Well, hello! I am alive, thank you for asking! Put simply: life had massively gotten in the way. I've never forgotten about this blog though!
I've just had so much crap going on, there's been basically no brainpower or energy to spare on anything else. Now some stuff is being treated and dealt with, I plan on being active once more. I have been out of the swing for a while though, so I need to do some brushing up and revising and then I'll focus on answering my oldest, unanswered asks first.
But yes, I am alive. In spite of everything going on.
One last post for tonight, I hit a creative roadblock and that’s why I made a aspect redefinition. Needed something to help me kickstart the way I think about things, especially for the asks in the inbox! Did some introspection on the way, and well, I’m going to be princeofheartclasspects now! Hindsight makes things hilariously obvious. Not going to go too in-depth due to how personal it is but it’s been an eye-opener for sure. So, I’ll be updating the blog accordingly to this fun new revelation. ... And then I’ll get back to chipping away at the ask-box. Thanks for your patience!
My reference of the aspects is another thing that was sorely overdue for a rewrite so, finally, here it is.
A core difference in how I view aspects now is that they are complimentary, not antithetical. You’ll notice that some aspects share a key-word – that’s intentional and while I do have some differences explained and written up between them, I’ll save them to be posted about for a later date.
Time – is related to the End. Time is Endings, Finality, and Destruction. One of the cardinal aspects, it acts as the complimentary to Space. It is Strife and Combat, propelled Forward by that constant Momentum. It is the Finale to it all, what the Result is, where you End at. It is Patience in the face of unyielding Uncertainty – never stopping so they can Progress. Death is tied deeply to Time, after all, what is more Inevitable and signifying of the End? Music, Rhythm, and Entropy are also Time-associated concepts.
Space – is related to the Beginnings. Space is Beginnings, Isolation, and Creation itself. One of the cardinal aspects, it acts as the complimentary to Time. It is Propagation, Birth, Paternity, and cultivating Life itself. It is Substance, encapsulating everything Tangible and Physical as well as Physical Form and Appearance. Isolation and Loneliness has deep ties to Space, being either literal physical distance or a sense of alienation from societal norms/expectations. Directly stated to be linked to Patience, Space waits and falls back, waiting for the right moment to strike before settling back and resting once more. Physics, Arts, and Destiny are also Space-associated concepts.
Heart – is related to Who You Are. It is the Core of Self, your Soul, what makes you, you. It is the components that make an Individual – their Motivation, their Passion as well as their Identity. One’s Individuality and their Internal Emotional desires, it’s about Who you are and what you Feel. They may don a Mask and with their awareness of what they Do, selectively choose what to show – or their knowledge of Self allowing them to see beyond another’s Mask and reveal their True Self. Emotion, Intuition, and Instinct are Heart-associated concepts.
Mind – is related to What You Do. It is Thought, Choice, and Logic. It is one’s Choices and the path it takes them on. It is Decision-Making and Reasoning, the Consequences of the Actions one takes and considering the multitude of Possibilities and Outcomes. It is Logical Thought and how one Acts independently of who one is, pushing the concept of ‘Self’ aside. Trickery, Facades, and Deception are Mind-associated concepts.
Hope – is related to Ideology. It is Belief, Positivity, and Possibility. It is having a Broad and Open Perspective and seeing all Possibilities – no matter how farfetched and ‘silly’ they are. It is being fueled by having Faith and Trust in themself, others, or whatever else holds meaning and invokes Positive Feelings for them. It is Dreaming and Imagining a better reality and doing whatever it takes to achieve said reality, even if it seems Impossible. Morale, Escapism, and Imagination are Hope-associated concepts.
Rage – is related to Skepticism. It is Defiance, Rejection, and Negative Emotions. It is narrowing down the Possibilities and Restricting one’s worldview to focus on One Path. Casting Doubt and Skepticism on the Unjust and Lies, exposing the Truth for all. It is the absolute Certainty in their Ideals and under the Contrivance and Chaos lies Truths. It is the Revolution, annihilating Falsehoods to bring about Change. Chaos, Change, and Focus are Rage-associated concepts.
Light – is related to what is Meaningful. It is Information, Relevance, and Fortune. It is Knowledge and Awareness, driven by Learning and Understanding. It Illuminates what is hidden, giving Meaning and Importance to it, bringing things to Relevance. It is Empirical, taking many sources of Information to reveal the Facts. Factual Truth, Fate, and Predestination are Light-associated concepts.
Void – is related to what is meaningless. It is Secrets, Irrelevance, and Indifference. It the Unknown, the Unseen, what is Hidden from all. Covert and shrouding things in Darkness, it Confuses and Obfuscates not just knowledge and information, but people as well. It takes things and makes them Meaningless, removing their Purpose and thus Irrelevant - Nothing. Physicality, Nothingness, and Uncertainty are Void-associated concepts.
Breath – is related to Independence. It is Freedom, Quest, and Direction. It is Motivation, what your Goals are, and the Movement to pursue them. It is Personal Freedom, Detaching from their ties to move Forward as an Individual. Flexible, Fluid and Driven - Adapting to whatever comes its way to get to their Goal without being held down and grounded. Individuality, Motion, and Free-will are Breath-associated concepts.
Blood – is related to Responsibilities. It is Commitment, Relationships, and Security. It is how everything is Connected and Tied Together as well as sacrificing Personal Freedom for the Group. It is Grounded and Tied down by the Connections made, made Secure by Friendships forged. It is upholding the Duty given, fulfilling Obligations, and keeping Promises. It is Loyalty to the Group and keeping the peace for Unity to flourish. Unity, Bonds, and Pacts are Blood-associated concepts.
Life – is related to Defiance. It is Growth, Agency, and Energy. It is Rebelling against Rules and Restrictions, pushing to Grow stronger and overpower it with pure Energy. It is Health and Life-force, Nurturing and Bettering themself and those around them. It is Optimism in the face of adversity, Growing stronger and thriving to overthrow the Limitations in their way. Wealth, Nature, and Luxury are Life-associated concepts.
Doom – is related to Acceptance. It is Rules, Limitation, and Restraint. It is Confining and Limiting to Conserve resources to be used elsewhere. It is knowing when something is Futile, Accepting and Withdrawing. It is Systems and Restrictions, making up the Rules that hold everything together and Guide those who follow them. It may involve great Sacrifice, and while it can be Pessimistic and full of Suffering it instills a sense of Empathy and Wisdom. Technology, Sacrifice, and Order are Doom-associated concepts.
Hello all! This is a post I’ve been meaning to make for a while - I’ve been quite a bit slower with answering asks not only because of work and my own forgetfulness, but also because I kept hitting roadblocks with how I format and answer things. I’ve never done anything even remotely like this before and I think it really shows, especially in my first ever post. It has basically everything I wanted to AVOID doing, especially with destruction classes. It doesn’t live up to my standards now, quite a few of my older posts don’t actually, but I suppose that’s what comes with experience.
So, about formatting - Session analysis won’t have personality bits anymore. Not quite sure why I did that in the first place actually... I wrote myself into a corner there quick because I found out fast, I’m not capable of writing two entirely different personalities for the same classpect, at least, in the context of a session. It got to be frustrating because I feel like I couldn’t deliver it well enough so... that is restricted to classpect analysis or specified questions. Plus, I came to realize it's a bit uncomfortably awkward? I don’t know if the session is about a title an actual person goes by or if it's their ocs! And it shouldn’t matter - I don’t want to overwrite someone else’s ideas, be presumptuous, or impose an arbitrary set of rules/limitations/expectations/whatever. I try hard to emphasize is how what I write is just one single instance of how a classpect is! Sessions have so, so, SO many unique-to-the-individual factors so all I feel comfortable doing is their role to play and loose general journey that their title bestows upon them.
I will also go back and update some of my older posts, ESPECIALLY the finding your classpect one. I’ve changed how I’ve thought about quite a few things, and it bugs me my own reference is inaccurate! Also, I’ll be making a new version of the Prince of Mind analysis. Because the old one is driving me nuts. Kinda forgot the whole “Princes destroy THROUGH their aspect too” part. Sheesh!
Hello there! If you're not too busy, could you analyze a session with a: Rogue of Doom, Heir of Mind, Knight of Hope, Sylph of Rage, Witch of Heart, Prince of Void, Page of Time and Mage of Space?
Absolutely, apologies that this took me a while to get to!
ROGUE OF DOOM:
The Rogue finds themselves easily acquiring Doom, finding comfort and their own identity within its confines. They may believe their aspect is nothing particularly special, and that everyone can acquire it with the same ease they do. Rogues also tend to isolate themselves with their aspect, which can be detrimental to them when done in excess. Overall, they need to moderate their interaction with their aspect, and once they form a solid understanding of what exactly entails – foster that positive connection and share it with others!
So, sharing Doom with allies doesn’t sound good on paper, but there’s a lot of good that can be done! They’d take more of a supportive role but have a unique way of utilizing offense too. They’d be able to redistribute the damage done to their allies and put it onto their enemies instead. I feel like the Rogue has the capability to save one from death, but it may come at a steep price – like the Rogue (or someone else) having to make the ultimate sacrifice. They may be able to redistribute from Doomed selves, or saving someone from, well, being Doomed! There’s also the matter of an ally suffering deeply. Instead of them having to bear it all alone, the Rogue can help ease that pain, everyone taking a bit of that burden equally.
Doom is a lot more than just suffering and negativity though. It’s rules, limitations, and restraint (and even more of course, but those are what we’ll go into.) If there’s an unruly teammate prone to putting themselves in harm’s way or undisciplined to a dangerous extent, the Rogue can put a hard stop to that!
Of course, they won’t be comfortable and perfect with all of this at the start. They face a hard journey of making decisions pertaining to mortality, death, and being the one to have to step up and put a stop to things. Even when you know something is necessary, having to sacrifice someone for another is a really hard thing to do. They may also have to come to terms that they need to redistribute their OWN Doom, dooming themself in exchange for another to be spared.
This is an invaluable player; they’ll be filling a utility/defensive role with the bonus of hurting enemies while healing their allies! With them protecting their team, no damage will truly stick, and the more the enemy tries to fight back, the quicker they will end up destroying themselves. Under the Rogue of Doom’s protection, their team is near invincible.
HEIR OF MIND:
The Heir naturally gravitates towards Mind, it permeates their life and comes to them quite easily and naturally. Mind greatly empowers them, being overall a pleasant and positive relationship for the Heir. This positive relationship however can become negative for the Heir’s well-being. Mind is a main source of influence upon the Heir and so can change them irreparably; if they do not learn to take hold of Mind, they will lose themselves to it.
Changing Mind for others is quite interesting. They may change themself for others – but not who they are at their core. Instead, they may have an everchanging and flexible façade, pushing their true self aside for it. They may be the one to change choice and options for the team, opening new possibilities where others cannot see them. They could also change others minds and thoughts, shifting their perspectives and how they make decisions! In turn, they are also heavily influenced by the Mind of others, remaining flexible and open-minded to what others think. They’re pretty good at seeing things from an unbiased point of view and remaining impartial when their judgement is called upon!
The Heir will also have a solid ability in reading what other people will do, and what exactly the effects or consequences said action will have. They’ll have a good understanding of how actions lead into other actions, knowing nothing exists in a vacuum and keeping everything going! Their power may also give them a mild degree of mind control, swaying others to their point of view.
However, this interaction with Mind can be dangerous. That flexibility with facades could bite them back hard! The Heir will be lost on who they really are, what parts of them are really them and what was once a façade. Their identity will be drowned in their various identities and masks. The Heir must take hold of Mind and use it for their own purposes instead of being held to its whims. Their quest may be one of accepting who and what they are instead of stretching their identity across many facades.
KNIGHT OF HOPE:
The Knight may not have an abundance of their aspect like some other classes, but they know how to make the absolute most of it! They utilize their aspect with finesse; weaponizing, providing, using, distributing, or even aiding people using their aspect – their strength is in serving their aspect to others. Knights seem to have a predisposition of masking their true feelings, projecting a specific kind of image, or hiding behind a façade of sorts. A Knight’s struggle is an internal one. They may feel like they are not worthy of their ability, questioning if they’re doing the right thing… if they have worth. If the Knight can readjust and reaffirm themselves, they will have successfully completed their journey.
So, a popular theory is that Knights serve what there is little of in their session – this case being Hope. Maybe their teammates are despondent and pessimistic, feeling that the game is impossible and that there is no way to succeed and survive. Their teammates may be doubtful of themselves and even their other teammates! They are refusing to see the possibilities and keep an open-mind, and that’s what the Knight needs to provide to their allies. (Of course, that’s just a theory and it depends on if you’d want to go with it or not.)
The Knight needs to be giving their allies Hope. Keeping their minds open to the possibilities, motivating those who need it, and being a general force of optimism and positivity! Even in the face of impossibility, the Knight has an unshakable faith in their friends and the team that they’ll make it out just fine.
But don’t think the Knight is going to be able to do that the whole session without any problems. They will eventually face that struggle they’ve been putting off. This will shake them to their core and cause them to question everything. They are full of doubt, disillusioned with themself and their aspect, and questioning everything they’ve ever believed in. This is the crossroads, and this is one is particularly hard on a Knight of Hope. If they can affirm their values and beliefs, as well as adjusting their expectations, they will bounce back stronger than before and ready to protect their allies.
SYLPH OF RAGE:
The Sylph has had their aspect make up a significant part of their life. It is a vital part of who they are, and it has shaped them greatly. They’ve become the person they are due to their aspect, but it doesn’t necessarily mean their relationship to it is completely perfect. Sylphs are known to meddle, but it stems from good intentions, making frequent use of their aspect to fix what isn’t working. There’s a lot of responsibility within this role, and the Sylph needs to be careful. When all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail.
So, making Rage for others. This is fun combination for a Sylph, what benefit do others get from making Rage? The Sylph could focus people’s aggression at actual threats and that which is unjust – preventing infighting within the group and having a clear goal for the team to focus on. They can heal Rage, pacifying someone out of control and calming them – or induce a frenzy berserker state, giving them an adrenaline rush to push past the pain and keep going. They’d be realistic and keep the team focused on what is possible, and not on risky and unlikely ideas. Like the Knight of Hope, they’ll also be motivating and impassioning their allies but in more of a boot-camp instructor way. People have different needs, sometimes one might need more of a well-intentioned push and some tough love instead of a pep-talk of belief and trust.
However, the Sylph needs to know that while their methods work for some people, it doesn’t work for everybody. They act in accordance with what they think is important, even when it isn’t the best choice for others. Even when they have the best intentions, their way isn’t always the best or only way! They need to understand that sometimes, the best way to help someone is to leave them be and let them learn through experience. Knowing when to involve themselves and when to back off is crucial and will help them blossom into a fantastic mentor and teacher for those in need of guidance.
WITCH OF HEART:
The Witch has their life permeated by the presence of Heart, it’s in their interests, what they bring change to, as well as an element in their environment. There may be something or someone holding the Witch back, its negative influence wearing the Witch out and draining them. Once they can cast away those negative forces, they can assert their agency and pursue their goals without being held back. Witches change and break the ‘rules’ of their aspect, rejecting or rebelling against what is expected of the interaction entirely. They need to use this power of change in a morally conscious way, as their powers can be used extremely selfishly and oppressing to those around them.
Witches enact huge change with their aspect by rejecting part of it. What they reject depends on the Witch, maybe they give soul and identity to things that wouldn’t typically have it – like robots or inanimate objects. Maybe they reject splinters/lack of identity, forcing everyone to come to terms with their own identity. Remember, they are changing Heart for their own benefit, so this is hugely personality dependent and how the Witch themself views Heart.
There’s a loooooot the Witch can change with Heart. They could control ghosts, swap souls into different bodies, possess someone’s body, changing other people’s souls, change their OWN soul… They are capable of actively twisting and shaping one’s feelings and the very way they think, changing said person’s identity and core parts of their being. There’s also changing others motivation, passion, and biases for their benefit! This is a very, very, frightening opponent. A lot of dubiousness here, it’s up to the Witch and hope they use their powers for good and respect where others’ boundaries lie.
PRINCE OF VOID:
The Prince does not look fondly upon Void, holding a level of distaste or downright animosity to some parts of it. This rejection or refusal to face their native aspect may make them seem like a Light player but make no mistake – Void is what primarily guides them and what gives them their drive. They, in fact, do have their aspect, they may even have an abundance rather than a lack! The Prince needs to accept that Void has its place and to destroy only what is necessary to utilize it to its fullest potential. The other part is the internal struggle of egotism. They may be incredibly self-deprecating and hold themselves to impossible standards or, on the flip side, domineering and conceited, always believing they know best and that nobody is as capable as they are. The key is learning to balance their destruction as well as their ego.
So! Destroying Void and destroying through Void for their own benefit. They aren’t necessarily one to be trying to reveal all the secrets of the universe or anything, but if they stumble across something that shouldn’t be known – secretive – they’ll expose it for all to know. They want secrets to come into the light and with their reveal, may use them as leverage as grounds for their own relevance. They may also give relevance and meaning to something that was once meaningless, imbuing purpose and focus to it. Destroying through Void gives me the image of using black holes as a method of destruction as well.
Destroying THROUGH Void could also point to a gossiper. Destroying others through secrets and rumors, causing confusion and doubt. They may also destroy through meaninglessness, convincing all that something is entirely irrelevant and worthless – when in fact it is! I’d imagine they could also save someone from grimdarkness as well.
But of course, the Prince needs to learn they can’t just destroy all of Void. They may drag up things that are better left unknown. Just because something CAN be revealed doesn’t me it should. There can be some devastating consequences in revealing secrets! Void has its place, and the Prince needs to accept that.
PAGE OF TIME:
The Page has a deficit of Time, or at least, perceives that they do. They try to make up for this ‘lack’ with false confidence and overcompensation, maybe by trying to emulate someone else or creating an idealized persona. They have a special kind of potential, unique to them specifically, but with it comes a very long and difficult journey to rise to that kind of power. They will have a very hard time in making direct use of their aspect, forcing them to rely on their allies – making maturation and self-improvement even more of a hurdle. If they can overcome this slow burn of a journey, then the Page will finally come into their unparalleled power and take full advantage of all their aspect has to offer!
Unlike the Knight who is serving Hope to others, the Page will be serving Time to themself. They can’t quite access their own aspect’s power though, so it stockpiles over time. Others give their Time to the Page to make up for the Page’s own ‘lack’ of it. The Page waits and waits, serving Time to themself, adding more to what they’ve obtained. When the right moment finally comes, they may be able to exert significant control over Time itself, and once that time comes, the Page’s power is truly staggering.
As for what those powers are, I’d say get as creative as you can. Realized Pages are stupidly powerful! The Page of Time may have awareness over ALL timelines. They would time-travel with ease and jump to anywhere, anywhen they want. Compress and using Time however they need, like ‘freezing’ people in place but significantly more difficult to break out of compared to some of the Homestuck canon Time players. Serving others Time could also them choosing to age enemies as they attack them.
And well, that all depends on if the Page can endure their long, long journey. If they can realize their own potential and just keep trying, they’ll be greatly rewarded of their effort. But getting there is the hardest part. Their allies can be just as much of a boon as they are a bane to the Page, and its up to the Page to realize who exactly is helping and who is hindering.
MAGE OF SPACE:
For the Mage, the knowledge of Space comes from instinct and their own personal experiences. They don’t need to study their aspect; the understanding comes naturally and easily to them. But due to their understanding being colored by personal experience, they can be quite biased in how they show and act with it. They come from a place of being surrounded by Space and having been shaped by it, knowing the ins and outs of it – but their insight isn’t always something that is appreciated. They need to balance out their desires with what is possible to change.
The Mage knows Space or, knows through Space – for themself. Their knowledge is as expansive as Space itself and with it comes understanding creation, the nurturing of life itself, and propagation. They would have a deep understanding of the physical world as well as being remarkably accurate and aware of their surroundings. Hiding or trying to ambush them is extremely difficult, if not impossible! They’d be quick to familiarize themselves with everything within a space and be the first to find little secrets like hidden rooms or passages. Their precision is something to be feared as well, they are deadly accurate with ranged weaponry – making incredibly difficult shots and quick to spot weak points and openings.
They’d be a fantastic ectobiologist and top-notch frog breeder, able to get both done quickly and likely without needing any help. They will make an outstanding alchemist as well, able to reverse engineer codes and such with ease as well as having many useful and unique items in their arsenal.
I feel like as far as powers go, the active/passive of each class can accomplish the same things. The Mage will know, or, at least, approximately, where exactly things are located, who is where, and what is happening in a general location. They may not exactly SEE it, but they will know. Nothing will be hidden from the Mage, even a poorly drawn and not particularly detailed map will still give enough base info for them to work off of! Distance is something they can calculate and determine quite easily, and they will be proficient with short cuts and alternate paths! Space is also about beginnings, so they will have a solid idea of how to start things, building up a solid foundation for future ideas/plans.
The Mage will need to be careful about what they are pursuing. Their idealized version of the world and their wants may put them at odds with their friends and allies, or even be completely impossible. They need to be flexible and keep their options open without completely throwing away what they’re standing for! They need to figure out what they can plausibly achieve lest they try to change the unchangeable, spiraling into fatalism and dejection. The Mage of Space may also be particularly vulnerable to isolation from their peers, especially if they begin to doubt themselves and are self-deprecating.
This is an interesting mix, a lot of utility based classpects here. This group feels like they play off of each other and smooth out each other’s struggles.
First off, the Rogue is going to be needing quite a bit of moral support. The Heir will help a lot with processing those hard choices and reassuring the Rogue that what they are doing is for the greater good. The Knight will be a great boon to them as well, preventing the Rogue from becoming too pessimistic and bogged down. At worst, the Witch can forcibly change this if the Knight and Heir can’t get through to them.
The Heir may need assistance in being prevented from being overwhelmed in Mind, and the Witch is the best candidate for it. They will be pushing the Heir to accept themself and help lock down their identity, preventing them from losing themself. Of course, the Witch needs to be careful with this as they may push the Heir into this confrontation too soon and end up setting them back! The Sylph could help with this too, helping to give the Heir a clearer idea of what they want to sort out.
The Knight has quite a bit of pressure on them regardless of if their session is lacking in Hope or not! I can see them working alongside the Heir frequently, both working in tandem to keep people’s minds open. When the Knight must confront their own struggle, the Witch and Sylph should be there to help push and motivate the Knight. The Sylph will be pushing and encouraging the Knight back into action as well as helping the Knight clear their doubts with Hope. The Witch will be helping the Knight reconcile with what Hope means and reaffirming them.
The Sylph has got to learn their methods are not ‘one size fits all.’ This is largely personality dependent; I cannot say for certain who this will and won’t work for. They will be the one to help pull the Mage back to reality and reveal what they’re after is impossible, focusing them on what is plausible and preventing the Mage from sinking into fatalism. They are the grounded one, the glue holding the team together and keeping them under control and focused.
The Witch is a big deal, several members of the team have journeys relating to identity and self, and the Witch can greatly ease this process for them. This can be a good thing if the Witch’s desires and goals align with the teams otherwise… this can get bad. Really bad. With great power comes great responsibility after all and this is people’s core of self and individuality we’re talking about! They need to respect that there are boundaries to be had here and keep a strong moral compass, otherwise this team has a MASSIVE problem on their hands.
The Prince can be a mixed bag, if they’re chasing after relevance, they may throw themselves into unnecessary danger or even step on their own teammates to score praise and credit. If they’re the gossiping sort, they could sow confusion and manipulate the politics of Derse/Prospit to their advantage – or sow dissention amongst their own team. The Rogue is important to help keep any unruly behavior in check and the Sylph can help counteract any truly meaningless things given relevance. This is a very strong player on the offense side, but they need to be wary of what exactly they’re uncovering – especially if they’re a Derse player. There are some forces too dangerous to tamper with.
The Page is going to need quite a bit of support, especially at the beginning. The others will have to make up for the Page’s ‘lack’ of Time as well as holding them accountable for their actions. Thankfully they have a variety of allies more than willing to help – but not all of them are completely beneficial. The Prince and Sylph may push the Page too hard and end up frustrated with the lack of results which will just end up harming the Page. The Witch may be tempted to take a short-cut and hasten the Page’s journey to realization, which is of no benefit to the Page, they NEED to figure it out and experience it. The Rogue, Heir, Knight, and Mage are good options to help the Page along – so long as the Page decides to listen to them of course. The Mage may be the best out of the options, as their great knowledge of Space goes together with Time, helping to bestow a better understanding to the Page… if the Page accepts that it’s better to change of course.
As mentioned prior, the Mage may have to be grounded back into reality by the Sylph. The Heir can help smooth this realization out and the Rogue can help with the Mage’s inner-pain. I think the Mage would be a good leader too, their insight and knowledge of Space is extremely important, and their teammates will need their guidance. Their teachings and guidance are something the others better pay attention to, especially the Page.
Overall, I think they have a good chance of success, there’s certainly some bumps along the way but as I said before, I think most of them play off each other quite well.
Princes are an active destruction class and can be simplified to "destroyer of (aspect)" or "one who destroys via (aspect)." Space is one of the cardinal aspects, acting as the complimentary to Time. Without a Space player, a new universe cannot be made. Makes for a fun dichotomy when you mix a class of destruction with the aspect of creation itself. And just as a preface, just because a destruction class has one of the cardinal aspects doesn’t mean the session is screwed or they’re dooming the whole thing. Destruction is not always a bad thing!
Princes generally don’t have a great relationship with their aspect, holding some level of distaste or even animosity towards it. Princes need to accept that their aspect has its place and to destroy only what is necessary to utilize it to its fullest potential. The other part is the internal struggle of egotism. They may be incredibly self-deprecating and hold themselves to impossible standards or, on the flip side, domineering and conceited, always believing they know best and that nobody is as capable as they are. The key is learning to balance their destruction as well as their ego.
Space is one of the cardinal aspects and is related to Beginnings. It is Creation itself, tied to Propagation, Birth, Parenthood, and cultivating Life. It is also Substance, everything Tangible and Physical, including Physical Form. Space also deals with Isolation and Loneliness, being either literal physical distance or some form of distance from societal expectations/norms. It is linked to Patience and falling back, knowing, and waiting for the right moment to strike. Other things connected heavily to Space is Physics, Arts, and Destiny.
An idea of a Prince of Space’s personality might be like this: I think the Prince could be a pessimistic sort, or a strict realist. They may stubbornly stick to tried-and-true ways which, while it has its uses, they may be bluntly dismissive of innovation and creative approaches and not give them a chance. This could make them come across as cold and logical, disregarding of imagination. Some Princes of Space may be a creative sort – but a destructive kind. I can see them defacing property and things with graffiti or sticking with art practices that is meant to be temporary, things that get destroyed eventually. Practices like street painting, sand mandalas, ice sculptures, sandcastles, edible art…. Etc. Or maybe they destroy their own artwork, out of frustration, wanting to recycle it, or some other reason! There’s lots of ways to still have an art-driven Prince of Space! I can see some being a former artist too, abandoning it out of feeling like they weren’t good enough – and that may be a reason for their distaste for creativity.
They may be a messy and disorganized person, ‘destroying’ their own literal Space with clutter and stuff scattered everywhere. I can see them being rather impatient as well, hasty in how they act instead of stopping to wait and see the bigger picture. They could be overly focused on results and end up stressing out immensely if the process is not as smooth as they expected. Depending on the state of their ego, if they’re in a position of authority they may be demanding of having things done in a very strict way and conforming to their expectations.
Contrary to a lot of what I’ve seen, I could see a Prince of Space being a very efficient frog breeder! The Prince isn’t going to screw the session by just existing near frogs, remember that a Prince’s destruction is intentional and controlled. An over-embracing Prince of Space would be the exception because over embracing Princes slide into the dangerous territory of being one on a one-track path of destroying their aspect entirely – and frogs in Sburb are the very symbol of Space and Creation itself. There’s a lot of ways their frog breeding quest could go, but I’d saying something that ties into balancing destruction would be perfect. Maybe they need to carefully trim the frog population down as it is out of control, or maybe their land itself is incredibly overgrown and cannot even reach the frogs, or having to carefully destroy any cancerous or imperfect frogs… etc.
At worst, the Prince could be a rigid traditionalist, resisting innovation and imagination itself. They may be misanthropic or hold views of philosophical pessimism and end up greatly reclusive and secluding themselves from others. They could end up being very apathetic and cold to others, looking down on everyone else and thinking they are the only one who sees things for how ‘they really are.’ They may be resistant to change of any kind and end up stagnating.
As far as what could be the reason behind the Prince’s distaste for Space, it could be many things. Space forms their world view, values, no matter how hard they try to push away and deny it. They may be frightened of the loneliness and isolation of Space, despising how it makes them feel so alone in the world. They may be bitter over perceived failure as an artist, taking their frustrations out on creativity itself. Are they confused over what all of Space entails? How broad and unending it is? There are many reasons why the Prince rejects Space, but ultimately, they need to learn to accept its place or else they slip into the dangerous path of over-embracing.
I’ve mentioned over-embracing earlier but that is what happens when a Prince wholly rejects their aspect. They do not care who they hurt, what they’re destroying, if it embodies their aspect, they want it GONE. They may not even realize just how severe the consequences of this can be, and that is what makes over-embracing so dangerous for a destruction class. Destruction can be good when it is controlled. A Prince who over-embraces throws that out the window entirely. Their aspect is the enemy and will destroy everything in their path for their goal. This is where I think ghosting comes into play, by destroying Space, Time is left in its wake. An excess of aspect is not good, they’re all supposed to be balanced out!
Under-embracing is not good either, but it is not as devastating as over-embracing. Too afraid to wield their destroyer powers, they stagnate and end up doing nothing. They become oddly passive and very restrictive of themselves, ending up very weak for a Prince. Princes are meant to DESTROY; they are supposed to be reducing and deleting through their aspect or erasing their aspect! This Prince fails to do either and in doing so, fails in their quest. Destruction has its purposes, and they are not all bad. Destroying can allow opportunities for growth, rebuilding, and improving the very thing they destroyed! Sometimes you must destroy something to make it even better than it was before.
If they can become a True Prince of Space, I can see them being much more accommodating of unconventional approaches and even coming up with some wild plans themself! They learn that at times, waiting pays off exponentially more than just jumping in guns blazing. They can properly utilize what they’ve always known and what they’ve learned to finely hone their wielding of Space, being a force that knows exactly when to strike at the most crucial moment – ending it all in a big bang of flashy devastation. There’s so, so many posts about what kind of powers a Prince of Space might have so I won’t really touch on it; but just know that I believe they’re an incredibly frightening force to be reckoned with!
This might seem a little irregular, but how would... you go about making a Prince of Space? I've read through everything, and I'm simply not getting the concept at all, I think. Might be the Time player in my brain, haha. If you've got a classpect analysis up your sleeve, or perhaps moreso, an example? Would be much appreciated! Thank you.,
Hmmm, that’s a tough question. Honestly the way I make characters is super self-indulgent and making them in a bubble with no story attached essentially, though I did have a Prince of Space fan troll many, many years ago. Space is one of the aspects I struggled a lot to understand, just never quite felt like I had a good definition of it. I feel like I know enough now to answer this kind of thing though! I’ll delve specifically into making one for this post and do an analysis as a bonus because I had a lot of fun with this. Space is cool. I’ll bring up things in the comic a fair amount as well as talk about Jade, Calliope, and Kanaya to give some examples to show what exemplifies Space.
So, let’s talk about the aspect of Space before delving into the class/aspect relationship. The Extended Zodiac tells us that Space is primarily concerned with the big picture, seeing things from an overall perspective, and focusing on the overview. They are said to be patient and said to pick their battles wisely – that makes me think that they’re disciplined and focused. They are primarily concerned with the things that they believe truly matter or at least have a better chance of going their way. They conserve that energy to build it towards something productive. ‘Taking things as they come’ paint a composed and relaxed approach to the unexpected, and an understanding that things aren’t set in stone and are liable to change.
Space correlates to creating rather than making. It’s the purpose of fulfillment, a genuine love for the thing they’re creating. Let’s say you’re painting, and accidentally spill a glob in the worst spot possible. You might feel that the whole thing is ruined and may scrap it entirely, but a Space player would likely roll with it and find a way to make it work! They enjoy the process, not particularly stressed over how it’ll turn out, just if they have fun! It specifically states that they’re innovators, and recycle the old to make new, fresh, and beautiful things.
Space gets tied to fashion a lot, which, is neat. But it’s also your straight up physical form! Calliope shows this a lot, putting extensive work into her trollsona cosplay but also inspiring Jade and Jane to have trollsonas too! Jade has her wardrobifier changing the appearance of her symbol, as well as her being a massive furry and ending up a dog-girl when she god-tiers, as well as Kanaya having a passion for rainbowdrinkers – becoming the exact thing she idealized later in the comic!
Space also has ties to isolation and loneliness, but to say it’s just that is a bit of an oversimplification (as Jade says as much to Davepetasprite.) Going through that allows the Space player to be more connected and understanding of their aspect – but it’s hard and not an easy thing to endure. Through Jade, Kanaya, and Calliope we see that it’s a recurring theme. They’re all isolated in some way, Jade having physical distance due to her being on an island, Kanaya for having numerous unusual and unique traits that set her apart from her own kind (“one of the few of your kind” is brought up FOUR TIMES in her introduction.), and of course, Calliope. Calliope’s interests and personality is an oddity amongst her kind, and she is also by far, the most distanced of the Space players. Alone on a desolate planet, with her godawful brother who she can’t directly talk to. She at least was able to talk to the alpha kids but then she was faced with extreme loneliness after her death. Forced to sit and wait for who knows how long before someone came to talk to her. Alt!Calliope takes this to another degree, having never interacted with anyone but Caliborn her whole life – that distance and loneliness makes her the most connected to her aspect.
Creation is a core theme of Space, complimenting Time’s theme of destruction. That’s shown with the assigned duties of the Space player – frog-breeding and the creation of the Genesis Frog. It is the nurturing of life itself and reproduction. That aspect of Space particularly shines through with Kanaya, with her lusii being an extraordinarily rare Virgin Mother Grub whose purpose is that when her death inevitably comes – the matriorb is to be extracted from her and kept to hatch into a Mother Grub who will birth trolls. Creation of life itself! There are also the ties of cultivating and fostering life with Jade’s gardening hobby as well as Kanaya’s landscaping hobby – Kanaya also cultivated an entire oasis for her hive in the middle of the desert.
Now that we’ve touched on aspect quite a bit, let’s move to talking about class. Princes usually do not have a great relationship with their aspect, being adversarial at worst or lukewarm at best, at least at the start of their journey. Even a true Prince likely won’t be super thrilled about their aspect but they come to accept its purposes and use and why it cannot be destroyed entirely. But why might the Prince be rejecting Space? They could still have interest in Space, and that distinctive creative drive and sharp intuition- yet they are rejecting it. They may even be misread as a Time player, but that isn’t right.
Space shapes their world view and values, even if they try to deny and push away from it. So, what might be the reasons for the rejection? Confusion? Fear? Insecurity? Societal pressure? Are they frightened by the vastness of Space and aware of the distance and loneliness that comes with coming to understand it? Or you could play it straight and have the Prince actively discourage creativity and imagination. It all depends! There just needs to be some form of conflict between the Prince and something pertaining to the core aspects of Space.
And just as a quick condense of things tied to Space: Creation, Beginnings, Destiny, the Practical, Physical Space, Physics, Parenthood, what is Tangible, Art, Physical Appearance, Isolation.
I’ve recently been going back-and-forth with ghosting and still am trying to piece together what I think about it so for now we’ll skip over ghosting. Ultimately though, the Prince needs to understand the balance of their aspect. They don’t have to love every part of Space, they can still hate those certain parts that drive them up a wall - but understand that it exists for a REASON. They need to carve away the excess, what isn’t necessary. Only then can their aspect be properly utilized, and with truly devasting effects. Prince of Space is a wild offense class, there’s some absolutely insane feats of raw destruction they are capable of.
As far as examples of a Prince of Space goes… I struggled to think of a solid one so I initially said Superintendent Evil in the episode The Inquisition from the Amazing World of Gumball. That’s an example of a Prince of Space focused on the destruction of imagination and creativity itself… But in the middle of the analysis post for Prince of Space I had a more solid one come to mind. Deidara from Naruto! He has some traits of an egotistical Prince, being arrogant and prideful. But his most distinctive trait is his love of art. He uses his art, clay sculptures, as bombs to destroy whatever or whoever is in his way. Deidara holds the belief that "art" is the moment in which something that has form is destroyed – fitting for a creatively-driven Prince of Space! Here’s examples of his powers in action!
I’ll have the analysis post up soon but I hope this helped a little!
Hi! Wanted to ask for a session analysis - or a session critique? For a Rogue of Doom, Witch of Blood, Heir of Void, Mage of Breath, a Knight of Space and a Prince of Time. The Knight of Space might become a Rogue of Space. There's also a solid lack of knowledgable/rational players (ie. Mind/Light, Seer/Mage). I'm just... trying to figure out what's missing or weak about this session, and can't pinpoint anything specifically: Classpecting is not my strong suit, lol. Help...? (Thank ysm !!!!)
This is an interesting assortment for sure!
ROGUE OF DOOM:
The Rogue has difficulty in coping with Doom – maybe they constantly face having to make sacrifices, having rules and limitations imposed upon them, their life lacking in structure or stability, or just always seeming to have something terrible happen to them. I can see the Rogue being minimizing and dismissive of the effect Doom has on them, especially when it pertains to the negative effects of it and not seeing the positives. They may suffer in silence, thinking that their pain is nothing compared to others and that they will not accept the Rogue - using that Doom to limit and isolate themself. I can see them being very empathetic and warm but prone to pessimistic thoughts and doubt, giving up too easily.
Doom can be hard to handle, but it isn’t something that is all negative! The Rogue has a special relationship to it, and it can be used to accomplish amazing things – if the Rogue can stand up to take it! Doom isn’t all gloom and misery; it is at its core – the laws of life and notion of limitation. It keeps everything within boundaries and from spiraling out of control. Without Doom everything would fall apart to anarchy, shortsightedness, and intolerance. It is acceptance and accepting others, showing empathy for those around you, letting people know they are not alone and unheard in their struggles. Fate cannot be changed; all they can do is react and make the best of it. If the Rogue could do that then they will be able to stand up and take charge of their aspect – they understand what must be done and where the line is drawn, playing cautious but not cowardly, fully using Doom and redistributing it to where it needs to go.
The Rogue has some amazing potential both as an offensive player and as a support. Healing and easing other’s pain and suffering, or even saving one from death itself. That could come at a steep price however, for the Rogue or one of their teammates. They’re an unconventional healer as they could heal the damage done to an ally by redistributing it onto an enemy! There’s a lot of creative potential here, maybe they can even redistribute things from Doomed selves or saving one from Doom itself. There is a limit to what can be done though, and the Rogue will learn fast to respect what should not be crossed.
They will make sure no person bears a heavy burden alone, instead distributing it to their enemies or evenly amongst the team. Maybe they can even utilize their own suffering to their advantage or making their limits seem so much lower than they are and having the advantage of surprise.
The Rogue is an invaluable player, but they’ll need help on their journey. Someone open-minded and persistent to prevent the Rogue from getting too bogged down by Doom is vital. Give them some support and the Rogue will pay it back tenfold.
WITCH OF BLOOD:
The Witch is a bona-fide leader. Charming and charismatic, bonds are something they can easily make with others. Blood is the most important thing in their life after all, being surrounded by friends, family, and a large variety of acquaintances. I can see them being an incredibly out-going person and one who likes to organize things to bring people together. I can see them being stubborn and inflexible about things though, they’re firm in what they believe in and will get into arguments if you disagree with them. Building and severing bonds is easy for the Witch, they change Blood seamlessly – being fluid in their relationships and never stagnating. They may be a bit self-serving but they’re reliable and someone you can depend on.
Witches also tend to rebel or reject the expectations of interaction with their aspect. This really depends on their personality but perhaps this one believes nobody is truly tied down – any bond – no matter how strong – will eventually break down and fade. Maybe they break bonds for petty reasons or have no desire to maintain the responsibility of a friendship. I can see them being quite fickle – but that doesn’t mean they’re callous or don’t care. When they truly believe something is worthy, they’ll do everything in their power to uphold and honor that. While they can hang onto things for dear life, they can just as easily let things go and break away.
The Witch needs to be careful of how they change Blood. This is a power that can be used selfishly and cruelly, the Witch should never forget that bonds and friendships bind both ways. That power exerted over others can just as easily be put upon them! Even if the Witch has a fleeting view of bonds, they can make things permanent by their own hand.
The Witch of Blood works fantastic as a utility support for the team. Diplomacy is handled with ease – enemies can turn to allies in a snap or enemies can turn upon each other and now in-fighting is rampant. Manipulating Blood could work in the literal sense too- manifesting in a way like Hama’s blood bending in Avatar the Last Airbender.
The Witch is a hugely important player, depending on how they end up in the way they change their aspect, they can make even the most unstable group come together. Witches need to use their power in an ethical way and changing people’s bonds is… certainly a topic for discussion. They may genuinely not realize the harm they are causing or at the least, not intend for things to be potentially negative. Someone may need to step up to the Witch and tell them they need to understand exactly what they’re doing impacts others.
MAGE OF BREATH:
The Mage is quite the loner, they prize their solitude and don’t seem particularly care for getting deeply involved with others. It’s not like they aren’t friendly or social, but they are goal driven and know exactly how to get there – they will leave others behind to chase after what they want to accomplish. I can see them being very ‘go with the flow’ and unbothered by most things. Easy-going by nature but never settling down into one place. They’d probably have an innate good sense of direction and generally being flexible and adaptable to situations.
For Mages, their knowledge comes from experience. Maybe they had to constantly move around their whole life, never getting a chance to properly set down roots. They might’ve had to become independent and self-sufficient far earlier than most. No matter what though, what they have experienced defines Breath for them. The Mage has an idealized vision of how that should be pursued and how it should be done, striving to accomplish so. But it should be noted that this ideal is for making things pleasant for themselves – it may not be the best for others.
The Mage is a great teacher and guide. The path to their goal is easily navigable, easily finding ways to accomplish their wants and interests but others will get swept and pushed in their wake. What may be desirable for the Mage may be the opposite of what someone else is striving for – and the Mage’s detachment and bias may make them dismissive or not realize this conflict looming. The Mage may also struggle with what is possible for them to accomplish and compromising with what they want may leave them disillusioned and lost if their confidence falters.
Depending on if the Mage’s goals align or at least aren’t interfered with by the group – they’ll be able to guide the group to the most straightforward path to their goal. The Mage’s knowledge is incredibly valuable, their insight and experience with their aspect is truly unparalleled. Quick-witted, adaptable, and their power of foresight makes the Mage a fantastic tactician and candidate for leader. They have strong convictions and are ready to take hold on their aspect and make things go to plan.
Despite initially thinking the Mage and Witch are diametrically opposed… I can see them getting along relatively well for what it is. It really depends on their characterization, like if the Witch is particularly pushy and a bit disrespectful for those who aren’t as socially inclined, the Mage could be quite affronted and frustrated by them. On the other hand, the Mage and Witch may have similar views in feeling in that things are not permanent and able to easily understand each other. But even in the best circumstance, I feel like the Mage would be quite put off by the Witch’s powers. Remember, personal freedom is a huge thing for the Mage, and what the Witch is doing is imposing their will to change bonds. Again, characterization dictates how this would go, but that’s something to keep in mind at least.
HEIR OF VOID:
The Heir has been surrounded in Void their entire life, obfuscated in the shadows and the secrets which permeate their life. They mostly keep to themself and might not be all that fond of attention. They may tend to stumble upon secrets without meaning to as well as keeping many of their own. They aren’t an open person at all, and even those who are considered close to the Heir are a bit baffled about them. The Heir is content with this, they don’t really care for sharing information about themself or clearing the air so to speak. They naturally gravitate towards indifference or simply being unaware about things. I can see them getting lost within themselves and their thoughts easily.
The powers the Heir has are incredible. Void powers are very imagination based so becoming Void could go numerous ways. Changing into Void to completely fade away without a trace, changing the irrelevance of someone or something, or turning into a literal blackhole. They will likely have a passive shroud of Void over their whole session, blacking out the session from any potential prying eyes. Due to the nature of being an Heir, I think even the strongest Light players would be unable to pierce this shroud of Void, it is exceptionally powerful. Instead of “inheriting nothing”, the Heir could inherit the knowledge of secret information, hidden objects, and the ability to conceal and reveal such things. Hilariously, I think they could hide in plain sight as well, think of high-level sneak in Skyrim.
But the Heir needs to be careful. They are particularly susceptible to influence from the Horrorterrors, and even irrelevance itself. They could end up consumed by Void and vanish from the session itself, no trace being left behind. They need to take charge of Void and lead it instead of being led by it. Void is a blank canvas of infinite potential, there is so much that can be done by changing it! Taking advantage of the confusion that surrounds them, the shadows themselves, or what is unknown! The limit is the Heir’s creativity and if they can take control of it.
So, a more behind-the-scenes utility-based player! They must tread carefully around the Horrorterrors – their like for the mysterious and unexplainable may inexplicitly draw them closer and closer to their influence – and be consumed by it. Above all, be patient with the Heir. When push comes to shove, they’ll always find a creative and unique solution for the situation.
KNIGHT OF SPACE:
Going by the theory that Knights serve what there is little of in their session, this makes for a very interesting classpect. The session may be lacking beginnings – maybe things start half-way or in progress when it shouldn’t normally be. Prophecies of destiny and fate may be incomplete or absent entirely. Their teammates could also be incredibly impatient or one-track minded with goals, wearing themselves greatly instead of focusing on current events. Or they could be lacking creativity, unable to properly utilize basic Sburb/Sgrub actions, constructs, and alchemizing useful things. It’ll be up to the Knight to help provide and fix these potential problems, as they themself are a patient and creative individual with unorthodox approaches to problems.
Space players tend to be innovators and creative in general, being a Knight as well really amps these traits up since Knights are creative with how they apply their aspect anyway! They’re able to capitalize on this in unusual but practical ways and apply it so it sticks. On the other hand, they may be great at getting a solid start on something, but ultimately jump to the next awesome idea they had without seeing the previous one complete. Their façade may also be connected to their aspect as well. Doubting their own creativity, hiding a deep unease of their place in the world, overwhelmed by the sheer scope of Space, their loneliness, etc.
The Knight has a LOT riding on them. They must make their session functional but also so many core goals of the game depend on them, including the vital frog-breeding duties. Knights already put enormous pressure on themselves and will try to power through things on their own which never ends well. Eventually they begin to wear down, their façade starts cracking or has been completely broken open. The Knight needs some help and support of their own, and if successful will be able to bounce back even better than before!
The Knight is an offensive and defensive powerhouse. Their creativity applies to their fighting as well, making them incredibly dynamic and impossible to predict – especially with their frequent teleportation. They can make basically anything into an effective weapon, utilizing improvision with shocking efficiency. I can see them being a great strategist and tactician as well. They may not be on the same level as a Light or Mind player might be but don’t underestimate their logical capabilities!
ROGUE OF SPACE:
Since you mentioned the Knight possibly being a Rogue instead, I’ll add it in! The Rogue is a talented individual when it comes to matters related to Space, being a passionate scientist or artist but having a lot of self-doubt and insecurity when it comes to their works. They may feel like their ideas are uninspired or unoriginal, that their efforts are embarrassing or a waste. They may also focus too much on making something new and different instead of finishing what they’ve already begun. Despite being incredibly patient, they view themself as hasty and may refrain from acting at all. I can also see them being extremely hesitant to let go of physical objects and being somewhat of a hoarder.
The Rogue has a lot of doubt over their talents and ability to make use of Space. Rogues also tend to isolate themselves by using their aspect, and with Space’s ties to isolation, the Rogue may be very difficult to even get in contact with, or their location incredibly difficult to reach. They need to understand that they have a one-of-a-kind relationship and talent with Space, and they need to share it! They need to realize just how incredibly valuable Space is, especially as it is one of the cardinal aspects. They fear not being up to task, the kind of pressure and responsibilities that come with the duty of being a Space player may make them try to isolate further. They need to understand just how valuable not only Space is, but their own merits like ingenuity and creativity. So many amazing things can be accomplished by sharing their ideas and creative thoughts with their teammates! Like I said for the Knight also applies, their logical capabilities can also go a long way!
As far as powers, the Rogue will have a jack-of-all trades kind of set. They can teleport themself and others with ease, being a very reliable source of transportation. Stealing space around objects to move them is also easily done! Combat-wise they could protect others by stealing the velocity or speed of incoming projectiles, redirection… etc. Redistributing the characteristics and proportions of one object from another, swapping the sizes of objects, extremely cool stuff! Rogue powers are very imagination based and I’m quite sure the Rogue will have no problem coming up with unorthodox methods of utilizing this to their advantage.
In the end, reassurance and encouragement will help a lot, the Rogue just needs a bit of support to help build themself up a bit and will grow greatly from there.
PRINCE OF TIME:
Just as a preface – a destruction class with one of the cardinal aspects does not automatically doom the session. No class is inherently good or evil, and the session isn’t screwed because you have a Bard/Prince of Space/Time. Destruction is not always a bad thing.
The Prince’s relationship with Time is volatile and more likely than not, at odds with the very concept. Holding some degree of disdain, fear, or even hatred of Time pushes them away from it, actively rejecting or refusing to face Time. This causes them to be pushed more towards Time’s counterpart – Space. I can see them being a creative person, pursuing or being very interested in art or anything arts related. They’re always starting something new or recycling ideas but never actually progressing in their efforts. They may even be conflict-adverse and oddly passive, being hesitant or slow to act. Maybe they’re deeply afraid of death and their own mortality as well. I can still see them having the drive of not accepting things as they are but being more out of pure stubbornness if it’s not exactly the way they want things to go.
For a Prince of Time that ghosts, they likely have a few of the more ‘negative’ traits associated with Space. They could be detached from others and likely apathetic. Seeing the big picture but completely skipping over details and what will happen in the future. There’s many, many ways a Prince’s relationship to their aspect and counterpart aspect could go. Don’t forget they’re still a Time player, it’s just that their avoidance or outright disdain for their aspect muddles things.
The Prince will also have to deal with their own ego, they can be extremely hard on themselves and end up hesitant and deeply self-deprecating. On the other hand, they might think they are the only one capable, believing they can do it better than anyone else and end up deeply damaging their relationships to others. It’s a matter of finding balance with not only their ego, but Time as well. They do not need to completely embrace Time, but merely understand that it cannot be destroyed entirely, or at least, without careful consideration of the consequences. Once they manage a better somewhat better relationship to Time, they gradually become more action-oriented and thinking more of the goal and the end. They may become less fearful of inevitability and endings, finally accepting that all things must end someday.
They may need some reminders to be diligent and a push to get things done early on, but the Prince can achieve some amazing feats of raw destruction when applied. Time is linked to destruction after all, and the Prince is a truly terrifying foe when it comes to being on the offensive. They’ll of course be able to time travel, time stop, skip time, and even removing specific events and moments within a timeline! I’d say one of the best examples of a Prince of Time’s powers in action is King Crimson from Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure. That’s some solid Time power fuckery right there.
An incredibly solid player, but Princes are hard to predict. There’s a lot of different things that I didn’t touch on because it’s INCREDIBLY dependent on how the Prince progresses. And again, there’s the matter of over-embracing (which can be especially devastating with a destroyer class) under-embracing, being true… etc. A Prince can do a great deal of good and harm in equal measure.
Overall, this is an intriguing session. I think it could work well-enough despite having a few bumps here and there. If you go with the Knight and them representing what lacks in a session though, I’d be extremely concerned with not having a Seer. The game will be incredibly difficult to navigate, and while the Mage will be of great help when it comes to guidance, they are a very solitary person and may be reluctant to assist if it detracts from their goal in any way.
As for general struggles - The Rogue(s) may end up isolating themselves to an unhealthy degree and someone may need to help pull them out of it. The Knight would be trying, but they’re stretched thin as it is. The Witch is going to be putting a lot of work in to getting this group together, but at times may feel pressured or use their powers as a last resort to prevent things from escalating. Grounding the Mage to what is tangible and achievable is a bit of a hurdle too, they will likely find this out on their own but it’s going to sting deeply. The Rogue will help in easing that but I’d say the Knight can help ground the Mage before they get too swept away.
For adding things - I feel like a Sylph with an aspect Breath or Blood may be a good fit to stabilize things a bit more. They would keep tabs on the Prince and help create direction for them, be encouraging to the Rogue, help bring the Mage and Heir closer to the group, and likely stop in-fighting from becoming too serious. This would help take some of the pressure of the Knight too, but I’d say the session could work without anything added!
Could you do the Knight of Heart, if you haven't already? Cool blog, bro.
KNIGHT OF HEART
Passive (+)
Active – Page of Heart
Inverse – Rogue of Mind
Knights are a passive giver class and can be simplified to “one who serves (aspect)” or “serves through (aspect) for others.” Yes, I think Knights are passive. I’ve gone back and forth a lot, Knight and Page are both unconventional compared to the relative straightforwardness of the other classes. I like the theory of active classes act to primarily benefit themselves whereas passive classes benefit others. Knights fit that 100%, as they focus on aiding others and use their aspect to protect others.
For Knights, they utilize their aspect, using what they have and using it extremely well. They’ve never had a lot of their aspect, so they’ve had to make do and make the most with the little they have. And make the most of it they do, Knights are incredibly self-sufficient and use their aspect as a finely honed tool for everything. Knights also tend to have a predisposition for masking their true feelings, projecting a specific kind of image, or hiding behind some sort of façade.
Heart is related to the Self. It is the Core of Self, your Soul, what makes you, you. It is what makes you stand out from everyone else, being Unique and Separate from the crowd, your Individuality. Motivation, Passion, and Identity are the foundations of Heart. It is Bias, not able to completely detach itself from Emotion and Instinct. Intuition and Empathy are also components of Heart. Heart understands facades and so are excellent at using them as well as tearing them down.
As for a Knight of Heart’s personality, it might be like this: The Knight is an ambitious albeit a reckless kind of person. If someone is in danger, the Knight won’t waste a second to think it through, they’ll jump straight in to help – consequences be damned. They’re a very emotionally sensitive person and is attuned to other’s emotional states but may keep it under wraps or not show it openly. They may stifle or keep their emotions tightly locked down as they may feel like their own emotions don’t matter, impede what they’re trying to do, or come second to other’s. I can see a Knight of Heart being compassionate and caring to a fault.
The Knight is encouraging and protective of other people’s emotions, though keeps their own closely guarded. The façade of a Knight of Heart is especially powerful and one that is not easy to find a crack in. They’re a passionate and driven individual, but also very independent. They especially dislike having to rely on others and are determined to do things on their own – to be the one to protect and carry it all. A strong moral compass with a very strong sense of intuition and instinct, they feel things strongly and won’t hesitate to act upon it once they build that conviction.
The true heart (pardon the pun) of the issue for the Knight could be a variety of things. Struggling with their identity, who they really are, who they want to be, maybe being detached from their own sense of self… etc. No matter what could be plaguing the Knight, it’ll be a struggle relating to Heart and the Knight is keeping the issue bottled up tight. It won’t be easy getting the Knight to open up about this insecurity or fear, they’re purely focused on the group and assisting others instead of themself.
At worst, the Knight can get reckless. Knights just want to contribute in some way, and if they feel like they cannot do so, may needlessly throw themselves into danger or harm’s way. They may also get obsessive and needy if their insecurities really start to weigh upon them. Knights tend to be relentlessly self-critical of themselves and deny or stifle their own wants or needs. Building self-confidence and treating themself as kindly as they do others will go a long way for this Knight.
Just the combination of being a Knight and having the aspect of Heart gives a two-fold of dose of hiding their true self. They’re extremely flexible in their facades and adaptable with them – very Mind-like ironically enough. Their journey is going to be a very internal one of self-discovery and finding out who they really are, and that’s going to put them out of their element. It’s not easy to just jump into loving yourself if you have such a heavy doubt of if you’re enough or not. Having to build that trust in yourself, your identity, your very being is no small task.
An under-embracing Knight sinks into their façade entirely. They are genuinely relieved by doing so, unlike the over-embracing Knight who suffers from their façade, and a true Knight who manages to drop or at least manage it in a healthier way. The under-embracing Knight ends up stagnating, stuck in the middle and making no progress. They lack confidence, believing themselves to be incapable of handling the situations that arise. They stay out of the action, watching on the sidelines despite knowing what they should be doing or what would help the situation but being unable to do so. They completely ignore their intuition and instincts, end up devoid of motivation and passion, and grow more and more conflicted and despondent. An under-embracing Knight is incredibly weak, neglecting their capabilities entirely. That once finely honed ability to wield their aspect is now clumsy and has dulled significantly.
For a Knight to be true, they need to manage their expectations. Knights tend to place incredibly unrealistic expectations onto themselves and beat themselves up over the smallest mistakes, even when they aren’t necessarily responsible for it. A Knight will eventually hit their breaking point, and this is when they need to rely on those around them. They need to learn to rely on others, loosen up or even drop their masking/façade/projection entirely. If the Knight cannot do this, that struggle of Heart they are going through consumes them. Their true self is indistinguishable from what they project and push themself to the brink in a desperate struggle to live up to someone’s legacy, someone they admire, or someone they idolize or otherwise put on a pedestal. Maybe they end up as just a shell of who they once were, being burnt out and devoid of that once fierce passion they possessed.
A healthy and true Knight of Heart is one who will do anything and EVERYTHING to protect those they care about. They will fight to the bitter end to protect Heart and the right of Heart. They protect other people’s identities, their true selves, their individuality… The Knight protects and serves that Heart to their allies, being the safeguard to their true selves. A devout protector and a kind soul, you’d be hard pressed to find someone who loves you for you as much as a Knight of Heart would.
Do you do quadrant analysis between two classpects?
I do! I need something to work with though, so just provide some core information about their personalities before sending! People with the same classpect could be complete opposites, all I can parse from it is their general perspective and how they act.
Could I have a session analysis? If there's too many players I understand if you don't want to! These are the players: Seer of Space, Heir of Time, Knight of Hope, Witch of Rage, Mage of Light, Thief of Void, Bard of Blood, Prince of Breath, Maid of Heart, Sylph of Doom, Page of Life, and Rogue of Mind.
Sorry that this took much longer than I thought, this was a TON of fun though! Also ended up being extremely long haha.
Oooh this is quite the session! Lots of fun classpects here. Plus having a Time and Space player means victory is at least a possibility. A big thing I notice though, is I feel like a lot of these players might be very “I’m going to go off and do my own thing” kind of sort.
PRINCE OF BREATH:
Right off the bat, an over embracing Prince of Breath is terrifying. An over embracing Prince is one with no limit or consideration for their destruction. There is no control in their destruction and, without even really realizing it, destroy blindly. They have no limitation or restriction behind it, they totally and utterly destroy Breath. Ghosting the worst qualities of Blood and destroying Freedom is the embodiment of a cruel and tyrannical leader, chaining and dragging everyone down so to speak.
On the other hand, there is the under embracing Prince. Too far in the other direction and they are afraid to destroy anything, stagnating and making a futile effort to understand Breath. This Prince yearns for Breath but is so indecisive and wracked with fear that they simply end up doing nothing. Ruled by contradictions, this Prince flounders and ultimately fails.
But those are the bad outcomes. If this Prince can rise to the challenge and temper their destruction, this Prince can be the reason why everyone comes together as a group, they’d easily be best candidate for leader. Destroying that what is making people flighty and distracted, making them focus on their responsibilities. This Prince chooses to destroy their own personal freedom to stick by their friends and allies, stubbornly remaining by their side and doing everything they can to strengthen their bonds. Overall, an amazing ally to have – this player could end up being the stabilizing pillar who unifies the group and smoothly breezing their way through the game. Or, worst case… being the unbeatable final boss, ruling over everything with an iron fist.
BARD OF BLOOD:
Bards tend to be wildcards and are quite hard to pin down: the Bard of Blood especially so.This Bard is indifferent, aloof, and independent. Bards heavily ghost their opposite early on, so they act much more like a Breath player as opposed to Blood. This Bard does not have a sense of personal responsibility and likely doesn’t have anyone extremely close to them, and if has gone on long enough, they’ll be avoidant and uncomfortable around Blood. Without meaning to, they come across as somewhat callous, irresponsible, or unreliable.
Eventually, when their bardic split hits them, they’ll snap out of this superficial and unsatisfying ghosting. Something happens to the Bard in which something that is tied to Blood (connection/bond/unity/commitment/responsibility) becomes something that the Bard wholly throws themself into. Anything is possible, so long as it is something that embodies Blood, something that can’t be detached from, ignored, or independent from. They realize just how much they hate being alone and might try to remedy this with blind devotion or clinging to someone, grasping for any semblance of a bond or a connection. It’s essentially a total 180 to how this Bard was before, they are now leaning wholly into Blood and away from their previous Breath persona.
The line needs to be toed carefully however, they need to not lose themselves to the whims of Blood and be controlled by it, but they can’t just go back to ghosting Breath either. Blindly throwing themselves into Blood or continuing to ghost Breath are both severe hindrances to their growth and their goal. If they can manage that, then with their special and unique understanding of Blood, they will be able to trim its excess and balance it. Being responsible but not forcibly trying to solve other people’s problems, having bonds but not being suffocating or dependent… etc. They could end up vying for position of leader or even be the one who usurps the (possible) tyrannical Prince. They could certainly end up being a core unifier of the group when their revelation and healthy balance strikes!
HEIR OF TIME:
The Heir of Time is an interesting classpect. Time’s close link to death and destruction gives some unique possibility to what changing it for others means, but Time is also familiarity and rhythm. It’s the momentum that propels you forward, continuing to push ahead no matter what. They probably think they have all the Time in the world to do what they want, so not exactly the most reliable in the moment but they’d get it done when they step up. This Heir might face difficulty in getting stuck in the loop of doing the same thing over and over, either due to it just being familiar or for convivence’s sake.
If there’s anyone to spit in the face of inevitability, it is going to be this Heir and this one is likely going to be quite stubborn about it. Just being an Heir is going to give them extremely exact and precise moments of Time that they jump through, and they naturally will remedy situations probably without realizing they needed to. Becoming ending is interesting, perhaps controlling the timeline and changing things to the extent the very outcome changes as well?
No matter what though, the Heir needs to be careful in not being consumed by Time, they are going to behind some MASSIVE changes and manipulating the Timeline to do what’s next. They are extremely action-focused, but someone needs to remind the Heir that patience is a virtue, and they need to pause and stop what they’re doing instead of constantly being swept away by the flow of Time. If not, then they will be caught and consumed by the timeline, doomed, or consumed by constant strife, or even losing themself to Time because of the amount dedicated to fixing things. If they can limit the amount of influence and take hold of it before they are changed entirely or consumed by it, the Heir will be an extremely powerful and versatile ally!
THIEF OF VOID:
The inner machinations of this Thief’s mind are an enigma indeed, as they are a master of being obscured and unseen. Very secretive and mysterious, they are more of a background and behind-the-scenes kind of player, getting things done in stealth and leaving no trace of their presence. This Thief is good as coming across as insignificant and harmless but don’t be fooled – they are extremely talented at misdirection and lying. They are a highly private person, and I doubt anyone would know too much about them, while the Thief would know all about the things a person hides.
Their talent in infiltration and stealth is truly unparalleled, they are the very definition of a traditional Thief! By feigning ignorance, confusion, or casting doubt upon information, this Thief will never be caught. And, even if worst comes to worst, blackmail is always a possible option. They can even steal the mystery or obfuscation of a thing or person, making it obvious and noticeable so it can be taken advantage of.
This Thief’s struggle lies in their perceived lack of Void. Being unknowable, the sense of mystery, in control of secrets… this is all very empowering and desirable for this Thief – that is why they steal. But Thieves need to learn to leave their aspect for others, and that means this Thief cannot be hoarding everyone’s secrets and shrouding entirely behind a veil of mystery. If this Thief can work past their own self-doubt and focus more on using their ability to steal in a more-rounded way, there is no better person suited better to espionage and stealth!
SEER OF SPACE:
This Seer is probably one of the most perceptive out of all the classpects and is going to be extremely passive and patient. They are observant, able to keep a broad view of the picture of things. Knowledge of what pertains to Space comes easily to them (though it doesn’t mean they like or are comfortable with it) Depending on what Space means to the Seer, it can mean things like destiny, change, and what the beginning of things are, is easily understood by the Seer.
Their power is extraordinary, being able to see ANYWHERE. They will be able to see everything that’s happening in a general location, picking and choosing who and what to survey. Although they wouldn’t be able to see what lies hidden behind Void (alas, the Thief is too elusive for even the omnipresent Seer to keep track of.) Maybe even due to Space’s creative ties, they might draw exactly what they see or draw guides/maps for their allies to use.
But before they can quite get to that point, they are going to be confused and paralyzed by just the sheer expanse of their foresight. They can see everywhere but when and where should they be looking? What exactly are they looking for? Who needs to be kept track of? They will be very overwhelmed by this, where do you look when you can see it all? They might try to look everywhere at once or even the opposite, avoid looking at all. They already probably had the tendency to have their head in the clouds, trying to remain grounded throughout this will be difficult. They might also be too preoccupied with the present instead of the future.
If they can manage their engagement with Space and not get pushed into devoting their entire being to it, they will be able to provide amazing guidance to their allies. They will be constantly checking in on their teammates and keeping track of where they are and warn them of dangers nearby. They’re like a sentient GPS hahaha, being extremely clear and concise on where exactly one needs to go and what to find. Maybe they can even trace where objects have been or where they will end up! An amazing support to have, and likely a fantastic tactician.
MAGE OF LIGHT:
Mages are fun, though unfortunately one of the more unexplored classes. They will also be extremely perceptive, though, not in the same way the Seer is. While the Seer might get stuck on seeing the big picture and not the finer details, it’s the opposite for the Mage. No detail, no matter how small, will slip past this Mage. Also, while the Seer cannot see through the Void that the ever so enigmatic Thief is hiding themselves in, the Mage might be able to. The Mage will be able to discern which course of action is most efficient and beneficial with ease. Measuring the value of not only things, but people as well, come naturally and easily for them.
Depending on what Light is to this Mage their focus shifts. If Light is fortune and luck, then they know the exact probabilities and no bet is too out there for them to make. They know how likely something is to happen, how likely it’ll be in their favor, and so plan accordingly. If it is knowledge, then, remember how Rose used her Seer powers to look into the cue ball? A Mage of Light likely wouldn’t need the aid, anything not hidden is easily discerned. This Mage has an extensive and impressive comprehension of tangible and information. This Mage wants to know everything but on their terms. They will be conducting their own experiments and research to draw their own conclusions, working tirelessly to experience new things and find new information. Mages are more instinctual and biased compared to Seers, so long as they don’t become disillusioned or too focused on the wrong thing this Mage can find out EVERYTHING.
WITCH OF RAGE:
This Witch is going to be a wild card, and one that’ll put an early Bard to shame with just how unpredictable and chaotic they’ll be. Rage has permeated their entire life, its in how they interact with things, what they like, even present in where they reside! Witches push and break the rules of their aspect, molding it to their will and using it as they want, completely rejecting the expectations of how it should be interacted with. Being stubborn is a common trait for a Witch as is, but mixed with the aspect of skepticism and refusal??? You likely won’t be able to tell them to do anything, they are rebellious and defiant to a fault.
But this rebellious and defiant nature isn’t necessarily the bane of the group, the Witch could do a lot of good with it. Actively changing negative emotion could be a great boon to their team, channeling the negativity into something beneficial. Empowering the negativity amongst their enemies to cause utter chaos in the ranks, this Witch will be one to be feared in combat. The Witch won’t ever give up, being able to enrage and pacify themself as they please to continue the fight. Changing negative emotion can cause utter chaos within enemy ranks, making victory swift and easy for those on the Witch’s side.
The Witch needs to keep these destructive urges in check though – they need to control and limit the sheer influence their aspect has over them. An over-embracing Witch of Rage is truly a terror, with them letting chaos reign and amplifying everyone’s fears to an extreme. If they can manage to keep the destruction under wraps and not be worn down, there is nothing holding the Witch back from making chaos reign amongst their foes.
SYLPH OF DOOM:
This is an intriguing combination for a Sylph. Like the Witch, their aspect has permeated their life – in this case, Doom. They’re going to probably be the most level-headed and responsible of the group, always being the voice of reason and being realistic about things. Being tied so deeply to limitations and rules, they might be a “goody two-shoes” so to speak, following rules and such very strictly and expecting others to do the same. Which… depending on their characterizations and motives, the Sylph and Witch could come into conflict quite a bit due to their differing views.
The Sylph will still be able to heal, it’ll just be a different kind of healing than what is traditional or what is expected. Providing comfort to allow those who have been hurt so they can move on and grow, ending that which is no longer needed, causing death and decay to fade away… They will also be able to create limits to prevent the others from pushing themselves to the brink. Doom can be used in many good ways! Making Doom for their foes is awesome too.
Overall, I feel like the Sylph is going to have a huge role in the group, for better or for worse. Conflict with the Witch is a likely possibility, and the Sylph is going to be very displeased with the Bard’s irresponsibility early on. Sylphs tend to be a bit meddlesome, but this Sylph needs to make sure they don’t cross into being downright invasive. Focusing on helping the Maid and Rogue will be excellent for their journeys but the Sylph will need to stay out of the Page’s. Care will need to be taken that this Sylph does not get burnt out, because they themself might get pushed to their own limit. The Sylph will be an incredibly important teammate, and if they are respected and allowed to shine, will keep everyone safe and protected.
KNIGHT OF HOPE:
The Knight is going to have their title cut out for them in this session. It is believed that Knights serve what there is little of in their session, in this case, Hope. Their teammates lack in optimism and harmony, maybe being full of negativity or overall limited in perspective and belief in possibilities. The Knight then must utilize their aspect to the maximum to make up for this, being a source of optimism, idealism, and positivity for their teammates. They will be the one to keep spirits high, and while they are happy to do so, that is also a lot of pressure to be under.
The Knight is probably an optimistic and just a happy person in general, having complete faith in themselves and their companions. Possibly due to being so open to new things, they may be easy to lead astray or take advantage of, maybe being a bit naïve. Likely a big dreamer or prone to flights of fancy, they believe anything is possible and may end up chasing after something simply impossible. It will hurt them deeply for them to experience it, but it can be turned into an opportunity of growth – being more critical, realistic, and dedicated.
Eventually though, the Knight will need to confront their struggle. Their façade cracks, their image is shattered, or they simply become disillusioned. What has once been something fantastical and amazing has merely become a means to an end. Their strong convictions have now wavered, and they are unsure of what they dreamed for and their own potential. They question everything they have ever believed, and this is going to be incredibly hard on the Knight. With how the Knight has given and done to help keep the team motivated and positive – stable! it is now time for them to support the Knight through their crisis. If they can do that, then the Knight will be able to readjust, reaffirm their beliefs and faith, and help bring victory to the team. Empowered and protected by the very belief of their allies, the Knight is going to be an unstoppable juggernaut.
MAID OF HEART:
The Maid will be reliant on their teammates for their aspect, maybe being pushed around or even treated like a doormat. With their aspect being Heart, their journey is going to be related to it. They’ll likely be relying on others to tell them who and what they should be like, molding themself in accordance with what others say. Maybe they let others dictate what they should be passionate about, care about, and maybe, who they are at their core. Perhaps their guardian is trying to force them to be a certain way, pressuring for them to pursue something, completely disregarding the Maid’s wants and personality.
For the Maid to grow in a healthy way, they’ll need to rely on themself for Heart. They’ll stop, realizing that others don’t control who they really are. Others do not define them. They can be whatever they want to be, they can find out what they love and hate, they’re the one in control! They have the power and the will to do what they want and be the person they really want to be. They’ll create their OWN sense of self and dedicate themself to their new passions. They’ll be more impulsive, instinctual, they will become their true self no matter what, letting nothing get in their way of their newfound sense of self.
Maids are already passionate about their aspect, so the Maid of Heart is doubly so. They are an incredibly emotional, caring, and truthful person. Making Heart can go a lot of ways, they could even be a vessel for more than one soul. Being able to create souls and mend them, the only limit to this Maid’s power is their imagination. Nothing is going to stand in the way of the Maid, not anymore.
ROGUE OF MIND:
Rogues are a fun sort! They tend to have difficulty coping with their aspect, thinking that they can’t handle it or that it is useless to anyone but themselves. They also tend to isolate themselves using their aspect or by trying to isolate themselves from it. The Rogue will likely start out being very uncomfortable and unsure of their capabilities, believing that their emotions override their judgement even when its not the case. They might doubt their own intelligence, dodging questions, and decisions, letting other people answer them instead.
But the Rogue needs to realize that their relationship to Mind is special. They need to moderate and understand their aspect for a healthier relationship with it! Most importantly, they need to share it with their allies. Their aspect is valuable, and they ARE talented and capable with it! By doing so they’ll make the choices that others struggle with, they are malleable – able to account everyone’s ideas and piece them together into a cohesive and workable plan, as well as being able to steal Mind to give to someone else. Telepathic thought sharing is one possibility of their power.
So long as the Rogue doesn’t get too isolated, you have a masterful strategist and someone who is forthright and has full trust in their judgement. They will need a little help in getting there though, as the Rogue is not going to have very high belief in themselves or their judgement. The Knight will be especially helpful in this journey, as they will prevent them from sinking too far into self-doubt and pessimism.
PAGE OF LIFE:
Ahh, the Page. With Pages have idealized personas and tending to shut themself behind it as well as having one of the most difficult challenges to mastery, the Page’s journey is a long and difficult one. With this false confidence they start with, the Page might believe they’re the hardest worker of them all and they never give up when… they’re not that determined. They never push past the roadblock in their way, everything is handed over to them on a silver platter, but they’re convinced it was all their doing in how they accomplish things. Their deficit of their aspect could show in several ways – maybe they’re sickly or frail, protected by their privileged, coddled by a wealthy family, or maybe even the opposite of those things – like being poor or having a low social standing. Either way, they overcompensate for the lack of Life.
The Page needs to accept the reality of their situation, hopefully the others will help them with this. The Bard and Sylph are well-intentioned but will accidentally cause a lot of damage and hindrance in their path of growth. Someone grounded and won’t coddle OR push the Page too hard would be best to assist them. They’ll have difficulty growing or changing, but once they see the consequences of their actions, the Page’s journey will begin.
Once they can admit their mistakes and refuse to give in, this is when the Page will experience an explosive growth unlike anyone else. If they can endure this difficult path and persevere, this Page will be capable of INCREDIBLE things. Nobody quite has the potential like a Page with the very aspect of growth. There’s little that will be out of reach for this Page, authority and nature bending to their will with ease.
So, all in all, there’s a few things this group needs to watch for. I brought up the possibility of a lot of solo pathing going on but, in the end, only 3 of the group seem like a problem: The early Bard’s fickle and capriciousness, the Thief’s lone wolf tendencies, and the Witch’s rebelliousness can cause issues. Depending on if/when the bardic split occurs and whether they mature, the Bard won’t be an issue. I can’t really predict anything about the Witch, I can see them just deciding to go along with it or adamant refusal in equal measure. The Thief though, they may need some convincing. So long as one of the team members makes a genuine effort to assure the Thief and there is no general conflict over the Thief’s values/nature, then they will be a part of the team. Otherwise… it’s going to be borderline impossible to keep tabs on the Thief due to being shrouded in Void.
The Knight and Sylph are going to be under a mountain of pressure, the Knight desperately trying to keep the team from giving into despair and the Sylph having to act as a voice of reason as well as an appropriate level of meddling in helping the Seer, Rogue, and Maid. They’re both at risk of burning out, hopefully their teammates won’t be constantly pushing them to their limits, they’re pillars of stability for the group. If either one of them falls, then the foundation of the group will falter.
Without knowing more specific details – I’d say this session could go extremely well. There’s the matter of over-embracing, under-embracing, and being true, though. Not everyone reaches god-tier, fewer are realized and true. Regardless, I’d say this group has a good chance of thriving!
Time and Doom have some overlap in my understanding of them. I want to make a character and I could see her as either aspect…. You think you can help me differentiate between the two? What makes Time Time and Doom Doom?
Sure thing!
As a brief overview, here’s how I like to breakdown the aspects.
Time – is related to the End. Time is Endings, Repetition, and Impatience. It is the Momentum that keeps you moving Forward. It is Familiarity and Finality; always getting back up and continuing to fight to Progress to their goal. Time goes to its own Rhythm, marching Forward to the End. It is Death and Destruction, focused not on the journey but the Destination. Where you End at. The Result of it all. “Time's arrow neither stands still nor reverses. It merely marches forward.”
Doom – is related to acceptance. It is Negativity, Withdrawal, and Limitations. Doom adapts and knows Limits. It is knowing the risk versus the reward, when to Withdraw and show Caution. Doom is the Rules and the Restrictions that hold things together. It is Restraint, Control, Sacrifice, and knowing your Limits. Doom is not defeatism; it can be a Negative force that rejects and Harms, but it instills a sense of Empathy, Acceptance, and Wisdom.
So, Time and Doom overlap a bit. They both deal with conflict, destruction, and death.
I think one of the most defining points of Doom is how it’s about... Life can REALLY suck sometimes. It’s the acknowledgement that, hey, shit sucks! It does for everybody. You can’t always do something about it or do much to fix it, but every person has had at least one bad experience or bad thing happen to them. Doom is comprehending the bad things that every single person endures. Doom is acceptance and accepting and is defined as having a deep sense of empathy. Bad things can happen to anyone, after all, no one is exempt from it.
Doom also deals with limitations, rules, restraint, control, and restrictions. Depending on class and personality, this can go a number of ways. A Knight of Doom might hold themself to extreme self-imposed standards and might not bother with things that are not required or necessary. A Witch of Doom on the other hand could be an outright reckless rebel, bending the rules to their limits and changing the very fundamentals of limitation.
I think another difference between them, going by their Extended Zodiac definitions: “Their lives are often marked by struggle, not so much because fate has it in for them, but because they are fundamentally incapable of just accepting things as they come. They value action over passive acceptance, even if that may not be the wisest or safest choice.”
That’s a big thing about Time. Time does not care when, why, or how they get there, they care for achieving the results that they want at the end-- even at the detriment of their own safety and sanity. This is a solid contrast to Doom, in that Doom is Acceptance. Sometimes you just can’t do anything, and that’s how things are. They will support you through that and give you a shoulder to cry on.
Doom knows when something is too futile to bother with. To show restraint, control. To withdraw and remain cautious. “The Doom-bound won't fix you; they aren't healers. They are commiserators, aware that sometimes the only thing you can do for a person is let them know that they are not alone in their suffering.” Remember though, Doom is not defeatism. They aren’t going to throw their hands up and give up at the slightest inconvenience or even when things get extremely difficult. It isn’t pointless passivity and doing nothing. They just know when energy is better spent elsewhere, either figuring out a different approach or different process. They don’t want someone to recklessly break through their limits, hurting themselves in the process or maybe their loved ones.
Ultimately, with whatever aspect you decide fits best, ask yourself what core words resonate best for your character! Aspects are not always something comfortable or something the person in question likes. Think of your character’s world view, what she values, what is vital to her and that hopefully that gives you a better idea of what fits! Maybe she perfectly embodies one and simply needs to know how to harness that power, or maybe she needs to grow into the role and embrace it.
so sorry for the lack of posts! my last couple of months have been, to put it mildly, utter chaos. but things are relatively stable now so i’ve returned! i have quite missed doing this and i will get back on things right away!
Okay that hit hard 🧍🏽♀️ can you tell me the difference between Derse and Prospit? I kinda get it? I’m leaning towards Derse but it feels like I have one more than the other at times
Lunar-sway can be a little confusing, I know a lot of people use Vriska and Nepeta being Prospit and Derse dreamers specifically as they seem like don’t match up. I’m not the most confident about my knowledge of Lunar-sway, so I’m going to link some other’s thoughts as I just end up restating what they’ve said. I recommend reading them in their entirety to give a sense of perspective. Lunar-sway for the canon characters has been directly said to be ‘vague’ but not random so there are reasons, but they aren’t blatantly obvious.
So, Lunar-sway is based on personality of course, but also your general perspective.
Prospit dreamers are said to be flexible and somewhat optimistic. They are adaptable but don’t think things through. Their feelings change frequently, they’re quick to act when needed but fickle and inconsistent. Tend to be naturally trusting, though concerned with how others think about them.
Derse dreamers on the other hand, are said to be skeptics. They’re restless, dissatisfied in some way, and rebellious. A large majority of their identity is built upon control. Hiding insecurity, whether by self-deprecation or false humility, is a big thing with Derse dreamers. They tendto be introverted but that’s not a hard-and-fast rule.
Flexibility and instinctual comes up a lot in the official definition for Prospit dreamers. They can quite easily change as a situation requires but it makes them unpredictable and unsure how they’re going to react to something in any given moment. They aren’t super consistent. It says they exist in the present, not focusing on past or future.
Derse dreamers on the other hand, are constantly looking toward the future and analyzing the past. They’re more likely to be pessimistic and inflexible but they’re consistent and self-aware. They know themselves extremely well, but the world outside of that is confusing and alienating to them.
There’s not too much I can add as I feel like other people can put this into words faaaaar better than I can.
Theory about innate tendencies to overcome or need to be understood and embraced
In a short way, going off the two posts I linked… Prospit dreamers are reactive and externalize. They’re flexible, but may not take responsibility for things, chalking it up to external circumstances or to someone else. They downplay their own impact/influence on others, thinking that they don’t have any.
Derse dreamers on the other hand, are proactive and internalize. They are likely pessimistic and inflexible but are more in control and self-aware. They think they can’t be influenced/impacted by others, but that’s not true. They struggle with guilt, likely taking the blame for things that wasn’t their fault and if they make a mistake it’s entirely on them and them alone.
Then could I get an analysis on Sylph of Heart? Please and thank you but if not that’s completely fine!!
SYLPH OF HEART
Passive (+)
Active – Maid of Heart
Inverse – Prince of Mind
Sylphs are a passive creation class and can be simplified to “one who makes aspect” or “one who makes through aspect for others.” Sylphs are known for healing, but they can do so much more. Think of them more as a general support, rather than just a healer, and one who can take to the front lines at that!
For a Sylph, their aspect is a vital part of who they are. Their aspect has shaped them greatly, becoming the person they are due to it, though this doesn’t mean their relationship with their aspect is perfect. It’s complicated and at times they can be frustrated with it. Sylphs have a reputation for being meddlesome and prying where they shouldn’t, though this (usually) stems from good intentions.
Heart is related to the Self. It is the Core of Self, your Soul, what makes you, you. It is what makes you stand out from everyone else, being Unique and Separate from the crowd, your Individuality. Motivation, Passion, and Identity are the foundations of Heart. It is Bias, not able to completely detach itself from Emotion and Instinct. Heart tears down Facades, revealing the true self. Intuition and Empathy are also components of Heart.
An idea of a Sylph of Heart’s personality may be like this: This Sylph is a very empathetic and warm person, likely taking a therapist-like role amongst their loved ones. Helping others find their identity or feelings would be something they excel in. They want people to live as their best self, so facades and conformity is something this Sylph deeply disproves of. They are an especially passionate person, at times being blinded by it. This can make them intense at times but feeling things so deeply and strongly is what gives them the motivation and want to help others. The Sylph has many opinions on how empathy and care should be handled and that is based on instinct. They rely on gut feelings, impulse, and personal experiences rather than logic; making for quite a unique perspective in how they help others.
They are very in-touch with their own feelings and know themselves very well. I strongly feel like they would be the honest type and try to be as straightforward as possible with people. I think they might be rather unconventional person, having niche or ‘unusual’ interests. Regardless, they don’t care for “fitting in” and don’t usually mind standing out or being thought of as different. I don’t like tying shipping and romance too much into Heart (though they are interlinked a fair amount) but some Sylphs of Heart might be very into playing matchmaker or a Cupid-like role even.
At worst, the Sylph might be an enabler of sorts. While they are well-intentioned, they might accidentally be preventing the very thing they’re trying to foster in others. Coddling and stifling growth is potential hurdle they might face, and it’s not an easy one to clear. Sylphs act in accordance with what they think is best, and some might struggle with acknowledging that they aren’t going about something in a beneficial or positive way. A malevolent Sylph of Heart could be quite the puppet master, not having any faith in their companions to handle their own emotions, so they must be the one in control.
While I don’t normally talk about powers, I feel like a Sylph of Heart has some very cool potential. Healing emotional pain, healing a corrupted soul, bringing the good vibes, etc. That’s all well and good, but Sylphs are a creation class. They can do far more than just heal! Creating Soul is hardcore, and that’s what a Sylph of Heart could do! Creating and implanting Souls into objects or people… the Sylph could raise an entire army this way. Other, indirect ways of powers could be creating emotions in others. Making your foes rash and foolhardy, or your foe now has emotional attachment to you, now hesitant to fight or losing the will to fight altogether. It all depends on how the Sylph would like to utilize this!
Sylphs struggle with when to interfere and when to back off, they need to learn that they don’t need to fix every single little thing, and that sometimes, things are better left untouched. Knowing when to back off is a hurdle for all Sylphs, but I feel like having Heart in the mix adds an extra layer of difficulty to it for this one. They need to learn to show tough love, and let people fail and make their own mistakes. The Sylph might also have difficulty in pushing themself too hard, neglecting their own well-being at times and ending up burnt out.
A healthy and true Sylph of Heart is a reliable mentor, ally, and friend. The Sylph of Heart raises up everyone around them, guiding them to their best self as well as keeping everyone motivated and passionate. When one is depressed and losing a sense of self, you can bet the Sylph is helping them back on their feet and mending their inner pain.
Thank you so much!! I’ve solidified myself as a Sylph of Heart! Kinda funny since I was bouncing between Blood, Hope, and even Life at one point!
Anyways, do you have rules on what you will and won’t do? Like Lands or possible abilities for classpects or even weapon ideas for classpects?
Make sure to have a snack you enjoy to brighten up your day!! :)
Ha, I’ve been there! I bounced between many classpects before settling into Prince of Mind. As for rules on what I don’t do: I personally don’t do lands as I feel, even more so than classpect, it boils down to your personality and interests. Sometimes they follow an overall theme of the session (theme of death + noble gasses for the alpha kids) or just have a funny acronym (LOLCAT and LOSHIT) I like these two posts in particular about lands.
Abilities, I’ve been conflicted about. I don’t feel like I am particularly creative when it comes to them but at the same time, it ended up more fun that I thought! Some classes are more difficult for me to wrap my head around, but I’ll tentatively say I’m fine with talking about abilities/powers.
I don’t do the master classes as I really struggle with them, I’m only familiar with them in a metatextual sense and its very difficult to apply to real people and even fictional characters. Classpect-Crew has a few things about muses and lords that is quite fascinating and homestuckexamination has nice coverage about them as well.
As far as weapon ideas go, I don’t give it too much thought. I certainly feels like there’s thematical consistency, but I find it a bit restrictive in some ways. I’ll reconsider and not write it off completely though!
For what I do: Analysis of a session, specific classes or aspects, specific classpect, and quadrants between classpects (though I’d need info about vital parts of their personalities) as well as helping people find their own classpect! More of just trying to nudge in a (hopefully) helpful direction. That’s more for chats or private messages cause it can get pretty lengthy depending on how in-depth one wants to go.
I also have an about page plus a recommended other blogs page!
Hey could you give a short explanation on Sylph of Hope and Heart? I know I’m a Sylph but I’m having trouble deciding between those two aspects 🥲 If not that’s completely fine!! Hope you have a nice day/night! :)
why, of course!
so. just as a quick definition, sylphs make with their aspect. healing, creation, improvement, that kind of thing! sylphs tend to struggle of knowing when to interfere and when to back off.
with aspects in the mix…
a sylph of hope could be quite the optimist and encouraging person. an unshakably strong faith in others, encouraging those around them to follow their dreams and to never give up. helping others work through their doubts, trust in faith and being open to things! they are likely to be an idealist, having a vivid dream for the world and for a better reality, and are determined to make it come true. at worst I feel like they can come across as condescending and dismissive of other’s struggles and problems.
a sylph of heart is likely to be a deeply passionate and empathetic person. honesty is the best policy in this sylph’s book, and they’re an open one! I feel like they’re good at helping people figure themselves out and are very easy to talk and open up to. they notice all the little things about people so don’t go trying to hide behind a façade. at worst, I feel like this sylph could be an enabler or codependent. coddling others and stifling growth… i feel like this sylph in particular would have difficulty in knowing when to back off.
in essence, the sylph of hope wants to make/heal/create/improve positivity, belief, faith, harmony, and conviction. whereas the sylph of heart instead focuses on core of self, individuality, emotion, passion, and instinct!
think of what really drives you and hopefully that'll help you narrow it down! ^-^
