#jac rambles

[therenlover]

This new Devil's Minion fic I've cooked up is either the best thing I've written in a hot second or 4,000 words of insane ramblings that could even rival Armand's inner dialogue...

Oh wait it IS Armand's inner dialogue, so I guess maybe its both.

[therenlover]

I have, quite literally, gotten dozens of scam asks like this in my inbox in the last month or two I’ve been active on Tumblr again, almost one a day, to the point where I cannot remember the last ask I got that wasn’t asking me for money.

I felt like an awful person every time I doubted the story being told to me about needing to afford to flee Palestine, or get their insulin, or afford a dental procedure, or the like. I pride myself on the fact that I can and do donate to vetted causes, locally and globally. Once I did my research on these blogs and their fundraising links, though, every single one has been a scam. Not exaggerating. Every single one. After a while, the exact same script would even pop up from different accounts with different donation links, even using the same pictures as “evidence” with different names and situations attached.

I am absolutely not shaming those who genuinely need to do crowd fundraising to survive. It happens. The world is on fire. Please donate to verified fundraisers if you want to and can afford to. But, please also be aware that you aren’t a terrible person for not responding to these asks or spreading them further.

Hi I'm Lauren I'm new to this app, I'm just trying to make some friends. Can i be your friend?

so as a semi-popular blog i tend to get a lot of scam asks, but this is actually a type of scam i've never encountered on tumblr before, so i'm going to make kind of an in-depth post/psa instead of just the usual short "this is a scam" response i usually give.

usually, tumblr scammers tend to follow a few easy signs:

blog less than a week old because they use them for like a week before discarding/being banned and then remaking

fundraiser post for cause that's meant to tug at the heartstrings (cute pet that needs medical treatment, capitalizing on current crises like the genocide in gaza, single mother trying to provide for kids, queer teen who got kicked out, etc)

pictures are stolen off facebook or gofundme, oftentimes from an actual, legitimate fundraiser (this is so scummy)

paypal country code does not match with the country they state they're in

spams asks to random blogs telling their backstory and asking for donations or reblogs of their donation post, often with a request to answer privately (so the spamming doesn't show up if you search their url)

those are donation scams, and i get them in my inbox about once every week or two. they're the most common type of scam on tumblr.

THIS asker didn't mention any kind of money, or donations, or backstory. just "can i be your friend". they have no fundraiser post or in fact any original posts at all, and their blog is almost a year old with consistent activity. seems kind of normal at first glance, if a little awkward, but this is actually the beginning to what's referred to as a "pig butchering scam".

pig butchering scams can be either romance-based or friendship-based. they involve an innocuous-seeming interaction developing into a relationship, and once the scammer thinks they have your trust, they start asking for money, using that built trust as the basis. you would lend a friend some money in an emergency if they promise to pay it back quickly if you could, right?

pig butchers are definitely harder to spot than donation scammers, but there are some clear signs if you look closely enough.

the out-of-nowhere nature of the ask was what got me initially suspicious, so i searched her url. this is what that search looks like.

clearly not a user trying to actually make friends, and instead a spammer. a couple people there have already pointed out this is a pig butchering scam.

a few weeks ago, she was even bolder and doing a more donation-scam approach:

(hint: she is not going to give it back to you)

@kyra45 even posted about this as far back as september, and apparently the scammer was a blank blog back then:

if a tumblr search yields little results, you can also google someone's url. a google search led to this post with a user who got into the actual pig butchering part of the scam, developing a relationship before trying for money.

another, far less obvious tell is that she's following loads of bots, mixed in with normal users she's following. while i'm unsure if this user is a bot herself (i'm leaning toward a mixed use of a bot to send asks and personal replies once she gets a bite), normal users don't just... follow random bot/SEO accounts.

she also has a second, identical account at @pleasantdesttinykkryptonite, the same url with an extra k. possibly a backup in case she gets banned.

john oliver actually did a whole episode on pig butchering scams (already posted by someone in the url search) if you'd like to learn more.

here are real donation links for palestine & sudan

[strengthtojourneyon]

Watched the Arena tour and if I don't talk about it I WILL EXPLODE

Oh my word, I was so excited for this show and let me tell you it did not disappoint. It was my first time seeing a stage production of the musical and it completely outshone the film, and the arena tour specifically was such a perfect show from top to bottom, I'll never forget how it felt hearing those opening notes from the live orchestra.

Ugh it was just so cool!!! And the actors oh my word lemme talk about the actors for a sec -

Killian Donnelly:

This man has the voice of an angel. An angel. He understood Valjean so well, portrayed him as this quiet, careful character, who kept his emotions and secrets close to his chest. That was until the final song where he finally allowed himself to feel and to show his emotions without inhibition....heartbreaking 10/10. And like I said, his actual singing was so, so haunting. Bring Him Home was definitely a highlight, his tenor is just so pretty and melodious!! And yet at other times his voice is so strong and decisive, like in The Confrontation and Who Am I - honestly the talent that man has is insane. He was perfect and from now on he is my favourite Valjean.

Bradley Jaden:

This man. THIS MAN. He has altered my brain chemistry permanently. Watching him play Javert has become one of those life derailing, permanently changing how I view the musical forever experiences akin only to the first time I read AROS. Holy heck is this man the perfect Javert! I was legit so excited when he came out for the first time! Honestly, he just was Javert. He truly embodies what it means to become your character (it helps that he looks like him too, with his long hair and wolfish grins) and his voice??? Hello???? Stars was a masterpiece, I swear I have never heard it sung so beautifully in my life! The way he knelt and did the cross on the edge of the stage instead of raising his baton above his head over-dramatically? The quiet devotion and faith in every note? The juxtaposition of Javert's inner thoughts and how he presents himself to others? This man!! And when Javert died I swear he had everyone on the edge of their seats. He so perfectly encapsulated the distress of the character, balancing drama and emotion and melody all at once to flawlessly depict such an important scene. I don't care what anyone else says, he is the greatest Javert of all time in my opinion.

And also, why the hell is there no Bradley Jaden fanclub here? He needs one!! I'll be president myself if I have to!

Rachelle Ann Go:

Supermodel looks and superstar voice, I don't know what more to say. She portrayed Fantine with a bit more fire, a little more resistance than I am used to, but I'm all for it. She had that "I've lost everything, so I no longer care anymore" type attitude that makes perfect sense for her character. When she came back for the epilogue she had this ethereal grace to her that really made her feel like a real angel.

Jac Yarrow:

He really does suit Marius, both looks and personality wise. His voice was enchanting <3 I nearly fell in love with him myself, no wonder Eponine and Cosette were both into him! Seriously though, he completely slayed Empty Chairs at Empty Tables. He was also really very sweet when Eponine died, green flags all around, wholesome Marius energy that I am here for all the way.

Jo Stephenson:

I prefer my Cosettes blonde, but aside from that, Jo did an excellent job with the character. I really thought she encapsulated the quiet dignity and elegance of older Cosette very well. She hit all her notes perfectly and I had no idea she was an understudy until I read my programme. Kudos to her she did really well and I look forward to seeing her again in a role of her own.

James D. Gish:

Good grief, what a heartthrob. Stunningly handsome and deeply passionate, he is everything you could ever ask Enjorlas to be. I really could hear the emotion in every word he sung, his battle cries stirred the hearts of the entire audience! Still, he never came off as uncaring or overbearing towards his friends, but rather as encouraging and confident, exemplifying the traits of a true leader. It was so, so heartbreaking when he died, everyone really adored him and I genuinely cannot find any fault with his performance. It was perfect. He was perfect. Huge kudos to my new favourite Enjorlas.

Beth Curnock:

Another understudy, but you wouldn't have known it from her performance. As someone who usually listens to the symphonic recording, I was pretty nervous about Eponine. I was worried she would put on that awful accent that Kaho Shimada does (no offense guys, it's not for me). Thankfully Beth did not, her voice was angelic and refined, her clear understanding of the character shone through in her every movement, every note, every action. She was incredible and it was heartbreaking watching her die in Marius's arms. A rising star in the industry for sure.

Sebastian Sero:

Incrediably talented for a 12 year old. He made an excellent Gavroche, I wish we could have seen even more of him. He nailed the part completely, he had the perfect amount of sass and resilience that made him perfect for the role. Whenever I imagine Gavroche now, I will imagine him.

Marina Prior:

So I didn't actually know who she was before I watched the show, I was super confused why the audience cheered for ages when Madame Thenardier cam out lmao. What kind of pitiful excuse for an Australian am I? Regardless, she played the role really well and the audience just adored her. She and Matt Lucas were such a talented comedic duo and even with all of her silliness, her incredible talent for singing shown through her every note. To the point that her husband broke the fourth wall to go "It's not phantom, love" which was so funny.

Matt Lucas:

Absolutely hilarious. Every time Thenardier came onto the stage the audience knew they were in for a good time. I loved how confident Matt was with the character that he felt he could add his own personal touches, with all his fun little quips. He just had this infectious energy to him that really drew you in. (Side note - the background choreography in Beggars At The Feast being just the rest of the cast swaying is freaking hilarious to me). If I had one small criticism, it would be that his evil laugh at the end of Dog Eats Dog was not nearly evil enough for my taste, but that's a very, very small thing and ultimately does in no way diminish his spectacular performance.

So that's the actors, and if you're still here, here's my thoughts on my three ships:

Valvert:

Oh boy, strap in buddy-

HOLY HECK THE CHEMISTRY BETWEEN KILLIAN AND BRADLEY. Dude. Dude the Valvert vibes were off the charts. Soft valjean x sharp Javert if you can understand what I mean. From the beginning, Javert has to be all gay about giving Jean his paper, slapping it onto his chest (just admit you wanna touch him, dude) and then during the MsurM era you could just tell they were into each other. Trust me bro, those longing glances were frequent. Ooooh and the confrontation. Masterpiece. Both of them were so dramatic, Javert was raving and spitting and the toxic yoai levels were crazzzzy. Especially when they actually were looking at each other!! Oh and when Javert was interrogating Thenardier he gets all lost in his thoughts thinking of Valjean and accidentally grabs Thenardier's coat (imagining what you wanna do to Valjean, buddy?) heck even Thenardier is like "what the hell dude. Get your repressed gay ass away from me". During First Attack you could really see longing in Valjean's eyes as he frees Javert. Longing to keep him prisoner or longing for a world where they were on the same side? It's up to interpretation. And Javert lunges at him and Valjean keeps him at bay with his knife, their faces only inches apart....bro I cannot be normal about this, ever.

Marisette:

What can I say? They were really very cute. It felt like every opportunity they got they would kiss. Just gentle, wholesome love the whole way through. They remain my beloved token straight couple. Their gentle tenderness was a good contrast to all of the toxic yaoi/doomed yaoi going on around them.

Enjoltaire:

Gotta say, not too big of an Enjoltaire vibe in this show, Enjorlas did seem to be more patient with Grantaire though. He was a little more open to him, a bit more gentle when he tried to stop him from singing in Drink With Me. Also it was hilarious when Grantaire stole his microphone in Red and Black and then hopped happily away so his boyfriend could have it back. That was giving bickering married couple/playful banter vibes and I was all for it.

Additional thoughts:

Absolutely excellent show all around. There is less acting as a result of it being an arena tour but it still felt like a full, complete, easily understood show. I adored every minute and when Valjean and the bishop hugged at the end I burst into tears.

If I was to have one small criticism it would be that Javert should have been in the final song. It's 2025, we shouldn't be pushing the narrative that people are unforgivable and that those who commit suicide don't get into heaven. Come on now.

But that aside, I highly recommend it! I just wish I could have stayed and watched that performance over and over again. It was life changing for sure!!

[hopelessfandomfreak]

via prol_x on instagram

I plan on listening to this podcast at some point, specifically jac schaeffer’s portion, but here are a few major takeaways for the agathario community. I find all of this makes me more appreciative of the ending we got and of the work jac put into writing a good story for agathario. she genuinely cares about them as individual characters and as a couple, and she appreciates them for all their complexity and depth, which is a breath of fresh air for marvel creators in my opinion.

[hauntinglesbian]

[maythedreadwolftakeyou]

power of GDL's sobbing angry emotional lines in Torchwood got me half blacked out considering renaming my inquisitor to Lisa jfc

[crabs-with-sticks]

New Zealand culture in a nutshell

[therenlover]

This is one of my favorite fanworks I've found in the iwtv community so far. Do yourself a favor and immerse yourself in the imagined Daniel Molloy twitter discourse we all wish was real

bloodsucker, famefucker

T || 3.7k [Social Media Epistolary]

☁️✨ (@babymoonlight): i’m so sorry i ever made fun of you mr vampire lestat lesander de lioncourt i love u i hope louis kisses ur lil head and tucks you in under a blanket u deserve the world idc

ama 🍣 (@lilsushiroll): he should still die imo

vamp stan idc 🦷 (@aloevampita): he’s already dead keep UP you look like an idiot someone already went nom nom on his neck centuries ago you’re too late

[read on ao3]

[grilledcheeseandguavajelly]

Listen I know that hcs are meant to be fun and the point of them is not to be canon, it’s just to explore the characters and the world, etc, and I am more than happy to sprinkle them into my fics and just go about my day— but oh my god hearing jac shaeffer confirm my hc and knowing the fic I wrote about it is canon now even though we didn’t see it in the show?? I’m reeling

[therenlover]

Slain (Vampire Hunter!Helmut Zemo/Vampire!Reader) THE MASTERPOST

A/N: Welcome! This is gonna be the home base for all of the chapters of Slain on Tumblr. If you prefer to read on AO3, you can find the fic here. I can't wait to finally share this story with you <3 If you want to be added to the taglist for this fic or all of my Zemo fics, just let me know. My hope is to get one or two chapters out a month, but as of now, due to my current work schedule being variable, I don't have a set upload schedule in mind.

Synopsis: Sokovia is destroyed. Some say it fell to Tony Stark's bomb. Others say something much darker tore the country to shreds. Something supernatural. Something that had to be covered up by total destruction. Helmut Zemo doesn't care about the how, though, or the why; He cares about revenge, and he will stop at nothing to rid the world of those who live to harm it, even if that means going toe to toe with the ancient vampire who killed his father.

Tags: Vampire!AU, Enemies to Lovers to Friends, Angst, Vampire Hunter!Helmut Zemo, Morally Grey Characters, Slow Burn, Eventual Smut

Rating: E (+18) for later chapters

Current Word Count: 9,900~

------

Chapter One: No Compasses, No Maps

Synopsis: The world undergoes change. Helmut Zemo finds new residence and perspective on his journey for revenge.

Rating: M

Word Count: 9,900~

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Chapter Two: Thirst

Coming Soon!

[wndaswife]

erm im actually gonna be pissed asf if the tva thing becomes mcu canon…. i just saw words (and im not linking it bc im not bringing traffic to that shit app)… being exchanged on twitter

PLEASE STOP FUCKING DOING THIS TO WOMEN IN FICTION….. first she’s a hysterical woman and mother whose emotions and motherhood r villainous (in contrast to wv: read this)

then second she’s contained and turned into a science experiment where they deny her magic and her independence and status as a witch where she is able to come to terms with her bad deeds and deal with her trauma??? literally what even is this

where tf is the unabashedly powerful and magical, wise, and independent wanda (which SHOULD have come about after wv) STOP FUCKING MILKING TRAUMATIZING WOMEN… WOMEN ARE NOT MORE ARTISTIC OR COMPLEX THE MORE TRAUMA YOU PUT INTO THEM… goes to show what amuses people

i’ll be so pissed off if they do the doctor doom using wanda plot im sorry please give it up please dsmom was enough underlying misogyny and useless trauma dumping onto a clickable character

lizzie please please don’t accept it snookums please

[treezxu]

Twitter users vs critical thinking

[hopelessfandomfreak]

I’ll never be getting over the fact that jac and team wanted to cast someone who liked like aubrey for the role of nicky, even if it was just subconsciously. like they knew her being the “father” is what makes the most sense even if they didn’t explicitly write it

[the-red-thread-that-strangles]

collecting pieces of you and assembling them into the outline of the shape you fill

[herald-divine-hell]

Too Many Thoughts Bro

Summary: I have read too much history books on Christian and Muslim sectarian rivalries, and how the Herald of Andraste, especially Amayian, would have shaped Andrastianism because of the religious position of Thedas. This is basically a ramble post, mixed in with some "lore headcanons" of my characters.

T/W: Religion

What I constantly think about recently is how Amayian's kids transform the position of Herald of Andraste into a prophetic position, aligning him more along the lines of a "Messenger of the Maker and His Bride" than simply a herald for Andraste, and how they utilize religious authority for their own benefit, especially Rhialla.

Amayian certainty uses his position, with major influence by Andraste given his inherent role as her reincarnation, to dramatically shape the legalistic and theological position of religion through the Inquisition. He directs himself, one can argue incidentally, opposed to many of the establish positions found in the Chants; and given the human nature to tie mystical relations with the Divine and Spiritual realm with great fervor, his positions become sanctified by many Thedosians in the south.

For a religious party based around an absentee deity, the conception of a divinely-sent Messenger who arose from the grave of the appointed religious head of a sacred institution, could not have hit the majority of the populace with anything but an immense emotional response that I believe Inquisition fails to capture. Throughout the period after the fall of the Roman Empire, the collapse of Eastern Roman authority in the Near East by the invading Persians and later Arab armies led to immense apocalyptic belief among Christians that Jesus' or an appointed ruler would come and reestablish universal Christian rule upon the "world", bringing "true justice" with him. For a people who believe in an non-intervening Divine Will, the sudden idea of a new divinely appointed figure by their murdered deified savior would have intense political, social, and religious impact. Add onto the fact of social and political discord from the Orlesian Civil War and the Mage-Templar Rebellion, the latter which would have likely occurred immense apocalyptic fears among an anti-magic populace, then this sudden, stabilizing authority through the Inquisition would have greater impact to Thedas than what BioWare, I would argued, showed. For all intent and purposes, the Inquisitor served as a de-facto monarch and authority in a significant portions of Fereldan and Orlesian territory, given the collapse of secular authority in the shape of royal rule by the Fereldan and Orlesian monarchs. (Ferelden is more confusing given that theoretically the Ferelden monarch still ruled all of Ferelden, but I would argue that the monarch of Ferelden like does not have the political or economic might to reestablish authority in regions such as Redcliffe and the Hinterlands, and likely permitted "joint" authority with the Inquisition, because of the economic and social ruin brought about the Templar-Mage war.)

So, because of these factors, many of Amayian's sayings or opinions became, in the eyes of many Thedosians, especially affected by the security and prosperity brought about Inquisition-rule, as divinely-inspired or even divine themself. I am still grappling with the concept of Amayian establishing his own text, and codifying his beliefs into writing, or if its more likely that he does not, which ultimately allowed a well-spring of fraudulent sayings to be produced and circulated.

However, I imagine, questions arose after his assassination and Rhialla's War of Retribution: What is Amayian's position within the hierarchy of Andrastianism; what authority do the children of Amayian possess; and who among Amayian's children are his legal successors, in political or religious terms?

Because Amyaian's marriage to Leliana, the questions above become more complicated. Leliana justified her marriage to Amayian as the Divine as not only a representation of Andraste's life on Thedas with her marriage to Maferath but also the "the holy representative union between Andraste and the Maker", with Leliana representing the Maker and Amayian, Andraste. But because Rhialla began arguing after her mother's death that Amayian was not only the Herald of Andraste but also the "Messenger of the Maker", the questions were further murked by if the Divine should have been assumed or replaced by Amayian's successor...which again lead to the question of who was Amayian's successor.

Because of Rhialla's assumption as the head of the most powerful state in Thedas, many of her supporters argued that she at the very least was Amayian's religious successor, as the new protector of the Grand Cathedral and the traditional seat of Andrastianism. But supporters in Jacqueline's camp argued that as Amayian's eldest daughter, and the inheritor to his political authority through the Frostback Kingdom, she was Amayian's religious successor. Those in Ferelden, who became more unified due to Esmyial's Fereldanization as heir to Alistair, did want to be side-lined by the two other powers in the regions, so religious representatives surrounding Esmyial argued that he, as ruler of the former homeland of Andraste - and to some his eldest male heir, was Amayian's religious successor. During the First Canonical Council pushed by Rhialla, and later congregated in Skyhold, debates were raised and argued by the different factions, that supported the House of Amayian's religious role in Andrastianism but the different rulers amongst the Trevelyan monarchies, and the anti-Amayian faction, which supported, in a twist way, the supportive position in all of Amayian's - living, that is - inheriting religious authority, and being permissible to interpret and establish dogma. The Trevelyan children, especially at the urging of the apolitical Saliasya, agreed that Jacqueline was Amayian's legal successor over his political authority - as monarch of the Frostbacks and house head, but religious authority was established in the "triarchy of equals", where each of Trevelyan monarchs had the right to interpret religious dogma, but the codification of Amayian's thoughts - or revelations - being done by the three of them and the closest companions of Amayian, who were still living (Varric, you're living bitch).

But the religious authority remained contested by the Divine. After all, while the Chantry accepted, in very loose terms, throughout Amayian's life as a "herald" of Andraste, they never accepted his thoughts or beliefs as divine or divinely-inspired. It threatened their monopoly of religious authority in Thedas, which opposition was quelled during the divineship of Victoria because of Leliana's support. The "Proclamation of the Three" reignited tensions between the Chantry and Amayianism, as it was loosely referred to. Yet, according to some loose sources, the sudden death of Leliana's successor lead to Rhialla establishing herself, and her siblings after a brief flashpoint, as the "Servant of the Divine", abolishing the Divine's position, and investing herself and her siblings, with Jacqueline nominal leader, as heads. This sparked a few violent rebellions across the northern provinces of Orlais, and a single one in Fereldan in western Ferelden, which was crushed by a joint operation of Esmyial and Jacqueline. But while Esmyial gave them pardon, Rhialla completely devasted pro-Divine sympathy, and solidified her authority over religious matters in Orlais, as well as her protectorate states in the Free Marches. Tensions arose further with Rhialla's intervention into Neverra and the Free Marches, and it would be in the Free Marches where contesting religious thoughts between the three - Rhialliaism, Esmyialism, and Jacquelism - diverging religious thoughts would lead to conflicts. Only during the reign of Amayian I and II would authority be reestablished under a central entity, but their differing views would still remain even after among dissenting voices within the new Thedosian empire.

Yet, perhaps the greatest achievement produced by the three would be a codified book of Amayian's "revelations", which included his beliefs of equity, equality, and a restoration of elven autonomy that would be granted under the subservient state of the Dales, which to protect their interest was a protectorate of both Rhialla and Jacqueline, as to not be seen as a subservient state of Orlais, though rumors spread that Rhialla enjoyed an elven favorite but those remained uncontested.

[crabs-with-sticks]

Okay, but I just watched The Return (2024), which is an adaptation of The Odyssey, specifically the part where Odysseus returns home to Ithica, and oooh boy its giving post-veilguard Solavellan vibes! And y'all are going to get a long ramble of my thoughts because I have classicist training and you can't stop me.

Because Odysseus (and Solas) have changed. They both went to war for 10 long and bloody years. Neither particularly wanted to go to war, even though the seeds of the war were unknowingly sowed by their hands (the Oath of Tyndareus and the creation of the fade), and Odysseus does his absolute best to get out of it (similar to how Solas was going to tell Lavellan everything). But he went anyway and the war was brutal. A 10 year long siege, of throwing bodies at a wall. And then, when the war is at its end, when they are finally winning (because of Odysseus' plan), the sack of the city is brutal. Like I cannot emphasise how fucking brutal it was. The reason why Odysseus takes 10 years to get back (like most of the greek heroes end up dead) is divine retribution for the sack of Troy.

But now to Penelope (or Lavellan in this analogy), Odysseus' wife. She has waited for her husband to return for 20 years. She too has been under siege for three from the suitors who all want to marry her, and thus become king of Ithaca. She has been trying to keep her kingdom at peace. She devises cunning ways of putting them off and is in a fight (of a different kind) to regain her autonomy, but she cannot hold out forever.

Which brings us to the lead up to this scene. Just before this scene, Odysseus has murdered the suitors, as well as made their son into a murderer who has now left. And Penelope is horrified at what her husband has done. And she is angry, angry at the bloodshed and angry at being left alone for so many years. And when she asks him why, Odysseus responds "would you still love the man I had become?" And it is when he asks her for forgiveness that her anger breaks into tears.

But oooooh boy her helping him wash the blood off?? And seeing his new scars and saying "there is so much I do not know", him saying "you do not want to know" ahhhhhhhh and then "your past will be my past, and mine yours" its so perfect!

Because they've both changed they're 20 (or 10 for solavellan) older, and they've changed and they've both gone through so much trauma (I love the way this film portrayed Penelope), but they're choosing this. They're choosing to forgive and to heal together, literally washing the blood off him.