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smth about Astolfo, Otto/Offa & Charlemagne

heyaaa so i mentioned to a couple of friends that i probably could guestimate Astolfo's (before his travels that sent him all across the world) British accent!

Introduction - Who is Astolfo's Father?

To start with, we need to pinpoint where (and when, but that is the easy part) Astolfo was born or from where his family originated and that begins with a little explanation of Anglo-Saxon Britain.

Anglo-Saxon Britain was not unified like Britain today but a collection of kingdoms that would only be unified later in part by King Alfred when he rallied against the Vikings in 878 but later fully by his grandson Æthelstan in 927; the map above shows an estimation of England by the death of King Offa of Mercia (796)!

Why have we chosen the height of Mercia under Offa? Well, Astolfo's father was said to be King Otto of England leaving us with the task of tracking down who this character might have been inspired by...

Otto of England most likely refers to King Offa who had on-and-off positive and negative relations with the King of Franks including one of the first major trade agreements in English history between mainland Europe and also complete correspondence cut-offs (angst for the angst lovers) (it was about giving their children off for marriage) (eeyikes medieval independence wasn't all too strong).

Offa was believed to have been born around the year 730 whereas Charlemagne was believed to have been born around 747 to 748 granting Offa 17 years at the minimum over him - the likelihood of him, therefore, having been able to have a kid around the same age or younger than Charlemagne is highly probable (I would reckon Astolfo to be a little younger than Charlemagne).

The dates of birth for Offa's actual kids is pretty much unknown but Astolfo is fictional so all we need is basic chronological possibility!

Continuation - What was the Mercian dialect and what is it now?

The differences of Anglo-Saxon (or Old English) and Modern English at large are simultaneously vast and really not too large depending where you look - gendered variations (masculine, feminine and neuter) existed alongside far more inflections but the basic syntax of the English language (subject, verb, object) remained the same! Accents and dialects are much the same, some things persist and others don't.

Furthermore, the sound of the language will have been a little different than what we hear today due to progressive changes in pronunciation overtime.

That is not to say that there are no surviving vestiges of Old English and the Mercian dialect in modern day England that we can pin onto Astolfo. The Mercian linguistic survivors can be partnered to existing dialect in the 21st century right in Offa's favoured stomping grounds (the West Midlands, once Mercia!)

What remains of Mercia is, well, nothing because England is unified buuut right above Birmingham you'll find Staffordshire in which Tamworth (the ancient capital of Mercia) rests! This town held a great deal of importance to Offa with him staging Christmas and Easter celebrations there, erecting a palace once deemed a wonder of the age on the land and signing numerous charters from this royal seat of influence.

Tamworth lies very close to the Black Country & sits within what is recognised as the Brummie part of the West Midlands - the accents and dialect here are a total blend of everything around thanks to simultaneous growth and resistance to change, rich history in all ages of England pulling either which way!

Let's cross some similarities with the dialect surrounding the heart of Mercia nowadays with the dialect of Old Mercia! The primary similarities you'll find between the Mercian dialect and a modern dialect are within the Black Country where Mercian-derived vowel sounds (an /o/ in place of an /a/) survive.

Across the West Midlands (albeit concentrated most in the Black Country as a region that has resisted phonological change more than the surrounding Brummie areas) are where we can find some trace of what British Astolfo might have sounded like in what survives of his most probable Anglo-Saxon dialect.

Continuation - Astolfo's sound

While there is no true surviving Mercian speaking Englishman (nor a recording of such a figure) for us to point at for what a 'real' Astolfo, be that him in even greater youth or throughout his life if he retained an English twinge to his voice, would sound like, we can look at how people who've inherited that sound speak!

Here's an excerpt of the Black Country dialect where Mercian features most prominently emerge!

Here's a ton of data for the current dialects in Tamworth where a more modern touch has broken past the Mercian wall without totally eroding its presence.

Conclusion - Did ya expect this?

There you have it! Astolfo would have, most likely, spoken via the Mercian dialect (if all my little guesses about Otto being a fictional spin on Offa and Astolfo preserving any sense of the Mercian tongue) which is nowadays found in the hodgepodge of the West Midlands!

Of course, Astolfo wouldn't sound 1:1 with neither of the examples above! The Mercian dialect is long gone and those are far older folk who certainly do not portray themselves with near enough a hint of the gender fluidity.

But did you expect this sort of sound? Probably not...

Thank you for reading! This is all just the fun of an aspiring linguist who loves their local Mercian history and Astolfo, duh, so please do NOT take any of this as total gospel... I do my study and none of this comes without a proper source, I love what I read but I am by no means a total expert. Happy birthday Astolfo!

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY ASTOLFO BABY!!!!!!!❤️❤️❤️❤️🌹🌹🌹🌹🎀🎀🎀🎀🎀I LOVE YOU!!!!! ILOVE YOY bbbbb!!!!!!!!!!

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MHW/Monster Hunter Wilds - brief review after giving the game time to breathe & completing all content

9/10

General thoughts/ramble

i rlly rlly dig Wilds & place it in my Monster Hunter top 3 - it has the same charm as every other game in the series whilst progressing the new mainline formula from World in, what i'd call, a positive direction that balances the extreme emphasis speed with the portable team's latest entries with the extremely heavy weight of mainline's last outing

my complaints are largely limited to things that'll change with time: the poor pc rollout has/will be remedied; issues with the frequency of wounding in combat and the strength of it has a mechanic are already on the path to correction with the inclusion of AT endgame fights or the new incoming 8-star tempered threats; the Artian RNG endgame is going to be shaken up eventually and more.

wherever the title updates & expansion take Wilds, i'll be there

Major positives New combat additions Focus mode is the best new addition to Wilds and, besides some weapons generally benefitting less than others, is a breath of fresh air from the radical changes to pace brought on by the clutch claw or (trying not to vomit a little in my mouth) wirebugs.

Visual style, environmental flair and maps The weather system rules and splices in some second generation charm! The game is the perfect blend visually between World and some of the older generations that we currently have. The continual evolution of Monster Hunter's style of open world is at another height with Wilds, the camp & map system creates a nice seamless flow if you so wish to explore it or you can have a more traditional quest-based experience if you so choose. I, however, still find Monster Hunter to struggle with verticality in relation to travel time and enjoyment traversing (Wyveria, for example, is stupidly vertical down the Dragonspine which harkens back to some issues I have with Rise's map design or The Guiding Lands without the remedy of just leaping off a cliff).

Weapons and armour The new decorations system is fun but I am not enough of a build crafter to delve much further into that. The return to NO slap-on weapons in the mainline games is very greatly appreciated and innovations in what you can actually wear (the lack of gendered sets and underwear) have opened up a new world of armour customisation.

The new monsters Every new monster is a standout. There are new monsters in World and Rise that I completely hate, that is not the case for a single new monster in Wilds.

The story Divisive for some, the story of Wilds is the most engaging you're going to get out of any current story in the whole franchise bar the spin-off entries. Any hate for Nata is forced and you're living in Reddit vibes for it.

Music No Monster Hunter game has bad music.

Contextual animations and movement Movement feels amazing and the TONS of new animations for getting hit, climbing, status and more do so much to enhance the feel of weight in this game. Not as heavy as Worlds but nowhere near as slippery as Rise, I would call it the best middle-ground as it stands.

Negatives

Seikrets In a mechanical sense only, I am not a fan of Seikrets. They can be as clunky as palamutes if not outright worse when using them for emergency pick-ups in battle (something I outright refused to do after it cost me several faints due to them b-lining in a single direction uncontrollably upon mount) and contribute to the same issue that the taxi in World had where you begin to appreciate the world around you less 'cause you aren't going on foot through it. The game tries to fix this with some rather extended moments in the story where you are MADE to ogle at the incredible environmental work but it fails to replicate the proper exploring experience that World had.

PC rollout Not a PC player but it sucks that people had so many issues accessing Wilds. Same complaint about World.

RNG-based endgames return Not a fan of Artian weapons nor will I ever be a fan of that type of randomised endgame (Kulve, Safi, etc.) Luckily, you really DO NOT need them to access most of this game albeit I haven't participated in things like the AT Rey timed quest for the utmost challenge. If you like this, fair play.

Voice Some reactive voice-over returns into this game ("A tempered monster! Look at the size of that scar…") but unlike Rise, you cannot opt into the Monster Hunter language. It got old for me.

Wounds (contextual) Wounding is an amazing system, it is just TOO strong. This, however, won't be lasting as May's update brings in more 5-star Tempered monsters that have with them wound resistance like the game's current top threats (AT Rey Dau most noticeably, who has the same TTK as games like World which feels great with Wilds' pace!) and that is a massively needed change. I don't think this game has a difficulty problem, it has a wounding one.

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I recently found out about Astolfo's cloak and helmet look. More people should draw him like this.

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More than a year and still suffering 😔

Hello 👋, my name is Mahmoud, and I am a high-achieving high school student from Gaza. For more than a year, I have endured living under constant bombardment, facing fear and immense suffering. The struggle for basic necessities has been relentless, and the pain of losing loved ones and experiencing injustice is overwhelming. Despite these challenges, I remain hopeful and optimistic, constantly seeking ways to rebuild our lives.

I have been blessed with the opportunity to complete my final and most crucial academic year at the Al-Azhar Institute in Egypt. However, to make this dream a reality, I need to travel and cover my living expenses there. The costs for coordination, travel, and living in Egypt are significantly high, and I am in dire need of assistance. 🙏

This is why I am reaching out to kind-hearted individuals for support. With your generous donations, no matter how small or large, you can help me overcome these hurdles and continue my education. Your support will not only help me achieve my academic goals but also enable me to assist my family and contribute positively to my community.

In times of hardship, it is hope that keeps us going. Your contribution can be the light that guides me through this challenging journey.

Thank you for your time and consideration. ❤️

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FIRING ICLM AT STAGE!!!

INTERCONTINENTAL LOVE MISSILE! THESE THINGS! MY LOVE!

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colored manga cinnabar icons!! these were super fun to do

credits not required but appreciated!

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Arcane, thoughts & conclusion

I really, really loved the second season of Arcane. There is no nuance to that. It blew my socks off.

Yes, there were pacing issues. Yes, there were one too many plotlines to wrap up. Yes, it ended nothing like I expected and did not tie into mainline League.

The achievements of the show really blow most of these issues away for me plus I think if you wanted this show to just become mainline Runeterra after the fact, you had the wrong vision for it. That also goes for the whole "Arcane is the main canon" comment made two years after the first season, total bogus bollocks that tries to infantilise any Arcane watchers who try LoL after the fact.

Episode 3, 5, 6 and 7 were the major highlights for me but I do not have an episode I look back upon with an ounce of true negativity.

My biggest gripe with the show, however, that I don't think can be justified by accepting that Arcane being so big and such a grand story with so many characters is the handling of Vander/Warwick and Sevika.

Sevika just got shafted. I think that is the easiest way to put it. No real dialogue after the first act and no valuable screentime. Her tidbits in episode 9 felt like breadcrumbs. A massive shame for such an amazing character who should have gotten more... ending her story on a teaser of her in the new Piltover council is nice but unbaked.

Warwick got pretty much the same treatment but I have a little more to say about him because I think his portrayal in act 2 was utterly perfect.

His new design was also good for the context!

Why, after everything they put into developing the return of Vander somewhat, did he just go? A lot of people 'died' during the Glorious Evolution but having that be the final goodbye to everything with Vander was unceremonious. It would have been better for him to have died alongside Isha in my eyes, the cycle repeating again and again. More justification for Jinx's determination to break said cycle by stepping away.

His use as nothing other than a big bad attacker in the final fight did not help, the presentation was wicked and the shots of him standing tall and robotic were intimidating but nothing more than the initial moment of "damn!"

Even if he was not destined to become like mainline Warwick, which I knew not to expect as Act 2 rolled in, there was surely a more satisfying conclusion than Vander dying with his memories being absorbed by Viktor and his body going up in smoke.

But, what now?

Arcane's first season was an easy ten out of ten in my eyes.

Arcane's second season was a strong nine out of ten.

In my eyes, this show was the last gasp of hope for Runeterra and her lore: we no longer get colour stories, the state of start-of-season cinematics is dubious after the tainted legacy of 2023's shitstain, Legends of Runeterra is dead and Riot Forge is no longer with us.

One HELL of a last gasp and I am happy that we will at least have Arcane to look back on for years after the fact.

The future shows we have been promised mean nothing till we see them, I believe Arcane was the final labour of love we'll ever see. Nearly a decade in production, £250 million and Fortiche's mastercraft culminating in this stellar show.

I pray, as an enjoyer of League's mainline lore and Arcane, this is not the end but the horizon is bleak. Knowing Ambessa will get a book is a nice start but once Arcane disappears over that horizon, what next?

I don't know.

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is that piece of media actually bad, or is it just not following the blueprint you projected onto it? is that work actually not good, or are you just demanding something from it that is absolutely antithetical to its themes, genre, tone, and narrative goal? is that story actually poorly written, or do you just dislike that it is not the specific things you wanted from it that it never set out to be, never was, and never is going to become? is it actually bad, or is it actually well-executed and you just dislike the story it chose to be because it isn't catering to your specific desires and expectations?

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The State of Lore after Arcane Season Two

There is lots of discourse on various social medias about that one rogue comment making Arcane the canon lore for all the characters and the implications that has after the finale.

I understand the frustration, largely, because season two's finale was a gamechanger. I also think that directing this frustration towards Arcane is stupid. Nobody lost their lore because of Arcane, the universe page will remain there forever and one comment on Reddit isn't going to break that.

You know what DOES break lore?

The death of the universe page, no colour stories, the lack of funding for LoR, etc. Corporate breaks lore.

Directing our energy towards the incredibly talented writers behind season one and season two who've been working on this for maybe a decade and not the people actively stabbing them in the back is a spit in the face of the dwindling passion Riot lets their workers put out.

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hey guys. uh. sorry.

i would shatter a STAR for her. her wrongs will NOT shake me.

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venti themed graphics

(stamps and blinkies below the cut)

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🩷 SUKISUKI HUNTER♡ || Special For Princess 💜

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these little village idiots are ravaging my cramped brain with the same frequency as the tide. theyre gone and then boom my other interests have to leave the beach for the day.

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Teensy ramble about V.8 Pater (AC6)

I’ve had multiple instances where I’ve seen comments on AC6 voice line videos that have upset me because I really don’t think people understand how the work environment of Arquebus is the primary enabling force behind Pater’s personality switch and he isn’t some sort of heartless manipulator, like he isn’t a bad person,, For one he’s probably mentally ill and in a system that encourages him to take advantage of the deaths of coworkers and friends, that isn’t a good mix. I mean part of it is also coping with the death of Hawkins but the main point is that Pater isn’t inhuman or anything. The little bit of him mimicking Rusty really shows that, it’s dorky and endearing and something he didn’t have to do, it’s him dropping the formalities for a moment. He’s a mouth piece in Arquebus and perhaps it’s a relief to be delivery a message from someone like Rusty as opposed to Snail. To me he’s like,, a dorky little people pleaser (like relationship with Hawkins is so teacher’s pet to me) who conforms to the system and becomes obsessed with it once Hawkins is dead and it’s all he has left without a proper guiding hand.