#because my girl laudna will be struggling

[utilitycaster]

Question; as far as we know was Imogen raised particularly conservative or overly religious?

I didn’t think that this was the case, and I know that a lot of people are projecting unresolved feelings and trauma onto her and her story. But I also feel like that having this background would make more sense than not? I dunno, some of the god stuff with Imogen feels almost like it’s come out of nowhere.

(Possibly that’s just born of my frustration with Imogen’s ambivalence to them once again being framed with “what have the romans ever done for us?”

More and more it seems less like Imogen is a well-meaning but flawed individual who struggles with trust and selfishness and more that Imogen just has a shit memory and has forgotten things - like who murdered her girlfriend, for example)

We do not know. I agree with you that this is a very common projection onto her, which is understandable - she's queer, she's got a southern accent, and she's from a small town, so I think a lot of queer people from small southern towns project their own religious trauma onto her. However, in canon there has been zero mention of a religious upbringing in her backstory until now. In fact, from episode 3x77, 2:43:40:

MATT (as Mother Brazilda at the temple to the Dawnfather in Whitestone): "Have you ever prayed before?"

LAURA Officially? No. I did try to talk to some moon goddess or something once, but I don't think-- she didn't respond or nothing.

So either Imogen's lying here at the Dawnfather temple (which seems weird), or she's lying in the Feywild about having prayed (feels more likely) or she's exaggerating (even more likely) or interpreting "I yelled at the Moonweaver once and I prayed to Pelor two days ago and NOTHING HAPPENED" as the gods not loving her (ditto), or she's interpreting the general unfortunate circumstances of her life as the gods not loving her (ditto again).

As for conservativism, I do think Gelvaan, and Relvin, are best described as "limited". Like, projecting queerphobia onto Exandria is deeply ignorant of canon and I've spoken at length about why using legitimately dangerous and invasive superpowers as a stand-in for marginalized identities is a deeply broken metaphor, but I do think she was a girl with weird and invasive powers that made her act strangely, and her mother left under odd circumstances when she was very young, and people in small towns do talk, and even if they don't talk, they think, and she can hear those thoughts.

Personally, and this is only my interpretation, what happened is first, Imogen would get headaches or feel overwhelmed from being around too many people so she frequently isolated herself or spent time only around horses, and her social skills are as a result kind of limited. I don't think she plays well with others! I think she is very impatient and judgmental in a way that tracks very well with being someone who didn't really have to share and compromise because she withdrew and did things on her own instead, and now she suddenly (Bells Hells has been together for under three months) has to consider the feelings of five other people instead of just her and Laudna, and Laudna's always been something of a doormat to her anyway, and she's not handling it that well!

Second, here's how I understand how Imogen thinks about other people's thoughts. I think she takes other people's surface level thoughts at face value; and I think she is, understandably, more generous with her own surface thoughts because she automatically knows what's underneath. To give an easy example: we all have brief intrusive thoughts and a really common one is like, if you hold a big kitchen knife, it's pretty normal to think "oh huh I could really stab someone with this." You're not going to do it, but you do think it.

I think Imogen hears that thought and goes "oh they think about stabbing people". I think that when she has that thought, she goes "oh but I would never stab someone." And that's the problem. I get why she thinks this way but it's deeply hypocritical. Because she can hear people's thoughts she thinks she's getting a sense of who they are; but she really isn't. She's getting their surface thoughts at the time and making a judgment on them that has nothing to do with their morality or choices, but because she does have a sense of self, she judges herself as a whole person. I mean we all do this to an extent - we get mad at the person who cuts us off on the highway because we know nothing about them and it's a very patient person who says "oh, maybe there's someone in labor in the backseat, maybe they just got really bad news, it's okay" - but that sort of "I'm fully realized and everyone else is judged on the last thing they thought" seems to drive Imogen's interactions even with people she knows and should be trying to build trust with.

I said it at the time but it bears repeating: I don't think Imogen forgot that Otohan killed half the party. I think Imogen genuinely believes hypocrisy isn't "rules for thee and not for me" - which as the above paragraph states, she does all the time. I think she considers hypocrisy having a thought and not being honest about it. I think Imogen would genuinely think customer service voice and statements were the sign of being a shitty person, because in you're head you're like "oh my god I want to stab this customer" and to their face you're like "I'm sorry to hear that, I'll get the manager." And so because she had that thought, she thinks the right thing to do is to bring it up, and that plus her atrophied social skills means she doesn't realize how incredibly hurtful this is to someone like Orym. I think her thought process is "maybe if we sided with Otohan this wouldn't be a problem, and because I think this, I should, in the interest of not thinking one thing and saying another, bring it up."

In the end I think Imogen is just a deeply broken and self-centered person who does not even realize this is the case; in that regard she's very much like Ashton, but Ashton just got an unmissable wake up call that she hasn't yet received.

[darkdisrepair]

imogen meta: "you know you saved my life, right?"

tw//suicidal ideation

i'm so sorry for another meta but this line has been sitting in my brain for DAYS now, and there are a few things about it that are just so striking and so so sad-

for one- it puts imogen's farewell to bertrand into a much greater context.

"i'm glad the noises stopped for you. i'm glad you're at peace."

how long has imogen been longing for that kind of peace? she's been dealing with her powers for a decade, now, and it seems like only in her time with bell's hells has she really been able to get a stronger harness on it.

how many times, has death seemed like the only escape? ever present, ever alluring, in the corner of her mind?

it's a layer that i couldn't quite pick up before, because there was context for what she said, but there also wasn't- but now, with the idea that "i don't know how much longer i would've lasted" at the forefront-

she's had a decade of pain, and ostracization, and voices she can't control, with no sign of reprieve, no sense that it would ever end, and for a long period in her life- with no one to support her.

it's been so obvious for so long, given the angst of imogen's past, but i've struggled to connect the dots of just how deep imogen's pain runs. laura has been dropping clues- her farewell to bertrand, talking about how bad it had gotten during what the fuck is up with that, her mentions of her father- but this was the final piece, to make it all so painfully clear.

these past few years, they've been everything.

because what did imogen have before, really? what reasons did she have to keep going? an absent mother, a distant father, and chronic, overwhelming, agonizing pain and dreams haunting her in her sleep?

who did she have to turn to?

no one, and no glimmer of hope.

and so of course she would be drawn to laudna. her musical thoughts a balm to her aching mind, her cheerful attitude a bright spot in the darkness of imogen's life, her support almost foreign to a young girl who has never had the stability of someone to lean on-

and of course she would be devastated, when that's ripped away from her again, when laudna dies. that hope, that happiness- it's intoxicating, and it's horrible when it's gone, and she's taken back to that place of hurt and anger and fear.

and of course she would do everything to bring laudna back. but it also paints her ritual contribution into a greater context- of course she wouldn't make laudna come back, either. she won't make her return to her home full of trauma, she won't make laudna leave the sweet embrace of death.

because who is she, to deny someone that tranquility, that escape- when she's been tempted by it herself? if laudna needs to go, to not hurt anymore, she'll let her, because she loves laudna so much that she wouldn't ever take that away from her, if that was what she wanted.

(however, if laudna didn't come back, imogen would most certainly struggle. especially since i don't think she's fully processed otohan's attack yet, she's been so determined on giving laudna that choice that she herself has thought about).

but it's also so beautiful- how two lonely, shunned girls could find such light and hope in each other, and find ways to battle back against the world. and it shows such depth to their love, and their devotion to each other.

it's such an intimate thing, to tell someone that they saved your life. and though it wasn't a romantic confession, it's clear that they love each other very, very much.

[pocketgalaxies]

Re: difficulty with Ashton.

I love Tal and the characters we get and I love Ash, but I think some of us are struggling with that conversation with Ash and Laudna because it ticks the box of “mansplaining” loneliness and trauma to a woman who was traumatized and forcibly alone for longer in her life than she has been with others.

Like you, I suspect that Tal is playing a longer game here to make Ash realize that they don’t have a monopoly on trauma. Nor does FCG (who I assume is the other person they meant in the convo). That said, I think you’re right on the mark in your comments and I just wanted to say yes and for those of us really struggling with that conversation.

agreed! i think it was definitely intentional on tal's part and i'm p curious to see how the way that conversation played out will come back around, because it could've very easily escalated into an argument or some meaner, sharper thing, but laudna just was not biting. i wonder if that's what ashton wanted or if it was the total opposite, if it surprised them or not

which btw, to make it about my best girl for a bit, speaks a lot to her patience and depth of empathy (and maybe even her age). ashton said a lot of things that were misguided at best and cruel at worst, and it's Important that she took those things, sat with them, and gave him honest and genuine responses about her pain while still firmly indicating that he isn't the only one with this kind/level of baggage. instead of getting down on herself or getting mad at ashton, she turned it into an opportunity to say that opening herself up to kindness and care was one of the best decisions she ever made. she saw straight through to the root of all the things they said, and she offered a suggestion that might alleviate their negative feelings, from her own personal experience, without holding any of that conversation against him. is that what ashton wanted, or did they want to be yelled at and demoralized? not sure! but i'm willing to bet it was more forgiveness and understanding than they bargained for so it'll be interesting to see where that goes later

[pennamenotfound]

Pokemon Teams for Bells Hells

I just... I just really like pokemon and cr so instead of doing my homework I picked out teams for them. Rules were no legendaries and I didn't want any repeats among the teams. So, here we go.

Imogen: Alakazam for her telekinesis, Zebstrika because she's a horse girl and for the lightning, Musharna for her Dreams, Hatterene because of her whole witchy vibe plus her aversion to other people's emotions being Too Loud, Espeon because of her basic psychic powers, lastly Lunatone for the Ruidus stuff. She's had most of her Pokemon since she was a kid in Gelvaan. Her starter would be her Zebstrika which she raised from a Blitzle, but she would've gotten her Eevee when she was pretty young, too, and it would've evolved when she met Laudna and left town. Musharna has been with her since she first started having the dreams, and she caught her Hatterene as a Hattena who allowed itself to be caught since they were kind of kindred spirits who both hated other people's emotions in their head, and Lunatone has just kind of... been around for a while. She catches Alakazam later as she travels with Bells Hells.

Laudna: Banette for the puppet imagery, Trevenant for her form of dread, Spiritomb as Delilah's lingering presence, Mimikyu because she's supposed to be basically a copy of Vex, plus the way Mimikyu's disguise breaks reminds me of how Laudna dislocates all her joints, Umbreon mostly to fit with Imogen's Espeon but also for the Cool Goth Vibes, and lastly Vullaby as a Pate stand-in. Eevee would've been her starter, with the rest of her mon coming to her after she got Delilah'd except the Trevenant, which she would've caught after she was resurrected in Whitestone and has her moment with the Sun Tree.

Fearne: Dubwool because Goat---though I did struggle between this and Gogoat, Dubwool's fluff and cooler horns cinched it for me---Grimmsnarl for her Feywilde weirdness, Meowscarada for her rouge vibe plus for some druid stuff---Flower Trick is literally a perfect move for her---Scovillain for the grass/fire mon-Wildfire Druid nexus, plus it's the kind of weirdo pokemon Fearne would love, Pelipper for her shoebill wildshape, and Monferno as a Mister stand-in. Wooloo would've been her starter, though she would've gotten her Impidimp from Nana Morri pretty young, and she would've caught Mister as a Chimchar when she first took up her druidic ways. The rest she catches when she's with the Crownkeepers and Bells Hells.

Orym: Falinks because he's a soldier who works well in a team, Lucario because he's so empathetic and upstanding as a fighter, Lilligant because he's so dextrous and because of the flower, Breloom sort of as a way to pay homage to Seedling, since I think Breloom can stretch out its arms, but also just for the plant vibes, Sawsbuck as a sort of Ashari connection what with the seasons, but also because it's a normal type as well as grass to show he's just a guy, and Absol because of his bad luck and bonkers high perception. His starter would've been Shroomish, and he'd've gotten his Lilligant and Lucario when he became a Tempest Blade, the Sawsbuck as a Deerling when he left the Ashari for the first time, the Falinks when he was with the Crownkeepers, and the Absol came to him when he lost Will and Derrig.

Chetney: He was the hardest because I really wanted to give him more grass types for the woodworking vibe, but really only Shiftry fit. Then I gave him Smeargle because he's an artist, Lycanroc Midnight Form for his werewolf form, Zoroark because he can be invisible which is kind of like Zoroark's Illusion, and because it feels very roguey, Gengar because I wanted a ghost type for all his blood curses, and it seemed the best fit, and it can also be invisible, and Drampa because he old. He would've started catching pokemon when he was an adult, so he wouldn't've had a starter, but his first would be Smeargle, then Seedot which he would've raised into a Shiftry, then his Lycanroc would've come to him when he was bitten and he would've caught his Zoroark and Gengar as part of his bloodhunter training, and Drampa... honestly was more of a joke but I guess he would've caught it when he was with Bells Hells.

Fresh Cut Grass: First of all, Gholdengo looks a lot like him, so they get one, and then they get a Blissey and Indeedee (female) because of the healer thing, plus with Indeedee there's this whole service thing, plus both of them give me therapy vibes, Klinklang because he robot, Rotom Heat for his easy-bake oven, and Morpeko for their stress induced rage mode. Morpeko is the starter, then he catches Indeedee and Klinkwhen he's with Dancer, Blissey when they're with Ashton, Gholdengo starts as Gimmighoul in its roaming form, where it just has the one coin, and he gets it when he starts believing in the Changebringer, which evolves when they first talk to her, and Rotom Heat when he gets the oven installed.

Ashton: Obviously he's got an Obstagoon because they're punk as hell, then a Graveler for the barbarian made of rocks angle, a Gigalith for the crystal in his head, Tinkaton for the hammer plus the added bonus of him having a mon that kills Corviknights (big bird) when he's close to FCG (hates birds), Golurk because it has that crack on its chest which reminds me of Ashton's cracks, and finally Gallade because they're trying to be a fucking hero now. The starter is Geodude, which he receives from their father shortly before The Incident. He gets a Galarian Zigzagoon in the Greymoore State Home. Geodude evolves into Graveler when Ashton changes into his rocky form we know them as now. As a note, they caught a Pancham when he first started running with the Nobodies, which evolved into Pangoro as he got good at it. He obtained his Golurk after Milo put them back together, and caught the Tinkaton soon after. The Gigalith was a gift from Milo, a sort of 'sorry you lost all your friends in a really traumatic way but here's a Roggenrola I still like you' kind of thing. He switched the Pangoro out for a Gallade when he decided they were going to be some kind of hero now.

Bonus: Less detail I'm tired now and they're not core members, here we go.

Bertrand: Mr. Rhyme lol he old. He'd also have a Sirfetch'd.

Dorian: Swablu. I just think he'd have one can you imagine softboi Dorian with a Swablu? So cute! And he'd have an Altaria now that he's stronger. He'd also get an Audino for bard reasons.

Yu: I know I said no repeats and I did give Chetney a Zoroark but Yu breaks all the rules so they get a Zoroark. I honestly don't remember enough about Dusk to give them a serious pick.

Deanna: Comfey. She's a healer, plus can't you just imagine little Deanna with her little Comfey? I think she had it before she was resurrected, too, and the Comfey was waiting for her.

F.R.I.D.A: Okay so I was thinking Hisuian Decidueye because it's kind of roguey and ranged, but it's a bird, and FCG hates birds, and as they're in love, I don't think that would work. Then I thought maybe Mienshao, because I liked the fluid, dextrous fighting, but something wasn't clicking there. Then I thought maybe Darmanitan. I liked the idea of something used as an ancient defense. Pick your favorite of the three.

Prism: Mismagius for the wizard aesthetic, and then Corvisquire for Mother. Just imagine little Prism in the Shadowfell (or Shadow Realm, as Emily calls it) with a Misdreavus!

Deni$e: Liepard simply because I think she could fight with it or like just look super fucking fly walking down the street with it and Deni$e is all about the high feminine energy.

Bor'dor: Mabosstiff. He's endearing and he'll lie on the ground during a fight but he's also still dark type. He's waiting for the moment to strike. Okay I know Mabosstiff is supposed to be like a mob boss but he's also the only dark type dog that looks like he could pull off the Bor'dor heel turn. Also how could I not give him a dog?

Hope you enjoyed this long ass post, and feel free to give your own suggestions in the notes!

[mintywolf]

A Long Road Home - Author Notes

Page 31

What better way to commemorate the devastation and havoc wreaked by the Chroma Conclave than with a goofy lizard race?

Imogen still has that second-place ribbon btw! You saw it allll the way back on page 1. :)

The mind-reader is named after the eponymous Warlock of The Warlock of Firetop Mountain, which my sisters and I discovered at a yard sale when I was like 10 and which was almost certainly my gateway drug to D&D. (Never did get through that maze, though.)

Laudna, who has probably been to Ank’harel since it’s the only other Marquesian skyport other than Jrusar and Yios*, would know that the “mind reader’s” act is culturally inaccurate (and insensitive), so that’s the part she’s taking offense to. Originally he had a more stereotypical Arabian Nights type costume but because no one specifically comments And That’s Terrible I was afraid of it somehow reading like an endorsement of cultural appropriation. :P (A certain subset of modern fandom seems to struggle with Nuance.) So now he’s got a more Sorcerer’s Apprentice vibe going on. Still incorrect, which is the point.

*Unless she got to Marquet via Sruwargas before the Apex War and has just been hanging out in the Taloned Highlands for 20 years??

The girl with the goat puppet is Cynthia, who would be about 12 now. I can hear Laudna’s excited whisper-yell when she sees the puppet so clearly in my head. :D

[cranesofibycus]

Edit: Please don’t send me spoilers for later episodes. This includes “you are right/wrong about xyz interpretation”. Thank you!   

Episode 17 has so many incredible, heartbreaking, heartwarming, hilarious and frustrating moments; it’s one of my favorite episodes thus far for sure. A friend of mine told me that he fell in love with the Bells Hells in this episode and I’m inclined to agree. 

Between episode 14 and 17 I feel like the rest of them have really come together and have had the opportunity to show some of their softer, less silly sides. I love the silly, but sometimes it can get in the way of genuine character moments and those episodes are full of both, which is great. 

Here’s a little roundup of my impressions of the characters so far:

Ashton: This guy is so dumb. Like, can’t get any dumber. They are so preoccupied with being the unattached one, that every of their actions just screams “I don’t deserve to be loved and I will show you why!” - I love his short temper, I love his reluctant admiration of the others and I particularly love that Taliesin gets to play someone who is queer as fuck, yet determined to be disagreeable. That is just peak Taliesin PC design and I think he is having a blast with Ashton so far.

Fearne: This fawn is so smart. And I mean that genuinely. Fearne knows exactly how she can utilize her charm and her assumed innocence to get away with the most outrageous lies and actions. I’m sort of glad that Little Mister has faded into the background a little. I feel like Fearne needs nobody to help her shine. And it’s fascinating to me that it had never before occurred to me that Ashley would be perfect at playing a fey, since Ashley exudes heaps of fey energy even when she is just being herself. I’m curious how she will handle more dramatic scenes in the future. Fearne has shown that she can genuinely care about others, but there is a clear sense that she - as any fey creature - struggles with the dark grey morals of her heritage.

F.C.G.: Sam is a menace. It is known. But I wonder how much of a menace he is being with F.C.G. I think there is a very good chance that Sam knows very little of their backstory, or how much of it is true. The memories Imogen saw in him could’ve been placed there or altered. I adore that Sam chose a race/class/subclass combination that doesn’t cater to his usual dry sarcasm as Nott’s and Scanlan’s builds did. Instead he gets to experiment with humor that stems from F.C.G.’s genuine concern and their unawareness of certain social cues. I’m sure the other Riegel shoe will drop soon enough, but until then I’m just happy to receive puzzle piece after puzzle piece of this robit’s tragic past. 

Imogen: Until recently I really thought Laura had built a sweet, soft horse-girl sorceress. Oh what a fool I was! Not that she isn’t all of those things, but Imogen is so much more multi-facetted than I had originally understood. She is driven and curious. She is intrigued by power and convinced of her own abilities. She apologizes to people for invading their minds, but she also enjoys learning other people’s secrets. She is confident! She knows her worth! She understands how to get people to do what you want (not in a strictly manipulative way, but she has definitely learned that showing compassion is a way to get people to talk). I’m super intrigued by her and thus afraid to delve too deep into fandom interpretations of Imogen, because Laura’s track record is 1. build intricate, layered character, 2. fandom builds one-dimensional fanon version of said character, 3. fandom gets mad when Laura dares to stick to her original design for said character (one of the reasons why I’m not massively into glasses!Imogen - it just triggers a fight or flight response in my brain).

Laudna: What a ballsy character design! What a choice of a backstory and a patron! I love that she came up with this and Matt said “yes, and” to all of it. I agree with Orym that Laudna is fascinating not because of her backstory, but rather because she is who she is despite of her backstory. I’m a big believer that great tragedy functions like a fork in the road of your capacity for compassion. Either you become the least or the most compassionate version of yourself, and I adore that Marisha went with the latter. And for some reason I keep thinking of Laudna’s connection to Vox Machina and that she feels like the rebirth of Kerrek’s line in his letter to Keyleth: “Did you know that there are some seeds that cannot sprout unless they are first burned?“ I wish Laudna could’ve had the life she deserved, but I think her capacity to love and feel deeply is informed by the tragedy of her past. 

Chetney: Detective!Travis and comic-relief!Travis are two of my favorite Travises, so of course I adore Chetney. I’m so glad he finally gets to live his lycanthropy dreams! I’m curious about Chetney’s backstory and how much of it will activate the other kind of Travis I love, which is the what-makes-a-good-man!Travis. I love when he gets to explore the themes of masculinity, bravery and worthiness and I feel like Chetney might give him the opportunity to examine them from a very different perspective. Or maybe the wolf will die in three sessions, which is also entirely possible. Travis doesn’t trust Sam and I don’t trust Travis. C’est la vie!

Orym: This little guy! What a wee man! In ExU I was not super into Orym because I felt like he faded into the background next to so much color and character, but it is always the quiet ones who worm their way into my heart in the end. In one way or another Liam’s characters always carry an unspeakable amount of grief with them and that grief usually is for a future that was stolen from them. Vax, Caleb and Orym all had to come to terms with the loss of a version of themselves/their lives that they didn’t get to see or live. But with Orym there is a new kind of twist to this baseline of grief: There seems to be an immense amount of hope stored in this tiny dude; a hope for a life that’s worth living or a future that’s worth fighting for or a revenge that is worth pursuing. There is not a lot of Orym (physically), but every inch of this small man is full of love and hope and a deep sense that there are things worth fighting for. 

I thought about listing my favorite relationship dynamics so far, but the truth is that it is... all of them. I genuinely enjoy all of their interactions and how the characters mesh with each other. Eleven more episodes until I’m caught up and can laugh about my naïve impressions of them as of episode 17. 

[conditionaljewel]

I just feel so strongly about Laudna and identify with her so much. There’s so much that I have in common with her as far as lived experiences, and I see so much of her in myself, myself in her, that I’ve just felt so deeply connected to her from the moment she first appeared on our screen. Verbal abuse and physical violence suffered as a child, violence at the hands of someone older, societal violence, psychological violence and torment, there is a lot that Laudna and I both share in common and much of the pain she feels, I have felt too.

I’ve had dirt thrown in my face, head stuffed into toilets, and bashed into garage doors. I’ve been made fun of for being different from the other kids. I’ve been jumped and beaten up simply for walking into a room. I’ve had to run and hide from kids and adults because I didn’t like how someone made me feel. I’ve had adults perpetuate the systemic cycle of abuse and violence, both as a child and an adult, and not do a damn thing to keep me safe. All things that this poor girl has also suffered through, violence dealt to her by those whom she had otherwise not been given a reason to distrust. Add to all that: Laudna’s made her own friends, Pate and Sashimi, while I had my own imaginary friends for much of my life and still, to this day, talk to myself as though I were to someone else. (The keychain Pate plush helps add to my transformation into Laudna.)

Laudna means so much to me, and I love and cherish her so dearly and just want the best things in life for her. I want for her to live for a very long time and to be happy and to heal and find peace, and in that, I want her to always have Imogen at her side.

Imogen means just as much to me, but in a different way. I don’t necessarily identify with her in the same sense, but I do identify with some of her trials and struggles. The auditory sensitivities, the fractured and awkward relationship with her parents, the struggle with finding her place in everything. She also means a lot to me on her own, yes, she will always be her own individual person first; but, when thought of in the context of Laudna’s life, she also means so much to me as a partner for Laudna.

Being a Laudna kind of person - someone who has longed to feel like they’ve belonged and was wanted despite their differences and quirks - the thought of someone feeling about me the way Imogen feels about Laudna, and in turn having someone to feel about the way Laudna feels about Imogen, is something I often think about and long for. So when I put myself in Laudna’s shoes and think about the things that I’d want and that would help me start to heal, Imogen is the right kind of person to help Laudna do that, and vice versa. Laudna is not a healed person, she still has a lot of deep-seeded trauma that lurks beneath that cheery exterior and we’ve begun to see it crack and become exposed as of late, but we’ve seen how much Imogen also does help her stay grounded and level with the rest of the world when it’s all gone to shit. Who couldn’t use a friend or partner like that?

I just really love this spooky dead lady with all of my entire heart, and I will never not feel one with her, and I just really need for her to have a happy ending out of all of this.

[kyndaris]

Oh! Bento, My Bento!

After a slew of interactions with less than stellar individuals on Hinge, I started to despair whether or not dating was for me and if I ought to put an end to this strange experiment of mine to find a significant other. In fact, after having someone just talk at me about how great Japanese light novels were in comparison to 'western literature,' I changed my dating preferences to women only.

Why, you may ask?

Well, I was exhausted by men. And two, because for a while I've been questioning whether or not if I wanted a man in my life.

Confession time.

During high school and even at university, I never had crushes on anyone. In Year 8, I was told that another classmate might have had a crush on me, but while I tried to suss out their interest because I was flattered by the fact (although I thought I was toad in terms of the looks department - and I honestly still think I am), I never did get a proper read of his interests and began to doubt the claims made by my friends.

In fact, for a lot of my life, I've been told by others whether or not I've 'crushed' on others. But when I try to explore my own feelings on the matter, I've not thought of them as romantic. In fact, romance is a thing I've struggled to understand.

How DO you know if you like someone in that way? I've certainly never wanted to jump anyone's bones and the mere thought of engaging in those acts turns me off.

It's why I've often wondered if I was asexual. After watching a video where a YouTuber explained their own personal experience, I'm starting to think I truly do sit on that asexual spectrum.

But men, women or anything in between, that hasn't precluded me from romancing fictional characters. And in fact, I've enjoyed my time with many a great digital construct be that Garrus Vakkarian or Riku or Morrigan. Then, of course, there's the fact that I ship any and all types of relationships although some of my favourites in recent history has been Imogen Temult x Laudna, Catra x Adora, Kaz xInej, Arenza x Grey and Tifa Lockhart x Cloud Strife (although, I wouldn't mind Tifa and Aerith somehow becoming a pair in Remake). Of course, I also read some very questionable ships like Jacob Seed x Female Deputy...so take what I enjoy reading with a grain of salt - particularly if it has anything to do with AO3. There's a lot of messed up stuff on there.

So, don't read it!

You've been warned, dear readers.

Still, it was the trip that I went on in March this year that solidified that perhaps my interests were a little bit fruity. Despite the fact that the woman was married, there was something magnetic about her personality and I wanted to be around her. Sure, I wasn't going to immediately jump her bones but I did want to know as much as I could about her.

And when I think about a few of the interactions in the past, it's been the same. I might not have admitted it to myself but during a trip to China camp back in 2008, there was another girl that I really wanted to get to know better. It was somewhat disappointing to know that she was also popular with the boys too, but a part of me wished that we would be best friends.

Did it mean I wanted to be romantically entangled with her?

Who knows. I was unsure of my actual feelings at the time though I knew there was a strange sort of obsession on my part to be a really good friend to them.

But the wider implications passed me by.

I didn't know if that made me gay or not. In fact, I never truly pondered that question properly until now. Especially when in high school, a friend pretended (or at least I thought they were pretending) to be overly amorous with me and I never felt inclined to return it.

Heterosexuality had always defined my understanding of romance and I never much challenged it until more recently.

In any case, back to my dating!

Before I was unceremoniously kidnapped by a group of my friends for an impromptu road trip down to Canberra for Oz Comic-Con (and thereby proving White Coat correct that maybe I do go to a lot of conventions), I met up with another hopeful at a small cafe in Chippendale called Something for Jess before we toured the Oh!Bento exhibit at the Japanese Foundation.

This man, from a purely objective standpoint, was probably one of the better candidates that I'd met. Dikotter (my code name for him) had a good job as a software engineer, was always intent on self-improvement and had his own interests that didn't become his entire personality. There was a maturity to Dikotter that I appreciated and found common ground with - especially when it came to our discussions after we toured the Oh! Bento exhibit and Fortress and were sitting at a dessert bar for nigh on two hours.

Dikotter was a man that didn't just talk at me about his latest hyperfixation or how strange it was that he had such 'normie' work colleagues that didn't understand video games. Rather, he was much more introspective and was able to provide more thought-provoking questions than I'd expected.

In fact, I probably came off as the less intelligent of the pair of us as he asked what I might do if I had access to a billion dollars.

He also respected that I didn't feel comfortable talking about my job and we somehow ended up on a semi-serious conversation about dictators and the echoes of current China with Mao Zedong's Cultural Revolution.

Hence the codename.

We had both read Frank Dikotter's work on modern Chinese history. And that's not something I ever thought I would share with anyone I've met on any of my dates. Most of the time, I've had the same discourse on favourite video games as men try to think of something interesting to talk about without realising how quickly they limit themselves by making these things the dominant subject.

So, yes, meeting a fellow intellectual and one that knew how to dress well (or at least not in an unironed shirt and cargo pants) and was good at making conversation/ a lively debate on the pitfalls of socialism/ communism was something I most definitely appreciated even though I wasn't sure if we had any romantic chemistry.

Does this mean there might be hope for Dikotter? Maybe.

As yet, I'm still unsure where I swing when it comes to pursuing a relationship. Do I actually fancy the fairer sex? I, honestly, don't know. But I'm also hesitant to commit to Dikotter in saying that we'd be endgame.

A part of that may come from my ambivalence in terms of romantic relationships but I think that if we do become friends, it will definitely be a much more interesting partnership than I've known with most except on the odd occasion when I chat with individuals much older than I am and who have a wealth of life experience to draw on for their thoughts and opinions.

[sleep-escapes-me]

There’s not a lot of imodna crossover fics I’m noticing. Don’t get me wrong I live laugh love canon compliant all day everyday, it’s my preference

but seriously where are the avatar aus where Imogen struggles with being a bender siding with the equalists because she doesn’t wanna become her mom who is probably definitely not good but oh no Laudna is there too???

Where’s my domestic girls in the dragon quest universe who unfortunately just moved to the village the hero decides to run through and now have to come up with a convincing side quest shenanigan to give them????

Like you don’t get it I need Imogen in a final fantasy world running a chocobo ranch who then catches the eye of local farm girl Laudna!!

Where is Laudna’s wayward home for abandoned Pokémon but oops it’s just Imogen??

[utilitycaster]

I agree with you that Laudna's confession was one of the more valid ones, but I think it also helped me pinpoint why I struggle with her so much. It's her frequent reluctance and passivity, especially when compared to some of my favorite characters (Vex and her ambition). If even Laudna doesn't want to be in her own story, why should I care about her, you know?

Hey anon,

That's fair. The way I talk about Laudna is like...I'm enjoying her but I'm not like, expecting much from her story. If it gets really good I'll be pleasantly surprised and if it keeps being very passive I'll be like yeah, it is what it is. I have liked the general engagement with Delilah as of late, though it better be a sustained thing, and I guess my feeling about the reluctance is not limited to Laudna. Really, I'm hoping they actually talk through that ripcord line because while I personally think that leaving the gods to die would be a terrible idea, I can get behind it as a tragic story if they owned it. I think the reason why people were so exhausted and annoyed by the endless god discussion is they kept having it while still working to the original end goal and it's like. Look. Far be it from me to tell people not to complain about something while they are doing it; I do this all the time. However, I also would not recommend that anyone watch a four hour show of my life every week.

I will say though I am personally also inclined towards ambitious characters; I am also a Vex girl through and through. Like, the idea of "warlock who is trapped in one body with their murderer/patron" is a great idea but personally the way to get me on board, you better be going full Helly R from Severance on that patron.

[clonneclub]

I can't get over how scared Laudna sounded when she realized Delilah had taken control of her body. And Laudna's first instinct was to reach out to Imogen...

But all Imogen sees is a broken gem, broken trust...Imagine losing control of your body (to the person who murdered you!) and not a minute later being called a liar by the person you'd do anything to help and protect.

[unicyclehippo]

ok hello i am writing the SHORTEST little conversations for critical role again i am trying to write again ur welcome. anyway i call this one “i’m gay for hot mean women” feat. laudna & delilah

Laudna watched the closeness between Imogen and Fresh and felt something terrible rise in her gut. 

 ‘She’s leaving you behind.’ 

 Laudna hissed at the intruder. No one appeared to have noticed the incursion—no, there, Orym looking back. She waved cheerily, which seemed to soothe his concern. When his eyes refocused forward, Laudna let Snail fall a little behind the group. Drew the hood of her cloak up and over her head. 

‘What do you want?’ 

‘You’ve been chatty,’ Delilah murmured. ‘I wanted to remind you of our arrangement, dear. Not to say anything…untoward.’ 

‘I haven’t.’ 

Delilah hummed. Laudna could feel her, poking about in her mind; cold fingers dragged over memories, plucked them like books from shelves of her mind. She regarded Orym—Delilah the Orym of her memory, Laudna the tense shoulders of her friend riding in the rain—and clicked her tongue. ‘You should count yourself lucky, by the way.’ Humour twined a chilling tendril through her tone. Nothing amused Delilah quite like a joke at someone else’s expense. Better, someone else’s demise. ‘After all, not everyone gets such a generous last meal.’ 

Laudna tilted her head, smacked it hard in an effort to dislodge Delilah but she stayed. Bitch. With a disappointed sniff, and a crack of bone as she corrected the angle of her head, Laudna said, ‘The potatoes were undercooked.’ 

Delilah laughed, throaty and rich. To Laudna’s dismay, she heard herself laugh the same way. 

On the road ahead, Imogen turned back.

‘Don’t worry. I’m sure the staff paid for that misstep in full. You could say they had a taste of my husbands displeasure.’ 

Laudna gagged. A vampire joke? Tacky. ‘You’re really not as funny as you think you are.’ 

‘And you are really too disrespectful for someone who owes me their life,’ she hissed. Quick as a striking snake, she shifted back to that arch tone, all dark humour and the rising pleasure that came from causing pain. Laudna braced. After all, she was the only one present. ‘In fact, I think you should thank me.’ 

Laudna growled, deep in her throat. ‘No.’ 

Delilah spoke again, with none of the gentleness of a joke. ‘I said,’ she hissed, and took Laudna’s heart in the palm of her hand. Strung her nerves around cold fingers. ‘Thank me.’ 

Laudna shivered. Twitched. She fought it but how to fight? They shared a mind, a body. She was fighting only herself. Her jaw moved under Delilah’s direction. ‘Thank you.’ 

‘Thank you, my Lady.’ 

A grey hall. A fine dinner. Her parents, her future, her life. Ended for a warning. A joke. A treat, a trick, meant to disturb. Lives ended on a whim. 

‘Thank you,’ Laudna rasped. ‘My Lady.’ 

It did not seem to bother Delilah that the words were hollow, mechanical. That she was making Laudna speak them. Perhaps that was because she could feel Laudna’s rising horror, feel the way she struggled against the strings like a rat in a trap, as it occurred to her what else Delilah could make her do. Delilah loosed the strings. Laudna fell - arms, ungainly, back to the reins; head, dropped, chin to chest. She held herself very still against the urge to shiver, tremble. 

Cold fingers stroked the back of her neck, as one would scratch at the neck of a faithful hound. ‘There. Good girl. Don’t make me warn you again, please.’

Laudna expected Delilah to leave, her point well and truly made. But instead, she lingered. 

‘I lied before. About why I’m here. I thought we could have a little chat, dead woman to dead woman, about the future. What you can do for me. What we can do for each other.’

‘I don’t want anything from you.’

‘We both know that isn’t true. Why, only the other night, talking about your past, you seemed so...ill at ease. There’s so much you don’t know. About yourself, about these powers I’ve granted you.’

‘I know enough.’

‘How could you possibly? The fact is you don’t know anything! You admitted it! Those troublesome little blank spots. Holes in your memory? You don’t know what happened between my guards taking you to the dungeon and waking up on that tree and that worries you, doesn’t it? It’s like -’ Delilah hummed thoughtfully. Stroked the shell of her ear. Despite the cuff, Laudna felt the touch on skin and scar. ‘It’s like a piece of you is missing,’ she murmured. ‘But you have an inkling, don’t you? Memories don’t go missing for no reason. You want to know what could possibly have been so bad that you remember all those other terrible things but not that. You want to know what else I did to you. You’ve been thinking about it a lot, ever since your dear heart came back from the library. What’s the word she used? Ah yes. Experiments.’

‘I don’t believe you!’ Laudna snapped. There was no doubt she was talking loud enough to draw attention, enough for the others to hear and witness, but her surroundings were just blackness as she closed her eyes tight, attention drawn ever inwards. 

‘Believe me? Darling, these are your thoughts, not mine.’

‘That’s not true. You’re lying again -’

‘You haven’t gone nearly mad enough to make me up in that broken head of yours and you know it. Besides, your girl would be able to hear me if I were another one of your voices, wouldn’t she?’

That was a question that had confounded them both. Two years they had wandered, searching for explanations, and had found nothing. It was something that unsettled Laudna as much as it frustrated Imogen. 

‘She’s an interesting one, your girl. Being able to peel open minds like that... I can see why she would interest you. At first you hoped she could answer your questions. And then you fell in love. It happens to the best of us,’ Delilah said, tone inviting her to laugh alone. Laudna didn’t. She felt paralysed, pain and fear coursing through her. Delilah sighed. ‘Oh dear. I’ve overwhelmed you. You must be so confused,’ she cooed. Curled a string of Laudna’s hair about her finger and tugged, sharp, sending a painful twinge through to her scalp. ‘All those questions you must have. What happened to me?’ she asked in a trembling mockery of Laudna. ‘What have I become? What did you do to me? Why am I like this?’ Delilah paused. The air grew cold, still. When she continued, her voice was a coiling hiss, wrapping itself around her. Her promises, another noose for Laudna’s neck. ‘How do I make it sstop?’

Laudna swallowed. An old curiosity, that question. Passing. One that she had not shared with Imogen. 

‘I can answer all your questions, darling. You need only ask.’

The thought of Imogen sent a flash of lightning through her brain, a jolt - enough to cut through the numb cold. ‘And you’ll share your knowledge for free, of course.’

Delilah laughed. 'No, of course not. Not when I know you could beg me for it and make any kind of promise I'd like.' 

'That won't happen.' 

'Are you so certain?' Delilah asked. Cold fingers touched to Laudna's chin, turned her to face and focus on Imogen--so worried, so close. 'I can help you, Laudna. I can answer all your questions. Grant you powers beyond your wildest dreams. Grant you forgotten knowledge to help your girl. You may not believe me, darling, but I'd rather help you than hurt you. But if you won't ask, and if you won't help me, if you struggle too hard, if you try to fight me,' she said with a dangerous snarl, 'well. Hurting you won't be a problem.'

[elliesgaymachete]

Yaz and Imogen for the character ask

Ah yes two of my favorite characters rn 🥰 thank you!

Yaz

favorite thing about them - how she’s just genuinely caring and wants to help people. It’s my favorite feature in any DW companion, when they’re so similar to the Doctor because they just want to do good

Least favorite thing about them - girl needs to look out for herself more. She literally puts everyone before her and gets pushed around by the Doctor sometimes she needs to stand up for herself

Favorite line - “You have a lot of ex girlfriends. They’re all still alive, right?” I just thought that moment was so funny it was like cop yaz jumped out lol. I also really liked when she told the doctor “it’s ok to be sad” after Ryan and Graham left

brOTP - I love Yaz and Ryan reconnecting and just being bros, and I love fics where Ryan’s dating her sister lol

OTP - Yaz and the Doctor 🥺

nOTP - Yaz and Dan. I’ve seen a little shipping of them but they’re bros and I def see Dan as being like protective older brother sort of thing

random headcanon - I don’t think it’s been confirmed in the show but I think she’s left her job and I can’t see her going back to it ever, especially after Flux

unpopular opinion - honestly can you hear me isn’t really one of my favorite episodes. I love the yaz backstory and seeing her struggling with depression but I never really liked that she was a cop so I didn’t really like the implication of how she ended up there. The whole episode also felt a little preachy/not very genuine which is a problem I had with a few s12 episodes.

song i associate with them - 1000 Times by Sara Bareilles

Favorite picture of them - I’m gonna do favorite fanart and I gotta say this one

Imogen

Favorite thing about them - the thigh dagger 🥵

least favorite thing about them - nothing she’s perfect

favorite line - “You’re gonna make me cuss” after she has said fuck multiple times

brOTP - Imogen and Dorian have such a FUN dynamic of like gay theatre kids with social anxiety and I loved it

OTP -Imogen and Laudna we know this 💛

nOTP - I’ve seen people like jokingly ship Imogen and Chetney and I know Laura and Travis are married but that’s not my thing At All

random headcanon - modern au Imogen wears overalls

unpopular opinion - ok idk if it’s unpopular or what but ok the one thing she does I don’t like is how her first method of communication with someone even if she doesn’t know them that well is the telepathy. It’s an interesting choice and something that has probably complicated a couple of situations, but a definite invasion of privacy even if she can’t really control the fact that she has that telepathic connection in the first place but yeah it’s interesting and I wish she wouldn’t do it but I’m curious about the character reasoning behind it

song i associate with them - overwhelmed by Royal and the Serpent

Favorite picture of them - I just love the style of this one it’s so cute

[vethbrenatto]

for the ask game, how about igmone? im still not sure how i feel about her because we haven't gotten much if a chance to see her personality yet, fearne, launda, and bertrand ಥ_ಥ are my favs so far in campaign 3

First impression: imogen was one of my favorites after c3e1! i loved her aesthetic and her attitude + her relationship with laudna.

Impression now: ive been having a harder time connecting with imogen since e1, probably because she's what i'd consider one of the more serious characters in the party and i'm innately drawn to comedic characters. that said, i'm really interested to get more of imogen beyond the surface level of her mind reading and the struggle that is. there have been glimpses of things that really intrigue me with imogen, for example, i think that underneath her softspoken-ness, i think she's quite snarky?? and i love it.

Favorite moment: pulling dorian in on her ruse to fool the guards!

Idea for a story: i'd love to know the shenanigans laudna and imogen got into in their 2 years of travel together prior to c3. a mind reader and an undead witch walk into a bar-

Unpopular opinion: i think she should make horse girl a larger part of her personality. i think it'd be neat

Favorite relationship: launda & imogen! still have not determined if i ship this romantically or not but regardless i love the dynamic

Favorite headcanon: okay i dont have any like Deep imogen headcanons yet but one thing i do have in my head is a clear idea of her character design and in my own mind imogen's hair is much more purple than in the canon art where it's that super pale lavender

[larsisfrommars]

Final Impressions from Campaign Three, Episode One

Putting my shit together now that I’m able to collect my thoughts about everything that happened this episode.

90% of the Marquet lore setup went wayyyyy the fuck over my head, like, water off a duck’s back. I heard place names and people but it was mostly just wii music for me cuz I was so damn excited and overwhelmed. I’ll have to rewatch to comprehend what the fuck Matt said.

This campaign’s beginning was way less visually/emotionally striking than Campaign 2’s but it’s honestly reminding me of Vox Machina: Origins early campaign stuff a lot in a good way. Something tells me not everyone is a permanent installation and I know that both Grog & Scanlan, and Tiberius and Keyleth started with different parties initially. So who knows what’s gonna happen. That ending was absolutely RIVETING though!

There’s a lot of balls in the air by bringing back Sir Bertrand from Search for Grog and three ExU characters back as well as new PCs from everyone else. I have mixed feelings about it, I’m not mad about the lack of new characters, Bertrand and the ExU crew are people I’d love to know more about. I really trust the cast and their ability to make these characters even more complex and wonderful than they already are. I’m more worried about lack of payoff/being too complicated because of how much is being juggled as well as unpleasant, bad faith backlash that happens frequently in this fandom.

I don’t think anyone will have to see ExU or Search for Grog to get a grip on these characters unless they actively want to. We didn’t see the M9’s first level 1 adventures and I think not seeing ExU is basically gonna be the same sitch. I also suspect that Bertrand doesn’t remember his adventure with VM at all, (more on that later).

Character Reactions

Imogen gives me like, Caleb vibes in the sense I have the distinct impression she’s got intense trauma she’s giving everyone unassuming static about, and is borderline agoraphobic as a result of. She also gives me Yasha vibes but that might just be her pastel aesthetic and soft spokeness. It’s interesting seeing Laura play someone who isn’t super Out There and extravagant like Vex and Jester. I’m also thinking she and Laudna are either like sisters or girlfriends, can’t tell which yet.

Laudna, probably my second or third favorite thus far, it keeps flip flopping between her and Ashton. I love that her name is a play on the opiate drug Laudinum, kinda hints at her dark charm and whole sexy and creepy deal. Her grunge girl Coraline/Beldam aesthetic is absolutely top fucking notch she is super hot and scary and I love that. Marisha playing a high charisma character for the first time is ALSO top notch, 10/10 can’t wait to see what she does with that. I am curious about her WhiteStone heritage, especially if she’s tied to the De Rolos or Briarwoods or even Orthax. 100% intrigued for sure!

Ashton I mean, HOO BOY, talk about fucking ✨gender✨. The transmasculine energy coming from them is absolutely palatable. Yet another 180 from his previous character although he does kind of remind me of Kingston/Molly to an extent, if significantly grumpier and less concerned with lying and mouthing off as our beloved circus man. I really wanna know how they got that super intense scarring and the hole in his head, the whole kintsugi thing is impeccable too. I think the only reason he’s third and not second most of the time in my head is because I don’t know enough about them yet, even if he looks really cool.

I would fucking die for Freshly Cut Grass, he’s favorite, he is babey, it is an uncomplicated adoration for robots who are super sweet and adorable I’m done, I never stood a chance. He’s like if Baymax, Data and Clank had a baby and I am so head over heels for his identity struggle and genuine kindness. I can’t even, no thoughts head full of love.

Dorian Storm, ROBBIE IS BACK YESS!! I’ve heard (not seen confirmed yet) he’s been listed as a special guest star but I hope to GOD Robbie becomes a permanent fixture in the cast. He’s got the energy and rp caliber of a main cast member and as much as [REDACTED] was a huge jerk and I’m happy they kicked him out, I find the even number of 8 players super super appealing for some reason. Dorian was my favorite character and Robbie my favorite player from ExU (although I did love Aimee, Aabria and Angelie). He’s melding with the new PCs better than anyone else who came back with a preestablished PC. I really, really want Robbie to stay and would be sad but understanding if Dorian left, since there’s a chance the ExU PCs might not be sticking around. I love him with my whole heart. I miss having a Bard around even if I find Scanlan contemptuous (affectionate).

Orym of The Air Ashari, I really liked his position in the ExU crew and I still think that it’s hilarious that even with this new crew he has the highest INT at 13 (gay dumbasses ONLY in this campaign, 10/10) he’s kinda, lost the social orientation in the pecking order he almost immediately had in ExU so comparitively he’s kinda “Just There”. However I don’t think that it’s going to last and his role is going to change a bit to something much more depthful that “holder of the brain cell” even if he and/or the ExU crew are only there temporarily. He was kinda dodgy the whole time about his past in ExU and while I think this may be Liam’s least edgy character I am certain he has something game changing (and possibly tragic) in mind for Orym especially if it’s long term. Also while I’m a hardcore Doriax shipper, the chemistry between Orym and Dorian is super lovely too.

Fearne Calloway, again, a character that has kinda lost her group orientation with the collision between new and ExU PCs. I’m shocked Little Mister didn’t make a significant appearance in the first episode, maybe that’s why she felt incomplete. I have a distinct feeling she and Laudna are gonna get along like a barn on fire (pun intended). She has a lot of potential and while I’m not 100% warmed up to Ashley playing a druid yet for hard to name reasons, I think I can adjust. I feel like she’s gonna be one of those characters I thought I wasn’t gonna be a huge fan of that suddenly, violently becomes my favorite in the span of like, half an episode. I guess we’ll see.

Sir Bertrand Bell, he’s actually the one I’m the most excited to see explored more because we saw him the least barring the C3 characters that are absolutely brand new. I do not think he’s a Changeling, I’m pretty sure Travis said something like “mid 70s early 80s” and that people are hyperfixating on the wrong detail imo. I also don’t think he’s much shadier than the idiot boasting conman those of us who saw the VM one shots knew him to already be. What I REALLY think is going on is that Bertrand has had some serious memory loss, be it magic or old age, more likely the former. OR he just thinks he’s Bertrand Bell and there’s something even wilder going on. I think that explains his level drop better than anything, I also don’t think he’s going to level up at the same pace as the others initially in order to keep things balanced. Bertrand is a really really great opportunity to expand a character that was mostly a joke into a really cool complex character. Getting to explore themes of cowardice and confidence and such. He’s also the first main PC that’s like, straight up elderly, and if anyone could pull that off consistently it’s Travis. I hope we keep Bertrand for as long as possible because that BG feels fuckin JUICY.

[utilitycaster]

Hiya. Been reading lots of your takes bc I'm curious. You mention the gnarlrock often but I'm struggling to be sure I've found your initial thoughts. Wondering if you had any gnarlrock posts before the ask from Kerosene-in-a-blender, as that's the first one that's showing for me when I search gnarlrock in the search bar (but we all know how great Tumblr search is.)

Would love a couple links if there's any particular ones you'd recommend.

Sure! I should note I've mentioned it a lot recently because interpretations of Imogen have been on the forefront lately. The greater context is that when Imogen was understandably upset that Laudna, after telling her she wouldn't break the gnarlrock, broke the gnarlrock, the response I received was "but it wasn't Laudna's fault" (technically mostly true but Imogen didn't know that so judging her on it seems unfair) or "but the gnarlrock was BAD for her" (still completely unconfirmed). However, when Imogen repeatedly muses on whether the Vanguard is perhaps right in front of Orym (husband, father-in-law, and himself all murdered by the Vanguard, which Imogen knows) or Laudna (murdered by the Vanguard, which Imogen knows) suddenly the same people who condemned her as a silly little girl who doesn't know what's good for her re the gnarlrock have boundless sympathy. [I'm saying that Liliana Temult is like if we knew for certain the gnarlrock were bad, and Orym, Ashton, and Laudna are all gently saying hey maybe this is bad for you.]

I found all of these by just going to my archives from mid-May 2022, when the episode aired, so feel free to dig in there.

Anyway:

initial reaction

Some specific discussion on Imogen (little bit more here)

Specific discussion on why Imogen's feelings are extremely justified

Responses to misinterpretations of the above discussion:

one

two (note: at the time we didn't know the specifics of Laudna's pact, only that she was level 2 in warlock so she did have one)

Discussion of the conflict between Imogen and Laudna

Some discussion both on the ship and the (at the time) fandom resistance particularly among shippers to the idea that Imogen is the protagonist, oh how the turns have tabled

Discussion of Laudna's powers and statements re: being a warlock

Discussion of the gnarlrock