a-random-fandom-friend - Tumblr blog

[a-random-fandom-friend]

I'm asking you because I've seen people ask you similar questions before. Why are kobolds, as a fantasy creature, so nebulous?

Generally when people say orc, goblin, elf, dwarf, werewolf, vampire etc. a person can have a pretty solid idea of what traits that animal will have. I guess because they're usually copying that species from the same similar source works?

What happened to kobolds? I used to know them as a kind of german folklore creature, but then also as a short lizard person, and most recently there's been Dungeon Meshi, which gives the name kobold to anthropomorphic dogs.

Well, the trick is that none of these terms have a standard definition. In folklore, the words "elf", "dwarf", "gnome", "troll", "goblin", "pixie", etc. are used more or less interchangeably – all of these words might refer to the exact same folkloric critter, and conversely, the same word might be used to refer to several completely different folkloric critters, even within the same body of regional folklore, to say nothing of how their usage varies across different regions and over time.

Literally the only reason any of these terms have "standard" definitions in modern popular culture is because one specific piece of media got mega-popular and everybody copied it. For example, Tolkien is responsible not only for the popular media stereotypes of elves and dwarves: he's responsible for popularising the idea that "elf" and "dwarf" are separate kinds of creatures to begin with. Similarly, while Bram Stoker's Dracula isn't solely responsible for cementing the idea of what a vampire is in popular culture, it did standardise what vampire magic can do, and it helped cemented the idea that a "vampire" and a "werewolf" are different beasties, which hasn't always been the case.

So the short answer is that there's just never been a mega-popular work about "kobolds" to provide a standard template for the type. Most modern depictions in Anglophone popular culture ultimately point back to the interpretation set forth by Dungeons & Dragons, but D&D itself has gone back and forth on the whether they're tiny dog-people or tiny lizard-people, with the tiny dog-person version being the earlier of the two, so even folks who are directly cribbing from D&D will vary on this point depending on which particular edition they're name-checking.

[a-random-fandom-friend]

Sometimes a guy in a fanfiction has the ability to read someone's gaze with the same level of detail a wine taster can taste the wine

[a-random-fandom-friend]

heh. nice argument. unfortunately for you, i’ve been trapped in a time loop for the last 6 months and i know exactly what to do [kisses you with tongue]

[a-random-fandom-friend]

Captain Extra™

[a-random-fandom-friend]

A lot of people try to explain this without knowing anything about how voice synthesis works, so here's my breakdown on No, Hatsune Miku Is Not AI, And No, AI Voice Synthesis Is Not Bad.

[a-random-fandom-friend]

As a wheelchair user I'm trying to reframe my language for "being in the way."

"I'm in the way," "I can't fit," and "I can't go there," is becoming "there's not enough space," "the walkway is too narrow," and "that place isn't accessible."

It's a small change, but to me it feels as if I'm redirecting blame from myself to the people that made these places inaccessible in the first place. I don't want people to just think that they're helping me, I want them to think that they're making up for someone else's wrongdoing. I want them to remember every time I've needed help as something someone else caused.

[a-random-fandom-friend]

I need you all to see how newborn giant pacific octopuses look when they swim

The way their little stubby tentacles flop uselessly...they're so silly <3

[a-random-fandom-friend]

this is the best album release of all time because where else are you going to get unironic takes like this and then even get a few hundred people to agree with it

[a-random-fandom-friend]

One of my favorite things about xena is that when Lucy lawless got pregnant, by that point in the series it was so improbable for xena to have sex with a man that the writers were like “fuck it, immaculate conception by your former nemesis whose soul you saved”

[a-random-fandom-friend]

jurassic park has a good philosophical message but unfortunately the only thing i ever take away from watching jurassic park is "god i wish i could go to jurassic park." like yeah it's a blatantly obvious don't create the torment nexus scenario, but this torment nexus has DINOSAURS.

[a-random-fandom-friend]

wilson, honey, of course you think this is an interesting question. you want to fuck marry this man so bad it makes you look stupid etc etc

[a-random-fandom-friend]

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: le cycle des balls, Le Secret des balls (Web Series) Rating: General Audiences Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Tom/Mitch Characters: Tom, Mitch Additional Tags: Established Relationship, Domestic Fluff, la vie est un long fleuve tranquille pour le coup, Fluff Summary:

Au réveil de cinq de leurs anniversaires.

___

Resharing this to celebrate the 8th anniversary of the most unexpected canon ship! 

[a-random-fandom-friend]

i got these knockoff boots online and instead of the brand name on the tag they have the name of an apparently nonexistent martin scorsese movie??? what the fuck

[a-random-fandom-friend]

One of my favorite trope for Steddie is Steve hunting down Eddie when the kids join Hellfire and giving him a long list of dos and donts.

At first Eddie thinks he’s just being a prick, and worried he’s going to turn the nerds into freaks like him. Especially when he says not to mention drugs in front of Dustin.

But then he starts pulling out lists of monsters that can’t be in campaigns. And like what??? Why can’t he use demagorgons? They were gonna be in the next combat! He’s tempted to ignore the warnings, in fact he’s all set to, but something about Steve’s face when he was laying it all out haunts him. Something so deadly serious about it. So first he decides to test the waters to see if he’s full of shit.

When the session starts, he makes a throwaway comment, “you’re acting like there’s a mindflayer around the corner.”

All the kids freeze but Wheeler especially looks like he’s going to be sick. He even grabs at the bracelet around his wrist. The one he always said his best friend made him before he moved.

Eddie curses himself for even trying to test it out after that, and immediately bullshits the whole session so he can scrap any hint of demogorgans from the campaign.

After that session he drives straight to Harringtons house and demands they go over all the things he can’t include again, in detail, while he takes notes.

He doesn’t know what’s going on with these freshmen, but he knows trauma when he sees it and well he’d gotten attached to the gremlins.

When he leaves that night, he thinks Steve is looking at him with approval. Like he trusts him with their well-being now.

[a-random-fandom-friend]

Mads saying “Hello Will” in 2024 saved me

[a-random-fandom-friend]

ok lets settle it. which laios is getting the best dick rn

[a-random-fandom-friend]

grounding techniques, ok 5 things i can see. ugly man. shitty palm tree. clear evidence of air pollution. conservative bumper stickers. roadkill. why do i feel worse