#FREE THEM BOTH COME TO THINK OF IT

[kootiepatra]

#FFxivWrite2022 - Day 27 Prompt: "Hail"

I tried to use an old-timey-fantasy version of the word "hail". I did. But then my brain realized that bad weather was an opportunity to smush my OTP together into shelter alone, and well. The fluff brainworms are too strong.

==========

A sharp wind raked across the island, bowing the palm trees and churning up some truly spectacular waves in the bay. Two figures stood on an outcropping overlooking the lush valley, clothes and hair whipping about wildly as they surveyed the scene.

“I promise it is usually much more pleasant than this,” Keimwyda said, smiling apologetically at Aymeric.

“Nonsense, I still am quite pleased,” he replied. He looked around. Though he had taken her advice to dress for warm weather, he still wore a light cloak, which he pulled tighter around himself. “Do you suppose the weather will hold?”

“Oh, certainly not. Quite rude of it to greet you like this on your first visit.”

“Hah. Well, give it a stern talking to for me, if you would be so kind.”

Keimwyda cast her eyes upwards, noting the speed of the clouds rolling by overhead. “At least it seems it will blow through quickly.”

As if overhearing their conversation, a few heavy drops of rain spattered to the ground.

“...I propose we head back to the cabin,” she said.

“I quite agree.”

The two assumed a brisk pace as they turned, simultaneously realizing their walk had taken them a good distance further than they realized. 

“Halone have mercy,” Aymeric muttered as the rain began to threaten itself in more earnestness.

“Ah, perhaps I neglected to warn you,” Keimwyda said, smiling, “The water here is actually liquid when it falls from the sky.”

“Indeed!” he laughed. “Such a phenomenon. I shall endeavor not to be too frightened of it.”

“Forgive me, it is not kind for me to make light of… ow!” she yelped.

He was about to assure her that he enjoyed the humor, but was cut off at hearing her cry. “Are you all right?”

“I could have sworn…ah!” she said again, her hand going to her head. She glanced up at the sky, and then around at the ground. “Do not tell me…”

“Oh,” Aymeric joined in surprise, as he, too, felt a sting upon his head. Small white orbs of ice, no bigger than a pea, began to bounce along the path around them.

“Now this is a poor jest!” Keimwyda bemoaned. “This way. The bathhouse is closer than the cabin.”

Aymeric slipped off his cloak and held it over their heads. The two were near enough in height that he could reach, but she was just enough taller that it was obviously an awkward strain, and the garment was falling over her eyes.

“You were saying something about liquid water from the sky?” he said, struggling to get the words out through his laughter.

“Yes, yes, it serves me right,” she laughed, tucking her own arm under her end of the cloak to help him. “Quickly!”

They broke into a run and veered onto the branching path to the bathhouse—perhaps not the most obvious place to seek shelter from wet weather, but it was close and had a roof. It would do. They stumbled over the threshold and looked back behind them, with both rain and hail properly coming down now. They had taken shelter just in time.

“Welcome to paradise,” Keimwyda said helplessly, with a welcoming gesture that was more of a shrug.

“‘Tis a dream,” Aymeric laughed. His voice soon gave way to a more serious tone. “Your crops—will they survive?”

“I am not sure,” she replied thoughtfully. “I have admittedly not been here that long, but I have not seen weather like this on the island before. So long as the hail stays small, I think the popotoes and onions should not know that anything had gone amiss. The tomatoes on the vine may well suffer bruising, though.”

“I am sorry,” he offered.

She blew it off. “It is hardly a great loss. This is more of a garden than a proper farm. And the climate is mild enough—well, most of the time—that it shall not be that long to grow others. This is certainly a matter of ‘hobby’ and not ‘livelihood’. I daresay I shall recover.”

“A hobby, she says!” he laughed, shaking his head and surveying the view through the rain. “I struggle to comprehend that this place was uninhabited but a few moons ago.”

“It still practically is,” she objected. “I am not even here full time.”

He shot her a look. “My darling. We are sitting in your heated bathhouse. You must admit it is a little impressive.”

“The mammets have done all the heavy work, really. I simply show up and give orders.”

He folded his arms and narrowed his eyes at her. “Has anyone told you that you can be truly dreadful at accepting praise?” he asked.

“Aside from you?” she replied, her face reddening. “…Yes, actually. Several.”

He nudged his shoulder into her playfully. “So then accept it. I know you have put some hard work in here as well.”

She leaned into him in return and smiled. “I am grateful for it. Genuinely. Tataru knew me well to know that this is the kind of escape I would enjoy.”

“Is it so difficult to simply relax and do nothing?” he asked.

Now it was her turn to shoot him a look. “I think you are not one to talk. But no, I do find this relaxing in its own way.”

“How so?”

She turned her gaze back into the rain with a faraway look. “In some ways, it reminds me of where I grew up. The Shroud is obviously a bit of a different ecosystem, but… tending to a garden, gathering wood, foraging reeds to weave? ‘Twas the way Miss Estelle ran her house and I was brought up helping her. It just feels… familiar? And normal, I suppose.”

He slipped an arm around her waist. “Do you miss it, then?”

“Not exactly,” she shrugged. “I do not regret the path life has taken me on. I am grateful my horizons expanded.”

“Aye, to be the Warrior of Light is quite a different calling.”

“And yet…” she trailed off, trying to find the words to say what she truly meant. She was not well used to talking about her inner thoughts, and it did not come easily to her. “I think that is why I yet find this so comforting. This is the sort of life I led when nobody knew me. I had never crossed blades with a primal. I knew ‘the echo’ as naught but the sound bouncing about in a cave.  Not a soul looked to me for salvation. There were no grand expectations upon me—I was just the odd, stray Roegadyn with a little homestead in the forest.”

She lowered her eyes and continued. “I think… I think it is simply nice to not have to be the Warrior of Light for a while.”

He regarded her softly, and raised up to place a light kiss upon her cheek. “In that case, I am full glad you have this place,” he said.

“Not that I am not grateful and happy for what I do,” she began to clarify.

“No! No. I quite understand.” He smiled. “May I join you, and not have to be the Lord Speaker for a while?”

“With pleasure.” The corner of her mouth quirked up in a smirk. “I can well assure you, that these mammets do not care.”

[knockknockitsnickels]

I think this is one of my favorite lines from the Wraith route because of (imo) how much the meaning changes depending on if you got there via Spectre or Nightmare. For Spectre, it honestly strikes me as a genuine question. Why are you doing this to her? If you're on the Spectre route, you presumably already know the Narrator can't really be trusted, since you had to reject his reward to get here. What are you hoping to gain from continuing to hurt her? For Nightmare, it honestly just makes me sad. As the Shifting Mound describes her, "She desires only companionship, but the only thing she knows is how to hurt." This line feels like a plea from someone who genuinely doesn't understand why you keep rejecting her. She wants to be with you, but she just can't understand how to do that in a way which doesn't hurt you.

[bi-badass-geek]

Hades 1 vs Hades 2 Designs

● Hermes besides Hypnos was first character that made me think when i saw him oh some time has passed since Zag's escapes indeed, makes you feel that time skip. In this particular debate between those i'm really digging both but if needed to say which i prefer would go with second. I feel it should be said he sure rolls nicely with longer hair i would say darker outfit too but that's probably because pallet that's used for levels.

Ps. I saw post that mentioned how his ring is the same as ones Charon is wearing in first game and if it's a hint at something i'm here for it!

● Zeus for this god specifically there is discourse about how his pose is less dynamic and oh boy if i don't agree with that so much. In first game you see him and his look makes you think yeah this is the king of gods while in second game man is just there with posture i take often because i'm useless gay that don't know what to do with my hands and feels like they took all this might and put it into chiseling his nipples & abs into his golden chestplate. Not to mention the detail of missing the iconic bolt! Don't think it needs to be said but 100% would pick Hades 1 design out of those options.

● Poseidon the King of the Sea another example in my humble opinion where they went with flattening that dynamic looks exchanging it for man that just standing there chilling which is good for him but where first screams cool uncle second one goes uncle that wants retirement. I really like how we can see the trident now tho and need to point out his outfit sure got more print on it. When it comes down to pointing out which one is the winner in my eyes it would be 2020 one.

● Aphrodite if she wasn't the one that got thrown into drama because people double standards and hypocrisy. Design from first game and the pose straight up makes you think of love, lust, seduction all the things that are associated with said goddess. As for Hades 2 version i have no clue why it feels like this considering it's actually the opposite because we can see armor on her legs now but she feels less covered for me, do i find it negative or in any way problematic? Not one bit let the woman show off all her assets all day long! Really love the adds of her weapon and shield makes you immerse in the store of oh fights are happening around these parts. From seduction to i stand here at the ready kinda vibe and i'm really digging it.

Ps. Another post i read was about fact that her war paint i will call it (not 100% sure if that is it or just line for the giggles) is reference to Ares and considering her myth i really like that touch!

● Hypnos was the first OG i saw and was like man not only catching up on his sleep but also got such glow up i absolutely adore the design. Not to say he looked bad in Hades 1 but there it was like okay nice to Hades 2 like Damnnn and his lil helpers that keeps him up! Love the fact that of all things they made him be tucked into his cape like burrito.

Ps. I really do hope by the end of the game we get to wake him up so he can try out that nectar that we all leave there waiting.

● Chaos so many things to say and at the same time silence says it all. Seen people focusing on fact some out there call them he or how it's a downgrade from previous but don't even elaborate why they think that because everyone has right to have their own preference but at least put it into words instead of going trash next..there was also notion how they resemble Meg and while i see where people get that idea from for sure before reading that my mind didn't went there at all. I think both designs really work with someone who is primordial originator and how time goes so can their form. I find it very fascinating that they put old skeleton with new one and adore galaxy under suit makes me think of Nyx right away and how they're connected. Can totally see how between those two gamers got major stance that left reminds them more of male and right of female beings but at the end of the it chaos is chaos. Gotta take chair routine from Meg while they at it! The face on the shoulder surely throws me in loop tho fits? Sure. Does it disturb me in micro scale? Yes. About frames and poses don't have much to say cause both caption the essence of i mind my business everything unrelevant until i say so.

Ps. I know it's about physical aspect but let me say Chaos roasting Mel about how her brother is amusing one out of two Hades spawns is living rent free in my brain.

[theactualsunshinechild]

I think Aventio and Screwtio shippers shouldn't fight. After all, Ratio has two hands!

That's right. Two hands.

One for his chalk.

One for his codex.

Both of which he's holding in an embarrassed death grip as they chat away with each other about him.

[lokh]

WAIT SHUROS DAD SAID HE WANTED HIM TO BRING SOMETHING BACK INTERESTING.... AND WHO IS MORE INTERESTING THAN LAIOS....

[relaxxattack]

every time someone calls moirallegience just an alien qpr i wilt a lil like YEAH thats more or less the CLOSEST human thing but its also Literally Not That. like a qpr is fundanmentally not romantic and thats not even going into moirails whole Actual Purpose of calming ppl down. its just. aughhhhh pisses me off i see the confusion but, as aformentioned, aughhhhh

OH MY GOD THIS HAS BEEN BOTHERING ME TOO.... but i don't want to get petty at the people in my notes always saying "moirails are QPRs!" because in some ways that is the closest human thing so it's hard to be mad...

i think there's definitely some overlap in some ways. but NOT because moirallegiance and qprs are the same at all really, but INSTEAD because both relationships have unconventional boundaries defined by the people within them.

you know... like every relationship.

like the only reason the two have overlap is because they are both partnerships that emotionally care for each other but can choose to not bang (which is true for any romance anyway, even if it's considered abnormal). they're both just romances* that are unconventional to human norms, which makes people view them as the same thing when they're not.

i think the REAL issue here is that humans insist on using human words to understand things that are just, fundamentally, alien. can't we just appreciate alien romance for being... alien romance?

no, it's not platonic, it's romantic. it's just romantic in a way you aren't quite wired to understand, is all.

*in generalization, most QPRs are not romantic, because they are made up of aroaces who are life partners in a non-romantic way. however i want to disagree with you that none of them are romantic, because that is up to the partners in question.

[originalcontent]

I can't find art of my ship anywhere so I GUESS that means I have to make it myself, here are some doodles.

[sundial-bee-scribbles]

Let us pray for [y]our salvation.

and here's two views of the window w/o geki b/c i spent way too long on it lmao:

[ricopop]

mini oscillo ref aahh what EVERRR dies @superbellsubways @cephalonheadquarters

[melit0n]

Adding on to this post (which I do suggest reading before you read this one!) because I've been seeing a bunch of stuff about the TOG graphic novel floating around and another thing popped into my head!

More specifically, about the physical form of Sleep.

In the TMBTE artwork, it's easily seen that, in one way or another, the Moon is alive. At least, to the point it has a whispering mouth full of sharp teeth and tar-like tongues.

In the transcripts for the tier 4 bundle page (thank you to @elkkiel for said transcript!) the first line states, "15 days since the convergence of the lunar anomaly".

Convergence is when two or more things come together to form a new whole, and, in biology, it's the tendency of unrelated animals and plants to evolve similar characteristics under similar environmental conditions. With that in mind, this could be a dying God changing in order to remind people it's still a God, and, that it never left.

What once only appeared in nightmares and wistful dreams now sits high in the night sky as a pale reminder of our fickle lives.

Plus, the presale went out on the day of a super blue moon.

Further, Sundowning's release had a Waning Cresent, with symbolises self care and mental contemplation, TPWBYT's had a Waning Gibbous, which symbolises releasing old habits and attempting to change, and TMBTE's had a new moon, which represents new beginnings. This album just so happens to have the song Euclid (which I've jabbered on about enough), which is about becoming someone new and accepting things can't be the same.

Next, we have "I was frequently beset by certain recurring dreams...I found myself standing on a vast shoreline gazing out at a flat, wide sea." The first thing that comes to mind is the Fall For Me MV, which just so happens to be apart of TPWBYT: the water based album.

Night time is, quite obviously, when the moon is most visable, and is also when most people sleep. Asides from this, the moon also controls ocean tides. The closer a moon is (e.g: a supermoon, or an unspecified lunar anomaly), the higher and more violent a tide can become.

Further, if and when the sun, moon, and or Earth are in alignment (at the time of the new or full moon), the solar tide has an additive effect on the lunar tide, creating extra-high high tides, and very low, low tides.

Sound familiar?

Whether Sleep is the moon, or was birthed from the moon back when they first became a God (one of @tonguetyd's ideas), is up for debate.

With all that, and the previous thoughts on Telomeres already thought out: "I felt that were I to somehow survive...then I would be left in a world that would not recognize me. I would become an element unto myself and myself alone. An echo stuck in the throat of a dead God."

So, I'd like to say that TPWBYT is Sleep's album, if anything. Or, in the least, heavily dictated by them in ways other than directly influencing Vessel.

[cuubism]

hello friends. despite my 9 million existing dreamling wips i'm feeling the need to branch out a bit for the sake of my mental variety. what pairing other than dreamling should i write a little something for? could be romantic or platonic

other way of phrasing i guess: any pairings you really want to see more fics for in the fandom?

[an-eldritch-peredhel]

I’d love to hear your thoughts on what Eldritch peredhel entail

-@@outofangband

Sorry this took so long @outofangband and thank you for asking this I am! Delighted! And am preemptively putting a read more down because I cannot shut up about they <3

alright I'm just gonna put stuff and headcanons down as they occur to me so expect low-moderate levels of coherency

shapeshifting is an obvious one (gets weaker down the generations) but because my brain is Like This I have caveats!

thanks to my whole peredhil things=gender allegory that my brain spit out without my permission I've long struggled against my inherent feeling that while they can shapeshift they don't like it

but because I'm now aware of my brain's reasoning I can say it's because of ✨fantasy dysphoria✨

that's oversimplifying, obviously, but peredhil already have so much issues with working through who and what they are and compromising between body and mind and spirit that actively choosing to change into/present as something/someone who They Are Not is. Not usually their cup of tea.

As a whole they tend to have specific forms that they prefer as being closer to themselves, and distinct enough that it doesn't feel like they're faking something they're not

(changing to look like a different person, or a edited version of themself is Very Very not fun unless either explicitly for disguise or shenanigans)

(the exception to this is that Luthien can make herself look almost perfectly human without any real issue. she doesn't do it often but especially as she ages she likes to catch glimpses of her reflection and get both excited and sappy. this is in contrast to making herself look almost perfectly like an elf which makes her feel like her skin is on fire.)

(Also I'm pretty sure all of them can flip their agab presentation while only feeling varying degrees of off, and even then it's a different feeling than the shapeshifting dysphoria. Dior and Elwing are the two who I think mind it the most)

They all have the (agonizing to write) trait of feeling very distinct relationships to their species in their body vs soul/mind vs spirit/fea and they all feel it very differently! This isn't exclusive to Luthien's line but the maia blood does make it worse.

Oh! This is a new headcanon of mine actually but!

They all have faces that are very very hard to capture in image. They are the bane of portrait artists (and, to a degree, sculptors) everywhere because the art never looks accurate to life

It's not blatantly off it's just. missing something? Or something was added? maybe it's a little too wide, or narrow, or long, or short, in one place or another

It's not unrecognizable but if you've ever seen the subject in real life you can just tell

It's especially bad with Luthien (and Daeron) and Dior (to a lesser extent) because everyone literally sees them differently, as in their features will be slightly different depending on what each person finds attractive/aesthetically appealing and beautiful

(not a lot, again, it's not unrecognizable, but there has never and will never be any accurate depiction of Luthien as she was as a person)

(as a concept, though, as the most beautiful creature to have ever existed in Arda, a little of her image exists in every portrait lovingly made of a beloved spouse, every child's drawing of their family, in biological sketches of songbirds and field mice, in a sculpture of a stranger's face. Daeron remembers his sister perfectly, but he collects these regardless)

(Arwen, Luthien come again, isn't described as such by her grandparents. Galadriel and Celeborn both knew Luthien, and while Arwen and her father both look as closely to her as genetically possible, to those who actually know them both it's nothing more than uncanny family resemblance. Luthien was to most a concept personified, Arwen is a person with concepts imposed on her.)

The list of people who have seen Luthien how she actually, physically, defaultly is, essentially consists of Melian, Daeron, Beren, and Dior

Beren doesn't see her as she is right away because he doesn't know her right away, but they learn about each other and she shows herself and he sees her and by the time she rescues him from Tol-im-Gaurhoth there are no echoes on her face

(He's always a little bit haunted that he nearly died without realizing he'd never quite seen the truth of her before)

Neither Thingol or Beren can quite see their own features on their children's faces. They clearly take after their mothers, after all!

(This leads to much affectionate eye-rolling on Melian and Luthien's part)

Hair stuff!

It's alive! kinda! it's definitely not normal hair!

It moves a lot on its own. Sometimes like a breeze is blowing where there isn't one. Sometimes more like tentacles. It depends on its mood.

They've got some very pretty traditional cosmic horror vibes swirling around on their heads. It's very sparkly and colorful but in a Forbidden Shrimp Colors that your brain is unable to comprehend way so it reads as iridescent black mostly, or holographic white, where applicable

Luthien's hair actually is a glimpse into space, Daeron's is a glance at a star

(Luthien's magic hair cloak survives, I think, into the 4th age and beyond, though if anyone/anything has found it they certainly don't know the origins of the beautifully intricate living star map. It has seen the reign of countless north stars, yet the lines always point to the same coordinates- where the ancient, sunken, ruined remains of what once was Tol-im-Gaurhoth lay)

Speed round!

Fangs and talons and horns oh my! Are they tooth and keratin and bone, or are they petrified wood and gem and stone? Yes!

They all smell a little like ozone and a lot like petrichor, flowers, and Green. If you've smelled green you know what I'm talking about. Also, unfortunately, like bird. Birds don't smell great, especially wet bird.

Weird Foresight Powers++

(Most of them don't have actual foresight, but all of them are more in-tune with the Song than is natural for an incarnate)

Their eyes glow, most notably in the dark, unless the irises turn black as they sometimes do. They are also all unnaturally bright versions of the less-spooky parent's- Dior's are gold, Elwing's are blue-green like a tropical sea (Elured and Elurin split the color between them- ultramarine and emerald), Elrond and Elros have pale star-gold, Elladan, Elrohir, and Arwen all have silver.

(Daeron and Luthien being the exception again, because I decided they have Melian's eyes before I decided this, and I don't know what color eyes Thingol has. Watsonianly: Melian's spooky genes overwrite a lot. Luthien's genotype is probably much closer to his than her magically overwritten phenotype)

Their sclerae turn black and their pupils white, on occasion, usually when using powers

They don't bleed right. It's a little too red for an elf, a little too light for a human, and it shines strange as it beads like quicksilver on the skin

They have very shiny, cool skin. Luthien looked like her's was silver plate under a stretched stocking, the rest toned it down from there but it's still noticeable.

The Song is. Attached to them. They are all very much Main Characters. Their lives have a clear story arc with symbolism and narrative parallels. They are all subconsciously aware that their lives are a fairytale, whether tragic or no, and yes this has many Implications and affects. They are not the only ones like this, but they are the only ones who, to some level, know they are in a story.

This is the fundamental separation between them and everyone else.

The difference in how they perceive themselves between heart soul and spirit is very difficult to explain and understand, but not impossible to someone who knows them and is willing to put in the work.

The life-long knowledge that they are Important to the Song and their every choice and event they experience and their mere existence serves a greater purpose in a way that most other people simply do not- that's very, very isolating.

No one else can understand how they see the world. Very very few people are willing to try, and even fewer in a way that's not frustrating. There is a reason most of them find only one person to latch on to outside of their family, and a reason they hold on through hell and high water.

(This is about being neurodivergent)

[ryllen]

"Bran is practically my brother's cat" - is what i would like to think

[sideblogdotjpeg]

i am not immune to launchpad sol and albin thoughts

[stop-breaking-my-heart-dragonage]

my experience with maxing out the twins' friendship is just-

Hawke: So, Carver, my dear baby brother who I love and adore, I only need +10 more points to max out your friendship. I've done the grind; through gritted teeth I've kissed templar ass so that we don't raise suspicion. I've supported and defended you and let you take the lead whenever I could. You're my favorite warrior. I took you to the Deep Roads with me because you desperately wanted to go and then made you a warden and you found a place, a purpose. I've practically written my own guide on how to earn as much friendship with you because I love you and it's totally worth it so can I please please have the last +10...? Carver: Hawke: Carver please I'm begging you Carver: Carver: +5 Friendship Hawke: AAUUGGGHHLKSAJDLKAJSDLK-

Hawke: So, Bethany, my dear sis- Bethany: +50 Friendship Hawke: Bethany: :)

[marcsnuffy]

Using Lorenzo and Charles' interviews as reference, I'd love to see any assumptions of what Kaiser and Ness would answer here