#thoughts and musings

[angrybubbles]

Old Man Daniel being a survivor of the AIDS epidemic means so much to me.

Like

Here is this grumpy old man who is dismissive of his queer experiences. It was a place to get high. Fulfilling the social contract. An excuse, that's all. He's into counter cultures after all.

But Louis and Armand changed his life forever.

Should Devil's Minion have happened in the past, that crosses into the AIDS epidemic. San Francisco, the beating heart of the gay community in America in the 70s, a ghost town in the 80s. That's where we run into Daniel. He would get into a relationship that meant death for so many. Running away from the monster that he loves that could symbolize his own sexuality. Finally embracing it when he realizes the monster is what he finds fascinating. The fear is what makes it worth it. The only relationship he dedicated himself to a man, the one that would have convinced him he loved men too. That it wasn't just for the high.

In the books, Daniel didn't make it. He was sick, and dying. Could he have died of AIDS? In the arms of his male lover? It's open to interpretation. He was turned, stuck forever in his early 30s and a ghost of his former self.

But Old Man Daniel? Who wrote a book called The Shadow on The Skin about the crisis because those were his people. The people he knew, even if now he could pretend he was never a part of it. He can claim he was just an observer.

But if vampirism is a metaphor for queerness... if Devil's Minion did happen... this is an queer elder. One who survived because they were shoved in the closet by the one who loved them. Because they loved them alive more than dead. Because some of the people who made it did so because they were there for support, because the fear was too much.

Rolin Jones you have the opportunity of a lifetime.

[angryjewishcockroach]

One of my favorite things about Judaism is that Maimonides writes in his Eight Levels of Tzedakah that anonymous forms of donation are superior to forms of donation where the giver is known to the recipient, which plays in nicely with my desire to avoid the mortifying ordeal of being known.

[eardefenders]

Ok so I listened to SHOS pts 1 and 2 and I just have thoughts about the whole meta around mentioning Moriarty.

Because the podcast plays John and Sherlock as real. As if all of this is actually happening now in our world. It puts any listener with even a passing knowledge of Canon in the very intense position of knowing what's going to happen in a broad sense. We can see how John and Sherlock are doomed by the narrative.

We hold our breath as Sherlock talks about bodies of water though especially waterfalls.

We wonder how John will feel in the future about singing "don't go chasing waterfalls"

We scream as we hear James Moriarty get a shoutout.

But we can't warn either of them what lies ahead. If we try, they won't see it. It will be ignored or dismissed. There's also a sense that we cannot cross that line because it would also change the narrative and we can't because it's already literally been written.

Every listener has been forced into the role of Cassandra with this podcast and it is fascinating.

[aquamarinemarie]

Romancing the Dread Wolf, Pt. One

The Wrath of Heaven

A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing

Cassandra: We’re getting close to the rift. You can hear the fighting. Lavellan: Who’s fighting? Cassandra: You’ll see soon. We must help them.

Time to meet the love of your life, Sunshine!

Poor, sweet Lavellan. She’s in way over her head, confused, and has no idea what the hell is going on.

Solas: Quickly, before more come through! (Solas grabs Lavellan’s hand and uses the mark to close the rift.) Lavellan: What did you do? Solas: I did nothing. The credit is yours.

“I did nothing,” he says. “The credit is yours.”

He’s so quick here to put the spotlight on Lavellan – even though he’s the one who obviously closed the rift and who possesses any real, workable knowledge about the Breach.

General: Option One Lavellan (So I can help.): At least this is good for something. General: Option Two Lavellan (I did that?): I closed that thing? How? General: Option Three Lavellan (You mean the mark.): You mean this.

Solas: Whatever magic opened the Breach in the sky also placed that mark upon your hand. I theorized the mark might be able to close the rifts that have opened in the Breach’s wake – and it seems I was correct. Cassandra: Meaning it could also close the Breach itself. Solas (to Cassandra): Possibly. Solas (to Lavellan): It seems you hold the key to our salvation. Varric: Good to know! Here I thought we’d be ass-deep in demons forever. (Varric approaches Lavellan.) Varric: Varric Tethras: rogue, storyteller, and occasionally unwelcome tagalong. (Winks at Cassandra.) Cassandra: (Scowls.)

Investigate Lavellan (You’re with the Chantry?): Are you with the Chantry, or…? Solas: (Chuckles.) Was that a serious question?

One of my favorite exchanges in the whole game.

My Lavellan takes one look at the rogue dwarf, with his shirt ripped open, and asks, “Are you with the Chantry?” My girl just has to have her bimbo moment – if only to make Solas laugh.

Varric: Technically I’m a prisoner, just like you. Cassandra: I brought you here to tell your story to the Divine. Clearly that is no longer necessary. Varric: Yet, here I am. Lucky for you, considering current events.

General: Option One Lavellan (Pleased to meet you.): It’s good to meet you, Varric. Solas: You may reconsider that stance, in time. Varric: Aww. I’m sure we’ll become great friends in the valley, Chuckles.

Apparently, Varric has been annoying “Chuckles” off-screen. Lol.

My Lavellan, however, is very well-mannered, so I usually pick the polite options for her. Even when others are being incredibly rude to her - as she won't allow herself to stoop to their level.

General: Option Two Lavellan (Nice crossbow.): That’s… a nice crossbow you have there. Varric: Ah, isn’t she? Bianca and I have been through a lot together. Lavellan: You named your crossbow Bianca? Varric: Of course. And she’ll be great company in the valley. General: Option Three Lavellan (What now?): So, I closed the rift. What now? Cassandra: Now we go to meet Leliana. Varric: What a great idea! Cassandra: Absolutely not. Your help is appreciated, Varric, but… Varric: Have you been in the valley lately, Seeker? Your soldiers aren’t in control anymore. You need me. Cassandra: (Disgusted noise.) Solas (to Lavellan): My name is Solas, if there are to be introductions. I’m pleased to see you still live. Varric: He means, ‘I kept that mark from killing you while you slept.’

I won’t lie. My Lavellan notes her attraction to Solas right away. Even with a giant hole in the sky and her life on the line, she can’t help but think, the clever bald one’s got a little somethin’ going on. ��

Solas, on the other hand, is likely very stressed at the moment, and sees in Lavellan a tool he can use to help clean up the mess he’s made since ol’ Cory ran off with his orb.

Investigate Lavellan (You know about the mark?): You seem to know a great deal about it all. Cassandra (if Lavellan’s a mage): Like you, Solas is an apostate. (Or, if Lavellan isn’t a mage): Solas is an apostate, well-versed in such matters. Solas: Technically, all mages are now apostates, Cassandra. My travels have allowed me to learn much of the Fade, far beyond the experience of any Circle mage. I came to offer whatever help I can give with the Breach. If it is not closed, we are all doomed regardless of origin.

My Lavellan is absolutely a mage. (Knight Enchanter.) She may be aggressively polite at times, but she's certainly no weakling.

Investigate Response: One Lavellan (That’s commendable): That’s a commendable attitude. Solas: Merely a sensible one, although sense seems to be in short supply right now. (lol) Investigate Response: Two Lavellan (And when this is over?): And what will you do once this is all over? Solas: One hopes that those in power will remember who helped, and who did not. Investigate Response: Three Lavellan (I’ll do what I can.): If I can close the Breach, I will. Investigate Response: Four Lavellan (I’m trying to survive.): I’m just trying to get through this alive.

Or...

General: Option One Lavellan (Thank you.): Then I owe you my thanks. Solas: Thank me if we manage to close the Breach without killing you in the process. General: Option Two Lavellan (You can do that?): How did you… do that? Solas: Healing magic and minor wards, but I fear your mark is now past the point where those can help you. General: Option Three Lavellan (I’m no use if I’m dead.): I can’t close the Breach if I’m dead. Solas: That is most certainly true.

Solas: Cassandra, you should know: the magic involved here is unlike any I have ever seen. Solas (if Lavellan is a mage): Your prisoner is a mage, but I find it difficult to imagine any mage having such power. (Or, if Lavellan is not a mage): Your prisoner is no mage. Indeed, I find it difficult to imagine any mage having such power.

Note that Solas doesn’t say he can’t imagine a mage having such power, but that he finds it difficult to imagine a mage having such power. He’s such a sneak.

Plus: “the magic involved here is unlike any I have ever seen.” Really? I find that one a little hard to believe, Mr. Dread Wolf. 🐺

Cassandra: Understood. We must get to the forward camp quickly. Varric: Well, Bianca’s excited! Cassandra: This way, down the bank. The road ahead is blocked. Solas: We must move quickly.

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Solas: You are Dalish, but clearly away from the rest of your clan. Did they send you here? (Yes, Solas. My girl’s a Dalish spy. Shhh!) Lavellan: What do you know of the Dalish? (I like how she evades Solas’ question here. Cause, you know, she’s a spy!) Solas: I have wandered many roads in my time, and crossed paths with your people on more than one occasion.

General: Option One Lavellan (They’re your people, too.): We are both of the same people, Solas. Solas: The Dalish I met felt… differently on the subject. Varric: Can’t you elves just play nice for once?

I always pick this option. My Lavellan is one of those annoying “we, us, and our” types. So, yes. “We” are both of the same people, Solas. Much as he’d like to deny it.

General: Option Two Lavellan (“Crossed paths”?): What do you mean by “crossed paths”? Solas: I mean that I offered to share knowledge, only to be attacked for no greater reason than their superstition. Varric: Can’t you elves just play nice for once? General: Option Three Lavellan (Then you know to be wary.): Then you know us well enough to be careful. Solas: Well enough to be suspicious. Varric: Can’t you elves just play nice for once? Don’t Respond Solas: It is silence then. As you wish.

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Varric: How many rifts are there? Solas: We must seal it if we are to get past! Cassandra: Quickly then!

(The party defeats the demons and Lavellan manages to close the rift.)

Solas: Sealed, as before. You are becoming quite proficient at this. Varric: Let’s hope it works on the big one.

“You are becoming quite proficient at this,” he says.

Absurd as it may be, my Lavellan is pleased by the compliment. As she wants to help; and to impress. She wants (badly) for the others to see that she has value.

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Solas: The Temple of Sacred Ashes. Varric: What’s left of it. Cassandra: That is where you walked out of the Fade and our soldiers found you. They say a woman was in the rift behind you. No one knows who she was.

(The party walks past numerous corpses scattered throughout the ruins; then descend down into the temple.)

Varric: The Breach sure is a long way up. (Leliana approaches.) Leliana: You’re here. Thank the Maker. Cassandra: Leliana, have your men take up positions around the temple. Cassandra (to Lavellan): This is your chance to end this. Are you ready?

General: Option One Lavellan (I’ll try.): I’ll try, but I don’t know if I can reach that, much less close it. General: Option Two Lavellan (Can I even get up there?): I’m not sure how to even start getting up to that thing. General: Option Three Lavellan (Just tell me what to do.): I’m assuming you have a plan to get me up there.

Solas: No. This rift was the first, and it is the key. Seal it, and perhaps we seal the Breach. Cassandra: Then let’s find a way down. And be careful.

(A voice echoes.)

Voice: Now is the hour of our victory. Bring forth the sacrifice. Cassandra: What are we hearing? Solas: At a guess: the person who created the Breach.

Perhaps. At a guess. As if he doesn’t know.

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Voice: Keep the sacrifice still. Justinia’s voice: Someone help me! Lavellan’s voice: What’s going on here? (I’d like to know what exactly the Inquisitor was doing to be the only one to hear Justinia call for help. My guess, she was snooping.) Cassandra: That was your voice. Most Holy called out to you. But…

(A vision.)

Lavellan: What’s going on here? Justinia: Run while you can! Warn them! Voice: We have an intruder. Slay the elf!

(The vision vanishes.)

Cassandra: You were there! Who attacked? And the Divine, is she…? Was this vision true? What are we seeing? Lavellan: I don’t remember! Solas: Echoes of what happened here. The fade bleeds into this place. This rift is not sealed, but it is closed… albeit temporarily. I believe that with the mark, the rift can be opened, and then sealed properly and safely. However, opening the rift will likely attract attention from the other side.

Nicely done, Solas.

Subtly getting Cassandra off Lavellan’s back by swiftly offering vital information and a plan of action; which Cassandra immediately pounces on. I’m sure Lavellan was grateful too, though I doubt she believed he aided her on purpose.

Cassandra: That means demons. Stand ready!

(Lavellan opens the rift and a pride demon steps out.)

(Boss time, baby!)

(When the pride demon is defeated, Lavellan closes the rift, and is knocked unconscious as a result.)

I wonder who carried her back to Haven? Probably not Solas… But who knows, maybe he did.

End Scene

It’s a chaotic first meeting – especially for Lavellan.

She’s (suspiciously) the sole survivor of the Conclave, was thrown into the Fade, then somehow made it back out again with the help of a mystery woman, has a divine mark fused into her left hand, is thrown into prison, and then expected to help seal the Breach. It’s a lot – for anybody.

She meets new people, most of which are hostile humans, a friendly dwarf, and a mysterious elf. Varric seems nice, but is clearly in no real position to aid an anxious Lavellan. Solas, on the other hand, is an elf. One of her people, though obviously not Dalish.

Solas is appears knowledgeable, polite even, but weary of her… specifically because she is Dalish. And depending who Lavellan is, she can either be wary of him in return, or be willing to extend him an olive branch.

Solas however, from his perspective, has already met Lavellan – though not while she was conscious. He very likely, while tending to her, attempted to remove the anchor, and (to his immense frustration) failed.

Lavellan, at this point, is little more to him than a curiosity.

Source: daitranscripts

[im-a-vertebrate]

Hey so I’ve been thinking about Fantasy High and the religion of Spyre (because I like history and theology and at heart I just wanna add worldbuilding to stuff). In the world of Fantasy High, I think it wouldn’t be much of a stretch to assume that Helioism and Sol-worship within Solace has its own church administration. It would probably be safe to assume this is effectively an extension of sorts for the Highcourt Church of Sol (and Helio). However, the stuff that’s happened in Fantasy High over the last few years is really bad for the Church of Sol and Helio. Within about three years:

They lost their chosen one

The big man (Sol) got knocked out and heaven was run by a mad wizard principal for just under a year

The Night Yorb happened

Two deities that Sol really didn’t want coming back did, in fact, come back

Galicaea had started being worshipped as both wolf and woman, whereas I’m pretty sure Sol (and Fallinel) would prefer her without the wolf

Bobby Dawn got run out of Solace because he’s a sleazy scumbag

So it’s not looking great for them. The likely solution that the elders or whoever runs the theocracy would attempt to tighten their grip on power to make sure Sol does not slip as Number 1 god.

Which is why I’m proposing this potential scenario:

The Solesian Church of Sol secede from Highcourt’s control.

They could form their own version of Helioism and Sol-worship, probably with a more open approach. This would probably make more sense for the kind of place that Solace is, as opposed to the gatekeeper-style governance of Highcourt. A Solesian Church would likely support gay marriage, for example, and would be less aggressive towards other religions.

I think Buddy Dawn would definitely be a member, because I don’t think he’d split the same way Kristen did, although he might have a few bumps along the road vis-a-vis Bakarath. But as he’s one of the only Helioic characters who I think would want to reform the Church (after a bit though, because he needs to work through some stuff), he would be interesting to see in a position of power within an independent Solesian Church. Especially once he learns more about how Highcourt really works and what his grandfather has done.

Now what would Highcourt do in this scenario…

[otherworldseekers]

I've seen so many people express disinterest in Dawntrail by saying something along the lines of "there's nothing in it for me". And I'm going to be honest, I don't really understand this sentiment.

When I began playing ARR, I didn't know anything about the world or the people or the characters or why my own character should care about any of it. I was set down in an unfamiliar world and expected to just walk around doing generic quests waiting for something interesting to happen to my character. With Dawntrail, the WoL is a well established character with a characteristic love of travel, discovery, and the world and people at large. The WoL is traveling with well known companions, and has clear goals to pursue while getting to explore a whole new continent. Comparatively, there is far more "in it for us" in DT than there was at the beginning of ARR. (Unless you played 1.0, but the majority of players have not.)

You never have investment at the beginning of a story, whether it's a game or book or movie or anything else. You become invested over the course of the story, as you learn more about the world and characters. Going into Dawntrail, we have the advantage, first, of knowing that the devs have an excellent track record of creating complex characters, fascinating worlds and compelling stories. And second, we have the advantage of having been shown a great deal of the world we are about to enter.

Personally, I have found all of the images and information about Tural hint at some amazing worldbuilding. It's a completely different kind of place from what we're used to and I find that very exciting. I love diverse regions and intricate cultures and getting to explore them in game. If you don't... well I have to wonder why you're playing this game.

Similarly, if you've developed your WoL to be someone contradictory to their canon characterization, someone who doesn't like to travel and experience new places and people and who would not be interested in Wuk Lamat and Krile's goals... Well, it's kind of on you if you don't feel there's anything "in it for you" in this expansion. Because it's clearly been purposefully crafted to appeal to the canon WoL, the one that SE is telling their story about.

And while I completely understand the desire to develop characters that deviate from the msq and experience the world of FFXIV in other ways, I don't quite understand playing the game but not wanting to experience the story as the devs have made it. You can so easily do both.

Getting to experience the devs' story, to explore their world and meet their characters, is always what's most exciting to me about new expansions. I can enjoy the story for what it is and then decide how I want to apply it to my WoL's development. And I appreciate how much work they put into creating this experience for me and the fact that they do encourage us to create alongside them.

Of course, it's not wrong to feel that there's "nothing in it for you" in this new expansion. But they've been very clear about the fact that this is the beginning of a new story full of unfamiliar elements. So I'm just not sure what some people expected.

[lawlieisinsane]

being insane about stars, number 3, thought it'd be fun to talk about tidbits of my experience and have it recorded somewhere.

I streamed the game! If you'd like to give me some support or watch those moments I'm about to talking about for yourself, here ya go:

Half of these are also things I thought but forgor to mention on stream

Anyway!! In no particular order...

- I loved Mirabelle from the start!!! She just looks so CUTE

- I thought the change god statue was change (money) and thought the statue was gonna give me money until someone started saying about it

- I did NOT know it was a timeloop game. My friend and beloved gifted me isat so I just thought oh how cute-- what the fuck why. No I didn't read the steam page. No I got no spoilers LOL

- so I got scared shitless when I looped the first time!!! Then got scared shitless AGAIN with the Head Housemaiden, the song changed and I went WHAT THE FUCK. WHAT!!!!

- when I saw Loop I instantly fell in love. Baby! Also immediately thought haha you're weird, are you hiding something? Looks like a funny person who's mean/funny to avoid feelings, hmm

- when loop asked who or what do you think I am!!!, I grabbed the both funniest and most logical explanation I thought, "me", but then thought hm .. you're a star, you're probably my wish or a deity who thought oh damn that guys pathetic lemme go help him. I didn't expect to be RIGHT

- I kept making lists to send to my friend about where I should go cuz my memory's SHIT, and in all those I included a bullet point of "strangle loop" lmfao

- first time I saw the island things, I looked at Siffrin and thought oh are you from there? And then the dialogue about his bg, I thought oh you had trauma and can't remember, didn't you?

- Thankfully friend also told me to interact with coin to trigger The Incident. I triggered that, I THINK after a perfect loop, inside the boulangerie, staring at the croissants on the table, and it was also the first thing I did on the stream that day. When the dialogue said "You run off from the boulangerie", and later went back from fading to black and I was still there I thought HEY we're still here tho-- oh.

- I don't remember if my friend said to talk to Loop after this (think yes but I forgor), but since I love them, I was anyway I just had a break down, Loop look at my cool coin-- then things happened and I went I JUST GOT HERE WHY ARE YOU SO MEAN TO ME

- Change god interaction traumatized me! I'm never speaking with them again

- I kept saying Loop could be my therapist instead

- why's the king waist so grababble. Fr. Weird guy

- at the start I NEEDED to give flower to king, thinking if he gets some love and a snack everything will be fine! I didn't know you actually could, friend told me later

- i follow the dev on bluesky so I saw a post of them holding a Bonnie figurine and though oh haha cute!! grabbing them like a hamster!! i didn`t kNOW

- the king hides snacks in the pillars and also hes probably crying because the party stepped on his hair in the door for the third floor. Or because he's hungry. or because he's pathetic. Or all of the above.

- kept calling the starry door the "loop door", it's theirs I don't make the rules

- Messing around with my friend, apparently I kept saying sus things like "you can be both Loop and Siffrin!", or "if it's the wish that caused this why don't I just wish to stop it. Like get me out of here thanks", or "is king my dad or something. who made me."

- siffrin and the other siffrins Mal du pays should start a band and start dancing

- I love odile. She's my third fav, first being loop then Siffrin

- "this is the house of leaves" i said, then said "nah actually this is the house of can't leaves get me out of here". I'd make siffrin read house of leaves, honestly

- kept insisting to do most playthrugs without skipping so I saw a lot of cool internal thoughts and stuff!

- my funniest joke was probably "hey odile check out how hard I can dissociate" on her quest and skipped the entire dialogue

- there are 19 birds in Dormont. :)

- did not get a bunch of special dialogues because i cannot be mean to my pixel family

- I did not actually defeat loop. I let them get me instead, they were always my fav I couldn't do it lmao

- when loop was teaching the secret hand shape and said "put your finger next to your mouth" or something i actually bit my finger and then the realization hit and i OH YOU LITTLE BITCH!!!!!!!!!! i love and hate you.

- later on I convinced myself that Loop was “a star”, and “my wish”, and I still didn’t KNOW

- once Siffrin stopped saying peeou, peeou! I started doing it for them because I gotchu buddy I’ll get your whimsy back

- on the tutorial I gave the wrong answers purposefully to see the answers and then the game gave me a helpful little chart and I thought “holy fuck I’m being berated, how dare you”, but little did I know that ended up being very very helpful to me because I forger easily

- I actually did destroy the king with one good crit from Siffrin one time. It was funny.

- I also counted the rocks. I forgor how many there are, but almost twice as many as there are birbs

- jingle jangle bell pendant is my favorite souvenir ever. Ding ding!!!

some more fun things i remembered

-finished with around 50 hours, 79 loops. Siffrin actually forgor SO many of them, i swear the god i was around 40-50 and then suddenly oh woopsie loop 66, loop 69, loop 77. Id probably taken more time if it weren't for friends guiding me (i love u friends) or my worry to see through everything again and make it boring for the audience

-pretty sure i said or thought "the nostalgia sadnesses are loop shaped!! which are also Siffrin shaped!! all triangles!"

-cannot remember shit from the house even tho i did it in its entirerity many times. i still dont know places. rip.

-"oh you trapped yourself in the loops, didn't you?"

-i forgor what wish siffrin made at the start but went "I bet you wished yourself into the timeloops", then friends were asking "whats your wish siffrin", SORRY I FORGOR

-every memory i got with "you'll always remember this" message I kept saying "will I? Suspicious...~

thats all I can think for now. bye

[zaffiri-saffici]

12K words already drafted for this agathario fic. Jfc. Somebody help me; this is going to consume me.

Hopefully, I can start putting up chapters soon. I just also realized that it will be the first fic ever where I post chapter updates on a weekly or bi-weekly basis (haven't decided yet the cadence).

I definitely want to make sure I do it right, otherwise, the fact of having to go back and edit previously uploaded chapters will haunt me for life. I always catch things on a seventh and eighth review that just don't feel quite right.

I'm going to overanalyze every detail again like I did with Undone. Oh, this feeling. A gift and a curse.

[screams-in-writing]

Musings for the outcome of wotfi 24

1- Mr puzzles gets obliterated from existence via Karen (who owes smg4 a favor) or some other manner (which would make me churn out a lot more content of him to cope). I don’t think he deserves to die but Puzzles certainly needs to face some steep consequences for all his actions that his obsession led him to/what happened to others in the process of chasing that obsession.

2- Mr. Puzzles finally realizes that he screwed up in regards to Meggy, while also losing the amusement park (manefesting Mario somehow destroying the engine room b/c that’s seems to be what sustains the place) and just kinda shuts down like what more can he do-somehow ends up losing a lot of abilities to render him more of less harmless.

-Secondary to the above: Mr. Puzzles loses his power by somehow turning him back into a human (pls don’t though his appeal is the tv head for me tbh).

3- Mr. Puzzles somehow ends up as the Leggy equivalent of himself and works in the meme factory as penance.

4- who’s going to use the upper floor of the smg4 castle? What’s behind the boarded door? Maybe powerless puzzles and lock him up/keep an eye on him? Like a keep your friends close, but your enemies closer kind of a deal?

5- the whole thing is Mickey and smg4 making mr puzzles hallucinate everything, when in fact it is all a movie he’s experiencing and a warning to think before acting (unlikely but amusing to think about)

6- mr. Puzzles somehow ends up having to work for Marty after everything goes down. More of a silly thing so unlikely.

Edit- 7- mr puzzles father inexplicably makes an appearance and makes things worse

[ninichii-xcix]

There are no words in the English dictionary that can ever begin to describe the pain of missing someone that you still see everyday. How it breaks your heart to see the same person but know that they are no longer the one you once loved the most. To see eyes once filled with love now look back at you with indifference. To hear very little words from the voice that once spoke to you endlessly until you fall asleep. To feel so unloved, unseen, unheard, unimportant to a person who once held you like you’re their most prized possession, like you were the greatest miracle in their life.

[angrybubbles]

I think one of my favorite parts of Devil's Minion is that their flaws really suit each other to a degree.

Daniel is harshly blunt. He speaks deliberately and without any fanfare, and you know exactly what he means as he says it. Even when he's insulting you, and especially when he's angry, his bluntness is front-and-center. This is probably why he's been divorced twice, because this kind of behavior is cute and refreshing at first, until he starts laying out the problems with you.

Armand needs that kind of bold speech. That man could overthink himself out of how to tie shoelaces on a bad day, and part of his difficulty with Louis in the show is insecurity and doubt. With Daniel, he knows exactly where he stands, which is probably why he would take some of Daniel's worst moments as truth. Armand has the consciousness to know he's capable of some heinous shit, and doesn't really take part in guilt on it too much, so he's uniquely suited to handling insults being thrown at him.

And Armand is all about subtly. He'll lie and soothe; talk around something or simply avoid it physically. Not to mention the hall of mirrors that exists in his mind and memories. He masks to suit what is expected of him in order to fit a role, but it is just a mask, so it doesn't feel genuine to those looking for a deep connection. And it's up to his perception of reality to figure out which mask he needs.

Which Daniel, solver of puzzles and professional snoop, is never going to be bored with it. What is Armand doing today? Why is he acting this way? The process of finding out is how Daniel makes emotional connections, and every day or week with Armand would be a new task. The truth of Armand is a process of collaborative discovery, and Daniel not only thrives on challenge, but also on mystery.

Idk, I just think it's neat. Obviously they still step on each other's toes, and the growing pains are uh, flammatory, but they still are uniquely suited to handling bad days with each other, as long as they aren't having a bad day on the same day (cue horrible fight and another chase across the globe because they love each other anyway)

[netteisms]

post the fall of numenor phantom of the opera style haladriel au set in lothlorien prior to the last alliance of elves and men.

[the-purvashadha]

Madeleine is surely one of the sweetest names to ever exist. It feels like a fond nickname rolled into a name that can also be used in a formal manner.

[aquamarinemarie]

Romancing the Dread Wolf, Pt. Three

Chatting, squabbling, and flirting with the legendary, extremely opinionated Dread Wolf. Former spirit, ancient elf, Second to Mythal, and rebellion leader…

Oh, Lavellan, if you only knew who you were talking to.

Let's Talk About Elves (Haven)

Lavellan: I’d be interested in hearing your opinions on elven culture.

“I’d be interested in hearing your opinions on elven culture,” she says. Oh, boy. Maker, have mercy. Lavellan walked right up to a hornet’s nest and wacked it good, didn’t she?

Solas: I thought you would be more interested in sharing your opinions of elven culture. You are Dalish, are you not?

Immediate attitude. 😂

My Lavellan only wanted to talk, maybe get to know Solas a little better. But alas, Solas it seems has other plans.

General: Option One Lavellan (Proudly.): Yes, I am. The Dalish are the best hope for preserving the culture of our people. Solas: Our people. You use that phrase so casually. It should mean more… but the Dalish have forgotten that. Among other things. Lavellan: Oh, but you know the truth, right? Solas: While they pass on stories, mangling details, I walk the Fade. I have seen things they have not.

"Our people," he says, so bitterly.

Yes, Solas, the Dalish are indeed your people, just as the elves in the alienages are too; hard as it may be to accept.

I always pick option one here because of the emphasis on our people, since my Lavellan sincerely sees all elves, not just Dalish, as her people. Which is a little unusual for a Dalish elf, I know, but hey, she's from clan Lavellan, and her clan seems to be a little more open-minded than most.

General: Option Two Lavellan (Why are you so angry?): What’s your problem with the Dalish? Allergic to halla? Solas: They are children acting out stories misheard and repeated wrongly a thousand times. Lavellan: Oh, but you know the truth, right? Solas: While they pass on stories, mangling details, I walk the Fade. I have seen things they have not. General: Option Three Lavellan (I am a true elf.): My people come from the elves who refused to surrender when humans broke their treaty and destroyed the Dales. Solas: Your Keeper was not wrong about that, at least. We must mark the occasion of the Dalish remembering something correctly. Perhaps we should plant a tree. Lavellan: You insult my people. Solas: They insult themselves. Remember, I have walked the memories of the Fade. I have seen the history of the Dalish imitate.

“Your Keeper was not wrong about that, at least. We must mark the occasion of the Dalish remembering something correctly. Perhaps we should plant a tree.” 😂

I love how much of an asshole he can be.

General: Option One Lavellan (So help them.): The Dalish are trying to restore elven history. If you know something new, share it. Solas: Would your clan listen to what I had learned in my studies, my travels? Or would they mock the flat-ear and his stories, and go back to their ruins? At least you are asking. That is something. I will answer as I can. General: Option Two Lavellan (So teach other elves.): Fine, you think we’re terrible. What about the alienages full of elves who aren’t Dalish? Solas: Why? What would it benefit some poor man in a Fereldan alienage to learn that his ancestors strode the lands like gods? It would only make him bitter, or inspire him to take a foolish risk and get himself killed. Lavellan: You’ve decided his reaction for him. Solas: Perhaps I have. If you have questions and believe the answers will help, ask. General: Option Three Lavellan (We are trying. Accept that.): Ir abelas, hahren. If the Dalish have done you a disservice, I would make that right. What course would you set for them that is better than what they know now? Solas: (Sighs.) You are right, of course. The fault is mine, for expecting what the Dalish could never truly accomplish. Ir abelas… da’len. If I can offer any understanding, you have but to ask.

Solas: What do you wish to know?

I really do prefer option three, since my girl is honestly a bit taken aback, but is also capable of recognizing that Solas has a point. He does walk the Fade, and thus, has likely seen and learned truths her people would ordinarily kill to know.

So, my girl pivots, and counters with a show of manners. (She’s going to get along great with Josephine.)

She speaks elven, apologizes, and for added flavor, addresses Solas as an elder, and he… Sighs, resigned. She’s given him exactly what he seems to be asking for. Respect, and an opportunity to be heard. To be listened to. Decency now demands he apologize in turn.

Which he reluctantly does, and in elven no less.

That’s very much a win in my book.

Investigate: Option One Lavellan (Tell me about ancient elves.): I’d like to know more about the elves from before our time. Solas: The Dalish strive to remember Halamshiral, but Halamshiral was merely a fumbling attempt to recreate a forgotten land. Lavellan: Arlathan. Solas: Elvhenan was the empire, and Arlathan its greatest city. A place of magic and beauty, lost to time. Lavellan (special) (What else?): You’ve studied ancient elves. What else do you know of Arlathan? Solas: We hear stories of them living in trees and imagine wooden ramps or Dalish aravels. Imagine instead spires of crystal twining through the branches, palaces floating among the clouds. Imagine beings who lived forever, for whom magic was as natural as breathing. That is what was lost.

How broken and unnatural the new world must seem to him. You can hear the sadness creeping into his voice whenever he speaks of his people and the old world. A world Solas tells himself he alone destroyed, when we all know he’s the one who saved it.

A broken world, after all, is objectively better than a blighted world.

Investigate: Option Two Lavellan (Tell me more of the Dalish.): Are all Dalish elves like my clan? Solas: No. Your clan was unique in having enough interest in human affairs to send you to spy upon the Divine’s meeting. As your clans have been separate for so long, they have all changed, adapting to the lands in which they live. Some are no more than bandits, others trade freely with humans, and some have disappeared entirely into the forests.

Alright, who’s been blabbing?

Lavellan, was it you? Did you tell everybody you were sent by your Keeper to spy on the humans? Or did smarty-pants figure it out? Aah, who am I kidding? Lavellan blabbed.

Investigate: Option Three Lavellan (Tell me about city elves.): What can you tell me about elves living in human cities? Solas: The culture in alienages or among the slaves of Tevinter is like any of the impoverished and powerless. They cling to memories of a better past and practice a few rituals to distinguish themselves from humans.

I think if my Lavellan actually saw the alienages and how the elven slaves in Tevinter lived, she’d honestly be horrified.

Investigate: Option Four Lavellan (Mage) (Tell me about elven magic.): Is the magic they teach in the Circle different from the magic I learned with my people? Lavellan (Non-Mage) (Is elven magic different from the magic used by humans? Solas: No and yes. Magic is magic, just as water is water, but it can be used in different ways. Dalish magic is more practical, not needing Chantry approval, although they still frown on blood magic. Superstition. Much of it is more subtle, a legacy from when elves were immortal. Lavellan (Special) (Was immortality due to magic?): The legends of elven immortality… did they use magic to increase their lifespan? Solas: No, it was simply part of being elven. The subtle beauty of their magic was the effect, not the cause, of their nature. Some spells took years to cast. Echoes would linger for centuries, harmonizing with new magic in an unending symphony. It must have been beautiful. Lavellan (Special) (About blood magic…): You said that the censure against blood magic was superstition… Solas: I did. It’s fortunate Cassandra is not within earshot. Most modern cultures forbid blood magic. Publicly, even Tevinter disapproves of it. But as I said, magic is magic. It matters only in how it is used.

“It must have been beautiful,” he says. Again, the sadness. Guilt. Hints of pain.

Special Response (About blood magic): Option One Lavellan (Blood magic seems interesting.): I’d be interested in learning more about blood magic. Solas: I would teach you, if I knew it. Unfortunately, using blood magic seems to make it more difficult to enter the Fade. You understand why I have never bothered to learn it. A shame, as it is extremely powerful. Provided it remains a tool, not a crutch… nor a passion.

“You understand why I have never bothered to learn it.” Lies. More lies.

Yes, Solas is slippery with his words and prefers to lie by omission. But, he also, occasionally, blatantly lies as well. Does this bother me? Nope. Not one damn bit.

Special Response (About blood magic…): Option Two Lavellan (Blood magic is evil.): Every time I’ve seen blood magic used, it has been for some evil purpose. Solas: I once saw a woman stabbed in the stomach with a dagger. She died slowly, in agony. It was repulsive. If the Chantry outlawed daggers, would that stop people from using them? Of course not. Some would use daggers in secret, ashamed, and some would find rebellion titillating, a step down the path of depravity.

General: Option One Lavellan (That metaphor doesn’t work.): You don’t need to sacrifice a slave’s life to make a dagger. Solas: I suppose it depends upon the dagger. How many men have you killed while fighting for the Inquisition? How many more will you kill out of necessity? And if blood magic could help you? Well, it matters little to me. I do not use it, but I do not think it evil. General: Option Two Lavellan (The alternative is Tevinter.): So we should allow blood magic to be used freely? It works so well for the Imperium! Solas: Tevinter’s foundation stones are the bones of ancient elves with slave-blood for the mortar. It is an example of nothing more than gilded savagery. Pitiable, in a way. They always succeed through power, so they have never had the chance to learn another way. General: Option Three Lavellan (They’re still evil.): It doesn’t matter how they arrived there. Most blood mages use their power for the wrong reasons. Solas: Yes, but not all. I once saw a blood mage healer who would shed her own blood to close a patient’s wounds. Although, admittedly, you are unlikely to find her here.

Option three here interests me a great deal.

I rather like the idea of a blood mage healer – especially a powerful one. Could they heal severe burns, close otherwise fatal wounds, restore a man’s sight, or perhaps, regrow a lost limb? If so, I can easily imagine my Lavellan being interested in learning this kind of magic.

(And not just because she’ll later lose half a limb herself. My girl’s a knight-enchanter, y’all. Healing others is practically her job… when she’s not cutting her enemies heads off with a magic sword.)

Special Response (About blood magic…): Option Three Lavellan (I don’t mind blood magic.): To be honest, I don’t see it as different from any other magic. It’s a means to an end. Solas: Indeed. The problem is that, under the Chantry, blood magic is forbidden, so only criminals practice it. While in Tevinter, magisters compete with each other instead of keeping their volatile friends in check. They always succeed through power, so they have never had the chance to learn another way.

Lavellan: We’ll talk later. (That’s a promise.) Solas: Goodbye.

The early hostility of this conversation is really interesting, since we know Solas reached out to the Dalish at least a few times before joining the Inquisition. Which resulted in the "superstitious" Dalish attacking Fen’Harel and or mocking Solas as a madman. The rejection must have truly hurt, especially since (we can presume) Solas genuinely intended to help them… or at least educate them. Hence his frustrations, and general distaste for all things Dalish.

Until Lavellan, that is. She’s the sole exception.

The only Dalish elf that’s actually willing to listen to him without shoving a pie in his face… even if at times she may feel tempted to.

Source: daitranscripts

[cilil]

I kinda think that Mairon is the kind of Ainu who, when you meet him, draws your attention with looks more than with his voice.

That's not to say he doesn't have a lovely voice, he's still an Ainu and that fact alone probably makes it so that at least his singing voice is immeasurably beautiful and/or powerful by incarnate standards, but in my head Mairon talks in a dry, matter-of-fact, sometimes even bored kind of way (assuming of course that it's an idle conversation, he definitely screeches like a fury when he's mad and has the smooth sexy voice down for seduction).

It's just... oftentimes he talks because he has to. Remember on that note that talking and language is not the default communication method of Ainur and arguably less efficient than ósanwë which would likely bother someone like him.

As for why Mairon draws attention with his looks, well. Need I explain why I think the one called Admirable is pretty? Need I remind us that he was labeled as fair more than even Lúthien? ;)

He probably treated making a fána as yet another craft project that he wanted to be absolutely flawless and perfect and artistic (while also effective and suitable for his tasks)

[saeculasaeculorom]

hello don't mind me, i'm just thinking about shadowlach

and how karlach is sort of like a night orchid for DJ shadowheart cause she doesn't last and she will go back to the darkness that birthed her (meaning she'll either go back to avernus and never see shadowheart again or die on the docks after defeating the netherbrain)

and it has altered my brain chemistry just a lil bit