no idea." You muttered, making him smile. "I won't be long. They're in the guest bedrooms right now."

"You look like you've got your hands full." He nodded to the boxes and clothes overtaking your living room.

Mason sent you a smile, "Take your time." He reassured you.

You went to your bedroom to get changed and less than a minute later Harper left the bedroom she and Alex were sorting to collect her clothes when she saw Mason, a scream leaving her lips.

"Harper?" Mason looked at her in disbelief.

"What is it?" When he heard Alex's voice Mason was sure the universe was working against him. "Mason? What are you doing here?"

"Okay, keys check. Hair check. Dress check. Lip gloss." You muttered to yourself, almost bumping into Harper as you left your bedroom, finding the three staring at each other. "Oh, you've met. Mason this is -"

"Alex." He cleared his throat. "Yeah, we've met."

You noticed the tension in the room and quickly put the pieces together. "You mean you both used to -"

"Yes."

"Oh." You paused briefly. "Well, this is awkward." You remembered your lip gloss was on your nightstand and excused yourself, glancing over your shoulder as you left the room.

"You're dating our roommate?" Harper whispered poorly.

"I was dating her before she became your roommate." Mason pointed out.

"You aren't seeing her because of me, are you?" Alex spoke up. "Because we're over, Mason. I thought we -"

"I know." He interrupted. "Like I said. We dated long before you knew each other."

"This isn't going to work out." Alex looked at Harper who frowned.

"It's been months since we've seen each other, Alex," Mason stated. "I have no problems with it."

"Of course not because you want us to get back together."

"I don't want to get back together." Mason interrupted before she could continue, silencing the wizard.

"What?"

"I said I don't want to get back together with you," Mason repeated. "When I met Y/N I was so lost for a long time and meeting her was so...incredible. So ordinary. And being with her makes me feel...at peace. I'm happy with her. Content in ways I never could have been with you, and that is what makes it so unique. A mortal understands a werewolf, not knowing the world like you did, but understanding more. And she's amazing in ways I can't even begin to describe." His lips formed a smile before falling slightly as he met her gaze. "So, no, I don't want to get back together. But if you want to stay here, I have no problem with it."

"I don't either." You spoke up, entering the room. You looked at Mason and he knew from your gaze that you had heard his speech. "The rooms are yours if you want them."

Alex considered it for a moment before nodding.

You sent the wizard a smile, "Great. If you feel like having takeout I have menus in the kitchen drawer by the sink."

"You moved them remember." Mason reminded you with a fond smile. "The clear out last week? They're by the door now."

You shared a smile with him before looking at Alex and Harper who could see the love and devotion between you both simply from the way you looked at each other. "He's right. It's annoying when he's right."

Mason walked over to open the door and you looked back at Alex when she spoke, "Have fun on your date."

"Thank you." Your eyes twinkled mischievously as you glanced at Mason. "We're going to the park. I got him a new squeaky pig -"

Mason rolled his eyes as he walked away and you giggled as you followed him, closing the door. He sent you a smile when you wrapped your arms around his waist, pressing a kiss to his shoulder.

Harper looked at Alex when the door closed. "Will you be okay?"

"They look so happy together," Alex commented with a smile, taking a deep breath before levitating clothes from the sofa. "Come on, we can order something after we finish the closets."

Harper smiled as she followed her friend. It was a new beginning and while it would be awkward at first, Alex could see that you would become one of her closest friends. And your relationship with Mason was a happy one, your smitten expressions telling her all she needed to know.

[holmesillustrations]

Vote for your favourite, the top 9 will proceed in the bracket. Since theyre all different shapes and sizes, make sure to click into the full views!

Paget Eliminations / Other Artist Eliminations

Full captions and details for each illustration below the cut:

"Blessington, I think, sat upright in bed." W.H. Hyde, Resident Patient (Harper’s Weekly) Characters: Worthingdon Bank Gang, Blessington

[The Dancing Men Cyphers] Arthur Conan Doyle, Dancing Men (The Strand)

"I trust; Mr. Holmes, that you can spare me a few hours." FD Steele, Three Students (Collier’s) Characters: Holmes, Hilton Soames

"This is awful! You don't mean – You don't mean that I am suspected?" Arthur Twidle, Wisteria Lodge (The Strand) Characters: Watson, John Scott Eccles, Holmes, Gregson, Insp Baynes

"Holmes stared with great curiosity at the slips of foolscap." HM Brock, Red Circle (The Strand) Characters: Holmes

"The doctor knelt beside him, and held down the hand-lamp. One glance was enough to show the healer that his presence could be dispensed with." Frank Wiles, Valley of Fear (The Strand) Characters: Insp MacDonald, Watson, Holmes

"What's this, Mr Holmes? Man, it's witchcraft! Where in the name of all that's wonderful did you get those names?" Arthur I. Keller, Valley of Fear (1915 US Novel) Characters: Holmes, Douglas, Police, Local Surgeon

"Suddenly Holmes sprang from his chair. "Come, Watson, come!" he said. "With the help of the God of justice I will give you a case which will make England ring." Alfred Gilbert, Thor Bridge (The Strand) Characters: Joyce Cummings, Watson, Grace Dunbar, Holmes

"At the child's cry of pain Ferguson and the nurse rushed to the nursery. The kneeling form of his wife by the cot confirmed the terrible accusations of the nurse." WT Benda, Sussex Vampire (Hearst’s International) Characters: Robert Ferguson, Mrs Mason

[Watson and Mrs Maberley] FD Steele, Three Gables (Liberty) Characters: Mrs Maberley, Watson

[Holmes] FD Steele, Lion's Mane (Liberty) Characters: Holmes

"I was slipping through the pantry window in the early dawn when I felt a han inside my collar." FD Steele, Retired Colourman (Liberty) Characters: Mr Barker, Holmes

[eljeebee]

Julie sat with her mother in her bedroom.

"I heard you're inviting someone over," Margaux said. "I've cleared up my Sunday schedule for you."

Julie gasped. "Mummy! You shouldn't have. I can move the dinner on a different day!"

Margaux laughed. "It's just one thing, my love. And I'd love to meet your new friends, Julie."

"They're lovely, Mum," Julie said. "They're so fun to hang out with, and they're very helpful when it comes to schoolworks. And they're so cute together! Oh, and did you know, Louie's dad is a Celebrity Chef! Louie brought lunch with him and shared it with us. It was delicious."

Margaux gasped. "Oh my! What's his name?"

"Chef Jason Davis," she said.

"The name's familiar," Margaux hummed. "Oh! That's the rising chef I've heard from the grape vines. Heard his meals are always hearty."

"Oh, it is!"

They giggled.

"Mum, did you know Sid and Louie live together?"

Margaux raised her brows. "Oh...didn't you say they have something between them?"

"Yes, but it's not like that," Julie said. "Sid doesn't have anyone left, so Louie's family let her stay with them. His family sounds lovely."

"They do," Margaux nodded. "I'd love to meet them some day."

"Me too, Mum."

Penny sat up from her office chair. She's turning in for the night when Bernie stopped her.

"Penny, do you know those kids that the twins are bringing on Sunday?" Bernie asked.

Penny nodded. "Yes, why?"

"What were their names?"

"Louie Davis...uh...and Sidera Harper?"

"Do you mind getting them a background check?"

"Are you sure?" Penny raised a brow. "Does the duchess know about this?"

"No...," Bernie groaned. "But she doesn't need to know!"

"They're kids, Bernie."

He sighed. "I know, but just to be sure..."

"You need to stop tolerating whatever Seamus is thinking, Bernie. He won't ever step out into the wild with you doting on him like a mummy duck," Penny sighed. "Based on what Julie's saying, I could see those kids are fine."

"Well...ugh, Julie's...Julie's optimistic," Bernie started. "So she tends to see everything with sunshine and rainbows."

"Your point?"

Bernie groaned. "My point is, Julie can be wrong, and Seamus might be right."

"Since when is Julie wrong?"

Bernie stared at him, lips on a thin line.

Penny stared at him back.

"Penrose, don't make this hard," Bernie warned, trying to make his voice serious.

"Why can't you do it, Bernie? I'm about to sleep."

He only stared at him harder.

She groaned, rolling her eyes. "Okay, alright, fine. You win."

He sighed in relief. "Thank you, Penny."

Penny returned to her seat, booting up her computer.

"Says here that Louie's father, Jason, is a celebrity chef," Penny noted. "And that his mother, Sophia, won the lottery prior to his parent's wedding. He has a younger brother named Mason."

"Well, looks like their kids are getting the headstart in the future," Bernie chuckled.

Penny rolled her eyes.

"Alright, on to Harper."

Penny typed. She crossed her arms, humming. She typed again.

"Sidera Harper...," she said. "Her father's Alfred Harper, who passed away years ago. Prior to that, her mother died in an accident. She's left with her aunt named Elizabeth Swanson, who had recently left her."

"And?"

"That's it."

"Why did her aunt leave her?"

"No idea, can't find anything." Penny shrugged. Then she sat straight, spinning her chair to Bernie. "Oh, wait! Doesn't the Swanson last name sound familiar?"

Bernie paused, "Yes, it does ring a bell."

He returned to his computer and typed away.

"She might be related to the Swansons," Bernie noted. "Or maybe...Elizabeth is a Swanson!"

"What about her niece?" Penny said. "Shouldn't her niece be a Williams? Elizabeth would have Charlotte Swanson as her older sister."

"You're right," Bernie nodded.

Penny gasped. "Do you think they're hiding something?"

Bernie looked back at her with a raised brow. "What?"

"It's known in the public that the Swansons faded into nothing, or whatever, and the public forgot about the accident...on a weird way. Won't that mean that they hid Sidera from her real identity to keep her safe from that accident? Look, Sidera doesn't look like this Alfred Harper. And look, Alfred was a butler for the family! The HS Intelligence are the only ones who kept archives of that accident, and the files about the family prior to that, no other news network or journalists have kept it in their deepwells. Do you think they're hiding her from something evil? Do you think the vampire attack was true?" Penny was breathing hard in excitement.

Bernie looked at her in shock. "Alright, alright, alright. Why don't we turn in for the night, yes?"

"You're such a killjoy, Bernie," Penny sighed, returning to her computer to shut it off.

"Let's keep this information away from the little family," Bernie said, shutting his own.

"I never had intention to do this anyway," Penny shrugged as she stood up from her desk. "Well? Do you think the kids passed your little background check?"

Bernie sighed. "Yes. Yes, they did."

previous | next

[mumms-the-word]

Shadow Curse Events Pt. 3

The first 40 days

Hello, friends, and welcome to the third and final installment of this little series about the Shadow Curse in BG3. Part 1 talked about Ketheric's descent into Sharran worship and how he built his Dark Justiciar army. Part 2 detailed the events of the war between the Harpers/druids and Ketheric's army, a bloodbath that culminated in Ketheric's supposed death and a high-cost victory for the Harpers and druids.

With Ketheric's dying breath, he utters a curse and the shadow curse takes full effect within hours. That's what this post is about. There are two journals that give us a day-by-day breakdown of the shadows as they roll outward from town, Olam's Journal and Oliver's Diary. Using these (plus other materials, naturally), I wanted to construct a kind of timeline for the first 40 days of the shadow curse as it slowly took over the landscape.

Quick cw: some descriptions of madness and implied sexual trauma from one note left behind by a Reithwin citizen

As always, long post ahead, under the cut!

———

Dear Diary, Day 1: Nothing ever happens in this town. I'm ready to go to the Gate. If Mother won't let me, I'll run away myself. She says my lungs are too weak for the smoke. But how am I living at all, when all I do is milk the rothe? [mumms' note: I imagine this diary entry by Oliver was written before the battle, but during the siege. I can't imagine him writing "nothing ever happens" when a battle is actively taking place.]

Let me set the stage. It is the third day of the battle between the Harper-druid army and Ketheric Thorm. The Harpers have already tried to surrender, only to be denied by Ketheric, who joins the battle himself. The death tolls are astronomical and the citizens of Reithwin are either cowering and trying to survive the battle that rages outside their doors or fighting as part of a volunteer force. The tides have turned in the Harpers' and druids' favor as reinforcements for Dark Justiciars inexplicably stop coming (thanks to the mason's infernal deal). At last, some lucky Harper or druid strikes the blow that finally fells Ketheric Thorm. Ketheric uses his last breath to utter a curse on the land, the actual words lost to time, and dies. Together with other Harpers and druids, Jaheira assists in dragging Ketheric's body from the battlefield and sealing it inside the Grand Mausoleum. But the damage has already been done.

It's day one of the shadow curse.

Day 2 of Darkness I stood calm as Ketheric uttered his final curse and then withered. As my fellow Harpers dragged his putrid corpse from the battlefield, I allowed myself to feel relief, even solace. A wrong had been righted, an evil thwarted. Victory had come - but I had yet to know its true cost. The darkness shrouded the land like a vast cloak. It began as a chill, as if the Claw of Winter had gripped us. Within hours, every breath was a dagger piercing my throat. I hungered for air like a wolf hungers for meat - yet I could still get my fill, thanks to my armour. Would that the men and women of Reithwin had been so well-equipped. One by one they fell, only to rise as shadows of themselves, intent on extinguishing all light, and all life. The shadows hang less heavy in this place. It still takes some effort to fill my lungs, but better to expend effort than to unite with darkness. My traps should keep me safe - or at least, safe enough.

Olam, an aasimar Harper who eventually fell victim to the shadow curse as he was trying to find ways to reverse it, is our best record for the first day. According to him, the first sign of the curse was a chill, as cold as the Claw of Winter, a reference to the winter month of Alturiak.

Months in Faerûn have two names, a sort of "official" name and a common name. The second month of the year, Alturiak, is commonly known as the Claw of Winter, a month of deep cold that sets in after Midwinter (the day right before Alturiak 1). Given that Ketheric's speech to his troops suggests they're preparing to face winter, and the fact that Thisobald's notes tell us that Ketheric was poisoned by the Harpers in Elient, the month that contains the Autumn Equinox, it's safe to suggest that the battle happened in late autumn. A sudden chill as cold as deep winter would be very alarming, especially accompanied by an unnatural darkness.

So, first comes the cold, so piercing and uncomfortable it makes it hard to breathe. Then comes the shadows, a darkness that settles over the town and begins to spread. If you're in armor, if you've trained your body to withstand magical and physical attacks, if you're resistant to any kind of damage, if you're one of the miraculous soldiers who hasn't been horribly wounded and weakened, you have half a chance to survive the initial shadows.

The untrained citizens of Reithwin don't have even that half-chance.

One by one they fall to the shadows. One by one they rise again as twisted, changed, ravenous undead, "intent to extinguish all light, all life." We've seen what the curse does ourselves to Harpers like Yonas, or to other living creatures like the hyena or the goblin near the mountain pass entrance. The Harpers and druids who believe that they can put battle behind them at last are now faced with a new enemy—the undead, shadow-cursed husks of innocent (and perhaps not so innocent) citizens.

Image: An armored arm covered by black and green shadow magic reaching out.

Not just citizens, either. The shadows soon claim Harpers and druids too. The shadows do not discriminate.

Halsin: Even in defeat, though, Ketheric turned to Shar. Not long after we sealed him away in his tomb, the shadow curse took hold. No one had seen the likes of it before. No one knew how to react…Then it started to claim all those within its reach. Those who had survived the battles now fell to the shadows - became part of the shadows. And worst of all…I lost contact with Thaniel. I wanted to try and find him, but we couldn’t stay. We would have all succumbed. When the Archdruid of the Grove - my predecessor - was seized by the curse, I had to lead the survivors to safety. That was my first day as Archdruid. An inauspicious beginning.

The Harpers and druids no doubt scatter, scrambling for light, caught flat-footed in a fight against the undead they must now kill, some of whom might even be their own allies, their own friends, and a darkness they can scarcely understand. As more and more people fall, more and more corpses reanimate. There's no use fighting. Their only real choice is to run.

Halsin, among the survivors, desperately tries to gather together druid survivors and rescue the wounded from the curse, going so far as to carry some on his back, according to unique dialogue with Jaheira. As they attempt to flee, the former Archdruid falls, seized by the shadows. Halsin is forced to leave him behind to ensure the survival of the other druids.

Halsin: It is an honour to see you again, High Harper. Jaheira: No need for titles. You may call me Jaheira, so long as you are content to be known as Halsin. And the honour is mine. Your stewardship of the Emerald Grove has made for something of a story among the circles. The apprentice who survived the shadow curse, and carried his masters home on his back. Who was raised their master in turn, and searches still for a way to save what was lost. [mumm's note: Halsin says he never met Jaheira, but this could be him being polite, or him referencing that he has seen Jaheira before, they've just never spoken or officially met.]

At the same time, he's lost contact with Thaniel. The spirit of the land has been pulled into the Shadowfell somehow by the onset of the curse as it spreads outward and begins to take over the landscape. Perhaps the Shadowfell claims others, as well, the moment the darkness falls over them, rather than transforming them into undead shadow corpses. We know this happens to Art, after all.

But Halsin doesn't have time to think about Thaniel, unfortunately. With the Archdruid dead, it is now his responsibility to look after the wounded and surviving druids and lead them to safety.

[This is an ancient notebook, whose ink is faded and pages are starting to crumble. It's not easy, but some words can still be made out.] Ketheric is finished, but it cost us the land. Darkness has fallen, corruption is everywhere. [...] ...chased by shadows, picking us off, druids and Harpers alike. [...] ...our wounded were safe, I returned, searching for survivors... [...] ...lost, but I found his shade. I put it to rest and took his glaive... [...] ...blade infused with shadow. I have locked it away, to serve as a reminder that even victory can taste bitter.

In the launch version of the game, the glaive Sorrow belonged to the old Archdruid. (In early access, it belonged to Halsin, but that is an entirely separate post.) Halsin's old notebook reveals the lengths he went to save the wounded, becoming the Grove's leader the very hour, the very minute that the old Archdruid succumbs to the curse. He doesn't stop to fight the Archdruid's shade. He must save whoever he can.

In town, others are trying to flee the curse as well. The first couple of days, it's all the citizens can do to stay ahead of the darkness and escape the shadows before they're taken. One person attempts to send word via a raven seeking help. The raven, too, succumbs to the curse.

[This letter is written on a scrap of paper. Blood and age have made it near illegible in parts.] HELP! A darkness has rolled into Reithwin, cutting us off on all sides. We’ve sent people through, but no one can make it more than a few steps before [the words are obscured by drops of blood.] This letter is our last hope. Send help - anyone, from anywhere, I beg of you. I will renounce our Lady Loss and kiss the Moonmaiden’s feet if that’s what it takes. Just don’t let the darkness take us.

It's nearing the end of the first day. Halsin has at last seen the wounded to some kind of safety and turns back, braving the shadows again to try and find the old Archdruid. He finds his shade and kills it, taking his glaive as a reminder, since the shadow-corrupted body must be left behind. With his duty at last done, Halsin departs the shadow-cursed lands to return to the Emerald Grove with the survivors. He does not return again until a century later.

———

Day 2 of the shadow curse.

Olam the Harper manages to secure something of a safe refuge in a hidden room of the House of Healing's morgue where the shadows hang less heavily. He sets up traps to deter shades and shadow-cursed zombies.

Citizens of Reithwin who haven't fled the curse on day one and are resilient enough to survive the first day are slowly succumbing, too. Some citizens seem to willingly give themselves to the shadow curse, or are taken entirely by surprise.

A couple on the roof of the House of Healing lay together, whispering poetry to one another as the darkness falls. Another couple lays curled up in their home, perhaps trying to hide from the shadows as the darkness presses against the doors and windows. Other citizens drag their feet, trying to pack up their lives and follow after more slowly. The result is the same for all of them. Death to the shadow curse, or the shades it creates from the dead. Their skeletal remains lay untouched for decades afterward.

———

Day 5 of the shadow curse.

Olam, sequestered inside the morgue, is simply trying to survive. The curse begins spreading outward, its borders expanding toward the outer reaches of the landscape.

Day 5 of Darkness The shadows ebb and wane. A torch flame is sometimes enough to burn them away, but no light can dispel the deepest of them. I called my familiar Corvin to my side, but he could scarcely take wing. Tomorrow I search, and not just for food and drink. I might find a scroll, or an artefact, or an arcane focus that can ward off this curse. Perhaps I might even find another survivor. 

Olam is hopeful, but he is very likely the sole survivor of the shadow curse within the town itself. There are, however, survivors outside the town, some of whom are still trying to flee. Others, like Oliver and his mother, are forced to stay in their home as the shadows creep closer and closer.

———

Day 7 of the shadow curse.

Before Oliver held half of Thaniel's essence, he was a young boy (possibly a tiefling) on a rothé farm on the outskirts of Reithwin. He seems to have been born with or developed a chronic illness of some kind, as his mother worries about his lungs not being able to handle the smoke of Baldur's Gate (I assume this is a passing reference to some early industrialization of the city). But by day seven of his journal, the shadows have already started to spread outward toward his home.

Day 7: Ha, a strange fog is descending over our own town. Hasn't left in days. Getting hard to breathe. Mother is eating her words, saying we should head out to the city to stay for a while until it lifts. We go at dawn.

(I personally don't think the numbered days in Olam and Oliver's journals align, where Olam's Day 5 of darkness is also Oliver's Day 5 in his diary. I think it's more likely that they're offset by 2 or 3 days, with Oliver beginning his journal 2-3 days before Olam did, so Olam's Day 4/5 would be Oliver's Day 7, and so on. But for simplicity's sake, I'm just going to use both of their dates as if they were perfectly aligned.)

———

Day 8 of the shadow curse.

Oliver and his mother try to brave the shadows to head west to Baldur's Gate, but the shadow-cursed creatures are too dangerous. They turn around and take shelter in their home once more. They spend another several days protected from the curse, somehow.

I suspect it's Thaniel's lingering presence near the house that is saving them. But they couldn't possibly know that.

———

Day 14 of the shadow curse.

Oliver and his mother have given up hope for any kind of escape. The shadows are too dangerous. It's too late to leave.

Day 14: We tried to leave, but there are creatures from beyond the grave, skulking around the outskirts of our land. It's too late.

———

Day 18 of the shadow curse.

Everything is dead or undead. Everything except Olam, Oliver, Oliver's mother, and the animals they care for...for now. The town is still, as if suspended in time, but not quiet. Things stir in the darkness.

Day 18 of Darkness It's a particular loneliness, in these shadows. Corvin shows great affection when I call him, even as he suffers. Those few minutes are at least some comfort, for us both. It is remarkably still in here, and even stiller out there. I have found a few scrolls and books near the House of Healing, as well as some scattered artefacts, but they hold nothing for me. The only answers call out from within the House itself, where I dare not enter. I hear the moans of the anguished, the shouts of the cruel. There are those who make their home in the shadows, but I am no less alone for them.

Olam's hopes are dwindling. The shadows had taken the life of everything they've touched. Many shadow-cursed undead lie dormant, waiting for something to stir them back into action. Others have been reduced to shades and towering living shadows. Still others, like those inside the House of Healing, have been transformed. In particular, it seems as though the nurses, if not Malus himself, have become twisted undead versions of their living selves, something different than the average shadow-cursed corpse.

Because, you see, being transformed into a shadow-cursed being doesn't simply mean death and undeath. Not always. It also means a descent into pure madness as you lose your entire sense of self. Some victims choose to venture more into the darkness rather than fight it.

Shadow creature transformation is like this: I am standing in a tunnel with one way leading into light and the other leading into darkness. The tunnel glistens and stinks like a tube of rancid sausage. Everything slick with slime. I've got to get out of here. I know I do. But which way? Light or dark? Not day and night. The light is coming from the face of my grandfather, who used to squeeze my knee under the dining table with his bony fingers. His wizened, grinning face is the face life wears. It has flayed off his face and is wearing it now, lantern bright, in the light at that end of the tunnel. The dark though. The dark is absolute. No faces there. No old family trouble there. No bad dreams or memories there, well, well that's decided then isn't it! Sauntering now, striding now, running into the velvety black, embraced, bones snapping, body softening, silking, feeling the change, old life left behind, new life new me let's go yippee!

(There's also weird poetry about the shadows, if you're interested.)

The shadow curse is still Shar's darkness, and the allure of the dark's embrace is still there. Victims who lose their minds to the shadow curse as they turn into shadow creatures are drawn to this twisted idea of a new life (an un-life, really). As we see with Yonas, they're eager to bring others down with them.

Harper Yonas: There you are...come...join me...

Reithwin may be dead, and it may be still, but it isn't quiet.

———

Day 21 of the shadow curse.

In the outskirts, the shadows have possessed Oliver's rothé. They too grow mad, attacking one another and dying, only for the shadows to resurrect them again.

Day 21: The rothe are all possessed, knocking down their fence, battling and bashing one another to death... Dying then fighting again. The shadows are everyone... right outside our window. I can't see more than a few strides out.  [mumm's note: I think "everyone" is supposed to be "everywhere" here.]

The darkness is only getting worse.

———

Day 26 of the shadow curse.

Nearly one full month since Ketheric's death. The shadows have grown darker and darker. In Oliver's cabin, he and his mother can only see a few strides beyond their windows. In town, where Olam continues to try and search for ways to end the shadow curse, the air has darkened from grey to black and grown so thick that breathing it in is like swallowing molasses or tar.

Day 26 of Darkness I called on Corvin yet again, but I cannot bear his torment. Nor can I bear my own. Grey has turned almost to black, and the air might as well be molasses or tar, so hard as it is to choke down. 'All beings should walk free of fear', I was taught. Oh, if only were I granted such a fine fate.

This is the last entry in Olam's journal. After days of trying to break the shadow curse, experimenting with various spells to push back the darkness or dispel the magic, after days of him and his bird familiar, Corvin, being the only living things he has encountered since the onset of the curse, Olam finally succumbs to the shadows. Perhaps he chooses to end his own life, or perhaps the shadows have crept into the morgue and at last killed him. Either way, his body, tainted and ruined by necrotic magic, remains sealed in his morgue hideaway for another century.

———

Day 28 of the shadow curse.

There are only two people still living in the midst of the shadows. Oliver and his mother remain unaffected by the curse, so long as they stay within their home. Oliver has no idea why the curse does not push into their house—it certainly has no issue creeping into every other home in and around town.

But I suspect Thaniel is at work. Given that Thaniel's spirit was torn in half by the shadow curse, perhaps the part that lay behind took refuge in Oliver's home. Perhaps that half is already in Oliver himself.

But Oliver grows restless. Though the curse has yet to take them, living with it is not easy. His weak lungs can't handle the shadow-thick air, even if it does not corrupt him immediately. He begins to contemplate death.

Day 28: I'm not dead yet. But I'm going to die here, aren't I? I can hardly breathe. Why does it not get into our house? Why doesn't the curse take us already. Day 35: I can't stand this. I've been trying to write a memoir of myself but it's still no good. I'm too weak to pen fine words. I am going to die unremembered, be what may. It's getting pointless to cower in here. There is nothing we can do about this all-encroaching dark. Tomorrow, I will walk out into the fog, and I will laugh. With love, a farmhand, forever to be unknown.

———

Day 35 of the shadow curse.

Olam is dead. Everyone in town is dead. Most people in the outskirts are dead. Except for Oliver, and perhaps his mother, and even Oliver can no longer handle the loneliness and despair of the shadow curse. Oliver plans to leave the safety of his home and give in to the shadows, rather than die a much slower death as the shadows continue to creep in.

———

Day 36 of the shadow curse.

Oliver opens his door and walks out into the dark fog of the curse. Some flowers still bloom, untouched by the curse or the shadows, just outside his doorstep. The corpses of the rothé lie inert in the darkness, having died twice over days before. Oliver likely doesn't linger on either detail. It only takes a few strides for the darkness to envelop him.

It only takes moments for it to change him.

Oliver as he was in life is gone, taken by the shadow curse. But some vestige of Thaniel keeps him alive, keeps them both alive. But the shadows have already done their damage.

Oliver remains near his home as the years pass, his laughter and his games turning ever deadlier as the curse strengthens and grows.

———

Day 39 of the shadow curse.

Halsin and the other druids have long since returned to the Emerald Grove. The mantel of leadership weighs heavy on his shoulders. He has sealed away the old Archdruid's glaive, tainted as it is with shadow magic, and begins to turn his attention to leading the Grove. A task he never asked for, and doesn't feel he deserves.

Jaheira has moved on to other adventures, working independently or with other Harpers. It will be another several decades before duty calls her back into the shadow-cursed lands, back to the site where she fought to maintain balance and put an end to a corrupted Sharran general.

The town of Reithwin and the surrounding landscape is dead. Dead, but not quiet. The shadows sink into the land itself, twisting the trees, slowly cracking the very earth apart. Shadows continue to stir, corrupting everything they touch. The unlucky undead that are not granted blissful oblivion shamble among the ruins of the town, between the remains of the battle. Their actions are twisted recreations of their living days, as nurses or as patrons of the Waning Moon. Their minds are all but obliterated.

The town settles into a pattern of hungry shadows on the hunt and undead corpses shuffling mindlessly through the motions. This pattern will remain undisturbed for a century or more.

———

Day 40 of the shadow curse.

Inside the Grand Mausoleum, behind the sigil-sealed doors, the crypts of the dead are not as still and silent as they should be. Something, someone moves in the darkness.

Ketheric Thorm, pulled back into the land of the living, stands at the foot of his daughter's sarcophagus. He wants to forget. He wants the darkness to swallow him whole. But it does not.

A bloated, fleshy hand reaches out in the darkness, and Ketheric hears an all too familiar voice, deep and resonant with dark magic.

"Let us refocus our efforts, General. In here, we have everything we need to bring her back. It will only take time."

Ketheric, having lost everything, agrees.

———

Okay, so maybe Day 40 was just me guessing/wanting to get creative. I believe Ketheric probably woke up, since he's still functionally immortal thanks to Aylin, relatively soon after the shadow curse was unleashed. But because he was sealed in the mausoleum by the Harpers and druids, he must have spent the better part of a few years, maybe even a few decades, trying to gather the strength to blow open the doors and leave.

He's been defeated, and Shar has likely withdrawn her blessings on him. His only power now is his immortality (probably). We know he doesn't build an army again until a century later, when he does so under Myrkul's command. So I imagine he probably spends many decades in the mausoleum, trying to forget, or (failing that) trying to resurrect his daughter.

Forgetting evades me in this infinite darkness. Balthazar is my own source of the barest comfort - the thought that, perhaps, she might be brought back to me. If oblivion can fail, what defence have we against death? None except its mastery. Balthazar's words have never felt more promising.

Somehow Balthazar finds him. Perhaps Balthazar was sealed inside the mausoleum too. But Balthazar promises to find a way to restore the one thing Ketheric wants. Ketheric doesn't desire vengeance. Ketheric doesn't want another army. Ketheric wants Isobel. And Balthazar, a powerful necromancer, believes he can deliver.

So the experiments begin. And fail. And fail. Thisobald, Gerringothe, Malus. The Thorm family members rise again, except they're twisted, grotesque, a little mad. Not how Ketheric wants Isobel to be. But they keep trying. Until at last, nearly a century after his defeat, after a century of struggling to forget and fall into oblivion, ignored by Shar, Ketheric turns to Myrkul. He agrees to become Myrkul's Chosen and do his bidding, in exchange for the one thing he wants most.

Isobel.

Melodia would understand, if she knew my aim. She too, I believe, would have turned to Myrkul under such conditions as these. Our darling will live again. What kind of man would I be if I didn't raze the world entire for her sake?

Ketheric at last renounces Shar to pledge himself to Myrkul. And Myrkul, unlike Shar, keeps his promise. The death that began the spiral into Sharran zealotry, that led to the shadow curse itself, is finally reversed.

After more than a century of death, Isobel wakes up.

———

So ends the three-part series about the shadow curse. What a ride. I'm so fascinated by this entire act/history because it feels like diving into war history or something. So thanks for following, if you followed all three parts!! Let me know what other deep dives you want me to do!

Tags for those who wanted an update! @fingons-rad-harp @stuffforthestash @cakenpiewhyohmy

[sparklight1242]

Just an assumption about how they call each other

During the working time, David always call the other "Harper" and Harper always call the other "Section"; After work David still calls the other his last name, while Harper calls him "Mason"

Thinking that in the beginning of their romantic relationship, maybe only when they're banging hard will David call him "Mike", but turns back to his last name every time after they're done

Several times later they belike

David: Harper...help me to get that cup of water...

Harper: *give him the water cup, blushed faintly*...I mean, You can call me what you just called me ever after...

David:

Harper: ..Except working time, of course

David: Mike-🥺🥺🥺

[whats-in-a-sentence]

The world was young, the mountains green,

No stain yet on the Moon was seen,

No words were laid on stream or stone

When Durin woke and walked alone.

He named the nameless hills and dells;

He drank from yet untasted wells;

He stooped and looked in Mirrormere,

And saw a crown of stars appear,

As gems upon a silver thread,

Above the shadow of his head.

The world was fair, the mountains tall,

In Elder Days before the fall

Of mighty kings in Nargothrond

And Gondolin, who now beyond

The Western Seas have passed away:

The world was fair in Durin's Day.

A kind he was on carven throne

In many-pillared halls of stone

With golden roof and silver floor,

And runes of power upon the door.

The light of sun and star and moon

In shining lamps of crystal hewn

Undimmed by cloud or shade of night

There shone for ever fair and bright.

There hammer on the anvil smote,

There chisel clove, and graver wrote;

There forged was blade, and bound was hilt;

The delver mined, the mason built.

There beryl, pearl, and opal pale,

And metal wrought like fishes' mail,

Buckler and corslet, axe and sword,

And shining spears were laid in hoard.

Unwearied then were Durin's folk;

Beneath the mountains music woke:

The harpers harped, the minstrels sang,

And at the gates the trumpets rang.

The world is grey, the mountains old,

The forge's fire is ashen-cold;

No harp is wrung, no hammer falls:

The darkness dwells in Durin's halls;

The shadow lies upon his tomb

In Moria, in Khazad-dûm.

But still the sunken stars appear

In dark and windless Mirrormere;

There lies his crown in water deep,

Till Durin wakes again from sleep.

"The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring" - J.R.R. Tolkien

[venillopewrites]

Hi I hope you're well. I was just wondering if there were any new updates you could give us?

If not, what about any non spoilery fun facts for this or your other project?

Actually Idk if you started working on it yet but if so, How's the other project going? All I saw was animals and got excited.

Hello love! I'm doing good, winding down from the summer excitement and preparing my home for my favorite autumn season 🍂 My neighbors are getting increasingly worried about my pumpkin collection.

I do have some minor updates for you! Nothing to warrant an entire post, but small successes are also successes!

For example, the personality aspect of the prologue has passed quick testing! Now every action has an appropriate reaction somewhere in the text, no matter how small. I so enjoy flavor text 💫 (I added like 2k words of flavor text. Oops, but not really)

The naming shenanigans for the Parasite has been fun. There's some easter eggs there, depending on what you decide to name it! (ie. Venom, which no doubt will be popular) Of course all of these aliens from media have faded from human memory between 2023 and 2974, but that won't stop me from writing some general and vaguely snarky responses.

Bonus scene for this week was the very first "death" scene. Not that the MC can die this early in the game, but I'll switch to the Parasite's POV as a lil treat for both you and me 😌 It's very exasperated about the whole ordeal of its human meat bag going *windows shutting down*.

Focusing heavily on the stat page now too, and boy is it fun. There's even (placeholder) graphics! Both literary and numerical relationship stats, yay! Shiba will be the only one who even remotely likes MC in the beginning of the game, the others are either indifferent (Parasite), wary (N.) or downright hostile (E.)

There are a lot of fun tidbits from both games, but let's do TEP for now.

Did you know organized religion no longer exists in 2974? The only thing remaining are obscure records on the intranets and crumbling, forgotten infrastructure hidden deep within the oldest parts of the Pens. Cults though, those you'll find in abundance!

The metropolitan city has a name, but no one really uses it. The three districts (the Aureum, the Hub, and the Pens) are the biggest districts within the city of Arca. There are more, but no one really pays mind to those. Like suburbs that have nothing happening to be honest.

All but four planets (the four exceptions being Neptune, Jupiter, Uranus, Saturn) in the solar system are inhabited by humans. Mercury is an industrial behemoth, and only houses mines, factories, and factory workers. Venus is a resort planet, but just for the richest of people who can afford it. Very bougie. Mars is a settled planet with similar massive cityscapes as Earth, but they're very much shielded under massive domes. Pluto is a prison. Many moons/natural satellites also have colonies, because humans are too many and need space.

One of those inhabited moons kinda went kablooey in 2430. RIP people who lived on Rhea.

While the future has many great technologies, humans haven't dabbled in android business yet. There are some trials on extinct animals though, but those have all been failures.

Animals only exist in zoos. The planet is too barren and crowded to house any natural animals. Sad, but no one really cares since they don't go outside the city limits on foot anyway.

Oh wee, that was a lot of loredropping, huh? Hope it gives a bit of an insight to the world!

Now the other project is in outlining stages, but I can name drop some NPCs/RO's for you 😉 They're all set in their genders too which will help me with coding.

Anyway, here's them and their respective emojis.

Kit 🐻‍❄️🐧

Olivia 🐬🦈

Dallas 🐊🐍

Mason 🦁🐯

Harper 🦚🦜

Sydney 🩺🐾

Oh, and the villain 💵🏗️, duh.