ββ γ €the rapt pupil will be forgiven for assuming the tsar of death to be wicked & the tsar of life virtuous. let the truth be told: Β there is no virtue anywhere.
a retelling primarily based off of my own world building & lore for koschei (found here), with influences from slavic folktales, turkic mythos, nikolai gogol's horror novela "viy" and alexander afanasyiev's "the grey fairybook" anthology. viy was once a mortal named vuk -- the eldest of three sons born to a village witch and a khan. after his father's fall, vuk and his surviving family were taken as prisoners of war. eventually he and his brothers were conscripted into a brutal winter campaign wherein, as he remembers it, his youngest brother's recalcitrance with a frost demon led to his demise.
in the realm of the dead, vuk came across a being known as erlik: an incapacitated death god who was long at odds with both the reigning tsars of life and death. with the full extent of his influence and ability, erlik reshaped vuk into the wraith now known as viy. he coaxed him to serve as the previous tsar of death's right-hand reaper and judge of the damned, all to see him ultimately usurp the tsar's position and wage a cataclysmic war against the isle of buyan. viy believes the war to be all in the name of restoring nature's balance, if not an act of vindication against the brother who continues to live without consequence after costing him everything.
β Λ main : takes place in a high-fantasy world, not recognizing the plot of deathless. russian fairytales tend to start off with some variation of the line "beyond thrice-nine lands, in the thrice-tenth realm" as a way of saying that the story takes place in a land far far away, or rather, detached from our ordinary world. essentially, that's what i've done here. you can refer to this world reference & plot guide ( super crossover friendly !!) for a fuller sense of the general world conflict and where viy originally came from, but currently he rules and resides in the realm of nav ( the underworld ) and leads a horde of frost ghouls to battle in buyan every midwinter in hopes of forcing his brother to surrender his death and/or abdicate his throne.
β Λ deathless : loosely following the plot and pantheonic world from deathless, viy is an ancient being, born as a minor deity/god-king who inherited the title of tsar of death from his father just as his brother, the tsar of life, inherited the title from their mother. while koschei presides over creation, vitality, and magic, viy governs death, ancestry, and the turning of natural cycles. fearing such contrary duties might estrange them, their parents initially established a tradition where koschei was required to descend into the country of death during the winter months. there he would remain beside his brother in hopes that witnessing how the souls he once nurtured faired in viyβs final keeping might ease his mourning.
for centuries the ritual preserved peace, until viy came to reap the one soul koschei refused to surrender: his sole heir and daughter. koschei begged, schemed, and fought to hoard her away from death's terrible eye as many years as he could, but ultimately, she was lost to both realms entirely. koschei blamed viy for the tragedy, and so, maddened by the guilt and grief, he tore out his own death and sealed it beyond his brotherβs reach, plunging their tsardoms into a perpetual state of war and imbalance. by now, viy considers koschei wholly unfit to rule, views his entire court as complicit in his corruption, and intends to bring an end to them all so that something new may finally restore the land's natural cycle . . . affiliated with dvaurga's tsaritsa of water
ποΈ . . . π ππππππ
name. viy
true name. vuk
titles. tsar of death, the viy / eye of erlik, khan of the frost ghouls, the blind wolf
pronouns. he/him
age. born in the 12th cent. ( appears late 30s / early 40s )
origin. slavic & turkic folklore
etymology. immortal psychopomp / wraith ( currently ), ranger / phantom rogue ( prev. )
sexuality. demisexual
alignment. lawful neutral ( or evil depending who you ask ), prev. lawful good
relations. alkonost / tsar of birds ( sibling, presumed dead ), koschei / tsar of life ( sibling, alive -- unforch ), danika ( mother, deceased ), yΓΌrek khan ( father, deceased ), baba yaga ( ancestor ), veles ( predecessor ), erlik ( influencer )
height. 6'0"
build. exceptionally athletic and compact. like most nomadic riders, he was trained for mounted combat from a very young age. keeping his hands steady and engaged with his weaponry while galloping requires an insane amount of core and leg strength. his back and shoulders are nuts too, though they'd be slightly asymmetrical from his heavy reliance on spearing & archery.
hair. blue-black, thick, straight, usually kept lengthy but tied away from his face
eyes. when he was human, they were dark brown beneath particularly thick eyelashes ( which is where the nickname viy originates), as a wraith / tsar of death his lashes and eye color remain the same although they reflect green during a reaping or instant kill. however, following an early battle with koschei, his eyes were hexed, which now leaves them in constant agony. the only way to soothe them is to keep his eyelids shut or covered with a blindfold
scars. going off above, the hex scarred the skin surrounding his eyes as if burned with acid; as a wraith, traces of his death linger over his body, leaving him with a corpse-cold undertone and darkened veins branching throughout his skin, as if they were deep blue fractures spreading across a frozen river.
zodiac. scorpio sun, virgo moon, cancer rising
β Λ the gift of scent : like his brothers, he was born with a unique gift / sixth sense that was later amplified in his becoming a wraith. for him, the gift of scent manifests in his perceiving the essence, soul, and/or intent of a person through smell ( sort of like how others might see an aura visually). this sensitivity to smell also allows him to track individuals across impossible distances, sense hostility, and judge the dead ( virtue and corruption carry very distinct smells, with pleasant ones signifying a purer or more evolved spirit and rancid smells betraying the rotten or unevolved ones ).
β Λ wolf transmutation : possesses a wolfskin/cloak that allows him to assume the form of a steppe wolf. it's the most common form he takes in psychopomp duties or for tracking. there's also a universal rule that deities ( even minor ones ) shouldn't present their true selves to mortals without the completion of a task or other show of worthiness. because of this, he will often approach the living in wolf-shape first.
β Λ the terrible eye / instant kill : what his entire folklore is based-on !!! although i'm establishing this as an ability that was given to him by his maker, erlik. he can inflict instant death with just a single glance. however, it's not something he can nor chooses to use without restraint. he upholds and deeply respects the laws of fate and cannot kill someone whose death is not already due or likely destined. the effect resembles something like medusa's stare: when activated his eyes reflect a brief green flash and anyone ( whether it be a single person or a whole troop ) who witnesses this could die instantly, especially if unwarded or within close range. this power also has a very length recharge time which makes it something he'd have to use very strategically. after koschei's hex, this ability was rendered almost obsolete. it's extremely difficult for him to open his eyes, much less activate the flash without some struggle or obvious sign.
β Λ limited eyesight : technically, he isn't blind, he can see when he forces his eyes open, but the pain is severe enough to make him primarily rely on scent and hearing instead
β Λ magical entrapments : death himself cannot be killed but he can be bound, deceived, or imprisoned. certain tales ( like that of sisyphus and the soldier with a magic cap ) speak of a rare few relics that might be capable of temporarily immobilizing or sealing viy away.
β Λ interplane restrictions : laws of nature forbid him from walking freely among the living. he can only manifest 1) as a harmless spectre to select individuals through their dreams or during their near-death experiences; 2) before those who are dying or fated to die soon; or, 3) during the winter, when the barrier between his realm and the moral world is weakest, allowing him to cross through forced rifts or during sanctioned natural events/phenomena
ββ and looking down to his new home, he feels the rising of a wave and knows, at once, he will not weather it
as the eldest son of house cousland ( the ruling family of the teyrnir of highever ), fergus was sent to ostagar on a scouting mission to assist king cailan's efforts against the coming blight. in his absence, arl howe laid siege on cousland castle, killing fergus' parents, his wife and child. only his sister, alys, escaped the attack, but was conscripted into the grey warden order as a result and likewise sent to ostagar. fergus had been reported missing shortly before the battle, and for weeks he was presumed dead. however, his scouting unit had been ambushed and fergus was found by a chasind, who tended to him in his lengthy recovery. it wasn't until the landsmeet that fergus was finally able to reunite with his sister and learn of his family's tragic fate. after she ended the blight, fergus took his place as teyrn of highever, and hopes to rebuild his fallen house. . . . exclusive to ladyhana's warden cousland
β Λ main : for all plots centered around the games. i'm pretty open to playing around with different scenarios and aus ( i.e. fergus being picked up as a companion in origins, rescued by someone else in the wilds, etc. ) but unless plotted otherwise, the default is that he becomes teyrn and his sister is the arlessa of amaranthine / warden commander of ferelden. affiliated with evelyn trevelyan ( verdraste / ladyhana ) who is my default inquisitor, but ofc i'm open to writing with other non-trevelyan inquisitors !!
β Λ fantasy : very easy to drop fergus and house cousland in any fantasy setting !! so this may be the primary choice. the gist remains relatively the same. his land is on the stormy coast of whatever country applies, and default is that his family is recognized as being second in power to the crown, or close to it. they're known for their highly adept armymen ( great for muses who need allies & reinforcements ! ), strong network of spies, and breeding and raising mabari warhounds. more than likely, fergus succeeded his father after a similar tragedy, but we can play it by ear.
β Λ regency / bridgerton : fergus is the eldest son of the duke of highever. given his family's legacy in the military, he voluntarily fought in the napoleonic wars, but sustained injuries that left him incapacitated and unable to return home for a few months. during his recovery, his estate was infiltrated by an unidentified murderer who killed his parents, but luckily did not find his sister. after returning home, fergus steps in as the new duke, and is being pressured into finding a wife soon. understandably, this is currently the last thing on his mind. he's besties with benedict and anthony ( <3 ).
β Λ lycan au : we don't talk about the couslands past with lycans enough or the fact that they even exist in da canon so please bear with me while i flesh this out.
ποΈ . . . π ππππππ
name. fergus cousland
titles. teyrn of highever ( addressed as "lord cousland" )
pronouns. he/him
age. 27 (da:o), 37-40 (da:i), 47 (da: veilguard)
origin/nationality. ferelden
etymology. human noble / warrior of the champion class
sexuality. bisexual
alignment. lawful good, fealty to the ferelden crown or his sister
relations. alys cousland (sister, alive), bryce cousland (father, deceased), eleanor cousland (mother, deceased), oriana cousland (wife, deceased), oren cousland (son, deceased)
height. 6'1"
build. herculean, defined but not chiseled; strong like a bear, not a pretty statue; just enough softness to make for an excellent hugger :3
hair. dark brown, curly
eyes. hazel, variety of browns and honey tones
scars. riddled with them. he's a tank who battles in the frontlines and take critical hits. his body is a testament to this. he wears them with pride, aside from the worst one : a large crescent shaped gash across his abdomen from the battle of ostagar. he had to cauterize the wound to avoid bleeding out. the chasind took care of the rest when they found him, but not even magic could heal it all the way.
scents. petrichor, sea salt and cypress
known languages: ferelden, and most other languages from across thedas. it was required in his noble studies, but frankly he is sorely embarrassed to admit he has not retained most of them and will butcher the conversation on more than a few accounts. his avvar is pretty great though, thanks to aerick, an exiled avvar/highever guardsman, originally from kirkwall, who mentored him through his youth.
β Λ weapons master : proficient with most weapons (i.e., shields, halberds, crossbrows, axes & mauls). he'll often carry 2-3 depending on the situation and his position in the battlefield, but his sword is the most consistent choice. dual wielding it with a shield or a maul crafted in the shape of two mabari jaws is his other consistent choice.
β Λ great tactician : by the time we get to da: origins, fergus pretty much functions as a commander in his father's stead. he led the forces of the northern ferelden banns and strategized the battle alongside king cailan, loghain and duncan.
β Λ superior survival skills : again thanks to aerick, but, as an outdoorsman who hated being cooped up in the castle, these lessons were mainly through fergus' insistence. he's always taken a great interest in hunting, as well as aerick's avvar roots, so aerick would sometimes oblige fergus and his friends by guiding them through long hunting treks in the mountains, to learn how to hunt, set traps, and survive more practically in tougher terrains. eventually, he made a habit of frequently hiking at his own leisure despite protests from his mother, so at this point you can throw him in the middle of anywhere and he'll be quite capable and adaptable.
β Λ basic nautical skills : thanks to his oh-so-fun summer weeks spent with grandpa fearcher on a warship :))) old man put your boy through it, but he came out with callouses a plenty, knowing the basics of rigging, how to tie excellent knots, star navigation, etc.
β Λ speed : he is meant to be a powerhouse, and is fast but only to a degree. when faced with someone of the rogue class, this could very well be to his detriment if he can't manage to get in a good hit that knocks them into next week.
β Λ post battle of ostagar : his right leg was broken and poorly set when he was found by the chasind, and while healed, it does still fail on him if he exerts himself too hard. he also suffers from ptsd which may compromise his focus while in action. his combat days are much more limited because of this, but he's still a tactician and inspires high morale in the ranks where he can.
β Λ politics : he hates everything about it. while a warm and generally charming person, he cannot abide to be disingenuous and lacks the patience to engage in shallow or false conversations. he's a man guided by his heart, who acts more quickly than he thinks, and will often be brutally honest if there's someone or something he doesn't like. regardless of political consequence. one of the reasons why alys was thought to be better suited for the role of teyrna.
ββ you'll earn no medals. your name will never make it into the papers. you'll be a hero who casts no shadow.
in the middle of a cold war between the neighboring nations of westalis & ostania, twilight is a top agent working under W.I.S.E ( westalian intelligence service - eastern division ) striving to safeguard the fragile state of peace that grows more precarious everyday. a master of disguise, he is frequently sent undercover in the thick of ostanian territory, where many of his missions deal with thwarting extremist groups, infiltrating the inner circles of national unity party members ( the political party that was deposed at the end of the first war ), and extracting any information or plans that may bring on another war. for this reason, he's known as the man with a thousand faces, the ostanian government's most wanted agent, infamous for his achievements, while his true face, history, and identity remain an enigma.
β Λ main : operation stryx is the current mission. his target is donovan desmond, the former prime minister and elusive leader of the national unity party who is in talks of planning something big and potentially detrimental to peace relations. twilight is posing as loid forger, a psychiatrist in the capital of ostania, berlint city, and has been tasked with building the perfect fake family in order to blend in with ostania's elite class and have his child enrolled in the same prestigious school as desmond's youngest son. due to a shortage of spies on the ground, he's also tasked with too many side quests, and can be found just about anywhere wearing any face. plots can take place within the series timeline, or prior with one of twilight's previous covers and operations.
β Λ mi6 / 007 / man from u.n.c.l.e. au : will usually be set in the 60s, but can also be used for modern day interactions and espionage universes. twilight is an agent for mi6 frequently tasked with undercover missions, primarily in europe, but throughout the continents as well. his job is to stop extremist activities before they become public, and gather or destroy intel as necessary to prevent another world war. much like his canon verse, no one outside his affiliated organizations and close assets know what he really looks like. ( he collaborates with u.n.c.l.e. but is still mi6; for james bond plots he's agent 004, still only known as twilight )
β Λ dragon age : twilight was orphaned during the rebellion war between ferelden & orlais, and was trained to be a ferelden spy by william cousland. his first mission was to ensure empress celene's succession. he attended the university of orlais under the guise of a free marcher's heir and discreetly thwarted assassination attempts on the empress. with the peace treaty finally struck, twilight had been tasked with keeping an eye out for any breaches on either side, but primarily in orlais. he was stuck there the start of the blight, but despite the closed borders was able to find his way back in. he can be picked up as a companion in origins. by the events of da:i, leliana approaches him to join her and the inquisition as one of her top informants. his focus is then on tevinter, the ventori, and eventually the agents of fen'harel.
β Λ regency spy au : ( loosely based on julia quinn's spy duology ) originally german, but orphaned in england, he works for england's war office as an undercover agent & asset during the napoleon wars. he's using several covers to keep an eye on the ton for traitorous plans, as well as the area of kent ( near aubrey hall ) where much of the supply and information smuggling happens.
β Λ greek myth : still fleshing this out, but can confirm he is the son of athena
β Λ master of disguise; expert marksmanship; genius intellect with a photographic memory; master tactician ( sort of like nanami's ratio strategy, twilight can quickly scan a room/opponent/obstacle, play out various probable approaches in real-time until he finds the most precise and efficient one to win )
β Λ while still strong, he'll rely on strategy to overpower someone, can be overwhelmed by large numbers when his stamina fails him; his kindness. while he is very methodical and unemotional during an operation, his kindness will on rare occasion win over his logic and may lead to decisions that would otherwise compromise his mission; a sleep deprived babe, may be vulnerable during naps.
ββ humanity will do its best to forget how much they need you.Β and that's good. we need to stand apart from them.
in the world of thedas, the darkspawn are orc-like creatures who dwell in an underground network of tunnels known as the deep roads. every few centuries, they rise to the surface in a hive-mind attack led by an archdemon. these apocalyptic scourges are known as the blight. out of the darkspawn's tainted essence, enhanced warriors known as the grey wardens were created to kill the archdemon and put a stop to the blight no matter the cost. it has been over 400 years since the last blight, but the fifth blight finally takes root in the country of ferelden.
asteria amell once belonged to a noble house, but as a child, the templar order discovered she was a mage and sent her to the circle tower of ferelden ( a school for mages -- or a prison, depending on who you ask ). after helping a friend escape, she was forcefully drafted into the grey warden order. political treachery lost them the first attack against the blight in ostagar, killed the king of ferelden, wiped out nearly all the grey wardens -- only asteria and alistair survived. with ferelden's borders closed and political ambitions still taking precedence, two warden rookies and their motley crew of unlikely companions are thedas' last hope of stopping the blight before it spreads beyond control.
β Λ origins : the events of the first game unfold and ultimately end with asteria being the warden who kills the archdemon. she survives the ordeal albeit changed, having incidentally absorbed the archdemon's soul unto her own, a fact that is evident to anyone who sees her violet-fuscia eyes (further explained here). [ alt. companion verse ] asteria can be picked up ( or snuck out ) during the circle tower crisis and join the warden's party. afterwards, she'd either live as an apostate mage or request to join the wardens as a new recruit during awakening.
β Λ awakening / da: 2 : asteria becomes the new warden commander of ferelden tasked with rebuilding the order. however, tensions are high as her survival and rumors of her absorbing the archdemon's soul brew unease among the ranks. after she vanquishes the darkspawn threat in amaranthine, tensions begin to smooth over. she establishes the silver order and becomes the new arlessa of amaranthine ( although actively seeking a means to separate the two roles ). when the mage-templar war starts, asteria receives an influx of mage and templar refugees seeking to join the order. she sets out looking for a cure for the taint so that those who chose this path in desperation could someday reverse it. ( high potential for a crossover verse since asta's search can take her to all sorts of places even outside of thedas )
β Λ inquisition : my default is that asteria gave up her search for the cure and went straight to skyhold upon learning of the breach from a wisp in the fade. this happens sometime after warden commander clarel and the wardens of orlais are killed. after adamant, she becomes the temporary warden commander for the surviving orlesians and leads them in tandem with ferelden's warden forces against corypheus assuming the inquisitor accepts their aid.
β Λ trespasser / veilguard : by this time asteria has died, likely in self-sacrifice after losing herself from the calling. mhairi has taken her place as the warden commander of ferelden. however, in death she's ascended / returned to being a spirit of command in the fade. it's very possible that she might be seen again, especially by those whom she took a particular affinity for. she might appear to help them in battle where the veil is thin or if they consent to a temporary possession.
β Λ greek myth : asteria is the titan goddess of fallen stars and nocturnal oracles. she was a commander leading her father's northern celestial forces during the titanomachy, but was spared from being locked away in tartarus by her daughter hekate's appeal. after being pursued by zeus, asteria fled to the underworld, and has been nyx's ward ever since.
β Λ dnd / critical role : [ affiliated with duskildan ] asteria is the matron of ravens who presides over fate, winter, memories, and death. she was a mortal mage during the age of arcana, but ascended into her position after killing the previous death god. her name and her story has been wiped from historical memory. any remaining legends about her are varied and conflicting, but the one thing that is certain is that she has a disdain for orcus, the demon prince of undeath ( or koschei if we decide to integrate his au here too ). she actively seeks champions to defeat his undead forces and cult followers.
ποΈ . . . π ππππππ
name. asteria amell
diminutives. asta
pronouns. she/her
titles. champion of redcliffe, hero of ferelden, warden-commander of ferelden, arlessa of amaranthine (verse dependent)
age. 19 ( during origins ), 31 ( during da:i ); 42 ( age of death, just before veilguard )
origin. free marcher (w/avvar roots), identifies as ferelden
etymology. human mage, spirit medium (spirit of command incarnate)*
sexuality. bisexual
alignment. chaotic good / neutral
relations. ethan amell (Β father, deceasedΒ ) , revka amell (Β mother, presumed deadΒ ), leticia "leto" amell (Β half-sister, aliveΒ ), aerick (Β biological father, deceasedΒ )
height. 5'7"
build. athletic & mesomorph
hair. black & smooth as a river stone, usually kept back in a long braid.
eyes. originally blue; now an unnatural violet scars. multiple faint scars, but the most prominent one is from the arrow she took at the tower of ishal. it sits right on her left shoulder, just below her collarbone, about the size of a coin and shaped like a gnarled silver star. there's an identical one on her left shoulder blade where the arrow pierced through.
scents. rosemary, deathroot blossoms, bergamot.
β Λ entropy & necromancy specialization :Β the school of entropy deals with spells that attack the life force of an enemy and includes: creating death clouds to drain life energy (which can be absorbed to heal herself & companions), drawing residual spirit energy from the surrounding dead to replenish mana, paralyzing, disorienting, spirit bombing etc. necromancy allows her to call on and bind spirits from the fade to dead corpses and command them to attack on her behalf.
β Λ spirit medium : not a specialization that can be learned, but one she was born with. mages can interact with spirits and demons in the fade in their dreams, by physically summoning them with spells, or through their possessed vehicles, but spirit mediums are mages who have one foot in each of the two worlds. they can see through the veil and communicate with the beings on the other side at any given moment.Β
β Λ grey warden abilities : wardens undergo a ritual (the joining) where they infuse darkspawn blood (the taint) with their own. this grants them: enhanced strength, durability, immunity to blighted illness, ability to sense when darkspawn are near, a connection to the darkspawn hivemind controlled by archdemons during a blight. typically, the archdemon can be seen & heard through dreams
β Λ archdemon soul absorption : after absorbing the archdemon's soul in the final boss battle, asteria essentially became an archmage, with an increased capacity for mana storage. she refuses to tap into that extra powerbank for a variety of reasons
β Λ other schools of magic : asteria was one of the top students of her class in the circle, and had to learn all the schools of magic at some capacity, but in the years since she's become a warden, she's been out of practice, and relies almost exclusively on entropy & necromancy if not her weapons.
β Λ high risk of possession : as a spirit medium, she can see through the veil in the waking word, but likewise those entities can see her. demons are often drawn to mediums like magnets and chisel away at their peace until their will is weak enough for a possession.
β Λ the calling : while the joining grants wardens increased abilities, it does not come without consequence. the taint is a poison which corrupts and overtime her mind will become more darkspawn than warden. this process is known as the calling. eventually through delusions it draws a warden to the deeproads where they are sure to meet their death or worse. it usually takes up to 30 years after a joining to hear the calling, but wardens, like asteria, who are active during a blight have this process accelerated, bringing it closer to 10 years.
β Λ archdemon soul absorption : although asteria has an increased mana powerbank to draw from, she still has a human body and to tap into that powerbank will take a massive toll on her physically. to draw on it completely might actually kill her.
house amell : previously one of the most influential noble families in kirkwall. the family's patriarch, lord aristide ( asteria's grand-uncle ), was favored to become viscount of the city after the chantry ( church of andraste ) called for the arrest the previous one. house amell was well regarded for hosting extravagant balls at lord aristide's estate, but also seen as devout andrastians. however, a slew of scandals tarnished the family name, including asteria's exposure as a mage, ultimately leading to their loss of the viscountship and all their wealth. you can read more about it here.
early childhood : asteria was six when her abilities manifested. as was customary among the elite class, her family did not report this to the chantry and instead hired a tutor to help asteria learn to control and conceal her magic. she was also kept isolated and indoors to mitigate the risk of exposure, but after sneaking out of the estate with her little sister and finding themselves in a heap of trouble, asteria used her powers and was immediately detained by the templars.
kinloch hold , the circle tower of ferelden : although asteria was born and raised in a different country, she was ultimately taken to the circle of ferelden. the kirkwall circle was notoriously known for mistreating mages, so the amells offered a hefty bribe to the chantry to ensure they sent her to a circle run under more humane conditions -- relatively speaking. as a foreigner coming from a place of such privilege, it was hard to make friends, and near impossible once the enchanters classified her as a spirit medium. jowan was the only friend she had.
the harrowing : young mages like asteria are brought into the circle of magi as apprentices who are taught how to wield their magic "to serve man, never to rule over them". the harrowing is a rite of passage every apprentice must undergo to be fully initiated as a member of the circle. an apprentice can be called in for their harrowing at any point during their studies, but usually after the age of 18. the harrowing seeks to test the strength of a mage's will and capability, but the nature of the test is kept secret. regardless, all apprentices know that failing means death. asteria completes her harrowing at age 19, but finds out jowan was refused the chance shortly after.
rite of tranquility : for apprentices who do not want to risk failing a harrowing or who the enchanters and templars deem unlikely to pass from the outset, the rite of tranquility becomes their only other option. it's a procedure that essentially lobatomizes a mage. it severs their tie to the fade, making it impossible for them to dream and thus impossible for a demon to possess them. however, without the ability to dream, they also lose the ability to feel. jowan was denied his harrowing and sought asteria's help to escape the tower to avoid being made tranquil.
perses : at ostagar, asteria cured a sick and unruly mabari hound. the mabari are beloved in ferelden culture, but asteria being a free marcher never really had any particular affinity for the beasts. nonetheless the hound stepped in during an ambush to save her, after which she allowed him to join her camp, naming him perses, the ravager. by the end of her origins campaign perses has grown on her and becomes an invaluable companion until the very end of her life. there's rarely anywhere she goes where he doesn't follow.
deal with the desire demon : you can find most of her canon path choices here, but the most relevant and important to note is that she makes a deal with the desire demon that was possessing connor. it allowed the demon to leave the boy alone for ten years, giving the impression that asteria had vanquished it, and in exchange the demon would cure her sister leto of the blight. she's deeply ashamed by this, and it's the main reason why she avoids any chance at reconnecting with her sister, although she'll use her new rank as warden commander as the excuse. during inquisition, the demon returns to possess connor and she will ask the inquisitor for help in making things right without risking the well being of her sister.
aerick : asteria's biological father. he was an exiled avvar tribesman ( a bloodline known for begetting spirit mediums ) who was then hired as personal guard to revka amell. his affair with revka wasn't suspected until asteria's spirit medium abilities manifested, at which point he was dismissed. he went on to serve the cousland house in ferelden, but died during howe's attack on the cousland family.
ββ i am anti-life, the beast of judgment. the dark at the end of everything. what will you be then, dream lord ? . . . hope.
daniel was originally the son of hector hall ( the silver scarab ) and lyta hall ( the fury ), both of whom were trapped in a pocket of the dreaming when they conceived him, leaving an unborn daniel to be claimed by morpheus ( the original dream of the endless ) as his child by proxy. after dismantling this pocket, the king of dreams said he'd someday come for him, but lyta swore to never let that happen. a fae creature named puck kidnapped daniel as a toddler, but lyta assumed morpheus was responsible and called on the kindly ones ( the furies ) to bring about his destruction.
as one of the endless, necessity bade that morpheus' essence and duty continue on in a different form. this form was adopted by daniel, who now harbors morpheus' essence while still being a wholly separate person -- albeit no longer identifying with his former mortal self either. by this point, he refers to himself simply as dream and functions as the new dream king, but in order to stabilize and fully synchronize with the dreaming, he must first locate all twelve of morpheus' dreamstones. which could be scattered across any realm and dimension known to existence and pose an existential threat to reality if they land in the wrong hands.
β Λ main : takes place within the sandman and dc comic universe. in my portrayal, we're having dream / daniel be raised within the dreaming after becoming an endless. in his early childhood, the default is that lucienne served as regent while dream was protected by the corinthian as well as other dream creatures until he eventually comes of age and is able to set out in search of the dreamstones. these are objects created by morpheus, considered focal points / anchors for the dreaming. dream believes it's necessary to find and calibrate these in order to gain a solid hold of the realm and keep nightmares like melinΓΆe from escaping.
β Λ alt. sandman verse : assuming daniel never becomes dream, he would have been raised with his mother on earth. because of his feitheran roots and because he'd spent most of his time in utero within the dreaming, he'd possess sleep inducing and hallucinatory abilities similar to that of morpheus, learned combat skills from his mother, and eventually upgrades his father's silver scarab suit with tenth metal. within the justice society he's known as the sandman. his main foe would be a new incarnation of hath-set, who continually seeks to bring the curse of sekhmet ( judgment day ) to fruition.
β Λ greek myth : he's the son of the greek god morpheus ( who follows the greek mythos canon as a son of hypnos and pasithea ) and hippolyta / lyta hall who conceived daniel in the dream realm with a dream version of her deceased husband, hector hall, which as a creation of morpheus makes daniel technically his biological son and a demigod ( work with me here, here's an oopsie dream baby, that lyta wanted and dreamt of so much that it became a reality ).
β for non-pjo conformant canons ( that likewise don't fit with his main verse ): we can say morpheus is currently missing/imprisoned and in a bid to keep the dream realm stable daniel needs to find the dreamstones to stablize it, and eventually find his father.
β for his pjo canon: originally, he was raised in the dream realm with his mother to keep him safe until that became unsustainable and/or the other gods found out about it and daniel was sent to camp half blood. he was 15 at the time, and now between 18-25 he's a pretty seasoned fighter, but still a bit eccentric and ungrounded in reality. he has the ability to cause hallucinations and dreamlike trances, but also astral projection and dreamwalking.
β Λ dragon age : to be finalized after i finish my playthrough, but i'm leaning on the concept of dream being a spirit of hope, one of the refugees found in the crossroads who wants to assist rook and their party. i'd say he manages to do this by following them to nevarra, where he possess the human body of a dreamwalker who lost his way in the fade, leaving his body in a coma and thus vulnerable to possession. he then promises to help find and return daniel's spirit to his body after the elvhen gods are dealt with.
ποΈ . . . π ππππππ
name . dream of the endless daniel hall
other aliases . the sandman pronouns. he / him
titles / epithets . dream lord, dream king, ( by the egyptians / feitherans : tutu , son of neith , who comes to the one calling him, master of the demons of sekhmet )
age . 18-28 ( dreamstone arc ) , early 30s ( post-dreamstone arc ) origin. greek , egyptian / feitheran etymology. endless ( omnidimentional primordial entity )
sexuality . pansexual
alignment . neutral good
relations . lyta hall ( mother , alive ), hector hall ( father , deceased ), morpheus ( father by proxy, deceased ), carter hall / hawkman ( grandfather , alive ) , shiera sanders hall / hawkgirl ( grandmother , alive ), matthew the raven ( messenger ), lucienne ( regent & confidante ), the corinthian ( nightmare foster parent )
height . 6'2"
build . neither imposing nor fragile, but somewhere in between. his every movement is fluid and gauzy, like ink swirling in water, as if he were there and elsewhere at once.
hair . a shimmering white, the color of starlight, of dreams yet unformed. it's usually grown out and a bit unruly , but moves softly with the weightlessness of drifting clouds
eyes . a pair of green pea galaxies , burning steadily in the limitless dark
scars . none aside from a faint burn mark over his palm, the only echo left of his short time as a human
scents. the rich warmth of myrrh and incense curling in the corridors of his temple, the airy scent of lotus flowers floating in fresh water, the drowsy scent of clean linen and egyptian cotton
β Λ oneiromancy : can create, enter, andΒ manipulateΒ theΒ dreamsΒ of all sleeping beings. can also induce sleep, conjure astral forms, bestow nightmares or lucid dreaming, and promote spiritual / emotional healing within dreams. if he's within his own domain of the dreaming , his power is only limited to his imagination.
β Λ dream tools : outside of the dreaming, he will have his limits but will rely on his tools as an extra source of power ( pouch of sand, the dreamstones, etc. ) granting him the ability to induce sleep or immersive daydreams, driving one to madness or delusion, or nightmarish visions similar to the effect of scarecrows fear toxins.
β Λ wealth of knowledge : morpheus and the endless date back to the dawn of all creation and exist across all dimensions and timelines singularly, and so as the new dream, he still possess many of morpheus' memories and knowledge. his temple also houses a reimagined library of alexandria with books and scrolls that reflect every dream, legend, and story that has ever been dreamt, orated, or written.
β Λ endless rank : the endless are some of the most op figures in the dc universe but they have rules and don't exert that power outside of their anthropomorphic responsibilities. they're completely neutral, however, that's not to say that they wouldn't provide aid in indirect ways. since he was once human and his mother is still alive, dream is most inclined to involve himself to the extent that he's allowed. filling in gaps of knowledge is the usual means.
β Λ post-dream amnesia : within the dreaming the subconscious mind can recall past events and dreams, but upon waking very few details are kept to memory. similarly, all who meet dream directly will not remember their encounters with him when they wake. for most, it's as if the time spent in the dreaming is a wholly separate reality and they won't be able to take that reality elsewhere. should someone meet dream in the waking world though, they would retain those memories in both realms unless dream forcibly erases them.
β Λ magical prisons / rituals : the sandman comic starts off with a ritual wherein a cult tries to summon and trap death and accidentally summons and traps morpheus instead, so we know the endless aren't immune to spells and curses can be trapped by magical means which will have dire adverse effects on the domains they control.
β Λ laws of the endless : the endless are bound eternally to their duties and nature and cannot abandon them without consequence. they also cannot truly die, but can be replaced as was morpheus' case. they are also expected to adhere to cosmic laws and answer challenges fairly ( ex. lucifer's game in hell ). the endless are also not allowed to harm each other directly, and cannot take mortal consorts even if they wanted to. it's almost guaranteed to bring catastrophic misfortune to them or those around them. ( ex. asteroid striking nada's tribe )
the dream stones : there are twelve stones in total. so far he has three 1) the eagle stone, an emerald which was given to him as a child and is used as his primary tool 2) the materioptikon, the dream ruby which was morpheus' primary tool 3) the porpentine, a rose quartz given to one of morpheus' lovers whose spirit resided in barbie's dream. the rest is what i'll leave up to plotting and set up as this verse's main focus and default conflict unless we establish something where he's more fully immersed in his position.
why & how he was created : the comics are rife with retcons and multiverse shenanigans surrounding daniel's parents and lineage, so bare with me. some of his relations and background might have to change while i figure out how this all pieces together and what bits i actually like or want to revise. will lay it all out soon in a headcanon post, but what i really want to highlight here is the fact that daniel's soul is considered the embodiment of hector's humanity and all his goodness, and was responsible for averting/negating sekhmet's curse. that parallels with his body becoming the new incarnation for morpheus which ultimately allows daniel to carry out his redemption too. so i think daniel's dream is really intended to function as a spiritual cleanser as well as the last pillar of hope for humanity, and that hope is something he'll continue to embody and inspire throughout the collective conscience til the very end of all existence.
ββ i'll tell you where the real road lies. between your ears, behind your eyes. that's the path to paradise. likewise, the road to ruin
a son of zeus and maia, hermes was born in a cave in mt. hΕrai and later became the greek god of swiftness and craftiness. mt. hΕrai is a paradisal isle within the crossroads realm ( a sort of limbo or cosmic highway between lands and dimensions ), primarily used as a rest stop and sanctuary for the kami pantheon. the cloud cover surrounding the isle is made up of quintillions upon quintillions of souls ready to impart their wisdom, while the regular inhabitants of the isle are made up of yΕkai and sprites who have known no evil, which keeps their hearts pure and prevents them from growing old. in maia's case, she was a refugee granted sanctuary by birthright, being a granddaughter of fΕ«jin, the elder kami of wind.
as a youth, hermes snuck out of the isle to learn more about his kin from the greek pantheon, particularly his older brother apollo. through his cunning and unrivaled speed, he was able to steal apollo's prized cattle in jest. two of the cattle were accidentally harmed, their deaths barring hermes' ability to return to mt. hΕrai, but he endeared himself to his angry brother through the invention of the lyre, and won his father's favor by presenting the dead cattle as a sacrifice to the gods. thereafter, he became zeus' personal messenger and an olympian god presiding over herds, heralds, travelers, athletes, commerce, trade & thieves. he is the pantheon's middleman and arguably the biggest aid to their mortal heroes. he also serves as a psychopomp, guiding departed souls to the underworld when requested or needed.
β Λ main . for any greek myth canon or ancient/modern fantasy verses that leaves room for the pantheon to exist. any cataclysmic/supernatural threat that can only be addressed by a chosen one/few means there's a call that will need to be answered, and you know who's making that call? hermes is the mouthpiece of the gods, and herald of nearly every story, so he will be convincing heroes to step out of their ordinary worlds to go save the world, may even help or deliver a boon somewhere along the way between his many misadventures errands if he takes a liking to them!
β Λ alt. kami verse . still need to flesh this out, but i'd love to explore an alternate storyline for him wherein he still get's booted from mt. hΕrai, but the greek pantheon didn't welcome him as an olympian either, so he's basically a disgraced kami roaming the world with no real place in it until he eventually becomes somewhat of a folk legend / local protector in the rural communities of japan.
β Λ dragon age . will be kept a little vague for the sake of flexibility with plots, but the general vibe is that hermes was a city elf turned thieving rogue with a robin hood complex, so can very easily be dragged into a companion verse during any of the games, but i'm inclined to have him involved as an envoy during inquisition, and/or a veil jumper in veilguard though it's tbd after i finish. he is technically a mage, but non-practicing, never properly trained, and won't disclose this voluntarily; however wind is his natural element and he does use magic to grant him supernatural speed which he chalks to his "enchanted boots". aside from that he'll rely on his arrows or short sword in a fight.
β Λ fae verse . he's already so fae-boy coded, not much changes. he would be considered seelie, an embodiment of wind ( originally from the spring court? not sure yet ), and a herald to whatever seelie monarch applies. he's usually sent as a spy, diplomat and courier between the fae courts, but is also regularly found in the mortal realm stirring relatively harmless trouble or stealing things from guarded hoards and castles. he could also function similar to a vila, granting good luck and support to a chosen hero.
β Λ modern / futuristic / dystopian . any non-immortal plots where more than likely hermes is just your typical outlaw recruited to a cause or special mission. will be a case by case basis, but some options are: hermes as the designated getaway car, the double agent, the heist extraordinaire, the speedster ( for mutant / super hero aus ), the devil's advocate ( for organized crime aus where zeus is the head of a crime ring), the head of his own band of thieves etc etc
ποΈ . . . π ππππππ
name . hermes
titles/epithets . trickster god, slayer of argos, of the golden wand, of the gateway, patron of athletes and gymnasiums, swift-footed, luck-bringer, keen-sighted, glad-hearted, ready-helper, champion, guiless-one, famous-one pronouns. he/him
age . immortal
pantheon . hellenistic polytheism / shinto
etymology . olympian god / kami of wind
sexuality . pansexual
alignment . chaotic good
relations . zeus ( father ), maia ( mother ), atlas ( grandfather ), shinatobe ( grandmother ), ( fΕ«jin, great-grandfather ), apollo ( favorite target, brother ), dionysus ( foster kid, brother ), charon ( professional associate β‘ ), and too many others to list ( homer said he's for the streets )
height . 5'11"
build . lean and very toned, especially his calves, thighs, and glutes. he's not running around in a mini chiton for no reason
hair . black and usually kept at a youthful and lush length, just short enough to stay out of his eyes and nape eyes. dark brown, increasingly gold during a run, and near electric when he starts to reach top speed.
sacred animals/plants . ram, hare, tortoise, cattle, sheep, goats, strawberry trees, crocus
β Λ super speed : the fastest god of the pantheon, easily capable of traveling faster than the speed of sound, and if he pushes it hard enough his top speed reaches just shy of the speed of light.
β Λ dimensional travel : he can also travel the axis mundi aka "the crossroads" between realms and take others through those roads. typically, he uses this for short cuts and to save on his endurance when zeus needs him to hop to too many far away places at once.
β Λ wind manipulation : his proclivity for speed is in large part due to his manipulation of air and ability to live in his own separate vacuum with little to no wind resistance. as such, he is able to fly for limited periods, create whirlwinds, manipulate and build air momentum into concentrated blasts, change the trajectory of airborne projectiles, cushion a hard fall, enhance his agility, create air shields etc.
β Λ martial arts/rogue class skillset : not just for fantasy verses, but in general hermes has very high dexterity, coercion, and agility. he is also very adept in martial arts/wrestling. while he is strong, he can be overpowered and will rely on his speed and precision with hits, as well as use an enemies momentum against them.
β Λ intelligence : hermes is wickedly smart and inventive, as demonstrated in several of his myths, it's the reason why he was even accepted into the big 12 to begin with. his intelligence won't present itself in the conventional way, he has very little patience to sit and learn subjects that don't apply to him or engage him, but he has a strong affinity and natural understanding of physics and mathematics which will be obvious in the way he trades, the things he's creates out of scraps and items he collects, or when he improvises his escape plans.
β Λ magical items/work instruments : he's got a couple of these that's he's either stolen or created for himself, but his hood of invisibility is the one he will not leave the house without; his arm brace is what allows him to carry souls to the underworld; his caduceus allows him to put people/creatures to sleep or awaken them, and can also provide a peaceful, painless death to the fallen
β Λ speed and endurance limitations : since he is creating his own little vacuum, the faster he runs the less oxygen he has to breath, which as an immortal won't kill him, but will be very painful and mess with his focus. he trains a lot to build up his lung capacity so he can travel faster for longer periods of time, but like any runner, he does have his limits. high speeds are meant for shorter bursts. he's also still trying to outrun lightning, but can't seem to manage it (yet).
β Λ low damage tolerance : while he is very agile and prides himself in being hard to catch, when a hit does manage to make the mark, his tolerance for damage will be low. ( he's very soccer player coded in that way. don't trip him while he's running because he will be baby about it for a hot minute. )
β Λ unfocused : while very hard working, he can and will get easily distracted, take on multiple tasks at once regardless of his bandwidth or overestimate how many enemies he can take on which is usually to his detriment. he's also.... very thrill seeking and care free which means he's likely to act on impulse rather than strategy, thinks he's smart enough to improvise his way out of a bind ( most of the time he is )
as explained in this super long meta : my default plot for all my greek myth muses is centered around the fact that zeus is destined to be overthrown and is avoiding this prophecy at all costs. hermes is the only other god who is at least somewhat aware of the components of this prophecy and does aid zeus in maintaining power for the sake of keeping the family together and at peace --- for now.
kami etymology : hermes is part kami from his mother's side, maia, who i'm establishing as the daughter of atlas ( the titan condemned to carry the heavens on his shoulders ) and the kami goddess shinatobe, daughter of fΕ«jin, the elder kami of wind. fΕ«jin is one of the eight immortals who resides at the top of the mt. hΕrai, but he's known to have oni (ogre/demonic) characteristics, so it's safe to say he didn't offer much in the way of defending hermes or convincing the other gods to allow him entry back to the isle
passenger princess : he has an immortal pet turtle named hayoto whom he brought with him when he first fled mt. hΕrai. he will ride along in the messenger bag if not left in hermes' primary residence for when his travels are anticipated to be a bit too dicey for.
the psychopomp : he plays the role of psychopomp in two scenarios 1) after a mass fatality event or 2) because zeus sends him specifically as a form of extra security ( likely in the event of a lover or enemy dying ) he only has this ability because of the arm brace he invented which can store and carry souls for short periods of time
time warp : hermes currently can't run faster than the speed of light because he knows if he trains himself to outpace lightning that his father will regard this as a threat -- but if he ever does break that barrier, running faster than light reverses time. again, the faster he runs the more taxing it is on his body, so he likely wouldn't be able to tolerate these speeds for more than a few seconds, meaning his ability to travel back in time wouldn't exceed more than a few minutes. if he trains hard enough and finds his way back to mt. horai, the souls might help him figure out that the time vortex has shortcuts, granting him the means to travel back even further.
the horae : in the greek mythos, hermes was nursed by nymphs known as the horae, ( goddesses of the seasons and natural portions of time ) who told him stories about zeus and the greek pantheon, stirring his desire to leave home. for the sake of blending this with my canon, i'd rather consider the souls of the mountain as the hΕrai, and thus where the island's name comes from. similar to the greek horae, they are entities associated with time, contributing to the island's eternal season of abundance and imparting knowledge and stories by taking your astral form to that specific moment in time -- albeit only as a phantasmal viewer, similar to the ghosts in a christmas carol !
ββ she appears in weird shapes and strange forms, now plain to the eye, now shadowy, now shining in the darkness
loosely based on the orphic myths, melinΓΆe is a goddess of ghosts, nightmares & madness. she is known as the formless one for her shapeshifting abilities, the propitiated one by those who pray she does not visit them at night with her train of revengeful ghosts, and also as a crossroads deity, capable of infiltrating any realm so long as the sun is down. she is the second-born daughter of hades & persephone, stolen at birth by echidna at the start of the gigantomachy, and who remains estranged after discovering this.
her domain is in the river of wailing, where she offers an alternative option to the souls who were not given proper burial, endured a violent death, and/or did not have the toll to pay the ferryman. rather than spend the hundred years wandering in the banks of the river styx, they're given the chance to join her retinue in a nightly exodus to haunt in her name. melinΓΆe herself often pays personal visits to the sleeping, invading and manipulating the dreams laid out by morpheus by taking the shape of their worst nightmares.
β Λ main : default background is that melinΓΆe was born formless ( thus difficult to identify ), so echidna stole her away to raise as her own, shaped her into the frightful and formidable deity she is currently, and used her as a force against house hades during the gigantomachy. after discovering that she wasn't echidna's daughter, she turned against the gigantes, but remained estranged to house hades all the same. although she offers passage out of hades, the unknown catch is that with each exit out of the underworld, a spirit will lose more of their memory until they become a shade with no sense of identity or purpose apart from serving the phantom queen.
β Λ dragon age : she's the formless one -- a fear demon, but more specifically the nightmare demon in inquisition who commands all demons in alignment with corypheus. she was once a spirit of hope who absorbed the fears of thedas, but over time this corrupted her and turned her into the first fear demon, essentially a mirror of whatever horror plagues the collective. at this time she's a nightmare demon who primarily embodies the blight, as this is the most prevalent existential dread. however, being the formless one means she can eventually evolve to encapsulate something else. ( i know the formless one shows up in veilguard, bear with me while i catch up and connect these dots :x )
β Λ sandman / supernatural / comic villain : when morpheus first created the dreaming, he also created a formless dream who was meant to encompassing whatever ideation proved most convenient for his running and expansion of the realm. eventually, melinΓΆe became the first nightmare in morpheus' arsenal. the most dangerous too, after she learned dreamers leave empty vessels in the waking world. she'd come to possess a few of these bodie and taught a few nightmare shades to do the same. as a result, morpheus was forced to imprison her deep inside his nightmare box to prevent a rift between realms, but after his death and daniel's ascension, she manages to escape through the weakened wards. now she's seeking to turn the waking world into her own realm of living nightmares.
ποΈ . . . π ππππππ
name . melinΓΆe
epithets . the formless one, phantom queen, dark-mind, propitiation-minded
pronouns . she/they (non-binary, female presenting)
age . immortal pantheon. hellenistic polytheism
etymology . chthonic goddess
sexuality . pansexual alignment. chaotic evil / neutral
relations . hades (father), persephone (mother), echidna (false mother), zagreus (brother), makaria (sister), aya akazawa ( sister), hekate (mentor), morpheus (πͺ)
height . 5'7"
build . she will usually present herself as a nebulous shadow with only her eyes as a discernible feature, but her base form is lithe and toned. she has a white phantom forearm (left) that she keeps gloved. it's very bright, the only heavenly thing about her, but it is also translucent and exposes her ethereal skeleton. hair. tar black, floating around chaotically like tentacles. think eris from sinbad.
eyes . varies. they could be translucent in the dark, a cloudy grey and rotted, black, yellow like spider guts, or burning pits
distinguishing markers. spiders skittering in swarms, dogs barking at night, radio silence, a sudden drop in temperature, a dark face in the back of your eyelids, the sound of mourning cries in another room
scents . burning sage, saffron, grave dirt
β Λ shape-shfting : less focused on concrete shapes than obscure and terrifying figures; however, this ability is also very much reflective of her environment and the person she is haunting. if their worst nightmare involves another person, she will embody that shape.
β Λ dimensional travel : a very stealthy ghoul! there is nowhere you can hide if it's night and you are sleeping without protection. that's the in miss boogey woman needs to find you. however, she can also travel the axis mundi aka "the crossroads" between realms in the greek pantheon without restrictions and take others through those roads so long as they accompany her throughout. otherwise, they could get stuck in limbo there. (in her alt. sg hades verse she'll ultimately be able to travel the multiverse this way)
β Λ possession : again, without protective measures or if someone is frightened enough to slip past the defense of their will, she and/or one of her ghosts can possess them and live within the confines of their mind like a parasite.
β Λ combat skills : while stunning or deceiving enemies through visions and torturous encounters is her go-to method, melinΓΆe is also a very capable fighter. you can consider her more of a rogue. she's a dual wielder and her weapons are usually a pair of crescent shaped sickles.
β Λ magic phantom arm : allows her to shoot blasts of burning ectoplasm and cast simple entropy spells. it'll usually be gloved which dampens the effect, but when it isn't, and given enough time to boot it, she can nuke something.
β Λ sensitivity to sunlight : she is incapable of being in the sun without extensive damage. it won't kill her, but she will be in agony and incapacitated, and hella pissed if she escapes. rooms with bright lights are also very annoying, she'll find a way to shut them off or dim them to scare someone, but also for her own comfort.
β Λ protective tokens & practices : salt rings or salt along thresholds will keep her and her ghosts barred from entering a home, but melinΓΆe may still be able to sneak in from a sleeping mind within that home, unless you have protective bells that will stir when she's near and wake them before she's found her way through. protective crystals and sage may also keep her from finding someone or dampen/cleanse her influence, but won't stop her from entering a room.
β Λ combat : without her abilities at her disposal, she's more vulnerable to being overcome in combat. she won't be easy to take down, as she is fast and very precise, but in terms of the damage that she can take before being subdued, this is low and her weakest point.
ββ the desire before the desire. the lick of beginning to know you don't know. if life is a stage, that is the show. enter dionysus.
defaulting to his modern/1980s NYC arc, but his background follows nonnus' dionysiaca, which considers dionysus the reincarnation of zagreus, the first-born son of hades and persephone. prophesied to overthrow zeus as the only god capable of wielding his thunderbolts, zagreus was seemingly embraced by zeus as his heir with a promise of peaceful succession. however, hera, resenting this decree, orchestrated zagreus' brutal dismemberment and cannibalization by the titans.
unbeknownst to all but zeus, zagreusβ heart remained intact after the attack. hoping to reshape the prophecy, zeus fed it to the theban princess semele, making her the surrogate mother of zagreus' new incarnation: dionysus. though hera later attempted to kill semele and her unborn child ( believing it was just another bastard ), dionysus survived and was raised in secret by the maenads of anatolia ( presently eastern turkey ).
when dionysus came of age, zeus offered him a place among the olympians, but as a demigod, he could only achieve apotheosis by earning mortal worship. he chose to do so by spreading the teachings of the maenads; their customs ( which valued social freedoms and communal equality ) clashed with traditional greek ideals but quickly resonated with the oppressed masses. his cult began to disrupt the status quo in both the mortal and divine world, and though his apotheosis came at the cost of much bloodshed and strife, he was ultimately recognized not just as a god of wine and ecstasy, but as a force of transformation, rebellion, and rebirth.
β Λ modern / 1980s arc : with views too far ahead of their time, the roman edict of 186 BC called for the crucifixion and disbanding of the bacchants, resulting in dionysus' decision to finally remove himself from mortal affairs. it isn't until the turn of the 20th century that this sentiment begins to shift. by the 1920s prohibition era they start to fully immerse themselves again and establish a new temple in the form of an elusive bar called club mystes (more info here). my default for this verse is set during the 80s or anytime before, but their canon will likely not surpass the 1990s/00s unless plotted otherwise.
β Λ asia minor arc : dionysus' coming of age story. by 17, zeus has finally set them on a decades-long campaign to become the first and only demigod turned olympian.during this arc, gods & kings alike have started to become aware of an alleged mortal-born god rising in the east. all interactions here take place in asia minor, where his retinue is still new and growing, mead is the libation of his worship ( wine has yet to be invented ), he doesn't know he's the reincarnation of zagreus, and has yet to be cursed with madness.by 25 he's managed to spread his cult across asia minor and is ready to set sail for mainland greece.
β Λ greek campaign arc : after a victorious campaign in asia minor, heraβs curse (more info here) trapped dionysus in a beastial rage, forcing him to wander the assyrian desert for seven years. he was found by rhea, who eventually restored his senses with an amethyst amulet and taught him the art of harvest, leading to his creation of wine -- the new sacrament of his worship. rebuilding his strength and army in the isle of naxos, dionysus finally sets out for greece, where he comes in contact with the rest of the greek pantheon, seeks allies, and wages war against kings who have opposed and enslaved the bacchants.
β Λ apotheosis arc : a final battle against perseus in argos (hera's patron city), ends in a stalemate and forces dionysus to earn his apotheosis by doing the impossible: journey to the underworld and complete three trials put before him by its king & queen. this verse primarily focuses on those trials, but ultimately ends in the discovery that dionysus is zagreus reincarnated. with the trials completed, he ascends as a fully initiated olympian god where he respect for his father and the rest of the pantheon quickly wanes. they choose to reside in the mortal realm, where his cult still struggles with persecution and his battle to garner respect still wages on.
β Λ comics : background primarily follows his main verses, except dionysus is a demigod hero akin to wonder woman rather than a full fledged deity. he was most active during ancient times and retires as a club owner by the modern age. after mysteriously losing his amethyst amulet, he went on a dissociative rampage across metropolis, killing dozens before the suicide squad subdued him. disgraced and imprisoned by A.R.G.U.S. at a task force x blacksite, research on his retrieved necklace led to the creation of an implant that mimics its connection to dionysus' mind: allowing amanda waller to direct and tranquilize him at her whim. though he aligns with many of the squadβs missions, dionysus resents his lack of free-will and suspects a.r.g.u.s. has a hidden motive for keeping a demigod under government control.
β Λ dragon age : open to different avenues, but i like the idea of him as one of the chasind, starting as an apostate mage raised in the wilds but ultimately becoming a leading figure in the mage-templar war. as such, they'd likely be a recruitable companion during da:o and an alternate leader of the rebel mages who can align themselves with the inquisitor during da:i.
β Λ pjo (canon divergent) : by the 1990s dionysus becomes the head counselor of camp halfblood, albeit begrudgingly. the reason why zeus exiles him to babysitting duty varies, but despite being far from his prime, he's more than qualified to train the current demigods to fight off monsters and save the world. if we incorporate his daughter renata into the plot, then dionysus eventually dies after sacrificing himself for her resurrection.
ποΈ . . . π ππππππ
name . dionysus
epithets . lysios / liber ( the liberator ), bakkhos ( of the bacchic frenzy ) bromios ( the boisterous ), omestes ( devourer of flesh ), mainoles ( the mad, raging one ) , dimetor ( the twice-born )
pronouns . he/they, (non-binary, male presenting)
titles . god of wine, revelry, ecstasy, madness & theatre. cult leader of the maenads & satyrs. heir of olympus.
age . ~3375
birthdate(s) . spring equinox ( mar. 21, 1350 BCE. -- when he was born as zagreus ); winter solstice ( dec. 25 , 1353 BCE. when he was re-born as dionysus)
birthplace . thebes, greece
etymology . olympian / chthonic god , demigod ( verse dependent )
sexuality . pansexual
alignment .Β chaotic good / neutral
relations . semele (surrogate mother), zeus (surrogate father), persephone (mother), hades (father), ariadne (wife)
height . 5'10"
build . slender , athletic , the power & grace of a ballet dancer
hair . dark brown , soft & curled, typically shoulder length
eyes . wine-dark & sultry, deep red-violet
scars . quite a few from his warring as a demigod, but after his ascension these became very feint and unnoticeable unless closely inspected
scents . grape, pine sap, myrrh, lavender, honey
β Λ botantical manipulation : can create, shape and manipulate plant life, including vines, wood, moss, fruit, leaves, flowers ect. ; cause plants to grow or decay; use plant chemicals to heal or poison ; animate vines, thorns, & other plants to attack enemies.
β Λ seductive magnetism : radiates a supernatural beauty & attractive aura, naturally inducing pleasure and desire while subtly lifting inhibitions ; affected targets are more inclined to be persuaded, or lessen their desire to physically harm him. ( think pentheus & the pirates )
β Λ mind possession / manipulation : possesses the minds of any living being / groups of beings, manipulating their actions, motor senses and / or perceptions of reality ; can be used to invoke self - destructive madness, or empower ( only temporary and most potent after ingesting his wine )
β Λ ecstasy/pleasure manipulation : manipulates pleasure responses ( whether mental, spiritual, physical, social, sexual ect. ) ; induces targets with either extreme bliss or painful discomfort, usually through physical touch, mental possession, or ingestion of his wine.
β Λ anarchy manipulationΒ : invokes an absence or lack of government / social restraints over a large radius, ranging from a single person to small villages to large cities, creating riotous behaviors, rebellion, social disorder & disruption.
β Λ beastial transmutationΒ :Β transmutates into the form of predatory beasts, typically a wild cat or serpent ; can also invoke beastial characteristics unto others ( usually the maenads , which is where they get their superhuman strength, claws, and hunger for raw flesh ).
β Λ hera's curse : leaves him in a permanent state of "madness" wherein he has no better sense of self or reason than a predatory beast. his bloodlust and destructive impulses will take over unless he's wearing his amethyst necklace. the curse also gives him an appetite for raw flesh. with the necklace, this appetite remains the same albeit controlled. he can eat other foods to blend in, but only meat truly sustains him. to go without for long periods would weaken him and put a damper on his necklace's effect over his beastial impulses.
β Λ harmonia's curse : as a way of punishing aphrodite and ares, hephaestus gifted their daughter harmonia a cursed necklace on her wedding day, intended to bring tragic misfortunes not only to the wearer, but her entire royal lineage. so many famous greek tragedies take place in thebes for this very reason ( i.e, the bacchae, antigone, and opedipus rex). tragedy has always followed dionysus and usually manifests in the death of his mortal loved ones, or the constant persecution and slaughter of his retinue. fate will always find a way to counterbalance his wins and can function as a deterrent in some situations.
β Λ battle strategy : historically, alexander the great considered dionysus his military idol and spent all his life trying to surpass his success, so this isn't meant to discredit his prowess in battle, but i see dionysus' military success largely due to the unified pack mentality and unflinching, unrelenting brutality of his army more so than strategy. the fact that perseus was the only opponent to bring him to a stalemate by way of cleverness ( using medusa's head to turn him into stone ) speaks to this, and big-brained ariadne ( or a similar strategist at his side ) is the only reason why he didn't die that day.
β Λ mortal-born weaknesses : dionysus bleeds red like a mortal prior to apotheosis and then a wine red-violet afterwards instead of golden ichor. consumption of his blood can grant a fraction of his abilities, and although he is immortal and cannot be killed in the usual sense, his mortal origins and the sharing of his power in group combat settings make him less impervious to injury than most gods -- significantly so during their years as a demigod. his training is what he really depends on more so than a godlike infallibility.
the thiasos .Β the general term for dionysusβ ecstatic retinue is the thiasos which consists of the maenads, the bacchants, satyrs, and sacred animals who almost always accompany him in his travels and arrival to different city-states like a procession. those who are willing and able to fight also serve as members of dionysusβ army in battle.
the maenads .Β the maenads are the most significant and trusted members of the thiasos, consisting primarily of women. they serve as high priestesses, leading the thiasos in dionysusβ absence or alongside him. they also serve as the generals of dionysusβ armies. the maenads originally consisted of dionysusβ nurses, anatolian nymphs similar to the amazons. the rest of the maenads consist of women the thiasos have come across who have joined them & shown their loyalty & aptitude for leading the cause as an equal to dionysus.
the bacchants .Β the general term for members of the thiasos, so basically anyone who is not a maenad in the group is considered a bacchant. these consist of people and immortals from all walks of life who have either fled from oppression and found sanctuary in the group, or who sympathized for humanity's plight and want to assist in the movement towards a more equal greece. meaning, dionysus is not solely followed by women, he is followed by slaves, foreigners, elite citizens, nymphs & other immortals alike.
bacchanalia / dionysia .Β the official name for the greco-roman gatherings and celebrations held in dionysusβ honor. these often include drinking , dancing , ecstatic trance and fornication, sparagmos rituals, omophagia rituals, theater competitions, and just an overall communion with other worshippers of dionysus.
sparagmos .Β the greek word means β to tear apart or render β and it is one of the central rites of the cult, meant to symbolize dionysusβ death as zagreus when the titans ripped him to pieces in the form of a bull. similarly, in a bacchic frenzy his followers are given the supernatural strength to render an animal, usually a bull, to pieces, or even a human if one should have particularly threatened or offended the thiasos. pentheus and orpheus were victims of sparagmos. this ritual came to pass only after dionysus was cursed with madness and discovered his chthonic origins.
omophogia .Β following sparagmos comes omophagia β the eating of raw meat / flesh β dionysusβ curse has given him an appetite for raw flesh, so following a sparagmos ritual, his followers offer the remaining flesh to dionysus for consumption. however, sharing in dionysusβ power also means sharing his curse, so the maenads sometimes engage in omophagia as well. it's treated as a sacred act because following zagreusβ dismemberment, semele consumed his heart, and so omophagia serves as a symbol of rebirth / redistribution of matter where sparagmos symbolizes death.
