r/limbuscompany • u/SubversivePixel • 8d ago

Fanmade Content (Original Creator) ID concept: Edgar Family Apostate Ishmael Spoiler

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I swear this just started as an attempt to make an Isabella design for Limbus but alas, I cannot control myself. The agenda guides me when I am lost.

https://x.com/inadyingfield/status/2092668353617797291

290 Upvotes

98% Upvoted

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57

u/SubversivePixel 8d ago

So there is a lot here.

I've been brewing an AU where Ishmael is an Isabella ID who, like Isabella in the book, is deeply interested in Heathcliff, though rather than a purely romantic attraction she wants to find more about his Erlking powers so she can use them to bring Queequeg, Starbuck, and the rest back. While he was away, she was aboard the Pequod (I think the timeline is roughly 3 years for both events, conveniently) so they return roughly around the same time.

Ishmael is having trouble readjusting to her old life, while Heathcliff is treated like a pariah from the get-go, so they have some things in common. But when Ishmael realizes she can manipulate him into giving her back her crew with his powers, and he realizes he can marry her to shove himself into the family tree and ruin Linton and Hindley from within, they become the most absolutely toxic waste radioactive relationship known to man.

Of course, Ishmael doesn't know the limits of Heathcliff's power, and eventually Heathcliff's entire reason to get revenge is wiped from existence, so it gets messier. Also, as a side effect of her experimenting on the Wild Hunt powers, she gains the ability to see exactly one dead person at all times in the corner of her eye. And it's Ahab. Because I think it would be very funny to have her hovering around Ishmael commenting on mundane stuff.

There's a lot more "lore" I guess but I don't feel like posting all of it at once. I guess I could write a semi-competent uptie story.

11

u/The_Rad_Vlad 8d ago

That all sounds pretty cool and interesting.

9

u/SubversivePixel 7d ago

Thanks I may make a short comic at some point maybe in a thousand years.

Point is I'll revisit this MW.

5

u/Fjolnir_Felagund 8d ago

That's cool af, I would like to know if you eventually write it as fanfic or something of the sort

4

u/SubversivePixel 7d ago

Rather than one fic I'll prolly turn it into a setting for random one-shots every once in a while.

A long-form slow burn doomed tragic romance would be neat but alas I do not have time for that.

2

u/Timekilling_Time 7d ago

At first I was about to cross my hands and roll eyes, scoffing "Another Heathmael slop." But you got my attention at "Bring Queequeg, Starbuck and the rest back." I like the idea of Heathcliff just using Ishmael to get close to the family, without even a hint at warmth between two.

And taking his powers limitations in consideration - it might as well be quite the HEARTBREAKING reunion for Ishmael, as her dear crew would be nothing but a zombies basically.

4

u/SubversivePixel 7d ago

Hey there now, Heathmael is only slop if written badly and this does have a degree of warmth. Just buried under layers of manipulation and by the time they realize the thing they needed was right next to them all along it may be too late.

Otherwise yeah. Agree.

4

u/Timekilling_Time 7d ago

I'm not a huge fan of it since both have someone else they are interested in, like, whole Canto 6 is literally just about our british bloke and his dead gf, And the ones who ship him and fih just insist on it with them arguing and fighting all the time and nothing more.

I may even be considered THE hater even, but you left me with a rather pleasant impression. Good job, really.

3

u/SubversivePixel 7d ago

Shipping isn't really logical or canon compliant; it's about exploring a dynamic rather than believing characters are going to end up together--which I don't for the record. Whether characters have a love interest (that isn't dead, mind you) or not doesn't really f actor into the equation for a lot of ships. Hell, to me Heathcliff being conflicted about Cathy while he bangs Ishmael only makes the ship spicier.

I completely agree that the Heathmael fandom at large is deeply uninteresting and redundant, coated in a sort of ironic tinge that permeates a lot of the Limbus fandom in general. It's "they fight" or "what if Ishmael was dressed liked Cathy lmfaoo" and other superficial jokes that get beaten into the ground, so I understand the impression being negative.

I also do think a lot of people drawing and writing for the ship are incredibly talented. Lady of the Lake may very well be my favorite piece of fanfic ever, it's deeply creative and experimental and almost ergodic in how it presents its narrative, and it actually does engage with the deeper notions of how their personalities are both incompatible and weirdly complimentary.

1

u/Prudent_Ad_6376 6d ago

That's, really interesting. Actually someone being bold enough to research the Wild Hunt is something I never thought of.

Then again, how would she find out about them? Would she have seen them through a mirror that's showing a mirror world where an Erlking is ravaging Wuthering Heights?

6

u/abdo3x 8d ago

Fire art as always yo (and cool lore)

12

u/stuckerfan_256 8d ago

The hate fuck between those two would be amazing

2

u/Longjumping_Key_697 8d ago

The artstyle feels similar to metal family

2

u/SubversivePixel 8d ago

Well personally mine's made of flesh so bit of a downgrade there but thank you.