#mage and the endless unknown

[sjmillerart]

The advance copy of my debut comic arrived and it's gorgeous (⁠ ⁠；⁠∀⁠；⁠)

out in bookstores June 20th!

Never imagined something like this when hand folding zines in 2019.

[haveyoureadthiswebcomic]

Have You Read...

Can be read here!

[readingrobin]

Since I was caught up in the Magical Readathon this month, it gave me the opportunity to pick up my pace a bit reading-wise. Managed to get into those sweet double digits when it came to how much I read and the majority of them were great. It started off on a high note, but I think by the end I was getting into some very lukewarm reads. Nothing too terrible, since I didn't manage to DNF anything this month, but it's always disappointing to end a month with a whimper rather than a bang.

Total Books Reads: 11

Total Pages Read: 3,520

Books Read:

Murder for the Modern Girl by Kendall Kulper (3.5/5) (Review)

All the Stars and Teeth by Adalyn Grace (3/5) - A sea faring journey is just what I needed to get in the mood for a summer that feels not too far off. I will say, this book definitely lives up to its promise of adventure, due to its tense, bloody action and introduction to a world with a interesting magic system, though I did find myself constantly confused and unable to really visualize soul magic. I think the book's greatest strength is its setting, where each island holds its own kind of magic and traits. Though we didn't see every island, I'm sure the rest will be left for the sequel to explore, there was enough to sate me for this particular journey.

When it comes to our main crew, I think I have to echo some other reviews by saying Amora comes off as the least interesting. Bastian has his charm and inner turmoil that he tries to keep behind a mischievous facade, Ferrick, his foil, a bit more straight laced and focused, while also having the neat featuring of regrowing limbs, and Vataea, a mermaid with a sultry, yet scary strength. And Amora is…just there. She's the princess, our main character, the one who believes she alone can save the kingdom, which somewhat makes me feel like she views her crew as nothing more than lackeys and sidekicks who are but tools to help her get to each destination while she does the most self-sacrifical work. I know she's meant to be a stubborn royal who was most likely raised to believe so, but it still doesn't exactly put her in the best light to the reader.

The writing itself kept my attention, but the plot had the standard twists and formula one finds in most YA fantasy. Nothing wrong with a formulaic plot, but there should be some sort of window dressing or aesthetic that keeps it from fading into the background with all the rest like it. My mind was starting to expect certain plot beats, only to go "ah, there it is" when the shoe inevitably dropped.

Mage and the Endless Unknown by SJ Miller (4/5) - Not gonna lie, this graphic novel gets rough. If you're up for seeing a little mage constantly facing some sort of traumatizing event from the terrifying creatures he meets on his travels, well, this'll certainly do it for you. The artist really has a knack for drawing unnerving, rigidly detailed creatures that give off a Junji Ito vibe. The contrast of the amount of gore, violence, and disturbing visuals offset the more friendly and cartoonish looking mage, giving the idea that one of these things doesn't belong in this setting. Though upsetting at points, there is a glimmer of hope to this comic, one that offers a sense of peace and rest. The comic does have a physical release coming out, but you can read it now on the magecomic website.

Elatsoe by Darcie Little Badger (4/5) - It's odd how I went into this book having both some expectations, mostly due my friends and everyone else lauding it extensively, and no expectations at all. This pretty much happens whenever I'm 3-5 years behind reading the latest hot titles. But Elatsoe really does live up to its clout. The world has a somewhat normalized take on the paranormal, where vampires, or "cursed" individuals, magic users, and faeries are a known part of the world, interacting with society with life pretty much going on as normal. Well, aside from the string of mysterious deaths that seem to linger around a small town in the middle of Texas. It presents a setting that is both familiar and yet holds a bit of intrigue in a sort of alternate Earth containing all the history of our world with just some extra bits.

I loved the incorporation of Lipan Apache culture in the story, giving it an identity all its own and more weight to its events. The theme of oppressors actively displacing and sacrificing the oppressed to survive and further their own needs will always be haunting, especially when tied to the history between colonizers and indigenous peoples. Little Badger gives an equal amount of lamentation for the crimes of the past and present, while also celebrating the endurance of culture and its teachings that are passed down throughout the ages. 

A big plus for making Ellie's asexuality just a casual feature of her character rather than making it an entire plot point. As an asexual person, I'm glad to have any normalizing representation that's more than an entire story where the protagonist has to repeatedly defend and validate their sexuality to other people. Here, it's just a part of her being, no big thing, and that's the way it should be. 

Nettle & Bone by T. Kingfisher (4/5) - I've been hearing a lot of good things about T. Kingfisher and how I would really jive with her work. Well, diving into a story with a main character that has trouble really understanding the world around her while also bringing together a group that may qualify as one of the odder found families definitely wins me over.

I think what really endears me to this book is how much I appreciate Marra as a character. I love how, despite how constantly and profoundly out of her depth she is, she is still determined to do anything to protect her family. That, while she is surrounded by people who, on the surface, are more exemplary and powerful, she is capable of working marvels. What makes her stand out among other royal heroines is that her abilities are not tied to skills she earned through her title or some kind of destiny, but a certain domesticity she finds comfort in and developed all by herself. Marra is a self made woman, wanting to make herself of use to others instead of sitting around, waiting to be used as a chess piece. I think there's something amiable in depicting a sort of power in the mundane, that, with enough determination and love, could be as strong as any weapon or magic.

The writing style makes it so immersive as a dark fairy tale. Kingfisher always nails the tone of a scene, whether it be unnerving, reflective, mysterious, or tinged with a hint of humor. There were some elements I think could have been expanded upon. I wish we got a little bit more characterization from Prince Vorling other than what we got as second hand accounts. Most of the time, he never really felt like a threat, just something far away and not really tangible, despite his lingering marks on Kania. I really wanted to see more of that Goblin Market as well. So very ripe with fantastical possibilities.

The Moth Keeper by K. O'Neill (3/5) - O'Neill, throughout all of their work, knows what it takes to make each of their worlds atmospheric, engaging, and magical. It's mainly through their artwork, which is just totally immaculate here. The night scenes, will covered in a dark, expansive sky, still have a certain glow about them, coming from Anya's lantern and the ethereal presence of the moths. The adding of animal characteristics to the characters also bring about a certain kind of charm, though I wonder if there was a purpose behind these designs beyond aesthetic. The art itself make it worth checking out, but I don't think it ultimately saves a story that seems somewhat empty.

I think, as I was reading, I never felt totally ingrained in the world. It seemed almost aloof in nature, not really explaining certain things or leaving other elements up to interpretation. I mentioned the story seeming somewhat empty, which kind of makes sense for one that has a desert setting and deals with feelings of loneliness in a community and isolating yourself. But there's not really much else that compensates for that space, not in depth worldbuilding or interesting character dynamics. The message is a reassuring one, that your responsibilities in your community shouldn't be a source of isolation, but rather a way to get closer to them. It's a simple, reflective story, which is fine, but I think I was expecting more out of the premise.

The Cloud Roads by Martha Wells (3/5) - Wells certainly has a penchant for emotionally aloof and antisocially prone main characters, but I'm all for it. In a world devoid of humans and populated by a slew of humanoid creatures, the story offers a setting completely alien to the reader, which leaves a lot up to the imagination. At first, it was somewhat difficult for me to properly visualize all the differences between the species. The book already has an appendix for how to differentiate between the Raksura and the Fell, so it would have been helpful to have another that focused on the other races in the world.

I don't know if this is just me, but I thought that it was somewhat odd that, despite possibly coming from a similar ancestor, the Raksura are an all sentient, rational thinking race among all their classes, but the Fell are a mostly animalistic hivemind species aside from their rulers. It kind of made for a messy parallel and I think was to make the reader empathize more with the Raksura and showcase the Fell as entirely evil with no capability for civility. I suppose it certainly helps side with the heroes as the two constantly slaughter each other, but it makes for a pretty boring antagonist that is simply evil scary monsters just because. The story seemed like it had a few opportunities to go deeper than that, as Cloud has a history with them and Wells has shown that she is capable of more nuanced storytelling, but fell off about halfway through.

I wish there had been more time set aside for Cloud to truly learn about his people and reflect on his place in their society before they thrust him into the hierarchical issues and the disputes with the Fell. Cloud has only just found his people for the first time after losing his mother and siblings as a child, wandering alone and hiding what he is from others, and I don't think we get a lot of him reflecting on what that truly means. Also, imagine going through all that, and discovering that your main purpose in that society was basically to breed. Again, may just be a personal thing, but I know that would certainly lead to an existential dilemma for me. Personally, I'm not a fan of society structures as, "you're born as this class, so obviously you must serve that role forever" seems too dystopic for my tastes. Wells subverts this with Chime in a way, but again, doesn't really tap the full ramifications or intrigue behind it.

The Sandman Universe: Nightmare Country Vol 1. by James Tynion IV and Lisandro Estherran (5/5) - It's very rare that I find a Sandman-affiliated comic that I don't like really. I love this world and all the terrifying sorts of beings that live within it. I know Tynion more for his young adult Wynd series, but know that he's very capable at writing horror and Nightmare Country certainly proves it. This comic takes Sandman back to its horror roots, following the Corinthian as a being with teeth for eyes other than him has been stalking a woman in her waking life for some time now. This volume serves as a good setup to the story, getting all our main players in, bringing back some familiar faces and introducing some new ones. With how the story ended, I'm really interested to see where exactly it's going to go.

Vespertine by Margaret Rogerson (4/5) (Review)

Labyrinth Lost by Zoraida Córdova (3/5) - I feel very lukewarm about Labyrinth Lost. It wasn't a particularly bad book, I think it's just one where I've read similar stories before and they were told in a way that was more gripping to me. I didn't really connect with the simpler writing style, or connect with any of the characters. I think the only elements that I was really interested in was the magic system and the environments of Los Lagos. I'm always a fan of the trope of the tempting feast, the one meant to lure you in with delicious food and fascinating company, only to trick you into eating dirt and keep you there forever. It's a portal fantasy staple, really. 

It may be just a me thing since I was breezing through this book so quickly, but the pacing felt a bit off at times, with the action starting and stopping so often, especially towards the end. I think what really threw me off about the group is that we don't really have a strong trio of characters between Alex, Nova, and Rishi. Usually in fantasies that usually follow a group of three characters off on a typical quest, there's some cohesion to them. They may get off to a rocky start, but eventually they really start to work well as a unit and become stronger for it. Here, the group doesn't really feel like a stable triangle, as they usually range from being incredibly snarky and antagonistic towards each other (Alex and Nova at the start, then Rishi taking over that job from Alex as the two start to get on better) or being completely devoted to each other (Nova warming up to Alex, as well as Rishi being a constant supportive force and that's it). I wish Rishi got some kind of quality that made her more of an asset to the team other than Alex's best friend and love interest. She literally just fell into the portal to Los Lagos after Alex on accident and really doesn't serve a function other than backing Alex up. It doesn't make her that memorable as a character and it's a little disappointing.

I know there's plot reasons as to why they don't really feel like a great team but the twist towards the end probably would have hit a lot harder if they were. 

Other than that, the family dynamic was a great element of the story, which makes it a bummer that we don't really see more of them. I know the sequel follows Alex's sister, which would probably focus a bit more on that aspect, but I don't think I gel enough with this writer or the overall story to continue.

The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson (2/5) - Though I may not have liked this book very much, I will say that I appreciate that it introduced me to an interesting aspect of history that I had not known before, such as the Pack Horse project and the Blue Fugates family. I'm a real big fan of pieces of history that slips through the cracks and lead the way for improvement in societies that were disadvantaged, which was one of the aims of the Pack Horse project. To know the dedication of librarians in this context, to be introduced how they would travel in dangerous conditions to bring people books and magazines that would either give them a relief for their hard lives, or help them learn new skills that would help them contribute in new ways to their families or communities was a much welcome lesson.

That's probably the only praise I can really give this book. I wasn't a fan of how this book centered on the constant sense of tragedy that lingers around Cussy May. It seems that, no matter how little good she experiences, she can't hold onto it for long or it's overshadows by the many, many horrible things that happen to her. Numerous sexual assaults, medical assault, losing so many people. At some point, it almost feels manipulative that we're constantly supposed to feel bad for Cussy, but at some point it gets to be too much to take seriously. Did I feel anger at all the injustice she faced? Sure, as any rational minded person would. But when the only thing your character experiences is constant hardship without any slack, it gets to be real repetitive and boring. And that ending was just the cherry out a cake made out of frustration and emotional exhaustion.

When it came to the author's treatment of race in the book, I'm just gonna say that it's a bit messy in certain scenarios. Framing Cussy, a person with blue skin, as someone who is somehow treated more poorly than the few black people in the community, was, I don't know, probably not a great choice. The scene with the doctor's Jamaican servant (you can tell she's Jamaican because the author makes sure to lean hard into the accent), who doesn't even let Cussy into his house or provide her a drink when he asks her to, just felt a little tone deaf. 

While I'm glad this books highlights the importance of literature within a community, as well as how wealth and information disparity leads people to become more disadvantaged, misinformed, and generally have harder ways of living, its tone and content just felt a little overbearing.

Average Rating: 3.5/5

[plenaurum]

You know my theory about Leander possibly being dead?

I initially said that he may be a walking corpse. I'm kinda wavering on this theory, though (though it'd be fucking awesome if it were true). Maybe what I'm thinking isn't THAT drastic, but I do believe that he has something to do with death and necromancy. And I do believe that he is sacrificing/using people somehow. Why? And what for? I'm not sure.

I do think that he has died once and probably came back wrong (there is no way he survived a scar like that). He might have learned his magic skills from some entity while he was dead (or near death), which is why he is so skilled, and he may have to spend the rest of his life paying back whoever he has learned from. The entity (or other people) may be what is powering his magic.

He may have been trying to gain power so that he can change Eridia/Lowtown for the better, and, considering his heavy association with the Magician tarot card, he may have gotten greedy, so his lust for power turned from something selfless into something selfish.

[asha-mage]

Since it's my birthday my friends got me the amazing gift of 'watching the Wheel of Time show while occasionally stopping to discuss/let me loose my mind' for which I am incredibly grateful. A few random observations from this time through, as I attempted to view it through the lens of the entirely WoT uninitiated (as my friends are)-

The group shots, where the camera passes from one of the Emond's Field 5 to another, do this clever trick where Rand is never actually standing on his own. He's always standing beside or behind someone in one of these shots, so the camera doesn't actually have to cut or pan away from someone else to get to him. This serves the purpose of highlighting him in contrast to his friends, but also to subtlety downplay his presence to the audience, and build up to the Dragon reveal in episode 7 very effectively.

The cinematography in general is so exceedingly rich and delicious- the stark white of the Whitecloak camp contrasted with the bloody reality of their actions. The bright primary colors used to make the Aes Sedai visually pop and feel magical and strange, even as they are dressed (for the most part) practically for their traveling (a complaint I had about the Witcher, aside from everything being brown and grey all the time, is that the mages show up to battles dressed in ballroom dresses instead of you know, clothing that would make sense). The subtle use of lighting and camera angle to create a sense of vast isolation of Shadar Logoth, fear and danger in the Ways, and cramp sweltering heat in the Blight.

Moiraine's opening narration in episode 1 is essentially a summary of the information we get from one of the epigraphs at the ending of the Eye of the World prologue, to whit:

"And the Shadow fell upon the land, and the world was riven, stone from stone. The oceans fled and the mountains where swallowed up. and the nations where scattered to the eight corners of the world. The moon was blood and the sun was as ashes. The seas boiled, and the living envied the dead. All was shattered, and all but memory lost, and one memory above all others, of him who brought the shadow, and the Breaking of the World. And him they named Dragon." - Aleth nin Tearin alta Camora, The Breaking of the World, author unknown, the Fourth Age "The world is broken. Many many years ago men who where born with great power attempted to cage darkness itself. The arrogance. When they failed, the seas boiled, mountains where swallowed up, cities burned, and the women of the Aes Sedai where left to pick up the pieces. These women remembered one thing above all else, the man who brought the Breaking of the World. And him, they. named Dragon." - Moiraine

This makes me suspect their was an earlier version of the script that actually used the epigraph (maybe even both of them). I have mixed on feeling on this, as the epigraphs are one of my favorite artistic choices of Jordan's and really help emphasize the history and depth of his world, but I think filtering it through Moiriane and making it slightly less opaque was a smart choice to convey the information to the audience. I also think this works on a character level as well- here is Moiraine's understanding of this information, shaped by her biases.

Every re-watch also makes me more and more comfortable in my 'the show is a future/past turning of the wheel from the books, the broad events and truths being the same, but seen in one of those endless variations we hear about' interpretation of the series. The heart of the story and characters is the same, and the broad strokes and framework are the same, but it's in the details where things emerge as different. This interpretation has the benefit of fitting really really well with the meta-narrative stuff Jordan always liked to pull, and in freeing I think the show expectations of being a one-to-one recreation.

That said I defiantly felt the cracks in the final two episodes as a result of the Covid shutter and loosing Barney Harris more strongly this time- some of that being that this is my first re watching of season 1 since I've seen season 2. You can practically see the things they wanted/planned to do that had to re-worked because of circumstances beyond their control. Mat's absence in the group argument scene (and the 'I am so tired of you two fighting over her' line that was clearly meant to be Mat's), as well as the lack of bigger/more cohesive battle scene in Tarwin's Gap. You can also tell they hadn't quite figured out how they where going to re-work season 2 yet given that the ending for season 1 had to be changed last minute (for example, their is no reason for Moiraine to just outright admit that she released Lan's bond unless they hadn't yet decided that was where their arc was going yet).

I think the show does an exceedingly good job of structuring it's exposition to the un-intiatited, trying to stagger it so that audience is largely learning new things in pace with the characters. I know people where frustrated that things like the War of Power have yet to come up in earnest even in the Latra and Lews scene, but I think the slow and steady reveal of things matches both the core idea of 'their is always more you don't know', and trying not to overwhelm the audience. My friends had no trouble following what was going and picking up the bigger implications/subtext that underpins a lot of information. 'But why did the Dragon try to cage the Dark One? It doesn't seem like it was that simple.' came up a few times especially.

The detail that what jump-starts Perrin's wolf brother connection is having his wound healed/cleaned by the wolves in that scene from episode 2 is so incredibly clever, and a good twist on the traditional 'werewolf bite' mythology.

I love the deliberate choice to incorporate so many random ruins and remnants of things in the background of shots. Not just the 'dilapidated stone buildings' that the characters camp in, but things like the trio of carved faces that Egwene and Perrin run past while fleeing the Whitecloaks, or the boundary stones Mat and Rand pass on the road, or even just the small carvings and pillars scattered about the cave where they are holding Logain. It all helps to make you feel that ancientness, that brokenness of this world more effectively.

The reoccurring use of the Dragon's Fang to symbolize violence and destruction: the Trollocs using it as a scare tactics, it appearing in the blood in the pool after Nynaeve kills the Trolloc, being burned into Siuan's ruined childhood home....and the way that contrasts with it's use in the finale episode, when we see it whole and unbroken in the seal/yin yang symbol for the first time was really really clever. One of my friends actually gasped out loud and went 'oh' at the first shot of the whole seal when it clicked.

The show does an exceedingly good job of maintaining that core idea of the series that it's about our relationship to violence- violence never being casual or simple or easy, but always raw, hard and bloody and a little bit ugly. EVen subtle things like the way the show depicts Moraine hurling stones at the Trollocs with uncomfortable frankness, trying to literalize what in most fantasy media would be an abstract. Take it from I cast stone 2, to I inflict horrible blunt force trauma on another creature. And of course everything re: Perrin and his ax.

I have more thoughts, but I think I'll save some of them for after we watch season 1, because they relate strongly to stuff from there.

[thisisnotthenerd]

Happy New Year @shakespearestolemyurl !! I have the other half of your 2023 @d20exchange gift: Songs of the Celestine verses for the Bad Kids!

Group Verses

On occasion, an adventuring party will receive a set of verses that encompasses the group as a whole—these verses are sung together as opposed to individually. Often, these are written by a bard within the group, taking the form to detail the exploits of their own adventuring party.

This set of written verses regards the Solesian adventuring party known as the Bad Kids, who defeated Kalvaxus and the Nightmare King during their first two years at the Aguefort Adventuring Academy. The author of these verses is technically unknown, but it is believed that Fabian Seacaster, during his early bardic education, composed these verses for his friends using the form learned from his pirate father, William Seacaster, after he joined the College of Swords during the Bad Kids' quest to retrieve the Crown of the Nightmare King. 1

______________________________

Adaine Abernant-O’Shaughnessy:

A wizard born

To endless scorn

Who chose the face the fighting storm

Upon her word

That she has sworn

The elven oracle

She’s stolen books

And taken looks

At futures she has now forsook

From tiny nooks

She found the hooks

Now categorical

With arcane hands

She made her stand

A mage come far from foreign lands

And as she scanned

She made her plans

And broke her manacles

For now she is

Second to none

The oracle for everyone

And free at last

She’ll have her fun

Adaine the oracle

______________________________

Kristen Applebees:

The cleric chosen

For devotion

Her heart in ever-changing motion

Questions Couldn’t

Remain unspoken

The Prophet now come free

So determined she

Can’t be deterred

She tried to fly with a Ribbon dancer

Oh she stands sure

Even though her

Dex is negative three

From Helio

To Yes? Or no

She understands what can’t be known

In philosophy

She seeks to grow

Cassandra’s only priest

A cleric’s light

Within the night

Guides darkened paths with clear sight

She walks alight

And fears no fright

Saint Kristen Applebees

______________________________

Figueroth Faeth:

The rebel bard

Cannot be charred

Flamboyant in her disregard

With warlock spells

She will safeguard

Fig the InFaethable

She changes face

In every space

And plays with skill electric bass

She’ll catch your soul

And take your place

While playing rock’n’roll

She gave request

For Aguefort’s best

But something she could not have guessed

Was to the west

And in her nest

Writing wizard’s scrolls

She’ll drink some gin

No fear of sin

Her secrets kept behind her grin

But when you’re friends

She’ll let you in

Fig the InFaethable

______________________________

Gorgug Thistlespring:

Barbarian bound

To hear the sound

Of metal music all around

He oft confounds

And breaks the ground

Gorgug Thistlespring

He looked for meaning

In the gloam

For heritage to call him home

Child of orc

And man and gnome

he is now the crab king

He fuels with fear

an endless rage

He came from deathly forest aged

Who is his dad

He cannot gauge

Insight is not his thing

He wields his axe

And hammer too

He’ll call across the world to you

He fixed his phone

Made sending stones

it’s Gorgug keep going

______________________________

Riz “The Ball” Gukgak:

The roguish goblin

Killed a dragon

With deepest passion he was gobbling

He’s hidden when

He gets his shots in

Riz Gukgak? Nay, “the Ball”

With arquebus

And sword to choose

The briefcase where he keeps his clues

Or healer’s kit

And clue tattoos

He makes good use of them all

The little shrimp

Of the bad kids

When seeking clues do as he bids

While counting fingers

He shot Biz

He’ll commit assault

Though self-contained

With party in reins

He thinks at night with buzzing brain

He’ll ne’er refrain

And fears no pain

The fury of the small

______________________________

Fabian Seacaster:

The bardic fighter

Sheet igniter

Hellish motorcycle rider

With dance and fire

He will reach higher

Fabian Seacaster

Born to pirate

Legacy and

Elvish smiths and fighters free

He made his way

From land to sea

And faced disaster

The warlocks slain

‘Twas only him

And erstwhile friend, Chungledown Bim

And on a whim

From battle grim

He fled and fell even faster

And from that moment

He was changed

His skill in elvish dance now trained

With sword and sheet

And crossbow ranged

Fabian Seacaster

1 Given the personal nature of these verses, there are a few deviations from how the song is typically sung for pirate heroes. While titles and epithets commonly feature in the Songs, this rendition features continual references to titles endowed upon the Bad Kids, formal or otherwise, save Seacaster's own verses. These include: the Elven Oracle [Adaine Abernant-O'Shaughnessy], the InFaethable [Figueroth Faeth], the Blessed Saint [Kristen Applebees], the Crab King [Gorgug Thistlespring], and The Ball [Riz Gukgak].

[redstrewn]

My personal Leander bookmarks

Tumblr told me "fuck you" and search no longer works reliably on my blog, so I'm now manually organizing all the posts I reference a lot.

Still not finished with this; will keep editing over time.

Compilations

- @/senobium's collection (there's a long list!)

- astranautic & anam-mana: femininity, divine feminine, triple moon, ouroboros, lily, chatelaine, fool's journey/high priestess

- lesbianrumi: pagan symbols, ouroboros, immortality, rebirth, cycle of life, triple moon, white lilies, elements, fertility, youth, femininity, divine feminine, purification, green, unicursal hexagram

Red Spring Studio

- character description: kindness comes with a price, expects something in return

- character reveal: as long as you trust me, a darkness haunts his chivalry

- character teaser: mages lust for power. It's always their downfall

- character profile: likes and dislikes

- MC's responses to touching Leander

- in-game opinions on Leander

- relationship charts

Manipulation

- stylographic-blue-rhapsody & @/senobium: the magician tarot, personality and nature of character

- rubyfunkey: swaying MC's opinion

- @/leaiss: dagger as deception/treachery

- owlespresso & me: Leander intentionally putting MC in danger

Endlessness

- anon & heavensickness: LoveWillNeverEnd (prologue Leander music)

- Red Spring Studio: Did you think this would end?

Playing god

- Marlowe's Faustus (thanks to heavensickness)

- @/senobium: as above so below and more

- @/senobium: ruling the underworld

Bluebeard

- Red Spring Studio: "...as long as you trust me."

- To accept love is to accept being god: love as a matter of faith like the garden of eden, without eliminating risk

- Bluebeard as God (cw patriarchy)

- Bluebeard as God, collection

- play loops, a cycle

Chaos magic

- lucyofasgard & me: chaos magicians, gnosis, as above so below and the unknown, belief, magic and fogfall as weakening of reality

- Phil Hine: the magician as inhuman and feeling separate, sacrifice, neverending consequences, "one cannot reshape the world without being reshaped in the process"

- Phil Hine: a magician "by necessity, is continually on guard against that which might limit his ability to adapt and survive in this world."

- Phil Hine: pushing boundaries

- Phil Hine: belief and interpretation

The myth of Hero and Leander

- cvhenia's excerpt from a book

- stylographic-blue-rhapsody

- reo-the-leo: Ais nicknaming Mhin as "Dove" and MC as "Sparrow"

- peppermintbiotics & anam-mana: crossing planes/borders, barrier maiden

Flower/lily of life, dragonfly

- @/senobium & junebean1782: flower/lily of life

- pinkpruneclodwolf & reo-the-leo: dragonfly

Cycle of life

- n--n: leander's birthday is on the summer solstice (rebirth/duplicity)

- endless knot: cycle of life and more

Curses

- crying--crow: left-hand path and right-hand path, absorb/inflict curses

Jealousy

- green, othello (ouroboros, green-eyed monster), uquiz results ("dont retake")

- heavensickness: awkward silence that he doesn't smooth over

[loz-untold-myths]

UNTOLD MYTHS: The Mage's Lantern

Concepts 2

General Story + Additional Art

Program: Ibis Paint X

Time Elapsed: 2 hours, 33 minutes; 34 minutes; 46 minutes

Story

After years of the Hylian royal family keeping the whereabouts of Triforce unknown to all (including themselves), the dark wizard Ganondorf assembles a group of elemental mages in search for it. They terrorize Hyrule, and, when it becomes clear that they cannot be reasoned with, the King sentences them all to their deaths. Every mage is slain, except for that of ice. At Ganondorf's command, the wizard uses his rage to conjure an endless storm that affects every region of Hyrule.

Princess Zelda seeks a way to destroy this storm in secret, but must hold her own in the frigid wasteland that seeks to hunt and destroy her. However, she soon finds that her own life is not the only one she puts at risk...

Link, a young ranch hand from a village called Darune (built after the storm began), finds himself drawn to the wasteland of ice outside his town. Following the guidance of stories he only halfway recalls, he finds a lantern with a spirit of fire locked inside.

When the two cross paths and find their goals may intertwine, Link and Zelda seek a way to help this spirit reach his full strength and destroy the storm once and for all.

[caemthe]

Beasts who hunt other beasts.º

Name: Mictíre Clan Antiquity: 2000+ years Motto: Sons of The Land Crest: Howling wolf

The Clan:

Due to the decline of the concentration of mana in the world, a mage family that studied elder runes decided to take a different approach so it wouldn’t weaken and fade over time. So, while the majority of mage families aged, vanished, or were exterminated over time, the Mictíre clan stood strong and never runs out of young talent. Unlike mage families that study and polish one magecraft over various generations, the Mictíre became a goal-oriented clan. The goal? 

To maintain the sacred balance between the world of the known and the unknown.

The clan is composed of 400 active members. The vast majority of them have no blood relation to the original family and are devoted to the research and development of magecraft that will aid in the goal of the clan. Currently, only about 25 members are descendants from the original family that still specialize in the usage of elder runes and are in charge of keeping the balance between the two worlds. The family is divided into the macNessa branch, whose integrants have a greater affinity with the moon and water elements, and the macMaga branch, whose integrants have a greater affinity with the sun and fire elements.

The Breakthrough:

The Mictíre clan leads worldwide in the business of magical weaponry and protection thanks to its over 2000 years of research and development. Its accomplishments include the usage of elder runes, the synchronization of the soul with a weapon, the summoning of wolf-like canids familiars, and the Void spell.

Elder runes (passive):  Inscribed on the body from a young age to enhance speed, strength, self-healing, and, overall, resistance. They used to quickly deteriorate the physical state of the user but have been perfected over time so they no longer have negative secondary effects.

Elder runes (active):  While all members of the original family are taught the 24 runes, each one will have a natural affinity and make better usage of one rune in specific, which allows them to use it to its full capacity. 

Weapon-binding:  The synchronization of the human soul with the soul of a sacred or cursed weapon. Lets the user summon and make perfect use of said weapon. Due to the time needed to create these weapons, the majority of the available ones are melee weapons.

Canina familiars:  Wolves, jackals, wild dogs, and dogs are the type of familiars that each member of the macNessa and macMaga family branches are able to summon to aid them in battle or on a daily basis. The summoned familiar depends entirely on the individual.

Void:  A complex spell made to ‘nullify’. Whether it’s a magic or innate skill, the Void spell makes the target no different than a human or wild animal. A permanent work in progress and the greatest success of the clan. Has effectively worked on nullifying a marquis of hell, the ‘last’ dragon, and minor deities.

The Treasures:

The main manor has a nearly endless number of treasures and prizes the members have collected over the last few thousand years. The vault displays legendary weapons that carved history, skeletons and taxidermied corpses of powerful magical and demonic creatures that once terrorized humankind (or are now considered extinct). The 4 greatest treasures (plus a treasure they lost) are:

The Stone of Destiny (Lia Fáil):  A magical stone with the power to rejuvenate and grant multiple blessings and luck to a ‘king’. It’s said it roars in joy when the rightful king steps on it, significantly increasing the power of the blessings and luck granted to the individual. All members of the clan that take arms (weapons) and finish their training go through a graduation ceremony where they step on the Stone of Destiny once to receive its blessings and luck. Despite the antiquity of the clan, it has only roared for a handful of warriors in the last 2000 years.

The Spear of Lugh (The Slaughterer):  A legendary lightning spear that it’s said is impossible to overcome. With the incantations Ibar and Athibar, it always hits its mark and returns to the user. It’s a living weapon that thirsts for blood and must be kept in a barrel of pounded fresh poppy leaves to keep at rest. When unsealed, it roars and struggles against its bindings, fire flashes from it, and it tears through the ranks of the enemy once slipped from the leash, never tired of slaying.

The Sword of Light (Claíomh Solais):  A blazing bright lighting sword no one ever has escaped from once it was drawn from its sheath. A divine weapon no one could ever resist.

Dagda’s Cauldron (Coire Ansic):  A cauldron that never runs empty so no company has ever gone away from it unsatisfied. It’s a holy grail, a device that grants impossible wishes to its owner and, perhaps, what has allowed the Mictíre clan to exist and thrive until now.

Oracle of Doom (Deirdre): To know when, where, and what tragedy will strike will always give you the upper hand. The child was acquired thanks to the prophecy of the Father of Druis, Cathbad. She was meant to be one of the greatest oracles of doom but has been taken by the BSA.

The House of Danu:

‘To run, to flow,’ is the fate that awaits all that try to break into this house without an invitation.

Either due to the nature of their activities or the treasures and knowledge in the main manor, many have tried to break into it or exterminate the clan over the years. But no one has succeeded thanks to the magical security system (or reality marble) of the manor. Ancient magic from the Age of Gods transpires through the walls and hallways, the protection of the goddess Danu can be felt as soon as one steps into the clan’s territory.

Anyone who steps into the manor without an invitation is doomed to eternally walk its hallways until life goes out of them. It’s not an illusion as the surroundings and hallways really do stretch and go on forever for the uninvited. Leaving marks or trying to break the walls to get to a room is useless as the corridors will simply stretch forever. Eventually, the House of Danu will spit out the corpses of the victims, and that’s the only way anyone can find the trespassers. Unfortunately, it’s a mechanism that can’t be deactivated and there’s no way for the members of the clan to make contact with the lost trespassers.

The Wolves:

Cormac • Conall • Naoise • Sétanta

[sjmillerart]

It's out!

Mage & the Endless Unknown is finally out!! My comp copies arrived yesterday aaa

Special thanks to everyone who read the comic while I posting it online way back or grabbed Mage zines from me at a con. If you still have the original foil cover zine of the first chapter, send me a picture!

[mtkanna]

nymph's dream & the narzissenkreuz institute

nymph’s dream provides a few insights into the narzissenkreuz institute, the narzissenkreuz ordo, and the people within. i’ve done my best to determine which artifact is about which person, and what their wider lore implications are.

the odyssean flower

the flower isn’t associated with any specific member just yet. instead, it acts as an overarching theme of the narzissenkreuz ordo, and thus represents separation and new beginnings. the ordo’s name roughly means “order of the daffodil cross,” where the daffodil is usually symbolic of new beginnings and rebirth.

if anything, the flower should be associated with cater—a hilichurl rogue who keeps a flower yet to bloom, a memory and a reminder both, and “the flower within one’s dreams will always remain in full and fragrant bloom.” if not that, then perhaps mary-ann, whose memory remains in a field of blooming sunflowers…

“...a shadow still fell over the kingdom…”

so. the cataclysm happens. the director and her sisters aim to “defeat the evil at its source,” which most likely means that they went to the sign of apaosha in sumeru; at the same time, basil elton takes the sponsian to fight elynas. the other members of the narzissenkreuz order are mentioned:

alain guillotin – “[seeks out] the path ahead using the secrets of machinery,” who established the institute for the development of more meka and to try and make khaenri’ahn technology work on the surface;

jakob ingold – the “journey beyond normal comprehension,” who took on abyssal secrets and now works independently, fulfilling his own agenda;

caterpillar – “some still reminisce endless over the afternoon adventures…” the wilted flower, who spent an unknown number of years imprisoned as atonement for his acts beneath narzissenkreuz…

wicked mage’s plumule

a feather from basil elton’s hat. the feather itself—the original—can be found in annapausis, and contains “the power to advance a story forward.” so, then: the feather was basil elton’s, and came from an unknown bird. as part of the games they played as children, basil entrusted the feather to mary-ann, who later gave it to ann.

the feather would finally “reach the source of that which caused the calamity of parting…” and then return “from whence it came.” the calamity of parting most likely means the events that took place within elynas, or could mean elynas itself—the cause of basil elton’s death, the place where mary-ann died and the narzissenkreuz ordo was eventually divided…

which leaves the question: how does the feather make its way to annapausis, in a part of the story that ann has yet to reach? is there a greater chain of ownership than basil elton → mary-ann → ann?

nymph’s constancy

the first paragraph refers to the doomsday clock in the narzissenkreuz ordo. “their circle will begin anew [...] until such a time [...] where nothing will.” there are broader links here to the ideas of the samsara—that everything can be repeated and observed, again and again, throughout teyvat. the narzissenkreuz ordo is just one microcosm of it.

the pocket watch’s owner was most likely carter scherbius. “a tiny champion who loved machines” describes both him and alain guillotin, but we know that alain lived to an old age and was able to retire—carter, however, died young and was assimilated into the narzissenkreuz consciousness, perhaps by falling into “the primordial liquid that dissolves all.” the enigmatic pages mention that the pocket watch was left behind, when carter was being “[processed for rebirth.]”

we know that those who die in the primordial sea are ‘preserved,’ and though they lose their bodies their voices are still there, and can be heard with enough exposure. since everyone in the institute—particularly jakob ingold—was involved in researching the primordial sea, that would explain the records which state that carter’s vocal cords were preserved, inasmuch as a consciousness can be.

the second half of the timepiece just details the helixsplit and circumstances of ann’s creation. it can be read in annapausis at the fountain with the statue of mary-ann in a fuller form. the most crucial detail is that lyris “plunged into a stagnant slumber [...] and so remained untainted.” while this could be talking about the narzissenkreuz consciousness, i think it could instead be about the tainted waters in fontaine following the cataclysm, that led to every oceanid either leaving the land or dying.

heroes’ tea party

this one doesn’t give as much lore information. it does say that mary-ann was deeply attached to basil elton, and confirms that she was the one basil gave the feather to. the new home being one that “would not see the light of either sun or moon” feels like an implicit connection to enkanomiya, which has the clearest sun/moon motif i've seen so far.

but!! the most important thing to me is the narzissenkreuz ordo itself. depending on your quest progression, one of i think five tracks can play? these all use the same motif based on a six note-structure, the simplest form of which is the track ‘nymph’s tea party.’ it can also be observed in ‘dream through the looking-glass’ and ‘rondeau des fleurs et des rapieres.’ this draws my favourite conclusion up: sure, we know that the narzissenkreuz institute and the narzissenkreuz ordo are connected (it’s very very obvious from name alone), but this shows that mary-ann, alain, and the other named characters were all familiar with and even friends with the ordo! isn’t that neat!

also, the motif featuring in rondeau… the roundel of flowers and swords, the daffodil & the holy blade… it’s interesting, i think. very interesting.

fell dragon’s monocle

rene de petrichor, who later became the oceanid narzissenkreuz, had a monocle through which “one might be able to see the future.” this could be how he derived the ‘world formula’ through which he determined the fate of the world and the moment of disaster; or it could be the ‘looking glass’ entrance to the other world, the mirror of the book of revelation.

the heroes’ “different (expedient) holy swords” suggests that several holy blades did exist. there are the two holy swords which the traveller finds within annapausis, one real and one false within the bounds of the story, and the ‘key’ that rene used to create his own oceanid. the traveller sought out the true blade; rene chose the most convenient one.

like they were when they were younger, rene is the dragon and alain guillotin is the knight, now hero. the dragon “falls into the chasm that dissolves all things” and thus becomes the dragon; rene says a lot of things that are familiar because of elynas, like mentioning the ‘amniotic fluid of the world.’ the hero also becomes consumed by “a kingdom powered by machines,” begun through the creation of the research institutes, that aimed to understand and recreate khaenri’ahn energy sources, but still had yet to succeed. the dragon is dead and holds all of the answers; the hero dies later and creates a legacy for himself, but even that cannot find what he seeks.

conclusions

right now, the doomsday clock is minutes away from midnight. the pieces of the ordo are coming together again: ann as a vestige of mary-ann and seymour one of alain, caterpillar a shadow of himself… i think the next step is the resurrection of narzissenkreuz/rene at the moment of disaster, to see the fruition of his own world formula. the monocle does indicate that he will be reborn one day, after all. and maybe amidst it all the traveller finds another holy blade—a key, through which the door to another world can be shut.

[readingrobin]

Best Books I Read in 2023

Since there was a bit of demand, here, in no particular order, are the best books that I read over the past year. Some I've done full reviews on, some I've given some smaller thoughts on Storygraph, which you can find on my account here. I'll be sure to link the ones that have reviews.

Dead Collections by Isaac Fellman

2. The Bloody Chamber and Other Stories by Angela Carter

3. The Narrow Road Between Desires by Patrick Rothfuss

4. The Scapegracers by H.A. Clarke

5. Hellaween by Moss Lawton

6. Such Sharp Teeth by Rachel Harrison

7. Vespertine by Margaret Rogerson

8. Mage and the Endless Unknown by SJ Miller

9. The Firekeeper's Daughter by Angeline Boulley

10. Nettle and Bone by T. Kingfisher

[sellyoursoulforagoodfic]

Dreams of Retribution Chapter 1

Dream of the Endless x fem!reader

Word Count: 276

Summary: Roderick is warned against an unexpected, outside threat to his ability to keep his prisoner.

NOTE: I’ve never read the comics, and don’t really intend to. This was written before the bonus episode. Also, I wanted to have reader be a god or such of some flavor so . . . We’re bringing in the Greeks.

Initially, Dream had hope that escape would be a simple matter. After all, Roderick wasn’t what he might label as a ‘real’ mage. He wouldn’t rank him on the same level as a children’s magician, let alone someone like the Constantine he’d met so long ago. 

Roderick must have gotten lucky. Somehow a real spell fell into his hands, but Dream doubted very much that it included what would be needed to keep whatever Endless the summoner managed to capture. 

There was no way he could have predicted just how wrong he’d end up being

~

After explaining precisely how to keep hold of the King of Dreams, the Corinthian felt compelled to warn, “You should probably keep an eye out for a woman that might come after him.”

Roderick scoffed. “And what have I to fear of a woman?”

A cruel smirk toyed with the Corinthian’s mouth. “Well, considering who exactly she is, you probably want to take my word on it.”

“Who is she, then?”

“Why . . . She’s Morpheus’s wife, of course. Best kept secret outside the Dreaming.”

“If she’s such a secret, why are you telling me? Or, for that matter, how do you know of her?”

The Corinthian just smiled. “Trust me. Don’t bet any woman near him unless you know exactly who she is.”

“Not even a basic description?”

“Don’t know what she looks like these days, to be honest.”

“A name, then. That’s the least you can provide for this unknown threat.”

That smile grew somehow more wicked. “Bold demand for someone that owes his prisoner to me, but alright. She’s got many names, Mr. Burgess, but the oldest is probably Nemesis.”

[neriyon]

∙ Basics ∙

Name: Hawu'li Puu Nickname(s): No one's really came up with anything (me included) Age: 23 Nameday: 17th Sun of the 4th Umbral Moon (17.8) Race: Keeper of the Moon Miqo'te Gender: Male Orientation: Gayyyy Profession: Warrior of Light / travelling healer

∙ Physical Aspects ∙

Hair: Lavender purple and pretty fluffy. The turquoise part of his bangs is dyed, and needs to be redone regularily. Eyes: Bright yellow Skin: White with pink undertone Tattoos/Scars: White, slightly curved "dots" next to his eyes, three on each side. No notable scars - he's very diligent in healing any big hurts after battle.

∙ Family ∙

Parents: - Mother, Hawu Puu. Matriarch of the Puu family. Alive and well, strictly leading her family back in Shroud. Hawu'li visits her, but rather rarely. - Never met his father, nor know anything about him. It's uncertain if he even knows he has a kid. Siblings: - 2 older brothers, Hawu'a and Hawu'to. Hawu'a lives back in Shroud and hunts for a living, while Hawu'to is a researcher in Old Sharlayan. - Grand total of 5 older and 2 younger sisters. Three of the older sisters left home after adulthood to start their own families, the rest of them live with their mother and help provide for the family. Grandparents: Mostly unknown. Hawu sometimes talked about her mother (Hawu'li's maternal grandmother), but she had passed away before Hawu'li was even born. Other: - Draevoux "Drae" Chevalier and Nana Chevalier, elezen couple who are both his (currently retired) co-wols and "roommates". - Varying lineup of partners. He's poly with multiple partners and I've yet to make a solid list of them all since they change all the time. Aymeric and G'raha are the two I mention most. Pets: Carby the Carbuncle. Hawu'li's uh, not that good with names. Carby is your avarage ruby carbuncle, but is around pretty much 24/7. Often refered to as Hawu'li's "emotional support carbuncle", since it's jobs include keeping him calm when he is left alone.

∙ Skills ∙

Abilities: Strong affinity with healing magic and the ability to hear the elementals, making him a formidable white mage. When situation calls for destruction rather than healing, he's also well versed in the art of summoning, and has been known to call upon demi-Bahamut when feeling truly desperate. Hobbies: Cooking, reading and singing. Also likes to mend stuff (patch holes, fix broken furniture) and read stories to kids (usually his sisters')

∙ Traits ∙

Most Positive Trait: Seemingly endless positivity. For someone who's job is to kill gods and see people get hurt on daily basis he's somehow still sure Things Will Be Better, and that deep down everyone has the potential to change for the better. Most Negative Trait: Separation anxiety. From some deepest parts of his soul comes a crippling fear of being left alone. At it's worst, he'll go into full blown panic attack in fifteen or so minutes after losing sight of others. At it's best (mostly after EW) he'll survive with only Carby as his company for almost half a day.

∙ Likes ∙

Colors: Purples, turquoise, most pastels and bright colors Smells: Freshly baked things, forest, lilies, apples baked with cinnamon Textures: Running fingers through silky hair. Wood, fur and silk. Rocks smoothed over by water. Drinks: Tea (any), milk, blackcurrant juice, mulled wine

∙ Other details ∙

Smokes: Nope Drinks: Only in company Drugs: Nuh-uh Mount Issuance: Koivu, his beloved lavender chocobo companion. Disinterested in almost everything, but happily follows any command given by his owner in exchange of some tasty treats. Been Arrested: Surprisingly, only once - in Ishgard, on suspicion of heresy along with Alphi and Tataru. (Drae took the msq spot of fighting for Tataru's freedom)

Seen this tag game around a lot lately, and I wanted in on the fun despite not being tagged. Took a lot longer to fill than I thought, so we'll see if I have the energy to fill this for other ocs too.

If you want to do it too, go for it! ♪(´▽｀) It takes a while, but is very fun to fill~

[coffeewritesfiction]

13 from the icebreaker asks because how could I read “the vampire god known as the Scarred Man” and NOT want to know more

Ohhhh boy! Okay so if you wanna see more stuff about this WIP I've actually got a blog for it over at @runner-owen. I need to properly organize it because it's hard to find stuff rn but there are some gems in between the pretty pictures

But since you asked, let me tell you all about the Scarred Man ❤️

13. Who or what is stopping the protagonist from their goals?

This got long, I am very passionate about this story whoops --

The Scarred Man's true name is unknown, but his reputation is so potent, the mere hint of his involvement makes even the bravest tremble. He is a malicious deity reborn - God of Evil to humans, Grandfather of Vampires to his kin. Not everyone believes he is a god - some vampires consider the idea blasphemy - but he has powers that no others have, and memories that call back to an era long forgotten.

For a bit of context to the setting: this is set in a world that was once ruled by vampires, with humans treated as food or pets. Without warning however, humanity was collectively visited by the Goddess of Suffering, who shared their pain, and encouraged them to rise up against their tormentors. She granted them the knowledge of nature and human magic that had been long stolen from them. With her as their guardian and patron, humanity overthrew the vampires and reclaimed their world - but the vampire elders cursed the planet itself in their last moments, dimming the sun and casting the land in endless night.

Despite this, humanity persisted, and so did the planet. And it's said that on that fateful day, at the very moment the sun was stolen, the Scarred Man was born.

The Scarred Man is charismatic and often disinterested, even dismissive, in the whims of the mortals around him. He feels a bit restricted even, bored of the mind games and politics of the vampire courts, and the rules of the church. Of all the people who needed to join the efforts to reclaim humanity, he was the last of them. As a priest, a scholar and mage, he could be living a comfortable, luxurious life as a member of his society. But what god would be satisfied with that? Not him. He wanted so much more.

What he wanted, to his own surprise, turned out to be Lord Aurum Vim-Calyx. The teenage prince who would grow up to become Sire Commandant of the Knight Hunters, the royally appointed soldiers who defend the people of the capital against vampires like him. By the time the story starts Lord Aurum is an adult, and his rivalry with the Scarred Man long established. Lord Aurum, as the descendant of one of the original leaders of the revolution, a man gifted with magic comparable to the mythical sun, was an almost perfect match. The kind of man the Scarred Man aches to snuff the light from - not in permanent death, but eternal life, as a vampire by his side.

So why is it that he keeps being drawn to this damned young man, Owen Rosedown? Even before joining the Runners Guild of detectives for hire, the Scarred Man felt an odd fascination for him. He rationalized it. Owen was a favorite of Lord Aurum, after all, and more so, the likely unwanted and unplanned result of a vampire - human coupling. But as the boy became more notorious, and more skilled... The Scarred Man began to wonder... And he began to want.

Side note: the Goddess of Suffering just so happens to be the wife of the God of Evil. (Not by her choice, but that's a long story in itself.) The Scarred Man is quite sure she too has reincarnated. He's not sure where, but he knows in his bones, his cold unbeating heart, that she too walks the planet, unaware of her nature. And the Scarred Man, he wonders... Yes, he wonders, if his suspicions are right...

Rough concept of the Scarred Man using the Gentleman of Hera picrew.

[eclipsecrowned]

OC INFO PACKET: VALAS D*VIR (Galdur Bait 3 PC / Companion)

NAME: Valas D*vir (assumed alias) AGE: 110+ HAIR: Snow white Eyes: Violet blue Height: 5'11" Occupation: Researcher ; Lifelong adventurer ; Menace to the Population Family: G*rion's Ward (father, deceased) ; V*conia D*vir (mother, status unknown) ; Bh**l (grandfather) ; Bh**lspawn (paternal relatives)

It was never going to be easy for him. Oh, his parents had their delusions, putting down their arms and taking up more common ambitions towards power and wealth after years shaping the Sword Coast, dreaming of building a dynasty in the famed city of B*ldurs Gate. And what good is a dynasty without endurance? Valas was born into both love and expectation, son of two of the most powerful figures in the known world. It was a boyhood of privilege, jewel-stitched velvet clothes and the finest tutors his mother could cow, his pride and potential honed to perfection. His father had turned to politics and his mother kept her whisper wars and ambitions burning from their fine manse. But all childhoods end, and as is the case with many Bh**lspawn, Valas' was severed by blood.

He doesn't remember what happened, really. He had been so young, still fat and jovial and exuberant, when his mother vanished. Some said she had been killed by rivals, and others by old enemies, and Valas' father would speak of his great love no longer. There were no more velvet clothes, no more tutors, no more mansion in the finest district. His hero father left it all behind, refusing to call the old manor a home in absence of his beloved wife. Father and son returned to the road that the hero had known so well, and what they sought, Valas can recall no longer. Only that his feet were blistered and his sleep fitful, and his father the only steadfast thing in those days. He nurtured Valas' innate magic and his endless questions with his characteristic patience, and saw his son grow to manhood with a quiet pride. The real tragedy is that the hero was only a Human man, and divine blood only bought him so much time. He passed quietly, and while his name is still sung in taverns and immortalized in tales, the only legacy that mattered to him by the end was Valas.

Valas has wandered alone ever since, with no fancies towards his father's heroics or his mother's grasping ambitions. However, their mark is stark upon him. He possesses his father's probing mind and intrigue, a man determined to understand the world that so changed and then stole his mother. He has fastidiously traveled every corner of the world available for him, and boldly stolen into what locations would bar him entrance. His notes are meticulous, his knowledge sharpened to a blade's cruelty. It has been enough, for a Half-Drow denied most comforts and companionship that many take for granted. A hero's son he might be, but his mother is always a Drow, and he will never deny her by look or by word.

Loneliness has its end, too. He had put his father's kin out of mind, until they crawled out of whatever Hell was put aside for Bh**l and his spawn. The woman in red had been many things to him, a fellow traveler, a rare friend, a child in need, but by the end, she was always herself. Their blood called to one another, and it needed to be spilt. But Valas has always been the escape artist. He had only just put some miles between he and that blasted woman when the ship caught him, dragging him out of one inferno and into a far less metaphorical one.

Joins the party out of self-preservation. Their odds are improved together, and if he must rectify the larval situation himself, he would sooner use his medical implements on a third party than default to self surgery. He is equal parts a mentor and a source of fury, not a team player but a great asset to have. A glory hound, a master mage, and a smirking pretty boy all in one, he's as divisive as he is divine. however, when the cards are down, proper effort might see his carefully crafted walls crumble when his companions have need of him as a man more than a myth.

A scholar, but never a gentleman. He can infodump with the party nerds one day and then have them ready to kill him the next. He's not here to be understood or please others, and while he has moments of sincerity, he smothers them almost immediately. He's spent so long running and surviving that it's hard for anyone to take root in his heart. Still, he feels a keen pull towards the cleric and her situation, and can match wits with the rogue and relish leaving him high and dry. More than anything, he pities the more heroic members of the party: he knows firsthand how their tales end, no matter their choices or strengths.

A prodigious Storm Sorcerer, built around high mobility and explosive damage. He's been on his own too long to really account for team tactics at first, aiming to act for himself alone as swiftly as possible. He can, however, be sufficiently persuaded to help more than he hinders, and to spread the thrill of battle around. Just keep in mind he will never stop preening and posturing about his prowess. He's chock full of Lightning and Thunder spells just waiting to be unleashed and enhanced.

His character is nebulous and his moral compass is a roulette wheel. He's haughty, but experienced enough that it doesn't come across as arrogance. He's rightfully proud of what he's achieved, but allows little more of him to rise to the service than his bit as a seasoned traveler and handsome devil. He refuses to yield to another's will, but a part of him longs to be part as a whole. He gets a read on others with relative ease just based on his age, there is nothing new under the sun, but Gods, he's waiting for someone to surprise him and prove him wrong. It's hard to get on his bad side/net disapproval, but it's also best to consult a walkthrough if trying to curry favor. Loves pragmatic self-service as it affirms his beliefs, but will feel funny and eventually approve of unpretentious heroism.

His arc is do or die. Either the apathy takes him and he ends the journey very much like he began it, he reawakens to being an active player seeking to save the world his parents gave so much for and he has so much to learn from, or he becomes ruled by his baser impulses and seeks conquest and power like the worst of his blood. It all depends on how the PC approaches him, and in fact, investing in him at all is the first step towards his agreeing to saving or damning the world.

He wants to understand the tadpole. Will do whatever it takes the understand the tadpole. Will volunteer to examine the PC's tadpole... which involves breaking out his medical implements. What sounded like innuendo of a 'private physical' is instead dead serious, he wants to basically trepanate the player. If they refuse him he'll later be found trying the same schtick on Astarion who also intuits this as a seduction rather than scientific curiosity. We love a creepy king.