#master's tools

[theplatypusblue]

snake in your garden

[thatonenewdungeonmaster]

Put this together for my local gamestore and wanted to share the wealth

[thelunarsystem2426]

The new character in animation versus is a what?

A train conductor???!

Uhhhh insert shitty joke here

Putting some of my two favorite things together

[utilitycaster]

I've been a pretty harsh critic of Dr. Friedman and Polygon's general Critical Role coverage in the past, and while I think her latest article for them critiquing Campaign 3 is a fairly good one, it does in many ways cast an even harsher light on her kid-gloves handling of D20 and WBN. However, I want to talk about these two excerpts, because I think she hits on something I've increasingly noticed in Actual Play:

"This is where Critical Role’s strength — that Exandria often feels like a real, complex world — collided with the needs of a D&D campaign (a clear adversary, clear plans of action, forward momentum)."

and

"But the confused way D&D handles religion and divinity — polytheism as imagined by midwestern American Protestants — turned the question of how to handle this particular cosmic horror into a glue trap, paralyzing the players for dozens of hours of circular existential debates. Gods once mechanized (or digestible) become just another power bloc, and for players used to a system where in the end you are “basically gods,” the line gets blurrier still. And as D&D’s messy cosmology added friction to much of the campaign, D&D’s mechanics also don’t have the necessary friction for the interpersonal beats that make Critical Role compelling."

I agree with both these statements, as someone who, to be clear, enjoys D&D 5e. D&D supports a range of narratives, but all are ultimately a story of gaining power and fighting off or through a series of adversaries; if your characters are not doing that, it raises the question of why you picked a system that gives you few other options. (This is also, I should note, an increasingly loud question when it comes to Worlds Beyond Number; I fell behind for personal reasons after the Coven arc, but Brennan's initial statements about D&D as scaffolding were perhaps too true; almost every interesting mechanic, in a game with minimal combat that has thus far felt primarily focused on how the three protagonists have fundamentally different adversaries, has been homebrewed, to the point where the cosmology and baggage of D&D has felt like a liability rather than an asset).

D&D also has, in part due to such programs as D20, developed a reputation for being world-agnostic, and that ultimately isn't true. D&D does struggle to make the lines between "real divinity", an archfey or similarly powerful entity, and a L20 character feel sharply defined on a mechanical level; once you give a god a stat block, it can be killed (and on a metanarrative level, revealing the gods' statblocks in Downfall serves to make them both immense, yet also more fragile. The hit points are many, but still finite.) There are a number of questions most D&D worlds simply fail to address - and to be clear, this is not a flaw provided you have buy in. A level 2 warlock in D&D is, in most societies, an one-person lethal force unless the entire town swarms them at once, knowing that many of them will lose their lives in the effort; a level 2 warlock PC, however, is almost never, in-world, treated this way, and indeed is framed as an underdog in a harsh world despite usually having the ability to destroy the entire tavern.

D&D has also developed a (not undeserved) reputation as being The Dominant TTRPG put out by a massive corporation, and has developed a (not deserved) reputation as being itself uniquely problematic as a power fantasy, particularly by people who conveniently forget where Pathfinder came from. I've previously covered that, for all people demand non-D&D actual play, the viewership drops precipitously whenever a big AP show that made its name with D&D dares to branch out, and, related to that, I've seen an uptick in people who are excited for D&D to subvert itself. They wanted Campaign 3 to subvert these norms of divinity and heroic fantasy, cheered for it...and ultimately it was unable to do so. I don't think it's accurate to say that D&D's lack of interpersonal mechanics was the problem here, given that Campaigns 1 and 2 (and again, D20) have no such issue; but rather that since D&D's lack of interpersonal/RP mechanics require more effort from the players to initiate, the debates on the nature of divinity in a world and system that could not sustain them sapped any energy for the late-night watch conversations D&D can support when you're not fighting against it.

I think one of the many lessons we can learn from Critical Role Campaign 3 is that if you go up against D&D with an attempt to destroy it from within, your story will instead find itself conforming to the shape of its container, often to its detriment.

[taritoons]

I need him to step on me.

[me-writes-prompts]

Random + angst prompts 2:

By @me-writes-prompts

Angsty romance prompts for your otp

One-sided love

Angst exes to lovers prompts

Christmas prompts for your otp

Fic Title Ideas

Arranged Marriage prompts

Grumpy x Sunshine prompts 2

Newley wed prompts

Ghost x Vampire prompts 2

Stoic Soldier x worried partner

Fall/Halloween prompts

Responses to 'I love you'

[mavyunivrse]

Shadow Work: prompts & explanations

~Assist your manifestations, shifting journey and relationship with yourself ♡

(Prompts are at the bottom of post.)

{ What is it? ☁️

The name eludes it to something mysterious and scary, but it is not. Shadow work is basically just self reflection. The practice of exploring the hidden and suppressed parts of yourself (the shadow.)

The goal is not to “fix” but to acknowledge and accept. By doing so you can achieve greater self awareness, emotional healing and personal growth.

This process leads to a more authentic, balanced and empowered version of yourself, as it allows you to confront and release these limiting beliefs, patterns, trauma and unresolved pain.

{ How does it help me shift and manifest? 🪐

*** Shadow work is not needed to shift realities or manifest. It's simply a tool there for you to use if you're interested.

But I believe it can help with release limiting beliefs, patterns, trauma and unresolved pain you have related to shifting. Maybe you have the belief that you could never shift. Or that manifestation could take you months to see desires.

Chances are you’ve spent some time on shiftok and downloaded a lot of misinformation. With shadow work you can construct your own beliefs that serve you, cause all you need to shift is yourself—and you might hear that all the time. Doing this work can help you finally believe it.

Knowing your true needs brings the best motivation, I’ve found.

{ How to do it? 📓

*** Please ensure you’re in a somewhat stable mindset and safe environment to fully digest any confrontational feelings and trauma.

1. Get something to write with,

2. Ask yourself personal questions, write about what’s been bothering you and ask ‘why?’ repeatedly. Or look up prompts,

3. Don’t lie to yourself, it only sets you back. No one sees this but yourself. That’s it.

** There’ll be some tough questions to answer and that’s okay, come back to it later.

** Do as many questions as you’re comfortable with. You’ll feel the weight of them as you answer honestly to yourself.

{ Prompts : 🖋️

What emotions eriss when you think about shifting?

Did you neglect this reality when you found out about shifting?

Have you ever forgotten or left shifting? What did your life look like?

Everything that happens in this reality has the possibility to happen in another. What is something you’re anxious of possibly live through again?

What lessons might your current reality be teaching you?

Would you rather face the same problems you face here, in another reality? Is anything easier?

Does your amount of scripting reflect your need for control?

Do anti shifters demotive you? Why does what they say get to you?

What do you feel after not shifting? Faith, frustration?

At what point do you attempt to shift the most?

Do you keep track of how long you haven’t shifted for?

Do you care to know the scientific reasoning for shifting? Does it feel more real to have that explanation?

Do you script traumatic events you haven’t been through here? What do it for for you to live through them or have them as memories?

What insecurities about yourself could resurface in your dr?

How do you feel when someone shares their successful shifting story?

How does the fear of the unknown effect your shifting experience?

Do you view not shifting to your dr as a failure or step closer?

Do you believe shifting is harder for you than it is for others? What actions fuel this belief?

How do you treat yourself when you don’t shift?

If you plan on permsshifting, what is something that could bring you back to your cr?

When do you think you should take a shifting break?

Has your script turned more into a fanfiction rather than something to actually live through?

Pick a reality; what are the pros and cons of shifting there?

Pick a reality; what are you scared of happening?

My Masterlist | Click Here

– ℳ

[skullzy20]

New Ordis dialogue in the drifter camp for all those Ordis enjoyers out there

[dazzlingqwq]

seamf

sketched in my notebook, then lined in ibis!

writing coming soon :p

[blackhholes]

teen wolf meme: [5/6] creatures -> kanimas

Like the wolf, the Kanima is a social creature. But, where the wolf seeks a pack, the Kanima seeks a friend. A friend. What does that mean? Maybe it's lonely? ...Like a teenager.

[senseioftheseidiots]

Jay: "Master Wu! Since Lord Garmadon has an Oni form does that mean you have a dragon or Oni form too?"

[the-wizard-dipper]

Masters' Academy AU: Environment Concept Art

Remember how I was talking about all of the school's the amazing facilities? Dipper agrees... with one or two tiny exceptions.

Art by @okkennymay

[mistgardens]

Doodle cause she's pretty

[petvampire]

https://archiveofourown.org/works/65290900/chapters/168771598

behold: an EXCEEDINGLY horny chapter of our favorite toxic harem!

y’all have been so patient while I recover my will to write smut, thank you 🤣

[padawansuggest]

You know you into yarn when you have headcanons about what spindles characters would particularly like, what they prefer to do with the yarn, what type of wheel spinner they are, and who has 17 projects going on at once (Anakin) vs who’s gonna focus almost entirely on one project as they go through thought spindle spinning a fine yarn, plying and washing enough of it for a blanket, immediately sticking it on the loom, and weaving a particularly intricate pattern (Obi-Wan) vs who’s the ‘I add the knots of silk and locks so that I can live in the moment and let chunks come out when they need to’ (as if I even have to say it, it’s Qui-Gon)-

ANYWAYS. I actually love yarn and think that yarn craft should be more in fics but that’s sorta like how lots of chefs and bakers make a lot of foodie fics like it’s nice but. Everyone eats. Not enough people care about Scottish spindles. Obi-Wan has 7 Scottish spindles and like 8 Turkish ones so he can make a blanket’s worth of yarn in a single go without having to unwind them and ply right away. Qui-Gon likes supported spindles and a traditional wheel. Anakin designs and makes his own electric spinners, electric yarn counters, and electric cone winders. And then he knits Padme shawls. Qui-Gon crochets blankets and keeps leaving them in the creche or outside random apartments in the temple. Obi-Wan weaves. Anakin spent 5 hours learning how to dye fiber in Padme’s favorite colours, made an electric wool carder to make batts of them, spent a solid 15 hours spinning enough for a massive shawl in lace weight yarn for his wife, knit her one, and then went back to his ADHD project hopping.

I have ideas!!!!!!

[bloody-wonder]

looking forward to ur review of tgr :)

so yeah i don't like what these books are doing😬

not the foxes - the foxes are talented brilliant amazing show-stopping as always. love that neil is still a pathological liar. love that andrew is still a menace to society. love that both of them still take turns babysitting kevin. you probably know i'm an aroace kevin truther but honestly? kevin *all i want in life is to play the perfect game* day and thea *supremacy on the court above all else* muldani are a match made in heaven. this is the aro4aro rep we need. love renee's cameos too. the foxes vs ravens fight was harrowing but in narrative terms it was also the only logical escalation of their conflict, to say nothing of the fact that it was the only moment in this entire book (that is somehow longer than tkm) where literally anything happened that elicited any emotions from me. having to return to the trojans and their match with whoever the fuck was super jarring. it's like you're made to acknowledge that the real story is taking place elsewhere and then forced to stay over here where nothing interesting is happening to anyone important.

ig people often criticize the plotlessness in jean's trilogy and then other people counter that this is a feature and not a bug bc the story is a character driven narrative about healing from trauma and rediscovering yourself etc etc. while i agree with the idea that neil and jean are different people who require different story structures, i don't think that jean's books succeed at this slow-moving character study/development format. when people defend something as character driven, they usually mean that the character work in a text is its raison d'être, which is why the author channels the narrative resources they could've used for the plot into the character work, making it superior to the one in a plot-driven book, for example. i don't think the character work in the new series is that good - or any good at all when compared to the supposedly more plot-driven og trilogy.

jean and jeremy are the only characters with any depth but neither of them is interesting to follow. jean lacks agency and, while i understand that this is how his trauma manifests, i simply cannot get invested in his arc bc he just does whatever he is told. he used to do bad stuff bc he was surrounded by bad people, now he's doing good stuff bc his good friends the trojans tell him to be nice, practice self-care, turn the other cheek etc. this is a simplified and unserious idea of healing that is apparently rather appealing to many but to me feels condescending and narratively bankrupt. i don't want to read about the therapeutic power of cooking, gardening and other cozy cottagecore activities in my sports mafia books. i wish jean had joined the foxes after all. maybe his Healing Journey wouldn't have been as straightforward but it would've made for a much more compelling, meatier story.

taken by itself jeremy's tragic backstory is quite solid, however when contrasted with other major aftg characters his problems come off as annoying. to quote a goodreads review i just saw: jean is out there reenacting a little life and jeremy is sad bc the only person in his family who likes him is his butler - who he has. in his mcmansion. boohoo a tear for your discomfort :// ik we're not discussing trauma as if it were a competition but let me just say - there's a reason we find out about matt's and allison's backstories mostly from the extra content. at any rate, the deep dive into jeremy's sad family life doesn't add anything particularly valuable to his character bc the development is lacking. while jean goes on his flimsy self-actualization journey, jeremy remains boringly static. i suppose he will get an emancipation arc in the last book but, given that he's one of the two pov characters and the love interest besides, it will be too little too late.

speaking of romance, i don't feel any chemistry between them. from time to time one of them will mention in their inner monologue that he finds the other one attractive and ig they do become friends but there's no spark, no tension of any kind. why should these two characters end up together, beyond the fact that they're two queer guys who keep hanging out? idk maybe this is just a personal preference but i was much more invested in jean's unrequited crush on kevin. this jerejean book made me a kevjean shipper, i hope y'all are happy now😐

the rest of the trojans are non-characters. i still cannot tell cat and laila apart, to say nothing of the rest of the team and staff. sure, i know more facts about them - laila's uncle owns the house, cat's the one with the motorbike, coach rhemann has a husband, this teammate is trans, that one uses they/them pronouns, these two are himbo jocks, there's a bunch of people with ethnic names so we know the trojans are a diverse team - but i don't know who they are, what purpose they serve in this story or why i should care if their home burns down. (seriously, when it comes to lost property i care a lot more about neil's murder racquet that was confiscated in trk and still hasn't been returned >:( ). in fact, now it has become painfully clear that this is a typical case of style over substance type of minorities representation - the surface level rep is in your face but there is nothing material behind it. it says nothing, it doesn't make for interesting characters or serve any other narrative purpose. it's just nora's failed attempt to address the common criticism of the lack of diversity in the og trilogy.

while the trojans are hardly convincing as individual characters it can be argued they work as sort of a collective character - a smiling faceless crowd whose job it is to therapy speak at jean (who already goes to two different therapists) until he heals from his trauma in real time. toxic positivity is not the right word to describe this but i hope you understand what i mean. absolutely suffocating to read bc there is no push and pull. jean brings nothing to these relationships so it ends up feeling like he just joined another cult.

(one notable exception to this problem imo would be tanner: he's interested in the raven drills and jean is interested in improving the trojans' skills so the contrast of their personalities is complemented by this mutual exchange and benefit and both guys can bond over exy, you know, the titular Game in "All for the Game"? tbh given how much exy is actually played in tsc and tgr nora should've just filed jean's books under a new series called "The Game? I Don't Know Her"🙄 anyways as a result, instead of coming off as an overused gimmick their antisocial great dane vs playful golden retriever puppy dynamic does feel genuinely cute and endearing. i wish nora used this reciprocal approach with other relationships in the series, instead of just having everyone baby jean around all the time.)

my thoughts keep coming back to the conversation between jean and cat (or laila? i honest to god have no idea which one of them) after the banquet where he says that it doesn't matter that everyone liked him bc he had to perform this civil persona in compliance with the trojans' public image (and to subvert people's expectations of his raven behavior) and she gives him a lecture about being kind and polite as if he's a 3yo. he says people didn't meet the real him and she insists the rude obnoxious jean is not the real him, the implication being it's his raven trauma shadow self that he has to hide and overcome or in any case keep it in check so that it doesn't negatively influence his relationships. this to me feels like a notable reversal of what aftg has always been about, of what makes it special: the foxes' "life fucked us over and we're gonna make it everyone else's problem and, guess what, we'll find friendship, love, respect and fulfillment even so" becomes the trojans' "take your rant to the group chat, only post good vibes and positive affirmations on main". i wonder if this change in philosophy can to a certain extent be explained by the fact that aftg was conceived and written mostly in the early-ish days of the internet whereas jean's books are being written in the age of online performativity and the digital panopticon of social media.

the last thing i want to discuss is the trojans' ethos of sportsmanship, expressed in these new books as radical nonviolence in the face of their opponents' cruelty, radical turning of the other cheek, as it were. i don't know about that. in simplified terms, one could argue that the ravens were very good at exy bc they're evil and the trojans are good at exy bc they're kind. however, remarkably, when the two teams were pitted against each other the ravens consistently prevailed. it took a team that had the best of both worlds and a couple of tricks up their sleeve on top of that in order to end the ravens' reign. two books later it appears that the foxes are still the only feisty kid on the block who is brave enough to stand up to a bully and they're getting whumped for it like nobody's business, while everyone is gasping and sighing in commiseration, "those poor foxes can't catch a break", as if their misfortunes just happen randomly and not in retaliation for their dedicated and proactive campaign to rid their favorite sport of corruption and harassment. i'm not saying that the trojans' should engage in some sort of militant activism but i am saying i liked their famed sportsmanship much more back when it was expressed as this moment of chivalric solidarity with the underdog instead of disarming catchphrases or banquet respectability politics or whatever. now that the foxes took one for the team (again) and eliminated the ravens they finally created a playing field where the trojans' nonviolent approach can win a championship - which does feel like an overall positive for everyone but,, no thanks to the latter🤷‍♀️