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dalishious · 8 months ago

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Reclaiming Independence of the Dales

Before anything else, I’d just like to clarify that that vast majority of this is made of my own ideas, based on interpretation from the little canonical information provided, and a little inspired by my own people’s history and governing structure. Additionally, what I am presenting here is an ideal situation, not necessarily what I think is an immediately realistic outcome in the world-state established. So, please keep that in mind.

The Dales were established as a homeland for elves—a small piece of a continent that was once called their home in its entirety, before the humans colonized it—by Maferath in -165 Ancient. This was in reward for the eleven people’s participation in the fight against Ancient Tevinter. But in 2:10 Glory, Divine Renata I broke this treaty and declared an Exalted March against the Dales, ending in its annexation by Orlais.

[Related Post: All You Need to Know about the Exalted March of the Dales]

If Solas has very low approval with Inquisitor Lavellan, and Lavellan accuses him of not doing enough to help their people, he will say the following: “You could order Halamshiral returned to the Dalish, if you wished. But ultimately, you know that would fail. That even you cannot solve this.” I hate this with a burning passion. The reason I can’t do that, Solas, is because it’s not an option in the game! Why are you as a character angry at me, the player, for not doing something that is not an option for me to do? Why was this written? Just to push the point that it’s not worth it to try and fight back against oppression? Because if I refuse to accept hopelessness in real life, why would I in accept it in a video game where the story is made-up, and therefore anything is possible if the developers so wish it.

Regardless, according to Solas, the Inquisition has enough power to support the reclamation of an independent Dales. I imagine this would require a lot of political maneuvering within the Orlesian governance, and therefore I think the best opportunity to do this would be with Briala ruling through Gaspard. This would then later open the door for Briala to be the leader of the newly independent Dales, too. I would like to see Briala as ruler of the Dales not just because she is a favourite of mine, but because I genuinely believe she is the best established character fit for the job. She was trained in everything Celene was trained in, has first-hand experience in court, has extensive connections, and has demonstrated her ability and desire to utilize these skills and assets for the benefit of elven kind.

Briala’s blackmail on Gaspard may help prevent Orlais from invading again while under his rule, but to last longer, the Dales would need to establish itself as a strong, independent Nation with allies. This is why I believe it would also be important to have Leliana as Divine Victoria in such a world-state where this could happen. Leliana re-canonizes the Canticle of Shartan, and in making it available for the common person to understand, would ideally help sway the minds of the average Andrastian into supporting the Dales’s independence. The nobility would of course be much trickier, because they and the Chantry are the ones who actually benefitted from its annexation—but there is little they would be able to actually accomplish if they did not have the power of the people behind them.

As far as allies go, Ferelden could only gain from Orlais losing control of the Dales, because it would mean cutting Orlais off from a lot of Ferelden’s border, therefore reducing the threat of another invasion. Additionally, a leader with just plain good morals like say, Alistair, would easily accept the elven kingdom’s return. But even Anora is willing to grant part of the Korcari Wilds to the Dalish if Mahariel requests it, and while this sadly doesn’t last, it does show a positive sign into her potentially being open to the idea of an independent Dales as well.

I sincerely doubt that all Dalish clans would return to the Dales and re-settle down. After all, they have developed differentiating cultures over the years of wandering in separated groups, with different ideals and different ways of life that they might not want to give up. But many would return, and that would likely create conflict between the elves coming from the Dalish clans and the elves coming from the cities. We know that some prejudice exists against “flat-ears” as some Dalish call those from the city, and we know that city elves have adopted a lot of misinformation from humans into their views of the Dalish. It would take time and positive leadership to reconnect the people, without risking falling into some sort of hierarchy based on origin. This is why I do not believe one group or the other should single-handedly rule alone. Rather, I think there should be a Grand Council of High Keepers made up of those voted into the position each to represent a single district of the Dales. (I like the idea of there being seven High Keepers, not just because there are seven traditional districts of Mi’kma’ki, but because it works out that there seven of the Creators. So it makes sense that there would be seven High Keepers.) The Grand Council would meet and make decisions together, with one appointed leader at the head to act as the Council’s chair.

In terms of protection and order, the Emerald Knights should be reformed. This would include the Fade Hunters, to protect the people against demons and maleficarum, with there being no Circles or Templars.

Restoring the independence of the Dales would lead to a revival of elven culture in ways that could never happen before, because they would actually be free to pursue re-learning the language, re-discovering the history and culture, and sharing it all amongst each other. They would not have to fear arrest the crime of simply being an elf.

But what of the other races presently living in the Dales? I see no reason why they would have to leave, so long as they would be willing to follow the Grand Council’s leadership. I imagine many nobility would flee to Orlais, simply because they would not stand for it. But for the average human or surface dwarf, their life wouldn’t really even change much; they’d still be managing their farms the same as always. Hell, it might even improve things for them, assuming the Grand Council gives fairer treatment than the nobility previously.

#dragon age #the dales #elves #meta

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yeoja-dream · 10 months ago

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Found/Fated/Forever

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4

Pairing: BTS OT7 x Reader Genre: Fantasy, eventual smut, porn with plot, slow burn, hurt/comfort Characters: Supernatural!BTS, Vampire!Jungkook, Supernatural!Reader Content Warning: Y/N in danger Word Count: 3.6k

Jungkook’s vision went white and he felt the air pulled out of his lungs as in a flash, he was again in the hospital room, Namjoon hovered worryingly over your body. He looked up as you arrived, obvious relief relaxing his features as his eyes landed on Baba Yena.

“Baba Yena,” Namjoon greeted with a bow. “I was only able to do a cursory search, but her kind isn’t listed or documented in any infernal records I was able to get my hands on.”

“Of course, because she is not from the hells, my child.” Baba Yena said, walking to your bedside, and shooing him away. “She is indeed a rare sight to behold, but you will have to ask her about her heritage, she has taken considerable lengths to conceal it.”

“So you will save her?” Namjoon asked, hopeful.

“Yes, horned one. Your mate has sacrificed sufficiently, and this child has suffered greatly as it is. It is not yet her time to die.” Baba Yena said, beginning to pull several black, oily drawing implements as well as a bottle of bright blue, glowing liquid.

Without much regard for the others standing in the room, Baba Yena began unceremoniously undressing your body, causing both the men in the room to turn their gaze elsewhere. Perhaps in a different time or context, it would be embarrassing, exciting perhaps, but they felt it perverse to see you unclothed in such a state. Fully nude, Baba Yena began using the black, oily, drawing implements to draw intricate symbols all over your body.

“What are you doing?” Jungkook asked, back still turned.

“Her body is too weak to house her soul, so it is lost somewhere in the Astral Sea. The water from the Elu Spring in the Fey Wild will heal and strengthen her body. The markings are the spell that will call her soul back to her body.”

With that, Baba Yena sat you up, popping the cork of the blue liquid, and carefully poured it down your throat. Immediately, your almost grey skin flushes with color, and your rapid, shallow breaths begin to even out. Namjoon watched the monitor carefully, breathing a sigh of relief as your heart rate became stronger and faster too. Baba Yena then closed her eyes, extending her arms out straight, palms down. Her palms began to glow with a bright, white light, and as they glowed, so did the markings on your body. Baba Yena’s face scrunched with concentration. “Come on, child. It is not yet time to go.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You came to, opening your eyes, rubbing them harshly as to clear your blurred vision. You feel yourself to be weightless, immediately, as if floating on water. All around you, horizon to horizon, were breathtakingly vibrant and clear night skies, completely lit up with stars and nebula as far as the eye could see. Below, was a massive and never-ending sea of the purest, molten silver, opaque and mirror-like, the gentle waves that broke the surface capturing the starlight with such luster you wondered for a moment if the water had been made of the cosmos, perhaps from the tears of the other stars, crying for the fallen.

It didn’t exactly take a scholar to figure out you had found yourself in the Astral Plane, the plane souls found themselves in before continuing onto an afterlife fitting of whomever they worshiped in life. Legend has it that the Astral Sea is what waters the Tree of Life, and drinking from its waters will grant you all knowledge and power akin to a God in your own right. Others said those with enough hubris or guts to try are simply driven stark raving mad, cursed to roam the endless abyss with nothing but the voices in their head to keep them company. Considering that you had yet to hear of a God exalted by this water, you were more inclined to believe the latter.

How the fuck did I get to the astral realm? You asked yourself, anxiety and panic prickling at your skin. You combed through your memories, you woke up, got dressed, had breakfast, and… you hit a wall. You try to push forward, but the more you do so, the more your brain shoots with pain. Something or someone was blocking you from remembering something important, and you judged. Whether or not that was simply a symptom of the situation you found yourself in or a direct action taken by someone, you had yet to discern.

There was at least one thing you knew about the Astral Plane, that in order to travel it, you only had to think, to will yourself in one direction or the other. You started by willing yourself into the vertical, upright position with the sea 10 meters below. What you did not know, however, was how magic functioned in this plane. The first obvious solution was to attempt to plane shift back to your reality, but when you mentally cast your consciousness out looking for laylines to dip into, you couldn’t find any. You willed yourself forward then, continuing the mental search.

Time in the Astral worked differently than in the prime material plane. There was no day or night, time simply did not pass, so it was impossible to gauge how long you truly spent looking, but you only stopped when your head throbbed from the exertion. Could it be possible that the Astral had no laylines? Or perhaps your magic had been cut off somehow, rendering you blind to any laylines that might exist? If that was the case, had you actually died? The thought raised your blood pressure.

Without the ability to dip into the magic, you were certainly not plane-shifting out of this shitty situation. You patted yourself down and only now realized that you were entirely without your personal effects, now wearing a rough spin, off-white tunic, brown pants of the same fabric, and a pair of worn leather boots. More importantly, without your stuff, you had returned to your true form. The realization was not helping the actually dead theory. You willed yourself forward, hoping to run into another soul, maybe someone who could help you figure this situation out.

You floated for what felt like years, decades. You didn’t need to eat or sleep, and with no time reference, the monotony alone would drive anyone mad, you didn’t even need to drink the seawater, you decided. Sometimes you saw people, mostly in the distance, however, and when you’d try to call their attention, they would flee like their lives depended on it. Other times the Sea itself would open up, portals of different shades of light would flash, dropping off newly departed souls, or more often, yanking an older soul into one afterlife or another. No one spoke to one another, and certainly no one spoke to you. That is, until mercifully, you hear your voice called by a friendly male voice behind you.

“Y/N?” The voice called out. The tone was friendly and definitively male, but there was a quality about the timbre that called out to something deeper and forgotten inside of you. You turned around hesitantly, seeing a tall, human man in his 20s. His hair was curly, his features dark and his skin a tanned olive. There was a familiarity to his look, and as he approached closer, it finally clicked.

“Fareed?!” You asked with a mixture of shock and surprise.

“Long time no see!” He said with a friendly wave.

When you had first escaped from the Fey Wild, Fareed was your first friend as a young child. Fareed was a bubbly but fearless kid whose hobbies appropriately included talking to strangers and jumping off the highest places he could find. He often slipped extra portions of his lunch out of the house, but you always suspected his mom knew and was giving him too much food deliberately. His fearlessness got him taken away far too young, and when our country began conscripting soldiers for some war in some faraway land, he was the first to volunteer. We received news of his passing only one month later.

To see him in his current state, alive, well, and sane choked you up and you found yourself fighting back tears.

“It’s Y/N! I must look considerably different now than when you last saw me.” You said gesturing to your true self. “Why are you still here?” You asked. Fareed had died at least 200 years ago, and you had always hoped that he was living it up in some cushy afterlife.

“I could recognize your energy from across all the planes.” He said with a light laugh. “The Astral has guardians and protectors like any other plane,” He explained. “I dedicated my afterlife to guiding and protecting the lost souls that wander here, and when it is time for them to pass on, I help them find that passage.”

“That sounds like an incredibly noble cause and absolutely something you would do,” You said with a laugh.

“Speaking of which,” He began, “I have gotten a sudden influx of souls complaining about a weird, noisy soul wandering around, harassing folks. Which, in turn, leads me to you. What are you doing here, you don’t seem dead?” He asked.

“About that,” you sighed “I woke up here and I can’t remember how or why I got here, and I would have simply teleported back but I can’t seem to use my magic.”

“That is strange, considering that the Astral Plane is incredibly magically potent, equally if not more so than the Fey Wild.” He stated. “Come here and let me touch your forehead, let me see if I can’t get this sorted for you.”

You willed yourself closer to him, and in response, he stuck his hand out, fingers tented, and placed them on your forehead. You feel nothing, but you watch Fareed’s eyes dart around rapidly, making negative vocalizations. After a moment, he drops his hand and focuses his vision back on you.

“Life certainly hasn’t been very kind to you, Y/N, and for that, I want to express my condolences.”

“Fareed the years have made you so well-spoken!” You exclaim with a laugh. “Thank you.” You said, more seriously.

“You have a powerful curse on you, but I think you already knew that. It is strange but refreshing to see your true form.” He stated. You nodded in confirmation as he continued, “You are not dead. You almost died. That is how you ended up here. Someone extremely powerful wanted you to forget what happened to you, so they blocked your memory and your magic. Fortunately, I am also someone extremely powerful and I was able to remove the block, but not the curse on you as a whole. That is a complicated and difficult endeavor not even I can do.”

With that information, you think back again, this time with crystal clear acuity. You remember the club, rescuing the woman, meeting Jungkook, his preposition. You remember being in his embrace, heat and lust and euphoria taking over every one of your senses, you remember begging him not to stop despite fading away slowly, and then darkness.

“I think I have a soulmate, Fareed.” You breathed.

“I am inclined to agree. All things do.”

“He has mates already though, 6 of them!” You exclaimed.

“Then you also have 6 additional mates,” Fareed said matter of factly.

“Don’t be ridiculous. I don’t even know those people.”

Fareed cocked an eyebrow at you. “Y/N, do you know how soulmates work?”

“Love and magic and shit, no?” You asked with a shrug.

“Not quite,” Fareed explained. “Souls as most people like to refer to them are actually called Fragments. They are the broken-up pieces of Soulias. When the gods created all sentient living things, they made a center of power, into which they put all knowledge, power, emotion, experience, and condition, and they named that power center Soulia. The problem occurred when the gods tried to plant these Soulias into vessels, the power would overwhelm the vessel and tear it apart, and the ones strong enough to withstand were monstrous creatures of pain, chaos, and violence. The Gods decided to fracture the Soulias. The larger Fragments would go into the vessels they were creating, and the smaller Shards, remnants of the fracturing process, would go into all other living creatures. Fracturing also ensured that no two vessels would live an identical life and that only true harmony could be attained when you shared your piece, your life, your soul, with others around you. It was usually convenient to break the Soulia into two, so often you will see soul mates in pairs of two. But for larger Soulias, smaller Fragments are needed, so it is broken up into smaller pieces, so soulmate groups of more than two are certainly possible. The Soulia inside the vessel will spend its whole life pining after its other pieces. Many people never find their true other half, but a good deal will find love nonetheless and find satisfaction in that. Many here found their Shards in life inside beloved plants and animals.”

“I never knew all that,” You stared at him mouth agape. “So my soul, fragment, fits in with all of theirs?” You ask, gripping at your chest.

“Precisely.”

“What happens when all the parts of a Soulia are bought together?” You asked.

“Well, as I said before, the fracturing process is extremely imperfect, and in the creation of Fragments, a great number of shards are also produced, so getting every part of a Soulia back together is practically impossible. You can, however, tie the pieces together somewhat, bonding or mating as you likely know it, which affords all persons a metaphysical line to one another. Through that line, you can pick up on how your partner is feeling, you can send short messages or emotional sentiments. If they allow you in, you can enter their mind, they can share memories with you as they saw them, and they can allow you to feel exactly how they feel, understand how they actually think. It is a powerful connection, and allows for deeper intimacy and connection possible by other non-soulmate or non-bonded pairs.”

“That sounds… intrusive.” You mumble, arms crossed.

“It can be, but everything is done with the consent of both parties. You can ignore the call of your mate down the bond, even after you’ve let them in you can push them out of your mind at any time, and you can block anyone from entering. Just takes a little practice.”

You frown at that, “It sounds like you are selling it to me.”

“I guess you could say that I am. You seem upset, why? Most people are delighted to meet a soulmate.”

“I’m mad that my soulmate almost killed me, I’m mad that I have a soulmate, I’m mad that I have 7 soul mates. I’m mad that I’ve lived the last 50 years of my life in relative solitude because I was sick and tired of getting fucked over and suddenly 7 of potentially the deepest and most intimate connections a living thing can experience is dropped onto my lap so yeah, color me upset! I can’t do loss anymore, Fareed. It’s too painful.”

He looked you up and down, contemplatively. “If I may, one old friend to another?”

You nod in response.

“Look around and tell me what you see.” He said, making a wide sweeping gesture.

“I see endless and endless nothing dotted with lonely, lost souls, hoping that someday they’ll be called to something better.”

“Time may not pass in the Astral, but what I quickly learned is that this is the summation of a human life, Y/N. They live, and most days are bleak, boring, and mundane. Occasionally, another lonely soul will cross their path, and for a time, they find comfort in one another. Ultimately, they part, and at the end of it all, they pass on hoping that whatever next is someplace better, and yet for many this is what they have to look forward to.”

“I’m not sure I understand what you are getting at, Fareed.”

“You have lived a long, brilliant life Y/N, many times longer than many of the souls that wander here. You have suffered more than much more than many of these souls, but you have been gifted the chance to love and be loved much more than many of these souls. So go, Y/N. Set yourself free from grief, worry, and suspicion. Do not shy away from love for fear of pain, love despite it, and love fiercely and unapologetically. When you are called to join us here again, come with joy in your heart from a life fearlessly spent, or be doomed to eternity searching the silver sea for your salvation. You are your own salvation.”

You pursed your lips tightly, looking down at the Astral Sea as you processed his words.

“It isn’t that easy,” You began, your voice wavering.

“For you, it won’t be,” He admitted. “It is true some come into this world full of light and for whom trust and love come easy. But for those who have been hurt as you have, it is going to be hard. Just because things are hard doesn’t mean they aren’t worth doing or that they are bad for us.”

“You know what I am, what I am made of. You see the ticking bomb I am, and yet you insist I allow people to get close to me to what... hurt as many as I can? I will never be free, Fareed. They will chase me to the ends of time and take from me what they feel they are owed. We both know that.” You finish your rant, a single tear running down your cheek. As you do so, a bright white portal opens on the top of the Astral Sea, slowly dragging you closer and closer to its event horizon.

“It seems our time together has run out,” Fareed said. “If you would allow me to leave you with a parting thought before you go. The only memories they blocked from you were of him. They wanted you to forget him so desperately they blocked your magic essentially confining you to a realm where they would never be able to touch you again. That is worth considering.”

As your feet began to hit the portal, Fareed grabbed your hand holding it close.

“Make the world tremble at you, Y/N. I don’t want to see you here for a long, long time. Good luck-” The end of the word was clipped as your vision went white, your hearing went silent, and like you were being flushed down a toilet, you felt yourself being yanked at lightning speed by your feet, and suddenly everything was again dark.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Baba Yena pulled up her arms suddenly, and in response, your body involuntarily arched. When doing so, you let out a sudden, loud gasp, causing all present to breathe a small sigh of relief to themselves too.

“The child was very deep, so it took me a while to find her.” Baba Yena said, redressing you in a spare hospital bed and tucking you in gently. “Both of you,” She said, turning to the men who had huddled together for comfort during the spell. “Kneel.”

They looked at each other, but rather than piss off a supremely powerful being who just did you a massive favor, the pair concede, sinking to the floor on their knees. Once in position, Baba Yena approached the pair. While kneeling, Baba Yena was at eye level with the boys. She approached Jungkook first.

Thwack! She cracked him across the skull with a walking cane. “What are you doing bleeding girls dry like you're some poor changling with no control of their thirst? You are over 200 years old, act your age! You had no business testing out a connection you had no idea if you could control without supervision.” Baba Yena scolded him thoroughly.

“And you,” Thwack! This time she cracked Namjoon over the skull with the cane. “What the hell kind of doctor are you? You were in such a rush to do nothing you didn’t stop to see the blinding, gold amulet that she wears? The very same type you and several of your mates wear? If he almost killed her, you were signing the death certificate with your negligence ink. You ought to be ashamed.” She finished, brushing nothing off her petticoat, and gathering her things to leave.

“She will wake in 3 days fully rested and back to full health. There will come a time when she has questions about herself, and when she does, find me. Until then, leave me alone. You kids have caused me enough trouble as it is. Oh and, be careful with that one. She has been through enough.” And with that, she flourishes the very same cane, vanishing.

The silence that hangs in the air after Baba Yena leaves is long and heavy, but mixed with relief as the pair approach both sides of your bed, staring at your sleeping form. It was amazing how starkly opposite you looked now to even just an hour before, knocking on death’s door.

“I think you have a lot of explaining to do, Kook.”

“Later,” The younger one pleaded. “I just want to sit here for a little while.”

“Later.” Namjoon agreed, excusing himself. Not but 20 minutes later, he found himself back in the room, second chair and laptop in hand. Jungkook was too guilt-ridden to say it, but he was immensely grateful for the company. He hoped you were too.

_____________________________________________ Tags @luvlykyy ---------------------------------------------------------- Big lore dump this chapter! Some of you may be noticing some inspiration from DnD to lend me some framework for world-building! That is absolutely true, but as I also mentioned I have been using it as a framework, and as such it may or may not veer violently off the Forgotten Realms cannon, so don't get too twisted about "Hey, that's not how that thing works!" It's just a work of fiction I'm writing for funsies at the end of the day so don't take it too seriously. I hope you are all enjoying~

#bts x reader #jungkook x reader #ot7 x reader #namjoon x reader #bts x reader angst #bts x reader smut #bts x oc #bts x you #bts x y/n #bts x fem!reader #ot7 x reader smut #ot7 x you #bts fanfic #bts ff #bts smut #bts smau #bts #bangtan #foundfatedforever

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unholybacon355 · 4 months ago

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Everything stays in the family: Part Three

Park Jihyo x Huh Yunjin

Word Count: 4.2K

TW: Incest.

[PART 1] [PART 2] [PART 4] [PART 5]

DISCLAIMER: I'm adding this disclaimer because I think it's necessary.

This story have some taboo themes like incesto to name one. I need to say that obviously some of the things I wrote here aren't good and by any means I'm trying to make it look like good and normal things. Read at your own discretion.

Everything you see here is fiction and many things in this story are not really good. This is for fun and only for that. Also, all the characters you see here are adults and Jihyo is older, but I'm not specifying how old she is.

Another thing to say is that I have no clue about how human bodies actually work, so you can't expect me to be very accurate about some things. I'm not saying what because I want you to figure it out as you read.

CHAPTER THREE

When Chaewon said that they wouldn't make it to Yunjin's car she was really right. They gave up on the idea after just taking a few steps in the hallway outside the classroom. Chaewon was too wet, and Yunjin was too hard to last until they reached another place. But luckily for them, they knew a place that they could use.

Yunjin came in, almost kicking the bathroom door, totally impatient. Behind her came Chaewon, who after checking that no one else was there, pounced on her girlfriend.

The place was a small bathroom, it only had two cubicles and a sink. It was located at the end of a hallway that wasn't normally frequented by many people. There were only two classrooms next door, and it was rare for both to be occupied at the same time. So it was quite unlikely that anyone would interrupt them here.

Chaewon hugged Yunjin by her neck and without wasting time began to kiss her with all the hunger that she had accumulated in the few minutes since they left class. Hunger that, to tell the truth, was quite great compared to the time that had passed since Yunjin began to move that intruding hand.

Yunjin didn't waste any time either and immediately grabbed her girlfriend by the butt. She loved the way her soft but firm cheeks felt when she squeezed them. They were small and round, and the tender flesh gave way to the slightest pressure from Yunjin's fingers. But it didn't matter what kind of punishment you gave to Chaewon's butt, because her buttocks were so firm that they only trembled for a few seconds before returning to their natural shape. And the tight shorts she was wearing did nothing but exalt all of her attributes.

“Get in the cubicle, they can still see us here. “Yunjin said with her orange hair all tangled from kissing her girlfriend.

“I bet that makes you harder.” Chaewon mocked, taking Yunjin's erection over her clothes. She gave her cock a few strokes before releasing it and going into one of the stalls. Yunjin obviously looked at her butt again when she turned around.

Chaewon had not only decided to wear the tightest shorts she had that day, but she was also wearing a small top. Frankly, it looked more like a big sports bra than a top. But since she was also wearing a croptop sweatshirt over the smaller garment, in the end she still had plenty of skin covered.

After also getting into the cubicle and closing the door, Yunjin gave her girlfriend a resounding spank. As expected, that perfect buttock hardly even jiggles. In response Chaewon turned and pushed the redhead against the stall door, then sat on the toilet.

“Come on, take it out. I can not wait any more." An impatient Chaewon hurried to her girlfriend who was clumsily unbuttoning her pants. The anticipation and the little space they had were playing tricks on her. When she was finally able to free her member from the oppression of her clothing, the erection jumped and punched Chaewon in the face. Who, far from feeling upset, smiled broadly. The brunette gave Yunjin's member a chaste kiss near the base, and then gave it a slow upward lick, until she reached the tip where of course the precum accumulated. Still without using her hands she played with her tongue over the throbbing head, collecting as much of Yunjin's natural lubricant as she could.

Yes. Chaewon might seem innocent and even a little stupid, but of course she was nothing like that. Of course she sometimes blurted out the most random thoughts that came into her head without warning, but that didn't mean she was stupid. And of course, her innocent, good-girl face (which in a way she was) didn't mean that she didn't lose her sanity when it came to making love to her girlfriend. Some might call that an incredible duality, but for Yunjin it was the multiple layers of personality you had to go through if you wanted to truly know Kim Chaewon.

“Ssshhhh be more quiet.” Yunjin, who now had her hands and back pressed against the door, scolded her girlfriend for sucking the head of her cock and making more noise than she should. “Remember that we are in a public bathroom.”

“Oh, I thought you were as horny as me.” Chaewon replied calmly, as she used one hand to pump Yunjin's cock. “Since you started touching me in the middle of classes, I thought you didn't care if we were discovered. Maybe we should stop” Now she violently jerked the cock in her hand.

Yunjin squirmed before she could say anything. "Sorry Sorry. Don't you see how hard you have me?”

"Yes, I see it." Chaewon now resumed her slower pace. “But I want to hear you say it.” The change of pace made Yunjin squirm again.

“My Fairy, I want you so bad. Please can you use that little pretty and slutty mouth of yours to suck my dick?”

The brunette's smile was wide as she heard her girlfriend dedicate those words to her. "Yes, I can." Then she put Yunjin's cock in her mouth, to the point where her lips collided with the hand that was holding the hard member at the base. The redhead could only squirm at the actions of her girlfriend, and contract her groin, in a desperate act to avoid coming. She had already provoked Chaewon, and if she didn't fuck her properly now she was going to be in serious trouble.

While Yunjin struggled to distract herself by reading the graffiti on the cubicle walls, Chaewon used her hand to masturbate the redhead's member, at the same time using her mouth to suck. In a truly impressive synchronicity, Chaewon sucked and moved her hand, maximizing her girlfriend's pleasure. “Don't you dare cum yet or I swear I won't let you touch me for a month.” The brunette issued the threat after taking the cock out of her mouth to catch a breath. “Or maybe two months.” Very calmly after adding that last part to the threat she swallowed Yunjin's member completely. Surprisingly, Chaewon didn't stop until her nose touched the redhead's abdomen, a pretty amazing feat considering the size of Chaewon's anatomy and Yunjin's cock.

Chaewon withdrew completely gasping for air, amidst renewed spasms from Yunjin. “You're making it difficult for me not to cum.” “I know, but you owe me for treating me like a piece of trash this morning.” Yunjin could see how her girlfriend sucked her index finger and filled it with saliva. That could only mean more problems for her. “Now relax.”

"No no. Wait… Aaannnnggghhh!!” Yunjin's words turned into a moan as Chaewon shoved a finger into her ass. The brunette was truly getting revenge, and Yunjin couldn't be more than happy that Chaewon didn't know what she had done that morning in the small bathroom at her house.

“Crybaby. I can take your cock in my ass.” That was true, but when Yunjin was fucking her from behind the idea was that she would cum, not that she would avoid reaching orgasm like the redhead was doing right now. To further Yunjin's bad luck, Chaewon completely swallowed her length again. Now the brunette was using her throat muscles to apply pressure to Yunjin's sore glans. How she did that was a complete mystery, but in the end it didn't matter because Yunjin couldn't think about it right now.

“Fairy I swear I'm so close.” Yunjin let out a pathetic moan as her girlfriend moved her finger inside her ass. “Please, I don't know how much longer I can take. Please." Yunjin really sounded pathetic begging to her girlfriend.

“Ask for it.” Yunjin clenched her fists, watching as Chaewon was now not only sucking the finger that she had inside her until recently, but also covering a second finger with saliva. Swallowing, she prepares herself to ask the question.

“Can I cum please? I swore to you that I'm at my limit."

Chaewon first responded by sticking both fingers into the redhead's ass before speaking. “Okay, you earned it. But you still have to fuck me after.” And without giving Yunjin time to say thank you, she once again completely swallowed the redhead's throbbing cock. Yunjin at this point was having trouble standing, as her knees felt quite weak. She was sure that if she wasn't leaning on the door she would have lost her balance by now.

Unable to hold on for another second, Yunjin exploded in her girlfriend's mouth. For the second time that day she came locked in a bathroom, she really hoped that wouldn't become a habit. While Yunjin was lost in her overwhelming orgasm, Chaewon managed to swallow all the cum that the redhead shot directly down her throat. In a truly admirable feat she practically swallowed the viscous liquid, all the while sucking to ensure that her girlfriend gave her every last drop.

Yunjin, who was afraid that the door was going to give way since she was pushing all her weight on it, closed her eyes and simply let Chaewon do whatever she wanted with her cock. She was happy because all this had served to get her mother out of her head, she no longer continued fantasizing about fucking Jihyo. At least not at the moment, which was great progress.

Chaewon removed her fingers from inside Yunjin at the same time she pulled her cock out of her mouth. The redhead almost collapsed right there at the wave of pleasure that the lack of fingers in her ass caused her. Chaewon was evidently very good at giving blowjobs and playing with her girlfriend's ass, to the point that Yunjin's strongest orgasms usually occurred when she let the brunette play with her prostate.

Chaewon stood up and without warning kissed her girlfriend. At first Yunjin was surprised, but she quickly let herself be carried away by the kiss and opened her mouth to welcome her girlfriend's tongue. The redhead could taste remnants of the salty taste of her own semen in Chaewon's mouth, and she was grateful that at least this time Chaewon had swallowed it all before kissing her. With a vigor regained by her dirty kiss Yunjin grabbed her girlfriend by her buttocks and pulled her towards her body, but Chaewon quickly pushed her away from her using her arms and breaking the kiss in the process. Yunjin frankly didn't understand what was happening, and the expression with which she looked at her girlfriend showed it.

“You're going to stain my shorts with your dirty cock.” Chaewon then slapped Yunjin's saliva-covered cock with her hand.

“Aauuchh! If you don't want them to get stained, take them off.” Yunjin had to admit that that little hit had made her hard again. Why did she always have to get so desperate when she had sex with Chaewon? “Plus I bet you're so wet you're going to stain them by yourself.” She scoffed trying to regain some of her dignity.

"It's not funny." Chaewon complained, starting to pull down her shorts, which was a more difficult task than it seems since it was quite tight. “By the way, you owe me a pair of panties. There is no way I will wear these again.” Yunjin could clearly see how soaked Chaewon's panties were once she finished taking off her shorts, having to take off her sneakers first because they were really tight. There was a huge wet spot on the brunette's crotch, the fabric was completely soaked and stuck to Chaewon's vulva lips. The white panties were soaked to the point where they were almost transparent.

“You act tough but you are so needy of me.” Yunjin scoffed again, as if she didn't know how wet Chaewon got for her.

"Hurry up. Sit down or my socks are going to get dirty.” As best they could, they moved inside the narrow cubicle so that Yunjin could sit on the toilet. Once she had removed her ruined panties, finally revealing a perfectly shaved vagina (Unlike Jihyo's) Chaewon sat on the redhead's legs, rubbing her soaked vagina against Yunjin's throbbing member. “Are you going to behave and fuck me? I deserve it."

“You talk like I have a choice.” Yunjin protested, about to let out another one of those pathetic moans, because feeling directly on her cock how wet Chaewon had gotten was wreaking havoc on her.

“No, you don't have a choice. So…” Chaewon stood up so she could line up Yunjin’s tip with her entrance. "Behave well." Chaewon might seem like a bitch at times, but the reality was that her attitude was part of the role play she had with Yunjin. They both loved each other and despite that apparent dispute for control during sex, they would never truly disrespect each other. Well, actually sometimes Chaewon went a little overboard, but it was Yunjin's fault for always being so pathetically needy of her girlfriend. That was always true.

Opening her mouth in a silent moan, Chaewon slowly lowered herself to rest her buttocks on Yunjin's thighs, impaling herself completely on her girlfriend's member. “Still amaze me how big you are.” The truth was that Yunjin didn't feel like her cock was really huge, and she suspected that Chaewon was actually quite tight. She could practically feel the brunette's inner walls struggling to adapt to the intrusion of her member, squeezing every inch of her throbbing flesh.

“Are you going to ride or what?” Yunjin grabbed her girlfriend's cheeks and forced her to move on top of her. Chaewon couldn't help but moan in response and cling to Yunjin's shoulders for some firmness. To silence her girlfriend's moans, which were reaching a worrying volume considering where they were, the redhead pressed her lips to hers in a deep and passionate kiss.

Now having Yunjin's mouth to muffle her own moans, Chaewon began to move her hips as she set the pace with which she rode her girlfriend. Yunjin understood the message and limited herself to kneading the perfect round buttocks of her girlfriend, moving one of her fingers towards the brunette's rear entrance.

“Mmnnhhhhh” Yunjin was sure that she could interpret the sound Chaewon had made in her mouth as “Don't you dare” so she moved her finger away from her. She knew that if she dared to try to stick a finger up her ass without properly preparing her, Chaewon would bite off her cock. Well, maybe it would be two bites just to make her suffer more. In her place Yunjin pulled up her top, freeing her girlfriend's perfect tits, and confirming that the top was in fact nothing more than a big bra.

Chaewon's tits were round and perfect, like her butt. They only bounces once after being released, but were quickly attacked by Yunjin's hands. If she couldn't play with her girlfriend's ass, at least she was going to have fun with her tits. Which in the end was a very bad idea.

Feeling Chaewon's hard nipples between her fingers inevitably led her to think about Jihyo's tits and their obvious size difference. Yunjin quickly felt a knot in her stomach again, which had nothing to do with having her cock deep inside her girlfriend's vagina. If not, it was rather her fault for thinking about her stepmother at a time like this. But for her it was inevitable right now not to notice the differences between Jihyo and Chaewon's bodies.

She knew what she was doing was sick, but she let herself go and as she kneaded Chaewon's small tits she wondered if they would ever be full of milk. If it would be easy to squeeze her nipples and make the liquid flow. She also wondered if her mother's vagina felt as tight as her girlfriend's, because right now it seemed like Chaewon was strangling her with her internal muscles. The brunette's walls were clenched tightly around her aching member.

She was almost sure that Jihyo's pussy could take her much easier, almost making her cock feel small. From what she had seen, her mother's petals and entrance were much larger than her girlfriend's, so there was no doubt that Jihyo could take much more. God, she was sure fucking Jihyo must feel like heaven.

Feeling like shit inside, but also with her cock ready to explode, she broke the kiss and looked Chaewon straight in the eyes. “I need you to be quiet now or they could listen us.” Then without giving Chaewon time to ask what was happening, she grabbed her girlfriend by the buttocks and summoning a till now unknown strength she stood up with her girlfriend in her arms. The brunette instinctively crossed her legs behind Yunjin's hips, to help support her own weight. The result was that Yunjin was now standing pressing her girlfriend against the cubicle’s door, while Chaewon struggled to maintain her composure now that the redhead's cock was pounding deeper into her than it ever had been into her.

“No.. No.. I caa…” Yunjin growled in an almost animalistic way before silencing her girlfriend again with a kiss. This time however she was hungrier, more needy, as if she wanted to devour her girlfriend. The truth was that she felt hungry but for a different dish, and she could do nothing but use her imagination to try to satisfy her hunger. For the first time since they entered the bathroom Yunjin was taking control, and it was only to try to get her mother out of her head.

Yunjin knew that there was no way to compare Chaewon's and Jihyo's weight. She was sure that Jihyo was heavier, and also the woman was carrying a baby inside her, so there was no way she could fuck her like this. Just as they were, locked in a university bathroom pressing her girlfriend against the door of a cubicle, she could only fuck Chaewon. So she clung to that idea to try to give the best to her girlfriend, and stop thinking about her mother.

With her balls swinging at the relentless pace with which he fucked Chaewon, Yunjin gave her everything she had. It was almost impossible for another drop of semen to come out of her that day, but that was not going to stop her from trying in an almost animalistic way to put her cock as deep inside her girlfriend's body as was humanly possible. Her thighs hurt from supporting the weight of both of them and from thrusting, her cock also hurt from how tight Chaewon had become. The brunette's orgasm was close, and Yunjin didn't know if she would be able to stop once she reached it.

Yunjin was hungry, very hungry. And as much as it pained her to admit it no matter how much she loved her girlfriend, the one she wanted to fuck right now was Jihyo. She knew that was wrong in every way possible, but that somehow turned her on more. It was something so forbidden that succumbing to the temptation felt so bad and good at the same time. It was something almost feral that she couldn't control, a seed that had settled in the back of her mind and was germinating in a matter of hours. Maybe it was the emotional vulnerability she was in right now, or that she had simply always been a pervert, but right now her cock was throbbing for Jihyo. Which didn't mean she wouldn't enjoy fucking Chaewon.

They broke the kiss because it was already difficult for them to breathe, so Chaeown hid her face in Yunjin's neck, pressing her lips together as much as she could to avoid making noise. Yunjin for her part pressed her forehead into the cubicle, and also using it as a point of support she quickened the pace of her thrusts. Chaewon couldn't take it anymore and reached orgasm screaming with her mouth closed. Her tight walls closed even more, squeezing her girlfriend's cock to the limit of causing her a little pain.

But having Chaewon literally shaking in her arms from having reached an orgasm didn't stop Yunjin. She continued pumping her hips as deep as possible, lost in the cloud of lust. Looking for an orgasm that she knew she would arrive without a drop of semen, and that would do little to satisfy the hunger he felt.

Yunjin only lessened the intensity when Chaewon couldn't take it anymore and started patting the back of her neck, asking her to stop. Because if she had to use her mouth she was going to let out a moan that would be heard throughout the university. Yunjin then realized what she was doing and she stopped dead, buried balls deep in her girlfriend. They were both breathing heavily and were sweaty from all the effort they had just made.

Suddenly Yunjin remembered that she was not that strong, in addition to the fact that the adrenaline of the moment was leaving her, and her legs began to shake. Chaewon certainly wasn't heavy at all, but it wasn't like the redhead was a great athlete either. So they both collapsed onto the toilet, making a thud as they fell. Besides, Chaewon screamed because with their fall, Yunjin's cock had been buried to almost impossible limits inside her tired pussy.

Almost instantly, hurried footsteps were heard in the hallway outside the bathroom. It was obvious that the noise had reached the classrooms and now someone had come out to see what was happening. “Quickly, grab my sneakers.” Chaewon say quickly. "Fast." She rushed Yunjin in the face of her girlfriend's lack of reaction.

Just as the door was opening Chaewon contorted herself to pick up her sneakers and throw them into the toilet pond. Although they were inside a cubicle, the lower part of the walls was open, so from the outside it could easily be seen if there was more than one person inside.

“Everything is fine in there?” Someone asked from outside the cubicle. Chaewon, who had propped her feet on the wall so as not to be discovered, gestured for Yunjin to respond.

“Y… Yes, everything is fine. “I just feel a little sick.”

"Need help?" The stranger asked again.

"No thanks, I'm fine."

"Are you sure? You sound a little agitated.” Chaewon rolled her eyes at the stranger's insistence and decided to take matters into her own hands. Partly also because she was already becoming quite uncomfortable with the position they were in. The brunette put her hand to her mouth and used it to make a loud noise of flatulence, but not just one but it made it seem as if Yunjin was leaving her guts in that bathroom.

“I.. I'm sorry.” The redhead apologized, making faces at her girlfriend to make her stop. “I think I ate something bad, but I'll be fine.” She had to keep raising her voice as she spoke because Chaewon didn't stop with the noises she was making.

“Ok, I'll leave you then.“ Both girls could hear, with some difficulty because of Chaewon's noises, how the person left and closed the bathroom door.

“You can stop now, they're already gone.” But Chaewon continued making noises for a few more seconds, then gave a small giggle. “I hope they don't see me leave or my reputation will be ruined.”

“I didn't know you had a reputation to take care of.” Chaewon laughed again. “Besides, that is better than being discovered and expelled from university.”

“Because of you I'm going to be an outcast.”

“Even better, so you only have time for me.” Chaewon rested her arms on her girlfriend's shoulders, and looked straight into her eyes with that blank expression she sometimes had. As if there was nothing else on her mind at that moment.

“Okay, but you better get off. We have to get out of here before class ends or they're really going to discover us.” With some difficulty, and grimacing a lot at how sore her vagina was, Chaewon managed to stand up.

“Give me your boxers.” Chaewon looked downright amused at that moment. She still had her bra up, so her tits were still visible. In addition to being completely naked down, except for her socks. But the funniest thing was that she had her arms on her hips, and she was looking at her girlfriend very seriously.

"But why? Did I fuck you so well that you lost your mind?” Yunjin raised her ego a little with that joke.

“My panties are ruined, I will never wear them again.” Chaewon responded by pulling down her bra. “And if I wear the shorts like that, everything will be marked, plus it will get stained. My vagina is still soaked, everyone could see my lips eating the fabric. Is that what you want?”

“So what am I going to wear?” Yunjin asked, but she was already starting to take off her underwear.

“You should have thought about that before provoking me in class.” The brunette stretched out her hand, rushing her girlfriend. “Hurry up, I don't want to have to throw away my socks too. Besides, we have to go to my house, you still owe me an explanation” Frankly, Chaewon wasn't going to let Yunjin get away with anything that day.

#twice #twice smut #le serrafim #le sserafim smut #jihyo smut #yunjin smut #yunjin x jihyo #This is kinda dead dove #fanfic

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bachelor4choice · 2 months ago

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Fans of Arcane! I'm here to bring theories!!!!

P.S.: Please, no spoilers. Especially regarding any leaks. Making theories is a big part of what makes a show fun for fans, so don’t ruin that. Good? Good.

Recently, I saw here on Tumblr a series of images about how the acts will be divided in this second season, and that gave me some clues about how Vi’s arc might unfold. Since they're focusing a lot on her, it's the "easiest" to deduce, but I have some guesses about other characters as well.

The image (not sure if it's official ¯⁠\⁠_⁠(⁠ツ⁠)⁠_⁠/⁠¯) is this one:

HERE WE GO!

Act 1: It would pick up immediately after the final events of the first season. Vi immediately finds herself "forced" to join Caitlyn and the Enforcers. It’s a natural progression for the character, considering what happened. Vi values herself as someone who protects those she loves. She always has been this way, so when she feels like she failed Jinx, she moves on to protect Cait. I believe, for her, it’s also a way to protect Zaun, which must fall into chaos with the power vacuum left by Silco. In this act we’d see Vi and Caitlyn grow even closer, but with so many close calls that we would die a little, because neither of them is exactly what the other needs. Both Caitlyn and Vi, in the inside, are actualy drifting away from what they initially liked in each other. Yes, it’s going to be quite painful to watch, but hey! It’s going to get worse :)

I believe the end of this act will be a confrontation between Jinx and Vi. And here, my friends, we see the downfall, because I still believe Vi won’t be able to finish off Jinx, and this will be a double failure in Vi’s "protector" nature. This will lead her to distance herself from Cait and the Enforcers, but by this point, Vi has nowhere to return to, because Zaun no longer accepts her. She has become a traitor, remember? Enter Dark Vi! At the end of this act, there will be ANOTHER breakup between Vi and Cait (without them even having started dating yet! These lesbians) and this will also push Cait to take more drastic actions, alongside Mel’s mother.

Act 2: It would start with Vi at her lowest point (I’m not looking at her arms, you are!) I believe this is also when Jinx becomes a symbol of resistance, as a response to the increasing pressure applied by Caitlyn and Medarda. As things get politically terrible, Vi continues to lose her sense of self. That’s why she drinks so much and why the ex-enforcer takes her to those underground fights. She keeps hallucinating about Caitlyn because, again, she feels like she’s failed. She couldn’t help Caitlyn because she couldn’t stop protecting Jinx. For her, this whole situation is lose-lose. Seeing Caitlyn drift further from who she truly is also deeply affects Vi.

I’ve always admired Caitlyn’s character for her rationality and compassion. She’s smart, determined, focused, but sweet (like a Cupcake). Seeing someone you care about lose that side of themselves because of your own sister… Yeah, I’d be drinking too. This would explain why Vi hallucinates about the Caitlyn from the first season. At the same time, with Jinx being exalted as a symbol, Vi sees exactly what she’s lost: the sister who was supposed to grow up and help Zaun. Everyone viewing Jinx this way, when she definitely ISN’T like that anymore, is like rubbing salt in the wound.

I believe Vi’s downfall will take up an entire episode. Two things could happen to end Dark Vi. Jinx, as we see her watching the fights and even betting on Vi. (Same Symbol)

Yep, in the new images, Vi isn’t hallucinating about Jinx, only about Cait. Jinx is going to watch Vi spiraling and I think she’s going to HATE it. I do believe Jinx has changed, but I think she still prefers to see Vi distant but doing okay, rather than close and falling apart. I think this would be an interesting trait for Jinx. Now, throwing in a wild guess: I think Jinx herself is going to seek out Caitlyn. Cait, by the way, is likely spiraling too, but unlike Vi, she has other ways to self-destruct (work).

So, my theory for the end of Act 2 is that Jinx is going to show Cait the state Vi’s in and say, “Look at this disaster lesbian!” This will lead to a really sweet moment where Cait finally reconnects with her compassionate side—caring about others' pain, not just her own (get ready to cry here. If this really happens, I want ALL of it! From tending to Vi’s wounds and alcoholism to a heart-wrenching confession in the middle).

HOWEVER, I don’t think Cait’s return will be the only catalyst. Here’s where the battle with Warwick comes in! Wouldn’t it be tragic if Vander, once again, is responsible for making Vi rediscover her value as the protector of those she loves? Because I think that’s exactly what’s going to happen—fighting this version of Vander will be the final nail in the coffin for Dark Vi. Oh, Vander, helping Vi even now.

Act 3: We’ll finally have Vi and Cait on the same page (you know that sex scene? Probably here, and I think it’s going to lean more towards sweet than sexy. Something tasteful, definitely).

Vi will be an Enforcer, but not to hunt Jinx—rather, to help Zaun and protect everyone, including Piltover, from Empress Medarda’s grip. After all, with Cait no longer obsessed with taking down Jinx, Medarda’s influence over Caitlyn will come to an end. The only leverage Medarda has over Cait is her anger, and when that’s no longer in play, Cait’s rational side kicks back in. She’ll realize that for Medarda, it was never about justice—it was about Hextech. This realization will be what unites everyone: Zaun and Piltover will come together, fighting against Medarda.

Oil and Walter.

As for Cait, there are definitely some missing pieces. Just as Vi has Warwick, Cait is going to have something beyond Jinx/Vi. But since there’s so little information about the other characters, it’s hard to say who. There’s bound to be something more than just the power of love. What’s important is that during the third act, we’ll already have Cait and Vi as Piltover’s Finest! In those perfect black uniforms.

Well, that's basically it! See you in November, when Arcane becomes my entire personality!

#piltover's finest #caitlyn kiramman #Cait #vi arcane #Vi #jinx arcane #Jinx #arcane league of legends #caitlyn arcane #Caitlyn #vi x caitlyn #just a guess #why is november so far?#Arcane #arcane season 2

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hannahwdraws · 5 months ago

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Oooooh i'm going crazy. Dragon Age Veilguard!!! Inquisition is my favorite game (don't @ me) of all time. That solavellan romance altered my brain chemistry because i have pages and pages of notes on Valynia as a character. Truly obsessed with the whole game and SO EXCITED for her to be back in WHATEVER CAPACITY it is. And if its bad shut up don't worry I can escape to my mind palace

These are sketches done since June 12th, after we got that gameplay trailer SHOWING THAT EGG!!! Edit::// putting my image descriptions under a cut //wet eyelid wink sfx

Valynia Lavellan hair through the ages. Yet another long haired elf gal, I know. But that's how I like to play most characters!! She was very proud of her intricate braids that would keep her hair tidy. Post trespasser, it was too much hair for her to manage with one hand. There was a deep depressive episode post trespasser where her hair got tangled and matted, requiring intervention from the other companions. She cried while it was cut, sobbing that Solas used to love her hair. Very Cersei Lannister coded. She had to keep it cropped close until she was able to control her prosthetic arm/generate a spirit hand with enough fine motor skills to braid again. Having got confirmation Veilguard is 9 years after trespasser, she has had enough time to grow it out again! She doesn't braid it as intricately anymore, leaving it half down, and her hair hasn't been able to grow back as long.

A shorter hair Lavellan, when she was in the process of growing it out. She's grown more somber and a little jaded playing the part of The Herald. She feels she needs to keep on the mantle to keep people in power in her support, but knows it makes it easier for Solas to turn elves against her, claiming she is a traitor to her own people.

A portrait taken soon after the Exalted Council.

God I have so many ideas and wants for a cool magical prosthetic!! Valynia was a knight enchanter so it makes sense to me that if she can channel a spirit blade, she should be able to channel a spirit ARM (for a short time). And I believe Dagna would absolutely be able to make her an enchanted prosthetic that when powered by magic, can articulate.

and 6. Man i DON'T WANT IT TO GO THIS WAY but its hard not to think of some good painful dialogue of these two idiots meeting again. I sure hope they can kiss and make up <:v Mentioned above: Valynia knows she can easily be painted as a traitor and a villain to other elves, which is why she's so bitter about the poetic irony that they'd flock to Solas, who was constantly defaming modern day elves.

WELL THAT'S it for now but there will probably be more!! BRB while i replay Origins and DA:2!!!!!!

#DRAGON AGE #dragon age lavellan #dragon age: the veilguard #dragon age: inquisition #da:i #dragon age solas #solas #solavellan #solavellen hell

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youremyheaven · 1 year ago

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butterfly motif 🦋& vedic astrology

ive wanted to exclusively dedicate a post towards the use of the butterfly motif in pop culture, so here it is!! i think butterflies have had a re-emergence in fashion in the last few years and im here for it!!

🦋 as i've mentioned in many other posts, the nakshatras closely tied to using this motif repeatedly are the pisces rashi nakshatras of ubp and revati along with punarvasu nakshatra.

Revati moon, Rihanna wearing butterfly eye lashes.

Venus exalts in Pisces and ive noticed that these natives are often drawn to Venusian aesthetics and imagery.

Rihanna at a Savage x Fenty show. You cannot tell me this isn't reminiscent of the Birth of Venus and the colour scheme is super Venus coded as well.

UBP sun Lady Gaga wearing butterfly face paint. she has often gravitated towards this motif over the years.

here she is in a blue butterfly dress

idk about you but when i see wings, i think butterfly 🦋. hence why this look is here 🤭😌

yet another lady gaga butterfly lewk

2. bella hadid for Swarovski. bella has ketu in ubp and girlie is obsessed with butterflies 😍

3. kendall jenner, ubp moon wearing a butterfly print dress

4. emrata, also ubp moon wearing a butterfly print dress

5. urfi javed, an indian entertainer who has ubp ketu wearing an outfit with a butterfly motif

6. dua lipa, punarvasu moon and known for her butterfly obsession wearing a blumarine butterfly head to toe lewk

7.brie larson ubp asc wearing a winged dress

8. sarah jessica parker is ubp sun & venus with revati mercury atmakaraka and this is a vvv iconic look from sex and the city

9.bella hadid had an nft thingie and the teaser(?) for it depicted her as a cyborg in a pool of water with butterflies. couldn't get more pisces coded than that tbh

10. queen latifah, ubp sun with those butterfly tats. ive noticed a lot of pisces girlies specifically choosing blue butterflies over any other type👀

11. halsey, punarvasu moon and has a butterfly tattoo!!

12. mariah carey, i mean we all know the OG iconic butterfly top moment but here's an underrated lewk from this punarvasu queen who also has an album titled Butterfly

she also has a perfume line called Lollipop Bling that's packaged like this:

13. Kendrick Lamar's to pimp a butterfly

he has mercury and mars in punarvasu. jup in revati atmakaraka and ubp rahu. lamar has implied that the title alludes to the nature of celebrity and how something free spirited and beautiful can be so violently controlled. again, VERY pisces coded.

14. brand new eyes by paramore

hayley williams, who is the lead singer has revati mars amatyakaraka.

15. dolly parton has a very very famous song called love is like a butterfly, she has punarvasu mars conjunct saturn. look at the lyrics of the song, only a cancer girlie would go so soft like this 🥺

Love is like a butterfly

As soft and gentle as a sigh

The multicolored moods of love are like its satin wings

Love makes your heart feel strange inside

It flutters like soft wings in flight

Love is like a butterfly, a rare and gentle thing

Dolly also has a perfume called "Tennessee Sunset" and its packaged like this:

16. alexander mcqueen, the fashion designer had ubp sun and used lots of winged imagery in his work

17. vincent van gogh, revati sun ubp venus and mars and punarvasu rising has a series of paintings called butterflies. i personally associate whimsical art with both pisces rashi and punarvasu. ill make another post some day but the impressionist movement and even the surrealist movement were vvv influenced by these two placements.

18. Papillon 1973

its based on the true story of henri charriere, who is played by steve mcqueen in the movie. not only is the movie called papillon (french for butterfly) the character also has a butterfly chest tattoo and steve mqueen has ubp sun, revati venus atmakaraka and punarvasu rising

19. silence of the lambs<3

one of the most iconic movie posters of all time features a moth. this moth also plays a key role in the movie and is a major motif.

the book on which the movie was based was written by thomas harris, who has a revati stellium (sun, jupiter & ketu)

20. SPOILER ALERT!!

in the movie corpse bride, the titular character dissolves into a bunch of butterflies at the end of the movie

corpse bride is played by helena bonham carter who has ubp saturn and ketu in revati

21. Kali Uchis, punarvasu sun often uses butterfly imagery

This photoshoot was conceptualised and shot by the South Korean photographer Choi Gi Seok who has purvabhadrapada moon (0 degrees pisces)

His work heavily features butterfly imagery ;

XxxxxxX

my own take is that, since pisces is the final rashi and the point of "absolution" it represents the end of chrysalis, when all elements have come together to create transformation; in pisces there is nothing left to do, but seek liberation from these cycles (its purpose is moksha,after all) and dissolve entirely into the cosmic ocean.

a butterfly is a beautiful symbol, representing not only the death of the creature that inhabited the cocoon but also reminding us that that death is necessary because only then can something as beautiful as a butterfly emerge from within that womb. the womb is the source of creation but you're not meant to stay there forever, that's not just stagnancy, that's death. birth is a painful process because you're leaving behind the only place you've ever known but you have no other option so you must be brave enough to face it.

this brings us to the connection of punarvasu nakshatra to butterflies. punarvasu's deity is goddess Aditi who is creation itself; she is the cosmic mother, she created this universe. in pisces, you seek liberation from the cycles of life but in punarvasu, life, the universe, creation itself takes place. thus it represents the butterfly emerging from the cocoon to claim its identity as a butterfly because the life it led before that was a non-life, it wasn't yet a butterfly, it was a non-being. goddess Aditi embodies infinite space and primordial vastness. what better way to represent the cosmic abundance than with a symbol like a butterfly? 🦋you cannot ask who created you because you are your own creation

“Once upon a time, I dreamt I was a butterfly, fluttering hither and thither, to all intents and purposes a butterfly. I was conscious only of my happiness as a butterfly, unaware that I was myself. Soon I awaked, and there I was, veritably myself again. Now I do not know whether I was then a man dreaming I was a butterfly, or whether I am now a butterfly, dreaming I am a man.”- Zhuangzi

xxxxxxx

that's it for now but i'll keep updating as i find more examples💛i hope this was interesting<3

#vedic astrology #astrology notes #sidereal astrology #vedic astro notes #nakshatras #astrology observations #astro notes #butterfly #butterflycore #astroblr #astro beauty #astro community #astrology #butterflies #monarch butterfly

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naisaspalace · 5 months ago

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Vedic Astrology 101 p2

Basic explanation of the houses, rulership and signification and how to read the chart (or interpret it on a basic level).

Introduction:

after explaining a little of the signs and the planets now i will attempt to introduce the houses, the rulerships and their respective significators.

i will bring the nakshatras in the next part.

click here for part one, if you wish to read it :).

The chart:

The Vedic / sideral chart has a different form of layout and from now on we will have two "designs", one is the northern form (the left side) and the southern form (the right side)

The Northern format uses triangles, the kendras (1,4,7,10) are in the middle. the difference is that the houses are fixed but not the sign

and on the southern side, the chart houses are not fixed but the signs are fixed. (picture below).

there is no "right" chart format to choose from, you can use which one is easier for you to understand, I myself use the northern chart and I will be using them for further explanations if I find them necessary but on a solid basic level, those are the charts formats.

and you can see the chart, as a circle if you wish, by using other websites like astro or astroseek which showcase the charts using a circle format independent of the system you choose to use.

The houses

classifications:

The Kendras (or Quadrants): Houses I, 4, 7 and I 0. These are highly significant houses. The Panapharas (or Successant Houses): Houses 2, 5, 8 and II. The Apoklimas (or Cadent Houses): Houses 3, 6, 9 and 12. The Trikonas (or Trines): Houses I, 5 and 9. These are highly auspicious and, along with the Kendras, determine the health, wealth, status, dignity, rise and virtue of a native. The lagna, being both a kendra and a trikona, is the most significant of all houses. The Upachayas: Houses 3, 6, 10 and II. These houses indicate struggle, competition and material achievement. The Trika Houses: Houses 6, 8 and 12. These are considered bad houses (Duhsthanas). They indicate debt, disease, loss and misery. The Ayu-sthanas (or houses of longevity) : Houses 8 and 3 (8th from the 8th). They indicate the length of life and, therefore, also the death. The Maraka-sthanas (or killer houses): Houses 2 and 7. The two halves of a horoscope: (a) Houses I to 7 indicate the invisible half and houses 7 to I indicate the visible half of the horoscope. (b) Houses 10 to 4 indicate the eastern half and houses 4 to 10 indicate the western half of the horoscope.

first house or the lagna (ascendant).

represents your body's health and appearance, character, and strength (psychical).

ruled by mars ,house of, aries, sun is the significator of the first house as it also signifies the self and the house where the sun exalts.

the second: money earned and material goods as well as the face appearance and the voice and throat.

ruled by venus, house of taurus, jupiter is the significator because is related to accumulated wealth, financial assets and speech.

the third: nervous system, siblings, short trips, communication style

ruled by mercury, house of gemini, mars is the significator because the third house is related to courage and mental ability.

the fourth: mother, emotions, family, home, origins, heredity, and ancestry.

ruled by the moon, house of cancer, moon is the significator

the fifth: love matters, pleasure, leisure, children, ego, artistic skills and intelligence.

ruled by the sun, house of leo, Jupiter again because the fifth house is related to children, education, intelligence, entertainment, cinema and drama.

the sixth: everyday life, daily work and colleagues, co-workers,health, and house of open enemies.

ruled by mercury, house of virgo, significator of the 6th House are Mars and Saturn because the sixth house is related to diseases, enemies & litigations.

the seventh: unions, marriage, other people, associations, and contracts.

ruled by venus, house of libra, venus is the significator.

the eighth: debts and crises, transformations, death, financial investments, and sexuality.

ruled by mars, house of scorpio, is Saturn because the eight house is related to longevity, joint assets of husband and wife, inlaws and their family, death and rebirth, fall and rise, occult sciences, dark knowledge, hidden things and secret affairs.

the ninth: travels, abstract and higher concepts, spirituality, and foreign matters.

ruled by jupiter, house of Sagittarius, the significators are Sun and Jupiter because the ninth house is related to long distance travels, higher education, gurus and luck in life.

the tenth: social success, professional destiny, karma, and reputation.

ruled by saturn, house of capricorn, the significator is Jupiter because the eleventh house is related to gains, profits from all sources, professional networks, friends and family wealth.

the eleventh: friends, social networks, ongs, earned gains.

ruled by saturn, house of aquarius, the significators are and the twelfth: enemies, difficulties, solitude, hidden ordeals, secrets, dissolution, subconscious, spirit guides and imagination.

ruled by jupiter, house of pisces, the significators are Saturn and Jupiter because the 12th house is related to jails, hospitals, asylums, spirituality, spiritual donations, foreign lands, imagination and the subconscious mind.

obs1: the lord of the lagna is called the lagnesh

obs2: rahu and ketu rule no house, but that depends on the author/teacher because rahu co-rules aquarius so he to some people also rules the 11th, and the same for ketu who co-rules scorpio (8th).

The end (please read)

just like the first part this was short as well, because this website has a character limiter but, i hoped i explained well enough and helped someone to understand the basics of the houses better.

for the next parts i will tell about the nakshatras and will bring charts to teach how to read on a basic level. thank you for reading <3

readings are open. click here for contact info. and please leave feedback and suggestions of posts if you desire too.

#vedic astrology #vedic astro notes #vedic astrology notes #jupiter #moon #saturn #mercury #sun #venus #vedicastrology #astrology #rahu #ketu #sideral #vedic #astrology101

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shiftingpath · 11 months ago

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Exalted Secret Santa, 15th Edition

Hello friends!

It's that time again; time to come together over the winter season to make some art of each other's amazing Exalted characters. If you're an artist in the Exalted fandom, here's what you'll need to participate:

1) A working tumblr account. RSVP to me in an ask, message, reply to this post, confirmation in the reblog tags, etc. so I will know to add you to the list. If you submit under a new handle but have participated before, or if your tumblr name has changed, please note the name of the account you will be posting with for the exchange. I like to make sure repeat participants get different assignments and gifts every year; if you have changed names please just remind me a little, so I can ensure you don't get paired with the same person twice.

2) Post a journal to tumblr by December 10th with the descriptions of the character you would like drawn. Include two or three if you have them to give the person drawing for you more options. Please provide all the physical and relevant details needed to draw the character, and provide a reference picture if at all possible. (A piece of your own art, a commission, a play-by picture, etc.)

Also, if you have any strong aversions or phobias that might be important for a stranger drawing your character, please note that in the journal. (For example: “Silent Vortex of the Storm’s left eye is brilliant white-blue like her anima, but her right eye is lost and that side of her face scarred badly. She always wears her eyepatch and a close-fitting hood. (I’d prefer not to see any graphic eye trauma.)”

Just try to make it as easy as possible for your gifter to draw your character!

Tag your journal with #exalted or #exalted secret santa so I can find it (or message me with a link). Once all the journals are up, I’ll make a post compiling the links to them all so they’re easy to find. I will also send you a message through asks or messages with the name of the person you are assigned to draw for. Please try to get your journal up by the 10th so your gifter will have plenty of time to draw for you.

2) Check your messages or ask box for your assignment. I will have this to you on December 11th if at all possible. Let me know if you’re planning to be unavailable for any major length of time just in case I need to get ahold of you for further details. If you have an emergency and cannot finish the trade in time (for example, your tablet or scanner breaks), let me know asap so I can arrange a replacement. Thank you!

3) Submit a piece of finished artwork by January 14th. Please tag your submission with the secret santa tag and your giftee’s name if you wish, or I can notify them once it’s up. When all the gifts are posted, I’ll compile them into a single post so we can all get a good look at them.

Let me know by December 10th and I will have your assignments to you within 24 hours if at all possible. Feel free to message me at any time with any questions.

Sorry, I do not accept writing or mechanics submissions for this Secret Santa (though you are welcome to accompany your picture with some text, and of course welcome to host a writing exchange of your own!)

Happy Calibration,

-Path.

#exalted #exalted secret santa

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troutfur · 4 months ago

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In a previous post I talked about how expanding the Daylight Gathering into being a bona fide Olympics-like (specifically Ancient Greek Olympics-like) event is a good fit for WC. And given the Paris Olympics are going on right now I thought I'd talk a bit more about what that'd look like.

SO!

First off let's talk about Olympiads, the cycle of games and calendar system of Hellenistic to late antique period Greece. The Olympic Games proper, like the modern Olympics, happened once every four years on the first (or sometimes second) full moon after the Summer solstice. This created periods known as Olympiads which were very useful for placing any event in history that happened after the mythical first Olympics in 776 B.C. Thus from the first full moon after the Summer of 776 B.C. to the first full moon after Summer of 775 B.C. was Olympiad 1 Year 1, from the first full moon after the Summer solstice of 775 B.C. to the first full moon after the Summer solstice of 774 B.C. was Olympiad 1 Year 2 and so on until the games happened again when it'd be Olympiad 2 Year 1.

The Olympics weren't, however the only important games welcoming competitors from all the Greek city states and kingdoms. Throughout Greek history there were three other prestigious games held in cities other than Olympia that were established, the Nemean Games in Nemea happening on year 2 of each olympiad, the Pythian Games in Delphi happening on year 3 of each olympiad, and the Isthmia in Isthmia happening on year 4 of each olympiad.

Translating this to WC this suggests a dating system based on the Daylight Gathering seen in The Sight. This makes sense particularly that one was a celebration of the first Newleaf of the Clans at the lake which would be huge for Clan history. Thus that would be Olympiad (Lake-ad?) 1 Year 1.

This also suggests rather than events being held on all territories that ThunderClan, ShadowClan, WindClan, and RiverClan would trade off hosting duties. (Although perhaps that could be a change introduced in subsequent games.) However, this also leaves SkyClan in an awkward spot. They could be incorporated into the cycle by making olympiads 5 year cycles, but other possibilities include just getting skipped (in which case they could just ignore the Daylight Gathering altogether) or even host a Winter Olympics type event (in which they necessarily have to step on the toes of another Clan's year which could be a fun conflict of petty politics).

Another aspect of the Ancient Olympics I really think would really enhance WC is the composing of epinikions. An epinikion, or victory ode, is an Ancient Greek genre of poetry written to exalt military or athletic victories. A lot of Olympic victors commissioned poets to immortalize their victories like this and these are rich sources to learn about the mythology of the games and what they were like.

I personally like the idea that epinikions would actually be a huge part of Clan culture, with poetry being a main hobby a Clan cat could take up. I would even make it a competition at the event. Suppose on the last day of the games there was a competition to write the best poem honoring a victor of the games (that's not yourself, of course, that'd be crass). It would make for a good send-off and acknowledgement of the victors as well as an opportunity to give less physically-oriented characters a chance to shine.

(Incidentally for a fic I am intending to write I am planning on Fernsong to be named for this. His name more accurately translates to Fernepinikion, in recognition of having won this event with a poem honoring an athletic victory of his sister Hollytuft. And yes, he did use this poetic ability to win over Ivypool.)

#warrior cats #wc #warrior cats au #worldbuilding

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nirikeehan · 4 months ago

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wip wednesday??

okay I haven't done this in a thousand years but @theluckywizard tagged me... and I recently went insane after playing the game Road 96 and decided I needed to write a 12k long deep dive on the character Jarod.

...If you know, you know.

Anyway, it's called A Small Victorious War and the first chapter is already on AO3. Here is a bit from chapter 2, where he's looking for his missing teenage daughter, Lola, after she ran away to join a terrorist group.

---

He made a few calls and knocked on a few doors. He learned Mr. Winters had also left town, which set the familiar fury simmering in his gut. A group of these Brigade members were headed deep into the south, in Petria’s vast desert region. Aside from the oil fields, the area was mostly undeveloped, which meant they would be difficult to track.

And then there was the note. Please don’t look for me. He’d pursued people who didn’t want to be found before, and the rocks one had to overturn were usually unpleasant for everyone involved. He’d walked away from some of those with regrets.

“This is our daughter, Jarod,” Maria said over the phone. “It’s different. How could you not want her home safe?”

He didn’t say they should respect her wishes, exactly. He was less articulate, angrier, perhaps a bit accusatory about why Lola might choose to run away from her mother’s residence, where she spent most of her time.

“Don’t you dare try to blame me for this,” his ex-wife said. “She’s sixteen years old. She’s too young to know what’s in her own best interest. You were always too easy on her. You let her do whatever she wanted, and look what’s happened.”

Jarod hung up on her then, because otherwise he would start screaming. No, he never would have encouraged Lola to join a terrorist group. But he had, looking back on it, encouraged her to think for herself, which was maybe just as bad.

He imagined finding whatever compound the Brigades had taken her to, and dragging her out by the arm, kicking up dust as they went, the hatred bright in her eyes. I’ll never forgive you, she spat, and wrenched away from him when he got her into the cab, his fingerprints on her skin already beginning to bruise. It was this image he couldn’t shake, no matter how hard he tried. And he remembered how passionate she was about the idea that conditions in Petria could improve. She truly seemed to think it possible.

So he stopped looking.

His apartment was quiet that summer, and so was he, saying little more than the rote script required of him in his daily life. So where we headed today with Happy Taxi? And when Maria called he would tell her he’d let her know if he made any progress and she would ask him if he was drunk, and he would hang up again, angry, because his speech wasn’t that slurred.

Then, as summer melted into September, he received mail from Lola.

He called Maria immediately, the words blurring on the page, his mind racing too fast to properly absorb them. “I got the letter,” he said when she picked up, to which Maria said, “What letter?” and Jarod became very quiet.

Lola had, apparently, only written to him.

He had assumed that Lola would, as a matter of course, write to both parents. As he stood there, at the side table by the door of his apartment, reading the letter by the light of the streetlamp outside, he tried to ascertain why it was him she chose. He gripped the phone tighter in his hand and breathed slowly.

“She’s all right,” he said, because at least that much seemed accurate.

“Where is she?” Maria demanded. “Is she coming home?”

“Doesn’t say,” he said. The letter was dated the fifth of September, postmarked the sixth. Today was the eighth, meaning it must have been mailed somewhere within a hundred miles, to be delivered with such swiftness. So she was likely back in the north. The return address was a P.O. Box, but listed a town he didn’t recognize and suspected to be fabricated.

“Jarod, what does it say?” Maria asked.

A few other things, including something “big” that would “change everything” in four days. Given the date on the letter, that meant tomorrow. This was, he suspected, why she wrote to him and not her mother. The promise of results. That her actions weren’t only frivolity. That she’d been right that day in his living room, grasping his arm, full of fervent hope.

And she’d also signed it, in her signature way, All my love, except it was encased in a word bubble and spoken by a cartoon dinosaur that she had drawn, which made him think perhaps she had forgiven him for the plastic dinosaur incident. He wanted desperately to write her back and tell her it wasn’t too late, that she could still walk away from this, still go to university and study paleontology, he would help her, he would do anything.

“She says she loves us,” Jarod lied, “and that she’ll be in touch again soon.”

#wip wednesday #road 96 #jarod road 96 #road 96 fanfic #road 96 spoilers #i guess??#of course this is the character i became unwell about #jarod belongs in the sewer with samson #but i love a good tragic villain origin story #dude literally gave me nightmares and yet here i am #typical

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grandmother-goblin · 1 year ago

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Some thoughts about Astarion and romantic relationships because why the hell not!

As always, these are my opinions! My experiences color my interpretation just like your experiences color yours! Not here to fight, just here to talk about a character I like because I’m a huge geek.

1. After all he did whilst under the influence of Cazador, I strongly believe that he doesn’t really want sex or romance without a genuine connection with the other person.

2. This is why the potential scene with the drow twins makes me feel a little bad for him. I think if Astarion agrees to it, it’s mostly for Tav’s sake and not because he really wants to. But he does want to make Tav happy. And I think Tav, in that case, is a bit selfish for asking that of him.

3. Or! If Astarion agrees to the thing with the drow twins, it might just be because he doesn’t know how to say no or he’s falling back into old habits.

3. Or! Lastly, maybe he does genuinely want to try it! And then he gets there and is like “oh…. Oh no… Well, I’m committed now.” While I can see this being possible, I find it a little difficult to wrap my head around why he would want to try it in the first place. Because he’s essentially just using his body for people again. One of those people is Tav, who he cares about, but he doesn’t know the drow from the gnome two blocks down. (This is probably just a me thing. I’m sure him wanting to try would make total sense to some people and that’s valid! My little pea brain doesn’t totally get it though lol)

5. All that being said, I think Astarion is perfectly capable of being in a healthy polyamorous relationship in certain scenarios! But it would depend a lot on his current mental state, where he is in terms of healing from his trauma, and how secure he feels in his relationship. I’ll use Halsin as an example because that’s a possibility in game.

6. Case 1: Astarion and Tav are in a secure relationship and Tav wants to hook up with Halsin (just sex). Astarion, I think, would be okay with that provided that he feels confident/secure in his relationship with Tav. Far be it from him to keep Tav from a good time! No pressure for his involvement beside his permission.

7. Case 2: Astarion and Tav are in a secure relationship and both of them are emotionally close with Halsin. I think Astarion would be totally chill with polyamory in this case. Him and Tav want the same thing and he doesn’t have to worry about Halsin stealing Tav away.

8. Case 3: Astarion and Tav are in a secure relationship, and Tav wants a threesome with him and Halsin. Unless Astarion is already close with Halsin, I feel like he would be less okay with this. It would be similar to (2) on the list where Astarion is mostly just trying to make Tav happy.

9. Last headcanon and one that I know not everyone will agree with: Astarion is a possessive bastard.

10. Astarion went so long without having anything to call his own, not even his own body, so I think that when he’s in a relationship that Tav is his. He can share Tav if he wants to, but at the end of the day he has to know that he is Tav’s first choice.

11. This is where polyamory would probably get messy with him. I think that he would need to be Tav’s favorite. If Tav seemed to be liking their partner just as much as they liked Astarion, I think Astarion would get really jealous and insecure really fast.

12. My personal favorite scenario for Astarion is a monogamous relationship (this is not everyone’s favorite scenario! That is okay! I’m not fighting you!) The reason why this is my favorite because I think this is ultimately what Astarion would feel most comfortable with. It leaves less room for doubt, insecurity, jealousy, etc (I am fully aware these pop up in monogamous relationships as well. I am not exalting monogamous relationships here. I personally just think that would be the most comfortable situation for this particular character. Your opinions may differ and that’s fine!)

I can probably talk about this more, but that’s all I’m gonna say for now! Again, absolutely not judging or calling out anyone who thinks differently. You do you! I’m just throwing thoughts around like confetti because why not?

#bg3 #baldur's gate 3 #astarion #grandmother goblin grumbles

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bracketsoffear · 3 months ago

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Vast Leitner Reading List

The full list of submissions for the Vast Leitner bracket. Bold titles are ones which were accepted to appear in the bracket. Synopses and propaganda can be found below the cut. Be warned, however, that these may contain spoilers!

Abedi, Isabel: Forbidden World Adams, Douglas: The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Asimov, Isaac: Nightfall

Borges, Jorge Luis: El Aleph Bradbury, Ray: Kaleidoscope Bradbury, Ray: No Particular Night or Morning

Caine, Rachel: Weather Wardens Clarke, Arthur C.: Maelstrom II Clarke, Susanna: Piranesi Coates, Darcy: From Below Coleridge, Samuel Taylor: The Rime of the Ancient Mariner Curtis, Wardon Allan: The Monster of Lake LaMetrie

Foster, Alan Dean: He

Gardner, Martin: Thang Godwin, Tom: The Nothing Equation Gonzalez, J.F.: Clickers Gorky, Maxim: The Song of the Stormy Petrel Grant, Mira: Into the Drowning Deep

Hawking, Lucy and Stephen: George's Secret Key to the Universe Hardinge, Frances: Deeplight

Inglis, James: Night Watch

King, Stephen: The Jaunt

Lewis, C.S.: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader Liu, Cixin: The Dark Forest (Three Body Problem Book 2) Lovecraft, H.P.: Dagon

Macfarlane, Robert: Underland Marquitz, Tim and Nickolas Sharps, ed.: Kaiju Rising: Age of Monsters Melville, Herman: Moby Dick Mortimore, Jim: Beltempest

North, Claire: The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August

Oesterheld, Héctor Germán: El Eternauta

Poe, Edgar Allen: A Descent into the Maelström Pratchett, Terry and Steven Baxter: The Long Earth series Purser-Hallard, Philip: Of the City of the Saved...

Reed, Robert: An Exaltation of Larks Reisman, Michael: Simon Bloom: The Gravity Keeper

Sanderson, Brandon: Firefight Seuss, Dr.: Horton Hears a Who! Simmons, Dan: The Terror Swift, Jonathan: Gulliver's Travels

Tennyson, Alfred: The Kraken Tolstoy, Leo: War & Peace

Verne, Jules: 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea

Abedi, Isabel: Forbidden World

"Reginald has gained a dangerous power. He can shrink anything he likes. And he wants nothing less than the world's most famous buildings. The originals in miniaturized form, of course. Gradually he builds up a huge landscape in his cellar. But Reginald has overlooked something, or more precisely someone. Otis was locked in the Statue of Liberty and Olivia had fled from the police into the famous Berlin department store KaDeWe, when suddenly at night the buildings shrank. Now the children are the size of a fingernail... While they fight for their lives, chaos breaks out in the world outside: where have the monuments gone? And who has stolen them?" Vast stuff: Otis' fear of heights is a huge plot point and he was born on a plane. While Olivia wants to become a pilot. Many scenes of being in high places and terrified, and focus on being very small in a big world.

Spoilers: This book contains two Djinns one that can change the sizes of things one that can make them small and one that can make them big. But they are running out of magic fuel so staying small is the big fear of the characters.

Adams, Douglas: The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

The series swings wildly between cosmic dread and comedy, from the insignificance of the Earth's destruction to the chaotic results of the Infinite Improbability Drive to the very notion of the Total Perspective Vortex, the story hammers home again and again the infinitesimal nature of our existence in the vastness of the universe.

***

"The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy": Seconds before the Earth is demolished for a galactic freeway, Arthur Dent is saved by Ford Prefect, a researcher for the revised Guide. Together they stick out their thumbs to the stars and begin a wild journey through time and space.

"The Restaurant at the End of the Universe": Facing annihilation at the hands of warmongers is a curious time to crave tea. It could only happen to the cosmically displaced Arthur Dent and his comrades as they hurtle across the galaxy in a desperate search for a place to eat.

"Life, the Universe and Everything": The unhappy inhabitants of planet Krikkit are sick of looking at the night sky- so they plan to destroy it. The universe, that is. Now only five individuals can avert Armageddon: mild-mannered Arthur Dent and his stalwart crew.

"So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish": Back on Earth, Arthur Dent is ready to believe that the past eight years were all just a figment of his stressed-out imagination. But a gift-wrapped fishbowl with a cryptic inscription conspires to thrust him back to reality. So to speak.

"Mostly Harmless": Just when Arthur Dent makes the terrible mistake of starting to enjoy life, all hell breaks loose. Can he save the Earth from total obliteration? Can he save the Guide from a hostile alien takeover? Can he save his daughter from herself?

The incomprehensible vastness of the universe is a theme repeated throughout the 'Trilogy". Notable examples include the guide initially describes Earth as 'harmless", after being stranded there for several years, Ford revises this to "mostly harmless". The Total Perspective Vortex, a machine that extrapolates a model of the entire universe, along with a microscopic dot labeled "you are here" this sense of perspective destroys the victim’s mind.

Asimov, Isaac: Nightfall

Lagash's six suns means an Endless Daytime, except for once every 2,049 years, when five suns set and the only sun left in the hemisphere is eclipsed by the moon. The scientists are trying to prepare civilization and themselves for the upcoming nightfall, but when it does occur, no-one is prepared for the thirty thousand stars that suddenly appear in the night sky. This leads to the far more devastating revelation how tiny and insignificant they are by comparison.

"Aton, somewhere, was crying, whimpering horribly like a terribly frightened child. 'Stars — all the Stars — we didn't know at all. We didn't know anything. We thought six stars in a universe is something the Stars didn't notice is Darkness forever and ever and ever and the walls are breaking in and we didn't know we couldn't know and anything —'"

Borges, Jorge Luis: El Aleph

In Borges' story, the Aleph is a point in space that contains all other points. Anyone who gazes into it can see everything in the universe from every angle simultaneously, without distortion, overlapping, or confusion.

Bradbury, Ray: Kaleidoscope

First published in the October 1949 edition of Thrilling Wonder Stories this describes a scene where a spaceship is hit by a meteor and torn apart – ejecting the crew into space. Each astronaut flies off on his own trajectory, hurtling to his doom. For a time they can all communicate through their helmet comms, but slowly, as the separation becomes millions of miles apart, they wind up as solitary figures, alone with his thoughts.

Bradbury, Ray: No Particular Night or Morning

This story takes place during a long interstellar journey. The destination and purpose of the journey are unclear. There are many men (it seems only men) on a large ship. Among them are friends Hitchcock and Clemens. Hitchcock begins to struggle with the idea that there is anything that exists outside of him, that none of it can be proven to exist. Clemens tries to argue with him until Hitchcock is finally treated by the ship’s psychiatrist with the captain’s knowledge, but to no avail. He finally dons a space-suit and leaves the ship. Over the radio he can be heard muttering about how even his own body does not exist.

At one point, Hitchcock is asked why he wanted to go on this journey in the first place. Was he interested in the stars? In seeing other places? In travel? He responds that “It wasn’t going places. It was being between”

Caine, Rachel: Weather Wardens

A speculative fiction series about the secretive bureaucracy that controls the weather. Consequences of this include severely pissing off Mother Earth, sentient storm fronts, and falling from great heights. Often.

Clarke, Arthur C.: Maelstrom II

This short story revolves around an astronaut named Cliff Leyland drifting in a low orbit around the moon after an accident with his capsule's launch. Much of his time is spent waiting to see if he can be rescued and reunited with his family, or is doomed to crash and die.

Clarke, Susanna: Piranesi

Piranesi lives in a place called the House, a world composed of infinite halls and vestibules lined with statues, no two of which are alike. The upper level of the House is filled with clouds, and the lower level with an ocean, which occasionally surges into the middle level following tidal patterns that Piranesi meticulously tracks. He believes he has always lived in the House, and that there are only fifteen people in the world, all but two of whom are long-dead skeletons. The status that decorate the halls and walls of the House are all gigantic and the halls themself are immense and bigger than what any human would be able to build on their own.

Coates, Darcy: From Below

"No light. No air. No escape. Hundreds of feet beneath the ocean's surface, a graveyard waits... Years ago, the SS Arcadia vanished without a trace during a routine voyage. Though a strange, garbled emergency message was broadcast, neither the ship nor any of its crew could be found. Sixty years later, its wreck has finally been discovered more than three hundred miles from its intended course...a silent graveyard deep beneath the ocean's surface, eagerly waiting for the first sign of life. Cove and her dive team have been granted permission to explore the Arcadia's rusting hull. Their purpose is straightforward: examine the wreck, film everything, and, if possible, uncover how and why the supposedly unsinkable ship vanished. But the Arcadia has not yet had its fill of death, and something dark and hungry watches from below. With limited oxygen and the ship slowly closing in around them, Cove and her team will have to fight their way free of the unspeakable horror now desperate to claim them. Because once they're trapped beneath the ocean's waves, there's no going back."

Coleridge, Samuel Taylor: The Rime of the Ancient Mariner

This epic poem of a sea voyage beautifully encapsulates the horrors of the ocean, from the terrific force of horrific storms and whirlpools to the unsettling infinity of life, both beautiful and strange, that inhabits the depths below. Most of all, however, it shows the horror of being stranded at sea as the ship is becalmed in the doldrums.

"Day after day, day after day, We stuck, nor breath nor motion; As idle as a painted ship Upon a painted ocean. Water, water, every where, And all the boards did shrink; Water, water, every where, Nor any drop to drink. The very deep did rot: Oh Christ! That ever this should be! Yea, slimy things did crawl with legs Upon the slimy sea."

The crew perish one by one, apart from the narrator. He, by killing the albatross, invoked the wrath of the sea. He alone must live on while the others are permitted to escape in death.

Curtis, Wardon Allan: The Monster of Lake LaMetrie

The story of Dr. James McLennegan and his sickly companion Edward Framingham who travel to a lake high up in the Wyoming mountains. When they reach the lake, McLennegan discovers it is home to an Elasmosaurus which attacks him, but he manages to kill it and removes the brain. Shortly afterwards Framingham seemingly commits suicide and McLennegan decides to place Framingham’s brain into the body of the Elasmosaur, as one does. While this works for a bit, the remainder of the story explores the horror of scale as Framingham's inability to adjust to his new size results in him snapping and devouring his now-insignificant former friend.

Foster, Alan Dean: He

A short story detailing an oceanographer's encounter with the last megalodon, a colossal shark that has lived for millions of years. He is feared by all other creatures and the sight of him installs a primal terror in humans.

Gardner, Martin: Thang

https://vintage.failed-dam.org/thang.htm The titular creature is large enough to grasp Earth between two fingers. It clears off all water and ice before chewing the planet, core and all, before it, in turn, is also eaten by a planet-eater eater.

Godwin, Tom: The Nothing Equation

A short story about how being stationed alone in an empty section of space drives a man mad. Like stories about lighthouses, but bigger. Short enough to link a complete ebook.

Gonzalez, J.F.: Clickers

"Phillipsport, Maine is a quaint and peaceful seaside village. But when hundreds of creatures pour out of the ocean and attack, its residents must take up arms to drive the beasts back. They are the Clickers, giant venomous blood-thirsty crabs from the depths of the sea. The only warning to their rampage of dismemberment and death is the terrible clicking of their claws. But these monsters aren't merely here to ravage and pillage. They are being driven onto land by fear. Something is hunting the Clickers. Something ancient and without mercy."

Basically, kaiju crabs invade the land -- because they're fleeing from something even bigger.

Gorky, Maxim: The Song of the Stormy Petrel

"A short poem, text can be found here. It describes the storm, vast and careless masses of water, roaring and ruthless skies, and a mighty storm petrel fearlessly taking on both elements. it even dares the tempest to get more intense, as all other oceanic forms of life (seagulls, grebes, a penguin) hide in horror before the face of the storm. stormy petrel in russian (буревестник), if translated literally, means 'the announcer of the storm'. there is a short old cartoon which depicts how this poem would function as a leitner, although the cartoon is very comedic and lighthearted. unfortunately, i wasn't able to find a version with english subtitles, but i think it would be clear just from the visuals"

Grant, Mira: Into the Drowning Deep

Seven years ago, the Atargatis set off on a voyage to the Mariana Trench to film a “mockumentary” bringing to life ancient sea creatures of legend. It was lost at sea with all hands. Some have called it a hoax; others have called it a maritime tragedy. Now, a new crew has been assembled. But this time they’re not out to entertain. Some seek to validate their life’s work. Some seek the greatest hunt of all. Some seek the truth. But for the ambitious young scientist Victoria Stewart this is a voyage to uncover the fate of the sister she lost. Whatever the truth may be, it will only be found below the waves. But the secrets of the deep come with a price.

Hawking, Lucy and Stephen: George's Secret Key to the Universe

The space aspects of it, as well as the fact that a character gets trapped in a black hole at one point, gives off Vast vibes to me. Synopsis for more info: The main characters in the book are George Greenby, Susan Bellis, Eric Bellis, Annie Bellis, Dr. Reeper, and Cosmos, the world's most powerful computer. Cosmos can draw windows allowing people to look into outer space, as well as doors that act as portals allowing travel into outer space. It starts by describing atoms, stars, planets, and their moons. It then goes on to describe black holes, which remains the topic of focus in the last part of the book. At frequent intervals throughout the book, there are pictures and "fact files" of the different references to universal objects, including a picture of Mars with its moons.

Hardinge, Frances: Deeplight

"In the old days, the islands of the Myriad lived in fear of the gods, great sea monsters that rose up from the Undersea to devour ships and depopulate entire islands. Now, the gods are no more. They tore each other apart in an event known as the Cataclysm. Fragments of their bodies (known as godware) are dredged up and sold. Hark and his best friend Jelt are petty criminals. When they embark on a dangerous scavenging expedition, they stumble across a strange, pulsing piece of godware and things begin to go very, very wrong."

Gods, the ocean depths, and poverty all play into the themes of insignificance in this novel.

Inglis, James: Night Watch

Concerns an interstellar probe which is still functional when our Galaxy is dying. The story ends with the community of probes launched by various races and drawn together by the fact that very few stars are still shining, setting out on the long voyage to a distant and still-young galaxy as the last star of our galaxy burns out behind them.

King, Stephen: The Jaunt

“As a family prepares to be "Jaunted" to Mars in the 24th century, the father entertains his two children by recounting the curious tale of the discovery and history of this crude form of teleportation. He explains how the scientist who serendipitously discovered it quickly learned that it had a disturbing, inexplicable effect on the mice he "sent through"—eventually concluding that they could only survive the "Jaunt effect" while unconscious. That, the father explains, is why all people must undergo general anaesthesia before using the Jaunt.

The father spares his children the gruesome semi-apocryphal account of the first human to be Jaunted awake, a condemned murderer offered a full pardon for agreeing to the experiment. The man "came through" and immediately suffered a massive heart attack, living just long enough to utter a single cryptic phrase: It's eternity in there...

The father also doesn't mention that since that time, roughly thirty people have, voluntarily or otherwise, jaunted while conscious; they either died instantly or emerged insane. One woman was even shoved alive into eternal limbo by her murderous husband, stuck between two jaunt portals. The man was convicted of murder; though his attorneys attempted to argue that he was not guilty on the grounds that his wife was not technically dead, the implications of the same argument served to secure and hasten his execution.

After the father finishes his story, the family is subjected to the sleeping gas and Jaunted to Mars. When the father wakes, he finds that his inquisitive son held his breath in order to experience the Jaunt while conscious…Hair white with shock, corneas yellowed with age, clawing out his own eyes, the boy reveals the terrible nature of the Jaunt: "Longer than you think, Dad! It's longer than you think!"”

Lewis, C.S.: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

"The Dawn Treader is the first ship Narnia has seen in centuries. King Caspian has built it for his voyage to find the seven lords, good men whom his evil uncle Miraz banished when he usurped the throne. The journey takes Edmund, Lucy, and their cousin Eustace to the Eastern Islands, beyond the Silver Sea, toward Aslan's country at the End of the World."

I mean it's a story about trying to get to the end of the world. What's more Vast than that?

Liu, Cixin: The Dark Forest (Three Body Problem Book 2)

I considered other books in the series but this book more than the others deals with the impact of discovering there is other life out in the universe and the distance between worlds as humanity learns an alien fleet is approaching earth at near-light speed. This book is both vast in the scale of the universe but also on a time scale as it covers the 400 years between the fleet’s departure and arrival at earth.

Lovecraft, H.P.: Dagon

Link

The narrator tells of being on a cargo ship that was captured by a German sea-raider in the Pacific. He would eventually escape and drift until he found himself a “black mire”, which was full of rotting fish and more foul stenches. The things that he witnesses in the vast expanse drive him to madness, and eventually he kills himself rather than face the creatures he witnessed there.

Macfarlane, Robert: Underland

A series of essays on "deep time" - that is, viewing the world over timeframes of billions of years, rather than the shorter timeframes we live within & understand. It is essentially the vastness of time. This concept stretches eons into the past and future and is very daunting to read about. The essays all revolve around things underground and often focus on how they're so much larger than us, existing far before us and stretching far beyond.

Also there's a chapter where the author talks about a calving glacier he saw surge upwards hundreds of feet from the sea, unbelievably huge. He recounts how the ice at its base hadn't seen sunlight in eons, and had never even been seen by human eyes, it was so ancient - it then sank underwater again, to once more be hidden. And if that doesn't sound like the origin of a vast avatar idk what does

Marquitz, Tim and Nickolas Sharps, ed.: Kaiju Rising: Age of Monsters

From the forward: "Enter Kaiju Rising: Age of Monsters. This collection of Kaiju shorts continues the traditions begun by Kaiju pioneers, bringing tales of destruction, hope and morality in the form of giant, city destroying monsters. Even better, the project was funded by Kickstarter, which means you, Dear Reader, made this book possible. And that is a beautiful thing. It means Kaiju, in pop-fiction, are not only alive and well, they’re stomping their way back into the spotlight, where they belong. Featuring amazing artwork, stories from some of the best monster writers around and a publishing team that has impressed me from the beginning, Kaiju Rising: Age of Monsters is a welcome addition to the Kaiju genre and an anthology of epic proportions. My inner nine-year-old is shouting at me to shut-up and let you get to the Kaiju. So, without further delay, let’s all enjoy us some Kaiju Rising."

Notable for the fact the majority of the stories within are downer-ending horror short-stories versus more upbeat monster-fighting ones. Several also tackle concepts of an unstoppable, implacable force, themes of religious horror, and other Vast-aligned concepts.

Melville, Herman: Moby Dick

Okay so Ahab is Hunt, but the thing he's hunting is 1000% Vast. The book is very detailed in its descriptions of the enormity of whales and of the sea. Also, Moby Dick is basically outright stated as being God.

***

We all know what The Whale is about. Ahab has beef with Moby Dick, so he vows to hunt it. This is a particularly intelligent, huge whale that everyone advises to steer clear of, and possibly an allegory of God. The book itself is large, it's 135 chapters and a lot of pages and for some reason mandatory reading in some schools. It's a classic and rightfully so. Trying to read it in one sitting is like trying to hunt the proverbial whale, a foolish endeavor no mortal man should attempt. Infinity is best consumed one day at a time, and so is the book. Otherwise you'll drown in (mostly descriptions of) whales.

***

Man attempts to fight a giant whale that apparently is representative of the unfathomably great and terrible power of nature/fate/God, and thus almost everyone on his crew ends up drowning.

Mortimore, Jim: Beltempest

Synopsis: "The people of Bellania II see their sun, Bel, shrouded in night for a month following an impossible triple eclipse. When Bel is returned to them a younger, brighter, hotter star, it is the beginning of the end for the entire solar system...

100,000 years later, the Doctor and Sam arrive on Bellania IV, where the population is under threat as disaster looms — immense gravitational and dimensional disturbances are surging through this area of space.

While the time travellers attempt to help the survivors and ease the devastation, a religious suicide-cult leader is determined to spread a new religion through Bel's system — and his word may prove even more dangerous than the terrible forces brought into being by the catastrophic changes in the sun... "

Why it's Vast: The main conflict revolves around the massive natural disasters caused by changes to the Bel System's sun. Moons are ripped from their orbits, gravity waves create planetary earthquakes, and the void of space is rocked by solar flares. In response to these unstoppable disasters, a religion springs up in worship of the star -- as Simon Fairchild noted, religion was once a strong vector for the Vast, though it wasn't explored in much depth within the podcast.

North, Claire: The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August

"The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August" is about the titular protagonist Harry August. He is born, he lives, he dies... Except he does this a lot more than most regular people. Harry is a kalachakra (or ouroborus, the names are used interchangeably), a member of a select few people who, upon dying, simply return to when they were born with all the memories and knowledge of their past lives. This is all well and good until, while on the deathbed of his eleventh life, Harry is warned by a little Kalachakra girl that the world is ending, and he must stop it from doing so."

Vast realised in endless lives of the characters stretching before them till infinity. Vast realised in the perfect endless memory of the main character and some others. Vast realised in eternity.

Oesterheld, Héctor Germán: El Eternauta

Juan Salvo, the inimitable protagonist, along with his friend Professor Favalli and the tenacious metal-worker Franco, face what appears to be a nuclear accident, but quickly turns out to be something much bigger than they had imagined. Cold War tensions, aliens of all sizes, space―and time travel―this one has it all.

Poe, Edgar Allen: A Descent into the Maelström

Inspired by the Moskstraumen, it is couched as a story within a story, a tale told at the summit of a mountain climb in Lofoten, Norway. The story is told by an old man who reveals that he only appears old—"You suppose me a very old man," he says, "but I am not. It took less than a single day to change these hairs from a jetty black to white, to weaken my limbs, and to unstring my nerves." The narrator, convinced by the power of the whirlpools he sees in the ocean beyond, is then told of the "old" man's fishing trip with his two brothers a few years ago.

Driven by "the most terrible hurricane that ever came out of the heavens", their ship was caught in the vortex. One brother was pulled into the waves; the other was driven mad by the horror of the spectacle, and drowned as the ship was pulled under. At first the narrator only saw hideous terror in the spectacle. In a moment of revelation, he saw that the Maelström is a beautiful and awesome creation. Observing how objects around him were attracted and pulled into it, he deduced that "the larger the bodies, the more rapid their descent" and that spherical-shaped objects were pulled in the fastest. Unlike his brother, he abandoned ship and held on to a cylindrical barrel until he was saved several hours later when the whirlpool temporarily subsided, and he was rescued by some fishermen. The "old" man tells the story to the narrator without any hope that the narrator will believe it.

Pratchett, Terry and Steven Baxter: The Long Earth series

Blueprints for an easily to build device that allows people to "step" into a nigh infinite series of alternate earths get published online. The series deals with the exploration of these alternate earths, and the way their existence and accessibility changes human society over the next 50 or so years. The earths next to our own are similar to ours except that there are no humans, but further earths diverged from our own earlier in geological history; millions of earths away are worlds where the KT extinctions never happens, billions of earths away there are worlds where jellyfish live in the sky. It's emphasized throughout the books that all of these earth's are entire planets with billions of years of history that no one will ever fully understand because there's just too much space.

Purser-Hallard, Philip: Of the City of the Saved...

It's set in a city where every human or descendant of humanity who has ever lived has been reborn all at once, and the book makes sure you understand the scope of that. To pull out a few statistics, the city is the size of a spiral galaxy and has a population of a hundred undecillion - or 1 followed by 38 zeros. There's a watchtower at the city's centre which is the width of a continent and the height of one astronomical unit (the distance of Earth to the sun), and a city council ampithetre the size of a gas giant. When I think of a book emphasising physical vastness, I think Of the City of the Saved, because it doesn't just gloss over the size and call it incomprehensible, it makes sure you begin to grasp the scale of things. And that every character in the book is just one person on that scale.

Reed, Robert: An Exaltation of Larks

The book shows the heat death of the universe, where the stars have long since burned out, and stellar formation ceased, leaving behind a dark, cold, and empty universe. Time travelers from the end of time have steadily been working their way back to the Big Bang to prevent this gradual death from happening by turning the universe into an effectively Perpetual Motion Machine that expands, contracts, and expands again.

Reisman, Michael: Simon Bloom: The Gravity Keeper

A boy inadvertently discovers the book that controls the laws of physics and learns to play with gravity and velocity, which on multiple occasions results in him taking an uncontrolled fall into the sky.

Sanderson, Brandon: Firefight

This is the second book in The Reckoners Trilogy, which is about the eponymous group hunting Epics--people who were granted superpowers by the mysterious red star Calamity, but also turned evil and destroyed society as we know it.

In this one, the Reckoners go to Babylon Restored, a.k.a NYC. The city was flooded by the hydrokinetic Regalia, killing thousands and leaving the survivors to inhabit the rooftops of the sunken buildings. Regalia has immense control over water, able to manipulate it on both a mass scale and in a more precise way to attack with tentacles and create clones of herself. Most terrifyingly, she can see out of the surface of any exposed water--which means almost nowhere in Babilar is safe from her eyes.

The fact that the city is flooded is especially problematic for protagonist David, who can't swim and discovers he has a fear of drowning--especially after he is nearly executed in this way. To make matters worse, the Reckoners' base of operations is an underwater bunker with a window open to the water. This culminates in him facing his fear in attempt to save his love interest by shooting at the window to get out of the bunker. While Regalia saves him for her own ends, she also reveals something even more grand and incomprehensibly terrifying--Calamity itself is sapient and apparently malicious.

Seuss, Dr.: Horton Hears a Who!

Hey kids! Take a minute to think about what would happen if the whole planet existed on a single speck of dust, and how easily everything you know could be eradicated by complete cosmic accident!

Simmons, Dan: The Terror

Being trapped in the Arctic? Not just in the Arctic but in the middle of an ice sheet on the ocean? With the only land being a 3 day trek away? So all you can see before you is open plains of snow and ice and knowing underneath you is also the cold, uncaring, freezing ocean? That's not even taking into account the monster hunting you and your men is easily the size of 3-4 polar bears

Swift, Jonathan: Gulliver's Travels

Plays a lot with perspective -- Gulliver is a giant on one island, and an ant on another. There's also an island that flies and blots out the sun to conquer the lands below it.

Tennyson, Alfred: The Kraken

Link to the poem

Vivid imagery of deep-sea colossi and the enormous weight of the ocean and eternity.

Tolstoy, Leo: War & Peace

real world leitner - inspires dread and fear in the hearts of millions of russian high schoolers with its enormous page count, oppressively large cast of characters and incomprehensible fragments of french inserted directly into the narrative

Verne, Jules: 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea

Themes of insignificance and descriptions of colossal terrors abound.

#leitner tournament #reading list #vast poll

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