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thephantomcasebook · 1 year

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i hope they explore almond's idolisation of daemon (flop) vs daeron looking up to ser criston and how the latter besides his one in a blue moon rage fits is the much more reasonable of the two

still kind of funny to me how daemon could intimidate two kingsguards with a dragon and everyone just moved on because ser criston has been somehow bestowed with the role of violent masculinity and when daemon does it he's the rOgUe pRinCe.

btw still trying to wrap my head around the whole aegon/alicent anal r*pe rumours what in the hell where they cooking 😂😭 they were probably going to steal the whole mad king aerys "we cant protect her from HIM" line

That's a thought.

I would guess they'd tie into the Second Son syndrome and how Daemon and Aemond relate to being the spares to brothers they view as bad kings and believe they deserve the Iron Throne for themselves. Yet, they're handicapped by an inherent love and care for that older brother.

But while I think Daemon does what he does to get Viserys's attention. I think Aemond does what he does cause he knows, even from a young age, that his job is to protect his family - Alicent and his siblings. So the more crazy stunts that Aemond does, the more he's flexing as a warning to anyone who wants to fuck with his family. But those crazy stunts are inspired by the antics of Daemon who no one really knows but maybe Rhaenyra are just for Viserys's benefit.

On the other hand, I think that Daeron perhaps isn't as inspired by Criston as he is by Alicent. He is the most like her in look and personality. And I think they'd probably draw more of a line between Young!Alicent from 1x01 - 1x05 and Daeron than they will about any overlap in his and Criston's storylines. But I do think that Daeron is absolutely 1000% Alicent and Criston's son, maybe not biologically, but in terms of how he was raised and what his values and principles are. I would expect Daeron to look at Alicent and Criston as his parents, and Alicent and Criston would view Daeron as their child together.

Daeron strikes me as being in the same position as his teenage mother was at his age. He had no designs on the crown, he doesn't want power, he just wants everyone he loves to be safe. He will give good advice and a legendary commander of strategy, but will be very moral centered and will try endlessly to do the right thing. But just like Alicent finding out about Criston and Rhaenyra in 1x05, the death of Maelor will trigger Daeron to become a lot more hardened and darker. I think Bitterbridge will be his transformation from Young!Alicent in 1x05 to his own form of Adult!Alicent we meet in 1x06. And from then on he'll have to grapple with doing the right thing and the violent ruthlessness of being the last Green standing in a apocalyptic grade total war.

I think there's a lot of surface level comparisons between Daemon and Aemond ...

But I think there is a lot of soul deep comparisons between Alicent and Daeron as characters - there is a reason that GRRM goes out of his way to conflate Alicent and Daeron together.

Yeah, that rumor has been going on for awhile, ever since GOT Con during the Aegon panel. There is a scene in the Sapochnik treatments of Season 2 where Aegon reveals something to Aemond just before they fight Rhaenys at Rook's Rest ... and a lot of people suspected that it was either Aegon saying that he knew about Aemond and Helaena's relationship or that he had been having sex with Alicent the entire time. And it was bad enough that Aemond hesitates to help Aegon and later loses control of Vahgar and she ends up attacking Aegon and Sunfyre instead of Maelys due to Aemond's anger toward Aegon.

I hope it isn't true ... I'd like more nuance in these characters and much less nihilism in Team Green.

#House of the Dragon #Alicent Hightower #Daeron Targaryen #Daeron the Daring #Aemond Targaryen #Daemon Targaryen

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kei-yuki · 9 months

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Another thought about the Tragedy of Summerhall:

The belief that Egg became "mad" or, at least, "too much obsessed" with dragons and this was the cause of the tragedy is only a belief that can be questioned if we read correctly "The world of ice and fire":

In 258 AC on Essos, another challenge rose to Aegon's reign, when nine outlaws, exiles, pirates, and sellsword captains met in the Disputed Lands beneath the Tree of Crowns to form an unholy alliance. The Band of Nine swore their oath of mutual aid and support in carving out kingdoms for each of their members. Amongst them was the last Blackfyre, Maelys the Monstrous, who had command of the Golden Company, and the kingdom they pledged to win for him was the Seven Kingdoms. Prince Duncan, when told of the pact, famously remarked that crowns were being sold nine a penny; thereafter the Band of Nine became known as the Ninepenny Kings in Westeros. It was thought at first that the Free Cities of Essos would surely bring their power against them and put an end to their pretensions, but nonetheless preparations were made, should Maelys and his allies turn on the Seven Kingdoms. But there was no great urgency to them, and King Aegon remained intent on his reign.

And intent on one more thing: dragons. As he grew older, Aegon V had come to dream of dragons flying once more above the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros. In this, he was not unlike his predecessors, who brought septons to pray over the last eggs, mages to work spells over them, and maesters to pore over them. Though friends and counselors sought to dissuade him, King Aegon grew ever more convinced that only with dragons would he ever wield sufficient power to make the changes he wished to make in the realm and force the proud and stubborn lords of the Seven Kingdoms to accept his decrees.

The world of ice and fire. The Targaryen Kings: Aegon V

If we read with attention, it could be that the origin of the fire was an attempt of Maelys Blackfyre to kill the principle members of the Targaryen dinasty:

What became of the dream of dragons was a grievous tragedy born in a moment of joy. In the fateful year 259 AC, the king summoned many of those closest to him to Summerhall, his favorite castle, there to celebrate the impending birth of his first great-grandchild, a boy later named Rhaegar, to his grandson Aerys and granddaughter Rhaella, the children of Prince Jaehaerys.

The world of ice and fire. The Targaryen Kings: Aegon V

Egg's idea of getting the whole family together in Summerhall could easily become an unique opportunity for Maelys to attack Westeros producing a moment of weakness: a power vacuum.

Without a Targaryen King why not a Blackfyre Pretender?

But he underestimated Jaehaerys II, his Hand and, above all, a young Barristan Selmy:

Jaehaerys had known that the Band of Nine meant to win the Seven Kingdoms for Maelys the Monstrous, who had declared himself King Maelys I Blackfyre, but like his father, Aegon, Jaehaerys had hoped the alliance of rogues would founder in Essos, or fall at the hands of some alliance amongst the Free Cities. Now the moment was at hand, and King Aegon V was gone, as was the Prince of Dragonflies. Prince Daeron, that splendid knight, had died years before, leaving only Jaehaerys, the least martial of Aegon's three sons.

The new king was four-and-thirty years of age as he ascended the Iron Throne. No one would have called him formidable. Unlike his brothers, Jaehaerys II Targaryen was thin and scrawny, and had battled various ailments all his life. Yet he did not lack for courage, or intelligence. Drawing on his father's plans, His Grace put aside his grief, called his lords bannermen, and resolved to meet the Ninepenny Kings upon the Stepstones, choosing to take the war to them rather than awaiting their landing on the shores of the Seven Kingdoms.

King Jaehaerys had intended to lead the attack upon the Ninepenny Kings himself, but his Hand, Lord Ormund Baratheon, persuaded him that would be unwise. The king was unused to the rigors of campaign and not skilled in arms, the Hand pointed out, and it would be folly to risk losing him in battle so soon after the tragedy of Summerhall. Jaehaerys finally allowed himself to be persuaded to remain at King's Landing with his queen. Command of the host was given to Lord Ormund, as King's Hand.

In 260 AC, his lordship landed Targaryen armies upon three of the Stepstones, and the War of the Ninepenny Kings turned bloody. Battle raged across the islands and the channels between for most of that year. Maester Eon's Account of the War of the Ninepenny Kings, one of the finest works of its kind, is a splendid source for the details of the fighting, with its many battles on land and sea and notable feats of arms. Lord Ormund Baratheon, the Westerosi commander, was amongst the first to perish. Cut down by the hand of Maelys the Monstrous, he died in the arms of his son and heir, Steffon Baratheon.

Command of the Targaryen host passed to the new young Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, Ser Gerold Hightower, the White Bull. Hightower and his men were hard-pressed for a time, but as the war hung in the balance, a young knight named Ser Barristan Selmy slew Maelys in single combat, winning undying renown and deciding the issue in a stroke, for the remainder of the Ninepenny Kings had little or no interest in Westeros and soon fell back to their own domains. Maelys the Monstrous was the fifth and last of the Blackfyre Pretenders; with his death, the curse that Aegon the Unworthy had inflicted on the Seven Kingdoms by giving his sword to his bastard son was finally ended.

Half a year of hard fighting remained before the Stepstones and the Disputed Lands were freed from the remaining Band of Nine, and it would be six years before Alequo Adarys, the Tyrant of Tyrosh, was poisoned by his queen and the Archon of Tyrosh was restored. For the Seven Kingdoms, it had been a grand victory, though not without cost in lives or suffering.

The world of ice and fire. The Targaryen Kings: Jaehaerys II

#tragedy of summerhall #blackfyre rebellion #maelys blackfyre #aegon v targaryen #egg #dunk and egg #jaehaerys ii targaryen #barristan selmy #rhaegar targaryen #rhaella targaryen #asoiaf #the world of ice and fire

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amacayen-art · 11 months

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Here are my OCs for pride month ! I'm a little late, but this drawing took me some time to draw

Left to right : Kira, Iruko, Maely, Erika, Danielle and Logan !

#oc #pride art #pride month #pride #lgbtq

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supeskenobi · 2 years

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Some thoughts about Episode Nine of HotD:

I've seen both praise and critique for the latest episode of HotD, an whilst it is by no means my favourite episode of the season (probably second least), I vehemently disagree with the notion that it is anything like the latter seasons of Game of Thrones:

I've seen people question Alicent's hesitancy to make Aegon King, despite the fact that two episodes ago she was all for it. In the period of time between these episodes, we have learnt (and Alicent has) that Aegon is a whorehomgering, alcoholic, r@pist, nonce. Why would she want him to be King? However, her being at Viserys' deathbed and hearing his "last words" about "the Prince Who Was Promised" and her misconstruing it to mean her son Aegon, and not the Conqueror, helps to justify the decision in her mind, as she believes her husband had a change of heart; and she is merely acting on his wishes. She was only outraged when she learned that the council had been conspiring against her husband's decision, which I doubt she could've foreseen. Her father? Yes. The whole council minus "Beesbury the GOAT"? No.

The other big moment (aside from Quentin "Clubfoot" Strong) was Rhaenys' escape on Maelys. I've seen people cry that she killed the commonfolk, and yeah that's not great, but it's almost as if GRRM has been writing about the effect war has on regular people for decades. In 'A Game of Thrones', Varys says to Ned "Why is it always the innocents who suffer most, when you high lords play your game of thrones?” During the 'War of the Five Kings" countless smallfolk die due to Tywin Lannister's scorched Earth policy. A war that he was fighting to keep his grandson, an illegitimate, bastard born of incest as King. The Dance of the Dragons saw tens of thousands of smallfolk die. It's just an element of the story and always has been.

Another moment within that scene, is why didn't Rhaenys just kill "The Greens"? Look, this is not her war. It never has been. However by aligning her House to Rhaenerya's cause in the last episode, she has become a part of it. Yes she could've killed them all and saved everyone a hell of a time, but why draw first blood? If you want to show that your side aren't the bad guys (and don't give me any of that "don't kill smallfolk" bs, this is war, people die), you wait for them to strike first. Put the fear of God (or in this universes case the Gods) into them. Make them look the aggressors, that way your side looks like the lesser of two evils.

It also plays into another theme of the books. Mercy. Daeron II Taragaryen showed mercy to his bastard half brother, Daemon Blackfyre, married him off to a Tyroshi noblewoman, gave him some land and a keep. But Daemon rose in rebellion and triggered the 'First Blackfyre Rebellion). Years later, Aerys I Targaryen showed mercy to Aegor Rivers aka Bittersteel, after the "Third Blackfyre Rebellion" and had him sent to the Wall. However Bittersteel fled East, allowing him to plan the "Fourth Blackfyre Rebellion". In 'A Game of Thrones', Ned shows mercy to Cersei and her children, instead of having them arrested or murdered. His mercy, killed him and helped to kickstart the "War of the Five Kings". In the world of ASOIAF, showing mercy comes with great consequences, and obviously Rhaeneys mercy will do just that in the 'Dance of the Dragons'.

I'll admit, maybe these elements could've been handled better and executed better; but to say that any of this is anything at all like S5-8 Game of Thrones is ridiculous. If anything it's like Game of Thrones Episode 10 of Season Four. Some silliness, but still a good episode of television.

#House of the Dragon #HotD #HotD Spoliers #Rhaenys Targaryen #Alicent Hightower #Aegon II Targaryen #Viserys Targaryen #Blackfyre Rebellion #George RR Martin #GRRM

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happychappy439 · 2 years

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28mm A Song of Ice and Fire: Maelys Blackfyre

Continuing Sellsword Summer, as a follow-up to the Golden Company unit I've decided to do something for Maelys Monday! Rewinding a full 40 years before the start of the main series, I've put together a figure to represent Maelys Blackfyre, the last of the Blackfyre pretenders, was killed by Barristan Selmy during the War of the Ninepenny Kings. He's a claimant to the Iron Throne and captain general of The Golden Company (by virtue of twisting the head off his cousin to take control of it), which makes him a serious threat to House Targaryen's rule

Famously, Maelys had a small second head on his throat, and, probably having gigantism, was physically huge. So to get that size across, I've used a Warhammer Chaos Warrior as the base for the figure, on account of how much larger they are than the historical ranges I normally use

As a descendant of the Targaryens, I've given Maelys the silver-gold hair, and purple eyes of the family. Here's a slightly closer view of Blackfyre and its scabbard. Being the ancestral Valyrian Steel sword of House Targaryen passed down from all the kings since Aegon I, I've painted the scabbard in Targaryen black and red, with rubies down the length of it.

For the sword itself, given that Valyrian steel is basically magical Damascus Steel in-universe, I've tried to give it a rippled Damascus-y look and the dark grey coloration that Valyrian Steel is usually described as.

And a view of Maelys' cloak. I've given him a gold skull tied to his cloak to represent his cousin Daemon (given that Maelys pulled his head off). I feel like even though Maelys killed him and took over his sellsword company, he'd still feel a little bit of obligation, as a fellow Blackfyre, to take Daemon back to Westeros with him

And here is King Maelys I with his royal squire (and later captain-general of the Golden Company), a tiny teenage Myles Toyne.

I’m fully on board with @mylestoyne ‘s theory that Myles was with Maelys on the Stepstones, and I feel like in response to the ableism that Maelys would likely have faced since birth, he would put a very deliberate emphasis on his name, status and lineage to try to draw attention to his legitimacy and his claim. (Partly as a parallel to Tyrion, and the ableism he faces in the story, and has internalized)

So to reinforce that, he's styling himself as King Maelys I, carrying Aegon I’s sword Blackfyre, and taking a squire from a famous Westerosi noble house. His armour and cloak are painted in red-and-black dragon colours, with gold accenting, and a gold skull on the breastplate to highlight his rank and status in the Golden Company

Hopefully he’s come out ok! I’ll put up a separate post to showcase Myles a bit more to show the details a bit better there

#asoiaf #a song of ice and fire #28mm asoiaf #28mm a song of ice and fire #Maelys Blackfyre #Maelys the Monstrous #House Blackfyre #Blackfyre #Golden Company #House Targaryen #Sellsword #Sellswords #Myles Toyne #House Toyne

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mariedemedicis · 2 years

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my tentative family tree for daemon i blackfyre and children:

Here’s what we know -

Daemon I Waters Blackfyre (b. 170 - d. 196) m. 184 Rohanne of Tyrosh (b. 172 AC or before - d. 212 AC or later)

Aegon, twin to Aemon (b. 184 - d. 196)

Aemon, twin to Aegon (b. 184 - d. 196)

Daemon II (b. 189 - d. btwn 212-219)

Haegon (b. btwn 190-193 - d. 219); Haegon is also the father of Daemon III, unclear if Daemon III had descendants and this is the line from which the unnumbered Daemon and Maelys Blackfyre of the Golden Company descends or not

Aenys (b. 191-194 - d. 233)

Calla, only named daughter but we know there are others, there are at least two total of which Calla is one, we don’t know where she falls relative to her brothers in age order

Two more unnamed sons

Here’s what I propose -

Aegon, twin to Aemon (b. 184 - d. 196)

Aemon, twin to Aegon (b. 184 - d. 196)

Calla (b. 186 - d. 258)

Daemon II (b. 189 - d. 217)

Haegon (b. 190 - d. 219)

Aenys (b. 191 - d. 233)

Daella, twin to Vaella (b. 192 - d. 266) - name chosen to draw a connection as Daemon is descended through Aegon from Daella and partially just cause I like it

Vaella, twin to Daella (b. 192 - d. 224) - name chosen mainly because I quite like it and also because GRRM seems to go for paired names for his Targ twins quite often

Viserys (b. 193 - d. 229) - name chosen to emphasis connection/claim of House Blackfyre, as Viserys II was Aegon IV’s father and thus, Daemon I’s grandfather

Aegor (b. 195 - d. 215) - name chosen to honor Aegor “Bittersteel” Rivers, Daemon’s most loyal supporter

Alyssa (b. 196 - d. 267) - name chosen to draw a connection back to both Alyssa Velaryon, mother of Jaehaerys, and Alyssa Targaryen, both of which Daemon can draw his line of descent from

Other thoughts:

As the first Blackfyre Rebellion is one in which House Yronwood participated (they sat out the second and fifth rebellions), I believe it very plausible that a daughter of House Yronwood was promised in marriage to Aegon. Given the very young age of the twins when they died at the Redgrass Field, Aegon and his Yronwood bride were probably not yet married and the promise may not have specified which Yronwood daughter would be queen (assuming the Lord Yronwood in question had more than one).

Since we know that Rohanne and her remaining children fled with Aegor to Tyrosh after Daemon’s defeat and that Rohanne outlived her husband by at least sixteen years, I think it’s a plausible supposition that second to Westeros, Tyrosh was dearest to the Blackfyres, at least for the early generations. For this reason I have second daughter Daella marrying a Tyroshi nobleman.

I wish we knew more about Rohanne’s family as I feel like knowing who they were and when they were in power versus not would help in making marriage predictions as well as

Calla had four daughters with Aegor:

Daena (b. 203 AC; d. 227 AC)

Aemma (b. 206 AC; d. 254 AC)

Rohanne (b. 210 AC; d. 267 AC)

Elaenys (b. 212 AC; d. 263 AC)

It’s possible that one or more of their daughters married their Blackfyre cousins. I tend to think that the Blackfyres didn’t really practice sibling incest, not because of an aversion to the practice but due to a need to use the pretender’s consort to leverage pressure against Westeros and brides bringing in an always needed dowry of money and/or influence.

Alyssa was born in Tyrosh and has never seen Westeros. I also haven’t gotten to working out Vaella or Alyssa’s marriages, but I envision one or both marrying Tyroshi men. I haven’t figured out who Haegon married, possibly also a Tyroshi, and Daemon II, given everything, probably died unmarried.

Aenys I think was married when he was killed but without children. Aegor I pictured dying a young bachelor, likely a sellsword. Viserys may have been married and had children.

#would i be too annoying if i tagged this?#i mean it’s mostly me rambling #house blackfyre

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the-soulwatcher · 4 months

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A DnD Character : The Crimson Warmonger

Mael Redblade (old name Maelys Hallowpride)

Alignement : Neutral Evil Age : 30 years old Race : Human Gender : Female Pronouns : She/her (to others), They/them (to herself) Class : Weapon Master Warrior/Assassin Rogue Specific traits : Scar on the right eye, multiple war scars over her body, polite voice but has the vocabulary of a scoundrel Personality : Brave, cruel, ambitious, cocky Sexuality/relationship : Pansexual/Aromantique Values/Weakness : Power is a sign of loyalty and respect, the Law of the strongest, survival/Helplessness, mercy

Mael was born in a tyrannic little town where the stronger had privilege over the rest and grew up through values of violence and power. Her parents were prayers of the good gods but poisoned by fear, it led Mael to despise goodness, considering it as a weak feature. Longing for freedom, she trained herself among the violent mercenaries of the city to survive her condition.

She left the town when the Zhentarim offers her an opportunity to work with them. Proving herself to be an excellent fighter and instructor, as an independant mercenary working along the Black network, she had been engaged multiple times by other military companies and organizations to train their units or lead patrols. However, the most renown militia of the Coast always try to avoid engaging her because of the tactics she uses that they judge cruel and vicious.

She aspires to raise her own organization as a baron through mercenary activities with her own army trained under her dogma.

______________________________________________________________

Some Quotes :

" Good faith is bullshit. It's all about circumstances and situations. And it's only those who has power that can caused it. " " It said that war lead to peace. I say war lead only to even more wars. And that suits me, because war pay me well. " " I'm strong simply because I wanted to be free. But in this world, freedom doesn't exist for weaklings. They're just lucky to have someone to protect them. A shame, you can't find protectors everywhere. " " Honor in battle ? I use it as an excuse only when I feel bored. But if I have to take your life, be sure it will always be without. "

A quote said from an old zhent partner who had felt affection towards Mael :

" You're using survival as a pretext to your thirst for battles. At first, I thought we were the same, that we wanted to become stronger so that nobody would manipulate us no more. But I was wrong… "

A conversation from Mael on her thoughts about gods :

" I do not worship any gods. People worships a god only when they're given favours. I've never had any favours from them during times when I felt the need to. My parents prayed nights and days the gods of goodness but it was mainly the gods of abundance and luck they were praying the most. And I understand above all that gods do not give favours from mercy but from making you apart of their plans.

My home town, Priapurl, didn't give a damn about gods and thus it didn't holds any potential to them despite the few believers in it. It's because those believers were weak and helpless. What power can a god draw from that ?

No gods intervened at Priapurl. The only gods there was the ruler and its mercenaries. Power and gold in the entertainment of blood and battles. Goodness had no place.

Well, it's not entirely true when I said that - no gods intervened -. There was one, and I was the one who prevents it to succeed. A devotee of Illmater who had planned to overthrow the town to its ruler. He failed and got sent to the bloody arena where I had to kill him. He begged me to take his side but frankly, given the situation, he was done for. There was no way I would had let myself got dragged into his miserable fate.

Gods can spit on me for slaying their choosen ones and from stopping their plans, if they really wanted to save that town, it's not a choosen they should had sent but a warlord. Deities always find excuses to send broken minds instead of powerful people to convert, because it's easier for them to draw devotion from the weak.

We all know the truth : people who holds power knows they can unbalance gods plans. So why worship a god when you have the power to change the plans yourself ? "

#tav #dnd #dnd character #my ocs #a typical vilain hahaha

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pepperpizzapasta · 1 year

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THE NIGHT CHAMPION WHOSE EYES WATCH OVER ALL!

THE GRAND SENTRY OF MAELI!

SHIROME!

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Reuploading some stuff I forgot to upload before! Here’s a drawing of Yoshie as her Shirome alter-ego

#my art #oc #yoshie #vigilante life #moth

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mae-i-scribble · 3 years

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A screenshot redraw of natsume season 2!! I don’t remember the exact episode but it was the one where taki is introduced. This has always been such a poignant scene for me and I wanted to give it some love. It was also a fun time for figuring out csp brushes (hence the background looking like that).

#natsume yuujinchou #natsume's book of friends #natsume takashi #madara #Nyanko sensei #screenshot redraw #maely draws #the harsher lighting is for flavor (tm)#please ignore how terrible the background is i just did not care to make it look good.

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chrono-vi · 5 years

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Traditional art of MoA's main antagonist and the inspiration for the title - Maelys Adamentia, a succubus from a hellish plane called "The Veil". Now, she doesn't look too threatening, but that's definitely not the case.

Trust me. Her hair may be the size of her ego, but she's no airhead.

#demons #succubi #maelys #maelys adamentia #mansion of adamentia #moa #original story #my ocs #original character #ocs #occult #horror mystery #traditional art #traditional drawing #traditional media

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takookii · 6 years

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My OC playing witch on Halloween (⊃//w//⊂)

#my art #my drawing #original art #original character #sketchbook #inkdrawing #lineart #Halloween #witch #inktober #traditional art #Tako OC #Tako OC Houko #Tako OC Maeli

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reginarubie · 2 years

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New chapter of Empress of the World's up!

“How are you today, Sansa?”

It grates on Sansa’s nerves that the woman who has rejected her kingly father and the crown that rightfully belongs to Sansa, calls her with such a familiarity albeit lacking the kinship that it would suggest. She knows lady mother Lyanna does it exactly because it unnerves Sansa; who, in reply, is ever polite and has tried her best to keep her tongue in check with her since their first encounter.

“We are both fine, my lady Mother” she replies “he’s growing more active as of late — she adds, wishing desperately for her lady mother — I think the time grows nearer than we had anticipated” she says.

Lyanna nods “Very well. My son was very relentless in the womb as he is in life — she tells her — the birth draws near; have you been resting like the midwife has told you to?”

“I have” Sansa nods “and I’ve also been taking short but consistent walks around like she suggested to help the babe” she adds.

Lyanna pursues her lips and nods “Remember, you must do nothing to endanger the life of the child you carry”

“If the Gods are good — Sansa replies — we’ll both make through and he will be magnificent as his father” the praise to her son makes Lyanna smile albeit she forces it contained.

“He is putting in jeopardy his whole reign for you — she tells her — this show he is putting up is so that people know not to touch you or the babe, but also so that they know who he is. His father was well known, the silver dragon of Valyria they called him” she says.

Sansa observes her.

“I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve had to listen to people call my son a lamb in dragon-clothing because of his not pure-valyrian look” she says “some whispers did quiet when he claimed Maelys for his own, but still in the world he is considered neither northern neither valyrian and so will be your child. You better be ready for that”

Sansa sticks her chin up and straightens her shoulder “My son will be as much a Stark as much as he is a Targaryen — she states — and I will make sure the whole world sees it and accepts it”

Lyanna stares at her for a long while and Sansa almost loses her nerve, but then the lady mother nods and looks outside, the veil painting the world golden “You seem to have a resolute will — she comments — good. It will be your son’s only shield for a long time. Jaehaerys is just a man, he will shield you as much as he can but he won’t be always near or able to. You must be your son’s shield as I was mine. Men may sit on the throne, but it's us women in the shadows who keep them there.”

#Empress of the world #fanfiction #jonsa #jonsa fanfiction #new chapter's up #say hello to Lyanna being badass and intriguing and guiding Sansa even though she is afraid for her son #mama wolf #don't mess with them

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the-dragons-knight · 3 years

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FFXIV Write 2021

Prompt #10 - Heart Beat

<Post-Heavensward MSQ, but no major spoilers>

Heady - ‘having a strong or exhilarating effect’

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Katsum hardly even noticed the cold as she fiddled nervously with her chakrams as she peeked around the edge of the tall curtains that hid the dancers from the eyes of the gathered crowd. She recognized many of the faces she saw amongst them. She saw Hilda and people of the Brume and the Watch, and the orphaned children who were talking and laughing together. The counts of the four noble houses were gathered as well; in fact all of House Fortemps was in attendance. Even Vidolfnir and a few of the young dragonets from Anyx Trine had come, the great white dragon laying back behind the crowd a ways where she was talking with Lucia and Maelie, the young dragonets fluttering curiously above her while they chattered excitedly to be in a city of man. While seeing these familiar faces certainly did not help ease her worry, the true culprit of her anxiety was the raven-haired commander that was having a deep conversation with a few of the temple knights; Aymeric de Borel.

Her cat-like sapphire eyes traced the contours of his profile, watching his lips move and his eyes alight as he gestured towards the two knights and they smiled and nodded. The snow flakes in his raven black hair did not go unnoticed either, the bits of ice forming a halo. He looked ethereal, like a handsome prince, and it brought the warmth to her face still to know that he had chosen her. The way her heart melted when they were together was still so strange to her, but the way it had fluttered that night and through that first kiss, she’d never forget it. The only issue is that now she would feel so shy sometimes around him, and she worried about what impression that gave people having only seen her be the stoic and serious knightess of light.

“So…are you going to go and talk to him, or do I need to do it for you?” Katsum jumped at the voice that came from behind her, her tail fluffing up as she turned to see Ranaa standing there, a wide-eyed look on her face before she giggled, “My goodness, I’ve never seen you caught off guard, Katsum. Are you alright?”

Katsum sighed and tried to compose herself and wipe the warmth from her cheeks as she found it hard to meet her gaze, “Yes. I’m alright. Just…seeing how many people had gathered.”

“Aaaaaand looking for a certain someone, yeah? Who is he?” She winked at Katsum before slowly backing off, “Sorry, I don’t mean to pry.”

Katsum felt her ears lift from her skull as she realized she’d been glaring, her features softening as she reached out towards Ranaa, “No, no, I’m…I’m sorry Ranaa. I'm not used to my thoughts showing so freely. It's very strange to me.”

Ranaa blinked, but nodded with a soft smile, “It’s because of that man, yes? He’s quite handsome, and very kind and noble from the conversations he is having.”

A breath of a smile graced Katsum’s lips as she nodded, “He is Aymeric de Borel, the Lord Commander of the Temple Knights and the leader of Ishgard itself…and he is indeed a very noble and chivalrous knight.”

“Aw, and he’s caught your eye, I see! Well, my question still stands, do you need me to introduce you?”

“N-n-no, we are already well acquainted I…” She sighed before she spoke seriously, “He and I know each other very well, I assure you. I just…get nervous around him sometimes lately.” No one knew they were seeing each other as they had decided to keep it secret until the excitement in Ishgard had settled so that no odd rumors could truly gain any traction. Still, it was hard to wear her emotionless mask around him as much anymore, and she could only guess what that meant.

“Probably on account of your feelings for him I’d guess, but that means this is the perfect chance to get his attention!” Ranaa excitedly bounced on her heels as her tail swished with her excitement, “You dance so beautifully and so gracefully there is no way he won’t notice! And as we are lifting their spirits and fighting against the shadows weighing down their souls, he surely won't be able to take his eyes off you!” She grinned and gestured to the Thavnarian style dress Katsum wore, “And with that exotic dress, who could resist looking at you~”

Katsum’s jaw dropped as her embarrassment returned, “Ranaa, please!”

The dark-skinned miqo’te giggled as she started stepping backwards, “Alright, we are ready to start whenever you are, yeah? You look amazing as always, Katsum, and you’ll be sure to chase any shadows with your dance.” She then turned and headed back to the other trope members.

The blonde miqo’te sighed and stood up straight, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath to steady herself and calm her nerves. Her feelings for him. The fluttering in her chest and the want to be around him and spending time with him.When put like that, it was little wonder it was hard to wear her ‘mask’ as it surely fell off every time her heart started beating out of her chest. There was a part of her deep down that was excited to dance for him too she realized, and so she tried to tap into that feeling as she turned and followed Ranaa so that the show could begin.

— — — — — — — — — —

“Ladies and gentlemen! Thank you all for coming!”

Katsum gripped her chakrams tightly as she listened to the trope member’s words, taking deep breaths to calm herself. Ranaa placed her hand on her shoulder and nodded with a smile, a quiet affirmation of ‘You got this’ to which Katsum smiled weakly back and nodded. Her heart was still beating loudly in her ears, but she focused on her breathing and then ran through the steps of the dance in her head.

And she planned to lock eyes with him the very moment she could.

“Without further ado, I give you…the dancers of Trope Falsiam!”

In unison, she and Ranaa moved into their starting poses as the curtain began to draw back. Katsum peered through her chakram where it covered most of her face, waiting impatiently to catch the ice blue gaze of the Lord Commander. As the curtain revealed them, the crowd erupted into applause, but the only thing Katsum saw was Aymeric’s widened eyes as he saw her. It scared her for a moment before she noticed the red dusting on his cheeks and she realized he was flustered slightly. That made her heart flutter in kind and spurred her feet forward.

The music began and the two dancers moved and spun to the beat, slow at first as they awaited the rest of the instruments to join the lute, ever moving further onto the stage as they did. Katsum kept her eyes locked with Aymeric as she spun on her foot and sliced through the air slowly with her chakram, willing her body to move more gracefully than she ever had before. He seemed to be locked into place, his eyes following her every move. She blushed lightly at the thought but she smiled warmly at him, which he returned.

The music picked up then and a new confidence burned in her breast as she quickened her steps and sliced through the air. The colored petals and feathers of light began to appear to the amazement of the crowd as she and Ranaa danced on opposite sides of the circle moving clockwise around it. And as the lights grew, the shadows began to take shape, the darkness slithering out of the peoples hearts and into the ring, gathering together into the forms of many-faced monsters. The people gasped at the sight of them but Ranaa and Katsum continued to dance to calm them. As the knightess drew near to one, the shadow hissed and reared back its clawed hand.

“Now, Raihogg.” Katsum whispered and her necklace glowed gently, a new red light of dragon scales appearing around her as she spun and threw her chakrams into the attacking shadow. Again it hissed and tried to advance, but she was far too quick, catching her weapons and throwing them again in quick succession to push it further back. She glanced over to Aymeric again, seeing his eyes brightly shining with amazement as the crowd around him cheered and she grinned and wound up her next step. Crouching low, she called for Raihogg’s strength again to brighten the glowing scales as she held her weapons close and ready for the jump. With a breath, she launched herself forward, spanning a few yalms in the blink of an eye and slicing through the shadow as she passed through it. The beast screamed before exploding into sparks and fading away.

Another scream echoed behind her and Katsum spun gracefully to see Ranaa taking down the other one at that same moment. She grinned confidently at Katsum and they returned to their dance, spinning and slicing the air as they danced the circle and moved towards each other in the center. When they finally reached it, they danced around one another for a moment before they turned back to back and froze their starting position once more facing the crowd, the beat of the music ending as they stopped. The crowd erupted in applause and cheers at their performance, the air about them all feeling much lighter now that the darkness had been vanquished. Katsum and Ranaa smiled at each other as she relaxed and bowed to the crowd with the rest of the troupe.

— — — — — — — — — —

Katsum bowed in thanks as the few temple knights waved their goodbyes and made their way back to their posts. She sighed contently, happy to know their spirits were a bit lighter this day without so much darkness whispering of all they’d lost in the war. It made her happy to know that a ‘simple’ dance was able to help them breathe a little clearer.

“Ah there you are,” She turned to meet the ice blue gaze of the raven-haired commander as he stepped up to her with a warm smile on his face, “I am glad to have caught you before you left. That was an amazing performance. I had no idea you were dancing!”

Katsum smiled shyly, twirling a strand of hair as her tail swished behind her bashfully, a shiver slightly shaking her for a second before she replied, “Thank you, and yes, I’ve been working with the troupe for a few months now and learning their dances. It was they who found me after a storm destroyed my boat as I was sailing away from my home, and they who found Soldier and brought him back to me. I’ve kept in touch ever since, and finally decided to learn the Dancer’s trade.”

He nodded, “I remember when they brought your horse to Camp Dragonhead, and might I say that you have certainly learned the trade well,” His eyes flitted down for a moment and she blushed as she realized he was trying his best not to stare at her exposed skin, “It was certainly a beautiful…and deadly dance.”

She shivered again as her ears dropped and she nodded, “T-Thank you.”

His smile faded as he noticed her shiver and quickly shed himself of his fur coat, “May I?”

She blinked in surprise but nodded, letting him move close and drape the coat over her shoulders. Katsum smiled and wrapped the furred coat around herself, happily breathing in his scent that lingered on it, “Thank you, Aymeric. I didn’t realize how cold I was.”

“Of course. Can’t have the Warrior of Light freezing after her most beautiful display of dance…” Aymeric swallowed thickly then, a bright blush dusting his cheeks as she noticed he was fidgeting and pulling down his royal-blue shirt collar slightly as his eyes darted back and forth from her own to where his coat hid her dress.

“Aymeric, are you…?”

“Yes, yes! Of course, I am just fine, I assure you…I would just like to say…you were stunning and I could scarcely take my eyes off of you, but I also would ask perhaps…could you wear a different dress for your dancing? While this one is…ravishing, it is rather…revealing if you understand my meaning.”

It took a moment for it to truly hit her what he had said, yet the moment it did, Katsum’s ears stood up as her tail fluffed and a deep red blush covered her face. Becoming far more subconscious than she had been, she wrapped the coat around her more tightly, hiding her burning face against the furs of the collar.

She nodded as her entire body burned from embarrassment, “I-I’ll uh…see what I can do…but i’ll also hang on to this one…in case I ever…need it…”

Now it was his turn to blush darkly and they both thanked the heavens no one around to see, “Right! As you should. Never uh…never know.”

She nodded as she coughed and shook her head to clear her mind, and brought up another topic to speak on which he was most gracious for and soon the moment of embarrassment had passed. From afar, Ranaa watched out of the corner of her eye while she was speaking to some of the audience members and smiled seeing them, happy to see that someone was helping Katsum find the parts of herself that lay hidden under her stoic mask.

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