#beautiful art for the doomed hero

[vintagerpg]

Looking at some recent RPG books this week starting with this beauty, Caer Mundus: The Lost Realm (2021). It’s a system agnostic attempt to reconstruct a plausible Celtic world for RPGs (the people we call the Celts didn’t write anything down, so what we firmly know about their culture is pretty scant). It’s emphatically psychedelic, with mind-altering substances (particularly mushrooms and red honey) fueling magic, visions and bravery.

There’s a ton of tools in the book: dogs, horses, heroic rivals, a system for tracking acclaim (and social stigma), tables galore. There are templates that present Celtic versions of Bards, Druids, Rangers and Warriors that can be laid over most system’s character creation systems. There are, of course, many spirits and monsters derived from the surviving mythologies of the British Isles (selkies, dullahan, coraniaid and so on).

Perhaps the most interesting part of the book is the epic quest line, the Song of the Blaze Above. It begins with an omen of apocalypse, which spurs the three old kings to attempt to purge the ellyllon, a sort of fae culture that has co-existed with humanity. The quest sees the players recruited to unite the three kingdoms (installing new kings if necessary) in order to prepare for the coming battle with the true threat: an army of ogres (who, through their naming, are highly implied to be Romans, at least metaphorically). That battle has three potential flavors: one where humanity can triumph, one where humanity is doomed and one where the ogres are a red herring and the fae are the true threat after all. It’s neat to have all the events mapped out, and pretty clear how you can map them to a system of your choice. Along the way, characters grow from scrawny whelps to epic heroes. There’s an Afanc. What more could you possibly want?

Grim and gritty art throughout, in the vein of Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay, but slightly lighter and more realistic. You can catch glimmers of a way of life here. The cover is by Sawblade, whose art has decorated many a death metal album cover. My pal Darkwizard Berserker did the logo.

[mooreaux]

I found your character husk by accident and honestly can say you have beautiful art and beautiful character development skills and I can’t wait to consume more of your work even unrelated to him— but wanted to get your thoughts on the scenario of a Hero of Ferelden and Husk where the hero dies in the end? First thing that popped in my head seeing his whole doomed by the narrative vibe and I’ve ended up wondering what your thoughts on an actual scenario like that would be since it seems like it could be very mixed bag and you commented he could fit into any game really lol

It's no different than he expected.

Husk would have done the same if he could have.

The only thing he's angry about is that you wouldn't let him. As a tainted being he could have. And he's always been up front with his willingness to sacrifice himself for the cause.

The real issue is that Husk has always and will always believe that you're better than him. That you could have lived longer, done more, been more, than he ever will be. Even if by that point in the game you've done his 'good ending' and made him a Warden himself, he will still believe this.

He will continue on much the same as before you met him. He will find darkspawn and kill them until he can't anymore. But any attempt he ever would have made at having a better life will go up in smoke with you.

Husk would stand by the funeral pyre longer than anyone else. He would collect your bones and grind them to ashes and carry them with him always.

Thank you so much for this ask!!!

Husk Lore tag for more...

[cooketimm]

Hardboiled #10-25 (1990-98) cover artwork by Bruce Timm

Interview from Cool Stuff Magazine #1 (1995):

Gary Lovisi: Much of your work is characterized by raw, intense energy and action, or beautiful women in stylish, dangerous settings. Some is obviously influenced by the pulps.

Bruce Timm: I’m big pulp fan, have been since the early 70s, when I started reading Doc Savage and Avenger reprints. I can’t really say how they’ve influenced my artwork much, except when doing pulp-homage stuff like the Bob Price books. But I do sometimes wish I was born decades earlier so I could have worked for some of the old pulps, which was why it was so much fun doing the Price stuff, and the «mock 50s» paperback covers for your Gryphon Books.

The hero pulps — Doc Savage, The Spider, The Shadow, etc — did have a big impact on my approach to the Batman cartoons. It’s something I tried to inject into the show from early on, the atmosphere, danger and illicit excitement, and especially that Norvell Page-type feeling of impending doom — the «doomed city» mood. It’s also why I set the sense in a timeless, 40s-styled world of big cars, padded shoulders, gangsters, shadowy streets, etc. I only wish we’d gone farther with it.  

For instance, my original version of Batman himself was actually close to the Shadow: rarely seen close-up, speaking in short, clipped phrases, more mysterious, literally. I wanted to play him cold and remote, almost unhuman. But the network and our various story editors would have none of that!  «We need to humanize him», «He needs to have a sense of humor», «We need to more about Bruce Wayne, the person», etc! Whereas I could care less about Bruce Wayne! He’s much more fascinating if you don’t know what he’s thinking, or what drives him.

A few «Shadowy» touches did survive. Batman is rarely seen be the public, almost never on TV. Even when dealing with the police, he’s usually off in shadows conferring with Commissioner Gordon only. And when he’s in the Batcave, he’s almost always in costume. My way of saying he’s Batman, not the other guy, not Bruce Wayne. Like Lamon Cranston, his true, «legal» identity is a facade.

I’ d love to do straight-ahead pulp hero adaptation someday. Doc or The Shadow or The Spider, either in comics or animation, without the senseless updating and over-explaining «character development» like in the Alec Baldwin-Shadow-fiasco-film.  

Gary Lovisi: Your stunning covers for my Hardboiled mag are very popular with everyone who sees them. What are your feelings on hardboiled crime-related art?

Bruce Timm: It’s hard, actually, to define «crime-fiction» art. There’s pulp crime-fiction art, and digest crime-fiction art, both of which cross over with paperback crime-fiction art. Basically, I’m a fan of good illustration. Period. Regardless of subject matter. Composition, emotionally intensity, color and lighting effects are what I look for. And pretty girls, of course!   

My favorite pulp crime artist is H. J. Ward, hands down. Gorgeous gals in twisty curvy poses, painted in luscious, creamy, wet-on-wet oil technique. My favorite paperback artists include Robert McGinnis, Robert Maguire, and Mitchell Hooks, the usual suspects.

My approach to the Hardboiled covers is different from my earlier «homage» work. When the covers were black and white, I used to experiment with different b&w textures, coquille board, zip-a-tone, xeroxed newsprint, whatever worked. Now that I’m doing them in color, I’m trying to make them as exciting and eye-catching as possible, with loud color, sexy gals, exaggerated action, and simple, graphic, almost cartoony styling.

[cyborg-squid]

I'm reading Zwillingsturme, and while I'm only on ZT-2, something that really struck me about Arturia Giallo is that... well, she hardly seems as 'evil' as she's made out to be? by both the fandom and the Lateran state. Like I said, I'm early on and may have to revise this opinion, but still.

It's indisputable that her Arts, combined with her sort of persuasion, have led people to their deaths, but in the cases of both Kriede and Bordin... She helped give them meaning and find purpose, despite their tragic ends. Bordin is able to, one final time, stand up as a hero and save a single life in front of him, and Kriede, while doomed, is able to refute the claim that he and Ebenholz' lives were tragic, and that part of Kriede's mentality is largely thanks to both his mentors, Arturia and later Czerny. Through her actions and words, not even mainly her Arts, Arturia is able to grant both Kriede and Bordin the chance to die with their heads held high, facing their fates.

And even with Frau Seemann at the beginning of the event, she is... accompanied by Arturia, to put her whole self into her painting, a painting that, in my opinion, seemed to express more 'love' for the Witch King than condemnation of him, despite what the public thinks. It's with Arturia's help, because it is genuinely helping her recognize and express her feelings, that Seemann is able to put her whole 'self' and soul into her art... which is also just what an artist does, or at least what many might aspire to do.

I mean yeah, she still gives off sinister vibes at first glance, especially when you look at the background of her E2, and if you read about the powers of her Arts, they could be potentially very destructive if she had the mind to turn them to that purpose, but that's not really where her personality is, and she even says in her File that the reason why she doesn't play while at RI is because RI is basically making beautiful music on it's own and shouldn't be interrupted by her.

"She believes that truth freely, fully expressed, leads to a life without regret." And she's fucking right, damn, to thine own self be true.

[maddybthorne]

Yes, there are fanfics that are works of art. Literal masterpieces that authors have meticulously planned out (or not) either way they are beautiful. And I love them, i do, they have my heart.

But crack fics have my soul. I’m a sucker for the fics that make me wheeze silently in the middle of the night and tear up because whatthefuckisthis and it’s amazing.

(Anyways here’s an incomplete list of fics that I laughed way too hard at)

BBC Merlin:

Co-Dependant by vintagemocha on Ao3

By Any Means Necessary by Merlinfirstlastalways on Ao3

THE RULES by slayer of destiny on FFN.net

Marvel:

A Doomed Rule by Marvel_Fangirl on Ao3

Instant Kill Mode by Isnt_it_pretty_to_think_so on Ao3

I’m Here, I’m Queer, and Filled With Existential Fear by Faerie-Lights (WyllowWysp) on Ao3 (it’s a twitter fic I love those ngl)

Harry Potter:

Not Your Heroes by Vemodalen on Ao3

Welcome to the Cultys by duplicity on Ao3

Oh God Not Again! by Sarah1218 on Ao3 and FFN.net

Like a Red Headed Stepchild by mugglesftw on FFN.net

(Pls pls pls rec fics that made you laugh)

[aurae-rori]

Everyone talks about the Masked Fools in relation to Ratio, but if we’re looking for connections to the Elation, why is it never the Mourning Actors?

They’re extremely similar to the Doctors of Chaos in how they reject the Elation and the creed of the Masked Fools, instead seeking out restrained lives to mature their souls and avoid unreachable temptation.

Though I don’t see Ratio being as puritan as their agenda suggests, it’s worth noting that Actors are given path abilities against their will. They take their masks from worlds they pass. Most importantly, they compose beautiful tragedies for doomed or dying heroes, and sing for dying stars.

Who is Ratio paired with for the entirety of Penacony? If he’s a supporting character, who is he supporting?

Oh yeah.

Aventurine, the doomed protagonist of Cat Among Pigeons.

I’ve also studied a little bit of the history of Greek Theatre, and tragedies were largely considered a higher form of art than comedy at that time and place. Unlike Sparkle, Giovanni, and Sampo “Fuck-Off” Koski, Ratio is clearly designed with antiquity in mind.

Do I subscribe to these ideas as being likely? Probably not. But if everyone’s getting in on Worm Ratio, I will not stand to see the other possibilities go unexplored.

- 🦋

(PS- When I said there was something weird going on with Nous last time, I meant that they’d stopped calculating futures for some reason. Maybe because the world is close to the “Finality” of Terminus, and the process has left their Aeonic domain?)

Welcome back, butterfly anon!! Also I TOTALLY LOVE THE THEORY OF HIM BEING A MOURNING ACTOR!! Everything you says makes a lot of sense, and although this probably unfortunately won't be canon, I still love that idea and I think it would be hilarious for like an AU idea or a fic idea. Worm Ratio is good, but I love the idea of Mourning Actor Ratio who was unwillingly given Aha's power (because Aha fucks around and finds out), who helps along tragic characters, finding the beauty in the tragedy that is the end of a life. This is literally poetry. You always cook!!

(ALSO WHAT THE FUCK MAYBE THE WORLD IS CLOSE TO COMING TO AN END IF NOUS ISN'T CALCULATING FUTURES. NOUS. NOUS WHAT THE FUCK. NOUS. MAYBE IT'S RELATED TO THE FACT THAT THE TRAILBLAZER HAS A STELLARON INSIDE OF THEM AND IS LIKE GONNA FIGTHT THE AEON OF DESTRUCTION OR SMTH???)

[theresattrpgforthat]

Second, do you have any good fantasy RPGs set in a non-european focused or at least not medieval-European world? It can be based off of a real-world culture or something brand new

THEME: Non-Western Fantasy

Hello friend! For this recommendation, I wanted to highlight games made about non-western fantasy by authors who hail from the cultures that inspire the games. For that purpose I really want to shout-out to rpgsea and rpglatam, two community/movements that have made it much easier for creators from Southeast Asian and Latin American cultures to advertise and publish their games. Not all of my recommendations come from these communities, but they’re a great jumping-off point to find more games with unique settings, fresh ideas, and beautiful, beautiful art.

Nahual, by Miguel Angel Espinoza.

Nahual is a tabletop roleplaying game about brjos nahuales, humans of mestizo and indigenous ancestry that have the power to shapeshifter into an animal form. These nahuales hunt angels to make a living, running a changarro - a business - together to sell the products they make from the bodies of the angels they have killed. These are stories about underdogs, struggling to find their place in a Mexican world of fantastical and overwhelming forces.

Miguel Ángel Espinoza is a Mexican layout artist and game designer, and the head of Smoking Mirror Games. His ttrpg Nahual really picked up steam on Kickstarter, unlocking stretch goal after stretch goal. At its core, this game is PbtA game about underdogs going up against celestial parasites. Angel Dust is a potent drug, and angels are used by corporations, politicians, and the Church to lure in worshipers and make money. You play the labourers at the bottom of this pyramid, aching for freedom but trapped inside a concrete jungle. Your biggest asset? The special gifts you’ve inherited from your ancestors, watered down as you’ve lost your cultural memories. 

This game is more urban fantasy than anything else on this list, but if you want to explore a game about reclaiming something that you’ve almost lost, you should definitely check out Nahual.

ARC, by momatoes.

Ready Yourself. For Tonight, we save the world.

The RPG to slay the apocalypse. Capture your imagination with near-inescapable dooms that threaten infinite worlds. Be a hero or be the guide to facilitate a heart-racing story to remember.

ARC enables people wishing to run a game with limited experience. The Doom and its Omens help create tension and manage the story’s pacing. The rules are approachable so you can focus on helping make the best story for the table. Additionally, the last chapter of the full book is filled with tips for building a good experience for you and your friends. 

The creator, Momatoes (aka Bianca Canoza), is from the Philippines, and is the custodian of RPGSEA, as well as a Winner of the Diana Jones Emerging Designer Award. Her game, ARC doesn’t have a lot of setting decided for you - instead, you decide elements of the setting yourself. There's even a license for creators who want to publish their own content! The biggest selling point of ARC is the Doom, a terrible event that the Heroes want to prevent at any cost. The GM will set up Omens, which are pieces of the story that advance the Doom - pieces the characters will need to investigate and interact with in order to resolve. Finally, the Doomsday clock is a tool that can be used to keep the sessions tight and focused: every moment on the Doomsday clock has the GM roll 1d6 per unresolved moment - the higher the roll, the closer you tick towards catastrophe! If you want a beginner-friendly game that allows maximum creativity, you should definitely check out ARC.

Arunika, by Anonymocha.

Darkness and gloom threaten to shroud the entirety of this world you call home. Or perhaps, it already had. However, there's hope.

You are a Light Bearer. This beacon of light you hold is the key to reviving the world's gleam and hope, through your own. You are bestowed with the pursuit of rekindling the world, forging bonds with its inhabitants along the path, and freeing it from the murk with what you can offer.

Arunika is a TTRPG of maintaining hope, sharing it with the world, and most importantly, caring for yourself while you're at it.

The rulebook reflects a world's journey towards revival from the characters who escalate it. It is made with the vision of a game that has a non-violent, narrative-first, and feelings-focused system which can be interpreted in many optimistic, creative, whimsical, melancholic, or introspective ways.

Mocha, the creator, is an Indonesian artist with a beautiful and unique art style, visible in the projects they create and contribute to. One person plays the Light Bearer, a character who holds the Light, a beacon that needs to be used to rekindle the world. Other players can play the Companions, friends and old foes that accompany the Light Bearer on their journey. This game can be run with just a GM and one player, with all of the Companions as NPCs. The stats of your character will fill or deplete depending on the events of the game, so Heart will increase when the party has a positive interaction, while Hurt will increase from suffering harm, or decrease when your character is comforted. If you want a game that is easy on the eyes, gives you the basic premise and lets you build your own world, you should check out Arunika. 

Hearts of Wulin, by Lowell Francis and Agatha Cheng.

Hearts of Wulin is a game of wuxia melodrama, Powered by the Apocalypse. Players take the role of skilled martial artists in a world of rival clans, conspiracies, and obligations. The game emulates films like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Chinese wuxia TV series like The Smiling Proud Wanderer and Fox Volant of the Snowy Mountain, and Chinese martial arts novels from the second half of the twentieth century. In these tales, romance is as dangerous as a blade. Everyone has ties to factions, loves they can’t quite express, and secrets which will shake them to their core. As in the source material, stories in Hearts of Wulin are driven by the characters’ duties, romantic desires, and entanglements with other characters.

You get everything you need to play the game in three different styles: Core, Courtly, and Fantastic. The core game is as described above: a game of wuxia melodrama featuring wandering wulin warriors. The courtly style of play sets the game in a world of politics and factional scheming. The fantastic game adds strong elements of the superrnatural to the story. Each style of play has its own playbooks and moves—it's like having three games in one! 

Agatha Cheng is a cultural consultant and a podcast host, on top of being a co-author of this wuxia-inspired game, in a genre she’s loved since childhood. Hearts of Wulin is an homage to melodramatic stories about protagonists, torn between equally treasured relationships. You may be in love with your teacher’s greatest rival, or perhaps your master and your father despise each-other. The PbtA system that Hearts is built on prioritizes emotional conflict and failure that moves the story forward, while slimming down the mechanics to simple 2d6 dice rolls. If what you’re looking for is story beats that rip your heart up and make you feel all of the feelings, you should check out this game.

Gubat Banwa, by makapatag.

Gubat Banwa is a game of rapid kinetic martial arts, violent sorcery, heartrending convictions and bouts of will. Warriors that channel gods face sorcerers that master black arts, martial artists who have unlocked a new form of cultivation clash swords with those that perfect the night alchemies.

Gubat Banwa is a  Southeast Asian fantasy martial arts Role-Playing Game, inspired by the refulgent cultures of Southeast Asia. Raise your spears, KADUNGGANAN, you elite warrior-braves and asura-knights who travel The Sword Isles to prove their conviction and dictate the fate of the world. Revel in larger-than-life war drama like in Asian Dramas, ballistic tactical martial arts grid gameplay in the vein of Lancer or Final Fantasy Tactics, and find glory beyond heaven. Wield the Thunderbolt of Liberation! Rejoice! In the Glory of Combat!

Makapatag, or Waks, is a Filipino creature who loves creating tactical ttrpgs. All of their games have strong Southeast Asian inspiration, but Gubat Banwa is what you’re looking for if you want good old fantasy. Rules-wise, the author credits Lancer, Pathfinder 2e, ICON, Ryuutama, Apocalypse World, and so many more iconic, well-loved games for their inspiration. This game is made to specifically centre Southeast Asian cultures, and the setting is not solely based in a specific historical setting, but is rather inspired by many cultures and stories of these cultures. I strongly recommend you read the Note On Intended Audience on page 4 if you get this book.

And what a book it is. 400 pages, with maps, roll-tables, an extensive dive into the lore and terms created for this book, and pages and pages of gorgeous gorgeous art. Character creation is heavily involved, incorporating the culture you hail from, the ideal you’re fighting for, major life events and debts, as well as different Disciplines, combat arts that each have their own styles, weapons, and techniques. Fighting in this game is not just a matter of survival - it is a science. If you want a game that gives you in-depth characters and hours and hours of material in a world in which every piece of lore has been carefully thought out, I heavily recommend Gubat Banwa.

Mangayaw, by goobernuts.

Mangayaw is an RPG for one facilitator (the Mangaawit) and at least one other player. Players act as Binmanwa, adventurers and survivors in an archipelago of bloodshed and goldlust. This game is inspired by Philippine legend, folklore, culture and history. The game and its setting is still a work-in-progress. Based on and inspired by Cairn, Into the Odd, Mausritter and numerous other games. 

Benj, the creator, is a member of RPGsea, and draws heavily from Philippine folklore and history for this game. This is absolutely for OSR fans, with delay fast combat, class-less and level-less characters, and a ton of equipment and magic items inspired by Philippines folklore.

Whereas many OSR games present the rules with the assumption that the GM knows what they’re doing, Mangayaw contains a page of principles for the Mangaawit, outlining narrative focus, the purpose of danger and treasure, and advice on how to present the characters with choices, NPC motivations, and the benefits of random generation. It also contains principles for the players, and principles of the World, providing guidance for folks who may be unfamiliar with the culture that inspires this setting. There’s suggestions for names, descriptions of unique items, and tables for magic and sorcery. If you love roll tables, you’ll love Mangayaw.

Brave Zenith, by Roll 4 Tarrasque.

Brave Zenith is a post-fantasy tabletop RPG, set in a world inspired by Brazilian culture and long summer nights playing JRPGs on a pirated PS1. With a set of simple interpretative rules, that focus on player creativity and imagination, explore the ruined world of pastpresent, meet colourful (and deadly) creatures, see the sights of the Second City, partake in delicious Monkey Oil and become an adventurer.

Roll 4 Tarrasque is a team of Latinx creators whose efforts won Game of the Year for 2022 at the Indie Groundbreaker Awards with this game. Brave Zenith is a game about fantasy odd-jobs, rather than epic quests - your characters are cleaning up houses, hunting ghosts, stealing from the rich, etc. The people and creatures of the world are unique and enchanting, from the friendly Jelly shopkeeper to the slippery butter construct, to little porcini goblins. 

Characters have 3 stats, gain abilities based off of their occupations. There are three suggested origins to help you determine what your character looks like, but you’re also welcome to create your own! There are typical hallmarks of dungeon delving here, such as loot tables, monsters to fight, and spells to cast. For the GMs, there’s a chapter full of advice on how to prepare for a session, quick NPC generation, and tables to help you write an adventure on the fly. Finally, the rulebook itself is bright, colourful, and fun - perfect for communicating the kinds of games it’s designed to run!

Lutong Banwa by Sinta Posadas (Diwata ng Manila).

We, the Tamawo, we have no concept of hunger, food, or of a nuclear family. We wandered aimlessly for a long time. Then, we met a Giant Grab. She took us in like her own children. Clothed and sheltered us like we were her kind. We call her Mama Kasag. She showed us more about the people that came before us. The ones she calls “Humans”. 

Lutong Banwa is a cooking game, where you set out to adventure and find ingredients from Spirits and recipes from old civilizations. Embark on this anti-canon storygame adventure with its own custom system and play to find out just what sort of zany adventures you can get up to in this weird, wild world. Do whatever you want.

Sin is a Filipino game designer who loves designing games that incorporate magic realism. Lutong Banwa is no different. You play Tamawo, who have bodies that appear similar to humans, but live in an age in which humans are long gone. Humans are strange beings of a past age, with unfamiliar customs, such as cooking. You’ve picked up cooking as something to explore, and thus go out on errands to find new ingredients for Mama Kasag. This game is charming and small, quick to learn and easy to play. It even includes recipes to get you in the cooking mood! If you like cozy games with low stakes and a charming setting, you should absolutely check out this game.

A Thousand Thousand Islands.

This is not a game, but rather, a collection of system-agnostic zines for use in fantasy tabletop games. This collection is designed by a trio of Malaysian designers, and contains places such as Mr-Kr-Gr, a river kingdom ruled by crocodiles, Korvu, a maritime nation of tenant mercenaries, and Ngelalangka, a market inspired by Southeast Asian bazaars. If you have a game system that you’re already comfortable with and you want to explore fantastical places within that system, I heavily encourage you to check out these zines.

[linkedspirit-fanartfunart]

Ah the Link's got Tumblr again, smh can't have anything nice

2 notes

⚒️ smol-smithy Follow

NO WHY IS THE POLL A TIE. Why must I be doomed to share with these fools. This is nonsense.

⚒️ smol-smithy

Vi... Were you going to post behind our backs despite touting how "innane" it was and how it was "a waste of time"???

⚒️ smol-smithy

Hey why wasn't I included in the poll?

- Hero of Darkness

⚒️ smol-smithy

Shadow gtfo

⚒️ smol-smithy

how does Shadow know our password we changed it??

-Green

⚒️ smol-smithy

Passwords suck and so does Viofhhfksllkkkkkkkkkmmmnnnnnnfhkahf

🌟 excuuuse-me

Vio did you legit strangle your Shadow and hit send on his joke anyway? Because that's beautiful.

#this whole situatuon #art really #can I have a turn with your magic sword when you're done I think it'd be funny #everyone deserves More of Me

50 notes

🌸 dont-look-at-me Follow

How do I get a real life girl to kiss me pls

🌟 excuuuse-me

Please please please please please please please please please please please please plea-

🪶 redwingskies Follow

Apparently you just have to visit her shop like 3 times idk I still don't understand it

🌊 kingoftheseagull Follow

Give her some of your food, works every time.

🐴 goatman4life Follow

You sir are thinking about seagulls again, not women.

🌸 dont-look-at-me

You dont know me. What if I want seagull advice too?

94 notes

🐀 mouseman Follow

Best companion for adventures go!

⏳️ forestchild Follow

Fairy

🎶 ocarina-macarina Follow

Fairy!!

🌟 excuuuse-me

I legally can not say which is higher on the list because i will be strangled in my sleep but fairy & princess

🌸 dont-look-at-me Follow

Idk I keep accidentally having first dates via adventure so ig Girlfriend???

🪶 redwingskies Follow

Sword & Bird

🐴 goatman4life Follow

... Fairy

⚒️ smol-smithy Follow

I'd say myself but I found out that it sucks.

🌊 kingoftheseagull Follow

The silly old man who slowly realizes he wants to adopt me over the course of the journey. Fairy is Very close second. Then seagulls.

⚒️ smol-smithy

Oh hey actually ^ same.

🚋 train-life Follow

Ghost bestie

🌳 wildflowerwastaken Follow

#wait same??? #ghost friends for life #or. Uh. Postlife? #sorry. Idk. #also how are all of you posting in the reblogs like... #id die #....I can make that joke I already died once so it's funny now #anyways the rest of you are so biased #the answer is always Ghost Bestie #not like they can die again! Haha #ha.

746 notes

🌊 kingoftheseagull Follow

...omg what if the Hero of Time was turned into stone. I've seen it happen like twice and in totally different contexts so who knows. I mean can't come back to save the world if you're stone.

🎶 ocarina-macarina Follow

O-O

🐴 goatman4life Follow

He did not Hope this helps

⏳️ forestchild Follow

I did! Hope this helps

57 notes

🐴 goatman4life Follow

My son just bit me and after crying about how he didn't mean to actually break skin and calming down enough to like, talk, he said "Why do you taste like dark fog and goat?"

And while I have an answer for the goat thing I'm ??? Concerned

⏳️ forestchild Follow

I think you'd taste a lot like Black Boes, based on how you smell

🐴 goatman4life Follow

Why are children assigning me Flavors? Why do you know what black boes taste like??? I'm the guy who bites things not you

138 notes

🪶 redwingskies Follow

Why can't I pet anything on the surface. There's so many tiny cute creatures and they all either run away or want to kill me.

⚒️ smol-smithy Follow

When you're tiny and some giant comes at you with grabby hands what other options do you have?

🐴 goatman4life Follow

OP go find a cucco, they'll love you

🌸 dont-look-at-me Follow

Dont do it they both want to run away from you and also want to kill you at the same time

🪶 redwingskies Follow

They will love me like he promised I'm sure of it.

[cod-dump]

IDEA/STORY THING IDK

Soap is a retired knight. He was gravely injured while protecting a village from feral vampires. For his service he was given land with a grand villa where he could live the rest of his days. He is also courted by many noble women (and even approached by some notable noblemen) but he rejects everyone because all of those who court him want to use him in some way. He grows restless living his life as a nobleman when all he wanted to do was fight for his kingdom and make his family proud.

But because of his lame leg he can’t fight the way he used to. He can’t ride horses properly or for long periods before his leg starts to hurt to the point it feels like he’s being stabbed again. He reads but reading adventures makes him long for the past. Romances make him lonely and reminds him that he may never find love, true love and not someone pretending to love him. He settles on mysteries for a bit but he grows bored with the very dull life he is now stuck in.

But reading was his only escape. That is it was until he discovered his love for art. One evening while his sister was visiting she took note of some doodles he made in his journal and told him that they were very good. This sparked Soap into getting into drawing and painting. After some art lessons from a renowned artist that lived in the heart of the kingdom Soap was soon on his way to becoming just as famous. His artworks became highly desired because of his skill and because he is a hero who risked his life for others.

Soon he had hundreds of commissions. Some ranging from portraits to bringing to life someone’s idea. But he was especially praised for his portraits and how he managed to capture someone’s best qualities. Soap would get to travel all over the kingdom, no longer stuck in his villa. Depending on how well someone paid him, Soap may stay for several days to perfect his work and make them absolutely perfect.

He became comfortable enough that he could pick and choose which commissions he would accept. But after word spread of the vampire threat growing more and more severe, the roads became unsafe for travel. And no one was going to risk coming to Soap’s villa to get themselves painted. So, once more, he was stuck in his home. Stuck hearing about the honorable knights and soldiers fighting the vampires.

Then the fight came to his home. Vampires attacked his villa and everyone was trapped in the main dining hall. They were doomed, crying and praying to their gods, when a knight appeared. Alone this man killed over twenty vampires. Those who saw him fight swore he was faster and stronger than any man that has ever lived. Soap, struggling with his mixed feelings about this man, (From this man living his dream and saving his life) offers to paint the man to thank him. Though to some it was such a horrible trade (saving someone’s life and in return you getting a painting) but the mysterious knight agreed. They come to an agreement that Soap would paint a series of different things for the knight and in return the knight would protect Soap’s land and the people who lived on it from the vampires.

His first painting for the night was one of his horse. It was a beautiful blue roan with a white blaze down his face. Soap asked the knight him he was interested in breeding him but the knight said no and left. The second painting was of his war-dog. A mutt that had some wolf in him. He was very intimidating and Soap struggled to stay in the same room with him. But the knight found great amusement in this. The third painting was done in a meadow on his land. The knight’s horse grazing and the war-dog running about.

As Soap painted more and more paintings for the knight, he found himself slowly falling for the man. A man whose name he didn’t know. A man whose face he had never seen. But their several conversations and jokes made up for that. Soap found himself completing each painting at a rate slower than the one before. He was afraid that each one could be the last and the knight would leave and he would never see him again.

One evening Soap was finishing a painting of the knight’s sword when he finally asked if he could paint him. The knight rejected it so quickly and coldly that Soap feared that he would leave immediately. But he didn’t. He went on patrols around Soap’s land, giving him the idea for the paintings he wanted before leaving. He made himself scarce and it hurt Soap. He would long for the knight to return, for him to talk to him and laugh with him. Soap feared he had ruined his relationship with the knight.

But then the knight came to him one evening. It was very late and the sun was barely peaked above the horizon. The knight asked him if he still wanted to paint him. Soap agreed eagerly and set up his studio. Soap primed the canvas and turned to the knight. The knight, with shaking hands, reached up and took off his helmet. Soap found himself unable to react or think.

Pale skin. Red eyes.

The noble knight who he had fallen for was a vampire.

[txttletale]

Do you have any videogames with strong narrative and story elements you'd be willing to recommend?

sure. i mostly care about games on the basis of their narrative and story, as far as i'm concerned the best gameplay is whatever complements that. here's my top ten:

pyre, by supergiant games

pyre's story is incredible. it's about people who've been exiled from society, and the things they build in exile, and whether society was really worth all that much in the end. it makes you make really genuinely difficult choices--i once deliberately threw a fight in this game because one of my party members asked me to--and it embraces failure as a mechanism by which the story can be advanced instead of ground to a halt.

disco elysium, by ZA/UM studios

if you've followed me for any period of time you've probably seen me talking about disco elysium. it's a masterful work of magical realism, it's melancholy and bleak and hopeful. it's about communism and cryptids. it's about all these things but it's nominally about being an amnesiac detective investigating a murder in a bleak post-soviet city that's been ransacked and occupied by international capital. and it's also very funny

heaven will be mine, by Worst Girls Games

heaven will be mine is about gay sex. it’s about other things but mostly it’s about gay sex. it’s about transgender lesbian mecha pilots fighting and fucking each other in their big robots which are metaphors for body dysmorphia and self-image and violence and hopes about the future. it genuinely reckons with the sci-fi genre and what it represents. every ending is a good ending because the characters will not let even the worst disaster be a bad ending.

hypnospace outlaw, by Tendershoot

hypnospace outlaw makes you a forum mod on a simulated early-2000s internet platform that you can only access in your dreams. it’s less about a linear narrative and more about getting to learn about characters through the strange and oddly intimiate things they post on their webzones. if you’ve met people you care about through the internet it will resonate with you.

paradise killer, by Kaizen Game Works

paradise killer is a murder mystery with no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ answer. don’t get me wrong, there’s an answer to the mystery--it’s possible to conclusively identify the murderer. but you can also walk into the trial the moment the game starts, accuse the obvious stitch-up suspect, present the circumstancial evidence you’ve been handed by shifty players, and get him sentenced. the game won’t stop you. imagine if instead of funelling you towards getting the ‘right’ answers in order to progress, ace attorney all hinged on what evidence you chose to present and how. the game won’t stop you from being wrong! figure out the truth yourself, or don’t bother--you’re an immortal blood cultist cop, you won’t be the one suffering the consequernces of your mistakes.

the beginner’s guide, by Davey Wreden

the beginner’s guide presses you up right against the wall by your lapels and demands: why are you playing this? how do you interact with art? what can you say about an artist from their work? is it right or fair to say anything at all? is the way you engage with the things you love healthy? it’s best enjoyed blind so i won’t say anything other than that--but it made me cry.

if not us, by ubq4

a tragedy that will pulverize you. interactive fiction about the aftermath of five doomed heroes failing to save the world. does really interesting things with IF gameplay to convey different emotions and perspectives. made me cry more or less the entire time i played it. beautiful prose delivered perfectly.

dujanah, by Jack King-Spooner

a surreal claymation genre-mashup story about grief and death. dujanah is looking for her dead husband and child in a world that’s sometimes whimsical and sometimes nightmarish. the shifting dreamlike atmosphere makes this game’s political points more pointedly and acutely than any amount of gritty realism could. there’s nothing else like it

cultist simulator, by Weather Factory

this isn’t a narrative linear game--it’s a roguelike card type thing, but it creates such a rich and textured world with an economy of writing that is absolutely fucking mindblowing. a few sentences at most are dedicated to any given topic, and put together they weave an incredible tapestry of the first interesting ‘cosmic horror’ setting to be invented for what feels like decades. (nb: the main writer of this game, alexis kennedy, stands accused of some pretty slimy shitty stuff--so be aware of that and look into it before playing it, probably)

suzerain, by Torpor Games

suzerain is a visual novel cleverly disguised as a strategy game. it’s not about moving armies around a board or building units or planning out cities--it’s about playing the character of anton rayne, newly elected president in a pseudo-Eastern European country caught between superpowers. the only good game about politics, you’re really forced to juggle multiple different allies and enemies at once, decide which political hills to die on, or risk being assassinated, couped, or invaded. if you like political intrigue and drama, this is where it’s at.

honorable mentions: Transistor (Supergiant Games) and Shadowrun Hong Kong (Harebrained Schemes)

transistor is a game with fascinating themes and a flawless sense of tone. its world feels so vivid and unqiue, and the ideas it plays with are fascinating--but ultimately i feel like it’s more style than substance. that fucking style though, unimpeachable. shadowrun hong kong on the other hand has a fairly weak narrative but some incredibly well-drawn and interesting characters and the rare totally (for me at least, ymmv) succesful integration of a pre-established backstory with freeform character creation.

[melestasflight]

In June, I tackled the first part of Húrin's biography -- the years of his youth full of heroism, hope, and miraculous rescues to hidden kingdoms.

But this wouldn't be The Silmarillion if this story had a happy ending, would it? As Dawn Felagund notes, Húrin might have one of the rawest deals in a book of raw deals. So this month at the @silmarillionwritersguild we turn to last stands, dooms and curses, and questions on divine justice and vision.

Part 1: The Making of the Hero

Part 2: The Subversion of the Hero

With much thanks to @rittare whose beautiful art is featured in this article.

[tallcrishorror]

Hi Blog!!!

Ever wonder if Sirens are real?

Read this and find out!

Sirens are fascinating creatures from Greek mythology. They are often depicted as beautiful women with enchanting voices who lure sailors to their doom with their singing. According to legend, their songs were so irresistible that sailors would steer their ships toward the sound, only to crash on the rocky shores of the Sirens' island.

In Homer's "Odyssey," the hero Odysseus encounters the Sirens during his journey home. To safely pass by them, he orders his men to plug their ears with beeswax and has himself tied to the mast of the ship so he can hear their song without being tempted to steer the ship off course.

The Sirens symbolize the dangers of temptation and the idea that not everything beautiful is good or safe. Their story has been a part of literature and art for centuries, often serving as a metaphor for the perils of giving in to alluring but harmful desires.

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For me- Sirens would’ve been mermaids. They would not kill men but they would grant people’s wishes. They would be creatures created to give hope. Hope that the impossible exists and hope that the possible exists.

[theloveinc]

caitie…my sweet wonderful gf…i’m afraid i’m being plagued with thoughts of girl dad izuku…

thinking of how spoiled rotten she is. how her favorite color is green because her daddy’s hero costume is green and it makes his heart melt every single time. thinking about how she has an entire band of pro heroes protecting her because “she’s deku’s kid, and if anything happened to her, he’d lose his shit.” thinking about how he gently wakes her up every morning and blows raspberries against the spattering of freckles on her cheek she so obviously inherited from him. and oh GOD, she’s so attached to him, squeals and laughs and giggles every time he pops up in tv, shouting “dada! dada!” and trying to wriggle out of your arms to crawl towards the screen

MY beautiful bf......... how dearly i've missed you so!!!🥺🥺🥺

Oh gosh, though... YOU should've known the first time she recognized him on TV that you'd be doomed to have a little daddy's girl; standing up on her chubby little baby legs (something she was so rife to do even when being taught to walk, stubborn like her father) to squeal nonsense at his dirty face on the news. How she even recognized him in the midst of battle, you're not sure whether to find cute or be worried about, not to mention later, when Deku comes home dirty and she's rubbing against the stink of him like she wasn't freshly bathed and in clean-pajamas.

(Tou know it's her way of asking to be put in the tub with him while he washes up, too)

Truly, spoiled is beyond the word for it. Eeeeespecially with how many drawings Deku makes you save, all colored in green or in different colors for different heroes: he doesn't let you throw out a single thing she brings home for him (not that she doesn't bring stuff for you, too, but ... usually it's all daddy-themed).

Good luck to you trying to join in on her books and bedtime or morning routines when he's home to do it for you. You peek in on them in her beautifully decorated bedroom (which almost all of your husband's friends had a hand in building: rody with the painted, bird-themed wall art, bakugo with the closet full of the prettiest clothes, deku and shoto sharing the labor of the loft bed, and ochaco and mina on the collection of toys) and you can't even tell where his hair stops and hers begins with how cute he is trying to get her to sleep. WAH.

[symphonyofsilence]

Do you mind if I ask your top 10 favorite characters (can be male or female) from all of the media that you loved (can be anime/manga, books, movies or tv series)? And why do you love them? Sorry if you've answered this question before.....Thanks...

Oooh such a difficult question! I have like about...50 top 10 favorite characters somehow and they're ever increasing lmao! (like the 10 is in the Real numbers axis not natural numbers.lol.) So, after lots of thought, I decided to consider the factor of how well-written they are. The ones who had the most ups and downs and the author managed to hit every emotional chord every step of the way.

So, in no particular order:

Maedhros (Tolkien's legendarium)

(Art by @elfinfen )

I have waxed poetic about Maedhros on many occasions. Namely here. But to be brief: he just has one of the best fallen hero tragedies ever! And one of the most beautiful, rich, tragic, and enticing journeys! One of the best parts of the Silmarillion is following his journey from the son who fought with the rest of his family over the Teleri ships and then disagreed with Fëanor over the burning of the ships, and paid the most dearly for that mistake, and then healed because "the fire of life was hot within him" and fought with everything he had to protect the Middle-earth and unite all the houses and all the races, to the Maedhros after The Nirnaeth, who led three Kingslayings and came to actually involuntarily help the Malkor whom he fought so hard against for so long and was tortured with his own deeds so much that he ended his life with fire, right after he won the one thing he was fighting for from the beginning of his story. Only to have lost everything else.

2. Fëanor (Tolkien's legendarium)

He's the fire. He's the forest. And he's a witness watching it. Has a man ever destroyed so much even as he kept creating? Has a man ever dreamed so big his dreams crushed his reality beneath their feet? Has a man ever ruined everything and everyone he loved from the moment he was born down to the moment he last closed his eyes on the sight of the sons that followed him to their demise? Because he was burning so hot that everything close to him burnt with him? Has a man lost all he stood for in the way of fighting for what he stood for?

He brought his own end and there's something really appealing, really humane, really real about self-made tragedies.

(Also he's absolutely unhinged and his lines are all bangers & I love him for that!)

3. Jin Guangyao (Mo Dao Zu Shi/The Untamed)

Just the place JGY occupies in the narrative, as WWX's parallel and the story's antagonist who is basically also kinda the protagonist in this very story if you look at it from another angle is fascinating! You can write essays about him!

He just wanted to honor his mother, he just wanted his father's approval, he wanted the world. He wanted the world just to have some safety he never had. He never got any safety even when had the world. He did many evils to get the world. He wanted the world just to do some good in it. He was the best Xiao Shushu. He took his nephew hostage. and even then he didn't lose his nephew'slove. He played a game designed against him and won. He lost in his own game to the man he didn't even know was playing. And he truly loved and cared for that man. He was so kind, he took personal risks with no benefit for himself to save people. He couldn't afford to be a good, righteous person who would always be kind. He kinda taught this to WWX the hard way. He plays the role of a villain in WWX's story. His endgame was to just run away and WWX interrupted him. They barely knew each other. They respected each other. He died by his love's hand and his last deed in life was to push his love out of danger.

He never had a chance. At no point could he have been happy, or saved. He was doomed from the beginning. And yet he went as far as went. And there's a certain appeal to this kind of soft power, resilience, determination, hard work, cleverness, brilliance, and competence. To not just give in to fate and if there is no chance to take, then create some. To just forcefully carve a place yourself in the world of the world has decided that you have no place in it.

And everything he does he does with STYLE! AND HE'S SO POLITE EVEN WHEN TALKING TO THE PEOPLE HE'S TAKEN HOSTAGE! HE'S SO COOL AND SO ELEGANT AND SECRETLY SASSY AND SO COMPETENT I CAN'T HELP BUT STAN!

4. Jiang Cheng (Mo Dao Zu Shi/The Untamed)

Ah, the grumpy but kindhearted characters. They always have my whole heart.

Nobody can convince me Jiang Cheng is not my actual little brother!

I love this tsundere wet cat so much! He's a loser, he's won at everything he's ever started, he's a mess, he's a badass, he's a wet cat, he's a war hero and a competent sect leader and an excellent Jiujiu, he's broken and betrayed, he's so full of love that he gives freely and unconditionally.

And isn't it kinda the point? To go on and continue even while crying and screaming? To break down and grieve, but get up again and keep going? To love, despite many things that stand against it?

Jiang Cheng's character is introduced in a way that at every turn, you're waiting for the moment when he turns against Wei Wuxian and kills his brother. And it never comes. Instead, he loves him. At every turn, when you'd think that anyone else would have given up, Jiang Cheng keeps loving more and more fiercely. Even in his last scene, as he leaves the story, he leaves you astonished by all the love he has given and still has to give.

(And he's a sassy queen which is a very important factor.)

5. Mu Qing (Heaven's official blessing)

Mu Qing is another character that was introduced to us in the most unfavorable way possible and as we go on, we learn that all his actions had been misinterpreted and this lil grumpy, sassy, bitter cat is actually very, very kind. And loyal, and insecure. and he does all his kind deeds without expecting anything, even acknowledgment in return even though he knows his actions will probably be misinterpreted again. and even though he has seen nothing but ungratefulness before when he helped others! he just never ceases being kind and going out of his way to help! because that's who he is! HIS NAME MEANS "YEARNING FOR AFFECTION"! I LOVE HIM SO MUCH!

6. Geto Suguru (Jujutsu Kaisen)

This one was truly "dead from the beginning". And you don't even know what a gentle, sweet, lovely soul you've lost until you learn this right at the same time when you learn you've never had him to begin with.

Geto Suguru, with his voice so soft, with his smiles so sweet, with his eyes so kind, with his manners so soothing, so full of consideration, with his heart so gentle that it will bring his downfall, so concerned with the thought of ALWAYS saving everyone that he forgot to save himself. So, so loved that he'll haunt the narrative till everyone who knows him is dead.

The doomed child, the broken man. Gentle, and so very loved and loving to his last breath. And even beyond (to the point that he comes back to life to save Gojo!)

Has anyone ever fallen so tenderly, so gently, As he holds the hands of the two little girls he's saved after the one little girl he couldn't?

His fall came so understandably, so naturally, you feel like you walked the path with him and nobody not even in-universe can blame him.

As almost anyone who knew him in-universe would agree, loving Geto Suguru comes very easy.

7. Wanda Maximoff (MCU)

What can I say about Wanda Maximoff? The girl who kept trying to grasp at the only things left for her, be it her brother, her husband, or her children only to lose and lose and lose again. The girl who kept choosing to save people again and again. The girl who was afraid of her power because it could kill people but still chose to use it to help others, who then came to the point that she took an entire town hostage? The girl who had to kill the love of her life thrice only for it to mean nothing? The girl who looked relieved as she turned into ashes when the blink happened? The girl who just wanted a little domestic life in their little house with her husband but had to save the world but her efforts were never enough? The girl who nearly killed Thanos singlehandedly? The girl who ran across universes to kill her other self to be a mother to her children?

And as Steve said, "she's just a kid."

What can I say about Wanda, the Victim, the te****ist, the scarlet which, the mother, the kid?

I love her so much!

8. Zuko (Avatar the Last airbender)

What can I say about Zuko that hasn't already been said numerous times and way better than I could? The best redemption arc I've ever seen. And one of the most adorable social disasters ever.

9. Azula (Avatar the Last airbender)

Azula's breakdown will always haunt me.

She was so cool, so calm and in control, so confident, and so competent you forgot she was only 14. Until it hit you hard in the face when she imagined her mother telling her that she loved her in the mirror. And you see her break down and scream, defeated on the ground, when she sees her brother with his friend. Victorious, because he had people who helped him.

But Azula was alone and let down by every adult around her. When she told her father "You're treating me like I'm Zuko!" you understand how all her life, she's been afraid that if she was "almost" perfect she'd be put aside like Zuko. and how being the perfect child for her father would mean being a monster to her mother. and she chose the parent who gave her praise instead of judgment, and even that parent's love wasn't unconditional. He was a narcissist and took advantage of her. when Ursa in the comics told her "I'm sorry I didn't love you enough." and Azula burst into tears IT BROKE ME!

10. V (V for Vendetta)

Originally I was really pondering whether I should give this place to Jamie Lannister or Xue Yang, Shen Jiu, The Corinthian, or Sansa Stark. Until I suddenly remembered the one character that I always fall in love with all over again EVERY TIME I watch the movie. How does one make a character(AND AN OBJECTIVELY TERRIBLE MAN THAT IMPRISONS AND TORTURES A POOR ALONE GIRL!) so charming, so charismatic, so lovable that literally everybody who watches the movie falls in love with him? (DID HE GIVE US ALL STOCKHOLM SYNDROME?!)

Also, every word out of his mouth is golden and iconic and delivered with such a unique personality. He's so interesting! He's simultaneously so nerdy and so cool! His actions are so cool and so is his style! And he's the personification of "freedom". In most countries, most of the time, people, each to their own degree, are fighting for their rights and freedom. V represents a universal wish, hope, and fantasy. V is the power of people. The courage, capability, strength, determination, vengefulness, the yearning for justice of tortured but unbent, unbowed, and unbroken people. and So that's a huge part of his appeal.

Also HUGO WEAVING'S RICH VELVETY VOICE!!! GOD!!

Here are the other characters that definitely deserve a place among the top tens but I just don't know who to replace them with because they all also deserve their places:

Xue Yang(Mo Dao Xu Shi/The Untamed): the sassy little adorable delinquent who thought he was at the top of the world doing whatever he liked because he could. and this time he had the power to take his revenge from the world that had him powerless, only to find warmth and peace in the name of taking revenge in the place he least thought, with his enemy and the kid who hated him. Only to find that peace and warmth were what he most wanted. Only to ruin it all irrevocably with his own hands. Only to die in the way of hopelessly trying to get back the one person who showed him genuine kindness and warmth. (also he's a sassy lil shit <3)

Shen Jiu (Scum Villain's self-saving system): The child-abuser scum who was introduced to us as the ultimate villain of the story. Until we learned about his story and how he died cruelly and unforgiven, with his name tainted while he only did some of that™️. While still a bitter man, and a child abuser, his heart wasn't so tainted. But by the time we learn that, he's already dead. With his story unfinished and his heart heavy because he never learned why the only person he deeply cared about left him behind. And nobody even noticed his passing to mourn him. AND EVERYTHING WAS BETTER FOR HIS DEATH!

Jamie Lannister (A Song of Ice and Fire/ Game Of Thrones): How can an author make you stan a character who pushed a little kid, and A POV LITTLE KID AT THAT! down a window because the kid saw he and his sister fuck in the first few chapters?! GRRM SOMEHOW DID THAT! Even if I'm still not very fond of the end of his story in the show, both in the show and in the books, he had one of the best redemption arcs and developments ever. (Though I started to like him when Catelyn told him "You pushed my son out of the window. You wanted him to die!", and Jamie answered: "Nah sometimes I shove kids out of the windows because it's good for their growth." Lmfao. What a little shit!)

The Corinthian (The Sandman): the being hated by his creator because he was so good at what he was created for he transcended the barriers his creator had set for him. so good at his assigned purpose that what he did was beyond his purpose. AND HE WAS SO HEARTBROKEN BY WHAT DREAM SAID TO HIM! And after he was recreated he startet being a babysitter to gain Dream's approval again. it was so sweet!

Sansa Stark (ASOIAF/GOT): from the girl who wanted to get out of Winterfell to follow her dreams to the girl whose dream became to go back to Winterfell, from the delusional little girl who lived in her dreams, waiting for her knight, who learned the cruelty of the world the hard way, to the deliverer of some of the most iconic lines of the show/book like "I'm Sansa Stark of Winterfell. This is my home, and you don't frighten me."/ "My skin has turned to porcelain, to ivory, to steel." She went a long way and had one of the best character developments. In the book, you can already see her bringing her ladylike behavior and political game that she learned from the best in action to manipulate Hardyng and Robbie. Like Cersei's white mirror. But she still has the kind heart of the girl who once after being attacked by the commoners said that if it was some bread they wanted, she would have given it to them if she had some with her.

Honourable mentions:

Qi Rong (tgcf): my favorite little shit! The best dad! And what @jin-zixun told about his story in the tags of this post really made me emotional!

He Xuan (tgcf): he had so much potential and instead all his life he and his family suffered on someone else's behalf while that someone else stole all his fortune. Then during his revenge plan, he met that person and he learned that maybe had things been different, he would willingly suffered all of the misfortunes of that person's life (the ones that didn't include his family) but as it stood, in this life, they had no chance. And even after his revenge he didn't find any peace and happiness.

Klaus Hargreeves (Umbrella Academy): A sunshine who always lights up every gathering, and is always ready to help others and always sees the good in others!

Five Hargreeves(Umbrella Academy): A murderous, sassy, tiny, bitter grandpa in the body of a teenager who'll do everything for his family! what's not to love!

Nakahara Chuuya (Bungo stray dogs): *Wonder Woman's voice* A BABY! The grumpy characters with golden hearts who always go out of their way to help others and will follow their friends to the end of the world with many, many complaints and screams always have my whole heart!

Dowager Countess of Grantham (Downton Abbey): EVERY LINE SHE SAYS MUST BE WRITTEN IN GOLD! the perfect combination of sass and class! goals!

Fleabag (Fleabag), Thomas Barrow (Downton Abbey): I love cringe-fail hot messes who had no control over many shitty things that happened in their lives and what they could control, they fucked up and now have to deal with their consequences. but still, they push through and try to make the most of it.

Pam Beesley(The Office): the story of this seemingly unremarkable, shy, quiet girl who learns to pursue her dreams, and make opportunities for herself, and speak up for herself was one of the best plotlines of The Office.

Toph Beifong (ATLA), Ranpo Edogawa (BSD): the tiny little extraordinary, extra- competent, reliable, confident, super blunt, lovable cuties always have my whole heart!

Flynn Rider (Tangled) & Nick (Zootopia): still two of my all-time crushes! It's the charm and wit and golden heart while being an outlaw, and supportiveness probably.

Death of The Endless(The Sandman): she's so kind and gentle! Her presence is soothing! And to think that she's death coming so kind, soothing and merciful and as a relief to accompany people on their one last lonely journey is really beautiful!

Delirium of the Endless(The Sandman): she's so broken and mysterious and so desperate for her family to be together! And she sometimes bestows wisdom to others through insanity!

Desire of the Endless(The Sandman): such a mysterious and complex character! They're by nature very cruel. But they're also so loving towards their family. They're there for their family when needed (be it Delirium, Despair, or Dream. Even when Dream didn't want to accept their help they turned into a cat and helped them anonymously). And even in their love they're cruel, and in cruelty, loving.

Nebula(MCU): I loved watching her escape from Thanos's abusive influence and become friends and sisters with Gamora! And her stoic but awkward personality is so lovely!

Cersei Lannister(ASOIAF/GOT): one of the best-written villains ever. She never ceases to be a villain but you really feel pity for her. From the moments she talks about her loveless marriage with Robert to when you learn that she's a pawn for Tywin's plans to the walk of shame to the loss of her children. And her lines are so iconic!

Frodo Baggins (Lord of The Rings): he's so kind-hearted! So sweet! He tried and resisted so hard even though it wasn't his war! He's so underrated!

Mo Ran (Husky and his white cat Shizun): one of the best-written protagonists with a complex, tragic backstory and a lovable personality with a beautiful redemption arc. I loved him both as Taxian-Jun and as Mo Ran.

Chu Wanning(Husky and his white cat Shizun): a multi-layered and lovable character. especially as Xia sini!

Crowley and Aziraphale (Good Omens): my favorite sweet, pure, kind-hearted loser lover boys who keep saving the world by being so incompetent they accidentally get the desired outcome by a series of incompetence that cancel out each other!

Moon Knight specifically Steven Grant (Moon Knight, MCU): I've only watched the MCU miniseries and his story was so heartbreaking! And Steven was so sweet! And seeing Marc and Steven find peace and love together was very beautiful!

Prof.McGonagall (Harry Potter): so sassy, so caring, so steadfastly dependable! From Aunt Hetty and Marilla Cuthbert to Professor McGonagall, I've always loved these types of characters!

Dervish Grady (Demonata), Nanami Kento(Jujutsu Kaisen): it's the caring, dependable mentors that always show up to fix everything and you form a deep bond with them for me.

Sirius Black (Harry Potter): his fiercely loyal, extreme both in love and hate, and unstable personality, his being stuck in more than a decade ago, occupying an uncertain place as a father- figure to Harry and a brother figure to James Potter-...'s son, and devotion to his loved ones, and how he wanted to always be there for Harry in the little time he got with him for all the years he couldn't be have captivated me.

Griffith(Berserk): I'm afraid I'm also experiencing the same obsession with this tragically fallen bitch of a man as Guts continues to feel. He's so well-written and so charismatic, (so obviously in love with Guts) he keeps haunting you. Like I keep being like: "I CANNOT BELIEVE HE WAS THIS MUCH OF A BITCH! HOW COULD HE! FFS! EVERYONE IN THAT BAND WOULD HAVE READILY DIED FOR HIM! THEY WORSHIPED HIM! THEY ENDANGERED THEMSELVES FOR HIM! EVEN AT THAT VERY MOMENT, THEY WERE ALL THERE FOR HIM! HOW COULD HE DO THAT TO CASCA ESPECIALLY!". And then I remember how pitiful his state was before that. He couldn't even kill himself. He couldn't even ask someone to kill him since he couldn't talk or write. And he went from being the next potential king to that state. He was a liability to everyone who looked up to him as a savior. And everything he did, while a horrible shock, was still so in character! He wasn't inherently evil. but he was inherently ambitious, self-centered, pragmatic, and detached... it all just came in service of his dark side after his fall. And he got everything he wanted only to yearn for what he used to have. *sigh* this bitch.

Sorry, it got so long and a lot more than 10! I shouldn't be allowed to talk about my favorite characters actually lmao!

Thank you for the very thought- provoking question!

[nihilnovisubsole]

oh, right, shadowbringers! i'm overdue for another ffxiv bullet point vibe check. i actually finished it a couple of weeks ago, and then my sink exploded [long story] and i wanted to chew on it for a while. it's clear that this expac is an overwhelming fan favorite, so i figured i should formulate some more intelligent thoughts about it.

part of me worries that my shadowbringers experience was colored by how badly i missed the people and places on the source. more than the aether and gods and soul transference and all that stuff, what i really took away was a sense of loneliness. the first isn't my world. its citizens are strangers to me, though i recognize on a philosophical level that i should help them. even the scions - in theory, my closest comrades - have lived for years in the blink of my eye and become very different people. when did thancred become responsible? when did the twins grow up? i wondered what other NPCs were doing without me. all i wanted was to go home.

on the other hand, i read a theory that this is the point. the story wants you to feel cut loose from everything you know. are you still a hero in an emotional vacuum? will you still put yourself on the line to do the right thing? sure, your world will be doomed if theirs falls, but that possibility seems so huge and far-off that it doesn't register in your gut. i don't think that's the writing failing to connect with me or anything. if that's the intent, it's an interesting feeling for a game to evoke.

i may have also exacerbated that feeling by keeping my actual avatar isolated on norvrandt for so long. i mentioned earlier that i play around the game's day-night cycle, running missions based on when they'll feel most immersive. that extends to maps, too: if the story says i'm stuck in a place, i stay around that place until the story carries me elsewhere. i mean, i'll dip out for wondrous tails and daily cactpot and stuff, but i don't take big story vacations to jet around eorzea. i didn't "come back" from the far east in stormblood until doma was free. that's a lot of MSQ to just spend alone with your thoughts.

there's a storytelling paradox at work: the first's problems are so large and so bad that it's smaller and more personal when you become invested in someone's plight. i expected to care a lot about liberating ala mhigo because i'm so fond of raubahn as a character, and i did. i didn't expect to feel the pity that i felt for, say, kai-shirr, or runar's unrequited crush on y'shtola. it comes on slowly and quietly.

i don't know. it's a curious story. it's a melancholy story. it's a lot more experimental than the expacs that came before it. it'd probably be worth it to new-game-plus it at some point to pay closer attention to the individual character arcs.

same goes for emet-selch. he's a curious villain. i don't sympathize with his methods, and i obviously have no romantic interest in him. but i keep mulling him over. he keeps lurking in the back of my mind, which means that his writing succeeds by virtue of being memorable.

to my mind, everything around amaurot contributes to that success. amaurot is where it all starts to come together for me. it's a beautiful, odd place - art deco in final fantasy? who knew? - and the pinnacle of the arc's surreal "this is a dream, but tangible" tone. you can tell the team wanted to go all out with the ascian reveals they'd been building up to for years. i wonder if they had fun designing it.

even if it is. i. hm. no i shan't say it

all right, i'll say it

I AM EMET-SELCH AND I AM HERE TO ASK YOU A QUESTION

there, it's out of my system. on a less ridiculous note, i finally got royce's canon armor! now i can gpose freely. i wish there were an in-engine way to pose with NPCs, but them's the breaks. who knows? maybe we'll get it eventually. it is a live service game.

[fwuitfwog]

Interests

This is just a list of all the media I'm interested in in case you want to make art requests or just chat. (My blog specifically for chatting is @fwuitierfwogier) Also, these are just the ones I've had moderate interest in at some point or another

Games:

Pokémon

Genshin Impact

Twisted Wonderland

Animal Crossing

Minecraft

Anime:

Naruto

Yona of The Dawn

Snow White with the Red Hair

Cells at Work

Haikyuu!!

Fairy Tail

Inuyasha

Seven Deadly Sins

Fire Force

Blue Exorcist

Black Clover

The Forest of Piano

Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood

Kono Oto Tomare!: Sounds of Life

Prince of Tennise

Fruits Basket

Tsurune

Kakuriyo-Bed and Breakfast for Spirits

Amagi Brilliant Park

One Punch Man

Food Wars

The Disastrous Life of Saiki K.

Soul Eater

Hikaru no Go

Kino's Journey - the Beautiful World

Barakamon

Horimiya

Heaven Official's Blessing

Wandering Witch: The Journey of Elaina

Sleepy Princess in the Demon Castle

Kamisama Kiss

Sk8 the Infinity

Bungo Stray Dogs (+ wan)

Sasaki and Miyano

Spy x Family

Jujutsu Kaisen

The Apothecary Diaries

Maid-Sama

Buddy Fight

Cardcaptor Sakura

The Ancient Magus Bride

The Royal Tutor

Rising of the Shield Hero

My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom

That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime

Sailor Moon

Tokyo Mew Mew

Glitter Force

Little Witch Academia

I'm in Love with the Villainess

Pokemon

Digimon

Books:

Nichijou

The Vampire Dies in No Time

Greenglass House Series

Twilight Saga

Squire

Wild Blue Wonder

Animated Series:

Avatar the Last Airbender

Gravity Falls

Over the Garden Wall

Phineas and Ferb

Miraculous Ladybug

Animated Movies:

Alice in Wonderland

Lion King

Princess and the Frog

Sleeping Beauty

Snow White

Aristocats

Musicians:

KISS

Fleetwood Mac

Noah Kahan

The Lumineers

Hosier

The Crane Wives

The Oh Hellos