#lurking in the background...

[sturgeon-general]

I've been horrendously busy but here's a ten minute sketch of two cunty old men bickering. I don't even know what their beef is. Some 30-year-old amputation dispute or whatever.

[azzydoesstuff]

MACHINE. I had a nightmare. Can I sleep in your room tonight?

[fistfuloflightning]

Had not my feelings decided against you— had they been indifferent, or had they even been favourable, do you think that any consideration would tempt me to accept the man who has been the means of ruining, perhaps for ever, the happiness of a most beloved sister?

Jane and Charles for the Joseon Pride and Prejudice au

[poppyandlilysblog]

Taste the rainbow, become the rainbow

[seoksoonwoo]

wonkyeom birthday hearts! for birthday girl @cordiallyfuturedwight ♡

[zorangezest]

Hi hi! I’ve been lurking for a while because I adore your art but I’ve been rather anxious to send an ask until now (it’s taken all my courage but I told myself I’d do it!). I love your OC Deepfreeze so much; she’s adorable and Transformers who turn into very specific things are my absolute favourite! I am also an abhorrent artist but I wanted to try drawing her, so here she is! (Based on the cover for Jujutsu Kaisen volume 27 because I can’t come up with poses to save my life) I hope you have a great day :D !

[overtake]

90% chance that it was not cold enough to warrant this level of drama

[doctor-the-13th]

The TARDIS had something against Graham's chair—or better yet, Sutekh did.

[robynator]

huge fan of alex this episode

[raddestrose]

Ichimya I understand you on a fundamental level

you’ve committed too hard to the bit

[unrelatedsideblog]

Ok, but whoever drew his profile in this shot--

[blackjackkent]

lost in the steps, truth be told...

wyll ravengard for @euryalex

[notsooldmadcatlady]

when decos on the streets look more alive than actual sims

[thebramblewood]

They're going on a best friend date. 🥰

Previous / Next

Helena: Caleb, get dressed. We’re going out.

Caleb: [mumbling] Oh, but Dru and I were just getting comfortable.

Helena: She looks like she’d rather be elsewhere. And so would I. I’m tired of being a recluse with you. All I can think about when I’m hanging around here is my next meal.

Caleb: But where are we-

Helena: It’s a surprise! Would you rather I ask your sister instead?

-

Lilith: Where are you two off to? Oh, are you having one of your little mental conversations. You know I hate that. It’s so unfair! Fine, don’t tell me. But at least take your hellcat with you. [to rubber ducky] I guess it’s just you, me, and that… thing. Now, what are we going to do about them keeping secrets from us?

-

Helena: Why have we never taken this path?

Caleb: Enemy territory.

Helena: Oh my god, is this the way to Vlad’s? You have to show me his place!

Caleb: [weakly] Helena…

Helena: [shudders] Ostentatious and creepy as fuck. It’s strange how little I noticed that first night. And what I do remember is all fragmented and blurry, like a dream.

Caleb: Well, you had an awful lot to drink, and you did technically die. [ruminative pause] Then, of course, there was all the glamouring-

Helena: Glamouring?

Caleb: Vampire party trick. Like hypnosis, but more sophisticated. Once you learn it, you can make yourself as discreet or flashy as you’d like. Most humans have encountered vampires without even realizing it. If they stumble into this place  — and make it out alive — they likely won’t remember how to return. Straud and the other ancients keep it well-shrouded.

Helena: [nervously] Does it work on other vampires? I’ve barely seen any-

Caleb: We can always see our kind for what they are. You’ve just been unobservant.

Helena: Hey! I’ve been distracted. It’s hard not to have tunnel vision when you’re in perpetual survival mode.

Caleb: You’re feeling better now. I can tell.

Helena: I’m full on plasma and ready to party!

Caleb: [chuckles] Seriously?

Helena: Well, not quite. You’ll see.

Caleb: You know, I could just peek into your head and-

Helena: [teasingly] Too bad your morals will never allow it.

[richonnefan50]

Shawn Hatosy trying to go a day without trolling on twitter

[maenefa]

I’ve never been completely satisfied with the Silmarils as a plot device. If Sauron gets the one ring, the world will end, but what will happen if the Sons of Feanor reclaim the Silmarils? Not much.

It’s easy to frame the whole saga as a pointless struggle over “shiny rocks.”

It’s unclear what the Silmarils do. Secondhand Silmaril light is powerful enough to hold Shelob at bay, the jewels burn evil people/creatures, and the people of Sirion believe they have magical protective powers. However, Beren isn’t healed from his mortal wounds when he holds a Silmaril, and their evil-repelling properties don’t stop Morgoth from wearing them in his crown.

I do think it’s legitimate to ask why Dior/Elwing didn’t give up the Silmaril. Yes, the Feanorians don’t really deserve it after all their evil deeds, but handing it over would bring peace between the elves. It’s frustrating to see Doriath and Sirion fall because their rulers didn’t want to let go of the shiny.

The only way I can wrap my head around the Silmarils is to treat them as religious relics.

The light of the Trees is not just a “public good,”but something sacred. Yavanna created the light, and Varda hallowed the Silmarils so no unclean hands could touch them.

When I think about Elwing clutching the Silmaril and jumping into the sea, my terminal Catholic brain rot connects her with St. Tarcisius, an ancient Roman martyr who died rather than hand over the Eucharist. He is only known from this 4th century Latin poem:

When an insane gang pressed saintly Tarcisius, who was carrying the sacraments of Christ, to display them to the profane, he preferred to be killed and give up his life rather than betray to rabid dogs the heavenly body.

You can bet your ass that Tolkien the Literal Altar Boy knew this story, which was popular in Victorian Catholicism (it certainly burned itself into my 7 year-old brain).

Giving the Silmarils to the Feanorians would have been a kind of sacrilege. We know that because the Silmarils burn Maedhros and Maglor, and the horror of realizing their unworthiness is so great that Maedhros kills himself and Maglor wanders by the sea grieving forever.

For me, the story of the Silmarils and the Oath is about the tragedy of doing evil in the name of religion, or simply forgetting the point of it all:

For Feanor began to love the Silmarils with a greedy love, and grudged the sight of them to all save to his father and his seven sons; he seldom remembered now that the light within them was not his own. (Silm. pg. 59)

I find more emotional depth in this interpretation than reducing it all to a blood feud over jewelry.