#rams horn pattern
Text
The Assistant Book Seller
Edit 1 Dec 2023 - added missing information on the "ribbon pattern."
Edit: 3 Dec 2023 - correct information about middle pattern from creator
GABRIEL: Greetings! I'm Jim! It's short for James, but I don't need to keep telling everyone that. I'm an assistant book seller.
I'm sorry. Before I do anything else, I need to apologize for something I need to write further in. I didn't plan to write it, I just kind of bumped into it and, well, I can't ignore it. So...sorry. It's said. Forgive me for what needs to be done.
Although he arrived with nothing but a cardboard box and Rodney the Stunt Fly, Aziraphale made sure Jim was clothed in appropriate raiment while under his protection. We'll forgive him that he took a step back about, oh, fifty years or so to the 1970's, as Jim's overall look is a nod to the famous old sitcom "Open All Hours." So if he looks a little bit out of place, or, a little bit familiar, even, that's why.
While we are used to seeing angels in overcoats, it's Jim's vest that is the particular feature here. But I will take a moment to comment on the overcoat - not just the colour but its lapels. Aziraphale has obviously given him a colour with an earthly connection and one that indicate that he has bought Jim under his protection, but the lapels look quite neutral, with one up and one down. (Muriel is the same in their Inspector uniform, btw) This is the first indication they are between two things at the moment.
Onto the vest.
There is so, so much work and thought put into this vest! It was a one-off commission for the show, and the creator, Sandy Higgins, has said she is not allowed to give away the final design pattern. I have tried to contact her, and I'm waiting for a reply, so in the mean time I thought I would ask my keen knitter of a sister-in-law about one of the patterns I'm not sure about. "Well, that's Fair Isle knitting," she said, but she knew nothing about the individual line pattern I was interested in. Hmm, I kind of know that already, its in the notes that are guiding me for this meta, but hey, why not do a broader search and see what comes up?
So once I got back home I did. "Fair Isle knitting patterns" hmm...Wikipedia page for starters...what on *earth* is that at the bottom of the page...? YOU ARE. FRIKKING. KIDDING ME!!!!!!!
"See also: Gumbys"
oh ffs
I am so sorry that needs must make me mention Monty Python yet again, but here we are. And we must mention them, because this link is just too...unbelievably, deliciously good.
If you aren't familiar with the Monty Python catalogue, and don't recognize the mention of Gumbys, they were a set of characters that dressed and spoke in a certain way but the main points to take away were they wore woolen vests in the Fair Isle knitted style and their catch-phrase was - wait for it - "My brain hurts!"
I think we've heard that somewhere before?
CROWLEY: When you first arrived, you said you were here because they were planning to do 'Something Terrible' to you. So you remembered it then. Remember it now.
GABRIEL: It hurts to remember. My head isn't built for that.
Right. Now we've got that out of the way...back to the serious stuff.
The colours used in the vest are not your typical angel colours. There is a base of angelic off-white and there are some bits of purple for his royalty around the shoulder area - sometimes you need to look carefully for it. Otherwise it is dominated by vintage shades of red and green. Well. Who's an agent of change driven by love, then?
The horizontal stripe pattern is partly to remind us of the classic biblical robes with stripes that ran along them, much like the style of Crowley's black and red robe in the Job minisode, but is also part of the traditional Fair Isles pattern work. And each row only has two colours, but up around the shoulder area we do see purple start to sneak in as a third colour.
On to the incorporated symbols! I'm going to go from bottom to top.
On the lowest two we feature Crowley and Aziraphale. We have Crowley's demon satyr tail from the Good Omens logo on the lowest stripe - the double-headed arrow.
The next stripe is Aziraphale, with a variation of the classic OXO pattern ("hugs and kisses.") The X is meant to represent his angel wings, and the O is modified to mimic the "o" with a halo in the Good Omens logo. I've highlighted all three in the image on the right.
The third row up is a Sumerian Star pattern that represents one of the flowers associated with Gabriel, the lily. They are supposed to represent the purity of Mary, mother of Jesus, as he had one in his hand when he visited her during the Annunciation.
The row above that is what I believe to be a Byzantium pattern, and is included to show "an Angel's ability to be timeless."
The next three rows are still under a bit of a question mark as I write this. I plan to come back and edit it in if I find the answer.
The bottom of the three is the Duke of Buccleuch pattern, "to celebrate the long and necessary contribution that the cottage industry of hand knitted items."
The middle one - ? (perhaps you, the reader, know? It looks like a spiralling ribbon if I stand back, but that isn't sparking any connections, either.)
Edit: @noneorother tells me in a reblog (below) that this pattern represents the shoelace from the magic incantation Aziraphale uses "Banana Fish Gorilla Shoelace." So it is ribbon-like! This then points to the Second Coming, as it the shoelace references the end of the book, and the last paragraph of the book references Yeats poem "The Second Coming" as well as the novel 1984. To me it is then also telling us there is a cycle occurring, or a cycle that needs to be renewed. This fits in with some other clues other meta-writers have been picking up.
Edit 2: Turns out none of that was correct - I heard back from the creator herself and it's actually the double-ended satyr tail pattern again! It just seems to make a bit of an illusion of a ribbon or shoelace.
The pattern below is a modified OXO pattern.
The top one looks like two rams horns facing each other. A hollowed out rams horn can be used as a trumpet, and is known as a shofar in Jewish religion. Gabriel was traditionally known to carry a trumpet.
The ancient meander pattern would be recognized by most people, included as another classic timeless pattern found all over the world. For some it symbolizes eternity and endless flow.
The wheels here appear to be Michael's ophanim wheels, that would have eyes around the rims.
The hourglass is to remind us that time is running out. Memento mori - "Remember that you die." It is a major theme in both series.
Right up high, just before we lose the rest of the vest inside the overcoat, we get a glimpse of a large diamond-shaped icon. I wonder if this is another stylized set of angel wings, like we saw in the Job minisode on Aziraphale's golden collar.
To finish off the outfit, he is wearing dark gray trousers with sneakers! I'm sure that's so he could keep sneaking up on Aziraphale in the shop, haha. His shirt seems a little too large for him and the tie is knotted too high and is not settled along his centerline. It's all at odds with his previous neat and sharp appearance as Supreme Archangel Gabriel.
I'd like to say a big thank you to @aduckwithears for helping me with information on the vest and finding the creator's other social media sites. You can see their two posts about it here and here.
#good omens#good omens 2#good omens meta#good omens analysis#aziraphale#gabriel#jimbriel#jim's vest#satyr tails#angel wings#halos#lily#meander pattern#rams horn pattern#hourglass#memento mori#open all hours#good omens costume meta#monty python#gumbys#my brain hurts!#fair isle
331 notes
·
View notes
Text
I've graduated to tablet weaving, which is inkle weaving but with a bunch of cards that you twist around to make patterns. It's a little fussy, but the results are completely worth it.
#weaving#tablet weaving#band weaving#inkle weaving#fibre arts#it's a hell of a rabbit hole!#so many gorgeous patterns - I even designed my own which I'm going to work on next#the blue and white is based on the vines pattern from 'Tablet Weaving in Theory and Practice' blog#the rams horn is based on a rams horn pattern by Shelagh Lewis
208 notes
·
View notes
Text
˚ʚ♡ɞ˚ Their Girl For The Night ˚ʚ♡ɞ˚
✧˖° Summary: Imagine sitting on the ground just outside the tiefling party, your back pinned to Zevlor’s chest as he keeps you locked in place while Halsin eats you out as if you were his last me…
✧˖° Pairings: Halsin x F!Reader/Tav x Zevlor
✧˖° Content: NSFW - Cunnilingus - Halsin Eats You Out So Well - Zevlor Holds You In Place - Anal - Vaginal Sex - Squirting - Big Dick Halsin & Zevlor
✧˖° Notes: This is pure smut, I had the idea while horny for Zevlor now please enjoy and be horny with me hahaha xoxo
Zevlor’s arms hold you firm against his chest, his fingers tracing the curve of your waist, his breath hot against your neck, “Such a pretty thing, you are.” His tail finds its way up your outer thigh, slowly dragging across your skin before stoping at your stomach- the tip of it tracing slow little circles around your belly button.
You writhe and buck against Zevlor, desperate to get away from the overwhelming pleasure, “Ngh~ S’Zevy~ Mngh~~~!!!” Your words slurred, a jumble of half made syllables that were barely comprehensible, “I- Mah~ My~ c-Can’t~ Haaa!!!!”
“You can,” Zevlor moves to nip and lap at the nape of your neck, his horns scraping light patterns against your cheek, “and you will.”
Halsin chuckles, his breath ghosting over your wet sex, his hands kneading into your thighs, his tongue flicking and pressing against your clit with expert precision before diving his skilled tongue back inside your weeping hole.
Your back arches against Zevlor, a loud whorish moan falling from your parted lips, a thick line of drool slowly trickling down your chin, eyes lidded and glazed with lust.
You could feel Zevlor’s cum seeping from your stretched asshole, prior to Halsin getting his paws on you, Zevlor had bent you over the side of a fallen tree and fucked you like his own personal cumdump…
- The feeling of his calloused hands roaming over every inch of you, groping and fondling and squeezing, his mouth biting and sucking and licking, his tongue teasing and tasting, his cock ramming into you, his balls slapping against you with every rough thrust, his tail twirling and flicking your clit. You were a mess by the time Zevlor was finished, and when he came inside you, he took special care to push it all deep within you- he wanted his cum to be trapped inside you, not wanting a single drop to escape. The hellrider wanted to know that you’d be leaking his cum each step you took the next day. -
A hard bite against the sensitive flesh of your clit snaps you from your thoughts.
“FH~!!!! Noooo~!!! Hal-Halsin~!!! Ah~! T-too w’rou-rough” Your eyes screw shut as tears prick the corners of your eyes, “Zev~ pllllleaa~se- itz too mu-ch-“
“Look at the way your juices spill out from you, my dear- the way they coat his face. The way your thighs quake, the way your hips jolt, as if well as the way your toes curl, it is all so lovely.” Zevlor pulls and twists one of your nipples, just enough to send another wave of pleasure crashing over you, the waves of your impending orgasm threatening to drown you.
Halsin’s eyes watched your face, drinking in your every expression, memorizing each sound, taking in the way your body quivered and writhed and twisted under his touch, how you were coming apart at the seams.
He wanted to hear you scream, wanted everyone to hear how you were claimed tonight and enjoyed the pleasures he could give.
Taking the swollen bundle of nerves into his mouth, his tongue laving and massaging the sensitive nub, his nose pressed against your pelvis- inhaling the intoxicating musky scent that was only you. His fingers plunged into your dripping sex, curling and pressing and scissoring, the slick sounds of his fingers thrusting into you were loud and filthy.
He felt the way your walls fluttered and twitched, the telltale sign of your incoming orgasm.
Releasing your clit from his mouth, his hand replaced his tongue, the other hand pulling his fingers from you, and in a quick motion, his fingers were shoved back inside you, and a third was added, curling them upwards, pressing into your plush walls, “Let it go- cum for us my heart, allow us both to taste your sweet nectar.”
Your eyes were wide, the feeling of the sudden stretch, the sensation of his fingers pressing and curling against your sweet spot, the command that came from Halsin… Your vision goes white and your entire body seizes up- a long, loud moan falling from your open mouth, and your release soaks his hand, coating his palm, his wrist, his arm, his chin, his mouth…
He drinks you in like a man dying of thirst, the sweet ambrosia coating his throat. He doesn't stop until you beg for him to, tears staining your flushed cheeks, “Please- P-pleeease… n-no m-more… t-too m-much~ a-aahhhhhh~~ Z-Z-Zevy~~~ Halllsinnn~!”
Another wave of pleasure rushes through you, a dry orgasm from Halsin suckling on your overly sensitive clit, his tongue swiping the little bud one last time before pulling away, his fingers leaving you with an obscene pop.
You were a sweaty, sticky, panting, shaking, and crying mess… It felt as if you were going to pass out, the world around you spinning and swirling.
You were dimly aware of the movement behind you, rustling and pulling you into his lap, into Zevlor’s lap. His cock already hard and rutting against your still sensitive pussy.
The feeling of Zevlor pushing into causes a pathetic whine to fall from your mouth. Your hips pulled flush against his, his cock buried to the hilt, the tip kissing the entrance to your womb, “Ngh, Zev~ Haaaaaaaa~ too much, it's- hhaaaa- so good- fuuuuuckk- but too- too much, t-tooooooo m-much. M-mooore~!”
His tail wrapped around your thigh, spreading your legs wider granting Halsin better access…
The Druid positioned himself at your already stuffed hole, the tip of his cock pushing inside of you, the head of his large cock attempting to slip in and stretching the sensitive ring of muscles…
You weren’t sure who spiked the three of yours drinks with one of Ethel’s potions, but you were thankful they did. You only hoped that you wouldn’t be to fucked out tomorrow so you can find and thank whoever it was..
#bg3#baldurs gate 3#baldurs gate#zevlor#Halsin#zevlor bg3#bg3 zevlor#zevlor nation#halsin bg3#bg3 halsin#halsin silverbough#bg3 smut
175 notes
·
View notes
Text
Gold Turtle Necklace from Ancient Colchis (modern-day Georgia/South Caucasus) c. 450 BCE: this necklace was crafted from 31 turtle-shaped pendants, each one made of g0ld
The necklace was discovered during excavations at a site known as Vani, in Georgia (the country, not the state). Ancient Vani once served as the religious and administrative center for the Kingdom of Colchis; as I've previously discussed, Colchis was also known as the homeland of the fabled Golden Fleece, and to much of the ancient world, the Colchians themselves were renowned for their skills in goldsmithing.
The turtle pendants on this necklace are all decorated with ornate filigree and granulation patterns. The eyes of the 30 smaller turtles were originally made with glass inlay, while the eyes of the largest turtle (seen in the center) were made from drops of gold.
As this article also notes (translated from Georgian):
[This necklace] is unique because of the zoomorphic depiction that it presents. Among the known examples of goldsmithing from antiquity, the depiction of a turtle is not attested anywhere other than the Vani necklace.
The local origin of the necklace is primarily indicated by the stylistic unity of the pendants with other examples of Colchian goldsmithing. It should be noted that the land turtle depicted on the pendants was widespread in Colchis.
The excavations at Vani have uncovered lots of other artifacts made by Colchian goldsmiths. These artifacts include temple ornaments, zoomorphic figures, pieces of jewelry, diadems, headdresses, hairpins, drinking vessels, and appliqués, among other things, and they've provided some really valuable insights into the unique goldsmithing traditions that existed among the peoples of Colchis -- and the myths that evolved as a result.
A few of the other golden artifacts from Vani:
Top: headdress ornament featuring an openwork design, c. 350-300 BCE; the central panel of this piece depicts a stag and three other deer, while the frame is topped by two lions and several rows of birds; Bottom: a diadem with a set of temple ornaments, c. 400-350 BCE; all of the panels along the front of the diadem depict scenes of prey animals being hunted by lions
Top: necklace with a series of ram-shaped pendants, c. 400-350 BCE; each pendant was forged from two separate castings that were sealed together to form a complete shape, and the ears/horns were then soldered onto each piece; Bottom: set of bracelets with boar finials, c. 460-440 BCE
Golden appliqués depicting various animals, c. 400-300 BCE
Set of temple ornaments that depict two pairs of riders on horseback, c. 400-350 BCE
And a map showing the location of modern-day Georgia (just for reference):
As this map illustrates, Georgia is nestled right at the crossroads between Europe and Asia, with the Black Sea located on one side and the Caspian not far from the other; it is bordered by Russia to the North and by Turkey, Armenia, and Azerbaijan to the South
Sources & More Info:
National Geographic (Georgian): Golden Kolkheti
Atinati: The Golden Kingdom of Colchis
Smithsonian: Summary of "Wine, Worship, and Sacrifice: the Golden Graves of Ancient Vani" Exhibition
Burusi (Georgian): The Archaeological Discoveries at Vani
Quaternary International: A Modern Field Investigation of the Mythical “Gold Sands” of Ancient Colchis and the “Golden Fleece” Phenomena
#archaeology#history#artifact#ancient history#georgia#sakartvelo#colchis#kolkheti#vani#gold#turtle#jewelry#golden fleece#goldsmithing#south caucasus#mythology#art#applique
2K notes
·
View notes
Text
You cut quite a fine figure. I can just imagine leading you with an entire ballroom watching.
I've posted this piece before, but there were some parts I really wanted to edit slightly so! Tweaked this piece and here's another post of it. Three cheers to the best dressed couple in Baldur's Gate, and to Majexatli's native swag.
[Image description:
The first image is a digital illustration of Wyll from Baldur's Gate 3 dancing with an original character, Majexatli.
Majexatli is a medium brown skinned freckled tiefling with brown rams horns greying black hair tied in a long braid that hangs past their waist. Half their face and the ends of their horns are painted dark teal. They are wearing a blouse with dark teal indigenous mexican embroidery. Draped over one hip, shoulder, and arm is a dark teal serape. Over their blouse and serape, they have a brown fur cape hanging over their shoulders. They are wearing a loin cloth over brown leggings, the loin cloth has an 8 pointed star and red and teal geometric patterns and indigenous embroidery. Their body facing forward as they to the left at Wyll. Behind their head is a turquoise halo of geometric and indigenous patterns.
Wyll is a dark brown skinned tiefling with black horns and long black locs tied into a ponytail with gold beads. His eyes are closed and he is wearing gold eyeliner and gold earrings. He wears an ornately patterned long orange coat with gold accents, and brown pants. Over his left shoulder is a maroon cape with a peacock pattern. His back is to the viewer and he is facing to the right at Majexatli. Behind his head is a gold halo and ring of stars.
The artwork contains a signature of the artist's name, Salamatullah.
The following two images are close ups of Wyll and Majexatli respectively.]
182 notes
·
View notes
Text
Instabug Snakification Modifications!
I knew this one would be a fun challenge with its very pretty colours and patterns. I especially like how the horns turned out, being curled like ram horns to sort of imitate the swirl of cupcake icing. I actually had to modify the texture slightly to remove obvious texture seams from them, though it should hardly be noticeable at all on the Instabug itself
For the body texture, I actually replicated the icing and sprinkles from scratch. Making the icing was easy, it's just a solid colour with a subtle cloud noise texture for the normals. The sprinkles, however, had to be made by modelling little stars and spheres in their three colour variants, then scattering them across the icing mesh using Blender's geometry nodes. It was tricky, but fun and rewarding.
117 notes
·
View notes
Text
let's make fearne horns!
a step-by-step tutorial for making foam horns for cosplay
this was originally posted to twitter last year, but since twitter’s decided to ram itself through a brick wall repeatedly for some reason, i’m reposting here.
materials/supplies:
wire (the hardware store kind, not the flimsy jewelry kind. you want it bendable but sturdy enough to hold whatever size horns you’re making.)
craft foam/eva foam (thickness depends on project needs)
triangular foam dowel
tape or paper for patterning
barge cement (or other brand contact cement)
foam clay
plastidip spray
acrylic paints
gloss spray
heat gun
scissors
paint brushes
something to wrap horns around depending on curl needs
headband or something else to attach the horns to for wearing
the process:
1️⃣ pattern horn curl using tape or paper. mine is going to be a long triangle shape along it’s top face.
2️⃣ cut out of craft foam & trim/taper triangular foam dowel to match. cut wire to match this length plus a couple extra inches for attaching to a headband later on.
3️⃣ carve valley into dowel & glue wire into it using barge cement. tape is helpful for holding the wire down while it dries. be sure to follow glue instructions for use which usually requires good airflow/ventilation in the space! for me, that means opening the window, turning on a fan, and wearing a mask to avoid fumes.
4️⃣ glue foam dowels to craft foam.
5️⃣ spiral horns carefully around a cylinder, heat forming tips where wire can’t reach. the hardest part here is to get both sides even. (i think i used a wooden dowel or a curtain rod for my spirals??)
6️⃣ fill gaps between dowel & craft foam with foam clay, using finger + water to smooth it out. if you want to add any ridges or scars to your horns, do it once this part is dry and before the next step—but i wanted mine to be smooooth.
7️⃣ once dry (give it a couple days just in case), heat seal with a heat gun & spray with plastidip. do multiple coats to get all the angles because spirals are WEIRD!
8️⃣ paint with acrylics.
9️⃣ gloss spray!
🔟 using the bit of wires sticking out, attach to a headband or wig to wear! mine actually poke through my wig and attach to a headband that sits inside the wig which fearne’s ears also attach to.
i hemmed and hawed over how to approach these originally because i know most folks would either 3d print them or do a proper full craft-foam pattern, but i’m crap at cutting craft foam and i hate sculpting digitally and ALSO don’t have a 3d printer. so i did it my way! and it was fun!! plus, the final horns are super lightweight which makes them great for wearing all day! the flexibility of the wire also allows them to have some pose-ability which can be nice for photos to make sure they’re visible.
185 notes
·
View notes
Text
ariadne's thread ⎯ pt. 6: the hunter and the hunted.
pairing(s): hyunjin x fem!reader, bang chan & fem!reader, jisung & fem!reader
series summary: when tempted by an intoxicating offer by hyunjin the goblin king of the underground, you fight against him to find your own sense of self once more while in his labyrinth.
glimpse: the gardens hold the beauty of the labyrinth . . . as well as its horrors. creeping forward without jisung's companionship, you face the roars and growls ahead, alone.
warnings/tags: inspired by the 1986' movie Labyrinth, follows majority of the movie's plot points with lore divergence, 3rd person POV, use of Y/N, bang chan is referred to as chris, mild violence, cruel punishment, injuries, blood, fear, fights, strong language, faerie lore!!, world building, hyunsung tension, let me know if there needs to be more tags!
word count: 7.8k
series masterlist
Roars echoed through the Labyrinth, shaking the greenery around her. Some rogue flowers curled into themselves, hiding away like sea creatures returning to their shells. Startled bird-like creatures croaked and crowed as they flew off with leathery-sounding wings. There was a rustling within the hedges like the leaves themselves were crawling away from the frightful sounds. Yet here she crept forward, holding her breath as she finally reached the entry-way, a grand hedge archway shadowing her as it opened into a courtyard.
This courtyard was different from the others. Instead of being encompassed by the hedges, the immediate space in front of her were evenly spaced porcelain columns holding up the large rotunda above them. It was only then she realized she was closer to the edge of the Gardens than she had thought – the false sunlight was still bright overhead, making sweat drip down her neck but, she could also see the rest of the Labyrinth in front of her, maze after maze crawling over large undulating hills. It looked like it was made for an ant, how far away and never-ending the maze felt from this perspective. Looming over it all was the Castle, ever present and ever far away. She swore she saw a light twinkle from the highest tower, like a winking eye. The Runner looked away and peered towards the cacophony filling the air.
There was a maze of columns now, scattered in no exact pattern she could distinguish, but providing cover as she crept forward. The floor was between cobblestone and dirt, uneven and changing in its consistency. Yes, this wasn’t the well-maintained Gardens of before – it felt like she was off the chosen path once more. Creeping forward, each pillar seemed to hide what was happening purposely, shifting to prevent her from moving forward fast enough– growls and roars only increasing but also screeches of giggles from squeaky-goblin voices. The same tones she had hear in her bedroom chanting and snickering from underneath her bed. That felt like ages ago…
In the shadow of one of the columns holding the grand rotunda up, she could see a man hung by his wrists, high above small furry goblin creatures wielding weaponry of all sorts. He was well-built, shirtless, his white linen shirt torn to shreds below him where it soaked in a puddle of his own purple blood and sweat. Injuries and bruises painted his skin like a mosaic of muddy emerald, inflamed vermillion, and bloody purple-violet. His head was thrown back in pain as he bellowed out an animalistic noise, too deep and monstrous to truly be human. It almost didn’t process that it was coming from his chest, yet she could see his human-pecs vibrate faintly with the sound. That was when Y/N noticed the ram-like horns curling out of his temple, framed by messy, sweat-plastered brown curls.
Yes, he was certainly not human. (But what here was?)
The fine muscles in his neck and shoulders strained and bulged as he swung by the iron chains looped around his hands. All his weight on just his wrists must’ve been torture. The fae-man took a deep breath, his stomach concaving and expanding, before he heaved himself upwards as he tried to adjust the weight on his wrists. He only had a moment to breath out a hiss before he slumped down, groaning from the pain of holding his weight. Shoulder bones popped and creaked inhumanely.
Even worse were the goblins surrounding him that took joy in his agony, giggling and cackling with sharpened fangs. Each one held a different sort of weapon – a spear with a sharpened tip dripping in violet, a javelin with some sort of creature tied atop with millions of fangs and blood-stained claws at the ready, a flower-esque whip with red-thorns lining the long strip of vine, the list went on. One by one, the goblin creatures dressed in miniature knight-wear would approach with giggles and chatterings, egging one another on. They poked and prodded the man, who grunt and struggled.
A particular strong bite to his ribs by the javelined-creature made him roar out in pain. Inhuman noises broke free from his gnashing teeth, bearing chipped fangs at the guards who tormented him.
It wasn’t right.
The horned man was dripping in purple blood, the violaceous rivulets staining his bared skin. His eyes squeezed shut as he groaned out a growl. The clash of a whip went against his bared back, and Y/N flinched back at the sound.
She had to help; she just wasn’t sure how. Glancing about she tried to find something to defend herself with. The goblins were small but there were five of them and only one of her. Five armed, one unarmed.
“Take this,” she heard a voice squeak out as a spear prodded the fae man’s chest and he let out a wail, head thrown forward now. As if he could somehow protect his chest. Breathing heavily, he glared at the little creatures, struggling against his bonds once more as he twisted and swung in a slow circle. Eyes wild as he spun and spun. She thought for a moment, their eyes locked. But he soon was groaning out in agony.
The Runner glanced at the jewels on her waist. Would one of these be large enough to throw or cause damage? No, not truly. Perhaps—
She felt a nudge against her shoe. Holding in a yelp, a hand over her own mouth, she looked down to see… a rock. Nothing magical about it. Not a bauble of light, a bubble she had seen the King tempt her with time and time again. Just a sandy-looking rock, large enough to be a softball size. It nudged her again slowly and intentionally. It kept a snails’ pace but it nudged and nudged and nudged. Insistently. As if called to her. It took her a moment of awe before she heard another cry of anguish, and her eyes flashed back to look at the captured fae-man.
Her heart squeezed to see tears drip down his cheeks as his teeth gritted into a scowl. This wasn’t right; she had to try something. Squatting, she grabbed the rock that inched forward slower and slower, and brushed her thumb over the rough edges; it didn’t look magical, or living, but this place had made her question things before. The Runner glanced back up to see all five of the ‘knights’ count down, preparing to rush forward the weapons ready to strike the poor trapped fae. It was now or never!
It was then she aimed and threw the rock, aiming for one of their heads. With a clank, she hit her target. The rock bounced off of one of the guard’s helmets, swinging it around almost comically until it covered their eyes. With loud squeaking words in a language she couldn’t decipher, the creature spun about with their weapon tilted before it pierced through another guard’s chainmail. Shrieks of chaos, bickering and moans of pain came from their pile of fur and claws.
“You hit me!”
“No, you did!”
“I’m reporting this to our commander!”
“No, you won’t!”
They spoke over one another in a hurried mess.
Most goblins weren’t clever; they followed their instincts and forgot things. Like their prisoner and the rock that had hit their comrade in the first place. Off they marched, babbling over one another still, until the prisoner and the Runner were alone.
Y/N let out a breath.
That was surprisingly easy. What wasn’t easy was finding out how to get the injured man down now! Rushing forward, she heard a low growl shake the ground.
She slowed, hands rising as she took in his appearance. He was huffing and puffing, his ribs expanding and decompressing rapidly. He had finally stopped swaying in the wind, but it only seemed to trap him more. His body huffed and puffed, eyes wild as they eyed her and snarled.
He looked uncanny in this moment – less human than he had been a minute ago. His mouth too large for his face as he let out a menacing growl, rows of fangs as if he were a shark were visible as he glared at her. There were far too many sharpened fangs for her to feel comfortable and yet she still tried to soothe him.
Those goblin guards had been torturing him for fun.
She wouldn’t.
(She surely hoped that would mean he wouldn’t hurt her in return.)
He growled again and she paused – doubting herself for a moment. She met his eyes and saw how they were shaking. The irises were trembling, jumping from her form to the environment around them. Maybe he was just… scared, overwhelmed.
She offered a gentle smile, hands held up in defense.
“I won’t hurt you!” she called out softly. “I promise.”
Before she continued forwards carefully. He jolted backwards and growled. His movement made him spin from his wrists once more.
He was afraid – that was the only explanation. But she could feel his pain as he spun once, twice, three times. He squirmed and tried to readjust again only to swing wildly. His chest heaved and there was a whine of pain escaping his throat.
“Oh no,” the Runner rushed forward quick, hoping he’d be facing away and not startle too badly as her hands rose to stop him from spinning. Two small hands resting on his broad back with care, sliding to settle on his ribs to avoid any of his wounds. His body was cold as stone and sturdy as rock. She felt his muscles jump as she minded his injuries the best she could. He stopped swaying and she took in his restraints from up close for the first time. Far too many chains of iron curled around his form. There was a shackle around his neck, a chain looped around his lean waist, wrapped chains around each of his biceps and finally a myriad of overlapping chains around his wrists from which he hung from. She gently turned him around, trying to keep it slow and gentle.
She met his eyes, grey and stone-cold. They were piercingly heavy and she couldn’t help but stare. His face was all masculine angles, sharp jaw, rectangular face. His nose was broad and bore a large scar, like an animal scratch starting from his right cheekbone traveling across its bridge to the other cheekbone. His teeth were snarling at her, perpetually stuck in this growl. His bottom canines were sharpened and chipped in places as if he had used them to fight before. Her eyes flickered back to his eyes that seemed to speak for him now. It was commanding but not in a way that was magical – it was a brute strength, cold-stone glare.
“Down,” he finally spoke to her, more like growled out to her; his tone still edging towards animalistic still.
She nodded agreeing. “I’m trying.” She reassured, her hands leaving his form after a moment. “Trust me.”
“Before they get back,” he rumbled.
“I know. I’m trying to find how they strung you up,” she relayed as she followed the chains high above them. Like his own bonded wrists, the chains linked and overlaid one another in a patterned mess. They stretched up across the columns, criss-crossing like a spider’s web. She could even see some bird nests in between the chains, making their home there and weighing down sections. Her gaze went one way and then another. This way and that, that way and this. Twisting around columns, decorating it in intricate weave work. Until they came to the end. Which was thankfully not too far. The last end of the chair curled around a column like ivy before hitching over a hook in the rockwork.
Rushing over to the end of the lead, she quickly released it, unwinding it and letting go as it tugged ferociously. The man crashed to the ground with a heavy thud. He hissed out but remained still on the ground for a moment. Huffing and puffing.
“Oh! I’m so sorry!” she cried out, rushing over to him and falling to her knees beside the fae-man.
She watched, cautiously, as his body heaved and huffed. His muscles finally had a break, his joints cracking loudly as he shifted this way and that. He pressed his forehead to the ground beneath him, his horns digging into the soil. Skin to raw earth, he seemed to relax. His shuddering stopped as he took in deep slow breaths.
“Are—are you okay?” The Labyrinth-Runner queried. She didn’t touch his bare back nor move from her spot beside him.
He breathed in before nodding.
“Yes,” he replied, sounding different. More whole now. His voice was no longer a rumbling growl but instead it was shifting into something far softer. He cleared it gently.
“Thank you for helping me.”
Rising up onto his knees, his hair fell over his forehead in mussy natural curls with leaves and twigs from the ground tangled in his locks and dirt clinging to his forehead, but what caught her off guard was his eyes. They were no longer stone-cold but instead a gentle grey. Sparkling and gentle as he took her in. He leaned back onto his legs, matching her kneeling position as he blinked owlishly at her.
“I’m… I’m Chris,” his voice was careful, soft. Tinged with an accent Y/N couldn’t place but felt far different from the others’ she had met so far. But what had shocked her so far was his sincerity.
Despite everything - the mussed curls plastered to his sweatied forehead, the overwhelming chains wrapping around his form, the claw marks, goblin bites, and cuts oozing violet-purple blood across his torso, the layered scars up and down his arms and shoulders, the prominent slice across the bridge of his broad nose, the dirt across his brow – his grey eyes felt soft and real. Honest. His lips twitched into a careful smile, far from the uncanny rows of fangs she had sworn she saw while he was trapped.
She would take this in stride she thought. Not everything is as it seems but… if she was honest, he seemed to be different from what meets the eye.
“It’s nice to meet you, Chris,” she greeted, a hand slowly going to pick the leaves and sticks from his chocolate hair carefully. He flinched away at her movements at first, his overcast eyes dilating before focusing back in on her like a big cat as he froze and allowed her to pick a pine needle from his hair carefully.
“I’m Y/N.”
He repeated the name with a softness. “I’ve never heard of a Y/N in the Labyrinth before.” Chris murmured.
“Is there only one person for each name here?” she queried as she continued her picking and fluffing of his curly hair. He blushed an otherworldly purple, the color high on his cheekbones.
“Names are special here. No one is ever named the same,” he informed her.
If he had been even more honest, he’d mention that names held power. (There was a reason Jisung never gave her his, nor did Hyunjin. Learning names from other sources gave them less power than someone giving it to them but it was still power. Naming a fae was entering a pact with them.)
She hummed in acknowledgement before taking the final loose leaf from his hair with a satisfied smile.
“I’m trying to beat the Labyrinth,” she told him, hands going to her knees. “I’m trying to get home. Do you know the way to the Castle?”
There’s a glance towards to the looming image of Hyunjin’s castle – it somehow was able to look so close yet so far away in one blink, as if it were an optical illusion. Chris pressed his lips together and swallowed, looking away from the centerpiece of the maze.
Despite his strength, in that moment, he looked small. Hand going to scratch at a wound on his arm as he shook his head softly. Eyes downcast, almost child-like. Frightened, she realized.
Maybe it was due to the King’s cruel guards, or maybe the King had declared this sort of punishment.
It made her blood boil – the King was frightening. A tyrant king. She had yet to meet one person with a positive view of him. It was guards long forgotten at posts deep in uncared for mazes, remains of Runners scattered in the Labyrinth like forgotten toys, trolls left to rot in oubliettes, power-lusting goblin guards torturing a man. All away from the castle and yet shadowed in Hyunjin’s power.
She glared up at the Castle she was trying to get to. What would become of her if she fails? If this is how he keeps his Labyrinth’s order? She knew he wanted her to be his – but if this was his Kingdom, was she to become nothing but another ghost in the many twisted paths of his Labyrinth?
“Okay,” she buzzed. Too much energy in the word to sound calm. But she didn’t push him, not when he winced after grazing over a wound too closely. Her gaze settled back on Chris, taking in the way the iron chains wrapped around his body. They cut into his skin harshly, his wrists dripping with deep-violet blood, and even his biceps had rivulets of blood running down his arms with every movement. That had to hurt.
“Let’s try to get these off, okay?” she changed the subject, hands moving from her lap to brush tenderly over a chained bicep before fingering the ones around his wrists. The chains were heavy and criss-crossing like snakes around his wrists. She couldn’t see where one chain started and ended.
Chris couldn’t help but let the awe in his eyes gleam as she touched his shackles with ease. (Iron is cursed to fae – remember this. Iron-metal burns with a thousand suns to weak faeries; why do you think the human realm is made up of it?) Chris had grown used to the ache and sizzle where the metal laid but every push and pull made his eyes water in agony. But she touched them easily.
“It’ll hurt.” Chris rumbled - eyes wide as he pulled back from her grasp. His hands going towards his chest protectively.
“But, doesn’t it hurt now?” Y/N asked, eying the cuts carefully.
Chris visibly gulped as he tried to shrug.
“It’ll be over in a second,” she promised. “We’ll tug them over your hands and figure out what to do next.”
The horned man shook his head, eyes wide like a pup’s. “No, no way; it’ll hurt!” he pleaded.
“Trust me?” she asked. “Like before? I helped you then and I want to help you now.”
He swallowed. “I do trust you. . .”
“Good, here let me see,” she soothed as she took his hands once more in hers.
The chains wrapped over and over around his wrists, weaving in and out. They were made slippery with his magenta-hued blood. It took time and each time she unwound it further, each time she found a new give in the chain, she’d apologize quietly. The push and pull of metal had to hurt against his irritated skin.
“I’m sorry, I know it hurts; it’ll be better once its off,” she apologized once more as she tugged and tore at the shackles from his wrists. He whimpered, the sounds escaping from his clenched fanged mouth.
As they continued to unravel, the iron digging into his skin became more and more rusted and sharpened. There were odd-crystal structures of rust piercing into his skin, like thorns, and it made her only gasp in horror as she continued to pull at the irons.
“Oh, my God,” she murmured softly as she saw how torn up his wrists were. It only made her want them off quicker. He sniveled, eyes shutting tightly. She quickly continued onwards, flinching as these crystallizations scratched her own hands up. But they were almost unraveled, more and more bare skin visible. Puffy and inflamed, deep-violet and navy spiderweb bruises bloomed where the chains had rested.
“I’ve got it I promise.” she quickly slipped the cuffs away.
His violet and her ruby blood mixed together on their skin as she dropped the cuffs to the ground.
“There,” she smiled proudly before looking over his hands. “Oh Chris, are you alright?”
Only, he was staring down at her own hands, covered in red and purple.
“I’m okay.” his voice was strained. “You’re bleeding, Y/N.”
His nostrils were flared. His chest rose and fell harshly as he smelt the blood billow into the air.
Her hands stung but she simply shook her them as if its rid them of the pain. Chris’ large hands went to grasp hers, his touch harsh at first as if he wasn’t used to his own strength. Her furrowed brow, soft gasp, and clenched teeth were cues enough and he held them gentler, tenderly. His eyes were sad, almost like a kicked puppy dog.
“I’m sorry,” he murmured.
“I’m okay,” she reassured. “Just some cuts and scrapes.”
His fingers brushed over some of her wounds with the carefulness of a parent, not wanting to cause her any more pain. She squeezed a finger gently, trying to let him know it was fine.
“Let’s get these off too,” she nodded to his arms. They looked easier to wiggle off, less wrapped and more like a singular chain that dug into his skin. With some effort and Chris flexing and twisting his arm, they too fell away to the cobblestone floor.
His biceps were ringed in irritated-inflamed violet while remnants of magic-infused blood, sparkling and shimmering like amethysts in the Gardens’ light, dripped down his tanned skin.
“Do you want us to try to remove the neck and waist chains?” she queried, wiping her hands on her pants (luckily, they were dark and wouldn’t show the blood that now painted her fingers a pinky-purple color.) Each brush of fabric made her flinch.
Chris looked down at his bound waist, long chains of iron wrapping around him and draping to the floor, tumbling around his legs.
“No, let me try; I can move my arms,” he tested the strength of the chain, gripping it by his sides. Gritting his teeth, he held the shackle’s chain in his hand and pulled. Pulled, pulled, pulled until the link shattered. The shackles fell from his waist like it was a paper chain.
Y/N’s eyes widened at the display of strength.
“Wow.” She murmured. “You’re really strong.”
Chris smiled, his eyes squinting into half-moons as his cheeks flushed.
“You're strong too," he complimented, because in his eyes, she was.
"I was a Hunter before this,” he admitted to her.
“What happened to get you caught up in this?” her chin nodded to the shattered remains of the chains and his shredded shirt on the ground beside them.
He frowned. “I failed a mission set by the King,” he replied. “He cursed me to a hundred years of imprisonment.”
“That’s horrible,” she replied. “What was the mission? Nothing is worth a hundred years of imprisonment if it was just a task he gave you.”
“I was sent off to destroy a beast – a monster in the desert sea, but when I found it—him—I realized it was just living peacefully,” he commented. “He hadn’t caused any destruction or deaths. So, I spared him.”
Her brows crinkled. “So, the King punished you for mercy?” she queried.
Her blood boiled. Hyunjin was becoming more and more unsavory to her. How dare he! How dare he punish someone for mercy!
“He wasn’t himself after—I thought maybe a courtier had planned it, made the plot to blame the destruction onto someone else – he didn’t believe me.” He murmured, fingers brushing over his no-longer aching wrists. “The Prince had tried to help me.” Chris admitted after a moment, head tilting in acknowledgement.
Prince… King… wait. Y/N’s eyes widened.
“How long have you been captured, Chris?” she asked.
“I can’t remember—maybe a few years.” He admitted. “Minutes can feel like days.”
She feared it had been much longer if there was a Prince when Chris was put into chains and now there were none. Unless Hyunjin had a son running around in the looming Castle but there were never any tales of that in her storybooks.
“I’m sorry that you’ve been stuck for so long – especially with those goblins looking over you,” she nodded in the direction the ‘guards’ had scurried off to. Her eyes flashed over his bared skin, the cuts and bites and bruises looking gnarly on him.
“I’ll heal,” he promised, smiling at her kindly. “The pain will leave soon; thanks to you.”
She smiled gently. At least she helped him in her quest. He seemed kind. There was a warmth to him and bigness that felt like he was sturdy and true in himself. Confident but quietly so. Comforting like the way mountains were comforting in their ever-presence.
“I need to keep going now,” she admitted. “I need to make it to the Castle – will you be alright?”
His grey eyes widened, soft pouty lips pursing into a frown.
“Without me?” he murmured. “Can’t I go with you?”
It didn’t feel like a ploy. It felt like he was genuinely sad you were parting.
“I mean, we will be going against the King,” she told him. “I don’t want you to get into any more trouble, Chris.”
He shook his head firmly. His lips now falling into a disapproving line rather than a pout.
“Nah, nah, nah,” he said. “I can help you – like you helped me.”
Her own eyes were soft and gentle as she looked at the hulking man before her and yet his words were gentle and kind.
“Are you sure?” she clarified.
“I can’t let you leave without me,” he insisted. “We—I’m here for you now.”
It was insistent and genuine. Not insistent and obsessive. It felt like for once… she had someone truly on her side. Not won over by prettied jewelry or by loneliness in the middle of a maze with only their lover. But for her and her actions.
Her smile made her cheeks ache with how large it was.
“Okay. We’re friends now,” she told him sincerely.
“Friends,” Chris beamed back as he took her hand in his giant one.
His hand encompassed hers easily, but he held it with care of a gentleman.
“So where to?” he asked.
The path onwards felt counterintuitive. They were led away from the Castle, their backs to it as they settled on the now-dirt path. Light from the rotunda above them still glared down but now felt more like a sunset’s rays rather than a noontime sun. Perhaps it was due to them being so close to the edge of the false sky-light.
They had walked only for a short time before Chris queried.
“Why do you want to get to the Castle?”
“I’m a Runner,” she said. “I’m in the middle of a deal with the King.”
He shivered faintly from the corner of her eye. “I’m surprised he took upon a Runner.”
Her brows crinkled. “Why?”
“His Champion-Queen fled to the human-realm a few years ago.” He hummed. “He hasn’t been the same since.”
“That’s interesting,” she mumbled, glancing around and winding around a column.
There was now just a large bank to her right and the Gardens and their large columns to her left. The gorge was dark. Misty and shadowed as the light of the garden’s rotunda failed to reach it. There were no fantastical floating lamps and no fire pits in this part of the Labyrinth. Just darkness. Trees seem to sprout into existences as they continued onwards, large piney trees that crept higher and higher, growing denser and denser. This shadowy darkness spilled over onto the path like an oil slick leak.
“Can you tell me more about the royals?” she asked after a moment.
Chris offered a bashful look. “I don’t know them that well,” he admitted scratching his neck. “I grew up in the Shadow of the Castle; I know the Royals by face not name; I doubt anyone really does. There’s the Goblin King, the Heir Prince, the Queen-Consort. We all know of the Champion-Queen but I’ve never seen her.” He shrugged a bit.
“I don’t know what else to say – they are the rulers of the Underground? The Prince loves celebrations; the King loved the Labyrinth once.” He tried to find anything else to say but it seemed to be difficult. Was it the topic or was it something more?
“Tell me about you then,” she conceded, hoping maybe she’d grasp some more information about this world.
Her eyes stayed locked on their surroundings, watching as the dark shadow-like trees of the forest beside them shifted and bent in the wind.
“I was the King’s Hunter – my father was their Hunter before me. My brood will be their Hunter after me,” he said easily, shrugging. “I’m tasked with maintaining the peace in the Kingdom when it comes to unrulier creatures.”
She nodded slowly. So, there was supposedly order here and Chris was once their enforcer, which felt like he was higher than the guards that were poking and prodding him.
“What will you do now?” she asked.
He nudged her playfully with his shoulder, having to dip to nudge her with his muscular shoulder. It made her smile.
“I’m with you now!” he chimed. “You got me, Runner, in your graces. I’ll travel with you and make sure you are safe like you have for me.”
(Blood for blood. Life for life. He was here until his debt was paid.)
“But… after I leave. . . “, she wondered. “What then?”
Chris pursed his lips, looking off into the distance. There were faint hazy orange-light over the horizon – from what she could only assume was the entrance of the Labyrinth, the way she came. It looked so far away now. She couldn’t help but feel optimistic that they were making progress even as they approached where she came while following this path.
“I could go back –”
There was a scuffle in the brush. Chris’ hand reached out to grasp her shoulder. She wished he had a weapon but his bared teeth reminded her that he always had a weapon with him.
“Y/N,” he began before there was a hissing sound and flash of color in the dim light.
He shifted her to the side, pressing her behind him as his large arm blocked an attack. There was a loud thud as the creature was tossed aside. It thudded to the ground, a pile of red. Another flash of light was to its right.
It didn’t look humanistic. The way it shivered and shuddered with technicolor light, too bright and too flashy to really grasp onto its features. It was more of a shifting, shimmering light leak.
Chris grunted as he stood fully in front of her as a screech escaped the creature on the ground. In a blink, all she could see was red dripping down the creature- with its long talons and dripping crimson rivulets down his forehead. Large antlers pierced through its skull and his eyes gleamed a burning red.
Meanwhile, the entity of light danced this way and that, around the crimson creature, around Chris, and around her. Like it was dancing in a waltz amongst a battle. Chris hissed.
She shifted this way and that as she batted off the tendril of light and color. It didn’t harm her, didn’t even touch her, but it was almost observing her as she backed into the hedges of the Gardens. It hovered beside her and she tried to maintain a distance while keeping her eyes on the fight.
A low growl rumbled from Chris and the creature shifted low on the ground. Her back pressed against the leaves of the Gardens, ivy scratching at her ears and neck as Chris’ posture shifted.
(Faeries all had glamour. Some wielded it; some didn’t. Some wielded it quite well.)
Chris seemed to have great control over his glamour as the same uncanny features appeared. Larger mouth, his form felt larger even if was the same height as before and there was a fearful aura around him as he dug a hand into the ground.
The crimson creature jumped and jittered about, long limbs cracking inhumanly as it crept forwards. Its gaze was locked on Chris before they rose to linger on her. There was a deep chuckle, humming through the threads of existence.
Chris rumbled again, a warning hiss. There was a jolt and movements too fast for her human eyes to follow. In a blink of an eye, the creature was gone from her vision. Chris turned and swiped towards her; the crimson creature far too close to her now. The entity of dancing-lights seemed to swerve in front of her, an inhuman type noise pushing out of its existence. She stumbled back as the two grappled one another. Antlers against horns, their feet slid in the dirt and mulch of the path. She shrieked as her feet fell deep into loosen soil by the bank and she yelped, trying to escape the cave-in of their path along the gorge. Nails dug into the remaining solid rock, her head only above their path now.
“Chris!”
Chris’ muscles strained, wounds dripping purple, before he grabbed both creatures and tossing them aside like they were nothing but a leaf. He turned to find her amongst the concaving dirt.
Mud and mulch kicked up into the air and a blur of color rushed towards her. Chris quickly leapt into action, pushing the creature away as the Runner was shoved to the side, out of breath. There was only a moment of calm before she was slipping off the path. The bank crumbling from her weight and becoming nothing but mulch and loose dirt beneath her shoes. She scrambled, trying to grasp onto something as the crimson creature roared from overhead. The entity of dancing technicolor light swirled and whirled as it danced in and out of existence until it was gone.
“Chris!” she screeched out. “Han!” the name left her throat in fear. “Help – please! Jisung!”
A barking noise, like a creature whining and running off, pierced the air before there was a huffing puffing Chris in her vision.
“Y/N, I’m here!” he cried out, reaching a hand out.
There was no time for relief as her shoes sunk into the dirt and she slid further down the gorge. Hands scrambling against tree roots and dead brush as she tried to climb towards her friend. But the dirt was too loose, too damp. She kept sliding down and falling. The wind was knocked out of her as a log buried in the dirt nudged her stomach painfully. It dislodged her from her clawing, making her tumble onto her back.
“Chris!” she screeched out as she fell, her feet gripping nothing as she slid fully now.
She tried to grasp onto something, a root, the dirt, but everything was so fast and the fall was so steep she was soon tumbling down faster and faster until she was far below the Gardens in the darkness of a forest.
-
“She’s so dumb – I can’t believe she’d- just,”
Jisung was wandering around the last of the Gardens’ hedges – huffing and puffing about the Runner and her stupidity. His clothes were clearly ruffled from maybe, possibly, probably forcibly-pushing his way through the hedges to get back onto the main path. His curls were messed with twigs and flower petals. He stomped a bit as he passed into a new part of the Labyrinth.
The cobblestone had faded back into a dirt path. There were destroyed arches of stone, large sculptures that were tumbled over, and cobwebs casting a haze of fuzz across near everything. Old trees and barren hedges of rot framed this place. A dried fountain ached for water in the nearby courtyard of an abandoned castle. The Old Castle. This was a place for ghosts and dust. Dust sprites huddled together by a barely lit fire. In the corners, abandoned shadows clung to concrete columns and broken hunks of fire-eaten wood.
There was a large sculpture of a familiar face – strong jawbone, pout familiar, and a glowering brow – half destroyed as if by a blast of magic. Jisung passed by it without a second glance.
“Running towards roars – she isn’t going to last long; why would she do that?” he grumbled and muttered, fussing with the bracelet on his wrist. “Why would she do that?”
He didn’t understand it; he didnt understand her. But he wanted to, itched to. He couldn't help but feel so so...
“Han!” he heard her cry in the distance and he froze, jeweled eyes widening. “Help, please!”
It felt like liquid ice was injected in his veins. She needed him. She was hurt or in pain or about to be in pain and he left her. Left her. He left her alone in a place that was just built to prey upon her. His only friend. . .
“I’m coming, Y/N!” he breathed, turning to race back to the Runner only to run into a sturdy chest. The smell of fire-smoke and honeyed-mead flooded his nose.
“Where are you off to, Jisung?” the King hissed.
“Hyunjin,” the goblin-fae breathed out, startled by his appearance.
Dressed in a white silken shirt that was lazily open to reveal his chest, leathered pants, and a dragon-scaled purple cloak. He wore a fine halo-like crown of kingly-gold, intricate and delicately embellished with rubies. His face was one of annoyance, his lips drawn into a line and his brows furrowed.
It was a surprise to see the King in a place like this. Even the solidarity shadows hid away from their corners and pillars of stone, far away from the King of the Underground. Hyunjin glanced aside, looking over the ruins with a curled lip.
“Jisung, what did we agree upon last time we spoke privately?” he queried, remaining ever close to Jisung even as the goblin-fae continued to back away until his back hit the statue’s remaining face.
Hyunjin’s gaze flickered over the half-desecrated face of the King of old, his eyes squinting in disdain before settling back onto Han’s pout.
“Lead the Labyrinth Runner away to the beginning – which-which I was going to go do, like you told me to. She simply, uh, escaped me. Got too eager.” Jisung replied. “I’ll go lead her back right now!” He wiggled against the press of the King’s body. Hyunjin held Jisung’s shoulder down harshly, digging him into the sharp cheekbone of the Old King’s statue.
“I see; I thought you were running off to help her,” he mocked.
Jisung snorted out, the sound forced as he let out a strained smile. His shoulder-blade ached with the way Hyunjin pinned him to the stone.
“No, no,” he smiled, pleadingly. “Not me, Hyune.”
There was almost a look of fondness in Hyunjin’s eyes at the nickname. His hand rose from the other’s shoulder to squeeze Han’s cheeks. The metal claws that Hyunjin wore pricked his skin and Han grimaced. There was a beat before Hyunjin pulled away, a glaring smile on his lips.
“Of course,” Hyunjin hummed before letting go of the goblin-fae with a rough hand. “Not after my warnings, no.”
Jisung stumbled away as he rubbed at his cheeks. His gaze flickered upwards, looking at the other through his messed curls.
“Poor, poor Jisungie,” the King condescended, sighing out. “I noticed your jewels are missing,” Hyunjin noted.
Jisung’s hand instinctively went to wear they usually weighed on his waist. They were absent; his bracelet thudding against his belt with a plastic scrape.
“Oh, oh.” He stuttered.
“Jisung!” there was a distant cry from the Runner, so far off in the distance it was barely audible. She needed him. Hyunjin was quick to speak over her and her following yells.
“How’d that happen? After all you went through to obtain them, you’d think you’d be more… careful with your treasures,” Hyunjin commented.
The goblin-fae’s hand rose to itch at the back of his neck, fiddling over the raised scales that resided there. “I—You’re right—something must’ve—I’ll have to look for them,” Jisung stumbled over his words. “But, first, I’ll go and whisk the Runner back to the beginning!”
Jisung bowed slightly as he began to back away, step after step, heading towards Y/N. Y/N needed him. He had to find her. His fingers fiddled with the charms of his bracelet, rubbing one charm back and forth as he tried to sneak away only to feel the world stop. Birds shushed; the brush ceased to shift in the air; sounds and squeaks of the world tumbling along quieted. The air chilled to a freezing temperature and he froze.
“Wait, Jisung.”
It was an odd thing – a power only the High Fae had with their pure-connection to magic, blessed by the Underground to be able to control time and reality at whim. Hyunjin didn’t do so often, and only when it benefitted him.
It had been a while since Jisung had felt the effects of his power. Time stopping was useful when you wanted to avoid something or prolong another thing. He has memories of forever parties where time refused to tick forward, air frozen cold from magic being warmed by his body pressed to Hyunjin’s and other courtiers, and paused moments around the Castle, just him and Hyunjin, locked in embraces and pleasantries beyond Time’s eye.
Jisung’s eyes shut before he turned and falsified a smile to his King.
“I have a better plan.” The King mused. “Give her this.”
Hyunjin commanded with a flare of his fingers. Suddenly, a fruit was daintily perched in between his clawed fingers before he tossed it to Jisung quickly. The goblin-fae reacted and caught it easily.
“What is it?” He hummed, holding the thing carefully.
“It’s a present,” Hyunjin’s voice was sharp as he paced a few steps forward.
He didn’t like that he had to stoop to such levels, but she was progressing far too quickly. He couldn’t help the rise of defensiveness. He had expected her to be cowering in his shadow by now – he had expected her to be at his knees, sweet and pliant.
“It won’t harm her… will it?” Jisung queried, quietly.
The peach was abnormally heavy for such a small thing. It reeked of magic like honey-suckle with a sour-undertone, like something was fermenting within it.
“Now, why would you care?” Hyunjin paused, glancing over his shoulder at the goblin-man.
Jisung’s lips pressed into a fine line. Silence struck him. He was truly a coward after all that has happened. He couldn’t say what he truly thought even now. If he did, what if it hurt him – what if it hurt Y/N, too? It was odd feeling care for someone else after all these years. It made him swallow roughly.
Hyunjin’s smile was sharpened fangs and rolled eyes.
“Don’t tell me – you like the girl?” the King mocked.
It was foolish but expected of Jisung. He always wanted what wasn’t his. And the Labyrinth-Runner was his. Not Jisung’s. His.
Jisung’s voice was a stutter as he glanced towards a nearby shimmering tree and avoiding the King’s gaze. His throat felt dry as he swallowed. His hands fiddled with the bracelet – her bracelet he was reminded cruelly by a voice in his head. Her bracelet she gave him after he promised to help her. But here he was… discussing her with the King. Betrayer, betrayer, betrayer. Coward, coward, coward. His thumb brushed over the charm he favored the most – the smoothness easing his rising anxiety as he felt a roil of bile climb in his throat. He felt like he was back to the dunes outside the Labyrinth, banished and alone, with only the sands of time as his company and the taste of dust on his lips. He licked his lips – it didn’t taste of grit or death. He wasn’t there.
The King made him anxious and ever-cowardly. A long while ago, he was believed to be the King’s favorite – but it is true that Hyunjin’s blood was cruel, and no one knew that more than Jisung.
“Do you love her?” Hyunjin pressed on, turning fully to look at Jisung.
Head tilting like a predator sizing up his prey, he took slow steps with his long legs. His deep purple coat didn’t dare touch the dusty ground – it was as if small dust sprites lifted it just enough so it wouldn’t tarnish the fabric. It made him look more unearthly, more slowly unhinging at the thought that Jisung wanted her. His Runner.
“Do you think she loves you?” he commented, voice deep and low like a tiger’s growl.
It held an air of warning but also ridicule. As if the idea was fictious – unbelievable. Hyunjin’s eyes stormed as Jisung’s gaze rose at the other’s words. At the sight of the hurricane building, Jisung glanced aside once more as he found his voice.
“She’s my friend,” Jisung finally murmured, glancing down at his feet. “I don’t want to harm her.”
His eyes focused in on the bracelet that jingled lightly. The metal didn’t burn him – despite its iron and silver appearance. He liked that. It made him feel powerful. His other hand’s thumb brushed over a different charm.
“Oh Jisung,” his true name was like a dog’s lead around his throat. His head snapped up to meet the King’s gaze. He was oh so very close now; his smell of fire-smoke and honeyed rosemary burning Jisung’s nose.
“We were friends once, too,” Hyunjin reminded the shorter man.
And he had hurt the King was unspoken but loud and clear. Betrayal bit at the lesser-goblin’s spine. There was a hum in the King’s throat, a soft tut before, with the polished specter, he tilted Jisung’s chin up.
“Jisungie, if she ever kisses you,” Hyunjin was close, the king invading the space of his once-Gentleman-In-Waiting, his estranged best friend, “I’ll make you a Prince.”
Jisung couldn’t help the glow of wonder from sparkling in his eyes. Confusion and awe. He was a greedy soul through and through. Perhaps his blood was of dragon-fae long passed considering how he exceled in green envy and the need for a hoard of pretty things.
If he was a Prince of the Underground, he’d have all the jewels and finery and wondrousness that a fae like himself deserved. Even more than when he was a Gentleman-In-Waiting. All because of a human kiss? No, no, not just a human’s kiss – it was Y/N. Brave, stupid, charming Y/N. She’d probably like him more and--
“The Prince of the Land of Eternal Stench,” Hyunjin finished with a cruel smirk. He loved to watch the awe fade from his subject’s eyes – how Jisung’s Adam’s apple stuttered with a swallow. Hyunjin’s fingers rose to pinch the fair goblin’s chin. “Don’t make me do such a thing, my pet.”
Jisung trembled as he nodded. “Yes--yes, your Majesty.”
“Good boy,” the Goblin King hummed before letting go of Jisung’s chin and stepping away with a scowl.
“Give my gift to the Runner; she’s making too much progress.”
#skz x reader#jisung x reader#han jisung x reader#skz imagines#stray kids x reader#stray kids imagines#hyunjin imagines#hyunjin angst#hyunjin reactions#stray kids scenarios#stray kids fanfic#stray kids fantasy au#han jisung imagines#jisung imagines#jisung reactions#han jisung reactions#jisung angst#han jisung angst#bang chan x reader#chan x reader#bang chan imagines#bang chan fluff#written by haley#hyunjin x reader#hwang hyunjin x reader
34 notes
·
View notes
Text
Creatures of the bamboo forest:
Peaceful:
Dwarf Elum> Smaller greener colored Elum that can be picked up and held. Pig size.
True Elum> Regular from the games, can be many different colors thanks to Maokon breeding.
Shram> Mushroom with ram horns and goat features.
Longhorn Yoxen> Water buffalo esc bull cows co-owned by Corvokon and Maokon.
Hostile:
Sleeg> Sleg Fleech cross that primarily feeds on the sligs bellow ground. When it rains they come to the surface where they are a terrifying threat to a mud.
Slog> Not native but captured and bred by sligs to have new variants.
Blython> Colorful hooded cobras that live in the trees. Messa has a purple one as a pet. They're big enough to hunt mudokons and yoxen at their largest.
Giant Frolimite> Mama jumper spider that's a fluffier looking bolimite.
Neutral:
Keye Fish> A dolphin sized koi fish that comes in many colors. They are hunted for food and bred for new scale patterns.
Grog> Three eyed tree frog, edible delicacy to the Corvokon. Its cousin the Dart Grog is pretty but poisonous.
Brahana> Piranha/ gabit esc fish that feeds on anything that falls in the water. Can also climb onto land to swarm animals too close to the shore.
Dwarf Frolimite> Jumping spider parallel that's the same size as a bolimite.
Winnow> Small golden colored minnow fish that make up the backbone of the freshwater food chain.
Plant guide:
Beanpole Tree- Bamboo
Greenco Leef- Ginkgo Leaves
Phink Sakuro Oak- Pink Sakura Tree
Grale- Wheat / Kale cross plant
Grapez- Grapes
Grazons- Raisons
Wyne- Wine
Ryce- Rice
Kalp- Kelp
Flornge- Orange
#oddworld#oddtumblr#worldbuilding#fanfiction#adding this to my blog guide so things are less confusing in the future#ill be adding more art to it as I go#oddclan-askblog
28 notes
·
View notes
Text
get creatured!!!!!
Left to right: @moonchild-in-blue @leonsleftbicep @ghxstly-death
@pear-island (dunno what blog to tag lmao)
Me when I creature the mutuals. Just some simple creature eldritch horror designs as gifts ig! idk you guys are very cool. I had a lot of fun doing these! I plan on coloring them digitally eventually. If any of you guys are uncomfortable with this please tell me. And if any other people want a custom little horror beyond human comprehension I’d be more than happy to design one. I’m gonna stop rambling now (lie)
Design break down under cut :b
(not using first names I can if that’s better. Pardon misspellings. also color coding haha)
Moonchild-in-blue: Moons, stars. The whole shebang. Tied in some espera elements cause I know you love the ladies dearly. Just taking the vibes I get from you and translating into M O O N W O M A N. She has a fun half mask and I plan on doing some up close sketches. When I do color these, I’m thinking blues and purples. Ong I listened to hypnosis so many times drawing this… hope you enjoy it!!
Leonsleftbicep: Yeah uh this happened. Took inspiration from Grim and how you draw yourself (cool shirt and little tail thingy). Ram horns were fun so bam I added them. Also serated sword cause why not. Heavily bloodborne inspired. Either blues and golds and red and gold for color palette along with black. Yeah dog!!! (only a lad by oingo boingo carried this design)
Ghxstly-death: tall lurking being. Whenever I think of you I think of plants and mushrooms (so some of those are on the shoulders) I also thought a stall staff that doubles as a trident would be fun. I took some inspiration from Teacher from The Girl From The Other Side. When I color this it’ll probably be greens or any other colors you have preferences towards. Antlers are fun and I might add fungi to those too!!
Stinky poo master (pearisland): bro I don’t even know. I noticed some of yours OCs have scarves so yeah. Also fun pattern on cloak. Little guy also has a mercy dagger (used to stab and jab anyone who gets close). I know you play sky:cotl (I’m guilty as well) so cloak. uhhh she gurbert on my bunger til I geek off the yipper
42 notes
·
View notes
Note
Hi! Everything I see about this hp game is just worse and worse, but one thing I don’t get is the Sirona Ryan character? I don’t get why that’s bad, but I think it’s maybe because I don’t know how to pronounce it? This game is a trash fire of hate crimes, but I truly, honestly don’t get the name. Could you please explain it? Thank you very much ❤️
I edited that out of my post because I was worried that I'm just being ignorant about it. I still worry that maybe I was wrong to bring it up. So I'll walk you through my logic, but if this is just cultural ignorance on my part, I apologize.
I saw someone on tiktok explain it, and I'll repeat that if you don't mind. There was a joke in a show I never watched (friends? himym? can't remember) where a character meets someone's parent and that parent looks like, you know, the "man in a dress" transphobic gag. And she asks "what's your name?" and the parent says "Amanda." So she goes "Ohhh, of course, A Man DUH."
Amanda is a real name. But it still got used for a transphobic joke.
So. Sirona is a real Celtic name. It's genuinely a beautiful name. And Ryan could have been harmless as a surname. But in the context of a franchise that belongs to the most well known TERF, a franchise that has the repeated problem of names like Kingsley Shacklebolt, and even names like Remus Lupin that are just "I named him what he is," I just don't think they picked this name for harmless reasons. This is the kind of thing you'd avoid when you know you're writing for a franchise where the fans are used to reading into names this way. This is a world where more than one name is an on-the-nose wordplay based on the character's marginalized identity. Why wouldn't people see this as the same thing, with the new writers continuing JKR's pattern?
This is the same game that gave the player character a slave, advertised itself for letting us visit the kitchen with the other happy slaves, and has its entire premise drowning in antisemitism. Like JKR's choices of names, these issues have been criticized for years. The choice to double down on them rather than choose any other story is deliberate. This game is steeped in bigotry, and people are rarely single-issue bigots. They didn't put in a queer character for us, they put in a queer character for an opportunity to hurt us. That's why I said I'm sure they went to a list of names and picked the one that starts with "sir." Like with the ram's horn (which could have been harmless in a different story, since ram's horn instruments aren't exclusive to Judaism) the larger context is what makes it feel targeted.
Again, if this is my cultural ignorance, I apologize. But this is why I found it uncomfortable. Even if I'm wrong to feel this way, I hope you at least understand where it came from.
339 notes
·
View notes
Note
Oh! Well in that case, if I may be a Terminal Boober for a sec, what about something with c!Ranboo? Maybe being all happy with the _Beloved family, or something with the panic room if you want Angst™
concert night!!!
[id: a drawing of ranboo, tubbo, and michael_beloved. michael is wearing a white sweater with the initials "mb" on it and blue shorts. he's playing a blue toddler piano with a chicken-themed pattern. tubbo and ranboo are watching him, both in tears. tubbo is wearing a pink-button down white a white flower on it and blue pants; he has the legs, tail, ears, and horns of a brown ram. ranboo is wearing an orange sweater anbd brown skirt; he has a black tail, ears, and ear tufts covered in feathers. he's holding tissues to his face, and tubbo is holding a tissue box in front of him. end id]
#you dont understand. tubbo built the piano and stool because michael said he wanted to learn to play#and ranboo and tubbo painted the design on together#tubbo#ranboo#michael_beloved#mcyt#dream smp#dsmp#beeduo#art#fish makes art#asks#awilddaydreamer
1K notes
·
View notes
Text
Gargoyle Au Demons
Hashiras
Muzan:
has curled ram horns
wings work like a beetles, no joints on the wings except for the base. *like in the picture
tail is based off his spiky tentacles
mouths and teeth along his tail
the red on his legs is scaly and hard. (forgot his arms but there the same on his arms.)
height is 6'0
dick size: 9 inches, thicker at base but thins out at the tip
rounds: around 5
possessive and very aggressive.
will make sure you have his scent all over him so no one can clam you.
his mating dance: crouches as he spreads his wings and rattles them while purring, if your a gargoyle you would do the same and flea bite his neck. as a human you would just nod you do something to show approval.
wing span: 20 ft and 8 inches
Kokushibo:
Horns go straight up but curl back near the top
purple scales along his tail, wings, arms and legs
a crescent moon on the tip of his tail
wings are like a bats but are scaly with black outside and purple on the under side
wings span: 30ft and 10 in
height: 7'4
dick size: 10 inches thin near to the tip but thick at the base
passive unless provoked and possessive
leaves marks and his scent all over you
is clingy and will wrap his wings around you in a protective embrace
mating dance: goes on all fours (they can switch from Bipedal to Quadrupedal) spread his wings but the wrist joints on his wings will tilt down, wave his tail from side to side while purring.
gargoyle: copies the dance and press you forehead on his
human: shows some sign of approval
Douma:
straight horns that curl a little
wings:
{picture}
riggied like ice on the ends but soft and silky fur for the rest of it.
gold fur along his tail, arms and legs
his tail has golden feathers with the blood stain on the tip (pretty much the pattern you see on doumas head)
the tail feathers are 9 feet wide and 10 feet tall.
playful and passive unless provoked, will bite marks all over your body and rub his scent all over you
height: 7'2
wingspan: 28 ft and 12 inches
dick size: 9 inches, medium thickness from base to tip
mating dance: will flap his wings and tail feathers while making playful noises and gives you small gifts (like really unique leaves, rocks, ETC)
gargoyle: joins and gives him a small kiss on the cheek
human: gives kiss on the cheek
Akaza:
double bat wings
pattern scales along his arms, tail and legs
traditional gargoyle horns.
a snowflake at the end of his tail
height: 6'8
wing span: about the same as kokushibo
aggressive and very protective and makes sure he marks your body
dick size: same as doumas just a little thinner
dick size: 8 inches
mating dance: switch to Quadrupedal and flaps his wings and tail while making soft low frequency noises
gargoyle: copies dance but makes a high pitch gurgling
human: shows approval
hantengu clones:
all have feathered wings with there color scheme on the tip of the feathers.
ex: sekido has red tipped feathers
urogi is gonna look different, instead of the bird like legs its furry gargoyle legs.
all have black fur along there tails and limbs
all have the same wing span and dick size.
wingspan: same as kokushibo and akaza
dick size: about the size of douma bit thins out near the tip
they have big feathers on there tails with there colors on the tips.
horns stay the same
sekido: aggressive and possessive
urogi and karaku are like douma
Aizetsu (my baby boi) is passive unless provoked
all will mark you with there scent
(can't have them all at once if you have more then one mate then they will fight over you)
mating dance(s):
urogi and karaku
gargoyle and human: very confused and a little scared at first but will approve
Aizetsu: will got to quad and stomp his arms on the ground instead of his feet
gargoyle: will copy and flea bite his colar bone
human: laugh a little and shows approval
sekido that but he is swinging his tail instead
gorgoyle: copies and rubs head against his like a cats
human: pats his head
Rui: no nsfw for him cause he's a child
wings are spider like and walks like a wyvern when he is in Quad position and uses them to climb
white silky fur along his tail and limbs.
the tip oh his tail mimics a spiders His tail basically
wing span: 20 ft
has the circle marks all over his body (you know that marks that are on his face)
height is: 5'5
Enmu
horns are curved inward at the base then curved out at the top
mixture of black fur and scales along his tail and limbs.
wings are bat like, black with blue along the edges
blue eyes with the dream kanji litter his tail with a massive claw at the end of it.
very possessive and aggressive
has a double set of jaws
wing span is the same as rui's just a foot larger.
dick size: 9 inches thins out at the tip and medium thickness at the base
height: just a couple inches shorter then muzan
mating dance: This but purrs and goes on all fours with his wrist joints pointing down and tail slowly swaying from side to side
Gyutaro and daki
No nsfw for daki cause she is also a child
daki has big feathered wings while gyutaros wings are bat like
both horns are traditional gargoyle horns
gyutaro has scales along his tail and limbs
he has a double sided sycles at the tip of his tail
daki has silky white fur that fades to a green along her limbs and tails.
daki has multiple tails (like five atleast)
all are flate and really strong
she can wrap them around you with ease
gyutaros dick size: same as muzans
both there wing span are the same size as kokushibos
daki has some cloth wrapped around her breast
gyutaros mating dance: will go on all fours with his wings spread and wag his tail as his front with jump from left to right like a playful dog and make playful noises
gargoyle: copies and will hug
human: starts to scratch his head in aprroval
Extras
they have knots
ears are pointed like an elves
they make a nest on there stone perch they have inside the midevil mansion you live in somewhere in Europe.
there characters were cursed for when they died they become these stone European monsters. (literally anyone that was involved with the war against demons and humans.)
there diet is fish (salt, fresh water, or brackish) giant birds, meal worms, blood worms and earth worms.
I didn't add gyokko or kigaku you can just use your imagination for what they look like lol.
i will do the hasiras next
yes they all have powers but they spit liquide plasma
all have a different effect
Enmu: his plasma is a mixture of blues and purples and will send the opponent to sleep
kokushibo: his plasma is as white as the moon and will melt the opponent
douma: his is an icy blue that will freeze the opponent for an extended periode of time
muzan and gyutaro: there plasma is blood red and very acidic and will melt the opponent
daki: she has no plasma but uses her tails for combat
sekido: the color of his lightnings he summons in the show, it will electrify the opponent and fry there nerves
aizetsu: his plasma is a light blue and makes the opponent go into a deep depression for an extended period of time
urogi: pretty much kept his sonic wave scream
karaku: his plasma is a light green and is very acidic and can use his massive feathered tail to blow away his opponent
like i said, kigaku and gyokko are up to you lol
Let me know if i missed anyone please!
#enmu tamio#aizetsu x reader#gargoyle au#demon slayer enmu#enmu x reader#aizetsu#xreader#kokushibo#kokushibo x reader#hantengu clones#KNY#demon slayer au#hantengu clones x reader#sekido x reader#urogi x reader#karaku x reader#douma#douma x reader#muzan#muzan x reader#daki#daki x reader#rui#rui x reader#kigaku#kigaku x reader#gyokko#gykko x reader
201 notes
·
View notes
Text
[ID: A compilation of digital artworks featuring various ocs, most non-humanoid. The 1st image showcases a buff axolotl, red with a heart-shaped head and gills that resemble arrows penetrating her skull. She’s wearing overalls, is covered in miscellaneous tattoos, and has one arm smaller than the other. Next drawing is of a rabbit-esque robot with four floating rhomuses for a head, left leg patterned in checkers, vertically-placed eyes and a short sweater. Following this, the next artpiece showcases a fat humanoid sporting features of a sheep, including fluffy, fleece-like hair, little horns, and fluff sprinkled on her legs and arms. She’s wearing shorts and a sun-themed shirt, and slip-on shoes that somewhat resemble hooves. Next, a ram character with a toothy grin, wearing a long-sleeved dress and sporting a plant motif. Her four horns seem to be coiled vines, has leaves for ears, and a vine-like tail with berrys near its tip. Finally, the last drawing features all four of those ocs as their earlier designs, alongside two new characters including a water-bodied cat with fish, and a chameleon cat with a raincoat and hat. End ID]
Design adjustment for some ocs I drew a while back
21 notes
·
View notes
Text
What's that? HOT single dad with BIG naturals in YOUR area Hazbin Hotel tag? More likely than you think!
Ok, jokes aside, I've decided to try something new for myself and redesign HH Lucifer. I'm gonna preface this by saying that I'm not a professional character designer (in fact I can barely draw), but I tried anyway just for the fun of it.
Sorry I took your goofy tumblr sexyman wannabe and turned him into a depressed dead-beat dilf, who's deeply unamused by the shit happening around him. Also he is trans and doesn't even bind (like a king he is) because I have to represent Viv's biblical lore as accurately as possible.
*Disclaimer: under the cut you can find an obnoxiously long text detailing my design choices. It's probably poorly articulated and not at all amusing, so you can just skip it. Also there's a badly drawn hat somewhere down there, so beware.*
I'll begin with the most obvious: Lucifer's main inspiration for his look was the ram. Mostly because the goat is supposedly already taken by Satan if I remember VivziePop Lore correctly, but also because it's a direct reference to a sacrificial lamb. I used images of a Jacob sheep as a reference, for multiple reasons: 1. Their fur often has a two-colored pattern (usually black/dark brown and white, which will become important later), 2. Sometimes they can grow as much as four horns, which kinda gives me this occult, almost demonic vibe, I was going for. 3. They're kinda cute. Look at them majestic beasts:
Moving on.
In the hellaverse the seven deadly sins are supposed to be themed after different types of circus performers, and Lucifer wasn't an exception, his outfit clearly being inspired by a ringmasters' costume, while his white face with red cheeks are supposed to resemble a clown makeup.
I've decided to keep the circus theme and run with it (maybe a bit too far, as you will see in a second).
My first point of reference was the same as in the original: the ringleader. Given the chosen theme it kinda makes sense, since he is supposed to be a main ruler of hell. You can really tell that he runs this circus. Awful jokes aside, his upper wear is obviously inspired by a circus ringmasters' outfits, with a mix of trates from another character that can be sometimes found performing in a circus, which brings us to:
Pierrot. Now, although his character originated from the Italian theater, pierrot can be considered a clown in a more modern sense. (At least I think so. If I'm wrong clown experts can kick my ass in the comments, I probably deserve this)
Pierrot often characterized as a melancholic, a sufferer and a tragic lover. When it comes to the humor in the circus setting specifically, it usually comes from the pierrot's melancholic nature and often involves his clumsiness and kind of self-deprecating slapstick, which I find quite fitting for a man who fucked up so bad that he isolated himself from the rest of the world and who's wife left him because of that. Lucifer's whole life after the fall has been one giant unfunny joke, and he isn't coping well with it.
Elements of a pierrot costume can be observed in the white jacket, the coat lapel of which is mimicking a frilled collaret. The fur pattern on his face is also a reference to a pierrot's make-up: a white face with black (well, brown in our case) tears.
Lastly, you probably have noticed the shirt, which has the main colour accent to it. It's actually inspired by a strongman singlet.
I've decided to give it less stripes for simplicity (also because I'm lazy). He's supposed to be wearing shorts and a sleeveless shirt underneath his costume, but I'm too tired to draw another image, so I guess you have to use your imagination on that one. I'll be frank, it's mostly supposed to be a little nod to the fact that Lucifer is supposed to be a strongest being in hell. Yeah I included it into my design because of a bad pun.
On a second thought, it's probably not great that I've tried to crum in three different types of circus performers into one character, but I'm not a professional character designer, so I legitimately do not know if that's ok. More experienced people are welcome to critique or correct me in the replies/comments.
BONUS:
While finishing the first image I randomly thought to myself that besides the ringleader elements, there's may not be enough clues that he's a monarch. So I decided to do a separate image where I clown around to try and redesign his crown/tophat, so here it is:
And if I decided to break down my thought process designing Lucifer himself, I might as well do it here also.
I've decided to keep the crown and ringmasters' tophat elements. I used images of a ringleaders' tophats and the imperial state crown as my main points of reference.
All the metallic elements of the "crown" are actually made out of pyrite, also known as a fool's gold (you can really tell that I'm a fan of dumb puns). I decided to used it to further showcase how Lucifer ruling the hell is treated like a joke.
Chains surrounding the tophat are supposed to represent how Lucifer was unwillingly thrown into this position and it weighs him down.
These two rings at the bottom are supposed to look kinda like a snakeskin (yes really), which is a reference to that scene where he turns into a snake to give Eve an apple. Speaking of which:
At the top is placed an imperial orb, with a upsidedown star (pentagram) instead of a cross. It carries the same meaning as a regular imperial orb in a sense that it shows monarch's power, but it's also kinda mocks the regular globus cruciger. (Fun fact: russians sometimes call it something like a "monarch's apple". I just thought it was kinda funny considering the context I'm using it in.).
The rest of the elements are taken from a regular tophat ringleaders' usually wear.
Anyway, that's all I have. Feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments or replies, I'll gladly read them.
24 notes
·
View notes
Text
[Wings of Fire] MudWing Headcanons
Me when I finally use Tumblr for something 🤯. I'm working on tribe headcanons and am going to start posting them here. I have lists for all of the tribes but we'll start with MudWings (they're in tribe guide order).
MudWings have the most complex structures and they are very skilled at construction, especially masonry.
MudWings are the largest tribe in population due to having the largest egg clutches. These clutches range from 5-9 dragonets per laying.
When the tribes started adapting to their environments and evolving into the tribes that exist today, the MudWings were the last to be formed.
Blood-red eggs occur about once for every 8 clutches. It is most common for the bigwings to hatch from a blood-red egg.
MudWings have a stronger immune system due to living in a swamp environment their whole lives and being exposed to these diseases, gaining immunity to them over time. If a MudWing, such as Clay, is hatched out of the swamp, they lack this immunity.
MudWings are the only tribe where mating for life is rarely seen. Higher-class MudWings are the only MudWings known to sometimes stay with their mates.
The MudWing social structure is shown by how the kingdom is arranged. The lower-class MudWings live on the outer edges of the kingdom while the higher-class MudWings live around the palace which is in the center of the kingdom.
MudWings are commonly aromantic or demiromantic. It's rare to find an actual relationship between two MudWings.
The Royal MudWing Family is the only family well-known for keeping track of their biological dragonets.
The MudWing Royal Family is represented by rubies.
Despite MudWings being hungry is always seen as a joke, it is extremely important that MudWings eat enough food because of how much energy they need due to their larger bodies.
Common MudWing professions include farmer, stonemason, medic, hunter, shopkeeper, and rancher.
Traditional MudWing music is played with banjos, fiddles, harmonicas, jugs, kazoos, washboards, and rhythmic clapping, stomping, or thudding. The music is similar to that of stereotypical hoedown music from old-time eastern America.
MudWings have large horns that they use for ramming. These horns either twist outward and upward (bull), or downward (ram).
MudWings often have patterns similar to that of swamp animals. This can include speckles, spots, feathery markings, and zig-zags.
166 notes
·
View notes
Last Seen Blogs
3rdsleeper
dreamt of you
chewedcorn
Meme city
queen4men
Embrace your true self
purplesigebert
My Friend Made Me Do This
blue-shy-guy
Hello