Making a mental note to myself to post here first then elsewhere lol
So, one of the things I like doing when I write or draw my characters is that I like listening to my favorite songs. I like listening to songs that fit the characters or their stories thematically. Recently, I finally got back into writing a rough skeleton outline for Gwuenevere's story.
Ah, since I haven't posted literally anything related to my worldbuilding project in a while, here's Gwuenevere.
She's a living cloak who does Threadmancy and makes needle swords with magic ichor thread. Yay!
So like, while writing Gwuenevere's super rough character moodboard, I started thinking about the concept of Maiden Mother Crone, the Triple Goddess in the realm of Neopagan spirituality.
To be brief, the concept of the Maiden Mother Crone is the divine feminine: the Maiden is her youth, beauty, and new beginnings, Mother is the fertility and fulfillment gained from motherhood, and the Crone is wisdom, endings, and death.
There are various interpretations on this topic, for example this short essay by Moth-Kissed-Witch on their views on the concept of Maiden Mother Crone beyond what I just described.
So, what this has to do with Gwuenevere? Well, due to a few changes to her lore, I realized that I like the concept of Maiden, Mother, Crone for Gwuenevere. Here's a note I have written recently about Gwuenevere and the associations I built between her and the Maiden, Mother, Crone:
Maiden Mother Crone
In reference of her growth from a naive altrice, to the Mother of the Abbey, then a powerful Fragile-mage.
- Maiden - cared by Mother Ella as a curio, grew up in an abbey among other curios, later becomes an altrice, trained her Thread under the tutelage of Mother Ella. Constantly wrestled with the mystery of her own origins since she was found outside of the abbey as a just-hatched curio. Was different from her peers, with a dull ache of something that was taken away from her.
- Mother - as the eldest of the altrices who grew up with her, Gwuenevere becomes Mother of the Abbey and becomes the leader of altrices. Becomes experienced in her abilities over time and more experienced in handling both the chaotic nature of the abbey, altrices, and the curios they care for. Early on, is forced to learn a hard lesson on effort, responsibility, and care for those she defended and care for. Learns to face challenges head on, even at the risk of her abbey and her compliance of her own kingdom’s laws.
- Crone - grew into her own independence as her own person and master of her Thread magic, fully reclaimed her former humanity by [big fuckass spoiler]. Renown as Fragile-Mage, Lady Blade, Thread Teacher. By this point, she carries the weight of years of struggle, pain, determination, and strength honed by the many memories and adventures she experienced throughout her life. At the end, despite all she went though, is able to commit herself to a final act heroism to save both her homes, families, and friends.
And while writing all of this, I was listening to this version of The Voice by Celtic Woman:
I hear your voice on the wind
And I hear you call out my name
"Listen, my child," you say to me
"I am the voice of your history
Be not afraid, come follow me
Answer my call, and I'll set you free"
I am the voice in the wind and the pouring rain
I am the voice of your hunger and pain
I am the voice that always is calling you
I am the voice, I will remain
I am the voice in the fields when the summer's gone
The dance of the leaves when the autumn winds blow
Ne'er do I sleep throughout all the cold winter long
I am the force that in springtime will grow
I am the voice of the past that will always be
Filled with my sorrow and blood in my fields
I am the voice of the future, bring me your peace
Bring me your peace, and my wounds, they will heal
I am the voice in the wind and the pouring rain
I am the voice of your hunger and pain
I am the voice that always is calling you
I am the voice
I am the voice of the past that will always be
I am the voice of your hunger and pain
I am the voice of the future
I am the voice, I am the voice
I am the voice, I am the voice
The Voice was written by Brendan Graham and first sung by Eimear Quinn, released in 1996 (Wikipedia). This was my favorite Irish song growing up, along with Siúil a Rúin and Dúlamán. While I'm not Irish, I'm a very autistic Black person, I really enjoyed listening to Celtic music and researching a bit on its history and the meaning behind the folk songs lyrics.
Listening to this, I imagined Gwuenevere fitting into each part (forgive me, I have no knowledge of songwriting so uh yeah).
Gwuenevere's Youth, her unknown troubled origins and undiscovered inner humanity
I am the voice in the wind and the pouring rain
I am the voice of your hunger and pain
I am the voice that always is calling you
I am the voice, I will remain
Gwuenevere as Mother, her growth as a leader and protector
I am the voice in the fields when the summer's gone
The dance of the leaves when the autumn winds blow
Ne'er do I sleep throughout all the cold winter long
I am the force that in springtime will grow
Gwuenevere as Crone, her reclamation of her humanity, her shouldering the weight of her experiences throughout her life, her eventual sacrifice to bring peace
I am the voice of the past that will always be
Filled with my sorrow and blood in my fields
I am the voice of the future, bring me your peace
Bring me your peace, and my wounds, they will heal
And yeah, this fits her well.
But wait, there's moar!!
So while I was listening to various versions of The Voice, I found Celtic Thunder's Voices, released in 2013.
Lyrics sourced from Musixmatch.com:
Voices are calling
Voices are calling
Voices calling
Voices calling you
There's a voice that is starting to call us
It's a voice that we just can't ignore
There's a bell that is ringing to tell us
We're in a time and a place like never before
There's a time when we're called to be ready
It's a time when a sign will appear
There's a time when we're called to be steady
This is the moment we know that the moment is here
Why is it we are here?
Where is it we will go?
Will we just disappear?
Answers we don't know
Where will the future lead?
What will the future show?
How are we to proceed?
Answers we don't know
Why is it we are here?
Where is it we will go?
Will we just disappear?
Answers we don't know
Where will the future lead?
What will our future show?
How are we to proceed?
Answers we don't know
Voices call from the old days
Voices tell from the past
Ancient laws and ancient old ways to recast
Voices call from the future
How will our future last?
Voices call from the future
Is the future past?
Why is it we are here? (Why is it we are here?)
Where is it we will go? (Where is it we will go?)
Will we just disappear? (Will we just disappear?)
Answers we don't know
Where will the future lead? (Where will the future lead?)
What will our future show? (What will our future show?)
How are we to proceed?
Answers we don't know (We don't know)
We don't know (We don't know)
Is there a better way? (Why is it we are here?)
Do we go with the flow? (Where is it we will go?)
What is the price we pay? (Will we just disappear?)
Answers we don't know
Is there a judgement day? (Why is it we are here?)
Is this the final show? (Where is it we will go?)
When will the piper play?
Answers we don't know (Answers we don't know)
Answers we don't know
The voice is calling
The voice is calling you
So, there's three characters who Gwuenevere will meet: Arch Luther, Arch Wulfherd, and Arch Reynold. These three will challenge each other and Gwuenevere throughout her story. They will also face their own trials as well.
Note to those who been following my work for a while on other socials: Luther was a prince and Reynold was a lord. There's been a few changes in my worldbuilding as of late, so yeah.
Oh, yeah, what they look like:
I don't have concept for Arch Wulfherd yet, but I do have very early art of both Luther and Reynold:
Prince Luther with Gwuenevere
Swordtember art of Lord Reynold
Imagine if this is Arch Wulfherd lol (sourced from wikipdia's entry on Basket-hilted sword)
The Voice song sounds like the feminine power sounded powerful and certain of her path, but in Voices, the male power sounds uncertain about his path and seek answers from his ancestors, while fearing the possibility of disappearing himself.
From my current notes on what I call the Ekaterinic Arch Cabinet: Arch Wulfherd, Arch Luther, and Arch Reynold, these three rulers of Erdestra are the last of their family after three centuries of wars and plagues. Without going into a very long backstory, these guys are anxious about their future, their kingdom, and their paths as individuals. And all this anxiety affected how they lead their kingdom. This also affected how they treat Gwuenevere, too.
That last part I'm still developing but yeah, that's my thoughts. Also, I ran out of things to say oh no.
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