#and also an adventure in morally grey characters

[abraxos-and-ataraxia]

Hey just want to let you know I’m really enjoying your story. Danae is a joy and fascinating to read. We see she’s past the loud stage of her anger. She’s now calm and in the acceptance stage. She’s accepted the fact that her high lord is trying to rid his hands of Illyria but what wants them under his thumb. 500 years is plenty of time to change things but he just has 500 excuses for her. But when you are calm and angry that’s when it gets taken to the next level because now you’re calm and fed up, rational and able think things through. She’s weighed the pros and cons and knows what she wants for her fellow Illyrian kin. Change is not pretty, easy, or done with pleases and thank you’s. Poor Emerie has drank the inner circle kool-aid but hopefully Danae was able to plant some seeds in her head to get her to second guess the half ass attempts that Rhysand and co. have done for her people. I know emerie extended the Valkyrie invitation but with Danae had no interested in fighting for her high lord? Danaes stance is that their options shouldn’t just be between cannon fodder or wives or live in constant fear of their own high lord and other Illyrian men. Emerie shows what Danae could have had but Danae would not be satisfied because then she would see that she would just be one lucky Illyrian out of all the other unfortunate ones who don’t have the luxury of being close to high lords family. I hope their talk made Emerie realize that letting Illyrian women serve as soldiers is a false liberation because now they are given the choice of being slaves that die for the high lord or slaves in their homes.

Hey nonnie!  Do you see these tears?  They’re for you and this feedback because I’ve been dying for discourse *cracks knuckles* alright here we go:

Danae is...impulsive and easily pissed off.  She really does just blurt out her unfiltered thoughts, but she’s not always wrong.  Her perspective as a twenty-something Illyrian who’s never actually met her High Lord and only really lived during Amarantha times is one we haven’t gotten yet, and one I was dying to write.  I mean, consider all of the WACK stories she must have heard, whisper down the lane, from Under the Mountain.  And that’s legitimately all she knows.  If that High Lord came up to me and smiled, I’d be terrified.  And she is!  Rightfully so!  Even before Amarantha, Rhys was fueling those horrible rumors.  He spent hundreds of years playing the Nightmare.  If anything, I’m surprised at how easily some of the acotar characters have just....accepted that he’s a nice guy.  It took Feyre longer than a lot of these side characters, and she’d only seen him be Mr. Scary for a few months, not centuries.

Emerie (ilysm babe) was a really good way to showcase how Danae hasn’t had enough time to learn to be quiet.  Danae hasn’t learned to accept “the way things are” yet.  She hasn’t grown accustomed to really questionable history and behavior in the Night Court.  Emerie is older (that’s the impression I have, anyway) and has lived her whole life in Windhaven, the only place anyone seems to visit in Illyria.  Her opinions have skewed over time, and that’s not her fault at all.  At some point in time, she stopped asking questions, and when she joined the Valkyries, nothing really changed, because who was going to remind her that things could be different in Illyria?  Nesta knew nothing about the place, and neither did Gwyn.  The inner circle isn’t going to suddenly start brainstorming reforms over dinner without some kind of spark, so why would Emerie suddenly start questioning her High Lord or Illyria?

To sum up, Danae is basically that kid you babysit who won’t stop asking “but why?”  Rhysand is the babysitter tiredly answering “because I said so, that’s why.”  And Emerie is the kid who just woke up from a nap and is hella confused.  There’s a debate going on?

[reiverreturns]

playing pentiment and getting the imminent hyperfixation wibbly wobblies in my tum tum oh nooooooo

[randoimago]

For bg3, could I request platonic Wyll, Astarion, Gale, and Lae'zel finding a Tav that's quietly breaking down from all the pressure of having to save and comfort people all the time. Like they want to help people, but it's becoming too much for them.

Fandom: Baldur's Gate 3

Character(s): Astarion, Gale, Lae'zel, Wyll

Note(s): They all need therapy after this, but idk if therapy exists in D&D so give them spa days and alcohol instead

Astarion

As someone that voices his complaints easily once he's become close enough to let you in on his secrets, he also knows when the feelings are being buried away. While he doesn't want to tell you what to do, he does pull you aside when you're back at camp to exchange supplies.

Saving people and being a hero has never been something for him, mostly because he never had someone to save him. Until you came around, that is. And he thanks you for that, but you need to stop putting so much on your shoulders. You want to save people? Well you won't be able to do that if you collapse.

You've been a good friend to him, so let him do the same to you. Take a fucking break. Break into that newspaper building and change the article to something ridiculous. Do something for yourself. Astarion is more than happy to introduce you to some of his more fun morally grey activities just to get everything off of your mind. He has dealt with the aftermath of being burnt out and wasting away because bottling your emotions becomes too much, he won't see the same happening to you.

Gale

Notices you looking tired and suggests a break. He'll always be happy to lend and ear and offer some words of wisdom. Mostly, let yourself rest. You're already doing a lot and you should find a nice book and lay down in your tent for a bit to destress.

While Gale is trying to have his morals in the right place, he also knows not everyone can or deserves to be saved. It's valiant of you to try and offer help to anyone you can, but he can see the toll it's taking on you mentally, emotionally, and physically. Honestly, Faerun is a big place, let some other adventurers lend their help, you deserve some wine.

It's a shame that Magnificent Mansion or Tiny Hut aren't spells you can get in game, but Gale would happily cast Magnificent Mansion for you to just have an impromptu spa day. It's what you deserve for being his greatest friend and for all that you do for others.

Lae'zel

She knows being a leader is hard and there are many challenges you must step up to. People will constantly seek your help and look to you for advice. She has seen it by many of her githyanki superiors and thought nothing of it. And then she finds you cracking.

Tells you that as a leader, you can't show your cracks or you'll be seen as vulnerable to enemy attacks. While at camp, rest as much as you need. She'll keep watch while you let out whatever emotions that you need to.

Will also remind you, that you're her leader. You don't lead all the people you come across on the road, you owe them nothing. Technically, you owe Lae'zel nothing as well, you have the freedom to choose what to do, morals be damned.

Wyll

He notices the cracks and he fully understands. Hell, he sold his soul to a devil because he was failing. You're allowed to break down. You're allowed to rest.

While Wyll, likes the idea of helping anyone in need, even he knows that it can be too much. A lot has happened to all of you in a very short span of time, he understands needing to rest.

He considers you a good friend and ally and if you'd allow him, he'd be glad to take the lead and let you rest. He can at least listen to those you come across and offer them comfort if you're too drained to do so.

Taglist:

@reo-the-leo @unhelpfulnpc

[mossy-rock-in-a-field]

My Elderly Mother Plays Baldur's Gate: Part 3

(For those who missed it, my mom is having me play Baldur's Gate for her because she's not good with controllers but she still wants to smooch Gale, set things on fire, and see the story. For Part 1 and 2 of her adventure, click here.)

Yesterday my mom wrapped up Wyrm's Crossing and finally made it to the Lower City. I told her that this is the part of the game where the decisions start getting a little harder and morally grey, but she didn't really believe me. Eheheheh.

Here's how Act III is going for her:

Something I forgot to mention in my previous post is that my mom reads every line of Tav’s dialogue out loud so she can pretend like she’s actually conversing with the characters. I have to time the dialogue selections so the NPCs respond to her at just the right time for immersion purposes. She gets a kick out of it.

Upon finding a sachet of silkroot in a smuggler’s cave and being informed it was essentially drugs, her first question was: "Can we sell these drugs?" I asked her where this energy was when I was a teenager, and she said, "The economy of Baldur's Gate needs to be supported." We did, in fact, sell the drugs.

She always stops to talk to Withers and recite “fate spins along as it should” in a silly voice. She also does Withers’ little hand gesture with it because she thinks it’s funny. We both say it together now. It's not relevant, I just think it's precious.

I asked her if she plans on killing Gortash to save Halsin from Orin but she said, “Sacrifices need to be made, dear. Desperate times!” (I guarantee she'll try to save Halsin anyway; she really likes him, but she's super scared of Orin. Probably why she's toying with the idea of killing Orin first.)

I wish I could describe the face she made when THAT scene with the Emperor showed up. It was somewhere between horror and blatant confusion. I honestly couldn’t breathe I was laughing so hard. (She turned him down, obviously.)

She has made a pros and cons list in her Baldur's Gate journal for both Gortash and Orin. So far, Gortash is winning because my mom really dislikes Orin and thinks she's spooky. I honestly have no idea who she'll kill first at this point.

My mom had Astarion rob the donation box beneath the Stormshore Tabernacle (which contained our fucking donations so idk if it’s robbing or just taking back our stuff). However, she got the “castigated by divinity” curse, and when Shadowheart removed the curse at camp, a big celestial popped out of Astarion and proceeded to murder Gale in his tent. My mother was very distraught; I was crying laughing.

We left off at Lorroakan's office last night; my mom is coming back over today so she can watch Dame Aylin break his bitch body in half and do a bunch of other stuff.

I'll keep you guys updated on her crimes!

[saintarthur01]

✩Writeblr Intro✩

✩About the Author✩

Hello there ! I am Arthur and I am a writer who decided to make a separate blog just for my works and such. My main blog is @saintv0id if you are interested for whatever reason. I go by either Arthur or Void on here whichever is fine. I go by she/her and am also demiromantic

I like anything fantasy and fiction, and other such things like renaissance festivals, the medieval and renaissance periods, I like collecting bugs and bones, and I love musicians like Hozier, Tamino, Florence, and Noah Kahan

✩About this blog✩

• This blogs purpose is for my writings/stories and whatever relates to them, like OC intros, lore revealing, or really whatever takes place in my world

• I am open to any asks, questions, or msgs, or even recommendations if ya wanna know anything or submit something, please do so

• All stories and writings on here are all within the same world/universe that i have built, they are all connected one way or another

✩About how my stories work✩

• Again all of my stories take place in the same world, which I have called Allra, so all of my stories together will be called The Chronicles of Allra

• If you are interested in the basic lore and history behind Allra, I will soon have a post up with all the info, I will add the link here once updated and completed

• Allra is heavily influenced and based around Norse mythology, although all characters and lands are original, they are inspired by the norse mythos and the norse mythos are even implemented into the world’s history somewhat

• Some stories will be multiple parts and others will be just short stories involving random characters within the world and some will have a bigger impact then others

✩About my WIPS✩

Prince Killer:

• Genre: Fantasy & Adventure

• Warnings: Murder, hints of emotionally abusive family (will update if the list expands)

• Tropes: Magic, found family, retelling with a twist, major angst, royalty, fighting against prophecy & destiny, morally grey MC, family rivalry, major symbolism

• Main & Side Characters: Locke Ambrose, Caradoc Ambrose, Kailen Skaesun, Elwin Ambrose, Toke Ambrose (There’s more but those 5 are really the ones that need to be noted)

• Summary: In a world that was reborn after the events of Ragnorak, history seems to repeats itself as the King of Konunheim hears word from one of his trusted prophesiers that his son, Caradoc, will die by another’s hand by a simple arrow made from a harmless plant and if this were to occur the world may break out into another war and destroy itself. Assuming his last born, Locke, may be the killer due to his certain ways and dislike of his brother, he demands for his punishment and a way to keep Caradoc safe. While the other nine courts are splitting apart over the idea of a apocalyptic war, the two brothers now have to find a way for one of them to be pardoned and the other to not die while also preventing a war, and maybe even find out if Locke actually has intentions to kill his brother and follow through with prophecy or keep Caradoc safe…

(other works are in progress, I will update this list as I work on them more)

[mysticstarlightduck]

Supernova Initiative - WIP Intro/WIP Someday Tag

I wasn't tagged for this recently, but I wanted to make a WIP Intro/WIP Someday post for this story in the style of my previous post for Song of Thorns (here). So here we go😅! Feel free to make your own version of this Tag for one of your WIPs, if you'd like!

By the way, if you like this, please reblog, it helps a lot 💕 And tell me if you'd like to be added to any future taglists of this WIP!

Rules: Pick a WIP. Post something about it. On a Wednesday. Or whenever! It can be literally anything! (:

WIP INTRO - Supernova Initiative

Title: Supernova Initiative

Genre: Science Fiction/Space Opera/Adventure & Mystery/Whump

Tags: #wip supernova initiative #supernova initiative

Synopsis/What Is It About?

Jack Tithus, a young and charming intergalactic thief, along with his crew - Vesper Foxx, a feared cyborg assassin; Cassiopeia Tithus, his younger sister who is also a genius engineer; Aleks Keldora, a master in the art of temporary identity theft; and Artemis Zreeth, their edgy new recruit - are the most wanted criminals in this quadrant of the galaxy. Never once caught, the team defies their galaxy's oppressive government by using their combined talents to steal from the government as their own act of rebellion.

However, their luck takes an unexpected turn for the worst when they find themselves set up and arrested after a botched heist. Taken to the most secure facility in the whole Junction, the group expects nothing but problems in the coming future - instead, they are offered a strange deal: if they agree to work for the Junction and retrieve some highly classified files that were lost in a hostile planetary system, they will be spared from execution. With few other options, the group begrudgingly accepts to carry out this heist for the government they spent their lives trying to undermine.

Meanwhile, Jack finds himself trapped in a horrifying web of unethical experiments and illegal bioengineering when, while still having to carry out the heist along with his crew, he is secretly forced to become a test subject to the fearsome Director, head of the Junction's division of sciences, unbeknownst to his crew.

The team will need to count on the help of old allies-turned-rivals such as the cold-blooded mercenary and sniper Deimos Soll, their former crewmate, and the secret agent assigned to oversee their mission, an uptight and by-the-book young man called Noctus - if they wish to complete the most dangerous heist of their lives, and get their freedoms back.

Tropes and Nice Stuff! (Or, a.k.a. What you can expect in this book!)

Found Family/Team as Family!

Space adventure, exploration of unique, uncanny, beautiful, and outlandish alien planets, all the good science fiction stuff!

Robots, cyborgs, and sarcastically friendly AI!

A terrifyingly strict aspiring utopian regime that promises progress and freedom but is actually an unethical dystopia in disguise, with many bloodied skeletons in the closet, if you will.

Intergalactic politics, multiple alien cultures, and a bubbling interplanetary conflict about to explode between vastly different civilizations, each seeking either revenge or power.

Sibling bonds! A lot of this story centers around the siblings Jack and Cassiopeia Tithus, and the struggles they go through to keep each other safe and live another day, among some other notable siblings throughout the book.

Laboratory whump - A LOT OF IT. Also expect a crazy, unethical scientist/politician as a villain who is willing to do absolutely horrid things in the name of progress, even if it means human experimentation.

A suspicious, morally grey antihero with a reputation for being a cold-blooded killer, whom you'd expect is going to betray the group sooner or later, but is actually one of their most loyal allies and HAS A REDEMPTION ARC aaaaaa

Heists! Heists! Heists! And all the good stuff that comes along with this trope!

An edgy rogue-type character who is super impulsive and does not always make the best decisions, who only recently joined the group but would defend them with his life.

Traumatized - and hot - cyborg assassin lady on the path to have revenge on the people who destroyed her life in the past, and who is going to get said revenge in ✨style✨

A conformist secret agent who has always been "the perfect soldier" and follows rules like his life depends on it has an existential crisis and learns that his government has lied to him

A subplot that follows a young cadet from the Junction's Void Program, who discovers a dark secret about their government and starts investigating, but who needs to escape (and ends up meeting the MCs) after the government makes an attempt on his life + his war hero (adoptive) older brother who is a fighter pilot and really just needs a break and was tasked by their parents with trying to keep Pax from getting into even more trouble, but fails successfully.

Outcasts and society's "rejects" decide to make a better future together and it is great

Angst, team dynamics, and a lot of action-packed fight scenes!

And more! ✨

Meet The Main Cast! (The good guys)

Jack Tithus

A charming and rebellious intergalactic thief, Jack always sought a better life for himself and his younger sister, Cassiopeia, his only family - and he finally got his chance many years ago by joining a famous space pirate crew and leaving the dusty mining settlement moon he grew up in behind. After that, he took on a solo career - along with his sister and a few friends they had made along the way - and became the most wanted thief in the galaxy. He only steals from the government and seeks to help people who are oppressed or neglected by the system. He has a kind heart and a free spirit, and despite being a thief has a stronger moral compass than most, believing in breaking the rules to do what is truly right.

Cassiopeia Tithus

Cassiopeia - or Cassie, as she is usually called - is a brilliant robot engineer and inventor, able to build even the most complex machines from little more than scraps. She built her first robot when she was a child and has had a passion for mechanics ever since. A part of her older brother's outlaw team, Cassie uses her tech to aid in the heists and allow them to be mostly undetected. Most times. A lively young girl with a fiery personality, Cassiopeia has a lot of passion for what she does and is the glue that keeps their little team of misfits together.

Aleks Keldora

Raised by his two mothers on a struggling planet on the edge of the system, Aleks always wanted to help his family financially and give his mothers the life they deserved. However, struggling with self-esteem issues and often feeling discarded by society, Aleks knew what it meant to be invisible in the eyes of the world around him - with his family being the only ones who ever saw him for who he was. Tired of feeling left out by the world, and wanting to help his mothers - whose business was about to go bankrupt - Aleks decided to take a stand after winning a high-tech device in an underworld completion, a mask that allowed him to shapeshift into anyone he'd like. With the help of this mask and his other talents, Aleks completed his first heist in secret and was able to use the funds to help keep his family's business afloat, though they never knew the truth about how he got the money. After that, finally able to use his feeling of being invisible to his advantage, Aleks became more and more bold, eventually leaving his home planet in search of better heists to be able to continue to support his family.

Vesper Foxx

Traumatized by the day her home planet was raided by a ruthless group of mercenaries - who were hired by the neighboring galaxy's government to establish a Junction colony in Khosmonian territory - Vesper was kidnapped by the soldiers along with her oldest brother, Atheris, after their mother was killed in the raids. After witnessing him be tortured and killed, which scarred for life, Vesper was able to flee in an escape pod, being reunited with her little sister, Lysia, and their cousin, Deya, with whom she left their destroyed homeland behind. Despite settling down in another planetary system with the family she had left, the girl was never able to let go of the past, yearning for justice and revenge. Eventually, she left behind her sister and her cousin to pursue the deaths of the mercenaries who destroyed her life, using cyborg implants and upgrades to turn herself into the deadliest assassin in either galaxy.

Artemis Zreeth

The son of a renowned bounty hunter, Artemis never thought he would ever join their galaxy's criminal underworld, but after his father was betrayed by the crew he trusted the most, Artemis was left to fend for himself. Feeling betrayed by the system he trusted and lacking a purpose in life, Artemis survived by doing some gigs as a mercenary and pirate, a gun for hire in the criminal underworld. After winning a race and accidentally meeting the main cast, Artemis joins the group thinking this would just be another job to pay the bills, but as they spend more and more time together, the teenager finds that this group of outcasts might be the closest thing he's had to a family in a long while.

Pax Stellaryn

A genius young cadet, on his way to becoming the youngest cadet to ever graduate from the Junction's Void Program, Pax always wanted to make his beloved adoptive family proud, feeling oftentimes like a fish out of the water. After discovering a terrifying government intrigue by accident, Pax finds a chance to prove that he too can be a hero, and sets off to investigate more about this and seek a way to prevent the Junction's wretched plan from coming to fruition, after realizing his life too is in danger. However, he may have overestimated his ability to get out of this mess alone.

Deimos Soll

A cold-blooded and practical sniper, Deimos was Jack and Cassie's childhood best friend and their first crewmate. The trio split ways years ago due to conflicting beliefs and a few bad misunderstandings and ended up becoming rivals and competition when it comes to stealing from the Junction. Years later, however, after a harrowing encounter with a cruel and sadistic woman who sought to enslave him in order to force him to join her army, Deimos ends up fleeing to the only people he ever trusted - which unfortunately means having to confront his past and face Jack and Cassie again, who is very confused about his return to the crew - while being hunted down by the insane general he seeks to escape from.

Noctus

Though his full name is classified and unknown to the cast, his reputation precedes him. He is the single most successful special forces secret agent currently in the employ of the Junction - he has never failed a mission, never missed a target. And he always follows orders, always obeys the rules. However, is everything about him what it seems? A forgotten and suppressed part of his memory may prove that the system he fought so dearly to uphold may have actually made him into their perfect living weapon, and there may be many other lies yet to be uncovered

Ethean Mirannir

Pax's adoptive older brother, Ethean is a fighter pilot who has made a name for himself as a war hero and has always been the perfect soldier. Unexpectedly, he finds himself having to choose between his duty to the government and keeping his family safe when Pax discovers a secret that even he had no idea existed.

A few Plot Points, chaotically described🙃 (A.k.a - Badly Summarized WIP Tag but different)

Celebrating a successful heist on a space diner with the homies

I don't know why but I have a feeling this is going suspiciously well for our standards... Are we being set up? Hmm. Nah, I must be thinking too much into it-

Yep. Yes, we were being set up.

🎶Hell to the no, to the no, no, no🎶 WHAT IN THE DYSTOPIAN BULLCRAP EVEN IS THIS PLACE?

"Making shady deals with psycho government officers and bargaining for our freedom - with a bonus of Trauma✨"

THIS JUST-IN: 20-something agent totally done with everything must babysit this group of reckless space pirates that refuse to obey the rules

Cue the most uncomfy space travel in the whole galaxy~

"Hey guys, so yeah, this wasn't my plan either -" Promptly passes out, and everyone has more questions than answers.

Preparing to steal important files lost✨IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE✨ with a plan with came up with at 2AM with three bottles of energy drinks and a dash of improv

Operation "Let's Try Not To Die In Less than 20 Mins" begins and goes about as well as you'd expect

Losing communications with any backup we might have had and having a bit of group therapy because why not~

Things get Oh, so much worse, Special Edition - a.k.a - a not-so-nice crash landing on the worst possible planet ever

Let's improvise again Pt.2

Questionable problem-solving and emergency hot chocolate bottles

Cyborg Girl and Sniper Dude absolutely do not get along for a whole week and make it everyone else's problem

This is nice! Finally, something goes according to plan in this mess. I'm honestly surprised we got this far. Bravo to us!

(POV Shift) "Hi, yes, you're probably wondering how I even got into this mess. Let's start from the beginning."

This isn't a regular doctor's appointment, is it? What is that needle?! What are you doing -

Political drama, espionage, and manipulative teachers

And The Whump Begins

Well, well, well if it isn't the Consequences of my actions striking back at last. I probably should've mentioned this teeny tiny major problem sooner though. Yeah, my bad...

This is either the single most adorable little alien or the most concerningly ugly thing I've ever seen and now I'm confused

Cue existential crisis - "So no one was gonna tell me my whole life was a lie? Cool. Cool. Just checking... WTF"

HEIST! BADASSERY! BAD LIFE CHOICES!

Two tired older brothers try to keep their respective gremlin younger siblings from encouraging chaos and fail miserably

Insane Femme Fatale makes everyone hate her in less than 2 seconds and is so proud of it

Midnight Talks and Crispy Snacks

Things just got serious, Oh No.

How To Keep Two Rival Civilizations from Destroying Each Other 101 - We're still trying to figure it out

Hm. This plan wasn't half bad. Except it was. It was oh, so bad, OMG

To be Continued...

Playlist

Antigravity - Runaground

Superhero - Simon Curtis

Die For You - Valorant

Notorious - NEONI

Fighter - The Score

Glitter and Gold - Barns Courtney

Tagging (gently): @sleepy-night-child, @kaylinalexanderbooks, @smol-feralgremlin, @oh-no-another-idea, @littleladymab,

@winterandwords, @cowboybrunch, @eccaiia, @sarahlizziewrites, @illarian-rambling

@agirlandherquill, @anoelleart

@leave-her-a-tome, @writernopal, @anyablackwood, @unstablewifiaccess, @forthesanityofstorytellers

@i-can-even-burn-salad, @cakeinthevoid

@lassiesandiego, @thepeculiarbird, @clairelsonao3, @memento-morri-writes, @starlit-hopes-and-dreams and OPEN TAG

[try02line]

Caleb Wittebane’s Dream: What Could Have Been

This is sort of linked to my last post about my interpretation of Caleb as a more morally grey character, although very loosely so.

I wanted to make this, as to give us a glimpse of what could have been in another life, the life Caleb often dreamed about. A life where he could have had both Philip and Evelyn, a life where he wasn’t forced to choose, a life where he could have been happy- where they all could have been happy, together.

Maybe if they had met Evelyn earlier on, maybe if witch hunting hadn’t been that big of a deal back at Gravesfield, maybe if Caleb had taken Philip with him from the beginning- a lot of what ifs that do nothing but cause him more pain and regret. Maybe he could have acted differently, been braver, more selfless, more determined, so many wasted opportunities and so many unsaid words, so many tender happy moments they never got to live, and never would.

Caleb having his heart complete, not having to pick between his little brother and his lover.

Evelyn keeping her husband, her children growing up with an uncle to look after them just like Caleb looked after him.

Philip keeping his older brother and maybe with time gaining an older sister in Evelyn, another person to look up to and to guide him.

The three of them going on adventures together, both in the human realm and in the boiling isles, I cannot help myself but think of them getting into a lot of trouble all the time and creating chaos wherever they go, unintentionally or not. Evelyn and Philip getting so along they actually start teaming up against Caleb from time to time, making him nearly regret having them meeting each other, if it wasn’t for the fact seeing them becoming friends makes him feel like the happiest man to have ever lived.

Unfortunately, things did not go that way, and hence Caleb is left unable to do anything but wonder and dream with open eyes, about the life he never got to live.

Let me know if you’d like to know more of this!

Also- not sure if this could count as content for the wittecoupleweek as pip is in it as well, so I ask to @wittecoupleweek

[knightcore-rant]

my controversial opinion on knightcore fashion

or: how to dress like a knight on a daily basis without any armor so, you're a knight just like me. you're chivalrous and noble. you want some adventures, medieval literature and a sword. maybe you even want to date a prince or a princess! that's cool and then, you're searching for "knightcore fashion" to incorporate your aesthetic into your daily life and... there's nothing that fits quite right.

img src: Rachel Maksy on youtube pinterest outfits are cool, but they are too much medieval-ish? historically accurate? LARP-ish? not suitable for school and office? that's bugs me a lot and then there's amazing @/donttesstme on tiktok, that does "workspace fantasy fits" series. that's more like it, but she hasn't done a knight part yet

well, here's my take on "how to dress like a modern knight without an armor, a sword and without expensive accessories"

important note: this advices may look a little weird and confusing at first. that's okay, and I'm going to explain why: I'm doing character design for years, and I really like fashion. armorless and swordless knights are impossibly hard to design, because their key features are... armor and sword. that's what makes them recognizable. without these components an outfit may look confusing and dull alas, swords are expensive, and armor may look a little weird on you while studying. that's why I'm going to tell you how to include some secondary knighcore motifs into your outfit. it may be subtle, but the intention makes it all 1. gather some inspiration: firstly, think about yourself, your current personal style and identity. this is important, because all knights are different maybe you're a kind, noble person with a strong moral code, who prefers light clothes and golden color? then maybe paladin archetype is going to be the best for you maybe you're a pessimistic gamer goth person, and you want to keep that. then think about your favorite gothic brutal knights from dark fantasy games maybe you just like bright colors? search for some art of medieval joust armor, it's actually colorful maybe your favorite knight is Link, maybe you're the Geralt of Rivia type of person. everyone is different, so gather some unique inspiration pictures.

2. learn the basics any fashion mf knows, that there's several components of an outfit: 1. color pallete 2. silhouette 3. pattern 4. materials 5. styling (the way you put and combine items) and that's where you gonna need your inspiration pictures. analyze them, think of what's important. ask yourself questions: do I like the dark pallete? is this knitted material reminds me of something like a chain mail? does these tall boots look adventurous to me? maybe I want a bulky scarf? write it down and keep that in mind. congrats! this is your personal definition of what is knightcore fashion.

3. op's definition of knightcore fashion personally, I think that "casual knightcore" is more like an adventurecore subtype. for me, clothes like that supposed to be utilitarian and sporty, because knights tend to explore, fight with monsters and go on great adventures. I would go for hiking vibes and comfortable pieces I also would prefer to have some brown, beige and grey neutrals paired with muted green, red of dark blue. grey, metallic and silver are probably the main color for my dream casual knightcore wardrobe I wouldn't mind to add some whimsical fantasy elements, but in a subtle way. like bulky metallic jewelry with nature motifs, accessories like chunky combat boots and belts. maybe a cool DIY-ed unicorn embroidery on a jacket or pair of dagger earrings. jewelry supposed to be like a sentimental token from a lady or an artifact from a long journey also, ribbons, lace and fishnets are somehow knightcore to me?? like, recently I crocheted a oversized brown shrug for myself, and it screams chain mail in conclusion: generally, I would recommend search for some muted and natural colors, metallic jewelry, comfortable clothes for hiking, tall boots, tunik-shaped oversized shirts and huge scarfs. this is my vision of "modern knight" clothes, your vision may be different maybe I'm taking this far too serious anyway, hope that helps

[heytherecentaurs]

Twilight Sanctorum Thoughts:

The amount of characterization Murph, Jake and Caldwell managed to cram into 4 episodes is great. The Vantasmos are incredible.

Also Emily might be the best DM to do a murder mystery in an actual play. She uses time so well. Being contained to 4 episodes she really manages the pacing expertly, and she does an exceptional job of crafting a film noir.

Compared to Mentopolis, which I just re-watched and really love, Twilight Sanctorum actually better conforms to the tropes of film noir mystery. While Mentopolis has all the aesthetics and superficial tropes of film noir, Twilight Sanctorum represents the deeper themes and tropes of the genre.

Mentopolis has a mystery and the trappings of film noir but it puts more attention on adventure. It has more broadly drawn characters, more to say sociologically and a plot that impacts the entire city’s existence. These are less film noir and more like a blockbuster.

Whereas Twilight Sanctorum emphasizes the character, psychology and relationships of the down on their luck morally grey detectives who take a doomed case when offered a huge amount of money and then stumble through a gritty setting being the victim of bad fortune and hostile gangs, interacting with dodgy characters all while in search of a macguffin. The conflict is small and personal. The detectives’ reluctance to act is juxtaposed by their compulsion or obligation to continue investigating. And even when they succeed and get a reward, it ends with more bullshit happening to them—things aren’t totally tied up in a bow. Like the note Nico left about Pen’s blood is another problem they’ll have to deal with. This is peak film noir.

One isn’t better than the other but they’re different and show different mindsets to campaign creation by two incredible DMs.

[vidavalor]

So... I made a key lime pie cheesecake thingy with toasted marshmallow topping, and something that was meant to be mint choc chip cake but ended up as mint choc chip brownie (task failed successfully?) with mint buttercream and candied violet petals on top -- have a slice of each!

Also, GO thoughts:

Restoration of angelic status: obvious BS offer in s2, foreshadow/Chekhovness for s3???

If the Bookshop was literally burned in s1 and got un-burned a couple of episodes later, and was metaphorically 'burned' in s2, five gets you ten it'll be un-burned by about halfway into s3. Reason one, parallel storytelling. Reason two (I think it was @ao3cassandraic's 'compassion fatigue' meta that talked about this), Azzy's never been shown much gratitude for the good stuff he does, so he's due a heaping helping of positive karma -- Anathema doing witchy stuff? Gabriel wanting to repay what he sees as some sort of life debt? Muriel wanting to repay his kindness? Azzy's old platoon remembering seeing him desert and deciding their respect for him outweighs their fear of punishment? Reason three, Good Omens is a fundamentally optimistic show written by a very talented storyteller who loves and cares for the characters, so the bad shit ain't gonna stick around forever and the good stuff is allowed to happen and persist without being cancelled out by gratuitous Drama(tm) and Angst(tm) (this isn't Game of Thrones, or a J**s Wh***n project). When Aziraphale quits the Bookshop for the South Downs, it would I think be out of keeping with the themes of the show for it to be anything other than his free, genuine, un-manipulated/forced/puppeteered choice, where he's had time to think things through and make arrangements for a proper handover.

If Gabriel could remember parts of Everyday even after removing his own memory, because of the strong positive emotional wossnames after less than four years, how much more might Aziraphale retain in his subconscious after an attempted memory wipe, given his bloody-minded stubbornness and 6000+ years of Crowley?

...it's too warm here rn and my brain is going wibbly and giving me Emotions(c)

Hi @jotun-philosopher! Hope you're having a good week so far, dear. Your kitchen adventures sound delicious. 💕

-On b.s. "Metatron" offer for Crowley foreshadowing restoration of angelic status in S3: I think, by the end of it, that Aziraphale's fall leads to the characters banding together to try to challenge it and overthrowing The Metatron in the process. They might all find out that it's The Metatron behind the concept of a demon and it's all b.s.. The demons will wind up restored to "full angelic status" by way of the fact that they'll realize they've really had it all along. Evil exists (Satan, The Metatron) but the rest of the angels and demons are, for the most part, just different shades of moral grey, like the rest of us. I think that would go along with the ideas of personal power that you mention and not letting others define you that I see in the series a bit. We'll have to see what happens though.

-On bookshop "unburned" in S3 & it being Aziraphale's choice to leave it: It's funny that you mention the fact that it was burned two different ways-- on fire in S1 and as a safe place in S2-- and how that fits in with the idea of mirrored storytelling because I was musing about what that could look like continued into in S3. I was thinking of the idea of "unburned" and I think there is an element of that. (Would also not be surprised if it's burnt a third time-- this time, by a burnt orange paint job lol.) I feel like it probably does remains an embassy. Have a meta in the ol' drafts folder about the bookshop, that its an embassy, and the cottage idea & where I can see already where the cottage idea might weaved into what's going on in S2 (besides the potential Jane Austen connection) so more on that when I get to finishing that one at some point between now and 2027 lol.

I do agree with your thoughts on the tone of the show and how it deals with dark stuff but in a way with a lot of humor and an overall positive tone. It'll have a good ending. You're right about Aziraphale being overdue for some good karma-- I think S3 will take care of him pretty well before all is over.

-On Gabriel's memory loss foreshadowing that Aziraphale might remember some things: What Gabriel could remember and when was really interesting. It played to me a lot like retrograde amnesia, which can really happen to some people who experience traumatic events. The mind puts caution tape around anything associated to the trauma and doesn't let the person engage those memories so, as a result, they lose parts of their identity. Suffer severe enough or all-encompassing enough trauma, like Gabriel did, and the mind can cause itself to forget its own identity completely in an effort to protect itself.

Gabriel's recall is also in keeping with that. He knows things like how to take himself to the bookshop and the lyrics to "Everyday" (and, some of us suspect, remembering Bildad!Crowley during the protection miracle scene) because part of his mind is whispering to him "these things are safe" since he considers the people associated with the memories safe but the context isn't safe enough to fully remember because of how Aziraphale, Crowley and Beez are tied to the traumatic event he's undergone.

There's also that Gabriel remembers more when he feels safe enough and trusts enough to do so. Crowley is more successful at helping him remember things once they've talked and the tone is less antagonistic and it's Beez, of course, who can bring him back in full.

I think Aziraphale will be the same if he loses his memories for part of the story. There will likely be things he remembers without full context. It will be fun to see what those are. One scene I think foreshadows his memory loss in general is the one below but I go back and forth on what it might be suggesting regarding what of Crowley Aziraphale can remember at first. The mirrored storytelling we mentioned would mean it could go either way, really, but I can only think of one, other character who could genuinely be described as a skinny latte, can't you? lol

[belle-keys]

My Hogwarts House book recs

Okay, ever since some of my favorite booktubers made posts like these many a year ago, I always wanted to make a book rec list like this because I still genuinely do like the Hogwarts Houses. Enjoy!

Gryffindor

Graceling by Kristen Cashore - she walked so these new fantasy girlies could run, fantasy kingdom with assassin main character, the original ya high fantasy killer girlboss imo

A Game of Thrones by George RR Martin - all of the sympathetic leads are classic heroes (dany, jon, arya), adventure and politics and battle and dragons, nuanced outlooks on honor

The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah - ww2 novel, deals with the french resistance during the occupation, hit every spot in my cold black heart, emphasis on sisterhood and endurance

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen - what is bravery if not a broke woman telling a rich man to get a grip, og strong female lead overcoming many challenges, criticisms of polite society

Hufflepuff

Crave by Tracy Wolff - big on found family, paranormal romance shenanigans in a boarding school, somewhat satire, unserious and just very wholesome, steeped in nostalgia uwu

All My Rage by Sabaa Tahir - unapologetically written to heal and explore trauma, cathartic, wholesome and pure relationships, emphasis on self-growth and overcoming abuse and pain

The Stationery Shop by Marjan Kamali - historical, about the value of relationships in war and hardship, themes of growth and acceptance and promises, beautiful story

The Foxhole Court by Nora Sakavic - what happens when you let a bunch of mentally ill kids play a made up sport, angsty but feels like a big hug, contemporary fiction, just genius ok

Ravenclaw

The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake - very slytherclaw, philosophy and physics as the basis, dark academia urban fantasy, character-driven, multiple POVs, morally grey academics

Babel by RF Kuang - this book has been likened to a history textbook, by a nerd girlie for the nerd girlies, linguistics and languages, super well-researched, condemns colonization

Disorientation by Elain Hsieh Chou - witty and sharp narration and dialogue, set in academia and deals with east asian literature, satire and black comedy, explores racial fetishization

Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov - only a ravenclaw could appreciation its complexity, so many literary references, stylistically immaculate, lots of room to debate its message and themes

Slytherin

Vicious by VE Schwab - perfect moral quandaries demonstrated here, everyone is morally dark grey, supervillains, very angsty and also profound at times, dark academia

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde - my man makes a deal with the devil for eternal youth and beauty, everyone here is morally dubious, murder and orgies and philosophy

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn - exhausted woman does what she needs to do, female rage book, does some interesting things with pov, justified evil, amy dunne is insane and it's great

Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao - tired chinese woman does what she needs to do and kills men, very unhinged queen behavior, ambition and god complexes, pacific rim but in china

[destinysbounty]

GASP you have an “The Island” rewrite idea? TELL US EVERYTHING—

The Ninjago comics have some great ideas of other things that could have happened (like a boat race over lightning waters, a motorcycle escape from baby dragons, more on Misako’s pre-special adventures on the Island, etc.) but I’m so curious about your rewrite ideas :D

When we first got the trailer for The Island, I lowkey thought they were gonna take the "Misako goes missing and Lloyd tries to find her" premise and use it to at least briefly touch on their relationship. Which I was...cautiously optimistic for. Lord knows how badly Misako needs an actual character arc.

So that's the core of what I'd do with an Island rewrite. Use that plotline the facilitate a narrative about the past complications of their relationship, as well as Lloyd's fear of being abandoned/left alone.

For a long time, I've had this scene idea in my brain of Misako and Lloyd being lost in a labyrinthine cave full of strange glowing stone, and she explains that the reason she'd been seeking out the island is because of rumors that this very cave had the power to reveal secret information. However, the danger of the cave is that few people are ever able to leave it alive, as it traps most who enter. She reluctantly hoped the cave could tell her where she went wrong, what she did wrong - she did everything she could to prevent the Final Battle, but it happened anyway. She wanted to know if there was anything at all that she could've done to change that, or if her family was doomed from the start. This is also why Wu joined her for this expedition - he wanted those answers too.

As they walk through the cave in search of a way out, Lloyd asks more about her motives: how she knew he was the Green Ninja, why she left Lloyd at Darkleys of all places, and most importantly why she never came back for him even to visit. She explains herself, with the stones and stalagmites of the cave glowing as they reflect memories from her past. And finally, they have a little bit of closure from this conversation. It is then that they learn the cave only lets you leave once you have accepted the truth of the information you sought, hence why so few people ever escape - most people cant reconcile the harsh truths this cave confronts them with. Misako accepts that there was nothing she could have done to prevent destiny and Lloyd works through some of his abandonment issues, prompting the cave to set them free so they can go join the rest of their friends in the big climactic battle.

Idk. I may also include a scene like that in another fic or something. We'll see, I guess.

Also, I'd probably change the uh. Troublingly stereotypical human sacrifice depictions for the Keepers. And also just like, give Mamatus more of an actual character and personality. Maybe the islanders arent the villains but allies! Perhaps the rewrite focuses more so on Ronin as an antagonist - while also providing more in-character rationalization for his actions. Because while I do like the idea of Ronin as a villain, it feels a bit odd to have him go from a morally grey ally who at least sympathizes with the ninja even when he's not on their side, to a generically roguish villain. Let's dive into what prompted him to pursue such a high-scale crime!

Also, the keepers and Wojira talk may also prompt more discussion about some creation mythology and lore, Wojira's past and reign of terror before the FSM and Nyad came along, to really hammer in why they're so afraid of her. This would add some more setup for Seabound, as well as preemptively establish Wojira as a truly terrifying threat.

I can't say I have a thorough outline for what exactly the rewrite would look like, mostly just a few loose ideas here and there, but that's the general gist of what I've got so far!

[softkombuchart]

Dramione ver of One Day.

Also I always wanted to do some of my current favorite/recommendation of Dramione I'm reading/have read.

The list below in no way by order!

Detraquee - just. for real. read it.....it's mostly a Hermione story but it is really really well written in my opinion and have one of the most realistic (?) development of relationship of enemies to lovers trope. Draco and Hermione characterization here is just..... also Theo have my whole heart and soul. this is SLOW SLOW SLOW SLOW burn. One that made me threw my phone like I'm a teenager again with the pay off. (WIP as of 6/26/23 91 chaps)

A Year and A Day - A well written single dad ft. scorpius and arranged marriage au dramione! I think in term of arrange marriage this one is one of my favorite.

The Phoenix Potion - whew angst. it hurts my heart a bit reading how my favorite couple is struggling but ugh the resolve was nice. also this got a morally grey harry which i dont usually see. truly a dramione ver the world kind of fic.

Lionheart - I ALWAYS wanted to read one work that starts from year 1 and although there are a lot of it, this one remains my favorite! Got a really witty draco and well fleshed out side characters that I absolutely love(WIP, every friday)

Ten out of Ten - another marriage law fic that is honestly so fluffy and just a light read. It's fun! Soft As It Began - adventure/forced proximity story. the premise was that harry is missing and dramione needs to find him together. again light read but well written and just a good read overall.

I feel like I wanted to recommend Remain Nameless (it was my first dramione and remains always my favorite) but it's so often recommended so I'll just rather give a shoutout to heyjude19 for getting me into the fandom honestly and for giving me a pick-me-up story whenever i'm in slump. SOOOOOOO well written. have definitely one of my favorite post-war draco. honestly ill do my 5th reread now....

[thequeenofthewinter]

Self-Recs?!

Normally I would prefer to rec other talented friends' work, but...I suppose if you want, I could share 5 of my works. I was tagged by the lovely @pitiable-arisen and @bostoniangirl21 <3

Uh, by now I think we all know that I scream about:

In the Midst of Winter the original longfic which started out my writing journey, and An Invincible Summer which is the sequel which I am still working on. (And will be posting a new chapter of on Friday after a two month break.)

This was what started my passion for writing and I poured my whole heart out into these two things. Do you like action? Adventure? Drama? Spicy romance? Morally grey jarls who brood on thrones? Friends to lovers? An age gap? Honey, I have got you. Perhaps my particular interpretation of Ulfric isn't all that popular...or well, Ulfric isn't really all that popular at all, so maybe you'd like to give this and Dahlia's journey into the Civil War a go. <3 We're at 415k words and counting!

By the Light of the Moon is a one-shot character study which I did of Ulfric for TES fest a few years ago and I really had a great time writing it. If you'd like to take a peek into what goes on in our favorite controversial Jarl's mind at 3am, give this a read. I'm rather proud of it.

You don't want to read Ulfric? Did you know I write OTHER things? No? Well, Ulfric is the favorite child, but I do have a few other characters I have written. I would also like to recommend Daydreams which is a short one-shot with Serana and my friend @oblivions-dawn's OC Vigdis. We have a f/f pairing and pining. What isn't to love about that?

You want Lich!Neloth? I wrote some Lich!Neloth! Check out By the Break of Dawn which I wrote in collaboration with @mareenavee's stunning rendition of Lydia! There is spooky magic, heartache, and did I mention Lich!Neloth?

Tagging: Senu and Mareenave, @dirty-bosmer, @umbracirrus, @skyrim-forever, @vivifriend, @sylvienerevarine and anyone else who wants to do this

[philtstone]

you’re actually making me want to watch psych…any tips/anything I should know going in?

another fallen soldier...

ok i will take this ask actually seriously

things 2 know:

it's early 2000s sherlock holmes, so it has cop stuff. shawn and gus are not cops but everyone else is. if u cant watch that without getting upset or frustrated then its not for you.

of its time (2006) so some of the jokes are outdated. its main characters are men & the other characters function as extensions and foils for their adventures, so while juliet is an amazing character and i absolutely love her, she is not a main character. most of her plots are experienced thru shawn's pov, because he is the main character. if you go in expecting differently, you will be disappointed

imo psychs most genuine L is its mental health language. again, if u take that to heart/will be upset by certain outdated terms, not for u

psych is a story about an honest liar. its easy to forget this, bc its a silly goofy show and shawn has very good intentions, but psych is all about duality and grey areas. going into it assuming that your main characters are morally pure, emotionally mature people will end in disappointment and frustration

while it is technically a dramedy, it is UNSERIOUS. really and truly. shawn basically has superpowers. he is not a real boy. many forget this.

its obviously made with so so much love. for this reason i tend to forgive it almost everything

tips for watching!

psych is long. i dont think i have ever watched it start to finish in full chronological order. because it has so many filler eps (murder mystery of the week basically!), you can skip around if you dont have patience for 8 full seasons of network tv. if you are worried about time sink or getting bored, i would start with the pilot, watch spellingg bee, then start skipping fillers and only watch the best episodes in your first watch. heres me and my brother's tier list for best episodes (to be clear, tier C is like. average good psych episode. everything above tier C ranges from very fun to iconic masterpiece):

hopefully thats legible and not totally useless lol. its also a subjective list, so others may not agree! id also definitely bring "forget me not", "poker? i barely know her!", "the greatest adventure in the history of basic cable", "daredevils", and "gus's dad may have killed an old guy" up into tier B ... i hadnt rewatched them properly when we made this list lol. all excellent eps.

anyway .... did i take this ask way too seriously? yes. dont ask me how i got here. i dont care to unpack it all

enjoy!

[jesncin]

I know you said at some point that you had zero idea on how to put your own stamp on the Bat Rouges, and that does sound super difficult I feel like I have a few suggestions for the big 4 (Joker, Riddler, Selina, and Penguin) at least.

Joker - Follow B:TAS, bits of the 1989 film. In addition to actually being funny yet scary (especially B:TAS) those takes on the man were ex-mafiosi. Do what you will with the concept of Joker once being in the mob.

Riddler - He's an actual genius, but he's also an attention seeking narcissist, and the Arkham games the man has a case of megalomania, so maybe have him at some point move some operations to metropolis. Basically make the man an honorary Superman villain. He HAS worked alongside Lex in the silver age and in SOME comics, so like a Riddler-Lex team up could be in the air.

Catwoman/Selina - This is a free box so long as she remains a thief within the grey area of morality.

Penguin - Another free box honestly because Oswald has been redone a LOT, though I recommend going back to some earlier comics and some modern stuff to distill his essence.

While I appreciate the suggestions, I feel like I'm not clear enough with communicating why I struggle doing a reimagining of the bat rogues. So to put it plainly, when I do a re-mix: I need a thesis (a story to tell). I usually form a thesis if I find a narrative opportunity or I'm dissatisfied with how the character is handled in canon. That thesis will then fuel the story and design interpretation of that character.

Lately I've been reimagining Conner Kent/Superboy because I feel in canon after his initial debut in Reign of Supermen, Conner struggles being overshadowed by Jon Kent Superboy or Superman's legacy. DC doesn't know where to place him or what to do with him after his Lex Luthor-Superman-clone origin as a solo. Much of the later additions to Superfam don't feel as politically motivated as Clark would later be interpreted as (with the exception of Kong). So I wanted to create an origin that helps Conner stand on his own, be a uniquely different experience to Clark, and place him somewhere new after his origin is revealed- that adds longevity to his narrative. That's how my Paul Westfield/Conner Luthor version is created, from that thesis.

And that's my approach with all the characters I've done so far too. I wanted to tackle Martian Manhunter's ableist lore, or I wanted to reinforce the immigrant allegory in the Clois dynamic, or revitalize Superman rogues because they're underappreciated (Livewire), or I wanted the evil robot to be more gender (Brainiac). When I get suggestions to just follow what works, that's not creatively fulfilling for me.

Stuff that gets the gears in my brain turning are when I see fans passionately talking about but also being critical of characters they love. Like this Scarecrow video! It opened my eyes to how underutilized and undeveloped a character Scarecrow is (who I previously thought was popular). That's the kind of thing that gets me excited to pitch an interpretation on a character!

And lastly! I really don't want to crossover Batrogues into other hero's worlds where I can. I've done it sometimes sure, but only when there's a story to tell. Rogues are created to tackle a specific superhero's abilities and themes. A superhero crossing over rogues too often (especially with the Bat rogues, I get it they're the best rogues gallery in the business) feels like the creator lacks confidence in that hero's own rogues gallery. I'd rather revitalize a hero's rogues gallery than have My Adventures With Other People's Rogues Gallery. Amirite, MAWS.