[ This intro was altered on 11.07.2025 to suit the tastes of my account more, though is still generally the same as when it was first posted. Only relevant information and aesthetic changes have been made. ]
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As an intro to the account itself and who generally runs it, hello. I'm Russelia or Russ (thanks for the nickname guys, it caught on irl too /lh) and I'm one of 3 co-hosts in a DID system named Haze System. See our above system introduction for more info on that.
I started this account to talk about Legend of Zelda as it's one of my special interests but now I use it to talk about all of my interests and thoughts and lived experiences. This blog is somewhere I go to express myself more than anything. Other people in the system will likely front and chat on here too, it's not an uncommon thing.
[08/01/2026] - Current interests include James Cameron Avatar, Doctor Who (1963-1989), Look Outside, Legend of Zelda/Linked Universe, Sky:CotL, and Fear & Hunger..
Our special interests are insects, fashion, medieval history, Legend of Zelda, indie horror games, nature, and biology/mental health.
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Asks are always open!
Here are our system tags to get to know generally us as a system:
#general haze system stuff
#haze system intros
#four's thoughts column
Here are some older links for my first intro and my oldish masterlist (generally for old LoZ stuff I posted):
Old intro - posted June 4th 2022
Old masterlist
{Admittedly, I don't update the masterlist a lot post-hiatus, just look through the tags for stuff now eheh - our sys tag is #general haze system stuff}
A Master Study featuring Zelda II: The Adventure of Link. In which Link hangs out with the two Zeldas post-game (Who do you think became the Queen of Hyrule?)
This was a difficult piece, but I’m happy with it!
Based on ‘The Chess Players’ by Jacques-Clément Wagrez (1902)
Information on inspiration and process under the cut!
baseball interviewers will ask "how do you throw the ball so good" and Mariners players will casually drop that they have a headmate who plays the game for them
last week i woke up from one of the most fucked up nightmares ive ever had with that middle panel burned into my brain. like the exact wording and the exact apartment and the exact squidward. i feel like if i didnt make it real something bad wouldve happened. anyway todays upload is spunchbob comic oc
What do you mean “chat” is now referring to ChatGPT and not twitch chat? What? What? What the fuck? No?
When I address chat I am speaking to a presumed Greek chorus of real human people shitposting on their lunch break, not a machine that devours lakes to covert electricity into slop.
I got my first piercing a few weeks ago (my parents never got my ear lobes pierced as a kid) and no one ever tells you that the inside of your ear makes the bar wet??? Like realistically, I know why, I've got a qualification in Knowing Too Much About Anatomy, but they really never tell you about all the serous fluid leakage when the bar pokes out...
i fucking hate being an adult with a slowly increasing number of responsibilities its like one day you wake up and youre like aw fuck when was the last time i descaled the coffee machine
"theres gonna be a power outage tomorrow welp i better boil some water in advance!" "oh gee looks like its time to vacuum the carpet!" GET REAL?????? YOU SOUND INSANE
I've got interesting historical thoughts about this and the sentences are simply too long to put coherently into the tags like I wanted to, so I have interesting (positive) thoughts about this art piece I wanted to share from a historical view point.
Credentials? Medieval English history (specifically 12th century) is a special interest of mine and I'm a member of one of the UK's largest (and only nationwide) 12th century educational re-enactment groups. I also have a special interest in fashion history and a large fragment of what is known about medieval fashion is through manuscripts and survival textiles. Though if any of this is wrong or you have additions, let me know, I'd love to learn.
First thought upon looking at this - I adore the slightly more realistic style of mural Jojo chose to use. Despite the "Medieval Era" spanning around 1,000 years across entire continents, most people recognise the general art style of the Early, High, and Late Medieval Eras to be the Illuminated Manuscripts with strange proportions, weird faces, and various animals that look nothing like their real counterparts. These were often drawn this way for a few reasons, the major one being that it was religious - usually drawn by monks who used various elements to create a mythological spin on traditional art. There are several styles of Illuminated Manuscript, but Jojo seems to draw from Gothic, which was more realistic and known for its extensive usage of gold and intricate borders. However, based on how Epona is drawn, it seems she is drawn to appear more akin to a less-realistic 12th century style of marginalia and bestiaries.
(If you're wondering what styles would be used for this sort of thing in a historical context in my opinion (because I love giving my opinion for no reason than I want to), I'd reckon either Gothic or Carolingian for its realism if portraying what people in universe believe to be truth, or Romanesque used historically for biblical artwork if the characters would believe the legends of heroes to be mythology.)
Second, I noticed the fashion Jojo chose. It's noticeably different and far more historically accurate to our history than anything seen in the entire franchise or any of her canonical designs for Linked Universe. First of all, thank you Jojo for portraying a rather historically accurate style of Early-Late Medieval clothing to be bright and colourful, because that is exactly what it was - despite Hollywood believing everyone were filthy, beige peasants, in truth they were humans too who loved to be donned in bright (often clashing depending on the time period) colours and be clean, even the peasantry.
Secondly, the time period chosen seems to be a combination of 12th, 13th, and perhaps 14th century clothing styles (seen especially in Zelda). I live in a historical English city currently, known for a specific historical medieval mythological figure (guess and you get brownie points lol), and the trim of Link's overtunic reminds me of dagging seen on 13th century men's chaperons (hoods/head coverings). The tunic/cotte's neckline is cut into a curved notch which is also very historically accurate to the 11th - 13th century rather than the more typical square notched neckline I usually see in medieval-inspired media. Additionally, the boots look to be a very similar pattern to equivalent leather shoes of the 12th century, only adapted to be winged to represent the Pegasus Boots.
Zelda's outfit seems to take inspiration from a 12th century court dress of a Majordomo/Dame rather than royal based on colour and lack of embroidered detail, an ornate circlet of around 13th-14th century origins, and a metal girdle of a similar style seen in some paintings from the 14th century. For an illustration featuring the world of Linked Universe where characters have such historically vague medieval designs, having such historical accuracy makes me very surprised and very happy.
I have no deep historical analysis of this fact, just want to point it out, but I do really like the contrast between both the art style of the main group of Links in the foreground and the mural's more realistic Illuminated Manuscript style, along with it's differing artistic depictions of medieval clothing.
I personally believe this depicted Link to be Legend, mostly based on the depiction of the Oracles - why the Oracles and not the goddesses you ask, mostly just because these seem to adhere very closely to the canonical designs of the Oracle games', so whether you believe the goddesses to look the same is up to you because I don't believe that's been confirmed or not? - as well as the appearance of Zelda in her blue dress and Link with blond hair.
Also, pig Ganon appearance, though the enemies drawn above all appear to be a variety of designs by intention seemingly from Jojo's original tags - seems to be designed to be fairly ambiguous which era this mural was meant to depict. The enemies appear to be: Tektite/Gohma (LoZ 1), Keese (BotW/TotK design), Moblin (either OoT or AoL design), Gleeok (LoZ 1), and Wallmaster (LoZ 1 design). These enemies have all appeared in Legend of Zelda 1 and all but two being in Adventure of Link, despite their different designs depending on the game. (EDIT: I also noticed there is a Deku Baba and Wolfos upon proof-reading which first appeared in Ocarina of Time!) There's also depictions of Loftwings (Skyward Sword) and a fairy (first appearance in A Link to the Past) in the borders too. Speaking of borders, I cannot tell if the decorative floral-looking elements are merely flowers or if they are fairies and manhandla (?) stylised florally.
Overall, this illustration makes me so very happy on a historical level from the perspective of an educational High Medieval Era reenactor and someone with a fashion history interest. This must have taken a lot of research and planning so kudos to you, Jojo!
3 years of art improvement! Four still remains my favourite LU character personally, he’s just so interesting and i still love to see Jojo developing him in a way unique to the manga everyone in the fandom tends to characterise him with (i love the FS manga but i like seeing Jojo’s fresh interpretation based on the original two games). I’ve actually had the 2023 version as one of my main google acc’s profile picture since i drew it, i love it that much.
Wondering why my anatomy suddenly looks so much better? I got really into Avatar (James Cameron films) so had to figure out different facial anatomy and side profiles. Its fun to see how much my different hyperfixations change my art style over the years.
