#How did they look at the absolute shite they wrote and think that was ok?

[jackoshadows]

Sometimes I recall what GOT did to the character of Daenerys Targaryen and I still can't wrap my mind around it. The single worst bit of character assassination I have ever seen in fictional media. I don't get it. They took the heroic protagonist who freed slaves and saved the realm from a zombie apocalypse and in the penultimate episode had her randomly slaughter thousands of innocent people FOR NO REASON!!

Cersei was already defeated, Daenerys already won, she got KL. The people of KL were not fighting against her like the slave masters or the Lannisters. And it's not even like the Mad King because even the Mad Kind only wanted to burn down KL with Wildfire because Tywin got through the gates and he wanted to take everyone down with him. Daenerys had NO REASON! They just wrote the protagonist of the series randomly massacre people in the penultimate episode for no reason - it's not madness, strategy or villainy! NO REASON.

It would be like if Tolkien did not finish LOTR and D&D got their hands on the adaptation (*shivers*) and there would be no Gollum and Frodo would end up not destroying the Ring and becoming a dark lord, the final big bad even more powerful than Sauron himself, to subvert expectations and surprise viewers...

Or if George Lucas stopped with The Empire Strikes Back and D&D finished the trilogy with The Return of the Jedi and Luke joins forces with Vader and Palpatine to subvert expectations....

And EVEN all of those endings would still have made more sense than Daenerys randomly massacring thousands... FOR NO REASON!!

[m34gs]

😊😊😊😊 Hello!!!!!

Got a little (hopefully not too weird) question for ya:

Let's turn back the clock and human verse it. Middle ages, maybe fantasy setting (you choose) but, what trades do you think Ichigo/and or Grimmjow would work at? Blacksmithing? Mason? Farmer? Court musician? Something completely different? Would it be more fantastical? I know in the mythical au you wrote about Grimmjow being a dragon slayer--would it build off that or are you thinking of separate/different au?

What are your thoughts? I'm a sucker for this time period, or something like it anyway.

How would they meet? Does ichigo work with others or does he have a more solitary job?

How would they meet? Does Aizen play a factor in this senario at all? Who else is in this au? I hope this all makes sense lol

🧡💙🧡💙 Have a good night!!!💙🧡💙🧡

Hi there friend! This isn't a weird concept at all; I love it! Thank you so much for asking me this!!!!!!

Ok, so! I am a sucker for fantasy, so I absolutely would put them in a fantasy setting! Very much love that. As for occupations and casting...welll...

Grimmjow would be a foot-soldier. Some stupid rule says you have to be nobility to be a knight (I know it's cliché, but I'm a bit of a sucker for those kinds of rules that seem pointless, I find them very relatable to today's society) and he was born to a poor family who basically sent him off to be fodder for the enemy because it meant they would get rewarded with one less mouth to feed. He doesn't have a strong sense of 'family' or 'trust'. To him, the only one he can trust is the sword in his hand, and even then he knows better than to think it would never cut him. He ends up being ruthless and surviving because of his lack of trust in others and his will to spite the family that cast him out. Aizen is a noble of some kind, and he sees Grimmjow's potential so he takes him in, keeps him, trains him like the other knights he's collected, only Grimmjow doesn't get that title because of that stupid law. This drives a wedge between him and the knights Aizen trains and keeps (I'm thinking this is where I would cast the other arrancar).

Aizen is well-respected among the other nobles (because he lies. You know, like a liar. lol sorry I needed to throw that meme reference in there). But, anyway, for the other nobles I would cast most of the captains of the Soul Society. They have varying degrees of wealth but the fact remains they are all still nobles.

Now, for Ichigo...his family lives in woods that are allegedly haunted/cursed. (spoiler, it's just them and some windchimes and various illusions/traps they've set up over the years to keep the nobles out and protect the forest from being deforested). His mother is a witch (that's right, 'is'. Because in this AU? She's alive and well because I said so :D lol), and his father is a farmer who fell in love with her. Ichigo and his sisters inherited some of their mother's magic and she taught them how to use it.

Aizen is on a journey, bringing with him Grimmjow and a couple others for protection. On the way, they are robbed by clever thieves(Kisuke Urarhara and Yoruichi), and Grimmjow is tasked to track them down and reclaim what was stolen. He goes after them and follows them to the haunted forest, because of course they are friends with Isshin and Masaki.

This is where Grimmjow stumbles upon Ichigo. And mistakes him for one of the thieves. He attacks and Ichigo promptly kicks his ass because he has the home field advantage. Then, when the misunderstanding gets slightly cleared up, Ichigo feels guilty for wounding Grimmjow, but the boy's healing magic is absolute shite (his mother tries to teach him, she really does, but he's always been better at other kinds of magic). So he brings Grimmjow to his mother. And wouldn't you know it, Masaki is just so darn happy her son has brought home a man because LOOK ISSHIN OUR BOY HAS A FRIEND AND MAYBE EVEN A HUSBAND. And Isshin is right there with her, eagerly talking about how strong Grimmjow looks and how he can protect their boy. And Ichigo is like excuse me protect me? I kicked his ass? And then he gets a scolding because kicking asses is rude. And Grimmjow is wondering what the fuck is wrong with these people.

I think in this AU, Orihime would be a member of Unohana's household, learning how to heal, much to the dismay of her parents and older brother. (Fun fact: the first people to work as nurses in hospitals? The poor, the prostitutes, the lame, the disabled, the beggars. It was a job that was looked down upon and considered one of the lowest of the low positions. Which is why it was a big deal when noble ladies started going into the profession. People were scandalized.) Unohana is one of the less well-off nobles, but she doesn't care so much because she uses what wealth she did inherit from her family to heal others.

Chad is the blacksmith. Hands down. He is the best around. Tall, strong, silent, and he does quality work. Regardless of the fact he's not a noble, he is very well off because nobles from all around are willing to pay good money for his work.

Uryu is a scholar, studying anything he can find that's interesting. He's studying under Mayuri, though he secretly thinks the man is a freak. And Mayuri does all sorts of experiments on all sorts of people (there's no ethics board in this time, you see. Anything and everything is legal when it comes to the pursuit of knowledge, as long as you have enough money to buy off the right people).

Kenpachi is the battle-crazed lord, and the only nobility who knows of the Kurosaki's living in the forest. He was wandering around one day, bored out of his mind, when he happened across Ichigo and his sisters in the forest. Ichigo immediately goes into protective big-bro mode, and Kenpachi doesn't wanna clear up any misunderstanding if it means he can have a fight instead. He doesn't tell anyone; partially because Ichigo was the best opponent he has ever had, and partially because he doesn't care enough about the other nobles to have conversations beyond the usual 'how are you' 'I am well' exchange. Actually, you know, Kenpachi's entire household knows of the family in the woods (they like to prove their courage so many of them had ventured into the woods that were 'haunted'.) but because Kenpachi tells no one, they also tell no one.

Byakuya, in a twisted turn of events, is the only captain who is not a noble. He is a merchant. His trade? Silk. And he still carries himself with grace and looks down on others, but this time it's because he and his ancestors literally clawed their way out of the ranks of the poor by being cutthroat businessmen. He still adopts Rukia as his younger sister when he finds her, after his wife perishes. Renji is a mercenary hired to protect Rukia, and he is totally in love with Byakuya.

These are my thoughts! What do you think? Anything you would add? Do you have more ideas for other characters and the roles they could play in this au?

[joaquinwhorres]

Boxes (Lee Jordan x OC)

SUMMARY ››››› Nora finds Lee sitting alone out in the snow and goes to check on him.

WORD COUNT ››››› 1,578

A/N ››››› I wrote this in like three different ways, but I’m happy with how it turned out. It gives a little more insight into Nora’s soft side and also is not just Lee cheering up Nora. 

She had never seen Lee Jordan alone before. 

Sure, she'd seen him without his friends, but always walking through a crowded hall or sitting in the Quidditch stands or trailing a professor asking questions. Never so completely and utterly alone. 

The thought caused her stomach to twist, and she slowed to a stop keeping her eyes focused on him. Maybe it wasn't the fact that he was alone. Maybe it was the fact that he was still. 

In the classes they'd had together he'd always been turning in his seat or busying himself with something on his parchment. He was a dynamic announcer, talking with his hands and dodging McGonagall's attempts to grab the megaphone. But here he was sitting with his knees pulled up to his chest, arms wrapped around them, staring into space.

Something wasn't right.

Nora stepped out from the covered walkway and into the snow, wrapping her arms around herself as if that could protect her from the cold of the little white flakes that settled onto her coat sleeves and tangled themselves in her hair. "Lee?" 

His head swiveled to her, and she was a bit surprised that he'd heard her the first time she'd called his name. 

"Are you alright?" Nora asked, rubbing her mittened hands gently up and down her arms. 

His smile was soft--not the electric grin she was used to. "Perfectly fine," he answered in a voice that was probably  meant to reassure her. And it might have if it weren't for the fact that there was still that little twist in her gut telling her to stay.

"Really?" Nora asked, stepping closer, bits of snow jumping up from under her feet to avoid being packed down in the shape of her shoeprint. "Is that way you're sitting all by yourself out in the snow instead of coming in for dinner?" 

He exhaled what might have been an attempt at a laugh through his nose. "I'll be in soon."

"Ok." The word came out airly, as if she believed him, and Lee must have thought she did because he turned back around to stare out into the middle of the courtyard. But, instead of retreating, she moved forward. "Do you mind if I sit out here with you until then?"

He shook his head but didn't look at her again. 

Nora nodded, mostly for her own benefit, before tucking her coat under her bum and settling down into the snow. She wiggled a bit, smoothing out a nice little divet to sit in before chancing a glance over at Lee who hadn't moved. She turned her attention up to the sky, tipping her head back so that the snowflakes drifted down onto her face and caught in her lashes. For a moment, she felt entirely at peace in the muted world of the courtyard. She could understand why Lee chose to escape out here to avoid the raucousness of the castle. Except… Her eyes drifted back to Lee once more. He didn't seem to be escaping much if the look on his face was any indication.

"It's beautiful out here," Nora mused, leaning back onto her hands and fighting back the urge to shiver without her arms wrapped around herself.

"Yeah," Lee breathed out in agreement. 

Nora bit the inside of her lip, trying to settle back into the moment. She looked back up at the snowflakes and attempted to count them. She tried picking one and following its progress all the way down to the ground. She tried naming the specific colors of everything she saw around her: pearl, cotton, mist, slate, slate-blue. But her fingers twitched in her mitten, itching for her to do something. 

So, she scooted to the left, narrowing the gap between her and Lee. Nora bit off her mitten, digging her hand into her pockets, fingers searching for the familiar smoothness of plastic wrapping. Instead they bumped against a quill tip and then a crumpled piece of parchment and then her small supply of tissues. And then, finally, they found it.

Nora withdrew her hand from her pocket, presenting three pieces of butterscotch to Lee on her open palm. He looked at her with eyebrows raised, and she smiled. "Whatever it is, I've always found a bit of sweets help." 

He exhaled another laugh--this one more real, and his shoulders dropped some. "Thanks, Nora." There was a fondness in his voice that hadn't been there before, and her smile grew just a bit bigger. 

"Take two," she urged, and Lee hesitated for just a second before taking another sweet. 

The two unwrapped their butterscotches in silence, each popping them into their mouth and then pulling mittens and gloves back on. 

It was easier to sit in silence now. Listening to the sweet clack against teeth and sitting just a bit closer together. 

"Can I ask you something?" Lee asked, and she startled a little before turning to face him. 

"Of course." 

"What do you think of me?" 

Her head tilted a bit to the side as she considered him. He was still staring forward as if didn't want to meet her eyes when he asked this. She had the distinct feeling that she could say something very wrong if she wasn't careful.

"How do you mean?" 

Lee's jaw worked as he sat in her question for a moment, and she wondered if he hadn't heard her or if this was the wrong thing to say before he spoke again. 

"I overheard someone in class today…" he shook his head, not wanting to finish the rest of the story. "People here, they just think I'm a laugh. That I don't take anything seriously. I'm just...entertainment." 

Nora frowned. 

"You're not entertainment. Entertaining sometimes, but you're more than that Lee. Much more." 

"I know, it just-- " he cut himself off again with a sigh, resting his chin on top of his knees. "I don't know why it's bothering me this much. I like performing and making people laugh." 

He didn't say anything else after that, staring back out into the snow. Nora adopted his position, drawing her own knees up to her chest and wrapping her arms around them. "People like to put other people in boxes," Nora offered, shrugging her shoulders. "You're the entertainment, I'm that happy girl, someone else is the pretty one, and the smart one, and whatnot. I think it helps them feel like they can make sense of everyone--they just need to find the right box to fit them in. But it's absolute shite being put in a box because there isn't a single one big enough to fit every part of you." 

This earned her half a laugh. "'ts a bit of a convoluted metaphor," Lee remarked. 

"I'm doing my best," Nora looked back at him, a smile tugging up at her lips. The two held each other's gaze for a second before Lee looked away. 

"What box did you put me in? Before we were friends?" 

"There wasn't a box really," Nora shook her head. "To me you've always been the boy who wanted to find the Giant Squid with me on our first day of Hogwarts." 

Lee turned back to look at her, his cheerlessness dissipating the way ice did on a frozen pond. His lips parted like a sharp crack in the ice before fissuring out into a smile and dimples and melting away into a look of small wonder. "I'd forgotten about that." 

"I never have," Nora shook her head, giving him a half smile. "I was so nervous on that boat ride. I'd never left my family for more than a week or two, and even though Wren was with me, I didn't think we'd be sorted into the same house. And then you came along chatting about the Giant Squid and trying to make the boat go over to where you were sure you'd seen him, and you let me help--more than that, you actually listened to my ideas…" Nora trailed off, realizing she was rambling. "I thought you were very clever and good fun and truly kind. I thought 'this is someone I could be friends with if Wren leaves me.' But then you went and got sorted into the wrong house too, and I promptly never spoke to you again." 

Lee let out a burst of laughter, and a warming sensation flooded Nora's chest seeing him genuinely smile. "Well," Lee said, his laughter dying down. "At least we're friends now."

Nora nodded. "All this to say, if people want to put you in a box, they're missing out, Lee. Really, truly, we should pity them, missing out." 

His gentle smile returned once more, but unlike the first one he'd given her, this one was as warm as  laughter that shone in his eyes. "Thank you, Nora." 

"Anytime at all," Nora said, returning his smile with one she hoped reflected all that he gave to her.

Lee took in a deep breath before letting it out through his nose. "I guess we should go to dinner then." 

"My stomach would like that very much," Nora agreed. 

Lee chuckled, standing up from the snow and brushing himself off before offering a hand down to Nora. She accepted it, taking hold of his gloved hand and letting him pull her up onto her feet. He squeezed her hand once before letting it go and two walked side by side back into the castle.

[dunamanticarchivist]

Critical Role Latest of the Lateblogs C2E31 Commerce and Chaos

Well I think this is the longest I’ve held off watching CR 2 since binge-ing the first 13 episodes in a marathon procrastination for roughly 3 days. Which might be a good thing, that I’m giving sufficient priority to things around me. But not being able to browse twitter and tumblr cos spoilers has been rather killer. Now, for a relaxing shopping episode of... critical role. Also that title is amazing

Only 3 and half hours boo hoo

Or did they take out the break in replays?

Oh boi a Sam Riegel southern special

A true blue ‘murican musical masterpiece

ENCORE ENCORE

Oh thank god I thought they took out the audio for the cheesy intro

That wouldn’t be the same any more would it

RIP Sam Riegel, but RIP Matt Mercer first

Dafuq Nott is now inventing flechette rounds in fantasy settings

Holy shit thats gonna be dangerous - one potentially explosive arrow

Im surprised Travis isnt asleep yet

Okokokokokok there are shenanigans afoot with letter forgery

(Ok i got spoiled a bit for this bit, but still)

Liam’s face palm is mood

FROM THE TOWN OF NIGERIA

Jesus there will be a million repercussions spilling out of this and plot ends for Matt to refine into knives to murderinate them with

Oh no this will not end well. At all. RIP erbady’s heart

Diamonds, fucking diamonds 

Ah there is Travis’ eyeroll. RIP him

LETS GO TO PUMAT’S (i saw a pumatprime logo that looks like amazon prime it was awesome sry i forgot who to credit it to on twitter)

Dese kids MOAR PUMATS 

Bath time again?

GIMME THEM BRACERS 

Thats really helpful Jester you should never bargain

A mighty girth....hmm not the group name you are looking for

Interesting spell selections. Feather fall, expeditious retreat, catapult. All 1st levels and uses reaction, bonus action and action. Very versatile

“This longsword”. Travis instantly becomes interested in shopping again. BAD FJORD BAD PUT DOWN THAT LONGSWORD. NO DONT EAT IT AGAIN BAD

The sword that was broken, potential plot point

Dust of deliciousness wtf that sounds absolutely baller

Cleaning out the pumats

ALL THE FUNKY ENCHANTMENTS someone please make the thinking meme for pumat 

The dancing sounds like a Otto’s Irresistable Dance a lvl 6 spell enchantment.

8000 gold for that. Interesting.

As an economics student, I am incredibly fascinated by the price systems that exist in Exandria (so 400 gold for +1 weapon)

Lotta pigeons hooting in here

Tfw when your hobo wiz is charming af

Only 100 gold off, its something but thats less than 5% off the bill (total should come up to 2400 golds ish)

Paper and ink in the same box, I too like to live dangerously

Marisha’s grabby hands for the bracers *squeeee

Matt, you have no idea how heavy paper can get

“May I go to the library” jesus that brings me back to childhood I loved my school library

MOAR SHOPPING RIP TRAVIS ROUND 2

We now have an official cook and potion maker on the road, its gonna be lit

Suvo’s Secrets ooo what a name. 20 ft by 20 ft. The first thing that comes to mind is how a Fireball would put the place to flame. I need help

Holy fuck thats a big dragonborn

Im calling it thats a hoarding hag of a dragonborn

FROM YOUR MOTHERS CHEST really Matt you forget the Ruby of the Sea was a prostitute for one second. Just one second. Meme mode ON

1 gold for fucking garlic they have no fucking sense for money 

They should have just brought Nott along and stole the whole bag

Jester please once again, never negotiate for prices.

Also if Matt was in the mind to fuck with them, they could literally be paying for the privilege of being cursed

Fjord bailing, shopping must have been super depressing

SABIEN??? SABIEN???? GIVE ME PLOT GIVE ME BACKSTORY

Bummer to have a week of failed investigation

ONLY CAT FRUMPKIN

Zenoth still being creepy af

Jebaited monk training Day 1: Time to fucking read

Roleplaying lvl 6 subclass features pretty good

Lotta bows there

Correction Laura: everyone be a Cobalt Soul monk

“I dont get to kill those guys?” aww man

Info dump lads this is a wiki filling episode erbady take notes

The Chained Oblivion? With all the manacles I think that’s shaping up to be BBEG of this campaign

STILL NOT A GOOD ENOUGH REASON TO USE THE WORD PENETRATE

Magical experimental in Solstryce? This is not a particularly helpful turn of events

I wonder does the eye serve as a spellcasting focus

THEY SPLIT THE PARTY DOWNTIME MOST DANGEROUS TIME

Lots of charming ASMR voices with the Gentlemen and Fjord

oh shite its cree another WHERE’S MOLLY???

Ya he ded

Eyyy here we go (i got somewhat spoiled for this defacing of temples)

The ‘healers’ got a cloak for Nott the bravest rouge. Yes. But this is entirely wholesome and soul saving

Clearly the cast isnt all the religious or that serious about it

The platinum dragon is now.... a farmer. Very agricultural

-3 to deception at disadvantage. Still a 13. Absolutely golden

This is heresy and we are all going to hell

I HAD JUST HIRED HER goddamn they are horrendous at this skulduggery 

OH SHIIIIT 5 CROWNSGUARDS one of whom appears to be a spellcaster

fuck some kind of forcecage? Ottiluke’s Resilient Sphere does damage?

ALL SHALL FALL TO THE CHARM OF JESTER LAVORRE

RUN YOU IDIOTS RUN

Jesus christ I didnt know I could get anxiety from watching a getaway scene

Good lord Jester virtually blew through her entire long rest of options in one night of revelry

Oh god here cometh the heartbreak

Thats alot of vague speak in the manner of gods

Dafuq the god is real? He can touch the dodecahedron? This sounds like a great amount of fuckery

Holy shit the time indeed passed I forgot there needs to be a break

NO REST WE GO ON LIKE CRITTERS

Taliesin is playing his INT 9 well

Lets go vacationing in the Bahamas/Nicodranas/Menagerie Coast

PLEASE CAST PLEASE LESS PEE AND POOP JOKES IM TRYING TO SNACK

Yes that is exactly how Jester would cast sending someone once wrote fanfic like that. It is obviously now canon

REVENGE FOR NOTT THE BRAVE KILL ALL THE GOBOS

Paper = power

ITS MORE THAN THAT AAAAAA ITS SO WHOLESOME

Everybody gets a dead people tea healing potion

Aaaand we’re back to the beginning

A delicious transitory episode, and hmmm a one-shot 2 weeks from now? Fascinating. 

[earthdeep]

ok so

having finished silver snow I've now done all the story content easily available to me, even tho the two music tracks in the extras menu that are ???ed out still do worry me

and tbh I don't have much to say abt silver snow itself bc it is almost identical to verdant wind HOWEVER I'm taking this opportunity to ramble my thoughts on the game as a whole, in a format that will likely not make sense to myself let alone anyone else

I guess I'll start on my thoughts on the lords? + rhea bc she's basically a fourth lord. so like, personal fave is still edelgard bc I am gay and angry with the state of the world, followed by claude bc he's fun and also probably the best person out of all the major players in this game, then rhea further back for being fucking terrifying to me and yet also woefully incompetent at the act of doing anything important, and dimitri is waaaaaaaaaaaaay down at the bottom of the barrel bc I am not here for angry white boys. I'm incredibly disappointed in the fandom wrt how much they adore dimitri. not surprised, mind you, since I've seen the cullenites in the dragon age fandom and their years of bullshit. but still, el and claude have so much more going for them (and are hotter to boot lbr) that it makes it suuuuuuper difficult to claim race and gender has nothing to do with it. but I'm totally sharing some of that blame with the game too, bc dimitri did get brought up in a good light more than, say, claude did in the eagles routes. which is super shite since claude's the fucking helpful one. srsly I had to sit through dream!dimitri in silver snow and you couldn't give me another claude scene- oh my god I just realised I didn't here from him again after he went missing. son of a fuck my dude just disappeared. like I assume he ran off to almyra like every other time but I just never saw him again.

actually, since we're on the topic of claude not being widely beloved enough by the fandom for me not to side eye them, leeeeeeet's point out a little smth smth with 3h's darker skinned characters. bc.... eesh. dedue? absolute life debt mode to the whitest of boys, hobbies include household chores, big brawny lad who's only recently literate. if disney wrote this character he would currently be locked in the vault out of shame. but I guess if it's not a pattern- oh hello cyril. at least HIS life debt is to the whitest of ladies instead! literally, her dragon form is the actual colour white. at least catherine used to be a noble, even if it's in danger of being cancelled out by her also being a brigand. and I don't think she's any good at chores either which is good. but like, the devotion...

we have claude and petra too, who thankfully have lives of their own. but it's hard not to wince when claude is called some variant of sneaky for the hundredth time (he's all talk yo...) and petra's post timeskip outfit makes me feel kinda gross if I look at it too long. it's annoying bc her face makes me feel gay things and then the camera pans and I'm back to oh yeah, they really wanted the tropical princess halloween costume huh.

at least judith's cool. and even wears trousers. I've never seen her in action in my game bc I overlevel and get through fights too fast for her but we stan her on this blog anyway. and this is already the third 3h lady I've had this response to but I am super gay.

anyway that elephant has finally been ushered out of the room, time to ramble about narrative things. bc what the fuck was three houses doing? verdant wind and silver snow were the same but for the final boss (and BOY is that final boss an asspull in both routes) while azure moon is similar but with entirely different factions being discussed, then crimson flower is just HALF A ROUTE?? and tbh crimson flower was I think the best, not only bc it was p unique and let me hug edelgard but also bc it was as short as it was. all the other routes dragged to hell and back as a result of being restrained by the calendar. you have so much fucking energy by endgame that it's a fucking chore to use it all, and you can only go two weeks before you've taught everyone on your main team and need to go explore and feed them or give them shit and then you need to use up all your energy and collect some more ingredients for the meals you keep having and then decide what you're going to do with your free day now all your paralogues are done and you don't want for ore or gold or levels so do you- ugh I know I could just skip but it feels wrong to do when not story appropriate. the calendar system works during the academy phase and fits the almost slice of life feeling it has, but once there's a war on it just destroys the narrative tension. war isn't hell in three houses, war is purgatory.

and now for something completely different: the church n stuff. it sure is very based on the real life church! as an agnostic lesbian maybe you can guess how high my hackles raised whenever anything particularly churchy came up. I do wonder whether IS underestimated how heavily that could sway the viewpoint of the player. bc I walked in ready to burn that fucking monastery to the ground if I'm honest. it's rare to be able to do that to christianity allegories in video games (*cough*dragonage*cough*) so crimson flower appealed to me a lot in a way I'd guess wouldn't to certain others (*stares at the white boy stans*) and it's kind of a kick in the teeth to be railroaded into worrying abt rhea in verdant wind. I purposely avoided support with her during that run and yet my dialogue options the moment she vanished were byleth caring abt her well being. game, the most I care at this point is that she is alive enough to give me some fucking answers on the shit she's been doing this past millenium. and that specific factor makes me wonder whether silver snow was done first and basically copy pasted to serve as a different route, forgetting that the player may not have the same objectives since they've been rolling with claude the visionary for the past year.

honestly the golden deer in general get kinda shafted by the game. I've seen others point it out too, but they get like no exposure outside of claude unless you seek them out. of the eagles, edelgard and hubert are always major characters appearing as bosses multiple times, although the others do fall to the background. then dear god the lions. both ashe and sylvain have entire month's missions dedicated to a part of their backstory during the academy phase! and even while dimitri dies after a single battle away from his route, there's a good chance dedue's coming back for more. claude gets a couple letters and a single battle and then he's out. let us ally with claude you bastard of a game.

I got sidetracked there but like the ashe and sylvain getting prominent story beats in all routes I think was a bit of a lost opportunity. and also probably is the reason sylvain is actually as popular as he is. dude's kind of a scumbag and it really does take being contextualised by his obscene amount of trauma to start understanding or liking him. it also helps he's easy as fuck to recruit and a very viable unit so u have a gameplay route to getting attached to him (legit 3/4 of my playthroughs had me fielding him as one of my regulars).

but think of the potential to add that to other characters! imagine seeing the conditions that led leonie to obsess over jeralt! meeting all these (completely alive!) siblings we keep hearing about then not seeing! killing bernadetta's father! the possibilities are endless and could be easily explained by rhea assigning tasks to students who already have relevant context or whatever. just ugh some of the choices made by the writers annoy me.

sfdlkdfkjdj I don't know how to connect this last bit at all, bc it's just observations abt like the models n stuff. I like how they've obviously set materials up for all the models to easily change clothing colours to differentiate factions. that's cool. they did that with skin tones too, so if you zoom in on like the agarthans you can see their weird super pale complexion (tho for some reason their battalions have regular skin?). tho it does make it weird when the 2d portrait is always the same. this duscar soldier sure doesn't look like his profile pic.

anyway that was the last thing on my mind abt this game. kinda anticlimactic to end on, I know, but rather in the spirit of things. only crimson flower knows what a satisfying conclusion is, after all :) long live lady edelgard yo.