#oouugh...

[time-woods]

Rain's no good to get caught in without your coat! Good thing Barnaby's here to help out!

[haunted-xander]

I think one of the (several) reason for why Shadowbringers is so good is because the narrative is more about the individual characters than it is the Greater Conflict.

Like, the Greater Conflict is definitely there, obviously, it's what keeps the story going, but the focus is always on the people, much more so than the other expacs. HW and STB also have some level of character focus ofc, but it's very selective and even then the focus is based on them in the specific context of the current conflict.

But in SHB, the story bends around the characters' narratives, rather than the other way around. The story forms to put them in situations that challenges their flaws and limitations, by forcing them to confront it and actually deal with it. Even just at the very beginning, you see the twins being dealt a terrible hand that very neatly clashes against their faults.

Alisaie is confronted with a situation that she can and could never do anything about. She has no means to help the patients (at the time at least). The only way for her to help them is by eradicating the source of the affliction itself: the Light. But the Light isn't just some Big Bad she can kill and be done with. Even when all the lightwardens are down the Light is still there, it's just more manageable. Alisaie learns to not only see the bigger picture, but to care for it for her own reasons. For all that she has participated in Big Operations, it has always been because that's what others were doing, what others cared for to be done. She feels for the people of Doma and Ala Mhigo, but she didn't set out to liberate their homelands because she has any personal investment in it. But other people do, and she cares about what other people- be they strangers or friends- care about.

Caring about other peoples feelings and opinions isn't a flaw by itself of course, but doing things without any sense of personal purpose, is. This is what SHB helps her fix and confront, because it is personal now, she does it because she cares.

Alphinaud is forced into a situation where diplomacy and negotiations does and would never work. He can't talk himself into Eulemore, and he sure as hell can't convince Vauthry or the free citizens to let go of their life of ignorant luxury. The problem here also isn't as straightforward as a corrupt ruler, because even after Vauthry is revealed for the bastard he is, it takes considerable effort and convincing to get them to get off their asses and get to work. It's one thing to change the minds of people who wanted the same outcome just in a different way (like Ishgard- they rejected unity with the dragons, but they still wanted an end to the war), but it's another thing entirely to convince people that another way of life is even worth it.

And this is what SHB teaches Alphinaud, that words and deeds can achieve much, but that there is much more to diplomacy than appealing to their wants and/or sensibilities to convince them of an alternative outcome. His development may not be as immediately noticable as some of the others (largely bc he had a lot of it already from HW), but it is still very much there.

Urianger's development had already been build up and sort-of started already, but we don't really get to see it until it near explodes in his face after we kill Vauthry. Even after he swore off secrecy, he's forced to confront his morals when the Exarch bids his assistance. Urianger has always been looking at the greater picture, to the point he'd almost lose himself in it if it wasn't for the overwhelming guilt he feels. He works with the Exarch, because he knows he's the only one capable of it, and he hates the very fact that he is. When the climax of the plan is about to be executed, he is pained to the point that even he can't mask it anymore. He has betrayed their trust once more and once more it will result in the death of a friend.

But it doesn't, and that's what's needed for him to confront himself. As terrible and unexpected as the circumstances around it was, it did show him that there are other ways. There is no one way to solve a problem, the first choice doesn't need to be the only one. And he would find those other ones of he had just talked to the others.

The pay-off doesn't quite come until EW, where we see him actively make the choice to go against his first instinct of acquiesing to the Loporrits' plans, and instead chooses to consult us, but that scene wouldn't have made sense or even happened had it not been for his development in SHB.

Now, Y'shtola is a bit of an odd one because while she does get her due focus, she doesn't quite get the same amount of development as the others. Rather, it shows how she thrives when not held back by others interests and (often somewhat needless) bounderies. Her intelligence and charisma have the chance to shine, her independence and confidence now rewarded rather than punished. In ARR, she is constantly annoyed by the Maelstroms way of dealing with things, and how no one bothers to actually listen to her. Her advice and reprimands are almost entirely ignored until the problem blows up in their faces and they have no choice but to concede that she was right.

Being independent and confident aren't flaws by themselves, but her sometimes aggressive approaches to telling others off does her few favors. In SHB, she has the Night's Blessed who actually heed her word and respect her, they listen to her and actually take what she says- be it advise or reprimand- to heart.

She does also, however, have to deal with Thancred who, much like the Maelstrom, ignores her reprimands and doesn't listen to her. The difference here is that her bluntness actually serves a purpose. In ARR, her bluntness lacks tact and meaning, simply a result of frustration. The Maelstrom won't listen to someone who doesn't come up with fleshed-out arguments and solutions, but Y'shtola doesn't bother giving them any until she knows they'll listen. But with Thancred, she does give him the solution. It's just that the solution is him. His words, to be precise, and his acceptance. And he needs to be reminded of that, and she does. It doesn't automatically solve anything, but that's simply how it is with complicated situations like that.

Speaking of Thancred, his narrative is probably the most important of all for SHB. He's always been shown as a capable, but ultimately self-destructive man who genuinely does not know how to deal with himself in a healthy manner. Theoretically speaking he knows, he recognizes that he is self-destructive, but he still has no idea how to actually fix it. It's been shown as early as ARR when it results in him getting possessed, but it's not really made a point of until it almost ruins his relationship with Ryne. Up until now he could just ignore his problems, but with Ryne he can't because now The Problem(s) aren't just his anymore. Anything that would hurt him now would also hurt her, meaning that if he wants to continue doing the one thing he actually cares about (protecting his loved ones) then he needs to get his shit together.

But Thancred doesn't know how to. And for all that his friends try and try to help him, he doesn't know how to. He's paralyzed. Thancred is so deep into his self-destructive habits that it takes the threat of both his and the person(s) he loves the most in the worlds deaths to get him into action. He doesn't know if it's Minfilia or Ryne who will return, and I'm not sure he expected to survive Ran'jit. He only has this chance, and if he wants to die without (as many) regrets he has to do something now.

And he does. He does and what it is he does is tell Ryne that whatever happens, it has to be her own choice. That he will accept any outcome, that he will still care about her no matter what, that as long as she lives or dies as she wants to, that he still loves her. He still loves her. And it works, because that's what he's needed to do all this time, to be able to just tell her that she matters. That he cares.

He tells her to live her own life, and he learns to live his own too.

[jell-o101]

I don’t know why, but these silhouettes are everything to me.

[shadow0-1]

Ghost's mean ex

[avariceaside]

literally just started listening to the new tmagp episode, and I think I'm going to throw up

[murmurlilies]

really loving my BG3 party's looks atm 👀

[synthwayve]

Hi I wrote another Micolaurence thing. It is BAD(TM) because I was experimenting and I will probably hate it every day of my life but if I just let every writing project rot in my google docs I’m going to have more putrefaction than prose 🤧

There is also a surprising lack of angst because I am making these 2 suffer in literally every other project so. Commercial slug break!

[smol-bean-of-the-smols]

Drunken Embrace 💕

Happy Valentine's Day!!

[wat-zu]

Absolutely love your art. I want to nom it.

Also, Hollow Heads Siblings my beloveds,,,

Theyre the doomed siblings ever its not even funny

[magnolia-sunrise]

peeks in here. if you've thought about it, what would you say wolfgang's fighting style is like? does it come naturally to them or is it something they had to learn?

thank you for this juicy ask!! (and apologies it took me so long to reply OTL busy week)

boy, have i thought about it, extensively and drawn none of it hfhf. i've mentioned somewhere before guns are a no-go for androids who aren't authorized to use firearms, so their fighting style has to rely on melee and element of surprise. they have higher endurance and strength than an average human, but they're not inhumanly fast and still only have finite energy sources. so their main goal is usually trying to not end up outnumbered, and then ideally trying to not get shot, get in close and disarm their opponent. (even more ideally not getting in a situation like this, but that is often met with their own recklessness and great talent of escalating into violence rather than risk their target getting away) they don't tend to carry a lot of weapons or anything too big that can't be concealed, so it's usually just their one bolo knife (or a garotte) or whatever they can grab to bash heads in with. they also favor kicks a lot especially if they're wearing a sturdy heel. they're very much not above tearing into people with their hands and teeth if backed into a corner.

and as to if it comes naturally to them, well. in the vaguest terms, they were originally trained for fighting androids and humans. it has been a long time since they were that kind of person in that line of work however, and they have had to adjust their strategy and re-learn a lot on the fly but the basic memory and training was already there. they're definitely not a master fighter, and the longer a fight goes on the higher are the chances they will get really badly hurt or the cops come.

im hoping to one day do some fight sketching but until then the best visual i can give you is the way Dev Patel just chomps into peoples faces in Monkey Man and this knife museum fight from John Wick 3

[beeholyshit]

Old doodles of the señora pachona

[outofthiisworld]

👽// writing is hard when all i've been thinking about lately is this high-strung piece of work. his nerves are so wrung up that you could compliment his eyes or something and they'd hiss at you.

[howlhawk]

finally finished my card for this year!

[insufferable-homestuck]

mages got that slenderman built to em

[desolatediver]

Art Fight [Werewolf] Attack!

Спутник 1, 2 & Объект Д (3) by @robinwaaaaa

[spaciebabie]

You lay in bed, after that nightmare, you couldn't sleep. You walk out of your room, your living room was dark, and just as you thought, ya trip on something but what was it? You see a light behind you so you turn around only to see glowing eyes, you jump and try to crawl away but in that moment of panic, you finally realize who it is, Springtrap silently grabs your wrist and pulls you into his lap.

"Y/N why are you not in your room asleep..." He asks in a deep voice, you look for an answer, you didn't really know why you were out here.

"Uh, I had another nightmare..." You say quietly, he sighs.

"It was about me again wasn't it..." You nod slowly, he hugs you gently.

" Can I help you get back to sleep?" He asks in a gentle voice, you nod and he starts singing to you. His voice was deep but gentle, he sang you your favorite song, it was the same song you and your mom used to sing together when you had nightmares, you never told Springtrap that, he just knew somehow but you never questioned it cuz it was nice, you felt like a baby compared to Springtrap, to you he looked like a big stuffed animal, the kind you had as a kid. You fell asleep once again, except now in the arms of your bunny boyfriend.

bunny boyfrind,..,,,..,in the arms,,.... ouuuuuuuuuu dont make me think about this...im already soooosoosoooo sleepy