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gasolineghuleh · 28 days

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Slated To Be

Wheee hello hello! This is the beginning of a commissioned series for a mortician male reader falling for Papa Copia.

This is chapter 1 of a 3 chapter set, with each chapter coming within a week of the last.

Enjoy!!

this was fun to write by the way, i miss doing autopsy

tw: descriptions of corpses and details of embalming

The instruments gleam and shine in their tray beside you, and sing in your hand-- you are the newly appointed mortician for the Emeritus Church of The Morning Star, and your first body rests in front of you, prone on the silvery slab. A Cardinal, it seems, if you were to make a guess based on the remnants of grease paint around his eyes. The Y-incision marking his chest was clean and concise, and you thanked yourself inwardly that you didn't have to repair some previous dolt's damage. Making the dead presentable for their last rites is difficult enough, and it irks you when someone further up the line doesn't do their job properly.

Your eyes scan over the face of the recently departed, noting the different pock marks in his cheeks and the dimples on the sides of his closed eyes. The black grease paint has stained a charcoal-tinged shadow around his eyes, leaving them sallow and drawn. His black hair is curled in an effort to bring volume to what was clearly thinning in life, and his patchy grey beard is meticulously combed and trimmed.

You start on the eyes-- you were hired to make the man appear as he did in life, and the eyes are one of the trickier things to do. Back in mortuary school you had dedicated hours to the art of paint and makeup, bringing the dead back to visit the living for one more fleeting moment.

Your eyes close and you exhale slowly, mentally preparing yourself to do what needs to be done.

"Now, Mister..." You pick up the name tag around his toe, reading it carefully. "Ah! Apologies, sir. Cardinal Tremaine, let's use your proper title, hm?" you muse to yourself, settling into the familiar ebb and flow of your job. His features are already set well enough for you to continue with the embalming, but you reach down to check his jaw wires and eyelid spikes anyway. Satisfied, you take another steadying breath and move down your mental checklist. The cart of embalming fluid rests nearby and you kick the pedal on the bottom of it, starting the flow of embalming fluid through the trocar that you placed earlier.

The hum and whir of the machinery is almost a calming sound, the way it transports you back to your schooling-- nothing but you and the corpses around you that you're meant to preserve as a token for the living. It's a type of witchcraft, the mortuary arts.

One that you take immense pleasure in.

"The soul migrates from body to body. Weapons cannot cleave it, nor fire consume it, nor water drench it, nor wind dry it..." You recite the lines easily, watching some of the color flood back into the cheeks of the deceased as the fluids do their work.

The air around you shifts suddenly, and you feel a presence enter the room with you.

"Can I help you with something?" Your voice is steady even as you don't look up from your charge. Footsteps sound from behind you as the person approaches, coming close enough to be within touching distance of your left shoulder.

"Scusi, I did not think you could hear me. Just observing. I have always been interested in this, eh? The previous mortician, he never allowed me to watch. But Cardinal Tremaine was a dear friend... a tutor." The man steps forward, joining you at the table and wincing slightly when he catches sight of the trocar in the abdomen. "It's a bit difficult to see him like this, but I felt that I must. He's the first to die under my reign... It felt correct to come and say goodbye."

"I see. And you are?" You clear your throat slightly, awkwardness of unexpected human contact rearing up. You have the feeling that your observer will be staying a little longer than you want.

"Ah, yes, my apologies. I'm Papa Emeritus... eh, the Fourth." He hurries to add his number, and you get the sense that he's not been in the position long. Still, you can't stop your eyes from going wide. Papa is here? The leader of the Church?

"A pleasure, of course. I, uh, well... I suppose this isn't a surprise to you, then." Your gaze goes from him to the body. "He's one of yours."

"One of ours." Papa's voice is stern, but soft. The implication speaks louder than the words do.

His correction sends a chill up your spine, but you nod and turn back to your work. The smell of formaldehyde is overpowering, but you revel in the sharp, pungent scent and push the cart to the side with your foot, flicking the pedal on and off, scrutinizing the shape of the former Cardinal's abdomen as it fills. There's another beat of silence while you work, agonizingly aware of your new company-- living, at that. Living company is something that has become more and more scarce as you dedicate yourself to your art. It's almost foreign now, but comforting.

"Did you, uh- did you know him?" you ask, attempting to make yourself sound conversational and not at all as nervous as you are. The fact that he's here uninvited is enough, but to have him walk in while you were talking to yourself is another thing entirely. A slight blush spreads across your cheeks and you're glad that you can turn to the body to hide it.

"Not well. He was one of the quiet ones." Papa leans in and tsks softly, sighing. "He was my biggest competition for Papa, you know." The surprise is enough for you to turn your head towards him, arching an eyebrow in invitation. "That got your attention, eh?" Papa smiles slightly under the grease paint on his face, a full skull, as befitting his position. You can see faint lines of a mustache under the white, and further lines that indicate smile marks. It's the first time you've properly seen him and you're immediately struck by the mismatched eyes. One is white and almost dead in appearance, but it's the one darting around your face, absorbing your features-- quick, and sharp.

"It's my job to tend to the dead, not to speculate." You give him a wry smile, hoping that the underlying message of "Do tell" was clear. Papa pauses for a moment to evaluate you, his two-toned gaze sweeping from your short cropped hair down to your shoes, your outfit curated perfectly to say 'Normal Guy'.

"Ah. Well, no speculation, then. I just sincerely hope he enjoyed his tea, hm?"

There it is.

The unspoken trust, founded only in a quick but strong connection and cursory glance.

Papa likes you.

Approves of you.

"I was the one who hired you, you know." Papa takes a step closer, leaning further over the body and brushing against your shoulder as he does. His voice is quiet, intimate. "On paper you sounded magnificent." He clears his throat, turning to look at you until you return his gaze.

"I'm glad," you manage to stammer out.

"Even more magnificent in person."

"I should-" The embalming machine cuts you off with a loud THUNK and you're almost grateful for the excuse. "-get back to work," you finish lamely. The machine's pedal has gotten stuck and you lean down slightly to adjust it, breaking the electric eye contact with Papa. The blood from the deceased Cardinal is almost finished filtering into a canister to the side. Papa clears his throat, giving you a tightlipped smile and stepping back slightly.

"Yes, yes of course, my apologies for disturbing you."

You know that he isn't sorry in the least.

"No matter, Papa. Never a disturbance."

"But, before I take my leave." You look back up at Papa as he moves forward, catching your eye again as he approaches. His gloved hands brush over yours, the warmth seeping through the material and doing nothing to ease the flush in both of your cheeks. The last time you were touched had been by accident in the dining hall a couple of weeks ago. "I'll send a Ghoul with an invitation for dinner sometime this week. I'd like to see exactly who I've hired here, hm?" The delicate arch of his brow takes you aback-- he's indirect, but it's enough to get the warmth stirring in your belly.

"I look forward to it." Small miracles persist, it seems, and your voice doesn't shake at all, despite your sudden nervousness at being propositioned by Papa. Or were you? You can't quite tell if he's coming on to you or just extending a friendly invitation to his quarters-- then again, you've never been the best at social cues.

In for a penny.

"Good. I would shake your hand but, eh..." Papa waves his hand towards your gloved ones, damp with chemicals and reeking of latex. "Perhaps later."

"A different time would be good. It was a pleasure, Papa."

"May Lucifer keep you. Until we meet again, amico." The warmth in his tone sends another shock to your core. He lingers for a moment more, watching you work before turning to leave the room. His footsteps fade slowly away down the hall of the basement, and you realize that you've been holding your breath. A slow and controlled exhale starts to relax your nerves until-

THUNK.

The embalming machine kicks itself off again, this time for good.

You make quick work of the rest of the job, embalming the rest of Cardinal Tremaine's body and doing some quick cleanup. His black robes fit him easily enough and you're able to dress the body with a quick and comfortable speed that only comes from repetition-- Papa truly did hire the right man for the job. The mortuary science degree had been expensive, but the career opportunity that it had afforded you is more than enough to pay the debts you racked up during the pursuit... especially now that Lucifer is footing the bill.

It's not until you're sitting in bed hours later, sipping from a glass of red wine in nothing but a pair of silk boxers that it truly hits you-- you were talking to Papa. The man in charge of everything. He hired you. You had never even seen the Fourth in the flesh and now he was coming on to you-- wasn't he? Quick as a flash, your brain replays the images of him leaning towards you, the slow blinking of his eyes and the tip of his tongue left on his lower lip. Your fingers fumble on your glass as you refill it, pouring too fast and nearly splashing it everywhere.

You're in too deep and he's barely done anything at all.

You huff out a sigh and run your hand through your hair, watching a lone droplet of wine as it rolls down the side of your glass. When it slips onto your finger you turn your gaze to the window, where the moon peeks through the trees beyond. The Abbey is comfortable enough, and your living quarters are directly above the basement level morgue, kept flush with the Ghoul dens. Your mind goes back to your first day, and the warnings of the tour guide to be careful after the Ghoul's dinner.

You've only been here for a few days, and the large castle that serves as the Abbey still feels alien and terrifying. The walls feel claustrophobic at times, and you swear that you're being watched whenever you leave your morgue. The previous mortician was consumed by a particularly overzealous Ghoul, and you had happened to be in the right place at the right time. The way you were hired was unconventional at best and now Papa is asking to see you for a "proper meal"-- alone...

"Satan help me," you mutter to yourself, swirling the wine in your glass and shaking your head, looking to the door of your bedroom that leads towards the den that serves as your office. You imagine for a moment that someone is listening and a chill goes down your spine at the idea that the walls truly are harboring secrets-- if the walls have ears, what will they overhear at your dinner with Papa? The Ghouls are bad enough-- the idea of some entity in the walls listening to you talk to yourself, or worse, Papa... that thought is almost unbearable.

It doesn't help that Papa is a looker-- that is, if you're into that kind of thing... which you are. He's not exactly what you were expecting, however, having your expectation formed by the rumors of the previous men of his stature. The former Papas you've heard tales about have been stately, austere. This Papa is young, energetic, and charismatic with a charm that oozes dangerously from every syllable that crosses his painted lips. The man's hair is as black as midnight and styled immaculately back-- if you had to make a guess you'd say it was dyed, and somewhat recently, although there were small pieces of gray in his sideburns. The dark eyebrows over the white of his paint and mismatched eyes is jarring and, you have to admit, somewhat beautiful in its own way. You can only imagine how he moves when he's underneath-.

A grumble leaves your chest at the mental image and you cut your train of thinking off hard, shaking your head to free yourself of the cobwebs of arousal that linger. You set your glass on the nightstand with a soft clink and sit down on your bed, resting your elbows on your knees as you look to the ground and contemplate the gravity of what could happen at your meeting. Would it be just a meal, or would it go farther? You don't dare to dream that far-- the fact that you have this job at all is more than you could have ever wanted.

Still, the invitation had been heavy in Papa's voice.

"It wouldn't hurt to hear him out... professional interest," you mutter to yourself as you lay back in bed, staring at the ceiling. The cool material of your sheets against your thighs is a welcome break from the heat in your belly that Papa had stirred, and your smallclothes do little to hide your problem. The Ghoul that you had received the tour from mentioned that you could summon any number of them at any given point and a thought settles in the back of your mind-- what would Papa say if he knew that you had summoned a Ghoul for your pleasure?

You shouldn't even be entertaining the thought.

Images pop up in your brain unbidden anyway.

You're alone, it's late, and you have an entire flock of Ghouls just downstairs at your disposal-- why not indulge a little? But... perhaps play it safe, and wait until after your meeting with Papa to call another bed-warmer.

He may even call you in less than a week.

#the band ghost fics #the band ghost ficlet #ghost bc fanfic #papa emeritus #lorraine writes #cardinal copia #copia #popia #papa emeritus iv #papa iv #papa 4 #era 4 #reader x papa #reader x papa emeritus #reader x copia

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egypt-museum · 3 months

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"In many tombs from the New Kingdom mourning women gesticulated in the same way; in Thebes the tombs of Amenemhat (TT82), Minakht (TT87), Rekhmire (TT100) and Ineni (TT81), or the tomb of Renni in el-Kab were the most evident examples that it was a common practice in funerals of Ancient Egypt. Out of the burials, but always in the funerary context, there is also a scene from the funerary temple of Seti I in Dra Abu el-Naga, where the two mourners stand at both ends of the corpse shaking their manes of hair.

Such a common attitude could not be just a coincidence, or a theatrical exposure of pain, but it had to arise from a deeper reason related to the funeral rite. The importance of hair in mortuary context seemed to be real, since funerary texts also mentioned it constantly. Therefore, we had to search about its role in both symbolic and ceremonial spheres.

The Coffin Texts from the Middle Kingdom were the chosen manuscript as starting point, due to the big amount of allusions to the hair; therefore, the Pyramid Texts from the Old Kingdom and the Book of the Dead from the New Kingdom were considered more as support documents."

— Hair and death in ancient Egypt: The mourning rite in the times of the Pharaohs, by María Rosa Valdesogo

#ancient egypt #books

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blue-and-gilt · 2 years

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A new sword for the collection that is a significant diversion from my core collecting theme.

Circa the mid-17th Century, this style of sword is unique to the British Isles and was popular from around the time of the English Civil wars (1642 - 1651) up until the 1670s.

The prominent features of the style are a three-bar basket connected to a round pommel by screws. Joining the bars, are usually one or two pairs of crossbars across the front. The top of the hilt is normally a bowl shape with a flat tail at the back. The blades can be either double edged broadswords (like this one) or single edged backswords. In period this likely how they would have been described in armouries or wills.

Also distinctive is the level of decoration that features on the guard, with faces being the most common but not exclusive theme. The meaning behind the faces is lost, but some theories are that it was the Martyred King Charles I. And while this may be true for specific swords, the faces appear on swords with provenance to both sides of the conflict so is unlikely to be true.

To modern collectors and books, these are called Mortuary swords, a name that came into being in the Victorian era. Again, it is not known why, it could be the likeness of the King or that many swords were sold out of Church collections where they had been used for funeral rites. In 1700s it was the practice to donate a soldier’s sword to his church, who would paint them black and put them on display at funerals.

In the 19th Century, many churches were renovating and sold off these swords to interested collectors. Because of the practice of painting the metal, many remained in very good condition.

Typically associated with the cavalry, they were used by infantry as well, although a decorated sword such as this would have belonged to a man of some means. This sword is likely to be an infantry mans’ sword due to its’ lighter weight and shorter length, even if we account for it having lost the point of the blade. Another common modification to swords of this age was the replacement of the grip and wire. Wood does not age as well as steel and it is safe to assume that most 17th Century swords have had the grip re-done. Early collectors and museums looked on artifacts as works of art more than pieces of history, so like a painting restoration, they sought to re-make swords in their image of what they thought it should be.

I believe that this sword possibly came from one such church, as the blade is still stained and there are traces of black finish on the guard. Most of the blades for these swords came from three sources, the English Hanslow smiths, The Low Countries and of course Solingen. However, one cannot go by the markings alone, as forgery was wide spread.

The blade on this sword has several interesting features. It is marked on both sides with the words:

MEFECIT A running Wolf and Tree stamp SAHAGVM SOLINGEN SAHAGVM

Sahagvm is a reference to Alsonso de Sahagun, el viejo a legendary Spanish

sword smith of the 16th Century. The name features prominently on Dutch ‘Walloon’ swords of the time and is an obvious forgery in line with the ‘Andrea Ferara’ swords of the Scottish Highlanders. Furthermore, the orientation of the wolf in relation to the text is incorrect likely ruling out manufacture in Solingen proper. However, this was a time of trouble, and many families of smiths left their German base to settle in the Low Countries, Britain or further abroad.

A light sword, the blade specifications are still functional and a close match to those of my 1796 Pattern Heavy Cavalry dismounted service sword with the Andrea Ferara blade.

Overall Length: 992 mm

Blade Length: 830 mm

Grip Length: 146 mm

Inside Grip Length: 100 mm

Weight: 860 grams

Point of Balance: 85 mm

#swords #17th Century #English Civil War #Cavalry #Infantry #Broadsword #Basket-hilt #antiques #military #collection #collecting history

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sometimesbrave · 4 months

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read chapter 1: here, chapter 2: here, chapter 3: here

warnings: dead bodies

June 1986

***

"The death of me was so quiet

No friends and family allowed

Only my murderer, you, and the priest

Who told you to go to Hell"

- doomsday by Lizzy McAlpine

***

Today was the one year anniversary of Raja Mannar's reign in Khansaar. As a gift to their king, a Mannar Dhora delivered the Khansaar court the good news: Dhaara Shouryanga Raisaar's wife and son are dead.

They were both found in Odisha. They were captured to bring back to Khansaar. But they both had tried to escape again, so, they were beaten so much their faces were brutally disfigured and eventually they died. Raja Mannar had planned to hang the bodies outside Khansaar court, but he was advised against it, as it may instigate a few rebels. After seeing the two bloody corpses, he was finally at peace. This chapter has finally come to an end. No rightful claims to the throne remained. The throne of Khansaar belonged to him and him alone.

When Varadha received this news, his soul left his body. He felt as though he was observing himself from the outside. Then he heard someone screaming very loudly. Then he realised it was him. He had actually fallen to the floor, screaming his guts out while Baba hugged him to try and calm him down. Baachi was peering at his brother through the door, not understanding what to do.

After a few hours, Varadha went to the hospital to see the bodies against Baba's wishes. The most important thing now was to make sure the death rites were done properly. It was the least Varadha could do. He can deal with his grief another day. Today he had to be responsible. When he was about to enter the mortuary, Baba took him aside.

"Varadha, whatever you see in there, must be between us. You cannot get shocked. You must accept the truth that Deva and his mother are gone, forever."

Varadha nodded his head. He entered the mortuary and saw two bodies covered in white sheets. He asked the helper to lift the sheets.

The helper looked at Baba concerned, "Sir, I don't think that's a good idea."

Varadha would not budge from his position.

"I am ordering you to lift the face covering. I will not ask again."

The helper relented and lifted the covers off both the bodies.

Varadha did not recognise the faces. There was nothing recognisable. They were so beaten. The eyes and lips were swollen while the scalp was ripped in a few places on both of them. Varadha's hands shook as he approached the bodies. He stood beside the boy's body and began to cry. He fell on his body and started weeping hysterically. Baba tried to pull him away from the body when Varadha noticed something. The bruise Deva got after his fight with Rudra's pahalwan….the electric wire shocked him. The bruise spanned from his arm to his neck and it was no longer there.

This was not Deva.

Varadha looked at Baba in disbelief.

Varadha was about to speak when Baba interrupted him, "Varadha, you are just in shock. We should get you home as soon as possible and plan for the death rites. We have to honour your friend and his mother. We must leave now."

As soon as Varadha and Baba reached home, Varadha hugged him.

"That is not Deva and Amma", he choked.

"No, they are not.", Baba admitted,

"They are just dead bodies of couple of poor strangers who will be buried in a strange land."

"But why?!", Varadha asked in disbelief.

"Because you are not the only person who cares about Deva and his mother. There are few powerful people in Khansaar who want them to be left alone"

"Who are they? Is it a Mannar Dhora?!"

"I also don't know alright. Just be grateful that this worked out in your favour. The most important thing for you to remember is that Deva and his mother are dead to Khansaar. So, your behaviour must not raise any suspicions.", Baba warned.

Though Varadha was overjoyed that Deva and Amma are not dead, he was sad that these strangers' bodies were mutilated and not given to their rightful family. The least he could do was provide them a proper funeral.

Thus, Raja Mannar believed that, on June 27th 1986, Deva Shouryaanga Raisaar and his mother's pyres were lit by his traitorous son, Varadharaja Mannar.

****

tags: @deadloverscity @ghostdriftexistence @sambaridli @rambheem-is-real @sinistergooseberries @vardhamannartitties, @moonnpaww @literariyumi @sana2410 @varadevaficrecs

#salaar #varadharaja mannar

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archduchessofnowhere · 11 months

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It was 10.30 a.m. and Sophie was in a critical condition. The emperor would later report that he and Elisabeth found her “debilitated but completely calm”. The night before, the dismayed parents learned from Sophie's attendants that “the poor child had [suffered] a great deal”. Based on the available data, we know that when the parents arrived, she was completely dehydrated and her kidneys were already failing. There was nothing more to be done: at 3 p.m. Sophie went into agony. Her “involuntary cries”, as Franz Joseph would later tell his mother, were signs of impending death. Her parents kept vigil at her bedside. The doctors, aja and nanny also gathered in the dying child's room. Several times, Elisabeth tried to elicit a reaction from her. She talked to her, asked her questions. Shortly before her death, she asked her again: “Baby, where is Papa?”. But she could no longer speak. In response to the question, she merely “turned her beautiful, deep eyes towards him [Franz Joseph]”. In her last minutes of life, Franz Joseph pressed a crucifix into her small hands and Elisabeth placed the cross, which had always been under her pillow when her daughters were born, under Sophie's. Shortly afterwards, her daughter stopped breathing. The “Baby” was dead.

Winkelhofer, Martina (2022). Sissi. La vera storia. Il camino della giovane imperatrice (Translation done by DeepL. Please keep in mind that in a machine translation a lot of nuance may/will be lost)

ON THIS DAY, IN 1857, ARCHDUCHESS SOPHIE FRIEDERIKE OF AUSTRIA DIED AGED TWO-YEARS-OLD. She was the eldest child of Emperor Franz Josef I of Austria and his wife Duchess Elisabeth in Bavaria. Accompanying their parents, Sophie and her younger sister Gisela went to Hungary for a two-months tour. But soon after their arrival, Gisela felt ill with fever, and a day later also did Sophie. The beginning of the tour was postponed for ten days. Gisela recovered, but Sophie worsened, and her father called upon an experienced doctor from Vienna to attend her. She was diagnosed with typhoid. After some difficult days Sophie improved and seemed out of danger, so the Imperial couple left, but only days later while in Debrecen they received an urgent message informing them that their daughter was very ill. They rushed back to Buda, where they found their daughter already at death's door.

Sophie's body was embalmed, but on the orders of her father, her internal organs weren't removed as the traditional Habsburg mortuary rites required. Her coffin was exhibited in Buda, where people was able said goodbye to her for a whole day. After the viewing, her remains were taken to the Capuchin Crypt in Vienna, the traditional burial place of the Habsburgs.

#:((((((#also i simplified it a bit for the sake of this post not being too long but elisabeth and franz josef had tried to get back to sophie befor #but they got a medical report saying that she was fine so they continued their journey for a day more before receiving the urgent message #archduke albrecht had insisted on the tour to go on despite the girls illness and elisabeth felt really guilty about it afterwards :((((#archduchess sophie of austria #empress elisabeth of austria #franz josef i of austria #house of habsburg #historian: martina winkelhofer #on this day in history

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julek · 2 years

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mortician au meet-cute. (is it a meet-cute?). read the series on ao3!

Geralt is giving Renfri some nice neck scratches when Aiden comes in through the door, the little bell above it giving a nice little chime.

“Morning,” he says cheerfully, dropping a crisp newspaper on Geralt’s kitchen table and making a beeline for the old moka pot, stainless steel glinting in the grey morning light coming through the window. Geralt still wonders when it was, exactly, that Aiden became a permanent fixture in the Morhen house.

Probably around the time Lambert started messing around with spells, rites, and harmless, bloodless sacrifices.

Probably.

“Morning,” he answers, his voice still a bit rough with disuse. “Please, help yourself to some coffee,” he says, eyebrows raised, as Aiden begins pouring himself a second cup.

“Got anyone in today?” He wonders, nodding to the dark green door that leads to the mortuary downstairs. “The paper says there’s been a car crash.”

Geralt shakes his head. “No one in yet. But I’m sure they’ll start coming soon.”

Aiden nods sympathetically. This is why Geralt likes him, he’s reminded — anyone else would shudder at the dark yet accurate prediction, but he simply shrugs and begins snooping around Geralt’s kitchen, as he often does, lifting pot lids and making spoons clatter against the marble tabletop.

“Lambert is in The Room,” he says gently, mentally nudging Aiden out of his kitchen and into his brother’s embalming room, affectionately and ominously nicknamed The Room. “If you were looking for him.”

“Oh.” Aiden deposits his mug into the sink, frowning slightly at it, and then looks at Geralt in belated recognition. “Yes! That’s why I came in, in the first place, of course. Thank you for the coffee.”

Geralt shakes his head at his retreating figure. “No problem.” The newspaper is still sitting on his table, and he turns back to Renfri, who’s looking up at him with curiosity painted on her green eyes. “Looks like we’ll have some work to do today, hmm?”

His apron, a sensible black, stares back at him from where it’s hanging on its little hook. The tiny and slightly crooked Morhen Mortuary embroidery at the front — Nenneke’s gift for who knows which birthday — makes Geralt smile, and he’s still smiling as he walks the stairs down to his own room.

The car crash Aiden had noted had unfortunately taken the life of a young man, according to the paper and the EMTs who had driven the body to the funeral home. The man, they had explained, had been riding on his bike downtown when a truck appeared out of nowhere and made it impossible for him to avoid crashing into the left headlight.

It had been a painless death, they said. Geralt could only hope so, for the victim’s sake.

The light switch creaks slightly as he flips it on, the fluorescent bulbs flickering to life above him. Immediately, the strong scent of embalming fluid envelops him, and he breathes it in like one would a nice spring morning on a field. Nothing like a work-laden morning to bring his spirits up.

(Or sideways, he doesn’t know). (He’s been learning some interesting things with Lambert’s new hobby). (Half of those are lies, he knows, but still).

(It’s nice to pretend).

The body on the table looks… rough. Whatever remains from the man’s clothing is rumpled and dirty, the fabric tattered and covering his body in uneven patterns. There are bruises all over his right side — his legs, his abdomen, up his neck and littering his face like a child’s painting. His handsome features are obscured by the blood trickling down his forehead.

He couldn’t have survived the crash, Geralt knows, but he has to check for vital signs anyway. He has no pulse, nothing but cold skin where Geralt presses his gloved fingers, and later, his stethoscope. His limbs are stiff and locked in place, and he’s unresponsive as Geralt touches his face, his eyes — incredibly blue — clouded.

The perfect picture of death.

Sometimes Geralt wishes he believed in God. Any God, really — anything that could allow him to say a small prayer, to wish this person well in their path to… wherever they’re going, to honor their life and make it all mean something.

But he doesn’t, so, naturally, he starts a conversation with the dead man lying on his table.

“Hello,” he says politely, as he starts removing the man’s scraps of clothing from his skin. “My name is Geralt. I’m your mortician— well, I mean, I’m not your mortician. I’m… anyone’s. No one’s. It’s not like when you go to the doctor, you know— oh, yeah, that guy is my doctor. You can’t tell anyone about this experience, so I’m never referred to as anyone’s anything.” He tosses the man’s shirt aside. “But, you know, in case you do recall this to anyone, in the ol’ queue to the afterlife, you can call me your mortician. Or Geralt. Geralt’s fine.”

The man, unsurprisingly, says nothing.

“I’m sorry I don’t know your name,” Geralt continues. “You came in without any personal effects— well, you were wearing that tiny Hello Kitty backpack, but there was nothing inside that could tell us anything about you.” The man’s jeans need to go next, but they’re so disfigured Geralt grabs a fabric scissor from the counter. “You kind of look like your name was… hmm. Nothing too generic, I don’t think. Balthazar, maybe? Or Timothy. Valdo, perhaps? That’s a name you have the face for. The eyes, especially.”

He starts cutting the man’s jeans, pausing to chuckle at the fact that he momentarily gave the man jorts, and then continues until he can peel it all off.

“Your clothes are nice. I’m sorry they got ripped apart, though. And, well, sorry I’m ripping them apart now, too.” He starts untying the man’s shoelaces. “I hope you get some nice clothing wherever you’re going. Do you think you’ll need money in the afterlife?”

The man’s hand falls to the table in response.

Before, Geralt would’ve jumped at the movement, but now, seasoned as he has become, he knows it’s just a spasm. His heart hasn’t gotten the memo yet, though, hammering in his chest.

“Ah, love a good postmortem spasm,” he chuckles, sliding the shoe off the man’s foot. “Keeps me vigilant. Did you know people used to think these kinds of movements indicated the deceased person’s will to live? They used to say it was a sign of perseverance— how the strongest people kept fighting death until the end.”

He likes to think there’s some truth to it; that someone could have loved their life so much that they would hang on to it with every fiber of their being. That death could be defied by stubbornness.

He pulls out the man’s other shoe, and smiles at his socks: ice cream patterned, glittery bright pink.

“You seem like an interesting person,” he says, peeling the socks off, leaving the man in his — also brightly patterned — underwear. “Would have been nice to meet you.”

Geralt turns around and moves to the counter, making sure the hose is connected to the water tap, and arranging all his instruments to his liking. He can hear the music Lambert’s playing in The Room, some sort of old-timey rock he knows but can’t quite place, and he starts humming along in his low, gravelly tone.

“Mm, you got me so I can’t sleep at night, mmm…”

“The Kinks? Really?”

Geralt turns around, clutching the hose to his chest.

“I mean,” the man says, facing Geralt and laying on his side like a really stiff art subject, waiting to be immortalized in a canvas, “I would’ve expected a man of your complexion to listen to something… darker. Tougher? I don’t know.”

Geralt blinks.

He really should have checked the carbon monoxide detectors last night.

“So,” the man says. “What kind of a place is this, anyway? Don’t get me wrong, I do, quite often, wake up half-naked in places I can’t recognize, but this is a new level of kinky shit. What is this table?” He props himself up on his hands, with effort. “Why are my movements so… bad?” He frowns. “Why’s my tongue… wrong? What is going on?”

“You’re… alive,” Geralt says, eloquently.

The man’s eyebrows shoot up into his hairline, and he’s still so pale and mangled, it’s grotesque. Like a really bad makeup job for a school play. “Well, I mean, I know that? Because if this is heaven — and I’m definitely not complaining about the view — it’s quite… underwhelming?”

Almost automatically, Geralt surges forward and grabs the man’s head between his hands. “Don’t move like that,” he says, smoothing down the man’s skin. “The rigor mortis won’t go away for a few hours. You could get stuck like that.”

The man’s face falls. Well, tries to. “Rigor… mortis?”

Geralt drops the man’s head like it’s on fire. It should be on fire — the man’s skin should melt into bone and he should put on a funky leather jacket and ride his black motorcycle straight into hell and out of Geralt’s humble and sensible funeral home.

Upstairs, an old Dire Straits song starts playing. As if the world is supposed to just go on, while the very dead man that was laying on Geralt’s embalming table mere seconds ago is now making something akin to lively conversation with him.

He was dead. Geralt checked his pulse, looked into his very dead-looking pupils. He was about to inject fluid into his arteries, for goodness’ sake.

“So,” the man says, sitting up, and finally looking down at himself. He pokes at a purple bruise on his ribs. “Either this is all part of a very elaborate joke on one of my friends’ behalf, or you’re just a very good-looking psychopath who will now proceed to make me witness my own autopsy, or something.”

“I’m…” Suddenly, Geralt has no clue what to say. How does he break it to the man, that he was about to write down ‘John Doe’ on a nametag and tie it to his ankle, without sounding absolutely insane and/or possibly psychopathic? He feels a sudden urge to take off his apron, not feeling so fond of the embroidered information on it right now. “You were in an accident.”

The man gapes at him, his blue eyes bluer, somehow. “I… was? What happened?”

Geralt takes a tentative step forward. He was trained on how to deliver painful and sensitive information to the bereaved family; he was not, however, trained on how to deliver it to the deceased themselves.

“The EMTs said it was a truck. You were riding your bike.”

“Okay…” The man nods to himself, taking the information in. “Why am I not in a hospital, then? I mean— I don’t mean to assume, but this doesn’t really look like the conventional emergency room, or what have you.”

Geralt looks around the dark walls of the basement, cringing internally at the framed You look good — open-casket good sign Eskel got him for Christmas.

“You’re… This is…” Geralt leans back against the counter, steeling himself for whatever will happen next. “This is a mortuary. My name’s Geralt. I’m… I’m your mortician.”

The man’s eyes are so wide Geralt fears he’ll pop a vein. “A mortician…”

“You died,” Geralt says gently. “When you crashed into the truck. It was a painless death. Instant.”

“And now?”

Geralt grimaces. “And now… you’re alive. Allegedly.”

The man splutters. “Allegedly?!” He hops down from the table, and Geralt manages to catch him before his legs give out. “You mean to tell me I was dead and now, supposedly, I’m alive?”

This close to the man, Geralt can see small green dots in all that sea of blue fury. He shakes his head. “Yes. I’m sorry. I don’t know what to do. This doesn’t happen.”

“You don’t say!” The man sits back up on the table. His bruises are slowly fading away, and his cheeks are bright red, whether from the blood flow or the indignation, Geralt doesn’t know. “So it’s not routine for a legally dead man to come back to life on your table? I wouldn’t have guessed.”

“I’m sorry,” Geralt says, sheepish. “How are you feeling?”

“Oh, aside the whole hey Jask, remember everything you thought you knew about life and death? Well, scrape all that, because it’s bullshit thing? I’m just peachy,” he snaps, glowering at Geralt. “And cold.”

“Of course. Sorry,” Geralt apologizes. “I’ll go get you some clothes.”

“You do that,” the man says as Geralt walks to the door. “And do stop apologizing so much.”

His hand on the door, Geralt looks back at the man. “Sorry.”

“So, your name is Jaskier?”

They’re sitting at Geralt’s kitchen table now. After offering the man a pair of Lambert’s sweatpants and a t-shirt, and showing him the guest bathroom, he emerged a new person, his hair curling at the edges and his skin soft-looking.

“It is,” Jaskier says with a shy smile, pulling his knees up to his chest on his chair. Geralt feels an immense urge to wrap him in a hug. The closest thing is pushing a mug of coffee in his direction. “And you’re Geralt.”

“That’s me.”

“And I was dead,” Jaskier says, recounting the incidents. He’s calmed down now. “And now I’m alive.”

“Yeah.”

Geralt wishes he had something more eloquent to say.

“And this has never happened to you before? You’re certain?”

Geralt snorts. “I think I would have realized if any of the people I poked at with needles were alive.”

“Okay, okay,” Jaskier replies with a smile of his own. “Just checking.”

Now that Jaskier is officially alive, Geralt can allow himself to really look at him. He’s young — maybe in his late twenties — and there’s something about his eyes that just draws him in; something other than the way they’re blue the way the ocean is when it’s about to storm, no, it’s something about the way they move. About the way they look at things, about the way they look at Geralt. Piercing yet unobtrusive, harsh yet soft.

He should really stop watching so many romantic films.

His brown hair falls into tiny waves, shining in the mid-morning light pouring in through the windows. The hand that’s gripping the mug is dotted with freckles, his fingernails black and chipped. He’s swimming in Geralt’s shirt, an old one from his university days, and there’s something about his small smile that makes Geralt’s heart try to skip a beat.

They sip their coffee in comfortable silence. Geralt offers him an apple, and Jaskier takes it with grace.

“So, what now?” He asks between bites.

“What do you mean?” Geralt replies.

“Well,” Jaskier says, leaning forward on the table. “I can’t die. For now. I’ll sort out the specifics later. But— what comes next?”

Geralt doesn’t know. “Well, what do you want to do next?”

Jaskier considers it. “I think, after I finish eating this apple, and after I’ve washed my cup and thanked you for your hospitality — ha, hospitality,” he snorts, “I would very much like to ask you for your number.”

Geralt chokes on his coffee.

“Unless you’re already seeing someone, or you’re not into men,” Jaskier says immediately, “or just not into someone who came into your home as a dead man and came out walking of his own volition. Also because you kind of saw me in my rubber ducks underwear which I love but man I should really think about what I wear under my clothes because you know, my mother was right, you really never do know where your day will go— I would completely understand that. That would make you a very reasonable person, but it’s just that I’m very scared for my life— and my death, I guess, too, fuck— and I would like a friendly face around me. I can tell you I have not had any of those lately— but, just, you know, I understand if—”

“Jaskier,” Geralt says. “I would be honored to be a friendly face.”

Jaskier breathes out slowly. “Thank you.”

“It’s no problem,” Geralt says, reaching for his hand.

Jaskier twines their fingers together, looking at him with a sweet smile on his lips. It belongs to one of Geralt’s movies, this moment.

But Jaskier breaks it almost immediately.

“Actually, you know, I’m glad you said yes, because you kind of owe me, anyway, because some memories are coming back to me now and I have the distinct recollection of you telling me I looked like my name was Valdo, and boy do I hate—”

tagged: @writingmysanity

#mywriting #mortuary au #geraskier fic #geralt x jaskier #temporary MCD #immortal jaskier #mortician geralt #pls enjoy geralt being a DORK <3 #blood mention #death mention

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notfoundfootage · 2 years

Text

Constructive criticism +18

Vincent Sinclair x Platonic!Reader

DO NOT REPOST/PLAGIARIZE

A/N: description of human anatomy and corpses, mentions of murder and violence, use of illicit substances, kidnapping, torture and nudity, description of mortuary rites. Not proofread, written in a state of mildly drunk.

The chair you were bound to was made of leather, making you squirm and feel your sweat sticking to the material. You were dizzy and your ears could only catch a distinctive opera playing in the yellowish beige room.

The strong smell of wax was intoxicating, but you doubt that this is what was making you sluggish and weak. You tried to look around, but every time you turned your head, everything spun around.

You partly knew what was going on, as you and your friends discovered the truth of Ambrose. An entire town filled with murdered humans bound in wax figures posing in many possible ways. Your fate was sealed by now. You were stripped bare, the wounds in your body sewn shut by a tall masked man you assumed it was Vincent.

He was tinkering with soft wax, shaping it into his hands and playing with it. A thought came into your mind and you begun to mindlessly think out loud.

"You know..." Your voice was raspy, your throat dehydrated "these figures you made, they won't last long"

He ignored you, brushing it of. Maybe a lot of people talked by this moment, desperate for a last chance to be free. You were desperate too, but hope was lost, you were doped and too weak to do anything, it was a matter of time, so you talked.

"I saw how thin the layer of wax is around the bodies" you rasped, and he stopped to fidget with the wax "And by the amount of liquid and color of the remains inside, none of the corpses were put through any preservation process"

He kept quiet, not looking at you. But he was listening.

"I'm amazed actually" you threw your head back with a laugh "that in this damn heat you managed to keep the liquids and the gas contained, yet there's no mechanism to drain it all. The oldest figures will pop anytime like a dead whale, if they hadn't popped yet"

The creak of the wooden chair turning caught your attention and you looked ahead of you. Vincent was looking at you intensively, his sharp eye deep in yours, his head tilting to one side with a questioning stare.

"You know, ancient Egyptians had the most fascinating mortuary rites" your groggy smile couldn't be contained "fascinating, truly fascinating"

Vincent came closer to you, very soft hands covering your, as if he was telling you to keep talking. Staring at his mask, you felt your throat hurt, and a fit of cough just started, keeping you from talking to him.

He wasn't satisfied with that, so he hurried upstairs for a moment, leaving you alone in the basement. You could hear him walking upstairs in a hurry, opening and closing doors as fast as he could.

The masked man came back inside with a jug of water and a ceramic cup decorated with phallic figures you barely could distinct as red and white mushrooms. He poured water and helped you drink it all, and softly wiped your mouth with his sleeve when you finished.

He put the objects in the ground by his feat and held your hand again, as if saying "keep talking"

You stared at him again "I can't believe you're about to murder me and I'm talking about my childhood obsession"

He had no reaction to that, but you could see his eye twitch upwards a bit in a smiley way, you hoped. You couldn't distinct it from that or a glaring squint by this point. Everything was blurry and you felt slightly drunk in everything.

"They removed the inside organs from the dead body and stored it on little jars, the brain was removed in a very very very nasty way" you said just like you would read a fairytale to a child "they fished it out of their noses, I can't remember if it came in a one piece or by bits, probably by bits"

He scooted even closer now. One of his hands was on his chin, and the other still holding yours, fingers toying with yours. You could smell laundry detergent in his clothes and something sweet underneath you couldn't decipher.

"Then they would wash the body and put it in a mixture of salt and something else, to dehydrate the flesh and make it last as long as centuries, millennia... It wasn't as pretty as a living person would be, but that wasn't the goal"

"What I'm saying is" you shuffled in the chair, very aware of his hand in yours and forgetting about your position "you should do it that way, then it would truly last. Well, last as long as these can in this horrible heat anyways" you said with a dry chuckle "can I have more water?"

He stared, paused for a bit and then poured another cup. But instead of putting the cup on your lips like the first time, he unbuckled the restrains in your right wrist, putting the cup in your wobbly hand.

The strength required for lifting the cup was absent, and it fell to the ground, but it didn't broke. He picked it up and poured more water, and put it in your hands again, helping you lift it up to your cracked lips. The cold beverage was delicious, and you gulped to the last drop. When you finished, Vincent put it down again and got up, hurriedly fetching something from the table.

He wrote something on a notebook, and held it up to you.

"Help me with that?"

#house of wax #Vincent Sinclair #Vincent Sinclair x reader #vincent sinclair x you #house of wax imagine

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reallycoolsoup · 1 year

Text

#poll #goth #funeral #victorian #words #grammar

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genshin-impact-updates · 2 years

Text

"King Deshret and the Three Magi" Version 3.1 Update Details

Dear Travelers,

Below are the details of the Version 3.1 update "King Deshret and the Three Magi."

New Areas: Hypostyle Desert, Land of Lower Setekh, and Land of Upper Setekh

New Characters: Cyno, Nilou, and Candace

New Domains: Garden of Endless Pillars, Altar of Mirages, and Red Desert Threshold

New Equipment: Staff of the Scarlet Sands (Polearm), Key of Khaj-Nisut (Sword), etc.

New Main Stories: Archon Quest Chapter III: Act III and Act IV, Cyno and Nilou's Story Quests

New Enemies: Aeonblight Drake, Algorithm of Semi-Intransient Matrix of Overseer Network, etc.

More details can be found in the following text.

At the end of the article, Travelers will be introduced to the content adjustments and optimizations in Version 3.1 as well as the issues fixed.

〓Compensation〓

Maintenance Compensation: Primogems ×300 (60 Primogems for every hour the servers are down)

Issue Fix Compensation: Primogems ×300 (please refer to the relevant compensation mail for more details)

〓Eligibility〓

Maintenance Compensation: Travelers who reach Adventure Rank 5 or above before 2022/09/28 06:00 (UTC+8).

Please claim before the end of Version 3.1.

Issue Fix Compensation: All Travelers who have reached Adventure Rank 5 or above by 2022/09/28 06:00 (UTC+8).

Please claim the compensation mail before 2022/10/01 06:00 (UTC+8).

Our developers will distribute compensation to Travelers via in-game mail within 5 hours after the update maintenance is finished. The mail will expire after 30 days, so don't forget to claim the attached compensation in time.

〓Update Schedule〓

Update maintenance begins on 2022/09/28 06:00 (UTC+8) and is estimated to take 5 hours.

〓How to Update Game Client〓

PC: Close the game, open the Genshin Impact Launcher, and click Update.

iOS: Open the App Store and tap Update.

Android: Open the game and follow the directions on-screen.

PS5™ and PS4™: Highlight Genshin Impact from the PS4 Home Screen, press the OPTIONS button and select "Check for Update."

Please do not hesitate to contact Customer Service if you encounter any issues installing the new version. We will do our very best to resolve the issue.

〓Update Details〓

I. Areas

New Areas in Sumeru Now Available

◇ New Areas：In Version 3.1, the areas, Hypostyle Desert, Land of Lower Setekh, and Land of Upper Setekh in the Sumeru region will be available.

New Daily Commissions will be added in Sumeru.

In addition, there will be new Fishing Points and "Radiant Spincrystals" in the new areas released.

II. New Characters

5-Star Character "Judicator of Secrets" Cyno (Electro)

◇ Vision: Electro

◇ Weapon: Polearm

◇ The General Mahamatra in charge of supervising the researchers of the Akademiya. It is said that when he gets down to work, the General Mahamatra is even more efficient than the "Great Vayuvyastra" made by the Kshahrewar.

◆ Elemental Skill "Secret Rite: Chasmic Soulfarer"

◆ Performs a swift thrust, dealing Electro DMG to opponents along the path. When Cyno is under the Pactsworn Pathclearer state triggered by the Elemental Burst "Sacred Rite: Wolf's Swiftness," he will instead unleash a Mortuary Rite that deals thunderous AoE Electro DMG and extends the duration of Pactsworn Pathclearer.

◆ Elemental Burst "Sacred Rite: Wolf's Swiftness"

◆ Calls upon a divine spirit to possess him, morphing into the Pactsworn Pathclearer, causing his Normal, Charged, and Plunging Attacks to be converted to Electro Damage that cannot be overridden. At the same time, Cyno's Elemental Mastery and resistance to interruption will increase, and he gains immunity to Electro-Charged Damage. This effect will be canceled when Cyno leaves the field and lasts for a set duration.

5-Star Character "Dance of Lotuslight" Nilou (Hydro)

◇ Vision: Hydro

◇ Weapon: Sword

◇ The star of the Zubayr Theater. She is full of warmth and innocence, and her dances are lively and elegant.

◆ Elemental Skill "Dance of Haftkarsvar"

◆ Nilou will enter the Pirouette state, dealing Hydro DMG to nearby opponents based on her Max HP. While she is in the Pirouette state, Nilou's Normal Attacks and Elemental Attacks will cause her to enter the Sword Dance and Whirling Steps stances respectively, causing DMG she deals to be converted to Hydro DMG that cannot be overridden and that is considered Elemental Skill DMG. In these stances, Nilou's third dance step will end Pirouette, and has the following effects:

· Sword Dance: unleashes a Luminous Illusion that deals Hydro DMG to opponents it touches and grants Nilou the Lunar Prayer effect. This effect converts Nilou's Normal Attacks into Sword Dance techniques, and her final hit will unleash a Luminous Illusion.

· Whirling Steps: Nilou unleashes a Whirling Water Wheel that deals AoE Hydro DMG and creates a Tranquility Aura that follows your active character around and applies Wet to opponents within its AoE.

Nilou is unable to perform Charged Attacks when under the effect of Pirouette or Lunar Prayer. These effects will be removed once she leaves the field.

◆ Elemental Burst "Dance of Abzendegi: Distant Dreams, Listening Spring"

◆ Begins the dance of faraway dreams and springs that hear, causing a Lotus of Distant Waters to bloom, dealing AoE Hydro DMG based on Nilou's Max HP and applying the Lingering Aeon effect to all opponents hit. After an interval, opponents affected by Lingering Aeon will take Hydro DMG.

◇ After unlocking Nilou's Passive Talent "Court of Dancing Petals," when all characters in the party are either Dendro or Hydro, and there is at least one Dendro character and one Hydro character:

The completion of the third dance step of Nilou's Dance of Haftkarsvar will grant all nearby characters the Golden Chalice's Bounty for 30s upon its completion. Characters under the effect of Golden Chalice's Bounty will have their Elemental Mastery increased whenever they are hit by Dendro attacks. Also, triggering the Bloom reaction will create Bountiful Cores instead of Dendro Cores. Such Cores will burst very quickly after being created, and they have larger AoEs. Bountiful Cores cannot trigger Hyperbloom or Burgeon, and they share an upper numerical limit with Dendro Cores. Bountiful Core DMG is considered DMG dealt by Dendro Cores produced by Bloom.

4-Star Character "Golden Vow" Candace (Hydro)

◇ Vision: Hydro

◇ Weapon: Polearm

◇ A descendant of King Deshret with an amber left eye. The defender of Aaru Village.

◆ Elemental Skill "Sacred Rite: Heron's Sanctum"

◆ Tap this skill, and Candace rushes forward with her shield, dealing Hydro DMG. Hold and she raises her shield to block incoming attacks from nearby opponents, forming a barrier that absorbs DMG based on her Max HP and absorbs Hydro DMG 250% more effectively. This barrier lasts until the Elemental Skill is unleashed. After holding for a certain period of time, Candace will finish charging, and when the skill button is released, the skill duration expires, or when the barrier is broken, she will perform a leaping strike that deals Hydro DMG to opponents in front of her.

◆ Elemental Burst "Sacred Rite: Wagtail's Tide"

◆ Candace calls upon a divine blessing that deals AoE Hydro DMG based on her Max HP and continuously confers the Prayer of the Crimson Crown on your active character. The Prayer of the Crimson Crown effect has the following properties: Characters deal increased Elemental DMG with their Normal Attacks. Whenever a character takes the field, they will unleash a rippling wave of water that deals Hydro DMG to nearby opponents. Sword, Claymore, and Polearm-wielding character(s) on the field under this effect will obtain a Hydro Infusion.

III. New Domains

Domain: Garden of Endless Pillars

◇ This palatial place was once dominated by many thousands of giant pillars, and priests and the powerful alike once walked beneath their bower unrestrained. But all that is left of the mighty and proud city of sapphire now is wrack and ruin.

◇ Unlock Criteria: Reach Adventure Rank 24 or above and fulfill certain criteria.

◆ Challenge the Domain to obtain rewards such as Primogems and Dendro Sigils.

Domain: Altar of Mirages

◇ The Jinn once used this place as a free theater and a paradise without sorrow or care. The people of the desert wastes also once used this place as a ritual site to remember the ages long past... But all these joys and sorrows, like a false mirage, would disappear amidst the flow of the Ley Lines.

◇ Unlock Criteria: Reach Adventure Rank 28 or above and fulfill certain criteria.

◆ Challenge the Domain to obtain rewards such as Primogems and Dendro Sigils.

Domain: Red Desert Threshold

◇ Legend has it that were once a prince who was exiled by his father and imprisoned in this jail. The bronze revelation first emerged here in this lonely, forgotten place where there is neither day nor night.

◇ Unlock Criteria: Reach Adventure Rank 32 or above and fulfill certain criteria.

◆ Challenge the Domain to obtain rewards such as Primogems and Dendro Sigils.

IV. New Equipment

1. New Weapons

Staff of the Scarlet Sands (5-Star Polearm)

The equipping character gains 52% of their Elemental Mastery as bonus ATK. When an Elemental Skill hits opponents, the Dream of the Scarlet Sands effect will be gained for 10s: The equipping character will gain 28% of their Elemental Mastery as bonus ATK. Max 3 stacks.

Makhaira Aquamarine (4-Star Claymore)

· The following effect will trigger every 10s: The equipping character will gain 24% of their Elemental Mastery as bonus ATK for 12s, with nearby party members gaining 30% of this buff for the same duration. Multiple instances of this weapon can allow this buff to stack. This effect will still trigger even if the character is not on the field.

◆ During the event wish, Epitome Invocation, the event-exclusive 5-star weapon Staff of the Scarlet Sands (Polearm) and the event-exclusive 4-star weapon Makhaira Aquamarine (Claymore) will receive a huge drop-rate boost!

Key of Khaj-Nisut (5-Star Sword)

HP increased by 20%. When an Elemental Skill hits opponents, you gain the Grand Hymn effect for 20s. This effect increases the equipping character's Elemental Mastery by 0.12% of their Max HP. This effect can trigger once every 0.3s. Max 3 stacks. When this effect gains 3 stacks, or when the third stack's duration is refreshed, the Elemental Mastery of all nearby party members will be increased by 0.2% of the equipping character's max HP for 20s.

Xiphos' Moonlight (4-Star Sword)

The following effect will trigger every 10s: The equipping character will gain 0.036% Energy Recharge for each point of Elemental Mastery they possess for 12s, with nearby party members gaining 30% of this buff for the same duration. Multiple instances of this weapon can allow this buff to stack. This effect will still trigger even if the character is not on the field.

Wandering Evenstar (4-Star Catalyst)

The following effect will trigger every 10s: The equipping character will gain 24% of their Elemental Mastery as bonus ATK for 12s, with nearby party members gaining 30% of this buff for the same duration. Multiple instances of this weapon can allow this buff to stack. This effect will still trigger even if the character is not on the field.

◆ The event-exclusive 5-star weapon Key of Khaj-Nisut (Sword) as well as the event-exclusive 4-star weapons Xiphos' Moonlight (Sword) and Wandering Evenstar (Catalyst) will be available in a future event wish.

Missive Windspear (4-Star Polearm)

Within 10s after an Elemental Reaction is triggered, ATK is increased by 12% and Elemental Mastery is increased by 48.

◆ Missive Windspear (Polearm) and its refinement materials can be redeemed in the event "Of Ballads and Brews."

V. New Quests

1. New Archon Quests

Archon Quest Chapter III: Act III "Dreams, Emptiness, Deception"

◆ Quest Unlock Criteria

• Reach Adventure Rank 35 or above

• Complete Archon Quest Chapter III: Act II "The Morn a Thousand Roses Brings: Denouement"

Archon Quest Chapter III: Act IV "King Deshret and the Three Magi"

◆ Quest Unlock Criteria

• Reach Adventure Rank 35 or above

• Complete Archon Quest Chapter III: Act III "Dreams, Emptiness, Deception"

◇ After the Version 3.1 update, the Archon Quest Chapter III: Act III "Dreams, Emptiness, Deception" and Archon Quest Chapter III: Act IV "King Deshret and the Three Magi" will be permanently available.

2. New Story Quests

Cyno's Story Quest "Lupus Aureus Chapter: Act I - Sands of Solitude"

Permanently available after the Version 3.1 update

◆ Quest Unlock Criteria

• Reach Adventure Rank 40 or above

• Complete Archon Quest Chapter III: Act IV "King Deshret and the Three Magi"

Nilou's Story Quest "Lotos Somno Chapter: Act I - To the Wise"

Permanently available after 2022/10/14 18:00

◆ Quest Unlock Criteria

• Reach Adventure Rank 40 or above

• Complete Archon Quest Chapter III: Act II "The Morn a Thousand Roses Brings: Denouement"

3. New World Quests

◆ New World Quests: "Golden Slumber" Quest Chain, "Old Notes and New Friends" Quest Chain, "Afratu's Dilemma," "The Exile" Quest Chain, "A Gifted Rose" Quest Chain, "Join the Eremites and Embrace a Wonderful New Life!," and "Blooming Sands."

VI. New Enemies

Aeonblight Drake

◇ This dragon-shaped combat machine is a being that inspires fear, much like the lord who once ruled these vast lands.

This machine has even greater abilities than the Ruin Drake, being able to attack from the air and on the ground. Can periodically release a dangerous torrent of energy during combat and increase its own Elemental RES against the previous main type of Elemental DMG it suffered. Take this opportunity to attack their cores, and you may be able to immobilize this creature...

Located at Ardravi Valley.

Algorithm of Semi-Intransient Matrix of Overseer Network

◇ This ancient aggregation of machinery hails from the desert and has quirks that modern-day civilizations cannot comprehend.

In battle, the Algorithm of Semi-Intransient Matrix of Overseer Network will fire its components out while its core enters an "invisible" state that hides it and increases its RES. Use Catalyze reactions to strike this core, or use Electro attacks on it during such times as the fired components have been destroyed and need to recover to cancel this invisibility.

Located at Hypostyle Desert.

Primal Construct: Prospector, Primal Construct: Reshaper, and Primal Construct: Repulsor

◇ These ancient machines, which come from the desert, are quite distinct from the Ruin Machines.

In combat, these Primal Constructs will fire their components out while their cores enter an "invisible" state that hides them and increases their RES. Use Catalyze reactions to strike these cores or use Electro attacks on them during such times as the fired components have been destroyed and need to recover to cancel this invisibility.

Eremite Stone Enchanter and Eremite Galehunter

◇ Warriors that may be found in one of the many scattered mercenary groups that hail from the desert.

They will unleash the ominous spirit contained within their body to fight alongside them after taking a certain amount of damage. This will cause them to enter an Infused Form. Defeat these spirits and they will enter a weakened state for a fixed amount of time thereafter.

In addition, the Floating Anemo Fungus, Whirling Pyro Fungus, Stretchy Electro Fungus, and Grounded Geoshroom will be added.

VII. Other Additions

1. New Recipes:

○ Sumeru Lambad's Tavern: Coconut Charcoal Cakes

○ Sumeru's Puspa Café: Baklava, Candied Ajilenakh Nut, and Padisarah Pudding

○ Sumeru NPC Azalai: Aaru Mixed Rice

○ Obtained From Event: Fruits of the Festival

○ Cyno's specialty: Duel Soul

○ Nilou's specialty: Swirling Steps

○ Candace's specialty: Utmost Care

2. New Event Dish "Sparkling Berry Juice": During the "Of Ballads and Brews" event, you will be able to purchase Sparkling Berry Juice from the event site at Springvale, Mondstadt. This dish will be available at Angel's Share in Mondstadt from the next version onwards.

3. New Achievement categories such as "Elemental Specialist: Series II," "Challenger: Series VI," and "Sumeru: The Gilded Desert - Series I," and new Achievements added to the "Wonders of the World" category.

4. New Namecards:

"Cyno: Silence": Reward for reaching Friendship Lv. 10 with Cyno

"Nilou: Lotus Dance": Reward for reaching Friendship Lv. 10 with Nilou

"Candace: Grey Heron: Reward for reaching Friendship Lv. 10 with Candace

"Travel Notes: Returning Winds": Reward obtained via the BP system

"Achievement: Seven Lights": Reward for completing all achievements under "Elemental Specialist: Series II"

"Sumeru: Sandtreader": Reward for completing all achievements under "Sumeru: The Gilded Desert - Series I"

"Achievement: Mirrored Dreams": Reward for completing all achievements under "Challenger: Series VI"

5. Adds some prompts for loading screens.

6. New Permanent Event "Curtain of Leaves": Clear Spiral Abyss 4-3 to invite the character "Sprout of Rebirth" Collei (Dendro)

7. New Gadgets: Jumpy Dumpty Party Popper and Cloud Retainer's Damasked Device

8. Stellar Reunion Adjustments:

UI Optimizations: Adds the "Returner's Journey" tab which can be used to quickly view pages such as "Teyvat Items of Interest," "Adventure Handbook: Guide," "Adventure Handbook: Embattle," "Realm Within," among others.

Event Adjustments: Adjusts some "Stellar Reunion" rewards. For Travelers who activate "Stellar Reunion" after the Version 3.1 update, the reward for obtaining 400 points will be adjusted to "Northlander Billet Trove."

9. New Animals: Red Vulture, Scorpion, Desert Sumpter Beast, Desert Fox, Sacred Ibis, Masked Weasel, Quicksand Unagi, and Scarab

10. Tree of Dreams, Vanarana: Increase in the Level Cap of Tree of Dreams to Level 30.

11. When using the DualSense™ Wireless Controller on PC or PS5™, corresponding vibrations can be felt as each character unleashes their Elemental Burst.

12. Adds controller "Graded Vibration Settings" in the "Settings > Controls" interface. You can activate it completely, partially or deactivate it according to your preferences.

13. Adds controller "Vibration Strength" in the "Settings > Controls" interface.

14. On the Asia, Europe, America, and TW, HK, and MO servers, testing of the "Past Quest Resource Management" function has begun: Travelers can delete the audio and video resources corresponding to the completed Archon Quests and Story Quests on mobile, thus reducing the size of the game. The deleted audio resources can be re-downloaded after deletion. Travelers can do so in the "Settings > Resources > Quest Resources" interface.

The function is now being tested in the Irminsul Server. Function testing will commence on the Celestia Server in Version 3.2.

15. Spiral Abyss

Floor 11 Ley Line Disorders changed to:

• All characters in the party gain a 75% Electro DMG Bonus.

Updated the monster lineup on Floors 11 – 12 of the Spiral Abyss.

Starting from the first time that the Lunar Phase refreshes after updating to Version 3.1, the three Lunar Phases will be as follows：

Phase 1:

Pruning Moon

After a character triggers Bloom, Hyperbloom, or Burgeon, all party members will have their Elemental Mastery increased by 40 for 10s. This effect can be triggered once every 0.1s. Max 5 stacks. Each stack's duration is counted independently.

Phase 2:

Ascending Moon

After opponents take DMG from Dendro Cores (this includes Burgeon and Hyperbloom DMG), their All Elemental and Physical RES will decrease by 8% for 6s. Max 4 stacks.

Phase 3:

Rupturing Moon

When Dendro Core attacks (this includes Burgeon and Hyperbloom attacks) hit an opponent, a shockwave will be unleashed at that opponent's position, dealing True DMG. A shockwave can be unleashed this way every 2s.

〓Adjustments & Optimizations〓

● Enemies

1. Reduces the DMG inflicted by the Frostbite attack cast by the boss "Cryo Regisvine" when it hits a character in succession after recovering from paralysis.

2. Adjusts the calculation method of enemy skill damage (some enemies will see a slight decrease in damage from specific skills, other enemies' skill damage remains unchanged).

3. Optimizes the effect of some sand scattering special effects of "The Eremites."

● System

1. Whenever switching between the first and second half in each chamber of the Spiral Abyss, constructs created by enemies and characters in the first half will be cleared (remaining Elemental Orbs, Elemental Particles, and Crystals produced by the Crystallization Reaction will not be cleared).

2. Adjusts and optimizes the sorting rules of some items in the Inventory.

3. Reduces the placement restrictions of some Furnishings in the Serenitea Pot.

4. After the Genshin Impact Version 3.1 update, each top-up level of Genesis Crystals in the Crystal Top-Up page will be reset to provide a double bonus for the first top-up.

• After the reset, each top-up level will be reset to provide a double bonus upon your first top-up.

• Top-up bonuses that have not been used before the reset will not be accumulated. After resetting, it will not be possible to obtain two double bonuses for each top-up level.

5. The camera function in the Paimon Menu can no longer be used when characters are under attack and in some skill states (The Kamera is not affected).

6. Optimizes the performance of the Dendro icon's dynamic effect when wishing for a Dendro character.

7. Adjusts the refreshment frequency of Viparyas. After the adjustment, it is the same as Crystal Ores' refreshment frequency.

● Audio

1. Optimizes the sound performance of some puzzle objects when solved.

2. Optimizes the sound performance of the gadget "Vintage Lyre."

3. Optimizes the sound performance of knocking down opponents and critical hits.

4. Optimizes the Japanese and Korean voice-over for certain quests, and optimizes the Korean voice-over for certain NPCs.

5. Optimizes the English voice-over related to certain items.

6. Adds a function whereby when certain characters are in a desert environment, related dialogue will be triggered.

● Other

1. Made minor adjustments to the positions of NPCs Halva and Shahbandar.

2. Adjusts the special effects display of Truesense Pulse.

3. Adjusts the speed at which footprints disappear in the desert.

4. The title "Story Quests/Hangout Events" of the Character Hangout Event Page has been changed to "Hangout Event."

5. Adjusted the ore types at certain locations in the Sumeru area: some Magical Crystal Ore will be adjusted to Crystal Ore.

6. Adjusts the collision size of some parts of the scenery.

7. Adjusts the special effects display of the Ruin Drake's weaknesses when it is paralyzed and not absorbing energy.

〓Bug Fixes〓

● Quests

1. Fixes an issue whereby when doing the Daily Commission "King of Invokations," the color of the elements on the Traveler's outfit are displayed abnormally.

2. Fixes errors in the description of Daily Quest Commission "1,001 Cups of Coffee."

3. Fixes an issue with the Archon Quest "Silent Seeker of Knowledge" whereby the quest could not be completed normally due to the change in Default Camera Distance.

4. Fixes an issue with the World Quest "Battle of Revenge" whereby the dialogues disappear abnormally.

5. Fixes an issue that caused errors to occur when accepting the World Quest "Gourmet Supremos: Within Our Duties" under certain circumstances.

After the version update, if you meet the quest unlock criteria below and talk to NPC Xudong in Port Ormos, you will be able to accept this World Quest. The "Gourmet Supremos" Daily Commission series will no longer be renewed once the unlock criteria have been met.

Quest Unlock Criteria:

• Achievements obtained after completing the "Gourmet Supremos" Daily Commission series: "Meal For Two," "A Question of Diet," and "Samurice."

• After the version update, complete the Daily Commission "The Gourmet Supremos: Where'd the Ingredients Go?"

• Complete Archon Quest Chapter III: Act II "The Morn a Thousand Roses Brings: Denouement."

● Enemies

1. Fixes an issue whereby the Grounded Hydroshroom has a probability of abnormally leaving combat.

2. Fixes an issue with the Rockfond Rifthound's rock spitting and charge abilities, and the Thundercraven Rifthound's thunderbolt projectile and charge abilities whereby the Corrosion effect would stack abnormally.

3. Fixes an issue whereby some enemies' flight movements were displayed abnormally.

4. Fixes an issue whereby Geo Constructs created under the Ruin Drake by Geo characters are instantly destroyed.

5. Fixes an issue whereby there is a low probability that a critical hit will not be triggered when characters hit the weaknesses of the Ruin Drake.

● Characters

1. Fixes an issue whereby after the Traveler resonates with the Statue of the Seven, they will be unable to interact with Four-Leaf Sigils while gliding.

2. Fixes an issue whereby there is a low probability that Polearm characters would inflict elemental effects multiple times to the same opponent hit with a single Charged Attack.

3. Fixes an issue under certain circumstances whereby after the character Dori casts her Elemental Skill several times quickly within a short period of time, there is a chance that the number of Elemental Particles generated, and the effect of her Passive Talent "Compound Interest" may be abnormal.

4. Fixes an issue with Kaedehara Kazuha whereby the shape of his mouth would be abnormal while taking a picture under certain circumstances.

5. Fixes the misplacement of the flame's visual effect while Yoimiya performs an Aimed Shot.

6. Fixes an issue whereby when switching from Collei to another character after Collei throws the Floral Ring in her Elemental Skill, there is a low probability that the Floral Ring does not return.

7. Fixes an issue whereby the Icy Paws fired by Diona's Elemental Skill might not target Wildlife opponents normally.

8. Fixes an issue whereby under "Low" or "Lowest" graphics settings, some special effects would be missing abnormally when Diluc uses his Elemental Skill in his outfit "Red Dead of Night."

9. Fixes an issue whereby characters can glide without consuming stamina and will not descend under certain circumstances.

10. Fixes an issue whereby the Dendro Cores created by Bloom reactions can cause the effects of certain characters' Skills to be triggered abnormally.

● System

1. Fixes the abnormal frame rate when switching the "Graphics Quality" settings from "Lowest" or "Low" to "Medium" or "High" on PCs.

2. Fixes an issue with Sumeru City whereby the general goods shop icon does not appear on the minimap.

3. Fixes an issue whereby when playing in Co-Op Mode, Yelan would cause the game's BGM to play abnormally under certain circumstances.

4. Fixes an issue whereby the red exclamation marks in the "Character > Attributes" interface would be displayed abnormally under certain circumstances.

5. Fixes an issue of erroneous generation of Elemental Particles when characters use Elemental Skills on Shroomboars in the Serenitea Pot.

6. Fixes an issue of erroneous production of Dendro Cores when characters conduct Hydro attacks on bushes in the Serenitea Pot.

7. Fixes an issue whereby the Rarity of some Furnishing Blueprints did not match their Furnishings.

8. Fixes an issue whereby under certain circumstances, Travelers cannot send in-game messages on mobile devices.

9. Fixes an issue whereby the settings "Vertical Camera Sensitivity" and "Vertical Camera Sensitivity (Aimed Shot Mode)" do not take effect properly.

10. Fixes an issue in the Travel Log whereby certain voice-over lines in the Story Quest "Fate's Chosen Lupical" appear incorrect.

11. Fixes a text error with the source description of the material "Rukkhashava Mushrooms."

12. Fixes a text error with the source description of the ingredient "Glabrous Beans."

13. Fixes an issue whereby the color of the Cryo Boom Blossoms would be displayed abnormally under Elemental Sight.

● Audio

1. Fixes errors with some characters' Korean voice-over.

2. Fixes an issue whereby after characters leave certain caves, the corresponding background music and environment sound effects can continue to play abnormally.

3. Fixes the abnormal sound effects of Polearm characters' Plunging Attacks.

4. Fixes the erroneous Voice-Over Unlock Criteria for "About Fischl" in the "Profile/Voice-Over" page of Collei. The condition is now "Unlocks at Friendship Lv. 4."

● Other

1. Fixes an issue whereby Dendro Boom Blossoms can be knocked backward abnormally by characters' attacks and skills.

2. Fixes an issue whereby the Sprawling Shot transformed by the Hyperbloom reaction has a small probability of not hitting the target correctly.

3. Fixes an issue whereby characters can abnormally enter certain areas in Ashavan Realm while the water level has not yet been lowered.

4. Fixes an issue whereby the NPC Yavanani's headpiece does not match her affiliated Darshan.

5. Fixes an issue with the weapon "The Alley Flash" whereby a part of its appearance was displayed abnormally.

6. Fixes the issue of the erroneous collision size of the Furnishing "Stoneworks Crane: Mountain Movers."

7. Fixes an issue whereby effects gained based on a character's attribute were incorrectly increased (excluding when an effect confers one attribute as a certain percentage of another attribute).

Before the fix, affected effects include:

Effect of the Weapon "Hunter's Path"

The Dendro Traveler's Passive Talent "Verdant Luxury"

Tighnari's Passive Talent "Scholarly Blade"

8. Fixes some textual errors in 13 languages and optimizes text. "Note: Related in-game functions have not changed." (Travelers can view the changes in different languages by going to the Paimon Menu > Settings > Language and changing the Game Language.)

Text-related fixes and optimizations in English include:

◆ Optimized the Traveler's descriptions and voice lines.

◆ Optimized instances of an item name from "Lunar Lotus" to "Nilotpala Lotus."

◆ Optimized some lines in the quests and World Quests.

◆ Optimized some lines in material descriptions.

*This is a work of fiction and is not related to any actual people, events, groups, or organizations.

"PlayStation", "PS5", "PS4", "DualSense", "DUALSHOCK" are registered trademarks or trademarks of Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.

#genshin impact #genshin impact updates #official #genshin impact news #genshin impact 3.1 #only an hour and twenty minutes (ish) left!

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