development blog for id/ego/superego [ final ]

This started off as an idea for an ooc deer - thanks to ocean, really - but has developed into something...else. I'm not sure what it'll become, to be honest, but I love these characters already. I've been interested in psychology forever and despite Freud's stuff being disproved all the damn time, I still find the idea of Id/Ego/Superego pretty fascinating. In a way, all three of these take inspiration from certain aspects of myself, but they've become something very different to an ooc. Feel free to track, ask questions, or give me information.

Themes

- Freud's Id/Ego/Superego theory
- Relevant zodiac signs and the planets associated with them
- Basic 'evil/neutral/good' hints
- Religious imagery; hell/earth/heaven
- Nightmares/reality/dreams
- Corruption and innocence
- Freedom and restriction
- Masculinity and femininity
- Truth and lies

Although these themes make the characters sound very airy-fairy and unrealistic so far, they are not Gods or spirits and as a result they do have aspects and characteristics that are entirely unrelated to these themes, although many may not be mentioned here.

There is a ridiculous amount of 'hey, look, even this is symbolic!' in here, which makes it all sound kind of...silly. But I do need to note things down somewhere.

The Id Dr. Whisper [ #DEADED ]

DoTD Pelt + Kabuki Mask + Kirin Antlers

The Id goes by the name Dr. Whisper, or simply 'Whisper'. His zodiac sign is Sagittarius, making his associated planet Jupiter.

The image on the left is of course the Id's pictogram, chosen due to its vague similarities to the middle image, which is the sign associated with Jupiter; both of these images are combined in a small scar upon the Id's neck. The right image is the sign of Sagittarius, which appears on the Id as a lilac eye marking.

The Id's colour scheme is very simple; mostly dark, with a few bright splashes. It is obvious that black and grey were chosen to reflect the Id's association with the darker aspects of relevant themes, however the choices of pale lilac and bright orange were made due to the association of those particular colours with the planet Jupiter. The bull-horns were chosen due to the bull's reputation as stubborn, strong and aggressive, as well as determined. The bull, for me personally, conjures up very bestial imagery, which fits this character well.

Sagittarian or Jupiter-related traits present in the Id include ::

- Distaste for restrictions and authority, as well as a strong desire for freedom and exploration.
- Constantly aiming higher, aspiring to better things.
- Reckless; leaves no room in his thoughts for the possibility of failure, and as a result is unprepared when it occurs.
- A liking to alcohol, due to Jupiter's association with the liver coupled with the Id's darker tendencies.
- Distaste for possessiveness and jealousy. He is neither of these things himself and will become upset if others become so with him.

Although the Id represents the 'dark', he is not exactly evil. Yes, he is a highly unpleasant creature very capable of murder, but he would not kill unless he had a personal reason to do so; he does not quite kill for the sake of killing, although is naturally prone to violence, with sadomasochistic tendencies. Many of the Id's sins are driven by his desire to force the Ego to become more like himself, and to drive the Superego away.
To continue the topic of murder, however, the Id has fairly specific ways of killing others should he feel the urge to do so. He does tend to plan his murders, as they are always personal. Previously he has performed quick, clean kills rather than prolonging suffering, although he has exhibited a preference for drowning his victim if he has the means to do so nearby. Afterwards he always, without fail, positions the corpse in a 'natural' pose, preferably away from the place of death, and carves the Sagittarius sign into the backs of their hands. As a deer, of course, this process differs, but he does try to keep it very similar.

The Id claims to come from another land entirely, just as the Superego does. However, he claims that he, unlike the Superego, is merely a slave to his world and did not create it himself - as a result he seeks to be free of its dominion over him. The Id has revealed very little about his world save for this, and it is unclear whether it is a physical place, or a mentality.

The Id has been observed offering 'comfort' to the Ego and does seem to harbour some positive feelings towards her, however this likely only frustrates him further due to his unwillingness to make positive relations; he sees them as a burden that will hinder him in the end.

The Id makes his hatred of the Superego very clear, however, and does not seem to be capable of feeling anything positive towards him at all. He has considered killing the Ego just to destroy the Superego's percieved hopes of 'returning to his world'.

The Ego Ampulse [ #FF8654 ]

Light Realdeer Pelt + Golden Butterfly Mask + Magpie Antlers

The Ego goes by the name Ampulse. Her zodiac sign is Gemini, making her associated planet Mercury. She is the balance between two extremes, the realistic, 'normal' part of the three. However, as the neutrality between Dr. Whisper and Eden, she frequently finds herself under extreme stress and is prone to feelings of helplessness, isolation, and a complete lack of purpose.

Evidently her pictogram was chosen due to its similarities to the Gemini symbol. Her gender also relates to Mercury's symbol, although this was purely coincidental.

Ampulse sees the Id as one half, and the Superego as another, and often finds herself asking the question, 'so what am I?'. She is aware that the Id and Superego are, in the end, a part of her in ways she cannot understand, and that without one, the other two cannot exist. As a result the two's obsession with driving eachother - and the Ego - insane stresses and frustrates her frequently.

She considers herself to be the only sane member of the trio; even Eden, with his illusions of purity, is classed as mentally unstable in her books. A further isolated feeling is caused by the knowledge that although there is a definite duality to the two, as two halves of a whole there is also a singularity which she is not part of.

There is nothing particularly unique about Ampulse's appearance. She is brown, a neutral colour, with splashes of yellow-green (a colour associated with Gemini) in a particular formation on her rear which is of course also symbolic. The tufts of fur on her hind legs are designed to be reminiscent of the messenger god Mercury/Hermes, as of course is her helmet. The wings are attatched to Ampulse's skull and not to the helmet, and although they are feathery there is a particularly sharp prong at the front which runs back along the length of the wings, which is her only means of antler-related defence.

Mercury represents communication, rationality, and education, among other things. These three traits are present in Ampulse's personality. She is not afraid to communicate her feelings and wishes very directly to others, and enjoys listening in return. She is level-headed for the most part and does not leap into a situation without first understanding it. She has an interest in learning and frequently uses the internet in her human life to further understand more about the world, naturally very curious and interested in the way things work.

Gemini-related traits present within Ampulse include ::

- Quick-witted and usually able to fire responses at others; it is rare to strike her speechless.
- Uncomfortable with deep emotional ties
- Curious, exploratory
- Likes to take things apart, then put them together again; both literally and metaphorically
- Excellent at lying
- May appear two-faced or insincere

Ampulse represents the neutral ground between Id and Superego, but she is determined to set herself apart from them. She sees herself as realistic, logical; without the bizarre almost-God-complex that Eden retains, or the murderous tendencies of Dr. Whisper.

Despite her general distaste for both of the others, it is not uncommon for her to take comfort in them; usually a part of either one's plan to turn Ampulse against the other one. She has been known to go to both Id and Superego for guidance, advice, and general reassurance.

The Superego Eden [ #A78770 ]

Devout Pelt + Maskless + Beluga Antlers

The Superego goes by the name Eden. His zodiac is Pisces, making his associated planet Neptune.

His pictogram reminds me very vaguely of a trident, if only due to the three lines in it. Although he is male, he is designed to represent a more feminine side, although this is mostly physical. Eden supposedly represents innocence, and the white contrast to the Id - however, much of this is only in his own view. He can be just as unpleasant as the Id, although usually far more indirect. Pisces is a sign associated with sensitivity and emotion; Eden has a very acute understanding of such matters and as a result can be fairly manipulative, though usually only to those younger and less intelligent than himself.

Pisces is a contradictory sign, with one part always pulling at the other, and vice versa. As a result Eden has a rather contradictory nature; despite his unpleasant characteristics, there are times where he acts very differently, almost...kind in nature, sweet; sensitive to other people's feelings and desires.

As the Superego, Eden is incredibly critical and is constantly seeking to improve, often aspiring to unrealistic heights whereas the Id is aware of what he can and cannot do. When communicating with the Ego, Eden has a tendency to point out Ampulse's flaws and failures, often giving unrealistic advice to try and 'help' the other.

Eden seems to believe that people should not be free to do as they wish; they should pertain to the law and rules set by society, and those who do not do so are, in Eden's eyes, scum. He can become highly upset and distressed when hearing talk of those that have done 'wrong' in his eyes, and often wishes to bring them to justice, though isn't always sure how.

Neptune is associated with the ocean, and the sign of Pisces represents two fish. The spiny fur running from Eden's head down his neck are subtle references to spiny fish, as are the small gills upon his neck. These gills remain tightly closed whilst on land, but can be used to allow him to breathe underwater for some amount of time. His antlers - one of which is broken - resemble tridents.

His colours are blue and black; both associated with either Neptune or Pisces. There is a noticeable tuft of feathers and fur at either shoulder, where Eden claims to have had wings, before they were ripped off by the Id in one of their physical encounters; this is relevant to the theme of angel/devil with the two, although it is not exactly a prominent feature. Eden has also claimed that the Id is the one that tore out his eyes in an attempt to 'blind him from the truth, which failed'.

Neptune is associated with places that offer a recluse from society; among these are hospitals and mental institutions. This is the primary reason for Eden's generally unhealthy, even sick appearance, as well as his bizarre mentality.

The Superego claims to originate from a Heaven that he himself created and 'held dominion over', a world that he seeks to return to. He believes that so long as the Id is alive, he cannot return, and that he must keep the Ego alive in order to go back, too.

Eden also expresses frequent wishes that the Ego become more like him, and ignore the Id's advice. He believes that they are all bound together by the soul, but also believes that the Id must be cut away, disliking his ideas of freedom and lawlessness.

Something to note is that the Superego's most unpleasant traits are generally only shown when interacting with the Id, arguing with the Ego, or interacting with those that are friends with either of the two.

Piscean traits present in the Superego include ::

- Two very different sides, conflicting and contradictory
- Easily influenced
- Indecisive, constantly thinking of consequences
- Lacking in focus
- Gullible, naive
- Willing to believe almost anything, occassionally unable to seperate reality from fantasy
- A certain innocence and sweetness around those he is fond of
- Avoids trouble (if it affects him personally; he is never physically aggressive)

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Finished for now, which means I can finally draw up proper biographies and start playing these guys inforest. I'm not sure if Ampulse and Eden will manage to stay, but I'm quite confident that I'll be keeping Dr. Whisper for some time. I have no other 'dark' characters, really, so this should be an interesting change, even if the forest is overrun with 'dark' characters these days.