#Galen gen 2

[miraplayssims]

Benjamin and Theodora´s wedding portrait.

[cyazurai]

[registeredvampirelair]

The end of Generation One — The start of Generation Two

[love-bokumono-fics]

Fresh Crops! March 27 - April 2, 2023

This week’s newest fics and chapter updates for Harvest Moon and Story of Seasons on AO3!

*NOTE* Fics for the 2023 Bokumono Reverse Big Bang will not be included in this week’s update list. I am putting all submissions in their own post when all the stories are up 💜

The Heart of a Westown Cowboy - by Mya_Stone; WIP, 14/?, 19k

Rating: General Audiences; Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply; Category: F/M Fandom: Trio of Towns Relationship: Female Farmer/Wayne; Characters: Frank, Ford, Carrie, Brad, Megan, Hector, Colin, Daryl | Darius, Marlena, Lynn, Wayne Additional Tags: Slow Burn, Romance, Romantic Friendship, Guy Falls First, I Wrote This For Me But I'll Share It With You Summary: Wayne is Westown's perpetually single lady's man. He'd like to settle down but he just hasn't found The One and he's fairly certain he's met everyone in town. Then Melody moves in, taking a plot of her uncle's ranch to fulfill her dream of being a rancher. A college-educated business woman, Melody doesn't accept failure - especially not her own. As Wayne falls hard for her, she struggles to return his affections until she has what she came for - and when she continually comes up short at the cow competitions, she begins to wonder if Westown is really the place for her.

Our Story of Seasons: Pete x Claire - by Ry2_Sinheart; WIP, 20/?, 30k

Rating: General Audiences; Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply; Categories: F/M, Gen Fandoms: Friends of Mineral Town Relationships: Claire the Farmer & Pete | Jack, Claire the Farmer/Pete | Jack; Characters: Pete | Jack, Claire, Thomas, Zack, Dog, Harvest Goddess, Ann the Innkeeper | Ran, Karen Additional Tags: Romance, Slow Burn, Eventual Happy Ending, Eventual Romance, Fluff, Domestic Fluff, Slice of Life, Warm and Fuzzy Feelings, Developing Relationship, Strangers to Lovers, Friends to Lovers, Childhood Friends, Childhood Memories, Video Game Mechanics, Game Logic, Male-Female Friendship, Eventual Fluff, Eventual Relationships, Slow Romance, Digital Art Summary: A story that revolves around the protagonists of Mineral Town. After a series of unfortunate events, Pete and Claire agree they'll have to raise the farm together, whether they like it or not. Through their farming-ventures, they realize that maybe farming together… isn't so bad.

Casual Prompt March 2023 - Sunrise - by Avendesoraa; Complete, 1/1, 1.6k

Rating: General Audiences; Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply Fandoms: Harvest Moon 64 Relationship: Gray/Popuri; Characters: Gray, Popuri Additional Tags: Fluff Summary: Gray brings Popuri somewhere at sunrise for a surprise.

Over The River - by forgetfulfarmer; Complete, 1/1, <1k

Rating: General Audiences; Archive Warnings: Major Character Death; Category: F/M Fandoms: A Wonderful Life, Harvest Moon: DS Relationship: Nina/Galen; Characters: Old Nina, Galen | Guri, Pete | Jack, Mark the Farmer Additional Tags: Angst, Friendship Summary: Galen was always open to friends, but no one made the effort. But when his beloved wife passes, suddenly they try, and he just won't.

Sugar and Spice - by Chibimiie; WIP, 54/?, 143k

Rating: Mature; Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply; Category: F/M Fandoms: Animal Parade Relationships: Chase/Molly the Farmer, Angela/Luke; Characters: Molly | Hikari, Angela the Farmer, Chase, Luke, Kasey the Farmer Additional Tags: Slow Burn, oh god how do you tag fics, mentions of eating disorders, alternating povs, Friends to Lovers, Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, bumped up the rating because i honestly should have a little bit ago, burn so slow it's honestly a simmer Summary: Wanting to get away from past hurts of the city, sisters Molly and Angela decide to respond to a flyer advertising an abandoned farm on the faraway island of Castanet. Leaving behind their closest friends and brother Kasey, the two take a chance and move to the tiny island hoping for a new chance at life.

It's a New Day - by durotos; Complete, 1/1, <1k

Rating: General Audiences; Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply; Category: Gen Fandoms: Harvest Moon 64 Characters: Cliff, Cain/Kane the falcon Summary: "I’ve got to get this on my own. I can’t have a repeat of yesterday." After embarrassing himself on his first day in town by begging for food, Cliff contemplates his and Cain's future at Moon Mountain.

Lady Of Grasstrail Farms - by FromADenOfBeasts; WIP, 39/?, 50k

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences; Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply; Category: F/M Fandoms: Pioneers of Olive Town Relationship: Female Farmer/Lars; Characters: Original Female Character(s), Female Farmer, Lars, Laura, Angela, Clemens, Damon, Jack, Emilio, Reina, Victor, Gloria, Simon, Jesse Additional Tags: My First AO3 Post, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Slow Burn, Fluff and Angst, Supportive Big Brother, honestly the best big brother ever, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Domestic Fluff, Wish Fulfillment, Mysterious Origins Summary: A young woman named Vallon quits her job and follows her heart to Olive Town, where her family has roots deeper than she ever thought. Now she has to contend with new neighbors, ancient magic, and getting the hang of farming a wild land. Can she cope on her own, or can she at least find someone to share it with?

Remaster: Step Toward the Future - by darkryuu; Complete, 44/44, 846k

Rating: Explicit; Archive Warning: Major Character Death; Category: F/M Fandom: Back To Nature Characters: Cliff, Popuri, Kai, Doctor | Trent, Gray Summary: Jill ("Claire") is struggling to find a goal in life after high school. After her parents boot her off to her late grandfather's farm, everything around her is never quite the same as she struggles to find herself and her future.

Seedlings and Sprouts - by TheBeckster; WIP, 30/?, 24k

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences; Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply; Categories: Gen, Multi Fandoms: Friends of Mineral Town, Story of Seasons (2014), Star Wars - All Media Types, Trio of Towns, The Tale of Two Towns, Harvest Moon 2 GBC, Animal Parade Relationships: Carter/Doctor | Trent, Claire the Farmer/Cliff, Fritz/Raeger, Gotz/Vesta, Female Farmer/Ludus, Holly/Hector, Female Farmer/Ford, Farmer/Hinata, Sara/Will, Sara/Bill, Gill/Angela, Perry/Molly, Rick/Elli, Perry & Gill, Claire the Farmer/Doctor Trent | Torre; Characters: Cliff, Claire, Doctor | Trent, Carter the Pastor, Fritz, Raeger, Gotz | Gotts, Georgia, Iluka, Hector, Holly, Ludus, Henry the Farmer | Haruto, Hinata, Ford, Sara, Will, Bill, Molly the Farmer, Perry, Rick, Elli | Elly Additional Tags: yes this collection includes a star wars crossover, Tumblr Prompt, prompt collection, kiss prompts, Fluff, Angst, Drama, oneshots, Ficlets Summary: A collection of tumblr prompts I've filled over the last couple years based on Harvest Moon/Story of Seasons games.

[simply-put]

Then finally, Gael lost the Close-Knit lifestyle and that pesky Tense moodlet went away. Not a moment too soon because, to tell the truth, I was getting tense playing in this household too. 😬

[romegreeceart]

Famous people

Tag list of famous people from Ancient Rome and Greece. A few hellenistic rulers and some Etruscans are also included.

And for some reason the page is not working properly. The HTML code is there, but it only works on my dashboard. On this page links are inactive. I figure that page only understands “/tagged/Agrippina-the-Elder” - versions, but I’m too lazy / busy to rewrite the code. So if you want to check a tag, you’ll have to copy and paste it after the word “ .../tagged/”. And same goes for all the lists below.

URLs + copy&paste:

https://romegreeceart.tumblr.com/tagged/

https://romegreeceart.tumblr.com/archive/tagged/

A

Aelia Flaccilla- Pillar of the Church

Agrippina the Elder

Agrippina the Younger

Aemilia Lepida and her descendants  v emperor Nero

Aeschylus

Aetius

Alaric

Alcibiades

Alexander the Great

Ancus Marcius

Antinous

Antiochus I Soter

Antiochus III the Great

Antisthenes (philosopher, cynic school)

Antonia Minor - mother of Claudius and Germanicus

Antoninus Pius

Apicius

Apollodorus of Damascus

Apollonius of Tralles (Greek sculptor)

Aristotle

Arsinoe II

Arsinoe III

Artemisia II of Caria

Aspasia

Atticus (Cicero’s friend)

Attila

Augustus

Aulus Rustius Verus (Pompeian politician)

Aurelianus

B

Baltimore painter (Apulia, 4th century BCE)

Berenike II

Britannicus

Brygos Painter

Brutus (liberator, founder of the republic)

Brutus (assassin)

C

Caesarion

Caligula

Callimachus

Caracalla

Carausius (Roman Britain, emperor)

Carinus

Cassius Dio

Catiline

Cato the Elder

Cato the Younger

Cicero

Claudia Antonia (emperor’s daughter)

Claudius

Claudius Gothicus

Cleopatra

Cleopatra Selene

Cleopatra III

Clodius Albinus

Commodus

Constantine the Great

Constantius II

Constantius Chlorus

Corbulo

Cornelia Africana

Cornelia Minor (Caesar’s wife)

Crispina

Crispus (Constantine’s eldest son)

Croesus

Cynisca (Spartan princess, olympic winner)

D

Darius III

Decius

Demosthenes

Didia Clara (daughter of Didius Julianus)

Didius Julianus

Diocletianus

Dioscorides Pedanius (physician, botanist)

Diva Claudia (daughter of Nero)

Domitianus

Drusus Caesar (son of Germanicus)

Drusus the Younger (son of Tiberius)

Drusus the Elder (son of Livia)

E

Elagabalus

Eumachia (Pompeian priestess and patroness)

Euripides

F

Fabius Maximus Cunctator (”The Shield of Rome”)

Faustina Maior

Faustina Minor

Female painters

Flavian dynasty

G

Gaius Caesar

Galerius

Galba

Galen

Galla Placidia

Gallic emperors

Gallienus

Germanicus

Gelon

Gens Aemilia

Gens Cornelia

Gens Calpurnia

Geta

Gordian I

Gordian II

Gordian III

Gracchi Brothers

Gratian

Greek tyrants

H

Hadrianus

Hannibal

Hegias (Greek sculptor, 5th century BCE

Hellenistic kings

Herennius Etruscus (co-emperor)

Hermione Grammatike

Herodes Atticus

Herodotus

Hippocrates

Historians

Homeros

Honorius

Hostilianus

I

Iaia of Cyzicus (female painter)

Jovianus

Juba II

Julia (Augustus’ daughter)

Julia Aquilia Severa (Vestal virgin and empress)

Julia Domna

Julia Drusilla

Julia Felix (Pompeian business woman)

Julia Flavia (Titus’ daughter)

Julia Maesa

Julia Soaemias

Julian the Apostate

Julio-Claudian family (julioclaudian)

Julio-Claudian dynasty

Julio-Claudian

Julio-Claudian dynasty

Julius Caesar 1

Julius Caesar (2)

Julius Vindex

K

Kings

Kresilas (Athenian sculptor)

Kritios (Athenian sculptor)

L

Lady of Aigai

Lady of Vix (Celtic woman, late 6th century BCE)

Lassia (priestess of Ceres, Pompeii)

Lepidus

Leonidas

Livia

Livilla

Livius

Lucilla (daughter of Marcus Aurelius)

Lucius Appuleius Saturninus

Lucius Caecilius Jucundus (Pompeian banker)

Lucius Caesar

Lucius Herennius Flores (Boscoreale Villa, real owner ?)

Lucius Verus

Lysippos

Lysippos 2

M

Maecenas

Macrinus

Magnus Maximus

Mamia (Pompeian priestess and patroness)

Marcellus (Augustus’ heir)

Marcus Agrippa

Marcus Antonius

Marcus Aurelius

Marcus Claudius Tacitus (emperor)

Marcus Licinius Crassus

Marcus Terentius Varro

Marius

Martialis

Masinissa

Maussollos of Halicarnassos

Maxentius

Maximianus

Maximinus Daia

Maximinus Thrax

Members of imperial families

Menander

Miami painter

Milonia Caesonia

Miltiades (Greek general)

Mona Lisa of Galilee

Myron

N

Nero

Nero Julius Caesar (son of Germanicus)

Nerva

Nerva-Antonine family

Numa Pompilius

O

Octavia the Younger (Augustus’ sister)

Octavia (Claudius’ daughter)

Optimates

Otho

Ovidius

P

Paionios (Greek sculptor)

Patronesses

Penthesilea painter

Pericles

Pertinax

Pescennius Niger

Pheidias

Philip the Arab

Philosophers

Philip II of Macedonia

Phryne (Greek courtesan)

Plancia Magna

Plato

Pliny the Elder

Pliny the Younger

Poets

Polykleitos

Pompeius

Poppaea Sabina

Populares

Postumus Agrippa

Postumus (Gallic emperor)

Probus

Ptolemy of Mauretania

Praxiteles

Ptolemy I

Publius Clodius Pulcher

Publius Fannius Synistor

Publius Licinius Crassus (triumvir’s younger son)

Publius Sittius

Publius Quinctilius Varus

Pythagoras

Pyrrhus

Pytheas (a greek explorer)

Q

Queens

R

Roman Caesars (= princes, heirs to the throne)

Roman Civil War Commanders

Roman client kings

Roman consuls

Roman dictators

Roman emperors

Roman empresses

Roman generals

Roman gentes

Romans who declined the throne

Romulus Augustulus

Romulus and Remus

S

Sabina

Sallustius

Sappho

Scipio Africanus

Scopas

Sejanus

Septimius Severus

Seven sages

Severan dynasty

Severus Alexander

Sextus Pompeius

Shuvalov painter

Silanion ( Greek sculptor)

Socrates

Solon

Sophocles

Stilicho

Strabo

Sulla

Sulpicia (Roman female poet)

T

Tacitus

Tarpeia

Tarquinius Superbus

Themistocles

Theodosius

Theophrastus

Thucydides

Tiberius

Tiberius Claudius Verus (Pompeian politician)

Tigranes the Great

Titus

Titus Labienus

Titus Tatius

Titus Quinctius Flaminius

Trajanus

Trebonianus Gallus

Tribunes of the plebs

U

Ulpia Severina  (interim sovereign in 275 CE)

Urban prefects

Usurpers

V

Vaballathus (Palmyran king)

Valens

Valentinianus I

Valentinianus III (murderer of Aetius)

Valerianus

Valeria Messalina

Vel Saties

Velia Velcha (“Mona Lisa of antiquity”)

Velimna family (Hypogeum, Brescia)

Vercingetorix

Vergilius

Vespasianus

Vibia Sabina

Vipsania Agrippina

Viriathus (Lusitanian freedom fighter)

Vitellius

Volusianus

X

Xenophon

Y

Z

Zenobia

[strange-sim]

with simone's birthday and both Raeyln and Galen's LTW's achieved gen 2 is done

[io-kj]

Day 2: The Queen of Attolia

*For this Queen’s Thief appreciation week, I’m going to randomly select a page in each book, and see what pops out at me.*

Page 57 of the hand cover book

What happens: Gen is back home in his library in Eddis. Depressed and self-isolating, a man shows up at his door with prosthetics. 

Thoughts:

-Oof that depression is so well written and real. Gen sits and stares at the fire. Or sits and practices his handwriting. Or lays in bed and stares at the shadows on the ceiling. This short paragraph really gets across the overwhelming numbness he’s feeling.

-Gen practices his handwriting, which we’ll see in KoA. I find it interesting that despite all of the practice he does here, he’ll still have shaky letters. Even after practicing and time to recover, he’ll always be changed by his loss.

-Gen’s “reading a text on a system for categorizing plants and animals”. The magus would be so happy. And Sophos would probably be really excited to study with him, what a nerd(affectionate).

-This page ends with the man with the box at his door because “they send me to show you some things”. And of course Gen can think of a few people who would fit that bill- Eddis, the Minister of War, Galen, probably Galen’s poor assistants

[thecrenellations]

Return of the Thief Notes, Part Three: The Book of Pheris, Volume 2, Chapters 6-14 and “Alyta’s Missing Earring”

Notes from my first read, October 2020. (Part One | Part Two | TaT)

Contents:  Elephants, guesses about gods and dead men, villain team up, the unexpected, AAAAAAH, elaboration on the word cloud above (which is one big Gen, medium Pheris, medium love, and scattered other names), and more quantitative analysis! I love this book.

Format:  Page number. My thoughts (Context?)

Chapter 6

285. unkingly moment, last night with her at home

MISMATCHED STOCKINGS (I have a thing about this.)

Wedges of ribbons?

285. cute

286. a pitneen? A drunk bird?

Wait. Gift of animals??? Did he steal the thunderbolts wearing it?

A canary no longer

287. Hilarion and Ion, wow

Throw a cup of wine on me

288. War pants! War pants!

What’s Attolia wearing?

Sophos! (the whistling!)

288. Ok fine it’s gonna be sad ... I say as if I didn’t just experience the trial (the last lighthearted moment)

Pepper!

Be careful Pheris

Also Relius went to Dite and Juridius, right? (I was convinced Dite would show up)

Sinerine!

290. SOCKS! Yay <3 magus

I was resigned to not much magus but he is HERE!

He’s … so much nicer than he was to the kids in the Thief, lol

A CART!

Lamb, falling in same paragraph. Worried.

Gen :( Gen you ran all over the palace and leapt in the water last night. You are so stupid.

292. Yay Sophos I love you

Math buddies!

294. I’M SAD.

They have had this convo before

I love them

It’s because I can that I think I should

295. Do not overreach. Eddis is right

Danger in self indulgence?

I love her! “I was outside chasing your brother with a stick”

296. My heart. You have to trust yourself. I don’t know if I can. Then you have to trust us.

Tactical Irene!

Thanks I’m gonna hold on to it: “The Call of life is a s powerful as the call of death, and it is no weakness to answer to it”

297. Oh no. My children. Tell each other things like that!

Great time to be childish, Gen.

Yeah honestly. It’s bothered her FOREVER

299. Pull it together, kids!

Thx Helen

Inkpots … :( :( :(

Chapter 7

302. See … that Continent occupation isn’t good either!

303. Unfortunately that is NOT an alternative. Bc volcano.

305. This is stressful.

Chloe, interesting

306. Elephants

Oh my god it’s better than I ever could have imagined (there was like 10 years of lead up to the elephants, and I thoroughly enjoyed them)

I love him

Gen wtf

Yes drink up those guards (“We could keep [an elephant] in the guard’s bathhouse! There’s plenty of room.” “And the guards will bathe ...?” “In the palace reservoir.” “Our drinking water.”)

#6 Gen about elephants

308. This is gonna be a disaster

Hilarion with an eyeglass

Fuck Pheris is making this up.

Gen I love you

Oh my god

Honestly idk if Gen is having fun but I AM

They’re. They’re such a power couple.

Also Bu-seneth is so rude to Attolia

309. so vague about battle, but I’m sure it’s horrible

310. hero talk. Chills.

311. all the woman comparisons for Gen (“Would [a world with no war and no heroes be a bad thing?” “That’s a woman’s question”)

Wow. Interesting. Anonymity

312. Don’t listen to them Gen!

Bad tempered cooks

313. lol. Good looks.

Gen. the hand joke. Why

Well that was … a scene (I don’t know my Henry V)

Reassuring to have a glove. Which one?

314. No. Bad. This is what I was afraid of. (Nahuseresh baiting Gen with Kamet)

Ok Pheris

315. That cannot be true. (it was not!)

Gen. No. No.

316. Wow. That worked out well. So far.

They called him annux. If Kamet is really dead…

319. Yeah Attolia is RIGHT

Yeah I can’t actually either!

Irene knows. In his story!

320. Glove resolved very fast

Interesting reversal (Gen and his dad)

Maddening!

Chapter 8

322. who’s charging off in a haze of glory now

Philologos wounded

Wait, the attendants follow him in to battle...

Cleon RIP

Temenus <3

No. Stenides

If they ever returned.

His brother died in an explosion

Gen’s tears

This is sad.

323. lion lamb :(

325. At least they have each other

Morality is an illusion. Like safety?

326. that’s what Costis was mapping, right? (nope)

How many has Gen killed now

328. Who. Pol? Ambiades? (The cairn man question remains)

Oh no

Oh no. you can fall from a horse

HILARION!

Is Fordad a spy?

I am just not accepting this yet

WAIT THE MEDES TOOK HIM! (I thought the Attolians had taken Gen, or Gen’s body, at first.)

330. wow things only Pheris can do

GDI Erondites

WOW THIS IS A VILLAIN TEAM UP

332. You gave it to him dude (Nahuseresh asking “Why does he still have this?” about Gen’s hook)

I love Gen. I wonder if he’s afraid.

This is bad.

Whose treason, whose betrayal?

333. Yeah! Kamet said so (“Tell me again that you are king.” “Annux, if you prefer.”)

334. Oh god.

Get your stories straight bastards

Rolled in a rug!

336. Oh gen

Oh god

Yeah this is …

Be careful what you ask for

338. What did he sign as, though, Attolis? Eugenides?

Nomenus wtf

What does mwt have against facial hair (Fordad, Nahuseresh)

Costis please come (idk how I thought he was going to help, but I was in Costis Denial and expected him to show up at any moment)

Everyone must be going through a lot

A face like an open grave

Gen.

Gen I love you

YES

YES

Is he … invulnerable now?

Gen what.

Is he possessed? Is he already a god?

341. Yeah same. (“I think he meant that I should not fear him, either. I did, though ... I still followed him”)

This isn’t being self indulgent or overreaching, is it?

342. RIP Ion Nomenus

“My work”

Oh Nomenus

Does he just exist for the morally gray and loyal angst feelings? It works (...)

344. What did he DO

Yes! Swearing Gen!

345. love all caps Gen

Those names

Aaah

346. Ooof.

Chapter 9

347. moon promises

Yeah

Noooo Philologos :(

Legarus … :(

349. Gen what what

Sparks

Costis? Stenides? STENIDES?

Wow ok he killed Bu-seneth

350. god

See I said Nahuseresh shouldn’t have said that

Also is Gen a bastard

351. WHAT (“Because your council had just voted to kill him”)

Oh Helen

Oh Irene

Does he invite him in?

This is reassuring to the reader (“He can bear his god a little while without losing himself”)

Aaaaah Galen

354. Gen that’s a lot. A lot.

Don’t kill everyone.

So so so x7 of doom

Bye Yorn

I hope he wins too

Go away Nahuseresh

Omg

another fall

Interregnum

Ok it was Lader (when you don’t know who the man at the cairn was, keep on guessing!)

Yeah the circumstances thing is back

Oh god

Oh no

Chapter 10

361. how long has it been?

362. three days

I love them (Elephants! My excellent queen!)

You promised to trust him

364. Oh no. Oh no. (Relius)

370. These Helen convos…

371. Sad. :(

372. Emtis and Lader

Yeah.

Omg

374. Wow

Steal by elephant?

377. Don’t forget about Dite!

378. He’s gonna kill him?

379. Is Dite dead too?

Oh Sejanus

Oh I see

He’s got a mercy taste too

380. Switching!

Lying in moonlight. Hm.

381. Yesss

Nooooo

383. I’m nervous

Gods blessing on your road

Wow. <3

They would have fallen… (if Pheris had gone through with his plan, that’s how they both would have died)

Did not expect Sejanus feelings in Rott.

Chapter 11

386. He’s gonna know. But the trust.

Ion knows.

390. Gen…

Pheris is Lyopidus?

I’m scared

393. I kind of love Ion

More Sejanus, bring it on

I’m nervous

Hmmm… who could it be

395. MoW :( <3 I will not be ok if he dies too

Gen knows the way bc Costis (nope)

Oh my god these two (“I lied” “I know”)

Chapter 12

398. Oh no.

This is not

Her Thief

Irene. “only sleeping” this is what Eddis said to her

But mist… water???

Face touch

402. not living or dead. King

Yes. But no.

403. crying at everything and the MoW next to him

There he went

It was the Eddisians. He fought with them.

404. yeah that’s a lot to deal with, Pheris

405. what a mystery man (Sejanus)

Lol mysterious exit averted

Excuse me that was a difference

406. :(

Am I king

407. Helen is once again right. She’s also always right

MOIRA was Melisande???!??!? (who even knows)

409. ?? Irene?

Same as for Dite. Man loves his brothers. (nephews. you know what I mean.)

Nice.

AAH yup. Add it to the list (“How neatly you tie them together” ... the list of is ways Gen and Irene are becoming more like each other)

410. speaking of which where is Costis!

Hm… what god was that

I love their reactions

411. SPLENDID.

Oh Irene. It’s true <3

It’s so true (“When the king gives his heart he gives it completely”)

Now I’m crying again, at them

412. Gen, she has a point.

Amazing. I … I don’t think she meant to ask like THAT

Jesus, Gen.

You do not know a wagon from a wheelbarrow

413. Irene!

She’d better get home safe.

Gen!

Omg

414. I have another bad feeling, about Gen

415. High king or queen though?

Magus <3

Chapter 13

416. “of course”

That’s ominous

417. No! Sejanus!

A gut wound yikes

418. sadness

419. lol “ill will”

We’re in Roa. My heart’s pounding.

422. I love Gen.

YESSS

Yes I love them.

Sheep.

Kamet!!!

?!?

Costis. Mattresses exist.

424. Oh no.

426. roof dream

Good roof dream

Good job Helen

428. TWINS. Everyone was RIGHT

Reyatimi

Oh shit. The sky.

Oh dear. :( aaah

430. Climbing the rigging!

“it’s just that you have so many least favorite things”

431. I love them (Gen and Irene)

432. I love them (Gen and Helen)

433. RIGHT! I was thinking

I can’t <3 (they’re naming the baby after the MoW, and it’s perfect, and she’s not gonna tell us, huh)

OH MY GOD!!! (baby thief!)

WOW!

434. AAAAAAH (Hector! @threetoadswaltz​ finished reading before me and knew that I would explode about this and I DID, I threw my arms in the air! HECTOR!)

PERFECTION!

435. AAAAAAAAH (this was when it became clear they were going to dance on the roof)

Yes she was (as surefooted as the king)

Is this the first time she’s Irene

Yes.

I’m filled with happiness

Celia and Lavia again … lol.

Lol Chloe

THALIA

CRENELATED wall

HE’S ALIVE

Kamet is a sweetheart

The gods!!!

The gods!

Aracthus

Mystery goddess?

Ula?

Moira! Yes!

(I was very happy. The page itself:)

Alyta’s Missing Earring

Wait. Was it Alyta.

Glad we got a bi god (with all due respect to Immakuk and Ennikar, whose bi-ness and godliness is perhaps more up to the reader)

Got very bi very fast

Also. He’s Gen.

Interesting difference in story

Kathodicia!

Are we literally getting ALL the answers? (No. But so many more than I expected!)

Gen’s grandfather sucks

An urn huh

Omg. Heiro’s earrings?

Oh my gosh.

Same, Gen. Same.

Obvs Phresine knows.

Is Phresine a goddess?

Same, Gen. Same.

She got to tell a story! She is so happy!

I think he’s a little scared

Moleskin

Yeah peace huh

This series is socially sanctioned silliness

1000 Eugenides. Wow.

They did melt though

Little thief.

<3 <3 <3

He’s a character in a story

A big question

Tamarisk? Takima? (We are not getting all the answers.)

That’s it! Thank you for reading - it feels very self-indulgent to type up all of these, but I will honestly take most chances to relive the intense and wonderful experience of reading this book for the first time, which often means looking back at my own notes and sometimes means sharing them with people. Also, I really love reading liveblogs/real-time book thoughts, so here is one from awhile ago ... all at once.

Anyway, check out this word cloud from all of the notes (made with this site):

It’s ... mostly just character names, with a variety of words that express my enthusiasm and feeling (love, lol, wow, yes, excuse me...). Gen is the biggest because I said his name 115 times! Here are some totals for the other characters who came up a lot:

115 - Gen (and 10 Eugenides)

42 - Pheris

26 - Costis

18 - Irene (and 6 Attolia)

16 - Helen (and 8 Eddis)

10 - Sophos (and 4 Sounis)

12 - the magus

11- Kamet

11 - Teleus

10 - Relius

9 - Ion

6 - MoW

6 - Moira

5 - Sejanus

These don’t fully represent how much I had to say about them, because I didn’t always refer to people by name or title ... which kind of explains why Costis’s total is ridiculously high compared to how much he is in the book -  I likely have more notes about other characters, but I didn’t need to bring up their names because they were already present in the scenes I was taking notes on (for example, I think I talked about Relius more than Teleus, the magus, or Kamet, but many of those just referred to him as he, because it was obvious to me who I meant). But also I was just looking for Costis! Anyway. My use of names and titles for the monarchs also really illustrates how much this book reshaped the way I think of these characters’ relationship to them, Gen’s and Irene’s especially.

It’s representative of my feelings about this series that I wrote “I love them” about so many combinations of characters. Who, exactly? And how many times? Well...

5 - Gen and Irene

4 - Gen and Helen

2 - Gen and Pheris

1 - Gen, Irene, Helen, and Sophos

1 - Helen and Sophos

1 - Costis and Kamet

1 - unknown combo of Gen, Pheris, and Relius on p.166, I love them all and can’t remember. Kamet’s map was there, too, and I do love Kamet, so maybe he was in there too.

no matter what the numbers say, I love them all endlessly, and I love this book.

be blessed in your endeavors, yes I will take any questions about these notebook screams, etc.

[january-tala]

I finished Return of The Thief!!!

Non-spoilery comments:

1. IT WAS SO GOOD! ARGHASLDFJ 2. If you’re anxious, don’t be. Trust MWT.

Now, for all the wild screaming into the void, because I need to get all these irrational, overwhelming feelings out before I hop on over at Sounis LJ and pretend to be smart.

SPOILERS! SPOILERS AHEAD. DO NOT READ IF YOU DO NOT WANT SPOILERS!

My “live-blog” notes:

- "So, so, so" is out. "Miras' golden balls" is in. - He has all the fighting spirit of an apricot... Like riding a slowly moving sofa - LOL, though I do admit, I find it ironic that Irene would give Gen a horse as a gift, when she's worried of a fall and her own brother died of a fall from horseback - Gen's apartments were Irene's brothers' - two Cleons! two Ions! - why is Attolian!Ion doing back with Gen? Didn't he go with Sophos? - princess Bythesea? LIke, "by the sea"? - SCARY GEN. SCARY GEN EVERYWHERE. SOPHOS! THE PENT! - okay let's back it up here - Sophos throwing water on Gen - GEN CLIMBING UP TO THE WINDOW!!! - ATTOLIA LAUGHING ABOUT IT ZOMG - A;LDFJA;SLDFJAS;LDJK THE PENT AND ATTOLIA AND EUGENIDES AND ALSDFJA;SLDFJKA;LSDFKJ ARRGGGHHHH THAT WAS PRECIOUS BUT ALSO MADDENING - like, here i was, thinking it's Gen who's in danger of getting snatched by a mistress; i was NOT expecting it the other way around - also, every passage i'm either "omg, gen's gonna die" or "nah, he'll be fine." it's so scary whenever pheris talks about the "nowadays" rather than telling the narrative - OMG AND THEN... AND THEN!!! RIGHT AFTER THE PENT SCENE... OMGGGGG THEY JUST DID IT IN THAT ROOM HUH - what is up with all these horrid ambassadors from everywhere?? (Except for the Braels. That one is a keeper)

- Ohh look Irene is doing needlework! Finally! A book where needlework isn't mocked. - Gen doing a somersault from Fryst! - Costissssss!!!!! - oh no! I forgot what Costis's arrival meant - aww, that kindly stable master. bless him! - Genny!!??? GENNY??!!!! I shall now call all my children with a Y at the end. Ireny! Heleny! Bunny can remain the same (though Sophy sounds cute too) - Kamet! - Yessss, Relius! Is back in action!! Also described as "very handsome" so it looks like Costis has competition here - tortured by the *king*?? Wasn't it Attolia who tortured Relius? - lol apparently nobody's ages are going to be revealed - "some unknown sailor fired without orders" something tells me this was planted - Teleus and Relius bro-time. yes i approve - whoa I see an elephant in the drawing!! - okay, was it ever mentioned that Eddisians have tattoos?? Or is this like the first time that was mentioned and everyone is as shocked as me??? - guys, imagine, the MoW. Tattoos!! - okay, so clearly Relius is a playboy?? and i never caught the hint?? - Helen and Irene girl talk, yessss - Fordad's nice. I hope he's not secretly a bad guy - OH NO OH NO Gen resigned!!! What will Irene do? She cannot rule alone again! - omg Gen is such a rebel. I feel for this poor boy. Let me hug him. Let his queen hug him. Somebody hug him! - OMG OMG OMG they're gonna go to Gen's bedroom in Eddis' library, right??? That tumblr post was right! - wooot oh man, Susa turned! whoaaaaa. Gen is so powerful. I am at AWE - asdfasdf neck kisses, hold me, i'm dying - w-w-wait.... so is Susa and Erondites still plotting together though?? Susa, you little snake, I had believed you! - no, Costis is leaving already??

- Costis and the whole comment about "his heart" isn't in his work XD. Though -- guys -- I'm gonna confess, ten years of manning my tiny crack-boat of Costistogiton, I'm a little heartbroken to know they've no hope - Teleus and Relius... Teleus and Relius???? THIS IS CANON GUYS??? But Relius is a playboy??? How does Teleus handle that??? ship name? telrel? leuslius? - Lol, the magus being sassy to his king - ohhhh all these glorious tidbits we're learning about the Eddisian royalty. Helen's mother had an affair with Gen's father? I would not have expected it of the MoW!!! He seemed too straitlaced and in love with his Thief wife - oh. no. eugenides robbed eugenides. i would have NEVER - STENIDESSSSS!!!! - Gen channeling some Edward Elric energy there about his height, huh? Never thought he was bothered by it - what happened to Gen's stomach illness? Is it now gone because the sand in his food is gone? - "Hilarion knew a disaster when he saw one looming right in front of him." OMGGG this is throwback to that Philo comment in KoA - poor Legarus, now the shining example of a man who did poorly in love - OH MY GOD! Teleus was the one who copied the poem for Relius??? - OH. MY. GOD. Irene is pregnant again. - asdlfjalsdkfj "I didn't become inappropriate on my own!" al;sdjfk these babies. - NO. NOOOO GEN DON'T GO AFTER NAHUSERESH!! - NOOOOO STENIDES NOOOOO We never even met you! (except for that one short story) - Hilarion noooooo - oh nooo Gen being tortured AGAIN noooo how much more can this poor boy handle?

- yess Gen the Thief again!! - Eugenides Eugenideides??? - Philoo nooooo! To think he might still be alive if he *had* fought in the battle instead of accompanying Gen to the trap. I am sore about this, ok? SORE - At least my boy Aris is still alive - nooo Fordad, how could you. I rooted for you - Irene crying. My baby - At least Petrus and Galen have finally teamed up - RELIUS NOOOOOOOO. I HATE FORDAD SO MUCH. SO MUCH - no no no I refuse to believe it. Relius is ALIVE hiding REALLY WELL. Shame on him for breaking poor Teleus's and Pheris's hearts - omg Sejanus. All the Pherises. Their poor dear mother, having to be married to the nasty old Erondites - you go, random horseman who took Pheris on your lap!! *I* say you survived the battle; you and Pheris just never crossed paths again - Noo MoW... =( - oh noo, Sejanus. =( All these people I'm mourning when I had hated them before. Though to be fair, Sejanus was really sympathetic at the end of KoA already - HEEECTTTOOORRR????? - LOL omgggg, Baron Anacritus dancing with his lover right after his wife??? the Nerve! - YESSSS,  WHAT DID I TELL YOU ABOUT RELIUS?? Yeeaaaaaah!! Now he can go back to Teleus and Pheris, and dote on the prince and princess! - wait, where my boy ARIS at??? Please tell me he and Costis are still 2 peas in a pod!!! - ohhohhooh awwww that lovely short story!!! Irene was descended from a goddess too? Aww. And I suspected Alyta is also the water goddess from QoA. - I can't believe it. It's DONE. It was SO GOOD. I would be cherishing this last book for decades, y'all. It was SO GOOD.

[whocalledhimannux]

The Queen’s Thief Timeline

I realized as I sat down to write some fic that I needed a real timeline for this series. I haven’t been involved in the online fandom for very long, so it’s quite possible others have one this before, but I love picking through things like this, so I made my own. I’m posting it on tumblr in case anyone else would be interested!

The Thief is the only book that’s tightly plotted to the point where I can actually name almost every day in the book; for the others I’m using significant events +the next day or +two days later or what have you. If a day is given with a + it means I have concrete proof of when the next thing happens, either because the narration or a character says something like “the next morning” or “two weeks later.” If there’s a ~ it means I’m guessing, and I give reasons for my estimate. A lot of the travel in Queen of Attolia and A Conspiracy of Kings is estimated, but it is very consistent.

In cases where large units of time pass with only a few scenes described in detail, I’ve focused more of my attention on the bigger-picture stuff and skipped over the smaller scenes.

WARNING: This post has been updated with information from Return of the Thief. The sections for The Thief, Queen of Attolia, and King of Attolia remain unchanged and can be read without encountering spoilers. The sections for A Conspiracy of Kings and Thick as Thieves contain spoilers for Volume 1 of Return of the Thief regarding how the books overlap (without discussing events involving the book’s internal plot). The RotT section, of course, is entirely unsafe for those avoiding all spoilers

The Thief

Begins in late summer (probably ~July, based on a comment about watermelon season)

Day 1 - meeting with the magus Day 2-5 - traveling in Sounis Day 6-8 - traveling through the mountains. They reach Eddis by midday on Day 6 and Attolia by evening Day 8 Day 9 - Sea of Olives Day 10-12 - traveling in Attolia, reach the dystopia by evening (from the mountains to the dystopia is three full days of travel on foot, but they are delayed by about a day because of Ambiades getting rid of food; ordinarily it probably takes 1.5-2 days) Day 13-15 - Gen visits the maze each night Day 16 - camp above the dystopia with Ambiades Day 17 - ambush by Attolian soldiers. from just before midnight day 17 to just before dawn day 18, Gen steals food from Pirrhea and then horses from Kahlia Day 18 - arrested at the foot of the mountains, Gen stabbed (it takes them 1 day on horseback to cover the delayed 3-day trip on foot) Day 19-21 - held in Attolia’s river fortress, escape late on the night of the 21st day Day 22 - from dawn until evening, walk to Eddisian camp, then travel on horseback to the capital of Eddis, arriving “long past midnight” in the early hours of Day 23 ~ 2-5 days. Magus says he has had “days” to get clean while Gen slept + 2 ceremony formally acknowledging Eddis as holder of Hamiathes’ Gift + 14 Gen in bed

Conclusion: The book takes place over 42 days minimum, probably closer to 44 or 45, counting from Gen’s first narrated day in prison to the day Eddis tells him to write the book. He was in the prison for “months” and it takes him “months” to write the book, but there aren’t any seasonal cues to narrow it down. It takes place from mid/late summer to late summer/early fall of Year 1.

The Queen of Attolia

Gen is caught around midnight on a day in mid-summer one year after events of The Thief ~ 5-10 days spent in prison. Eugenides appears before the court with yellow/green bruises, and there has been time for a tradesman to quickly travel from the Attolian to Eddisian capital (3-5 days?) and the ambassador’s party to travel from Eddis to Attolia (more formal and more people, so probably a little slower than the tradesman, maybe 4-6 days) + 1 day hand cut off + 3 days in prison ~ 4-6 days travelling to Eddis. Galen, in conversation with the oculist, says it has been 7-10 days since Eugenides lost his hand. “Early fall” - war has started, without Eugenides knowing. He starts practicing his handwriting (and sends one of the attempts to Kamet, possibly?) Winter - Eugenides goes to dinner for the first time END OF YEAR 2

“Late winter” - Eugenides told to stop whining. The weather was starting to warm up enough for the court to walk outside on the roof, so this might be just before spring, perhaps March? + 1 Magus visits and Eugenides learns he’s at war with Attolia (Sounis will declare war on Eddis “by summer”) + 1 Magus leaves ~ 2-4 days Magus back in Sounis and speaking to the king Spring/early Sounisian summer Navy burns, Magus stolen ~ 6 or 7 weeks, Eddis and Sounis strike an alliance, which by the end of this period has fallen apart Late summer - Eugenides spars with his father. Sounis and Attolia fight over islands and Eddis is somewhat ignored. Winter + 10 days Eugenides disappears from the court, reappearing on the 11th day. (most likely it takes 3 days to travel between Eddis and Ephrata) END OF YEAR 3 (Eugenides' excursion to Ephrata might also take place in the early months of year four)

Spring - Attolia reflecting on her rise to power Late Eddisian spring/early lowlands summer - Eugenides’ plot is set in motion + 4 days traveling to and crossing the dystopia, reaching Ephrata, stealing the queen + 1 day Attolia traveling with the Eddisians, Medes attack that night + 1 day reach Ephrata again. Minister of War sent back to Eddis. + 1 day Attolian and Eddisian armies surprise the Medes at 7am. Return to Ephrata. Kamet and Nahuseresh flee. + 1 day Attolia sets off on a sea voyage to the capital. ~ 2 or 3 days travel ~ 6 days or more, Eddis arrives with the duchesses + 1 negotiations start + 21 days negotiations + 2 Eugenides demands an answer from the gods + 3 wakes, final scene talking with Attolia

Conclusion: The book takes place over roughly 2 years. The last chunk of the book--setting out from Eddis to the last scene--takes place over about 43 days, placing it in early/mid summer of Year 4.

King of Attolia

Wedding takes place in the summer “Less than 2 months” later, Costis punches Eugenides * + 1 waiting in the courtyard + 1 first day at court ~ settling into a routine * Artadorus leaves after Eugenides addresses his tax fraud ~ a few days later, Costis talks to Aris about the dynamics of the king and his attendants * + 1 Eugenides hits Costis while sparring and dances dramatically with the queen + 1 becomes friends with Dite + 1 Costis tells Attolia about Eugenides staring out the window ~ 2 or 3 days pass (Costis evidently doesn’t speak to Aris in this time period, because it is only later that they talk about Costis’s meeting with the queen, so I don’t think it’s a very long time) Mede spies are returned, Relius is arrested, Costis is dismissed, and Aris is promoted NOTE: in the meeting with the Mede spies, Costis recalls a day when Eugenides heard that Sounis was in revolt and Sophos had disappeared, but there are no other contextual notes that would pin down when that day happened.

~ a few days later, Eddis and the magus discussing events in Attolia. It is “late summer.” * Eugenides dances with Hiero. + 14 assassination attempt + 1 Costis appeals on behalf of the guards about to be killed + 1 visitors coming and going in Eugenides’ room + 1 Costis shoots the door, Eugenides and Attolia make up + 1 everyone goes to the queen’s chambers. Fall of the House of Erondites. Eugenides pardons Relius and visits him in the infirmary.

NOTE: This marks 98 days since the wedding. A number of these days are unaccounted for, but probably occur during the the time that Costis is adjusting to court. I’ve included an asterisk at every point where you could easily squeeze in some extra days or weeks based on the tone of the text even if it’s not made explicit.

The minimum time Costis could have spent as a lieutenant is 22 days. (I reached this number by assuming that the “less than two months” between the wedding and the punch is two months minus one day, and put the bulk of the remaining 98 days after Costis is dismissed.) The maximum time he could have spent as a lieutenant is 67 days. (Assuming “less than two months” was one month plus a day, and the bulk of the remaining 98 days during his time at court prior to his dismissal.) This isn’t counting the time after his return to court following the assassination, which is plotted more tightly.

+ 1 Costis is recalled to chambers. Phresine tells Eugenides a story. 2nd visit to Relius.

+ 1 Aulus and Bogoas visit. Sounis is retaking the countryside, but Sophos has not been found. Eugenides is drugged at night. + 1 Aulus and Bogoas leave at noon. 3rd visit to Relius. + 1 Costis is kicked out so the king and queen can have sex. (That’s what happens, right? Right.) + 1 Costis is dismissed. + 1 Made a squad leader again. ~ at least a week, probably several. Costis survives four wineshop fights and a stray arrow. Relius slowly heals. Sejanus is convicted. Sounis continues to retake the countryside. Costis gets Eugenides off the roof. + 1 sparring with the guard

Conclusion: 8 specifically-mentioned days pass after the fall of Erondites, but there must be at least 7 uncounted days (during which Costis is almost killed a few times and Eugenides moves back to his own rooms) and possibly a few more weeks after that. From the wedding to the scene in the baths, roughly 4 months pass. The book takes place from early/mid summer to early/mid fall Year 4.

Conspiracy of Kings

First concrete mention of time - Sophos knows Eugenides has proposed to Attolia, but it’s unclear whether that means the informal engagement or the formal one determined after a month of negotiations. No mention is made of the wedding or coronation.

villa attacked + 2 Sophos travels to slave market + 1 bought by Berrone + 1 waits in the cellar and is brought to the fields ~ 3 days minimum, possibly a few weeks Sounis is raising an army ~ a few weeks First dream of Moira Late summer - Sounis has retaken the hinterlands. [Probably the week after the attempted assassination of Eugenides] “Winter rains” come END YEAR 4

Spring Sophos reunited with his father + 1 travelling, arrives at camp that night. Sounis has been dead “more than a month.” + 1 Magus and Sophos hiding ~ “next few days” on foot + 2 days through the mountain pass, same as The Thief ~ at least 2 days traveling in Attolia + 3 traveling to capital after being robbed ~ in the capital long enough to be kicked out of their inn, then shoot Eugenides with a pea ~ unknown weeks in the palace, negotiating

Summer Discussion about the number of troops Attolia is sending + 1 meeting with Melheret + 1 Eugenides and Melheret spar. That night, Eugenides and Sophos go out to a tavern. + 2 meets Melheret in the garden + 2 departs the capital Travel back to Sounis goes “no faster” than the journey on foot with the Magus - probably about a week, maybe more “Some weeks” in captivity Apricots are noticeably far out of season. Apricot season in Greece is typically June-July. + 4 after receiving Eddis’s letter, proposes going to Elisa ~ within a week, they leave the villa and arrive at the coast ~ several days meeting with the barons one on one Vote + 1 battle, Eugenides’ army arrives NOTE (minor spoilers for RotT): Ornon takes part in the negotiations with the Neutral Islands, and arrives at the Mede Empire as the Attolian ambassador, not the Eddisian one, which implies that he arrives only after the ceremony in the beginning of RotT making Eddis a vassal of Attolia.

+ 2 spent at the Sounisian capital ~ 2-4 days travel to the Eddisian capitol + 2 leaves for Attolia ~ 2-5 days travel to Attolian capitol (earlier this trip took about 5 days by foot or with a large army, so this trip is probably closer to the short end of this range) + 1 ceremony before the court

Conclusion: 40 specific days take place between the troop discussion and the last scene, although that doesn’t include the random weeks spent in captivity at the villa. Overall, the book begins in the summer of Year 4 and probably ends in the summer of Year 5.

[ROTT SPOILERS: Initially I estimated that this book ended in the fall of Year 5, which fits slightly better with the apricot season and the traveling time and (per the beginning of Return of the Thief, the time it takes to plan a royal wedding and coronation of a high king). The comment that the wedding took place “almost immediately” and the amount of time it takes for Kamet and Costis to be mentioned in the narrative altered my estimations. I’m just going to assume, then, that Eddis with its colder climate has a different apricot season, that the Attolians are genius wedding planners, and that the barons already had fancy gifts for Eugenides on hand with little advance notice.]

Thick as Thieves

Kamet and Nahuseresh spent “more than a year” at the country estate, which means the earliest they could arrive in the capital is late summer Year 5, around the same time Sophos is leaving the Attolian capitol. However, based on context clues in both ACoK and RotT, it may have taken up to 5 months after that for Ornon to arrive, and he is in the Mede Empire when the plot kicks off.

Costis’s arrival time is less clear. This timeline leaves at minimum a year of his life unaccounted for, between the end of KoA and the beginning of TaT. My initial idea was that Irene and Eugenides sent an ambassador to the Mede Empire very soon after the end of KoA, prior to Melheret’s arrival. (They mention being “browbeaten” by the emperor, so he may have insisted on receiving an ambassador from them before sending one. Otherwise, this would mean they delayed nearly a full year after Melheret’s arrival before sending out Ornon.) Costis would therefore have traveled with the previous ambassador, with Ornon arriving after him to trigger the plot with Laela. I still think this is the more likely idea, especially given that Eugenides still seemed to be concerned about Costis’s risk of being assassinated when he came up with the plot in the first place.

On the other hand, Costis makes several references to Eugenides’s treatment of Melheret throughout TaT, which may imply that he was actually in Attolia for some or all of the time. It’s possible that, after Eugenides won over Teleus, the threat of assassination was not as dire and there was no rush to get Costis out. Or Costis may have simply learned these details from Ornon, Ornon’s retinue, or letters from his friends. Pick your preferred headcanon.

Plot kicks off: Nahuseresh denied the governorship, Kamet beaten.

~ a month (his bruised ribs have barely healed when he runs into Costis) + 3 Kamet and Costis traveling to Sherguz, boat fire, spend third night at the inn + 1 join caravan ~ 8 to 12 days. The trip from Sherguz to Perf is predicted to take two weeks and they’re “more than halfway” when the Namreen attack + 3 days in the lion cave + 4 days minimum of traveling. NOTE: Based on traveling speed, this is roughly the time when they would have been expected to arrive in Zabrisa, if not earlier because they wouldn’t have been traveling cross-country on foot. It is unclear how long it takes a ship to travel from Zabrisa to Attolia, however, so Eugenides may not know they’re MIA for another week or more.

+ 1 buy food, predict it will take 3 days to Traba or “4 days at the rate [Kamet] traveled” + 3 arrive in Traba, where they sell Kamet’s chain + 1 leave the following morning ~ 2 or 3 additional days to Koadester (based on the map and their previous travel speed) + 2 travelling, captured by slavers on the second evening + 1 sleep during the day, talk about “the kitchen boy” NOTE: Previously I had thought that Kamet met with Eugenides the day Queen of Attolia began; on a recent reread I noticed this was incorrect, because Eugenides had only been in the city one day before being chased out. It is more likely, then, that Kamet last saw Eugenides in the spring of Year 2. Eugenides had warned Eddis that it would be dangerous for him to return to Attolia so soon, so he probably told Kamet he was running away without realizing that he would be back in the summer.

+ 3 traveling + 1 arrive at the farm where Costis repairs a pan + 11 hiking the Taymets + 1 travel with the potter + 1 reach the mill, Costis falls, Kamet returns past midnight (technically the next day) + 1 traveling for the entire day, spend the first night with Godekker + 1 Kamet and Godekker argue + 1 guards visit, Godekker tied up + 1 find the ship At this point, they have spent 85 days traveling by foot and donkey through the Mede Empire and Zaboar. Their travel by sea is more difficult to pin down.

“Days passed” in travelling from Zaboar to Sukir 1 day docked, verifying seal ~ a few days traveling to Thegmis. The reach Thegmis and go on to the capitol the same night and are taken to the palace. + 1 Kamet appears at court and talks to Eugenides

+ 1 Relius talks to Kamet about sharing information ~Kamet meets the young Erondites ~within 30 days Kamet visits the kitchen ~ some more time passes, Eugenides proposes trip to Roa, says Costis has been gone for “the last few weeks” + 7 boat leaves for the first leg of the journey Roa, a week after Eugenides had originally suggested it

Conclusion: Approximately 142 days, or almost 5 months, pass between when Kamet is beaten and when he departs for Roa based on my accounting of Thick as Thieves by itself. [RotT spoilers] Between the time Eugenides comments that Costis “may still be alive” and the time that they actually arrive, my estimate of the RotT-specific plot is that between a month and a half and three months pass, which would lengthen my TAT estimate--as mentioned above, their sea travel is not well described, so it’s perfectly plausible that the trip took 6-8 months in total rather than 5.

Given both the discussion in RotT and the fact that it is not winter when Kamet and Costis cross the Taymets, my guess is that they left Ianna-Ir in late winter or early spring (say, Jan-Mar), and departed for Roa in late summer or early fall, all in Year 6. The timing of Kamet’s letters at the end of TaT are covered in the timeline for Return of the Thief, below.

Return of the Thief

The book begins immediately following A Conspiracy of Kings and probably a few months before Thick As Thieves, in “late summer” of Year 5.

Pheris is brought before his grandfather ~3 or more days days for Pheris to travel to the court ~1-2 weeks Pheris recovers from his illness, Sophos and Helen are married (“immediately, before her barons could object”), and the other monarchs swear allegiance to Eugenides NOTE: Later in the book, the gifts Eugenides receives at the allegiance ceremony are mentioned as “birthday gifts.” This would probably make him either a Leo or a Virgo--make of that what you will.

Several weeks pass as Pheris adjusts to the court [Eugenides orders Pheris to see a tutor weekly Eugenides and Pheris visit the temple of Hephestia] NOTE: These bracketed events may be spread out through the end of the year and the beginning of the next.

END YEAR 5

Mid-Spring: Festival of Moira Shortly after the festival, Eugenides comments that “Costis may still be alive,” and Pheris tells Juridius about the supply wagons. NOTE: As mentioned above, the earliest Eugenides could have known the TaT trip went off the rails is probably 15-21 days after the boat caught fire in Sherguz. Depending on how quickly he got that message, and how quickly he was informed that the Namreen were still on the hunt, this is probably around the time when Costis and Kamet are being captured by the slavers or even crossing the Taymets.

Eddis and Sounis leave. The Pent ambassador is sent home. Pheris feels increasingly guilty and then falls ill. ~30 days after Petrus treats Pheris, Erondites burns the supply wagons. Juridius is exiled. Some of the attendants are cycled home. Costis’s flag is sighted. Irene miscarries. Later that night, Costis and Kamet are brought into the palace.  +1 very early next morning, Pheris and Eugenides make the sacrifice to Ula. ~ a few days pass as Irene recovers ~“many days” pass. Eugenides forgives Pheris Kamet interacts with Pheris in the library +7 days, leaves vocab Kamet [and Costis] leave Attolia (my TaT estimate is about seven weeks after their arrival) ~weeks pass. Relius takes over tutoring +7 days Pheris looks through Relius’s rooms Destruction of the Mede fleet at Hemsha +3 days, Melheret leaves Attolia ~time passes as Pheris studies Receives first letter from Kamet, saying he and Costis have settled in to Roa. +1 writes a reply letter ~30 days. Relius returns. A short while after, he receives a letter from Kamet that includes the hand-drawn map from TaT. Pheris has been at court for more than a year, so this is probably mid/late fall

END YEAR 6

Mid-spring. Festival of Moira. Costis travels to the capitol. Mede movement revealed. ~indeterminate time passes as Attolia prepares for war Eugenides and Attolia go on royal strike and win the same day +1 Erondites leaves ~an indeterminate but fairly short amount of time passes. Costis leaves for Roa again. +1 Relius leaves ~indeterminate time passes. The Braelings expect to have ships arrive “before the summer windstorms.” Eugenides buys the three Pent ships. Minor naval official insults Eddis +1 Eugenides’s trial +1 miracle ~indeterminate time passes The big chase through the palace +1 The army begins to march ~1 week Irene’s pregnancy is revealed NOTE: Based on the references to spring and summer, and eliminating the days that are specifically mentioned, my estimate is that there are approximately four months of miscellaneous time for the three countries to prepare for war and march the army from the capitol to Leonyla

+3 days fighting Death of Lamion. +1 parley +5 days fighting +1 parley. Eugenides fights on horseback because he said so. +3 days fighting. Eugenides fights on foot, with permission. Death of Cleon the Eddisian. Eugenides learned of the death of Stenides.

Late summer windstorms have come early. NOTE: This comes from Yorn Fordad as an explanation for why the Brael ships are not there. It’s not clear whether there was independent confirmation; it could have been that the winds were early and Fordad seized on that as an excuse, or that he lied. Regardless, it would suggest the battle is taking place around mid-summer.

~4 days minimum pass as the Attolians push back and Bu-seneth doesn’t appear on the battlefield. Ambush at the cairn. Death of Hilarion, Philologos, Xikos, Perminder, and Legarus. Death of Ion Nomenus later the same night. +1 day. Past midnight, Eugenides and Pheris return to the Attolian camp. Death of Erondites. +3 days rest. Sejanus found. +1 Sejanus escapes. Troops divide to drive out the Mede. Battle at Naupent. Death of Hector, the Minister of War. Death of Nahuseresh. +1 Attolia arrives at Naupent +3 days the funeral pyre burns. Eugenides pardons Sejanus and requests that the other monarchs go home. Late summer. The Etesian winds are blowing, and the returning monarchs are expected to be back in the capitol within a week. ~driving the Medes out Death of Sejanus

[~driving the Medes through Roa. Return of Costis and Kamet. ~few weeks to built a fort on the new border. +3 days celebration after the birth of the twins. NOTE: 4 weeks passed between when Attolia’s pregnancy was revealed and when she left for the capitol. Presumably Eugenides would have noticed the pregnancy on his own if she had been showing at the reveal, and with a twin birth she probably delivered around 36 weeks. That would imply that Eugenides was separated from the other monarchs for 4-6 months, which would also fit with Eddis still being pregnant at the end of the book. Accordingly, any of the events in brackets could have happened in fall/winter of Year 7 or the first few weeks or months of Year 8]

END YEAR 7

Eugenides travels to the capitol by sea. He meets his children and dances on the roof with his court.

Final conclusion: Return of the Thief occurs over approximately two and a half years. The books of the Queen’s Thief end in the winter or early spring of Year 8.

[cyazurai]

[ao3feed-thehobbit]

Negotiations

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/AEJnI74

by Ysilme

Artwork created for Scribbles & Drabbles 2022. Lindon, early in the 2nd Age, or anywhere in Rhovanion in the 2nd or 3rd Age: three leaders meet to negotiate about something imporant to them all, and it's complicated. Pets interrupting and demanding attention doesn't help, nor does Elrond's passion for detailed lore, and perhaps also more personal relationships of the past and present are causing friction. But there's also Erestor, efficient as always and often exasperated, to smooth things over and bring the negotiations to a satisfying conclusion.

Words: 0, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English

Series: Part 4 of Moodboards for Scribbles & Drabbles, Part 2 of Pencils, colours, pixels and lenses

Fandoms: TOLKIEN J. R. R. - Works & Related Fandoms, The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien, The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien

Rating: Not Rated

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Categories: F/M, Gen, M/M, Multi, Other

Characters: Celeborn, Elrond, Erestor, Thranduil, OCs

Additional Tags: Scribbles & Drabbles 2022, artwork, moodboard, Photography, Lego Elves - Freeform, 2nd age, 3rd age, Eregion, Rhovanion., Lindon, Eryn Galen, Lothlórien, complicated negotiations, efficient!Erestor, loremaster!Elrond, interfering pets, pets demanding attention, your choice of relationship

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/AEJnI74

[love-bokumono-fics]

WIP Wednesday - Friends of Mineral Town, Part 2!

I'm going to make 2 WIP Wednesday posts today for the FoMT WIP Wednesday feature. When I sorted by Date Updated, I realized that the most recent 10 fics have all received a feature on the blog over the last couple months. Which is great! But I also want to take time to feature some of the WIPs that haven't been updated in a little bit, but still deserve some time in the spotlight. Part 1 featured the first 10 fics on the list, Part features the next 10! Happy reading! Do you have a FoMT WIP that didn't get featured today? Drop the link to it in a Submission box! We're always happy to feature submissions! to cure what ails you - by indoorsy; WIP, 7/?, 22k Rating: Mature; Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply; Category: F/M Fandoms: Friends of Mineral Town Relationship: Claire the Farmer/Doctor Trent; Characters: Claire, Doctor Trent | Torre Additional Tags: Slow Burn, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, his name is Doctor Summary: Claire, a perpetual people-pleaser with a sensitive soul, uproots her mundane city life to take over her grandfather's farm. Her endeavors are supported by the friendly community of Mineral Town - including the town's eccentric doctor. A Happy Lamp for an Unhappy Life - by MacchiatoRodion; WIP, 7/?, 17k Rating: Teen And Up Audiences; Archive Warning: Major Character Death; Categories: Gen, Multi Fandoms: Back To Nature, A Wonderful Life, Friends of Mineral Town, Havest Moon DS Cute Characters: Cliff, Old Nina, Galen | Guri, Mary the Librarian, Ann the Innkeeper | Ran, Basil the Writer, Celia | Seperia, Marlin | Mash, Pony | Aya | Jill, Jennifer, Gray, Kai, Carter the Pastor, Popuri, Rick, Manna, Lillia the Shopkeeper, Aja | Adge, Doctor Trent, Dr. Hardy | Paddock Additional Tags: Canonical Character Death, Grief/Mourning, Suicidal Thoughts, Child Death, Past Character Death, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Tags May Change, Childhood Memories, Child Abandonment, Domestic Disputes, Poor Life Choices, Flowers, Developing Friendships, Healing, Child Neglect Summary: Cliff was once considering committing suicide, so his instinct is to jump off the edge of Mother's Hill, where so many lovable people had perished before. But something compels him to look down at the area where the bodies should have landed. To his surprise, there was an entire village at the bottom. He decides to investigate since he doesn't anticipate that anybody will miss him while he is away. He ends up meeting someone who shows him the impact of even the shortest life to him. This story begins in the summer leading up to the beginning of Friends of Mineral Town and the first chapter of A Wonderful Life/DS. Story of Mineral Town - by CustardPudding; WIP, 2/?, 5k Rating: Teen And Up Audiences; Archive Warning: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings; Category: F/M Fandoms: Friends of Mineral Town, Harvest Moon 64, Back To Nature Relationships: Claire the Farmer/Gray, Cliff/Female Farmer, Ann the Innkeeper | Ran/Brandon, Kai/Popuri, Harris/Mary the Librarian | Marie, Elli/Doctor Trent | Torre, Karen/Rick; Characters: Claire, Sara, Cliff, Gray, Jennifer, Karen, Ann the Innkeeper | Ran, Doug | Dudley Additional Tags: Chickens, Angst, Family Drama, Self-Esteem Issues, Slow Burn, More like medium burn? I don't really know, Some Fluff, But also quite a bit of angst, Canon couples, Ann/Brandon is kinda cracky, Some underage drinking, Which is mostly Karen, Minor Swearing Summary: Claire and Sara, sisters who have been inseparable for their whole lives, are vastly different. With Claire's quiet and responsible nature combined with Sara's hotheaded and standoffish one, many wondered how they could possibly be related by blood. But they took care of each other nevertheless. So when they inherit their late grandfather's farm, they expect it to be an easy thing. Take a few looks at it, restore it to its former glory, and then sell it and move on. They were wrong, of course. Rival After Events - by LuxBeacon (Number13teen); WIP, 4/13, 7k Rating: General

Audiences; Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply; Categories: F/F, F/M, Gen, M/M Fandoms: Friends of Mineral Town Relationships: Elli/Doctor Trent | Torre, Kai/Popuri, Ann the Innkeeper | Ran/Cliff, Karen/Rick, Gray/Mary the Librarian | Marie, Harvest Goddess/Pete | Jack, Kappa/Claire, Male Farmer | Yuto/Huang | Won; Characters: Elli | Elly, Doctor Trent | Torre, Popuri, Kai, Ann the Innkeeper | Ran, Cliff, Karen, Rick, Mary the Librarian, Gray, Pete | Jack, Claire, Harvest Goddess, Kappa, Won | Huang, Gourmet - Character Additional Tags: Fluff, Rival Marriage, LGBTQ Themes, Wholesome, Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net Summary: A series of one shots detailing the lives of the Mineral Town bachelorettes and bachelors after marrying their rival. Each story references different locations and characters from across the franchise and each chapter takes inspiration from actual events in the games. Pure Fluff. Year One - by pawprintmusical; WIP, 7/?, 10k Rating: General Audiences; Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply; Category: F/M Fandoms: Friends of Mineral Town, Harvest Moon DS Cute, A Wonderful Life Relationships: Claire the Farmer/Zack, Ann the Innkeeper | Ran/Cliff, Elli/Doctor Trent | Torre, Gray/Mary the Librarian, Kai/Popuri, Karen/Rick; Characters: Claire the Farmer, Zack, Ann the Innkeeper | Ran, Cliff, Elli, Doctor Trent | Torre, Gray, Mary the Librarian, Karen, Rick, Kai, Popuri Additional Tags: MFoMT, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, alcohol mention, didn't want to tag the whole town but they're here with a chunk of AWL people too, Tags Added As I Go, Pre-Relationship, Not Remake Compliant Summary: Claire needed a change, and Mineral Town seemed like just the ticket. She just never expected how much it would change her. Rainy Day Vignettes - by Shelookstothesky; WIP, 7/?, 31k Rating: Teen And Up Audiences; Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply; Category: F/M Fandoms: A Wonderful Life, Harvest Moon DS Cute, Friends of Mineral Town Characters: Marlin | Mash, Pony | Aya | Jill, Rock, Muffy | Muumuu, Griffin | Garfan, Takakura, Celia | Seperia, Vesta, Claire Additional Tags: Vignette, Eventual Romance, Angst and Drama Summary: This fanfic is a collection of scenes I wrote with the Jill/Pony and Marlin paring back in 2016 and decided to reread and edit them just for fun. I'm not sure if I'll actually write new scenes in addition to the original ones I wrote back in 2016. I suppose it will depend on how engrossed I get back into the plot. I hope you enjoy anyway!~ Life is like a Festival - by LeafBubble; WIP, 7/?, 26k Rating: Teen And Up Audiences; Archive Warning: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings; Category: F/M Fandoms: Friends of Mineral Town Relationships: Many relationships will happen, Final pairing is a mystery; Characters: Rick, Popuri, Barley | Mugi, May | Mei, Saibara, Gray, Duke, Manna, Basil the Writer, Anna, Mary the Librarian | Marie, Thomas, Harris, Old Ellen, Elli | Elly, Stu | Yu, Jeff, Sasha, Karen, Doctor Trent | Torre, Carter the Pastor, Cliff, Doug | Dudley, Ann the Innkeeper | Ran, Kai, Gotz | Gotts, Brandon, Jennifer, Zack, Won Huang Additional Tags: Adult themes are present, Depression, Angst, Prejudice, Sexuality, Abandonment, Happy Themes, Life gives the good and the bad Summary: Claire is a young woman who led a comfortable life. Great up bringing, amazing schooling, landed a dream job. As the days go by she feels as if she was doing nothing, but being a cog in the machine. A chance get away on a cruise forever changes her life. A forgotten land, facing turmoil when crops and animals begin to decay. A goddess is in disarray as she needs to find a new farmer to help restore the town. After making a deal with a goddess, Claire vows to find the man who saved her life. Will she decide to take on the challenge of being a farmer in an unfamiliar town and find this mystery man, or pack her bags and face reality? Friendships will be tested, and love will be fought and lost. A slow burn story that will go through the lives of the many

characters of Mineral Town and their connections to each other. all that glitters - by christinahosetti; WIP, 3/?, 5k Rating: Teen And Up Audiences; Archive Warning: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings; Category: F/F Fandoms: Friends of Mineral Town Relationship: Claire the Farmer/Jennifer; Characters: Claire, Jennifer Additional Tags: Slow Burn, Supernatural Elements, Worldbuilding, Eventual Smut, Fae & Fairies, not gonna tag the whole town but they're all there basically, claire is called clover Summary: “You’re not completely solitary, though,” Clover points out, now harvesting the blackberries into a tupperware container she’s fished out of her rucksack. “You hang out with me all the time. And Mugi, and Lillia, and Harris.” “That’s true. They’re all people with peaceful energies, though, so I don’t mind them so much. No drama or nastiness.” Clover gives her an odd look. “I’m not sure that applies to me.” “Well, you’re the exception.” - Jennifer has secrets to keep, but the farmer makes her want to spill them all. Harvest Moon: The Novel - by CurtTheGamer, WIP, 5/?, 8k Rating: Teen And Up Audiences; Archive Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence; Major Character Death Fandoms: Friends of Mineral Town, Back To Nature Characters: Pete | Jack, Ann the Innkeeper | Ran, Doug | Dudley, Mary the Librarian | Marie, Karen, Elli | Elly, Old Ellen, Gray, Jeff, Cliff, Gotz | Gotts, Sasha, Maria the Mayor's Daughter, Anna, Thomas, Manna, Doctor | Trent, Duke, Saibara, Stu | Yu, Won | Huang, Kent, May | Mei, Barley | Mugi, Kai, Popuri, Lillia the Shopkeeper, Rick, Basil the Writer, Harris, Jennifer, Zack, Dog, Horse Summary: Pete is a young man from the big city. He hasn't dreamed of having a job outside the city, nor does he want to. But when an old friend from a small village dies, Pete inherits his farm. Though reluctant, he agrees to leave his city life to become a farmer. Will he live happily ever after, or will the old-fashioned country life become a bore? What is Art? (Not That) - by FosterTheBananas; WIP, 1/2, 1.2k Rating: General Audiences; Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply; Category: Gen Fandoms: Friends of Mineral Town Characters: Won | Huang, Brandon Summary: Huang heads to Mineral Town to help oversee shipments for his cousin. While there, he tries to buy some art in the hopes of reselling for a profit, but instead he catches the attention of an eccentric artist who. just. won't. go. away.

[ultraericthered]

Was giving this some thought recently and I feel I gotta address the fandom myth of the new Disney-owned Star Wars’ “identity politics” that have supposedly overtaken the franchise and killed a lot of enjoyment of it. Not that there aren’t any that have been inserted into the recent products, but that they’re so glaring, so frequent, and so heavy-handed that they overtake everything else about them and turn them into Woke Leftist feminist SJW propaganda pieces.

But when I really examine the movies, there are only three trends that create this idea:

1. An increase in female characters and major female roles reflecting a feminist agenda. This one is absolutely true. Kathleen Kennedy has not even made it a secret that she wants to make Star Wars into an outlet for female empowerment messages and demonstrations of ways in which women are just as great, if not greater, than men, hence the whole “The Force Is Female” nonsense. It sucks because in theory, better representation of women and adding stronger, more prominent, proactive female characters to the theatrical releases isn’t at all a bad idea, but Kathleen’s execution of her very political feminist ideals and the underlying notion that women, who are wiser than men with their “toxic masculinity” and should always be listened to, should dominate this franchise in almost all aspects, in-universe and out of it, has only been damaging to the franchise and it’s image, and alienating for audience members, male or female, who have no time for that. And that is why Kathleen needs to go.

2. The phasing out of white males in favor of inserting new characters played by actors of different ethnicity into the series, which is cited as an example of “forced diversity.” This one is false, based on things that are entirely accidental. For one, the “phasing out white males” comes from the idea that the most major still-living OT white male characters, Han Solo and Luke Skywalker, got killed off after having been shown to have become washed up failures in their later years, while the only major white male characters of the new Gen - Kylo Ren, General Hux, and Supreme Leader Snoke - are villains in the imperialistic First Order regime. Even in Rogue One, all the white dudes not named Galen Erso were bad guys. This is the same case of unfortunate implications as when all the major non-whites were cast as imperialistic villains in M. Night Shyamalan’s “The Last Airbender” (still a way worse film than “The Last Jedi”, BTW). There’s no intentional “white men are the Devil!” theme running either behind the scenes or in the in-universe context of the films themselves. It’s just something that happened by mistake and can easily be fixed by putting in new white males, in major and minor roles, as good guys to tip the balance. And good or bad, Kylo Ren is arguably the most compelling new character and the central figure in the new trilogy, and he’s a white male played by a white male. For the other thing, simply casting actors of different skin color in roles that you feel could’ve been “white roles” without there being too much difference is NOT “forced diversity” or done solely for the sake of “representation.” It’s “giving non-white actors a shot at stardom.” I’ve mentioned this before and it has to be re-iterated - Star Wars is one of the largest, most popular and influential mega franchises in the world, and it started with movies that were dominated by white males. When you have a brand this big and a fictional universe this..well, diverse in it’s lifeforms, then I’m sorry but there’s no excuse for a lack of diversity in who’s running the show and/or who’s featuring in it. John Boyega isn’t great as Finn because he’s black, but because he fits the character. Same goes for Oscar Isaac as Poe, Kelly Marie Tran as Rose, Lupita Ny’ongo as Maz (who isn’t even a black character), Benicio Del Toro as DJ, Diego Luna as Cassian, Donnie Yen as Chirrut, Wen Jiang as Baze, etc. If your first instinctive thought upon seeing a non-white or female playing a big part in a Star Wars movie is that they’re “unnatural” insertions into this universe and are only there for “Woke Leftist, PC, SJW brownie points” and “forced diversity”, then you’re all but admitting that you have a race and/or sex problem, possibly in life as well as in regards to fiction, which doesn’t reflect well on you. And if your feelings are “man, this role could’ve/should’ve gone to a white male actor”, then you’re engaging in your own identity politics and are thus no better than the Far Left enemies you seem to see everywhere around you.

3. The anti-American, anti-fascist, anti-capitalism political messages being inserted into the stories. This one...I just have to laugh at, I’m sorry. Star Wars has literally ALWAYS had these themes and politics ingrained in them. George Lucas has been vehemently anti-American since forever, at least whenever Republican Presidents were running the country. In Return Of The Jedi, Lucas made Palpatine’s Empire a stand-in for Nixon’s America and the Ewoks who helped bring them down were stand-ins for the Viet Cong. In Revenge Of The Sith, he was writing Palpatine and Anakin/Vader as a Dick Chaney and George W. Bush allegory. But now that it’s Trump’s America and these movies (both well into production before the Donald won the 2016 election) feature a resurgent Space Nazi empire and a “resistance” fighting back against them, Star Wars is too political and anti-American? Likewise, Star Wars has always been positioned against fascism while championing democracy because c’mon - a fascist, totalitarian evil galactic empire as the villains versus a rebellion of good guys wanting to restore the democracy of the old Republic to the galaxy? It can’t get more obvious. And while “anti-capitalism”, which I assume comes from the Canto Bight subplot in TLJ (which was more anti-war profiteering, anti-slavery, and anti-animal cruelty than anti-capitalism in general), is fairly new for the mainstream Star Wars films, it keeps with themes that, again, have always been there: the effects that corrupt systems have on the downtrodden and oppressed, and how helping those victims of the wealthy and powerful’s corruption should always be a priority since it’s the Right Thing To Do(TM). Many of those on the margins can also rise up and become heroes who dismantle the systems that oppress them and replace them with something better and more beneficial for everyone - I mean, Luke wasn’t exactly raised in the most privileged of households by a privileged family despite coming from an important bloodline. So again, I think seeing these themes and messages as a franchise killing problem all of a sudden has to do with the timing, this time where we have a wealthy, successful capitalist businessman as our country’s leader who many on the political Left see as a fascist upholding a corrupt, oppressive, marginalizing government system that must be dismantled and replaced by something more “progressive” and “inclusive” to the “marginalized and oppressed” people rather than just the privileged majority. So many either on the Right or those on the Left who disagree with those extremes are understandably not happy to see ideas that sound too unsettlingly close to Far Left rhetoric, beliefs, and agendas being seemingly pushed upon audiences by a Star Wars movie. But the thing they need to at least consider is that maybe not all of these come from a place of the Far Left, Anti-Trumpism, Pro-Antifa and BLM, “Woke” SJW, Political Correctness, and hatred of white, staight, cis men who make up the majority of the audience for these movies and fandom of the franchise.

Basically, I’m in agreement with this post - and yes, I’d apply it to The Last Jedi as well. Remember kids, don’t be an SJW (Social Justice Warrior) or a SWJ (Star Wars Jerk).

[thecrenellations]

Return of the Thief Notes, Part One: The Book of Pheris, Volume I

Notes from my first read, October 2020. (Part Two | Part Three | TaT)

Contents:  "So, so, so” watch, Costis watch, swearing, trashing the king’s attendants, being objectively wrong, boundless enthusiasm and love 

I promise I’ve had more developed thoughts since these often incoherent ones, but I’ve enjoyed having these notes to refer to - for sentimental reasons and for  entertainment, so here they are, for others who enjoy liveblogs and/or being whisked back in time to their first read of this wonderful book.

Format: Page number. My thoughts (Context?)

Dedication, Table of Contents, Exordium:

There it is – to Sounis

Exordium – vocab #1

Interregnum?!? Alyta?

Pheris!!!

Yeah I love him from the first page

MOIRA

MOCKING COMMENTS HELP! Gen lives!

A new level of unreliable narrator

Moira, messages of Gods, Pheris, messages of __

Wtf is going on in this study? A zoo?

high king vs great king vs annux?

okie dokie dude

Chapter 1

1. Susa – Costis

2. Infirmity – who gets to be hero/tell story (I started reading right after the book launch, in which mwt spent some time talking about her writing influences and decisions connect to this question - Pheris isn’t her first disabled protagonist and storyteller, of course, but it was lovely to meet him properly directly after hearing her talk about it. Book launch foreshadowing part 1...)

Melisande?

Is this why he wasn’t taught to read?

3. Always the summer

Bees!

4. Hunting cat… hm…

Ok … shrine … 😬

5. Once again we start with a disaster or having to flee

Which Eugenides precipitated

Bite!

Little monster :(

6. Falling…

:(

7. :( :( :(

His purpose? D:

8. YIKES

Chapter 2

9. Hello there! (Gen!)

Massive chair?

10. CRACKED WATER JUG (amphora motif???)

11. Triangle from seal!

Gen that’s rude to Pheris :( (“He will fit in very well with my attendants”)

Wait. This must have happened before ACoK! (nope)

12. :(

Xikander … never made an impression before

How old is Pheris? (lol)

13. Philologos come thru!

Royal closet reappears!

14. Hello weird secondhand scene!

He is Eugenides

Marina…

15. Petrus? GALEN? OH SHIT! 

Is this why Galen was called? (nope)

16. Hell yea Petrus

Miras’ golden balls oh no

All these previously unnamed sucky attendants!

17. Ula – goddess of hearth and healing

Ok … Galen … or a god? Eugenides????? (why did these options occur to me before Mr. Shows Up At Your Bedside At Night himself)

18. Finally the attendant floor plans I crave + hunting scenes!

19. EXCUSE ME he slept through Sounis + Eddis wedding!!!

Again – high king!

20. So Ion is beautiful … hmm.

Yeah … Sejanus has facets. I like it.

21. Clearly no one would know what king would do … lol

Don’t mind me just sorting the attendants on a spectrum of awfulness!!!

22. SO SO SO – ION!!!!!

How many fucking attendants are there and how many are on my hit list!

Is “the necessaries” bathrooms or like … him stealing? (just the bathrooms ... the Gen-Pheris parallels were really getting to me at this point)

:(

23. OH MY GOD THE UNIFIED CREST

Also … frogs. Frogs.

24. Big day for Gen huh

Definitely an aura of Something as he writes about Gen

25. HELLO EVERYONE

26. Sorry Kamet, Pheris does the physical descriptions better. They’re beautiful

I’m blacking out at Eddis and Sounis

27. Jesus Christ. The bear.

Cousin time!

Under the table is the new up on the roof!

Uh… twin imagery ….

Gen’s feet!

Jesus. The matching

28. Cleon … wtf? A cousin?

A trial for Sophos?

Show! Us! Sophos’s! Shoes!

29. If u throw things out the air shaft you might hit the king

Was it a chicken?

Lol nvm the guy at night is Gen. That is … very sweet

- Showing up at night

- Accent

- Complaining about Petrus

- Swearing

- One hand

I am judging Costis and Sophos for not describing the paneling in Gen’s room!

Chapter 3

30. Was it a chicken?

An earring huh, good hand huh

31. Literally screaming “NO!” at Gen. Don’t joke about dying! I am killed by Gen on annux day. This is. My boy. Yes he is perfect. Yes he will refuse to get up. I love him. I died on page 31

Philologos is still the best of them

32. Dancing bear indeed

Always the powdered gold

Ruby!!!!! <3

Aww a smile!!! <3

Pheris he likes you!

33. They both love invisibility and lost it … I cry

Erupt like the sacred mountain excuse me!

OR WORSE return to bed! Lol

34. He’s Eugenides when he’s talking to Attolia

Ouch hero talk

! from Irene!

My queen!

Hey Phresine!

They way we do <3 he’s hating it but he’s so comfortable with her

Sister and bro mention! C’mon!

I love them

EYEBROW

35. Honestly that’s a yes (“I have no idea what you mean, my queen”)

It’s so cute they hang out in the morning … like how long was it even since they’ve seen each other lol

:( tough walk for Pheris

Is it prophecy time?

Lol how long does this construction take?!

Also … she’s pregnant, huh? but no one knows (nope)

Is befriending someone weaponized as a prank count for Gen’s enemies to friends list?

Also SHOW ME the magus. I know he’s here!

36. Pheris excuse me, why not recreate this!

Lol cast off language of history indeed

Feel the thrum of the goddess!

EXCUSE ME… a minor goddess? Mystery goddess? Or Philia?

Oh Gen

37. Well, Gen, someone is having a worse day than you.

Damn, how far we come.

Aww Sounis, babe, I love you and so does Gen

[drawing of the four of them sitting in a row]

38. Artadorus???? Pomegranate?

39. HEIRO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! A friend! Also lol. Two smiles, for Pheris and Heiro..

40. Yesss Melheret joke in action.

Costis has left tho right?

Jesus, Melheret

SHE GAVE HIM A HORSE (I COULD NOT DEAL with this entire conversation, but then again I could not deal with this whole book.)

41. I love them all so much

“on that horse, you will look like a king” I can’t with her sense of humor

He sure did say that

I feel like I’m missing something with the fight on foot thing … remembering battles?

Helen called him Gen!

Sophos stop talking about yourself and bringing apricots into everything lol

Lol these bystanders don’t know how lucky they are. Nor does Pheris, yet

42. She’s protecting him

Also … Gen … you didn’t want to be a soldier.

43. Guards have capes

2 startled men … hm …

Oh Gen. The fucking brutal echoes…

44. :( :( :(

Gen tell your wife you’re sick!

The attendants are so dumb

45. So, so, so :(

Tell who? Petrus?

Wink!

Yes?

46. Bleeding! Salt! Lemon! Heck no! What is he, a piece of meat?

Oranges?

47. “savoring each bite as if it were my last” ... Same … but with this book

Hmm… Alyta! Goddess of the gentle rain! (despite this “hmm,” I did not put the pieces together)

48. Oh no Teleus! And someone?

Aw he realized <3 lemon water

49. Gen eat your broth lol

50. I love them.

Ion’s really trying to make up for what he did that one time

51. Without the approval of the great goddess HAHAHA

I love them. Cousin time! Growl?

Idk whether or not to be reassured, Gen.

Wow Cleon I do not like that. Also didn’t he die? (...)

Comma (“I am not, Eddis”)

Go smack him!

52. Gen I love you.

Helen I love you.

He’s so bad at self care but I love him

Chapter 4

55. love that our narrator just disappears and reappears

56. Attolia’s brother’s bedroom? Yikes. Ominous. A detail in a story we’ve already gotten, different every time <3

57. fucking attendants. 3 good ones. Medander you were beneath Costis’s notice before but I hate you. Costis didn’t have time for you or Xikos or Xikander and nor do I

58. interesting pawn talk!!!

59. <3 Pheris :(

The Gen comparisons though

:( :( :( :(

60. flamboyance <3

Cemphora bush

Bees

61. I love him

62. I love them

Also lol “Your majesty?”

63. Name … hm … (“I have deliberately omitted [my tutor’s] name here”)

64. more twin imagery I swear

WAIT … it was his birthday! Not just Annux day?!! Gen was born in late summer???

Attendant list thank you

65. laying it all out there, huh … (that one Gen quote)

Lol they’re the same but Pheris likes horses

66. Insellia! Hello nice to meet you

67. Gen that’s mean. (“He is hardly even half of one.”)

68. Coleus leves???

“I am Eugenides.” <3

Gen why

69. Gold cups???? Hmmmmm. Also lioness. Def invoking Costis. (they’re probably not the cups, but STILL)

Earth….

70. Moira! Hi!!! Rainbow shawl!

Like a rabbit!

Pester!

I’m … very sad he uses his Attolian accent with Helen

71. Aaah so good

Mortals

Moira knows another messenger?

Does he think he can’t die in battle?

72. hmm are they WRANGLING?! (Galen and Petrus and my Fire and Hemlock word association)

Kill that pastry Irene I love you

morning training with his … guard? (Is that the whole guard or a guard? Costis senses tingling once again.)

73. Oh gen.

Ouch! (“to send people to their deaths and not risk my own is contemptible”)

Is she implying he’s paying Therespides?

74. Interesting Cleon plan. So many doubles

OUCH. (“Only if he comes back from the dead.” I assumed Lader had died in the war; it’s a different ouch now. I love that they both accidentally say things to each other that poke old wounds, and it’s not a big deal but it’s also not dismissed! Their relationship has come so far, and I love them so much.)

75. Verimius – Lavia – Celia??? Somebody is queer in there!

A GUARD

This scene confuses me. Xortix? Layteres? Aris! but dice thing is less political … so maybe? (just wait....)

76. So many reasons to hate Medander

Hey Costis! You exist! KoA happened!

Gen is just … still so uncomfortable and miserable. He chose, he has people, but still.

RIP Clopius also WHAT

77. Lol Hilarion’s grand statements

78. Yorn Fordad Hello!

Luxurious mustache

The mighty Pents?

Besin Quedue – she’s coming 4 you watch out

79. RIP Baron Hippias

Chapter 5

80. Spring! Plays! Cenna!

81. Oh dear

Oh dear

At least they said he was pretty

83. ?!? :( wine

Uh oh. Stockpiling

85. What even.

AAAAAAAAAH COSTIS

86. Omg Irene. Hissing. I love her.

Also … Gen’s the viper

Also this scene was written by Pheris.

Damn.

87. oh no.

What better man

She fucking quoted Howl. I love them.

Also, bees (this scene killed me)

90. Falling?

Oh shit

Also … Juridius and Pheris, Susa and Costis (comparing demands for information)

93. oh my god (IT’S THE WINDOW SCENE)

Oh my god

Uh

94. She! Called! Him! Gen!

I love this and it scares me

Lol Chloe

Irene you learned from her though

95. D:

96. :(

97. water stuff

98. what the heck

OH NO (Quedue scene)

Hm

100. yikes

Omg

Wow.

102. yikes yikes YIKES

103. a blade has protruded from his chest (tbt to The Thief)

jesus

106. shit

Did Gen hit him?

108. lol Phresine

109. lol

I want genuinely every character’s reaction to this shit

Chapter 6

111. what the heck Gen.

112. like a god [crown doodle]

114. Perma?

116. Gen. Gen. Gen. Do not.

117. AAAA (god intervention)

122. Juridius to Dite

124. bye Iolanthe and Ileia! Tell us about Caeta and Silla.

125. did not expect so much Ion

Chapter 7

127. Fryst god of winter

She laughed!

They’re so married

128. OH SHIT (Costis ship is sighted and I remember what’s about to happen next)

Interesting timing

He rode the horse home?

131. Beauty and good, beauty and kind

134. The gods’ goodwill

Keep them safe <3

135. Is that his MOM?!! Wtf (it was!)

Pheris steal those earrings!!!

RING! SMASH BOX!

137. AMPHORA EARRINGS (and flowers)

138. I love Phresine

139. Why do I feel like all the game birds are pigeons

140. meanwhile Gen’s been hanging out with Kamet. Shit. I cannot.

WELCOME HOME BOYS!

HELL YEAH KAMET ATTEND THOSE MEETINGS!

RELIUS COME THRU

141. lethium soup! The reversal

Safe for you

142. of course he knew <3

143. Kamet time! I love him. We get to see Kamet!!!

Also … echo of Gen’s notes on Mede

145. very handsome. … gaycostis vindication (referring to @costis’s url at the time and this post. Little did I know what else was to come in the next chapter and then a few months later with the adaptation news...)

Do you know who I am?

Chapter 8

147. Of course he’s a cartographer

A favorite huh

148. of course she didn’t tell us his age!

149. the angsty window staring I crave

Music!

151. adventure, huh

I do have a soft spot for Melheret

152. concerned about amphora gift

153. Glad they can be well and united in spite!! (Gen and Melheret)

154. Pheris loves math and I love him

155. Hello Teleus. Hello olives

Lol Relius is not into math

156. pigeons. Inkpot!

157. yeah honestly. He tortures people. He was NOT tortured by the king

159. lol (“I have noted the elective nature of certain behaviors” ... I love Relius and Pheris.)

160. The Invitation! I <3 it

161. EXCUSE ME WHO

Legarus!

FOLKS HERE WE ARE (I cannot overstate how wonderful it was to read this page. I did not know who the poem was from, and “Someone loves me very much, even with all my faults” is even sweeter to reread, but it’s just ... his confidence is so different from the tentative consideration of a new philosophy of trust and love we see in KoA. And there is subtextual queerness in the books before this one, some more apparent and some more subtle (and what is obvious to one reader may be subtle or invisible to another, in these books especially), and there is the attendant love triangle a few chapters back, but HERE - here, Pheris acknowledges the real feeling and love in Legarus’s disastrous relationship and tells us directly that his lover was a man, here he seamlessly makes it clear how bi and poly Relius is, and he quietly ties these relationships and realities to his growing understanding of the world. It’s not subtext. And there’s a lot more to come, but this page really hit me, and sort of promised the “more to come” while assuring me that what had come before, more subtly, was there. I used to have heteronormative readings of both these books and myself, and when Thick as Thieves brought them crashing back into my heart after years away, I knew better about myself, and I saw that - or the possibility of that reading -  reflected in the new book, and it was such a good surprise. It meant a lot, and this page meant a lot, and that is why I’m writing a small essay to accompany this note.) 

Lol wow

162. Where are you traveling, man (this question remains)

163. Fuck you, Orutus

164. Stole an inkpot!

165. the map!!! (Kamet’s)

166. I love them!

167. The Math Master hmm

Am I an oracle (Nope! :) )