#which no vessels could traverse
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Another Vox enthusiasts I see? Well if I may...
Vox with a GN Hacker reader who was turned entirely digital after manifesting in hell. They don’t even have a physical form they’re completely stuck within Hell’s databases, their skills are obviously useful to him so he offers them a place on the team which they immediately accept on the condition that Vox makes them a vessel to inhabit because holy shit are they going stir crazy.
I’m not entirely sure how Vox’s abilities work but given he can at the very least project himself onto screens and the like I get the feeling that he’d plug himself into the system whenever they talk. Mostly because it keeps them grounded, they’re alot calmer when he’s actually next to them and not looking in through a screen.
I hope this didn’t get too wordy or long I just wanted to be thorough because I have massive brain rot for this techno mf-
Take your time with this request! Kisses darling <3
-📽
Dude, does anyone else remember having Shimeji's or that internet episode from Fairly Odd Parents? Cause that's what I'm about to write!
Digital Pet [Vox x Digital Reader]
When you first manifested in Hell, you were completely unaware that you had ended up in Hell itself. Because instead of manifesting in the overcrowded circle designated for sinners, you instead found yourself in a digital landscape. Countless screens surrounded you like a million portals. You could see the different shapes and sizes of the devices being used in hell and could even alter whether or not you saw what was being displayed on the screen or what the screen could see itself like a window to Hell.
At first, you had a massive meltdown. From what you could tell, you were the only one in this digital Hell custom-tailored to leave you isolated despite having access to every device in Hell. You wondered what you did to deserve the extra punishment layered on top of not being good enough for heaven, especially since you hadn't done anything particularly evil when you were alive.
You lost track of how much time passed. You entertained yourself by jumping from system to system. You'd watch shows that sinners binged, and you'd watch the city from large advertisement screens that overlooked the sinner's circle of Hell. Anything to stave off the loneliness.
One day, that all changed when you felt an electric buzz make the hairs on the back of your neck stand. You heard the voice of someone swearing and immediately pulled yourself away from the screen you had been sticking your nose into. When you turned, you saw another demon who was still sparking with some bright electric energy as he dusted himself off.
For a moment the two of you just stared at each other in shock. As far as you and Vox knew, you were the only ones who could access the digital realm of Hell's database. Vox is immediately wary, but you are thrilled as you approach him quickly.
"H-Hi, oh my god!" you breathe as you look him over. He didn't look new to Hell, but you had never seen anyone else in the same pocket of space as you before. "Did you just die? Have you seen anyone else? Did you just get here? It's been so long since I saw another person that wasn't on a screen!"
Vox blinked as you rapid-fired questions at him. He looked you over as you rambled something about the irony of his face being a screen when he finally shook his head and held up a hand to stop you.
"Woah, woah, woah, slow down," he started. "What are you talking about? How are you even here? No one else should be able to traverse through the database of Hell but me."
Vox's interest only grows as you explain your situation. "I see," he hummed as he looked you over with new intrigue. "I wonder if you have similar abilities to mine and just got caught in the in-between..."
It was easy enough for him to lure you into a deal. The sheer amount of panic you expressed when he pretended he was going to just leave you there was hilarious at the time. In exchange for you "surfing the web" for him, so to speak, he took you on as an apprentice of sorts. Vox trained your abilities and helped you hone your magic. While you had every hope of one day figuring out how to manifest in the physical realm the way he did, Vox cleverly avoided any pursuit of the possibility.
He liked having full power over you and he'd be lying if he said he wasn't starting to grow attached. While you hadn't learned anything about manifesting physically, you had learned how to appear on his screens. He'd never admit it to you out loud, but he found the tiny image of you running around on his devices and talking with him to be pretty damn adorable.
Despite his manipulation, the two of you actually slowly became friends. He found himself genuinely proud of you whenever you popped up to show him something new you had learned. There was a weird warm and fuzzy feeling in his chest when you would bounce with excitement at your new discoveries.
Sometimes you'd ask him to play a certain show or song for you. Even after you learned how to control inactive devices so you could look up anything you wanted, you still liked to ask him to play things for you just so you could watch them in his presence. You'd send memes to each other and Vox had to quickly excuse himself when you sent him a crudely drawn image of Alastor slipping on a banana peel while he was in the middle of giving a presentation at a meeting.
Vox was emotionally constipated, but he wasn't stupid. He could tell that the warm feeling in his chest was growing and he knew you were the source. He clutched his chest as he stepped into his lair and saw you sleeping on his desktop toolbar, waiting for him to come home after a long day at work. He had promised you that you'd watch the new episode of a show you'd been watching together, but his gameshow had run late.
He sits down with a sigh and traces over your sleeping form, feeling something twist inside of him as his claw only met with the cold, flat surface of a screen. He wondered what it would be like to hold you. To touch you. To have you in his arms while the two of you lay on the couch while you made him watch stupid shows instead of...
"Fuck," Vox whispered to himself as he pulled away from the innocent image of you. He clutched his face as he slumped forward in his chair. He had a decision to make.
And so do you, dear readers! I want to make a part two to this, the real question is:
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Letter from your soulmate
How to choose a pile?
Take a deep breath and gently close your eyes. Politely request your spirit guides to reveal the appropriate pile meant for you, then open your eyes. Whichever pile captures your attention is the one meant for you.
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Pile 1
My lovely apple pie,
As I sit here, pen in hand, my heart overflows with emotions for you. I want you to know that I understand how incredibly challenging and exhausting life has been for you lately. I can feel your pain, and it pains me deeply too. I yearn to be there for you, to hold you close, and to be your source of strength and comfort. Every tear you shed echoes in my soul, and I wish I could wipe them away. The distance between us feels like an insurmountable obstacle, but please believe me when I say that I would cross oceans and traverse mountains just to be by your side. However, I also realize that now might not be the ideal time for us to fully come together. We both need to heal, to mend the wounds of the past, so that we can create a love that is pure, unburdened by old hurts.
Always remember that even though we might not physically be together, I am there with you in the depths of my heart, forever connected in the 5D. In moments of doubt or despair, recall the strength of our love and how much you mean to me. You are more precious to me than words can ever express. I confess that my love for you is so profound, it sometimes scares me. My protective instincts arise because I cannot bear the thought of anything or anyone causing you harm. And yet, I know I must let you be, let you experience life's journey and growth, but please know that my love is unwavering.
As time passes, and we heal, I hope we can build something magical together, something that surpasses all expectations of love and happiness. Until then, I'll be waiting, cherishing every moment we've shared, and dreaming of our beautiful future together.
With all my love and devotion,
Pile 2
My Dearest creampie ,
I hope this letter finds you well, though my heart feels heavy knowing that you're not taking proper care of yourself. Witnessing you neglect your own well-being pains me deeply, and I can't bear to see you hurting, physically or emotionally. Please know that I'm here for you, always ready to lend a listening ear or a comforting embrace. I understand that you might be going through a tough time, and your anger is justified. However, I plead with you not to direct that anger towards your own body. It's a vessel that carries your beautiful soul and deserves to be treated with love and care. Take a moment to breathe, to pause, and let the anger subside. Embrace the world's beauty, for there's so much joy and wonder waiting for you.
Just today, I took a leisurely walk and stumbled upon the most enchanting garden. Butterflies danced around, birds sang sweet melodies, and the fragrance of blooming flowers filled the air, blessing the entire place with serenity. In that moment, my heart longed for you to be there by my side, your gentle touch as I lay my head on your lap, listening to you speak passionately about the things you love. You are the light in my life, and I cherish every moment we share. I love you with all my heart, and my affection for you grows with each passing day. You deserve all the love, happiness, and beauty that this world has to offer. And one day, I promise to show you just how much I love and adore you in every way possible.
Please take care of yourself, my love, for your well-being means everything to me. I'll be here, holding you close in my thoughts, sending you all the love and support you need. Remember that you're never alone in this journey, and I'll always be here, ready to walk beside you, hand in hand.
With all my love and devotion,
Pile 3
My dear pumpkin pie
I hope this letter finds you well and fills your heart with warmth. The wait has been long, but I promise it was worth it. You are the missing piece in my life, and I can't wait to finally hold you in my arms. Your patience and dedication have touched me deeply. You've shown me what true love is, and I promise to cherish and protect our bond with all my heart. From the moment we meet, my devotion to you will be unwavering, and my love for you will only grow stronger with each passing day. As I think of our future together, I can't help but smile at the countless adventures we'll embark on. With you by my side, life will be an exciting journey filled with joy, laughter, and love.
In your presence, time seems to slow down, and every moment becomes magical. Your smile brightens even the darkest days, and your laughter is music to my soul. You are the light that guides me through life's ups and downs, and I promise to be your constant support in return. Know that I am here for you, no matter what life throws our way. Together, we can overcome any challenge and savor every beautiful moment that life has in store for us. I can't wait to see the world through your eyes and share my dreams with you. Your dreams are my dreams, and I promise to do everything I can to help them come true. With each beat of my heart, I am reminded of the love I hold for you. It's a love that knows no bounds and only grows stronger with time. You are my everything, and I am forever grateful to have you in my life.
Until we meet, my love, know that you are always in my thoughts and prayers. I eagerly await the day when our souls will finally unite, and we'll begin our beautiful journey together.
Yours forever,
#pick a crystal#pick a gif#pick a picture#pick a photo#pick a card#pick a pile#tarot reading#tarot cards#free readings#free tarot#tarot#tarotblr#tarotwithavi#tarot witch#oracle reading#future lover#future spouse reading#soulmate reading#love reading
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Medical Emergency
‘Medical Emergency, Navigation 4, Medical Emergency, Navigation 4.’
The message repeated over and over across the PA system of the Leviathan Class exploratory ship. A massive space fairing vessel dedicated to finding the edge of creation and everything in between the Galactic Edge was a marvel of multi-species engineering.
Fifteen different habitats built to within micro-specifications for the species they were meant to hold, seven multi species common areas built to accommodate every race on board. Enough FTL drives to be able to be fired in succession so when one batch went down another could be brought online so they didn’t even have to stop for a cool down period between jumps. Recycling processes efficient within .0001% allowing near as possible full self-sustainability for an indefinite amount of time.
The main drawback of such a marvel of galactic traversal being of course…the FUCKING size…larger than some moons, a population numbering more than some planets (or at least it felt that way) and yet somehow never enough personnel in the right places at the right times.
‘Of course the emergency is right inside the border of my territory, because why wouldn’t it be? And of course, it had to be JUST as I was about to go off shift.’ Thought MD1 Joseph Jarl, JJ to anyone who wanted to continue a comfortable existence, after all no one knew how best to take someone apart than the ones who had to put others back together.
Running at full human speed JJ flew down the various passages dodging, spinning, ducking and jumping around the many obstacles in his way with all the predatory grace humans were gifted with.
‘Ha! and mom always said it was a waste for a doctor to learn parkour.’
Sliding on one hip beneath the centaur like body of a Gravelin engineer and popping back up to a full run JJ jumped and thrust one foot out to run alongside a bulkhead when he came to a T-section of corridor, narrowly missing the heads of a group of Ranki environmental scientists as he fell from the wall and rolled to maintain momentum.
Slamming a hand to the Medical Bypass Badge on his chest, signaling the door immediately in front of him to open JJ slid to a stop inside Nav.Bay 4 eyes flicking around the space looking for the emergency.
Sharp ocean blue eyes registered three different species, one of which still tensed when in direct line of sight of his forward-facing predatory gaze. Attention landing on a group of navigators clustered in a small huddle JJ slung the med-pack off his back and approached the group.
Head held high, shoulders wide and a purpose in his stride JJ projected every ounce of authority he could dredge up from his years as a medical professional he could when he ordered the group to back up and give him some space to work with. Approaching the center of the group JJ noticed the Elental on the floor, curled into a ball and rocking back and forth while making small pathetic whining sounds while very obviously having a hard time breathing.
Dropping to one knee in front of the one species on board that most closely resembled a human JJ slowly reached out and rested a hand on the Elental’s shoulder. Being a species that stood on average around 6.5-7 feet tall he barely had to reach to grasp the rocking figure’s shoulder.
Elental were a bipedal race with nearly translucent skin in direct light, long sharply pointed ears, eyes that stretched from the bridge of a dual slit nose to where the temple would be on a human with three pupils each, mostly human proportioned faces and a universally slender build.
It was a very little-known fact but the first time the human council met an Elental the lead diplomat was in fact recorded on official record as having muttered the phrase ‘Fuck me we found Space Elves’… though the actual audio recording of this moment was very deeply buried beneath as much galactic red tape as was possible. Noticing there was no response to his touch JJ turned to the closest navigator and asked for any details on the medical emergency.
“We don’t really know Human JJ, he was trying to determine some FTL jump coordinates and the timing required to make them when he started shaking and his speech became rapid and somewhat slurred, he began shaking and clutching his, well it would be the stomach on you, but his main pulmonary area and his respiration began to rapidly increase. When he tried to walk away from his station he collapsed and that was when we called the emergency, is he sick?” The Fenra asked nervously after the quick report on what happened.
JJ would never admit it but seeing a three-foot alien that looked like were-shitzu nervous and scared was absolutely adorable.
“I don’t think so no…hold on,” Quickly determining that there was no external injuries JJ tried raising the Elental’s head to look into his face but his patient seemed to be in a stubborn mood.
Taking a chance JJ reached into his pocket and pulled out a simple twentieth century zippo, an antique passed down in his family that he kept in working condition and never went anywhere without.
Flicking it open with a sharp, practiced snap JJ kept the grin off his face when the Elental’s gaze snapped up at the sudden sound. With a flick of his thumb JJ lit the lighter and held it directly between his eyes. The Elental’s six pupils swiveled and in a rather disconcerting motion…fused into a single large pupil for each eye the size of an Old Earth quarter, totally focused on the flame a mere six inches away.
“What is your name?” JJ asked slowly, in a deep and calm voice that witnesses would later report had a strange resonance to it.
“E-e-ekariel” The Elental responded with a slight stutter, eyes locked on the tiny flame as JJ slowly began to move it back and forth.
“Listen to my voice Ekariel, listen to nothing but my voice, focus on the sound of my words and know nothing but my words…What do you feel Ekariel, what is beneath you right now?” This question spoken in the same deep resonating voice.
“Tell me what is in the now, what is beneath you at this very moment.”
“Deck plates.” The answer came out in a somewhat hurried response.
“Describe the deck plates Ekariel, what are they made of?” The flame moved slowly from left to right and back again, never going further than the outer reaches of the human’s own eyes…left eye, right eye back to left and repeat.
“Cold, metal, textured in small waves, rigid.” Ekariels voice came slightly stronger, less breathless and wheezing.
“What do you see Ekariel, describe what your eyes are telling you.”
“Fire, small flame, glittering eyes, blue stars and black holes.”
“What do you smell Ekariel, describe what you smell in the immediate area around you?” JJ asked as he pitched his voice slightly lower and slowed the waving of the lighter marginally.
“Four species…Musk, fur, water…Otorian species fresh from the hydrosphere…Dust, heat, insects…Lidarians recently from the arid habitats…mold, plant decay, rain…Jaguras from the forest dome…pheromones, sweat, spice, disinfectant…human recently in the medical bay.” Ekariels breathing slowed and stabilized as he spoke, voice gaining slightly more strength.
“What do you hear Ekariel, tell me what sounds you hear in this moment.” The flame now slowly traversed from one pupil to the other, no faster than before but slowly closing in on the middle of the human’s face.
“Typing, I can hear digits impacting sensor boards to the right…scratching, someone is writing equations long hand for accuracy checks near the forward portion of the bay…breathing, so many breathing patterns.” The Elental’s eyes never wavered from the flame, slowly tracking it back and forth, voice becoming stronger, limbs no longer shaking as bad though still quivering slightly.
“Focus on the breathing Ekariel.”
Now the flame only traversed from the inner corner of JJ’s eyes, never moving faster or slower, JJ’s voice becoming slightly deeper, seeming to hum and resonate more from his chest than his throat or mouth.
“Listen to the breaths around you, feel the air move as it is taken in and expelled…smell the breaths of those around you, those who would look after you…now slowly block them out…block out all the breaths but your own…tell me about your breaths Ekariel.” The lighter now barely moved past the outer edges of JJ’s nose.
“Three respiratory voids…expanding and filtering contaminants from the air…nutrients being stripped from the atmosphere into the blood stream…collapsing and expelling by-products of respiration…oxygen, nitrogen, helium being removed from the system via respiration…” Ekariel’s voice now had an almost sleeping dream like quality to it, low and slow.
“Tell me about the heartbeats Ekariel…how many do you feel?” The flame was still now, directly between JJ’s eyes, the focused and unblinking eyes of a predator staring directly into Ekariel’s own dilated pupils.
“I can only feel one heart beat…I can only feel my own heart.”
“Come back to us Ekariel…focus on my voice and with every beat of your heart come back to us…with every beat, shed the fear that imprisoned you and follow my voice.” JJ slowly began to back away from Ekariel as spoke, incrementally rolling onto his haunches as the Elental followed the flame.
Slowly JJ closed the lid to his antique lighter snuffing the flame. As if waking from a deep sleep Ekariel blinked and shook his head, pupils splitting back into two sets of three and eyes widening.
“Easy, easy, Ekariel… focus on the now, sight, smell, touch, hearing focus on those. Come on lad breath in…out…in…out, there you go, no don’t get up…lay down and focus, gather your thoughts.” JJ slowly eased the Elantel down fully onto the deck plates and raised his reverse jointed knees as best he could.
“Ekariel I need you to listen to me, listen to my voice…are you listening?” Ekariel nodded his head, looking up a JJ with a slightly dazed look on his face.
“You had a panic attack E.K. logs show you haven’t had a sufficient rest period for three cycles and in that time your nutritional intake has sharply declined. You are suffering from lack of rest and negligence of sustenance. As such I am removing you from the duty roster for the next four cycles and requiring you to report to the Galley Watch for every normal meal time where you will eat AT A MINIMUM a full standard meal of no less than one and a half again the daily nutritional requirement for at least two cycles. You are barred from any areas or activities relating to the navigation or piloting of this vessel…basically you are going to take the next four cycles to eat food, sleep, relax and either work on or find a hobby.” JJ finished with a small smile at the oddly shell-shocked look on Ekariel’s face.
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After having received JJ’s report on the medical emergency and that Ekariel would be fine with a few cycles of rest and full meals the captain instigated a mandatory rotation of extended rest periods lasting at least three cycles unless otherwise noted by a Corpsman.
On paper the decision was to help the training and cross training of individuals by exposing them to a variety of new positions for longer periods of time and to potentially familiarize more of the crew with the inner workings of other departments and areas of the ship. In reality it was so the entire crew could have a chance to catch their breath and actually enjoy it before being thrown back into high stress situations, they were going to be on this ship for quite a long time after all, no need to have them burn themselves out so early in the voyage.
#humans are deathworlders#humans are space australians#humans are space oddities#humans are space orcs#humans are weird#humans are space fae#ao3 fanfic
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Could you do the follower bishops with someone who is wheelchair bound and loves to draw
Narinder
All he sees is a loyal follower who serves his vessel and praises his name, so he's indifferent to you being wheelchair-bound.
But out of curiosity, he examined how Lamb accommodated you through the Red Crown's eye.
They built ramps and wooden floorboards so grass/flowers didn't get stuck in your wheels, left an open space for you at the feasting table, and punish whoever discriminated against you or tried pushing your wheelchair without permission.
He's like "yes good,,,,inclusiveness will attract more to the cult >:3"
When Narinder himself winds up in the cult, he's moping around and avoiding everybody.
The other followers said you should prank him by rolling over his tail on "accident", but you aren't a fan of bullying.
Instead you roll up to one of his hiding spots like "hey, I have a small welcoming gift to cheer you up!"
He thinks it's "fertilizer" wrapped in a box, so he makes you open it.
It turns out to be a...portrait of himself?
You explain how you loved drawing your fellow followers, some even paying you and willing to sit still while you sketched their features in great detail.
"I hope it's alright that I took some creative liberties. I tried my best given how Leader described you in their sermons and........a-are you crying??"
"....what part of me made you assume I'm worthy to receive this? I almost killed you all!"
"Well..I like you better than our most recent dissenter who refused to listen to the Lamb unless they "cured" me."
"...ah, I see. So..what became of them?"
"Their body's still in the morgue pit. It's pretty messy...wanna see it?"
"Sure."
Leshy
Tbh he had no idea you were even in a wheelchair to begin with.
So when he first begins his farming duties within the cult, he hears wheels squeaking and thinks somebody's stealing the wheelbarrow from him.
"Hey! Where do you think you're going with that?! I need the wheelbarrow to-!!"
"Actually it's my wheelchair, Leshy. But you were close." You chuckle, assuring him you're not offended when he starts apologizing profusely.
It's a rather awkward first meeting between you two, though you both get along well afterwards.
Given that he's blind, it's hard for him to get around the base, too, so he sympathizes with you on that matter.
It took him a while just to focus on one person's scent at a time with so many followers surrounding him.
But he recognizes you by the smell of wood (different from the one he smells by the lumberyard) mixed in with your scent. So he always knows if you're approaching him.
And when he should stop so he doesn't accidentally bump into your wheelchair.
You've actually helped guide him around by letting him "push" your chair (he just holds onto the handles while you take him to different places so he can get a feel for the base's layout).
Leshy learns you love to draw, being disappointed he can't see the masterpieces you've created.
But you always describe them in great details for him, eventually deciding to invest in painting (specifically with acrylics) so he could feel the textures instead.
Heket
Caravans and carts have a difficult time traversing the swampy, mucky, and uneven terrain of Anura, so she's never seen a wheelchair user before.
When she meets you as a newly-indoctrinated follower, she just stares at your aid curiously, unsure of how to approach you and ask about it.
But since she has a constant resting bitch face, you think she's giving you a dirty look--and you give her one in kind.
"If you have something you wanna say, Heket, then-"
"..sorry.....didn't....mean...to...stare.."
Suddenly you remembered that she can barely talk, and you feel kinda bad for insulting her own disability.
So you cooked her a meal as an apology, to which she forgives you right away and warms up to you quicker than expected (though only bc you made great food).
She learns you love drawing and kinda wants to learn it herself. It could be a good way for her to better communicate her feelings.
Albeit her skills are.....novice at best.
She can draw runes, sigils, and demonic circles to perfection but drawing a simple frog is....tricky.
You give her some advice, and when she gets better through practice, you decide to draw portraits of each other.
Eventually she's comfortable enough to ask about your wheelchair, admitting she likes how you designed it.
Kallamar
He's likely no stranger to having followers with disabilities during his ruling of Anchordeep.
He may have been a ruthless paranoid bishop, but he's not cruel and has crafted mobility aids for whoever asked for one. Canes, wheelchairs, prosthetics--you name it. He even commissioned Kudaai for ones with weapon augments.
So he doesn't treat you any differently when he's indoctrinated into the cult, introducing himself like he would anybody else.
As narcissistic as he is sometimes, he's actually cool to be around.
But you feel like he only acts polite bc of Lamb.
While Kallamar knows you like to be independent, he's willing to help you out if asked.
Whether it's pushing your chair if your arms get tired, or to position it during a ritual you're attending, he's on the case.
The only con to this friendship is that he's deaf af and may have to lean down to hear you better.
But you don't mind it.
When he learns that you love to draw, he wonders if you've ever considered drawing him (he's far too shy to ask though).
However you must have a sixth sense...because you made him a portrait as a gift for a special occasion (aka the day the Blue Crown chose him as its bearer) and put it in a beautiful frame lined with crystal specs, leaving it wrapped up by his shelter.
After he sees it, he hugs it and rushes over to Lamb like "look at what Y/N made for me!!"
"That's nice, Kallamar-"
Do I have your permission to marry them?"
".....huh..?"
Shamura
They become an avid observer of everybody in the cult. Just to get a read on their personalities and what they do on a daily basis.
You're no exception, and they're impressed at how you get yourself around in a wheelchair.
Despite their damaged mind, it's still forever hungry for knowledge.
So they respectfully ask you how long you've had your aid and why, how Lamb has accommodated you, etc.
They're forgetful, but they hope to remember at least this for once and not have to ask you again.
You don't mind it at all, appreciating their politeness.
Whenever you're done with tasks and spend your free time drawing, Shamura often comes over to ask what inspired you today.
But one evening, they have a bad migraine attack while talking to you, forgetting who you are mid-conversation as they hissed, before skittering off....much to your bewilderment.
They couldn't sleep that night, wrought with guilt for acting that way in front of you, and the next morning they still can't remember your name despite it being on the very tip of their tongue.
They think it's wise to avoid you, but you track them down with a gift to assure them you weren't mad:
A simple portrait of themselves, signed with your name in the corner so they'd always have a reminder of you.
Least to say, Shamura hasn't forgotten your name since and is forever grateful.
#clanask#anonymous#cult of the lamb x reader#cotl x reader#follower bishops#follower leshy#follower narinder#follower kallamar#follower shamura#follower heket#leshy x reader#heket x reader#kallamar x reader#shamura x reader#narinder x reader#disabled reader#platonic#headcanons#tw ableism#just a small mention of it but putting this tag just in case!
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Arvir, the Deviant: a construct of sinew and wire entwines to engineer life like no other. Flesh and metal, chained to a pursuit ever ceaseless—forced to wallow in a reality doomed to the same song and dance. Long ago, a peculiar race of unnamed extraterrestrials cherished knowledge. At the dawn of their prime, unrivaled determination inspired the extraterrestrials to journey all of existence; so they embarked on an intergalactic voyage. Yearning for truth, their resolve was to unveil histories lost to time, and to recognize the divinity of which painted their scintillating galaxies. Not even stars nor planets ripen with life could outshine the extraterrestrial ambition. Though alas, they knew all too well that time was but fleeting.
The extraterrestrials felt that they could not possibly ascend to the empyrean without having fulfilled their mission. In the pursuit of truth, they forged powerful machines that were designed to carry their resolve. Decades prior, the extraterrestrials had unearthed a plethora of artifacts and relics, which they would use to enchant their creations. A relic was to be placed within each vessel and embedded to their heart; coursing arcane energy through the constructs. Arvir was one of these constructs. Harbored within its claws was the ability to tear rifts into the very sky, which it used to traverse worlds at the blink of an eye. Each of the constructs were tied to one conscience, like an artificial hive mind with the sole intent to acquire knowledge—but during an expedition, Arvir would cross paths with a bizarre anomaly.
Shortly after breaching contact with the anomaly, Arvirs connection to the other constructs was disrupted then soon terminated. This event would—in a sense—"free" Arvir, causing it to deviate from its set path. It could think and act independently, essentially becoming a person of its own accord. However, residing deep within its code is an insatiable hunger for knowledge.
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On March 2, she was gone. The Belize-flagged, British-owned bulk carrier Rubymar sank in the narrow water lane between the coasts of Yemen and Eritrea. The Rubymar was the first vessel that has been completely lost since the Houthis began their attacks on shipping in the Red Sea—and its demise, with 21,000 metric tons of ammonium phosphate sulfate fertilizer, spells ecological disaster. A similar substance—ammonium nitrate—caused the devastating explosion at the Port of Beirut in 2020. It had been stored there after being abandoned on a vessel and authorities intervened to prevent an environmental disaster.
Because the Houthis have no regard for the environment, there are likely to be more such disasters. Indeed, groups set on destruction could also decide to attack the carbon storage facilities now beginning to be built underneath the seabed.
For two weeks after being struck by a Houthi missile in the Red Sea, the Rubymar clung to life despite listing badly. The damage caused by the missile, though, was too severe. At 2:15 a.m. local time, the Rubymar disappeared into the depths of the Red Sea. The crew had already been rescued by another merchant vessel that had come to the Rubymar’s aid, but there was no way anyone could remove its toxic cargo.
The ship’s owner had tried to get it towed to the Port of Aden—where Yemen’s internationally recognized government is based—and to Djibouti and Saudi Arabia, but citing the environmental risk posed by the ammonium phosphate sulfate, all three nations refused to receive it.
Now enormous quantities of a hazardous substance are about to spread into the Red Sea. IGAD, a trade bloc comprising countries in the Nile Valley and the Horn of Africa, points out that the Rubymar’s fertilizer cargo and leaking fuel “could devastate marine life and destroy coral reefs, sea life and jeopardize hundreds of thousands of jobs in the fishing industry as well as cut littoral states off from supplies of food and fuel.”
Not even shipping’s option of last resort, salvage companies, seems available. “The salvage companies that normally recover vessels are reluctant to go in,” said Cormac Mc Garry, a maritime expert with intelligence firm Control Risks. That’s because salvage ships and crews, too, risk being targeted by Houthi missiles. “If a salvage company knows it’s likely to be targeted, it will hesitate to take on the task. It has a duty of care for its crew,” said Svein Ringbakken, the managing director of the Norway-based maritime insurance company DNK.
It was only a matter of time before a Houthi missile brought down one of the many tankers and bulk carriers that still traverse the Red Sea every day. (In the first two months of this year, traffic through the Red Sea was down by 50 percent compared to the same period last year.) “The Houthis have no regard for life and even less for the environment,” Ringbakken said. “They shoot missiles at ships even though they know that there are humans and hazardous cargo on them.”
For years, the Houthis allowed an oil supertanker ironically named Safer that was moored off the coast of Yemen to rust away even though she was holding more than 1 million barrels of crude oil. By the beginning of last year, the Safer was close to disintegration: an event that would have cost hundreds of thousands of Yemenis their livelihoods because it would have killed enormous quantities of fish. Indeed, had the Safer’s oil leaked, it would even have forced the Houthi-controlled ports of Hudaydah and Saleef to close, thus preventing ordinary Yemenis from receiving food and other necessities.
It would, of course, also have caused permanent damage to all manner of marine life, including coral reefs and mangroves, in the Red Sea. Then the United Nations pulled off an almost impossible feat: It got Yemen’s warring factions, international agencies, and companies to work together to transfer the oil off the Safer. Disaster was averted. “It was a massive undertaking,” Ringbakken noted. “But for years and years and years, the Houthis were adding impediments against this undertaking, even though the Safer was sitting just off the Yemeni coast.”
Indeed, maritime terrorism itself is not new. “Besides guerrillas and terrorists, attacks have been carried out by modern day pirates, ordinary criminals, fanatic environmentalists, mutinous crews, hostile workers, and foreign agents. The spectrum of actions is equally broad: ships hijacked, destroyed by mines and bombs, attacks with bazookas, sunk under mysterious circumstances; cargos removed; crews taken hostage; extortion plots against ocean liners and offshore platforms; raids on port facilities; attempts to board oil rigs; sabotage at shipyards and terminal facilities; even a plot to steal a nuclear submarine,” researchers at RAND summarized—in 1983.
Now, though, the Houthis have upped the nihilism, and unlike the guerrillas, terrorists, and pirates of the 1980s, they have the weaponry to cause an ocean-going vessel to sink. The joint U.S.-U.K. military operation against the Houthis has failed to deter the Iranian-backed militia’s attacks; indeed, not even air strikes by U.S. and U.K. forces have convinced the Houthis that it’s time to stop. On the contrary, they’re escalating their attacks. They do so because they’re completely unconcerned about loss of life within their ranks or harm to their own waters.
It’s giving them a global platform. That, in turn, is likely to encourage other militias to also attack ships carrying toxic substances—even if it ruins their own waters. The local population is hardly in a position to hold a militia accountable. Indeed, militias interested in maritime terrorism could decide that the world’s growing sea-based infrastructure is an attractive target. And there’s a new form of sea-based infrastructure they could decide to make a preferred target, not just because it’s set for explosive growth but because attacking it would guarantee a global platform: CO2 storage.
With the world having failed to reduce its carbon-dioxide emissions enough to halt climate change, CO2 storage has become an urgent priority. Through this technique, carbon dioxide can be captured and buried underground, typically underneath the ocean. Norway has, for example, begun auctioning out licenses for CO2 storage exploration on its continental shelf. So has Britain. The United States has 15 carbon-storage sites, and another 121 are being developed. Even Big Oil has discovered carbon storage. ExxonMobil is buying offshore blocks to use for carbon storage instead of oil drilling.
Carbon storage sites are, of course, designed to withstand both natural perils and man-made attacks, but that won’t prevent destructive groups—especially ones backed by a powerful state—from trying. And because groups like the Houthis are so unconcerned about all forms of life, it won’t matter to them that releasing concentrated CO2 would cause extreme harm to the planet—including themselves. Even a tiny carbon-storage leakage of 0.1 percent per year can lead to additional CO2 emissions of 25 giga-tonnes, researchers have established.
Until recently, sea-based infrastructure was only lightly guarded, because it was in everyone’s interest that it worked. The sabotage of Nord Stream and various other pipelines and undersea cables over the past two years have demonstrated that such peacefulness can no longer be taken for granted. The new CO2 sites will need not just AI-enhanced monitoring but regular patrolling to communicate to potential attackers that it’s not even worth attempting an attack.
And for now, attacking merchant vessels remains a promising and economical strategy for the Houthis and their ilk. It doesn’t seem to matter that ammonium phosphate sulfate will soon be poisoning Yemeni waters and thus depriving locals of their livelihoods. Indeed, other bulk carriers and tankers may soon join the Rubymar on the bottom of the sea, poisoning the future for even more Yemenis.
For the Houthis, what matters is not the outcome: It’s the attention. That’s what makes them such a vexing problem for the U.S. Navy and other navies, shipowners, maritime insurers, and especially for seafarers. But there is another group that should be just as worried about the rampant insecurity on the high seas: ocean conservationists.
There is, in fact, a woman with an unsurpassed green platform who could make the growing scourge of maritime terrorism her new cause. (Nearly) everyone would thank you, Greta.
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Hau the Merman
Found family and anger come together in this story. When a storm washes ups two orphaned merfolk, a young woman has a decision to make.
Female Main Character x Male Monster (both cis)
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The strange cries came from the shore after a horrible storm. I had thought it might have been the gulls celebrating a wonderful feast, but the more I listened, the stranger the sounds became. Despite the persistent rain, I traversed down the rocky path towards the strange sounds.
It was as cold as hell and my whole body seemed prepared to be dashed upon the rocks, what with the sea being as choppy as it was . I climbed down the narrow path, managing somehow to keep the lantern in my hand. I was used to being wet, but something about this weather had me worried.
I finally lowered myself down onto the beach which was covered in large chunks of coral and debris from the reef forest. The cries were closer than ever and, as I raised my lantern, I noticed a mass caught against the dock.
The old dock had seen better days, and lately all it had seen were storms upon storms and the planks were beginning to show signs of rot. Halfway down was where the cries came from, louder than sirens, and much more unearthly than the sound of harpies. I knelt over the dock, grasping hold of what looked like netting tangled with coral and massive amounts of seaweed. Once I had this bizarre package on the dock, I used my knife to open it up to the shrieking from within.
There were two, small wriggling shapes within. They thrashed and screamed in terror, unable to move much beyond that. My breath was taken away and, as rain pelted me and froze my body, I noticed neither. I reached out to one of the small things; it had hands and feet, and shimmered like the ocean waters on a sunny day. They screamed and hissed at my touch while the other began to calm, maybe even fall asleep.
They were babies.
I used the netting to create a sling so I could carry them upon my back. I somehow managed to climb the rocky slope back to the lighthouse with them in tow. Once inside I could inspect them properly and make sure they were taken care of.
I had heard tales of sea monsters that used the reef forest for protection against the many fishing vessels that permeated the waters these days. In all my time at the lighthouse I had never seen proof of those stories until now. The two tiny creatures that wriggled before me appeared amphibious, as they were able to breathe without water. They were also injured and bleeding, and possibly starving. I worked through the night to keep them alive. I managed to find something they would eat, which was mashed fish. And by dawn they had fallen into a peaceful slumber.
The best I could figure was that they were carried away by the storm. Judging from all the coral I saw washed up on shore, they never stood a chance. They were possibly ripped away from their family with no hope of survival. They were so small and looked like soft little jewels.
They looked very similar, but one was more blue while the other was tinged more purple. They had white-pink bellies, which went down the backs of their arms and legs to the soles of their feet and the palms of their hands which were also webbed. They had signs of fins emerging, but they must have been very young, possibly even newborns.
All I could do was watch them. I was in an overwhelmed state, and it was all I could do to keep from breaking down. I sat there, gazing, awe inspired by what the reef forest gave me. I had lost my children when they were young, and now these two souls washed upon the shore.
I had come to this lighthouse out of desperation in an attempt to escape my grief. I was far from home and placed in a world I didn’t belong. I tended to the lighthouse to keep ships away from the dangerous reef forest where no soul outside the waters could survive.
One of the babies began to stir, fussing and grabbing at the bandage around their arm. I picked them up from the crib and they started squawking and thrashing their arms. I cooed to them, gently rocked them. As I sang to them, and the little one began to calm.
I tried to keep my breathing even, but I was near panic at every second. I sat down with the tiny sea creature in my arms, only able to subdue my trembling by rocking the little one to sleep. I leaned back and tears trailed down my face. What was I to do? Could I dare to believe this was a blessing? No, I was never blessed.
Once the rains had subsided I took the two little ones back down to the beach. I thought that their family would be looking for them, so I placed them near the shore and I went back further towards the craggy wall. They splashed around in the water and rolled about in the wet sand. They were too small to walk and they seemed afraid to go too deep into the water. The little blue one looked up at me from their belly and started crawling my way.
“No, no!” I shook my head at them. “Go back to the water. Go! Shoo.”
It kept crawling towards me, making that soft little squawking noise.
I was near breaking down. “I can’t take care of you! I’m not your mother!”
The blue one was before me and reached out for me.
I dropped my head. “I can’t...I can’t...” I had resigned myself to loneliness, to suffering the death of my family in silence. I marooned myself in this desolate place, I knew my lot in life.
The blue one croaked loudly at me and I opened my tear filled eyes. I picked them up from the sand and held them to my chest. They curled up soundly, kneading their little hands into my skin. The purple one was watching, gazing blankly at me from a hole dug in damp sand.
“It’s getting late,” I whimpered. “Come now.” I scooped up the purple one and took the babies back home with me.
Each day I took them to the beach, letting them play in the shallow while I waited in the shadows of the rocks. No one came for them, and they always returned to my side when they were tired or hungry.
Over time they learned to stand on their two long legs and were able to toddle around. More time passed and they were able to croak out words and noises to talk to me.
I named the blue one Hana and the purple one Mali. I knew I was a fool to name them, that would be the end of us. Deep down I knew I wouldn’t be allowed to keep them, that wasn’t my lot in life. I was one of those few who watched the world burn around them and somehow remained alive. I wasn’t a survivor, I was a spectator.
Hana and Mali grew into their fins and were able to swim further beyond the shore. Despite this, they always came back to me when they grew tired or hungry.
One afternoon, Mali came running up to me with something in her mouth. She spit it out before me and pointed. “Fish! Fish!” While her mouth was open, I could see sharp teeth recede back, and on the fish there was a very distinct line of bite marks.
“Mali-” I said breathlessly. “Very good! For many reasons!”
Hana soon came running up, also with something in her mouth she spit out. It was a giant sea snail the size of my fist.
“Fish! Fish!” Hana squealed excitedly.
I pulled them into my arms, holding them tight. “I’m so proud of you both. You’re talking and fishing!”
They hugged me back, soaking through my clothes, but it didn’t matter. That evening we served Mali’s fish, and the sea snail turned into a pet they named, well, Fish.
One evening as I was tucking them into bed, Mali tugged on my hand. “Fish. Fish.”
I hesitated as I tried to figure out what they were saying. Mali pulled on me and the look in their eyes made me understand.
“Mama,” I laid my hand on my chest. “You can call me Mama.”
Mali’s eyes widened and their mouth became a perfect O. “Maa-” they croaked. “Maa maa.”
I was teasing fate with this. “Yes, that’s right.” I kissed their forehead softly. “Do you need something, Mali?”
Mali just smiled and placed my hand upon their belly. I kept it there until they fell asleep while fear tried to tear through my body. I wasn’t allowed this joy, I knew I wouldn’t be able to keep these babies much longer. But while I had them, I wanted to feel happy again, I wanted to keep them happy.
The island my lighthouse was on was small, though I never traveled far from home. Much of the island was inhabited by harpies who often hunted on other shores, bringing their prey back to the island to be picked clean. There were a few I did trade with and knew by name, a rare occurrence. But I decided it would be best to ask them about the babies in hopes of better providing for them.
I traveled to the edge of the wood and laid out an offering for the harpies upon a stone. Mali and Hana watched it, pointing and cooing.
“That’s not for us, little ones,” I whispered.
“Featherless, what have you got there?” The voice croaked from the edge of the trees. A large red wing tipped in talons stretched out and stabbed into the fish offering.
Hana and Mali hid their faces against my chest.
“That was something I hoped you could tell me, Nyris.”
Nyris was one of the elders of the harpies, a giant red creature that blotted out the sun when she flew. She stretched out her long neck and bit into the fish I offered. As she chewed, her dark eyes focused upon the babies.
“How did you come upon these, Featherless?” Nyris hopped closer to me.
“I found them washed on shore a few months ago. It was after all those massive storms. I’ve been taking them to the beach in case they were being looked for, but no one has come.”
Nyris stretched her long neck out to have a closer look. “They are reef mers, children of the Nereid. Back when the tides could sink below the forest, they could climb the coral without harm. They once guarded the reef forest, but I have not seen their kind in ages.”
“What else can you tell me about them?” I asked. “I’ll give you anything in return.”
Nyris hummed. “I can tell you have two girls, a blessing there. They will also be extremely strong as they grow up. If there is anyone looking for them, you could be in great danger. The children of the Nereid are extremely protective and natural born warriors. They will do all in their power to protect their own.”
Mali and Hana raised their heads, looking up at me, frightened.
“That’s fine,” I murmured.
Nyris sighed. “Featherless, you have been bestowed a great treasure. If you do take these two and raise them as your own, there is nothing in the world that will harm you. I’ve fought many children of Nereid and, while I stand, they have taken many of my own. They are worthy of the reef forest.”
I looked up at Nyris, meeting her frightening gaze. “But how can I take care of them? What can I do to make sure they grow the way they should?”
“As long as they have the reef forest, then they will grow as they should.” She stretched out her wings. “Now, Featherless, take them home before I find them too appetizing.” She began flapping her wings to take off, so I hurried back with Mali and Hana to the lighthouse.
It didn’t matter to me that Mali and Hana were girls. Ever since coming to the lighthouse I hadn’t thought of myself as a woman or man at all. I was simply a being. It changed nothing with how I planned to raise them, however long that would be. But knowing a bit more of what they were and the lives they could lead helped more than anything.
A few more months went by before more storms came to the shores. For days it remained dark outside while the ocean rose high and beat upon the side of the lighthouse. Mali and Hana barely left my side, and when they couldn’t, they remained hidden under the stairs.
“It will be alright,” I told them. “Storms pass, they always do.”
Fish, the sea snail was crawling up the wall, so I set him back down upon the floor. “Storms always bring treasure onto the shore. They brought you two to me.”
They looked up at me with big, wide eyes.
“Once they pass, we’ll go back down to the beach and you’ll find all sorts of amazing-” A horrible roar drowned out the sounds of the storm. A cold chill ran down my spine and I stood alert.
Mali and Hana whimpered and screeched.
“It’s okay. It was probably just wind.” As soon as I said this, another guttural roar ripped through the storm.
The door and windows were bolted to protect from the storm, this was the safest possible place on the entire island.
“It’ll be okay.” I repeated for the children, but also for myself.
I heard a window shatter outside the bolted shutters. The roar grew louder and the shutters began to shake and buckle from something pounding against them.
The girls began shouting and they jumped into my arms.
I grabbed Mali and Hana from the floor and carried them back to the bedroom. I placed them inside the closet.
“It’s just the storm. Stay here for me. Okay?” I tried smiling, but I didn’t know how well it came off.
“Mama!” They started screaming.
“I need you to be quiet for me, okay?” I hugged them back into my arms. “Be quiet for Mama. Stay here, alright?”
Mali and Hana continued to cry for me.
I tried shushing them and making them be quiet and then that roar bellowed through the lighthouse. I shut the closet doors and grabbed an axe by the fireplace. I went back out into the main room and saw one of the storm shutters was busted.
My whole body tensed in alertness and my heart pounded up inside my throat. I readied myself, holding the axe before me as I listened for anything over the storm. The howling winds and pelting rains hid any footsteps that may have been outside. Whatever was out there wanted inside. And a dark thought told me it was here for Hana and Mali.
The door shook, something on the other side was clawing and ramming against it. Segments of the door began to splinter and I could see shadows of the creature moving from outside.
My breath was shuddering but I was able to keep my hands steady. I squeezed my hands harder and tighter around the shaft of the axe. I could swing as hard as anyone, all these years alone I had been chopping wood myself. I could crack a skull if I had to.
The door began to break and, on the other side, the creature roared.
“Mama!”
I turned around to see Hana standing there.
I shook my head and pointed back towards the bedroom. “Hana! No! Go back-”
Hana looked around. “Fish?”
“Don’t worry about Fish!” I yelled at her. “Go back to the-”
The door buckled and was ripped from the wall. The guttural roar hit me like a ton of bricks. I raced for Hana, throwing my body over her. Chunks of wood from the door rained over me as it was slammed against the stairs.
Rain was forced inside by the howling winds and it felt like ice against my skin. I looked at Hana, gazing into her eyes as she watched me with fear.
“I won’t let it hurt you,” I breathed to her.
The creature screamed again and Hana echoed it. There was silence and a guttural clicking sound followed.
I was grabbed by the back of my neck and yanked off the floor. The creature held me aloft and, for a brief second, I saw it. It was massive, glittering like the ocean, and covered in thick, gauged scars. It tossed me against the stairs.
“Mama!” Hana screamed.
The creature growled at her and reached out towards her. Hana evaded, running towards the foot of the stairs. She tried to climb the stairs towards me, but she couldn’t make it. She turned to face the creature, hissing and spitting, her fins standing on end.
The creature snarled and, when it tried to step forward, Hana would scream. Moments later, Mali joined her, throwing things at the creature while they tried to guard the stairs.
I sat up slowly, trying to move my body so I could reach them. I looked the creature dead in the eye and I knew right away why they were here.
This was Mali and Hana’s father.
I managed to crawl down the stairs to them, and they placed themselves over me protectively. I looked up one last time at their father, who looked like the powerful warrior Nyris spoke of. I held out my hand to him, giving a slight nod before I could no longer hold on. I drifted away, fading deep into the darkness. I could only hope there was someone waiting for me on the other side.
I never expected to wake up, not alive anyways, and especially not in bed. I woke with Hana and Mali laying on either side of me and the storm howling just beyond me. It had been a dream, a horrible nightmare. I smiled as I felt the girls' little bodies against mine. I rested back into bed when I felt horrible pain radiate through my legs.
Not a dream.
I turned my head slightly and saw in the dim light the outline of the father. His eyes glowed in the radiant light and a luminescence glowed along the scars of his body.
“I knew you’d come,” I murmured. “It was too good to be true.”
Father sniffed.
Tears rose in my eyes. “I wanted you to come back before I loved them. Why did it take you so long?”
Father took a step forward, coming into the bedroom and bending himself over the bed. The girls remained asleep, but their hands tightened upon the blankets.
Sniffing, Father looked into my eyes. He raised his thick arm and placed his hand over my head.
I whimpered, but I was ready for it all to end. Hana and Mali would go back to where they belonged and I would finally be able to see my family again.
“They are mine,” Father growled. “But you are theirs.” He removed his hand from my face and rose over me.
I sniffled and choked on my own breath.
An awful growl filled the room. “They are only children, they do not understand how foolish they are. But once they do, I will rip out your throat so the harpies cannot hear you screaming.”
I closed my eyes and tried to breathe.
“But as long as you are theirs, you are also mine. I do not like it, but I will obey it.” Father’s voice was deep and loud, a storm on its own.
“I am grateful for as long as that stands,” I whimpered. “I only ever wanted to care for them, I promise you that.”
“Humans say lots of things. What makes your words any different?”
“I don’t know.” I swallowed and Hana crawled up closer to me. “Just look at them is all I can say.”
“All I have done is look for them. And now that I have them back, I cannot claim them. Do you know what agony that is? Do you understand how angry that makes me?”
“I do,” I said breathlessly. “I lost my children too. I lost them forever.”
Father was silent.
I sniffled and Mali nuzzled her face into my shoulder. “What’s your name?”
Father snarled. “Hau. Who are you?”
“Oshea. Hello, Hau.”
Hau growled low in his chest and the sound echoed off the walls of the bedroom. Hana and Mali began to still and rested heavily upon me.
“It’s been a long time since I had company, but you are welcome here.” I laughed out of weakness. “I’m sorry, I don’t know what to do...I don’t know what I should say to you.”
“Say nothing to me. I will remain here only for them. There is nothing that needs to be spoken between us.”
I rested against the bed again. “I think there is a lot that could be said between us,” I muttered. “These children...there’s so much…” I stopped myself and looked back towards Hau.
“I love them so much. Surely you understand that.”
Hau remained silent.
“I love them,” I insisted. “And I know they love me. I was willing to die for them tonight. You and I have that in common, Hau.”
He snarled. “Humans are demons, worse than demons. My daughters will not need you once they are grown.”
“Maybe,” I whispered. “But that’s fine with me.”
“You are frustrating me.”
Hana sat up sleepily. She rubbed her eyes and looked up towards Hau. She tensed up and placed her small body around my neck.
“Do you not recognize me, little one?” Hau growled. “Look at me! Surely you must remember.”
Hana remained protective over me and would not move.
“Show her you mean me no harm,” I tried to coax Hau. “Show her.”
Hau snarled under his breath.
I held out my hand towards him. “She won’t trust you until you do.”
Hau reluctantly took hold of my hand. I brought it close, placing a small kiss upon him while Hana watched. He flinched, gripping tighter onto my hand. Hana breathed and mimicked what I did, kissing Hau’s hand and smile appeared on her face.
“There, you see?” I looked up towards him as Hana held onto his hand.
Hau picked her up, cradling her in his arms. She looked so tiny compared to him. Hau was exceptionally big and powerful, he looked like a god.
“Mama,” Hana chirpped.
Hau snarled. “You do not need her, you know? You have the blood of ancient warriors in your veins. You are vicious and glorious.”
“Mama,” Hana burbled.
“Fine.” Hau handed her back to me. “You will learn better eventually.”
“Hana,” I said.
“What?”
“I named her Hana, and the other I named Mali.”
Hau got a stricken look upon his face.
“Did they have names before?” I asked.
Hau looked away from me. “They were too young when the storm took them. I never got a chance.”
“I’m sorry,” I whispered. “I tried to name them something...strong. I was a bit afraid in the beginning. I had no idea what I was doing. I just wanted to help them.”
Hau turned away from me, walking away from the bedroom and the sound of rain pelting through the broken door. “It doesn’t matter now,” he sounded solemn. His deep voice held a whisper of sadness to it. “They are not horrible names.”
I smiled softly and closed my eyes again until Mali began to stir. I held them close to me, and silently thanked them for saving my life. In more ways than one, they had protected me. I just had to reckon with Hau now, a new storm, a new day.
///////////
I repaired the front door as best I could, but while the storm raged I didn’t have the proper supplies to fix it completely. Rain still came through and puddled on the floor, and the house maintained a bone penetrating chill the entire time. Fixing the window Hau broke was another matter as well, I had no clue when I’d be able to order glass for it, or if my letters would even reach the mainland.
Once the storms did cease I was able to go out to get lumber and perhaps make a trade with the harpies. I was still beaten and bruised, and I had to use a crutch to make it further inland. I was used to doing things on my own, so aside from some pain, this wasn’t an issue.
Mali and Hana followed me, chased me really. They weren’t eager to be left alone with Hau, so he was close behind as well.
“If you’re going to be coming with us, do you mind carrying this for me?” I held out the axe to him, which he just glared at. “I’m trying to repair damages that you caused. It’s the least you could do.”
Hau sneered and took the axe from me. In the sunlight, his colors appeared much more vivid than Hana and Mali’s, so were his scars. He was covered from head to toe in battle wounds that ranged from tiny cuts to ragged gouges and bites. He shone bright blue in the daylight, but in the shadows of the lighthouse he appeared more purple.
“If you go further inland, you’ll risk the harpies,” Hau warned.
“I have a tentative alliance with Nyris. As long as I give offerings, I’m to be left alone.” I held up the satchel I brought filled with fish that I would leave on the offering stone. “I am fully aware of what I can and cannot do here.”
Hau’s eyes narrowed, slanting upwards as his grimace turned further down. He had sharp frills that went into his sharp cheekbones and under his jaw, giving him a very severe look. Not that his size didn’t leave that to question.
I placed my offering and heard the harpies whispering beyond the trees. I moved aside, going further down where I often chopped my wood. I set my things aside and propped my crutch up so I could reach is easily later.
I held out my hand to Hau and wobbled. “I’ll take it back now.”
Hau handed it back and moved away from the treeline while Hana and Mali started collecting small stones and seeds from the ground.
“Stand back,” I told them gently. “I don’t want you to get hurt.”
They scurried further back, ducking behind a big rock to play. I started swinging at a tree, but I lost my wind sooner than usual. I stopped, clutching my arm around my side. After a few moments, I started chopping again, only to encounter the same problem.
“What are you doing?” Hau scoffed. “You’re supposed to breathe air and yet you can’t seem to do that right.”
I scowled back at him. “You threw me against the stairs. I’m not a fast healer as it is. If you have something more to say, I suggest you leave.”
Hau looked down at the children as they played, ignoring me as I turned back to my work. I chiseled away at that tree for hours, but eventually it came down, crashing onto the ground. I took a break, sitting down upon a stone as my body cooled and the stabbing pain in my leg became a dull throb.
I looked over and saw Hau was gone. I looked around for Mali and Hana, but I didn’t see them anywhere. I grabbed my crutch and attempted to rush back to the lighthouse, but my body had enough of it, and the slick ground helped assist it in keeping me from moving forward.
I fell to the ground and cried out in agony as I landed on my side. I curled up in a ball, choking on breaths as the pain racked through my body.
“Mama!” Through blurred vision I saw two small shapes run up to me, while a much bigger one followed behind. Their hands were soaking wet and, when Hau picked me up off the ground, my clothes soaked through.
“Useless,” Hau snarled.
“Where did you go?” I wheezed.
“I took them swimming, which is what they should be doing. They can barely dive! What have you been doing to them?” Hau walked harshly, jostling me and adding to my pain as he carried me back down the hill to the lighthouse.
The girls chirped and hissed at him, biting at his ankles every time I made a sound.
“Very good, children,” he told them. “But I am taking her home! You need to save your energy for a real attack.”
“Take me back, I have to finish this,” I scolded.
“You’re in foul shape. What do you think you could possibly do aside from advancing your own death?” Hau carried me inside and laid me back in bed. “If you die, I would greatly appreciate it.”
“Sweet talk gets you nowhere,” I huffed.
Mali and Hana climbed onto the bed with me, snuggling up against me and nuzzling to my face.
Hau snarled. “It would make things so much easier. But I fear you’ve rubbed off too much on them.”
“Is that all you have to say?” I huffed. “Can’t you be cruel elsewhere? You’ve been here several days and all you’ve done is snarl nasty things under your breath. Doesn’t that get exhausting? Because it is for me!”
Hau recoiled in surprise. I’d held my tongue the entire time, but I was not in the mood then. I was in agony and I had so much to do. I also needed to go up to the top of the lighthouse to refuel, which sounded impossible the way my legs felt.
“Mean,” Mali hissed back at Hau.
“Mean!” Hana screeched.
I sighed and patted their heads. “You don’t need to join in.”
Hau turned and left the room, storming out and kicking something as he left the lighthouse. I sunk back into the bed, able to relax genuinely for the first time in days. Ever since Hau arrived, I had been on edge, which is probably why my body felt like tightly coiled wire.
Hana kissed my cheek and laid herself across my chest.
“You don’t need to protect me,” I mumbled. “He’s your father after all.” I closed my eyes and rubbed the bridge of my nose. “We’ll rest a little bit, then we have to make those repairs. Who knows when another storm will blow up?” I put my arm around them on my chest as I drifted to sleep.
I was woken by the sound of loud, repetitive banging. Hana and Mali were at the end of the bed and looking out the bedroom door with intense curiosity. I got up and looked out to see Hau cramming a solid block of stone through the broken window.
I wrapped my arm around my side and held it while I moved. “What are you doing?” I snapped at him.
He turned around on the stairs and glared at me. “Making repairs,” he said mockingly. He went back to force feeding the block of stone through the window until it wedged itself and sealed it off. He dusted off his big hands and leapt down the stairs in front of me.
He rose, glaring down at me then sniffed and turned towards the door which was leaned up against the wall and had a weaved material covering the holes.
“It’s good enough for nets, it should be good enough for your door,” he snarled. “You can put it back in place.”
“Thank you.” I was in a state of awe. “Why did you do this?”
“Is nothing good enough for you?” Hau hissed at me.
I tilted my head to the side. “Yes, of course it is, I’m just horribly confused. You didn’t seem like you wanted to help me at all.”
Hau rose from the door. “I have to accept that this is the nest my children will be living in. For the time being, it must be a guarded and safe nest for them. Once they understand how much better it can be for them, then I will have nothing more to do with this place.”
A smile broke on my face. “I’m so relieved, thank you so much!”
He huffed and his great shoulder slouched. “I will not help you, only my children.”
“That’s something we can agree upon. All I ask is that you do what’s best for Hana and Mali. I don’t care about myself whatsoever.”
His mouth opened slightly. “Such a strange thing to say about yourself.”
“It’s my norm.” I offered my hand to him to shake. “We can work together on this. We will take care of them equally, and try to get along for their sake. And whatever the choose in the future, we both have to accept it.”
“Why are you offering me your weird little hand?” Hau snarled.
Was my hand gross? I knew it was small in comparison but surely it wasn’t gross. “To shake on it. You know? Like a gentleman’s agreement.”
“Neither one of us is a gentleman, so I see no need to do it. It is customary to exchange blows when we come to an agreement.”
I flinched and tried to step away. “You already hit me enough I don’t think we need to-” Hau came closer and I felt pinned into a corner. “Wait a second, wait-” Hau lowered himself down, pressing his lips to mine. I remained still, feeling his cold breath in my lungs. I breathed back, feeling his chest flare as he took it in.
Hau pulled back, wiping his mouth with his finger. “That is how we come to an agreement.”
I clutched my hand over my chest, still feeling his cold breath inside me. My face felt flushed from embarrassment and I wanted to void looking any more foolish in front of him.
“Alright, okay,” I cleared my throat. “Glad we can come to that...which is the agreement that we have agreed upon.” I stopped and shook it off. “Thank you.”
Hau narrowed his eyes and puffed out his chest. “Just so you know, before we enter into this, every human I have ever come across I have killed them.”
I stood my ground, but only because I couldn’t move myself as fast as I needed to get away.
“So one wrong move, and you’ll be one of them.” His eyes averted, catching the girls watching us from the bedroom door. He exhaled, relaxing his puffed chest, and he patted the top of my head.
“How do I make them like me?” He growled.
“This is a start.”
A few days later, Hau carried me and the children down towards the ocean. In an attempt to get close to them, I agreed to let him take them swimming, only knowing they wouldn’t go far without me.
I sat on shore, urging Mali and Hana to go into the water with Hau. “It’s fine, I promise. This is what you are made to do, and he’s so excited to teach you. I’m excited too, see?” I pointed to my smile which they looked unimpressed by.
“What have you told them to make them so afraid of their home?” Hau huffed in his impatience.
“I am trying to help! Chill out! Their first memories are of a storm tossing them about in the water, give them some time!” I then realized they wouldn’t go far out without me.
With a heavy sigh, I knew what I had to do. “Do you want me to go swimming with you and your father?”
Mali and Hana nodded excitedly.
I stood and stripped off my clothes. Hau watched, a perplexed and irritated look upon his face. His eyes lingered, seeing scars upon my body that made his eyes widen and reveal the golden ring around the black.
I stepped into the water and caught his eye. “This is the only thing I can think of to get them further into the water with you. I’m not a great swimmer-”
“Then enjoy your awful death.” Hau dove into the water, swimming further out.
Mali and Hana followed me, going into the water and staying by my side. It was painfully cold, and my teeth started to chatter. I swam as best as I could towards Hau who dove under again. He yanked Mali and Hana down and their tiny hands grabbed at my toes. After a moment, they rose back up with a look of wonder on their faces.
Hau rose up from the water, the edges of his scars glowed brightly enough to make him look angelic. “Come on now, children, we need to try and go deeper. We hunt on the floor of the ocean, you need to learn how to find your own food.”
“It’s okay,” I told them. “You’re having fun, right?”
Mali tugged on me, wanting me to go down with them.
“You’re a nuisance.” Hau grabbed me, pulling me down underwater so that Hana and Mali would follow.
Hau’s strong arm locked around my waist, swimming with me down through the depths of the reef forest. It was strangely beautiful, even if my vision was somewhat blurred. The tall, tree-like coral towers had never been so high above me before. They were beautiful, but that didn’t take away how dangerous they were.
We did this several times, as Hau had to bring me back up for air. He complained, but the more we did it, the more eager that Hana and Mali were to join him. Eventually, all I needed to do was get into the water for them to dive with Hau. And as more time passed, I could sit peacefully on the shore while they went on their hunts.
“Mama! Mama! I found you things!” Mali happily clamored on shore, her smile shining brightly as she extended her hand out to me.
So much time had passed, but I was still amazed at how much they had grown. They were excellent swimmers now, and were on their way to being great hunters.
“What did you find this time?” I opened my hand and Mali dumped a fist full of pearls into my palm.
“For your collection,” Mali grinned.
I smirked. “That’s so sweet of you, Mali.” I pulled her in and kissed her cheek. “Where’s your sister?”
“Still with him.” She pointed to the ocean. “Hana didn’t catch enough.”
I rolled my eyes and let Mali climb into my lap. “Hana’s not the fighter like you are. He’s going to have to learn that.”
Mali snuggled up against me, closing her eyes with a smile on her face.
A few minutes later, Hana came out of the water with a huge pout on her face. She ran up to me, slamming herself into my body and tucking her head down.
“Hana! Get back here!” Hau came out of the water with a severe glare in his eyes. “You’re not done yet.”
Hana whimpered against me, hugging me tighter.
“She’s tired, Hau. Let her rest.”
Hau kneeled down before me. “You are far too soft on them. No wonder humans are so easy to kill if they have mothers as soft as you.”
I gave him a warning look. “Trust me, soft mothers are not the reason people are easy to kill. Now let her rest, she’s not going to work any harder just because you tell her to.”
Hau sat down on the sand, watching as the girls snuggled up to me. The look on his face I could understand. He was teaching them to be one of their own kind, but like any parent he also wanted to be close to them.
“Hana, would you like to hug your father?” I asked softly. “Then that’ll be all for your training today.”
Hana glanced back at Hau and slowly removed herself from me. She went to Hau and hugged onto his arm.
“I don’t need your pity,” Hau huffed.
“You need something,” I said with a smile.
Hau snarled under his breath and brought Hana into his lap.
Mali and Hana went off to play after a rest, leaving Hau and I alone together. We had gotten used to one another, after all this time we worked hard at it, but Hau kept his distance from me. I understood why he did, but I wanted to close that distance between us.
“May I ask you something, Hau?”
He tilted his head to the side. “What do you want?”
I gazed out over the ocean, watching the sun sink into the waves and paint them shades of orange and purple. “What happened the night you were separated from Hana and Mali? You’ve never told me that.”
Hau scoffed. “Because it was a painful loss for me. It was the first time I had ever failed at doing my duty.”
I glanced at him, seeing his expression was filled with pain. I inched closer to him and placed my hand upon his arm. “I understand. More than you’ll ever know.”
“You told me you lost your children,” he grumbled.
The pain welled up in my chest. “At least you found Mali and Hana again. I can’t describe my jealousy.”
“You found them,” he snarled weakly.
“Were you hurt?” I asked. “I mean...when you lost them.”
Hau was silent, and he didn’t try to toss my hand away at all. “I had been out hunting. I hadn’t left them in days and I was growing hungry. Since I was the only one in the nest, it was much harder. I decided to go after something big, something I could feed off of for a long time and not worry about leaving the nest. My arrogance cost me-” He pushed my hand aside then.
“Why do you want to know this?”
“I just do.”
“I let my mate die, and I almost let my children die,” he snarled. “There. Now you know.”
“You didn’t let them,” I murmured.
Hau remained silent.
“There’s something I need to tell you, something I’m not sure how you’ll respond to.” I looked back out over the ocean. “I suppose I need to say it for selfish reasons if you’ll let me.”
“Go ahead with it,” he grunted. “I’m used to your blathering.”
I smiled to myself, watching his hand flex in preparation of me touching it. I placed my palm on his arm again, moving it down and over the back of his hand. “I love you. I realized I did a while ago, but I wasn’t sure how to approach it.”
Hau sighed heavily. “You really are a fool. You would fall in love with the death that stood in your doorway. I told you long ago I had killed every human I had come across and not to think you would be any different. What makes you think you can escape me now?”
I chuckled. “I’m not.”
Hau put his big hand on the back of my head. “I would really be a failure if I did.”
“Well, as long as I am alive, can I?”
Hau looked down at me right as the tears began to fall from my eyes. “Can you what?”
I sniffled and hiccuped, covering my face with my hands. Hau gently hovered over me, lowering himself down so I was cast in his shadow. He pulled my hand away from my face and wrenched my chin to look back at him.
“Tell me,” he snarled.
“Can I love you?” I blubbered.
Hau frowned but it melted away slowly. He wiped the tears from my cheeks and looked me over with a soft gaze.
“I can’t stop you from anything, Oshea,” he murmured. “I can’t stop the children from loving you. Nor can I help but see you through their eyes. Love me if you must, I just don’t know what to do with it.”
“That’s okay,” I smiled through my tears. “Come here.” I pulled him down, pressing a kiss softly upon his cheek. He made a small noise in his throat and I kissed again.
Hana and Mali soon returned, wanting to go home and have dinner. They saw me crying and became defensive, but they realized soon that I was okay.
That evening, after Mali and Hana had been tucked into bed I stood in the open doorway of the lighthouse. I watched the light from the beacon shine far into the distance, warning oncoming sailors to the dangers of the reef forest.
I felt Hau’s presence behind me, but I remained still. Even as his arms wrapped around me from behind, I did not move. His strong embrace held me firmly to his body and his head came to rest upon my shoulder.
“Why must you love me?” He whispered.
“Because I must.”
His arms tightened around me. “Then I will show you how to love.”
Hau forced me outside the lighthouse, closing the door behind him. He led me away from the lighthouse, taking me down into an alcove of stone. He laid me upon the cold ground and pressed his body into mine.
“I’ll show you,” he snarled into my ear. “You humans have no depth. You cannot possibly understand.”
“Hau, please-” I held onto him as strongly as I could. I feared he would fade away like a mirage. Last time I held on so tightly, I lost them forever.
Hau’s strong hands dug into my body, he ripped away fabric that stood in his way. His touch awakened my nerves, and I was reminded of a long dead desire inside me.
Hau pressed his great power upon me, driving it hard into my body so I would not forget. He left marks on my skin, bites he said would show I had given myself to him. He pressed harder and deeper inside me, taking my breath away. His low voice became a soothing song in my ear, deep breaths and deep growls that filled my every thought. His effort rasped his voice, the harder he worked, the more his voice broke and trembled.
I began to cry in his arms, but I begged him not to stop for a single moment. I wanted him to hold me fast and imprint the shape of my body into the ground. I was so starved for this touch and this lesson, I feared I lost my mind for a moment.
The dark hush of the ocean as it lapped upon the shore echoed my deep breathing. As i laid there looking up at the sky, tears in my eyes, I felt the world around me sigh. Relief settled upon me as the sweat on my skin began to evaporate.
Hau’s body rose over me, taking me again into his arms.
Mali and Hana were still asleep when we returned. Dawn would soon come, but I did not feel like resting at all. My body was still pulsing with Hau’s affections, and each breath I took could feel him inside me.
I smiled at them as they slept, feeling a comfort inside me that I would not lose them as I feared. I left them to sleep, stepping back out into the main room where Hau stood before the fireplace.
He was quiet and still as I approached him, kissing his back and resting my body against his.
“I don’t hate you,” he murmured to me. “Not like I should. Not even a little. I don’t trust this feeling, but I don’t know what else I should do with it. You’re mine now. You always were. Since the moment you took them you sealed your fate.”
Hau turned and placed his hand upon the top of my head. “My fate is yours to decide,” he whispered.
#exophilia#monster boyfriend#merman#merman boyfriend#monster x human#mnster fudger#monster romance#momolady monsters#my writing
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A Fitpac pirate AU where Fit is a rugged old pirate captain, And Pac is a renowned thief running away from the law (The Federation)
Ft. Richas, Ramon, and many other QSMP characters
"sooo... How long will this take again?"
Pac clicked his tongue.
"Paciência, Richas. You need to learn patience"
Richarlyson made an offended noise at that but Pac continued on before he could complain.
"And anyways- looking for the right ship in our field of work takes a lot of effort, you know? It's not like the perfect vessel is going to suddenly roll ou-"
"I see a ship coming in right over there, actually" Richas interrupted smugly, peeking his eyes over the edge of the barrel he was hiding in, which Pac was resting one elbow on.
Pac sighed in amused exasperation.
"You know that's not what I meant Richinhas! Besides, you're not supposed to be seeing anything right now! You're going to get caught!" he hissed.
Richarlyson reluctantly lowered himself back down.
"What am I even here for if I can't look for ships, anyways?" he said, probably pouting.
(not that Pac would really know. He was taking great care not to look at the barrel while they were talking. He had standards after all).
"You're here because once we find a ship, I'm going to need to get you on it. Also, just sitting on a dockyard for hours looking for a crew that would take a pretty well known thief is boring"
He wasn't lying there. Even with the pretty view of the sparking ocean and the wooden barges and schooners and all the other typical 1700s vessels coming in and out of the busy seaside town, it could get old pretty fast.
"Thieves. Plural. There's two of us now" Richas said, using his cute little offended voice again.
"I said well known Richas. I hate to break it to you, but no one's going to recognize the little poofy-haired brazillian kid that just so happened to be around my last couple hiests"
He groaned dramatically
"whatever, why are we even going on a trip to nowhere anyways!!! I like it here!"
"Oh come on! Where's your spirit of adventure! Of freedom! We're going on a trip to see the world, Richarlyson!!!"
"more like because you're seriously broke..." He muttered.
"OI! Cálmate, Richas! Or I'll send you back to the orphanage cellar where I found you!" Pac snickered as he elbowed the barrel beside him.
"Hey!!!" He tried to act offended at that too, but after a second he started quietly laughing along with his dad.
...Richas wasn't wrong though. The royal guard here were getting too used to his regular schemes. They needed to find a new stomping ground if they were to continue making money.
"Alright fiiineeeee, so where are we going to find this magical ship that's supposed to take us away on a magical adventure"
"You can stop saying the word magical now, there's nothing magical about pirates"
Richas gasped. "PIRATES??!??!?????"
"Oi!! Keep it down, will you!" Pac hissed again.
"Yes, pirates. I told you, there's not many crews that would take on a known thief. What were you expecting?"
"But what if they kill us! What they rob us and then tear out our innards before feeding us to sharks!!!" Richarlyson whisper-screamed.
"That's why we're sneaking you on board. Even though pirates usually don't hurt anyone who treats them well, I'd rather not take my chances.
...Also, you have a terrifyingly bloody imagination"
He huffed irritatedly at that.
"Ok, fine, so how do we find this still magical pirate ship to take us out into the middle of nowhere?"
"I'm glad you asked Richas! Pirate ships are usually built for speed and ability to traverse shallower waters, to outrun the law and catch other ships along the coast! Also, they remodel it so there's an entire flat deck just for guns, and more room for cargo. And usually they're a bit more... uhh... Messy than your usual navy or merchant ship" he rambled, ignoring the 'Middle of Nowhere' comment again.
"Okay, so how long are we going to wait to for a ship that looks like that"
Pac considered for a moment, looking out at the docks while he worked it out in his head. "... probably a couple days at least..." Before a galleon at the other end of the dock finally pulled out, revealing a truly ugly midsized sloop vessel behind it, almost entirely patched-together looking except for the shining guns on all sides and the nameplate at the stern, which read
"The Shitshack"
Pac slowly began to grin.
"Actually,
I think we've already found one"
#qsmp#fitpac#pac#fit#q!pac#q!Fit#qsmp pac#pactw#qsmp pactw#q!pactw#fitmc#richarlyson#q pac#q fit#qsmp richarlyson#pac qsmp#fit qsmp#q richarlyson#qsmp richas#richarlyson qsmp#q!richas#q!richarlyson#i promise there's going to be much more of fit later#this was just the introduction#also! I don't write Richas often#so if u got anything wrong (such as their pronouns... I've seen others use pronouns besides he/him for Richarlyson but i wasn't sure)#constructive criticism welcome!!!!#qsmp fitpac pirate au#working title: No Rest For the Wicked
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i made this map of skyrim travel times to help with my longfic writing and thought i’d share it here in case anyone else finds it useful!
i’ve also done cyrodiil and solstheim, which you can find here, and morrowind and vvardenfell, which you can find here :)
notes for use under the cut
general / explanatory notes
this is all very approximate, so take everything with a pinch of salt.
everything is calculated on the basis of skyrim being about as wide as poland and as tall as scotland (400 x 280 miles). i thought this was a decent compromise between the teeny-tiny scale in game and keeping things workable for the sake of writing fic -- also it roughly lines up with the in-game claim that mournhold is 250 miles from red mountain.
on this scale, the main quest would take a minimum of one year on foot, assuming the LDB does absolutely every quest immediately after the one before it, with no rest days and without taking breaks for anything else. realistically it would probably take about a year and a half on foot.
distances are also calculated on the assumption that whoever travelling is a fit, experienced traveller (walking about 17 miles a day w/o rest days). the same goes for their horse if travelling by horseback. adjust the speed down if writing about a large party or a party with children/elderly/unfit members. adjust the speed up for military movements or someone in a hurry. and remember to add in the occasional rest day.
notes on proportion/scale
if some distances look disproportionate, it’s bc the base map i used (which was made by gamebanshee) isn’t always accurate to the in-game map (i used UESP’s map as a reference). for example, high hrothgar is a lot closer to ivarstead in-game than it appears to be on this map, which is why it’s still only 3 days despite being at an extreme incline.
because of the larger scale, assume that some distances on this map are skewed. for example: the lakes. for lake honrich and lake ilinalta to be as large as they appear to be on the map, they’d both have to be at least 40 miles / 64 km long, which is MASSIVE for lakes. assume that they’re smaller than they appear to be here.
same goes for any two locations that are clearly meant to be close together, e.g. whiterun and the western watchtower. assume that the watchtower is closer to whiterun than it appears to be on this map (which is about 30 miles -- clearly not very useful for a defensive watchtower).
travel on land
this map only notes the major roads, but there are of course shortcuts in-game which could be used by an experienced traveller.
also note that the most direct route from whiterun up to morthal goes through labyrinthian, so most ordinary travellers would avoid it.
lastly, an attempt was made to take into account terrain, but i’ll admit i probably didn’t factor this in as much as i should have. assume that an unfit or inexperienced traveller would take longer travelling through mountainous or snowy areas (such as the reach) than through the warmer lowlands (such as the rift).
travel by boat
for river travel, assume that all marked routes are traversible by small raft. HOWEVER, for larger vessels, such as trade and/or passenger barges, travel would only be possible from: (a) riften to ivarstead, (b) honningbrew meadery to windhelm, (c) darkwater crossing to windhelm, and (d) karthwasten to solitude. the rivers between markarth and karthwasten, riverwood and honningbrew, and ivarstead and darkwater crossing are too narrow and/or rough to handle large vessels.
also remember that river travel is only possible in one direction (marked on the map).
sea travel can vary MASSIVELY depending on a huge variety of factors, the main one being wind speed and direction. the numbers given here are assuming decent/average conditions, so adjust accordingly.
hope this is helpful! (tumblr ate all the quality unfortunately but dm me if you would like a better quality copy)
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When Last We Met
@pearlypairings sent along a sweet little prompt for "crashing the party" and here we are. A stupid little bonbon for the Hellcheer crowd❤️
The captain’s quarters looked empty but by now she knew that meant nothing. Instead of rushing inside, she took her time to peer intently around the room.
The walls were lined with hide-bound books and maps to skies she did not recognize. The few spaces on the shelves not packed with texts showcased arcane curios and dazzling artifacts–few she recognized; but their intricacy and value was apparent to even those who had not traversed the Holy Seas and the Nine and Twenty sky channels besides. In stark contrast to these trophies of taste and sophistication were the instruments of murder mounted on the wall–blades and rifles frugal in design, the easier for claiming lives. Their simplicity spoke of their danger. Her starry, lavender gaze landed on the bay window framed by cobalt velvet curtains behind the wide desk (strewn about with telescopes and astrolabes and a cinnabar opium pipe) through which nothing but clouds could be seen. If she looked through, she’d see nothing but clouds until the faintest smudge of earth some 15,000 feet below. A beautiful emerald-green bird with elegant curling tailfeathers sat contentedly on a perch beside the desk, looking at her with a curious expression. Beneath her feet was a persistent but not unpleasant hum–the tell-tale sign of the pumping pistons and firing steam engines which kept this magnificent, mysterious vessel afloat above the unwitting citizens of Faerun.
Cosette raised her wrist to her flushed lips and whispered into the little topaz token embossed with her party’s totem. “The coast is clear.” Then she tugged her blouse up. It somehow kept riding down beneath her corset.
Luthandriel entered first, his radiant broadsword at attention as he scanned his flank for more pirates beyond those they’d already left gutted in the galley. Dumas followed, his halfling form obscured at first to Cosette by a massive globe depicting a far-off celestial landscape. He whistled in admiration as he absently strummed his zither, trailing silver sparks of enchanted music behind him. “Good taste for a barbarian,” he muttered as he pocketed an hourglass of fine dwarvish make. My’thias came last, his massive golden wings barely squeezing through the door such that he had to kind of half turn-out and scooch sideways to fit. He wiped pirate blood from his snout with a scaly claw. “Is it here? The codex?”
The Beggar’s Mercy spread out and began to search. All except Cosette who was made to stand by the door and keep watch because she. Well. Because they all told her she was the best at it, she guessed!
She shrugged her shoulders (pale, shimmering like quartz in the light) and sighed. Somehow the top of her bodice had gotten all pulled down again amongst the hooks and stays of her corset which was brocade and the color of a new dawn. You could almost see her nipples for um Tyr’s sake! She turned her gaze downward for just a moment to adjust herself and froze. There was something cool and violent positioned at the nape of her neck.
“You would do well,” a voice like charred and honeyed meat dripping with fat murmured into her ear, “To leave your garments as I fancy them.”
She did not move. There was the subtle but unmistakable click of a flintlock pistol. “Should have been more thorough in your search, pet,” the voice continued. A hand–huge and calloused and covered in rings–seized her by the waist….
Weakly, Cosette bleated, “Um, guys….” Luthandriel, Dumas, and My’thias turned and groaned.
“Did you investigate the room?” Dumas didn’t sound angry. Just deflated. Cosette blushed. “I did, I mean–I thought I did–”
My’thias flapped his wings in draconian agitation. “Passive perception isn’t the same thing, we TOLD YOU–” but Luthandriel cut him off. “The lady is new to our land and new to our laws,” he said in a lofty voice. “You would do well to extend her grace and courtesy.”
Against her neck, Cosette could feel the captain smirk. She squirmed in his incredible mighty powerful grip but no matter how hard she fought she couldn’t break free! “Your paladin speaks sense. I’d pay him mind. Now. Let us be reasonable. We’re all men of business here.”
“You’re no businessman! You’re a murderous sky-pirate!!!!” Cosette thought that sounded pretty good!!!
Into his fist My’thias could be heard to mutter, “Sky-pirates aren’t even high fantasy, they’re steampunk,” and dodged a caltrop aimed at his eye by the captain in return for his insolence.
“All men have their price. What’s a pretty rogue like this trade for on terra firma these days?” The captain punctuated his query with a hot swipe of his tongue along the side of Cosette’s face. She liquidated and swooned in his grasp. The party stared in flat-eyed disbelief.
Luthandriel whispered, “Nasty.”
Then the halfling, the paladin, and the dragonguy thing went into a huddle.
As they conferred, the captain rumbled in her ear, “Love the corset.” Cosette frowned. “I messed up the–the spying.” He laughed and rubbed his–no she wasn’t gonna say that part!!!!!!!–himself against her. “Little one, that’s half the fun.”
The huddle ended and Dumas stepped forward. He had an unconcerned expression on his face, like, he was actually pretending to clean his fingernails!!!
“What use have we for such a silly rogue? She brings us nothing but misery and ill-fortune. Take her. Have your way with her. All we ask is safe passage from your quarters and use of a lifeboat.”
Cosette gasped. “You…you little WORMS!!!” She stamped her foot! What the FUCK! She’d barely even gotten to DO ANYTHING!
The captain threw his head back and laughed, drawing Cosette ever closer against him. Her nipples were basically entirely exposed at this point, like there was some force outside her control drawing them out as if with a magnet. “I have her already within my power, halfling! You presume you have leverage? You’re lucky I don’t slit her throat where she stands.” Which, like–no. But also, like—hmmm!
Dumas sighed. “I thought you might say that. To sweeten the deal, we’ll throw in this.” He reached into the pocket where he’d stashed the stolen hourglass except now it looked like a freaking enormous diamond which twinkled and shone just like that one in The Rescuers! Cosette gasped. There was a pause. She could feel the captain settle and consider as he stared at the diamond. She wriggled a little against him, just once, just in case he like. Forgot his hostage!! Or something!
The captain tilted his head which she knew because the plume from his hat tickled her face. “That’s a fine stone, halfling. What’s to stop me from taking it from your cold fingers right now?”
Dumas tried to stand a little taller. “It’s four against one, Dreadnought.” Cosette felt a pink sweet thing uncurl in her chest at being included as one of the four. She should have known! Good old Dumas! The captain made a faux-thoughtful noise. “You’re right. Seems hardly fair.” And he snapped his fingers and three sky-pirates rushed into the room!
Foul and heartless they were, these pirates, with not one wink of compassion gleaming in their dull and greedy eyes. These were no mercenaries, who might be bargained with for a higher salary. These were bloodthirsty men, hardly men at all, expelled from the earth’s warm soil to the cold and bitter reaches of the heavens to better indulge their lawless appetites for treasure, ale, flesh, and murder! Their leader of sorts headed up the pack with a cutlass in his hand–in his horrible grin, the party could glimpse he had razors for teeth (ew!) which flashed with malice in the candlelight of the quarters. His companions each boasted pistols which they aimed at the party.
The Beggar’s Mercy sort of jockeyed for position amongst themselves, and Cosette took advantage of the distraction to wrest herself free from the pirate captain’s grip! Yeah!!! She heard him grunt once in surprise and maybe something else, oh my GOSH ANYWAY she was free. Then she reached to her belt (oooh it was pale deerskin from a market in Neverwinter and studded with silver coins from her finest heists!) and withdrew Shiver by her ebony handle. She steadied her hand and remembered her extremely tragical backstory in the dew-drenched woods of Collum’s Close. Then she took aim and threw Shiver directly into the heart of the farthest pirate! It was a deadeye hit! Her best shot ever!!!! Luthandriel and Dumas cheered. The pirate made a noise like “AURGH!” (everybody always kind of sounded the same when they died…..) and slumped to the floor. Viscous black blood began to drain from his lifeless body.
Dumas’s eyes went wide with glee. “Does that mean he’s–”
“He’s not undead,” the captain interrupted. Cosette could see his face now and it was VERY handsome :) “For the last time. These are not fucking undead pirates. Black blood is just cool.”
Dumas played a pissy little riff on his zither and pouted. “I think undead pirates are pretty cool too but what do I know….”
“She doesn’t have a bonus action,” My’thias said.
Everybody was like, um.
“She used her whole–”
Dreadnought popped one fearsome eyebrow. My’thias went sort of pale around the edges of his scales and corrected herself.
“She used all her strength to escape from you. She can’t–it doesn’t seem NARRATIVELY PLAUSIBLE–” and here Captain Dreadnaught nodded like you may proceed, “That she could do both things at once.”
The dead pirate’s head lifted off the ground by a half-inch, with one eye cautiously open. The other two lackeys exchanged a look.
Cosette knew who she was attacking the next chance she got.
Sheepishly, Shiver withdrew herself from the chest of the pirate with a noise like schlorp, shook off the black blood like a wet dog, and floated back to Cosette’s hand. The rent flesh and shattered bone at the center of the no-longer-dead pirate’s chest knit themselves neatly back together and he scrambled to his feet. Cosette caught Dreadnought’s black and wild eyes and mouthed sorry.
“Nothing to apologize for,” the emerald-colored bird squawked from the perch.
“Happens all the time,” flapped an ancient open caster’s tome with dry pages.
“It’s called a learning curve!!!” Three pewter goblets with lids of horn chorused from the captain’s shelves.
“ENOUGH OF THIS NONSENSE!” My’thias snarled. Smoke poured from his nostrils and tongues of flame flickered along the edge of his snout. “GIVE US THE CODEX OR SUFFER THE CONSEQUENCES!”
Dreadnought laughed. “You know, our galley’s amateur theatrical society is looking for someone to play Faithful Madeline in MY WANDR’ING TIEFLING’S HEART. If you’re auditioning.”
“Oi’m playin’ Sweet William,” offered the pirate with razors for teeth.
More smoke–dark and sulfurous–leaked into the room. “I GROW WEARY OF YOUR GAMES!” My’thias’s snarl grew to a full-throated roar. His scales began to glow white-gold. “I CAST–”
“Do not even THINK ABOUT IT–” Luthandriel shouted at the same time that Dumas groaned, “Are you fucking kidding me dude–!!” but all this was drowned out by My’thias’s screech of, “FIREBALL!!!!!”
In the split-second before the explosion, Cosette saw the faintest glimmer of a smirk pass over Dreadnought’s face. He made a complicated little sigil with his fingers. She braced for her own incineration, but instead there was an enormous shattering of glass and a feeling like whiplash as suddenly she was jerked towards the bay window at the end of the quarters, which was no longer a bay window at all but a massive, gaping hole in the ship’s side. There was a horrible roaring, whooshing noise, loud enough to deafen all other sounds. Then a terrible pounding in her ears as she desperately clung to a chair which luckily seemed to be bolted to the floor. The air was freezing and wild, yanking her without mercy towards the yawning chasm of clouds. She tried to breathe but could not–the air was sucked from her lungs by the change in pressure. Her yards of lilac hair were ripped from their extremely adorable braided buns festooned with ribbons and charms, and now whipped painfully behind her as she clung with a weakening grip to the armrest. She turned towards Dreadnought, silently pleading, her lips were turning blue–!!
And suddenly she fell to the floor. It was still. It was warm. Strong hands, calloused hands, drew her up gently from the ground. “Steady there, little one,” Dreadnought murmured. “Take your time. Find your breath.” She looked up into his eyes and felt her heart shimmer. He had a scar running from his right eyelid to his Cupid’s bow. Oh wow. Like. Haha! WOW! He held her aloft as she breathed for a moment.
Then she looked down. Her tits were completely out.
The captain shrugged. “Call it my savior’s fee.” The beautiful bird had somehow found sanctuary too. It was perched on his shoulder. “SAVIOR’S FEE, SQUAWK!” it echoed. It did not sound very much like a bird at all, actually.
WHATEVER. She looked over her shoulder and saw there was a thick veil of golden mist sealing her, the captain, and the rest of the ship from the charred ruin which was once his quarters. There was no sign of Dumas–he must have been instantly sucked into the sky. Poor dear Dumas! He never was very strong. Luthandriel was holding on with what little constitution he had left to another bolted-down chair, as My’thias twisted his claws into the splintering wood for grip. “THIS IS PUNITIVE!” he screamed, but it was muffled as if shouted through a thick sweater. “YOU ARE RAILROADING–”
A ballast beam ripped from the side of the ship and hit him in the face.
“But Captain Dreadnought, what of all your fine treasures?” Cosette trembled as the beast advanced hungrily upon her.
“IF YOU SAY SHE’S ALL THE TREASURE YOU NEED I’LL–”
BONK. Another beam.
“You heard the dragonguy thing,” Dreadnought pushed a lavender curl behind one of her lovely, slender, pointed ears which had two diamond earrings and a couple really sweet silver hoops pierced through it too! “The time has come for me to claim my bounty.” When he kissed her he tasted like caramel rum. (This part was private too but when he pressed her body to his her nipples rubbed against the rough flax of his unlaced shirt and it was like ooooooh it was so NICE!!!!!)
Just before My’thias lost his hold entirely and vanished into the void, Captain Dreadnought broke away from Cosette’s warm and tender (aw!) embrace. “By the way, lads,” he mentioned. “The bird was the codex.”
“AWK! I contain the key to all mythologies!” the bird said. “Ok, that’s pretty cool–” Luthandriel tried to add but was lost to the sky. “I HATE STEAMPUNK, I HATE IT SO MUCH!!!” My’thias screamed, but then he was lost to the sky too.
“Now, little one,” the captain whispered in Cosette’s ear. “Have you ever heard of an acrobatics check?”
“Oh my GOD–I mean TYR–” Cosette tried to roll her eyes but then he was kissing her once again so she had to check if she got a bonus on splits or anything like that.
It turns out she did and everybody except them got mad about it!!!
#edward “eddie” munson#christine “chrissy” cunningham#chrissy x eddie#hellcheer#i am very good at dungeons and dragons actually and know exactly how to play it with no mistakes and a high score#your honor i'm stupid but extremely cute
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Dear Johnny...... || Johnny "Soap" MacTavish
pairing: johnny "soap" mactavish!cod x heartbroken reader
summary: soap broke your heart :(
warning: pure sadness
i keep writing these shits i need to make happier ones.
❊❊❊❊❊❊❊❊❊❊❊❊❊❊❊❊❊
My Dearest Johnny,
I find myself at a loss for words, trying to articulate the storm of emotions that rages within me. The echoes of our shared past are both haunting and bittersweet, as I grapple with the shards of a love story that ended in pain. As I sit down to write this letter, my heart feels heavy, burdened by the weight of the hurt you've inflicted.
The days following our separation have been a relentless journey through the landscapes of grief and acceptance. Your absence has become a void, a painful reminder of the dreams that crumbled and the promises that were shattered. The love that once flourished between us now lies in ruins, and I am left to sift through the wreckage of what was, desperately searching for understanding.
I want you to know that I am not writing this letter as an accusation or an attempt to manipulate your emotions. Rather, this is my way of processing the pain, of untangling the threads of our shared history, and finding a semblance of closure amid the chaos of emotions.
The manner in which you ended our relationship has left me grappling with a profound sense of betrayal. The trust we built, the vulnerability we shared—it all seems to have been callously discarded. The echoes of your words reverberate in my mind, a painful reminder of the unraveling of our connection. I had never fathomed that the love we nurtured could be dismantled so abruptly, leaving me to grapple with the aftermath.
In the wake of your departure, I've wrestled with questions that may forever remain unanswered. Was our love not worth fighting for? Were the promises we made mere whispers in the wind, easily forgotten in the face of changing tides? The uncertainty gnaws at my soul, and the absence of closure feels like an open wound that refuses to heal.
As I traverse the terrain of heartbreak, I am compelled to find strength within myself. The pieces of my shattered heart may take time to mend, but I am determined to emerge from this crucible of pain with newfound resilience. In the midst of my sorrow, I hold onto the belief that time will lend perspective and that healing is a journey, not a destination.
It's crucial for me to acknowledge that healing does not negate the intensity of the hurt. I am allowing myself the space to grieve the loss of what we once had, to process the emotions that threaten to engulf me. This letter serves as a vessel for those emotions, an attempt to release the pain that festers within my heart.
Though the road ahead appears daunting, I am hopeful that, with time, I will find the strength to redefine myself outside the context of our shared history. I wish you well on your journey, hoping that you, too, find the happiness and fulfillment you seek.
May the lessons learned from this painful chapter serve as steppingstones toward growth and self-discovery. Our paths may now diverge, but the indelible mark you've left on my heart will forever be a part of my story.
Wishing you peace and understanding
#cod x reader#call of duty#john soap mactavish#johnny soap mctavish x you#call of duty modern warfare#soap cod#soap x reader
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Transliteration of the text on the poem tour longsleeve:
I am hunting something, and in turn, that same thing is hunting me
The beholder, the void beyond — I am the line between
I am the teeth of God
(in the store, one of the other new shirts has only the image of Vessel's snarling face, simply titled "Teeth")
Full thoughts on the text, as well as the imagery of teeth and jaws in Sleep Token's discography and their mutual hunt below the cut. This thing got way out of hand.
Very, very fun to see explicit attention being drawn to Vessel's actual role as the mouthpiece of Sleep and the vaguely priest-like status he has among the other Vessels. The fact that the text doesn't actually even refer to Sleep at all, just straight-up God, is also an unexpected choice, but one I'll come back to later.
Just looking at the text, though, Vessel is very much a man brought out of his previous life, possibly literally, and has been blessed as the only one to be able to breach the gap between Sleep and the waking world, sometimes begging Sleep to see to other side and the void it contains, so it's not something he can traverse of his own free will. The posts other people have made here recently about the lulling qualities of certain songs of theirs do a great job of explaining this as being a literal means of bringing worshipers closer to Sleep, even though as Vessels they must all remain awake throughout.
The thing here is that yes, Vessel is a mouthpiece, but one that's full of teeth, and in this text the only other thing referenced as a potential target is Sleep, in their circular hunting of one another. You could read this as something symbolic, similar to the character of the Mouth of Sauron in LotR, but I'm going to take this more literally for right now. There are countless references to Vessel's teeth and hunger and literal consumption of flesh in Sleep Token's discography, but then there's this particular line in 'Take Me Back To Eden': "I don't know what's got its teeth in me, but I'm about to bite back in anger". It's an odd thought, maybe, because supposedly Vessel is Sleep's teeth, so if you take that image literally, who could be sinking his teeth into him except himself, in some kind of ouroboros?
That's certainly one thought, and the erasure of Vessel's identity depicted both in some songs and during the dialogue interludes during the live rituals could lend a strong argument to this being the case, but departing from that idea for now... From the same song you also have Vessel's demand to "grow back your sharpest teeth, you know my desire", and perhaps that's exactly what Sleep's been doing. It's a critical part of that blood sport they've been playing for so long, but during this song, it's severing that relationship irrevocably in doing so. In 'Aqua Regia' Vessel describes his love in those terms, relentlessly following his prey's blood trail - possibly a reference to the one described in 'The Summoning' and later in 'Ascensionism' - with inhuman cries and froth spilling from those teeth, broken as his jaw is at this point. Maybe there's too many teeth to fit. Maybe he's bitten off more than he can chew, but he still can't help but keep going, either to restart the game all over again or to finally call the match.
Looking at their earlier songs, 'Hypnosis' being a very blatant example of this, clearly this is not the first time that Sleep has gone and caught Vessel and bit into him before pulling him back up again and starting over, like a messed up, never-ending feral play session. I get this image in my head that if Sleep is always regrowing teeth, they must always be falling out. When Vessel's caught, does he remove those "diamond" teeth, or are they permanently embedded in his skin, down to the bone? Is his broken jaw from the times he's caught Sleep and tried to do the same? Do his teeth fall out, too? Does he need Sleep to win, sometimes, to show him those pretty jaws which are so sharply contrasted to his own irreparably broken ones, so he can arm himself again when the page is turned? Does Sleep, or Vessel himself, tear those fallen teeth out of his flesh and sink them into his gums this time, into the broken mouth of God?
Poignant and honestly beautiful as it is when he describes Sleep has having the "jaws of fate" and the "mouth of infinity", that implied helplessness only goes so far. Perhaps it was Sleep that turned him into a predator when he agreed to become Vessel at the outset, but a predator he remains, having developed a taste long ago for Sleep's flesh even as he regularly regurgitates it.
I haven't theorized much on the lore of 'Euclid', it's become too personal of a song for me to easily approach, but considering basically every reference and callback that's in there, I think Sleep was correct in saying this blood sport was one She couldn't win. So, if it's Vessel who ultimately won out, here's the question: when he says the night belongs to Sleep now, if the night doesn't belong to God, then who is God, at this point? Vessel immediately follows this by saying he must be someone new, and despite their endless entanglement Sleep can't give him the night, no matter how much he begs for it. The answer is obvious.
At least he still has those ancient canopies that were once described in 'Ascensionism', that paradise with diamonds in the trees, teeth shed from both their jaws left in the bark to shine like stars of their own when you look down from above. Even if the night sky is beyond his reach, at least Vessel is still the teeth of God. The teeth just happen to be his, now.
First aside: I'd be curious to map out what their actual religious strata would look like as a formal group and not a bunch of dudes living in Vessel's manor like he's Slenderman collecting creepypasta characters but my only personal experience with religious institutions were not stratified in any really comparable manner, unless you were to start looking at Vessel and the others less as humans worshiping in a strictly tiered system so much as being already part of an entirely separate organization of their own forms of divinity.
Second aside: If Vessel's teeth were gifted by Sleep to him, would he be able to speak in that language of gods, his body modified otherwise to be able to at least approximate those same sounds? Or would it be something entirely unique for the sake of worshiping Sleep, something secret and private between them? What I would give for Sleep Token to have a fully fleshed out conlang the way Phyrexia does in MtG... the flavor possibilities are endless, pun mostly unintended. Not to mention, you've got Sleep's rune on the destroyed temple art and the various runes for the tracks in Sundowning, but what about this new writing system? Were they already part of the written language as well, or did Vessel create that himself? Maybe that already has a canon explanation, I'm not sure, but there's a lot to chew on there. Pun definitely intended this time.
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jigokuraku spoilers
the mirror between gabimaru and rien really doesn't become apparent until near the end of the series but when it hits you...
both of these characters are driven by the same core motivation—to be reunited with their loved one. rien trying to bring jofuku back from the dead, gabimaru fighting to come back from a kind of social death (through criminalization) to return to yui (the island can even be read as a kind of purgatory that he must traverse to return to the world of the living). love is something that transforms them both—gabi from a hollow vessel to a person with something to protect; in contrast, rien in losing her love, but still trying to revive it, shuts off everyone around her.
to be sure, they're both willing to go to extreme lengths to achieve their goal. on many occasions gabi reverts to his "hollow" way of being, willing to kill others and even to sacrifice himself to survive/win. it's easy to see how his sympathies could, for a moment, align with rien, who is an amplification of that ruthlessness to the magnitude of millions of people. what keeps him from going down rien's path are the connections he comes to accept (as opposed rien's pushing away and grinding down)—yui, of course, and importantly sagiri, the set of individuals who are willing to see his humanity and put their faith in him and his ability to change.
i see a lot of these little echoes across the different pairings that come into conflict over the course of the story.
mudan, who modified humans to be their playthings but thanked the group for freeing them of their thousand-year purgatory; senta, who was always discomfited by what the yamada-asaemon did with human life and found a sense of relief in death, freed to imagine and desire whatever he wanted, both of them unbound from obligation.
jufa and taofa facing off against the aza brothers in a pair, lovers against siblings, halves of a whole, with one half taking upon themselves to relentlessly protect the more vulnerable half, regardless of how much they have to take from other people or sacrifice themselves for the other's safety.
gantetsusai imagining that taofa (and the rest of the tensen) must be like him, someone who desires the thrill of battle, only to have her shoot him down ("it's not fun at all")—and boy, does he come around to her point of view in the end.
much of zhujin's driving force being to please their family, haunted by their own sense of inadequacy; their efforts to please everyone ironically bringing zhujin into confrontation with shion and nurugai, who both feel they failed their respective families, by failing to protect one of them (tenza) or for bringing genocide to her home.
even shijia, gabimaru, and sagiri's fight (with zhujin in the background) contends with these themes of rejection/acceptance; after all, shijia was raised in the same way gabimaru was (which is also similar to the way rien's children were raised). as demonstrated during the battle though, shijia was fighting alone.
guifa, sagiri, and mei's conversation is also important to me. of course, these three are the point of connection, the first spark of the idea that both parties don't have to keep taking from one another. i also see these characters as having to do with truth, either knowing and revealing it (as guifa or mei) or uncovering it (as sagiri—not only as to the mysteries of the island but her efforts to uncover what lies in people's hearts/"the sword reflects the truth"). it's fitting that guifa and mei get featured in the epilogue, which came from sagiri's pov before the time jump.
shugen, gabimaru, and rien are interesting as well. circling back to the initial point—is the fact that shugen did not have a "love" the reason he could deal the final blow? is he the "wicked" who won them the battle?
in the end, it's gabimaru's hesitation that saves everyone. he identified himself in rien and she did the same. she also hesitates to kill him, and instead asks the question that saves them. it's such a lovely conclusion. the thing that deters mutual destruction is identifying yourself in the enemy. people don't have to choose cruelty and mutual destruction with their last breath. not being able to swing the sword can be the thing that saves us.
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I was wondering if I could request a diety? If so may I request a goddess that is for the Gith what Moradin is for the Dwarves?
Deity: Urania, The One Who Names The Stars
Hear me, brothers, sisters, my fellow orphans of the vast,
We are lost, but we are not forgotten,
The Bright Maiden has set a Star Burning for us,
And she calls us Home
The wild unknown and the simple laws that govern the universe, the cold embrace of space and the warmth of distant stars, the mystery of the infinite horizon and the knowledge of your course through it: The goddess Urania is a being of contrasts. Patron to astronomers, navigators, and any who find themselves alone with only the stars for guidance, the bright maiden is called upon by many who sail the astral sea to bless their journeys into the vast cosmos and to guide them back home again.
Legend says it was It was the Gith who found her, aboard a lost and aimless refugee ship too full of desperate souls who’d just escaped from the tyranny of the ilithid. They saw a stranger cast adrift in the void, and though they did not have enough to go around they cast out a line and pulled her from the void because the thought of leaving anyone behind without hope of rescue was too terrible to bear. In rescuing her they rescued themselves, for when the captain gave up his ration of water the goddess awoke with her eyes full of grateful tears, whispering to him of a course towards sanctuary just as a new star flared on the horizon.
Since then it has been tradition among the Gith ( and those who have learned the art of astral navigation from them) to keep a star shaped lantern burning in the goddess’s honour, and to rescue any they find adrift, no matter who they might be.
Adventure Hooks:
Knowledge of the stars is sacred to those who follow Urania, whether it be in charting new courses through the astral sea or divining the movement and influence of celestial bodies. An acolyte of such an order believes she’s had a star-granted vision of a previously unexplored reach of the astral sea but her superiors won’t let her mount an expedition as much of the nearby territory has a reputation for being dangerous, or downright hostile. To this end she hires the party to help her go delving a long abandoned archive-moon in the hopes of discovering ancient records that her research hints might just contain a means of traversal through this hostile stretch of space.
Much ink has been spilled over the potential connections between the bright maiden and Nyx, matronly goddess of primordial darkness, with most scholars agreeing to disagree as to whether the goddess are enemies, aspects of the same being, or somehow related. This debate comes to a head when a night-shrouded acolyte of Nyx steals the star lamp from the vessel of a famous spelljammer captain on the eve of an important voyage, darkening the lamp with occult magics to use in some mysterious ritual. Both men are, as the party discovers after being hired to recover the lamp, brothers, and as their pursuit goes on it becomes wildly clear that the two goddess are having some kind of a wager over the outcome of the theft, subtly influencing events in their own favour
Along their travels, the party discover a reinforced capsule containing an ember of celestial fire, a nascent star that some enterprising mage plucked from the sky in an attempt to tap its power. The item is tremendously useful, (acting as a pearl of power that refreshes after short rests), but in moments of channelling the star’s energy the attuned creature is more and more filled with feelings of loneliness and need to return to a home they’ve never seen before. The ember is alive, if not sentient, and longs to be returned to the patch of sky from which it was stolen. Doing so can be quite an undertaking, but will reward the party with the Bright Maiden’s favour in the process.
Titles: The Bright Maiden, Lady of Far Horizons, The Infinite,
Signs: The appearance of new stars, astronomical lines and diagrams appearing in the sky, a sudden awareness of a heading leading either home or into the unknown
Symbols: A star and sextant or other tool of navigation, lantern with star iconography or burning with celestial fire.
#deity#divinity#divinity: sky#divinity: night#divinity: stars#divinity: knowledge#urania#Cleric#Monk#Gith#thief#dare#spelljammer#astral#divinity: sea#treasure#magic item#dungeon#dnd#dungeons and dragons#d&d#5e#prompt postage
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𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐔𝐍 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐌𝐎𝐎𝐍 .
( Synopsis ) And you witnessed the macrocosm in all its dazzling contours.
( Authors Note ) This work is released before Sumeru is added to Genshin Impact, so there is very little lore regarding Al Haitham when this is published. I hope you enjoy this at the end, and constructive criticism is greatly appreciated :)
( Pairing ) Al-Haitham x GN! Reader
( Content Warnings ) Established relationship. Written to satisfy my brain rot. Mentions of the word gorgeous.
( Word Count ) 1.0k words // EDITED!
— THE SUN WAS A MASTERPIECE AND GLIMMERED IN BRILLIANCE,
the sun: a hidden flirt and a massive tease (brightness)
Al Haitham conversed with a hidden charm that seemed to sway the lush leaves outside the library's windows. The sunlight perfectly radiated on the outstanding library shelves, cascading onto dusted and aged books neatly lined up against one another. Grandeur scrolls of knowledge were proudly displayed on the wood walls, making the murmurs of wisdom traverse around the serene room with a flip of a page.
He never bothered worrying about who would interrupt him in his time of research, because only you and he knew of this place. Hidden in plain sight under the watch of a lesser god.
Pale juniper green irises twinkled in the gratification that a few hours were in his hand, unconsciously humming in satisfaction when he spotted a book to his liking. Perhaps he could read this with you?
The thought of the two of you relishing in each other's company put his mind at ease.
He took a step forward, ornaments from his outfit creating a rhythmic sound. He placed his index finger and thumb on the spine of the book to slide it out the shelf—
—nothing.
Push. Pull. Push. Pull. It was almost as if the work was glued to the frame of the furniture. Perhaps if he made an effort to look for another book. There is no point fretting over this.
That one. Al Haitham thought, reaching out to grab a book two rows below the seemingly glued book.
Nothing.
He added a little more force this time, tenderly making sure he won't damage the piece of work. It didn't move. Why is he unable to get it?
"Ugh, why can't I grab this book..." A melody his ears sought reached his ears.
"Gorgeous?"
"Huh? Gorgeous? Wait don't tell me..."
Out of a pinch of amusement, he tipped the third book he laid his hands on— which now successfully rested on his hands— and came into contact with your gaze. He rested his arm on whatever space was left from the book he got and tipped his lips up to a minor smirk.
"You were getting the book I was getting a while ago, weren't you." You're baffled expression occupied his thoughts. Although, it was probably useless to confirm it with him since he most likely connected the puzzle before you.
"You're correct."
"I was going to get it and give it to you since you probably wanted to read it together!"
"Alas, here we are, separated by a wall filled with words spilled from hours of studying. We really were fated to be, gorgeous."
"You're the gorgeous one here and we both know it, shut up."
He adores your flustered self.
— MISTIFIED AND ENTRANCED WITH THE ILLUSIONS OF THE AWAKENING MOON,
the moon: a mysterious gentleman with nothing but respect (calmness)
Bountiful were the imperial potted padisarahs cultivating on the rich soils of his private riad. Other unscrupulous classes would believe that after you have gained control of knowledge— respect, admiration, power, and money is nothing but child's play. All that was left to obtain was ambition and the vessel of power from the gods.
A vision.
But what is wisdom and power when ambition and morale fail to play the role?
Conceivably, this was what separated him from the rest.
He knows, that beneath the raw memorabilia of godly divinity, rested the dead and the falsehoods that happened before miraculous spectacles flourished. A mortal carelessly strolling around the break of dawn with a fraction— or a percentage— of immortals, was a laughable notion. Humans had mortality while divinity had immortality.
Someday it will be revealed that it is nothing but a mere tool.
How foolish. Al Haitham spoke to himself.
( Al Haitham was foolish to underestimate the eye of the gods when the hoaxes end. )
He was far from that fantasy stereotype. He was an enigma. A secret buried under the thick unforgiving hail of Dragonspine. A mystery buried at the bottom of Liyue's mountains after dragons roared amid battle. A paradox thrown to the depths of Inazuma's oceans with the remains of divinity beheaded by the Almighty Shogun's spear. A dilemma sunken in Sumeru's volcanoes that glimpsed battles between warriors and cowards thousands of years ago.
The catastrophes didn't cease you from achieving your destination, though.
You hiked the mountain peaks of Dragonspine under layers of courageousness despite unknowing the secrets of the deceased princess who wished nothing but for someone to wear her crown. You've seen fossils, bones, and remains— the aftermath of Liyue's devastating war. You surfed above the thunderous oceans and danced around the thunderstorm once upon a time. You quelled the bubbling turmoil and made amends co-existing with the strong and the weak.
Then the moon.
Al Haitham was the moon. Galaxies away from arm's reach, it adorned the dark tempest taking hold of Teyvat's twilight, giving mercy and sprouting a second chance. It gave seeds of fake hope of wonder, the moonlight nothing but a mere marvel illusion. It would take light years for mechanics to evolve and when a Teyvatian finally conquered the moon— what then?
Defeat. The moon was just a mere dull stone blessed with the glory of the sun. Receding spears and swords would pierce the shielded heart because their ambition was worthless. A setback— no other forms of life thriving in the abundance of a hidden empire, no sanctuary and grasslands of fading stars unearthing equilibrium.
Al Haitham never minded the negative impact. For he was a young eagle luring his prey who made him loathe their nefarious spirit.
Your sentiment is stated contrarily.
He was the anchor for those lost in a dulcet of eunoia, ridding their sonder of the anchor's chain that lent a second chance.
He was your anchor, your moon, and your whole world. Al Haitham knew this too.
You've seen him stress out, get furious, and all his flawed emotions.
And all he can say is, thank you. I love you.
As Al Haitham prepared his surprise feast for you and him, he only hopes you enjoy it as his thanksgiving. To you, and all his blessings.
The sun and the moon juggling a chance in a circus was a dream to transpire.
in a way, we lived in the same atmosphere shining in our own beautiful ways (an ephemeral dream)
astolary 2023 — do not edit, repost, or translate.
#（ ❁ଓ.° ）#（ ❁ଓ.° ） astro! genshin impact#genshin impact x reader#genshin headcanons#genshin scenarios#genshin x reader#genshin al haitham x reader#al haitham x reader#genshin al-haitham x reader#al-haitham x reader
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Bishop AU Timeline
The AU is mostly based on my first / main save file, so just pretty average stuff, a couple of deaths, sacrifices etc. Pretty early on lamb becomes infatuated with the god they're supposed to serve which becomes their main driving force to fight and kill the bishops, but also in revenge for their genocided species & i headcanon that the crown kinda corrupts the vessels mind so they have less inhibitions towards murder and violence in general. They are genuinely kind and caring for their flock but unapologetic on the battlefield.
This entices Narinder and since he can read Lamb's mind when they're in his realm he quickly picks up on their feelings. At first he tries to only use their affection towards him as leverage to get them to do what he wants but he genuinely develops mutual feelings towards them and cannot deny them after they fell Leshy.
So they sorta start "dating" (if one can call it that?). And the twins also get involved with Lamb a bit later on. Narinder kind of notices them also developing an interest in Lamb, (well he can read their minds after all), making it clear that he not only tolerates but in fact encourages them to get involved with Lamb, whilst also keeping in mind Lambs unique position and how it might not be forever. They are okay with that. Narinder never states what would happen once he gets freed so Lamb kind of assumes that everything will be fine, but in his mind Narinder sees Lamb's death as inevitable and is convinced they'd willingly give up the crown and their life for him.
At Gateways Lamb feels understandably betrayed and thinks he just lied to them the whole time and the fight is very emotionally charged on both sides. Narinder being able to read/hear Lamb's thoughts during the fight gives him an immense adrenalin rush and once he sheds his godly form and transforms into the follower form he loses this ability. It's quiet and he cannot read Lambs face so he thinks they're gonna kill him, but they don't. They bring him to the cult where he collapses from his injuries and Lamb begrudgingly nurses him back to health.
Narinder could theoretically leave the cult if he wanted to but he doesn't really have anywhere to go. They hate each other and would often fight but kind of not be able to do without each other either. Five years post Gateway Narinder starts giving Lamb the quests and over the course of another five years they slowly start to warm up to each other again. Besides the quests Narinder finds himself at the Crown statue at night where Lamb one time finds him and they make it a regular thing to sit there, stargazing and talking. They realise that they never really fell out of love and are slowly forgiving each other for the events that occurred.
10 years post gateway they officially start dating again. Two years later Lamb successfully resurrects the twins. Over time they notice changes to their body, it grows taller and their powers grow stronger due to the influence of the crown. It scares them a little but Narinder ensures them that it's a natural process in their ascension to godhood. The opening of their third eye marks a key moment in their timeline and they gain more and stronger powers which they’re eager to test out. Around this time they also loosened up to let Narinder and the twins join them on crusades. The three of them basically act as second in command to oversee the cult when Lamb is not around.
Eventually Lamb takes on the Bishop title with their domain being Death and the afterlife. They no longer actively use the crown's powers, instead use their own. They figure out a way to transfer some of the crown's powers over into an amulet/bell they give to Narinder. He appreciates it (but also gets flashbacks/nightmares from his imprisonment he has to work through). Narinder cannot deny that Lamb is doing an excellent job as the new God of Death, especially after ??? shows up (roughly 500 years post gateway) and Lamb traverses the purgatory to rescue the bishops souls to guide them to rest.
??? tasks Lamb to free the Bishops from purgatory, which they begrudgingly comply. But they do not want to bring them back to the cult, so they guide their souls to rest. It has been around 500 years post gateway fight, but Lamb feels like that is not enough time yet of them suffering for what they did to lamb, their species, and Narinder. They are spiteful, but they still do it. It also means this AU will not have Follower Bishops. unless I change things but for now this is where it stands.
Sometime after Lamb is done with freeing the Bishops, Narinder gets struck deadly on a crusade whilst trying to protect Lamb. Lamb is very distressed over this and tries to resurrect him, but it fails, since his soul got moved to purgatory, which means they have to go there to bring him back.
Purgatory being, by my understanding, a place to atone for your sins and relive your worst life experiences. So Narinder would be constantly back to the memories of his banishment, imprisonment and gateway fight. This is also roughly the time where he battles with the nightmares / flashbacks from receiving the amulet.
It's also sorta a kind of dream-like state, things don't really make sense but while in that moment you don't really see that, like scenes changing in the blink of an eye, seemingly transitioning from one to the other, that sorta stuff.
Time flows differently in purgatory. Only a few days in real life have passed but Narinder will have felt like he’s been stuck in there for a millennia and Lamb abandoned him in this nightmare.
Lamb only finds out about this after rescuing Narinder. The Bishops were in purgatory for 500 years.
#cult of the lamb#cotl lamb#cult of the lamb fanart#cotl fanart#cotl au#cotl#cotl narinder#the one who waits#beloved#cotl the one who waits#cotl art#cotl aym and baal#lammy#cotl aym#cotl baal#narinder x lamb#cult of the lamb narinder#narinder#narilamb#lammydraws#lammy bishop au
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