Tiamir

Chat I don't think this is just an AU anymore I might just incorporate this dysfunctional family into the canon storyline

Ah'raam is closer to his terran counterpart, Abraham, than Erun is to hers. Just like him, he's an overly ambitious asshole that sees others as either obstacles or tools and does not care about anyone but himself. Only difference is that he's no longer an oligarch owning and entire planet, rather a crusty old man that wants a seat in a crusty old parliament please please can he have it he's asking so nicely!!!

Being unified to a Preserver is great honour that is very rarely done among the Khalai and instead of taking it for the honour it was, he's instead mega mad his wife is seemingly regarded with more respect than he is, given she's a preserver, and is further mad when the unification doesn't seem to boost him up the Judicator political ladder. So he then turns his crusty lil eyes towards his eldest child, Adan, who is meant to be trained into a Preserver as well, and get glory through him

Except that, oopsie poopsie, that doesn't end so well and his child snaps, cuts his cords off and peaces out into god knows where, and he then has to deal with his very very angry wife, who's 1000% ready to gut him after she drags him through mud. And were it not for his cunning nature, she probably would have succeeded

Figuring him out will be a challenge because this man breathes lies and manipulation and...you can't really do that within the Khala. "I love my wife and my kids and care about them deeply and would never manipulate or abuse them" isn't going to fly because everyone else will be able to tell that's bullshit, since there are no lies or blatant deception within the Khala. So I'm thinking how he'd instead spew out a bunch of half-truths or deliberately not tell the whole story of how things went down and very carefully rely on his unified's fragile state of emotion and mind to spin the story further. He manages to clear himself of accusations, painting himself as a strict but loving father who just wanted to push his child to better serve the people and as he goes, he manages to paint Erun as an emotional, hysterical mess that's trying to pin their child's weakness onto him now that he's gone. He manages to stain her reputation significantly during this, further running with his point about the established tradition that Preservers cannot marry or have children or families because something like this always happens. Totally. This is the reason. Trust. Just a mild case of Being A Woman Disease. It is fine though, because in his infinite grace, he's willing to overlook this mess and move past it as if it never happened...

What's a god to do with a rabid dog, too dangerous to let loose, too useful to put down?

Muzzle it.

This is the moment of decision

Every day's a chance to be a righteous man

Now is the time for your salvation

the bells:

What have I been listening to this Friday? Glad you didn’t ask!

1. Judicator - At the Expense of Humanity

U.S. power metal with a decided Blind Guardian influence. Trying to catch up with their catalog ahead of the new album coming out -- *checks notes* -- next week. Well, that’s gonna be a lot of U.S. power metal with a decided Blind Guardian influence for the next week, then, isn’t it.

2. King Crimson - Happy with What You Have to Be Happy With

I mean, it’s late-Belew-period King Crimson, isn’t it. You know what you’re in for.

3. Archers of Loaf - Reason in Decline

Surprised at the low score Reason in Decline’s got at RateYourMusic. I’m enjoying it pretty well so far.

4. Smith/Kotzen - Better Days... and Nights

Even knowing Adrian Smith’s side-band history of AOR and blues, the existence of a bluesy side project Smith started with Richie Kotzen surprises me. So this is another one of those projects which seems to have been forged by cross-pollinating random bands in my music library. But hey, so long as I enjoy them, who cares about the random-feeling factor?

5. Philip Bailey & Phil Collins - “Easy Lover”

Yup.

6. Soft Cell - “Tainted Love/Where Did Our Love Go? (Extended Version/Medley)

Tumblr won’t let me post more than five videos in a single post so you’ll just have to, cough, click a link for this one yourself: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q84psZX6MbA

Recommended soundtrack for: the second issue of Dredd: Final Judgement, when Dredd has to venture into the upside-down Deadworld Mega-CIty One to fight Judge Death. All the low, whole-note synth bass tones in “Where Did Our Love Go?” pretty much just feel like they’d be weird horror music if you cut the main melodies out, anyway, so it’s a surprisingly good fit.

Zekrath

His strange hat is not a hat, but decorated Nerve cords.