#notion bg

[claudiuhcf]

Lisa crying in front of Everything is FIne dog

[voidspiraling]

Omg so I was obsessing over Till again ya know. As one do.

And I was analyzing (obsessing) over the baby Till comic when I noticed some thingssss. (This is just my interpretations feel free to disagree)

This frame was fun to look at bc it was just Till doodling and looking cute. But the closer you look…..

Till knew that the flowers were actually cameras!!!maybe that’s why even tho Ivan ripped up the flowers in Till’s presence Till didn’t actually hate it as much. Most IvanTill scenes rarely have these flowers in them and I think after Till grows up we stop seeing the flowers altogether.

Baby is so observant 🥹

Another thing I was obsessing over was the final few frames. In this one my eyes first went to Till because he is contrasted in the picture (blue against white bg and his head being in the center of the comp) and then to Mizi bc she is the biggest element in the picture. But after looking closer you see that Mizi and Sua are both blurry. They are also further away from Till.

But here Ivan and Till are both in focus and they’re right next to each other. I think this shows how despite what Till outwardly says on his subconscious level he feels closer to Ivan. They’re equals. This is also easy to overlook because Ivan is cut off in the picture. He’s like a shadow off to the side. This could be bc Ivan always hides what he feels to everyone and to himself. Or maybe bc he always follows Till around like a shadow lol.

Another thing I wanted to add is when Till turns around. Presumably he’s looking at Mizi (could just be the viewer but lets assume it’s Mizi) but his face is flat he only looks surprised to see her. But aside from the fact that his collar is green we don’t see any other indication that he’s happy. His face isn’t flushed nor is his face expressive like it usually is. I think this is bc his love for Mizi wasn’t in a romantic sense but more in a admiration sense, and his love has cooled down.

Not to sound mean or anything but I remember reading that the reason he fell in love with her is bc of her smile. While that is a sweet notion it feels surface level especially when you compare it to Ivan’s love to Till.

Which would you prefer someone falling in love with your smile vs. someone falling in love with your strength and passion?

I also think that it’s telling that in his R2 song he admits that his feelings were “Error: No better options” Till likely knows that he doesn’t love Mizi but he feels like he should love her bc she is so kind and gentle. She gave him such nice and thoughtful gifts. Even complimented his piercings and treats him kindly even though he’s an outcast.

In his mind he should be madly in love with her. She should be his “savior.”

But inevitably his eyes drift to Ivan.

And I think it’s telling that while Till is looking at Ivan the focal point of the panel is the kids of Anakt garden walking among real trees. It shows that his love for Ivan is similar to freedom and that his love for Ivan is real. It’s like someone feeling relief at finally expressing their love after denying themselves for so long. I think Till tried to force himself to fall in love romantically with Mizi bc he felt too vulnerable around Ivan.

He likes Ivan but he thinks Ivan doesn’t like him so that’s why he tries to fall in love with someone else to get over it. He’s probably afraid of Ivan rejecting him so he projects his love onto Mizi instead. Till doesn’t actually know Mizi all that well so in a way even if she rejects him it won’t hurt that much. And he does feel happier around her and wants to talk to her more. But I think this is more of a friendship thing than a romance thing. Till also wanted to be friends with Sua too but Sua was too obsessed with Mizi to give a damn. That’s why Till feels uncomfortable around her and likely why he gave up talking to her first.

But since Till or any human for that matter were never taught how to love all he can do is try to remove his feelings for Ivan and put them on Mizi. However this isn’t rlly healthy nor does it work out.

After all…

His collar turns green when he listens to Ivan singing. Even though he was injured to the point he passed out, even though he’s bleeding profusely, even though he likely has a major headache. Ivan’s song is comforting to him.

That can only because of love right? Hell after his round even though Mizi was right next to him looking at him he was too injured to even pay her any attention. But here he managed to open his eyes bc it was Ivan singing.

They’re love was always mutual Till was just to shy abt it and tried to run away from it.

;-;

[ruehyte]

Self reblogging because god damn I have thoughts actually. I want to yap about their lore somewhere so I remember / can edit later. and this is my special void so I can Do What I Want

Cyvin Ingellvar | They/Them | Rogue of the Mourn Watch

A Dalish elf that was stripped of their right to grow up amongst their people- Having failed their blood-writings ritual, passing out from the pain of just 2/3s of the ceremony, they were left by their keeper in the old ruins that they had settled nearby. Somewhere with walls, at least, would keep the thing from dying. If it was any stronger than any of them thought.

A teenage Cyvin was then discovered by undead within the old tomb, and raised by necromancers, the 'Mourn Watch,' an organisation of which they became a part of in due time.

Their vallaslin is that of Falon'Din, which I felt was fitting, considering their strange relationships with death and the undead. they had a broken connection in trying to have their vallaslin dedicated to him....and then were raised in a similar light anyway <3

I LOVE YOU ALREADY CYVIN INGELLVAR

[smallnico]

"... can you even reach my hand?"

esper is not very tall. be careful what you say to them before you finalize your oath not to harm each other.

(a better look at the high primate fit under the cut!)

concept by me. lots of red jewels and teeth and pieces of bone. i wanted so much to work the general forgotten realms description of bhaalist robes into the concept here, but i had such a hard time making the purple look the way i wanted it, so i just had to get really generous with the notion of "purple".

(gort's mask is based off of the baneite concept art for bg. if it's proper to cover your face during a bhaalist ceremony to ensure anonymity then esper will have insisted. they're a very straightlaced and disciplined bhaalist.)

it's hard to be intimidating when your god made you 5'4" and the shape of your ceremonial robes makes you look even more scrunched, but esper takes their job as head of the temple of bhaal very seriously.

[daemon-in-my-head]

Back to my usual grim business, but like, who decided Gortash is past the point of saving? As far as I can tell, nobody ever even attempted to save him and if fucking Durge, who was the leader and the worst out of the old dead 3, can be redeemed, who's to say Gortash can't?

I mean, heck, he's ready and willing to kill even Durge the second they get in his way, despite what some people (hi, it's me) hc they may have had. Give that man a good argument and an option he'd never see himself, and he'd probably do it. He's practical, screwed up and has 0 morals (which is to be expected given his bg) but practical, and you can use that. After all, he wants to become/be seen as a hero. As someone benevolent. If you can convince Keteric, who's just straight up given up on life and everything within it, I do think it's possible to save Gortash too.

I personally wouldn't want to redeem him cuz I like their rs dynamic of 'is it manipulation or admiration' far better, but fr, who said he's too far gone? Yeah, sure he might be kicking and screaming throughout it, but that's a lot of ppl in therapy, isn't it? That's what some of your companions did for three whole acts, isn't it?

Idk man, I don't see a reason why he's 'beyond saving' except for the narrative of the game demands it. BG3 is all about saving people who didn't see anything wrong with their ways, so why is he written off like that? Is it cuz he's old? Astarion's certainly far older, and he can be saved. Because he isn't handsome? Well, I think he is. Cuz he did human experiments? Durge straight-up performed vivisections frequently. Cuz he fucked with Netherese/Karsus magic? A kind reminder that Gale has a piece of the karsite weave in his chest.

Genuinely, I don't understand that notion.

[obsidianpen]

currently re-watching the HP movies through and can I say how much I feel like it does our girl Hermione justice to be with Tom (or even Draco, which seems like it could have happened in BG lowkey) ugh the possibilitirs

girly is brightest witch of her age, she’s a girl who is loyal and excels in what she does, and she ends up with RON. Ugh. My outrage. Sorry if any of y’all are Ron-Hermione shippers, no disrespect to my fellow fandom frends xx

anyways, thanks for giving me a timeline where she and Riddle are involved because I feel like she deserves better than what Jo gave her. 🖤

can’t wait for the next chapter of BG 🙏

well to be fair book Ron is much better than movie Ron. And I’ve actually warmed up more to the idea of romione! I think I could get behind any ship really, it’s all just a writing skill issue. I don’t love how they came together in canon but I think they could work.

I’m also smiling over the notion of romione shippers reading this, the way they would think we were demented for putting hermione with Tom and saying ‘that’s more her speed’ 😂😂😂

[lukolabrainrot]

Part 2: re: New Speculation that L&N have been together since Toronto

List of items that I think other armchair detectives will raise:

1) L’s post about “don’t let her ruin our night” - message to N, consistent with theory

2) SATC TT - N captioned this with ‘not you Colin, you’re perfect’ - this is a message to fans to emphasise that she is not the victim in this narrative because people thought L is hard launching gf, distancing himself, etc. “Bridgertons” IG story is N’s attempt to make L laugh.

3) Double Washington post posts - consistent with theory plus damage control

4) Fallon - I now think N was with him in NYC. The point of this is still damage control, to put focus on him, not for selfish reasons, but to deflect attention away from A and especially N. But dude can’t keep his mouth shut about N 😂

5) Milan/Loewe - I think Milan was planned before break up but L went ahead with it with A because of the agreement. Even though there were some videos that got out, it would appear that there is an attempt to minimize any pap photos of L and A going out (there are speculations that L and team bought them out).  L looked anxious and stressed here while A looked confident as all out.  I think she’s also meant to go in Loewe but with the backlash, she was asked to sit this one out.

 6) LA part 2 - I think this is work related for him and she was planned to go before break up. Went as planned because of agreement and also so that she can explore career options here (we had the birthday party from PR person here). A posted LA photos but no arm or hand in sight. First lifeguard on duty photos that were publicly leaked. L captioned La La Land on his one and only post. Note he didn’t use “LA” anymore. Is this an inside joke to N?

7) GQ - networking opportunity for A - she was really in her element here. I think she enjoys being able to rub elbows with celebrities.  His photos on his IG posts were mostly in the dark, is there some symbolism at play here?

8) Italy - group trip, weird and awkward behaviours from both L&A – 2nd lifeguard duty photos that were again publicly leaked. We got the whole shebang here: pap photos, DM, PM, and BG posts. I have a feeling that this is L’s PR team at work.  I think this is nearing the end of the agreement that is why we’re getting a full-court press.

9) N and N friend group posts including JD – I will post this analysis separately of a pattern that I’m seeing. Pattern is the posts from her side coincided with posts on his side (as in they happen in a specific cluster of days). Almost as if N knows something from his side will be posted and she a) has to distract herself b) distract the fans so that whatever L posts don’t get that much of a backlash c) has to send a secret message to L that she’s doing fine and she’s still 💯 in.

10) The Great Unliking of 2024 – personal reasons … I think he didn’t like the reminder that, at one point (especially now that he’s with N), he wavered on the notion that he and N could be together. Unliking J posts - this is a secret-not-so-secret acknowledgment on when his feelings for N surfaced (read: became undeniable).  This is his way of coming to terms/quietly accepting that this is the date when he clocked out on his J relationship.

Sidebar: I think L, while he is happy with N, is salty with fans. It’s like end of S2 backlash for him again. He is probably thinking why he has become the villain again for events that are not entirely his fault. I think he’s hurting and in disbelief that people believe he can do something as vile as what a lot of folks think about the pap walk (including me initially), that he would actually waste 4 years’ worth of effort, both his and N’s efforts, and disrespect the Bridgerton team and N like that.

.

[brokerplushsg]

AFTER A 2 YEAR HIATUS, I FINALLY FINISHED ITTTTTTT

Ngl pausimg this work for 2 years is kinda a blessing in disguise since by then I had learned many art techniques including one for the bubbles (which admittedly was pretty experimental but I loved how it turned out)

Also I hate drawing bgs ahsjdhejebbd

Anyways this is for my FTO prompt and its THE GOAT PEARLLL

Anyways uh I decided to draw her at a beach at sunset displaying some bubbles :3

Pearl is owned by gaaraspotato on Discord :D

https://toyhou.se/16215368.-edeia-pearl

Oh yeah this is kidna related to why I'm not so active, since now I'm focusing on trying to complete an FTO prompt for an EXTREMELY cool closed species known as Edeia, owned by @ausp-ice who is an AMAZING ARTIST

Edeia yap session below if ya interested vvvvvv

Imma just take this time to glaze Edeia for a moment because its genuinely an amazing closed species because IT HAS NO DESIGN LIMITATIONS since this is a more lore focused closed species

Aside from spending money to buy Edeia, if you are a feebie person like me, you can take a First Time Owner (FTO) prompt which you just need to write and/or make art and bam, MYO/Notion (which is essentially Auspice designing your Edeia for you) for free

Even after FTO, you can collect currency to get a MYO, Notion or even special traits by completing funny prompts with writing/drawing

Comparing these to other closed species freebie options where you just need to like spam a command every day or heck, even rely on luck to even barely get a chance to claw your way to an MYO (Staring at you, Terraliens, I like y'all but for what is essentially a furry with a glass face I do NOT want to spend possible YEARS betting on chance just to be able to get 1 simple MYO along with 90% of traits locked behind items)

So yeah completing prompts for Currency is not only more fun, but it can help develop your own Edeia and drawing/writing for currency is definitely more fun than grinding for it

Anyways I should also specify YES YOU CAN GET A EDEIA WITHOUT HAVING THE ABILITY TO DRAW, YA JUST NEED TO WRITE GOOD

Also aside from yapping about the "technicalities" of the species and what I love about it, the concept itself is so cool

So essentially Edeia are beings that embodies various ideas, from more abstract ideas like Anomie, Potential, Vogue, or more straight forward ones like Music, Technology, The Tides, or even very silly ones like Simping, Skrunkly and C h a i r (Yes those are real Edeia you can check the masterlist of over 500+ Edeia)

By the way I should also mention that most if not all Edeia are born as they are, usually, they start their lives as humans, animals, objects or even creatures outside of the Ideation universe (aka the universe of Edeia) that become very intune with a certain idea/concept, leaving their past forms behind to pursue it and thus embody said idea/concept.

Also yeah they kinda do become similar to gods because they are immortal, only being able to die by disassociation, can have very powerful abilities depending on their idea, and technically can travel beyond their own universe if they wish

Also again I will mention Edeia can appear as ANYTHING, therefore there is absolutely ZERO design restrictions and you can literally draw whatever tf you want as long as its associated with their idea

If you wanna learn more about Edeia, you can check out the official website here :D

[tomwambsgans]

since 4x1 is said to be 10 days before the election, and the 2020 election was on november 3rd, then that means logan's bday is october 24th. that also means that there was a halloween a week after the events of the pilot AND more importantly a halloween somewhere around kill list. which means we missed out on an epic opportunity for a succession halloween episode where instead of a regular retreat in norway it's matsson's halloween party that he invites them to, and he is exactly the kind of guy to insist everyone come in costume and to give waystar all a sense of if they don't take this seriously and put real effort into it and get in the halloween spirit then the deal won't work. this also works perfectly with roman and ken's plan to "scooby-doo it" and both metaphorically AND literally convince matsson that the company is haunted. like briefly taking the notion of logan's ghost and haunted houses to the logical extreme. maybe even have brian cox mill amongst the bg characters. meanwhile tom and greg have a realistic excuse to bring the nero/sporus thing home with ancient roman costumes and greg in particular proves to have a serious talent for bobbing for apples that gets matsson's attention.

[halfmoonism]

The Scorpion and the Frog

When alone together in Naomi Misora’s car, who really is the hunter and the hunted? Well, even if the answer to that question mattered, the ensuing car ride doesn't change anything. Or it changes everything, but only if you're sentimental like that. . Months after the Kira case, Mello makes an addendum to August 19th. (Vague sequel to from the world's best-dressed half of the Third L.)

ao3 link here rated T | chose not to use archive warnings | gen | 4.2k words dn: another note, beyond birthday & naomi misora, bg mello &/ near tags: major spoilers, alternate universe - canon divergence (specifically for one character), ambiguous relationships, foregone conclusions

a/n: cw for beyond being really fucking weird abt misora's boundaries, as he always is. another note is like my favorite thing to come out of dn so <3 I kept the mello narration intact. naomi misora my beloved

You see, when Naomi Misora and Rue Ryuzaki went to investigate the crime scene of the third victim, Backyard Bottomslash, her house was actually quite far from both the first and second victims. Setting aside the USA's horrendous public transportation system, Misora could not fathom taking the subway with someone like Ryuzaki. No, it is as if her very being rebelled against the notion of being seen in public with someone so unabashedly shameless and creepy. Even her own vehicle would be better, she decided with a speed that shocked her.

So, despite her own qualms at allowing such a person into the passenger seat of her car, Misora posited the suggestion. In retrospect, she didn't know why she had done it. Surely Ryuzaki had his own way of getting to crime scenes, and she wanted nothing more but to spend as little time in his company as possible, but the words had left her mouth before she could properly review them and Ryuzaki had jumped on the offer with inappropriate enthusiasm.

"Why, Misora," he said, still on all fours, "what a generous offer."

At least he hadn’t started crawling backwards. Small comfort.

"Yes, generous..." she mumbled, mentally berating herself. Perhaps her reflexive kindness had kicked in? She really couldn't explain the thought.

[shewolfofvilnius]

My Own Soul's Warning - Chapter 8 Hark! The Song of the Doomed Bard (Fic as a whole is Tavaria [Dark Urge] x Rolan and with past Tavaria x Gortash, but this chapter is mostly just story and some Tavaria & Lia friendship.)

[cw for canon-typical violence and gore for Durge BG, plus cw for references to dubcon and noncon sex in a character's past]

A young bard, all alone, has arrived at camp. If you're reading a BG3 fic you already know what happens next.

Note: Trying fairly hard to keep to my "three chapters every two weeks" schedule. Chapter 9 should be a bonus Wednesday drop for Patch 8 and as part of the Wednesday rotation, with Chapter 10 next Sunday, followed by a week's hiatus.

[Read Chapter on AO3] [Read Entire Story on AO3]

Act 1, Part 8:

Tavaria had spent an hour up talking to their new traveling companion. For a moment, just a moment, Tavaria thought she could recall another conversation, another dragonborn, but the memory passed before it could be seized up.  Over the campfire, she learned that the young woman had struck out on her own away from her clan.  That her people generally were betrothed to someone as hatchlings but she had wanted to feel the stirrings of love all her own. 

The poor naive girl had never been been kissed.

 As the conversation deepened, Quil learned that Tavaria had been a child bard, but had stopped touring after the death of her family.  Asked if she had any cherished memories from those days on the road, Tav stared wistfully into the distance.

 “Just one, Quil.  Just the one.”  

“Tis a sad notion indeed to spend years of life entertaining others and to only have the one cherished memory of those times.  The world is not always kind to your people, as they often aren’t to mine.  I know that perhaps dragonborn throatsong is not what you wish to hear from a wayward traveler at camp; perhaps if you wished to share one of the songs from your younger days, it would make a positive memory of that tune.”

“The majority of my companions are asleep, Quil, and I’m still recovering from a head injury. Tonight...tonight might not be the best time.  Tell you what, I can’t do anything about my head, but in the morning, a friend recently gifted me a lute that belonged to someone dear to her. I’ll play something then.  I’ll be up early, and we’ll get you some breeches or leggings or tights...since the bandits apparently stole yours...and get you on your way.   Goodnight.”

As Tavaria rose up to leave, the bard thanked her.  “Truly, I did not expect to find this degree of kindness on the road from total strangers.  Druids are often a mixed lot, and between bandits and goblins, I was terrified of what might happen tonight.  Thank you, for being a safe light in the night, Tavaria. Good night.”

====

As planned, Tavaria woke early, planning to check on Quil and then get in a short morning’s run and scout ahead for new signs of goblin activity, before returning to meet up with Lia – and to check out that strange ox.

Her plans changed in an instant.

As she woke, she noticed her hands drenched in a dried crimson red, some pieces of it having a slight silvery sheen to it.  The blood came all the way up to her elbows, and splatter had completely ruined the black top and white leggings she had gone to sleep in. 

Leave it to blood to ruin another pair of white trousers, Tavaria. 

The moment of glibness, however, panicked her. That’s a LOT of blood. Up to your elbows. What the hells is going on?

Climbing out of her tent, the moon’s silvery glow still illuminating the land as the first traces of dawn begin to crack on the horizon, Tavaria didn’t have to go far to know what was wrong.  The very same dragonborn woman who had bid her such a thankful goodnight had been slaughtered.  Slaughter was perhaps insufficient.  Stab wounds completely covered the majority of her body, with a special focus on her abdomen. There, entrails hung loose not unlike the pile of boar parts she had discarded the previous night.  Intestines spilled out onto the ground. Her left leg was broken at an unnatural angle, and her throat was cut.  Above her left eye, Tavaria noticed that her scales and flesh appeared to be in the first moments of being peeled off – likely where the killer stopped.

Did whatever monster that did this plan to skin this dragonborn alive?

The feel of a dragonborn-leather overcoat draped around her shoulders came flooding in a memory. White scales resplendent with black and red leather trim.  She had returned from somewhere, with someone...

Her fractured mind pulled her back to the present.  This woman was dead, gored, and her companions would wake with the sun, if not earlier.  And here she stood, elbows deep and clothes drowned in this young woman’s blood and scales.

Seeing a bucket of water, she rushed over to wash off her arms, scrubbing so hard it nearly left her flesh raw.  The water ran red with her sin, so Tavaria quickly attempted to dispose of the water in the nearby stream.  Realising that her clothes were ruined beyond redemption, she rapidly ripped them off, leaving her only in her underclothes.  She wadded up her previous outfit and placed the garments into her bedroll, stripping off the metal accents which she buried inside a box inside her tent.

Better to have them see me in my underclothes than with a murderer’s mask, she thought.

Some twisted vile part of her almost wanted to get caught, wanted them to know who stood in their midst.

Who stands in their midst, godsdamnit, who?

As she turned to hide the body, she could begin to hear the first stirrings of her companions wanting to rise. Realizing she was soon to be out of time, she decided to take her chances and leave the corpse. If she was a rogue, let her lie like one.

===

Unsurprisingly, the camp awoke about an hour later to a high pitched scream of abject terror.  It was Gale.   Those in the camp slowly crowded around the body, Tavaria – still in her underclothes by far the last to arrive. 

“Ah, well I see how you like to spend the night”, said the vampire playfully. 

Panic gripped Tavaria, and the tension between Astarion and Tavaria caught Shadowheart’s notice.

“She was brutalised; the killer knifed her many times even after she was dead, from the appearance of it.  The wounds appear calculating, deliberate, and above all, full of primal fury.  There is only one person, in this camp or anywhere we have found so far who possesses such talent for butchery, Tavaria.  Was it you?

Tavaria looked over the corpse again with shock and horror.  Finally, hands clean, she managed to eventually meekly whisper, stunned, “I didn’t see anything.” Shadowheart studied her for a moment but appeared satisfied, and Gale was still aghast but had decided to Tavaria at her word...with a lesson. With disgust, he managed to sneer that the killer was “an animal indeed, to inflict so many cruelties on such an innocent.”

After pausing for a minute, he looked at her again.  “I believe I heard you discuss with our new friends that your parents were of the Kelemvoran persuasion.  Once you are in a more...decent...state, if you’d be so kind as to help me offer this young lady a proper burial, I would be most grateful.  Karlach and Wyll, if you’d assist as well.  Once this is done, I will be happy to share about my...condition...as Tavaria witnessed yesterday. But first, let us commit this poor victim to the earth.”

The burial had taken seemingly half the morning, but with a couple of prayers, the last of the dirt was placed atop the relatively shallow grave just a short walk from the campsite. A small marker was placed to commemorate her grave.

Gale had filled in the squad of companions on yesterday’s incident with the sword, and a barrage of questions ensued.  Tavaria pledged to do whatever she could to help keep Gale’s condition, mysterious as it is, in check. 

 He’s not the only one with a mysterious condition that could get everyone killed.  I have to get to the bottom of this.  No more innocents can die on my watch.   The saccharine thought made her stomach churn.

Astarion, Wyll, and Gale had agreed to scout ahead for trouble – and potentially any signs for their githyanki friend, while Shadowheart and Karlach accompanied Tavaria back to the grove.

=====

 En route to the strange ox – and to Lia – the trio had been stopped by another of the tiefling children, Mattis, along with a little girl he identified as his sister silfy.  A trained rogue, Tavaria spotted the swindle before it could even happen, grabbing Silfy’s hand right as it tried to reach into her bag.  Rather than berating the children, Tavaria complimented them on the attempt, but suggested that they pick their marks a bit more carefully, and to refine their techniques. She also specifically noted that Silfy didn’t quite have the heart for a life of crime, and suggested she find something a little bit more honest.

Karlach, watching Tavaria handle the two kids, was beaming.  “Gods, I wish I’d had someone to set me on the right path as a little scrapper.  Maybe I could have avoided crossing paths with that asshole prick that sold me to Zariel and got me in this mess. I was just a kid looking for a way to fill my days and make some cash when I fell into the wrong crowd. Worked for a guy I respected. A lot. Turns out the feeling wasn’t mutual. Turns out through the jigs and the reels he made a deal with Zariel behind my back.  You know, Zariel, right? Archdevil of Avernus?”

Gods, ten years in Avernus.  How is Karlach even alive?  Just, damn. Wait...Avernus.

Karlach had explained the basics of the infernal engine that had been installed nearly a decade ago to replace her heart the previous day, but mentioned how it had saved her in Avernus more times than she could count.  That she’d be beyond content to just get it fixed up to work here, back home.

“Karlach! Lia and her brothers, they have a friend. Dammon. The way they talk they seem to think I knew him, but I don’t remember him yet.  He’s the one who runs the makeshift forge just over the hill.  Lia and Cal told me he’d been put to work in a warforge in Avernus.  If anyone before we get to the city is going to have any fathoming of an idea how to fix that contraption, it’s him. If you want, Lia and I can introduce you, or…”

“Tavaria, if it’s not obvious, I’m a big girl. I appreciate the offer, but I can talk to the man at the forge myself.  You focus on Lia, see what the deal is on them scars today.  And meanwhile, let’s us work out what’s going on with that creepy ox.”

As they approached where the oxen were kept together to feed, Tavaria suddenly reach into her pack with a panic.   Where was her potion of animal speaking?  Shit . Shadowheart curiously noted a few drops of blood on the outside of the pack as Tavaria tried to find the potion still. 

“Wait, you’re a cleric. Can you just, cast it on me instead?” Shadoowheart hesitated before raising her hands, planning to cast it – only for her hand to wince in pain once more.

“It’s nothing. I’m fine, just, looks like I won’t be able to help you with this one.  Sorry, maybe we can come back tomorrow.”

Tavaria stirred the soup that was her brain trying to recall. The spell had a verbal component...a-ha!  “ Amicus animales.”   

A teal flare erupted from Tavaria’s hands and engulfed her entire person before settling on her mouth. 

Deciding to try her luck, she decided to open a dialogue with a more normal looking, if somewhat bored, ox down the pen near the haystack.  Most helpfully, he was grateful for the conversation, and informed her the tieflings kept their “shiny bits” hidding under the hay – and if he was in a particularly foul mood, he liked to eat the bits – they’d get them back, eventually.  Disgusted, Tavaria left the ox be and returned to the Strange Ox. 

----

Minutes later, a now-shellshocked Tavaria led Shadowheart and Gale down to where the siblings were hanging around – across the path from Dammon’s forge. Whatever the strange ox had said to Tavaria, she hadn’t spoken two syllables since the conversation with the beast had ended.   Finally, even more alarmed than she had been by the sight of Quil’s corpse at her feet and blood on her hands, she meekly whispered to Karlach, Shadowheart, and the siblings, “Do not trust the strange ox.  Keep it in your sights at all times.  Also, it mispronounced Elturel. Badly. Something is going on with that guy, but I didn’t feel the urge to provoke him further.”

  L ia was surprisingly chipper. “Paranoid about livestock? Okay, you are definitely the Tavaria we knew as a girl.”  Rolan however was intrigued. “You were able to cast another spell?  Speak with Animals is rather straightforward as far as spells go, many with magical affinity are even able to cast it as a ritual even if they otherwise can’t cast a cantrip.  It’s so simple I’m sure even Lia could do it.  Still, it’s another for the tally.

Tavaria, Lia’s already informed me the two of you wished for some time to catch up, just the two of you.  Cal and I are planning to go and cover the front gate this afternoon.  Several of the refugees manning the gate are still particularly distraught about Kanon, a funeral was prepared for today. None of the three of us were particularly close to Kanon, Arka, nor the others, and while we considered attending, we felt offering them the security of being able to cover his true close ones’ patrol was the best way to honour him.”

A grin fell across Tavaria’s face.  “That’s really very sweet, Rolan. Cal.  Thank you both for doing that for them.”

Cal noted, “Lia has other obligations with you, but she’s coming up on the wall with us later this afternoon, isn’t that right sis.” 

Lia rolled her eyes. “ Mraggin’... of course I’ll be there. This shouldn’t take all day, and besides, wouldn’t want to leave the grove entirely defenseless.”

“Tavaria, I – there were some murals in the grove yesterday that I wished to study had we more time. I think they might be able to tell us something important regarding the state of things. Since I am, respectfully, not a tiefling, I suspect Kagha and her allies will be at least moderately less antagonistic towards me travelling alone than with the two of you.  While you’re with Lia and Karlach is with Dammon, I wish to study what I believe I saw further.  I’ll return to the camp when I’m done, but offer you two some privacy.”

Karlach grinned. “Sounds like a plan.  I’ll come back to camp too when we’re done.”

Realizing Karlach didn’t know the entirety of the plan, Tavaria used the tadpole’s telepathic link to let the scorching woman know that Tavaria was going to use her medical training, which had somehow escaped the amnesia’s maw, to have Lia assist her with a bit of a check-up; that Nettie had asked Tavaria to check for signs of scarring all over out of several fears.” 

 Karlach, realizing why the boys had been left to their own devices, nodded affirmatively. “Say, that Lakrissa woman who was manning the post overlooking me nearly cooking. Wonder what she’s all about. I’ll go say hi when I’m done with Dammon.  Maybe introduce myself to the others too.  I can’t change the things I did or didn’t do back in Avernus, but I want everyone here to know until this old tin can beats it’s last that I’ll do what I can to help all you charmers now.”

Cal made a suggestion.  “After Dammon, cause I know that part’s apparently important, come join us up on the wall for guard duty for an hour first.  If they see you picking up a rota same as the rest of us, they’ll take you more seriously when you say you’re here to fight for us.”

Rolan looked shocked.  “Cal, all of those years being the diplomat mediating myself and our sister have given you a truly keen mind for peacemaking.  Very clever. Besides, if there’s one thing I learned, when it comes to guard duty, the more the merrier. I would rather be en route to the city to begin things with Lorroakan, but if I must remain here to protect all of us, a little company would do some good I think.”

Tavaria beamed.  She’d heard just enough from Lia and Cal – and prior to dinner yesterday had seen a moment or two herself – to know that Rolan being cooperative was apparently not a common condition. 

“Rare...almost like you being kind.  What in the unholy abominations of the abyss was that ‘encouragement’ drivel?” Tavaria’s tainted mind asked her. “You could slaughter every one of these wretched tieflings in ten minutes and be on your way back to Baldur’s Gate yourself by high sun. They said it’s a tenday’s walk from here, imagine the havok you could wreak in that time.”

Tavaria subdued the dark voice, still sated after the horror she had avoided responsibility for.  It had told her one thing she needed to know.  She was Baldurian. The tieflings had known the younger girl in Elturel, but this dark impulse seemed to be more up-to-date.  She knew it in her spirit the second the dark urge had said it. She was from Baldur’s Gate.  

It was one more clue, at least.

====

Tavaria and Lia made way towards a now-empty camp, expecting privacy.  En route, the rogue found herself asking a question of her childhood friend. 

"Asharak? Really?"

"Tav! Who the hells told you about him?"

"Wyll, curiously enough.  Said he'd seen the two of you together before we'd gotten here, and that'd you'd been spending a lot of time together.  I'm-"

"Please, Gods, don't say you're 'happy for me'.  There's not anything to even be 'happy' FOR.  Look, Asharak's a decent bloke, truly, just...look, I went through some shit in Avernus and I'm just not ready for something like that right now.  He and me, we're just friends.  He's a good man, really he is.  Great with the hellions, too. Real mature, the kind of thing I'd normally go for..."

"But?"

"Given why I'm going with you, just...I'm not ready to talk about it in detail, but I don't think I'm going to be 'in the mood' for a very long time after Avernus, and the last thing I want right now is any more 'companionship'. Hells, I tried to get those damned druids to brew up something to 'stop the clock' and they just laughed.  Arseholes.  Honestly, Tav, sometimes I envy you. I don't know what the hells happened to you but given what you're asking me to help you figure out, I don't think it was exactly the story out of some fairy tale. Gods knows Avernus wasn't.  But I'm here for you.  Cause I've been through hell and right now, we ALL need every friend we can get - or get back."

=====

If the pair had hoped for privacy, what they found instead...was an undead skeleton man, dessicated flesh still clinging to bone, standing by the water’s edge on their approach.   His head and chest were glad in golden ornamentation of some kind, and his robes – though long faded and consumed by moths and vermin, appeared as though they would have once been rather ornate.  Elaborately bound wrappings – and more gold – covered his (it’s?) arms and hands.

“So he has spoken, and so thou standest before me. Right as always.  What a most curious way to awaken. Thy wheel of fate turns ever to the dark.”

Noticing Lia, the spot on the undead’s face where there might once have been an eyebrow raised. “Ah, another. Thou name has been recorded.  Thine destiny shall lead your path in a different direction for a time, but never too far away shall ye stray.  We shall meet again, one day.  Until that day hast arrived, mind the shadows.”

Turning back to Tavaria, he posed a question.  “I ask thee. What is the worth of a single mortal’s life?”

[radio-ghost-cooks]

liveblogging my one piece binge: ep 1

1-2 episodes nearly every night and it's probably gonna take me five years to finish. don't know if the hyperfixation is gonna last that long but HERE WE GO

one piece ep 1 spoilers below!!!

EP 1 thoughts:

i'm not even there and i can tell you that that is NOT a wine barrel. where is the Fucking Spigot

"who's the prettiest woman on the seas?" idk but if you find her tell me

who is this nervous lost pink-haired child

OH WAIT THE PRINCESS GIRL IS A PIRATE????? SLAY

y'know pirate lady you could stand to be a little nicer to ur crew. just a thought. (specifically that little pink guy.)

🎉🎉🎉BREAK INTO THEIR SHIP GIRL!!!!!!!🎉🎉🎉

LUFFY HAS ARRIVED!!!!💃💃💃

bro took a nap in a barrel and honestly i respect that

he likes food. i like that.

i'm pretty sure you aren't supposed to eat random fruits(?) whole. let alone three at a time

"oh so you're a gutless coward too! i don't like you!" LUFFY YOU ALREADY KILLED HIM WITH ANXIETY YOU CAN STOP NOW

*wham-bam-shang-a-lang plays in the bg as she ROBS THEM BLIND*

how much force did she put into that club and how sturdy was he that he launched off the side of the fucking ship meanwhile the club hit his buddies in the head

Luffy is so unbothered. i love him sm

THE LITTLE PINK HAIRED DUDE IS ACTUALLY AMAZING EVERYONE CAN SHUT THE FUCK UP

GO LITTLE DUDE!!!! JOIN THE MARINES!!!!!

y'know this whole time i forgot his name was Coby.

"who's this old hag?" Luffy your comedic timing is immaculate and beyond compare

AND HERE COMES LUFFY WITH THE GRAND SLAM!!!!!

i'm so fucking proud of Coby oh my gods

how do Luffy's joints not ache like hell

did they just capsize her

wow Luffy just does not give a shit abt preconceived notions abt people huh

THE OUTRO SLAPS

[mattscoquette]

https://www.tumblr.com/mattscoquette/764010139046002688/i-need-notion-to-sponsor-me-like-im-so-obsessed

how did u get the pink background for the text? my pink is so ugly

select the text, go to the text color and bg color in the tool bar and use the pink background :)

[limpfisted]

but wyll does leave you as a squid. he tells you he can't be with you anymore and the solution he comes up with is basically one wherein he treats you like a pet, or worse, a dirty secret that he hides away in the bowels of baldur's gate because he still cares more about being the blade of frontiers than he does you. i love wyll but the way larian wrote that ending feels both ooc for him and a touch cruel toward the pc.

the way canon portrays a character cannot be ooc. you can disagree with it, you can change it, but thats why fanfiction is called “transformative work.” the text is the text. your interpretation of the text is subjective, the events of the game are not subjective. they are facts that happen on ur computer screen. wyll asks you if you want to be his basement squid lover. you can say no. he doesnt force that on you.

it is cruel. it is a bad thing to do. wyll should not do it. it is obviously a bad thing for both you AND him

but hes NOT the blade of frontiers in this ending. hes the grand duke of baldurs gate.

if hes the blade of frontiers—he dumps you bc he wants to go be an adventurer and that is the goal n oath he literally sold his soul for once, n the reason he lives his life. u cant be an adventurer with him. ull scare people, theyll try to kill you. he relies on his relationship with the people of the sword coast, they orotect him n give him their kindness shelter n hospitality in order for him to protect them. he cannot do this if u are a mindflayer.

if hes a grand duke, he NEEDS you. he wants you so desperately hes WILLING to do something awful to you BC he has so many fucked up feelings for you

wyll was 17 years old when he left bg, he stopped studying law, he never led an army, every patriar has been killed, 2 dukes are dead, the city is in ruins. he has no idea what hes doing. he no longer has any agency over his own life, he does not have his freedom, n he WANTS you

i believe the feeling of love and the action of love are different. he feels in that moment a desperation to have you and hold you, the normalcy, the fairy tale promised. he clings to something he cannot have in u just as he can no longer have his freedom to be a hero, to be the man he would choose to be on his own. he is in awe of you. you are the champion of his city—the city he is now shackled to, that fits like a wet kitchen glove.

wyll has so very little agency in this game. i see this ending as part of his “bad end.” but it is also an interesting one.

is ascended astarion “ooc.” is dark justiciar shar? no person is just one thing and there is no inherent good or evil inside anyone. we are the decisions we make, goid or bad, every single day, and the reasons we make them. you make decisions, you live with them, and who you choose to be in every second is who you are. we are not fixed states. good isnt a thing you are—its a thing you have to work to do every day, and something you can and SHOULD work to do every day. but people slip up. theyre messy, confused, traumatized, they have big feelings, that make them want things that hurt other people. everyone makes mistakes, even people as noble as wyll.

you can prefer one decision line of a character over another. obviously i would prefer to be with wyll in avernus kicking zariel’s ass.

but if you deny someone the mere notion that they could do something hurtful or evil even to the people they love—you are denying their humanity n the full complexity of their soul. n u are denying the effort it takes to BE so goid like wyll is so good,

wyll is not some perfect well-adjusted good boy that goes around with a soul full of sunshine. everyone had dark thoughts and impulses and violence in them. everyone is equally capable of hurting people.

it is HARD to be good.

wyll is not performing the act of love—love is healthy n consensual n nutritional. but he feels a desperate pull of love towards you. you have been his light in all this. you have kept him sane and kept him going. you made every major decision in this journey for him. you are his leader, his lover. he is about to have the hardest possible job in the world with no understanding of how this job works. he hasnt been here for ten fucking years. he wants you. he wishes you could fix it, like you fixed everyone else.

its a weakness and a flaw.

wyll has flaws.

why would you want wyll to be perfect no matter what decisions u make? if you don’t like it—pick different decisions in the game and “earn” your happy ending, bc it DOES exist.

this is one of wyll’s most interesting narrative beats and us a fascinating thing to discuss and analyze. its part of a larger narrative, it serves a purpose in the story n to wyll’s story.

it IS cruel. thats the point. the story could not be going “this is fucked up” any more if it tried

you can transform the work any way u want, thats what fanfic n rp r for, but like

be uncomfortable! its supposed to make you uncomfortable! not every story is supposed to make you happy! some are meant to challenge your perception of a character n what you thought a character was possible of!

rant over, have a good night anon

[trolagygirl2022]

its the problem i have with shipping if we ever dare say we dont ship an idol "couple" in a romantic forced sense then we must also be homophobic which cant be possible if the ships are not real to begin with. theres difference between being actually against asian ppl or lgibbity whatever its called nowadays and then merely having a statement that is actually correct.

its also like saying bts paved the way no they didnt the western music scene existed long before bts were ever on it, its egocentric to say bts or blackpink are above anyone else who gave them the spotlight to begin with. its a stupid statement that someone generated to make their stans deluded and egoistical. im not saying they arent deserving just that i question whether it is as organic as they claim it to be and whether they deserve to outdo every other western artist there is? when other groups prior did just as much as bts if not more but bgs typically dont win grammies as it stands. if i see one more group claiming they song is grammy worthy im going to pull the delusion right frlm under they feet. period.

i dont hate the members as people or what theyve done for the korean economy etc etc if it dont have much to do with us why should i deeply care if they do or dont win a grammy with an undercooked english song?! also who gave bts permission to steal? (i'll cry if u dont get the song reference rip liam)

i just hate this notion that we have to give them an award to songs that arent deserving of it thats meant for artists from western background who work just as hard if not harder than others or that lisas song was even considered for a "kpop" award in the first place like we need to give it its own category for every award show now bc its determined to "take over" so to speak.

While we can't deny BTS's impact, armies acting like they're the SOLE ones to do so is where I disagree. I'd argue that PSY helped to pave the way a bit

[findroleplay]

Greetings. 28 yo writer seeking 21+ writers to write against my male oc.

Genre: Sci fi, drama/romance

Pairing: mxf - ocxoc

Additional info: adv lit, highly detailed, dark themes, high angst, mature content and subjects, use of vulgar language and intense violence. NSFW will not be the focus but will be included when it feels right and necessary. 

This requires writers who are comfortable character/world building and creating unique exciting aspects. 

About the OC:

He is a biologically engineered human who was once created with the intention of being used a weapon of war upon maturity. But his creators decide to spare their successful creation and formulate a plan to save the human before the government is able to step in. 

The plot however will be set in present modern time, just as he reaches his 24th birthday. He knows little about his past but has managed to piece some notion of what his use was. He later learns there are others like him and that the government has initiated a hunt for his kind. 

I’m seeking a writing partner who perhaps bring on a oc that could serve as an interesting love interest but also a character that will help support the development of his humanness and emotions - as he seems to lack both in some ways. 

I’m eager to find someone with a unique perspective and capable of contributing their own style and ideas to this. Also, welcome the use of unconventional realistic muses for these characters, perhaps even would love a poc to play against my character, as I don't see that enough.  Of course I’ve established the appearance of my oc already and also have fleshed out more details on him and his bg that can be further discussed.

Interact with post and I’ll shoot you a message. Thanks everyone. 😌

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