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see-arcane · 3 months

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A Magnus (Protocol) By Any Other Name…

…will be just as horrifying.

Well, it’s time for me to dust off the corkboard, unravel some fresh red yarn, and cook up some new incredibly wrong but passionate theories. First one is bouncing off some key points:

1) The Magnus Protocol’s logo is composed of certain alchemic symbols, chiefly a version of the sign involved with creating the Philosopher’s Stone; the catalyst for riches and the Elixir of Life’s gift of immortality.

Especially tasty to consider, what with the first episode introducing us to poor Red Canary who discovered the ruins of the Magnus Institute were host to some strange symbols of its own inside.

2) A fellow by the name of Saint Albertus Magnus was kicking around in the 1200s and, like that famous French scribe Nicolas Flamel, he got a hefty posthumous reputation for having been a great alchemist on top of being a philosopher and scientist.

What does this add up to? First, I want to look at identity possibilities when it comes to who the Magnus(es) in question might be here.

Theory A: Jonah Magnus was part of a lineage with an itch to chase the more-than-earthly and, naturally, immortality. If not a direct descendant, then a sibling or cousin line. Can’t say Albertus would be jumping to congratulate the bastard for his ‘success story.’

Theory B: With apologies to the actual Albertus, maybe Jonah is that original alchemic Magnus. Or at least he wore the guy once upon a time and kept the surname. Maybe he fudged the ye olde records some centuries back. Death records, life records, whether or not old Al ran into some unsavory character with unpleasant gray eyes…

Theory C: Circles a bit back to A, in that Jonah wasn’t the only one in his family tree poking around supernatural and supernal forces. Assuming Jonah existed as himself at all in this place. Someone or something else might have been running this world’s Magnus Institute before it was roasted. While the current assumption is that the cast of characters we knew in The Magnus Archives might exist within TMP’s universe as themselves, we don’t have all the pieces yet.

Fun stuff!

But oh. Oh boy. I am chewing apart the implications of the main logo and the ‘protocol’ like an excited dog. Specifically, the possible implications of the Philosopher’s Stone symbol visible in the logo not being this…

…but this.

The sign is inverted. Which shouldn’t mean much, right? All the other little symbols chilling in there are right side up, what’s the big deal?

The same kind of deal that we see in the difference between a pentacle, associated with magic and pagan faiths in various forms:

And a pentagram, associated point blank with outright devilish and demonic dabbling:

Or, if you’re up on your Tarot, you know that there’s a world of difference between getting your card right-side up (delivering on the image’s classic meaning) versus flipping it to see the picture inverted (the opposite of the original intent).

So what does that mean for the TMP’s symbol, the same stamp which we might assume the Office of Incident, Assessment and Response has on their workplace? My guess: This is the insignia of a force or founder who put the ‘protocol’ in The Magnus Protocol. A foundation based on actively opposing what they took to be forces of a classically alchemic and/or infernal nature rather than the cosmic horrors we know the Fears as.

The Enemy is using these powers to evil ends. The Enemy is made of monsters. The Enemy includes Jonah Magnus, the spoiled offshoot of Albertus Magnus. Our sign is the opposition to his and others’ vicious quest.

Or suchlike.

In the style of Gertrude Robinson, the original person or persons behind the Protocol and our main characters’ Office appears to have hit upon a ‘fight fire with fire’ reaction to the Fears. We see how Alice, a veteran employee of the Office, displays a strong insistence on categorizing its statements very, very loosely, and actively not prying into deeper research in the way a place wholly possessed by the Eye would encourage. She’s seen people go strange upon following the lure of weirdness; but she knows from experience that the Office can be worked in jovially enough, sans side effects. The implication being that Colin is sprinting down that rabbit hole, poor dude.

If the OIAR is of the Eye, it is also against the Eye. Against all Fears, even as it absorbs statements of their actions. Feeding its patron while also cutting back the portions by way of not being too careful about the filing or the tasty background research. If the Eye is present at all in the Office, then it is settling for granola bars versus Jonah Magnus’ offered banquets.

Which all comes back to the question of:

If Jonah Magnus founded the Institute here, who is responsible for the OIAR?

My pet favorite is the ‘one who got away’ as far as Jonah’s classic 19th century days went—one Dr. Jonathan Fanshawe who got an eyeful of a victim’s blinking innards and broke ties with Magnus like they were pretzel sticks. We never do find out what became of him afterward.

His last written words to Jonah ran:

Nothing stood in the way of my retreat, and I dragged Albrecht’s body back as far as the coach. We left that awful place, and I have endeavored most acutely to forget the route. Before he was buried, I was able to secure permission to do an autopsy. I had some thought as to discovering the cause of his sudden, violent passing. Do I need to tell you what I found, Jonah? Do I need to detail what covered his organs, his bones, the inside of his skin? What clustered together in their dozens, and all turned as one to focus on me as I opened his chest, their pupils constricting in the light, with irises of every hue and color? Because whatever it was that did this to him, I know in my heart that it is your fault. I have had the body burned. Please do not write to me again. Your obedient servant, Doctor Jonathan Fanshawe.

You can feel the polite antique ice on that goodbye. Just as we can read here, and glean from his full letter, that the whole experience surrounding poor Albrecht is one he actively wishes he could forget. To not examine. And, of course, there’s the baited hook of Jonathan Sims’ next lines after reading the letter aloud:

Statement ends. (sigh) Disconcerting to find my namesake in a statement, especially one connected so directly to the Institute. I can only hope breaking faith with Jonah Magnus didn’t go too badly for him.

I can’t think of a better ironic hell for the good doctor than to find himself the abrupt focus of the Eye all over again. Especially when the meat of the letter-statement involves this scene:

“I had them rebound last year,” he said. “Damp can do terrible things to a book.” I told him I was certain that that was the case, but I must insist we talk about his health. Again he ignored me. Instead, he took the seat opposite me and started to tell me a story. And then another. And another. A stream of strange tales began to pour out of him, and I just sat there, transfixed, desperately wishing I had the strength of will to leave, but all I could do was listen. He told me of a seamstress, who laced her body with fine black thread, and when she pulled it all out in a single swift motion, her skin dropped away like a loose shift. He told me of a man so scared to die he spent a year weaving a rope blindfolded, so he would not know the length, and could not foresee the moment it would tighten around his neck when he finally threw himself into the void. He told me of a fire that burns so hot and fierce that to even know about it is enough to burn a man’s tongue from his head. He told me so many terrible things.

And at the end of it all, the only thing I could think to ask him was where he read them. My eyes darted to the books that surrounded us, but Albrecht laughed at this, and placed his hands across a spine that was simply labeled ‘A Warning.’ For a moment, he looked as though he were about to wrench it from its place and hurl it into the fire. But it passed. He turned back to me. “You do not understand,” he said to me in German. “I do not read the books. They read me.”

Isn’t that something? A crossing of paths with the Eye that wasn’t just inflicting its Stare upon him through a victim or an avatar, but effectively pinning Dr. Fanshawe in the role of the unhappily avid audience, however briefly. Forced to absorb a litany of horrors as another Jonathan would so many years later. Good foundation for someone who, upon discovering the insidious supernatural Powers That Be were not about to leave him alone, would try his best to turn that force into something to use against the monsters. A habit among Archivists who’ve had Jonah Magnus inflicted on them.

Assuming it is Fanshawe at the roots here, the act of designing a symbol centered on inverting the Philosopher’s Stone sigil makes sense. Cosmic and eldritch horror wasn’t really on the table for that era. But the demonic and the arcane were. As were, we can assume, history books to do with famous old Albertus Magnus and his possible connection to Jonah ‘Wants to Be an Immortal All-Powerful Specialboy’ Magnus. Whether it’s Dr. Fanshawe behind the OIAR’s inception or not, having it be somebody from Jonah Magnus’ early days works out—they would assume the bogeymen at work were merely hellish, nothing broader.

Plus, there’s just plain narrative convenience to consider. ‘19th century guy knows Magnus is up to shit with his Institute. Gets suspicious. Gets avatar’d against his will. Gets proactive about it. Named Jonathan, good for a bait-and-switch down the line.’

But, I could obviously be 1000% wrong, as per usual with ¾ of my Magnus-flavored theories. It could be someone or something entirely unrelated, though I’m keeping my fingers crossed for Fanshawe. Especially when I stop to think about how very fond the Fears are of avatars who play hard to get, forcing their essence and power on those who want it least.

The arachnophobic Annabelle Cane.

The endlessly exhausted Oliver Banks.

The goodwilled and betrayed Michael Shelley.

The empathetic sacrificial lamb of Jonathan Sims.

And perhaps, there at the start, Jonathan Fanshawe. Seeing and being Seen, balking at the Ceaseless Watcher’s work and the stories it wanted to share with him. Maybe, maybe.

We’ll just have to wait and See. 👁️

#guess who's back on the wildly inaccurate theorizing bullshit babeyyy #the magnus protocol #the magnus archives #jonah magnus #albertus magnus #jonathan fanshawe #theory

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a-light-case-of-ohno · 1 year

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Jonah: The love interest.

Barnabas: The boot licker.

Albrecht: The Simp.

Mordechai: The Sugar Daddy.

Fanshawe: The Ex.

Simon: Not in love with Jonah he just likes to paint him.

Peter: Husband.

#Jonah 'Slut who goes through men quicker than I go through markers' Magnus #Simon Fairchild and Jonah Magnus have a father/son relationship in my mind #Any time I read a fanfic with the two that's just the vibe I get #I know nothing about Mordechai...but he's probably a dick #Jonah just wants his money #RIP Barnabas Bennet #jonah magnus #peter lucas #mordechai lukas #albrecht von closen #jonathan fanshawe #simon fairchild #tma regency era #tma #Jonah Magnus's harem #coming soon #the magnus archive #lonelyeyes #tma headcanons

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sawbones-showdown · 1 year

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#sawbones showdown #round 1 #jonathan fanshawe #the magnus archives #dr quinn #tiger tiger

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p1nkwitch · 9 months

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Regency gang came at me. I think i may do one more batch.

#tma #the magnus archives #myartf #flurby art #barnabas bennet #jonah magnus #mordechai lukas #jonathan fanshawe #albrech von closen #regency gang

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elias-rights · 19 days

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any fic recs? 🙏

A few! I'm not sure what you're looking for, so I put in a bit of everything. Most of them are fairly old because I haven't been keeping up with the fanfic scene.

-> Jonah-centric Gen Fics

all praise! he's found the awful truth! by foreverthyme — A character study of a young Jonah's development into an avatar. It is a must-read for me. 9K.

Identities of Silence by theatredelabsurde — An exploration of Jonah's character and his relationship with Jonathan Fanshawe as an existentialist tragedy set after his first bodyhop (with flashbacks). Read it for a fantastic grasp on his character and a really interesting take on the themes of the podcast. While you're at it check out everything else the author has written. 35K.

Cathexis by Alias — If you're interested in the topic of Jonah and free will, you need to read this. Short but juicy, and delightfully immersive by way of the (as the tags put it) Period-Appropriate Sentence Structure. 2K.

-> Jonelias

a heavenly madness by roundthedecay — I will never get tired of recommending this fic. It is a perfect, self-contained story about Jon falling in love with the historical Jonah, all under the guidance of Elias. 8K.

man without the eyes that gave us the moon by murph_y — Jon meets Elias in his dreams during the apocalypse. Featuring: Elias's excellent ability to make the other party in a conversation seem like they're the unreasonable one. One WORLD'S SHITTIEST BOSS mug. And not nearly as many laughs as the previous point would imply. 2K.

You can't outrun your Occupation, Jonah by blue_blue_electricblue — A short Jonah character study that features a sort of might-as-well pragmatism that I very rarely get to see in fics and that rings extremely true to his character. 2K.

looking back at the thing that looks back by axisasymptotic — Elias puts a cassette inside Jon by means of DIY surgery. Body horror and extremely in-character snippy back-and-forth. 2K.

A Little Game of Cat and Mouse by Paptato — A borderline-romcom setup: Jon travels back in time to kill a young Jonah before he can cause any trouble, but the Web seemingly has no intention of letting that happen. 75K, unfinished.

-> Miscellaneous Jonah Pairings

The unironic ironic elias/reader series by blue_blue_electricblue — It's a very self-indulgent read for me that features scenarios ranging between a hanahaki AU and Elias helping the reader schedule their day. Each work is standalone and usually around 2K.

-> Non-Jonah-centric

a poison that never stung by a-m — A Melanie-centric canon divergence AU where she becomes a full Slaughter avatar. It is very good at being less lenient than most of the fandom towards her without falling into character bashing—it feels fair to her, in both ways. Also features Jon as a scapegoat. 8K.

Let me know if you need something else to scratch the itch—I have my history to look through, and I've also been meaning to read some fics I marked for later, so I could probably pull together a list twice as long given a couple of free days.

#answered ask #anonymous #fanfic recs #jonah magnus #jonathan sims #melanie king #jonathan fanshawe

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dadforplaid · 1 year

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man i love jonathan

#thinking about him always #hi im gonna check on a friend oh my god you took his books and now he' full of eyes?? guess i wont be doing medical malpractice in ur prison #i cannot handle tma #anyway i think he should be paranoid about being full of eyes #jonathan fanshawe #jonah magnus #barnabas bennett #tma #i may be a little tipsy #clearl

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thswrtchdthng · 5 days

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Okay here are some Magshawe prompt questions for your pleasure

1. Could Jonah kill Jonathan? Could Jonathan kill Jonah? I feel like they both have reasons to.

2. Who'd be willing to do cannibalism on the other?

3. Who do you think "died" first, Jonah's official death or Jonathan?

4. How do you think they met up?

5. Did they ever kiss?

6. Are they ever capable of being soft or are they stuck forever in passionate mode?

7. What if Dr.Fanshawe got time travelled to modern times and met Elias, would he fall again?

OH MY GOD THANK YOU SO MUCH

always coming in clutch, love that of you

1. well I've always thought of Jonathan as being quite a lot more physically strong than Jonah, so he definitely could kill him. I imagine it would be in a fit of that mix of rage and passion and fear and general morbidness that characterized the later part of their relationship. probably an accident too, and he'd feel equal parts like a hero for erasing an evil like that from the world and like absolute shit bc, well, he just killed the only person who understood him. he just killed his Jonah.

and as per Jonah, I don't think he could do it himself (even poisoning him or shit like that, it's just not his thing. I reckon he'd feel kinda meh about getting his hands dirty back then and he knows there are better things he could do). what he could do, and what he did in my interpretation of their relationship, is drive him to suicide. like just manipulating him and generally fucking him up emotionally and psicologically that he just kills himself yk. also in my brain it was a very gorey death, I might write something about that. of course, Jonah feels terrible about it too, but a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do yk.

2. cannibalism as a metaphor for love is so them. both. idk what it'd take for Jonah to do something like that but he's definitely not above it. I think a big part of his feelings for Jonathan in their later years together is the desire to metaphorically swallow Jonathan whole, which might translate to something literal. I'm not sure why or how, but he definitely could do it.

and Jonathan- well of course he could. I get the vibe that that desire to metaphorically devour the other was mutual, and along with his general Feelings by that point (the love, the rage, the constant panic, the distrust, the morbid curiosity) who knows what he could have done.

3. Jonathan. definitely. Jonah was not letting Jonathan outlive him, and I always thought the whole bodyhopping ordeal came as a surprise to him. so yeah he would've taken good care of Jonathan before anything.

although now that I think of it, the other option is also fun. Jonathan catching wind of the stuff going on both at the Institute and ar Millbank and being like "wtf are you doing now" but not wanting to give in to curiosity (and the need to see Jonah of course). Jonathan finding out about Jonah's 'death'!!!!!! he wouldn't know how to feel lmao.

4. hmmm I always thought they might have met at some sort of conference (those did happen back then didn't they) or symposium about some really morbid, really understudied branch of medicine (yk those that would piss off the church). Jonah did that thing where he starts asking the weirdest fucking questions like one asks about the weather and Jonathan was immediately like "he's so clever and interesting and curious and unashamed I need to talk to him" and they just hit it off

my second idea for a meetup is back in their university days. Jonah didn't study medicine (I have my own headcanon on that) but I think the general social scene was pretty open. maybe Jonah was out for drinks with some friends and saw Jonathan sulking in a corner and thought "interesting specimen, need to investigate"

a third idea I had was one of Smirke's little gatherings, but I wanted to see if I could come up with something new lol

5. yep. and much, much more. I imagine Jonathan was very reluctant at first, but by the time they first kissed the tension was unbearable and Jonah was already, well, a whore, so they were fine in the end (no they weren't).

6. wonderful question. I believe it's a mix of both. like their deranged passion has a bit of helpless softness mixed in, and back when they could be soft (before their entire relationship went to shit) even that softness held a passion that made it impossible to think straight.

7. oh that's a good one. for starters, it would be so fucking funny. like "what are you doing here" "what are YOU doing ALIVE. and how did you get there"

at first Jonathan would be absolutely outraged and disgusted by everything Jonah's done, but then, of course, he'd get curious. in my brain Jonathan was one of the first Flesh avatars, back when they were discussing whether the Flesh was real or not, so I think he'd have fun with that. and he was always big on the modification of the body from what it's born as to what you want it to be (Dr. Fanshawe said trans rights) so when he found out Jonah'd been straight up switching them around he'd be equal parts enraged and thrilled. can you imagine his reaction at how much medicine has progressed in the last 2 centuries? bby would be fucking elated.

Jonathan reading about modern medicine and being all euphoric while Jonah just watches him with heart eyes the entire time.

and it might get Jonathan far more into the Fears, especially into the Flesh. maybe he ends up like a different version of the Boneturner or something (and then monsterfucker Jonah kicks in and well, the rest is history yk).

this was so much fun tysm!!

#cw suicide mention #magshawe #jonahfanshawe #jonah magnus #jonathan fanshawe #tma #the magnus archives

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thermodynamic-comedian · 3 months

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at this point i know i AM reaching and i AM insane but. mag 92, nothing besides remains. mag 127, remains to be seen. letters to jonah magnus. evidance of relationships. evidance of jonah magnus consistantly failing to be a human. they're nothing besides remains to be seen.

#the magnus archives #tma #tma analysis #tma meta #my new video game what remains of jonah magnus /ref /j #jonah magnus #barnabas bennett #jonathan fanshawe

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disacurveball · 8 months

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Sorry guys, I listened to Abbey for the first time and now I’m Fleshposting again.

#the magnus archives #tma flesh #art #tma #artists on tumblr #tma fanart #jonathan fanshawe #ifykyk I am a fleshshawe truther #illustration #mitski #mitski fanart #lush mitski #the magnus archive #the flesh tma

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klm-zoflorr · 17 days

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Barnabas Bennett, pining: Fanshawe is so much smarter and confident than me, with an intellect that can rival Jonah's, and he's not just a pathetic wretch for the man...

Jonathan Fanshawe, moping: Bennett is so much kinder and passionate than I am, he can provide Jonah comfort where I cannot, and I always feel his affection for him is so much more...

Jonah, holding a knife and fork: Sweet, two boyfriends!

#if you're wondering. yes the knife and fork is an allegory for eating them and ruining their lives toxic yaoi style <3 #jonah magnus #elias bouchard #jonathan fanshawe #barnabas bennett #jonshawe #regency harem #the regency harem gang ✌️😎#i am so abnormal about these guys you don't get it #klm-zoflorr #tma #the magnus archives #magpod #magshawe #jonahbas

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jonopticon · 8 months

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jonathan fanshawe did jonah magnus’ top surgery

#send tweet #i know nothing about the regency era #jonopticon ; headcanons #jonah magnus #jonathan fanshawe #trans!jonah #the magnus archives #tma #the magnus universe

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zephyruswrites536 · 9 months

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Right so imagine Jon decided to actually look into Jonah and Smirke and Peter(Mordechai) and Simon

(this is what my brain came up with- if this isn’t exactly how they’d talk don’t blame me it’s more like incorrect quotes where it’s vaguely around the character)

*Jonah walks past Jon’s office to just check for a second and sees a board with his name up on it*

Jonah: Hello, Jon?

Jon: Oh- Elias, sorry it’s a bit of a mess

Jonah: No worries! I just wanted to… see what you were up to, what’s this?

Jon: I see- well I thought the Lukas’, Magnus, Fairchild, Smirke, Albrecht, Dr. Fanshawe… they were all interesting- seen as it’s the beginning of the institute that they pop up in so, I thought it would be interesting to learn more about them.

Jonah: Alright, And?

Jon: Well, the people don’t have much history other than landmarks, like the institute, Moorland Manor, all of Smirke’s construction, the manor Albrecht’s nephew… if I remember correctly? Anyways, they aren’t historically that relevant- other than for the fears

Jonah: Right. Is that all, then?

Jon: Umm… Kind of?

Jonah: What does that mean.

Jon: Well, i looked more into the wording and manner and such of the statements they are in or wrote and.. their relationships are quite- queer, in both senses

Jonah: …Pardon?

Jon: You reading Barnabas’ statement to Jonah was- quite endearingly wrote- I understand most of them said “Dear Jonah” but the fact that he’s relying on Magnus and doesn’t just use Jonah for urgency is odd to say the least, let alone the fact Magnus then went to get his bones after he’d died…

Jonah: … I suppose-

Jon: And! You said he was on good terms with Mordechai Lukas? What good terms? It’s very vague- and suggests things- especially if what I’m imagining Bennet’s relationship with Magnus entails.

Jonah: … I- … Perhaps.

Jon: And! The fact Smirke wasn’t outright done with Magnus after Jonah betrayed him was something I don’t think most people would do… That implies things- Especially seeing Magnus, and the things he did.

Jonah: Fair enoug- what? What about Jonah Magnus implies things?

Jon: He- Well look at him- he’s in your office:..

Jonah: I-…

Jon: Anyways- Im starting to believe Jonah had a harem of his associates..

Jonah: . . . How.

Jon: Albrecht and Clara would not care that much- Neither would Jonathan be that upset- Smirke, Mordechai, and Barnabas I already explained… Oh- Simon! The Fairchild family isn’t much connected to the Vast except for him and his niece?

Jonah: I’m not understanding why you chose to-… do- this.

Jon: I divulge in my interests, the eye certainly would like to know…

Jonah: About that?

Jon: I’d think so- I forgot the Dark’s person which I’m sure is now Maxwell Rayner because of the body hopping the Dark’s avatar can do…

Jonah: I… Alright, Jon- I could get you a statement?

Jon: No, thank you- I think I’ll keep doing this.

Jonah: Did- Jon, I suggest that you stop focusing on Georgian Era Drama. *Intense glare*

Jon: Oh- O- K…

(If this doesn’t make sense… I like to think Jonah had a harem of his friends/colleagues/associates… a lot of people think this way too- I think… anywayssssssss)

#jonah magnus #Jonah Magnus harem #mordechai lukas #albrecht von closen #robert smirke #jonathan fanshawe #jonathan sims #tma headcanons #the magnus archives #200 year old dead gay men #200 year old eyeball bitch #love them though

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