#But moral conflicts might be hard to get sorted out

[whumpberry-cookie]

(Cw: vent)

Do you ever chill with your stress-relieving whump scenarios and then-

"FUCK people actually do that to other people. It happens. Oh gosh I feel sick."

And five minutes later you jump back into your fun scenarios, because you got too stressed out by that and now need some maladaptive fictional blorbo beating for distraction.

________

[tennesseetrekkie]

Eliot Spencer is Still a Killer

But not a murderer.

I've been thinking this for a while and I think "The Side Job" basically confirmed it.

Killing and murder are two different things, especially to a man like Eliot. He has his own moral code. He will never take another innocent life. NEVER again. But if they deserve it? Maybe so. (Who he is to decide that is an entirely different matter)

Some examples I can think of to support this theory:

"The Wedding Job": Nate asks if he just killed a guy with an appetizer, he replies with "I don't know, maybe." Doesn't seem to bother him at all (kind of freaked Nate out, though!). Never did get confirmation one way or another.

"The Order 23 Job": He shows up outside of that boy's house dressed in all black with his hair tucked into a hat waiting until the boy is clear... I remember reading that the writers didn't mean for it to look like that but, uh, it did.

"The Future Job": Parker asks if they could kill the "psychic", Eliot tells her "yeah, I mean, I could". No big deal. Sure. Wasn't even like a hesitant "but it could compromise my morals!" more like a "just another Tuesday".

"The Carnival Job": "Nate, if I'm engaged..." "Do your worst." They both know what means.

"The Experimental Job": The CIA interrogator who was torturing veterans did not look very lively at the end. Just saying.

"The King George Job": Eliot straight up asks Nate "if I take out Keller how hard would it be get at Moreau?".

"The Big Bang Job": A big deal is made about the gun scene but right before he picks it up he just causally snaps a guy's neck. He also doesn't object to Nate saying he might have to kill Atherton.

"The Rundown Job": Eliot tells Hardison "you get me to him. I get my hands on him and it's done."

Pretty sure there's a couple other instances I'm forgetting but this is a few.

Of course, this is the exception rather than the rule. Generally he won't kill, it's rarely his first choice. I mean, in that last example the tone he used to tell Hardison "it's done" strongly implied killing but when it came down to it he didn't. I don't think the man is bloodthirsty but he makes the hard call sometimes and doesn't let it bother him. This is not a morality I agree with but it certainly makes the character more interesting. (I always wondered how things would've played out had Sophie not been there with Dubenich. Would he have "saved a friend some trouble"?)

I don't think it's in conflict with him not being the same kind of guy anymore either. He's in control now, he never takes an innocent life and he doesn't kill indiscriminately or for fun or pleasure.

"The Side Job" really sort of confirmed it for me because he didn't outright disagree or discourage Parker from killing someone. He'll support her in it. Even against the rest of the team because none of them would understand or support it.

Whether the rest of team knows about Eliot is unclear. He definitely doesn't go around talking about it. He does what needs done and moves on. But I think Nate did. I don't know if he always approved but I think it was an unspoken understanding between them. I think he trusted Eliot enough to kill the right people and not cross the same line as before. I don't think Hardison, Sophie, Harry, or Breanna knows. They have their own innocent views of who Eliot is and what he's done. Partly because they don't want to think about it. I don't think Parker did at first. After running the crew though I suspect she does now. They have the same unspoken understanding as Eliot and Nate did. Because she gets it. The others don't understand because they're different. He's different. She knows and she gets it.

[toskarin]

A question of curiosity - assuming you play them due to your involvement with a bunch of them, what are your favourite kinds of characters (be it mechanically or narratively) to play in TTRPGS? And do you have any associated anecdotes to go with them?

courtesy readmore

mechanically kinda depends on what's on the menu, but if it's combat-focused, I personally really enjoy characters who "deny" things

not really the kind of character who I'd ever expect a GM to put in their element on purpose (I usually make a conscious effort to remind the GM of things I'm capable of so that I don't trample on any fun setpieces) but definitely the kind of character who modifies objectives just by being in play. I also like magic-users in concept, but that's more of a flavour thing

I think that's reflected a good bit in the kind of narrative play I enjoy, too. when I make a character, I prefer to do it with the rest of the party in mind, less to make the character "compatible" and more to make them sharply contrast in ways that encourage the other characters to have moments where they can reaffirm who they are (both in narrative and out of narrative)

there's a fine balance to strike here. on one end of things, you risk yes-manning so hard that the party quickly becomes a problem solving engine with a single striking surface. on the other end of the things, you risk being The Chaotic Neutral Guy

the space in the middle there represents the characters that people often want to regularly interact with, but rarely want to play. the sort of character who isn't actively disruptive, but raises a lot of red flags when they suddenly show enthusiastic agreement for what you're doing. the kind of character you almost need a diminished sense of discomfort to play without getting in your own feelings about

I adore playing characters who are catered to find plot hooks in other players' characters and tug them just enough to pull them to the surface

most parties have characters who disagree on things that aren't easily resolved. that's always fun, but (because people courteously tend to avoid conflict) it's very rare for those conflicts to come up without GM prompting, and "create productive conflict between two characters without leaving out the rest of the characters or starting a fight between players" is often an equally uncomfortable situation for a GM

lots of fun directions to take it!

have an arc that would benefit from a character taking charge but their player doesn't feel comfortable just Doing That? it helps to have someone else try to take charge who obviously should not be allowed, just to get everyone behind the alternative

have someone with a pure heart who doesn't really get to show that in a party of players who don't want to be mean? maybe someone who's a little more morally-compromised could give them a window for explaining what they actually believe

have a character who's part of some mysterious cult that nobody else is going to find the time to look into? the party could benefit from having a nosy character to justify cracking open that backstory

GM needs to fuck something up to remind the party of how dangerous things are? why not add to the mood by showing what your often-cold character looks like when something manages to actually upset them

[WARNING: DOING ANY OF THIS WALKS THE PRECARIOUSLY THIN LINE BETWEEN BEING COMPELLING AND BEING ANNOYING]

observant readers (well, those who have followed for a while) might have noticed I periodically go on rants about the much-maligned "evil character in a good party" and how both sides of the argument represent a communication and courtesy breakdown. that also very much ties into this sort of thing. I won't go over Tolerable Villainy 101 again, but you get the idea

distilled, I like playing the sort of thoroughly worldly bastards who often end up important in their own right, but mostly on accident, by virtue of being important to what makes other characters compelling

[ninja-muse]

The Dollmakers by Lynn Buchanan is the most original fantasy novel I've read in a good while. It doesn't follow a familiar plot structure. It's peopled by characters rarely seen but true to life. It tackles its issues, themes, and conundrums without turning them into morals or even necessarily reaching conclusions. The magic has been done before, but also not this way. The world, while familiar in some aspects, also feels fresh and different.

Did I like it? I'm not sure. But I definitely think it's worth picking up.

Because this book is so different, it's hard to encapsulate. The premise of a young woman determined to prove herself and gain the job and status she deserves sounds like it should launch a novel of revenge, of conquest, or of an underdog—but this doesn't. A story about magical dolls designed to fight ravening monsters sounds like it should be about great battles and increasing odds—but this isn't. This also isn't a story about a stranger upending a small town, or mentorship, or political conflicts, or even a mystery. Instead, there are elements of all those things, but this novel is too character-driven to fall neatly into boxes. Shean of Pearl is simply going to do what she thinks best and we're along for the journey.

The complexity of the plot is mirrored in its characters. Shean is capable of kindness and delicacy and righteous anger, but she's also tactless and self-absorbed and unwilling to listen to reason. There are brave characters too afraid to interact with society, kind mentors who fail in their mentorship, sour but welcoming villagers, wandering scholars who hold themselves apart until they don't, rule-abiding citizens who can't value originality, thoughtful people who come to snap judgements, and a host of other people who are flawed and complicated as anyone of us might be in their place. There's nobody I can point to and say, "Here, she relied entirely on a trope."* Buchanan's character work is arguably where this book shines most.

As for the themes and issues, I've grown used to fantasy and science fiction with clear morals, clear good guys, and clear political points. Again, this isn't that sort of book. You have to get well into it before you see what Buchanan's talking about on that level and she's more interested about raising questions and pointing out problems than she is in solving anything. We and her characters are left with things to think about, and with introspection. And no, I won't say more than that. Spoilers!

This isn't to say that this book is without flaw. Mostly, on that front, I found Shean's emotional journey a little sudden and jerky at points, with greater or quicker character growth than her personality led me to expect, and there's one particular moment near the beginning that felt exaggerated for the sake of demonstration rather than being true to character. The rest of my problems, and what's holding me back from saying, "This book was amazing!", I think stem from how different this book is. Is my grumble at that minor character's reaction due to weak writing or because they're so perfectly poised within their world that of course they don't act like a "normal" character? Is this plot line wrapping up too neatly or are we being set up for a sequel? That sort of thing. I should point out this is a debut novel and these are issues I've run into with debut novels before—but at the same time, this is much, much more polished and subtle than a lot of debuts are.

As for the magic and the world, I've run on too long to cover them much, but the doll magic is lovely, the monsters are fascinating, the idea that every nation has its own entirely separate culture and magic is familiar while the details are not, and in general, it's all very strong. Buchanan has a lot to play with and I'd happily read more in this world whether or not there's a direct sequel.

To sum up: this is a very strong, very interesting, very unique debut fantasy. It's a novel to mull over and one I'll be sorting through my feelings for. If you're interested in smaller fantasy stories, fantasies that take their time, or are tired of current fantasy trends and plot types, you should absolutely give this one a look. Buchanan's going to be an author to watch, I think.

* apart from third-tier non-speaking characters, like waiters or shopkeepers

[shini--chan]

Hi, hello!! If possible, would it be ok for me to request the first yandere character sheet for america?? I absolutely love the way you characterize him!!

Yandere Character Sheet I

1p America: Alfred F. Jones

Trigger warnings: neglect, starvation, white torture, abandonment, forced assimilation, murder, physical and verbal abuse, mind games

Attributes - What sort of Yandere is he/she?

The problem with Alfred as a yandere would be how his base personality affects his yandere tendencies. Fundamentally, he wants to be a hero, he wants to help people and be selfless, but it is ruined by his self-centred worldview and his egoist ideology. At the end of the day, he is far more concerned about how you can benefit him, rather than how he can ensure and protect your happiness and health. America would only really be willing to change his actions if he faces negative consequences or it ruins his glorious self-image. Though, by putting you in a position where you are powerless in relation to him, he’ll be able to brush off/mitigate many of the negative consequences that could arise. Even if there is something that he wouldn’t be able to simply flick away, he would likely frame somebody else than engage in any soul-searching. To synthesise a few concrete characteristics out of all of this, he would be arrogant, self-righteous and in denial about any wrong doings on his part. 

That being said, Alfred would be perfectly capable of being a gentleman. Should he put some effort in it, then he’ll be the roguish and handsome boy-next-door to you. It would even feel very off or false since it would be partially true and not just an act. America is absolutely capable of being decent. All in all, it would just make everything more difficult, though. Since you wouldn’t be dealing with a pure sociopath, but a complex, layered person, he would be unpredictable in the worst way possible. No pure evil, but no pure good either - if anything, he would nourish any conflicting feelings you have about him. So, he would really take the phrase from Machiavelli, that it is best to be feared as well as loved, very much to heart. America would take you on dates, shower you with gifts, compliment you and take you home with him. He is so desirable, isn’t he? Above everything, he would want you to be smitten with him, since it would stroke his ego. 

He is also delusional, so he wouldn’t take much offence should he have to drag you to his side kicking and screaming. At the end of the day, what Alfred believes in most is his own hype. If he was a religion, then he is his own god, or at very least, the Chosen One. Any criticism would simply be water off a duck’s back and he’ll laugh at you. Here, he would also bring one of the worst of Christian traits to the fore and claim that you know the truth, know that he is good and moral and heroic, and that you’re just trying to lead him astray. So, rather than him having to repent, you should. Alfed would prove to be hard headed in everything, though on minor issues and things he would be more inclined to listen and admit that he’s wrong than on major ones. In total, he wouldn’t be extremely communicative on things he doesn’t like, excluding it is something that is tied to his idiosyncrasies, since he would think that rules of the game are clear to you. So, from a certain point onwards, you’ll find yourself walking on egg-shells around him, unless you figure him out and fast. 

Additionally, he is a very busy man. This is a person that can’t sit still for even an hour and has a mind that would constantly race from one train of thoughts to the next set of ideas. Life with him would never be boring (unless you are bad and don’t obey him), so you yourself might end up being too busy to notice all the red flags in the beginning. The start would also be the get-to-know-you phase, where you would have considerably more freedom, so life with him in it would feel exhilarating. While luring you in his fold, he would also be very indulgent towards you and take you where-ever you wish to go. A holiday to Tuscany? Booked and the luggage packed. Need help with your bills? They are already paid. Advise on some future life choice? His lecture/prep talk is going to be over two hours. 

Though, he is also calculating. Not only in the scheming, villain manner, but also in the most literal sense of the word. His actions regarding you, and even just the choice to engage with you is weighed against a set of internal scales. Like any savvy businessman, he wants the costs to him to be as minimal as possible while making maximum profit. To him, this is how the world works and there is absolutely nothing wrong with it. So, you would have to bring something to the table as well. Should he help you, then we’re supposed to help him in return. Get a loan from him, then pay it back full and with interest - should you have troubles with that, then he’ll have no problems in … tweaking you or also parts of your life to achieve the desired end result. 

Alfred is also manipulative, and to a horrifying extent. He’d not shy away from restricting your access to information, and sculpting your views to his liking. Even the information that you would be able to get your hands on would be framed to influence you and play on your emotions. He would know a whole array of psychological tricks and shortcuts that he wouldn’t hesitate to use on you. However, if you would do the same to him, he would scream foul. Rules for thee, but not for me indeed. That is a further problem with him - his own perceived exceptionalism dictates that he is above everybody else, and the other’s are just chess pieces on his game board. 

Cornering - How would they get you?

With the carrot and the stick. Ideally, you should never be aware of the stick, though if you put a toe out of line, the stick will become very noticable. In the case that you cooperate, then it would be a Hollywood romance (and like those protagonists in movies, he’ll be similarly incapable of accepting rejection). The future with you should be white and fluffy, akin to a picture-book perfect fantasy. He would also use promises and allusions to such a fate to get you where he wants you. If you have doubts, or if you are a not-so-willing bride, then some pressure would be applied - he would convince your relatives and friends that he’s the best option for you, and have them press-gang you into marrying him. 

Else, he’ll appeal to your naked self-interest, if you have such inclinations. He’ll present himself as the ideal protector, or a way to grant you financial security, or find some other way to awaken your interest. Perhaps you’ll even be convinced that you want the union more than him, that you’re the one using him to your advantage. 

Of course, if push comes to shove, then he would simply abduct you, break you down and rebuild you to his liking. To make an omelette, you have to break a few eggs - that would be his line of thinking if the. Asides, it would all be your fault for not having the right values. 

Expectations - What do they expect of you?

This is the tricky and controversial part. You see, part of Alfred’s expectations, ones that he isn’t even conscious of since he takes them as given, would be that you fit in his world view. What that would entail would be that you hold capitalism and liberalism to be the most progressive forms of politics, that the world must strive towards more freedom and more democracy to reach the end of history, that people are selfish and vainglorious and every interaction between people is nothing more than a transaction. That your lines of thought run on the exact same structures as his do - a liberal, faustian worldview. The matter here is, if you have a different outlook in that regard, then he wouldn’t accept it as valid. You would be declared evil or stupid, or both, by him and he would strive to “save you” and bring you to the light. 

One trait that he would consciously want of you, would be that you’re entertaining. If there is one thing that he wouldn’t tolerate well, then it would be boredom. Don’t induce that in him, don’t let him become bored with you - if you are already in his grasp and he grows disinterested in you, then you’d have a cruel fate ahead of you. Be unpredictable (but not too much, he wants to keep you under lock and key) and challenging to him. In the show that is his life, be either the villian that he must defeat or the love interest that he must save and conquer. . Hence, you'll always have to find ways to be novel and exciting to him - not an easy feat with such a capricious individual. Challenge him, change the rules of the game, make him suffer to have his pleasure. Not too much though - harm could befall you if you make matters too difficult while not having the upper hand. 

Whatsmore, he would expect you to heed him and look up to him. Let him up your knight in shining armour, your shining city on the hill. The trick would be finding the right balance of relenting and resisting; the tricky part would be that this balance would change over time and not in a very predictable fashion. Still, laud and lionise him, make him feel special and wanted. Should he have the feeling that you understand him like no other, then he would be less inclined to throw you away. This could be an advantage or a disadvantage, depending on how your overall standing to each other is. 

Further, he expects you to be of a cheerful disposition. You don't have to be sweet as sugar and everything nice, you are allowed to have a temper and swear and rage from time to time. Blazes, your niceness and optimism is allowed to be very selective. Though, it would have to be in the range of what he would deem as normal. That being said, if you don't entirely fulfil his expectations there, then he wouldn't see it as a dealbreaker. He can "fix" you after all. The end result should then be a person who is committed to him, who greets him at the door and reciprocates his affection. Him and you against the world. Shake your fist at everybody else; it is alright if he is the only one you give your smiles and heart to. 

Beauty is another characteristic that he would seek in a partner. You wouldn't even have to be conventionally beautiful to fulfil his expectations, or even healthy. That being said, he would want you to be pretty in a sense that sickness wouldn't tarnish your looks, like the Victorian ladies that suffered from tuberculosis. In a way, you should be the sort of person that could be cast in a movie. 

Faded - Would they let go of you in any way?

In the case that he would find somebody more enticing, then you would just be casted aside like a ruined doll. Not that he would necessarily throw you out onto the street; it would be more likely that you would be “stored” somewhere, withering away since that you wouldn’t be the centre of his attention anymore. Chances are that he would forget about you, forget to give you sustenance or maintain your hygiene - most likely he’ll only remember you when the stench of your decomposing body reaches his nostrils. That, or he would just drop you off in the middle of nowhere and leave you to fend for yourself. What happens to you beyond that, won’t be his business, or so he would insist.  

On a less macabre front, you could also just slip away in such a scenario and he wouldn’t really care, unless you divulge state secrets and/or sic the police on him. Aside from that, if something else would take up all his attention and commitment, you could actually have a fair chance of making a break for it and staying free forever. By the time he could spend time and attention on you, the trial would have gone cold. Maybe he would even give up on you then. 

Another possibility would be if he would be forced to let you go. Say, if his actions actually lead to negative consequences for him and his power wanes, third parties could intervene and rip you away from him. It could be that he would even become so powerless that he would be forced to live with the outcome. Other than that, there are some lines that even he (or especially he, depending on how you look at it) wouldn’t be able to cross. Should one his rivals take you under their wing, or a weaker person/nation even just successfully hide you, then there would be little he could do about it. 

Punishment - How would they proceed if you do something they disapprove of?

Oh, he can be very harsh. The tricky part with Alfred would be, that he takes a set of ground rules to be self-evident. So, should you break said rules then it wouldn't be because of a misunderstanding, a lack of knowledge or even just an accident. Instead, he would view it as you being purposefully disobedient. That's why you might find yourself spontaneously hulled away and locked in a closet, or tied to the bed. America wouldn't be above giving you a "time-out" in the corner either. 

Else, he would be a fan of white torture. Repeated violation of the ground rules would land you in the white room. You'd stay there for some time, living a very colourless life. Your meals would be white, just like your clothing and bed and overall surrounding. There wouldn't be anything in the room with which you could entertain yourself, just a bolted down bed and a waterless toilet. Other methods that would fall in the same category would be depriving you of sleep, waking you up at random times, or also exposing you to noises that are of very low frequencies. 

Or he would make you live the same day on repeat. The same food, the same books/movies, the same clothes, the same music - those parameters would be fixed, and none of your actions can change anything about it. It would only stop when he decides you've been punished enough. 

Alfred wouldn't resort to physical or sexual abuse to teach you a lesson. Not because he is such a decent person, or because he respects you so deeply, but to keep up appearances. He wouldn't be able to show you in public if you're black and blue, and you should spread your legs for him without him having to pry them apart. Though, if you ask him to lay you over his knee and spank you, then he'll gladly indulge you. And he'll make you ask him or trick you into signing a "permission slip". It would let him punish you as he would deem fit, without ruining the picture of a picture perfect relationship. That being said, if you gain the upper hand, then it would be a different picture. 

Aside from the aforementioned ground rules, there would be variable rules that he would introduce, implement, or discard at will. America would inform you of some of them. However, he is a busy man, and would forget to tell you about changes at times. You'll still be punished, no matter how much you'd protest, though he would be a bit more lenient here from time to time. So it could be some yelling and insults, or it could be him putting you on random medication so that you can suffer from the side effects, and from the intended effects as well. 

Reaction - How would they react to you escaping?

For a short answer - look at all those Hollywood movies. 

For a long answer - shouldering a rifle with a tranquiliser dart and hunting you down like a deer. He'll be tracking your phone and constantly looking into your bank transactions. A missing person report would be put out with a finder's fee or he would have you declared a wanted criminal on some trumped up charges. 

Various surveillance cameras will be monitored and followed, and he'll have agents stationed at airports and the like to intercept you should you appear there. If that wouldn't work, then he'll call in some favours to have somebody stab you in the back and return you to him. 

Should all that fail, then he'll issue an ultimatum to you in a way he would sure that you'll notice. 

Turnabout - Scenario: You have the upper hand? What would be different from their usual MO?

There is a way you could turn the tables without him realising it, or protesting against it too much. The interests of individuals as well as collectives don't always oppose each other, sometimes they align. So, you could manipulate him into doing your bidding by pulling his heart strings or playing on his fears. Since power isn't a zero sum game, and since he has a very skewed view of reality, chances are that he wouldn't even notice. Furthermore, he might be so engrossed with his own "supremacy", that he'll willingly turn a blind eye. 

Though, should he feel threatened or that you're gaining more power over him, then all hell would break loose. Defamation would ensue, and he would do anything to drag your reputation through the mud, with tactics and assertions that would seem straight up ludicrous the longer this situation would play out. Should matters escalate, then he would resort to even graver tactics right up to killing you. With his status under threat, he would pull guns out on you, break your bones, or even strangle you. 

Vengeance - What would they do in the face of competition?

If the person can be bought, they will be bought. Alfred would just through some meaningless things their way to get them to pipe down, make some empty promises, make them sell their soul to him. He would love the opportunity to pull the rug from under them, and he would surely find a way. The despair that they would display is something that he would live for. 

Naturally, there are other methods he would apply. Such as threats and physical intimidation. In those cases, he might end up acting too much like a Disney villain. Funny how the heroes become the villains, eh? As such, he wouldn't have any guilt in swinging his fists and granting his unfortunate opponent a trip to the hospital. The whole affair would be depicted as him defending your honour. 

And if the person goes missing to never be seen again, then what can he do about it? Any and all clues that would point to him being involved would be purely coincidental. 

[putschki1969]

Hi Sarah! I’m sure you’ve gotten lots of asks about this, but it’s shocking how much Kalafina is going through just because the girls wanted to reunite. I really can’t help but be disappointed at how they’ve turned into collateral damage for “picking sides,” it feels so immature for supposedly a bunch of adults. In other news, I almost teared up at seeing Wakana send Hikaru flowers for her live. I’ve always noticed they were never the closest back then, so this interaction makes me so touched!

Hello there!

It IS shocking and incredibly sad how the girls have always had to bear the brunt of this silly feud between Team Space Craft and Team Yuki.

I have no sympathy for the higher-ups at Space Craft because those guys are businessmen who with their eyes wide open made a bunch of stupid decisions that ultimately drove away one of their "best" managers (Mori) which subsequently led to their most prolific client leaving as well. I'm sure they could have done a lot of stuff to prevent this from ever happening.

Having said that, I am also pretty indifferent towards the supposed hardships of Team Yuki in all of this. Have they been wronged at some point by Space Craft? Most likely. Would I want them to tolerate any sort of mistreatment? No, of course not. But from what little we know based on questionable sources (i.e. tabloid articles - they usually contain at least a kernel of truth※), the main points of contention have always been rather inconsequential. Someone feeling slighted for not getting ahead career-wise or maybe not getting paid enough, someone's pride being hurt due to random actions, someone not getting the creative freedom/preferential treatment they want or they think they deserve, etc...Don't get me wrong, these are all valid reasons to get angry about, you have every right to fight for this stuff and it is your prerogative to cut ties with your existing work arrangement if you don't manage to get it but is any of this truly worth upholding a year-long feud? I don't think so!

Just look at what's happening regularly in the Japanese entertainment industry! The most recent Fuji TV scandal is a perfect example of everything that's fucked up in the industry. In comparison, the entire SC vs. YK conflict comes across as mere child's play, just some petty shit※. What have Yuki and Mori really suffered? Arguably nothing except a bruised ego. What have they lost as a result of the feud? Maybe some connections, possibly some money or licenses. But just look at everything that has happened after they left Space Craft! They've come out of this small drama so much stronger and more successful than ever before! Yuki has gone on to reach the very peak of her musical career (deserved of course!) with Mori pulling some of the strings from behind the scenes. She still has the rights to Kalafina's music (if not the band itself) and gets to perform the songs whenever she likes with any singers she chooses. From an objective point of view, it's a total win-win situation for her, especially as long as she was still having access to both Keiko and Hikaru who would willingly participate in all the live activities. Although Yuki herself has admitted many times that she doesn't really care all that much about who is singing her songs (as long as she deems the person to be suitable for the song in question). According to her own statements, all her vocalists are interchangeable so when she claims that she has tried everything within her might to get all three girls back together for a Kalafina reunion I have a hard time believing her. Yes, she respects the girls on some level but I just don't think it's really all that important to her that Kalafina's music is sung by Wakana, Keiko and Hikaru so why would she go out of her way to reconcile with Space Craft so they can find a solution for this mess...? I've said it before and I will say it again, Team Yuki has more leverage in this conflict and they pretend to have the moral high ground so if this feud is still ongoing, the logical conclusion is that they actively choose to let it continue. Not saying that Space Craft aren't doing their fair part in keeping the conflict alive but somewhere underneath all the stupidity, greed, arrogance and pride, they must know that 1) Yuki was in many ways the driving force behind their success 2) Kalafina was their most prolific project and 3) Kalafina's music without Yuki's involvement would not work well in the long run. It would obviously be in their interest to collaborate with Yuki again to get the Kalafina project properly back on its feet. I am sure they have some silly demands (just like Team Yuki will have their own) but it's just incomprehensible to me how they have not been able to find at least some common ground during all these years...

Anyway, my point is that the Kalafina members do not deserve to be caught in the middle of a feud between people who for all intents and purposes should act in a more mature manner and who could solve all the issues by making certain concessions and acting a little less petty. The girls have put so much of themselves into the Kalafina project, it means the world to them so it's a shame that it has become this controversial thing that causes so much conflict and drama. They have fun exploring new paths in their solo careers and I hope it's something they can continue to do in the future but it's obvious that there was always a strong wish to rekindle the Kalafina project. Not being able to perform together as a group has taken a huge toll on them so of course they would be passionate about a reunion. They conveyed nothing but love, happiness and gratitude when they were finally standing on stage together. To see them being punished for having those genuine feelings is truly painful...Of course they made that choice for themselves and to some extent, they must have known what awaited them for "picking a side", I just hope the concert and whatever comes next will feel rewarding enough to them so that all the drama will eventually become a price worth paying...

Re: Flower bouquet: Yes, it was so nice to see Wakana send a lovely bouquet for Hikaru's final tour concert. Hikaru made sure to mention in one of her Instagram posts that Wakana was invited just like everyone else but due to a personal commitment, she couldn't make it so instead, she sent flowers in support (which Hikaru appreciated a lot of course). It's a small gesture but it means so much to us fans who have had to survive on bread crumbs for the past 7 years. To see them openly support each other is such a treat. We might never go back to the old times where we would get an abundance of lovey-dovey content (although I would love that) but as long as there small things like this or amazing photos like the one below, I am beyond happy.

※Please note that the above views are based on the premise that none of the higher-ups at Space Craft have ever engaged in any form of sexual misconduct or other abhorrent behaviour. All "evidence" (however ill-founded it may be) points towards them being stupid at best and grossly disrespectful at worst but as far as we know, none of their actions have ever been overly reprehensible, let alone criminal in nature. If anything of this sort comes to the surface one day, rest assured that I will be the first person to do a 180 degree turn and completely condemn them but as long as their worst crime is being stubborn dickheads (not a rare trait among old businessmen - especially in Japan) and our girls feel seemingly comfortable staying with them (in Wakana's case) or working with them again (in Keiko's and Hikaru's case), why would I waste my time villainising them?

[to-rise-above-monsters]

i’m really interested in y’all’s takes (and if this is popular /yall are are interested i might make polls for more characters)

below is propaganda for what i think/what im tied between (very long)

^this is mainly the inspo for everything i wrote

so a decade ago when I made my original Hogwarts au i felt so sure of my placements. but then as the characters became so complex and more was revealed, it’s obviously more nuanced.

lion was clearly my choice at the beginning. he’s an impulsive, reckless, strong willed, bold, determined, passionate and selfless person. because he was fighting for a cause we agreed with, he was heroic. he exemplified the good parts of gryffindor; following his morals and what he believed was right and driven towards his goals for freedom. he had such intense personal justice and morality to the point that he believed that those that took freedom from others deserved to died.

but without a doubt, that was twisted when we realized the traits he had were not necessarily for humanity but for his own selfish desires. which showed his true snake nature. he only cared to protect himself and his loved ones. he didn’t care about anything or anyone else in the end, and maybe he never did. all he cared about was his own personal freedom being taken from him and he would do anything to get it and punish those that stole it from him.

he didn’t know why but he wanted to destroy everything. is that more lion or snake? he’s such a simple minded character. sees everything in such black and white, me vs them, extreme to extreme, killing himself for humanity or genociding the world. and he was prepared to and did do extremely unethical and manipulative things to get what he wanted. he cares about his people and will destroy everyone else. that’s so key to being a snake. but being single-minded is also like key lion trait.

i’ve noticed that the line between lion and snake is very thin. and so is badger and snake surprisingly.

-

also to those who are curious how he might fit into the other houses:

with badger, his loyalty was and is a key component of his character. he wanted freedom, he didn’t want to die, but he could not kill his friends. he could not escape his main ties to his friends. a badger’s entire basis is about care for all people, however a badger can decide who counts as a ‘person’. he has no problem killing titans at the beginning but then decides to spare the one on the floor. he dehumanizes those who take freedom from others and makes it in his head that they don’t count as ‘people’. which culminates in him wiping out everyone who is not ‘people’ to him.

but i think this exemplifies snake traits more

with bird, it’s hard to explain bc im seeing it in the sorting hat chats pov (the link i put above) but they say that bird’s main driving force is systems and the system they have crafted must be followed. most birds change the system and make it more complex as the learn more. but stagnant birds are those that refuse to change. when his need for freedom conflicts with his knowledge that everything is predetermined and he has no real choice, his system breaks and he becomes depressed and is consigned to suicide.

tho …i don’t know. he’s like the least bird person ever. he is impulsive and reckless. he only starts to be calculating in the end of his life in an extremely snake way. he doesn’t systemize his morals or views of the world or is in pursuit for knowledge and truth. rather he is very dead set on one goal and commits even when he knows it’s wrong (which a bird would never think) also bro is not wise or creative or any other characteristics—

-

So now with all the propaganda out of the way, I’d love for you to write your explanations for your choice! (long or short)

also i wanna do a poll for armin, mikasa reiner and jean bc those are alsao characters who i feel like have such nuances to them that id love to hear input:))

[snows-2am-thoughts]

PM and ADA deal Theory

Hey guys, friendly reminder that Mori is likely still gonna ask for someone from the ADA to join the PM. It honestly hurts my soul to think that the ADA will lose someone this soon after all the shit in this arc went down but Mori isn’t one to care about that kind of stuff. 

SEASON FIVE SPOILERS

This is about 1.7k words so be warned

I know a lot of people are sold on the theory that it’ll probably be Tanizaki since Asagiri is big on foreshadowing and Tanizaki does have a homicidal side but I don’t think he’d let himself be put in a position to where his sister might be in danger or get a target on her back. He’d probably run away or kill the people in question before that happened. Not to mention since his run in with Akutagawa and the black lizard that he sort of hates most if not all of the mafia members. He was so ready to go to war with the PM to defend the agency and someone like this would be super hard to control, deal with the ADA or not.

Mori isn’t stupid, in fact he’s very calculating and very cunning and who are his biggest obsessions? He’s always so focused on Dazai and Yosano but both of these are off limits in his eyes. Yosano is off limits because of the terms of the deal with Fukuzawa and Dazai is off because Mori wants him to come back on his own. Now we have Kyouka, Atsushi, Kenji, Ranpo  and Kunikida left to choose from. 

Kunikida is off the table I think because he’s a child bombing away from just completely breaking. There is a part of me that believes Mori could pick Kunikida solely to break him and watch Fukuzawa and Dazai suffer but Mori is also the type of boss that doesn’t want to waste powerful allies if he doesn’t need to. I mean, he’s literally letting Tachihara choose his loyalties, he’ll probably still get punished severely but Mori isn’t one to just waste men unless it’s for good reason or worth the risks. Also Kunikida is Fukuzawa’s successor and something tells me that Mori doesn’t wanna deal with the strict moral types. 

Ranpo is definitely off the table. Fukuzawa would go batshit if Mori picked him. He just lost his childhood best friend. Do you think he’s gonna let Mori take his son next? No he will not. Also Ranpo would blatantly refuse to work with him. He’s smart enough to survive but Ranpo is disinterested in most things and Fukuzawa is really the only one who can make him do something. I don’t think Mori would want to deal with that either. 

Now we have Atsushi, Kenji and Kyouka. Mori usually chooses children to take under his wing because they’re easy to manipulate and easy to mold into his ideal subordinates. However Kyouka was already in the mafia once and Kouyou even used up her slight favor with Mori to let her leave the mafia with no consequences. I don’t think he’d want to deal with the hassle of internal conflict since Kouyou would be pissed if he took Kyouka away from the light that she enjoys so much. However much Kouyou wants to deny that she can’t help Kyouka anymore, she’s only human and she’s very much attached to the Kyouka who shares a similar past and ability. 

Kenji’s situation is kind of hard to determine. As stated, Mori does prefer to mold and manipulate children rather than adults but Kenji is kind of an oddity among humans. Not because of his ability but because of his personality. He’s very much a “you fuck around and find out” type of guy is willing to believe the best in people despite what they may do or have done. I don’t see many reasons why Mori wouldn’t choose him other than there are better options than Kenji. Sure Kenji is super powerful with a very useful gift but there are other members that would fit his goals better. 

Now Atsushi, he’s the biggest contender for the mafia recruit in my mind for a few reasons. Now we saw in the series that there were gonna be three main villains (The Guild, the Decay of Angels and the Order of the Clock Tower) and now we have finished out with two of them. This means that we’re possibly getting into the last major arc or two of the main plot of the story and there are still so many unanswered questions about Atsushi. 

Atsushi was deemed the envy of all ability users by Fyodor which was why Shibusawa originally held an interest in him. My question is why Fyodor was interested enough in Atsushi to know of him and what is their connection that Fyodor was even able to know of him. Fyodor is a genius but the orphanage headmaster said that he was a randomly dumped toddler and he lived most of his life in a cage in the orphanage. This in itself is fishy but I’ll get to that in a second. Moreover, Atsushi’s ability seems like it just resists almost all other abilities with the ability to cut through space itself and high regeneration abilities that causes most wounds to go away instantly when he’s in his full tiger form, most other abilities don’t affect him when he’s fully a tiger. 

Who is called the most powerful ability user? Natsume is, and he is able to turn into a cat. Seeing the pattern here? When did the headmaster die? When he was trying to find Atsushi and talk to him again. It’s very suspicious timing and I wholeheartedly believe that he was silenced by someone who didn’t want Atsushi knowing something important about himself. And then we have the seven billion bounty that was put on his head because of his ability. I don’t think that it’s a coincidence that Fitzgerald, who wanted to find The Book, wanted the tiger so badly that he was willing to spend that much. 

Asagiri is a beast at foreshadowing and he doesn’t do anything for kicks, all of his moves are deliberate. There is something about Atsushi that we’re missing and I’m willing to bet that Mori, who was going to accept the bounty, wants to know what it is as much as we do. Atsushi’s strange ability, the holes in his past from before the orphanage, Fyodor and Shibusawa’s interest in him, his correlation to Natsume, his probable connections to locating the book and the fact that Dazai was coincidentally there to save him when he came to Yokohama? Yeah, there’s definitely something up with Atsushi and the poor kid doesn’t even realize it. 

So yes, I do think that Mori either a) wants to figure out Atsushi’s situation in relation to everything or b) he knows something and wants to exploit it out of him. My second point is that Mori wants to break Dazai down and build him up as the perfect PM boss. Mori is someone who manipulates and breaks from the sidelines then watches conflict and in the aftermath, glues the pieces of what once was back together in a collage of his own liking. He knows he can’t beat Dazai but he can make him suffer. Who is Dazai the closest to at the agency? Atsushi. 

Dazai always says, “Atsushi and the others” while making sure Atsushi makes it out alive in any situation that he is in. Dazai has a big soft spot for Atsushi, the kid he took in as a mentor and the kid who wholeheartedly believes without any hesitation that he is a good person. He brought his own chair and made a home in Dazai’s heart without his permission. Atsushi knows he was in the PM, knows he’s the reason for a lot of Akutagwa’s issues, knows about some of the atrocities he’s committed but still smiles genuinely at him. Of course he doesn’t know everything but Atsushi is probably Dazai’s biggest apologist (It’s not Akutagawa but that's for a different post). Atsushi is the personification of Oda’s last wish to Dazai and Mori definitely knows that he can hurt Dazai by hurting his beloved mentee.

Mori is also very aware of the new generation of soukoku. If he’s able to wrangle and manage Akutagawa (he’s alive shut up) a little more because Atsushi is his partner then all the more reason to choose him. Atsushi covers all the bases, a mysterious power that could make his organization that much more untouchable, mess with Dazai, mess with the agency and manage his own employees better. It doesn’t help that Atsushi’s mental state isn’t the best. He’s not a kid but he’s traumatized and doesn’t have the same development other 18 year olds do, and that can be just as easily to manipulate as a child. It would be difficult because Atsushi genuinely believes in Dazai with everything he is but every person is able to break and Mori is especially good at that. 

I know that Fukuzawa’s ability is the reason we don’t see any more late night weretiger situations but Atsushi has so much more control now than when he did at the beginning of the series. It’s also very much possible that Mori is looking for a degree of uncontrollable tiger to help him with his goals. It’s also been confirmed that pain can manage his transformations as seen with his collar in BSD BEAST. 

It also doesn’t help that Asagiri tends to go through the trauma route to have his characters develop and experiencing the “darkside” of Yokohama just may be what he thinks Atsushi needs to develop more. 

So yeah, I think Mori may choose Atsushi as the new PM member but don’t quote me on this if I’m wrong, it’ll be embarrassing. They also may just throw this plotline out the window since both sides suffered this past arc, they may find it illogical to go through with the deal when the truce between the PM and ADA is still sensitive but I doubt it. Mori isn’t one to care for those things. 

[npd-avpd-culture-is]

hello. i don't know if this counts as an ask that's allowed here. i hope it is. i don't know where else to say this where i won't get backlash.

so. my entire live i thought i'm neutral towards love. i thought i was just someone who doesn't feel love. and hearing "i love you" from other people is just neutral. but last year i found out that actually, it does feel so good if said by someone who does know who i am and accept myself fully, including the ugly parts i've always kept hidden from other people. the npd that i didn't realize yet that i have, yes. but also the avpd. cause you know. people consider ghosting etc as bad. i don't just tell anyone i'm a chronic ghoster. and also the other pds i have. like the bpd. i have serious abandonment issues.

from these stuff alone it's already hard to be open about every aspect of my life and personality. the avpd and bpd contradicts each other that i feel like people who understand the avpd will not feel comfortable with the bpd, and the people who only understand the bpd will hate the avpd.

recently i found out something else. the npd also influences things. my brain sorts people into hierarchies. i apparently only accept "i love you"s from those i deem either equal or superior. i get repulsed hearing that from people i deem inferior.

problem is? the majority of people that my avpd brain considers safe belong in the inferior category. the majority of people that i deem superior and/or equal does not meet my avpd standards of safety. therefore, hearing "i love you" from those who don't meet all the criteria will either repulse me (which will trigger me to ghost them. when i get like that i feel so violated i see them as so lowly they don't even deserve an explanation because how dare you, as an inferior, believe you're above me enough to give me validation about how lovable i am), or does not make me feel anything and doubt its sincerity (because these people i deem superior have not seen the entirety of myself. it feels as fake as an "i love you" from positivity posts directed at no one in particular)

the one person who meets all the criteria has not been saying "i love you" to me because of the conflicts that have happened between us, and they also happen to be a chronic ghoster. i know all their ghosting triggers and all of them seems to have been met. they have not been answering my messages for so long i fear they might already ghost me forever. i'm so scared. ever since they came into my life i have gotten "addicted" to words of affirmations because i never knew i could like it that much. i've been trying to replace them by looking elsewhere in so many other places, but i don't know how to find someone who meets all the criteria. like. even if i look in, say, bpd spaces, there's no guarantee they will understand npd (and a lot are actually also demonizing npd). if i look in npd spaces, even when i find a good one, they turn out to be anti-endo. plus what am i gonna do with the avpd? that's not counting every other aspects that influence how people get ranked in my hierarchy and how safe they are.

i don't know what to do. i realized the "love and affection from people i deem inferior is very repulsive" way too late. and now that i realized that it exists, i feel like i can't just go around in places being direct about feeling unloved. like yes sure i'm allowed to have preferences, i guess. i know my preferences don't meet the morality standard, though. my brain has turned so many previously safe people into "inferior beings who dare to believe they're above me by trying to reassure me that i am loved and that they love me". now i've lost them because the npd brain just don't want to associate with "people who dared to not know their place" and i've lost them. like yes i know i can just reach out to them, but brain deems them as so bad they don't even deserve an explanation to being ghosted. because with the avpd, i'm also very picky about who gets to know such vulnerable information about myself.

i hate this. i hate this so much. i don't know what to do

hi! of course, we accept any asks to do with NPD + AvPD not just the “_culture-is” stuff. sorry it’s taken us so long to answer this, we wanted to wait until we had time to respond in full and give this the time it deserves but life has been hectic. I’ll put everything else we have to say under a read more if you don’t want any input from us and just needed somewhere to vent (which is totally fine), in which case I’m glad I could provide that and I hope things get better

I can relate to a lot of what you’re saying. The hierarchy thing is also a big part of it for us, and we don’t like words of affirmation from people we aren’t close/that aren’t on the same “level” as us either. It just doesn’t feel genuine to us even if we know it is, and it makes us uncomfortable to hear. We’ve never known anyone we feel fully good hearing “I love you” or similar from, but I can imagine how nice that must be.

It is super hard trying to find a space that’s accepting of both avpd and npd and feel safe on top of that. The only space we feel safe to freely talk about npd+avpd is in dms with our friend that also has them. And I can imagine how much harder it is to find a space that’s accepting of bpd as well.

I’m sorry that’s happening to you. We’ve had friends online disappear on us before so I know that can be painful, especially if it’s someone important to you. If it’s possible to work out those conflicts and you want to stay connected with this person I’d recommend making that known to them. If they feel comfortable enough to reach out again you can work things out, but if they’ve decided to fully ghost you then there’s nothing you can do about that unfortunately. It is tough finding someone that fits all the criteria to be exactly on your level, it’ll just take time and putting yourself out there, tho know how hard/downright impossible that can be.

You’re right that you’re allowed to have your preferences, and boundaries. Morality be damned, thought crimes don’t exist and you certainly aren’t a “bad person” for only being comfortable receiving affirmation from certain people. There’s nothing wrong with that, and you deserve to have people in your life that can give you that. I hope you can find that again and that things get easier, I know what a hell these disorders and the way people treat them can be.

You’re always welcome to vent in our inbox or DMs.

[katyspersonal]

Can we talk about how, despite everything, you have managed to create a community where truth and fairness are a priority in the midst of a fandom where social hierarchy, black and white puritanical morality, and narrow-minded judgements were the norm?

And how fucking good it feels to know that just being honest and trying to point out double-standards and fighting back by being loud in support of nuanced, open-minded discussion and analysis instead of adding to the cycle of hating/lashing out has managed to craft a safe haven for people who think this way too?

Your haven may not be “popular” but it’s real and it’s an oasis for people who don’t weaponize their narrow morality or past experiences to justify bullying and lying and “calling out” every sign of flawed behavior in others.

*reads your recent emotional longpost in your blog and connects the dots with this ask*

sdfjhhdssd Okay okay fine, sorry XD (you are still a chicken tho)

I am glad that you really like the little "group" that self-organised around us the way you do, really.; Tbh I never expected it to ever become anything BUT us four (you, Val and Fantomette). However, not only other people tagged along with us, but we were also able to infect others with "put one's speaking against toxic kind of fans in the main tags" virus so now it is even EASIER for us to find each other!

Though to be honest, you guys only see me 'safe' because you are generally used to a kind of "moody" and complicated people in your lives. Before you guys met me, you've already dealt with relatives with hardcore depression and them dreaded "bad victims", so I was not someone outlandishly troublesome for you. Otherwise, ironically, whereas I attract people with my post, I am also the one who pushes them away by saying something heavily opinionated or reacting poorly to something. I am not ashamed of this, I am proud; I don't want people who are unable to handle any form of inconvenience and work the conflicts out, they are stressed by life in a different way and they have different small groups to form. I just want to point out that our idea of safety, with brutal honesty and letting flaws and conflicts happen freely is certainly not a universal standard sdhdsh (Shallow people like hopepunks who just clutch at "good vibes" and "being neutral" when their friends are bullied, on the other hand, I just can't stand)

I don't even know what I am trying to say anymore, sorry. It is just kind of hard to uphold this group when no boundaries set and the only filter is whether I can yap something "inconvenient" consistently. But if I don't, I will attract people who 'just like cute art and elaborate loredigging' and this is just not what I want of internet. I am not online to chill before I go back to ✨real✨ world and hang out with ✨real✨ people, I am here for legit human interactions and bonds. Internet used to be a place to rest from hardships of reality, but now things have changed, and it is the other way around: you are not allowed to avoid the internet spaces anymore for many reasons (for example if you live in the country that "protects" you from truthful news and from sane people COUGH COUGH). So, it is the real world where you rest from the internet now. Or, perhaps, we no longer have a place to rest, so why bother? x)

And I sure don't want to elaborately describe my preferences in fandom and add some sort of BYF/DNFI field in a pinned post to help people to preemptively "curate their experience". If I am to be rejected by a fellow fan, then only and only after they actually come in contact with something they don't like about me. Like, no! You won't get to decide against following me for fun lore posts when you read that I can be rude and explosive! You will decide against it when you actually see a post when I am rude and explosive!! I am against the mindset of frantically avoiding feeling anything that might make one uncomfortable, and I WILL make it everyone else's problem!!!

Okay this is all to say that we are probably insane for what our idea of "safe oasis" is and a type of people who dread the promises of Heaven where no negative thing can be ever experienced. I would not have had it any other way tho

[nostalgebraist]

Indeed, one might even say: it is a human value that the future ought not be "shaped by human values," in the peculiar sense of this phrase employed by the AI doomers.

This is clearly incorrect. I do not think there has ever, in the history of the human race, been a generation that did not overwhelmingly collectively believe that the future ought to be shaped by their values and not the values of their successors or children.

There is no more popular historical pastime than complaining about the poor morals of the young and how they are disturbing the good old traditions of proper conduct. Every generation says this. They say it with despair, because they know it will not happen - that they do not have the power to enshrine their values and prevent their descendants from fucking it up. But they value not changing; they value that very strongly.

If the LWsphere and the Bostom/Yudkowsky argument is in any way unusual, it is because it is much more liberal than any society (the current one included) has ever collectively been, and therefore talks very seriously about how we must not enshrine our current conception of value, but must figure out how to extrapolate how it would change, despite the universal appeal of enshrining our current values - that even if it was us, living forever, our values would not stay the same.

Figuring out that seems even harder than making an AGI, and giving an AGI any chosen values at all rather than something uncontrolled and randomly chosen from some unknown space looks hard enough, that the question of what, given the choice, we should tell one to value, has mostly stopped being dwelt on since CEV was judged unsatisfactory. That doesn't mean no one cares, it means they have more urgent problems.

I mean, I get it. I sort of agree with this. I do feel like I'm maybe being overly idealistic w/r/t "human values," or projecting my own unusually high-openness (?) values onto humanity as a whole.

Maybe, but then, maybe not.

There is no more popular historical pastime than complaining about the poor morals of the young and how they are disturbing the good old traditions of proper conduct. Every generation says this. They say it with despair, because they know it will not happen - that they do not have the power to enshrine their values and prevent their descendants from fucking it up. But they value not changing; they value that very strongly.

I think there is at least one comparably popular historical pastime: making this exact observation, often in a tone of lament or rebuke.

That is, the reason you are here saying this is a "popular historical pastime" is not that you have yourself conducted a survey of generational conflict in numerous historical eras, and have made note of this constant. I mean, maybe you have, but if so you didn't need to. The reason you're saying this is that it's a thing people always say, and (probably) have always said.

It is true that you can go back even to the ancient world and find old people grouching about how the young have lost their morals. But you can also find people from a very long time ago complaining about how every single generation does this.

It is not as though there were some period of 10000+ years in which the old grouched about the young, and the young went on to grouch about the next crop of kids when they got old, but no one ever noticed the pattern -- and then there is some very recent, very brief "modern" period where people woke up and said "wait, we keep doing thing." People have always noticed.

There have always been grandparents, ready to tell you how wild and lost your parents were when they were young, and how much they despaired for the world, seeing it. And, ever since the human or proto-human mind became capable of noting the irony and oddity here, we have in fact been noting it.

Likewise, there have always been at least some grandparents capable of noticing that they now have grandkids, and they seem all right. That society is somehow still running pretty well, despite all their fears -- and even though things really are kind of different, now. Ever since the grandparent or proto-grandparent mind became capable of noting the apparent implication, grandparents have in fact been noting it, and moving closer to being at peace with posterity.

Not all grantparents, not all of the time. Obviously not! The exceptions are all too familiar. But we are too smart as a species to just not notice this kind of stuff, ever, period.

Yes, the elderly tend to complain about the young, but in their best moments they can concede points to the young, too, where points are due.

The cartoon images we draw of the elderly, fixed in their ways and hardened irrevocably against a changed world, have a strong basis in real fact. But we are too smart (among other things), as a species, for any one of us be merely such a cartoon figure, and nothing else, and nothing more.

Maybe I'm being too sentimental, or too idealistic, or too modern, or something. But that's what I think, anyway.

[littlemoonastrology]

Aries and Libra - Sister Sign Dynamics

Aries knows what they want by nature and is very direct, ambitious and headstrong (with a sweet humanitarian streak!). Once an Aries placement falls in love, they FALL and will do anything they can to make sure their partner feels safe and secure in the relationship. They're very protective and loyal towards their loved ones (and people close to them), willing to support them and even sacrifice parts of their life if they care enough.

On the other hand, Libra tends to be quite abstract, polite and indecisive (but when they know what they want they have no issues going for it!). Whilst a Libra placement might be very attracted to certain traits (and may become pretty obsessive or have some kind of rose-coloured glasses), they may find it difficult to find someone they are actually in love with. Once they find this person though, they fall hard and fast - but they may even be even confused! When Libra placements are in love, they want to make sure they look their best and will try hard to look attractive and be polite.

Both of these placements are very excited by the other and are drawn together especially if they have mutual values! Aries and Libra both prioritise fairness in a relationship, making sure the other is respected and treated well at all times. Aries appreciates the physical (and mental) attractiveness of Libra, enjoying the feeling that they have something to protect and keep safe. This is great, as Libra is attracted to Aries' more masculine side and enjoys the feeling of being protected and supported - allowing them to feel safe and reassured. If both Aries and Libra have mutual values and treat each other with fairness/respect, this can be a fantastic relationship filled with growth and satisfaction! This pairing brings out the absolute best in each other....

...however, it's very important for this pair to maintain some kind of balance in the relationship. Otherwise, they can bring out the worst.

Aries is capable only of doing what they can do (but will go above and beyond) and sometimes this may not be enough for Libra. This may cause Libra to act out of character because they are getting less than they deserve (especially if this is long-term, Libra may start to get confused which causes a sense of inner conflict which they may not know how to deal with). In reaction to this, Aries may start to become quite passive (or aggressive!) as they feel disrespected, stressed and like they're being burnt out. If this conflict isn't sorted out, it's possible it could escalate into some sort of screaming match where both parties are disrespecting the other entirely. Aries may throw out jabs at Libra, whilst Libra may fully critique Aries. It's at this point the pairing realise they don't have any mutual values at all and they both part ways.

In order for this kind of pairing to work (and it definitely can!), it is VITAL that Aries and Libra have similar values, stances on morality, long-term goals and respect each other. Libra shouldn't demand too much from Aries and Aries shouldn't try to be too overbearing with Libra (as it may feel like they're being "suffocated" and have a lack of freedom). Both partners could just accept the relationship is this way - but deep down they may be quite unsatisfied in some aspect of the relationship. If they find this is the case - they can work on it together and learn some form of compromise to both get what they want, respecting each other's differences and personal lives.

Remember, you can't change a person. If you can't accept your partner's flaws or differences you may have then it is better off you both move on to find someone else more compatible for you.

~

{READINGS AVAILABLE}

~

Sister Signs (otherwise known as Polarities) describe a dynamic where two Zodiac Signs are opposites of each other in a Natal Chart.

For example: Aries is opposite Libra on the Natal Chart, making Libra the Sister Sign of Aries.

~

At first when these Polarities meet each other, there may not be much interest to begin with (maybe even some kind of dislike). Although if one decides to start speaking (perhaps over a common interest), both parties end up getting increasingly curious about each other - intrigued by how different the other is. As the connection grows, both parties may start to talk about deeper topics - eventually forming a relationship (or a deeper form of friendship). Both people in the connection in the beginning view each other as someone they can rely on and trust with advice.

However, the connection is not easy to maintain.

As the relationship/friendship continues, both parties may start to resent each other for their differences - maybe resorting to pettiness or start having lots of small arguments. They may also feel like they can't properly rely on the other, trust in the other and this furthers the rift between them. There may be some essence of passion between them still (if they are in a relationship, if this is more platonic take it as some kind of attachment) but these issues disallow the relationship to grow further - creating stagnancy.

Maybe to some extent too in order to get some kind of freedom or feel like they can be themselves, there may be some kind of betrayal involved (although this is in very unhealthy cases). Either way, some important boundaries may get broken and it is very difficult to revive this kind of situation (and often it is better to leave it and move on).

If they decide to cut contact or not communicate, both parties may start to develop some form of dislike/hatred between each other and avoid each other completely, not wanting the other involved in their life at all.

As time progresses and with personal development, eventually both people come to terms with the friendship/relationship that used to be - having learnt a lot and moved on.

~

For this kind of friendship/relationship to flourish, both Sister Signs must learn to accept each other's differences and not try to enforce control/individualism. Whilst they are very different, they should also try to find common interests and learn to view things from the other's perspective. Dedicate your time to learning about each other and don't let petty/small arguments become a big thing in your relationship - prioritise healthy communication.

With boundaries, it is also really important to respect those and lay down expectations in the relationship/friendship to see if there are any similar values in order to avoid breaches of trust. Avoid getting into a relationship or becoming best friends too quickly with your Sister Sign, get to know them first properly and take your time.

This will prove if you guys will be able to make it long-term and are healthy for each other.

~

If you liked this post feel free to Reblog, Like or Follow my Blog!

[lemonsrosesandlavender]

About your OC: Queen Phaere of Firgenstrame

Thank you for the tag, @forget-me-maybe <3 I'll tag @purpleasters-inseptember @coffee-with-pigeon-milk @commander-krios and @krawwan !

I'm kicking this off with art of Phaere I got from the wonderful @goromimii ; I have references from the game for Phaere's face, but this portrait shows her far more vividly <3 Onwards to the questions!

How would you describe their personality?

Phaere is a forthright open book most of the time, a woman who's grown up believing so innately in her right to rule that she has barely encountered the idea of shame. Very little gives her pause, except Lolth's curses. She cares a great deal about knowledge and about advancing Eilistraeen ideals... as well as her own and her kingdom's power. Sometimes, this conflicts a little; Eilistraee might not particularly approve of the matriarchal aesthetics Phaere's mother brought to Firgenstrame from the Underdark, but hey, old habits die hard. She loves pleasure, and imbibes it liberally, but believes it should be balanced by the pursuit of knowledge and justice. You know. Rolan sucking her toes whilst she provisions taxes to help the poor. That sort of thing.

Above all though - and she doesn't fully realise this herself at the beginning of In Service of Magic - she's a rather idealistic romantic, who saw her parents' non-traditional but apparently perfect and easy relationship and believed that the moment Eilistraee saw fit to deliver her curse-breaker, she'd have that too. As it turns out, it is rather more complicated than that - especially since her curse-breaker is Rolan, a walking mess of ambition, temper and contradiction.

What brings your character joy?

Nothing brings Phaere more happiness than to see her curse-breaker, Rolan, choosing to kneel willingly at her feet. She also loves lavishing him with pretty clothes and gifts, seeing him take joy in new books and magic, and curling up to read together.

She loves the thrill of a hunt - riding, falconry, archery - and the indulgent peace of good wine and excellent music. All the classic delights of being a Queen with your realm's wealth at your disposal. A hunt with her mother is a particular joy; they love to go riding, shoot a deer or two, and discuss the finer points of disciplining your submissive over a glass of wine afterwards.

What does your character strongly dislike?

She despises actual cruelty, which is a little complicated for her because she loves indulging it in the bedroom. (Consensual cruelty - but cruelty nonetheless). But her family are strongly opposed to the backstabbing and unpleasantness of the Underdark. She also loathes traitors for this reason.

She also gets easily annoyed by the old guard of advisers that she keeps around to mollify the human parts of her court and kingdom (and because it was her father's wish that his closest advisers continue after his death). They argue a lot, particularly over the aesthetics (...horny and decadent) of her court.

Is your OC scared of anything?

Further encounters with Lolth's followers. We'll get there in In Service of Magic, but as is hinted at in Chapter 3 and 4, she has some old and never-healing wounds that are a frequent source of pain to her - and one of the few secrets she keeps for emotional rather than purely practical reasons. Lolth's wrath is cruel and bitter, and as an emblem of Eilistraee's success, Phaere and her mother are forever marked as targets.

What is their alignment?

I'm not a huge fan of DnD alignments because they seem inflexible to me, and also - via which system of morality? Phaere is generally a wise and fair queen, but she rules via an inherited line, has never heard of democracy, cheerfully ignores men's opinions (though she comes to respect Rolan's), and so on. She believes she's got the divine right - and need - to rule this kingdom in Eilistraee's name, and will defend it to the death. Overall, I'd call her lawful good, but not necessarily by modern standards!

Here she is, my beloved, beautiful, slightly bonkers femdom queen with a loving heart and very itchy whip fingers. I love her (and Rolan) very much, and can't wait to get back to the next chapter of their story!

[farasen]

Marlon analysis + adult headcanons

It's Marlon analysis that wasn't supposed to be an analysis baby

I think we all noticed that Marlon doesn't really have an inner conflict in the series. Moreover, he's usually the one who helps to solve these conflicts or supports other characters.

S1E3 - he's coming up with the concept for their logo, an image of their team. S2E6 - finds a guy to replace Vanessa for the game, and is just being a nice guy that can befriend an enemy (honestly this episode feels more about Kong or even Vanessa rather than Marlon). S2E11 - pretty much the only episode we see some sort of inner conflict in him, but it concerned the whole team, and again Marlon saves the day.

We don't see him angry that much either, older Wessel is trying hard to be the voice of reason. He's always the backbone, which kinda makes me wonder - does he suppress his emotions?

I've already talked about it a few times before, but I'm gonna mention it again for the full picture, but if you wanna read more you can go to this post. Wessels grew up without mother (at least we don't get a peek or even mentioning of her) so he, as an older brother, he most likely had to take care of Leon, growing up faster as a result. Marlon is just used to the role of protector, the backbone.

I saw people saying Marlon has a saviour complex, but I don't really agree with that. He does have some tendencies, but doesn't go full on white knight mode. You see, Marlon's help is not intrusive, he doesn't see his solution as the only right one and he doesn't seem to feel too much guilt when something doesn't work or at least it wasn't shown. He's just being a nice, reasonable guy most of the time.

What he does seem to have problems with is setting boundaries, especially with Leon. This was shown in s1e8 when Leon pushes Marlon to the ground. Sure, Marlon was shocked and didn't react properly in the moment, but they don't talk that through later either. And we rarely see him angry, even when he has a right to be.

He also might struggle with talking through his feelings. I don't have any proof of that from the show, but the fact that none of his episodes are actually about him is pretty concerning.

Gotta say that Marlon's moral compass is pretty clear. He wants justice (Kong in s2e6 and Leon in s2e12), he's forgiving (again Kong in s2e6 and Leon in s1e8) and supportive (basically every episode except for s1e4).

Honestly, there's nothing else I can say about Marlon as the show doesn't give any information about him. It's more interesting to talk about the possible outcomes of his behavior, which is exactly what I'm going to do further.

First of all, he would have to find his self worth. He's always been there for others, and not only for his little brother, but also for his friends. However, Leon grows older, he learns how to deal with his shit (I hope) and no longer requires a backbone in the face of his brother. Other friends don't need him that much either, they can help themselves. So, that leaves Marlon with nothing to work with. And that's the moment I think he might develop a saviour complex, because he wants to feel needed or helpful at least.

As I've mentioned before, he's most likely suppressing his emotions, which will obviously have an impact later. There could be different outcomes, from anger management issues to self harm. Or both. Whatever suits you more. I, personally, find the idea of Marlon lashing out on his friends when they break the boundaries unintentionally, but later blaming himself for that pretty appealing.

What else he can develop is depression and/or anxiety. That, again, steams from identity issues and troubles of finding his place. Moreover, that could slightly fuck up his relationships with others, cuz he would gradually drive himself away from others. And, since Marlon hadn't learnt or never felt the need of learning how to express his own emotions, his friends wouldn't be able to help him. Thus, he'd have to find a way to help himself.

And, in my opinion, the thing that would help Marlon would be art. We've seen him being creative when designing a logo for dwk, so maybe painting or creating a music would be a way of expressing himself, putting those emotions on the canvas and finally finding his own "I".

Yeah that's all I wanted to say about Marlon. It was supposed to be a sleepy rant on his adult version, but it turned into this lol.

Here, have some funny shots of him

[satyricplotter]

i just wanted you to know that i love the tomcat Dick au- i find it so intriguing whenever writers explore the idea of a more morally greyish Dick Grayson

my man is a master manipulator without even trying, he’s genuinely extremely charming and can read people like a book, a Dick Grayson that does it on purpose is just *chef’s kiss*

ALSO the angst potential 😭😭 reader being jealous of his relationship with Bruce and generally distrusting of him and his flirting all the while Dick finds himself realising that he might be ACTUALLY falling for reader and yearning for them to realise that his feelings are genuine 😭😭

thank you! it's one of my favorite things to read about too! i particularly love when writers play with the limits of a character's goodness, because personally i'm more entertained by the failings of a good man than the virtues of a bad one. it's also very fun to move pieces around and see what shifts. because this one's a very close scenario (i find it a little hard to imagine distant AUs AND rework the characters a lot as well), i think it's also really interesting to see exactly what impacted him bc, like you said, he already has a lot of those characteristics! it was really easy for me to imagine selina adopting him and the sort of man he'd grow up to be and also how he'd change her, not just because you kind of already have an idea based on the original canon, but because he would adapt seamlessly into that kind of environment and i'm super endeared by that. i also find it really interesting how you can tell more about bruce and selina's characters as people and parents by the way dick turns out lol

YES the angst !!! in this one i was interested in cultivating a very specific dynamic at the expense of ambiguity cuz like i get that the reader's character is a lot more constricting than in other instances but i just love their personal history and the places it makes them conflict with one another and how the existence of the other undermines every certainty they'd held onto like you're very rigid and dislike crime in an intensely personal way which makes you... not great as a vigilante, really, not as forgiving as you should be but he's a criminal and you know he's not that bad and he's been around you forever and sometimes you're so horribly envious of him it shocks you out of the bad opinion you keep of him and makes you think is he not that bad? are all people kind of like him? am i being like those crooked cops that let people they know get away when i let him scurry away from justice, or am i finally doing things right the way bruce wants me to? is it just because it's him? why is he the only exception? (he's not, i think bruce's 7950343 villain affairs can attest to that but--crucially bruce and dick have an intimate relationship those other people will never have) and the partner to that thought is, of course, if i had been the villain, if i'd been the thief like i was supposed to be, if i'd made it out of the alley with the same tools everybody does, would he hate me or would he love me? and you can never convince yourself bruce would EVER give you half the grace he gives that beast on the daily.

and frankly all the while dick's succumbing to his feline instincts and fine his presence did mellow selina out some so he's not completely without scruples here (i think the graysons' early education does a lot of cementing a decent person's worldview on young dick, though of course that all could be undone) but he is similarly dismissive of the world as she is, and only marginally interested in it due to his own curiosity and bruce's interest in fostering good qualities in him. so when you arrive into his life, so obviously hostile but not really a threat, he's very quick to assess the situation and respond in the way that'll bring him most pleasure, which is to be very smug and annoy you to death about it. i think for like most of your adolescence you are his favorite toy. he feels so terribly possessive of you. it doesn't matter that he's not playing with you now, he will play with you whenever he wants to (hence the robbing that person's house lol). once he grows up, he begins to want more than the rush and thrill, and where else would he turn to? you're the only true and honest thing in his life.

i don't think he's in love yet right then, or maybe he's always been in the process of being so, but the more you mature, the more the two of you begin feeling the seriousness of it pressing against you. to him, it's this interesting pang that pulls at him, that makes him go quiet and still, and to you, it's like this trap perfectly laid out for you, right, one you know every single twist and turn to, one you've been inspecting for years and years, one you know that, were you to step into it, you'd never come out of. still a trap. can you afford to be foolish? and i do think you talk about it, in the rare moments he can get you to be truthful and open, under the wide sky of gotham. and you always, always talk about it like something that'd doom you when it ends and dick just sits there with his heart throbbing in his chest thinking but why does it have to end? and not saying it out loud because he can't take the pitying, skeptical look in your eye because. well. can he really say it won't end?

[weirdestbooks]

Secrecy and Deception Chapter 32

Unsuccessful Bombings (Wattpad | Ao3)

Table of Contents | Prev | Next

Event: B-52s Bomb North Vietnam

Codename: Operation Rolling Thunder

Location: 43,000 ft above Mu Gia Pass, Democratic Republic of Vietnam

Date: April 12, 1966

The B-52 was a very different plane from the B-17 that Illinois had grown to love during the Second World War. But the job was pretty much the same.

Fly out into enemy territory, try not to get shot down, bomb something important of theirs, and then get the hell outta dodge. 

Illinois didn’t know whether he should take comfort in the fact that it was the same routine as before or be disgusted that the world hadn’t learned since the Second World War. Hadn’t learned that there were less deadly ways to do things.

It was no wonder many of his siblings were staying out of the Vietnam War and were so angry that it was happening. Some still hadn’t recovered from the devastation of the Second World War, still haunted by the things they had seen, still broken beyond repair. 

Illinois didn’t know why he decided to go to war. Why he decided to get involved in the conflict in Indochina when he was exempt from the draft, when he could have chosen to be back at home, safe and away from the blood and mud and danger of war? 

Illinois elected not to think about his reasonings. It was easier that way.  

The current run that Illinois was on was different than the many bombing runs he had done during World War Two. Instead of attacking some sort of factory, he was attacking a supply route in the Mu Gia Pass in order to prevent the North Vietnamese from getting men and material into South Vietnam, as well as destroying more of their transportation system.  

Those were two of the main objectives of Operation Rolling Thunder, the whole reason these bombing raids were happening. They were also trying to destroy the North Vietnamese will to fight, as well as boost the morale of the South Vietnamese.

It was so very similar to what he did during World War Two though, even with all the differences.

And yet, a small part of Illinois couldn’t help but feel that it wasn’t going to work in the end. There was a major difference between bombing Germany and bombing North Vietnam. Germany was easier to bomb, with big cities and factories, but their targets were smaller or harder to see through the jungle. 

It was a sign of a war that was bound to go on for a long time. Illinois might not have fought in the Pacific during World War Two, but he had heard plenty of stories from his siblings about how hard jungle warfare was, about how easy it was for your enemy to be right in front of you, and you wouldn’t see them. 

Even from the sky, it was hard to see things. 

Illinois just hoped that this war wouldn’t drag on forever.

Even though it felt like it already had. 

• ───────────────── •

Event: The US Secretary of Defence Robert McNamara admits that the US bombing raids had failed to meet their objectives

Location: Washington, District of Columbia, United States of America

Date: August 1967

Despite what many people had to say, America hated war. He hated it because it had never brought him anything but pain. Even the War of 1812 and the American Revolutionary War, two wars which helped to…which helped him leave…two wars which were very important to his personal life and how he interacted with the rest of the world, were still wars that had caused him so much heartache and pain.

There was a reason behind why he wanted to stay neutral during World War Two, in the beginning, before he was attacked. 

War was a plague that had taken so much from him, caused him to be ripped apart, caused him to watch his children be hurt and tortured and maimed and killed, and left with scars that America couldn’t heal.

Which is why America wasn’t a fan of the Vietnam War.

He knew it was for a good cause, to protect South Vietnam, to contain communism before it took over the whole world, but that didn’t mean he liked the war aspect.

They had created the United Nations. America had hoped that could mean a little more peace.

He should have known better than to hope. 

“I can’t believe it,” Caleb muttered as America rubbed at his forehead, annoyed at what he was hearing from Secretary McNamara was revealing about the bombing in North Vietnam.

“We’ve poured so much time and men and resources into that war, and all of that meant nothing?” Rebecca snapped annoyance in her voice. 

They had been bombing North Vietnam for about a year, and they hadn’t achieved a single objective. It had done seemingly nothing to impede the communist war effort, according to Secretary McNamara, leaving the whole thing as one giant mess.

Even worse, South Dakota, who had been fighting in Vietnam, had been injured and had a leg amputated.

Another one of America’s children was missing a limb.

He hated it.

“I told you this was a bad idea,” James chimed in, “We aren’t God. We can’t just decide that we don’t want something to happen and expect it to come true.”

“We should pull out now. If it’s really doing nothing to stop them…we can’t just send men to die in vain. Especially if the states are involved in it,” Rebecca argued. 

America sighed. He knew they were right. He knew that the longer the war seemed to go, the worse things seemed to get. He knew it was better to cut their losses now and pull out before more of his people died.

America also knew that he was not the one in charge of that. 

With a sigh, America stood up, interrupting Secretary McNamara, before leaving the room and walking toward the White House.

“You really think President Johnson will listen? He’s been expanding the war with the North Vietnamese ever since he took office. I don’t think anything you say will be enough to change his mind,” Caleb asked, his voice curious.

“We have to try. What else are we supposed to do? Complain about how we hate the war and then sit around and do nothing?” Rebecca snarked. Caleb sighed, and America rubbed at his forehead again, feeling his headache grow. 

Entering the White House, America immediately made his way toward the Oval Office, hoping that President Johnson wasn’t busy. 

“What if he is?” Rebecca asked.

“We bother him anyway. Isn’t that what you wanted in the first place?” Caleb asked, voice sarcastic.

“Knock it off,” James snapped. America rolled his eyes, walking into the Oval Office, and immediately launching into his spiel as soon as he realized President Johnson was alone.

“What’s the point of sending more men into Indochina? I just heard from Secretary McNamara that the bombings aren’t achieving any of their objectives, and while I don’t want communism to spread, I’m not sacrificing my people or my states for a futile war effort. And if the war effort is all for naught, then why waste money there when we can invest in other places?” America asked. President Johnson looked up from his paperwork, face perturbed.

“I’m not the only person in charge of that,” President Johnson said. America groaned.

“You still have more power with it than I do. I don’t want more of my people to die. I don’t want more of my states maimed. The war is unpopular. Either pull out my people or actually make progress. If things continue as they do…” America trailed off, not wanting to theorize. It always brought back bad memories.

War had always ended with some of the people closest to him hurt. 

He hoped that South Dakota would be the last of his states hurt in this.