#of the mythologizing blackbeard thing

[mercutiotakethewheel]

everytime i rewatch black sails, i find myself like vane more and more ngl. the first season really tries hard to trick you into thinking he’s just unnecessarily, banally, and uncompellingly an asshole (in the overwhelmingly compelling asshole show), whose one redeeming feature is that he’s kinda pathetic too. but geez s2 really nails home everytime that hes the best and the coolest and the most honest (maybe even most compassionate) of the mcs up until this point, barring anne of course. and on top of that i actually kind of think he has the best pre-s3 speeches. like obvs s4 flint is yknow s4 flint. and s3 max is so insane i actually cant handle it. but oh my god charles vane’s letter and his fuck your legitimacy eleanor speech and his hanging speech are so good. and fuck what i said earlier isnt even true. bc his s1 speech while hes looking in the eyes of the little boy he used to be is actually like the bestest. like fuck ok. charles vane is the best actually. #1 anarchist boy. 10/10 would want him in my commune. hed point blank refuse to help with the dishes tho so 😬.

[piratecaptainscaptainpirates]

There's definitely a conversation to be had about the presentation of real historical figures in historical fiction, I think. As both a professional historian (PhD student 🤘🏾😔) and a man of color, I'm a bit more sensitive to this than a lot of people, and for me it always comes down to the question - what real harm is being done here?

And that's where I think OFMD does well enough for me to be comfortable. If you look at the fact that the show is based on real-life terrible people who did awful things and participated in the slave trade and you don't wanna fuck with the show, that's completely understandable, but I find it so much more palatable than (for the easy comparison) a piece of media like Black Sails (I actually like Black Sails, believe it or not, but there are a lot of things about how it treats many of these same figures that make me uncomfortable).

Now, yes, OFMD is hand-wavey with the slave trade in the Caribbean. None of our main characters own slaves or directly reference the slave trade (again, this is a romcom, I'd be shocked if they did). For me, this works alright for two big reasons. First, there are things that I think you can include in a romcom and have it still be a romcom, and a thoughtful, respectful depiction of the slave trade would take the show firmly out of romcom territory. Second, the show doesn't pretend racism doesn't exist, it treats its characters of color as three-dimensional people, and we always get the last laugh when racism is depicted. The very first episode sets the scene by having racist English Navy officers demean and call a Black character "slave" and they immediately get their asses kicked for it. Compare this to a show like Black Sails, where one of my main criticisms is how we're expected to sympathize with characters who actively participate in the slave trade and own slaves.

My other thing here is the people OFMD is working with are both heavily mythologized and not treated with any degree of historical accuracy. Many of our characters who are famous pirate names you might know are nothing like their real-world counterparts (take pirate queen Zheng Yi Sao, who wasn't even born yet when the show takes place). We know so little about any of the real people, anyway, that OFMD doesn't even bother trying to get anything right.

Like I said, I'm a professional historian and I love working with the golden age of piracy. That's a big reason I was drawn to this show in the first place! And if there's one thing I know, it's that pirates have been made into legends. We know very little about the real people, and in pop culture they're just myths.

The characters in OFMD are basically fictional characters working with the loose mythology based around the real people.

Now, back to my big thesis here: are the real, awful people benefitting in any way from OFMD taking these characters and making them into the good guys? Realistically, no, I'd argue. Most people with any critical thinking skills know that real pirates were not good people. Many people think Blackbeard is a made-up generic pirate character as it is. I've been to the real-life Stede Bonnet's grave site (NOT for the show, this was years before it aired and I was visiting the archives there to see the trial documents for a research project), and the historic marker there says he was "brought to justice." No one is wataching this show and thinking "oh those real guys must have been pretty great dudes!" because it's not about those real people.

This show isn't trying to change your perception of the real people, it's showing you fictional characters with the same names. One of our characters is runnig around in crocs, this show isn't trying to teach you about history or the real people and it's obvious.

If you're put off by the premise, I get it! But I just don't buy the idea that OFMD is putting anything harmful into the world just by existing.

[bookshelfdreams]

Hey I like a lot of the takes you have regarding the pirate show so I wanted to ask for your opinion on smth that's been bothering me for a while:

I have a deep seated dislike for Hamilton. Twinkifying the fucking founding fathers, romanticizing slave abusers and overall villainizing the wrong people while others (Hamilton at the front naturally) gets sung at. Speaking of singing - I really hate it. Shipping (i want to repeat) the founding fathers, the blatant white washing bla bla bla. Anyway those are all known problems and better people have said it smarter before and that isn't really my point

It's the fact that a friend of mine recently brought up that Ofmd pretty much is the same and I shouldn't scream so loud in my glass house. Inaccurate historically speaking, the blatant ignoring of the slave owning that the real Stede and Edward did and so on and so forth. Minus the singing perhaps if we ignore Frenchies and Izzys

So. Does it make me a hypocrite to like ofmd so much but despise the mere mention of Hamilton? It's a thing I'm really stressed about lately and that kind of ruined my joy about finally getting season 2. I would love to hear your opinion. or that of your followers for that matter.

Thank you 😊

oh thank YOU because I do feel that this is an interesting thing to examine and we do not talk about it enough.

I have never seen Hamilton, or listened to the songs (except some snippets). I have never been involved in the fandom. I really, really can't speak to what the musical itself did wrong and right. But I will say this: There was a reason it got as popular and received the critical acclaim that it did. I can't speak to how it addresses the systemic injustice baked into the USA from the very beginning, and I do have a suspicion that it glosses over a lot of uncomfortable truths. But I also feel it is important that we divorce the source material from the fandom it spawns because ultimately, Miranda isn't responsible for Hatsune Miku Binder Jefferson, or the whole hivliving debacle.

Just as David Jenkins isn't responsible for the handwaving of slavery in fanworks, or the great Izzy Hands Debate, or whitewashing in fanart, or shitty, racist headcanons of the characters of colour, or whatever deranged scandal is yet to come to light. This is true for all fandoms; criticizing fandom dynamics is a very different conversation from criticizing the canon.

Let's focus on the canon here, though, because defending the fandom is pointless, and not something I want to do. Curate your experience.

The first thing to say is: If you like ofmd but don't like Hamilton, that's not hypocritical at all, that's first and foremost a matter of taste. Things are good when we like them and bad when we don't. We don't have to find objective reasons for it.

If the fact that the historical Stede Bonnet was a slaveowner, and the historical Blackbeard also participated in the slave trade, are dealbreakers for someone, that's valid. People have every right to be uncomfortable with that. The conversation could end at this point, if we want it to (I don't because I love to hear myself talk).

If we look at the historical figures a little closer the first stark difference is the cultural context in which they exist. The founding fathers seem to be extremely mythologized in the american consciousness but also, are understood to be real historical people. The founding myth is fundamental to the way in which the USA perceives itself (that is, as a beacon of freedom and democracy), and it's pretty hard to reconcile that with the bloodshed and human misery it was founded on. It's uncomfortable; and it's not just an American problem. Every western nation/former colonial power has quite literal corpses in their closets they'd rather not talk about (just so you don't think I'm getting on a high horse about the famed Erinnerungskultur here; go ask a german person about Lothar von Trotha and what he did to the Nama and Herero to receive a blank stare). The difference is, that the founding fathers are too prominent and too important to just not talk about, so instead, they are sanitized to a degree that can be straight up historical revisionism.

That's not Miranda's fault. Nor is it the fault of any one particular piece of historical fiction, biography, documentary, or what have you. But it is the context in which Hamilton exists and, from what I understand, a culture to which it contributes. Especially since it's based on a biography of the real Alexander Hamilton, and (again, to my understanding) claims to tell a more or less accurate story.

Pirates, on the other hand, are perceived completely differently. They are mythologized, but not for ideological reasons, not as state-building propaganda. Pirates are more like folk heroes; cultural icons (near) completely divorced from whatever historical figure once lived. They are "real" in the sense that they are based on real people, but engaging with them, from the start, has a layer of removal from reality that engaging with figures like the founding fathers hasn't. Blackbeard is from a saga. George Washington is from history.

ofmd, specifically, makes clear at every turn that what we are told is a fictional story that has very little to do with any real events. It's openly anachronistic, it has absurd internal logic. Life-threatening injuries are walked off. There's actual magic. Dinghies are treated like spawn points in a video game. Everything, from the costumes to the vernacular to the story beats, tells the audience that none of this is real.

You wouldn't accuse, idk, A Knight's Tale, or Mel Brooks's Men In Tights of whitewashing history. I feel like ofmd plays in a similar league; it's a comedy very vaguely based on history, and it makes sure the audience knows we are not about to be told anything true. If you watch ofmd, you know this isn't about the real, historical Stede Bonnet or Edward Teach.

So. Let's examine the actual story, yes? The story that is told here is anticolonialist, antiracist, and challenges oppressive power structures as much as is possible for a production like this. It addresses these things and condemns them, both explicitly and in its underlying message. (I'm not gonna explain all of this, enough ink has been spilled about it by people smarter than me)

I do not know what Hamilton is about at its core. I know Our Flag Means Death is about authenticity in the face of the whole world telling you there's something wrong with you. It's about resisting dehumanization and reclaiming your personhood. It's about love, in a radical, system-destroying way, about breaking the cycle of abuse, about healing, and finding joy.

Yes, the real historical figures it's based on were all horrible people. Again, if that's a dealbreaker, that's fine. I'm not trying to convince anyone who is deeply uncomfortable with that fact; it's perfectly understandable.

However, for me, personally, the story as a whole is so far removed from reality, and so firm in its message, that I feel this is forgivable.

(Oh, and a lat aside, I also feel like likening ofmd to Hamilton seldom seems to come from a place of genuine criticism. Often it seems to be more along the lines of "Hamilton is cringe, and if I say ofmd=Hamilton ppl will be too embarrassed to defend it" which yk. feels kinda disingenuous to me.)

[shinyasahalo]

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[thewisecheerio]

Historicity of OFMD

It's been a wild ride finding out that all the parts of Our Flag Means Death that seem completely believable are historically inaccurate, and all the parts that seem completely ridiculous are true.

Completely believable and historically inaccurate (as far as we know):

-Stede and Blackbeard were a couple. It's not impossible, but we don't have solid evidence.

-Blackbeard couldn't read/write. Evidence suggests he could: he likely grew up wealthy (and therefore would have been taught), and was found with a letter addressed to him on his person at his death.

-Blackbeard had a rather unkempt beard, supporting the name. Descriptions suggest he wore a very kempt beard decorated with braids, pigtails, or ribbons.

Completely ridiculous and true to history:

-Stede Bonnet, a wealthy aristocrat, ran away to become a pirate. He did so because of an unhappy marriage. He was previously a wealthy landowner, and yes he sure did leave because he didn't get along with his wife.

-Stede Bonnet went by the name "The Gentleman Pirate". Sounds like a made up name? Too bad. He sure did go by this moniker.

-Bonnet was an absolutely terrible pirate captain, losing command of his crew to Blackbeard. Yes, I know it feels like some sort of excuse for plot shenanigans, but it's really what happened. Blackbeard took command of his crew, with Bonnet's crew's wholehearted consent, some time in 1717.

-Bonnet paid his crew a wage, regardless of any treasure they might have plundered. …He did. This was not made up for convenience to support his ridiculous moniker; this is a thing he actually chose to do. It was also an unusual choice for pirates, who mostly shared plundered loot, completely in support of Bonnet's odd character.

-Blackbeard had menacing smoke emanating from his face, adding to the ferocity of his image. Does this sound like he was being mythologized? Nope, also true. He was said to have placed lit fuses under his hat to have created the smoke so as to appear more ferocious.

-Both pirates were tried for treason, and then received royal pardons. It wasn't simultaneous, but this did happen to each separately.

-Blackbeard marooned Bonnet's crew on a small island. Yep. Yep he sure did. Oh you think this sounds like more plot shenanigans? Wrong.

-Look, there are a lot of these. The show is completely ridiculous, and somehow still mostly true. I'm going to stop here.

[buck1eys]

one little thing that i love about our flag means death is the role of art for the characters.

it's very obvious with stede and lucius, whose roles as the literate members of the ship parallels their ability to be emotionally open and talk about their (and other people's) feelings. but then the show almost instantly subverts this idea of 'civility' by showing that all the crew are artistic and can bond over doing art. whether it's sewing, drawing, singing or storytelling, creative pursuits bring the characters together and allow them to talk about their feelings. it also becomes a powerful weapon. blackbeard literally calls it the art of fuckery but it's drama! they scare the dutch crew with devised drama, they ward off the spanish with physical theatre and olu and franchie con the aristocrats by playing parts. music, visual art and costume allow the characters to transcend their circumstances (being rubbish pirates, but also the racism and classism they contend with on a daily basis) and imagine different realities for themselves, which then come true, such is the power of art.

and then this ties in so nicely with the slower burn narrative that is going on, that these are all real people trapped in the narrative of history. by the end of s1 lucius is more valued for his skills as an artist than as a writer, and mary, too, is liberated from the sexist narrative assigned to her through her skills as a visual artist. in fact, literary/historical (i.e. written down) narratives - the mythology of blackbeard and stede's romanticised ideas of piracy - become at odds with the crew's true wants and desires. only by imagining something different, i.e. by using creative arts, can they keep themselves safe, alive and free to be who they are away from the toxic masculinity that our dominant cultural narratives push on to them. blackbeard reverting to the mythology of himself as the kraken is the opposite of this. he's allowing the narrative to rule him.

also, you know who never does any art in the whole show. and who never engages with his own feelings. and who is so invested in surviving the narrative that has been set up that he won't let anybody else challenge it, let alone himself... izzy. which is why he is both a comedy cartoon antagonist and kind of a tragic (in the shakespearian sense) figure.

[werewolf-transgenderism]

ok hi now i have to know about your theories abt the knee brace? do you think its a lack of giving a shit about his own safety thing? or do you have another theory?

ok so yeah drawing from personal experience when you are in a self-destructive spiral denying yourself mobility aids, assistive tech, etc., is just one more way to passively cause yourself harm, especially if you're in an "I hate myself, I'm not lovable, I don't deserve care" type of mood. his whole new look leans into the "dehumanizing violent caricature of hypermasculinity that is Blackbeard" mythology as part of his whole spiral and the knee brace is just one more indication of the vulnerable human person that is Ed Teach. and boy, is he trying to bury that part of himself and self-destruct so hard that he can't be vulnerable again, because look at what happened the first time around. what's a little more pain when you're so miserable you're trying to blow up your whole life? etc etc etc

[triflesandparsnips]

So hey, Rule of Three fam--

1. Mermaid-vision Stede (not real)

2. Mermaid-costume Wee John (real but not, like, real)

3. And with one episode left, mermaid... actual???

IN FACT-- if you wanna play with parallels too--

Ed threw his leathers overboard, weighted as he was in his vision.

In his vision, he was met by mermaid-Stede.

We know that Ed has leathers again by some point in the finale, battling his way along a beach.

So what if

WHAT IF

My man is in his fishing boat, seeing that Stede's in trouble--

--and oh fuck, oh no, what does he do, what can he do, he threw away all his stuff, he doesn't have what he needs, he needs, he needs--

--and that is when, from the waters, something rises up. Something rises up from that place that has always saved him in the past.

Something dark, and coiling.

He stares down, and he knows this thing, it's the kraken, oh christ, oh no, it's the kraken it's his monstrousness his violence his grim arithmetic, it's everything he wanted to leave behind and he can't escape it, look, look it's here again...

...and then, down in the water, among all that twisting, mythological horror... a bearded face with big doe eyes blinks up at him.

A chimera, like Lucius's drawings. A kraken's tentacles but, but--

--also a man.

A man who looks just like Ed, but with coils of tentacles where the rest of his body should be. The kraken, yes, but Edward too.

(A mermaid is a beautiful thing until you remember that they're just another kind of monster.)

The creature beneath the waters, come to rescue Ed because it's needed, he called and it answered... it's Ed, accepting that he has skills and a history he can use instead of being used by it--

--and the merkraken? krakenmaid? Blackbeard--

--gives Ed back his leathers.

[xtruss]

Forget 'Walking The Plank.' Pirate Portrayals—From Blackbeard to Captain Kidd—Are More Fantasy Than Fact.

How we think famous swashbucklers walked, talked, and dressed didn't come from the history books, so where did these pirate myths come from?

— By Jamie L. H. Goodall

An illustration from 19th-century artist Howard Pyle depicts a man being forced to walk the plank. Although there is no record of this type of punishment, it remains popular in pirate mythology. Photograph By Image Courtesy of Bridgeman Images

Say “pirate,” and people envision grizzled men with eye patches, parrots, and treasure maps. They picture buccaneers forcing their victims to walk the plank, and crying “Shiver me timbers” as they fly the Jolly Roger flag. It turns out, many of these stereotypes are not true. Pirates have been around for nearly as long as people have sailed the world’s waters, and, in fact, still exist. It’s just how they’ve been depicted that’s often misleading. So where did these misinterpretations come from?

A replica pirate ship cruising the Caribbean Sea near the Dominican Republic. Photograph By Thomas Grau, Alamy Stock Photo

Pirate Fashion

Pirates are commonly portrayed wearing colourful attire. He may sport as a loose-fitting shirt with a bandana around his head, a scarf around his waist, ripped pants, wearing tattered boots, like Captain Jack Sparrow from the Pirates of the Caribbean film series. Or he may appear a bit foppish, much like Stede Bonnet, the "gentleman pirate" in the 2022 series Our Flag Means Death.

Common pop culture depictions of pirate garb, as shown here in this early 20th century artwork, are often based on fanciful descriptions of their attire and language. Photograph By Image Courtesy of Bridgeman Images

Unfortunately, these looks are just not true. Much of this ostentation came from American artist Howard Pyle, who took his inspiration from Spanish bandits of the late 19th century. Sailors in the 18th century, pirates included, wore things such as loose pants cut off at the knee and thigh-length blouses.

Prosthetic limbs are another common pirate trait. It’s true some pirates had a wooden leg or hook hand, though it probably wasn’t the norm. More often than not, amputations at sea were likely a death sentence. While ships carried medicine chests, and medical care was often meted out by someone on the crew, infection and blood loss could lead to death. Even if a pirate survived an amputation, his ability to fight would be limited. But losing a limb didn’t mean one could not continue on the ship; the person might serve the crew, for instance, as a cook.

Many pirate clichés stem from the 1950 film 'Treasure Island,' featuring Robert Newton as the fictional pirate Long John Silver. Photograph By United Archives GMBH, Alamy Stock Photo

Pirate Talk

Common pirate phrases—such as Arrrrr me mateys!” and “Shiver me timbers!”—are common in pirate movies and pop culture. But they’re not legitimate things a pirate would actually have said. Robert Louis Stevenson imagined some of them for his 1883 novel Treasure Island, published more than 150 years after the “golden age” of piracy.

The trope of talking like a pirate is mostly a product of 20th-century Hollywood. In particular, British actor Robert Newton, who played both Blackbeard and Long John Silver. His portrayal of the fictional captain in the 1950s rendition of Treasure Island used an exaggeration of his own West Country accent and would define the sound of a pirate's accent. His portrayal also popularised many of the sayings associated with pirates today. In reality, pirates most probably spoke in a manner similar to all sailors of the time.

An artist imagines the often-willing markets pirates found throughout the Atlantic world for their stolen loot. Transatlantic trade was critical for the success of European colonies. Photograph By Gregory Manchess

Treasure, Buried or Otherwise

Captain Kidd may have buried his treasure, but that was a rare exception for most pirates. Typically, they spent their ill-gotten gains on women and alcohol at pirate-friendly ports as quickly as they could. Burying treasure would be dangerous due to shifting sands and tides, so one might easily lose their treasure. And there was a distinct lack of trust, not knowing if others might deceptively go back to dig up the treasure on their own.

Also, much of the loot pirates collected was not in the form of silver or gold. Such treasure would have been difficult to come by. The more common "booty" would have been whatever goods or commodities they could get their hands on, including timber, furs, silks, cotton, spices, and medical supplies. They also loaded up on items to perform necessary repairs on their ships, including cable, rigging, and sails.

Top Left: A gold bar and coins recovered from the Spanish galleon 'Las Maravillas' that wrecked in 1656 near the Bahamas. Photograph By Jeff Rotman, Nature Picture Library, Alamy Stock Photo Top Right: Prized Spanish coins, or pieces of eight, recovered from the wreck of the 'Whydah Gally'. Photograph By Zuma Press Inc., Alamy Stock Photo Bottom: Wooden treasure chests were typically studded with metal to reinforce them. Photograph By Andyroland, IStock, Getty Images

Pirate Codes

There is evidence that many pirate crews adopted a code of honour or articles of agreement, mostly to keep order on board the ship. These codes dealt with everything from how to divvy up loot, to what happened to pirates if they became injured in the line of duty, to how bad behaviour would be dealt with, to how prisoners would be treated. Some pirate articles have survived to this day, including the code of Englishman George Lowther and his crew, which, for example, compensated a person who lost a limb during a skirmish.

The 1724 articles of Captain John Phillips of the 'Revenge' discuss matters such as theft on board the ship and compensation for limbs lost during battle. Photograph By British Library Board. All Rights Reserved, Bridgeman Images

If a pirate violated the code, it is unlikely they were made to "walk the plank." Little to no historical evidence exists to support that practice, which was largely pulled from fiction, including Treasure Island. If victims were punished in some way, it was typically via keelhauling. Keelhauling was arguably a more hideous fate that involved an individual being tied to a rope and dragged under the ship. Victims of keelhauling either died by bleeding out from injuries inflicted by barnacles on the hull of the ship or by drowning. Other forms of punishment ranged from being thrown overboard to being lashed to being marooned on a desert isle.

Pirate Ships 🛳️ 🚢

Most pirates did not sail Spanish galleons, or even the frigates such as Captain Jack Sparrow’s Black Pearl. They favoured small, more manoeuvrable vessels, which allowed easy escape from larger warships that chased them. During the 16th and 17th centuries, sloops were the most common choice for pirates. They were quick and had a shallow draft, making easier escape into shallow waters. Schooners were another favourite of pirates. Similar to sloops, schooners were fast, simple to manoeuvre, and could easily hide in estuaries because of their shallow draft.

Top: A replica of the 17th-century Spanish galleon 'Neptune'. Photograph By Volodymyr Dvornyk, Shutterstock Middle: A crew raises the anchor from what is believed to be the remains of the pirate Blackbeard’s flagship, 'Queen Anne’s Revenge.' It was discovered in Beaufort Inlet, in Carteret County, North Carolina. Photograph By AP Photo, Robert Willett, The News & Observer

Bottom Left: The National Museum of the Royal Navy in Hampshire, England, displays a Jolly Roger that once belonged to Admiral Richard Curry, who seized it from pirates off the North African coast in 1790. Photograph By Andrew Matthews, Getty Images Bottom Right: Coves, such as this one near Bridgetown, Barbados, would have made perfect hideouts for pirates. Photograph By Fabio Mauri, Eyeem, Getty Images

And, despite popular myth, most pirates did not fly the famous Jolly Roger—a skull and crossbones symbol on a black flag. Some flew a black flag, which meant the pirate was willing to give quarter, while a red flag meant blood and certain death. Blackbeard’s flag showed a skeleton holding a spear pointing at a bleeding heart. Pirate crews also often held the flags of several different nations so they could raise a particular flag to signal being “friendly” to a passing ship, only to raise their pirate flag once they were in close enough range to attack said vessel.

Pirate Fights

One thing that most of the pop culture depictions of pirates got somewhat right is that they liked versatile weapons. Cutlasses, short swords with a slightly curved blade, could be used to effectively fight in the confined areas of a ship and could also be used to butcher meat.

Top: Bar shot were common tools for pirates, who used them at close range to destroy the rigging and sails of enemy ships. Due to the weights on either end of the bars, they would spin uncontrollably after being fired from a cannon. Bottom: This musket’s barrel and stock were cut down, likely so a pirate could more easily use it in close combat. Photographs By Kenneth Garrett

Pirates also enjoyed using a gun known as a blunderbuss. It had a distinct flared muzzle that sprayed small lead balls at intended victims. Cannons were also common onboard pirate ships. They could be loaded with chain shot (two cannonballs chained together), grapeshot (small cannonballs), or basic cannonballs. Their targets often didn’t stand a chance.

While books, movies, and popular culture may have taken liberty with descriptions of pirates through the ages, these pillagers have terrorised the seas for more than 2,000 years in one form or another, plundering victims and striking fear into their hearts. The most recent pirates work off the coasts of Somalia and Malaysia, looking far different from the “golden age” of piracy depictions. But one thing remains true: They are just as intimidating.

The 18th-century painting 'Anne Bonny, Female Pirate' by Fortunino Matania depicts Anne Bonny and an accomplice taking two sailors prisoner. Photograph By Image Courtesy of Historia, Shutterstock

[crazylittlejester]

Coming over here to bother you about my EAH AU thoughts because I want to write but this stupid fatigue wall let me write my daily prompt and nothing else today. Spent a good chunk of time staring at the document file.

I'm thinking about the Zeldas. Obviously most of them will fit in as the miscellaneous princesses for their respective Links, but not all of the stories even have princesses in them.

Artemis/Athena: Obviously I could just have her be Athena, but I feel like she could also do a Mulan story. She could match with Warriors, they could be Greek mythology buddies.

Flora: I think the thing that really sets her apart is her role in TotK, but there aren't any old fairytales about princesses that turn into dragons, so the best I've got is this book by E. D. Baker that I read when I was a kid. It's probably close enough? I'm already going to have to fudge things for Wild anyway.

Sun: Her whole thing is being the reincarnation of Hylia, so I feel like she should be either a full-on mythological goddess or the avatar of one. I feel like there aren't really any good real-world mythology equivalents because LoZ lore has such a distinct vibe to it. Since Sky's story is going to be about fighting the Jabberwocky, she's probably also from Wonderland, I just need to figure out her role.

Fable: I feel like she'd fit into one of the Charming families alright. Alternatively she could be one of the princesses from Oz, most likely Gayelette if she's related to Legend because they both would inherit magical abilities and Gayelette was both a princess and a sorceress. No clue how that's going to work with Camelot. Maybe Legend could have dual citizenship or something. Although I could be mean and say she's a human princess who fades into obscurity because he outlives her.

Dusk: I can't find any good old fairy tales about princesses that involve puppets or wolves. I'm probably going to have to fudge the entire thing. Which shouldn't be horribly difficult since TP is literally just a fairytale anyway, but I was really hoping to find something.

Tetra: Definitely a pirate. Probably Blackbeard or Bluebeard. Maybe one of those lady pirates that were 100% lesbians. (Side note: The Great Sea could totally be the ocean that Atlantis is under. Wind's divine parent could be one of the gods that sunk it or something.)

Dawn & Aurora: I feel like being miscellaneous princesses actually works in their favors because that's pretty much what they are in canon. I can probably just gloss over the details a little bit and say they're cousins and that Hyrule helped rescue them while he was out killing giants.

Dot: I'm just going to say she's the princess from the story about the four brothers since it fits perfectly. Least amount of work to give her a role. Honestly sort of wish she could be Dorothy from The stories about Oz because of her nickname, but that wouldn't work. She deserves a QPR with Four so that's what she's getting.

Lullaby: I don't think she really does much in OoT other than be Sheik? So my best idea is Mulan, but with the whole ocarina thing she could also be a type of magical princess like Fable, but those are in surprisingly limited supply.

Honorary mention of ST!Zelda: She should be a ghost. A victim of train assassination, maybe Orient Express style. Ends up befriending ST!Link and they get along like a house on fire and she helps him get used to being a ghost after he dies in a tragic train accident.

- A MULAN STORY OH MY GOD THAT SOUNDS AMAZING FOR ATHENA/ARTEMIS

- I am still so so so so so obsessed with Sky and the Jabberwocky I am absolutely just eating that up dude, and I can’t wait to see what you end up deciding for Sun

- A PRINCESS SORCERESS FOR FABLE GOES SO HARD and you’re right that is mean >:( im eating it up tho

- I suppose red riding hood wouldn’t work for Dusk? There’s gotta be SOME fairy tale about wolves out there, I dunno the rules of EAH but there’s gotta be at least some vague one

- YEAAAAAAAH LESBIAN PIRATE TETRA MY BELOVED 😭

- Dot as Dorothy would be soooooo good, and slay her havin a qpr with Four

- Any Mulan story I see I will absolutely eat up and encourage, that’s one of my favorite Disney movies

- ORIENT EXPRESS STYLE. I LOVE IT.

dude i am so excited for all this I love it soooo much!!! please come bother me about it whenever!!

[megashadowdragon]

one piece 1095 review

-Reason why franky and and sanji & the others can’t not move is because saturn is using something that is called the gravity of fear in a reverse way. -Fear is something that cause u from not moving nor making a sound. -But sanji will be able to conqueror it

Follow up: My opinion I truly think the Vinsmoke,Garling and Saturn has connections. Not saying their related but maybe family has ties in some ways. Garling at a young age looks so similar to sanji brothers. Plus I found some interesting stuff about sora and saturn.

Follow up 2: Saturn is the father of time, someone that goes about things in a timely matter and do things. Might have something to do with his shillelagh & a hourglass. Oda kinda forshadow saturn and time during alabasta with crocodile vs Luffy first ever fight.

Another person that’s 9 out of 10 a buccaneer is Blackbeard himself. Someone that is heavy hitter and lifter plus takes a a lot of pain. In real life the real Blackbeard is said to be called a buccaneer and is a book called “BLACKBEARD BUCCANEER” AUTHOR: Ralph D.Paine “D”

Kuma is a mix of a moon bear and oni kuma. Moon bear also known as a crescent moon bear because of the white crescent moon spot on the bear chest. The bear in mythology was treated bad by almost everyone and a Buddhist Goddess Kwan-Yin, whose emblem is the crescent moon.

Kwan-Yin the goddess seems to be the inspiration of creating Lillie in the story. A goddess that is kind & treats every race with love & compassion. The birth of kuma the sorbet kingdom look similar to alabasta👀… Meaning kuma ancestors might of been connected with Lillie.

I really hope this helps for some and gets others to do research on this. It’s really fascinating. Truly should look into the buccaneers history. Saturn having a Spaniard name and the buccaneers constantly raiding the Spanish might be parallel kuma race and saturn.

@bottlepiecemuses

[originalleftist]

"Calico Jack"'s appearance in Our Flag Means Death should have been Charles Vane instead (Spoilers).

I am aware that OFMD doesn't even pretend to be historically accurate. And this is a good thing, as the real history was much darker, and the real Stede and Blackbeard much less likeable figures (to be clear, one reason I would argue OFMD works so well is that it is obviously and deliberately absurd and fantastical, rather than distorting history while trying to pass it off as accurate or realistic like a lot of media does).

But they usually do draw some interesting details from history. Except... their "Calico Jack" has basically nothing to do with the actual John Rackham, or even the mythologized version of him, beyond the name, being a contemporary of Blackbeard, and being a mediocre pirate. He serves his role in the show, of being a duplicitous asshole ex of Ed's who tries to tempt him back to his old ways. But he really has nothing to do with Rackham, who is basically know to the general public for three things (all of them historically dubious or made-up): wearing calico, flying the famous skull and crossed swords flag, and sailing with Ann Bonny and Mary Read/being romantically involved with Ann. Whereas OFMD's Jack is basically just a fratboy in the trappings of a cowboy, and dropped into the Golden Age of Piracy.

I would contend that Charles Vane would have filled the role they wanted much more naturally, while also having a fair amount of name recognition now due to Assassins' Creed IV and Black Sails. Vane was:

A contemporary of Blackbeard's, even more so than Rackham. They even met up a few weeks before Blackbeard's death.

Known to be a violent asshole even by pirate standards.

A die-hard pirate who refused to accept a pardon. He might not have sold another pirate out to the British, as he did in the show, but he would fit the role of someone tempting Blackbeard back to their old life perfectly.

He has no distinctive costume, whereas calling the character "Calico Jack" and then not having him wear Calico is just weird, like if they had Blackbeard without the beard for the entire show.

Vane actually was deposed by his crew in a mutiny, whereas to my knowledge Rackham never was.

Vane just fits the role of Jack in the show so much better, in my opinion, and the writers reference enough that they clearly know a fair bit about the history of piracy, so I can only conclude that they picked Rackham mainly for his greater name recognition.

[shinyasahalo]

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[kcsplace]

Rambling ep6-7 thoughts

I think the first cracks really started the night before with Stede's first kill and his response to it.

Ed might have warned against the killing but he didn't stop Stede, knew it had to be his choice. and Stede did choose. and then appeared, as we the audience and also Ed, might expect. He's upset.

When Ed goes to comfort him, likely expecting a mess, he instead finds a horny Stede, perhaps not the response he was execting,but could have been seen by him as masking, as Stede trying to cover his response, bury it in feeling good, in Ed.

Then the next morning, despite the boat being damaged, the crew tortured, them both tortured, Stede having killed a man, his first kiss, Stede isn't put off by the life, he's still all in, even more so if anything. He's prepared for and even light-hearted about future death-defying.

Ed, however? Ed's been over it a long time, which we and Stede know. It's basically the first thing we learn about Ed from Ed himself.

Ed seemed so proud when stede was approached by fans, he wasn't jealous, he seemed supportive BUUUUUT stede's response to his "first kill" definitely threw Ed, its so different t ed's own, its not how ed would have expected stede to respond, and i think the seeds of panic and doubt were being sown. Stede revelled in (for his own reasons, when you've spent 40+ years being told you're shit, having people look up to you is intoxicating and this is all he's wanted for years so he's losing a part of himself, a part Ed loves dearly) the notority of the kill, while Ed buried his feelings about his first kill so deep he creditedd it to a mythological sea creature.

Ed wants to be away from piracy. Piracy is not the life for him. it kept him alive, but it isn't his life. and now it's killing him, has been for a while. so he wants to be just Ed, learn who Ed is. Not the Kraken, not blackbeard, just Ed Teach Born On A Beach. (and the preview/trailer scene were we see Ed coming out fo the water in his leathers he's clearly retrieved, ed being reborn on the beacchhhhh oh symbolism let me consume you)

I feel like in order for Ed to feel he could be safe to explore being "just Ed" he needed Stede to be his constant, to be his lighthouse, to be the stede he expected him to be, and suddenly he's not quite, and now Ed's questioning not only himself but also stede. he's a ship adrift and now the lighthouse is going out. just as in s1 stede's view of pirates in general and Blackbeard specifically was questioned and he had to shift his view and expectations, now Ed's of Stede are shifting, but the opposite way - he knew stede, know he's learning The Gentleman Pirate.

they need to communicate so they can meet as Ed and Stede, and blackbeard and GP, so they can see each other's true selves and natures and not what they expect to see.

They did START to communicate in the start of ep 7, showing vulnerability to each other by discussing the vision and the love letters but then it all fell apart.

In a way, Ed is pink-clouding. He symbolically tthrew away piracy, he is high on love and stede and the idea of giving it all up to run away with stede and own an inn. but as that euphoria fades, as it becomes more and more and more obvious that he and stede aren't on the same page - that Ed is at the end of his career and stede at the apex of his - doubt creeps in.

FEAR creeps in

Panic creeps in

Ed is not a man used to fear or panic. he's been numb for so long. the last time he truly felt either to such a degree i suspect was the killing of his father and whay did he do then/? he ran away to piracy. now he wants to run away from it. and now, Stede has become a pirate, he's become an accepted part of piracy and so must be run from too.

he's terrified of everything he feels - the love and the fear, the panic and the euphoria, and so he runs.

so yeah thats my jumbled badly ordered thoughts!

[genderenvyelimination]

First Round Masterlist

3/12/2023:

Zuko | Avatar: The Last Airbender vs. Red | Don't Hug Me I'm Scared

Asmodeus | Obey Me! vs Garry | Ib

Spencer Reid | Criminal Minds vs. ENA | ENA

John Doe | Malevolent vs Lyfrassir Edda | The Bifrost Incident

Blackbeard | Our Flag Means Death vs. Percy Jackson | Percy Jackson and the Olympians

Otachi | Pacific Rim vs. Kurama | Naruto

Thanatos | Hades vs. Obito | Naruto

Lydia Deetz | Beetlejuice vs. John Mitchell | Being Human UK

Milo Thatch | Atlantis vs. Hiccup | How to Train Your Dragon

Loki | Norse Mythology vs. Kaworu | Neon Genesis Evangelion

Chat Noir | Miraculous Ladybug vs. Stevonnie | Steven Universe

3/14/2023:

Byleth | Fire Emblem vs. Fiver | Watership Down

Toruk Makto | Avatar: Way of Water vs. Aragorn | LOTR

Alma Winograd-Diaz | Undone vs. Jennifer Check | Jennifer's Body

Meta Knight | Kirby vs. Anakin Skywalker | Star Wars

Sylvester Ashling | Epithet Erased vs. Emmet | Pokemon

Thursday Plurbonym Boyporridge | Strange Aeons vs. Wizard | wizardisananimal

Bears in Trees | Band vs. 4th Phase Ghouls | Ghost BC

Electra | Starlight Express vs. Gerard Way | MCR

Hare | Tales from EarthSea vs. Sonic | Sonic the Hedgehg

Hero Killer Stain vs. Hawks | BNHA

Ekko | Arcane vs. Papa Emeritus IV/Copia | Ghost Band

Will Wood | Will Wood and the Tapeworms vs. The Toy Soldier | The Mechanisms

3/15/2023:

Lewis Pepper | Mystery Skulls vs. The Curious | Creeped Out

Raine Whispers | The Owl House vs. El-Ahrairah | Watership Down

Kris Dreemur | Deltarune vs. Doug Eiffel | Wolf 359

Elias | Ancient Magnus Bride vs. Ash Crimson | King of Fighters

Testament | Guilty Gear vs. Megamind | Megamind

Undertaker | Black Butler vs. Cure Chocolat | Kira Kira Precure a la Mode

Young Tim Curry Characters | Clue vs. Rumi | Just Roll With It

Richard III | Requiem of the Rose King vs. Simon Petrikov |Adventure Time

Denji | Chainsaw Man vs. Sasori | Naruto

Hunter | Rain World vs. Sam Winchester | Supernatural

Eddie Munson | Stranger Things vs. Magnus Chase | Magnus Chase

3/16/2023:

Hiei | Yu Yu Hakusho vs. Kaname Date | Ai: the Somnium Files

Bold and Brash | Spongebob Squarepants vs. Lucienne | Sandman (THEY BOTH WON?)

E-boy Wojak | Meme culture vs. Cal Kestis | Jedi: Fallen Order

Team Rocket | Pokemon vs. Nico de Angelo | Percy Jackson/ Riordanverse

Ludwig Von Drake | Disney vs. Red Lizard | Rain World

Julian Devorak | Arcana vs. Professor Venomous | OKKO

Giovanni Potage | Epithet Erased vs. Ryuko | Kill La Kill

Mr. Fox | Fantastic Mr. Fox vs. Zim | Invader Zim

Dio Brando | Jojo's Bizarre Adventure vs. Sasuke Uchiha | Naruto

Yamato | One Piece vs. Roy Mustang | Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood

Lemon Grab | Adventure Time vs. Fujimoto | Ponyo

Mizuki | Project Sekai vs. Gomez Addams | Addams Family

3/17/2023:

Arven | Pokemon Scarlet and Violet vs. Reigen | Mob Psycho 100

Pure Vessel | Hollow Knight vs. Lord Shen | Kung Fu Panda 2

Trunks | Dragon Ball vs. Dr. Robotnik | Sonic

Five Pebbles | Rain World vs. The Goblin King | Labyrinth

Turrican OST | Turrican Game vs. Ganon's Corpse | Breath of the Wild 2

Edgar Allen Poe | Bungo Stray Dogs vs. Mollymauk Tealeaf | Critical Role

Dwight Enys | Poldark vs. Will Graham | Hannibal

Scrooge McDuck | Ducktales 2017 vs. Dr. Emmett Brown | Back to the Future

Rohan Kishibe | Jojo's Bizarre Adventure vs. Bilbo Baggins | Hobbit

Micheal Afton | Five Nights At Freddy's vs. Cecil Palmer | Welcome To Nightvale

Carla | Dumbing of Age vs. Larry | Pokemon

Tragedians | Pathologic vs. Zagreus | Hades

Alucard | Castlevania vs. Robin | One Piece

[grailfinders]

Grailfinders #24: Georgios

today on Grailfinders, we’re finally getting back to work on the OG servants with Georgios! dear ol’ Dragons Georg is a Champion, because what else is a cleric with a sword supposed to be? that being said, we do make some pit stops into the Cavalier archetype for a cool horse that will not eat you, as well as the Game Hunter archetype to ruin dragons’ days even more, and the Knight Vigilant archetype to become a vigilant knight.

and yes, I’m still using the “confused with a nature god” excuse to give him some extra stuff to do. if nasu can create an entire servant based on one niche reading of a mythological figure so can I. I will be vindicated when saber Georgios comes out in LB 8.

check out his build breakdown below the cut, or his character sheet over here!

next up: Teach me, Blackbeard-san!

Ancestry & Background

While we will be spicing it up later, Georgios starts out as a bog-standard Human. that gets him a +2 in Wisdom and Constitution, but not a whole lot else at level 1. that being said, he is pretty Versatile, giving him a free first-level general feat like Ride. with this, you can automatically command animals to move while riding them, and they act at the same time you do. you also get situational protection from mental effects when you Keep Up Appearances as a reaction. this doesn’t make you immune to emotional effects, but it does prevent enemies from capitalizing on them.

at level 5, you can Sense Allies. a good tank always knows what their party is doing, otherwise the healer might run off and get himself killed pulling yet another mob group we weren’t ready for and- ahem. sorry. we’ve been playing a lot of FFXIV lately. the important thing is you can always detect when allies are nearby, and finding them while hidden is a lot easier.

at level 9 you become a Hardy Traveler, making it easier to ride around in heavy armor. turns out dragons don’t wait that long to attack.

at level 13 you gain a Stubborn Persistence that helps keep you from getting fatigued by making a flat check to avoid the effect. you still have to get away from whatever’s causing it though, or you’ll have to remake the check every once in a while.

finally, at level 17 you can Bounce Back once per day, preventing you from being wounded after hitting 0 HP. that’s one more chance to get up from being knocked down, which is practically a guts on its own.

George’s real background was a soldier, but we can pick up soldiering skills from anywhere- getting photography lessons at a later level would feel weird. that’s why we’re starting as a Printer. that gives you a boost in Charisma and Wisdom, as well as training in the Society and Scribing Lore skills. you’re also Multilingual, giving you two more languages now, and even more if you level up in society. George is simultaneously Greek, Palestinian, and English, depending on who you ask. a real globe-trotter!

Starting Proficiencies

yeah this part takes so long I’m making a whole new section for it.

Trained: Perception; Religion; Survival; Athletics; [Diplomacy; Medicine]; Reflex saves; Class DC; unarmed, simple, and martial attacks; unarmored, light, medium, and heavy armor

Expert: Fortitude saves, Will saves

Class Levels

1. your Key Ability is Strength, giving you another boost to help haul that big sword around. you also get an Ability Boost in four more stats, like Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, and Charisma.

I’ve heard rumors that they’re planning on removing alignment restrictions for Champions in the next Pathfinder update, but to be honest, being a Paladin still works really well for you. with this, you can Lay on Hands using your devotion points, which are usually one per devotion spell per day, and can be recharged by spending ten minutes doing good deeds. touch someone, and they get healed.

you can also make a Retributive Strike against an enemy who attacks another ally. this grants the ally in question some damage resistance, and you get to make an attack if they’re close enough. you also get trained in Nature for some reason.

following the trend of useless features, you can Shield Block. useful if you have one, but Georgios usually doesn’t carry a shield. maybe he should? might help.

one last feature, your Deity’s Domain grains you a second devotion point and spell. I’d rather just get the Might domain’s second spell right away, but we need to get Athletic Rush first. this spell increases your movement speed and your athletics checks, and as part of the action you use to cast the spell you can stride, leap, climb, or swim. it’s really just helping you be a lot more physical in short bursts. given what you’re fighting, every little bit helps.

2. at level two, you can take the oath to become a Dragonslayer! that means you have to fight evil dragons now, and to help with that you get a +4 bonus to damage against evil dragons when using your retributive strike. again, every bit.

you also hold the Eyes of the City, making it easier to track creatures in villages and towns by listening to local’s stories. I’m sure this can also help you find the perfect photo ops too.

we’re also grabbing the Cavalier archetype this level, giving you an animal companion. you can also pledge yourself to a cause now for bonuses in the archetype later, and given how champions are all about pledging themselves you’ve pretty much done that already.

3. at level three you gain a Divine Ally, a steed who is… also an animal companion with the mount ability. huh. you can’t keep both at the same time, so we’re mostly going to focus on the champion companion.

thankfully, other features like Express Rider can work regardless of the companion you’re partnered with, making it easier to increase your travel speed while riding.

you’re also an expert in Religion now. it’s kind of your thing. that and the dragons, obviously.

4. at level four your Divine Health makes it harder for you to get sick- you get a +1 to all saves against diseases, and your successes are always critical.

you’re also an Experienced Professional, so your photography is never bad enough to keep you from making any money off of it. I know as a man of god you’re not into material possessions, but you’re going to need quite a nest egg to afford a dragonslaying sword.

you also pick up a Cavalier’s Banner, giving all allies within 30’ of your mount a +1 bonus to will saves against fear, at the cost of causing them to be frightened when your banner is destroyed. carrying a flag everywhere is a little unwieldy, but hey it’s more mental debuff resistance.

5. at level five you get an Ability Boost in Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, and Charisma again. more health, more dragonslaying, more spell power. you’re also better at Scribing now, since that’s what we’re using as your photography. everybody needs a hobby.

on top of that, your Weapon Expertise makes you an expert with weapons! everything except advanced weapons are your for the using!

6. at level six you get a Loyal Warhorse, making your champion steed a mature companion, and it can no longer attack you, even if magically compelled to. kind of a specific feature, but given your horse’s unique dietary needs, that’s probably for the best.

you’ve spent enough time studying photography that your Unmistakable Lore makes it easier to recall knowledge about the process, preventing critical failures.

you can also Defend Mount as a reaction, taking the hit for your horse while you’re riding it. that’s kind of the opposite of how this is supposed to go, but you’ll have a lot more defensive buffs by the time this is over to eat damage.

7. speaking of, your new Armor Expertise does what you’d expect, plus you get the armor specialization effects of medium and heavy armor. you can also Pick up the Pace while traveling to hustle more, and you’re a master of Religion.

on last thing- your Weapon Specialization adds an extra 2 damage to all your attacks, and grows as your weapon training does.

8. at level eight you get the Advanced Deity’s Domain devotion spell, giving you a third devotion point each day which you can use to cast Enduring Might. as a reaction, you get resistance to all damage from one attack or effect. this is Bayard’s one attack nullification effect, and it also grows as you level up and also based on your strength.

speaking of defense, you can pray for some sacred defense as an action once an hour! if you succeed, you’ll get some temporary hp- you can also try a harder check for more of it!

if all this protection is getting you down, lets go on the offense with the game hunter dedication! with this, you can target creatures with the hunt prey action if you can see it, hear it, or you’re tracking it down. this gives you a +2 bonus to seek and track it, as well as a bonus to stealth checks! you can also get an extra bonus- if you hit your prey while its flat-footed, it needs to make a constitution save. on a failure, it gets slowed down for up to a minute.

9. that last bit from level 8 uses your class dc, so it’s a good thing your champion expertise just came around to give you expertise in your class dc and divine spells. your divine smite makes creatures you make a retributive strike against take persistent damage too.

your saves get better when you become a juggernaut with lightning reflexes. that’s mastery in fortitude saves, plus more crit succs, and expert for reflex saves.

you’re also an expert with nature now for better riding!

10. level 10’s another ability boost in strength, constitution, wisdom, and charisma! all the stuff you need to slap up a dragon real good. well, most of it. we’re working on it, it’s a long-term goal! on thing that’ll help is your battle prayer, helping you blast an enemy with good or law damage once a day. the damage even triples once you’re legendary in religion.

on the nonmagic side, your steed is now an imposing destrier, turning it into a savage animal companion, plus it gets an action each turn even if you don’t spend time commanding it, letting it attack or move for free!

speaking of movement, your quick positioning helps you get into the thick of things at the start of battle against your prey, letting you step up to two times for free. you’re the one with all the defense buffs, so make sure you’re between your friends and your dragons.

11. at level 11 your alertness gives you expert perception, and your divine will makes you a master of will saves, with more crits to boot! you’re also a master of nature!

you can also exalt your retributive strike, getting the rest of your party in on the hitting stuff action! everybody within 15’ of you can make a melee attack with a -5 penalty as a reaction. just really julius caesar his ass.

you also get an incredible investiture, letting you attune to more magic items. the bones of saints are relics, so you already have like, 200+ magic items on you! congrats!

12. at level 12 you become a Blade of Justice. you can spend two actions to make a special attack against something you’ve seen hurt an innocent person, dealing extra damage against evil creatures, and letting you turn all the damage into good! you can also use all your retributive strike effects on this attack.

as a master of nature, you have Morphic Manipulation, helping you grow a plant through ten minutes of meditation. doing this more than once a day is possible, but it makes you fatigued, and you can’t do it more than twice a day. told you we were bringing back the nature god stuff.

one last thing- you can spend three actions on a Trampling Charge, moving your mount up to its speed and through enemies, dealing damage to everything it passes through, based on the targets’ reflex saves.

13. at level 13 your Armor Mastery gives you mastery… in armor! shocking, I know. you’re also a master in scribing now! and your Weapon Mastery does exactly what you’d think. easy level!

14. at level fourteen, you’re actually expected to fight dragons! at least I assume so, since that’s the level you can finally emit a Wyrmbane Aura, protecting yourself and nearby allies from elemental damage, with extra protection if that damage is from a dragon’s breath.

you can also Quick Mount now, mounting a creature and giving it an order in the same action! dragons move fast, but so do you.

you can also use Double Prey now to mark two enemies at the same time. FGO has three slots in each wave, but if you’re fighting dragons usually one of them is really big and takes up two of those, so it all works out!

15. level fifteen’s Ability Boost bumps your Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, and Wisdom. at this point brute strength won’t add too much to your fight, it’s all about survivability. you’re also a Caravan Leader, for more hustle in your bustle while traveling.

your Greater Weapon Specialization adds even more damage to every swing, and we’ll also bump your Athletics up to expert so you can stay on your horse easier.

16. at level 16, Bayard becomes an Auspicious Mount, making it a specialized companion that can be an “Auspice” mount. there are other options, but the feat’s named after it, come on. this gives your mount expertise in Religion, the ability to speak celestial, and increased intelligence and wisdom.

you’ve also been a knight long enough at this point to know some Courtly Graces, letting you use your societal training to make impressions on nobles. given that your society is actually worse than your diplomacy, that may not be a good idea. you look the part though.

speaking of knighthood, you’re now a Knight Vigilant. this increases your proficiency in Religion to Legendary status, and you now provide greater cover to your allies as they stand behind you.

17. more skill buffs! your Champion Mastery improves your spells and class DC, while your Legendary Armor makes you legendary with armor. you’re also legendary in Nature now, to be almost superhuman in your ability to ride creatures. because you are. that’s how servants work.

18. you now exude an Aura of Righteousness, giving you and all allies resistance to evil damage. you now resist evil, elemental damage, and specific attacks, so it’s really hard for a dragon to actually fight you and leave a scratch.

you’re so religious, you can receive Divine Guidance by spending 10 minutes reading the bible. you make a religion check of the DM’s choice of DC, and you can get a hint on how to move forward.

you can also Keep up the Good Fight once an hour. if you’d drop to 0 HP without dying, you can react to stay a 1 HP with some temporary HP to boot, and you become wounded. unless you bounce back. now this is a guts. and it’s also like 90% of the reason we grabbed Knight Vigilant anyway.

19. at level 19 we go entirely off script thanks to your Fey Life. we’re about to go through faerie britain, so you’re bound to save at least one fey, right? your nearby surroundings are now super vibrant at all times, which would mostly be flavor if not for your photography hobby. you can also summon fey once a day, but that’s not why we’re here.

the first time you die past this point, you come back to life, becoming part fey. now this is the gutsiest guts we could guts. I mean get. I know Georgios is more know for being used as solo fodder, but all that means is he’s great at dying and coming back!

this is great, but it comes with a cost- the second time you die, and each time after, you become completely fey, and no longer care about the material world, essentially turning you into an NPC. this can be reversed with a three-day ritual, but the third and subsequent times would require something like the wish spell to be fixed.

you also gain the Hero’s Defiance devotion spell, letting you heal yourself as a free action right before you would drop to 0 HP, so hopefully you won’t die that often. plus, you’re better at athletics again.

20. for your final level, you get an Ability Boost for Strength, Constitution, Intelligence, and Wisdom. you also become a Sacred Defender, giving you a further 10 resistance to physical damage caused by evil or dragon creatures, and you’re immune to critical hits.

furthermore, you can now Influence Nature over the course of 10 minutes, trying a nature check to affect the behavior of animals in the area, like setting up natural alarms via songbird, or making hunting for food a lot easier.

finally, you can gain Lead the Way, spending two actions to guide an ally through danger. your movement will still trigger reactions, but theirs won’t. it’s rough, but that’s kind of the job you signed up for.

Pros & Cons

Pros:

you are really, really, really hard to kill. you have resistance to almost anything a dragon can throw at you, which means you have resistances to almost everything. add onto that your solid health pool, high AC, self-healing, and ability to further block up attacks as a reaction, and you won’t go down easily. and then you’ll get right back up with one of your three or four abilities that just lets you ignore being knocked out. and then you’ll get back up with your “say no to death” card.

all that tankitude is great for taking hits for the team. you block up line of sight against enemies, you have some powerful counterattacks to encourage enemies focus on you, and you can help your team move around while only making yourself a valid target.

for a guy in plate mail you’re so goddamn fast it isn’t funny. not in combat, of course, but being able to cut down on travel time is fantastic in games that care about that sort of thing. travel speed can mean the difference between getting ambushed and setting an ambush yourself.

Cons:

you need your reaction ready simultaneously to heal yourself, counterattack, and block damage. obviously, you can’t do all those at once. this means that if anything, you’re thinking more when it’s not your turn than when it is, and that’s a weird playstyle to get used to. guess it’s par for the course for defensive types.

that “no death for me thanks” card from earlier comes with a major drawback in trading one death for a later, very permanent one. while your defenses are fantastic, you also have to take into account how much hate you’re focusing on yourself.

final downside: the horse can’t come with you everywhere. I know I haven’t brought up Bayard too much in terms of combat effectiveness, but Pathfinder is a lot better than D&D when it comes to horse survivability, and both increasing your own movement speed and getting all the horse-exclusive features from Cavalier is a nice bonus. unfortunately, Bayard is both large and an animal, so there’s plenty of spaces you simply can’t take him.