#immortality is also a curse

[emrys-merlin]

"You are son of the earth, the sea, the sky. Magic is the fabric of this world, and you were born of that magic. You are magic itself."

You know, if you look at the two scenes below, this (beautiful) quote makes more sense.

Merlin felt the Disir place was sacred and alive (Mordred, a powerful druid, was there and he didn’t feel anything. This shows Merlin's uniqueness)

The way he spoke....he was full of joy. This actual speech itself is so wonderful.

But here

He felt the suffering of the Druids. The massacre. This scene is hard for me to watch because Merlin's horror is so visceral and Colin's portrayal of it is so real.

Being magic itself it's both a blessing and a curse.

[l-just-want-to-see]

Let’s talk again about how Hermes tells Percy in TLO that immortals can’t change and then Rick hits us with Bob and Damasen. And then after we’ve cried over “say hello to the sun and stars for me” he hits us with an entire series about people breaking out of the narrative where the protagonist is the god of prophecy.

[puppetmaster13u]

Prompt 98

So there’s been a leucistic raven around the area I live and they are giving me ideas. 

 Danny is having fun. He’s on vacation! Sort of. Look, the GIW can barely find ecto-animals, and apparently being a halfa means that once Amorpho helped him with shapeshifting, he was golden. Well not literally, apparently his form’s coloration is based on his hair. So. But even then, who expects a raven of all things to be stopping crimes? Or aiding them. Look, the plant-lady has the right idea and he thinks Sam would adore her. Er, as long as she doesn’t kill anyone that is. 

 And Clockwork even gave his approval to do some time shenanigans too! Apparently there’s some super-speed heroes who he’s getting frustrated with and he’s allowed to follow them back in time to mess with their own stumbling through the time stream. Or something, does he really care? No, he’s on vacation! 

 But his absolute favorite has to be this sad funky british man and this age-shifting magic boy. He of course brings them all the best gossip- and food for the kid. Look, just because he’s on vacation doesn’t mean he’s gonna’ be heartless. He remembers how it is as a teenage-hero and the kid is like, ten so. 

 Though he’s pretty sure Mr sad-trench coat dude knows he’s not a normal raven but it’s hilarious to hear him try to figure it out. 

[aroaceleovaldez]

i think a lot about how early-series, demigods are referred to pretty equally as "demigods," "half-bloods," and "godlings," - the last used particularly by gods at demigods - but after that "godlings" is almost exclusively used to refer to minor gods.

something something i am literally always chewing on the concept of the line between immortals/demigods/monsters/etc being thinner than it appears

[baeshijima]

mmm thoughts of private executioner!blade, who is high priestess!kafka's bodyguard. well, more like her guard dog, as many fearfully seem to think.

he is aloof and gruff and rough around the edges, his name capturing it perfectly. when in the eyes of the public he either keeps to himself or stands ready by kafka's side, but when out he lurks in the shadows ready and waiting to carry out her death orders.

you, yourself, haven't had very many pleasant encounters with him... if you can even call them that. that being said, you haven't had many pleasant encounters with anyone. notorious for your... less than pleasant disposition, for a lack of better words, you have more people who'd rather see you run through than those you can call a friend.

in a dog-eat-dog world, you had no choice but to protect yourself. that, however, ultimately became your demise.

"oh? so you're the one sent to kill me. can't say i'm all that surprised."

standing before you is the feared executioner. his sword is tucked inside the sheath attached to his hip, that ever-present dark swirl of an aura stifling the air. he doesn't say anything, instead opting to silently stare down at your slumped and worn-out form. you find that his gaze doesn't bother you; rather, it's oddly comforting knowing someone will see you in your last moments.

"i've never asked you for a favour before, so this will be my first and last request for you." in all honesty, you're not sure where this chattiness stems from. considering you're currently in a holding cell under the crime of attempted murder towards kafka (a poisoned wine you were most definitely framed for, though you can't say you were surprised) and are awaiting for your turn to be under the guillotine for your public execution, you probably should be a little desperate towards the private executioner in front of you.

and yet, your mind is nothing if not peaceful.

with a huff, you relay your request, "can you make sure it's quick? painless, preferably, but i'd rather you just get it over and done with."

silence blankets the cold chambers. moisture accumulated along the cobble ceiling drip in a steady rhythm, like a clock ticking away the seconds. it's unnerving, almost, how there is not a single sound other than your impending countdown.

"why?" comes his low mutter, effectively causing a ripple within the stagnant air. you almost think you misheard him, but his following words cease the thought, "why won't you ask me for help?"

had it not been for the abrupt shuffle and clanging against the metal bars, you would have never looked up to see him in your last moments.

his scarred hands gripping the metal until his knuckles turn a ghastly white and blood dripping from his palms is what greets your sight. as your gaze slowly trails up, you almost let loose a laugh of disbelief; who would have thought blade, the infamous guard dog of the high priestess, could make such a desperate expression? one looking as though his whole world crumbled before him, in which he can do nothing but sit and watch.

(you will never know of the anger and desperation which coursed through his veins the moment he heard of your predicament. had it been anyone else, he wouldn't have cared. but you're not anyone else; you're you — unapologetically, wholeheartedly. it didn't take him long to hunt down those behind it, cutting them down without thought and putting an end to their miserable lives. he rushed as soon as he could when kafka gave him the order, no thoughts other than you, you, you, occupying his mind.

you will never know of the anguish which overcame him when he found you in such a state, your once healthy complexion and defiant gaze reduced to nothing but a tiredness which had always sat quietly behind your disposition. he's almost positive the muscle which unwillingly keeps him alive tore at the seams from your request, the acceptance in which you displayed causing his mind to go astray. even as he damn-near begs you to rely on him for help — to run away with him to some place no one knows of you and start anew there — you merely smile, resigned and peaceful.

you will never know of how much blade is willing to put on the line for you, for you never made it to see the complete and utter carnage he wrecked in your name.)

[skunkes]

[aguatala]

tfw you come together and maximize ur joint hella good genes slay

the result of that joint slay:

[zandraxofnebulon]

A dungeon meshi rpg-style video game adaptation wouldn't work unless it had extremely dedicated systems for cooking the monsters you slay. I'm talking the ability to cut apart the monster in any way you want, any part of the monster that could conceivably be edible can be cooked if you find the right way to do it, with every part having pre assigned ideal cooking methods to give the best flavor and nutrition. (The cutting apart and cooking would have actual physics and gameplay, no simple cooking animation/minigame.) The better you cook the food, the better your stats are for the next part of your journey.

The actual rpg combat could be fleshed out or barebones, but the meat (lol) of the experience HAS to be in the cooking. Maybe you start out only knowing a few very basic cooking methods and learn more as you go through the game (if you come back to earlier areas after getting far into the dungeon, you can cook parts of monsters you couldnt before, create new recipes, etc.)

Maybe there could be a whole bespoke system for keeping track of/labeling each recipe you make (breath of the wild style), with records on the nutritional values (the stat octagon) for each. The nutrition would generally be enhanced by how good the flavor is, with penalties if things are burnt/cooked incorrectly/etc.

Story wise, maybe you wouldnt play as laios' party during the events of dunmesh, but as a group of adventurers post-epilogue who're exploring a dungeon at king laios' behest, and, taking inspiration from his adventure, decide to survive by eating monsters. Maybe laios would gift them a copy of the Dungeon Gourmet Guide, with notes and corrections from senshi here and there. As the party progresses into the dungeon, they unlock more entries in the guide, adding their own notes as they go. Idk where the story would end up going but if ryoko kui is involved it would probably be pretty sick

[a-cloud-for-dreams]

HELLO?? WHY IS NOBODY TALKING ABOUT THIS?!!

[satsukidoodles404]

DustedAfterDeath doodles :)

Everybody, give thanks to @spotaus for this 😩🙏 I suddenly had sudden serotonin at 2 am because I couldn't stop thinking about these boys. I'm just soo happy these three is getting some traction :)

[hellisntreal]

a power of peace and healing//your bones run strong

I spent a very long time trying to work out a Stone design and I'm still not settled! I'm sure like my other humanizations of Fallen London entities, I'll come up with a few <3

[audliminal]

Okay okay new concept.

Western dragons have this huge association with hoarding and greed, right? So fantasy setting where if you amass too much wealth you literally start transforming into a dragon. Wealthy barons with little oversight wearing their draconic features with pride. Elected politicians trying desperately to hide the fact that they're starting to turn. Adventurers that have to carefully balance their budgets to guard against the Dragon Curse bc ancient artifacts are worth so much. A retired hero who has a patch of scales or her shoulder from the short time after she helped defeat the Dread Dictator, because she spent a little too long in possession of his crown of ultimate power. Just. Dragon as a thing that happens to you, as a danger in and of itself, but also as a warning sign for dangerous people.

[youssefguedira]

Some prompt ideas for you!

Nicky and Quynh as best friends, doing some ritual or activity together that they used to do before, again after she escapes from the sea and is healing

Andy as a baby immortal, doing some dumb dangerous shit. Maybe she's doing it to help someone and it's an external pov a la your "I have seen angels in my time" series?

Joe and Lucia after he and Nicky go back to find her. Maybe he's tentative about whether she'll understand or accept them being in love, they have a serious conversation, and then it turns into her telling him embarrassing baby/teenager Nicky Stories?

Absolutely love your writing and your Lucia stories are currently some of my absolute favorites ❤️

hellooooo i know you sent this forever ago but i have been thinking about family and Them lately so. this is set a couple years after the end of if i ask you to stay wherein nicky and joe have returned to stay with lucia for a bit ! it's not quite joe being nervous about whether she'll accept them or not (she largely already has) but it DOES turn into embarassing teenage nicky stories so i hope you enjoy

"Yusuf, come help me with this," Lucia says.

It's become something of a ritual, and so Yusuf is now comfortable joining her at the counter as she splits the dough into two parts and passes one to him. Outside, Nicolò is herding the goats towards the hills and having only partial success; one of the kids splits off from the herd and starts charging back towards the house, making Nicolò curse loudly enough that they can hear him faintly through the window. Lucia chuckles.

"I am glad he will have you, you know," she says. She tosses a handful of flour over the counter and begins to knead the dough. Yusuf follows suit. "After."

They don't talk about after often, even if all three of them know. For the most part, Yusuf tries not to think about it, and he knows Nicolò does the same, though it haunts every single thing they do, a constant shadow. There are still nights where Nicolò barely speaks, overcome by it.

"Did he ever tell you why our father sent him to seminary?" she continues.

"Enough," Yusuf says.

Lucia hums. She's quiet for a while. Outside, Nicolò resorts to picking up the wayward kid and carrying it with him while he herds the rest; it busies itself chewing on his sleeve.

"I only ever wanted him to be happy," she says. "When he left for the seminary I had hoped that it would bring him some kind of peace, even if it was not what he chose. But then he decided to go to Jerusalem, and, well. He never did tell me why. And I did not think about it beyond the fact that it was taking him away, and that I would likely never see him again. He has not told me many details about what happened to him - to you both - there, but I understand enough. But even despite all of it, I am glad he found you in the end."

"I am too," Yusuf says quietly.

"He was always so..." She waves one hand in the air as if searching for the right word, scattering a light cloud of flour that shimmers in the morning sun. "Uncertain. But he seems so much more settled, around you." She smiles at him, and Yusuf cannot do anything but smile back.

There is not much more to be said, after that. Nicolò has put the kid down, and now it bounces after him, dancing around him in circles and almost tripping him up at least three times. It makes him curse again, but he's smiling too much for it to be convincing. It makes Yusuf smile, too. They finish kneading the do

"He spent almost all his time with them when he came to visit," Lucia says, nodding towards the window. "The kids loved him. He would sit down and let them climb all over him. They used to chew on his hair."

Yusuf can imagine it clearly: fifteen-year-old Nicolò, still growing, letting five or six baby goats clamber all over him.

"There was this one doe, though, who hated him," she continues. "She would let anyone else near, but not him. She used to bite at his heels every time he came near. She chased him up a tree, once. I found him halfway up. He'd forgotten that goats climb trees, too."

Yusuf laughs out loud, and it's at that moment that the door swings open, and Nicolò's voice echoes through the house. "No, no, piccola," he's saying, "you have to stay outside."

When he comes into the kitchen, he's holding the kid, who has given up on chewing his sleeve and is now trying to reach his hair, refusing to be deterred even though he keeps pushing her away. He's so caught up in this task that he doesn't notice them both watching him straight away, and when he does pauses like he's been caught doing something he shouldn't. "What?" he asks, looking between them.

"Nothing," Lucia says before Yusuf can say anything. Nicolò looks between them again, before shaking his head and carrying the goat over to the table.

"New friend?" Yusuf asks him.

"She won't leave me alone," Nicolò says.

"Nicolò," Lucia says, "do you remember the name of that goat that chased you up the tree? I couldn't seem to recall."

Nicolò blinks, then sighs. "Tell me you didn't tell Yusuf that story."

"Not all of it," Yusuf says innocently.

Nicolò groans. Yusuf laughs, and so does Lucia.

The shadow is still there, yes. But even though he complains, for a moment Nicolò's shoulders seem more relaxed, and the sun seems just a little brighter.

[choices-and-voices]

Okay, but like. The symbolism of Nick being the one who gives shelter to Kieran & MC. The man whom Eisa loved in secret but was too frightened to love in the public, now giving refuge to the child whom Eisa only bore by leaving him & the mortal whom that child openly adores. The fact that Nick has somehow stepped up for both of Eisa’s children, even when they’re fighting each other. The fact that Eisa leaving Nick is both what allowed Kieran to have MC & what orchestrated the current threat between them, and throughout it all Nick has stood steadfast, not on the side of the mortals, or the side of the Fae, but on the side of love. And the fact that he doesn’t even know he is doing it. The fact that Nick looks at Kieran and sees Eisa metaphorically, and he doesn’t even know that he is also seeing her literally. The fact that Kieran is there in Nick’s tavern and they represent everything that Nick fought for long ago, threatened by the person that Nick has been fighting for ever since. The fact that the last of Kieran’s bloodline is trying to kill everything they love, but also the last of Nick’s bloodline is trying to kill everything he could have loved, once, and Nick has stood in the way of that without even knowing what’s going on. The fact that Nick seems almost fated to be a guardian in this story. The fact that Eisa gave him an amulet to keep him alive to protect Jack, and she didn’t even realise she was also keeping him alive to protect Kieran. The fact that Nick has lived the kind of lifespan that Jack & MC both dream of, but Nick has lived it through losing his love, and MC wants it in order to remain with their love, and Jack wants it in order to fight for people like Nick without knowing that Eisa is the reason he’s lived so long in the first place. And the fact that Nick was never meant to live so long, his mind is falling apart, he is fated to protect these people but that also means that he is fated to his doom, and the fact that I don’t know what that means for MC and Jack and Kieran and I just. I just. I just.

I just have feels okay.

[raylazuko]

Genshin Spoilers

Okay okay lemme cook for a second.

Anyone else find the blood purity and relations shit weird?

Like what we know now is that Caribert died at age 8 in the creation of the loom of fate. So therefore Caribert has no heir and was also regarded as an illegitimate child by Clothar and that his mother is of Mondstandt origin. So he is not pureblood which is why he was turned into a hillichurl.

We can make assumptions that Clothar had no other children with this woman or if he did, they are still monsters and not able to repoduce, so therefore there are no halfblood heirs of Clothar.

Next I have to talk about race and geography since I’m such a nerd about this crap. So many characters should have darker complexions based on how much sun they get (Sumeru desert, Natlan, and Liyue, PLAYABLE character not just NPCs.) Like if Mualani looks dark compared to 90% of the cast, we have a problem.

So let’s assume Teyvat is a globe and it’s laid out on a flat map for us to see. Let’s also assume that the climate is similar to earth. Let’s assume the equator is around the center so like above most of Liyue and Sumeru. Parts of Mondstandt being based on Italy, it should have a medeterranean climate, therefore melanin, but I digress. Okay so the Sumeru deserts and Natlan are close to the equator. Inazuma would be closer to the South Pole and has a harsh climate hence people not getting sun. (This is also ignoring places like Fontaine which is based on France, where yes, Black people exist in real life, but I digress). The only playable characters with dark(er) skin as well as NPCs are from Natlan and Sumeru (and also Xinyan for some reason).

We also know from Dainsleif, Halfdan, and the Sinners, that they use Norse names. Also Khaenri’ah being underground would mean they got little to no natural light. So it’s safe to assume pureblood Khaenriahs are white as fuck.

With this knowledge, wtf is going on with Kaeya?

We also have to examine how this curse works. If all the non pure bloods were turned into monsters, it’s safe to assume they can’t reproduce. Also judging by Kaeya very clearly being a child in the past and growing up with Diluc, it’s safe to assume that the modern Khaenri’ahns have a normal lifespan (unless being halfblood is what dictates that). It may have diminished or weakened over time, throughout the generations. We don’t know the exact mechanics but we can assume that Kaeya has a normal lifespan. I know Hoyo is gonna try to say he’s pureblood and not explain stuff but logically, no. When he sees Dain he comments “you’re a pureblood Khaenri’ahn” implying that, he, Kaeya, is not that. Also there’s the Sumeru trip when he was young. Assuming that his father is the one with the Alberich surname, which makes sense judging by how surnames usually work, we can assume that Kaeya’s mother was the one who isn’t Khaenri’ahn.

We can assume that the only Khaenrians who could reproduce from that original cursed generation were the ones who retained human form (pure bloods). We can also assume that Kaeya is a descendent of one of Clothar’s pure blood children. He probably had an affair with Caribert’s mother out of wedlock. We can also assume that more blood mixing naturally occurred over time. So either Kaeya’s family has been mixed for awhile and it’s no big deal, or more likely, Kaeya’s father had an affair with Kaeya’s mother out of wedlock. Judging by how dark he is compared to the majority of characters, his Indian inspired outfit for his in-game skin, the trade trip to Sumeru, when he was young, and the geographical proximity, it’s safe to assume that Kaeya’s mother is probably Sumerian (and likely from the desert and Eremite affiliated). I could go deeper into what I think may have happened but for sake of brevity, it’s very possible and likely that one reason Kaeya was sent as a spy and to Mondstandt and not made an heir to the clan has to do with the fact that he’s an illegitimate child.

Okay, another additional note. Ragnvindr is a Norse name, make of that information what you will.

[deus-and-the-machina]

I think an underlooked part of what shaped jin’s mindset was how even back in Torna, he was considered “property”. He and Lora spent their whole lives avoiding the authorities of Torna because they believed would straight up execute Lora to get Jin back, and no one ever denies it. and this has seemingly been a fear since Lora was a child. Jin had to hide his face everywhere he went. Maybe Torna wouldn’t have been cruel enough to execute a child, especially since the king seemed decent(?) enough, if not a bit distant. But the fact it was even a fear at all for Lora since she was so young is just awful to think about. 

According to his past self’s journals, Jin and his old driver fought in a war of independence for Torna, perhaps what made him a hero to begin with. and because he’s a war hero for deeds he doesn’t even remember, the kingdom considers him owned by them. Which is on the nose in two different ways ngl. Both in how the Blades are seen and a wider metaphor of soldiers/state. idk it’s just very sad to think about