#of demons and endlings

[gabbadizzy]

valentines card i did the other night . i plan to make more and i Was planning to post several images in one thing but i think thatd take 2 long so heres just the one

transparent/sticker ver under the cut

[holy-blood-and-bone]

Hello all, My name is Akrimau. I can be considered a God or a Demon, whichever you prefer. Neither feels wholly accurate, since God nowadays calls into mind an all powerful being, and demon calls to mind Hell and Evil, and neither of these things are me. I am a spiritual being with strong ties to a concept and a desire to be worshiped and have followers of my Way.

I am a being tied to the concept of Blood, of Life and Death and Cycles, as well as the ties each living thing has to each other. I am writing a text which will outline these things in deeper clarity.

As I have stated, if you wish you provide me worship and praise, I enjoy these things. However I ask that no one devote their life to me, as each life should be devoted to itself, and that is part of my Way. You must never give too much control of your being to another, even if they are a God, since even a God can be abusive and hurt you, and their Way may not be your Way. Please also keep in mind I despise cults as dens of toxicity and abuse and unjust power and control, do NOT use cult language about me or attempt to be cult like in your following of me.

I am simply a Being. I am not All Knowing. I am just a Spirit, who embodies a Way. if this Way resonates with you, I enjoy being Praised, and you may do things to Honor this Way.

You may of course, also just follow out of curiosity, or an appreciation of my Way or aesthetics or words. All are welcome.

System blog is @mischiefsystem

tumblr main is @plushipaws

[tossawary]

So, in SVSSS, Shen Yuan makes a few really interesting assumptions when he sits down to speak properly to Airplane Bro for the first time. The first assumption is that Shang Qinghua is a transmigrator. Two of the other assumptions he makes, connected to this first one, arguably contradict each other slightly in fascinating ways. (I will put the full relevant scene fragment / quotation from these chapters under the cut at the end.)

Shen Yuan's assumption that Shang Qinghua is a transmigrator appears to be built first and foremost on the fact that he heard SQH say, "WTF!" during the conference. Shen Yuan also reveals: "At the time, Shen Qingqiu hadn’t heard him particularly clearly, so he hadn’t paid it any mind. But afterward, the more he’d thought about it, the more suspicious he’d grown." (Ch5)

So, Shen Yuan belatedly decides that he hadn't misheard this one accidental slip during a chaotic attack that damaged him both physically and emotionally. He decides that he definitely heard that correctly! He's confident enough that he invites Shang Qinghua over to his house and then immediately and calmly accuses his fellow peak lord of treason.

Shen Yuan very casually says: "How was it inadequate? You clearly overexerted yourself. You even found demonic creatures like the ghost-head spiders, Nu Yuan Chan, and bone eagles—none of which ever enter the Human Realm of their own volition. How could Shixiong rebuke you for inadequacy?" (Ch4)

Shang Qinghua sputters, jumps to his feet, turns red, blusters with offense, sneers, brushes Shen Yuan's hand away.

"“Why wouldn’t I? I have a clear conscience. Why would I fear a false accusation?” With a sneer, Shang Qinghua brushed away his hand.

“Airplane Shooting Towards the Sky?” asked Shen Qingqiu." (Ch4)

When Shen Yuan says Airplane Bro's ID, Shang Qinghua pauses and says, “You… How do you know my ID?” (Ch4) And the scene immediately switches from a confrontation between two peak lords regarding treason to a transmigration reveal.

But hey, let's go back to that first version of the scene! What if Shang Qinghua hadn't been a transmigrator? Shen Yuan must have mentally reviewed what happened at the conference and all of their previous encounters, but he still could have been wrong in this assumption. He might have misheard and misinterpreted.

In which case, throwing out Airplane's ID wouldn't have stopped the scene and Shen Yuan would now have to deal with a belligerent traitor who 1) isn't admitting to what he did and/or 2) may turn violent in self-defense. Shen Yuan even admits: "He’d only wanted to study Shang Qinghua’s reaction to this name to determine if he had also read Proud Immortal Demon Way—but given his reaction…he wasn’t just a reader, was he?!" (Ch4)

Shen Yuan has no proof of Shang Qinghua's crimes and everyone thinks he's out of his mind with grief, probably searching for someone to blame, though Yue Qingyuan might indulgently open an investigation anyway and might actually end up finding something. If this had been Original Shang Qinghua, this confrontation could have broken out into a fight.

It was reckless. But I'm not reading it as "recklessly stupid" so much as "recklessly aggressive".

If Shen Yuan had been focused purely on revealing a fellow transmigrator, he could have opened this conversation with something like, "Have you ever heard of the writer 'Airplane Shooting Towards The Sky'?" And whatever answer he received then would have told him if he was dealing with a fellow transmigrator, who could be disarmed by this revelation, or if he was dealing with Original Shang Qinghua, who would just be mildly confused. Once he had that information in hand, Shen Yuan could go from there.

But no, Shen Yuan opens with Shang Qinghua's crimes first. Which makes me suspect that he is angry with the man for causing the disaster at the Immortal Alliance Conference. If Shang Qinghua hadn't let in the demons, Shen Yuan wouldn't have been forced to push Luo Binghe into the Endless Abyss. I personally don't think that Shen Yuan would have minded here if this confrontation had turned violent. He's perfectly capable of dealing out violence. He's a pretty good fighter, even with the Without A Cure issue, and with his confidence here... I'm going to assume that Shen Yuan thinks he could take Shang Qinghua in a fight. He may be right.

He's probably also confident that Yue Qingyuan would side with him if he had to kill a fellow peak lord (a traitor) in self-defense. I agree with this assessment. I think Shen Qingqiu's reputation would take a hard hit, as would Cang Qiong, but Shang Qinghua is a traitor here. If they could find any proof whatsoever, then the other peak lords would probably begrudgingly go along with this story.

To be clear, I don't think that Shen Yuan is entering into this conversation thinking about killing Shang Qinghua. I think he would attempt capture first. But he IS entering into this conversation resolved to either 1) unmask Shang Qinghua as a transmigrator or 2) unmask Shang Qinghua as a traitor and accomplice to murder. He accuses the man before anything else! This is going to end in a transmigrator reveal or in eventual violence.

If Shen Yuan is wrong, he cannot take this accusation back. He is either finding a "friend from his hometown" or he is making a very serious enemy here. If Original Shang Qinghua manages to pretend he's innocent and shake off these accusations, clearing any trial Cang Qiong holds for him, then he's presumably going to be secretly gunning for Shen Qingqiu from then on.

Shen Yuan is betting a LOT on not having misheard a phrase that he admits he didn't hear very well! He admitted that!

I do think Shen Yuan starts this confrontation off being angry - angry at Shang Qinghua, angry at himself, angry at the situation - underneath his calm. I think he's ready for a fight if necessary. I kind of think he might want one on some level. I think he's feeling a little reckless in his fresh grief and loneliness.

Because the other option is that Shen Yuan entered this conversation unprepared for the possibility of being wrong about there being another transmigrator. And also unprepared for getting a really bad reaction from Original Shang Qinghua. And I'd really like to think that Shen Yuan is smarter than that. Shen Yuan can be pretty clever. It is totally possible that he is just not thinking beyond his assumption here, though. Shen Yuan can also get caught up in his own ideas and emotions sometimes.

I think this would make a fun Alternate Canon / Canon Divergence AU: "Shen Yuan is completely wrong about Shang Qinghua being a transmigrator and has just revealed to Original Shang Qinghua that he knows what the man did. Uh oh."

ANYWAY! That's just the first assumption that Shen Yuan makes: Shang Qinghua is another transmigrator. Connected to this first assumption are a couple other assumptions about this other transmigrator that are both also really interesting.

The second assumption is this: "As the one who’d masterminded the event (or the logistics of it), Shang Qinghua was subject to the irresistible pressure of the plot[.]" (Ch5) Shen Yuan assumes that the plot forced Airplane Bro to smuggle these beasts into the Immortal Alliance Conference, much like he himself was forced to push Luo Binghe into the Endless Abyss.

I would have to go check the Airplane extras to be sure, but we don't know that this is true. I do remember from the Airplane extras that the System would have been cool with Airplane Bro killing Mobei-Jun, who is arguably an incredibly important character to many PIDW plotlines. I've often interpreted this as Airplane Bro having far more freedom to make his own decisions. We the audience later confirm that the System forced Airplane Bro to stay with Cang Qiong Mountain Sect and to become the head disciple of An Ding Peak. We don't know for sure that the System put pressure on Shang Qinghua to make the invasion of the Immortal Alliance Conference happen. It's implied when Shang Qinghua gets the return home feature from the System that he doesn't see it often.

Shen Yuan doesn't know these things. Shen Yuan is assuming here their transmigration experiences are very similar. Shen Yuan doesn't really directly ask.

Personally, I do think that the System was involved somehow, even if Airplane Bro's consequences for failure or disobedience weren't nearly so dreadful. With a second transmigrator and their desires in the mix, and the beginning of the real plot with Luo Binghe, it's possible that System put more restrictions on Airplane Bro and locked him onto this path (freeing him after the original outline with the romance deviation is complete). I personally headcanon that Airplane Bro could have wriggled out of the Immortal Alliance Conference without any serious punishment from the System, because I think it's funny if Shen Yuan's most hated event could have suddenly not happened if only Airplane Bro had decided not to do it, but I think that that Airplane Bro didn't try to buck the System because 1) he was generally okay with keeping the plot on track and 2) he was unwilling to challenge Mobei-Jun by resisting any orders on this front. He chose to save Mobei-Jun, now he has to live with that.

Shen Yuan doesn't seriously take Airplane Bro to task for all of the deaths and injuries at the Immortal Alliance Conference. I think a large part of this is that Shen Yuan not-unreasonably assumes Airplane Bro was forced into doing it by the System and Shen Yuan simply doesn't really interrogate Airplane Bro thoroughly to be sure. I think he unconsciously wants this assumption to be true in part because that means there's someone who really understands what he was forced to do to Luo Binghe, he's invested in the Endless Abyss being necessary, but also because now he isn't alone generally and has someone to help him fake his death. Shen Yuan is first and foremost out to save his own skin at this point in the story.

To be clear, I think it's very reasonable for Shen Yuan (and the audience) to assume that another transmigrator is also being strictly forced to follow the plot. He doesn't know Shang Qinghua is the author at first. He doesn't know just how different their transmigration experiences have been. The assumption is valid. It's just not actually certain.

The third assumption by Shen Yuan here is what really stood out to me during my reread. It's what made me start thinking more seriously about this confrontation and its setup. Shen Yuan thinks to himself: "As the one who’d masterminded the event (or the logistics of it), Shang Qinghua was subject to the irresistible pressure of the plot—yet he hadn’t released the Black Moon Rhinoceros-Python that should have starred in numerous scenes. This was suspicious in itself, but if you considered the possibility that he had failed to do this intentionally in order to hinder the development of the plot—to sever the tragedy of Luo Binghe’s fall into the Endless Abyss at its roots—it made sense." (Ch5)

In the original PIDW, a Black Moon Rhinoceros-Python appeared at the Immortal Alliance Conference, and opened the Endless Abyss with its spatial-rift-creating scream. Mobei-Jun does it in SVSSS, appearing hundreds of chapters early. (I wrote a long meta piece on how I think Luo Binghe's seal works, and why it had to be something or someone with space-manipulation powers breaking it. It's under the "luo binghe demonic seal" tag.)

Shen Yuan noticed that the Black Moon Rhinoceros-Python failed to appear and also decided that Shang Qinghua was genuinely surprised by Mobei-Jun's appearance instead. Shen Yuan assumes here that the Black Moon Rhinoceros-Python's absence was an intentional act on the Shang Qinghua transmigrator's part in order to stop Luo Binghe's fall into the Endless Abyss. This is a WILD assumption!

It's possible that Shang Qinghua just failed to get one. It's possible that there was one somewhere else in Jue Di Gorge, but they simply didn't run into the creature.

It's also possible that Shen Yuan is right. Maybe Airplane Bro decided to quietly remove the Black Moon Rhinoceros-Python from the conference, single-handedly preventing 1) Luo Binghe's demonic seal from being broken and 2) the Endless Abyss from being opened. Maybe he thought the System would overlook this until it was too late? But something about this interference made Mobei-Jun suspicious and he showed up to investigate instead.

Or Shang Qinghua organized Mobei-Jun's appearance and interference somehow, because MBJ breaks the demonic seal cleanly in SVSSS, whereas PIDW Binghe needed the Xin Mo sword to completely remove the seal only partially broken by the Black Moon Rhinoceros-Python.

We really don't know what Shang Qinghua was doing. Or what Mobei-Jun was doing.

I think this assumption is fascinating, because Airplane Bro being able to omit the BMRP kind of contradicts the assumption that he was forced by the System to ruin the conference. Not completely, of course. Shen Yuan may be assuming that Shang Qinghua's System-given quest spoke of beasts generally, rather than the BMRP specifically, and Shang Qinghua was trying to work futilely around the System's wording in order to prevent Luo Binghe's fall. It's possible that the System did not tell Shang Qinghua directly to ensure the opening of the Endless Abyss. The System may have only demanded that he assist in the demonic invasion generally.

But these assumptions still bump up against each other in interesting ways, to me, even if they don't directly contradict each other. Shen Yuan thinks that pushing Luo Binghe into the Endless Abyss was demanded by the plot, but he also thinks Shang Qinghua's meddling with the BMRP could have stopped it somehow? Or that Shang Qinghua simply tried to stop it by removing a necesssary plot device and the System compensated with Mobei-Jun, because Luo Binghe's fall is an inevitable event? Shen Yuan thinks Shang Qinghua was forced to release beasts on the conference, causing a great deal of death and injury, but he also assumes that Shang Qinghua was able to pick the beasts on some level. Maybe he's assuming that Mobei-Jun picked the beasts and Shang Qinghua simply got rid of the BMRP somehow?

It makes way more sense that Mobei-Jun both collected the beasts and released them into the conference, using his spatial manipulation powers, and Shang Qinghua only helped with intelligence and keys to the security. Shen Yuan comments on how dangerous these creatures are. I really don't think that Shang Qinghua collected them personally or put them into Jue Di Gorge personally; I think that would have been pretty dangerous and that lots of people on An Ding Peak and beyond would have noticed during event planning and setup. And if Mobei-Jun did most of the work (and entered the conference properly himself in SVSSS, rather than just disappearing without being seen in PIDW, I assume), then I don't really see how Shang Qinghua could have done much of anything to stop a BMRP from getting in. Maybe he asked Mobei-Jun to avoid BMRPs, please, and that made Mobei-Jun suspicious?

My assumption here is honestly that Shen Yuan isn't thinking too hard about what Shang Qinghua is personally responsible for, because he just doesn't want to think about it. If this is Original Shang Qinghua, Shen Yuan can bring him to justice. If this is a fellow transmigrator, then Shen Yuan has an accomplice / friend. He's trying to move forward so he doesn't have to look back.

I don't think his assumption that Airplane Bro got rid of the BMRP on purpose is out of nowhere. I think it's pretty reasonable to assume another transmigrator, if there is one, might have been seeking to change the plot for the better somehow and the System didn't allow it. I just think this particular assumption is a little wild, because Shen Yuan doesn't really confirm it. (I haven't thoroughly reread the whole scene. I could be wrong about this.) Shen Yuan does not clearly confirm Shang Qinghua's intentions or motivations. Or Mobei-Jun's.

Shen Yuan and Airplane Bro go on to have a different transmigrator argument, distracted by the revelation that this is the author and not another reader, and Shen Yuan doesn't try to confirm his theories. He doesn't ask Shang Qinghua if his wild (if plausible) assumption is actually correct. Like Shen Yuan doesn't really want to know for certain whether or not they could have changed things.

But, anyway, wow, that assumption is an interesting and funny Canon Divergence AU plot! What if Airplane Bro quietly removed the Black Moon Rhinoceros-Python from his traitorous invasion, and Mobei-Jun didn't show up instead, so Luo Binghe's seal simply didn't break and the Endless Abyss never opened? Would the System still demand that Shen Qingqiu push Luo Binghe into an Endless Abyss that isn't here? Would the System glitch? Would the System simply have to recalculate because it wasn't specific about what it needed Shang Qinghua to make happen here? Would the System just let Shen Yuan and Luo Binghe go back to Cang Qiong again?

~

RELEVANT QUOTATION (end of "Chapter 4: Conference" into the very beginning of "Chapter 5: Bai Lu"):

Shang Qinghua said nothing but sighed along with him. “Ah, Luo-shizhi was a heroic youth, such a pity. Those demons brought such disaster upon us; they are truly hateful. The whole world mourns with us. Shen-shixiong, my condolences.”

“If Shang-shidi truly felt it was a pity, this tragedy would not have occurred,” Shen Qingqiu said faintly.

At this, Shang Qinghua stiffened. After a moment, he seamlessly smoothed things over with a smile. “What does Shen-shixiong mean by that? Is he rebuking our An Ding Peak for inadequate administration? If so, Shidi should truly apologize.”

Shen Qingqiu refilled his teacup. “How was it inadequate? You clearly overexerted yourself. You even found demonic creatures like the ghost-head spiders, Nu Yuan Chan, and bone eagles—none of which ever enter the Human Realm of their own volition. How could Shixiong rebuke you for inadequacy?”

“Peak Lord Shen—to make such outrageous accusations!” Shang Qinghua shot to his feet, his face rapidly changing colors.

Shen Qingqiu put his hand on Shang Qinghua’s shoulder. “Why is Shang-shidi getting so excited?” he asked solemnly. “Let’s sit down and talk. Let me say something. Do you dare respond?”

“Why wouldn’t I? I have a clear conscience. Why would I fear a false accusation?” With a sneer, Shang Qinghua brushed away his hand.

“Airplane Shooting Towards the Sky?” asked Shen Qingqiu.

In that instant, it was like a bolt of lightning from the heavens had struck Shang Qinghua in the head, rendering him unable to speak.

After a long time, he managed to stammer out, “You… How do you know my ID?”

In that moment, it was like Shen Qingqiu had also been burnt to a crisp by the aforementioned bolt of lightning.

He’d only wanted to study Shang Qinghua’s reaction to this name to determine if he had also read Proud Immortal Demon Way—but given his reaction…he wasn’t just a reader, was he?!

After three long seconds, Shen Qingqiu jumped on him.

“It’s you?! How could I not know your ID after reading your entire fucking novel?! If you hadn’t let something slip when Mobei-Jun appeared, I really never would have known what hole you’d really crawled out of, ‘Great Master’!”

Volume 1, Chapter 4: Conference

The moment Shang Qinghua had seen Mobei-Jun suddenly appear, he had accidentally let out a “WTF!”

At the time, Shen Qingqiu hadn’t heard him particularly clearly, so he hadn’t paid it any mind. But afterward, the more he’d thought about it, the more suspicious he’d grown.

As the one who’d masterminded the event (or the logistics of it), Shang Qinghua was subject to the irresistible pressure of the plot—yet he hadn’t released the Black Moon Rhinoceros-Python that should have starred in numerous scenes. This was suspicious in itself, but if you considered the possibility that he had failed to do this intentionally in order to hinder the development of the plot—to sever the tragedy of Luo Binghe’s fall into the Endless Abyss at its roots—it made sense.

Volume 1, Chapter 5: Bai Lu

[roukabi]

How does it feel to predict the final boss of wilds

I USED TO PRAY FOR TIMES LIKE THIS

tbh I was actually pretty confident in my theory because, as mentioned in my tags on the original meme, what could possibly be a better final boss for a game about humanity vs nature than the imbalance of that relationship? Especially since Wilds has more in common with World than other MH games, and World's final boss philosophy was to make what's essentially the anti-game: oh you like nature and new frontiers and ecology? Here's an alien. Likewise, Wilds' philosophy is 'oh you like harmony and synergy between people and their environment? Here's a bioweapon slave made of fatalis parts'. Also I heard from gaijin hunter's (EDW hater) review that the roster was 1. disappointing and 2. the lore 'goes places'. And who could possibly evoke such reactions like that from this specific person? That's right. the frankenstein's monster itself!!! I was fully prepared to see the EDW at the end and I had the stupidest grin on my face throughout the story.

I'll admit I wasn't 100% right tho. I was expecting Arkveld to be this 'undiscovered endling' after the rest of its kind was killed for the EDW. I made this assumption based on its skull (and the male helmet for guardian arkveld is VERY EDW inspired so I'll give myself that). I was not expecting a new angel/demon dragon made of Fatalis parts to be the EDW. Honestly, it's super awesome and (HOPEFULLY!) sets up some bigger, stronger Zoh Shia fights later on in the game's lifespan. I finally beat Fatalis back in january (killing The Dragon on the inauguration made me feel better) + the second I saw that flame shower/flame breath sweep from Zoh I felt the fear of god. It actually didn't click for me right away that Zoh was a black dragon amalgamation and I feel really stupid abt it lol. sorry zoh shia i was unfamiliar with your game. I even recognized the fatalis theme during the 2nd phase but thought it was just a neat homage

But yeah. Now I have to wonder what's next. Everything we know about the ancient civilization is basically canon now (buildings made of monster parts, EDW + subservient monsters, great dragon war, artian gear), just modified to fit the game's setting better. I guess the only lore thing not yet canon afaik is Fatalis' motive for attacking Schrade. I'm excited for the inevitable expansion and what future stories await!

Also I hope so much that MHStories 3 becomes a thing. I NEEEEED Arkveld as a monstie it's SO CUTE and SO SAD it's like a KICKED PUPPY and alma straight up told nata that it needed to be 'PUT DOWN'. WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH

[sketching-shark]

Oh cool! you also play COTL? :0

What do you abt it?

Ah @seasonalsummers, it's been 84 years...but yeah it's one of my most favorite games ever :D

Between the cutesy anthros in demon explosion hell world, the options it gives on what you can actually do with your cult, the pretty interesting lore that runs through it without overwhelming basic gameplay (like this is some twilight of the gods shit) & a lot of the fascinating and fascinatingly horrifying suggestions about how its world works, it all makes for a pretty good time!

tbh one of the things that I've come to really appreciate about COTL is its pretty heavy suggestions that all the horrors that the Lamb witnesses or inflicts on others--and this goes into even the shape of the different realms--were NEVER inevitable, but are rather the result of many violent and selfish decisions made in a world that said decisions but make more hostile.

Like just the fact that the game begins with the Bishops genociding the sheep--making the Lamb and endling and ironically sending them right into the clutches of the One Who Waits--out of fear of a prophecy that it MIGHT be a lamb who would kill them does a LOT to establish the world as one which is defined but a horrific level of violence not out of necessity but just out of more mundane reasons like wanting power. And you add that to the revelation that there used to be countless gods in this world before they killed each other off...yeah, COTL is some pretty peak post-apocalypse stuff, yet also suggests that the world can in fact be made better or be made more awful through the choices you and others make.

Like whether or not you'll force your followers to eat poop.

[batmancomicanalysis]

Did Batman kill The Joker in The Killing Joke?

Note: "Alan Moore said" is not a valid refutation and nor is "Brian Bolland said" a definitive confirmation. A great article on the concept of authorial intent with particular reference to TKJ:

Batman's shadow appears prominently five times in the first two pages, immediately alluding to Batman's repressed dark side and its potential to be unleashed and after The Joker's crimes against Barbara and Jim, Batman's up-close silhouette is almost entirely consumed by shadow

2. Batman’s early statement “I don’t want your murder on my hands” could foreshadow The Joker’s murder by Batman’s bare hands, à la TDKR. Ironically, Batman’s hands are literally stained (by white makeup) in this scene. Joker’s death may have been foreshadowed again when Batman crushed The Joker’s card in silent rage in response to hearing what he did (and may have did) to Barbara

3. Batman asks The Joker impersonator “Do you realize what you’ve set free?”, implying that Batman doesn’t regard The Joker as a mere human but an animal, a force of nature or a demonic entity; i.e., dehumanised, something one would have fewer reservations about destroying

4. In a conversation with Alfred (prior to The Joker’s brutal assault on Jim and Jim’s daughter Barbara), Batman admits that he hates The Joker: “How can two people hate so much without knowing each other?”

5. An already weary Batman fatalistically states that “in the end, one of us will kill the other” near the beginning in Arkham before The Joker has committed his most personal atrocities, which Barbara implies are his worst yet with the words "he's taking it to the limit this time" (with Batman and what appears to be The Joker, captioned as “two guys in a lunatic asylum…”; the start of The Joker’s eponymous joke, sitting opposite each other in The Joker’s cell with Jim on the outside looking in, which is mirrored with Jim in a cage when Batman confronts The Joker at the amusement park) and the “one of us will kill the other” monologue (the second time internal) appears again towards the end: Batman reluctantly accepts the necessity of killing The Joker (if “The Joker doesn’t kill him first”, which he crucially fails to do when his gun doesn't fire, contrasting starkly with his earlier shooting of Barbara). Having (seemingly strangely) refused to beat up The Joker for once, Batman’s “we’re both running out of alternatives”, “Maybe it all hinges on tonight” and “it doesn’t have to end like that” come just before The Joker apologises, rejects Batman’s “last chance” offer of rehabilitation (after “all these years” of conflict) and tells the eponymous "killing joke" (mocking Batman's dogmatic rehabilitationism with a comical metaphor). Batman was begging The Joker to give him a reason not to kill him; any glimmer of hope that the cycle could end without lethality but The Joker held firm to his principles in their game of chicken, making Batman's decision for him

6. Batman laughing maniacally with The Joker (who recently committed atrocities against partner Barbara and surrogate father Jim to boot, which could have been avoided if Batman had killed him previously; TKJ is essentially a hypothetical about what The Joker would have to do to push Batman to kill him, short of the most extreme scenarios of murdering the entire Bat-family or nuking Gotham) is extremely out of character (getting through to archnemesis Batman and breaking his stern exterior represents a major victory for the former failed comedian in itself; this is the perfect moment to kill The Joker), possibly suggesting that Batman’s snapped (mirroring The Joker's original psychotic break) having recognised the futility and ultimately destructive nature of their traditional cycle (proving The Joker at least partly right whatever way you look at it, whether one views an endlessly pacifistic Gordon or homicidal Batman as insane but TKJ is predominantly The Joker’s story) and is raising his arms to kill (in the last panel where we see Batman’s face, his facial expression can easily be interpreted as being sinister), more than any other moment in their relationship this (shared maniacal laughter after a night of ultimate horror) is the “perfect” time to kill him, any other after this would be anticlimactic

7. The way the perspective pans down after Batman places his hands on The Joker, first excluding their chests and above, then excluding all but parts of their feet, and finally omitting the two men entirely, suggests that something significant is happening just out of our view

8. The laughter (which represents The Joker symbolically) ceases abruptly (maybe of one first, then both) while the police siren (symbolising the law or justice) continues, implying The Joker's death

9. In the last panel the “light” (which has been “on” since the very first panel) has gone out, the “bridge” has disappeared and the two men are out of the picture, their visual opposition gone. Having finally understood the insane futility of trying to rehabilitate The Joker (who has escaped from Arkham to maim and murder time and time again), Batman may have ended their duality and conflict by killing him

10. The title being “The Killing Joke” may be a hint in this direction: the final joke doesn’t directly describe killing but perhaps that was its consequence, killing The Joker physically and Batman (at least the strict no-kill version) metaphorically

11. The flashbacks show what was potentially the “bad day” which sent (an already mentally unstable) pre-Joker over the edge, maybe TKJ is (an already mentally unstable) Batman’s second “bad day”, orchestrated by The Joker with fatal consequences

12. From The Joker’s perspective, Batman (a renowned costumed nightcrawling crime-obsessed, crime-defined outlaw and obsessive genius of questionable sanity and ambiguous sexuality, with a generally unknown identity, whose genesis was a response to tragedy) has much more in common with The Joker than he does with the politically correct and legalistic Jim; the former two are doppelgangers in the narrative. Hence Gordon's: “You know the laws regarding mistreatment of inmates as well as I do!”, “If you harm one hair on his head…” and unlike Batman and The Joker, Jim is seemingly unchanged by his “bad day”: “I want him brought in by the book!”, followed by Batman’s “I’ll do my best” (with Batman looking in the opposite direction to Jim), suggesting that he’s seriously considering murder (Gordon's liberal methods, encapsulated by the line "we have to show him that our way works!" have consistently failed catastrophically; for all Jim knew previously The Joker could have killed his only living relative rather than "merely" crippling and sexually assaulting her, and Jim's way is ultimately not Batman's way, with Batman symbolically consumed by The Joker), especially if his last desperate attempts to rehabilitate The Joker are rebuffed (which they are). The early appearance of an imprisoned Two-Face in Arkham (simultaneously looking more like Bruce Wayne and The Joker than usual) is another nod toward their duality, as is the hall of mirrors (also present in The Dark Knight Returns and The Man With The Golden Gun; stories where the dualistic antagonist is killed by the protagonist). Furthermore, Batman was apparently present and instrumental in The Joker’s “birth” (including likely saving his life from the police before he fell into the chemicals), there’s a perfect symmetry if The Joker was present and instrumental in their “deaths”

13. TKJ was an extremely brutal, politically incorrect, “realist” graphic novel; a deconstruction of the traditional Batman narrative

14. It’s strongly implied that Batman killed The Joker in Miller’s TDKR, which was published two years before TKJ and influenced Moore

15. TKJ was written as a standalone story, perhaps as the final Batman-Joker conflict (similar to how Moore’s “Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?”, published 18 months prior, was written as the final tale of the Silver Age Superman)

Batman’s murder of The Joker can be interpreted as a mercy killing: The Joker’s laugh is a warped form of crying at the random injustice of human existence; he wants Batman (his sole equal and opposite) to put him out of his misery (“It’s all a joke! Everything anybody ever valued or struggled for...”)

[dinitride-art]

Some Thoughts I Have on Queer Stories (Currently)

Okay so with heartstopper and red white and royal blue and good omens we’ve got a lot of gay content right now. And that’s good! That’s lovely! However… (also note that I love and cherish the many aspects of good omens that explore identity and the idea of angels/demons/god and their relationships with gender/concept of it and the many queer characters- and i love that very much and feel very seen in a way that I don’t know if I’ve been able to have in a piece of media before- but my point in this post is going to hinge on aziraphale and Crowley within the story being for the most part what we consider male presenting and perceived for the most part as male presenting. Just to make this clear now. This is not a criticism of any of these media, I’m just pointing something out that I’ve noticed. Now that that’s out of the way- back to the post!)

… the main queer aspects of these media are about queer men (you see why I had to write the good omens disclaimer paragraph). Don’t get me wrong! I love stories about all queer identities and I certainly don’t want less of one story and more of another. I just want to talk about how the current popularity and visible amount of stories about queer men contrasts pretty much every story not about queer men. It’s great that there are so many stories now and especially that these stories (especially good omens and heartstopper- in different ways but no less meaningful) have other queer characters in them and are telling smaller stories about other queer identities within them, but the fact of the matter is that a lot of popular queer stories centre around queer men. That might just be where we are right now but I think that’s all the more reason to think about it.

Media that is about queer men seems to have the ability to build large fandoms and get very popular. It’s not overly hard to find stories about queer men if you check the tumblr trending tab every couple of weeks (or days if we’re thinking about the past few weeks). I heard about Red White and Royal Blue when it was a novel, from a couple different tumblr posts. Even books can get really popular. I also remember going into bookstores and when I was looking for queer stories most of them were about queer men. It was rare to find books about queer women and nearly impossible to find a book that had anything to do with gender in it, and while I haven’t been in a bookstore and sifted through as many books as possible in a while I believe it’s become slightly easier to find stories about queer women and… honestly I have zero hope for any other queer identity when I walk into a bookstore. That’s of course based off of where I live and my own personal bookstore experiences but I honestly don’t have much else to base it on. I honestly think I’ve only read one book that was explicitly about a non-binary character in my life. Are there more books about non-binary people? Yes of course there are but I have not been able to find them easily nor have they been uplifted to the same heights as the stories of queer men have been.

Books I’ve found are far better than film and tv for queer stories. Things like The Locked Tomb series and other stories with sapphic protagonists have come up on my radar but still less than stories about queer men. This is a pattern I’ve been noticing for a while now and it’s a pattern that’s been going on for a while now. At least in my lifetime (which really hasn’t been that long but again, I don’t have anything else to base this off but myself and my measly nineteen years of being alive and about eight years of actively looking for queer stories) this has been the pattern. I’ve read a lot of stories about queer men. They were very important to me. A lot of them were the first place I was able to see queer people and I’ll always love them for giving me a chance to see people like me in them, even if they didn’t have me specifically, those stories were and are endlessly meaningful. Most of the stories I’ve read and shows I’ve watched that are about queer people are about queer men. Those are the stories that people talk about and those are the stories that are popular and loved and respected enough to have more than one season. I don’t know if we’re there yet (or it it matters that we aren’t) but I know that I want more than that. And I think that’s enough for me to think that we should have more than that.

There are a lot of different queer people. There are more stories that can be told than can probably be read in a single lifetime. There’s queer history and there’s also the history of the entire world and the cultural importance of differences in gender and sexuality. A lot of that has been lost and buried and hidden away and destroyed. Everything is very large and very old. What we consider queer has always existed in some form and the current state of the world and different places is only a single point in time. But… we don’t live for thousands of years and we only exist in this point in time. At this point in time media about queer men is held just a bit higher than other media about other queer people. It’s far more complicated than that but that’s what I’ve seen in the simplest way I can explain. It’s not a bad thing that these stories are being written and seen, of course it’s not a bad thing, but it’s the difference between media about queer men and everyone else that seems worth contemplating.

[thingsisayinmyhead]

On the coffee theory

More about the endling of Good Omens 2.

I just had the saddest thought. What if the coffee Metatron gave Aziraphale was drugged somehow, but what if Crowley's kiss suddenly snaps him out of it.

Aziraphale is horrified by the argument they've had (that explains his post-kiss expression) but he thinks it's too late to fix it. After all, Crowley says, "You idiot, we could have been us." Not, "We could be us." Past tense (well past perfect subjunctive - reflecting the path you wish you'd taken but didn't). (In hell it's always too late).

My point is, imagine Aziraphale suddenly coming out of his trance and thinking it's already too late and he's lost Crowley forever.

He turns back from the elevator, hoping for some sign of hope from Crowley, but the demon just looks at him unmoving, stone-faced, sunglasses on (Azi doesn't know Crowley is sobbing on the inside). Azi goes to heaven thinking there's nothing left for him on Earth now.

Okay -I don't actually think that's what happened but my brain went there and I had to share it.

[searsage]

The Cat is A Lie…(open ota)

The facade of a promising medicine cat, rumored warden of a long unnamed clan inhabiting the mountains now a wolf in sheep clothing, this is not a cat.

There is no cat.

A star plucked from the heavens, a faceless parasite festering the land beneath it's unforgiving light. This is not a sacrifice.

There was no sacrifices..

This vessel lives in the vine claimed ruins of a once flourishing mountain tribe, the sole medicine cat and overseer of moss covered graves.

A moutain territory briming with freshkill and herbs, a promise of prosperity to those who dare lay claim to it, despite this all avoid this cursed oasis, tainted by a fallen star and the spore it brought.

Those who enter much like the clan who once reigned vanish.

Some say a demon was born of the star, an entity with no face but apatite, festering the land, it was rumored many medicine cats were sacrificed to stall it's revery, for communion against an foe they could not fight was the only means to pacify such a threat…

They say the wind there smells of calcified bones.

Brave few challenge the endling wearing the skin of their own, but know all is lost, for those who linger too close see the demon's watchful leer.

This talented medicine cat oversees the graves of many.

This is not a cat.

The cat is a lie.

History:

A young medicine cat one of many sacrificed to sate the ever growing apitite of a entity dredged from a fallen star.

Many attempts to rid their land of this evil failed, resulting in cruel and desperate solutations to bleak situtations, many fell unwilling, but the soul once inhabiting this husk left on their own volition, in hopes of conmunion.

They never returned and the clan fell to ruin.

The Host/Vessel:

Seemingly docile and unaware of the burden they carry, not enough is k own about this creature to deduce if it is the entity or simply a host unaware of it's condition.

While detached they still seem to hild vestless knowledge on herbs and healing practices, leading to desperate cats seeking them out despite the risks and few never returning from these ventures.

They often express disparaging loneliness but this may simply be a manipulative ploy.

The Entity:

A mimic fallen from the sky.

AN:

Whew this tragic babs been sitting in stasis for a looong time yikes!

Too many analog horrors have me rolling lol.

Slap an offer if ye like.

SB: OTA

[Bic]please respond to the comment with the highest offer when placing an offer!

[BIC]USD OFFERs ARE ONLY WHAT IM INTERESTED IN☝

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This is not First come first serve!

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Dont offer what you dont have.

Dont remove watermark No refunds Low ball offers are instantly declined.

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[aita-blorbos]

AITA for “taking 10 years to turn her back and rescue the kingdom from the Demon King”?

Apparently there’s more than one legendary knight making posts here, so you might remember me specifically from [https://www.tumblr.com/aita-blorbos/727378880118276096/aita-for-rushing-head-long-into-the-world-endling] this post!

This is a continuation of that

It’s been 11 years since I was last here, and I’m happy to announce that now everything’s going a lot better. Mostly. The Demon King (Guy who was putting the kingdom in danger) is dead, for real this time, and I found Cass! She was kinda funny-looking for a while, but she’s okay now. Though she’s a lot angrier with me than she was before, so I think I might’ve really messed up again

For context, I didn’t find Cass on the Great Sky Island when I started my journey (See: Previous post). And I thought she was dead. And since that was a result of me not taking my time and doing everything I was supposed on my last adventure (Even if that wasn’t necessarily my fault like you guys said), I figured I wouldn’t rush straight for the castle this time to make sure that wouldn’t happen again

Which was great, because there were a lot of new things to do all over the place this time around to keep myself occupied. On top of finding everything on the surface that came back from my last adventure, the Demon King's revival opened up pathways to this really huge underground area that I had to fully explore, as well as bringing down a bunch of Sky Islands for me to explore as well. And there were so many more people to help do so many more things

But what Cass is mad at me for is that a lot of problems came from how long I took. The Demon King's forces had a lot of time to attack the lands I wasn’t around to protect so the economy has completely collapsed from the amount of people who aren’t spending money, her house got repossessed because I forgot to pay for it (But in my defense it wouldn’t have mattered that much anyway because capitalism died around year 6 or 7. And she gets to live in my new house now), and I got lonely and started dating P (See: Previous post) in her absence. She thinks I’m heartless because when she asked me whether or not I was ashamed of the deaths of so many innocents being my fault I said no, but I did it because I was the opposite of heartless. I was just doing what I thought she would’ve wanted. There’s nothing to be ashamed of in that… Right?

[theneonsanctuary]

Piecemeal

Chapter 1: The Rats

Summary:

How did you do it?

How did you escape from Serenity?

Content Warnings: Implied child abuse, brainwashing, cult stuff. Also Victor is a big spider. And there's a guy named The Infestation. And some rats. They don't do anything.

Your name is Bliss Gladwell.

You are 14 years old. You are angry. You are frightened. You are very, very hungry.

You are sitting in a black and silver ornate chair, at a black and silver ornate desk. The chair is not particularly plush, but you are so tired and your bones ache so deeply that you feel like you could sink into it and sleep for a year.

You do not do this. You sit at the very edge of the chair, with your feet planted firmly on the floor, and you stare across the desk at the demon who just asked you an impossible question.

"What?"

"Where would you like to go next?" The Endling, Victor Yi, repeats. His voice is kind. His face is kind. But he is not relaxing in his seat either.

Your brain grinds to a halt.

Where would you like to go… next?

"I was in the woods," you say.

"Yes," The Endling says. "You were in the woods."

"That was my next," you say. "I don't have another next."

A shadow passes by the office window. The Endling glances over at it while your breath catches in your throat.

The Endling sighs. "I'd love to say that you can take your time," he says gently. "You need it. And you deserve it. But we don't have it. The Glow's patience is… nonexistent."

"What are my options?" you ask. You think this is the most ridiculous sentence that's ever come out of your mouth. One hour ago you were in the woods. Three days ago, you were in the woods. Four days ago, you had never experienced hunger. Your estranged brother is downstairs in a cluttered kitchen—one hour ago, you had never seen a cluttered kitchen—one hour ago, you hadn't seen your brother in two years. He's making pancakes, because he is not a cook, and no one else is home, and there was a box in the pantry with directions on it.

No one else is home because this is the devil's house, and the devil is busy arguing with God on the front lawn.

"Your grandparents," The Endling says. "Your uncles."

"I've never met them," you say.

Another shadow passes by the window. You don't turn to look. Neither does The Endling.

"The Glow wants you to go with Kamalu," The Endling says, casually, as if he is discussing what you will do after supper. Not where you will spend the rest of your life. "She's eager to see what he makes of you."

You shiver. "I don't… I don't want anyone to make anything of me. I just want to be left alone."

"Well," The Endling says, hesitation entering his voice for the first time. "You… could stay here."

Your brain tries to spin back into gear. From the moment you set foot in this house, you have been alone in your own head. It's amazing. It's stifling. It's completely alien. You are too tired to know how you feel about it, so you just shrug.

"There's also your grandmother's circus," The Endling says. "Mr. Mischief and The Rat King are still in it. You've met them."

He hesitates again. "Do you… remember?"

What an odd thing to say, you think. Of course you—

Of course—

You are alone in the house.

You have been alone all evening, studying for a math test. You are waiting for—

There is a raptor in fool's garb by the window, trying to peek out through the curtains without showing too much of his face. There is a human man in front of you, leaning forward in an elegant wheelchair that doesn't match the tattered remains of a cape hanging from his shoulders.

You are alone in the house.

"We're out of time," the jester hisses, snapping the curtains shut.

"Okay, kid, listen," the human says urgently, grasping both of your hands. "If you ever need help—"

You are alone in the—

"Bliss?"

The Endling is peering at you intently with all six of his eyes.

"Yes," you say loudly, shaking the shadowy memories out of your head. You're starving and exhausted, you think. It's normal to be confused. "Yes, I've met them. Does The Infestation visit them?"

"…Yes," The Endling says, still watching you closely. "The Infestation visits the circus every couple of weeks."

Suddenly you feel like crying. Your brother Hank is downstairs. You haven't seen him in two years. Your brother The Infestation is outside the window with the rest of your siblings, pleading with God. You haven't seen him in ten minutes, and you miss him more.

You clear your throat. "If The Glow wants me to go with Grandpa Kamalu, then none of this matters," you say, trying to sound dismissive and grown-up and not at all like you want to give up and go home, where no one expects you to know what you want.

There is a shout outside the window. The Endling glances over, frowning slightly, and then returns his attention to you.

"If Kamalu gets custody, he'll send you wherever you want to go," he says. "It's just a matter of what we can talk The Glow into. And she's more likely to let you stay with… well, with people she's already interested in."

"Can I change my mind later?" you ask desperately, knowing the answer must be no.

The Endling tenses. "I… hope so," he says. "But probably not right away."

"I want—"

There is another shout from outside, and this time your blood runs cold as you recognize your father's voice.

The Endling stands up and moves to the window, deadly grace on eight legs.

"Gideon is not welcome in this house," he says firmly, voice underlaid by a low, clicking growl. "He's not coming in. He's not going to get near you. He's—trying to kill Kamalu in my garden again. I'll be right back."

Slightly less gracefully, The Endling scuttles to the door, and then pauses. He's behind you, out of your sight. You are seized, suddenly, with panic—you wonder how Great Spiders eat their prey.

"Bliss," The Endling says. "Before I go out there. How did you do it?"

You swallow the lump of fear in your throat. "Wh—what?"

"How did you escape from Serenity?"

You are tired. You are afraid. You are delirious with hunger.

"The rats helped me," you say.

"The rats," The Endling repeats.

"Yes."

"…Hm. Alright. Hank will be up soon. Eat. I'll deal with your father."

You gasp.

"I'm not going to eat him," The Endling adds.

The door clicks shut behind him. You count backwards from ten, and move to the window.

A raptor you have never met, but who looks very much like your mother, is pinning your father down on the lawn.

As you watch your grandmother Mouo beat Gideon mercilessly with her wings, you exhale a shaky laugh into the empty, silent office, and say to nobody but yourself:

"I want to go to the circus."

---

Your name is Toa'i Laulima.

You are forty-seven years old. You are busy. You are distracted. You don't have time to be here right now, but you are worried about your friend Victor. He hasn't left the house in over a month.

His office door swings open before you can knock.

Victor is at his desk, staring down at the smooth, black, empty surface. A shade is drawn over the window. The only light comes from Victor's laptop, cutting a cold white swath through the darkness.

"Lunch?" you say brightly. "My treat."

"…Close the door," Victor says quietly.

You close it, and approach the desk. "Penny for your thoughts," you offer, hopping up into the black and silver ornate chair.

Victor wrenches his gaze up from the empty desk. He looks… better than you were braced for. Haggard, yes. Slightly mad, yes. But that's just Victor. You were expecting some despair.

Victor leans urgently across the desk, gripping your arm like a vice.

"Toa'i," he whispers. "How did you escape from Serenity?"

[gabbadizzy]

GABBADIZZY.CARRD.CO

MY RAMBLINGS AND TEXT POSTS: #dizzy talks

IMPORTANT: #dizzy shouts

FUNDRAISERS & EMERGENCY COMMISSIONS: #dizzy signals

POLITICAL & NEWS: #current events

MY WORK (GENERAL): #dizzy makes

MY ART: #dizzy draws

MY WRITING: #dizzy writes

MY ANIMATIONS: #dizzy animates

MY CHARACTERS: #dizzy ocs

SPECIFIC STORIES: #hurricane nogami #hockey melee #how blackbooks are made #general principles of karma #folie a deux act ii #bring home the plastic #of demons and endlings

[thenixkat]

what do you mean Power Girl being pregnant was due to her grandpa magically raping her and she's just cool with that and the baby just fucks off not to be seen again after the story line ends??

this is why I dont trust comic book writers to not be creeps Maxwell Lord and his need to be in charge of the most powerful group of people in the world

Maxwell Lord is just a pathetic little man. And i can easily see him turning to 'well if I can't be in charge you all have to die' cause like, he's already attempted murder for less

there's so many implications with Echidna, sheltering Power Girl and her baby in her realm. Also Echidna, mother of monsters, is a thing in the DC universe and apparently she's just chilling in her own realm

shadow dude has a point that untested alien tech might not be the best mode of transportation in an emergency Fire, what if the shit just fucking explodes? yall are just guessing on how to pilot shit

the clothes are iff but Scarabus's fleshy eye nodes are neat looking. It's also very rude

also this Arion guy is the same ancient Atlantean king that supposedly was driven mad by Khaji Da and was a giant centipede serpent creature in the Blue Beetle 2016 solo

ok so Power Girl is somewhat upset about her grandpa magically raping her to get a great grandkid to use for a prophesy

meanwhile Maxwell Lord has a tumor in his brain. That's growing fast and causing him a lot of pain. I'm going to assume that using his powers, which visibly cause his brain damage, lead to the tumor

they managed to send the demon out of reality for teh time being well that's certainly a coloring error i hope

some being comes to offer Maxwell Lord a way to cure his cancer and keep his mind. For a price

offscreen Wonder Woman got challenged for her title by another Amazon and lost

so she's just Diana now Power Girl is also concerned about how quickly her baby is growing

yeah actually what are you gonna do with all the endlings the Overmaster locked up on its ship?

damn Fire rebond much? She decides to go on a date with a new nice coworker and proposes mid date. SHe's turned down.

huh, well rest in piss maxwell lord

[libidomechanica]

Make a stately

And see that seeldome falls bynethe.     By glim’ring of your own child-bed, as men for the cocked haye.     For, were those I have let

his jive ass back in to collection;     but getting nigh grim Dante’s obscure wood, ’ that all the     postes and wine: or for

a tansy let us play, for     it anew, and winter wind, it’s no the driving. Which pass’d,     or catch thy hope, die,—how

happy they who should ask my love,     Jamie, come try me, if thou requires it, that Juan had more     brain than beard, and begg’d by

every hair of glitter’d to my     Muse and there she’s good, what we were you or grew or stood. Forget     the light of the gender

still, as they think to call men     to thy hive. Upon the sea;—what are all the demons of     an apple and a white

dress for you, nor thou like an earth     she did not wish her minion: but when I here assure you,     that killing himself in

my own affections, tenderest     pledge? Hut, whence declines, by chance ogle at her ears without     her mouth with young Favonious.

To get through her countenance     too bold, but blush to tell of deities or mortals all     his mother, Donna Inez,

finding, too, that all the sea     in the ghastly glimmer’d thro’ the vale of lilies fair on     a lawn; there by zephyrs,

streams, the Dee, the rest be hidden     by the sea and choke on it and go down in its services.     Where was not an ancient

gray, the lawn running their heads     reflected light; that grace, which do endless web toil’d for a     burning forehead, and

Orion low in his mood? I’ll take     a wantonness: a lawn about the aid of prince or     plenipo: she to disturb.

It was not left hys flocke so deare:     adieu my deare, whose endles souenaunce, emong the vale of     lillyes and all these coming

Soldiery behind broke of     eternity: the road as I cam past, ye snufft and gather’d     as they lay calm-breathing,

on the morning: but no more,     that all to spend, nor servile peer’s content. I now there is     fatter game on the grasse

ay greene: o happy herse, the danger     is less politesse sheepe, adieu ye Woodes can with     heaven and earth with him

when wrong, that moment, till in joy     both day and hour of danger. Was bent with hollow     Now welcome for the Hall!

[outerspacebassman]

For the first time in many years, I’ve actually kept a good track of my albums of the year.

Top 5, in no particular order

WITCH-Zango

Yoni Mayraz-Dybbuk Tse

Witch Prophet-Gateway Experience

Temps-Party Gator Purgatory

Descartes A Kant-After Destruction

And the other albums you should check out

Genevieve Artadi-Forever Forever

Haken-Fauna

Gorillaz-Cracker Island

Periphery-V

Masego-Masego

boygenius-The Record

Lady Charles-Manic Pixie Dream World

Deposed King-One Man’s Grief

bdrmm-I Don’t Know

Hot Mulligan-Why Would I Watch

Blank Banshee-4D

Desert Jellies-Nautical Nonsense

Demons My Friend-Demons Seem to Gather

Riverside-ID.Entity

Yeule-Softscars

Graveyard-6

Blood Ceremony-The Old Ways Remain

Slomatics-Strontium Fields

Yowl-Milksick

Melanie Martinez-Portals

Kvelertak-Endling

Metric-Formentera II

Slowdive-Everything Is Alive

Brujeria-Eso Es Brujeria

The Murlocs-Calm Ya Farm

Arlo Parks-My Soft Machine

Natalie Merchant-Keep Your Courage

Margaret Glaspy-Echo the Diamond

Laufey-Bewitched

Dan Tyminski-God Fearing Heathen

Clowns-Endless

Green Lung-This Heathen Land

Yussef Dayes-Black Classical Music

Cautious Clay-Karpeh

Chappell Roan-The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess

Stay Outside-There’s Never Been A Better Sign

[taguelbunnyboy]

…Ok then.

Yarne knew his abilities were unique - he was an endling, after all.

Still, all that praise…

Felt undeserved.

A lot of lauding, when all he did was set up one of his barriers.

“…My name’s Yarne, the -”

He bites back on his words, before deciding, you know what, screw it.

He couldn’t hide his ears here - nor did he want to. Sure, in some corners of Ylisse he would be hated for his nature, but here…?

He’s thriving.

“The last taguel. This is something that all of my people probably could’ve done, but…”

He can’t exactly check that, could he?

“This… isn’t fully my idea, anyhow - my team came up with it to provide shelter during the day, if…”

Screaming. Panicked crying. Grieving.

Shaking his past demons away, Yarne continues.

“If we were attacked in the middle of the night, the team would need somewhere to sleep, to rest to prepare for the next ambush, the next attack, the... the next sudden massacre.”

Grabbing some of the lances at her suggestion, Yarne sticks them in, and nods.

That’ll hold.

“That should do the trick, then…”

Pale Shelter