#gen is grieving

[likesplatterpaint]

I keep listening for her.

Duncan waited for her to exit the bedroom first when I got out of the shower. She always got to go out first.

He is so quiet and so is our sadness.

The floor doesn’t creek under her pacing

She hasn’t sneezed at me to go outside.

No chattering at 5:30 for dinner.

Mom is loving on her on the other side. I keep saying. You will be okay, I sing to myself and mike and dunc.

I keep seeing her sweet smooshed sleepy face.

[neishroom]

if you've never played through a family vacation...go do it NOW cause its so much fun...

[reinieseason]

i feel like when we do character discussions on jordan or whatever we focus a lot on their gender identity, sexual orientation, and the insecurities surrounding that and you know, that’s fine it’s an important part of their character, being bigender

but i think for me there’s a unique point of view that isn’t really touched on with jordan and that’s the idea of grief. not necessarily textbook grief, as in the pain you feel over a lost (dead) loved one.

so like yeah while jordan is grieving brink in that way, someone you love is no longer alive. i think jordan may begin or already grieves brink in a different way, the grief of someone you love not being who you thought they were. not necessarily literal death but the death of the person you thought they were.

if we assume, and i will assume, that jordan isn’t evil and wasn’t working with brink on The Woods, i wonder how jordan feels finding out that their practically father figure, the only person in that school who saw them for their talent not their marketability, saw them as who they were is not… a good person.

finding out that your father figure, your idol, someone who loved you and took care of you is actually someone who tortures kids just like you, kids even younger than you.

isn’t that some sort of death in itself? and isn’t there guilt there too? loving someone who was a horrible person, even if you didn’t know?

and like, considering this, how will it affect jordan’s character going forward? how do they deal will this grief? does this begin the domino effect of their idealized notion on the world come crashing down?

cause that’s another thing i think we don’t talk about enough, i mean we do but in the context of jordanmarie- it’s the worldview and notions jordan’s has about being a supe

[soldier-poet-king]

So I'm doing my first full qt reread since rott, and also my first audiobook listen, and was listening to the thief on the way home today and had Some Thoughts.

In the conversation about Gen being named after Eugenides the god, and how Gen's mother was a thief but his father wanted him to be a soldier, Sophos is surprised, either that Gen's father was a soldier or that Gen knows his father. And Gen, replies, perhaps a bit acidly, that no he's not illegitimate, and yes he even has siblings from the same father, and yes his siblings are all in respectable professions.

Which of course, given the rumours and speculation about Gen's parentage in rott raises a few questions. If we take as fact the belief that Gen rarely lies outright (but rather gives partial truths and lets people fill in the blanks in a way that suits him), what does this say about how Gen views the MoW? And vice versa? That despite rumours, despite what must've been a complex and at times painful situation, that they viewed the other as their "real" father/son? We already knew Hektor cares for Gen deeply, he funds Gen's heist in The Thief to save Gen's life (though of course we only find out the truth of this in rott), and I've always thought part of the reason he pushed Gen towards being a soldier rather than The Thief of Eddis, was to protect Gen from the isolation of the thieves, their ultimate death in falling, and from the Eddisian court which already viewed Gen with suspicion that could be life threatening as it was after Lader's death. Idk. I was struck by that convo with Sophos in a way I wasn't before.

And then further, I've noticed that in the myths told by Gen and the Magus so far, Eugenides the god is always referred to as "Earth's son", and the "woodcutter's son", despite the fact that his origin tale focuses on the woodcutter's wife's desire for a child (and presumably Eugenides the god was raised by the woodcutter and his wife, we hear of Earth visiting only in disguise to see her son). So, in a way, the god Eugenides also has three parents, just as Gen the thief does. And each Eugenides is deeply loved and wanted by his non-biological (or suspected non-biological) parent. Another similarity between Gen and his god?

I really dk where I was going with this. Just. Thinking My Silly Little Thoughts.

[sojutrait]

bach party 🥳🥳🥳🥳

[critter-genfic-events]

This week, we have ten fics featuring neurodivergent takes on our favorite characters! Autism, PTSD, anxiety, ADHD, depression and more - ten great explorations of Exandrians having to deal with the same issues a lot of us have under the cut.

If You're Happy and You Know It by pinkevilbob (1075, General) Warnings: None Pairings: Jester Lavorre & Caleb Widogast

Caleb feels ashamed when stimming. Jester doesn’t think he should hide his happiness.

Reccer says: I love how Jester’s happy hops!

Say a Name, Any Name (My Name) by QuillAndInkWrites (881, General) Warnings: None Pairings: Jester Lavorre & Marion Lavorre | Ruby of the Sea, Fjord & Jester Lavorre & Beauregard Lionett

Jester chooses a new name. And then another. And then another, until she finds one that fits

Reccer says: I liked it

whispers work differently now by Anonymous (5426, General) Warnings: Sensory overload, autistic meltdowns Pairings: Essek & Jester, Essek & Caduceus, Essek & The Mighty Nein

Essek and Jester are both autistic, but they have opposite sensory needs. When she invites him to a crowded festival, he gets very overwhelmed, but the Nein take care of him.

Reccer says: The descriptions of Essek's meltdown make me feel a little tense, but it's very well written. I also like that it's sympathetic to both Essek and Jester; even though their needs conflict, they still care about each other, and it ends on a hopeful note for the future.

all the stars would shine a bloody red by InTheMidnightHour (1013, Mature) Warnings: Depression, Drug Addiction, Drug Use Pairings: None

Caduceus endures the turn of the seasons alone and what comes with that.

Reccer says: An absolutely visceral look of Caduceus's descent into choosing the lilies and the bottom of a pond just to overcome his loneliness.

stare into the sun and see everything i've done by wtgw (3234, Teen) Warnings: None Pairings: Caleb Widogast & Percival de Rolo

Two neurodivergent men with angst and guilt issues walk onto a balcony. (Or Percy helps Caleb cope with a panic attack.)

Reccer says: This is one of my favorite fics ever. The way Percy handles Caleb's anxiety is absolutely IC without feeling preachy or condescending to the point where it makes me feel better. Sometimes when I'm feeling overwhelmed I think of this fic. It's just that soothing.

in the morning i'll be rising, i'll be waking with the sun by ghostsquidswrites (4156, Mature) Warnings: None Pairings: Eadwulf Grieve & Yasha, Astrid Beck/Eadwulf Grieve

Eadwulf and Yasha run together, and talk it out

Reccer says: This is an amazing pairing given the insight and weight they deserve, as well as being so lovely and atmospheric.

I'm the Cleric by devil_seabird_king (ShaaKi) (2100, General) Warnings: None Pairings: Fresh Cut Grass & Milo Krook, Caduceus Clay & Essek Thelyss, Percival "Percy" Fredrickstein Von Musel Klossowski de Rolo III & Pike Trickfoot, Deanna Leimert & Prism Grimpoppy, Jester Lavorre & Marius LePaul

What if Exandrian meds were derived from arcane magic and stopped working during the solstice?

Reccer says: This is a great exploration of a throwaway line, some of my favorite types of fic!

Aeorian Dreamer by Lizable (2490, Teen) Warnings: None Pairings: Fresh Cut Grass & Ashton Greymoore

What FCG's life was like before Aeor, and what might have caused them to forget

Reccer says: It's a very interesting take on what they might have been like in Aeor - including therapy!

Fools Crushin' by Ms_Fahrenheit (1013, General) Warnings: None Pairings: Essek & Verin

Teenage Essek and preteen Verin tease each other about crushes. (Also see the first part of this series)

Reccer says: Arospec/acespec mood. Cute sibling vibes.

secrets with no one to tell by memorysdaughter (3138, Teen) Warnings: None Pairings: None

Vax thinks about how all of Vox Machina's members are different. Except, according to Vex, him

Reccer says: It's a nice, sweet exploration of how all of the characters of Vox Machina could be neurodivergent

If you liked this rec list, follow along for more! We'll be posting a new list with a new theme each Monday. Want to make your own recs? Check out the rules, and then use the form to submit!

Next week, it's all angst. Have some good whumptober recs? People being sad? Now's the time to rec! After that, we're following it with a week dedicated to Percy, who is famously not angsty at all.

[dramioneasks]

Domestic Wizardry - TrillbySkinner - T, 18 chapters - Draco doesn't realize how his life will change when his eight year old son, Scorpius, brings home the cell number of his best friends mother and begs his father to call and offer what assistance they can. Hermione never expected to find a safe haven for herself and her daughter Rose in the home that had once been the seat of the dark lord.

[generouskittentidalwave]

Best genius friends forever!!

Fanart made for @canisbeanz and their lovely pony designs! I hope you enjoy it! ^^

(Use this for anything 18+, nsfw, or inappropriate in general and I will make you walk on Legos)

Atb has a lot of amazing characters such as Motoko (Oshay's future wife) and Ran (Oshay's half sister) along with other absolutely amazing characters which I will probably make my own pony designs of as I don't think they'll be getting designs for the au anytime soon but they definitely deserve to have their own designs! ^^

[invidiatechdemo]

"I didn't want to believe it either.

...He's the brother of a good friend."

[likesplatterpaint]

Would Louie forgive me?

Absolutely. In a heartbeat. Loubie loved me.

Will I ever forgive em myself?

I’m not sure.

[valdrinorm]

my personal TUC: Next Gen class headcanons

al matsui-sinclair: battle smith artificer. she has a knack for the arcane inherited from her mother and an instinct for protection and healing inherited from her father. her steel defender is a metal dog named ox jr.

cat lee: hexblade warlock / phantom rogue multiclass. la gran gata becomes her patron at a young age, and i can see her being a weird little goth who's fascinated by death due to her origin story, hence phantom rogue.

langston brown-herrera: peace cleric. hear me out, because i know draconic bloodline sorcerer is the obvious option, but comparing langston to iga or the shens, i don't think it makes much sense. considering that the dragon of bleecker street's one regret was not living a life as a human, i think it makes most sense for langston to take after his vox populi father, but with a subclass focused specifically on the bonds between people.

[sims-half-crazy]

The family laid Everett to rest on a similarly bright, sunny day. They told only Eunice and Francis. Gordon trusted that they'd tell those who needed to know. Lena had asked that the funeral just be them. No friends, no family. She couldn't bear the shame she felt at failing to protect her child. Gordon tried to assuage her guilt, but failed as he felt the same more keenly. He hadn't needed the nap that day. He'd only intended to lay down with her in the hopes of easing her discomfort. Frank was sullen and withdrawn, blaming himself for not being able to get his brother to listen to reason. They stood at the base of that small grave and cried until there were no more tears to fall.

[theloveinc]

Miguel is so hard to write that my draft of this is essentially bare bones but he is SO interesting in terms of grief / loss considerations bc…

He’s grieving over a daughter who wasn’t even his own? So essentially he’s grieving the life he COULD’VE lived (alongside all those he accidentally ended)… however, unless there’s something I’m missing from the comics, that experience of loss is so dissociated from typical circumstances of death AKA pain and suffering…

So while yes he caused the death of an entire universe, there’s still a question of (to me, at least) … what does he know about actually watching a loved on go through something gruesome?

And maybe it’s a stupid question BECAUSE he’s Spider-Man and has clearly seen suffering… but in context w/ a multiverse w/ many different versions of spider ppl… losing a daughter who was never yours via thanos dissipation vs. watching a close loved one from your own reality suffer from long term illness or something else traumatic actually seems… worse.

Idk. It’s interesting to think abt cuz he’s definitely hurting but. I can imagine someone being annoyed at him abt this.

[ontheothersideofthemirror]

GENERATION LOSS SPOILERS BELOW MY RAW REACTION

WHY DIDNT CHAT KEEP IT 50/50 WE WERE THERE WE WERE THERE THEY HAD IT - !!!!

They killed him. Oh my gosh I can’t believe they killed him. I am reeling. My WiFi is so bad so I can’t usually watch streams from a computer but a phone but I should have tried- !!! AGH

[critter-genfic-events]

This week, we have nine (Nein) fics featuring Forgiveness! Whether it's forgiving family, found family, or themselves, sometimes everyone needs a little more grace. Check them out below the cut, and if you like them, comment or kudos!

Grief Takes Many Forms by Multifandom_Damnation (4246,General) Warnings: None Pairings: Cassandra & Percy De Rolo

After the events of campaign one, Percy has a drink. Cassandra joins him.

Reccer says: Percy and Cassandra need to talk more, and it's great to finally get some catharsis, while still very much acting like siblings

Kill The Monster by CriticalRolemance (SoLongAndThanksForAllTheFic) (4958,Teen) Warnings: None Pairings: Vax & Caleb, Caleb & The Mighty Nein

Caleb and Vax have a talk. Later, Caleb kills Ikithon and imagines what getting his revenge actually means.

Reccer says: This very early (2019!) imagining of Caleb getting to kill Ikithon and finally forgive himself for killing his family is fantastic and has stuck in my head all this time

All things in Perspective by firefright (20729,Mature) Warnings: None Pairings: Essek Thelyss & Verin Thelyss

In which Verin refuses to believe Essek's death is as simple as the Dynasty wants to make it seem, and it takes meeting the Mighty Nein in person to get the answers he seeks.

Reccer says: It's got a complicated Essek and a complicated Verin

sometimes god happens fast by principessa (3674,Teen) Warnings: None Pairings: Deirta Thelyss & Essek Thelyss, The Mighty Nein & Essek Thelyss

The Mighty Nein listen in on a conversation between Essek and his mother

Reccer says: Deirta is often shown as a cold, unforgiving mother - it's refreshing to see a version that readily forgives her son for his treason

crawling from the battle to the other side by Solanaceae (6553,General) Warnings: None Pairings: None

For a few days in the Blooming Grove, three wizards navigate gardening, atonement, and one another’s guilt

Reccer says: One of the most popular genres of fic after the finale was 'Volstruckers and Essek navigating gardening' and this is probably my favorite of the fics that came out of that. It showcases great gasp of Astrid and Wulf and their issues, as well as a phenomenal take on post-canon Essek in the aftermath of Cognouza. It's very sweet, very playful, and very emotional.

call me your destiny, call me a liar by grayintogreen (5200,General) Warnings: None Pairings: None

Lucien and Molly are split into two individuals in the wake of Cognouza's defeat. They're both coping with what that means.

Reccer says: Deals with both Molly's fears over returning vs Lucien struggling to figure out how to proceed now that he's lost everything and all the emotional struggles that entails.

a place to start by parttimemodel (1703,Teen) Warnings: None Pairings: Laudna & Orym

Laudna and Orym have a talk after the Solstice

Reccer says: I like fanfic that allows for moments that didn't have time to happen in the stream, and this allows Orym to forgive himself for being chosen by Fearne instead of Laudna after the Otohan fight.

Not the Needle, Nor the Thread by Operafloozy (2149,Teen) Warnings: None Pairings: Essek & Deirta Thelyss

A teenaged Deirta hides out at Essek's place for a few months. They get used to each other.

Reccer says: The complicated family dynamics don't get all the way to forgiveness, but it's an interesting look at Essek starting to forgive his mother for being who she is.

Rats in the Belly by icarus_chained (1705,Teen) Warnings: None Pairings: Grog & Percy

Grog thinks over the fact that Percy handed him a cursed sword

Reccer says: I love the depth if character the fic was able to give Grog while also being very in character

If you liked this rec list, follow along for more! We'll be posting a new list with a new theme each Monday. Want to make your own recs? Check out the rules, and then use the form to submit!

Next week, we're featuring your favorite canon divergent AUs - AKA, when something goes slightly differently in Exandria, and the story goes off from there.

After that, we have grief, Pike Trickfoot, and then mysteries!

If you're looking for some more, check out some fics written in the critter genfic bingo tag, or the older rec lists! Or you can request your own card and join in on the fun!

[selestial-princess]

Oh noooooooo somebody Died and now I’m Sad™️