#PRESENTATION STRESS!!!!!!

[mosswolf]

oh chamomile we're really in it now

[vykerr]

I was watching a video on youtube from an Australian current affairs documentary type program, when I was suddenly blindsided by this screen.

[polar534]

Was anyone going to tell me that Rook and Neve mirror each other's phrases depending on who you choose to dismantle the ward? Or was I just supposed to find that out myself after my 2nd full playthrough?!

First of all, I'm ill. Thank you writers. You deserve so much better than you get. To make up for that, I'm going to gush about the writing and more importantly the performance of the actors I got to experience said writing through. I think this post I want to specifically focus on Rook, since so many people have taken apart the Category 5 event that is Neve's full romance plot. But trust me, at the end of this analysis I plan on touching on something I haven't yet seen from the Neve romance takes. And if it is out there, it's not getting nearly the attention it deserves.

I think it's absolutely fascinating the character development that happens for Rook specifically if you choose Neve and subsequently she gets blighted. Despite all the personality choices you can make in regards to the romantic scenes. (Shout out to the Stoic option breaking my heart every time during the Eclipse scene.) One thing Rook is for Neve, always, is there. Rook makes sure to let Neve know, out loud and through their actions, that they are there. They'll always try to be there, even when they might not be fast enough, when the tables turn or when gods break promises. Now I'm not sure about the other VA's performance because I've just been running through this romance as one character, but Bryony Corrigan does an absolutely phenomenal job of breaking my heart in the aftermath of Tearstone Island. Through her performance you can really begin to see the flipside of this coin. The other reflection in the mirror.

If any companion speaks to you about Neve, Bryony does a fantastic job of letting the emotion come through her small lines just enough that it sounds like Rook is really on the edge of tears. Ask Rook about their plans, or what they have to do next? Fine. Can handle that. She will get the job done. But ask her about Neve? Reassure her that they'll find her? Suddenly Rook is the smallest person in the world. Her voice cracks, she's hardly even able to thank Davrin or Bellara for their support because she is actively choking back what sounds like tears.

Don't even get me started on the animation rigging for Rook when you DO find Neve and she reveals just what happened while Rook wasn't there.

Look at that devastation! I can tell they turned up the rigging specifically to make sure that no matter what your Rook looks like, you will KNOW just how broken they must feel in that moment. (Regret Prison could never.) Rook wasn't there and Neve had someone in her head. Someone who used her to break her own city.

(Important note that this animation will NOT play for just a normal companion rescue. Rook is only going to be this devastated when it's someone they love. In a normal run you'll get more of relieved and happy grin rather than whatever pathetic, wet beast looking thing this is.)

Moving forward, the very next time you can choose the 'Romantic' option, Rook will reflect in some way that they 'lost' Neve. That is not something you can change. You, as a player, CANNOT change the fact that a romantically involved Rook will see the time spent apart as an overwhelming loss. They lost Neve. Once you do click the 'Romantic' option however, the dialogue will change to some variation of 'found'. Which reflects exactly what Rook has dedicated themselves to proving to Neve. That they will be there. That they will always try.

That spoken dialogue doesn't stop the choices from showing what Rook is really feeling however. In their mind, they lost her. Neve is desperate to remind Rook that they can't even consider her being there as a win. Not while they still have so much left to do. And yet? It doesn't stop Rook from believing it anyways. That is the win in their eyes, no matter what comes next.

The only thing that can come close to getting that final win now is killing Elgar'nan, and I'm feral for the fact that Rook's view of killing the last blighted god can, canonically, become revenge for what he did to Neve. (On top of saving the world of course)

You'll get further 'lost and found' references in the dialogue after. Again, I feel like it's really important to see that it is Rook saying all of this. It has nothing to do with your choices beforehand. If you choose the romantic option, this is what Rook is truly feeling. It becomes canon to whatever kind of Rook you're playing. They wouldn't know what to do if they hadn't found Neve.

(Bryony Corrigan you have me on the floor with this entire sequence. From the line above to: "Every moment." To "I'm right here. I promise." It knocks me to the floor. Every time. Insanely heart-wrenching delivery.)

Lastly in the post credit scene of the Blighted Neve storyline, 2 of your 3 options can include one final instance of the 'lost and found' wording that is so prevalently a theme for Rook in this version of events.

(Fun fact, the non-blighted version of the same scene will of course, also throw a nod to the theme of 'lost and found'. "Finding you was a lost cause.", As well as an option to tap into Rook's own feelings in regards to that theme: "That place, I was so lost...")

So why is this so interesting to me? Why does the mirrored dialogue from the very moment that scene starts mean so much to me? It's pretty simple.

In Neve's experience, lost things don't just come back. I think it's absolutely fascinating that her storyline, romance or not, has a nebulous theme around the idea that lost things don't just come back. In Neve's experience, once something goes missing, it's gone. The city will move on without a spare thought. That's why she tries to be the difference. To be the one that finds things. If you're hunting for people who are taken she will always make sure to slip in a line about the fact that even if you're too late, she intends to find them anyways. She will provide closure, a follow-up to whoever might need it. It's about the small temporary wins. It's the cynic with a heart of gold that's so deeply imbedded in her character.

You're supposed to play as the one that helps slowly change that idea. Rook is meant to be the exception to the rule Neve has held tight in an attempt at survival for so long. (Along with all of the other companions of course.) Rook is the 'found' part of lost and found. They're going to find a way through any situation. Whatever it takes.

So yeah, when Neve comes in to Rook's room during the non-blighted storyline, of course she's completely shaken by the fact that Rook is actually there. That they came back. That they found a way to come back. 

But on the flipside, what you can discover through the writing and through the incredible work by the VA, is the fact that without Neve? Rook can also become lost. The fact that the other came back at all means the world to them BOTH. The fact that they will mirror each other's thoughts, the very idea of coming back at all being a parallel to being lost and found, it's a payoff to something that gets set up at the very start of the game.

When they needed to find someone, Varric went to the best damn detective he had ever met. Neve Gallus, the local expert, the one person in Minrathous that people turn to when things or people go missing. In the same breath he'll introduce Rook as their expert on trouble. The very same kind of trouble that Neve knows to avoid and yet always finds her anyways.

Because lost things are always meant to be found. And Trouble isn't always a bad thing.

[malacandrax]

lrt wrt carrying tiny things around -tbh this is relevant to what I do when im overthinking/spiralling on a walk, I don't have a tiny baby on hand but I *imagine* theres a tiny baby resting gently in the cup of my hand and its like ok sleepy energy gotta be chill and calm theyre sleeping shh

[taiso]

jarvis cocker (pulp) trading card from melody maker magazine (1995)

scanned from my personal collection ^^

[vingler-mirror]

The fact that Isokania being in the presence of each other decreases the Stress for both of them and the team:

I find it interesting that Isolde having Meltdown brings almost the same (or arguably more) benefit as her being in Focus (which is kinda concerning?). Also she practically decreases Stress for everyone including herself only if she's with Kakania (we get it Isolde, we won't separate you from your doctor).

On the other hand, Kakania entirely resets her Empathy when she has a Meltdown, which kinda sucks at first, but it also enables her to take more damages for the team (what's with these two and giving benefits when they're having Meltdowns). She also decreases her own Stress when her allies are having Meltdown, and she does it even more if she's with Isolde (still playing psychiatrist even in battle aren't you, Kakania?).

Basically you can bring them both in your team, and they'll always keep their and the team's Stress in check. Doomed yuri saves the day.

What's funnier is it's very rare for characters to have specified Stress condition related to being in another characters' company, so Bluepoch basically handcrafted these kind of conditions for Isokania. They really are Bluepoch's favorite doomed yuri.

[royaltea000]

haha albino ass 🫵

[snakeguy999]

'How to render fast' 'how i painted this in one hour' 'tips for quick and easy shading' 'how to draw like a pro in a month' 'how to make your sketchbook beautiful' 'fastest shading method' how about have fun for once

[thepeacefulgarden]

[afurtivecake]

kevin/ichirou in a way that's wildly unhealthy for both of them- for kevin it's like, for some reason it feels like he's cuckolding his dead, former best friend/brother/abuser in a way that all his other relationships have not felt like. and he doesn't understand why that thought isn't turning him off completely. for ichirou it's that he doesn't think he's the type of person to keep secret mistresses or cheat on his wife for something so stupid as lust, but he stumbles into the irresistible kevin-day-effect and suddenly he finds himself rationalizing why having sex with a man that he technically owns wouldn't be considered cheating at all. or gay, for the matter. ( it is; he's just homophobic) because 'cheating' would imply a threat to his marriage, which, how could there be when it's just some guy whose life belongs to his family. (it is; he's just in denial) and besides, half the things they do can't even count as sex (maybe not, but it's definitely weirder and kinkier).

[midnightcrows]

Tlt sketches

[blackkatdraws2]

Another drawing featuring Stanley whispering to Narrator (Grey.) He's annoyed and flustered every time Stanley does this.

[op-dumpstertruck]

I just realized! Sanji had one of Zoro's earrings, but it looks like he gives it to Kuina. I'm assuming this is a way to let the crew know that he's still alive somewhere, right? Or it's something sad like: Sanji doesn't know if he'll make it out of there, but Kuina can so he can at least show that Kuina is Zoro's kid.

It's a bit of both, I think! I think it was hard for Sanji to part with it, cause he sees it as the wedding ring he never got to have, but he gives it to Kuina as some sort of proof that she's not lying. It's good that she has Zoros hair and generally looks similar to both of them, but... I have not yet explored that here, but I think Zoro changed in the aftermath of their 'deaths'. He's not gonna look at Kuina and go 'oh my kid', he's gonna be enraged by the thought that someone is trying to trick him.

[yooboobies]

missing you my comfort person💜

[boarloved-art]

trust and believe the chaser gang's unofficial coworker christmas parties went crazy. qiren goes home after an hour, xichen immediately decides this is the perfect time to get hammered, guangyao is babysitting, wen qing is losing her mind a little bit, yu ziyuan is fighting between Wanting To Leave and Wanting To Outdrink Wuxian, huaisang and mingjue show up at some point and wuxian is too drunk to remember it - which he DOES weep about when wen qing tells him the next day. they have the worlds most british karaoke session. the buffet features mini sausage rolls, cocktail sausages, and a beautiful array of picky bits. mr brightside is playing for 50% of the event.

[moeblob]

Honestly? Good anime imo! I really enjoyed Aileen. I enjoyed Claude. I enjoyed Isaac and Keith and Rachel and Almond and Ribbon. I enjoyed Belzebuth and the flock of ducks (Walt/Kyle/Auguste) and Jasper.