Yippeee!! Alright here's the ramble post about Bleeding Hearts. I'll put it under "Keep Reading" as this will be a long post and this helps with clog n shit lol.
Should note CWs that may appear during this explanation:
(Mild) Body Horror, Oviposition (technically? but non-sexually - for horror purposes :P), Death, Blood, Vomiting, Infections, Hive Minds, Gore
There are more CWs around Bleeding Hearts (BH) but they are not applicable to this explanation atm
This is likely Part 1 of this long ass thing. You don't have to read this if you do not want to and can simply just experience the comics or content I put out around this AU if you so please but this post will provide the most information about general lore around the functions of this AU.
Relationships and character backstories will be in Part 2 lmao
What is Bleeding Hearts?
Bleeding Hearts is a mashup AU that combines Those Who Inherit The World, Cross My Heart, and My Dear Hatchet Man into one complicated and very jumbled mess because @kitskame thought it would be interesting to see how our characters would interact with one another along with the MDHM cast.
A lot of the content from this is going to be a few moments from the roleplay that Kit and I made for this AU. Most of my fanart for MDHM were actually recreated moments from the original BH roleplays! For example these posts!!!!
First Page of OG BH
Ursula and Alan scene
MDHM versions of Eddie, Zach, Casey, and Kieran
Jealousy
Better Off Dead (this was based on a full scene)
Another Alan scene :3
Probably my favorite one
These aren't ALL of the posts ive made about OG BH but it's a good handful. I can compile a list if anyone's interested :P
This is probably the third time we've actually remade it - this time it's just had a massive overhaul. A few characters have been removed (Erika and Stu for example) and lots of lore and character backstories and purposes have been drastically changed.
The main story mostly follows these three: Theo, Fletcher, and Ursula
Theo, Fletcher, and Ursula are some of the characters from Cross My Heart.
Bleeding Hearts in particular takes place AFTER the events of Cross My Heart which ends with Fletcher, Theo, Aphelia, Robert, Ben, and Janice surviving the many serial killers that inhabited Glasfar, Scotland.
During CMH, Ursula (and her little brother Bach) had been communicating with Fletcher on the phone. Ursula only knows so much about what Fletcher and Theo have shared with her about what happened in Glasfar. She only knows the main points but not specific details.
What is TWITW?
Those Who Inherit the World (TWITW) is essentially the main story universe that a majority of Kit and my OC's inhabit. CMH is actually a side story within TWITW (so its not apart of the main plot).
TWITW has 6 arcs but for the sake of this AU, only Arc 2 is relevant.
TWITW also has a specific timeline of events - like Arc 2 takes place in 2050 but since MDHM is in 2025, we just pushed stuff back for the sake of fandom and self-indulgent bullshit :3
The characters from Arc 2 are: Eddie, Zach, Naomi, Kieran, Casey, and Tempest
There are some other characters from Arc 2 that show up but thats WAY later down the line. I also dont know if i'll even show that since i'll be showing tidbits of this AU.
TWITW has a lot of other lore tied to it that is mostly explored on the @sweettoothvn blog. What you need to know is: Magic and aliens are real and they live underneath the Earth's surface in a place called "The Intrepid". These aliens are called Atlaens. The town where BH takes place is called Silver Pines and has a mixed population of normal humans and spellcasters. The University (Alderwick University named after the town's founder) has its own normal programs along with some secret magic programs for transfer students and residents.
Premise:
It's been 9 months after Glasfar had burned down.
Ben and his family (Janice, her sisters, and her mom) had moved out of Glasfar long before the killings got worse.
Aphelia, Robert, Theo, and Fletcher all moved to Denmark to restart their lives. 9 months can feel like a long time, and yet so little too. The trauma from Glasfar was still fresh on their minds but they've managed to return to normalcy... somewhat.
Fletcher learned about Ursula going to college in a small town called Silver Pines. He and Theo haven't seen here since high school and a reunion was long overdo. Phone calls weren't cutting it anymore. Fletcher decided to plan a 2 week trip during the end of May where he and Theo will surprised Ursula. Robert and Aphelia join as Fletcher and Theo would love for them to meet their childhood best friend and her jerkish kid brother, Bach.
As for the others, Eddie and Zach are taking summer school classes at Alderwick University while dorming there. Kieran, Zach's obnoxious twin brother, isn't too pleased by the distance so he decides to "take a vacation" with his band members Tempest and Casey.
Changes and Lore Dump:
Some of the more major changes to MDHM's lore and such that are relevant to this AU. They're combined with the magic system of TWITW as well.
Doomsbury has been renamed to Silver Pines. The small town has a population of ~60,000 people and has a very low crime rate. It has a University (Alderwick University) with a very diverse selection of majors and programs. The local lake, Blue Heron Lake, is not only safe to swim and fish in, but has a rich culture surrounding it and it's sister lake, Stillwater Basin. Stillwater Basin is off limits to the public due to its toxic waters, but still has many legends surrounding it. It seems like the ideal town, especially for families, young couples and college students, and it's pretty common for tourists to move here after visiting only once. It's almost like this town is "too good to be true".
Boss is now replaced by an alien from another planet (separate from the alien race that lives in the Intrepid) that is referred to as The Chorus.
The Chorus is a being that inhabits one of the two lakes in Silver Pines called "Stillwater Basin". His goal is to create the perfect "family". This entails turning Silver Pines into a full blown Hive Mind. To do this he has used his powers to mutate an Atlaen race called the █████ which have their own Hive Mind and abilities that The Chorus is taking over. They have a symbiotic relationship. The Chorus makes his perfect family, and the █████ get to spread their kind and live a "peaceful" live in Silver Pines without fear of being exterminated like in The Intrepid.
How the █████ work:
The host consumes their egg (which is the size of a button). The egg stays in the stomach and sticks itself to the stomach lining. The egg "grows" larger and larger each time the host (now referred to as an Incubator) experiences an adrenaline rush. The egg will only hatch when the host is killed. Then, the █████ emerges in muscle like tendrils that weave themselves through out the body while also consuming the host's soul. The █████ will connect to the brain of the dead host and take on any memories that the host had and "becomes" them. To the outside world, it's like this person never died, however, the █████ could develop its own personality the longer it lives as the dead host. The body of the host will not decompose either as the █████ operates the body and keeps functions moving.
The process of hatching is usually determined by the Chorus who decides which eggs will hatch and when. He then sends an Echo out to go an kill the host so that the egg will hatch and another █████ will join the hive mind.
Usually the way the Incubators are killed via a weapon. When the █████ hatches and its tendrils go through the body, it will attempt to "sew up" the wound as well. The █████'s maturation period depends on how large the egg was. When the █████ hatches it will act childlike as it is a new born inhabiting a full grown body. Usually it takes 1-2 weeks for this stage to pass as the █████ matures very quickly if the egg was a normal size. The egg can get very large within the host if the host is continuously experiencing adrenaline rushes and near death experiences. So when that egg finally hatches, the maturation period could be as little as a few hours until the █████ is able to fully adjust to the body and memories of its host.
Boss's Employees are referred to as Echoes. Aka Carver and Alan are Echoes. There are more Echoes than Carver and Alan like Callum and Sam, but we mostly focus on these 4 while the rest are just NPCs. Echoes ARE Incubators but unlike normal Incubators they carry out major duties like starting the Hatching process, surveying the town, monitoring tourists, newcomers, uninfected individuals, and college students, and running "Trial Periods" (more on that later).
Echoes are able to communicate to the Chorus through his "song". Usually the "song" will be heard from radios, walkie talkies, televisions, phones, anything with a signal. For Alan, he hears the Chorus's "song" through his walkie talkie and radio in his truck. Only Echoes and █████ can hear the Chorus's "song" without going insane. Those who are not infected or Incubators will not understand the message the "song" plays and will slowly go insane when hearing it. Side effects can include auditory, visual, and physical hallucinations, vomiting, and/or seizures.
When Echoes are monitoring uninfected people, those people have a 2 week grace period. Usually this grace period only applies to people who are planning to stay in Silver Pines for less than 2 weeks. The purpose of the Trial Period is for Echoes to monitor, learn about, and get to know these people (who have stayed here longer than 2 weeks) and determine if they are worthy of joining the hive mind. Typically Echoes have to look for positive and negative traits and report their findings to the Chorus who will weight these traits against one another to see if this person is worth being infected.
For example: Eddie and Zach are apart of the secret, magic program in Alderwick Uni and therefore are going to be staying for 2 1/2 to 3 months for their summer classes. The Chorus will send two Echoes to evaluate them and determine if they are worth joining the hive mind. The Echoes will find that Zach has more positive qualities about himself that outweigh his flaws. He would be ideal to join the community so they are to send a █████ to infect them. Meanwhile, Eddie, has many negative qualities (anger issues, violent tendencies, vulgar language, antisocial, generally hates people) that would make him unappealing to join the Hive Mind. The Chorus will allow him to continue his summer classes an leave as he was not planning on being a permanent resident anyway.
There are also a few characters who happen to be immune to the infection. They don't know why and they don't know how. This immunity only appears after they've become an Incubator and the egg has grown to be some-what sizeable. Usually Incubators cannot feel the egg growing, but those with immunities can. Something in their body gets triggered and for about a few hours they are feverish and sick, vomiting up portions of the destroyed egg.
Perhaps something about these people can help create a "cure" for incubators that haven't hatched yet.
if completing tasks feels so good and reminds me completing tasks is easy then why is starting them the emotional equivalent of sending my first born to war
the funny thing about this is that both people born in the 2000s are reblogging this freaking out because they arent ready to be adults and people who were born before the 2000s are freaking out about how they feel old and that it cant be happening because all people born in the 2000s are like 4
More artfight!!!
Gabriel (1) (DnD OC)
Chi & Masky (2) (Marble Hornets / Creepypasta/ Slenderverse OC)
Christopher the Beast (3) (OC) (this is one of my good friends go check him out!! :3)
Jerrica (4) (OC)
i hate how they market alexa as a ‘member of the family’ like that’s SO fucking blatantly insidious and terrifying also if i wanted an untrustworthy/cold/emotionless machine in my life i’d just talk to my fuckin father
Here are my Dungeon meshi stickers! I basically thought "hey. lots of people will have cute food themed stickers. And that good and well, but I want that serious stuff too!" So I decided to make a series for the main gang based on sense of self instead!
gummygunk
areudirty
s-u-f-j-a-n-s-t-e-v-e-n-s
kianamaiart
discoholicmusic
germansingergirl
