ykoriana-imperatrix

[ykoriana-imperatrix]

SDC Month - December 2023 - Wednesday Coda

Once again, a SDC month project ends, but another will hopefully begin 153 days from now.

Back on the 27th, I asked about a chapter not including any last appearances of non-Carnelian POV characters. This would be C, "The Mirror Breaks", as "Farewells" marks Sardian's last appearance, "The Stone Dance of the Chameleon" that of Ykoriana and "A Last Supper" that of the sartlar group (given the sheer size of the sartlar population, we cannot claim with any certainty they make any later appearances).

I also asked about a name which was not used for any Plainsman character, which would be B, Skaicrow. Thunderwing and Thunderskai are two of the men who die early in The Standing Dead, and Crowrane is, of course, Harth's husband.

It is always bittersweet when a SDC month ends, but that is the way of all things—hopefully, you enjoyed the projects I shared over this past month? Farewell, fellow fans, and I'll see you again in June (or possibly earlier, if the whim to create one or more non-themed posts strikes me) for the advent of another SDC month.

(Also, a happy new year to everyone, and may we all have an excellent 2024!)

#stone dance of the chameleon #the stone dance of the chameleon #sdc month 2 2023 #sdc questions #sdc december 2023 wednesdays

[ykoriana-imperatrix]

SDC Month - December 2023 - Sunday #5

Let her die happy.

XV. Ruhyo

The darkness is going away, she thinks in feverish wonder, as bright spots and shapes seem to appear before her. Mother? Athase asks in concern, but Ruhyo is too enchanted by her visions to truly hear her. "Look," she sighs dreamily, suddenly feeling very dizzy, "how lovely they are. I had missed my sight so."

Notes

We close this SDC month's 4 sentence fics with a feature by yet another fanon character, Ruhyo, the mother of Athase and sister/wife of Kxiranxa. Decades after being blinded on her brother's orders, as she is dying, she is overcome by hallucinations that seem to return to her her lost sight. These might not be real, yet they provide Ruhyo the chance to die happily, in the company of her beloved daughter and with a comforting illusion of regaining what was lost long ago.

Our SDC month is not quite over yet, however—we will meet again in the questions coda post later today.

#stone dance of the chameleon #the stone dance of the chameleon #sdc month 2 2023 #sdc 4 sentence fics #sdc december 2023 sundays #house of the masks

[ykoriana-imperatrix]

SDC Month - December 2023 - Saturday #5

Chosen conception partner.

XIV. Idrie

"Thank you," she blurts out in gratitude, and Tyatxungo blushes, muttering something she can't quite make out. It doesn't matter. For now, at least, she is safe, her first child guaranteed to be sired by someone she trusts. This, she knows, is a luxury most of her kinswomen will never get to experience.

Notes

Idrie is a fanon non-main line daughter of yesterday's Xeran, via yet another of the matches arranged by Qusata. Here, Tyatxungo (her friend of many years) agrees to sire her first child (who will end up being Amneris). Idrie is immensely relieved by the fact, knowing herself to be extremely fortunate, as the very real prospect of having a child by Nuhuron or Kumatuya, with no trust or fondness of any kind involved (as it would be the case for most conceptions in her House and others), is at least delayed for some time. In a sense, her story contrasts Urkare's, as Idrie manages to avoid the fate the former could not be spared from (even if, tragically, she would die very shortly after Amneris' birth).

#stone dance of the chameleon #the stone dance of the chameleon #sdc month 2 2023 #sdc 4 sentence fics #sdc december 2023 saturdays #house of the masks

[ykoriana-imperatrix]

SDC Month - December 2023 - Friday #5

A tragedy in four sentences.

XIII. Xeran

The boathouse is collapsing, he notes with horror, one of his last coherent thoughts. Yarex's eyes meet his, and in them he sees the same burning panic he feels. We will never escape in time. His final act in this world is to cover his lover with his arms in a vain attempt to shield him.

Notes

Xeran is another fanon character, a non-main line grandson of Qusata (born to a son of his via one of the Masks-Great matches mentioned earlier in the month). He was the lover of his cousin (a non-main line son of Nuhuron) Yarex, and the two would die in a tragic accident in the later years of Nuhuron's reign, when the boathouse they had met in for one of their trysts collapsed. With this story, I wanted to focus on their last moments being mostly driven by love rather than terror, with Xeran, even if in vain, trying to protect Yarex.

#stone dance of the chameleon #the stone dance of the chameleon #sdc month 2 2023 #sdc 4 sentence fics #sdc december 2023 fridays #house of the masks

[ykoriana-imperatrix]

SDC Month - December 2023 - Thursday #4

I saved the likely most controversial theory for last.

(Cut for spoilers.)

A Terrible, Animal Fear

This theory, as you can tell by the title, focuses on Tyatxungo's sacrifice and Osidian's claims about it. As you likely recall, he states Apotheosis sacrifices are unaware of what is being done to them due to the drugs administered pre-ritual (The Third God, "In the Underworld"):

'My uncle was drugged!' declared Osidian. (…) 'They were all drugged. They felt nothing.'

Ykoriana, however, casts some doubts upon this:

'That is what the Wise claim. And it is true my brother made no movement, nor did he cry out.' (…) 'But your father, who witnessed his mutilation at close hand, told me afterwards that he had seen in our brother's eyes, before they were plucked out, a terrible, animal fear. It haunted him.' She grew aged beyond her years. 'It haunts me still.'

Now, while we cannot know for sure what the case was with Tyatxungo, as he died long before the series' beginning, and we only have Osidian's beliefs and Kumatuya's recollections (conveyed by Ykoriana) to go on, I propose that both are right in a sense. That is, Osidian is correct in that sacrificed individuals are usually drugged and unaware, but so was Kumatuya in thinking this might not have been the case with Tyatxungo. Why would he be an exception, you might ask? Well, like many other events in the series, I think Tyatxungo's sacrifice was the target of interference by the Wise (and that he was paralysed but indeed aware), in order to better preserve the Balance. There had already been recent unusual events they undoubtedly saw as potentially disruptive factors (Sardian's exile, for one), and I believe they could have seen Kumatuya as compromised by the exile deal and especially the impact of its aftermath. Later supporting his decision to have Ykoriana blinded would be but one way to channel his feelings into a "safe" course of action; I just see it as not being enough in the Wise's view. There would always be the risk that the grieving, resentful new God Emperor could do something impulsive and unexpected due to his love for the now-absent Sardian, something that could end up developing into a genuine threat later on, and so the only way to neutralise him would be to fully break him. The sacrifices would undoubtedly be traumatic to Kumatuya under normal circumstances, but they could be made more so if Tyatxungo was aware of every excruciating moment (something that no one would ever be able to prove for certain), and therefore Kumatuya had to live with that knowledge as he watched his brother be cut apart, something we know haunted him for the rest of his life.

Is this too preposterous an idea, and a bit too much of a conspiracy theory more than a regular one? I, for one, think the Wise perfectly capable of something of this sort, but you might not agree—feel free to let me know why in the comments if that is the case.

What it is without a doubt is the last SDC theory for this month. This project might make a return next SDC month, though—it all depends on what new ideas I might have until then.

#stone dance of the chameleon #the stone dance of the chameleon #sdc month 2 2023 #sdc theories #sdc december 2023 thursdays

[ykoriana-imperatrix]

SDC Month - December 2023 - Wednesday #4 - Question #2

Still not last, nor least.

Today's question (and the last for this SDC month): Which of the following is not the name of a Plainsman character? A: Thunderwing B: Skaicrow C: Crowrane D: Thunderskai

As before, you shall know the answer on the 31st.

#stone dance of the chameleon #the stone dance of the chameleon #sdc month 2 2023 #sdc questions #sdc december 2023 wednesdays

[ykoriana-imperatrix]

SDC Month - December 2023 - Wednesday #4 - Question #1

Neither last nor least.

Last week, I asked about Sardian's family ties to his lover Kumatuya and enemy Ykoriana. Through the available family trees, we do know they have the parents of Imago Urkare as common ancestors, as Sardian is a direct descendant of Urkare's brother. More specifically, Sardian is the sixth cousin once removed, seventh cousin and seventh cousin once removed of Kumatuya and Ykoriana, meaning the wrong option was A, sixth cousin.

As for the second question from last Wednesday, D, Opalid's son, would be the odd character out, as he is the only one out of the four who is alive at some point during the series.

And now, it's time for this week's question: Which of the following chapters does not mark the last appearance of one or more (non-Carnelian) POV character(s)? A: "Farewells" B: "The Stone Dance of the Chameleon" C: "The Mirror Breaks" D: "A Last Supper"

I'm excluding Carnelian because (like in the case of the members of Akaisha's hearth) I feel doing so makes the question more difficult. And by the way, a last appearance does not have to correspond to the character's death, as most do die off-page—we'll define it as the last time the character appeared alive on-page (even if they explicitly died later or were strongly implied to have died not too long after said appearance).

As is always the case with this project, you'll learn the answer on the last day of the month.

#stone dance of the chameleon #the stone dance of the chameleon #sdc month 2 2023 #sdc questions #sdc december 2023 wednesdays

[ykoriana-imperatrix]

SDC Month - December 2023 - Tuesday #4

A fully accurate summary of the chapter "Eleven of Twelve":

Here end the memes for this SDC month—hopefully you enjoyed them. They may make a return next time, but of course, that's all dependent on inspiration for new ideas.

#stone dance of the chameleon #the stone dance of the chameleon #sdc month 2 2023 #sdc memes #sdc december 2023 tuesdays

[ykoriana-imperatrix]

SDC Month - December 2023 - Monday #4

Last one—for this month, perhaps?

Cut for the already often-alluded to reasons.

The last randomised chapter for this month: "The Withering" from The Standing Dead.

Heads: Whin's story about animals who could speak. While a small moment, this is just something that deeply endears her character to me. Here we have a woman who has recently suffered the devastating loss of her grandson to the tithe, and yet, life carries on, because it must. I also find it meaningful that Whin decides not to give only her sisters but also Akaisha—with whom she is at odds so often—roles in this story. It is just a very humanising passage all around, and in my opinion, adds quite a bit to Whin's character despite being so short.

Tails: Ravan's dismissive and borderline cruel attitude towards his family and most of his tribe every time he makes an appearance. While it definitely stems from Osidian's influence, it can't be argued Ravan is still making his own choices, most of which include hurting and disappointing people who care about him and whom he's known his entire life, all of which makes me angry on their behalf.

One last time, I'd be interested in knowing if you agree or disagree with the heads and tails I chose for this chapter, and what your own picks would be. With this, we reach the end of this project—but I will consider bringing it back for the next SDC month if you liked this feature and would enjoy seeing it make a comeback.

(And for those who celebrate it, merry Christmas to you all!)

#stone dance of the chameleon #the stone dance of the chameleon #sdc month 2 2023 #sdc chapter coin flips #sdc december 2023 mondays

[ykoriana-imperatrix]

SDC Month - December 2023 - Sunday #4

Regrets and accusations.

XII. Karada

You could have done more, Ilruya has accused her multiple times, and Karada has felt herself wither in powerless shame. Does she not realise that despite her best efforts, she has never held any great influence over her son? Why, then, should it be any different when said son is a man grown and wears the Masks? Urkare was—is—just a girl, yes, yet nothing she might have said would have dissuaded Them from consummating the match as soon as possible, the matter of succession too much of a priority.

Notes

Karada is another fanon character, the mother of the canon God Emperor Nuhqanya. Here, she has to deal with the aftermath of her son's wife Urkare (canonically) getting pregnant and giving birth at far too young an age, something her aunt Ilruya (the mother of her late brother/husband Miruthe) partially blames her for. I see Nuhqanya, as mentioned in the story, as being too focused on the succession to truly care about the impact his actions would have on Urkare. Ilruya, who had far more influence over her own son than Karada ever did over Nuhqanya, believes he could have been convinced to wait to consummate the match had these dynamics been different, and the two women's powerlessness over these events unfortunately leads them to turn against each other, as neither can defy the God Emperor's absolute power over them all.

#stone dance of the chameleon #the stone dance of the chameleon #sdc month 2 2023 #sdc 4 sentence fics #sdc december 2023 sundays #house of the masks

[ykoriana-imperatrix]

SDC Month - December 2023 - Saturday #4

Better to have loved and lost—

XI. Ikoriane

"There will be one for you one day," she fondly tells her granddaughter, as the child examines the doll made in Ikoriane's likeness. They all represent Empresses past and present, but for one. Gently, longingly, Ikoriane touches the face of the doll next to her own—the one bearing the face of her lost beloved. "I miss you," she whispers almost inaudibly, her pain softened by the years but never gone.

Notes

Yet another canon character featuring, though a far less developed one this time. With this fic, I wanted to showcase two important headcanons relating to Ikoriane's character in fanon. One is her close bond with her granddaughter Nayakarade—@suth-sardian and I see her as the main line adult closest to the latter and a formative influence on her. The other is her love for her sister Kuqenthe (already discussed in some detail in Kuqenthe's feature fic), and how older Ikoriane would have been affected by her loss, as she canonically outlived her sister for over two decades. I feel it would have been something Ikoriane never fully recovered from, but that, as she herself thinks here, she learned to live with in time. Kuqenthe would be gone from her heart and life, but would live on in her memories, in mementos such as the doll, in the stories told to Nayakarade and her sisters.

#stone dance of the chameleon #the stone dance of the chameleon #sdc month 2 2023 #sdc 4 sentence fics #sdc december 2023 saturdays #house of the masks

[ykoriana-imperatrix]

SDC Month - December 2023 - Friday #4

Those who cast their votes yet—

X. Naparaye

Let them squabble, she thinks almost in amusement, let them fight each other to the bitter end. Their schemes are naught but children's games when compared to those of my House. Idly, she wonders which of her grandsons will end up victorious in the end, and decides it does not really matter. There are no lives at stake here, not unless they choose to make it so—what is a Ruling Lordship compared to the Masks?

Notes

Naparaye is a fanon non-main line daughter of Jirikxan II who married into the also-fanon House Miyakare (which was very high in standing at the time of said match). In her later years, as she watches her four grandsons form rivalries over who will succeed their father one day, she cannot help but be unimpressed. A daughter of the Masks will always be reminded of the lives lost at an Apotheosis and her kin's struggle for survival, while Naparaye's grandsons, to quote Ykoriana, "hazard nothing" regarding the election they will be faced with eventually. Thus, she looks upon the whole situation as something not particularly concerning and borderline entertaining—little more than a game.

#stone dance of the chameleon #the stone dance of the chameleon #sdc month 2 2023 #sdc 4 sentence fics #sdc december 2023 fridays #house of the masks

[ykoriana-imperatrix]

SDC Month - December 2023 - Thursday #3

Our penultimate instalment in this project for this SDC month.

(Cut for spoilers.)

Across the Black Water

This is another theory which attempts to explain something that is implied in canon but never elaborated upon. In this case, that being the fact Ebeny was Carnelian's wet nurse when Keal is quite a bit older than him (old enough to remember the journey from Osrakum) and Tain younger by around a year. Now, I know that in real life, it's not strictly necessary for a woman to be breastfeeding a child to serve as another's wet nurse, but in fantasy settings, that is almost always (if not always) the case. Therefore, my theory is that Ebeny had another child whom she was nursing at the time Carnelian was born, and who died during the first winter at the Hold.

Now, it could be argued that there is little evidence in favour of this theory (outside of Ebeny being Carnelian's wet nurse implying this child's existence), but we do know that first winter was devastating to the household-in-exile. In The Masters, "The Blood-Ring", Sardian has this to say about it:

'(…) That first winter was terrible. Many died. When they did not know I heard them, our people whispered that I had brought them across the black water to the Isle of the Dead. I almost shared their belief. (…)'

I think it is not much of a stretch to imagine that most of the people who died would be those who usually perish first under extremely adverse circumstances—the elderly, the young children, those with pre-existing health conditions. Infant Carnelian survived, but it's not difficult to imagine other children might have been less fortunate. There is also the fact that this hypothetical death of a child might have strengthened Ebeny's bond with Carnelian. I do believe she would have bonded with him regardless, but an Ebeny grieving her child might have been more drawn to the baby who still lived, who would undoubtedly have reminded him of her own (especially if they'd been quite close in age, which was likely the case). The bereaved mother would have sought comfort in her interactions with the motherless infant, eventually leading to the mother-son relationship we get to see in canon.

I also believe that this lost child was a son, mainly based on Fey's exchange with Carnelian in The Chosen, "At Home":

'Her boys, Master?' 'Keal's on the road, coming here and Tain's in the quarantine.'

Fey would not know Tain, seeing as he would have been born during the exile years—so the "boys" she mentions would almost certainly not include him, despite Carnelian's reply. I do admit matters are complicated by Ebeny apparently having sons other than Keal and Tain (briefly mentioned in "The Blood-Ring"):

'Why not to Tain or Keal or another of your sons?'

Yet, these other sons are never brought up again, and Carnelian does not think it important to mention them to Fey (suggesting he is not particularly close to either/any of them). Still, I feel that the additional sons' existence does not by itself make it impossible that Ebeny could have lost a(nother) son who would have been Carnelian's milk brother for a brief time during his infancy. The sons mentioned above could be closer to Keal's age or even older, after all. And I feel that had any of them been nursed by Ebeny at the same time as Carnelian, the two boys might have developed a significant bond (while instead, the brother closest to Carnelian is Tain), which to me seems like an argument against this hypothetical child and one of the mystery sons being one and the same.

So, there you have it: the second-to-last theory for this SDC month. A rather heartbreaking one, to be sure, but I feel it is inevitable this will be the case with most given the series we're discussing. Do you agree with me regarding this not being an implausible scenario? Or do you find it too far-fetched a theory? Feel free to let me know in the comments.

#stone dance of the chameleon #the stone dance of the chameleon #sdc month 2 2023 #sdc theories #sdc december 2023 thursdays

[ykoriana-imperatrix]

SDC Month - December 2023 - Wednesday #3 - Question #2

Am I running out of ideas for these?

Our second question for this Wednesday: Which of the following minor Chosen characters is the odd one out and why? A: Aurum's son B: Jaspar's grandfather C: Vennel's father D: Opalid's son

You will know the answer on the 27th—and hopefully this question will cause less potential rage than today's first one.

#stone dance of the chameleon #the stone dance of the chameleon #sdc month 2 2023 #sdc questions #sdc december 2023 wednesdays

[ykoriana-imperatrix]

SDC Month - December 2023 - Wednesday #3 - Question #1

Am I letting my hobbies influence these a bit too much?

The previous week, I asked about the number of Marula tribes. As Morunasa informed Osidian off-page in The Darkness Under the Trees, there are B, nine of them.

I also asked which of a group of four characters from the Masks was the odd one out and what was the reason. The answer is C, Tyatxungo, that being because his name is never mentioned in the books, unlike those of the other three.

On to this week's first question: In which way is Sardian not related to Kumatuya and Ykoriana? A: Sixth cousin B: Sixth cousin once removed C: Seventh cousin D: Seventh cousin once removed

And I do mean that based on what available canon information we have, of course, as we don't have the family trees of all the Houses of the Great going back several centuries. It just so happens that several answers are correct due to the latter two characters' inbreeding.

As usual, you'll know the answer next Wednesday (and can direct your probable rage over having to figure out confusing family ties at me then).

#stone dance of the chameleon #the stone dance of the chameleon #sdc month 2 2023 #sdc questions #sdc december 2023 wednesdays

[ykoriana-imperatrix]

SDC Month - December 2023 - Tuesday #3

The best minor character in the series, prove me wrong.

#stone dance of the chameleon #the stone dance of the chameleon #sdc month 2 2023 #sdc memes #sdc december 2023 tuesdays

[ykoriana-imperatrix]

SDC Month - December 2023 - Monday #3

Are you getting tired of this project yet? Or sad it's almost over?

Cut for you-know-what-already.

Our randomised chapter for this Monday: "Earth and Sky" from The Chosen.

Heads: The description of the Labyrinth. I think it gives us a terrifying, and yet awe-inspiring, glimpse into Chosen society: all the incredible splendour and beauty deriving from the suffering of so many. It is another piece of worldbuilding that plunges us into the world of the story absolutely mercilessly.

Tails: I fear today's dislike is going to seem repetitive considering last week's, but that's just how it worked out. My pick is how antagonistic Jaspar is to Carnelian throughout the chapter. Again, I don't deny it is in character for him, but it does feel a little too much and almost counterproductive to his plans at times, even if he is already considering switching sides by this point.

As usual, I'd love to know if you agree with my heads and tails for this week/chapter, and what would yours be.

#stone dance of the chameleon #the stone dance of the chameleon #sdc month 2 2023 #sdc chapter coin flips #sdc december 2023 mondays