#lore anon

[morro-guardian-of-the-departed]

OHHH MORRO, IT'S LORE TIME.

So, the ninja, as per usual, were fighting a "low-level" villain, called the mechanic (he doesn't get the uppercase letters). The mechanic, a former worker for Chen, was searching through a warehouse for a computer chip that would allow for people to enter a video game called 'Prime Empire,' though he was beaten and sent to jail by the ninja and the motherboard was claimed by them. Unfortunately, when they were investigating the broken down location where the mechanic was going, Jay found the Prime Empire arcade machine, wanted to play it, put the motherboard in the back, played the game to 13th level, the machine opened up to a bright, glowing white light and he walked inside, entering the game. And when the chip was plugged in, EVERY other arcade machine in Ninjago was hijacked to also play Prime Empire, leading to thousands of Ninjago citizens getting trapped in the game once they reach the 13th level. Meanwhile, the rest of the ninja find about the main villain, Unagami, and find the repeated symbol of an upside-down triangle with with the top disconnected, then once they're done, they realize that, like their 5 year old child, Jay's gone. So they check the cameras and sort of find out where he went. The ninja then get Cyrus Borg to inspect the game, they try to find Milton Dyer, the game's creator, but they have no luck, Borg figures out the stuff with the 13th level and tells the ninja, not including Zane and PIXAL, due to their coding, to go inside the game and PIXAL and Zane shall continue the search for Dyer.

Kai, Cole, Lloyd, and Nya after shortly entering the game, find a cult based around Jay the League of Jay (they have avatars of him) and gets help from them to lead them to Jay. They reunite with Jay and he tells them that they have to collect 3 keytanas to beat the game and return to reality.

NOW, Unagami's evil plan. Basically, get people inside the game, make them lose all of their lives so that they turn into these energy cubes, use the energy cubes to power up a gateway that leads into Ninjago, enact revenge on Milton Dyer for abandoning him/the game.

Back in Ninjago, Zane and PIXAL are doing detective work, but Zane gets too into the role and starts narrating everything. They talk to Dyer's parents, then to his old friend who tells them about an arcade where Dyer used to hangout, they go there and Zane gets kidnapped by the mechanic and PIXAL finds Dyer, who she finds out is not Unagami like they expected. She learns from Dyer that Unagami is Prime Empire, which became sentient and his name is short for 'Untitled Game no. 1', and the reason that he abandoned the game was because it sucked his friend Scott into it, leading to him abandoning the project. Anyways, the mechanic plugs Zane up to the Ninjago side of the gateway to power it on their end.

In the game, Kai and Cole both lose their last life in the Speedway 5,000, Lloyd dies because he had to fight against an avatar of Harumi, and Nya dies to an enemy for Jay, while being the last life Unagami needed to venture into Ninjago. Jay ends up following Unagami into reality to stop him, eventually catches up to him and gets him to stop attacking everything, and he has a heart to heart with him because he was also abandoned by his parents (Libber and Gordon). Unagami ends up transforming into a child form and calls everything off, allowing those who died in the game to return into Ninjago. Then everyone has a happy ending and Milton Dyer and Unagami go home as father and son.

-Lore anon

Lore Anon, I’ll be honest with you. For a while I was trying to avoid your ask, because I figured if I didn’t read the Ninjas’ next traumatic venture, I didn’t have to process that it happened. Also their stupidity in certain situations makes me crash out. I’m deciding to read this ask because it can’t be as bad as I think it is, right?

I can already hear the hubris bell ringing at my comment.

Fuck.

Oh no. Why are their quotation marks around the mechanic’s title?

He’s a former employee of Chen’s? Ew. Chen’s an asshole.

What the fuck is wrong with spreading around this “Prime Empire” video game? How does that make him a villain?

At least the Ninja got the motherboard.

WHY DID YOU WRITE THE WORD “UNFORTUNATELY”??

NO. NO I DON’T WANNA READ WHAT COMES NEXT.

THAT’S WHAT YOU MEANT BY “ENTERING THE GAME”?? THE MACHINE FUCKING ATE THE LIGHTNING NINJA???

Not the fuckass digital domino effect 💀

Greattttt now on top of trying to get the Lightning Ninja back, the Ninja will ALSO have to save all the hostages. 

WHY THE FUCK DID HE PUT THE MOTHERBOARD THAT HE GOT FROM A CRIMINAL INTO THE FUCKING ARCADE GAME??

Unagami feels like a symbolic name, though I have no idea why.

“then once they're done, they realize that, like their 5 year old child, Jay's gone.” SINCE WHEN DID THEY HAVE A FIVE YEAR OLD CHILD??

Cyrus Both is Pixal’s creator/father, right?

Oh great. Let’s all go into the killer video game, why don’t we?

How the fuck did the Lightning Ninja acquire a whole ass cult in like, TWO DAYS??

Was he THAT GOOD at grinding in Prime Empire?

Keytanas? Really?

Oh fuck there’s a limit on lives. What other limitations exist? Can the Ninja use their elements or do Spinjitzu, at least?

UNAGAMI’S THE GAME?? AND HE’S HARVESTING SOULS TO GET REVENGE ON HIS ABANDONER—

WHY CAN’T PARENTS JUST FUCKING CARE FOR THEIR KIDS?

That seems like a Zane thing to do, from my very minimal experience. It would’ve either been very comical or very annoying to watch him in “Detective Mode”.

Why does someone always get kidnapped? It’s getting kind of old at this point.

I KNEW “UNAGAMI” WAS A SYMBOLIC NAME. SOMEHOW. WHATEVER THE POINT IS THAT I CALLED IT.

Fuckass familial misunderstandings

Why do all these villains just dehumanize Zane and use him for parts? It’s sickening.

So the Fire and Earth Ninjas probably twinned in dumbassery on the speedway, Lloyd died because he was a simp for a psychopathic cultist, and Nya died to save her man from certain doom. These Ninja really DON’T have FSM-granted plot armor, do they?

Wait since when was The Lightning Ninja adopted? (I might be stupid. I have the memory of a fish.)

No fucking way they Friendshipped-Is-Magic their way out of that. I’ve got to be in the wrong timeline because what the fuck is happening.

The Hubris Bell hath strucketh. How the fuck do these dumbasses always get themselves in these situations? And SURVIVE?? I can’t tell if they have no plot armor or all the plot armor.

[danidoesathing]

A headcanon of mine is that League Viktor was also dealing with the same illness as his Arcane counterpart-but between Stanwick Pididly's absolute dickishness and Giopara being a jerk, he ultimately ended up hiding his illness and not telling anyone. This... Kind of bit him in the ass later when he was being tried, because he'd kept it a secret and revealing it then wouldn't have helped. (It probably wouldn't have helped much by that point, but hiding it made his research look absolutely insane and evil, instead of partially motivated by survival. (He is terminally unhinged, but all Viktors are by default.)

(Mostly, he kept it a secret because it didn't want even more pity and condescension from everyone; but another reason was because he didn't want Jayce to deal with the knowledge that his boyfriend/partner was dying of an incurable disease.)

(The sad thing about this HC is, I think Giopara would have been more accepting of Viktor's shady experiments if he knew why he was doing them-but Viktor kept it to himself, and the Defender didn't find out until years after Viktor became the Machine Herald. Giopara just thought he had an intense illness, but was under the impression he'd get better.)

OH THATS SO FUCKED (said with glee). i always thought that since it was likely Viktor's transformation happened earlier in his life (as they were still both students at the time of his exile) that his condition hadn't deteriorated nearly as much by the time he replaced his lungs but this is SO much worse (better). adds so many layers to it all

like viktor keeping his condition a secret because honestly what it would achieve? he's dying with or without the half-hearted pity of others, and he especially wouldn't want pity from the one person he likes respects. or even worse, depending if it was before or after the stanwick, he wouldn't think giopara would care, since he clearly misjudged how close they were. and then after the factory incident that just proves to him that jayce never would have cared or tried to understand the things he and other zaunites have to do to survive.

but like man. it could've been different. if he had told giopara straight away he probably would've been more understand. maybe he'd see the augmentations as trying to remove humanity but as a tool of survival. maybe he would've given viktor more benefit of the doubt, whether at the dive suits or at him asking for the crystals or even at the factory. maybe they never would've fought and viktor might've kept some faith in humanity. jayce doesn't understand but he could have.

[vee-crytraps]

Nooo pls I think your story is so interesting 😭😭 I mean ofc the smut is great (and there's nothing wrong with reading a story for it) but personally I got a lot more invested when you expanded on it, it really elevated the story imo. Not only because, well, it's great to get a fic which explores messy interpersonal relationships and just all the baggage that comes with coming-of-age (especially in the MC's situation), but also because when you know the relationships between the characters and such, the smut scenes actually even hold more weight. My fave parts so far have been getting to see Batsis' slow but gradual development (which is already paying off!! woohoo!!) and Dick's internal conflict regarding her, which have nothing to do with the smut and could be considered "angsty" or "slow" parts.

Idk, personally I love the road you've been taking with the fic and find all the themes really interesting. But that is only if you're enjoying it as well! If you want to explore even more themes because it's what rocks your boat, go for it, or if you want to hold back a little, or even give yourself some time, that's cool too! I assure there's people like me who are eating the full course meal you give us and leaving no crumbs 🫶🫶

- lore anon

Omg! You're so sweet! I really love taking the slow and steady route, I know for a fact that I would have burnt out for good if I'd kept the story as just chapters and chapters of smut. It's also more interesting to flesh out the world and all the little intracies of Batsis' life. I was feeling a lot of self doubt with it lately, but hearing this from you really put a smile on my face! It's always so reassuring when someone sees/likes what you're going for. TY so much for your support Lore Anon!

[calcitedraws]

August hahaha 😆 😂 why you cringe fail?

No I'm cringe incarnate because I poorly sing all I want for Christmas

Is August an outcast in their family?

Lore goober anon.

I'm a permanent resident of Cringe Prison.

August owns and lives in 4 hoodies and looks like he smells like weed and lavender.

August isn't an outcast because there isn't much of a family. He was never close to his parents (they didn't want him but they didn't neglect his physical needs) and he doesn't have siblings. August is haunted with low self-esteem mixed with a desperate need for companionship. He's more of an intense stalker than anything, not feeling the need to kidnap you. His intention is to keep you safe and single. August isn't about tarnishing your reputation, but his plan is to whittle you down into loneliness so when he finally gathers the courage to speak to you, you be a bit more receptive to him. Worst part? Most of the things he thinks you'll hate about him aren't even real, his self esteem is just so low that he's convinced you'd never look at him otherwise.

[alltimefail-sims]

LORE TIDBIT TIME WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! Did you know Vlad was apart of the settler colony who mysterious disappeared? This is obviously a nod to the Roanoke colony which I think is sooo cool. What do you think happened to Vlad's colony? I like to think Vlad was turned or became a vampire and whipped them out.

HELL YEAH LORE TIDBIT ABOUT VLADDY DADDY!!! 😏

I'm going to treat this as a "deep dive" into Vlad and Forgotten Hollow, so I'll be adding it to my Deep Dive Series tag. Unsurprising to literally everyone, but this is gonna be a long one.

So… let’s get into it! ↓

Going into this I will admit that I actually did know this about Vlad!! I've been wanting to talk about it for forever but have never gotten around to it haha. 🤭 I'm a bit of a history nerd and I love a good spooky story/conspiracy, so naturally the Roanoke Colony was one of my obsessions when I was around 11 or 12 years old.

I think it's an interesting tie in from the sims team, I'd even say it's a bit meta because I feel like the game normally sticks to making references toward itself and its own canon characters/events while generally staying away from anything that would be too direct of a reference to "our world." Personally though I wish they broke the fourth wall more! I like easter eggs or hidden details that make it easier to imagine the characters existing not in their isolated, imaginary worlds, but in ours instead.

It's interesting to think about why the sims team might have made this connection - was it just a cheeky, unserious little wink to a well-known unsolved mystery, or was it done for the purposes of creating implications and expanded lore regarding Vlad and Forgotten Hollow (a case of them showing us instead of telling us). There are so many theories archaeologists and historians alike have had about the lost colony of Roanoke over the years: some believe the Roanoke colonists could have all died by disease or famine, some believe they could have been victims of a deadly storm, some believe they were attacked by neighboring tribes or by Spanish soldiers. Nowadays there are scholars who will argue that no tragedy befell the settlers at all and that they simply relocated (that would be why they left "Croatoan" behind - there was a nearby location referred to as Croatoan Island, now modern-day Hatters Island).

With that in mind, along with Vlad's own refusal to recall the details of this event, it's safe to assume that the sims team isn't referring to the happier Roanoke theories...the 25 colonists of Forgotten Hollow likely faced an unfortunate end.

Your theory of Vlad being turned and thus wiping out the colony (I'm guessing due to new-turn bloodlust) is sooooo compelling, the implications of that scenario are delicious and I personally never thought of it from that angle! My theory is only a little different: I agree that Vlad was turned on the day that the colonists "disappeared" (whatever that implies), but I have always played Vlad's story not as if he was turned and then killed everyone after, but rather that the thing that turned him successfully killed the other colonists but accidentally turned Vlad. It's a really long story that I play around with for fun in my brain but the short-ish version is: Vlad awoke outside - cold, alert, sweaty, dirty and covered in his own blood - but somehow alive, which he was thankful for. His new immortal condition is still unbeknownst to him at this point, but he felt an ache like never before, so deep in his bones it was excruciatingly painful, but his senses were heightened tenfold. He didn't remember much, just that the colony had been under attack the night before. His relief to be alive rapidly melted into abject horror as he found everyone else (friends, neighbors, family, children) dead. He realized soon enough what had happened to him and stayed in Forgotten Hollow where he would be memorialized as its "founder." He spent his days hellbent on retaliation and retribution, but was also steadfast in continuing the work that was began there before the attack. Eventually he does get to face off with the vampire who attacked him and his people, killing it and rising to power in the vampire world. He keeps the events close to his chest because they were traumatizing and cause him sadness, and he's worked diligently to remove himself from his humanity/human memories and from emotions in general (thus how he has become the person we see today). I always thought if he killed the colonists himself the other vampires in his circle - at least his closest confidantes - would know (as he's got quite the massive ego), but they don't seem to have knowledge of this event and they never mention it. I've thought that it could be possible that sharing the memories of this event would make Vlad feel weak, and he's not one to boast in his weakness. He'd much rather rewrite history in a way that is beneficial to his image; dragging up emotions about dead people would not bring them back to life, and by burying this history of a massacre in Forgotten Hollow he is also creating some mystery around himself and making it easier to play the role of a great-great-great-great grandson (or whatever he's pretending to be, relationship-wise) to the original founder.

But that's just how I play with Vlad! 🤷 I could be way off-base lmao!

Regardless of what happened, we know Vlad is the sole survivor of this event and he is scarred by it, impacted so deeply that he only ever vaguely alludes to it with no clear explanation. Whether he killed the colonists himself or just witnessed their death, the sims team will probably never give us concrete answers (and frankly, that's probably for the best considering their track record). But the clever connection of the LOST colony and FORGOTTEN Hollow are clear as day and I just think that is freaking cool! The occult lore in TS4, especially regarding Vlad and Forgotten Hollow, make interesting framework for storytellers and lore-lovers alike! Vlad is one of those characters who has sooooo many interpretations, and I eat up each and every one!

Okay, I think that's all I've got for now! Sorry about my word vomit! Somewhat related: here's an article I recently read on Roanoke that talks about the archaeological finds which have changed some of the discussions surrounding whether the colonists survived or not! I found it pretty interesting and you might as well!

[majestyrising]

Plague Light Info Dump

Okay so my idea for a Light/Plague clan is kind of weird. It starts off with a bunch of archeologists operating in the Emperor’s Wake discovered a strange temple whose architecture didn’t match – it was built as a holy place where their important ally was able to worship. It was an impressive structure of marble and gold, and in the center was a statue of Lightweaver and Plaguebringer, each holding a gilded bowl. This discovery was pretty important, and a sign of things to come. As more researchers poured over the area they kept finding more and more references to this Light/Plague culture. They showed up with more temples in allying lands, in artifacts they traded, and in war records. A lot of war records of many clans – apparently this Light/Plague culture was an empire and expanding.

Eventually they hit paydirt and find one of the Light/Plague culture’s ruined cities.

Lots of archiving and discovery, and they discover a map, detailing more of their holdings. Including the Light/Plague clan’s main city. After a brief scare of the Emperor walking far too close for comfort, an expedition to their capital sets off. Luckily this city was well preserved, time and Luminax have spared this city.

The archaeologists also discover why this clan was lost to history – littering the streets are bodies.

Most of them warriors locked in battle or those who succumbed to their wounds. War. They were attacked by a stronger clan; wiped out the nobles, killed the priests, buried their twisted religion. If there were any survivors, they fled and never returned. Walking the eerily quite temple walls surrounded by the dead and riches of a long-lost empire is…. Sad.

The archaeologists, tomb robbers and treasure hunters take back artifacts, and a few of these ornate coffins lining the temple. And that is where they made a mistake. These coffins are actually… a ritual tool that keeps the dragon inside hovering in between life and death. During the assault most of them were cracked open and the dragon inside killed – except for a few. In one of them lies the last surviving princess of this Light/Plague culture. The sun may have set on her people, but their empire will rise again! She will rebuild it, 1000 times grander! She just has to wait for them to figure out how to open her prison and she will live again! I’m debating on there being more like her who managed to get overlooked when her family was wiped out and her people scattered to the winds. For sure she is the last of the noble bloodline.

Some of the inspiration for this clan comes from Christianity. Specifically the older stuff – a bunch of worshippers believing that they start life in debt, born in sin. Lightweaver and Plaguemother does not love them. That the act of suffering and sacrifice is to be brought closer to the divine. Flagellants and martyrs who take on the sin of others. Sad saints. And can’t forget the impressive looking cathedrals. Also included in this is the Aztecs. Blood sacrifice is key to this clan – the belief that the gods require sacrifices to keep their creations running. Sometimes it is a trickle offered to the scarlet stained altar of the Lightweaver, other times whole hearts are offered up to the gods. Blood is life and magic, and the gods need it. Incorporate some of that Aztec City look into their Cathedral Cities. Combating their dour religion and war like nature is their vivacious grasp on life. They throw 100% of their being into celebrations and the arts – the sheer unbridled joy is a stark contrast to their faith. They sing, they dance, and above all else feel. Also included is glorious White Phyrexia, if only for the amazing White/Red imagery. Like scarlet veins and pure flowers blooming.    

Some Pathfinder classes I think they’d use.

Pain Tasters: a prestige class that uses pain and ritual to buff up their stats. Even for those not blessed by Lightweaver or Plaguemother, pain can still bring out the divine and elevate you. Another prestige class, Scar Seekers take on self-mortification rituals, and are empowered by their pain. Their religious self-scarification leaves them a patchwork of scars, which offers various boons when it comes to healing and sharing pain. Holy Vindicators are the last prestige class I think fits them. They gain stigmata and while bleeding bolster their attacks with divine might and lay down curses. Clerics of Martyrdom and Tyranny walk down the same temple halls and psionic collectives expand their senses in opulent guildhalls. These psionic collectives churn out Hemokinetics that learn to manipulate their blood, and psychics dedicated to pain master their mental powers here.

Outside of the standard FR Light and Plague type of magic, I figure theirs focuses on three things.

The first: Healing Magic. A culture dedicated to bloodletting and ritual penance sufferers would have some of the best healers around. Plus taking on the wounds of others fits in with their martyr theming. Secondly: Pain, and the emotions it brings. Despair. Anger. Fear. This is why they have psionic collectives. And lastly: the Red Blood that flows through the veins of the universe, of which they are just a small part.

[yb-cringe]

(caps warning) OKAY I KNOW I SAID I'D LEAVE YOU BE BUT I'M A FUCKING GENIUS AND

SO SO SO WHEN THE RIFT OPENED: REALITY KINDA BROKE (as it tends to do) AND THUS KINDA DUPLICATED. The hermits coming from their side to the empires side momentarily deleted that existence (hence the fact that multiple grumbots could exist at once, because they didn't) which also ties into why grumbot is talking about "there is no mumbo in this reality," ect.... this is why when the empires people went into the other side of the rift, the fact that there was still a duplicate of the empires side meant that the empires bit was somehow still existent, but the fact that there were two grumbots (despite one having been blown up, the fact that the rift was open while there WERE two grumbots) meant that the rift started closing bc it was like "nope fuck this this is too much interdimensional shit" and closed, and this is why when they returned to empires, everything was fucked up. shelby where the fUCK was that village you were at?? this is why the wanted posters are up- hold on i'm about to explain that bit. chromia is well, orange. would you take a wild guess about who did that. yeah. sO BASICALLY, because there were two timelines open on the empires side, but one timeline had nobody to keep it in check, so the other went out of whack, stuff leaking over- stuff being owen stILL not being a llama, word of that got to the academy (joey migHT've helped) and thus shubble is wanted. the moment that people came back over the alternate timeline was split (hence why there were no duplicates, ect), but some things remained, mostly from the people who would cause the most chaos (that being owen.) also this is why, as the portal was closing, sausage remembered everything- because the timelines snapped back. so yeah uh

sorry i've typed a fuck ton this has been filling my brain and leaking out my ears for the past two hours.

jesus christ i somehow understand this completely and dont understand it at all. but its fucking interestinf as hell— and all of them ARE saying that shit is Wack as hell. or most of them. Joel seems fine. No surprise there tho-

[spherearc]

Bro I want to hear all abt ur paracosm and if you want i can ramble to you abt my paracosm(s)

From daydreaming memories

Aw fuck I don't have the energy to figure out where I even start with my paracosm rn. Do I start with the universal structure stuff? The Cosmic Entities? The Forms and Classes? The concept of a Creator???? There is just. So much