What would have happened if Gambit didn't get infected?
Found and Lost
Taka's backup plan for Silva, the holder of the Heart that has his ash merged with and is thus in contact with Silva via thoughts or dreams, is to lock her memories and mind away before Radiance can grab a hold of them and infect her
In the original timeline, Taka doesn't even offer this option to anyone else, because Silva was the only one who knew about him and he could reach back to her. He technically had the ability to help the miners but didn't (it's a plot point where Silva learns this later in their friendship and becomes upset with him and he realizes his inaction has consequences)
The little "what if" here can click well with this backup plan. Taka could lock up Gambit's mind before she gets fully infected and dies by slipping off of the Hallownest Crown. The problem is then, she has no memory of Silva, of the miners, of her friends and family...
But at least she's still here.
(sorry for no image ID, just know that the final picture is showcasing Gambit's mind island. In personal world building, the dream real consists of what you generally see in the game but each bug has their own dream islands with unique looking doors that open up to their minds. Taka likes to knock and visits those if bugs allow him inside but in this case he is the one who sealed Gambit's door away, so Radiance can't find her way inside)
I'll add more info tomorrow, my eyes are NOT happy with the art session today
Tis the next day and I am editing the post instead of adding to it because of tumblr so here goes~ I'm putting it under read more that's already here
Maggium is one of the first weavers and hard at work with her sisters on the ways to leave Pharloom. She's proficient at runes and rune based tools/trinkets so if something or someplace needs a proper set of runes bind to it.
Magg may seem like a lot of her sisters, grouchy and stoic with her own set of ideas and rules that she sticks to but she is also extremely curious. While still lacking in a bit of patience, she finds it intriguing when different viewpoints conflict with hers. Even if she tries to debate in being right, she will still listen and try to understand more common bugs around.
She didn't quite intend to accept anyone as apprentice, being that all weavers are busy trying to escape their situation, but while striking deals with the snail shamans in the close by Chapel about sharing knowledge, Magg was approached by a seemingly disinterested snail.
"Hey. How do you do that? With the threads? How do you make that?"
Apparently, Maggium was maybe the fifth weaver this snail approached and started asking question but only she actually started yapping openly about the topic, explaining the silk and how it's formed.
One unexpected lecture later, the curious snail openly said she wants to study and use silk like spells, which might not be too different from runes. When Magg asked her what for, the snail expressed a change of interest and nothing more, for now.
Why would a snail with such well practiced spell knowledge even want to dabble in silk? Magg got curious but also doubtful. She invited the snail to moss grotto for more study and assumed the snail will get bored and quit after a little while.
But she didn't, to Magg's surprise. The snail even shared ideas of how some spells and soul work and it got Magg mutually curious. Realistically, Magg had no time for this but she took the excuse of seeing the potential in learning shamanistic ways, if this is going to be about shared knowledge of power.
So after a little hissy debate with her sisters, Magg convince them to accept the apprentice as her student. Then they promptly named the snail Apparatus, which the snail found odd but accepted it.
Nicknamed Appa, the snail was serious about her studies but but she by no means in rush of things or in as dire situation as the weavers were. She values her down time, looks after herself and enjoys living on the side of studies. It's something Magg doesn't quite understand, so she will get lessons in more than just shaman spells and soul...
Scuffed but have Nightmare Syndicate AU Grimm in one of his many gender neutral outfits I suppose! (I'm not good with clothes but I think you can guess the vibe he'd go for)
A bit of his business side and a bit of his uh... more upset side. Nightmare heart from under the archives can tug on those emotions quite a bit. Luckily Grimm is skilled to handle it majority of the time. Just don't break the rules and you're good at avoiding a flaming shapeshifter confrontation with him!
Tarnish, the brew merchant (AKA Potion Seller or as I like to call him, That Snake Oil Guy)
A snakefly actually pretty proficient in brews, elixirs and teas. He carries his little shop and items in various bags. He's also pretty good at trying to sell you things in general but if you have valuable things to trade he'll be happy to offer that as well, as long as it helps him get through Pharloom's climb aaaaaaall the way up to the Citadel...
He's no pilgrim. He doesn't even believe in this great monarch everyone talks about, the whole haunting is caused by a powerful bug sitting on top, at least that's how he'd explain it but not like it matters. He's a good seller of lies and bargainer of useful info. What is really happening matters little to him as long as it doesn't get in his way
If it means reaching his goal, a bit of trickery and broken trust is a small price to pay. Tarnish does have lines he doesn't cross but they're rare and he really needs to take a good pity on you to not pull his usual tricks.
Aside from being a good liar, he's also good with his twin sickles when it comes to combat. Would he risk entering combat though? Absolutely not lol
What he's after is basically a self kept secret, all others know is that he needs to reach the Citadel despite the reason not being faith and he'll do just about anything to get there
Random Nightmare Syndicate AU tidbits that popped in my mind randomly at random times gooo
I should really name the archives where the Syndicate resides aside form "the library" because it's not just the library... but anyway, count it as THE Archives before Teacher's Archives. Quirrel is a frequent visitor sent by Monomon either to store new research in the vaults of the place or take some. Grimm is kind of annoyed by it, not because Monomon is contact with him to ask to leave stuff but because PK hasn't really offered Monomon her own archives. She has so much research. PK trusts Grimm to keep it safe so that's why. Grimm is kind of on the back and forth with Monomon on him offering money to build her a place to archive her own stuff but she keeps herself too busy to help with that, even if she likes the idea.
I'm not fully sure how the infection works in this AU but it's not like in the game, I figure it would be like something bugs accept on purpose from Radiance herself who is laying hidden from PK's sight somewhere and sometimes she can posses bugs through dreams. So it's less like a zombie infection kind of deal and more like a gifted "power" (think of Traitor Lord)
A lot of underground stuff and factions going on (basically like the Nightmare Syndicate itself), Soul Sanctum is probably another and Lurien who is like a mayor of the city suspects something is happening at the research facility but doesn't act on it just yet. Either way, it's none of Grimm's business. There's a lot of hidden tension happening behind the scenes but otherwise the city functions normally until something big blows up
The Weavers would be like a noble family of sort that aren't locals. They have a beef with PK and technically any other stronger faction but they are still willing to cooperate with them. They're probably chill with Mantises in this AU aside from the Traitor Mantises? Hornet loves to wander and keep herself updated on things happening underground. She knows about her siblings but she hasn't found them yet, it might be a task she puts on herself to do despite Herrah telling her the truth about the void children will surface on its own eventually and that PK is stupid for thinking he can keep them hidden. What they are made for no one is really sure yet but they suspect it could relate to opposing what Radiance is doing, her power gifting becomes overwhelming and disruptive but also hard to stop for good
Any of your ocs? Well, I dont have a specific question, but maybe something for your snail shaman oc sunny?
weird first panel, no alt text, sorry, it's 2:30am and I haven't even checked spelling so fuck it we ball
have a little dynamic moment between Sunny and Alyssum~ Because they're a snail who can teleport with a blink spell and are very quiet, they can be anywhere and remain unnoticed
Their head is like a memory bank as well, full of juicy information they heard. However, they will not give them to you for free. You must trade them something in return. Sunny love desserts~
Obviously I didn't draw the bench and the background in the other version (I dun wanna) but it was fun to use as the base for these weirdos~
As Alyssum and Chiffon escape Highgrove post the fall of Magnolia's rule and her confrontation with Yonna, Mugo and others, they were found by Nicolao and his guild
Alyssum, protective of Chiffon but understanding she was in a disadvantage without her wings and spells, offers deal to Nicolao. If the two are taken under Pharloom's watch and kept Chiffon a secret, the weaver will create a seal of binding as a power only Nicolao can wield
The Goldenrod minister accepted, mainly out of amusement than strive for more power. After all, he was just a step behind of taking the position of the Conductor and secretly having a weaver in his possession could help him secure it some day
While poor Chiffon didn't want any of this, they had no choice but to follow up on it. Making a seal of binding was their specialty and not a difficult task but staying in Pharloom of all places... they have to accept living in fear, or at least trust that Nicolao will keep them safe
Some time passed and Zeeke, who had to get off his lazy ass for once and help his sister Lotus, the ruler of Highgrove, was doing his business as usual until he received an invitation from one of the Golden Order of Pharloom... This can't be good. With Highgrove's removed monarchy and ever so slowly establishing new system, he had no choice but to try make the possible danger of Pharloom over Highgrove at minimum
Arriving at the Citadel for the first time was a surprise enough but seeing Alyssum and Chiffon there was a shock!
After a brief explanation of how they got there, and Nicolao expressing his expectations of full cooperation from Zeeke, they told him he was going to play a part in a little "side project" of theirs
He is going back to Hallownest to invite a certain little family for a trip to Pharloom...
:
(from left to right)
Vanya (xe/xem), an earwig, Nicolao's trusted assistant and a servant. Xe looks scrawny but he can still fight. Super high pain tolerance which often results in xem fighting until passing out without realizing. Vanya would do anything for master Nicolao, even fully allowing him to puppet xem with strings. Oddly believes the skills xe has are poor and can only be good with Nicolao's "gift" through silk string pulling and manipulating (which is obviously a lie). Nicolao might be having too much fun with xem and stringing xem because of Vanya's willingness to cooperate and almost sensing no pain...
Nicolao (he/him), velvet ant, also known as Goldenrod Minister. Very skilled with silk stringing and conducting to control bugs with naturally possessed silk within them. Usually it helps if he also sings or if there is music but overall all he needs his pin. He is, how we say, without a hair on his tongue, pretty straight forward about everything so it's not like the Golden Order doesn't know he one day wishes to become The Conductor. Killing is obviously not allowed to achieve that so he is honing his position and skill as much as he needs to.
Zeeke (he/him) is from the previous story, so are Alyssum (she/her) and Chiffon (they/them, weaver) but no page for Chiffon yet oops~ Know they lived a very shelter life under Alyssum during Magnolia's rule in Highgrove. They're skilled in creating, or rather weaving, seals that can cast spells (soul). Alyssum had their seal weaved into her wings before they were cut away. Very rude and spoiled but now Chiffon has to deal with being "caged" in a sense in kingdom that might want to do terrible things to them...
Just wanna say Taka and his situationship intrigues me greatly. I'd love to learn more about that bug
Yippee! He's my silly little troupe guy!
Out of all characters, I think Taka goes through most of the changes in the duration of his life (and death lmao)
His time at the troupe with Grimm is, surprisingly, the least bit of his life that I've worked on so last time I've mostly been going through some of that period of his.
I did write that he becomes a tad unhinged while there, mostly to spite Grimm but that was near the end of his time with the troupe. He becomes a bit too good at his job as a grimmkin and a keeper of the flame. Somehow it's fun to prolong the cycles Grimm has because Taka expect him to get upset. Too bad Grimm knows him too well and it works only a bit lol
But now I'm adding some of that on top it. I've been thinking how the whole grimmkin stuff at the troupe works or how being part of it is like.
I'd consider bugs who are part of it to be stuck in the same repeating cycle as Grimm (however, just like when joining, he lets them leave when ever they want as well). Being bound to The Heart makes them immortal in a sense while they're still part of the troupe and in possession of the flame.
When a new Grimmchild keeper or a summoner shows up, they still need to collect the flames from different grimmkin until it's enough. They have to fight and earn the flame. They can chose to spare grimmkin if they want to or they can choose to fight to the death (something Taka loves to offer as he gets more comfortable within the troupe~)
What happens when grimmkin die? They can either choose to leave their soul to The Heart, which offered them in the first place, or they can choose to resurrect using it. After all, the more members there are the more flames to feed The Heart.
Resurrection can be painful and takes a toll on the grimmkin so they have to have some time to recover their bodies and flame. They basically respawn at the tent lol
He gets a biiiit too attached to the sensation...~
(cue Taka passing out right after this and Grimm standing next to him looking unimpressed lol)
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