Line #197 WebOriginal/TheArknMythos


1	[[quoteright:266:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/arknlogo_2.jpg]]
2	''The Arkn Mythos'' is a web-based UrbanFantasy franchise. A SpiritualSuccessor (of sorts) to Franchise/TheSlenderManMythos and Franchise/TheFearMythos, it began circa 2014 as a collection of independent projects from web content creators [=DeathlyLogic=], [=TypeONegative=], and [=Huntzilla=]. With the help of a few friends, the three creators incorporated various ideas and concepts from the projects, and eventually formed a cohesive mythology that served as the basis for the Arkn Mythos. What started as a community of loosely-connected vlogs and blogs has evolved into a complex [[TheMultiverse multiverse]], featuring four distinct continuities, countless offshoots, a multitude of interconnected plots, and content that spans vlogs, blogs, short stories, a short film, animated shorts, audio logs, and even electronic music.
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4	Set in both [[DarkFantasy fantasy realms]] and the [[UrbanFantasy modern human world]], the Arkn Mythos revolves around the relationship (typically a ForeverWar) between two powerful races of beings: the angel-like [[OurAngelsAreDifferent Arkn]], andwho possess [[FunctionalMagic magic powers]], and their demon-esque counterparts the [[OurDemonsAreDifferent Dekn]], who have PsychicPowers. The franchise follows the two races through multiple universes, detailing their conflicts, the events that spawn and shape them, the deities who influence these events, and the various other beings and entities that get pulled in -- particularly the human race, who unfortunately always seem to be in the middle of it all.
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6	Content in [[TheVerse The Arkn Mythos]] can be divided into two canon and three non-canon areas of creativity:
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8	[[index]]
9	* ''[[WebOriginal/ArknLegacy Arkn: Legacy]]''.[[note]] The current open source community in the franchise, set in Universe X. Focuses on the Arkn-Dekn conflict, as well as both species' relationships with humanity (ranging from InterSpeciesRomance to [[WainscotSociety Dekn and Arkm-human corporations]])[[/note]]
10	* ''[[WebOriginal/ArknUnity Arkn: Unity]]''. [[note]] A 2020 reboot of The Arknverse (see below), intended to provide a complete, canon prequel for Universe X.[[/note]]
11	* ''[[WebOriginal/TheArknverse The Arknverse]]''.[[note]] A.k.a. Arknverse A. The first established continuity in the franchise. Formerly known as Universe A, it contains stories revolving around the Arkn-Dekn Wars, .Reality, and the Arknangels. After being closed source since December 2018, it was officially decanonized in 2020.[[/note]]
12	* ''[[WebOriginal/ArknEternal Arkn: Eternal]]''.[[note]]An orphaned SpinOff of The Arknverse. Centers around Universe E, an AlternateUniverse version of Arknverse A created by the manipulation of time and the alteration of key events. Currently closed source.[[/note]]
13	* ''[[WebOriginal/TheArknMythosExtendedUniverse The Arkn Mythos Alterverse/Extended Universe]]''.[[note]] Unofficially known as "Universe F". The home of work that is non-canon to its 'verse, as well as work based on the lore of the Arkn Mythos (including fan-made content).[[/note]]
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15	[[/index]]
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17	The official wiki for the Arkn Mythos can be found [[http://thearknmythos.wikia.com/wiki/The_Arkn_Mythos_Wiki here]].
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19	!The Arkn Mythos franchise provides examples of:
20	[[foldercontrol]]
21
22	[[folder:A-I]]
23	* ActionGirl: In ''Arknverse'', Seraphina, Ambriel, and Phobos all qualify (being a Valk, a MagicalGirlWarrior/ LadyOfWar, and the head of the Paradisium army, respectively).
24	** The same applies to Ambriel and Phobos in ''Unity''.
25	* AllThereInTheManual: The official wiki reveals a great deal of information pertaining to Arknverse A, Universe A, and Universe X -- the [[CreationStory creation of the two universes]], character backstories, various plot points -- that is left unstated (or unexplained) in-universe.
26	** The [[https://thearknmythos.wikia.com/wiki/Category:Lore "Lore" tag]] likewise contains canon information that never made it into any of the canon works.
27	** A great deal of unspoken information about the plot arcs, characters, and TheVerse in general has been revealed by [[WordOfGod the creators]] (usually via their tumblr blogs, during livestreams, and in [[WordOfGod personal interviews]]).
28	* AIIsACrapshoot: .Reality manages to subvert this, for the most part: despite being an incredibly powerful, ''living'' program, the system generally functions as intended (save for a few hiccups -- all of which are caused by invasive forces).
29	** Played straight with Project Entropy (Arknverse A). The Entropy machine was created as a duplicate of .Reality for the Arkn to live in, separating them from the Dekn once and for all. The program's engineers were forced to activate it before it was completed; in its unfinished state, Entropy connected to the existing .Reality and overloaded the system, causing a shutdown. Entropy interpreted this as an "error" and attempted to fix it — resulting in a cataclysmic anomaly called a Red Nova that caused the fabric of the entire universe to splinter into ragged fragments.
30	*** [[FromBadToWorse It got worse.]] The engineers reprogrammed the system (now renamed "Voidweb") to repair the damage it had caused by "reconnecting" the separated fragments of the universe. The end result? A cybernetic BlobMonster that "connects" all living things by [[TheAssimilator assimilating]] them into a HiveMind. The system is forever expanding; the machine that spawned it, powered by the blood of the Hethe themselves. Yes, that's right: ''even the gods are powerless against it.''
31	* AlternateSelf: All the human characters of Arknverse A have countless variations of themselves existing throughout the timelines of .Reality. Many of them are nearly identical to the "primary" characters we know -- with a few minor differences. Has [[AlternateSelf/TheArknverse its own page]].
32	** In ''Legacy'', Franz Faust, under Redgrave's tutelage, learns of the existence of [[https://archives-of-the-scholar.tumblr.com/post/668052031954649088/there-are-other-worlds-out-there other worlds]] beyond the known universe -- and other people who wear his face. Understandably, [[TheseAreThingsManWasNotMeantToKnow he's rather shaken]].
33	--->"Who knows what kind of people could lie beyond this Veil that guards this realm? Who knows what kind of threats could come from there? What sort of people hold my face, how alike or unalike to me they really are?"
34	* AlternateTimeline: .Reality (of Universe A and Arknverse A) runs on this principal, creating numerous "main" timelines (A, B, C, etc.) that branch off into countless offshoots with minute differences for humans to live in (ensuring that no one individual will ever be completely obliterated by programming glitches or the War, and that all humans have infinite opportunities to live a happy, prosperous life). There are numerous ways for humans to travel between timelines, and variations in the timelines (and [[AlternateSelf the characters who inhabit them]]) feature prominently in a number of story arcs (see above). However, shifting timelines spontaneously can cause a number of problems: jumping without protective magick runs the risk of attracting Lurkers, while spending too long in an alternate timeline will cause you to acclimate; when this happens, not only do you become foreign data to your OWN timeline, but you overwrite your counterpart and fill their "space" in the new one. .Reality ''really'' abhors a vacuum.
35	** Alex shifts timelines multiple times in [=ACryFromWinter=] -- first accidentally transporting himself into Timeline B and becoming stuck there, then being shifted by Malek into B.2, then sent by an Arkn to what appears to be a variant of his own timeline (A.2). [[spoiler:It's later revealed that all of these "timelines" were actually crafted as part of King Uriel's punishment in the Infernous, and weren't actually real (though real-world equivalents of them do exist in .Reality).]]
36	** Season 1 of Michael's Camera ''appears'' to start in an alternate timeline. It's actually Timeline A, before undergoing a brief reset, due to Michael (who just shifted into that timeline from another, unseen one) having a run-in with a Lurker.
37	** In the Season 2 episode "Two minutes in" (from Michael's Camera), Ellpagg ''literally'' shoves Michael Knight into Timeline B in order to get Persophelus Redgrave off his tail. Michael replaces his counterpart via the Debigrath Effect, and spends the rest of the series in (offshoots of) that timeline. (Until the end of Season 3, when he ends up in the Infernous and becomes the Carver's vessel).
38	*** The following episode, Ellpagg teaches a very reluctant Michael ".Hopping": the ability to jump between the different variations of the timeline by shooting himself in the head with a Hethian pistol (causing an instantaneous Debigrath Effect).
39	*** Come Season 3, Michaelis takes over as narrator and takes up residence in Timeline B. He almost immediately notes that this timeline differs from his own in that his brother, Alex (yes, that Alex) is still alive.
40	* AlternateUniverse: In ''Legacy'', humans exist within a quintet of "mini-universal orbs" known as Seeds, which are maintained and guarded by the [[EldritchAbomination Ythen]]. Every time an event occurs which alters the course of life (namely, human existence) within a Seed, the Seed is cut off and pushed away, becoming an "Outlier", and a new Seed takes its place among the five. Outliers continue developing until they reach apocalypse stage; if they fail to do so, SEEKER comes in and "culls" them.
41	** In the finale of ''Solar's Crimson'', Azrael (of Arknverse A) uses his powers try to travel back in time to the golden age of the Arkn, long before his own birth. He overshoots, and ends up arriving at the moment the Hethe first appeared. After the Hethe learn of the events occurring in Azrael's time, they are able (with Azrael's help) to prevent the Arkn-Dekn war from coming to pass. This new, war-free version of events splits off into [[WebOriginal/ArknEternal an entirely new universe]] -- with a version of Azrael [[MindScrew somehow present in both universes at the same time]].
42	* AnachronicOrder: While the videos of most series happen in chronological order, the Arknthology story arcs tend to play out across multiple vlogs; as such, an episode of one vlog may [[ShoutOut reference]] or [[RedSkiesCrossover allude to]] events that played out in a CrossOver with another series -- the relevant videos of which may not be posted for months.
43	** At the end of the TKS episode “Paradise Lost”, the final video in Act I of the Arknthology, Ellpagg [[spoiler: uses his newly-acquired powers to enter the timelines of .Reality and begins awakening the Arknangels -- asserting himself as Michael’s guardian and shoving him into a new timeline, and leaving messages for Tobias, Gabriel and Alex]] -- thus putting into motion the events that have occurred throughout Act I.
44	** The final episode of Michael’s Camera shows Michaelis ranting about the events that just occurred and leaving .Reality -- only to cut to the final video Michael Knight filmed before his death (which occurred two episodes earlier).
45	** The videos of ''handprintsofthdead'' were posted on multiple playlists -- ''all of which'' were out of order, and none of which featured the series in its entirety. WordOfGod says that because The Hooks Killer is a DimensionalTraveler who continuously jumps back and forth between timelines and time periods, it would be impossible to try to place the events in any kind of chronological order.
46	* AnachronismStew: The worlds of the Arkn and the Dekn of Arknverse A appear to be a mishmash of different genres and eras.[[note]] In RealLife, it's due to the [[AuthorAppeal personal tastes of the writers]], and a lack of coordination between them; in-universe, it’s handwaved as DecadeDissonance: we're told that different cities have different levels of technology, and possess wildly different cultures.[[/note]]
47	** [[WorldInTheSky The Golden Cities]] (in keeping with the Urban Fantasy themes) seem to be roughly structured after a Middle Ages or [[UsefulNotes/TheRenaissance Renaissance-style]] monarchy -- with smatterings of 21st-century technology (implied to be the result of {{Magitek}}). In Elysia, the royal family lives in a stone castle lit with fireplaces and torches, clergy members make annual [[HumanSacrifice sacrifices]] to the gods, [[KnightInShiningArmor knights in shining armor]] train with swords...while interdimensional nomads trade in the marketplace, and (below the city) a team of scientists in a state-of-the-art laboratory create a [[CyberPunk living A.I. system]] powered by [[BloodMagic the blood of a god]]. Meanwhile, in the SteamPunk-style city next door, civilians watch the [=Cloud9=] broadcast on hand-held electronic devices, and [[MagicKnight magically-trained]] SecretPolice communicate through walkie-talkies.
48	** Similarly, the Infinitium (what little we see of it) is an [[TheEmpire emperial realm]] comprised of cities of [[CityOfGold black gold]]...which appear to have been built in the style of late 20th-century Miami. Lords and Ladies earn their titles by mastering various schools of [[PsychicPowers mental powers]], DemonicPossession is an art form, and an elite guild watches over the [[CyberPunk living virtual reality]] {{Magitek}} system -- in which every era of human history plays out simultaneously, side by side.
49	** In ''Arkn: Legacy'', the Arkn home realm is this, due to the SEEKER being more prevelant in some regions than others. While some places have motor vehicles and 21st century architecture, others rely on [[SteamPunk steam power]]; some still use medieval weaponry. Meanwhile, the SEEKER bases are stocked with futuristic, CyberPunk-style technology.
50	* AncientAstronauts: In the Arknverse, the Arkn (namely, the Watchers) were responsible for teaching Humanity a number of concepts -- including war and [[BoldlyComing sex]].
51	* ApocalypseHow: Post-Battle of the Arknza, Arknverse A goes out in something akin to Class X-5. Most of the lifeforms that haven't been killed or evacuated to Universe X have been assimilated into Voidweb -- including the humans living in the [[TheMultiverse .Reality mainframe]] and ''the Hethe''. (And it's heavily implied that ''all'' living beings in the universe met this fate in time.)
52	* BeingTorturedMakesYouEvil: Ellpagg. (Though eons of being under The Carver's influence -- not to mention absorbing untold amounts of energy in the Infernous -- certainly didn't help.)
53	* BigRedDevil: {{Deconstructed}}: it's hinted that many of the characteristics traditionally associated with demons in Western society (red skin, red or black eyes, leathery bat-like wings, horns) were based on the appearances of various Dekn. (Likewise, the traits associated with angels were based on the Arkn.) This seems to apply to universes A ''and'' E.
54	** Surge (''[=ACryFromWinter=]'') has perhaps the most traditionally demonic appearance, being a horned, goat-like being with bat wings.
55	* BlackSpeech / SacredLanguage: The nameless language of the Hethe. Said to be "impossible" and "incomprehensible" to the ears, it's actually an audible form of ''pure will''; speaking it aloud warps the fabric of reality, and can cause untold destruction. Fortunately, it's rarely revealed to non-Hethe -- and even then, only one word at a time.
56	* BlueAndOrangeMorality: Both the Arkn and the Dekn seemingly operate according to this in ''Arknverse'' and ''Unity''. Ellpagg puts it best when describing the Arkn in "Beating the dead horse" (''Michael's Camera''):
57	-->"It's almost as if you think the Arkn are the 'good guys'. News flash: ''we're not''. 'Good' implies we follow the moral balance you humans do. And we don't. I don't know what you call 'good', but it sure as hell isn't me."
58	** It's worth noting, however, that while Ellpagg himself is a great example of the brutality, xenophobia, and FantasticRacism of his species, he's also an ''extremely'' mentally unstable individual, and far more malicious (and chaotic) in nature than the average Arkn.
59	** In ''Legacy'', both species are rather [[GrayAndGrayMorality morally dubious]], but their motives -- to acquire more power, and territory, than their opponents -- are far more comprehensible and human-like. Understandable, given that they're actually sub-species of humans (rather than alien creatures).
60	* BloodMagic: In Arknverse A, Arkn magic was created when the first four Arkn shed their blood (which was "pure" and contained the power of the Hethe) into a chalice and poured it into the Tree of Existence; the blood spread throughout creation, forming an [[BackgroundMagicField energy field]] -- which Arkn magi tap into, via "strings", in order to practice magick.
61	** Humans who have [[{{Squick}} access to Arkn blood]] (or have "awakened" their own Arkn blood) can tap into Arkn magic by using the proper sigils and incantations.
62	** At the conclusion of the Arknthology, it's confirmed that Hethe blood doubles as LifeEnergy and a source of powerful magic.
63	** In Universe X, Arkn blood contains Ethri (the [[PureEnergy energy]] through which Arkn practice magick), and is heavily implied to be a form of Ethri itself.
64	* BodyHorror: During his time running the Infernous, Carver was ''very'' fond of inflicting this on his prisoners.
65	** In TKS, he considers replacing Knight's feet with ducks and making him excrete honeybees. In another scene, it's implied that he turns Knight's flesh into ice cream, [[NauseaFuel scoops out a chunk, and eats it]].
66	** Both Michael and Michaelis have made numerous comments about "spiders" while in the Infernous.
67	*** Knight later recalls one eternity that he spent [[NauseaFuel pissing]] [[FliesEqualsEvil flies]].
68	** The [[http://thearknmythos.wikia.com/wiki/The_Broken_Mirror_Effect Broken Mirror Effect]] (one of the "laws" of .Reality) causes a guardian Arkn or Dekn who encounters a counterpart of the vessel they're currently inhabiting to transform into an "incomprehensible horror". (Fortunately, the effect can be undone -- by [[HumanSacrifice sacrificing]] the human who triggered the change.)
69	* BottleEpisode: Done in many of the vlogs, with quite a few episodes taking place in a single location in the protagonist's house -- typically a bedroom, bathroom, or garage (as is often the case with ''Michael's Camera'' and ''Solar's Crimson'').
70	** Many entries of ''The Knight Shift'' took place in various rooms in the same house. The same goes for ''Solar's Crimson''. Justified, as both series are actually set in personalized "cells" in the Infernous, in which the respective protagonists are trapped.
71	*** One episode of ''Solar's Crimson'' was filmed entirely in [=DeathlyLogic=]'s car while they were driving to work in the morning.
72	* BrokenAngel: Ellpagg becomes one at the end of ''The Knight Shift''. At the moment of The Carver's death, his powers transfer to Ellpagg (the only other being in the vicinity). Not only is Ellpagg fully corrupted, but the process strips him of all identifying Arkn traits, including his powers and his wings — transforming him into a being that is more Dekn than Arkn, but qualifies as neither. His immediate reaction is to [[EyeScream gouge out his own eyes]] in anguish (depriving himself of his "Arkn eyes" as well).
73	-->"I escaped the Infernous. I lost EVERYTHING. My name, my purpose, my wings...and I gained NOTHING in return!"
74	* BrownNoteBeing: In their true forms, some Dekn have faces that only a mother could love.
75	** The Carver's natural form is so hideous, Knight has a hard time even ''describing'' it.
76	--->'''Knight''': (regarding Carver's human form) [Y]ou look like one of [Michael's] friends. I mean, to me you... (makes a disgusted noise) Jesus, I can't even '''''describe''''' what you are, you're...ugly.
77	--->'''Carver''': (grinning) It's how I like it.
78	*** FridgeBrilliance: It's possible that Knight was actually getting a [[GlamourFailure glimpse]] of De'ebo.
79	** The Carver isn't the only one: when Persophelus Crow is talking to Michael via a mirror, he tells him to point the camera away from him when he's not using his vessel, because showing his true form on camera would cause it to break.
80	* CapitalOffensive: The Dekn of Arknverse A, under the command of Lord Dragon, attempted to gain a stronghold in the Second War by launching a sneak attack on the Arkn capitol of Elysia. Unfortunately, said attack occurred on May 15th, 2016...
81	** This, in turn, angered the Hethe Tum'to (who doesn't like it when mortals commit acts of war without his explicit guidance or instruction); he decided to retaliate by [[spoiler:[[PeoplePuppets puppeting]] the body of Raphael and forcing him to attack and destroy the]] ''[[spoiler:Dekn]]'' [[spoiler:capital]].
82	** In Universe X, the war between the Arkn and Dekn began when the Arkn (who were offended that the Dekn refused to loan them the [[MacGuffin Siy decoder]]) marched on the Dekn capital in the dead of night. Whether they intended to attack, or simply wanted to meet with the Emperor, remains hotly debated.
83	* CentralTheme: The central theme of ''Arknverse'', ''Unity'', and ''Legacy'' is that true good and evil comes from our actions and the choices we make, rather than our origins or allegiances. In ''Eternal'', this theme seems to have been discarded entirely.
84	* CessationOfExistence: In Arknverse A, most humans exist in .Reality as pure data; upon death, they're absorbed back into the system and blink out of existence. There are, however, a few exceptions to this: humans who possess special Arkn blood (or are otherwise marked by The Carver) can survive beyond death -- usually in their own special subdivision of the Infernous. Azrael also mentioned that there have been cases of humans reincarnating by being reconstituted in another timeline; we have yet to see this occur in .Reality, however[[note]](although Azrael spends many eons believing ''himself'' to be one such case)[[/note]]. It is unknown whether this holds true for the humans of Universe A (in ''Arkn: Unity'').
85	** Xerex and Raziel (of ''Arknverse'') briefly allude to possibility of other realms of existence after death, but state that they don't know "what comes next" (or whether it would apply to humans). Furthermore, it's implied that not even ''the Hethe themselves'' know all of the secrets of the afterlife.
86	* CityOfGold: The Golden Cities and the Infinitium (of Arknverse and Unity) both qualify as this. The Golden Cities are (true to their name) ''literally'' paved and festooned with gold, while the Infinitium is made of ''black'' gold (which, in small quantities, holds tremendous magickal power).
87	* ContinuityReboot: In 2020, all content in ''Arknverse'' -- which served as the BackStory to ''Arkn: Legacy'' -- was decanonized, due to a combination of the core Arknverse creative team falling out and content deletion making the story virtually inaccessible to newcomers. In its place, the new creative team made ''Arkn: Unity'', which (while sharing many of the characters and plotlines) is far more simplistic and cohesive.
88	* CoolMask: Quite a few:
89	** In the Arknverse, Ellpagg frequently wears an armored mask that resembles a cross between a gas mask and a [[UsefulNotes/TheCrusades Crusader's Helm]].
90	*** Both Uriel and Michaelis have been known to wear black Lurker masks (which resemble a plague doctor's mask) on occasion.
91	*** Drakula wears an elongated mask resembling a dog or crocodile skull.
92	*** The Carver occasionally sports a red metallic half mask resembling a demon's face. Michael Knight briefly wears the same mask in Season 3 of ''Michael's Camera'' after he [[spoiler: becomes the Carver's vessel]].
93	*** In "Masks" ([=Medboy789=]), Tobias finds an elaborate gold and black masquerade mask in his bedroom. It turns out to belong to [[spoiler: the Arkn king Abaddon]].
94	** Ba'al (of ''Legacy'') wears a horned, full-face demon mask made of smooth bone and engraved with Dekn symbols.
95	*** Andras As'phyxiar wears a PlagueDoctor mask.
96	*** As a vigilante, Mohandas Luueth’dei wears an elaborate royal blue, red, and gold mask (resembling a Mexican wrestler's mask somewhat).
97	* CosmicHorrorStory: The overarching plots of ''Arknverse'' and ''Arkn: Unity'' contain many elements of this. The universe is a CrapSackworld where existence itself was orchestrated by petty, monstrous [[EldritchAbomination beings]]; humanity (as it is) is confined to an [[InsideAComputerSystem artificial realm]], where everything we think we know was designed and created by a powerful guild of [[OurDemonsAreDifferent inhuman creatures]] with [[BlueAndOrangeMorality motives beyond our comprehension]] as a tactical move against an equally powerful race of [[OurAngelsAreDifferent malicious beings]]. At ''any moment'', one of them could pop into your life, [[DemonicPossession seize control of your body]], and destroy everything you hold dear. Even if you manage to avoid ''that'' fate, you might still bump into one of the random, [[RealityWarper reality-warping]] [[OurMonstersAreDifferent monsters]] generated by the operating system of your artificial world; they lurk around every corner, and can drop out of the sky and fly off with you or drastically alter your world in ways you can't detect. Don't bother praying to your god or GuardianAngel for help: all of our myths, legends and gods were inspired by the same creatures that seek to manipulate us. Don't look for a reprieve in death, either: you'll either [[CessationOfExistence blink out of existence]], [[{{Reincarnation}} return to life]] in an equally perilous world, or remain trapped in a hellish prison for all of time. Oh, and if all that wasn't bad enough, this is only the latest iteration of an unending cycle of creation, war, death and destruction. Did we mention that this is a CrapsackWorld?
98	** ''Arkn Legacy'' drastically reduces the cosmic horror aspects of the mythology, making it something closer to LovecraftLite. The new pantheon of Hethe (which includes a fully-grown Cedric Kharon and an ascended Ellpagg), while still far from benevolent, are much less powerful and much more [[TheGodsMustBeLazy apathetic]] than their predecessors. Gone is the terror of .Reality and its many hazards. The Arkn and Dekn are still [[ForeverWar at war]] with each other; unlike in Universe A, however, they can enter the physical world without causing the fabric of existence to break down, and are forbidden from directly involving humans in the conflict. Arkn and Dekn-human [[HalfHumanHybrid hybrids]] are a regular (if uncommon) occurrence, and while the Arkn and Dekn wield even more influence over the human realms (via organized crime), the Lumeric company creates [[{{Magitek}} weapons and devices]] that provide humanity with a means of defense.
99	* DarkIsNotEvil / LightIsNotGood: The demon-like, horned Dekn, while certainly not ''good'', generally have a bit of a soft spot for humans and are [[NobleDemon polite and honorable]], whereas the angelic-looking Arkn tend to be more aggressive, war-like, and look down on everyone outside their race (and often don't treat their own much better).
100	* DeadAllAlong: The Arknangel Azrael. It turns out [[spoiler:he was killed by his guardian, Xerex Storn, on the day they merged, and his "dead" data remained active in their body.]] (This explains why he's able to enter the Infernous: only the dead can enter that realm.)
101	** Given that Ellpagg spends much of WebVideo/TheKnightShift in the Infernous, he also qualifies.
102	*** So does his father, King Uriel, who [[spoiler:spends the entirety of [=ACryFromWinter=] there]].
103	* DemonicPossession: In Universe A, possession is a common practice for both Arkn and Dekn, and a key factor in many .Reality-centered plots. The Arkn are said to have begun "attaching" themselves to Humanity to provoke the Dekn into breaking their vow against harming humans; after Humanity is moved to .Reality, they continue to do so, using human vessels to enter the system (with the Dekn following suit).
104	** Though it doesn't happen as often, Arkn and Dekn can also possess ''other'' Arkn and Dekn. (Ellpagg in particular has made use of this at least twice: once using Michaelis's vessel as a "shade" so he can remotely view and physically involve himself in events without leaving his current location, and once taking possession of him to deliver a message.
105	** Though it rarely happens, the Hethe occasionally possess Arkn and Dekn.
106	** Malek's [[SoulFragment "shards"]] use a number of hosts: human, Arkn, and even ''a dog'' on one occasion.
107	** In one instance, one of Malek's shards takes possession of Ellpagg while he's using the body of Michaelis as a [[LivingBodySuit shade]], resulting in a sort of bizarre ''double'' possession.
108	** The Arkn and Dekn of ''Legacy'' typically forgo possession entirely, entering Ersis directly (while wearing a human [[{{Glamour}} disguise]]). However, both Arkn and Dekn can still take over the bodies of humans, in a sense: the Arkn can use specialized Ythen-granted sigils to "relocate" directly into the body of a human (basically wearing the human as a LivingBodySuit), while the Dekn can use their psychic powers to overload a person's brain and [[PeoplePuppets puppet]] them. (However, the Ythen put a limit on these activities...or at least ''try'' to.)
109	* DontGoIntoTheWoods: This becomes a plot point in both ''[=ACryFromWinter=]'' and ''[=There Are No Lights=]'', what with the former having Alex [[spoiler:possessed by Malek]] in the woods and the latter having the stalker seeming to show up in the woods.
110	** The Carver's [[EldritchLocation "office"]] resembles a wooded area in a park.
111	** In "Of Fire And Ice" (''Wayward_Winter''), Alex is pulled into the Nexellium -- which resembles a dead forest -- and ends up being brutally [[JackBauerInterrogationTechnique interrogated]] by Seraphina.
112	* EldritchAbomination: The Hethe of Arknverse A and Universe A. They're monstrous, bird-like beings of pure evil who emerged from a giant cosmic door -- which they used to carve into a massive TreeOfLife (before crafting the universe itself). They've been deemed responsible for creating not only all things in existence (save for .Reality), but '''''existence itself'''''. Meeting them face-to-face in their true forms is said to result in instant death. Many Arkn [[ReligionOfEvil worship them as gods.]]
113	** The Hethe pantheon of ''Legacy'' is comprised of the surviving Hethe of Universe A, as well as (a now fully-grown) Cedric and Ellpagg. Thankfully, they're far ''less'' powerful and far ''more'' [[TheGodsMustBeLazy lazy]] than their predecessors: since they weren't the creators of the universe, they have next to no power over it, and can do little except sit around and observe. To hear some talk, the most frightening thing about them seems to be how horrendously ''boring'' they are.
114	** In ''The Writings of Raziel'', Raziel refers to his innate magical gifts as being granted to him by an unknown being, whom he believes to be "the true creator of existence". Whether this "true creator" refers to De'ebo or another, yet unseen being has never been revealed.
115	** .Reality itself is heavily implied to be one.
116	--->'''Redgrave:''' Now you're probably wondering, "Redgrave, what's .Reality?" Weeeellll, .Reality is everything and nothing. You can't touch .Reality, you can't see .Reality, and good Lord you can't ''fuck'' .Reality, but it's there! And umm... It's omnipresent and knows everything. Except, it misses a few things, y'know?
117	** The [[https://thearknmythos.fandom.com/wiki/Deedrn Deedrn]], a caste of ultra-powerful beings created by the Hethe as a sort of secret “experiment”. Virtually nothing is known about them, and they were dubbed so dangerous that the Hethe had to ''seal them away''.
118	* EldritchLocation: The Infernous -- a [[GeniusLoci living prison realm]] fueled by the LifeEnergy of Gilgamesh which is essentially the equivalent of {{Hell}} -- certainly qualifies.
119	** [[https://thearknmythos.fandom.com/wiki/The_Beyond The Beyond]]. It was created outside the realms of the Arkn and Dekn by one of the Hethe, to house creatures so bizarre or fearsome that they don't fit anywhere else. The chapters of ''No More Truths'' exploring the various sections of the realm are some of the strangest ever written for The Arknverse.
120	* EliteFour: The four main Arknza/Arknangels, a.k.a. the Paradox Players (mirroring the four Archangels of Christian mythology): Azrael/[[ArchangelMichael Michaelis]], [[ArchangelGabriel Raziel/Gabriel]], [[ArchangelRaphael Raphael]]/Tobit, and [[ArchangelUriel Uriel]]/Alexander.
121	** The original four Arkn created by the Hethe -- Gynesis, Gilgamesh, Abaddon, and Raziel -- who were responsible for the creation of magick.
122	** The Hethe pantheon of ''Legacy'' is comprised of four Hethe: Ced'ric, De'ebolus, El'lepagi, and Fab'rasi (all of them Hethe of the previous universe).
123	* EvilSoundsRaspy: A number of malicious characters have raspy-sounding voices:
124	** The Hooks Killer allegedly acquired both his nickname ''and'' his gravelly voice after [[{{Squick}} consuming human flesh laced with fishhooks.]]
125	** Ellpagg's voice turns raspy whenever he's under the influence of the evil energies of the Infernous. After he escapes, his voice (according to WordOfGod) turns raspy whenever he's [[spoiler:possessed by the Carver]].
126	** The mad, cannibalistic Arkn Gynesis has a voice so deep and raspy that it's impossible for him to even form ''words''. (He compensates by forming words out of black mist.)
127	* EyeScream: During the finale of ''The Knight Shift'', when Ellpagg realizes that [[spoiler:he's been [[FallenAngel corrupted]] and stripped of his Arkn identity]], he gouges out his eyes in anguish, (He recovers rather quickly, though he permanently loses his "Arkn eyes".)
128	** Ellpagg also mentions that he spent one eternity in the Infernous without eyes after The Carver gouged them out.
129	** The Carver really seems to love this trope: while Michaelis is a prisoner in the Infernous (the first time), the Carver tortures him by (among other things) gouging out his left eye with Imulsyr -- and, when Michaelis disrespects him further, shoves his knuckle duster into it to cause him even ''more'' pain.
130	** Over in ''Legacy'', Franz Faust gouges out Andras As'phyxiar's eye as payback for torturing him. And then takes the eye with him, presenting it to his close friend For'ende [[spoiler: as an engagement gift]].
131	* FallenAngel: Arkn who defect are regarded as this. Those who publicly announce their defection often have their [[ClipItsWings wings removed]]. (Only those who defect with malicious intent, however, take on a Dekn-like appearance -- usually as a form of body modification.)
132	* FallenHero: Uriel, Raphael, and Ellpagg are regarded as this by most of the Arkn.
133	** Uriel becomes this to Michaelis after he [[spoiler:learns about his deal with the Carver]].
134	** Ellpagg's ''Arkn: Unity'' version, the Prince Ell'epaggi, also becomes this after he emerges from the Infernous. [[spoiler: So does his father, King Urabi, who sold out his son to the emperor of the Dekn in exchange for becoming one.]]
135	* FantasticFirearms: In ''Arknverse'' (and possibly ''Unity''), there are Edgar Kharon's revolvers. Allegedly [[ForgedByTheGods created by the Hethe]], they resemble non-working toy versions of WildWest firearms in .Reality (if the appearance of Azrael's revolver is any indication); when used in combination with Arkn magic, however, they become ''incredibly'' powerful tools, which can enable the user to jump between dimensions...or completely wipe individuals out of existence.
136	** In the now deleted ''Legacy'' series ''Malachi X'', Malachi buys an ordinary $12 NERF gun from Wal-Mart and infuses it with Ethric energy.
137	* ForeverWar: The conflict between the Arkn and the Dekn.
138	** In ''Unity'' and ''Arknverse'', the two races have been at each others' throats since their creation (save for a few periods of relative peace lasting a millenia or so).
139	** In ''Legacy'', the conflict has only been going on for several hundred years, but it shows no sign of stopping.
140	** Subverted in ''Arkn: Eternal'': the War never happened in the first place, due to [[TimeMaster Azrael]] arriving when the Hethe first appeared -- and [[SetRightWhatOnceWentWrong putting a stop to De'ebo's plans to ignite the conflict]].
141	* {{Foreshadowing}}: In the first full episode of TKS ("[1] The Knight"), Knight seemingly shoots and kills his friends — including his glasses-wearing buddy, "Ed". In the series finale, he inadvertently kills that same person (now revealed to be The Carver) for real.
142	** One of the title cards in ".TIME.HOP.PAST-TWO" (''Michael's Camera'') urges Michael to accept his "fate", proclaiming that his mind is "a cage to which the key was thrown away at birth" and that "in a world of monsters, you, Michael, are the nightmare." This is foreshadowing Michael's true identity as [[spoiler: The Carver's Nephilim son, his [[UnwittingPawn designated role]] as The Carver's vessel in .Reality, and the destruction he will cause under The Carver's control]].
143	** In "I have to shoot myself in the face" (''Michael's Camera''), Ellpagg teaches Michael the secret of ".Hopping": a process of jumping between timelines that involves [[BoomHeadshot shooting himself in the head]] with one of Edgar Kharon's revolvers (causing an instant Debigraff Effect). In the series finale, Michael [[spoiler:is KilledOffForReal by a gunshot to the head,from an exact duplicate of the revolver he used to go .Hopping -- this time fired by his double, Michaelis)]].
144	** A Season 1 episode of ''Michael's Camera'' ("(2) Friends") shows Michael Knight having what appears a medication-induced drug freak out on the bathroom floor, laughing and rambling about noises and "friends" in "the drain" who "know what's up". The "freak out" is actually the aftermath of a .Relapse brought on by his pills: .Relapses can cause mental time travel, as well as seeing through the eyes of others; Michael is glimpsing the future adventures of Ellpagg[[note]]or rather, an Ellpagg-disguised Carver[[/note]] with Cedric's band of travelers in ''No More Truths'' (in which the party braves a location called "The Drain"). He may have even glimpsed them through the eyes of his future self in Timeline B -- who received said memories through The Debigraff Effect!
145	*** To drive this home, the relapse plays out again (in a nearly identical fashion) in the Season 2 episode "hahaha" -- immediately after The Carver departs to take Ellpagg back to The Infernous. (Granted, it's the ''actual'' Ellpagg that's possessing Michael prior to that scene; but given that The Carver is later revealed to be [[spoiler: Michael's father and true guardian]], who's to say he didn't get Carver's memories instead?
146	** In several early episodes of [=MedBoy789=], Tobias wears a beanie that looks like the Franchise/{{Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle\|s}} Raphael. The Arkn of that same name is later revealed to be Toby’s Guardian.
147	*** In a later episode, "Crescendo of Blasphemous Horrors", Raphael informs Elias that [[spoiler:The Carver]] is using him, stating, "You have no fucking plan. You are a fucking pawn." He's right on at least one account: Elias IS later revealed to be a pawn [[spoiler:...of his father, Asmodeus]].
148	*** In "Revelations", Raphael and Asmodeus have a discussion about Elias. Asmodeus declares that while he isn't sure of the extent of Elias's powers, he will kill his son if necessary. [[spoiler:It turns out Asmo has a very loose definition of "necessary".]]
149	*** The following episode, "Disbelief of a Higher Authority", Raphael runs into Tobias, who has just recovered from the Infernous. When Raph asks him about Azrael (Michaelis), Tobias refers to him as “Mr. Fancypants”. This is a major hint about the episode’s surprise twist: [[spoiler:Tobias is possessed by Malek (who, as established in ''No More Truths'', has a habit of referring to others as "(adjective) pants"]].
150	* FourIsDeath: This seems to be a recurring theme in the franchise:
151	** The eternally warring Arkn and Dekn races both began with four members.
152	** In Arknverse A, there are four main Arknangels (The Paradox Players).
153	*** Arknverse A's own HorsemenOfTheApocalypse, a WildWest outlaw gang called the Fearful Four. They're humans with special glitches that grant them superhuman abilities. By the end of their run, they've virtually broken their timeline, and humans fear and worship them as [[GodOfHumanOrigin gods]].
154	*** There are also four [[EldritchAbomination Deedrn]]: beings created by the Hethe that were so powerful they had to be [[SealedEvilInACan sealed away]].
155	* GeometricMagic: Arkn magi/casters are tattooed or branded with the [[http://thearknmythos.wikia.com/wiki/File:TheUniendis.png Seal of Unie’ndis]]: a protective symbol similar to the pentagram that represents the unity of elements, emotions, and the soul. Magick cast without it is dangerous and unpredictable.
156	** In addition to having their bodies marked with the eal, Arkn (and Dekn) in all areas of magic are required to use the [[http://thearknmythos.wikia.com/wiki/Aether_(Balance) Aether]] (another sort of pentagram) to promote balance in the caster’s emotions and soul.
157	* GodGuise: The Arkn disseminated stories of benevolent "[[GuardianAngel guardian angels]]" to encourage humans to welcome them (and in some cases ''summon'' them) into their lives and bodies. Likewise, some malevolent Dekn play up the expectations of humans and masquerade as demons in order to cause fear and chaos.
158	* GoneHorriblyRight: Voidweb. After its premature activation creates an anomaly called the Red Nova in .Reality which causes (among other things) the fabric of reality itself to splinter, the A.I. is reprogrammed to correct the damage by “reconnecting” both the splinters of creation and the beings within it. It does exactly as programmed...by assimilating every living thing it encounters, Borg-style, into a HiveMind.
159	** Worse yet, Voidweb was powered by Hethe blood to allow it to exist and expand indefinitely -- which it now does, unchecked.
160	* GreyAndGrayMorality: One of the prevailing themes of Universe A (and the franchise as a whole). The ForeverWar between the Arkn and the Dekn is an artificial one, engineered for the shallow amusement of cruel gods. Both sides are prone to dubious behavior; while the Dekn seem ALighterShadeOfGray (due to their drive to protect humanity), they are no less willing to manipulate, betray, torment, and kill countless others -- including their own kind and the very humans they claim to be '''protecting''' -- if it means gaining traction in the war.
161	** This is best described by Ellpagg in the finale of ''TheKnightShift'':
162	-->''"There is no war fought for a good or bad side; there is only deceit, and lies coming from both sides. The Hethe may be of the prime evil, but it's up to us -- no, it's up to THEM, the Arkn and the Dekn, to decide who is going to be the actual good. Because right now, we don't have any."''
163	* TheGrimReaper: The Arkn and Dekn of Universe A have their own, in the form of Xerex Storn, the Arkn-Dekn Lord of Death (among other things). He reaps the souls of deceased Arkn and Dekn (while "feeding" on their [[LifeEnergy essence]]), and is regarded as the only being who truly understands the afterlife. After Xerex becomes bound to Michaelis Winter, Michaelis (under his Arkn name, Azrael) becomes a new Grim Reaper of sorts, using his powers to free the souls of Arkn and Dekn (and some humans) who are trapped in the Infernous.
164	** Interestingly, we are introduced to at least four other characters in Universe A who represent Death in some way: Tum'to (the Hethe who embodies death and destruction), Crow (the former Arkn Lord of Death), Edgar Kharon (who was literally known as "Death" and seen as an avatar of Death among the [[HorsemenOfTheApocalypse Fearful Four]]), and Theatre Mask (who is an [[TheAntiGod anti-god]] that embodies the elements of decay and entropy).
165	*** There's also the never-seen Deedrn Damerith Ist Eisz ([[FunWithAcronyms D.I.E.]]), who is known as "The living Lord of Dying Death".
166	* GuardianAngel: Deconstructed in a fairly dark fashion in ''Arknverse'': the Arkn attach themselves to humans as "Guardians" for the sole purpose of [[DemonicPossession using them as vessels]], basically making them their personal slaves. Worse, the corrupt Arkn government used muses to spread and encourage stories of benevolent guardian angels amongst humans so they would welcome them into their lives and bodies. The only reason they do ''any of this'' is to provoke the Dekn into going against their morals and attacking humans.
167	* HalfHumanHybrids: The {{Nephilim}} of the Arknverse were created when the "Watchers" (a group of 200 Arkn assigned to observe humanity) mated with human women. Once the Arkn learned of their existence, they were systematically hunted down and killed (along with most of the Arkn who sired them). Fortunately, Persophelus Vine and Raziel were able to transfer some of them to the safety of a hidden realm known as "The Hybrid Grounds"; ''un''fortunately, they failed to keep them safe from ''each other'', [[spoiler: leaving all the Nephilim, save for Michael Knight, to be killed by the most powerful of their kind, Elias Exodus]].
168	** Some of the Arknangels/Arknza can also be seen as this, being a fusion of human and Arkn.
169	** By the time of Arkn Legacy, [[https://thearknmythos.wikia.com/wiki/Half-Breeds_(Universe_X) half-breeds]] are far more common. Fortunately, they are no longer seen as abominations, and face little discrimination. (However, they ''are'' prohibited from holding government positions.)
170	* HauntedHouse: The house in The Knight Shift seems to be this [[spoiler:at first]].
171	** Michael Knight initially believes that the strange occurrences around his house are being caused by ghosts.
172	** As do Alex Knight and Toby Kestler.
173	* {{Hell}}: In Arknverse A, the Infernous takes the place of this. It was created (and for a time, ruled) by The Carver, and acts as both a prison and a place of torment, molding each individual's personal fears into reality. Arkn, Dekn, and humans alike can end up there (usually because they were marked by the Carver as being "special" in some way).
174	** All of this also applies to ''Unity'' as well.
175	* InsideAComputerSystem: Many of the Arknverse vlogs take place inside the Nexiumandris (a.k.a. .Reality), a living A.I. system. It was created by the Persophelums (a guild of Dekn) to set humans apart from the War, protecting them from the threat of annihilation and enslavement by the Arkn. Occasionally, humans can go on "relapses" that allow them to see the code of .Reality itself.
176	[[/folder]]
177
178	[[folder:J-Z]]
179	* LousyLoversAreLosers: The Dekn Reyn has the habit of [[TheVamp seducing her marks]] before [[ADeadlyAffair she has them killed]] by setting them up to be found out. But during a mission to wipe out an entire French family, she seduces the family's patriarch but is so disappointed by his performance that she personally kills him prematurely.
180	* MakeAnExampleOfThem: Arkn (in Arknverse A and Universe A) who commit severe crimes are punished by having their wings crushed and broken, rendering them useless for flight.
181	** Arkn who officially defect undergo the "Bastard's Decay": their wings are painfully [[ClipItsWings removed in public]], by either their next of kin or one of the Valkyriums (usually Maalformius), over the course of eight days. Naturally, most who defect choose to leave home in secret and become nomads. If they're caught, however, they have their ''[[GroinAttack genitals]]'' removed in addition to their wings.
182	** The Arkn High Council tried to do this to Ellpagg. They tossed him into the Infernous, intending for him to eventually become corrupted, kill the Carver, and be transformed into a Dekn Lord (or similar being of power) so they could hold him up as en example of the depravity of the Dekn (i.e. that the Dekn are so wicked that they can turn even the Arkn Prince to darkness). Unfortunately, Ellpagg ended up becoming more powerful -- and corrupt -- than they anticipated.
183	* MalevolentMaskedMen: While they're not technically ''men'', the Lurkers (who wear bird-like masks) definitely qualify.
184	** The Luminaries from ''[=VoiceOfLegion=]'' also count as this.
185	* MindScrew: It would be easier to name works in the franchise that ''don't'' contain this.
186	** ''Liquid Bones'' is an entire ''series'' of MindScrew. ''No More Truths'' somewhat qualifies as well, given the overall lack of context for the entries.
187	** ''handprintsofthedead'' is another one. While it features a character (The Hooks Killer) and certain events that tie into the bigger picture of the Arknverse, many of the videos are seemingly random and unrelated (some "episodes" are nothing more than slightly-glitched television commercials), making the series as a whole nigh incomprehensible. The creator admits that this is deliberate, and that they were aiming more for a general feeling of dread, horror, and confusion than a clear-cut story.
188	** ''No More Truths'' is also rather...odd. As with ''handprints'', DL was going for an all-around bizarre DarkFantasy (albeit one that introduces a few key themes and characters), and regrets adding some of the side plots (which were confusing and contributed little to the story -- or the 'verse in general).
189	* MistakenForGods: In ''Arknverse'', a number of Arkn and Dekn masqueraded as gods when they interacted with humanity.
190	** According to Raziel's journal, two of the Watchers, Abu’ura and De’adther, allowed primitive humans to worship them as gods, because they believed that humans were something to be conquered).
191	** After attaching himself to [[MythologyGag a human ruler of Mesopotamia]], King Gil'ga'mesh was mistaken for a deity; he gladly played the part, as he enjoyed the power and control it afforded him.
192	** Redgrave was often mistaken by humans for an avatar of evil (who eventually was given the name "Satan").
193	** Xerex Storn studies human lore about demons so that he can masquerade as one. It's also hinted that he poses as the GrimReaper in .Reality (in addition to ''literally'' acting as The Reaper for the Arkn and Dekn).
194	* NeverShallTheSelvesMeet: Both the Debigrath Effect and Broken Mirror Effect operate by this principal (see Body Horror and Only One Me Allowed Right Now).
195	* OccultBlueEyes: When Knight gets "possessed" in ''The Knight Shift'', his eyes turns a very unnatural shade of blue. It's the first indication that he's [[AngelUnaware not human]].
196	** The Hooks Killer inexplicably sports these during his livestream chat finale.
197	* OffscreenMomentOfAwesome: The entire FinalBattle between the forces of The Carver and the Arknza, the culmination of the entire Arknthology storyline, is relayed through [[https://thearknmythos.fandom.com/wiki/The_Battle_of_the_Arknza a page]] on the wiki. An unfortunate result of many of the Mythos’ key creators departing the franchise prematurely.
198	* OminousVisualGlitch: In ''Arknverse'', this happens quite frequently in .Reality (naturally). Indicates either a GlamourFailure (causing Arkn and Dekn inhabiting human vessels to display colored distortion, horns and wings on camera), or an error in .Reality.
199	* OnlyOneMeAllowedRightNow: The Debigrath Effect prevents two versions of the same individual from existing within the same timeline in .Reality. If an alternate version of a living person enters a timeline, .Reality will delete the existing person and the "new" version will take their place (though it is possible to prevent this, however, with the use of a magic "barrier".) Oddly, there is occasionally some overlap (known as the Bleeding Effect) in which an individual acquires traits and memories from the incoming "new" version of themself.
200	** Likewise, if an individual dies or vanishes from a timeline and one of their alternate selves enters said timeline (and spends a considerable amount of time there), .Reality will [[MindRape re-write that person's memory]] to change it into that of their predecessor as they "fill the void" the individual has left in the timeline. (According to Michaelis, this is a variation on the Debigrath Effect.)
201	* OurAngelsAreDifferent / OurDemonsAreDifferent: Despite being the inspiration for traditional Western representations of "angels" and "demons", the Arkn and Dekn of Universe A are a complete reversal of how those beings are usually portrayed: the Dekn, being the [[RedEyesTakeWarning red-eyed]], [[BigRedDevil red-skinned]], [[HornsOfVillainy horned]], leathery-winged beings of darkness, were created first and are closer to having to humanity's best interests at heart; the Arkn, despite being [[WingedHumanoid fluffy-winged]] beings of [[LightIsNotGood light]] who live in a Golden City in the clouds, are closer in nature to what people usually think of as demons (in the sense that they're a secondary "evil counterpart" to a primary race, and intend to possess and enslave human beings). The discrepancies are explained in-universe as being largely the result of Arkn propaganda.
202	** In Universe X, the Arkn and Dekn both evolved from humans, and possess the physical attributes of angels and demons -- and nothing else.
203	* OurZombiesAreDifferent: In the vlog "The 7venth Reality" (Universe A), humans in the town of New Comshine are turn into feral, zombie-like creatures after drinking water contaminated by the blood of SerialKiller Alexander Tamil (who is the host for a malicious Dekn).
204	* PhotoshopFilterOfEvil: In .Reality, this sometimes happens in the presence of especially powerful beings. We've seen it occur when The Carver is onscreen, as well as when Elias Exodus uses his Nephilim powers. It also sometimes appears when the Persopheleums show up.
205	* PlayingCardMotifs: Arknverse A has one with the names of some of its characters:
206	** Uriel, as the only Arkn ruler who's also truly descended from royal blood, represents one of the '''King cards'''.[[note]][=Type0Negative=] admits that he never decided ''which'' particular card Uriel's intended to represent, adding that he could represent ''all'' of them at one time or another.[[/note]]
207	** Azrael is the '''Ace of Spades'''.[[note]]The Ace of Spades is known as the “card of death.” His adoptive family’s surname was Spades -- which also happens to be the nickname Michael Knight gives him -- while Edgar Kharon (whose name and identity Azrael assumed) was known as “The Ace” due to his shooting and gambling skills.[[/note]]
208	** Raphael/Tobit is '''Diamonds'''.[[note]]"Diamonds" is his nickname, due to inheriting the fortune of his physician father. He also uses diamond symbols in the titles of his videos.[[/note]]
209	** Persophelus '''Clubs'''.[[note]]Self-explanatory. (He also tends to act like the "bouncer" of the Infernous.)[[/note]]
210	** Theater Mask's nickname and personality tie him to the '''Joker''' card.[[note]]He’s known as "Jester", and he's both a [[TheTrickster Trickster]] and a WildCard[[/note]]
211	** Dylan R. Killeburg, the protagonist of the [[LostEpisode now-deleted]] series "Hearts", was '''Hearts'''.[[note]]"Hearts" was his nickname as well as the name of the series.[[/note]]
212	* PostModernMagic: The Arkn of Universe A work their magic through sigils, symbols incantations...and Western-style revolvers. (Said revolvers were actually forged by the Hethe, and work as functioning firearms by focusing the powers of the user.)
213	* ThePowerOfBlood: In Universes A and E, a ritual involving the blood of the first four Arkn also created the BackgroundMagicField that is the source of ''all'' Arkn magic.
214	** Blood is also the medium through which the power of the Hethe is passed to the Arkn in those same universes. Said "blood" literally functions as both blood and a power source, and is able to be transferred from one Arkn to another (or stolen, in come cases). Those Arkn who possess Hethian blood have innate, powerful magickal abilities that ordinary Arkn cannot access.
215	** In Universe E, when the Hethe depart, they take their blood -- and the power it conveys -- with them; this deprives the Arknza of their divine powers, enabling them to live as ordinary (and mortal) Arkn.
216	* PsychologicalTormentZone: The Infernous of Universe A. Fitting, seeing as it's essentially the Arkn/Dekn equivalent of ''{{Hell}}''.
217	** Some levels of the Vale of Nightmares (Asmodeus's [[DreamLand home dimension]] in Universe A) function as this: Level 1 is "The Entropy of Blackened Nightmares" (which causes visitors to relive their worst memories and/or nightmares), while Level 4 is "The Arena of Nebulous Shadows" (which starts as one's fondest dream and gradually turns into one's most horrific nightmare).
218	* PunctuationShaker: In Universe A, the ancient and more "traditional" Arkn and Dekn names tend to be broken up by apostrophes. (However, it is more common among the Arkn.)
219	** In Universe X, the Arkn and the Dekn both retain this practice, in equal measure.
220	** The Hethe of both A and X break up their names with a single apostrophe. The sole exception is Leg'leg, whose full name, ''Kal'eg'prlegi'', is long enough to require two. Notably, the two beings who are raised up to full Hethe in X -- Cedric and Ellpagg -- indicate their change status by hyphenating their names (becoming "Ced'ric" and "El'lepagi", respectively).
221	* RecurringDreams: Many human characters in Universe A suffer from these. It’s often brought on by a temporary Debigrath Effect giving them memories of one of their counterparts (which, oddly, can even extend to ''Arkn'' counterparts).
222	** Early in Season 1 of ACFW, Alex Winter has recurring dreams of Longnose.
223	** Elizabeth Winter repeatedly dreams about the showdown between her brothers, Alex and Michaelis, that [[spoiler:lead to the deaths of all three of them]] in an AlternateTimeline.
224	** In the early episodes of SC, Michaelis (having mentally reverted back to his pre-Arknza human self [[spoiler:while trapped in the Infernous]]) dreams about shooting his brother, Alex, after being shot in the shoulder by him: a sign of his lingering guilt over murdering his brother [[spoiler:which, had the series continued through Season 2, would have been revealed to be FakeMemories he acquired from Ellpagg -- the real culprit]].
225	** Prior to his merger with Raphael, Tobit Kestler has dreams about the life of his counterpart, Raphael (namely, playing on the beach with his brother, Asmodeus), as well as the life of his AU self, Tobias (dreaming of Toby’s dog, Bobo, and seeing masked Lurkers). This is due to the Debigrath Effect, caused by Raphael entering the timeline.
226	* RedEyesTakeWarning: Humans who are acting as hosts to Dekn (and their ilk) in Universe A typically have blood-red eyes. Dekn in Universe X also have this trait.
227	* {{Reincarnation}}: In Universe A (according to the episode "6) Reflection" of ''Solar’s Crimson''), some humans who die are reincarnated by having their data reconstituted in other timelines.
228	** According to WordOfGod, Azrael believes himself to be the reincarnation of Edgar Kharon, due to having all of Edgar’s memories. (In reality, [[spoiler: he received Edgar’s memories from Ellpagg on the day he converged with Xerex]].)
229	** In ''[=FromTheRuins=]'', all the humans who previously existed in the Ruins had their human forms and memories erased and were remade as animals.
230	** In ''Arkn Legacy'', humans who demonstrate certain characteristics will be reborn as an Arkn or Dekn upon death. If said Arkn or Dekn proves their mettle, they will be reborn again as the opposite race; if they succeed in ''that'' life, they will be reborn a final time as a Risen: a human with the [[SplitPersonalityMerge combined]] powers, memories and skills of ''all'' of their previous lives.
231	* ReligionOfEvil: The Cult of Coolificus Coolage. (Read: [[HumanSacrifice human sacrifices]] and mutilations dedicated to the Dekn lords.)
232	** The religion of the Arkn in ''Arknverse'' also qualifies. Not only does it revolve around the veneration of evil beings (the Hethe), but it requires an annual ritualistic sacrifice (often an innocent, unsuspecting Dekn) in their name. (While some Dekn also venerate the Hethe, we are told much less about them, and they don't practice sacrifices.)
233	* RuleOfSeven: Appears numerous times in the Arknverse. Notably, however, there are no ''perfect'' sevens: there are seven Hethe (following Malek's defection), seven Arknangels (barring the "failsafe" Arknza), and seven "negative timelines" (broken, warped timelines which may or may not exist).
234	* SealedInsideAPersonShapedCan: Most of the Arknangels/Arknza start out as this: they (Hethe-blooded Arkn) are "embedded" in humanity by being bound to human vessels (typically either a human in their bloodline, or .Reality's "interpretation" of them in human form); once the human becomes fully aware of their "other half" and activates their Arkn blood (and with it, Arkn powers), the human and Arkn selves integrate, transforming them into a being of incredible power. The particulars, such as how the vessel is acquired and which side (if any) has dominance, vary in each case.
235	* SelfDuplication: A few very powerful Arkn have mastered the use of "shading": a form of chaos magic that allows the user to create multiple physical manifestations of themself, enabling said user to remotely observe -- and, when using a [[LivingbodySuit vessel]] -- involve themself in events.
236	* SerialKiller: The Arknverse has at least two: the Hooks Killer, and the Slender Man Killer. Both have ties to non-human entities, and the former is a LegacyCharacter.
237	* SetRightWhatOnceWentWrong: Universe E is ''literally'' founded on this trope: following the final episode of ''Solar's Crimson'' (The Arknverse), Azrael trains his Arknza powers, becomes a TimeMaster, and travels back to a time before the birth of Ellpagg -- ensuring that the Arknangels befriend one another, train to use their divine powers without a human counterpart, and (unlike in original history) don't fall prey to The Carver's traps and distractions. He also goes into The Infernous in Ellpagg's place (after passing his Hethian blood to Ellpagg), ensuring that Ellpagg never becomes corrupted or turns against the Arkn. The Arknangels become a strong, united force, powerful enough to defeat The Carver and bring an end to the war -- bringing about a new, golden age of peace and prosperity. The changes are so massive that they split off the timeline into a completely separate ''universe''.
238	* SoulFragment: Ma'lek is the most obvious example of this, being a Hethe (creator god) who fractured himself into numerous shards after defecting from the pantheon.
239	** Raguel, the Arkn protagonist of ''[=VoiceOfLegion=]'', was split into three separate beings prior to the series, two of which were bizarrely transformed into humans.
240	* TakeAThirdOption: Arkn and Dekn who want no part in the War can choose to defect -- at which point they are rightly regarded as belonging to ''neither'' side. (However, this puts a targte on their back
241	** At the end of ''TheKnightShift'', [[spoiler:Knight/Ellpagg sets out to form a neutral counterforce ''made'' of defectors -- [[WellIntentionedExtremist and vows to slaughter]] ''[[WellIntentionedExtremist both sides]]'' [[WellIntentionedExtremist if they don't agree to join him]].]] He ultimately founds the kingdom of Arkassia, which serves as a safe haven for all "Neutrals". During the End Times, it is run by [[spoiler: Tobias Kestler]].
242	** During the End Times, Ambriel also revitalizes Riviera: a hidden, largely inaccessible realm which goes on to become a kingdom ruled by both Arkn ''and'' Dekn, where the two live in harmony.
243	* TestedOnHumans: Andras As'phyxiar, a Dekn [[MadScientist scientist]] who appears in ''Legacy'', has no qualms about conducting experiments on human and Arkn prisoners of war. In fact, we're told that his Dekn [[UnwittingAssistant lab assistant]] was [[ForcedTransformation formerly a human prisoner]] -- and that he's trying to duplicate the experiment.
244	** Andras's partner, Lucifuge, also has no problem testing on humans or Arkn. However, he goes a step further, by also testing on ''Dekn''.
245	* TomesOfProphecyAndFate: The ''Arknchron'', a book of infinite knowledge concerning the Arkn (allegedly [[ForgedByTheGods created and handed down by the Hethe themselves]]).
246	* TrademarkFavoriteFood: The Carver has a fixation with cheese -- so much that he altered his Dekn title to "The Dekn Lord of Pain, Torment, and Cheese (and Sometimes Lettuce)". Sometimes (or so he claims), he uses cheese in "creative" ways to ''cause'' pain and torment.
247	** Ma'lek and his pizza rolls. He offers them to anyone and everyone he encounters.
248	** When "Spooky Michael" (Solar's Crimson) isn't attacking Michaelis, he's chugging milk straight from the jug. (This actually becomes a minor plot point in the series, as Michaelis -- who has become sick of drinking nothing but soda in Humanity's Infernous -- tries unsuccessfully to catch Spooky in the act and stop him from stealing the milk out the fridge.)
249	** Tobias absolutely ''loves'' snack chips -- particularly Doritos (comes with being TheStoner). How much does he love them? His personal paradise in the Veil included ''a bed full of extra jumbo-sized bags of Doritos''.
250	* TransformationOfThePossessed: In ''Arknverse'', being possessed by either an Arkn or a Dekn typically causes (in addition to a wardrobe change) the vessel's eyes to turn inhuman color: red when they're possessed by a Dekn, and a hue specific to their possessor (green, blue, etc.) when they're host to an Arkn.
251	** When [[spoiler:Michael Knight]] is possessed by The Carver, he grows [[HornsOfVillainy horns]] (seen only in shadow), his eyes turn red, his face becomes heavily lined, and [[MarkOfTheBeast a sinister Dekn symbol]] tattoos itself on his forehead.
252	* TrappedInAnotherWorld: In the Arknverse (Universe A), which takes place within a computer system that has an infinite number of timelines (and numerous methods of traveling between them), this happens quite often. Usually, there are only minute differences between the timelines (averting the usual FishOutOfWater antics), and the characters are able to return to their original timeline before they acclimate and/or permanently take the place of their counterpart (See You Can't Go Home Again and Only One Me Allowed Right Now). However, there have been a few exceptions: in Season 1 of ''[=acryfromwinter=], Alex becomes trapped for a considerable amount of time in Timeline B -- in which his counterpart is [[spoiler:the mass murderer behind the Winter Family Massacre]].
253	** Early in Season 2 of ''Michael's Camera'', Ellpagg forcibly shoves Michael into another branch of Timeline B to get Redgrave off his tail.
254	** In Season 3 of ''Michael's Camera'', Michaelis nearly finds himself in this predicament after he spends too much time in Timeline B and discovers that the Debigrath Effect is beginning to [[MindRape mold]] him into a replacement "Michael". (Fortunately, he is able to leave the timeline before the Effect fully takes hold. But [[FridgeHorror if he had been there a bit longer...]])
255	** A number of characters (including Tobias, Raphael, and Michaelis) have become trapped at various times in the Veil: the home dimension of Asmodeus (which can function as either a PsychologicalTormentZone or a LotusEaterMachine, depending on which level you're trapped in).
256	* ViciousCycle: The universal cycle of creation, conflict, destruction, and rebirth is hinted to have played out countless times. The existing Hethe create a universe and everything in it, setting off a cascade of events (either deliberately or inadvertently) that leads to a [[ForeverWar conflict]] between the Arkn and Dekn, ending in an [[ApocalypseHow apocalypse]] that gives rise to a new Hethe Pantheon -- and the creation of a new universe. Lather, rinse, repeat.
257	** As of ''Arkn: Legacy'', the cycle is confirmed to have played out ''at least'' twice in full [[note]] The Hethe entered Arknverse A through a door that led from a previous universe (hinted to be the one inhabited by Emmanuel from ''Diary of a Mistake'').[[/note]]
258	*** Now confirmed, as of the ''Arkn: Echo'' spinoff.
259	* VoiceOfTheLegion: In Arknverse A, humans possessed by Arkn and Dekn typically demonstrate this (though few show it consistently).
260	** Beings possessed by the Hethe in the same continuity show this as well -- and they ''do'' have it consistently. (The Carver also demonstrates it on occasion, though he's something of a special case.)
261	* WingedHumanoid: Natural born Arkn (in all continuities) have fluffy, feathered wings of varying hues. The few Dekn that possess them have leathery, bat-like wings tipped with spines.
262	** In ''Arknverse'', said wings are separate, living organs that can be summoned at will -- namely, when the owner wants to put on their GameFace. Having one's wings removed is a sign of disgrace for the Arkn.
263	** In ''Legacy'', Arkn wings are energy constructs formed out of an Arkn's aura, which they produce by channeling the energy in their blood; said constructs can only be created by a full-blooded Arkn, and only in its native realm (the Empyrium).
264	* WorldInTheSky: The Golden Cities. Each city is divided into districts (government/banking, etc), with each district suspended on a separate, floating “island”.
265	** The [[http://thearknmythos.wikia.com/wiki/Paradisium Paradisium]] is similarly made of twelve floating tiers, each suspended atop other through a combination of "Arkn flair" and Dekn technology (via Raziel’s {{Magitek}}). In Universe A's Battle of the Arknza, it [[spoiler: eventually crashes into the sea after being weaponized by Ambriel]].
266	* WorldTree: The very first creation of the Hethe in Arknverse A was the First Tree: a massive tree carved from the door of the very portal they emerged from, which sat in the center of existence. The Dekn made it their home, until it was overrun by the Arkn and set on fire. Its remnants (or a facsimile of it) sit in the middle of the Infernous.
267	** The .Reality system of Arknverse A is formed in the rough shape of a tree, with a set number of central timelines that "branch" out into infinite offshoots.
268	** Universe A has its own version of the First Tree, in the form of the Tree of Riviera: the home of the first Dekn, Dekncraath.
269	* YouCantGoHomeAgain: According to the [[http://thearknmythos.wikia.com/wiki/The_Seamless_Reality_Effect Seamless Reality Effect]] of .Reality, any being or object that enters a foreign reality will "acclimate" to it and become foreign data, rending it unable to return to its original reality (unless placed there by a being of immense power).
270	[[/folder]]

Context WebOriginal / TheArknMythos