Lunatic Headcanons - Tumblr Posts

How do you do, fellow humans?

Hello there.

"Tonight I could be with you

Or waiting in the Wings

Lift your heart with soaring song

Cut down the puppet strings."

– Bauhaus "Spirit"

We are the Arcana art-fanteam. We're make our own arts, texts, headcanons and so on. Main themes: the Courtiers; M6: Julian, Nadia, Portia are faves. With love to the Renaissance, classic arts, goth music, BDSM, medicine and just for fun.

Let us introduce ourselves:

Artists: ChilledoutBeast /she/, Wasteofplace /she/

Translator: Sabinasabapplebutt /she/ (all over 20 y.o.)

Editor: ApostleJay /them/he/ (34 y.o.)

and Master: LunaticSun /he/them/ (30 y.o.)

This blog is keeping by each member of team, but mainly by Lunatic Sun. You can ask us any question.

And let there be Mayhem!

art by: Lunatic Sun

Nota Bene: in this blog Valdemar and Vulgora are strictly non-binary and any attempt to make them /f/ or /m/ characters is not allowed.

Nota Bene 2: In every headcanon on this blog, every art and every story Quaestor Valdemar is still AroAce.

Nota Bene 3: As a neurodivergent person, who know all these things from insides I (Lunatic Sun) ask you to note this remarks carefully.

"We love our audience". ©

"Ilya lowered his eyes. He felt stupid and ridiculous, looking at the flowers in his hands. All determination seemed to dissipate, his heart was beating somewhere in his throat.

– Death has looked at me and turned away so many times that I feel like I’m not even worthy of her.

– And that’s why you went up to the sacrifice, like a lamb to the slaughter? You are persistent. So, you smell of incense. Have you been to the temple?

– Yes, Quaestor.

– With your martyr eyes, this suits you well, Doctor №069."

© "Nec Deus intersit"

Art by: Wasteofplace/Chilledoutbeast

"It is thy mouth that I desire, Iokanaan. Thy mouth is like a band of scarlet on a tower of ivory. It is like a pomegranate cut in twain with a knife of ivory. The pomegranate flowers that blossom in the gardens of Tyre, and are redder than roses, are not so red. The red blasts of trumpets that herald the approach of kings, and make afraid the enemy, are not so red. Thy mouth is redder than the feet of those who tread the wine in the wine-press. It is redder than the feet of the doves who inhabit the temples and are fed by the priests. It is redder than the feet of him who cometh from a forest where he hath slain a lion, and seen gilded tigers. Thy Mouth is like a branch of coral that fishers have found in the twilight of the sea, the coral that they keep for the kings!.. It is like the vermilion that the Moahites find in the mines of Moab, the vermilion that the kings take from them. It is like the bow of the King of the Persians, that is painted with vermilion, and is tipped with coral. There is nothing in the world so red as thy mouth…

Suffer me to kiss thy mouth."

© Oscar Wilde, "Salomé"

/art: Lunatic Sun/

This sketch is old, but gold. 2021, traditional art and I was mesmerized by the idea of this masochistic boy going slightly mad. Or, maybe, becoming more sane and… mature?)

This dynamic is quite specific. Surely, it goes far beyond the conventional frame. And, to be honest, I'm a near perfectionist and I find it difficult to please me in fanart and fanfiction content — few people share my vision, so I decided to create content by myself. And sometimes I feel like I'm up against the most part of the fandom in my vision. :D

I enjoy the thought the fact that Valdemar are scientist — anyway they are still scientist, no matter how strong their sadistic side is — affects their mindset a lot. The scientific approach makes one see things as they are. Valdemar are not free from some sorts of obsessions or affections, but at least they are totally aware of them.

I like the idea of a specific form of interest between Valdemar and Julian in a rather sadomasochistic way.

This is a form of complete, true acceptance without romantic emotional overtone — at least, from Valdemar’s side. And a mature understanding of the entire process as it is from Julian's side — 'cause he knows how they treat him, and accepts that.

With the inevitable — oh, dear audience, believe my humble experience — attraction between the sadistic and masochistic nature.

"Nur ein Herz aus Eis

lässt dich weitergehen.

Nur ein Herz aus Eis

lässt dich wiederstehen.

Weißer, weißer, weißer als weiß.

Weiter, weiter durch's ewige Eis."

/art: Lunatic Sun/

I should post more often, but I am depressive slop. :D

But yesterday I saw such a beautiful tweet, and couldn’t handle it.

You can consider the screen from PSL Tale as an Easter egg, if you know what I mean. ;}

/Lunatic Sun/

/up: The Arcana game (PSL Tale)

below: art by Lunatic Sun

Text by: mars_adler on Twitter (now known as X)/

"Words, words… It's in human nature – to talk less, hide the details. This is usually quite annoying, but now is rather confusing. "You're so beautiful…" – what could they think he mean in these words? It seems Valdemar haven't ever heard them this way before. Could a hanged man tell it to his gallows? Could he feel love to the rope, which ties around his neck? Could he whisper with his bloodless lips "thank you for all", while he take the last breath of air?

Valdemar could swear on their longstanding bonds with Devil: there was no man like him. It doesn't matter what faith any other person has. There's no martyr in history who is able to match such experience, no matter how strong religious exaltation they sensed in their agony.

Doctor №069 - Julian Devorak, isn't it? - the man was perfectly insane, but so much beauty was held in this insanity."

De profundis clamavi ad te domine,

Exaudi vocem meam,

Quia ventus est vita mea,

Nec aspiciat me visus hominis.

/art/text (except Psalm 129): Lunatic Sun/

The old sketch of human (or not?) Valdemar.

Because of their antiquity, I came up a headcanon about their origin. So, what about a country near the great river and with the great pyramids? Many lands of the Arcana world have references from India, Arabic region or Mongolia – so, Ancient Egypt? Why not? I can't decide, maybe this is ancient Zadith? There is nothing about Zadith in the canon, just a note in the ArcanaWiki:

"The homeland of Asra's parents, Zadith lies across the Malvent Strait from Vesuvia. This is a country where both science and magic are highly respected. Those who combine both disciplines are known as alchemists."

I think this short description is suitable for the heritage of such civilization as Egyptian.

I’m sad that the history of the world is so poorly developed, but I still love the lore so much. And I’d be happy to read (only from the original writers), say, a brief history of the world. But since there's no any history, I'm taking the liberty (and, a bit, my history degree) to assume: Zadith is the inheritor of some ancient civilization like the Ancient Egypt.

I'm not good at naming, so I will provisionally call it "Deshret" – Egyptian word for "red land, desert". Valdemar spoke about "millennia of existence", describing their antiquity, so I'm pretty sure: they have been born as a human in the ancient kingdom, like the Ancient Egypt. Also, note that red beetle brooch at the neck: similar motives were common in the Ancient Egypt. And, I think, Valdemar had this beetle brooch long before the Plague.

Okay, maybe developers in Portia's route (flashback scene with Prospero and foundation of Vesuvia) just showed Valdemar to us as we know them, because of developing another (kinda "more ancient") sprite and costume for the short scene is not viable. But anyway: we have what we have. What if we imagine that "red beetle brooch" of the Courtiers is rooted not only in the Red Plague? What about a, merely my headcanon, the Egyptian "scarab" motif?

So, there's the old traditional sketch I have. When I drew this pic, I imagined Valdemar just after their first deals with the Devil. Just look at their eyes.🫀

And – of course, they are in the tomb. Maybe as a priest? Who knows, fellow humans.

Nobody:

Literally nobody:

Praetor Vlastomil out of the blue:

Source of original pic: WeirdMedieval (twitter/X) – link below:

"– People are obsessed with love, looking for it and not getting what they really need. Fragile, stupid creatures. You consider love as a magical tool that can change the world and then you go around in circles. But your eyes are clouded with illusions. You think: if this love didn’t give me what I need, it is not "real". You are fascinated by the myth of true love. You think it would last for the rest of your life, understanding and healing everything. But love is just a myth.

Ilya looked up, his lips trembling.

– What am I looking for? I don’t really know, Quaestor Valdemar. But I know that you are... incapable of love. I know this and I have come to you willingly.

Quaestor is answered:

– You came to the sacrificial fire. Frankly, I’m impressed by your deep, desperate masochism. It’s attractive – how can predator be attracted to the easy prey. You came to me because you can no longer look for something in people – something they want too and can’t give you. A kind of the truth. However, perhaps you intuitively tried to give it to them.

You understand what I am. You’re not making any illusions about my personality. You’ve seen what I can do. Others have deceived you. But you still hope. Dum spiro, spero is your unfailing credo.

Valdemar went quiet for a while and then added, looking into Julian’s eyes:

– And like all men, you still worship love as a god. Funny. But… Nec deus intersit."

Text: Lunatic Sun

Art:

Sketch: chilledoutbeast

Colouring: wasteofplace

previous fragment:

Tumblr

Let there be †Mayhem†

"Ilya lowered his eyes. He felt stupid and ridiculous, looking at the flowers in his hands. All determination seemed to dissipate, his heart

"Quaestor Valdemar wasn’t interested in people in general. But suddenly a young man came into their dungeons, barehanded, with an armful of deadly aconites and a desperate look in his eyes. They couldn’t resist. Doctor № 069 became their favorite – object of studies, of course – and, oh, he was so willing to assist them."

Art: Lunatic Sun

Text: Apostle Jay

(Part 1 of 3)

Doctor №069 was napping on the couch in his room in the Dungeons. Hearing Quaestor's footsteps nearby, he sleepily responded:

– Behold, my Death cometh…

(based on a true story, sorry not sorry. Thank Apostle Jay for inspiration)

P. S. Beware: I'm (not only me) the uncompromising shipper Valdemar/Julian from the first time:

And because of this:

You've been warned. The right of appeal is eliminated.

Julian likes to call Valdemar "my personal 11th plague", that's all. Period.

/according to canonical information about Jewish references to Devorak family and my headcanon about kinda Egyptian origins of Valdemar*. Yes, this is Biblical allusion, if you want to know./

P. S. I would like to add: Valdemar usually responds "Surely, doctor №069, Egypt fights back", but there's no "Egypt" as it is in the Arcana world. But if there is a Temple district in Vesuvia and if there are many confessions similar to existing IRL, events in "the Book" definitely can have similar lines.

P. P. S. Valdemar is well familiar with "the Book" contents. Indeed.

*P. P. P. S. Here are some considerations in this regard, with more details.

"Just imagine!" Julian said playfully, continuing to gesticulate and laugh:

"Me – walking down the street. Handsome! Dangerous! Proud and unapproachable!.."

"…And awesome, as an army with banners, doctor №069?" Valdemar raised their eyebrows ironically.

Another person immediately disappeared and there was silence.

Julian stopped speaking, looked at the Quaestor and felt his face rapidly flush scarlet:

"Who is this who comes up from the wilderness like pillars of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all spices of the merchant?"

Valdemar shook their head in response:

"How is your beloved better than another beloved, that you do so adjure us? Return, that we may gaze at you."

Without delay, Julian turned to Valdemar, and took a step towards them.

"But I beg them, don't they turn away their eyes from me, for they have overcome me".

Then he came closer, bowed his head and added:

"…for love is strong as Death".

"Strong as Death, you say?"

Valdemar replied after several seconds of silence, grinning, "Shall I consider you a worthy adversary?"

"Unless it's Song of Songs quotation challenge, Quaestor", Julian replied with a laugh.

/thx Apostle Jay for inspiration, indeed. I love kinda complicated relationships between protagonists and antagonists. As much as I love complicated headcanons, you know.🖤/

/godsend song, brutal growling with classic cello is what I absolutely needed/

I came and brought some headcanons.

Since I don't like making headcanons about MCs, and the whole concept is not for me, I'm doing... a side character based on my favorite musicians instead. Who, in my opinion, fit into the Arcana world.

And I'm sure: "Blackmore's Night" is one of them (my beg pardon, I'm an old fan). Since I feel the same aesthetic and the same atmosphere, let's go.

1. This is where I feel the STRONGEST "Girl Power" vibes. What about, say, the "Nadia/MC" route? Portia can be here too (I mean, girl party in a storm on a cliff overlooking the ocean? YEAAH!).

2. I don't know why, but here I feel "Asra/MC" (suddenly!) vibes more than anything else. So, why not?

2.1. "Asra/MC" (or just Azra themselve), so-why-not-2:

So: "The Rowdy Raven". It's easy to imagine R. Blackmore and K. Night as musicians playing in the tavern. Maybe their patron arcana in the Arcana world are also "The Lovers", like Aisha and Salim. I don't think the patron arcana can choose the only person (or couple like "the Lovers" do). I guess "being chosen by the Arcana personification" is not an exclusive offer. It's rare? Well, yes. But I think it's much rarer to be exclusive. It depends, I guess.

Anyway, this is my own headcanon about side characters, which is just giving me a special ambiance as I see it. I like such non-binding vignettes, say:

1. Dancing in the "Rowdy Raven" to this song. Maybe this is a bit of an anachronism ("Lorelei" is a poem by Heinrich Heine, 1824 or even Clemens Brentano's poem "Lore Lay" on 1801) for the "Renaissance" setting of the game, but as long as there is tango (as the most obvious anachronism) in the game itself, this is allowed too.

(Imagine all those old sailors dancing under Mazelinka's leadership. She's sure to have many stories to tell about beautiful sea maidens: she was married to one of them. But with a happy ending. 🖤)

2. Oh, well, it's pretty simple. I think it was one of Julian's favorite songs. Especially for the "sentimental mood" ('cause he is a sweet sentimental boy, you know).

3. This is so obvious that I won't say any more.

I've been listening to them for over 15 years. It's kind of a "band of my youth" and maybe someone will discover "Blackmore's Night" for themselves, idk. Just say something if you want. I always appreciate little vignettes about the whole world (not the "MC with /put your LI here/…" type), but such content is rarely seen here.

Finally, my favorite:

/Lunatic Sun/

(I was just waiting for the song that would fit perfectly with the whole atmosphere that I had in mind. So I found it.)

/art ©Lunatic Sun/

– "I stole Valdemar's heart!"

– "What do you mean?!" – his cupmates in Rowdy Raven yelled in shock. Ilya takes a flask containing the anatomical specimen from his medical bag. He carefully places it on the table, unable to suppress a victorious grin.

A few seconds later, all the witnesses to his triumphant pose turn pale as a black latex hand falls on Ilya's shoulder and squeezes. Everyone has heard a well-known low cadence with a reptilian hiss in the overtones; soft, but for some reason more deafening than all the sounds of the tavern:

– "And then you will lose your head, Doctor №069".🫀

/© Lunatic Sun./

(P. S. Sorry not sorry. And yep, "Death as she/her" not as misgendering, but in a… kinda metaphysical way, ofc. :D here's the proof, and I can't unsee in first screenshots kinda brat and jealous inflections in his speech from the very first time. And you were warned about my "juldemar apologetic in a doctrinal way". Any objections here will be rejected, if this is not your cup of tea – deal with it, 'cause this is my cup of tea. However, I do not want to impose my thoughts and opinions on anyone.)