zeelots & zailors

◟ somewhere beyond the zee, my lover stands on gaslit sands and watches the ships that go zailin' . . .

[sunlessea]

❝ THE SHIP, IT SWAYED, heave ho! heave ho!, on the dark & stormy blue  ...  and i held tight to the captain’s might as he pulled up his trews. “you’ve haven’t slept,” heave ho, he said, “in many suns and moons...”  /  “oh, i will sleep when we reach shore and pray we get there soon!”  /  he said,  “now hush love, here’s your gown. there’s the bed, lantern’s down.”  /  but i don’t want to go to sleep ...  ────────────────── 𝐈𝐍 𝐀𝐋𝐋 𝐌𝐘 𝐃𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐌𝐒, 𝐈 𝐃𝐑𝐎𝐖𝐍 . . .

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─────────────────── 𝖘𝖚𝖓𝖑𝖊𝖘𝖘𝖊𝖆

❛❛ 𝟒𝟎 𝐘𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐒 𝐀𝐆𝐎, 𝐋𝐎𝐍𝐃𝐎𝐍 𝐖𝐀𝐒 𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐋𝐄𝐍 𝐁𝐘 𝐁𝐀𝐓𝐒! not too long after that, its streets were overrun by 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐩𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐯𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐭𝐲, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐬𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐞…

NAVIGATION ✞✞✞ RULES & MUSES & LORE | INBOX PROMPTS

𝖉𝖊𝖑𝖎𝖈𝖎𝖔𝖚𝖘 𝖋𝖗𝖎𝖊𝖓𝖉 ... this blog is heavily affiliated with @londonfallen 🦇 / coterie ᝰ.ᐟ lesalut, etherealguard, endlesstropa + zorkaya, poswiecenia, dreamlocke

𝕍𝔸𝕄ℙ𝕀ℝ𝔼𝕊, 𝕎𝔼ℝ𝔼𝕎𝕆𝕃𝕍𝔼𝕊 & 𝔹𝔸𝕋𝕊!  :  selective OC MULTIMUSE focused on combining  &  remixing lore from FALLEN LONDON  (+ sunless sea / skies  &  cultist simulator)  and  VAMPIRE THE MASQUERADE. not canon compliant  ›  extremely divergent from canon material, using heavy influence from the worlds  &  many of their canon characters, rewritten for the lore of this blog. do not expect characters to match or behave as their canon counterparts or for lore to be completely correct to source material : it's not meant to be. / i rarely follow first. exceptions made for fellow oc writers, ocs always welcome. my replies are slow.

alternate historical fantasy lore, historical information regarding the surface is intentionally not accurate. please be aware of dark themes throughout including those of blood, violence, and outright blasphemy before following : full trigger list is on rules page, as well as marked for each individual character. all blog information can be found on the blog’s site. questions regarding the world / lore / and characters are welcomed and encouraged. the setting of this blog is a very dark, gothic, vampiric and lovecraftian victorian era, in an underground city plagued by fantastical & horrifying things. this blog contains a lot of monster romance writing, please beware if that bothers you.

𝐁𝐄𝐘𝐎𝐍𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐙𝐄𝐄 ✟ a study in the strange, the macabre, the bloodthirsty, the divine, and the reckoning ─────────────────────────────────

est. may 8 , 2022. writer info | melanie / unicorn, 25+, she / her.

blogroll ! : canon gaming multimuse @fckurselfie

[fckurselfie]

HOW NOT TO LOSE? It is impossible not to. The world is balanced on the edge of a knife. It’s a game of frayed nerves. You’re pushed on by numbers and punitive measures: pain, rejection, and unpaid bills. You can either play or you can crawl under a boat and waste away — turn into salt or a flock of seagulls. Your enemies would love that. OR YOU CAN FIGHT. The only way to load the dice is to keep on fighting.

#FCKURSELFIE / video game - centric rp multimuse ft. characters from the wolf among us, disco elysium, lollipop chainsaw, dead as disco, resident evil, borderlands, dispatch, bioware & a whole lot more.     /     written by unicorn!! ♡

[sunlessea]

MR N.ESTS & PRINCE(SS) LOVEK

she's a professional nosferatu kisser now ... @londonfallen / c.

[dandelionrps]

𝑎𝑚𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑛  𝑝𝑠𝑦𝑐ℎ𝑜     (     𝑓𝑖𝑙𝑚     )     sentence  starters .

♡    inspired  by    the  2000  film  directed  by    mary  harron  .     add  context    &     change  gendered  language  to  your  needs .    content  warning  for  strong     &     violent  language  .     happy  writing .ᐟ

❝ god,  i  hate  this  place.  ❞

❝ they  don’t  have  a  good  bathroom  to  do  coke  in.  ❞

❝ you’re  the  voice  of  reason.  the  boy  next  door.  ❞

❝ you’re  a  fucking  ugly  bitch.  ❞

❝ there  is  an  idea  of  [ name ],  but  there  is  no ‘real  me.’  ❞

❝ be  a  doll  and  get  me  a  mineral  water,  okay .ᐣ  ❞

❝ don’t  wear  that  outfit  again.  ❞

❝ come  on.  you’re  prettier  than that.  ❞

❝ we  should  do  it.  get  married,  have  a  wedding.  ❞

❝ no.  i  can’t  take  the  time  off  work.  ❞

❝ i  hate  that  job.  i  don’t  see  why  you  just  don’t  quit.  ❞

❝ i  want  to fit  in.  ❞

❝ do  you  think  [  place  ]  is  becoming  too  …  commercial .ᐣ  ❞

❝ if  you  don’t  shut  your  fucking  mouth,  i  will  kill  you.  ❞

❝ can  you  talk  to  these  people,  or  something .ᐣ  i’m  not  getting  anywhere.  ❞

❝ you’re  dating  him,  he’s  out  of  town,  and  you’re  fucking  me  and  we  haven’t  made  plans.  ❞

❝ pumpkin,  you’re  dating  an  asshole.  ❞

❝ you’re  dating  the  biggest  dickweed  in  [  city  name  ].  ❞

❝ stop  calling  me  ‘pumpkin,’  okay .ᐣ  ❞

❝ dinner.  tonight.  wear  something  fabulous.  ❞

❝ you  should  take  some  more  lithium,  or  have  a  diet  coke.  some  caffeine  might  get  you  out  of  this  slump.  ❞

❝ i  just  want  a  child.  ❞

❝ how’d  a  nitwit  like  you  get  so  tasteful .ᐣ  ❞

❝ something  wrong .ᐣ you’re  sweating  …  ❞

❝ you  gotta  tell  me  what  to  do.  you  gotta  help  me.  ❞

❝ i  don’t  have  anything  in  common  with  you.  ❞

❝ something  horrible  is  happening  inside  of  me,  and  i  don’t  know  why.  ❞

❝ i  think  my  mask  of  sanity  is  about  to  slip.  ❞

❝ i’ve  been  here  the  entire  time.  you  just  didn’t  see  me.  ❞

❝ stop  scowling,  [ name ],  you’re  such  a  grinch.  ❞

❝ hey,  i’m  a  child  of  divorce.  give  me  a  break.  ❞

❝ i  like  to  dissect  people.  did  you  know  i’m  utterly  insane .ᐣ  ❞

❝ i  think  for  one,  he  was  a  closeted  homosexual  who  did  a  lot  of  cocaine.  ❞

❝ i  hope  i’m  not  being  cross  -  examined  here.  ❞

❝ i  don’t  want  you  to  get  drunk,  but  that’s  a  very  fine  chardonnay  you’re  not  drinking.  ❞

❝ if  they  have  a  good  personality  and  they’re  not  great  looking,  then  who  fucking  cares .ᐣ  ❞

❝ there  are  no  girls  with  good  personalities.  ❞

❝ keep  touching  me  like  that,  and  you’ll  draw  back  a  stump.  ❞

❝ i’ve  seen  you  looking  at  me.  i’ve  noticed  your  …  hot  body.  ❞

❝ don’t  be  shy.  you  can’t  imagine  how  long  i’ve  wanted  this.  ❞

❝ i  want  you .ᐟ  i  want  you,  too .ᐟ  ❞

❝ i  never  knew  you  smoked.  ❞

❝ can  you  keep  it  down .ᐣ  i’m  trying  to  do  drugs.  ❞

❝ i’m  into  murders  and  executions,  mostly.  ❞

❝ you  think  i’m  dumb,  don’t  you .ᐣ ❞

❝ there’s  something  sweet  about  you.  ❞

❝ let’s  not  think  about  what  i  want.  how  about  we  go  anywhere  you  want .ᐣ  ❞

❝ it’s  so  elegant.  what  a  wonderful  view.  ❞

❝ you  can  always  be  thinner,  look  better.  ❞

❝ i’m  at  a  point  in  my  life  where  there  seems  to  be  so  many  possibilities,  but,  i  don’t  know.  i’m  just  so  unsure.  ❞

❝ i  guess  you  could  say  i  just  want  to  have  a  meaningful  relationship  with  someone  special.  ❞

❝ i  don’t  think  i  can  control  myself.  ❞

❝ i  have  a  tendency  to  get  involved  with  unavailable  men.  ❞

❝ i  think  if  you  stay,  something  bad  will  happen.  i  think  i  might  hurt  you.  ❞

❝ you  don’t  want  to  get  hurt,  do  you .ᐣ  ❞

❝ i’m  not  so  sure  about  this.  i  had  to  go  to  the  emergency  room  after  last  time.  ❞

❝ let’s  not  get  lewd.  i  am  in  no  mood  for  a  lewd  conversation.  ❞

❝ are  you  telling  me  you’ve  never  gotten  it  on  with  a  girl .ᐣ  ❞

❝ since  it’s  impossible  in  this  world  we  live  in  to  empathize  with  others,  we  can  always  empathize  with  ourselves.  ❞

❝ not  the  face .ᐟ  you  bitch,  not  the  fucking  face .ᐟ  ❞

❝ i’m  fucking  serious.  it’s  fucking  over.  us.  ❞

❝ i  know  that  your  friends  are  my  friends,  and  i’ve  thought  about  that.  you  can  have  them.  ❞

❝ you’re  inhuman.  ❞

❝ you’re  not  terribly  important  to  me.  ❞

❝ if  you  really  want  to  do  something  for  me,  then  stop  making  this  scene  right  now.  ❞

❝ i  have  to  return  some  videotapes.  ❞

❝  i  guess  i’ve  killed  maybe  twenty  people.  maybe  forty.  ❞

❝ i’m  not  sure  i’m  gonna  get  away  with  it  this  time.  ❞

❝ i  mean,  i  guess  i’m  a  pretty  sick  guy.  ❞

❝  stop  sounding  so  fucking  sad .ᐟ  ❞

❝ some  guys  are  just  born  cool,  i  guess.  ❞

❝ i  don’t  hope  for  a  better  world  for  anyone.  ❞

❝ this  confession  has  meant  nothing.  ❞

[sunlessea]

i'm going to keep it paused for now, but i'm going to build up drafts & inbox stuff in my queue like i'm doing on my canon blog bc that's really working out for me actually getting stuff done lmao. gonna take like a week or 2 to work on things here & queue them then once there's enough, hopefully unpause the queue and stop loOKING DEAD all the time oml

[jamsmemes]

(     *     BIOSHOCK PROMPTS   !    

trigger warning for murder.

❛  i choose something different. i choose the impossible. i choose… rapture.  ❜

❛  now you’ve rattled the monkey cage. here they come.  ❜

❛  what excuse do we have not to sculpt, and sculpt, and sculpt, until the job is done?  ❜

❛  what if now it is not my skill that fails me but my imagination?  ❜

❛  chin up, now. the lord hates a quitter.  ❜

❛  i’m here to show you a new kind of beauty.  ❜

❛  the path of the righteous is not always easy, yes?  ❜

❛  the reward will become clear in time: be patient.  ❜

❛  whichever way you slice it, good men died.  ❜

❛  i thought this would be a better life for us. can you imagine a bigger fool than that?  ❜

❛  if you press that button, you’ll learn what it means to truly be my enemy.  ❜

❛  you ooze in like an assassin and then try to sneak out like a thief.  ❜

❛  there’s two ways to deal with the mystery: uncover it, or eliminate it.  ❜

❛  i come to this place to build the impossible.  ❜

❛  that’ll take you straight to the devil himself. and then all debts will be paid in full.  ❜

❛  so there are no innocents. there are heroes, and there are criminals.  ❜

❛  who says you can’t teach an old hound new tricks?  ❜

❛  i believe in no god, no invisible man in the sky.  ❜

❛  even in the gathering dark, you light a candle.  ❜

❛  i feel… hatred, like i’ve never felt before, in my chest. bitter, burning fury.  ❜

❛  the artist has a duty to seduce the ear and delight the spirit.  ❜

❛  who could hate me so much they’d ruin me like this? what did i do to them?  ❜

❛  if you can’t come in from the cold, then you gotta grow ice over your heart.  ❜

❛  you’re not a moth… you’re an angel. i’ve never painted an angel… maybe i should!  ❜

❛  you give them hope. and for this, i am grateful.  ❜

❛  i don’t need to be judged by you… by anyone… screw you!  ❜

❛  i haven’t chosen a spot for you on the wall yet. let me know if you have a preference.  ❜

❛  if i have to kill one to save the other, so be it.  ❜

❛  thank you for reminding me that the light of the world has not yet been snuffed off.  ❜

❛  it’s about who can become less of a man and more of a monster.  ❜

❛  imagine the will it took to create a place like this.  ❜

❛  is there blood in the streets? of course.  ❜

❛  the great chain moves slowly, but with wisdom.  ❜

❛  as you drag me closer to the abyss, you pull yourself right along with me.  ❜

❛  i offer you a quick death. it will be preferable to what you will learn if you win.  ❜

❛  think about it for a second, and maybe the word will come to you: nostalgia!  ❜

❛  mark my words — your only reward will be a knife in the back.  ❜

❛  my strength is not in steel and fire, but in my intellect and will.  ❜

❛  in the end, all that matters to me — is me. and all that matters to you — is you.  ❜

❛  even in the book of lies, sometimes you find truth.  ❜

❛  a season for all things: a time to live, and a time to die.  ❜

❛  a man chooses. a slave obeys.  ❜

❛  you know what they say… never mix business with friendship.  ❜

❛  kills me to turn my fist to you, but business is business. don’t let it get you down.  ❜

❛  they say to save one life is to save the world entire.  ❜

❛  now there’s nothing left for you but a long cold nothing.  ❜

❛  you know, you should be thanking me! i brought you here! i showed you who you are!  ❜

❛  nobody never told you nothing but lies till i came along!  ❜

❛  i’d turn tail if i were you, kid. ain’t nothin’ here for you but tears.  ❜

❛  to question is to surrender. i will not question.  ❜

❛  they offered you the city… and you refused it. and what did you do instead?  ❜

❛  you saved them. you gave them the one thing that was stolen from them. a chance.  ❜

❛  and what was your reward? you never said. but i think i know… a family.  ❜

❛  would you kindly?  ❜

[promptshelf]

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐊𝐍𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐌𝐎𝐓𝐇.

› prompts from rachel gillig's novel the knight and the moth (2025). feel free to tweak as you see fit , bartholomew.

❛ you don’t have to be good, or useful, for someone to care about you. ❜

❛ when you do the right thing for the wrong reason, no one praises you. ❜

❛ we all want to be special.”

❛ what is right and wrong depends entirely on the story you’re living in. ❜

❛ which is more intricate? the designs of men, trying to reach gods, or that of gods, trying to reach men? ❜

❛ people who love you for your usefulness don't love you at all. ❜

❛ you want to throw me down. ❜

❛ i, prideful, disdainful, godless. ❜

❛ i want to drag you into the dirt with me. ❜

❛ you know this story, (name,) though you do not remember it. ❜

❛ to tell a story is in part to tell a lie, isn't it? ❜

❛ it's hard to see who i am when i am lost in what's expected of me. ❜

❛ fear not, (name!) every day has its dog. ❜

❛ if you only ever look up at something, can you ever see it clearly? ❜

❛ it is easier, swearing ourselves to someone else's cause than to sit with who we are without one. ❜

❛ take my hand, you strange little creature. ❜

❛ it sounds awful when i say it out loud. ❜

❛ you are more special than you realize. ❜

❛ i would do anything for you. ❜

❛ i cannot decide which i like best. the sunrise, or the sunset. ❜

❛ i was losing my faith in everything. ❜

❛ the two of us meeting… it felt almost divine. ❜

❛ i think her quite the bitch. ❜

❛ how undignified. ❜

❛ did anyone see me fall? ❜

❛ i want someone to see me. ❜

❛ i want it to be you. ❜

❛ no honor among thieves, and even less among gods. ❜

❛ i’ll do anything you ask of me. ❜

❛ if i were beside myself, there would be two of me ❜

❛ oh, (name.) he's dreamy. ❜

❛ do you want to know how it ends? ❜

❛ does it end? ❜

❛ it ends when you kiss me. ❜

❛ why do we do these things to ourselves? ❜

❛ you’re an incomparable fiend, (name.) a truly accomplished asshole. ❜

❛ i’d like you better if you were on your back again. ❜

❛ it is not like me to be the bearer of bad tidings. ❜

❛ am i all that you imagined? ❜

❛ your hands are marked by the blood of my metamorphosis. ❜

❛ whatever my soul was made of was frail. ❜

❛ violence is a craft. so is compassion. ❜

❛ no is a sufficient answer. ❜

❛ anger is a fine weapon. ❜

❛ now have some soup. ❜

❛ i will shoulder any weight you give me. ❜

❛ would that things were different. ❜

❛ i think i would like to stop promising myself away, or else there will be nothing left of me to give. ❜

❛ i don’t know why i say the things i do. ❜

[thoughtcascades]

me after 5 minutes of socializing: i’ve earned 3 days of silence

[sunlessea]

what a rare treat ... to be so personally threatened by the attention of one of the bazaar's MASTERS. oh, not just any old bat — perhaps had it been the sharpened claws of mr irons or, god willing, mr pages, there would be some argument that appealing to their more tempestuous but practical natures could foresee a meeting such as this turning even to the victim's favor. dankovsky is not so lucky, when a hush falls across both superior and nurse alike as the forebodding figure of mr veils steps forth to a group of parting kine. no one dares look it in the eye, of course, for what little good it would do.

mr veils is ill fit in settings such as this. even on its sparse outings to the more mundane places humanity saw fit to scurry about in the city, it drapes itself in such sophisticated silks. its eyes shine 'neath its namesake and, were it possible, even gleam in its excitement when it meets the unlucky object of its attention.

"daniil dankovsky." it's like an electric current rushes through the room when it calls out to him by name. masters of the bazaar are not known for recognizing their citizenry, especially those who are yet stranger to them. this is an enigmatic scene to witness, and a disturbing one for those who work alongside this human man. veils wastes no time in its hasty approach, arms clad with silk raising 'til there is little space between them, short of that which it reaches out to place its claw ... lightly ... on the tip ... of his nose. "Добро пожаловать в Лондон. you may finish meeting your peers another time, little rabbit. i wish to speak with you." there is an impression made by the tension surrounding them that he is not exactly being given a choice.

@lesalut

[sunlessea]

so help me god i WILL write on this blog this week OML idk how i got so brainrotted over my canon multi at the start of this year KJNMEKRJHMN. I HAVE BATVAMP FREAKS TO WRITE!!! shakes the bars on my enclosure

[edenmemes]

ghost of tsushima starters

❝ promise you’ll remain the good man i know. ❞   ❝ only fools have no fear of death. ❞   ❝ i am very much alive. but my patience is dying. ❞   ❝ i’ll make sure you are remembered. as a great warrior…a wise leader. ❞   ❝ the strength we need is all around us. ❞   ❝ the past cannot hurt you. ❞   ❝ this whole journey, and i never asked your name. ❞   ❝ fear drives you to be stronger. fight harder. ❞ ❝ sometimes…our only choice is to walk away from everything we know ❞ ❝ we do what we must. that is why you and i are both survivors. ❞ ❝ i can do good! i just…need practice. ❞ ❝ may your next life be more peaceful than this one. ❞ ❝ i knew it was too good to be true. ❞ ❝ i’ll see what i can do. but if you’re lying to me… ❞ ❝ you’re too comfortable with that power. ❞ ❝ don’t ever try to kill me again. ❞ ❝ turn your back on a foe…and you will die with a sword stuck in it. ❞ ❝ youre not slipping away that easily. ❞ ❝ just stay closed. keep your sword sheathed. and let me do the talking. ❞ ❝ the things i saw still haunt my nightmares. ❞ ❝ i dont even know if you’re real. ❞ ❝ victories don’t have to feel good. ❞   ❝ killing your own family…it’s harder than you could ever imagine. ❞   ❝ it’s safer for everyone if i just disappear. ❞   ❝ next time, leave some glory for the rest of us. ❞   ❝ peace doesn’t always come quietly. ❞   ❝ some people respond to kindness. others require a glimpse of steel. ❞ ❝ i am nothing if not honest. ❞ ❝ stop using people, and start thinking about how you can help them. ❞ ❝ you’ve had your vengeance. don’t stand in the way of mine. ❞ ❝ you don’t have to do it alone. ❞ ❝ not all words need to be spoken. ❞   ❝ there is time yet for revenge. i will savour their cries of pain when that time comes. ❞ ❝ i have learned to love the cool, damp dark. ❞ ❝ the last thing i saw was faces filled with hatred, rage… ❞ ❝ you didn’t think you’d get rid of me that easily, did you? ❞ ❝ we will celebrate when this is all over. ❞ ❝ what’s wrong with you? one moment we stand shoulder-to-shoulder, the next you’re ready to cross blades. ❞ ❝ a warrior learns from their mistakes, or they are buried by them. ❞ ❝ remember your training…and never leave my side. ❞ ❝ well…i guess this is goodbye. ❞ ❝ your visions will grow worse, driving you to madness and death. ❞ ❝ i can only pretend for so much longer. i’m not like these people and never will be. ❞ ❝ i loved you all my life, but i could never work up the courage to tell you. ❞ ❝ the proud do not last, and the mightiest of us perish like dust before the wind. ❞ ❝ you’re a vision of mercy. ❞ ❝ not bad, but only half-good. ❞ ❝ we make a good team, don’t we? ❞ ❝ an archer’s aim relies not on eyes…but on body, mind, and spirit. ❞ ❝ this is my fight. i don’t need your weapon. ❞ ❝ being right doesn’t always make things better. ❞ ❝ there is nothing easier than to prey upon the vanity of ambitious men. ❞ ❝ you weren’t looking so good. i let you rest. ❞ ❝ your intentions this time were…better than usual. ❞ ❝ what are you not telling me? ❞ ❝ trouble sticks to you like shit on rice. ❞ ❝ it’s strange being back after so many years…everywhere i look brings back memories. ❞ ❝ only a child expects perfection of their elders. ❞ ❝ when this is all over, what will you do? ❞ ❝ you are ruled by your emotion. ❞ ❝ is this how you want to be remembered? ❞ ❝ perhaps great men share all the aspects of their lessers, but more. great wisdom, but even greater cruelty. ❞ ❝ i cannot imagine the burden a leader like you must bear. ❞ ❝ our greatest enemies are the greatest teachers. ❞ ❝ death’s shadow embraces me. hand in hand we walk. ❞ ❝ breathe. you can’t fight if you hold your breath. ❞ ❝ i know you well enough by now, my friend. ❞ ❝ i can’t go back…to what i was. before this. ❞ ❝ i hope you one day forgive me for the choice i made. ❞ ❝ the wounds you dealt my spirit will never heal. ❞ ❝ why did you turn away from me? ❞ ❝ if you can keep moving forward, so can i. ❞ ❝ it’s a bad idea to sneak up on me. ❞ ❝ promise me something. don’t become like me. ❞ ❝ let me undo the damage i’ve done. ❞ ❝ …and you want me to clean up your mess. ❞ ❝ the path ahead may take a lifetime, but i will walk it with you. always. ❞ ❝ whatever you believe i’ve become, i will always be your family. ❞ ❝ i wouldn’t be here without you. ❞ ❝ i’ll hunt you past the horizon if i must. ❞ ❝ can i count on you to do what needs to be done? ❞ ❝ that’s over now. you’re here. with me. ❞ ❝ i thought i’d lost you, i should’ve known you’d never give up. ❞ ❝ you can’t continue down this path. ❞ ❝ be careful. demons are everywhere and they fear nothing. ❞ ❝ corpses can’t answer questions. ❞ ❝ you deserve greater respect than this. ❞ ❝ it’s just like the stories my father told me. ❞ ❝ what you become tomorrow is your choice. ❞ ❝ just ask the last man who questioned my sincerity. you’ll find his head covered in flies out back. ❞ ❝ you shouldn’t have lied. i still would have helped you. ❞ ❝ we came this far. we’re not turning back now. ❞ ❝ how do we survive if we don’t trust each other? ❞ ❝ without my help, the fear and pain will overwhelm you. ❞ ❝ whatever happens, we don’t retreat. ❞ ❝ the stories are true. i’ve never seen anyone fight like you. ❞ ❝ see how the enemy fear you? you are a true warrior. ❞ ❝ you want to share a drink…with me? ❞ ❝ maybe you should’ve just ran away. like you always do. ❞ ❝ good people have nothing to fear from me. ❞ ❝ your promises are just like you. worthless. ❞ ❝ as you wish, since you asked so sweetly. ❞ ❝ i know better than to argue. ❞ ❝ i hope i can find quiet places like this one, untouched by war. ❞ ❝ we grew up together, but you threw it all away. ❞ ❝ it was so chaotic. i felt you grip my wrist and then nothing. ❞ ❝ desperation can bring out the demon in the best of men. ❞ ❝ i don’t want to leave without you, but…i can’t stay. i hope you understand. ❞ ❝ a grown man, and you still can barely sit still. ❞ ❝ and i heard you had no sense of humor! ❞ ❝ knowing and doing are different. ❞ ❝ trouble follows me everywhere. ❞ ❝ indulging violence weakens the warrior…like too much food or drink. ❞ ❝ i can always tell when you want to ask me something. out with it. ❞ ❝ i am proud to fight beside you. ❞ ❝ i didn’t nurse you back to health to watch you throw your life away. ❞ ❝ all i want…all i need is to start a new life. ❞ ❝ look twice and shoot once. ❞ ❝ i think they’re afraid of you. you can be…intimidating.. ❞ ❝ you don’t even try to hear me. it’s like talking to a stone. ❞ ❝ so you try to kill me? have you lost your mind? ❞ ❝ you’ve sacrificed everything. for revenge. ❞ ❝ we can’t let anger consume us. or blind us to our friends. ❞ ❝ there is only one way this ends. ❞ ❝ i gave you everything. and you threw it away. ❞ ❝ do not question my integrity again. ❞ ❝ your father would be proud. ❞ ❝ the worst one can do is take advantage of their own people. ❞ ❝ you follow trouble. you should ask yourself why.  ❞ ❝ some of my favourite memories happened at this place. ❞ ❝ i told you this was a bad idea! ❞ ❝ keep fighting. we need people like you. ❞ ❝ are you the one who finally kills me? ❞ ❝ a warrior’s most important weapon is themself. lose control, and you risk defeat. ❞ ❝ first, get some rest. this is killing you. ❞ ❝ see that? i told you. there’s always hope. ❞ ❝ i hope the skills i gained through hardship can be of use to the people here. ❞ ❝ you have skill…but you nearly died rushing into battle. ❞ ❝ in the midst of battle, true leaders must stay rooted, stand firm. ❞ ❝ every time i get in a mess like this, i’m as scared as the time before. ❞ ❝ don’t be the next to disappoint me. ❞ ❝ save what we can, but know that everything passes away. ❞ ❝ i hope you understand, this is just a job. ❞ ❝ that’s a sad way to look at the world. ❞ ❝ seeing you like that…i’m still shaken up. ❞ ❝ sit with me a moment. ❞ ❝ doubt and indecision have destroyed armies. ❞ ❝ it’s so painful to…see you weighed down by sadness. ❞ ❝ on the slim chance some good comes of this…lead the way. ❞ ❝ you fought well, but we’re finished. ❞ ❝ the warrior’s mind is quiet but alive, like rustling bamboo. ❞ ❝ i’ve trained with a blade since i could walk. ❞ ❝ the visions…they’re still happening. ❞ ❝ in our world, being intimidating isn’t a bad thing. ❞ ❝ you have a talent. it’s time you use it, for the sake of our land. ❞ ❝ i’ve tried to teach you all i know…but you act more like a poet than a warrior. ❞ ❝ your path leads to madness and death. ❞ ❝ that’s twice you saved my life. ❞ ❝ these people stay because they believe in you. ❞ ❝ i didn’t choose this life. it was my only option. ❞ ❝ you came at me like i was your mortal enemy. almost broke my arm! ❞ ❝ i could use your help…in the fight ahead. ❞ ❝ you can be a little rough, but you have a good heart. ❞ ❝ i don’t want to kill you, stop! ❞ ❝ what’s wrong? afraid i’ll get more famous than you? ❞ ❝ war brings out who we truly are. ❞ ❝ take care where you place your faith. ❞ ❝ you seem lost in thought. ❞ ❝ i was getting tired of waiting for you. ❞ ❝ without my wisdom, you will lose your soul to madness. ❞ ❝ peace is an unattainable dream…but a dream worth fighting for. ❞ ❝ i’ve killed a thousand men. every death was sweet. ❞ ❝ what is the point of prayer when we are doomed? ❞ ❝ you’re like your father in more ways than you know. ❞ ❝ if you want my respect, earn it. ❞ ❝ and how many wars have you fought? ❞ ❝ you’re quite the butcher with that sword. ❞ ❝ people who sow chaos must be punished. ❞ ❝ i can’t help but wonder if you enjoy the violence. ❞ ❝ i kill only to protect our people. i think about that every time i reach for my sword. ❞ ❝ i’m sorry if my lack of skill offends. ❞ ❝ it’s the first time in days i haven’t felt like i was about to die. ❞ ❝ you fought like an animal…or a demon! ❞ ❝ there’s nothing more painful to me than a perfect bow…ineptly used. ❞ ❝ victory is won by warriors, not weapons. ❞ ❝ i couldn’t leave you to die. ❞ ❝ i made my choices. even knowing what they’ve cost me, i’d make them again. ❞ ❝ when’s the last time you slept or ate? ❞ ❝ you don’t get to give up. this land needs you. ❞ ❝ oh you pretend we are different, but we fight for the same thing. ❞ ❝ there are still places of beauty to remind us of what truly matters. ❞ ❝ true mastery begins where individual ego ends. ❞ ❝ a warrior faces danger with courage and resolve. this is how they endure. ❞ ❝ those stories…they’re not entirely true. ❞ ❝ even the youngest warrior needs a full belly and a rested sword-arm. ❞ ❝ bad men are good at hiding their true natures. ❞ ❝ there is nothing left for me here. my hope is lost. ❞ ❝ i did what i had to. for you. ❞ ❝ forgive my manners. i spent all my time alone. ❞ ❝ is that any way to greet a visitor? ❞ ❝ if you continue down this path…you’ll be no better than the enemy. ❞ ❝ i am grateful for the times we share…but, i always want more. ❞ ❝ you lived your life in a castle. it made you soft. ❞ ❝ i used to know what i fought for… ❞ ❝ face them as a warrior with honour. not a monster. ❞ ❝ i don’t take lives, but i am not a coward. ❞ ❝ i wonder if i’ve crossed a line. ❞ ❝ you can’t expect everyone to understand what you’re doing, or why. ❞ ❝ your methods were brutal…impulsive…without honour. ❞ ❝ there’s plenty to fear without worrying about folktales. ❞ ❝ i hope you’ll find peace again soon. ❞ ❝ you do what you need to survive. and yet you despise others for doing the same. ❞ ❝ is that your excuse? your reason to kill? ❞ ❝ we have to keep pushing. even if it costs us our lives. ❞ ❝ cowards without honour deserve no mercy. ❞ ❝ i’ll fight beside you until the end. ❞ ❝ whatever happens, your forgiveness won’t change who i am. ❞ ❝ why should we settle for scraps when we deserve to be legends? ❞ ❝ only cowards strike from the shadows. ❞ ❝ the proud do not endure. the greatest of us fall in the end. ❞ ❝ perhaps some good will come of this. ❞   ❝ you will see nothing but death to the end of your days. ❞ ❝ legacy is more than a name. ❞ ❝ im sorry. i know what it means to lose family. ❞ ❝ one day we’ll escape the endless wheel of suffering. ❞ ❝ is that a ‘thank you’? ❞ ❝ i know what it means to be hunted. ❞ ❝ you personify fury and regret. ❞ ❝ that’s all right. i want to hear you dig your own grave. ❞ ❝ either way, we’ve got nothing to lose. ❞ ❝ i’ve done what i can. the rest is up to you. ❞ ❝ forgive me, but you look fatigued. have you endured much hardship? ❞    ❝ i hope you find true honour in your next life. ❞ ❝ you deserve nothing less than death. ❞ ❝ this is foolish. surrender, and you can live. ❞ ❝ i too have pride in family. and i know what it’s like to live in their shadow. ❞ ❝ you were gone so long, i knew you were in trouble. ❞ ❝ so many of us here owe you our lives. ❞ ❝ what’s wrong? what did they do to you? ❞   ❝ you’re lucky to be alive. ❞ ❝ i know your language. your traditions. your beliefs. which village to tame and which to burn. ❞   ❝ i cannot lose you again. ❞   ❝ i don’t seek revenge. but i will fight for peace. ❞   ❝ we will meet again soon. until then…travel safely. ❞   ❝ this is war — not a test. ❞ ❝ we can save our home together. it doesn’t have to be like this. ❞ ❝ fear is a weapon. don’t let them use it against you. ❞

[sunlessea]

❝ It's the world. You're made of it. Every day you're out there you make more of yourself from it. I'm afraid you can't be unmade now. ❞ - adrifires

adrien wonders if it would say these things to him, had it known in the moment how truly awful the world has been to him. the subtleties of his expression are hard to read 'neath the scowls and glares he oft wears, but it's when he's at his most calm that tends to come off uncanny, like something not quite human, the corpse vampirism has made of him, perhaps. it's the most profound thing that's ever come out of mr fires mouth, and were he anyone else, he thinks it may even be sweet. it's certainly poetic, and he would be the first to admit he'd never pegged it for the capability to be so. his boss is a brute ... they both know it, no matter how desperately it tries to hide its blackened heart from him with honeyed flattery.

"so i'm just to suffer as the monster this world has made of me, is that it? there are no matters to be taken into my own hands, no way to escape the vile amalgamation i've been twisted into? even i was beautiful once, in my innocence. even you were. what kind of world is worth living in if it produces animals such as us?" his smile is sardonic at best when it quirks his lips, just short of blatantly disgusted.

its attempts to bond with him have gone so poorly since they started, but it's not like he can do anything. this is the closest it's ever gotten to sounding human, and it terrifies him. he doesn't want to imagine mr fires with feelings and empathy, least of all with desire to appeal to him specifically. he's never been so important to it before. why now?

"i've given more of my heart to this world than it's ever given back to me. so much i've contributed! i bet you can't recall a single thing, can you? you who should know me most of all, but you probably didn't even remember my name until you rifled through my employee files." he never elaborates, but his eyes linger 'pon stolen gas lamps as they pass, the very drag path he'd implemented, following him from karakorum to london ... "anyone can be unmade. we can be murdered, our brains can be damaged, our hearts taken from our chests. the embrace unmakes us humans. we die, to be reborn into something else. do you think the adrien you know now is the adrien who existed on the surface before the fourth? i've been unmade so many times, no one has experienced putting themselves back together again more than a man who survived the surface, the fall, and the unwanted affections of the city's cruelest master." he's not being cheeky, in spite of how smug he sounds. he hates himself. it shows. "i could kill myself, and i'd be unmade this very eve. we kindred-from-kine don't get second chances down here. just like that ... like we'd never even existed."

[londonfallen]

♡ MR. NESTS & ELYSIUM

❛ —and i'd have followed you forever into shadows, as shadow creatures must. / c.

another commission snagged for me + @sunlessea !! <3

[sunlessea]

❝ Are you a miracle? ❞ - ironely

what a strange thing to hear, not through prayer or mere suggestion of those who have prayed to the egg unhatching even long after her fall from the skies ... the moon is the closest he thinks he's ever come to the title of miracle, a piece of it still left in the night sky above them no matter how far below the earth he now settles. but this is all in a life now long past, one he hasn't lived for a good long while now, even years before london had sunken to the neath in karakorum's wake. mortals calling a goddess miracle it to be expected when she had been something beyond their understanding ... this is much different, he thinks, and it shows in the bashful lilt to his usually confident smile.

"hardly! i am only a man as much as any other in this city, mr irons. many of us survive impossible odds daily, do we not?" his demeanor is sweet, as usual, and humble in his presentation. perhaps he's given the impression that ego is his default, but actually, he feels a little shy to receive a compliment from one of the city's betters. at least, he takes it as a compliment. it could very well be backhanded, an expression of how anomalous he actually is among london's citizenry ... but he somehow doubts it, even if the master itself had intended so. this bat is soft on him, he suspects, though it does not show in how severe its posturing and hardened gaze. how it sets its jaw makes it look like it's scowling. a consequence of creatures grown in violent environments.

he's wrong, in that he is not like the others in this city. no one would wish stand this close to one of the neath's greatest monsters, but he does not mind its presence. he holds its hand softly as he leans 'cross his counter to take it, letting it lay overtop his palm. he picks at its claws, letting the soft bed of his fingers 'pon his free hand glide 'long the tips. it's made of many jagged, calloused edges, mr irons.

"i like to call myself a ... diamond in the rough. hardened by flame and shined by endless optimism, if you will. we share that in common, i think. ah, not the optimism part. the rest of it. you're rather dour, but if anyone is a miracle here, it's most certainly you ... i've always loved curators."

@londonfallen

[skellsmemes]

Some quotes from Disco Elysium -the Final Cut (2019)

these were narrowed down from a specific set of dialogue and descriptions based off this video essay (I Don't Want To Be This Kind Of Animal Anymore | Disco Elysium Analysis) by jeffiot. I highly recommend watching it.

❝ I don't want to be this kind of animal anymore. ❞

❝ You're the type of animal I would like to be. ❞

❝ I'm glad to be me -- an incredibly sensitive instrument. ❞

❝ No one believed I exist -- almost no one. Until you came. ❞

❝ Are you a miracle? ❞

❝ Of all the creatures I've met, you are the scariest. ❞

❝ Of all the creatures I've met, you are the most beautiful. ❞

❝ Of all the creatures I've met, you are the kindest. ❞

❝ Few of us can begin to imagine the horror of you -- with all creation reflected in your forebrain. ❞

❝ It must be like the highest of hells, a kaleidoscope of fire and writhing glass. Eternal damnation. ❞

❝ Even when you're sleeping… And when you wake, you carry it around on your neck. With eyes open that cannot help but swallow more behind the mirror. ❞

❝ I feel great, mute empathy for you. ❞

❝ You told us to fuck off. ❞

❝ Yes. You're sorry. You're the sorriest person who ever lived. Nothing has changed. I've heard this repentance shit a million times over. ❞

❝ We did everything we could. ❞

❝ You are tireless. Madly driven. ❞

❝ Then there's the… self-flagellating issue. ❞

❝ I don't want to be anymore. It hurts. ❞

❝ I've finally gone insane. ❞

❝ Go home. Or fuck off. ❞

❝ There is nothing. Only warm, primordial blackness. Your conscience ferments in it -- no larger than a single grain of malt. You don't have to do anything anymore. ❞

❝ This is a terrible line of questioning, and it will only lead to more awareness. ❞

❝ Alright. Nothingtown to Fuck-All-Borough! ❞

❝ Have you looked in the mirror lately? You have the exact features of a savage art critic. Disheveled and prophetic. ❞

❝ Looks like the circus left town, but the clowns are still here. ❞

❝ I am the vilest of the vile: A traitor, a devourer of nations and infants. ❞

❝ My days of giving a shit and being this type of animal are over. ❞

❝ Don't stop, keep singing. Sing me the song of death. ❞

❝ When you wear your coat, you wear my soul. ❞

❝ Weave this into the story of you. ❞

❝ Do I have a shaker in my hand? Am I wearing a little bow-tie? Am I smiling? Do you see me smiling and shaking my little shaker? No? Do you know why? Because I'm not a bartender! ❞

❝ I'm currently in between names. ❞

❝ What the fuck is a rake? I'm not a gardener! ❞

❝ The streets will flow red once more. You wait and see. ❞

❝ You are obsessed with sadness and with frivolous pop culture. ❞

❝ It's a matter of days. Not weeks. ❞

❝ It's very late. We should be resting already. Tomorrow will be another tough day. ❞

❝ I am the law. ❞

❝ You failed. You failed me. ❞

❝ Time to go work in the shit factory! ❞

❝ Don't worry, we will protect you from her beauty. ❞

❝ I see through deceits. ❞

❝ You are not a fool. ❞

❝ We made each other drink harder. That's why I liked him. ❞

❝ That's why I liked him. ❞

❝ My real name isn't mine. ❞

❝ I am as queer as cabaret. ❞

❝ You're a human can-opener. ❞

❝ I hope that at least that extra lining helps you keep warm at night. I wouldn't like you to catch cold. ❞

❝ It's your disgusting body. Even through your sleep, you feel a vague discomfort suffusing it. Your belly and your sides are unpleasantly tender. You wish you could curl up into a fetal ball of safety, but you cannot -- because of the pain. ❞

❝ You're just pretending that you're asleep, even to yourself. While the world goes on without you... ❞

❝ Thou art honourable and just, sire. 'Tis the snakes who are vile! Hissing in the grass... ❞

❝ You look like shit. ❞

❝ Oh God, ___! oh God, ___, what did you do...?! ❞

❝ I'm sorry ___. I'm so sorry. ❞

❝ The night is always darkest before the dawn. ❞

❝ Look under the floorboards. ❞

❝ Yes, I enjoyed the way he bled. ❞

❝ Habitual alcohol use has made you into a scared little pussy. ❞

❝ People just don't know how to accept gifts, especially taxidermy. ❞

❝ I'm very sorry for your loss. ❞

❝ It's not your place to live their lives. ❞

❝ What going to happen now? Everyone's going to die! What do you think is going to happen? ❞

❝ No one ever cares anymore, why would they cheat me like this?... ❞

❝ The person inside doesn't even know you are here. ❞

❝ It's the world. You're made of it. Every day you're out there you make more of yourself from it. I'm afraid you can't be unmade now. ❞

❝ You're one fine instrument. ❞

❝ You're the son of the World again. A ceaseless agent picking up litter and old newspapers, collecting your little bubble gum wrappers and idiot picture cards. Meaningless, meaningless keepsakes. ❞

❝ All those faces and all those names, all that laughter and screaming and scheming around... Every corner and every street... Recorded in you. Forever. ❞

❝ You're a real political animal. You still don't see that it's the world that's changing you. ❞

❝ I am the city. ❞

❝ I am a fragment of the world spirit. ❞

❝ My heart is the wind corridor. ❞    

❝ I've seen you with her -- and I've seen you without her. I've seen you on the crescent of the hill. ❞

❝ I need you. You can keep me on this earth. ❞

❝ Be vigilant. ❞    

❝ I love you. ❞

❝ You're going to keep your vows. ❞

❝ I'm not going to be played by an upset stomach. ❞

❝ Kill him if you have to. Our ultimate fate depends on it. ❞

❝ It is time to unleash the Other-World. ❞

❝ They said they killed him. They said 'it was a good way to end a Sunday night'. ❞    

❝ Be wary of the abyss. ❞

❝ Okay Mr. Sunshine, I guess I'd be pretty gloomy too had I gotten shot in the ass. ❞

❝ You already were a ghost. ❞    

❝ It's the living who are ghosts. The dead are silent. They don't rattle windows or write letters in blood. The living do. ❞

❝ You are the infernal engine. You never stop. You only get worse. ❞

❝ Sunrise, ____. Prepare for war. ❞

❝ I just don't want to walk into another embarrassment. ❞

❝ I am a creature of pride, you see... I'm afraid of becoming a joke. ❞

❝ Let's just admire this piece of the world we happen to have in front of us, eh? ❞

❝ Sometimes I feel like I don't have a good brain. ❞

❝ I am a deserter, a partisan, and a prisoner of war. This is my term-less surrender. ❞

❝ It's the life of a dog, not a human being. ❞

❝ Men without ideals are only animals. ❞

❝ In truth -- perhaps I'm nothing? ❞

[londonfallen]

—what is it supposed to say to that? he's keen to make a mockery of it, always : finding new and ever so creative ways to trample over its bruised and broken heart. and that's the worst of it, so it thinks, that he knows exactly what he does, right down to his cadence. the familiarity is painful. his tone, and that curl to his lip—even the way he squints was once far cheekier than it is now. it hurts. it knows he knows it does.

to that end, it figures he also expects the way it slumps forward—oh, its posture had always been horrid, but it's worse now!—and for as stony as its expression has always been, the scowl that twists its own lips and the soft growl that follows is all too predictable. " is this my punishment? " a rather tame one, for a singular moment ... but it's the longevity that pains it. a heart tortured for the plentiful it'd stopped.

" are you having fun? "

[sunlessea]

he's an amazing actor. that isn't specific to just this life, only this time ; he has always played his roles so well, whether that of goddess or vampire hunter. from the faces of cassandra to cassius to even the elysium it recalls so fondly, his has always been a malleable soul. the incarnation it met had perhaps been the closest to his reality, each life a chance to dig deeper and ponder who, exactly, he — or it, the soul, not the vessels — even is. he'd told it then that he liked who he was then. that was true. beneath the surface, though, he is not all that different here. always dramatic, petty, loving. valentin smiles just the same as elysium had, as cassius hadn't, as the egg unhatching had tried, and as cassandra had dreamt.

this isn't fun for him, the disillusionment of love. he'd have done anything for its wayward, darkened heart those thousands of years ago. each life, he lives and learns a lesson. elysium's had been a painful one. he'd not make the same mistake twice.

" — i once said i would live before i ever hurt you. and you know what? i did not. our futures now are free reign." venom 'pon his tongue is only half-hearted, but his smile is quite bitter. if looks could kill, it'd be dead a million times over. it isn't just him who disparages its company, but the hundreds across moscow he has befriended who watch the two of them wander streets together with scowls and furrowed brows. he's always been beloved in the neath. now the entire city seems to watch him, protective, as he weaves 'cross snow - laden streets. "your punishment fits the crime. you deserve much better. perhaps i am of a more divine, karmic irony for you, a petulant child."

some things never truly change! he speaks as if its elder. he is. not in body, perhaps, but he has a soul where it lacks, and his is much, much too old to entertain the fancies of a brooding monster 'pon his heels.

"what would you have me do? apologize for hurting your feelings? we are not friends anymore, mr irons. i owe you everything."

[sunlessea]

"even my actions are not wholly free of selfish intent, mr irons." its hands are calloused by comparison of his own ; the rough edge to his fingertips have long faded to something softer, in his absence from the helsing pack. without need for combat every day, he has become something deceptively delicate on appearance ... but there's a strength, still, in how he has his fingers curl 'round its wrist. even were it to throw a fit — bite, scratch, pull 'way — it probably wouldn't be able to free itself from him.

"while true that i believe you are my soulmate, thus we are fated to fall in love with one - another whether you wish to or not, it's also true that i need you. you are capable of setting me free. you should know that the space between my heart and lungs which you occupy is holy. i'll die without you." quite the pressure to put on a beast he's brought into a story it wanted no part of ; but he did not force it here, into the solemn loneliness of his shop, to sit by his side with candlelight. he's learned by now that irons is not so well - versed in the deeper meanings of metaphor, but he isn't speaking in metaphors. he doubts that it can conceptualize as much, how little they two still know each - other.

even still, his fingers trace the lines in its palms, particularly that of its heart line, meta claw light 'pon its skin. "i told you that i don't believe in tragedies, but that's not entirely true. i am a tragedy. you are my damnation which will save me from salvation." he's strange, certainly, even without the oddity of their dynamic, both intensely romantic and uneasy. most men pray for salvation. he may be the only in the neath's history who has run from it. "this is not suicide via master of the bazaar that i am baiting of you. this is a reckoning, and a liberation."

@londonfallen / mr irons