#i was secretly evil for this one

[blotomical]

Grief.

(Oneshot) Mr. Plant tries to deal with the death of Mr. Flower. Argos wants to help.

Word count: 2.5k

Only real Bloom fans know about the secret extended Grief fic that will kill readers upon impact. Enjoy this version that will spare you.

[theghooligan]

aemond: my uncle is a challenge i welcome, if he dares face me—

daemon:

[gojuo]

there is not a single person on earth who can convince me that there wasn't a retcon happening concerning miquella's character (and his relationship with malenia) mid-development. no way.

[carnivalcarriondiscarded]

no okay i found 3-14 and??? did Howdy just sell fucking SOAP to Sally and tell her it's instant mashed potatoes??? oh my god someone stop him lmfao

[saintberceuse]

"Omg Alastor, Vox, and Adam all getting redeemed would be the best thing ever! I mean it would really go to show how anyone can become good no matter what they've been through!"

Okay, but ... Lilith, Sera, and Lute all being 100% evil is fine.

[roryfrommybabysittersavampire]

I'm convinced that everyone surprised by Armand's actions at the trial was watching his character as an extension of Louis, because I can still sympathize??? Lestat tore everything down, and Louis couldn't even give him back the simple security of accepting a place in the coven. he was scared. he almost got him fucking kicked out. I would choose the coven too! of course I would grieve my fucking dead boyfriend, but he wouldnt even call himself my boyfriend. it's a shitty, messy breakup. if you remove Louis from his story and think of him like a background character, armand is still the Exact Same. a manipulator out of perceived necessity, who covers up lies with more lies (which are explained so well with the 'it was a forgery!!' because he really is just flounderng and making it up as he goes) until they finally snowball out of his control, and a scared child clinging to structure, willing to sacrifice his happiness for some solid notion of safety, with rules and labels. he didn't even have to carry the responsibility of calling the shots anymore, if we assume that Santiago really did become the coven leader. and they still let him direct, gave him exactly what Louis did- a leash long enough that he could feel like he was in control when he needed it, and they didn't fuck around with it either. nothing about "I could not prevent it" made sense unless you were just not. paying attention

[ruvviks]

"The outer reaches of space remain unexplored by humankind to this day, but its greed is relentless. We grasp and yearn and hunger for knowledge— answers to questions we cry out into the endless void expecting to understand, expecting the stars to respond. The stars will not, but one day something else will— and we will not like what it has to say." — Rome Solomon, Beyond the Exosphere (1965)

taglist (opt in/out): @shellibisshe, @florbelles, @ncytiri, @hibernationsuit, @stars-of-the-heart, @vvanessaives, @katsigian, @radioactiveshitstorm, @estevnys, @adelaidedrubman, @celticwoman, @rindemption, @carlosoliveiraa, @noirapocalypto, @dickytwister, @killerspinal, @euryalex, @ri-a-rose, @velocitic, @thedeadthree

[goatbeard-goatbeard]

This probably seems like a minor detail, but I really appreciate that they had Frances McDormand, NOT Derek Jacobi, deliver the monologue to Job. Making it totally unambiguous that God is doing this, that it’s not some underling gone rogue.

As An Ex-Evangelical™️, one of the most common, most annoying ideas I run into re: Christianity is “oh Christianity is such a good philosophy! 😊 People are just interpreting it wrong! 😊 They’re corrupting Jesus’ true teachings! 😊”

To borrow a concept from UI design, if a lot of your users are “doing it wrong”, it’s actually the design that’s wrong (see also: the Purpose Of a System Is What It Does).

Yes, you’ve written the word “push” on the door, but you gave it a vertical handle — something that’s more naturally shaped for a pulling hand than a pushing hip. Of course people will grab the handle and pull. Yes, you’ve carefully marked safe crosswalks, but they’re so far apart that they’d double the walking distance. Of course people will take their chances with jaywalking, and sometimes get hit.

Yes, you’ve told people to be generous, but you’ve also told them “the poor you will always have”. Of course they’ll assume that anti-poverty legislation will fail, and vote against it. Yes, you’ve told people to be stewards of the earth, but you’ve also told them that God will end the world. Of course they’ll be skeptical of human-caused climate change. Yes, you’ve told people to love their neighbors, but you’ve also told them that anyone who doesn’t repent gets tortured forever. Of course they’re going to try to turn as many people away from hell as possible, even if that requires “tough love” in the here and now.

So for Good Omens to say, no, God is 100% involved in the story of Job, this has nothing to do with the Metatron. I love it. This isn’t a case of “things would be so much better if only people didn’t corrupt God’s true intentions! 😊”

Nah. She’s just Like That.

(also the biblically accurate/“wrestling with God” reading is just… way more fun than the boring, sanded-off Christian version where Everything Happens For A Reason. Let God be weird and petty and chaotic! Let God rant about the whales!)

[avocado-sammich]

Okay, hear me out… Pokemon GO x Resident Lover?

Valor: Cassandra, Alcina, Miranda

Mystic: Bela, Donna

Instinct: Daniela, Angie, Mia, MC

[nookkya]

Someone mentioned in a post that q!halo was more like a wet cat than an evil monster and that made them wonder why he didn't get into heaven faster since he seems more harmless and friendly.

To be honest I doubt he's gonna be a super goody two shoes then later on show a darker side, but this also makes me wonder if the reason why Q!Bad was finally allowed in heaven that time was because of his self awareness? He finally accepted that he couldn't be redeemed that's why he stopped trying to get in and just focused on his family but unbeknownst to him that's actually all he needed to do, stopped pretending.

(Heaven or the reason why you are allowed in Heaven?)

Like I'm wondering if this current q!Halo hadn't been challenged by the tragedies of life. He hadn't been "tested" that's why he couldn't get in before. His morality is more different.

(,,,,, maybe this q!bad would had chosen Heaven instead of his kids)

Perhaps Heaven refused to accept him because he had never faced a time where his position to be redeemed and to return back home was threatened, until now.

[the-eldritch-it-gay]

For a Druid, Majexatli seemed remarkably uncomfortable at the Emerald Grove. 

It seemed ironic, given that it was Majexatli who was the one who dragged everyone into this mess. Shadowheart herself didn’t care for the refugees and the Druids and whatever conflict they had, but Majexatli seemed much more a bleeding heart. Though as little as she cared she could at least appreciate that Majexatli stood their ground. 

Astarion didn't want to be involved in any of this, neither did Lae’zel, and both were quite vocal with their disdain. Yet rather than capitulate to their whining, Majexatli pointedly ignored both of them.

Shadowheart had nearly written Majexatli off entirely as some pacifistic empathetic do-gooder, not her first choice in companion, certainly, but tolerable. But at moments, there were hints of… something beneath their pristine exterior.

Shadowheart remembered watching as Lae’zel ordered that tiefling to bow before her. She expected Majexatli to immediately step in, but instead, they allowed it. At least at first, quietly saying something in Infernal to the man that seemed to reassure him. 

When Lae’zel made a comment about tieflings afterward, Shadowheart hadn’t exactly what she had said, but she did see the dagger Majexatli pulled out of nowhere, sharp and silver with a worn leather grip. It was against Lae’zel’s throat in a split second.

“Speak of my people like that again and see what happens,”

They sent both Lae’zel and Astarion to return to camp afterward.

As admirable as Shadowheart found it, it hardly seemed druidic.

Majexatli was a druid, though. The druids in the grove—at least for the most part—seemed to acknowledge them as a druid, albeit an outsider tiefling druid. The leather armor they wore resembled what the druids in the grove wore, though it was different and much more worn. 

Regardless, they were able to command a presence, speak Silvanus’ words with a firm wisdom enough to get Kagha to release the tiefling girl, assuage Nettie’s fears and promise to take her poison the moment they felt the symptoms of ceremorphosis. 

It almost seemed like Majexatli belonged in the Grove, that being among fellow druids was a comfort.

Almost.

As soon as Nettie turned to go back to the infirmary, Shadowheart saw the gentle smile on their face drop, shoulders relax as they let out the breath they were holding. Majexatli quickly busied themselves with looking over the notes on the Archdruid’s desk.

“Anything of interest?” Gale asked, stepping over to the desk with Majexatli.

Majexatli hummed in acknowledgment before replying.

“Some notes on the parasite. Though I think Nettie was right, we might need the Archdruid Halsin himself to get an expert opinion.”

“The path is clear, then. The tieflings need safe passage on the roads, and Archdruid Halsin has been captured by the goblins. If we take out the goblin camp, we can help the tieflings, help the grove, and learn more about these tadpoles,” Wyll said.

“Kill two birds with one stone,” Majexatli said and they continued to leaf through the Archdruid’s notes.

“Indeed, though I imagine you’re not one to kill any birds when you can speak with them,” Wyll smiled, looking at Majexatli with clear fondness already.

“Perhaps we should avail ourselves of the library, there’s a chance there are more notes on these parasites somewhere among the books,” Gale said.

As Gale spoke, he stepped away from the desk, beginning towards the shelves of books. He had barely made it a few steps before someone stepped out from behind the corner and let out a gasp, startled enough to drop the few books she had been carrying.

She was an older-looking halfling woman, frizzy grey hair pulled into a bun.

“Apologies, we didn’t mean to startle you,” Gale said, leaning down to help her gather the fallen books.

“No, no, it’s no issue, I was just lost in my own thoughts, I must not have heard you all come in,” She laughed, setting down the small stack of books she had been sorting, “My name is Calnys, I’m something of the librarian here,”

“A pleasure to meet you, Calnys, I am Gale of Waterdeep,”

Calnys’ eyes lit up at the mention of Waterdeep.

“Ah, Waterdeep, it’s been a while since I met another from there. Is there anything I can help you with, child?”

“I don’t suppose you have any books on ilithid parasites and ceremorphosis, do you?”

“Ceremorphosis…? I’m not certain we do” Calnys paused for a moment in thought, then her eyes widened, “Oh! You must be the ones from the gate! Word travels quickly here, I’ve heard all about how you helped defend our Grove. And you’re the ones who protected that young tiefling girl and talked some sense into Kagha,”

“Oh, while I certainly helped at the gate, the credit for stopping Kagha does belong with our fearless druid companion, Majexatli,” Gale gestured to Majexatli, who pointed turned away once again focusing on the various notes on Halsin’s desk.

Calnys didn’t seem to pay attention to his words.

“It’s awful, really, to see my own people treat a child that way,” Calnys shook her head, “Terrible. I wish these sorts of things never happened,”

“I do hope this isn’t a regular occurrence,”

“Oh, no, no no. Master Halsin is one of the kindest archdruids I’ve met, I haven’t heard of any ill that happened while the grove was in his care. Not that Iliris was unkind or irresponsible with the circle. Though what happened with that child…,” Calnys trailed off.

Out of the corner of her eye, Shadowheart saw Majexatli flinch, almost imperceptibly, at the mention of Iliris.

“Iliris?” Gale asked.

“Hm? Oh, you’ll have to forgive me, my mind wanders more and more these days. Iliris was the archdruid at the circle I once was with before the Emerald Grove. Further north, I was born in Waterdeep, as I said,”

“You mentioned a child?” Shadowheart took it upon herself to ask, keeping an eye on Majexatli in the corner of her eye.

“Yes, yes, terrible business, it was. A tiefling orphan not unlike all those walking around out there, though this was some time before Elturel. Oh, he was quite shy and quiet, quite ill, but he was a talented young druid,” Calnys smiled fondly, “He started using wildshape when he was only 14, after only a year of living among us. I think he was even the youngest in the circle’s history to gain a title, though he only had it for a year, perhaps. His mentor—“

“We should get going soon,” Majexatli interrupted, still standing at a distance, arms crossed as they avoided Calnys’ direction, “Daylight is waning and we still must speak with Zevlor and we need to make camp before dark,”

Calnys blinked, looking at Majexatli as though she hadn’t noticed them before.

“You remind me of him, actually, the boy,” Calnys said, looking Majexatli over.

Shadowheart saw Majexatli stiffen, tense slightly.

“I hope not just because I’m a tiefling,”

“No, no, it’s the eyes. Forest green? I’ve never seen another tiefling with green eyes,”

It hardly even looked like Majexatli was breathing, their whole body was still. Almost. Shadowheart saw their hand twitch slightly, move towards their hip where something under the fur caught the light. If she hadn’t seen them pull their dagger before, she might have missed it.

“Perhaps you just haven’t been around enough tieflings,” Majexatli’s voice was calm, tinged with a politeness that seemed at odds with their body language.

“Oh, of course, I didn’t mean to imply you were related or anything like that. You must be at least a decade or so older than he would have been, not to mention the horns,” Calnys paused, “Though you still seem so familiar… are you from one of the High Forest circles? Waterdeep? Neverwinter? Perhaps we crossed paths before,”

“I’m afraid you must be mistaken, I’ve hardly been north of the Chionthar. I was born in Baldur’s Gate,” Majexatli smiled stiffly, “I do apologize for my bruskness, it’s been quite a long day and we all have much to do,”

They didn’t wait for a response, they simply turned on their heel and left. As they walked, for a split second, the candlelight reflected off something in their hand.

A dagger. 

Different than the one Shadowheart had seen earlier.

Very curious for a druid, indeed.

[suncaptor]

I love characters who are neurotic ocd messes and victims of abuse that are so demonised and made into the worst perspective of themselves and their worst fears while the narrative around them including or based in the abuse they're experiencing confirms it. but like theyre not what they're made to be. the abuse or the entire universe conspiring doesn't actually change it. they're still just them. even though everyone can see them as what they never wanted to be.

[featherfur]

I don’t really talk about Genshin on this blog, but there’s just something magical (and by that I mean obnoxious) about seeing posts about how the archons are secretly evil and did all these bad things and that Genshin just treats it like it’s nothing. And then you read the lore and it’s literally

-Wind spirit just wanted to comfort a human and was forced into power so giant wolf didn’t murder humans

-local dragon/qilin’s best friend and partner was murdered and his people were being slaughtered so he fought to protect everyone including other gods

-electric sisters fought some gods, one gave up her body and then got revived (there’s not really much on them and the bits about Oroboshi are conflicting, I’ll fully admit. Maybe Ei did just have fun slaughtering, but I don’t think Makoto would have let her do that but maybe I missed a piece of lore. There’s a lot)

-literally didn’t even participate in the war just sat down w her three friends and one died and she still didn’t fight the other guy, just chilled out??? Even when he was being a bitch?? And helped him??

-Took over after a random king absolutely fucked up everything just started a country to clean up the mess the other guy made?

And literally none of it is hidden??? Beyond just how time and history works which is acknowledged in like 20 separate quests?? (Well okay, Istaroth is hidden but that’s less because he’s hiding it and more of because the whole Nobles destroying history thing, and no one really cares about Barbatos’ history)

No one says it was a good thing?? No one says it was okay that Celestia forced them into it? They actively avoid Celestia and communicating with them? Venti is even shown to look terrified when they’re brought up.

The only reason some history is ‘hidden’ is because it’s so old literally only the old as balls Rex Lapis remembers it all and he wasn’t everywhere and he’s not writing history books but he is still telling people.

Like, I think it’s kind of telling that at every turn all of the gods have done nothing but sought out peace and protection for who they loved and they’re not hiding anything or avoiding the truth. Hell two of the new archons weren’t even involved in the Archon war and didn’t have a choice in the matter.

Did they kill people? Some of them yeah! But one of the fandom’s favorites is literally a serial killer who attempted genocide because his ice god told him to go have fun, unlike Yknow the others who were in the middle of a war that was either pick a leader you’ll work with, kill everyone else so you can have power, or the literal heavens will send civilization destroying nails to slaughter every person you love.

Not to mention for every person who brings up the cataclysm I want to scream because so far NONE OF THE ARCHONS HAD ANYTHING TO DO WITH IT!! Do you really think the archons who gave fucking everything for humans would just go willingly? Do you think they care if they’re worshipped? Do you think Venti who adores his children who think he’s dead cares if he’s worshipped? Do you think Zhongli who speaks so lovingly of how people from all over come to stay a while in his home would judge a Khaenri’ah’n for not bowing to him??

They wanted nothing to do with Celestia, they did what they had to do to protect their people and so far only two of them were actually killing people! Genshin isn’t coming out of nowhere with these more humanizing aspects, y’all just don’t pay attention and you want something that doesn’t exist.

How is that not more compelling than the idea that they’re all bloodthirsty killers who did all kinds of violence for the sake of violence and happened to be given magic powers?

[balleater]

i think the most connection between the luxon and predathos i'd want(and think, at least in terms of themes, is just legit, but potentially in a more direct way) is that they're just opposite forces that embody creation vs. destruction

[maraune]

Genuinely, how are the Alastor takes from the finale SO. BAD.???

media literacy is truly dead y'all

[wrightfamily]

it's annoying when people take a character that's mean or evil or whatever and try to make them a better character than in canon but the reverse is much worse to me