#Board Control

[johnliterblog]

A Guide to Success on the Board

Chess is a timeless game that has captivated minds and challenged strategic thinking for centuries. While the rules of chess are relatively simple, mastering the game requires a deep understanding of chess strategy. Successful chess players not only possess a strong command of tactics and openings but also excel in strategic thinking. In this article, we will explore some key elements of good…

[notbecauseofvictories]

Watching this again, it becomes incredibly clear in s3 that Nate is teaching Parker how to run her own crew. He fully anticipates that she will be his legacy, and more than anyone else---more than Sophie or Hardison, more than Eliot (though I would argue that Eliot never even slightly wanted it)---he is teaching her how to take over, think like he thinks and plan like he plans. He fumbles some of the emotional stuff, never actually tells her explicitly...but by the time you reach s3 he's clearly all-in. He's decided. Parker is going to be Nate 2.0, with different more exciting bugs than the 1.0 version.

[acecroft]

CONTROL 2019

[crazymecjc]

always the pawn in someone else’s game. ♟️

[divvy-div-art]

this was mildly funnier in my head

[hipsternumbertwo]

Inventing Our Own Scrabble Words

[ceescedasticity]

Been reading a lot of Batman fic lately and it's weird to me that— Okay, not that weird. I think I get it, just—

"It is good and empowering for kids/teenagers to go fight bad guys if they feel it's necessary" feels like a significant underlying assumption of much of the source material, like "[these particular kinds of] aliens exist" and "magic is real" and "vigilantism is a good idea". These are things you need to suspend your disbelief about in order to enjoy the source material.

I understand why someone might find the kid heroes thing harder to suspend disbelief on; you can reframe it into a statement applicable to the real world which is a problem if a lot of people believe it ("it's fine to endanger kids/benefit from their labor if they agree to it"). But—

In the setting, "being able to fight bad guys" is often equivalent to "being a person with power and autonomy". In the setting, "It is acceptable for kids/teenagers to go fight bad guys if they feel it's necessary" is equivalent to "kids/teenagers should have power and autonomy". Is this something you want anyone concluding in the real world? No, of course not. But this is fiction.

I don't know, it feels like getting hung up on Aragorn's tax policy, to some extent? Or going to a burger place and complaining the menu is full of burgers?

[cauldron-burn-and-fire-bubble]

alt color (gradient mapped) versions of a few of the pieces from that post earlier this month

[irishmammonagenda]

Your head hits your pillow. Your heavy eyes close, leaving your world in darkness.

Darkness that for a split second turns into the most fiery terrifying pits of hell before being overwritten.

Darkness that brightens up into a luscious garden, one in which a tanned woman is standing, arms crossed.

Her long inky black hair blows softly in the wind at the same rhythm of her softly fluttering garments. She looks familiar in the way of deja vu.

You feel drawn to her, so you walk closer, close enough to be at arm's length.

She slaps you.

"Ow! What was that for?!" You blink, taking a step back.

"That was for being an idiot." The woman shrugs, her lips are the same shape as Lucifer's when he scowls. You shudder. "I mean honestly," She grabs your shoulders and shakes you. "I thought you were smarter than this."

"Smarter than what?" You get out rather shakily seeing as you're being shaken. She sighs and holds her head in her hands, now leaning against a tree.

"Have I taught you nothing? Has all my guidance been for nothing?"

You pause. "....You're Lilith."

She nods, "And you're quite intellectually challenged by the looks of it."

A crow caws in the distance, probably laughing at that one.

"Mean."

"MC."

You turn your attention back to your ancestor and smile innocently. "Yes?"

Lilith grabs you by the shoulders, and you brace yourself, preparing to be shaken again, but you're not. Instead the most beautiful grey eyes look into yours, eyes that held a storm in them. " I don't care if you have pacts with the Seven Avatars Of Sin. I don't care if you have the Demon Prince and Butler wrapped around your finger. Your never ever ever, fuck with an ouija board."

"I was in the Human Realm with my human friends! We got bored and I missed everyone!"

Lilith deadpans. "You have a DDD."

"....Good point?"

"I'm serious MC. As your great times a thousand billionth grandmother, I forbid you from playing with that board again. Even the Wise Sorcerer doesn't use ouija boards! Mostly because the demons in those boards have a restraining order against him....but still."

"So, you're banning me?"

Lilith smirks, "If I even catch wind or even suspect you're using one again. Especially as stupidly as you used the one with your human friends, I'm going to write a letter detailing your exploits and have the breeze blow it atop of both Lucifer and Barbatos' desks."

Your eyes widen in terror. "Are you...blackmailing me?"

"Yes." She smiles.

"God Dammit."

The world fades into black once more, you see glimpses of horrors beyond your comprehension for a split second once more as you feel yourself be shaken awake.

The Avatar of Sloth looks at you sternly, almost as if he was mimicking Lucifer. Jealousy in his gaze. "Care to tell me why your dreams are infested with demons that aren't me?"

He's already in demon form. Damn.

You blink. Those images that flashed for a second was what was supposed to be your dreams? So Lilith took you out of your dreams? So he couldn't see Lilith?

Belphie blinks, holding eye contact with you as he slinks sneakily into your bed beside you. "So who are those guys? Your new dream buddies?" He scoffs, acting more like his older, more envious brother for a moment.

"...I...." You look away from him. "Don't tell Lucifer....but...when I was in the Human Realm....I might've maybe....messed around with some stuff?"

Belphie stretches intertwining your legs with his, "What stuff." It was hardly a question.

"...Ouija boards?"

"You idiot." He says as his tail smacks you, before wrapping around your waist like a shackle.

"...Don't worry, MC." He says in a softer tone, though the sinister look on his face said otherwise, "...I'll flush those bastards out."

"....Thanks Belphie."

He looks at you through half lidded eyes as he rests his chin on your chest. "If you do something stupid like that again while in the Human Realm, I don't think I'll let you leave next time you come back down here."

Belphie smiles as the both of you fall asleep, the low life demons he originally thought were secret boyfriends (he doesn't think straight when he's jealous) but were actually just stupid enough to latch themselves onto you had actually done him a favour. This would be a great thing to bring up to a certain six brothers he had if you ever tried to leave the Devildom for so long again.

[velvetjune]

< We like/tolerate you very much >

— The Board (Control)

[umbramons2]

Crisis/Uh-oh

Watercolors

[avalon-of-babylon]

Made this dumb meme a while ago but never full on posted it so here I guess.

Also I am convinced that The Former offers a literal better benefits package than The Board their entire dynamic just screams "that abusive corporate job you left for a place that doesn't time your bathroom breaks" you feel me?

[cigarrorosapreto]

☣️⚠️: AVISO: COISAS NOJENTAS, E VOCE PODE SER UMA DELAS !

Viu, eu acho que você é uma delas, nojenta e nojenta.

( autocrítica )

[hughmanbean]

Lady Danielle Gotham, nee Phantom

Danny is the Reluctant King Phantom, Essence of Duality, Bringer of Balance, Protector of the Innocent, Victorious Over Plant and Weather Alike, etc. etc.

Dan(te) is the Prince, Cautioning Message, Promonition of Destruction, Wrathful Truth, Experienced Overlord and Conquest, Obsessions Deprived Newly Reborn, etc. etc.

Dani(elle/Ellie) is the Wandering Princess, Widespread Sights, Mirror Turned Painting, and now, most recently, Lady Gotham.

Let's explain.

Ellie has wandered much of their home dimension by now, and even with the Infinite Realms, wants to see an alternate Earth. Clockwork, the doting Grandpa he is, agrees, opening a portal. He says that she can do anything she wants, as long as she doesn't outright obliterate that version. The rest of them see her off, and in she goes.

The first thing she sees is a grave. Though she can't read it, as a woman in black could've been white, so long ago stands in front of it. The woman turns around, and she is

beautiful, shattered, solemn, joyful, mourning, celebrating, ominous, comforting, barely a newly minted town, an old weathered city, and

Tired. So tired. So much has happened, good and bad. She wants to watch her knights grow, to see them flourish. But even a sentient city cannot stay. Too much has changed from before. Too many magics. She has decks of curses, played or kept in her hand, but it is too much. She must reform.

Ellie is approached, and they talk. She's exploring, and this place seems really nice. A bit morbid, perhaps, but nice. Lady Gotham sees potential.

Over a few months they talk, and Lady Gotham gives not only the title, but the very essence of her beloved city to Ellie. She may not reform, and be dispersed. Or she will. But she wants someone to look after it. And Ellie can do that. She's seen so many people and places, understands how complicated it can be, and has a good relationship to the Reluctant King.

Ellie accepts. She's sad to see Lady Gotham go, but knows that nothing can forever. So she decides to check up on Lady Gotham's (who she now is) knights. And those two guys in the sewers. And the other with the bar and birds. And that woman in the catsuit and the assassin one too. All of them, actually. Invisibly, of course. Wouldn't want to do anything stupid.

She also got a cool new outfit! (Created by the essence of Gotham and herself, not that she knows that.) It feels so natural to have it on as she watches. The people she's watching, on the other hand, can feel it. The city's gaze.

Ellie has opinions. I mean, look at Mister Riding Hood! Dirtiest 'plasm she's seen! And the Bat! So many kids! Sewer dudes are actually pretty cool. Fun to hang out with. She's taken to using TVs supplied by Technus and Tucker that she's fed some ecto-essence into to let her watch them. And she's also had small picnics with some of the spirits residing there.

One day, as she's "birdwatching", or just going about her business, they see her. She doesn't notice.

[mail-me-a-snail]

“Don’t want the Board to watch,” Darling explains, not without an edge of embarrassment. “I mean, can you imagine if this --” he gestures to the small space between them-- “showed up on their minutes? I’d be-- mortified , is the word.” Trench stares at him. It takes him a moment to find the coherency to respond. “I’m sure,” he manages to say, “they wouldn’t mind extracurricular activities.”

a scene from my trench/darling fic, "minutes of the meeting" <3 i may not have finished the game yet but i am utterly enamored with darling and trench's dynamic of the bureau's golden child and his handler υ´• ﻌ •`υ

[velvetjune]

the reason why control is one of the best games is because they’ll show you the most gorgeous sequence of the foundation of the oldest house overlapped with the beauty of the world, its oceans, forests, rivers. then the scene will conclude with Ahti saying “did you have piss in your sock” and I think that’s beautiful