deankarolina

[deankarolina]

da2 isn't the best dragon age game *because* it's openly a tragedy, but being a tragedy forces a level of narrative coherence that the other games in the series don't have, and *that's* what makes it a better game.

okay, so. dragon age 2 runs on nested foreshadowing and a limited set of themes that almost every character and plot beat fall into: love is not enough, wealth is not enough, power is not enough, good intent is not enough. the problems you run into are structural, rather than individual, and your ability to resolve them as one person is strictly limited. the arishok is a central figure for this, because he prefigures every other tragedy and makes the game's thesis statement as clear as possible. he doesn't want to be in kirkwall, but he is compelled to remain until he gets back what was stolen. he doesn't want to lead a coup attempt, but he is compelled by qunari codes of justice to act. he does not want to die and fail his duty, but but he is compelled to by the other two impossible demands. every tragedy in kirkwall is the result of too many people with wildly different definitions of justice crammed into one place specifically designed to maximize human misery and suffering, and so you get a wonderfully nested narrative onion where each quest reinforces that idea, where there are no good options, just positions you can take — even the affinity system plays into that, where constantly gassing up your friends or constantly pushing them to change are equally correct ways to go, but ones that won't ultimately make a huge difference in their lives or characters, because no matter how much they like you, they're not under your control.

this coherence is even justified by the framing device. of *course* the moral of the game is "insisting on a dogmatic, narrow idea of justice destroys individuals and societies," it's a yarn being spun by varric the con artist to a chantry cop!

neither origins or inquisition play with that sort of narrative complexity. origins is a jaundiced hero's quest, certainly, but it's still basically a hero's quest; inquisition has a number of characters who question what you're doing and why, but the multitude of voices pulls the game in too many potential directions. DA2 was so constrained in its production that it pulled on decidedly ancient theatrical traditions, and it worked so, so well

[deankarolina]

hilarious message to get

[deankarolina]

Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, Haute-Savoie, France by Jade Stephens

[deankarolina]

You did it. You killed me.

[deankarolina]

i want so much out of life and no idea of where to start

[deankarolina]

I actually passed away quite a few years ago, but I'm a very private person and never told anybody.

[deankarolina]

are you ever like damnnnnnn why cant it be easier

[deankarolina]

hello! friends, mutuals, followers, everyone! i don't know how to do this and i wish more than anything that i didn't have a reason to do it but i am officially desperate for help so here i am

my situation is this, last december my dad had a heart attack. he got along on meds for a while but last month he had another episode. he stayed at the hospital for a week, and he got a procedure (catheterization) done for 5.000 dollars. all our savings amounted to little more than a thousand, and the rest we had to borrow from four different family members. unfortunately, that procedure wasn't enough, it just showed that there's a very significant obstruction in his heart. the surgery he needs now (a coronary bypass) isn't even done in our city, we'll have to travel to another state and stay at least a week. the surgery costs 15.000 dollars

now you might know I'm venezuelan, and if you know anything about this country you probably know about the horrible economic crisis that's been going on for years. both of my parents are public workers, their salary literally equals about $8 monthly. there are bonuses and I have my job but that's only enough for us to get through each month. it's just impossible for us to get this kind of money, private loans would take everything we make together monthly in interests, none of our family members can loan us that much money, we already owe them. we keep messaging foundations and stuff but we're running out of options and i need to start asking for donations

any help, no matter how small, would make a huge difference for us. you'd be literally helping me save my dad's life. if we're friends, mutuals, just existing in this community together, if you've read my fics, smiled because of my posts, if you're just a kind person who could spare a little to help me, i would be so so so grateful forever and ever and ever 🙏

here's my paypal and ko-fi and thank you again <3

[deankarolina]

I love hearing about the vibes I give off cause I honestly have no idea

[deankarolina]

ARTMS - Icarus ⤷ "A year ago, five girls went missing without a trace."

[deankarolina]

Artms - ‘Icarus’ (Cinematic Ver.)

[deankarolina]

scroll on the dash properly for the first time in a while and getting shot back in time because apparently everyone’s really into Lost now

[deankarolina]

[Teaser] ARTMS ‘Icarus’ : JinSoul

2025.06.13 1 PM KST

[deankarolina]

Description for ARTMS' upcoming album, "Club Icarus", releasing June 13th.

[deankarolina]

Lippie on the brain

[deankarolina]

The best way to contact me is to meet me in my dreams at 3am

[deankarolina]

If I was a knight would you let me swear oaths to you be honest