#...weakest archon my ass

[kaeyachi]

Just a thought, and I'm definitely not a Venti blog so the Venti lore enthusiasts probably figured this out before, but there's no way Venti didn't know of the fatui's plan to get his gnosis early on, right? Or any occurence in Teyvat that has winds for that matter. He can hear everything thru the wind (and dare i say, everything spoken out loud is also kept within the winds as an infinite memory holder, and Venti uses those voices on occasion...which is how I think he managed to do the thing he did during the ballads and brews event for the people of Mond)

Even if that power is contained to Mondstadt, someone must have at least talked about the plan?

...Unless the Tsaritsa warned all the select fatui members involved about Venti's powers? But yeah, I'm going to believe that he knew waaay before he let Signora take his gnosis. I mean, we kinda figured that he just let her get the gnosis in the first place, but now I'm thinking he knew for some time before the actual gnosis theft. Could have easily warned or talked to the other archons about it too by using the wind.

[decarabiandivorce]

Ochi bestie just look at him

Venti is so kickable. I want to punt this little man. Why do you know every song, past present and future? If that is really the case, is this why you want to make songs about everything and everyone? To remember the past and to hear the future

[avemstella]

so that archon quest, huh. Would be absolutely thrilled to hear what u have to say about fontaine act V :] i love all your takes on furina & neuvillette & fontaine as a whole, and of course childe [pretty much an honorary fontanian with how he unintentionally got wrapped up in everything whoops]

Oh boy, I have so many thoughts. To start with some non-spoilerly stuff: I loved it so much. I'm not sure if I'll say it's my favorite Archon Quest yet (I think I would have to go through some of the older ones), but I think it's safe to say Fontaine overall as an arc is my favorite. Even its weakest part (the prison stuff, tbh it was a pacing issue) was still really solid and the ending, while not perfect, really landed. Genshin continued the trend from Sumeru of having the playable characters really take the stage and god there were some great standouts (Navia/Neuvi/Furina to name my favs, but I also loved my fatui and there really isn't anyone I've disliked). And well, the quest (and Furina's chara quest) made me cry like a baby, so that's a win.

Tbh, I think my biggest issue, wasn't even really an issue with the story but just a case of I had a very clear idea of what I wanted out of it (the woes of writing speculative fic pfft) and when it wasn't that I'm like "awww darn". Thats on me, and I genuinely really loved what we got, but it do be like that sometimes haha.

Spoilers below, oh boy (also my Furina fic spoilers too lol).

Eldritch abomination Furina I'll mourn u forever. I can't complain because Furina splitting herself in two to go fuck u to the heavens is such a boss ass move I can't haha. Okay, but I will say, even if I'm probably the only one, I do wish they brought some Remuria stuff up in the main quest. They had the perfect set up with Ajax being there with his Greek myth references and just ahhhh, one can hope they do something with it later. But yes, just know it's my silly headcanon that Focalors just lied about being an Oceanid to Neuvi and is one of King Remus's fucked up Primordial Sea experiments that maybe caused the Abyss rift at the fall of Remuria.

But yes, Furina, Furina, I'm crying. She really destroyed the girl failure accusations in the most glorious way possible. She literally didn't fail once (either of her), she plotted out a plan to trick the heavens, give back what was stolen, and save her people and she did it perfectly. As you're probably well aware, I'm a big fuck u Celestia gal, so it was just so satisfying to see her just obliterate the throne (even when I was crying haha). And honestly, super relevant to the state of the real world, but her giving back sovereignty to Neuvi in my mind is a very clear decolonization metaphor. Ages past descenders came to Teyvat, killed the dragons and created their own order, and now Focalors is returning that power back to said dragon (or well, the dragon's heir, it's a bit vague if Neuvi's literally the old dragon's soul reincarnated or just the body).

The entire scene between Neuvi and Focalors was great, though I will admit I have one issue with it (and even then I go back and forth on it haha). Neuvi in that scene doesn't have a big attachment to Focalors. What I mean is that ultimately Neuvi only ever knew Furina (which side note I'll get into this next, but I do view them as the same person, but still), and with Focalors' 'death' he's not technically losing anything, the person he's sad over will still be there. Like don't get me wrong, he's very empathetic and can be sad over this person who is dying for them, but I feel like it could have been even more heartbreaking if he had met Furina/Focalors before the split, or he had interacted with Focalors somehow in the past, and so in this moment he wasn't just watching Furina's sacrifice, but the sacrifice of someone he shares memories with. But that's me being picky haha and not really a critique on the writing.

But yes, Furina! Focalors! As I previewed before, I'm going to come out swinging with a possibly hot take. They are, and always were the same person. Yes, Focalors is the divinity, but as we see after Furina is allowed to rest her persona, Furina is also super mature and knowledgeable. In Neuvi's flashback quotes of Furina, it's her softly giving important advice about living with humanity, which is what Focalors was all about. And much like Furina, Focalors loves preforming, she loves humans, she gets all excited about Furina and her future, and is sad she won't get to experience it.

Not to remotely downplay Furina's suffering (because holy shit my poor girl), but Focalors too played her role. Unlike Furina who had Neuvillette and all her friends post this, Focalors was all alone in the Oratrice, waiting for the day she had to kill herself. Furina, has the promise of a future, despite all the suffering she endured to get there. She gets the reward of a happy life as a human surrounded by people who love her, and while it was touch a go for a bit, she was told one day her play would end. In contrast, while Focalors didn't have the same anxiety that Furina had, Focalors knew from the beginning she would never get to see her people saved. Technically she, like Furina, didn't even know if it would even happen. She put her faith in Neuvillette to follow through, and while she had the utmost faith in him, she could never know for certain. But much like her mirror Furina, Focalors weighed her suffering over the people of Fontaine's, and never once faltered. Furina was willing to possibly kill herself via primordial seawater in order to keep up her ruse, whose to say Focalors wasn't the same. Smiling at Neuvillette until the last moment because she couldn't risk him interfering, hiding away her anxieties and sorrow, so he wouldn't look so sad. Furina's performance ended, Focalors' never will.

Focalors was so certain she couldn't be human, but as we see from the Oceanids it was totally possible. And even more vitally, we see from the other Archons it's possible. They might fumble around a bit (some more than others, looking at u Ei), but they are learning and immersing themselves with their people. While not an Archon, it's the same with Neuvillette. Focalors should have had the same opportunities as Furina and the rest (mostly because she is Furina), but the world isn't kind, and that's why her sacrifice hurts.

If u can't tell I have a lot of feelings about Focalors/Furina and while I can appreciate a joke about Focalors giving Furina anxiety, I'm also like, they are literally the same person working together, she deserves the world (all of her).

But yes, I can go on and on about Furina, but for now I'll move onto our boy Childe. To get it out of the way, a little disappointed that we really got no answers about him. Poor guy didn't really have any lines. Also, not big on Skirk's design, mostly the outfit. Putting her next to Dain and uh, yeah (like don't get me wrong don't mind the color scheme and all, but could she not have gotten some kind of armor. Or look more like Foul Legacy or something idk).

But onto more happier notes, I'm so happy to see Childe finally getting to do well in a fight. I know it's a meme for him to get beaten up, but my dude is the Vanguard, let him win sometimes (he doesn't technically win here, but he was fighting an eldritch whale monster for ages and helped save Fontaine, I'm giving it to him). And Skirk, while her design is mostly less to be desired, I'm winning on guessing her hair and eye color haha. Also, while I'll always love my version, I'm liking her personality so far. Her yeeting Childe, while I admit took me out a bit (I thought she threw him farther into the Abyss and was like, "uh guys, yall worried about my poor boy here???" and then was a bit baffled at them saying he was fine) was so fucking funny. It's cool to learn "Foul Legacy" refers to a literal person, and I found the fact that Skirk's relationship with Foul is basically the same as her relationship with Childe very amusing. And it seems she's Khaenri'ahn, maybe? Also, I thought she was listing off her master's other names at first, so when she said Gold I got super hyped that I guessed correctly about the narwhal being Rhine's in my fic, but then they were like nope pfft. I'll take it as a win.

Sidenote, Alice and Rhine where are yoooouuuuuu.

Ultimately, while I enjoyed the Childe and Skirk stuff, it really just feels like a set-up for later stuff. Which isn't really a problem, but I was hoping we'd get something a bit more concrete. Like, I thought we were going to get answers about the "it" that Skirk saw in him, and it would have to do with the Narwhal, but now it seems those were mostly unrelated??? While I did find baby Ajax accidentally waking up a big world eating monster up kind of hilarious, it did feel a little incidental, if that makes any sense. Like, Fontaine's doom was an accident and not the result of anyone's choices. But that might just be a me thing. (and the quest needed more Arle, where was she??? my not really based on anything theory is that whenever we get Furina (or maybe Nevui's) 2nd character quest, Arle will be the boss fight. A reverse of the normal final Harb boss fight during the Archon quest)

Okay, because I really don't want to end on a downer (as I said uptop, I genuinely adored this quest haha), here are some minor spoilers from the Narzissenkreuz Ordo quest that have me by a chokehold.

I wasn't ready for a sudden Ajax. What does this mean??????

And this one just makes me laugh. Whichever Ordo member wrote this, I vehemently disagree with u and am on Khaenri'ah's side with this one. I'd much rather have bread then some higher power nonsense. In my fic I tend to write Khaenri'ah more akin to a modern nation than a fantasy one, and its nice to see me vindicated pfft.

Other random notes, enjoyed that the Fatui weren't just cartoonishly evil in both the main and world quests. I like some nuance. I saw that Sandrone hint, that was fun. Though it makes me wonder when we'll get Columbina lore (especially because if the theory about Harbinger boss fight order based on the Constellation circle is true, she should be showing up soon. Though also I half think that order will break because if it doesn't, it means Sandrone will probably be the final Harb boss which is an odd choice.) As revealed on Furina's weapon, Egeria being around during Remuria raises so many questions around the timeline of events. Genshin pls tell me when the Archon war takes place in all this pls (if they tell us in some lore I haven't read yet, whoops). (also on egeria, I mourn my version but hey, she exists in my heart and in my fics pfft. I can't wait to write her in smfwtwd and venti fic, though she's getting a new name for confusion and better symbolsism)

the contrast between Neuvi and Furina after the quest is so funny and sad. Neuvi "Furina is the best, I want her to be happy". Furina, "Everyone hates me, Neuvillette most of all, I can never face him again." And the other Archons, they are all like Furina, wow u are so cool (which just highlights Neuvi's utter disdain for them other than Nahida haha).

And most vitally, Furina and Venti should be best friends. Musically inclined performers who definitely aren't plotting to overthrow the heavens. I think they are neat (they also both have Latin names!).

[onelastchorus]

fontaine megathread

full of spoilers.. duh

archon quest act i

they're referring to the eremites. couldn't leave sumeru without one last sprinkle of racism lmao.. fr love how this was one of the first things i saw in fontaine. "see something, say something." STFU!!!

the fontaine VAs fucking STEPPED UP!! like why is lyney's VA so good.. the decision to open the quest with three of the most off-putting and unnerving characters so far.. lyney truly sounds deceiving, it really felt like you couldn't trust him. and then lynette is just ominous

and then furina.. miss focalors, the star of the mf show. whatever they're paying the VA is not enough because she's incredible. bravado, insecurity, instability, fear, hunger.. all the emotions are portrayed so well

fuck them for this one.. THERES SO MUCH TO UNPACK. i mean, supposedly teyvat has flooded before, this would not be the first. they're so unsubtle with the noah's ark and biblical themes. AND ARE WE GONNA TALK ABOUT THE TEAR?? THE LYNEY PARALLEL?? WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN

that moment when u realize teyvat is world without catholic guilt

lynette is so me. we both got that selective mutism rizz <333

YEAH WE GET IT, WE GET IT!! no subtly smh

the traveler bringing this up as if they didn't directly contradict each other. also another point. if the oratrice relies off belief in justice, not necessarily the archon, could that be applicable to other archon related things? this is feels odd because sumeru and mondstadt's people's entire philosophies rely off of wisdom and freedom respectively, yet they hold the "weakest" archons. and then there's inazuma, where modern citizens hate the raiden's vision of eternity, yet the raidens are arguably the strongest we've met yet

the way i fucking screamed i cannot believe we got skirk name drop

if this is actually meant to be foreshadowing i'm gonna laugh so hard

i'm genuinely so confused by the whole neuvillette situation.. so everyone knows hes not human, but no one knows hes the hydro dragon?? what do people think he is?

the way he fucking hates her i can't breathe

i couldn't get over this why did it jumpscare me.. paimon is funny again god bless.

did she happen to write 2021 aoty if i can't have love, i want power

insert speech about how hydro is truly about the split of ego, how someone presents or is perceived is always different from how they truly are or think. fr tho her design is SO GOOD. THE EYES!! THE TEARDROP ELEMENTS!! THE JELLYFISH ASS HAIR!! THE SILLY HAT AND FRILLS!! after anemo, i already feel as if furina's character aligns most with her vision holders

i've already seen everyone talking about this but we were literally hanging out with childe at lunchtime can we chill /j

with all that being said tho, i get it.. why did they lie did they just not expect this to be brought up its gotta be literal public knowledge

"SHES YOUR FATHER?" im gonna puke im so gay im so gay im so gay im so gay

cannot believe they went there. so fucking dark. kudos to hoyoverse.. anyways lynette come here my love i love u sm i will protect u

fr tho i loved the fact that we had a real prelude for this region.. i think the excuse to make something a little more isolated and establishing in it's plot is already super beneficial for whats to come. we got a lot more character exposition, and even the time to install these cool archon quest specific mechanics. i loved solving everything, it was all SO fun but they also got to have these really emotional beats, i feel this is some of their best pacing yet.

imo the last half of sumeru really helped hoyoverse find their stride, fontaine so far has similar storytelling energy to the whole heist bit of sumeru.

the best thing however might've been the SCORE??? they went out of their league with this one, it's the most fitting, noticable and influential instrumental work they've done in an quest imo

[cashewally-sarcastic]

Remember anon opinions?

Traveler and Venti

anon fucking sent me for a loop i haven't done those in SO LONG

so we'll do a 2 for 1 a + and a vs :)

Traveler + Venti: Solid friendship i think, they're chill, also depending on how much the Traveler says about [other worlds] I think there's the potential for chaos

Traveler vs Venti: I do think this would depend on circumstances tbh. Like Traveler does have a lot of power but only in certain circumstances (supported on the Jade Chamber by others, the Wishes in Ei's Euthymia, etc.). Venti has a fair shot at winning I'd think, "weakest archon of the seven" my ass <3

[leeniebeev2]

Weakest Archon my ass

[zuzukunis]

nahida saying that an archon’s power is derived from their people’s faith just proves that venti is the strongest archon we have met so far

"the wind that flows forever, the thousand winds that return to one. but, on earth is the stream, and the ubiquitous is the wind. everlasting, devastating."

[rhine-gold-archive]

Hi there! Since you’ve mentioned threesomes, do you think you might be interested in writing group sex? Maybe sub being used by several people or being shared with strangers or an orgy under control of dom! reader? I’d love to see that, for any character you’d like, but of course, feel free to ignore if it’s not something you’re interested in

Sub! Childe x Dom! GN Reader

A\N: idk how this happened, I was writing another Childe request and got this one and just kinda was pondering over it in the back of my mind and then suddenly the fic i was writing got derailed completely into this. Hope this works for you, anon

Warnings: minors get out, hard dom, rough physical play, degradation, whipping, meantions of blood, facefucking, anal, group sex (obviously), letting other people use sub, cum play, semi- and public sex

Wordcount:1,5k

Like any military, Fatui have hazing rituals, and because of how much more demanding and cruel the hierarchy is, the rituals are also much harsher and depraved. You open a barely noticeable door in a service corridor, where, if one is in the know of when to look, you can find tied, naked recruits, left to be used by anyone who finds them.

You see him, tied with his hands strung up to the ceiling on the hook, so that by adjusting the rope he can be pulled up or dropped down on the floor. He’s standing at his full height right now, arms stretching up, his back and ass red from where someone already whipped him. 

“So it is you, huh,” you run your fingers down his spine, lightly at first, and applying more and more pressure, until digging your nails into the irritated, tender flesh of his ass. He gasps, arches, wiry muscles rolling under the freckled skin.“I’ve heard you’ll be there, but wasn’t sure if it’s true.”

“Why, you wanted to have specifically me, didn’t you?” he almost purrs, though it comes out huskily, his throat bruised and lips swollen from mouth being fucked. He has his eyes covered with a blind, but still turns his head to you, a small smirk on his lips.

“Yeah, I was curious to fuck you for some time.” You spread his ass and press the head of your cock\strap against his hole. “Now beg for me to do it.”

He shudders, leans against you, but feigns innocence in his voice.

“I was forced to be there, why would I beg you to fuck me?”

You run your hand down his body, play with his peaked nipples, cover his already hard, throbbing cock with your hand. You know that he’s not just one of the most promising recruits, he’s known to be exceptional and vicious, and power like counts for much in the Fatui ranks.

“Because usually only the weakest are subjected to this particular game. You’re strong enough that you could’ve easily gotten just a perfunctory ritual, but no, you are here.” you kiss the back of his neck, your hand roughly palming his dick that is now leaking. “Which means you *wanted* to be here. So you’re a desperate little whore and you’ll beg for it.”

“Fuck, yes, please,” he moans, grinds his hips against you. You didn’t expect him to break down this easily, but it’s a pleasant surprise. You shove your cock inside him, and despite his hole already being used tonight, it’s still a rough stretch. He grunts, trembles against you, gasping for breath, but you don’t give him time to recover, start fucking him harshly. His gasps turn into whimpers, both pained and needy. “Fuck, yes, archons, yes, harder, please…”

He comes when you clasp your hand around his neck, your cock buried deep inside him,  losing his voice, his eyes rolling over. When you slide out of him and turn to leave, the liquid blade forms in his hand, severing the ropes, and he falls down on the floor.

“Wait, I..”

He starts turning, his hand raising to take the blindfold off when your voice makes him freeze.

“No. I didn’t give you permission to move.”

“Please, I need you, I…”

You walk out of the room and shut the door in the middle of his pleas, smiling. 

You’re sure he couldn’t have peaked from under his blindfold, yet the next day he waits for you in the corridor, leaning casually against the wall. You knew he’ll find you eventually, but you didn’t expect him to be so quick. He’ll go far in the Fatui ranks indeed.

“Hey there. I think we haven’t finished our conversation yesterday.”

He grins predatorily and provocatively, peeling himself off the wall and sauntering up to you, arrogant and lazily graceful, a young and wild beast aching for a whip and a leash. You catch him by the throat before he can get close, and watch his eyes widen, shudder running down his body. You press him against the wall, and, despite not being able to reflect light, his eyes are so bright and blue, a hungry inner fire consuming him from within when you slide your hand into his pants, wrap your hand around his swollen hard cock.

“So you want to be my slut that badly, hah?”

“Yes… Fuck, you know that already, that’s why I found you…”

“Then come for me like a good fucking whore.”

He does, moaning and hips bucking desperately in the middle of a corridor where anyone could walk up on you two. But the thought of being caught like that only turns him on more. 

He loves when you touch him in public, barely concealed, under the table in cafes or on the stairwells in hotels, where others can see it. And sometimes they do see it, and he loves it too, any reaction, from horrified disgust to a shocked, confused lust, and sometimes there’s someone brave and aroused enough to join, a trembling, unsure hand on his cock, that’s even better, as he can see you grin after luring another plaything with his body. Archons, the things they’re ready to do to fuck him, and you share a smirk with him the whole time.        

He doesn’t care about the others as long as you allow them to use him, they matter even less than all the countless bodies he leaves behind on the battlefield. Just the means to satisfy his lust, for blood or flesh, it doesn’t matter. The abyss gnaws at the inside of his ribs, black and purple like a fresh deep bruise, and makes him crave for the intensity, love without violence doesn’t feel true to him anymore. But his desire felt hollow and meaningless until it was dedicated to you, just as his bloodlust only feels fulfilled dedicated to the service of the Tsaritsa. Even the most sinful, depraved deeds can be sacred when done in the name of love.

You whip his back as his mouth is getting fucked through the glory hole. He’s too far gone, can’t tell the count of how many cocks he sucked, just moans around the cock buried deep in his throat while you fuck his ass, drool and cum from the previous dicks leaking out of his mouth.   

When you’re two alone after that, he curls around you sweetly, and you stroke the soft ginger waves of his hair. Later, sometimes after the most brutal missions, he crawls into your bed and curls around you, naked, fresh scars still leaking blood when he stirs as you caress him.

You bring him to the places where he’s brought helplessly into everyone’s disposal, hungry lips and hands roaming over his tied body, someone’s lips are on his nipples and cock, he feels like he’s about to fall apart if not for how intensely you watch him. Three different fingers are in his hole, fucking into him, desperate to have a piece of him. 

You stroke his cheek as he whines, tears welling up in his eyes.

“Please, I can’t take it anymore…”

That’s a lie. He can take it, he can cum again and again, until his voice is broken from screaming, his stomach is covered in his own cum and his hole is leaking the seed of all who used him. But even when tied and spread open, even with blindfold and many people touching him at once, he can always tell when it's you fucking him. He screams your name, his hips bucking against yours desperately as he begs you to fuck him. He's yours, the worse he's used at your command, the deeper your bond with him is, and it doesn't matter who fucks his mouth or ass, or both, as long you permit it. (if you didn't, he'd tear them all to shreds. There's nothing but your will that's keeps him on the leash.)

In the morning, he loves cooking you breakfast, naked under the apron, a sunlit smile on his bruised lips. You kiss him after you take a bite and quietly say "That's delicious, baby."

[empyrangel]

I just finished Nahida’s quest and while I’m fuming that the radish got a second story quest before Venti, that doesn’t mean I can’t make part of her quest about him. In all seriousness though, I think this one specific bit was about him. In the part where we have to heal the second elemental being disguised as a fungus but they’re surrounded by real fungi and we can’t startle them, Nahida turns herself into a fungus and she and the first elemental being have a conversation about transformation.

Nahida thinks that shapeshifting should be easy since she’s a god, but the being tells her that it takes time like evolution and even gods can’t bend the rules of time, so the transformation won’t work well. Nahida is able to transform immediately only because of the beings help and experience, and we see these warnings to be true when Nahida is only able to hold her transformation for like 2 minutes before it wears her out and she turns back.

So how does Venti fit into this? Venti took his friend’s form immediately at will, which the being established is impossible for a god or any other being to do. He then proceeded to hold that form for 2600 years. That’s insane compared to Nahida even when she had help.

Which leads me to theory time! The being said that transformation takes time and even gods can’t bend time, but what if you had help from time herself? What if Istaroth took pity on her child for losing his friend and decided to aid his transformation and allow him to hold it? (Let me have my Venti Istaroth crumbs okay?)

Still, even with Istaroth’s help- weakest archon my ass! Venti you are hiding something big time and I want in on it.

[kaeyas-beloved]

Random Genshin HCs, most of which I probably thought of on a whim but think it’s a nice thought (Part 1????)

Elemental Sight is something the people of Teyvat both learn and gain. Children (Klee for example) can’t see elemental traces while teens (like Barbara) will begin to see small wisps of it. If they chose to train themselves so they can see it more strongly then the skill becomes as easy as fighting. If not E.S in adults will still grow just a little stronger but not as much compared to those who honed it.

From strongest to weakest, these are how the Archons rank in power: Zhongli, the Tsaritsa, Natlan’s god, Ei, Fontaine’s God, Sumeru’s god, Venti. Idk it just kinda feels right and I could go into my reasoning but I feel like that deserves a whole post for itself (lmk if anyone wants that!)

This one has no ground but I thought it was cute at the time; Kaeya, when he was younger at least, liked apple juice. There’s a cart at Dawn Winery that has apples in it (there actually is, that’s how I thought of this) that are always fresh. They used to be used to make said juice but now that Kaeya’s gone they just sit there to be used for something else.

Diluc can hate Kaeya all he wants but there is definitely a family portrait of those two + Crepus somewhere in that big ass mansion. It's either hanging in the halls somewhere or it's right on the redhead's desk

Kaeya likes to read. No I will not elaborate because I can't.

Tag list: @spoopy-fish-writes // @that-enby-alien

[kaeyazuha]

"Nahida solos doctored anyway anytime" is my new favorite thing bc its probably true. It's probably why the fucker left (per the 3.2 trailer), he was scared the entire fatui was gonna lose their credibility bc he got bodied by a teeny tiny archon

LMAO YES She was able to break mind control within seconds, just imagine what else she can do! And I'm pretty sure Venti is canonically the weakest archon rn, so she could solo freakttore's ass anyday.

[blueskyheadleft010]

I finished the New War questline

Now onto the next one :D

[Spoilers below]

Ok, so I picked the questline back up today and completed it.

I have to say the non-Drifter segments are considerably easier to play, especially when you have your warframe back.

Some funny things happened though:

My Drifter shrank in the wash after the scene where I picked the Drifter over the Operator to continue the quest.

Heheh, they look so angry.

This only lasted like this until I started the next segment.

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Since Wisp is my main, I naturally picked her to finish the questline, and seriously... Wisp is still OP. 

Still breaking the game/making life easier since 2019.

[Health pool regen, speed boost, and elemental damage. Plus passive ability turns them invisible which still works on all enemies in the game so far. (Even the Archons.) I literally spammed 3 on the last Archon and killed him so quickly.]

Loadout consisted of a Cedo, a kitgun (which I didn’t use, but has an op blast range), and the Sentient sword required for the mission. Didn’t even bother trying to use the sword, Cedo is OP as fuck and dealt so much elemental damage that it just mowed them all down. This weapon will save your gameplay, I highly recommend taking it with you.

-------------------

I kinda cheated on the gameplay and during my downtime at work, watched a few playthroughs to make sure I wasn’t royally screwing anything up. Very grateful I did, because it helped me decide the order I needed to kill the Archons in so I didn’t struggle so much on the last map.

[Nira was first. I figured out you can just hide behind the pillars and take potshots at her. The fight went by quicker after that. Also, I got 1 free revive from Shadow Stalker when I died, so that was really nice.]

[I picked Boreal next, and they were a royal pain in the ass to kill, as their electricity and speed tried to overload my graphics card + took major chunks out of my health bar. His large health bar was what made him take longer to kill. He’s also the ugliest looking Archon in my opinion.]

[Amar’s fight played out how I thought it would. He was really weak, and without the maneuverability the others have, he had a hard time moving on the last map. It didn’t really matter if I got hit by him (since I used Wisp’s 1 ability to heal myself from the miniscule damage he did anyways), and he was down the fastest of the 3. It’s a shame cuz he seemed like his power was the weakest of the 3, but he’s also got the cool wolf aesthetic going on :)]

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The necramech segment was short and lame. Erra is a weak weakling crybaby who goes down with one swing from an alien baseball bat. Literally was rolling my eyes at him. Erra is like a young rebellious teen who found out he was in way too deep way too late. Kinda pity him, but only because he was incredibly gullible.

Anyways, I don’t think DE realized that the easiest way to defeat someone who is trying to eat the sun, is to destroy them with the sun itself.

You fools have no idea what power you’ve unleashed.

Jk, it was a scripted fight after all, but Wisp’s 1 ability stayed on the last map despite the cutscenes and gameplay style changes. Like, holy shit there was no possible way I could die in that scene. I had 3 health reservoirs placed down on the map, and I just kept walking over them either as my warframe or the Drifter/Operator and it just kept healing me. Talk about a major win-win. ;)

ALSO THE WISP RESERVIORS HOVERED OVER ME AND THE LOTUS THROUGH ALL THE CUTSCENES LMAO.

I guess that’s why Ballas couldn’t kill the Lotus in the end. Wisp saved her from the power of the sun! Haha!!

[bloodied-teardrops]

ok i still have more ideas with our player

i prefer anemo!traveler bc no offense to zhongli here but geo is currently garbage

and i wonder how a self aware venti and zhongli would react to this

i feel like venti would have this childish pride over it since according to his dear player, he is the better element, while zhongli would stew quietly in anger and shame because he couldn't please you with his own element

also i would like to talk about the wish mechanics

i have a feeling that various playable characters, whether you rolled them or not, are aware of the wish mechanic and are flattered when you try to get them. i feel like they would maybe tip the scales a little, make it easier to get them in particular while reducing the percentages of other characters. and if they're all in? then the percentages are jumping all over the place, and every day their anxiety over the game finding out grows steadily. they smile when you get them.

and if you're unable to get them, say they're a promotional character and you've missed their banner, i imagine they'd be pretty bummed about it. im particularly imagining venti here since the wind goblin didnt come home for me

I vaguely understand how to use Geo!Traveler but for the longest time, Anemo!Traveler was my only Anemo character so I just kept Lumine as Anemo and used Noelle for Geo things except when I needed the construct. Then Zhongli came home and I never needed Geo!Traveler again lol

Venti is so smug about it. Sure, he may be the weakest Archon, but clearly he provides the better element with you preferring his element. Opening snickering at Zhongli’s almost unnoticeable sulking.

It’s such a shame the game mechanics won’t let Zhongli show you the true potential for the Geo element. If only he could show you in person.

THE FUCKING ASS DILUC CONTINUES TO REFUSE TO COME HOME I WANT HIS DAMAGE DAMN IT

Venti is praying for another chance to be available if that’s the case lol

The ones who are constant are very happy to hold the fact that they have a better chance than the ones in the promos. And even if you did manage to roll them, you’re unlikely to invest fully if a lot of their abilities are locked in their constellations (coughzhonglicough)

[kinetic-elaboration]

February 3: 2x05 The Apple

Today’s ep: The Apple!

I feel like people who enjoy hating on TOS probably especially hate The Apple but I like it and will defend it so--haters be gone.

I do think it’s an uncomfortable episode and asks questions with no good answers, but that’s a plus, not a minus, for it.

I love this red sky. It’s very alien.

Okay so Starfleet wants the planet explored and “the inhabitants contacted.”

I can’t believe Spock, who must know that Kirk has unrealistic fantasies of a simple, romantic life outside of the demands of Starfleet, just happens to mention that the soil is “good for husbandry.” Like “This would be a great place to settle down and farm, Captain. no reason for saying so. Just thought you should know." And Kirk tries to capitalize on this flirting and Spock doesn’t get it.

Bones is so personally affronted that Chekov thinks of Russia, not Eden.

This Yeoman is all up on Chekov.

Scotty angling for an invite to the surface.

Kirk picking flowers! Smelling the flowers! He is soft and likes plants.

“This isn’t a field experiment in human biology.” First lol. Second... isn’t it a little though?

“I know you find each other fascinating.” Interesting word choice there.

Sorry yet a third bullet point on Daddy Kirk telling the young people to calm themselves down it’s hilaaaaarious.

I love Spock in this episode. He’s always at his best when he gets to turn his scientific curiosity to stuff. Because like he loves new, weird stuff but he’s also very funny about it. “An analysis of this rock should prove interesting.” Then he just throws the other half away! And it explodes! And he’s not even embarrassed, he just thinks the explosion is cool.

Ugh this is one of my favorite underrated K/S moments: the “Jim!” the “Spock!” Spock putting himself in danger for Kirk. Kirk being grumbly about Spock being hurt. Concerned space husbands.

“Spock has been injured...this is a nightmare.”

Honestly, I love everything about this triumvirate scene too. “Dr. McCoy’s potions turn my stomach.” Spock’s clumsiness (he really isn’t graceful lol... I sometimes think people want to imagine he is, but he is NOT). “Do you know how much Starfleet has invested in you?”

I legit jumped at the explosion.

“His father helped me get into the Academy.” Interesting. How? What help did he need?

“I could have prevented all of this.” / “I don’t see how.” Spock is so....he’s so emotional about defending Kirk’s decisions and making Kirk feel better.

“As my father told me, Starfleet is dangerous.”

...I’m sorry I’m getting so many Spock and Kirk and K/S feelings right now.

This Spock and Chekov distraction conversation is hilarious. “Uh--you’re dumb!”

That’s not very nice, Kirk, just punching the confused humanoid.

“Vaal is Vaal” reminds me of that Daria episode with “Val.” “I’m Val, as in, VAL!”

“We come in peace,” says the man who just punched him.

Antennae! Spock wants to touch the interesting alien.

Scotty knows more about the Enterprise than the people who designed her.

Fire AND burned up in flames? Not a good day for Scotty.

Great Vaal design. This is not an ironic comment.

Not a good day for Spock either. That’s injury... 2?? Force field that knocks him on his ass.

“We have been introduced to Vaal.”

Don’t tell Sybok you met god.

“Vaal sleeps now.” Poor sleepy Vaal.

“Replacement” is a better word than children tbh.

“What is love?” Chekov just slides on in like HINT HINT.

McCoy lol. “No sex?? That’s not paradise to me!”

“It really does something for you.” / “Indeed it does. It makes me uncomfortable.”

Now everyone is laughing at him! A super bad day for Spock all around.

I do think he likes the decorations in the hut though.

McCoy is still wearing the flower decorations <3

The feeding of Vaal is so creepy. The machine needs to eat! At first I didn’t really get what they were feeding him, but my mom suggested it was the explosive rocks and I think that makes sense.

“Humans are only a tiny minority in the galaxy.”

The last time they thought they’d found aliens who were making no progress they’d actually found the Organians, who were BEYOND progress, so perhaps they should have learned by now not to be so hubristic in their judgements.

I like the philosophical argument and I like that they had it on prime time network tv.

I also think it’s interesting that Spock likes this kind of way.

Honestly, can you even imagine being a young Starfleet officer and you’re assigned to the Enterprise and KIRK is your Captain? And you end up on an away mission with him and he asks your opinion about the aliens? I think I’d find him intimidatingly cool. I’d probably have a big Captain Crush on him.

Kirk really walked his way into this awkward sex conversation though.

Hilarious how he asks Spock to explain sex lol--when he knows what sex convos with Spock are like. I mean that’s probably why he did it but still.

Spock probably WISHES he’d learned about sex from a machine. Rather than Sarek. Or Amanda.

His eyeshadow is a lot more subtle this season. (I know this is just the makeup team learning how to do makeup for tv but I’m going to assume it’s a choice.)

Chekov is so smooth lol.

PAV.

Can’t believe Chekov literally taught the aliens sex.

“Killing is a thing to do.” Well I mean... you’re not WRONG.

I think McCoy has a point that it is creepy and weird for a machine to control an apparently intelligent race so utterly that it can teach them how to kill without also teaching them what killing means, essentially turning them into mindless killing machines.

Like, Spock is up on his high horse about them becoming more human by learning how to kill and I guess technically that’s something they wouldn’t have learned but for the Enterprise interference but... it doesn’t come from them pulling away from the machine. It’s not that the machine spell is broken and the first thing they learn to do is kill. The machine taught them that FOR ITS OWN PURPOSES. Not even the murder is a choice.

“They exist to serve a machine.”

“They should have the opportunity of choice.”

I can’t believe Kirk can outright carry Spock. He’s gotta be heavy. (Also...injury 3?)

“Put them in the hut. They’re in time out.”

Poor Jim... feeling guilty again. "I had to follow orders...always orders." But he's a rebellious person who doesn't care about rules right???

Oh no, the aliens are escaping! “Get back in there. No. Back in there.” (That’s actual dialogue btw.)

I find it weird that they still have phaser power. Weren’t they diverting everything but life support?

Poor hungry Vaal.

Honestly, I do feel bad for them. This is a really sad situation in a lot of ways. Also, awkward. Like...not even going to explain kids to them? Just let them figure it out? That’s actually nighmarish in my opinion.

The ending is really awkward imo because the last bits of triumvirate dialogue usually do simplify the week’s adventure, which I get, but this one defies simplification, and so literally painting Spock as the villain for holding the opinion that didn’t win the day--especially when his metaphor is apt and Kirk IS the devil in it--seems very mean, not within the realm of casual friendly joking that they usually do.

Apparently Den of Geek compared this ep unfavorably to Return of the Archons, which I actually think is one of the weakest eps of S1 and not as good as The Apple. I think part of it is that the dialogue and adventure of The Apple is preferable to me, though I guess one could argue that Archons had a more evolved and interesting alien society, who were in a position to have opinions about their computer overlord. But it also had weird unexplained stuff like the purge or what-have-you, and my overall memory of the ep is that it didn’t really come together. One could argue The Apple doesn’t either, but in my opinion what it leaves open are more questions of world building than basic facts. Perhaps a splitting of hairs. Because the aliens in The Apple don’t (can’t) have opinions, I think the moral question is more complicated and defies a good solution.

Whether or not the Enterprise should have interfered with the Feeders of Vaal is a complicated question I think.

First of all, as it actually worked out, they had to in order to free themselves. But that makes me wonder...why were they there? Kirk is upset with himself in this ep for losing 3 officers and putting his ship in danger, more than interfering with the culture, but he IS upset with himself and I think it’s because his instincts were right, and he didn’t listen to them. The mission isn’t important. It isn’t worth everything that happened, to be honest.

So I’m uncertain about why Starfleet sent them on it. They’re not just there to look around an uninhabited planet or the uninhabited parts. They’re there to make contact with the people--which means they know there are people there! And like in one sense this isn’t weird, right, because the Enterprise’s mission is one of exploration--to make new friends for the Federation. But I feel like they should really only be seeking out relationships with aliens who are ready for them. You can’t beam down onto a planet of people who haven’t heard of space travel and NOT interfere with them. That’s interference! So you’d have to do some surveillance first. So either the Enterprise/Federation didn’t do that surveillance or they misjudged what they were seeing. 

Of course, a society can not itself have space travel and still be open to alien visitors (like the Organians). So maybe they determined the Feeders of Vaal were in this category. And then I would think the role of the Federation vessel would be to determine if their society is the kind that the Federation could establish some kind of diplomatic relationship with. In my opinion, if it hadn’t been for the danger to the Enterprise, the correct thing for the Enterprise to do would be to leave the Feeders of Vaal and report back that they aren’t a suitable race for the Federation to ally with in any way, because their values aren’t the Federation’s values: they don’t think independently. I don’t think it’s the place of the Federation to MAKE their values match but I do think it’s fair to judge others by your core values, because they’re CORE values for a reason.

In other words, I do think it’s fair for McCoy to judge the Feeders of Vaal harshly and to think it’s wrong in some objective sense for intelligent humanoids to live with no history, no love, no families, no purpose, no creativity, no innovation, and no independent thoughts. I mean that’s pretty awful in a lot of ways!! Again, I think the ease with which Vaal turns them into weapons is very chilling. Because they lack so many basic concepts, they’re extremely malleable. That’s gross.

But Spock is right too... They do have a society that works. Their planet is beautiful, they have enough to eat and drink, they’re peaceful, and they seem happy, to the extent that they can be happy. They can’t die, they’re in good health, and they’re protected from all natural dangers.

Also, the Enterprise really doesn’t know what their society used to be or how they ended up with this version of a society. So when they kill Vaal and undo all of that, they don’t really know what they’re returning the people too. I think it’s irresponsible to just say ‘you’ll figure it out.’ And it is arrogant, to assume it just will work out, and what they’ll build now will be better than what they had with Vaal. The culture has been pretty clearly decimated by Vaal and so perhaps none of them can even recall what it used to be like. (I think this is an open question.. they don’t know “kill” or “sex” or “love” or “children” but they can refer to a “dark time” so....do they remember the details of the dark time??) But generally speaking, people tend to be experts in themselves. And so perhaps no one is an expert because the information is just lost, but certainly in no case are Kirk and McCoy experts.

In other words, someone built Vaal for a reason. He’s a machine so he didn’t just come to be. So the question is who built him and why? It’s possible that it wasn’t this society at all. I mean, there could have been another society who built Vaal and then died, and then these people took over. But I think the more likely explanation is that they built Vaal themselves, or, possibly, their parents built Vaal for them as children. Given that Vaal seems to have a lot of power over the physical planet--the killer plants, the lightning from the sky--that McCoy mentions that the computer protects them from the harmful rays of the sun, and that the people specifically praise Vaal as being the one who gives them food and “provides” for them, I think their paradise of a planet, without the computer, was probably very harsh. Kirk says it’s not so hard to gather fruit and Spock points out the good qualities of the soil but what if these things really do COME FROM Vaal and now, without the computer, they go away?

I’m not sure how the people came to be so dependent on Vaal or to have lost so much of whatever advanced culture they must have once had to create a computer like this (again, assuming it was them...). Maybe they had to spend so much time “feeding” Vaal that they forgot everything else. Maybe Vaal realized on its own that it couldn’t support a population any bigger than this and so forbid sex and reproduction. Maybe the turning point was in the attachment of the antennae, when the computer ceased to serve the people but to be served by them. But my point is that I think the computer was not created to for the purpose of people serving it, so much as it was created for some other unknown purpose and the society the Enterprise encountered was an accidental unintended long-term consequence of its actual purpose. And I don’t find this hard to believe, given both the sketchiness of AI (it does not think like humans!!!!!! very scary!) and the general inevitability of unintended consequences.

I think this ep is pretty relevant to today specifically because its unanswerable core question--how does a freedom-loving society react to a society that choose not to be free? can it respect another’s choice not to have choices anymore?--is similar to a common question floating about now: can a tolerant society tolerate intolerance itself? (The answer to that is no, and I feel like it might be no to the first question too, when phrased that way...and yet the interventionist attitude of the Enterprise makes a lot of people, including me, uncomfortable!!)

Not having context for why the society chose this or became this way really makes it much harder to judge Kirk’s actions imo. Like I was thinking about how powerful our machines are now. What if we somehow evolved to mindlessly serve them, and then thousands of years on, aliens came in a space ship and freed us? Would that be morally wrong of the aliens? I don't think so. I wouldn't want that for my future self. But from the aliens' perspective, we chose that life and so maybe it's wrong to free us. Like I think Spock's pov is basically dependent on this being chosen BY them. But eve if it was...how long ago was it chosen? If they themselves can no longer remember or in any way identify with or even explain the original choice, does it still hold?

I think there are some indicators that this society isn’t satisfied being the Feeders of Vaal. Vaal tries very hard to keep outsiders out (the flowers, the lightning, etc.). But the people are curious. They follow the newcomers and spy on them. They’re friendly and welcoming. They see Chekov make out with his girlfriend for about 10 seconds before they start wanting to do it, too. They seem to do literally nothing but feed Vaal and occasionally dance (?). But they were once smart enough to build this whole machine (I assume). Maybe they ARE bored in stagnation.

I wonder if Spock’s defensiveness of this society comes in part from being a Vulcan serving with humans. McCoy thinks it’s just inherently wrong for humans to give up their autonomy in service to a machine, and he doesn’t ever think about why they might have done that. But he ALSO thinks it’s wrong or at least weird for Spock to live his life ruled by logic rather than emotion, and he rarely thinks about WHY Vulcans do that: because without logic, they’d be so violent they’d risk destroying themselves. Maybe that puts Spock in a better position to think about their REASONS for Vaal: because they value peace and prosperity and health more than autonomy and creativity and innovation, perhaps, or because without Vaal they would not be able to survive any more than he believes Vulcan could have survived without the Reformation.

Anyway that’s a lot of thoughts! I think I got everything. I’m very tired now and must rest. I’m in service to my own Vaal tomorrow.

Next up is The Doomsday Machine, which I have seen, but don’t remember at all.

[thesongoftheirlove]

‘Weakest archon’ my ass

yea like. bruh- an

[cashewally-sarcastic]

Mondstadt somehow doesn’t have any dead god residue, is relatively clean for the most part, connection with the god of time, a theme within the characters of finding and losing family, has an “absent archon”, spiral abyss entrance, most khenriah characters, also where Alice left Klee, and-

Venti is so kickable. I want to punt this little man. Why do you know every song, past present and future? If that is really the case, is this why you want to make songs about everything and everyone? To remember the past and to hear the future