#serfox

[thalfox]

2021 Round-Up

It's been one very strange year to say the least, both globally and personally, and I think 2021 will be much the same in terms of abnormality.

I struggled a little at times this year, friendships suddenly ended, being pretty much confined to my house, losing my writing mojo at times, but I also have much to be thankful for.

This is the year I completed my second longfic, Rebel Run, in a tiny fandom (Outer Worlds), and learned to love my writing for what it is, rather than feeling anxious about numbers.

It's also the year I found the Obey Me fandom, which pushed me to restart my tumblr, abandon the toxicity of twitter, and start writing my theories here so I didn't forget them.

To my huge surprise, lots of you enjoyed reading them! My small blog got big very fast, and I've so enjoyed reading your comments, your own theories, and being able to share in something really positive in a year full of irl turmoil.

Now I have an entire masterpost of theories, headcanons, and song interpretations, and a second masterpost of guides 😱

I launched my Obey Me fic, Wolf At Your Door, and I'm still amazed at how many readers and fans it has, the wonderful comments and shares, and the fact it's brought me new friendships! It's my longest longfic by far - not least as volume 2 is also almost halfway written! - and its really given me something full of joy to focus on this year. Thank you 🥺💖

The comments left on both my fic and my blog absolutely make my day 😭

In 2021 I plan to continue writing my fics, sharing my theories here, providing lyric translations and everything else too.

I also want to give a huge shout out to the Obey Me Theories discord server I set up - you guys are absolutely awesome people, and I'm so glad I've been able to meet you all and get to know you better (if anyone else wants to join, just drop me a message!).

Special thanks as well to Kicia for coming into my life when I felt very low and a little broken. Your messages and words have meant the absolute world to me, and I love that we've shared inspiration, fic talk, music, life experience, and so much more 😭

2020 was also the year of my OC Tabby coming to life, with her own Mammon (and the rest!) and I saved up to get some gorgeous commissions to go alongside Wolf At Your Door.

Here they all are, with links and thanks to the artists!

(Click on images for full size if on tumblr app, the app squishes them ^^;)

And once again, to all my readers and friends:

🎊 THANK YOU!! 💖

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My first commissions of Tabby and Mammon by the lovely rikumbia!

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Two blushie Paws and Claws boys by the amazing Angerycookies! (Also pls call out people when they steal this Mammon, thank you 😭)

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Tabby's two go-to outfits - her cropped and DIY'd RAD jacket, and the bear hoodie Beel gave her, by the great cosmisuldraws!

And the beautiful cover art for Wolf At Your Door by @fishheadakira!!

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Mammon and Tabby's first kiss in the rain, during a disaster picnic, by the incredible szainx!

And the moment Mammon fell for Tabs as she angrily defends him, by the amazing belphcgors!

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I am the leader of the Mammon Has A Tail propaganda machine, and this early commission by my fave TetraTheRipper is proof!

Also a sneak peek at a second piece from Tetra that goes with volume two of my fic 🤫

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The dance scene in Wolf At Your Door is pivotal, and mvdfvcedmvl made it look wonderful! Lookit that blushy boy!

And the CUTEST little pic of Mammon and Tabs by the excellent kasi_ona!

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I didn't originally mean to take a break over Xmas which means I've left Wolf on the WORST cliffhanger, but @erabu-san illustrates the angst of the aftermath of Belphie's attack so beautifully 🥺😭

And obeynut did a gorgeous piece of my two favourite beans that will close out the end of Wolf when it comes, before we move to part two 😍🥰

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Wolf At Your Door (Mammon fic, rated E)

💖

[thalfox]

Hey! Umm...I only wanted to know if I did send you an ask about Mammon’s chest markings? It’s because I can’t remember if I did, and I’mp pretty interested in your opinion, as you’re really good with the theories and such hahaha Sorry If I’m bothering you too much ;;;

Definitely not bothering me - I love thinking about these things and theorising, thank you! 💖 And this hadn't been asked til now.

The Theory of Mammon's Markings

Mammon's markings are interesting to me, as only he and Diavolo show such 'occult' markings in their demon forms. Mind, they are also the only ones who show enough of their skin to tell! For all we know, each demon has markings beneath their demon form clothes.

Asmo and Levi both have markings too, but they're much more connected to their overall outfits - hearts for the Avatar of Lust, and diamonds to match the scales of the great Leviathan. The markings of Mammon and Diavolo are far more intricate, and thus perhaps have hidden meaning.

Mammon is also the only demon with white markings instead of black, which cements his overall distinction from the rest of the demons - he is always the white to their darker palette.

As for the markings themselves, let's have a look:

Symbolism

Firstly, the positioning on the chest and torso is notable. Traditionally across many cultures, markings and tattoos on the male chest and torso signify strength. Triangles are of particular importance in symbolising both strength and protection. The upper part of the markings bear some resemblance to traditional bird tattoos, particularly of the frigate bird in non-Western cultures, the swallow, and the dove.

The frigate bird is a symbol of strength across many cultures, but it is also notable for its thieving behaviour.

Triangles are of great import in the occult - and their direction is important. Pointing downwards signifies the element of water, and thus the feminine, and thus evil (gee can you tell men wrote all this stuff back then?!). The triangle is replicated on his outfit in diamonds, with the downwards direction emphasised as greater.

A triangle within a triangle is essentially an intensifier - very evil. This direction of triangle also alludes to the bottom of the inverted pentagram or hexagram, either of which is said to be evil and/or of protection. A triangle, like a circle, can also be used to summon demons.

There is also a single mark on his throat - the heart of the Prince of Tempters powers to mislead and, well, tempt, but this is also a traditional location to symbolise courage, to bring good fortune, and to draw attention to the power of one's words.

While the overall shape in the negative space is of a "V" (strength, protection, victory), I don't think it's too much of a stretch to see that it also looks somewhat like a heart. This fits this iteration of Mammon rather well - a demon who shows and expresses every emotion as he feels it, who falls head over heels for his human, and who very much wears his soft heart on his sleeve.

Demonology

Unlike Barbatos and Asmodeus, Mammon was not favoured - or caught - by Solomon, and thus has no sigil in the popular grimoires that circulated in the 14th-17th centuries. The various sigils that claim to be of Mammon are therefore far more modern, which is perhaps why there are several different ones touted as the ~real deal~.

However, one sigil that did arise in the 18th century Grimorium Verum (purporting to be of 1517 and of a tradition originating with Solomon) is that of Lucifer.

This sigil is as often attributed to Satan as Lucifer, but the correct ownership is the latter.

And THAT is the one we're going to look at:

This sigil is not an exact map to Mammon's markings, but the similarities are striking - the double triangles pointing downwards, the bird like shape at the top, the white matching the chalk required to draw the sigil.

Here the double triangle of evil, or of the feminine, makes double the sense - Lucifer is traditionally associated with the planet Venus, the morning star, and the symbol of the divine feminine.

The cross on the sigil isn't found on Mammon's markings, but it's curious that the straps of his outfit just so happen to provide it instead - as well as reinforcing those triangles and V shape 👀

The rest of Lucifer's sigil fits with the symbolism of Mammon's markings - the V, the bottom of the pentagram, the doubling, etc - and can be added to the thieving bird, heart shape, and chest positioning.

And how fitting is it perhaps, that the demon markings of Mammon, that give him strength and protection, that he wears openly and proudly, link him further to the elder brother who sees him as his most favourite sibling?

Mammon wears his heart and his loyalty, not on his sleeve, but on his chest 😌

~~~

(Obey Me! Theories Masterpost)

[thalfox]

I'm taking a little break over the holidays as I was feeling a bit burned out on OM. I'm doing much better now but gonna continue the break for the holidays to make sure I return at 100% in the new year!

In the meantime, look how cute kasi_ona made Mammon and Tabs in this chibi commission! 🥺

I love them 😭💖💖

~

[thalfox]

Hey! I saw on AO3 that Wolf at Your Door just reached 15000 hits! Congrats!!!

Thank you! I was v speechless when I saw this 😅😳

In the last couple of days, Wolf At Your Door has gone past 15000 hits, 600 kudos, and 100 bookmarks.

I'm just. Floored. Totally gobsmacked 😱

I really cannot express enough thanks to everyone who is reading my fic, sharing it, leaving kudos and wonderful comments, and enjoying my retelling of the Obey Me story from Mammon and Tabby's points of view.

Thank you!

Mammon would be very proud! 🥺😭

Mammon and Tabby by Ash (obeynut!)

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[thalfox]

OM Fic: Wolf At Your Door update!

New chapter, Heavy Lies the Crown, is out now on ao3, as Mammon has a long chat with his most dangerous and otaku brother...

Tabby ends up seeing more than she bargained for when she touches a grimoire, and the demons are shocked at her reaction to seeing Lucifer for the first time since his near attack.

And just who is Assy McAssface? 👀

(Also, the first stirrings of a theory of Lilith...)

Wolf At Your Door is my Obey Me longfic told from the perspectives of both Mammon and Tabby, integrating many of my theories, and is rated E! 🔞

Excerpt below 👇

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First up though, an ADORABLE pic of Mammon and Tabby hanging out and having fun by the wonderful Ash (obeynut)! 🥺🥰💖

(Their commissions are open atm and I HIGHLY recommend! They captured these too perfectly 😍)

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Mammon whipped out his beloved credit card, murmured a quick apology to her, and expertly slid her down the tiny crack between Levi’s door and frame, next to the handle. The demon opened the door quietly as he grinned to himself.

Few doors can resist Goldie!

The lights were off, but unlike his other brothers’ rooms, Levi’s space was never truly dark. The bioluminescent jellyfish shone, giving the room an eerie but beautiful blue glow, and as Mammon knew from photographs, turning his own hair into a damn light bulb.

“‘Sup, nerd?”

The pile of blankets in the central bathtub groaned slightly, sounding annoyed. The guardian demon hadn’t been too sure what he’d be facing, but otaku Levi was vastly preferable to any of the other possibilities.

“Did ya see the new Super Diablo Brothers screenshots got leaked-?”

Two suspicious orange eyes glowed from within the large bath.

“-It shows a few different colours of yōkai an’ frogshrooms,” Mammon continued, sprawling in one of Levi’s many beanbags, “an’ a gold spire I reckon has ta be Pandemonium-”

“Pfff,” his brother shot up, furiously scrolling through his DDD as he hopped inelegantly out of the tub. “Super Diablo Brothers III finished in the Pandemonium Fortress, and it was in the second game. There’s no way it’d be in SDB IV!”

~~~

[Continue reading Wolf At Your Door on ao3!]

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Thank you so much for all the support! I'm v thrilled everyone enjoyed the last chapter with the demons' monster forms making their first appearance 🥰

There is angst ahead but as always we are on the road to happy sweetness as well. All the comments, kudos, shares, and reads are really encouraging, and I can't say thank you enough! 😭💖

~~~

[thalfox]

What if mammon can’t make himself rich because he doesn’t like himself? He has to like someone very much to do so, right?

The Avatar of Greed

This is a VERY good point, anon!

We aren't told much in-game about what the powers of the demons are when focused on humans. We know much of their physical strength, and how each sin relates to each brother, but it's only really Mammon and Asmo who have a known influence upon humans.

In Mammon's case, it's Satan who reveals that if the Avatar of Greed takes a liking to someone, they find themselves showered in wealth. But if they fall from his favour, they are left penniless.

But in Asmo's case, he freely demonstrates his power - or at least he tries. In his first meeting with MC he asks them to look in his eyes, only to find that his power of charm doesn't work. Though here too it is Satan who spells it out.

Still, it's probably not the kind of thing Mammon would keep quiet anyway, he's quite the blabbermouth about how Great and Powerful he is.

But interestingly, the other brother who this is also true of is Asmo. He frequently refers to himself as beautiful, magnificent, amazing, etc etc. It's just that unlike Mammon, he isn't insulted when he does so. And in the rare occasions he is ignored or slighted, he puffs up just like Mammon does.

Both of these demons are avatars of sins that demand the input of another being. One cannot only Lust over oneself, and one cannot fulfil one's own Greed.

Contrast this with Pride in oneself, Gluttony of one's own kitchen creations, Wrath turned inwards (or at Lucifer alone), and Sloth sleeping contentedly.

That of course, leaves Envy. This is another sin that requires the presence of one other. But in Levi's case, we do not (yet) see how his power effects humans. Certainly he has opportunity and motive to use it if it benefited him - getting rare fan goods, or frustratingly hard to purchase tickets - but so far we've only seen Levi's envy in the company of other demons, and MC. Not in what effect it has on humans in general, like Asmo's charm or Mammon's bestowal of good fortune.

Levi, like the Avatars of Pride, Wrath, Gluttony, and Sloth, all express their power towards MC as anger, not as their specific Avatar powers.

Neither Asmo or Mammon use their power in anger towards MC, and Mammon does not use any power or lose control at all in the presence of MC.

~~~

As I've written before, I believe Mammon has full confidence in himself as a demon, but not at all in himself as a person. He is extremely empathetic, and words of praise or kindness make him positively melt. He is always awaiting an insult, and it would be hard for anyone to maintain a love of themself under such conditions.

Perhaps if he did, he would find himself with less money worries. And a further point is that he obviously adores MC, but they are not suddenly made wealthy either. It could be that Mammon's lack of confidence in himself has effected his entire Avatar of Greed powers - he still has his powerful demon lord strength, speed, and so on, but he doesn't have control over all things Greed.

In contrast, Asmo's powers do work. They don't on MC, but those are plot-related reasons. We see him work his charm on Henry 1.0 in the dungeons... although, Solomon did have to boost his powers in order for that to work. But still, I think it's fair to say Asmo's power is intact, as he'd surely be distraught otherwise.

Mammon on the other hand would not reveal his powers as not working. While he is a blabbermouth, he is understandably sensitive about his own failings. What confidence he has in himself as a demon could be badly shaken by this. It may be that he doesn't even realise himself they're not working - perhaps he hasn't tried to bestow them upon anyone for a while.

Or perhaps he learned that it is better not to shower untold riches upon those who may turn out to not really like him for who he is himself, but only for what he can give them 🥺

(Obey Me! Theories Masterpost)

[thalfox]

Hi! I love Mammon and I think that his design is really cool, but I just noticed that he is the very opposite of Lucifer: white vs black hair, blue vs red eyes, tan vs clear skin, coughheightcough... you know But he also stands out from the rest of the demon brothers, so maybe Mammon sometimes feels like the black sheep when comparing his appearance with his brothers’? Idk, just give this bat boy a hug

Thank you for the ask ^^

Mammon is very different, I agree - in the fic I'm writing my OC notes that in his non-demon form he actually looks more like how she would expect an angel to look than a demon. White hair, tan skin, blue eyes... Mammon does look far more angelic than any of his brothers.

Notably he is also the one brother to carry the largest grudge against angels, complaining about their presence and how shiny they are. However it's also clear he has no shame over his demon form, so I think the root of that resentment is his dislike of feeling like he's being looked down upon, rather than any regret at losing his own angel form.

As you say he makes a particularly stark contrast with Lucifer: white to black hair, leathery wings to feathered ones, tan to pale, revealing outfit to covered up, two wings to four, straight horns to twisted, hard materials to soft, blue to red eyes.

We know that Lucifer's wings were originally white and that he lost two, but we don't know in what other ways any of the brothers' forms (minus Satan) changed from angel to demon. We can probably assume all had wings, probably white (minus perhaps Beel as traditionally he may have been Lord of the Flies/Fliers before he fell too), and probably no horns or tails.

Outfit changes may have been moderate (eg soft to harsher materials, white to black palette) or so severe that they now look completely different. This probably varies by brother.

Mammon's demon form does share some similarities with Asmo - the straight spiralled horns, the bat wings - though the only character who shows more bare skin is Diavolo, the future king of Devildom.

I actually have a sneeeaking suspicion that Simeon's angel form probably shows a lot of skin too, for two reasons, one founded in theory and the other in not so good stuff.

Theory - angels do not have the same associations with sin as the demon brothers do, and thus while Mammon and Diavolo (& Asmodeus) flash some skin which fits with their ~tempting nature~ (traditionally Mammon is the Prince of Tempters 👑), angels would see no reason to cover up the bodies their father gave them.

(See Adam and Eve and the snake and the apple etc - if one is ~godly~ then naked skin is simply normal.)

The not so good stuff - Mammon and Diavolo in their demon forms, and Simeon in his normal form, all show quite a bit of skin. They are also the only characters with darker skin, and there is ofc a bad trope of hypersexualising darker skin tones. Simeon having a more revealing angel form would unfortunately solidify this trope, particularly as given Luke's child-like portrayal, the paler angel would certainly not be given a revealing angel-form.

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I think Mammon probably feels like the most put upon brother, and he is! They all insult him, apart from Beel (mostly).

But I don't actually think he feels like the black sheep of the family. Partly because Satan already fills that role, partly because as the second most powerful Lord he will have a certain amount of security, and partly because he is the one who absorbs all his brother's insults.

I think he probably struggles with his self-worth as a person beneath his bravado, which is why an MC who is kind to him wins his heart so fully, but that he's fully confident in his self-worth as a demon.

(Obey Me! Theories Masterpost)

[thalfox]

OM Fic: Wolf At Your Door update!

Chapter 18, Wanna Dance With You, is out now on ao3, as Tabby tries and fails to get to know Asmo better, Lucifer is extremely embarrassed, and Tabby wakes up from one hell of a spicy dream 😳😏

And the night of the formal dance arrives, as Mammon fears what Tabby will make of his demon form...

Wolf At Your Door is my Obey Me longfic told from the perspectives of both Mammon and Tabby, rated E for later chapters!

Excerpt below 👇  But first, some art!

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Mammon's demon form - with tail!

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Mammon and Tabby at the dance:

[Art commission credits: TetraTheRipper & @mvdfvcedmvl!]

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Mammon couldn't figure out what to do with his hands. Normally, being in full demon form would mean he was at peak bravado, but the thought of his human seeing him like this was, annoyingly, quite terrifying.

Tabby hadn't looked down on him at any time, seemingly happy in his company, and going so far as to defend him from his brothers when they referred to him as scum. But he'd deliberately kept his demon form hidden, not wanting her to see…

He sighed. He shouldn't care what people thought of him. Least of all a human. Bad enough that his brothers' insults got to him-

He growled to himself, frustrated as he looked out across the room packed with Devildom guests. Crossing his arms meant he looked too defensive. His hands behind his back made him feel too exposed. And wringing his hands together, as he kept doing, revealed the mess his emotions were currently in.

Not to mention my fuckin' tail. An' horns. Wings too. I must look like a monster to her.

~~~

[Continue reading Wolf At Your Door on ao3!]

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Thank you so much for all the support! I really appreciate the lovely comments, and all the kudos and shares 💖

Apologies for there only being one chapter this week due to illness, but we'll be back on schedule next week 😊

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