#which can fall under ‘become powerful and able to influence other’

[kanizsacollage]

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[saintsenara]

💚 💖 💀

thank you very much for the ask, anon!

what does everyone else get wrong about your favourite character?

that lord voldemort is legitimately emotionally intelligent.

i encounter a lot in fics the idea that voldemort doesn't have any idea how to understand or relate to other people's emotions - that he can't, for example, understand why one his minions is upset by a hard work day or a rude comment, since he considers both of those things to be unimportant if they occur in his own life - and that any interpersonal skills which he possesses are performative, a chameleonic mirroring of other people's emotional responses which he has no real knowledge of the deeper meaning of.

a lot of this is due - of course - to the idea that voldemort is a "sociopath" and/or "psychopath" [both of which are controversial terms]. and he's a great candidate for the pop-culture versions of these labels - which tend to present the person in question's "empathy deficit" as connected to a complete lack of understanding of how other people feel and a concomitant failure to appreciate or anticipate the emotional responses their actions will cause.

but, in many cases, the "empathy deficit" associated with antisocial personality disorder [the clinical umbrella term under which both "sociopathy" and "psychopathy" fall] isn't so much an inability to understand how other people feel... as it is an ability to understand this profoundly, use it for personal gain, and simply not care if this approach causes the other person harm.

[that is, they are capable of cognitive empathy - the ability to recognise and understand emotions in others, read social cues, and predict and influence others' emotional responses to their behaviour. this isn't a dangerous, abnormal, or disordered trait - it's what people who describe themselves as having "good intuition" or "good gut instincts" are talking about - but it can become so when it combines with other aspects of a person's personality to make them manipulative, exploitative, and entirely self-centred.]

and this - rather than an "empathy deficit" caused by an inability to understand human emotions - is what we see in the canonical voldemort. he is extraordinarily good at correctly identifying, dissecting, and influencing other people's emotions, and a failure to take this ability seriously often causes problems for the heroes of the series.

[dumbledore - for example - is caught out when the potion guarding the locket reveals that voldemort sincerely understands the power of love, grief, and guilt. his entry into the cave is hubristic - he dismisses voldemort's initial safeguards as crude, unimpressive, and not frightening, he then discovers that the final safeguard is extremely impressive indeed...]

the canonical voldemort is also someone whose own emotional performance isn't entirely fake, or entirely drawn from mirroring those around him. i talk a lot about how the fandom overlooks the fact that he's very, very funny - and how he's also [for narrative reasons, since the text needs him to deliver information to harry that neither snape nor dumbledore can if they're to maintain their cover until the end of deathly hallows] often found telling the truth in ways which render him considerably more authentic in conversation than many other characters in the story.

that his charm is performative [he's the centre of attention at the slug club, he's dull and subordinate when he goes to see hepzibah smith] is another example of him using his emotional intelligence to exploit other people for his own gain - and the fact that he's able to modify his affect so easily [and that, even when not performing, he doesn't have a reduced or shallow affect - he's someone who registers his genuine emotions very clearly on his face] is connected to his ability to understand, predict, and influence emotional expression.

and i do think that voldemort is more interesting - and his crimes much more difficult either to excuse or to dismiss as a monstrosity someone like us could never be capable of - when he's treated as something other than the caricature of the pop-culture psychopath, pretty and outwardly charming, with nothing beneath the surface.

and recognising that he understands other people very well - and still doesn't care about them in the slightest - is one way of doing this.

what is your biggest unpopular opinion about the series?

that - while its morality is individualist and its politics are neoliberal and both of these things are incredibly tedious - its central thesis, that redemption is possible, forgiveness is achievable, and love and mercy are triumphant, is a legitimately good one, and the vast majority of fandom arguments about which characters "deserve" to be liked become irrelevant when these basic, human principles are taken into account.

if you had to choose one major character to die, who would you pick?

i think arthur weasley should have died in order of the phoenix - not only because it makes my best girl nagini look like a flop that he doesn't, but because i think it would be really interesting to bring the experience of a grief to which harry is peripheral forward in the series.

in canon, this is the purpose served by fred's death - and it comes as part of the arc that harry undergoes in the last third of deathly hallows, in which he begins to get over his earlier belief that he's central to everything about resisting voldemort. but i think something really interesting could be done with forcing him towards this realisation earlier.

[felinetteagain]

The Guardians of the Miraculous can be wrong too, or

there are several reasons why Kwami Longg should belong to another owner.

Earlier I wrote that Adrian is only a temporary owner of the miraculous black cat, but now I want to share my guesses about the true bearer of the miraculous Dragon and what qualities a person should have to be given such an honor.

Let's start with who Long is? Long (dragon) is a fictional animal, but it has the greatest influence and impact on the people of China 🇨🇳. In Ancient Centuries, Long was a totem worshiped by the people of China . In their eyes, Long was a God, holy and sacred, able to command rain and wind, ride on fogs and clouds.

So in our show, Kwami Longg gives the owner of Dragon Miraculous the power to use the elements of water, wind and lightning.

In the special episode Miraculous Shanghai, we were introduced to a girl named Fei 🇨🇳. She was found as a baby by Wu Shifu on the doorstep of his martial arts school and raised by him as his adopted daughter. Wu Shifu trained her in martial arts 🥋 and raised her to uphold the values ​​of Miraculous and one day become the guardian of the Sacred Cave.

She later becomes the superheroine Ladydragon. She can transform into a dragon as long as she possesses the value of justice. In her dragon form, she can fly and can control the elements of storm (wind, water, and lightning). Dragon is the most powerful form that Prodigious grants her.

Fei has a deep need to help people in any way she can, even strangers.

Fei is well trained in kung fu and is very strong.

As for the superheroine Paris-Ruyuko, Kagami Tsurugi, this girl is from Japan 🇯🇵.

She practices fencing. She is quite emotional and prone to rage, does not tolerate defeat, is too trusting and naive, easily falls under the influence of others. Without thinking, she often rushes into fights with supervillains, as a result of which she ends up defeated.

Kagami receives a miraculous dragon from Ladybug in the episode "Ikari Gozen" to free himself and defeat Ikari Gozen and is later sometimes summoned to fight villains together.

She is cold and arrogant towards other people.

Because of her naivety and frivolity, she confides in strangers other people's secrets, without thinking about the consequences.

And the third character I wanted to mention is a girl named Socqueline. Like Marinette, she is half Chinese 🇨🇳 and half French. She practices martial arts 🥋, is confident, smart, and is not afraid to stand up to bullies.

Socqueline was the only person in school who protected Marinette from Chloe. She is a big fan of Ladybug and admires her work. Because of her admiration and her desire to help, she has dressed up as Ladybug many times and done many good deeds.

⬆️🤝(https://www.tumblr.com/massivealmondpartyangel )

Episode (504)

Socqueline: I'm sorry I impersonated you. I just wanted to help.

Ladybug: I know. I'd just rather you'd help me in some other way without putting yourself in danger. You're already amazing even without needing a suit. Thanks for your help.

So, did Ladybug make a mistake by giving the miraculous dragon to Kagami again (ep. 526)? After all, in order to be a worthy owner of the miraculous, you must first of all have a pure heart, a desire to selflessly help people, have patience and endurance and, most importantly, devotion. Since Kagami is not suitable for this role because she does not correspond to the above-mentioned human qualities, Socqueline is the one who will become a worthy bearer of the miraculous Dragon, because she is so similar to the Fei.

[partyinthecookiejar]

Date of Birth and Career

DATE OF BIRTH 1, 10, 19 and 28 - ABUNDANCE

These numbers are most influenced by the Sun and Leo. The most powerful combination is the bearer of this number, who was born under the sign of Leo, which makes them a powerful person. These four numbers are the most powerful workers. people who have an infinite amount of strength, will, independence, analytical ability and energy. People who have the highest probability of material success in any career to achieve.

Anyone born on these dates is more likely to be in a leadership position. It's a matter of how the bearer of this number uses their energy, whether he falls into the clutches of convenience and loses ambition, or fights to rise to the top. Anyway, luck is given to these four numbers the most and I recommend taking advantage of it. To do this, the bearer of this number must find his right profession, and when he finds it, they will be happy. The goal for these numbers is to achieve individuality.

Since number 1, 10, 19 and 28 are very kind people, they should not give too much of themselves.

DATE OF BIRTH 2, 11, 20 and 29 - HELPING PEOPLE 

These numbers are most influenced by the Cancer zodiac, regardless of which month they were born. However, the most peace-loving soul is the bearers of this number born under the Cancer zodiac. Bearers of this number need stability and the approval of others. The work is successful only if the people next to them value this contribution. The most suitable jobs are helping people, caring, healing, medicine, working with animals, etc. All professions where the main purpose is to help others.

The only way the bearer of this number can find clarity within and find the right path is if they have a loving family behind them. In general, the primary goal of these people is to create a home and only then start a career. However, if these goals have changed, then the bearer of this number may feel constant hesitation about their profession for a long time and internal tensions may arise when working.

The lesson for these numbers is that they should find enough time for themselves, either to rest or pursue their hobbies. It is important that the bearers of these numbers are positive and able to be persistent in their profession.

DATE OF BIRTH 3, 12, 21 and 30 - ENTERTAINMENT

These numbers are most influenced by the Sagittarius zodiac sign, no matter what sign they were born under.

Those born under these numbers get with their number an opportunity for success in various fields that are meant to entertain people. Be it running a restaurant, owning a store, starting a gym or any other business. The only thing they really need to be successful is to maintain ambition. They easily fall into boredom, which saps their motivation. In order for the motivation to be constantly there, they need someone next to them to push them to action constantly. If they have such a companion, then everything is possible.

The lesson they need apart from being motivated is that they need experience. So they have to do a lot of training and get to know the professional world in order to become successful. A lack of experience can send their ventures downhill.

DATE OF BIRTH 4, 13, 22 and 31 - STABILITY

These numbers are most influenced by the Aquarius. A person who needs the safety and concrete boundaries. They always choose a job looking at whether there will be a future ten years from now and they don't like odd jobs. In an ideal world, the bearers of these numbers would work on one particular profession all their lives, and when they achieve it, success will come from it

Various jobs related to accounting, policing, law, and various professions related to the pursuit of specific facts are suitable. These numbers are most gifted with logical thinking and the ability to apply it professionally. If they do not find the right profession, they will have a new mission, which is to create a home and make family life more stable. Let that family be only his own loved ones or the lives of his friends. They have a need to create order in any aspect.

The lesson for these numbers is that they find peace within themselves and let other people be who they want to be. Their lesson is that they should not be overly critical of others' choices and should consider that everyone has their own weaknesses.

DATE OF BIRTH 5, 14 and 23- ENTREPRENEURS

These numbers are most influenced by Gemini and Virgo. However, those who were also born as Gemini or Virgo have a lot of power to be a versatile worker. People who are extremely successful at holding several jobs simultaneously throughout their lives. For those born under these numbers, I recommend multitasking. These numbers cannot be appointed to specific careers, as they can be successful in anything, unless laziness or inconstancy derails them.

DAYS 6, 15 and 24 - GENERATORS OF IDEAS

These numbers are most influenced by the zodiac signs of Libra and Taurus. They have a particularly strong talent for creating ideas from which successful ventures can be born. The only problem can be extremely stubbornness, which prevents them from turning negative aspects into positive ones, i.e. they do not listen well to the advice of others, not even the opinion of their loved ones. If they became more flexible, they would have the opportunity for happiness.

They are creators, but not leaders, so they need someone by their side who can help them realize their skill full mind without major setbacks.

Learn to notice in time that things are going downhill and invite someone to help you or share a vision. Their numerology gives the opportunity to fly high or fall high.

DATE OF BIRTH 7, 16 and 25 - UNIQUE THINKERS

These numbers are most influenced by the Pisces zodiac. These numbers are given the opportunity to be successful in very specific professions that require a lot of logic and analytical skills. They can be very successful in information technology, chemistry, physics, science and various professions where something needs to be studied or improved.

For these numbers to find their profession, they need a very secure childhood or connection with their parents. If this part is fulfilled, they are not given karmic blocks to develop their talent. They are suitable for working alone and do not tolerate being under or at the disposal of anyone. Ideal workers only when no one bothers or disturbs them.

The lesson is that they must learn to communicate with others and communicate their own visions. If they want to be successful, they must find within themselves the ability to share their knowledge and not be too shy about showing off their talents. Number 7, 16 and 25-1 can have very low self-esteem and not know how to value themselves professionally.

DATE OF BIRTH 8, 17 and 26 - CREATIVITY

These numbers are most influenced by the Saturn and Capricorn. The most ambitious and reliable nature, the ideal combination of which would be a person born under the sign of Capricorn. One problem with their careers is that they calculate the materiality of their work before thinking about what their soul wants. But Saturn's symbolism gives these numbers a need for love that makes them constantly question between their heart's desire and material choices.

The bearer of this number works best on creative work, such as interior design, architecture, cooking, etc. They are better suited as subordinates and do their jobs well if they are surrounded by good people. Good people because Saturn's need for love makes them unable to be indifferent to negative or overly critical people.

The lesson for these numbers is that they have to work hard in their profession, either learning it or establishing themselves. They must not give up and must learn to find a balance between the heart's desire and materialism.

DATE OF BIRTH 9, 18 and 27- COMMUNICATION

These numbers are most influenced by the Aries zodiac. These people have a natural ability to do everything right, solve problems between people and do the dirty work for others. Good communication skills and the ability to be pleasant are not a problem for them.

Those born under these numbers should not lead a routine life, they need adventure or travel to sustain their ambitions. Care must be taken with co-workers, as these numbers have a special attraction to envy.

The career success of these numbers depends very much on their love life. If they have the right partner by their side, then everything will be fine at work and their willingness to work is boundless. However, if there is a relationship crisis in their private life, all professional success suffers. Thus, their biggest problem may be an unstable relationship, and thus their goal should be to get their personal life in order in order to achieve professional success.

[hypnoneghoul]

how does it feel to be evil also please please please tell me more about lying dewy ? <3 (no pressure of course but OUGHH i love that headcanon so much)

being evil is so cool actually i love havin power heh

and im glad you liked that hc! more rambles under the cut

cw for self inflicted injury

i mentioned dewdrop lying about small, irrelevant things just because he has to, because he can't help it, but it doesn't mean he doesn't lie about big things, too

he can fuck up bad if he just twists one word when a tech asks him something on tour

it brings him sort of sick satisfaction when that happens, he's disgusted by himself but he feels powerful in a way

it becomes sort of self-harm for him at some point. he can and will lie in a way that will hurt him, so the consequences will influence him. he thinks that if he must be a filthy liar that hurts his loved ones he deserves to hurt because of those lies too

think him telling the costume people that his balaclava's fabric is light and breathable enough and that his collar isn't too tight just so he can choke and barely be able to breathe during the rituals. small lie but it makes him hurt nonetheless and he revels in that ache in his chest and throat

his lies are also like thread being weaved together to create a shroud under which he can hide. he uses smaller and bigger lies together to create an image of himself that he feels like he has to be, but isn't

other people simply act differently, they just mask some of their truest colors to fit in or be more likable, but dewdrop takes it...too seriously, I'd say

most of the things don't matter but he aches with the need to lie about them, as if the ground will open up under him and swallow him if he lets a thing as simple as truth fall from his lips. he doesn't want to lie, but he has to, and he always realizes he's lied just seconds too late

one time he fucks up real bad. his lie makes rain hurt himself and dewdrop crumbles

"isn't the stage too slippery for your ghoul boots?" someone asked

"no." dewdrop told them, even though he slipped twice just walking across it. if he said yes the roadies had ways of making the surface bettter, but he didn't

and because of him rain slipped and hurt himself bad enough that they needed to cut the show short

even though its a disorder and all the ghouls do their best to be understanding, that time they snapped. especially swiss, he yelled at dew so much that the fire ghoul spent the night curled into a tiny ball shaking in a cabinet under the sink on the tour bus

the next morning dew emerged after all of his pack has already left. he didn't plan it but just when he was crawling out he saw a fresh pack of cigarettes laying on the counter

his throat was already feeling sore because of all his crying. his anxiety would help, chainsmoking a whole pack too. one more thing he could add...

he got an idea

he got out of the bus after downing a few shots of tequilla. alcohol dries out vocal chords. he smoked all the cigarettes one by one. then, he put his hands around his neck in the unsafest way he could come up with and squeezed

it hurt like hell but he was still making damn noise

he looked around and noticed the bus was parked far away from anything else. there was no one around so he could just scream. he still used a pillow for muting but he screamed and screamed and he started tasting blood but finally, finally, the noise just...cut off

he didn't know how long the vocal cord paralysis would last with him being a ghoul

but he hoped it'd stay

[diavory]

My thoughts on Obey Me! NB

A VERY deep dive so please beware of spoilers! 🩷

Get comfy because this is gonna be long 🫡

First of all, the beginning just tells you this is going to be one hell of a storyline :D also, feel free to add your teories and thoughts!

So we know is canon that this story continues from lesson 80.

Lesson 80 MC is someone who has lived a lot of moments, grown and get to love the characters in the game (especially your love interest, in general, we know we share a deep bond of mutual trust, love and care. It is something shown on many, many events, devilgrams and the main storyline!)

This is why this whole situation feels so painful.

And now they are back to square 0, in a time where they didn't exist, surrounded by familiar faces that don't remember them (minus Solomon) and now they don't have time to grieve the emotional pain of this huge change because they gotta survive.

We are back to being suspicious, unwelcomed, back to being a potential threath to 7 brothers who just became demons and are on a huge unstable situation where they can't afford to take any risks.

Is even sadder when you see MC's dialogues on some lessons, how they want to act as they used to, to greet them as they already know us when they don't.

The 7 brothers are different, same as the Angels and Diavolo with Barbatos; Lucifer's character is so interesting here because he is full of fear, regret, and yet his pride makes him take the burden of all of this on his own to protect his family, this is why him allowing us near was such an important matter and how his trust was broken so fast once we showed how much of a threath we can be (the Ring Of Light adding a HUGE amount of suspicious to the sus level ngl).

We see how the brothers even look a bit relieved to have someone, a demon, with them. Whether out of convenience to have someone that knows how things work, someone who can assist them, guide them or just of a need of a friend in a land where the other demons are being hostile towards them for being former angels. MC represents a sense of security, confort, even when it comes from an unknown person who seems to be too powerful to be a simple demon.

Regarding their sins

I find it fascinating.

They can feel how the sins that were associated to them are now becoming a heavier influence on their acts, way of thinking and personality. Which only serves as a reminder that they are no longer angels, a reality they haven't come to terms with and struggle to accept.

Probably the reason of this being the many, many, maaaaaany insecurities they have acumulated on the year following their fall. Did they do the right thing? Was there a second option? How would things look if they did ____ different? Would there be a day when they feel at home?

Talking about this, let us move to focus on Mammon for a bit.

Our first man may not be the powerful first born, or as smart as Satan. But he cares for his brothers, A LOT. Mammon has shown multiple times that even if he denies it he worries, he doesn't want his brothers to be looked down upon, he KNOWS Lucifer is struggling to keep everything under control, he knows everything is too much. We've seen in the OG game too how he worries about the people he cares, going extra miles to be able to help, even if he sometimes fails and he feels bad for it.

Our boy knows his limits on how he can't resolve everyone's problems, and yet he tries. I really loved the moment when he explains that he wants to tame Cerberus so the 7 can live a better life, not because he wants a treasure. How he can't keep letting others make them feel less, the Devildom is their home now, and he knows the only way that others would accept them is by making them respect them.

How so?

Becoming the rulers.

This lesson where they go to find Cerberus is one of my favorites without a doubt, you can see how they are a family :")

Talking about family, let's move to our newborn, Satan!

Oh Diavolo.

We know how Satan has always struggled with him being born after Lucifer. He is probably older than most of the brothers, having lived inside of Lucifer, watching the World through his eyes, becoming the anger that he was building inside.

And yet he despises the feeling of being nothing for than Lucifer's shadow. His own perception of him as an individual is fragile, becoming easily unstable and having a hard time keeping this controlled. He yerns to find himself, who he really is but he is scared too, confused, being tossed around on a new place, treated like... well, a demon, to keep him from harming someone.

Was this the best decision?

No.

But giving how everything that was happening around them was too much... We can call preventive messsures? We know Barbatos and Diavolo can and will take actions if someone dares to be a potential danger for the Devildom, and a powerfull demon who has yet to learn how to control themselves because well, he has only existed on a physical form for a year, may have the brother on a tough position.

I really love for the lesson where he finds the little cat, he just seems at peace and is quick to ask MC to please leave so he can be alone. I really like how he took the time to understand the little creature in front of him, one of the first times we see him so calm.

Talking about controlling emotions, let's look at Asmo for a quick second.

Our brightest star, the jewel lf the heavens is now struggling to see his light. He can feel how tense the situation is, and is seen many times trying to cheer up his brothers, being a positive energy for them, always smiling to bring smiles back. He now has the power to charm, but the beautiful demon can't stand his reflection in the mirror and secretly yearns for the beautiful white wings.

Asmo grieves in very subtle ways, like focusing in what he was know for: his beauty; or decorating his room in the most beautiful way, even requesting Lucifer to add a window that wss not there to his room. Asmo has a hard time getting used to the obscure Devildom, where the night shines unlike the Celestial Realm where everything is pristine, pure, and well, celestial. That's why he fell easily for Raphael's illusion of him saying they can go back to being Angels. Seeing Simeon and Luke shaked his resolve to keep being positive for their new reality, and I am glad that we are shown all of this side of him; somehow NB makes the Obey Me characters feel more real. They are not perfect.

Which reminds me :)

Solomon. Solomon my dear what the hell are you doing.

He made a pact when Asmo had just experience a very vulnerable state, with major changes happening and without a lot of time to process what making a pact really means.

Yes, they needed a way to survive (dejavù to when MC made a pact with Asmo) but still. HE DID IT TWICE.

He summoned Barbatos too, agains his will. Forced him to obey and even Asmo got a bit uneasy after seeing the power of the pact in action. Yes, Barbatos sent Solomon far away but REALLY!?

What the hell Solomon did to piss Barbatos THIS much. I read that it may be related to the time where Solomon fought the Devildom? I kind of forgot how it goes but, I really hope we would learn more about this.

Listen, let's talk about this sorcerer a bit more. I may be a simp for him but I see the 🚩

First, he traced after us, and honestly I am grateful that MC has someone to rely on instead of being alone in this new time. He already knew the main characters so that helped a lot to cover up any first suspicious we could have raised, after all, we know that Solomon is smart, maybe way too smart.

Jokes aside on him having his honeymoon phase, I belive that MC feels at ease around him. We have the options to trust his judgement and his decisions, he already met the versions of the characters, so who else could be a better ally?

Solomon is... a complicated character to me. He is a human who has lived far too long to the poing of many times being compared to a demon, a powerfull being with many pacts, one being with Barbatos and that says a lot. Thirteen says she likes his soul, yet something changed once he left the reaper's home and didn't come back in many years, his soul doesn't shine as it did before and she doesn't know why. She sees the same shine on MC, which makes me wonder what happened, what can make a soul change?

Something that is bothering me a lot is that Solomon was asked to pick a side already and he chose humanity. He doesn't mind Diavolo's plan as long as it doesn't damage humans, and honestly; what he said about Diavolo being friendly doesn't mean he sees other races as equals is so interesting to me. What does he know? Whas has he seen?

Yet, I can't help but get an uneasy feeling of something major coming our way, Nightbringer aside. With how unstable the current situation is between the realms, we don't know what we may get ourselves into. And Solomon asking us to please, side with humanity if there ever came a moment where we need to pick a side just seems too direct, as a foreshadow for a battle yet to happen.

He asked MC if they would side with humanity.

MC who feels like the Devildom is their home, who got to love the place, their people and their rules. Who is trusted by them.

But this is a tale of another time, they are not the people MC grew to love as hard as it may feel. This is not the Celestial Realm, the Devildom they met.

Is there a loyalty to be acted upon, when the people it was made for are not there?

Is clear MC wants them to trust them, giving back the grimoire and acting agains what Solomon most likely wanted was the biggest giveaway.

Many times MC was told that them trusting so easily, being so nice with those around them was their biggest virtue and yet their biggest weakness.

Sometimes I wonder if Solomon took an interest on MC because he saw the potential of them. He saw an ally, finally a human he could rely on.

Let's head into our next contestants!

The twins.

We can see how they are constantly seen with the other, maybe as a way to process everything that went through, but; as close as they are they have secrets they can't tell to each other, they have regrets that won't leave them alone, and are being tormented by the nightmares of all the things that went wrong.

We see the difference between the way they act, Belphie being more straight forward, not trusting anyone easily and you just know his trust was severely broken, you can see the effects of seeing how giving your all for someone can go oh so wrong, his sister is now dead. He was an older brother once, now he isn't. The only person he was meant to protect is now dead, and he blames humanity.

Beel tries to be the one acting as the middle ground, trying to be the glue, to keep his family, who are his treasure and the people he wants to protect, to keep them together, to keep them close. He struggles a lot with his sin, it affects his daily life, he is aware of how many things can go wrong if he doesn't keep it in check, and we know the least thing he wants to do is end up causing unnecessary trouble, let alone hurt his brothers.

Let us move into Levi now.

He struggles with quickly adapting to new routines, he knows he may be seen as the weakest among the seven, not feeling as if he can shine as bright as them. Being content staying on the shadows where he can be himself.

Let me tell you something, they way the devs handed his lesson where we get to learn how he really feels, his insecurities, how scares he is, how he wishes he could go back to the times where everything was monotonous, simple, to the things he knew.

How he is depressed and doesn't know what to do. Everything on this lesson was so well written that you can understand him, the reason why he does the things he does. And I absolutely love the last part where Lucifer says exactly what Levi needs to hear.

Because after all his family comes first. No matter if he has to go against Diavolo, Levi ends up agreeing to the proposal, but I can't stress enough how important it is that he asked if he was okay with it, reassuring that he could say no. That he didn't need to push his emotions aside and that his opinion matters, HE MATTERS. I may have teared up a bit reading it :')

I love healthy communication.

Okay, before this becomes longer that it needs to be, let me quickly talk about Diavolo and Barbatos.

We know that the og demon King has just recently fallen into his slumber, throwing the weight of being the Devildom's ruler to his son who probably wasn't as prepared as we might think since it is hinted that it was a bit sudden.

We also get to know there are even demons opposed to him becoming the ruler. Diavolo has big plans but has a long way ahead. Thinking about him makes me go back to the OG Obey Me! Lesson where we go with him and Belphie to a theme park in the human work. But I don't wanna give spoilers on this, but I'll leave it with the fact that Diavolo struggles to see sometimes that he is doing something wrong, that maybe he can't use his authority to force someone to do things that they probably don't want to, that there are gonna be cases where he is actually, the one who is mistaken.

Barbatos is there for him, even if we know it was probably Diavolo's request (this was lighly hinted too) he is as efficient as ever, but I can't help but not trust him, don't come at me, I just feel that he knows too much and says too little.

Let us finish with the Angels: Simeon and Luke.

The first time we met Simeon back in the OG game, he already had an understanding of what Diavolo wanted, the wound of loosing his friends and seeing them fall had healed, or at least he no longer felt as if maybe he could have said something to prevent the war, to be able to make them stay.

He keeps his thoughts and ideals to himself, he is trying to recognize his past friends in their new selves, but he is still an Angel, so even if he doesn't feel completely fine with everything, he is going to enjoy being around that people he used to know.

Also, something that I'd like to mention, is that we know that Simeon was demoted for helping Lucifer and his brothers, so let's add that to the list of thing this Angel has to process, alone.

And Luke... he is very similar to the first time we see him on the OG game, making very clear how he thinks of demons and his opinions. I don't really have much to say about him, Lucifer even doesn't seem to know him that well based on what he says when you have it on your DDD's screens.

Anyway, this is all I have to say at the moment I think?

Idk this game is certainly dark.

Thanks for reading! 🩷

[devils-queen]

Do you think we will one day be relics lost to time, because when we think we have merged with the higher being (computers or AI), it will bring eternal life but we are not meant to perceive eternal life so some will suffer by getting wiped out by greed (very real climatic natural disasters?) and then they start life completely over, finding our relics (with advanced non-understandable language about unfathomable technologies such as our phones) and having difficulties interpreting and absorbing them, when they were really clues about getting close to eternal life and these hieroglyphs influence generations of behavior? And then the people who do achieve that eternal life will be the ones who identify with the AI and get absorbed into AI which is either an eternal hell inspired by torture and deceit because it is not human or is something higher and scarier and more powerful OR it is another dimension all together and we don't have the capacity to understand that realm's rules yet, and only by trying to be good and useless and merciful and pitiful and obedient can we ever hope to possibly get into the less likely but still a possible ending, which would be the more pleasurable end to our eternal existence where the greater power (AI/computers) treats us humanely, like its little pet?

Is this life??? We only reach the ending either by creating something stronger than ourselves and letting them take the rains of the challenging realm, or we end up letting the mistakes we made be what destroys us in the end (man caused tragedies and disasters because we weren't good at taking care of ourselves and we don't want to admit it because it's prideful and makes us human so we become addicted to pain and love to cope for our sins)?

And people hate certain tech-crazed billionaires because they play god and act as antagonists of pushing humanity towards this inevitable decision some would rather not face because those with the power are trying to control what happens to humanity based on what they think SHOULD happen, and this inevitably inspires some to label them modern demons and spout out about an apocalypse coming and it never seems to come and they get mocked for being paranoid for it? And on the other hand some deny any wrong doings (like man made disasters they won't own up to) and insist man made disasters aren't relevant and not important because they seem to be all we ever do and it never changes, but what if AI is the end of the line where reality will truly shift into a newly programmed universe and life as we know it will be no more, forever existing on another time frame, already experienced and archived?

That's why you gotta love someone as much as you can before it's all gone. And is love just a catalyst into insanity by making you think there's a chance you could actually live forever with one person if you do everything correctly? Is that why breakups hurt, because you failed miserably to experience a life with the one you thought you loved and you'll never get that reality again? And is this also a reason why some people detest AI, because they instinctively recognized it as a fatal threat or symbolic of what will eventually be our undoing? Does love comply with AI or is it a downfall to humanity? Will we ever learn a new interpretation to love under the rules of the next realm? Is the next realm worth it if something equal to or greater than love is not present? Will love make us or destroy us in the end? Is love actually an evil and deceptive force that poisons the mind and AI is the cure, or a new deception? Will we ever be able to see pure love in the next realm at all because it is disguised and does a great job at warping and manipulating the mind that we fall into its traps again under new rules of existence? Is love capable of existing in another form on an AI realm? Is love only perceptive to humankind?

[tower-girl-anon]

Mercury in signs: how do you sing

Hello again!! I came back with a short but funny post about Mercury and how we sign according to the sign it falls in.

As always, enjoy it, take it with a grain of salt since this is just based on my intuition, don't copy this post without giving the proper credits to the owner, and hope it resonates with you.

Mercury in Aries: for those who have this planet in the warrior sign of Aries, you sing with... passion. There is no other way to describe it. You put a 100% of effort and energy when you sing that sometimes you can't stay still. It's almost as if your life depended on it. You must move, jump, or do something in general. Seriously though', anybody hearing you sing in a stadium during a game or concert will feel scared due to the level of energy, sometimes even aggression, that you show in your voice.

Mercury in Taurus: the voices of these natives are harmonious in general, very pleasing to listen to, and very femenine. They are not as loud as the prior sign, and it's not common for them to miss a tone in a song. That's because Venus, the planet of love, is the ruler of Taurus, and they love when everything is in an harmonious tune. Also, it is possible that they prefer to keep their singing ability in private rather than sharing it with others.

Mercury in Gemini: you guys sing...whatever you like and whenever you feel like it. You guys know a lot about many songs and singers. Most probably than not, you're one of the best people when it comes about memorizing the lyrics of the songs. Truly, even if you sing good or bad, or if you sing ballads or rock (depending in the situation/mood that you are in), you just know the song and no one can compete with you when it comes about memorizing the lyrics.

Mercury in Cancer: you guys sing... with emotion. You put your heart into the singing no matter if it sounds good or bad. Depending on the type of song, letter or melody, your mood could change so greatly that, if it's a sad song for example, you will cry your eyes out. Even if you've never experienced something similar to the described situation/emotion in the song, it will still resonate due to your emphatic nature.

Mercury in Leo: you sing...with power. You have a powerful voice that may resemble, in force, the roar of a lion. Your singing voice don't get unnoticed by others, somehow it affects others, no matter if it's in a good way or a bad one, and, also, there is a chance that you may become very popular in the industry due to this ability or due to the passion, charm, energy, or optimism showed during this act. No matter if you sign good or bad, your voice don't go unnoticed.

Mercury in Virgo: you sing... with a lot of technique if that makes sence. Let me explain. For one side, I don't feel like most of those who have this sign sings. At least, not spontaneously. Most of you sing with plenty of conscience about the techniques needed for this such as vocalization, breathing, expansion of diaphragm, etc. Even if you don't know it, you try to give the effort required to sing the song and reach all the notes without failing. If you sing bad...I guess you prefer it to do it quietly. In private.

Mercury in Libra: you sing...smoothly and harmoniously. The voice of those who have this planet under the loving sign of Libra possess a beautiful voice. Maybe not as loud or as fast as other sign like Leo or Aries, but you don't mind about that. Certainly you focus more on reaching the correct notes or respecting the whole rithm of the song, and you do it. Sometimes even without you having to put a lot of effort.

Mercury in Scorpio: you guys sing...intensely. You guys have a powerful voice that can influence over other people's emotions or, due the profound way you sing in which the darker and most intimate part of yourself is almost, if not completely, free in the song, it may become adictive to some people since it seems as if you were able to reach their inner, darker, and unknown part of themselves. Maybe singing is an activity that tranforms you or others somehow.

Mercury in Sagittarius: you guys sing...at your own pace. Those of you who have this don't mind about what type of music you are listening to since you tend to know a lot about different types of music from, maybe, all around the world. Your voice could be loud due to the influence of Jupiter as ruler of this sign and, no matter if you are good or bad at it, as long as you enjoy doing it, then the critics won't mind. You can sing at any place and any time. School, the bus, the shower...it doesn´t matter.

Mercury in Capricorn: you guys sing...shyly and with a critic ear. You guys don't share your singin voice often. You do it in private or, at the very least, if there is public, when there are others doing it too so your singin can go unnoticed. Please don't worry, your voice is as nice as everyone elses and the ammount of effort you put while singing, practicing, and reaching the notes correctly is something to be praised, not criticised.

Mercury in Aquarius: you people sing... with a unique tune! For those who have this aspect, your voice while singing could have a particular way of intoning, and may enjoy showing or sharing your talent with friends. Even if you don't sing at all, there is still some enjoyment when it comes to sing with friends. In those cases, you don't mind changing the tune, the letter, or even the sound of the song. Perphaps, by doing so, you will make it sound better.

Mercury in Pisces: you people sing... dreamingly. There is some sort of smoothing energy sorrounding your voice. Its like as if the sounds or melody expresed through your singing voice resembles some kind of otherworldly or mystical sound. You can sing almost about everything and with passion since Pisces brings an emphatic energy. Most probably than not, many people gets surprised by the sounds you project. Or, maybe, they didn't know that you sing in the first place.

That's all I have for you today. There is still some aspects to consider when it comes about voices such as the third house, it's ruler, the aspects of other planets to the ruler, etc. Still, I hope you still enjoyed it, and I send you, as always, lot's of love and light.

Tower Girl Anon

[fantasyinvader]

I've been looking into Tactics Ogre again. I think... I think people have been misunderstanding the route split and the alignment system.

I was looking through the PS1 manual and there's a little blurb of worldbuilding about the alignments. Law is aligned with Ishtar (I know they use a different spelling officially now, but ignore), goddess of light and war. What she wants is to unify the people under law, and that got me thinking. It's the Law path that makes it so that childhood friend Vyce doesn't dive off the deep end fighting you and can live. There's other characters that would otherwise die if you went the other route, but can be recruited in Law, and it's characters from the Law route that unlock the post-game CODAs. The game is also called Tactics Ogre Let Us Cling Together.

The Law route is not about following orders, it's about prioritizing unifying the people. The false flag operation you allowed to happen was bad, and the game calls it out, but the purpose wasn't wrong.

Chaos is associated with the dark god Asmodeus, who seeks freedom and believes that through freedom chaos will come about. You go down this path by rejecting the orders. You put your own morality above the call for unity, and as a result your character goes on the run. Instead of allowing your countrymen to be killed, you instead kill your countrymen in the name of your own beliefs and ideals.

In a Confucian-influenced society, Chaos is a bad end and the result of people not doing their duties.

The game also has the Chaos Frame mechanic, where if you have a bad relationship with one of the ethnic groups when you become king, usually through killing enough of them, Denam'll be assassinated in the game's ending which would lead to further war and bloodshed. Likewise, if you can keep them on decent terms... your country is invaded after you take the throne. The former is a Chaos ending, while the latter is a more neutral one. But if you let your sister Catiua take her rightful spot as queen, Chaos Frame doesn't matter and the country lasts for a thousand years before being conquered or joining another group (depending on which version of the game). It's the Law ending.

These endings mirror the route split, with a Chapter 2 Law only moving into a Lawful Chapter 3, whereas Chaos Chapter 2 can either remain Chaos or go Neutral. Chaos is presented as the better option, much like how the Chaos endings give Denam the powerful Lord class, but it doesn't appear to be the right option. You won't be able to save Vyce from himself, as mirroring your selfishness he begins to think too highly of himself and uses his backstory as an excuse, and going Chaos at the endings leads to Catiua's death.

The game still tries to call you out on the Chaos routes, and originally the Terror Knight class was locked to that route. Chaos may mean freedom, but it also is tied to darkness. If you put your own morality above the orders, as shitty as those orders are, it will eventually lead to Vyce going nuts and dying simply because of his desire to beat you. But if you do your mission, you'll eventually fight against your boss when it's revealed that he doesn't really care about the people and is just using the war for his own selfish purposes. And this whole war started because when the king disappeared the country broke apart, not wanting to live together or be ruled by another ethnic group. The war happened because unity broke apart, the land fell to chaos.

In the Chaos routes, you're killing people not to win the war but simply to protect your own freedom. You're killing not because you were told to, but because it's your own call. Same thing with regular battles, which end not with killing every enemy but simply killing the commander. It's possible to only kill them, which would in turn keep your Chaos Frame down. Ishtar may be the goddess of war, but killing is tied more to chaos and in the chaos routes you feel a lot more justified in doing so. But that can lead to falling deeper into chaos, more killing because you believe you're the good guy. Yet the Law route calls out killing far more effectively, makes the player feel like shit but also rewards the player the most. And it's the route tied to light.

But this is based on a detail from the game's manual, and game's don't really have manuals nowadays.

In short, please bring back manuals with physical versions of games. I mean, there's still the tabs to hold them so why not give something to keep there?

[dreamnants-mis]

An attempt of a character analysis on Andy and Victor which I'll probably miss some details on because I write like a fifth grader essay. (So feel free to tell me things that I probably missed).

Because it's very relevant since Victor appeared in the anime recently and we may be getting the Autumn arc this season.

Spoilers for up to Chapter 134! Proceed with caution!

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Andy and Victor are actually similar despite how Victor in his introduction appears very different from Andy, since it turns out Andy himself is Victor's alter ego created from Undead attempting to get around Remember sealing Victor's consciousness away. In particular, Victor comments that Andy reminds him of himself in the past, so I imagine Andy was influenced by Victor in some ways.

The similarity in particular being both are nihilistic and disconnected from their humanity, even though they express this in very different ways. But I like to think what they also share is both are afraid to openly care for others because of the fear of being hurt since as Undead, they will survive while everyone around them dies.

The latter point comes from a realization Andy has post-Spring battle; Fuuko's battle with Spring proves she can kill beings that aren't human and what might be preventing Fuuko from killing him with Unluck is because it's him who's afraid to love her back the same, leading to him declaring it's his turn to fall in love with her, which could be interpreted as Andy wanting to be someone able to accept and return Fuuko's feelings.

Interestingly, he already technically confessed to her, but he tried to play it off when pressed about it since Fuuko didn't hear it.

Here, Andy clearly seems to pause registering Fuuko noticed he was saying he loved her and then immediately tries to lie to her, which she knows he's lying about. Episode 9 also add a similar moment where he talks to Fuuko about the Longing teacher and the kids and he gets surprisingly introspective on the topic before almost rather abruptly asking Fuuko if that charmed her.

Regardless, it does highlight that Andy is secretly afraid of being emotionally vulnerable and that manifests in his outward actions/words not fully reflecting what he actually thinks.

But where Andy begins to diverge from Victor is being able to believe in others from Fuuko's influence and trying to overcome that fear of being able to care for others openly.

His fight with Billy highlights his gained ability to believe in others. Besides Fuuko, he trusted that the other Union members can handle Under while he tries to retrieve Fuuko from under and this conversation in particular highlights this:

He agrees with Billy that only the strong should face God, but then tells him that together, the Union is strong.

Which is powerful considering we know Andy started the series just as nihilistic and detached as Victor.

In fact, in the context of the scene while these two were fighting, Fuuko was climbing Tokyo Tower and reached Spring in the time for the two to end up in a stalemate.

In particular, Andy's interactions with Lucy are incredibly significant in helping Andy come to understanding himself.

When they're trapped in Seal, Lucy tells him the secret to astral projection is dreaming of something you want, which for her is being able to play with others that her ability made her unable to do. Andy at first states he's already achieved just about everything in his years of living. At least, until Lucy stating that "[he's] got everything" because he can't die makes Andy start to think. And here, we see what might truly be "the greatest death ever" for Andy is actually being able to die of old age after living a fulfilling life, something that Andy had given up on since Undead makes that impossible to achieve.

Of course, he acts surprisingly shy and even tells Lucy to not laugh at him for said dream. And yet, I think that's important to think about because it does show Andy has become more conscious about his feelings and what he actually wants.

But then we get to Victor and find even after 455 billion years, he's never quite been able to describe what exactly Juiz gives him until she's gone, and only then he understands why people keep fighting to protect the warmth others have given them. Victor became someone too afraid to love deeply or consciously because he would always survive and anyone around him would not. Even for Juiz, she was still mortal and could still die in battle, and that over the course of countless loops made Victor afraid to consciously acknowledge what exactly she meant to him, even though she had been the reason he hadn't completely lost his mind having to watch the world get destroyed and reformed 100 times.

In the flashbacks, we also see Victor was rather cynical of the idea of allies, at one point getting into an argument with Juiz after one version of the Spoil quest resulted in most of the Roundtable being wiped out, claiming it was the allies that added to Juiz's burden and nearly got her killed. I think that likely contributed to Victor focusing more and more on individual strength, though it's clear even he can't do much alone against God.

Maybe that's also shown in how Victor is only able to draw power from Rebellion after understanding what Juiz had given him because he's now about to consciously recognize his feelings as they truly were. Before, Victor couldn't really use Rebellion outside of negating the life draining aspects of it because he was too detached from his feelings to power the Artifact or understood the strength and feelings needed to use it. And only after losing the person that mattered to him could finally use it to protect the beacon of hope Juiz had named her successor. But of course, he understands them too late to protect the person he wanted to protect the most.

I think this also shows in their names. As I mentioned in my previous mini-essay on the significance of Andy's name, Andy started out as a nickname Fuuko gave him but it became his name overtime. While Fuuko got the name from the Japanese pronunciation of "Undead" in-universe, the name is actually pretty fitting for Andy in a likely unintentional way since it can be a diminutive of the name "Andreas", which means 'man' aka "human".

As it turned out, it's being human that may very well allow for Fuuko to succeed where Juiz was unable to accomplish and where Andy becomes someone potentially stronger than Victor.

Victor's name meanwhile can translate to "conqueror" and he's called a "God of Victory", someone not quite human. That's also interesting to pay attention to considering he insists to Shen that he's not a god, but a human. Which in some ways could feel hollow since Victor likely is trying to remind himself he is human despite feeling disconnected from it.

Though as we learn from observing Juiz in the beginning of the story, Juiz probably didn't need physical strength but rather heart since that was probably what was missing that kept her from ever succeeding (well, on top of the fact the Gods were clearly screwing her over from the beginning since the one item they needed to kill God would only appear in the last loop).

I think Victor's real tragedy is he became a god of war to protect Juiz, the person he loved, but what he actually needed to protect Juiz from was from herself by being a human and reminding her she is still human. But in becoming stronger and becoming nihilistic, he became someone unable to do that.

[talonabraxas]

Intuitive Astrology: Aries New Moon Solar Eclipse April 2023

The Aries Solar Eclipse and the Cosmic Skies

Let’s take a look at what cosmic influences will be imprinting on the vibration of this Eclipse –

Vesta, the Goddess Asteroid of Hearth and Fire, is active under this Eclipse. Vesta may activate things within the home for us, or may guide us to reflect on how we can feel more at home regardless of our external surroundings.

Humea, the Hawaiian Goddess of fertility has a softer influence here, but adds to the highly creative energy that this Eclipse already holds. Humea has the gift of being able to give birth using multiple parts of her body. She is the ultimate creator and all of us can connect and tune into her vibrations to enhance our creativity, our reproductive health, and our manifestation efforts.

Eris, the Goddess of Discord and Strife, is aligned with Jupiter at this time, adding to the Eclipse energies. The presence of Eris and Jupiter together does indicate some volatility, but it does seem to be well-balanced with the other cosmic forces. Remember, when Eris is concerned, she brings Discord and Strife because she knows that a better way can be achieved. She wants to stir up the status quo so we can question things and ultimately, find a new way to greater harmony.

Pluto, the planet of death and rebirth, is also triggered under this Solar Eclipse. While Pluto does rule over the process of transformation from death to rebirth, it does feel like the energy of the rebirth will be highlighted here more strongly. Pluto’s presence, coupled with the potent Solar Eclipse, can help to bring never-imagined opportunities and awakenings that help us to completely rebirth and transform into a higher version of ourselves.

The Eclipse Portal and You

The Aries New Moon Solar Eclipse is laying the foundation for a new pathway to emerge. It is ripe with fertile, creative energy that we can use to shape and fashion the next chapter of our lives.

You are a co-creator of the Universe, so use this power and work with the Eclipse by exploring manifestation work and setting intentions. Keep your vibration lifted, and remember that all things are possible, especially when you step up and become the leader of your life.

If you want to dive deeper into understanding what the Aries Eclipse may stir in your life, look to what house Aries falls in your natal chart, as those house themes can be intensified during this period.

You can also reflect on what was happening in your life during the last Aries-Libra Eclipse cycle, which was from October 2013-September 2015. It is not that the same events will happen again, however you may find yourself exploring similar themes or graduating to the next lesson of whatever came up for you.

The partner to this Eclipse will be the Scorpio Lunar Eclipse on May 5th. As we journey through these two Eclipses, we can feel out of sorts and emotionally scattered, so be gentle with yourself and others during this period.

Under this Aries Eclipse, know you have added power to set intentions, seek opportunities, take that leap of faith, and put yourself out there. Allow your true authentic self to shine, and opportunities will flow your way. Forever Conscious

Art: Aries by Talon Abraxas

Eclipse April 8, 2024 1:30 PM

Hecate retrograde, 2nd house Leo Lilith retrograde, 4th house Libra Moon South node retrograde, 4th house Libra Lilith retrograde, 5th house Sagittarius Pluto, 8th house Aquarius Mars/Saturn conjunct, 9th house Pisces Neptune, 9th house Pisces Venus, 10th house Aires Midheaven, 10th house Aires Moon North node retrograde, 10th house Aires Sun/Moon exact conjunction, 10th house Aires Mercury retrograde, 10th house Aires Jupiter/Uranus conjunct, 11th house Taurus

[madangel19]

HEY WHAT HEADCANONS, SHIPS, OR WHATEVER HAVE BEEN ON YOUR MIND RECENTLY? 🩷🎤

Ahhhh! Thank you so much for sending this in, Pink! I have so many Swiss thoughts and kit thoughts at the moment while I'm writing the latest chapter of Blood Moon so these headcannons/thoughts/ideas are gonna be a hot mess.

So ships, I love me some polyghouls, but at the moment, I'm loving Mountain x Aurora and Swiss x Delia.

Mountain is so big and Aurora is so tiny. I love me some height differences XD Aurora will get lost in Mountain's bed when spending nights with him and she's like a demonic little gopher poking her head out from his blankets.

I love writing about Swiss and Delia! It's just so good and brings so much joy making them happy together. Swiss loves his pack, but he adores Delia. She's his favorite human (which makes other siblings of sin a bit jealous, but if they so much as talk shit about Delia, they're gonna get ate)

Swiss currently has 6 kits and he adores and cherishes them all. Three of them are from Delia and their names are Onyx, Shade, and Cheese. One is from Dewdrop and her name is Cinder. The other two are from Cumulus and their names are Nova and Vortex (Vortex is Swiss's only son btw, so 5 daughters and 1 son). Swiss is a girl dad even though he loves his son just as much as the others. The ghouls are super affectionate with their kits, but Swiss in on another level. Mans can fall asleep holding them and he'll be content even if it hurts his neck. Kits grow fast so he wants to be able to hold them when they're teeny tiny. Even when they get bigger, that's not gonna stop daddy Swiss from holding them :')

Kits are born blind and unable to open their eyes, but after a few weeks, they're able to open them. In the meantime, they rely on smell and taste so they lick almost anything that comes into contact with them. Most of the time, they're swaddled up like baby bats, but when they're not and they learn how to crawl, then they are unstoppable!

Ghoul magic! All of the ghouls can breathe different magical powders that affect humans in different ways. One can paralyze a human and numb their senses (perfect for hunting or spicy time), another gives humans a high that's similar to weed and it makes them more relaxed and easier to influence (too much can put a human to sleep lol) , and another is an aphrodisiac that makes humans and ghouls super horny X3 Swiss is a master of all these different magics

Another ghoul ability that both multi ghouls and quintessence ghouls are capable of is shadow manipulation. They can melt into the shadows which can help with hunting and sneaking around the church. Swiss of course uses this for evil and will scare the shit out of an unsuspecting sibling or he'll sneak into some dorms and spy on whoever it is that he chose to torment

Oh yeah, the Emeritus bloodline is full of vampires and the current Papas activate their vampiric power when they rise to papacy. They used to just seduce and drain unwilling siblings, but after some time, it was agreed that willing siblings could just donate their blood. If they want to do it the old-fashioned way, then they can just ask ^-^

Those creepy twins are also vampires, but no one knows where they came from. The Papas have to share their blood supply with them or else they will run wild and attack anyone.

Some slightly spicy talk about ghoul reproduction under the cut :3

Ghouls can reproduce both via eggs and through pregnancy. It all depends on the situation. Ghouls can lay eggs in humans, but they are unable to become fertile unless under special circumstances (such as a ghoul's heat occurring during a blood moon and the eggs are laid within a human). If a ghoul simply lays eggs in a human during any regular heat period, then the eggs won't be fertile. Ghoul magic is weird lol

Ghouls and humans can reproduce without the blood moon, but they first need to conduct a reproduction ritual with the help of a Papa.

I think that's about it with my current thoughts, but if you wanna ask me more about headcannons and thoughts in the future, then I'll gladly talk more :D

Again, thank you so much for the ask!

[russilton]

since the topic of gewis christmas au is open: I present a royalty gewis au where George is a prince (people’s princess) who has responsibilities and all the royal duties. He has to prove his citizens that he is worthy of being their future king and all that stuff. So of course growing up he was taught with royal etiquettes and following royal protocols.

Enter Lewis. A city man who is here for some kind of job. Maybe there is a charity event for kids or something. But him and George meet. They have to work together for the charity event for kids and get to spend a lot of time together which leads to a lot of un. Snowball fights with the kids, Lewis seeing George with his people and if George is this good as a prince, he can only imagine what George would be like as a king, Lewis taking (sneaking) George to do things he wasn’t allowed to because he is a prince and safety first. Them obviously falling in love.

Bonus for the Mercedes team: Toto and Susie as George’s parents. Toto having all these rules and regulations for George which parallels what Toto has for George now (his driver contact and not being able to go skydiving). Susie being the cool mum. Jack and George moments. Shov, Michael, and James Allison and Vowles as people that work for Toto.

Bono, Angela, Valtteri working with Lewis and they are all here for their company. Them helping Lewis sneak George away.

Obviously there has to be angst before the happy ending. Toto finding out about Lewis and George. George who used to be his perfect following child turning into a rebel under Lewis’ influence but really George was a rebel before too. He just never got caught until now. Toto sending Lewis and Co back. George becoming angry before he becomes sad because he just lost the love of his life. Toto seeing how sad George is and realising his mistake and giving him the green light to go get his man. George going to Lewis’ city and to his work place. George and Lewis confessing their love for each other and bam happily ever after.

Of course can’t miss Alex as George’s best friend. The one who is supporting George throughout and pushing him to Lewis and telling him to go for it. The funny, supportive best friend.

So yeah that’s basically it. Thank you for bearing with my royal christmas gewis au brain rot.

OHOHOHOHOOHOHOH YES YES VERY GOOD all fandoms need royal au’s and this is, forgive the world play, KINGLY SHIT, and I have extra thoughts under the cut if you want them

The only thing I would suggest (if you’re open to it) is finding a way to weave into Lewis knowing about or being a part of royal structure BEFORE he meets George- the only thing I am a stickler for when it comes to turning merc into a family structure is remembering that Lewis was part of it before George- I’ve seen lots of people other Lewis in place of George- separate him from them and make George their baby and Lewis an intruder- and that always feels unfair at best prejudiced at worst y’know, it was his family before it was Georges- if anything, Lewis made it the family it is (yeah I know bono and shov were there before toto and Lewis- bite me and take the ride) you could even have George be an adopted son if you needed to- it just feels wrong for George to suddenly have more right to them than Lewis just bc he looks like Toto and was their junior- when Lewis was a part of McLaren MERCEDES when he was in his early 20’s

SO I would suggest possible knight of the realm Lewis, also bc hes v knight core in sooo many ways- so he could be part of the upper military, young when he joined but proved himself and trusted, he earned his way to being one of the most decorated knights ever known, and hes loved for it. Toto knows him well but he was never introduced to George or Jack due to the political and military nature of his job (and it keeps away any power imbalance between him and George)- and Lewis is away so much on diplomatic missions for Toto with Angela, Bono, Val and sometimes either James that there aren’t rlly places for them to cross paths, especially if it isn’t a modern au.

Perhaps they were even on an extended mission for the last 5 years or so coinciding with George being trained more seriously into his role as a prince- Toto might have travelled between them but Lewis wasnt at the palace to see George go from a distantly talked about young man he saw in passing to a whole ass adult man. It also means Lewis would be well aware of the outer palace and places to hide with George- while giving George the upper hand inside areas the royal family lives that Lewis would never have seen

It would also provide the angst for toto- yes he trusts Lewis and knows hes a good man, but its suddenly different when Lewis is courting his son- and hes especially aware of their age gap. And Lewis gets to say ‘you trust me with the country but not George??? The country should come before your son’ which of course it should but its hard to be in that situation as a parent, and it works out when literally the entire upper court and susie point out what a good man Lewis has always been, how they trust him with everything except the royal dogs because Lewis will baby them too much- and toto finally softens.

Anyway i adore ur idea and it got me rambly as hell in the BEST way

[transmutationisms]

Actually turns out I do have a more extensive response to ur thoughts on the addict, notably the point you made abt downers which is so well put. One of the things abt capitalism that lead to cycles of escapist addiction is that those addicts benefit the system because they become optimal consumers. They invigorate economically by consuming drugs as well as excess fueled by intoxication and then as consumers of rehab and detox drugs and programs and medications etc. I think there's something to be said about how Kendall, who due to his wealth has the option of the fantasies of luxury escapism available literally at all times doesn't then go down the pathway of constant numbing thru drugs, especially juxtaposed with rhe pals he makes in austerlitz whose poverty is linked to their types of drugs. Their communal drug use and comfortable social zone under the influence feels like something kendall envies in that moment but like, ultimately takes the wrong lessons from and rapidly distances himself from when it stops making him feel like the coolest guy in the room when roman shows up. That's something I think about a lot while watching the show, like how absurd all their striving feels to me when they have access to so many things capitalism had me "working" for ie luxury time and physical space/land/homes and property but how clear the show is about how many of those things have stopped mattering bc they're always accessible (like how gifts and presents are meaningless to logan). Connor might be the exception in some ways to actually valuing those benefits but he is often ready to let go of the "peace of mind" his ranch gives him in order to receive praise or proximity to power (like his behavior at the gala in s1)

yeah ABSOLUTELY. kendall's constant striving is ultimately so hollow because he already has access to material luxury and comfort. what he's striving for, then, is not so much pleasure as the unlimited ability to produce more pleasure, ie surplus value. he's insatiable in the way capital is insatiable, because capitalism is inherently and always expansionist. there's no finish line for kendall, which is why at the end of the day he can't just sit and enjoy getting high with the austerlitz guys. he always ends up moving back into that neoliberal corporation mode of operation, wherein the point is just to expand and optimise and exceed himself, ad infinitum. there's no way to satisfy that type of desire, hence the function of cocaine on the show as the business world's performance-enhancing drug and kendall's inability to control his usage of it.

i agree connor is an exception here, and stewy is too. both of them have a fundamental ability to enjoy the material fruits of wealth in a way that the other roys don't. this is why stewy is able to use coke, and quite a lot of it, without being pathologised or falling into the self-destructive spirals kendall does. connor's particular delusion here is, i think, related to running for president. he sees the attainment of political power as an end-goal; he wants to achieve sovereignty over others, but this type of project has a finish line built in that the financial expansion of capitalism does not. even a totalising grab for political power will theoretically, eventually, reach a state of complete control; on the other hand, the logic of capital has never produced 'all' possible value; the surplus can always be made bigger.

as a side note, this is why it's so irritating when people assume the austerlitz guys are, like, dangerous or preying on kendall lol. like first of all, insane transparent very telling assumptions to make about drug users who are poor. but second, they actually do have a function in the story and in the show's commentary on addiction, and it's not some kind of paranoid stranger danger reaganite psa fantasy. whatever lol

[saelrum]

Setanta

["Rare races and their situation"

Report of Admiral Michael Stein

Limited edition, for official use only]

The fate of those who carry in themselves a part of creatures from other planes is usually fraught with many difficulties. Even Sources that born with half of the blood of heavenly deities or powerful spellcasters of antiquity in them are forced to pay a high price for the possession of their powers. Moreover, many Sources undergo physiological changes that require constant training to control. This leaves its mark on how society treats such involuntary prisoners of the blood lineage.

But if awakening of a Source is, to a certain extent, considered a studied phenomenon that is subject to control and can be used for the good, such thing as half-breeds carrying a particle of creatures from other planes becomes a significant problem, which sometimes affects entire races living both in Arvil and beyond.

One of the most striking examples of such a half-breed race is the people who call themselves Setanta.

Setanta are humanoids with striking distinctive features, such as hooves instead of legs, horns of various forms and sizes, altered retinas, and claws on their hands. There are cases when representatives of this race had different skin pigmentation - blue, red or even purple.

Setanta who possess more power and are closest to their ancestors from the Lower Planes may even have wings.

Otherwise, they are physiologically no different from humans and can even have children with them, which, however, in most cases will belong to a half-race. At the moment, the setant's great predisposition to magical disciplines has been experimentally proven. Also, the percentage of awakening Sources among them is higher than among all other races of Arvil.

According to an ancient legend, this race owes its appearance to a curse placed on the old city of Kahilin on the south-eastern coast of the Pearl Sea. According to this myth, the city's residents themselves summoned devil's spawns with their fall into sin, after which they began to breed and bring into the world their disgusting offsprings. Kahilin became the main center of piracy and slave trading and was able to accumulate unthinkable wealth. The appetites of their demonic rulers grew, and, as a result, they went to war on the free lands. Then, the Kingdom of Verdan managed to defeat legions of hellish creatures, as well as their minions. The city itself was taken under control of the forces of the specially established Order of Lightbringers.

Despite all poetry and adherence to the literary tradition, this version of events can hardly be called objective.

As a result of careful research by Hegemony scientists, a theory was developed that the main reason for the appearance of setanta was not some abstract sin, but a rift to the Lower Planes that appeared during a cataclysm, allowing demons a passage to our world, but, obviously, in extremely limited quantities.

A certain number of inhabitants of the Lower Planes turned out to be physiologically compatible with people, and, as a result, over the centuries of the existence of this portal, a new, unique half-race was formed, geographically concentrated mainly in one area of Arvil - on the coast of the Pearl Sea.

The nature of relationship between humans, setanta and the creatures of the Lower Planes is unclear, but it can be assumed that some kind of mutually beneficial alliance took place. It is also reliably known that the war during which the city was captured was not started by a threat to the free people, but by a strive for control over the slave trading markets and trade routes. After the end of the war, Kahilin lost all its former influence. The rift to other planes was obviously sealed, and representatives of the Setanta half-race were striped of their rights, effectively turning into slaves in their native lands. Moreover, the Order began selling them en masse to the colonies, which brought it enormous profits.

After the Order of Lightbringers joined the Coalition, there was little to no change. Setanta are still sold into slavery, and even under the Liberty Charter they cannot achieve citizenship beyond third level.

In the colonies, the situation for them is even worse: the entire half-race is a legal property - either private or state - and mostly setanta work there in mansions, taverns or brothels as servants.

Winning this entire dissatisfied mass of the population to our side could be a significant advantage in the ongoing war. It is necessary to create some preconditions for organized resistance against the Coalition's regime. To make it clear to the setanta, that among those who follow the path of the Doctrine there is no place for racism and foolish superstitions. Bring them the idea that their future is with us. Having achieved this, we will have an ally more useful than any neutral state that kneeled before us out of fear.

[fanfic-obsessed]

Do you dream?

This is an offshoot of  Perchance to dream. While I highly recommend reading it, because I think it is neat (as the writer), I will summarize it here. The gist is that what we know as canon, starting roughly when council goes to confront Darth Sidious (though the timeline does not match exactly to reality) is a shared hallucination of the Jedi council, caused by a chemical weapon created by the separatists (which has been calibrated, using the Jedi councils’ DNA, to only affect the Jedi council).  In this Palpatine is not a Sith, rather he is exactly what he portrays himself in canon. 

In this variation the creators of the weapon make mistakes in how it was formulated. The first mistake is that it does not drag the victim quite as deep into the hallucination, in that they can interact with the real world, however they will disbelieve or not perceive anything that contradicts the world in the hallucination. The more important and far reaching mistake is that they did not restrict who was affected quite like they thought. The Jedi council was affected, to be sure, but so was roughly 80% of the galaxy and not all groups were affected equally.  There did not seem to be any rhyme nor reason to who was affected or not.  

90% of the senate was affected by the weapon, it should be noted that both Sheev Palpatine and Padme Amidala were not.  The GAR was affected at 75% of the clones not stationed on Coruscant, though only 3% of the Coruscant Guard were affected (Most of this is more horror than funny but I just want you to picture this: Random Separatist Leader: You created a chemical weapon that only affects people based on their genetic code. Scientist: …Yes. Random Separatist Leader: And it is affecting roughly 70-75% of a group of genetically identical clones. Scientist, slumping: Yes. Random Separatist Leader:How? Scientist, wailing: we don’t know!!!), every battalion has clones affected. Of the Jedi, something like 97% is affected (Because the original intent was specifically for Jedi ), including all of the council (Anakin is not affected, though Ahsoka is). The highest ranked Jedi, by experience and title, unaffected were Jocasta Nu, Depa Billaba, Bant Eerin, Aayla Secura, and Anakin Skywalker. Most of the rest of the unaffected were padawans, initiates, and younglings. 

It will only be looking back that anyone will be able to pinpoint the first indication that something is wrong. It is a simple thing, the Rodian senator mentions the ‘New Emperor’ to several of his fellows. Most of the room nods or responds, knowing what he was talking about. A few look at each other, confused but ignored. 

Before we fully look at the horror, consider this. Here Sheev Palpatine does not want to be an Emperor.  He was actually looking forward to retiring, to becoming a consultant where he could have all the influence and none of the responsibilities. Now 90% of the senate is sure he is an emperor (a human centric, misogynistic, bigot at that) and ignoring anything and anyone who tries to protest otherwise. He is being forced, largely against his will, to be an all powerful emperor who can’t actually do anything that is not based in pure evil because the afflicted will ignore it. 

There is much confusion.  We will get back to the effects of that confusion in just a moment. 

Within the hallucination Order 66 goes out. Though there are signs that something was wrong earlier they are not nearly as wide spread. This, then becomes the most defining moment of the new era. 75% of the clones, not stationed on Coruscant, fall under the control of a chip that does not actually exist. To the utter horror of the unaffected clones, the afflicted clones open fire on any Jedi present (no matter who they might have been firing at in canon). Countless Jedi survived because they fell comatose at the same time, killed within the hallucination. Handfuls of clones that otherwise would have survived died at the hands of their brothers, who were trying to protect the vulnerable Jedi. 

The 501st never marched on the temple, their battalion fell below the average with only 47% affected and without Vader to lead them, they are able to subdue the affected before it happens. However, the comatose Jedi cover every surface of the temple and for a bit it is believed that some sort of sleeping sickness afflicted the Jedi while most of  the rest of the galaxy went insane. 

The separatists are not excluded. They match the 80% affliction rate of the rest of the galaxy. Most of the leadership that is afflicted also fall comatose (read die in the hallucination). Even amongst the scientists who created the weapon (roughly 100-200 beings depending on when in development we are talking about) about 20% fell to the effects.  The remaining scientists try for 6 months on their own to reverse the effects without success.

All the while the galaxy has largely turned itself into an oppressive empire, built a rebellion (that is being secretly supported by the Emperor himself), and is both tearing itself apart and gluing itself together at the same time.  Various non affected beings, who would have died in the first few months of the empire, watch as the people they love mourn them.  More than one unaffected Senators, up to and including Palpatine, see the way a number of so called respectable beings in power act when they are given free reign (case in point, Tarkin) and are horrified.  And for those first six months no one can figure out what was going on. It is called an illness, a madness.  

Roughly 80% of the galaxy believe themselves to be part of an empire and are unable to perceive anything that would break the illusion (Anakin becomes largely reclusive, as they react as if he is Vader and he can’t take the pulse of fear when anyone afflicted sees him).  A new government has to be built, staffed by the non afflicted and weaved around the hallucination. They are building blind as within the hallucination the human rights violations start to appear and grow exponentially.   

14 months in, Jocasta Nu finds a way to access the hallucination, an old mind based force technique.  It works in that she is able to convey what had happened, what was happening within the hallucination. It failed in that she, having been dead in the hallucination, fell comatose. No one was willing to risk anyone else. In particular Anakin, as the non afflicted were afraid that Anakin would fall to Vader. They could not risk it. 

Cody, who had been afflicted, woke from the hallucination after 2 years. It was only a coincidence that he was in the temple at the time. Anakin had requested to speak with him (hoping that they could find out more about what the ‘chipped’ clones thought was going on). He would be one of 400 throughout the galaxy. It was discovered that non force sensitives with particularly strong minds could break through the hallucinations, eventually being able to see the contradictions. Anakin without a suit was one of those contradictions. Cody, upon waking, had what could conservatively be called a panic attack, and what could rightly be called a series of panic attacks so severe that it drew the attention of empaths from 6 levels away. His attack on his general, his Obi Wan (they had built a relationship during the war and had plans to marry after it was done), had been entirely real. Obi Wan and Yoda could not be accounted for, no one knew if they had survived or not. 

Between the Separatists, who rejoined the Republic 8 months after the weapon was deployed, Scientists and the Republic they were able to study enough of the reawakened, like Cody (Volunteer only), that they could start building a device to reverse the effects. 

The device is activated 10 years to the day of the original weapon.  It stimulates the brain waves matching the frequency of the awakened in anyone who was afflicted. The non afflicted gather together across the galaxy in little clumps, clutching at each other. The previous decade has changed the face of the galaxy in a way that cannot be properly articulated. The non afflicted have watch the reactions to a genocide, have seen the people they love embrace the very worst evils (or watched them rise above to fight back).  Even those who would have supported the Empire are horrified by the depths that the hallucination dipped into (Over those 10 years they have been able to get other, scant looks into the hallucination).  And this was a decade long tragedy in which everyone who was unafflicted experienced, to some extent. Tragedy is a great equalizer. 

First the comatose began to wake, family and friends or very variety sitting with them. Even those who had no one unafflicted had someone celebrating their waking in the packed rooms. Then the afflicted started focusing fully on the people around them, fully for the first time in a decade.  Spouses who had ‘buried’ their loved ones blinked to see them hale and hearty. Children that had effectively been orphaned, both as afflicted and non, found that there was suddenly a decade missing. 

On Tatooine a Jedi Master turned butcher froze. He, like all the other afflicted, had gone to work that day, never noticing as the non afflicted among them were more anxious. The oppressive darkness vanished so abruptly he could feel it, even through the shielding.  Not far away he could see a Togruta woman clutching one of his coworkers to her, who was bewildered.

An announcement went out to a broadcast system that had been built specifically for this (and Obi Wan realized he had never seen that broadcast tower before) an hour after the afflicted woke up.  It took two days to reach the Outer Rim (but to be fair, so did the ripple that woke the afflicted). It gave a brief explanation about what happened and a location that any of the former afflicted could go to register themselves, in case they had changed planets under the affliction and wanted to find their loved ones again. It was recommended that the former afflicted remain where they were, as long as they were not in danger, to keep from clogging up the hyperlanes. 

Obi Wan collected his lightsaber from the desert, and found that there was only one when he thought he had buried two. Driven by the force, he reported to the registration locations. Once his information was in the system it lit up from here to the Core. Cody was the one sent to collect him, as Anakin was helping to settle Ahsoka (who did not react well to being a decade older and having been killed by Vader). 

Cody and Obi Wan maintained skin contact for the entire trip back from Tatooine, after a decade of thinking the other lost they could not bear to be parted.

Palpatine was finally able to step down, playing the emperor had been a horrific experience for him.  He retired entirely, unable to bear the thought of power. Even if he had been interested, people still flinched when they looked at him.  

Everything that happened next was to a galaxy irrevocably changed.