#rl splinter

[coffinpal]

Mama Duck end

previous @tmntredline next coming soon

here's some music i found:

[squibbles-gubwee]

Sgshsvsb Well!! It's been a slow day at work so i worked on this lmao. I hope you enjoy. @tmntredline @0ddbugs @coffinpal

"Who's this little friend?"

Cool eyes blinked and looked up, spotting a particular peachy furred mutant. She smiled at Rook, and he looked back down, studying the tangerine-coloured leg being stitched onto the green body. He pulled the needle through, before prodding the seam with thick fingers and frowning. He doubled back to take care of the too-large holes he left behind with messy stitches.

"Hello again, Master Splinter. I uh… It's a cattywampus..."

"A cattywampus?"

Splinter sat down, a chair's distance between the two as she watched the man pick up the needle back up and immediately poke his thumb. The mother had snuck off this way when she spotted the blue haired human, and…well, while she wasn't using him for his access to tea, she wouldn't deny her appreciation for it. 

Her eyes flicked over towards the two paper cups from the concessions full of hot water. One was already steeping with an oolong, and there were three tea bag sachets laid out for her to choose from. 

…Did he expect her to follow him? Or was this just in case she surprised him with a visit?

(Honestly, she was a bit surprised herself. She hadn't known their group was watching this competition as well!)

"Yeah! It's, um…well, growin' up, it was like…a mish-mash monster. A beast of broken parts. I had one with floppy ears and six legs that my grandmother made for me. Lots are made from old torn up stuffies, instead of throwin' em out." The wonky, unfinished plush was lifted up, and its boxy head flopped to the side. Rook's nose scrunched in thought. "Probably for the best that it's uh…kinda messy. I think the last time I'd sewn something was in my teens…"

"How do you keep finding these breakrooms you aren't likely supposed to be in, hm?" Splinter gave a wry grin as she slid a cup closer and grabbed the cinnamon rooibos chai.

The bulky man gestured vaguely to his faux leg. "I just say I need to remove it and people give me space. Mais…I, uh, do need it off for a bit. It's killing my hip. Are you alright with…?"

Splinter waved the notion off quickly, and the human sighed in relief as he released the prosthetic limb, removing it and setting the leg on the chair opposite of him.

"Thanks. I guess a storm's coming."

"It's no trouble, do whatever makes you feel comfortable."

The two lapsed back into quiet, the fawn-furred lady taking in the moment of quiet as the navy-haired therapist turned the toy this way and that. Tang Shen took a sip of her tea, frowned, and allowed it to steep a while longer. She wished she had a bit of milk to pair with it, but it seemed fine without.

Rook liked that about Master Splinter. Normally he was painfully awkward around other folks his age. Working with kids and teens all day every day did that to you. But she was quite easy to talk to. The silences weren't harsh, and he had no real pressure to talk. She laughed when he said something about rug time instead of sneering.

(It's why he decided to just keep quiet about what he saw in that hall. He hadn't meant to find her, and instead decided space would be what the distressed woman most likely need. So, he kept quiet, and he would keep quiet.)

"So, why a cattywampus?" 

If she were closer to the human, she'd tease him for the red that bloomed on his face. 

"Well…They're sorta like gargoyles."

Her whiskers twitched at that. "Oh? How so?"

"Well, gargoyles are supposed to protect places and ward off evil, no? It's why they're on so many old buildings and stuff. Catawampus are kinda like that. They're supposed to protect their owners by scaring off bad spirits because they're tataille- creepy little monsters."

"He's going to be a pretty poor cattywampus, then. He's adorable."

Rook snickered at that. "Eh, I think he'll do just fine. I also stuffed a satchel of lavender in his belly. Put a silica pouch in it to keep the buds dry."

"Oh my, I thought that was your tea!" She gasped, gingerly taking the little beast. "How cute. He's sure to make one of your sons happy."

The red haired woman heard a choked noise and looked back over, laughing a bit at how Rook seemed to get embarrassed again. "I-T-gh. Th. They are not my sons."

"Aren't they?"

"No. Heaven's sake, miss, I'm just their therapist."

There was a knowing look in the woman's eye, but she opted not to say anything. After all, no therapist she knew of would do something like let their patients take them on an interdimensional trip to watch a bake off or a hockey game. Instead, she acquiesced, and quietly sipped her tea, brushing a strand of ruddy hair from her face.

He'd figure it out eventually.

"Still. Whichever one that's for, he's sure to love it."

The human hummed as he doubled back and reworked another seam of the half-stuffed creature. He still needed to make sure to put the rest of the fillings in later. He'd hide the fill seam with the bat wings he did up. "I hope so. I worry it's a little too childish…"

"Well… I like him," Splinter hummed, the tip of her tail hooking around the strap of Rook's bag and pulling it closer to him when she saw him reach. "I think he's a charming gift! You put a lot of care into him. Besides, I don't think something is childish just because it's a cute toy."

Rook smiled a bit as he fished out the large buttons he found that he thought would make good eyes. "Yeah…I guess you're right."

Days later (Days? had it been days? time moved so strangely in these places...) while she was heading back to the locker room, Tang Shen spotted her sons behaving perfectly normally. Leonardo was reviewing dance moves, Michelangelo was talking about baking and ratios with Donatello, and Raphael was wrapping his knees. Perfectly normal.

Perfectly suspicious.

Narrowing her eyes some, the mother stared for a moment. Leo started bouncing his leg. Mikey smiled wider. Donatello's eyes widened a bit, looking more innocent. Raphael turned his head away and went to wrap his other knee.

Perfectly guilty. They were up to something. Shen would find out what it was after she changed into some clothes she could bake in-

She could smell lavender.

Deft, clawed fingers opened the metal latch of the locker-

…only for her vermillion eyes to lock with large, slightly skewed, butterscotch yellow ones. A smudge of red below each one made her think of the red lines she and her sons were so well known for (apparently), and the tangerine stripes on the thick plush tail matched the mismatched legs.

Delicately, Master Splinter plucked the cattywampus plush up, looking over the stitches that made up the zig-zag mouth on his mint-coloured head. He was much fuller, with a bit of a pleasing heft to him. Her heightened hearing could pick up the soft, rain-like sound of small beads tumbling over one another in part of his belly and legs. The floral smell was much stronger now, but not unbearably so. She opened the velcro hidden under his tiny wings and found where Rook had tucked away the pouch of dried buds.

How utterly sweet.

"I have the perfect name for you," Splinter hummed, lifting the creature up so she could look into those yellow buttons and jaggedy smile. The big eyes gleamed in the fluorescent lights, and her own crinkled from her smile.

"King."

[0ddbugs]

What a weird rob- huh??

previous @tmntredline next???

[tumblingbackwardsdownthestairs]

Charmy’s Fantasy AU by @CharmyWizard on AO3 & twtr (in collaboration w/ @void-inked-pen, @jadethest0ne, @eternalglitch & others I think)

Tm(n)t (Teenage Mutant Neglected Turtles) by @nerves-nebula

RL (Redline) by @tmntredline, @0ddbugs & @coffinpal

I didn’t ask so don’t bug anyone for propaganda or anything. If my tagging is wrong or someone doesn’t want me to include them lmk

Rebog to help your favourite mom win!

[heckitall]

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH <- (missed the last couple of SAINWB updates due to RL stuff. Have seen them now and ADORE them, especially Rise Splinter and 03 Donatello's reactions to each other. Thank you so much!!!)

i almost wonder if its more fun reading a bunch of updates at once instead of like, every handful of weeks...

im glad you enjoyed it tho! next update is already in the works~

[bordirthena]

{Spoilers-Theory} Old Gods = Elvhen Gods Part 3 1/2

Originally posted 1st April 2024

I must apologise for the delay -- RL got away from me but I'm back for Part 3! Buckle up because we are going to deep dive into the deepest roads of the fade where Epiphany dwells. 

I had planned on delving headlong into the coincidental similarities between the Old Gods and Evanuris and positing my own individual matches, citing connections and contradictions for each however I believe there is still much more contextual evidence to support and weaken the theory before that so...welcome to Part.3

Recap for Part 2:

Solas personally does not consider himself one of the Evanuris.

Mythal was considered one of the Evanuris. One of the best of them.

Honourable mentions: 

Evanuris and The Forgotten Ones

{Elvhen, God-Spirits and the Maker}

Gaider and the BioWare team have outdone themselves with the creation of such a diverse and complex setting as Thedas. Codex entries give us passive insight and world-building without the use of exposition and railroading the storyline – allowing us to consume the information at our own leisure. It's within these Codex entries that we find the most worldbuilding and contextual information rather than the narrative of any given instalment with the Dragon Age franchise. Creatives have used RL events, religions and mythologies as the basis for fictional works for hundreds, if not thousands of years. Dante’s Inferno could be considered one of the earliest known self-insert fanfics in the modern era. George RR Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire has many parallels with numerous mediaeval historical events, including but not limited to the Hundred Years War and the War of the Roses.

[Illustration of ‘The Hero’s Journey’ from Wikipedia; here]

The monomyth itself describes the common heroic narrative and cannot at all be directly connected to the multiple religions that it is present in, surely? In essence - no. The ‘Hero’s Journey’ formula is perhaps older than organised religion and as old as the human race itself, and its presence is so widespread is perhaps a product of the great global journey as modern humans migrated out of Africa. 

The monomyth is an example of something pre-existing being adopted and adapted by multiple cultures. In the ancient world, this also included adopting and adapting deities, especially if their roles were similar. Perhaps evolving from the same root, as observed by the Roman and Greek pantheon?

If we look at RL mythologies and how they evolved we can perhaps gather some insight into how Thedosian cultures and mythologies evolved outside of canon information garnered from in-game codex or literature. 

Polytheism has two subcategories; hard polytheism and soft polytheism. “Hard” polytheism is the belief that all deities are distinct and separate rather than considered to be archetypes or personifications. “Soft” polytheism, also known as omnitheism, posits that different gods may either be archetypes, personifications of nature, or essentially the same god but interpreted differently by different cultures. 

If the Old God = Elvhen God theory is proven to be true, this would be a case of omnitheism. 

Apart from the Old God = Elvhen God theory, soft polytheism is prevalent in Thedas and Dragon Age. This is seen in human tribes that either predate and/or fall outside of the Andrastianism and the Chantry, especially the Avvar and Chasind as their practices have endured into the Dragon Age.

The Avvar and Chasind are sister cultures, both descending from the ancient Almarri before splintering off into the Frostbacks and the Korcari Wilds, respectively. As sister-cultures they have diverged and evolved unique practices, however they both come from the same root and retain similarities, most notably the shamanistic traditions and shared spirit-gods such as Korth the Mountain-Father, The Lady of the Skies and Hakkon Wintersbreath. 

Although it has been previously alluded to in codex entries, the Jaws of Hakkon DLC for Inquisition gave us a first-hand experience of enduring ancient human customs as practised by the Avvar and how spirits and magic play an integral part in their traditions. 

The three principal gods of the Avvar; Korth the Mountain-Father, Lady of the Skies and Hakkon Wintersbreath would be considered personifications of nature. Korth = Earth. Lady of the Skies = Sky. Hakkon = Winter/War. 

Amund, the Sky Watcher we encounter in the Fallow Mire in the Inquisition base game has this to say about your encounter after defeating the Avvar and rescuing the agents: 

Sky Watcher: Is this why the Lady of the Skies led me here? To help heal the wounds in her skin?

This dialogue compounds the personification aspect of soft polytheism of the Lady of the Skies, and by extension the entirety of the Avvar pantheon and how the Avvar perceive lesser spirits. It can only be assumed that the Avvar believe that all spirits - at least benevolent spirits that aid the Hold - are gods as per The Augur’s dialogue in the JoH DLC:

General: What was that? Those spirits? Inquisitor: Did you just… introduce me to spirits? Augur: The gods of the hold clamoured to see you. I obeyed, for I am their voice and their augur. And if I didn’t show you off, they’d hound me for months.

General: You said I “blaze like fire”? Inquisitor: What did you mean when you said I blaze like a fire? Augur: How do you think you appear to the gods of the Fade? To those beyond the Veil, your hand burns like the watchman’s bonfire.

Confused: Spirits see me? All the time? Inquisitor: Are you saying every spirit in the Fade knows where I am? Augur: Only those nearby, but thoughts spread quickly among the gods.

The very nature of spirits is hard to define due to how little we know, either due to erasure or conflicting information, and how integral they seem to be to the Fade and the various cultures in Thedas. 

Spirits are denizens of the Fade and are formed by reflecting the material world through the narrow lens of its nature. A spirit’s nature can be nearly anything; compassion, wisdom, justice, valour, faith, choice etc. Most negative emotions; despair, envy, desire, rage, terror etc. are nowadays considered demons. Demons are typically created when a spirit's nature cannot be fulfilled and is therefore corrupted, although Solas explains it best in dialogue. The dialogue will be a mix of freely triggered conversations between the PC (Female Lavellan)/Solas and Solas’ personal quest dialogue branches, so I will try to keep them in chronological order of availability. 

Herald: I’d like to know more about the Breach. Solas: Simply put, it is a tear in the Veil between this world and the Fade, allowing spirits to enter the world physically. Small tears occur naturally when magic weakens the Veil or when spirits cluster at an area that has seen many deaths. Herald: I’d like to know more about the Veil. Solas: Circle mages call it a barrier between this world and the Fade. But according to my studies in ancient elven lore, that is a vast oversimplification. Without it… Imagine if spirits entered freely, if the Fade was not a place one went but a state of nature like the wind. Option 1: That sounds marvellous. Herald: It sounds like it would be wonderful. Solas: And dangerous, but… yes. A world where imagination defines reality, where spirits are as common as trees or grass. Instead, spirits are strange and fearful, and the Fade is a terrifying world touched only by mages and dreamers. I am glad that I am not alone in seeing the beauty of such a world, along with the obvious peril. Option 2: That sounds strange. Herald: I don’t know if I can imagine that. Solas: Try. Imagine if spirits were not a rarity but a part of our natural world like… a fast-flowing river. Yes, it can drown careless children, but it can also carry a merchant’s goods or grind a miller’s flour. That is what the world could be, if the Veil were not present. For better or worse. Option 3: That sounds dangerous. Herald: We’ve got enough trouble with demons already. Solas: But would they still be demons? Or would they be part of our natural environment like… a fast-flowing river? Yes, it can drown careless children, but it can also carry a merchant’s goods or grind a miller’s flour. That is what the world could be if the Veil were not present. For better or worse.

This conversation tree is available from Haven and focuses more on the Breach and Veil, however, we do find out later in Trespasser that the Veil is an artificial construct of Fen’Harel’s design and we must take into account its influence on spirits and demons, even the very Fade itself. What we later come to know is that Solas is describing not what the world could be but rather what the world should be without the Veil’s influence upon Thedas and the Fade. 

Herald: I’d like to know more about demons. Solas: Your Dalish say that demons hate the natural world and seek to bring their chaos and destruction to the living. Solas: But such simplistic labels misconstrue their motivations and, in so doing, do all a great disservice. Spirits wish to join the living, and a demon is that wish gone wrong. Option 1: Can we change that? Herald: Is there a way to coexist? To live with them, if not in peace, at least without such active confrontation? Solas: Not in the world we know today. The Veil creates a barrier that makes true understanding most unlikely. But the question is a good one, and it matters that you thought to ask. Option 2: I don’t believe that. Herald: I doubt those things pouring out of the Breach wanted to join the living. Eat, maybe. Solas: Of course demons are destructive. This world is illicit and unnatural for them. They fight to gain entrance, and when the rules of this world do not mirror theirs, they lash out. Tragic, but not evil. Option 3: I don’t care. Herald: It doesn’t matter why they attack us. Solas: Of course it does. The dog that bites you because it is rabid is not the dog that bites you because it is starving. You may kill either, but one is just a few scraps of meat away from being your faithful servant.

Again, this conversation is available from as early as Haven. “Spirits wish to join the living, and a demon is that wish gone wrong.” is a line that sticks with me, as it's often the dialogue branch I choose, and it explains the difference between spirits and demons without the use of metaphor or allegory. The other options use metaphors but do illustrate the need for fluid thinking and adapting to the circumstances of any given situation when dealing with a spirit. 

[Memory transforms into a Pride Demon from Dragon Age: Absolution]

With that being said it can be assumed that spirits are the default state, and demons are the ‘altered’ state, the antithesis. But that oversimplification doesn’t explain the existence of wisps and the other states of being that a spirit can enter, as Solas explains in dialogue in his personal quest All New, Faded for Her. 

Solas: You were a true friend. You did everything you could to help. I could hardly abandon you now. Inquisitor: I’m here for you. (Flirt) (Female Elf PC) [Investigate.] 1. Where were you? 2. What is death like to spirits? So it isn’t really dead? (Special) (Triggered by previous) Investigate, Option 1: Where were you? Inquisitor: Where did you go? Solas: I found a quiet spot and went to sleep. I visited the place in the Fade where my friend used to be. It’s empty, but there are stirrings of energy in the Void. Someday something new may grow there. Investigate, Option 2: What is death like to spirits? Inquisitor: What happens when a spirit dies? Solas: It isn’t the same as for mortals. The energy of spirits returns to the Fade. If the idea giving the spirit form is strong, or if the memory has shaped other spirits, it may someday rise again. Investigate, Option 2, follow-up: So it isn’t really dead? Inquisitor: You’re saying your friend might come back? Solas: No, not really. A spirit’s natural state is peaceful semi-existence. It is rare to be able to reflect reality. Something similar may reform one day, but it might have a different personality. It would likely not remember me. It would not be the friend I knew.

The knowledge we can garner from Solas is unique, as he’s an ancient elvhen, and therefore it predates the chantry and lacks censure. Wisdom’s demise is tragic, and although something in its place will reform it will not necessarily be the same. That begs the question; is a clone the same person? Genetically they are identical but they lack the same personality characteristics and experiences that have shaped and defined them then are they fundamentally two different entities? 

Solas believes it to be so; the same locale in the Fade, the same knowledge and memories could shape the energies but if the fledgling spirit lacks the memories of their friendship, those experiences they shared, then this newly sentient spirit would be a stranger. Even if this new spirit retained their memories, would the trauma of their predecessor’s demise fundamentally alter their personality? 

Solas’s responses between Option 1 and Option 2 leave it open for either to occur; that a new spirit of wisdom will form or his friend will reform; ‘it may someday rise again’. 

It is open for interpretation, however, there is evidence that individual spirits can linger and retain their sense of self after their demise. 

"A great deal is made of the most powerful demons, those that create abominations and those that have changed the history of Thedas. It is often forgotten that not all demons are such awe-inspiring beings. Some that break through the cracks in the Veil into our world are known as wisps, a sliver of a thought that once was. A wisp is a demon that has lost its power; either it has existed in our world for too long without finding a true host or it has been destroyed—often, so we've found, by other demons. What remains of its mind clings tightly to the one concept that created it—a hatred of all things living. While its ability to target a living creature is limited, these wisps often mindlessly attack when encountered in the Fade. In the living world, they often have been known to maliciously lure the living into dangerous areas, being mistaken for lanterns or other civilized light sources. This does, however, seem to be the very limit of their cunning." —From the journal of former Senior Enchanter Maleus, once of the Circle of Rivain, declared apostate in 9:20 Dragon Age

The codex entry for wisps in DAO, is unlocked after defeating a wisp wraith. Due to the codex author we must take it with a grain of salt, even though the Rivaini are more liberal they are still influenced by the Chantry, so do we choose to believe that wisps are only the remains of ‘malevolent’ demons or is it a state of being that all spirits can enter? 

Are wisps solely the remains of ‘that once was’? The short answer is; that we don’t really know. The Wraith codex entry in DAI has this to say: 

Like wisps, wraiths are sometimes thought to be the remains of spirits or demons that have been destroyed. They cannot shape the Fade around themselves, nor are they capable of mimicking forms they see in the minds of dreamers as many weaker spirits do. Instead, they are the scavengers of the Fade, dwelling in the shadows of stronger beings, feeding on scraps of thought and emotion. —From Beyond the Veil: Spirits and Demons by Enchanter Mirdromel

Now we know from World of Thedas Vol. 2 that the book quoted in the wraith codex is canon to Thedas and is ‘Chantry approved’. If we compare the information between the wisp and wraith codex, we can see that they both agree that wraiths and wisps are thought to be ‘the remains’ of spirits or demons and lack any true power to exert their will upon the Fade. 

Gathering his magic, he reached his mind across the Veil and summoned a spirit through. It was tiny, a wisp of a creature with barely any consciousness to call its own. The shimmering orb hovered over the palm of his hand, its magical hum tickling the hairs on the back of his neck. “I need you to be quiet,” he whispered. “You can do that, can’t you?” The wisp bobbed excitedly and dimmed. He barely even saw it now. Tossing it up into the air, he sensed its excitement as it floated out into the commons. Even such a small spirit took great joy in coming into the real world. They found the oddest things of endless fascination; a wooden chair, a piece of steak, a feather. Left to its own devices, a wisp would bob around random objects for hours, making strange trilling noises as it explored its environment. The templars frowned on the use of even such benign spirits, although it was not strictly forbidden. The best healers, after all, summoned spirits of compassion to assist them. Such spirits did not linger and immediately returned to whence they came, but the Chantry looked upon any who had the talent to contact them with suspicion - such as himself. Still, it had its uses.  [Excerpt from Dragon Age: Asunder. David Gaider. Pg. 58.]

In Asunder we see Rhys summon a spirit, it is described as ‘a wisp of a creature’, so is it a wisp or a spirit or are they interchangeable? Is a wisp just a spirit or demon that lacks a complex consciousness? What we do know, thanks to more recent Dragon Age media such as the novels that I am referencing, is that wisps can be summoned and they can be bound, and therefore follow the same laws as spirits and demons. In the short story The Dread Wolf Take You, from the Tevinter Nights collection, a Mortalitasi has bound what has been described and referred to in dialogue as a wisp. 

“Interesting to see both Dalish and city elves working with this… thing.” The Mortalitasi grimaced, and then her eyes snapped down to her stirring stick, still moving of its own accord in her wineglass. “I see specks at the bottom, wisp.” Her voice held a warning, and the stirring stick jerked and moved faster. [Excerpt from Dragon Age: Tevinter Nights. The Dread Wolf Take You, Patrick Weekes. Pg. 491]

This wisp has been bound to a stirring stick to animate the object, a simple task, something that Rhys in Asunder mentions that is within a wisp’s capabilities. 

At once, we were awake, back in the cavern, and its walls shook and cracked, and then a rift of green light rent the ceiling open above us and the demons that had accompanied the Dread Wolf burst into the world in righteous fury, shining warriors with blades forged from the raw Fade itself, and behind them, dimly visible through the crackling light, the shadow of the beast itself, from whose slavering jaws came the final words, roared not in anger, but with quiet contempt. “FROM THIS MOMENT, SHOULD YOU EVER BIND A SPIRIT, THEN YOUR LIFE IS MINE.” The hypocrisy almost made me laugh. The Dread Wolf forbade use from binding spirits, but why would these lesser demons attack us if not because the Dread Wolf bound them? They might have looked like spirits of Valor or Justice to the untrained eye, but I assure you, no kindly spirit would tear into us as these creatures did. [Excerpt from Dragon Age: Tevinter Nights. The Dread Wolf Take You, Patrick Weekes. Pg. 496-497]

Later in The Dread Wolf Take You, in The Mortalistiasi’s Tale we have ‘The Dread Wolf’ declare that if the Mortalitasi were to bind any spirits from that point on then their life is forfeit. This threat comes to pass later in the story and Solas releases the wisp/spirit from the stirring stick. 

So we have gathered that although wisps and wraiths are ‘sometimes thought to be the remains of spirits or demons that have been destroyed’, they could potentially be the stirrings of a consciousness of a newly formed spirit? The latter has no basis other than the supposed ‘life cycle’ of a spirit in Solas’ dialogue in All New, Faded for Her, but it could be the reforming of a pre-existing consciousness. It would seem that spirits are immortal, akin to the mythological phoenix. 

The franchise does have an instance similar to that of a reformed spirit regaining its consciousness. Mythal. 

We discover in the main quest, The Final Piece, that Flemeth is Mythal or more accurately that Flemeth is Mythal’s mortal host. I will be referencing dialogue trees for a world state that has an Old God Kieran and the Elven Inquisitor drinks from the Well, with the help of The Genitivi Chronicles. 

Inquisitor: You can’t be Mythal! That’s not possible! Flemeth: (Laughs.) Explain to me, dear (girl/boy), why I cannot be what I am. 1. I know what Mythal was. (Special) (If Elven PC) 2. You’re not even elven. 3. You’ re no god. 4. Mythal is long dead. Option 1 Inquisitor: Mythal was the goddess of justice. I’ve seen the statues. She…Flemeth: Was one of the People. Yes, indeed. Option 2 Inquisitor: Mythal was an elven god. You, you’re… Flemeth: Human? Flemeth laughs. Flemeth: Not a word many have used for me in a very long time. Option 3 Inquisitor: I’m supposed to believe that you’re some kind of god? Flemeth: Clearly not the sort you had in mind, hmm? Option 4 Inquisitor: Whatever Mythal was, she died long ago. Flemeth: So she did.

Option 1 and Option 2, have the characters confirm what we can deduce by observation. Mythal was elvhen. Flemeth is (or was) human. Option 4, on the other hand, confirms what Abelas had claimed in the Temple of Mythal that Mythal had been murdered, unlike the Dalish legend that she was banished to the Beyond with the Evanuris. 

That confirmation that Mythal had died is crucial, and I will explain as to why later. The conversation that takes place within the Fade (as per the Old God Kieran world state) between Mythal, Morrigan and the Inquisitor is illuminating.

Flemeth nudges Kieran, and Kieran rushes over to hug Morrigan. Kieran: I’m sorry, Mother. I heard her calling to me. She said now was the time. Morrigan: I do not understand. Kieran returns to Flemeth’s side. Flemeth: Once I was but a woman, crying out in the lonely darkness for justice. And she came to me, a wisp of an ancient being, and she granted me all I wanted and more. I have carried Mythal through the ages ever since, seeking the justice denied to her. 1. She’s inside you? 2. This is too much. 3. Maybe that was a demon. Option 1 Inquisitor: Then… you carry Mythal inside you? Flemeth: She is a part of me, no more separate than your heart from your chest. Option 2 Inquisitor: You can’t expect us to believe that. Option 3 Inquisitor: That could have been a demon, lying to you.

…crying out in the lonely darkness for justice. And she came to me, a wisp of an ancient being… I have carried Mythal through the ages ever since, seeking the justice denied to her. Now this dialogue is either a great big fat red herring or it seems like Mythal is acting eerily similar to a destroyed spirit that has clung on and reformed into a wisp, hmm? 

Flemeth: What do the voices tell you?  The Inquisitor closes their eyes, listening to the whispers. Inquisitor: They say you speak the truth. Flemeth: But what was Mythal? A legend given name and called a god, or something more? Truth is not the end, but a beginning. Flemeth: So young and vibrant. You do the People proud and have come far. Flemeth: As for me, I have had many names. But you… may call me Flemeth. 1. Will you help us? 2. Am I your servant now? 3. What do you want? 4. Why stay secret? (Investigate) (Non-Elven PC) 5. You’re Morrigan’s mother? (Investigate) (Elven PC) - I need to understand. (Investigate/Special) (Triggered by either previous question) 6. The elves needed you. (Special) (Elf PC) 7. I know who Flemeth is. (History) Option 1 Inquisitor: I presume you know what we’re up against. Flemeth: Better than you could possibly imagine. Inquisitor: So will you help us? Flemeth: Once I have what I came for. Flemeth looks at Kieran. Option 2 Inquisitor: So must I serve you now because I drank from the Well? Flemeth: (Chuckles.) Is that how you see yourself? A servant? I have no commands for you. Not yet. Morrigan: Then what is it you want? Flemeth: One thing, and one thing only. Flemeth looks at Kieran. Kieran looks to Morrigan. Kieran: I have to go now, Mother. Option 3  Inquisitor: So you lured us here. What do you want? Flemeth: One thing, and one thing only. Flemeth looks at Kieran. Kieran looks to Morrigan. Kieran: I have to go now, Mother. Option 4 (Non-Elven) Inquisitor: If Mythal is within you, why not reveal yourself? Flemeth: And to whom should I reveal myself? Inquisitor: To the elves? To everyone? Flemeth: (Laughs.) I knew the hearts of men even before Mythal came to me. It is why she came to me. They do not want the truth, and I… I am but a shadow, lingering in the sun. Option 5 (Elven) Inquisitor: Then you’re Mythal and Morrigan’s mother? Morrigan: As well as a witch who prolongs her unnatural life by possessing the bodies of her daughters. Flemeth: That’s what you believe, is it? Morrigan: I found your grimoire, and I am no fool, old woman. Flemeth: (Chuckles.) If only that were so. My daughter ran from me long ago. I’ve let her be… until now, it seems. Option 5 (Triggered) Inquisitor: If Mythal is within you, why not reveal yourself? Flemeth: And to whom should I reveal myself? Inquisitor: To the elves? To everyone? Flemeth: (Laughs.) I knew the hearts of men even before Mythal came to me. It is why she came to me. They do no want the truth, and I… I am but a shadow, lingering in the sun. Option 6 Inquisitor: If Mythal is a part of you, why haven’t you helped us? We’ve called to you, prayed to you… Flemeth: What was could not be changed. Inquisitor: What about now? You know so much… Flemeth: You know not what you ask, child. Option 7 (If Elven) (History) Inquisitor: I know the name “Flemeth.” My people call you Asha’bellanar, the woman of many years, and speak of your legend. Inquisitor: It says, long ago, you left your husband for a lover. Your husband then tricked you, killed your lover, and imprisoned you. Then a spirit came to offer you vengeance. Mythal–that’s what you spoke of. Flemeth: One day, someone will summarize the terrible events of your life so quickly. But, yes, I was that woman. That is how my tale began. Inquisitor: Flemeth appears in other legends, helping heroes for reasons of her own. Flemeth: I nudge history, when it’s required. Other times, a shove is needed. (Chuckles.)

The initial dialogue tree after discovering that Flemeth is Mythal is a minefield of information that needs to be pieced together, it is such a shame that this tree cannot be exhausted and you must choose a branch. Option 1 has me curious, as this is during the Breach Crisis, the danger that Corypheus poses with his plan to assault the Black City with the aid of the Orb of Destruction, it seems that Flemeth is familiar with what? Corypheus? The Blight? The Orb? The Veil? 

Option 2 and Option 3 offer little, except to reaffirm Flemeth’s interest in an OGB Kieran and that she now has control over the person who has drank from the Well of Sorrows. 

Options 4 and Options 5 are dependent on the race of the Inquisitor. Option 4 leaves us with more questions after Flemeth answers the PC cryptically. What is not mentioned in this branch is Flemeth is known to the Dalish as Asha’bellinar, the Woman of Many Years, if you trigger the Investigate - History option, aka. Option 7 then your PC regurgitates the legend of Flemeth and in my personal opinion, organically triggers Morrigan’s mention of how she, wrongly, believes Flemeth extends her life. ‘Then a spirit came to offer you vengeance’, this reaffirms the theory that whatever Mythal is now could be considered a spirit or a demon, depending on how we classify vengeance. 

But that begs the question: are the Elvhen spirits made flesh? 

Part 3 has been split up into multiple parts as it grew into a monster. Stay tuned for Part 2/2! 

[thefact0rygirl]

Hi Vee! Can I ask for a soft hurt/comfort with Boba? 🥺 It doesn't have to be long or complicated I just really need a hug and to dissociate from rl a bit.

I'm so sorry to hear that Alex! I'm sending you a big hug, and I hope this brings you some comfort 💚

boba fett x gn!reader (no warnings)

“Boba.”

It’s your voice that gets him. Hollow and splintered, you say it far too quietly for the size of the throne room, almost as if you almost don’t want to hear. He looks up from holopad, eyes landing on your shrunken frame. 

You’re at the foot of the dais, shifting your weight from one foot to the other. It’s barely noticeable, a subtle move only he would notice. Boba frowns at your neutral expression. It isn’t giving anything away, but your voice…The timidness in the sound. Something is wrong.

“Yes, cyare?”

“Hold me. Please.”

Your request is so out of the blue it leaves Boba stunned. You’re not one to disturb him during the day, always being respectful for his new position. But something is wrong, and it’s fairly serious for you to stand before him and request such unexpected intimacy. 

He blinks a few more times, but nods. Setting his holopad to the side, he opens his arms for you to situate yourself in his lap. Even as you curl into his frame and bury your face in his shoulders do you remain emotionless. He wraps his arms around you, biting his tongue to keep himself from asking. An explanation might be what Boba wants, but it isn’t what you need. 

You both sit quietly for a while and not once do you lift your head from its place. Even when Fennec comes in, calling for Boba but quickly quieting when she sees you wrapped up on his throne. He shoots Fennec a look, one of Not right now, before Fennec nods and exits. 

He keeps rubbing your back, even when he braves to as, “Is…is everything okay?”

“…Not really.”

He says nothing more, nodding gently against your head. He’s scared his own voice will start to shake. He isn’t quite sure how to take that or what to do; he rarely sees you so vulnerable and he isn’t sure how to handle it. He wants to fix whatever is causing you distress, but he isn’t sure how. He still tries, voice shaking as he timidly asks you, “Do you want to talk about it?”

“No.”

He feels your head shake against him and one of your hands going up to grip at the collar of his tunic. It’s a desperate action, as if your physical connection is the only thing tethering you to this world. 

“Okay,” Boba sighs, opting to ignore the itching in his brain to start a game of twenty one questions. Instead, he settles in and holds you tightly, as tight as he can. He leans his cheek down to rest on your head and breathes in deep. Your scent always calms him and there isn’t a point in having both of you upset. 

It takes a couple more minutes of stillness before you finally move. Pressing a thankful kiss to his neck, you pull away just enough to look into his eyes. Your voice is still small, but the edges seem to have softened.

“Can we move to your room?”

Boba smiles, an expression far softer than he ever thought he could make. “Let’s go.”

[alexanderwesker]

Chapters: 114/?

Chapter Title: Fury and Splinters work well Together

Chapter summary: How had Dream dared to hurt Wilbur's Soot again? He's going to pay for this. And Quackity seem to feel just the same way as he does.

Warnings for this chapter: Mentions of Chronic Pain, Obsessive Thoughts, Possessive Thoughts; Slight mentions of Withdrawal, Intrusive Thoughts of the Violent Kind, Violence;

Rating: Teen and Up

Category: Gen

Fandom: Minecraft (Video Game); Video Blogging RPF; Dream SMP -Fandom

Relationships: Wilbur Soot & Tommyinnit; Wilbur Soot & Technoblade; Wilbur Soot & c!Wilbur Soot; Clay | Dream & Wilbur Soot; Clay | Dream & c!Dream; Captain Sparklez & Tubbo; Tommyinnit & Tubbo; Niki|Nihachu & Wilbur Soot; Wilbur Soot & Technoblade & TommyInnit & Phil Watson; Wilbur Soot & Phil Watson; TommyInnit & Phil Watson (Video Blogging RPF); Phil Watson & c!Philza; Quackity & Wilbur Soot;

Characters: Wilbur Soot; Technoblade; Tommyinnit; c!Wilbur Soot; Clay | Dream; c!Dream; Eret; Captain Sparklez, Niki | Nihachu; Phil Watson(Video Blogging RPF); C!Philza; Quackity

Additional Tags: 2020 L'Manberg Election on Dream Team SMP (Video Blogging RPF); Post-Election Arc; Manberg-Pogtopia War on Dream Team SMP (Video Blogging RPF); Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence; Dimension Travel; Real Wilbur ends up in the Dream SMP! Verse; Canon-Typical Violence; Villain Wilbur Soot; (this last tag is about the character not the RL person); Vilbur; Implied/Referenced Child Abuse; Emotional Manipulation; Courtesy of Vilbur; Technoblade Hears Voices (Video Blogging RPF); Immortal Technoblade (Video Blogging RPF): Older Sibling Wilbur Soot; Protective Wilbur Soot; cc!Wilbur and cc!Tommy aren’t brothers(as we know); but c!Wilbur and c!Tommy are; Wilbur took one look at Vilbur treating badly Tommy and said: ‘Fuck you other me’; War; Wilbur Soot and TommyInnit are Siblings; they are brothers your honor; c!Wilbur is like ‘Oh… another me’; cc!Wilbur is like ‘Oh fuck… I’m in danger’; Technoblade is like… ‘Uh’; Tommy is like ‘Oh… guess I’ve two older brothers now’; minor acts of

terrorism;

Insanity; Realistic Minecraft; Permadeath AU; Technoblade isn’t Tommy and Wilbur’s brother but it’s like he is; One-sided Codependency; Developing Friendship; Panic Attacks; Paranoia; Developing Paranoiac thoughts; Worldbuilding; Other tags may be added in the future; Sorry for the tag wall; Obsessive Behavior; Possessive Behavior; Implied/Referenced Self-Harm; Mild Blood;(is it really Self-Harm if you are doing it on your ‘past-self’?);Villain Clay | Dream (Video Blogging RPF); Good Clay | Dream (Video Blogging RPF);Good Friend Clay |Dream (Video Blogging RPF); (the villain tag is about the character not the cc): Politics; (What do you do when suddenly you are the doppelganger of an Emperor?); Manipulation; Eret is trying his best to be a good King; King Eret (Video Blogging RPF); Clay |Dream is Not DreamXD (Video Blogging RPF); But he is ‘Blessed’ by the Guardian of the Void; Torture; The One-Sided Codependency? It’s becoming just…; Codependency; Queerplatonic Relatioships; Parent Captain Sparklez; Captain Sparklez is Tubbo’s Parent; Ram-Hybrid Captain Sparklez; c!Philza tags: Angel of Death Phil Watson (Video Blogging RPF); Fallen Angel Phil Watson (Video Blogging RPF); (Philza is a biblical angel with a human vessel but with wings and a horned halo); Bad Parent Phil Watson (Video Blogging RPF); Immortal Phil Watson (Video Blogging RPF); Now for CC!Phil tags: Winged Phil Watson (Video Blogging RPF); Avian Phil Watson (Video Blogging RPF); Good Parent Phil Watson (Video Blogging RPF); Protective Phil Watson (Video Blogging RPF); BAMF Phil Watson (Video Blogging RPF); CC!Phil is just as immortal as his character because Death is an alternate version of his Wife; Goddess of Death Kristin Rosales Watson;

[calliecat93]

TMNT 2k12

I’ve had such an upsurge of my TMNT 2012 content as of late haha. I wonder why? Did interest get renewed and I just never noticed? Meh. Anyways!

my all-time ultimate fave character: April O’Neil

a character I didn’t used to like but now do: Hmm… that’s a good question. Slash maybe? IDK.

a character I used to like but now don’t: I still like him, but I grew more and more frustrated with Mikey as the show went on until by the time it was over I was just done with his lack of maturity/infantilizing in and out of universe

a character I’m indifferent about: Pretty much all of Shredder’s henchmen. Some started interesting like Fishdface and Tiger Claw, then just became one-dimensional by the end. Bebop and Rocksteady wertre probably the most entertaining, but them being brought baack robbed the other Foot Clan villaina and Stockman was just utterly wasted. Karai no longe rbeing a villain really robbed the Foot Clan any remaining depth.

a character who deserved better: April due to her plotline ultimateley being left open-ended with no resolution and Splinter if you’re aware of how everything with him ultimateley ended.

a ship I’ve never been able to get into: Pretty much any Mikey pairing. Him with Renet was cute, but Renet only appeared like… what? Three or so times? So that wasn’t much. Shinigami… IDK what they were even trying to do and they gave up on it almost instantly. Honestly I think Mikey is too immature to have a romantic relationship so I’m not in favor of most ships with him.

a ship I’ve never been able to get over: Probably the only one I’m still a fan of is Yoshi/Tang-Shen.

a cute, low-key ship: Raph/Mona. The other ship I’m still a fan of. No overdone pining that takes too long or teenaged stupidity, they just go for it with them and I love it. It works well for Raph’s character as well, he can at least brag that he has the most successful love life after watching Leo and Donnie be stupid XD

an unpopular ship but I still enjoyed it: None I can think of. Maybe Apritello? IDK if it’s still popular or not, but you eeither loved it or hated it back when the show was airing. It has it’s issues witht he execution and how it ultimateley ended unresolved. But it’s still cute and I still love their relationship espcially when Donnie became better at handeling his feelings.

a ship that was totally wrong and never should have happened: Are there any that became canon that I have issues with? Hmm… none come to mind.

my favourite storyline/moment: Storyline… hmm, IDK. My favorite episode is still The Invasion because a few bits aside, they got everything right int hat episode. The build-up, the tension, the action, the emotions,t he sense of dread as everything that we knew and cared for came crumbling down… it’s still the best episode(s) in the entire series. Which I feel the seocnd half of S3 REALLY mitigated it’s impact, but I’ll rant about that when I hopefully do that Ten Year Revisit series I want to do for TMNT.

a storyline that never should have been written: The Space Arc. A lotof S4’s issues could have been soloved had they just not done the space arc at all, or focused S5 on the Foot Clan front insterad of ending it at S4 and filling S5 with dide-stories. I have a theory as to whyt hat happened, but regardless the Space Arc ruined what should have been the biggest seaosn of the show as the main story reached it;s conclusion, but mad eit feel crammed and rushed as a result. Which we’d lost a lot of good stuff like the last three episodes of S3, the Aeon Crystal subplot, and Fugitoid, but if losing them allowed for a better story then that’s worth losing.

my first thoughts on the show: When TMNT 2012 premiered, I was in a huge slump. Aside form Wild Kratts, The Penguins of Madagascar TV series, and The Legend of Korra I had lost faith in animation. CN, Nick, and Disney had mostly lost my interest (CN I was especially angry at due to the CN Real situation) though Nick had regianed some faith cause of Penguins and LoK, Disney’s films while improving hadn’t regained my faith due to the CGI switch (I hadn’t seen Tangled yet), and RL matters at the time were giving me less and less time to be invested in it. I was more interest in classical animation and was pretty much set on staying there aside from the shows I previously mentioned. I put it on TMNT 2012’s premiere because nothing else was on and at the very least I could enjoy hearing Rob Paulsen. I was blown away. The animaiton, the fights, the characters, the voice acting, it was the best thing I had seen in a looong time. It was the first time I got up to see new episode premiered in years. I was new to Tumblr by then so I was able to ge tinvolved int he fandom very quickly, which really defined my Tumblr career. It was just so cool and I loved it~!

my thoughts now: The show was great, but not without it’s issues. It’s so much easier to realize and point them out now that it’s over and the euphoria has long since worn off. I gave up on it around mid-S4. I stopped watching the premieres and just slowed down until by S5, I’d oretty much stopped all together. My interest was dead. Int he early days I couldn’t imagine life without the show. But by then I was fully into othershows/fandoms and thus I had no problems washing my hands clean of TMNT 2012. Does that mean I hate the show? No. I still have all my DVD’s and comics, as I said I’m planning a 10 year series, and regardless of how it ended TMNT 2012 both got me into Tumblr/fandom culture (for better and worst) and renewed my love for animaiton. Hell it single-handedly made me go form hating CGI that wasn’t Pixar and blaming it for animaiton’s downfall to realizing how misguided that belief was and becoming more open-minded. TMNT 2012 was a huge part of my life, and I’m grateful for that.

[setonahill]

Splinters

I was made of shattered glass, each bend and twist an agony, each breath an open wound. My thoughts were splintered, a kaleidoscope of black and gray with fractured vision and silent screams. There was no beauty. There was no peace. Only pain.

And oh, how desperately I wanted— no, needed to be free. How simple I believed my escape to be. Wouldn't it liberate, too, the suffocating weight of me off the weary shoulders of you? Wouldn't this be a gift for all?

But now, oh, now I know the truth. I cannot escape into oblivion without imprisoning you. The shards inside of me won't disappear. Like shrapnel, they will maim the ones I care for most, the ones who most love me. Leaving no one unscathed. Leaving no heart unbroken.

So instead I choose the harder path.

With the hands of a master healer gently guiding mine to patiently, painstakingly melt each piece of fragile glass until the serrated edges are smoothed, until they are seamless as they fit together again.

My eventual deliverance will no longer be an exploding bomb of anguish, but a rainbow blooming vibrant color, lighting our skies with hope.

And you and me, we'll all be free.

~rl anderson

[coffinpal]

"where are you going?" "out" "not like that you aren't" with Redline but its Splinter catching her sons all bundled up about to sneak off without putting their red eye liner on.

"No child of MINE will not slay"

eye liner is required before leaving the lair

sffdksjfskd this is so silly i love it

but also the lines are part of their face and cant be rubbed off lol :,D

[squibbles-gubwee]

bad news gamers, my computer shut the bed and i had to completely reset it. I lost all my art i was working on.

[0ddbugs]

@coffinpal is responsible for all of this. ty raph that's very sweet!!!

❤❤❤

he's just a little menace to society actually

ALSO PAL PLEASE EXPLAIN SPLINTER

@tmntaucompetition

[missweber]

WIP preview - Jack vs. the Cup

I really, really want to finish my ‘Stanley Cup is Actually a Malignant Entity’ fic this year. Meanwhile, here is a chunk from chapter 1. It features a young Jack, and some allusions to RL players and things that happened to said RL players.

Anyhow, here is the account of a Stanley Cup win that didn’t happen. Or did it?

The third candidate for Jack's first memory was neither uncomplicated and peaceful, nor generic and heartwarming. It throbbed like an infected splinter in his mind while other, theoretically more important memories felt like stories he once read about someone else.

This was because in this particular memory, the memory of his father winning the Cup for the eighth time, everything was wrong. 

It was wrong because everyone was so happy and so sad at the same time, and no one would tell him why, and it made his chest and stomach hurt so bad he was dizzy from it.

Everyone was supposed to be happy. Why weren't they happy? Papa and his uncles had won not just any old game (and of course they won because they were The Best), but the biggest game! They had won the Cup!

So why did Maman and his aunties hug each other and wipe away tears instead of just cheering like they were supposed to? You were supposed to cheer when you won games! Why did they whisper to each other like they did when they didn't want Jack or the other kids to hear them? What were they talking about?

He didn't know, and not knowing twisted in his belly.

He wanted to ask Maman what was wrong, but before he could, she dragged him out on the ice along with all the other families and it was so exciting that he forgot all the wrongness. 

They'd never gone out on the ice like this before. It was exciting, but it was also loud, because everyone in the arena was still shouting.

They were shouting his name. Zim. Mer. Mann!  Zim. Mer. Mann! 

Jack knew they meant Papa, but the sound of it and the way it pounded like a drum was the most wonderful thing ever, and he loved it more than anything.

But then—just like that—it was too much and all he wanted was to cover his ears and curl up until it went away.

He couldn't, because Maman held his hand way too tight and pulled him though the crowd so fast he had to run, almost slipping on the ice. He wanted to tell her that she was hurting his elbow, but he couldn't make the words come out, and when he tried to pull his hand away, she only held on tighter.

When they got to Papa, he grabbed her in a hug that looked like it hurt. Papa spoke into Maman's ear, all close like he was going to kiss her. Her hair muffled the words, but Jack thought he heard the name of his favorite uncle, and he tried to listen harder.

"I know, Bobby. I wish he could be here, too," Maman said.

"Is there any news?" Papa asked, but Maman shook her head before he finished his question.

Jack wished someone would tell him what was wrong. He hadn't seen Uncle Mario and Aunt Nathalie in what felt like forever. 

(He worried that maybe they were mad at him or Papa, but when he had asked Maman, she just smiled at him like she was about to cry and told him that Uncle Mario wasn't feeling good and that she wished he wouldn't worry so much. And that was all she would say.)

Before Jack could ask why Uncle Mario wasn't at the game (Papa played when he was sick all the time), Papa and Maman broke their hug, and said it was time to take a family picture with the Cup.

Papa winked at him. "Third time's the charm, eh, Jacky?"

Even though he had seen photos, Jack had always thought of the Cup as looking like the yellow and white mugs his parents used at breakfast.

It wasn't. It wasn't like them at all.

The Cup was nearly as tall as he was. And it looked so big, up on its stand. Too big. Bigger and more in a way that made him try to hide behind Maman's legs. 

A firm hand on his back held him in place.

Sometimes, it felt like he had two Mamans. There was the nice Maman who would let him hide away and be quiet when he wanted to.

Right now, he had the other Maman.

"Smile, baby," she scolded through her own smile. The cameras flashed and flashed and flashed. "Everyone wants to see you smile real big, okay? Now here, stand next to the Cup."

I don't like you, he thought at the Cup. It glinted back at him, and the light looked the way mean laughter sounded.

He wanted to go home. Not the apartment. But home. Home home, where he could see their pond from his bedroom window and where he never had to speak English or speak at all if he didn't want to. Home wasn't Pittsburgh. Home was where things were quiet and he got to see Mémé almost every day.

"Look, Jacky," Maman said once the cameras stopped flashing so much. She bent down to point at one of the big silver rings that made the Cup's tower and he snuggled into her side. The hand on his back turned into a hug, and she was back to being the Maman he liked. "Do you see what's there?"

Jack was old enough to know his letters, but reading was still new and hard. He knew what his name looked like, though, even if he could only write the first part without help.

He nodded. "Papa."

"That's right!" Maman led him in a circle around the Cup, pointing to Papa's name each time she found it.

"Every person who wins the Cup gets his name on it, and your Papa has won a lot of times, more than almost anybody else. Now, look at this one!" He looked. Then, her finger dropped down to another ring. "And now this one! You sat in the cup both of these times."

"Sat and shat!" Papa said solemnly, and Uncle Murph and Uncle Yags laughed like it was the funniest joke ever, or like they hadn't heard a joke in a long, long time.

Jack's face went hot and he wished everyone would stop laughing at him.

"It's okay, Jacky. You were just a baby," Maman soothed, but she laughed along with the others and pushed Jack's hands down when he tried to pull his jersey up to cover his head. "Bobby, don't tease."

"I'm just chirping." Papa ruffled Jack's hair. Jack tried to bat his hand away, but Papa laughed as if it was just another kind of joke. "It's just what us hockey players do. You know that, right, bud? And you know what? One day, your name will be on here, too! Just you wait and see!"

Someone took a picture, and the flash made the Cup wink at him.

"Where's your name for this time, Papa?" Jack asked, blinking away spots from the flash. He still felt the adults' laughter squirming deep in his stomach.

Maman laughed again, but it was her nice laugh, rippling and kind and safe. "It's not on there yet, baby. No one knew until your Papa scored the very last goal that the Penguins were going to win." She sounded proud, but she also sounded sad for some reason. Jack crowded in closer to her as she pointed to a smooth, shiny part of the ring, next to a 1 a 9 a 9 and a 4 and a bunch of names he didn't know. There were no letters or numbers in the shiny part, just his face and hers squished up all curvy and long and wrong. She tapped the metal. "It will go right there."

 Papa knelt down between Jack and the Cup. One hand was on the cup ("Christ, that's cold!") and the other hand clamped onto Jack's shoulder. He gave Jack a little shake, and Jack fought the urge to wriggle free. He wanted to get away. It was too loud and too bright and too cold and Maman kept telling him to look people in the eye when they talked to him even though he hated it. He hated it so much.  

Papa could tell he was unhappy, but he got it wrong. He always got it wrong.

"I know bud. I wish your uncle was here, too. I'd give all this up if only—"

Papa suddenly sounded like he wanted to cry, and that scared Jack more than anything. He hid his face in Papa's jersey. Maman always said Papa stank after games, but to Jack, he just smelled safe. 

Jack remembered the smell.

It smelled like Papa. It smelled like the ocean.

He remembered someone shhhing him.

He didn't remember falling asleep.

He half-remembered a dream of snow and wind that never, ever stopped and that hurt like mean laughter.

* * *

When Jack woke up the next morning, they were already back home in Montréal.

"You're up early, Jacky," Maman said when he came into the kitchen. "Do you want breakfast?"

Jack nodded. He tried not to be sad about sleeping through the trip from Pittsburgh back to Montréal. He liked airplanes.

"Use your words, Jack," Papa reminded him, earning a frown from Maman, who went ahead and didn't wait for Jack to say anything before fixing him a plate with a scrambled eggs, a slice of bacon, and a piece of toast to match Papa's.

"Thank you," he made himself say when she put the plate in front of him, because he hated it when Maman and Papa fought. He really hated it when they fought about him.

Slowly, the bad moment went away and everything was as it should be again.

"Mario called," Papa said as he poured himself another cup of coffee. "He and Nathalie were wondering if we wanted to come over to watch the game tonight—it feels wrong rooting for the Devils after they took us down like that, but crisse, it would be good to see the Red Wings go down in a sweep!"

Jack blinked at that. "Is Uncle Mario okay, now?"

Maman and Papa both turned to look at him, puzzled. 

"Your Uncle Mario's been almost all better for a long time, sweetie. You know that." Maman stroked his hair away from his forehead, and he leaned into her hand when she patted him on the head. She sighed and leaned down to kiss his cheek. "I wish you would stop worrying so much, baby."

Papa spoke around a mouthful of bacon. "He told me the other day he's been cleared to come back next season. Your mother's right—there's nothing to worry about any more. The cancer's all gone. I promise." 

Maman hissed out a Bobby! like he'd said something wrong, but Papa ignored her and held out his hand to Jack, pinky crooked, waiting.

Cancer? What does that mean? And why was everybody so sad yesterday? Jack wanted to ask, but he didn't. 

He didn't want them to tell him not to worry again. It just made him worry more, which he knew was stupid, but he couldn't stop it.

So, he smiled and hooked fingers with Papa, completing the pinky-promise.

And that was it. That was the memory.

It wasn't very clear anymore, but it was still there, occasionally flaring to life when triggered by a stray flash of light, or drifting past when he was on the edge of sleep. Sometimes he got a flicker of it when someone asked him about his father's legacy.

It was always gone again with a shhhh before he could think to tell anyone about it. Or before he could think about it too much. 

Or think about it at all—or at least not enough to wonder why it had only become his first memory when he was an adult.

So no, Bob Zimmermann's last Stanley Cup victory may not have been Jack's actual first memory, but it's as good a place as any to start our story.

[olderthannetfic]

Let’s take a break from specific fandoms to talk about:

Platform Wars

In 2020, we’re all asking what’s next after Tumblr. This is nothing new. “Is thing X killing thing Y?” is a question fandom has been asking since long before Escapade. But these panels offer comfort and insight into our current fear of change.

They’re also fucking hilarious.

So, without further ado, here are some past Escapade panels on the subject of Change Is Scary:

1997 - Effects of the Internet on Fandom & Slash (On the upside: more fans, more conventions, more excitement and a 24-hour party. On the downside: are the connections more shallow? Are the changes made to "fandom as we knew it" change what we enjoy? Do print fans have something to fear? Or is this simple another wave?)

2000 - Less is More: Gluttony & the Decline of Quality in Fanfic

2004 - Amusing Ourselves to Death (Fannish Discourse in the the Age of the Internet By sheer quantity, has the quality of our conversation declined to predominantly static?)

2004 - LiveJournal, Boon or Bane? (Has the advent of LiveJournal brought about the demise of mailing lists? Has it splintered the venue for discussion to the point where it's impossible to have meaningful conversation? Is the LJ phenomenon just one big egotrip? Come join us to discuss these and other questions.)

2007 - Is F’locked the New Black (Is the flocked post the future of fan communication? Are we returning to the dark ages of closed lists, zines under the table, and "have to know someone"? More and more LJ posts are locked, communities are closed, and groups are invitation only. Is there a way to protect our RL selves (and our fannish selves), yet share our fannish commentary and fic? How does this all look to a newbie? Where is our new comfort zone? And how do we keep track of all of this?)

2008 - The Organization for Transformative Works (The Best Thing Since Ever, or the End Of Days? The OTW is an incorporated nonprofit organization established by fans to serve the interests of fans in multiple ways, including by providing open-source archive software (and an archive), legal assistance, and various efforts to preserve the history of fanworks and fan culture.)

2011 - Delicious - Rumors of Death Greatly Exaggerated? (Delicious, fandom's favorite bookmarking site may be getting shut down (or at least sold out) by The Man. What to do?)

2016 - Fandom Is Fic: from BNF to TL;DR. (From paper through Usenet to Livejournal, text was king. On Tumblr, long text is an imposition—isn’t it? Has fic been dethroned from its place at the top of the heap and fic-writing BNFs along with it? Discuss the dirty little social dynamics of the shifting patterns of fannish value and how we define 'fandom' itself. And what of zines and zine eds?)

2017 - The Kids Are Not the Problem (In recent years, media fandom has grown enormously. It has also scattered, spreading out to new platforms and meeting spaces. You often hear talk about "the kids" vs. "the olds," Tumblr vs. LiveJournal, or the problem of recruiting and retaining new fans. In this panel, let’s try flipping that script. If kids are not the problem, how can we change and grow? What awesome things are other fans doing/trying that people at Escapade should know about? Most importantly, what strategies can we use to leave our fannish bubbles and more fully experience fandom in 2017?)

2019 - The fall of tumblr (Fans have always looked for a good place to build communities on line. Recent events with Tumblr and other platforms like Facebook are restricting our gathering places and even blocking and purging our self-made content. How are people dealing with this? Fandom will survive, but where? Come discuss the problems and options out there.)

And below the cut, a whole bunch more panels on platforms and change:

1991 - Quality Control in Zine Publication/Economics of Fandom (Who is making money in fandom? Should they be? How accountable are fans? Editors? Artists? Have you ever written an LOC?)

1993 -  Supply and Demand in Fandom (Can we have too much of a good thing? How many cons or zine is too many? Are we glutting the market?)

1994 - Changing Nature of Fannish Communication (E-mail, and virtual zines, computer video editing and morphing -- all the new toys at our disposal...)

1996 - Internet—Will it eat your brain? Or take you to the poorhouse? (Nearly everyone has or can get access to a computer and thereby the Internet and the World Wide Web. What's out there for fans? What should you look for? What might you want to watch out for? How can you protect your pocketbook at the same time?)

1997 - Net Fiction & Print Fiction (Is the very existence of net fic changing the characteristics or reducing the quantity of print fic? Are there really stylistic and/or content differences? What makes some shows predominantly produce netfic, while others happily generate both? How do the barriers of access to each affect the fan community?)

1997 - History of Fan Socialization (Was fandom really different in the "old days"? Was there a feeling of community that we're missing now? Or is that just nostalgia clouding our memories? In today's net-connected fandom, what is (or should be) different? And what elements of the past should we try and retain?)

1998 - Professionals: Is the Circuit Dead? (Or has it just moved on-line? Is Pros fandom split on the subject of the internet? Many old circuit writers don't want anything to do with the new on-line library. They have objected to having their stories retyped an sent out, even on private e-mail. Has the paper circuit given way to the on-line library?)

1998 - Netfic Formatting A: How to Print It Prettily (An instructional panel, covering the basics of formatting, macros, and other time-saving tips to get the results you want.)

1998 - Privacy and Community: Pseudonyms, Screen Names and Face-to-Face Meetings (As more and more fandom is found online, how are we adapting to the anonymity that comes with it?)

1998  - Netfic Formatting B: From Word to Web, Making Shapely Net Slash (This panel is for everyone who wants to venture into the world of online slash, but gets nervous when faced with the myriad technical difficulties. Relax, it's easier than you think. We look at stylistic conventions, how to make your work newsgroup and e-mail friendly, and the dreaded subject header alphabet soup. We'll also cover some basic info on how to make a www archive site user friendly.)

1998 - Crossing the Line (An instructional panel on how to get what you want (more stories) in a world that may be unfamiliar to you (the web for print fans, and the insular world of zines for net fans).)

1999 - Does Print Fandom Have a Future? (In the age of instant, free net fic, is print fandom a dinosaur on its way to extinction, or a promise of reasonable quality in a sea of mediocrity? What are the key differences between zines and netfic, and what are the advantages and disadvantages of each? Can the two coexist happily? )

2000 - Promoting Critique on Mailing Lists (How to promote critical discussion and attention to the mechanics of writing on email lists?)

2000 - Changing Power Dynamics in Fandom (With the decline of zine editors and growth of the Net, what's changed, and how does it affect us and our fanfic?)

2001 - Website Workshop 2 by the lady of shalott (Setting up and maintaining a fanfic archive, and in particular how to set up the Automated Archive software used by 852 Prospect and the Due South archives.) [NB: Yes, she went through a bunch of name versions before ‘astolat’.]

2002 - How to run a Fiction Archive (and Maintain Your Sanity)

2002 - Nobody Here But Us Sockpuppets (How multiple personality disorder takes on a whole new meaning in the world of mailing lists.)

2003 - Getting slash onto your PalmPilot for computer free reading

2003 - Recs Databases! Creation and Commiseration (Do you run a recs database and want to commiserate? Do you currently have a recs page and want to become database-driven? Want to talk about the relative merits of using PHP, MySQL, or Access to organize smut?)

2003 - How to Set Up and Maintain Fanfiction Archives (If you're thinking of running an archive, or already do and need some help, this is the panel for you. We'll cover everything from choosing a method of archiving, handling fandom growth, dealing with troublemakers, and just how much time, webspace and money are we talking, anyway? Come pick the archivists' brains.)

2003 - Has Escapade Run Its Course (Scuttlebut says: It's not like it used to be. My old friends don't come any more. My new friends can't get in. It's too big. It's too small. Oxnard, for god's sake? I'm getting sick and tired of the same shit year after year. Is Escapade old and tired? Does it need to be retired?)

2004 - HTML and Website Introduction (if you don't have a website and want to create one. where doyoustart'This will cover creating basic HTML pages and common webhosting options, as well as things to think about as you set iin vour first website.)

2005 - Where Have All The Good Conversations Gone? Rise & Fall of the Escapade Panel (Are people still interested in talking about the characters, plots, and themes of their shows? Has in-depth analysis of our fandoms been abandoned in favor of meta and fannish introspection? The forums for analytical discussion are disappearing as self-censorship and over-moderation increase. Can we change this? Do we want to?)

2005 - The Fannish Wiki (So we have the directorium, the directory of All Things Fannish. We visit it and it's just so cool, and we look for our fandom to see what it says... and it's not there! How to add it? What sort of info belongs there? How does a wiki work?)

2005 - I Was So Much Older Then, I'm Younger Than That Now (We've all heard about or lived through the tumultuous era when fandom moved online. But how has slash fandom, particularly slash fandom, changed since then? Are the changes the result of online fandom, or simply of a change in culture?)

2005 - Fanfic Archives (Setting up and administering fanfic archives: concepts, considerations, techniques.)

2006 - Putting your fic on the web (Basic skills for putting your fic on the web, including building your own very basic website, using LJ as a fic-site building tool, various options for labeling adult content, and using the standard upload interfaces for popular self-submit story archive software.)

2006 - Nifty Technology and the Future of Fandom (Fandom is quick to adapt to change and continues to bring fen together and to create fannish product. Fans have thrived regardless of how they communicate; via the post office, mailing lists, message boards, and Livejournal; they've pushed the frontiers of video and audio technology; and have managed to survive changes in copyright, pornography, and other laws. What are the upcoming trends and shiny new technologies on the horizon and how will fen use them to enhance fandom?)

2006 - Intermediate Webmastering (Designing your website for usability, options for restricting access to your website, making your stories easily accessed by mobile devices, and things to consider so fans can easily locale your site.)

2007 - Free Webtools and How to Take Fandom Advantage (Lots of free tools are available on the web to help the needy fan! Tools to edit pictures, make icons, write stories, share recommendations, share stories, and be fannish are becoming more available and more user friendly. Come chat about tools like del.icio.us, google docs, pxn8 audacity, itunes, the gimp, bittorrent, imeem, youtube and lll other things that you come and tell us about!)

2008 - E-book Readers (Sony PRS-505 or Amazon Kindle what's all the fuss about? Introduction to E-Ink and other mobile devices. What are the pros and cons of various devices? Where do you find e- books and fan fiction, and most importantly how do you get fan fiction formatted so you can read it on your ebook reader?)

2008 - If You Build It, Will They Come? (Roundtable on meta fannish infrastructure building strategies. bethbethbeth can talk about some of the specific challenges OTW is facing in its brave new fan territory, while oulangi can talk about why metafandom has flourished while very similar projects have failed, while we'll both discuss some of the challenges of the established meta/fannish structure of new communities, new fans, new technologies—and most of all, how do you keep the meta-fan conversation moving forward?)

2008 - Livejournal: Should Fans Take Their Business Elsewhere? (A discussion of the pros and cons of fannish communication on the various blogging entities.)

2008 - How to Find and Use Free Stuff on the Web (All kinds of free webapps are available for fic, art, icons, communication, and all sort of other fannish stuff. Come share favorite sites—we can bookmark everything we talk about on del.icio.us in real time!)

2009 - The Organization for Transformative Works (Off the ground and starting to soar! Come here about the latest developments in the OTW's projects and discuss where you'd like to see it go next.)

2010 - Is Somebody Taking Notes On This?: A Discussion of the Role of Fannish History (In honor of Escapade's 20th anniversary, let's talk about recording fannish history. What are the challenges? Is it worth doing? Can it be done in a fair way? What are we afraid of happening if we try? Is Fanlore the right vehicle for the project?)

2010 - The OTW in Its Third Year led by Elke Tanzer and Shoshanna (Okay, sure, the Organization for Transformative Works bought its own goddamn servers and hosted an archive (that hosted Yuletide) and published a journal (with a special issue on Supernatural) and saved a bunch of Geocities sites and testified at the DMCA hearings (supporting the FFF's proposed exemptions for vidders and other remix artists) and made a bunch of lolcats—but what have they done for us lately? [5] What do you want them to do?)

2010 - We Are All Naked (On The Internet Now) led by treewishes (Social networking platforms like Facebook and Twitter are conspiring with Google and your ISP to out your slash pseudonym to your RL friends, and to tell all your slash buddies your real name. Is there any way to stop the wave of facial recognition software or your oh-so-helpful friends who type your birthday into the cloud? Or is all this an inevitable consequence of evolving technology? Come on in and let's talk conspiracy theories!)

2011 - Fanlore: Are BNFs Writing Our History?, led by Sandy H (Fanlore has an official policy of 'plural points of view', but is that really happening? Have you ever looked up a kerfluffle you were involved in, and seen how your side of the battle was portrayed.' And on the other side, are we afraid of conflict, to the point that Fanlore is bland and safe?)

2011 - OTW/AO3 Wish List Conversation, led by Sandy H (Do you feel like you don't know how to get your A03 or OTW wishlist through the bureaucracy? A03 is getting better all the time, but there's a ways to go. Let's brainstorm and turn a list over at the end of the panel.)

2011 - The Reccing Crew (Recommending a fanwork is deeply woven into our culture. Are there new social mores at work when we make public recs? How has the move from letters to mailing lists to Livejournal and Delicious affected reccing? Delicious was conceived as a bookmarking site, but often operates as a recs and comments site. If it goes away, what would replace it?)

2012 - Tumblr, Twitter, and Pinboard, Oh My (and GetGlue, too!) (In the past year, the ongoing fannish diaspora has picked up speed, as more fannish activity has moved away from LiveJournal and Dreamwidth, and onto sites like Tumblr and Twitter. And then there was the Delicious implosion. Now there's GetGlue, a social network specifically for entertainment. Let's talk about navigating these sites—their strengths and weaknesses, and how to use them.)

2012 - The Kids These Days (Ever wanted to tell someone to get offa your lawn? Strangle the next person who said that? Revive a dead fandom? Joined a fandom you were 20 years "too old" (or young!) for? Did you go from Usenet to mailing lists? From zines to livejournal? Are you eyeing Tumblr and Twitter with alarm? Let's talk about weathering changes in fandom with grace—or at least a little humor.)

2013 - Privacy, Secrecy, and the Fourth Wall (The fourth wall between fans and The Powers That Be is shrinking day by day. Are the technologies we're using changing fannish etiquette {from invite-only mailing lists, to friends-locked journals, to all public all the time tumblr)? Should we run for the hills or embrace the change? Discuss!)

2013 - The What With the Where Now?! (Every time you turn around fandom is playing on a new site that has new functionality, new ways of interacting and new lingo. Join us in surveying places like tumblr, twitter and getglue.)

2014 - Tumblr: Missing Missing E (So you've just gotten the hang of Livejournal when all of a sudden fandom has jumped shipped to this new "microblogging" platform called Tumblr. What is "microblogging" anyway, and where do you even start? Join us in this tutorial/discussion on creating an account, deciphering the culture, finding fandom, and making Tumblr work for you.)

2014 - Out Of Step With the World (You have no current fandom. You can't even get Tumblr to load. What do you do when you're feeling disconnected and alienated, but you don't want to leave fandom for good? If this sounds like you, come join us to figure out some strategies for rekindling the love, making new friends, and finding your place.)

2014 - Real Fannish Community (Has AO3 ended the era of real fannish community or has it ushered in a new era of increased connectedness? Is Tumblr better or worse than the old days (and were the old days livejournal? yahoo groups? APA snail mail zine groups?)? I'm hoping for equal parts 'get off my lawn' and 'the future's so bright I gotta wear shades' debate here.)

2015 - Tumblr 102: Into Darkness. You’re here, now what? Here we talk about etiquette and xkit and making the most of your fannish tumblr experience.

2017 - Home on the Web (LJ's Russian overlords have removed HTTPS support and are moving the server activity to Russia; some say a shutdown of US services is on the horizon. Yahoo fails to make money with Tumblr. Dreamwidth is slow, and doesn't have media hosting. Email lists are a hassle. Imzy, a startup, places branding aesthetics over design usability. Where's the next place for fandom, or should we reclaim one or more of the platforms from the past?)

2018 - How to Tumblr (Like it or not (often, mostly not), tumblr is where fandom is most active right now. How do you find anything? How do you have conversations? How do you archive the bits you like best? The good news: the answers are not, "you don't; you don't; you don't." Bad news: Those aren't actually good questions for being fannish on tumblr.)

2019 - Social Network of Our Own (SNO3?) (Between FOSTA/SESTA, Article 13, Facebook's new "don't mention that sex exists" policy, and the Tumblrpocalypse, is it time for our own fannish social site? Or are Dreamwidth and Pillowfort enough?)

[monkeymindscream]

I also like Mandarin being a airbender more. I just had to get those firebender hc's out of me. Yesh on Verans. Though I can't decide if the White Lotus still exist or if they're a splinter group that the Verans split off from ages ago after disagreements. In canon LOK there was the Red Lotus that split off from the white Lotus when the former wanted the Avatar and all government authority gone. The Verans did want to off Chiro so yeah they could also develop in a RL way as SK seduces them -

2 with despair and the ideology his chaos is the natural order of things. Ohh what if Chiro's parents were both White Lotus members and that's how they met. When Chiro's mom meets Antauri she's 'ehhhrrrrfgggggrrr' on the inside because Verans and WL are rivals who don't like being compared to or thought of as the same. She accepts Antauri as Chiro's airbending master. But she's totally like 'do not become a obnoxious Veran or vegetarian boy or I will die'. Gets awkward when Verans get exposed.

Dear sweet Anon, you seem to be under the misguided impression that there are any parents left alive here. Rest assured, there are not. Unless of course we’re counting SK, though by this point honestly he probably wishes he were dead. (Er, fully, I mean...)

Anyway when I’d first read “Verans are White Lotus + Dai Li,” I’d pictured it as more of a “the White Lotus has fully morphed into the Dai Li.” Like Antauri tries to contact them at one point, and is telling the rest of the Team “don’t worry, they’ll help us,” and then they finally meet up with them, and the WL slowly reveals that their goals have long since changed. Maybe they’re even working in connection with the Skeletal Circle now, or whatever’s brainwashing Ba Sing Se.

Interesting idea for Chiro’s mom to have been in the White Lotus, though. Small mercy she’s not alive to see how far it’s fallen, at least. 😬