And that is why I created a fanmon that was a ground-type Mountain Lion. Suddenly, Emolga is the famous one in the fake region, not Pikachu.
Doylist explanation: They keep making new electric mouse pokemon because they're frantically trying to recreate the success of Pikachu. Or at least because it's tradition at this point.
Watsonian explanation: A major predator of rodents is birds of prey. A mouse that can deliver electric shocks to flying-types has a much higher chance of living to produce more offspring. Thus, convergent evolution fills this niche in every region. "Pikachu" is just the pokemon universe equivalent of "crab".
I definitely need this for a character I'm writing.
Show your character's struggles with holding in emotions. Just because your character won't let themself go in public, doesn't mean they don't struggle holding everything in.
Find a motive. Pride and/or consideration for those around them can make emotionally reserved people hold back more than would be considered good for them. There are other reasons too, perhaps the initial cause and the reason now are different, but try to give them a reason.
Show side-effects. Everything you bottled up shows itself in another way, whether it's physical or mental. This can be long- and short-term, depending on the severity of the emotions.
Give them coping mechanisms. Everyone who wishes not to show certain emotions has a trick or two to keep themselves in check. Taking a sip of water, not looking people in the eyes, clenching their fists, breathing just a bit too deeply.
Write subconscious signs that they give off, which close friends or family might pick on. Just because these characters want to keep their emotions to themselves, doesn't mean they don't give off signs. Some manage to keep said signs well hidden from those closest to them, but it's more common for environment to pick up on something at the very least.
Okay, we can all agree that Team Cherry put a LOT of thought into crafting the backgrounds and environments of Hollow Knight. But why is nobody talking about the designs for the Dreamers' houses?! Especially compared with their base forms? Well, let's start talking about it!
Behold! Monomon's Design!
Taken from Monomon-the-Teacher.jpeg (1280×720) (punishedbacklog.com)
Taken from: https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Yn7QtF-wkSY/maxresdefault.jpg
When you meet the Teacher, the first reaction is either "She's beautiful…" or "WHAT IS A JELLYFISH DOING IN A KINGDOM OF BUGS????" If one isn't your first reaction, then it will most certainly be your second.
I could go on about how Monomon pairs her elegant beauty with her mysterious origins, but then I would be repeating words all day. Let us pause and consider how Monomon, as THE Teacher, would teach Physics…while defying them. It isn't too much of a stretch to say Monomon would float outside of her tank when the all the other Jellies in game do.
Next is her Archives that to my knowledge, lacks books.
We are immediately treated at the entrance of Monomon's Archives. The only word that could sum it up would be awe: awestruck due to the beauty and the mystery. Looking at Monomon's house from the front can't help but remind one of how Jane Austen would describe a character's house…and how the house perfectly matched the character.
Entering the Archives, we quickly guess that no one has been here in a long time.
But walk in far enough…
And you can't help but guess what an awesome place this must have been. Take a look at the detail!
The insane amount of knowledge stored here is amazing…and we're on the first floor!
Though we can't read most of it…and what we can read…
Why Monomon, why? Even STEM students need to be proficient in spelling. Source: my engineer brother.
Moving on, the pathway to Monomon's tank is very straight-forward. So much so that we never get a chance to see all of the Teacher's Archives. One point that strikes me is that we never get a chance to see any classrooms. We see Monomon as a researcher as noted by the Charged Lumafly tank and entry:
We know Monomon as a collector of information:
We even get glimpses of Monomon being a mad scientist by creating the Uomu, Oomu, and Uummu.
But the only sign of Monomon being a teacher is by her relationship with Quirrel and the name of her Archives. Unless I am missing something, (or we are simply not able to enter the classrooms) the Archives are more of a library and research center than a school. While I am of the mind that we simply do not see the whole Archives as we are so dead-set on getting to Monomon herself, it really says something about Monomon that we can only see the Madame as a Teacher in her relationships with others.
I would love to further this point, but this essay is for the Dreamers' houses, not necessarily the relationships the Dreamers had unless the relationships are implied in the housing designs themselves, such as the masks in Herrah's Den. Another essay would be required so the Dreamers' relationships can be given the focus and care they deserve.
Returning to Monomon's Archives, it is strange that of all the rooms we get access to, it is not ones that Monomon's students can enter. The pathway to Monomon's tank is blocked by acid.
Yet we are the ones able to see Monomon in her resting place.
Besides Quirrel. But Quirrel has a habit of getting into places most wouldn't dare enter. And it is fitting that Quirrel, Monomon's closest student, is the one to enter Monomon's inner sanctuary.
The Tech in the room is simply amazing and begs more study. Atlas, I fear I might have missed a great deal when it comes to the Teacher. If there is anything more, I hope another member of the Hollow Knight community will step up to fill the void, pun intended.
Now, let us discuss a resting place not for Monomon, but for the player.
Is not this place so elegant in its decay? The perfect symmetry and the framing of the moss ceiling…it is a terrible pity we could not see the Teacher's Archives in Hallownest's prime.
Moving past the pity, let me share a little detail. Team Cherry, when designing each location, placed signs of the ruler of said location in the framework of the place, usually in the fencing. For Teacher's Archives…
It's right at the bench! Which means Monomon is in charge!
The above statement, while made in good jest, possibly bears more weight than on a passing glance. We see no Hallownestian Seals or crests imbedded within the walls. There are also no King's idols or any item to be retrieved from the Archives. Everything in the Archives is centered around Monomon and her research.
This idea gives rise to a theory that perhaps the Teacher's Archives was not part of Hallownest, but rather neutral territory where ANYONE could come to learn about anything in peace. This would not be the first time in media where such a place existed. The TV show "Babylon 5" tells the story of a space station created as a place where the different alien races can learn about the other races in neutral territory for the purpose of creating peace.
To answer some objections, yes, "The Pilgrams' Way" does pass through Fog Canyon, but it also passes through Greenpath which technically belongs to Unn, not the Pale King. And the Archives is one of the few places that has its own, unique bench.
If the Archives is not part of Hallownest, what does this neutrality tell us about Monomon? If the Teacher's Archives is indeed neutral territory, it shows how much emphasis Monomon puts on knowledge being open to everyone as the purpose of the Archives is a place to store all the knowledge she collected.
But if Monomon was neutral, how did she get involved with the Dreamer plan? Simple. Monomon cared about her students. Monomon welcomed everyone from anywhere, and everywhere was infected by the Radiance. To save her students, the majority of whom came from Hallownest, Monomon became a Dreamer. Unfortunately, it was all in vain as the world fell into stasis as one by one Monomon's students either died or fell to the Infection. The Archives, where you could find anyone from anywhere in Hallownest, now only holds jellyfish…
Before we wallow in sorrow, let us escape to the City of Tears and to the final Dreamer. Wait for part 3.0 coming soon!
This is a part series to see if I can fit everything in. I hope you enjoyed Monomon's Archives!
Part 1.0: Herrah's Den : Here
Part 2.0: Monomon's Archives (You are here)
Part 3.0: Lurien's Spire : Here
Part 3.25: More of Lurien's Spire: Here
Part 3.5: Lurien's Spire: Pillows and Patriotism: Here
Part 3.7 Lurien's Spire: What is wrong with Lurien's Office?! Here
Part 3.8: Even, even More of Lurien's Spire: Secret Room: Click here
Part 3.9 Watcher Knight Boss Room! Here
Part 4.0 What We Know We Don't Know About the Dreamers' Houses: Click Here
Link to essay on Ao3: Here
Touched By an Angel
Well...I got four literal angels coming to save me. If by chance I do die, and death is a possibility here, then I have a good friend taking me home to God.
I want everyone to know that this is me every time someone drops a comment on something I've written:
“Thinking about compression from a side view”
Source: Anime Private School on Twitter
This exactly fits Lurien, but hear me out. Give him an umbrella that turns into an umbrella-rifle or umbrella-sword and that would be Perfection!
Lurien concept
Hallo !
I've started to notice a pattern in the hk community.
When people (not all but most) draw pk ,in bug or gijinka, they tend to hide his pretty wings or not draw them at all.
So I've decided to ask bloggers if they could show or describe the king's wings, just out of curiosity (and for my own amusement)
(Btw if you are not taking requests please forgive me, I did not wish to annoy you with my silly babbles)
Well, the pattern seems to arise from the game itself as we never see the Pale King with his wings. (Unless you believe the theory that the PK's robe ARE his wings) The only time we see the PK with wings would be in Origm's dreams as the White Defender...and the PK is far away as a light silhouette.
If artists were to draw the PK, they would not have good canon references for the PK's wings. They would be forced to rely on the dream sequence (again, a silhouette), the Hallownestian crest/seals, and the Monarch wings when Little Knight uses them. If the artist wants any references or inspiration for drawing the PK with wings, they will need to look at other fanart.
How do I know this? Only had to go through the whole process myself while creating this.
I had an idea to make Lurien a Blue Morpho Butterfly, so it was fun to draw him and the PK together with their wings. If you want to see more Lurien as a butterfly, click on the link.
I must say that I've come a long way since December with this photo. Thank you for giving me the chance to practice my drawing and editing skills!
(No need for forgiveness. I am quite honored that you asked me to do this as I mostly draw Lurien the Watcher, not the Pale King. I think this was the first time I ever drew the PK as a "bug", so it was quite the experience on top of practicing hands and lighting. Thank you!)
BLURB:
Instead of Deepnest, the Knight went up through the City of Tears to escape. What would happen but being found and adopted by none other than the Watcher himself.
Tell me, what happens now? After all, the Knight has a twin in the White Palace down below....
Previous: https://www.tumblr.com/violetdawn001/741443039477858304/perfectly-not-fine-chapter-2?source=share
SCRIPT:
Nothing was the same after that meeting in the White Palace. I told no one, of course, of what the king told me.
Yet that did little to prevent our household from putting facts together that someone threatened the Spire...and you.
You, my son, never noticed the threats. You were so full of excitement from your godmother and all the squires spending all their "free" time with you.
No, not free from duty, for they made loving you their duty.
A choice no one consulted me about.
While our household prepared for what could be, I turned my gaze to what had been...and what to do now.
His Majesty told me of his plans; Of how there were no costs too great...and not to fret for HE would pay them. Pay them with the sweat and blood of his own child. A vessel wearing a dead shell-ha! What a lie to mask the faces of living children! Despite the clear gravity of what His Majesty did and was doing... Dust clouds obscured the best path forward. On One Hand, I stand up to the King, Fight for the King's child, Speak out against this plan. Slighting the Pale King's Dignity and Opening the kingdom to rot. In other words, TREASON. On the Other Hand, I say nothing, do Nothing so that the citizens of the kingdom are saved. Dooming the Princeling to chains and Daming the Pale King to Hell. In conclusion, also TREASON. Strike the Body to save the Soul. Dam the Soul to Save the Body. Any action taken now will be TREASON. Treason, treason, TREASON, TREASON!!! *Soft Footsteps are heard* "?" "Meep! Meep!" I cannot begin to thank you, my son, for bringing me out of that storm. And for the realization of what loyalty I ought to hold most true.
Previous:
https://www.tumblr.com/violetdawn001/741443039477858304/perfectly-not-fine-chapter-2?source=share
Start Here/Cover:
https://www.tumblr.com/violetdawn001/738375072551682048/part-1-prologue?source=share
Next Chapter: Please be patient. 😄
NOTES: Why does Lurien only hire smart people? His servants demanded three extra pages just so they could show how THEY were watching and had to do something!