#marasenna queen of nightmares

[sapphic-scylla]

THEY ARE MINE

The world of Cor Varias had known its fair share of hardships. The gods, caring for the people they watched over, stepped back from the world to watch from afar. As civilization grew around the scars of the Disparity, the world and its inhabitants began to progress the world due to their own cooperation and ingenuity rather than leaning on divine powers too much. And the gods wouldn’t have had it any other way.

The prime heads of the deities had issued the Law of Direction. Divine beings could not directly interfere with mortal progress. They could appoint clerics and paladins and influence many other heroes, but even with them, they could not directly intercede in any way that would dramatically alter mortality’s development. Any choices or efforts or any discoveries could only be influenced by divine help if directly called on by mortality and, even then, the deities could only offer minor aid unless it was to intercept any malevolent divine force.

Mortality grew and, eventually, a lot of the gods faded into obscurity, though still watching from afar. The world grew its own conflicts and mortality continued to rise and fall with each decade. No one new the threats that lay within chains or deep within the abyss were stirring.

In a tower beyond space and time, a cloak battered against the pace of her walking as she entered the meeting chamber where several demigods like herself stood around a table. Her eyes red and lavender as she took her seat.

“Feels weird to call us a council, so I won’t. Especially since we’re all married. In any case, Cor Varias is in trouble as you all know and as much as we want to do this for ourselves, the Law of Direction limits our ability, even as demigods.” Petra spoke.

Haley smiled. “I’ve been doing some research and I think I found us some candidates for eyes on the ground. We obviously can’t bless them like gods, but we can help steer them in the right direction.”

Marasenna, in her intimidating glory, nodded. “We also aren’t as bound by the law so we can actively fight these threats. But these three will have to take the lead.”

Lyria restrung her bow. “Well, then I guess we have our work cut out for us. Who do we have?”

Verity placed out three dossiers on the table. “One is a sorcerer. A diplomat of the Tabaxi Order. Incredibly powerful. Nearly impossible to kill and has a twinge of dark in them.”

Emily, eyes still closed in meditation, agreed and continued. “There is also a tiefling. Deep hemocraft is woven into her blood, but something stole her memory. She knows nothing of her past, but she has a fight in her you can’t match.”

Aerin continued. “And finally, a cleric like you, Petra, but this one harbors an aura of death. The Mistress, Malathriel, has taken a special interest in her. Loving family, but she also houses something ancient. Malathriel loves, cherishes, and cares deeply for her clerics and has always honored the Law, but this young aasimar also harbors power from the deep. We suspect Zigguridan and his cult had a hand in it.”

Petra drifted her hands over the dossiers. “Well, they all fit the part. They have a long journey ahead of them. Especially if the hope to catch us and our thousands of years of experience. Nonetheless, we can’t let our foes know we are making moves. Senna, Em, and Haley, I think you should go wake them up. Cor Varias is about to get very interesting indeed.”

@ebevkisk, I spite wrote this. Also, an introduction to my new world I’m building and I think you’ll love who protects this world. Consider this a reminder of my darling lovelies as well as my D&D characters written as the SHOULD have been written.

[siyurikspakvariisis]

The Queen’s wants and wishes: an alternative hypothesis

The first time I heard Shuro Chi say this line in one of the Pilgrimages, I was disturbed.

We Techeuns are taught absolute obedience to our Queen. We have no desires but what our Queen desires, we have no fears but what our Queen fears. Good traits. But weaknesses against certain enemies. Like the Taken. Like the Aphelion.

(Pilgrimage: Garden of Esila, Techeun statues)

It would be easy to dismiss this as mere hyperbole, a way to highlight the loyalty of the Techeuns. But these lore entries, highlighting the failure of the Techeuns to abandon desire, made it feel pretty literal. At least, it made me read this "no desires but what our Queen desires" maxim as the intended result of Techeun training.

That is when she makes the fatal mistake. She thinks of the time before Saturn. She thinks of Shuro Chi and Uldren and Mara. She… wants that time back.

She wants.

(The Awoken of the Reef: Illyn)

“So we hope.” Kalli had long sought the power of the amulet, but Techeuns are taught not to desire.

“So now the decision is nigh. The Harbingers, which to prepare?” Shuro was determined to see this all through. Excitement was taught to be kept at bay.

“Sedia, do you not have faith in our Queen?”

(Grimoire: The Coven)

Until this Season of the Lost, when some new lore dropped that made me reconsider this.

In the lore entry for Canis Major, Petra Venj tells a young Techeun about her own training.

"I didn't know exactly how unsuited I was until my sister started her training," Petra continued. "Right away, Pinar and I began having long conversations inside our dreams. We'd talk all night and wake up with full memories of what we'd said. That was the first time I realized how powerful she'd become."

Petra lowered her eyes. "Of course, Pinar was Imar's favorite. And the more quickly she progressed, the stronger our shared dreams became. It didn't take long before it was more than just talking."

"She began to manipulate the dreams—changing locations or her shape. I couldn't keep up. It was like being a passenger in my own head. Her dreams became my nightmares." Petra shook her head, as if dislodging an unwelcome memory. "That's when I quit the training and the dreams stopped."

(Canis Major)

We do know Mara has a certain degree of telepathy with other Awoken. (Marasenna: Revanche I) We know, too, that the Techeuns have brain augments, plus they are transformed somehow at the end of their training. (Pilgrimage: Harbinger's Seclude, Shrine)

What if the Techeun's wishes being Mara's wishes isn't one of the goals of training?

What if it is a side effect?

I think that it is very likely that the Techeuns' telepathic connection to Mara is stronger than the average Awoken's. Maybe somewhat passive, although I will admit this is purely speculation. If somehow Mara's thoughts and feelings (wants, wishes, fears) are background noise in the mind of the Techeuns, they might feel like those thoughts and feelings are also theirs, right? The way Petra felt like a passenger inside of her own mind, while Pinar was at the wheel. Which is also kind of disturbing, but in a completely different way.In a "how do we even define identity" way.

I personally see this as far more interesting than Mara fruitlessly trying to lord over her Techeuns' minds. It also fits how incredibly weird the Awoken are. 

[sapphic-scylla]

Guilty Pleasure OC Facts:

Petra hides her love of stuffed animals from her partners. She has a Bag of Holding full of them. No one has found it. Yet.

Lyria loves hentai art. Everyone knows about it, but for obvious reasons, no one brings it up. She does enjoy it for the art quality. Sometimes.

Emily sneaks away every few weeks to hold her title as the figure skating champion of the region. She is beauty, she is grace.

Aerin loves RomComs. Everyone knows, she’s just not good at hiding it.

Verity would never be caught dead swimming. She also swims 5 days a week.

Haley is known for being the most technologically advanced member of the house, so it continues to elude Emily as to why she has a massive CD collection that she tries to keep hidden.

Marasenna, Third of her line, Purveyor of Nightmares, Queen of the Damned, Shade of the Northern Wastes, and the Root from Which All Fears Stem, watches Miraculous religiously. No one dares call her out on it because they support her interests. And no one dares mess with a full-blooded dragon.

@dreamwitch-ttv