here not

Linguistic Background: The Sumerian language is credited as the oldest documented form of writing and the region from which it originates is frequently referred to as the ‘birthplace of human civilization*’. I have a lot of babbling to do re: Sumerian myths and Touchstarved but for this post I'll stick to translations.

But suffice to say this fits as another piece of the puzzle in my mind. Seems fitting, considering Kuras is…Kuras. Birthdate is literally the first day of the calendar, etc.

Translation-wise, I will start with Aš, as there are fewer meanings to sift through.

[I looked through a few different dictionaries to ensure consistency but for this post I copied from sumerian.org ‘s Sumerian dictionary at https://www.sumerian.org/sumerian.pdf]

aš: one; unique; alone.

aš: spider.

áš: noun, wish; curse [AŠ archaic frequency:] verb, to desire; to curse.

You’ll recall that Mhin said Kuras was a one of a kind, entirely unique. A clue, perhaps?

I think any and all of these meanings could apply to Kuras, but the fact that the word “curse” popped up had me locked in.

Translating “Kur” is a little more difficult. Not that a translation is unavailable, but rather that many translations are available. Notably, however, Kur is the world from the Sumerian Underworld or Netherworld.

kur: n., mountain; highland; (foreign) land; the netherworld (*as in the afterlife–note that this is without connotation of heaven or hell.)

kur: v., to reach, attain; to kindle; to rise (sun). kúr[PAB]: n., stranger; enemy; hostility (from kur,'mountains, foreign land'). v., to be different; to change; to break a seal (often with -da-) (kúr-re in marû). adj., strange, alien; hostile; in the future. ; to turn round, turn into, transform

So, confession time. I dislike Leander. Not in the same way I love to hate Vere, but actually just outright, low-key hate the man. He makes my skin crawl. Don't get me wrong, he's interesting and has a lot more mystery than some of the other LIs, but he just makes me so uncomfortable. I'll have to apologise for the thinly veiled contempt that drips from a lot of words in this post. This isn't a criticism, it's actually a compliment that he makes me that uncomfortable.

I think there's a theory going around that Leander is so obviously shady in the updated demo, continuing into Chp 1 preview, because there were a number of people who didn't pick up on his shadiness in the first demo (I haven't played the original demo so I can't speak to this)? It really is laid on thick, so I know that my skin crawling whenever I talk to him is somewhat intentional.

I don't really get people being annoyed that he's in insta-love with the MC because I think that's the point. He's at the love-bombing stage. If you've listened to as much true crime as I have, people like Leander really do act like this. Granted it's over the span of a few weeks/months, but it really is that quick. It has to be, they can't have their victim thinking too much or questioning too much. Next comes the isolation, which we already see Leander trying to do in the demo by checking if MC has told anyone else about their curse.

I will caveat that and say that I don't know how dark RSS intend to go with some of these routes. I'm presuming there has to be a "good" end with all the routes, at least? Which obviously wouldn't include Leander being an abusive arsehole to the MC. Please don't think I'm trying to offend the many Leander fans out there, I really have just listened to too many true crime podcasts.

##-------------------------------------------------------------------##

Playing along with Leander is fun (although, is the blushing on purpose? Surely the lothario that Leander is implied to be wouldn't be blushing about someone flirting back?), but I like that MC can be kind of a stick in the mud as well? I think that offsets the clear love-bombing a wee bit, and shows us how good with his words Leander is that he can twist even the MC's civil neutrality into something positive.

To me Leander wants the MC to like him because he values "devotion". He's a victim to his own hero complex. People have to choose to want to be associated with him, people have to choose and beg and plead to want to be part of the Cult of Leander, the Adderstones. His insistence on wanting the MC to trust and like him is telling. However, the mask does slip a bit if MC pushes back too much and threatens to leave Eridia in search of a cure elsewhere. MC catches the "sharpness" in his gaze before he makes an attempt to reel them back in.

Leander is quite good in that he seems to know when to lean in and lean away. He's quick to apologise for behaviour he thinks MC will find offensive but yet still push them. Mainly the physical touch thing. MC also appears to be quite happy to get touchy with Leander, although it's mainly holding hands at this point. So far Leander's signs of affection feel the most...innocent/PG (yes, I'm aware of the irony)? I'm not complaining, but it makes me laugh when there's this heavy religious theme surrounding Leander.

##------------------------------------------------------------------##

MC asks Leander a simple question at the café about what age he is. Leander even mentions his childhood visiting said café. So, why doesn't he give MC an actual answer? Why does Vere tell you his age (in so far as he can estimate it) but Leander dodges the question? Isn't Leander meant to be human, therefore has no reason to not be honest about such a simple thing?

This bugged the fuck out of me. Why am I getting more truth from the dangerous Monster than the goodie two-shoes cult-leader? Honestly, Leander makes me love Vere more; at least I know Vere will most likely hurt MC, Leander goes around pretending he won't. Vere doesn't really have an age, just a "emerged from the Shroud-iversary". The so-called human, Leander, can't even give MC an "about X age"?

This does tie into a theory I saw going around, unsure how popular it is, that Leander isn't really human either. I think someone suggested there was some Dorian Gray shenanigans going on. And the thing is there very well could be. Leander refers to the cafe he takes MC to as one of the oldest in Eridia, and he's been going there since he "needed a box to reach the counter". So, Leander has at least been a child in the last few hundred years. And also Kuras mentioning he knew Leander when he was a child doesn't really mean much since Kuras is older than the city himself.

I'm aware that Leander's bio says something about it being 12 years since he left Hightown to go to Lowtown, after "coming of age". Another theory could be reincarnation? He keeps his memories though. I also found it kind of weird that Leander refers to running through the dangerous alleyways of Lowtown as a child, but we know that he grew up in Hightown? This may just be an inconsistency that'll be ironed out in development, but I did think he was trying to rewrite history for the MC. Can't go around admitting to being privileged when you run a cult in a poor area, now, can we?

##--------------------------------------------------------------##

My man, it was quite fucking obvious you were lying about having a lead. And no, you can't "stretch" a truth that you don't have. Vere's better at gaslighting.

##--------------------------------------------------------------------##

I really liked the crossover at the end of his route seeing Mhin and transformed Vere. Although I did see someone somewhere say that because they played Leander's route before Vere's they knew it was Vere that was in MC's room. On one hand I do think that's a problem gameplay wise because Vere's Chp 1 preview relies heavily on not really being certain it's him (as I found out the hard way, or maybe I'm just dumb...it's probably the dumb thing) but that kind of gets broken if you've already seen his monster form in Leander's route. I'm going to assume that might get ironed out during development?

##----------------------------------------------------##

I don't know how I've managed to get this far without referring to the cult. There was something so disturbing about that scene in the Adderstones base. That guy was literally begging to be branded by Leander. And the way Leander forces him onto his knees? Creepy as fuck. How did Leander grow this much of a following though? I understand that he's meant to come across as charming and likeable, but to the extent that people are giving him absolute obedience? I get the feeling he must be an absolute master at manipulation, or is it that Lowtown is just that desperate for someone? He's stepped into the void, like many cult leaders in real life, and arguably has a bit of a head start. Desperate people are more willing to overlook certain unsavoury aspects.

But what's the point in all of this? What's Leander's motivation for being a folk hero and leader of this cult/gang? Is this an army? Does he have plans against the Senobium? I'd argue the Senobium doesn't see him as a threat given that we've not been told they've done anything against him (that we know of), yet they've also not tried to recruit him (edited to add: there's a very helpful comment to a link confirming they have)? If I was the Senobium and someone as talented, well-liked, and vocally against my organisation was running around I'd be trying to recruit him to remove him as a problem. Not that I think he'd agree, obviously, but it'd be interesting to see if they have made any kind of moves for him or they really are that incompetent. Aren't we told that the Senobium removes "dissidents"? And Leander isn't shy or quiet about his dislike of them. I see an assassination attempt on the horizon.

##------------------------------------------------------------------##

How is he going to cure the MC? This is another route where my imagination isn't stretching as far as I want it to. Given my dislike of Leander I do wonder if he's going to try and cure them at all. We know he's a good manipulator, could that involve convincing MC that they don't need "cured", and that they could instead be of help to his cult/Eridia? Essentially doing what the priests in the Unnamed background did? I do love that reference in Chp 1 preview from an Unnamed MC, though, comparing his actions to theirs. His reaction is suitably pathetic.

Leander always has an answer. I do like that MC can call him out, can challenge him, and it fits with his character that he always has a positive spin or a justification. Even villains think they're doing the right thing (not saying he's a villain, though).