#Hobbies Course

[frenchublog]

🫀...!

[maythedreadwolftakeyou]

thinking about Lucanis again (always). and how so much of his narrative boils down to the theme of "control". and of course also about how this applies to the Rook x Lucanis relationship.

like the first scenes with him in the game are, in theory, about freeing him from the Ossuary (although he seems to have an escape attempt already in progress at the time, they certainly weren't just letting him keep those knives on him for enrichment purposes, Rook just provided an opening/distraction he could take advantage of and crucially Rook has A Way Out of the whole place not just a cell). but ACTUALLY the purpose it to put him right into a new contract for Us, one set up by his own grandmother and first talon no less, and the person he has the MOST trouble saying no to. He's escaped torture and the Venatori for sure but he still isn't free, which I think is part of what leads to Spite's confusion/the Inner Demons plotline. He agrees to the contract but you can tell it's in many parts out of a sense of duty/mourning vs something he actively wants to do for himself. And then the FIRST real heartfelt conversation you have with him, where he tells you "even before I was captured, my life was not really my own. So much had been determined for me." But he's chaffaing at that! He thinks "to live truly is to live fully" and so directly tells you he doesn't think he's lived a life true to himself. He's been constantly smothered by the weight of expectations around him, even though he longs for more.

And then once you get him to the Lighthouse you see how this Big lack of control in his life comes out as all these smaller frustrations. He's terrified of sleeping and downing 11 cups of coffee per hour because sleeping means he will lose control to Spite, even though Spite is shown to flee rather than fight when he feels threatened, and once calmed down, is more drawn to just benign curiosity/mischief than anything actively malicious. Like if Lucanis loses control and sleeps for a few hours he is not going to wake up surrounded by bloodshed, he's going to wake up to a belly full of candle wax because he wouldn't like Spite taste one while they were awake. Which is the other half of this--he constantly denying Spite's impulses for reasons that in some ways make sense (HE doesn't want to eat candles), but not in a way that's actually satisfying to either of them (why not just take a bite, chew for a bit, and spit it out so Spite knows they kind of suck actually?). But he CAN say no to Spite and so he does. Over and over. Spite's one of the few people he can deny things without feeling bad about it, because it's HIS body he doesn't like that has to share now (<- this is what he thinks about it at first anyway, but he's wrong, it's both of theirs and it's useless to try to hold those kind of boundaries forever. but the "no its mine" spiteful instinct is very beautifully ironic and reflective of them both and their early relationship).

And personally I think this is where his fear of his own desires and intimacy is coming from, at the root. I don't think he's afraid of the concept of being in a romance or having feelings (even if they're unusual and rare for him, this is by no means incompatible with him being demi) but I DO think he is afraid of the kind of power it gives people over you. Getting something you want means there's something else that can be taken away. Admitting your desire means the other person has the opportunity to deny that. The more you have, the more you have to lose, and he has lost again and again and again in his life--his parents, his childhood to the crows, his independence, even his future--he doesn't aspire to be first Talon but he knows the rumors. He knows his grandmother wanted it for him, not Illario. His life path has been laid out for him by others and up to this point he has simply been going along with it anyway, even though it bothers him. He COULD argue and fight Caterina and push for Illario who actually wants the job to be First Talon instead, but from The Wigmaker Job we know he doesn't. He just ignores it and pretends maybe it won't happen, without him having to do any of the work. Which is why in the end Illario is the one who has to make a move about it (and even warns Lucanis of this!!!!). Lucanis KNOWS all this makes him a target but is neither taking charge or getting off of the train tracks, just closes his eyes.

And I think THIS context is what makes the almost kiss scene in the pantry make more sense to me. Rather than being afraid of having feelings (and then NEVER addressing this in game with a Rook who pursues him anyway) or not knowing how to finish what he's started via crow seduction training, it's more like this is a pivotal moment where he can actively choose to step off the planned path of be given a job -> kill the gods -> enact revenge -> go home. even if he doesn't at that point realize that a relationship with Rook could be something that lasts long-term, the very act of doing something just for himself is what's foreign and scary and hard. It's that first step off the tracks, and even if he were to keep walking in the same direction, it means he's making a choice about it. he's accepting that one way or another it IS in his power to go along with everyone else's plans or not. Hence the hesitation, and drawing back, and needing to clear his head.

And then the rest of Rook's role in his narrative IS about giving him more and more control for himself. Inner Demons, dealing with Illario, his questlines move less towards revenge and more towards just... not being locked into one fate. Which of course Caterina comes back and immediately tries to overturn by declaring him First Talon after all, even though she and him and everyone else knows she's not ACTUALLY ready to give up her rule/decision making power yet. Which in a way is maddening because cmon I did all this work here so this sad man could have some agency in his own life just to watch him get sucked right back in (which, at least we get many directions to headcanon from here), but there's no denying that THIS version of Lucanis at least is actually going in with his eyes open now. THIS Lucanis has had a taste of life outside the Crows, and seen the politics and power dynamics in other places/organizations, and finally has emotional ties to the big picture state of the world now, both in relationship and friendship paths with Rook. He's not just hyper focused on each contract as it's given to him now, he's looking at the whole thing.

Anyway of course the beautiful culmination of all this within the romance is the lighthouse scene with Rook, where he finally is willing to let himself be vulnerable (emotionally and physically), and fall asleep without fear of what Spite's going to do in the meanwhile. He also (depending on dialogue choice) finally talks about his feelings directly with you for the first time instead of in roundabout ways (the dessert being "not enough" is it really the dessert you mean, Lucanis. is it.). Even though he is STILL reluctant to verbally admit his feelings or let Rook share their own at this point, I think that's more a narrative choice about saving those last emotional dialogue options for the big final battle. but it is another point where he does have to stop just following along and ACTIVELY choose that yes, yes sometimes loving is worth the risk of losing it. Even if someone takes it away from you later, even if you don't survive it, sometimes the love alone makes it worth it.

I have like another 5000 words I could add into about how Spite ties into all this, about how having the demon in him is something he both fears AND how it forces him to acknowledge that actually yes he DOES share the same base feelings/instincts Spite does in terms of not wanting to be told what to do. And how this in a way is part of what gives him permission to act on it since he can no longer just shove it down out of sight. but this post is long enough already so i'm just going to take the rest of this and gnaw on it all day like a chew toy I guess.

anyway. AHG. it is kind of frustrating that the culmination of his arc seems to be "and then he got the job he never wanted anyway" but I do think at least all this prepares him for it in a way Caterina actively failed to actually do on her own. He NEEDED that step away from his straightforward path. Whether he stays first talon or not, and with or without rook as a romantic partner, he's finally been able to explore ideas outside the expectations of others.

[aetherlite]

Caleb Widogast and Nott the Brave

[thecoppersoulbox]

One thing I love about nukani is that they keep finding ways to cameo non-focus characters in the events. The big one is the fact that in every event with 3 SSRs they manage to gather the whole clan in one place, with no exceptions. But even in the other events you get a couple of the others showing up for a scene or two. Garu and Kuya making a surprise visit to the maid cafe. Olivine being the priest that comes to pray with the prisoners, then Yakumo and Blade clinging to Eiden when it's all over. Dante just happening to be there when the spell on the mansion breaks and all the doors start leading to random places. Rei being consulted whenever research is involved, Edmond appearing any time a criminal gets arrested, Quincy showing up whenever something happens in the forest. And that's not to mention Aster and Morvay - they have to find every reason to bring them in because they're never the focus characters.

It's so good because it shows how intertwined their lives are, not just with Eiden but with each other. They're friends, so of course they'll just be around. Doesn't matter if they live together or if they're getting directly involved or whatever, they'll always be present in each other's lives. It's happening more often than it did in the past, too (it's basically every event now!), which shows how much closer everyone has gotten. Whether the focus characters are regaling a story, asking for help or just saying hi, they make a point of including the cameo characters. And I just think that's so neat.

[littlebittyhollowbugs]

Really love how the fandom decided that post-canon Hollow is skilled at and enjoys cooking/baking

I see this hc all over the place (I've adopted it myself!) And It's honestly adorable

[asharaks]

i mean the interesting thing about cassandra is she is obviously doing the thedas equivalent of business casual - makeup, styled hair, concealing the "softer" interests that are less relevant to her work. which you then have to ask why those things would be considered unprofessional or frivolous - pretend for a moment that we don't know it's because the devs are misogynistic and didn't think that deeply about it. take my hand.

because in thedas, where gender equality is supposedly an enshrined value, influenced by andraste herself - who was known to be a warrior (in the sense of being a war leader #andrastewasamage) but ALSO throughout the franchise people make points to say she picked flowers, and sang, and loved music, and she's always depicted as long-haired and thin and classically feminine - you have to ask what negative connotations are associated with these things. why are these things associated with femininity? why, in a world where the primary religion's primary prophet is known/accepted to have had these interests while still being an effective warlord - why would these be things cassandra wants to distance herself from?

[cangrellesteponme]

i don't think wonderland is ready for those alices

[estebunny]

esteban ocon sharing 10 things he loves

via GP Racing August 2024

Marvel Cinematic Universe - I'm a big fan of superheroes and all the Marvel films. I've watched them many times, recently with my girlfriend. We caught up on 20 years of Marvel movies in one month, which was pretty good! I've also used them as inspiration for some of my special helmet designs. Like the one with Spiderman in Austin a few years ago or Deadpool in Vegas last year. And there's more to come, for sure.

Diabolo Fraise - This is my favourite drink. It's very French. You may not have heard of it, but in France you can go into any bar and order it. They'll know what it is. It's a strawberry syrup with lemonade: very sugary, but very, very nice.

Table football - I like table tennis a lot and table football - foosball - as well, which is very French. I got a table football set for Christmas and I'm always very competitive.

The smell of fuel - It's hard to explain, but I just love the smell of fuel. Not diesel, not kerosene, not ethanol. But unleaded, 98, no ethanol in it - I have a weird addiction to it. I grew up in a garage because my dad was a mechanic and I just loved that smell, always. And I remember once he saw me trying to take a sip of it - when I was five or six years old - but fortunately he managed to stop me because I was really about to drink it! It hasn't changed to this day. It just smells so good…

Five Guys burgers - Burgers are my cheat meal. And when I want a proper one, I go to Five Guys because it's awesome. Double bacon cheeseburger with mushrooms and medium fries - nothing beats it! And if it's Saturday night, the Five Guys on the Champs-Elysees in Paris, with friends, it's just perfect.

Bowling - I'm good at it. In the town where I grew up there weren't many things to do in your spare time. And on weekends it was a simple choice: either go to the cinema or go bowling. More often than not we went bowling. Of course it got competitive. I'm not a pro, not even close, but my personal best is 190, which isn't too bad. That's where I am at the moment, but hopefully I'll get to 200 one day - it won't be easy, but we'll see.

Sim Racing - Of course it helps. A lot of drivers use it as a training tool, but I like it a lot too. And even if I wasn't a professional driver, I think I'd still do a lot of sim racing. I like to compete - and Gran Turismo is always fun.

Drifting - We sometimes organise something with Mick Schumacher and my friend Thomas Neubauer, who drives for Ferrari in GT - and have a bit of competition. It's all about who can reach the maximum speed at the maximum angle, so it's always fun. I also like off-road buggies. That's what we do a lot with friends - take a day off and go through a track in the woods, stop and have a snack, enjoy the scenery. I like motocross - but I can't really do it, because it's a bit dangerous. My dad broke his leg when he was younger so I know it's not a joke. But I'm sure I'll get on a bike one day.

Tuning cars with my dad - I really like cars. It may sound like an obvious statement from a racing driver, but there aren't too many petrolheads among us drivers. But it's one of my passions. I didn't like it so much before, but now I love putting my hands in cars. It gives you a better understanding of things if you're really into it. With my dad we love to tune cars every now and then, experimenting to make them go faster. It's great because we have no restrictions, or rules. So we can make something that wouldn't necessarily be allowed on public roads, but could be a great track car.

Radio-controlled cars - This is something I do a lot, also with dad. It reminds me a lot of the times we did karting together. It's very similar, only the cars are smaller. I like the 1/8 scale TT category, nitro version, not electric, and find it interesting because you can do it on all terrains. I love the setup side and the competition. I'm not a pro, although if I'm honest I'm not too far away - and one day I'm sure I'll be competing at a more serious level. In F1, there are a few drivers who are very good. Lewis Hamilton, for example, you could see he did it as a kid and he hasn't lost it. And Oscar Piastri is also good. Of the three of us, he's probably the best because I think he's competed at a national level in Australia. I've had the chance to race against pros, but only during test sessions. But in the future I'm going to compete for real.

[torchickentacos]

hiiiiiiii happy cs day. i have not had my computer pen for literally the entire week so i've got ✨nothing✨ today, literally just started the sketch/planning stage bc I just got home not long ago BUT!!! Flygon with longer velociraptor legs, my BELOVED.

[significant-narratives]

feeling very normal about matthew and joe tonight :,)

i'll give you one fucking guess who he's looking at

the 2360 bond is so important to me... kniesy going up to joey when he first got called up to the team asking for Guidance and joey is like 'actually i just got here too :)' so they end up having to figure out what it means to be rookies in the nhl together. becoming such good friends they end up attached at the hip and you rarely see one without the other. sharing the same (ridiculous) nickname. coming up with silly little pregame rituals because i guess you need to spend time together before a game to feel settled. complimenting each other constantly. always standing up for one another. someone knocks into joey? kniesy is going to kill them and then loving help him to his feet. someone hurts kniesy? well okay, now no one is allowed to score. have fun getting shutout. planning to take cooking classes together. going to a bee exhibit because why not. figuring out what your future is going to look like together. being a solid support for the other to lean on. the most tender heartwrenching post game goalie hugs of all time. all very mundane things that we should all feel very normal about!

[rennyrose]

Having a lot of thots™️ regarding the headcannon that both LR are musically inclined, just with some different music tastes

[bonnie-the-mutt]

yesterday I had to explain to my caregiver that age regression isn't always fun and sweet and safe.

sometimes it's scary. sometimes it's ugly. sometimes it's impure.

though it can be sweet, ultimately age regression is a coping mechanism. it is a form of therapy. it takes work and energy. agere is how I'm rewiring my brain to know that I'm safe and okay now. it's how I teach myself to be a kid, since I didn't get to be one back then. it isn't always a pretty process. it's overwhelming and exhausting.

and that's okay :). age regression is there for you. you can heal and you can grow. we're all on this journey together.

[corvidcrowned]

my favorite hobby is putting them in Situations.

[letmegrabyourcuteass]

Eddie 100% buys this and giggles to himself while he hangs it over their bed. He'll need the reminder of his life mission everyday when he wakes up in the morning.

[nandermoenthusiast]

and by the way guillermo offering his hand to his boss to help him down the chair, him calling his boss master, him struggling with the morality of what the company is doing for profit… it doesnt really feel like much has changed in his life and the way he operates

and in the end him hanging out with his coworkers and doing stupid normal shit with them, him feeling validated and valued by his peers for once, or him climbing the corporate ladder, i think its all gonna feel a little bit pointless and a little too easy for him, and humans are ultimately gonna feel a little bit alien, people he cant really be himself with, not all of himself. i am truly hoping he ends up realising living a human life is not what he wants either, that hes not gonna be happy with that in the long run, and he figures out that hes only ever happy when hes around his whacky vampiric found family, and nandor specifically <3

[saydesole]

New Summer Hobbies ⛳🎾