#mura hagdaughter

[herequeerexitentialfear]

💎💎💎 Mura’s opinion on either Lariel or Zrise (whichever you’d prefer) 💕

[warning, mura doesn't exactly think highly of him. at all.]

"Zrise Aldonlel. A Sanctified Slayer of Calistrian." Mura face is purposefully blank.

"He made an excellent choice in goddess, although i admit i favor her careful vengeance over her more hedonistic nature."

"On the other hand... Some would say its unwise to call a inquisitor of a goddess of vengeance naive, but he strikes me more a a lost puppy who wandered into a world of violence and is imitating other for attention than a true threat who is strong in his convictions." A sneer breaks through the blankness of her face.

"His undead nature is fascinating, unlike my own, yet similar too, and not easily classified. Yet the rest of him leave much to be desired. Provoking disgust and fear can be an art, yet too many use it as a way to validate the feelings of self hatred they internalized from others. He is charismatic, but it takes much to overwhelm the natural reaction to those with a complicated relationship with living, and for all his posturing, he fails to do so many times." derision and dismissal strong in her voice.

she leans in close, as if to tell some precious advice, "He lacks convictions, internal rules and guidelines. I enjoy chaos myself, but there must be some method in the madness or your just plain mad. he is a puppy, a lost child. i would rather work with those who are opposed to my existence like crusaders and so called slayers of evil, and someone like him. Them i understand, they have eternal rules and driving forces. Someone like him is just a waste. Those who make others suffer without logic or cause, those who take blood and pain needlessly, those are an evil i agree with being put down. Madmen and fools, no true cause or purpose."

"The only damage he can do is accidental, his inconstancy the only dangerous thing about him."

"He is not a person enjoy wasting my time thinking about, yet is the type of person i have put down many a time."

Mura leans back, making it clear she has nothing more to say.

[thebirdarts]

The Death of Family

blood stains, innocent blood stains harder. The blood of those you love stains forever. For prompt 6 of @owlcatober , family [click for better quality and notes are under the cut]

this did not happen but also this is what actually happened, the true version of events, not whatever cold and callous series of events actually took place in the mansion on that night.

this is the metaphorical representation of what happened.

her best friend dying in her arms, white dress getting stained by the blood. fingers intertwined the same way as when they practiced dancing. she dies with a smile on her lips and muras eyes are heavy with grief, taking in every detail as the blood pours out from the gash marring her friends beauty. something in her shatters at the same time as the woman in her arms heart stops beating. something shatters so badly that all is left is glass dust, impossible to put back together. in the warped light the blood looks pink and the shadows on her dress seem akin to the bloodstains on her friends. the only thing unstained, the last gift, a wreath of pure white flowers.

What is left after you kill the only person you let in your heart, other than to become a monster.

so this is entirely for the symbolism. mura wouldnt have her classic hairstyle yet [hell i didnt colour in hair or eyes because muras current ones are dyes/changed] and they both would be younger and given shes using gonna use the body to set up someone she would not have time for a melodramatic finger-entwined kinda embrace.

but the drama!!!!

the parallels to the pieta are intentional [but hey what dead body cradled in someones arms cant be related to it]

her friend is the sacrificial lamb for muras permanent decent into villainy. with her friend gone she has no reason to care for others beyond her own survival.

in many ways this moment is more important that mura overtaking her father, this moment seals her on her trajectory. in many ways this froze mura in time, and planted the largest crack in the wall of her image of her fathers excellence.

ive mentioned it before but the only way for mura to be happy and anywhere near normal, would be someone interfering before this point. as soon as her friends heart stopped beating shes locked in her path and beliefs.

it has a roundabout connection to the prompt, it damages her relationship with her father, and also regardless of the label, her kinship with her freind is a powerfull bond, and their extend lifetimes meaning that the growth they shared was not over years but decades, makes her so important to mura, and in some ways family.

an alternate title would be 'death of innocence' or rather the death of muras last shred of compassion and love.

the two fracture points are mura and her friends hearts. i will use the shattered glass motif till i overuse it.

also yes the braid around muras bun thing in the future is a replacement for the wreath of flowers her friend gave her. heartless my ass. for somone who wants nothing more than to forget what happened she sure doesnt let herself forget.

anyway! girlbesties!!! dont we all kill each other and parts of ourself just for the approval of greater forces!!! betray and scar each other in ways that will last forever!!! whats a friend but a sacrifice waiting to happen!!

notes on the piece over, this is now a personal update:

so this was delayed cause i overexerted myself, unfortunately this means my weekend to relax and do some more prompts is now spent testing the limits of how many painkillers i can take. im mostly annoyed, but hey! still have plenty of jojos to watch /read, and ds9 & the expanse are up next on my watch-list so its fine that i cant move any muscle connected to my shoulders without crying in pain! please ignore the pile of corsework i have to do!

this isnt at a level of quality that i would like it to be, but i am happy with it. no artist ever is fully satisfied with their work, its just this time there is a larger distance than normal.

these notes have been long! thank you for reading so far! i hope your weekend is going well!

[offsidekineticist]

💎💎💎 your choice of mura or georgie for Theo <3

Theoven's expression is surprisingly harsh when Mura's name is mentioned, his brow furrowed and lips pressed together as he considers his answer. "Mura is a difficult person to discuss because no two people know the same version of her. She makes herself fit whatever mold suits her ends. I don't know what she's really like. I don't know that she knows.

"The version of her I have been allowed to know, however..." He trails off, as if trying to find the right words. "I understand better than most what it's like to feel trapped in a cycle of cruelty. But she's not trapped. Or - no. I do think she's trapped. But she has turned her cage into a throne. She doesn't want to be free. She doesn't hate or regret the harm she does. She learned her father's lessons well, and she has no desire to unlearn them.

"There are few things I consider unforgivable. I married Giliys, after all. And of course I see the parallels - they were both warped by people who wished to use them. But Mura doesn't even want to be better. I understand the despair that can make trying to be better seem useless, and I certainly have no right to judge people for succumbing to it - but not even wanting to try? Not even wishing that being better was possible? I have no patience for that."

He stops himself again, frustration unusually obvious on his face. "But it's impossible to say for sure, isn't it? Because I think I've seen past her facade, but it could just as easily be that she decided to let me see a different version of her. It doesn't really matter. If there is any hope left for her, it will not come from me."

[silversiren1101]

💎💎💎 for mura from mino! I think she's gonna have some interesting opinions!

[Sorry for it being so delayed!]

Minovae halts. She stares at you with an appraising eye, as if trying to size up the true nature of your inquiry. 'Why are you asking about Mura Hagdaughter of all people.'

"Mura is...", she trails off. It's clear she's attempting to be diplomatic. It's not like when she gave her opinion about those she has clear disdain for, not afraid to speak her mind about them. "...inscrutable at times. She is exactly what she wants you to think her to be. For good and ill."

A pause, as she thinks, then sighs and shakes her head. "Mura is complicated, okay? You can practically smell the blood radiating off her from her history, and the malice if you manage to draw her ire, but she's also... she does the things a kind person does. Now I'm not saying she is kind, because I certainly wouldn't say the same of Daeran, who is similar in that regard. Nor would I say it of Regill either, who for all his selflessness and the love I have for him is not kind either." She chuckles dryly. "No, it's all self-serving. She's as pragmatic as Regill but the nature of it is the complete opposite: selfishness. Self-preservation."

"I can only describe Mura as a dragon, in a way. She's got the outward traits: the self-assurance and confidence. But make no mistake, if you are in her claws you are not safe. Your usefulness is keeping you alive, but as for what she really thinks? It's like being in a room with a predator, one smart enough to practice restraint. Keep being useful and stay out of her way and you'll be fine. The second she turns that eye upon you though?" A shiver runs up Mino's tail, rustling her feathers.

Then, she deflates. There's an almost sadness in her eyes.

"Even so, I can't help but respect her. She's clever and tenacious. Mura knows she's powerful, and I know she's been hurt. Hurt beyond words can really say. That she does lend her talents where she can and stays on this side of the line of civility says much about her character. With her intellect and talents, she could be a frightening threat, even compared to the demons, and yet...", she looks away, "...I just keep an eye on her. Someone has to keep her from crossing that line. She could be different, I truly think."

[thebirdarts]

“Mura Hagdaughter had a truly brilliant mind, but it was brilliant like a fractured mirror, all marvellous facets and rainbows but, ultimately, also something that was broken.”unedited original piece

[thebirdarts]

Mura Hagdaughter, my new evil dhampir wotr commander

[thebirdarts]

Mura Hagdaughter emulating her two main inspirations. No-one is having a good time. Except maybe her.

Thats Anthy Himemiaya & Golden Age Griffith respectively.

[thebirdarts]

Some mura fashion drawings to practice drawing people again*.

[*Read: procrastinating coursework]

[thebirdarts]

Mura Hagdaughter.

Be careful when disturbing her from her watch: catching her full gaze will reveal her unmortal nature far more violently than her elongated canines or unnatural charisma ever would.

[thebirdarts]

Went mad on the lighting.

Click for better quality

[herequeerexitentialfear]

💎💎💎 for Mino!

<33

Mura sits up in her chair, a glint in her eye indicating you have caught her interest, "Minovae Arangeir, Hellknight, Order of the Scourge to be specific."

"A fascinating woman, both on and off the battlefield. A natural leader, an honorable warrior. By all rights she is a contradiction, chaotic yet lawful, good yet harsh, and above all, somehow not a total bore despite everything." Mura's chuckles remind you of a cackling hyena, her praise laced with something dangerous.

"Oh I'll admit it, i respect her. The Hellknights are an interesting group of groups, and there is much to be said about their infighting and contradicting goals," her eyes flash, "and much coin to be made. But yet i find to many of them are more rigid than the corpses they create."

"Order is nice and neat, but chaos is the spice of life. why have power if you do not wield it? and why stick to a doctrine that doesn't always serve you?," shes leaning forwards now, fangs slipping in and out of view, eyes fully focused on you, "take my advice, child. do not let anything cage you unless you can break the bars when it stops serving you. They wrap themselves in their chain and even as it serves them, it weighs them down."

Muras intensity dims, leaning back in her chair, letting her hands emphasize her words,

"That is to say, her flexible thinking elevates her over her peers in my estimation. She gains both from the security of the chains and structures, but does not let them bind her wholly, she yet has room to move."

"The best of order and chaos, because the best are always those who can adapt, and that makes her one of them. She heeds council from all sides, and chooses what she deems best after careful thought. She knows the weight of responsibility, of lives, and so does not make foolish decisions for other people."

the weight of respect in Muras words is also joined with the derision of those who do not do the same.

"There are very few people i am willing to submit to temporarily, much less work for for an elongated period of time, yet she is one of them. If the Order of the Scourge have need of my... talents, then they but need to send Field-Maralictor Minovae Arangeir, and i will assist... for a price of course, but I'm sure we can negotiate."

Mura pauses, something nasty growing on her face before being squashed into a pleasant smile, yet still it bleeds malice.

"i have heard... rumors. Its is something many of the order of the scourge dream of, but she, and her husband, are the only ones likely to make that jump, in my humble estimation."

"if you know, you know, but if you meet her, do pass on my love of watching mansions burn. i have done many things but i have not yet toppled an empire, and there is so much fun to be had doing so! why i may even make my serves free, the only payment the joy of hard work."

Mura is grinning, visions of bloodshed and political maneuvers bleeding out of her exited mind, finally clapping her hands together

"You will have to let me know how she responds."

[herequeerexitentialfear]

for @owlcatober day 1 protection and day 18 dancing lights.

only a few decades into her long life mura is taken along to witness a deal with the devil for protection- and ends up musing about another man who offered her protection, only that time the one offering was the fool- before dealing with those who declined the trap.

only warnings are for implied/referenced violence and poisoning, as well as muras detached view on everything around her.

A raised tone drew Muras attention away from the lights dancing on the velvet curtains. Pressure on her shoulder further severed the connection. No pain; yet. Even the master was lenient with her failings in front of these nouveau riche, not that they would notice anything at all, they had emptied their minds of business and filled it with gilt by the second generation.

The only major danger had been dispatched last night, he was currently begging off the meeting with… early stages of pneumonia? She had not been privy to the intimate details. However he had been a lovely mentor, teaching her business studies with the viciousness of a man who clawed his way to money in less than a decade, and the kind heart of a man who had tried to build a better place for his children to grow up in.

Such a shame those children were now, to use a phrase she learned from one of the more uncouth of her fathers agents, ‘pissing it up the wall’

Such a shame he had seen too much, and inquired too much into her home life. Such a shame her father cut down her idea of letting him play the savior and gaining his business empire for herself. Still, he had taught her well. Well enough that once he was in the grave, it would be short order until it fell into her master's hands anyway. Just with more blood than she thought necessary. 

Some flowers and a card were in order. Sufficiently juvenile to make the large sum he would bequeathe her harmless. Possibly a tear stained farewell from his young student, more his child than the wasteful fools that shared his blood.

Such a shame he had refused her master's outstretched hand. Such a shame he had extended his own hand to her. 

Smooth tones brought her back to the current room, her fathers hand loosened from her shoulder so he could lean forwards, the glint dancing in his eyes and the sharpness of his smile clear from his new posture and tone. He had planned long and hard and now the prey were dancing into his jaws of their own volition, wandering towards the lights. All he had to do was not twitch wrong at the last moment.

He wouldn't. This was a song and dance he had been mastering for centuries. She was more of a risk, but that's why she was here for the easy targets.

As the gilded fools simpered on, they drew ever closer to their doom. Sheep loved walking into danger, as long as that danger was handsome and promised something. Self preservation instincts flew out of the window when someone offered a golden shield, even when it just trapped you in a gilded room with the wolf.

The majority of fools in the room were humans, or other short lived races. Basking in the attention from a longer lived person, pretending they can buy life with wealth. Buy protection from their predators and betters. 

Then the golden words were spoken, ‘Then we are reliant on your grace, my lord’

A hearty laugh, the undercurrent of nastiness buried deep, but the humor shining through.

‘You flatter me to much, you stand well enough on your own, I’m merely lending a hand’

And the simpering fools believe him. Hook line and sinker.

‘Please, your protection honors us’

And they thought they had him on a leash. 

As the celebrations reached their peak, the dazzling reflections turning blinding, a hand steered her into a corner, a fanged mouth whispering in her ear, ‘you saw those with enough mind to hesitate. Those who did not sign. Those who were fool enough to refuse my protection. Make sure they are dealt with subtly’

As she danced through the crowds dealing death in the forms of needle pricks and poisoned drinks as well as money and notes to dissatisfied servants, she noticed her steps getting surer, her hands hesitating even less. It was one large complicated dance, and slowly she was treading it with surer foot, and the lights weren't so blinding anymore.

[herequeerexitentialfear]

wait i didn't see that you reblogged that!!! 💎 for layla with either oc you'd like to answer with!

<3

"Layla. Layla. Its always interesting to hear of another Dhampir - especially a female one. We are already a rare breed- but us daughters even more so."

after all, it is we who suffer the sins of our fathers the most, us who must hide the monstrosity they gave us just to please them.

"I heard tales of her while working independently, a ghost haunting a village, then a girl haunting an estate. Then the fire. I was curious, i hate to admit. Such an interesting story. I didn't have the time to do more than a brief... investigation, just a few casual questions in the right ears, but i saw enough of the picture to be fascinated.

it hearkens the mind back to another burning estate, another daughter, another death.

Still, it didn't take long to strip past the rumors and lies to see that she truly treasured her grandfather. I must confess I grew bored after hearing that, she had the fire but she ran. its all good not wasting effort on tearing them down, but some bloody revenge is good for the soul. If i was in the area i may have given her some advice, pass on the good deed that was done to me, and all that.

she could have been glorious, she could have made them all suffer. i could have helped her, helped her make them all suffer

Still, they didn't catch her, and five years is a long time to run from a man with his connections and wealth, and she proved that underestimating her inner strength of will was a dangerous mistake. Those fools always see a pretty face and a sweet smile, ignoring the- in our case, dear sister of circumstance, literal- fangs underneath."

i could have had someone who understands me. who understand the fire and the hate and the need to burn it all down. someone who understood the masks and the fake smiles and the bitterness

"Her face may be very pretty and her smile may be sweet but she has steel under there, and as disappointing it is that she follows that whimsical goddess of butterfly's, anyone would be a fool themselves to think that make her a brainless one. There's method in most madness's and a seemingly unpredictable enemy whose fighting for a cause is more dangerous than a simple sell-sword looking for coin,"

she found joy while i found apathy, she has something to fight for, what do i have? an exhaustion that drives me to find a place to rest, an itch that forces me to use my mind and skills, and nowhere to do both in this chaotic world

"I've seen others cross her followers and those like them- people often forget that those who appreciate joy the most are normally the ones who have suffered its lack and therefore know its value- and its not a pretty sight, those who fight for a cause and care about those they fight alongside always have a dangerous edge hidden from view. After all, their fighting to make a better world, and maybe that world doesn't have a place for the likes of you."

i don't want to fight you and see the desperation in your eyes because you have something to fight for and i have nothing. i cannot face you, you who survived and you who made good out of misery, because im a coward who can look in the mirror but can look at someone who made good out of a life like mine

"Maybe in her eyes that world doesn't have a place for me, but for all I'm disappointed in her choice, she has some measure of respect from me, and her chaos in the face of nobles is a delight to hear about. As much as i would enjoy a battle of wit's, i think in this case, fences make the best neighbors."

we are similar, but you chose another path. as much as i wish i had company on this lonely road, this kinship bids me to wish you well on your own

[herequeerexitentialfear]

△ Mura how do you really feel about your dad?

50/10. you can hear screaming from the distance

he made her who she is, for better or worse, and he made her strong, made her skilled, made her who she is.

if not for him she has no idea who she would be. his effect on her life is absolute.

she wanted his approval so bad. she looked up to him and worshiped him. she did anything to make him value her.

she cant hate him. she will scoff at him and how he failed his goals, but she just sees that as a failure. he failed, but she will succeed. he was a bit foolish and made a mistake, but she will be better.

she worshiped him so much that she believed in what he did too,

she loved him as a child, she grew to worship him and she always valued his praise.

she doesn't hate him, she never can. she learned from his failures the way she learned from the failures of the children before her. even in her 'rebellion' shes just doing what he taught her to do.

she doesn't know if she still loves him. she genuinely cant tell. she says she doesn't worship him but shes still doing what he wanted her to do [in a broader sense].

[herequeerexitentialfear]

△ do you miss the friend you killed mura?

ahhhhhhhh

100/10 shes screaming rn. clawing at the walls.

yes. she misses the soft warmth she felt inside and she misses the feeling of belonging. she misses the companionship and the love.

she misses having someone who loved her.

in a darker way, she misses the overwhelming warmth of her friends blood soaking into her dress. the way she always looked so calm when right next to a predator. the feeling of being able to kill someone so easily because they trust you so much.

she misses the three decades where she stood still in one place in her chaotic life. she misses the food at her friends house and she misses dancing together, both out in the grass with no-one watching, and sharing smiles and they learned together.

she misses contact with another person for comfort and not violence.

she misses them existing, touching, her friends warmth seeping into her skin, and her heartbeat resonating through muras bbody

she misses knowing the best person in her life's name

[herequeerexitentialfear]

Ruins

for @owlcatober day 5: ruins.

stretching my poetry skills with a rewrite of percy shellys Ozymandias for Mura's story, or in this case, a tale of her fathers folly and what became of him

Once i met a wandering madwoman,

Who told me, ‘the bones of an ancient evil

Stand in an crumbling grave… around them, in the ashes,

A faded ghost wanders, whose fury,

And cold snarl, and eyes of humiliating defeat,

Tell that his killer knew well his habits

Leaving him to wander in eternal defeat,

No more the cruel master or feeding hand;

Yet still the shade screams, with these words most frequent:

My name is Damion, Lord of Darkness;

Look at my power, ye Fools and despair!

No glory remains. Around the bones

Of the old mansion, rotten and crumbling

The barren and cursed land stretches far’