#For those we have lost for those we can yet save

[nrilliree]

TB: Here is why we think Rhaenyra should be heir, why Daemon was a suitable partner, why her boys' parentage doesn't matter, etc.

*present evidence from the books and show depending on the canon that's being discussed to support their statements*

Team Broccolis: Nah you're wrong.

*go on to present a list of elaborate headcanons and fanon bullshit after cherry picking and mixing details from book and show while ignoring the context*

TB: Refutes their headcanons with well made arguments comprising of solid and reasonable points

Team Broccolis: Why don't TB admit they are wrong and we are right?

Go on to repeat the same headcanons they have memorized by heart

Every argument with the broccolis always ends in circles. There was a time when it was frustrating; now it's just exhausting. It is a pity because discourses - even those that end in disagreements - can be interesting to engage in. But it gets difficult to do so when the opposing side is so deeply entrenched in fanon and denial about their favourites being antagonists in the narrative who lost. This denial manifests itself in many forms. Be it by exaggerating Rhaenyra and Daemon's flaws while brushing whatever the Greens did under the carpet - a tactic the maesters also employed in the book - to wishing for Daenaera to be erased and replaced by Jaehaera to coming up with crack theories that Catelyn is descended from Alysmond's son thus making the Starks TG's descendants and believing that crack.

Visenya is one of my favourite characters; The circumstances that led her to usurp the throne with Maegor are more understandable because the two of them saved their house from utter destruction by dealing with a severe crisis that was caused due to Aenys' stupidity and incompetence. Yet the act of usurpation itself cannot be justified and the wrong that was done to Aenys' rightful heirs was eventually corrected while Maegor died issueless. I rather like Daemon Blackfyre who, by all accounts, was a more capable and better individual than Alicent's sons. It can also be argued that his rebellion was the outcome of his mother Daena being passed over for her uncle. Still, his attempt of usurping his brother - the rightful king - cannot be validated.

But it is only the Greencels who cannot wrap their heads around the role their favourites played in the story when better characters than them weren't immune to the consequences.

My favorite conversation with TG was something like this:

TG: Why do you think TB won the war? Aegon killed Rhaenyra! Me: TB troops won against TG troops, so they won the war. TG: TB troops lost the war, lol. Me: *I write out the last battles in which TB troops won, and also that there were no TG troops left to defend the capital, and that even the council told Aegon II that he should surrender* TG: But TB lost, lol. Aegon killed Rhaenyra.

And so on… I just had these… but how? Just because a leader dies doesn't end the war. Even the death of Aegon II did not end it yet, only the trials of the TG's supporters carried out by Cregan.

And oh yeah, I definitely love these weird fanons and theories that claim TG as their "right". This happens so often that I have developed a habit in which I assume that arguing with TG stans is pointless because it will end the same as always. I know it's wrong, but I can't help it. I just know that I'm about to hear about pedophiles, THE victim, the misunderstood Aegon and all the rest of this complete nonsense that they seem to be repeating like parrots. They just want to believe that in HotD history they are "Starks" and TB are "Lannisters" and they will write the biggest nonsense to prove their point.

[aubadeatelier]

Happy 20th Anniversary D. Gray-man!

On 31 May 2004, an amazing journey began with Allen Walker making his way to the European Branch of the Black Order as a new exorcist.

And now, it is 31 May 2024, 20 years of a still on-going journey. A lot has happened and changed and yet, he keeps walking.

Happy Birthday, D. Gray-man! And thank you for everything you've brought to me and so many others!

This post contains the pieces I did for the D. Gray-man 20th Anniversary Zine. 1 Party Doodle and 2 Redraw Project pages. Please enjoy! To see the whole zine, please access the zine through the link below to the project tumblr!

✦ D. Gray-man 20th Anniversary Zine ✦

Please make sure to take a look at the whole zine! I had the greatest honor to work with more than 100+ amazing artists across the world. It would mean a lot to me and all those who worked on this zine to have our work seen together as one!

(PS. I asked a funny little question in the Party Doodle section of the zine!)

[Beyond this point are my pieces and some fun facts!]

Party Doodle || A Celebration from 35 Years Ago featuring from bottom left, Mana D. Campbell, Nea D. Campbell, ???, Cross Marian, and Timcampy. ✦ I originally made this celebration doodle with the intention of just drawing Nea, ???, and Timcampy. But upon popular demand and the power of friendship (shoutout to Hana Hazel, Kanin, and Sabhamun), I ended up adding Cross Marian and Mana! And honestly, the additions were a great idea and really make the piece feel more lively and fun! (Also we need more Campbell brothers content damn it. I wanna see them happy!) ✦ Also, if any of your are up-to-date at this point, you know Chapter 251 coming out shook so many things including this piece that was already done when it released. But! I think it's fun to keep it as is as a relic of the pre-251 era. (Who knows? Maybe I'll make a fixed version!)

Redraw Project Page 01 || Chapter 04. Page 119. ✦ The first redraw page I received for assignment! I ended up liking the page, because it felt to me an integral establishing page for the series' themes. I may have gotten a little overboard with how I wanted to interpret the page, but I thought originally I would not be doing a second page and thus, wanted to put a lot of effort. In D. Gray-man, Akuma are created when a person makes a deal with the Millennium Earl. More often than not, the person has no idea what this deal entails, only that they can bring their loved one back from the dead if they agree to it. But what happens when the person is aware or knows not to accept the Earl's deal? And we receive a heart-wrenching, but understandable answer. To have the knowledge of the Earl's tricks does not automatically save a person. The Earl preys on the vulnerable. He appears and makes his offer to those in the deepest pits of despair and grief. That is how he got Leo. He was just a kid who lost his mother. He may have known more about the Earl and Akuma, because of his friendship with Jean, but when you are grieving kid-- what do you do when someone promises you they'll bring back your mother who was taken from you so suddenly? It is difficult to say no. ✦ The books that frame the piece are meant to convey this emphasis of knowledge and study-- the days Jean and Leo spent reading through Jean's father's books and notes about the Earl and Akuma with intention to patrol their town and keep people safe. Ultimately, a book page is the last panel, showing a representation of Leo and the Earl at a grave as Leo becomes an example of a person who takes the Earl's deal and whose body is taken by an Akuma. ✦ The blue tones of Jean and the Akuma were on purpose made to contrast the warmer tones of Jean and Leo's days together. ✦ It was crazy getting to draw an Akuma's face. It was a challenge to try and draw kids, but I ended getting through it pretty well. ✦ There are a few silly easter eggs in the open books. I put a small anniversary message in one. And in the other, I tried to sketch Cornelia and the Campbell Estate with the lyrics of the 14th's song. A nod to some content in the later parts of the series.

Redraw Project Page 02 || Chapter 01. Page 38. ✦ Originally, the plan was I only would do 1 redraw page and 1 doodle, but we needed fill-ins and I took a shot at it! ✦ When I found out it was a page from Chapter 1, I was ecstatic! I had originally wanted to do one from the chapter, but they were high in demand which was more than understandable. ✦ Unlike my first redraw page, I decided to be a little more simplistic with the layout. This layout is not too far off from that of the Katsura Hoshino's, but I made a few changes such as certain angles, drawing characters closer to emphasize faces. ✦ I am not the strongest with backgrounds and drawing buildings, but I ended up enjoying the challenge of it all. Thankfully, a lot of other artists in the project tackled the building and referenced the original page, the pages and sketches of the building or interior by other project artists, and the anime to ready myself to tackle it! ✦ The spirals of the Akuma bullet gave me trouble at first, but then I ended up enjoying it as I figured it out. ✦ This page was overall a big joy to play with as it challenged me with backgrounds, certain effects, and word bubbles.

And with that, this concludes the tour of my work on the D. Gray-man 20th Anniversary Zine. I have so much to say about this series and what it means to me, but I will try not to make this post horridly longer.

D. Gray-man is the series that made me fall in love with storytelling and art. It showed me something that filled an emptiness I felt. It gave me joy and company at a time where I felt unsure who I was and felt like an outcast. My resolution after this project is to continuously grow better at my stories and art. I hope to make something as meaningful to myself and others as D. Gray-man is.

Happy 20th Anniversary D. Gray-man! I hope and pray for more wonderful chapters and for there to be a lovely conclusion someday. For now, let us keep walking together!

[toadeyes-miqote]

Looking at DarkKnight's quest from Bard's eyes

I don't even know what this anymore.... What are you even doing here?... I have an appointment with X'rhun Tia after this, can you both come?.. .

This do be be looking very painful to get caught in between. This is the third time I done this... Enough!

I... Wil not. be. cripple... by it... again!

I say it once and I'll say it again. Listen when Master Jahantel speaks. If I stand still and wallow in grief, I won't be able to move or pick up the pieces that gets left behind.

"You okay with the cold? I had a very weird day. so if you need me, I be in that house across to sleep things off." she shuffled off to the Fortemps manor, barely acknowledging the knights at the gates who were surprised to see her back.

She keeps coming back, out of guilt, out of responsibility. The one place she wanted to run away from and yet vaguely understanding that she shouldn't.

Deep down. she was just waiting for Lord Edmont to throw her out. To yell at her, to cast her out like a harbinger of doom.

Somehow for all that she has done since she left her village, she doesn't expect people to be nice to her or even care for her without strings attached.

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

Maining Bard kinda makes things hit different for me.

Again lvl30-50 Bard quest prep her for this. Master Jahantel was kinda in Hylnyan's position. Hylnyan sees it from the outside pre Bloody Banquet and Crystal Tower. She probably also saw it in Thancred after the Antitower.

That weird feeling of experiencing it from the inside. The need to make sure that it doesn't cripple her at the wrong time.

Elidibus' little guilt trip down Amaurotine memory lane piss her off.

She almost broke for the Utima Thule walk, since three closest friends were taken one after another. And the environment was emotionally draining.

I think she recognise the crippling loop whenever it rears its head. and has countermeasures for it.

I saved that three way fight for last hoping Fray won't finish Ardbert before she down Ser Zephrin. This reminds me of the arts of WoL's headspace

Utterly amusing that Fray and Ardbert were down to their last drop.

Yes Postwoman, her title was significant to her.

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

This part will get backdated when I find the rest of my nattering and that pic

For my playthrough Lord Edmont treats her as the daughter(in-law). He's definitely a father figure since she lives in a matriarchy and her parents sent her to her village at a very young age (a normal thing that was usually done by her village's expatriate Miqo'te who for whatever reasons can't care for their young where they are or can't join their young there ) and her blood relative is an aunt.

The prodigal son returns to his family home to introduce his foreign "wife and kids" was how it felt to me and how it was for the ballads done by her PR team. Emmanellain mention to her PR team the amount of pride on Haurchefant's face was reminiscent of it and struck him as that. Artorial had to grudgingly agree.

Lord Edmont was very aware it was a one sided thing on Haurchefant's front and she was honorable enough to not take advantage of him. He kinda see her as Haurchefant's legacy of sort and sort of feel the need to remind her that she shouldn't stay away out of guilt. Like how the Camp Dragonhead folks appreciates that she pops by on and off.

Which was why Thancred, Tataru and Alisaie are important to her in a similar sense. They feel they had to remind her before all the negative voices drowns things out. That she was more than just the weapon of light to them, she's a friend, a good sister. She's still human.

Or in the words of a certain translated manga. Their normal might not be the normal lives of the common people. But what passes for normal for ones like them.

[adashofniallandasprinkleoflunacy]

home from work

[dongbangskies]

Edit: apparently it doesn’t and I’ve been lied to on the internet via a very good edit

"If the penalty for a crime is a fine, then that law only exists for the lower class."

is a quote that I've seen over and over.

and its from FINAL FANTASY TACTICS!

All of the writers are anti-establishment and punk/grunge. and its beautiful.

They really did let us shape our brains to fight for freedom and to overthrow corrupt governments and now have the audacity to act surprised when millennials want to eat the rich.

[aikowanders]

Not to be a buzzkill, but I'm kinda disappointed that the only thing people think of when they hear Dark Knight in ff14 is that they're edgy and brooding. Like, yeah, we are. But the idea of a dark knight is so much deeper than that.

To me Dark Knights are very concept of Hopepunk. The idea that not only will things get better, but I'm going to fight, covered in blood and screaming, for that future. They dont care what it takes, be it dark magic or a massive sword, they are grasping hope and love in a raging fist.

[riellegaming]

ever thinkabout emet selch who created a city of people who he failed to save who are constantly fearing their own end that came and went thousands of years ago vs the wol who is surrounded by the people theyve extended kindness to despite not being able to save every one of them

[ferrret]

i think shadowbringers might be my favorite ffxiv expansion

[herohikara-wol]

[rinnysmuses]

i feel like rean would really like minfilia]

[heywriters]

One of the hardest things for me to learn and practice in my writing is that people do not say that much.

My character dialogue frequently feels contrived. They open up to partners too quickly, maintain perfect communication with friends, and hold back exactly the right info from enemies. Yet, irl, I've observed and contributed to much miscommunication, lost opportunities, and unconscious distrust of friendly motivations. Natural speech is not tailored, and appropriately expressing abstract thoughts takes skill.

We've heard film media fans deride "therapy talk" wherein characters uncharacteristically and eloquently divulge their inner struggles to others and receive perfect, textbook advice in response. This feels inauthentic because most humans don't talk like that! We skirt around our problems, we feel uncomfortable when others vent, we want to avoid conflict and rejection, and our well-meant words often do more harm than good.

People also tend to talk a lot, but say little. As writers, we generally don't want our stories stuffed with useless conversations, banter, and small-talk that don't advance the plot—we want that story grown up and moved out! But please, include those things. Have scenes where friends hide thoughts from friends by joking around or discussing hobbies instead, where a rival saves the MC's thoughtless speech for later, where a happy couple argues over a minor miscommunication. These aspects can add depth to a story that feels manufactured, or life to characters that sound scripted.

If this is you, take your time; natural dialogue takes a while to finesse. Currently, I write the meaning behind the dialogue first then smudge it up in redrafts. As with all the lessons I've learned/shared, each piece of writing advice should come with a "Daily Value" label affixed, lol. Balance is needed and adjustments should be made until you have the story you want.

---

+ If you appreciate this advice, consider visiting my ko-fi and Buy Me A Coffee! Thank you for reading 🤗

+ Check me out on AO3, Pinterest, and Unsplash

[ghostfacd]

IN A WORLD FULL OF BOYS, HE’S A GENTLEMAN ! | TOM BLYTH

PAIRING. tom blyth x fem!actress!reader

SUMMARY. despite being in a world filled of childish boys, your boyfriend was definitely a gentleman, always putting you before him

AUTHORS NOTE. the third installment because we love tom blyth and yn avocot. I recommend reading part 1 and 2 for more context!

tomblyth “babe, do you think we’re together in every universe?” is that even a question?

tagged @/ynuser

view all comments

ynuser stoppp i didn’t know youd actually take the question seriously

user1 get you a man like tom blyth bc oh my god

user2 idk what yn did to manifest him but i need her ways

user3 ugh idk what he’s doing with her lol he could do so much better

➥ user4 well someone had to say it..

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

You didn’t understand how some people on the internet can be so . . . mean. Although there have been countless of fans cheering you and Tom on, it didn’t make it any less hurtful that there were still a ton who weren’t scared to be open about how much your boyfriend could do better.

It’s ironic; you think. They’re claiming they’re looking out for Tom, yet totally disregarding him and his girlfriend as human beings? Those weren’t real fans.

The reason for them hating you so much? Just for simply being with Tom. Everybody wanted him, that was your crime.

Everytime you got lost in your thoughts about this topic, Tom knew. Boyfriend instincts, he called them, but really, he was just a caring and observant person.

You tried not to break down over it, you really did, but a girl could only go on for so long before it all bursts out. Luckily, Tom pulls you right in, telling you to let it all out.

Although the world was filled with childish and hurtful beings, Tom Blyth was still who he was, a gentleman, attending to your every needs.

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

tomblyth really dgaf if you like my girlfriend or not cause i do and that’s all that matters

view all comments

user5 im cryinf the polaroid he has of her

user6 YES REAL MEN STAND UP FOR THEIR GFS

user7 ALL THE PICS HE HAS OF HER 🥹🥹

tomblythswife oh to be yn avocot and be loved by tom blyth

rachelzegler tell ‘em 🙊

user8 she doesn’t even comment on the posts he makes abt her, so self centered lol

➥ ynuser I’m right next to him rn?? cant say the same thing about you “lol”

➥ user9 OH SHE ATE YOU UP @/user8

tomblyth_daily here are some clips of tom talking about his relationship in his new interview! GET YOU A MAN THATS LIKE TOM BLYTH 🗣️🗣️🗣️

view all comments

user10 the way he’s so passionate when talking about her and being a good boyfriend, God I hate being single

user11 “they’re not even that cute” STFU AND GO WATCH THIS INTERVIEW CAUSE ??

user12 tom blyth said put aside your nonchalant attitudes, im looking at YOU MEN 🫵🫵

ilovetomblyth he’s so boyfriend it actually hurts

user13 yn must’ve saved a continent in her past life to be dating tom blyth omg

ynuser girls, before you have a meltdown over a boy: think of what balleona laurent would do. kiss and manipulate coriolanus!

view all comments

tomblyth you kiss and manipulate me too

➥ ynuser you’re gonna get me CANCELLED

user14 literal unbothered icon i love her

user15 if i were her id post a tiktok with that audio “he chose me he don’t want you”

iloveyn SHES SO FUNNY

lionsgate us when behind the scenes photo of balleona 😻

➥ user16 lmao stop who’s the admin of lionsgate

user17 balleona is such a bad person but oh is she hot

tomblyth she was like a shot of espresso

tagged @/ynuser

view all comments

ynuser i love u more than words can describe blyth

user18 ok who’s cutting onions

user19 GIRLS, GUYS, THEY THEMS, STOP SETTLING FOR BARE MINIMUM WHEN TOM BLYTH LITERALLY CALLED HIS GF A SHOT OF ESPRESSO, GIVES HER FLOWERS EVERYDAY, AND TALKS ABT HER ALL THE TIME IN HIS INTERVIEWS

➥ user20 YELL IT HARDER SISTER 👐👐👐

user21 this is so dark academica im inlove with u guys

user22 parentssss

rachelzegler my favorites

ynuser SNOW LANDS ON TOP LOSERS

view all comments

tomblyth yn, i love you but

➥ user23 LMFAOO when he doesn’t finish his sentence

user24 the second pic thank u yn

joshandresrivera on top of u maybe

➥ user25 IM DYING OML

user26 thank you to lionsgate for casting the most hottest villain couple ever

[blue-ink-pearls]

So, I know people are really desperate for Sandra Lynn to have hooked up with Pamela Dawn instead of Bobby Dawn, and I completely understand that!* Bobby Dawn is slimy and awful and we don't know much about Pamela, so maybe she's better? But it is 100% Bobby Dawn for two very clear reasons:

Sklonda literally said it was him

Bobby Dawn has always been a predator

The first thing we learn about Sandra Lynn's affair during Spring Break Sophomore Year was that she had just left Aguefort (she dropped out her senior year and got a diploma later on) and she was very young. She was asked to join an established adventuring party of people who were older than her and that had lost one of its members. She fell in love with another member of the party that was already in a relationship, they had an affair, and then when the affair was discovered, Sandra Lynn was blamed, kicked out of the party, and her name was smeared as far and wide as possible by the person who had taken advantage of her so that person could absolve themselves, likely in the eyes of their partner and the party.

So what we can immediately deduce from this is that Sandra Lynn was an outsider to her new adventuring party, likely looked down on as "just a kid", maybe disdained for being a dropout, and most definitely resented for taking the place of the (presumably) dead party member. She was in actively dangerous and stressful situations while questing with the party and she probably had little support from the group during that time.

Sandra Lynn was very very vulnerable.

When he met Sandra Lynn, Bobby Dawn would have been about 20 years younger than he is now, likely in his late 30s/early 40s.** Probably still handsome, still a "dashing" active adventurer. He was married to Pamela already (not just in an established relationship), since he had a child by then that was close to grown and I don't think the Church of Sol would be very happy about a child out of wedlock. He would have been a cleric of Sol and probably still preaching "the good word of Sol" but it likely wouldn't have been constant. You can't give sermons while fighting monsters. I'm sure he even saved Sandra Lynn's life a few times!

The thing about Bobby Dawn being a televangelist now, but not then, is that when he was young, he was probably just as good at persuasion, at finding vulnerable people and exploiting their weaknesses to get what he wanted, and yet he hadn't made a name for himself as a televangelist, so people wouldn't know to be wary of him trying to convert or manipulate them.

The scene between Bobby and Kristen, when Kristen is pretending that Cassandra died shows exactly what kind of terrible person Bobby really is. He is happy to find Kristen devastated, that she is having "a real dark night of the soul" and needs guidance. He refuses to help Kristen stay at Aguefort (something that's within his power), despite knowing how beneficial that would be to her well-being, because that goes against his own goals. He is smug and condescending and cruel. He is preying on Kristen's devastation and vulnerability (not knowing it's an act), to draw her back into the fold of the Church of Helio/Sol.

The person who did that to Kristen, is the exact same person who took advantage of Sandra Lynn when she was still basically a kid, just out of high school. He took advantage of her feelings for him, her inexperience and isolation. And then, when they were discovered, he threw her away and made her the villain so he could get away with it.

He ruined Sandra Lynn's life. Yes, she's happy now with her daughter, her partner, and the beautiful home they've made at Mordred Manor with Adaine, Kristen, Lydia, Ragh, Tracker, Zayn, Aelwyn, Boggy, and 15 cats. But Sandra Lynn ended up with self-esteem and relationship issues that she is still dealing with to this day. Those issues ruined her marriage, could have ruined her relationship with Jawbone, and likely played a hand in the difficulties between her and Fig in Freshman Year, as Sandra Lynn saw her daughter take her first steps into the world of adventuring.

Because Sandra Lynn first wanted to be an adventurer and Bobby Dawn took that away from her, just like he tried to do to Kristen.

Bobby Dawn has shaped his career as a high priest of Sol and as a televangelist by portraying himself as the epitome of righteousness. He is rotten to the core, a predator in a job where he is meant to help people, and I CANNOT WAIT to see the Bad Kids take him down.

*I don't really understand it. Pamela Dawn is likely just as bad as Bobby. She's the chief paladin of the church of Sol, her husband is a televangelist and a High Priest of Sol, and she would have been around the same age as Bobby and having an affair with a vulnerable young girl who she then kicked out of the group and slandered. It being Pamela would still be awful!

**Even with the assumption that both Bobby Dawn and his child had their kids at a young age, the math still has to take into account that Sandra Lynn's daughter is the same age as Bobby Dawn's GRANDSON.

[toadeyes-miqote]

I had to answer this in context and through her bard's eyes.

Of the here and now, after Meteion, after Zenos. I'm not too different from you. I got my mate back but... there is this nagging uncertainty. Yes everything ends at one point or another. There is still some work to be done that I been putting some things off...

For those we have lost, for those we can yet save. Tis either to wallow in self pity or move one step at time. Those who are left behind are the ones who have to pick up the pieces.

That and you guys need to come down to Buscarron's Druthers meet Master Jehantel. and maybe I can arrange for Alisaie to visit. Am I allow to take you and travel? There are people that you should meet, folks who help me one way or another.

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

One trip to the far east later. She had this whole Oni horns image stuck in her head (Gunbreaker started the Oni of Light imagery, might have been folklore to it ), The horns kinda match Byakko...

Dark Knight currently switches between Coeurl theme and Oni of Darkness. The darn thing was responsible for the one horn, one eyepatch thing in Shadowbringers

Road trip with Sid. so many guardian and wards road trip by now. The irony of wanting to take Myste for a visit to Master Jehantel, Alisaie, Thancred, Estinien, Temulun and Vritra.

Been looking at Darkknight's quest through Bard's eyes. There has always been this sense of detachment for her. On one hand MSQ manifested a lot of her issues especially the Urianger and eating Lightwarden business. Kinda think that Master Jehantel's questline had prep her for the whole "unable to save everybody" bit. While Urianger willingness to use the lives of others is the thing that pisses off her the most.

[dongbangskies]

“We can but carry on…”

Is SUCH a good recurring catchphrase

[noxtivagus]

🫣 rambling abt ffxiv quests again yes so true