Jadeite Cabbage with Insects - a piece of jadeite carved to look like a bok choy with a locust and a katydid hidden amongst its leaves. Originally a gift to the consort of the Qing Emperor, Zaitian in 1889, it is housed in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, Taiwan.
The Northern Consort used to be a spy, don't you know? A good one, too...only the heavens know how far that particular web goes, but it benefits the Emperor's reign, and the Empress is found of him, so who are we to judge, eh?
[+200 Better Lore points!]
Empress Shen is finally here, my God! How difficult was this particular beast, eh? It took me, like, five or six redesigns! The balance between feminine and masculine really kicked my ass here...I think I did pretty well, if you take in account everything. I'm proud of myself, so all of you must be nice to me.
The drama is set during the warring states period, my inspiration was mostly from how they costumed the Queen of Zhao, the dowager Queen of Qin and Haolan when she finally becomes the Queen of Qin. They are all gorgeously dressed, I recommend watching it PURELY for the costuming and also the scheming women.
The design was immensely inspired by the Chinese drama The Legend of Haolan. The main character just has this impeccable Shen Qingqiu face-card, every time I see her I just think 'Yes, Shen Qingqiu, for sure.' Here's her, for reference:
For Shang Qinghua, things were so much easier, though; I watched some episodes of Story of Yanxi Palace and was struck by inspiration™. He was so easy to draw! It's all very Qing dynasty inspired, it just fits him, I think.
It took me so very long to draw the jewellery and the embroidery in both of them...I admire the people who actually do metal and needlework. Heroes, all of them.
The pearl makeup is one of my favourite ancient Chinese makeup trends; I just had to put it in. It's a very fancy form of Huadian, which is where you draw forms, mostly flowers and other pretty things on your face using paints, powders, pearls, gems and glued flowers, and it was popular from the Tang dynasty onwards. The ICONIC pearl Huadian was popularized in the Song dynasty because it (shockingly) represented modesty and elegance.
Shen Qingqiu's greenest ornaments are made out of imperial jade, which is characterized by this vibrant emerald green colour and great translucency. It's also the most expensive type of jade ever.
The! Nail! Guards! Make! A! Comeback!
Shang Qinghua's ornaments are, in the other hand, made out of pearls - for elegance, wisdom, and wealth, and blue jade, for serenity, peace of mind and self-reflection. Mobei-jun buys all of his husband's jewellery with intention, for sure.
Thinking about the last post, maybe a God absolutely needs a Consort in order to act in the physical realm.
Ranni needs us. We kill her biggest obstacles in Radahn and the Baleful Shadows who hunt her, and we claim the Finger-Slaying Blade for her, all things she cannot physically do. Though ultimately she doesn’t really wish for a Consort, the Tarnished proves both their loyalty and belief in Ranni, while demonstrating their strength first hand. So she agrees when we propose, and then we go on to defeat her broken Father and the Vassal of the Greater Will, so she can claim the Elden Ring and begin an Age of Stars - what the Nox dreamed of.
Miquella needs Radahn. Yes, a supposed vow was made between them. Whether as a jest on Radahn’s part or a serious Pact between them, either way Radahn’s Might was needed in order for Miquella to fulfil his vision. So much so that Miquella was willing to call back Radahn’s spirit into Mohg’s body itself just to have a Consort. Considering how much of himself Miquella needed to divest to achieve Godhood, it makes sense that Radahn is needed as a physical support there - quite literally carrying Miquella upon his back. (Funnily enough imitating his hero Godfrey in this manner, who hosted Serosh upon his own back.)
Marika needed Godfrey. Yes, she used him as a disposable pawn, a tool of warfare and destruction. But it’s also true that she had many children with him of her own volition. But she likely wouldn’t have been able to best the Fire Giants on her own. Hoaruh Loux and his Kinfolk could. But he needed to be tamed, and with the Beast Regents agreement, Serosh was grafted onto Hoaruh Loux to focus his rage as Lord Godfrey against Marika’s enemies. He goes on to defeat countless enemies across the Land Between in the name of the Erdtree and Marika. Though when no enemies remain, his Gold is stripped, and he and his kinfolk become the Tarnished. A mistake Marika would later likely regret.
Marika needed to become Radagon. Leyndell couldn’t defeat Liurnia’s sorcerous power. The Liurnian wars were at a standstill. A war Godfrey could’ve won handedly. But he was gone, sent away on a Long March. So the Champion of the Golden Order made an appearance. Radagon stepped onto the scene, and instead of War, Marika used Charm to end the Liurnian wars. Leyndell and Liurnia entered a marriage union and peace was achieved. As Liurnia’s strength grew with the union of Radagon and Rennala, Leyndell’s own strength began to wane. The Plentiful Age of the Erdtree had long ended, as the tree became more an object of worship. Marika needed to return to the Erdtree, so Radagon left Rennala and became Elden Lord. This would later lead to another failure and waning of the Golden Order, as one cannot be one’s own Consort forever. Strife would inevitably occur. Jealousy, grief, ambition, and pride are never good lucks on a God.
Without a consort none of these Gods would ever have achieved half of what they did. Ranni’s fate would’ve been left sealed behind the stars. Miquella would’ve never been able to call on Radahn’s might as a crutch. Marika never would have had the chance to best the Fell God and begin her Age.
Vocavault, a neogender umbrella based off the concepts of voice banks such as Vocaloid, Utau, and any other voice bank. This term is connected to the mascots for the voice banks, the songs/products of the voice banks, and the general products around it.
Note: This is not for/about AI voices! || Referral Terms / Things under the Umbrella under the cut!