#dragon of knowledge and resources

[anulithots]

Perhaps I just exist to collect things I like, learn information that's a little too niche, and be a tad bit less reliable than google.

Then I can showcase/gift the archives in my head like a dragon of knowledge

[beeapocalypse]

AH i havent talked abt the frontierists here have i. very secretive sect of alamanni humans looking into Dreamed Realities (pocket realities born by dreams- the purposeful creation of them by eldritch deities Is possible but is also considered way blasphemous. near every dreamed reality by alamanni folk is born of essentially the most advanced form of maladaptive daydreaming possible and is unintentional. way hard to discern between them and real vivid Normal dreams). humanitys predecessors (taught the secret of intentionally dreaming up new lands by a select few eldritch beasties seeking refuge from the rest) sought refuge in a dreamed reality to get away from both the incessant typically deadly curiosity of the vast majority of eldritch deities and their incredibly shit living situation (forced into subterranean living bc of the whole corpse of the existence dragon and all of its curious parasites hanging up in the sky staring down at them, resources running low over the years with them unable to leave for more bc of the venettes- already sentient animals transformed into more human shapes by the eldritch in an attempt to get closer to that hidden race) and their shed mortal bodies upon successful exodus became the first humans so theyve got this tiny innate knack for intentional exploration that other alamanni folk dont. through the gathering of just abt every bit of still surviving texts on dreamed realities (WAY sparse, both thru the passage of time + the fact that those first eldritch deities desperate enough to part with such secrets were long killed by their more pious fellows), the frontierists understand the mechanics of it all Just enough to be able to deliberately enter and explore this 'final frontier' which they seek to put to page and Conquer

[lactoseintolerentswag]

Rise Characterizations Pt. 3!!!

Now that Leo and Raph are done, it's Donnie's turn for character analysis as a writing reference. So without further ado,

Donnie Character Notes

Language Habits:

Straight up talks like a redditor who hasn't touched enough grass (affectionate)

Oscillates between very scientific paper polished, sometimes adding a dazzle of shakespearean for dramatics, or abbreviations/a shorter version of a word with a more fun connotation (i.e. "brekkie" instead of breakfast)

Uses food as surprised exclamations or curses, "oh my peaches and cream", "banana pancakes!"

Emphasizes each syllable of a long word when he's excited or trying to make a point. Conquered becomes con-qu-ered

Either exaggerates his speech or speaks in deadpan

The science terms he uses as battle cries aren't chosen at random, but rather are related to the action/subject at hand, i.e. yelling "fibonacci" when throwing his spinning tech-bo

Will overly describe an item or a situation, and often gets caught up in these observations before processing what just happened

Will repeatedly yell "help!" when he's distressed and/or outnumbered

Refers to Mikey as "Michael"

Refers to his brothers as "brethren" or "gentlemen"

Refers to splinter as either "father", "papa", or "dad" depending on the weight of the situation

Refers to his tech as his "babies"

Answers the phone with, "You're conversing with Donatello"

Uses "gesundheit" instead of bless you

Personality:

The fixer, he supplies the family with tech and resources. He always has a trinket made for the situation at hand and/or offers his knowledge/data collected. He's always prepared to help. Even with outside resources, he likes to feel useful in solving their problems (i.e., building Todd that dog park)

The theater kid, in a similar vein to leo, Donnie has his own style of dramatics. He often uses shakespeare-like language, is mentioned to regularly recite the jupiter jim musical soundtrack, and has a music mode for his battle shell. He belongs on a stage, or at least thinks he does

Not good at lying, despite the glamour he can put on in the spotlight. This may be due to the side of himself that over explains his thoughts

An over-thinker, who really tends to over-complicate things. His first theory or idea will always be the most extreme buck-wild concept. After some filtering, he still word vomits

A dreamer/big idea guy. He does have big ideas and goals. A lot of these he's able to put into place, although some go a little haywire (see Albearto). He doesn't do things in halves, and puts everything into a project

Meticulous, someone who's very detail oriented. As mentioned before he tends to over-complicates things. This may be impacted by his love for data and collecting information (he does record Everything for a reason)

Always on the edge of violence, which is surprising. Donnie's not known as being the angry archetype of tmnt, but he can get a little violent in his fighting style and does often cite his desire to use lethal force

Low empathy, which is mainly due to his issues processing and recognizing emotions. He's been pegged as unemotional, but in canon he's rather emotional and expressionate, just lacking the skills to process such emotion (he's just like me fr)

Praise motivated, as seen with his interactions with Splinter. Also desires the praise of his brothers, who he doesn't feel understand him with all the teasing that's sent towards his direction. This also pushes him to seek validation and acceptance in other groups (i.e. the purple dragons), to feel a sense of security or belonging

Ignores his own mistakes, and will often pretend like they didn't exist or ever happen. This most likely has to do with his desire for praise, so he feels bad when he fails. If he never made a mistake, he never has to feel bad

Miscellaneous:

Fourth to unlock mystic powers

Uses "Bootyyyshaker9000" as most of his usernames and passwords, with his alt. username being "Alpha-Bootyyyshaker9000"

Has a fear of bees, spiders, and of course beach balls

Breaks the fourth wall the most

Loves the smell of pineapple, hates the texture

Has a hobby of rooting around in the junkyard and dumpster diving

Uses cheat codes in video games

Mikey's next of course :)

[laurelsofhighever]

A list of potential cures for the Calling, that we know about, that BioWare has apparently forgotten

Andraste's grace: it's not specified whether the flower the kennelmaster has you pick in the Korcari Wilds is Andraste's grace or if the game just needed a one-off asset and decided to reuse one they already had. However, in the dark future in DAI, Leliana is found to have unusual tolerance for the taint, and in DAO she talks about her mother pressing her laundry with dried Andraste's grace flowers, so it makes you wonder. Anyway, the flower stops Barkspawn becoming a ghoul and seems to make them immune to the taint from that point on.

Maric's longsword: he finds it in the Deep Roads and is suprised it isn't covered in the same Blight-rot as everything else - until, that is, he touches the sword to a patch of it and sees it wither away. Whether it's the dragonbone the sword is made of or the runes on the blade is difficult to say, though if it was just the dragonbone then it would make sense for that to be a more well-known property of the material (and would have been an interesting reason for why dragons were hunted to extinction). If Alistair carries it with him, doesit slow the progession of the taint through his body? Does he know its effects, and give it to the HoF to help keep them safer on their journey to find a permanent cure?

That obsidian dagger Duncan finds in The Calling: the dagger belonged to First Enchanter Remille - who also gave the expedition members brooches that accelerated the spread of the taint. iirc the both the dagger and the brooches are made by the Architect with Blight magic, which means the darkspawn magisters have more knowledge of how the Blight works than the Chantry attributes to them.

Whatever the fuck is going on with Avernus: he hasn't managed to cure himself yet, but he's managed to make it to 200 and the Warden can let him continue his experiments if they don't kill him - and he'd be a really useful resource if the Warden later wanted to send him other potential cures for testing.

Dragons: they have an ability to isolate the Blight in their bodies by forming crystaline cysts around the initial infection to stop it spreading. Useful if it can be more widely applied. Also, it's implied that Maric's reaver blood, which Calenhad gained by mixing his blood with a dragon's, is what somehow cured Fiona of the taint, kinda like a reverse STI, BUT in the Deep Roads they went through an area where the walls were coated in a pale, chalky substance suspiciously devoid of Blight-rot and she touched it, so I'm a bit suspicious of that.

Blood magic: makes sense since the taint is a problem that starts with infected blood. There are two major instances in DA canon where blood magic has been used to purge the taint from an object or being (both by elves btw). The first is Isseya using it to draw the taint out of a clutch of unhatched griffon eggs, which she says is only possible because the taint hasn't yet taken over the hatchlings' bodies to the same extent that it had with the adult griffons. The second instance is Merrill purging the Blighted eluvian in DA2. It's insane that Anders - who is a reluctant Warden and who possibly knows the HoF seeks a cure - isn't more excited about this. She literally removed the Blight from a fully tainted object. Since Isseya proved the same can be done with living tissue, it's probably the closest we've come to an actual cure, but since it also took years there's no telling if it could be a practicaly solution for all Wardens

[lilac-nites]

List of Lolita Resources

Someone in my comm encouraged me to make this list of resources for new lolitas. We were talking about how hard it can be to find information from Google search and there's just so much misinformation out there. I have a list of links that I've bookmarked and read over the past decade for when I finally become a lolita. I organized the list by sections in a specific order. It goes from information about the fashion and then to where to buy it.

To any new lolitas, there is so much information out there about lolita fashion that is still available. Part of the fun for me was researching the fashion, looking at coords, and learning what makes lolita lolita. There's so much information out there for you to immerse yourself in and even more stuff that's not listed in this resource list.

What is Lolita Fashion

Fyeah Lolita - This is my favorite blog and I still go back and read it. The last post was made in 2016 and the fashion has changed a lot since then, but it's pretty comprehensive and provides a good base knowledge. Imo, I think these articles (1 2 3 4) are required reading for anyone entering the fashion Lolita Fashion 101 - Bay Area Kei did several videos on lolita fashion during lockdowns. I recommend them for anyone that prefers video format. Raine Dragon's Lolita 101 series - Raine is a lolita that still updates her blog and has a lot of information on the history of lolita fashion. And she has a really great article on Chinese indie brands that should also be required reading for anyone new to using Taobao.

Costs of Lolita Manufacturing - One of the first things you'll notice is that lolita can be expensive. This resource breaks down the costs associated with manufacturing and why brands charge what they charge.

Substyles of Lolita Fashion

The below links are for the three basic styles of lolita fashion. If you research more, you'll find that there are more than these three, but I recommend starting with one of the three above to make it easier for to build your wardrobe. Classic Lolita Sweet Lolita Gothic Lolita

Where to get Lolita Fashion

Before even buying anything, you will need a tape measure to take your measurements. You'll need to measure your bust, waist, hips, and shoulder width in centimeters. That's how you will find out which clothes will fit you. Sizing can be different from brand to brand and country to country. I know many are used to buying using letter sizes, but it's best to go by actual measurements. Aim to buy clothes that are 4 - 6cm larger than your actual measurements to allow room for breathing/eating/etc. If you're brand new to the fashion, I highly recommend sticking to the sources listed in the videos below. It's very easy to get scammed if you don't know what to look for and I'd hate for anyone to lose their money on barely wearable clothes from Amazon/Ebay/Aliexpress. Where to Buy Lolita Fashion How to shop for Lolita Fashion online - secondhand is life for lolita fashion and there are so many options. PinkFakeFlowers goes in depth into the many ways to get it. I personally recommend 42lolita for anyone looking to buy from Chinese brands on Taobao.

Plus Size Lolita

Unfortunately, many of the Japanese brands and even some Chinese indie brands are not size inclusive. If you can't fit into the mainstream brands, don't worry there are still options. I always recommend Meta since they have a Plus Size and occasionally a Plus Plus size of their dresses and blouses that goes up to 160cm or even 200cm in some releases. Plus Size Lolita Crash Course Where to Start as a Plus Sized Lolita - This is a wonderful resource listing brands that are size inclusive.

Online Spaces for Lolita Fashion

Lolita fashion is pretty spread out now compared to the EGL (still recommend reading livejournal because its a cool time capsule of the lolita comm) days, but there are still groups on Facebook BSoLF - Great for beginners to ask questions and be helped by others. It's hard to search here but I recommend looking through the group for info. Your Local Comm (if applicable) - most are still on Facebook even if they still have a Discord. You can search for your local one on this list.

More Resources for New Lolitas

Lolita Tips for New Lolitas Three helpful tips for coordinating an outfit Lolita Tips Tumblr - I don't recommend Fanplusfriend anymore, but 42lolita is a good replacement. This tumblr is a great resource for inspo and there are many answered asks to reference. Unfortunately, polyvore is no longer a thing and many pictures are missing as a result.

Bonus

These are just a mishmash of links to resources/lists/blog that I like. Lolita Collective

Lolita youtubers ask

Lolita tumblrs ask 20dollarlolita and her post on replicas

More plus size lolita brands ask Japanese Wikipedia entry for Lolita fashion and list of brands

Azuki Mikan

Buttcape

Old School Lolita

[youremyheaven]

Revati's Mystery & Magic✨🐘🎭🌠

Revati is perhaps one of the most misunderstood nakshatras (although I'd say every nakshatra is misunderstood in one way or another because of how mainstream narratives about that nak focuses heavily on a few aspects and not others). Revati is the very last nakshatra and it lies entirely in watery Pisces rashi. It is also the concluding Mercury nakshatra. It is very interesting to me that the cycle of nakshatras begins in Ketu (Aswini) and ends in Mercury (Revati). Ketu is formless, it is the tail of the dragon and represents the subconscious realm or a state prior to the materialisation of spirit/form. Aswini is of course followed by Bharani nakshatra which is where creation takes root. The progression of nakshatras reveals a story about the development of humanity/civilization. It concludes in Mercury which is a eunuch/genderless planet and in the water rashi (the complete opposite of Aries which is a fire rashi). Once an individual has passed through all the previous stages, life concludes in water. (Proverbially life also began in water) and transcended beyond gender, concludes itself in a genderless planet, because someone who has integrated their masculine and feminine energies becomes unified; the true Androgyne.

Mercury represents the mind, both other Mercury nakshatras (Ashlesha & Jyeshta) belong to the rakshasa ("demonic") gana but as the concluding nakshatra, Revati belongs to deva ("godly") gana. All Mercury naks belong to water rashis (cancer, scorpio and pisces) however the fact that only Revati belongs to the Deva gana is very telling.

As the concluding nak, it represents how once an individual has gained mastery over everything, the only terrain left to conquer is themselves and their mind. We are all capable of both creation and destruction, just like water which is simultaneously life-sustaining but also capable of great catastrophes.

Revati has the largest yoni animal; the elephant. This refers to the immense capacity Revati possesses to hold within itself a diverse, vast and wide rage of skills, talents, knowledge and wisdom. The emotional reservoir runs deep.

The other Mercurial naks have the smallest yoni animals (cat & rat/rabbit) and restriction/limitation is a major theme through both those naks. However Revati is boundless and vast. It is NOT infinite however since water is very much a finite resource. Revati natives have a lot of energy and enthusiasm but they also feel drained and depleted after a point. This is in contrast to the infinite cosmic space and abundance possessed by Punarvasu or Swati; they simply NEVER run out of gas in their tank, they can give give give and not feel exhausted. This is a cosmic capacity given to a few. (I must add that both Punarvasu & Swati are also Deva gana nakshatras).

The word "Revati" in Sanskrit means "wealth" and while this manifests literally in the lives of many natives, it also points to spiritual wealth and the inner reservoir of these natives. Not coincidentally, many Revati natives experience extreme financial situations in their lives; usually following a very rags to riches path. Often times they are born into great wealth as well (as Claire Nakti's Nepo Baby research proved- Revati was the top nakshatra among them).

Those natives who grow up in dire circumstances are forced to cultivate other talents, skills, charisma etc that will later on help them build very abundant lives.

Revati has the cosmic purpose of "moksha" or "liberation" (the others being Artha, Kama & Dharma). When one has transcended all other previous stages, all there is left for one to do is seek Moksha.

Revati is said to be endowed with all 6 opulences beauty, wealth, fame, knowledge, strength and renunciation.

Revati natives have a certain natural flair for things, the combination of Revati's mercurial prowess with Pisces' Jupiter influence, endows these natives with an uncanny charisma and ability to read people/situations well and respond accordingly. Revati natives often have ✨presence✨there's usually a very ethereal, otherworldly charm to them; they do not seem to belong to this world, the rules dont seem to apply to them.

Obviously, they are often also naturally skilled at "manifestation" which is the art of creating your own reality. Jupiter's influence grants these gifts to a native.

One reason why they are so misunderstood is because they are so detached, they are kind of dreamy, kind of passive and distant. They are very self contained and this comes across as aloofness. They are by design unattached to things most people regard as precious; this is not because they are uncaring but because being the final nakshatra, they have surpassed all levels of pretense and value judgements; being misunderstood is hurtful but they can't stop being who they are.

They are eccentric, kinda offbeat and a little weird and they are largely detached from conventional society and trying to act "normal" in order to fit in.

A lot of people think they're crazy or weird and they are labelled as such but their madness is what makes them who they are.

One underrated aspect of Revatis is their geekiness tbh

Cardi B, Revati Moon

Cardi was on an episode of Hot Ones recently and spoke about how much she loves reading about history and WW1&2 and she geeked out about visiting Roosevelt's house/office and how that was such a big moment for her.

Angelina Jolie, Revati Moon

She has described herself as "I’m a closet foreign policy wonk. I’m a bit more boring than people would think… I’m a bit of a geek." and read any magazine interview of hers and you would know how well informed and educated she is about all the issues she puts her weight behind.

Kim Taehyung, Revati Moon

He loves art and has a lot of seemingly random trivial knowledge about a lot of different things. He's very diversely talented and has lots of random interests.

He said this in an interview:

"I’m someone who just really loves watching movies. Whenever I do, I find myself naturally drawn more to the villain characters rather than the heroes. When you watch a film, you have to look at the big picture, or the forest for the trees. I think that villains play a very big role in making that overall picture complete; they really have to sell their own charisma to make the movie come to life. If the villain doesn’t really have depth to their character, or if there’s no chemistry between the characters, then the hero can’t really shine either. So I always end up watching the villain characters closely. I’ve told a lot of my friends and people around me that I now have this ambition to play a villain at least once."

A lot of Revatis express feelings of being misunderstood and empathising with villains seems to be a running theme among many Revati natives.

This is Angelina Jolie's 2015 speech when she won Best Villain at the Kids Choice Awards:

"When I was little, like Maleficent, I was told that I was different, and I felt out of place, and too loud, too full of fire, never good at sitting still, never good at fitting in. And then one day I realised something, something I hope you all realise. Different is good. So don’t fit in, don’t sit still, never try to be less than what you are, and when someone tells you that you are different, smile and hold your head up high and be proud. And as your villain, I would also say - cause a little trouble, it's good for you."

Revatis are not a monolith and this nak manifests very differently in people (also affected by the rest of their chart) but I've noticed how many famous Revatis have battled substance abuse and other mental health struggles. Ex: Heath Ledger (Revati Sun & Rising), Angelina Jolie (Revati Moon), Jamie Lee Curtis (Revati Moon), Kevin Spacey (Revati Moon), Jared Leto (Revati Moon) many Revatis have also experienced abuse either as children or from their partners, this again includes, Jolie, Rihanna (Revati Moon & Rising), Shakira (Revati Rising), Whitney Houston (Revati Moon), Tori Amos (Jupiter in Revati atmakaraka), Maya Angelou (Revati Sun conjunct Jupiter), Ashley Judd (Revati stellium), Marilyn Manson (Saturn in Revati atmakaraka)

The thing about abuse is that you live with a lot of shame and are made to feel "different" from others, most abusers try to paint their victims as the bad guy who deserves to be "punished", this does explain part of Revati's association with villains (they're made to feel like the villain).

in her video Claire Nakti had explored how men who have played the Joker onscreen tend to have strong Revati placements, tying into how Revati is associated with the trickster archetype.

I think this has led to a lot of misunderstanding in the vedic community regarding the nature of Revatis.

Joker's origin story is that of a man who, while disguised as the criminal Red Hood, is pursued by Batman and falls into a vat of chemicals that bleaches his skin, colours his hair green and his lips red, and drives him insane.

It is a traumatic event/accident that drives Joker to the point of insanity and turns him into a psychopath. With that in mind, I'd already stated above how many Revatis seem to have suffered abuse in their lives (unfortunately) but I feel like especially among Revati men, suffering from abuse/experiencing trauma makes them more prone to being evil whereas it usually makes a Revati women more empathetic, kind and caring.

I'll use Jeffrey Dahmer (Revati Moon) as an example. He was largely neglected as a child as a consequence of which he had abandonment issues. Obviously not everyone who's neglected and abandoned grows up to be a serial killer & a cannibal but I feel like more often than not, Revati men are susceptible to the nakshatras darkness and instead of trauma being something that acts as a vehicle for radical personal change, they tend to be cruel and evil as a result of it.

Jeffrey Epstein, Kevin Spacey, Tony Robbins, Jared Leto (all Revati Moon) Alec Baldwin, Russell Crowe, and Steven Seagal (all Revati Sun) have all displayed varying degrees of cruel & evil behaviour.

in the movie Maleficent, the titular character is not inherently villainous, bad or evil, she starts out as a regular gal and experiences horrific abuse, the trauma and pain of which makes her "villainous".

There is a very painful scene in the movie (spoiler alert!!) where Maleficent's wings are cut off by someone she considered a friend when she's in a drug induced slumber.

Angelina Jolie herself confirmed that the scene was a metaphor for rape.

"We were very conscious, the writer [Linda Woolverton] and I, that it was a metaphor for rape,' she explained of the act of violence that takes place as her character is in a drug-induced sleep. 'And that this would be the thing that would make her lose sight of that. While it is 'an extreme Disney, fun version of it', at its core, the film is about 'abuse, and how the abused then have a choice of abusing others or overcoming and remaining loving, open people'. 'The question was asked: "What could make a woman become so dark and lose all sense of her maternity, her womanhood and her softness?" Something would have to be so violent and aggressive.' [We] created a past for her that led to the moment in which she curses Aurora, then takes us past that moment from Maleficent's point of view,' she said."

This is not to say all Revati men are evil or unkind or that this nak manifests positively only for women.

Ben Mendelson (Revati Sun) is an actor known for playing the bad guy in most of his films.

"I think you've gotta enjoy the bad guys, to a certain degree. Unless what they do is so terrible, I think you're supposed to enjoy the bad guys. Vincent Price was probably one of the most enjoyable and successful bad guy actors of all time. He was doing terrible stuff, but we enjoy watching it. To me, that sort of character is what you want to aim for. You want to be enjoyable for an audience. What happens when a bad guy is enjoyable is that the audience gets to be bad for a little moment, too, and that's nice. It's nice, within the confines of watching a film, to get to be the bad guy."

This is far more mature and healthy response from an evolved Revati native.

A scene from Girl, Interrupted starring Revati Moon, Angelina Jolie

Sometimes Revati natives play into the shocking and weird nature that people expect from them. They often play a caricature of themselves but due to their inherent watery nature and expansive Pisces tendency, its hard for them to do this for long, so they do things people dont expect of them, further confusing their audience.

The nurturing aspect of Revatis are often overlooked. The fact that they're tricksters and jesters doesn't take away the fact that they're highly empathetic and kind. The brighter the star, the darker the shadow, Revati natives are some of the most naturally gifted people, be it their beauty, charisma, talent, personality etc, they are so naturally abundant. However one must understand that abundance does not exist in a vacuum, there is a downside to every blessing. Its wise to not dwell in it too much but one must recognize it.

Rihanna (Revati Moon & Rising)

She's a singer, actor, businesswoman, billionaire, fashion icon and humanitarian and she's been doing al this since she was a teenager. Rihanna is a great example of the range of Revati in every regard, she's had her own fair share of pain, trauma, abuse and hurt but she's also a million other things.

Claire said in her video about Revati's hypersexual nature and fascination with sexual taboos. However I think Revatis have a very dual nature where they're either celibate and chaste or extremely indulgent.

In a 2003 interview, Angelina Jolie said this:

“I went for about two years with absolutely no man around me and then decided to get closer to men who were already very close friends of mine,” says Jolie, 28.

in a 2015 interview, Rihanna said this:

"I honestly think how much fun it would be to live my reputation,” she said. “People have this image of how wild and crazy I am, and I’m not everything they think of me. The reality is that the fame, the rumours — this picture means this, another picture means that — it really freaks me out. It made me back away from even wanting to attempt to date. It’s become second nature for me to just close that door and just be okay with that. I’m always concerned about whether people have good or bad intentions."

Rihanna, 27, is single and has not had a serious relationship since splitting with rapper Chris Brown, who assaulted her in 2009. She told Vanity Fair being famous had taken its toll on her love life, adding: “I mean I get horny, I’m human, I’m a woman, I want to have sex. But what am I going to do — just find the first random cute dude that I think is going to be a great ride for the night and then tomorrow I wake up feeling empty and hollow?I can’t do it to myself. I cannot. It has a little bit to do with fame and a lot to do with the woman that I am. And that saves me."

Revati natives radiate a very androgynous energy and have a highly integrated masculine & feminine nature.

Angelina Jolie (Revati Moon)

Karina from Aespa (Revati Sun atmakaraka)

Seonghwa from Ateez (Revati Sun & stellium)

Kristen Stewart (Revati Sun amatyakaraka)

Naks that serve the cosmic purpose of Moksha (liberation) tend to make its natives very playful and suggestive. Its unsurprising that April Fools is during Revati’s season.

Revati individuals love to play the devil's advocate, they often like to be the contrarian purely for the heck of it. They live for the shock value and love to get reactions out of people.

Most of the time, its harmless, however of course, there are certain individuals who take it too far.

(im sorry that this whole post heavily features AJ and a few others, its just that their lives are heavily publicized so there are more examples to draw from😔😬 a lot of Revatis are super private otherwise)

From kissing her brother, openly talking about her interest in BDSM, knife play and wearing her husband's blood in a vial around her neck, Miss Jolie is Revati's trickster energy at its peak.

Rihanna has definitely earned the "bad gal riri" title for herself. In the late 2000s & early 2010s she drew a lot of flak for posing topless and nude, going back to the boyfriend who physically abused her and even releasing music with him in the face of public outcry, often showed up high out of her mind to events and shows and made many many controversial statements.

Jennie's career has been mired in controversy from the day she debuted. She has Ketu in Revati. She posted this iconic picture during the height of her dating scandal which featured several personal pictures being leaked (or were they photoshopped?).

Cardi B (Revati Moon) is always in the news, mired in one controversy or another, from her admitting to drugging and robbing men as a stripper, to throwing hands and mikes on people to plenty of other things, Cardi loves to shock people.

Taehyung (Revati Moon) as Joker for Halloween many years ago.

Revati is the birth nakshatra of Saturn and the exaltation of Venus.

Pushan is Revati's deity and endows the natives with the shakti to "nourish and protect", these natives have a deep love for animals and children.

Pisces is ruled by Jupiter whereas Revati nakshatra is ruled by Mercury.

Revati is such an interesting and slightly unpredictable nak because of the combined energies of Jupiter, Mercury, Saturn & Venus. This can manifest as brilliance and giftedness or this can make an individual go astray into the darkness. Natural talent can make people lazy and arrogant.

Revati is also a Mridu nakshatras, noted for their 'soft, mild or tender' nature <333

This nakshatra belongs to the Shudra caste which is one of the lower castes.

Revati natives often feel like outcasts in group settings, like they don't belong and struggle with fitting in.

Their struggles can manifest as nihilism, make them cynics or turn them towards spirituality.

Revati has Kapha dosha which contributes to the sluggish nature of Revati natives. They have a frenetic energy but they're also a little slow and dazed if you observe them. This is the dreamy quality we associate with these natives.

Belonging to Pisces rashi, I feel like many Revati natives could fit the bill for ADHD and perhaps suffer from insomnia or narcolepsy.

the movie Angel's Egg (1985) is a very Revati coded film

it was a collaboration between the artist Yoshitaka Amano and Mamoru Oshii.

Amano has UBP Sun, Revati Moon (and stellium, with Mercury & Jupiter, his amatyakaraka and atmakaraka respectively).

I dont want to spoil the movie because its a dialogue less vibey 1 hour animated masterpiece.

The art that Revati natives make are very disorienting and confusing for others although they're perfectly sensible to the natives.

Human nature can be strange and disturbing, but due to the expansive nature of Revati, it can hold many contradictory thoughts and ideas. The final nakshatra is one which encompasses all the teachings of every other nakshatra, it contains the sum of everything, joining the cosmic ocean where it unites with consciousness and returns to nothingness.

In Ancient Rome, there was a senator Terentius Lucanus who brought a slave named Terence to Rome. He took him under his wing and educated him and soon freed him out of his amazement of his abilities. Terence went onto become a famous playwright around 170 BCE. One of his famous quotes was:

“Homo sum, humani nihil a me alienum puto,” or “I am a man, I consider nothing that is human alien to me.”

This is the best way to sum up this nakshatra. Out of unfairness, misery, poverty and darkness, these natives rise, overcome their challenges with ease and don't hold it against anybody. I am human so nothing human is strange to me.

[ifishouldvanish]

"A god should know, where all her dragons are."

I've seen plenty of discussion about how it's shitty of Erzsebet and Drolta to refer to Olrox as a dragon, because Quetzalcoatl isn't really a dragon, but it's like... Extra shitty on other levels?

I mean, this quote is already somethin' because dragon or not, she's referring to him as hers and just making it clear that she does not intend to afford him any agency in this """partnership""".

But I keep Having Thoughts ™ about the role and symbolism of dragons in European folklore.

In the most general sense, they represent power. In a lot of these stories, the dragon is an obstacle between the heroic protagonist and some kind of secret treasure or knowledge (Wealth! Land!). Or the dragon is terrorizing a nearby village (Never mind if the 'dragon' was there first!!). Or the dragon is unfairly hoarding riches it has no use for (don't worry, the colonizers will show the 'primitive savages' how to make the most of their land!! Isn't that nice of them??)

In these stories, it's up to the hero to eliminate this obstacle that's separating them from some resource they feel entitled to, or to 'tame' it and exploit its power for their own purposes. As such, they're pretty on-the-nose colonialist propaganda when viewed under the right lens.

So I wanna talk about The Golden Legend of Saint George and The Dragon, which is one of the most famous of these stories.

Story goes: There's a dragon who's been terrorizing a nearby village. The people start offering the dragon livestock to appease it, and when they run out of livestock, they start holding a regular lotteries to sacrifice one unlucky person to the dragon.

St George shows up before the next person (king's daughter) is about to be eaten, and he doesn't kill the dragon, no. He dominates it:

S. George was upon his horse, and drew out his sword and garnished him with the sign of the cross, and rode hardily against the dragon which came towards him, and smote him with his spear and hurt him sore and threw him to the ground. And after said to the maid: Deliver to me your girdle, and bind it about the neck of the dragon and be not afeard. When she had done so the dragon followed her as it had been a meek beast and debonair.

*(debonair in the archaic sense = gentle)

Erzsebet makes it clear that if she can't be worshipped, being feared is the next best thing. She can't get Olrox to ally with her willingly, so she resorts to force. In the end, she's getting what she really wants: obedience and subservience. For him to follow her like a meek beast.

The Golden Legend doesn't stop there though:

Then she led [the dragon] into the city, and the people fled by mountains and valleys, and said: Alas! alas! we shall be all dead. Then S. George said to them: Ne doubt ye no thing, without more, believe ye in God, Jesu Christ, and do ye to be baptized and I shall slay the dragon. Then the king was baptized and all his people, and S. George slew the dragon and smote off his head, and commanded that he should be thrown in the fields, and they took four carts with oxen that drew him out of the city.

A couple things here that slot right into the themes of colonialism in the show:

The dragon is used used as a way to coerce people into converting to Christianity. Just as Olrox would have watched the Spanish settlers do to his people: under threat of force.

The dragon is feared by the villagers despite no longer being an actual threat, but St George does nothing to dispel those fears—he exploits them. Just as prejudices of all kinds are used to justify settler colonialism as necessary or inevitable.

The dragon is slain and discarded once St George is done with it. Just as Olrox would have watched the Americans betray and displace the Mohican people who allied with them during the revolution.

Erzsebet and Drolta calling Olrox a "Dragon" isn't just ignorant or disrespectful because he's not a dragon. It's downright degrading. They're not just refusing to address him properly—they're telling a man who has survived settler colonization twice over that they intend to use him as a tool with which to do it again.

Olrox spends the season carefully stepping around every appeal Drolta makes for him to pledge loyalty to Erzsebet. And he's damned good at it: never giving up his true intentions by saying no outright, but wiggling out of ever having to say yes by instead asking pointed questions and making cutting observations that always land the ball back in their side of the court.

But then this scene happens, and he can't wiggle out of it this time. They've got their dragon where they want him. He's pinned and 'meek'—and I can think of nothing more infuriating and degrading for a character like Olrox than to be paraded about in his own land to help Erzsebet build her empire across it.

Olrox isn't a dragon, but she's going to make him one.

[dailyadventureprompts]

Villain: The Cult of the Wyrm Eternal

Any adventurer, alchemist, or awestruck child can tell you that there is power in the body of a dragon, and like all sources of power it's only a mater of time before someone comes along to try to capitalize on it.

Enter the Cult of the Wyrm Eternal, which emerges from long buried vaults to dissect the bodies of dragonkind like flesh eating beetles. The cult originated from a time beyond remembering following the teachings of a profane text known as the Har'Khon Libram, which survives into the modern day as a sort of how-to manual for those seeking forbidden knowledge allowing them to revive the cult's practices and discover its caches of lost power.

It's in this manner that the cult has survived millennia and numerous purges at the hands of heroes, holy orders, and oligarchs: With each iteration caching away knowledge and resources for acolytes they will never meet.

Hooks:

A prominent dragonborn hero and ally of the party disappears, leaving behind few clues and a mystery to solve. Lacking a true dragon to carve up for ingredients the cult abducted the dragonborn and plans on sacrificing them after a gauntlet of strange rituals intended to suffuse their flesh with power.  Its a race against the clock for the party to find their friend before there’s nothing left of them but a grisly scattering of magical items bound for the cult’s armoury. 

The local warlord has a new pet, a young dragon provided to him by the cult in exchange for his protection and material support. Tales of him riding out to wreak destruction from its back send shivers of terror through the populace. What a surprise then when the party encounter it in the wild, rampaging aimlessly after  slipping her bonds.  Brainwashed by cult doctrine the parry find themselves  negotiating with a creature with the drives of a caged tiger, the volatility of an abused teenager,  and the destructive potential of an artillery battery.  Talking her down will be as difficult as diffusing a bomb, but they might just come away with important information or even a new ally should they help her evade recapture.

Using knowledge purloined from the mysteries of the mother hydra herself a cell of the Wyrm Eternal has been working on a ritual to create a true dragon, experimenting with drakes, basilisks and other reptilian monsters, filling the wilderness with bounty worthy monsters that will inevitably bring the party crashing into their lair.

Background: The knowledge contained within the Har'Khon Libram is cursed, part of a scheme by the book's original author in an attempt to evade both death and those who hunt unlawful immortality. Reading the book not only imparts the authors knowledge upon the prospective cultist, but also a vestige of their cosiouness, which steers them towards the same course of action that has kept the cult alive for so long: constructing more vaults, hoarding draconic power, and propogating the Libram's knowledge so that the infection can spread through time.

Hidden in the depths of each vault are tablets of further tainted lore, which causes the seed of malign presence within the Wyrm cultist's mind to blossom, opening their mind to the space between life and death and allowing their patron's thoughts to swirl into their own. In this way the party can end up fighting the same villain through many proxies, the unseen master of the Wyrm eternal studying them as they cut down vessel after vessel before formulating a counteroffence.

Dungeon Dressing:

Wyrm Eternal vaults vary by the culture that originally constructed them, but are always in remote, sheltered areas that could endure largescale devastation. Their entrances are hidden and warded against intrusion, protected by magical cyphers that can usually only be broken with aid from the Har'Khon Libram. Vaults can also contain these doors within, locking away the greatest treasures until the acolytes have further tainted their thoughts with the Libram's curse.

Undead are ubiquitous within dungeons claimed by the Wyrm Eternal, ranging from simple servitors to looming guardians to dragonbone infused war machines just waiting to be unleashed on the cult's enemies all with green corpsefire flickering in their heads. Access to these undead armouries and the arsenal of magical items that come with them are one of the primary drivers for individuals to become cultists in the first place.

Each vault will likewise contain preserved pieces of dragongore, ranging from single skulls placed on altars to whole cellars filled with blood magically preserved in clay or glass vessels. If a cult cell reached full operation, it's likely to have atleast one mummified corpse preserved in an onsite tomb, it's vital organs ( and perhaps a few spares) preserved in canopic jars waiting nearby.

Art 1 Art 2

[definitelynotshouting]

Idk if this is Hunger AU canon or my own personal fanon but

one of the "calling cards" that the Watchers used in Evo was bedrock

bedrock is unbreakable by a player

perfect for trapping the player you're using as a Watcher incubator

and the texture looks rough af

when you get desperate you often try to do stuff to escape even if it's impossible, right

so what I'm saying is

probably one of the last things player!Grian did was tearing his hands to shreds trying to break bedrock out of sheer desperation

which makes all the passages in your fic where he's staring at his hands even more *gestures vaguely*

(idk why I typed this out in this format but it felt right so I'm going with it)

MAN OKAY THIS IS SUPER COOL i especially adore how youve connected it with the way i keep having Grian stare at his own hands???? which ftr is smth ive only just now realized i do all the time AKDBWKDJKSSJ this is JUST like the scarian jaw kisses thing HELPPPP 💥💥💥💥💥💥💥😭😭😭😭😭😭😭 but thats such a cool thought!!! And utterly angsty i love it >:]

Its also made me realize i dont think ive ever actually told yall what did happen during that interim where Grian was captive as a Player before he died and became a Watcher, so buckle in i guess as i try to explain this one to yall (obligatory cws for captivity, parasitism, violated autonomy, body horror, and major character death discussion)

Yknow the world borders the life series has?? It was like that, but tiny. Maybe a couple chunks' worth of space to move around in. He spawned into a savannah biome and the Watchers specifically in charge of keeping an eye on him (pun intended) penned him in with the borders, implanted the specially-coded larva, and then retreated back just outside the server's barrier code to, well. To Watch.

So post Evo dragon fight the Watchers convinced Grian to join them without telling him what that entailed. They then proceeded to whisk him away to the server cluster's dev crystal, which is where the remnants of this Watcher colony made their semi-permanent home. There, held together basically only by the Watchers' ability to manipulate code, they had Grian make a brand new server.... and immediately trapped him in it.

He spent a year there slowly dying, eaten from the inside out by a parasite that was collecting his memories, copying over his stats and personality, with very limited space and resources to get by with. I know he built a tiny house out of acacia, but it never got any bigger than a starter base. He lived off of mostly bread and the meat from a few animals that spawned in with him; he primarily used stone tools, because those were what was most readily available. It was a very terrifying and lonely year, where all access to the outside world was cut off, and he was meticulously watched over to keep from dying while the larva inside him continued to grow and destroy him.

The Watchers were mostly hands-off in terms of interaction, but they did do regular check-ins to ensure the larva was alive and that there was no danger present to its host. Hostile mobs were carefully warded off, and Grian spent most of his time alternating between begging them to let him go (they never responded), trying to figure out ways to escape (it never worked), and tending to baseless chores just to keep from going out of his mind as his body grew weaker and weaker and more unstable around him.

I have a lot of feelings about this tbh, bc its just such a bleak scenario to think about-- trapped in a tiny cage with something killing you from the inside out, and your captors wont even talk to you about it properly. Being left otherwise to your own devices, with the terrible, lingering knowledge that, even if it was under duress, you still agreed to this. The fact that, after a certain point, after your questions and pleas are summarily ignored and brushed aside, you finally realize: you aren't meant to survive this. You are going to die.

A juvenile Watcher's first meal are the emotions during their host's last few moments. Grian was no exception; he cracked his way out of his own ribcage, and, without meaning to, amplified and feasted on Player!Grian's agony and terror as he died. With their memory codes finally disconnected, Grian had to watch himself through the eyes of a stranger as his terrified consciousness dissolved and his body fell apart into nothing more than loose strings of code.

Only then, still weak and flailing and helpless, was he was brought into the colony proper, in order to teach him how to be a Watcher. It wouldnt be for another few years before Grian gained the strength, control, and insight required to make his desperate escape. In total, i wanna say he spent somewhere between.... 4-6 years??? with the colony against his will. It would take another 4 for him to finally scrape together the courage to contact Mumbo and finally ask him for an invite into the Hermitcraft proper

One of these days i do plan to write that reunion, actually, which i'll add to the series as another prequel just like all the words that i forgot to say, which takes place roughly 6-8 months after Grian finally joins Hermitcraft. And if yall want to read an absolutely fantastic fic that deals with the moment Watcher!Grian was born and Player!Grian died, you should absolutely check out my friend @raichett 's fic Divergency, which ive pretty much canonized bc it REALLY hits the nail on the head for that situation.

Okay this got a lot longer than i meant it to sidhskdjej also those timeframes are a little squiggly bc i havent fully settled on where they fall on the general timeline. I wanna say Grian had been a Watcher for abt a decade by the time Mumbo got him onto Hermitcraft, though, so thats the loose timeline im working off of when i talk abt this :] anyway thanks for giving me an excuse to write this all out!!! while your idea about the bedrock isnt necessarily canon, i absolutely ADORE it and can totally see Grian just tearing up his hands while scrabbling against the world border.... utterly heartbreaking we fucking LOVE to see it. Thanks for sending in your ask!!! I always love seeing what you have to say about hunger au!!! :DDD

[falconfate]

Inspired both by the recent solar eclipse and this post by @otiksimr, an art piece I’ve never been prouder of, my WoF oc Sunkiller!

Born under a total solar eclipse (ask me about my temperature-based nightwing hatching headcanons. and also my headcanons about how sunlight affects nightwings.) and blessed with the ability of perfect knowledge of the past, or at least the past where dragons exist. This of course makes her an invaluable resource to historians everywhere, which she is absolutely sick of, and so has gotten very adept at the hermit lifestyle. For pity’s sake, you solve ONE cold case murder as a hatchling, and suddenly EVERYBODY wants your attention…

(if tui has declared anything canon about nightwings and solar eclipses, like she has for blood moons, which are lunar eclipses, i haven’t seen it)

[thattimdrakeguy]

Hey,

So if it's not too much to ask, can you give me a summary on the Core Four's personalities? I really wanna know for analysis reasons, I'm re reading all the core 4 young justice and teen titans books and trying to decipher my favorite one.

I can give you the personalities as intended by their creators no problem, Person Newtonote.

Now as you read you might think "Oh, hmm, that doesn't add up with what I've read" when it gets into the Young Justice and Teen Titans books, but that's 'cause different writers write different things, and some writers understand some characters better than others, and some of it is just plain character development, or in worse case writers doing what ever they please 'cause they don't care.

I'll let you judge when what happens.

Onto what you've asked though, I'll try to keep it simple as I can while still being detailed:

Tim Drake:

My personal favorite, that much is likely obvious.

As intended, he is an idealistic young boy, and dreamed of Robin as an even littler boy (he's pretty small for his age). He's clever, and resourceful, and thinks very very highly of the legacy of Robin. It's his heart though that got him his job as Robin, and his compassion and genuine passion for the role of Robin. And he displays what many may call boy scout tendencies. Even admitting to original Robin Dick Grayson that he enjoys helping old lady's cross the road (or something like that.)

Being raised in private schools, without a lot of friends (He's shown having no friends until he goes to public school to my knowledge), he's a pretty naive and oblivious, trusting person. And it's through out his journey's he has to learn how dark Gotham City can get. Though compared to the other Bat-Family members of this era (90s) he's very much the heart and light-hearted youthful energy to it.

His social ability is mostly perfectly fine, he's no complete weirdo. Kid can get friends easy peasy. Easily likable to folks. Endearing. But he has an oblivious side, and can get ahead of himself. Has a habit of getting spiritually adopted by people who instantly want to protect him. Anyone from Batman, to former CIA agents, and even villains. He's just got that babyface on him, and button nose.

He also deals with anxiety in terms of being Robin, being worried that he may be stripped of the job, or let people down, or mess something up. And sometimes that lends him having a lot of insecurities about himself. While having some prior training in martial artists, and implications of having taken gymnastics, also a former boy scout, he still doesn't naturally take to the role like all other Robins around him. Which means he has to try a lot harder to have his keep.

In the Bat-Family in this era (the 90s) he's the heart, and baby to everyone. They're uber protective of him, and take him out of the action when they deem it to be too much for someone like Tim. Within Young Justice he puts on a heavy Robin persona to hide what he's really like. Making himself out to be a more Batman-esque mysterious leader.

When really, he's a dorky, fanboy, who loves Kaijus, Crocky the ??? Crocodile I guess (Basically Barney the Dinosaur), super heroes, cars, Warlocks and Warriors (Dungeons and Dragons), sports, comics, Sci-Fi, fantasy, and cartoons. Self-admitted geek, with some popular interests in there.

Think of Tim as sort of Autistic kind of. He's never officially said to be. But when you read his origin, it's definitely a legitimate way to interpret him. Though I believe his uniqueness is intended to really be molded by Tim's passion, and obliviousness from a lack of parental figures in his very young life.

Tim is supposed to be an optimist, as told by his creator, but to be real a lot of writers seem to forget that, even when making jokes about how he's optimistic compared to others. I think sometimes the writer's own cynism leaks out into him. So remember that...despite a lot of writers forgetting it. Be better than them.

Cassie Sandsmark:

My personal second favorite member, but, please, make up your own mind here.

She's a rebellious teenage girl, and tomboy. She stays up pass curfew to party, but is at heart a good hearted individual who truly wants to help. This comes at odds with her stubborness and headfirst attitude. She hates being treated as a kid. And shows a great deal of intuition and cleverness. She's also a babysitter. Seemingly a good one too.

Her need to prove herself can put itself ahead of her own logic though. And she buts head with her very stuffy mother who doesn't appreciate Cassie's care-free nature. She means a lot to Cassie, and Cassie wants her approval. Cassie's natural being is...very much in contrast to what her mother would prefer though. It's fun.

A lot like Tim she's also shown to be a Super Hero fanboy. For her it's specifically Wonder Woman and the Flash, while with Tim it's basically anyone the writer decides he hasn't met offscreen yet.

Through her journey's she learns to contain herself though, and better use her powers.

Bart Allen:

The most teenager-y teenager you ever seen. He has ADHD, but not the uber-hyperactive, talkative, hugger you see in some more modern misunderstandings of him.

Originally he was pretty quiet. Super popular in his school. Girls loved him and considered him a pretty boy. But in reality he has no social knowledge, because he was raised in basically a video game for two years. He's essentially an alien learning to fit in with human civilization. So he's incredibly reckless without intention. It takes him awhile to truly process the concept of death and related repercussions. So he's sort of dangerous.

He can be quite surly, and mean spirited on occasion. But like most heroes, he has a good heart that comes out in the end. It's just simply the 90s and being Anti-Authority is the norm. His name is Bart after all. Underneath that is a young man who does sweet things when he has it in him.

Just don't think of him like a baby like how a lot of people make him out to be. He's a teen's teen.

Original Bart, like original Tim, and original Cassie, to me, is the best version of the character. The most nuanced, and interesting.

Oh, and minor violent streak on Bart too. Started a fight before, and stuff like that.

He cares inside. That has to count for something right?

Kon-El:

Hot-Headed pervert. Over-confident. Fame hungry. Lady magnet. Stubborn. Head first. Sort of a prick. But again good hearted.

I haven't read him as much as the others, because I don't personally care for him. Then in the early 00s with Teen Titans they decided just to make him an angsty young Clark, which is personally boring.

I don't have a lot of great things to say about him. His solo is very dated, and overtly sexual. Something I have no interest in reading.

He's at his best in Young Justice though, where he isn't written as jail bait by a writer who thought it'd be great if he dated grown women to fulfill teenage boys dreams. Instead you get to have fun with a very flawed character without the distracting perversion...mostly.

Punk styled. Loves dressing like a punk. Until he doesn't. Ruh-roh.

--

Again though, different writers write different things. They catch onto different things more than others, some are plain neglectful, others don't care, some want to change stuff for the sake of it. It's comics, you'll be lucky if it's consistent.

But on my years of studies, all that is what the character's where intended to be by their creators. So a lot of it is a starting pad, but it's also the purest form of them you're going to find.

[hollow-dweller]

I love this. What's your favorite bad netflix movie?

"favourite" really and truly is not the right word but specifically this was about the movie Damsel with Millie Bobby Brown.

because like, the thing about that movie is that it would be easy to dismiss if it were just bad across the board. but there are parts of it that are inexplicably and frustratingly GOOD, both conceptually and in execution, and then the rest of it is just. so bad. SO bad.

Elodie putting together her escape route based on the efforts of past sacrifices, existing in a continuity of women who have pooled their resources and knowledge across TIME and LITERAL DEATH to help the women who come after them???? that concept ALONE is worth the price of fucking admission.

but then you also have the movie inexplicably giving Elodie a bisexual bob and a leather bustier to show that she's empowered or whatever. literally why. i am hunting the writer and director for sport. WHY.

at least she got a dragon girlfriend out of it

[kokelek]

What is "Dragons hurt dragons" about?

I think I’ve been asked this before, but I’ll answer it again, no problem. This time I’ll give more details. “Dragons hurt dragons” is a story taking place in the same Universe as “A Sand Particle Show”.

PREPARE YOURSELF FOR A MASSIVE INFO DUMP

It is about one of the first civilizations of mortals, created by the god of life SamoDobro and led by the god of death GaderyPoluki. The gods are young and haven't figured out how to properly care for their creations. SamoDobro found that experimenting is the most effective (and fun) way to gain knowledge. He came up with the idea of ​​placing mortals on several small planets with different environments and resources.

The main characters of this story belong to the species called kettle dragons, named after the shape of their planet. (It is actually teapot-shaped but shhh). The Kettle is the biggest and the wealthiest planet of all. Its climate is warm, food is easily accessible and the ground is filled with gold. The kettle dragons grew so full of themselves, they believe to be superior not only to other species, but also to their compatriots. Everyone claimed to be a king or a queen and demanded obedience, but in the planet full of arrogant rulers there is no one to give orders to. They split the land into MANY tiny kingdoms.

The three of main characters: Irys, Passiflora and Tulipan; live in one castle, which is divided into 3 parts that they call their own "kingdoms". They hate each other, especially Irys and Tulipan. For fear of passing on their share to their castle-mates (castle-mate?, is that a word?) after death, each adopted an heir, whose names are Jaśmin, Hiacynt and Jaskier. (also main characters)

Irys -> Hiacynt; Passiflora -> Jaśmin; Tulipan -> Jaskier

There is no solid plot in this story, it is mostly about shenanigans of the main characters and how they deal with living in a such nonsensical society.

They follow a some sort of routine; Jaśmin sneaks out of the castle every night and gives her guardian Passiflora a headache; Irys constantly tries to kill Tulipan and forces Hiacynt to help him with that; Jaskier wants to be a soldier and (without the others' consent) transformed the living room into a training ground.

The kettle dragons' routine was interrupted by a mysterious figure. Its appearance alone arouses confusion because it doesn't fit the description of any existing species.

One day, the outsider climbed the tallest tree in the middle of the cemetery, which is a sacred place for all kettle dragons, and began to speak. He claimed to be the Prophet and the future son of the third god who would soon be born. No one believed him, he was quickly thrown out of the cemetery.

But he never left. Many dragons claim that the Prophet follows them or whispers in their ears while they sleep. Soon, kings and queens begin to disappear without a trace.

The gods don't do anything about it, as they said: "It's finally getting interesting" 👍

Other characters here are: Ocel the furnace dragon, Len the true dragon king, Maciejek, also SemiSue and LostMedia.

[theresattrpgforthat]

Got anything that lets you play as monsters (vampires/monsters/etc) in the modern world in the vein of VTM? Ideally something in the PBTA/FITD area of system, but open to others for sure (: Thanks as always for your recs!!

THEME: Urban Monsters

Friend, the difficulty with this post isn’t that I don’t have recommendations for it - it’s that I’m trying to find recommendations that I haven’t talked about ad nauseam to this point. So I hope you don’t mind a fairly extensive “Past Recommendations” at the bottom of this post, because most of the PbtA games I know of are going to be there. I have limited experience with Vampire: the Masquerade, but I’m a big fan of Changeling: the Lost and other World of Darkness games, so I’m going off of general knowledge rather than specifics.

Bubblegum Vampires / Bubblegum Wizards 2, by Gormengeist.

You're a vampire in an infinite urban cauldron of muck and rot, of psionics and wizards, of danger and shadows. Though you are surely terrible, great, horrifying, (etc.), half the day is an enemy to your people; so set forth through the night to make your coin, secure your dwellings, and vanquish your infinite enemies.

You're a wizard who chews bubblegum and collects trading cards. That is to say, cards with the trapped souls of items and enemies within, obviously. An insignificant wizard in an infinite city has lots to prove and you've got to get help somehow. Break heads, steal money, drive stupid, chew gum, trap souls. Simple as.

Neon-Bright art and d6-based rolls, that’s what’s common across both of these games. This is the same world, but you’re living in two different spheres of it, depending on which game you play. As wizards, you collect spell cards that hold the souls of creatures you’ve vanquished, and use them to get yourself out of sticky situations. As vampires, you accrue vampiric powers through blood sacrifice, and your opponents are usually folks with especially tantalizing veins. Both games have various factions that have different goals than you, so if what you like about Vampire: the Masquerade is the amount of different ideologies that have the ability to fuck you up, you might like this game. Thematically, it looks a little more upbeat and pulpy than your typical V:tM game, but if you like one, you have another game in the same system ready to go.

The Hidden, by Dragons Are Real.

As children our parents read us fairy tales, ghost stories and recounted local myths. We’ve always assumed these stories are told to entertain or scare….what if these aren't just stories….everything you have been told is true. 

The creatures from fairy tales, mythology and folklore all exist.  Have you ever thought you saw something strange out of the corner of your eye but when you look again all looks normal. These creatures live in plain sight, unseen by the majority of people, only those who know they exist see them in their true form. Every culture has a name for these creatures but we know them simply as The Hidden.

The Hidden is a modern urban fantasy game powered by the Breathless RPG. It is inspired by such media as Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Constantine and The Dresden Files.

Another pulpy sort of game, the Breathless system that powers The Hidden is great for replicating diminishing resources, putting your characters in more and more difficult situations every time they pause to take a breath. This makes this game great for horror-style stories, and World of Darkness games firmly find a home in the horror genre. If you want something that’s fast-paced and can cover a lot of ground in a short session, The Hidden might be for you.

Tween Wolf, by Ibi Deficit Orbis.

Tween Wolf is a micro-RPG about middle schoolers experiencing both the fantasy of being exceptional, and the fear of being humiliated. As these kids come to terms with their awkwardly developing human bodies, they will also be faced with lycanthropy. And in the process they will experience supernatural heroism and intense shame—and learn to manage both.

It is designed to be played with a bent towards exploring the unforgiving social cruelty of middle school, self-image, and dysphoria. It requires one Game Master, 1 to 4 additional players, a few hours, one six sided die for each player, and two additional six sided dice for the table to share.

This is a very short game, with very few rules and a big focus on trying to keep your wild side under wraps. If what you like about WoD games is the struggle between the monstrous and the human, this might be the game for you. There’s not nearly as many big moral quandaries as there are in typical WoD games - you’re middle schoolers, not eons-old bloodsuckers - but to a middle-schooler, your problems are massive. I feel like the movie Seeing Red might be a good touchstone for this game.

Glamour of Our Youth, by Yuri Runnel.

Glamour of Our Youth is a roleplaying game based on the Forged in the Dark system. Drawing inspiration from media like Riverdale, Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Chilling Adventures of Sabrina among others, it works to tell stories of supernatural teenage adventures.

Building on the FitD framework, Glamour serves to tell exciting stories with high stakes, putting the youths through their paces as they try to make their way through a strange and hostile world, struggling with conflicts both internal and external, arcane and mundane. 

This game doesn’t cast your characters as specific supernatural beings, but the character options certainly make it possible. You cobble your character together from two different halves: Archetypes and Arcana. Your Archetype hails from classic high school cliques, such as Rebel, Outcast, Socialite and Athlete, while your Arcana details your supernatural ability, including Shapeshifter (which might translate to werewolf), Oceancaller (which you could turn into a selkie) or Shadow (which feels rather ghost-like to me). There’s also plenty of ways to play a teenage mage.

This game is in playtest, but it’s considerably far a long, with recent updates that indicate that the crew is hard at work refining the final product.

Protect the Child, by MintRabbit (that’s me!)

Humans have always been protective of their young, sometimes overly so. Humans have also always feared that which might make their young strange or different, and so insist that only humans can raise their own young. Monsters cannot raise human young. This is known. You have a human baby. You cannot find its parents. What is even worse, is that this child has powers, powers that others covet, and so everyone wants it. If you want to prove that you’re not the heartless monster that everyone says you are, that means you’ll have to raise it, at least until you find someone who is better suited to it than you.  You are creatures of fur, scales and fangs. You have claws that can rend flesh, faces that can crack mirrors, howls that can cause ears to bleed.  And your charge wants a blankie.

Protect the Child is a Forged in the Dark game about monsters caring for a young human, a human who contains strange and mystical powers that make them a valuable asset in any monster crew. The setting and factions present in this game are flexible: you might be aliens in a far-flung future galaxy, fantasy monsters from rival kingdoms, or even everyday wild animals that fear human society. 

So I’ve only just started play testing this game, which means that it’s very much in barely-playable mode. This game is also setting-agnostic, meaning that you can decide exactly when and where your game takes place - including as modern-day monsters trying to take care of a human baby with magical powers. The game is very specific in the themes of the story you’ll be telling - that is, themes about monstrosity, parenthood and responsibility, but if you all want to play different kinds of vampires, you can absolutely do that!

BloodLite, by ruan8000.

BloodLite is a role-playing game (RPG) designed to be played solo, but can be played in a group. In this game, you will create a Vampire following the rules and you will also create the world that this vampire interacts with, as well as the conflicts and obstacles that he will face. The world in BloodLite is like ours, but a little darker and more dangerous, full of supernatural creatures.

This game has no ties to PbtA or FitD, but it cites Vampire: the Masquerade as a direct inspiration, and you can see it in the Bloodline options available at character creation. You have a supernatural gift that give you advantages and also trigger your Hunger, which is your character’s thirst for blood. The goals of the game are represented through an Oath track, which fills when you fight enemies, overcome obstacles, and solve problems. This a fairly stripped-down game, but if you’re familiar with V:tM, then you probably won’t have a problem filling the world with factions, back-alley deals, and political wars.

Hearts of Yokai, by Lowell Francis.

So, this game isn’t out yet. But I can’t stop myself from talking about it a little bit. It’s the product of a Changeling:The Lost PbtA hack that Lowell has been working on for a very long time. I’ve been a bit fan of Changeling: the Lost and I also love PbtA games so I’m really excited to see more of this.

The link in the title leads to the current google spreadsheets that detail the current content of the game and the associated playbooks. The link for Lowell is to a blog post he wrote about the game, talking about the history, the changes he’s made, and the ideas behind what the current iteration is. What really intrigues me is how it incorporates "the actions of the Gentry through the lens of colonialism.” I’m really eager to follow the progress of this game.

Games I’ve Recommended in the Past

Urban Shadows 1e, by Magpie Games.

Bite Marks, by Black Armada Games.

Monsterhearts 2e, by Buried Without Ceremony.

Strays, by kumada1.

Eldritch Investigative Drama Rec Post

[marthawrites]

Hello friends! My name is Martha and I'm a wife, mom, and nerd about a whole lot of things. I'm officially in my 30s, a libra sun, aries moon, and leo rising.

• Aemond Targaryen simp

• Cryptid and monster lover

• Wannabe writer

Archived here will be an assortment of writing resources I find useful, fandom stuff, fandom writing, (maybe one day) horror writings, and things I generally enjoy. So, a hodgepodge! I try to tag most things - look in my search bar! Followers better be 18+ due to adult content on this blog because I am gross and shameless.

Requests CLOSED.

Check out my tag #other peoples writing for all the fics I've read and LOVED ♥ Huge shout out to all the wonderful, talented, and unhinged writers on this platform! MWAH!

Masterlist beneath the line! 

Any and all errors and mistakes are my own. I do not use a beta reader. All of these fics, unless otherwise stated, are non-descript female readers. All of these fics are based on my own interpretations of characters and events from the show, House of the Dragon, and the book, Fire and Blood. Any likeness or similarities to other author's fics is unintentional. I am open to private constructive criticism as I believe there is always room for improvement. Each fic is marked with the month and year that it was completed.

Aemond Targaryen:

One shots:

12/ 22 Knees:  (aemond x wife 18+) during a dinner you witness a Lannister relentlessly flirting with a young lady who’s clearly uncomfortable. Taking matters into your own hands, you begin flirting with him to steal his attention away. Aemond, your husband, only plays along for so long before he dismisses both of you and takes things into his own hands.

12/22 Greed: (aemond x wife 18+) Aemond just really likes eating his wife, even when there’s a servant knocking on their door to wake them up to get ready for a mid-morning event.

12/22 A Surprise in the Library: (aemond x wife 18+) Aemond’s wife surprises him with something that the morning’s kitchen staff was talking about. So much for peaceful studying in the library!

1/23 Darkened Corridors: (aemond x fem reader 18+) After avoiding Aemond for what he deems too long, he finds you to remind you what you’ve been missing out on.

1/23 A Lady’s Thrill: (aemond x wife 18+) A stressed Aemond returns late and his lady wife helps him de-stress.

5/23 Teaching A Dragon New Tricks: (aemond x fem reader 18+) You and Prince Aemond have been giving each other eyes for some time now, and he finally makes the first move. After that, you feel comfortable showing him a few things. His drive for knowledge extends beyond books.

6/23 A Dragonkeeper's Secret: (aemond x fem reader 18+) After being disappointed by a fellow dragonkeeper, an event in the dragonpit makes you think: perhaps not all men are disappointing.

6/23 Leather and Silver: (aemond x wife reader 18+) There's something about your prince husband's belt that successfully drives you mad with lust.

7/23 Only A Scratch: (aemond x fem reader 18+) Aemond requests you, a healer who has tended to his wounds before, to accompany him on a trip to Duskendale.

10/23 Summer's End, Autumn's Beginning: (modern aemond x fem reader 18+) A chance encounter with Aemond leads to a whirlwind of emotions. Over the next few months you both fail, in yourselves and in the relationship, and learn from the mistakes.

10/23 To Break The Tension: (modern aemond x fem reader 18+) You and Aemond have a no strings attached relationship. He has a surprise for you and you are more than excited to go see what it is.

12/23 Morning Lovebites Lead To Sweet Dreams: (aemond x wife reader 18+) You and Aemond share a morning bath and the lingering sensations last with you all day. When he returns to your marriage chambers later than usual, you're sad you might sleep through his return. Once in for the night, however, he makes up for it.

1/24 Shadows, Beastsong, and Dragonblood: (aemond x niece reader 18+) Growing up you and your uncle Aemond always shared a special kinship. As you grew older, tension between your family and his rose. Moving to Dragonstone led to long years of not seeing each other. When you and your mother visited her father, King Viserys, yours and Aemond's relationship changed. It changed further, years later, upon your final visit to the capitol.

1/24 Red Lions and Hidden Dragons: (unnamed male x Lannister!fem reader & aemond x Lannister!fem reader 18+) Close kin to Jason and Tyland Lannister, you arrive to King's Landing with a party of fellow lions to celebrate the birth of Prince Maelor Targaryen. You weren't expecting to catch Prince Aemond's eye, but once you do, neither of you can forget it.

3/24 "Vok" (Perfect): (aemond targaryen x sister reader 18+) You and Aemond pledged to each other long ago. Tonight, beneath the blanket of darkness, you revel in each other's adoration.

Mini Series:

3/23 (pt 1) Pretty Girl: (modern aemond x fem reader 18+) There's been some weird stuff happening in the woods and your boss buys top of the line security cameras. You definitely weren't expecting to hit it off so well with the tech guy who is much more than a tech guy.

4/23 (pt 2) A Game of Chase: (modern aemond x fem reader 18+) You and your best friend go out to a local event. While there, Aemond, surprisingly, makes an appearance. With quick wit you pretend like it's your first time meeting. Equally quick and curious, he plays along. A game of chase ends up with some unexpected aftershocks.

3/23 (pt 1) Midnight Passage: (aemond x fem reader 18+) Despite the Prince Regent seeing to his royal duties, Aemond's lover is insatiable and seeks to find him late into the night.

4/23 (pt 2) Beneath the Prince Regent: (aemond x fem reader 18+) After your little disturbance in the Prince Regent's study, Aemond finally comes to bed.

7/23 (pt 1) After The Closing Shift: (modern aemond targaryen x fem reader 18+) You and Aemond have been best friends for years. The time is finally right for him to admit his true feelings. In the process of doing so, your cheating ex appears back in the picture. Unexpected events follow.

8/23 (pt 2) After The Study Session: (modern aemond targaryen x fem reader 18+) Through the chaos of college and work, yours and Aemond's friendship continues to shift in a new direction. Jason can't seem to accept he's lost you. You and Aemond take matters into your hands to make sure he knows it.

Series: On Hiatus

1/23 The Arbor and the Dragon: Chapter one, Betrothed :  A realm upon the brink of war. Alicent reaches out to your father, Lord Redwyne, to marry Aemond Targaryen to you. If the union officiates, the green Targaryens will receive the aid of Lord Redwyne’s fleet. You sail to King’s Landing to meet the young prince, to weigh if this is a marriage you truly want.

2/23 The Arbor and the Dragon: Chapter two, Discovery :  After the official betrothal, you learn more about Aemond with each passing day. You're unsure to be scared or excited with these discoveries, but he always leaves you wanting more.

2/23 The Arbor and the Dragon: Chapter three, Experience : (18+) As promised, Aemond takes you for another ride on Vhagar. This time he shows you a hidden place that he’s always loved. New experiences unfold.

6/23 The Arbor and the Dragon: Chapter four, Moonlight: Tension around the Red Keep grows. Rumors begin spreading about yours and Aemond's time spent together. Jane, your best friend and lady-in-waiting, reminds you of your favorite summer festival back home. You write Aemond a letter in secret and request his company at the beach. Emotions are high and promises are made.

Daemon Targaryen and Rhaenyra Targaryen:

Mini Series:

12/22 (pt 1) A Gift for the Queen:  (daemon x rhaenyra x fem reader 18+) It’s Rhaenyra’s birthday eve and Daemon surprises her with an unexpected gift.

5/23 (pt 2) The Gift That Keeps Giving: (daemon x rhaenyra x fem reader 18+) You've happily stayed with Daemon and Rhaenyra since her birthday. They have a little game up their sleeve to play with you.

Daemon Targaryen:

One Shots:

6/23 Punishment: (daemon x poc wife reader 18+) Just because you're in the honeymoon phase with the Rogue Prince doesn't mean you can escape a proper punishment for disrespect.

8/23 A Day in the Life: (modern daemon x fem reader 18+) It's barely dawn and you want to have a little fun with Daemon before work. Your job unexpectedly calls and plans change. Flirty and risque texts on the clock leads to him picking you up in both your favorite car.

9/23 Sand and Sky: (daemon x poc fem reader 18+) Upon arriving to King's Landing with your cousin, Criston Cole, you meet Daemon Targaryen. Little time passes before desire of the flesh overtake both of you.

9/23 The Night's Conquest: (daemon x fem reader 18+) It's Daemon's last night in King's Landing and he seeks one final comfort at the Blue Pearl.

Rhaenyra Targaryen:

One shots:

9/23 Honeyed Promises: (rhaenyra x fem reader 18+) While visiting your great uncle, Lyman Beesbury, at King's Landing, you weren't expecting secondhand stress to affect your lord husband so. Princess Rhaenyra takes notice and is happy to steal moments away with you.

2/24 A Not So Hidden Secret: (modern rhaenyra x fem reader 18+) Rhaenyra discovers something in the bedroom that you, admittedly, forgot about, but didn't want her to know about!

3/24 Beneath the Blooming Branches: (rhaenyra x fem reader) Spring has officially sprung. You and Rhaenyra enjoy a quiet afternoon strolling and picnicking in the gardens.

3/24 A Tale of Two Moons: (rhaenyra x fem reader) At the end of a long day Rhaenyra shares a tale with you, and then offers to share more.

Harwin Strong:

One shots:

12/23 Harrenhal Butterflies: (modern harwin x fem reader 18+) Sparks flew between you and Harwin before slinking off together during a work dinner, and they continue to fly afterwards. Unprompted, you both slink off together once again during an elective work trip to Harrenhal. Tension ends up breaking in a most unexpected place.

2/24 Matinee Delight: (modern harwin x fem reader 18+) While on a cinema date, the movie ends up being something you don't like. You try to talk your boyfriend, Harwin, into bailing early for something more fun.

[specialinterestsgalore]

Magic and Homosexuality in Merlin

As with pretty much any essay I post on here, this was mostly a minimally edited stream of consciousness. Because the show title is the same name as the main character, I tried to italicize when referring to the show and leave the text normal when referring to Merlin the character.

Merlin aired on the BBC from September 2008 through December 2012. Merlin is a retelling of the story of King Arthur, naturally focusing on Merlin, though it is certainly not in line with the typical legends of King Arthur and Merlin. In the traditional tellings, Merlin is a powerful sorcerer with almost complete knowledge of the past, present, and future (sometimes said to experience time backward), he is often the son of a demon or the devil himself, and is an ally or even court magician during the reign of Uther, Arthur’s father. In this depiction, Merlin is a young man, the same age as Arthur, born with a natural affinity for magic in a kingdom that has outlawed its use. He is sent to live with his uncle, the court physician, and becomes Prince Arthur’s servant. The concept of being forced to live with those who believe that a natural and unchangeable aspect of oneself is reprehensible or in a community that has effectively or literally outlawed this aspect is likely familiar to many members of the LGBT community. Both of the main magical characters, Merlin and Morgana, are forced to live among those who hate them for a fundamental aspect of themselves and often watch those they love insult, abuse, and even kill others like them. For LGBT people in our world and those with magic in Merlin the negative consequences of ‘coming out’ can range from social exclusion, loss of support from friends and family, homelessness, arrest, and even death. 

Merlin is thrilled to meet his uncle Gaius and learn that while he chose to stop practicing magic to remain working in the palace, Gaius had much magical experience and knowledge. Merlin is lucky enough to find his own small community in Gaius and Kilgharrah, the Great Dragon, who help guide him. His mother, Hunith, is rarely seen but she has known about Merlin’s magic for his entire life and has always supported him. Though he has chances to leave the palace and live amongst other magic users, Merlin chooses to stay due to the relationships he forged. His experiences are very reminiscent of my own growing up. I often compartmentalized my relationships with friends and family from what I knew their opinions on same-sex attraction were. One of my closest friends in high school had a ‘Take Back the Rainbow’ keychain, a movement for removing the rainbow’s association with the LGBT community, and although seeing it was an upsetting reminder that no matter how close we were I would never be able to share moments like my wedding with him we remained friends until we moved for university. Similarly, it is impossible for Merlin to share a key part of himself with any of his friends and family but he chooses to stay and deepen these relationships. 

The other main magical character in Merlin is Morgana. In this depiction, Morgana is the orphaned child of one of King Uther’s friends and allies and has been raised as Uther’s ward for most of her life. We later learn that Morgana is Uther’s biological child from an affair with her mother. Morgana was also born with magic but it presented itself much later than Merlin’s and initially, it is extremely distressing and confusing to her. If Merlin represents those who realize they are same-sex attracted at an early age and are given the support needed to become comfortable with themselves, Morgana represents those who only begin to realize their attraction in adolescence and have no support or resources to help them fully understand what is happening within them. Morgana begins to have prophetic dreams and nightmares and Gaius, being the court physician and having extensive magical knowledge, is aware that she is displaying magical abilities but neglects to use this knowledge to comfort or guide her. Though he has good intentions, Uther executes any magic users found in Camelot and would likely have little sympathy for his daughter. Gaius believes that ensuring that even Morgana does not understand her abilities will protect her from his wrath. While it likely does protect Morgana for a time, it also leads to her feeling that she has no support within the palace and feeling intense anger at those she used to consider family. An African proverb says “The child who is not embraced by the village will burn it down to feel its warmth” and Morgana is a textbook example of this. Though Gaius and Merlin attempt to support Morgana, they do so without directly letting her know how much they understand about what she is going through; Morgana can not feel their support and instead seeks out warmth from Camelot’s enemies. Her closest ally is her half-sister Morgose, a high priestess of the Old Religion, who has a (understandably) strong vendetta against Camelot and King Uther. This leads to Morgana being manipulated in some ways, though the love between the sisters is still obvious. In my opinion, this echoes how LGBT children who are not accepted by their communities are often led toward unhealthy and self-destructive coping mechanisms. LGBT youth, particularly those who are homeless or in foster care, have high rates of substance abuse and are more likely to engage in sex work or prostitution. They, like Morgana, are not given resources to help them cope with the lack of support they received in their childhood and the resulting trauma in healthy ways. This leads Morgana on a quest to destroy Camelot and those she feels have wronged her, destroying herself in the process. 

While Merlin never acknowledges the similarities between the plight of magic users and those in the LGBT community or the homoerotic tension built up between Merlin and Arthur and Morgana and Guinevere, among other characters, for many fans it is a powerful allegory.