#I’m not looking to debate. just share my perspective

[ulmus-spellook]

Crystals will not cure your cancer, but as an animist I do feel like there are vibes. Perhaps not a mind, but vibes

[angel-in-your-basement]

It’s wild that you’re not OK with age play but you’re OK with saying that assault is a kink …. rape is not a kink! Why do so many people not understand that it’s CNC or it’s assault? Do y’all just do this for attention or what because I’m really confused on why you would think such a terrible thing could be considered a kink. Coming from someone that was raped before I was even five years old.. I just don’t think that we should sit here and act like rape is ever OK. like I said you’re looking for the term CNC, not rape. please stop contributing to men thinking rape is OK because they’re out here assaulting people in the real world when y’all do shit like this making it seem okay when it’s not. whether you think your little dumb posts are contributing to real world assaults or not, they absolutely are.

Hi there,

I can see you’re feeling really triggered by this, and I am going to explain my thinking, but first, I want to gently encourage you to take some time to self-soothe and take care of yourself, because engaging with this in a state of heightened emotion is not going to make you feel good.

I am answering this now out of the understanding that you are hurting, and this may be a good opportunity to share my perspective on these ideas, but I’m not going to answer any further asks about this. I don’t come on here to debate things.

Anyways, if you, or anyone else is interested in my take on this, here it is under the cut.

I’m going to address a couple different things here, with a reminder that is my perspective, and you absolutely don’t have to agree.

1. “You’re not okay with age play”

I actually am okay with age play, and there are some aspects that I, myself, enjoy. The reason it’s in my DNI is not bc of the kink itself, but bc of how much shit I’ve seen on tumblr of people actually being under age or seeking out under age people and using that type of tag/fantasy/etc. to do it, and I want nothing to do with that entire side of tumblr, as much as I can avoid it. Undoubtedly, there are people on here that are into age play that do so in consensual, risk-aware ways, and I support that, but I don’t actually engage with it online bc of what I said before.

2. “Rape is not a kink / it’s cnc or it’s assault”

So, we agree on this, except on the semantics of the language. Part of kink is exploring shameful and taboo topics in a safe, consensual way. It’s important to understand the limits of where play can become harm, absolutely, but I think that is very individual, and nitpicking how other people explore with no understanding of why they might be doing that is not productive.

With that understanding, it doesn’t make sense to me to say “well it’s okay if someone wants to be held down and have someone hurt them and not stop even if they say no, but they can’t say the word ‘rape’.” Language does matter, but it becomes counterproductive if we spend too much time prioritizing semantics over context and meaning. I prioritize safety, curiosity and connection, because that is what kink is about to me. I feel secure in myself that I can explore these dark fantasies without harming myself or other people, and that doing so is healthier than shaming myself for it.

3. “Do you do this for attention?”

I’m going to gently remind you here that I am also a person, who has my own set of trauma and bad experiences, and who chooses to process them in the way I choose to process them. I created this blog as a space to express myself in ways that I generally don’t get to in real life, because it’s not socially acceptable to talk about the scary/dark/repulsive thoughts that we all experience.

We are so conditioned to feel shame, and to shame others, and shame causes more damage than anything else does in humans, in my experience. Shame doesn’t make people change, it just makes them isolate and repress themselves, which leads to them dealing with their thoughts, emotions and urges in unhealthy ways. I choose to acknowledge the darker parts of people, and to be open about it so that we can learn to deal with it in healthier ways.

And yes, I do enjoy the attention, and I enjoy that people enjoy the content I create.

4. “You are contributing to real world assaults”

My question with this statement is basically: where do we draw the line? If I made the exact same posts and never used the word “rape”, would that make it okay? If I put a disclaimer on every single post, would that at all discourage someone who already thinks it’s okay to do these things without consent? Should I post about cnc at all, knowing it may be feeding into someone’s shitty ideas about the world? How much responsibility is on me, specifically, to prevent people from being assaulted?

Basically, it’s an endless rabbit hole. We have no control over other people. I choose not to take on the burden of feeling like it is my job to be perfect so that I never contribute to anything bad happening, because that is impossible. Instead, I choose to focus on the good I put into the world, and what feels good for me so that I can continue putting good into the world.

More importantly, if you want to make change in something as huge and pervasive as sexual assault, is your energy best spent lashing out at random people online? Or is it finding ways to help yourself heal, so that you don’t hurt yourself and other people? What about finding ways to support people who have through similar experiences? Or working through activism to support changing the systems at large?

I am very satisfied with the ways in which I put good into the world through educating people, supporting people and doing my best to be authentic. I have made a lot of meaning out of my suffering by helping other people.

If you genuinely want to make things better, find better ways to do it.

[princessaffirms]

✨ DISCLAIMER: science, subjectivity & shifting

　 . ★⋆. ࿐࿔　✦　　　.　　. 　 ˚　.ੈ✧̣̇˳·˖

i acknowledge that not everyone reading my “science of shifting/law of assumption” posts comes from a scientific background — or even wants to dive deep into technical explanations of the topics discussed. that’s totally okay. the content here is intentionally simplified to make core ideas more accessible, while still staying true to the scientific literature and experimental evidence cited at the end of each post.

if you’re curious to explore further, i always encourage you to read the original papers yourself — the sources are there for a reason! 🫶 my posts blend scientific findings with spiritual and metaphysical interpretation, bridging quantum physics, neuroscience, and manifestation/shifting philosophy in a way that reflects how i’ve personally experienced and understood their connection.

additionally, this isn’t a replacement for formal science — it’s an interpretive lens, a lived perspective on how consciousness interacts with reality. i write to offer clarity and reassurance, but remember: you don’t need “proof” in the traditional sense (like experiments or data charts) to believe in shifting or to experience your own power.

you ARE the proof. your subjective experience of reality is the experiment.

furthermore, science, as powerful and essential as it is, has natural limits. it cannot fully access or measure the metaphysical, spiritual, or energetic realms (whatever name resonates with you), because they transcend the physical 3D. science can only measure the projection — not the source.

it cannot yet describe the quantum field in its full multidimensionality, and it absolutely cannot quantify your unique, lived experience of reality.

that’s why concepts like shifting and law of assumption are, in a way, eternally undebunkable in the traditional scientific sense. they exist in a space that science, as a way of knowing, can’t directly access, and that’s okay.

so if you’re here looking for conventional evidence to “prove” shifting or manifestation in a materialist, lab-confirmed sense — you won’t find it. and that’s not a flaw. that’s the nature of reality itself.

science and spirituality are not opposites. they are two sides of the same coin. two perspectives trying to describe the same infinitely complex field of potential we call reality.

you’re allowed to trust your experience of that, even when it defies measurement.

　 . ★⋆. ࿐࿔　✦　　　.　　. 　 ˚　.ੈ✧̣̇˳·˖

and finally — if concepts like shifting or the law of assumption don’t resonate with you, that’s okay! as i always emphasize: reality is subjective. you get to shape yours, just as i shape mine.

if this content doesn’t align with your beliefs, that’s totally valid! but it might also mean this page simply isn’t for you, and that’s okay too. i lovingly ask that you refrain from negative interactions or debate just for the sake of conflict.

i’m always open to clarifying or expanding on what i’ve written, sharing how i personally interpret the scientific + spiritual correlations i’ve come across. but i’m not here to entertain dismissiveness, arguments, or “gotcha!” energy from people who aren’t open to this perspective in the first place.

this is not a peer-reviewed scientific journal — it’s literally a blog about the law of assumption, reality shifting, and manifestation. if that’s not for you, that’s totally okay. that’s your reality — not mine.

i do my best to protect my peace and the energetic tone of this online space. this blog is about love, light, empowerment, and possibility — not convincing skeptics or debating people who’ve already decided they don’t believe in it.

so if you’re here with curiosity, openness, or the desire to expand your understanding of self + reality, you’re always welcome. if not, that’s okay too.

love and light either way! <3

　 . ★⋆. ࿐࿔　✦　　　.　　. 　 ˚　.ੈ✧̣̇˳·˖

🤍 p.s. i had a brief version of this disclaimer on my “science of shifting” series directory for a while, but thought i’d make a full post to go more in depth! i hope this brings more clarity and grounding! shifting/law of assumption is a personal, spiritual journey — so lovingly, your limiting beliefs or skepticism? not my business to entertain 🥹

[velvetvexations]

There’s something so odd about the “I’m a girl but I have a secret more complicated gender where I’m a girl in a doll/puppy/robot/object/etc way that no TME could ever understand” mentality when “I’m a girl but I feel so alienated from femininity or womanhood that I almost feel like something else” is something that half the people I know can relate to. I’ve heard this exact same sentiment from most of the cis women in my life. “Not feeling Quite A Girl because of various reasons” is maybe one of the most generic female experience because due to the way the gender binary is set up in society a LOT of people feel alienated from their gender. It’s sad and worrying to see so many users here convince themselves and each other that only a sliver of the human population could ever understand them instead of looking around them and finding comfort in shared experiences with other people. “But I’m specifically a trans woman so it’s different for me still in a way you simply wouldn’t get, even if you say you or others feel this way you’re simply wrong bc you’re TME so you’re incapable of having anything in common with me” is such a contrarian mindset because naturally by preemptively shutting down any and all conversation or outside perspectives it’s very easy to keep convincing themselves that they’re totally alone in the world.

It’s also rather childish, a very “I’m not like other girls I’m so deep and tormented and nobody understands me” teenage angst attitude that I hope they can grow out of eventually. I have more compassion for the younger users I see exhibit this mentality, but past a certain point the only way to be able to hold the belief that their experiences are unlike anyone else’s has to be a sign of not ever interacting with a single other person ever and genuinely believing nobody other than those exactly like them are capable of having an inner world. And that shit is embarrassing and they all need to be told that a lot of their supposed “TMA exclusive” experiences are not even remotely unique, acting as if they are in such pretentious ways is deeply embarrassing, and that basing their entire personalities on having the most unique experiences ever is just showing how self-obsessed they are.

Obligatory disclaimer that this phenomenon isn’t unique to this particular trans discourse, I think a lot of people need to put that “talking to my in-group is like a philosopher debate, talking to the out-group is like talking to toddlers” meme away for a bit until they remember that they’re not the only person who’s thought about or felt Things ever.

Truly no one's gender expression is novel or hard to understand. It's very amusing that they've made up this entirely false conflict about non-binary people rubbing in their extra complicated genders and their chosen response is "actually MY gender is more special". Get back to me when your pronouns are a mathematical equation or consists of sounds only possible with the anatomy of the Mi-Go, fungoid inhabitants of the planet Yuggoth.

[qwimblenorrisstan]

Perspective | Ghost x Reader

Day 1: Body Worship w/ Simon “Ghost” Riley

Summary: Simon Riley has always thought of himself as broken and undeserving of you, but you’re always there to quiet his intrusive thoughts.

Word Count: ~2k

Warnings: A little bit of angst, scars, mentions of death and fighting, smut, oral (m receiving), fluffy smut??, sub!simon, not too bad

Minors, do not interact!

A/N: im so impatient like I can’t wait for october to start, so merry christmas and a happy new year you’re getting this one early lol. anyways, I’m a sucker for ghost fluff and it shows, not too sure about how this one turned out, but hope you enjoy<3

Requests are open!

Masterlist

Simon Riley had thick skin.

It was obvious, really. You’d noticed it before in the little things while living in your home together. How the doors remained locked, everything stayed organized in the way he liked it, even how he was still getting used to being able to relax and let down his guard during the night.

But the wounds that lay deeper, engraved into the flesh beneath his skin, into his very heart, were ones he hadn’t let you see yet. Not until tonight, when you fumbled with the key to open the front door, knowing the loud knocking you would’ve usually done would probably disturb him.

The key decided to relent, letting you turn it and open the door as you walked into your home, the living room greeting you as the coat you were wearing was slipped off and placed onto the jacket rack to your left.

Simon wasn’t at the door to greet you like usual.

Strange.

Lips pressing into a thin line of mild worry, you mentally debated about it for a moment before calling out, trying to keep a bit of softness to your voice to not alarm him.

“Si?”

You began walking towards your shared bedroom’s bathroom when you heard a little clatter, the sound of something plastic hitting the floor, and low grumbling as you approached the door.

Your hand closed around the doorknob, the metal cold against your hand as you opened the door, peeking in, only to find Simon shirtless, sitting on the edge of the tub, with a tub of what looked to be some sort of lotion fallen over onto the floor.

You saw his Adam’s Apple bob as he swallowed, glancing from the lotion to you, eyes slightly wide and vulnerable like a child who’d been caught doing something they shouldn’t have.

“Hey,”

You said, trying to figure out what was going on as you crouched down, picking up the tub of lotion and reading the label on the front.

‘Scar Therapy’

“Hey.”

He said, voice thick with something you couldn’t figure out as he stared down at you, watched as your eyes softened, soft hand coming to cup his cheek, your thumb rubbing against his scar-covered skin.

Your head tilted to the side a bit, and Simon knew that look. You had probably already guessed what was happening here, but you wanted his version of it.

It was almost funny how nervous he suddenly felt. He was a Lieutenant, he’d killed men with nothing more than shrapnel, taken out entire military bases, and taken down powerful people, but it didn’t compare to this. Because he had to let his walls crumble even more than they already had with you, and it was terrifying, to let anyone in.

“I was just—my scars, they were…”

He mumbled, the old habit creeping back in. A momentary pause as his eyes met yours for a moment, and he forgot to breathe for a few seconds before getting the rest of his sentence out.

“Hurting. They were hurtin’.”

You moved subtly closer to him, your right hand dipping into the tub of lotion, the same hand approaching a nasty mark across his chest. You looked up at him, waiting for his approval, and he gave a small nod, watching with bated breath as your fingers began pressing the lotion onto the scar, gently massaging it in with small circles.

It was almost like you’d pressed a button in him, with how he seemed to almost deflate at that, heaving a deep breath out as he went pliant in your arms, only barely holding himself up.

Your fingers moved from his chest and torso to his biceps, and finally to his back, where one of the thicker scars near his spine was.

You could’ve sworn he almost whimpered, eyes squeezing shut and lips parting.

“Gentle,”

He breathed, and you let up a bit with your fingers, only giving featherlight strokes now, his breathing growing almost ragged as the both of you remained there for a long moment, that was until the lotion had been fully rubbed into his skin, and you reached to put the lid back on the container.

The silence seemed nearly impenetrable as he cracked his eyes open, following your every move, from the quiet screwing sound of the lid being put back on, to you placing it into the small cabinet area under the sink and closing it with a dull thud.

“Let’s go to bed.”

You spoke softly as if talking to a wounded animal, while slipping your hand into his significantly larger one, giving a small tug. He rose obediently, following behind you, deathly silent, feet rolling to not make any noise as he slipped into the bed beside you.

Both of you simply lay there for a while, him staring at the ceiling before he turned on his side to face you.

”Why do ya put up with me?”

He asked, a heartbreakingly vulnerable softness to his tone as if he was whispering something secret, something he didn’t want anyone else to know. Your brows furrowed as you turned on your side to face him, opening your mouth to speak, but he cut you off before you could get it out.

”I’m not..easy to deal with, ‘m fucked up, broken, so why do you keep lettin’ me come back—come home—to you?”

You didn’t have to look at his big, brown eyes to know that tears were welling in them, though you did anyway. You could only hope that he could see the sincerity in your gaze, that for once, he could finally believe you when you told him what he was.

”You’re not broken, Si.”

Your tone was soft, a gentle caress, but also carried a bit of firmness to it. That was that. No negotiation. Or at least, that’s how it should’ve been, but Simon Riley was more stubborn than you gave him credit for.

He huffed, though it mildly resembled a sniffle.

”You’ve seen my scars, I’m fuckin’ ruined, I don’ know what you see in me.”

He was trying to sound firm and stubborn, but you could still hear that vulnerability from earlier that was now hidden behind walls he’d built up. Walls he always put up when he was afraid.

”You want to know what I see in you?”

You asked, the idea already weaving together in your mind. It might not work, he might just reject your thoughts and praise, but it was worth a try. It was worth it for him.

Your right hand slowly began trailing onto his waist, and you saw his gaze snap down to it as he watched you rub little circles onto his hips. You could practically see the gears turning in his head, the calculating in his eyes, trying to figure out what you were doing, but this wasn’t a battlefield, and he was out of his element.

”Well, what I see,”

You began, voice a low murmur as your hand slowly trailed upwards onto his chest. His body became almost wholly still, stiff and tense, but he didn’t push you off, didn’t tell you to stop. Your hand slowly slid his shirt up, leaving his torso and chest bare to your view. You leaned in closer, your left hand going to slide his shirt further up, then right over his head, disheveling his short blond hair, before the shirt was tossed onto the floor.

”I see a man who’s gone through hell and back, and lived to tell the tale.”

You murmured, hot breath fanning against his skin as you began slow, light kisses against the scar on his breath, your hand now moving to gently caress the skin you weren’t peppering with kisses. His breath hitched in his throat.

You moved up, now at his collarbone as you began the trail of kisses again, from the sharp angles of his collarbone to the broadness of his shoulders, down to his biceps and forearms with the thick muscle adorning them, all the way down to his hands, where you kissed each calloused, rough fingerpad, stopping to look him in the eyes as you did it.

”I see a man who’s been treated so harshly his entire life, he doesn’t know how to handle love.”

He stared back at you, eyes wide, lips slightly trembling. His hands began shaking.

You moved down, hands fumbling with the metal of his belt for a moment, until his large, warm palm enveloped your hand, moving it away momentarily, only to unbuckle it himself, muscle memory kicking in as he unzipped his fly, slowly kicking his pants off, eyes meeting yours as the kisses began from his naval to his muscular thighs, and his ankles, before pulling away momentarily.

“I see a man who’s always been selfless and brave for other people, and never taken a thing for himself.”

You almost whispered, one finger slipping under his boxers, pausing, then continuing when he didn’t object, sliding the cloth down, down, down, till it was at his ankles, and it, too, got to join the pile of clothes on the floor. His hands were shaking worse now. You gingerly let your hand approach his cock, half-hard, and slowly wrapped your fingers around it, thumb rubbing against the tip as he gasped lowly, breath shuddering as his hips tried to jolt.

You didn’t stop him. That was a rule between you two, one that had been discussed before, no holding down or forcing, consent, and safe-words. He had a history, one he hadn’t shared yet, but you’d be patient and let him open up when he wanted to.

”Please,”

He breathed, head thrown back as you began gently rubbing, leaning down to slide the tip in between your lips, giving small licks as his body bucked up. You weren’t one to deny him, not when he was so relaxed now, taut muscles turning to putty beneath your fingers and mouth as you took him deeper, licking under his shaft, before sliding more in as he let out a low groan that sounded like a whimper, almost.

He was mumbling something under his breath, mouth agape as his hand snuck into your hair, trying not to be rough when he buried his fingers into it. He might’ve been begging, you couldn’t make much out of it, though.

Willing your throat to relax, you slid your throat down on him, further and further until your nose met the happy trail between his legs, and you saw the muscles of his thighs tense, flickering and jolting slightly, a sign of his impending climax as you lowly bobbed your head up and down. His hips jolted to life, though you could see the conscious effort he made to not harm you at all. With the shallow thrusts he made, it wasn’t long before he was moaning something incoherent, words slurring with a thick British accent he could usually keep under wraps.

Gingerly pulling off of him, you took a deep breath, softly panting as you grabbed the water bottle on the nightstand and took a swig, the liquid washing down whatever was left behind in your throat. You moved up on the bed, hand slipping under Simon’s head and carefully lifting, placing a pillow behind it, and bringing the bottle to his lips.

He would need the fluid after that, probably.

His throat bobbed as he drank it, nearly emptying the entire bottle, before you drew it back and screwed the lid back on, placing it onto the nightstand. Slipping out of bed momentarily, you opened Simon’s underwear drawer, grabbing the softest pair of boxers you could find, before returning to him and carefully maneuvering his legs through the holes, pulling up, and managing to get them decently onto his large frame as he grunted, one large hand tugging at your arm to pull you down to him.

You hummed in acknowledgment of his little tug, laying down beside him and grabbing the blanket, pulling it over the both of you and settling into the arms he wrapped around you, face settling in the nook of your neck.

”Thank you.”

He whispered, eyes wet against the warmth of your skin. You weren’t sure which thing he was thanking you for, exactly, but you replied anyway, to the man who’d given and given and given and never asked for anything.

”Anytime, Simon.”

[cloveroctobers]

SILVERADO — Boone [September Prompts]🩶

A/N: this was actually supposed to be my first drop out of the small bits of twisters fics that I’ve written but I’ve been waiting on a certain song that I knew fit perfectly for my loud mouthed ADHD baby + storyline so blame her okay!?

WARNINGS: written in bullet form as a “quick” summarized read type of situation since I’m not entirely in the mood to write a fic, possibly language, giving Boone a backstory along with reader (not overly done for reader dont worry), & the anxieties of finding your place in the world!

PROMPT ADDED FROM HERE & I’m using: 8) a coat draped gently over a sleeping form.

˚౨ు⊹₊ ˚౨ు⊹₊ ˚౨ు⊹₊ ˚౨ు⊹₊ ˚౨ు⊹₊ ˚౨ు⊹₊ ˚౨ు

It’s become a thing, pointing out Silverado’s or catching each other’s eyes across the field whenever the other spots it first.

This was also a shared look that was given after the EF5 hit down in Oklahoma (along with the vicious wind that shoved you to the theater wall that you thought you may have broken a rib. Boone rushed over to you, getting you back up to shaky feet and underneath the seats as he shielded a bruised you and you accepted that maybe this was how it was intended for you to die, right in Boone’s arms. When it was over you snorted to yourself, not believing that you were more dramatic than Boone in that moment!) and you both made it back outside to excess the damage before running to Kate out on the field. 

A silent message of being thankful for that truck because the both of you came a long way since North Carolina but that didn’t mean you weren’t the same people inside.

You and Boone went to high school together, weren’t really in the same circles but had a few classes together and actually ended up bonding over a Saturday detention (you initiated a walk out during one of your classes and Boone set off fireworks in a nearby trashcan in the hallway for fun but actually caused the schools nervous wreck of a teacher to go to the hospital over it. She didn’t die though!) —real breakfast club type shit—which you mentioned and Boone was in awe that you knew of that classic.

That’s where you learned he was a huge film nerd and not just some loud class clown.

He would film majority of his friends doing stupid stunts and parkour all over the city but as an artist yourself, you appreciated the perspective.

Boone even started slipping pieces of paper of handwritten recs of films for you, whether it was in class or in your locker and you for him with books.

You learn he’s dyslexic and got crapped on about it by some “friends” and even a few mean teachers growing up. Boone even debated about dropping out of school after some disciplinary action was in place after he got violent because of his learning disability junior year.

thankfully he had a caring guidance counselor and a social worker who looked out for him and taught him how to start using his own voice in better ways, even if he chest got tight, blood was boiling, and if he stuttered.

Even learned new techniques to help him out with reading and writing.

He didn’t like getting confrontational but he had to learn to stick up for himself and sure it didn’t have to turn violent and he vowed to never get to that head space again but it was still a page of what made Boone, Boone.

He lived in many foster homes since the age of seven and some were less than pleasant. His mother couldn’t care for him anymore and he never knew why, which left an ache he couldn’t describe but he still remembered what she smelled like.

His father passed before he was born but he’s got a pocket sized picture of him at a race track…he’s got his easy smile and jawline.

His mother named him, “boone,” because that’s where she gave birth to him in NC. It’s not a nickname, or last name, it’s his government.

You’re originally from PA but moved away from a bad home life to live with your grandparents sophomore year in Banner Elk, NC.

Boone was able to reconnect with his father’s sister (who funny enough lived in Miami and actually knew Javi’s family) claimed that if she would have known she had a nephew, she would have done everything in her power to raise him.

He let her in because he’s always wanted to know what it felt like to have family that was blood.

Once high school was done, the both of you enrolled into community college with Boone majoring in media studies and video production and you in screenwriting and illustration.

Boone expressed that he felt like the school wasn’t teaching him anything he already didn’t learn on his own and quickly grew tired of the routine of school.

He was the first to drop out with the plan of having his own production company, he already had a camera or two and a laptop that he worked hard for at a shitty minimum wage job since he was fifteen and he had the YouTube channel that has over nine hundred subs then that he accumulated, thanks to those old videos of his childish high school friends but he also had side gigs of editing a few other YouTubers videos that gained traction.

It seemed Boone always knew what he wanted to do and didn’t mind if it took time. He knew after awhile that he couldn’t grow if he stayed in NC and knew it was a big ask for you come with him, asking you while the both of you swayed on your grandmother’s porch swing after that thanksgiving feast.

“…And where exactly are you going?”

He sent you that easy smile with the small laughter lines on his cheek, hands clasped together over the brown fedora that looked an awful lot like your papa’s (grandfather’s), “wherever the world needs me, baby. And I need my best bud to be right there with me but no pressure.”

Which sounds like he didn’t have any idea, just like whenever he would sneak onto your GranGran’s and papa’s property trying to get you to hang out with him at midnight on a school night. “To do what, boone?” You whisper-yelled from your window half awake; you hated having your sleep disrupted.

“Does it matter?! Why wouldn’t you want to spend time with me? I’m good lookin’, talented, the bestest buddy you could have ever asked for—

“Yadda, yadda, yadda.”

“Dang, don’t got to be so sassy about it.” Boone pouted with his arms crossed.

Yeah he was a sensitive thing but you loved him anyway, it was that kind of charm and heart that made it impossible to not believe in him. Sure you weren’t friends long back then but it felt like you were going to know him for a lifetime and vowed to have that friendship even more after that.

You didn’t break right away, telling him you’ll think about it but you were spending the holidays together and going Black Friday shopping with your papa—which your Gran-Gran all called you fools for doing.

She still went on that tangent about that time she went Black Friday shopping with her sisters back in the late seventies when she was pregnant with your father!!! which resulted in your papa having to post bail for her 😬

After a talk with your grandparents, your gran wasn’t exactly thrilled about this whole idea of you exploring the world while your papa was usually always down for an adventure and he liked that Boone brought that out of you.

In short: You were the house black cat and Boone was the golden retriever.

It’s funny how it took some time for papa to get along with Boone and see that he wasn’t just some loud mouth nut job who was always “all over the place!”, but actually found him to be a good friend of yours.

And Boone wasn’t going anywhere so Papa had to learn to love him.

You made some friends during your first year in NC, sophomore year but you know how high school friendships sometimes turns out!

Boone was the only one who you ended up being tight with after the diplomas.

Ofc they started to come back around once The Tornado Wranglers made it big but you made it clear that you wanted them to get well soon from their clout chasing. You really weren’t on the team anyway, which if you brought this up to any of the members they would tell you it’s all hogwash.

You came up a few of the designs and knew some web designers after the both of you settled in Arkansas (and they also helped you with your own work) but you kept far away from the tornados as much as you could…however you experienced one or two up close (before Oklahoma) after Boone and Tyler dragged you along just to show you what a day in their life on the job was like.

Tyler was also something.

He came up out of the blue and seemed to know who Boone was, Tyler saw his much smaller channel and was a fan of Boone’s work and said he could use someone like him for a team he had in the works.

Boone told him, “I appreciate that man, really I do but I’m a package deal.”

And that’s when the two of them snuck up on you at the parking lot of a 7/11.

You’re scowling at not having any luck on the lotto tickets that’s placed on the console when they catch you off guard.

You’re the skeptic of the two, wondering what the guy with the wide grins that resembles folds of batter motive was.

“Nah, I don’t buy it. You could be a undercover creep of a serial killer for all we know.”

Tyler laughs while Boone is rolling his eyes up to the clouds, “you’ll have to excuse my friend here…first they’re sour, then they’re sweet.”

“I’m not offended by any means, you do have to be careful out here…especially if you’re all each other’s got.” It didn’t take Tyler long to analyze the situation: old joints in a liter bottle, duffle bags tossed in the backseats, ash on the dashboard, minute man and Wendy’s leftover bags that decorated the front floor thanks to you having the passenger side door open to the 2007 Silverado.

In summary, Tyler assumed that the both of you were either on a lengthy road trip thanks to the NC plates or you were living in this car.

He would be right.

You held on for the longest being Boone’s road partner but there were times where this journey became a lot and arguments were had. Even storming off to catch a ride with a trucker back to the nearest rest stop to hitch more rides back to NC.

It took time but Boone searched for you, after you left. Almost had a panic attack once he realized the outcome of this disagreement—you no longer being by his side.

Boone’s voice is shaking once he locates you, “What? you don’t believe in my dreams anymore or somethin’? You don’t think I can do this?”

“I never not once ever believed you couldn’t. I’m your biggest fan, no matter what you do but I’ve got dreams too and this isn’t what I pictured.”

“Well i can’t fully say ditto to that cupcake, you’ve always been part of mine.”

And that got you back into the Silverado, things tossed right back into the backseat and arms wrapped tightly across his shoulders. “I love you booney, I don’t know how many times I’ve got to tell you and I can never picture a world without you in it. Life is just so damn hard sometimes and I don’t know what to do.”

“Yeah, I get it but we’ll be fine.” He mumbles against your shoulder, “I’m sorry for raising my voice…I just need you to never leave me, alright? You have no idea what that does to my heart.”

You kiss his cheek and apologize too.

That all happened a couple of days before Tyler found you two and ofc you didn’t want to be looked at like a charity case (especially since your gran-gran always told you to come on back home) but Tyler proved that wasn’t his mission in creating the wranglers.

You were more leery towards Tyler whereas Boone was more open.

Tyler even opened up his home in the natural state but you chose to continue sleeping in the Silverado for the first night or so until your back and neck told you to let your guard down some.

He gave you two the tour of his spacious storage unit where he sometimes did his sit down streaming on where he kept track of storms all over America and talked about them. If he wasn’t out there getting in on the action, he was sharing his knowledge on how this storm was working and providing links to support family and businesses that needed help.

Tyler Owens journey was lengthy too, you two learn. He vaguely talked about it on his channel but he felt like he could be open with you two in private and saw the determination in both of your eyes.

Boone with all things film and you with illustrating. You picked up that interest more than ever after being trapped in the car and grabbing a sketch pad from the dollar store you two always made a routine of going to on Sundays nights.

It was long a time coming, seeing this kind of success. With boone being the head videographer and editor, finding more family members along the way, settling into Arkansas (which you never would have guessed for the two of you), finding your own path in this world writing for some tv series and selling illustrations as a small business online.

There were talks of a certain network that reached out to Tyler, wondering if he wanted to have his own show—which was different than running a YouTube channel—and everyone turned to you that night in your shared townhouse at dinner, which you were oblivious to as you chewed into your food happily before being elbowed by Lily who almost made you drop your fork.

“Ow?”

The woman with locs looks unapologetic, “So whaddaya think about that?”

“About?” You question, now reaching for your beverage.

Lily groans with a hand slapped to her face, Dani laughs with a shake of her head, and Boone is seated across from you, leaning on his own elbows to peek at the screen Dexter is on to see if he’s listening, since (you weren’t) he’s visiting family back in Detroit.

Javi speaks, “told y’all not to bring this up while they’re not all the way fed yet.”

“Shut up, Javi.” Kate says while he raises his hands in surrender.

You turn your eyes into slits as you wave the fork at each and everyone of them, “Wait…have you guys been talking about me behind my back? And what for?”

Tyler clears his throat, “well if you had your listening ears on—

“Hey,” Boone warns, “not too much, T.”

“My bad,” Tyler sends a knowing grin before continuing, “You would have heard that I have a proposal for you—

“Ew, this finger is kindly reserved and not for you.” You peek down at the tatted diamond on that exact finger.

Tyler frowns, “now wait a minute, what do you mean by ‘ew?’”

Javi and Dani snicker leaning into each other, trying to stifle their laughter at Tyler’s offense.

You keep your eyes on the cowboy while feeling familar eyes burning into the side of your face, “get on with it rodeo grinch, I’ve got an early morning.”

That makes the table go silent, which was odd. Everyone was used to having their own separate conversations but the focus was on you this evening.

“Right,” Tyler clears his throat glancing at Boone who dips his head and gives him the okay sign which makes you furrow your brows and ready to question what that was but he quickly carries on, “I have a feelin’ I’m going to be part of that early morning since the executives that you work for invited me…well Kate, Javi, and myself to meet with your writing team for a show that approached me and wrote to me about.”

You take in this information, “okay…that’s huge if you’re all open to it? You’re be able to reach even bigger audiences than you already have. Are they including everyone?”

Kate speaks now, “we told them we wouldn’t be involved if everyone isn’t. They just want to meet with us three first and then if we agree to whatever contract they have for us, then they’re bring in everyone else to do the same.”

Two seperate signing contract sessions…you hoped they had a lawyer they trusted.

You’re actually shocked that Kate was interested since she was sorta like you, not wanting to be the face of the wranglers and cared more about the work than the show. She’s introverted but seemed to get along with everyone once she got a better understanding of what this team was about.

“Wow! That’s great guys, I’m happy for you.” You smile at everyone, which lingered longer on Boone who winked at you.

“Which also means that it doesn’t work without you,” Tyler adds, “I told them if they’re going to have some sort of layout of how these episodes are going to go they have to give me the best when it comes to these things and that’s you.”

You pointed to yourself which everyone nodded to, “that’s sweet and all Ty but… none of you give scripted tv. It wouldn’t be authentic to any of your characters.”

“Hear, hear!” Lily raises her black plastic up, “thank you for knowing us so well! But we definitely need you just as much as they need us. You’ll have our backs on the inside, is what Tyler is taking too long to get at.”

Tyler sarcastically replies, “thank you, lily. Yeah…we already told them what we wanted and they said they would talk to you about it?”

“I guess that’s what Jason was blowing my phone up about all weekend but he knows not to bother me on the weekends and he did it anyway.” You mentioned, “I’m thankful that you all think so highly about me—

“Are you kidding?! Course we do! Each of us makes up the perfect puzzle to this little gang.” Dani announces while Dexter nods.

“What Dani said!” Dexter calls out.

“Don’t forget that other part though, Tyler. About you wanting them to also be your manager.” Javi tells, making you blink rapidly.

“Seriously, Dude!?” What was it with everyone speaking for Tyler tonight?

Javi shrugs, “Just had to rip the band aid off, man.”

“…you’re asking for a whole lot here…when did this even all come about?” You sit back in your chair, feeling your crossed foot shake a little.

Dani answers, “well there were talks about it before we touched down in Oklahoma but Ty’s been giving them the runaround. It wasn’t until he and Kate made it to New York to pitch the barrels that the producers actually popped up to Tyler’s house to talk more about the show in works.”

If looks can kill, if looks can kill!

“But Tyler’s been thinkin’ about making you his manager for the longest if that helps?” Kate also cuts in, her tone attempted to be comforting although she can tell you’re dissociating.

She’s been there.

“It doesn’t.” You’re monotone but Boone can see the pressure weighing in on you. He thought having you part of the wranglers in this way would be the best but he knew Tyler asking you to also be his manager would be more than a lot, considering you didn’t like him chasing after storms anyway but you would never get in between that.

It’s his passion and who were you to crap on it? You saw Boone in his element, watching the videos whenever he wasn’t around and when he was, witnessing just how much went into all of it and you were more than proud. So you always said a silent prayer, every time he ran off to Tyler’s red suv doing some wild flip that should have broken his neck and was always excited to clock in for the day with his other best bud.

“I told you we should have buttered them up with a root beer float or a possum pie.” Lily muttered to Dani and Javi, while you went quiet.

The rest of the dinner was a little awkward but you all pushed through it since there was the weighing question of what you ultimately chose to do. You were more behind the scenes if the wranglers ever asked for your help on anything, preferring it that way and sure it would still be the same but not really if you became Tyler’s manager.

It wasn’t about the money or not wanting to put in the work, it was about the big responsibility of having his career in his hands. You only liked having your small business and writing rights in your hands but this? Felt like holding the beloved Tyler Owens life in your hands and that was a weight you weren’t sure you wanted to sign up for.

Worrying about Boone was enough for anyone to handle!

Tyler never did anything in hopes of getting anything in return, this you knew while you got to know him and consider him a big brother over the years but you thought it over while you lay outside underneath Arkansas’ warm September air out in the inclosed patio.

Thought so hard about it that when Boone came out to check on you, he draped a jean jacket gently over your sleeping form.

He sighed beside you on the lounge chair, getting ready to smoke when you spoke with your eyes still closed, “that better not be a cig cricket.”

You were cupcake and he was cricket.

“Why no, it’s my number one girl MJ.” Boone informed, “and I wish you’d stop doing the whole pretending to be sleep, sleeping beauty.”

“Who said I was pretending? My eyes are closed.”

“Are you sleep talkin’ or prayin’ then?”

“…maybe.”

“Aye look baby doll, you don’t gotta do anything you don’t want to do. The tv part I thought you might be down for but I told Tyler that managing kind of pressure? might not be the best choice for you and not because I don’t think you won’t do a phenomenal job or nothin’…it’s just you overthink and you’ll constantly overthink that you’re gonna let him down.”

“You know me too well Boone Veluz.” You stretch raising your arms above your head, “but…there might be a good angel on my shoulder this time.”

Boone raises his brows while placing MJ behind his ear along with his hair, “don’t tell me I’m that angel?” He jokes while you scoff at him.

“I’m picturing more of a zendaya to be honest.”

“Hopefully not rue zendaya.” Boone mutters while you lightly kick his chair, which makes him chuckle a little.

You groan as you push yourself up into a sitting position, rubbing at your eyes before saying, “since we got to Arkansas…things have been looking up. It brought us to Tyler, you were able to further achieve your filming dreams, I was able to study and establish a career, we created a home together, found more family and happiness and I say that’s a huge blessing considering all that we’ve been through on this road.”

“Yeah you got that right, you’re a jelly roll hater.” Boone teases as he points an accusatory finger at you.

You glare, “if that’s true then you hate Stevie Nicks and Fleetwood Mac.”

He exclaims, “Lies!”

“Anyway, I’ll have to see what tomorrow brings but I’m gonna sleep some more on it.” You start to get up, fixing Boone’s jacket to now drape over your shoulders, as a piece of chocolate slides out from one of the pockets.

“My advice if you do say yes twice: Just look at it all as a silver lining right?”

You hum as you toss the mini pack of chocolate into his lap before getting to your feet, “well…you’ve always been mine since the day we met.”

Boone felt like melting just then as you grab his hand, which he squeezes against yours as you kiss the back of his hand, “i love you, cupcake.”

“I know and that feelings mutual, Booney cricket.”

“You headin’ to bed?”

“Yes, I’m gonna need it for that abrupt meeting.”

“You’re gonna crush it, no doubt.”

You shake your intertwined hands up in the air before letting go, “God’s willing. Night.”

“Night.” He echoes and watches you go into the wood siding home, still being hopeful that one day he’ll plant one on you.

As always Boone just goes with the wind and where he’s needed, letting out a sigh as he checks the group chat where they’re looking for answers hoping that he finally did something about you.

“I’m not going to persuade them by kissing them, I told y’all that already. That’s not me. They got their own mind and know how to use it, so leave it be.” Boone quietly speaks into his phone before sending the message.

Lily: You must be a shitty kisser then.

Which is HAHA’d by Javi.

Dexter: not nice, Lilith.

Tyler: Patience little lambs 🙏🏼

Dani: uh…our patience ran out with you and Kate ijs🥤

Which receives two thumbs up from Dexter and Lily, an exclamation from Javi, and a thumbs down from Tyler.

Kate: gn 👋🏻!

Boone: goodnight lady! & guys…everything always works out the way it should 🤘🏽

Javi: hope that’s true my guy because my faith lays more with them than some monkeys in a suit.

Lily: whats storm par’s number again?

Dani: ohh!

Dexter: well…

Boone: damn ur on one tonight lil!

Javi: 🖕🏼

And then all chaos breaks loose in the group chat, which leaves Boone to rip into the candy with his teeth before he moves to head into the house and up to his room to get comfy as he watches this family dynamic carry on into the night.

Yet he can’t help but to let his own overthinking erupt in his brain—he’s always been a night owl—noticing that you didn’t leave his jacket on his bed this time and just hoped that you had nothing but good dreams and maybe even one about him!

Boone’s just counting on many more good years with you in it, is all 👉🏽🙂‍↕️👈🏽

౨ు⊹₊ ˚౨ు⊹₊ ˚౨ు⊹₊ ˚౨ు⊹₊ ˚౨ు⊹₊ ˚౨ు⊹₊ ˚౨ు

more September prompts can be found here.

[tornoleander]

Despite skybound being my favourite season on a wish and a prayer is my least favourite episode

Firstly jay gets blamed for Zane being gone, however zane already knew that jay made his two out of his three wishes. Now sure they don’t know that. Still really annoying, also the fact that no one gave a shit that jay was adopted is awful sure they might be mad at him but the fact that it would’ve been so much better if they just look back up him with some with some sad eyes or something and then just turn away and still angry with him but nothing so much better than them just ignoring him in general also they didn’t really tell that they might have been killed by the tiger widow but they had Cole who’s a ghost now we know we do know that ghosts are weak to water but we don’t know how they do with venom I do that how in the next episode they realised their mistake.

Also at the beginning of the episode when jay tells Cole he already made two out of three wishes and how are you and how was lucky to not to not make his Third it almost sounded as though he was going to wish it all away.

Heh oh boi Let me stop you right there, this is the take I had about 7 years ago. I grew up, I was wrong and my opinion changed let me tell you why.

First, the ninja should absolutely be mad at Jay for not telling them he made wishes.

He talked to their enemy, lied to them about his inheritance and held back vital information that would keep his friends safer.

Sure, Zane figured out Jay had made wishes and still went alone. But don’t you think Lloyd or Nya would have let him if they knew? And what about Kai!? I don’t even think Cole knows Jay could have saved him.

Jay definitely deserves some blame for Zane and Kai wishing it all away. Jay sharing his experience might have saved both of them but he didn’t give his team the best chance winning.

Even though he was manipulated into keeping the wishes to himself out of shame, that does NOT mean the other were wrong for being pissed at him.

Second, Jay brought up that he was adopted purely for sympathy in that moment. He literally says “in my defense, I did just find out my birth parents weren’t my real parents. Very much not a defense It’s fully unrelated to the way he messed up, the other have no obligation to respond to that and quite honestly I’m not even sure they heard him.

Third, he’s not actually treated that bad for what he did. The way he whines might have you believe that but ALL his friends do is be angry, ignore him and not comfort him when he’s whining about whatever.

Worst thing was nominating him to get the venom. It can be debated if Jay deserves this as he’s being put into a deadly situation.

Though I would argue this kinda is just the ninjas Job…… and he put the others in danger by withholding info. Also the others know Jay, well enough to know he can do it. Remember he’s stronger than he appears. They sure think he can get the venom on his own and he does.

However, feeling the way you do is very understandable with how Skybound is framed we are over empathetic to Jay so when his team turns on him and he starts acting like a wet cat it makes us think the others are wrong for making him feel bad. But once you look from the other ninjas perspective you’ll see the reality of the situation.

Not sure if this is a media literacy problem or more skybound framing thing but yeah a lot of kids walk away thinking what Jay did really wasn’t that bad. I mean I love him he’s my favorite but he still can act terrible.

In my opinion On a wish and a prayer is Jay getting what he deserves for being awful and after all these years I find it more amusing than sad. To be clear I think He fucked up and deserved to retrieve the venom but he doesn’t deserve getting kidnapped and what takes place after.

[kitspeth]

First combat! I’ve been really excited for this because it’s the first time I’ve had the opportunity to watch a Daggerheart combat with the rulebook open on my second screen. I’m going to try to break down the mechanics of what’s happening in this post from a GM's perspective because while I’m watching for the story, I’m also watching to see if this is potentially a fun system for my home group that has players who range from the old school/crunchy mechanics types to players who don’t enjoy crunchy mechanics nearly as much. I wanted to have notes to look back on and to share with friends who don't necessarily enjoy watching actual plays, and figured I might as well post them publicly in case anyone else is interested in the combat crunch like I am. I'm going to put this behind a cut because the post got long. Also major spoiler alert for the first combat of Age of Umbra. as I did my best to break down the entire fight move by move.

1. Taliesin gets to open combat with his ice knife spell. Very different than an initiative system where more often than not a player says “I’d like to do X before combat opens,” causing the GM to say, “Actually we’re going to roll initiative first.” So often in the initiative example the player who wanted to make the inciting action doesn’t get to go first which feels bad because by the time it gets to their turn the cool idea they had doesn’t make sense anymore. This allows Taliesin to do his cool thing while also forcing the consequence of locking the party into committing to the combat encounter as the enemies attack. (Before Taliesin cast his spell they were debating between attacking or trying to backtrack and avoid the creatures.)

2. Travis attacks the Red Ooze with his halberd. Not having to worry overly much about movement/distance saves time in the combat and means he gets to do his cool thing. However, the Red Ooze has a skill that allows the GM to use their reaction that only unlocks after they’ve taken a certain level of damage. Matt spends 1 Fear to use the creature’s “Split” reaction which creates two unharmed Tiny Red Oozes in the first creature’s place and spotlights them immediately. He utilizes this spotlight to retaliate against Travis, then passes the spotlight back to the players at the table.

3. Marisha attacks a skeleton and fails with Hope. She takes a hope token, but her failure allows Matt to take back the spotlight and have the skeleton attack her character in return.

4. Matt spends a fear to keep the spotlight and a second ooze attacks Taliesin. He then narrates two more skeletons’ arrival—this doesn’t seem to be a GM move, I think he’s just narrating the presence of two more of the enemies that the players could already see on the battle map. After this he passes the spotlight back.

5. Ashley uses the spotlight to cast a spell, then Sam takes the spotlight to examine the map. Sam is able to use his Ridgeborne community feature to get advantage on the roll, then he spends a hope token add his Well-Traveled experience modifier. He rolls a 17 with Fear and Matt’s interpretation of this roll is that Sam gets a better understanding of the map and realizes that they are not on the right path and he can identify which path on the map is the correct one. (Matt doesn’t share the DC he chose, but it seems like the 17 was high enough to be considered a success.)

6. Matt takes the spotlight again as a result of the success with fear. He uses the mini oozes to attack Travis again, then spends another fear to have a skeleton attack Ashley. He spends a second fear to have the enraptured skeleton attack Ashley as well. He then chooses to pass the spotlight back to the players.

7. Taliesin uses his Ice Spike spell as a support/utility spell and takes 1d4 damage due to his ignited condition. The ice spike is cast near Travis to help him as his character is currently ignited as well. Matt rules that the ice spike will give anyone near the spike advantage on their finesse roll to put out their fire. (As an aside I think it is very cool that the “if” on the spell description explicitly allows for non-combat use. I love playing utility casters and one of my concerns is that at launch there aren’t a huge number of spells in the Codex domain. But if the spells that do exist have wider application than similar spells in D&D/Pathfinder this might not feel as bad as I was concerned it would.) Taliesin succeeded with fear, which I think should have passed the spotlight to Matt, but I suspect that the table forgot about this in the discussion of what the support ice spike would do. (TO BE CLEAR, THIS IS FINE. THE GOAL OF PLAYING A TTRPG WITH YOUR FRIENDS IS TO HAVE FUN AND HAVING FUN DOESN’T REQUIRE MECHANICAL PERFECTION. I only mentioned this because the purpose of this post is to get really crunchy about the mechanics.)

8. Travis takes the spotlight to make his finesse roll with advantage to put out his ignited condition.

9. Marisha takes the spotlight to attack again. She succeeds with fear then makes an agility roll to move a far distance and fails with fear.

10. Matt takes the spotlight and attacks Travis with the two mini oozes. He misses with both, then spends a fear to spotlight an ooze that attacks and ignites Sam’s character. Matt spends another fear and spotlights a skeleton to attack Ashley then passes the spotlight to the table.

11. Taliesin takes the spotlight to try to put out his ignited condition and rolls a success with fear. Matt allows Taliesin to take his movement before taking the spotlight back as a result of the fear roll.

12. Matt moves his spotlight back to the ooze next to Sam, specifies that their map is starting to burn, and attacks. He misses and passes the spotlight back without spending any fear to take other actions.

13. Travis takes the spotlight and marks a stress to use his spirit weapon to destroy two oozes after succeeding with fear. He passes an agility roll (with hope) to move to a far distance at the end of his turn.

14. Matt takes the spotlight next because of the fear roll. He attacks and attempts to ignite Marisha and she uses an armor to negate the damage and avoid lighting on fire. (Avoiding the fire was a GM decision.)

15. Marisha takes the spotlight and attacks the ooze who just attacked her. She uses an Orderbound Virtue to change her hope dice into a d20 and succeeds with hope. Matt spends a fear to split the ooze, but does not retake the spotlight.

16. Sam takes the spotlight. He puts out the fire on the map as a free action, then fails a roll (with hope) to put out his ignited condition. Matt allows him to use movement to move away from danger.

17. Matt retakes the spotlight and attacks Ashley. Marisha uses “I Am Your Shield” to take the blow instead since she is within close range and uses an armor to negate the damage.

18. Taliesin takes the spotlight to drop an ice knife next to Sam then moves.

19. Sam takes the spotlight to try to put out his fire and rolls with advantage because of the ice spike. He succeeds with fear.

20. Matt takes the spotlight and has a skeleton try to attack Ashley again. He misses then spends a fear to have a skeleton miss again. He spends another fear to have an ooze attack Ashley and miss. He chooses to let the spotlight pass back to the players.

21. Ashley takes the spotlight and fails a roll with hope to move a far distance.

22. Matt takes the spotlight back and has a skeleton attack Ashley. He finally hits it Ashley spends an armor to avoid damage. Matt passes the spotlight back.

23. Marisha takes the spotlight and attacks an ooze then spends a hope to do a whirlwind attack and take out two oozes, then moves a close distance.

24. Taliesin takes the spotlight and throws an ice spike at a skeleton, succeeding with hope and destroying the skeleton.

As all the character had begun to flee, Matt decides that they outrun the remaining skeleton and the encounter ends.

Travis: 3 moves | Ashley: 2 moves | Marisha: 5 moves | Taliesin: 5 moves | Sam: 3 moves | Matt: 16 moves

I noticed several things about the combat.

Matt took about the same number of moves as the players. (The 5 players took a combined 18 moves while Matt took 16.) When the players were able to take several turns in a row, he would spend fear on his turns to take extra GM moves. When a player would take the spotlight from him and then immediately either fail an action roll or succeed with fear Matt would take one move and then allow the spotlight to pass back to the players. The players them selves did not take the same number of moves (as I counted them - I could be incorrect), but at the same time it made sense for the characters. Marisha and Taliesin were tied for the most moves, but in Marisha's case it was because she had several reactions. Taliesin was balancing his moves between support and attacks. Even though the players weren't taking the exact same number of turns like they would have in initiative order, the combat itself still felt very balanced.

Additionally, the passing of spotlight between the DM and the players felt like a much smoother way of managing action economy compared to the other games I've DMed (5E and Pathfinder 1).

Ultimately I think that Daggerheart combat looks really cool. The no initiative works a lot better than I expected it to work and it really made the fight feel fun and dynamic in a way that the games I've played don't always feel. Additionally it felt like both the players and the GM had more flexibility and options than they would have in the systems I'm familiar with. Additionally, I feel like the players were more engaged when it wasn't their turn because they were always looking for the next place that it would make sense for their characters to take an action.

One slight drawback that I'm seeing is that a GM might need to prompt a player to remember to take a turn if the player doesn't take the initiative to take the spotlight themself. This might be a bit hard for someone (me) who is coming from a rigid initiative system, but at the same time I think with enough experience this would start to come naturally.

[twinkle-talks]

Let’s normalize understanding the meaning behind terms like “trauma bond” before using them.

If I see one more “ThEy WeRe nOt in LoVe tHeY WeRe TraUmA bOndeEd” comment about Nick and June’s relationship, I might burst like the fancy jet containing the last surviving Boston Commanders.

The amount of people who use this term so freely and naively, without even knowing what it means, is mind boggling to me. Maybe it’s because English is my third language and I’ve always had a habit of looking up meanings behind unfamiliar words and expressions before using them, but it genuinely irks me when I see popular arguments using new trendy terms like “trauma bond” incorrectly.

The worst part is, when told they’ve used the term incorrectly or that the context does not match its definition, that’s usually when Anti-Nick folks will double down and say that yes, Nick abused June, and then the discourse turns personal, mocking and I’ll go as far as say anti-feminist.

If you insert yourself in spaces where the overall perspective is not matching yours, and result to this type of behavior, it means you’ve ran out of arguments to defend your point. I get it, it’s a lot harder to admit you’re wrong. So you result to attacking, degrading and shaming those who do not share your point of view. It’s sad. Especially as an adult with access to a wealth of knowledge at your fingertips (Google is underutilized).

I’d say the debate in this fandom over Nick’s character arc, and especially his romantic relationship with June, has been incredibly frustrating, and not just regarding semantics.

I have been noticing the same words spewed over and over: “trauma bond”, “emotional abuse” or even fake/twisted story lines such as “he was a general in the crusades” or my favorite, “he was one of the first Sons of Jacob.” Sure, his opinions on the Handmaid system really did matter. It wasn’t a ploy, a loaded question to test his loyalty at all. He had soOooOoo much power.

How nice it must be to not care about the accuracy of your words to fit your narrative!

Some of us are a little too observant, passionate and above all respectful of the source material.

Rant over. I’m chill, I promise.

[loredrinker]

The Distinct Eras of Solas's Existence

Solas’s life isn’t one-dimensional. He’s lived through three distinct eras of existence, each defined by transformation and struggle. What draws me to his story time and again is the tension between detachment and connection, immortality and change, and the weight of eternal choices.

Because Solas has lived through such vastly different phases of existence, each has forced him to adapt, rethink his perspectives, his morality and confront the consequences of his actions.

This constant cycle of transformation and resilience is why I believe he is capable of change.

I'm looking at his journey through 3 eras of his existence: 

Pre-Veil: Becoming a man (lyrium crafted) and living before creating the Veil.

Uthenera: Veil newly created. Centuries of slumber and existence in the Fade. 

Post-Veil: Waking in modern Thedas, reengaging with the world, joining the Inquisition, and culminating in Veilguard. 

First off: this post isn’t about the concept of Solas learning what it’s like to have a body for the first time. While I’m sure that experience was equal parts traumatic and exhilarating, that’s a post for another day. 

I’m also steering clear of the horrors and wars of Solas’s Pre-Veil existence - we already know he suffered terribly, made devastating choices, and carries immense regret. The blood on his hands and the weight of those decisions are undeniable. 

Lastly, I’m not entertaining the idea that Mythal had him bound or wielded some magical power (like a geas) to control him (you can read more here). To me, that narrative diminishes the complexity and the writers say you can interpret it how you want. I see their bond as one rooted in duty, loyalty, and complicated and twisted by shared choices. Every awful thing they endured and enacted together only deepened their connection, forged in the fire of mutual commitment and consequence. It's still a chain in it's own right, but a different kind.

Long post below. Everything below the cut is my imagination and interpretation.

Pre-Veil (Roughly 8,000-10,000 years – Time with the Evanuris / Rebellion Wars) 

I’m certain Solas’s time in Elvhenan wasn’t solely defined by war and rebellion. He served as Mythal’s second-in-command, likely handling battles and strategies, but he was also immersed in politics and court intrigue. His role was probably a combination of strategist, diplomat, and advocate for fairness and balance among the elven people. 

We know he enjoyed life in the courts, as he reveals at the Winter Palace in Inquisition: 

"I do adore the heady blend of power, intrigue, danger, and sex that permeates these events." 

He wasn’t just an observer of Elvhenan’s grandeur; he thrived in it. Heady - intoxicating. With a core essence of wisdom, Solas would have fully embraced the era’s philosophical debates, artistic endeavors, groundbreaking inventions, and empire-building. When he refers to “our great cities” and “our deepest mysteries” during his confrontation with Elgar’nan, he speaks as being a part of Elvhenan’s beauty and innovation - not separate from it.  

Solas’s Independent and Rebellious Nature - Hot Blooded and Cocky

Solas was far from a submissive figure, even in service to Mythal. He was independent, rebellious, and stubborn - “unmanageable, even by Mythal’s reckoning.” (I love this line from Elgar’nan. Even Mythal, who knew Solas best, was scratching her head at times because she couldn't control him – and also why I don’t buy the geas concept.) This fierce individuality is one reason the Evanuris gave him the name Fen’Harel. 

A Sensual and Spiritual Man 

Solas strikes me, based on the games, as someone deeply connected to life (how could you not be when you see spirits as people too), both spiritually and sensually. His conversations in Inquisition and Veilguard hint at an appreciation for the world’s beauty and experiences. He loved dancing (Inquisitor: Do you have any interest in dancing? Solas: A great deal…), savored food and drink, and created beautiful art and music. This isn’t someone detached from his physical form or the material world - he immersed himself in its richness. 

A man who composes music and paints intricate frescoes, full of symbolism and emotional depth, usually has a vibrant inner life – which makes sense for wisdom.  His art and creations are tools for reflection and introspection, ways to process his choices and regrets. But where did this come from? Did he learn these skills from a spirit? Was he taught by a wise elf or an inspiring companion? I love the mystery of these glimpses into his life - they humanize him and add layers to his character. 

Solas wasn’t a solitary figure either. He built connections beyond the Evanuris - with spirits, other elves, and likely even lovers (Ghilan’nain, anyone?). Far from being a lone wolf, he seems to have been actively engaged in the cultural, social and political dynamics of his thousands of years. His relationships, creations, and experiences paint the picture of a man tied to life, even as his long painful journey eventually pushed him toward isolation. 

Witnessing the Fall of the Evanuris 

But life in Elvhenan wasn’t all beauty and splendor. Solas witnessed firsthand how power corrupted even those who began with noble intentions. He saw the Evanuris rise to tyranny, and the defeat of the Titans - a major regret of his - became a foundational moment. While it enabled the empire’s growth and stunning cities, it came with immense moral cost to Solas. 

The Rebellion and Isolation 

Solas eventually reached a breaking point. When the Evanuris’ tyranny became unbearable - when they wouldn’t listen, not even Mythal - he walked away. He forged his own path, leading a rebellion to free the elven people. 

During this time, his relationships likely narrowed. He tells Rook it took him centuries to build bonds during this time (but he still built them). Playing a long game of strategy and sacrifice required isolation, though key connections, like Felassan, remained. Mythal’s murder drove him into despair, and he became even more isolated, pouring himself into planning the ritual that would change everything. 

The Creation of the Veil 

The Veil was a desperate solution to stop the Evanuris and the blight, but something went horribly wrong. It didn’t just destroy the world he knew - it reshaped reality. The Veil severed the Fade from the world, altering existence forever. And for Solas, it left him shattered. His physical body remained in the world he destroyed, while his spirit/mind retreated into Uthenera. 

Uthenera: The Dreaming State (3000+ years) *In Trespasser Solas says he lay unconscious for millennia, millenia is multiple thousands)

During Uthenera, his long "dark and dreaming" sleep, Solas existed in a liminal, dreamlike state - a place between worlds.

It’s striking that he entered Uthenera at the exact moment the Fade was severed from the physical world. The mental fortitude required to withstand such a monumental shift and prevent his total annihilation - or even a psychological collapse - speaks volumes about his strength. Solas’s power is undeniable, but for me, this also confirms that he is a deeply reflective man, one who cultivated a strong mind to endure such force, isolation and emotional cataclysm. (All New Faded for Her - now I must endure - again.)

I initially wrote about his activities during this time, but his claim of being unconscious in a dark, dreaming sleep suggests he was largely unaware of the world around him. Rather than delete it, I've left it in below but this more recent post shows my changed thoughts.

From this vantage point, he could witness the catastrophic aftermath of his actions: the loss of elven immortality, the severing of the Fade from the physical world, and the corruption of spirits into demons. He saw the rise of humans, the fall of empires, and the continued oppression of his people. Each new event added to his layers of guilt and grief. If the Fade reflects emotion, can you imagine Solas’s overwhelming feelings during this time? His emotions would have rippled through it, shaping the dream realm itself.  In the Fade, Solas remained detached, able to observe and reflect without directly engaging in the chaos of the broken world. He likely encountered the demons and maddened spirits born of his actions, forcing him to navigate this unfamiliar, broken Fade.  Perhaps this is where his greatest fear - dying alone - began to solidify. Without the complexities of relationships or the challenges of the waking world, his isolation left him emotionally detached and vulnerable to increasingly rigid thinking. After centuries of war and rebellion, his retreat to Uthenera may have offered recovery, but it also severed him from the connections that had once grounded him in “humanity”.  It’s assumed that during this time, Solas began to shape his plans to tear down the Veil – to fix his mistake. It also seems that it’s during this period at some point that Felassan reconnected with him, leading to yet another tragedy. Unlike Solas, Felassan had lived in modern Thedas for a time. He had built relationships, forged bonds, and seen the value in the world as it was. He urged Solas to give this new world a chance. But Solas, entrenched in his painful guilt and unable to let go of his vision, refused - killing his friend and brother-in-arms, adding yet another layer of grief and regret to his already growing burden. I wonder - Solas killed him in this detached state, in a highly emotional Fade state - could Solas have killed him physically face to face?��

For Solas, time in the Fade didn’t march forward as it did for mortals. What probably felt like yesterday to him was ancient history to the rest of the world. This disconnection from the flow of time would only deepen his sense of detachment, a gap he could only begin to bridge when he awoke in a world utterly changed from the one he remembered. 

So eventually he does wake up – a year before the Inquisition. 

Post-Veil: Modern Thedas – 14-16 years (Inquisition to Veilguard) 

When Solas woke up in modern Thedas, it was a world that had moved on without him - alien and unrecognizable. The magic he revered was now feared, spirits were seen as monsters, and elves were fragmented and oppressed. It was a rude awakening, and Solas had no choice but to reengage with life, relearning how to "be human" in a world so far removed from the one he knew - in a world that he broke. 

Solas initially tried to reconnect with the Dalish, but they rejected him (interesting how one of his first actions upon awakening was to seek connection...hmm). Then came the disaster at the Temple of Sacred Ashes, Corypheus, and the Anchor. Suddenly, Solas had a path: join the Inquisition, study the Anchor, observe the one who wields it, and figure out his next move - all while avoiding personal entanglements. 

Fail. 

Connections in the Inquisition 

Despite his best efforts to remain detached, Solas formed bonds with the Inquisition’s members, particularly the Inquisitor (in my world, low approval doesn’t exist for me but I won’t torment you either with my Solas Lavellan love).  

The exact timeline of the Inquisition is debated. While most agree it spans 1.5–2 years, there’s also an old fantastic post by @threestories that argues for closer to 4–5 years (complete with a detailed spreadsheet and timeline goodness). Either way, it’s plenty of time for Solas to weave himself into the lives of those around him – and for them to sneak their own ways in. 

During this time, Solas wasn’t an aloof observer. He shared meals, debated philosophy, laughed, argued, and played cards and continued painting. He fought alongside people like Blackwall, Iron Bull, and Cole, relying on them for survival. Solas is not the powerful being he once was. Weakened, he’s forced to navigate the world in a more vulnerable state. I believe this humility provides him with new insights and forces him to see value in collaboration and diversity once again (reflections of Elvehnan). 

The messy, imperfect beauty of life began to creep back into his perspective. Living and fighting beside mortals for this period of time forced Solas to confront the reality of their fleeting but rich experiences. It wasn’t something he could experience in the detached safety of the Fade. If romanced, his love for the Inquisitor only deepens his inner conflict, tearing him between personal connection and his mission. (He possessed knowledge beyond any mortal, yet even the Dread Wolf could not foresee what it would mean to fall in love - sorry, couldn't help myself).

Yet, despite these connections, he remained steadfast in his mission. After Corypheus’s defeat, Solas leaves. But he wasn’t quite done; he wanted the Inquisitor to know the truth of who he was. Two busy years followed, leading to one final reunion - a moment where we see a shift in Solas’s perspective. His relationship with the Inquisitor was important enough that Solas set this whole thing up. There was a part of him that would love to be turned away from his path, but not yet.  

The Decade of Isolation 

After Trespasser and his final goodbye to the Inquisitor, Solas retreated into a new kind of isolation - active but distant. For ten years, he worked through agents, manipulated events, and positioned himself for his ritual to tear down the Veil. This period seemed to harden him. If he was in love, he made the painful decision to try and sever that bond, he forced Cole to forget him so Cole wouldn’t follow him - Solas hardened his heart to a cutting edge, and put that pain to good use.   

And then, he killed Varric. 

The act wasn’t premeditated - it might even be argued as accidental - but it wasn’t without weight. Solas never intended to kill Varric, and we see the regret flicker in his expression, his eyes turning down for a moment. Yet, the symbolism of that moment is striking. If Varric embodies persistence - whether it’s the refusal to give up on life, friends, or hope - then his death by Solas’s hand reflects the cost of Solas’s mission. In hardening his heart, he’s cut away the very persistence Varric represented. 

But then came Rook.

Conduits and Catalysts

Forced to interact with Rook and the team, much like he was forced to interact with the Inquisitor and the Inquisition, Solas once again found himself entangled in the lives of others. What makes Rook interesting to me is their role as a conduit. While Solas is trapped in the Fade prison, Rook becomes his connection to the outside world. For someone who had been isolated again for a period of time, being compelled to engage with another person is significant.

Rook and Solas's conversations may seem simple at first, but they force Solas to talk, to reflect, to bring up memories, people, and choices he thought he had left behind. Regardless if he's lying to Rook, these conversations would stir things up for him, peeling back the layers of detachment he has built. They compel him to think about his past, his connections, and his mistakes - reminders of life beyond his mission.

When Solas finally escapes the Fade prison, he doesn’t retreat back into isolation. Instead, we find him fighting alongside the people of Minrathous and then eventually Rook and the team. While his goal remains focused - defeating Elgar’nan and tearing down the Veil - he’s participating in life again.

Even amidst the chaos of battle, Solas can’t help but connect. He talks with the team, echoing the camaraderie of his time in the Inquisition. In one of my favourite moments, he and Emmrich share a brief but mutual appreciation of spirits - on a battlefield, no less. It’s a small yet powerful reminder: no matter how much Solas tries to harden himself, connection finds him. And maybe, just maybe, he still seeks it.

If Solas’s experiences prove anything, it’s that he struggles to stay detached.

Solas’s Shifts 

The bonds Solas formed through his long life were personal. Sure, anyone can argue they weren’t, pointing to his lies and the secrets he kept while plotting the entire time. And yes, he absolutely had an agenda. But whether you played a high- or low-approval Inquisitor, Solas admits he grew fond of the mortal people in the Inquisition. These connections gave him new perspectives on this modern world, connections forged through the shared intensity of battle and survival, and filtered through his reflective, intellectual, and philosophical nature. 

And no, I don’t believe the Inquisitor alone could have swayed him from his path. His growth wasn’t tied to a single relationship or event. While his time with the Inquisition may seem insignificant compared to his millennia-long existence, it planted the seeds of change. I maintain that the foundation for his change was established in Inquisition. As I’ve said before in this post, his eventual shift at the end of Veilguard wasn’t an overnight revelation but the accumulation of these disruptions to his worldview (warning, that post is totally Solavellan). Rook, as a conduit and mirror, brought their own voice as well as the voices of Solas’s past back into focus, reflecting and reminding him of what he had learned.  

By the end of Trespasser, Solas went from planning total destruction to preparing a host of spirits to preserve as much life as possible in Veilguard. You can call him a liar if you want, still question this morally grey choice, but this is a fascinating shift to me.

Enter Sola's Fourth Era

And now, we stand on the edge of Solas’s fourth (and likely not final) era of existence. How will he step into this stage? As a broken, beaten man forced into submission? Or as a man of wisdom, finally able to see another way forward?

This is why, for me, the only ending that feels true to Solas’s arc (as I see it) is the Atonement ending and the only one that exists for me. It aligns with his defining trait: choice. It offers him the agency to forge his own path, just as he did when he walked away from Mythal and the Evanuris.

Whether Solas enters this stage alone or with his heart is up to the player, but the ending feels significant regardless. He returns to the Fade, not in the detached slumber of Uthenera, but with his eyes wide open - awake, active, and ready to face what comes next.

And yes, I’m a sucker for redemption stories.

A Journey of Growth 

The Inquisitor once called him a terrible liar of the heart, and I think it speaks to the core of who he is: wisdom seeking connection. At his heart, Solas is driven to reflect, connect, and understand - even when those impulses clash with his mission. 

Solas’s life isn’t a straight line, nor is it defined by detached indifference. Instead, we see a complex web of relationships, regrets, and moments of growth. His post-Veil life shows us that even an immortal can be shaped by the mortal world. While his immortality makes change slow, it doesn’t make it impossible. Every person he lets into his life - whether reluctantly or intentionally - leaves a mark. Figures like Felassan, the Inquisitor, Cole, Varric, and Rook all serve as mirrors, reflecting his flaws and his potential. That's the beauty of relationships - we are all reflections of each other.

For Solas, change isn’t the result of one grand revelation. It’s a slow, deliberate process, shaped by his experiences, choices, those around him and the experiences they shared together. If his journey proves anything, it’s that even the Dread Wolf isn’t bound by fate. 

[noodles-doodles01]

Dutch Van Der Linde Was ALWAYS Bad

Ok buckle in folks I’m talking about RDR2…

There is a debate within the RDR2 game and fandom on whether Dutch went crazy from the trolley incident or if he always was this way. I am of the latter opinion, however I fully believe that the trolley played a role, but not in the way you think.

Dutch has so many signs that he is awful and selfish from the very beginning. The most obvious from the start is the distinct difference between his presentation in comparison to the others. All other members of the gang look like outlaws, meanwhile Dutch has a fancier vest, smoking cigars on the regular, with a bigger tent, and chains on his vest that are similar to those of Leviticus Cornwall.

This leads into the next point: Dutch is trying to prove a point the entirety of the game. Although it is not the main theme of the story, RDR2 holds some poignant thoughts about capitalism and the damage it causes. Capitalism demands a bottom of the barrel class, and in 1899 (in their perspective), the outlaws are that class. Arthur explains in his journal that Dutch does not like being made a fool of, it’s what flares him up with Bronte. Throughout the game, Dutch makes multiple comments saying that they are “moving up in the world”, and takes direct offense when he is seen as nothing but what he is: a criminal. Dutch uses his vague search of freedom within America as a cover for his desperation to be something memorable. It’s why he is drawn to heists and plans that are stupidly dangerous and drag attention upon them. It’s why he always seems happy whenever he says “they WANT us. They want US.” in chapter 5. It is why Micah gets to stick around.

This flaw in his character introduces the main downfall of the gang: he cares for the gang in terms of what it represents; name only. He cares for the gang not as Hosea, Arthur, Dutch et al, but as the Van Der Linde gang. It is why Dutch doesn’t allow for any second guessing of him from anyone, not even from Arthur or Hosea. It is always deemed as a personal attack on his character instead of good intentioned care. It’s why when things got hard, he was fine with dropping the weaker members as long as he succeeded. His mantra about family and the gang is less about the people and the love they share, and more about how great a person Dutch is in succeeding at taking care of all them folk.

My main reason why his hateful nature is present before the trolley, is because Arthur with TB just becomes Hosea in Chapters 1-4. Throughout the beginning of the game, Hosea is heavily implied to be chronically ill, and weaker because of this illness alongside his age. For this reason, Hosea takes the role of ensuring that everyone is okay, sticking around to make sure people are settled before he is gone. He calls out Dutch constantly, yelling at him for his stupidity and never lying low as needed. Dutch dismissed him constantly, and Hosea has to cover his concerns with the phrase “I’m not doubting you Dutch…”. He tells Abigail to get ready to leave if things go bad, and tries to convince John too. The only reason we don’t see it is because in this time, Arthur’s still blind and thus Hosea comes off as the nervous mother hen rather than the warning signal. When we reach chapter 6, Dutch is spiralling, but Arthur is treated the same: ignored, shrugged off because of his newfound weakness. Position in the family means nothing if it doesn’t serve Dutch.

With all this in mind, let’s see how the trolley plays into Dutch’s psyche. We know Dutch sees himself as high and mighty, a self proclaimed Robin Hood who is simply a poorly strewn wolf in sheep’s clothing. We are told in Chapter 6 that a failed man is most dangerous by Captain Monroe, and that’s exactly what the trolley incident is: a failure.

You can argue out of every other “failure” in all the earlier chapters of the game. They couldn’t have expected that Leviticus was so personally invested in his trains. Who would have known that the Grays and Braithwaite’s would wake up king enough to notice their plots? How could they have known that Blackwater was a setup? (These are all Dutch excuses bc I have a LOT of answers for these)

But in all these cases, the losses are minor; the gang is mainly okay, Dutch isn’t hurt, and the plan was solid even in hindsight. But the trolley? Brontë plays them like fools on a fiddle. A clear and complete setup that is so obvious from the moment he uttered the suggestion. What’s worse, Dutch gets injured, and it’s the one and only time we see that. They made him bleed. I believe this is meant to parallel Hosea’s reaction to the legendary bear; the moment they realize they aren’t cut out for this life anymore. But the difference is Dutch refuses to accept it, and decides to take it out on everyone around him.

From that point on, not a single job succeeds on every front. By the end of the story, Dutch has used the indigenous tribe for his own gain (betraying his initial values for caring for those who need to be cared for), runs through his men like cigars (like Cook O’Driscoll), and values money above all else (like Cornwall).

[hererafjastori]

The movie Barbie in Princess and the Pauper is deeply misunderstood. In this essay I will…

No but like, seriously. I have come across too many people making fun of “I’m just like you” and fundamentally misunderstanding both the meaning of the song, and Annalise as a character, by acting like Annalise is a rich brat who doesn’t know to be grateful for what she has. So we are going to take an in-depth look at the song, Annalise, Erika, their situations and their character, and make a few things clear.

Let’s start with the above mentioned song, and the widespread opinion, that the girls and the movie act like there is no difference between Annelise living in constant luxury, and Erika suffering the life of an indentured servant. But what is happening has a lot more nuance.

First of: Annelise is not the instigator for this compare and contrast. Note how it’s Erika who starts comparing their lives, not Annelise, who reacts very perplexed. Annelise would have been fine with Erika never figuring out she was a princess, and only starts talking about the luxuries that being a princess grants her, after Erika prompts her. This is not Annalise bragging about her life, downplaying the privilege she enjoys or whining about how hard her situation is. This is her replying to Erikas enquire by both, acknowledging the vast difference there is between their lives, but also by underlining the ridiculousness that is such luxury. We can see later, in the movie, when Erika gets her breakfast, that there are no fucking minstrels. And Erika is totally on board with that, she even plays around with her, look at the way she interacts with the ‘omelet’ Analise presents her with. And later in the song, Erika acknowledges that the ‘married to a total stranger’ situation sucks.

But let’s take a look at the ways they recognize that they are the same. What are their similarities?

“I’m just like you, you’re just like me, there’s somewhere else we’d rather be. Somewhere that’s ours, somewhere that dreams come true, yes I am a girl like you. You’d never think, that it was so, but now I’ve met you and I know. […] ”

“I would never tell my mother. I wouldn’t wanna disappoint her.” “I completely understand.”

“[…]We take responsibility. We carry through, do what we need to do, yes I am a girl like you […] It’s something anyone can see. A heart that beats, a voice that speaks the truth”

So, what are their stated similarities:

They are in a situation they desperately want to escape. They see no option of realizing their dreams and fulfilling their desires or even have a perspective of leading a happy life.

Others lean, depend on and draw from their strength, so they have little to no opportunity of sharing that burden

They recognize that there is a reason they have these duties, and their conscience won’t allow them to even try and shirk said duties. They take up this responsibility that they never wanted, fully aware of the sacrifices that they will have to make.

Throughout it all, they make the active choice not to complain, to stay optimistic, to not loose hope and to carry their burden with dignity and integrity

Nobody disputes that they life very different lives. The first minute of their interaction makes that abundantly clear. Erika even sings “You’d never think that it was so”. Them coming from very different places was never up for debate. What they are comparing is the way they deal with it.

This willingness to endure under the pressure and expectations placed upon them without allowing to loose themselves, is the very core of both of these characters!

And we can see all of this throughout the movie, especially in ‘Free’.

[1] I don’t think I have to explain Erika. We see the direness of her situation in the way Mdm. Karp treats her the times she finds her singing, her threatening to use the excuse of interest to keep her prisoner for basically the rest of her life, the way she treats Annelise, thinking she is talking to Erika after she fled, the fact that she locks her seamstresses in often enough, that there is a routine in place to allow at least Wolfie an escape.

But Annalise is just as worked to the bone as Erika, if in a different way. Her day is planned through, down to the literal minute. Just listen to the start of Free. Her greatest wish is to have one day without work, because she hasn’t had that in living memory. And yes, most of it is studies and keeping up appearances, but in “to be a princess” we get an impression of how much thought and energy that takes. (“be charming, but detached and yet amused […] Never be confused”, “Never fall, don’t ever stray from protocol. All through the day, there’s just one way you must behave” “Never crack” “Never show a thing you feel inside. Glide.” “to be a princess is to never get to rest” “Never squirm […] Speak and be clever, never at a loss for words” “Never show dismay and be there when people call, be prepared whatever royal life may bring” “Never ever turn your back. There’s a time and place and way for everything”)

She has to be flawless, confident, and composed throughout the day without the  slightest hint of being imperfect. She has little to no privacy, she is constantly observed, perceived, judged by far more metrics than pretty much anyone else, and is she falls short of them and say, worsens relationships with another kingdom, makes a bad decision in ruling the kingdom, makes the kingdom appear weak in any way, her people will be the ones to pay the prize. And all that is without taking the marriage into consideration. She doesn’t know who Dominic is! We know that he is a great guy, but for all Annelise knows, he could be the kind of person Preminger reveals himself to be. Even if he is a decent guy, it would likely be a loveless marriage. That is a sacrifice (as we can see when her mother is forces into the very same position), especially if it means sacrificing her relationship with Julian, her childhood friend, who shares her interests, helps her through all that nonsense, and understands her better than anyone. On screen, he is the only person she truly opens up with, other than Serafina (who is a cat), and Erika (who she only met that day, and has little emotional investment in the whole thing). Erika and Dominic sing a whole duet about the importance of knowing each other in order to have a functioning relationship, and she has had that with Julian for years. They both (Julian is clearly just as devoted and self-sacrificing as she is) accept to let this unspoken thing between them slip through their fingers, with no hope of ever finding something comparable, and the prospect of drifting apart with time, all for the sake of the kingdom.

And in terms of hope for the future, Annelise is just as bad of, if not worse than Erika. Erika has been working continuously to escape her situation, and never given up hope (“My determination’s strong. People will gather around the world to hear my song! Soon I will forever be free). And in the meantime, she has found small ways to fight back against Mdm. Karp (She can never stop my schemes). How realistic it is to ever pay off Mdm. Karp is a different matter, but she still has a fighting spirit. Annelise meets Erika, while in the process of making peace with the fact, that this was it for her, and there will be no coming back from this (“Now I fear I’ll never be Free” “I’m savoring a first and last taste of freedom”).

[2] In terms of hope and determination, Erika is doing the emotional heavy lifting for both herself, and the other seamstress. And Annelise is putting up a strong façade for even her mother, because in the face of the lack of options, she doesn’t want to burden her mother with the knowledge that she is damning her daughter to an unhappy life.

[3] I already explained Annelise’s situation in detail. Because she was born in royalty, she is tasked with a lot of responsibility, and even though she had no choice in the matter, she still accepts her cross to bear, and does so silently knowing the great personal cost she’ll have to pay. For Erika, they kind of fumbled the ball with the duties she chooses to accept, seeing as pretty much the sole person to suffer from her just, running away and ignorin her 'duties' would be her active abuser. Even if she has yet to pay back all the money her parents borrowed from Mdm. Karp (something she had no say or choice in), she has more than done her time in emotional suffering, and saying that staying in this toxic environment is her duty is not a message I agree with. But in-universe she explicitly states such convictions, so any and all points on the matter of her dutiful behavior still stand. One might be able to twist her duty to be to not leave the other seamstress to suffer alone, but that has no textual evidence. But we see this willingness to sacrifice for the sake of duty and responsibility most strongly, when she agrees to help Julian out and take Annelise’s place. There are two ways this could play out: she get’s away with it, or she doesn’t. We see both, her options are being thrown into the royal dungeon for treason, or being locked away by Mdm. Karp for running away, and knowing those where her prospects, she still chose to do this for the sake of both Annelise and the kingdom.

[4] Just, listen to free, watch the movie. These two girls prove their inner strength and endurance time and time again. They always keep going, searching for solution after solution, no matter what obstacles lie in their way (Being sent away at the palace gates, escaping Mdm. Karp, escaping the mines, escaping the dungeon, etc.). Their drive, determination, endurance and unbendable spirit are admirable.

“I close my eyes, and feel myself fly a thousand miles away. I could take flight, but would it be right, my conscience tells me stay. I’ll remain forever royal. I’ll repay my parents debt. Duty means doing the things your heart may well regret. But I’ll never stop believing/ she can never stop my schemes. There’s more to living than gloves and gowns and thread and seams, in my dreams, I’ll be free”

This is the end of free, the core of them, and the thing they recognize in each other, and I will no longer allow any slander against either them!

[delusinaldreamer19]

Sebastian and Bards relationship in the cannon is not talked about enough.

Not to sound pretentious, but I feel like it may be more accurate to say their dynamic in the context of the series.

The simplistic caveman side of my brain wants to say that they’re just two dudes, which isn’t wrong. But the analytical side of my brain wishes to elaborate 🤗.

Behold my tangent.

One of my favorite lines in this series is when Sebastian tells Bard quote “You fear death, as humans should. You must be the only one in this manor who does.”

(The fact that it pans to Ciel is just 👌👌👌. Good shit, love to see it.)

To me, Bards backstory segments where we saw him adjusting to life in the manor had a different feel to when we saw the same for Mayrin. We got to see her interact with oCiel, Finny, Nina, and even Lau briefly. But with Bard, he was only ever really shown with Sebastian. Or at least mainly.

There’s a stronger sense that Bard doesn’t quite fit in with the rest of the household. Which I felt was emphasized by this panel.

I interpret this as him saying “what the hell am I doing in the house full of crazy kids.”

Which leads me back to my main point. Basically, Bard is the most normal human in this house. And who is he paired up with the most? Debatably the least normal “human” in the house.

Except I bet that’s not how Bard sees it. While Ciel may be the master of the house, Bard and Sebastian are the adults of the household. The men of the house if you will. (Yeah yeah Mayrin and Tanaka are adults too. But in Mayrin’s case b/c of her time as a snipper she hadn’t lived as much of a life as Bard, so she’s not quite at the same level of maturity. And I’m going to ignore Tanaka since he’s less of an active player among the servants.)

I’m trying so hard to break down my thought process rn :’) OK, because of this, I bet that Bard views Sebastian as sort of like his bro. They have this shared responsibility to take care of the ‘kids’ in the house. (Take a shot every time I say house).

Honestly idk where I’m going with this. Sebastian is like the strict mother who expects highly of the servants. While Bard is the bad influence uncle that endorses smoking, drinking, and pornography.

They have a weird partnership, one that boarders on a one sided friendship. They both have an unspoken understanding that they share the responsibility of adults looking after children. Only for Bard to then be put back in his place by Sebastian, as HE probably views Bard as just another one of the kids he has to manage.

I swear I had a point, I don’t think I conveyed it properly. Anyway, sorry for the long post. I honestly love Bard as a character, he’s very interesting when you really start to think about it. He doesn’t get enough recognition from the fan base esp when it comes to analytical perspectives.

[yourpeepysucksdotorg]

Looking back on my syscourse days with the wisdom of age, I feel as if I can pinpoint a single psychological concept that explains why syscourse is so prevalent to begin with, and why it’s so toxic and inescapable; group polarization. Basically, people are more likely to come to extreme conclusions or make risky decisions when in a group with those sharing the same ideologies, even though most members of the group will have the same core beliefs that aren’t nearly as radical.

In syscourse, this most often occurs when people debate the validity of endogenic systems. It also makes it impossible to have a good-faith discussion on the matter.

I’m not endo-neutral, and while my thoughts on the matter can be found elsewhere on my blog, I’ll remain neutral for the sake of this post making it to as many people as possible, because I genuinely believe so much fighting could be stopped if we just recognized the unhealthy patterns we’ve fallen into. Disordered systems who are anti-endo seem to blame endogenic systems for a lot of things, and while I’m not endogenic, I can pretty accurately guess that having a bunch of strangers tell you that you make their lives worse by expressing your identity makes you feel shitty. This keeps the two communities separated outside of verbal spats, and of course, after these spats, members of both communities will want support. Once again, I can’t speak from the endogenic perspective. But I know that anti-endos will continue to perpetuate that endos are bad, that you didn’t do anything wrong, that they’re just dumb and stupid. Which, I can assume this keeps endogenic systems in constant defense mode, as they constantly have to check which system blogs or servers are or aren’t okay to interact with, out of fear of being attacked by other systems, or worse, becoming some kind of lolcow for singlets.

When both sides feel like they’re being attacked, no productive discussion can be had. Once again, I do have my own opinions on the matter, but right now, I’m really just advocating for all systems to treat each other like living beings. If someone is being terrible to you, there’s no pressure to fight back. Just block them. While that one person might be an asshole, there are so many more people who care about you, support you, and want you to exist more than you even know. This is a saying as old as time, but don’t feed the trolls. Don’t aggressively retaliate, because you’re just giving them more material to bend to their will. And if you’re the one perpetuating assholery, just stop.

Maybe I’m just being an optimist, but I believe that so much syscourse could become irrelevant if we realized that the world isn’t black and white, and there aren’t good and evil systems. We’re all in this together, singlets are still gonna treat us like we’re nuts. We need to stand united rather than push each other further and further away.

[jodiesjamiez]

I saw a debate between you and my friend about Grace. What I understood is that Grace is a saint girl to lead Tommy good side, and that's the reason she needed to be killed. It seems you want to believe SHE IS 100% GOOD GIRL WHO CANNOT ADJUST HERSELF TO BE IN SHELBY FAMILY.

Also, personally I thought you deny Grace is the woman Tommy truly loved refering to your post wrote about Greta Jurossi. Well, that was interesting. I don't deny Greta was the only first true love in Tommy's life. No one cannot hold the title except Greta.

I hope all of this article is my misunderstanding. Thank you.

Hi there,

I really enjoyed discussing this with your friend and thank you for sharing your thoughts.

I always appreciate hearing different perspectives, especially on a show as layered as Peaky Blinders. That said, I want to be honest and say that your message came across as quite accusatory and confrontational, even if that wasn’t your intent.

My intention in any of these discussions is never to argue about who's "right" or to attack anyone's interpretation. I enjoy exploring character dynamics and contradictions within the plot.

Now to my response,

I don’t think Grace is a good person—and I’m not sure where you interpreted that from my posts.

I don’t mean that as an insult, I actually find it compelling. She kills people. She lies. She enters Tommy’s life already operating in the same morally grey world. That’s why they connected so deeply in that Garrison scene—because they met in that same dark place. That whole “now you’ve seen me” scene… I personally didn’t see it as just romance, it was trauma bonding, mutual understanding that Tommy needed to really get closer to her (and forward the plot).

And look, she’s dead. I didn’t ever say she deserved it just that it happened and it clearly served Steven Knight’s larger purpose about grief, ambition, and the cost of power. My original point was never about rewriting that reality—it was about interpreting what it meant. She became symbolic in her death, and sure I said Tommy romanticizes her as perfect, but I don’t say that to erase who she actually was or how she operated when she was alive. He loved her anyway. We all know this.

…And on her not being able to adjust to the family: Polly would never have accepted her. Period. Grace lied to them, betrayed them, and put the whole family at risk. Polly’s judgment is final, and once you’re out, you’re out. Grace might’ve had Tommy’s heart, but she’d never truly have a place at that table. I feel like it would become a Micheal / Tommy conflict but Grace / Polly if she lived you know? Tommy relied on Polly’s judgment and opinions a lot. Grace would want to take that place of advisor as his wife.

I’m not going to reply on the point about Greta because I'm not sure what you mean. You might want to go back to the last paragraph of that post because that is what it was about. The timeline of Tommy’s tragedy. I made a post about Greta to explore how different types of love have shaped Tommy as I rarely see discussions about her as she plays a minor role but is still significant to Tommy’s journey. These characters all represent something different, and that’s what makes discussing them so compelling.

I really don’t like to argue but I love to share ideas so please conduct yourself respectfully. Ideas are not inherently ‘bad’ or ‘good’.

And just to clarify, your friend actually contacted me first, replying to a post I made about Lizzie and how I wished she and Tommy had communicated more. From there, we had a thoughtful exchange about Grace, the show's themes, and Tommy’s emotional arc. It was a good discussion and I really appreciate the way it was handled.

If anything was misunderstood, I’m more than happy to clarify. I just hope we can keep the conversation respectful and open to different points of view.

[solar-wing]

Please, stop using ai in your writing 🥺👉👈

so here's the thing...and for context sake for me, I'm gonna assume you're the person who asked me before if I use AI in my writing.

Once again:

note where I said what I use it for! Proofreading my drafts, structuring my outlines, and helping me find words and phrases. for example...

or...

Trust and believe me, I have my fair use of looking up synonyms and phrases online outside of AI. Just look at my bookmarks.

Now, I want to take this moment to address something about my use of AI in my writing. For me, AI has become a tool that has helped me in my productivity. It removes some of the mundane and time-consuming aspects of the writing process, allowing me to channel more of my creative energy into crafting better stories.

I fully understand that everyone has their own perspective on this topic. Some choose to use AI, while others avoid it entirely, and I respect both positions. I also recognize the moral and ethical concerns some have about AI. However, the way I use it does not harm others or have a negative impact outside my platform. If I ever saw clear, concrete evidence that using AI was genuinely detrimental to authors as a whole, I'd 100% reconsider my use of it. But so far, I’ve mostly encountered personal opinions and feelings on the matter. While those feelings are valid, they remain just that—personal.

(EDIT:)

(Something to also consider, I have an Apple Laptop, a MacBook, and with their new features releases this year, specifically the Apple Intelligence, AI is quite literally built into my phone and laptop. So, again, if’s a tool that is available for me to use and it actually helps me, and it’s not harming others with my use or its use in general, then I will take advantage of it.)

What I take issue with is when those opinions are pushed onto me, especially when I haven’t asked for them and they’re delivered anonymously.

Now, let me be clear: I’m open to discussing this topic further if anyone has additional information they believe I should consider, but I prefer those conversations happen in private, not through my public inbox. My DMs are open for that kind of dialogue, and I promise those conversations will remain 100% confidential.

That said, this is the last time I will address this topic publicly. I’m always willing to hear feedback, but when it comes to questions about the tools and resources I use to create my work, I draw the line. I want this platform to remain a space for creativity, joy, and connection—not debates over personal tools.

To be clear, my inbox—especially the anonymous feature—is intended for discussions about stories, characters, requests, and similar topics. It is not the place for critiques of how I choose to create. I don’t want to feel forced into disabling it because of misplaced discussions.

If you’d like to share your thoughts or feedback with me privately, my DMs are open. Otherwise, I ask that we keep the focus on the stories and characters we all enjoy. At the end of the day, writing is something I’ve loved doing for as long as I can remember, and AI is just one of many tools I use to make that process more efficient. It’s not something I rely on, but it does help me, and it’s not something I feel the need to constantly justify. If AI disappeared tomorrow, I would still create stories—because that’s what I’ve always done, and that’s what I will continue to do.

Thank you for understanding, and let’s keep this space positive and fun for everyone.

Thank youuuu💛