Arslan - Tumblr Posts
Was watching the anime for this. I read a bit of the manga but need to get back to it, I just enjoy seeing hiromu arakawa's art :3
I love it 🤣🤣🤣
Another project done! Man, I'm pumping them out left and right and I'm not even done with my exam weeks!
Don't be like me folks! Learn for your stuff!
This is based on a conversation @tired-reader-writer and I had.
I had no motivation for like quality text, but that makes it somewhat funnier, in my opinion lol.
Okay so, ask game incoming.
Character(s) (you can choose one, if you want): Our son Arslan, Give, Isfan or our queen Farangis! (You can also do one of your OCs, if you want ☺️)
Questions: 2, 5, 14 and finally 23 for a wonderful end!
Hope you have a wonderful day!
(I have HARD Azar/Maar/Daryun/ArSen brain rott today... ugh my brain is OVERFLOWING with ideas and scenes!)
(I'm so sorry for the many options I can't decide on characters)
What an ask! Here's the original ask game post for others who might want to participate.
2. Favorite canon thing about this character?
Arslan
There's a lot of things I like about him, so much that I struggle to pick a favorite. I think I'll settle on the fact that he remains kind despite everything, where other stories might've made him “disillusioned” and become more ruthless in the name of character development, I am incredibly thankful that it didn't happen to Arslan. He gets to be kind. All the strengths he gains and the growth he goes through happens to support his kindness. Parts of him aren't being taken off, he's becoming stronger so that he could be allowed to continue being kind. And I find that revolutionary especially in a historical fantasy type story like this.
Gieve
The fact that deep down he does want to believe in something good, want there to be something worth believing him. He's grown cynical due to reality but the fact that he does hope even if unbeknownst to himself does something to me. Also, the fact that he's like an onion I guess. He's got them Layers™ and unraveling those layers might or might not make you cry.
Isfan
His absolute earnestness I suppose! He's so eager, he puts 100% into things he does (like, apologizing for not being able to capture that sorcerer despite having reduced that one onto one leg, despite having fought so valiantly? boy's a perfectionist and overachiever). I find it admirable even if I can't relate in matters except art, lol.
Farangis
Her refusal to entertain Gieve's bullshi— okay, that aside, her ability to step back and see the bigger picture instead of being caught up in emotions, and thereby having the ability to gently nudge other people (especially Arslan) back on track. Also her courage because damn is she daring as fuck.
5. What's the first song that comes to mind when you think about them?
Arslan
• Kamado Tanjirou no Uta by Nakagawa Nami (more canon leaning)
• Untitled world by ReoNa (more Wolfpack AU leaning)
• Yakudou by Sakamoto Maaya (applies to both but also leans a taaad more towards AU if only because all those bells in the song)
(all three songs included in the playlist!)
(also I know this is technically three songs instead of one but have you considered he is my darling son?)
Gieve
There hasn't really been a song I hard-associate with Gieve just yet, I don't know why but nothing quite hits the sweet spot for me so far. If anyone's got recommendations I'd verily appreciate it!
Alternate joke answer is Yakety Sax.
Isfan
Wolf Blood by Adrian von Ziegler! It's an instrumental with no lyrics but I immediately think of him whenever I listen to it.
Farangis
I think I've said it before but Trøllabundin by Eivør always makes me think of Farangis! To add one more to that, Dance of the Spirit by Kokia.
14. Assign a fashion aesthetic to this character.
Rather than assign one if the modern aesthetics bc frankly I know nothing about them, I'm just gonna take this opportunity to infodump about my character design choices. Also, my answers will be for Wolfpack AND my character design sheet stuff because why the fuck not.
Arslan
His clothes reflect the most the people around him. He's surrounded by two cultures and he combines them to express himself. In terms of silhouette I tried to make him look Solid. A solid block of friendship LOL.
Gieve
Loose, free, flowy stuff. There's always something flappy hanging from his clothes. Wind is an element I associate with him so yeah! You'll see when my design sheet of him is done.
Isfan
Clothes that fit him very well in terms of tailoring. Rather than the clothes creating a specific silhouette they adhere to the body instead if that makes sense. On the more traditional side of things. Due to geographical proximity, the regional fashion of the Gorgan region is influenced by Turanian (Mongolian) ideas.
Farangis
Flowy, but in a different way from Gieve in that it's much more well put together and tidy. I don't really know how to explain it, but I chose the clothes that I did for Farangis for a reason!
23. Favorite picture of this character?
HOO BOI HERE WE GO.
Arslan
Gieve
Isfan
Farangis
Arslan Senki Chapter 126 (Part 1)
SPOILERS for this chapter, obviously. The cliffhanger ending on this one is quite something and obviously a big departure from the novels.
We're straight into the Andragoras vs. Hilmes duel at the start of the chapter, and at this point I was sure that this would be the most stressful part? And it was pretty stressful, especially seeing Hilmes appear on the defensive and then watching as Andragoras kneed him in the chest/stomach... but then Hilmes managing to kick Andragoras's elbow from his position on the floor lifted my spirits somewhat!
Good move, Denka!
They're... really trying to kill each other here though, and that fills me with fear.
However, as they part with a hand to their respective injuries (nothing major for either, but Andragoras's arm must be throbbing/numb and Hilmes is winded and bruised) who should appear but the (Un)Holy Master?
He's becoming a bit of a guilty pleasure for me, especially in this scene, I think this time I'm not ashamed to admit that I quite enjoyed him. And at least his appearance had the added bonus of interrupting the duel.
The way he is just like... lounging nonchalantly against the throne.
The 'vwap' sound effect makes it seem very much like he just materialised there. We also get to see him teleport to (partially) evade Andragoras's attack later in this chapter.
Anyway, even Andragoras is shocked, because he recognises him, and yet... this sorcerer should much older than he appears!
Why do I like this panel.
The clawed hand sliding on the arm of the throne 👌
Interesting that he describes himself this way (same as in the novels if I remember correctly). I do think he originally started off as a regular human, but the effects of using this kind of sorcery warp the body over time into something unnatural in more ways than just an extended lifespan. I see some of the changes as deliberate and some as just a consequence of their magic use, though that's only a headcanon.
SNAKE PUPILS 🐍
Anyway after the stress of watching Hilmes and Andragoras try to take each other out it's quite fun to see the Master enjoying himself in the knowledge that the other people in the room know far less then him.
Oh, Hilmes... They were never on your side...
'Sides don't matter', hmm? Is that because we've entered the endgame? Because Zahhak is already free from Mount Demavant? Because this close to triumph, Team Zahhak don't need to pretend to be supporting anyone or anything in particular? Because they were always, always working towards their own aims? Either way, it definitely highlights exactly how poor Hilmes's grasp of the truth is here.
And at this point we divert back to Arslan!
He tells his followers the truth her learned about his origins, and states his aim to head to Mount Demavant and retrieve Rukhnabad. Last chapter, I thought Arakawa might be avoiding this and was planning to have him acquire Rukhnabad incidentally, by bumping into Don Ricardo which is funny because... it kind of does happen like that rather than outright aiming for it, and so when I realised where this chapter was going I was hesitant, but actually I liked it more than I expected to.
The dialogue in this scene is all so good! And it makes this decision more understandable. I would share it but I'd just be posting whole pages at this point, but one thing I will mention is that I was glad to see some discussion of what happened when Hilmes went after the sword and mentions of how Zandeh's actions stopped the earthquake. It feels like Arslan is making a more informed choice with an awareness of the consequences, and an acceptance of the concept that he might be found unworthy, which Hilmes totally lacked.
(For reference, in the novels this declaration of Arslan's intent to retrive Rukhnabad is a brief scene with like three lines of dialogue. Arslan basically says he'll go to Mount Demavant to retrieve the sword, prove he is qualified to rule, and then become Shah, and Gieve immediately agrees to be his guide. Arakawa did a much better job. I know Tanaka is the original creator but honestly... elements of that part felt out of character to me, and I think Arakawa manages to acknowledge precisely what was bothering me, so I'm now more on board with Arslan's decision.)
Now back to the throne room, where I will try to prevent myself from sharing yet more screencaps of the bastard himself.
No more snake pics in this post challenge: failed. Will you believe me if I say I wanted to post this image because of Hilmes?
Anyway, the big secret is out and Andragoras is NOT happy. The first half of the chapter ends with him taking a huge swipe at the Master with his sword that not only appears to cut him in half but also slashes straight through the ACTUAL THRONE behind him.
Andragoras, exactly how strong are you? What is your blade made of that it can cut right through the throne like that?
And at this point I'm realising how long this post is, so like the Kmanga chapter releases I'm going to split it into two parts. Stay tuned for Part 2 coming soon, in the meantime I'll leave you with Hilmes's utter shock at what is actually quite an epic moment from Andragoras (and just about the only one where we can cheer for him unreservedly).
Sorry, there was some technical difficulties and I couldn’t turn on the laptop at home for a few days.
Here, have an inktober Arslan.
Arslan Senki Chapter 126 (Part 2)
And unlike Kmanga you don't even have to pay twice for the privilege of having it split into two. SPOILERS for this chapter, I can't stress enough that the ending is a huge fucking cliffhanger so if you don't want to get spoiled please don't look.
That's a piece of the (Un)Holy Master's cloak...
Nicely dealt with by Andragoras!
Anyway, this is proper confirmation that Team Zahhak's clothing has magical properties / a life of its own and can potentially be dangerous even when separated from the wearer.
Given how fast the Master can dodge (or more correctly this is a teleportation style of evasion that I mentioned before where he reappears behind them) it's impressive that Andragoras actually landed a blow, though it's not even close to being a fatal one. Still, he looks like he's aiming to finish the job until the Master tries to regain control of the situation by attempting to blackmail Andragoras with the location of his child!
These panels of a shocked Hilmes in the background just watching all this drama unfold, lol
Anyway, it turns out Andragoras cannot be blackmailed and he'd rather renounce his child than be manipulated like this, which is... very on brand for Andragoras, regardless of what the truth about the child turns out to be in Arakawa's manga.
The Master: tch! Hilmes: Yikes
(Is anyone of the Parsian royal line a good father? Doesn't seem that way in recent generations. Hilmes, please reverse this trend with Irina by your side, I'd love to see you both happy with a family!)
Anyway GUESS WHO'S KNOCKING AT THE DOOR IN THAT LAST PANEL? THAT'S RIGHT, IT'S ZANDEH, PUPPY BOY TO THE RESCUE! And he's still got that little guy who was one of Kharlan's soldiers with him, and that warms my heart for some reason, I hope he gets to live.
Hilmes... 😭
I wonder what Zandeh thinks? It's clearly not 'nothing at all'.
Anyway this makes me really sad because where we saw Arslan open up to his followers and receive their support, Hilmes... can't bring himself to do that. Personally, I feel that at this point, Zandeh would support him regardless (as would Sam, who unbeknownst to Hilmes already knows the truth) but Hilmes can't bring himself to admit it, to admit the fact that he's based his whole life around a lie. Without his claim to the throne, who is he?
It's sad that he can't see that the right to rule and the qualities that might inspire loyalty and love are based on so much more. I'm not saying that he's a worthy ruler right now, unlike Arslan he hasn't even thought about how he'll govern the country for the better, but I do find it sad that his mindset leaves him so isolated here when it doesn't need to be that way.
(I'm going to need an Irina mention soon. At least show that Hilmes is thinking of her, even if he feels he can't speak with her.)
That's it for Team Hilmes content this chapter, anyway.
Who should Team Arslan bump into on the way to Mount Demavant but the Zot with a leashed Don Ricardo, still clinging on to Rukhnabad! So while Arslan did deliberately set out to get the sword, in the end it looks like it's going to happen via a chance encounter (well, if anyone can ever persuade Don Ricardo to let go of it).
Gieve recognising Rukhnabad is a great moment! Even he is so shocked that it seems like he's struggling to form the words as he processes what he's seeing.
I feel pretty sorry for Don Ricardo, he hasn't really recovered mentally from his encounter with Zahhak, he doesn't look to be in a great state, and while the Zot are merely intending to hand him over to Arslan, they can't communicate with him so presumably all he knows is that he's their prisoner, he has no idea what his fate will be and nobody to reassure him. Likewise, they don't know what he's been through.
Team Arslan try to figure it out thanks to Estelle, but Don Ricardo is too distressed, so they decide to find a village to stay the night. It's at this point that alarm bells started going off in my mind.
Narsus says "It's too quiet." (I start thinking of the village he stayed in with Alfarid where Arzhang had killed all the villagers.)
The horses start freaking out (we know they react this way to Team Zahhak)
Team Arslan find bodies of villagers with only their brain eaten (and who do we know of who has an appetite for brains?)
OH FUCK, OH SHIT, OH FUUUUCK
A weird mist begins to seep into the scene; Zahhak in the novels was described as exuding a miasma of sorts, I think it provoked fear in those who were close to it?
PANELS THAT FILLED MY HEART WITH PURE DREAD
Gods, I hope everyone survives this encounter. I don't know how it's going to go down but it strikes me that this could be it, this could be the actual deciding fight as far as Zahhak is concerned, because we have Rukhnabad on the scene right here, it could really be happening in Arakawa's manga right now, and I'm not sure I'm ready?
My head is ringing with questions. What does Zahhak's full form look like (we see the snakes clearly but not what they're attached to)? Is he fully resurrected or are the shoulder snakes just operating on the instinct of hunger? What happened to Kaykhusraw's body? Are any members of Team Zahhak here with the Snake King? If Team Arslan do fight Zahhak here, how do they go about it? One on one? As the strongest warrior, will Daryun take him on? Will Arslan (with Estelle's help) manage to persuade Don Ricardo to hand over Rukhnabad, and will he opt to take on the Snake King himself with the sword's powers?
Man I wish Kubard were here... I've always said he'd set everyone straight about the notion of taking on a being like the Snake King in single combat... Just kill it, any way you can.
Part of me feels like Zahhak won't be defeated yet and this encounter will serve its purpose mainly in showing Team Arslan that he truly has been unsealed, so now they'll know what the sorcerers were working towards and they'll know what they're up against. But will they come through this unscathed? I'm not ready for character deaths!
My working theory as of this post: Zahhak is not fully conscious and is mainly being driven by the snakes' hunger; he is heading for Ecbatana for some sort of ritual involving the head jars where he will truly return in full. The final confrontation will take place after matters in the capital with Andragoras and Hilmes have been resolved, and may involve entering Team Zahhak's lair beneath Ecbatana (ArAkAwA sHoW mE tHe DaRk TeMpLe).
Guys... I am utterly exhausted, this chapter has wrecked me. I'll keep an eye out for raws / somewhere to read the simulpub for free and post a link if I see it.
A certain someone deciced to use strength inherited from her Zot father to buy some Elam-free time with Narsus. Arslan might have seen her as she did it and maybe thought it would be interesting to see Elam’s reaction. Maybe.
The cover is brilliant and gibes me so much manga vibes. Could be a real The heroic legend of Arslan Cover.
I definitely can’t wait to read the first chapter
Chapters: 1/?
Rating:
Teen And Up Audiences
Archive Warnings:
Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Fandom:
Arslan Senki | Heroic Legend of Arslan
Relationships:
Daryun/Original Character, Sam/Original Character - more tags to be added later
Characters:Arslan (Heroic Legend of Arslan), Daryun (Heroic Legend of Arslan), Vahriz (Heroic Legend of Arslan), Narsus (Heroic Legend of Arslan), Sam (Heroic Legend of Arslan), Farangis (Heroic Legend of Arslan), Elam (Heroic Legend of Arslan), Alfreed (Heroic Legend of Arslan), Original Characters - more tags to be added later
Additional Tags:
Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Worldbuilding, Grief/Mourning, Hurt/Comfort, Fluff and Angst, a lot of in-universe typical violence, even more secret keeping, dislike to friends to lovers, hey how about we give some characters even more trauma, it is basically a trauma fiest, you get trauma and you get trauma - everyone gets trauma - more tags to be added later
Summary:
As Pars and Lusitania go to war, the island country Maar offers their support in form of a delegation but get firmly rejected. The leading head of the delegation, Almennt Azar, decides to act from the shadows in order to lend aid to Prince Arslan and his growing number of loyal followers. Dispite her cold and distant demeanor they seem to be drawn to her - especially Lord Daryun - as they learn more about this mysterious knight. What lies under the facade of this White General and what does she have to do with Daryuns family? What does she know that Vahriz even hid from his own nephew?
Chapters: 2/?
Rating:
Teen And Up Audiences
Archive Warnings:
Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Fandom:
Arslan Senki | Heroic Legend of Arslan
Relationships:
Shapur (Heroic Legend of Arslan)/Original Character(s), Esfan & Shapur (Heroic Legend of Arslan), Arslan & Shapur (Heroic Legend of Arslan), Esfan (Heroic Legend of Arslan) & Original Character(s), Arslan (Heroic Legend of Arslan) & Original Character(s), Shapur & Gieve (Heroic Legend of Arslan), Gieve (Heroic Legend of Arslan) & Original Character(s), Gieve & Arslan (Heroic Legend of Arslan), Esfan & Arslan (Heroic Legend of Arslan), More tags to be added - Relationship
Characters:
Shapur (Heroic Legend of Arslan), Esfan (Heroic Legend of Arslan), Arslan (Heroic Legend of Arslan), Original Characters, Gieve (Heroic Legend of Arslan), more tags to be added - Character
Additional Tags:
Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Worldbuilding, Grief/Mourning, Hurt/Comfort, Fluff and Angst, non-canonical parentage for Arslan, Shapur raises Arslan, Protective Esfan, Shapur is a good parent, eventual redemption for Hilmes
Summary:
“When the snows fall and the white winds blow, the lone wolf dies, but the pack survives.” When Shapur rides up the mountains on a wintry day to rescue his little brother, he meets someone he was not expecting to— And it changes the trajectory of his fate. Shapur, a young lord still green to the world, raises two boys as his own.
AAAAAAAAAAAAAND IT IS UP, FELLAS! HOO! Sure took an ordeal and a half to upload.
The children echoing Kashi in their design, even if just faintly
Winds of Wolfsong chapter 2 is now up on AO3!
The pinned post is now edited to reflect the chapter count.
Arslan Senki Reread
Arslan is such a good bean. If he did have the raw power backing him to railroad the conflict into a mediation, I wonder what the result would've been.
I think it's more than just Arslan lacking the power, I don't see Andragoras and Hilmes accepting to lay their hands away from each other. Worst case scenario, Arslan dies in the middle anyways bc Assassination™. Both Narsus and Daryun are right here, Arslan himself lacks power, but also at this point neither Hilmes nor Andragoras are capable of backing off.
Farangis' dialogue here is making me feel things, dammit. Do what you can. Do what's in your power. (It's very relevant to my Wolfpack AU.)
Farangis comforting/gently advising Arslan, and then steps up to keep the project on track. She makes for a good sister-mentor figure. I love Narsus and Farangis' dynamic, her atrocious love advice aside.
I see Alfarīd as someone who ultimately values life, who fights for life even as she is a bandit. Perhaps even because she is a bandit. Rather than having your life be snuffed out for/by an ungrateful liege or king (the Zott laugh at both country and king, they answer to no one but their own, as Merlaine said) so Estelle's stubborn loyalty must baffle her a lot. It's alien to her. (Arslan is different, he's a friend, as she says.) Rather than dying for the convenience of the ruling class who would never appreciate them, perhaps to her, staying alive in spite of their best efforts to snuff them out is a form of resistance. So she doesn't understand why, why Estelle is so willing to lay their life down for a tyrannical, genocidal maniac.
The head jars.
Why yes, I cropped out the Bastard's face because I'm petty if nothing else.
The sorcerers evading death from a blow that would've, should've, killed a human being.
Saam is shaken. This is the first he's hearing of it, and he fears what this implies. What this implies for Hilmes. What's going on? What does he mean by benefactor? How is his prince tied to these unnatural beings? This can mean nothing good.
Saam's speech bubble trembles with fear for Hilmes. And Hilmes, oh Hilmes, the red flags are so vivid they're a sea of blaring neon signs now. Nay, they're neon billboards. You say so yourself, the sorcerer here is doing something morally repugnant. Open your fucking eyes, this ain't good!
Also, does Hilmes' hair seem quite long here?
Ohhh fuck you. Fuck you fuck you all the way to hell and never back. Saam was trying to protect Hilmes. And there's just something that hits so hard about that last panel. “Please believe me.” We know it wasn't Saam who said it out loud, of course, but the backdrop being a pitch black with no speaker, taken out of context it sounds like a plea and y'know, I'll bet Saam was pleading for Hilmes' faith in the deeps of his mind even if he doesn't speak it aloud. A tug-o-war, each needing Hilmes to believe in him.
I want to punt Hilmes in the sun for which side he chooses here.
Arslan Senki Reread
Some Elam appreciation! Narsus looks like a proud dad.
Arslan is so excited he's literally jumping at the chance to spoil Elam, lol. What a good bean.
Good panel!
Dorks.
Azrael looks so proud. I swear this bird understands it's being praised 😭
It's the reason Kishward couldn't/didn't choose to come with Arslan, after all. The conflict of loyalty/duty. Daryun does realize that.
Makes me wonder why Narsus chose to go with Arslan's wishes here. What did he seek to gain?
Zaravant: *all puffed up and excited for the honor*
Jimsa: ...weirdo.
Things I liked here:
Merlaine standing where everyone else is kneeling
The peeps leaning back to stare.
Arslan's lil “please?”
Merlaine folding immediately (so much for your tough act, boy)
Like,
Not even a “fine, I'll do it” or “sure” he says “As you wish.” politely? His speech bubble is shaky? Adorable.
Am I reading too much into it because it's my ship? Possibly, but I don't care. I like this ship, therefore I will overanalyze it.
Previews of the new WIP I'm undertaking!
Areyan is finally finished! This was a Journey™ for me. This is depicting a design (the second one, to be precise) from the design sheet I made for him! I went very in-depth about all the symbolism there, so if you wanna go check that out, it's under the #the character design sheet saga tag. I did add a few things but with the bag it's just that I saw a pretty design and I wanted to copy that.
His crutches, however, are made of white beech wood! So what I had in my notes about beech was that it symbolizes protecting and nurturing, old writings and knowledge, rediscovering old wisdom, wishes, understanding, sustenance, and letting go of fixed ideas. And I thought that was interesting because in the Wolfpack AU he (Areyan is Arslan in case you're new to my blog) and Hilmes actually end up on the same side and he's a positive influence on Hilmes kinda like an advisor and guiding light and it's Hilmes who needs to let go of fixed ideas and the one who rediscovered the forgotten histories of Kaykhusraw's time and the clan, especially Areyan, is the key that provides that change in him. Their existence, his entire existence, is like a middle finger to the very rigid and fixed societal notions that shackled Pars for so long.
I kinda wanna attempt a simple background for this piece at a later date but for now my shoulders are stiff, my spine is screaming, I need to go lie down for the rest of the day 🥲
So in chapter 2 of my fic Winds of Wolfsong I was originally going to go much more in-depth with Nowruz, the new-year celebration, what with food and all, I even collected notes.
However, I did not actually end up including a lot of the stuff in the chapter itself, most of it didn't even end up being written into the first draft. I was gonna figure out the incorporation of symbolism as I wrote, which didn't end up happening, whoops.
But I gathered notes, they'll probably come into use in the future and hey, y'all might be interested and find some use out of those too.
Sizdah Bedar (Persian: سیزدهبدر – sīzdah bedar), (lit. 'Thirteen outdoor') also known as Nature's Day (روز طبیعت – rūz-e tabī'at), is an Iranian festival held annually on the thirteenth day of Farvardin, the first month of the Iranian calendar (and the first month of spring, during which people spend time picnicking outdoors. It marks the end of the Nowruz holidays in Iran.
This actually made it into the fic, what with the little family going out for a picnic in the morning, though they did the actually get to have the picnic due to... stuff happening. Isfan says:
Today is the thirteenth of the new year, the last of Nowruz, the second one without Lady Jahanara.
So... yeah!
A custom performed at the end of the picnic is to throw the sprouted greens (سبزه – Sabze) that were part of the traditional Haft-Seen Nowruz display into moving water.
In the chapter Isfan says:
They would cast the Sabzeh sprouts in this stream afterwards, all of them, together.
It is actually customs for young people to knot the sprouts together if they're wishing for marriage partners, it didn't get mentioned in the chapter because nobody was looking for a marriage at the moment. Shapur is resolute to not wed, the kids are too young, Sanira and Behnam are married to each other.
Sekanjabin (Persian: سکنجبین), one of the oldest Iranian drinks, is made of honey and vinegar. Sekanjabin is usually served in summer. It is sometimes seasoned with mint. It is very popular in summer, but it is also an inseparable part of Sizdah Bedar. Iranians eat lettuce with Sekanjabin. This act is symbolically a promise to stay healthy during the New Year. Sekanjabin is a compound of سرکه serke "vinegar" and انگبین angabin "honey".
I at the very least wanted to include Sekanjabin buuuuuut I couldn't find the space. Oh well, it'll have to be put in cryosleep for future use.
Ash-e doogh, (Persian: آش دوغ), also known as "yoghurt soup", originates from the Azeri region of northwest Iran and is one of the traditional soups of Ardabil. It is a common dish found in many regions and cultures within West Asia, including Iran, Azerbaijan, and Turkey. Ash-e doogh is a soup usually made with yogurt or doogh, as well as different kind of herbs (such as coriander, leek, tarragon, mint, and parsley), vegetables (such as spinach, purslane, chickpeas, peas, onion and garlic), lamb meatballs, eggs, rice, salt and several types of spices. Fried mint with oil (and sometimes garlic) is used as a topping for the soup. This soup can be made vegetarian.
Doesn't have much of a symbolic thing going on, just collected in case I may need it.
One of the most common foods cooked on the occasion of Nowruz is Samanu (Samanak, Somank, Somalek). This food is prepared using wheat germ. In most countries that celebrate Nowruz, this food is cooked. In some countries, cooking this food is associated with certain rituals. Women and girls in different parts of Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan cook Samanu in groups and sometimes during the night, and when cooking it, they sing memorable songs.
Samanu did actually make it... into a discarded draft. I ended up erasing the sentence and I can't find it again but it was just a passing mention of the brothers having it with bread for breakfast. Samanu does have a symbolic meaning, especially associated with Nowruz, as it is one of the seven items placed on the Haft-sīn table during the celebration.
The Haft-Seen table is composed of “haft” (or seven) essential symbols that represent nature, and “sin” which may have been shortened from “sini” (or trays), which held these essential symbols. The symbols break down into three from the material world (or “donyaheh mahdoodiat”), three from the immaterial world (or “donayeh maanah”) — this is the world of meaning and ideas — and one symbol that sits between and ties these two worlds together.
×
By tradition, Iranian families take great pains to create the most beautiful Haft-Seen table that they can, for not only does it embody values both traditional and spiritual, it is also appreciated by the visitors during Nowruz visiting exchanges as a reflection of the families' aesthetic sense and good taste.
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Typically, before the arrival of Nowruz, family members gather around the Haft-sin table and await the exact moment of the March equinox to celebrate the New Year. The number 7 and the letter S are related to the seven Ameshasepantas as mentioned in the Zend-Avesta. They relate to the four elements of Fire, Earth, Air, Water, and the three life forms of Humans, Animals and Plants. In modern times, the explanation was simplified to mean that the Haft-sin (Persian: هفتسین, seven things beginning with the letter sin (س)) are: • Sabze/Sabzeh (Persian: سبزه), Sprouting/Grass – wheat, barley, mung bean, or lentil sprouts grown in a dish, the symbol of rebirth and growth. • Samanu (Persian: سمنو) – sweet pudding made from wheat germ, the symbol of power and strength. • Senjed (Persian: سنجد) – Persian olive, the symbol of love. • Serke/Serkeh (Persian: سرکه) – vinegar, the symbol of patience. • Sib/Seeb (Persian: سیب) – apple, the symbol of beauty. • Sīr/Seer (Persian: سیر) – garlic, the symbol of health and medicine. • Somāq/Somagh (Persian: سماق) – sumac, the symbol of sunrise.
Man, reading the notes again, I wish I could've found a way to incorporate this but oh well, no use lamenting over it now. I'm sure I'll find some use of it in the future.
But they're not the only items on the Haft-sīn table.
Items that don't start with "س" but, nonetheless, are invariably included: • Tokhm-e Morg Rangi (تخممرغ رنگی): Eggs, the symbol of fertility. • Ayina (آینه): Mirror, the symbol of self-reflection. • Shem'a (شمع): Candle, the symbol of enlightenment. • Maahi-ye Qırmız (ماهی قرمز): Goldfish, the symbol of progress. • Ketaab (کتاب): Book, the symbol of wisdom.
I'm less bummed about those because I wasn't determined to include them anyways but here they are nonetheless!
I don't know when they'd take down the Haft-sīn table, if they would've taken it down yet, so I may be able to squeeze some use out of it yet. We'll see.
@innerchorus You said you were interested so here ya go!
Arslan Senki Chapter 127
The long-awaited encounter with Zahhak is here! I'm tagging my posts for new manga chapters with 'arslan senki spoilers' but here is your reminder to look away (and probably avoid my blog until you've read the chapter) if you don't want to find out what happens.
Turns out I was right about a few things and my suspicions about something else seem likely to be correct, too.
The chapter opens with the legend of Zahhak and his defeat by Kaykhusraw as the Parsians know it. The title page features Kaykhusraw's open sarcophagus with his wrapped body and Rukhnabad inside, inside the tomb. This is clearly from an earlier time (presumably his burial?), well before Hilmes ventured down there, and given the chapter title it feels... ominous. (And it's right to feel that way, as you'll see when you get to the end of the chapter.)
The legend is conveyed in the typical stylised carving/illustration style that Arakawa has used for mythological history before.
Look what appears as a decorative border to one of the panels!
It might just be a nod to the existence of these creatures in the novels, but I really hope that their presence here makes it more likely we might actually encounter them before the end of the manga... DARK TEMPLE PLUS CREATURES, ARAKAWA PLEASE
Very much has the feel of something that has been mythologised, the details probably don't match up exactly with how it really went down, but the main points are there...
...and 300 years later, the Snake King appears to have returned
Farangis's raishal reacting like this is a nice touch and shows just how extreme the presence of evil is here. (Also I didn't know it could do that so I'm filing this detail away very happily.)
Those snake heads are really very freaky, the fact that they are so humanoid yet totally animalistic and driven by instict and hunger for human brains. Top notch horror!
Daryun's warrior instinct comes to the fore and overrides his shock!
The Zot do their best but one gets chomped pretty quickly, sadly. I'll go ahead and say it now, the Zot being the only casualties in this encounter was exactly as I called it, but Arakawa does her best to ensure their deaths don't feel trivial, as we later learn the names of those who fell, and even though we never got to know them it's clear that they meant something to their comrades.
Some very exciting combat scenes follow and Team Arslan enter the fray and get to grips with their frightening new enemy! Some key details about Zahhak rapidly become apparent: his blood is corrosive, and his wounds can heal.
The key is to keep moving! Alfarid realises this; one of the Zot tries to encourage her to flee, but is struggling with his terrified mount, but thanks to Elam and Alfarid loosing arrows at one of the snake heads he is spared.
Don Ricardo is in abject terror, but his behaviour later this chapter was a surprise for me, in a good way!
Estelle saving Don Ricardo just in time, and putting her life on the line to stand before him even though she's trembling in fear! 👌👌👌
She's so brave!
She doesn't know that the snakes have spotted/sensed Rukhbanad... but Don Ricardo does! Let's hope he will now give that 'junk sword' the respect it deserves. Anyway this is the part where he surprised me, as he breaks out of his terrified state to call out to everyone to rally to him and gather round the sword! Remember when I said 'quick, everyone group hug Don Ricardo'?
Of course, he's speaking in Lusitanian, but Estelle translates in an instant... and Gieve quickly grasps why!
"Is it truly Zahhak...?" This is the line that makes me think I might be on the mark when I say that Zahhak, although freed from Mount Damavand, may not have returned to full consciousness yet. I think those head jars may have something to do with a final ritual to bring about his true return.
So, it's not a stalemate. Zahhak cannot attack them, but they can't attack it either. But there's an ominous shape in the mist (and you can take one look at it and just KNOW it's going to be fucked up and even take a pretty good guess at how)
Before Team Arslan can get a good look at it, Zahhak withdraws, whether due to the arrows they fired at it it because of some other unknown reason isn't clear... Team Arslan leave without even being able to spare time to bury the bodies of the fallen, which clearly weighs on them, but night is drawing closer and they can't remain safely.
(I wonder whether they will still continue to Mount Damavand? Perhaps Arslan will appeal to Kaykhusraw's spirit to seek his approval to wield the sword? Or maybe priorities will have understandably changed and they'll change directions. Personally I think we'll at least get a scene that indicates Arslan has the right to wield Rukhnabad!)
Anyway Zahhak's also in a hurry to get somewhere and although Team Arslan didn't manage to glimpse the true horror, we do!
JESUS FUCKING CHRIST WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK
Well, now we know what happened to Kaykhusraw's mummified body? I did think that Team Zahhak would use him as a vessel for the Snake King, thinking this might occur in Ecbatana, but nope, that looks to be the case already.
The torso ending in a cluster of snakes, ugh.
I wonder whether Kaykhusraw's spirit is aware of what has happened to his body now that it has been possessed like this?
I wonder whether the intention is for Zahhak to retain this form? Because at the end of the chapter you see the host body's brittle-looking arm disintegrate where one of Team Arslan's arrows struck it, and it looks different to Zahhak's snakes pushing arrows from their bodies and regenerating. So maybe this takeover of Kaykhusraw is a temporary thing, and Team Zahhak are planning to transfer Zahhak to a new body once he reaches Ecbatana? And that new body... who better than another descendant of the Parsian royal line? 👀
I feel like with any luck I might get my wish for Hilmes to come face to face with Zahhak and in a moment of horror realise exactly what the sorcerers have been using him for and what he's helped to bring about...
(I want Team Zahhak to be planning for Hilmes to be a host for Zahhak but I don't want for it to actually happen! I'd love it if Team Arslan managed to step in just in time... augh my brain is racing into visions of Hilmes captured for a head jar ritual below Ecbatana)
Oh and Zahhak really is heading towards Ecbatana as I thought, so it looks extremely likely that all final showdowns are going to take place there. I feel like this direction was actually hinted at when the corpse of Kaykhusraw was slithering towards the setting sun. It's a panel I really like, as it both indicates the sun (which represents the Shah) setting on the royal line and Pars alike, and as the sun sets in the west and Ecbatana is west of Mount Damavand, you can tentatively extrapolate where the Snake King is heading.
So now Team Arslan have seen the Snake King. One day soon, they will have to defeat him for good. And given that everyone survived this time, can we hope for the same to happen again when they next meet in battle?
