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auranova26 · 9 months

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Hsien-Ko Design Notes and Inspiration

One thing about Cryas Darkstalkers is my desire to not only write and think of the characters differently based on official information and headcanon, but also try to redesign them to fit the world I imagine and their personalities in the mythos. Today, I want to talk about my process and notes regarding the official design of one of the main protagonists of Cryas Darkstalkers: Shao Hsien-Ko!

Compared to her original version, she actually isn't too drastic of a change. Honestly, her original design is already really well done and awesome. However, I had some ideas and thoughts to make her stand out from the original. For the foundation I stuck with the design of her from Vampire Hunter/ Night Warriors: Darkstalkers' Revenge.

If you were not aware, Hsien-Ko basically has two official designs. This version of her and the one from the official art for Darkstalkers Resurrection. I chose the Hunters design as I generally really love the overall idea of the qipao for this version of her. The DSR version goes for a qipao with two flaps, front and back. I am not a fan of that on top of the change to her hat where she has a bell on the top rather than a ball.

Now what about that necklace she wears? Probably the most notable feature of her, I actually do have an inspiration. The idea of the necklace stems from the story 'Monsters and the Secret of Immortality'.

Hsien-Ko's overall design is interesting in that story as she is portrayed as much wilder and psychotic in her demeanor. But I also think aspects of the design are… well too busy. But among the design elements, the necklace caught my eye the most. In Cryas DS, to mirror the… well mirror that Mei-Ling has, Hsien-Ko wears the necklace that her mother wore as a physical memento of her on her journey to save her. The character on her necklace was changed to 邵 (shào), her family name in Cryas Darkstalkers. Now while in the main timeline it is 少 (shǎo), I already was too used to 邵 that I decided to stick with that pronunciation and way the character is written.

The two yellow strings that follow along the side of her breasts and torso were inspired by a piece of art I saw that showed an idea of strings on her qipao, granted they were much smaller elements. I would share the art, but honestly unless it is official art, my art, or art I commissioned, I would rather not share. Even with giving credit, it just wouldn't feel right. However, one piece I will share is this:

The way Casa drew Hsien-Ko here, specifically the way the strings were attached to her qipao were different compared to how I originally did it. I loved the idea and made that official to her.

What about the flower on the flap of her qipao, you may ask? Honestly, I never came across a design that inspired me, it was more so something involving the origins of Hsien-Ko's name in Chinese, 仙姑 (xiāngū). Her name derives from the Xian that is among the pantheon of the Eight Immortals of Chinese mythos, 何仙姑 (hé xiāngū). In tellings of the story, the Xian is said to hold a lotus flower and in general seems to have a strong association with the flower. Because I wanted to still add something more to Hsien-Ko without getting too extremely away from the core of her generally simple design, I thought it would be lovely to add a lotus flower design to her qipao. Not only pretty but tapping more into her Chinese roots. While her old hanfu and dudou have a more traditionally designed lotus flower, the one on her current garb is a more stylized take on the flower, courtesy of Mei-Ling.

Another minor detail, but one I wanted to still bring up. The story 'Lei-Lei (Hsien-Ko) Returns' by Takashi Mibu is another excellent anthology story centering around the Shao sisters. I love the general expressions they draw Hsien-Ko in, really showing off her fangs. But what I wanted to bring up is the trim on her qipao. You can see here that rather than be flat, it is made to have volume. Like a stuffed trim. I liked that and rolled with it.

While initially I somewhat stuck to the general shape of Hsien-Ko's hairstyle in the main timeline, it evolved into something more wild and less rigid. As time went on, while the general idea of her hair fanning out reaching towards the length of her shoulders was still the same, the shape it took on was more claw and fang like. Wild you could say. While not exactly the same, these characters Daisy and Sabrina were ones to sort of plant the seed.

The idea of describing it as wilder, I say I can still somewhat also point to 'Monsters and the Secrets of Immortality's design of Hsien-Ko for that.

Because I genuinely get sick of Hsien-Ko being draw in such small/thin/…. well anime proportioned manner, I wanted to go back to what Vampire Hunter established in official art and her sprites in game: her muscles. Granted, I took it a step further as I altered the general shape of her body to be more muscular and wider build. One could say thicc, I prefer warrior build. I can point to three sources that I think of when I think of her body shape. Kratos from the modern God of War era, a sketch my friend @yourweebmystic made some time ago, and the way an artist who goes by the name Rayluaza draws the character Chi Chi. To show an idea of Rayluaza's way of drawing strong women, I'll share a commission I got from them of my Hsien-Ko. Honestly, Rayluaza did a perfect representation of what I believe for Hsien-Ko in Cryas Darkstalkers in terms of her body shape and build.

That sums it up for Hsien-Ko, but there is more to her than her base state. Let's take a moment to talk about the design elements of another notable power of Hsien-Ko in Cryas Darkstalkers: Xié è De Yōngbào/Dark Embrace.

The Dark Embrace Burst was based on something for one of my OCs in terms of a Burst they have of a similar name: Ebony Embrace. Now that individual is a single person, but Hsien-Ko and Mei-Ling are two people who are closely connected. In essence, like as jiangshis, they are two halves of the idea of this whole Burst. Hsien-Ko is the wild, raw power of it. Her upper clothes tear away only because that is where the shadow attaches to her body when Mei-Ling attaches. The hat vanishes to help accentuate the wild look to her. Seeing her hair full on. The markings? An underlying thing about the Burst is its connection to the substance, Corriyami. Norocier, a Corrian, is a being that was born from the substance. In a way, it is a physical manifestation of those with this kind of Burst would look like if they were Corrian. Now the markings took on different ideas over time. Two sources I can fully acknowledge that helped to steer the course of the markings were these two pieces.

The first is done by the artist tana_taka_3rder and the second is done by my friend @capyguava

A small detail, but still important to me. Initially, Hsien-Ko's eyes in the Burst were more so based on the idea of glowing eyes I saw with the likes of Anti Form and Rage Form Sora.

However, when I saw this art that was made by Alejo, I then went with the idea that their general eye shapes stayed the same. When in most states of mind/ levels of emotion, they had lines to represent their iris. But when sufficiently enraged or in a high state of negative emotion, they disappear to give off a more intimidating appearance.

While art tends to vary between artists about the eye color of Hsien-Ko officially, I stuck with Yellow. I feel the color contrasts well, even compliment her blue skin. Plus if you think about Chinese color theory and beliefs, one of the ideas is that yellow is symbolic with heroism. This is something very prominently used in the Kung Fu Panda series as the main protagonist Po is seen quite a lot with the color yellow. The villain of the first film, Tai Lung, had Yellow eyes. This went well where he felt like a wronged individual. A hero in his own mind. And many scenes with heroic moments or those of triumph feature the color a lot. So honestly, I think it stands Hsien-Ko sticks with that general idea as well due to her Chinese roots.

Oh, I should probably explain the ideas behind Hsien-Ko's human design. So of course I wanted her to look like a Qing woman of the 1730s-1740s since that is the time period she was alive. Skin tone and eye color were for the more typical tones that a Chinese individual could easily have. However compared to Mei-Ling and her mother, she has a bit more melanin to her.

So fun fact, in reality there really wasn't any kind of uniform for a martial artist during those time periods… or even later on in history. They would generally fight in their day clothes. So, while pertaining to the general dress idea of the Qing period, I still wanted Hsien-Ko's clothes to still look comfortable and easy to move around in. The colors scheme just works for her since she has some association with those colors. And even in some sprite art for Hsien-Ko in VHunter, her qipao was red, so a nice nod. As for her hairstyle, that was inspired by the design I saw in the Tetsujin Drama doujin. I think it is a nice contrast to what would become a much wilder hairstyle that grew from her original style.

Hopefully this gives you a good feel for the ideas I had behind redesigning Hsien-Ko. For any artist I credit, please check them out and show love to their art!

#cryas darkstalkers #darkstalkers #hsien ko #shao #chinese #jiangshi #design notes #auranova26 #weeb and alm are super awesome and I love my friends #hsien-ko #I love hsien-ko a lot if you couldnt tell #night warriors #vampire hunter

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auranovabloggers · 6 months

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Jiang-shi among the Night

'Three jiang-shi cross your path as the spirits of the night rise up on the night of fright.' An old piece of Halloween art I made in 2022. Still super proud of this piece. Maybe one day will remix it as my way of coloring and small aspects of their designs have changed overtime. We will see. 😎

Also have this grayscale version of the piece. Honestly looks sick and works for this time of the year!

#darkstalkers #hsien-ko #mei-ling #cryas darkstalkers #shao #auranovaart #mei ling #hsien ko #norocier #oc #halloween #happy halloween #jiangshi #spirits #night of fright

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auranova26 · 4 months

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Fundamentals of Magi Artes and Magic

In Cryas Chronicles (and to an extent Cryas Darkstalkers), magic has been a phenomenon that has prevailed for many eons in countless civilizations across the realms of the universe. Many cultures have described, observed, documented, and spread their own understanding of this peculiar ability that many lifeforms have been able to perform. In the purest understanding, magic is the ability for one to manipulate many forms of energy and the forces in the universe to heed their commands. Some cultures saw this as this work of supernatural forces beyond their understanding while others came to see these abilities with a rational, open mind worth time to study and truly understand. As the eons marched on and people discovered different forms of magic, 'disciplines' or 'elementals' of these artes were understood. While they go by different names, for the sake of you dear reader, here they are in a way you can understand: Fire, Ice, Water, Terra, Lightning, Wind, Dark, Light, Ethereal, Aura, and Astral.

One might be curious as to what these disciplines are. Fortunately, what they are and how they work will be presented

Fire and Ice share the same form of energy that is used to cast these artes: Heat energy. Where the difference lies is how the heat is manipulated. Performing fire artes has the user concentrate heat in whatever manner is desired. Ice meanwhile has the caster move heat away rapidly from an area at a need volume for the desired effect. Many forms of fire artes do take on the look of flames in various shapes and size, but the key feature is being able to concentrate that heat properly. Commonly, ice artes involve freezing particles of vapor and air to create ice crystal of various shapes and size for the need effect, though sometimes just the lack of heat to a certain degree can be more than enough. To a degree, both disciplines are intertwined enough to where some manipulators of heat will learn artes from both elementals.

Water and Terra both use the force of gravity in order for the needed artes to be performed. At its basics, these artes require the user to both understand how to manipulate gravity and then the property of the desired substance to then move for the wanted effect. The better their understanding of gravity manipulation, the larger quantity and speed at which the substance can be moved. Due to water and the land being the most common around for users to use, that is how these elementals got their names despite using the same force. However, there is a big difference between moving liquid particles and solids around. Practicing this is key to use either water or terra elemental.

Lightning is an elemental that involves the manipulation of electrical energy. Via this discipline, casters can either cause bolts of the largest and fiercest lightning to the smallest sparks of electricity, or even manipulate magnetic fields for whatever use is wanted.

Wind elemental is the ability for one to manipulate the force of the surrounding air to create various forms of wind-based phenomenon. Varying the manipulation of air pressure can lead to gentle gusts to even violent twisters under the casters control.

Dark elemental is a peculiar form of magic that involves the manipulation of energy to vibrate. In essence, the creation of sound waves. While sounds are a constant in the lives of those in the universe, the particular soundwaves crafted by dark magi artes tend to involve inducing emotional response from the victim. Sometimes it can be pleasant or sometimes it can instill dread. It is up to the caster to manipulate sound for what they want.

Light magic is the manipulation of electromagnetic radiation in order cast various artes. While light is something we all see and can perceive, manipulators of light can command the various wavelengths of this energy for many applications. From clusters to concentrated rays of energy, the possibilities are endless.

Ethereal and Aura are an interesting pair of elementals as they use exactly the same energy, and both involve using that energy in the same potential ways. However, where the difference lies is how both source their energy, of which is known as spiritual energy. Spiritual energy exists primarily in a 'soul'. A soul is an extremely condensed cluster of energy that has tightly bonded in a bizarre fashion. Due to this occurrence, the energy that combines into these clusters take on special properties. These properties can potentially allow for the phenomenon intelligent life has come to interpret as a 'conscious'. While this energy is forged in by this occurrence, it doesn't have to just exist in a soul. Should something force the bonds that hold a soul together to break, the spiritual energy can scatter. No longer in its cluster, in time the spiritual energy will eventually convert into other forms of energy. It can last longer if it can inhabit other lifeforms, but in time it will lose its properties and breakdown into other forms of energy. While both elementals are capable of making use of this scattered spiritual energy, the primary draw of their abilities is the ability to maneuver through the bonds of a soul and siphon fractions of the immense well of spiritual energy. The key difference is the soul used: Ethereal draws on using the soul's of others while aura draws from the user's own soul for power. The ethereal elemental can use as many souls as needed, but due to each soul bonding in different ways, their wells to draw from need to be understood before they can cast any ethereal artes. Because an aura caster's soul is innately familiar to them, it is significantly easier to draw from this well. However, improper handling of this flow of spiritual energy can potentially be fatal. Either elemental is capable of numerous feats due to the immense amount of energy but can be dangerous is not properly learned.

Astral elemental is regarded as the oldest discipline of magic. The name of the elemental draws inspiration from the thought that all energy from the dawn of time came into existence due to the birth of stars and the cosmos as a whole. Primordial, raw energy that flows everywhere. In time, this energy and the forces of the universe allowed for the realms that would come to be. When astral artes were figured out and understood better, this allowed others to find their way to other forms of manipulating the forces and energies that exist.

Making use of Magi Artes requires one to train themselves to understand the fundamentals of the chosen elemental's discipline of manipulation. Some are only capable of one elemental; others are capable of many forms. Some individuals are natural gifted to use magic, while others require hours upon hours of training to even begin at a basic level, if they are even capable of doing so. As time marched on, people found a desire to regard certain magi artes into what are known as 'tiers'. The idea is to give people a benchmark idea that artes of a higher tier have much better effects or power, but also require better stamina and skill to even use these magi artes. The tiers of Magi Artes as follow:

Tier 1 = Neophyte

Tier 2 = Intermediate

Tier 3 = Master

Tier 4 = Arcane

Tier 5 = Mystic

Tier 6 = Ultima

Magic Artes require knowledge of the arte, stamina, and the knowledge of the needed amount of energy or force required to manipulate. With practice and experience, casters can use artes of any tier more efficiently so long as they understand their limits and the risks with each elemental. Many magi artes do require the user to be still and focus in order to properly manipulate their elemental of choice, which can be risky depending on the urgency of the situation. With that in mind, some casters found a way around this with the use of Arte Reserves. Inducing a Magi Arte into an object, casters can instantly make use of Magi Artes in situations with practically no time wasted on incantations. However, Arte Reserves are limited and thus users must keep in mind how many are still in stock lest they find themselves in a dangerous situation.

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Consider this a revision of this lore blog here:

I'd rather not completely delete this blog for the purpose of looking back on things and... well cause I don't feel like it. 😅

#auranova26 #cryas chronicles #cryas darkstalkers #lore #worldbuilding #magi artes #arte #magic #energy manipulation #force manipulation #elemental #this will be on the test

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auranova26 · 9 months

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Cryas Darkstalkers Cast Bits 2

Check this out to see some information regarding some of the other characters I discuss about:

With that said, time to get into some more characters. Again, just some brief enough notes about each major character and their role in Cryas Darkstalkers.

Bishamon:

Same general backstory he has in the main timeline. A samurai who unfortunately fell prey to the temptation of the demon armor Hannya and demon sword Kien.

For decades, he went on a rampage throughout Japan, causing mass terror to the innocent civilians of Japan. Valiant warriors tried to stop this rampaging demon but would merely be more sacrifices to the bloodthirsty specter.

At some point in the late 1700s, he would have learned of the lands of China. Learning that such a landmass was far bigger than Japan, the demon relished the thought of oceans of blood and souls flooding the lands, ready to be consumed.

His activities would eventually reach the ears of Hsien-Ko and Mei-Ling, who would eventually track down and confront the heinous samurai from the east.

In essence, Bishamon would serve as the real first big threat the sisters would face in their journey, especially after they finally got a good feel as jiangshi warriors.

While it is a difficult battle as the samurai is quite skilled and empowered by the souls it has consumed, the sisters would prevail with their combined skills, tactics, and powers.

Upon defeat, the demon armor and blade lose control of their host, releasing Bishamon's soul. While the sisters are prepared to destroy the spirit in front of them, they would be stopped by Bishamon's wife, Orin. She too is a spirit, having cast aside her body to continue clinging to the mortal realm in order to find a way to free the man she loved.

Bishamon is found out to be fully aware of what has happened during his time under the control of Hannya and Kien. He wishes to repent for his failure to resist the temptation of those two caused the deaths of countless lives.

The four would eventually seal the cursed armor and blade in a special tomb per Mei-Ling's design. Bishamon and Orin vow to make sure none would tamper with the tomb so no one else would fall to the temptation of Hannya and Kien.

From then on, the couple would seek to work together to cleanse Bishamon of the sins that weigh heavy on his heart and soul.

Bishamon and Orin are basically the first allies the sisters make.

Pyron:

Serves as a major villain during the time frame that serves as the Vampire Hunter part of the mythos.

He is still an alien that was born on the planet Hellstorm. His evolution leads him to become an energy-based lifeform that takes the form of a living flame.

While he initially reveled in his self-proclaimed ascension to godhood via consuming his home world and traveling the cosmos to seek strong warriors and worlds to consume and fuel him, he eventually grew bored as he didn't get to have a good challenge.

Being a warrior at heart, while he did like to win, he more found pleasure and meaning in life via a rousing battle. Even when he limited his powers to be on equal footing with the many warriors he fought, he wasn't given the best showing and still triumphed.

In a sense, I see Pyron like a Saiyan. What he wants is a good fight. His godhood was more of a hinderance as he was the most powerful. But by being the most powerful, he had no worthy foes. Thus, his life lacked meaning. While he had bouts of dread over the prospect of no worthy battles, he would never allow himself to wither away. The only way he would die is via in battle.

I still have it so far that he did visit Earth at one point. However, I am not sure when he will in my mythos. Certainly, it would still be far in the past, but I am not feeling the time of the dinosaurs.

He is far more vulnerable to magical based attacks.

Jedah Dohma:

Serves as a major villain for the time frame of Cryas Darkstalkers that would be the Vampire Savior aspect of the story.

He actually has two people that were confidants of his. Ozom, like the original timeline, and now Sierra de Gilman.

Ozom is still a conniving, power hungry manipulator that eventually gets Jedah killed via a ploy he manages to play on Jedah. However, it will not be involving the Gate as the idea of that is different in Cryas Darkstalkers.

Sierra is a noble of the House of Gilman. She is an intellectual and philosopher. She actually forges a genuine friendship with Jedah as they have many discussions about the nature of Makai, political affairs, the future, their interests, their thoughts about various subjects, and doing what they can to assure their lands were kept in high spirits.

Jedah has the ability to hear souls. He has explained that souls give of special sound waves that sound like a song. In this way, he can learn about the individual, such as their lives, abilities, and aspects.

Jedah has noted of a very dull humming sound that he has never been able to pinpoint. It has come at random intervals and appears to be the hum of a soul.

His body is still that of a special, sentient liquid. With this, he can perform many physical alterations to his form for appearances, offense, and defense. The form he presents himself in is one of his choosing.

His traits and abilities are linked to his ability to wield souls. The more he can absorb, the more powerful he can get. While many beings can do this as well, Jedah is unnaturally gifted in this aspect.

Physically, he is not the mightiest. His magical abilities can become quite potent. His ability to manipulate his blood to create many forms of weaponry and attacks are incredibly versatile. However, what makes him a truly dangerous individual is his godly ability of regeneration thanks to his ability to utilize souls efficiently and his liquid body.

He plans out his goal far more carefully and thoughtfully in this mythos. In a sense, you could say he is stronger in this mythos due to not basically bum rushing his plans.

The Soul Bees still serve as minions for him in order to help carry out his plans.

Q-Bee:

She, along with her race, will get major redesigns. I am not a fan of the design she and the Soul Bees have.

'Q-Bee' is just a title. As for an actual name she has, she doesn't have one.

At the time of Jedah's revival and eventual creation of the Majigen, the current Q-Bee is a marvel of rapid adaptation. During Ozom's reign of the Dohma Lands, he nearly drove the Soul Bees to extinction. This triggered some drastic changes in the mindset of Soul Bees. While they are primarily driven to eat, reproduce, and survive, the ones who become the Q-Bee of the hive would slowly gain better intelligence over the decades of his reign.

While Q-Bee is not an intellectual, the one during the events of the Majigen has the ability to better plan things out for the survival of her race beyond instinctual reproduction and consumption.

While she serves Jedah, she only does so out of necessity and to ensure the survival of her hive. However, she and her Soul Bees are grateful of the chances for more meals under his command.

Under Jedah's orders, she and her fellow Soul Bees eventually lead to the death and consumption of many of the servants and families of the Noble houses. The only exceptions are Morrigan, Demitri, and Sierra.

Q-Bee rarely ever speaks using 'I'. Instead, she commonly uses 'we' or 'this one'.

I am so far thinking of potentially 3 different types of Soul Bees. Q-Bee, the largest of the Soul Bee race that have the capability to reproduce and are the most capable in combat. P-Bees, smaller Soul Bees that aid in the care of young Soul Bees, along with maintaining the hive. P-Bees can still fight as well and are not to be trifled with. Then I would think there are smaller Soul Bees that basically serve as Drone-like Soul Bees. They merely exist to serve the Q-Bee in combat. I'll figure things out more.

Lilith:

She probably has one of the biggest changes in Cryas Darkstalkers in regard to how her story goes and motives. Brace yourself for some big notes because I have given a lot of thought to Lilith as she is a big player during the time of the Majigen stuff.

Lilith is still born as a Soul Shard, one of the thirds from Morrigan's Soul. In a small pocket dimension of Belial's creation, this fragment of Morrigan's soul was left to basically rot, away from Morrigan. However, because Morrigan's soul was rather abnormally strong, even a third of her soul was able to do unusual things, beyond the fact that Morrigan even survived the soul shattering with no ill effects. Because this happened when Morrigan was young, the soul had cloudy fragments of Morrigan's memories that played effectively at random and on loop. This goes on for centuries, this shard only 'awake' for intervals to recall these memories. Not only that, to just be 'aware' that it was still around.

Lilith is found by Jedah still, but things are different regarding circumstances and why he allowed her a body. As Jedah was creating the Majigen, in the boundaries of the void, he heard the faintest sound of a soul. Upon discovering it as he realized the odd place it was in, he realized it was just a shard. By listening to the soul shard's broken song, he realized that it belongs to Morrigan. But the odd thing was this shard somehow had a sense of self awareness. Broken and primordial, but the fact it had a sense of knowing it existed was remarkable. Here is the difference: He only gave the shard a body in a strange sense of both mercy and curiosity. At the time, he had an argument with the only other being that was a friend to him. A close confidant. Unlike Ozom however, she never backstabbed him. However, she (Sierra) was against Jedah's plan and told him to reconsider, especially as Belial was out of the picture. But he refused. Despite his plans meaning she will also become one as well, he gave her a chance of mercy to live out her remaining time as an individual, unlike the other nobles who had already been slaughtered and sacrificed to the Shintai (except Morrigan and Demitri). In a fleeting moment, he allowed this shard to have a chance to experience life, even if fleeting.

In Cryas Darkstalkers, Lilith doesn't seek to return to Morrigan. The idea I am going with Lilith is basically like the Replicas in Kingdom Hearts, a subclass of Nobodies. To put it simple, Nobodies are beings without hearts…initially. They have a body and soul but lack hearts. However, they in time would develop new hearts as they would begin to forge new bonds and create memories. In time, they become whole once again. In this case, this is what I am going for with Lilith. In essence, she isn't a succubus. She is effectively a Soul Shard. She has no soul of her own initially, just a body and mind. But in time, something would start to trigger in her. However, this doesn't mean she still doesn't seek Morrigan. She seeks her for different reasons this time about. See after she was given a body and was with Jedah for some time, as she dreamed and her mind began to solidify, she then could truly wonder about this girl she would see in her dreams. Jedah never answered her, merely telling her they were just her having lucid dreams. But Lilith didn't accept this. In time, she would leave Jedah as she got fed up with not getting an answer. She needed to know because for her simply, she doesn't know who she is. She only can vividly remember meeting Jedah, him telling her the name she has, and that she was wondering around in a daze till he found her and nursed her to good health. She thinks this girl holds the key to who she is. Upon meeting Hsien-Ko, Mei-Ling, and Caisla (OC of mine, will explain at a later day) in the Majigen as she wondered around, the sisters would think the girl she is seeing in her dreams might be Morrigan. That is Lilith's catalyst to join with the trio, along with the fact they were willing to help.

The body she initially has is at the mercy of Jedah. Her body was the amalgamation of part of his blood and part of the shard's power. His magic and what the shard had is what keeps her body together. At any moment, Jedah could just end her if he so wishes, but he chooses not to. However, his death would result in the collapse of her body, which isn't discovered till it is too late.

She has a familiar in the form of a bat made of energy. Unlike Morrigan, she treats this bat like a friend and is very close to them. This bat familiar is eventually named Ori.

No, she doesn't use the last name 'Aensland'.

Huitzil:

In Cryas Darkstalkers, both the name Phobos and Huitzil are used.

Phobos is the name of the robots that Pyron commands.

Huitzil is the name given to the last remaining Phobos unit in existence. He is named by the homeless Mexican boy, Cecil.

He follows the kid as when he was found amidst some rubble by Cecil. Somehow, he causes the Phobos to become active. However, their memory has been heavily damaged, and they lack a master to listen to. Upon seeing the child and eventually running diagnostics and calculations, the unit makes the decision to follow the child as its new servant.

Overtime, Huitzil and Cecil form a genuine bond close to that of brothers.

They get wrapped up in the events of the Majigen because a portal opening in Mexico near them allowed a Soul Bee to take the child as a snack. Huitzil would follow the kidnapper in order to save Cecil and exterminate the Soul Bee. However, they would wind up stuck in this strange realm.

Hoo boy, quite a lote. That is all for now. As always, if you have any questions, feel free to ask me! I'll be back in time with more bits of lore and stuff. 😎✌️

#cryas darkstalkers #darkstalkers #auranova26 #lore #bishamon #pyron #jedah dohma #jedah #lilith #lilith darkstalkers #q bee #huitzil #phobos #lilith is honestly really cool and it is a shame how botched she was #also thank you kingdom hearts for cool lore ideas

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auranova26 · 9 months

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Felicia Rose

I want to go over some lore and facts regarding Felicia in Cryas Darkstalkers.😺 First things first, you might have noticed the last name of 'Rose' for her. Well, one thing I am changing regarding this mythos is Sister Rose. In Cryas Darkstalkers, she is now known as Ramona Rose. While she does run a small orphanage, it is not one in connection with Christianity. Simply put, I am removing any hint of Christianity/Catholicism in Felicia's backstory for quite honestly personal reasons. The orphanage is located in a rural town in New Mexico, one that will likely take inspiration from Taos, NM. Ramona Rose in this mythos is in fact a kind, hardy Mexican woman who made a life for herself in the states.

Speaking of ethnicity, one big thing for Felicia in Cryas Darkstalkers is that she is Hispanic, with part of her heritage being Mexican. This is in part that her biological parents are both of Hispanic origins, with her mother being a Mexican Catfolk and her father being from a country in Central America. I have yet to actually decide which one, but just know her biological father is from somewhere there.

'Catfolk' you say? Yeah, in this mythos the whole 'Catwoman' thing is just being changed to where this race of cat like humanoids are just known as Catfolk. There are female and male ones because quite frankly the lore of the Catwomen in the OG lore was really fucking stupid. Another thing that is being changed that can be seen with Felicia's design her is the change of the fur to make them feel more cat like rather than naked women with some bits of fur here and there. In the case of Felicia, her fur even grows in a way where it looks like she has a skirt and a crop top. Her hair is changed in a style to more express her Hispanic/Mexican heritage. Another neat detail is how her eye isn't white, but a color similar to her iris. Was a neat detail an artist did with a commission they did of Felicia.

(Credit: Beck (Slots Open) (@ViewtifulBeck) / Twitter)

Do her parents have names? No, cause quite honestly, they are not too important to her backstory beyond her being born and the circumstances of how she ended up in the US, in New Mexico, and eventually at the doorsteps of Rose's orphanage. Basically, her parents sought to move the US for a better chance at life, as many from Central America are one to do. However, before they could cross the border, they were spotted by guards. While her mother could outrun the guards, her father couldn't. Despite not wanting to leave him, he begged her to go as who knows what they would do to her or the baby since they were non-human. Having crossed in the state of New Mexico, Felicia's mother contemplated on things such how she is gonna support the child, the loss of her husband, and these new circumstances in a new country with no support. Eventually, passing through a town, she decided the best thing was to leave her daughter in the hands of an orphanage as she believed she couldn't provide well for the baby. That was the last her mother ever saw the child.

When the baby was found, it was taken in. The orphanage was small, only being aided by her friends who volunteered time, but Ramona did her best to make sure the children were cared for and found good homes. When the wrappings were unfurled, all were surprised by the appearance of the baby: it was a Darkstalker! There was an argument that unfolded as Ramona and her friends disagreed about what to do for the child. Ramona refused to abandon the baby because despite it being non-human, she saw it as a poor, lost child that needed guidance. She was adamantly against putting it back on the streets for the elements to take care of. While her friends couldn't convince her on that, they did bring up a good point: who is gonna adopt a monster? Maybe some rich folk if they want an exotic pet or those freak show organizers. Ramona was revolted by those thoughts, but that was a good point. After thinking about it, she decided she would raise the little baby as her own daughter. Deciding on the name Felicia, little Felicia Rose would grow up in a modest, but loving home. Always aiding her mother around with chores and the orphanage, she got to make a lot of friends with the kids that came in. Overtime, Ramona's friends, neighbors, and eventually the community grew to accept the Catfolk as part of the community, to varying degrees.

As she grew up, she would be introduced to all sorts of forms entertainment, like television shows, cinemas, comics, festivals, and plays. Felicia loved seeing all these as she got to see all kinds of people and characters not only put on an entertaining show, but also see how she, her mother, and others connected with these performers. While Felicia's home life was generally a loving household, she was made aware of the general bias people have against those who aren't human. In a way, she was lucky. Even with her luck, she felt her life still shows that connection with humans and Darkstalkers was possible. 'We might be outwardly different, but we all have dreams, emotions, aspirations, and a desire to connect with others', Felicia would think. As this dream kept burning in the adolescent to adulthood, she eventually decided that she would become a star. Inspired by her hero 'El Santo', she was aware how the famous luchador was loved by the entirety of Mexico. With such status, she could hold influence to show the world that Darkstalkers are not just monsters but living beings with hearts and souls who also want to live. So, she set out to make her dream a reality. It was going to be tough, but she was willing to put her all into achieving this dream!

Some other notes about Felicia:

Felicia is bilingual in Spanish and English. With Spanish as her first language, she has an accent.

As mentioned, she is a mega fan of the luchador El Santo. So strong is her admiration, she went out of her way to watch his films, collect comics, and any memorabilia she could with her allowance.

Felicia in Cryas Darkstalkers is quite tall at 5'11'. Not only tall, but very fit and strong considering her catfolk genes.

Felicia's Birthday is held at around the month of February as that was when she was found at the orphanage. As for the date, it is held on the 5th. She was born in the year 1967.

Her tongue is like that of a cat, so thus is covered with papillae.

When thrown into pure rage, Felicia can go into a feral state like a big cat.

She is incredibly fast on her feet, with her kicks hitting incredibly hard.

(Credit: MasterMaind Designs-Open Commissions (season 5)👀 (@MastermaindD) / Twitter) A girl can dream.

#cryas darkstalkers #darkstalkers #auranova26 #felicia #rose #felicia rose #ramona rose #mexican #hispanics #lore #new mexico #el santo #felicia is the superstar

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auranova26 · 9 months

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Nǚ Jì Sī and Guì Zi Shǒu

(Credit: @masterartlocked) You may be curious what is with this art and the names? 'Those are Mei-Ling and Hsien-Ko you silly' you might be saying to me. Well, in the lore of Cryas Darkstalkers, there is an interesting turn of events due to following their journey from the beginning. When they first went about their journey, they figured that due to Hsien-Ko's appearance being overtly less human than Mei-Ling, she would need to hide her appearance from the eyes of humans. To do this, Mei-Ling made a cloak for her sister to wear in order to conceal herself in the times they walk through a village. Initially, Hsien-Ko only ventured with Mei-Ling at night to ensure she would not be recognized as being non-human. While a few close calls, they got pretty good at it. This was necessary since they did need to accept jobs of hunting and exterminating the Darkstalkers in order to get information regarding any stories about places of interest in the many vast areas of China.

Slowly over the decades however, an unintended side effect of their exploits would occur. As Mei-Ling was the one being seen and they would retread through places they have been to on many occasions over the decades, people would start noticing this ageless, beautiful mystic. Not only that, but people also realized how she and her hooded companion were effective in their job of ridding their lands of the creatures of the night. With this air of mystery, stories would begin to spread across the roads of this woman being possibly a spirit. More than that.... she could be a Xian. The stories would begin to tell of a Xian whose beauty was said to be unmatched with her elegant face, hair of many lustrous shades of umber, and eyes more brilliant than the finest jade. She was said to have descended from the heavens to finally free the people and Zhōngguó (中國) from the grasps of the demons and monsters that brought suffering and death to their livelihoods. While many names were thrown of this Xian, eventually the name of 女祭司 (Nǚ Jì Sī) would stick. This name of 'priestess' was fitting due to her appearance. Once the sisters started catching on due to hearsay they heard, artwork that began popping up, and even being greeted as such, they had their own reactions to Mei-Ling’s title. While Mei-Ling was incredibly embarrassed and flustered at this effective deification of her (especially with all the myths speaking of her otherworldly beauty), Hsien-Ko found it incredible. She loved the idea that her sister was effectively becoming part of the mythos of different cultures throughout the lands, just like the many mythical beings they learned about in their youth.

The stories didn't stop with Mei-Ling. While her sister was more prominent in these new legends that were unfolding, Hsien-Ko herself would gain titles. The most popular that stuck was 劊子手 (Guì Zi Shǒu), which means ‘executioner’. Due to the fact Mei-Ling did most of the talking, not many people knew what this cloaked individual’s relation to Nǚ Jì Sī was. Some thought they might be a follower, keeping record of the Xian’s many deeds as she traveled the lands ridding the Darkstalker threat. However, due to many stories noticing them dragging a large coffin with them, they believed this individual may actually be quite strong. Some believe they act like an attack dog on a leash, sicked on to the Darkstalkers by Nǚ Jì Sī. The gender of this being has been put into question as not many have heard their voice. However, those who have said it sounded like a woman, full of cheeriness in her tone in one moment and sounding very serious in others. Some wonder if this being is even human. Some believe she may be one that was bestowed great power by Nǚ Jì Sī. Others think she may in fact be a spirit or Xian herself. The more outrageous claims think she may in fact be a demon under the control of Nǚ Jì Sī, repenting for their past transgressions by serving the guardian deity.

When the two learned of this via gossip and art that depicted her (in various ways based on each person’s belief), Hsien-Ko and Mei-Ling had their thoughts. Hsien-Ko thought it was genuinely cool that despite not having her face being shown, she was still effectively becoming a mythical figure, like the being that she obtained her name from. She had a fondness for the title Guì Zi Shǒu. Mei-Ling on the other hand felt some sense of resentment. Considering the spotlight she was receiving despite the fact Hsien-Ko is the one putting in the hard work of defeating the Darkstalkers they faced in their hunts, she felt it was unfair, especially when some artwork depicted her sister as this demon under her control. Part of her wishes she could do something to silence this depiction of her young sister, but Hsien-Ko would calm her sister’s furrowed brow. She explains that if anything, these myths help make their travels easier since humans are more willing to provide aid to a Xian rather than some traveling hunters. And to her, she thinks it is cool that people get creative with these really cool ideas about who she is. She likes the idea of being this powerful enigma to the masses.

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auranova26 · 9 months

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These are some old renders I made for Hsien-Ko and Mei-Ling. Not completely in line with my current ref sheets, but still really nice art of them. :)

#darkstalkers #hsien ko #mei ling #lei lei #lin lin #cryas darkstalkers #auranova26 #shao #chinese #jiang shi #strong women #hsien-ko #mei-ling #auranovaart #muscular women

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auranova26 · 9 months

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I made mention of this in my introduction and in my description so I should tell you a bit about one of my life-long passion projects. So, what is Cryas Darkstalkers? Cryas Darkstalkers is an elseworld of my creation. The story follows the journey of Hsien-Ko Shao and Mei-Ling Shao from the fateful night when they became jiangshi to the countless adventures they face through the centuries. While they are the main protagonists, other characters also have big roles as the two sisters make friends, allies, and enemies along the way. But the sights and people they meet don't stop with Earth. The strings of fate see the two crossing the boundaries of space time to another reality, interacting with new races, face tough dangers, see incredible landscapes, and come across powers they had never seen in their world. Basically, I plan to use the foundation provided by the official lore, non-canon material, and my own interpretations to craft an AU of Darkstalkers. I love Darkstalkers, but talks with friends who are also fans have made me really question aspects of the lore from its inconsistency, dumb ideas, and questionable lore. So, I just want to make one of my own for fun. Not only that, but I want to give some personal justice to the characters Hsien-Ko Shao and Mei-Ling Shao. Those two characters mean pretty much everything to me. No other fictional characters have I latched onto more than Hsien-Ko and Mei-Ling. Their designs, their lore and ideas really resonate with me; they clicked in my head, and I just fell in love with them! They have some really cool stuff going for them but got screwed over in Vampire Savior due to Hsien-Ko's popularity. I remember a developer said that Darkstalkers is in a way where the character you pick is the main character for you. Well, Hsien-Ko and Mei-Ling are the main characters for me, so Cryas Darkstalkers follows them.

In time, I hope to share more lore and information regarding the characters, their lore, the world building, and story ideas I have and such. I hope you will have fun with me on this journey. :)

#cryas darkstalkers #darkstalkers #hsien ko #lei lei #mei ling #shao #alternate universe #auranova26 #lin lin #vampire savior #hsien-ko #mei-ling

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auranova26 · 8 months

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The Sahrijinn

In Cryas Darkstalkers Cast Bits 3, I had made mention about a race of beings known as the Sahrijinn. I want to discuss about this race of beings from Makai as they are quite important in terms aspects of world building. So first of all, what is with the name? Sahrijinn is the combination of the words sahri (سحري) and jinn (جن‎,). Sahri translates to basically 'magical' while jinn is a term many of have heard. Sometimes, jinn are angelized into the word genie. However, I was really against the idea of using that term genie. Still, the idea of the Sahrijinn are these magical beings who have quite the skill with magic of varying kinds depending on the different Sahrijinn among their race. Among the Sahrijinn are the Marid, Jann, Ifrit, Sila, Vetala, and Shaitan. Let us briefly talk about each group of the Sahrijinn.

Marid have the ability to bend spacetime and thus are able to create portals. However, they generally are limited to areas within the dimension they are in. They do however have a sensitivity for nexus points which can allow them create portals to areas outside the dimension they reside in. However, should enough energy be used, Marid can create brief nexus points to other dimensions if they are aware of other dimensions in the universe. The Marid were the first to find the nexus point to the afterlife of Makai, Inkai. They also used their abilities to open the nexus point that would eventually become the Gate. Marid have the capability to manipulate gravity, part of the reason for their ability to warp spacetime. This can allow them to fly without the need for wings or use of wind. Another notable trait of the Marid is their generally smaller size compared to the other Sahrijinn. However, the Marid are capable of entering into a state of being that increases their size exponentially known as the Unbound State.

Jann are beings with a powerful affinity for the wind. This allows the Jann to be capable of powerful forms of wind magic, from the lightest of breezes to the most devastating windstorms. This wind magic also allows them to control the atmospheric conditions of the areas they are in, inducing different forms of weather. The Jann have an affinity for desert areas, preferably finding oasis to hang around in. While they lack wings, they can fly via the use of wind currents. Due to almost being one with the wind, the Jann have a natural love for travel. During the exodus from Makai, they helped lead their fellow Sahrijinn as they traversed the unknown lands of Makai till finding a nexus point that would become the Gate. Once on Earth, they helped in making the first explorations of the ancient world. Their findings helped the Sahrijinn when it came to forming their own realm.

Ifrit are those who have a love for fire and battle. With their control over the heat, they are capable of producing using various forms of fire magic. Interestingly, they are capable of also absorbing heat, both from living beings and the air. Their bodies are capable of absorbing a high amount of heat, though when reaching critical levels, they must expel out the excess heat lest it prove to be fatal. Among the Sahrijinn, they are great warriors with a knack to fight and employing different battle tactics on the field of combat. Ifrit were the ones to help establish the first sense of civilization among the Sahrijinn, both in the ancient times in Makai and later on once the Sahrijinn left Makai.

Sila are shapeshifting beings that like to mimic the form of other beings in the name of fun. While they can be tricksters and like to get involved with others, they do have generally good intentions or just want to have fun. Once the Sahrijinn left Makai, they were among the first to interact with the ancestors of humans. Their interactions would lead to the first hybrids of Sahrijinn and humans.

Vetala are natural born psychics. Their psychic capabilities range from telekinesis to mind reading. Not only do they have these psionic abilities, they also have quite the high degree of intelligence. They purse to learn much in the way of knowledge no matter how big or small. Even in death, their stubborn pursuit of knowledge will lead them possess bodies, preferring the bodies of the recently deceased so as to not compete with control of the body. While they theoretically could keep doing this so long as they have a fresh supply of corpses, they usually only keep this up till they are content with the knowledge they know. Their incredible intellect helped lead to the creation of the realm for the Sahrijinn.

Shaitan are known for their way to weave words and sway conversations. While they lack the psychic abilities of the Vetala, the Shaitan have been noted of having a very uncanny ability to read the body language of others and get into the heads of the ones they converse with. This made them quite powerful in the form of political affairs during the time in Makai and later on with many other beings on Earth. Magic wise, they are fully capable of making use of dark based magic. Not only that, but they also have the ability to make use of various toxins that they can form from within their bodies. They can use these toxins to defend themselves should they be in a tight spot. The toxins from within a Shaitan can cause various effects from nausea to as serious as muscle spasms and temporary paralysis.

With all that knowledge laid out, let me give a brief history regarding the Sahrijinn. In the ancient times of Makai, the Sahrijinn came upon a strange ore that was discovered by some Jann. Upon interacting with the ore, it showed them strange visions of what was later interpreted by some Vetala scholars as potentially the origins of Makai. Among this, it also made them aware of the existence of the soul, the essence of an individual. Not only this, but the visions also showed of a realm where the souls go to rest. Thinking it best not to walk around with a piece of ore as they desired to find this realm, it was eventually carved into a gemstone to be fitted onto a ring. This ring would be known as the Ring of Isis. Eventually, the Sahrijinn found the nexus point to Inkai, which would be opened by a Marid. There, they marveled at the otherworldly land they saw before them, feeling the strange energy emitted by this realm. Not long afterward, they came upon some souls. From them, the Sahrijinn were amazed to learn that these souls were of the ancestors of many beings long ago. Learning of their ways, their knowledge, and even piecing together more about the potential origins of the lands they walked, it was a wonderful time for learning all sorts of knowledge. However, this wouldn't last forever.

At the time, the Sahrijinn were a powerful tribe. While not the largest in number, they had the advantage of having the greatest magical potential together as a race. Because of this, they brokered treaties with other tribes. Among them was with the Aensland Tribe, led by Zeruru. While he wasn't the friendliest, he stuck to his word with the treaties that were placed. Eventually, word of the existence of Inkai was spread. While initially with good intentions to spread knowledge of the collective origin of all, this eventually led to a great conflict. When others were shown Inkai, among them being some emissaries from the Aensland Tribe, it was soon found out that souls had power. Not only that, but they could also be absorbed to obtain power with the consequence of destroying the soul. When the Sharijinn eventually found out about this, several Marid not only sealed the portal to Inkai (trapping some demons who were in there) but managed to use their power to move the nexus point somewhere else. While the souls in Inkai could be safe from further tampering, this could not stop the now known knowledge of soul absorption. The leader of the Sahrijinn of the time, Solomon, confronted Zeruru about this. As the argument grew heated, Zeruru killed Solomon, not only absorbing his soul, but also taking the Ring of Isis. This not only led to the discovery of the great power held within a Sahrijinn soul but sparked a major conflict as other tribes sought after power. In time, many of the allies of the Sahrijinn turned on them and those who did stick with them would either be wiped out or eventually turn on them for their own safety. The only ally they had left were the Bigfoot Tribe. While the Sahrijinn were powerful and the Bigfoot were incredible warriors in battle, they were easily outnumbered by the sheer number of tribes. Eventually, they sought to flee, find another nexus point and leave these lands behind.

It took time, but they eventually discovered a nexus point in a far-off island of a great mountain. There, the Marid opened what would become the Gate. However, to deter pursuers, several Ifirt and Shaitan used their combined abilities with fire and toxins to ignite the mountain. Once they passed through the Gate, all of the Sahrijinn imbued their magic into several Marid to scramble and seal the Gate. Hopefully, the other tribes would not be able to find them. Finding themselves in a new land, they eventually acquainted themselves in this new realm. Luckily, the species here were not of any problem as they were practically like animals. The Bigfoot tribe would eventually go their separate ways, bidding the Sahrijinn good luck. As time went on, the Sahrijinn would discover a species of great intrigue. Primitive at the time, these beings would be the ancestors of humans. Several Sila were the first to interact with these beings. In time however, the Sahrijinn felt it best to eventually isolate themselves from all other lifeforms, still scarred by the events that went down that caused them to leave their homeland. While it took much time, they eventually found a new nexus point that led to a pocket of nothingness. Based on both their memories of their old homeland and the new lands they saw on what would be known as Earth, they constructed a new realm for themselves in this void. Jannah, the realm of the Sahrijinn, was to be its name and the new home of the Sahrijinn.

While mostly keeping to themselves, the Sahrijinn still visited the new realm they found, interacting with creatures and what would become humans. Infact, several of the various Sahrijinn would eventually mate with these beings, eventually producing hybrids. Over the years, these hybrids would eventually dilute the Sahrijinn blood they had. However, it would remain, potentially being the basis for humans to have the ability of magic. Some of the Sahrijinn in time also sought to stay in this new realm permanently, integrating with these beings and hybrids.

Sometime after they did establish Jannah, the Sahrijinn were visited by a strange, but otherworldly race of beings. These were the Angels, observers of the universe and carrier of the souls to Reikai. The Sahrijinn were without a doubt frightened by these new beings but would be calmed when they realized these ethereal beings were not hostile. If anything, the Angels were curious by these new beings they see before them. Despite no words beings said, the Sahrijinn, felt further calm as the Angels merely only observed them for some time before eventually leaving. This wasn't the last they saw of them as they would see them again as their fellow Sahrijinn would die. The Angels would come to retrieve the souls of the dead. While anxious at first, they eventually came to realize these Angels were taking their fallen to a new afterlife, one for this reality. It wasn't Inkai, but elsewhere.

I hope you enjoy this world building bit! This is important beyond just establishing some prehistory of Makai, but also some backstory of this race as eventually a Sahrijinn will be a main character in Cryas Darkstalkers. Feel free to ask questions and I will be glad to answer. Till next time ya'll! 😄✌️

#cryas darkstalkers #darkstalkers #lore #auranova26 #sahrijinn #jinn #ifrit #marid #jann #sila #vetala #shaitan #makai #yeah the bigfoot are really nice people

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