#apprentice:nadir

Tagged by: @afacelesswitch (thank you so much dear!! ^^”) 

Warning: Monstrously lengthy post/explanations ahead. Please feel free to blacklist the tag “long post” if the length of such posts proves cumbersome to your dashboard, as this is the tag I will utilize for this post and other future lengthy posts. The blank question template can be found at the bottom of this post. 

• What is their name? Nadir Darvish 

• Who named them? Was it their birth name? Did they choose their own name?

Yes, Nadir Darvish is Nadir’s full birth name; no middle name(s) given. (Middle names are not really a thing in Nadir’s culture). Nadir’s parents specifically wanted their first and only child to have a name that either honored an important aspect of Parzian culture and tradition or was an homage to a renowned monarch in Parzian history, and eventually they decided on the latter. Nadir (Nader) Shah was a king from a former dynasty who was renowned for his ingenuity and acumen, both as a statesman and military general. His military campaigns and exploits during his reign were so great that he has actually been dubbed ‘the second Alexander’ by some historians. Nadir’s parents had been anticipating a male child at first, but then apparently just decided to kinda roll with it after Nadir was born.  

((And yes, I incorporated and recycled bits and pieces of real history and have drawn inspiration from actual events (interwoven with the more fictional and fantasy components) when I initially had jotted down Nadir’s and Parzia’s background/history, e.g. I headcanon that certain real historical figures such as Nader Shah and the forever famed Alexander the Great played a pivotal role in Parzian history, though there are other important political figures (e.g. the most recent king/Parzian shah, Khosrow VI, who are entirely made up). 

Just from the sheer name similarity and background, it may be quite obvious as to which former great empire Parzia is heavily based off of (and is basically the Arcana equivalent of). Though in the world of the Arcana, a direct chronological comparison to the specific real life events cannot be drawn. Given the intentional ambiguity of the Arcana verse and timeline, I have purposely sort of cherry-picked bits and pieces of history involving real classical and influential figures and events (often far-removed from one another chronologically) and combined them with fictional pieces/events I’ve made up to fill the gaps.)) 

• What does their name mean? 

Among the various city-states that Parzia borders and is neighbors with whose denizens also have this name, “Nadir/Nader” has come to mean something along the lines of “rare.” Nadir (Nader) is a name that is not solely or even purely Parzian in origin, as Parzia’s history has also been shaped by and has somewhat absorbed pieces of various other cultures over time due to intermingling, being conquered by, and also having conquered a multitude of other nation-states over time. Though as explained above, Nadir’s parents had originally selected her name as an homage to the famed former monarch “Nadir/Nader Shah” as he is often hailed as one of the most notable and ingenious monarchs in Parzian history. 

Nadir’s surname, “Darvish” (or dervish) is originally derived from the name given to a group of spiritual  and religiously devout mendicants and mystics who purposely chose to live in austerity and took vows of poverty in order to be close to God by leading lives emphasizing virtues, e.g. humility and altruism. Dervishes were prohibited for begging for their own good, rather instead begging for humility and to collect money to give to other poor people. 

Image depiction of a darvish (and general information) credited to the corresponding Wikipedia article page. 

So from this, it could be assumed that possibly some of Nadir’s early ancestors on her father’s side partook in such practices pertaining to this form of mysticism, even though currently her present day family is mostly secular and irreligious. Though as mentioned in an earlier post, Nadir’s family also acknowledges their original ethnoreligious roots. In the Arcana, this is said to be the equivalent of real life Zoroastrianism, with slight influence from other ancestral and religious beliefs that have been passed down over time (e.g. the darvish mysticism that was just discussed in the discussion of Nadir’s surname). This would be logical since Parzia is a nation-state with people of  rich and diverse historical, religious, and cultural backgrounds. 

• Why did you choose that name for your apprentice?

((There are a few reasons for this actually. The mun has a long history of utilizing the word “nadir” in both present and past usernames throughout her lengthy time on the Internet. The very first username being something like “NadirofDark” oh the cringe many years ago as an edgy teen on a now long defunct site, since “nadir” is also used to designate the lowest point of something. I actually believe it was inspired during a point in time in school when we as students were required to memorize lists of higher level vocabulary words in school (and subsequently had vocabulary quizzes/tests), e.g. differentiating between “zenith” and “nadir” ... and for some reason, even many years later, this has just sorta stuck. 

 This eventually evolved into related variants of the original username: nadir-ex-obscurum, then tenebras-autem-nadir, and most currently tenebris-auguratricis-nadir as my main blog)  Though I also have selected name in homage to the actual, real historical figure and king (Nadir/Nader Shah) who existed. So it technically was chosen for a twofold purpose, both as a cultural/historical homage in addition to me just clinging onto a piece of ancient usernames past. When selecting my apprentice’s name, I ultimately decided to just recycle this name for reasons pertaining to cultural familiarity and for sentimental reasons related to my much more ancient history with past Internet usernames.)) 

• Do they have any nicknames or favorite pet names?

Well, I sometimes joke that Asra once or twice called Nadir “Nadi”, but then realized that was already taken due to his shortened, familiar nickname for the Countess, whose name is just a single letter off from Nadir’s own name. Since then, Asra has mainly stuck with calling her by her full name, though they both did find it somewhat humorous at the time it happened.  

More recently though, @plague-doctor-jules Julian has given Nadir the nickname “Zen-zen” (a truncation of the antonym of ‘Nadir’, which is Zenith) in sort of affectionate jest that’s meant to starkly contrast with the “lowest point” generic definition that many initially assume "Nadir” to mean (before they are also informed about the historical and cultural homage reason behind it). 

I tag: @vesuvias-undertaker @sunrisenfool @fadedintheflames @bitters-enthusiast @icedcoffee-and-pumpkinbread @aria-i-adagio @demonteas @ia-bi-tia @apprentice-aquila @secndroute @magicthwink and whoever else sees this and wishes to do it 

Blank Question Template Beneath the Cut: 

____

⚔ FLAWS

moody | short-tempered | emotionally unstable | whiny controlling | conceited | possessive | paranoid | lies impatient | cowardly | bitter | selfish | power-hungry greedy | lazy | judgmental | forgetful | impulsive vengeful | stubborn | sadistic | petty | unlucky

♛ STRENGTHS

honest | trustworthy | thoughtful | caring | brave patient | selfless | ambitious | tolerant | lucky intelligent | confident | focused | humble | generous merciful | observant | wise | clever (situation dependent) | charming* cheerful | optimistic | decisive | adaptive | calm

* for “charming” to elaborate that it’s more of in a ridiculous, clumsy dum-dum, gauche kinda way if that makes sense at least as insinuated by others, e.g. like if one of her little facetious episodes, jokes, antics, etc, ends up backfiring on her or she embarrasses herself in some sort of awkward situation xD 

TAGGED BY: @mnemosys (thank you!!) 

1). go apple picking vs. go on a hay ride 2). scary vs. sweet 3). sweaters vs. boots 4). socks vs. mittens 5). bonfires vs. football 6). trick-or-treating vs. watch scary movies 7). bake pie vs. bake cookies 8). rain vs. fog 9). black cats vs. owls 10). ghosts vs. wizards 11). harry potter vs. Halloweentown 12). go hiking vs. sleep in 13). cinnamon vs. nutmeg 14). reading vs. writing 15). hot chocolate vs. tea 16). live in a cabin in a forest vs. have it be fall 24/7 17). candy apples vs. caramel apples 18). blankets vs. pillows 19). roasted marshmallows vs. roasted chestnuts 20). coffee vs. apple cider 21). red leaves vs. orange leaves 22). braids vs. bows 23). scented candles vs. the smell of fresh baked goods 24). carve pumpkins vs. make pumpkin pie 25). pumpkin spice lattes vs. chai tea lattes 26). coats vs. oversized sweaters 27). beanies vs. berets 28). candy corn vs. peanut butter cups 29). jump in a pile of leaves vs. swing on a tire 30). corn maze vs. haunted house 31). bob for apples vs. visit a pumpkin patch 32). whipped cream on hot chocolate vs. marshmallows on hot chocolate

Tagged by: @your-glowing-guitar-god (thank you!! :) ) 

@aria-i-adagio

send 🤲 for a religious headcanon

Growing up, Nadir wasn’t really raised with any sort of strong affiliation to any religion or particular belief system. Though given the influence of various diverse eras and periods on the setting and timeline of the Arcana universe and her ancestral origins, it’s probably implied that the game equivalent of Zoroastrianism would correspond to hers and her family’s ethnoreligious group. 

However, over the generations, her family has shifted towards being  observant rather than engaging in active prayer and worship at the designated fire temples. Her personal views presently probably lean towards more of a “deist agnostic” and generally secular sort of world view (i.e. basically subscribing to the belief that even if there is a main god/deity out there, that god/deity has taken a step back from intervention in the lives of humans). Though the core tenets of Zoroastrianism (good thoughts, good words, good deeds) still apply and are most definitely values her family has striven to abide by and incorporate into their daily lives.  

driven a car | drive a motorcycle | driven a boat | ridden a bike | ridden a horse | broken a bone | gotten stitches | been hospitalized | had surgery | had a near-death experience |punched someone | stabbed someone | been stabbed | fired a gun |shot someone |killed someone | seen someone die | saved someone’s life | had an attempt made on your life | made an attempt on your own life | been in a fight | started a fight | stolen something valuable | been arrested | been in jail | attended a public school | attended a private school | skipped class | failed a class | graduated high school | graduated college | been on a sports team | kissed someone | had sex | been in love (?) | been heartbroken | broken someone else’s heart | been in a long-term relationship | been married | been divorced | cheated on someone | been cheated on | had a biological child | adopted a child | been a godparent |visited another country | lived in another country | been to disney world | won a competition | flown a plane | had a pet | had a job | been fired | skipped work | set food on fire | set the kitchen on fire | set a house on fire | set themselves on fire | learned a second language | learned a third language | played an instrument | written a poem | written a book |stayed up for 24 hours | had alcohol | been drunk | passed out | smoked a cigarette |done drugs | overdosed | snorted a beverage out of your nose | called someone other than your mother “mom” | called someone other than your father “dad”| called someone the wrong name in bed |sued someone | been sued | been blackmailed | been kidnapped |kidnapped someone |been robbed | robbed someone | been mugged | mugged someone | been in a wedding other than your own | been to a funeral | been in a band | been on stage | been in a movie | been in a play | had a recurring dream | had a recurring nightmare | been brainwashed / hypnotized | been bullied | bullied someone |been tortured | been sexually assaulted | sought revenge | pretended to be someone else | mismatched socks on purpose

Tagged by: @plague-doctor-jules (thank you so much! :3) 

——————      REPOST   ,   DON’T REBLOG.

——————      BOLD WHATEVER APPLIES

BROTHERS KARAMAZOV   :   orthodox monasteries   ,   deep woods  ,   starry nights   ,   the sound of paper being torn   ,   dimly lit rooms   ,   withered roses   ,   an unfinished letter  ,   piles of books   ,   the sound of shattering glass  ,   ticking of clocks in a silent house   ,   heavy wooden furniture   ,  the air before a storm   ,  the smell of earth  ,   a crowd of people dressed in black   ,   distant murmurs   ,   emptied streets ,   the fear of walking alone in dusk.

CRIME AND PUNISHMENT   :   coldness of the skin against a blade  ,   slender pale fingers  &   slightly shaking hands   ,   a red stain blooming on white fabric   ,   lonely steps in a corridor   ,   the slow dripping of water   ,   looking out of the window into the thickening darkness  ,   a single dying candle on the table  ,   listening to one’s breath   &   counting heartbeats   ,   too many stairs   ,   the desire to be invisible   ,   a subtle memory of kind word.

THE IDIOT   :   classical statues   ,   wealth covered with dust  ,  a dark house tainted with inherited madness   ,  an unsettling feeling ,   long walks in a park  ,   useless chatter   ,  a silken ribbon forgotten on a bench   ,   a melancholic face  ,   an unexpected spring rain   ,   the joy of reading one’s favorite book  ,  the clarity of mind after fully perceiving the world around ,   looking at cloudless sky.

ANNA KARENINA :   fields of crops  ,   flowers brought from an early morning walk  ,   the wind caressing a girl’s hair   ,   a bowl of fruit   ,   the smell of ripe pears  ,   the clatter of a spoon against porcelain when stirring tea  ,   children’s laughter coming from the garden   ,   soft sunlight   &   white curtains   ,   the sensation of velvet against skin  ,   pearls from a ripped necklace spilling on marble floor   ,   a sudden silence in a room full of people.

WAR AND PEACE   :   a glass of wine   ,   the brightness of  a crystal chandelier   ,   white lace ,   a raging snow storm  ,   the sound of a door being gently closed ,   the moment of holding one’s breath before walking in a ball room   ,   indulging in looking at a beautiful earring against light   ,   closing one’s eyes for a moment while dancing   ,   the sweet smell of strawberries ,   a pair of gloves left on an armchair ,   light scent of powder.

THE MASTER AND MARGARITA   :   the chaos of a lively city   ,   ambient jazz in expensive restaurants   ,   jumping on a moving tram   ,   the sight of moscow from the roof of a house   ,   yellow flowers in a vase  ,   leaning out of the window   ,   shelves stacked with books  ,   a small tin box with old photographs  ,   strange shapes in the night sky   ,   laughing in the middle of the night on a balcony ,   colorful posters for a surreptitious magician’s show floating in the wind.

EUGENE ONEGIN   :   a lonely mansion   ,   reading a book in the parlor  ,   faint piano melody lingering in falling silence   ,   long evenings , passing seasons   ,   discussing french novels of the moment   , unspoken thoughts   ,   leaning against the door frame   ,   quickly averted glance   ,   eating a peach absent-minded   ,   bright mornings   ,  footprints in snow   ,   a loud gun-shot terrifying a flock of birds nearby.

FATHERS AND SONS   :   birch groves  ,   morning mist ,   moss-covered stones near a moor   ,   scientific books   ,   white roses   ,  cheap champagne   ,   shabby pocket-watch   ,   light-hearted irony  ,   a maladroit cello sonata  ,    freshly mowed grass   ,   leaving thoughts come   &   go  ,   a slow yawn   ,   picturesque plates   &   bowls filled with traditional dishes   ,  drinking tea on the porch.

DOCTOR ZHIVAGO   :   a strange feeling of loss   ,   writing poems in a diary   ,   traveling by train   ,   the hesitation before touching someone’s hand   , the gaze of one lost in thought   ,   the warmth of cinnamon  ,   a scarf brightly embellished with flowers   ,   a glass of water   ,   a threadbare jacket   , the tempting void ,   the evanescent serenity of yesterday.

CHERRY ORCHARD   :   a lone chair in an empty room   ,   falling blossoms  ,   old samovar   ,   the unsettling need for change   ,   a mirror reflecting full moon   ,   the disappointment of a glossy object turning worthless after second glance   ,   a piano out of tune.

TAGGED BY:  @your-dark-magic-man-mysterio

@your-dark-magic-man-mysterio​  (@plague-doctor-jules)

Warning: Monstrously lengthy post beyond this point 

send 🍯 for a food headcanon

Nadir is quite fond of a number of dishes from her original homeland, shown below: 

Koofteh (Parzian meatballs)

Ghormeh sabzi (Parzian herb stew)

Fesenjan (Parzian pomegranate chicken stew w/ walnut sauce) 

Salad Olivieh (Olivier Salad, consists of sliced potatoes, peas, onions, chicken, boiled eggs, etc.) 

She is also fond of dishes from other lands, e.g. beef stroganoff, dolmas (dolmeh), and especially loves almost all vegetables. With certain dishes, particularly Parzian ones, radishes, onions (especially scallions/green onions), parsley, basil, mint, and cilantro tend to complement the food quite well. 

send🥛for a drink headcanon

Nadir typically imbibes water, tea, and sometimes milk and stays away from sugary or processed drinks the majority of the time. And of course a couple of cups of coffee in order to remain alert and awake throughout the day as she tends to the shop’s affairs. Other than that, she really doesn’t drink much else. She actually absolutely despises the taste of coffee, for whatever reason it is just too bitter and nasty to her taste buds; she views coffee as something of a “necessary evil” in order to make it through the day since the caffeine content in tea is too small in comparison to actually do much for her. 

In addition, dealing with GERD and bouts of gastritis and having the gnawing stomach acidity associated with these conditions only exacerbated by coffee is another reason for her disdain for coffee, aside from the bitter taste. On some occasions, she especially enjoys a Parzian fizzy yogurt drink called doogh, which originated in Parzia and is comprised of yogurt, carbonated water, and salt with a soupcon of mint flavor. 

send 🦄 for a physical health headcanon

((Already answered here! :) ))

send 💕 for a love headcanon

Nadir has absolutely zero experience in this department, unless we are also including familial love which is heavily expressed and emphasized in her culture. Especially since she was raised as an only child, Nadir received the undivided attention and love of both of her parents, and the tightly-knit unit of three were/are very close to one another, along with her grandparents. Growing up quite accustomed to and comfortable with living in an inter-generational household, she would be absolutely devastated if anything happened to her mother, father, or grandparents. 

In terms of romantic love, Nadir has truthfully never been in any relationship, and as such she feels pretty much clueless to the real-life ‘lovey-dovey’ aspects and the experience of the romantic relationship outside of what she’s perhaps read in past novels and/or plays. In the rare event someone happens to ‘flirt’ with her, a lot of the time she may be completely oblivious to it. Or if she does catch on to it, her awkward duckling turtle self will suddenly kick in and she’ll wind up stuttering and muttering some incoherent response before quickly attempting to change the subject to something else.

@apprentice-aquila

send 🍬 for a family headcanon

Before setting off for Vesuvia to embark on her medical apprenticeship that she applied for (after having sent multiple applications and receiving her first acceptance from Dr. Devorak), Nadir stayed with her family all throughout her primary, secondary, and higher (university) educational years. Her family was her main source of comfort during those years, as her generally awkward and studious, recluse nature at times made her the subject of speculation and rumors at her old schools.

Not to mention that she occasionally had to put up with the sophomoric antics and jeering of those who didn’t truly know her and viewed her generally distant demeanor and eagerness to learn and answer questions in class as more fodder with which to engage in their tedious teasing. When Nadir really had no one else to turn to in school for solace or comfort, her mother and father were always there for her to encourage her and remind her to stand up for herself more. They consistently would remind to not be ashamed of who she was and that she was not obligated to conform in order to be more in line with her peers.

Nadir’s father worked/works diligently as a scribe and notary for the Shah (king) of Parzia, and her mother is a homemaker. Nadir’s parents placed a significant emphasis on her schooling and education, and as such expected her to do her very best to excel in all school subjects. They also tend to be overly protective to the point that they originally had expressed dismay and extreme reluctance when Nadir first told them that she’d be studying abroad in Vesuvia for the new medical apprenticeship position she’d been accepted into under Dr. Devorak. Since it would be the first time that the close-knit family of three would be apart for presumably significant stretches of time. 

send 🐢 for a mental health headcanon

One thing becomes evident to others who befriend or come to know her after observing her mannerisms and general avoidance of certain things and situations over time. Nadir has general anxiety (which is to a degree also relevant to and ultimately rooted in OCD), and at times finds herself fretting excessively over whether she has offended someone, trying too hard to be palatable to to others, others’ overall perception/opinions of her, etc. In many ways, it has proved to be a considerable hindrance in terms of summoning the courage and confidence to seek out new opportunities and form new and meaningful relationships with new people (though she still tends to be reluctant to openly acknowledge and admit this).