#But I just didn't have it in me to write the transcript

[inchidentally]

had to take a break, make a supercut and write out a whole Thing with gifs bc be who you aaaaaaare for your priiiide Barcelona press conference

kicking off strong with Lando's kitten smile at hearing "our winner Oscar Piastri"

DEODORANT GATE

also I need it be known that the official F1TV transcript having to include this is a win for homosexuals

Oscar's soft bedroom voice "no, I use my own" while they smile at each other like that jESUSSS

the way Oscar lowers his voice and pulls away from the mic bc it's THEIR little weird convo

and the switching back and forth between his voice for Lando and his voice for the press

Lando's possessive arm around Oscar's seat bc Charles is there looking pretty and needy and omegas in heat are so possessive damnnnn

Lando writhing around and jamming his hand between his legs after Oscar offers for him to get a better sniff oh it's BAD for him

no fr I cannot quite believe we got Lando at his most wriggly and saucy this race culminating in him noticing a change in Oscar's scent, saying that Oscar smelled like HIM, that Lando's scent is naturally feminine, and Oscar replying that it's chocolate FLAVORED and then they both get gaspy and giggly and poor Charles wishes he could be in the stewards office than have to witness Lando telling Oscar he's ovulating

Lando not knowing if they were three abreast at one point and needs Oscar to help! bc of course Oscar remembers, Oscar has That Kind of Brain <3

oh no, mic was turned too loud and icked Lando -__-

OSCAR didn't give him a slip stream !! naughty Oscar !! "I did in the second half" no !! bit late by then !!

Lando will say he didn't lose the race! Oscar drove so well both days! stop trying to make them fight when they're scenting each other!

both of them being cheeky with Charles over going to the stewards man with world's deepest voice didn't get the memo and Lando kitten giggles with Charles

(making this edit cracked me up here bc Charles just POOF disappears)

them bandying the Max question back and forth like a ball of yarn or kicker toy

g o d do you ever just realize you can set rpf entirely aside and the reality remains that Lando makes a cutie pie little face when he's being naughty precisely bc he knows Oscar finds him adorable and loves when he's naughty - like he watches Lando's face knowing what's coming and Lando's face goes :3 and it makes them both SO happy like what the fuck is that about

THAT SOFT LITTLE VOICE FOR LANDO AGAIN "teammates with you is so fun!"

Oscar's face going through EVery permutation of expression trying to get this out

Lando still trying to pin it on Lando and Oscar's joyous giggle over it

Lando making Oscar budge up so they can sit more centralized for the cameras asfkgasjlfg "move over a little bit" and Oscar obeys immediately

Lando overjoyed that Oscar gets the most vague question to answer like oh thank god

while I appreciated the mental health question I think there was a tiny bit of it coming out of left field for a post race press conference rather than a media day question and they both smile a little bc it's a BIG question for little Lando

but thankfully he has the prettiest thinking face ever <3

HAPPY PRIDE FROM THE RACE WHERE LANDOSCAR WERE SUPPOSED TO CRASH OUT IN EVERY SENSE BUT INSTEAD FLEW TO AND FROM BARCELONA TOGETHER AND SPENT THE WHOLE WEEKEND DOING WHATEVER THIS WAS

[royalarchivist]

Phil: I still stand by, if I get a snail, I'm gonna fail RP and log out.

Sneeg: I don't think they're gonna give you one just like, unsolicited. Especially 'cuz you've threatened to not play? 🙄

Phil: [Cracks up] I've played these games before! I've done it before, man! I genuinely probably need therapy, but I'm just putting it off! [Laughs]

Sneeg: How do you explain to a therapist that you're attached to an Egg from Minecraft though? 🤨

Phil: Ok, so there's this server, right? And it's ran by my friend, and– It's– brings in people from various different cultures and languages, and then– and then he decided: "Oh, you know what would be really cool to keep people playing? And invested? What if we give them a fcking EGG?"

Phil's Chayanne and Lullah emotes were made by @strawbekka.

[ Full Transcript ↓ ]

—

Phil: I still stand by, if I get a snail, I'm gonna fail RP and log out.

Sneeg: I don't think they're gonna give you one–

Phil: Good

Sneeg: –just like, unsolicited. Especially 'cuz you've threatened to not play? 🙄 Um...

Phil: [Cracks up]

Sneeg: I don't think they're... I don't think they're gonna gamble on that.

Phil: I'm not doin' this NPC, like– actor– like, thing on server again! I've played these games before!

Sneeg: [Laughs]

Phil: I've played these g– I've done it before, man! I genuinely probably need therapy, but I'm just putting it off! [Laughs] For- for fckin'–

Sneeg: How do you explain to a therapist that you're attached to an Egg from Minecraft though?

Phil: Ok, so there's this server, right? And it's ran by my friend, and– it's–

Sneeg: [Overlapping with Phil] There's this server– and then there was an Egg, with a glock. [Laughs]

Phil: –Brings in people from various different cultures and languages, and then– and then he decided: "Oh, you know what would be really cool to keep people playing? And invested? What if we give them a fcking EGG?"

Sneeg: Attachment. [Laughs] Attachment to something!

Phil: "What if we give them an Egg that- that has wants and needs? And you need to look after it."

Sneeg: And a personality!

Phil: Yeah, "And a personality, and- [stammers] and quirks and- and–"

Sneeg: [Overlapping with Phil] And its life's in danger, people– things were trying to kill it.

Phil: Yeah. And things keep trying to kill it, and you have to save it, you are its– you are its only s– hope.

Sneeg: If it dies, it's your fault. It's your fault! Your fault. [Laughs]

Phil: [In unison with Sneeg] Your fault! Your entire audience of thousands of people will be PISSED if you don't care! If you don't care, you are a MONSTER!

Sneeg: [Overlapping with Phil] And they're so valid, they're so valid 'cuz it's true.

Phil: [Laugh] Imagine joining my stream, and I'm just like reading a bedtime story to a little Egg.

Sneeg: [Cracks up]

Phil: Like– [Laughs] Like, what a CRAZY way to come back!

Sneeg: "Oh, my favorite vanilla Minecraft streamer Philza Minecraft's on– playing Minecraft today, let's see what he's doing!" [Voice cracks as he tries not to laugh]

Phil: Yeah, "What's- what's Kusump?" [QSMP]

Sneeg: –and you're like: [Leaning into his mic] "Humpty Dumpty." [Laughs]

Phil: "What's Kusump? What's this? Why's he got an Egg, and why is it just holding up a sign that just says 'Food'?"

[fromtheseventhhell]

what do you think about the affc 2003 old script release? sansa fans are claiming because it says “take north” it means actually retake the north instead of heading north

It's interesting to look at George's notes and try to line them up with the plotlines we already have, but it's hard to make predictions on future ones because of how fragmented they are. The only reason it's being used as proof is because Stansas have already decided that's how her story will play out; It's just confirmation bias.

Regarding Sansa's portion, I think it lines up with what we've already gotten from her AFFC + TWOW chapters. Her final AFFC chapter includes LF outlining his "plan", which is supposed to culminate in her revealing her identity, gaining the support of the Vale, and retaking the North...hence the "take the north" in the outline. The fact that it predates the Tourney on the list, introduced afterward in her TWOW sample, seems to line up. LF's "prizes" of returning her identity and Winterfell give us her motivations + reasoning for why she is, for now, willing to follow his plan. The only actual new point seems to be "Kill the Mouse".

It's hard to theorize on any of these because they could all be subject to change/revision but to me, this outline shows that George has an entire arc in the Vale planned out of her. The Tourney hasn't even begun yet, we have Myranda potentially realizing Sansa's identity, Sansa hasn't even begun allying with the knights of the Vale, an engagement to Harry hasn't been secured, SW's health is up in the air, I doubt that the Mad Mouse will be killed off anytime soon, etc. She has a lot of story left to play out where she is and nothing actually indicates that she will be physically heading North anytime soon. The issue is that people keep trying to align her book arc with the show. Ultimately we won't ever really know until George releases TWOW, but it is funny to me that this is taken as ultimate proof when there's so much from George that they ignore. They'll rally around a few fragmented thoughts from 10 years ago, but then they ignore it when he outright says he has no idea what D&D are doing with Sansa and that things will be very different in the books 🤷🏾‍♀️

[bending-sickle]

day two of writing (woohoo) and just over 1300 words. progress is technically zero because i just worked on adding description to what i'd already written, so the story itself hasn't advanced any. but. hey. words \o/

[the-jackalope-coffee-co]

my internship is gonna make my hair fall out from stress, I just know it

[mollyrealized]

How Michael Met Neil

original direct link [MP3]

(Neil, if you see this, please feel free to grab the transcript and store on your site; I had no easy way of contacting you.)

DAVID TENNANT: Tell me about @neil-gaiman then, because he's in that category [previously: “such a profound effect on my life”] as well.

MICHAEL SHEEN: So this is what has brought us together.

DAVID: Yes.

MICHAEL: To the new love story for the 21st century.

DAVID: Exactly.

MICHAEL: So when I went to drama school, there was a guy called Gary Turner in my year. And within the first few weeks, we were doing something, having a drink or whatever. And he said to me, “Do you read comic books?”

And I said, “No.”  I mean, this is … what … '88?  '88, '89.  So it was … now I know that it was a period of time that was a big change, transformation going through comic books.  Rather than it being thought of as just superheroes and Batman and Superman, there was this whole new era of a generation of writers like Grant Morrison.

DAVID: The kids who'd grown up reading comic books were now making comic books

MICHAEL: Yeah, yeah, and starting to address different kinds of subjects through the comic book medium. So it wasn't about just superheroes, it was all kinds of stuff going on – really fascinating stuff. And I was totally unaware of this.

And so this guy Gary said to me, "Do you read them?" And I said, "No."  And he went, "Right, okay, here's The Watchman [sic] by Alan Moore. Here's Swamp Thing. Here's Hellblazer. And here's Sandman.”

And Sandman was Neil Gaiman's big series that put his name on the map. And I read all those, and, just – I was blown away by all of them, but particularly the Sandman stories, because he was drawing on mythology, which was something I was really interested in, and fairy tales, folklore, and philosophy, and Shakespeare, and all kinds of stuff were being mixed up in this story.  And I absolutely loved it.

So I became a big fan of Neil's, and started reading everything by him. And then fairly shortly after that, within six months to a year, Good Omens the book came out, which Neil wrote with Terry Pratchett. And so I got the book – because I was obviously a big fan of Neil's by this point – read it, loved it, then started reading Terry Pratchett’s stuff as well, because I didn't know his stuff before then – and then spent years and years and years just being a huge fan of both of them.

And then eventually when – I'd done films like the Underworld films and doing Twilight films. And I think it was one of the Twilight films, there was a lot of very snooty interviews that happened where people who considered themselves well above talking about things like Twilight were having to interview me … and, weirdly, coming at it from the attitude of 'clearly this is below you as well' … weirdly thinking I'm gonna go, 'Yeah, fucking Twilight.”

And I just used to go, "You know what? Some of the greatest writing of the last 50-100 years has happened in science fiction or fantasy."  Philip K Dick is one of my favorite writers of all time. In fact, the production of Hamlet I did was mainly influenced by Philip K Dick.  Ursula K. Le Guin and Asimov, and all these amazing people. And I talked about Neil as well. And so I went off on a bit of a rant in this interview.

Anyway, the interview came out about six months later, maybe.  Knock on the door, open the door, delivery of a big box. That’s interesting. Open the box, there's a card at the top of the box. I open the card.

It says, From one fan to another, Neil Gaiman.  And inside the box are first editions of Neil's stuff, and all kinds of interesting things by Neil. And he just sent this stuff.

DAVID: You'd never met him?

MICHAEL: Never met him. He'd read the interview, or someone had let him know about this interview where I'd sung his praises and stood up for him and the people who work within that sort of genre as being like …

And he just got in touch. We met up for the first time when he came to – I was in Los Angeles at the time, and he came to LA.  And he said, "I'll take you for a meal."

I said, “All right.”

He said, "Do you want to go somewhere posh, or somewhere interesting?”

I said, "Let's go somewhere interesting."

He said, "Right, I'm going to take you to this restaurant called The Hump." And it's at Santa Monica Airport. And it's a sushi restaurant.

I was like, “Right, okay.” So I had a Mini at the time. And we get in my Mini and we drive off to Santa Monica Airport. And this restaurant was right on the tarmac, like, you could sit in the restaurant (there's nobody else there when we got there, we got there quite early) and you're watching the planes landing on Santa Monica Airport. It's extraordinary. 

And the chef comes out and Neil says, "Just bring us whatever you want. Chef's choice."

So, I'd never really eaten sushi before. So we sit there; we had this incredible meal where they keep bringing these dishes out and they say, “This is [blah, blah, blah]. Just use a little bit of soy sauce or whatever.”  You know, “This is eel.  This is [blah].”

And then there was this one dish where they brought out and they didn't say what it was. It was like “mystery dish”, we had it ... delicious. Anyway, a few more people started coming into the restaurant as time went on.

And we're sort of getting near the end, and I said, "Neil, I can't eat anymore. I'm gonna have to stop now. This is great, but I can't eat–"

"Right, okay. We'll ask for the bill in a minute."

And then the door opens and some very official people come in. And it was the Feds. And the Feds came in, and we knew they were because they had jackets on that said they were part of the Federal Bureau of Whatever. And about six of them come in. Two of them go … one goes behind the counter, two go into the kitchen, one goes to the back. They've all got like guns on and stuff.

And me and Neil are like, "What on Earth is going on?"

And then eventually one guy goes, "Ladies and gentlemen, if you haven't ordered already, please leave. If you're still eating your meal, please finish up, pay your bill, leave."*

[* - delivered in a perfect American ‘serious law agent’ accent/impression]

And we were like, "Oh my God, are we poisoned? Is there some terrible thing that's happened?"  

We'd finished, so we pay our bill.  And then all the kitchen staff are brought out. And the head chef is there. The guy who's been bringing us this food. And he's in tears. And he says to Neil, "I'm so sorry." He apologizes to Neil.  And we leave. We have no idea what happened.

DAVID: But you're assuming it's the mystery dish.

MICHAEL: Well, we're assuming that we can't be going to – we can't be –  it can't be poisonous. You know what I mean? It can't be that there's terrible, terrible things.

So the next day was the Oscars, which is why Neil was in town. Because Coraline had been nominated for an Oscar. Best documentary that year was won by The Cove, which was by a team of people who had come across dolphins being killed, I think.

Turns out, what was happening at this restaurant was that they were having illegal endangered species flown in to the airport, and then being brought around the back of the restaurant into the kitchen.

We had eaten whale – endangered species whale. That was the mystery dish that they didn't say what it was.

And the team behind The Cove were behind this sting, and they took them down that night whilst we were there.

DAVID: That’s extraordinary.

MICHAEL: And we didn't find this out for months.  So for months, me and Neil were like, "Have you worked anything out yet? Have you heard anything?"

"No, I haven't heard anything."

And then we heard that it was something to do with The Cove, and then we eventually found out that that restaurant, they were all arrested. The restaurant was shut down. And it was because of that. And we'd eaten whale that night.

DAVID: And that was your first meeting with Neil Gaiman.

MICHAEL: That was my first meeting. And also in the drive home that night from that restaurant, he said, and we were in my Mini, he said, "Have you found the secret compartment?"

I said, "What are you talking about?" It's such a Neil Gaiman thing to say.

DAVID: Isn't it?

MICHAEL: The secret compartment? Yeah. Each Mini has got a secret compartment. I said, "I had no idea." It's secret. And he pressed a little button and a thing opened up. And it was a secret compartment in my own car that Neil Gaiman showed me.

DAVID: Was there anything inside it?

MICHAEL: Yeah, there was a little man. And he jumped out and went, "Hello!" No, there was nothing in there. There was afterwards because I started putting...

DAVID: Sure. That's a very Neil Gaiman story. All of that is such a Neil Gaiman story.

MICHAEL: That's how it began. Yeah.

DAVID: And then he came to offer you the part in Good Omens.

MICHAEL: Yeah. Well, we became friends and we would whenever he was in town, we would meet up and yeah, and then eventually he started, he said, "You know, I'm working on an adaptation of Good Omens." And I can remember at one point Terry Gilliam was going to maybe make a film of it. And I remember being there with Neil and Terry when they were talking about it. And...

DAVID: Were you involved at that point?

MICHAEL: No, no, I wasn't involved. I just happened to have met up with Neil that day.

DAVID: Right.

MICHAEL: And then Terry Gilliam came along and they were chatting, that was the day they were talking about that or whatever.

And then eventually he sent me one of the scripts for an early draft of like the first episode of Good Omens. And he said – and we started talking about me being involved in it, doing it – he said, “Would you be interested?” I was like, "Yeah, of course."  I went, "Oh my God." And he said, "Well, I'll send you the scripts when they come," and I would read them, and we'd talk about them a little bit. And so I was involved.

But it was always at that point with the idea, because he'd always said about playing Crowley in it. And so, as time went on, as I was reading the scripts, I was thinking, "I don't think I can play Crowley. I don't think I'm going to be able to do it." And I started to get a bit nervous because I thought, “I don't want to tell Neil that I don't think I can do this.”  But I just felt like I don't think I can play Crowley.

DAVID: Of course you can [play Crowley?].

MICHAEL: Well, I just on a sort of, on a gut level, sometimes you have it on a gut level.

DAVID: Sure, sure.

MICHAEL: I can do this.

DAVID: Yeah.

MICHAEL: Or I can't do this. And I just thought, “You know what, this is not the part for me. The other part is better for me, I think. I think I can do that, I don't think I could do that.”

But I was scared to tell Neil because I thought, "Well, he wants me to play Crowley" – and then it turned out he had been feeling the same way as well.  And he hadn't wanted to mention it to me, but he was like, "I think Michael should really play Aziraphale."

And neither of us would bring it up.  And then eventually we did. And it was one of those things where you go, "Oh, thank God you said that. I feel exactly the same way." And then I think within a fairly short space of time, he said, “I think we've got … David Tennant … for Crowley.” And we both got very excited about that.

And then all these extraordinary people started to join in. And then, and then off we went.

DAVID: That's the other thing about Neil, he collects people, doesn't he? So he'll just go, “Oh, yeah, I've phoned up Frances McDormand, she's up for it.” Yeah. You're, what?

MICHAEL: “I emailed Jon Hamm.”

DAVID: Yeah.

MICHAEL: And yeah, and you realize how beloved he is and how beloved his work is. And I think we would both recognise that Good Omens is one of the most beloved of all of Neil's stuff.

DAVID: Yes.

MICHAEL: And had never been turned into anything.

DAVID: Yeah.

MICHAEL: And so the kind of responsibility of that, I mean, for me, for someone who has been a fan of him and a fan of the book for so long, I can empathize with all the fans out there who are like, “Oh, they better not fuck this up.”

DAVID: Yes.

MICHAEL: “And this had better be good.” And I have that part of me. But then, of course, the other part of me is like, “But I'm the one who might be fucking it up.”

DAVID: Yeah.

MICHAEL: So I feel that responsibility as well.

DAVID: But we have Neil on site.

MICHAEL: Yes. Well, Neil being the showrunner …

DAVID: Yeah. I think it takes the curse off.

MICHAEL: … I think it made a massive difference, didn't it? Yeah. You feel like you're in safe hands.

DAVID: Well, we think. Not that the world has seen it yet.

MICHAEL (grimly): No, I know.

DAVID: But it was a -- it's been a -- it's been a joy to work with you on it. I can't wait for the world to see it.

MICHAEL: Oh my God.  Oh, well, I mean, it's the only, I've done a few things where there are two people, it's a bit of a double act, like Frost-Nixon and The Queen, I suppose, in some ways. But, and I've done it, Amadeus or whatever.

This is the only thing I've done where I really don't think of it as “my character” or “my performance as that character”.  I think of it totally as us.

DAVID: Yeah.

MICHAEL: The two of us.

DAVID: Yes.

MICHAEL: Like they, what I do is defined by what you do.

DAVID: Yeah.

MICHAEL: And that was such a joy to have that experience. And it made it so much easier in a way as well, I found, because you don't feel like you're on your own in it. Like it's totally us together doing this and the two characters totally complement each other. And the experience of doing it was just a real joy.

DAVID: Yeah.  Well, I hope the world is as excited to see it as we are to talk about it, frankly.

MICHAEL: You know, there's, having talked about T.S. Eliot earlier, there's another bit from The Wasteland where there's a line which goes, These fragments I have shored against my ruin.

And this is how I think about life now. There is so much in life, no matter what your circumstances, no matter what, where you've got, what you've done, how much money you got, all that. Life's hard.  I mean, you can, it can take you down at any point.

You have to find this stuff. You have to like find things that will, these fragments that you hold to yourself, they become like a liferaft, and especially as time goes on, I think, as I've got older, I've realized it is a thin line between surviving this life and going under.

And the things that keep you afloat are these fragments, these things that are meaningful to you and what's meaningful to you will be not-meaningful to someone else, you know. But whatever it is that matters to you, it doesn't matter what it was you were into when you were a teenager, a kid, it doesn't matter what it is. Go and find them, and find some way to hold them close to you. 

Make it, go and get it. Because those are the things that keep you afloat. They really are. Like doing that with him or whatever it is, these are the fragments that have shored against my ruin. Absolutely.

DAVID: That's lovely. Michael, thank you so much.

MICHAEL: Thank you.

DAVID: For talking today and for being here.

MICHAEL: Oh, it's a pleasure. Thank you.

[yeoldenews]

Why do young kids sound so adult in old letters? Not just the ones you share, in general. It's one of the things that puzzles me about Yes Virginia, There is A Santa Claus. Were educational standards stricter? Was it actually parents writing for them?

If I had to guess, I'd say a decent part of this could be due to the fact that everyday, standard English at the time used a structure and level of formality we now associate with the elderly. It's similar to how teenagers in the past look older to us in part because we associate the styles of their hair and makeup with our parents and grandparents.

The first particular piece of syntax that popped into my head when I read this message is the placement of the word "have" in sentence structure. It used to be standard English grammar to begin questions about items or traits people possess with "have" rather than "do you have"; e.g. "Have you a pencil?" vs. "Do you have a pencil?".

If I were to hear the question "Have you any presents you'd like for Christmas?" my mind would default to imagining a formal, elderly person, as that's the only type of person I've ever personally heard use that syntax.

I think what we sometimes fail to consciously realize is that the stuffy, formal, 90 year old grandmothers we talk to didn't spontaneously start talking like that once they reached a certain age. They were taught certain grammar rules as children and continued to use them throughout their lives. We only associate that type of language with the elderly as the only people still alive to use it are now very old.

Education in the past also relied much more heavily on rote memorization and repetition, which I'd imagine caused people to more strictly adhere to the things they learned, including grammar, than we do now.

Children were taught in school how to write formal letters and those lessons were carried over even in letters to Santa.

I imagine in the future the phrase "I hope this email finds you well" is going to end up seeming (even more) oddly formal and dated, but people use it because that's what we were taught to do.

That being said, there are definitely Dear Santa letters written by parents, especially if the child is very young - but after 14 years of doing this I think I've developed a pretty good eye for spotting these. That's why I rarely post letters from children under school-age, with the exception of what I've taken to calling "toddler transcription" where the parents write down what their young child says word for word.

[rockscanfly]

Noshir Dalal's (Charles Smith's VA and the man who largely shaped Charles into the singular character that he is, found here on tumblr @noshirdalal and on Cameo [in case you have your own questions you'd like answered]) beautiful response to my cameo prompt:

Q: You’ve mentioned before that Charles likes to read. What is his favorite book? Also, you’ve talked some about cowboy poetry and how you think it’s something Charles might have connected to. Can we get a favorite poem of his in his voice?

Besides the fact that this reading of "The Men That Don't Fit In" was just plain fantastic and moving as all get out, I really admire Noshir's choice of poem.

Similar to the poem’s author and his simultaneous celebration and castigation of the prototypical outlaw, Charles always came off to me as someone who loves his fellow gang members deeply but who didn't share their illusions about themselves or how they function within the larger context of the world around them.

Charles makes several remarks throughout the game ('Unpleasant? How do you rob and kill people pleasantly?' 'All this death and for what? Just so we can have enough money to be able to run from what we've done?' 'The amount of hell we raised, we’re owed some back') that indicate a high level of self-awareness about what it is the gang ACTUALLY does and how they're perceived by the outside world. 

Arthur makes some gestures at this understanding throughout the game, but his moral musings are undercut by his inability to stand his ground against Dutch throughout the numerous acts of outright cruelty his found-father perpetuates in Chapters 4-6 (Arthur barks, but he never bites).

Arthur and John have their gripes and moans, but ultimately the two of them stick it out until the bloody end. Charles is the first person to really break free of the fate the gang is hurtling towards.

In a tragedy built on the back of it's main cast's inability to cope with a changing world, Charles is arguably the character who exerts the most agency. He makes the decision in Chapter 6--when the circumstances that once tied him to the gang have dramatically altered--to cut loose.

Because of this choice, he lives.

To me, at least, this poem--and Noshir's brilliant delivery--isn't about Charles himself. Or at least not just about himself.

Its him talking about the Van der Linde gang. Arthur and John, his second family. Wild, brilliant, bold, true, free--and gone. With nothing but graves to show for the lives they lived.

Charles isn't reciting a poem--he's reciting a eulogy.

Transcript:

Hey Rocks. Um, thank you for your patience with all of this. 

Yeah, so we know that Charles reads and I know that we’ve talked before about a scene that apparently didn’t make it into the game, where after Charles’ interaction with Micah—and you know, yeeting him across the camp—Arthur comes upon him reading a book. 

That uh, that scene affected me in a major way and I think it's probably the reason I portray Charles the way I do. 

A guy who can physically manhandle pretty much anyone at camp having the mental and emotional maturity and self-regulation—if you can’t tell I’m a new dad [laughs]—to find a way to deal with his anger that doesn’t involve acting out and breaking stuff? 

Told me a tremendous amount about Charles, especially because what I’d been introduced to was the idea that Charles was a really violent, really angry maniac. 

And I love the idea that he’s really into poetry. I like poetry a lot. Actually when I was working on that latest skin for Yone (spl?) for League of Legends, I learned from the writing team that cowboy poetry is, like, a thing. 

And so I decided to look some up. And I like to think that maybe that this is a poem that Charles would have had in that book he was reading. 

The poem is called “The Men That Don’t Fit In” by Robert W. Service. Fitting, I think, especially for Charles for a number of reasons. I hope you like it. 

[Noshir goes into Charles’ voice and recites below poem by Robert W. Service (British-born Canadian Poet, 1874-1958), published in his book Songs of the Yukon (1907)]

There’s a race of men that don’t fit in, A race that can’t stay still; So they break the hearts of kith and kin, And they roam the world at will. They range the field and they rove the flood, And they climb the mountain’s crest; Theirs is the curse of the gypsy blood, And they don’t know how to rest. If they just went straight they might go far; They are strong and brave and true; But they’re always tired of the things that are, And they want the strange and new. They say: “Could I find my proper groove, What a deep mark I would make!” So they chop and change, and each fresh move Is only a fresh mistake. And each forgets, as he strips and runs With a brilliant, fitful pace, It’s the steady, quiet, plodding ones Who win in the lifelong race. And each forgets that his youth has fled, Forgets that his prime is past, Till he stands one day, with a hope that’s dead, In the glare of the truth at last. He has failed, he has failed; he has missed his chance; He has just done things by half. Life’s been a jolly good joke on him, And now is the time to laugh. Ha, ha! He is one of the Legion Lost; He was never meant to win; He’s a rolling stone, and it’s bred in the bone; He’s a man who won’t fit in.

[starlight-bread-blog]

If Neil Gaiman and David Tennant are having Imposter Syndrome, you're good.

(Transcript Below)

Neil Gaiman: The first problem of any kind of even limited success, is the unshakable conviction that you are getting away with something, and that any moment now, they will discover you.

David Tennant: For me, that's what being an actor is about. Sort of going, this is all, it's all on one level, it's all just a bit silly. And I can't really believe I'm getting away with this. And at some point someone's gonna tap me on the sholder and go 'Come on, you've had your fun. Move on. There are some people who can actually do this. There are some proper actors in the world. Stop pretending, and move on. You're a little wee nae from Paisley. You don't really get to do this.

Neil Gaiman: In my case I was convinced there would a knock on the door, and a man with a clipboard – I don't know why he had a clipboard, but in my head he always had a clipboard – would be there and tell me it was all over, and they've caught up with me, and now I would have to go and get a real job. One that didn't consist of making things up and writing them down, and reading books I wanted to read. And then, I would go away quietly. And get the kind of job I would have to get up early in the morning, and wear a tie, and not make things up anymore.

[f1cflcfic]

Won't Say I'm In Love (SMAU ft. Lando Norris) - part ix

pairing: lando norris x tennis player!reader (fem!y/n); past carlos alcaraz x tennis player!reader (fem!y/n)

summary: As a general rule, y/n does not date athletes. You've been there, done that - would not recommend. Besides, you definitely don't do love. There's no time in the world for complicated feelings when there's a career Grand Slam to be won. But what if your heart just refuses to listen?

genre: social meda/mixed au, friends to lovers

note: this is RPF and is obviously in no way, shape, or form reflective of real persons and/or events

series: part i | part ii | part iii | part iv | part v | part vi | part vii | part viii | ...

bonus: one, two, three

May 10 - 18, 2025

[Transcript excerpt: Serena Williams & Y/N L/N's "Athletes on Athletes"]

"So, Serena. You've had an amazing career in tennis - to me, you are the Greatest of All Time. But what would you say is the one sacrifice that people might not expect you've had to make?"

"I think a lot of people immediately think of family, and having Olympia and Adira. It wasn't easy, and I did have to think at one point - do I want to really win another championship, or do I want to raise my family and be present. But there's also a lot of other sacrifices you make along the way. I've had times where family members were sick and I couldn't visit them, because I was playing a tournament. I think about the friendships I lost, because I didn't have time to invest in them. And there are a lot of the things I couldn't experience with my peers. Of course, I also gained a lot of things by not doing others. It's more so a choice perhaps, a trade-off, than a sacrifice."

"Yeah, I resonate with that a lot. I'm feeling that now with my niece having been born. And I'm so lucky that my sister is willing to plan her wedding around my schedule, which is insane of her but I love it, too. I think having a family isn't really on my mind at the moment - but I would love to be in love. I just think that it's really difficult for anyone to measure up against the love I have for tennis. And so it doesn't necessarily feel like a sacrifice to put that first. Tennis is my first and forever love. I would want a partner to understand that. My biggest nightmare is not being able to play anymore. Only after that comes being alone."

"Yeah. I think it's about perspective and priorities - and those shift over time. You live and breathe tennis, but it's not all that you are. As long as you've got a solid foundation of people around you who lift you up, but who also keep you grounded and can remind you of that, then you're going to be good. You'll land on your feet. That loyalty we feel to tennis, it's the same loyalty you need from your team. And I think that perhaps that's the hardest choice to make sometimes. When you have to say goodbye to someone you've been on a journey with for so long, but they no longer fit."

"I think that's so hard. It's difficult to know when you need the comfort and stability to perform at your best, or when you need to be challenged to perform at a new best. I'm still figuring that out. But a solid group of friends, I have, thankfully."

May 19 - 25, 2025

[Transcript excerpt: McLaren's Teammate Challenge video]

"For this next bit - we will write down the answer we think the other person's going to give."

"So it's not necessarily what I think is the right answer, but what I think Oscar is going to answer."

"Indeed, Lando."

"Alright then. We'll start with a few easy ones. What is my favourite cuisine?"

"Easy indeed, I've written down Italian."

"Well done Osc, that's true. You go next."

"What is my middle name?"

"Pssh. Done. It's Jack. My turn then - who's my celebrity crush?"

"I've gone for Y/N L/N."

"Wrong - I don't have one."

"That's unfair! We all know the ansewr is Y/N. He can't just make up a new celebrity crush."

"Of course I can? She's my actual friend now. Celebrity crushes are for people you admire from a distance."

"And what if you admire them from up close?"

"I think we should go to the next question."

∘•···············•∘ʚ ♡ ɞ∘•················•∘ ∘•···············•∘ʚ ♡ ɞ∘•················•∘∘•···············•∘

author's note: well, it's 1:15 AM and officially King's Day in the Netherlands, but wanted to get this up finally as promised! Next part should be up a bit sooner as it's pretty much finished already and involves some big moments and realisations for y/n at the French Open :) :)

next part is available here

♥ likes, comments, reblogs and asks are always very much appreciated - i love chatting and hearing your thoughts! ♥

taglist (open): @linnygirl09 @julesbog @midnight-and-books @sarx164 @obxstiles @freyathehuntress @vhkdncu2ei8997 @berrnuu @lightdragonrayne @glow-ish @batsratswrites @blushmimi @colmathgames2 @esw1012

[sevastiel]

-

Saw a post talking about the drifter's lack of relationship experience, and had the realization that like, sure, he doesn't have direct experience, but boy howdy has he seen a lot of examples of relationships and BOY HOWDY have they ALL pretty much been BAD.

Like, I'd already written it into GS Drifter that he's excruciatingly aware of the power imbalance between him and the Hex, and didn't want to force them to deal with that, but like, with this context? Yyyyikes.

Transcript below cut, IK my handwritings ass LOL

Minerva and Velimir aren't talking, thats just scribbly fighting.

Arthur says to Aoi: "Aoi, I know you said things are okay, but-" Aoi replies: "And they are. Lets not talk about this right now, okay?"

Thrax says to the Drifter: "These stories are for you. For us. I do this out of love" Drifter replies: "I know. I'm sorry." Thrax replies: "Good."

Kaya writes: "I thought I could trust him, you know?"

Loid says to the Drifter: "I AM going to see him again, Drifter. I don't care how long it takes, hes going to come back, he will. He must..." Drifter replies: "Damn right. When I find the bastard, you'll be the first to know. Want me to deck him for you?" Loid replies: *hic* "Yes..."

Operator says to the Drifter: "So, anyway. The way we beat Ballas was by sticking the veil on his face, and then he saw the Lotus as Margulis, right, like, the lady he loved and tried to turn Natah into, and she kissed him and stole all his life force." Drifter to Operator: "HUH?" Operator to Drifter: "Right?"

Quincy to the Drifter: "I'll level with you, Drifter. Wit how folks been pestering me about you, I'm surprised y'havent taken me up on the romantic advice." Drifter to Quincy: "Void, man! I thought it was a joke! I don't hate anyone here enough to put them through all that!"

[adieutristana]

Could you write something about Jinx helping Reader study for her university entrance exam?

of course! thank you for the request <3

idk if this is something you’re actually going through but i wish you luck with your exams! :)

summary; jinx ‘helping’ her girlfriend study for her college entrance exams. she's got a unique way of helping.

characters included; jinx

tags/warnings; fluff, very lighthearted all around, r is applying for piltover’s academy, r is a top student, author doesn’t understand calc, r is in high school (18)

men dni.

"come on," she grumbles. "this is booooooring."

"i didn't say it would be fun."

pen scratching against paper and grunts of frustration are the only other noises present. you'd already gone through several workbooks and practice exams, mostly on the literary portion of the test. now, you're at the math and science section- and you know you're fucked.

you've been a top student your entire high school career. you studied diligently, took extra credit on every exam, stayed for school fundraising events, led clubs, even gotten involved in volunteer and charity work so your transcripts would stand out that little bit. the only thing you hadn't done was student government.

the academy was your top choice, your only choice since you were a kid. every boring homework assignment, every group project, every night spent volunteering was completed with the promise of the academy in mind. you knew entrance exams would be difficult, you knew that the academy very rarely admitted students from the undercity. but a part of you was convinced that you were the exception. your merits could charm the admissions officers.

so here you are, hunched over a table with stacks of textbooks beside you, scattered papers, empty pens, and a girlfriend who seems to want to do anything but study. transcendental functions. you'd never fully grasped it in class, but now you wish you'd studied harder. your teacher told you it wouldn't be on your midterm that year, so you didn't bother. stupid, stupid.

you barely understood the trigonometric functions, and now you're supposed to solve these during a timed exam? one that decides your path for the next four years?

"what's all this?" jinx asks, lazily toying with the edges of one of the pages. you've splayed out your workbook, scribbles in various colors around the words. highlighter and drawings of each model described.

"transcendental functions."

"huh?"

"transcendental functions."

an exaggerated huff escapes your girlfriend. she rolls her eyes and places her hands back on the edge of the table, peering over your shoulder at the words on the pages.

"i heard you. just dunno what the hell that means."

"i don't either, really." the pen falls from your grasp and onto the paper, but you don't stop to pick it back up. you've been at this for hours, and you're now at a standstill. a standstill. something so rare for you, that you don't know what to do when you're in the middle of one.

jinx seems to notice, at least. she leans back a little in her chair to look over the book, a bit more carefully now. rosy eyes skim over the words and equations, her nose scrunching. you'd think it was adorable if you didn't feel so damn defeated.

"let me look... i might know somethin'." jinx mutters, maybe more to herself than you.

the girl didn't exactly have a formal education. next to nobody in zaun did. you were one of the fortunate few who got the opportunity to go to school, and to do it long enough to graduate and have a chance to go to university.

still, jinx is a right genius. she'd figured out how to use hextech by herself before it was even established in piltover. she'd built several weapons without any outside help, she's unintentionally started a mini-revolution with her ideas. she'd invented several new contraptions out of pure boredom.

maybe jinx would see something that you're not.

dark brows knit together, and her eyes continue scanning over the pages. she makes little 'hmm' noises when she takes the time to really absorb the information on the pages. your heart is beating rapidly in your chest, and your eyes are fixed on the girl beside you. you trust her judgement and confidence, but there's a sliver of doubt. and you hate doubting jinx.

"right! so," jinx pipes, flipping back to the page you started on. "it says that you can't use algebra to solve for these... no addition or subtraction, yadda yadda."

a few notes of her own are scribbled down beside one of the models. she turns back to you, pursing her lips. "and they're used for growth and decay. you understand all that stuff?"

"kind of," you huff. you understand it in the context of algebra, but this doesn't use algebra.

"well, i don't- so we'll skip that part. but i'll try and help anyways." jinx has an amused lilt to her voice, almost as if this study session couldn't be the key to your future. "babe, this is serious."

jinx drums her fingertips on the open book. shaking her head in that way she does, so self-assured. ever the ego, jinx has.

"i know it is, toots! you've only told me a million times how important this is, that it could 'secure your spot in the freshman class' n' all that. but relax, okay? you're not gonna get a damn thing done if you're all... wound up."

your lips press together into a thin line. while jinx usually isn't the most rational person, she's right this time. maybe you are stressing a bit too much. you try to unclench your jaw and let your shoulders relax, a habit you've fallen victim to way too many times.

"you're just gonna worry yourself sick. no point in that." she mutters. jinx drives her words home with a little smack of her lips against your temple, and turns back to the textbook. "yeah.. you're right."

"i don't understand most of this, honestly," she says. though the girl leans against your shoulder, twin braids splaying out, and lets out an exaggerated hum. "but you're smart. you'll figure it out... nerd."

"shut up." you grumble. this only elicits another chortle from jinx, and she pokes you in the side.

"that tickles! stoooop!"

"nope!"

a few more minutes of jinx tickling you, peppering kisses across your face- and you're left breathless. spent. but you're much more relaxed than you had started out, and that's gotta count for something, right?

"alright, let's get back to studying," you sigh, and jinx rolls her eyes dramatically. but there's no actual annoyance to her, only fondness. she's always admired your dedication, even if she makes fun of you for the all-nighters you pull preparing for exams. even if she calls you a nerd and places herself in your lap while you're trying to do required reading for class. even if she turns your head and steals quick kisses from you while you type away, telling you that you're just so cute when you're concentrated.

looking over the words on the page again, it comes as a surprise that the words make a little more sense to you now. the models still look foreign, and the formulas are something you don't even want to think about, but you can at least make out the basic gist of these functions.

it isn't ideal, but it's a start.

"huh. it's making a little more sense now," jinx perks up at this, and lightly elbows your arm. "see? i told you that you'd figure it out! just had to relax a lil'."

you shake your head in amusement at the words, and nod. you pick your pen back up, and start jotting down your own notes on the sides of the pages.

"yeah, just had to relax a little. who would've thought?"

[thottythoughtdaughter]

"Taking Care of Your Sick Alpha Werewolf" Script w/ Angel dialogue!!

( a little project i thought would be fun, writing in angel's lines for this transcript! hope you enjoy, lmk if there are any other videos you'd want me to do! )

DAVID'S LINES BELONG TO REDACTED AUDIO !! they are erik's original work! ANGEL'S LINES ARE CREATED BY ME as a fun lil bit

slight nsfw!!

[stirring sound]

DAVID: Mmm.

ANGEL: [sleepily] Hi baby

DAVID: What time is it?

ANGEL: Eight... thirty?

DAVID: Oh god. I don’t think I got more than an hour of sleep in a row.

ANGEL: You didn't go back to bed?

DAVID: No. No, I couldn’t stay asleep. Too hot, too cold, too sweaty, too achy.

ANGEL: Baby...

DAVID: It’s been a revolving door all night. I’m surprised I didn’t keep you up too.

ANGEL: [soft laugh] To be fully honest I did not hear a thing.

DAVID: Well, I guess I’m not surprised, actually, you could sleep through a foghorn. [weak laugh]

ANGEL: Jerk.

DAVID: Hey, it’s a superpower. Be proud of it. I wish that was my problem.

ANGEL: You sound bad. And not sexy bad. What do you think you have?

DAVID: I don’t know. I don’t know what kinda sick this is. I was really hoping it was just a tickle in the throat yesterday. I shoulda known it was more by the time we were going to bed. It’s doing a number on me, I know that much.

ANGEL: So... we're staying in bed, right? No smoking the proverbial opium that, for you, is work?

DAVID: No, trust me, I will not be trying to work today. We don’t have a gig for this weekend, and any paperwork can wait.

ANGEL: Praise the Lord. He finally sees sense!

DAVID: [chuckles] Well, that’s you rubbing off on me finally, I guess.

ANGEL: [teasing] Oh, I've definitely rubbed one off on you.

DAVID: [snort] First of all, you’re a perv for that little joke and--

ANGEL: Little--

DAVID: [overlapping] --don’t now make a joke about ‘little’, I know you, I know how your perverse brain works before you can even get the words out [laughs]

ANGEL: [giggles]

DAVID: And secondly, yes, I’ve finally learned how to give myself a little grace when I’m feeling under the weather, feel free to gloat accordingly.

ANGEL: [chuckle]

DAVID: Meanwhile, I’m gonna bury my face in this pillow. Mmff. Never mind. That makes my eyes hurt. Fuck, how do my eyes ache? This is some bullshit.

ANGEL: You really do sound horrible, baby. Do you want some medicine or something?

DAVID: Mmm. I sound worse than I feel. Honestly the worst of it seems to have worked itself out overnight, at least in terms of fever, hot-cold shit.

ANGEL: Mhm.

DAVID: Now it’s leftover aches. And more than anything, I’m just tired from the shit sleep.

ANGEL: You wanna try to sleep more?

DAVID: [sigh] I mean, I can try. I probably should. Maybe I will. But I’m bad at sleeping during the day. Which is kind of funny, since when I was a kid I had such a hard time falling asleep at night. But now I can’t do the opposite. I’m no good at naps anymore.

ANGEL: This isn't even napping, it's just sleeping. And you're good at sleeping!

DAVID: [laughing] If you get up and then go back to sleep later, it’s still a nap. That’s the definition of a nap.

ANGEL: Says... who, exactly?

DAVID: Says me.

ANGEL: Oh, cuz you're the expert on napping.

DAVID: Well, I’m sick, that means I’m right.

ANGEL: Now that's some bullshit.

DAVID: That’s what you said when you were sick, so the road’s gotta go both ways.

ANGEL: Mm... nah. You're still wrong.

DAVID: [scoff] Menace.

ANGEL: You thirsty? Want some water? I can get--

DAVID: No, I’m good, I’ll get it. I’m gonna get up. I—oof. [ANGEL tackles DAVID] What—what is this?

ANGEL: [muffled in his waist] The people are rioting.

DAVID: [chuckle] Not more of the mutiny.

ANGEL: Viva la revolucion, baby.

DAVID: I got my fill last time.

ANGEL: Do not get up, you're sick.

DAVID: This is different, Angel. I’m not getting up to go do work or something, I’m getting up to get myself some water.

ANGEL: No. No dice. You're staying here.

DAVID: Angel, I’m sick, it’s not like my legs are broken, I can take care of my own water.

ANGEL: No. I can do it. You're sick.

DAVID: [laughs] You’re ridiculous, you know that?

ANGEL: Mhm... [leans in for a kiss]

DAVID: I—would not recommend kissing me right now, I’m gross.

ANGEL: Can I kiss here?

DAVID: [sigh] Yes, you can kiss my head, you goof.

ANGEL: [loudly] MWAH!

DAVID: Thank you. Now can I get my own water?

ANGEL: Really, Davey, just let me do it!

DAVID: [sigh] Fine. I’m staying put. You got me.

ANGEL: Yayy.

DAVID: Then hurry back.

[fade out/in]

ANGEL: Well, well, well. You're still here!

DAVID: Mmhmm. Right where you left me. I can occasionally be coerced to follow instructions other than my own.

ANGEL: [teasing] I don't have to coerce you to do anything. You're just so well behaved.

DAVID: Oh is that what you think?

ANGEL: [smug] mmmhmmm.

DAVID: [laughs] You really looking to test your ability to keep me in place? I wouldn’t recommend your usual tactic when I’m half drowning in snot and phlegm.

ANGEL: [hands DAVID the water, climbs back into bed]

DAVID: I’d hate to give you less than my best. And I’m on the wrong side of no sleep and a low grade fever to give you that. Much to both of our chagrins.

ANGEL: [loud, long sigh] Alas.

DAVID: Yeah, yours most of all.

ANGEL: Can't blame me for trying!

DAVID: Insatiable.

ANGEL: Well if you didn't have such a big dick--

DAVID: [snort] Don’t you try to pin that on me. You are the stuff of legends and you know it.

ANGEL: [fluffs hair] Maybe.

DAVID: At this point I think most of the rest of the pack knows said legends.

ANGEL: Nuh-uh. I'm a perfect angel around them!

DAVID: Oh yeah? What about last solstice?

ANGEL: We just got married they've got to excuse that--

DAVID: And the one before that?

ANGEL: Well I--

DAVID: And the one before that?

ANGEL: So... you know what... [laughs] Fuck you.

DAVID: Mmhmm. That’s what I thought. [laughs]

DAVID: [deep breath, sick sounds]

ANGEL: My poor baby. You okay?

DAVID: Yeah, being sick sucks. But it's all good. I mean, it’s not, I feel like crap, there’s not much good about that. But there’s also not much to be done about it either, other than taking it easy.

ANGEL: Yeah, cuz you're so good at that, too.

DAVID: Hey, I’ve gotten better at taking it easy over the years.

ANGEL: [disbelieving] Mmhmm.

DAVID: I’m at least familiar with the concept at this point. Even if just in theory. I’ve been known to relax on occasion. Does it usually take sickness or threats of mutiny from the rest of the pack, sure. But I’m learning.

ANGEL: [scoffs]

DAVID: Slowly.

[they both laugh]

DAVID: [groans] I think I should get up.

ANGEL: Ah- [points finger]

DAVID: Hey. Hey—hear me out before you jump me again, Angel. I think standing up and walking around a bit will help work some of this crud out of my nose and throat.

ANGEL: Hm.

DAVID: Especially if it includes a shower. I also need to brush my teeth, because my mouth feels like death. And I should eat something.

ANGEL: [teasing] Yeah, you're really grasping for straws now. How'm I s'posed to look after you if you're wandering about?

DAVID: [scoff] I’m not grasping straws, I’m giving a comprehensive list.

ANGEL: A comprehensive list to rob me of my nursing duties!

DAVID: How about this: after eating something, brushing my teeth, and showering, if and let’s be honest, when, I still feel shitty, I then go back to bed, hmm? Or at least to some other horizontal surface, like the couch. And then if you still wanna look after me so bad, you can to your heart’s content.

ANGEL: Yeah, but you're just gonna be grumpy about it.

DAVID: [chuckle] Of course I’ll be grumpy about it. It’s what I do best.

ANGEL: [laughs, cuddles into DAVID]

DAVID: Mm. You look cute.

ANGEL: Shut up I do not.

DAVID: [chuckle] Yes you do. I’d give you a kiss if I could.

ANGEL: You couull--

DAVID: No, not with me like this I won’t. You can wait.

ANGEL: [pouts] Boo.

DAVID: My lips aren’t going anywhere. You’ve already got them for the long haul, you know that.

ANGEL: Awww.

DAVID: Later. Take it up with my immune system. Though it’s a little busy right now.

ANGEL: Dork.

DAVID: [laughs] I’m getting up now. [ANGEL tries to protest] And I’m grabbing some food and I’m brushing my teeth and I’m showering, and then I will submit to your authoritarian care regime, all right? Deal?

ANGEL: Fine. Deal.

DAVID: Jokes aside, thank you for looking after me, baby.

ANGEL: I love you, silly.

DAVID: I love you too, Angel. Now scoot [laughs]

[fbfh]

you know what I'm thinking about?? beck oliver. yeah the one from victorious first of all FUCK YOU dan schneider and I'm specifically thinking about this clip from the episode where they try to make a reality show about their high school 0:31

I really hate that beck is one of those characters like lucas friar and tristin dugray where we simply do not get more clarity on them as a person. one of the few times we get to see beck really open up and talk about WHY he's so passionate about acting and it's immediately cut off and overshadowed by how he looks. dare I say he has elle woods syndrome. "beck and jade are toxic" "beck should date cat" "beck and robbie fuck" yeah yeah you know what he REALLY NEEDS????? he needs someone that does not give a single fuck about how he looks. he needs someone who prioritizes HIM instead of his hair. yes he's pretty and he has nice hair but those are all sprinkles. he needs somone who cares about the rest of the cupcake, not just the decorations. I think the reason he thinks he likes angry girls who yell and fight with him all the time is because when he and jade fight she's yelling at him about anything other than his hair. he needs a break from constantly being objectified is my point. you know what would be great?? beck dating a screenwriter. someone who works on the scripts for the hollywood arts shows they put on. someone who hunts him down in the halls looking like they rolled out of a dumpster with sikowitz and reeks of coffee because they've been up for 36 hours to meet their deadline and finish their homework.

you are just that. you do other stuff at hollywood arts too, but there's really not a lot of script writers there, so you've found a way to pretty much corner the market and it looks FANTASTIC on your student transcript, plus you get extra credit for it, which is even better. you're wearing a hoodie that looks like you slept in it for two days (true if you had slept at all) and you're not aware of the two or three empty jet brew cups shoved into your hoodie pocket, plus the extra one you're carrying that you're almost done with.

"Beck!"

you manage to startle him a little which is surprising because he is totally unscareable. he doesn't think you've ever exchanged two words before now, he doesn't even know if he knows your name.

"I need to talk to you," you pant, a little delerious from caffeine and sleep depravation and excitement. "I finished the script for the next play-"

Beck didn't realize that a student was writing any of the shows they put on, he thought they were all lisenced or from local writers.

"It's a dystopian retelling of frankenstein with- with cyberpunk influences," you ramble, "and I need to know if you're okay playing the lead." you pant, still trying to catch your breath and not lose your train of thought.

"some pretty fucked up stuff happens and you'd have to quickly lose your morals and go from morally gray to kind of antagonistic pretty quickly..." you look up at him and hand him a script full of sticky flags. "I wanna make sure there's nothing that'll make you too uncomfortable... like I said it gets pretty fucked up, but I wrote it with you in mind for the doctor, so- just, let me know what you think."

before he can answer, you trudge into the janitor's closet and fall asleep on top of a pile of paper towels.

Beck takes the script home to look over, and he's genuinely surprised for a number of reasons. he expected to be typecast as the love interest yet again, but you want him as the antagonistic lead. it's a really complex role, and has absolutley nothing to do with how he looks. you even left a sticky note in there by accident, and he reads your scribbled handwriting. doc MUST be smwn who fully commits and dgaf if it makes them look bad or silly or unattractive. if they get self consious it ruins the char

underneith are two or three names scribbled out, then his, underlined several times. he is so genuinely shocked by this decision, and absolutely fascenated by your script. he's actually getting really excited to play a role that will challenge him for once.

the next day he meets you with the script tucked under one arm and a coffee in each hand. he hands one to you, and you thank him with a pleasantly surprised smile.

"You seem like you could use it."

"That's putting it mildly..." you mutter in agreement, and he bites back a chuckle when you remove the lid and down half the cup at once. You look at him anxiously after that, and your eyes flit between him and your script. "So... what did you think?"

"I... accept." relief floods through you. "I've already been thinking about my character and going over my lines. But why did you want me for Victor?"

You shrug a little.

"Well, you got the script like, 12 hours ago and you're already developing your portrayal of him, so that's a pretty good reason there," you chuckle, "and I... I hope this doesn't sound mean, but I don't think there are a lot of other people here who could pull off such a complex antagonistic main character."

you state, taking another sip of coffee.

"Everyone here is great, really-" you emphasize, hoping you don't sound like a dick. "I just feel like no one else could really bring the depth to him that you could. He's a horrible person, but I still want the audience to sympathize with him at times, and go wow he's a fucked up asshole at others without making it feel disjointed. I think you're really the only one who has the skills to pull that off."

honestly, if Beck had slightly less self control he would have started wailing and sobbing right then. Instead, he's determined to live up to your expectations and prove to you that your faith in him will pay off. You work pretty closley with production of the show, and with Beck. after closing night, you and Beck are still pretty close, to your pleasant surprise. his friends are a little curious why Beck suddenly is spending all his free time with one of those kids in their class who never talks or says anything, but he seems... happy. he did in fact fall first, and he definitely fell harder. he falls even more when months pass and he realizes you are still too adorably oblivious to realize how he feels.

[felassan]

Some things in BioWare's transcript of the August 30th dev Discord Q&A are a lil different to what was actually said in the Q&A. not only editing to tidy up and be concise etc; some of it seems to actually be new/additional (or updated?) information. this post is just a quick summary of the new or different things I noticed when comparing the BioWare transcript to a word-for-word transcript (or at least the ones that stood out to me anyways). DA:TV spoilers under cut.

This post is a mix of new snippets and rephrased answers to things that were rephrased in a way that stuck out to me or interested me. nb, it doesn't highlight changes if the change was something not being included in the BioWare transcript (there was some of that too).

John Epler: "I don't know if any of [the Evanuris] consider [tea] a favorite beverage"

[re: hugging Assan] Assan "always appreciates the attention. He's got a sharp beak and he'd let you know if he didn't."

Variation of the WEWH question answer:

"There's always going to be politics to some degree - there are a number of different groups with different priorities, and not all of them are going to be immediately disposed towards trusting you. But while the Inquisitor had an organization and an army (and even Hawke and the Hero of Ferelden spent more time moving in political circles), Rook's situation is a little more desperate and immediate. Their approach is therefore a little more direct, and so while they may occasionally find themselves in the political sphere, they're not trying to assemble an army or build consensus amongst nation states."

[on companions' ages] The part of this where they described the companions' age range has been changed from where it said "early-mid twenties" to just say "mid twenties". Also, Taash was said to be "early twenties"; she is now simply "the youngest".

New sentence on the ages: "We don't usually nail down a specific age, unless it's something that comes up in their content, but we want to have an idea as to their general age range as we're writing them."

If no side characters stand out as a good candidate for a 'light' romance, this is never something they want to force

Griffons as half-bird half-lion - it now reads half-eagle half-lion

"Thedas has always been filled with extraordinary people, and in DATV you're trying to save the world. It stands to reason that the people you're bringing on board are going to be people with extraordinary circumstances of their own."

On the Veil not being in great shape and having been deteriorating in recent times/the intervening period between games, a more specific figure is given: "things in general have been slowly getting worse over the past decade and a half"

Lucanis and Bellara find out they have a lot in common and develop a "really fun" friendship, even though "it's hard to think of two companions who feel more different on the surface"

Neve and Bellara's friendship "kind of evolved organically as we were writing them, and finding out all the opportunities we could to throw little tastes of it into dialogue was a blast"

when enemies are slowed due to Slow Time, Rook stays moving at full speed

Rook's weapons and companions' gear can also be transmogged in addition to Rook's armor gear and casualwear

New sentence: "I've built Harding as a Support Character one run, and a DPS the next run. If you want to use Davrin as a DPS, you can do that."

"But each Companion has a gift that you can purchase from vendors in the world, and then give it to them." - it sounds like there is only one unique gift that you can give to the companions each?

"In general, something like a short story anthology is a volunteer thing - we ask people what they want to write and, generally, people tend to gravitate towards character ideas and concepts they already had in mind for a companion."

"So it's rare that we write a character that isn't intended to be a companion and then think 'oh wow this character would be a great fit', but it's not unheard of either."

"Ultimately we wanted to be sure that The Veilguard could be a good entry point to Dragon Age for new players and people who know almost nothing about the universe. But if you're the kind of player who wants to catch the most references, I'd suggest reading The Missing (most recent comic series) and Tevinter Nights. The former is a direct narrative setup for the beginning of the game" while Tevinter Nights is "less of a direct narrative tie", though it introduces "characters, concepts and story elements" that show up in the game

New sentence and info: [John Epler] "The Archon's Palace floating was something we came up with midway through writing Tevinter Nights and I had to furiously rewrite a few things." - the Floating Building is the Archon's Palace?

"Mae is a character that means a lot to so many DA fans" (<3)

Crow politics are now described as "complex" as well as deadly

"Some romances allow you to express interest without 'committing'" - so it sounds like not all of them allow this? - "but all romances eventually end up being exclusive"

"With each specialization we wanted to explore, both visually and through gameplay, what a specific class member of that faction might look like. Spellblade, for example, is our answer to the question 'what does a mage assassin look like'."

Our ability to save PCs so we don't have to start from scratch in CC each time was very important to the devs

"the feeling we want to evoke over the course of the game is one of growth, both in yourself as Rook and in your companions as they overcome their own problems with your help. These problems are often external in nature, but they are always tied, at their core, to the conflict that the character carries within them. And they are, also, always uniquely Dragon Age problems on the surface, but still relatable."

The difference in the answer to the is Lucanis possessed question interested me.

Original for the sake of comparison:

"So, again, spoilers, everyone has been warned, fairly warned. So Lucanis Dellamorte is also known as The Demon of Vyrantium. And, he has spent a lot of time killing Venatori, who are mages, and who do know a lot about demons, so. Yeah, somebody decided that it might be a good idea to make that nickname stick."

New:

"There's definitely something going on with Lucanis - and before you hired him, he was known as the Demon of Vyrantium. Might be that someone took offense to that nickname, especially since he earned it by killing Venatori."

New sentence in the answer to the is Thedas a southern continent question:

"Of course, nothing says that distance to the sun is the only factor impacting weather."

.. [probably reading too much into this don't look at me ik many factors influence weather irl hhh] magic? the Veil? the deteriorating Veil? the risen Gods? the Blight? Thedas is experiencing global warming? :D

"As part of our attempt to make the companions feel like they have their own lives outside of just Rook, we asked ourselves what pairings made the most narrative sense and then talked about how they might actually unfold in the game. And even before companions get together, you can see that interest starts to develop. Which is, I think, one of my favorite things about the companions. They don't just fall in love with each other, they become friends, confidents, and even rivals at times"

It takes Davrin a while to trust others. He can be a little standoffish, but eventually he warms up to anyone who shows that they have his back

As a monster hunter a lot of Davrin's hobbies revolve around that

"a lot of elves go around shoeless, and that's in part because they believe it brings them closer to nature. What better way to understand what the world and ground are saying than to walk directly on it? but not every Dalish follows this custom" [...] "The Veil Jumpers, in general, are a little more likely to wear boots and shoes, as they're far more likely to end up in dangerous places and fighting unsettling creatures than the average Dalish"

On Bellara's boots: "you never know when you're going to find a broken artifact with a lot of sharp edges."

Bellara is a big fan of pan-frying anything she can (re: food)

Lucanis has the refined palate of an Antivan Crow

Getting the beards to work with all the armor variations that they have was especially challenging with dwarves because they "tend to be" shorter

Those beards that were designed with dwarves in mind can alsobe used for humans and qunari (I wonder then if elves cannot have beards in CC? Like I know they usually don't have them or have it in CC and that lore says they don't but there are a also a few lorebreaking instances of it and I wasn't sure which way this one would go given how 'free choice/options for all' the CC in this game has sounded like it has been designed to be)

"You'll see more on this as we showcase character creator in our runup to launch"

For this question "Since you can choose to be a part of the same faction for most of the companions, will that give you an advantage when trying to befriend them?", the answer now reads that in addition to the unique dialogue same-background Rooks have with the companion of that background, it can also "change the timbre of your relationship a little bit"

John Epler: "one of my favorite things about this group of companions is how much time they spend with each other"

[on the companions] "They're a family, and like a family, they don't always get along"

"A lot of Solas' relationship with the player is personal. He sees a lot of himself in Rook - both the good and the bad - and largely talks only to you, as you're the one he has a connection with."

"Not to mention at least a couple of followers who would likely love to ask an ancient Elven god some questions."

"a common complaint we've heard in past games is that many players disliked always feeling like they needed a Rogue to be able to lockpick, so fortunately Rook finds a method to use these exploration abilities even when the associated Companion is not in your party"

An example of a companion's unique exploration ability is that Emmrich has an ability to briefly reanimate skeletons to open gates

Qunari not wearing helmets and only vitaar allows more flexibility when it comes to horns customization in CC

"yes - there will be some pretty obvious Act breaks. Not all content fits neatly into these buckets, as it's more a way of breaking up the critical path (companion and other side content follows a different cadence), but there are some pretty obvious Acts built into our game. A lot of the missions, though, we want to make sure players have the freedom to decide what they do and when they do it, so while they may have internal acts (follower missions form their own arcs), they don't conform to the overall main quest arcs"

The difference in the answer to the is Assan the only griffon question confirms that Assan was specifically one of the baby griffons that hatched at the end of Last Flight. (as opposed to another clutch that was laid in the last decade)

Old:

"So, again, just to be clear, spoilers, but yeah, Assan has brothers and sisters, so Assan is not the only griffon that shows up in Dragon Age The Veilguard."

New:

"If you read Last Flight, you'll know that Assan isn't the only griffon from that clutch of eggs, so he's got brothers and sisters. And if one griffon is good, a whole family of them is better, right?"

"We briefly experimented with other options for last names but it became unwieldy as we do refer to your Rook by their last name on several occasions, and accounting for 6 potential last names is already a lot of complexity."

Variation of the 'what goes into bringing back old characters' question answer:

"We always - both for Morrigan and any other characters we bring back - think about what they would've been up to since the last time anyone saw them. These characters should feel like real people, and the last thing we want to imply is that their stories stalled out while they weren't directly in the player's adventuring party. So we look at their arc before the time skip, and then think about where that arc would've taken them. In the case of Morrigan, she's coming to terms with a lot of truths about herself and about her mother. There are elements of her past that she's come to terms with, which is why she wears a version of Flemeth's crown. Ultimately you want the world to feel like it's real. And no one's the same person today that they were 10 years ago. That's stagnation, and it's bad in fictional characters as it is in real people."

The orb part of orb and dagger is called an Elemental Orb

Variation on the Dalish Elf vs City Elf question answer:

"While I think 'city elf' vs 'Dalish elf' is a useful distinction in the South, there's a lot more nuance in the North. Rivain, for example, has Dalish settlements intertwined with other cities. There's just not the same separation, so each of the factions has a unique approach to your lineage. You can define some of that further with choices you make in conversations - we really wanted to leave a lot of that open to players to RP."

[localization question answer variation] "Games are so complex and have so many moving pieces that you need to be in regular communication or things get missed. And a lot of that is because ultimately localization is more than just a straightforward translation. Jokes, metaphors, sayings - even specific lore terms - aren't just a matter of finding the equivalent word in another language. Every writer has a story about a time they had to explain the specifics of an off-color joke they wrote so that localization could properly capture the intent."

So mostly variations (as in rephrasing) and things, but some of the new info that particularly stood out to me was things like the description of Emmrich's exploration ability, the mention that the Floating Building is the Archon's Palace (iirc this was speculated before but not confirmed?), the new lil details or insights on Assan and Davrin, the bit about Assan being from the Last Flight eggs, etc.

[thedoctorfat]

Yosuke's Confession

So THIS is the Japanese Audio for Yosuke's cut confession

And THIS is the English audio (I dunno if we just have more of the English than the JP or it I could easily find a more complete version of the JP audio on the Japanese internet)

But this is hopefully the transcript of the JP confession, my sister did it herself (and she's really fucking good at writing down what's being said in JP because that's how she learned it in the first place): "初めて知ったよ。俺の中にさ、こんな…なんか熱いのがあるなんて " "言わせんなよ！" "行くなよ" "俺、お前が好きだ"

In Romaji this would be: "hajimete shitta yo. ore no naka ni sa, konna... nanka atsui no ga aru nante" "iwasenna yo!" "ikuna yo" "ore, omae ga suki da"

Properly translated/localized into English (as the official localization is really awkward), this would be: "I didn't realize I could feel like this." "Don't make me have to say it!" "Don't go," "I love you." Suki isn't always romantic according to my sister, but in this context/phrasing it absolutely is romantic.