#Exploration Group

[tawnysoup]

Learning to accept support

[zan0tix]

My fav agents of the transsexual empire 🫶😁🏳️‍⚧️

I think personally we should draw them as adults getting to fully indulge in their teen fashion aspirations. (see second image) Callies outfit was inspired by paint splotches and embroidery as if she made her outfit herself :) A true artist!

Third is my updated readings. I say "readings" because i believe theres textual evidence for these and its how i interpreted them from my read throughs. (Only jake has the autism symbol because hes the most explicitly disabled coded in text but all of them to me are neurodivergent)

The gender labels are used loosely bc i think each of them has an incredibly unique journey/relationship with their gender that cant be encapsulated in a small set of words, and i do not think any of them would actually fully use labels either.

I am just using these to simplify down my thoughts into something easily digestible LOL MY THOUGHTS ON THEM AND THEIR PARALLELS + MIRRORS + INVERSIONS ARE SUPER COMPLEX i think about them Genuinely Literally Every Day of my Life. theyd have to be saved for a different time </3 but ya alpha kids trans 4EVER howd hussie cram THIS AMOUNT of queerness into these guys.. will never know

[lizzybeeee]

Calling it now:

If there's ever any future installments of Dragon Age there will be no mention of the differentiation between the Dalish or City Elves.

Like in DATV they will simply all be 'elves' and the vallaslin will be reduced to 'cool looking tattoo's that some veil jumpers have' - no mention of the elven pantheon either, because why bother! They're all dead now!

They're all dead and responsible for every lore plot point in Thedas, and there's nothing of mystery or substance left in the world now.

No mention of the culture in the alienage, of the vhenadahl tree, of the horrific racism and systematic abuse the elves have been through...now its just elves. With the way the Veil Jumpers have been set up, and the fact that the elven gods were the enemy in DATV, I find it extremely unlikely that the Dalish will even exist as a group either. Why would they? Their Gods returned and blighted the world - not that the fact is even truly discussed in the game. Elves are just elves, and the notable elves are Veil Jumpers.

Maybe you'll walk in a city, pick up a codex, and get a copy and pasted explanation of history from a DAO codex - a reminder of what we used to have and what BioWare absolutely demolished in their attempt to build a new IP on the bones of Dragon Age. The absolute whiplash in writing, story, and character between DAI and DATV is staggering. How on earth could the studio that made such a gorgeous, rich world of lore surrounding the elves in one game end up utterly bastardizing and reducing it to nothing?

How can you look at a place like the Temple of Mythal and go from those gorgeous golden murals and emerald tiled roofs that reached to the heavens to a place like the Lighthouse? From the Emerald Graves to the ruins of Arlathan - devoid of halls that reach to the heavens and golden murals replaced with stained glass? The entirety of the Trespasser DLC had more character and reverence for what the elven empire once was, and DATV feels as though it's approaching it with the perspective of 'generic elven bullshit with triangles everywhere'. All that unique architecture has been obliterated by adding in World of Warcraft focus crystals and automatons.

How can you go from the atmospheric/environmental storytelling of the Lost Temple of Dirthamen to Solas just blurting everything out? No weight, no double truths or hidden meanings - just blurting it out, getting it said and done with no gravitas? That was Solas' entire thing! People have made threads literally dissecting what Solas says and does not say - now he spits lore out as though it were common, everyday knowledge.

How can anyone justify the sudden emergence of magical automatons everywhere in old elven ruins? As if Dragon Age didn't have a host of enemies/creatures available to use in their stead - or the ability to create something unique to the forest of Arlathan. What happened to the spirit guardians? What happened to the lingering echoes of the elves slaughtered by humans in wars ages past like in DAO? Magic was their very existence - spells taking years or centuries to cast, weaving in and about each other - and you're telling me the ancient elves spent their time creating magical transformers?! It feels/looks so utterly seperate from everything we know of the elves from Dragon Age.

Or look at the Crossroads - listen to how Morrigan speaks of it - the reverence for the past, the misty atmosphere, and the heaviness of this pocket of the world that carries the fading memories of a world and people that no longer exists...now it's reduced to a hub world! People are just popping in and out of it at will!

In Trespasser, the few eluvians that we were available to travel to led to the most lonely, desolate spots of Thedas, which ensured their survival over the past millennia. The mirror in the Deep Roads, the mirror in the ancient stronghold in Ferelden...now they're everywhere!The 'few surviving' eluvians are in every major settlement of Thedas and all are in operating order! More than that, everyone who sees an eluvian knows what it is - this ancient marvel of a world long gone has lost all worth and is reduced to a 'world building' justification for fast travel.

Poor Merrill, slaving for a near decade to try and restore a small sliver of her history, only to have all gravitas and wonder of her discovery utterly made void. All that accomplishment wasted, especially when Bellara can wave her magic omni-tool and fix an eluvian in a matter of hours.

If you took every specific Dragon Age terminology out of the Veilguard and replaced it with generic fantasy bullshit you would never be able to tell the difference. The world of DATV is so divorced from its predecessors its astounding.

[jhonny]

STOP making kakyoin fight time-controlling superbeings, he is SICK of it

(part 1) (part 3)

[7cfc00]

Cast: Hermie the Unworthy as Theatre Kid with Identity Issues!

[hanbinos]

[scarletardor]

Having a conversation about your heritage when Sylus finds a traditional Hmong baby carrier with your stored items. Tiniest callback to the Beyond Cloudfall myth. fem!reader. ty @meena-in-a-nutshell for beta reading <3

“Sweetie, what’s this?”

Emerging from the hall, Sylus holds in his hands a tight, awry bundle of fabric. It’s familiar to you, as you tilt your head in observation. Once at your side, the jumble of various cloths becomes more visible as he sets it down in front of you.

It’s completely handmade, the preface of long strips of cotton wrapped around flatter, delicate silk. Around the increments of silk that peak out, there’s some semblance of puff balls, delicately stitched patterns, and miniature beads. As you undo the giant knot that secures it at the back, your eyes widen when you remember why you had this tucked away in a box, burrowed deeply in the closet of this particular safe house.

Idly, you muster a strained, “Oh.”

You lay out the rest of the silk: it’s two rectangular panels stitched together, the bottom chunk longer and wider. The entire piece is handmade, cross-stitches of textiles framed by thinner, multi-colored lines. Adorned by those same puff balls, you can make out the miniature stitching of floral diamonds. The thick strips of cotton are sewn into the top sides of the silk, the rest of it crumpling onto the ground due to their length.

Sylus sits beside you, placing his hand on your back, “Sweetie?”

“It’s…” You clear your throat, sparing a glance towards him, “Something my grandma gave me. It’s a baby carrier.”

He takes a moment to process your words, running his own calloused fingers over the beautiful textile. Family… was a precarious subject for you. While you spoke of your heritage every now and then, there was always a tinge of restraint or stumbling in your words. Even resent.

“It’s beautiful,” he tells you earnestly. He leans on his elbow, resting his chin on his hand as he gazes at you with a familiar, tender gaze. He’s patient, waiting to see if this was something you would be comfortable talking about further.

You hum pensively, flattening your hands over the carrier, “It’s called a nyais. Normally you can buy them at local the New Year festivals, but it’s more... traditional? Righteous? To have it passed down from your grandma.”

Finally, Sylus lets his demeanor falter. He’s in the clear to press further, to be more curious. He chuckles, like he would before laying out the debaucherous end of his enemies, “You don’t appear thrilled to have it in your possession.”

“I’m not ungrateful to have it, like my parents think,” you sigh. “When you’re constantly hounded about how you will have kids… it’s nauseating to have the heirlooms representative of that.”

Sylus is waiting for you to finish. You two have had discussions about the future before.

About this.

Your hands fall in your lap, and you’re failing to meet his gaze now. You’re thinking too hard—about all of this. Instead of continuing, you look back at the nyais, beginning to fold it up.

He stops you, cupping your working hands with one. Sylus clears his throat, intending to steer the conversation: “But you haven’t thrown it away.”

“I can’t bring myself to.”

You let go of the carrier, interlacing your fingers with his, “They always remind me that I used to speak so much Hmong when I was a kid. A toddler. Then it… all went away, when I got older.”

“Because you went to school. Learning an entirely different language, social customs. Things beyond your control.”

“Correct.”

“And what do you make of it?”

You grimace at first, then chuckle: “It’s kind of fucked up, isn’t it? Forgetting my own culture just to exist with others. And even then, assimilating into what is a model citizen still feels very… out of place. Like I still don’t belong.”

Sylus doesn’t say it outright—feels like he doesn’t need to—but he knows the feeling. You’ve yet to know why, your memory still a haze. So he settles for squeezing your hands a bit firmer than a second before, right along the last few words you speak.

When in Rome, as the Romans do.

He continues the conversation, “Do you think… you’d reconcile with that distance at all? The disconnect?”

The question is loaded, but effective in that it makes you consider. Reflecting on your upbringing, and how quickly everything shifted. You didn’t even think you’d end up where you are now—settled with a partner who listens to these grievances and doesn’t think you’re crazy.

But nothing of substance comes to mind.

Your gaze falls on the nyais once more, discomfort no longer present.

“I don’t know,” you finally answer—sliding into Sylus’ lap and leaning into him. Naturally, his arms wrap around you, holding you closer.

Warmth envelops you like a fireplace on a snowy day.

When parts inside of you begin to fester in emptiness, somehow Sylus always comes along at the right time. Almost like he feels the pull that something is amiss—or it’s fate’s own unique way of protecting a love meant to be. Your ancestors making up for everything you have burdened for so long.

Then, you feel it—that very warmth blossoming into something else. Something very Sylus, within the capabilities he possesses.

His smooth, timbre voice whispering into your hair: “Kuv hlub koj.”

You straighten your posture, instantly finding those crimson eyes that always had a fondness reserved for you. Your own gaze widens, blurred by tears as you smile. You laugh—and though it’s always beautiful, Sylus hears it differently.

There’s relief, a unique kind of joy incapable of being put into the right words to do it justice. He treasures it, sealing the memory with his lips brushing against yours.

[jojo-schmo]

I'm updating my personal ref sheets and it's really hitting me just how SMOL Kirby, Bandee, and Elfilis really are compared to the rest of the cast.

[smalltownduck]

No but really, what was Vicki (and her then-boyfriend) doing at WarZone in 4x07?

why would you or your spring-break-visiting college boyfriend (who "ran away at the first sight of 'real' danger") want to spend a romantic day in a weapon store?? Or even think about stopping by, pda-ing and goofing around like you were in a quaint little antique shop hmm

[pinetreeshack]

[tumblweeds-omegaverse]

omegaverse thought:

even in settings where alphas are dominant, it could be well known that there are certain scenarios where omegas are not to be crossed. not if you value your peace of mind. or various pieces of your body.

force your way into an omega's nest? you fool. you absolute nugget. that omega will turn from happy purring to a whirlwind of deadly claws and rending teeth faster than you can say "oh f-"

put a hand on a nursing omega's pup without knowing it's fine? "there are no alphas around, its fine." lol. lmao even. as if the alpha can save you from an omega that's protecting their pup. you should know better, idiot.

"how dare that omega not cater to my request specifically! i'm the most important person in the room!" do you want rumors spread about you? are you doing a "never get a date again" speedrun? cause that's where you're headed.

just...omegaverse settings where you ignore the power of omegas at your own peril. including settings where "you fight like an omega" says something about focus or determination.

(used omegas for the example here, but I'm very in support of this applying to betas as well! regardless to if you give your betas unique traits or not, they're still people. still members of a species whose greatest abilities include creativity, endurance, and social bonds.

a single asshole alpha can and should have their life ruined by a group of driven betas with the desire to do so. the less likely it looks, the more interesting it gets!)

[grandquest]

Unfortunately, these two are very funny

[starry-bi-sky]

pouring one out for luo binghe in my disciple SQQ fic, poor guy has taken a backseat here. we're nearly 30k words deep and he hasn't even shown his face once. it'll be much longer before he even actually talks to Shen Qingqiu.

(i say im pouring one out but in reality im sitting in my director's chair chewing on a cigar and wearing a beret as he tearily and unsuccessfully pleads with me for more scenes with Shen Qingqiu)

[dallasgallant]

Have a idea down the line but

Two-bit, Steve, Ponyboy friendship dynamic go!

[kitramune]

I think a lot about how well-liked Kagome must be at school. Japan doesn't like to acknowledge it to ever change it but the schools there have a massive bullying problem. If you ever don't fit the norm, odds are it shows at school. And simply GOING to school is a big deal, so honestly realistically Kagome would be relentlessly bullied for being a home hermit 99% of the time. So it really speaks to her character that she's got nothing but supportive friends and teachers.