im thinking about the god au again. you know how in myths, a lot of stuff has variations??? yeah well hereโs some for arthur
arthur is depicted both as a serpent with an endless tail, and a leech with an endless tail. his teeth and colors change appropriately for these variations
when depicted as a leech, arthurโs main allusions focus more on how he steal and takes from other people, rather than tricking them. the legend goes that he stole power from the gods instead of swindling them out of it
arthur is sometimes depicted simply as a giant serpent/leech without the human-looking part added to it
after the story of the swan (@cygnsโ) and the serpent surfaced, some people began depicting him with black swan wings or burnt feathers
history canโt seem to make up its mind as to whether arthurโs eyes were green or blue, but either way they are always descriped as being hypnotizing and intensely bright
thorns being one of his nature symbols has a few different stories to it. some people say that he was bound with thorns by ozpin when he was cast down, and thornbushes grew up around him. other people say that his anger and sadness was so strong that his cries were laced with magic that would twist the nature around him into thorns
because offering meat, living or dead, to him is one of the most widely-known ways to give offering, arthur is also called โthe butcher godโ in some tales
some people say that itโs bad luck to have an apple tree at your home, because apples are one of his symbols and they could draw his curse to your family. others grow apples on purpose to please him and show him that they honor him but want no part in his wickedness, as protection. this varies from region to region
in the story of the serpent and the swan, some people tell it that arthur went with odet back to the heavens and stayed in her home while she prepared the wedding, but he was dragged out and sent back to earth by james. in this version, most people say that odet was no present when this happened, and the gods worked together to distract her as they knew her mercy would foil their plans to send arthur back
history also canโt seem to decide if arthur and ozpin were lovers or if they were master and student before he was cast down. there is a classic painting of the two of them created in the impressionist era called โthe lessonโ that depicts the two of them sitting by a small lake on top of mossy rocks. ozpin is reading from a book to arthur, who is surrounded by supplies to take notes with, though he is draped across the rocks with his cheek propped up on his hand as he looks up at ozpin. art historians have argued for years over whether this is meant to be admiration or pining
when the black queen, also know as salem, is depicted, she wears a crown. many people depict this crown as a living serpent from which the metal grows. arthurโs symbols show up quite a bit in her imagery, sometimes with a serpent around her neck, sometimes draped in emeralds, sometimes among a bed of yellow chrysanthemums. no one has ever been able to agree on what his importance is to her