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correlance · 2 months

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Paradise Lost: How John Milton's 1667 work influenced "Hazbin Hotel"

I've been thinking about why the "fruit of knowledge" in Hazbin Hotel is depicted as an apple, as opposed to another fruit that would've been more accurate to the Middle East during the Fall of Man, as well as how Paradise Lost by John Milton (1667) influenced the show.

Per one source:

"Because the Hebrew Bible describes the forbidden fruit only as 'peri', the term for general fruit, no one knows [what exactly type of fruit it was]. It could be a fruit that doesn't exist anymore. Historians have speculated it may have been any one of these fruits: pomegranate, mango, fig, grapes, etrog or citron, carob, pear, quince, or mushroom."

Per Wikipedia:

"The pseudepigraphic Book of Enoch describes the tree of knowledge: 'It was like a species of the Tamarind tree, bearing fruit which resembled grapes extremely fine; and its fragrance extended to a considerable distance. I exclaimed, How beautiful is this tree, and how delightful is its appearance!' (1 Enoch 31:4)."

In Jewish and Islamic traditions, the "fruit of knowledge" is commonly identified with grapes. The Zohar explains that Noah attempted (but failed) to rectify the sin of Adam by using grape wine for holy purposes. Today, the "Noah grape" is still used to make white wine.

Furthermore:

"The association of the pomegranate with knowledge of the underworld as provided in the Ancient Greek legend of Hades and Persephone may also have given rise to an association with knowledge of the 'otherworld', tying-in with knowledge that is forbidden to mortals. It is also believed Hades offered Persephone a pomegranate to force her to stay with him in the underworld for 6 months of the year. Hades is the Greek god of the underworld, and the Bible states that whoever eats the forbidden fruit shall die."

So, how then did the apple become the foremost symbol of the "fruit of knowledge"? You can partly thank Paradise Lost by English poet John Milton, a work which the lore of Hazbin Hotel is based off of.

Milton published the book in 1667, a time when the hedonistic Restoration era was in full swing. The exiled King Charles II was restored to the throne as King of England in 1660, and was a party animal, with dozens of mistresses, and nicknamed both the "playboy prince" and "Old Rowley", the latter after his favorite lustful stallion.

However, the association of the "fruit of knowledge" began with a Latin pun long before Milton immortalized the association in Paradise Lost. Per the linked article above by Nina Martyris for NPR:

"In order to explain, we have to go all the way back to the fourth century A.D., when Pope Damasus ordered his leading scholar of scripture, Jerome, to translate the Hebrew Bible into Latin. Jerome's path-breaking, 15-year project, which resulted in the canonical 'Vulgate', used the Latin spoken by the common man. As it turned out, the Latin words for evil and apple are the same: 'malus'.

[...] When Jerome was translating the 'Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil', the word 'malus' snaked in. A brilliant but controversial theologian, Jerome was known for his hot temper, but he obviously also had a rather cool sense of humor.

'Jerome had several options,' says Robert Appelbaum, a professor of English literature at Sweden's Uppsala University. 'But he hit upon the idea of translating 'peri' as 'malus', which in Latin has two very different meanings. As an adjective, 'malus' means 'bad' or 'evil'. As a noun it seems to mean an apple, in our own sense of the word, coming from the very common tree now known officially as the 'Malus pumila'. So Jerome came up with a very good pun.'

The story doesn't end there. 'To complicate things even more,' says Appelbaum, 'the word 'malus' in Jerome's time, and for a long time after, could refer to any fleshy seed-bearing fruit. A pear was a kind of 'malus'. So was the fig, the peach, and so forth.'

Which explains why Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel fresco features a serpent coiled around a fig tree. But the apple began to dominate Fall artworks in Europe after the German artist Albrecht Dürer's famous 1504 engraving depicted the First Couple counterpoised beside an apple tree. It became a template for future artists such as Lucas Cranach the Elder, whose luminous Adam and Eve painting is hung with apples that glow like rubies.

Milton, then, was only following cultural tradition. But he was a renowned Cambridge intellectual fluent in Latin, Greek and Hebrew, who served as secretary for foreign tongues to Oliver Cromwell during the Commonwealth. If anyone was aware of the 'malus' pun, it would be him, and yet he chose to run it with it. Why?

Appelbaum says that Milton's use of the term 'apple' was ambiguous. 'Even in Milton's time the word had two meanings: either what was our common apple, or, again, any fleshy seed-bearing fruit. Milton probably had in mind an ambiguously named object with a variety of connotations as well as denotations, most but not all of them associating the idea of the apple with a kind of innocence, though also with a kind of intoxication, since hard apple cider was a common English drink.'

It was only later readers of Milton, says Appelbaum, who thought of 'apple' as 'apple', and not any seed-bearing fruit. For them, the forbidden fruit became synonymous with the 'malus pumila'. As a widely read canonical work, 'Paradise Lost' was influential in cementing the role of apple in the Fall of Man story."

To tie this back into John Milton's relationship with King Charles II of England, as mentioned, Milton originally served Oliver Cromwell, Lord Protector of England, and the English Commonwealth, which was formed with the overthrow and execution of King Charles I on 30 January 1649, following the bloody English Civil War (1642 – 1651).

The King's two sons - the newly-christened King Charles II, the elder, and James, Duke of York (King James II), the younger - fled into exile on the European continent. However, with the death of Oliver Cromwell on 3 September 1658 came the 2-year-long dissolution of the English Commonwealth, and the restoration of the monarchy.

As for Milton himself, we can look to an article by Bill Potter.

Milton, born on 9 December 1608, was around 51-52 years old when King Charles II was restored to the throne. He attended Christ's Church, Cambridge in his youth, and mastered at least six languages, as well as history and philosophy; making him, perhaps, the most knowledgeable poet in history. He spent more than a year travelling across Europe, conversing with and learning from intellectuals, linguists, poets, and artists, including the famous Galileo Galilei.

However, Milton was a controversial figure of his time, being unafraid to criticize institutions of authority; arguing that "divorce was Biblical", for which he was routinely condemned; joining the Puritans; penning the Areopagitica, a treatise on liberty in favor of Parliament and the Roundhead rebels, during the reign of King Charles I, arguing that the King must be held accountable by the people; and agreed with and justified the murder of King Charles I, for which Parliament hired him in 1649 as a propagandist and correspondence secretary to foreign powers, on account of his fiery manifestos against "the man".

The collapse of the Commonwealth with the death of Oliver Cromwell in 1658 did not deter Milton from continued political writing against the monarchy and the new public sentiment that brought about its Restoration under King Charles II in 1660. On the contrary, Milton - now totally blind, having lost his eyesight by the age of 44 in 1652, a decade earlier - began writing Paradise Lost in 1661, and spent the next six years dictating the work to transcribers.

A supporter of regicide, Milton was also forced into exile himself, and faked his own death, as Charles refused to pardon - and sought to execute - any of those directly involved with his father's murder. Milton's friends held a mock funeral for Milton on 27 August 1660, just months after the coronation of King Charles II on 23 April 1660.

King Charles II commented that he "applauded his [Milton's] policy in escaping the punishment of death [execution for treason] by a reasonable show of dying", but insisted on a public spectacle nonetheless by having Milton's writings burned by the public hangman.

After eventually obtaining a general pardon from King Charles II, Milton was imprisoned, and released, likely due to political friends in high places. He died, aged 64, in 1674. His theological views were sometimes considered heterodox by the best Puritans, and his political views came close to getting him executed on several occasions. His poetry, however, has endured as some of the greatest works in the English language, especially Paradise Lost; much of his greatest work was written during his 22 years of complete blindness.

One of the main factors in King Charles II deciding to grant a pardon to Milton was, ironically, Paradise Lost. While originally written by Milton as a scathing criticism of King Charles II and the monarchy - depicting Lucifer Morningstar as a sympathetic rebel against God, with King Charles II claiming that is right to rule came from "divine ordainment" - Charles II enjoyed the work, and authorized its publication on 20 August 1667. We know this because a 1668 copy of Paradise Lost in royal bindings by Samuel Mearne, bound lovingly in a fine red leather made of goat skins tanned with sumac, and stamped in gold with the royal cypher of King Charles II, was found. The endpapers bore a watermark with the royal arms of Charles II.

Per one Miltonian scholar: "The most single important event in Milton's life was the event against which he struggled most: the Restoration of Charles II, [and his relationship with the King]. Had it not come, we might have never had Paradise Lost...certainly, we should never have had [it] in [its] present power and significance."

Milton followed up Paradise Lost with Paradise Regained in 1671, three years before his death, with advice for King Charles II, urging the hedonistic Charles to "reign over himself and his passions":

"For therein stands the office of a King, His Honour, Vertue, Merit and chief Praise, That for the Publick all this weight he bears. Yet he who reigns within himself, and rules Passions, Desires, and Fears, is more a King; Which every wise and vertuous man attains: And who attains not, ill aspires to rule Cities of men, or head-strong Multitudes, Subject himself to Anarchy within, Or lawless passions in him which he serves." - John Milton, Paradise Regained, Book II, lines 463-472

To summarize: "If we must have a King back again, my Lord, please try to be a good man, unlike your father, who fell to his pride, [which was also the downfall of Lucifer]."

To quote another source: "Though the passage begins by noting that the office of a King is to bear the weight of public concerns, it is the control of one's private concerns that truly set a King apart as a virtuous character. Indeed, so important is self-command that any wise or virtuous man who attains it is like a king; any king who does not practice [self-command] is nothing more than a mere subject, ruled by anarchy and lawlessness."

Milton's words, too, echo a work written by Charles' grandfather, King James VI/I of Scotland and England: Basilikon Doron ("Royal Gift").

Per Wikipedia:

"'Basilikon Doron' (Βασιλικὸν Δῶρον) means 'royal gift' in Ancient Greek, and was written in the form of a private letter to James' eldest son, Henry, Duke of Rothesay (1594–1612). After Henry's death, James gave it to his second son, Charles, born 1600, later King Charles I. Seven copies were printed in Edinburgh in 1599, and it was republished in London in 1603, when it sold in the thousands.

This document is separated into three books, serving as general guidelines to follow to be an efficient monarch. The first describes a king's duty towards God as a Christian. The second focuses on the roles and responsibilities in office. The third concerns proper behaviour in daily life.

As the first part is concerned with being a good Christian, James instructed his son to love and respect God as well as to fear Him. Furthermore, it is essential to carefully study the Scripture (the Bible) and especially specific books in both the Old and New Testaments. Lastly, he must pray often and always be thankful for what God has given him.

In the second book, James encouraged his son to be a good king, as opposed to a tyrant, by establishing and executing laws as well as governing with justice and equality, such as by boosting the economy. The final portion of the Basilikon Doron focuses on the daily life of a monarch.

All of these guidelines composed an underlying code of conduct to be followed by all monarchs and heads of state to rule and govern efficiently. James assembled these directions as a result of his own experience and upbringing. He, therefore, offered the 'Basilikon Doron' ('Royal Gift') to his son, with the hope of rendering him a capable ruler, and perhaps to pass it down to future generations.

Overall, it repeats the argument for the divine right of kings, as set out in 'The True Law of Free Monarchies', which was also written by James. It warns against 'Papists' (Roman Catholics) and derides Puritans, in keeping with his philosophy of following a 'middle path', which is also reflected in the preface to the 1611 King James Bible. It also advocates removing the Apocrypha from the Bible."

King James VI/I further instructed his son and grandson:

"A good monarch must be well acquainted with his subjects, and so it would be wise to visit each of the kingdoms every three years."

"During war or armed conflict, he should choose old-but-good captains to lead an army of young and agile soldiers."

"In the court and the household, [a royal] should carefully select loyal gentlemen and servants to surround him. When the time came to choose a wife, it would be best if she were of the same religion and had a generous estate. However, she must not meddle with governmental politics, but perform her domestic duties."

"As for inheritance, to ensure stability, the kingdom should be left to the eldest son, not divided among all children."

"Lastly, it is most important...that [a royal] would know well his own craft...to properly govern over his subjects. To do so, [one] must study the laws of the kingdom, and actively participate in the council. Furthermore, [one] must be acquainted with mathematics for military purposes, and world history for foreign policy."

"[A royal] must also not drink and sleep excessively. His wardrobe should always be clean and proper, and he must never let his hair and nails grow long. In his writing and speech, he should use honest and plain language."

King James VI/I further supplemented Basilikon Doron with a written treatise titled The True Law of Free Monarchies: Or, The Reciprocal and Mutual Duty Between a Free King and His Natural Subjects.

"It is believed King James VI/I wrote the tract to set forth his idea of absolutist monarchism in clear contrast to the contractarian views espoused by, among others, James' tutor George Buchanan (in 'De Jure Regni apud Scotos'), [which] held the idea that monarchs rule in accordance of some sort of social contract with their people. James saw the divine right of kings as an extension of the apostolic succession, as both not being subjected by humanly laws."

Milton's own Areopagitica was a follow-up on De Jure Regni apid Scotos by George Buchanan, and also to The True Law of Free Monarchies, as well as the idea of the "divine right of kings". It takes its title in part from Areopagitikos (Greek: Ἀρεοπαγιτικός), a speech written by Athenian orator Isocrates in the 4th century BC.

Most importantly, Milton also wrote on the concept of free will: "Milton's ideas were ahead of his time in the sense that he anticipated the arguments of later advocates of freedom of the press by relating the concept of free will, and choice to individual expression and right."

The concept of free will, too, was a major topic explored in Paradise Lost. Per one source: "In 'Paradise Lost', Milton argues that though God foresaw the Fall of Man, he still didn't influence Adam and Eve's free will. [...] God specifically says that he gives his creatures the option to serve or disobey, as he wants obedience that is freely given [or chosen], not forced. Some critics have claimed that the God of the poem undercuts his own arguments; however, Milton did not believe in the Calvinistic idea of 'predestination' (that God has already decided who is going to Hell and who to Heaven), but he often comes close to describing a Calvinistic God. God purposefully lets Lucifer (Satan) escape Hell, and sneak past Uriel into the Garden of Eden, and basically orchestrates the whole situation so that humanity can be easily ruined by a single disobedient act. In describing the Fall of Man before it happens, God already predicts how he will remedy it, and give greater glory to himself by sending his Son [Jesus Christ] to die, and restore the order of Heaven."

In Hazbin Hotel, Adam also describes the Calvinistic idea of 'predestination', and that "the rules are black and white":

However, "This possible predestination leads to the theory of the 'fortunate fall', which is based on Adam's delight at learning of the eventual coming of the Messiah [from his bloodline]. This idea says that God allowed the Fall of Man, so that he could bring good out of it, possibly more good than would have occurred without the Fall, and be able to show his love and power through the incarnation of his Son. In this way, the free will of Adam and Eve (and Lucifer/Satan) remains basically free, but still fits into God's overarching plan."

However, there is one major flaw with this, and that is that we don't know if Jesus Christ exists within the Hazbin Hotel universe or not. Yet Charlie Morningstar, the daughter of Lucifer Morningstar and Lilith, and the "Princess of Hell", is depicted as a savior-esque figure within the show who, like God in Paradise Lost, encourages lowly sinners to choose obedience to God out of their own free will. More interestingly, Charlie does not come from Adam's bloodline; yet, while Lucifer decries 'free will', Charlie supports 'free will' instead.

Perhaps is is merely because Charlie, being the daughter of Lucifer and Lilith, claims to want to fulfill Lilith's "dream" of humanity being empowered in Hell ("The mind is its own place, it can make Heaven out of Hell, or Hell out of Heaven" - Lucifer, Paradise Lost); however, I think it also stems from Charlie having a genuine belief that 'free will', and people choosing to do good instead of evil, is "good" and "Godly".

True to Paradise Lost, this is also in fulfillment of God's plan; and, according to one fanfiction, why God allowed Charlie to be born to Lucifer and Lilith, so that sinners may be redeemed through Charlie.

For more on differing interpretations of 'free will', I suggest reading: "Free Will and the Diminishing Importance of God's Will: A Study of Paradise Lost and Supernatural" by Kimberly Batchelor (2016)

Excerpt: "'Paradise Lost' –and Milton’s purpose for writing the poem— is rooted deeply in postreformation Arminianism and this is apparent in its employment of free will. Chapter 1 argues that Milton turns to free will as a tool to justify the actions of God. Freedom of choice is God-given, and sets up a morality in which right and wrong are dictated by God. Chapter 2 shows that in 'Supernatural', free will is not given by a higher power; and, in fact, free choice functions as an act of defiance against God's will."

This raises the question: Is 'free will' given by God, using Lucifer as his vessel, in Hazbin Hotel, as in Paradise Lost? Or is 'free will' not given by a higher power; and, in fact, an act of defiance against God?

This brings us back around to our first question: Why is an apple, or 'malus', used to depict the "fruit of knowledge", especially if 'malus' means 'bad or evil', whereas Milton depicts 'free will' as God-given?

Well, for one, Lucifer still chooses to associate himself with apple symbolism and imagery, despite being skeptical of free will:

Based on the introduction to Episode 1, Charlie also views 'free will' as a gift (Miltonian), whereas Lucifer appears to view it as a curse.

However, Charlie also notes that it was through the 'gift' of free will that the "root of all evil" entered the world, for if mankind could choose to be good, then they could also choose to be evil ('malus').

John Milton states in Paradise Lost: "Of Man's First Disobedience, and the Fruit Of that Forbidden Tree [malus], whose mortal taste Brought Death (evil, malus) into the World, and all our woe."

Thus, the use of an apple specifically is likely a tie-in to what others have been speculating about a character that series creator Vivienne Medrano (Vivziepop) alluded to a while back: "The Root of All Evil".

However, "Roo" itself is depicted as possessing the body of a human woman, presumably Eve, the first one to eat the "fruit of knowledge":

Thus, we can discern that "Malus" likely refers to this character. (Also see: "Maleficent", a name that also uses the root word "mal", "evil".) As for Roo's intentions, if Charlie is "good" - and, if, in fact, Alastor was sent by "Roo" (Eve) - then they may want for Alastor to work on their behalf to "corrupt" Charlie, or make sure the hotel never succeeds.

This is because demonic power is tied to human souls, and there are "millions of souls" in Hell, which likely fuels the great power of "Roo". The more souls there are in Hell, the more powerful "Roo" becomes. The Overlords also get their demonic power from "millions of souls".

The deal between Eve and "Roo" might even be the first contract, or deal, between a human soul and a demonic entity; in exchange for 'free will', and the knowledge of good and evil, Eve allowed the "Root of All Evil" to inhabit her body, and to escape the void or prison it was confined to by Heaven (Hell?). (For one cannot be 'all-good' unless you attempt to 'eliminate' or 'ablate' evil; and, in Greek mythology, Zeus imprisoned the Titans in Tartarus for all of their evil deeds.)

Another possibility, brought up in an article by Gillian Osborne, is that Lucifer sees the "fruit of knowledge" as an apple, but it may appear as different fruits to different people, depending on how they view it. This also fits with Lucifer and angels being able to easily shapeshift.

In Paradise Lost, only Lucifer describes the fruit as an "apple" (malus), as he associates malus with "bad, evil", while the narrator also describes the fruit as "a mix of different colors" and peach-like. This then begs the question: "Did the fruit of knowledge of good and evil become 'evil' because Eve harbored resentment towards Adam?"

Quote: "Lucifer (Satan) gives Eve yet another hint that this tree may be more complicated than he wishes her to believe: although elsewhere in Milton's poem Eden is heady with its own newness, sprouting spring flowers left and right, the tree of knowledge is already old: its trunk is 'mossie'. Nevertheless, Lucifer claims to wind himself around the tree 'soon'; the quickness of his reported arrival stands in contrast to the timescales required to cover a fruit tree with moss (PL 9.589). Placing Lucifer's winding body between these two timescales—an easeful present and the inhuman scale of natural history—Milton suggests that there is something dangerous in entangling the past with the present. Yet, 'Paradise Lost' also makes deep biblical history feel like present politics for its readers. When Adam and Eve wander out of Eden at the end of the poem, they famously make their way not only into an earthly paradise, but also into the present. Eden's mossy apple tree therefore represents the pitfalls of conflating nature and history, of seeing any action in human history—even Eve's eating of an apple—as natural, if by nature, we mean inevitability. For Milton, history, unlike nature, is directed by humans, progressive, and, like the reading of 'Paradise Lost', hard work. While trees may inevitably collect moss the longer they live, Adam and Eve's labors in the garden, and our labors of reading, require agency and effort. Milton's poem refuses mourning the loss of Eden, [and the perfection of Heaven], in favor of a perpetual, melancholic, recreation of paradise: a present perfecting."

To quote Twisted: The Untold Story of a Royal Vizier, which also draws inspiration from John Milton's Paradise Lost: "It's an unfortunate situation...but you do have a choice [i.e. free will]."

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bless-my-demons · 5 months

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Redamancy: Chapter Twenty-Seven

Series Summary: What happens when your soulmate is a vampire that struggles to maintain a diet of trying not to kill you? Common sense says run for the hills, nothing is worth your life - but my heart is whispering why not, what’s there to lose?

Warnings: Oh god the FLUFF

Notes: I did this one a little different, I tried sort of a true dual POV and it’s got me fucked up y’all-goddamn. Don’t ask me where the fuck this came from because I have no thoughts, head fucking empty. I just - I can’t, just read it.

Word Count: 1287

Series Masterlist

• March 28th, 2006 • Forks HS •

Reader

I give up.

Striding from my locker, I interrupt Jasper and his conversation with Alice, pushing him towards the familiar small alcove below the stairs.

I breathe heavily, working up the nerve to ask him what’s been on my mind for an ungodly amount of time. Fuck me, I just miss him so damn much.

“Can I kiss you?” I’m weak, weak for needing him so badly after such a short amount of time, I can’t even look anywhere else than the middle of his chest as I make my request.

He surges forward after a heavy beat of silence once I finish my question, he cages me against the wall, “Be mine.”

His words snatch the oxygen from my body, I glance up to his eyes, “What?”

“Come over this weekend,” his gaze is intense - staring into my very soul, “Let me apologize for the last six months. Give me a shot, darlin’.”

“Okay-” I don’t even finish my answer before he moves to grant my wish.

Oh god.

His lips lay themselves upon mine and I swear time stops. It’s a cliche, but everything else in my life no longer exists aside from his lips on mine. Cold and firm, but gentle and steady. A perfect match, non-dominating or in a hurry, but taking his time. As if he were memorizing the pressure, the taste, the way my own lips moved against his.

As if he were coaxing my soul out into the open, to bask in the warm sun that is his love.

Our mouths slotted perfectly together, familiar, the way my body clicked with his. My arms wind themselves around his neck and he kisses me deeper, more - I need more. Two magnets drawn together, two pieces of torn cloth restitched to be whole again, two halves meant to find their place in each other. I move, tilting my head and he responds in kind, an equal in every way despite our differing mortality.

I almost didn’t get this. This-this summation of feelings and butterflies an-and everything between us that’s built up. The lead weight in my stomach from this realization threatens to yank me from the cloud nine his kiss firmly perched me on.

Tears, fat and heavy roll down my cheeks as I grip his shirt desperately and he pulls away just far enough to inspect my face.

“Why are you crying, sweet girl?”

“I never… I never thought I’d get the chance…” My eyes remain closed, unable to meet his gaze.

“To what?” I can hear the crinkle in his brow just from his voice.

“To kiss you again.”

I hear his sharp intake of breath and I know my words cut deep.

I open my eyes, “You left me and it’s all I’ve ever thought about. I-I-”

“Darlin’,” his turn for his eyes to flutter closed, “I’ve regretted every day since that night. I regret my lapse in control, I regret not having a better grip on myself, to handle these urges.”

“Can you?” My lips ghost over his as I whisper my question, the addiction having taken root. “Can you handle it now?”

A shuddering breath exits his mouth and his eyes snap open, a rare display of my effect on the vampire. “No.”

The answer zaps through me, but he stops me before I could pull away. “No? Jasper-“

“You-I-“ a growl pushes to the surface, giving away his flustered state. “I can’t fucking think for god’s sake.”

Jasper

Fuck me, her mouth is pure sin.

I could lose myself in those lips and never care about resurfacing ever again. Everything she does, from how she tilts her chin to welcome me further, to how her body yields to mine and forms against me, it’s heaven. The burning in my throat is secondary to the pure bliss her kiss envelopes me with.

Not to mention her fucking emotions.

Need, happiness, hunger, relief, contentment. They just keep coming, one after the other and I swear it inflates my chest with a happiness of my own, like a thousand butterflies trapped inside the cage of my ribs.

Love.

It feels like two ribbons entwining, dancing in sync, twisting in ways that create a beautiful tangled mess not soon to be unwound.

Love?

This one is different, I’ve felt love before - it’s shines from Esme’s face on a daily basis, it seeps from the smile lines around Carlisle’s mouth, and it passes through me with every one of Emmett’s hugs. But this? This love? This love is flowing straight from her heart into mine, breathing life into something long cold and dead. This love is meant only for me, only to be shared between mates, this kind of love is meant to be secreted away and only examined in moments of vulnerability between two like souls.

I love her and she loves me.

The thought rocks me to my core and I cup the back of her head as she leans back a little, allowing me to deepen the kiss.

A wetness begins to trickle down her cheeks and it startles me from the trance of her delicious mouth, tears?

I pull back far enough to catch the tear tracks from her tightly closed lids, “Why are you crying, sweet girl?”

“I never… I never thought I’d get the chance…” She trails off, still hiding those gorgeous eyes from me.

“To what?” I furrow my brow, not quite following.

“To kiss you again.”

I inhale quickly to try and soften the blow her words deal straight to my chest. She’s yearned for this moment for months, just like I have.

She finally opens her eyes, “You left me and it’s all I’ve ever thought about. I-I-”

“Darlin’,” it’s my turn for my eyes to flutter closed, “I’ve regretted every day since that night. I regret my lapse in control, I regret not having a better grip on myself, to handle these urges.”

“Can you?” Her lips ghost over my own as she whispers her question, stealing the very thoughts from my brain. “Can you handle it now?”

I exhale a shuddering breath before my eyes snap open, “No.”

“No? Jasper-“

“You-I-“ a growl erupts before I could stop it, frustration at my own thoughts bubbling up. “I can’t fucking think for god’s sake.”

Will this girl ever learn that she controls me? That I bend to her? She has me wrapped securely around her delicate little pinky and she has no idea.

“I need to hunt before this weekend, but I will pick you up Saturday morning at your house.” I promise her, my nose gently rubbing against hers in a soothing motion.

“Okay.” Her breathless reply damn-near brings me to my knees.

“Darlin’?” I question her, slightly amused.

“Hmm?” Her eyes are closed, her emotions are just emanating absolute bliss.

“We still have half a school day to get through.” I’m not sure who I’m trying to convince, her or myself.

“I’m not sure you can convince me to go.” Fuck.

“Darlin’, you gotta help me out here.” I scratch the base of her skull lightly to get her attention and it was definitely the wrong thing to do, her grip tightens on my shirt and her bliss burns a little heavier, almost suffocating me.

“Now why would I do that when I could just kiss you again?” Her eyes crack open, but I’m already in motion.

How could I argue with logic like that? My lips are on hers again before that beautiful pink mouth could part even a fraction.

Love, oh I could get used to this.

Taglist Part 1:

@aoi-targaryen @min-jianhyung @pbbsl @timelordhunterandmysterysolver @sheerangermany @clearwater-hoe @Blackbluerose666 @ivy-plays @random-human02 @delightfulbluebirdstarlight @steh-lar-uh-nuhs @gaymazinglula @l3ejm @angelfuzzy2 @losa12308 @thekinkpopstandsforkrackheads @flyawayprincess @ropickle @catbusloki @deviat3dsn0wf0x @lovesanimals0000 @unrevived @h-naec @cutesnakemum @zudooms @itsmytimetoodream @stinkii-boii @acoolnight @anothercoffeeblogx @irishblend10 @from-now-on-im-switzerland @kyraslife2 @naolvshan @kiiwiigii @rosedpetal @kiaraandrea @foolsgoldxo @heartfilia01 @azuredgalaxies @geekysimmerthings @graciereads @ramen-girl-2424 @0hmydekiru @creeqvealley @cherriebat @whichwitchisthebitch @dragon-rider-with-a-book @secretfairytailpetscookie @psychobitchsthings

#jasper hale x reader #jasper hale fanfiction #redamancy series #jasper hale x female!reader #twilight fanfiction #jasper whitlock hale #bless-my-demons #twilight #jasper hale #female reader insert

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superectojazzmage · 5 months

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Of everything that happens in the new issue of Immortal Thor, this scene stands out the most to me as something I feel will be one of the most important scenes of both the issue and the run as a whole.

In the very beginning of gods, of Earth, of humanity, of stories, among the very first incarnations of the archetypes that Thor and Loki embody - the mighty warrior and the devious trickster - see each other and immediately get into a fight out of sheer revulsion of everything their twin stands for.

Good vs evil. Light vs dark. Order vs chaos. Brawn vs brain. Control vs freedom. Life vs death. Fate vs choice. Peace vs war. Mundanity vs magic. Law vs crime. Creation vs destruction. Love vs hate. And many more. Clashing opposites, battling for supremacy. A cycle of violence and debate passed down the generations, from father to son, mentor to student, predecessor to successor, and so on. Brother waging battle against brother just to prove a point, to fulfill their role in the story. An ideological blood feud applied to archetypes and titles and narratives. Trickling all the way down into it's present expression... Thor and Loki.

Already it's clear that cycles of this sort are going to be a very large theme of Immortal Thor. The concept of recurrences and stories being retold over the years have been talked about a lot by the narrator. The comic goes to great lengths to draw attention to how Thor and his cast and, by extension, their own world in the form of comics are falling into patterns that transcend through time. And I feel that's going to be the crux of a great deal of the plot.

Loki hates the cycle. In their roles as both the goddess of stories and the god of mischief, they abhor stagnation and repetition. They want to be free of the roles "assigned" by the narrative. They want to be free of the debate, the never-ending battle of good and evil that ha destroyed their family time and again. Thor would want to be free of it too, if he realized he were part of it. But he struggles to do so. He's a rock in the sea of time. A god among mortals, a child of two worlds watching in confusion and grief as his human friends age and change and die around him while his divine brothers and sisters continue to stay the same. In this, they are trying to do what Gaea wanted to do but couldn't; to break the cycle.

Toranos and Utgard-Loki don't want to break the cycle. They ARE the cycle. Embodiments of the sins of the forefathers carrying down to their children. Representations of the archetypes of Thors and Lokis at their absolute worst, shorn of all true depth and compassion and true belief in their aspects in favor of continuing the godforsaken argument. Shades of the old festering in the blood of the young, infesting them with their baggage, holding them back from growing better, and lashing out at them when the new generations fail to meet the standards of the elders. And they may not even realize they're doing so.

This isn't the first time this theme has come up in Al Ewing's work.

Immortal Hulk presents the conflict between the Hulk and his archenemy, the Leader, as a similar generational feud. Both in a literal familial sense (the Banner and Sterns families being divided and warring after Robert and Samuel Sterns turn on each other) and a larger ideological sense (people using the power of gamma for good or ill, going all the way to the first Hulk being born from a leader's selfish desire to misuse magic as a tool of conquest). Sometimes the thoughtful man is the hero, sometimes the brute is. But they always fight. Senselessly and pointlessly. And the Green Door and the horror it brings was only stopped... by breaking the cycle. By defying it. By Hulk choosing to never sink to Leader's level, or those of his predecessors, and instead choose to forgive.

And Ewing makes clear cycles and wars spanning centuries like this are common in the Marvel Universe. The Eternity Mask is passed down generations of men and women, always fighting for freedom against those who would deny it. Nick Fury passes his name and identity and role onto his son. There's always an Ant Man, inheriting their predecessor's problems, and there's always an Ultron, trying to claim dominion. Arakko and Krakoa alike are divided between those who hold to the old ways and those who seek new ways. Ebony and Ivory Kings do their work, from within and without. On and on, the wheels turn.

It even goes back to the very beginning. To prior multiverses. All tracing back to the first super battle, the first superhero and first supervillain - Lifebringer-One and Anti-All, the cosmic knight and the entropic dragon - fighting for the fate of the nascent world.

Effectively, Ewing views and represents the narratives of superhero comics as we know them, as a sort of repeating song. The metatextual commentary is that all this has happened before and will happen again, because humanity will always dream of heroes battling monsters. There will always be a knight and a dragon. A warrior and a trickster. A superhero and a supervillain.

But he also acknowledges how this can go too far. How comics can fall into stagnating loops of repeating stories and stall status quos. Spider-Men being denied their stories because editors want to live in nostalgia instead of the now. X-Men getting their progress towards coexistence undone because writers can't handle change.

And this is all what Immortal Thor is about and will be about. The struggle for balance between opposites and extremes. Cyclical narratives and worlds. Ideas and stories being inherited and passed on. And all of it a commentary on comic books themselves and their history and role in culture.

It's brilliant stuff.

#immortal thor #the immortal thor #thor #mighty thor #thor odinson #loki #loki laufeyson #marvel #marvel comics #marvel 616 #earth 616 #marvel universe #al ewing #comic books #comics #media analysis #character analysis

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brighteyedbushybrowed · 2 years

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𝐀𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐬

𝐒𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲 Sodo reflects on your relationship as you lay together in your room. That's it that's the fic.

𝐆𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐭𝐨𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐭 Ashes

𝐒𝐡𝐢𝐩(𝐬) Sodo x GN!Reader

𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭 No spice here babes. Kind of a long winded introduction to the fic bc I didn't know how to start it oops. Sodo is so soft for reader. Like geez get a room. There's the brief mention of sex but no description or detail.

𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭 913 words.

𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐬 Hens, I'll be honest. I struggled with this one and I'm not 100% happy with it but I've written it and it's being shot here so that you can read it. There also may not be a Ghosttober fic on Wednesday, depends on what I get done today and tomorrow as I'm taking part in an open mic night for my uni's creative writing magazine that I'm an editor of (still can't believe I'm an editor like what). I've checked to make sure I've not gendered terms or anything for reader but if I've missed any please let me know!

The memories of ghouls prior to being summoned can be few and far between. Some ghouls have no memory of what came before they materialised in the ministry, a haze clouding their past. It wasn’t a cause for concern. In fact, it was common for ghouls to have no recollection of their past lives until enough time had passed in the mortal plane for them to start remembering the little things. Friendships with other ghouls, past loves, sins they committed in the name of Satan, and many more.

Sodo remembers a lot.

He remembers the acrid scent of burning flesh from when he got into fights with other fire ghouls, both battles he won and lost. He remembers the chittering of younger ghouls that looked up to him and scrambled to be the first to greet him when he came home from a long day of sparring and training. He remembers a woman’s laughter, possibly his mother’s, when he was but a small ghoulie first coming to grips with his fire abilities.

Now, as he lays in your bed and watches you sleep, he thinks back on the memories he’s made here. The memories you’ve made together, both as friends and as mates.

Your first kiss was at the ministry bonfire last autumn. He helped to organise it to celebrate Halloween, but also because he wanted to impress you. Even though you told him he didn’t need to, he did so anyway because that’s just what Sodo does: he strives to impress you and prove to you that he’s worthy of being your mate. This bonfire was just the beginning of that, and it worked. You personally approached him and gushed about how perfect it was and how it was such an odd coincidence that all the activities, drinks, and food were your favourites. The way you praised him, your touches lingering on his arm and your gaze settling on his lips so often, led him to take that leap of faith and peck your lips. A peck turned into a proper kiss, and a proper kiss turned into the two of you clinging to one another as the bonfire crackled and the scent of smoke and warm apple cider filled the air.

Your first date was at a fireworks display. He brought along earplugs and noise cancelling headphones in case you needed them, ever concerned about letting you know that he cared about you and your comfort. You both sat at the top of a hill that overlooked the town to watch it. The view of the fireworks blossoming over your home as the stars sparkled in the gaps between the clouds was one neither of you would ever forget. He wrapped a blanket around the two of you to keep you warm as you huddled together under the skyline.

The first time you slept together was in his room down in the dens, the fire ghoul insisting that he not invade your personal space so soon into your relationship. It had been clumsy, the two of you joking and laughing as you tried to figure out what the other preferred in the bedroom. Both of you ended up in a sweaty, tangled heap in his bed afterwards and cuddled, his fingers trailing patterns over your skin. The air smelled strongly of sex and sweat but Sodo didn’t care because you were there, and you were real, and you hadn’t run away from him yet. You stayed with him that night, drifting off in his arms once he’d cleaned you both up, and he realised then and there that maybe he cared about you a lot more than he expected to so early on.

He remembered the first night he spent in your room. He’d been bricking it, worried he would do something wrong, or you’d realise once you saw him in your private, personal space that he just didn’t fit into your life the way he so desperately wanted to. He was so anxious, in fact, that he accidentally burned one of your favourite shirts to a crisp when you made him jump. The ghoul panicked and promised repeatedly to replace it, brushing up the ashes frantically. He froze when you started laughing and he thought it was the most beautiful sound in the world. He made sure to tell you that on more than one occasion, but in that moment, he was so convinced you were about to kick him out of your chambers that the kiss you gave him left him lost for words.

“It’s just a shirt,” you told him as you carded your fingers through his dark hair. “It’ll be a funny story we can tell at parties and shit. I bet Swiss is gonna find it hilarious.”

There’s still faded charring on the rug where your shirt had been on the floor when he accidentally incinerated it. He can’t quite make it out in the dark of your room, but he knows exactly where it is, and the memory makes him smile. He can’t believe you’ve been together for almost a year at this point. It’s not that he’s never had a relationship with a human before – he’s had plenty of them in fact. However, this is the longest he’s ever stuck around with a partner. Something about you screams home and entices him to stay.

You light the fire deep in his soul, and he does his best not to cremate anymore of your belongings.

#ghosttober #ghosttober 2022 #sodo ghoul #sodo x reader #sodo x gn!reader #the band ghost #fanfic #my fanfic #mine

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pathfinderunlocked · 5 days

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Prinny - CR1 Demon

Prinny Rule Number 1! You must always include the word “Dood” in every line you say, dood!

Artwork is official art from Cross Edge, copyright Nippon Ichi.

Prinnies are the mascots of the Disgaea series and of Nippon Ichi. They’re among the lowest level demons. Worthless mortal souls with significant sins but no actual importance or aptitude may become prinnies in the afterlife, where they’re forced to work as horribly mistreated slaves for eons to pay off their karmic debt. Like most demons, they have no memory of their mortal lives beyond a vague sense of how evil and worthless they were.

A common trait of the prinnies is their upbeat attitude, lazy and unintelligent personalities, their signature pirouette spin, and frequent use of the word “dood” as an interjection in their sentences. Another memorable feature of theirs is the fact that they explode if thrown. As a result, they’re often used as cannon fodder - or, more accurately, cannon ammunition - by demonic forces.

A group of prinnies is likely to die in a massive chain reaction as they all explode.

They lack a few common demon abilities like telepathy and fire resistance, which is on purpose. See also the CR 11 prinny hero for higher level players.

Honestly, prinnies only attack with fire, not ice, in the Disgaea games, and have absolutely no penguin-themed abilities at all, so this interpretation is a bit loose. Which is true of a lot of my monster adaptations.

Prinny - CR 1

XP 400 CE Small outsider (aquatic, chaotic, demon, evil, extraplanar) Init +1 Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception -2

DEFENSE

AC 12, touch 12, flat-footed 11 (+1 Dex, +1 size) hp 17 (2d10+8) Fort +4, Ref +4, Will +1 DR 5/cold iron Weaknesses combustible feathers, explosive landing Immune electricity, poison Resist acid 10, cold 15

OFFENSE

Speed 20 ft., swim 60 ft. Melee slam +2 (1d8) or 2 machetes +0/+0 (1d4/19-20) and slam -3 (1d8) Ranged bomb +3 ranged touch (1d6+4 cold plus 5 splash (DC 15)) (20 ft. range increment) Special Attacks ice slick charge

Spell-Like Abilities (CL 1st; concentration +2) 1/day—winter’s grasp, summon (level 1, 1 prinny 40%)

STATISTICS

Str 11, Dex 12, Con 18, Int 5, Wis 6, Cha 12 BAB +2; CMB +2; CMD 13 Feats Two Weapon Fighting Skills Escape Artist +14, Swim +16; Racial Modifiers +8 Escape Artist, +8 Swim Languages Abyssal, Celestial, Common, Draconic SQ icewalking Gear machete x2

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Bomb (Su) Each morning, a prinny creates 1 bomb which, in the hands of the prinny, functions as a thrown splash weapon with a range increment of 20 feet. Bombs are considered weapons and can be selected using feats such as Point-Blank Shot and Weapon Focus. A bomb deals 1d6 cold damage, and a prinny adds its Constitution bonus to the damage (usually for a total of 1d6+4 cold damage). The bomb deals splash damage equal to its minimum damage (usually 5), DC 15 Reflex save negates. The save DC is Constitution-based.

In the hands of any other creature, a prinny’s bomb is useless. A prinny’s bomb becomes inert and useless 24 hours after being created.

Combustible Feathers (Ex) If a prinny takes fire damage, each of its feathers becomes a quick-burning fuse that explodes a moment later. The prinny is left naked as its feathers fly off, and the explosion causes 3d6 fire damage in a 5-ft. radius. A DC 9 Reflex save halves the damage. The prinny automatically fails the saving throw against this damage, and takes an additional 50% damage from the explosion. The save DC is Constitution-based and includes a -6 penalty.

Once a prinny explodes in this way, it temporarily loses its DR 5/cold iron, and it cannot explode again (via combustible feathers or explosive landing) until its feathers regrow. Its feathers regrow after 1 hour, causing its DR 5/cold iron to return.

Explosive Landing (Ex) If a prinny takes falling damage, it explodes on impact. The prinny is left naked as its feathers fly off, and the explosion causes 3d6 fire damage in a 5-ft. radius. A DC 9 Reflex save halves the damage. The prinny automatically fails the saving throw against this damage, and takes an additional 50% damage from the explosion. The save DC is Constitution-based and includes a -6 penalty.

Ice Slick Charge (Su) A prinny’s speed doubles when charging on land on a flat surface or downhill. When it performs a charge on land, a prinny leaves an ice trail as the ice slick spell on spaces it moves through and adjacent spaces.

When making a charge, a prinny can attempt to overrun the target of its charge as a free action, continuing in a straight line past its target to the limit of its movement if the overrun is successful. This overrun maneuver does not provoke attacks of opportunity. If the prinny succeeds on the overrun maneuver, its movement during the charge does not provoke attacks of opportunity from the target of its charge.

Icewalking (Ex) A prinny can walk without penalty over areas of ice and snow and does not need to make Acrobatics checks to run or charge on ice.

#d&d #pathfinder 1e #outsider #extraplanar #evil #chaotic #aquatic #demon #disgaea

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madefate · 2 months

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so, like, why clowning ?

some worldbuilding headcanons about imps & clowning ! cw for mentions of classism ( fantasy, but still ) that also borders on racism ( fantasy but STILL and i'm trying not to touch that as much as i can ).

let's get out of the way that viv just seems to really love a good circus theme - like, yeah, okay, it's everywhere. we can understand that as an aesthetic choice, and then dig into why it's interesting and honestly, why it fits! because it does fit.

o1. wow, it's brutal out here.

hell is not kind to imps. it's explicitly in the text of the show that imps are not well respected or privileged within hell, and widely held that they actively hold the position of the bottom of the social ladder. specifically, we know that economically there's very little room for mobility - see, striker's it's rare to see an imp start their own business. we also see the assumptions and prejudice faced outside of wrath, see the waiting room scene in western energy, and striker's monologue about hard lives in the same episode.

entertainment in general is not a vein that is even particularly conducive for imps, just one where they can succeed. the most famous performers that we see in the hellaverse are angel, a mortal sinner, vox and alastor, mortal overlords, verosika, a hellborn succubus, and ozzie and mammon themselves, deadly sins. even the performers at mammon's contest aren't exclusively imps - most of them are just another form of hellborn, and the glam sisters in particular seem to come from envy and have money behind them.

fizz is unequivocally the most famous imp performer, and most famous imp in general, that we see. even in the flashbacks, the buckzo circus was billed as the all imp circus - indicating that it's not a common practice.

given how hard it is to find a foothold in economic and social mobility, it makes sense that the one venue we do see it in, performing, is extremely important.

o2. i've ( don't ) got the magic

thus far, imps and hellhounds are the only beings in hell that we've seen without any access to magic. even sinners are granted some inherent power and we see that increase dramatically if they gain power as an overlord. it is, simply put, hard to stand out in a world where some people can snap their fingers and conjure up the most incredible displays, or even just neatly get the job done.

a lot of the social / economic mobility we see for imps comes from their willingness to put in the work. I.M.P. has access to the living world, which is not unheard of but rare, but they are also willing to hunt down a target and get blood on their hands on behalf of those who can't get to the living world (and we know the other ways to access that living world are rare and expensive). striker also does assassination work - but largely for those who are simply not a position to get the job done themselves.

we explicitly see how hard fizz works to have the station and reputation he does - how much pressure he puts on himself to be perfect. in the flashbacks, we see that blitz & fizz (and barbie presumably) are already performing real shows at the age of five or six, and cash is already putting an enormous amount of pressure on fizz as one of his highest earners and biggest draws. it would be a lot easier to attract attention or create these entertaining displays if you have access to magic - or at least MONEY for a better tent, better costumes, better special effects.

so to succeed as a clown as an imp? you have to be very, very good. the pressure is always on, which leads me to -

o3. you're simply the best

when you're working with a deck that's not nearly as stacked as everyone else's, you have to be on top of your fucking game, no questions. the reason fizzarolli wins that contest every year, the reason why he's the face of mammon's brand, is because he's so utterly charismatic - a real showman. magic and pyrotechnics may get you some fancy spectacle, but there's no replacement for being an absolute fucking delight with a killer joke and banger music and a natural rapport with the crowd.

it's why, even if blitz wasn't as skilled as fizz - or at least TOLD he wasn't - his acrobatic skills are above and beyond. those circus instincts come in handy on a daily basis - he has to be quick thinking, fast on his feet, able to improv and roll with the punches, able to distract someone with patter and banter, and yeah - he needs some Sick Flips.

he holds a little shame that he never really pursued a clowning career, mostly because it was such a fundamental part of his life for the entirety of his formative years. he didn't LOVE it - in fact, he was deeply disillusioned by first his father and then mammon - and it only got worse as he got older, but we see on screen how much the idea of performing can send him into a spiral - and how much it means to him if he succeeds.

when you can hold your own against people you're told are better than you, it means a hell of a lot - it's a source of pride, a way to make a life, and an unwitting tradition among some circles of imps.

#hh tw #( blitz hc. )#just ! thinking a lot about this !!

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theladyoracle · 5 months

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✧ Hierarchy in The Collective AU ✧

𖦹⭒°｡⋆𖦹 A Creepypasta AU by The Lady Oracle 𖦹⋆°｡⭒𖦹

a/n: The hierarchy throughout the Collective! This is a LONG one! But it's the foundations that have developed my AU into what it is today. If you read through all of this, I'll personally give you a kiss on the mouth!

✧ Hierarchy ✧

I have always wondered, 'What's the difference between the Proxies that we know and love (Toby, Kate, Masky, Hoodie) and the regular Creeps (Jeff, BEN, Eyeless Jack....etc....)?' To help build the world, I have established a general Hierarchy that helps separate the characters!

✧ Seers ✧

At the very top of the hierarchy is the Seers. The label is a general term for powerful, ancient beings who have been residents of the land from the very beginning. They can see everything that happens throughout the land. There is no escaping them. Seers are never human, and there are only so many. For example, the fungus known as the Occultatumycete is itself is a Seer. It has the ability to sense the happenings that occur on its soil. It is uncertain if there is more than one Seer, or if the Occultatumycete is an amalgamation of many.

Seers are anonymous, sometimes they go without names. They can be depicted in art and culture, but are usually highly regarded as deities or gods by Acolytes.

✧ Acolytes ✧

Second on the totem pole of the hierarchy are the Acolytes. Acolytes are the assistants to the Seers, but do not let their name fool you. These beings are much more than servants or cultists. Oftentimes, it is these individuals that have the true authority over the land. They are named, they have followers, and they are usually quite the force to be reckoned with. For example, Slenderman is an Acolyte to the Seers. Acolytes perform ceremonial duties, often rituals or sacrifices.

Acolytes, whether knowledgeable or not, create an unbreakable pact with the Seers. Their deal typically goes along the lines of; for immortality and unmeasurable power, you will serve the Seers with blood. What one chooses to do with it, so long as they continue to abide by the Seers and their land, is up to the Acolyte.

Acolytes can be Monsters, Creatures, Horrors, or Humans…the Seers aren’t very picky. However most of the Acolytes for the Seers these days have been around for a long time and are very well established.

Acolytes build their own totem poles, putting themselves at the top. They pick and choose who they allow into their circles, and pick and choose who to bring under their rule.

✧ Proxies ✧

Underneath the Acolytes, we have Proxies. Proxies work for the Acolyte, and their involvement with the Seers is dependent on what the Acolytes want their Proxies to know. For example, in my AU, Tim, Brian, and Toby are Proxies for the Operator, and they are not even aware of the Seers existence.

Proxies are an extension of the Acolytes, and in many ways they reflect their masters. Proxies are strong. They show the most prowess out of anyone who might come to aid their Acolyte, and oftentimes are sought out rather than adopted. Sometimes Acolytes will even gift their Proxies special abilities or powers of their own.

Acolytes tend to use their newfound abilities to search for mortals with specific traits to be their Proxies. After all, they require only the best to do their sinful deeds.

How the Proxies are treated depends on who they serve under, and how much they know about the hierarchy depends on that as well. To most Proxies knowledge, the hierarchy ends with their Acolyte at the top.

✧ Denizens ✧

Denizens, Residents, and Specimen….these labels all fall underneath this tier in the hierarchy. In the simplest of terms these individuals are simply occupants of the land that the Seers overlook. Denizen is the most common term, and often means an individual who has been accepted into the woods (explanation on what it means to be 'accepted' will be revealed in a separate post) Denizens can be human, animal, or anything in between. Once they are accepted into the land, their fate is determined on their decisions and the Acolytes.

Even simpler put; Denizens exist simply because the land allows them to, and depending on the circumstances they can be spared favors.

Now, this tier brings a variety of different circumstances. Who are these individuals? What role do they typically play? Well the answers are just as varied.

Sometimes, Acolytes will fight over Denizens. Depending on the certain skill sets a Denizen may come with, Acolytes will sometimes go out of their way to recruit Denizens to their domains. Sometimes Acolytes treat Denizens as children, sometimes Acolytes treat Denizens as slaves, servants, or civilians.

Denizens can also just exist within the land. Whether it be an animal simply existing within the grounds, or a poor lost soul who will die to the forces of nature, these Denizens serve a special role in fueling the messed up circle of life and death that is the Collective.

✧ Outliers ✧

The final category would have to encapsulate any other creatures who dwell throughout the land that are outside any particular tier of the hierarchy. Individuals referred to as Monsters, Creatures, or the Horrors often fit into this category. These beasts roam the land and do not commit themselves to the Seers. They simply exist to create chaos, misery, and destruction. They can be incredibly powerful forces of nature, and can even be known to cause death and calamity in people who simply get too close to them.

At first glance, Monsters and Creatures might seem like the same category. However, these two labels are intentional. Entities labeled as ‘Creatures’ have some sort of sentience, while entities labeled as ‘Monsters’ are feral beasts in which there is no reasoning or compromising with them. Creatures are smarter than Monsters, and love to play with their food. Creatures will be able to outsmart their victims, and can lure them with traps and other tactics.

It’s also important to note that Monsters are typically more believable or conceivable than Creatures. For example, when being attacked by a Monster, one might be able to list animalistic qualities like sharp teeth, ravenous claws, or might credit their abilities and destruction to that of wild animals like wolves or bears. While Creatures are hard to grasp and nearly impossible to explain. Think eldritch in nature, or existentially dreadful.

The Horrors is the name given to the unnatural aura that exists throughout the Collective. It refers not only to the mystic and supernatural energy of the land, but also all of the dangers that reside in the woods - from hauntings to otherworldly horrors to catastrophic forces of nature.

If an individual is left to their own devices, without knowledge, protections, or blessing from an Acolyte or Seer, the individual will succumb to madness. If the Collective does not see the Denizen as serving a purpose to its insatiable bloodlust, it will simply dispose of the individual. What the Collective does with the remains of said individual is up to chance. Sometimes Denizens can turn into despicable entities or monsters, sometimes they are just left for dead.

The Horrors can be a concept, but sometimes you can see or hear them. Whether it be the ghastly shadowy figures lurking around the trees, the whispers infiltrating your brain, or the demonic screams and screeching in the distance at night, the threat of horror is always present within the Collective.

#creepypasta #creepypastafandom #creepypasta au #theladyoracle #theladyoracleau #thecollectiveau #thecreepypastacollective #collective!creepypastaau

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imsparky2002 · 1 year

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Class of Villainy - Worst Fears

What could possibly send chills down the spines of these dastardly students? Well it’s time to find out.

Marinette: The fashionista is terrified of losing her fortune and the possibility of being killed by an animal. She always gets a little paranoid whenever she sees something reminding her of a dalmatian.

Adrien: Adrien is afraid of not being in control of a situation. To him, not knowing how to influence someone is the scariest thing of all. His biggest fear is losing his charm and being unable to manipulate others.

Alya: Not much scares this sorceress. Well... except the possibility of being turned into a creature or object with no ability to change back.

Nino: As a conman, Nino’s afraid of the law. He’s also scared of being mistaken for an actual fox, and being hunt down.

Nathaniel: The psychotic King of Wonderland is hard to scare. The only things that can spook him is stuff that is extremely mundane. Khakis or jazzercise videos, things like that.

Marc: The Poison King is deathly afraid of becoming “ugly”, or not being seen as the “fairest of them all”. He is also afraid of getting struck by lightning or being crushed by a boulder. The other thing that scares him is his little brother, Kiran, getting into danger. That’s why he rarely lets him out of his brooch.

Max: He dreads the chance that his machines and inventions will turn against him, even though he treats them with respect and kindness.

Kim: The hunter is terrified of heights, or falling from heights. He also works out everyday in the offchance that he somehow loses his strength. Being weak is a sin in his eyes. The last thing that scares him is somehow being killed by a beast.

Alix: The worst thing to her is fire. She’s had bad experiences with it in the past, just like her mother. Some of her villainous friends prank her by putting a lighter under her tail.

Juleka: The Mistress of Evil recoils at things that are light and happy (well... except for her darling Queen Rose). The only things that truly scare her are Rose being in danger, her mom or brother getting hurt, and being impaled. She may be evil, but she cherishes her loved ones.

Rose: As a murderous video game fugitive, Rose fears being deleted from the game, or losing her status as royalty. She also fears Juleka being hurt.

Ivan: Unlike the other villains, Ivan loves to be scared. That’s why he’s the Boogie Man, to taste the fear of his friends and victims. One of his favorite things is to be frightened by his girlfriend, Mylene, or his roommate, Denise. The one thing that always terrifies him is bunnies. So naturally, he loves to be near them whenever he gets the chance.

Mylene: Despite stealing voices on a daily basis, this sea witch is terrified of losing her own. Mylene has a highly inflated ego about it, thinking it is the greatest voice of all time. She also has a fear of harpoons.

Sabrina: Like Marinette, she fears becoming a lowly commoner. She also is afraid of her crocodiles somehow turning against her.

Chloe: As an aristocrat, the last thing Chloe wants is to lose her status. She becomes scared if she is not the boss of the situation, alot like Adrien.

Kagami: Kagami had a bad experience with fireworks in a past battle. Now she avoids them at all costs. Otherwise, she is fearless, which fits a terrifying warrior such as herself.

Aurore: The only kid in school without fear. Nothing can unnerve this loony weathergirl. Ivan has tried so many times to scare her in the past, only to get a psychotic giggle fit as a response.

Mireille: You’d think that as a young goddess of death, nothing would frighten Mireille. Well there are two things that scare them. The possibility of becoming mortal, and large bodies of water.

Zoe: Due to neglect from her siblings and parents, Zoe needs to have complete control and attention in a situation. If she doesn’t, it scares her.

Jean: The crab-human hybrid is afraid of being seen as boring. But that fear is small potatoes to the chance he is turned into crab cakes!

Cosette: The assistant is scared of falling into obscurity, or being attacked by predator hybrids. You can tell when it’s scared due to their bleats of panic.

Denise: As a gambling witch doctor, the teen is scared of somehow being unable to pay their debts to their friends on the other sides. They take solace in the fact that they know their villainous friends will find a way to bail them out.

Simon: He’s obviously scared of “sinning” in the eyes of God, even though he willingly commits evil acts all the time. They still fear the Lord’s wrath, and the chance they are sent to Hell for his relationship with Denise. He also fears fire, burning from the stake, or falling from high places.

Ismael: The King of the Savannah fears his subjects turning against him, or becoming hunted by those who mistake him for an actual lion.

Reshma: The first mate has had horrible memories of being chased by crocodiles. She fears the creatures and hates the sound of ticking clocks, because they remind her of Tick-Tock the Crocodile.

Lacey: Even though she is fourteen like everyone else, Lacey fears becoming old, which is why she seeks the magical Sundrop Flower.

And that’s everyone! Thank you to @msweebyness for coming up with the fears with me. Also thank you to @artzychic27 in general. As always, please reblog, reply, and ask about the Mirrorverse and the Class of Heroes/Class of Villainy AU. Production on the Marc crossover short is starting soon, so keep on the lookout for that.

#miraculous ladybug #miraculous #class of villainy #disney #disneyau

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alexa-crowe · 6 months

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is it cliche if i say that "Take Me to Church" is a Gale song? don't care.

Every Sunday's gettin' more bleak / A fresh poison each week / We were born sick, you heard them say it / My church offers no absolutes / She tells me, "Worship in the bedroom" / The only heaven I'll be sent to / Is when I'm alone with you / I was born sick, but I love it / Command me to be well

= how Gale's worship of Mystra led to him not having any friends because he was so isolated, and how being a wizard who worships Mystra in any sort of genuine way doesn't preclude one from falling prey to ego and greed - and in Gale's case of becoming her chosen, exacerbated it. his worship of her turned into "worship in the bedroom" and he forgot the pleasures of mortal love. born sick - born with a gift of magical talent and was therefore marked as mystra's prey, his rise and fall foretold the moment he first harnessed the weave; but despite the chaos and pain his command of the weave led him to, he still loves practicing magic.

Take me to church / I'll worship like a dog at the shrine of your lies / I'll tell you my sins and you can sharpen your knife / Offer me that deathless death / Oh, good God, let me give you my life

= prostrating himself before Mystra before the game & during act 1, where he paints himself in an extremely negative light when talking about obtaining the orb and crossing Mystra's boundaries - almost begging her to talk to him again even if it means having her disappointment in him verbalized because then at least he'd have her attention again. and then gale believing that he needs to regain Mystra's favor by detonating the orb.

To keep the goddess on my side / She demands a sacrifice / Drain the whole sea, get somethin' shiny / Somethin' meaty for the main course / That's a fine lookin' high horse / What you got in the stable? / We've a lot of starvin' faithful / That looks tasty, that looks plenty / This is hungry work

= only by going to the extreme end of offerings to a god will Gale satisfy Mystra's lust for punishing those that serve her, and in so doing, perhaps she will see the good in him again. but she arguably does not care for the wizards that follow her at all, placing more importance on her own desires and her own perspective on what balancing use of the weave looks like. having a deity with such power at her fingertips at the head of their church, wizards' ultimate example is Mystra, regardless of her boundaries. of course they all vie for massive amounts of power, crawling over the corpses of those that came before as the mountain of them sinks further into the hells - but does Mystra deserve that power? is she truly a good overseer for the weave? all that power could be used for better things, couldn't it? could "feed" "a lot of starvin' faithful" - or it could be coveted by greedy and egotistical wizards, the climb to power being "hungry work"

No masters or kings when the ritual begins There is no sweeter innocence than our gentle sin In the madness and soil of that sad earthly scene Only then, I am human, only then, I am clean

= him reaching beyond Mystra's boundaries of what magic mortals are allowed to do (and him stooping so low as to act like "a common conjurer") and eventually having the orb inflicted on him is something that denotes his humanity, something Mystra lost in her apotheosis - and the ensuing distance from Mystra offers him the opportunity to "cleanse" himself of her hold on him

#i want to make an edit of him to this song but i don't have the visuals i want. it would feel weird to use the same 1 scene of mystra lmao #so instead of making an edit i make a crazy post for like an hour #baldur's gate 3 #anyways does this make sense to anybody or do i need a nap

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smol-tired-binch-blog · 7 months

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Smol's Demonverse: How The Hell Does Hell Work?

Hello, this is the post with my outline of different demon types in my Demonverse plus a basic idea on how Hell works! Now admittedly, it may not be the most original or polished thing; this is basically my playground where I plonk any OC designs that aren't fandom related or connected to my Big Project/any potential projects in the future. Edits may be made, but for now, this is the basic gist of it. Should also give you an idea for what I mean when I talk about Viceroys and stuff in my OC ref sheets! It's going under a read more because fuck me there's a lot to get through. Enjoy <3

How The Hell Does Hell Work?

Hell is where sinners go when they die. That much is obvious. But what constitutes a “sinner”? There’s a surprising amount of wiggle room in terms of how much ‘sin’ someone can commit and still go to Heaven. It’s a matter of a) intention, and b) consequence. How much malice is behind an action and how large the impact of the action all adds up in the end. So, say someone found the cure for syphilis and pancreatic cancer, should be a one way ticket to Heaven, right? However, if they found these cures whilst trying to find a way to eradicate autism and gay people or then patented their treatments to sell them at extortionate prices, then you’re headed Down There. Similarly, someone who ends up poisoning a bunch of children because they, say, tried to make some delicious cakes and sweets for the kids and had no idea that a certain ingredient was toxic or something the kids were allergic to, and felt genuine remorse for their actions, it’s not actually a guaranteed trip to Hell (although those consequences must be paid for. Maybe some Celestial Community Service).

Even then, there’s some confusion. If Hell is meant to punish sinners, then does that make demons good? Again, not so simple. Lest we forget, temptation is a big part of things. It’s easy to be good if the option to be bad has simply never presented itself in your life, so a true test of character is to be presented with the sinful option, and see how one handles it. Again, does this make the demon offering temptation a good person who wants to aid in your personal growth? Not necessarily.

There are several types of residents in Hell, which can be classified as follows:

Sinners

Sinners are people from Earth who have died and gone to Hell. Mortal souls. When one arrives in Hell, most tend to experience some change in their appearance, influenced by their life, their reason for being here, and their beliefs. One thing that always happens for some reason, is that they end up with three fingers as opposed to the normal four. No one is entirely sure why this happens. Other changes often involve skin changing to pure white, black, or some other colour, changes in eye and hair colour, as well as hair length. Some people gain wings, tails, horns are also incredibly common but a rare few end up without. Some gain more animalistic qualities such as claws, fangs, tails, animal legs, even full anthropomorphisation.

When a Sinner arrives in Hell, they are often brought to a Higher Demon and assigned living space. Life in Hell is similar to life on Earth, in that there are cities and towns full of businesses and restaurants and the like, but everything is run by the worst people humanity has witnessed. It’s a tough life to be certain, made even worse by the assigned torture. The Boss quite quickly figured out that torture is much more effective when the victims are given a break. So, a schedule is laid out; sinners are allowed time to settle into their new life, until at some point another demon will come and collect them for a certain amount of torturing, before being let go, and the process repeats itself. Some of the Higher Ups have found that they needn’t bother torturing everyone, as it turns out a lot of Sinners will gladly hurt each other for free. However, nothing quite beats a paid professional, and so, certain Sinners are offered official work in Hell, either paperwork and classification, or torture, or temptation.

They’ve also been placed into different Districts, usually based around their main Sin/crime, although there can be some overlap as people are rarely guilty of just one Sin. Another method, therefore, is to place them in a neighbourhood surrounded by fellow Sinners, say, those who mostly committed Greed, but then a professional from the Lust district will come collect them for torture at some point. Honestly, just living another life surrounded by reminders of yourself is hell enough for some.

Embodiments/Overlords

Embodiments are Hell-born demons or spirits that were incarnated as mortals to become the embodiment of a certain sin. These are the ones who get to run their own little areas in their Districts, similar to a crime family (except for Narcolep, he has others do it for him). They don’t run the entire area, they report to Higher Ups, but they hold a lot of power over the lower demons. Funnily enough, in the Lust District, more Succubi, aka Tempters, are Overlords than Embodiments (I guess people respond better to a sexy demon than a slobbering incel who’s never seen a tit that wasn’t from anime)

Tempters

Tempters are often Hell-born demons whose purpose is to tempt mortals into sin and see if they can bring them over to the Dark Side, but mortal souls can also apply for such a role. They’re similar to Embodiments as chances are, they indulged in a particular Sin so much that they’d love to do it as their job. These have their own subroles, the most well-known being Succubi/Incubi and Dealmakers.

Succubi

Followers of Lust, these Hellborn demons rely on either being summoned to Earth by mortals messing with dark magic for a quick lay, or make their way to Earth to tempt mortals personally, getting them to sign over the soul in exchange for carnal pleasure. The latter is more challenging but therefore sometimes seen as more ‘fun’. The most powerful Succubus is known as Demistress, with her six daughters destined to follow in her steps. Succubi feed upon the carnal energy of their claims, but when it’s time to collect the soul, it’s either a matter of the mortal dying naturally or having agreed upon a certain timeframe for their soul to be collected, at which point, the soul descends to Hell, and the Succubus who claimed it has personal control/say over it. This often amounts to being the one to torture their claim, or continue their carnal relationship in Hell. Many Succubi and Incubi have gotten themselves some nice little harems from this.

Dealmakers

These demons have the qualifications to go to Earth and forge contracts with mortals and claim a soul for their District. They’re often independent contractors, and set up shop on Earth rather than residing in Hell, though some don’t mind the commute. They’re often known as Crossroads Demons, but can decide their base of operations for themselves, so long as they report to their Viceroy or Overlord. They often vary in power levels, with former mortal souls starting out naturally weaker than Hellborn Dealmakers, but build their way up by claiming and punishing souls (and making some deals with demons more powerful than themselves).

Summonables

These are demons who have a licence to respond to summons from humans. They tend to pay a fee to trademark their own sigil/ritual which can then be published in books by professionals. Summonables tend to have specialised in a type of magic to fill their own niche gaps in the markets. Many Succubi are unsurprisingly Summonables.

Haunters

These are what you likely think of when you hear the word ‘demon’. Hellborn creatures more beast-like than other Hellborns, they do not want to punish the truly evil or lure people into temptation out of spite or fun, they’re much simpler than that; they are evil. They’re bound by certain rules like all demons, but for the most part, these are the monsters mortals tell stories about. Creatures that simply want to kill and maim because they want to kill and maim, they tend not to even care where their murdered souls end up or even having control over them. Mischievous, cruel, and bloodthirsty, other demons prefer to keep their distance, and the Haunters are fine with this.

Tormentors

These are the demons who are tasked with torturing Sinners. Either Hell-born or hired Sinners who torment others to avoid it happening to themselves, and are often also Dealmakers or Succubi. They are given a select number of souls they are tasked with punishing to meet a quota. Honestly, it’s half torture but also half paperwork describing how/why they’ve punished a soul a certain way. These are smaller in number and often directly serve Overlords and Viceroys, and are therefore some of the most feared demons in Hell. In terms of political power however, they rank quite lowly, as they are pretty much thugs and secretaries.

The Viceroys

These are the Higher Ups who carry out the orders and wishes of the Deadly Sins. They allow the Overlords their territories within their own, truly ruling their District Sections. They keep the denizens of Hell in line, therefore hold the most power behind the Sins and Lucifer himself. The Viceroys are a mix of demons who want to build up their District populations and those who want humans to stop sinning and see those down in Hell as truly deserving of punishment. This can lead to disputes amongst themselves and their Overlords, although the most common point of contention is whose boss has more claim over a soul (as in, what was their main sin)

The Gula Five

The most powerful of the Viceroys. The five forms of Gluttony with the most control over their District, all of them working together better than the other Viceroys, although they do get along with a fair few of them as well as the Sins themselves.

#Smol's Demonverse #worldbuilding #may edit this later but for now it'll do so yall get the idea

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mythicalthings · 2 years

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this is for the sins you gave the odnlb idiots:

felix - pride

luka - sloth

marinette - wrath

gonna add some more

adrien - gluttony

lila - lust

chloe - envy

kagami - greed

Oooo I think all of these work very well! However! I would like to suggest a potential switch. Well. Less of a switch and more of a "These both work well."

Also hahahaha I went on a very long rant again I'm sorry.

I think Chloe very much fits Gluttony. Not only is it the over indulgence of food and drink, but also *wealth items*, and if I'm being more metaphoric! Chloe supplements her lack of friends, a family that loves her and whatever she doesn't have in life with material items. But it's not enough, she NEEDS the emotional support those people provide but nobody is willing to give it.

So she gets fancy dresses, she BUYS the support, she flaunts her wealth and uses it as a bargaining chip. But it's not enough. It was when she was a kid, but as an adult? She feels hollow because of it. She's left wanting those real connections, she's left empty. She's never full. So she is STILL supplementing using important items to show her importance, how useful she is, is determined by what she HAS. The snake, the bee, and knowledge that the rest lack.

Chloe has defined her worth by the things she has and what she can give, but it will always leave her feeling hollow because she, as a person wasn't good enough on its own. Luka, Ladybug, Monarque and Lila would never have accepted her help if she didn't have something they needed.

They didn't want her. She was just available.

Now! I think Adrien also fits a very good Envy! But that sounds weird on paper right? Adrien? Envious? Well, let me put it this way!

Adriens character is defined by what he doesn't have.

His driving forces in the story is that he wants what he can't have, what he was denied, what everyone else got.

He didn't have friends, he didn't get to go to school, he didn't get a normal family or life. He didn't get freedom, he wasn't allowed it.

So many scenes in the show are directly related to this too!

"I've never really had friends before." Was the line that he spoke to Marinette in origins. Something he didn't have, that everyone else did, but he didn't.

Chat Noir is the freedom to do what he wants, to get out of his oppressive home and be wild, goofy and wacky! Something he's not allowed to do as Adrien. He's locked away in his home, he's not allowed to be expressive and punny, it's bad for his image. He has to be soft, sweet, appealing to all. He has to be perfect.

Bad jokes aren't perfect. Emotional outbursts, joyous or angry are not perfect.

Adrien isn't allowed to be himself, something everybody else can be, but not him, but he wants to be himself.

"I've never seen a movie with a friend before." A common experience for just about everyone! But not Adrien. Something he wants, but can't have. He can have friends, but not ones that actually understand him, not ones he gets to see outside of school, his best friend can't even come to his house.

Even birthday parties and presents from his parent are denied to Adrien. Everybody else gets one, but not him.

Romance is one of the single most important things to Adrien, but something he has categorically failed at in just about every way.

Ladybug? Ladybug has made it very clear there's no chance for them. Secrets get in the way, Hawkmoth gets in the way, Lila gets in the way, his father gets in the way, but his best friend gets to have his girlfriend with him every day and they get to go on dates!

Kagami? Crashed and burned. Kagami didn't get to see what Adrien really was and he TRIED to let her see it. But she was too blinded by what she expected was the real him. And then the thing he perceived as freedom was the reason he lost a chance at romance.

Adrien doesn't get to have a normal family. His father borderline resents him at times, and only opens up when Adrien has been in mortal danger or attempts to do something he perceives as bad and wrong. Other than those very few times? His father doesn't eat with him, doesn't speak to him unless it's business and his secretary relays messages back and forth.

He lost his mother. And all of his friends (save for Alix but are they really friends?) have mother's who love and adore them. They have father's who love and adore them (save for Luka but are they really friends? Okay that one was mean) and so on.

Adriens entire story is defined by him desperately trying to get the things he does not have in his life. Adrien wants and wants and wants but is denied and denied and denied. He doesn't get a normal family, he doesn't get friends, he doesn't get love, he doesn't get to have anything. And why can't he? Why can't he just for once have what everyone else has?

Why wouldn't he be envious of everybody else in his life?

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pathfinderunlocked · 3 days

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Prinny Hero - CR 11 Demon

Prinny Rule Number 1! You must always include the word "Dood" in every line you say, dood!

Artwork is official art from Prinny: Can I Really Be the Hero?, copyright Nippon Ichi.

Prinnies are the mascots of the Disgaea series and of Nippon Ichi. They're among the lowest level demons. Worthless mortal souls with significant sins but no actual importance or aptitude may become prinnies in the afterlife, where they're forced to work as horribly mistreated slaves for eons to pay off their karmic debt. Like most demons, they have no memory of their mortal lives beyond a vague sense of how evil and worthless they were.

A common trait of the prinnies is their upbeat attitude, lazy and unintelligent personalities, their signature pirouette spin, and frequent use of the word "dood" as an interjection in their sentences. Another memorable feature of theirs is the fact that they explode if thrown. As a result, they're often used as cannon fodder - or, more accurately, cannon ammunition - by demonic forces.

Although they begin their afterlife as nothing, prinnies can gain combat experience and become stronger, advancing among the ranks of prinny soldiers, a feat that only impresses other prinnies and nobody else. A prinny hero is among the highest tier of prinnies, and is noteworthy for being capable of surviving after exploding. Sometimes.

They lack a few common demon abilities like telepathy and fire resistance, which is on purpose. See also the CR 1 prinny that I posted earlier this week.

Prinny Hero - CR 11

XP 12,800 CE Small outsider (aquatic, chaotic, demon, evil, extraplanar) Init +4 Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +9

DEFENSE

AC 24, touch 16, flat-footed 20 (+4 Dex, +1 dodge, +8 natural, +1 size) hp 188 (13d10+117) Fort +13, Ref +12, Will +8 DR 10/cold iron Weaknesses combustible feathers, explosive landing Immune electricity, poison Resist acid 10, cold 30

OFFENSE

Speed 20 ft., swim 60 ft. Melee slam +19 (1d8+6 plus 2d6 cold) or 2 mwk machetes +17/+17/+12/+7 (1d4+4/19-20) and slam +14 (1d8+2 plus 2d6 cold) Ranged bomb +18 ranged touch (7d6+9 cold plus 16 splash (DC 27)) (20 ft. range increment) Special Attacks ice slick charge

Spell-Like Abilities (CL 13th; concentration +17) At will—winter's grasp 3/day—quickened empowered ice slick (DC 16) 1/day—freezing sphere (DC 20), summon (level 4, 1d12 prinnies 75%)

STATISTICS

Str 18, Dex 19, Con 28, Int 5, Wis 6, Cha 18 BAB +13; CMB +16 (+20 trip/overrun during charge); CMD 31 Feats Dodge, Empower Spell-like Ability, Iron Will, Power Attack, Quicken Spell-like Ability (ice slick), Two Weapon Fighting, Weapon Focus (slam) Skills Escape Artist +20, Perception +9, Swim +20; Racial Modifiers +8 Escape Artist, +8 Swim Languages Abyssal, Celestial, Common, Draconic SQ icewalking Gear mwk machete x2

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Bomb (Su) Each morning, a prinny hero creates 22 bombs which, in the hands of the prinny hero, function as thrown splash weapons with a range increment of 20 feet. Bombs are considered weapons and can be selected using feats such as Point-Blank Shot and Weapon Focus. A bomb deals 7d6 cold damage, and a prinny hero adds its Constitution bonus to the damage (usually for a total of 7d6+9 cold damage). The bomb deals splash damage equal to its minimum damage (usually 16), DC 26 Reflex save negates. The save DC is Constitution-based.

A bomb that deals a critical hit is multiplied in the same way as an alchemist’s bombs: only 1d6 of the weapon damage is doubled, and the bonus damage from Constitution is doubled.

When a prinny hero's bomb detonates, it coats unattended surfaces in the area of the bomb's splash radius in ice (as the ice slick spell).

In the hands of any other creature, a prinny hero's bombs are useless. A prinny hero's bombs become inert and useless 24 hours after being created.

Combustible Feathers (Ex) If a prinny hero takes fire damage, each of its feathers becomes a quick-burning fuse that explodes a moment later. The prinny hero is left naked as its feathers fly off, and the explosion causes 10d6 fire damage in a 20-ft. radius. A DC 25 Reflex save halves the damage. The prinny hero automatically fails the saving throw against this damage. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Once a prinny hero explodes in this way, it temporarily loses its DR 10/cold iron, and it cannot explode again (via combustible feathers or explosive landing) until its feathers regrow. Its feathers regrow after 1d2 rounds, causing its DR 10/cold iron to return.

Explosive Landing (Ex) If a prinny hero takes falling damage, it explodes on impact. The prinny hero is left naked as its feathers fly off, and the explosion causes 10d6 fire damage in a 20-ft. radius. A DC 25 Reflex save halves the damage. The prinny hero automatically fails the saving throw against this damage. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Ice Slick Charge (Su) A prinny hero's speed doubles when charging on land on a flat surface or downhill. When it performs a charge on land, a prinny hero leaves an ice trail as the ice slick spell on spaces it moves through and adjacent spaces.

When making a charge, a prinny hero can attempt to trip and overrun the target of its charge as a free action, continuing in a straight line past its target to the limit of its movement if the overrun is successful. These combat maneuvers gain a +4 bonus and do not provoke attacks of opportunity. If the prinny hero succeeds on the overrun maneuver, its movement during the charge does not provoke attacks of opportunity from the target of its charge.

Icewalking (Ex) A prinny hero can walk without penalty over areas of ice and snow and does not need to make Acrobatics checks to run or charge on ice.

#d&d #pathfinder 1e #outsider #extraplanar #aquatic #chaotic #evil #demon #disgaea

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cranes-best-experiment · 2 years

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Terror's Trance: Part 1 (A Gift Or A Curse?)

(Jonathan Crane Origin) (Jonathan Crane x OC)

A disclaimer, this is probably such a shit story, I'm not going to lie. But, it is just my spin on Jonathan Crane-ish - based on a mix of all of my comics (I have the majority of comics shown on the DC website). Sorry - if you don't like the slight modernisation.

~~~~~Prelude~~~~~~

He was an outsider, ever since he had been conceived. In a small religious town, where everybody knew everybody, he was the only child with parents together out of Wedlock. His life was a struggle, not having one moment of respite that he could ever remember.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Arlen was a very divided one half was full of common people working day to day, to simply put food on the table and provide for their families. The other half were descendants of aristocrats that believed they still had ruling power on the other members of public, often these families often had a higher number of the older generation still living and out to scrutinise any differences to what it used to be - or more, how it 'should' be.

One of the most powerful families that had ruled over Arlen was the Keeny family, its oldest living member being Mary Keeny. They were a pureblooded family, to the point of interbreeding to keep it that way. There was always something a little bit... strange with the family, other than their partners.

Mary had been born in 1921. At the age of 8, Mary Keeny had lost her mother and her grandfather due to the pressures of the Wallstreet Crash, as her grandmother had died rather young, she didn't have a female guardian in her life. Only her father and he was very wary of how she would turn out, and he had no idea how to bring her up to be the 'perfect' wife.

Instead he shoved her away, sent her away to church - paying for them to give her extra concentrated lessons and teachings around God. Making sure to instil very strong values in her. Ones that she would grow to be unyielding about, honouring and keeping them close for the rest of her life. Her father knew that the Keeny family had to be secured, so he sealed a deal for her to be married as soon as she turned 16, when he could give her the consent for her to do so.

When Mary turned 16 she was wed to her cousin Edward William Keeny, who was 22. She was a very strict, harsh and serious woman. Keeping her values steady, he however was much the opposite, they balanced each other out. And while in the beginning she wasn't fond of him, and gave him the most backhanded of pet names, she couldn't resist when he called her his 'darling little lamb.'

He had even built her a small chapel, it was somewhere she would hold service every night, but Edward would still keep his array of birds in there. Serving as both an aviary and a chapel. Something she prided herself on was how beautiful it was, and how people would honour it.

After 12 years of trying, they had finally conceived. And in 1949, Marion Keeny was born, however this 'miracle' was extremely stressful on Mary's body and the Doctor urged Mary not to have any other children, if she valued her life. This took away Mary's wish of having a baby boy, which was all she ever wanted. She couldn't part with that idea.

With the excess of money that their family owned, she had enough money to buy double everything, one set in pink and one set in blue. She created the most perfect of nurseries, not for her little girl... no. For the little boy, she was robbed of. As Marion grew and her room changed, so did her boys changing with every stage of life. Until late childhood, then it stayed decorated with every toy and teddy bear you could imagine.

Their family seemed, no had to have an unstable gene that ran rife and uncontrollable, as at age 4, in 1953, Marion's father took a shotgun to his head. He held on longer than a lot of the family, but Mary couldn't understand it. Suicide was a mortal sin, he would be severely punished by god for it, and he had left wife and daughter alone. The exact opposite of what a man was supposed to do.

Marion was raised with all of Mary's views, strict rules and church every night. She was to be prim and proper, she had a name to uphold.

Eventually, it was decided for Marion to marry. And she was married away to her second cousin Thomas Alaric Keeny. They were only together for appearances, Marion didn't believe herself to be the marriage kind, but her mother said otherwise. She kept away from the one thing she couldn't stand for as long as possible, childbirth. Her mothers will was stronger than her own and at 39 years of age, in 1988 Marion Keeny gave birth to a child of her own. One she had no interest in having - and as soon as possible was back out partying and liaising with other self-involved, aristocrat descendants.

Mary was livid when she had found out that the child she pressured her daughter into having was a girl, she couldn't carry the name, she couldn't provide, she was simply another difficult mouth to feed.

Thomas worked hard on the farm to keep it in perfect condition, and to keep the money rolling in. But he was also a good man, he cared deeply for his daughter, Karen. And would be there for her when he wasn't working. Mary had such a large disdain for him because of this, that wasn't a man's job. He didn't seem like a true Keeny, what good man would allow himself to be emasculated in such a way?

Other than her father, Karen was raised by her Grandmother, to be the most perfect little girl. Going to service and even reading for her some nights always listening intently to what was being said. Her respect for God knew no bounds.

In 1997, Thomas was taking particularly long in the fields. He was two hours late to dinner, and Mary despised tardiness. She sent a 9-year-old Karen out to seek her father, only to find his body severely sunburned and un-moving. It was unknown how long he had been dead, but heatstroke was the cause. She was heartbroken, but unable to show this. Even at the funeral, Catholic funerals are notoriously long and not one tear was allowed to flow - not under her grandmothers eye.

Her faith had been broken, the one she felt had cared was gone If such a God was real, a one like the one her Grandmother spoke so highly about, he wouldn't allow such a thing to happen. Not to such a young girl.

She lost her faith - abandoned. She was in a complete downward spiral, she started sneaking out going to parties and would do anything to get her mind off her sorrows.

It had now been maybe 7 years since her father had died and it had been 3 years since she started experimenting with hard drugs and alcohol to fill the void that had been caused by his death. Most of the time she was up to the eyeballs in various substances and nothing could hurt her, she couldn't feel anything and it was just the way she had wanted it to be.

She thought that nothing could scare her, that was until she suddenly found herself blinded by fear.

Recently, she had been feeling... different. It had only been a couple days, but not even a top up of drugs could make it go away. Maybe the drugs had been tampered with? No, that's too far.

She had her suspicions, but the symptoms weren't painfully obvious. Or maybe she wanted to remain unaware, so stayed oblivious. There was some muscle fatigue and sensitivity to smells and flavours. There was something she had thought, but she didn't want to dwell on it - pregnancy. No way could it have happened to her. Surely not? Oh, how wrong she was...

They had used protection; she did everything she could - they both had covered all fronts. This couldn't be happening to her. If the result was positive, what could she do? Everyone would know! Her family was one of the families that founded this town, and even regular citizens had their personal business spread within a matter of days. This town wasn't the town for keeping secrets, the people were so tightly woven together. And although the town lay in a place like Georgia, it was cold to the core, people were unaccepting and superstitious. If they weren't a founding family, that was living off the dying money their family once had; they were just short of living like the Amish. It was dreadfully outdated, and most younger people had outgrown the old behaviours and departed.

Building a plan in her head, she knew she had to find out somehow. She would tell her mother and grandmother she was going to some extra Saturday class. That's when she'd confirm it. Saturday came way quicker than she had imagined, and she drove out of the little place that had eyes and ears on every surface. Just to grab a couple of tests to confirm what she wanted - that she WASN'T pregnant. If she had bought them here, headlines and straplines along the lines of: 'Un-pious Pregnancy,' 'Karen Keeny, the Unmarried young granddaughter of the God-fearing, devoted Mary keeny, has a pregnancy scare?' That was the last thing she needed, especially if it were the truth, which she was sure it wasn't.

She didn't need the shame and condescension if it was just a stress reaction from her body, she didn't want to be regarded as a common whore. She hoped that no one would see her taking a drive out of town.

She drove her way, drinking plenty of fluids as she did. Making sure that she had the ability to take the test. She sure had by the time she arrived at her destination: a petrol station in the middle of nowhere.

She thought she would burst as she purchased the tests from the woman behind the counter, who offered her a reassuring smile. Karen could only replicate a weak curling of her lips. A petrol station was the most unexpected place to receive a dose of encouragement but Karen took it, she needed it more than anything.

As she wandered to the bathroom, she wondered what it would mean for her if there was a new path in her life. A marriage would be involved almost instantly. She quickly shook her head, once again telling herself that she wasn't pregnant. And there was no point in stressing over something that wasn't even real or relevant to her child-free life. She prepared the tests, and took them all. This was something to be sure of. She placed them neatly back in the box and made her way back to the car. As she sat herself back into the car seat, the allocated time had already passed.

Even when it came time to look, she felt she couldn't. She wasn't ready, but the logical side of her mind that somehow was still there, even after the drug abuse, grabbed her and informed her that it wouldn't change the result. So, she needed to bite the bullet.

A couple more moments of stressed hesitation had passed before she picked them back out of the box and looked at the results. In that moment, it was like the world had come crashing down on her.

Guilt. Dread and guilt were the most prominent emotions that flooded her senses as she stared down at the two lines one the strip - Positive. The emotions were so thick - suffocating and drowning her while she stared down at the lines. She was pregnant. On every test there were two clear lines, she double checked it repeatedly, there was no doubt about it. All she wanted was for the ground to swallow her whole. Many things crossed her mind in the moment, so many thoughts that not one was coherent enough to understand. She placed her head on the steering wheel as she gripped it tight, trying to reign in the freely flowing thoughts.

The one that started to overpower the others, the loudest and most potent was that she knew how disappointed her mother and grandmother would be, disappointed being a major understatement. She was disgraced in the eyes of God and tarnished the name of their family. Having relations outside of marriage was hugely prohibited. Getting pregnant, however, that was far worse. She would try to hide it, at least for as long as possible, something told her that wouldn't be for awfully long.

She was now responsible for two people, which was strange for her. She had barely been responsible for one in the last few years of her life, abusing her body with many substances. But, she did feel a sort of protection around the baby, she had to shield them both from the three recipients of the news: Gerald (the father), Marion (her mother), and Mary (her grandmother). That last two she knew for certain would have a furious wrath.

She made her way back home, and hid the tests in a place she knew would never be found. So, she could present them to the father of her child, when the time had come.

In the moment, the young woman didn't really know what to do. She was extremely fond of Gerald, she really was. He was intelligent, charismatic, tall, attractive and strong. He was a descendant of another founding family, he was a couple years older, and was a psychologist. She thought that nothing could've improved him. But, unfortunately, the man she created the child with wasn't her boyfriend, their relationship was never based on feelings but a narcotic fuelled attraction, that they knew would end in a good time. However, everything had now changed, and they both had a responsibility to at least one thing in this world. That thing being a child.

She wasn't sure if he wanted to pursue her, but she wasn't sure if she wanted to pursue him either. Not that he was ugly - God no. She had never thought about him romantically in her intoxicated state. And if their current affair, if it were to result in a relationship, wouldn't be from the most organic origins. She wasn't sure if that was something she wanted, but likely their families wouldn't give them a choice.

Gerald already had rumours that his parents desperately tried to cover up. He was known to be a bit strange, even though he had rich friends, the best grades and sociable. Maybe it was linked to the fact he used his knowledge of Psychopharmacology, and often was a supplier of some of the drugs at the parties. Or maybe it was deeper? But, she felt she knew him and that didn't seem so truthful.

It had been two weeks since she had found out the big reveal, and people were suspecting something due to her lack of partying. Something she reported was down to an odd illness. She felt it was time to give Gerald the information she had to, she still had his number from their various interactions. Giving a quick message, to tell him she had to speak to him, she started to get in the car. He quickly responded with a simple 'Ok.' And the directions to his apartment.

She knocked on his door, and quickly he answered the door, shooting her his most charming grin, which made her feel weak in the knees. He stepped aside and offered her into the room, telling her to sit at the table near the kitchen. She did so and as she sat, he spoke, "I wasn't expecting to see you again, Karen. Nonetheless, I'm happy you're here, what are you needing from me?" She smiled a tight smile and her legs bounced up and down, "I didn't think, we'd really speak again either. But I have something important to tell... that involves you." She sputtered. "Oh? And what is that?" Gerald said with a hint of almost confusion in his voice, but the happiness radiating from the man, made it seem like he knew.

She gathered all the confidence she could, and then the confession came "I'm pregnant, and it's 100% yours." She let it out quickly, with a heavy sigh of relief that followed shortly after, her stomach feeling like a bottle of carbonated liquid that had been vigorously shaken and just that confession had allowed the pressure to dissipate. "Oh, wow. That's a shock, especially due to the circumstances. Are you okay?" He asked, reaching his hand out and placing it on hers. "Erm, emotionally I'm not sure. But, physically there aren't that many symptoms, but these," she used her free hand to place the tests on the table in front of them, "These confirmed it all. Gerald, what do we do? You know what this town is like, if I go to the doctors. Or do anything that could let this slip. We'll be ridiculed." She tapped her hand up and down, as she anxiously rambled to him. "Who cares what anyone else thinks-"

"Gerald, you went to school with me. You know what my mother and my grandmother are like, I can't have this happen." His smile dropped "Oh, yes how could I have forgotten, your mother is a socialite who only cares for appearance, and your grandmother there is no word and people say I'm crazy. We'll sort something out; I'll be here for you and the child at any moment." This allowed a small smile to break out from Karen. "Thank you, you have made this much easier than I anticipated."

"I'm glad, I could remedy your stress for a bit. I don't really think I could be that mad at you Karen. So, really don't worry. We'll work this out, somehow." He reassured. "Again, thank you. I'm going to go now, but keep in touch. I need to get my affairs in order-"

"God, you sound like you're preparing to die." Gerald jested. "As you said, with my Grandmother, that crazy old bat. Who knows what could happen?" Karen quipped back, with far too much seriousness for Gerald and his face hardened slightly. "Right, well. Of course, just send a message. Then I'll let my parents know. I should be free most of the time. Goodbye." Karen stood up with the tests and placed them in her bad, nodded and departed. "Bye, Gerald." And he closed the apartment door behind her.

She left, and quickly went home, thankful that telling Gerald was a much more stress-free experience than she had originally thought. This allowed her to relax just a touch and think a bit more clearly, knowing she had one person that was willing to fight her corner.

This however left Gerald to think of ways to inform his parents on their situation. He couldn't inform them straight away, they would let the two older Keeny women know immediately. He knew they would be thankful that it wasn’t a commoner at least. The Keeny family was respected and perhaps they would be more lenient.

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Um, hope this wasn't shit you know? I wouldn't be surprised if it is, or if it is very slow.

Here is my imagined look of his parent's (basing the crane on Cillian Murphy), ignore if you don't like it:

I tried to draw his mother and it looks so fucking badddd and gave up on his dad. So, I have sims:

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