#she’s like half jinn which is like demon | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

xsvcrilege · 2 years

Photo

❝ I invite you to contemplate how insignificant I find you . ❞

𝑐𝘩𝑎𝑟𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑟⧸𝑓𝑖𝑙𝑒 : alara » hybrid » melisa asli pamuk .

❛❛ aesthetic. ❜❜ ― ◜ ❏ . ― a midsummer night’s dream , she was truly a puzzle ; but god help anyone who mistook her for a game , piano music at the end of an empty hall , cracks and damage on an ornate statue. ― triggers : death tw , illness tw .

🇦🇵🇵🇱🇮🇨🇦🇹🇮🇴🇳 »

― ◜ ❏ . ― * ⠀ &. * melisa asli pamuk : cis female : she/her : doin�� time by lana del rey — it seems alara has been roaming volterra. the 30/31 -year-old hybrid has been in the city for a day . whispers in volterra says they’ve never heard of anyone like them. ― *

🇧🇦🇸🇮🇨🇸 »

full name : alara .

age : 30 / 31 .

date of birth : september 21st .

occupation : museum curator / auction house owner .

species : hybrid .

language(s) spoken : english , turkish , russian , spanish , french , italian .

hair color : brunette .

eye color : brown .

notable scars : n/a .

🇮🇳🇹🇪🇷🇮🇴🇷»

ability : telekinesis + zoopathy | the user can move, manipulate or otherwise interact with objects/matter without physical means . + the power to read the minds of and communicate or manipulate animals .

positive : witty , resourceful .

negative : callous , unpredictable .

moral alignment : chaotic neutral .

hogwarts house : ravenclaw .

deadly sin : lust + greed .

🇫🇦🇻🇴🇷🇮🇹🇪🇸 »

book : game of thrones .

movie : documentaries .

food : human blood .

flower : orchids .

season : fall .

🇫🇦🇲🇮🇱🇾 »

father : unknown .

mother : unknown .

mate : wanted connection .

🇧🇮🇴 »

— not much is known about alara. if you asked her, she would simply tell you that she was left found in the kayaköy village besides her mother’s dead body , where many believed this village haunted by jinns and people refused to settle .

— alara’s cries were heard for two days before, a farmer, mustafa, decided to investigate. Finding the child, for a moment he hesitated before picking her up and taking her home to his wife, eda. As old as they were, the couple never had any children as much as they tried and knowing how the those in the small town would react in finding the baby in haunted village, those who believed in superstitious (which is more than half of the small town), would be wary of her. So they decided to keep her.

— Naming her alara, the elderly couple became quite attached to the hybrid . Of course, it went without saying their surprise and when the small girl started to grow up rather too quickly . on top of it finding the small girl drinking the blood of the slaughtered animals they would kill for food . mustafa dived into researching of anything that could help them, nothing came to him . was this some sort of demon or something other wordly . They were never fearful of her though, it only just made them more protective of alara .

— Growing up they encouraged alara to be herself only when she was in the farm. Never allowed to use her powers out of their home . they kept her isolated and secluded . home schooled . yet as the years passed, alara learned more and more about her powers and herself , secretly feeding on human rather than animal . alara would help around the farm and pretty much knew how to tend to it by the time she was 13 .

— Although it would be a couple of months later that alara’s peaceful life would take a turn when eda’s drunken younger brother would come and demand for them to hide him . running from loan sharks he had double crossed and stolen from . Yet the very next day he was found and mustafa and eda caught in the crossfire when eda’s brother refused to tell them anything . Alara woke up to the commotion and witnessed eda on the ground already dead and mustafa beaten up , his heart barely beating . Eda’s brother immediately trying to sell alara off to them but before any of the thugs made a move they were already dead by her hands . .

— she looked over eda who was kind to her and mustafa’s who’s heart gave in minutes ago . While she didn’t cry over them , she knew she would miss the home they made for her . the love and care they had . Washing off the blood and giving them a proper burial , alara left the farm that had been her safe bubble and decided to explore what the rest of the world had to offer .

— wandering about towns after town , when she ended up in france , the sickly daughter of a museum manager , Madeline , took a linking to her and befriended alara . whether it was luck or fate , alara had a fondness of the past and learning about it . her friend’s father taking a liking to alara who made his daughter happy decided to take her in once he had learned alara was sleeping in the streets . alara was mostly taken in as a companion to his daughter but saw her absorbing knowledge like no other he had become fond of her . while alara was content with having a nice place to be and clothed .

— being sent to school with madeline, the two became inseparable . she loved alara’s indifferent nature and although at times madeline wished for alara to express herself or know what she is really feeling , madeline loved her all the same . Alara becoming fond of the sickly human girl she was to eat on the first day they met . Of course , she knew her time would be up soon .

— when madeline passed at the ripe age of 19 . alara simply thought it was time to move on considering there was nothing for her there . That is when her father stopped alara from going and told her of madeline’s wish for alara to be always taken cared of . Despite her indifferent nature alara had her kind moments to people who she becomes fond of . madeline’s father also pleading alara not to leave..

— living as a trust fund baby , in his death , madeline’s father left everything he had to alara by her 23rd birthday . Distant relatives angered over this but had no right to contest the will as he had left them all each one dollar for being greedy and only caring about the money they would get once he passed .

— alara went on with her life . while she had no need to work , alara would go on to work a museum curator and a successful owner of an action house .

— her reasoning for being in volterra is due to the fact that she was needed at one of the museums . funny enough as fate would have it , during this time vampires from all over are coming into town as well .

#sanguis:intro #* ╰ alara ❮ intro ❯

2 notes · View notes

angedemystere · 10 days

Text

Having a thought about Jadis and how she's described by the Beavers in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe -

It's interesting to go back to LWW after reading The Magician's Nephew with the knowledge of Jadis's real backstory. Her specific origins are still a bit vague, but it's confirmed that she's from a different dimension and very reasonable to assume that she is not human as the Beavers say. But are we meant to presume that the other things they say about her are true? I mean about her being descended from Lilith and giants. Even if we're meant to think Jadis's origins are Biblical, the details Mr. Beaver gives don't match canon Biblical literature. Lilith, who isn't mentioned in the Bible but emerged as a figure of medieval Jewish folklore, was human like Adam, she just ran away from Eden and then was banished when she wasn't willing to return and submit to Adam, and she hooked up with demons to give birth to more demons and took revenge on Adam and Eve's children. Nothing about her being a Jinn, which doesn't even come from Jewish or Christian tradition. A djinn is a supernatural being from pre-Islamic paganism that was coopted into Muslim beliefs.

Jadis's alleged biology comes from a hodgepodge of beliefs that a scholar like C.S. Lewis would probably know is a lot of mythological salad. So I'm inclined to believe that the Beavers' notions about Jadis's heritage are just wrong but have been passed along as "common knowledge" by generations of Narnians. Which raises an interesting point: the Beavers can be factually wrong about Jadis in certain respects, but that doesn't make them wrong about her moral character. In contrast, we have Edmund who tries to convince himself that Jadis is not evil and that her enemies are telling tales to make her look bad. He might be right that this story of Jadis being half jinn, half giant is incorrect and invented by people who hate her. However, this doesn't change the fact that Jadis is a bad person. We might be tempted to presume Jadis is evil because she's an almost-human inhuman creature, as the Beavers do. Thanks to TMN, Lewis invites us to question that line of thinking without questioning the truth about Jadis's morality.

#cs lewis #chronicles of narnia #the lion the witch and the wardrobe #the magician's nephew #jadis

1 note · View note

chaoticcosmos666 · 3 months

Text

OC Dump- Nero

(forgive me I don't have a sketch or anything yet other than a soul calibur 6 character screenshot on PlayStation)

Who is Nero?

Nero is a Demon male that can go between demon and human form. He's around 36 years old. Physicality he has white hair, has pointed elf like ears, and melanated skin. Born to a Kitsune like mother named Lanis and a time shifter demon named Reiji (who belongs to my partner). Nero has been thru hell.

Other traits?

Due to his mom and father's genes, his hair is straight and fine (also cus soul calibur has no option for textured hair other than cornrows and an Afro), colored white like his father. Eyes are blue as the daytime sky. He has multiple scars, bad daddy issues slowly being resolved, and a multitude of issues from birth.

Whats his background???

Refer to this link so you understand the conflict ❤️

Nero was born to an upper rank family in the western part of In a town couple miles from the western continent of Araphel and in a town a couple hours outside the capital, Gloomshelm. Nero was born "sleeping", aka not breathing. However with the help of temple priests he was revived. As a kid he was kinda sheltered. He was constantly sick. In world they're not sure what is wrong. However the way I wrote him is that he has a weak heart muscle and deformed valves. The reason hes alive is due to him being a demon. That's literally it. Plot armor lmao. He'd always look outside the door watching kids play. For reference here's a photo of how I imagine his door

At his childhood he was close to his father... Always training, trying to strengthen his heart but also overcome his issues. And when he was with his mother he learned how to cook and how to prepare food and know what plant is ok and what isn't. Around 7 he'd sneak out to play with other kids only that lead to them bullying him. By 10 he stood up to them. This was around the time the demon slayers came to sow chaos. His father decided to work as a double agent and dismantle from the inside. however this ultimately backfired when Nero was 13. Both him and his mom were taken to their camp to either be used as mind slave servants or just killed. To them, demons and half demons were scourges. His father couldn't put himself... Torture after torture... They finally outted his father who had to make a move. He tried killing all them but they overpowered him... Making Neros father choose... His love... Or his son. Nero only saw betrayal. Later down the line he learned that they had a plan Incase they got captured. His father never used a holy blade on his mom therefore she lived. But young Nero never saw this. He screamed out "HOW COULD YOU?!?"

Neros weak body wouldn't allow him to punch his father. this caused a riot which was not part of the plan but a welcomed one. In the chaos, Nero slipped out... His father had no idea. Thus lead Nero on a journey of him alone. Weeks of foraging... His demon side would randomly kick in. Eventually word got around to Jinn (our other OC. I will link him when I finish him)... Nero had eaten a bunch of livestock... At this point he was near feral. Jinn stepped in when he found Nero and soothed him. Having him eat and rest safely knowing that someone would protect him. Jinn was a friend of Neros family and a half blood Himself. When Nero woke he was scared but was able to eat in peace. Jinn paid off the farmer as well. Eventually Nero opened up about his anger and rage. Jinn did his best to sooth again but he knew Nero had to let it out. Eventually he suggested that Nero go to a temple and find purpose....

Nero took that advice and left for a peace temple outside the infernis capital. He stayed there until he felt he was strong enough. And by the time he did leave, news has spread that two people had taken down the remainder of the slayers. Nero was relieved and from the journey here came out with the ability to wield fire like he could shadows. However when he was inside... There was another enemy chasing him... His younger brother.

#Cosmo's Lore #literally just me building characters #dont mind me #oc nero #demons #world building #fantasy worlds

0 notes

davidastbury · 1 year

Text

The Bag

She told me a story about how her uncle - her favourite uncle - had made the journey to the homeland of her grandparents. She had been a child at the time of his epic visit and hadn’t given it much attention, but she remembered an excitement in the atmosphere at home, a bit like Norouz. Her uncle had travelled deep into the south; an area of emptiness where jinns and demons dance in the night, creating mischief and mad music. He arrived at the old family home and walked proudly through the iron gates and up the steps. The owner had tea served and then a full meal. They didn’t say much to each other. Later, the man handed over a leather case containing documents. All this had been prearranged; he thanked the man and started the long journey home.

These documents recorded the family’s financial activities going back over nearly two hundred years; including lists of employees, business accounts and the deeds of several properties. Back home every one was very excited - just to experience the link to family members whose names were half familiar - yet knowing the impossibility of making any sort of claim on what they had lost.

When the girl was grown up she got her uncle to tell the full story. He no longer had the documents as they had been donated to a museum. She asked if he still had the case; the case in which the documents had been stored - and yes, he had kept it. She asked if she could see it and her uncle left the room to fetch it. It was a variation of the traditional Gladstone bag but smaller, ancient brown leather, hand stitched, stained, dull brass fasteners, loose handles, the front faded by exposure to sunlight and a bad split on the flap. She instantly fell in love with it.

A few days later - after the uncle (her favourite uncle) had given her the bag as a present - he sent her a cheque to cover the cost of restoration.

And then, a few years later - she told me the story. I don’t know why she told me. She still had the bag and I had the opportunity of asking to see it - but the moment passed and will never come again.

0 notes

popentertainment-moviereviews · 3 years

Photo

KANDISHA (2020)

Starring Mathilde Lamusse, Suzy Bemba, Samarcande Saadi, Mériem Sarolie, Sandor Funtek, Walid Afkir, Félix Glaux-Delporto, Nassim Lyes Si Ahmed, Dylan Krief, Bakary Diombera, Mariam Doumbia, Brahim Hadrami, Ayekoro Kossou, Frédéric Nyssen, Ondine Stenuit, Maria José Cazares Godoy, Brahim Takioullah, Lotfi Yahya Jedidi, Delphine Clairice and Erico Salamone.

Screenplay by Julien Maury and Alexandre Bustillo.

Directed by Julien Maury and Alexandre Bustillo.

Distributed by Shudder. 85 minutes. Not Rated.

I suppose it is nice to see that they can make cheesy bogeyman films in French, too.

Even though it is based on a Moroccan legend, it turns out a Kandisha is a pretty standard film spook – fairly interchangeable with many other shadow lurkers like Bloody Mary, La Llorona, a succubus, Candyman, the Djinn, the Mothman, Slenderman and others. In fact, a movie by the same title about a similar demon was made in Morocco in 2008 and starred the late David Carradine.

According to a Muslim Popular Culture post on the NYU (New York University) website, “Qandisa is a mythological figure in Moroccan folklore associated with lust and possession. Sometimes portrayed as a demon or the jinn, she is known to capture the souls of young men and drive them insane.”

Of course, driving them insane may not be enough for a horror movie. In Kandisha, she tends to kill off the men in horrific, violent ways; setting them on fire, throwing them from a top story balcony of a high-rise building, having them run into the path of a speeding car, literally ripping them limb from limb.

This ancient terror is unleashed by three diverse teenaged girlfriends in the ghettos of France. They literally refer to each other as “the black chick,” “the Arab chick” and “the white chick.” The black chick is Bintou (Suzy Bemba), the Arab is Morjana (Samarcande Saadi), and the white chick is Amélie (Mathilde Lamusse).

It is school break, and they like to spend their time partying at a local tenement building which is facing demolition. They go to the abandoned basement, tagging it with graffiti art, listening to loud music, drinking and dancing. When they find the word “Kandisha” painted on a wall, Morjana explains the legend to her friends. They half-heartedly attempt to raise the demon – not really believing it exists – and nothing happens.

However, walking home alone, Amélie is attacked by her violent ex-boyfriend. Later, with more seriousness, a bruised and bloody Amélie calls for the demon. The next morning, the ex is dead, killed in a horrific car crash. When another friend is set on fire at a bonfire party they are at, the girls realize the legend is real and they must stop the Kandisha before it kills more men in their lives.

Some of the storytelling doesn’t really make sense. For example, according to the legend (as shared in the film) the Kandisha will kill six men before disappearing. Later in the film, after five men have been killed, Amélie says mournfully that two more of their loved ones are going to die. Now, perhaps she just can’t add, but more likely the screenwriters forgot their own rules, or their own death count. From there on, the film continues with the idea of two more deaths as if one of those earlier deaths didn’t count or something.

The Kandisha even seems to change as the film goes on, sometimes covered in a full shroud, sometimes topless (in one attack she is both wearing a top and topless within a matter of a minute), and as the film goes on, she gets a few feet taller and more CGI looking (also in that same attack just mentioned, which shifts in the middle from a live actress to an obvious special effect).

It's not a huge surprise that Kandisha skipped the arthouse theaters in the US, instead debuting on the horror subscription service Shudder. It’s far from a great film, but it may hit the spot if you’re looking for a b-movie spook show.

Jay S. Jacobs

youtube

#Kandisha #2021 #Movie Review #Mathilde Lamusse #Jay S. Jacobs

4 notes · View notes

elias-veturius-laia-of-serra · 3 years

Photo

*Contains Sky SPOILERS*

All my favorite Musa Of Adisa quotes and scenes 🥺 ❤️

“I am Musa of Adisa,” the man says. “Son of Ziad and Azmath of Adisa. Grandson of Mehr and Saira of Adisa. I am also the only friend you have in this city” - A Reaper At The Gates

“Who’s the Beekeeper, and how can I find him?”

“Ah, Laia Of Serra.” His white teeth shine like those of a smug horse. He offers me his arm, and under the brightening sky, I finally get a closer look at his tattoos - dozens of them, big and small, all clustered around a hive.

Bees.

“It’s me, of course,” Musa says. “Don’t tell me you hadn’t guessed.” - A Reaper At The Gates

“You listen. How fast can you get information on the jinn?”

Musa strokes his chin. “Let’s see. It took me a week to learn that you’d broken Elias out of Blackcliff’s dungeons. Six days to learn that you’d set off a riot in Nur. Five to learn what Elias Veturius whispered to in your ear the night he abandoned you in the Tribal desert for Kauf Prison. Two to learn that the Warden-” - A Reaper At The Gates

“Musa and I go back again and again, carrying out those who cannot walk themselves, pulling to safety as many Scholars as we can.” - A Reaper At The Gates

“As I told the story, my attention was on the king. I did not notice the ghuls emerging from the shadows and congregating around the princess. I did not notice them latching themselves on to her like leeches. Musa looks as if he is watching the slow torture of someone he loves—which, I finally realize, he is.” - A Reaper At The Gates

“Nikla and I eloped ten years ago,” he says. “We were only a little older than you, but much more foolish. She had an older brother who was supposed to be king. But he died, she was named crown princess, and we grew apart.” I wince at the perfunctory nature of his recitation, a decade of history in four sentences. “I didn’t mention it before because there was no point. We’ve been separated for years. She took my lands, my titles, my fortune—”

“Your heart.” Musa’s harsh laugh echoes off the hard stone of the buildings on either side of us. “That too,” he says.” - A Reaper At The Gates

“Another arrow shoots out of the darkness, but it too misses its mark, dropping in midair—courtesy of Musa’s wights.

“Nikla!” Musa snarls. “Show yourself!” - A Reaper At The Gates

“When I rush her,” Musa whispers, barely audible, “run.” I’m just processing what he says when he’s past me and heading straight for Nikla. Immediately, silver-armored bodyguards step out of the shadows and attack Musa so swiftly that he is now nothing but a blur.” - A Reaper At The Gates

“Musa’s voice rings in my head. We need you as a voice for the Scholars. We need you as our scim and shield.” - A Reaper At The Gates

“You pull that hood any lower,” Musa of Adisa whispers from beside me, “and people will think you’re a jinn.” - A Sky Beyond The Storm

“Stop waving around your blade, aapan.” Musa uses the Mariner honorific that means “little sister” and speaks with the same exasperation I sometimes hear from Darin. The Beekeeper, as Musa is known, is twenty-eight—older than Darin and I. Perhaps that is why he delights in bossing us around.” - A Sky Beyond The Storm

“Musa eases my hand off the hilt. “You break Elias Veturius out of Blackcliff, burn down Kauf Prison, deliver the Martial Emperor in the middle of a war, face down the Nightbringer more times than I can count,” he says, “and you jump at a loud noise? I thought you were fearless, aapan.” - A Sky Beyond The Storm

“This . . . thing. This Rehmat. It was living inside you?”

“Like a parasite?” Musa says. “Or a demon?”

“Don’t be so horrified,” I say. “Whatever it is, it’s inside you too. All of you. Or so the Jaduna said.”

Musa looks down, clearly wondering if some fey beastie will burst unexpectedly from his chest.

“So if one of us had lost our temper and yowled at the Nightbringer—”

“I did not yowl—” - A Sky Beyond The Storm

“Laia! Watch it!” a Scholar man with dark skin and long, black hair calls out. He holds off three legionnaires with a scim, a short dagger, and—I squint—a cloud of hundreds of wights who befuddle his foes. They defend him with a vicious protectiveness that wights aren’t known for.” - A Sky Beyond The Storm

“Tend to your wounds,” I say. “Then leave. Go back to the beach. To your boats. To a quick death, it matters not. But you will not enter the Waiting Place.”

“He’s your brother.” Musa speaks up, nodding to Harper. The Mask gapes at Musa, who doesn’t seem to notice.” - A Sky Beyond The Storm

“The Soul Catcher gives her a brief, unreadable look. “Yes. One human might slip through the forest undetected by them. But a half dozen? They will know you are here soon enough.”

“Can’t you just—” Musa puts his hands around his throat and mimes choking—referring no doubt to how the Soul Catcher can steal away breath.” - A Sky Beyond The Storm

“You’re late.” His armor is splashed with blood, but he doesn’t appear to have any wounds. Musa materializes behind him, limping. “Good in a fight.” Quin nods to the Scholar approvingly.” - A Sky Beyond The Storm

“Not hard to look at, is he?” I jump at the voice next to me, my scim half-drawn. It is Musa, one hand gently nudging my blade back to its scabbard. He has a dozen bruises and as many cuts, most half-healed.

“So jumpy, Shrike. One would think you’d only just escaped a band of Karkauns by the skin of your teeth.” He chuckles darkly at his little joke, but his smile doesn’t reach his eyes. “Forgive me,” he says. “Laughing hurts less than facing what happened. I am sorry about Faris. I liked him.”

“Thank you,” I say. “And your joke was terrible, so naturally, Faris would have loved it.” - A Sky Beyond The Storm

“He pats his face, preening. “Everyone says I’m even more dashing with scars.” - A Sky Beyond The Storm

“Now, Shrike.” Musa follows me reluctantly. “While I do like my women tall and bossy, and while I know this face is difficult to resist, sadly, my heart belongs to another—” “Oh, shut up.” I stop when we’re far from the courtyard. “You’re not that pretty.” He bats his eyelashes at me, and I wish he were just a bit uglier” - Sky Beyond The Storm

“In fact, I’ll offer you a little tidbit right now. Captain Avitas Harper is on his way here. He’s in the northwest corridor, passing that very ugly statue of a yak, and moving rather quickly.”

“How—” I know how he does it. Still, the specificity is uncanny.

“Ten seconds,” Musa murmurs. “Eight—six—” I stride swiftly away, wincing at the pain lancing up my leg. But I’m not fast enough.

“Blood Shrike,” Harper calls in a voice that I cannot ignore. I curse Musa as he walks off, laughing quietly.” - Sky Beyond The Storm

“Within the crowd of Karkauns, a squad of my men fight their way toward me, Musa among them. I try to join them, but the Karkauns surround us. Musa disappears, his scims flying, and I remind myself to ask him who the hells trained him before I am inundated by the enemy again.” - A Sky Beyond The Storm

“Just the blather the Karkauns were spewing. Ik tachk mort fid iniqant fi. Haven’t been able to get a translation of it, but—”

“‘Death wakes the great sea,’” Musa translates, nodding a greeting to a group of Scholars as they pass. “Or—no, wait. ‘Death feeds the great sea.’”

I stop in the middle of the hall, ignoring the irritated grunt of a Mask who nearly runs into me. “Why didn’t you tell me you spoke Karkaun?”

“You didn’t ask.” - A Sky Beyond The Storm

“My grandfather taught me to fight. He was a palace guard. Saved old King Irmand’s life when he was a boy. Got a beekeeping estate for his trouble. My father became a healer, but I spent more time with the bees. I think they both thought training would toughen me up.”

“Did it?”

“I’m still alive, aren’t I?” - A Sky Beyond The Storm

“Go on, insult me,” Musa says. “But you and I are more alike than you know, and that’s not a compliment. You’re in a position of great power, Shrike. It’s a lonely place to be. Most leaders spend their lives using others. Being used. Love isn’t just a luxury for you. It’s a rarity. It’s a gift. Don’t throw it away.”

“I’m not throwing it away.” I stop walking and pull the Scholar around to face me. “I’m afraid, Musa.” I don’t mean to blurt the words out—especially to a man whose arrogance has vexed me from the moment I met him. But to my relief, he does not mock me.

“How many in Antium lost those beloved to them when the Karkauns attacked?” he asks. “How many like Dex, who hide who they love because the Empire would kill them for it?” Musa runs a hand through his black hair, and it sticks up like a bird’s nest. “How many like Laia, betrayed and then left to claw her way through her pain? How many like me, Shrike, pining for someone who no longer exists?” - A Sky Beyond The Storm

“But that’s not what we’re talking about,” Musa says. “You are lucky enough to love someone who loves you back. He is alive and breathing and in the same vicinity as you. By the skies, do something about it. For however long you have. For whatever time you get. Because if you don’t, I swear that you’ll regret it. You’ll regret it for all your years.” - A Sky Beyond The Storm

“Do you know where Musa of Adisa was in the fight to take Antium, Pontilius?” I say now. “At my side, bleeding for an Empire he’d never set foot in until a few months ago. Fighting for the Scholars. Tell me, General, where were you during the fighting?” - A Sky Beyond The Storm

“As I walk through the freezing palace, I search for a flash of color amid the drear. Musa can always be counted on to wear at least one loud item of clothing—and I need his information now.” - A Sky Beyond The Storm

“Someone who will know how to deal with Musa’s pain. But the Scholar does not release my hand.

“I shouldn’t mourn her.” He wipes his face, and I almost don’t hear him.

“She jailed my father. Took my lands. My title. The Scholars suffered under her rule.” - Sky Beyond The Storm

“We got married a decade ago. I was eighteen. She was nineteen. Her brother was crown prince, but he died of an illness and the palace healer—my father—couldn’t save him. She—” He shakes his head. “Grief took her. The ghuls found ripe prey with her, and they nibbled at her mind for years. And when I spoke of them to her, she called me insane. King Irmand was so grief-stricken after his son’s death that he did not see what was happening to his daughter.”

“My father died in prison. My mother soon after. And yet—” He looks between Harper and me. “I still loved her. I shouldn’t have, but I did.” - A Sky Beyond The Storm

“I have to go to Marinn,” Musa says. “Find Keris. Kill her. Nikla’s heir is a first cousin. Skies know if he’s still alive, but he’s young. He’ll need help.” - A Sky Beyond The Storm

“You want me to stay,” he says. “But the Mariners were my people first. They need me. And you owe me a favor, Shrike.” - A Sky Beyond The Storm

“All the way to Avitas’s quarters, where we can speak without interruption, I think of Musa’s cries. The way he sounded as if his soul had been dug out of his body.” - A Sky Beyond The Storm

“Ah, young love,” Musa says, and I glance at him, wondering if I will see bitterness in his regard. But his smile takes years off his face, which has been drawn and desolate of late.” - A Sky Beyond The Storm

“Love can be more powerful in a battle than planning or strategy. Love keeps us fighting. Love drives us to survive.”

“Skies, stop meddling—”

“I meddle because I hope, aapan.” The humor bleeds from his voice, and I’m certain he’s remembering his beloved, doomed Nikla. “Life is too short not to hope.” - A Sky Beyond The Storm

“Soldiers on both sides of the escarpment stumble to their feet, still shaken from the maelstrom. Musa has an arm under the Blood Shrike’s shoulders, and together they stagger away from the front line, anguish emanating from both.” - A Sky Beyond The Storm

“The Blood Shrike, Musa, and I are discussing how the troops should handle any rogue ghosts. When Laia appears, Musa kicks the Shrike in the ankle.

“What the hells, Musa—oh—” - A Sky Beyond The Storm

“Duty gives me a straight back when Musa, his own eyes red at the loss of Darin, finds me and takes me to a line of bodies to be buried in the jinn grove.” - A Sky Beyond the Storm

“Musa is here too, gesturing with the flatbread while flirting with Afya Ara-Nur. The Tribeswoman is still pale from her injury, wincing even as she laughs. Mamie looks amused while Spiro Teluman watches with a dark glare. The smith shouldn’t worry. Musa’s heart is as shattered as mine” - A Sky Beyond the Storm

“Gird your loins, Shrike.” Musa gives me a sidelong glance. “You’re about to get quite the promotion.” - A Sky Beyond the Storm

“I heard her tell Zacharias a story last night. He was rapt.”

“Where is he?”

“With Tas, eating moon cakes.” I nod to a cart near Mamie’s wagon, where the young Scholar boy, who appears to have grown a foot since I last saw him, grins as my nephew stuffs a cake into his mouth. Musa, keeping them company, hands over another.” - A Sky Beyond the Storm

“Musa has been invaluable in court, charming Illustrian Paters as easily as he has Scholars. When we broke up the estates of Keris’s top allies, it was Musa who suggested we award them to Scholars and Plebeians who fought in the Battle of Antium. And when grief threatens to consume me, it is Musa who appears with a meal and insists we eat it out in the sunshine. Musa who drags me to the palace kitchens to bake bread with him, and Musa who suggests a visit to Zacharias, even if it means canceling two weeks of court. I thought at first that the Scholar had wights watching me to make sure I did not fall too deeply into despair. But the wights, he told me, are no longer his spies.” - A Sky Beyond the Storm

“How am I supposed to take the Pater of Gens Visselia seriously when I know he spends most of his time composing odes to his hounds?” - A Sky Beyond the Storm

“Yes,” I say to his uncertainty. “I want you to stay, Musa.” He lets out a breath.

“Thank the skies,” he says. “I don’t actually like bees very much. Little bastards always sting me. And anyway, you need me around.” - A Sky Beyond the Storm

“I’m not lonely!” A lie, though Musa is too much a gentleman to call me on it.

“But you are alone, Empress.” A shadow passes across his face, and I know he thinks of his wife, Nikla, dead six months now. “As all those in power are alone. You don’t have to be.” - A Sky Beyond the Storm

“It should have been him dancing with you,” Musa says, and at the raw emotion in his voice, my eyes heat.” - A Sky Beyond the Storm

“Alas.” The Scholar spins me in a circle, then pulls me back. “We’re the ones who survived, Empress. Unlucky, perhaps, but that’s our lot. And since we’re here, we might as well live.” - A Sky Beyond the Storm

“Though I was reluctant moments ago, now I find that I want to give in to that exuberant beat. So does Musa. So we laugh and dance again. We eat a dozen moon cakes and chase away the loneliness, two broken people who, for this night, anyway, make a whole.” - A Sky Beyond the Storm

#an ember in the ashes #a torch against the night #a reaper at the gates #a sky beyond the storm #a sky beyond the storm spoilers #musa of Adisa #cause he deserved better #I love him #best boy #my absolute fave (other than Elias and Laia ofc)#Elias Veturius #laia of serra #Helene Aquilla #Avitas Harper #emberling #ember quartet #Sabaa tahir

18 notes · View notes

sentientpaperbag · 3 years

Note

can we see all of the charafrers?

So y’all have seen these three in these pics with begonia

Greg, Aamil, and Eve respectively

Aamil and Eve are gonna get full body drawings tomorrow

Aamil is a freed jinn and works as a custodian. He’s also friends with Greg and Begonia!

Eve is essentially a Frankenstein monster kind of monster. She drinks a lot, and doesn’t really like anyone.

Here are sketches of the rest! (I’ll color them in the morning and post updated versions then but I’m tired difnsnfjdjdj)

Stolas is a demon prince, and is honestly the glue holding the company together

Swimy said Molly is the “mom friend” so I made her look super friendly. She wants to be an equestrian cuz she used to be one in Ireland.

Leon Skum is the man in charge, and he’s… something.

Periboia is his half giantess ex wife who girlboss’d her way into being mayor and she’s trying to take him down cuz he’s an asshole

Catia is a robot cat girl and is dead set on killing Leon because he originally created her to be his bodyguard and mistress. She’s an underground pop star now

A lot of people don’t like Leon

Which is fair, he’s an asshole. Like… a major asshole.

Tommy and Cole just kinda vibe, they’re literal children and Stolas became adoptive dad

@swimyghost I have now drawn everyone at least one time rifhsjfjsjs

Soon there will be more art

Swimy can delve further into their characters if you have any other questions~

#he’s also the ugliest man I’ve ever drawn #others ocs #monster oc #monster ocs #bug monster #Leon is kind of like John carpenter’s the thing #hence why he looks… like that

3 notes · View notes

rogueninja · 4 years

Note

Okay so we all know who your top ships are... who are your unpopular ships? Or obscure ships? What characters from what series do you think about often in either good or bad ways? Who is a character that you hate that others love? If you could rewrite a story or part of a book, what would it be and what would you do differently?

Ok I am digging through my brain right now bc if I’m not able to hyperfixate on something then I tend to forget I even liked it. Ok buckle in bc this is gonna be long af. YOU ASKED FOR THIS, REG.

I’m putting a readmore so as not to torture my followers lol

Thinking about Veronica Mars. About Veronica/Logan. Do they have a ship name?? But I love that show and i was THERE for them. They were kind of a surprise ship for me, in that when they got together I was like, wait, WHAT? Like I was totally caught off guard. But there first kiss is, like, sooo romantic to me haha. It’s my fave scene in the show. But Logan is suck a prick sometimes. And they break up like every five minutes. And every season Logan gets accused of murder which of course he ends up not being the murderer. And they get back together eventually and I’m like really? But deep down I am rooting for them lol. I really enjoyed the new season of Veronica Mars that came out last year, actually. The ending made me SO SAD THO.

I also used to watch Supergirl and I thought Kara and Mon-El were adorable. He was very Carswell Thorne-esque, RH, I *think* you would like him. I never watched past season 3(?) though, and he shoots off into space and I never caught up so a few months ago I actually googled what happens and [spoiler] he ends up marrying someone else in the future or something so I was like, ok I’m not investing any more time in this show lol. (Also I had to google Mon-El’s name just now bc i forgot which is a bad look BUT I WAS REALLY RIDE OR DIE FOR THEM FOR A WHILE lol). Also I loved Martian Manhunter in this show, he was my favorite character. But the CGI for him was awful, omg. He had practical makeup at first, they should have just stuck with that.

Speaking of Martian Manhunter, I also used to watch Young Justice and loved Miss Martian/Superboy. Am I basic??? lol oop. But I love basic love stories. Anyway, I thought they were super cute. In season 3 though they’re kind of on the rocks. I haven’t watched season 4. I also loved Artemis/Wally West, but of course that had to end tragically.

Also, let’s talk about Nightcrawler. Allow me to set the scene. Little Kat is 13 and just rediscovered the cartoon she saw a few times as a kid called X-Men: Evolution. And thus, a weird obsession with the German, blue demon boy began. I loved Kurt Wagner. In the cartoon he starts a relationship with Amanda Sefton and I thought they were a-dor-a-ble. She accepted him for who he was, and they had a really nice healthy relationship. A lot of ppl shipped him with Kitty too which i am honestly all for idec I JUST WANT THE BLUE BOI TO BE HAPPY.

Can we talk about A:TLA too??? Like, obviously Zutara, amiright? Power couple. Like, Kataang is.. fine, but its probably my least favorite part about the ending, haha. Also, consider: Tokka. Toph is bae and can get anyone she wants, and she clearly had kind of a crush on Sokka and I think they could have been awesome. It actually kills me that they never say who Lin and Suyin’s father is in LoK. I had a whole theory that it was that kid The Duke from Jet’s band based on like 2 scenes from the series. There’s a tumblr post I made about it somewhere in the ether lol.

I also just remembered Tahnorra (Tahno/Korra) from Legend of Korra. It’s hard for me to explain this one. It’s a weird combination of being hyperfixated on the first season of the show when it came out, and I think I stumbled upon some fic or something???? And I thought Tahno was hot or something??? And FUN FACT, he was voice by Rami Malek BEFORE HE WAS COOL. So like before Rami really got big I knew who he was. He also basically played the Avatar in Twilight: Breaking Dawn Part 2 and I thought that connection was hilarious. It was kind of a problematic crack pairing but there was one author in particular whom i follow to this day hoping she’ll update her Tahnorra fics…. *sigh*

Okay one last ship…. I used to be ride or die for Outlaw Queen in Once Upon a Time (aka Regina/Robin Hood). Like, before TLC, I had a personal tumblr renaissance for that ship alone. My only existing published fanfic is for that ship. Taylor Swift’s 1989 came out that year and I related every dang song to that ship. I loved Regina so much and I just wanted her to be happy. That show is a dumpster fire, though, and spat all over my hopes and dreams. *sigh*

Also, lightning round for obscure pairings I ship and/or never talk about:

Frank Castle/Karen Page (The Punisher) ok this one isnt that obscure but I never talk about it… but the pining, oh god the pining

Jaime Lannister/Brienne of Tarth (GoT) THEIR 5 SECONDS TOGETHER ARE THE ONLY WORTHY PART OF SEASON 8. everything after that never happened

I already listed Roy Mustang/Riza Hawkeye (FMAB) as a top pairing previously but I feel the need to mention it again bc it was for real my OG OTP… LIKE U WANNA TALK ABOUT PINING…. *sobs*

Percy/Annabeth (Percy Jackson and the Olympians) This used to be my fave book series and i loved how their relationship developed over the course of the books

Neville Longbottom/Luna Lovegood (Harry Potter) ok can we TALK ABOUT THIS??? They were both badass misfits and they were perfect for each other. But noooo JKR has to announce they marry some nobodies…. this is the only change the last movie did right

Midna/Link (Zelda: Twilight Princess) I honestly have no explanation for this lol

Qui-gon Jinn and Shmi (Star Wars) CAN U IMAGINE if anakin had a proper father figure and didnt have to abandon his mother to slavery

Obi-wan/Satine…. (Star Wars: The clone Wars) we know whats up

OK, to answer some of your other questions: character I hate that others love. HMMMM…….

This one seems too easy/obvious but Professor Snape? Like obviously there’s already a ton of discourse surrounding this but he was gross, mistreated his students for years, committed atrocities, couldn’t get over his high school crush, and we’re supposed to believe he’s a hero in the end and HARRY WOULD NAME HIS SON AFTER HIM….. uh no. “Always” is gross.

I’ve literally been wracking my brain for days and I can’t think of any more characters for this. OK I did some googling and I remembered some LOL.

Ross from friends…. I literally can’t stand him. He’s so entitled and just the worst. He tries to act like he’s the nice, sensitive guy, but really he is so full of himself. Joey on the other hand is portrayed as a womanizer but is actually super sweet and I love him

Archie from Riverdale… I have only seen the first 1.5 seasons ish but he is the worst…. we’re supposed to believe he’s some easygoing musically gifted football player but instead he manages to pull off being bland as heck and actually kind of a terrible garbage person

Nick from chilling adventures of Sabrina. I hate characters that are like hitting on the main character even though she has a bf and are like dark and broody and sexy blah blah blah…. I liked Harvey way better. I never finished season 2 tho

Emma Swan from Once Upon a Time? Idk she was fine she just got old after a while

If you could rewrite a story or part of a book, what would it be and what would you do differently?

HM. First, Harry would name his son Remus Rebeus Potter LOL. Ok but real talk there was a headcanon floating around forever ago that Harry should have become a professor at Hogwarts instead of an auror and I am 100% on board

Ok, ok….. what abouuuttt…… OK, is star wars when Han and Leia get together. I like them as a couple, but the entire first half of the movie Han is being such an ass. And when they kiss the first time, he’s being SOOO creepy. It’s like so quintessentially 80s romance. and HERE’S THE THING. They actually filmed (or maybe just wrote?) a version of that scene that WASNT CREEPY. And i’m like WHY DIDNT YOU USE THAT?!? So I like to pretend that’s the version that actually happened.

This part is way harder than the shipping portion. If I think of anything else i’l dm you. I HOPE YOU ENJOY READING THIS NOVEL LENGTH POST OF ME RAMBLING ABOUT MY FIXATIONS OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS. If anyone actually read this far, you deserve a cup of hot chocolate and a blanket

#regolithheart #ask #answered

17 notes · View notes

evilkitten3 · 4 years

Note

Any spicy lore about your ocs, their story, or the world they live in?

well, there are three main sets right now. the toxic butterfly set (kochome, maiye, kadzya, jaren, nikoli, kagura, etc.), the shifters set (lev, meiling, xiuying, aabir, etc.), and the kawa kara umi he set (shashō, saizō, kōka, etc.). that’s the order their various worlds were made in, as well as the order of which one has the most lore.

the world that kawa kara umi he takes place in is easily the least developed, mostly because it’s both the newest and the one i’ve spend the least time on, but also because i haven’t fully figured out what i want to do with it. it began as a dark parody of naruto, exploring the realities of being child soldiers under the command of a fascist government, but i’ve gone back and forth on whether i want to keep the element of fantasy that naruto added or if i want something more based on real history, with a focus on a world based off of real life japan (from the sengoku period to the edo period) or possibly even actually taking place in japan. that last one could be extra interesting if i set it in the edo period, especially if i had the characters towards the end of the story coming to terms with the decline of demand for shinobi and what the future might hold. but i still haven’t put too much thought into it - it’s fun to play with, but the other two take up more space in my brain.

the shifters set has been through a few changes, most notably in terms of plot - in part because there currently isn’t one (oops). it takes place in modern day america (specifically the san francisco bay area in california, because i wanted to work in familiar terrain) but deals with other dimensions and the like, so the setting isn’t always consistent. the one thing i’ve been sure of the whole time is that i want a medley of different mythologies coming to life (this was very much inspired by rick riordan, if you hadn’t already guessed), but with christianity being on the same level as the others. frequently in mythology related stories you see people, gods, and monsters from all sorts of religious (loki from norse myths, apollo from the greeks, horus from ancient egypt, golems from jewish lore, jinn from islamic and pre-islamic arabian lore, etc.), but christianity is never put on the same level. and i thought to myself: y’know what? jesus is here. and he’s the guy running the hot dog stand outside the community college whose nametag says jesús and who knows ikea like the back of his hand. and the gods aren’t just in america because - they’re actually everywhere because travel is neat and who’s gonna stop them. also anansi is there because i grew up with my librarian reading those stories to me and his wife (aso i think) is probably my favorite character from anything ever.

the toxic butterfly universe has come a long way - i created these guys back in like middle school or something. maybe even before that. pretty much every character is massively different from who they started off as (kagura used to be a demon, nikoli and jaren used to share a body, maiye and her group were initially background characters that were an inside joke for my high school friend group, kochome was going to have a poisonous butterfly tattoo.... also most of them were japanese bc i was in an anime phase when i first made them and initially planned for it to be something like an isekai situation). i do currently have several plot points for the tb universe that i’m probably going to stick with, although the overarching plot is still pretty shaky. but some of it is still the same: jaren’s name hasn’t changed even once since i made him, kagura and nikoli were always going to be an item, the world the story takes place in was always the seven kingdoms, nikoli and jaren always had a fire/ice dynamic, maiye was always going to be the rose-haired sweetie character that turned out to be neither of those things (at least, after she was upgraded from background character to supporting character but before she became a main character), hector was always going to be the heroine’s (kochome’s) main love interest with family issues, brooke was always going to be a queen (although initially she was the queen of one of the kingdoms, whereas now she’s “queen” of a rebellion), etc. so a lot has changed, and a lot has stayed the same.

and then there are the hawthorne knights, who are technically a part of the toxic butterfly story, but are important enough to me to get a side story about their cool adventures. because they’re all lgbt+ and at least half of them were made when i was dicking around with heroforge.

2 notes · View notes

littlemisssquiggles · 4 years

Note

So I recently sent a response to Shannon McCormick, Oz's voice actor: "I know you said the group is gonna trust Oz again and reconcile, but I'm not feeling very hopeful. They're still so bitter towards him and not trying to understand him... and are doing the same things they demonized him for, yet it's being treated like it's okay. I know you can't give spoilers and I don't expect you to, but it's something that's got me really down." He responded with: "Keep the faith."

Hey Miki-chan. Ah yes, good ole Shannon coming in clutch with that boast of optimism. I’m actually curious as to whether or not, we will even get to see Oz return for V7. The opening certainly didn’t give any indication of it; sadly to say. If I’m expecting Oz to return at all, it’s probably by the end of the season.

While I do want Oz to return and reconcile with the group, I’m skeptical about having it go back to the way things were before with Ozpin constantly taking control of Oscar’s body and more or less eclipsing his development. I miss Oz but I don’t miss that. This is why I liked how they showed him as a more of guiding voice for Oscar at the end of V6 with the airship crash.In my opinion, that’s what I initially assumed their dynamic was going to belike until the show revealed the soul swapping technique in V5.

I want Oscar to shine on his own, if possible, for V7. If Oz were to return to the story, I hope his role is relegated to being more of a literal voice of reasonand guidance taking up full residence inside of Oscar’s head; not really takingover as much as he used to but lending instructions to Oscar on how to moveespecially in combat while allowing the young boy to think on his feet and makeuse of that good ole muscle memory he is expected to inherit. If Oscar isbecome Ozpin’s successor and successful one to boot, Oz can’t keep holding his hand. He’s got to let Oscar grow into the role and I think he’s being goinggood so far. But he still does need Oz to be there to help. Hence why I’mhoping that, if Oz is to return, I really wish for Oscar to be the one to go inafter him to bring him back.

Since Oscar was the only seen to show Oz a bit of sympathy last season, I wish for this to continue as it can definitely push the growth of the bond between the Two Souls. If there is one person I’m expecting to vouch on Oz’s behalf at this point, it’s Oscar. Ruby was another character I was hoping would certainly join him in that court. However…things are a little complicated right now with our little red rose and the path she seems to be taking this season. I’ll discuss this more under thread.

While we’re on the topic of Oz’ reconciliation with the hero group, I’m really sorry to hear that this development has had you disappointed and feeling down, Miki-chan. I get where your frustration is coming from but at the same time, I also agree with Shannon on keeping the faith.

Similar to how Oz’s skeletons coming out of the closet was a narrative slow-burn that’s been churning since as early as V5, I feel as if it’s going to be the same forhis path to redemption with the team and regaining their trust. The only thingI dislike about this plot point is how we still have everyone more or less sharingthe same opinion of Oz with little indication on whether or not anyone isreally starting to consider that the other side of the coin where Oz wasjustified in his actions.

When this plot point first dropped back in V6, what was fascinating about it was how divided it made the fandom. It opened the grounds for discussion and debating with everyone sharing their different outlooks on the scenario and that was quite neat.

I just wished that the Writers had mimicked that in the series; y’know? When I first saw the V6 volume poster, art with Oz and Oscar at the centre while Team RWBY were all divided around the two of them; I figured that that was what the season was going to be like more or less.

With the team being divided on their overall trust Oz and growing trust in Oscar with some folks, such as Ruby and possibly Blake standing in the court that defended both souls whereas Weiss and Yang weren’t as convinced.

It would’ve been great to see everyone sharing different outlooks and reactions to the news about Oz’s past with Salem and her immortality; Team RWBY’s as well as JNR’s.

It would’ve been great to see that because it could have even leant itself to paving the road towards Ozpin’s eventual reconciliation in this new season or whenever the showrunners decided to have it happen down the line.

However, instead, thus far it’s mostly been everyone sharing the same opinion—Oz was wrong and is not to be trusted anymore.This is now made even worse by the notion that the heroes are currently committing the same action of ‘deceiving and/or withholding vital info from your allies’ as Oz once did with them.

However what’s almost comical is how the narrative—the PLOT—is trying to get us as the audience to think that the heroes are in the right when really…they’re not?

At least to me, they’re not. I’ve seen examples of other FNDM fam members taking a supportive stance for the actions of Ruby and the other heroes’ deceit with Ironwood and their Atlesian allies. This squiggle meister, on the other hand, has not been that easily convinced. Sorry.

I think what bugs me the most regarding the execution of this subplot is how much the heroes are able to get away with when it comes to their actions. I understand that the Writers are more or less attempting to show a parallel between our gaggle of heroes and Ozpin by having them take greater risks for the sake of fulfilling their mission while additionally making questionable choices.

That idea is fine and I like that they’re doing this with them especially since I think it could still lend to them eventually making up with Oz by understanding why he did the things he did since now they’ve been in his shoes. That part of it is good. Great even.

However, somehow, I dunno—for me, our heroes’ recent actions don’t have the same kind of impact on me as Ozpin’s did. I guess where I’m really getting at here is that when I learnt the truth about Oz last season, my main reason for staying in his court was because I understood his reasons for doing the things he did.

While I’ll call Oz out for his wrong in lying and keeping his secrets from people he believed were his most trusted allies, I was still sympathetic towards Oz because I genuinely felt that his actions were justified especially following the events of the Lost Fable.

The PLOT wants me to believe that Oz is this morally grey type of man and he is, to some degree. However the PLOT also wishes for me as the audience to believe that Oz has been nothing but this deceitful person throughout history and that the heroes are perfectly in the right for choosing to never trust in him again. But here’s the thing with that—I see Oz as being more…smart than fraudulent.

Yes Oz told lies and half-truths and kept important secrets that could shake the world of Remnant—but what some people seem to be forgetting is that there was good, valid reason behind the way Oz chose to do things. Oz was careful. Meticulous with the kind of people he chose to disclose the truth to as well as the information he chose to tell them and the right time to revealsaid information as well.

I’d like to think that this is how Oz was able to successfully keep things under wraps for so many lives as a means of more or less keeping the peace. Because of how careful he’d chose to move along with the kind of people he decided to place his trust in. Oz was cautious and as he explained in V6, his vigilance was backed up mostly by his experience over the centuries especially his first one with Salem

This is the issue I’m having with our heroes. Although they are committing the same actions as Oz, especially the part of choosing to hide the truth from Ironwood—their actions feel reckless and unwarranted in my opinion and I can’t get behind it as well as I did with Ozpin because I personally don’t feel the heroes are as justified in their actions as Oz was.

Even though the PLOT is trying to paint this picture that James shouldn’t be completely trusted and our heroes are in the right in not trusting him fully with the truth about Salem, for me, I honestly felt like our heroes jumped the gun on that one, just like how they jumped the gun back in Argus in choosing to illegally commandeer an airship to Atlas as opposed to trying any other means that could’ve rendered them the same results with less repercussions involving trouble with the military and the safety of the citizens of Argus.

According to the PLOT, Ruby was correct in making the call to not reveal the whole truth to Ironwood given how he and his forces have been treating the poor people of Mantle; not to mention our heroes upon their arrival in Atlas. This isevidenced by Ruby in V7CH3 in her response to Yang’s questioning.

“Can we talk about that again?”“What about it?”

“We’re really not going to tellIronwood about what happened to Oz? What we learned about Jinn? About Salem?”

“…We are! We…will. But you saw howthings looked when we flew into Atlas.”

“The General’s heart seems to be inthe right place but…that doesn’t mean we should trust him yet.”

“Why don’t we play along for a whilebefore we make any major decisions?”

I’d like to highlight Ruby’s indifference to her own actions again. Just something I pegged noteworthy since it reminded me of her attitude towards revealing her true feelings regarding the Aftermath of the Fall of Beacon—how she nonchalantly seemed to shrug away Oscar’s attempt at telling her that it’s alright for her to be open with him about how she’s truly feeling… right before Oscar switches his approach and firmly calls her out on his indifference which in turn finally forced her to come clean and be straight with him.

While I understand that the whole Mantle situation is a complicated matter, to me, that still doesn’t rule out it being a good reason for the heroes to lie to Ironwood.

I’d understand it more if it was a matter of Ruby being strategic in the information that she discloses to Ironwood but that’s not what the case is here. It’s not to saythat Ruby told James some of the truth and was very careful with what she chose to disclose and how she worded said information. It’s that she flat out liedand then repeated the same lie that Oz had fed them about the Relic ofKnowledge back in Mistral.

I know Ruby is trying to say she can’t trust Ironwood 100% because of how things are looking in Mantle and Atlas because of his actions. But on the other hand, I’m surprised it didn’t inspire her to be more upfront rather than the opposite take.

Based on what Pietro said in the first episode, Ironwood has been paranoid and on higher maintenance since the Fall of Beacon. That being said, why chose to withhold information from a man who is already fearful of being betrayed again by those closest to him since it was mentioned earlier in the season that it was one of his Atlas’ own—someone who worked closely with Atlas’ security and the military (Watts) that contributed to the destruction of Beacon Academy and so much more in chaos in Vale?

“The Fall of Beacon took a toll on all of us. James was no different. I couldn’t tell you exactly what it is he saw there, but it changed him. He’s—”

“…He’s scared.”

“Paranoid would be the more appropriate term. You have to understand, it wasn’t just the Grimm. Someone completely dismantled Atlas’ security code. Made it their plaything and made us look like traitors to some and buffoons to everyone else. Whoever managed to do that is either a genius or one of our own. I fear the answer may be both and so does the General.”

Again, with that thought in mind I ask again, why did Ruby think it was a wise choice to lie to Ironwood given what she learned specifically from Pietro regarding his frame of mind right now?

See why the hero’s actions are having the opposite effect for me?

While I get why it’s a possible motive, I still think what the heroes are doing with James is unwarranted. As a matter of fact, I feel like they’ve only made thingsworse for themselves by withholding info from Ironwood given his current frameof mind.

I’d like to think that Ironwood’s experience in Vale has made him more than just paranoid. He’s become more…I wouldn’t say soft but emotionally vulnerable than he was when we first met him.

This is why I don’t wish for Ruby’s mistrust of Ironwood to come back to appear as if she took advantage of Ironwood in his vulnerable state. Because I feel like that could easily feed into Ironwood’s paranoia—to learn that he couldn’t eventrust the people he placed fate in and showed kindness to. To show that heextended them his hand in reliance only for them to not do the same of him.

I know one of the common FNDM theories is that Ironwood isn’t being completely honest with our heroes, however I’m starting to think otherwise. Up until this point in the plot, Ironwood has been upfront with JNR_RWBY and Qrow about everything. Every question they’ve asked of him, he’s told them in full confidence. So far, I haven’t gotten the impression that James has been lying to the heroes at all.

Since he returned the Relic of Knowledge to Ruby and reassured her of his trust,I genuinely feel like he’s been nothing but upfront with the group abouteverything including all that’s been going down with him and his kingdom—bothsides of it.

If Ironwood was shown to be shady as well then I could’ve easily bought into theheroes doing the same thing with him because then their actions would’ve beenreasonable. If Ironwood was the same man he was shown to be back in V2 and was shown to be withholding important information from our heroes especially when they asked him vital questions in need of clarification, similar to how Oz had done with them, then I could’ve gotten behind our heroes taking that mindful approach.

However, this isn’t what I’ve seen from the show’s execution. Instead I’m seeingIronwood behaving pretty trustworthy while the heroes are the ones beingdeceitful and it all feels so very wrong on the heroes’ part. Especially when you have some of them behaving that they were right in keeping secrets from James. What especially bothered me a little was what Qrow told Ruby in the recent CH4.

“I’m trying to do what I think is best but…I really can’t tell if what’sbest is what’s right or if I’m no different from Oz”

Then is an excellent question for Ruby to ask of herself. It’s great because it highlights that she’s taken into consideration what her teammates have toldher—particularly Oscar. It shows that Oscar’s questioning of her actions mimicking Ozpin’s has weighed on her mind-set. So I’m pleased with this frame of thinking from Ruby. However, this moment is short-lived for me by what Qrow says next in response to Ruby’s statement.

“…Ruby, Oz only trusted himself with the whole truth. You’re trusting others, making sure they prove themselves first. I think that’s a pretty big difference.”

…Okay….One thing admittedly right about that statement, yes. Yes; Oz did only trust himself with the whole truth. That is indeed correct. But, there’s also some clear wrong in that statement as well.

Qrow…I get that you’re probably still very, very upset that Oz deceived you and hurt you on a personal level. However, what I am in completely disbelief of is—how could Qrow say that Ruby is no different than Oz because she trusts in others, making sure that they prove themselves worthy of her trust before giving the whole truth?

I’m sorry…WHAT! But…but…Qrow; how can YOU of all people say that with a straight face? How can you remotely imply that at all? Especially the line about Oz only trusting himself and putting his faith in those he believes trustworthy. I’m sorry but that line comes off like utter rubbish to my ears.

Qrow Branwen—you are a living, breathing exemplar of earning Ozpin’s trust. Oz trusted you! He trusted James. He trusted Glynda. He trusted LeonardoLionheart. The entire Inner Circle of Oz only exists because Oz decided to place his trust in a handful of people he deemed worthy of knowing the truth.

While he kept the main truth about Salem’s immortality to himself; that doesn’t erase the fact that he trusted his Inner Circle with everything else. The Maidens. The Relics. Even his own immortality curse and reincarnation cycle. Oz told it all to this particular small group of people because he believed he could trust in them. Oz believed in the integrity of ALL members of his Inner Circle because he trusted each and everyone of them….EVEN when they stab him in the back. Right V2 Ironwood? Right Lionheart?

He even believed in Team STRQ! I’m actually curious to know how muchdid this team know about the truth. We know he trusted Raven and Qrow byturning them into birds with his magic. So I’m curious to know if Summer andTai were also fully aware of ¾ of the truth that Oz trusted his main peoplewith. I’m assuming they did and they kept it as part of their secrets as well.

Speaking of—Qrow, are you forgetting that you also helped Oz keep and uphold some of those secrets? He entrusted you with ¾ of the whole truth and you’ve been sitting on it as well as your own secrets that you were keeping from your family; particularly your young nieces.

In a nutshell, Qrow’s statement to Ruby further highlight’s the hero’s hypocrisywith Oz. For me, this line didn’t serve to debunk the fact that Ruby is turningto Oz. It only embellished it for me. It affirmed it.

Ruby is indeed turning into Oz and what’s sad is that Qrow, her own beloved uncle and mentor figure, is oblivious to this fact because he’s currently too blinded by both his sustained resentment towards Oz and his love for his niece.

And it’s pretty much the same for everyone else. Weiss and Blake are pretty complacent with following Ruby’s lead and backing her up on her actions with Ironwood. Yang shows uncertainty but is otherwise complacent too. We still don’t know how Jaune, Nora and Ren feel in regards to this. I’d actually like to hear them weigh in their thoughts on Oz and Ruby’s actions towards James. But I’mconcerned we might not get that since, as evidenced by the PLOT, I think it’spretty clear who are the key drivers of this subplot for V7.

I feel like it’s going to be mostly our veteran Rosebuds—Ruby and Oscar—presenting the two differing sides of this subplot with deceiving Ironwood and I feel like Oz’s reconciliation is prevalent on the results of it.

My theory is that Oscar will be the key to jumpstarting the path to Oz’s reconciliation with the team.

Moreover, I feel like Oscar is going to need Ruby’s support in vouchingfor Oz with the rest of the team; especially with Qrow and possibly Yang and Jaune.

Since the running thing is that most of the hero team follow Ruby’s leadership, I think it can be safe to say that so long as Ruby still shows uncertainty with Oz, it’s going to be mirrored by the others. I think if Oscar gets Oz to come back fromhis isolation in his mind and then gains Ruby’s full trust by helping see thewrong in what she’s doing now by doing the exact thing Oz did while alsohelping her to understand where Oz was coming from.

The only person I think this isn’t go to win over is Qrow. At least, I think Qrow might end up needing more time to work out whatever is going on with him before he can “forgive Oz” since his anger towards him is all wrapped up in his issues with himself and his semblance which encompasses his entire life thus far basically.

Before, Qrow looked to Oz for validation in the good that he was doing which was why the revelation hit him harder than anyone else. So until Qrow works out his inner skeletons, I think he’ll still be resistant to facing Oz again. Thisseason teased Qrow sharing good “comradery” with Clover. I’m curious to seewhere that will go and whether or not it will lead into Qrow dishing out somedetails on what his past was like with Oz back when he met him as a student ofBeacon.

As a matter of fact, I’m intrigued by any info regarding what Oz’s relationship was like with all the members of his Inner Circle since I believe it can lend to Oscar’s turn with the Merge.

Like I have a Tin Solider headcanon that Ironwood has actually known Oz from since back when he used to be old self—meaning the man I’ll dub Zoroaster Ozpin, nicknamed ‘Zo’ for short BEFORE he became the man we know as Professor Ozpin.

We know who Oz is but…who was Oz before he became Oz? Who was Zo and did Ironwood know him personally?

Ironwood’s remark to Oscar about Oz’s disappearance not being normal definitely gave me that impression. I think it could be pretty cool if one of Oz’s closest known allies actually knew him before and after the Merge. It could help shed some much needed perspective for Oscar on what the Merge entails for him especially if he heard it from the mouth of someone who knew Oz closely for basically two lifetimes? I’d really love to see something like that done for the canon.

But that’s only my hunch.

I’d honestly wish to discuss more on this subject since there is surprisingly more I can say about this. However this is getting a little too long for a simple response post. Just another day, am I right? XD So I’m going to end it right here.

I know you didn’t really ask me a question Miki-chan but I still wanted to provide my take on the subject matter you presented and I hope you enjoyed reading it. Feel free to answer or inbox me another message if you’d like as always ^u^)b Peace!

~LittleMissSquiggles (2019)

#miki-13 #squiggles answers: rwby #professor ozpin #oscar pine #ruby rose #oscar and ozpin #rwby theories #rwby volume 7 theories

25 notes · View notes

starlitfunkster · 4 years

Text

Not Sure How to Title This

I guess it can be a slight mobsterswitch AU thing since it includes all of the Meddlesome Company and Twilight Scoundrels (which I need help with thinking of a monster for AD and NB... it can’t be like the originals though). And also Felt because I found it clever that they’d all be different kinds of demons, though I haven’t finished that one yet (will show all the finished ones though).

These are just what I found most fitting, and nothing more. Furthermore I tried to do opposite to what the main Problem Sleuth character’s counterparts are.

Will not talk about all the Twilight Scoundrel’s because I have no idea what Angry Delinquent would be.. and maybe also Nefarious Bawd.

Oh yeah and Mobsterswitch was made by @selanpike I think. I don’t recall if other people helped. Also I did this on a whim because I got nearly as bored as the Scofflaw does in this universe.

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

Meddlesome Company:

Snooping Scout - I had a weird daydream where he and a fan character of mine Artistic Magician (shadow mage in mobsterswitch) were moon rabbits. Scoot hides his ears and tail better than AM does, but that’s mostly because AM has an excuse (being, you know, a magician). He originally lived on the moon before moving down to earth, and after Scoff got bored and tried to blow up the moon Artsy moved down to earth due to her home being blown up (and maybe kicking Scoff in the kneecaps).

Deadeye Detective - I had issues coming up with his monster. He was (I think) agreed on to be a Siren in the Scemastuck AU, so I went with something similar yet different. So uh, yeah he’s basically a half-kelpie centaur. But he can leave his home and go solve mysteries whenever he wants to (or whenever his ‘crush’ decides to leave him alone).

Cheerful Demoman - Another one from a weird daydream, even though it doesn’t match what people had Clubs Deuce be, I chose to make him a Bakeneko. Who mostly stays in feline form to be nearby AM at all times. Also maybe to be a thorn in Clover’s side.

Heavy Brawler - So I am confused on Hearts Boxcars too, since one I saw him be described as a Dullahan, but another was an Incubus... so I went with friendly Wendigo who likes nature. Hopefully nobody murders me for this decision (hey if I had Demo make no sense then why not Brawler?).

Twilight Scoundrels (Incomplete):

Peccant Scofflaw - I.. I actually just wanted him to be a banished moon god because he kept trying to blow up the moon. Even after he is banished he still attempts to blow up the moon out of boredom. Don’t make him bored if you value your lives, as he could easily smite you with his (totally not stolen) scythe. Oh yeah and his cloaks inside looks a lot like the inside of Lunala’s wings. Yes I went there, but that’s mostly because Lunala’s wings are so beautiful..

Pernicious Innovator - Hooray more things that make no sense, because Pickle Inspector was a frankenstein. I basically went with ‘wisps of wind that cannot be fully comprehended as an angelic being unless you are of his group or bloodline’. He still doesn’t understand with Artsy can fully see him despite not being of his group (the Twilight Scoundrels) or of his bloodline (that is, being his adopted daughter (Nepeta is a feral nekomata try and change my mind-)).

Angry Delinquent - To explain what a Dragonborne is: A man or woman born from a dragon that has the powers of a dragon and can even shapeshift into a dragon if they are powerful enough. Just don’t try to anger him for no reason, since you will regret it. He mostly uses his fire powers to either scare people into not harassing him, or to you know.. threaten people. He never turns into a dragon unless there is a ton of people attacking him. Also don’t ask about his wings, he can’t hide them and he ain’t a demon.

Heinous Doxy - Since the opposite of a witch would technically also still use magic but not be human... I went with making her a beautiful siren that mostly flirts with Scoff. Who also owns a chainsaw and taser, both of which are waterproof. She also can leave water for a few moments, though she must stay hydrated unless she wants to die... not! Whenever her bodies dry she gains legs, which was a recent thing she discovered. Unfortunately this leads her to meeting two of The Fuzz members.

Nefarious Bawd - She may be a demon, but she’s just a fallen angel. She is always worried about Inny being discovered by a total stranger (even though he cannot) or whenever Scoff tries to blow up the moon. She owns a lot of different weapons, though she mostly uses a dagger, a freaking flamethrower and a large paper fan that is used to smack some sense into Scofflaw.

Felt / Fuzz (Has Completed ones but not the Incomplete ones):

01 / Itchy - He is a speed demon (duh) who’s hair sparks electricity when he runs really fast. He can turn into a thunder bird if he needs to fly, as while he was born without wings he can still shapeshift into the mythical thunder bird.

02 / Doze - He’s a male jinn, starting as a simple flame left behind when his body was placed in the graveyard. After Scratch put the flame into a jar for weeks, it gained a humanoid appearance, however it also gained free will. He crafted his own lamp to sleep within, which seems really roomy if he decides your a threat and to use his magic to trap you inside of the lamp.

03 / Trace - I decided for him to be a Male Gorgon, the problem was that I had no idea where to go from there. Other then that he is the one probably luring people towards Fin so that way his boyfriend- I mean coworker can have a ‘snack’.

04 / Clover - Yeah I got into one of my giggly fits when deciding what demon to make Clover. It mostly came from his ability and how he keeps trying to make people dance in the source material (Homestuck, specifically Paradox Space’s ‘The Inaugural Death of Mister Seven’). So uh yeah... Incubus Clover. He’s stated to be cute enough to melt people’s hearts, and yet targets ladies the most because they are most susceptible to cute things. He is also Artsy’s waking nightmare for... reasons...

05 / Fin - I didn’t have a problem making him an Umi-Bozu (aka having no human form.. at first). He bargained with Scratch which led to him getting trapped underwater as this tentacled thing with mouths on the underneath of the tentacles. Only artists renditions are seen of this monster form in action (all drawn by either Trace or Itchy (who I headcanon in this universe can’t keep the lines straight due to caffeine)).

06 / Die - I just imagined Die as a Fallen Angel, with chicken wings large enough to make him fly, but he never does this as he is more prone to hiding in the shadows and observing the other demons... and also caring for chickens. He lives near a well where he can see humanity’s history through it. Sometimes he can be caught smiling gently at the waters of the well whenever he sees mankind being good in dark times. His halo may be cracked, but it’s still supported by his horns.

07 / Crowbar - A humanoid Karasu who used to teach people the art of the blades. He now is mostly there to make sure that AM stays safe, and that Snowman never dies. Sometimes he will kill to give souls to the other demons, though it’s mostly just to keep the demons away from the humans. Maybe that’s to not cause a war between angels and demons like a very long time ago.

08 / Snowman - I decided deep down that she would be able to cause solar eclipses around the globe that are permanent and signs that the demons have taken control of that area. She is kind of like Lilith, except nobody, not even the other demons have ever seen her true form that’s hidden by her darkness.

09 / Stitch - I did this since the theme of peacocks fits into colors, and that he has effigies and yet.. someone attacked him one day, plucking the feathers off his tail, leaving only one left. His wings were also damaged from the attack, and one of his horns was sliced apart.

10 / Sawbuck - At first I had no idea what to make Sawbuck, but then I thought about Ent’s. In a way, Ent’s are more peaceful, but this one is a demon. He is non-harmful to the humans, only draining them whenever he needs to survive. He can control this draining power, and he also lives within the forests nearby the city so nobody knows of his existence. Though whenever he is nearby he will definitely help them unless they are malevolent to nature... except for Scofflaw since he is aware that Scofflaw is immortal.

11 / Matchsticks - A fire demon (duh) that actually used to be a man who kept watch over a young witch. Unfortunately she was dragged into another dimension, and Matchsticks was cursed to become a demon with no memory of his past. He is still a bit of a jokester, and may or may not be ignoring fire safety because he can’t exactly control the flames that are his hair and tail tip.

12 / Eggs - He is a demon with slimy wings and tail. It’s advised not to touch them as he will be enticed to seal you within a slimy cocoon. This turns you into one of his own species, which means it kills you and then morphs you. He is pretty dangerous when paired up with Biscuits since he could seal many people in a slimy cocoon, put it in Biscuits magic oven and then they would come out transformed in the future.

13 / Biscuits - He is one of the few demons that seems to have knowledge about cooking and baking, but that’s only so then he can keep his magical oven to help out Eggs. And maybe other people. The good news with him is that he doesn’t like standing in one place, and mostly will go to watch Eggs or the monitor showing AM’s house and rooms.

14 / Quarters -

15 / Cans - There is a reason nobody has ever seen Cans in action. He has the most fully human form, but that’s because his demon form is literally strong enough to knock people into next Tuesday.. or maybe next month, or maybe even out of the calendar entirely!

1/2 / Artsy Magician - As I said before, she too is a moon rabbit in this universe. Only problem is, is that I never got around to drawing her. I might just sketch her, and then post an image later, but she is quite the cutie in this universe. She also is unfortunately the one that the demons decided to well.. force her to live in the mansion until she dies. She is a young adult in this universe instead of being a teen (aka Adept Maiden).

#schemastuck #schema schematic au #mobsterswitch #(i mean i guess it's these three au's but it is a mix of a few things)#(all coming from my dreams)#(selanpike was my main inspiration)#(mostly for her human felt designs)#(i am not tagging every character here except for my own because that is easier)#artsy magician the half member #adept maiden (sort of)

6 notes · View notes

theradioghost · 5 years

Note

what books did u get ? i rly need to get back into reading more now school is over

oh man. so I’ll give you what I bought & then I’m also gonna throw in some similar books that I have already read just because I can actually vouch for the quality of those

(brief note that my main qualifications when I was looking for books, besides not wanting YA, was that 1. they were not about straight cis white men and/or 2. they had particular appeal to one of the areas of sf&f that I have a particular fondness for and/or 3. they cost under five bucks. so there’s a lot of diverse lit, and a lot of novellas, and a lot of urban fantasy wizards who are also detectives/rebellious angels and or demons/necromancy/dragons/stuff that is explictly Lovecraftian adaptations but takes the piss out of Lovecraft/anything on this list/anything published by Tor)

new books that I have read:

(coming back to update this as I get through these books)

the Lovelace & Wick series by Jennifer Rainey – this is the Demon Husbands one I’ve been yelling about. Two gentleman demons in love – a Faustian tempter and a bringer of catastrophes – are growing increasingly dissatisfied with the work they do for hell, while also being forced to contend with new and dangerous enemies. Set in a vaguely-steampunk 1890s Massachusetts. Also includes monster-hunting steampunk scientist lesbian wives.

Deadline by Stephanie Ahn – fourteen months after a disastrous failed ritual, disgraced blood witch Harrietta Lee gets offered a ridiculously lucrative job quietly recovering a stolen artifact for a young member of a powerful magical family, and promptly finds out that this is too good to be true. Also she keeps meeting scary, hot women. Instantly the only wisecracking urban fantasy PI named Harry that my heart has any room for. (This one’s a bit Spicier than my usual fare but the author actually includes a list of content warnings including page numbers at the front of each book, which you can view with the preview option on the Amazon page.)

Hammers on Bone by Cassandra Khaw – A kid hires London PI John Persons to kill his stepfather. The first catch is that the stepfather is a Lovecraftian horror. The second catch is that Persons is too. This is like, the noir-est horror I’ve ever read and that’s something I am very into.

The Haunting of Tram Car 015 by P. Djeli Clark – An urban fantasy police procedural set in an alternate 1912 Cairo, in which two government officials are sent to deal with a strange, malevolent spirit in the midst of political upheaval as Egypt’s women demand universal suffrage. There’s a free short story prequel to this on tor.com called “A Dead Djinn in Cairo“ that’s worth reading first.

Three Parts Dead by Max Gladstone – high fantasy with a black protagonist, in which Tara Abernathy, a disgraced magic user and rookie associate in an internationally renowned necromancy firm, is assigned to resurrect a city’s murdered patron fire god – but first, with the help of a chain-smoking priest and a vampire-addicted servant of Justice Herself, she has to track down his killer.

River of Teeth by Sarah Gailey – in an alternate history where the 1910 “Hippo Bill” passed, Winslow Remington Houndstooth, an ex-rancher out for revenge, is hired to travel north with a ragtag crew – a con artist and pickpocket, a demolitions expert with a proclivity for poisoning, the most dangerous contract killer in the country, and the very man who ruined his life – and take on the dangers of the massive swamp that was once the Mississippi river, a place ruled over by deadly feral hippos and a homicidal riverboat gambling king.

or, essentially, a swamp-based heist Western with a cast including a British-East Asian bisexual man, a black nb person, an unashamedly fat woman, and a pregnant Latina lesbian, and also their pet hippos. Listen just go ahead and get the version with both stories in it

Silver in the Wood by Emily Tesh – Tobias has lived in the woods as long as anyone can remember; long enough that the nearby town tells stories of the Green Man, the spirit-king of the forest, who dwells in the trees. These stories are truer, and far more dangerous, than anyone but Tobias knows – so when friendly, handsome, curious Henry Silver buys up the neighboring Greenhollow Hall and starts investigating the local folklore, Tobias will have to decide whether to sacrifice the only life he has known for centuries, or the first person he has loved in all that time.

not-new books that I have read:

idk if you don’t know about the Wayfarers series, the first of which is The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet, but it is an absolutely stellar bit of sci-fi very much based around ideas of found family and discovering your own identity and place in the universe and love and compassion and stories based around sweet slice-of-life stuff in a scifi universe with lots of fun aliens and it is so very queer and so very heartwarming and all three books (which each have different casts, although the characters in all three are connected to one another and sort of cameo across all the books) are fantastic.

Urban Dragon by J.W. Troemner – Dragons are supposed to be ruthless, unpredictable, deadly, selfish creatures. So why is it that Rosa Hernandez seems to be able to keep her best friend Arkay in check? How did Arkay, a shape-changing dragon with lightning at her command, end up being found alone and starving and with no memory of her past by a homeless woman? And as evidence mounts that someone is hunting down supernatural beings, who can they trust? (I stumbled across this while looking for urban fantasy on TV Tropes and BOY am I glad I did. Good if you like close friendships between queer women or the enemies-to-lovers trope)

The Merry Spinster by Daniel Mallory Ortberg – of course I was going to read Daniel Ortberg’s short story collection, are you kidding me. Not “””darker””” fairy tale retellings, but fairy tales as often very surreal, psychological horror. Read this if you want to totally ruin “The Velveteen Rabbit” for yourself.

The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker – historical fantasy set in the early-20th-century Orthodox Jewish and Middle Eastern immigrant communities of NYC, about the strange friendship that springs up between a bitter jinn trapped in a mortal body and a masterless golem living among humans. and it gave me feelings.

The Ballad of Black Tom by Victor LaValle – a retelling of H.P. Lovecraft’s short story “The Horror at Red Hook” from the perspective of a black man. One of the better pieces of horror I have ever read.

Lovecraft Country by Matt Ruff – a very different take on a similar concept to The Ballad of Black Tom, wherein a mid-century black Midwestern family find themselves mixed up in the plans of a bunch of cultists and set out to disentangle themselves from this whole cosmic-horror mess. Apparently Jordan Peele is adapting this into a TV show, so I’m stoked for that.

new books that I have not read:

(& also a couple that are just books I want, and some that I just haven’t read yet but got free from the Tor monthly ebook club, which is very much worth joining)

Armed in Her Fashion by Kate Heartfield– I’m just going to let the official blurb speak for this one because there is absolutely no way I could improve on it

The Black God’s Drums by P. Djeli Clark – New Orleans-based steampunk fantasy about an airship captain and a stowaway who talks to orishas.

Rupert Wong, Cannibal Chef by Cassandra Khaw – Apparently several authors have written standalone works in this series, and Cassandra Khaw’s aren’t chronologically the first, but I love Cassandra Khaw and “chef for ghouls and pencil-pusher for the Ten Chinese Hells is forced to solve an inter-pantheon murder mystery” just sounds so good to me.

Bones and Bourbon by Dorian Graves – Cursed half-huldra PI is forced to help out his little brother and the demon who shares his body, and then everything goes wrong. Feat. carnivorous unicorns.

Labyrinth Lost by Zoraida Cordova – reluctant bruja attempts to rid herself of her magic and instead plunges her entire family into magical trouble. YA.

Robbergirl by S. T. Gibson – WLW retelling of The Snow Queen from the perspective of the bandit princess. YA.

Passing Strange by Ellen Klages – slightly-fantastical historical lesbian noir novella set in the burgeoning 1940s gay club scene in San Francisco.

The Black Tides of Heaven by JY Yang – admittedly caught my eye because the cover art reminded me of Moribito, which I adore. East-Asian-inspired epic fantasy which I believe has a nonbinary protagonist.

Rosemary and Rue by Seanan McGuire – I’ve been neglecting getting around to October Daye way, way too long considering how much I love Seanan McGuire and urban fantasy, but my mom started reading this and that pushed me over the edge because damn it, yes I want to read her take on the Wizard Detective genre that I have such a weakness for.

The Traitor Baru Cormorant by Seth Dickinson – this was recommended to me in a Tumblr post listing interesting, diverse fantasy, and I’ve been into high fantasy political intrigue lately.

The Paper Magician by Charlie N. Holmberg – came across this in a Twitter thread about fantasy worlds with unconventional and interesting magic systems. A newly graduated student of magic is bitter about being sent to learn paper-crafting magic rather than working with metal, until Murder Stuff Happens. YA.

Miranda in Milan by Katharine Duckett – queer fantasy sequel to The Tempest, with Miranda as protagonist.

Witchmark by C. L. Polk – post-WWI gaslamp fantasy MLM romance about a male witch in hiding, working as a doctor; the reviews seem to indicate people think it’s more ‘delightful’ than ‘literary’ but apparently it is pretty fucking delightful.

In the Vanisher’s Palace by Aliette de Bodard– East Asian WLW retelling of Beauty and the Beast and also one of them is a dragon.

Winter Tide by Ruthanna Emrys – another one of the rash of new Lovecraft adaptations that are turning perspectives around, this being one where the citizens of Innsmouth are the protagonists. Also has a really good short story prequel you can read for free on tor.com.

also I just feel like mentioning that I’m stupidly excited for Gideon the Ninth by Tamsin Muir to come out this fall because the review they’ve decided to put at the top of every blurb is “Lesbian necromancers explore a haunted gothic palace in space!” (not my exclamation mark) and I don’t know how anyone could more perfectly craft something to my tastes.

#bobbie recommends things #astronauticality #asks #my posts

33 notes · View notes