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beautifulterriblequeen · 3 years

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A Tiadrin theory

I woke up this morning with a sudden headcanon about Tiadrin, and as I poked at it, it filled out nicely, so I’m gonna go ahead and call it a theory at this point.

It gets angsty, as all good Moonshadow theories do. If your heart doesn’t weigh 6 tons by the time you reach the end of this post, I didn’t capture the feeling properly.

Several bits of detail flutter around this mysterious woman, and I’ve theorized various versions of her circumstances, her relationship with Runaan and Ethari, her former position before the Storm Spire, the reasons she went there, and the reasons Runaan was so hellbent on avenging her dishonor.

I don’t think any of them landed as well or tied together as neatly as this one, though. Hence “theory” instead of just “headcanon.” Here we go:

FIrstly, some meta information. This is a fun tweet, but in this post I’m looking directly at “belief systems as sources of both comfort and restraint” and at the “weight of guilt” and “cycles of trauma” lines, in regards to Moonshadow culture, and specifically Moonshadow assassin training.

And raise your hand if you’ve been looking further afield than the front-and-center Janaya-with-Soren nod from “ripped women who teach soft boys to stab,” because I have. TDP is full of parallels and imperfect mirrors.

So, in the spirit of soft yet angsty cycles and the ripped women who perpetuate them, Theory Part I: Tiadrin trained Runaan, because she was the leader of the assassins before he was.

She’s referred to as a mastermind. Assassin leaders need to be good with plans of all sizes. We’ve seen how Runaan silently adapts to chaos and doesn’t tell anyone what his new plans actually are. He’s a good leader. But he also had to learn those skills from someone. Whoever instructed him was a tactical genius, and also very Moonshadow, and Runaan was an adept student.

Also, Tiadrin is a goddamn badass. She’s several inches shorter than Lain, Runaan, Ethari, and Viren. But she is a powerhouse in battle. She knows her physics well enough to drag this 6′2″ human battle mage skidding across the floor. Monster thighs, monster intellect.

As a 5′4″ woman who trained in jujitsu for several years, let me just say: gender equality in battle is great, but physics does not care. It will crush your popsicle-stick ass if you try to chuck a 250 lb person across the room and your math is off. The most accurate fighters are the ones who know how hard physics hits back when you’re sloppy.

Tiadrin earned every inch of respect, and every inch of her thigh circumference, the old-fashioned way. She worked for it, all day every day. Runaan does the same thing. He might have half a foot of height on her, but he trains like the world will crush him if he’s not perfect. And that’s very Moonshadow assassin in its own right, because it will, and it tried. Tiadrin knew what she needed. And she knew what Runaan, soft boy that he is, needed. And she made sure she trained it into him, all day every day.

Tiadrin is one of the reasons that Runaan survived the fight in Harrow’s chamber. She made him the fighter he is, the person he is, and that was just enough to pull him through... so he could see his own mentor trapped in a coin. Yay, thanks Viren.

Theory Part II: Runaan’s squad was made up of all the elves Tiadrin has personally trained, or trained by proxy.

If Tiadrin was Runaan’s trainer and mentor, then her honor was his honor. And when she supposedly faltered and fled at the Storm Spire, that suddenly cast him, as an individual assassin and as the current assassin leader, in a terrible light. If his mentor was a coward, what did she teach him? Would he also duck and run when things got hopeless, and abandon his duty?

The doubt that must’ve swirled around him when the village learned the terrible news about Lain and Tiadrin must’ve sliced right through him. Thousand-yard stare, biggest internal Oh No ever. Runaan lives to serve his people, and to have them doubt him, after all he has done to train them and protect them from harm, would be the worst kind of pain. He had to make it right.

But not just him. Assassins seem to take solo missions even for their first kill, if Eljaal’s covered shoulders are any indication. You can Moonshadow your feels if you don’t have to watch your friend kill someone, if you don’t have anyone watching while you stab someone to death. You can pretend it’s all serene and just and smooth and valid and honorable. You can hold to your love of life and dance right past your embrace of death, if no one else sees it. But Runaan’s mission had 6 members. They were definitely going to have to watch each other murder people. Why?

Tiadrin’s honor was their honor. An extended family of brothers, sisters, cousins, fosterlings, anyone who was drawn to Tiadrin, or her to them, bonded together over their family feels and protective instincts. They were family. And then their leader fell, her honor crushed.

They had to make it right.

They all carried Tiadrin’s honor with their own, taught by her personally, regarded as honorable assassins. Until she seemed to have a fatal flaw in her character. Then everyone wondered if that flaw got passed down, too. The assassins had to prove that it hadn’t been, for the sake of their people, and for all of Xadia who trusted them to take out threats in the dark. They had to go set right Tiadrin’s “mistake” and take Harrow for Zym’s death. All of them. Every single one, no exceptions.

No exceptions. That’s why Rayla had to go, too. Tiadrin taught Runaan everything he knew about being an assassin, and when she moved to the Storm Spire, Runaan dutifully passed Rayla’s mother’s teachings to Rayla herself, feeling like part of the family, an essential connection between mother and daughter, between assassin mentor and mentee. He tried to get it just right, just perfect, so Rayla would feel like she’d been trained by her actual mom as much as possible. Not just because Tiadrin was Rayla’s mother, but because Runaan respects Tiadrin’s prowess so much. She was the best, and every bit of Runaan’s efforts to be his best reflects his respect for her.

You don’t get to be the assassin leader unless you’re the best there is. Runaan knows that from both sides. And just like Tiadrin did with him, he does his best to teach Rayla everything she needs to stay safe and alive, so she can do her duty too, and come home safe to her family every day.

And, in the end, part of that duty had to be avenging her mentor’s mentor, her own mother, by accompanying Runaan on his mission. Her lessons were from Tiadrin, one step removed. If there was a flaw in her training, no one would trust her when it was her turn to lead the assassins, and she’s not even done training yet! Rayla understood Moonshadow honor, assassin honor. She was driven to ask Runaan to take her with him, and he could see exactly where she was coming from. Their honor was tangled up with Tiadrin’s. They couldn’t back out. They had to go to Katolis, them and everyone else Tiadrin had trained.

That’s why the binding ribbons came out. They were in a do-or-die situation, in the most literal sense.

They could not go home in failure. If they all failed, it would take out a whole line of assassin training, possibly the same one that had lasted for countless generations (okay maybe we can count them and there are like 30) and crush the Moonshadows’ spirits. And they’d literally rather die than see that happen. They were all ready to give their lives to restore Tiadrin’s honor, and their own, because without her legacy, there would be such a crater in the assassin corps that it might never recover.

Yes, this is basically my angsty “Runaan’s found family went into battle together and most of them died” headcanon again, but this time with a solid theory behind it. I’m not sorry. I love this angsty idea, it’s horrible. Do you see the cycle of trauma? I’ve got one more part to add, which may make it clearer.

Theory Part III: Assassin leaders always go serve at the Storm Spire once they successfully train their own replacement.

In this theory’s version of Why Laindrin Went To The Storm Spire, Tiadrin was always going to end up at the Storm Spire, once she became the assassin leader. That’s where the veteran assassin leader goes, see, to liaison between the dragon throne and the current Moonshadow leader. They know the assassins’ skills far better than any Skywings or dragons do, and they know the leader in charge of them, so they can give guidance or direction as needed, or simply phrase the Dragon King or Queen’s request in such language that the assassin leader knows intuitively what really needs to be done.

Yeah, Tiadrin writing Runaan mission directives. I can see it.

Tiadrin’s mentor would’ve left for the Spire when Tiadrin got promoted to leader. The person she trusted most in the world, who had trained her, left her behind, only to communicate by long distance. Moonshadow deniability, amirite--we’re not stabbing people, we’re sending tactical correspondence, yep that’s it. But Tiadrin was still surrounded by Runaan and the other young assassins, and she bonded with them all, and life was bright.

Then, the shadow came once again. Runaan was an excellent student, and she knew he was ready. Maybe she delayed, and delayed, Moonshadowing her reasons. Maybe she wanted the chance to bring life into the world, to try to balance out some of the death she had dealt. Maybe she wanted a few more years of domestic life in the Silvergrove with all her favorite elves, to bolster her heart for the years to come. Maybe her mentor at the Spire was up to shenaniganry in dragon politics and she wanted to buy them more time to lay those plans in place.

Knowing Tiadrin even the slightest bit, I will assume it was all this and more. But eventually, she couldn’t put things off any longer. She had to go fulfill her duty to the dragon throne and join the Dragonguard as the representative of the Moonshadow assassins who had bound themselves to the protection of Xadia long ago. She had to walk away from her bright life, her family, her friends, her allies, and climb up into that misty stone tower, to spend who knows how long away from everything she knew and loved.

And she did. She chose to walk away, for love of Xadia. She took her beloved husband with her, but she left the Silvergrove, Xadia’s protection, and her own daughter’s upbringing in the hands of the elf she chose to replace her. The soft boy she’d taught to stab, who would teach her baby girl to stab, too.

Because this is The Way.

I know I’ve had an angsty headcanon that assassins don’t retire. But, consider this: maybe one of them can. One of Tiadrin’s many plans could have been counting on Runaan’s extreme prowess and devotion to Rayla. If Tiadrin knew that she could return to the Silvergrove in peace and retire there with Lain once Runaan trained Rayla to take his place as the assassin leader, then she could live in the Silvergrove again for the rest of her life, and also get to see Rayla grown big and strong and become the assassin leader herself, another proud elf in a long line of honor and tradition. She might feel that was a big accomplishment, considering the dangers they all face. And it would be.

Yes, this would hinge on the fact that Runaan would have to leave the Silvergrove to replace Tiadrin at the Storm Spire, to serve as Rayla’s liaison to the dragon throne. Cycles of trauma, remember? Tiadrin can’t have all of her family back in one place, ever again. She has to love and train someone enough to put them through the life that she’s having to live, and she has to be strong enough not to let that break her. And then, she has to choose between them. She chose Runaan first, so that she could hope to choose Rayla later. She trusted him with all the future happiness of her heart. And he did his best with it.

But they didn’t quite make it, in the end, because of Viren.

I know this has been a lot of angst. I know. But there is a moonlit lining to this theory, and I think we all need to consider it. If there is a cycle of taking the assassin leader out of the Silvergrove to serve the dragon throne for ancient promise reasons, then if that ancient promise is ever rescinded or redressed in an effective way, the family won’t need to keep yeeting loved ones out of its orbit. And if assassins cease to be a necessary evil as a result, then no one will have to leave, or stab, again. At least, not for the same angsty reasons. They could stay together and never need to leave again.

It won’t be easy to break such a cycle. It might be impossible. But if anyone can manage it, it’ll be Tiadrin, and her family.

extra headcanon for this theory:

Tiadrin, packing up for the Storm Spire: One last thing, Runaan.

Runaan, stoically attentive because what are feels on the day your mentor leaves you: Yes, Tiadrin?

Tiadrin: Ethari will need to pick an apprentice to replace him, too. He should start looking now.

Runaan: Why? Only the Silvergrove’s Master Craftsman gets to pick an apprentice, and Ethari isn’t--

Tiadrin: *wink” Not yet, he’s not.

Runaan: Tiadrin, please, what have you done?

Tiadrin: I want to come back here someday, Runaan. I want to see your good work with Rayla. And I can’t do that if you flat-out refuse to leave your husband when Avizandum calls for you to replace me. So he needs to be ready to leave, too.

Runaan: I, I, I would nev-- I couldn’t--

Tiadrin: *patting his shoulder briskly as she strides out* Mmhmm, sure thing, kid. The council votes him in next Thursday. Be good while I’m gone! I want to find this place exactly the way I’m leaving it. Lain, honey, get your coat!

Lain, in the next room: Yes, Tiadrin!

Runaan, soft-eyed, to the silence in her wake: Yes, Tiadrin.

#tdp #tdp theory #tdp angst #laindrin #tiadrin #runaan #rayla #tdp headcanons #i liked her before but now i adore her

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theimagineprince · 4 years

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So uh, I heard you were chill with thirst Hcs.... How’s about some Aaravos and Runaan(separate) with a male earthblood elf S/O? I’d like to think that the Earthblood elves are very smol and innocent beans, a little too nice for their own good.

Ohhhhh man. I’m still alive, mostly. I’ve had a hard time getting the mental energy together to write about TDP cause my brain only fixates on like one thing at a time but imma try to be a bit more active for ya’ll.

Aaravos-

He enjoys your optimism and can-do attitude. It’s helpful to have a second pair of eyes that always believes there’s a way to do something.

You’d be the perfect date to all of his fancy shindigs. Your bubbly/kind personality puts the others at ease while never taking the spotlight from (attention loving) Aaravos.

Your trusting nature also has its drawbacks. Namely making Aaravos jealous.

He doesn’t outwardly show it but he’ll appear at your side whenever someone starts to get a bit too friendly. His intimidation of the competition mostly consists of a calm smile and piercing gaze. It’s simple but effective.

He’d appreciate it if you used your Earthblood skills to grow ingredients for him

He’d also love whatever garden you create, knowing it takes effort to care for it. (also boy does NOT have a green thumb)

On the more..... naughty side of things-

Did someone say corruption kink? No? Just me?

You trust him so sooo much and he knows it.

Will push your limits. Edging, public teasing, plugs. Nothing is off the table.

That is, unless you specifically ask him to stop. While he does enjoy pushing your limits, he’s not going to break them or you.

Runaan-

Literally.... will die for you..... will smooch you.... Hold you

He likes being the stronger one in a relationship so if you’re more demure all the better

If you’re smaller than him he’ll occasionally sit you down on his lap after a long day’s work.

The two of you will spend hours walking through the woods or your garden, walking hand in hand as you point out different types of plants.

Loves how you create things. He spends most of his time ending things so being so close to someone who constantly gives things life is amazing.

Looks at you like you’re the moon.

Calls you his flower. All the time. Everywhere. Even in front of his scary assassin squad.

With you being so innocent and trusting he has to keep an eye on you. You saw a pretty dog and went to go pet it? It’s a dire wolf. A stranger was making polite conversation with you at the bar? He was hitting on you.

Honestly, your naivety is a double-edged sword. It gets tiresome rescuing you from every creepy crawly, but he also loves being your protector.

Has big dom energy

Usually tops with you beneath him but will gladly let you ride him.

The aftercare with him is always amazing. Soft touches and kisses till you fall asleep.

#tdp #tdp headcanons #Headcanon #headcanons #imagines #the dragon prince runaan #the dragon prince imagines #the dragon prince #tdp aaravos #aaravos #the dragon prince aaravos #x reader #x reader imagine

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i-think-2-much · 4 years

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I hope that as tdp goes on, the disguises slowly get better. Like don’t get me wrong, Rayla’s human impression is 100% accurate and I love it, and in all honesty they might not even need disguised in the future, but just give me this.

I want Rayla to get a special pair of gloves that she sticks in one of Callum’s pockets. She uses them to make herself look completely human when she is hiding from unfriendly assassins. I want an adult Rayla to get so good at disguises she becomes unrecognizable.

I want Callum to have an arts and crafts session with what’s-his-face (Rayla’s sorta-dad that isn’t the assassin) and create fake horns so he and Ezran don’t stick out like sore thumbs when they’re in Xadia.

Most importantly, I want the squad to be expertly disguised and have to struggle to disguise Zym. I can’t express how much I need them to throw a blanket over him and for a straight-faced Callum to tell a curious passerby, “Oh, this is our dog. He’s prone to sunburn, so we cover him with a sheet whenever he’s outside.”

#tdp #zym #the dragon prince #callum #rayla #funny #headcanon #season 3 #no spoilers though

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miraki02 · 5 years

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Welp, here's my tdp oc;

Name: Axel

Height: 170 cm (about 5'6 ft? Sorry, I'm not good at converting 😓)

Birthday: 20 February

Age: 17

Some facts:

- His father is a Moonshadow elf and his mother is human. He lives with his father in Xadia.

- His Moonshadow elf heritage is dominant (obviously) but his eyes (possibly his blood type and skin color) are as his mother's.

- Is not actually part of the "Moonshadow Assassins" squad. Could say he's still in-training.

- Remember what happen to Moonshadow assasins during the Full Moon? Yeah, he can't do that.

- However, the Rune Cube would still glow at him (like how it glows at Rayla).

- The left bangs covers his scar on the left eye (or maybe because the struggles of drawing the other eye).

- Has mixed feelings about humans.

- Low-key afraid of heights.

- (I don't know how to describe it but) He's a "Do more, talk less" kind of person.

- Loner, stoic... But actually can get easily angry and a (small) probability that he would kill you. Grumpy boi.

Next will be his boyfriend.

(Sorry if my English is bad.)

#the dragon prince #tdp oc #tdp #art #oc #is it too early?#in the making #possibly updating #the dragon prince oc #moonshadow elf

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penandverse · 6 years

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Initial Thoughts on The Dragon Prince

Spoilers abound, as this review will be covering all nine episodes!!!

TLDR: I love it, watch it watch it WATCH IT

When we first saw trailers for the Dragon Prince, there was a certain amount of backlash regarding the framerate and the 3D animation. I hoped and I prayed that I wouldn’t be too put off by however it turned out...and for the most part, my prayers were answered! There is some really wonderful background art, special effects for magic and other elements--and the 3D animation is fluid and distinct. Some models look a tad strange (Callum’s particularly at times), but it doesn’t detract from the experience.

The writing is tooled to attempt to charm you at every turn; with its world, it’s characters and the unfolding narrative. It succeeds in so many areas, not surprising considering the dialogue and narrative genius of the ATLA execs, but there are times when that charm comes to its detriment. There are some pacing issues at the beginning and at the end--moments of conflict that aren’t properly paced. I felt much of this improper pacing was due to flashbacks that didn’t feel necessary or deserved, certain laundry lists that needed checking before we could move forward to the fun stuff. I love these characters, I love the world that has been created...and despite the awkward moments I am truly invested in the show’s future.

Much of these problems come from my own expectations about what a show like this should be. I’m an avid Avatar fan, but I did my best to turn off my nostalgia glasses and allowed myself to enjoy a kid’s show. I feel as if we’ll be dealing with ‘it’s not as good as Avatar!’ comments in the near future, and I want to be the first to say: It’s not Avatar, it’s not trying to be Avatar, and it will be amazing and awesome in ways Avatar wasn’t. You know, even if Sokka voices Callum.

Character-wise, I feel we are on track to see some serious character growth and expansion. It is surprising in a good way to see the standard TDP puts for it’s place as a kid’s show...Harrow telling Callum that children are ‘freer than kings’ is seriously heartbreaking and puts perspective on the entire war between humans and Xadia. Everyone is doing something terrible, even if they’re for good reasons. TDP sells to us that the world has some serious grey lines, and Rayla’s journey to defying her role as an assassin is compelling. She takes the role as the squad’s most dangerous and skilled warrior, a good source of lore, intrigue and greatest potential for growth. Callum isn’t #sadboy, we slowly see more of Ezran than the cute comic relief, and antagonists like Viren, Soren and Claudia have more to them than big bad usurpers to the Kalatis Throne.

This is only book one, and there are only nine episodes. It’s very hard to generate a solid idea of what this show is going to be. But if they are making more, then we are going to need WAY more than three-four books (considering episode size). Much of Book 1 has been set-up, as three of nine episodes was all concerning the night of the assassination and kept giving us exposition. I think from here on, TDP has a lot of room for growth as a series and as a world.

I’m a sucker for fantasy like this, especially with cool ideas likeomigodthemoonshadowelveshavemultipurposeweaponsandsomeofthemspeakinginIRISH/SCOTTISHACCENTSnottomentiontheyhavesnowmantraditionsandUGGGGH SOME OF IT IS SO GOOD. Plus, they have a badass lady warrior who speaks in sign language, a cute ass translator (Runaan is bae) and...and so much! I just hope they improve some of the 3D animation and make it mesh more with the background art. I would love to see some of the other human kingdoms or get a map of how far the squad has gone so far. Overrall, it’s a little unsteady as most season 1s are...but what we have seen, what has surprised me so much about the nuance and comedy and character in this has made me more than willing to stick around and grow the fandom. Well done, @dragonprinceofficial . Let’s give them a hand for all of their hard work!

#tdp spoilers #tdp #the dragon prince #dragon prince #tdp rayla #tdp runaan #tdp callum #tdp ezran #atla #avatar

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jal-the-jinxed · 4 years

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The assassin flowers each had their own color so I messed with the Sailors Xadia outfit colors again… oops

#the dragon prince #tdp #sailors xadia #tdp rayla #tdp runaan #moonshadow assassins #sailor moon au #rayla #runaan #assassin squad #digital art #doodle #drawing #magical girls have multiple outfits okay slddish

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beautifulterriblequeen · 3 years

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Full circle

Thinking about distance and rituals and cycles today and I had a fun headcanon appear, followed by a cracking good discovery about Rayla.

So, when Ethari enchanted the assassins’ lotuses, it was the night of a full moon.

I’m guessing that Ethari used the extra power of the full moon to help him out with the lotus enchantments. Plus, the lotuses represent life, and that’s very full moon.

But the next full moon, the assassin squad is in Katolis, doing stabby things.

So did they take a whole month to get there, or what?

My headcanon was this: assassins leave the Silvergrove on new moon nights when they head out for a mission. And they can’t come back in to the village until the next new moon night at the earliest.

Assassins are fast, when they’re not shepherding young human princes around. By the time the full moon occurs two weeks after they left home, they can be in place and ready to take their target--or maybe they’ll need to travel much farther and add a whole extra moon cycle on to their travels. But however long it takes them, it seems like a Moonshadow elf thing that they have to wait for the moon’s cycle to roll all the way around to new again before they can come home and be properly done with their mission.

New moons are when Moonshadow elves have the weakest connection to the moon. Their power has dwindled and they have to accept their own weakness. What a good time to have some kind of ritual that embraces the death side of Moonshadow culture--their dark side, their duty to go take a life--and sends them out into the night. It’s sad and contemplative and full of darkness and shadow. Like they have been ritually separated from the life of their village, as if they are partway dead until they can return.

The whole time they’re away, their lotus takes their place in the village, as their life. So in a way they aren’t truly gone from those who remain behind. Their life is still with their loved ones, and they can pretend that everything is fine.

And when an assassin returns home, having completed their dark and sacred duty to take out a dangerous enemy of Xadia, then it is that dark side of them that “dies” upon returning within the village border. There’s another ritual to mark this moment of death and rebirth back into the fold, and I have a super fun idea for it!

Hey, I can like wet elves and have a perfectly logical worldbuilding headcanon at the same time, okay. Skills.

The ritual upon returning to the village involves the assassin performing a cleansing ritual in the pool where their lotus is. Yes, they hop right in. Maybe they’re wearing something, maybe not. Everyone is born naked, you know. Just saying, maybe they take that rebirth thing really seriously.

But see, here’s the really cool part! There’s a full circle to be completed with the lotus itself. Ethari gives the assassin their lotus, and at the moment they touch it, its life spell activates. So the opposite of that may complete the spell: the assassin has to retrieve their own lotus flower from the pool and hand it back to Ethari. And the moment he touches it, the crystal light winks out and the lotus goes dark. Its job is done, its assassin home and safe.

And then the assassin’s family swoops them into a big fluffy robe to dry off and has plenty of soft time together because they’ve missed their family member for at least the previous month straight.

It feels like Moonshadow balance for an assassin to ritually pass into the realm of the dead to go on a mission, and then cleanse themselves of their deed in order to return to ordinary life in the village. It also feels like having to do that over and over--missing full months of your home life at a time--would absolutely cause the assassins to hold themselves at arm’s length from most everyone else. It’s gotta hurt to lose time like that, but if you’re not too close to all that bright life, it hurts less.

My headcanon has a coda with a fun twist I didn’t expect: real-world moon support. Rayla doesn’t like water, and she didn’t so much as touch the ritual pool’s water when she came home. But she did throw rocks into it. And Ethari’s sketch seems to show him wanting to reach out for Runaan’s lotus, but hesitating, as if he is forbidden from doing so.

Which is interesting, considering he’s the ritual leader! So perhaps the only person who can touch a lotus is the assassin for whom it’s meant--as long as there is a lotus floating, that is. And Ethari has multiple reasons to be stubborn about Rayla’s lotus. So, as long as Rayla’s lotus remains afloat, maybe no one but Rayla can enter the pool, and Runaan’s half-sunken lotus will remain hidden.

Which brings me to this gem:

A wordless tweet that TDP posted six days after Callum’s birthday--but months before TTM was released, so no one knew what possible significance it might hold, beyond referencing the lost assassins who were given names on the same day. July 21 was a random day for naming assassins. Possibly far less random in the context of travel time, Rayla’s TTM mission, and completing an assassin ritual with a lotus.

Rayla hates water. But if this lotus belongs to anyone at all on her squad, then she likely had to get it out of the pool herself when she visited Ethari again--presumably to tell him that she doesn’t think Runaan is dead dead because she sort of yeeted into the Moon Nexus and couldn’t find him.

I’ve posted about this before, this tweet and its timey wimey connection to TTM. But this is the part I just discovered today: super coincidentally, the new moon in July 2020, the month this tweet was posted, was on the night of the 20th.

So on the morning of the 21st, maybe Rayla can’t stop staring at the lotus she fished up the night before. Did she even sleep? Poor kid.

The new moon means many things to Moonshadow elves. But I like to think that, as any ritual Rayla may have completed with Ethari drew to a close and they discovered to their amazement that among the fallen lotuses was one whose crystal was still winking brightly, the new moon meant more than simply welcoming Rayla back to the land of the living. More than perhaps the lifting of her ghosting spell, even. This new moon meant hope. A second chance. For Rayla, and for Runaan, and through them, for all of the Silvergrove.

Things went very dark for Rayla during the moon cycles she was away from home. She may have left on a new moon, and it seems likely that she returned on or near one, feeling like a failure all over again, but still needing to see Ethari, to tell him what she had learned--or hadn’t. But during that new moon ritual, in the darkest of dark moments, Rayla finally got to see a sliver of hope in her own sky, and that’s more than she’s had in regards to her home situation in months.

I hope that S4 gives us a more hopeful, less alone Rayla!

#tdp headcanons #tdp theory #tdp speculation #tdp meta #rayla #ethari #runaan #moonfam #i'm back on my bullshit #moonshadow elves #TTM #tdp analysis

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beautifulterriblequeen · 3 years

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Ethari knows! - a happy theory for once

Thanks to @lily-lilou, I took a look at a TDP official tweet from a few months back. And now that TTM and its AMA’s are out, something clicked!

Back in July, we got a cool couple of tweets that gave us the assassin squad’s names, and then this sad pic following them for apparently no reason.

Rayla looking sadly at a blue-crystal lotus. :(

After TTM was released, we all learned about Callum’s Miserable Sad Birthday from the reddit AMA. The day Rayla left the Moonhenge alone was the morning of July 15th.

But TTM didn’t drop until October (or September, if you’re cool enough to live in the UK), so the July tweet didn’t seem connected. We didn’t know the dates involved in TTM at the time. But now we do!

July 21 is six days after Callum’s birthday, six days after Rayla left the Moonhenge in the early hours of the morning. That’s probably enough time for Rayla to dash home to the Silvergrove as fast as she can, unencumbered by a soft human prince and a baby dragon. She’s shifting into assassin mode, and she’s on another crazy important mission of her own making: she’s hunting Viren.

She was crushed when she saw how broken-hearted Ethari was because of her soft heart during Runaan’s mission. She literally ran away because she couldn’t take standing there and knowing she’d hurt him so much by getting his husband killed.

She feels like she owes Runaan for ruining his mission--it’s complicated, but from her perspective as a dutiful mentee, I can see why she would feel this way, absolutely. But she also feels like she owes Ethari for breaking his heart. I love the idea that her first stop on her Vengeance Hunt is back home, to tell him what happened at the Moon Nexus, that Runaan wasn’t on the other side, and neither were her parents.

Especially since Ethari might also have a story to tell her: how her lotus dipped during the last full moon, for far too many minutes, before bobbing back up again!

They could talk it over, make a plan for her mission. Ethari’s job is to outfit and supply assassins, and Rayla’s an assassin. She could get upgraded gear, her new S4 outfit, maybe another braid in her hair, and other Ethari things to carry with her, along with his love and support.

Will she be unghosted? Will this information help? I hope so! And if she is, does that mean she’s been promoted to assassin leader until such time as Runaan can be found and freed? Oof, I don’t know. She’s still only 15, on the cusp of 16.

Okay, but she has to stay in the Silvergrove until her birthday, right? Please. Ethari would want to give her a good birthday.

(Unless, uhh, maybe 16 is when you’re old enough to become the Moonshadow assassin leader and there’s a whole ceremony and he has to perform it and Rayla must swear a blood promise to the Dragon Queen and get her shoulder markings... then that’s another birthday ruined in the calendar year of this show, along with Zym’s not-birthday, Runaan’s, Claudia’s, and Callum’s.)

Anyway, that’s just angsty speculation at this point. The main point I’m excited about is that the date of the TDP tweet is significant only in retrospect, once we know about Callum’s birthday.

Six days after TTM ended, Rayla is sitting and looking sadly at a blue-crystal lotus. Runaan and Rayla each had a blue crystal in their lotus.

Rayla’s:

Runaan’s:

But she wouldn’t be looking sadly at her own, right? She would, however, be looking sadly at Runaan’s.

We all want Ethari to jump into the pool. Maybe he would for Rayla’s lotus. Maybe he’d miss Runaan’s. Maybe when he told the story of Rayla’s dipping lotus to her, and she told him about being unable to find Runaan in the afterworld, the idea would hit them at the same time that something similar had occurred with Runaan’s lotus, too.

But this is Rayla’s mission. Maybe she’d be the one to jump into the pool, to dive under--again--for Runaan, just like in this key art by @hypherrr. Maybe then, Ethari can literally reach in after her, along with others, since we didn’t see any of that in TTM.

So she finds the lotus and brings it up. And they look at it, together. They’re both there, I think, because there’s a flower emoji up there with the tweeted pic of Rayla. It’s called Wilted Flower on Twitter. And Ethari is associated with many significant symbols, two of which are: flowers--roses, specifically--and the little sculpture of the wilting leaf of a weeping tree, which he created after Runaan’s lotus vanished from sight. A wilted flower is an accurate emoji for Ethari’s failing love. (But wilted is not the same as dead! It just needs the right care again and it can recover, okay, no one panic.) So I think that Ethari is there with Rayla, but to show him in a July tweet would be way too spoilery. So we get a cute emoji hint instead.

And then they both just stare at this flickering jewel like... what the everloving hell does this mean? Because they know it can’t be good. This isn’t good.

But it’s not over, either. There’s hope. Somewhere. Rayla just needs to go find it.

Haha, this whole wild theory stems from the date of the tweet. TDP posted that pic months before TTM dropped, and at the time none of us knew the timing of TTM’s story, so it meant nothing. But in retrospect, the timing matches up really well with TTM, which concluded on July 15th, Callum’s birthday.

Which could mean that on July 21st, Rayla was back home in the Silvergrove with Ethari, and they might both have known that Runaan was alive somewhere, ten days before her 16th birthday.

Maybe there’s a specific reason the assassins’ names were dropped on July 21st, but until we learn such a thing, I’m gonna enjoy sticking with this headcanon that the choice of date was really about Rayla, Ethari, Runaan’s lotus, and the Silvergrove, and the squad was helpfully providing a Moonshadow distraction.

#tdp #tdp theory #tdp headcanons #runaan #rayla #ethari #tdp shenaniganry #this is most excellent

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beautifulterriblequeen · 4 years

Text

What if moonshadow elves lost knowledge about themselves?

Hello, hope you have a nice day ! :D

(wait, is it day, for you?) hem! Anyway.

I was analylzing Moonshadow elves again and now I’m asking myself something, wonder what you would think about it:

Remember my “epiphany about the moon arcanum”?, when I said there’s maybe another side of their arcanum Moonshadow elves don’t know about? Something more life-light related:hope.

At first I said “they don’t know about” without really thinking about it. But, what if it’s true? I mean, what if there truly is a part they don’t know about their arcanum, or maybe forgot along the years? What if the war made Moonshadow elves focus so much on death-kill and all they kinda…. lost some of their knowledge about themselves?

(I think I remember one of your old analysis (I think it was you, I can’t find it anymore), where you compared “young ethari” in the endcredits to the actual one. Where we saw him first doing jewelry, full of hope about life, and the actual one who let that aside to focus on the war)

Add to this their community is described as “really close-knit”, which means more or less isolationism and so a stagnant, unable to evolve society. A society where the same rules were applied for centuries and so inevitably lost their deep meaning with time.

I thought it was maybe exaggerated to think this way, but then I remembered the creators said there is 5000years of history in TDP. Even with longer lifespan, there’s no way elves didn’t forget some things with time. (I compare this situation to another one: some discoveries were recently made in egypt, and we learned that a few thousands years ago egyptian themselves re-discovered things they had discovered several centuries prior and forgot)

So I tried to find proof in the show and the novelization, and guess what? We have some! (or, well, it’s more my HC, but as I said, it’ just a theory)

I think this way especially because of Runaan, who was so sure there was “only one way to release”. But then, Zym came and cut Rayla’s ribbon. My personal HC on this is that only the life who was supposed to be avenged can release the assassin from the binding. It would make sense when you know Moonshadow elves “take life but they do not take it lightly”. But even if I’m mistaking, the central fact is that there is more than one way and, clearly, Moonshadow elves don’t know it (if the leader of the assassins doesn’t, then who could?)

What I find interesting here, is that Runaan recites this ritual at the beginning, about how precious life is, like a litany but the way he insists (especially in the novel) about killing Ezran even after he saw the egg, could be the proof it’s just that, a ritual. A ritual whose words lost all their sense, their deep meaning for his people.

Ok, it’s not much, but I think the combination of isolationism, stucking to rules without understanding them deeply and time, is the perfect recipe to lose your way, no?

Oh, and a crazy other point in between these two theories about “hope” and “lost knowledge” woud be: If there is another aspect of the moon, other elves more hope-related (like Ethari or Rayla), why not another form?

Like sunfire elves have heat and light-being mode, Moonshadow elves could have something else too?. It’s probably stupid, I’m only thinking this way because of how Rayla feels while in moonshadow form in the novelization. It’s not that she hates it or something, but it makes her feel dizzy, as if she wasn’t suited for this. And if not, maybe it’s because she’s suited for another form?

(sorry, I hope I’m coherent on this one, I’m a little exhausted and my thoughts are a little messy ^^’)

______________

Okay, @lily-lilou, just let me catch my breath, this whole thing is a ride and I loved it. We definitely vibing here, fam.

whew

Okay, from the top, because I’ve had a lot of these thoughts myself and I’m so stoked to see someone else independently coming up with them!

Yes 100% to Moonshadows losing a part of their own history. (And yeah, I do have a post somewhere on Ethari’s evolution. Probably called it that iirc) If we’re right about Moonshadows having lived in Katolis before the lands were divided, living right near their own Nexus as the Sunfires still do, then when they packed up and left, it’s very possible they literally couldn’t bring everything with them.

I have a quirky little hc that there are still, to this day, Moonshadow villages hiding behind ancient protection spells in Katolis, and that people wander past them every day and have no idea. But it’s one thing not to be able to pack up your actual village. It’s another to leave behind records of your people’s past, their accomplishments and dealings and discoveries.

*eyes Lujanne’s truly massive library, with its huge walls covered in runes and books* This is where the full history of the Moonshadow people probably is kept. And no one has access to it but her.

Those who headed east would only know what they carried with them, and what was handed down orally through the generations. But see, if my headcanon about the Moonshadow assassins being created at that time ends up being true, then that’s probably bad news for history and truth. When you create a whole new class within your culture, you need to bolster it with ideology. You use myth, cultural norms, and current events to make it seem important.

You tell everyone that being an assassin is the most honorable job there is. And then it’s suddenly cool to be an assassin.

If there were no Moonshadow assassins before the humans were booted out west, then everything Runaan says to Rayla, everything he believes, is pretty young compared to his people’s full history, which he may not know, at least in its true and undistorted form. It’s an illusion. Rhetoric. Propaganda meant to hold soft elves who deeply value life to the hardest task they’ll ever undertake: taking that life from another, for a cause they cannot turn away from, a purpose they are culturally indebted to. Because their people, their princess (?), was the one who asked for the humans to be spared, and so every mistake the humans make from that point on is the Moonshadow elves’ duty to handle.

Runaan was wrong about how many ways there are to release. Has Zym truly been the only victim who wasn’t actually dead, in a whole thousand years? Honestly, probably not, knowing how politics works. But see, if you have an elite squad devoted to serving Xadia, and you tell them that their hands will literally fall off and they will die if they don’t do their jobs because there is only one way to release the ribbon they’re honor-bound to wear, they will take their target or die trying. And if you maybe exaggerated reports of the victim’s death for political purposes and actually have them in a dungeon, or they fled to the human lands as a refugee, or any number of other squirrelly options that Moonshadows aren’t naturally inclined to consider, then you can literally get away with murder-by-proxy. Or containment. Or intimidation. Or whatever your purpose is in taking out a human target who may or may not even be guilty of the crime you allege against them. It might not even be Zubeia and Avizandum’s fault. Unless they can detect truth and lies, they can be deceived by someone unscrupulous with an agenda of their own.

Long paragraph long, there are a lot of problems with the existence and practical duties of Moonshadow assassins. They’re kind of like the War Doctor: born form conflict, and thus only able to serve it, instead of peace. Yes, we all want Runaan to get his happy ending, retire, go home to his soft husband. But really, the whole institution of the assassins needs to go. It was born of war, and if Xadia and the human lands make peace, truly, then the assassins should be dissolved. As I said in one of my fics, Moonshadow assassins are Xadia’s dark magic, turning death into power. It’s gotta stop on both sides.

One of my oneshots for January’s Ruthari Week played with the idea of Ethari having a moonform instead of a shadowform, because yes to elves having two kinds of forms in each culture! I would love to see that for all the elves. And if we use Sunfire elves as a kind of roadmap, with “sun” and “fire” being the heat- and light-beings, then maybe the other elves get their two forms from their names as well. Or so my headcanon went for that fic: a moon form to balance the shadow form, where the elf’s body can glow like the full moon. I didn’t really touch on what that form’s ability would be, but I suppose, logically, it would serve as a portable full moon, powering other nearby Moonshadows even when the moon was down, or new, or a small crescent.

Okay, that’s just fun. I like that idea a lot. The only time “just stand there and look pretty” can be used as a battle tactic!

I can see Rayla getting to have the rare Moonshadow power. That would make her a good balance for Callum and his unusual arcanum as a human. Part misfit, part superpower. It would also probably be a power that puts her closer to Ethari’s soft and protective attitude, no matter what the power really is, since the assassins in Moonshadow culture have clearly adopted their natural shadowy form as a mission tactic, attacking specifically on full moon nights. Literally any other kind of power is probably going to be softer, lighter, more lively and bright, in concept if not literally so. Maybe the other power kicks in on new moons? or is available at any time? I really hope we get a second Moonshadow power of some kind. I am down for all the extra worldbuilding!

Thanks once again for your thoughts! *fist bump* Moonshadow elves. You get it.

#asks #tdp speculatoin #tdp headcanons #moonshadow elves #rayla #runaan #callum #submission

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