#not actually my ign but you get the point

[cordsycords]

been thinking more about the info about the backgrounds that we've seen, regarding Rook's past, and I really hope we get some reactivity with our companions, especially ones that are in the same faction as us:

shadow dragons - okay, from the single line we get in the prologue from Neve, it doesn't seem like she's specifically heard of/worked with Rook before. This kind of makes me wonder if the Shadow Dragons are a much more decentralized faction than something like the Wardens or the Crows, with multiple cells that are all working together towards the same goal, but keep minimal communication with one another due to secrecy. Might be cool if we have a mission that's like "find the leader of the Shadow Dragons" because no one knows who it is*. The background info from the CC kind of supports this idea, Rook is specifically said to have been "brought to the attentions of the Venatori" and put in time out because of that.

As for reactivity, I guess it would be nice if you could mention that specific mission, and Neve could "oh right I heard of that. You did the right/wrong thing." and just give her opinion on it. I can actually imagine Neve not being really keen on it, as a private investigator she needs a certain amount of discretion to be able to do her job properly, and might not appreciate Rook's brashness if it endangers the wider goal of the shadow dragons.

mournwatch - the mournwatch background is still driving me a little Insane, because what do you mean Rook was found as a baby in the Grand Necropolis. Anyways I kind of assume the Mournwatch is a much smaller faction, because they have a very specific focus, and they only operate in a specific part of Thedas. Since the info specifically says Rook was "raised by necromancers" it would be super cool to see if Rook and Emmrich had a Mentor/Student relationship at one point. Would also be interesting if Emmrich specifically was the one to tell Rook to travel after the incident with the War of the Banners. It would be great to see his response to Rook coming back and suddenly being in charge of this little rebellion, they just can't stop themselves from getting into trouble.

Also Mournwatch!Rook taught Manfred to play rock-paper-scissors. That's my headcanon and you can't take it away from me.

antivan crows - So it seems like Rook is a relatively new antivan crow, and from the little I've gleaned about Lucanis' recruitment mission, it looks like he might have been thought to be dead for the last year or so? Would be cool if Rook has heard a bunch of stories about Lucanis and has some hero worship going on. Would also be funny if we told him all that we had heard, only for him to shoot all the more fantastical elements of those tales down.

grey wardens - This one is also a little up in the air regarding whether Davrin and Rook knew each other before the events of Veilguard. Rook's faction backstory mentions them being in a group along with other Grey Wardens, so it would be nice if Davrin was also on the mission. I would also be really interested to see how Davrin got Assan, and maybe Rook played a hand in that somehow as well. Did Davrin literally find Assan in the middle of nowhere, and maybe Rook was there? Or were the eggs all found and then distributed among the Grey Wardens that were in high favour? Was Rook passed over for a griffon? I do remember one of Davrin's missions from an IGN previwe being specifically about saving the griffons, so it's probably the case that Assan is the only one actively around right now.

Either way, it would be cute to see an encounter where Rook remarks on how much Assan has grown/changed since they've seen them last, if they even know about Assan at all pre-Veilguard

lords of fortune - I think the relationship between taash and a LoF!Rook would be a good case for a slightly more antagonistic relationship. As an organisation of treasure hunters, probably focused more on profit and glory than anything else, it would be cool if Rook got in the way of taash's scores or jobs. Maybe Taash has moved up in the faction since Rook was forced to peace out, and wants to lord her achievements over Rook in an attempt to make them jealous. It could be pretty fun.

veil jumpers - I imagine Bellara and a jumper!Rook would probably be pretty aligned with one another. Reading the background info on Rook in the Veil Jumpers, i can imagine Bellara would probably approve of what Rook had done, while also being just a tiny bit disappointed that the map was lost. It would be cool to see a scene where they traded notes with one another, recounting all the weird things that they've seen in Arlathan, and then maybe trying to figure out why certain anomalies occur, or how they work. Just a bunch of co-nerding out with one another

anyways, I am definitely thinking way too much about this, but there's still 6 weeks to go, so it's not like there's much else for me to do :shrugs:

* it would be equally cool if that leader is a previous char from inquisition. I'm kind of banking on Dorian, or the inquisitor themselves considering the clothing we see them wear in that single shot of them in the CC is shadow dragons casual wear (i believe)

[strwbmei]

having sex with silver wolf and then she accidentally moans out your username/ign instead of your actual name

[felassan]

New today from IGN: 'Dragon Age: The Veilguard's Devs Reveal New Info About Each of the Companions (and Solas and Varric, Too)'

It turns out The Veilguard really is the friends we made along the way.

Intro:

"Friendships, romantic relationships, and everything in between have always been an integral part of not just the Dragon Age series, but of BioWare in general. From Mass Effect’s Garrus Vakarian to Dragon Age’s Varric Tethras, the characters – and how they get along with the player – are inseparable from titles from the studio. But, perhaps more than any other BioWare game, Dragon Age: The Veilguard is leaning in heavily on this idea, as it’s already easy to see from the marketing material. For one, the name changed from Dragon Age: Dreadwolf back in June, with BioWare general manager Gary McKay telling us at the time that it was out of a desire to shift the focus to a “really deep and compelling group of companions.” That would be followed by a first official trailer at Summer Game Fest that put the focus squarely on seven new companions that will be tagging along with the player character, Rook, in The Veilguard. With all that in mind, it’s little surprise to hear game director Corinne Busche talk about how these companions aren’t just central to the story of The Veilguard, but the gameplay and combat as well. “Building a relationship with companions has always been a staple of Dragon Age, but this time around, that relationship translates into how well you work together as a team,” Busche tells IGN. “It is how you're actually going to level up your companions, by getting to know them better. That's how you're going to unlock skill points. So when you look at all of the various abilities the companions have, there's inherent combos and synergies and roles that they'll have on the battlefield.” She uses the example of Neve, the mysterious detective mage who has a wildly useful special ability to slow time in combat. “But if I really get the opportunity to know her,” Busche explains, “whether it's platonic or romantic, I'm going to help be able to shape her skills and augment those abilities that work really well with my own personal build, so our sense of teamwork really deepens.” During our time with the game, IGN got to see some of this in action; unsurprisingly, Dragon Age: The Veilguard has an approval/disapproval system, with pop-up text on the side of the screen indicating whether or not a companion liked what Rook just did or said. But something new in this Dragon Age: even just completing a quest with a companion in your party increases your “bond” with them, whether they agree with how you handled things or not. Your relationship, Busche says, isn’t necessarily about “how much they like you, but how well you get to know them.” “This is about a found family,” Busche tells us. “That is, they have the same goals, different complications in their life, but they're all giving everything they have to defend Thedas. You're going to get to know them really well. You're going to develop trust, understanding. That doesn't mean you're always going to agree.” But, we’ll have plenty more to say about the game systems and combat later. With Busche, we had the opportunity to really dive into the seven companions at the center of The Veilguard and what they’re all about. Here’s what she had to say about each one:"

"DAVRIN Busche: “When we were thinking about Davrin, how we were going to develop him as a character, we had to think about, 'How is he going to show up on the battlefield?' And it was unique because he has this, I guess you could say, companion of his own, the griffon Assan. That makes him, as a companion, very unique, because Assan shows up on the battlefield. So we had to think about how that integrates into his abilities, where Davrin as a Grey Warden is capable on his own, but also, when does he call upon Assan and what does that look like? What happens if you're indoors?... And indeed, when you're doing some of Davrin's content, just seeing Assan gliding through the environments, you really get a sense that they care and they're protective about each other. “…When we think about Davrin and his being the representative of the Grey Wardens within the team of The Veilguard, it was an opportunity for us to really go back to some of those roots that we know our fans, our players, deeply care about. Dragon Age: Origins, of course, was so Grey Warden-forward. We want to evoke those memories, those connections that our players have. And I absolutely love when you're journeying with Davrin, not only his aesthetic, how he carries himself as a Warden, but how he interacts with his fellow Wardens. The little wrinkle of, 'Hey, there actually are some griffons remaining in Thedas,' how he learns as a Warden to train and interact with these griffons that, to our knowledge, haven't existed for quite some time, it's a learning experience on a lost art of the Grey Wardens that is really unique to Davrin's character.”"

"HARDING Busche: “To talk about Harding as a companion, I guess I'd have to go back to Inquisition. Of course, Harding showed up. She was your scout on the field. There was a light romance with her, and I think one of the things that the team didn't quite expect is how much Harding would catch on in Inquisition. Players fell in love with her, and we heard them. They wanted a deeper romance, they wanted more engagement with Harding. So for the team, I felt like it was kind of a no-brainer for us to bring back Harding, and we also wanted to reestablish that connection to the Inquisition in the world of Thedas, which occurred 10 years ago, the events of Inquisition. “Harding serves as our proxy back to those events, and you get to learn about what's happened with the Inquisition since, so she presents some really lovely opportunities for us. I will say, personality-wise and her role on the battlefield, she is among my favorites. When you see her leap into the air, unleashing these devastating attacks with her bow and arrow, I just can't get enough of her.”"

"TAASH Busche: “Taash, in the creation of their arc, is one of our more complex characters. It's a journey along their arc that is about introspection. 'Where do I belong in the world? What are my boundaries? What do I fight for? How do I become at peace with who I am?' So I love the juxtaposition, actually, between Taash's personal journey and this imposing literal dragon slayer, that sort of hard exterior and really gentle interior. It makes Taash a really special companion for me.” (When asked which companion had the steamiest romance): “I'll just speak for me personally, but at the culmination of the romance arcs, I'd have to say Taash. When I got to that scene and saw the finished version of that cinematic, I was hollering. Hollering.”"

"EMMRICH Busche: “The thing about Emmrich that is going to surprise our fans the most is his relationship with necromancy. I really love that we kind of turned the idea of a necromancer on its head here, where you think of them as these conjurers of evil, the certain malice when you hear the term 'necromancer,' but it couldn't be farther from the truth for Emmrich. There is a reverence about the dead. He has a unique relationship with death. You get to explore how he ended up in the Mourn Watch. Death has shaped this character in all aspects of his life, and we frequently refer to him as our gentleman necromancer. I think his proper, kind nature stems from that respect that he's learned about this cycle of life and death throughout his life. “Manfred is like a son to Emmrich. He very much has an affinity for this wisp, this life force that he's given a second chance through this skeletal body, and in many ways, it's the story of a parent raising a child. Emmrich, he needs to teach Manfred and help him along to develop as a character of their own, things like learning new skills, how to assist The Veilguard. Some of our most charming moments are in dealing with Manfred, and I must say I absolutely love the interactions. They just have me rolling whenever Manfred steals the show. “…In my last playthrough, I romanced Emmrich. What I also loved is as I'm synergizing with him as we're doing combos, just having him refer to me as ‘my dear’ on the battlefield. ‘Well done, my dear!’ It just fills me with joy every time.”"

"LUCANIS Busche: “The character that went through the most changes [throughout development] without a doubt was Lucanis. Lucanis is very complex. He's an assassin. He is very skilled in the art of death. The Antivan Crows, they pursue these contracts with a certain level of dispassion, but also, Lucanis is a romantic, and he's dealing with some internal struggles. He's been through a lot of trauma. He's relearning how to trust. And all of those elements come together with a richness, but it creates a lot of complexity in how we tell that story. So I'd say Lucanis is the first one that comes to my mind in terms of the thought that's gone into it, where we've had to make adjustments to really cover all facets of his character.”"

"NEVE Busche: “Neve is our confident noir detective. I love to bring her onto the battlefield because she's just so incredibly capable. She's our ice mage, so really big on controlling the battlefield, and that's actually a good metaphor to her arc. She wants to fight for change. She wants to fight for a better Minrathous, and she's going to use all the tools at her disposal to try and reshape Minrathous into a better place for all. She's very much a Shadow Dragon. This is among the mantra of the Shadow Dragons. They operate from the shadows, fighting for a better Minrathous. So as this accomplished ice mage, she's fierce. She's not going to shy away from any challenge, whether it's taking down darkspawn or dealing with the Magisterium in Minrathous.”"

"BELLARA Busche: “Oh, my dear, sweet Bellara. I relate to Bellara a lot. She is joyous. She's been through a lot, but she remains curious, optimistic. She's kind of a geek. She really likes her fiction. She fangirls over Neve a little bit. She's just so relatable, and I think that's what our players will find and fall in love with when they get to meet Bellara, is just how much you'll recognize some of those patterns and sensibilities that she holds, but don't let it fool you. She is also a Veil Jumper. She's very comfortable in elven ruins. I frequently bring her with me in my party. I like to play rogue. I like to play the Veil Jumper, or the Veil Ranger. Bellara's a fantastic companion to set up that spec with electric vulnerabilities, so I love her both on and off the battlefield.”"

Bonus rounds:

"SOLAS Okay okay, so Solas isn’t technically one of your core companions who will travel with you, but given his place in the Dragon Age story, we still had to ask about his relationship with Rook. Here’s what Busche had to say: Busche: “Rook's relationship with Solas is a complicated one. Everyone has seen, at this point, the gameplay reveal and the opening moments of the game, so you'll know things got shaken up pretty radically for Solas already. He's trapped. He's basically communicating with you as an advisor, and I absolutely love that idea of, ‘He's your lifeline right now, but can you trust him?’ And those touch points with him, ‘Do I take his advice or not? Can he be trusted? Is he going to betray me?’ All the while giving you this information that you absolutely need in order to be successful. “It creates an interesting stage for us, where, I think our fans will agree, Solas is very complicated. He firmly believes he's doing the right thing, and some of our fans will agree that he's trying to do the right thing. Others will not, and this creates a stage for you, the player, where you get to lean into those tendencies of your own as you're taking advice from Solas throughout parts of the game. I think those really interesting debates about, ‘Was he ever redeemable? Can he be trusted? Was he wrong all along?’ You're really going to be able to dive in deep on that.”"

"VARRIC Varric, while a part of Dragon Age: The Veilguard and a series mainstay, isn’t part of your core companions either. But, as fans can see in the trailers, he’s still very much in The Veilguard, so we asked Dragon Age creative director John Epler about how he’s changed since we last saw him in Inquisition: Epler: “Since the events of Dragon Age: Inquisition, he has spent the time, just briefly, obviously, [serving as] Viscount of Kirkwall. I mean, anybody who knows much about Varric knows how well a job where he sits around and tells people what to do is going to sit with him. He has been participating in the hunt for Solas. And I think for Varric in particular, that's a very difficult thing for him to do because Solas is his friend. Solas is somebody that he grew close to over the events of Inquisition. They adventure together, they work together. “And now knowing who Solas really is, that eats at Varric. Because Varric always sees, Varric believes he can always make somebody do the right thing. Varric believes he is the most convincing, charismatic, because he cares about people. And he has this belief that as long as I get a chance to talk to Solas, I'm going to be able to turn him. But as he's seeing what Solas' ritual is doing to the world around him, as he experienced in the comics, Dragon Age: The Missing, that eats at him a little bit. That's challenging his world view of him as always being the best judge of people, being able to see that somebody is able to be redeemed. And he's starting to question a little bit, ‘am I right or am I being a fool by believing in Solas?’ ”"

[source]

[a-twistedheartslonging]

Could I ask for courting/relationship headcanons for my pathetic boy Idia in your AU?

Sorry, this took a while.

Man, poor OG Idia already has it hard as a cursed human, he's not the type to make the first move, even with his brother providing him with all the evidence and statistics showing him that you would accept his feelings.

But now we're adding him being a big spider with those courting and mating instincts that conflict with the guy's other anxiety-driven instincts telling him to avoid it all and that everything would go wrong and that you would tell him “Ew no, you're a gross spider that’s blue all over.” and then poke him with a stick.

Most spiders tend to be solitary creatures, they don't live in groups and only come together when it's time to find a mate. It doesn't happen all the time but it’s common for the males to get eaten after mating or even before they have the chance to when their advances are rejected. Now that is for regular spiders but there might be a chance of it if you go up to the wrong person and these guys still have those instincts telling them to be warry thanks to their ancestors. People always say “The worst that can happen is they say no.” But really there's the chance they might say “Ew no” which is way worse. Or the extra way way worse when you are a spider cuz your crush might get freaking aggressive with you and take a bite out of you. You being a little human def ease his worry about the latter, but not the former.

It's later after you guys start to hang out that he starts to be a snarky little shit, who knew such an anxious guy could have so much sass. He’s a weird combination of having issues with self-loathing while also having a big ego. It's one of those times where he starts mouthing off that you do actually try to bite him, he was legit scared for a sec but once he saw those little teeth of yours couldn’t even make a scratch on the exoskeleton on his arm, he gets super freaking smug, and now he’s even more of a shit when teasing you.

With Idia romantic feelings will develop slowly over time after becoming friends though. It's def a new feeling for him, he gives me demi-ace vibes and I think this would be the first time he had this kind of interest in a real person, it was always fictional characters before.

But also I feel like with him it could turn into him thinking these fillings are just how it feels when you have a best friend since he’s only had his brother for all those years and you're the first person outside of his family that he felt this comfortable around and when he actually does these courting behaviors its subconscious and his instincts are kicking in and his brother is actually the one to point it out.

The male of the orb weaver family (Araneidae) and some others court by rhythmically plucking the threads of a web. After the female approaches, he pats and strokes her before mating. I head canon that not only is he able to create webs but they are cool and glowy and he makes a cool hammock for you to chill in sometimes or even hang out with him on one he made for himself…and then without thinking when you're leaning against him and enjoying the soft blue floof of his legs he gives you a few gentle pats and baps with spider paw and Ortho lets out a gasp and startles him. Oh, he gets so embarrassed once Ortho starts asking him about how long he’s been courting you and how he’s so proud that he made the first move despite his anxiety. Hopefully, he does his questioning after you're out of the room.

(Oh, to be patted by one of his cute spooder paws.)

Or perhaps…he pulls a male wolf spider and ends up doing that purr after you say or do something that hits him in those feelings and oh boy, he is so embarrassed when he realizes he did it thanks to your excited reaction to hearing it. Though it hurts his ego a bit when you squeal about how cute it is…I mean…even if he didn't mean to do it, it was supposed to be sexy…still with spiders if you're rejected you either get ignored or attacked…even though he knows better, the inhuman part of his brain is telling him your positive reaction is a “yes” to getting with him which lends to him actually considering that this might actually work out and that Ortho is right. 

(Tbh I don't get why the video says it's creepy, it kind of sounds like bird sounds to me.)

Silk-wrapped gifts and offerings, expect snacks and games. Though admittedly he’s going to give you ones that he wants you to play with him. Beating a boss in co-op counts as a date…right? Right. Best believe he’s gonna be getting you hard-to-get items in game, armor, and whatever else. It’s easy to forget his rich until he gets you some decked-out gaming computer or that handheld you wanted, all wrapped in glowing blue silk of course. Actually, driders giving gifts made of their silk is very much a thing they do but Idia mostly does small simple things, expect to get really cool bracelets and hair ties infused with his scent. He gets so happy and so smug if he sees you wearing them.

I found out recently that another thing some males will do is do sort of a silk-involved message, though I think that is another thing he would do after you guys start dating and not before to...get you in the mood.

The massaging motions of the spider are officially called mate binding. Basically, the male massages the female, so that she'll allow him to mate with her, without killing him before he gets the chance. The male spider releases silk over the back of the female as he massages her. The same study also suggested that it was the feeling of the massage that soothed the female, and not the smell of the silk as some scientists suggested.

NSFW: I just found out that Darwin’s bark spiders figured out they're less likely to get eaten by ladies if they do oral. Do with that info what you may.

[dendroaspis-viridis]

On the "Emmrich is undead/a spirit" theory

I’ve been having a lot of Thoughts™ about a certain professor and the interesting "I would say, 'not that skeleton,' but we're not saying, 'no skeletons.'" quote from Matt Rhodes during the Q&A.

I personally think the skeleton in question is Emmrich, though I think he’s still flesh and blood most of the time. I'll elaborate under the cut.

I’d like to first establish that I don’t think he’s a spirit like Audric. In Down Among the Dead Men, we learn that most spirits work under the guidance of a Mourn Watcher, specifically “under a modicum of magical control”, and I can’t imagine the Mortalitasi would send a lone spirit out from the Necropolis without an accompanying Watcher regardless of the spirit’s ‘wholeness’. Especially considering the apprehension people outside Nevarra seem to show the Mortalitasi.

There was also that quote from the IGN interview with Corinne Busche that paraphrased “no bear sex”, and I feel like a full on Beverly Crusher-esque ghost fucking would at least be bear sex adjacent. Not to mention, hinting at one of your companions being undead seems like a massive spoiler to drop before the game's even out.

Back to how I think Emmrich is the skeleton (but also not): the Mortalitasi have a lot of connections to the Veil/Fade due to their constant interactions with souls and spirits (and my personal headcanon that the Grand Necropolis as a whole exists in an odd liminal space between the material world and the Fade, but that’s a whole other can of worms). The concept art we’ve been shown thus far features a Mortalitasi harvesting material from a mummified dragon surrounded by their skeletal assistants:

And if we zoom in on the (presumably) human figure, we can see a bit more detail:

They look distinctly flesh and blood when compared to their skeletal assistants, wearing a protective smock and gloves that go up to the bicep, complete with (what looks like) chain covering their torso and upper arms.

The headpiece they’re wearing had me puzzled for a few days, to be honest. But from what I can tell, I don’t believe there’s enough space in there for the skull we see to merely be a decorative mask (especially considering the deep craters of the eye sockets and nose), leading me to believe the headgear shows the Mortalitasi’s actual skulls while they’re wearing them. There’s also a tiny gap between the mandible of the skull and bevor of the helmet, implying the skull is a separate item.

As for why (I think) we see the Mortalitasi’s actual skull, I can only hypothesize the headgear assist them in accessing the Fade while conscious more easily? Whether that allows them greater control over their summons, lets them more easily communicate with Fade spirits, or allows them to peer through the Veil to see some of the more metaphysical things they’re harvesting, I have no idea. Though it’d also fit in perfectly with the melodramatic Memento Mori vibes I get from Nevarran culture as a whole.

There’s also a dagger (“Walking Death”) from DA:I with an interesting description: “The well-worn hilt bears the marks of the Nevarran Mortalitasi. The order makes an art of mummification, and their tools are imbued with magicks that blur the moment between life and death, though death is no less certain.”

Both the Chantry and Nevarra seem to agree that death occurs in the moment a soul/spirit leaves someone’s body and passes through the Veil, so the implication that most of the Mortalitasi’s tools can manipulate the Veil supports the idea that they’d have to create some kind of headgear that would allow them to see what exactly they’re manipulating?

So with all of that said, I’m assuming there’s going to be a scene with Emmrich at some point if you pursue a romance with him where he’s discussing the Mourn Watch/something death-related, where he dons the headpiece to further emphasize both his and Rook’s mortality, and there will be an option to kiss him. Or something like that. Idk.

Also I wanna specify that all this is based entirely on concept art screenshots and my inability to stop thinking about Dragon Age, but I’m gonna continue to assume Emmrich is entirely alive unless shown otherwise.

No judgement to people who're pumped for a potential skeleton romance, by the way! These are just my thoughts on who exactly that smoochable skeleton is, though I will admit I’m hoping for a flesh and blood Emmrich.

[lu-dao-writes]

— 𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐌𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡 (𝙈𝙝𝙞𝙣)

𝙎𝙮𝙣𝙤𝙥𝙨𝙞𝙨 When being a brat gets you what you want and more~.

𝙒𝙖𝙧𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜(𝙨) AFAB!Mhin, bratty behavior, sub!Mhin, Dom!Reader, oral sex, fingering, squirting, dacryphilia, glove kink(?), hair pulling, ambiguous relationship. MINORS DNI

𝘼/𝙉 Deadass, this randomly hit me while I was watching someone play the demo and I was looking around for fanfiction 🤣👍🏼. I wanted to hurry and get it done before I suddenly lose interest, so I typed this up instead of letting myself go to sleep.

The only sounds that fill the room is the sounds of occasional sucking, your groans, the wet sounds of your gloved fingers thrusting in and out of a drenched cunt, and Mhin’s sinful little moans and whines they so badly try to keep quiet and to a minimum.

But it’s pointless.

You have them so incredibly wet and wound up like a coil ready to explode.

Mhin’s been so bratty as of lately and frankly it’s started to get on your nerves, until you realized it’s all because they’ve been feeling a little neglected.

So you’ve made it up to them by giving their pretty pussy some well needed attention, never letting up after each orgasm you’ve let them have.

Hell, you’re so generous that you’re letting them tug at your hair!

You pull your mouth away from their clit, a string of arousal and saliva clinging from the bright pink pearl and your lips.

You then give the hunter a wolfish little grin as your fingers continue to stimulate them lazily, their arousal further coating the silken gloves that protect them from you.

Mhin chokes and pants rapidly, their slim fingers tightening in your hair and their hole clenching greedily around nothing.

“Did you really have to throw a tantrum to get my attention? You’re almost as bad as Vere~,” you tease, laughing when Mhin yanks your hair harshly.

“D-Don’t fucking bring that bastard up!” they snap, glaring down weakly at you with tears clinging to their lashes. “Why the f-fuck are you even thinking about him right now!?”

“Temper, temper,” you coo, using your other hand to sharply smack their cunt as some punishment.

They sob out a moan and their body trembles harshly, making you grin wider.

“Be thankful I’m pampering you now,” you remind, pressing a kiss to their clit as an apology before slipping three fingers back in, relishing in the relieved moan Mhin makes.

You continue to kiss their clit, roughly fingering them and not letting them close their legs, and keeping them pinned down to the bed.

“I-I’m…! F-Fuck..! C-Cum..! I’m gonna cum..!”

“Go on, Sweetheart, I haven’t stopped you yet~,” you coo, adjusting your posture so that your sitting up slightly.

You rub tight circles on their clit and continue massaging their g-spot until Mhin finally cries out, your black gloves getting creamed on before becoming downright drenched suddenly.

The moment it happens you become even more excited, rapidly abusing their poor clit some more and making more fluid squirt out of them, getting the clear fluid all over on you, Mhin’s lower half, and the bed.

It starts out as small little streams before growing a bit stronger the harder you work your fingers. You become so determined to make them squirt more that soon your teasing it out of them with ease, Mhin squirting and drenching your face all the while as they’re sobbing loudly at this point from the overstimulation.

The taste is heavenly in your mouth, better than any drink you’ve had at any bar.

“C-Can’t..! Please, no more..!”

You hum and gently ease your fingers out of them, kissing their glistening folds, their public bone, stomach, and all the way up to their lips, cooing at their tear stained face.

Mhin fusses a little, feeling how drenched your face is, and when they’re able to actually focus on you, they blush brighter. No doubt they’ve now felt how wet the bed is.

“Did I..?”

“Mhm~. That was so hot,” you purr.

“S-Shut up,” they mutter, covering their face and ignoring your gentle laughter.

[afandommultiverse]

How you meet Colonel Miles Quaritch

❀ A/n: the moment you have all been waiting for (more like just me) but still! Here are my headcanons for when baby girl (Quaritch) meets you <3 

*.·:·.✧ ✦ ✧.·:·.*

✿ where’d you meet you say? well it is when Quaritch is looking at his old resting spot(his grave) and after he crumbles his old skull in his hands, you are quick to make a distraction to get their attention off of the kids just in case they make a noise backing away and he is even quicker to follow after you. he didn’t even know why he just felt it in him to go and search not even bothering to think of the possibility of it being a deadly wild animal because somehow he already knew it wasn’t

✿ lo and behold you weren’t a wild animal but you might as well have been, by the way, you attacked and began fighting, throwing grown Na’vi men, military trained and armed, around like they were nothing but pebbles in your way. for a second, he hit a tree after you sent him stumbling back with a kick to the chest. with the lost breath, he took a second to watch you, analyze you, look for an opening, anything; instead, he got lost in staring at you

✿ you were breathtakingly gorgeous, war paint still sprawled across your face no doubt from the job that had been done hours ago on the supply train he’d been debriefed on for so long this morning.  Your hair swang with your movements seamlessly, whipping around just like your tail wildly. as your frame crouched, hissing at his group, waiting for the next one to attack, he saw it in your eyes, his opening

✿ you didn’t mean to but you sold yourself away, your eyes looking behind him, watching something pass behind him, he watched the way your eyes glide for the two seconds they did before you attacked the next man, that's when he took his chance, turning behind himself he grabbed Lyle and ran a few steps toward where you were looking when he saw it, saw them

✿ that's how you ended up here, guns held to you and the kid's heads and arms trapped behind you. glaring up at the man you despised and thought had died all those years ago. ‘he had died’, and ‘of course’, as you ran your eyes up his figure, ‘they made him an Avatar, but how?’. 

✿ Quaritch could not stop looking at you, you were familiar, so so familiar, just on the tip of his tongue he could point you out but still, he was unable to recognize you, the paint and well, some swelling on your left cheek was making it hard, not to mention his memory was honestly kinda toast after finding his own dead body

✿ he stopped thinking about it when he started hearing a yelp off in the distance, he kept talking but he took note of all the kid's ears, moving tentatively towards the call, all in the same direction, even yours. Jake was here, and so was that ‘bitch’ who killed him (I'm sorry mommy Neytiri please it's for tha fic) 

✿ everything as per-fucking-usual fell apart and he lost the rest of Jake’s kids, even the little shit who flipped him off; but it wasn’t all bad, he had you, and he had a kid, well his kid. yet another thing he couldn’t process because of this stupid fucking mission but that thought stayed locked behind like six concrete walls in his mind

✿ it wasn’t until you all got to the base and you two were in an interrogation room did Quaritch realize who you were, well actually he was told by the General. “Can’t believe you caught one of the traitors on your first week, great work Colonel.” he looked at her with a raised brow, she caught on fast and nodded at you in the room, huddling over Miles, well Spider. “ It’s Sergeant Y/n L/n, I don’t know if you recognize them as they were on a different squad during your first time here on Pandora, but they did side with Sulley in the end. Their Avatar was in the making before everything went to shit, it seems they were able to complete the process and permanently transfer, as they have shown no signs of disconnecting from this body. If anything, they’re just like you.” 

✿ ‘Just like me’ Quaratich took that in a lot of ways but he ignored that because it hit him, he did recognize you, and a few collective memories briefly flashed behind his eyes, glossing over as he stared at you through the two-way mirror. glimpses he had stolen of you in the cafeteria and, you guessed it, debrief. In fact, he even remembered when you first got here, to Pandora. You had a different look in your eyes compared to all the others, shit looking back on it now he should have assumed you would have sided with Sulley, but he didn’t seem to be as mad at you. 

✿ he wanted to laugh, an old man with a crush, but he was that old man. ‘Ridiculous’ he thought as he continued his conversation with the General. “I need you to grab the boy, he’s going to be taken to a separate room.” He nodded, before walking in, ducking under the doorway and meeting both of you with vicious glares. 

✿ “Afternoon,” He commented nonchalantly, walking over to them calmly, giving them enough space to feel comfortable, enough. “Are you two going to be up for some cooperation?” He smirked a little, expecting maybe a feisty answer instead he got silence and ever more narrowed looks. He sighed, really turning up the dramatics, and began to pace. “Well, Sergeant, you know how this usually goes, I mean you have plenty of experience don’t you?” 

✿ he could only think of the things you wanted to do to him, the look in your eyes, deadly, it almost sent a shiver down his spine, but he was a good reader and he looked right though you and saw all the worry you had starting to pour out, your heart beat racing, eyes flicking to Spider quickly, just once, tail even curling around him which he thinks you weren’t even aware of as you quickly swished it down when he noticed

✿ “I need to take the boy outta here, so we can either do this the easy way,” he lifted one hand palm out facing up to one side, “or the hard way. I’m only gonna ask once sweetheart.” and lifted his other hand holding them out to you. he watched you balanced it back and fourth in your mind, but he knew you were too smart to fight, you would take the easy way, but that just meant he had to look out for every move after. 

✿  he watched as you whisper to Spider in Na’vi, you too were obviosuly disagreeing about things but one look from you and he shut his mouth, head bowing before looking back up at Quaritch. it pissed him off that he couldn’t understand what you were talking about and vowed to fix that as soon as possible. however he snapped out of that when you stood up and began walking toward him 

✿  he held his ground meeting your eyes, waiting for you to do anything dumb, but you didn’t, you just glared at him a little more before speaking to him through gritted teeth. “If you hurt my son, I’ll do worse than kill you.” The emphasis on ‘my’ was not missed and the threat was noted, because he had a feeling you meant every single word, and he would not let you get the best of him should it reach that point.

❀A/n: Hehe YOU HEARD THIS IS A NO SPIDER HATE ZONE!! Haha but srsly I hope you guys enjoyed and please make sure to request or leave comments! :)

[brabblesblog]

Ch 17: Whom have I in heaven but thee?

Astarion has ascended, and she has stayed with him. Life in the Crimson Palace isn’t as idyllic as it seems. Is there a chance for their relationship to go back to how it was? Or is it too late for the Ascendant and his consort?

This series is about Ban, my Tav, and the Vampire Ascendant. Will be angst and smut, with sprinkles of fluff.

This fic is a softer take on Ascendant!Astarion and of the changes he undergoes after the rite. Can Ban handle the change, and if a chance came, would she choose to run? And can the Ascendant win her back in time? Inspired by the concept of vampire wives and that IGN interview with Larian that discussed the ascension.

Professionally edited by @editing-by-night

Astarion and Ban are presented with an opportunity whilst visiting the former Shadow-Cursed lands.

Read on AO3.

Masterlist.

Moonrise Towers.

Still empty but less dour, the old crumbling walls looked less threatening and more desolate than anything else. Seeing the sun shine on the facade felt wrong-

A nudge, and Ban shook off the thought.

“Are you alright, love?” Her husband stood beside her, wearing one of his older shirts - one from before. Astarion had packed clothes he’d worn during their adventure, shirts and trousers that had not seen the light of day in months before this.

“I’m not risking any of my actual clothes, Ban.” Astarion stuffed the old clothing into his pack haphazardly.

She tried not to laugh as he made an attempt to close the now-bulging pack and failed.

“You do know you needn’t bring so many shirts, right? It’s just Reithwin and the surrounding area.”

He stared at the pack, frowning. Living in the Crimson Palace meant an abundant if not limitless amount of clothes; he’d become accustomed to changing on a whim. Conceding the point, he dumped the contents of the bag out, picking through the small mountain of clothing that spilled out.

“I suppose so,” he grumbled, “I’ll just have to subsist on a meager variety of shirts then. Pity.”

Pulling her mind out of her reverie, Ban shrugged. Was she alright?

So many memories they’d created here, good and bad alike. Sometimes it was still hard to reconcile the fact that she shared those memories with the man next to her, not with some nebulous phantom of him.

Astarion marked the silence; he saw her turn away, expression closing off.

“Ban.” His voice was tense, but not excessively so. He took her hand, threading his fingers through hers. “Let’s just head inside, love.”

He led her through, eyes scanning ahead to avoid any potentially dangerous spots. He’d done this back in the early days too, scouting ahead for traps and ambushes. Ban wasn’t the most observant sort; he’d found out early on that she needed protecting.

Funny, that. He had thought he was using her for protection, but had quickly found himself wanting to shield her from danger in return. His eyes had always sought her out in battle, shooting at anything that dared approach; just as she’d cut down anything that had tried to get to him.

Initially, it had been to ensure she wouldn’t fall to a stray arrow or an errant sword. It wouldn’t have done to have their leader die, leaving no one by his side when Cazador inevitably came for him, would it? As the days had passed, however, he’d begun to have to repeat this fact to himself, reminding his heart that petty affection - even love, gods forbid - wasn’t the reason, here. Obviously, that plan had failed miserably.

Pushing Ban away that day in Vel’s mansion had been instinctive, a reflex that hadn’t warranted a second thought.

“Ban-” He pointed, but it was a little late. Her boot snagged on a piece of broken stone; she toppled forward and Astarion braced, catching her effortlessly.

“You seriously have to pay closer attention,” he chided, but there was no anger there; just amusement and a little nostalgia. He held her close, allowing himself to revel in her presence.

“Sorry,” Ban said automatically. She let him wrap his arms around her, head pressed against his shoulder as her mind drifted back.

"You- ... you're incredible. You deserve something real. I want us to be something real."

Memories. They shouldn’t be painful, and yet they stung. She turned her face to hide from the world, from him; unwilling to admit that she was still mourning, grieving a life that never came to pass.

Astarion felt her tense, muscles shifting as though preparing for a fight. He sighed, part of him wishing to confront her. The larger part decided to wait for a better moment.

He pulled away, pretending to miss her tears. He kissed her forehead.

“No need to apologize, darling,” he murmured, “Just missed a rock. Which - well, you do do that a little too often for my liking, but -”

She smacked him, melancholy forgotten for the moment. With a satisfied smirk, Astarion continued leading her through the ruin.

They arrived at the table where Araj had set up shop. Astarion ran his fingers across the wood. He could smell it even now, the drow’s blood - rank and vile and alien. Ban had shown him he was more than just a thing to be used then, that his choices mattered. He had never forgotten.

“That was interesting, the drow,” he mused. “A pity she’s dead, or I would’ve had her brought to the palace and killed her myself.”

“Astarion,” Ban said, a little leery of the tone his voice had taken.

He paused, hand stilling against the wooden grain of the table, meeting her eyes. “Oh, not literally. Can’t I say something in jest, Ban? I didn’t kill her when we saw her at her shop, did I? In fact, I like to think I was positively polite.”

A small smile broke across Ban’s features. It was difficult at times, figuring out what was a joke with him and what was not. She knew that in some ways, it wasn’t even he who changed, but rather her perception of him; something she’d been working on, but she admittedly still had a ways to go.

Astarion exhaled. He took a step towards her, hands held out. He was still worried, fearing the day she’d shy away from his touch yet again. But she let him take her hands, and just like every time she did, he felt a wave of relief.

Bracing himself, he met her gaze.

“Can we talk, Ban? Tonight,” he murmured, swallowing down the urge to avoid it altogether. After that confrontation the first day they’d arrived at Halsin’s community, Astarion had felt a lot more willing to be open around his wife. He could sense Ban trying to do the same, though her doubts still seemed to linger; he had resolved to fix that.

“I… of course,” she said, worry crossing her expression.

He squeezed her hands. “It’s nothing big, nothing that will change things,” he reassured her. And at least on his end, he was resolved that it would hold true.

Ban stared at him for a moment. In these ruins and in those clothes, Astarion looked exactly like he had back then, down to the soft expression on his face and the slight, uncertain curl of his lips. The sight was comforting, and she nodded.

“Tonight, then.”

With that said, Astarion led her further into the ruins of Moonrise Towers.

Having played with the children after dinner, Ban headed back to their little hut. She opened the door to find Astarion on the bed, shirtless; his hands were behind his head, and he was staring out the window.

“Do you ever think of choosing him?” he asked, not meeting her gaze.

“Choosing-” She frowned, then realized what he meant. “Halsin. Choosing Halsin.” She gestured at the hut they were staying in. A calm, quiet existence; days spent playing with the children and nights wrapped up in Halsin’s warm embrace. She could not say she hadn't thought of it.

Astarion’s eyes slid back to Ban. He watched her, a hand moving down to tap his knee absently. Waiting.

“Perhaps,” Ban finally said, “It would have been a peaceful life.”

“Happier,” Astarion corrected, still staring at her intently, eyes tense. His lean body lounged on the bed in a well-practiced position that suggested nothing but nonchalance.

“Okay. Happier.” She crossed her arms. “What of it? Is this… is this what you wanted to talk about?”

There was a small twist in the calm of his features; he forced himself to ease off. “It’s one of several, but yes,” he returned to the topic at hand, “If you want. Should you want - still want that.”

Say it.

He drew a deep breath. The hand tapping his knee stilled, the manufactured pose disappearing under rapidly tensing limbs; he readjusted, sitting up.

“If you still want Halsin-“

His voice cracked, the depth of his emotion proving too much. Hurt, a little anger. Fear.

His eyes tried to convey what he could not say; his mind reached for hers, and she allowed him in.

Thoughts. Images. Ban dancing with the children, riding on Halsin’s broad back. Smiling. Doing chores. Running in the woods. Carefree; happy.

Astarion quirked an eyebrow at her, and let his emotions suffuse the images.

The first thing Ban felt was a wave of jealousy - he wanted Ban to save those smiles for him, and him alone. This wave, however, was miniscule compared to the weight of his envy; Astarion was sickened to imagine her with Halsin, but he also wished to be the one running in the woods with her, making love on the forest floor - to be the one she lived such a simple, carefree life with.

Ban was ready to snap, to ask him what the point of this exercise was when the color of his emotions changed. There was more, more to him that he wished for her to discover.

See me, he thought, opening his heart, pouring it out before her waiting gaze.

Joy, at seeing her happiness. Contentment, knowing that she finally had what he so longed to give her. And the deepest one of all - resignation, knowing it wasn’t him who’d been able to give it to her. Not soon enough.

“Do you understand?” he asked. He couldn’t bring himself to say it, but he could at least show her.

“You’re saying you’ll let me go.” Ban was disbelieving.

Astarion barely believed it himself. But he’d seen her with Halsin, seen how easily she laughed in his presence; how she effortlessly allowed him into her space.

Astarion thought he and Ban were getting there, but a part of him wondered if it wasn’t just better to save her the trouble. He looked away. In his breast, his heart raged in a blind panic.

Take that back, you fucking idiot! You’re throwing everything away!

He felt her hand on his shoulder and looked up, surprised.

“I want to be with you,” she said.

“What? Why?” Familiar words; he found himself wistful at the memory. “I’m hard work, Ban. You know that.”

He took the hand on his shoulder and brought it to his lips.

“It is.” She tried to meet his gaze, but he kept his eyes firmly on her hand.

“It sure is worth it, though,” Ban added, “I still choose you.”

Astarion merely nodded, for once speechless; he tugged at her hand, drawing her to the bed alongside him.

“Thank you,” he said quietly, “I needed to hear that.”

She nuzzled into the crook of his neck, and he braced himself for the next thing he was about to say.

“Ban. I want to know… what’s on your mind. What’s been on your mind for a while now.”

“Nothing? We’ve been happy, no?” she immediately deflected, but Astarion shook his head.

“Better than before, certainly. Happy? I wouldn’t use that word. Not on your end, at least.” His eyes stared forward, boring holes into the wall of the hut. “If you seemed happy, Ban, I wouldn’t have asked you about Halsin. I would-”

His jaw worked, tightening. “I wouldn’t be so worried.”

She could feel his chest rise and fall faster, fear breaking through the facade he was trying so hard to maintain.

“I didn’t want to hurt you. Scare you,” Ban ventured cautiously. But she now recognized that in doing so, in shielding him from the truth, she had inadvertently caused the very thing she’d been trying to avoid.

Astarion laughed, a short and pained bark of noise. “You think I don’t see how you look at me? Most of the time you don’t anymore, thank the gods, but sometimes, Ban - you look at me the way you used to. After.”

After the ascension. When he had begun to lose her, bit by painful bit.

“I don’t mean to,” she said. She drew away from him, just enough to see the hard lines of his face and the way his eyes refused to look anywhere but the wall. “Astarion, please. Look at me.”

Astarion acquiesced after a moment of hesitation; their gazes met. For a heartbeat his eyes were glassy and distant, but then they shifted, becoming wide and round. The uncertainty was plain to see; he no longer made any effort to hide it when it was just the two of them.

As vulnerable as it made him, he knew it was necessary. If she couldn’t do it, he would have to, no matter how much he loathed it. For her. For them.

“I still mourn what our life could’ve been if you didn’t ascend,” she admitted, “Brief flashes of memory, small flickers of pain here and there. A lot less often now, but still there at times.”

“Do you still see two different people?” A question he hadn’t dared ask since the night she’d decided to move back in.

“No,” she said with certainty, “I merely still grieve what we could have been - a different future, not a different person.”

He absorbed her words, understood them. A moment passed while he gathered his resolve.

“I know we said it would take time,” he finally said, “And I am… willing to wait. But can I ask for one thing?”

She frowned, biting her lip - unsure. He saw it, and a wave of hurt washed over him.

“See.” Astarion pointed out, smiling sadly. “That’s exactly what I mean, Ban. You’re doing it right now.”

“Doing what?” Her tone was a little too harsh, and she winced. “Just tell me. Don’t hint at it and expect me to know.”

“You don’t tell me how you really feel. You close yourself off, like you did after the rite. You just disappear, and your face goes blank. Empty. I-” He shook his head. “I’m terrified of it, Ban.”

She considered his words, painfully aware that he’d hit the nail on the head. In moments when she felt wary of him she hid away, an almost involuntary response drilled into her during those months between the rite and her flight. Perhaps even before Astarion came into my life, Ban mused, but didn’t allow herself to dwell on those… thoughts.

“You’re not wrong.” Ban weighed her words. “It’s… almost just instinct, Astarion. I get nervous when I can’t read you, and it makes me want to run and hide.”

Astarion breathed out heavily, eyes falling shut. “Can you do this for me, then? One thing. When it happens… tell me. Ask me what I’m feeling. What I’m thinking. If I can’t tell you, I’ll show you.”

He took her hand, relieved when she let him without question or resistance. He placed it gently over his heart.

“I know I haven’t been kind, especially those six months. But if we are to fix this - us,” he added, trying to blink away the moisture gathering in his eyes. “I need you to at least try to talk to me, that’s all. If you’re frightened of me, then that’s alright. If you want time to yourself, then so be it. I would just prefer to know your thoughts, and wish to have mine be heard in return.”

His eyes opened again; they were a little bright and wet, and he fixed her with yet another smile. He aimed for hopeful; it came out tremulous. “It’s the least you can do to help your husband out, don’t you think, darling?”

A small attempt at lightening the situation, but one they needed at present.

“Of course,” she nodded. “I think I can at least do that.”

His face brightened. “That’s all I ask.”

Astarion’s hand cupped her cheek, and he leaned in to press his lips against hers. It was a gentle, unhurried meeting of mouths; he let her in, allowing her to taste him.

“Ban. While you were with those damnable children,” he murmured, laughing a little as he pulled away from the kiss, the tips of his ears flushing pink before he proceeded. “Halsin gave me a, ah… a present.”

“You?” she laughed, incredulous.

“Well, for us. He apologized for what happened - and yes, it was an actual apology this time, mind you.” He looked smug, and although Ban doubted the veracity of his claim, she didn’t contest it.

Astarion slipped a hand under the pillow at his back, pulling out a small package.

“I don’t know if you’ll like it, and I don’t presume to know what exactly you and Halsin did when you were together, but-”

He unwrapped the package, revealing a whittled cock.

Ban stared.

She stared for such a long time that Astarion began to worry.

“We don’t- look.” He began to wrap it back up, but Ban grasped his wrist to stop him.

“I could do it,” she offered, “But I don’t have any experience in that location, and I’d rather have it be you if it’s in-”

He couldn’t help the laugh that burst out of him; he quickly grabbed her for a kiss, affection overwhelming him.

“Ban,” he said slowly, each word dripping from his lips, “If I wanted to fuck you in the ass, I’d do it with my cock.”

She shivered at his words; Astarion smirked, smugly pleased.

“This isn’t for you, darling.”

[alexias-left-foot]

Scared of the dark

It´s the first time i write something here so Idk how to do this, sorry about it, also, my native language isn´t english, so im sorry for the spelling mistakes. I wrote a small one so you can see how I write, Hope someone can give me orientation and a feedback, please. Btw, wrote this while listening to the song Scared of the dark by Lil Wayne, Ty Dolla $ign and XXXTENTACION, if you want to hear it i leave here the link for you.

Warnings: Alexia`s ACL Injury, angst, dead, insomnia, nightmares,

Today wasn't a normal day, it wasn't actually a day. It was 4:46am and you were still awake. You couldn't sleep, Everything felt so wrong. Alexia and Olga were sleeping and you were thinking and rethinking everything you have done with your life, on the balcony of your room with a view of the city. The sun was starting to get up and you didn't even start to sleep. Even if you were sleepy you could see how beautiful the city is, it was your home now…

You were only 15 but you already signed a contract with an European giant, with Barça, to replace Putellas while she is injured cause she tore her ACL. You were young, nervous, clumsy and shy when you arrived.You have never been to Barcelona before, but it was espetacular . Everyone of your friends told you how beautiful it was, you believed in them, of course they were right, but you were still scared. You were far from your mami e papi and from your friends and from your little town where it all started, but Alexia and Olga made sure you were gonna be okay and safe. 

—

They made everything feel like it was your home. They helped you with your homework, helped you when you broke up with your girlfriend, helped you when most of your friends stopped to answer your daily calls and messages, and on many other things,like when your parents died in a car crash. That was the low point of your life. the tragic death of your parents. You never went to throw it. It was and is hard for you to accept that they were just gone because of a drunk man. Thinking they were gonna make you happy on their way to see you after long months, they made the worst mistake ever of getting out of your town and never got into the game. You were terrified when Alexia had to tell you what happened. You cried so much that night. It's so scary to think that it was only one month ago.

Since the accident Alexia promised nothing was gonna happen to you, she and Olga would be your family and will forever protect you no matter what. They  were your family now. Your little family. They are everything that you have left. They did a good job with you last month, actually, they were incredibly good at dealing with you, they always listened to you even if you said the most stupid things, even if some words might hurt them they always listened to you. They wanted to make sure that you know that they would always be there for you no matter what happens, they wanted you to know that you will always have a shoulder to cry on if you wanted to. You know that they were always going to be there for you, but you just didn't want to bother them or being a weight

—

You are seated on a small couch that is on your balcony. The fresh air makes you feel good, less anxious than you have been, but it also makes you cry because it reminds you of home, how simple things were.

Suddenly you hear a calm voice interrupting your thoughts ´I didn't know you were an early riser, nena.´ It was Alexia. Alexia has called you nena since she met you, it has no special reasons but she likes to call you that. ´Me neither…` you answered with a tired little smile ´Everything is okay?´ She asked you with a concerned look while getting close to sit with you on the couch. ´Not really, I can´t sleep, I'm having countless nightmares, can't even think of getting into bed again´ you let off steam as you gazed at the city that was beginning to be more illuminated. ´I heard you screaming during your small nap after the practice, now I heard you opening the windows and seeing you like this is hurting me. Me and Olga are starting to be more worried about you again nena, you have been more tired than ever, zoning out every time, and being all day in your room. I know it is normal, it has been a month since the accident happened, I know you are still fighting and denying it, but you can't go through this alone, nena. I also know you are just a teenager, and that the accident isn't the only thing making you like this right now and that you also have this teenagers' problems, I know stupid people will be there and leave you many times, and it will hurt, I know it will leave a big scar on you, just like everything that makes you leave a tear, but we are here to help you, no matter what happens, vale?´ She was being so honest with you, it hurted seeing her being hurt by your own problems, her eyes were wide and she couldn't sleep because of you and you were feeling so guilty because of that. ´ I'm sorry Ale´ you said, clearing the tears that started to fall when Alexia started to talk ´I'm trying my best to talk, but it is so hard to open up, even worse when i'm not sure what to say. I truly don't know what to say, I want to talk so much but I just can't ask for help or open up, I just can´t. I swear it is not because i don't trust you or Olga, cause i do, but yes cause i just don't know how to talk or how to say everything that has been on my mind lately. i'm so sorry, i'm gonna try harder and better, and i'm so sorry, i didn't mean to warn you or to let you guys worry, i´m so sorry. I´m just so scared of everything. Everything is so different now´-you said while you just let the hot tears fall from your face. ´Oh pequeña, you don't have to be sorry for anything, it's  not your fault. We love you, we are just worried. You are our little kid, our child, that's why we are worried about you, because we want to be a part of your life nena. We love you. We believe in you, we know you are strong, but you don't have to go through all these things alone. You are going to be fine, I promise.´ she said while hugging you and wiping your tears away. You both fell asleep after that, because you were woke up by Olga at 11:00 am. ´Good morning sunshines`she said with a little careful laugh ´Morning´ you and Ale said ´Slept well?´she asked with a funny look ´Thanks to Ale, sí,mucho!´you said while hugging the couple

[naraven]

Dear @navxry,

Hello, Operator! For your next mission, we have decided to pair you up with the following operator(s):

VIRTUOSA

cw // they/they doctor, yandere, emotional manipulation, stalking, use of Executor's real name.

Virtuosa knew exactly what her role was within this world.

She was a world class soloist. A beloved teacher to her aspiring students. Wanted criminal of the Lateran Notarial Hall.

It's hard not to know, really. Her dear little brother would always be close by to remind her that she could never be the norm of the society she lived in.

It came with the prestige, and the fear. Fede was never really the sensitive type.

So it came to some surprise to see someone who could give less of a shit.

VIrtuosa had never met this operator before aboard Rhodes Island. Curiously, they also happened to be draped in the church's black garbs.

She didn't talk to them during the duration of the mission. Actually, she made it a point to be deployed further away to the Doctor themself.

>What's the matter?

"Oh, nothing. It's just personal preference for now. Do you mind?"

>...Not at all.

And so it was. Operator Virtuosa was vicious on the battlefield: she would leave not a single enemy standing on their feet.

But so did you. Virtuosa was intrigued: it seemed as though you were a rather... laissez-faire, when it came to wielding that unusually large cross. She nearly couldn't believe her eyes when you started... leaning back?

Amazed, Virtuosa had never met someone like you. Immediately after the mission, she started tailing you. Fede would say otherwise and call it for what it is (stalking) but as long as she wasn't harming anyone, he simply kept a close eye on her.

Her shadowing your schedule lead to some discoveries:

1. That you enjoyed the company of one certain Liberi from the Lateran Notarial Hall. She had nearly ruined her parole in Rhodes Island multiple times when she saw that bird always so close to you.

2. That the literature you read was on the rather... darker side. Virtuosa had never before seen such themes and plots before!

and 3. That you were the typical Lateran citizen.

What does that mean? Well, she was captivated by how you were always wiling to listen.

Maybe it came from living in Laterano? But Virtuosa's natural empathetic Sankta mind could deduce that you were easily more Sankta-like than any other she knew.

Soon, she knew that she had to be a part of your life.

It took a while, trying to get to know you.

Not that it was hard, or difficult. You were uncaring of her status as a rather polarizing figure, and for once in her life she wished for someone to be a bit more on guard around her. She would have loved seeing you squirm a little when she introduced herself for the first time...

Your love for tails was another trait she found rather endearing. Of course, her lack of tail was something she mourned at times, but your propensity to chase after operators with any kind of tail was rather amusing.

Ahh, you were simply so... so unlike anything she's seen before! Not only do you tolerate her, you even started trying to fine her yourself! And you would never know, but she saw the plot of the most recent book you picked up and saw how one of the characters was a stalker...

Not that she was stalking you!! She was just trying to get closer to you, of course...

"Virtuosaaa."

"Nameless... Good day."

She giggles as your smaller frame peers up with sleepy eyes. Your raven black feathers ruffled, which she learned was something you did unconsciously as a greeting. It made her so incredibly happy to see how much she got close to you, really!

And today, she's finally going to do what she should have done from the beginning.

"Well, I managed to sneak away from my dear little brother today." Actually, he was called into a mission today, and someone had overlooked the detail of her current status as a criminal. Regardless, she was now free for a couple days at most.

"Oh, hey, you're right. Where is he today, anyways?"

She ignores what you just said, and motions you over to a practice room with her cello.

"I composed a piece with you as my muse. Do you mind if I play it for you?"

"Ah, hey...! I thought I wasn't allowed to listen to your music?"

She tunes her cello more as a preview for what you should expect. Humming, she motions for you to take a seat.

"Relax. It's just one song."

You gulp, and soon enough notes as smooth as butter flow into your ears.

Virtuosa's music is something that you've only heard about in rumors. After being detained, recordings of her performances had been banned for fear of her Arts.

This is a song you've never heard before. It feels really nice, and you feel your mind slipping.

Virtuosa silently cheers in victory as her recital for you slowly goes her way. Ahh, for so long so had wanted to see how you would react to her music! How wonderful it was to see, and she pulls at a specific emotion inside you out and towards her.

Love.

You sigh shakily. When did Virtuosa look so... blurry?

"My dear Nameless, how do you feel?"

You don't think you register anything she's saying at the moment.

"Oh, dear. This worked a bit too well. It seems I underestimated myself, haha."

Virtuosa suddenly leans over, and you barely flinch when her nose almost touches yours. You feel a hand come up to cradle your cheek, and you instinctively lean into it.

"My, my. My little crow, so malleable now... I do adore such pliancy from you now. Words cannot describe how happy I am that you've finally come to realize your true feelings, Navina."

[eruscreaminginthedistance]

Love reading all the new articles and updates about Dragon Age and it's really hard at this point to reign in my expectations. The gameplay showcase made me want to go back to the Inquisition demos that I watched during 2014 that got me super hyped. I was curious just how much from those gameplay reveals didn't make it into the release version of the game; I could remember bits and pieces that I was disappointed didn't make it in, but going back over these vids I'm shocked at just how much was overpromised in the months leading up to release. The demos Bioware showed during 2014 were a completely different beast from the final game. Just in the PAX (Sept 2013, so a year pre-release) and post-E3 demos (Jul 2014, four months pre-release) we've got:

Different camera controls allowing for a more over-the-shoulder style, very similar to what we've seen for Veilguard actually

Combat while moving for mages, as well as drastically different combat animations for everyone, including autoattacking with one's hand rather than the staff

Hyperviolence that never made it into the final game like that one enemy being magicked into a skeleton

The mounts actually speeding up travel

Promises of dwindling bear numbers in the environments the more you kill

Environmental things like boats actually moving across the water in real time

Dynamic events and attacks on the keeps the Inquisitor can claim, rather than the keeps sitting around

On that note, I didn't even remember one of the most bold-faced lies during that Crestwood demos "You can burn these boats to cut off the Red Templar's retreat", crazy stuff

Big choices like choosing between saving villagers or saving your keep

The promise that you can upgrade the keeps once captured

That whole cutscene with Varric that didn't make it into the final game

The content from that post-E3 demo in particular is from pretty much where Veilguard is now. You can see in this IGN vid from August 2014 (roughly two months pre-release and two months after the post-E3 demo) just how much changed in that marketing cycle.

Something I think is really interesting about this retrospective is just how much the gameplay of this unrealised Inquisition game is similar to the Veilguard content. Does that mean that the Reveal gameplay, with the camera POV and smooth action combat isn't representative of the final result? I should hope not. I would hope that the faster gameplay is what Bioware has been aiming towards all along, and have just been stuck with platform limitations until now.

Anyway this was an interesting exercise in examining my own history with the games and why I take everything Bioware tries to market to me in the next few months with a very healthy dose of skepticism. Don't get me wrong, the game looks great, but Inquisition also looked a little too good to be true in a lot of aspects

[twdmusicboxmystery]

https://www.ign.com/articles/the-walking-dead-daryl-dixon-season-1-review-norman-reedus

Do you think this makes it sound doubtful that beth will return? This is the first 6 episodes review

Okay, so I've read about 10 of these review articles over the past day or two. I get that it doesn't say we'll see Beth, but I actually think it sounds VERY promising. A lot of what me and my fellow theorists have been saying for a long time now is already being confirmed.

I'm going to combine several Asks into one post so I can gather all my thoughts in one area. I'll also insert some of the articles in case you want to read them yourself. Just keep in mind that they do have a lot of spoilers.

If you read across all the articles out there, some of them clearly are loving the Daryl spinoff, while others are much more negative and hate it. (Most of them seem to harbor negative feelings toward Norman and TWD in general, so I wouldn't take their words too seriously.) But you start to notice similarities between the articles. Most of them talk about the same things in the series, and we start to get a lot of hints toward what we'll see.

It's true that they don't mention Beth and some go out of their way to say that there are no other familiar faces from TWD. But keep in mind a couple of things about that:

1) I think that's aimed toward the Carylers. They're so sure we're going to see Carol at some point, and to me, it doesn't sound like we will. Or, if we do, it will be at such a last possible secondn to kick us into season 2, that her presence will have absolutely no effect on season 1.

2) Several of the reviewers have said that AMC swore them to secrecy when it comes to episodes 5 and 6. So, they've said some general stuff about how amazing episode 5 is gonna be, but overall, they can't say anything about what they saw in those episodes. So even if someone big showed up (Carol, Beth, Rick, Shane, lol) they wouldn't be able to say.

And I think it's SUPER significant that AMC would swear them to secrecy about those episodes. When the show literally leaked Troy's return 15 minutes after the FTWD Coda with the "mysterious" person, why would they demand that those receiving the screeners not reveal anything about the final two episodes of the Daryl Spinoff. Sounds all kinds of promising to me.

But there's plenty more. Let me just mention some things that stick out that seem to confirm we're right about smaller things (i.e. not Beth, per se). If you read across all the articles, there are actually a LOT of spoilers for the first few episodes. You can piece together a lot of the story from what's said. Yet, there's nothing about Carol, as I've already mentioned, and nothing suggesting a Daryl/Isabelle romance.

I did read one that said there are some "romance tropes" they use between the two of them, that are sure to get the Daryl shippers all fired up, but we don't actually hear about a relationship.

To me, that just means we'll see more of the same. Just as with Connie, just as with Carol, or Rosita, or just about anyone else he's had friendships with, he will be close to Isabelle and they'll connect on a deep level. Because of that, we're sure to see some Daryl/Isabelle shippers spring up, and the more angry people who ship Daryl with someone else (we all know who they are) will be on the warpath.

But I think if we were truly going to see a Daryl/Isabelle romance, it would be apparent in some way from these reviews. Even if they didn't come right out and say it, they would be frustrated that something is going to happen to inflame the shipping wars and would say so.

Another thing certain shippers were saying is that the leaked pictures of Daryl near the moose crossing sign were just down the road from the Commonwealth and were a scene where Carol caught up with him before he left the states and they had some kind of interaction.

That's proven to be false. We're now being told by the screeners that he's in Maine, very far from the Commonwealth, and Carol is nowhere in sight. To those of us to *actually* follow the details of the story and the symbolism, this has a lot more ties to Tales of the Walking Dead's Davon episode. If you haven't watched it, I would highly suggest you do. We're hoping to see some obvious ties to it in the show.

Of all the articles I read, this may be my favorite. It just gushes about how good Daryl's spinoff is, and has lots of good clues in it. But yes, the line you mention, Nonny, really stood out to me.

If you read carefully, it says Daryl will be asked about those he loves, and being Daryl, he's fairly closed-mouthed about it. But they specifically entangle that idea with him saying, or almost saying, a name that will break the internet. The Carylers, obviously, assume it will be Carol. But would him saying her name break the internet? I don't think so.

Exactly!

It doesn't make sense that Carol's name would break the internet. He already told Carol he loved her before leaving the CW, so it wouldn't be anything new. The names of any other character (Rick? Judith? Michonne?) wouldn't either because the audience knows they're out there somewhere. To break the internet as the reviewer suggests, it would have to be someone we don't know about (most of the GA doesn't think Beth is alive) or something we haven't heard Daryl say before.

So, here's what I'm guessing/hoping for. What if someone (Isabelle, I'm assuming) asks Daryl if he's ever been in love? Now, it says it's an "almost" name drop, so maybe he doesn't actually say Beth's name, but mentions a girl he once ended up alone on the road with or something.

That would be sublime. 😍

And naturally other shippers think he'll refer to Carol. But here's the thing. Let's say--you know, just for kicks--that he IS talking about romantic love and he DID refer to Carol. I still don't think that would break the internet. Sure, the Caryl shippers would go absolutely ballistic with triumph and joy, but remember that, while they're very loud and vocal, they're just a small part of the internet. Most of the GA doesn't know who they are any more than they know who we are. And I think the after TWD viewer who isn't part of the ship wars would just go, "huh. Okay. So they finally had Daryl say he was in love with someone." And then they would shrug and move on. Because most of the GA wants Daryl to find a happy ending, but they don't care overly much who it's with.

Now, obviously I DON'T think he's going to say Carol's name, in a romantic or any other capacity. My point is just that no matter how you slice it, Daryl saying Carol's name would not break the internet, so that can't be what the reviewer is talking about.

But referring to Beth would be completely different. We've never heard him talk about her before. And if he talks about feelings he had for her, well, even the average viewer remembers his and Beth's storyline (AMC has certainly kept it in the forefront of most people's minds all these years) and would have an emotional reaction to Daryl talking about her, and even more so if he says he loved her.

Now, of course this is all speculation one way or the other. We have no idea what he will actually be talking about in that scene. Again, this is just what I'm guessing/hoping for, because it's the only thing I can think of that would "break the internet" as the article says.

So, I've already addressed most of this. I'm not getting the Daryl/Isabelle romance thing at all when I read the articles. Again, just read them very carefully. It says there are set ups that feel like romance tropes, but it doesn't actually say there's a relationship, and the same thing could have been said of Connie and plenty of others.

As for the happy ending, I really think we'll see something of that by the end of the first season, but remember that the reviewers have admitted they can't talk about that. But even if we don't get a total Daryl/Beth reunion in S1, keep in mind that Judith's line about his happy ending probably spans the entire spinoff series.

And if I'm right about him mentioning Beth, (yes, still a big IF right now) well, there's no reason to do that unless they're foreshadowing her coming back into the story.

So, as always, we'll have to wait and see what the episodes bring us.

Can reviews be misleading? Yes. Definitely. And I don't even think it's always done purposely on the part of the reviewer. Sometimes yes, sometimes, no. But we have someone who has seen the show and is trying to reveal it without spoiling it. Each reviewer has their own thoughts and impressions and biases that naturally leak into their reviews. Some of them don't have English as their first language. Some of them are Caryl shippers, and that will make their reviews sound a certain way.

So, you just have to keep in mind that these reviewers are human beings with their own insights and opinions. And while that might make their review come off as misleading, it's really just that they have their own interpretation of what they're seeing, just as we do. Whose to say who's right or wrong? (Except we're totally right. 😉😁😇)

Overall, I've really enjoyed reading all these articles and harvesting clues and insights from them. I'm more excited for the Daryl spinoff than ever and still think it is leading to Beth. And we'll get episode 1 in just a few days. (Yay! 🎉)

Xoxo! 🍁🍂💓

[nekkodiaries]

⌖ the 7th shot. ┆ second base. [ 0.7k words + 2 pics. ]

killstrike: oi, i waited for 30 mins for ur stupid ass n u didnt come ://

killstrike: hey .. its been 2 days 😐 this isnt funny r u actually mad at me

killstrike: im sorry for calling u stupid 😕 even tho u kind of are

killstrike: 😕😕😕 its been 5 days since ur last active. are you okay?

jay sighs as he finishes sending the last message. summer break's about to end and the way she's been inactive makes him feel like this little friendship they've made's about to end too. maybe he should have taken heeseung's advice and asked for her number. or any other social media account.

this feels all too repetitive of the last 'incidents' he's had with her. she ghosts him and he gets anxious, staring at the screen until that little button beside her icon turns green, messaging her a couple of times even though he isn't getting a reply back. each message he sends knocking down hard on his pride, but he continues to type away. it almost leaves him upset at how he's actively trying to build a friendship with her, and her not caring enough to update him.

but he shoos his anxious thoughts away, convincing himself that maybe he's overthinking this. that even though she teased and insulted him quite a lot, she'd never completely ghost jay without reason.

just like magic, his phone vibrates. jay sits up from his bed, eyes glued on the little chat box he has with notursniper. she just comes back with a lame "haha hi." without anything else. was she not going to address how she was gone for a week? was she going to dip again?

killstrike: haha hi your face.

jongseong did not mean for his words to come out so 'upset' and pointed, but he actually was.

notursniper: hey 🥺 did you not miss your favorite sniper,, hmph

killstrike: you were gone for a week and you didn't tell me 😐

notursniper: i didn't have a choice !! i sprained my hand and my wrist hurts too much to hold my phone 🥺 can't even game grrRRr.

oh. that's why she was away. he wonders why she keeps getting into little accidents— from catching fever to spraining her hand. so clumsy, this one. he chuckles and puts his phone down briefly, rubbing his palm on his face as it dawns on him just how stupid he was for getting so deep into his mind about her short absence.

notursniper: oh god, you waited for me the day i slipped hhhhHhh I'M SORRY 🥺😭

killstrike: nah it's no big deal. i DID worry bc of ur sudden absence though. not fun. 😐😐😐 killstrike: anyw. do u wanna play now? i haven't duo-ed since u went AWOL on me

notursniper: guess you're gonna go awol on duo for longer because i can't play rn notursniper: i'm lich relly typing w one hand because my wrist hurts like a raging bitch.

his thumbs come to the screen to tell her to take a rest but heeseung's words come to mind. maybe he can ask for her twitter? pubg isn't as fun without her as his partner, plus he wouldn't have to log in everyday just to reply to her. god knows he's only been using the game to talk to her and not to actually game.

he stares at his phone for a while, thumbs slightly trembling at the thought of asking her to talk somewhere else other than the app itself. jay is nervous this would change their dynamics. but is it really that deep? maybe it is. maybe it's not. maybe he's just overthinking this again. but she might think otherwise— maybe she assumes he wants something more than a platonic gamer-friendship with her (which he does) but he doesn't want to outright give up his pride for that. then again, if he doesn't do this, he realizes she might ghost again and he's the one who'll end up having a hard time. so with his toes curled in nervousness, he types out a message.

killstrike: would it be easier to talk on twitter? only if you're comfortable. :)

notursniper: are going to second base rn? 😳😳

killstrike: . loRD. i should not have apologized that day 🧎🏻

notursniper: i'm kidding ! 🤣 give me you're @ and i'll follow you.

killstrike: same as my ign.

notursniper: boo 👎 boring 👎

killstrike: i don't take insults from 9-year olds. now go follow me and let's talk there so you can rest your wrist.

masterlist. ┆ previous. — next.

summary: park jay lives life as a hot-headed gamer by day and.. well.. still a hot-headed gamer by night— except he secretly goes by the name killstrike. after losing a match, he finds himself trash-talking his teammate notursniper, who happens to be the mysterious classmate he's been admiring for over a year and more.

taglist [open] : @yvnjin-s @wondering-out-loud @rikisly @babystrlla @shinrjj @homelycat @annoyingbitch83 @fadedluvv @haerinism

permanent taglist: @duolingofanaccount @enhasengene

[prettyboyhowl]

the gang goes to Barbie (drabble)

(when I thought about which movie the ROs would see between Barbie and Oppenheimer I quickly realised none would go for Oppenheimer lmao, so have a drabble)

You look down at Gil's footwear with a combination of disgust and awe. "I still can't believe you bought those. Are you even going to wear them after today?"

"Uh, hell yeah! It's gonna be me and my barbie pink Crocs all day every day." With a shit-eating grin, he flicks his pink sunglasses down over his eyes. "That's Kenergy, babyyy."

Nearby, Otto sports a similar pair of shades on top of her head. You all agreed to wear pink to see the movie, but she lacked the colour in her wardrobe and didn't want to buy a new outfit. Instead, in an effort to commit, she took an old plain white tee and scribbled on it with hot pink marker. The front says 'BARBIE', with a messy thick line underneath it, and there's a large 'B' on the back. She's wearing it with a pair of black cargo pants and boots.

In contrast, Lemon Sorbet truly went all out, showing up to your meeting spot outside the cinema in a pink suit. He bristles with energy, looking very excited and happy to be here.

Gil's not completely donned in pink, dressed in a hawaiian shirt and shorts, but he's a staunch competitor for 'most attention-grabbing' with his pink shades, the pink Crocs, and the flaming hot pink feather boa draped around his neck. Passers-by glance at him as they approach, then do double takes as they pass, the streets crowded with people on their way home from work. You stand in a bit to avoid blocking the sidewalk.

The most normal-looking one is actually Ernie, who, despite her commitment to the theme, hasn't changed much from usual. The elegant light pink jacket and skirt combo may be a little fancy for the cinema, but it's the kind of outfit she'd normally wear. She's standing off to the side, eyes sparkling as she takes a picture with a Barbie movie poster that's been put up on the outside wall of the cinema; framed and rimmed with lights to combat the darkness setting into the sky.

"Alright, let's go," Gil exclaims, gathering the group's attention. He begins to lead the way to the supermarket three doors down.

"Aren't we going into the cinema?" Ernestine asks.

"We're getting snacks first," you say with a smile.

Gil slows to take up the space on Ernestine's other side. "Right, see cinemas usually don't let you bring in your own food because they want you to buy their snacks, which are more expensive," he explains to the Otherworlder.

"Ohh," Ernestine nods understandingly. "So you save money by smuggling in things you get from the supermarket."

"Exactly!"

"Why don't you steal from the supermarket while you're at it?" There's not a hint of sarcasm or judgement to her tone, and when you scan her face you find her looking at you in genuine question.

"Uhh," your smile freezes, "that would be illegal." You swear they have laws in Faethairis; why do you always seem to be having this conversation with Ernie?

"You're breaking the cinema's rule, aren't you?" she points out.

"Yeaaah," Gil pulls a face, "but that's not the same as breaking a law. Potato, tomato, you know?"

Ernestine tilts her head. "Aren't you already breaking laws-"

She's cut off by loud laughter from Gil, who looks around to check no one was listening in. His voice pitches up nervously. "Whaaat, we have not done… anything of the sort."

"What are you three talking about?" Lemon Sorbet asks brightly, catching up from behind with Otto in tow.

Three different answers come simultaneously: "What snacks we want." "Law-breaking." "Nothing much."

Otto lifts a brow amusedly as Lemon Sorbet just smiles cheerily. "Ooh, I'm so excited for the movie," he confesses. "Aren't you, Otto?"

She shrugs non-committally. "Eh. Better this than the other one."

"To think of how far Barbie has come… " He lifts a finger. "You know, I was there when the first one was released. Fascinating, how things evolve." You can see the scholar in him ignite as he begins to get lost in reminiscence.

"Hey, we should all take a group photo later," Gil suggests as you all file into the supermarket, flooding the bright white aisles with a wave of pink.

"Can you stop pushing me?" "I'm not even touching you… ow!"

"Otto I think you need to stand a bit closer." "Yeah, people will think you're scared to be seen with us." "That's ridiculous." "Okay now you're too close."

"Are we smiling or doing funny faces?"

"Let's smile first."

"Okay wait is everyone in the frame?" You start the countdown. "Okay, 1, 2, 3…"

"Barbie!" "Margot Robbie." "Cheese!" "…"

*click*

[loquaciousquark]

Mulling over the news about the upcoming Patch 2 and trying to decide what I want to do here. I'm very, very close to the end of the game--just the dragon quest, Orpheus, and assaulting the Elder Brain left--and the news about the epilogues has me wondering if I should wait to finish until after Patch 2 drops, since IGN suggests it's coming out this week. (I mean, I played ME3 both with and without the Extended Edition DLC, and knowing what came first helped me much more deeply appreciate what came after, but...hm.)

I'm also trying to figure out what exactly is being suggested with this new Karlach content. The Steam post says it's a "more fleshed-out" ending that many have been asking for and that it's a "new optional ending" that's "fiery, poignant, and gives her the ending she deserves." The IGN article quotes one of the devs as saying "it will make a lot of people happy," which...what's going to make them happy other than an implication that her heart can be fixed permanently--but also, what's poignant about that? Hmm.

I don't really care about the Minthara stuff (sorry Larian), but I'm very interested in the expanded epilogues being suggested for the rest of the party. What Larian says on the Steam post, that they were sure fans wouldn't want a long epilogue in a game where you can complete so many quests in so many ways, is silly to me, but regardless, they seem to be addressing it, and I won't argue with more content letting you know how you've affected the world. It's also not clear to me if this patch is going to include new/expanded epilogues for everyone or if Karlach is just first. I've also read about the bugs with the LI post-epilogue scene not triggering unless you let Karlach die in the final battle, and I'm curious to see if this fixes that. Not that I'm exactly over-eager to get Astarion's at this point, ha--though whatever happens there will shape my post-game oneshot, for sure!

It doesn't really matter to me if they add the Upper City back in; I've been reading some of the original material (ads, trailers, and such), and frankly I think people made a lot more of a few throwaway lines than they should have, and I'm not sure that's Larian's fault. I don't even really want another area to explore in Act 3; what we have is plenty! I do think Cazador's palace's entrance is dumb, but meh. Not exactly a dealbreaker. So that they say here that they never meant the Upper City to be more than something to fight through in a climactic battle--fine, sure, good with me.

I am super glad to see performance in Act 3 especially is being addressed. I've had to restart the game for fps drops there more than any other place--it felt like almost every two hours sometimes. I found myself actively avoiding saving because it seemed like every time I saved, I dropped five fps. It'll be good to see that section run more smoothly.

In other news regarding my actual game progress, I finished the House of Hope the other day, and that special fight song at the end has been stuck in my head on loop ever since. I really, really loved that song & how they used it, and I'm going to go listen to it again now.

(I also got the Devil's Fee woman the Gloves of Hill Giant Strength to complete that quest, then stole them right back out of her back pocket and gave them to Karlach. For as generally altruistic as Tavish has become over the course of the game, some habits die too hard, and some items are just too shiny.)

[callmearcturus]

im the patron saint of stoking petty fires so i'd love to hear your beef with TLOU and ND (which. idk what that is? my brain keeps trying to call it New Degas). feel free to rant

(hey this is a WHOLEASS RANT about how much i hate TLOU! if you even remotely like those games, maybe don't read this!)

my god. lottie. /drags hands over face. you need to understand that this is the beef of a person who has not played TLOU, will never play it, and haaaaaates it regardless. when TLOU2 won GOTY at the fucking game awards over more deserving titles with less fraught developers, i was incensed. i hate this games in the same was a child would hate broccoli. except instead of being good for you, broccoli is an emblem of everything wrong with the gaming industry, up there with Red Dead Redemption (which I fucking hate too).

Oh and ND is Naughty Dog, the developer of TLOU. Also there is some fucked up labor shit and sexual harassment shit at ND.

But what it comes down to is

I fucking hate prestige games as a genre. I hate what they have done to the industry. One of the markers of TLOU and ND's work is that they have codified what the Sony Studio Game has to be, and it's these incredibly cinematic, incredibly filmic, hyper-photorealistic dramas that want so fucking bad to be movies, I don't know how anyone talks shit about Kojima's movie boner while these fucking things are being made.

The cost that the rise of TLOU has wrought on the industry pisses me off to no end. Developers, especially the ones who work with Sony bc this is very much the House Brand of Playstation, fucking brag about "oh yeah we spent 6 months building the rig to animate this character's hair" and "we modeled these horses with such precision their balls get smaller in the cold" and "this lighting engine accounts for the dew point of the scene which we also coded an engine for"

all these things feel to me like feats of crunch, of throwing money at problems that don't exist, because it's a fucking blurb to tell IGN to hype your game, not anything the actual game benefits from or needs. making games is already such a fucking labor intensive artform and this shit feels like adding completely unnecessary complication in pursuit of a perfect simulacrum of reality.

i also hate the violence of them. i feel like ND thinks it's sooooo fucking ahead of everyone else. look at this, look at how BRUTAL it is, look at Ellie slit a human's throat in high definition, doesn't that make you feel something, GAMERS?

bitch, no. it doesn't. because that's one of the two verbs in these fucking games. you kill people or you watch a cutscene. and making players go "oh shit are we the baddies" has been an extremely common trope for years. Spec Ops The Line was 11 years ago, bruh, you need to learn a new trick than "making the player feel bad about violence, ooooooooo spooky". it's our ONLY. FUCKING. VERB.

they pour so much effort and money and time and labor into these games, these apex projects, and their verbs are the fucking same as the first goddamn Halo game. you kill things or you watch a cutscene. you just made the violence more visceral.

in the gaming industry, the people who really make shit that changes the landscape are people who try for something more worthwhile than "here, now you can play this gory movie." it's shit like new vegas asking me to make complex ethical decisions backed by hundreds of years of context and history. it's hades teaching players that failing is its own reward. it's toby fox using pixel art and a leitmotif to make me feel something. it's spiritfarer trying to teach people not to fear death and that kindness is important even at the end of everything.

i am philosophically opposed to the Sony Studio Model, to Naughty Dog, and to TLOU. I think they are holding the industry back. they're mediocre games because they're trying to be movies, and their mediocre movies because they're supposed to be games. I haaaaaaaate them.