#level one

[prnsn001]

The valedictory elegy; Baten Kaitos Origins

[potted-cilantro]

Listening to Worlds Beyond Number is just constantly going "Holy shit what an episode, so much happened, that was intense" and looking at the next episode expecting to be on like 8 and no, you're on 5 MOTHERFUCKER!

[dndsettingsinfo]

Descent into Emberwood Hovel by Black Tent

[tehspikey]

Hi yeah I do have BG3 brainrot but like...

I've been thinking about how I keep going back to restart new characters when I haven't even really finished my first run, and I think I've finally put my finger on it.

Never once does Larian make you feel like baby for being level 1.

A lot of games and campaigns these days recommend starting your campaign at least level 2. And I get why. It's hard to do anything exciting when it seems like a stiff breeze can knock over the wizard.

But I love when the campaign starts at first level. I love trying to think of ways to introduce a ragtag bunch of weirdos with mismatched backgrounds and goals to the idea that maybe working together could be cool. I love the challenge of finding opponents for a level 1 party for an encounter that feels exciting and heroic rather than the patronizing "ugh go kill the rats in the basement ya welp."

Hell! I've even run rats in the basement for a level 1 party. They were excited because most of the players were new to the game. They wanted to experience the tropes.

I made it exciting because oh no, it's not just rats, it's a swarm! And oh, the rats aren't just there randomly, they were chased out of the sewers by some goblins. Why are goblins in the sewers? And oh look, there's the level 2 plot hook.

I love playing level 1 characters too. The stakes are low. You're mostly anonymous. It's pretty much only your own lives at stake and not a town, or a world, or a universe. Just survive the day.

That's real fucking relatable.

(minor tutorial spoilers ahead)

BG3's level 1 encounters are some imps, and survive an epic duel between opponents way over your level. Never once are these encounters patronizing. They go out of their way to make the imps seem dangerous and scary with a set up cutscene. The military minded, take no nonsense NPC you've just met compliments you on how well you fight (in her own way) even if you're a bard who did a grand total of 1 psychic damage in the one vicious mockery that finally landed.

And yeah, you can try to fight the overlevelled lieutenant for his cool sword. You are discouraged against trying, sure, but not actively blocked. And those that do discourage you shut up about it after saying it once.

You can let the big things duke it out while you take care of some more imps, or even ignore everything and just hit the button to process the story. You're not expected to take any one particular path, and there's no sense of being judged for what path you choose.

I just...

Game good!

Game real good!

[newtinaboot]

Just saw a post that affirmed many types of autistic people (nothing wrong with that), but included those that were diagnosed early, but didn’t include those that were diagnosed late.

After that, they stated that in the reblogs, people took notice of how they affirmed those with level two and three autism, but not level one. Instead of addressing the issue and trying to understand, they doubled down and stated the issues that levels 2 and 3 go through, which also implied that they have it worse than 1, considering the fact that they said something along the lines of “all the people adding ‘and level one!’ Are the reason this post was needed.”

That post may have accidentally excluded level 1 in the beginning, but then it was revealed that it was intentional. You are excluding level one from your discussion and invalidating our struggles, so here’s a fucking vibecheck:

I have autism level one. I was diagnosed late, unlike those you affirmed because they were diagnosed early, and I’m heavily affected by the autism despite the “less severe” rating they gave me. Truth is, they gave me that rating because I mostly showed sensory issues and social deficits. I didn’t have any learning struggles attributed to my autism (they didn’t even look at my school records, btw), which took me down a fair bit. I was diagnosed as it being “less severe” because it presented differently.

It’s true, I could have had MORE learning struggles (because I did, in fact, have them) alongside my other issues, and I’m lucky I don’t, but that shouldn’t discount my experiences, along with any other people put in the box of “level one”. Sorry we tried to be fucking inclusive in your tags, we thought we mattered to you.

I do not have anxiety attacks and sensory overloads every day, I do not get called exclusionary and cruel names and physically harassed, I do not have to avoid potentially fun social events and situations and places because the amount of stimuli and people would kill me, for you to fucking INVALIDATE every level 1s struggle.

Yeah, brain differences can be seen better through grades, but that’s because they were designed to do that. They were designed to single out those that are different and stamp those kids’ work with big red Fs and mark them with red felt tip pens. Those that don’t get lower grades are typically seen to have minds that function “properly” (I.e. they way society wants them to). They are often discounted because learning differences are the ones more commonly emphasized as being the most difficult aspect, which-in some cases-is true, but remember:

All our issues and strengths present differently, which is precisely why we’re called a SPECTRUM. You stated in your post that level threes couldn’t do public housing, but guess what?

I can’t either!!!

Just because my/our symptoms presented differently than yours doesn’t make us any less valid, and doesn’t negate the fact that all autistics are worth affirming and celebrating for their identities, and all that comes with them.

[kochei0]

I turn to Ares.

Thanks to Tyler Miles Lockett who allowed me to draw inspiration from his ARES piece for page 2! Look at his etsy page it's SICK

⚔️ If you want to read some queer retelling of arturian legends have a look at my webtoon

[batri-jopa]

world_of_engineering_75 on Instagram

[oncillabrigade]

Finally read Robins!

I have a lot of thoughts, but I just want to say this panel is the funniest thing I've ever seen:

[catmask]

does anyone have like an anti aesthetic. like something you look at and can recognize as a complete fashion/interior design/artistic movement and understand it but it makes you shudder seeing it. i am not talking like “its morally bad” “its poorly structured” like just sheerly devoid of joy for you actually invites a repulse response.

[inkskinned]

what is with men being mad any time a woman raises her voice where did that even come from. someone posted a video of a small electrical explosion, and the top comment was of course the woman screams. the second comment is women try not to scream challenge, level impossible. i had to go back and watch the video again. there is, somewhat fainty, a little gasp emitted off-camera, more of a yelp than a scream. it is mostly lost in the crack of the explosion. afterwards, you hear her voice, shaken, say, are you okay?

i am helping one of my friends train her voice pitch lower, because she wants to be taken seriously at work. she and i do each other's nails and talk about gender roles; and how - due to our appearance - neither of us have ever been able to be "hysterical" in public. we both appear young and sweet and feminine. she is cisgender, and cannot use her natural voice in her profession because people keep saying she appears to be "vapid". we both try to figure out if our purposeful voice lowering is technically sexist. is it promoting something when you are a victim to it?

a storm almost sends a pole through a car window. in the dashcam, you can hear the woman passenger say her partner's name twice, crying out in alarm. she sounds terrified. in the comments, she is lambasted for her lack of calm. how is that even fucking helping?

in high school, i taught myself to have a lower voice. i had been recorded when i was genuinely (and righteously) upset; and i hated how my voice sounded on the phone speakers when it was played back. i was defending my mom, and my voice cracked with emotion. it meant i was no longer winning the argument: i was just shrieking about it.

girls meet each other after a long summer and let out a little joyful scream. this usually stops around 12-14, because people will not tolerate this display of affection (as it has the effect of being passingly annoying). something about the fact that little girls can't ever even be annoying. we are trained to examine each part of our lives (even joy) for anything that could make us upsetting and disgusting. they act like teenage girls are breaking into houses and shrieking you awake at 3 in the morning. speaking as a public school educator: trust me, it's not that bad, you can just roll your eyes and move on. it does not compare to the ways boys end up being annoying: slurs in graffiti, purposefully mocking your body, following you after you said no. you know, just boy things.

there's another video of a man who is not allowed to yell in the house, so he snaps his fingers when he's excited about soccer. the comments are full of angry men, talking about how their brother is unfairly caged. let him express himself and this is terrible to do to someone. eventually the couple has to address it in a second video: they are married with a newborn baby. he was trying not to wake the infant up. there is no comment on the fact women are not allowed to yell indoors. or the fact that it could have been really alarming or triggering for his wife. sometimes i wonder if straight men even like women, if they even enjoy being in relationships with them.

for the longest time, i hated roller coasters because it always felt inappropriate and uncomfortable for me to scream. one of my friends called me on it, said it was unusual i'm so unwilling. i had to go to my therapist about it. i don't like to scream because i was not raised in a safe situation, and raising my voice would have brought unsafe attention towards me. even when i am supposed to scream, it feels shameful, guilty. i was not treated kindly, so i lack a basic form of self-protection. this is not a natural response. it is not good that in a situation of high adrenaline - i shut up about it.

something very bad is happening, i think. in between all the beauty standards and the stuff i've already discussed - this one feels new and cruel in a way i can't quite express. yes, it's scary and silencing. but there's something about how direct it is - that so many men agree with the sentiment that women should never yell, even in an emergency - it feels different.

is the word shriek gendered automatically? how about shrill or screech? in self defense class, one of the first things they tell you is to yell, as loud and as shrilly as you can. they say it will feel rude. most women will not do this. you need to practice overcoming the social pressure and just scream.

most women do not cry out, even when it's bad. we do not report it. we walk faster. we do not make a scene. what would be the point of doing anything else? no matter what we do, we don't get taken seriously. it is a joke to them. an instagram caption punchline. we have to present ourselves as silent, beautiful, captivating - "valuable."

a woman is outside watching her kids when someone throws a firecracker at them. she screams and runs towards her children. in the comments, grown men flock together in the thousands: god. women are so annoying.

[randomprose]

the "tumblr community invents a whole mafia movie apparently directed by martin scorsese with an official soundtrack, movie posters, screen caps, and all enough to make one question if that movie really did exist at all like a mandela effect" was not part of my 2022 bingo card

[dndsettingsinfo]

Descent into Emberwood Hovel (continued) by Black Tent

[terracottakore]

new groundbreaking discoveries on etho's setup

[ashleyloob]

every time I see non Asians go by Asian names online I get whiplash bc I'm like o shit another one of me!! then I find out they are a white weeb from Arkansas going by Haru that can't name more than 3 countries in Asia