No more shall man have wings

Not all of it becomes song, rarely any of it does, but Usul doesn't treat it that way. He's in part offering the man company, and in part trying to catch him out so the cryptid finally reveals himself as something otherworldly.

Just some guy, kind of the weirdest thing is that they know the WoL

Just Some Guy, but like. There is something distinctly off about them, like maybe they have been living in the wilderness alone for 15 years, who knows, but like. They do the job!

An expert in the field. Makes sense, you probably run into those saving the world and whatnot.

A world-renown expert in the field. Still makes sense, but wow you were not expecting that for your silly problem.

A world-renown person. Like, everyone’s heard of Cid Garlond by this point, what do you mean you have him on speed dial.

A world leader. You thought the Elder Seedseer never left Gridania except in times of crisis, but ok!

A dragon, quite possibly of the first brood or otherwise quite old. This feels like overkill.

Something you weren’t even expecting to be sentient, like the plushy chocobo and its robotic friend. Extremely weird.

A literal cryptid or person you thought was entirely mythical. Sure, this might as well happen.

You never meet ‘the guy’, because apparently ‘the guy’ lives in a different world/dimension. Somehow still gives excellent and applicable advice.

tree looking like a monster

when the wind hits it.

And then there's all his adult years as adventurer, the skin over his knuckles broken again and again during his training as a monk that there are permanent scars and missing scales that just won't grow back.

Usul's hands are big and warm, with manicured and buffed claws that are kept short but sharp; they are a testament to a hard life lived, and comfort afforded in his later years. There are nicks and scars from subduing rage-drunk Curious Gorge and cooking accidents both.

There is a semi-permanent dent on his ring finger where he wears his wedding band.

November 13, 2025

Your WoL/D decides to write a book about their life. Somehow thinking that they have a better perspective than you, which chapter do they start with?

In the middle and build upon the “plot” with brief miniature flashbacks.

At the beginning, as far back as they can remember, only including the stuff they think was of importance to making them who they are now.

At wherever they are now and work their way backwards. They’ll catch up to them selves eventually somewhere later down the road.

How do they keep notes about which stories to tell and which to leave out?

Do they include embarrassing stories that are still pertinent to the story?

What life lessons that they’ve learned do they make sure not to miss?

What things do they purposely leave out? Why?

What is the main reason for their willingness to share their story at this point?

( @grieverworship )

It's a cookbook.

No no no, wait. I'm serious.

Usul doesn't necessarily consider his life and actions to be very noteworthy, despite being the literal godkiller and all... he will answer questions for any chronicler and whatnot, maybe, in a decade or two. Let the scholars sort his life out.

But.

He *is* very passionate about cooking.

One day in between guesting at the Bismarck and fending off curious colleagues and potential apprentices, he'd concede and start writing down recipes.

And in-between the cooking instructions and measurements, there would be little anecdotals from his life, anywhere between how handsome and amazing his husband is to how it felt to have Leviathan try to choke the life out of him.

How it felt, standing face to face with Hraesvelgr, the sight of sun rising over the gnath towers, fractured into fanciful colours through their smoke.

Exactly how much brown sugar Arman prefers in his tea, and what homemade remedy works best on aching fingers after his husband spends too long gripping a quill writing a thesis and needs a gentle massage after.

For the kingdom of rainbows

is forever young!