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ominous-feychild · 2 months

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✦ OC Questionnaire Tag 3 ✦

Thanks for the tag, @illarian-rambling!

Characters from Sun and Shadow: Freya, Crow, and Valyarus Characters from the Arcane Rifts: Gene, Tazin, and Mislav Featuring tAR's children at ages 15, 17, and 17! (Aka mid book 2.)

Questions: - Do you have a tell when you're lying? - What other media genre would you do the worst in? - Are you confident in yourself? from @the-letterbox-archives

Do you have a tell when you're lying?

Freya: Um... not that I know of? I'm not really in the habit of lying? (*remembers that she does, in fact, lie a lot... but mostly through omission of the truth!*) Haha... yeah! ... ugh, okay, um. If I had to guess... (*shifts uncomfortably in place*) it would probably be that I struggle in what to say? Though I kinda do that anyway? Ugh, I don't really know. (A/N: the easiest sign to tell that she's "lying" is that she avoids the subject completely. She'll change the subject or "get distracted". She also fidgets more, but that's something she does a lot anyways because she's awkward.)

Crow: Of course not! I don't lie anyway, so how would I find out? 😉🥰 (psst... Crow...) What? (You're supposed to basically be under truth serum for these Questionnaire posts...) Okay. And? 😘 (So you're telling me that you, a detective, have never told a lie once?) ... (See the issue there?) Nope! 😄 (A/N: WHELP! Uncooperative Crow understandably won't tell you, so I will. They're a very good liar, so it's hard to tell when they do. The best indicator is that they'll stumble slightly in their speech when almost saying something "they shouldn't" or they'll hesitate while trying to come up with a lie. The falters are always subtle though.)

Valyarus: (*snorts*) I would think not. Besides, I'm not in the habit of lying. There's too much magic that can force you into Truth-telling to be able to rely on it--no, best is operating in half-truths and implication. The best method of deception is allowing the one you wish to deceive to come up with the answers for themself. For example... (*slowly smirks, quirking an eyebrow*) I never said I don't lie just now... did I? (A/N: ahhh, our beloved douchebag faerie living up to his species's reputation. In other words: he's a fantastic "liar".)

Gene: I... don't know. I'd... like to think not. Maybe... maybe that I... (*takes a slow, deep breath, collecting himself*) ... I probably act more confident when I lie. I... I'm not confident. And probably don't... stutter as much. Or hesitate... So, speaking patterns? They--they change, I mean. My speaking patterns. When I lie.

Tazin: (*snarls*) I have no idea what the fuck you're talking about, you got me? I--I-- (*struggling to lie because of the whole "these questions are answered under basically-truth serum" thing*) FINE! I don't fucking lie because I can't, okay? I avoid the subject! Or I just--I don't know, I just fucking lie??? How am I supposed to fucking know if I have a "tell"??? Don't you think I'd fucking fix it if I knew??? (A/N: he gets avoidant of the subject and/or highly aggressive to dissuade the asker from continuing at the moment... or generally asking again.)

Mislav: Um... this is a weird question?... I guess I don't really--(*remembers he lies literally all the time*)--lie... (*lets out a slow, pained sigh, running his hands back through his hair in frustration*) I don't know? I just--try my best to bullshit it? Try to make people feel better, or avoid giving them the information they want? I don't know??? (A/N: best indication is that he answers too quickly. He usually practices/rehearses his lies before it comes time to actually tell them. Otherwise (if he didn't expect to have to lie/doesn't have one prepared), he freezes up, stutters, and smiles/jokes too much as he tries "appeasing" or distracting the questioner.)

What other media genre would you do the worst in?

(we're going to be implanting Forbidden Knowledge of our Real World genres and whatnot for them to be able to best answer this!)

Freya: The horror genre. (*shudders*) I cannot deal with scary stuff, okay? I think I would be the first to die. I'd scream, or cry, and break down--probably try hitting the monster or whatever over the head with a chair when it turns the corner and, well... that never goes well in those sorts of things, does it?

Crow: Fairy tales. I'd either be the "lesson"--"don't do this or look what happens to you! You'll become Crow!"--or I'd be whatever the horrifying monster or villain is. I mean... (*laughs awkwardly, looking away and rubbing their shoulder feathers*) when you're me... you get used to knowing you're what's wrong with the world. (*beat. They realize what they've just said--*) I mean, romance. I'd probably annoy my love interest to death. 😎

Valyarus: (*fake gags, then with disgust:*) Romance. My only "biological" child was through magic, and I would not step foot near anyone with that sort of intention. I don't understand how others do. Much less why my daughter is so interested in Freya. They just met! (note: he's aroace and is equally disgusted with romance and sex. Also, yes, I know that's not how all aroace people are. I have plenty of other characters everywhere else in the spectrum. This is just where Valyarus is.)

Gene: Um... probably romance. I...'m not interested in it... not really. Be-besides with Mislav, I mean... and I... I don't even know why he likes me? 😅😓 ... people think I'm creepy. They don't say it--not to my face--but I know they think it. And I... I struggle to talk with people a lot. I try to say one thing, but they think I mean another?... I don't understand why. It's hard. And I--... I don't think I'd do well in that kind of story.

Tazin: The kinda thing where I'd have to teach. I don't have that kind of fucking patience, are you fucking kidding me? I think I'd explode on them. Maybe even literally. (*He pauses, considering it... and grins darkly*) Actually, wait--I take it back. I want to try. (I want to tag in and say traditional horror/thriller. I think the degree to which he'd freak out or curse out the monster would be comical and/or break the immersion, haha.)

Mislav: I would not be able to participate in a talk show or be in the news. A talk show? (*scoff*) Regardless of the subject, it wouldn't take long for me to be driven mad by their endless talking and pretending they know everything. The news? Even worse. I think I'd snap their mic in half. And only because I'd be struggling not to snap other things. <.< (read: necks, limbs, etc.)

Are you confident in yourself?

Freya: Ha... no, not really. I act like I am, but... y'know, it's just that--an act.

Crow: What's not to be confident about? I'm the greatest, I've never made a mistake in my life, and every decision I make is the best one I possibly can! 😘

Valyarus: (*poised on a grand chair; sipping tea elegantly with one hand while the other hangs over the side of the armrest. A nail file magically hangs in the air and is filing his nails while he sips tea*) Hm? What did you say? Oh. (*chuckles*) Of course I'm confident in myself. My abilities, my character, my decisions--everything. 😉💅

Gene: Depends what you mean by "myself"... (*goes quiet, looks away, and debates*) ... I... I try my best to make the right decisions. The best ones... that I possibly can. I--as hard as it is to not question them, it's--it's not good to worry about past decisions. I do my best, and that's--that's all I can do. So... (*takes a deep breath, collecting his thoughts*) I'm not confident, but I try to be.

Tazin: (*snarls*) Of course I'm confident. I've gotten this far, haven't I? (*and slowly starting to smirk instead--*) I mean, look at me. (*leans back and gestures at himself with both hands*) I used to live on the streets with Gene. Now I have a girlfriend. People used to be terrified at my name--and they still would be if I didn't have to stop with the whole "Svarog" thing. (*oops, snarls again and leans in close; threateningly*) Look, I don't care what anyone else says, but Gene wasn't the only reason we were successful! He wouldn't have gotten anywhere without my strength, got it!?!? (Is actually less confident than he thinks he is--overcompensates for that by having convinced himself that he's the greatest. Hm... wonder if that fits the diagnosis criteria for anything?)

Mislav: Ha... not at all. (*swallows and looks down at his hands, fighting back tears*) I... one of these days, this curse is going to take over me. Will I even know when it does? Or will it be slow enough that I never even recognize that I've changed? I... (*looks back up at asker*) I worry, one of these days, I'll only know it when I've done something I can't come back from...

Your questions: - Same as the ones I answered!

Tagging (with no pressure) @yourpenpaldee @honeybewrites @fantasy-things-and-such @wyked-ao3 @the-golden-comet

@paeliae-occasionally @ath3alin @mysticstarlightduck @the-letterbox-archives + open tags!

Divider from @cafekitsune

#Plot twist: Valyarus is the secret villain of SaS and his ENTIRE motivation is just to get Freya away from his daughter. 🤣🤣🤣#Soren/Daleira brought up the idea of the engagement to him while he wasn't paying attention #so he was just all like “oh yeah sure hun. Whatever would make you happy dear” to Daleira. 🤣#He comes to find out he agreed to an engagement #freaks out and INSTANTLY goes into “how tf do I fix this” mode.#Decides the absolute BEST way to do it is blow up several parts of his own goddamn estate and blame it on Freya #lucky him she's actually brand new to the idea that she has fire magic and doesn't know how to control it so it ACTUALLY worked #man's just sitting over there #stunned #“I really didn't expect this to work out this well...”#for legal reasons this is a joke #I mean for one the attack on Valyarus's place is far from the only one that happens #and I mean the man's sus but why would he frame his own daughter's fiancée after he AGREED to it? She literally crossed a whole ocean.#Would be crazy if that were true though am I right?#Also love me my Mislav angst; poor boy will never escape from it #the feychild tag games #the feychild speaks in tags!#sun and shadow novel #the arcane rifts #freya ula #crow the cursed #valyarus fenastra #gene the amnesiac #tazin the theater kid #mislav the berserker #writeblr tag games #ace characters #aro characters #aroace character #autistic oc

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senespera-ffxiv · 2 years

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Thoughts about the Doman Liberation Front

I think it’s pretty safe to say that multiple details of this part of Stormblood were based on or at least partially inspired by King Wu’s overthrow of the Shang Dynasty, more specifically taking elements from the more historical recount of the event than the version present in Investiture of the Gods (where Jiang Ziya is more of the main character but anyways) so I'm gonna take a look at the Stormblood MSQ in Yanxia with that in mind

As a quick sum-up, King Wu’s overthrow of the Shang Dynasty, specifically King Zhou of Shang, involves him uniting a bunch of neighboring provinces in China together to overthrow King Zhou cuz he was being a grade-A asshole to his citizens. Specifically, he was seduced by Daji, a fox spirit, who delighted in torture. Near the end of the rebellion when they assault King Zhou’s castle, he burns it down in an attempt to take down the rebellion with him, but this fails, resulting in his death, the execution of Daji, and the rebuilding of China into the Zhou Dynasty

I really like this slight detail change when it comes to the Doman Liberation Front in comparison to King Wu's overthrow of the Shang Dynasty. Revising it here so that it's King Wu (Hien) who decides to burn (sink) the castle really emphasizes the thematic basis behind both stories, I think. The idea that such a building isn't necessarily symbolic of a nation, and that it would be better to destroy them once they've become emblematic of corruption and oppression and instead we should have the true core of a nation, their people, rebuild a new symbol. Much more resonant than "the bad guy burned it down cuz it was a last ditch effort to stop the rebels" lol

Revising it to sinking, too, I think changes the symbolism behind the act. Instead of completely excising the terrible things that happened through burning, they denounce the corruption and oppression that they've had to bear for so many years while simultaneously preserving it, letting it continue to stand (if not out there then hidden) as a reminder of past mistakes

There’s some more stuff I wanna talk about though, especially concerning the characters that I feel have been directly pulled from the source material, specifically Hien, Gosetsu, and Yotsuyu

Hien seems to be a pretty good match for King Wu, being a prince of a fallen kingdom come back to reclaim his homeland. King Wu wasn’t a prince per se but his father was a Count of a province within the Shang Dynasty. More of the parallels are concerning Hien’s relationships with the other characters, but one I should mention that isn’t seen is Lord Kaien. Lord Kaien was imprisoned for quite a few years before being released and reinstated as a puppet ruler for Doma. He eventually plotted to drive the Garlean Empire out, but ultimately failed which leads to the events of Stormblood today. This I think directly parallels King Wen of Zhou, who was imprisoned for being too intimidating(?) to King Zhou of Shang. Stormblood had to cut out the especially gruesome detail that his eldest son tried to get him out and was ultimately CUT INTO PIECES ALIVE AND MADE INTO MEAT CAKES THAT WERE FED TO KING WEN but the end result is still around the same. For some reason or another, King Wen was released and was given lordship over a certain area. He then eventually plotted a rebellion against King Zhou of Shang and was defeated. I think the thing that’s interesting about Hien in relation to King Wu specifically is that Hien is a lot more insecure and sort of inexperienced in relation to King Wu. As far as I know, there is no mention of King Wu’s personality other than the typical type attributed to well-respected leaders so seeing Hien portrayed like this is not only more realistic imo but also makes it easier for you to sympathize with him. He's a bit of a goof, he doesn't really know what he's doing when it comes to the details and optics of being a revolutionary leader, but he has the drive and the passion and it's ultimately the combination of that and his allies' skills that wins the day.

Yotsuyu is also a pretty good match for Daji, both being associated with the oppression of the people. They both, especially, share a fondness for torture and humiliation, with Daji being much *much* more evil than Yotsuyu to the point where she’s kind of known for her extremely creative and brutal torture techniques. Yotsuyu is a bit more, uh, normal in comparison but she’s still far and beyond the most cruel antagonist that’s been introduced up to Stormblood (I guess you could make an exception for Lolorito/Teledji but they weren’t as visibly brutal. Meanwhile Yotsuyu within the first few minutes of her showing up manipulates a dude into shooting his fellow villager before driving him even further with her demands until he is eventually just shot dead anyways despite him trying to suck up to her good side) where I think the comparison is fitting. It’s definitely the least clear-cut parallel out of all three, but I think there’s a reason for that which I’ll discuss in Gosetsu’s portion. For now, though, I do want to point out that Yotsuyu (at least as far as I’ve played) seems to have a reason for her sadistic streak, rooted within a deep hatred of the Doman people due to what I presume to be persistent verbal and physical abuse during her childhood. I’m not certain what direction they’re planning on taking it, but I did want to at least note that they are indeed putting in effort to explain her cruel nature, unlike with Daji where it was just “oh she’s a fox spirit of course she’ll commit heinous war crimes.”

Okay so Gosetsu is possibly one of the most interesting characters when it comes to comparing the Doman Liberation Front with King Wu of Zhou’s story, not least of the reason why being that he's possibly the most accurate depiction of Jiang Ziya I've seen? For reference most popular depictions take his appearance in Investiture of the Gods and also just casually forget the fact that he isn't a handsome, skinny 20 to 40-something year old (here's FGO and the Chinese movie Jiang Ziya for comparison. This is by far the more popular portrayal I’ve seen)

But no! He's like 70-something! He's like that really cool grandpa who does all of the usual old people things but is actually pretty pleasant and I love that Gosetsu shares that

Also visually-speaking they're extremely similar lol I wouldn't be surprised if this drawing of Jiang Ziya was used as reference

But anyways the more interesting aspect is Gosetsu's small character arc regarding the Dotharl and Geser. Gosetsu kind of shows that he's a bit. Close-minded regarding differing beliefs. It's difficult for him to accept the Dotharl's beliefs regarding death and the afterlife but he ultimately reasons that it *does* make sense and he just didn't look at it from the proper perspective. This crops up a little bit later when Hien suggests they flood Doma Castle, where he is the only one to very vehemently object to it. This running theme (albeit minor) of Gosetsu having difficulty accepting new ideas and beliefs combined with the changes they made and analysis of what they change symbolically and thematically, I think is the game directly critiquing the original story.

Gosetsu is possibly the character parallel that most closely aligns to the original what with Jiang Ziya not only looking very similar but also having very similar roles and personalities (mentor figure, humble, generally seen as a model vassal) and I think that sort of signals that Gosetsu is symbolic of the old story. After all, Jiang Ziya is probably the most popular figure out of that story (even moreso than King Wu) so to have a character that looks the same, acts the same, has the same role, have an arc where he is directly encountering, struggling, and finally understanding "new" beliefs feels like it is a commentary on the original story.

This fits in with Yotsuyu’s character being vastly different from that of Daji’s, almost as if the story is directly addressing the inherent misogyny in Daji’s portrayal. Daji’s role in the fall of the Shang Dynasty is commonly seen as a cautionary tale against the femme fatale trope, which I doubt I really need to explain how the trope is historically misogynistic. It’s the idea that a woman is able to, using her power over men, completely fuck shit up and in most cases these femme fatale characters are given no greater motivation than “meh I like it.” This is the case with Daji where she is given no greater reason for her torture methods than “she’s a fox spirit” and “she’s a demon of course she likes it.” Yotsuyu appears to have a reason for her bullying and oppression, her abuse of the Doman people is rooted in what appears to be abuse that she suffered as a child. I’m not gonna speculate further as to why she specifically chose the entirety of the Doman people as her target for revenge since I genuinely cannot even guess as to why right now, but it’s further evidence, I think, that the writers are not only taking inspiration from the source material but also directly engaging with it, critiquing it, and folding that critique into their primary themes which is insanely cool to me.

This is, obviously, only supported by the fact that the story on its own is also an extremely well-crafted look at imperialism and the tactics that conquering states like to use to subjugate their newly-made subjects. I was hoping that Stormblood would analyze this as well as it analyzed the complicated relationships between Ishgard and the Dravanians in Heavensward (which, btw, I should write something about that later when I decide to replay it because Holy Shit I Loved That So Much) and this section of the game at the very least definitely lived up to those hopes. Cannot wait to see what they do with Ala Mhigo.

#ffxiv #stormblood #analysis #also gosetsu is actually the nicest dude like despite his flaws I still love him so goddamn much #oh yeah also yugiri doesn't have any clean parallels so I'm leaving her off for now but she is by far my favorite character in stormblood #that portion of the game where you try and free the villagers and she has to come face to face with harsh reality and she just #handles it like a fucking champ like oh my god she's such a good character I love her so much

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