#they can be considered morally grey perhaps but it's a pretty dark shade of grey lmao

[ghostsprobably]

loved nabu's video so much!!! the idea that the wizards of the black circle maybe not being just fully evil but more morally grey is also so cool to me. i'm wondering is roxy's video next? will the wizards get their own video? or will you take another monster high break?,(very excited for that too!)

the wizards will get their own video yeah!! I'm excited to talk about them more in depth ahhh

the next video will indeed be monster high, and after that will either be Roxy or Charmix but I think I'm gonna do Charmix first bc it's been a while since the winx got their first redesigns so it's time for an update! and I think I need a little more time to work on Roxy too

#they can be considered morally grey perhaps but it's a pretty dark shade of grey lmao #asks #winx #winx club #winx redesign #winx rewrite #winx reboot #winx au #winx Roxy #Roxy winx #the wizards of the black circle #wotbc

[constantlymisspelled]

Mandalorian Armour Colours

Armour Colour meanings and Classifications

Perhaps it's a little ridiculous, but with more and more fans wanting a full comprehensive guide to colours, and my own frustration at not being able to find the fanon colour charts of old, here we are. For both your sake, and mine, please don't be upset if anyone doesn't utilise this guide, it is after all a guide, and only a fanmade compilation. If anyone has any criticisms, that's what edit is for, and if you want further definition, do not hesitate to let me know in the comments.

The Classicly Accepted;

[This section is the clolours accepted by Canon Media, both Disney and Legends. I will include a colour swatch and the Taubman's pallet code for ease of use. If there are colours you wish to see evaluated, or meanings you wish to infer, let me know.]

[The tiles above are literally the closest I could find to Jaster's colour, and to Boba's visor colours. The left is Red Alert, T12 26.H5, and the right is Crossfire, T15 196.6.]

Red - Ge'tal

'Honouring a parent.' This colour has been seen on the edge of Boba Fett's visor for years, and has been a staple Mandalorian colour for a long time. Honouring a parent is considered acceptable in most forms of Mandalorian Society, hence its widespread use. Honouring does not have to mean morning, and when some Mandalorians move past the grief of a lost loved one, or parent, they move to change the greys to reds, or oranges, in remembrance not of their death, but the life that family member - usually a provider in this case - had lived.

White - Cin

'A new start/Clean slate.' The literal translation for the phrase describing white on armour (Cin Vhetin) is 'White field,' or 'Snow Covoured Field.' It creates the notion that you are starting over, as winter has come, and it covers all that you used to be, allowing you to completely restructure yourself before spring arrives to thaw it, as a totally new person, with new honour and oaths to fulfil. Often associated with adult adoptions, or redemption vows completed, signifying new life.

[The image above features Jaster as he was in the first issue of Jango Fett - Open Seasons. It is accessible (the pic) on wiki, and I'm pretty sure the comic is available on most comic archives. Jaster's colour are, famously, dark grey, black, red and the yellow Haat Mando'ade Crest.]

Black - Ne'tra

Justice - the colour of Mandalorians whose moral code is unshakable. A notable wearer of this colour is Jaster Mereel himself. Most kute are often this colour, or dark blue (navy) and in most cases that is for cost reasons, and to prevent staining. However, black is the colour of night, and of Death - an important concept to all Mandalorian Sects - and creates a sense of uniformity amongst even the most visually different individuals. Justice, Death, and all that this might entail is a corner stone of Mandalorian culture and perception. One cannot live if they do not accept that Death is a possibility. Black can denote serving of justice, seeking justice, or preserving it.

Grey - Genet

'Honouring lost love, or mourning a lost loved one'. The separate shades of Grey have meaning in some Clans and Houses, but across most of Mandalorian Space, Grey is to signify the passing of a loved one. It can even be worn if either a Clan has been lost, or if a member has been excommunicated. There are also occasions of possible ven'riduur wearing the colour when another warrior gets there before them.

[The above image is the reverse of the New Zealand Free State of Niue's reverse coin. Gold does not promote prestige in Mandalorian culture, but danger. If dressed in gold, one is to be weary.]

Gold - Ve'vut

Vengeance, a common place, and important part of Mandalorian Culture and Law. Methods of vengeance are protected and controlled by Mandalorian Law. Acts that go from vengeance to Revenge can face serious consequence. Outsiders that meet warriors in this colour are warned to practice caution. A Mandalorian's wealth is not decided by the colour of their armour, but of their actions, and gold denotes a thirst for vengeance, in a control, personal manner.

[The image to the left is Nocturne Shade, T15 139.6, and the image to the right is Bright Cerulean, T15 138.7. I included a vivid and deep blue to show the scope of what is considered baseline, before entering Light Blue, Sky Blue, or Navy. I chose as close as I could to Jango Fett's armour, and both Paz Vizsla, and Vizsla House.]

Blue - Kebiin

Reliability, a warrior and Mandalorian who is secure in who they are, what they are capable of, and what they have to offer the galaxy. Warriors in their prime often wear this colour. It is often taken as a show of subtle faith and loyalty to whichever leader these particular Mandalorians serve. Blue is also often worn by mercenaries and Journeyman to create a sense of calm and trust between them and their charges. Blue is often seen as a solid, and dependable colour, and associated with leadership, and their support. Blue is the colour of the Mandalorian Protectors Universal Sigil. Parents who are raising children alone also wear this colour, as a way of reinforcing the belief that they can care for their child alone - a rare occurrence in Mandalorian Space.

Orange -

lust for life, shereshoy

[The colour to the right is literally as close as I could get to Boba Fett's armour. The image on the left is Irish Stone, T15 164.7, and the right is Deep Veridian, T10 54F-2.]

Green - Vorpan

Duty - often considered the workers' colour, green represents hard work, and deep commitment to a cause, a task, an ideal, or an action. Many members of the Fett House predominantly wear this colour as a nod to their humble beginnings, and many farmers and tradespeople wear some small segment of green to denote their occupation. The kind of green, and the way it is worn can also denote different trades and employment types, although like with most colours, each mandalorian is ultimately able to make decisions for themself on what their colours mean to them.

The Observed and Official Greater House uses;

[This section is for Fanon, or non-official colours. The Mandalorian Mercs and other cosplay groups have commonly accepted colour codes, as do some sections of the Fanfic writing community. If anyone has any colour ideas, do let me know, and feel free to leave a link to other colour charts in the notes! It's my ambition to make sourcing knowledge on Mandalorian culture easier and easier for newer fans.]

[Image for Beskar Silver was taken from the Etsy Adds for Beskar Ingots. There are multiple companies and craftspeople that make these - vey cool! I can not let myself buy any. I can not!!!]

Silver - Beskar

The Colour of unpainted beskar, the associated meanings are either that you have not had the chance to paint it, or if you are in full, evidently in use armour, that you have no right to wear paint. It is the assumed non-colours of the Silver Children (An Elite Group of Mandalorian Ori'ramikade) and the Naasaade (the Nameless Society, a group of Mandalorians who have either been put towards the path of redemption by order, or by choice) and of many bounty hunters of the Outer Rim who seek to keep their clan affiliations a secret. It is widely believed that if any Mandalorian is to have honour, it is one in silver, as it infers that this particular Mandalorian will do all that is possible to be seen as honourable once more by themselves, others, their clan, and the Ka'ra.

[The image on the left is Blue Booties (I know right?), T15 142.1, and the image on the right is Reflection, T15 142.2. I included an eggshell blue, and a powder, almost greenish pale blue. I even checked the definition of Cyan for you. Essentially, really light teal, like, really light.]

Cyan, or Sky Blue -

'New Love', often used as the symbol of engagement. Most Mandalorians cannot afford to exchange and modify pieces of their armour from one partner to another, and so instead of this practice from the eras of battlefield weddings, most unmarried warriors are encouraged to carry a small vial of this colour paint instead. This is a practice seen more amongst the traditionalists, who believe in earning armour on your own merit, and not upon the backs of others. Other methods of using this colour is in Cyan Beads upon your kute, or the addition of decorative cord upon a warrior's shoulder to denote engagement, or new marriage.

The Two Shades of Purple

[Purple is a difficult colour. Caught between red and blue, and having so many varied shades and meanings across both Mandalore, and the fandom, I've done my best to create the general feel of what purple means to a culture obsessed with living life to the fullest, and honouring your oaths.]

[Image on the left has Imperial Violet, T15 211.4, and the image on the right has Purple Statice, T15 210.5. I grabbed both a warm and cool variety for those of you with colour schemes to match. Purple is a colour often associated in fandom with chance, hope, and luck.]

a) Lavender, or Violet

The colour of luck and chance, Violet and Lavender are supposed to be a sign of recognition and faith to the old Mandalorian God and Spirit of Luck, and although belief in the Gods has long since faded, folklore still holds most shades of lighter purple as the colour of chance, change, and good futures. It is a common colour for new parents wishing to do right by their children.

[Image on the left is Imperial Purple, T15 213.7, and the image on the right is Royal Indigo, T15 130.7. Again, I have used both warm and cool shades to allow as much versatility as possible with colour palletes.]

b) Indigo

Often considered the colour of hope, Indigo and its shades are often used to mean the same things as other shades of purple, and when paired with colours such as Cyan, and Teal, or even most forms of blue, is meant to inspire a sense of gratitude, or gratefulness for victory, present peace, currently good fortune and such, whilst lighter shades are meant to bring said fortune.

[Image on the left is Tapestry Teal, T15 153.6, and the image on the right is Lagoon Teal, T15 153.5. Both Teals are on the lighter side, but you can absolutely go darker in this colour and have the same meaning.]

Teal -

Considered the unofficial colours of the New Mandalorians, the colour was originally worn only by medics, emergency workers, and those who had retired from active combat. It was supposed to be the colour of those who had seen violence, and stood up to atrocities in the name of peace. It is now considered a cowards colour amoungst Kyrtsaade circles, and New Mandalorians forbade its application in armour as a falsehood and a breaking of the Healers Code. However, Traditionalists and Way Followers still view it as the colour of choice for more reserved, shrewd verde who fight as a last resort.

[images above are to the left, Minty Green, T15 165.3, and to the right, Sherbet Lime, T15 167.3. Once again, included a warm and cool option.]

Light Green -

'Lust for peace', 'The Guardian', or 'Peace Keeper's Colours'. Often used by warriors who practice non-lethal forms of combat - guards that utilise stun batons and blanks instead of live ammunition. Under the New Mandalorians, it became indistinguishable from Teal and its meanings, but in all other forms of Mandalorian culture, Light Green is used for warriors and guards of sacred r special places, such as schools, hospitals, or the water ways. Light Green is a deeply respected, and widely used colour, even if its meaning has been watered down and misinterpreted by the galaxy at large.

Yellow - Shi'yayc

Dark Green

Dark Blue

Tan

Brown

Cream/Beige

Maroon and Burgundy

[I couldn't pick one... Image above contains Baby Girl, Pigtail Pink, River Rouge, Spring Pink, Jaguar Rose, After the Dance, Flamenco Fire, Turkish Delight, Pink Flambe, Pink Clay Pot, Bold Flame and Strawberry Splash. The codes are found on Taubmans website.]

Pink -

Respect, Knowledge, and Respected. Interestingly, pink in Mandalorian Space is a colour of status, as a unification of white and red, it combines the ideas of horouring those that raised you, and your new beginnings, and the outcome became the colour pink. Different shades mean different things in the more secular coverts, but it is important to note that field archivists, officers, and journalists have a tendency to wear at least some pink.

Additional Colours and Varieties;

Metallics

Mattes and Gloss

Patterning

Symbols of the Mandalorians;

The symbols used in Mandalore are vast, and complicated, and often the colour can change the meaning of the symbol. Colour is, as always, up to the discretion and particular tastes of the Mandalorian in question, but there are common associations, and symbols mandated for use by specific beings.

[Extrapolation will be added]

--------------

[Wrote this for my own use, and as a guide on mainstream Mandalore and the subsects we might actually see in Disney media (can you see me distancing their bizarre writing from myself? can you??) after all, the official website lists Din's armour as grey? What?? Bro, no.]

Resources;

The only copy of the old Fan Canon List I could find:

[Fanon List in image is as follows; Purple - Luck, Pink - Respected or Respecting Someone, White - Purity, Brown - Valor, Maroon - Power, Light Green - Lust for Peace, Scarlet - Defiance, Silver - Seeking Redemption, Yellow - Remembrance, Teal - Healing.]

Found on Pinterest. It used to part of one of the cosplay forums, but I can no longer find it. It runs off old canon. There are some issues with the list, but ah well.

Mandalorian Mercs Forum; [here]

They're rather official, and a great deal of their stuff is incredibly helpful, but I find their website hard to navigate. Probably just me though.

Mandalorian Wikipedia Colours; [here]

It doesn't have any of the extended fanon colours, but it dos have an in depth expose on what colour canon and EU Legends has provided us with.

Mando'a Translator; [here]

Not entirely sure how well it works, but it does simple words fine. Its sentence structure is terrible, just like all translate apps, so be warned.

Mando'a Dictionary and Forum; [here]

This Mando'a dictionary has got to be the most comprehensive I have found, however there are still mistakes. The only reason I know that is I printed the whole thing and read it like some kind of nerd.

Mandalorian Colour Definition found on Tumblr;[here]

This one is made by another user, I am unsure of their sources, but it matches closely with a great deal that I have found, so it’s pretty accurate so far.

Another Handy Mando'a forum; here

If there are any other helpful websites and links you can think of, let me know. The Codex will have reference to this chart at some stage, but I'll get to that later. I'm just religiously ignoring the Mandalorian Cookbook I started whilst sick last year. You never hear of it, it never existed.

[I will update this as I make further research.]

#star wars #mandalorian culture #mandalorians #mandalore #mandalorian language #mandalorian colours #mandalorian armour #mandalorian lore #mando'ade #mando'a

[thesherrinfordfacility]

Dark grey anon again, greetings! I think, rather ironically considering the themes of this show, we might have misunderstood each other. You say I interpeted your comment on the shades of dark grey correctly, except when you then go into it more, that is in fact not what I meant 😂😂 For me, the dark grey comment read more like, if we take an alignment chart to help clarify, evil, whereas from your description I would personally go with the definition chaotic neutral.

I don't see why people* would interpret that as you not liking his character**... isn't fandom meant to love anti-heroes and morally grey characters? I promise this isn't going to stop Aziraphale*** from being in love with him or irrevocably ruin their relationship. Also, that vague post thing? I'l be honest, much as I love a lot of your other metas, I disagree with probably a good 90% of this one****, but ffs be decent about it!

Out of curiosity: you talk a bit about the character growth Crowley still has to experience. Would you consider his moral ambiguity, and becoming less ambiguous, as part of that, or is that simply part of his personality, and fine to stay the way it is, and it's just that it happens to run parallel when being analysed to the flaws that he does need to work on?

*I will admit my OCD wants a positive analysis for the sake of balance, however, this would be the same case in reverse with wanting a negative analysis to balance a bunch of positive ones. Unless you were to literally have an exact equal count of pros and cons there will always be something in my head going bingbingbingnotbalanced... what can you do? 🤦‍♀️🤷‍♀️

**Although, admittedly, English sucks, so that might partially be wording, and not just bad faith. Personally speaking, bad, for me, carries connotations of nasty/ill-intentioned/evil, and dark I arguably find worse, so some of it might simply be linguistic differences. At the very least, as a second language speaker, it's pretty easy to come away with the wrong impression, namely that you're suggesting he's actively villainous/malicious. In my native tongue, a bad or dark character would fall more under the category of commits murders for the sheer delight of human suffering.

***Potential hot take! I don't know, I'm not always overly in touch with fandom views, but Aziraphale is also more morally grey/morally ambiguous than some of the fandom would like to acknowledge.

****I do agree with some of the items on your list, but generally, I have a different or more lenient view on the points you mention and my conclusion is less mostly ambiguous character who can and will do good things semi-regularly and more mostly good character who can and will do ambiguous things semi-regularly.

hi anon, sorry i havent replied sooner✨

sorry, let me clear this up - when i said you interpreted my comment correctly, i was referring to this bit of your ask: "You say that Crowley's dark grey comment is one of the more honest and introspective things he says: that kinda comes across to me like you saying that Crowley's saying he's mostly bad with a capacity for good* and that's a fair assessment of him."

idk how to word the next bit, tbh - i don't necessarily see crowley as a bad character, certainly not outright (and definitely not an evil one). and idk if it was, perhaps, how shittily i worded it in the last ask (im not a writer, i regularly do not have The Right Words), but that's not what i was trying to get across. i just personally find it important that he asserts that he's not nice, he's not light, and imo the narrative has routinely supported this. he regularly shows tendencies of being someone that can be immoral. a little more specifically, maybe - sometimes insensitive, dishonest, distasteful, and acts occasionally without much conscience. yes, sometimes a little nasty, and sometimes a little ill-intentioned, but definitely not to the point where id consider him depraved, malicious, and completely absent of any redeemable quality - that's not what im saying at all. crowley is not a villain by any stretch.

a lot of people won't agree with that (that he's often a 'dark' or 'immoral' character), and in some part i agree with that contradiction, because he does have the capacity to be the abject opposite of those things, and has absolutely shown himself at times to be selfless, and kind, and compassionate - but i feel like those moments, those qualities, are all the more obvious and apparent because his character backdrop is typically the reverse, and because they are less frequent.

@maximumpenguinpuppy made the brilliant symbolic observation in their rb that kind of sums up my thoughts; the taijitu/yin-yang symbol is made of two parts, and one of those parts is a black field with a white dot - the 'good' within the 'bad'. it wouldn't be the symbol it is and have the meaning that it does, if the symbol were all white with two black dots. likewise, crowley and aziraphale wouldn't be the analogy for yin yang that they are, if they both were 'good' with small parts of 'bad'. it's this kind of balance that makes crowley being a mostly dark character, with capacity for good, not only make narrative and symbolic sense for me, but also makes him a more compelling character as a result.

and probably goes without saying, but it understandably wasn't something i explored in your last ask (and maybe should have) but aziraphale is the opposite. imo, his backdrop is mostly good, kind, selfless, and compassionate. it's then all the more obvious and startling when he doesn't act like that, because of the sheer contrast the story's portrayal of him has given us. so, exactly the same as crowley, his self-assessment of being "very light grey' also feels accurate, and again perhaps an accidental introspection that we as the audience ought to believe outright. (by the by, i feel like the audience does buy and accept this without much question - that aziraphale is a mostly good character whose questionable actions are perceived as all the more horrendous as a result - but seems to struggle with accepting the mirror of that where crowley's concerned) (as i see it anyway, this is only my interpretation of course).

as for where id personally like to see his character development go; i don't think it's a straightforward case of him starting to become more 'good' or 'light'. i think it would erase a lot of his personality and 'crowley-ness' for him to step completely away from being a bit of an occasional shit 😂 his darker qualities, i think in his case specifically, are likely to be a product of his experiences, and inner turmoil, and a good deal of bitterness and resentment, confusion and hurt. therefore, to erase his more immoral behaviours would be in part to erase what the narrative heavily suggests is the trauma and pain that he's been through; essentially, i wouldn't want to see what aziraphale is implied to want in the final fifteen, and restore him to 'good' when he's not that person anymore.

that being said, a crucial part of where i feel crowley is in the wrong a lot of the time is that he does tend to avoid blame or responsibility - and there have certainly been times where aziraphale has fallen afoul of that. i think perhaps (sheer speculation here) crowley's actions have crossed boundaries that aziraphale hasn't effectively communicated to crowley, and/or crowley has completely ignored. don't get me wrong; aziraphale has done the same to him too, and they both need to acknowledge this on their individual parts. they do need to make the relevant reparations for it, including genuine apologies, to respect those boundaries in the future, and make purposeful efforts to rebuild that trust. personally, i do think (or at least hope) that this is something that is going to be addressed, as being underlying sources of contention and upset for them both, in s3.

#good omens #ask #crowley meta #aziraphale meta #s3 narrative spec

[reinepadova]

To Be Seen

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There are many paths up the mountain. But the view from the top is always the same.

Qingce Village. A plot of land once dwelt by an enormous, dreaded beast. A great threat, and source of terror for its inhabitants. Dark were the skies, and molten was the earth. Stones quaked and shifted from battles sown, and water turned fog from the heat of conflict.

Many a life perished or fled – those that are able, found refuge in the marshes or by the sea. Those that could not, stayed and endured.

But long has passed those years of misery, Morax reflected, eyes turned soft at the drifting dust under sunlight. Only Mt. Qingce remains, steadfast and true. A preserver of the old and the young, and of the croplands turned abundant. The landscape painted with colors of tranquility, with shades of the quiet.

To this, he could say, was one reason he fought. Why he dared raise great spears against those that oppose him, that question his strength. Why his ambitions for a seat with the Seven was so great.

Why he let his life's blood spill and his flesh torn asunder, all to be used for trade.

All he had sacrificed... so that all may prosper. So those deemed weak but with a passion for life, and a mind that craves understanding may learn, may improve. May become greater than what they thought to be. What they can be.

And flourish they did, Morax thought fondly, gazing out the window to watch three children play. A boar in the distance, charging away. Admirably so, like the trees and blooms that persisted amidst the cracked earth, or emerged from the muddy waters that once flowed red.

His eyes narrowed, then shut, musings turned grey.

He has danced and sung to the tune of combat, played his part well into the final act. His will, ironclad – unyielding and absolute, against the odds. Against all the other gods. All to reach the peace the entire land longed for after the audacious declaration from Celestia:

「Survive, and be crowned The Seven.」

「Gain the power of the divine.」

「Be one above all, in your chosen land.」

And to this, he succeeded, with glory placed upon his head, and the remnants of slaughter at his feet.

The Prime of the Adepti, said they. A riotous cheer. A whisper, filled with dread. Ha. Even among the Seven – the original, and the newly seated – he is the eldest, hence, the most respected. And therein lies his burden. To be charged as the standard, to be exemplary in the eyes of his people...

Still. This position is not without its advantages – he would not have fought for it if there were none.   Truly, he could not ask for more, even if he tried. The enormity of his titles, to be granted the highest of honors among those that dwell in the newly named Teyvat – bearing in mind the heavens that granted his godhood of course.

His people are proud of him. His land reveres him.

And yet.

And yet.

Why must this... dissatisfaction linger? The feelings of restlessness. Aimlessness. Like a shell drifting in endless sea.

What must be missing, when the fruits of his labor, the smiles of his people, and the generations therafter, are present and abundant? When the inhabitants accepted his protection, his standards, with delight, and worship. When they honor him by fulfilling contracts in accordance to how he fulfill his. When they sing songs and tell stories of his conquests, of his deeds as lessons to keep in mind, as morals to strive for and progress to.

Why then does this void exist? What is it he still lacks as a being?

Is... he still enough? Is he –

“... is Mei still doing good?”

A murmur, gentle and small, broke through his musings, eerily echoing his thoughts out loud. Morax turned inquisitive, amber eyes at the closed door, wonder outshining the memories, and bringing him back to the present.

The Miss Lala had been explicit about the necessity of his confinement, citing the resurgence of chaos upon his appearance. Seeing the tired yet resolute set to her shoulders, he could only acquiesced. He did not wish to tire the lady more with an argument. But truly, it was an odd request, at best. His people are familiar with this form, and would not run in fright, as she so fears. Why, they would likely crowd around him, vying for his blessing and attention and –

He rested one claw under his maw, pondering. Ah. That brand of chaos. I see. It seems she has better foresight than the average mortal. And most considerate as well. How kind.

His ears perked, hearing a faint, crackling call of farewell at the main entrance. He swiftly nudged open the door of the lady's chambers and floated out, seeing immediately the quiant scene at the kitchen.

“You're doing very good. You can stop when you smell it turning to powder. It's like... milk, but very very faint.”

“Oh! Can Mei put it on the lilies after? Please? Pretty please?”

Even from behind, the tilt of her head, the softness of her stance, indicates a fondness for the child. There is no doubt she is smiling down at her as well. She patted Young Mei in between her pigtail buns and replied, “Of course you can! You can sprinkle as much as you want. After we make the soil mix.” The little girl squealed, turning back to her task with renewed vigor.

He drifted closer, brows furrowing when the lady discreetly rub at her eyes while the little one is distracted.

It seems I may need to intervene.

-{-}-

Stella raised a brow, feeling long whiskers brush over her shoulder, before the slight weight of the guardian's muzzle rested on it. She smiled when gold orbs focused curiously on the crunching and banging Mei's been doing, relieved that he showed himself after the chief went out for her rounds.

“It's for the flowers,” she explained, reaching to caress a glowing petal nearby. “A bird's eggshell is rich in minerals. Its as effective as any other fertilizer... but with lot less smell.” Mei giggled in agreement, adding that her Gran-gran was ecstatic when she was taught other tricks in the garden from Lala – especially doing away with 'pork poopy' all together. “Also, also, Lala taught Mei how to water plants!”

Stella chuckled at the inquiring eyes of their floating guest, who managed to tilt its head at her from an odd angle – the perks of having a long neck, I guess? “She keeps drowning the Jueyun Chili plants back in the Harbor. At most, they just need a sip within a week. Ha! I know that look,” she crowed, seeing familiar incredulity on the guardian's face. “I don't know why no one thought to cultivate herbs in their own garden. Or to water them for that matter. They can't always depend on the rain. No one can control the weather.

Besides, if you can cultivate rare flowers, like the ones in Yujing Terrace, why not something as common as herbal plants?”

-{-}-

It is because of their plenitude that such notion is not considered. The oceanids have a knowing of the needs of the land – as such is my deal with them. They have been good to Liyue ever since. Why, when the croplands of Qingce are at their most vulnerable, Rhodeia answered their plea in an instant!

– Is what Morax would have said. But he only let out a small rumble and slow nod, turning back to the little girl covered in flecks of white powder, gaze softening at the sight of her bright smile.

As insightful as the siren has been since the start of their journey, it is not unwise to tread carefully. Knowledge is power. I have yet to know what she will do with it, once bestowed. If only the Fatui have not been such a conniving force as of late. I would have welcomed any foreigner within my stone walls.

Nevertheless, her care for a child not her own or of her people is admirable and exceptional, a far cry from how that organization operates. Her good sense too, would make for an engaging conversation.

Throughout the endless centuries he lived through – and will continue to, perhaps – he beared witness to a myriad of changes, great and small. No detail is insignificant enough for him to overlook. Or at all. He could not afford to. For one changed clause, nay, even one unclear word, could spell disaster for his land's defenses.

That said, he could assert he has very good memory. All printed and verbal contents of a contract is written like a tablet in his head, etched deep and fixed. The prosperity Liyue is blessed with is proof of his steadfast attention to detail; to consider all particulars, both the advantage and disadvantage, before he would, as they say, 'seal the deal'.

It is rare indeed for him to think 'what more does he not know?'

And yet, here he his, observing and listening. The lady elucidating their intention to gather an interesting mixture made out of smoked rice husk, charred wood, clay and soft sand. Another source of nutrients, she says, for the Lilies to be comfortable in during transport.

Eventually, he could focus no longer at her words, seeing her fighting to keep awake, feeling her sway dangerously on her feet. Her charge looked up in concern as she leaned on the counter, eyes closed shut in pain.

-{-}-

Stella gritted her teeth, about to reach for her temple when her world shifted again.

Although she never indulge in the various wines this world had to offer, she can imagine this was how the drunks at the dock feel: head, heavy as ores; body, light as a feather.

Or was it, float like a feather? It certainly feels like she's in the air. Literally. A sensation she never thought she'd experience again after –

An inkling of worry crept up her neck, minutely thinking of Mei, before she faceplanted on something soft. She reached out a hand, feeling cotton and smooth silk. Her...bed?

“Urgh... where – what?”

A low snort nearby answered her. She felt too tired to think of anything of it. The pillow under her seems exceptionally comfortable right now. Maybe she won't suffocate if she stayed this way?

So. Tired...

A chuff sounded next, lighter in tone, before something wrapped around her shoulders. She breathed deep as sunlight burned her eyes, a tugging at her feet made her crane her head down. She now lied flat on her back, with a large, blurry... something, weighing her down.

“... Mei? What are you doing?”

Her charge was quiet, wholly concentrated on making sure her boots were placed near the bed before coming up to her. The little girl tugged and dragged a blanket up and over her legs, intending to swaddle her with it. Stella feebly raised an arm, wanting to help, but a gleam of teeth made her pause. A muzzle cradled a handful of the cloth near Mei's arm, and lifted it easily up to Stella's chin.

“Lala? You rest, okay?” the little girl whispered, smoothing down the blanket while staring at her with wide, understanding eyes. “You work hard again for Mei. The Lilies? Mei tried to follow you last night, but Chief-dàmā told Mei to stay and wait. Mei tried, but Mei too tired. Mei wants you to sleep now.”

“But Mei. The Lilies – ”

“Gran-gran always scold bàba 'a person who does not know good rest, does not know how to do good work'. Leave the Lilies to Mei! Mei will ask for help. Promise! Lala should rest.”

“Are you sure – ”

“Lala. Rest.” the girl asserted, a stubborn tilt to her chin, but eyes still pleaded for her to agree.

Before Stella could make up her mind, the weight on her chest suddenly spread, encompassing her down to her legs, trapping her effectively. A huff of hot breath made her squint and look up. Larger, glowing orbs stared her down, making her stare back, mouth agape.

Mei giggled, seemingly satisfied she'll behave while Mr. Guardian was around, and quietly left. The skipping tone of her steps was still loud enough for Stella to hear behind the closed door.

She sighed, gaze turning wry. “Alright. You made your point. Get off.” Having a predator over her like this would normally be a terrifying experience. But when she remembered how kind it had been with her during their sprint back to the village, and how gently it gazed down at Mei, she knew she could trust it – to a certain degree. She's sure it has the strength to crush her with a quick squeeze, but she's oddly confident it won't.

Stella quickly reconsidered her good opinion though when the creature had the gall to chuff, as if amused, and placed its large head next to her, adjusting its body to lie comfortably on the bed – but with her still under it!

A sudden thought went through her like a lightning bolt.

“If you can grow this large, why didn't you do so last night and we could, you know, fly back here?”

Amused eyes turn blank, blinking back at her with a look that spelled of realization.

Stella groaned, grumbling about 'common sense is not common at all' under her breath.

-{-}-

“I apologize, good sir. But Zhongli-xiānsheng has not yet returned,” Ferrylady intoned quietly, bowing her head.

The gentleman in Fatui robes raised a blonde brow, growing pensive. “Still? How peculiar. We thought this special consultant is only busy during an adepti's Rite of Parting. It's been awhile since the last one, isn't it? We heard he's fond of strolling around the harbor. He's not one easily missed.”

“That is not inaccurate. But – ”

“But as we value his expertise in all matter of things, we believe he deserves some 'R and R' once in a while, don't you think~? I gave him leave to do so however long he likes~” said a laughing voice at the doorway.

“Hu Tao-zhǔrèn!”

“Oh. The Director?”

Hu Tao smiled wide, closed lipped, strolling into the office with a dancing step. Despite her upbeat demeanor, the gentleman still sweat dropped at the strange gleam in her eyes. “A consultant's work is just as demanding as any other job in Liyue, you see. Its why those of this realm, and of the next, leave very satisfied from our parlor~ No complaints at all!” she giggled sweetly, eyeing him more as she took a dainty step closer. “Buuut. Considering you have been on such a long wait, we will give you a great discount! Twenty percent, including the incense. You'll even get double the savings if you have a buddy with you~” she sang, fanning out two dark coupons from her sleeve and waving them invitingly.

The gentleman froze in place, quaking internally in terror. His time in the Fatui made him all too familiar with subtle threats, and this is a masterfully done one. Luckily, the Ferrylady spoke softly again, distracting him from his oncoming panic.

“Sir, may I take a message? Or would you rather we send for you when he arrives?”

“Ah, ahh...no need! The Director is... very clear, ehem – we don't mind the wait at all! An appointment with him is not that urgent anyway. Just mention the Fatui is interested to get acquainted with him, and his knowledge of the obscure. We’re confident your business will greatly benefit from a connection with us.”

“Hmm... I doubt it,” the Director hummed breezily, turning to a window to gaze out at the full moon.

The gentleman blinked, thinking he misheard. “Excuse me?”

Hu Tao giggled cutely, glancing back at him with smiling eyes. “We'll keep your words in mind, good sir! Buh-bye now~ I'm sure you're a busy man yourself. Our dear undertaker will tend to you when you need our services. At any time.”

The gentleman gulped, eyes widening. “Uhh, right. Yes! With gratitude!

Uhm, farewell, Director Hu. Thank you for gracing us with your presence, and your time. You too, Ferrylady,” he hurriedly added, not wanting to often the boss of the funeral parlor by being rude to the undertaker –

The... undertaker...

One who buries the bodies...!

When the gentleman hastily scurried away into the night, the Ferrylady turned to her young boss, face turning worried.

“Hu Tao-Zhǔrèn? I apologize if this might be spoken out of turn but – ”

“Why am I so direct with a potential customer?” Hu Tao smiled more lightly, doodling something on a parchment with careless brushstrokes.

“...”

Hu Tao chuckled, used to the Ferrylady's silence. The quiet suits the atmosphere perfectly.

“Hmm. Let’s just say for those that have incurred death's wrath, dark butterflies shall sure to follow. Poor things. To think they would have to do such a thing. Such a waste of delicate beauty.”

The Ferrylady gasped, hovering her hands over her mouth, eyeing the rough symbol of the Fatui next to large ink splatters. “Oh my! You mean – ”

“When Zhongli-xiānsheng is back, warn him of the visit. Business might pick up soon. Who knows~?” Hu Tao shrugged, humming thoughtlessly into the moonlit night.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

[←Previous]  | Chapter 4 |  [ Next → ]

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

A/N: Sorry for the long introspection. I’ve been like this whenever I try to think link a 6,000+ y.o. Archon. Then again, no matter how much knowledge you have, there’s so many things you can still learn about. 

Like common sense.

Quick translation of the honorifics I chose to use:

Chief-dàmā = Mei affectionately calling Granny Ruoxin ‘Chief Granny/Auntie’.

bàba = daddy/papa

xiānsheng = mister. In Japanese, its like ‘sensei’ (hence the Jap Dub xD)

zhǔrèn = director/manager

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Follower Tag:  @meladollsims

#to be seen #zhongli #zhongli x female OC #zhongli x oc #fanfiction #companion mini exuvia #shapeshifting archon #hu tao #ferrylady #common sense is not common

[choosingfreedom-a]

harry potter au.

name. levi ackerman house. slytherin wand. pine and phoenix feather, 10 inches, reasonably supple blood status. half-blood patronus. has a difficult time producing a corporeal patronus, but it would be a peregrine falcon.

summary / au-specific tidbits.

grew up in muggle france but moved back to britain with kenny when he was ten; attended hogwarts; is bilingual, but consciously speaks with a british accent rather than a french one, though the french may slip through if he isn’t paying attention.

(note, though, that i can play a slight alternate where he attends beauxbatons, either transferring to hogwarts halfway through his schooling or remaining in france until after he graduates.)

was in the order of the phoenix for both the first and second wars.

powerful wizard and incredibly skilled duelist. excelled at defense against the dark arts. prefers a wand but can perform wandless magic.

also a wonderful flier. never joined a quidditch team but often flew around the pitch on his own. flying calms him. is notable for being able to aim remarkably well while flying, so can essentially duel from a broomstick. 

comes from a family of purebloods (his father is an unknown muggle), but not a blood purist. 

knows some dark magic and isn’t morally against using it if he deems it necessary to achieve greater ends, but doesn’t often, aware of the stigma against it

wand analysis.

pine.

The straight-grained pine wand always chooses an independent, individual master who may be perceived as a loner, intriguing and perhaps mysterious. Pine wands enjoy being used creatively, and unlike some others, will adapt unprotestingly to new methods and spells. Many wandmakers insist that pine wands are able to detect, and perform best for, owners who are destined for long lives, and I can confirm this in as much as I have never personally known the master of a pine wand to die young. The pine wand is one of those that is most sensitive to non-verbal magic.

phoenix feather.

This is the rarest core type. Phoenix feathers are capable of the greatest range of magic, though they may take longer than either unicorn or dragon cores to reveal this. They show the most initiative, sometimes acting of their own accord, a quality that many witches and wizards dislike.

Phoenix feather wands are always the pickiest when it comes to potential owners, for the creature from which they are taken is one of the most independent and detached in the world. These wands are the hardest to tame and to personalise, and their allegiance is usually hard won.

a pine’s owner tends to be an independent loner, which clearly works for levi, and its penchant for creativity and adaptability is representative of levi’s own resourceful ability to adapt quickly to new situations. he has been known to modify his spells in ways that make them either more powerful or more effective in certain circumstances, and his pine wand reacts well to it. as for the rumor that pine owners live long lives, well, levi considers that to be bitterly ironic, as he doesn’t expect to live long at all, but then, the fact that he seems to keep on surviving while the people around him die might belie that.

as for the phoenix feather, levi is well-represented in the phoenix: an intensely powerful and independent creature whose loyalty, when won, is invaluable, but whose trust takes a great deal to earn. levi is not easily tamed, and he, too, has a tendency to act of his own accord when he believes it necessary, defying orders if need be, so it’s fitting that his wand has the potential for the same.

house analysis.

first, let me discuss why i didn’t place him in any other houses, because i’ve seen people headcanon pretty much all of them for levi.

hufflepuff: i guess he gets this one because he’s loyal and cares about protecting people? but slytherins are also loyal and care about protecting people - and levi simply doesn’t have the temperament of a hufflepuff. despite his protectiveness and good intentions, he doesn’t project patience or kindness (those qualities exist, but they aren’t on display), he isn’t team- or family-oriented, he doesn’t care about avoiding conflict, and he doesn’t have the affinity for nature, food, etc that hufflepuffs often have. to be blunt, y’all, he’s not a good enough person for hufflepuff.

ravenclaw: this one i understand, because levi is very intelligent, and he does care about honesty and truth, and he is innovative. but levi’s intelligence is very practical and in-the-moment; he doesn’t really care about academia for academia’s sake. he values learning for the sake of putting it to use more than for its own merits. he’s not the kind of free-thinker ravenclaws often are. his cleverness is more slytherin than ravenclaw.

gryffindor. yes, levi cares about a cause. yes, levi can be noble. but here’s the thing: gryffindors tend to have a strong moral code and stick to it; they have a clear idea of what a just world is and try their hardest to achieve it. levi sees the world in shades of grey, without a clear good and evil. his morality is much more flexible and individualistic; a gryffindor would frown upon levi’s machiavellian does-whatever-is-necessary-to-achieve-his-ends philosophy. levi also doesn’t care about glory and isn’t as social as gryffindors tend to be. frankly, though he can be friends with gryffindors individually (isabel is a gryffindor), as a whole they’re more likely to tire and frustrate him. (to be quite honest with you, it baffles me to see people draw/sort levi as a gryffindor. he’d be so annoyed if he had to be around gryffindors all the time??? let him Rest????)

slytherin. slytherins can be very loyal, but this loyalty tends to be conditional to their in-group. they aren’t highly social, but they do protect their groups, their families, to a fault. this mirrors levi’s brand of loyalty: he’ll only attach himself to a person, like erwin, who has proven themselves to him, and while he’s very individual, he’s protective of the small groups that may form around him. 

he’s both cunning and underhanded - his ability to think on the spot and adapt to situations plus his willingness to play dirty to get what he wants would offend a gryffindor, as would his belief that unpleasant methods can be justified by a necessary result. he doesn’t see the world as divided into good and evil, but rather into groups of people who’ve had to make choices; his grey view of the world, plus his ability to read people and guess the motivations behind their choices, strike me as more slytherin than anything else.

now, one thing that isn’t very slytherin of him is his tendency towards blunt honesty; he might flatly refuse to practice the deceit another slytherin might say is wiser or more necessary. levi is underhanded, but openly so - he’ll do whatever he needs to to get his way, but he’ll tell you that upfront. he isn’t manipulative in the way erwin is, in that his manipulations are, while effective, also transparent. in fact, some might accuse his style of blunt intimidation of being unpleasantly gryffindor - an insult among slytherins, who see discreet manipulation and finesse as far more valuable than physical intimidation, when getting one’s way. (levi, of course, ignores these jabs and continues on anyway.)

i suppose the whole slytherins are evil thing needs to be addressed. obviously slytherins aren’t evil, not as a whole, and levi certainly isn’t. (he isn’t the exception here; there are plenty of slytherins with their hearts in the right place.) but he also isn’t concerned with being seen as a good person - he’d like to be a good person, if he can, but whether others think of him that way is less important. he does want to be seen as a competent person, and recognized for his skills, but the fact is that he’s rude, he’s crass, he’s broody, and he’s unapologetic about it. so while his compassion belies the heartless slytherins stereotype other houses love to indulge in, his general antisocial nature doesn’t do the house image many favors. 

he also, as noted, cares for gaining knowledge so it can be used, rather than for its own sake; hange, a definite ravenclaw (imo), might want to study something just to see what it does, while levi is looking for ways to put that knowledge to use in his favor. (he’s constantly doing this, actually, observing the world around him and filing away any knowledge that might prove useful in the future, as a survival mechanism.) that’s very slytherin, as is his pragmatism in how to use what he discovers. i also think that the kind of adaptability and self-preservation instincts levi possesses and cultivates are pretty slytherin - slytherins are probably the best out of any house at constantly observing, evaluating, and adapting to the situation around them

history.

     (note that anything during his school years and after is flexible, depending on      plotting; consider this the default.)

the ackermans were, once, a prominent pureblood family, renowned for producing wizards of great power. at some point in the past, however - before grindelwald’s rise, but continuing into it - they fell out of favor in the pureblood community when prominent members of the family refused to support the increasing demand for subjugation of muggles and muggleborns. labeled blood-traitors, the ackermans lost their positions of power (discreetly dismissed from the wizengamot, forced out of government seats), and there were those, especially in the fervor of grindelwald’s propaganda, who even actively persecuted the members of the ackerman family, hunting them down until there were few left.

kuchel ackerman, a young woman and competent, if not particularly powerful, witch, fled to france in the late 1950s with her infant son levi to escape such persecution, hoping that disappearing into the muggle world on the continent would keep her son safe. she didn’t dare to use magic lest it give her away, but her lack of muggle knowledge or muggle qualifications made finding and keeping a job difficult, so she and levi lived in poverty. nevertheless, she raised him as best she could, until, when levi was seven years old, she grew very ill and died.

her brother, kenny ackerman, had meanwhile found other ways of avoiding persecution. in his youth, angry at the rest of pureblood society, kenny had secretly murdered several purebloods, with such skill and stealth that he’d never been caught. that ended, however, when he attempted to murder uri reiss, a powerful wizard - uri caught him, but rather than having kenny punished, struck a deal with him: kenny would be uri’s right hand man, lending uri his immense magical skill, and in turn kenny would be under the reiss family’s protection. this deal lasted for almost a decade - until uri died, and his successor had no such kindness for kenny; he cast kenny out of his household, threatening to reveal kenny’s past murders to the public, and kenny was forced into hiding.

he went to france, thinking to find his sister, whom he hadn’t seen in many years, but when his search led him to a rundown tenement, he found only a scrawny, half-starved child hunkered down in the dirt. unaware that his sister had ever had a child, assuming that this boy was nothing but a squatter, kenny almost left - until the boy looked up and saw him, and kenny was blasted backwards with a force that made the rotting foundation shake.

the boy’s posture hadn’t changed - he still huddled on the ground, his knees drawn up to his chin - but the force was clearly magic, and powerful magic at that. so kenny investigated, and wrung the story of his mother’s life and death out of levi. kenny decided to stay and look after his nephew, though he never revealed to levi that they were related, introducing himself only as a family friend. 

levi’s magic was powerful but dangerously uncontrolled; the burn marks on his hands proved that it had already hurt him at least once. kenny taught him to harness and control his magic. levi didn’t of course have his own wand and kenny refused to give him his, but he taught levi the basics of wandless magic, as well as how to open his senses to other people’s magic and focus his intent. but that wasn’t all -- kenny also taught levi to survive in a magicless world, to fight with both fists and blade, to steal, to observe, to trust his own strength. it was the only way he knew how to raise a child: teach him to survive, whatever it takes.

when levi was ten, they moved back to britain, and kenny started disappearing for a few days at a time, never explaining his errands to levi. the summer after levi’s eleventh birthday, he got his hogwarts letter. (this was, incidentally, the first time levi saw his last name; neither kuchel nor kenny had ever told him, so at first he thought the letter addressed to mr l ackerman was a mistake.) kenny wouldn’t go with him to diagon alley, so levi went alone with the money he had saved up and bought himself as much as he could from his list. when he returned home, robes and new wand in hand, kenny wasn’t there. levi assumed he was off on another errand, or testing levi in some way, but when kenny still hadn’t returned by september first, it was left to levi to find his way to king’s cross alone.

at hogwarts, he was sorted into slytherin, but showed little interest in the forming of alliances that quickly began amongst other slytherin first-years. in fact, he ignored both friendly and unfriendly advances from his housemates, some of whom thought him easy prey because of both his size and his last name. but when one would-be bully ended up in the hospital wing with a broken wrist after a confrontation with levi, he was left mostly alone.

the truth was that levi had no idea how to make friends, how to even try, and he couldn’t help but size up everyone around him as a potential threat; years under kenny’s tutelage had ingrained him with suspicion. his main goal was simply to avoid being bothered, and he focused more on his classes than his classmates. he quickly proved himself an intimidatingly skilled wizard: he excelled especially at defense against the dark arts, with charms as a close second. he also discovered, during their first flying lesson, an immediate love of flying, and though he never joined a quidditch team, he would often sneak out to the quidditch pitch at night, pick the broomshed lock, and steal a broom to fly until he felt calm.

when levi went home for the winter holidays, kenny wasn’t there, and obviously hadn’t been there in quite some time. rather than tell anyone, however, levi resigned himself to living alone; the small amount of wizarding money he possessed was useless here, but he could steal and forage for what he needed, and that’s what he continued to do throughout his years at school. it was an odd sort of double life, spending most of the year in comfort if not joy, and then returning to the muggle world over the summer to live alone as just another kid on the muggle streets.

he didn’t make his first real friend until farlan church, a charismatic ravenclaw, partnered himself with levi on a project and hadn’t left him alone since. levi resisted farlan’s attempts at friendship at first, but eventually relented; farlan was clever and humorous, but also perceptive and level-headed, and never seemed to mind levi’s dour attitude or black humor. in time the duo became three when levi stepped in to protect isabel magnolia, a younger gryffindor, from a gang of students she’d managed to offend. isabel attached herself to levi, calling him her big brother - a move that garnered both laughter and anger from other students, in a time when, as death eater attacks were becoming more common outside hogwarts’ walls, befriending slytherins was becoming increasingly taboo.

by the time levi and farlan graduated, the three were an inseparable trio. farlan and levi moved in together, and isabel began joining them over breaks rather than going home to the orphanage. though war had broken out in the wizarding world, levi had no desire to take part; all he cared about was keeping his head down and sticking with the people he’d begun to think of as his family. 

but the luxury of remaining uninvolved didn’t last long. it wasn’t long after isabel’s graduation. there was a death eater attack. farlan and isabel (a half-blood and a muggle-born respectively) were killed, and levi - levi who had gone out, levi who had left instead of staying home like isabel had asked him to - arrived only in time to see the bodies fall, lit by the curses from within.

he snapped. by the time members of the order of the phoenix arrived in pursuit of the death eaters, what they found instead was levi, blood-spattered in the middle of a ring of carnage, wizards falling around him, the crackle of his magic in the air. one of the order members, erwin smith, a hogwarts graduate some years above levi, already knew of levi and his dueling skills, and it was he who approached levi and convinced him to join in the order, to fight for revenge against the people responsible for isabel and farlan’s death.

so levi joined. as one would expect, he made few friends in the order, at least at first - he was a slytherin, for one thing, and utterly uninterested in working with the rest of the order. angry, antisocial, he tended towards solo missions, convinced anyone else would get in his way, and it was a long time before he learned to work with others. in fact, when suspicions of a spy within the order came out, there were more than a few fingers pointed levi’s way. but erwin vouched for him, and dumbledore trusted him, and it became clear soon enough that whatever else levi was, he was dedicated to saving lives, and the amount of times he protected his fellow order members and civilians alike from death eaters was undeniable. some said that he was the reason the order hung on as long as it did, even fighting a losing battle.

eventually, though, the battle ended. they won, not through levi’s skill or erwin’s planning, but through little more than luck, or so it seemed - one baby’s inability to die. and just like that there was no more fighting to be done. levi was left to figure out how to live in a world at peace - until, of course, a new war came along, and a new generation to fight alongside.

(this is where the timeline gets especially flexible. what does levi do in the intervening years between the wars? whatever works best for the thread, really. some options are these:

dragged along by erwin and hange, who both become professors at hogwarts after the war, levi becomes the flying instructor and head of the dueling club. he isn’t exactly a personable teacher, but he’s a formidable and respected figure, and legends run rampant about his deeds during the war. some students dislike or fear him, while others hope to impress him, and others still have seen the kindness he shows to young students who need a listening ear.

though he refuses to actually work in the ministry, and turns down offers to join the auror program, he does consent to help the aurors hunt down death eaters who fled after voldemort’s fall. once that’s done, he - sticks around, call him a freelancer, there are aurors he knows who were in the order, and he helps them, tracks down dangerous criminals, steps in when his skills are needed. he’s still not ministry, though. shut up.

it’s hard, adjusting to peace. it’s hard, trying to live a quiet life when his body seems trained to expect disaster. but damn it, levi’s going to try. he’s earned that. he owns a tea shop in hogsmeade, a tidy little place. he doesn’t make a fuss, and only a few people think to the connection between levi the tea proprietor and the levi ackerman who killed so many death eaters during the war. but his instincts never go away, and neither do the nightmares.

when voldemort returns, levi isn’t surprised. the world’s a shitty place, after all, and it’s too much to expect that evil dark lords will just stay dead. it sucks, but in some ways it’s almost a relief, rejoining the order, taking up the fight - because this, in the end, feels like it’s all he was ever meant to do. he was made for war; let war take him.

#( me: spends entire days writing up aus i'll probably barely use :))) ) #( I DON'T CARE I LOVE CRAFTING HP AUS YOU GUYS ) #( I'M A FUCKIN NERD ) #long post // #( seriously so long i'm so sorry ) #( it's hella detailed but also hella flexible?? ) #; don't you ever tame your demons but always keep them on a leash ( about. ) #v: of course you are a storm. are you not magic? do you not burn? ( 09. ) #( sb: rhys stop with the storm imagery ) #( me: n e v e r )

[janeaustentextposts]

Question! I noticed - maybe I'm wrong - that in all the adaptations, the casting for the main characters is similar: Darcy is dark haired, and so is Lizzie; Jane is blonde and (for some fascinating reason) Bingley is ginger-y. Is there a reason? something in the books that I missed? Some extra source? It seemed too much a coincidence (although I do love Ginger Bingley) thanks!!!

First off, I’m going to refer back to Mullan’s What Matters in Jane Austen? again, because he’s done a whole chapter on what her characters look like (and starts off with a basic examination of casting choices in adaptations and the admiration or outrage which always follows.) “How people look is often suggested rather than specified in Austen’s novels.” He then goes on to quote Sterne’s Tristram Shandy, “…paint her to your own mind–as like your mistress as you can–as unlike your wife as your conscience will let you.”

All we know of Jane is that she is considered very beautiful–as much is said by Bingley, her mother (who has no difficulty criticizing her children when they displease her,) and even Darcy must admit it as a fact. Looks are important in novels where often penniless girls must rely on other attractions in their manners and person–”…words used so frequently about characters when we first meet them: handsome, pretty, gentlemanlike, elegant…”. And yet she avoids specifics–perhaps as a reaction to other novels of her era, where a heroine’s precise points of beauty are totted up among her other virtues to make her a peerless wonder. Austen’s heroines are often described by other characters, rather than the narration, as it’s important to consider who is looking, and how, when looking at their judgements. Some people use a mention in Jane Austen’s letters about Jane wearing the colour green and Elizabeth preferring yellow to be some kind of marker of what their haircolours must have been in Austen’s mind’s eye, but that’s a tenuous argument at best, and if Austen had wanted the world in general to know imagined particulars about Jane and Elizabeth, she would have set them down in the text.

We know Elizabeth’s eyes are fine, and dark, but beyond that, we are given no details. On a genetic level, dark eyes are far more likely to occur in people with darker hair, but Austen wasn’t working with genetics–and dark eyes paired with lighter hair can sometimes be a rare sign of remarkable beauty, as in the descriptions of Irene in Galsworthy’s Forsyte Saga books. (A description which was entirely ignored in the casting of my future wife Gina McKee, but then Irene’s beauty and her allure is such a pivotal force in the novels that to pin it down as necessarily belonging to certain shades of colouring is to make it more trite than it truly is. Irene’s beauty is something beyond what one sees at first glance–it is transcendent charm.) Dark could mean brown, or also a very dark blue or grey–it’s impossible to tell, exactly. Anne Elliott’s eyes are mild and dark, Fanny Price’s are soft and light, Harriet Smith’s are blue, Jane Fairfax’s a deep grey, (and her lashes and eyebrows called dark, giving us some notion of the likely shade of her hair,) Mary Crawford’s are sparkling and dark…eyes are often the only thing near to a solid description we are given of physical attributes, and even then half of the description is more to do with the expression of the personality or feeling of the character through their glances and gazes, rather than specifically the colour of their irises. (Only Emma Woodhouse’s exact eye-colour is known–they are “hazle” and no adaptation so far has given enough of a shit to make certain of casting.) Marianne Dashwood has very dark eyes, and there is a general comparative description of the figures of the two sisters–but casting directors rarely, if ever, I think, take specifics of figures into account beyond an ‘acceptable’ level of Hollywood slimness.Now, for the casting trends (exceptions to the pattern you laid out being the 1940 P&P’s Greer Garson being a dirty-blonde/light brown Elizabeth, while Maureen O’Sullivan’s Jane had very dark hair; and the 1980 miniseries with Elizabeth Garvie’s Eliza also having light brown hair while Sabina Franklyn’s Jane was several shades darker–but indeed, the two more recent and well-known adaptations of 1995 and 2005 have the colourings you mentioned,) it’s probably just down to Hollywood mechanics where you’re going to have to combine the tropes of a comparative Ugly Duckling sister as well as a Best Friend/Beta Couple plotline. Coding a blonde woman (or man) as ‘good’ and a darker-haired person as ‘less good’ has been a Thing since long before cinema showed up on the scene. There’s a reason Laura Ingalls spends so much time inwardly (and outwardly) bitching about her sister Mary’s luck in being blonde (and also better-behaved, though this is never explicitly tied to the fact that Mary is blonde, but just ties INTO the overall notion that Mary is The Better Daughter.) Dark-haired heroines throughout older literature have bemoaned their lack of golden locks (notably also in LM Montgomery’s works, with Anne Shirley’s famous sensitivity about her hair being red, but also briefly in Emily Starr’s contemplation of her own black hair and atypical looks, which gets a bit of verse thrown at it which I can’t find sourced anywhere else so must have been made up by Montgomery herself: “If the bards of old the truth have told the sirens had raven hair. But over the earth since art had birth, they paint the angels fair.“So culturally, in the west, there’s a pervasive notion (especially when it comes to women,) that dark-haired women are the ‘darker’ side of their humanity…the temptresses, the more-likely-to-be-bad. (Though any reasonable reader would be like “…well, they’re human, you see, not out-and-out evil.”) But of course anyone compared to the fair-haired saintly paragon of womanhood would look bad–and so equally is the angelic blonde woman a trope in literature, often but not always used in comparisons against her brunette foil.

In cinema, quite often it’s just to better differentiate between characters, and to use these assumptions which are deeply entrenched in our cultures to play upon our immediate and almost instinctive reactions to visual cues. Jane is super-good, so she’s blonde. Bingley is likewise a bright and easy-going character, with more elements of comedy about him, so he’s got lighter hair, too, either as a strawberry blonde or redhead–but he is definitely the sidekick. I, personally, would be all for a ginger Darcy. Or a ginger-everybody P&P. (But that’s not going to happen, because redheaded men are culturally de-sexed/made less masculine or attractive, whereas redheaded women are more inclined to be overly-sexualized. Humanity is weird.) Darcy is a brooding brunette, because darker hair in the case of a male character gives them gravitas and mystery. It’s that damn Byronic thing coming into play. Dark hair, dark secrets. It’s a visual construct we’ve trapped ourselves into, at this point. Also, when you’ve got two love-stories running more or less concurrently, an audience needs visual markers to help them quickly identify and individualize (and therefore emotionally-invest in) the characters. More morally-dubious and fascinating hero and heroine Elizabeth and Darcy are brunettes because we see them making mistakes and drawing our attention by being fuck-ups. Lizzie can’t be the Prettier Sister, so she’s more automatically made the Brunette Underdog. Darcy is brooding and mysterious–so it’s very easy to make him dark-haired. Their contrasts are in their secondary characters–Jane and Bingley. Jane is prettier, and good-hearted (moreso than Eliza, anyway,) so she ascends to Blonde. Bingley is the Good Friend, and seemingly with fewer social defects compared to Darcy, so as the Nice Man, he gets lighter hair to also differentiate him from Darcy and make him more matchy-matchy with Jane. Our brains are making these connections based on visuals even before we’ve gotten half a dozen words of dialogue from any of these people.

This happens often in films and TV shows–in Coppola’s Dracula, Sadie Frost (a natural brunette) was made a vibrant redhead as Lucy to contrast to Winona Ryder’s more sedate and mysterious Mina. (Though this also had the fun effect of tying in a possible reference to the historical link between redhaired people and vampires, and the whole mythos of redhaired women in particular and sexual allure/witchcraft/spiritual evil–particularly as THIS version of Lucy is much more heavily sexualized compared to her book counterpart. I don’t know how much of the hair-colour-change was on purpose from Coppola’s perspective, and largely it’s just handwaved as being so people could really tell apart the ONLY TWO MAJOR FEMALE CHARACTERS IN THE FILM, but personally I think it’s an interesting choice–particularly compared to Katie McGrath’s blonde Lucy.) Again, we see the contrasting of virtue coded in hair-colouring, as Lucy is a character known for her sweetness and purity…as well as being a secondary female character to the heroine, and hence her more-virtuous foil…with lighter hair. Mina’s place as an educated, working, and married woman, with a more active part in the narrative, particularly as her brushes with dark forces mark her as ‘unholy’, makes it easier to code her as ‘complicated’, i.e. a brunette. Interestingly, this is set on its head in Penny Dreadful, where Mina becomes the blonde, doomed damsel, and her friend/lover Vanessa is the raven-haired woman at the center of a maelstrom of fucked up shit full of vampires, witches, and devils. Essentially if you want your heroine to go ‘bad’ a little (or a lot), give her a better-by-comparison blonde friend and have at it.Of course, since these tropes are so pervasive, we do see stories where this is purposefully mirrored or mocked, where the icy blonde is the femme fatale or turncoat who uses her appeal to deceive others–but this relies just as heavily on the initial assumption that a fair-haired character is intrinsically ‘better’ on a moral level.To conclude, this is why I think we see that general trend with colouring when it comes to casting/styling these characters in cinematic adaptations, as we have really very little in the text to go on, but from the characters themselves there are long traditions to draw from for visual cues to quickly and adeptly condition audiences to draw certain assumptions about these characters which enable us to rapidly bond with and understand them to some degree. I want to specify “Western” audiences because the blonde/brunette thing is at its roots kind of a colourism thing which is grossly pervasive in a white supremacist society going back for centuries, and Caucasian beauty standards do not and should not apply globally; but as the media most of us are familiar with is dominated by this white heteronormative patriarchal history, these tropes and codings exist for ultimately gross reasons. Frankly we could all do without them from this day forward, but change can be slow and so these stereotypes continue to exist and blonde people on-screen for now often continue to be the tacit code for ‘these people are the purest bestest people’ while the darker-haired people are almost always more morally-grey, complicated–even troubling–and made more ‘fascinating’ by their more flawed natures. It’s a shitty way of doing things, but we’ve been culturally conditioned to respond to things like that, and so it works.Anyway, thanks for asking this one–my answer went to places I wasn’t fully expecting me to go, but I enjoyed blowing the dust off my film studies qualifications and I always love yelling about culture.

#Ask Me Anything Austen-Adjacent #AMAAA #eorlsdotter