about reverse 1999: i’ve always wondered what the different types of damage symbolise. mental versus reality. i always assumed that isolde (my fav and my main) would be mental damage because of, yknow everything about her lore and character but surprisingly, she was reality
Hello!
Honestly, mental vs reality damage has always been super interesting to me. But now that I lost interest in the game and haven't been keeping up with it, all I can remember about it are the usual mentions in the Tutorial Notebook and even that is just crumbs!
If you guys have more insight and mentions of type of damage within the story or other aspects of the game, feel free to add to this post!
The screenshot above says:
Our minds and materials in reality affect each other. Arcane skills can use 2 kinds of damage: Reality Damage and Mental Damage.
- Introduction to Arcane Skills, Chapter 2
Some enemies are particularly agile. Certain damage can't hurt them. Please keep in mind the type of each incantation and select the proper one.
Mental and Reality ... We can't have it both ways, right?
With this we can easily gleam some stuff; there's a direct connection between both types of damage that parallels the way Afflatus works, they directly "affect each other." They're also mutually exclusive, "we can't have it both ways," but these don't seem to be mutable traits within people like Afflatus is. Someone's Afflatus can change if their perspective and ideals change over the course of their life, such as Kakania, but I don't recall any character having mechanics that make them switch between these two damage types.
The text also says that arcane skills have these damage categorizations, which might lead us to believe that it's exclusively an arcanist thing. This is easy to dispel by looking at all the playable humans within the game--Kassandra is Reality, while Aleph is Mental. No playable humans were released when the game came out, so I assume this is mostly an oversight or just not an issue, since humans have small little differences like having "Reasoning" instead of "Resonance."
Then there is the aspect of agility, implying it's a strictly physical thing like if you're fast enough you can probably avoid Reality attacks, or perhaps Mental attacks are slower and so on. I would like to bring up that the enemies found within the tutorial have buffs like these, which specifically negate any non-Ultimate attacks of their own type of damage. So there is something else here!
This is a small tangent, but I swear its related!
I wholeheartedly believe that the incantations each character possesses can reveal a lot about their personality, way of thinking and story overall--each incantation has little tidbits of text that develop as the rank rises, some are references to actual media that might've been used as basis or inspiration, but I don't think this diminishes its importance and how it might relate to the character in question. Not only that, we have Ultimates, their most powerful attack, which I see as the core of a character and what they represent overall--hence why these are usually the attacks that enemies cannot avoid.
I've brought up incantations and their relevance in a few of my previous analysis, so allow me to bring up some examples again! These screenshots were taken from the fandom wikia because I'm too lazy to open the game lol.
Pavia is a MENTAL damage character, and his Ultimate is the following:
Nosier Than Me
Split the shadow to reveal the offspring nurtured within. They'll be feared as a pack of wolves by the mortals.
This Ultimate clearly references Pavia's background as a child forced to grow up in his aunt's basement in complete darkness, where it's implied that he developed his shadow arcanum which he now uses to manifest a pack of wolves. The animation is him summoning these very same wolves to attack, before launching himself into the fray as well. "They'll be feared as a pack of wolves by the mortals," the phrase alone also invokes a feeling of separation between the pack and humanity, perhaps also a separation between Pavia himself and humanity--which is referenced and further developed in his Beast Afflatus, relating to the struggle of the underdog against a system.
We can even go a step further and analyze what the Ultimate itself does; it hurts a single targeted enemy, but it also heals Pavia himself. Note that Pavia is one of the few characters who benefits from his teammates dying, further hinting towards how he thrives when alone.
Now let's see a different character.
Lucy is a REALITY damage character, and her Ultimate is the following:
A Step Forward
By changing ourselves, we have the power to change the world.
Lucy's Ultimate references the story within 1.9 Vereinsamt, in which she sacrifices herself over and over to negate all side-effects of La Una Cirklo for the sake of humanity--she changes, she's reversed over and over and she comes back in her most primitive form. She goes through change not only here, but in her daily life as well; Lucy, as an Awakened defined by and rooted in progress, must change alongside the world that created her.
While I don't have to say a lot about her animation, the mechanics behind her Ultimate continue to point towards a much deeper reading of the characters. The status of [Pragmatist] causes all allied Afflatus to be stronger against the enemy, as if they followed the proper order of Afflatus relations. She gains the [Leadership] buff as well, all hinting towards her role in guiding humanity towards a better outcome, which lines up with all the hard choices she is forced to make for the greater good, all while learning from her peers.
This entire tangent serves to insist that attacks and incantations matter beyond mechanics. It makes sense as to why non-Ultimates can be dodged if we understand Ultimates as the attack that most resonates with a character, the one thing that defines them. If attacks carry Afflatus, which relate to a character's entire life and ideals, struggles and thought patterns, then it makes sense that the type of damage they do carries the same weight.
So I think it's more fun to interpret certain enemies who can dodge certain types of damage the same way we see Afflatus. The tool or concepts a character uses to attack are simply not strong enough, not physically but perhaps metaphorically--some battles don't actually take place in a literal way, they're representations of a mental or emotional struggle, such as Artificial Somnambulist Therapy levels! But at the same time, most battles do happen, so in these cases it is definitely a matter of skill and arcane power.
When it comes to what these damages symbolize, my best guess with the limited information I have is that they're pretty much what their namesake implies!
Reality damage hurts you with the truth, the tangible, the things that are real. Mental damage hurts you with the abstract, the feelings, that which is imagined.
This would explain why characters like Isolde or Jessica, both rooted in horror and the mind, are Reality Damage instead. They are hurting you with things that are real, that cannot be denied.
Isolde's family arcanum might deal with ghosts, but they are allowing the spirits of people that lived to possess them--you are essentially confronting death through the women of the family, they're borrowing the skills of the dead, skills they should not have but now they do. When we focus on the story itself, both 1.7 E Lucevan le Stelle and 1.9 Vereinsamt, we see how she hurts not only Kakania but others around her in straightforward and physical ways. She shoots her own brother, she shoots Hoffman. She forces Kakania to confront the cold reality of never having truly understood her, committing horrible things that Kakania never thought her capable of because Kakania was blind to the truth.
On the other hand, Jessica quite literally turns the horrors of the mind into a reality, she creates a playground based around Blonney's stories and all of the horror tropes she's learned about during 1.2 A Nightmare at Green Lake. These two characters play with the aspect of illusion a lot (Jessica through roleplay and acting, Isolde through faking and masking) and, with their themes dealing with horror and mental illnesses, it makes sense as to why their type damage is difficult to grasp.
But this also goes the other way around, if they embody this type of damage then this means that they are most hurt by the opposite type.
This is easier to understand--Isolde is most hurt by Mental damage because her themes of mental illness and the treatment of women's "hysteria" in her era, her family's own history and so on and so forth. Her mind was, essentially, broken through trauma.
This is why Kakania is MENTAL damage, the type that hurts Isolde the most. Their respective mechanics and traits as playable characters continue to compliment and mirror each other as a way to emphasize their bond within the main story. Notice how both characters with these opposing damages affect each other; Kakania becomes suicidal after realizing that everything she did and stood for, namely her treatment of Isolde, was misguided, doing more harm than good. And then Isolde becomes near catatonic with grief when confronting the fact that Kakania will never see or treat her like she once did, how the one thing that bound them together (in her eyes, at least) cannot be salvaged.
I would like to invite everyone to look at their blorbo and analyze what their damage type might say about them!
You can get a lot of interesting reads, like how Tuesday is very obviously Mental damage because her modus operandi revolves around exploiting everyone else's deepest fears, but then her weakness to Reality damage might imply a more nuanced aspect of her background, having potentially survived the absolute massacre of her family and so on. Most members of Apeiron are Mental damage, not only the playables but the NPCs fought in some stages, even when some of them are affected by the Storm Syndrome! Recoleta, despite everything about her character pointing towards fiction and the barrier between reality and unreality, is Reality damage!
hello, i hope you're doing well. could you write yandere forget me not x reader if you don't mind of course. have a great day and thank you 🪞
Chat Log Name : As long as you keep your promise to stay.
chat log description : You didn’t expect him to bring you back to your former family manor alongside a stranger and unpleasant memories of that night.
online users : Yandere Forget Me Not, Reader
‼️ CONTENT WARNINGS : OOC! Forget Me Not, Second POV, Unhealthy behavior, Implied Arcanist reader, Implied injuries, Minor character death, Implied family death. ‼️
You sat in the ruins of your family manor, sitting on a chair across from Forget-me-not and an unconscious person wearing rags. The ache in your chest remained, tears tried to seep from your eyes but your lips were tight-lipped.
The small circular dinner table was filled with makeshift decadent foods; liquid gold as gravy or sauces dripped on the dollar bills rolled into bread rolls or stacked in miniature circles for parfaits and pearls decorated the makeshift desserts. Liquid gold filled the champagne glasses while your hands ran over the embroidery cloth that was draped on the table.
“Why have you brought me here, Forget-me-not?” You inquired.
Your eyes ran up Forget-me-not’s bony fingers and up his pale skin that had somewhat of a gaunt look on his face and watched how he pushed up his thin circular glasses.
“[Name], I have found the truth for you.” He looked at you then to the unconscious person who was slowly waking up. “One of the culprits of the massacre, the ringleader that planned it is right across from you.”
Your hands clutched together; fingertips rubbing the old scars that littered your arms from the massacre.
“What?” You uttered.
The blood drained from your face, looking at Forget-me-not with a look of absolute horror infused with long awaited hatred. You could see Forget-me-not’s lips move, he was saying something but it was empty.
“A former farmer who lost his land during the Depression,” he explained. “He planned a robbery to steal from your family’s treasury. It failed in the process and turned into a massacre of your family. He is the sole survivor of the group that ruined everything. Don’t you remember that pain, [Name]?”
“I…” You stared down at your hands; clutched tightly. “I do…”
You closed your eyes, tightly. Ignoring the noises of gurgling and plates plopping down onto the ruins of your home.
Feeling a familiar hand on your shoulder, opening your eyes to see Forget-me-not with a softer smile plastered on his lips.
Your eyes looked over to the now empty space where the chair had been flipped on its side, the blood trail was short.
Your footsteps followed behind the trail of blood that led to the curled up body of a dying farmer. You knelt down, seeing the haggard breathing escape his bloodied lips; a child peeling back a muddy rock to see the bugs writhe and squirm when exposed to sunlight.
The farmer was dead but that aching pain remained; curled up inside of your broken heart. A scream left your lips, gripping the collar of the farmer shaking him.
It was a moment. You sat on the muddy floor, red eyes from the never ending flow of tears; looking up at Forget-me-not who had strolled over.
“Promise me that you’ll stay?” He inquired.
“I don’t…I can’t,” you pleaded.
“You promised, [Name].” His hands clasped your trembling ones. “You can stay. We can provide a safe environment for you before the Storm comes.”
“I…I need to find those,“ you explained. “people that—“
“They’re gone,” he said. “Will you stay, [Name]? You won’t have to worry about pernicious things. All you would do is to fulfill your obligation to stay with us.”
‼️! This is my first time, I'm a little nervous (*σ>∀<)σ ‼️
Horrorpedia has recordings on an old cassette tape of MC sitting in the bushes, watching her in the forest, and every time he starts MC, they end up in empty and dark places for their movies.
He lovingly goes through the movies he would like to re-enact in MC, but no one can play a maniac or a murderer with MC, so he plays these roles himself, because only he can see MC's beautiful, frightened face. (*≧з≦)
When he locked MS in his studio, he began to show her every recording that he made with her from windows, doors and cracks, explaining every angle of the camera and chiaroscuro, which emphasised the beauty of MS but at the same time added a touch of horror, because Horror is aroused by fear in the eyes of MS
He likes to show her scary recordings that MS couldn't even imagine, like where MS is sleeping and so on, which gives her goosebumps because it's so exciting for Horrorpedia!!!
Thank you for your attention, and please feel free to write if you want more headcanons from Riri-chan!!! (〃ω〃)
Analysis and theories regarding the concept of Afflatus within the universe of Reverse: 1999
if you're from the old r99 news server or the current r99 rp one (or if you've talked to me at any point about r99) then you might know how obsessed I am with afflatus analysis!
so after going feral on my main account about it, and seeing my afflatus thesis drafts just catch dust on my wips, I decided to just open a discussion about it in the fandom! just little by little as I get the thoughts out of my brain!
so yes, this is very much an invitation for people to discuss and theorize about smaller details of the game such as afflatus, medium and other things--there are many fun ways to interpret the way afflatus applies to characters, I'd love to hear everyone's thoughts! ping me in your posts, go feral in the reblogs or comments!
as usual, transcripts were taken from the R1999 Neocities transcript project!
During the first few months of GL's launch, "Afflatus" was generally considered an extradiegetic aspect of the game--a simple mechanic meant to facilitate gameplay for the player, without any relevance to the lore or the plot. Throughout the course of the following patches, namely within the main story, this idea was disproved in many ways, and there were plenty of clues that reinforced its existence in-universe from the very beginning. For the sake of those who have never noticed, I'll do my best to be thorough, but there may be some instances of Afflatus that I missed, feel free to let me know!
The very first time Afflatus is mentioned is in the main story; Chapter 01 - Stage 4 "Chicago Rescue," Sonetto is the one to bring it up during one of the battle tutorials.
Sonetto: That's quite a lot of critters! Timekeeper, we must do something to turn things around now. Remember what the instructor said in class? "Afflatus is a way to hunt in the world." "Observations of the minerals, plants, stars, and beasts as well as our experiences with the spirit and intelligence let us better understand our own existence."
Sonetto: Select a proper target for me, Timekeeper.
Sonetto: Use an incantation that is strong against the enemy's Afflatus to defeat them more quickly. You can take it from here, Timekeeper.
The fact that this conversation takes place during a game tutorial doesn't instantly render the contents discussed as "just meta," since we've had many different instances of game mechanics being relevant to the overall history and worldbuilding of the setting; Artificial Somnambulism Therapy is both a game mode and a type of therapy developed by Mesmer Jr's family, used extensively within Laplace, as well as a key plot point in Chapter 3 "Nouvelles et Textes pour Rien"; Picrasma Candy is a way for the player to continue playing and an actual medicine for arcanists developed by Medicine Pocket that Argus heavily depends on to use her own arcanum. Bluepoch makes a point to further develop their story through these mechanics, thus it is impossible to separate them from the story itself--battle conversations, daily tidbits, loading screens, items and other details can all be considered canon! Afflatus is no different.
Another early instance of Afflatus occurs in the Tutorial Notebook, which disappears forever once completed--so the following screenshot was taken from this video!
The text reads:
Sometimes, our Afflatus is strong or weak against an enemy. We need to follow this principle and select the proper arcane skills based on the enemy. Strong or weak? Like a cat to a rat?
The relationship between different Afflatuses is like the ecological cycle. When your Afflatus is strong against the target's, your incantation will deal more damage. ─ On Afflatus, Chapter 1
The sticky note implies the existence of a book or research on the subject ("On Afflatus, Chapter 1") which, in turn, supports Sonetto's dialogue about the Afflatus lessons she received in SPDM ("Remember what the instructor said in class?"). With this we can understand that Afflatus exists within the world to a degree that allows it to be studied, also eliminating one of the earliest theories in GL about how Vertin is the only person who can perceive Afflatus due to her status as the Timekeeper.
To my knowledge, there are no direct explanations nor clues as to why or how one would discern Afflatus in others as of writing this. What is the point of assigning Afflatus types in-universe? How can it be done? Sadly, I don't have answers to these questions in particular!
But let's analyze our current examples so far.
According to Sonetto's knowledge on the subject, Afflatus encompasses "observations of the minerals, plants, stars and beasts as well as our experiences with the spirit and intelligence," that allows people to understand themselves. This serves as a list of both Natural (Mineral, Plant, Star, Beast) and Primal (Spirit, Intellect) Afflatuses, while hinting towards the purpose of Afflatus as a tool of introspection.
With this, one may theorize that Afflatus can apply to every living being, as it tackles observations with the surrounding world (Natural Afflatus) and one's inner world (Primal Afflatus). This is partially true, there is a small yet important distinction to be made!
The 1.5 "Revival! The Uluru Games" patch explored the physiological and social differences between humans and arcanists through Ezra and Spathodea, and a new batch of loading screen tidbits were added, such as this one:
The text reads:
The arcanum's Afflatus categories do not apply to humans. However, factors such as personality and preferred instruments may cause certain individuals to have a closer affinity to a particular type of arcane Afflatus.
This daily tidbit confirms that arcanum's Afflatus categories do not apply to humans. The rest of tidbits emphasize on the contrast between the two groups in different aspects; humans cannot cast arcane skills, they use technology and commands rather than incantations, they're considered rational instead of passionate, reason vs instinct, etc etc.
But I believe there is an important distinction to be made! The first loading screen tidbit mentions "arcanum's Afflatus categories," rather than Afflatus itself. There is an aspect of Afflatus that is directly linked with arcanum, and thus it makes sense that it cannot be applied to humans.
We can see this happening in Greta Hoffman's report from the Special Chapter - "The Star" in which she explains her interactions with 37's mother, 77. Here are a few excerpts.
Writer of the Report: I'm not sure whether she was making fun of me or being serious, but I had this feeling that she was eager to tell me how she was granted the secret through a moment of afflatus. It seemed she just saw through the laws behind all things instead of finding them through logical deduction.
"HER": "The rhombus can't be seen with eyes. You shall close your eyes, hearken to the teaching of the supreme existence, and seize the moment of afflatus!"
Writer of the Report: Of course, I didn't see anything, nor did I understand what a moment of afflatus was. Perhaps it's just another privilege enjoyed by arcanists, just like their right to be lunatic. Nevertheless, she reached the correct conclusion in a completely wrong way. Is it really possible?
Writer of the Report: But, if there is a god, why are you playing such a prank on us, after we had suffered from the collapse of all the existing orders and the failure of all the great laws? If this is what she called the glimpse of the supreme existence, the moment of afflatus, do you have to present it in such a cruel way?
Even Matilda brings up afflatus during this chapter, in reference to her job monitoring new members.
Matilda: &$#% ... I know she's a rookie, but even so, she's way too unbelievable! "Guide new members with caution and patience. Trigger their afflatus at the right time." Oh, I have to admit, Vertin is doing it better than me for now.
Note the distinction between capital A "Afflatus" and lowercase "afflatus." In this context, the "moment of afflatus" exists as its namesake implies--as an inspiration, a moment of divine impulse that only arcanists can utilize and, therefore, cannot be explained nor proved through human logic.
That is the basis for the tension between Greta Hoffman (a mixed whose arcane blood has been so diluted she can easily pass off as a pure-blooded human) and 77 (a pure-blooded arcanist from an isolated and ancient arcanist society) as two characters from vastly different groups that cannot reconcile nor find a middle ground in their differences. This is the arcane aspect of Afflatus as the 1.5's tidbit mentions, the part that cannot be applied to mankind. But Afflatus also exists as a tool of introspection as mentioned before, which encompasses aspects that any living being can relate to--therefore, it explains why we have both playable and non-playable humans with Afflatus types.
To further understand how non-arcane living beings can still lean towards different types of Afflatus, let's examine the enemies in the game.
The main story is very consistent with how they portray enemies, if you pay attention to their battle information you can see all the deliberate details Bluepoch has added; every enemy comes with a short description that might evolve and change along the story in future renditions of their fights, there are different card sets for different factions (Manus Vindictae's deep black and blue cards vs the Foundation's white and light blue cards), each attack/incantation is uniquely named, giving context and insight into the enemy you're fighting, some even have uniquely named traits/buffs/debuffs!
And as far as I know, every single enemy in the game, regardless of whether they're arcane in nature or not, has an Afflatus assigned to them. Let's look at arcane beings first.
We see that all three examples match their respective Afflatus; a Mineral Carbuncle with a Mineral Afflatus, a Dryad, commonly associated with nature has the Plant Afflatus, and Druvis III, a playable character, retains her Plant Afflatus even as a mysterious NPC boss fight in which her regular incantations have been switched to Manus Vindictae.
And we can also see continuity in Afflatus in other bosses, such as Matilda and Lilya in later chapters--they both retain their own Afflatus as playable characters, and much like Druvis, Matilda's cards are concealed as the default Foundation set for the sake of keeping their identities concealed. There is a clear intent behind these choices.
In the Surface levels of Artificial Somnambulism, the ones that directly correlate to the main story, also feature many other playable characters with their respective Afflatuses; La Source in "Misty Lake a"; The Fool, Bunny Bunny, Pavia, Satsuki and Tennant in "Floating Park a" ...
And I do want to mention that there are instances in which the game allows us to fight playable characters whose Afflatuses have been changed--but there is still an clear goal behind this.
The beta levels of Artificial Somnambulism feature the same aforementioned characters as the alpha ones, but a few of them have different Afflatus. This can be explained within the main story as the direct result of Vertin's mind being tampered with, as we see her struggle to remember and forget things clearly during her AST induced coma in Chapter 3.
???: Her traumatic segment has been reactivated. Increase the power, stabilize her psychube. Try the next dream.
Z: The artificial somnambulism therapy may not work on her, Mesmer.
Mesmer Jr.: It means she had suffered the same traumatic experience repeatedly. Even so, she showed no behavioral or cognitive impairment. Back then, as we held her down and put the helmet on her, she even advised me in an extremely calm manner … “I agree with your judgment, but it’s just for this time.” … She was the bellwether of the “break-away” incident after all. I’ll say she’s been well-behaved this time.
Sonetto: … I-I thought … Timekeeper is receiving for her low spirit. But you said you held her down …
Mesmer Jr.: Oh, that’s just another description of the method used for the same purpose. The aim was to ensure Vertin was unconscious and taken back. That’s the direct order from the vice president of the committee, Constantine. The order from on high was given on the premise of rational thinking and consideration over pros and cons─you are not questioning the reasoning of mankind, are you?
A similar situation happens during UTTU Week, which features playable characters as different characters within the story that UTTU is attempting to share. For example, in 1.2 "Nightmare at Green Lake," the playable characters you fight in UTTU Week represent various different archetypes and tropes in horror.
These inconsistencies are done on purpose, as they're not meant to reflect the truth 1:1.
Now, let's look at human enemies. Here are the two human children from the beginning of the game who disrupt the suitcase--despite being humans, they both have Afflatus assigned to them, and not only that but different types as well, Star and Mineral respectively.
So, to backtrack again! Afflatus cannot be applied to humans from an arcane point of view, simply because humans cannot cast incantations. Therefore, their affinity for a specific type of Afflatus is based on something else, something that they share with arcane beings--such as personality, experiences and preferred instruments.
I want to propose the interpretation of Afflatus being the totality of one's experiences in life; depending on your experiences, the way they've shaped your thinking patterns, your instincts and your personality, you may have an affinity for one Afflatus or another.
This ties in with a different aspect of Afflatus: the idea that one's Afflatus type can change, as the person goes through big changes in their life that influence them in different ways.
If we acknowledge that these battle details are all deliberate and meant to add to the narrative, there are two outliers whose Afflatuses change. The first one is Kakania herself; her debut in 1.7 "E Lucevan le Stelle" includes a fight against her in Stage 8 "Mirror and Lantern" which clearly states her Afflatus is Intellect.
One could argue that this is not the true Kakania, as the battle involves fighting mirror versions of her--but as a reminder, the true one is, in fact, hidden among them! And furthermore, if the reflections are exact versions of the real Kakania, it makes sense that they would have the same battle information as her.
As we all know, when Kakania becomes playable in 1.9 "Vereinsamt," her Afflatus is not Intellect but Plant--I'd like to explain this change as the development Kakania goes through in this specific arc of the story.
Her idealistic views and activism, both for her city and her patients, are directly challenged as the story progresses. She realizes that none of her friends within The Circle were the people she thought them to be, namely Isolde whose complex life and struggles were both overlooked and impossible to discern in Kakania's eyes due to their close relationship, and she also sees the town she acknowledged as flawed but still worth fighting for, turn into violent patriots. Everything that Kakania stood for is gone in an instant, and we see her fighting spirit turn into a desperate near-suicidal attempt at making up for her perceived wrongs.
Such radical events like this would warrant a change in Afflatus, as Kakania adjusts her views due to her experiences.
And then on the other hand, we have The Guiding One's Harbringer boss fight in 1.9's Stage 21 "A Homage Paid"--one of its core mechanics is to change Afflatus to that of the last attack it received. Here we see that distinction from before, the lowercase afflatus referring to the arcane aspect, rather than the experiences a person goes through.
As far as I know, this section of the game also becomes unplayable (or is currently unplayable, I can't seem to access it anymore) so the following screenshots are taken from this video!
Kakania's Afflatus change is something that seems to be directly linked to her evolution as a character, while the Guiding One's Harbringer's Afflatus change is directly linked to its status as an arcane construct, using it as a "mimic strategy" during battle. The psychological aspect vs the arcane aspect of Afflatus respectively.
Next, I'd like to discuss some assumptions made about the different Afflatus types; we expect that Beast characters must have an affinity with animals or be animals themselves (Darley Clatter, Getian, Medicine Pocket, Nick Bottom ...) and we expect that Star characters are all related to celestial bodies or the skies (37, Lilya, Matilda, Lorelei, Voyager ...) due to the naming conventions of the Afflatus. And yes, there are motifs within the Afflatus types that match their naming conventions, but a quick look through the character list prove there is much more to offer, as a good chunk of characters don't align with this initial read of their themes.
We have Pickles, a literal dog, and Kaalaa Baunaa, an astronomer, both with Mineral Afflatus instead of what one would expect of them. It's similar to how fandom perceives Awakened as the sole category for sentient objects, when we have characters like Door and Darley Clatter who are undoubtedly objects, implied to have been given sentience, and thus fall within the group of pure-blooded Arcanists rather than Awakened.
I would also like to point out that these initial motifs have nothing to do with a character's Arcanum--another theory I've seen around is that Afflatus types influence an arcanist's arcanum, which can't be further from the truth. One could argue that Kaalaa Baunaa's arcanum (the summoning of meteors and planets) is related to her Mineral Afflatus--both relate to rocks, after all--but just like the previous assumptions, this falls apart when you examine other examples. Jiu Niangzi's arcanum has nothing to do with rocks nor minerals, but liquor. Ulu's arcanum revolves around fire, yet she's still Mineral.
As far as we know, arcanum is something that can be inherited through bloodlines or lineage--think of Mesmer Jr's 01 Story in her Cover Profile, which states “Nobody is more talented in this than Mesmer Jr. Her bloodline gives her outstanding ability and keen senses, which makes everything clear and intelligible to her” in the context of performing AST, or Tennant, whose 02 Story hints towards her father performing the same type of arcanum she's known for--but it's also something that can be taught. We see this most clearly within students of SPDM such as Sonetto, as her skill set matches that of the SPDM students fought during Chapter 3, portraying the "standard" arcanum taught to all arcanist children.
But not only that, arcanum can be influenced by other factors, such as a character's situation and interests--Blonney's arcanum revolves around making drawings come to life, which correlates with her love for storytelling and horror as a child. Pavia's shadow arcanum is hinted to have been formed out of necessity or as a result of his childhood in a dark basement. Tooth Fairy utilizes the fairies she traps.
We also know that arcanists from the same family may not inherit the same level of arcane power, as seen in Shamane and Kumar; the latter was cast out of her family due to her weak arcane power. In all of these cases, Afflatus has nothing to do with arcanum.
So what exactly do Afflatus types tackle?
These are the Afflatus as I've analyzed them, as much as I could summarize it for easier digestion!
With this interpretation, we can see that Star relates to celestial objects and the skies, but also trailblazer geniuses and unstoppable forces, that which is out of reach for common people. Mineral relates to solid materials and stability in permanence, but also the rigidness of strict systems or traditions or stagnancy. Beast relates to wild animals and creatures found in the world, but also the survival of the individual, the struggle to find a place for oneself no matter what. And Plant relates to the flora and the natural cycles in the world, but also the safety of a collective, that which is inherent to the world such as community or change.
This is why these belong to the Natural category of Afflatus: they are concepts that already existed on the world or were manifested into it, from the ground we touch, the people we interact with, to the ideals and beliefs that influence and create societies or bring people together.
On the other hand we have Spirit, relating to the soul, the supernatural and the spiritual aspect of things, but also the unknown, to follow one's gut instinct or embrace the inexplicable. "The way I see the world is unconventional, because I feel these different things about why and how things are the way they are." And then Intellect, relating to the mind and the logical aspect of things, but also the different mindsets and patterns of thought one can have to rationalize things. "The way I see the world is unconventional, because I have these different rules about why and how things are the way they are."
This is why they belong to the Primal category of Afflatus: they are, as the name implies, ancient impulses and habits that mostly exist within ourselves, our thoughts and our feelings.
The Tutorial Notebook also mentions an "ecological cycle," there is a relationship between the different categories that explains why some are strong or weak against others. It's rather easy to understand for the Primal Afflatus, as it's the classic fight between hearts and minds, but Natural Afflatus is a little harder to grasp.
We see the relationship between Beast and Mineral; the former is weak against the latter, the latter is strong against the former. You may read the Natural Afflatus wheel clockwise or counter clockwise.
Using the previous explanations, let us examine this cycle!
Beast is strong against Plant, because it's the disruption of a community or the harmony of the world through a single individual desperately fighting to change their current situation. A desperate animal does not think about the consequences its actions has on the environment while it tries to survive. Plant is strong against Star, because it's a tight-knit collective that embraces change and thus, the lone genius cannot shine above the rest. In an environment that welcomes everyone and everything, there is no way to stand out. Star is strong against Mineral, because it's a single individual choosing to disrupt the status quo, the stability of their society, for the sake of a dream or ideal. A single genius can topple over entire societies. And Mineral is strong against Beast, because a rigid set of rules or traditions leave no place for those who don't fit inside of it or who oppose it. A government that advocates for mankind's superiority leaves no room for arcanists and their rights, it forces them to assimilate within their established rules.
And this cycle goes backwards and forwards!
But I would also like to propose a different type of relation: we understand the aspect of having advantage or disadvantage, but what about Afflatuses that directly mirror each other?
Beast and Star are two Afflatus that directly correlate to an individual against a collective, whereas Mineral and Plant are two Afflatus that directly correlate to a collective against the individual. They're foils of each other; Beast is the underdog, Star is the genius, while Mineral is the stagnant and rigid yet stable and secure systems while Plant is the ever-changing and adaptive nature of the world.
We may also see this in a more precise way: the ecological cycle and Afflatus relationships exist because someone of Mineral Afflatus who is stuck in their ways and refuses to change can be easily upset by someone of Star Afflatus whose nature is to radically change traditions and offer different paths. This is why Semmelweis, a Mineral Afflatus who is hellbent on clinging to the human aspect of herself and sticks to her stubborn mindsets, has such a fascination with Lorelei. Or rather, why Lorelei has such an effect on Semmelweis, as she is a Star Afflatus that begins Semmelweis' journey of self-discovery and acceptance within Series of Dusks.
We can also see previous themes discussed within this post here: one would think that such a radical change is enough to cause Semmelweis to change Afflatus, but we see through her gamemode and the different endings presented that this change is still very much in line with her mindsets and behaviour, Semmelweis remains stubbornly adaptive and pragmatic to the very end, and choosing to follow Lorelei has brought her a deeper insight to understand herself without radically changing who she truly is.
Another example would be Forget Me Not and Druvis III; we know that Forget Me Not is Mineral Afflatus due to his boss fight in Chapter 2 - Stage 13 "Documentary" and Druvis III is Plant Afflatus.
We see the foil dynamics of Afflatus that don't directly interact with each other: the reason Forget Me Not and Druvis III seem to have this type of relationship can be explained through their Afflatus, with Forget Me Not insisting that she perpetuates the very same cycle of revenge and pain, to never move on and continue in the same spot of grieving and mourning for her family. While Druvis III's entire development throughout the Chicago arc--and even leading into the next chapters--tackles her desire to grow and move on, to finally let go of the worst night of her life that took her family away and begin healing from it. It's exactly what Vertin notices within her, and why she's able to connect with Druvis III.
Vertin: Once you dispel the arcanum, it would not be what it is now. I think you are clear, Ms. Druvis, that … Every tree lives for tomorrow.
And that's where I'll leave this extremely long introduction to my study on Afflatus! I'm planning on discussing other themes in the future, such as the way a character's Medium serves as a bridge between their Afflatus and Arcanum, and analysis of the cover profule, but also proper in-depth analysis of each individual Afflatus!
There is so much to look at when discussing Afflatus, every single Insight material has its own description, and each stage for each Afflatus tells a story that relates to their themes!
Please don't be afraid to reach out with your own ideas or observations, I look forward to what everyone else thinks! And congratulations for making it this far <3
I haven't seen anyone request this and I've been,,,,really dying for more content of her but pretty please general dating headcanons with Tennant 😭 i keep imagining she'd be such an amazing lover and love your writing so much
;R1999 TENNANT - Relationship Headcanons
Compilation of headcanons about Tennant in a romantic relationship.
sorry for the late reply! I got a bit burned out from replying asks, but now I'm going back to writing here cause I got burned out from playing the game lmfao
Tennant is still one of my favorite characters to think about and analyze hohohoho sorry for the insane gender tangent at the beginning, I started thinking and the gears just kept on going and going
Okay, walk with me for a second. This might be a very confusing tangent, but I swear it's important for the romance later on in the post and I really really wanna talk about this! This also sparked an entire awesome discussion about gender within the game in our R99 server, so I might make a separate post about that!
Tennant's choice to act and present herself within a traditionally masculine role is very important to me; in my previous analysis of her character, I talked about how Tennant is an extremely grounded character due to the life she's led as a perpetrator, victim and witness to crimes of oppression. We also have her opinions regarding arcanist and human division within the setting of the game, along with her so called "lies"--the performance she puts on for the women she seduces and then profits from when scamming rich merchants--and all these things continue to put Tennant as an outlier, someone who doesn't conform to what is expected of her. In that very same post, I failed to bring up the importance of defying gender and embracing sexuality that her character also tackles to a degree. So I gotta do it here, man, I NEED to talk about it here.
The game puts a lot of focus on female identities, so the concept of gender queer fuckery that I love isn't explored as broadly as I'd like, but it's still there explored through many aspects of womanhood. And we do have characters like Medicine Pocket, The Fool, John Titor and Tennant (and many Awakened, like Lucy, but no one is ready for that conversation yet) who clearly do not conform to what's expected of them.
There is always this feeling of not fitting in within any of the options available, of picking the secret third option and so on--Medicine Pocket as an intersex character, is very vocal about not caring about gender. The Fool has a single voiceline which he states that he does not have any gender, which can be interpreted as his actual identity (being gender queer) or as part of his motifs about acting (playing female and male roles as an actor). John Titor has absolutely no comments nor voicelines regarding her identity, but we can gleam similarities to the queer experience through her appearance, her name being traditionally masculine, and the "otherness" presented in her backstory.
With Tennant specifically, this aspect of gender can be conflated with her entire theme of deceit, and while I respect people choosing to analyze and perceive their favorite characters in whichever way they want to, I feel like reducing Tennant's choice to present herself in such masculine ways as a superficial decision gotcha o7
or mindlessly praising her for being butch without analyzing the possible context behind it is just a huge disservice to the character. Especially considering she is one of the few charactes who has been explicitly mentioned as queer, making other women fall in love with her, unlike others that remain as subtext or heavy implications--Schneider and Vertin's kiss under the umbrella, or Matilda's crush on Sonetto.
Hell, we even get a voiceline about it from Tennant:
I don't dislike dresses. They are pretty, delicately embroidered, intricately sewed apparels. They are what I'm supposed to wear, not these trousers. Heh, destiny holds a different plan, doesn't it?
There is clearly an intent behind these choices Bluepoch has made in creating characters that defy gender norms. I don't think it's a coincidence that Tennant's era, the 1940s, is also when gender queerness in butch women started to be more apparent.
But also, gender is not as direct or straightforward; I personally like to perceive Tennant's masculinity the same way I perceive her lies--there is a Tennant that presents masculine as a personal choice, because it simply feels more natural, and a Tennant that presents as masculine because she is aware of how she can profit from the, at the time, dominant gender. We can find nuance in the way she exploits people looking to invest in the diamond industry, which she was part of and knows closely due, and there is a vulnerability or solidarity to be acknowledged in the way she doesn't hurt the women she seduces, she sells them a dream of love and carries on. Her queerness can also be found here, in the way she plays the role of gentleman for all the damsels in distress and whatnot, in times in which traditional gender norms had to permeate every aspect, whether they were welcomed or not.
My friend @evilpinkthing worded this point very well.
I like to think that Tennant is reclaiming herself, her identity, her freedom and all of these things through her masculinity, while also both profiting and being singled out as a result. It's the same three roles she's witnessed through her life; perpetrator, victim, and witness.
So with this in mind, I can now properly talk about relationship headcanons!
Contrary to popular belief, Tennant is a gentle and calm partner.
When it comes down to it, I think that Tennant would enjoy a more traditional relationship in terms of having a long-term partner--something more domestic and quiet, to be able to go on simple dates in broad daylight rather than sneak around in the dark and keep her relationships a secret from the world.
This isn't to say that she doesn't enjoy the thrill of her suave tactics and escapades, if her partner enjoys those, she would gladly indulge them once in a while! But Tennant strikes me as someone who would enjoy settling down and living that domestic bliss fantasy; on one hand because it's the type of life that was often denied to queer people, and on the other hand because she is a hopeless romantic deep down. I feel like this adds a fun dichotomy to her character, to be so unconventional and still yearn for someone to grow old with, to live in a quaint little house and provide for her partner, instead of a rollercoaster of emotions.
No matter who you are, she will insist on playing the role of gentleman. No matter how old you two are, she will always open the doors open for you, always make sure to gift you flowers every week, to insist that you two simply sit in the living room on a sunny afternoon and chat or go outside and have a picnic.
She dreams of the ideal way of proposing, to have a quaint wedding party only to surprise you by showering you with endless gifts from her previous thefts and scams, just so she can look at your reaction when she tells you about the time she got shot while trying to steal this ring in particular and so on. Tennant loves peppering these little surprises here and there, and would also melt whenever her partner goes out of their way to surprise her in return--it's just hard to tell because of her insane poker face.
Of course, these are all what ifs; if her partner wasn't the type to want this sort of life, she wouldn't raise any objections--but she wouldn't share her dreams either, knowing that they may cause a rift between you two. Instead, Tennant would simply stay with you for as long as you'll allow her and enjoy the ride, always focusing on her present with you. She's not a stranger to heartbreak, so she knows how to accept a break up with elegance and move on.
On the subject of Tennant's orientation.
Usually I never discuss a character's orientation when writing relationship headcanons about them since they're all left pretty ambiguously but, again, since Tennant's preference for women is made pretty explicit, I feel it's important to discuss it!
Given the themes of non-conformity within her character and how thoughtful she is, I like to think Tennant does have a preference for women but is ultimately open to any sort of partners, regardless of gender identity. She has led a very eventful life and thus would feel that sticking to one thing or another is too limited for her; why pick one diamond when she can just take them all? Why limit herself to wearing dresses and baking pies, when she can be and do much more than what's expected?
Most of the characters I've analyzed so far strike me as the type to not really bother with the struggle of identity--they've always known where they stand or simply do not care about the way they're perceived--but with Tennant, I do like the idea of her struggling with coming to terms with her own orientation and identity as a masculine woman. But rather than an outer struggle, it's more so an inner struggle. She doesn't care what the world might think of her, but she does have to get rid of those ideas and mindsets she might've internalized while growing up.
This also means that Tennant is one of the best people to talk to in regards to your own issues with identity and whatnot! Characters like Pavia or Diggers might simply brush it off with ease, since they themselves had no issue accepting their non-conventional lifestyles. Some others are still in the process of figuring it out themselves, and some are so repressed they will most likely scare you back into the closet on accident. But Tennant? She's attentive and understanding, never taking her partner's struggles lightly.
Round of cute things I didn't know where to fit in.
Tennant likes roleplaying, but not exclusively in bed or more private settings--I think she just enjoys lighthearted and playful roleplay as an excuse to brush up on her seduction techniques, pretending to be the perfect stranger at a bar to flirt with you, insisting that your husband doesn't have to know, while you play along and tell her that you're spoken for and waiting for someone else until one of you breaks character. It's straight up enrichment for her, and she really enjoys surprising you with these Wattpad sounding ass settings just to see how you'll keep up with her.
Regardless of your stance on marriage, Tennant makes a point of gifting you a ring with a diamond she created--one that will not turn into coal nor ashes for as long as you two are together, as a token of her devotion. It's also extremely hard for others to notice whenever Tennant is in a committed relationship, but if you pay attention, you'll notice all the new different accessories and pins she keeps wearing on her hat or jacket that remind her of you, just subtle enough to pass off as yet another aesthetic choice of hers, but so obvious for the love of her life.
Insists that you wear her cologne; Tennant playfully jokes with you about this, saying that this way all of the world will know who holds your heart in her hands--but she's not joking. I do think Tennant has a possessive streak, one she keeps on a tight leash to avoid scaring her partner and whatnot, but you can just tell how much she covets and cherishes you in the way she looks at you. Sometimes she says things like "Oh, you're such a precious gem, I could just lock you up forever" while laughing and twirling your hair through her fingers, but she means it. Sort of kind of!
Tennant is the type of character who looks like she'd love to wear matching and custom tailored expensive outfits with her partner, but personally? I think she's more partial to whatever you want to have as your personal style, the more it contrasts her own the better. Tennant greatly respects anyone who has the courage to live as loud, proud and happy as they can be.
hi! i love your work! i live for your forget me not stuff. i was wondering if you could write relationship hcs for diggers? if it's not too much trouble.
;R1999 DIGGERS - Relationship Headcanons
Compilation of headcanons about Diggers in a romantic relationship.
cracks knuckles. I'm a bit rusty so bear with me while I get the braincell juice going. as a disclaimer, we dont have the transcript of his anecdote and 1.1 was sooo long ago so my memory is blurry and I'm mostly going by his info as a playable character
Whereas some characters may struggle exploring their identity, let alone deviate from a conventional and traditional relationship, Diggers is absolutely not one of them.
Because of the countercultures he's related to and his overall character, he strikes me as the type of person who has a close relationship with the concept of love--in all of its forms, regardless of any labels. His artistic eye allows him to find beauty anywhere he looks, no matter how hidden it may be, and thus has an easier time bonding with people even if those interactions may be one-sided. With his open mind, I think he would also have a lot of experience with relationships and dating overall, contrary to popular belief; polycules, unlabeled relationships, open relationships, QPRs, you name it.
If his enthusiasm when advocating for a better world that focuses on the arts and connecting with each other is anything to go by, then one can also expect Diggers to give his all when it comes to much more personal matters, such as his potential partners. I wouldn't say he's actively looking for a relationship, more so that these just tend to naturally happen and he simply goes with the flow.
Of course, there's another layer of Diggers that is often overlooked in favour of his role as comedic relief within 1.1 Theft of the Rimet Cup--he is very insistent and enthusiastic with his beliefs of utopia, but he isn't oblivious to reality by any means. When inspecting his character, it becomes clear that this passion is an active choice he makes despite the futility of his actions, or rather, the lack of support his ideas receive and the lack of impact he makes on the world. I feel like this perseverance works as a double-edged sword, being a strength of his as well as a weakness.
On one hand, Diggers would be a great partner who gives his all and beyond to make things work, able to adapt to those around him and notice the little details. On the other hand this can result in him becoming blindsided, stubbornly delusional in his pursuit of a happy ending for everyone. It's certainly a tricky balance, a quirk that certainly doesn't appeal to everyone.
On the subject of Diggers and long-time committment.
As stated before, it's easy for Diggers to be attracted to the beauty within people around him. This, along with his open mind, experience and his passion as an artist might lead people to think he's the type to rush head first into a relationship, and dream about staying with his partner forever, but I like to think it's just the opposite!
With how much thought he gives to community and connection, Diggers understands that love takes time and active effort, a solid foundation with mutual understanding from all parties involved. He's always down to meet new people and see what happens, and even has a romantic streak--meet cutes, soulmates, the idea of fate bringing people together, or even defying fate itself to be together, you name it--but he never expects nor demands a relationship, let alone one that should last forever.
Part of me likes to attribute this to Diggers being so used to losing, the subtle sense of loneliness that seems to follow him as a character who can never earn the spotlight, let alone be remembered. So when he does get noticed, when he does find someone who is willing to commit to a relationship with him, or who brings out the best in him, he's aware of the efforts, the risks and the fact that things are meant to change; he'd rather let go, ending things amicably and part ways than hinder his or his partner's growth.
I feel it works for his character, to have this oddly mature and solid grasp on life and its twists, especially when it comes to people. He's definitely someone who priotizes the journey rather the destination!
If you want to fly, then go and fly! Who is he to keep you trapped in the same spot? Who says you two can't meet again in the future and pick up the relationship where you left it off?
This isn't to say that he can go through a break-up unscathed; Diggers will cry, either on the spot or in the privacy of his van, he's so full of emotion it's impossible for him to not whimper. It's always a memorable sight whenever Diggers starts crying and wailing while encouraging you to live your life and thanking you for the good memories.
On the subject of Diggers and how he acts in a relationship.
I feel like not a lot would change, since his relationships are born from friendship and honest commitment--he's already close friends with whoever he's dating!
Things that come to mind are perhaps the fact that Diggers trusts you wholeheartedly, and thus you're privy to all of his stunts and plans to vandalize the town as a way to protest and spread his message of utopia. You're his partner in crime, literally, the one he seeks out to make sure his plans are sound and doable. And he might whine and pout and argue his case whenever you point out how ridiculous his ideas might be, but most of the time, he listens to your advice. Most of the time. Diggers is still reckless daredevil, but you can bet that you will be the first person he goes to should he get injured or caught.
You will also hear a lot of his more melacholic and contemplative thoughts; it's no secret that Diggers feels very strongly about peace and the consequences of war, thinking about the philosophy of a simpler life and what not. But at times, the world does get to him, and he'd enjoy hearing your thoughts on the matter, regardless of your stance and own opinions, as a way to ground himself.
If you opt to comfort him, then get ready for his more clingy and needy side. This is when he will show absolutely ZERO shame, asking you to hold him for hours on end while he cries or complains about the state of the world and how unappreciated he feels.
I like to think that this doesn't happen on reverse, though; Diggers is proactive when it comes to the affairs of others, especially those he cares about, so he might come across as insensitive or a bit dense when you go to him for comfort and his first instinct is to take you outside to revolutionize the world and find solutions to whatever is bothering you.
But it's as easy as being clear and vocal about what you want! Just like him!
If it's difficult for you, he would encourage you to write instead, or find any other way to communicate your thoughts, no matter what they are. I feel like Diggers is the type of boyfriend who can never make his partner feel unseen or unheard, it might be overwhelming at times with his impulsiveness (especially if the Muse calls for it), but he definitely doesn't want you to end up like him, struggling for attention.
Round of cute things I can't fit in a cohesive bullet point.
Speaking of arts and the muses, you will inevitably end up becoming the subject of his many, many works of art. And you will get an endless stream of sculptures, paintings, poems and other gifts in whatever art medium from him. And you better smile and nod, because the second Diggers notices the slightest bit of hesitation, he will assume he's fucked up somewhere along the way and he needs to create something bigger and better, something more meaningful for you.
Considering how spontaneous Diggers is, I think he would be the type to take you on a roadtrip unprompted, just you and him against the world to sightsee and free yourselves from the big city. Be warned: a lot of things WILL go wrong.
Oh, he would love to have you play with his hair and teach you how to braid flowers into it, he thinks it's super relaxing and will mope around if it gets ruined by the wind or the rain. You can probably tell Diggers is around just by the flower petals he keeps shedding around the house.
His favorite thing to do on a date is to lay by the grass on a summer day and look at the clouds together, simple and easy. Hell, even if it rains, he will insist that you to soak together for a while and enjoy a little splash--Diggers will get sick, and he will be insufferable when he does, but if he got you to laugh and forget about the horrors of capitalism for a moment, then it was worth it.
I really love the headcanon that Diggers has a very low pain tolerance threshold, so getting his current tattoos were a huge pain and he won't get any others, not even something meaningful related to you. BUT! He can have something better, he can have you doodle on his arm with a marker or a pen--that way it's much more intimate, because it's a direct gift from you that can always change. It brightens his day whenever he catches a glimpse of these doodles, even if all you do is write silly things for him.
I got inspired by 2.6 and the skins so here's r1999 characters as trpg classes based on their vibes
Unrelated, but can we agree that the dwarf paladin skin on Erik is so freaking cute??? Elf ranger Lopera?? Also I think the idea that Kaalaa Baunaa and Willow giving each other their respective skins based on Willow's birthday letter is a neat little detail. Like, Willow actually making friends in the suitcase?? (Good for her)
