#any skill +1

[viridescent-lance]

hot leif juice

[shepscapades]

Xisuma, why in the world were trying to fix your helmet with TAPE?? I thought the superglue idea was unhinged but THIS IS A NEW LEVEL

(I know that it's probably not holding itself ONLY on tape, but the image in my head is too funny)

What's next? You tell me he attached Doc's new arm to his body with tape and glue too??

THIS RESPONSE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE COMICAL but I let it get away from me;;

[yukyunotabibito]

Nasir smiles back at the young woman as she returns with the water, and places it gently on the table, unable to help the soft chuckle to himself that escapes his lips, "Rather unfortunately, or perhaps fortunate for the boy and no one else, I found myself to Fodlan to start with the task of watching after young Kurthnaga. He no longer needs my constant fussing though, so I mostly leave him be these days."

It was a good thing Nasir was a practiced liar, and a good one at that, or those words would sound as false as the smile plastered on his face at this very moment.

"You could say that I'm here to gather intelligence, but don't tell anyone else that," He sighs softly to himself, "The utmost failure of a spy is to let people know that they are spying. I'm sure you of all people know better than simply run your mouth wildly though; right little Empress?"

It would do them both well to keep a little discretion in this moment; wouldn't it?

diversity hire!

Nasir + Sanaki, Pearlescent (any skill +1)

[cadriox]

He is gold but I’ll always be flesh

Inspired by Six Letters written by @lalazeewrites

[dreams-of-void]

"oh Jason fought Tim in Titans tower because he didn't want any child to be a vigilante after how he ended up" sometimes what you guys want is just Joey Wilson.

[emeraldmew]

Visser 3: Power from Spectacle

Elfangor's death demonstrates so much about Visser 3's character. There's no need for him to morph - he could easily kill the wounded Elfangor with his tail.

But Visser 3's power comes from his image. He's in his position because he has an Andalite host. So he solidifies his influence with showy displays like this.

It's a form of charisma. He doesn't win over followers with leadership or grace but rather spectacle. He doesn't need to intimidate Elfangor - it's all for the taxxon- and hork-bajir- and human-Controllers. They need to see him being powerful. They need to see him being cruel. Being efficient wouldn't do him any favors. Any hork-bajir-Controller could slice Elfangor's throat at this point. Any of the human-Controllers could use a dracon beam. But showing off the only trait that makes his Andalite host special? That demonstrates why he's leading this force.

Visser 3 manages to simultaneously be Cartoonishly Evil to the point to incompetence and a legitimate threat and potent antagonist because he knows his strengths well. He's not a tactician, he doesn't inspire faith in the Yeerk Empire. And he KNOWS it. He knows he doesn't actually have other leadership skills going for him. It's all image. He's the one Yeerk with an Andalite host. He's impulsive and violent but his real strength is his command of his audience. He inspires terror. Yeerks follow him because they know he can and will kill them if they do not, and the Yeerk leadership let him run with these simplistic bullying tactics because he knows how to put on a show.

He doesn't just kill Elfangor. He morphs a giant space monster because he can - to show off that he can. He doesn't just swallow Elfangor whole. He chews. Bits of Andalite fall for taxxons to catch. Because the cruelty of the act is all about spectacle.

He's showing off for the Yeerks so they can see how he can do things they can't. He's rubbing it in to their hosts that he can do whatever he wants as cruelly as possible - he's forcing his own Andalite host to perform cannibalism, after all. He knows he gets his power through making an impression so he does it at every opportunity.

[vagueeyes]

INSIDE NO. 9 | Director Guillem Morales + challenges

From the commentary - S3E5 "Diddle Diddle Dumpling":

Steve: Oh, it was painstaking. This really was, the sort of classical structure of this. Reece: I think it did pain Guillem a lot, because he didn't like ever doing things orderly–full on, sort of–in such a symmetrical way. It was always oblique angles he liked using, so it was a–every time, it sort of– Steve: –A challenge. Reece: –Yeah, it struck a nerve with him to do it.

From the BBC Sounds pod - S6E5 "How Do You Plead?":

Reece: When you got this script, […] what's the thought that goes into–do you read it and then imagine how you would want to tell the story? How do you sort of go about first processing how you're going to direct it? Guillem: Well, I think that in each episode, there's a challenge. That's INSIDE NO. 9, isn't it? So I think that [...] trying to find that challenge in every script; and if there isn't a challenge, you know, I like to create them anyway. (Steve laughs) [...] Steve: You used light a lot, didn't you? In this episode. And reduced it as you were going along. And that was one of your strong images as well, wasn't it? To end in near darkness. Guillem: Yeah, see, that was one of the challenges that I created for myself (all laugh) and for the team.

[daniclaytcn]

can i be honest i don't think buck would ever make a good captain. at least at the rate at which his character has been developing until how

[1doesnotsimplyhavejust1fandam]

Might I make an argument for the “you don’t have to pretend with me” scene as the gayest Buddie kitchen scene? Yes, even gayer than “you wanna go for the title?” but it’s close.

Buck leaving Taylor in the other room to come say it because he sees Eddie, maybe more than anyone ever has. Eddie, not yet therapized and oh so tired and weighed down by his life and trauma, not ready yet to really hear Buck and trust that he’s not going to judge Eddie. Buck being the only character thus far to notice that something’s not right with Eddie (and really, the only one - Frank is told during therapy, Bobby witnesses an outburst that couldn’t be misinterpreted, but Buck just sees Eddie), and try to push him to talk about whatever’s wrong. Eddie having just spent a good chunk of the prior scene evil-eying Taylor for…reasons, while watching Buck devour his food with the stupidest fond expression on his face. Christopher just sassed them into oblivion, and Taylor might as well have not been in the room despite having been a part of the exchange originally.

Mostly though, it’s just the exhibition of Buck telling Eddie, “I’m here, you don’t have to hide. I’m here, please talk to me. I’m worried about you, please stop lying to yourself and me,” and it’s so soft, so kind, so them that I have to send it to the top of the Buddie’s greatest hits list. Because who else would you say “you don’t have to pretend with me,” to but someone you adore, that you love, that you spend your time worrying over?

[phinjeet]

* got sick of being bad at colorz when it comez 2 digital art so i made a palette out of the colorz i uzually stick 2 in my traditional art yay

[yukyunotabibito]

"I have lived among beorc for many years, you are right that I know all too well what they can be like," Nasir sighs. He wants to believe that these beorc - the soldiers down on their luck without a single hope left in this world - can be different; but doesn't everyone have the capacity to do the bad like so many others have before?

He wants to believe in them, because their eyes - words have never been something he's able to trust - show innocence, a belief in the world, despite their loss of hope, that it can give them something.

Nasir may not share that same belief, but...

It would be terribly cruel of him to abandon them now. They had already come all this way, offered even a sliver of hope.

"I do feel inclined, Naesala. Wanting to bridge that gap is why I left Goldoa in the first place. Let us do what is right, for once."

The Two Worst Men You've Ever Met Teach You How to Hold a Sword (They Don't Know How to Hold a Sword)

Recovery | Any Skill +1

[extra-terrestrial-3]

im begging someone to make a Malevolent animatic to Ptolemaea by Ethel Cain PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE

[a-vibing-potato]

"This is a story about… birth, my love. Rebirth. It’s a story of how we came to live in this world… this world which so loves you."

Cool quote and all but why did I think he was gonna say "This is a story all about how" and START SINGING THE FRESH PRINCE OF BELAIR THEME SONG.

[mostofthingsmostofthetime]

Fortnight from TTPD is so Armand/Daniel codded

[minivirgo]

oh these pants im wearing ? sewed them. this sweater ? knitted it. my quilted cross-body bag ? sewed it as well of course

[goldoanheart]

Right, so, about those monsters! It turns out they might be smarter than you are, because you can’t just walk up to them and start swinging, and they also look to have little interest in your cute traps and snares. You’re going to have to get creative about it, before the hunters become the hunted. [Grants Any Skill +1]

Kurthnaga fiddles with the piece of rope he holds in his hands. He doesn't want to do this. He doesn't want to make traps and hunt down the monsters in the woods. He doesn't want to have to hurt them. They may just be strange monsters, but Kurthnaga still didn't want to have to hurt them. Where was the line drawn anyway? Where was the line drawn between "monster" and Feral One?

He just didn't like it. He didn't like the idea of hunting to begin with. Let alone whatever these monsters were.

His hands tense around the rope, the threads starting to split apart with the strength of his grip. Hunting meant blood. Trapping meant blood. At least for the most part. Perhaps there were traps that didn't draw blood, but because the idea of hunting was almost equivalent with blood for Kurthnaga, his racing mind couldn't even begin to think of them.

Kurthnaga turns to one of his fellow hunters, trying to clear his throat of any nerves. Though his voice still comes out as a muffled squeak, so he couldn't really say he was successful at that.

"Um! Excuse me...! Do you... know of any more... ulp.... humane ways to trap these monsters? I would rather like to not hurt them if we can, or at the very least not make them... um... bleed..."

@charmblooded

And I Call This Masterpiece "Please Don't Bite Me"

Affluence | Any Skill +1