#tgg hcs

[the-grey-library]

Fan design of Warverse!GGT!Etihw. I am debating if I should give them longer hair and more details to their capelet (veil?) but those feel like minor adjustments.

Will do a Wodahs and a proper Kcalb one in the future.

Rambles about both base GGT and this design of Etihw under the cut.

GGT Etihw's Design Reading

Where the base Etihw is shown to be casual in their loose clothes, GGT Etihw takes this to 100 by wearing a full blown jacket instead of a cape. This can also allude to the increased playfulness of GGT Etihw, as base Etihw's mischef only goes as far as teasing. Making fun of Kcalb is one thing, stealing his/her chocolate cake is another level.

The GGT version also gives a more modern interpretation. The jacket amplifies it, but here, Etihw also wears a vest, a collared shirt, a pair of pants with white diamonds at the end, and gray shoes that may or may not be attached to the pants. These feels like a semi-formal modern attire without the religious connections that the original has, indicating that they may not take their role as god very seriously -- maybe even less than base Etihw.

The lack of a cross in their design also may indicate that loss and grief are not a core part of their character, though this may just be because this is an April Fools one-off design, which doesn't put much thought into the lore implications.

The messy, unkept hair is also a nod to their casual, maybe even lazy demeanor. The covering of one eye is also an interesting point, but considering the above, this addition is also a thing to make them "look cool" instead of any particular meaning (I could not find any symbolism that suits them in this context, though it is interesting that a covered/lost eye means that a character is more likely to be 'blindsided' and not thoughtful of their actions).

How do I want to change their design?

Cold, rigid, dangerous

I already talked about the changes of TGG Etihw's Base vs Warverse design, but to quickly recap, the change makes them:

More regal / shows their status and power more

Seem more reserved and traditional

With that out the way, I also want to implement the same themes / changes to GGT Etihw's Warverse design. So, here's a list in no particular order to the changes I made.

The Added Details. This is a given, since the TGG Warverse design also has more complex patterns, which implies a much more complicated life or situation in them.

The Sharpened Stones. Again, another thing I imported from the TGG Warverse design. I didn't surround them with the stones though, instead I wanted to use it as an accessory rather than directly contributing to their 'aura' of godhood, as it did with the TGG Etihws. Instead, I wanted to show it through

The Pose. While TGG Etihw's poses didn't change much in the changes, I want to make GGT Warverse Etihw more imposing that doesn't involve me drawing more unnecessary details. (cough cough THE FLOATING STONES cough cough) As such, I want them to feel more imposing through their demeanor -- the easiest way to communicate that is through the pose. Closed legs, one hand behind their back, and the other is clutching a white rock like a supervillain with their evil magic orb.

The Hair. In TGG, the change in both Etihw and Kcalb's hair length are a big part of their character designs with great significance as well. Cutting hair symbolizes a new beginning, and for Kcalb in particular, long hair for boys in Japan is historically a symbol of rebellion. From this context, I don't really think putting long hair on Warverse GGT Etihw is a good idea. Instead, I just made it neater, further emphasizing their discipline and care for their appearance in the days of war.

The Buttload Amount of Layers. Considering the base GGT design parodies the TGG's level of casualness, I want the Warverse GGT to do the same, but with the amount of formal-ness. A mozzetta on top of a cope (dunno if I want to make it backwards or forwards) with base TGG Etihw's robes underneath, and finally, a dress shirt with decorated cuffs and normal pants and shoes. Their pious attire seem over-the-top while also communicating that they are very reserved, concealing themself underneath layers upon layers of barriers, and they take their status and role as god very, VERY seriously.

The Crucifix Motifs. While I alluded to the concept of grief, loss, and mourning in the base TGG's design, here, I want it to take a different meaning. Instead of the above symbolism (which doesn't hold up well with the Warverse period in general), the crosses here represent sacrifice or execution instead. After all, crucifixion was historically used as capital punishment and torture, leaving them to a prolonged death, which can also be an allegory for war and how the angels are counting the seconds until their death.

The Holes in the Cope. I actually didn't really put much thought other than "It looks cool and a neat reference to base TGG Etihw."

The Above-Ankles Length of the Robe. In both TGG designs, the attire seems to be long enough to cover Etihw's feet, even as to being mentioned bunching up as they walked in the Warverse period. In traditional clerical attire, the robes go down to the feet. However, I elected to choose neither and instead go for a higher end because I forgot about them I want them to have at least some mobility should they truly be fighting in the war as well. It's also a good way to avoid staining their attire from the pools and splatters of blood near their feet.

[the-grey-library]

Sherbet's Design Motifs VS Grora

Part 1 : Initial Facts | Part 2 | Part 3 to come

Ok so following up from my angels' uniform design motif, I really like the hidden storytelling between Sherbet and Grora.

Before we get into the design itself, I would like to point out that, of the current TGG cast, absolutely NO ONE has revealed any opinion on the warverse cast. Except for Grora, about Sherbet and Froze specifically.

Which highlights that Sherbet is at least a significant figure in Grora's life in a way Rigatona and Ciel is not. After all, both Froze and Macarona have extremely drastic changes in personality, yet she only compares the former to her warverse counterpart.

I would also like to point out that this may have carried over to Froze as well. Out of the four protags, Grora seems to care about Froze more than her companions and vice versa.

Back to the analysis, I've mentioned that Grora's current design actually looks better for war instead of her actual warverse design. While I was thinking of practicality-wise, I think it also matches Sherbet's design motifs.

I always thought her hair ornament is a bit out of place compared to the rest of her warverse design, yet is very in-line with her current one.

One could argue that the three black diamonds on the ends of her coat and boots as well as the six diamond buttons (?) on her waist are following the pattern on her hair ornament, but I don't really like it since her current design is very consistent with the motif being eight white buttons. Instead, I think the diamonds allude to another theory which I'll get back to later.

The eight buttons / diamonds on a V end ribbon is a very uniquely Grora motif in the whole of TGG cast, one that is very important because there is only one motif that is veeeerryyy similar to it. And for one angel, it's more visible than the other.

Froze and Sherbet are both ice angels, but rather than any snowflake or ice motif, they have squares tiles with four buttons that, just like Grora, are present mirroring her design from the same time period. Froze has it everywhere in her attire, just like TGG Grora, while Sherbet has it in only one spot – his scarf, just like Warverse Grora. However, the buttons on his coat may be another nod to his motif.

Finally – I have mentioned this as well in my angel designs pattern analysis – both Sherbet and Grora wear achromatic clothes whereas none of the others do. There is only one other angel who wear achromatic clothes, and his attire is designed to mirror Kcalb's.

(Kcalb's image is lightened for this, but you can see that the top half closely resemble each other)

I theorize that this is a sign of Etihw's favor, considering that Wodahs is the head angel and Grora is implied to be of quite high ranking or liked by Etihw, to the point of speaking casually with them in GGT. Logic dictates that Sherbet should have more blue hues to highlight his ice powers, but if we take this theory into account, then this means he is an angel favored by Ethiw themselves – an identity that overrides his status as ice angel to be presented design-wise.

[the-grey-library]

Looking back on a lot of the angel designs in DSP, there seems to be a pattern of them being either military-esque, a uniform, or both. Perhaps it's a nod to the angels being an army in christianity, which also lines up with the perpetual state of war between gods and devils. It could also imply an organized force to contrast the demons' chaotic waves.

The most prominent examples are Elux's angels, with a heavy pious theming. We don't see a lot of Siralos' subordinates, but what Ivlis and Igls were wearing in the past also follows this pattern, resembling a military uniform. Similarly, Liliya's lore and worldbuilding is most likely dead and buried, but Ltra Marine's design at least follows this pattern as well.

Fumus' angels even has a (sort of) hierarchy or classification to their uniforms. The power angels wear school uniforms as angels in training, along with the other students. The angels of death are a mixed bag, but all of their attires seem to be uniforms in their respective fields — Lei, Engetsu, and Fiore as scholars, Youran and Aes seem to have pious connotations (which in this case, it can also have healer connotations), and the rest are battle / military attire. Las but not least, my unofficial faction based on their designs, the caretakers or nurses — Cosmea, Linaria (possibly), Olive, Nemofi (possibly), and "Azalea".

(I won't comment on Fumus' fallen angels that's not Nadine because, like her, their current attire would likely differ a lot to distance themself from their past, though it's worth mentioning that "Gladiola" may possibly be Aconita before falling.)

The only exception to this rule is Etihw, both in TGG and warverse. One reason for this is the more laid-back atmosphere in TGG, but even in the warverse, there isn't a lot of design cohesion between the angels. The only ones that are dressed like military are Rigatona and Wodahs — Ciel dresses more piously, it's possible Sherbet just wears his attire just because he's cold, and Grora is wearing whatever the hell that is. Even then, it's also weird that Riga and Ciel's attire is filled with color while the rest don't.

(Grora design tirade: Seriously, her attire without the coat looks like she belongs in a picnic, not a war. But even with it on, I feel like her design reads more 'pretty' than 'practical'. I actually think her present design suits her better in the war than the actual warverse one.)

This may be due to the small cast of TGG compared to the rest of DSPverse. Their attires do imply that there are factions and potential hierarchies — Wodahs' coat is meant to resemble Kcalb's, Ciel being one of the healers / priests, Rigatona being a general of sorts, and my far-fetched theory of achromatic attire possibly signifying Etihw's favor among them, seeing how much trust she has for Froze. We may yet see more of them when APSID comes out to flesh out the worldbuildding. (The cast expansion is not something I look forward to, since it may cut the story's quality. But, y'know, there's some plus sides.)

Regardless, I find this lack of cohesion funny because it contrasts with Kcalb since HE's the one with an organized uniform. Lookit all his subordinates. Ater n Arbus have matching high school uniforms. Yosaflame, Cranber, and Lost wear black clothes with red undertones. If Yosaflame drops the cape, they look like they're in a mafia or something.

[the-grey-library]

The reason Kcalb sucks at games like Othello (or chess, as fanfics like to use more) is because he's both extremely stubborn and is very one-track mind. He focuses on the single goal in front of him without considering how his assets are affected in the long term, nor does he try to predict what move his opponent would later make.

It ties nicely with how he preserved in the war and why it escalated to the point of both sides' near annahilation: if his focus is merely to inflict on Etihw the pain they made him feel, the lives and loved ones lost would only serve as fuel to his blazing thirst for vengence. He is unable to see that his blunders indirectly caused their loss in the first place.

It also makes Yosaflame being his right-hand be more meaningful as a narrative foil. Though he may wield absolute authority, Yosaflame's insight may expand his perspectives and shows that while he is stubborn, he is not unreasonable. Indeed, this plays a part to how Yosaflame is indispensable and why lingering fondness toward him carries on to Yosafire.

On the contrary, the reason Kcalb sucks at cards is because Etihw is lady luck and petty as a god can be.

[the-grey-library]

I know this isn't exactly specific to the gray garden, but what are your thoughts on what the timeline of all the stories/characters is? Sorry if this is worded weirdly, I'm not sure how to put it😭 I've just been thinking alot on the exact number of years between games and events might be cause I'm a nerd, but there's so little specific information out there💔

I love seeing and reading your posts btw! You're amazing! (´ω｀)

Nahh, it's okay. To be fair, I intended this to be a DSP sideblog and not too gray-garden-centric, but I ended up with a lot more brainworms for them than I thought lmao

I feel like for some stories, the ambiguity of the timeline enhances some of the plot. Example: The wiki says that Kcalb was sealed underground for centuries, but in the bonus room he says he was stuck there for eons. It could be a mistranslation or a retcon (I personally prefer it to be longer), but it can also be Kcalb genuinely percieving time to be wayy slower than it actually was because he was, yknow, jailed underground.

It also makes sense since these are immortal beings who transcends the human understanding of time. Making it ambiguous is actually beneficial in that we can ascribe any number we like and make it work until DSP canon says other wise.

Long Example: Making the time gap between Samekichi's betrayal and Memoca being her familiar be weeks to a few months is a meaningful growth in Wadanohara's personality. She can compartmentalize the worst of those feelings and seeks out ways to cope, looking toward the future and reaching out to others. It doesn't mean she's forgotten about Samekichi, rather that she can take some time to identify what her problem is, how she feels, and what she can realistically do about it. It's a way to further show that she can and does actively make choices of her own volition, without the underlying pressure of how will she save the world like the entirety of WATGBS

On the flipside, making the gap range from years to even decades would show just how bad Wadanohara reacts to Samekichi's abscence. This is possibly the first ever time that someone close to Wada has sworn off contact and turn into an enemy, especially her first ever familliar. Someone she trusts to accompany her journey, to look out for her when Tatsumiya couldn't, one that she has cared for for so long. How would she be able to trust anyone that ever again? Why did he do it? Is it her, did she do something wrong? She couldn't wrap her head around this for a long time, but she notices that people started to worry about her. So she starts to mask it. She starts to pretend that she's fine, learning to deflect or change the subject when it comes to her wellbeing, uses her time to help others and distract her thoughts from it. That's when Memoca comes in.

Memoca is very headstrong, and if she sees something wrong, she will never back out from investigating it. She doesn't shy away from difficult topics or offhand comments, even if it makes her seem insensitive or can't read the room. If something is bothering Wadda, she will keep pushing until she can find the source of her distress and does her best to work with what she can. In this scenario where Wadanohara keeps spiraling until she completely breaks, Memoca is her wake up call for her to stop. She is Wadda's rock, the one who can ground her from the storm of her thoughts, the one that pulls her out when she's drowning in pain. The one who loudly says "She asked for no pickles!!" when she can't bring herself to make a fuss about her problems, even if it's to her detriment. The kind of friend who buries your ex when he breaks your heart.

These are two seperate developments that bring out equally meaningful parts of our characters in different ways. It's a potential that fanfic writers can thrive in. But it's also a fatal flaw when overdone.

I do feel that DSP tends to leave out TOO MUCH blanks inbetween stories. Maybe it's because she hasn't thought that far, or maybe it's a spoiler for a future project. Regardless, this kind of leaves us with puzzle pieces that would sooner have us tearing out our hairs than finish 1/64th of it.

My main gripe is the time gaps in the main story, such as the time Yosafire is attacked and when Wodahs started investigating and when the actual invasion happens. Another one is the freaking Sal backstory which is a whole other can of worms I will not discuss here, but the relevant parts is that it makes him more important to the main story, and as such makes the absence of explanation (when did Sal fall into the sea of death, how long did Samekichi look for him, how long has Sal worked with Uomi and how long has he been aquainted with Wadda?? How long was the time gap between his betrayal and WATGBS??) seem like an unfinished part of the story, which leaves players like me unsatisfied in a dissapointed way and loremasters like you with a headache.

It doesn't help that some of the background details are also shrouded in mystery, like when was the last time Artamos visited the blue sea. You'd think there's an estimated timeframe for that but DSP left us with nothing. Aaugh pain

But in the end, nothing we could do about that. For my part, I do just want to focus on what fun can come out of it and make up my own guesstimates. If it contradicts the Ci-en lore. Well. Not my problem, I don't sub to her Ci-en hahahaah

[the-grey-library]

Bonus food headcanon

(TW: Blood)

In the bonus room vid, Kcalb actively avoids taking the vegetables and opts for the meats instead. Even though he basically says "nuh uh", he actually has a valid counter-argument: he physically can't eat veggies or any selulose-based food.

In the one and only time we see his mouth open we can see that his teeth are all spiky, which means it's unlikely he has any molar teeth. The teeth specifically for grinding food, especially vegetables.

The only way he would be able to eat vegetables is by chewing once, mantually hold down the veg with tounge and unclench his jaw, and repeat the process until the veggies are somewhat mush enough to swallow. At that point, I would also rather just picking the dumplings with already ground meat than spend hours chewing up one bok choy leaf.

"But Kcalb, you're a devil! If you can regenerate body parts, surely you can just change your teeth anatomy." This might sound depressing, but it's very likely that he has forgotten what it looks and feels like. Especially if the only sustenance in war was angel meat, it would mean that the last time he molars is before the war. Though logically he still needs them to chew said meat, the demons probably adopted swallowing their food in chunks or even whole to extend the time needed for food to digest and, in turn, extend the time before they go hungry.

"Well, he can always take a look and even feel them anytime. Just ask~" Okay, calm your horses, Etihw. Poor Kcalb's face is already bright yellow. He might explode any moment.

"We can just put more dumplings with chopped and diced vegetables next time." Thank you Wodahs, you are a livesaver as usual. What would this world do without you.

[the-grey-library]

I always find it funny that there's a school in TGG for no other reason than "yeah these girls need a way to show the backstory and also have relatable tomfoolery moments".

What I find fascinating though is that there IS a school. And not only is the headmaster a demon, two of the teachers are from other demonic worlds and one is literally confirmed to be Reficul's subordinate.

Which means Kcalb holds education in high enough importance to the point of inviting otherworldly demons / making deals with other devils to support it.

One of the main reasons will be Kcalb knows historical awareness is crucial to not repeat the same catastrophical mistakes, but I wonder if Yosaflame is a dedicated scholar, before and during the war, and that by establishing a formal education system, it keeps his spirit alive?

Perhaps some of his books that survived are archived in the library with the utmost care.

[the-grey-library]

I wanted to make a follow up hc about the Yosafs but it ended up pretty long soooo

Short follow up:

Yosafire being bad at SchoolTM is not because she's dumb or doesn't like studying, she just has ADHD.

Long follow up:

Yosafire's lack of interest in knowledge and academics is a really nice contrast if you consider Yosaflame as a scholar hungry for knowledge. More specifically, exactly WHY Yosaflame is hungry for knowledge.

Though his natural curiosity may be genuine and harmless, at some point since the war started, it became a nessecity to survive. Where strength may fail, wit will compensate.

He has to be vigilant to the enemy's weaknesses and strengths as well as his allies' own. He has to make counter-strategies and see if they work. He has to take stock of any resources they have and determine if the results outweigh the costs.

He has to KNOW it all, because the moment he falters is the moment the enemy wins.

The fact that Yosafire has the freedom to NOT worry about these things is a testament to how good the world that raised her is. She is free to do what she wants, learn what she wants, and have sufficient access and infinite chances to whatever she strives for.

She doesn't need to worry about any lasting consequences of failing or refusing to learn. She can be perfectly content with the barely-passing scores and the weed-pulling and Ms. Greif throwing chalks at her. She's allowed to use her time however she wants, whether it be with her friends, gathering flowers, eating pie, or what have you.

The only thing the god and devil of that world asks of her is to live her life to the fullest and happiest, after all.

That aside, I don't think that she has completely zero interest in learning. The rigid school system already looks like it would be unsuited for her, not to mention how the curriculum is structured and tested.

If Wodahs opened a workshop about cultivating flowers and how each one needs to be cared for, Yosafire would ace the thing in one month. Maybe even opening up a flower shop of her own and pick up on flower arrangement and symbolism in her free time. Definitely as a way to try and impress Froze and the rest.