Catto✿

This time I'm bringing something much needed for all those who play inside the Cheritzverse. A relationship chart with explanations included.

Some of these are things that are included in a single line sometimes in a different game or a thing that apparently holds no connection but it does have one. It took me some time to find these and there are so many that I'm gonna create several posts explaining these with proof/screenshots included if the collages are not enough. But for now~ the basics.

Remember that this might contain spoilers from all the games: Dandelion, Nameless, Mystic Messenger & The Ssum.

For those who have yet to play Dandelion, you'll miss this reference. But it might also explain why people thought Henri's route ended up so abruptly and that you needed more. Sadly~ that's Dandelion style. You won't know more. Although if we beg and beg~ maybe?

This post is a call Henri made to us, around Day 26?? The pictures are in order. But it contains some spoilers from Dandelion I think? So you've been warned:

♡ One of the guests called "Naming" (I wonder if that's a reference for Nameless?) asks you for a name, for a bunny. The answer? Jihae. There's also a small reference to "gaming" and "drawing" inside the last email you send to him.

♡ Inside the Common Album, there's a picture of Dandelion and Heejung. Though I don't remember the context or how this picture arrived to my gallery?

♡ You can see Jiyeon in a catnip ad of the Common Album.

* This is only to show the dates and the way all this is linked (the information is already established through these games, so I'm only keeping track of what they say but not if the game is in a different Timeline, or Space, for more on this topic please check out my Beyond The Planets post *currently working on it and soon will drop the link*)

If anyone has different ideas, is welcomed to share those by reblogging it. Screenshots and evidence will be necessary to be credited.

It is said during Mystic Messenger that Zen has been without a girlfriend for 5 years. The Ssum (Teo route) says that Zen was your ex boyfriend, however Jaehee barely started to work for Jumin during this TL and Elizabeth the 3rd escaped for Teo to take care of her during one day. I believe that even though it's implied that Jumin Han was the owner, he was not yet officially the owner of the cat.

Mint Eye makes several attempts to drag Teo.

If we take Mystic Messenger and The Ssum work together, Zen definitely was our ex boyfriend before Mystic Messenger. For those who don't understand why he doesn't remember us, it's implied during Epiphany (Zen's DLC, April Fools Day) that he was trapped inside.

Then several chat rooms and calls during Casual and Deep Story suggest that Zen does remember but only certain parts and that he only remembers everything by the time MC has picked a LI which makes it impossible for him to butt in, so instead he tries to steer things in the right direction for us to have a happy ending. An example of this~ a call with Zen before things started to get serious with Jumin, said that he dreamt of us being trapped inside a cage.

^^;; please don't mind my wall~ i'm painting behind and that's why it looks a bit weird. Now let's make a close up~

Slightly mentioning Unicorn Drugs because I'm working on tracking the drugs they give to us or to the LIs.

Theories on why probably June's wasn't mentioned before:

1. His condition and S.Korean society around these topics.

2. Possible death.

3. On a more cheerful note, he probably is still alive but people don't talk about him because of how that affects Jumin Han and Chairman Han reputation. And of course, the C&R. Considering it, it would make sense too~

Take it with grain of salt but ^^;; June's father was a singer.

Heejung's father escaped with an artist, and young woman. Dandelion.

Carolyn (Jumin's and June's mom) was said to be an artist, singer? She had an affair with June's father, abandoned Jumin's and Chairman Han, tried to make June look like he was Chairman's son but ended up divorcing him and marrying June's dad. The Ssum.

In the end I don't think any of these events are mutually exclusive but inclusive. And if things don't make sense yet, don't worry, I'm covering a relationship chart soon~

So, Harry knows Seven. June and Jumin are half-brothers. June and Henri know each other. Henri hates Jumin but works for him lol and Henri's dad works for Chairman Han. Yeah all this is connected in a way or another.

To understand why I'm talking about Another Story as Part 1 and Part 2~ you guys need to check out my Mystic Messenger TL.

BTW~ I'm suspecting a connection between Harry (since his parents are basically bullies and kind of gangsta and laundering money through art~) V, Jumin and Rika. All through The Muse collection *working on this*

Like I said to @cherrychipheart once, looking at the background of Dandelion, I could see some V pictures behind the gallery where Heejung works. So this is a personal theory I have but~ I believe that The Ssum is the story of MC before disappearing, cause she's being captured for Mint Eye. TBH after playing Dandelion I have trust issues with every character within the Cheritzverse lol

And I have yet to finish it ╥﹏╥

There's a full moon behind Saeran and MC pic too~

How come the Angel has chosen the moon as his symbol? And why Harry placed a moon on his profile picture right after we broke up? Does anyone remembers the Angel call before that day? He was basically calling us and being all scary in a similar style to Unknown. Does any of this sounds more like The Wizard than Unknown? Because it does to me. But that's for another topic. Yes, I'm already onto "The Angel" and working full time on it.

In one of my last posts I explained what a Name is, what I did not explain because I was leaving it for another time, was the soul. In my defense I thought it was not a concept to be explained in depth, but as I checked out xXxHolic again I realized of my mistake. It is indeed a concept I need to explain because for starters, it differs from one culture to another~ and secondly, the soul is linked as a concep to dolls and eyes, which is why the post will delve into it as well. So let's start!

What's a soul? The concept is vague and long at most but I'll leave you something in the links for you to read and I'll focus on the basics:

A soul it's a spiritual or immaterial part of a human being or animal, regarded as immortal.~ Google

You got that? Cool, neither did I lol luckily for us then they put this as an example, "they believe death is just one step in a soul's journey through the universe"

and complete with:

a person's moral or emotional nature or sense of identity.

Sense of identity. Name. Which make us come back to it in a sense. But not quite. Hold on.

If you give someone your name, they can take your soul. If you give them your birthday, they can control your life."

~ Ichihara Yuuko, CLAMP

There's a concept of a person's name being linked to their soul or identity. And is a belief deeply rooted in many cultures and spiritual traditions around the world. This is because a name is more than just a label; it is a unique identifier that carries a person's essence, their spirit, or even a piece of their soul.

In Egyptian mythology, the name was considered a powerful part of the afterlife. The Ka, or spiritual double, was often associated with the name. The Hebrew Bible often emphasizes the significance of names. For instance, names were changed to reflect a new identity or destiny. Many Native American traditions believe that a person's name holds spiritual power and is connected to their life path.

Some astrological traditions believe that a person's name is connected to their birth chart and influences their personality. While many spiritual practices emphasize the importance of a person's name as a symbol of their identity and connection to the divine. In numerology (The study of numbers and their meanings) often associates a person's name with their character and destiny.

And as I explained in my other post, names do hold a lot of power within fairy folklore. You can be controlled or control someone's over a name, and even bargain something over. So, yes, the belief that a person's name holds power is not only rooted in ancient cultures and spiritual traditions but also in the magical world of fairies.

One thing to notice is that the concept changes in XxXHolic, as Yuuko does not takes possession over someone's life but someone's dearest habit, or something they really are fond of, it can be a laptop, a sword, or blood. Anything but their life. Because life it's very precious and very difficult to pay back, and in terms of balance, and karmic laws, it would take a real toll, so she definitely tries to avoid it. This is why some people think she plays human chess when in truth all she does is placing responsibilities where they need to be.

Dolls

Dolls were used as playthings back in the day too but they also had another connotation~ and they were used in ceremonials. So in some cultures people ended up believing that a doll is or was like an empty vessel where some "souls" end up residing.

Animism would be one of this, a belief that inanimate objects have a spiritual or supernatural essence. This can lead to the idea that dolls, as objects created by humans, can be imbued with life or spirit.

So dolls, especially old or unusual ones, can be seen as mysterious or unsettling. This can create a sense of unease or fear, which may be attributed to the presence of a supernatural entity. Children imagination can also help to keep these ideas running, my mom tells me that when she was a kid there was a song about dolls coming back to life and she often recalls how scared she was. Even now lol I had to create an account on Reddit because my friend wouldn't, as she was really embarrassed about it, and wanted to ask about a doll, and the answers people gave to me were really funny because they really thought the doll could have been something demonic. So all this can contribute to the idea that dolls can be inhabited by spirits or souls.

And even though there's no scientific evidence to support these beliefs, many cultures have folklore or superstitions about dolls being haunted or cursed. These stories can reinforce the belief that dolls can be inhabited by supernatural entities.

Another big one related to this is hoodoo. And yes, they are related. In a way at least. While I'm not gonna talk a lot about it here's a rundown:

Animism is the belief that inanimate objects, such as plants, animals, inanimate objects, and even natural phenomena, possess a spiritual or supernatural essence. It's a widespread belief found in many indigenous cultures around the world.

Hoodoo is a form of African American folk magic that incorporates elements of various spiritual traditions, including those of West Africa, Native American, and European cultures. While Hoodoo has its own unique practices and beliefs, it often incorporates animistic principles. Both traditions emphasize the importance of honoring ancestors and connecting with the spiritual world. Talismans and charms are often used in both animism and Hoodoo to protect against evil or attract good fortune. These objects are believed to contain the spiritual power of the materials used to create them.

Hoodoo practitioners may use a person's name in spells or rituals to influence their life or behavior. This reflects the belief that a person's name is connected to their spiritual essence. While Hoodoo is a complex tradition with its own unique practices and beliefs, its roots in animism and other spiritual traditions are evident. The belief in the spiritual power of nature and the interconnectedness of all things is a central theme in both animism and Hoodoo.

So why am I talking about this? Because Animism and Hoodoo do have connections to names and souls.

Names are identifiers of spiritual essence: In many cultures, a person's name is seen as a powerful identifier of their spiritual essence or soul. This belief is often found in animistic traditions, where names are believed to have a spiritual significance.

gif by @akuman0mi

Using a name is giving power to it. This is especially true when we talk about hoodoo practice although not exclusive of it. So as you can see while the specific practices and beliefs may vary, the connections between names, souls, and spiritual traditions like animism and hoodoo are evident. These concepts often intersect in ways that reflect the belief in the power of the human spirit and the interconnectedness of all things.

Possession of the Doll/Player

The following is not really mine but more a mix of ideas from the video I have left to you in the links for you in case you're interested, along with some of my thoughts.

One of the first things I noticed when watching this video is how the bad endings on Cheritz do talk about Anxious Attachment a lot. From the perspective of the player becoming exactly what Coraline should avoid, a poppet, a doll. Like, the Doll in Neil Gaiman's Coraline serves as a symbol of the protagonist's journey into the Other World, a twisted reflection of her own reality. And that is exactly what MC is to us players. MC is our doll. It's funny because I have talked to some of my friends who even knowing this, and knowing it is a bad ending, knowing the psychological connotations behind all this, they still choose to have buttons for eyes and become a doll for Jumin or V for example.

I was astounded at first and I did tried to correct them but I remember there's a quote from Yuuko Ichihara that says:

People can wish for anything. Happiness or unhappiness. No matter what kind of choice you made, it was the result you chose... as long as you're not regretting the result, it is all right.

So in the end these attachment styles are actually a thing I have observed in many people so I don't think it's all bad to take a moment and put it here.

Why? What does it has to do with anything in the Cheritzverse? And more specifically, because this was not supposed to be an analysis, right? What does it has to do with Souls? Names and Eyes? Or Dolls?

Well~ if you put the video on the minute 26:17 you're gonna have the answer right away. But I'm gonna type it here too for the sake of consistency lol although I do invite you to watch it all because it's a great input not only on Coraline but on many other aspects.

Possession as motif. Not being loved:

Because, possession is not love. Possession is not a relationship. It's not an interaction of two different people where they can challenge you or push you or have disagreements.

Possession is only to have a thing. To hold. And to keep it still. And to STOP it from EVER leaving their side. It takes away the power.

But you cannot manufacture engagement.

This does reminds me a bit of Labyrinth speech when Sarah takes her brother back from the King of the Goblins, and she says, you have no power over me.

Because through the whole movie we have been led to think Jareth, in Labyrinth or The Other Mother in Coraline, love them more, more than anything, even more than their own parents. That's crazy! But because they give them everything they, Sarah and Coraline want, we think as they want us to think.

Why would anybody give you so many wonderful things unless they did care about you?

And as you can see this is why I decided to leave the quotes. Because it does talks about us as players, and also MC as character. In Coraline, the Doll can be considered as a doppelganger, that mirrors her appearance but lacks her essence. Or even as a symbol of the soul: This represents the idea that while the body can be replicated, the soul, or the unique essence of a person, cannot.

And to have your soul is what they want. All of them. This is why I have a weird feeling around the Cheritzverse, because I think there's a lot of eerie similarities between Coraline and The Cheritz games

image found on Pinterest

The idea of Dolls coming to life in Nameless while it's appealing to a certain degree, it's also creepy when they take care of our protagonist because it might also seem the other way around. After all, like a Queen Bee, our MC is unaware to be trapped, because of how much power it seems to have, so they do not seem to understand that the colony might change of mind at any given time. In both, Coraline and Nameless, the dolls play a significant role. Although the poppet feeling will not leave the player shall this pay attention. And Mystic Messenger is not shying away from it either. For starters, the MC has no eyes. Has no name either. And no memories. In several of the bad endings we get stripped from our power. Wether it's by drugs, or by the guys making us prisoners. Well, making the MC, prisoner. Not us, not exactly. And according to some parts of the games, they know this. I mean they even break the 4th wall, in an attempt to reach us, the real player. We're gonna get there, because this has a reason, I just need another post for that.

The Ssum has basically no MC at all. And by that I mean, the 5 choices are never truly displayed. So the identity is never mistaken. It's us. We're even given enough choices to go along with our own weather, and at several points, it's said that we're not even in the same dimension. So the choices mark a true difference between the world they are and ours, making it even more difficult, not to mention outright impossible for us to meet. The supernatural element is always present. The Angel is nothing more than an addendum.

In Coraline, the doll acts as a gateway to the Other World. But if you think Coraline is the only one with a similar thematic, it's not. Even though not quite the same, The Velveteen Rabbit and Pinocchio offer similar ideas for when we talk about poppets and dolls. It is the idea of being loved vs. the idea of being possessed. Being real, does not equals that, because, as it's said in the quote, possession, it's not the same, if you cannot talk back, argue, have disagreements over...

One of the things I don't think people understand enough about disagreements, it's that, conflict, disagreements, not being in your comfort zone, pushing each other, it's what makes you grow. Now, there are differences between doing it in a healthy way, and doing it just for the sake of bullying someone. But when it's done in a certain way, it's amazing. I'm gonna leave the TED talk about that cause it seriously changed my perspective. Even though it dereails on the topic, lol I'm sorry. Anyways back to the topic~

In some traditions, fairies are seen as guardians of souls or intermediaries between the human world and the spiritual realm. They may be responsible for guiding souls to the afterlife or protecting them from evil spirits.

Souls are after all the essence of a person, the core of a person's being, their unique identity. Which is why when a fairy gains control over a person's name, they may be seen as gaining influence over their soul or essence. (After all I already said that fairies do not have the same concepts as us humans~)

IMHO It is because they feel seen. They feel real. They feel valid, that, Coraline is able to defeat The Other Mother. The Velveteen Rabbit becomes an actual rabbit and Pinocchio comes back, saves his father and all the things that could have ended up in a catastrophic way, end up well. If you still don't understand, the karmical laws are interconnectedness, and creating your own reality. Although you can only create your own reality so far, because of interdependence and interconnectedness. Talking about that~

The Eyes: Windows to the Soul

What is the connection between soul and eyes? Some people believe there's power in the eyes, as in magic powers that you can store in them. See Fye and Syaoran as reference.

The belief that the eyes hold power or are connected to the soul is a concept deeply rooted in many cultures and spiritual traditions.

This idea often comes from believing the eyes are reflection or windows of the Soul. Sometimes called mirrors. They are believed to reflect a person's inner thoughts, emotions, and character. In Jane Austen's era there was a lot of hype for countenance. Which in a way can be also applied to this. (I left a video on the links section in case you're interested, but by context it's easy to understand too~) As the eyes are our first tool when expressing emotions, conveying joy, sadness, anger, and love. This connection between emotions and the eyes could reinforce the idea that they are windows to the soul. Moreover in some spiritual traditions, the eyes are believed to be centers of spiritual energy or power. This energy can be used for various purposes, such as healing, divination, or influencing others.

Some cultures, believed the eyes are/were seen as a direct connection to the divine or a higher power. Which can give the eyes a mystical or sacred quality. In that same context many cultures have beliefs about the evil eye, a malevolent gaze that can cause harm or misfortune. Back in the day "witches" and "wizards" were burnt for it. Since hypnosis and mesmerism often involved intense eye contact, it was suggested that the eyes can exert influence over others. And while there is no scientific evidence to support the idea that the eyes possess magical or supernatural powers, one does wonder why precisely the eyes was the foundation for Rika's Cult, or the reason behind the attack towards V's eyes. Especially when it's connected to more poignant clues as it is his birthday flower, or his attacks towards the RFA~

On the other side of the coin we have MC/Player in MM who has been stripped of her own eyes unlike in Nameless and Dandelion.

Take as an example, Coraline. When Beldam demands that Coraline replace her own eyes with her doll's buttons. The act would leave Coraline unable to leave the Other World, stripping away Coraline's freedom, unique identity and connection to the real world. Coraline's refusal to give up her eyes signifies her resistance to the Beldam's control and her determination to maintain her true self. The eyes, as the windows to the soul, represent her individuality and her ability to make choices. Ability that our MC, lacks of. 606.

The Eyes are a symbol of identity and connection, the fact that our MC is depicted without eyes can be interpreted as a symbol of vulnerability, dependence on others, and a lack of control over one's own destiny. And in a way it is. Her destiny is always reliant on the choices we players make. The fact that she lacks of memories could be seen as a similar symbol of loss of control and identity to Bedlam's attempts of controlling Coraline.

The doll, the soul, and eyes are interconnected as symbols through several stories, that explore the themes of identity, choice, and the dangers of temptation and the ability to resist to those and to stay true to oneself it's something we need to keep practicing but, ultimately the choice is ours.

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Links:

♡ Soul

♡ Full concept of Soul according to egyptians

♡ Dolls - Wiki

♡ Animism

♡ Hoodoo

♡ Sympathetic Magic

♡ Gris-Gris

♡ Nkondi

♡ Annabelle

♡ Why Magic Matters

♡ Beauty of Conflict

♡ The Velveteen Rabbit

♡ Countenance

♡ For Women, Against Women: An Argumentative Essay About The Ssum's Failure

♡ Coraline Attachment Theory (Video)

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Credits to:

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Hi! I was decluttering my craft corner today (Halloween is soon approaching!!) and I still have a lot of left over keychains and prints from my Nameless lineup from... 2 years. Time flies I guess!

Anyways, I was curious if anyone would be interested in receiving any of these for just the shipping price. So, all you would have to pay is shipping. I was just going to throw them out otherwise, so I figured I may as well ask before I just dumped them all out! Here are some examples from the listing forever ago for reference.

If you're interested, please message me, I think I'll keep this up for maybe a week! I only have one of the carousel print, but everything else I have multiples of.

If you want the lance sticker by the way, I can print some out to add to a package! These are all under my old pen name too, just a heads-up.

Just because it's fan content please don't throw them away :( I will literally take all of it if you don't want any anymore