#molly’s religion is just very interesting to me

[river-of-wine]

If it’s meant to be, then it will be

[glowingmushroom0]

Top Ten TBR for August

1. The Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao (currently reading)

Back in December, I was re-watching a bunch of Zhao’s videos on YouTube and in one of them she was promoting her novel Iron Widow. While I’ve never been too into mecha-novels in sci-fi, I decided to give this one a try! I’ve been finding the mechanics of the mechs really interesting, and I find Zetian a very engaging character. It also helps that Zhao explains some of the history of the real-life Wu Zetian in two of her YouTube videos. I still haven’t finished the book, but I am pretty close to finishing it.

2. Epithet Erased: Prison of Plastic by Brendan Blaber (currently re-reading)

This novel is a part of the Epithet Erased series on JelloApocalypse’s YouTube channel, which also includes several trailers for this novel and a part of chapter 1 of the novel’s audiobook. I remember seeing the original show on YouTube when it was coming out and it’s a really fun series! This part of the novel focuses on the story of Molly Blyndeff, a twelve-year-old with an epithet, a power that depends on whatever word the epithet is based off of. The story focuses on Molly’s relationship with her older sister Lorelai, and how her friends support her and try to help her as she tries to stop her sister from expanding her dream world within their family’s toy store. I’m actually listening to the audiobook while writing this post! I really recommend the audiobook version of this novel, the voice actors did an excellent job!

3. Everyone in This Room Will Someday Be Dead by Emily Austen

I actually was recommended this book a couple of years ago by an aunt and a cousin of mine. I had gone to a Catholic school and they both knew I was pan (I still haven’t come out to them as agender though, but that’s because I don’t see or talk to them very often). However, what actually convinced me to try the book was an old friend group that started a book club, and this was their first book. I still haven’t read it because I didn’t end up making it to the meetings, but I am interested in reading it.

4. The Henna Wars by Adiba Jaigirdar

This novel I was interested in more from the author than the subject matter, but that doesn’t mean I’m not interested at all. I first read Jaigirdar’s Hani and Ishu’s Guide to Fake Dating and really enjoyed it, so I wanted to read more of her works! That’s when I learned that this was her debut novel, and I wanted to compare the two. Plus, I will always find some joy from learning about different art forms through writing in novels. The most I know about henna so far is from a friend of mine who had another friend who wanted to practice henna on them. Because of that, I’d like to learn more about how Jaigirdar depicts henna artists.

5. A Queer Dharma: Yoga and Meditations for Liberation by Jacoby Ballard

I actually found this book at a book exchange that was at an LGBTQ+ friendly event. My friend and I are both interested in this book because we’re both into learning about different kinds of religion and how to express different kinds of spirituality. From what I’ve looked over with the book it talks about how queer people create their own spaces within Buddhism and yoga.

6. So This is Ever After by F. T. Lukens

I’ll go more in-depth with this particular choice in the next book, however the main reasons why I was interested in this novel is because I had already gotten a book from this author that I was pretty interested in. And after looking through another book of Lukens’s (or Lukens’), they also seemed to be really interested in fantasy, especially magic. I also thought it was an interesting idea that the story takes place after the typical “ever after” of defeating an evil king.

7. In Deeper Waters by F. T. Lukens

Now this is the novel that I originally found F.T. Lukens from, and the main reason why I was interested in reading this novel is because I love pirates. I also found myself hooked from just the summary of the novel. When people say a character is mysterious, I don’t really know if they’re going to be mysterious until they appear in the story. However, the summary does show how mysterious Athlen can be, considering he’s introduced as a prisoner on a burning ship. So, I’m interested in learning more about Athlen just from the summary.

8. Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

This novel has a bit more controversial reason for why I want to read it. I originally got this book because it was popular, and I was vaguely interested, but then I started hearing about debates on whether this is good MLM (men-loving-men, not multi-level-marketing) representation. However, I then had another friend that’s a part of the queer community that read the book and he liked it. So I wanted to read the book to figure out my own opinion on the novel. Plus I thought it would be a good time to read it since the novel’s getting it’s own show soon. 

9. Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about Trans (But Were Afraid to Ask) by Brynn Tannehill

This book is less for me and more for family reasons. I’m not going to go into too much detail for privacy reasons, but a lot of my family still don’t quite understand much about what it exactly means to be transgender, especially not someone who’s under the non-binary umbrella. So I wanted to read this book and see if it’d be a good fit for some of my family members who do read.

10. Video Game Storytelling: What Every Developer Needs to Know about Narrative Techniques by Evan Skolnick

This book is more for my own learning and future career. My specific dream job is to create a video game story, which would go into scriptwriting. However, most of the creative writing advice and tips I’ve gotten were either for fiction in general, or for short stories and poetry. This book might be able to teach more about scriptwriting, but also how to develop scripts for video games.

[dent-de-leon]

Is there a explanation for the lack of tattoos on Kingsley?

No I don't think there's one officially yet! It's something I've been seeing a lot of interesting posts on lately though, and it makes me very curious 👀 He definitely still has them in episode 141, so I don't think it's something that got retconned. It could've just been kinda forgotten since it's been so long, like the little Balleater and Nein Heroez mixup.

But I also think it's a possibility that King is hiding the tattoos while still trying to work out his identity. I've seen a bunch of other posts point out that it's very noticeable Kingsley isn't showing any skin; he's got a high collar coat, long sleeves, gloves--you can't see the tattoos even if they are still there. (Except for the feathers on his face I suppose, though I'd also buy that that's either something he'd cover with makeup or even just a minor detail left out in the art.)

This also isn't out of character for Mollymauk himself. In fact, if he was reconsidering what tattoos he wanted to show off and what to cover up, it sounds very in line with his Moonweaver worship. The same goes for his little comment on reinventing the coat, that it's still a work in progress, but it's getting there. "I feel a bit underdressed."

He's adding to it, customizing it, redesigning it. Like his original patchwork coat, lovingly hand-embroidered and intricately detailed. (And I think it means something, that this one is still red. A red coat like the one worn by the beautiful woman he kept dreaming about--who sounds an awful lot like the Moonweaver herself--)

For reference, here's what Molly has to say about Moonweaver oracle decks in the tarot card booklet:

"Each deck of Moon Oracle cards are different, as each deck evolves with the owner. When a card is weathered or simply no longer speaks to you, replace it with a new card of your own design. Something personal and true. Trust yourself; what is true for you will ring true for others. Some choose to change a card each Lunar cycle. Some decks magically destroy a card when it is replaced with a new one--such decadence!"

"Each card holds two balanced thoughts. They can be opposing thoughts, complementary, or different states of the same thought. Meaning may sometimes overlap between cards, but that's hardly the point. A deck with a point of view is far more useful than a false sense of worldliness. And if you find a card is too close in meaning to another, simply cast it off for a new idea."

Molly himself admits it's common practice to hold onto the cards that really resonate with you, and then discard and redraw the rest. Sometimes replacing cards as often as every month. And it's a philosophy Sehanine's followers embrace wholeheartedly. Again, these are Mollymauk's own beliefs.

While the thought of King not wanting to keep some of his old tattoos certainly hurts, I can at least take comfort in the fact that, for Molly, a core part of his religion is changing and reinventing your sense of self. The Moonweaver encourages exploring your identity, continually growing and changing, starting anew whenever you wish.

And I don't think it's necessarily supposed to be a destruction of the past so much as allowing yourself a sense of...fluidity. Staying in the moment and donning a new mask each day like the ever shifting phases of the moon. He might just be keeping the tattoos covered up for now while he decides what he wants to keep or add, still discovering who he is in this world.

It's also worth noting that Molly originally got those tattoos to try and hide the Eyes. He might want something a little different now that they're gone, just so he's never reminded of those empty spaces where the Somnovum once branded him.

[autixel]

Please tell me about your Dresden files head cannons and such like pls I need some one to talk about him with

:O

Alright so. I didn't really think of much for Murphy, like my main issue is whatever Harry and Murphy had romantically going on, I don't really have problems with her as a character. And this is my first time doing headcanons so the formatting is off.

Marcone:

Actually kind of a bastard. He's friendly with Dresden because in the long run it's convenient. Convoluted convenient but Marcone keeps playing the long game.

I really don't think his sexuality matters to him. He has bigger problems. Life-forms are chess pieces to him. If he wants to be successful both on earth and in the never-never, it isn't really useful to contemplate that part of him.

Marcone has kinda had it with Dresden, on the outside he's so professional and so collected. I think it's customer service.

(honestly why does Marcone act vaguely flirty with Dresden? There has to be more reason to it, based on Dresden's descriptions of him (even tho Dresden is an unreliable narrator...))

Is the cold, calculating, magnificent bastard we think he is, and take it some steps further.

If I were to completely ignore canon I would say that Marcone deep down is really anxious. Maybe he shoots up from bed some nights in dread from dreaming about how badly his new enemies could plunge Chicago, the States, and the entire world. (Hehehe and he doesn't know what else would make everything so much worse). Do you think he ever gets that way?

A GINGER. HE HAS RED HAIR AND I REFUSE TO BELIEVE OTHERWISE. HE'S GRAYING GLORIOUSLY.

Murphy:

How often does she question God? How far does her faith go?

90s pop enjoyer

THAT'S ME IN THE CORNER

THAT'S ME IN THE

SPOT

LIGHT

LOSING MY RELIGION

I choose to believe that she has really badass scars, and also retrospectively embarrassing ones from battles.

Dresden:

Horny in the most inconvenient way possible.

Have you ever thought about what Dresden does with the non-human entities that come onto him? He. Says. No. Every single time. He's actually very interesting like this. He's dealing with creatures that use beauty as a weapon AND HE KNOWS IT. And because he's so lonely and touchstarved his libido is like hmmmmm potential...

I think if he were to just stop, no world to save, no one in danger from forces that he would be best against, no plots using him, he would realize how miserable he is.

So many times has he told his friends to blindly trust him even though he wants to tell them the full truth, and the guilt gets to him.

What he really wants in life is a safe place, a safe life with Maggie, Thomas, McCoy, Karrin, his other friends, and his magic. No monsters to slay, no Chicago on the verge of destruction, nothing out to harm him and his family. Just a calm, happy life.

When he loves people he really, really does love. He wiped out an entire species to save his kid. He held a torch so bright for Susan that their love still had an effect on him for over a decade.

Ignoring canon I would say that if he were real I'd beat him up. Idc if he'd wipe the floor with me I would add to the horrors inside his mind. I'll have to convene with the board (my irl friends) if I am truly that terrifying.

Mainly because I am sick of his love life idc idc he needs friends not this bs.

Mab:

Now you might be thinking, Autixel, what the fuck are you doing? Writing about Mab before Thomas? Molly? Any other more shown character?

But Mab is becoming one of my favorites and it's about how she rules.

I think one facet of her mindset is ends justify the means. She does what she must for the result that matters. This is why Maeve would have never worked. She didn't get that there is a bigger game to it all, or Maeve saw it and didn't care.

When she goes to the human world I kinda imagine her in some 1950s fashion, the sleeker dresses remind me of her.

(hehe rule of 3)

Molly:

Girlypop is getting on my nerves 🔪

There's nothing tremendously wrong with her I'm just sick of her crush on Dresden. Both need some hot cocoa and a good cry not whatever the fuck is going on.

Plays guitar, with her wintry promotion she can play an electric guitar, yippee!

I want to believe that she would have made my immortal levels of bad fanfic, maybe one got infamous and was never finished.

Where and who does she swing? Kinda getting pan vibes.

You cannot convince me that she didn't have a raccoon tail dye once.

Thomas:

Edward Cullen in the most derogatory way possible.

Bitchless but canon hates me :(

Hope that fulfills expectations :)

There's more thoughts in the tags

[airasora]

Me realizing all of your current OTPs would fit your MEP in one way or another, except maybe Rolfmaine: O____O

Fresme: man of the cloth sworn to celibacy falls in love or lust with a woman (and one considered impure at that)

Hollina and Sinric: homosexuality

Charmine: different religions (the Sultan references Allah directly, and a Christian priest marries Cinderella and the Prince in the movies, so we can assume she's Muslim and he's Christian)

Thraxette: demonic creature

Man, if you ever have the time you could just do an OTP video with this xD

(btw, are you and SugarMintMilky no longer in MxDisney? I was really looking forward to your talent show!)

I do definitely one to do a multi crossover video with all my OTPs! And you're right, only Rolfmaine doesn't fit 😂 You could make them work if one, or both, are married or sworn to someone else and then they would be committing adultery. So even they could work in MoaC 😂

SugarMintMilky has indeed left MxDisney. And I most likely will as well. Obviously it's not my place and I can't speak on behalf of Sugar, but for myself I can say that the story I had planned for Sophia Gallagher clearly wasn't going to fit MxDisney this year.

I don't know how many, but I was told that the judges had been contacted by "multiple people" who took issue with my round 2 due to Sophia doing a stereotypical American car wash where she's in a bikini and being sexually provocative. She's supposed to be 18/19 in the video, but I didn't make that clear before-hand.

The thing is that if people will react that way to just that (and yes I'm insisting on calling it just that cause I can't say I relate to be offended over a body wearing a bikini with soap on) then I knew the rest of my story for Sophia simply wouldn't fit this year's MxDisney. If people will take offense to a bikini, there's no way the rest of my planned story would go over very well. It was going to be dark, I have already hinted at Molly, her mother, being both a drug addict AND a prostitute and while I was never going to show anything explicit, Sophia doing a car wash was never going to be remotely comparable to other implied actions if hers later on.

So the story I had created simply wouldn't fit with this year's MxDisney which really sucks, but it is what it is. I took some time to think about it, and I tried to think of a way to still tell the story I wanted to, but there simply wasn't a way for me to do that without heavily changing some very big keypoints. So I found myself unable to continue editing and plotting for this season.

Part of me wants to share the story in a fanfic if people are interested - perhaps that would make some of the plot points easier to digest - but I will be leaving MxDisney this season.

I am however very excited to hear what they have in store for next season as the genre is mystery and that sounds very exciting! 🥰

[thespookybean14]

🐑 Clarice M. Starling Headcanons 💙

Just a compilation of some Clarice Starling headcanons and interpretation stuff I have, I think she’s absolutely lovely. Let me know if you guys want more! Trigger warning for some mentions of parental death, and religion struggles.

Note: This is my personal interpretation of her. If you don’t agree with me, that’s okay! I respect your interpretation. Please don’t attack me for my interpretation of her just because it doesn’t align with yours. Enjoy!

The M. in Clarice’s name stands for “Marie”

Clarice has two younger brothers and a little sister, she’s the oldest of the four siblings.

I headcanon her siblings are named Sorrel (second oldest), Patrick (middle child), and Molly (youngest).

Her siblings grew up and went into different careers— Sorrel became a psychologist, Patrick became a law professor, and Molly became a nurse practitioner.

Clarice eventually reunites with her siblings at some point and they grow to become extremely close. (I’m definitely not mad Thomas Harris mentioned them like once or twice in the Silence of the Lambs novel and then never tells us what happened to them.)

Clarice has sensory issues with certain foods.

Clarice is around 5’1”-5’2”, she was born pretty small.

Clarice is a lesbian

Clarice Starling is autistic

Clarice looks almost exactly like her mom but has her dad’s darker hair, nose, and eyes

Clarice as a kid used to do horseback riding or running as a extracurricular activity

Clarice did track and field in high school eventually because of how much she enjoyed running.

Even though she probably tries to stay hydrated most of the time, her favorite drink is Diet Coke, Diet Dr. Pepper, or Fanta.

Clarice still occasionally thinks about the kids she used to counsel before she got into Quantico and hopes wherever they are, they’re doing better.

Clarice gives some of the best hugs but she doesn’t do it extremely often

Clarice has a very contagious laugh, you’d just want to laugh along with her

Clarice is pretty ticklish but she’d never say a word about it, specifically her sides, back of neck, and ribs are where she’s vulnerable at.

She has a soft spot for kids, she wants to listen to them and thinks what they have to say is important.

One of Clarice’s comfort foods is brownies

Clarice will occasionally hum or sing softly to herself if she’s alone studying.

Clarice still visits Noble occasionally at The Smithsonian just to check in on him and see how the entomology exhibit is going.

Some of Clarice’s favorite musical artists are Eric Clapton, Queen, Blondie, Louis Armstrong, Joan Jett, Alanis Morrisett, Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton, and a few others out there.

Her favorite fruits are oranges, apples, and grapes.

When Clarice met Ardelia at Quantico she immediately felt like they’d start a very intimate and interesting bond, which they eventually did.

Clarice struggled with her faith in Lutheranism after her dad died, it kind of just shook her up a bit and made her question a lot of things.

Clarice still looks at that photo of her horse, Hannah, years after the events of Silence of the Lambs. It gives her the strength to continue and remind herself healing takes time and it’s a process. She knows she’ll be okay soon enough.

[skeletorswaifu]

hi! can I ask a witchcraft/general spirituality based question? Honestly I’m just looking back into all of these things and wondering if and where I could fall in any of it (paganism, Wicca, witchcraft, or anything else there is) I’m interested in pantheism and being involved with nature, seasons, tarot, maybe spirits, anf astronomy but I’m not sure what that could make me or what I could even do to involve myself in those things in a spiritual or religious way. I like those things but don’t know what to do for them. I have no idea! do u have any input or resources? I’m very new to everything. I don’t know exactly where to look and what kind of label would be right for me

Hello! First I wanted to say thanks for the great questions!

I wanted to take time to answer as well as I could. To start I just want to explain that you do not need a label. I understand the desire to have one and to be able to say "hey, I'm wiccan!" or "Oh yeah! I'm a green witch too!" etc.... It feels good to be sure and it feels like it gives you a more specific place to put your focus. However, I would say one of the most fun parts about witchcraft/alternative spirituality in general is exploration! Being free to learn, grow, explore everything and anything! So try not to feel like you need a label right away! Just have fun and learn about the things that you're interested in. After awhile you might notice most of your research or interests are about botany, Greek myths, Trees, spirit work or something else and that may help steer you down the path you were looking for <3

There are plenty of paths that involve all of the things you're interested in. Nature, seasons, Tarot, spirit work, astronomy...these are broad subjects and I think if you start with one of these and dig deep it will lead you down a wider path of discovery as well.

And if you start out and want to be a wiccan but after a few months feel like you want to be called a folk witch or just a spiritual individual that's okay too! We are ever changing and evolving. Its okay to change your mind!

I remember taking so many quizzes and watching so many videos on all the different kinds of witches/spiritualties. In the end I really just decided that I could call myself whatever I wanted (within reason lol) and be happy with that because there is not ONE right way or a SET number of ways to be spiritual.

If you're interested in Wicca I would suggest:

Thorn Mooney and Scott Cunningham. Reading their work and listening to Thorn's YouTube videos may help you figure out if Wicca is right for you.

If you're interested in witchcraft:

this can cross over with all the rest. Its like a ven-diagram. You can be a witch or practice magic and also be wiccan/pagan/pantheist/etc but being wiccan/pagan/pantheist doesn't necessarily mean you practice witchcraft.

I would suggest people like the Witch Of Wonderlust (Death/folk Witch), ChaoticWitchAunt (Italian Folk), The Green Witch (Green witchery), Witch of Southern Light(witchcraft), Thorn Mooney(Wiccan), Warrior Witch Nike(Norse pagan), Temperance Alden(witchcraft), Molly Roberts(Art witch), and The Norse Witch(Norse witch).

This is just a list of a few people I have trusted over the past few years. You could give them a try if they seem interesting to you!

The last thing I wanted to say is just a quick spiel about religion. If you feel like a more religious practice is what you want that is lovely and I fully support it! On the other hand try not to feel like you NEED a deity. You don't have to jump into deity worship to be valid. Worship yourself first! Take good care of yourself, eat well, stay hydrated, surround yourself with good people who support you, do the things you love, rest, smell the rain! Research different pantheons and gods/goddesses if you're curious though! Everything will come in time I promise!

So I suppose long story short I would say this:

Who cares!? (in a good way!)

EXPLORE YOUR INTERESTS

HAVE AN OPEN MIND

DO WHAT FEELS GOOOOOOOOD

and if a label fits and feels right, beautiful!! I hope this helps at least a little bit! If you have any other questions or need anything cleared up just let me know!!

[loquaciousquark]

Talks Machina Highlights - Critical Role C2E111 (Redux! Oct. 13, 2020)

Gooooood evening good evening good evening, all! I started the VOD late for this recap and somehow the first four or so minutes of the show have a Twitch audio copyright claim, so I am reduced to only reading Brian's lips when he asks if we're on the internet. Hilariously, Marisha's background room is a comfy-looking blue/gold fabric wall with a ceramic colorful abstract lamp and a yellow silk scarf over the lampshade, and Taliesin's is an industrial looking games room in grey and black with multiple monitors, overhead speakers, and mysterious metal fixtures behind him. What a treasure this group is, honestly.

Tonight's guests: Marisha Ray & Taliesin Jaffe, discussing episodes 110 and 111 again. I wildly speculate once more about what might have caused their absence: jury duty? Sam appearing on The Masked Singer? Something to do with the animated show? One day, we’ll know, one day... (One day this “copyrighted audio” section will come back from the wars, too. Ugh!) Finally! The audio comes back to reveal Brian discussing the endless reality of digital meetings and Marisha talking about (I think) her glare-reducing glasses she’s wearing. Welcome to the New Age (welcome to the New Age, to the New Age).

Announcements: Marisha suggests checking out Dimension20, another live tabletop gaming group, which premieres live on Wednesdays at 4pm (CollegeHumor). 

Brian immediately wants to know how they feel about the revelation that Molly is alive. Taliesin’s personal reaction: he “knows some things” he can’t talk about and is aware of several possibilities that might be going on, but had a sneaking suspicion that there would not be a body for them to find. He says it’s almost all there for anyone to see in past material. Marisha’s personal reaction: she just wants to know how she’s doing with her theories, & was trying to block Tal’s face out deliberately as she was going off on her theories in the last episode. Taliesin says he thought her ideas were pretty good!

Cad has no clue what to think - it’s like listening to your friends talk about Buffy. Marisha thought it was a 50/50 Molly would still be there, but Beau had no idea. Not that it mattered, because as soon as Matt went through with it the reveal still blew their minds. Tal laid out his plans for the character with Matt during Campaign One (towards the end) after they all got their VM tattoos.

It is a “horrifying and gross” thing to dig up a body, and Beau was pretty reluctant to do it. Tal, as Cad: “Sometimes dead’s better.” The moral quandary of trying to speak with a dead friend was very different here than the frequent occasions they used the spell in C1.

Taliesin says his poker face is very bad, so it’s easier for him to over-react and let it all play out. The only other player he can see very easily from his place in their current setup is Travis, and because he knows Travis doesn’t watch TM, tweet, or participate in social media, he admits he thoroughly enjoyed watching Travis freak out at his freaking out. He says he only knew about 20% of what Matt described at the end of that episode. He was picking things to mug to increase Travis’s surprise. I love this so much.

Taliesin provided the table left leg shake; Travis provided table right. Ha!

Beau is really accepting her role in the Cobalt Soul. It’s good when “as a person, you feel like you can settle into your calling. Sometimes you can do more from the inside than fighting from the outside.” It’s a mirrored but opposite path of Keyleth from C1; Beau felt like she was too good for her duty, while Keyleth thought she wasn’t good enough.

Caduceus is not a big believer in jumping to conclusions. He does have an idea/notion of the “city of the undead” and thinks all this necrotic energy must come from somewhere, and wonders if this is the “capital of anti-death.” He’s willing to believe whatever he sees. This is one of the few things that trigger a bit of loathing and disgust in him. It was terrifying that the Wildmother didn’t know anything.

Beau is pretty confident in her Charlie Day impression laying-out-the-research last episode. She enjoyed taking the things that were known & extrapolating around them; this is a huge facet of Marisha’s own personality and she really enjoys it, so she built a character this time that would allow that kind of puzzle-solving. It’s also why she repeatedly notes when Beau journals, so she can avoid metagaming. Trent’s mention of Vess Durogna’s tomb raiding was completely circumstantial, and the only reason she’d made the connection to the Tombtakers was because she’d recently reviewed those notes for a separate unannounced project. Sometimes she tries to make connections and Matt is like, “It was...just descriptive. Just flavor. The curtains were red...” and she has to discard a paragraph of notes. She feels like it’s still something they have to do because of “look at what he does! Look! It’s totally valid!”

Cosplay of the Week: @kitsunstudios with a gorgeous Caduceus with a very intricate silk vest.

Caduceus’s takedown of Trent! One of my favorite moments in the entirety of C2. Taliesin felt Trent was an asshole; Caduceus felt sorry for him because of how dumb he thought he was. Caduceus’s response was "this is the dumbest man I’ve ever met in my life. He’s so dumb! Is nobody going to tell this guy how dumb he is? Oh, they’re all freaked out. Somebody needs to tell this guy he’s an idiot before somebody gets hurt.” (Marisha: “Before?”) Tal says it was the product of several years of therapy and many drunk conversations with Whitney Moore. It was from a genuine place of concern from Caduceus. “How are you allowed to have this much power and be that dumb?”

Brian loved how funny it was to watch everyone tiptoe around Trent and then Caduceus bulldoze through the end of the meal.

Taliesin: “Damage doesn’t make you interesting or better. It’s not what makes you good. Character isn’t found in damage. Just recovery.”

Brian & Marisha commiserate going through the stage where believing surviving something automatically made you a stronger person, better for the pain; instead it just meant you had to pick up the pieces after. Marisha talks about how strength through survival may be true for some people, but it shouldn’t be considered a necessity. Taliesin talks about how he used to think he had to be miserable to write. Brian talks about how believing he liked reading and writing miserable things only limited him for years.

Marisha feels it’s a C2 theme that almost all the PCs have someone trying to handwave or take credit for their accomplishments or explain their pain as being for their own good (Trent, Beau’s dad, Obann). She thinks it’s interesting to see all the various ways people try to take credit for your work/delegitimize you as a person. She loves that RPGs allow you to explore these odd moralities in interesting ways. The only way to fight it is to have a sense of your own self-worth, which is a problem a lot of the M9 started with.

Caduceus likes everyone, and really likes people who appear to need role models (Eodwulf). “With the right friends and the right bar and the right attitude, I think he’d be okay. Come over here where it’s so much better. That seems like an exhausting friendship that you have there.”

Marisha loves the mix of personalities in the M9; Veth, Cad, & Jester were all “we kind of like them!” after the dinner, and she immediately made eye contact with Travis and they both shook their heads. She knows Beau has to go along with it for Caleb’s sake for now, but she & Fjord are pretty sus of Trent’s proteges.

Beau is less concerned about Artagan’s relationship to Jester because “he showed his ass--she’s less worried about Jester now because a little of the magic is gone.” It’s a little like becoming an adult and realizing your parents are also just adults & human. Caduceus wasn’t suspicious of the Traveler for a long time until they got to the island. Aside: Taliesin loves the pantheon in D&D. “The notion of attempting to apply common Western conceptions of religion to a world where you have a pantheon of interventionist gods as baseline makes no sense to me. Everyone admits that every other god is there and doing shit; it has more in common with ancient Rome than anything else.” Now that he knows it was a con, he feels the wind had been taken out of it. He does have a sense that Jester’s gotten back together with an ex: “I hope that I’m really happy for you.” They’re both interested to see how Jester navigates the new relationship.

My internet goes out, of course. I panic for a second, thinking I’ve lost everything above, but all is well! Thanks, Form History Control addon!

Marisha loved punching Artagan, but regretting rolling so poorly. “I miss violence.” Dani lets us know it’s been about four episodes since the last battle.

There’s no way the Cobalt Reserve doesn’t have a single document on the Eyes of Nine. Beau believes “there are no real secrets” because people are just bad at not writing things down. For there to be no information at all seems really suspicious for her.

Fanart of the Week: @oddalchemist on twitter with some awesome Beau conspiracy red-thread boards overlaid a distant shadowy Molly walking away.

Caduceus feels a little guilty for really enjoying his time right now with the M9 and not wanting to go home. He’s starting to suspect that he’s going to go home very different than when he left. “He has the softest problems. I don’t know if I want to move back in with Mom & Dad.”

Beau is trying to get comfortable with the idea of being happy. Jester is probably Beau’s first real best friend & one of the first healthy female friendships she’s ever had. As long as she still has Jester in her life, she doesn’t care. For Yasha... “At the end of the day, Beau is a lonely person and has always been a lonely person. And I think you kinda reach this point where once you’re not lonely anymore, you can kind of come out of the fog and realize that was horrible! And terrifying! And is even more terrifying now that I know what I could have, and I don’t want to go back to that. At the end of the day Beau doesn’t want to be lonely anymore. There’s always been that flirtation with Yasha, but everyone had to figure their own shit out. And now it feels like it’s coming out a little bit of that haze, maybe this actually could be...” There are a lot of ways they complement each other & are good-different from each other. Marisha believes people can be attracted to more than person at once.

Caduceus doesn’t think nature turned against him on Rumblecusp, it was just a reality of nature being dangerous and violent. “He has a complex relationship with nature.” He doesn’t expect special treatment.

Thoughts on the mansion: “Man, it’s nice to be seen.” Marisha: “I don’t know how I ended up becoming the Scanlan of this campaign, but I’m living for it.” It felt like an echo of “I’m better for having known you.” They compare Marisha taking specific notes on the campaign to Liam taking specific notes on people’s favorite tapestries, comics, etc.

They talk about missing theme parks and daydream a park version of the mansion in CritRoleLand. It’s lovely.

Taliesin never expected Divine Intervention to work; he just wanted to roll some dice. He’s still processing what he saw/heard. They all agree it was very useful in the Vokodo fight.

Vilya! Marisha: “Ah! Ah! Ah!” As a player, Marisha was so deep in Beau’s eyes she didn’t pick up it was Vilya at first (especially since Matt really emphasized they should not be looking for C1 NPCs). Marisha’s brain melted. She bawled her eyes out on the ride home after that episode. Right after it ended, Laura told Marisha “Keyleth finally gets her happy ending,” and it makes Marisha emotional again since Keyleth’s story ended so bittersweetly. She talks about the very real feelings of “just wanting them to be happy, though!” She went back and listened to all her old Keyleth playlists. Everyone was teary after the episode. “Everyone has these 100% real memories of being these characters and having these good times.”

And that’s that for that! Thanks for your patience, all, and is it Thursday yet?

[utilitycaster]

Sorry to bother you, but I’ve just been thinking a lot about how (with the exception of Tary and Percy) all of Sam and Taliesin’s characters have had some sort of antagonistic relationship or at least just not being able to see from the same perspective. I just wanted to get your thoughts on the matter because your blog is great and i really respect you

Hey! Glad you like my blog! I...don’t feel like I have anything particularly deep to say on the matter? I try to keep speculation of the cast’s own personal feelings to a minimum because I don’t know them - if I mention something that was said OOC it’s probably something on Talks or a panel, ie, a deliberately public forum where they are specifically talking about the show so anyway I don’t have anything to bring from that quarter.

This is interesting also because I’ve never seen a whole lot of parallels between those dynamics:

Veth and Caduceus are actively people with very different perspectives; Caduceus fundamentally doesn’t get Veth and she doesn’t totally get him either, in a big picture/religion/fate/morality vs. practical/everyday/chaos/you against the world sort of way. This is definitely a relationship that fits what you describe.

I never felt Veth (I guess Nott, at that point) and Molly were exceptionally at odds. They had some interactions with conflict, but so have most characters in the Mighty Nein at some points, even those who are now pretty close - the biggest clash I recall them having was pretty clear cut (Nott stealing the letter from Fjord; Molly had pretty clear moral values re: don’t take people’s shit), and they seemed to actually really appreciate each other; she clearly took the “only steal from grumpy people” to heart.

and Percy and Scanlan were an interesting case in that Percy going off on Scanlan in episode 85 of Campaign 1 is one of my favorite dramatic scenes but I don’t feel like they fought that often? It was just two very different people and honestly I’m not sure either of them spent much time trying to get anyone’s perspective; both were in their own way arrogant and traumatized and didn’t listen to other people much, but also were good at taking over in a crisis as long as they weren’t the most involved person. I think they actually were more similar than I’d previously caught on!

If you were thinking of something in particular let me know, but I guess I think their dynamics are interesting, and it is true that other than Percy and Tary they’ve never really played characters who were that close, but those three different relationships are all fairly unique to me.

[rotationalsymmetry]

General gripes about DS9 and gender (some spoilers) (content notes: some references to sexual abuse/trauma, and specifically spiritual abuse/sexual misconduct in religious leaders, also death/murder):

I swear to fuck these people do not know how to write female characters without shoehorning them into romance plotlines. (Or weird fucked up stuff, like when that Cardassian serial murderer kidnaps Kira.) Especially noticeable with Ziyal -- when Kira takes her to DS9, the writers apparently can't think of a single thing to do with a young woman other than ship her with a much older Cardassian. Then, she's starting to get her own life and make a name for her as an artist, and they fucking refridgerator her. The fuck. (And: the focus is on how her death affects Dukat, that fucker. Which, obviously sure it's going to affect him...but it's also going to affect Kira, who sees Ziyal as like a younger version of herself and was trying to protect her. And then Ziyal dies. That should have some sort of effect on Kira! And did no one else on the station make any sort of connection with her when she was there?) This is arguably not primarily a gender thing, but it is partly a gender thing: the show keeps demanding Kira find sympathy for her oppressors, over and over again. (This is a gripe fest: of course there's a lot of things about Kira's character that are done really well.) She keeps getting thrown in situations that show (some) Cardassians in more nuanced lights and that more or less force her into relationships with them, while meanwhile her old resistance cell friends all get killed off, her parents are dead, if she has any other family we don't hear about it, and she's basically left with no Bajoran friends even, as far as we know. She gets Bajoran lovers who... OK, about that. First, Vedek Bareil. Now, Bajorans are shown to have a pretty relaxed attitude towards their clergy (eg Kira is frequently rude to Winn even after she becomes Kai with apparently no consequences) -- but still. Vedek is roughly equivalent to, what, cardinal? He's high up in the heirarchy. And, he's put himself in a role of spiritual authority relative to Kira: she gets access to one of the Orbs through him. They've got a power imbalance and one that's connected to Kira's ability to do her religion. I don't care what the social norms are on Bajor that is 100% sexual misconduct on Bareil's part. If something went wrong in their relationship, it could fuck up Kira's connection to her faith. And in the show it's presented as no big deal.

(Star Trek seems to be aware of this when it comes to ship's captains! For all that Kirk notoriously fucks everyone, he never voluntarily (/outside of the mirror universe, outside of odd transporter malfunctions that split him into two parts, etc) came on to a crew member. But it's no less important for religious authorities.) (Also: this has nothing to do with celebacy. I'm fine with Bajoran religious figures being allowed to have sex and being allowed to have sex outside of marriage. But: a religious leader having a sexual relationship with someone who they're in a pastoral relationship to is wrong, and while Bareil isn't exactly Kira's pastor I think there is some level of, he's providing spiritual guidance to her. That means she's off limits to him, or should be. In the same way that bosses shouldn't fuck their direct reports, college professors shouldn't fuck their students, therapists definitely shouldn't fuck their patients, etc. Regardless of how they handle their sex life outside of those restrictions. And regardless of whether there's love involved or not -- romantic love absolutely does not make it better.) And then there's Shakaar, the former leader of her resistance cell. That she joined as a teenager. It's...yeah, it's been many years, yeah she's not directly under him any more, and yeah goodness knows a band of resistance fighters is probably not going to have a clearly written up sexual harassment policy so it's not necessarily unrealistic...it's not as blatantly "oh god no" as Bareil, but it's got some...is anyone thinking of potential abuse of power issues here? Anyone?

There was one episode where Jake and Nog were double-dating and it goes badly due to Ferengi, uh, gender roles not meshing well with Federation egalatarianism. And, then the rest of the episode is all about how they're going to repair their friendship. And I was thinking: we didn't see either female character either before or after, and why is a sexism issue being shown from the lens of "how can I, a nice guy, stay friends with my male friend who has sexism issues" and not "how am I, a young woman, going to deal with this affront to my basic personhood" or "how am I, a young woman, going to repair my friendship now that I talked my friend into a double date so I could date the guy I liked but his friend turned out to be garbage?" Like...out of all the potential relationships there, why is Jake's friendship with a guy with sexism issues (who's made it clear he's not going to change, at least as far as dating goes) the one presented as being in most need of preservation? I know, it's because Jake and Nog are more central characters and their friendship has been significant in the show for seasons now. But...that just brings up more questions. Like why does this show have a significant bro friendship between two teenage boys, but there's no friendship between two women (or between a woman and a man for that matter) that's given as much weight? There's some bonding between Kira and Dax, but it doesn't have the same presence and significance as Jake and Nog or, say, Miles and Julian. (I'm having first name/last name inconsistencies here. Ah well.) Keiko has no on-camera friendships. Kira has no on-camera friendships that have Jake & Nog or Julian & Miles weight. Dax maybe does with her Klingon buddies from Curzon's lifetime. (Benjamin Sisko also doesn't.) Ziyal could have, but doesn't. Molly could have, but doesn't. Miles doesn't seem to have any (on-camera or otherwise acknowledged) parent friends (like...there's one couple mentioned who can babysit Molly at times? That's it? We never even see them?), which is weird because fuck knows parenthood can make it hard to have any friends who aren't parents. Odo's got his weird frenemy thing with Quark. Garak has his standing lunch with Julian (if you read that as platonic, which ... yeah, there's not a lot of arguments for seeing it as platonic beyond "they're both men.") I am, don't get me wrong, extremely for showing male friendships. Very much for it. It's just...I want friendships that aren't between two guys also. And I want them to be shown as significant and meaningful and worth overcoming obstacles for. Friendships between women, friendships between people of the same race or culture (or alien species, since we are talking Star Trek here), friendships between men and women that aren't just a precursor to romance. And...parenting that isn't just...I want to see Keiko have problems with parenting that she overcomes with help from other people. I want to explore the emotional ramifications of Kira being a surrogate mom to Kirayoshi or being a semi adopted mom to Ziyal and then having her die. I want Kira to talk about how her own upbringing in times of famine and war and occupation affects her sense of her ability to potentially be a parent. I want a female character to calmly talk about her decision to not become a mother and have that decision be treated with the utmost respect. I want the sort of struggles that male characters have with parenting on the show, like Worf's difficulty connecting with his son or Benjamin's conflict over watching his son grow up and get less interested in spending time with his dad, be shown for female characters as well. And the joys, like when Benjamin remembers holding Jake as an infant, like when they reunite after Jake gets caught in a war zone. Rather than parenting be this thing that mom characters apparently do on autopilot without any internal conflict or feeling out of their depth or particular moments of joy and amazement. There's so many plot lines and moments and bits and pieces that could be amazing moments that give

mother characters balance and nuance and characterization, but they only ever get shown for fathers. (And this is not just Star Trek either...look at all the kids movies that are about father/son or father/daughter bonding, and somehow the moms...just aren't there. It's so good when there are single father storylines, just...where are all the mom storylines that could be like that?) And why do teenage boys get focus and their own stories (especially with Jake in DS9, but also TNG has Wesley Crusher and Alexander, and TOS had one story centering on a teenage boy) but girls either aren't there at all or don't get to have stories that are about them? Ziyal's stories aren't about her, she doesn't get to form her own friendships and only barely gets to develop an interest of her own before her life is taken away from her. Molly doesn't get stories that are about her. (And yeah, Molly's a lot younger than Jake, but those are still choices: DS9 could have been set when Molly was a teenager, or the show could have introduced a different teenage girl as a significant character, or Jake could have been a girl rather than a boy, or Benjamin could have had two children...)

[inawickedlittletown]

The Dresden Files - an overall review

(There are very very minor spoilers, but I mostly wanted to write something non-spoilery about the series as a whole.)

-

The Dresden Files. I knew a few things about this series before I went into reading it in part because I had watched Daniel Greene’s YouTube video about why people should read it and I won’t lie and say that I didn’t go on Goodreads, look at how long the series is and then question if I actually wanted to read it and wanted to spend months and months going through the books. But, I had nothing else that was pressing on my TBR list and my library had Storm Front on ebook available. So, I gave it a chance. I am so glad I did. I think I finished that first book in two days and I rolled right into reading Fool Moon pretty much as soon as I finished Storm Front. 

I didn’t expect to like it as much as I ended up liking it. I didn’t expect to read the series as quickly as I did. But here we are. The thing about Dresden Files is that it’s the type of story that starts off small and then evolves into something much bigger. After all, the first few books can almost be read as standalones because while there is consistency of character, largely the events of each really remain within the scopes of each book aside from a few minor details. This is why at first glance Dresden to me seemed like a procedural leaning towards a pulp-fiction style of storytelling which I was okay with even though from the aforementioned YouTube video, I was aware that that would change as the series went on. 

Back when I was a kid, one of my favorite shows was Buffy the Vampire Slayer. And Dresden has been one of the few things that reminds me of BTVS, although I’d wager that Dresden more closely resembles the BTVS spin-off Angel more. I think it’s this resemblance that made me eager to keep reading. That and knowing that the books weren’t as simple as first presented. 

The things I love about it:

I love how simple and yet complicated it is all at once. It’s simple because the concept can be summed up in two words: wizard detective. You really don’t need a whole lot more to describe it. And yet as the books go on the world is expanded and suddenly things are more connected than you once thought and there are different levels of power at play as well as factions and magical creatures and politics in the middle of all of it. This just makes the world so much richer and interesting and fantastical while still keeping the roots of the human world. 

I love the characters. There is no character in this series that isn’t complex and flawed. They are very very human even when they’re not actually human and it is very easy to relate to one or more of them. Not every character is likable, but many — even the villains — are. And to go off of that, it is the relationships between the characters and the growth of that over the course of the books that makes this series worth reading. 

The mythology that is weaved into the story is great too. There is so much that comes right out of myth and adapted to fit into the world of Dresden and I am just in awe of how well Butcher manages to fit all the different things into one world from characters to artifacts and story and then also weave it into his own additions and his own changes to fit with his story. I’m aware that Fool Moon has a lot of criticism, but one cannot ignore the work that went into depicting all the different werewolf myths in one book. Then you also have the three courts of Vampires, the Sidhe, and characters like Odin, as well as archangels, and so much more. 

The writing is also good. I think one of the best parts about it is that Butcher has gotten better and better with every book. His descriptions are vivid and he does so well when it comes to magical battles and action. And it’s very easy to read and get just sucked into the world in part because the books are written in first person POV. 

As far as representation goes, it isn’t amazing, but there is some and specifically, there are a lot of women in positions of power which is always enjoyable to read. 

All of this does not mean the books aren’t without their flaws. No one thing can be perfect (except Black Sails…), there is always some problematic aspect to a work or something that doesn’t appeal to everyone. Some might say that Dresden Files has a lot of problematic things going on. 

The number one glaring thing is the way that Harry talks about women. It’s not that he doesn’t respect women or think that women can be strong and capable — I mean, he literally has Murphy there to remind him — it’s that the male gaze is so very very prevalent throughout the entire series. It’s like Butcher and Harry through him, cannot help but notice how beautiful or sensual or sexy any woman that crosses his path is. It’s understandable because we are reading the first person POV of an adult man, and even more so when we realize that sex is a big part of the supernatural world. I mean, we literally have vampires that are essentially succubi and get their “food” from sexual energy rather than drinking blood. The Sidhe all seem to be attractive and in multiple instances we see these fairies use their bodies and sensuality and like weapons to entice and seduce and overpower Harry and others. 

And yet, there is a clear choice that Butcher has made here to have Harry notice every woman and describe them nipples first and then describe them again on a next encounter in the same way. Even Murphy who does get described by her stubbornness and her strength and her accomplishments and her prowess also has the attached description of how short and how cute she is and Harry does also sexualize her in his head. Susan gets similar treatment and in the first book we even get to see her throwing herself at Harry due to the imbibing of a mis-intended potion. 

So, yes, this is very much the male fantasy/male gaze in action. Harry has women — mostly supernatural women — throwing themselves at him and in-book context there are reasons for this, but we’re supposed to praise Harry for how much his male libido is telling him “yes” and how he manages to somehow rise above that and not take the temptation — there’s even a scene where he literally pours ice water down his pants. And to be honest, I see the problems, but I also think it fits his character and Butcher describes the series as “Dirty Harry Potter” so what can you do. 

The moment that it became truly a big problem for me was when Molly came into the picture. The first time that Harry has a scene with Molly she’s fourteen and I can’t quite remember the exact words used but I’m sure that he manages to notice her body.

Molly doesn’t return for a few more books, but when she does she’s seventeen and Harry definitely notices Molly then and while it is one thing to take notice once, he constantly goes back to noticing Molly throughout the book. Molly’s feelings during all of this is one thing in part because Molly is young and impressionable and I think most young women have crushes on older men they admire and look up to, but to continually make a point of having Harry notice Molly and be attracted to Molly is icky. It doesn’t even matter that Harry doesn’t intend to act on it and that he actively puts a stop to it when Molly tries to turn things in that direction, mostly because in books following this one Harry still always takes a moment to appreciate Molly’s appearance and not just him but other male characters. 

So, yes, the sexulization aspect of the books is not the best, but I did appreciate that at least earlier on Harry is a bit demure when he is with women. His sexual acts are not described in detail. I was a bit surprised, then, when we did get slightly more graphic descriptions when it came to Harry and Murphy. It’s nothing like what you’ll find in fanfic, but it was a surprise. 

And the thing that also gets me about this is how easily Harry being this way could be explained because of his past and because of how Harry relates to sex, but instead Butcher explains it by saying that Harry is repressed because he isn’t getting any so that’s why he notices every woman that comes into his life. 

I will also point out that there aren’t just women supernatural beings, and that aside from Thomas who is described as the perfect man — strong and attractive and young, a lot of the male characters are a bit rougher and older and monstrous. 

Now, I’m not the best person to speak on this, but religion is a bit strange in Dresden. Mostly because while we have characters like Odin and Hades show up we also have fallen angels and archangels and characters that believe in God and have faith. But we have Christian artifacts in play so I do feel like there is a bias towards Christianity. 

Overall, I did enjoy these books. I think it’s a really good immersive story and that the world is interesting and ever expanding and that as a fantasy series — in particular an urban fantasy series — it is one of the best out there and I can’t wait to see where the rest of the series takes us. So I do recommend it with the caveat that it isn’t perfect and that some books are better than others but that as a whole it is an enjoyable read. 

--

Other Meta/Reviews 

[malaismere]

heavy spoilers and trigger warnings for talking about mollymauk + death.

It’s going to be very interesting to see what, exactly, is making it’s way north with Cree.

I’m pretty certain it isn’t Molly. Just like I’m pretty certain that Mollymauk is very much not coming back without something that bends the very fabric of the universe.

I tend to read most of Taliesin’s characters less as people and more as conceptualized stories - which isn’t to say that they aren’t meant to and are played as people, but that at the core of their creation, they’re built on something else. Taliesin has talked about the fact he took a lot of Molly into building Caduceus - and, at their core, they’re really both two characters about death - and specifically, death as an end.

Unlike a lot of religion in general and especially religion in D&D, Caduceus doesn’t seem to have much attention for afterlives - it’s very much not his business, he doesn’t deal in souls. It’s Death as the End of Life, as opposed to Death as the end of Mortal Life. That you only get the one shot, and that you should make the most of it (”they always say they wish they had more time”). It’s epitomized in the idea that you should leave the world better (and find people to mourn you), because that impact is all you have.

Mollymauk is pretty obviously built around death because of the whole, you know, woke up in a grave thing. A lot of philosophy is very - well, we only got 26 episodes with him, we didn’t get to see much of it. But I think it feels very much the same. Mollymauk is very, well, YOLO. He always said he believed he could die at any  time (he didn’t know how old this body was, what diseases it may have had). He lived each day to it’s best, very hedonistic but also very generous to those around him. I’d say the fact that he was the one to die - the one built around death - would be funny, but he was also designed as such a high risk character that he was always likely to be the first one to die.

When Molly died, the idea of bringing him back with Matt’s ghost class was brought up. Taliesin mentioned he considered that the worst fate for Molly. Molly wasn’t a character built around resurrection, he doesn’t want  - doesn’t need - a second shot at life. I don’t necessarily think he’d turn it down, it’s hard to say, but I wouldn’t be surprised if even the basic raise dead ritual wouldn’t have worked on him - we already know that Taliesin is willing to put limits on raise dead other than just the dice.

I think Lucien is an inversion of the Molly philosophy - filling in the role of something striving for something greater/more out of life, something longer, instead of just living each day at a time. It’s why I think it probably is Lucien up there (although, I can see there being very new options as well), because while Molly is a character meant to, well, die at his time, it would make sense if Lucien was a character meant to live when he shouldn’t.

(additionally, and i mean this in the best way possible, i’m not entirely sure molly had a soul - that is, that there is any part of him that would have lasted beyond the death of his body, or that anything short of a wish spell could bring him back - true resurrection requires a free and willing soul, after all.)

I don’t tend to talk about this a lot, because I know there’s a lot of people who really have their hearts tied up around Molly, and I don’t like - cutting at those strings, perhaps. But I find it so interesting how prevalent the idea of bringing him back from the dead is, considering that he strikes me, fundamentally, as a character who seems built around the idea that he would only ever get the one life.

Ofc, Percy was also a character who Taliesin admits was (meant to die) never meant to have a happy ending - and so I imagine he’s more than willing to change his plans and adapt. But I think it would be notable as being a change, as opposed to something expected.

[stormxblooded]

⤷ ( essie. gmt. 26. she/her. ) the courts offer bread and salt to cassandra seaworth, nee baratheon of house baratheon. many say that the twenty seven year old ruling lady of cape wrath is known to be determined and lively, though ill tongues whisper that she is stubborn and tempestuous. when her is uttered , one is reminded of a lone figure standing on the side of a cliff as waves crash below, dark eyes dancing with mirth, a sudden strike of lightening illuminating the sky, a discarded box of jewels left abandoned and untouched . may she be blessed and protected in this war of crowns. ( fc: sophie cookson )

Hi All !! I’m Essie, and I’m so excited to be writing with you all. Below the cut is some information on my little hell-raiser Cassandra, as well as wanted connections. I’m going to pop a plotting call on the D*scord when I get in, but if you would rather I messaged you here, please send me an IM! 

BASIC INFORMATION

Full Name: Cassandra Seaworth, Formerly Cassandra Baratheon before her marriage.  Nicknames: Cassie (a childhood nickname), Sandy (by her friends) Age: 27 Occupation: Ruling Lady of Cape Wrath (Formerly a lady of Storm’s End) Religion: Faith of the Seven Character Tropes: Dating What Daddy Hates, The Fashionista, Jerk With a Heart of Gold, Almighty Mom, Deadpan Snarker Character Inspiration: Ariel (The Little Mermaid), Princess Margaret (The Crown), Lydia Bennett (Pride and Prejudice), Molly Weasley (Harry Potter) Personality Type: ESFP Alignment: Chaotic Good Enneagram: Type 8 - The Challenger  Deadly Sin: Wrath Heavenly Virtue: Diligence

FAMILY

Spouse: Sir Seaworth, a landed knight and wanted connection, married for seven years  Sons: Devan Seaworth (aged 7), Steffon Seaworth (Aged 4) Daughters: Marya Seaworth (aged 4), Lucinda Seaworth (3 months) Father: Steffon Baratheon  Step-Mother: Araela Baratheon Siblings: Katherynne Baratheon, Marina Baratheon, TBD Baratheons

BACKGROUND

tw for mentions of pregnancy and childbirth

Born a Baratheon, high expectations were placed on Cassandra almost from birth. A healthy pregnancy and a remarkably easy birth resulted in a sweet babe with a head full of dark hair. For the first few years of her life, Cassandra was a merry, happy-go-lucky child, though her natural inquisitiveness forced more attentive supervision than most. As she grew older, her penchant for trouble, cultivated by a stubborn refusal to do anything she didn’t want to do and determination to behave how she pleased, emerged in full force. 

Cassandra’s trouble making was a concern for the Baratheons, who hoped to make an advantageous marriage for their daughter. They worked hard to try and turn her into a respectable lady, to stop playing pranks on the servants, to bite her tongue and choke back the cheeky remarks she often spat. All attempts were fruitless, though, and all they could do was pray to The Seven that she would grow out of it. They had more success with her education. Whilst she had no skill at needlework or singing, deeming them a waste of her time, Cassandra was bright, and excelled in academics. She has a talent for numbers, able to do complicated sums in her mind, and a photographic memory, allowing her to recall the history of Westeros, a particular interest of hers, in great detail.

As she came of age, The Baratheons began to try and arrange a match for their daughter. By this time, her personality had developed into something far more forceful. Acid-tongued when she felt like it, and dryly sarcastic always, she seldom smiled. Despite this, the Baratheons were hopeful. Cassandra was beautiful and talented, a gifted dancer, and could, when she put her mind to it, be incredibly witty and charming. A number of noble houses were approached, with the Great Houses given precedence. 

Cassandra had no intentions of following through with her families plans. Aged 20, before any wedding could take place, she eloped with her current husband. The Seaworths were not lords, but landed knights, and the marriage was way below her station. However, she was deeply in love, and a few months pregnant, when they wed, and for her, there was no other option. 

Since her marriage, Cassandra has kept her distance from the Baratheons. She misses them, but the scandal of her actions still follows her, and for the love of her siblings, she stays away, visiting rarely. It pains her - she wants her children to know their aunt and uncles, but she also wants to protect them from feeling less-than. She’s a mother of four, now - her eldest, Devan, twins Steffon and Marya, and the newborn Lucinda, and is heavily involved in her children’s upbringing. She fed them at her own breast, even the twins, and carries out most of their education herself. 

Under her watch, Cape Wrath has grown prosperous in a way it never has been before. She’s proud of what she’s done, and feels that it vindicates her choices somewhat, but as much as she loves her life, she can’t help but feel a tinge of regret. She loves her family, and doesn’t regret giving up everything for love, but there are times where she wishes she could have given her children more.

WANTED CONNECTIONS

Former Betrothed: Before she married, Cassandra was engaged to this character. Her elopement effectively ended that. If not a Great House, this character would have to be from a house that is quite rich and powerful. At no point was there any love between them, and the marriage was entirely arranged by their families. There are two ways I can see this playing out. The first is that they were blindsided by her running away, and angry at the embarrassment it caused. For the second, the two of them have a good relationship and remain friends to this day. He was as against the match as she was, and actually helped her make her escape and wished her luck on the way. 

Childhood Friends: What it says on the tin tbh, childhood friends who grew up with Cassandra. Since her wedding, they may have drifted apart or intentionally decided to keep their distance due to the scandal it caused, resulting in a bit of an estrangement between the two, or else they may be a fierce defender of her choices. 

Enemies: Cassandra leans towards sarcasm, but at times can be harshly blunt and downright insulting. This character has been on the receiving end of her less pleasant personality traits, and the two clash madly and cannot stand each other. 

Trade Partners: Under Cassandra’s watch, the Seaworths have risen to prominence, using their skill at sailing to deliver goods all around Westeros. She has an extensive network of trade partners that she utilises to help build a legacy for her children. 

Misc. Friendships: I honestly just love all kinds of friendship connections! Especially F/F connections, competitive friends, unlikely friends where opposites attract, friends who don’t really like each other all that much but pretend they do while making little jibes at each other, or platonic M/F friendships would all be very much welcomed and adored! 

[kiara-carrera]

ODDS FOR LENORA

under the cut? you know it!!!!

basics

1. what’s their full name? lenora ines carlisle

3. do they have any nicknames? nora

5. when’s their birthday? may 27, 1979

7. what’s their species/subspecies? do they have any special/magical abilities? she’s a half-blood witch. she’s fairly good at potions and charms.

appearance

1. what do they look like? dark hair, shoulder length dark hair that typically wears either in a messy bun or half-up/half-down. dark eyes that tend to give off very mischevioys vibes. bright inviting smile. rather tall.

3. what’s their style like? clothes, hair, makeup? soft sweaters, jeans, scrunchies, barrettes and butterfly clips, skirts, cute little spaghetti strap dresses layered over long sleeve shirts. makeup is pretty simple, just some mascara and chapstick, maybe eyeliner if she’s feeling it. her hair is usually pulled back or up, but it depends on the day.

5. do they have any physical ailments or disabilities? she does not.

personality

1. what’s their alignment? neutral good, though she does lean to chaotic good sometimes.

3. what are their hobbies and interests? do they have any particular “favorites” (food, books, and so on)? like the twins, she’s very interested in inventing new items and pranks, the boys truly took her under their wing when they were little and nurtured her mischievous spirit. 

5. what kind of things do they dislike/hate? assholes, a majority of slytherins, cormac being a sleazy asshole, when fred and george plot pranks without her, snape, super hot summer days (she likes a nice spring breeze or a chilly fall day).

7. what are their goals and motivations? making it through school, spending time and making memories with her friends, www taking off (her name isn’t on the sign, but nora’s a very important third partner you can pry this from my cold dead hands).

9. what are they most afraid of? death, losing loved ones, the man who killed her biological parents, the impending war.

background

1. where were they born? what was their childhood like? she was born in/around london. her biological parents were young and her father was a muggle. they were murdered by a death eater when she was very young, like somewhere between 0-1.5 years old. she was adopted by helena and ophelia carlisle who gave her a loving, happy home. she grew up in the surrounding area of ottery st. catchpole and was constantly at the weasley’s house due to her mothers’ being family friends with molly and arthur.

3. what factions or organizations are they a part of? what ranks and titles do they hold? she’s apart of dumbledore’s army, somewhat involved in the order of the phoenix, and helps out a little bit with potterwatch during the war. there’s not much of a rank or title for any of them, but her potterwatch codename is rainstorm (as of right now, but it’s subject to change).

5. where do they currently live? what’s their place like? she lives on strawberry hill, which is a tiny tiny area just on the outskirts of ottery st. catchpole (that i’ve only barely plotted so don’t quote me on details), but basically she’s on the opposite side of ottery st. catchpole from the weasley’s, a tad closer to where the lovegoods (and maybe the diggorys or fawcetts) live. she lives in a charming little house with her mothers, and honestly the whole place is a vibe, like flowers and books and plants like sorta eccentric hipster vibes idk her mothers are ravenclaw and hufflepuff respectively if that tells you anything).

relationships

1. do they have any friends? would they consider anyone to be their best friend? she has a lot of friends! her best friends are fred and george. a close contender would be katie bell. she’s also close with lee jordan, angelina johnson, alicia spinnet, and other students from her year.

3. what’s their love life like? do they have any kids? it’s a little chaotic tbh. before ron, she had a few dates here and there, maybe one very shortlived relationship. with ron, she catches feelings during her sixth and his fifth year, but they don’t get together until the end of the events of hbp. eventually, they probably will have at least one or two kids, possibly three.

5. who do they hate? do they have any enemies? stuck up assholes (like generic asshole slytherins like malfoy). she also has no patience for anyone who was involved in the potter stinks events or the cruel weasley is our king thing...so basically it’s your typical gryffindor agaginst slytherin feud. she also wants to throw cormac mclaggen off the astronomy tower.

7. are they good with kids? animals? with kids, it depends but generally she can handle them well. she loves animals, though. at home, there’s her mothers’ two cats, winston and shortcake. she also has an owl of her own that she loves dearly.

fun facts

1. which tropes do they fit? which archetypes? i’m not great with this but prankster, girl next door, the effortlessly cool girl in teen romcoms who’s entrance is like a smiley slow motion wind blowing walk. very bubbly and happy.

3. what are some items they always carry? her wand, chapstick, a spare scrunchie or barrette, maybe small candy items as a pick me up. during the events of ootp, she always has a spare pranking item on her either to help drum up business for the future of www or to piss off umbridge.

5. what position do they sleep in? on her side, a little bit of a fetal position.

7. what languages do they speak? english.

9. what’s their favorite candle scent? anything sweet and sugary or fruity. 

11. which animal would you say represents them? i mean, her patronus is a manx cat and those apparently represent things like independence and curiosity, which i feel like could fit her rather well!

13. what would their favorite ride at an amusement park be? she loves a good adrenaline rush, so roller coasters would be her thing!

15. who they follow any religions/gods? do they celebrate holidays? she’s not religious by any means, but she loves halloween and christmas. she’s also not opposed to valentine’s day.

17. if you had to choose one tarot card to represent them, which would it be? going purely based off the major arcana cards, the sun!

[eponymous-rose]

Talks Machina Highlights - Critical Role C2E78 (September 24, 2019)

Tonight’s guests are Marisha Ray and Travis Willingham!

Announcement: No episode of Critical Role on Thursday, October 3rd! In place of Talks the following Tuesday, Sam will be running a one-shot (I think? I’ll be honest, I got lost in all the dates)! Tomorrow will be a major update for CR’s upcoming programming! Sam and Matt will play M:TG Arena at 4PM on Thursday for Everything Is Content! Please double-check all these dates before making any life-changing decisions based on them.

Distract yourself from my inadequate transcription skills with...

Episode 78: Between the Lines

Stats: “TO ZADASH!” was declared 12 times. The M9 have had a total of 21 steeds, 5 of which are still with them. Jester and Nott are now tied for second-most natural ones, with 52. Beau still holds the number one spot with 60. Marisha: “The best at fuckin’ failing.” Beau and Fjord have the 1st and 2nd-most natural 20s in the campaign, with 78 and 55, respectively. 

“She’s still running from a lot of her past and not trying to confront it, so when things happen that smash it in her face, it throws her off a little bit, much as she tries to not care.” Travis points out that it’s interesting she didn’t try to bolt for it. Marisha: “She’s still... two ends of the magnets. The ones... the sides that deflect... reverse math. The reverse magnets.”

Fjord “didn’t take it lightly” that the Wildmother reached out to him. Paladin seemed like a natural choice. “How do we incorporate the previous warlock parts of it? I think there’s maybe an interesting solve there.” The swap to Paladin was about taking agency. Marisha reminisces about how gung-ho Fjord was about the Soltryce Academy. “Oh, you’re shoving shards in people’s arms? Sign me up!”

It was weird for Marisha to hear Beau’s dad’s voice for the first time. “I was like, ‘Oh fuck, my dad kind of sounds like a schmuck.’”

Fjord hadn’t thought of another god until Taliesin mentioned, “Let’s go god shopping.” He liked “the warm elements and imagery she was hitting him with. I love the idea of deep ocean waves, and just the calm of it.”

On Beau’s dad being superstitious---made up on the spot? “Oh no, that’s part of the backstory.”

Travis hadn’t thought about how Fjord’s now worshiping an illegal religion. Brian: “Now’s your chance to reflect.” Travis still isn’t too sure where Fjord/the group stands in the Dynasty-vs.-Empire conflict. Marisha: “None of us are really sure what’s happening.” Marisha also points out that the group is being a bit overwhelmed by the Superman effect right now, where there’s too many voices vying for their attention.

Cosplay of the Week: a very fancy Percy (by 89Styles on Instagram, photography by Weneals Photography)!

Someone asks if Thoreau’s encounter with the fortune teller has to do with Beau keeping Molly’s tarot cards. “Very astute. You have a good eye.” Brian: “All right, so you’re going to give him half a villain speech?”

Travis has “no fucking idea” what kind of plans Fjord has to serve the Wildmother specifically. “I’m just winging it.”

Travis doesn’t want to meet Oban, the Laughing Hand, etc. “Boy, we better have a get-the-fuck-out-of-Dodge ready.” Marisha: “We... should’ve gone and talked to the Gentleman.” Travis thinks it will have been worth it if they can get the Heart first. If not... Marisha notes that this felt like the most immediate threat, and they had a sense of urgency about it.

Marisha and Travis make a pact to just spar in the woods if the baddies are already gone.

Marisha is asked if she thinks Yasha’s recent actions are irredeemable. “No.” She knows Yasha’s got external influences going on. She’s only really irritated and suspicious because they don’t know how much Yasha knew about this before the fact.

Travis gets asked if Fjord would fight Yasha to the death. “Fjord doesn’t know---I also don’t know---what are the limits of this thing that’s happening to Yasha? If she just fights the whole time...”

Beau isn’t really worried by being seen as “a disaster” by the Soul right now. “She was really on team egg-it-on.” Brian: “Agennon? Is that another god?”

Fan Art of the Week: a tragic Yasha (ViolaSwimmer on Twitter)!

Fjord’s tusks having grown back in the new character art are related to Jester calling him out and positively reinforcing him, and “I was definitely moved by what Nott and Sam said” about not being comfortable with her appearance. It was also related to getting rid of the sword. “I don’t need anything but me to feel good about me.”

Beau’s opinion on the harshness of the ban from the Cobalt Soul: “Fuck your authority! Whatever, it’s fine.” She knows what they’re doing is more important right now.

Brian, after everyone dissolves into giggles for the tenth time: “Do you have any idea how high people think we are right now?” Travis: “This is root beer! This is Barq’s!”

Travis hasn’t used the new sword yet, so technically he doesn’t know yet if it talks.

Sam Facetimes in. He’s holding socks. “Are you guys smokin’ the dope???”

On going back to their first meeting spots, Marisha: “Aw, that was nice. For the five minutes we were there before Sam yelled, “TO ZADASH!””

Marisha gets asked if there was a reason Beau didn’t mention her mom in this latest lore-drop. “My mom was the rich girl, and so my dad was chasing this rich girl. So... yeah. He went to the fortune teller. Fortune teller was like, ‘Go do these things and then you’ll succeed and be recognized amongst the lords and ladies and you’ll be able to marry this woman you’re in love with.’ I envision Beau’s mom as being one of those moms where she had Beau’s back... up to a certain point.”

On the book Caleb gave Fjord: “It’s a cool book. Still not sure whether to use it or hang on to it.”

We end on Brian ascending. As you do.

[chicagocityofclans]

Katherine “Kate” Brooks → Danielle Panabaker → Human

→ Basic Information

Age: 31

Gender: Female

Sexuality: Straight

Birthday: September 29th

Zodiac Sign: Libra

Religion: Agnostic (Lapsed Protestant)

→ Her Personality Kate Brooks is a thorough woman. She loves to double and triple check her records and takes great care with the bodies she handles. Her compassionate and caring side comes out when she’s working, Kate truly cares about how these people are finally laid to rest and what she can do to help families get closure. As somewhat of a black sheep, Kate takes pride in her job and that she found a job she loved despite her family’s doubt of her.

Though she is the baby of the family, Kate tends to shy away from the spotlight. A result of having two attention seekers for siblings. She finds life is easier when you step away from drama and let your work speak for you. Though she can be socially awkward and trip over her words during presentations, she is strong enough to speak her opinions. She can seem uptight upon initial meetings, but slowly shows the geeky and wondrous side of herself. Despite loving science and the medical field, Kate is open to the world of things she doesn’t know and becomes giddy about it. She got into science to discover the magic of the world and discover the secrets it holds.

→ Her Personal Facts

Occupation: Medical Examiner for Chicago Police Department

Scars: Long cut on her forearm from a car accident in college

Tattoos: None

Two Likes: Serial the podcast and Salt Water Taffy

Two Dislikes: Liquid Cheese and Neil DeGrasse Tyson

Two Fears: A fast, incurable illness and Bees (allergy)

Two Hobbies: Mineralogy and Taking recreation photos at famous Chicago movie filming sites

Three Positive Traits: Open Minded, Logical, Excited

Three Negative Traits: Shy, Transparent, Aloof

→ Her Connections

Parent Names:

Richard Brooks (Father): Kate was never really close to her father. She was his repentance to her mother and everyone in the family knew it. He does give very generous Christmas presents however, as a thank you for not dragging up trouble.

Georgette Brooks (Mother): Georgette never quite knew how to deal with Kate. She was the apology gift to Georgette, which brought up anger and resentment over her father cheating. Kate was handed off to the nanny while her mother went about her business.

Sibling Names:

James Brooks (Brother): Kate absolutely can’t stand her brother. He’s dramatic and self involved and a toxic person in general. She moved away from the East Coast, after he ruined her previous relationship by dating and destroying her boyfriend’s older brother. He’s 7 years older than her, yet acts like the baby of the family. Kate hasn’t told James where she moved, and he’s never asked.

Ingrid King nee Brooks (Sister): Ingrid has always been more of a distant relative, rather than a close sister. Kate is about 10 years younger than her sister and they didn’t really grow up with each other. Ingrid is nice enough, but Kate doesn’t feel really close to her.

Children Names:

None

Romantic Connections:

Ezra Adams (Ex-Boyfriend): Ezra broke up with her after a particularly bad break up between James and Ezra’s older brother. He claimed that his family needed a clean break so he could heal. Kate had just received a job offer in Chicago and was going to ask Ezra to move with her. She’s gotten over her ex, but doesn’t want her family anywhere near a new one.

Ryan Clerigh (Crush): Kate has always thought Ryan was cute, but it wasn’t until they started talking that she really developed a crush on him. He’s smart and sweet and actually interested in what her interests are. She’s working out a way to ask him out soon, though she wishes he’d make the first move.

Platonic Connections:

Jev Cipriano (Friend/Co-worker): She and Jev are the closest of her colleagues. He’s her age and funny, and they’ve evolved from work friends to going out at night friends. He is the major culprit when it comes to the strange and unexplained at the office, however. She thought it might be incompetence for a week or so, but she knows how smart he actually is and it just doesn’t line up.

Judson Clerigh (Friend): Judson always came into the office to have lunch with Jev. She was friendly with him in passing, but they didn’t really get to know each other until Judson brought her lunch too. They slowly became friends, which turned into Jev and Judson asking her to come out with them for drinks, and eventually meeting Ryan. However, she’s seen Judson go in and out of rooms at the Medical Examiner’s office, and he’s been added to the theory journal.

Adelaide “Addie” Blanchett (Coworker): It’s been nice having another woman closer to her age in the lab lately. They’ll grab brunch every so often and Kate is enjoying having a female friend to talk to.

Churchill Darling (Acquaintance): He seems to steal the show whenever he’s out for drinks with Jev and Kate. He is incredibly entertaining, but a part of her feels like his big, bright personality is hiding something.

Monty Wilders (Acquaintances): She met Monty when Addie invited her to brunch. He seems nice enough and it’s evident how much he adores Adelaide.

Darren Shaw (Co-worker): Shaw is a detective who often came in to see Jev and Addie. They all seem to know each other well, and Darren occasionally comes out for drinks with the group.

Douglas Gish (Police Supervisor): Kate has spoken to Douglas about the work being done by Jev. She expressed her concerns, but was more or less blown off. She wonders why this is all of a sudden being accepted.

Winston Abioye (Coworker): Winston is one of the detectives that Kate works with. He has always been friendly to her, but she has heard quite a few negative things about him.

Greta Bow (Friend): Greta and Kate work in the same department and have really become good friends. She thinks Greta is really sweet and has enjoyed going out outside of work together.

Bess Bonnaire (Friend):Bess and Kate hit it off from the first time they met when Bess had to visit the ME’s office. They soon started meeting up outside of work and have been friends since.  

Eli Kohen (Coworker): Eli has told her that he prefers when she handles his evidence because of the frequent “accidents” and poor treatment of it by the other MEs. She has a feeling he’s talking about Jev, but hasn’t asked any further questions.

Hostile Connections:

Vincent Kane (Uncomfortable): Vincent seems to steer clear of Kate whenever he comes out with drinking with them. She doesn’t know why he dislikes her so much, but she’s starting to be hurt by it.

Simon Brodeur (Neighbor): Simon lives on the other side of her townhome and keeps opposite hours of hers. When she’s trying to sleep, he’s up playing some horribly sad song, or bumping around in a different way. She can’t wait to move out when her lease is up.

Angel Landyn (Dislike): Angel has hit on Kate frequently. She told him to stop, but he only left her alone after she had brought it up accidentally to Church and Patch.

Molly Bennett (Former Coworker): When Molly explained she was leaving and why she was leaving, it sent up a lot of red flags. Kate mulled it over, and finally got up the courage to ask if she felt safe and if she really wanted to leave. Molly took it the wrong way and stomped out of the room.

Breha Kaur (Reporter): Breha often pushes Kate for a scoop, especially causes of death. She doesn’t enjoy being harrassed and finds it aggravating.

Pets:

None.

→ History The Brooks family was well known in the Hamptons with a daughter and a son.  They were everything a good rich WASP family should be: from old money, excellent hosts, upstanding members of the community, with brilliant beautiful children. However lurking behind the pristinely white outside of their family lurked tension. Ingrid struggled terribly in school, while James was looking like he’d be a disappointment in another way. Richard strayed and started up a year long affair which was brought to Georgette’s attention via a blackmail letter. They fought and struggled, all silently of course, before Richard agreed to another baby 7 years after their last. There entered Katherine, in all her pre-mee and hole in her heart glory. She needed to stay in the hospital for months after her birth, and when she came home all the shiny newness of her wore off. James began acting out for attention and Ingrid needed to be chauffeured to tutoring and equestrian and ballet. She was left with a nanny while her parents avoided the symbol of their broken marriage. She was smart and sweet, though painfully shy and easily forgotten in the hullabaloo of the eldest Brooks siblings.

As she grew, and they began leaving the house, Kate became her mother’s only project. She was in everything from orchestra, to diving and robotics. She excelled in her scientific endeavors and her parents pushed harder for her to succeed in school. Ingrid went to college and got a MRS degree. James came back with a boyfriend, much to her parents' chagrin, and Kate faded back into the sidelines. She graduated valedictorian and got her undergrad at Cornell, before going to Med school. She tried in vain to ignore her family, especially once she’d graduated, but they always seemed to find her. She settled in Boston, and there came James with his life ruining ways. He got into a relationship with her boyfriend’s brother, only to psychologically torture and then dump him. Ezra dumped her afterwards, which was perfect timing for her move to Chicago.

Once Kate got to Chicago, she began working as an ME. She always had an awkward bedside manner, and always enjoyed going to the morgue. A well paying spot opened up and she took it gladly. Every Brooks was horrified at the prospect of working with the dead, and swore they wouldn’t be visiting. This was wonderful news to Kate and another plus to the coroners office. She has started to venture out of her apartment in the last year and check out all the unique things there are to do there. One summer day she did the same routine as Ferris Bueller and found a new hobby in discovering Chicago filming spots.

→ The Present Kate has been working at the Medical Examiner’s office for a couple of years now and the small things she had brushed off as an inexperienced ME have piled up into a large, annoying unexplained phenomenon. It centers primarily around the other ME, Jev, and the old crime scene tech, Addie. Bodies disappearing, but always having an explanation later on, non-police being brought in to help with bodies, and more. She’s tried casually bringing it up to Jev and even went as far as the supervisor one time. He thanked her for her concern and then it went nowhere. Kate is determined to figure out what is going on and even has a journal full of theories she works on.

She has also been working up the nerve to ask Ryan Cleirigh out. Jev introduced her to him and his friend Judson almost a year ago, and they have slowly formed a friendship. She’s almost gotten up the nerve to ask him out a few times, but wasn’t sure he’d reciprocate. Only recently did Jev let her know she should go for it, and that Ryan was just bad at talking to people. Kate has a plan to ask him to a Terminator movie festival happening, but hopes he asks her out first.