the things for my OCs are now the only ones I do, so, off with the annual @khoc-week appointment.😂
The protagonist of this post should have been Aspis, my little Anguis kid, but since Aspis is deeply connected to another character, it's probably better that I start with some headcanons I have about the Foretellers. Between those and the designs, at this point they feel a bit like OCs too. even tried to do a Nomura-esque version for the occasion.
The assumption is that the Foretellers were one of the many attempts on the chessboard of the Master of Masters to face the Darkness. He gathered under his protection a group of lonely and desperate kids, with a tormented past, acting in the grey area more than out of affection. He bet on them.
He sought out children who possessed specific flaws of distinct deadly sins, trained them, and made them his apprentices on a journey designed to make them overcome their "sin" and use it as a virtue that will be essential to their future "roles." For example…
Gula, who lived on the streets as a feral child, has known hunger, and food is also how MoM attracted him. Gula suffered from bulimia and nervous hunger for years, before managing to direct his anxiety towards logic and study, becoming an analytical boy "hungry" for knowledge.
Ava, sold away by her once rich family fell in disgrace, wanted EVERYTHING back. everything she had lost, or that she wanted but could no longer afford. Mom was the one who has bought her, she's too young to understand the extent of the family tragedy. that's why she later was the perfect one for the task of choosing any wielder she desires or attracts her eye, without limits, collecting the Dandelion.
Aced has always used his muscles to win easily, alone, without effort and without ever really try to improving himself, until carelessness cost him his tribe and an eye… he is now a loyal follower and uses his strength to defend the group, the arm of the law under Ira.
Ira, balances strength in combat and intelligence, which are also the qualities of his union. stubborn and rebellious, as an angry teenager he ran away from home, losing his path. He was the first one found by Mom, and he owes him his life. He learned to control his anger because of him, obtaining determination, willpower and the courage that made him choose as Leader.
Luxu carried the burden of being an unwanted child, the result of an affair, from an early age he felt cursed by that because of a big birthmark on one eye that vaguely resembles an X. shy, insecure and reserved, people pleaser, until life with his apprentice companions brought out his mischievous and creative personality. His being a people pleaser made him incredibly attentive to the behavior of the people around him and the ideal candidate to infiltrate among people and live their lives, one after the other.
Finally, Invi.
like all the other foretellers, her name is more of a title. Her real name is Nivea, and she was isolated from her village because white hair was considered a bad omen. The resentment of having to survive alone, with a little brother to support, he too with lighter hair than was welcome, soon turned into Envy, gnawing at her insides every time Nivea stopped to observe the normality of other families, lurking and hating everyone but her brother Aspis.
MoM saved both, proposing a deal to Nivea: he would take care of them, they would have a roof over their heads, education, a future, as long as she studied under him.
With no other real choice, the children accept out of desperation.
Nivea and Aspis initially lived together, but as they grow older she is forced to uphold her end of the bargain, spending more and more time at the clocktower. Aspis and Nivea's relationship is ruined irreparably, as Invi begins to enjoy her studies and the company of her peers, spending less and less time with her brother "for a higher purpose".
On the other hand, Aspis, who has always remained silent about a subtle hostility from the inhabitants of Daybreak Town due to his bad temper and sharp tongue, is left almost alone. His only wish was not to be a burden to his sister, who therefore always believed everything was fine and let him go without regrets. Aspis is full of resentment towards Mom, blaming him for brainwashing his sister, now obsessed by Light and darkness, when she clearly only wanted a better life for them.
Aspis and Invi do not hate each other, but the lack of communication makes it difficult to make peace, they will miss their chance before the War.
Aspis eventually made some friends along the way, that made his loneliness bearable. he is in a sort of trio with Lupe and Leonna, and a little girl who for some reason adores him like a big brother, Velcia (she's @alchemist-of-thebes 's oc). he'll never admit it, but he would die for her.😂
concluding this post with some old foretellers art dump xD
Hermanubis or Abraxas or ? (a Roman limestone relief) [3rd century AD] by Peter
Via Flickr:
Hermanubis or Abraxas or ? (a Roman limestone relief) [3rd century AD] - Christie's A wolf- (or dog-)headed deity on this Roman limestone relief from the 3rd century AD, depicting some form of offering scene. A syncretic, hybridised deity, taking up characteristics from different deities: a wolf head, crowned with sheaves of wheat, and holding a key, the snake-like legs perhaps more an indicator of the cosmic warrior god Abraxas (but Abraxas is usually represented with the head of a lion or cock, together with sword and shield) the rest of the god is human, clothed in animal skin; in his right hand, he holds a key, and in his left hand, a caduceus and sheaves of wheat (the caduceus is an attribute of Mercury, together with the ram depicted on the left), and also some 'poppies' (healing quality? pain reliever ! hypnotic !). A bearded man kneeling at the right, presenting a loaf of bread on an offering table, its support with a lion head and a feline paw. Finally we do not know what kind of deity we are dealing with here: wheat, key, caduceus, poppies,... - does seem to be rather benign: fertility and prosperity? and the offering is also rather harmless: a load of bread. And it seem to be unkown where the stele was found). Text modified after Ralph Haussler: Wolf & Mythology ralphhaussler.weebly.com/wolf-mythology-italy-greek-celti... Photo from Christie's: www.christies.com/lotfinder/Lot/a-roman-limestone-relief-...
The Hoplitodromos "Race of the Hoplites" Ancient Olympics
by Tom Lovell
The first Olympic games were a one-day, one-competition event. The event was a footrace, and the event was held in Olympia, Greece, in 776 BC. The games were held roughly every four years until AD 393. One of the ancient events was the "hoplitodromos," a footrace where athletes competed in heavy armour, shield, and helmet.
Athenian Hoplite in the Persian Wars, twitter was curious about the cloth on the Aspis, so I will share that info here.
The cloth is called an apron, sometimes curtain/skirt, and also referenced as "parablemata" it made an appearance in art and archeology around the time of the Persian Wars and fell out of use shortly after, suggested as an arrow catcher/deflector but I haven't finished reading up on it's full use.
![Hermanubis or Abraxas or ? (a Roman limestone relief) [3rd century AD]](https://live.staticflickr.com/962/41973785102_63b65f1141_b.jpg)
