#to be forgiven for treason!

[doctordeepzone]

"No Longer Just For Show"

[iamrizaka]

For the pjo hunger games AU, maybe the traitor demigods can be bought?

Like Hades's realm is getting unmanageable. He hates walking through the fields of punishment to make sure the grounds, the equipment, the souls are all working as functioned. Maybe he buys a few demigods to do it for him, fitted with collars or something to make sure they can't escape or disobey.

Maybe Hephaestus buys out his traitor kids as a percieved mercy. As much as he resents/is angry for them turning, he can't stand to see the other gods use and abuse them. So he buys them and makes them do grunt work for the rest of their lives, and they live on the outskirts - knowing their father cares just enough to protect them from other gods abuse/lust, but also knowing that their father doesn't love them. They spend their days cleaning up his workshop and melting unused metal while Hephaestus carefully goes over his favored children's work with love in his eyes and compliments on his tongue, knowing they'll never have that again.

OOHH they absolutely can!! Winners are only bought by the twelve olympians and they are not the furniture or servants, but the Avoxes can be used by every non-minor god.

Nico would be the first to know (the usual) about what gods are doing to the traitors, because his own father will have some working in the Underworld. He would have to swear on Styx to not tell anyone about it (like with Greek/Roman), but will anyone find out about it this time?? I think yeah

And Hephaestus buying his own children to not let other gods abuse them IS an act of mercy there. They work all day, yes, they live who knows where, but their lives are more or less okay, because they are sort of in their element and they don't know what other gods do to their servants, because that just doesn't happen to them.

[alternia-confessions]

[=> i put \axatives in a purp\eb\ood's faygo once <=]

[=> near\y got cu\\ed when she found out who did it <=]

•

Question: i put laxatives in a purpleblood's faygo once

nearly got culled when she found out who did it

[teabutmakeitazure]

“Say, Chrollo, will you ever hurt me if I don't comply to you?“

The first thing he does when asked such a question is tilt his head and smile. The bastard smiles at you as he sits on the sofa with one leg over the other, still in his loungewear and hair still tousled from sleep. “Why so inquisitive so early in the morning?”

At his question, you simply cross your arms to show you will not back down without an answer. Though you yourself are still in your pyjamas, you hope you could be at least a little threatening. Even if you are sort of hiding behind the kitchen counter. “Questions cannot be answered with another question,” you state simply. “So, will you ever hurt me if I don’t comply with you?”

Chrollo feigns thought for a moment. He puts on the entire charade. A hand on his chin, his eyes looking elsewhere, and a hum leaving his mouth. “Are you asking about something that’s treason level or something more like an innocent crime?”

You raise a brow at that. “All possibilities.”

“I’m afraid I can’t answer unless you’re more specific.”

“Chrollo,” you exhale sharply, “it is 8 am. I am up against my will, and you are testing me for no reason. Please, just answer the question.” Hands now flat on the granite counter, you stare into his eyes hoping he would stop fooling around.

After a minute of thoroughly having his fill looking at you, he concedes. “It depends. You refuse to comply with me multiple times a day, yet you remain unharmed.”

You gawk at him. “And when have I refused? You are simply tarnishing my image.”

“Just last night you had refused to sit next to me because you had already done so earlier that day,” he states. “I believe that falls under ‘refusing to comply’.”

“Oh please,” you say, “I only refuse to sit too close to you when you clearly have dirty intentions.”

“Is wanting to show affection such a crime?”

“Yes! Wait, no! You’re distracting me. Answer the question.”

Chrollo sighs. This time, he leans forward and rests his forearms on his knees before replying. “Cuter transgressions can be easily forgiven. Frankly, I wouldn’t even realise their malicious nature until some time passes. Other acts, on the other hand, more extreme ones will be met with equal ferocity.”

You narrow your eyes at him, ready to call him out on his less apparent but still petty acts, but he cuts you off. “If you’re planning something, I would suggest you don’t continue such foolishness.”

That statement makes your mood do a whole 180. The event you saw in your dream vividly comes back and you shake your head. “I’m not planning anything. It was just a question.”

“Questions are not born on their own accord. Something must have happened.”

You take a moment to debate whether or not you should tell him, but you decide in favour of it. He should know that complete trust and love is impossible in this relationship. Especially after how you fell into his clutches in the first place. “I had a dream,” you start, and he perks up immediately to sit up straight. “I was running. I don’t know where I was, just that there was lots of broken glass that crunched under my shoes and there were a few abandoned houses in the vicinity.”

A pause, and you continue. “I remember screaming I was sorry, but all that happened was some knife inside my chest and your hand holding the blade. I didn’t see your eyes, but the way you said you didn’t forgive me was a little… cold.”

No words are shared for a few moments, but the silence breaks when Chrollo gets up and comes to stand on the other side of the kitchen counter. There is no discernable expression on his face, but you follow the movement of his lips regardless. “I’m sorry you had to see such a thing in your sleep.However, I’m sure that if I do something like that, it may have been for a good reason. Not that I would hurt you over something like refusing to share the same cup of coffee.”

The nonchalant chuckle he lets out only makes you grimace. You sometimes wonder what you can do to get under his skin.

[kirbybecomesastarwarrior]

Happy Father's Day~ (for the Dads of KBASW)

Did you think I would be late for Father's Day (like last year)? Hahaha yes!

King Dedede & Banadana Dee:

I've kept King Dedede's Arc pretty hush (since it does dive into pretty dark territory) and Bandee is extremely integral to his change. And you can understand why Dedede's incredibly attached to Bandee (vice-versa).

Bandee is one of the only ones who believed in the king and stayed by his side. And King Dedede growing a drive to change... wanting to become someone worthy of Bandee's trust and loyalty.

After Escargoon quits on him (which affects & hurts him greatly), he promises to do everything he can to "treat dis boy right!"Which results in King Dedede treating him more like a son than his right-hand man.

King Fisher, Prince Fluff & Falspar:

As I've said before Fisher King adored his son to bits and pieces ... and gave his life just for the chance to be a father. And never regretted having Fluff... if his accident is what leads him to have his son then he doesn't regret that either.

(Basically, a near-death experience was what led him & his wife to be unable to have children... an accident that Falspar was blamed for by Uther & the Ancients to save face...)

After the whole debacle with the Grail & Faspar wants to make it up to Fluff, (even though Fluff has already forgiven him). However, that's not good enough for Falspar so what does he do...

This is basically Falspar's walk of penance (similar to his counterpart Sir Percival)... And he does this by finding out what happened to Fluff's mom for him. They were both able to give each other the closure they needed: Falspar with the King Fisher incident with the Grail & Fluff with the disappearance of his mom...

Falspar becomes a second father to Fluff he's affectionately called Uncle Parry by him (Fluff). Falspar's laid-back nature was just what Fluff needed in his life. Being there for Fluff gave Falspar this unspeakable sense of fulfillment... finally understanding what the Grail meant... and King Fisher's attitude of gratitude for him.

Fisher was always thankful to Falspar for his accident because it's what led him to have a son... and Falspar in turn becomes grateful to Fisher because of his son (Fluff).

(Gah~ still weeping)

Sir Arthur & Meta Knight:

As I've said before, when Meta Knight was born he was sent through the dream fountain as a living bomb by Nightmare. He (MK) would not obey him and saw him as a failed experiment so he expelled him hoping he could do a little damage... believing he would die on arrival.

He was wrong... Meta Knight's creation was blasphemy and the fact he didn't have a warpstar was proof of that. He was an astral that was born out of the creation of Void.

And of course, Sir Uther tried to execute him immediately... but Sir Arthur wasn't having it. Everyone saw a monster, but all Sir Arthur could see was a frightened little boy begging for someone to save him... (it was a feeling all too familiar when he dealt with Sir Uther's cruelty).

Not only that he couldn't bear to see another innocent being accused of treason *cough* Celestine.

Using all the knowledge & the lessons he's had (with Celestine/ Merlyn) he manages to convince the Ancients to spare Meta's life and allow him to take the baby in. And his new status as "holy knight" protected him so Uther couldn't do anything to override his decision.

However, the old toad had one last (pathetic) try and exclaimed, "IF YOU KEEP THAT SPAWN OF NIGHTMARE YOU WILL NO LONGER BE MY RIGHT HAND AND I WILL DISSOWN YOU!"

Uther had assumed he'd come crawling back believing he still had Arthur under his thumb. (Little did he know Arthur had changed a long time ago.) Instead, he turns to his old mentor "Then I would formally like to abdicate my position as your right-hand man."

Arthur turns back to Meta and scoops him in his arms wrapping him in his cape (the red cape). "And besides I'll have my hands full and won't be able to properly take care of this one."

"WHAT!?"

He walked away from his cruel master and never looked back. Meta Knight always saw Arthur as his savior, but in reality, it was Meta Knight who saved him.

After Celestine's death (or that's what he thought), Arthur was really struggling, and even more so after she was erased.

Being one of the only people who remembered her, apart of him thought she might have been a figment of his imagination. But he didn't care "Even if she was just a dream... then she was a beautiful dream..." and as long as Merlyn existed... so did she.

He held on to the memory of her for dear life... "that there was always something to live for... "Meta Knight was that something to him.

Kirby & Meta Knight:

Guys, I don't think I need to explain the last one that much cause... come on it's "Meta Dad."

(I'd expand on this more but then we'd be here for hours/ also that would be spoilers to KBASW: The Knightmare's End... I really got to finish the next chapter)

Basically Sunshine heals old lonely war veteran~

The whole father-son relationship between Kirby & Meta Knight is two outsiders finding this family within each other... and then in turn being able to make a safe space for everyone and each other.

Their Father-Son relationship ultimately made each other grow closer to their respective destinies. With Kirby becoming a Star Warrior and Meta Knight becoming the leader of the GSA,

So anyway I hope you enjoyed the dads of KBASW!

[shanastoryteller]

happy pride!! dealer’s choice <3

Steve is going to die again just a few short years after waking up in this new world and his death is going to be significantly less glorious the second time around.

“You don’t think he’s going to come,” Duke Rhodes says, tied up next to him and in even worse shape than he is. An unfortunate side effect of not being a sorcerer’s experiment and being nearly a decade older than him, he assumes.

“You do?” he asks, too exhausted to filter himself like he tries to do around him.

Rhodes raises an eyebrow. “I think his champion and his general are tempting enough bait, yes. Listening to their demands and showing up alone is also the most foolish choice he could possibly make, so I’m confident the king won’t be able to help himself.”

Those words would be treason from anyone else, but Rhodes has long been King Anthony’s personal confidant, and the one managing this war for the king from the beginning. Steve supposes that grants the man a certain level of leeway.

Steve is, now and always, exactly what he was enchanted to be. The King’s Champion. From the moment he woke up in a land at once so familiar and so different from his own, he renewed the vow he took seventy years ago. To serve his king and uphold the dignity of the realm so long as a Stark sat on the throne.

King Howard, however, had been an easier man to serve. He’d at least taken the time to meet with Steve, for one, had taken an active interest in the war he fought rather than delegating it and holing himself up in his castle. He’d been cold, and detached in many way from the realities of the war he’d started, but he was a king, and his attention, however brief, had always rallied the troops in a way that Steve admired.

King Anthony at least delegates well, he’ll give the man that. Rhodes does not come from noble blood, something they share, but by the time Steve woke up here it was long past something others were willing to hold against Rhodes. His title of Duke had been a gift from the king. His title of General had been one he earned.

“Steve?” Rhodes frowns, eyeing him like he’s looking for injuries that he hasn’t noticed.

Perhaps Steve is more injured than he thinks, because he doesn’t have the good sense to stop himself from saying, “He did not come for his alchemist.”

He tenses, but Rhodes just sighs, shifting in his bonds as if trying to find a more comfortable position even though if that existed, they would have found it by now. “You hold a grudge for something that happened not only before your time, but for something that Edward does not.”

“Edward is too forgiving,” he says stiffly and doesn’t say the same of Rhodes even though he thinks it often.

He sees the warmth and tenderness and affection between Rhodes and Edward clearly and it galls him that Rhodes has so easily forgiven his king leaving the man Rhodes loves to die. Edward is often trying to coax Steve and Rhodes into a more affectionate relationship, but it’s a hurdle Steve can’t quite overcome.

When he’d first awoken there had been nothing but mourning and determination and another war and then there was Edward. Infuriating and funny and warm and completely irreverent, the only person who seemed to treat him as more than cursed and made his terrible circumstances feel like home. Alchemist, armorer, blacksmith – he seemed to do everything and anything required by the crown and with a speed and skill that left Steve breathless. Rhodes may be directing and managing the war but without Edward’s tinctures and potions and weapons and armor, the war would have been lost long ago.

And when he’d been kidnapped and held for ransom, their enemy demanding the king’s presence to free him, the king had stayed safe in his castle.

Steve understood it logically. He’d had no queen or heir at the time and was the last legitimate Stark. Even if he’d been the type of king who cared about his people, he could not risk himself for a subject, no matter how valuable, no matter how much that subject sacrificed or gave or how valuable he was.

But that was just as true for him and Rhodes as it was for Edward and the king had left Edward to be tortured. They had tried to force him to make weapons, to betray his king, and Edward had refused. Steve saw some of the marks of that torture even now, years later, and he could not bring himself to love a king who did not care for that devotion, who hid away in his castle and let better men fight for his kingdom.

He was not required to love his king, only obey and serve him, and that Steve had always done.

He’d earned his title too. Both under King Howard and King Anthony. Being the King’s Champion did not mean being his friend. Not that was something he could claim to be, when he’d never even met the man.

“The Iron Mage saved him and the Iron Mage serves the king,” Rhodes points out, as if Steve doesn’t know that. “Isn’t that enough?”

The Iron Mage is his battle brother and his friend and yet another pillar keeping the kingdom steady while King Anthony can’t seem to be bothered. He holds the light of a star in the center of his chest and uses magic like a blunt weapon, the elements of the star sliding over his body, shifting and changing metals as he brutalizes the battlefield. Those that had captured Edward had found their base reduced to rubble and the Iron Mage appeared wielding a power that not even Sorcerer Strange could explain.

They said he was Goddess blessed, sent from the heavens as a shooting star to aid the king in his war, to ensure victory for the Starks who ruled by divine right of the Goddess Herself. Steve wasn’t sure of all that. The Iron Mage seemed man enough, for all he was constantly covered in his strange shifting, shimmering metal. His voice came out raspy and too low, as if he was in pain, and Steve often wondered if holding the core of a star was worth the consequences, but he was the last one to ask questions like that, considering what he’d allowed Sorcerer Erskine to do to him. The Iron Mage’s humor was wry and ever present despite that, and Steve often thought that he and Edward would get along, if the Iron Mage could ever be coaxed into spending time off the battlefield with the man he saved all those years ago.

But he couldn’t quite lay that victory at King Anthony’s feet. If anything, it seemed like the Iron Mage had used saving Edward as a way to secure his place at the king’s side, rather than that he’d been sent by the king in the first place. No one had heard of such a mage before that, after all.

“Perhaps the Iron Mage will come for us,” he says instead of answering. It’s possible. But the Iron Mage is supposed to be on the other end of the battlefield by now and by the time he hears of his and Rhodes’s capture, it may be too late.

Rhodes shakes his head. “You need to have a little more faith in your king.”

“Why should I?” he snaps, knowing starting an argument when they’re literally tied together is a dumb decision, but like most of his dumb decisions, he can’t help himself. “When King Howard dragged us to war, he at least let us see his face, he made an effort. I hardly expect a king to take to the battlefield, but King Anthony stays in his castle, with his drink and his women if the rumors are to be believed. Queen Virginia has introduced herself to the soldiers several times but the king has not. What sort of man is he to ask faith from me?”

“Well, I said faith, not trust,” Rhodes says tiredly. “Tony didn’t start this war and he’s doing his best to end it.” It’s rare that Rhodes will slip into the familiar name for the king, but it startles Steve every time, the reminder of just how close the general and the king are, and how little that closeness had mattered when Edward was captured. “Although I’ll grant you that you’re right about one thing.”

Steve is exhausted suddenly, in a way that has little to do with his lack of sleep or his injuries, but he’s too grateful for Rhodes keeping his temper while he can’t to ignore him now. “What’s that?”

“Tony is nothing like his father.”

[slavonicrhapsody]

Let’s talk about Mt. Gelmir

Mt. Gelmir is one of my favorite locations in the game because of its striking environmental storytelling… the minute you start exploring the slopes of the volcano, you can just FEEL that something awful happened here. The imagery is so potent that I wanted to go through every detail of the region and explore how it supports and expands the story we’re told through dialogue and text. Let’s start with the text on the Mt. Gelmir sword monument:

“The Assault on Volcano Manor

The squalid, the sick, the blasphemous;

A wretched, unending war with no glory”

This dismal description refers to Leyndell’s attack on Praetor Rykard’s forces at Volcano Manor. After the Shattering war broke out, Rykard declared his intention to take up arms against the Erdtree itself: this was not just treason, but blasphemy, marking him as “an enemy, never to be forgiven.” We can conclude that Rykard’s blasphemy was so unacceptable that Leyndell made it a priority to silence him as quickly as possible, sending an army straight to his doorstep. I believe it’s implied that Rykard had the Mt. Gelmir Minor Erdtree burned as his first act of blasphemy; we find the tree destroyed amidst a smoking ruin:

The assault on Volcano Manor, introduced to us by Gideon Ofnir as “the most appalling battle in the entirety of the Shattering,” was the site of some of the most horrific violence in the entire story. Traveling around Mt. Gelmir, we can observe the gruesome aftermath of the battle and the remnants of the armies continuing to struggle — some scattered groups of Leyndell soldiers remain, while the only troops left to Rykard are his marionettes and iron virgins, since his knights have long since deserted him after his hideous transformation. (Side note: I love the detail that Rykard uses marionettes and avionettes, which were “crafted to serve the sorcerers;” it further cements his identity as a sorcerer and his connection to his Liurnian heritage.) Despite having no real soldiers though, Rykard’s grim constructs seem to tear through the remaining soldiers of Leyndell with ease, which we can observe in real time:

The death toll of this conflict cannot be overstated — the slopes of Mt. Gelmir are literally piled high with bodies.

Within a pit of corpses, we can find the spirit of one of Rykard’s men, who says this:

“Lord Rykard… If this putrid field of death is what your blasphemy would bring, then I can no longer abide. No one can.”

These unspeakable horrors are enough to make Rykard’s followers question if the cost of resistance is too high a price. Leyndell’s armies are just as badly affected — stranded on the mountain with no hope of reinforcements, we can observe several soldiers feasting on the bodies of their fallen comrades:

These soldiers have long abandoned any hope of achieving glory, and are little more than mindless husks at this point. Furthermore, if we return to the sword monument, something you’ll notice as you make your way over is that there are several Leyndell soldiers who are affected by the frenzied flame. At the same time, the troll soldier guarding the door to the Manor is also affected by the frenzied flame:

The frenzied flame is affecting soldiers of both sides of the conflict here, which tells me it wasn’t being used as some kind of weapon, but that it took hold independently… I believe that the frenzied flame was embraced by the soldiers here due to the sheer hopelessness of those who have experienced this uniquely horrific battle. The ethos of the Three Fingers is essentially that the world is full of unendurable pain, so it must all be melted away so no one will suffer ever again: “the Greater Will made a mistake. Torment, despair, affliction... every sin, every curse. Every one, born of the mistake. […] Those who gave me grapes howled without words. Saying they wished they were never born. Become their lord. Take their torment, despair. Their affliction. Every sin, every curse. And melt it all away.” (Hyetta)

The soldiers who fought on Mt. Gelmir have experienced untold suffering, the very worst of humanity… it makes perfect sense that such people would be susceptible to the essence of the frenzied flame; to want to burn this tormented world to the ground.

[spop-romanticizes-abuse]

their crimes and problems with their redemption arcs under the cut!

catra:

crimes:

War crimes

Abuse of power

Corruption

Reckless endangerment

Psychological abuse

Assault

Terrorism

Attempted regicide

Attempted mass murder

Attempted world domination

Attempted cataclysm

Conspiracy

Mass destruction

Abduction & kidnapping

Unlawful imprisonment

Brainwashing

Theft

Torture

Treason

Usurpation

Coercion

Stalking

Mutilation

Aiding and abetting

Illegal use of weapons

Espionage

Crimes against peace

Crimes against Etheria

Altering reality

how was her redemption arc carried out?

she was only redeemed in the final season and her arc wasn't as drawn out as it should have been.

she never faces any consequences of her actions and is forgiven by her victims almost immediately, either after a vague apology or no apology at all.

she continues torturing and abusing people around her, especially her love interest, adora. her redemption arc doesn't mean anything since she never actually changes.

the diamonds:

crimes:

Multiple planetary conquests

Mass invasion

Mass terraformation

Attempted omnicide

Crimes against the universe

Cruel and unusual punishments

Unlawful executions

Slavery

Oppression

Propaganda

Abuse of power

Mass murder

Terrorism

Ecocide

Genocide

War crimes

Hate crimes

Corruption

Psychological abuse

Brainwashing

Unethical experimentation

Mass forced confinement

Mass destruction

Mass forced transmutations

how was their redemption arc carried out?

same as catra, their redemption was done during the final few episodes of steven universe, and it was way too sudden to be realistic.

they never face any consequences of their actions and still gets to retain their positions as cosmic rulers.

they do, however, seem to put in some effort to change, although it's not clear if this is helpful. steven also does not seem to forgive them.

lilith clawthorne:

crimes:

Malediction

Attempted murder

Child endangerment

Hostage-taking

Kidnapping

Coercion

Malefic

Treason

Cheating

Torture

Abuse

Assault

Aiding and abetting

how was her redemption arc carried out?

she only had to make one sacrifice and that was the extent of her redemption arc.

she is also forgiven too quickly by the people she had hurt.

she does change for the better, and proves to be an ally to the heroes (albeit being an underutilized character).

sasha waybright:

crimes:

Abuse of power

Psychological abuse

Attempted murder

Treason

Terrorism

Harassment

Vandalism

Theft

Usurpation

Animal cruelty

Conspiracy

Kidnapping

Incrimination

Sabotage

Child endangerment

how was her redemption arc carried out?

we only see the beginning of her redemption, the rest of it happens almost entirely off-screen. this was a lazy choice, as we never see an actual “arc”, only the beginning and the end of it.

she is almost immediately forgiven by her friends. there is some lingering suspicion in some episodes, but not enough for everything she had done prior to that season.

however, she also seems to have turned into a better person and doesn't repeat any of her past toxic behaviour.

[evolutionsvoid]

When the betrayal occurred, dragon kind earned the ire of the Church, and thus the hate of the entire land. To besiege the holy city, to burn the great cathedrals and attack the beloved Ichor. Such blasphemy and treason can never be forgiven. So it was there that it was decided that the dragons would perish, their ties to the Church severed and the armies now aimed at their throats. Throughout the land, the dragons would become hated symbols, and even commoners would spit upon the mere mention of their name. The dragons earned themselves powerful enemies, but man was not the first to despise them. There are others who hate the dragons with a terrible passion, who can never forget a grudge that has haunted their kind since ancient times.

It is common knowledge that Oliphants hate dragons, flying into a rampage whenever one is sensed. They never took well with the ancient dragons, but didn't stand a chance against such massive foes. However, with their stunted descendants now roaming the lands, these great beasts finally have suitable targets for their disgust. When a Lesser Dragon and an Oliphant meet, it is usually a battle to the death, neither side willing to surrender to their ancient foe. Even trained Oliphants strain against their orders and conditioning when faced with the opportunity for vengeance, and owners struggle to keep them free of the fray. As it stands, no one truly knows why the Oliphants hate the dragons so, but now that the vile reptiles are forsaken in the eyes of the Church, folk are eager to join their rampage.

With this knowledge in mind, it is no wonder why this abomination gained such a title. Oliphants and dragons do not mix, until now, when a select few of their kind have been warped by Eitr. For whatever reason, they were exposed and thus have become monsters. Thus have gained the title of Primal Paradox. These beasts are a mix of Oliphant and dragon, born by the leaking Eitr. Their hide is armored by scale, and their snouts now breathe Primal Flame. From this mutation comes great power and strength, and also a violent rage.

Primal Paradoxes appear to retain the knowledge of the Oliphants' grudge, as well as know that the blood of dragons flows in their veins. Within them is a battle between these two sides, in constant war with parts that can never mix. The Primal Paradox is a creature of ceaseless violence and anger, disgusted by the world and even itself. It cannot stomach its own existence, nor the world that created them. Thus they destroy and burn all around them, terrorizing and trumpeting til they finally meet their end. Some find this endless rampage a good thing, as they inevitably burn themselves out. Primal Paradoxes do not live long, as they are either slain or their bodies give out from stress and its self-destructive tendencies. But many are not willing to wait for this to happen, as they carve a path of carnage wherever they roam, smashing and burning all. Yet their armored hide is difficult to pierce, and their snout spews great plumes of Primal Flame. Their forelimbs punch and smash, while webbed ears fan the fires of their hate. Their lives are of constant chaos and din, only falling silent when the blade cuts them down. Death is where they find peace, and so many hunters feel obligated to grant these monstrosities that final comfort.

Despite their dual warring natures, folk have noted that their mutation is quite thorough. While other Primal Beasts show mere shades of Eitr and dragon scale, the Primal Paradox is fully armored and efficiently wields Primal Flame. There is no tainting in their fire, no humors turned wrong. Some would swear this form fits them like a glove, despite their endless self-loathing. It bears the question of the Oliphants and Eitr. Are these two sides truly separate from one another? Does their hate come from an outsider's perspective, or is this grudge born closer than we believe? Perhaps man wasn't the only creature burned by the treasonous nature of dragons...

--------------------------------

"Primal Paradox"

Aaaaand there be the last of the Primal Beasts! Well, for now! The month is coming to an end but, to no surprise, I failed in posting all the dragony stuff I wanted, so expect to see more rolling into September! Call it Sept-Ember or something like that!

[goodqueenaly]

I’m rereading F&B and find myself very confused about Jaehaerys’s proposed marriage candidates? They either seem self serving (which, understandable) or utterly nonsensical to the point of harming J’s future rule Rogar’s choice: Archon of Tyrosh’s daughter (unnamed) to forge alliances across the narrow sea Maester Benifer: a daughter of a neutral great house Daemon Velaryon: Elinor costayne (show Maegor’s supporters were forgiven) and adopt her sons (?wut even?) I kind of understand Benifer’s idea, but the other ones seem doomed from the jump.

I don’t know why Tumblr ate this ask but anyway here we go.

I think there are some logical explanations, at least on a surface level, to a few of the mooted nuptial matches. Alyssa’s proposal to have Jaehaerys marry into one of “the houses who had risen in support of Aegon the Uncrowned in the Battle Beneath the Gods Eye” follows her stated desire at the opening of Jaehaerys’ reign for violent vengeance against Maegor’s supporters; if Alyssa truly believed that “[Maegor’s] entire reign was unlawful and those who had supported him were guilty of treason and must needs be put to death”, then the clearest expression of that belief was to reward the supporters of Aegon the Uncrowned with the greatest possible royal marriage. By contrast, Benifer’s idea to appeal to one of the recently neutral Houses underlined his desire to have the regime move on from the factionalism and civil war of Maegor’s reign - particularly understandable on Benifer’s part, considering he himself had served and then abandoned Maegor before being recalled to court by Jaehaerys. Rogar’s choice doesn’t seem particularly related to his, Rogar’s, goals otherwise - we don’t really see him trying to forge alliances with the Tyrosh or any other Free Cities, or understand why he might have wanted to build ties with Tyrosh - though I took this match as something of an authorial wink to both Dany and our Aegon. Alyssa’s point that “[t]he smallfolk of Westeros would never accept a foreign girl with dyed tresses as their queen” recalls the dyed hair our Aegon adopts to disguise his identity (ostensibly, indeed, to honor his supposed Tyroshi mother), which he wished to have rinsed out ahead of his meeting with Golden Company (that is, when he revealed himself to be, allegedly, a Targaryen prince); too, Alyssa’s allusion to the “delightful” Tyroshi accent of the Archon’s daughter may echo Dany’s own apparently Tyroshi accent (and, of course, her ambition to be a queen in Westeros, despite a lifetime spent almost completely in Essos). (This dispute may also be a hint to the xenophobia and alienation experienced by Larra Rogare during the Lysene Spring and her marriage to Prince Viserys.)

Now, yes, some of the matches are less explainable, except (to a limited extent, anyway) outside of blatant personal ambition. Indeed, given that the Tullys and Celtigars barley hid their motives for pushing their familial relations as potential brides for young Jaehaerys, I am more surprised that no other families attempted to shove their pretty daughters in front of the king and/or Rogar. Yet these potential brides pale in comparison to Elinor Costayne, who was for my money the strangest choice. The oddity of her candidacy is heightened by the fact that her sponsor was Daemon Velaryon, a man who did not appear to gain anything by her potential elevation as Jaehaerys’ queen. While the argument that “Queen Elinor’s proven fertility was another point in her favor” might have carried some weight (considering King Jaehaerys, the only male-line male Targaryen left, would presumably needed to father an heir sooner rather than later), and the suggestion that Jaehaerys adopt Elinor's sons by Theo Bolling mirrors Sharra Arryn’s offer to Aegon the Conqueror during the Targaryen Conquest - another king with no offspring or obvious male heir - I am still baffled as to why Lord Daemon, of all people, would have supported the choice of a woman so publicly associated with Maegor’s tyrannical reign for his nephew’s royal bride. Perhaps this was just par for the course with Daemon, considering he had previously suggested that Maegor marry his own niece: just as Daemon had argued that by marrying Rhaena, Maegor would “unite their claims, prevent any fresh rebellions from gathering around her, and acquire a hostage against any plots … [Alyssa Velaryon] might foment”, maybe Daemon believed that a marriage between Elinor and Jaehaerys would link Jaehaerys to the claim of Elinor’s late (second) husband and his own official predecessor, and/or prevent any remaining pro-Maegor factions from rallying around his (unmarried) widowed queen. Still, it’s largely a bizarre notion acceptable only in the brevity with which it is presented; the story barely lingers on it, so neither should we.

The real point, of course, is to present a bunch of equally unpalatable (to Jaehaerys personally, at least) options in order to contrast them with the young king’s “true love”, Alysanne (heavy air quotes here). Since GRRM could not specifically duplicate The Accursed Kings here with the Jaehaerys and Alysanne story (as he does otherwise with Alysanne) - only copying the supposed love match, not the political advantage the marriage brought to the boy’s mother or the revolution against a tyrant king - he instead goes full romance, the sort of love versus duty that the author so enjoys portraying. As any number of his descendants will later - Princess Baela, the future King Aegon V, and indeed his own namesake, the future King Jaehaerys II, among others - the young Jaehaerys I rejects a potential diplomatic or otherwise dutiful marriage arranged by another (or multiple others) in order to wed according to the dictates of his heart.

[quinnoliver]

How Wilfred found out about Merlin's magic

Gaius: MERLIN, ARE YOU USING MAGIC AGAIN?

Wilfred: *walks by* ...........

Heath: I know, treason.

Wilfred: and he's forgiven because-

Heath: it's Merlin. *Hums* we're useless guards, we don't know anything -

[nrilliree]

If we're talking about the series, Ivar killed his wife and Daemon killed his wife, but only one of them is forgiven for this, and the other is hated (by TG). Is this due to the fact that Ivar's actor is younger and conventionally more attractive? Hmmm who knows...

Seriously, I just meet Ivar's fans between TG fans too often huh.

Ivar killed his wife, whom he supposedly loved - she deserved it, poor guy 🥰👼 Daemon killed the wife he hated (and she hated him) - murderer, pedophile and women's boxer🤬👿

And next…

Laenor left his family for their sake - you see, he never cared about these bastards 🤬👿 Aegon wanted to abandon the children and run away - he is a good father and does everything for the family 🥰👼

Viserys having several scenes with Aegon, knowing his sons' behavior - a terrible absent father 🤬👿 Aegon doesn't have any scenes with his children - he is a good father and does everything for the family🥰👼

Rhaenyra having children with the man she loved, with the consent and understanding of her gay husband - what a disgusting whore, that's high treason 🤬👿 Aegon playing bastards on the whores and girls he raped - he has no obligation to take care of these children, he doesn't have to be involved with them 🥰👼

Rhaenyra lying to Alicent ONCE for her own safety because Otto was trying to take her out of position and sent spies after her - what a lying bitch 🤬👿 Alicent lying to Rhaenyra for half a year, hiding that she meets with Viserys in the evenings - what a poor victim, how could Rhaenyra hold it against her 🥰👼

Rhaenyra, who slept with three men, two of whom were the fathers of her children - what a disgusting whore! 🤬👿 Alicent selling part of her body in exchange for gain - she's so brave when she's an exploited victim 🥰👼

Daemon using the services of prostitutes - a disgusting pedophile and rapist 🤬👿 Aegon molesting and raping servants - he is so misunderstood, he doesn't know what love and the concept of rape are 🥰👼

Rhaenyra wanting revenge after the death of her children - can't this bitch stop, only the blood of bastards has been spilled 🤬👿 Aegon wanting revenge after B&C because he suffered a fate he previously ridiculed and celebrated - what a good father, he cares so much about his son and family, he suffers so much 🥰👼

Daemon threatening that if the families do not abandon the usurper and bend the knee to the true queen, their residences will burn down - what a psychopath, pedophile and war criminal 🤬👿 Aemond murdering the entire family and burning the Riverlands because of his wounded pride - he is such a lovely mommy's boy and a talented warrior 🥰👼

Lucerys, as a five-year-old, accidentally took out Aemond's eye after he choked him, threatened him with death, and almost broke his brother's head - what a disgusting bastard, they should have taken his eye, cut off his arm, and killed his dragon 🤬👿 Aemond, an adult man who supposedly studied history and philosophy, murdered his 14-year-old nephew who was sent by the queen as a messenger - he didn't want to, he was trying to stop Vhagar, and besides, he did the right thing 🥰👼

And so on, and so on…

[medievalandfantasymelee]

THE HOT MEDIEVAL & FANTASY MEN MELEE

QUALIFYING ROUND: 95th Tilt

Will Scarlett, BBC’s Robin Hood (2006-2009)

VS.

George Plantagenet, Duke of Clarence The White Queen (2013)

Propaganda

Will Scarlett, BBC’s Robin Hood (2006-2009)

Portrayed by: Harry Lloyd

“YOU know Harry Lloyd as Viserys Targaryen and Every Other Shitheel in Every British-cast Show Ever, but I will forever know him as Mr. Herbert pocket in Great Expectations, and as Will Scarlett--both of whom stand as testament to the fact that Harry Lloyd can play characters that aren't shit-rags every once in a damn while. And OKAY, so he doesn't necessarily live up to the legacy of the "gaily feathered bird" like other Will Scarletts, but he's got OTHER virtues. He's SMART. He's PRETTY. He's got a little bit of the BROODING. He's got the knowing of woodcrafts: he can get you in and out of anywhere you wanna go and he can carve you things. He's a voice of reason, he has a plan when Robin doesn’t, and a dry wit--maybe a stick in the mud sometimes, but that's O-KAY, he's CUTEEE.”

George Plantagenet, Duke of Clarence The White Queen (2013)

Portrayed by: David Oakes

“The ideal scheming medieval nobleman, constantly trying to steal the crown from his brother, and his plots ultimately come to nothing. Which is very sexy of him. Snide, arrogant, bitchy, messy, chaotic. Betrays the king multiple times and just keeps getting forgiven and welcomed back to court inexplicably through sheer dumb luck— to commit even more treason. Everything you could ever want in a man.”

Additional Propaganda Under the Cut

Additional Propaganda

For Will Scarlett:

(+ bonus Allan-A-Dale)

For George, Duke of Clarence:

"(excerpt from above propaganda): Ultimately gets executed via drowning in a giant barrel of wine. Iconic, frankly."

[musingsinmiddleearth]

"'See, half-brother!' [Fëanor] said. 'This [sword] is sharper than thy tongue. Try but once more to usurp my place and the love of my father, and maybe it will rid the Noldor of one who seeks to be the master of thralls.'"

This Fëanor said to Fingolfin before the house of Finwë. What thoughts were in the mind of Fingolfin, upon this, when he gave no answer and merely turned away into the crowd?

First, the resentment of Fëanor. He alone came armed and armoured to answer his father's summons, though Fingolfin hasting arrived first. And in saying half-brother in the place of brother (where the distinction is perhaps trivial) we see how it was always the case that Fëanor counted the difference of their mothers greater than the father they shared.

Second, the difference in their temper. For Fëanor can brook no silence, tolerate no retort, and accept no ignorance of his words by others. When Fingolfin bowed to their father and backed away, not responding to Fëanor, we were brought thus to this dialogue between the two. That fire in Fëanor's mind is stoked in the air of Fingolfin's held tongue. It is as it has always been that Fëanor will not relent even in the face of victory.

Third, possessiveness. Finwë, as is said repeatedly, loved all his sons as his own, and valued none above the others except in celebration of their respective uniquenesses. When Fëanor was later sent from the homes of his people, Finwë joined him not because he loved Fëanor the more but because he would not hold himself King while his house was split. But Fëanor saw the love of his father as indivisible, though no lesser, and feared or found unwelcome the possibility that Finwë might love the sons of a second wife the way he loved the son of a first. To Fëanor, the distinction between first and second matters. To Finwë, they were all of his blood.

Fourth, the language of Melkor: that the concept of thrall and servitude was conceived first in the mind of the Great Foe, who recognised that in any power imbalance there is a party who stands to gain from the easier subjugation of the others. To usurp, to master, to enthral; these come to none but those who have hearkened to the words of Melkor, be they firsthand or parroted. Such designs appear never in isolation.

Fifth, that Fingolfin was not dismayed. Whatever fear it was to be drawn sword upon, first of all the Eldar in Aman, Fingolfin was neither naive nor vengeful. He held tongue before Fëanor's threat, and reacted not to the real danger that rested to his chest, and when Mandos pronounced doom for the act, it was Fingolfin who held the matter already redressed, and Fëanor already forgiven. It was not the way of Fingolfin to find validation in the perpetuation of grievances, no matter the fear and grief and treason of trust Melkor had wrought through the arm of Fëanor.

Had it gone Fingolfin's way, the house of Noldor would not have split that day. But Melkor had sown dark, dark seeds, and perhaps (as is alluded) whatever sundering of the Noldor could have been avoided that day would not have been avoided forever.

[linda-ravstar]

A conversation between Miquella the Kind and Needle Knight Leda. Pre-DLC, canon-ish timeline. Only dialogue.

“Kindly Miquella… Have you come to deliver judgment?”

“I am, Lady Leda.”

“I am at your mercy.”

“Do you regret your actions?”

“… I don’t know. I was sure they were guilty. That they meant you harm. I know it’s not a knightly behavior, but I did my duty by thwarting their treason.”

“But you were wrong.”

“They said so. But guilty men will never confess their sins.”

“They were innocent. I know it so. Do you think me a liar?”

“No. Never. And if you speak true... Then… Then I am beyond remorseful, my lord. And I will accept any punishment you see fit. I know this cannot be forgiven.”

“Why were you so sure?”

“They… they doubted you. They were not sure about your goals, about your guidance.”

“That did not mean they were guilty of treason. That just made them human. I doubt myself on a daily basis. You know this.”

“Those doubts could lead to harm. I couldn’t bear it. I couldn’t stop seeing your blood on their hands. I know you cannot abide by this. I was… I was wrong.”

“You were, and noble and innocent comrades are now dead because of that.”

“I am guilty. I accept your justly retribution, Kindly Miquella.”

“You will live, Lady Leda. Your death is no use to anyone.”

“But…”

“But I cannot leave you like you are. This cannot happen again. Forgive me, and hear my intentions: Those touched by my light will not be a danger to me or to you, Lady Leda. You will serve me by standing by those who are united for my cause.”

“Have… have you charmed me, my lord?”

“I have... Forgive me. You will not be hurt, I assure you. And those who would stand beside you will be protected. Your doubts have served you in the past, Lady Leda. Have kept you alive in this broken world. But they are dangerous and terrible. Those who would seek me, who will guided by my hand… will be allies to you. Hopefully, you will find solace in their companionship.”

“I trust you, Kindly Miquella. My life is yours. I know that in the world you will create… useless bloodshed like mine will not exist anymore. And when that world comes into existence people like me will not be necessary anymore.”

“People are not tools to be used by necessity. They deserve to live without any reason. And everyone denied that is a terrible crime. My hope is that during this path you come to realize this and find joy and warm in the world.”

“Sometimes I don’t understand your mercy, Kind Miquella”

“There will be a time for punishment, Lady Leda. Yours… and mine own. No hand is clean, and no one will remain so. Justice will be met, but not today.”

“May your ascension clean us all, my lord. May your world be gentler than this one.”

“And may your prayers land true, Lady Leda. I promise you this: I will do whatever it takes, no matter the price or the burden, to be worthy of your sins. May… may that hope be enough. May the suffering that will come be enough. ... Let it be enough.”

[correlance]

"Twisted" from Twisted: The Untold Story of a Royal Vizier (Team StarKid) would fit Lucifer from Hazbin Hotel so well, especially for an animatic flashback showing Lucifer choosing to defy Heaven.

Song lyrics:

I've gone against my Sultan The highest act of treason But I had good intentions I did it for a reason

They'll kill me if I'm lucky They'll torture me if not What made me think that I could Get away with such a plot?

It's not too late to bring it back Perhaps I'll be forgiven But if my crime can help improve The world we all must live in

Am I not bound by duty To the people of this nation? How does the Golden Rule apply in such a situation?

As a citizen, I think I would be grateful for the aid But if I were the Sultan? I should hate to be betrayed Whichever road I take'll be incurring someone's wrath 'Til now I've always traveled down the straight and narrow path Temptation may have beckoned, but I always have resisted But which way do I turn When the road's become so… so…

[...]

What remains of a man when that man is dead and gone? Only memories and stories of his deeds will linger on But if a man's accomplishments aren't in the tale they tell, Are the deeds that go unheralded his legacy as well?

If a war breaks out tomorrow, we'll all have Hell to pay Why protect my reputation? I'm a dead man either way

How will they tell my story? How will they tell my tale? Will anybody even care?

The question then is whether 'tis nobler in the mind To be well-liked but ineffectual, or moral but maligned?

I'll never be a hero who all the citizens adore But if I hide to save my life, what has my life been for? What has my life been for?

The road ahead may twist, But I will never swerve! I'll give them all the unsung antihero they deserve! I've nothing left to lose, So the only path to choose is twisted!

Let them twist my words, let the people scorn me Who cares if no one will ever mourn me? Let them bury the side of the story they'll never learn! Let the truth be twisted Let my life be twisted I'll be twisted, it's my turn!