#the perception of a poison

[rileys-battlecats]

do you ever look at other people's art and vibrate out of your skin from how much you love their work

[lilis-doodle-dome]

They’re too big, you’re drowning in them;

[maulfucker]

OC time once again !! Loser inquisitor

24th Brother (Niemer Sal'Gahad)

Would've made a better spy than a killer

Carries poison darts and vials

Quick reflexes and flexible body but dogshit motor coordination + vision

Was a novice temple guard before Order 66, chose to follow the Grand Inquisitor over the Jedi Order

The Grand Inquisitor HATES him - He thinks Niemer is a useless, careless brat

Assigned to monitor Sem as a sort of fool's errand - Either he fails and returns to be punished or he gives up and kills Sem without justification, and has to shoulder the consequences alone (or so the Grand Inquisitor Thought)

[digitaldiseas3]

it’s so odd hanging around ppl who are terrified of gaining weight. like the other day i was just chilling in this girl’s hotel room while she called her best friend back home and the friend was like “if i ever act like so-and-so, you need to kill me” and this girl was like “deal, and if i ever get fat you need to kill Me” and i was sitting there like WOAH. what???? hello????? oh my god?????

[bluefuecoco]

it definitely wasnt helped by new horizons being such a botched release. I want to imagine all these people clamoring for new animal crossing content are just new horizons players exclusively, but I imagine some veterans of the series are also causing this problem.

Like, this new video game environment of sending out half-finished games and then "adding more content!" with updates and dlc is a real problem for Animal Crossing, and the fact that New Horizons drew in so many new players with that model is just...awful. New Leaf was released in 2012 and that was it. For YEARS that was the game you got to play. It wasnt until like...a couple years before NH was revealed that we got Welcome Amiibo, which like...a) was a free update and b) didn't "complete" the game, just added to it.

And at the time, everyone knew New Horizons release was rushed. Nintendo crunch time is a real epidemic, and the fact that half the content in the game that we have now wasn't available for MONTHS after the initial release? Like, idk, I don't want to hear about any Animal Crossing news for a few more years. Maybe spin-off games, but the next mainline game I want them to *really* work on.

[rosykims]

god i want her so badf

[pixpirs]

what does this say about me

[invinciblerodent]

no i didn't just spend a good 2-3 hours organizing my- and my partner's characters' inventories

noooo, I didn't forget to eat lunch because I was so busy sorting imaginary potions into digital pouches and deciding which fictional character gets to carry the pixel-backpack that holds all the pretend-spellscrolls

what are you talking about, that never happened

(that's exactly what happened)

[psalmsofpsychosis]

actually watching "the world according to jeff goldblum" was and continues to be a healing experience for me and everyday i wake up and am devastated that The Evil Mouse cancelled it because this fucker was out there asking questions and then following it with parallel questions and that's literally how i think

[icypantherwrites]

Fic Update: Sword and Shield, Chapter Five

Chapter Snippet:

Lancedidn’t offer any further protest, lying back down on the hard ground with a small grimace, as Keith put a generous coating of antibiotic cream on the first bandage strip and secured it around Lance’s thigh and then proceeded to use about half of the roll to pad and secure it. Outside of a few twitches Lance didn’t move and Keith tried to take comfort in that.

“I feel like the pillsbury dough boy,” Lance said as Keith called out that he was done and he helped guide Lance back to sitting. “It’s so…” he reached a finger out and poked the bandages, “squishy.”

A year ago Keith would have rolled his eyes at the random chatter and another mark on Lance’s childish behavior, but now he found it comforting as Lance tried to lighten the mood and no doubt push away some of his own fears.

“Pretty sure the pillsbury dough boy is supposed to be poked in the stomach, not the leg,” Keith said and Lance’s eyes widened, mouth dropping with surprise. “...what?” Keith asked, resisting the urge to roll his shoulders uncomfortably.

“You actually knew something from pop culture,” Lance said, incredulous. “You never know anything.”

“Gee, thank you,” Keith did roll his eyes at that but a small smile tugged up his face.

“Seriously though,” Lance continued. “How come you never know anything like that? Books or movies or tv or memes?”

“I guess I was just never interested,” Keith said.

Or, rather, his foster families never let him have access to televisions or electronics and he’d missed out on most of the references that Hunk and Pidge and Lance would drop save for a few — like that one — that he’d heard back when Pop was still alive and family had been a word to describe loved ones and not the people who thought he was both a paycheck and a punching bag.

“Huh,” Lance said quietly, face thoughtful, and Keith had the sudden swooping sensation that Lance didn’t entirely believe him, but he didn’t push and just nodded with a quiet, “okay,” and that for some reason made Keith feel a new wave of guilt.

He just couldn’t do anything right.

“Let’s get you up,” he said. “I can carr—”

“I can walk,” Lance said quickly and Keith bit back the smirk as he’d had a feeling that would be Lance’s reaction and it helped calm him down because if Lance was protesting being carried then he wasn’t feeling too bad.

But as Keith crouched down to let Lance sling an arm about his shoulders and pull the other boy upright, he was nearly uprooted as Lance tipped sideways with a low moan and Keith barely kept them upright.

“Sorry,” Lance whispered, slumping some in the hold. “Just… just a little dizzy.”

And like that Keith’s heart rate shot right back up.

It could be vertigo, could be the heat, could even be dehydration stemming from said heat and the exertion, but…

But it could also be…

“Okay,” Lance said a moment later, shifting a little bit and his hand tightening around Keith’s shoulders, voice steadier too. “Ready. Hop and a skip, right?”

“Slow and steady,” Keith retorted because no one was hopping or skipping here. “Stay off your leg as best you can.”

[shadowkat678]

I know there are people here who'll absolutely misconstrue my words, so before I continue, this is NOT a justification for awful actions or choices or beliefs.

HOWEVER! (Yeah I know, always a great start to a post)

It seems very... unhealthy when I stumble across responses or posts in a certain vain talking about groups of bad people in the context, say, of like law enforcement or conservatives or military or whatever where people instantly paint them as "They JUST wanted to do x, y, or z because it lets them feel this or hurt these people or gives them an excuse to give into their darkest impulses".

Like. It's not necessarily always wrong. But I think there's a habit of going "No, they're lying when they say they want to (Insert positive intention here, such as serve their communities, Protect The Children, uphold values they believe help people, whatever), and that is an excuse to hide behind." and turning it into...I don't know.

Cardboard cutouts to put all our grievances and anger and pain on that simplify bad people into things we don't have to have any relation to. Something simple and straightforward and easy to dismiss without being hurt as much by their choices more than you have to already be.

But people often do fall into harmful ideologies and groups fully buying, still even to the end buying, the reasons they give. That's what justification is! People want to feel like they're backing something or doing something that matters! That makes them feel good or vindicated or heroic!

The road to hell IS paved with good intentions, and that's one reason people double down so much! Even with facts shoved right in your face, how do you reconcile everything you built around yourself being a lie? That you hurt people? That you're not even the story's villain often, but a pawn of lackey of a greater evil?

That's why we praise those who escape that, right? It's hard. It hurts. Your entire perceived reality crumbles around you. To face that and accept it anyway, then strive to be better, and find ways to undo the harm is an enormous life altering choice that could lose you so much. And it's terrifying.

And added on to that, you have to do so facing people who may rightfully hate you. It'd be so much easier to continue falling further in, with people who justify your actions and offer you compassion and kindness while everyone else is calling you a monster, but YOU know you're not a monster, right? You're just trying to do what's best. Your beliefs are justified. They have to be.

Of course you're a good cop, you bought that mother who couldn't afford a booster seat one instead of ticketing her, right? I mean maybe you couldn't let everyone off, and some people unfortunately get hurt or can't afford rent because you didn't let them off when you caught them going 10mph over the speed limit but they could control that more so why is that your fault? Yeah you defended the cop that got accused of shooting something wrongly, but it was a mistake. People make mistakes don't they? And you know his family. He's been on patrol with you.

He's a good guy, it was just a mistake. You're a good guy. If you hold him to his mistakes, what about yours?

This isn't, AGAIN, saying not to hold people to their choices. This is not a justification post. But there's a very real fear I have, that if you go too far in forgetting those in the wrong are complex, people who have love, redeeming qualities, and humanity...well, how do we recognize ourselves when we fall down our own holes?

When we justify our own actions. Because we're good people, right? Isn't that how exclusionists happen, leaning so hard into doing this to PROTECT other vulnerable populations from infiltration and abuse, for example? How The Good Feminists justify turning their pain and honing it as a weapon against sex workers, men as a whole always being a dangerous force to constantly guard against (specifically referencing the harm done by ignoring intersectional struggles and the way the patriarchy hurts literally everyone, which by the way I fell into for a while too), etc etc etc etc etc

It's easy to other those who've hurt us and paint them as monsters. But in forgetting the complexity of those who hurt us, we open ourselves to blindspots, and also further push away those who might be on the fence to turn away from these harmful choices and beliefs.

I think we do ourselves a disservice in not understanding the more scary evil of those we fight against. That they're just people, and we could very well fall into our own traps. That evil is often not that of cackling villains fooling everyone around them while enjoying the harm they cause, but individuals justifying their actions through their own fear, anger, distrust, misplaced intent, or prideful arrogance.

You can hate them just as much! Their actions are just as reprehensible!

You don't need to flatten the complexity of your enemies as fully fledged people to oppose them and what they've done!

[kuraikyu]

@trehontin : " So loud for no reason~ "

ㅤ𝐓𝐎 𝐒𝐄𝐄𝐊 𝐎𝐔𝐓 𝐎𝐍𝐄'𝐒 𝐒𝐀𝐍𝐈𝐓𝐘 𝐌𝐄𝐀𝐍𝐒 allay one's own fears. Hundreds of conversations in voices loud as if all of them competing with rock music to dominate the thematic atmosphere. Suguru himself very much wished he could melt into the vibe of this bar and laugh at simple cares he had. But after barely finishing one glass of dry Vermouth, he came to conclusion it would not quiet roving mind, still greatly fatigued if he continued. Too much exorcism brought along too many dark thoughts no one knew about, thus came the inability to do anything else than just blandly remain deeply immersed in established set of attitude by the bar counter.

Elegant facade always in a good mood, the one he daily displayed seemed weary, and his face more lined than one could remember, for thoughts wandered back to his students. A kindred spirit must attend to the hurts of those injured by the curse of their techniques.

'You can't help these kids.' No, and it was true. But there was something he could do ... let them know they are not alone in this mess and somewhere there might be the slightest chance to optimize poultices that will bring them some measure of relief. Yeah, some deep matters are still left undone here. Such reward, should he prevail could be significant for his aid has been requested for this aim. Sometimes he would internally recount to details of each plan. He was hardly a beard of many winters, and still have seen things this day people would not have believed yesterday.

And then - thoughts wandered back to his twin girls. Stronger and madder - with each swallow a shadow of vengeance comes to tap his shoulder, cultivating sacred offers of gold obsidians manifesting amid his fingers. Its currents are strong, bitter, squeezing further his throat like an opiate of poetry crafting a sling knot above the abyss. What were lives of mortals more than a flickering candle-light in the gale to something greater and ancient? Mortals had more allies than they supposed, even among those they deemed no more than legends.

Humans ... spoke to Sorcerers as friends, gave them shelter, took the sweat from their brows, and repaid everyone with what? Treachery. So, he wondered, what would happen if someday someone would repay them in kind ... ? These forbidden thoughts had periodic frequencies of their darkest bloom, but fortunately, so far they vanished as quickly as they appeared. And sometimes there were days when he was worried to ask himself a question: what if one day they won't disappear, what then? Perhaps he wasn't made for teaching at all, perhaps his ambitions were far greater than that. It was then that he realized it is time to head back home, lay, and rest when every droplet in his throat started to turn into ashes, and the bar ran out of ice. Someone behind him was making a ruckus that clearly ( by the sound that traveled to him ) had nothing to do with ambient mirth. But of course, bars at night, pure nests for curses and demons born from negative human emotions intoxicated by spirits.

His wishful landing for peace may be uneventful, but then it may be tumultuous indeed.

The bartender was a good, humble person who Geto would once in a few months visit after frequent patrolling of local streets and in pursuit of special-grade wanderers. But that moment, the bartender lacked his typical sense of merry collectiveness as timorous eyes shifted nervously back and forth from drying glass at brutes apparently approaching closer. As the one who is strong, you are obligated to maintain the order. He gazed up at the desperate bartender. Don't worry, I'll take them out; they won't disturb your place any longer.

Someone from behind apparently shouted his way : ' Hey you!! ' '' ... '' Geto said nothing. Instead, almost mechanically cranium would tip from right to left shoulder, in a manner of awakening black cat stretching stiff neck muscles for what was going to follow next.

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤF*cking Monkeys ...

---

It was a fraction later — that the back doors kicked widely open, and a man was literally thrown out by great force. Then another ... third, fifth. Pathetically beaten and driven out from coming back by the immensity of Suguru's dark aura crisped with disturbing sensation of living rot covering each span by naught but a singular stride beyond threshold.

' So loud for no reason~ '

'' ... '' '' ??! "

Where life expects to renew caution sudden voice caught him off guard. An instant tick of moment triggered immediate cessation of blackened aura until its gradual then ultimate vanish along with any hardness in Geto's mien. Someone shortly behind ... and closer to his left.

This guy shouldn't be here. Wait, was the man here all the time? How could he not notice him? The change of playlist resulted in louder rhythms of music protruding from cranny gaps ; which brought along a strange switch in the atmosphere. With proper aim of senses that strange man ( who would not elude from fixation of Suguru's focus ) stood inches away from him; his profile a refined riddle clad in elegant biding. The flickering neon text light glitching: ' 𝐇𝐘𝐏𝐍𝐎𝐒𝐈𝐒 ' reflected into the bleak avenue and caressed across subtle facial lines of the speaking stranger like velvet constellations, yet navigated to the pair of deep browns, gleaming just the same like polished amber in first rays of dawn; and he was brave enough to meet them with his own spinning mantra of nothingness and palette of starlit black. Great. The last thing he needs in this sh*tty state of mind is bumping into a beautiful man; that type of guy, who at first sight seemed like the one giving him a good talking about his own bad manners. A situation truly worth of deep sigh. But looks could be terribly deceiving. Many factions remained in being where he couldn't identify why he was spellbound to place and stiffness. And Geto, as a guy made of stern stuff, and shaped by sorts of experiences starting from the strangest to grossest feelings ... nothing for him quite ever felt like this uneasiness, but even so, on a level of intuition, he kept his movements in slow synchrony.

Under other circumstances, he would raise an eyebrow and subject other one to closer scrutiny, but again too much exorcism had a price. '' Sorry about that, didn't mean to throw these guys almost right — ugh, right ... at you, '' he managed in haste his scattered manners and admittedly apologized about his shortcomings, contemptuously glancing as well at pitiful display of mankind cowardice in attempt to slink away from kindled spitfire of their mortifying ordeal, '' this lot is hardly ever over their limits. But believe me, there was a reason for this noise. '' Was there? Was there any other reason than his own savageness?

Nor Sorcerers nor other entities can exist without encountering one another; such is the law of existential attraction. Macabre incognito shouldn't be able to melt away your inner pains, but perhaps the reality was that ... that very same pain was overshadowed by something else, something ... unexplainably inhumane although perfectly humane, standing and smiling at him with a degree of faithfulness only constant of death can bring. It was just as alluring as it was terrifying. Don't mind him. Don't stare. He pinched his nose bridge from unexpected sensory overload he likely blamed on overusing powers and looked reluctantly back at the speaker, '' If you're ... on your way in, then I suppose you couldn't pick better timing. The air's clear from further troubles. Oh, yeah, and May Geminis get all the free drinks today, well, applies twice if it's your birthday, '' thumb directingly pointed over his shoulder back at doors as he stepped forward passing around his mysterious encounter, '' have fun. '' Like a cloud of smoke, the curse manipulator continued to wind down along the steps and fully out of the place; manifesting his prior intention to vanish into the night, and sanction further his emotional cannibalism from dangers of public affairs.

[archivist-the-knight]

i truly do love speculative biology for fantasy, like if i sat down and actually put time into it i could make a series exploring how different fantasy races would work. but it would genuinely be so long with me just explaining how i'd think the worldbuilding would work it's crazy

[wisebeth]

One thing which genuinely bothers me is Annabeth's perception in the fandom. How she's seen as this cold, stoic, emotionless, reserved and intimidating girl. When in reality, she's a character full of love.

Annabeth, who immediately cried and felt attached to Cerberus after playing with him for a few minutes because she wouldn't get to play with him again.

Annabeth, whose deepest desire, which the Sirens lured her with, is saving Luke and having a good relationship with both her parents.

Annabeth, who believed in Luke's goodness, even after all the countless terrible things he did simply because she had faith in his humanity.

Annabeth, who cried in Percy's arms before entering the labyrinth and refused to reveal the last line of the prophecy because it said to lose a love worse than death and the idea of losing any of her friends is too painful, heartbreaking and worse than dying.

Annabeth, who kissed Percy before parting with him in St. Helens because if he's going to die, she at least wants him to die knowing she loved him.

Annabeth, who took a poisoned knife for Percy during the war because she'd rather die herself than let him die.

Annabeth, who convinced Luke to switch sides by reminding him of the promise of family he gave her. Which in turn, influenced Luke's decision to end himself to destroy Kronos. Hello, she saved the world with the power of love.

Annabeth, who spent months after months losing sleep and searching desperately for Percy when he went missing.

Annabeth, who kissed Percy to eternity in public at their reunion, not caring what anyone is going to say or think. An asteroid could've hit the earth, and she wouldn't have cared.

Annabeth, who told Percy “I love you” when falling in Tartarus because if she was going to die, she wanted them to be her last words.

Annabeth Chase is a sweetheart, who has always felt things deeply and she's so full of love. And I think it's time we let go of the “cold-hearted annabeth” headcanon because it's not true, that's not her.

[mvnces]

luke thinking that abigail was imaginary . if not completely forgetting about her . but the idea of abigail being one of the ghosts that follows him around …

[ofmarlinspike]

i am such a meandering, laissez-faire headass about hazards in baldur's. like, 6 minutes into the underdark i found the patch of timmask and torchstalk and heard everyone say funny lines about the mushrooms and just. soldiered on without stopping. like "okay duly noted don't try to pick those guys!" and proceeded to charge straight into the quagmire.

thus the first character death I experienced in my campaign was caused by a massive mushroom chain-explosion, blasting gale off a cliff and into the abyss.

but on the other hand: seeing his goofy ass insurance protocol in-case-of-death and the theatrics of it all was what sealed the deal on my wooing the wizard so maybe i'm just a fool for love.