#i listed to them on youtube and they do not have a chance of appearing

[bluevelvet-room]

alright who wants to guess how many persona songs are in my top 100 on spotify. im gonna go count now i'll let you know

edit it was 22/100

[weirdmorefics]

Hiya, could you do a Aziraphale x Demon!Reader x Crowley (if that's alright with you) where it's the end of season 2 and the reader is arguing with Aziraphale because he's leaving and Crowley is just standing behind them still trying to comprehend what's happening, but because the reader is a demon they have never cried not once in their life so they start breaking down (ugly crying) and it pisses of Crowley seeing reader cry like that, hope this request is alright can change it it you want to x

A/n- Oh my goodness love this request I am a sucker for angst

AO3, Etsy Shop, Youtube,

TW- Major sadness

Reader's Pronouns- They/Them

Word Count- 978

Nothing Lasts Forever

Crowley x Reader x Aziraphale

Y/n anxiously plays with their hands waiting for Aziraphale to return, "Do you think he's safe with Metatron?"

"I am sure he will be fine. As much as we love to save our dear angel and mock him mercilessly, he's been protecting himself for eons," Crowley replies confidently.

Despite Crowley's confident words his face does not appear to match. He places Y/n's hands in his own and does not speak a word about it.

After sitting in silence for a long time, just the two of them ruminating on their own thoughts, a bell rings. Y/n stands up speedily and Crowley is quick to follow. Y/n moves closer to Aziraphale to check if any harm has been done but he has the widest grin on his face so the pair doubt he is injured.

"What did he want," Y/n asks fearing the answer.

"With Micheal being gone... there is a space. He wants me to be an archangel," Aziraphale beams with shock and joy.

Y/n is frozen in shock and Crowley steps closer, "He said what?"

"He said I could appoint you both to be angels! Come back to heaven and-and everything!" He uncharacteristically stutters due to the pure amount of joy. "Like old times probably even nicer!"

Y/n clenches their fist and gulps loudly even though they don't technically need to as a celestial being it just seemed like the situation desperately called for it.

Crowley went straight to anger, "And you told him where he can stick it? Oh, we're better than that! You're better than that, Angel! You don't need them! Y/n and I certainly don't need them! They ask Y/n and I back to Hell! We said no! I am certainly not going back to their team! Neither should you!"

"You two obviously said not to Hell, they're the bad guys," Aziraphale states surely. "Heaven is the side of truth, light, of good," he lists confused as to what Crowley is not getting.

If I could throw up I think I would. If Hell loves punishment so much you think they would make vomiting a must because it looks really painful when humans do it. Again maybe they wouldn't do that because vomiting is a way of cleansing your stomach and they are very against that.

"When Heaven ends all life on earth all humanity will be just as dead as if Hell did it," Crowley states. "Tell me you said no," Crowley says each word as if it were the end of a sentence.

Aziraphale does not respond and I am finally able to push words out of my mouth, "You did say no Azirapahle... right?"

"If I am in charge I can make a difference," he looks into Y/n's eyes with pity.

Y/n eyes have an unfamiliar feeling, they feel wet and sting.

Crowley starts to pace, "Oh god, oh, I didn't get a chance to say what I was going to say. I better say it now. Right okay. We are a team a group of us, we have known each other a long time, we all rely on each other. I would like us to- I mean if Gabriel and Beelzebub can do it. Go off with each other, then we three can! Just the three of us! We don't need Heaven we don't need Hell. They are toxic! We need be away from them and just be us," he looks between the two of us.

The unfamiliar feeling in y/n's eyes spreads leaving a trail of wetness down their cheek. The wetness keeps spreading they can feel several different lines of water down my face.

Aziraphale runs up to Crowley, "Come with me to Heaven I'll run it the best and you will be my second in command! We can make a difference!"

Y/n bites her lip harshly, " What about the bookshop? What about humanity? The new food inventions you will miss out on? What about our life here!"

The two look at Y/n oddly and the new feeling in them makes them clench their eyes tight and gasp. Y/n wipes their hand across their face and looks down at the wetness in their hands. The wetness won't stop streaming down my face. This isn't right. I shouldn't be able to cry. I shouldn't feel this deeply. Nevertheless, I can't stop the water in my eyes and can't stop gasping for air that I don't even need.

Aziraphale looks at me in a way he never has before. It's the gaze humans give their offspring when they first realize the world is unfair and unjust.

"Oh Y/n, nothing lasts forever," Aziraphale says regretfully.

Y/n puts their palm to their chest and gasps, "Oh."

Crowley looks at Aziraphale with disgust, "That's how it is... good luck then."

Y/n looks up at Crowley vision blurry with newfound tears and Crowley looks back mournfully. Crowley throws his arm around Y/n's shoulder and starts to escort them out the door.

"Good luck?' Aziraphale gasps. "I don't think you know what I am offering the two of you!"

"I think the two of us know better than you do," Crowley snaps back.

Aziarphale tries to negotiate with Y/n, "Y/n, please you are supposed to be the reasonable one out of the two of you! You are no demon you are crying!"

Crowley's jaw tightens and Y/n clenches their fists harder than they have in their entire long life.

Y/n can barely gasp out, "You hear that?"

Aziraphale shakes his head rapidly, "I hear nothing!"

"Exactly, no nightingales," Y/n gasps again.

"You idiot! We could have been something! Just the three us," Crowley shouts as he leads Y/n out the door leaving a stunned and a little bit broken Aziraphale.

[hobisstar]

still with you | y!jungkook x fem!reader

summary: being the most famous and popular youtuber and singer has its kicks. great fans, terrible fans, weird fans, you’ve seen and had them all… but this fan? you wish you never had…

warnings: jk is WEIRD okay he’s weird asf in this, male masturbation, stalking, jungkook is an idol in this, mentions of kidnapping, murders, yandere.

tag list: none.

note: i’ll switch from You to Y/N a lot. Bold and Line Through. Are Jk’s negative thoughts, more so the weird ones. this is a preview imagine of spooktober!!

“so who’s your favorite singer, Jungkook?” an interviewer asked as they, BTS, where doing a short little tv appearance. the question was, who is an artist you’d love to collaborate with in the near future, everyone had their fair share of answers but the one person Jungkook had in mind was no other than, Y/N L/N.

She was bigger than any other singer or youtuber out there, with 45 Million subscribers on youtube and millions of fans over the world, she was everywhere. She has done video collaborations with CoryxKenshin, Berleezy, PG, DashieGames and many more. She is adored.

Jungkook found her channel when she was a newbie to the youtuber world. He liked the video of her trying on different clothes from all over the world, room tours, decorating, gaming videos, vlogs, but he got more into her once he found out she did music. He had to be the first person to ever really be her fan in his eyes, of course. He loved her for a very long time.

“I’d have to say, Y/N L/N… i love her… style and her youtube channel. i’m a huge fan!” he answered happily. The crowded went absolutely crazy as he’s always talked about Y/N. you would think they dated the way he promoted her so much.

“Really? she is coming her next Friday for an interview! did you hear she’s doing a world tour, starting with South K?” the interviewer asked. “Yes yes, i want to get me a ticket the minute they go on sale..” he smiled happily and the crowd awed at his answer.

“I’ll definitely let you guys know when my tickets go on sale, obviously! That’s it for now, until next time, see you!” You smiled ending the recording and big a stretch. You are glad that it was just a little clip that you need to edit to post out later, but boy was it tough being a youtuber, you loved it though.

As soon as you got up you heard your phone going off profusely. You went to grab it and saw it was twitter and you were being tagged in a certain posted. It was a video of Jungkook from BTS during a, which you assume, recent interview. “ I love her.” is what a lot of fans were saying in the comments. It was a quote of what Jungkook said in the video. Instead of really responding just yet you reshared the clip saying “ The love is mutual 💜 @BTS_twt!” and posted it.

You’ve always been a fan of BTS! You loved everything about them, the message they were sending out about loving yourself, taking care of you, living your life no matter what anyone has to say about it, you loved it all! You never really knew that Jungkook was a fan of yours. Little do you know you wished you never knew that..

“Kook, you’ve been literally staring at her retweet since we got back to the hotel.” Taehyung spoke out with his eyebrow up. “I’m starting to think this is a little more than a fan thing. You have a crush on her don’t you?” Jin in also chipped in, pinching Jungkooks cheeks. The two were ready to start to teasing him. “ Actually, i do.” he stated calmly still looking at the tweet thing clicking on her twitter account.

“ Oh, we thought we had a chance to tease you… fuck.” Taehyung said as the elevator dinged. “ Well, we will see you in a few for dinner? jimin and I have a Vlive to do. Get some rest!” He spoked as Him and Jimin stepped out the elevator and walked to jimins room.

Jungkook nodded and walked to his room, taking out his keycard and holding it to the door to open it. He sighed as he walked in and instantly decided to take a shower. He went into the bathroom, started the water, put on some music, Y/N of course, and got undressed.

He stepped into the shower and let out a moan of relaxation. Jung let the water run down his body and he closed his eyes. Soon, a picture of you appeared in his head. You and him, together, in the shower taking turns to clean each other. He took his hands that was covered in soap and grasped your beautiful tits and slowly massaged them. The image of him doing that sent a shock wave to his crotch, which he tried to ignore.

Slowly the image started to get steamy, your imaginary moans filled his ears making them melt. Jungkook grabbed his hard length that was dripping from the water and his precum. He began the stroke his cock slowly imagining it was your tight pussy. He moaned going faster feeling himself about the release any minute. He never lasted when he imagined it, but he promised you, kinda, that he’d go longer, seven days a week even. As he cummed and grunted watching his cum shoot all over the shower walls and some getting on the floor, he saw your face one last time and it was you giving you a sweet kiss on the tip of his cock that sent shivers up his spine.

After, he cleaned himself with some warm vanilla with brown sugar and almonds scented soap, your favorite, he got out, dried off, and got dressed. Jungkook looked at the time and saw he still had an hour to spare.

He went to bag and took out his computer and decided to watch a few of your videos. This is his day to day. You are his day to day schedule. No matter what, he will get at least 5 videos of Y/N in a day.

Concerts were always fun! Making music was fun too! But once you heard that you would be collaborating with the Jeon Jungkook for a cover of his song Still With You, you were shocked! I mean less than A day ago, you found out that he was a huge fan, now you are collaborating with him?

You were currently in the studio rehearsing some of the notes when your manager walks in and says “ Hey! Mr, Jeon is on his way up! Just thought i should let you know.” He smiles and as your about to answer there is a soft knock. “ Come on in.” you say and stand up. Jungkook walks in and you almost gasp.

“Oh my you are more handsome in person.” Manager says lets out a little chuckle. “ I’m Tim, I’m her manager and that’s obviously -“ “ Y/N…” Jungkook cut Tim off before he could even get your name out. He couldn’t stop staring at you. Gosh, you are so beautiful in person. So small under his gaze. ‘i could take her from here, kill her manager and live off the grid, nobody would know. just so little…’

“ Right! It’s so nice to meet you, Jungkook! Um, you can sit here,” you point to the chair “ I’m gonna head in the booth to record these parts.” you smiled and took the paper in with you. Jungkook eagerly but slowly sat down in your chair. Watching as you put on the headset. Tim walked over and pressed a few buttons to make sure that it was recording. He put his thumb up and Y/N was in her own world.

“So, Jungkook, how long are you in the states for?” Tim asked leaning against the side of the frame, watching Y/N. Honestly, Jungkook hated Tim. He hated any that got close to what was his. He didn’t like it. When y/n did collaborate on videos he would report that video and thumbs down it. Even with songs he wouldn’t listen to it. He hated Tim because he wish he was Tim. Near her 24/7, being able to touch her, smell her, make her laugh, pick her outfits, take her to dinner, all the things Tim could do. He wanted Tim out the picture. Now.

“ Well originally it wasn’t for long, but then this opportunity came up and i wasn’t going to miss it for anything.” He answered plainly also staring at Y/N but with a different look in his eyes, Lust, Love, and Fear. Fear for you seeing him do what he was about to do to Tim. He didn’t want his wife getting scared yet. They haven’t even moved away yet.

“Yeah same with her. I’m gonna step out. I have a few things to do for a few other artists. Have fun and make a beautiful hit, i already know it is.” Tim smiled and left just like that. Jungkook let a breath of fresh air out. Finally.

Finally. It was time. Jungkook got up and took off his jacket. It was getting hot in here to him, though he knows Y/N prefers her studio cold. He went to the light switched and looked up seeing the lights could be changed to colors, he chose purple. Your favorite.

Y/N stepped out of the recording booth and closed the door to it and sat back down. You instantly went over your vocals and nodded your head liking how they came out. “ they are beautiful… perfect even.” Jungkook mumbled from behind you and pulled up a chair sitting a little too close to you. You definitely noticed it.

“Thank you, Jungkook.” Y/N smiled and stood up to look at a few things and Y/N almost wanted to run. The whole vibe was off, y/n could feel his eyes looking her up down since he walked in the studio. Y/N sat back down quickly and turned to Jungkook and forced a smile. “ It’s your turn! while you record it have to go speak with Tim about what to do next. i’ll Play the track when you are ready.” He watched her lips move, oh how he wanted to kiss them.

Jungkook snapped out of his trance and stood up entering the recording booth and sliding on the headphones. He loved the smell of the booth, it smelled just like you. your scent. Y/N put her thumb up and pressed play and didn’t even wait for him to start singing. She got up and left the room closing the door and taking a deep breath putting her head on the door. “ What the fuck was that?” you mumbled.

“What was what?” Tim spoke which made you jump harshly. “ FUCK! Tim don’t do that shit!”

“ I.. are you okay? you seem kinda scared. what’s wrong?” Tim read your face and just knew that you were upset, frightened even. “ Tim, there is something extremely wrong with… him.” she whispered while looking around. “ Him? Mr. Jeon? what do you mean? he seemed fine when i left.” He raises his eyebrow. “ Maybe you’re just nervous, Honey.”

While Y/N was in the hallway, Jungkook was done singing his lines and exited the booth, smiling. He wanted to impress Y/N with his beautiful vocals. “ That was… Y/N?” he said looking around the room, not seeing his girl in the chair. He calmed down and remembered that she had to do something. ‘Good, she didn’t run away.’

Jungkook sat down and waited for her.

10 minutes…

20 minutes…

25 minutes…

Finally, the door opened and walked Y/N with some refreshments. “ Sorry, the internet was a little slow.” she sits down and avoids his hand that he held out for the water bottle and placed it on the table. “ Let’s finish this for now so you can get going i’m sure you are very busy.” she said as she saved and downloaded both their vocals onto her flash drive.

“ Can i be honest with you, Y/N?” Jungkook asked while staring at the computer. She turned to look at him and then back at the computer, closing it. “ Yeah, of course.” she scooted back a bit to just give space. she felt like she couldn’t breathe.

“ Im really… a huge fan of yours. I love everything you do..” he started. “ the feeling is mutual, Kook.” she commented and smiled. “ No, not in that light… Ever since i found your videos back in 2019, when you first started. I instantly felt this this connection. Like we belong together. I started liking your photos and videos everywhere and then i found out that you do music.. i just fell more in love with you.” As he confessed he was doing this weird smile like, he enjoyed telling Y/N his confession. “ Im in love with you.” he ended. Y/N was taken back. Her feeling wasn’t wrong. There is definitely something not right about him. this was it.

“ Oh, that’s so sweet! I appreciate it, Jungkook.. but i don’t know what you want from me after telling me that, I.. I feel as though maybe we just keep it professional. just two artists being friends yeah?” Y/N stood up and began to pack her things up. Jungkook felt something click in his head. Like a switch turned off. “ I don’t… i dont understand… You don’t… love me back?” he asked also standing up. “ Be friends?… what do you take me as? Do you like toying with me?”

“ What? Jungkook that’s not… i never did that.” Y/N answered confused. “ Oh baby don’t be confused. You said all those times you love me. You even twitted the feeling is mutual.” He stepped toward Y/N corning her between the table and his tall stature.

Y/N turned around slowly, “Listen, i didn’t mean it like that. And if you are going to talk to me, please give me some space.” He looked in your eyes and chuckled lightly. “ Why would we need space… i finally have you this close to me… i’m not letting it go.” He gently took the hair that was falling in front of your face and pushed it behind your ear. You leaned away from the touch and pushed him with all your strength. He moved back enough for you to get to the door with your bag and open it. You flew out the room the last thing you heard was Jungkook humming.

You walked- no you ran through the car lot looking for your car, all of sudden not being able to remember where you parked this morning. You stopped to catch your breath and smiled once you saw your car.

You pressed the unlock button and quite literally jumped in your car and locked the doors. You put your hand on the steering wheel and just thought about what all happened. Jeon Jungkook just admitted to being madly in love with you. You should be happy, right? You are terrified. He stalked you basically your entire career and has been in love with you since you started your career. You can’t be happy after hearing that.

You got it together and grabbed your car keys and put it in the ignition, starting your car and driving home.

You should really check your back seats more..

You happily went inside your apartment and instantly took a shower. You didn’t forget about what happened the few hours before but the shower just eased your mind.

Once you got out and got dressed, the pitch blackness of your bedroom comforted you usually, But it made you uneasy. As it should.

You got in bed and sleep quickly took over you but not enough, as you awoke to hearing your bed room door creak close. You were scared shitless to even get up, fear making your body go numb. You heard that same melody again, that now cursed melody of Still With You. Jungkook was humming it before you ran out.

‘oh my…’ you mouthed as you felt the bed dip and someone get under the covers with you and slowly wrap their arms around you.

“ Good Night, Baby~. Tomorrow is a big day for us. Our new beginning.” Jungkook whispered into your ear and kissed your neck softly before sighing and singing you to sleep. That same cursed song…

“언제쯤일까 다시 그댈 마주한다면

When will I face you again?

눈을 보고 말할래요

I want to look you in the eye and tell you

"보고 싶었어요"

"I missed you"

[gremlinaristocrat]

Overthinking Sylvie’s Strategy

So, I know the Gio&Molly vs Sylvie fight in Ep2 was mostly about getting the protagonists to show off their personalities and powers . . . but I think if you read (way too far) into the strategy Sylvester uses it tells you a surprising amount about him.

Start at the start. Sylvie overhears our heroes talking about how they’re villains. Instead of sneak attacking them while he has the drop on them, he starts a dialog, to confirm they’re actually bad guys (and maybe to satisfy his own desire for drama and/or indulge in his sense of invulnerability). Gio responds by confirming he’s a criminal, calling Sylvie a kid and initiating combat.

It’s kind of overshadowed by what he does later in the fight, but the doc is pretty reasonable early on; I get the feeling he’d have been even more willing to talk things out if dealing with Indus’ stupidity and Mera’s manipulation hadn’t shortened his already-short fuse and made him Done with Trying To Talk To People.

Sylvie’s first move is to use sleep pollen like he did with Indus earlier; unlike all his other attacks, he doesn’t call its name when he uses it, probably to minimize the chances that his targets will figure out what it does in time to stop it. This is a 10/10 opener, with the potential to harmlessly incapacitate enemies and end fights before they start.

When that fails thanks to Molly’s quick thinking and Gio’s creativity, he follows it up with Counting Sheep. This is another solid decision, and unlike the last one, it actually works out for him: his minions swiftly swarm and overwhelm his opponents.

Pictured: Flawless Victory.

Note that – as far as I can tell – Sylvie has basically won at this point. Molly and Giovanni have no way to stop the sheep before they nibble and poof them into unconsciousness; all he has to do is stay the course.

And then our boy screws up. He banishes his own army – or maybe incinerates them, the animation isn’t clear on that point – in order to confront a twelve-year-old girl with her worst nightmare, while having no idea what that nightmare is or how he’d be able to use it.

He also picks this point to sacrifice his vantage point, achieving no obvious gain. I don’t think Jello did this on purpose, but it fits very well that Sylvie literally gives up the high ground for no reason – while forcing his opponents onto a different patch of high ground – at the same time he’s metaphorically doing that.

Let me psychoanalyze the psychoanalyst: what the hell is the good doctor thinking when he unleashes (almost literal!) hell on the adorable cosmic brownie? What’s going through his head when he passes up sure victory for the chance to re-traumatize a child?

Well, it’s possible that Counting Sheep drains stamina faster than it appears to (though he doesn’t seem winded after using it). It’s also possible that he’s worried about one of them using ranged attacks on him, and feels the need to end the fight ASAP. The magic system in EE is intentionally kind of loose and vibes-y, so there’s an endless list of possible excuses.

That said, I think the most likely answer to “what was he thinking?” is “absolutely nothing”. This whole thing looks like a (legitimately!) clever synergy-exploiting strategy he thought up a while back, rarely or never got to see in action, and is just unreflectively executing on even though a more humane approach would have straight-up let him win.

I didn’t notice this until the Youtube comments pointed it out, but I think it’s neat Gio never calls Sylvie a kid again after he finds out the doc has issues with it (except that one time he does it to signal that he’s putting on a show for the cops). He’ll mock you mercilessly, and maybe steal your stuff, but our glorious pink-haired overlord will not use That Word You Dislike to describe you once he knows you dislike it.

Anyway, back to the fight. Sylvie tries to negotiate with his prisoners in the Flame Vortex, since apparently his Psychology PhD never taught him that confronting people with their literal worst nightmares might make them unreasonable and/or push them to extremes. Gio escapes with Molly; Sylvie doubles down on the Nightmare Fuel; Gio responds by thwacking a ball of yarn at him.

This is another point at which – again, as far as I can tell – Sylvie has basically won. The fact that Giovanni resorted to such weird and desperate measures suggests Gio & Molly don’t have any better ways to attack or escape from their current position. All the alleged genius needs to do is take cover behind an exhibit and let his summons finish the criminals. Instead, he cancels his own winning move (again!) so he can summon Dr Beefton, escalating (again!!) in a way that doesn’t actually help him (again!!!).

Like, seriously, what was the plan here? There are a lot of words you could use to accurately describe Sylvie’s colleague/alter-ego/fursona, but ‘agile’ and ‘nimble’ aren’t among them; if Gio and Molly had decided to hold onto their high ground on general principles after Sylvie (apparently) fainted, or if they’d sprinted off in different directions instead of trying to stand their ground, what would he have done then?

From here on out, the beef revolves around Beefton. This tells us very little about Sylvie, except maybe in terms of how much frustration he’s repressing, and what being powerful means to him.

Pictured: What Peak Performance Looks Like

So, what does all this say about Sylvie? He’s clever, willing to hear people out, and merciful when he can get away with it; however, he makes dumb or pointlessly cruel decisions under pressure, and follows a prescribed plan instead of adapting to the enemy; will escalate when surprised or provoked, even when it’s counterproductive, choosing moves which feel strong instead of ones which make sense. In summary, he’s the world’s smartest dumbass, and (at least in this part of the story) acts more like a stereotypical cop than the actual cop character.

He’s getting better quickly, though. I think a lot of this is symptomatic of him being new-ish to fights, and especially new to fights where people get hurt and/or which last more than one move . . .

Yeah, it shows, and not in a good way.

. . . since he gets more flexible and responsive when fighting Mera . . .

Pictured: Character Growth

. . . though, uh, apparently not enough for him to realize that he could demoralize her and/or broker a truce by offering to remove her Epithet with the amulet if he wins.

Out-reasoned by the tweenager; that’s embarrassing.

[emlan]

Finished expansion!

Final Fantasy XIV Dawntrail done, here's some MSQ spoiler thoughts:

.

.

.

.

.

I've had XIV on ice for a while so I was going into it as a casual and not a diehard fangirl but still I am shocked and disappointed by how bored I was during the whole thing… And annoyed, which is a bigger crime. Constantly wondering why characters act like they do or why they aren't asking about X.

Alphinaud and Alisae did nothing and they were both an eyesore with their old outfits, dressing them in local threads would've been so easy and a cute way to buff the immersion of visiting a new continent. (To be fair I guess they HAVE to tag along even if the writer doesn't want them there due to Trusts? I'd argue Krile and Erenville were just pieces of furniture until the very last stretch too but they were at least interested in the same goal as Wuk Lamat so they didn't feel out of place.)

My fav stuff is interacting and bonding with characters new and old but it doesn't feel like we got much of that? Trying to picture what people will even draw fanart of for DT of and all my mind's eye can see is Wuk Lamat lovers drawing WoLship art or just her looking cute and/or hot. (Also Erenville looking cute and/or hot.)

Doing a "sweet girl turns into massive threat" right after a "sweet girl turns into massive threat" expansion is rather brazen but it is a Classic so whatever. Would've been neat if she was an adult woman instead.

I could probably rant about several particular moments but I can feel myself slowly starting to morph into a WORST expansion EVER red-arrow-and-circle YouTube thumbnail which would be rather unsexy of me so I'll go ahead and choose happiness by listing the things I enjoyed instead;

Starting with the incredible lvl 93 weapons!!!! They all look like bland NPC pieces which is something super rare in this game, such a breath of fresh air. The NIN daggers especially is pure 10/10 and I was even considering changing my never-glamming-it-away ARR longbow into the new BRD one. The new sets are good too, I'm not much for scifi-y gear but the ones you get before Solution 9 are very nice and the aiming top gave my lizard a very lovely waist. I was really lucky to get the golden bangle hand drop that all Tuliyollal NPCs wear so I could fit in proper :3 Tweaking my main glam slightly to blend into each new areas better was a big source of fun.

Zoraal Ja bringing back an SSR Alpaca made me chuckle.

The moblin pot contract stuff is very endearing, basically they are keeping a crafter as a personal pet to love and pamper so they can do their best work? Such a cute Human Cattle aligned setup even though it's a mutual agreement and not actual ownership.

I liked the little merchant/seller skit we do with Koana even if my main glee was just seeing him wear something that didn't clash with his teal hair.

I perked up during the cooking contest introduction since it seemed like the chance for shenanigans was high, but they didn't really play around with it. At least we got Alisae musing to herself about Zuraal Ja and Baka Ja Ja in matching aprons 👌 Is the Fu awakening in you, my girl…?

Bakool Ja Ja doing his best to help out and getting a little flustered when receiving thanks after having been a stupid miserable bully that pretty much set off a nuke willy-nilly was nice, but only bcs I tend to clap like a seal no matter what when this trope appears. Since I am choosing happiness I'm not gonna comment more on his character.

The play was delightful as was the FF9 town wink in general (I also laughed for the wrong reasons at poor Otis doing a voice gag in an unvoiced cutscene, at least it still got the gist across well.)

lvl 100 dungeon nice presentation.

And…

Of course…….

Koana turning out to be an all-in siscon 🙏

Blessed be. It was rather predictable him and Wuk Lamat would end up as a duo ruler pair to cover each other's weaknesses, but her energetic public marriage proposal and stone carving to truly show off their union ran with the premise more than what I had braced for!

Love him feeling super jealous and obviously having been crying in the shower over WoL getting asked about a place in his sister's court [before he knew he had a place too] and then later him also clearly feeling threatened when she states that she views the WoL as one of her beloved siblings too. So pathetic clearly wanting to be the only Brother™ in her life ❤

I was kinda eyes emoji at Zoraal Ja too when he was staring at his sister with icy contempt, emboldened by my incest win when it came to the catboy I dared to dream that the oldest brother also harbored some obsessive feelings towards her that he didn't know how to handle, but that's not quite what happened… It's a shame we didn't get flashbacks of all those siblings together in various stages of life, I kept forgetting they were actually family so Wuk Lamat angsting over her evil brother made me go Oh Right every time I got reminded.

Lastly it wasn't quite part of the MSQ but the chuuni villain roundtable intro for the Role Quests was very silly (positive) and probably the most entertained I was during these past 4 days. Well, besides the actual trial fights being fun but I don't count those for story.

Ignoring the "human" faces and only going by the world the graphics/lighting update is very nice! My guy made it out OK but it stings a bit every time I see his mouth having had its charm nerfed. Very impressed by the not-Vanu Vanu, Horthgals and Mamool Jas facial expressions. However, hairstyles all look worse than before, so soft and "washed out"? I'm exaggerating for effect rn but Koana looks like he has a soft teal cloud as hair basically? And the twins' white hair is now too uniformly white without the darker hair strand lines…

The inn room is probably the nicest looking one we've gotten so far, both luxurious and cozy vibes. Always crack up seeing my Au Ra in bed nothing says relaxation like a super stiff coffin pose.

Quite bummed I couldn't find as much excitement as in previous expacks and I probably won't bother renewing sub for a while, but at least I already have other fandoms to keep me occupied.

[skrooy]

Buying and Playing all the Sonic the Hedgehog Board and Card Games Update 2

Sorry the photo is dark, the lightbulb in my game room went out. Anyways here’s an update on where I’m at currently. So far I have all of these Sonic the Hedgehog games and some more that are coming in the mail still….. And one that is unfortunately lost in the mail 😢. Here are the ones that I still have coming.

Here’s the game I ordered that’s lost in the mail.

And here are the ones I preordered.

I currently have only a couple more things I need to buy for the video. This includes Sonic the Hedgehog chalk, more Sonic X marbles (I didn’t buy enough 😭), Some Sonic the Hedgehog character masks since my friends don’t want their faces to be on camera, Sonic the Hedgehog sling hockey, Sonic the Hedgehog foosball table, Sonic the Hedgehog collectors monopoly, Sonic the card game, Sonic Chaos control game, Sonic the Hedgehog battle racers hyper pledge expansion, Sonic the Hedgehog triple trouble pogs game, I need to preorder the Sonic the hedgehog speed battle card game, and lastly, the bane of my existence, Sonic the Hedgehog Funky 54 playing cards. I swear to god I can’t find these playing cards being sold on any platform and I’ve been looking for weeks. I know they’re real, I’ve seen a couple pictures and one person on YouTube reviewing them but that’s all I can find on these. They don’t even appear on the wiki. However me and my wallet need to take a much needed break now and wait two or three more paychecks before i can get the rest of the stuff I need. A lot of these were very, very expensive and hard to find so I had to buy them when they were available despite how much money they were. Hopefully though after I regain the amount of money I spent I can get the rest of the stuff I need to make this YouTube video. I’m in too deep to back out now. I am planning on recording a new video for my channel though sometime when I get the chance. It’s going to be a game a friend recommended to me called Project X: Love Potion Disaster. It’s apparently a Sonic fan made game and not for kids. I’m going to be eating hot peppers while playing the game. Just thought I’d let anyone who is interested in this project of mine know about this update. Also if there’s any Sonic the Hedgehog board or card games I’ve missed let me know so I can add them to the list. Remember I’m doing this completely out of pocket and I’m not planning on making any money on this video. This is purely for fun, so I have an excuse to buy cool Sonic stuff, and so to hopefully meet new people online who share my interests and to help me with my online anxiety.

[darbyoakana]

An Overlord's Tail - Chapter 5

An Overlords Tail Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5 | Chapter 6 | Chapter 7 | Chapter 8 | Chapter 9 | Chapter 10

Summary: Plans for a big party are made. You and Alastor get closer.

Warnings: This story is 18+, minors can fuck right off.

Other Notes: The Lodger: A Story of the London Fog (1927) - it can be found on YouTube.

Darby Link Tree

Chapter 5: Celebrations

“Uggggh. They are from Vox,” he said dryly. 

“Yeah. Today would be our anniversary of sorts. Feel free to light them on fire,” you said dismissively. 

“Very well,” Alastor said, grabbing the bouquet with a grin. 

Alastor exited the building from the front door. To no surprise, there was a drone fluttering around the hotel. Alastor waved and smiled. The roses combusted in green flame. He left the burning roses on the stone walkway and returned to the lobby. He dusted off his hands and made a content sigh. 

Today you had your monthly meeting with Alastor, Charlie, and Lucifer to talk about new amenities, catch them up on things around the hotel, and the usual business. Lucifer held a chair out for you, sitting you next to him. Alastor entered, not through the door, of course, appearing from the shadows. He was hard to read, but you felt you had gotten familiar with his little tells. And from what you could see, he didn’t like you sitting next to Lucifer. He said nothing and sat down on the other side of the table next to Charlie. 

“So I was thinking it might be nice to introduce some physical activities. Something to keep residents busy, out of trouble, and maybe a way to let off some steam when things are frustrating,” you explained. “I think a lot of them are doing well, but taking a close look at yourself can be difficult.” 

“Oh that's a great idea!” said Charlie. “What did you have in mind?” 

“A gym might be a good place to start. Maybe an indoor pool?” you looked at your list. “And for people who need a more tranquil place to process, we could add a courtyard garden. Is yoga still popular? We could have a rotating exercise class schedule,” you flipped your notebook page. “I think when you take some of everyday stress out of their lives the sinners will have an easier time focusing on redemption. It’s hard to work on yourself when you have other factors bogging you down,” you flipped to the next page. “And, farther down the line we could talk about a spa of some sort. Make the hotel more of a resort.” 

“I am SO on board with all of this!” Charlie exclaimed. “Dad?”

“Excellent recommendations,” Lucifer said, putting his hand on your shoulder. “You’ve been a great addition to the hotel, thank you for your hard work.” 

You didn’t need to look over at Alastor, you could feel the sharp icy daggers of his glare. 

“Thank you, Your Majesty!” you said kindly. “And as for any resident disputes… I think I have them all resolved,” you pulled out a few business cards. “But I did do some research and found a couple of highly recommended counselors that we could commission to mediate any cases that are outside of our abilities.” 

“Oh man, I am so happy Vaggie hired you!” Charlie squealed. “And that Alastor didn’t drive you out.” She chuckled, elbowing him. 

“A simple decision. She proved to be more useful than the others.” Alastor acted uninterested. You rolled your eyes. 

“And the last thing, Charlie’s birthday is coming up. Did we want to do anything? A large party might be a great opportunity to promote the hotel and give the residents a chance to have some fun?” you asked. “I’m sure one, if not more, of the Sins would be willing to help.”

“Oh, what an amazing time that would be! I’m sure a lot of us could use a fun night out!” Charlie beamed. “Beelzebub’s parties are a little too much for me. But I bet Uncle Ozzie would be interested! We could make it real fancy!” 

“That sounds like a marvelous plan,” Lucifer smiled at you. “I do love to dance, it’s been a while.” 

You scribbled some notes down on your pad, your pen was not disbursing ink. You scribbled harder. Lucifer noticed a yellow pen appeared in his hand. It was a thick pen with several click-down buttons that allowed you to change the ink color. The top of the pen was embellished with a small rubber duck. He handed it to you. 

“Oh, thank you! How cute!” you said. Alastor’s eye twitched.

“No problem, happy to help,” he gave you a warm smile then hopped out of his chair. “Well if we are done, I’ll go see Asmodeus about this party.” 

Lucifer stepped through a portal and was gone. You liked Lucifer, he was charming and nice. For someone who rules Hell, he really didn’t fit the job description. You imagined he’d be more like the overlords. He was always friendly with you but you kept him at a distance for the obvious reasons; the seething deer across the table.

“Oooooh, we're all gonna have to go shopping for something to wear!!!” Charlie hugged you and spun you around, excitedly. “I’m going to go tell Vaggie!” She skipped away. 

“I think that went well,” you said to Alastor as he got up out of his chair. 

“Hmm, indeed,” he said flatly. 

“What’s got your knickers in a twist?” 

“That man is an idiot. Every moment I spend near him I feel myself getting dumber.” 

In truth, you knew that wasn’t really why Alastor disliked Lucifer. Alastor had to work hard to gain the power he has and to maintain an image. Any weakness and his enemies will take advantage of it. Lucifer on the other hand is the most powerful being in Hell and doesn’t seem to want the job.  He doesn’t have to hide his feelings or who he is to maintain power.  You could see that being something Alastor envied. He was wasted potential in Alastor’s opinion. You shuttered at the image of what Hell would be like if Alastor was in power. Yikes, you thought. 

You returned to your desk to start on the party planning. As you passed the bar you stopped. There, hanging from the ceiling, was a large chandelier made of deer antlers. Alastor followed through on your previous suggestion. Candles were placed sporadically, melting wax into the grooves. 

“Quite charming, really. Don’t you think?” Alastor asked, suddenly next to you. 

“Very much so. What elegant taste you have.”

“I have to agree,” he smirked at you. You smirked back.   

“Hey, toots! These just came for you!” Angel was holding a bouquet of roses. “Someone has a secret admirer!”

“Ugh. Throw them out,” you said.

“What? Why? They’re so pretty!” 

“Check the card.” 

“Alright…” Angel looked at the card and became immediately disappointed. “Uggggh. They are from Vox,” he said dryly. 

“Yeah. Today would be our anniversary of sorts. Feel free to light them on fire,” you said dismissively. 

“Very well,” Alastor said, grabbing the bouquet with a grin. 

Alastor exited the building from the front door. To no surprise, there was a drone fluttering around the hotel. Alastor waved and smiled. The roses combusted in green flame. He left the burning roses on the stone walkway and returned to the lobby. He dusted off his hands and made a content sigh. 

__________________________________

You were surprised to see that movie night with Alastor had become a weekly event. Wednesday nights, after everyone retired for the evening, you two would secretly chip away at the stack of horror films in your collection. You enjoyed explaining the changes and advancements in movies since Alastor had died. But watching movies at random didn’t give him a clear timeline. You wondered if you could find some films from his era. 

“And what will we be watching tonight?” he asked. 

“Actually, I hunted down a movie that I’d like to share with you.” 

You took some time to explain who Alfred Hitchcock was, that his career covered six decades, and how to this day he is considered one of the most influential people in cinema history. And that his work helped pave the way for the horror/slasher genre.

“I couldn’t find a physical copy unfortunately, so I downloaded one. We’ll have to watch it on my laptop.” You sat together, leaning on your headboard, with your laptop between the two of you. “So this movie is called The Lodger: A Story of the London Fog, it’s Hitchcock's third film. It came out in 1927. I thought you might want to watch something from your time period since you’ve been watching so many from mine.”

“That's… very thoughtful of you.” 

“Did you ever go to the movies when you were alive?”

“Yes, once my mother took me to see a Chaplin film.” 

“That's so cool! My parents loved the movies, we went almost every week,” you both sat in silence for a moment. Both thinking of your parents before you changed the subject. “Oh and this right here,” you pointed to the small, almost unnoticeable USB dongle on the side of your computer. “This blocks Vox’s signal, so he can’t spy on us. I have one on the computer at my desk too.” 

“Oh, now that is handy. Where did you get something like that?” 

“Velvette had them made. She was working on a project and didn’t want Vox snooping. They work like a Faraday cage I guess, but it's specifically for his signal or code, whatever it is he’s made of. But it doesn’t block anything else so we can still use the internet.” 

“And I’m guessing Velvette didn’t just give them to you out of the kindness of her heart?”

“Haha no, I don’t think she has any of that. Or a heart for that matter. So I guess you can add thievery to my list of sins.” You shrugged dramatically. 

You found the movie to be artistically interesting. You’d never seen a silent film before and had expected it to be boring and slow-paced. It wasn’t what you were expecting at all. The lack of dialogue left things up to interpretation and body language. You definitely did not expect there to be as much romance as there was. Alastor seemed to enjoy it as well. 

“That was surprisingly good. I didn’t like the ending though,” you said.

“What would you have done differently?” he asked. 

“Instead of him being innocent, I would have made him the killer like they suspected. At the end, they think he’s innocent but then give you some sort of clue that it was him all along and he fooled everyone.” 

“Hmm. I like that ending better as well.” 

Of course, the idea of a serial killer getting away with his murders, fooling everyone, and getting everything he wanted in the end appealed to Alastor.

“Did this remind you of being alive?” 

“Oh yes, things have changed so much since then. I sometimes forget the taste of it.”

“Do you miss it?”

“Being alive? Heavens no. Maybe a thing or two, but I’m doing quite well for myself here,” he smiled. “Do you?”

“Yeah. I do,” you said somberly. “I miss my friends and family. My life felt full,” you sighed. You could feel tears building in your eyes. “Here I feel like... I’m just floating around. No real purpose. Empty and lonely.” 

“Well,” he placed a hand on your thigh, above your knee. “Nice thing about Hell is, you have an eternity to change that.” 

You leaned your head on his shoulder.

Alastor couldn’t help but to feel that the hotel was making him soft. He had started to care about others, to some degree, and it tasted like bile in his mouth. But when you placed your head on his shoulder, what he felt was different. Protective and possessive were already strong traits of Alastor. But there was something more, something he couldn’t put his finger on. The need to care for you, for your wellbeing. You weren’t just another soul he owned and controlled like a pawn. He wanted you to feel fulfilled like you had when you were alive. He wanted to be your purpose. He’d dated around here and there when he was alive, mostly to please his mother. But it was difficult to be close to someone and keep such murderous secrets. Everyone was always kept at some degree of distance. And his need, craving, to kill took precedence over all else. But here in Hell he didn’t have to hide. You knew exactly what he was and were still here, sharing your warmth with him. He didn’t know what to make of it. He only knew he wanted more. 

He laid his head on top of yours. 

[grayintogreen]

Okay I've never done this for LitMoR because there's three times as many OCs and I always feel weird talking about "voice claims"" in a fandom that doesn't... do that. Or really have a huge OC culture in general, but since Hellaverse does and I HAVE seen people going "if my OC was real, they would be played by x" before, I wanted to provide the list and some references so you can hear them as I hear them.

This list is painfully biblically accurate to the casting pool Vivzie uses (either Broadway actors or voice actors who have done musicals), barring a couple exceptions. It also contains the Canon OC's, because lbr my interpretations of Eve, Crymini, Lilith, Baxter, and Arackniss are not going to be canon and I'm okay with that. Roseverse is an AU.

ANYWAY. BENEATH THE CUT ARE A BUNCH OF YOUTUBE CLIPS + long-winded explanations. ENJOY. I’ll have to do another one because there’s a ten video limit and I had more characters to cover plus there’s characters who haven’t been introduced yet.

EDEN ESPIONSA AS EVE

Listen I will fully admit this decision was spurred on by "Nothing Left to Lose" but Eden Espinosa is hella good at playing resentful second fiddle bad girlies, given her entire career feels like it comes down to "Idina Menzel but affordable" (don't listen baby girl you're amazing).

ELIZABETH MITCHELL AS LILITH (SINGING VOICE: LADY GAGA)

I've gone over this one before, but I stand by it. I know Vivzie's hc voice for Lilith for real is Lady Gaga, but it wasn't vibing with how I've been writing her, so Lady Gaga plays her when she's singing (specifically the very raw, less sylized way she sings ASiB) and Liz plays her every other time. Watch that Blonde4Blonde love scene and tell me that isn't Lucillith reunion coded.

CHRISTOPHER FITZGERALD AS BAXTER

Now if Baxter appears in canon as more than a cameo, I would want him to be played by an actual trans actor because WE CANNOT IGNORE THE FACT THAT ONLY FEMALE ANGLERFISH HAVE LURES (and Viv denotes trans characters in imps by their horns so we know she's done this kind of thing to cue the audience in), but since this is just for fun and for me to have something to refer back to when I'm writing for vocal consistency, I gotta go with this nerd.

Note: I did NOT realize he played Kimiko Glenn's love interest in Waitress until I was looking up a video.

BARRETT WILBERT WEED AS CRYMINI

This one is actually at least marginally possible because BWW already voices Octavia. Part of the reason why she and Stolas have that cute little moment in Chapter Five of OWDLIF is because she shares a VA with his daughter and it was a dumb little moment for me, personally. (The clip in there with the live version of Dead Girl Walking where she sounds a little drunk and she's reading the lyrics off her phone is the exact energy for Crymini.)

Also “Fight For Me” from the Heathers musical is the Crinomini theme.

BRENNAN LEE MULLIGAN AS ARACKNISS

Here's one of our exceptions! This came out of nowhere because at first I was using Jeremy Jordan in Newsies as the basis for his voice, but it VERY QUICKLY- like while writing the first chapter- morphed into Sean, so that's what I'm stuck with. Also I'm sorry it's so long, but trust me it's worth it. Brennan is an improv god.

LIN-MANUEL MIRANDA AS CHANCE

YEAH YEAH I KNOW. YOU LOVE CHANCE ANYWAY. I will say that Roseverse Chance is specifically closer to In the Heights!LMM, whereas LitMoR Chance is very specifically Lee Scoresby. Ergo In the Heights.

ERIKA ISHII AS DIANA

The third exception. Though Erika has been doing voice work and has been in a musical game, even if they didn't sing in it, so who knows.

Also this video clip is so Dianacore. The whole thing.

KHARY PEYTON AS AAMON

This is like the main reason I posted this, because I need everyone to be aware of just how hot Aamon sounds despite him being a giant toolbox.

REBECCA FERGUSON AS ROO

Listen. LISTEN. She can sing. She's got a sexy voice. She's NOT LIKELY TO EVER BE CAST, but Rose the Hat is like 85% of my entire aesthetic for her. Her secondary aesthetic is Kate Shindle as the Mad Hatter in the Wonderland musical who is slightly more castable.

[phanfictioncatalogue]

Getting Together (7) Masterlist

part one, part two, part three, part four, part five, part six

a game of chance (ao3) - danhoweiis

Summary: Phil worked at Chance and Counters, a board game cafe in North East London. One definite perk of the last few weeks had been the guy who Phil was now delivering a coffee too. Phil had been smitten from the second he stepped through the door which was something he now wished he hadn’t told his friend and manger Nate, so he could have saved himself being teased every time Cute Dan (as Phil had affectionately called him after overhearing someone say his name) came in

A Perfect Pair (ao3) - husbants

Summary: Dan, a struggling actor who works retail by day, and Phil, an ex-YouTuber-turned-porn-star, end up matched together on the new reality show, Perfect Pair.

cat got your tongue? (ao3) - megiaolf

Summary: A near wholesome cat cafe au.

Communication Is Key (ao3) - philsmeatylegss

Summary: In which au Dan and Phil are friends with benefits despite the fact that neither of them want to be friends with benefits and Dan just sucks at talking about his feelings

company policy (ao3) - watergator (orphan_account)

Summary: dan works in a bakery-by-day, gay club-by-night bar. phil owns said bar. things happen.

dan is not a pianist (ao3) - Marranje

Summary: How Phil went from watching the pianist and youtuber Dan from afar to being by his side through the most important moments of their lives.

Fade into View (ao3) - nic0ler

Summary: Phil works as a receptionist and he loves it. Dan works as an editor for a fashion magazine and he kind of hates it. Dans really pretty and Phil notices. Dan doesn't notice Phil, until one day, Phil makes himself noticed by everyone.

fade to black (ao3) - sierraadeux

Summary: That’s the thing about Phil. He’s a tease.

or

films, flirting, and other things that start with f.

knight of wands (ao3) - dizzy

Summary: Some days are just boring.

(And some aren't.)

linger on (ao3) - dizzy, waveydnp

Summary: A recent loss has ground Phil's life to a halt. At 33, he's static in his grief and living in the house he grew up in - until his mother kicks him out.

In a fit of indignation and with nothing to lose, he answers the first listing he finds for a room to rent in London... a listing posted by a guy named Dan.

more than convenient (ao3) - baroquen

Summary: In which Dan keeps seeing Phil as the closest profile on Grindr and finally says "fuck it."

(Except it's very sappy)

Neighbourly Nook (ao3) - wednesday_ukiru

Summary: The stranger had a dimple on his cheek that appeared when he laughed.

“I’m Dan,” he said, extending his hand. Phil reached for it with extreme eagerness, their knuckles knocking together in a particularly painful way, and they both winced, but Dan immediately broke into a smile. “I don’t know why I offered you a handshake, I never know how to do them.”

Orally Fixated On You (ao3) - dickiegreenleaf

Summary: Dan's a stickler for oral hygiene. He brushes twice a day, flosses religiously, and makes sure to go to the dentist every six months. His strict dental regimen has nothing to do with the way it feels when he's got tools scraping his gums, and it certainly has nothing to do with his adorable dental hygienist.

Revolving Door (ao3) - intoapuddle

Summary: Phil really doesn’t want to think about what Dan said. He really would like to leave, and take this strangled feeling elsewhere. But he can’t stop listening to Dan’s song.

scratch bark bite (oh, love me, i lied) (ao3) - Tarredion

Summary: Music & Drama teacher Dan Howell has a well-known rivalry with his coworker, English teacher Phil Lester.

An unforeseen event flips everything Dan thought he knew about Phil and himself on its head. Slowly but surely, the grudge withers, and the two of them cross the line between enemy and friend. But what will happen when their true intents and feelings get revealed? And was what they had ever really a rivalry? Was it even mutual?

Soft Speak with a Mean Streak (ao3) - Nefertiti1052 (Succubusphan)

Summary: Phil was a lonely film student; Dan was a mysterious new classmate he got stuck in with for a big project. It was only a matter of time and the right circumstances.

Take a Picture (It'll Last Longer) (ao3) - phantasticworks (steddieworks)

Summary: Dan and Phil meet at 2 a.m. in a coffee shop. Phil is a photographer looking for a model, and Dan can't say no to pretty boys.

The Boy And The Builder (ao3) - intoapuddle, jestbee

Summary: Dan is stuck in a house full of builders feeling sorry for himself. Until he meets Phil, that is...

The Problem With Travelling During The Holidays (ao3) - Nefertiti1052 (Succubusphan)

Summary: Dan is in a tricky situation, running to catch his connecting flight with no other than his annoying enemy right on his heels. If he could just get on the plane and be away from Lester that would save Christmas.

Luckily for Dan, things don't tend to go his way.

The River (ao3) - Portia331

Summary: Dan arrived in Melbourne two weeks ago with just one suitcase crammed with running gear, psychology textbooks, and a mere fraction of his wardrobe especially curated to fit both his aesthetic and the Melbourne weather.

He's about to start in the role of a lifetime on a 12 month contract, but he's barely ready for the Australian summer heat, let alone what the world is about to throw at him.

vacation getaway (ao3) - angelmichelangelo

Summary: phil burns easily, but that soon proves to be not such a bad thing

what might come with the dawn (ao3) - cloud-gays (wind_brewed)

Summary: The Island has a Guardian, that's what people say. Phil doesn't know if this guardian is a mythical being or just a piece of gossip; a made-up story to make people feel safe during storm season. A made-up story just to make them feel secure.

Now that he decides to move in with his parents again, Phil needs the protection. Maybe he needs to reach out to this lonely, black-clothed being; reach out to the lonely man of winter.

Also called: Phil is a storm-chaser of sorts and Dan, a storm-magnet. In between running and hiding, they find each other inside the calm of the storm.

[can-of-pringles]

Okay, I'm finally doing it. Here's a small introduction post to September Mourning.

If you're not familiar at all, you might be wondering, what is September Mourning? September Mourning is a metal band mixed with comic storylines and lore, created by Emily Lazar and Marc Silvestri.

[Emily Lazar as the character September Mourning)

(From Wikipedia) "The conceptual project was formed by frontwoman, vocalist, and screamer Emily Lazar in New York in 2009. The concept narrative created by Lazar and incorporated in the band and their performances, centers around the fictional story of a human-grim reaper hybrid named September, as she navigates the worlds of the living and the dead."

[One of the pictures taken during a concert listed on their official Spotify]

The songs are tied with the comics as well, even some lyrics appearing in the comics. The comics explain the fictional lore of the band.

(The official synopsis) "In a world where Reapers prey on the souls of the living, imprisoning them in the shadow-land of Mortem, there is one last hope for humanity. Her name is September Mourning. Half human, half Reaper, she takes the souls of the wicked so the innocent can live again. September has joined forces with a woman who was murdered and restored to life, and a young blind girl who sees only the dead. Together, as The Trinity, they set out to fulfill a prophecy that will finally free all the lost souls who are trapped in Mortem."

[One of the covers]

[Screenshot of September from the comics]

The comics are a quick read (I read the full collection in a day) hopefully they'll make more. You can easily find them to read online.

They also have some music videos on their YouTube channel explaining some lore as well.

They have two albums and multiple singles. Some of my favorite songs are: Rise (Oni Force Theme) Skin and Bones, Unholy, 20 Below, Madness, and Overdose

They're active on Instagram, TikTok, and other socials. They have an official website too. (And merch!)

Overall, they're a great band, with an interesting story that I think deserves more attention. If you're familiar with the band Ghost, I think you might like them because of the similar-ish songs, fictional lore, costuming, etc.

I'll admit I'm a recent fan, got recommended them by my hairstylist (so thanks to her), so if I get any information wrong, I apologize.

Maybe give them a chance and listen to their music :)

(Enjoy some gifs I found)

[moonlightdancer26]

Hey, I just saw a Marauder stan claiming that James has changed because he apparently plans to make Snape the godfather of his second child. Like... what ?? Do you know where this is coming from ?

*laughs in day 3760 of dealing with Marauder stans’ fanon bullshit*

Aight, let’s get to work:

That claim is a completely unfounded fan-theory that makes no sense whatsoever. This theory/whateverweshouldcallit was presented as one of Jowling Kowling Rowling’s headcanons/unpublished ideas, but it did not originate with her.

There are so many things wrong with this fan theory, including the fact that:

Lily was not pregnant with a second child and even if she was I highly doubt that she and James would pick Snape as a godfather. Peter is right there [a) I’m not counting Sirius because he’s already Harry’s godfather so let’s assume they’ll want to pick someone else b) I’m not counting Remus because we were told that they suspected him at that time]

They didn't know that he already was on the good side at the time and probably haven't even seen him for years.

Even if they knew, James most definitely would not pick Severus as the godfather (no matter how much he supposedly changed), and hell, I don’t even think Sevy himself would want that. Jimothy and the leapfrog would probably pick Sirius again, or perhaps Peter, whom they trusted oh-so much? (😏)

As far as we know Sevy and the deadhead redhead never crossed paths once during the war. They were on opposite sides of the war and Lily got married to James. It’s more than likely they never crossed paths after graduation. Even when Severus had begun operating as a double-agent for Dumbles—which was before Lily died, mind you—the Order was completely unaware of it.

To even get remotely close to the sort of scenario, this would mean that:

— Severus and Lily would need to have rekindled their friendship.

— James and Sev would have needed to make peace with each other.

— Dumbledore would’ve had to reveal Severus’s position as a spy to the Order—whom he knew included a traitor (oh god.. Marauder stans bouta have a field day with this)—which was extremely risky.

^^ And I don’t doubt either of the first two points I listed above would have taken a much longer time than a year/year and a half. And besides, in between Sev switching sides and the Potters dying, James and Lily would access the privilege of seeing Severus only at Order meetings… which a) they did not b) wouldn’t have been enough time to get that close to someone to the point where you’d want them to be the godparent of your child. Plus, there’s a chance that James and Lily didn’t even attend any Order meetings whilst they were in hiding.

So yeah, not only is this very much not canon but it also ignores most of what’s established in it.

To expand this a bit more, you say this Marauder stan used this as proof of James’s apparent growing up? Well, let’s debunk that, shall we?

It isn’t canon. Boom. Argument completely debunked. It ain’t canon = don’t use it to defend your non-existent faves. <3 Piece of cake.

You can’t use “oh well it’s possible that James would have matured/matured” or “it’s possible he would’ve made peace with Snape,” those are mere what if’s. What if’s are not arguments. It’s ridiculous how this is such a simple thinking process but these arguments have been going on for such a long time. It appears the logic is unable to continue logicing in the Harry Potter fandom.

Story time:

I remember a year ago I dealt with this idiot on YouTube who used this exact argument. (I remember cause 1. holy shit time goes by fast 2. I got a notif for someone complimenting me for my responses 😌 3. around a month ago, I argued with someone in that same comment section.) And I of course corrected them and wrote most of the arguments I’ve written here. They got super pissed and kept on telling me “shut up you stupid Snape apologist,” “fuck you,” “James actually grew out of his bullying ways,” “most of what you said are lies and exaggerations about James (💀💀),” etc. I will legitimately NEVER get over the fact that that person actually said “I guess it’s one rule for Severus Snape and another rule for everyone else,” like sir… do you not know how ironic that is coming from a Snape anti? 😭😭

Anyway, I hope I answered your question, anon! Have a nice day.

[aspencrown]

OneD&D, the OGL 1.1 Leak, and the Grim Future of Dungeons & Dragons

Hey folks, long time no talk. While I know that this account is more or less a place for me to put up pretty pictures or to comment on political issues nowadays, I figured I may as well rant talk about a topic I'm pretty passionate about: D&D and tabletop roleplaying in general. Or to be more precise, the changes looming in the distance.

On the chance that this is the first time you (the reader) have heard about this OGL 1.1 stuff, I'll try to sum up what's been happening in the world of D&D and its Open Game License. In short? It's bad. Very bad.

What's Going On?

Over the past month or so, after a rather unnerving article published by Dicebreaker about D&D execs feeling the hobby was "under-monetized", there's been a lot of tension building about the future of D&D. It eventually came to a head with rumors floating around Twitter and YouTube about OneD&D was going to do something to the existing OGL and that the new license would be hyper-predatory. This prompted WotC to publish a reply, which was rife with the usual corporate soft-speak that made it clear that they weren't being entirely truthful. But it did what it was meant to and calmed some of the concerned fans.

Then on January 5th, the leaked 1.1 OGL was revealed via an article on Gizmodo and was found to be a 9,000 word document with contracts attached (which, for reference, is 10 times that of the current OGL -- which has far more friendly 900 words). Whoever leaked it to Gizmodo apparently did so under breach of NDA (Though there are theories about it being intentionally leaked) and it appears that WotC was initially intending to launch a shock-and-awe scorched earth campaign against all third-party content creators, big and small, by moving to revoke the long-standing OGL 1.0a.

Why is the OGL 1.1 Bad?

The easier question to answer is what's good about it, which are new protections against publishing creations that contain hatespeech, racism, transphobia, and so on -- on top of protecting the property from NFTs and such.

Though to put it very briefly (and bluntly) on what's awful about OGL 1.1, it seeks to make D&D inhospitable (or outright toxic) to any and all third-party content creators; drive out competition in virtual tabletops like Foundry and Alchemy RPG *; doing away with non-official virtual tools (Kobold Fight Club comes to mind); potentially harm streamers and YouTube content creators; claim ownership over creations from both non-commercial and commercial homebrew; demanding exorbitant royalties based not off of profit, but revenue; and expect creators to report their finances and earnings to them like they're the IRS.

If this OGL is made official, not only will it kill the vibrant homebrew community D&D has, but it will also go after other TTRPGs that utilize the OGL 1.0a out of good faith over these past 23 years. This means Pathfinder 1 & 2, Fate, Mutants and Masterminds, and many more are now in WotC/Hasbro's crosshairs.

Solasta: Crown of the Magister, and other video games like it, is also at risk as it uses elements from D&D's OGL.

Big name streamers like Critical Role and Dimension 20 might also be affected by this, but as they have currently not made any official stance on the matter it is unknown if they will stand with fans or broker some sort of agreement with WotC/Hasbro. (Note: This is not meant as a jab, caution over one's IP and livelihood is always important.)

There's a lot more that's scary about it that others listed below have covered, but know that the verbiage in the new OGL as it stands is belligerent and harmful to everyone. *Roll20 and Fantasy Grounds will likely be safe, as they already have contracts with WotC.

What Can You Do About it?

Honestly, be loud. Don't threaten or curse, of course, but make your displeasure known. Go fill out OneD&D's survey (decline to review the Cleric changes) and voice your concern. Cancel your D&D Beyond subscription, if you have one. Go on Twitter and join in on #opendnd. Sign this petition perhaps.

Remain vigilant to whatever may change, because it's only a matter of time until Wizards does their staged apology to deflect.

Aside from it being a typical tactic when adjusting the Overton Window, it even says in the document that they "will receive community pushback and bad PR" and that "[They're] more than open to being convinced that [They] made a wrong decision."

Keep the pressure on, because whatever changes they will so "graciously" give us will surely still be terrible.

Relevant Reading / Viewing

Dungeons & Dragons executives think 'the brand is really under monetized'

OGLs, SRDs, & One D&D (WotC's milquetoast reply to December's circulating rumors)

Dungeons & Dragons’ New License Tightens Its Grip on Competition (This is where the OGL 1.1 was leaked)

Let’s Take A Minute To Talk About D&D’s Open Gaming License (OGL) (An explanation from an IP lawyer with experience in gaming licenses.)

The Rules Lawyer's commentary and explanation (Video)

Roll of Law's commentary (Video)

Scintilla Studio's OGL 1.1 and the Extinction of D&D (Video)

Closing Thoughts

I'm a relative newcomer to the world of D&D and TTRPGs. I've always wanted to try it, but the idea of playing at a table with random people terrified me. It wasn't until the semi-recent (okay, maybe not so recent anymore) advent of virtual tabletops was I given hope. So when a kind pigeon gave me a spot in her game, I was hooked from then on.

I dove into the world of TTRPGs and haven't looked back since. Though over the past year or so, I've been getting a little disenchanted with WotC as their last couple of publishings have been very lackluster and disappointing. The last one I enjoyed was Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft, but even then I wished they did more with it. And don't get me started over the recent Mordenkainen's and Spelljammer...

Third-party content, everything from little up-and-comers on the /r/Unearthed Arcana subreddit, to @the-griffons-saddlebag, to big Kickstarters like Heliana's and Steinhardt's were the things that have kept the hobby vibrant for me. I'll always support them over a corporation, especially greedy and vicious ones like WotC-Hasbro. So even if they dial back what has been leaked to something more "tolerable". Hell, even if they leave the OGL 1.0a alone after all, they made their choice with trying to pull the rug out from under us with this.

While my love for D&D will not die, I can certainly promise that WotC will not see another cent from me from here on out.

[orionsangel86]

This was an offhand comment from your tags about having extensive knowledge of the wider DC universe, but I immediately had to be a nerd and give some tips for a useful tips section. Sorry in advance for how long this is.

Honestly for me it helps to just pick a character that sounds like the character has an interesting storyline, origin story, villain(s) and start reading/doing research. Currently for me that means reading Constantine comics (and Dead Boy Detectives), but it’s just like reading a book and getting to know characters as they appear in the story. Sometimes (if not often) I’ll even get introduced to a different character from a crossover that is in the issue and I add the character to the list to do a deep dive into. For example, reading the Sandman and getting potentially meeting Constantine for the first time. Constantine is an extremely interesting character with a compelling backstory and while I’ve known about Constantine before reading Sandman comics, I didn’t ever really think about actually reading comics for Constantine until reading through The Sandman.

Another helpful thing if you’re just wanting nerdy rants is just listening to people’s passionate video essays (such as Pandaredd) (also he does a comic book club on YouTube and it’s interesting to hear his take on comics after he gives a synopsis) on a specific character and what a specific story means for that character. Always good to do your own additional research after listening to those, but they’re still good fun in my opinion.

And lastly, book stores still sell comics and libraries hold them as well. If you’re wondering where to start, chances are there’s a real enthusiastic nerd who will just burst with excitement to help you out. Not to mention it’d be supporting your local library and/or book stores.

TL;DR slow and steady wins the race. It’s definitely a huge pool to deep dive into, but I absolutely think it’s worth it in the end.

Thank you! This is really helpful. I think if I was gonna get into any other comics now it probably would be the Hellblazer comics and Constantine so I'll take a look at what I can find.

Ive gone right off the superhero genre in recent years (I'm probably gonna blame Disney for that) but Constantine and the Hellblazer comics seem like the least superhero comics going next to Sandman.

[violent-optimism]

Ranking every Ganon/Ganondorf based on Appearance

Hey folks!

Those who know me well know that Ganondorf is one of my all time favourite video game characters and I am SO excited to see him return in “Tears of the Kingdom”. In that spirit, I thought it would be fun to do a personal ranking of every major Ganon or Ganondorf appearance in a Zelda game.

Notice how I said “major”, because quite frankly there are a lot of smaller Zelda games out there and I don’t have time to look into every single one of them to see if the G man had a cameo or not. This won’t be a complete list, just complete in terms of my personal knowledge and the games I am most familiar with. Also, friendly reminder that this list is my opinion and I’m not trying to offend or change anyone’s mind.

Let’s go!

Ganon from the CD-I Zelda games - 1/10

I had to throw this one in here just for fun. It’s no secret that most of the characters in these games look absolutely god awful, not just Ganon himself. He looks like a weird, swamp monster that’s a cross between a dog and an ogre. Whenever I see this image all I can think of were those hilarious Youtube Poops from way back in the day. It is truly a silly design that fails to even remotely represent such an evil and intimidating character.

Calamity Ganon from Breath of the Wild - 3/10

Gosh, I just know I’m gonna piss people off with this one. I’m sorry, but I just don’t like this design at all. Like, what am I even looking at here? He looks like a Christmas tree crossed with a pirate skeleton or something. The only reason why I gave him a 3 is because at least he is somewhat intimidating, unlike the last entry on my list. I know I haven’t actually finished BOTW, but that doesn’t change the fact that I find his design to be pretty uninspired and confusing, at least from what I’ve seen.

Original Ganon from the Legend of Zelda -  5/10

Although I’ve always preferred Ganondorf to Ganon, I will say I actually dig this design quite a bit. It really gets the point across that he is a powerful baddie and will hurt you if he gets the chance. It’s a good look, it’s effective, and oddly cute in a weird way? Especially when you see him in the game as a bundle of sprites that resemble a bright blue pig. Ultimately it’s just not as threatening or aesthetically pleasing as some of his other reincarnations.

Ganondorf from The Wind Waker - 6/10

Now we’re getting somewhere! While this is far from my favourite design of his, you have to admit it goes in a pretty creative and unique art direction. This version of Ganondorf feels rather large and imposing, especially since he towers over the characters of Link and Zelda who are literal children. I love the small details like his brooch and sandals. When I look at this image, I’m left with only one burning question...why did they make him so god damn CHONKY?

Ganondorf from Ocarina of Time - 7/10

Honestly it’s really hard to find anything wrong with this design. This was the first time we ever saw a human version of Ganondorf, and it’s inspired all of the other versions since then to some degree. He’s imposing, he’s threatening, he’s powerful, and it shows. I love the brown tones mixed with the white/blue/red cloth that’s scattered over various points. I think the only problem I have with this is the weird cod-piece situation that’s going on. And why did they make his ears so big and goofy?

Ganondorf from Hyrule Warriors - 8/10

Now THIS is more like it! I never played Hyrule Warriors, but boy do I sure love this design of Ganondorf. The blue and gold tones, the giant boots, the luscious red mane that’s free to blow in the wind. This is a look that just screams power and strength, with a touch of grace added in for good measure. Ganondorf looks delightfully mean here, like he’s thinking about how much he’s going to enjoy smashing your face into the ground.

Ganondorf from Tears of the Kingdom - 8.5/10

This new look hasn’t even been out for a week and I’m already so in love with it. I’m really enjoying the Samurai inspired design, with the man bun, tattoos and more skin shown than any other version I can think of. I know it’s on trend to talk about the thirst factor, but it definitely is there. Ganondorf’s potential for sex appeal is long overdue, and judging by everyone’s reaction I think I’m correct in that. Similar to Link and Zelda’s designs, I feel like this look has taken a bold new turn without straying too far from the original design of the character. I can’t wait to see more of him!

Ganondorf from Twilight Princess - 10/10

Here he is; the man, the myth...the absolute GOAT. In my opinion, Ganondorf’s design PEAKED with Twilight Princess and no other design has even come close to this level of perfection. Part of this might be my nostalgia talking, or the fact that this is my favourite Zelda game. But according to some other folks online, it looks like I’m not the only one who is obsessed with this look. Just looking at this image you can feel the anger, the power, the dominance. I love the colour scheme, the hairstyle, the cape, the fingerless gloves. There was so much thought put into every detail and it really shows. Perhaps 11 year Sam was ahead of her time, but I thought this Ganondorf was sexy as fuck back in the day (and tbh I still kind of do). At the end of the day, this look has everything you’d want for the King of Evil.

Thanks for listening to my ramble, folks. I hope you got something out of it. What’s your favourite version of Ganon/Ganondorf? :)

[filmnoirfoundation]

ASK EDDIE returns this Thursday, August 3, 7:00 PM PT to our Facebook page.

FNF prez Eddie Muller responds to film noir fan questions fielded by the Foundation's Director of Communications Anne Hockens . In this episode, we discuss “Sleep, My Love”, “Phantom Lady”, the precursors to Jules Dassin’s “The Naked City", film noir villains, our favorite character actors, Ida Lupinoand more. We also give our recommendations for books that were made into film noirs. On the cat front, Charlotte is a background player and Emily won’t come out of her trailer. Want your question answered in a future episode? We solicit questions from our email subscribers in our monthly newsletters. Sign up for free at https://www.filmnoirfoundation.org/signup.html

Everyone who signs up on our email list and contributes $20 or more to the Film Noir Foundation receives the digital version of NOIR CITY Magazine for a year. Donate here: https://www.filmnoirfoundation.org/contribute.html

Can’t join us on Thursday? No problem! A recording will be up on our YouTube channel, @NoirCity, on Friday, August 4: https://www.youtube.com/user/NoirCitySF

Note: Eddie will not be able to answer questions posted during the livestream nor ones left on our social media accounts

This week’s questions:

Do you think that the CRIME DOES NOT PAY shorts series is a precursor to films like THE NAKED CITY?

Liz

Keep seeing Alfred Newman name for music credits.  Was he the inspiration for Mad Magazine’s Character? 

Kitaman

How have the classic noirs and noir performers fared at Oscar nomination time? Any egregious snubs?

Ben

Why is Hitchcock's NOTORIOUS never shown anymore? And 1948’s SLEEP, MY LOVE with Claudette Colbert, Don Ameche and Robert Cummings. If it's in the "vault" any possibility of its ever showing

Jenene

I think PHANTOM LADY isn't merely overrated, it's awful. Really none of it rings true. The whole film is weak, I think. Most especially Franchot Tone. Interested if you agree.

Nick

The collision of humor and noir is an interesting topic, don’t you think? I was thinking about this recently when I saw Dick Powell in the very weird, 1951 film YOU NEVER CAN TELL.  What is your favorite example of humor in classic film noir?

Kingpin Johnny, Doylestown, PA

Is there an actor that has played a villain in more than one film noir movies? And the performance was memorable.

Jeff from Brooklyn

Who is your favorite film noir character actor and why?

Harry, West Chester, PA

My question is about Ida Lupino's story.  Did it become a movie, or maybe more important, could it?  Based on what you said it appears to be perfect for these times.

Barb

Can you recommend books to read that were eventually made into film noirs?

Valencia

By any chance, are Eddie Muller, Anne Hockens, and/or the Film Noir Foundation using Letterboxd? Letterboxd lets you keep track of movies you have watched. You can rate them, log them in a diary-style Brett- Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

I wrote a short film screenplay (6 pages) for a present-day noir which I sent to the Santa Barbara International Screenplay Awards, for analysis only. They gave it a favorable score, but I think it would have been higher if they read it as a film noir. My question is, if you are trying to write a screenplay reflecting the aesthetics of Film Noir, is there an organization I can send it to that can judge it for what it is?

William

THE TREASURE OF THE SIERRA MADRE: Noir or Not?

Doug, Silver Spring, MD

What are your opinions on these German crime films:

IT HAPPENED IN BROAD DAYLIGHT (1958)

THE DEVIL STRIKES AT NIGHT (1957)

WET ASPHALT (1958)

ALIBI (1955)

STOLEN IDENTITY (1953)

A DEGREE OF MURDER (1967)

WHIRLPOOL (1959)

And are there precursors to the currently popular Scandinavian noir films?

Greetings from the Netherlands, Maarten

Did you ever have the chance to meet either Siskel or Ebert, and talk about movies with them? Did they share any special insights about noir movies with you?

Dan from South Dakota

[ticstudios]

The Current State of Independent Animation

Indie Animation is a buzzword you've probably heard come up since 2023, and with no shortage of good reasons- We had several big pilots drop recently, Monkey Wrench, Murder Drones, Lackadaisy and Digital Circus.

These pilots have done so well that the big budget animation industry is taking notice such as A24 studios greenlighting Hazbin Hotel for a season! This is a huge win for independent creators- yet at the same time it creates a new problem: Expectations. You see independent animation is typically a no-to-zero budget labor of love. Many people who have been doing independent animation since Newgrounds.com came from little to no experience and pioneered a genre we love today.

With shows like Lackadaisy and Digital Circus raising the bar to Netflix standards the casual on goer would assume every independent animation should meet those standards. The fact is animation takes tons and tons of time and talent, and usually to do something for either would require compensation. The mega huge shows we all love and that get talked about on any animation youtuber's channel have been worked on by teams of people, not just one or two artists. To hire a team is expensive and it creates a false identity of what independent animation actually looks like to the average creator.

Web independent animation started in the early days of the internet on Newgrounds.com but in 2006 we started to see those pioneers switch to Youtube, and since then the genre has been in pop culture ever since. For a long time it was great, until the Youtube algorithm made the switch to watch time and fast content over good quality long form content. This made a drastic shift in what web animation would look like, and birthed the Storytime animation genre. JaidenAnimations and Technical Dave have really made Storytime animation a household name and even Odd1Out got a Netflix series! This was a revival for animators on Youtube, but for myself and several other passionate animators, a new scene was about to begin- The Animated Series Era.

I released my own web show “Rip the Falcon” in July 2021, and when I first published there were mostly art school thesis films for web animation that wasn't Storytime. Welcome to Hell and Hazbin Hotel were probably the most popular animated videos in that time. There were independent animated series well into their own series' timeline like Dreamophrenia, but the scene was still very fresh. All the sudden everything changed when we got treated to mega hit after mega hit such as Lackadaisy, Murder Drones, Cliffside and Long Gone Gulch, not to mentioned quirky series like Seinfeld in Don Bluth style.

Almost in one month everyone was talking about independent animation like it magically appeared. Now there was serious competition and what felt like a ripe field of potential had now become a contender over Netflix shows. So where does that leave the amateur or one-person team animation studios? Sadly I think our chances of being as successful as the teams with 10-30 artists are very low comparatively. There's now a certain level of what's “good” and one person against a production team definitely has odds stacked against them for success in competition.

I still see new pilots almost every two weeks pop into my recommendations list on Youtube, and although the views are criminally low for the hard work and effort that goes into these shorts, the passion is still exploding. Could these artists be the new Vivziepop? Who knows, but even if the odds are stacked against the small guys, independent animation is thriving!