#Twice Arcanum

[ask-runaan-anything]

Runaan what is your best dad joke?

Humor is not really my area, little shadow. But even stodgy old grumps like me manage to bumble into an amusing moment every now and again. The secret, I'm told, is to have funnier people around you at all times.

Once, Rayla broke one of the sticks I'd given her to train with, before I trusted her with proper weapons, and when I fetched her another - after several minutes of proper testing to be certain it wouldn't splinter easily and harm her - she promptly broke that one, too!

To which I said, admittedly out of pure exasperation, "Rayla. Do you think assassin training weapons grow on trees?"

It took me longer than I care to admit, to understand why she was rolling on the grass, laughing and holding her sides. But she was very cute doing it.

[ryo-maybe]

You know what, I wasn’t expecting the ending I picked to turn the world into basically a worse place than it already was, but I’m happy I did, because it means I got to screw as many inhabitants as possible of this frustrating mess of a game.

[prokopetz]

I hate fandom tarots because 90% of the cards are always total surface-level reads where the character in question has, like, some vague thematic proximity to what you might imagine that arcanum represents if the only thing you knew about it was its name, but then there's one specific card where pairing that character with that arcanum has so many layers of meaning that you have to go back and ask yourself, okay, is this one of those a-stopped-clock-is-right-twice-a-day situations, or have I completely missed what they were going for with all of the others?

[raayllum]

like Callum made the right choice in 5x08 for his character and the thematic narrative. Thematically, Rayla cannot permanently die (she's too sacrificial) nor can she have a partner, honestly, who'd be willing to sacrifice her like that. Callum also cannot be willing to sacrifice her like that for the life of a stranger dragon he's never met, or not take the dark magic risk; not only is this how he's always clearly been ever since S1 ("But not everything [has changed]: I would do anything for you") but doing so would make him exactly like the worst of Viren: "If you have to choose between [the world] or your brother, pick the egg." Callum is having a dark path arc, but he's not having an antagonist or villain arc.

That said, there's a reason Callum is Chained Up when he gives the spell and locked in a damp dark brig and has to use the snake-chain spell specifically, because TDP loves its irony: what gets more ironic than freeing yourself from chains in order to free and save your girlfriend, when you know in doing so you're chaining yourself further and further to the main villain and his will in doing so? When you know that you would?

There's a reason 5x08 ends with Callum looking scared and sad and the shot of the snakes, because those aren't fun things (hi Ocean arcanum epiphany) to learn or fully accept about yourself. There's a reason that what characters justify with "I had no choice" or "this is the right thing to do" isn't always the literal case. "I had to, to save my friends" or you could've left it. You could've tried something else than dark magic. But you didn't, because you thought that was the one thing you could do in order to not lose your friend, so you did it; You Made Your Choice.

For example, if we're talking what happened in 5x08 in a "this would keep The World 100% safe" type of deal? Callum fucked up twice. He gave the spell and he didn't know Finnegrin would be dead or unable to use it by episode's end. He did dark magic — with no idea that it wouldn't let Aaravos automatically possess him in that moment — because a world where he didn't even try and save her was worse to him. But it was a risk! Both of those things were massive risks!

Just because they didn't amount to the extreme consequences they could have had, yet, doesn't mean that they won't, since soo much of TDP is just "this thing had unforeseen/unwanted consequences as a result of the choices you made" (the loss of Rayla's team, Harrow's death, Sarai's death, the possession at all, Karim's banishment, Zubeia's corruption, Claudia's 5 season long descent, and I'm sure going to the Starscraper next season, just to name a few quick examples off the top of my head). As Harrow says:

H: But I do know I will pay the price for the choices I've made. I've done terrible things. I thought they were necessary. Now I don't know.

Rayla thought she had to leave; she didn't. Rayla thought she had to find Viren, twice; that wasn't true. She chose to leave both times. She also chose to come back both times. She could've doubled down, but she didn't. Viren, finally, didn't.

Every step forward is a choice.

That's true for Every Single Character in the show.

To deny them that is to deny the agency they do have in the circumstances they find themselves in; Soren could've not stabbed his father, Terry could've chosen to tackle rather than stab Ibis, Viren could've chosen to grieve his son. That doesn't mean they didn't have good reasons to do the things they were doing, that doesn't mean their justifications weren't strong, that doesn't mean they were necessarily wrong to do so. But they made Choices.

So did Callum. And he chose what regrets, sacrifices, and losses he could live with, in order to save the person he decided he couldn't live without.

It's that simple, and that complicated.

[the-griffons-saddlebag]

⚔️ 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗺! Staff of the Arcanum
Staff, legendary (requires attunement by a wizard) ___ This staff is made of both raw and polished obsidian. Your Intelligence and Wisdom scores each increase by 2, up to a maximum of 22, while you're attuned to it. In addition, you can use your Arcane Recovery twice between long rests, instead of once. This staff can be wielded as a magic quarterstaff that grants a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with it. While you hold it, you gain a +2 bonus to spell attack rolls. A target hit with the staff takes an extra 1d10 force damage and is pushed up to 10 feet away from you. 𝙎𝙥𝙚𝙡𝙡 𝙎𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜. This staff stores spells cast into it, holding them until you use them. The staff can store up to 5 levels worth of spells at a time. When found, it contains 1d6 − 1 levels of stored spells chosen by the GM. Any creature can cast a spell of 1st through 5th level into the staff by touching the staff as the spell is cast. The spell has no effect, other than to be stored in the staff. If the staff can't hold the spell, the spell is expended without effect. The level of the slot used to cast the spell determines how much space it uses. While holding this staff, you can cast any spell stored in it. The spell uses the slot level, spell save DC, spell attack bonus, and spellcasting ability of the original caster, but is otherwise treated as if you cast the spell. The spell cast from the staff is no longer stored in it, freeing up space. 𝙎𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚. The "staff of the arcanum" is a sentient chaotic good staff with an Intelligence of 18, a Wisdom of 15, and a Charisma of 13. It has hearing and darkvision out to a range of 120 feet. The staff communicates telepathically with its wielder and can speak, read, and understand Common. While you're attuned to it, it also understands every language you know. 𝙋𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙮. The "staff of the arcanum" is bookish and, at times, stuck up. It refuses to lend its strength to liches, however, preventing them and similar necromancers from using the staff's properties. At the GM's discretion, the staff may choose to cast a stored spell on its own (no action required by you). ___ ✨ Patrons get huge perks! Access this and hundreds of other item cards, art files, and compendium entries when you support The Griffon's Saddlebag on Patreon for less than $10 a month!

[mareastrorum]

I think Zemniaz fell before Aeor. I can't prove it, but I can throw massive doubt on the information we've been relying on to conclude that Aeor fell first.

Brennan's said twice now that Aeor was the last flying city to fall. At first I thought maybe Brennan was leaning on qualifiers like "last great city." I wanted to sort out whether Brennan was retconning this, but considering that he's worked SO closely with Matt to prepare Downfall, I couldn't help but feel like we must have missed something.

Zemniaz has been discussed very few times in the stream. In C2E110, the Nein discussed the city after the dinner with Trent Ikithon (Beau's conspiracy board scene):

Other than that it fell sometime during the Calamity, Matt didn't specify when Zemniaz crashed into the Zemni Fields.

Then In C2E125, the Nein interrogated Halas in an effort to learn more about Cognouza and Aeor. He's not very cooperative given that the Nein didn't help him out of the gem when they first found him.

At the beginning of the conversation, Halas claims that Aeor fell "before my time." Straightforward information that no one did an insight check on. After that, Caleb suggests that if Halas answers three questions, he'll see about answering more questions in "different circumstances," implying that he'll help Halas out of the soul gem he's trapped in.

Halas said that he's from Zemniaz, he grew into the belief that he could only rely on himself, and then he abandoned Exandria -- presumably to live in his Heirloom Sphere. He also makes no mention of the city's destruction, but that makes sense given that the Nein were asking about Aeor.

Now, if we stopped there, then we could conclude that Zemniaz fell during the calamity after Aeor. But you know what?

Halas is a fucking liar.

In Episode 125, Matt responded to Caleb's 19 insight check:

Explorer's Guide to Wildemount, Chapter 1: Story of Wildemount, Section 1: History of Wildemount, Subsection: Age of Arcanum, Page 12:

Powerful Archmages such as Vecna the Whispered One and Halas Lutagran began to carve their paths into history during this era of unbridled magical experimentation.

"Before my time" my ass. He was already a prominent mage in the Age of Arcanum, before the Calamity even started, and certainly before Aeor fell. This fucking fucker lied to us and we all took him at his word.

I don't have an answer whether Matt intended for that to be misinformation or if it was an unintentional contradiction. The Explorer's Guide to Wildemount came out on March 17, 2020 and Episode 125 aired on February 11, 2021 -- nearly a year later. Episode 83 (when the Nein met Halas) aired on October 31, 2019. I don't think that Matt would make that mistake given that he had been done or nearly done writing EGtW when Halas first showed up. I'm leaning on the side that it was probably intentional misinformation. After all, Halas was exceptionally distrusting, and he couldn't know why anyone would ask him about Aeor. He knew Aeor had been destroyed by the gods; do you think a hermit archmage is going to trust random bozos who found his gem and started pestering him about it?

Information from Halas can't be trusted, so it doesn't inform us one way or the other. Thus, I wouldn't say that Brennan is retconning so much as clarifying an unknown. And giving us more reason to realize Halas is a fucking liar.

In conclusion, if any of the lore you're relying on came from Halas, maybe add an asterisk to it.

[the-last-bottle-of-water]

Callum unblocked a new arcanum upon seeing Rayla in life threatening situation... twice.

Hang in there, Rayla, we have a few more to collect.

[jjuniewizzy]

The Young Wizard Isn’t So Young Anymore…

Hard to claim in a game where everyone has called them Young Wizard for YEARS, but there WAS a day where the Young Wizard truly grew up! It was when we graduated that fateful day after Morganthe was defeated and we dawned the title of Child of Light & Shadow. When we graduated everyone that got us there was there to celebrate, seeing for the first time in a long time to result of perseverance the birth of a legend to last all time. The savior of the spiral; a hero.

So what happened after we grew up? We were whisked away to Polaris to aide Bartleby yes, but we found ourselves entrenched in an expanse of the spiral we never knew existed. Ambrose guessed we’d end up there, the Arcanum, but if he suspected such things why never mention it? Perhaps we’ll never know, but regardless it always felt like the natural next step in our journey. We are still a legend, a Savior of the spiral, but now these Scholars are not just teachers or mentors… They’re *peers*, colleagues, we don’t answer *to* them we work *along side* them.

If it’s not obvious, Arc 3 is my favorite Arc of this game. It shows maturity that comes with saving the universe twice and doing a third time as a grown adult. Spider even says it himself in the Sands of Time, “Look at you, all grown up!” The primordial deities even recognize we are not the bright eyed bushy tailed wizard heading down Unicorn Way. We are seasoned, we are experienced…

We are no longer playing games.

Perhaps that’s why Arc 4 shows us at our most irritated. As we continue to save the Spiral from impending doom once more we can’t help but get frustrated over the people around us arguing and taking and taking and *taking*. How dare they! We’re saving their sorry asses and there’s no even a thank you until the darkest hour?! How. Dare. They. But we can’t think selfishly like that, lest we do the spiral a disservice. After all we are Bartleby’s Scion, we can’t go disappointing now. So, maybe no longer with a smile, we save the universe once more and solve yet another crisis. The dust has settled and all seems well, but what happens when a new threat dawns the shores of the Spiral?

Where… Or *What*… Is our breaking point?

[eerna]

I came across one of your posts about tdp (they're great btw I really like reading them) and one of the tags talked about how the show writers treat Callum like a vile character whose done evil things when he hasn't. Can you elaborate on that? And do you think there's a huge difference between on how the show and fandom treat Callum and rayla?

Aww thanks~ Sure, I don't mind elaborating!

So Callum. This show has a problem where the characters have no logical progress, they just do whatever the plot needs them to do, and Callum is a great example of this. Callum is meant to be an awkward average guy who feels like he doesn't belong anywhere. He's the adopted son of the royal family, which means he's not a peasant who is born into a career, but neither is he a real prince, since he is passed over in the inheritance line. He's not good at being a warrior, or a leader, or any other things that might guarantee him a place in court. Things change when he discovers he has a talent for magic, but since he is human and can't connect to an arcanum, he is forced to choose between letting this one useful thing he's good at go, or doing the "evil" dark magic. An interesting character setup: will he go against what he believes is right to realize his full potential? I wonder where this arc will go! The answer is nowhere, he becomes the first human in history to be able to connect to true arcanum magic the way magical creatures do. Okay, so here is his second character setup: the one and only creature in the world who can connect to EVERY arcanum at once! He will spend each season learning how to connect to different arcanums, and through him, we as the audience will understand the world better. That is exciting, as it's something the magical creatures can't do! Except THAT'S also abandoned right away, and his THIRD setup pretends it never happened and we return to a continuation of the first setup: will he join the dark side and become a vessel for the evil guys to use, will he fall into the same trap of "I would do anything for those I love" as the villains? This could be interesting, but it is now over halfway through the story, so the writers have to resort to cheap writing tricks to make the stakes higher and the tension more real. You see, Callum's "downward spiral" relies on him making bad choices for the right reason, but those bad choices aren't truly bad because the writers are scared of writing a hero who messes up for real. Those bad choices are using dark magic twice, but both times he used it out of selflessness, as a personal sacrifice to save Rayla. He used an already dead ingredient to turn some chains into snakes to save his friend... twice. Both times Rayla reacts as if he'd just slaughtered a whole herd of adorable magical baby deer in front of her. The Starscraper elves say his soul is dark and he has been consumed by evil. The only logical reprimand is given by Sol Regem, who just says "I can smell you've done dark magic before" and gets upset bc Sol Regem is a racist asshole character so it makes sense a single whiff of human magic would anger him. But these other characters are meant to be 100% correct in their assessment of Callum's morality. There is no discussion of whether the end justifies the means, there is no nuance or suggestion that maybe a dead bug is worth saving a life, Callum has done something objectively wrong and should never repeat it again. Here it all dissolves into the age old "is dark magic as presented in TDP morally ok" discourse, which I won't rehash here bc it is well discussed and the TL;DR is: no, TDP didn't do a good job setting dark magic up as an inflexible evil, but the story still acts as if it is one. And it is dumb, because Callum doesn't need to do dark magic to make mistakes! Several times throughout the season I thought they were gonna put him at odds with the rest of the cast, and maybe mess up and "fall into darkness" that way. For example, I thought that when everyone disagreed with him on the topic of destroying Aaravos' prison, he was going to defy everyone out of paranoia (since he is the most sensitive one about this subject) and accidently cause Aaravos' escape that way. But no, they don't even argue over it before finding a solution that makes everyone happy and it turns out that Aaravos was freed by a series of contrivances that tell us nothing new or interesting about any character involved in it, which is CLEARLY a much better story.

This third storyline gets even more muddled by Callum choosing to do the Starscraper Morality Challenge or whatever it's called to try and fix the damage dark magic did to his soul. Okay, so we've established that Callum's love for Rayla makes him act in morally questionable ways, which led to his soul deteriorating, and now this ritual will help him find his way back from it. And so the ritual reveals that he can redeem himself if he focuses on... wait. Am I reading this right? The answer to his issues is RAYLA????? So this means that somehow, loving Rayla is both the reason for his evil deeds, and a way for him not to do evil deeds??? I suppose the story could be saying that loving Rayla doesn't mean doing whatever it takes to save her, but listening to her advice and trusting her when she says she doesn't want to be saved by dark magic, but that is just such a dumb character arc that isn't about Callum or his character arc in the least. His way to deal with his issues has nothing to do with his realizing his potential, it has nothing to do with his journey of connecting to the arcanums. It is a "man needs a woman to act normal" story, and that is just plain dumb and boring and no proper character arc.

And here we transition into your second question. I am not sure what exactly you meant, so feel free to clarify, but I will do my best to answer as is. I think that Rayla and Callum are treated by the fandom EXACTLY the same way as by the show, but sadly this means they suck (it is no secret I was super duper into shipping them once upon a time, so no one is allowed to call me a hater over this opinion). The first two seasons were fine, but from s3 onwards their relationship also faces a lack of a proper arc. In the beginning it seemed like the emotional, gentle Callum was going to de-radicalize the cold, emotionally constipated Rayla and teach her the joys of having people who care for her as a person and not just a weapon. However, this was quickly abandoned for reasons listed in my Runaan family post - Rayla needed a quick escape from her emotional issues to remove any bad parenting responsibility from Runaan and Ethari's backs. From then on their writing problems are a mix of the previously mentioned "characters doing what the plot needs them to do" issue and playing into fan shipping expectations. And thus when they start dating in s3 it is in the blandest, most boring way possible. They are super happy together, they have no friction, Rayla is suddenly more than happy to be emotionally open. Then the plot needs them separated, so she remembers she is supposed to have emotional issues and leaves. Then the plot needs them back together so they start dating. None of this is supported by a logical arc. S3 and onwards reads like a fanfic in the most negative way possible. The "frozen ship" monologue from s6 made me feel like my brain was actively trying to escape my skull, so I KNOW the crew working on the show is aware of the fan perception and are actively playing into them on purpose. Fan tropes are perfect in the context of fanworks, but they also make canon material worse.

Whew. This was long. But Yeah that's basically what I have to say about that.

[lifblogs]

Since Callum has at least twice used dark magic before learning an arcanum, and he still has much to learn, and has to defeat an enemy who is able to use all primal magic, I predict that Callum will use a powerful dark magic spell for something (probably saving Rayla, or even Ezran), his spirit will be entirely corrupted as Kosmo predicted (well, mostly), and in that strange way of learning the sky arcanum while fighting off the sickness of dark magic, I think Callum will almost die, and then at the last minute something in him will become light, either through himself, or Rayla, his one deep truth (maybe through a bit of both) and he will then understand the rest of the arcanums. No, I do not understand his connection with dark magic leading him to understanding arcanums, but it does put a certain picture together in my mind.

[twinker-bel]

if i had a nickel for everytime a young child of a very important authority in a flying city of the age or arcanum managed to escape the fall of their city with (possibly) a great knowledge that might be lost to post-calamity exandria in thier power i'd have two nickels. which isn't a lot but it's weird that it happened twice.

[percabetn]

if i had a nickel for every time callum casted a dark magic spell out of his love for rayla which led him to understanding an arcanum i’d have two nickels, which isn’t a lot but it’s weird that it happened twice

[most-datable-datable-bracket]

Most Datable Datable Character 2: Round 1 Matchups

Part 1 links below the cut!

Qiu Lin from Our Life: Now and Forever VS Ai Mikaze from Uta no Prince-sama

Pashet from OZMAFIA!! VS Aigis from Persona 3

Flannan Mac Lugh from The Good People (Na Daoine Maithe) VS Fenris from Dragon Age 2

Flint from Postknight 2 VS Theo from Titan Arum

Fall-from-Grace from Planescape: Torment VS Xiao from Potion Permit

Rise Kujikawa from Persona 4 VS Kurt from GreedFall

Triss Merigold from The Witcher 3 VS Halsin from Baldur's Gate 3

Rowan from Boyfriend Dungeon VS Yuri Leclerc from Fire Emblem: Three Houses

Hook from A Villain's Twisted Heart VS Teo from The Ssum

Edelgard von Hresvelg from Fire Emblem: Three Houses VS Judy Alvarez from Cyberpunk 2077

Tae Takemi from Persona 5 VS Silas from Fire Emblem Fates

Alistair Theirin from Dragon Age: Origins VS Rachel Amber from Life is Strange: Before the Storm

Grim Reaper from A Date with Death VS QueenBee from Arcade Spirits

The Spirit from Hooked on You VS Jynx from Arcade Spirits: The New Challengers

Vetra Nyx from Mass Effect: Andromeda VS Felix Hugo Fraldarius from Fire Emblem: Three Houses

Lucifer from Obey Me VS Wakuu from Coral Island

Leviathan from Obey Me VS Allen from Harvest Moon 3D: A New Beginning

Curtis from Pokemon Black and White 2 VS Imtura Tal Kaelen from Blades of Light and Shadow

Rhapsody from Arcade Spirits: The New Challengers VS Jakob from Fire Emblem Fates

Haley from Stardew Valley VS Cameron from Trouble Comes Twice

Victor from Mr Love: Queen's Choice VS Mary Brown from Romance Club Arcanum

Linhardt von Hevring from Fire Emblem: Three Houses VS Ryoji Mochizuki from Persona 3

Caleb Zheng from Gilded Shadows VS Beelzebub from Obey Me

Sebille Kaleran from Divinity: Original Sin 2 VS Zoe from Monster Prom

Dorian Pavus from Dragon Age: Inquisition VS Felicity from Harvest Moon 3D: A New Beginning

707 from Mystic Messenger VS Loki from Romance Club Path of the Valkyrie

Lucifer from Romance Club Heaven's Secret VS Joyce from //TODO: today

Stephanie from Trouble Comes Twice VS Edel from Thorn for the Villain

Mitsuru Kirijo from Persona 3 VS Shadowheart from Baldur's Gate 3

Gale Dekarios from Baldur's Gate 3 VS Bernadetta von Varley from Fire Emblem: Three Houses

Elliot Damiani from Changeling VS Jeremy King from XOXO Droplets

Jax Argo from Later Daters VS Bella Goth from The Sims

[raayllum]

For Day One of Snake Boi Callum Week: Choices / Consequences Summary: One of the other human kingdoms kicks up a stink over Callum wanting to marry Rayla. His solution is unorthodox. Word Count: 5k

Callum had never liked politics at the best of times, but he especially didn’t like it now. 

Council meetings could be droll at the best of times, twice as long as they needed to be since half the councilmen and diplomats had opposing views and their competing egos to contend with or soothe. It was even worse when it was with anyone from Evenere, since they always stayed far too long with the excuse that their kingdom was so far away, and Callum had never quite forgiven their High Mage for snubbing him as a student with two (and then six) arcanums under his belt.

That, and the queen almost never came herself, sending her high born son instead. Queen Fareeda hadn’t had a clear line of succession, so the throne—amid the chaos after the Final Battle and previous assassination—had been passed to some elderly distant cousin, and soon to be inherited by her son, who already had a daughter around Callum’s age.

At least the royal line wouldn’t have another crisis for a while, but Callum wondered if Prince Ableworth’s genes lasting that long was really a worthy trade off. 

The one saving grace of the meeting was that Rayla was here.

While Ezran had to be pleasing and genial and straight faced, Rayla could share commiserating looks with him, and they could pass jokes or complaints on scraps of paper under the guise of ‘important diplomatic information’. Rayla wasn’t the best drawer, but that just made her sketches more amusing; he was pretty sure this one was of Ableworth getting eaten by one of those infamous Evenerean alligators, and had to stifle a snort.

“Have something to add, High Mage Callum?” came Ableworth’s snotty voice, and Callum’s attention snapped up. What had they been discussing again? Something about farming...

“Rainy season in Evenere,” Rayla whispered out of the corner of her mouth.

“Well, Sky and Ocean magic would easily be able to nullify any issues with flooding,” Callum said smoothly, squeezing her hand under the table in thanks. Ezran looked less than impressed, if relieved. “There are even dams you can conjure with water itself, so as to not waste construction materials or time.”

[self-spaghettification]

now hear me out:

breaking the pearl = birth-of-venus aaravos <3

a few days ago:

here is the snippet :D

writing is below the cut

Standing at the edge of the ocean as the rest of the decoded words instructed, watching the waves breathe into the sand. Heart racing as he almost couldn’t believe it was finally here, Viren smashed the pearl to the ground with great force.

The sea immediately swept it up, reclaiming the broken shards before Viren could lift a finger.

Heart sinking, for a moment he believed he had failed, and that was it.

He sank to his knees with a groan, looking downcast at the sand, not even caring that the waves were washing in and soiling his robe. They receded, and Viren frustratedly crushed wet sand in the palm of his hand, then dropped it, waiting for them to return so the water would wash his hands. When they they didn’t, Viren looked up in confusion, and his eyes widened in surprise.

The skies had darkened, thunder clapped, water swirling and bubbling up and forming great circular waves, like a tornado made of twisting turquoise tides. From the pinnicle of the mountain of waves, a hand shot up, and wirh a skipped beat, Viren recognized it. Blue, speckled with white.

The rest of Aaravos rose up, propelled to the top of the waves as they subsided, revealing that he stood on top of a giant clam, a beautiful pearlescent house behind him, as the whole structure rode the waves towards shore, wind billowing majestically in Aaravos’s hair.

Viren almost had to do a double take. It was one thing to see Aaravos in the soft lighting of the pearl house, through that mirror, his hair tame, his demeanor a bit beaten but still determined.

It was one thing to see Aaravos in purple sheer curtains of illusion, taunting him while defying gravity, no more real than a ghost—he could move his hands through him and he would surely dissipate.

It was one thing to feel a squirming bug crawl on his ear, whispering sweet promises of greatness in a deep breathy voice.

But all of that was nothing compared to seeing Aaravos in his full glory, white hair glistening in the sun, reflecting so well it almost hurt to look at the glare—a star in itself. His hair somehow twice the size like a mane of a lion. His eyes glowing as he stretched out his hands, stars glowing and he carved light into the air like a knife. He drew ancient runes Viren didn’t recognize, flexing and reinforcing his long weakened connections with the arcanums, that he had missed for so long in his bones. He let out a cry of joy like a freed lion too.

His skirt and cloak caught the wind, and he tilted his head back, feeling the sun on his skin, lightly touching his heart, just feeling everything, everything. 

Finally, the clam touches down on the sand and Aaravos gracefully steps off the clam onto the sand, examining the sand and skimming the beach for a moment. Then he looks up, piercing eyes focusing onto Viren, with such a presence to them that it sends chills down his back.

His mouth spreads into a grin as he walks towards Viren, and Viren’s heart starts racing. He should’ve known this was a mistake. Aaravos had promised power, but this only brought danger. Viren could clearly see that releasing him meant he had lost control of the situation. Aaravos could do anything to him now- that much was clear from his entrance. Viren wants to take a step back and run, but that’s not him. He is not weak. And the best way forward in this situation is to stand his ground and find some leverage. Viren narrows his eyes and stands his ground, staff digging into the dirt, as Aaravos bridges the final few feet between them, hand extending, touching Viren’s cheek. Viren shivers at the touch, and he’s not entirely sure why. Aaravos’s eyes widen, and then, he kisses him.

[valsansretovr]

13 Books

Thank you @gellavonhamster ! This was really fun :)

The last book I read: Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn. A decade late to the party and my verdict is that I preferred the film. Sorry don’t kill me. 

A book I recommend: We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson. I always reflexively call this my favourite book and I re-read it recently and it was as brilliant and as chilling as I remember. Merricat truly is a masterclass in writing unreliable narrators. 

A book I couldn’t put down: Anyone who follows me on my main blog knows I am deep in my hunger games era. I read the prequel over a week-end when I was in Berlin with work and now the whole trip is sort of a surreal blur. Highly recommend reading a book about violence and commemoration while walking around the haunted city that is Berlin.

A book I’ve read twice (or more): Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. I read it every Christmas! 

A book on my TBR: Pedagogy of the Oppressed by Paulo Freire.

A book I’ve put down: Intercepts by T.J. Payne. It’s about an underground government lab that experiments with sensory deprivation. I love horror actually! but I get really upset when anything bad happens to pets and as soon as I sense that something may happen to a beloved animal I check out. 

A book on my wishlist: I recently read Scorched by Wajdi Mouawad, and it was incredible! So I would like to find the time to read the rest of his ‘inheritance’ cycle of plays.

A favourite book from childhood: La Douane Volante by François Place, which is the story of a young boy from 1914 Brittany who finds himself in a sort of parallel universe based on a fantasy Belgium / the Netherlands and trains to become a physician. 

A book you would give to a friend: Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier.

A book of poetry you own: Hm. Does my anthology of Middle-English lyrics count?

A non-fiction book you own: Chernobyl by Serhii Plokhy.

What are you currently reading: Betty by Tiffany McDaniel, a family chronicle about a young girl growing up in rural Appalachia. 

13. What are you planning on reading next: The new Julia Armfield novel, Private Rites! I love Armfield so I am so excited.

I tag : @persephoneprice @coryo @the-tenth-arcanum @readingloveswounds @hrimceald @laminacore

xoxox