Just an average blog.

I also imagine despite the nature of his job, the Inquisitor's morality is quite scuffed and scattered. He doesn't mind his work, and goes the length to perfect his way of doing so. I like to think it's because the Inquisitor's family line are sort of brainwashed to thinking like this? To them, it's normal. So Inquisitor doesn't mind exposing someone's arm in the sun and having their flesh burn, and then the next day, wave them hello.

That's what I think would be very fun and sort of off putting about him. Because the nature of his work isn't to kill but cause harm and pain until you tell him what he wants. So the chances of his victims being freed and wander the theatre and bumping into him again as if they were just strangers or acquaintences is possible and fucked up.

And I think what would be funny is he wouldn't really somewhat grasp it. I mean, I think he'd have the basics down. But again, to him it's normal. For his family its normal. This is how it's been done for years and generations, each and every era requires it as they were taught. I like to think his family as well is pretty fucked in the way they're also pretty nice people too. if you remove their work, all of them are.

I like to think despite his family specializing in it, not all of them work as inquisitors or torturers anymore TT I like to think Inquisitors the only active one. Maybe only one or two from the family line can be the ones to do the role itself, but that aside, the past and older puppets of the family are technically retired.

I also think Inquisitors family line is a bit unique. I'm debating if he'd have parents or not, but I like to think the family itself aren't all related. Maybe just by name. And the work their bound to. But family nonetheless!

I think what'd be funny is that the general puppet population probably avoids him and his family like the plague because. Well. They're torturers. While this would sadden him, life goes on. He still visits the town square, asks for a loaf from the bakery, requests the smith for his order.

But I imagine despite his kind and gentle demeanor, he is still a terrifying puppet when he is your tormentor. What I added when i drew him is him having like, wide round eyes. Not sharp at all mind you. I like to think they're pretty even! a grand sky blue that glows in the dark. How's it scary? When they stare at you, unreadable as you scream and beg at him to stop. The way his are so blue you'd mistake his gaze as insane.

Another thing I liked is he probably has few or barely any scars or cracks with his body. I like to think Inquisitor was so good at his job that he doesnt have much trouble. Very careful man. Cruel and horrible his work can be, but he has experience. The troublesome part of his job is not just giving the most pain, but making sure they're awake and alive until the end. The end goal isn't to kill. Which I think is a fun difference between his family and the bounty hunters.

UH UH UH More!!! mmm,,, Ill have to think of a last name for the family. But I assume it'd be something related to death or blood. I was considering Cypress? Because of its association with death but it didnt stick. But it'd be the sort of name thats recognizable amongst the kingdom and theatre. I imagine the family line is very old.

Hm.. i like to think he has a very soft voice. One that'd catch you off guard despite the horrors he's doing onto you. The kind that shushes you when you scream, that it will be all alright, just tell him where the traitor is amongst the nobility and he may spare your life. That the king may spare your life. I like to think he's very good at sweet talking at his victims. He isn't hate filled per se. But there is a vigor when he well, tortures you.

I'd have to think about it though because the chances of him working as a torturer NOW in the present isn't possible haha. If the Jestyn ordered the bounty hunters to cease their work lest they be thrown to the prison, then he likely forbidded the inquisitor and finally stopped his family's one proud profession. (A lot of it anyway, the bounty hunter and the ah Inquisitors family was probably gathered and created by Crownus. So no wonder Jestyn shutted it down.) Though it wouldn't change his reputation.

I like to think if he really did stumble upon a puppet he tortured in the past, he'd apologize. Say he didn't mean to. And wouldnt recognize how horrible and fucked up that apology is. Because again, he wouldnt understand what he's apologizing for, to him, its all work and normal. But he knows what he did was bad. Sorta. Its hard to explain. I can imagine his audacity when he tries to offer the puppet like, the loaf of bread he just bought haha

He is well meaning!! but because of his upbringing, he isn't,, normal. Nothing about it is normal. Is it his fault for how he was brought up?? Debatable.

GUHH I REALLY DONT WANNA GET ATTACHED BUT I FEAR I AM. Im still. VERY muh thinking if I should give him away, do another raffle and be on with my life but god loo kat him. Look at him. The Medic x Inquisitor ship would be crazy LHLHLHL NSRS NSRNSRNSRNSRN it wouldnt work

I like to think he's a He/they kind of puppet. Very bright eyes. Staring at your soul. You know those jokes of that one ship with "most gorgeous brown eyes you'll ever see" and "staring into your soul"? yeah. BUT PLS GENUINELY HES NICE </3 well, tries to be. But again, when you're raised doing what you do with a family thats just as brainwashed by the king then there's gonna be some difficulty.

Poor Betty...

Dksjsndkendnf okay maybe he wouldn't straight up LEAVE a dead carcass of his last meal in the barn/area where the owner can easily find it (he would probably be the type to either SWALLOW IT WHOLE or drag it out of the barn into the woods leaving no real traces behind as he usually plays a sort of "how many sheep can I steal before they notice" kind of game lol) but if that ever happen for some reason, he'd make sure to make it look like wolf's doing.

And I know, I know. Minecraft doesn't have blood or carcasses— they just poof into dust, but it's a horror au and we know that Eden can bleed/get visibly hurt so indulge me here a little. I just love gore in art. I love horror in general <3

This is ofc not the best gory art I've ever made. It's hardly anything lol. It was supposed to be a bit subtle. I even put the hayblock there to cover it up. It was intention to kind of give you a glimps/feeling of horror in contrast of the usually wholesome/peaceful vibes of minecraft life.

Now, to the point of this post:

One thing I really like about the idea of Ilian living a double life is that his human disguise isn't something he wears because he enjoys humanity. It's simply practical. It gives him access to places and information that would be impossible to obtain as a creature lurking in the forests. Humans are far less guarded around another human than they are around something with claws hiding between the trees.

I can imagine him occasionally wandering into villages disguised as nothing more than a quiet random traveler. He doesn't draw attention to himself or actively seek out conversations, but he listens. Humans are surprisingly willing to share information without realizing its value.

A passing comment about someone leaving for the mines before sunrise, a merchant complaining about a shipment, a villager mentioning where they keep their valuables, or a hunter bragging about setting traps in the woods— all of it becomes another piece of the puzzle. By the time Ilian disappears back into the forest, he knows exactly who lives where, who travels alone, and which houses are the easiest to rob.

The disguise also serves another purpose: observation. He doesn't simply watch humans from a distance— he studies them. The way they greet each other, how they smile, how they carry themselves, the little gestures they make without thinking. He pays attention to how they solve problems, use tools, open doors, and protect their homes.

To him, humans are simply another species to observe, much like Eva studies wildlife. The difference is that Eva seeks understanding, while Ilian seeks usefulness.

That knowledge eventually becomes a weapon. The more he understands someone, the easier they are to deceive. A familiar face is naturally trusted, and trust makes people careless.

Imagine this.

Perhaps he greets someone on a road one day, exchanging only a few words before continuing on his way.

Weeks later, that same traveler appears outside their home. Or standing silently at the edge of the forest. Or watching from between the trees.

Suddenly the memory of that harmless encounter doesn't feel so harmless anymore..

Sometimes he doesn't even need to impersonate someone else to manipulate people. Looking like an ordinary traveler is enough. If someone asks whether he's seen their missing sheep, he might casually point them toward another part of the forest. While they spend the afternoon searching in the wrong direction, Ilian quietly slips into their home and takes whatever he came for.

The lie is small, almost insignificant, but incredibly effective.

His disguise also allows him to scout places without raising suspicion. I thought about it a bit as I'm not sure how Ilian would be willing to interact with the humans but I feel like in this au he'd really become quite... bold. I mean, he already is, but in this au he'd have a bit more freedom and power to wield. He'd be stronger and would definitely look at humans purely as tools or pawns, things to use and/or observe and learn from. Here, he has less restrictions to be truly bad and horrifying if he wants to.

He might use people's kindness more often than not.

If someone would offer him food or lets him stay the night out of kindness, he might accept— not because he appreciates the hospitality, but because it gives him an opportunity to memorize the layout of the house, where valuables are kept, how many people live there, where the exits are, and what routines they follow. Sometimes he might leave without taking anything at all. The unsettling part would probably be realizing later that a stranger you let in had already seen every corner of your home long before anything ever went missing.

It's kind of giving me vibes of those old folk stories where you let in the monsters or demons into your house by inviting them yourself purely because of their convicingly human disguises.

And that naturally led me to thinking about the ability itself.

The more I started thinking about the idea, the more I realized I didn't actually want Ilian's "human form" to be a true shapeshift as that's not really what he does in KoM og au. It felt a little too straightforward for what I had in mind. Instead, I wanted it to remain an extension of his original ability: Mirage.

So, here me out on this: what if... rather than physically changing his body, Mirage manipulates perception itself.

Ilian never actually becomes human. Beneath the illusion he is still the same towering creature, standing at roughly 2.40 metres tall and missing his right arm. The disguise exists only in the minds of those looking at him, convincing them that they're seeing nothing more than an ordinary traveler. Literally kinda like mirages work haha

Interestingly, the disguise itself is remarkably plain, and I think that'd be intentional. Ilian has no desire to become someone memorable or charismatic. If anything, he aims for the exact opposite. His illusion usually takes the form of a lone traveler wrapped in a dark cloak with the hood pulled low over his face. The cloak naturally drapes over his right shoulder, concealing the absence of his arm without requiring the illusion to fabricate one.

There's nothing remarkable about him. He's simply... forgettable. The kind of stranger you pass on a road, exchange a polite nod with, and struggle to describe only a few hours later.

======

WEAKNESSES OF THE ILLUSION

Like any illusion, however, Mirage has its limitations.

The illusion is most convincing at a glance or from a distance. The longer someone remains in Ilian's presence— or the closer they get— the harder it becomes for the mirage to maintain every subtle detail flawlessly. Most people never consciously notice anything unusual though. Instead, they walk away with the vague, nagging feeling that something about the traveler wasn't quite right.

Perhaps he seemed just a little taller than expected.

Maybe his footsteps sounded heavier than they should have when he stepped on that one creaky board, or he instinctively ducked beneath a doorway that someone of his apparent height shouldn't have needed to. But hey, could just be some sort of reflex, right?

Environmental conditions can also interfere with the illusion.

Rain is particularly troublesome. Water running across his cloak can momentarily outline shoulders that sit far higher than they appear to, while soaked fabric may briefly hint at the empty space beneath the cloak where his missing arm should have been. These imperfections rarely last more than a heartbeat before the illusion settles once again, leaving witnesses unsure whether they actually saw anything at all.

Sudden changes in lighting produce similar effects.

A flash of lightning, the flicker of a campfire, or even the shifting glow of lanterns can cause the illusion to falter for the briefest instant. This traveler's silhouette might suddenly appear unnaturally tall, elongated claws may replace ordinary hands for the blink of an eye, or a pair of glowing eyes may stare back before everything returns to normal. Most dismiss these moments as tricks of the light.

Reflections, however, might be Mirage's greatest weakness. Ponds, puddles after rainfall, polished metal of a tool like a sword, or windows can sometimes betray fragments of Ilian's true appearance. While the illusion continues to deceive anyone looking directly at him, his reflection may reveal the towering creature hidden beneath. These moments are fleeting, and most people are quick to convince themselves that fatigue or poor lighting simply played tricks on their eyes.

Mirage is also not a static ability. It evolves alongside Ilian's observations. Every conversation overheard, every routine memorized, every habit studied allows him to better his illusions further. The more time he spends observing someone, the more convincing his imitations become.

Even so, perfection remains just out of reach..

A smile may linger a second too long. A familiar gesture may appear in the wrong context. A voice may sound correct, yet somehow lack the warmth or emotion people unconsciously expect.

Most fail to notice these imperfections. A particularly observant person, however, might slowly begin to realize that the stranger standing before them isn't human at all.

. . .

Mmm do I like this concept? Yes. But at the same time I'm unsure. Does this balance things well? Or did I make him too weak? No idea..

Also that means no hot human Ilian, only some chupacabra aah monster dog 😔 KSNDJDKDM

I mean maybe there could be a compromise to this? Maybe he can shapeshift into his human version but cant disguise himself as others through shapeshifting? Maybe he has to be in his monster form to perform illusions? Or maybe some of his mirages can be physical?

At the same time we are going with monsters/horrors so lol I have no idea