#I rambled

[auncyen]

I think I saw once that Vaugarde used to be a monarchy and I absolutely cannot remember if it has Actual Canon but at this point I think it's pretty much full headcanon for me that

it used to be a monarchy

the Island used to have a mutually beneficial relationship with Vaugarde that was. pretty literally. using wishes as part of the trade. how they got Favor Trees etc but also BIG things like carefully crafted wishes for protection or good farming seasons and such. some little traditions spread beyond Vaugarde just as a spread of knowledge. but the primary beneficiary of wish trade was Vaugarde, which in turn protected the Island (and again the Island would have been crafting the Wishes so a lot of the Big Ones were probably benefiting the island as well/already meant for the Island but extended to Vaugarde as well)

the Island was not closed off from the world, but it was already remote just by location and yes, a little secretive. It was common knowledge that the Vaugardian monarchy were trade partners with the Island, but also just pinning down the material goods being traded, it seemed a bit lopsided in the Island's favor. There was acknowledgment of "knowledge" being exchanged both ways and yes, the Vaugardian layperson could probably find some examples, but the wish trading was not exactly being disclosed as 'yeah, this is the big thing the Islanders give'. Despite this, 'wizards' start coming up as a fictional concept based on Islanders visiting the capital--they dress strangely, appear rarely but are treated as important when they do, sometimes it seems their words portend miraculous events...

the monarchy eventually falls out of favor with Vaugarde as a whole. The Island withdraws support from the monarchy as the wish requests turn cruel and vindictive. A petty enough monarch might have made an attempt at retaliation, but they're facing enough pressure at home without opening another front--especially to an enemy who has a real chance of deciding you should be demolished and having their higher power agree.

as the monarchy fails, knowledge about the Wish trade starts to leak out, either from found documents or people trying to save their standing by bartering with knowledge.

this starts years of tension between the Island, Vaugarde, and maybe even countries beyond Vaugarde as details both get out and don't, rumors form about what was the Island's work and wasn't, etc., the Island being seen more and more as a mysterious threat until eventually...

Island crafts a spell to be forgotten so its people can live in safe obscurity. Unfortunately not everyone was on the island at the time. This may have been made as a rushed decision in reaction to a nearby country's threat, or it may have been long planned in complete secrecy even to the main population with the cold calculation that some would have to be sacrificed for the Island's safety.

Somewhere along the way the 'rebel movement' that helped overthrow the monarchy changed so much it becomes the present day Defenders. (The name may even be the same! How the group operates, definitely not.)

[borderlinereminders]

I’ve seen you talk about conflicting needs. Can you give an example? So much of the internet just pushed that you should look out for you and your needs and I don’t know id like to understand it more

Sometimes when we go to put up boundaries, we realize that our needs are conflicting with the other person. Usually when this happens, we can try to compromise and come up with solutions together. And sometimes, depending on what it is, we might not engage in a certain activity or relationship anymore. The point of the following example is to try and encourage problem solving and not seeing things as exclusively black and white. When we approach conflict with a "I'm right, and you're wrong" attitude, usually no one wins and a lot of times there are ways to be considerate of others while making sure our own needs are met.

The goal is to try and teach your brain to look for solutions to things, and not see them exclusively in black and white.

I’m going to pose the following example to you:

Two roommates live together. Due to their schedules, they are usually home at the same times. One roommate needs complete silence to study, and the other roommate needs to play music or calming nature sounds to focus. This has created a conflict in their living situation. The roommate who cannot stand any sounds while studying thinks they have a right to a quiet space and really wants to tell the other roommate they can't play music or sounds at all, but they realize this is a shared space and that isn’t fair since they both have equal rights to the space. They realize that coming up with a compromise is better for both of them.

Then think about these questions in regards to the example:

What is a good way for the roommate to approach the other roommate?

This approach should be non accusatory, not aggressive and be direct.

Example of what I might say “While I understand that noise helps you study, it makes it really hard for me to study. Can we discuss a compromise so that we can both be able to study?”

What are potential solutions the roommate can think of to propose?

The solutions should take into accounts the needs of both parties.

Some possibilities might include one roommate getting noise cancelling headphones or the other getting headphones (or a bit of both to make it fair or maybe one of them gets a set and they split the cost to make it fair) or designated study times where they take turns with silence and noise.

It’s possible that the solution doesn’t work for the roommate. Maybe their disorder makes it hard to stick to planned study times, or maybe they have sensory issues with having things touching their ears. If that happens, then it’s time to see if there’s a compromise within the solution or whether another solution should be suggested.

There might be a case where a solution is avoiding something. Like for example, one friend needs subtitles because of auditory processing issues. One friend can’t have subtitles because they’re too distracting and make it impossible for them to watch the movie. In a situation like this, the friends might not watch movies together and instead find other activities they can enjoy together.

[hyperfixiation-station]

Hi Sun, could I please request some Alejandro whump headcanons? How does this man react to being taken care of? I love your writing 💜

CW: Sickness, Injuries, Canon-Typical Violence thank youuu anon!!! also sorry for the wait😭😅 I did ramble a bit, so sorry if it doesn't make sense or things get repeated Also I wrote this at 2 veeeery different times so sorry again😭 as always, no beta read, and feel free to ask for clarification on anything :))

My dude is man-cold kinda guy It has nothing to do with the fact that he doesn’t know how to ask for affection and you always cuddle with him when he’s sick

But only for unimportant things. A cold or a sprained ankle?

He's dying, needing you to cater to his every need

But if he's seriously sick or injured he will push himself till he passes out

You have threatened to tie him down if he does not obey his medical leave

Case in point:

He had some lung issues after pulling Rudy from the fire during the whole Hassan fiasco

He got pneumonia because he didn’t rest and exposed himself to cold, wet environments

Oh and he had fracturedbruised ribs from his time with teh Shadows

Of course he didn’t go to the doctor, and you were out of town and couldn't force him to

You walked in on him coughing so hard he couldn't breathe

Blood was splattered on the floor as the coughing aggravated his ribs which aggravated his lungs which made him cough and then it'd start all over

You watched in horror as he choked, as he tried to inhale something other than his saliva

The 12 minutes and 47 seconds it took for Rudy to get to your house were the longest of your life

He was confused when he woke up in the hospital two days later, until he saw you sitting next to his bed, your hand in his, head lolled to the side as you slept.

You gave him a reaming of a life time

"Do you not care Alejo? About yourself? About Rudy? About me? Do you not care what we would feel if you died because you're too Godsdammed stubborn to ask for help? You made this-"

"Ay Cariño, you are beautiful when you cry."

"Don't try to flirt you're way out of this Vargas, I am so worriedmad at you right now."

"I am sorry Amo-"

"Don't do this again Alejo,. I don't think I could handle walking in to find you...because you didn't take care of yourself, okay?"

He hit a wall at that point in your tirade, and you could see it

You climbed into the bed with, curled up so your head was on his chest and fell asleep, the first peaceful night you'd had since coming home and finding him

Things were different after that

It was slow going, but you could see him making an effort to tell you when things were bothering him, to not deflect his emotions and issues

You make him chicken noodle soup when he's sick

And then you'll climb in bed with him and watch Disney movies until he falls asleep

You don't kiss him when he's sick because, ew, germs

But you'll cuddle and run your fingers through his hair

Your dialogue when he's actually hurt vs. when he's exaggerating is drastically different

"Sick" days look like: "Ay, you'll feel better baby." "You're no' gonna die, it's just a sprained ankle." "Do not kiss me Alejo." "Yes baby, we can watch a movie."

Sick sick days look like: "Alejandro sit your ass down!" "Do not make me call Rudy over here." "What do you think you're doing? Alejandro!" "Alejo, baby, why won't you let me help you?"

He got sick 2 weeks after you moved in with him

Like really, actually, sick(he had the flu)

Your first clue something was wrong was when you woke before him

The man had woken up at 6:45 am on the dot your whole relationship, so you knew something was up.

The heat you could feel radiating under the covers was the second

You were fully prepared for over-dramatic, whiny, clinginess, just like he'd acted when he got the cold a couple of months ago

So you were surprised when he got out of bed and started getting ready for work

Your third clue something was up was the fact that he didn't notice you watching him lean against the door for support as he pulled his pants on

"Alejo?" He spun around to face you, honest to god swaying on his feet

"Alejo, baby, you can't go to work like that."

"Like what?" His voice had just the slightest quaver to it

You looked his flushes face, his trembling hands, the way he was leaning against the door and sighed

The only reason you even got him back to bed was because he had the day off, he had just wanted to train

It hurt a little, how he didn't ask you for anything. He didn't beg you to cuddle or hold him, in fact it didn't seem like he wanted you there at all

Not because he wasn't being loving or because you felt unwanted

But because you knew it came from a childhood of misplaced trust and neglect.

He made it clear he didn't want to be touched, but you still hesitantly placed your hand on his forehead to check his temperature

The way he pressed into your palm and the small, shuddering sigh he gave broke your heart.

In the end you had Rudy pull him from the schedule, and spent the next week curled up with him in bed

You got into a very heated argument on day 3, which ended with you in tears and him coughing so hard he can't breathe

When you stayed with him, rubbing his back even after everything, things got better

He still doesn't like being a burden, but it's a start

He didn't/doesn't like your desire to care for him, not because he didn’t want it, but because he didn't know what to do with it/doesn't understand it

He’s spent his whole life in a warzone. He’s never had the opportunity/ability to sit back and let someone take care of him.

It wasn't that people didn't love him as a child, but in-between the drug-trades, gang fights, the cartels push for power and the subsequent war launched by the government, the struggle to survive outweighed any of his problems.

"Alejandro, we can't afford a doctors visit right now, you'll just have to drink some water." "Ay mijo, you have to be more careful, I can't afford the hospital bill to fix your arm, we'll just have to wrap it up at home." "Alejandro I already told you, we can't make it to the ceremony." "I can't, we can't, you can't..."

He’s used to patching himself up, used to people not having time or resources to care when he’s injured. It why he over plays the little things, because he didn't worry anyone when or take up precious time when his ailments could be fixed with a band-aid

His family was too busy making sure they survived to give him the attention a child required. It's why him and Rudy are such good friends.

They spent more time with each other than with their own flesh and blood.

My man does not like being open, and Valeria's betray

He deflects, much in the same way he did as a kid, by overplaying the little things so no one notices the big things.

For the longest time you had to have Rudy text you when Alejandro got injured, because he wouldn't tell you

Anyways hope you enjoyed my rambling!! I tried out a new format so lmk how you like it! Oh and reqs are open :3

[ask-thesparedau]

Hi I just wanted to say im obsessed with your iteration of the Macaque I've been thinking about him for so long. I love his passion for theatrics and acting and how it plays into his reflection/shadow thematics, with him playing the role of the "false mind" for Wukong. I love how he's so kind and patient but also such a little bastard. I love how he at first tried to steal enlightenment by imitating Wukong but now that he's spared, Tripitaka is offering him a real/true path to enlightenment by actually joining the group and helping deliver the scrolls as HIMSELF because cultivation of his own identity is so important to him and hhhhhhhbhmdhgbf this au is destroying me thank you for posting it ur amazing and so talented

WHO ARE YOU TO PERFECTLY GUESS MY PLANS?!?!

In all seriousness, it’s an honor. Spared!Macaque is my homage to the book, a reason to study it and the culture just enough to at least give some sense to my au.

He is so vastly different from the other demons we encounter in their journey because of his role as Sun Wukong’s darker counterpart. His goal was never to eat Tripitaka, it was to replace the king.

Allegorically it makes sense, as he is the embodiment of Sun Wukong’s violent nature, keeping him stuck in his ways.

Story wise, I had to ask ‘why’?

His motive is never explained, so I pieced together my own interpretation.

With the main mental question being: Who is he without Sun Wukong?

[quinntell]

We were all so worried about Fit accidentally hurting Pac that we forgot about Pac accidentally hurting Fit. I haven't watched the vods yet (watching Jaiden) but I keep hearing about the death and like.... Man.... They promised.... And yeah it wasn't Pac who did it but he still came along.... And he didn't mean to! That's what an accident is! But man, i keep talking about how people underestimate Pac, and I still ended up falling for it

I'm rotating them /pos

- FA

dude. Ok I think we might be that same person

I still can’t get out of my head that fully from fits pov pac fully broke the promise. Like I’ve looked over fist pov when it all happened and there was multiple times where it looked like pac hit him but when I watch PAC’s he didn’t hit him once

fit is fully aware of pac’s capabilities and I think that’s why he kinda isn’t surprised, like I mean is he hurt by it and taken aback but he’s used to that shit. He didn’t expect it from /pac/ but at the same time there was a voice in his head going “he’s strong. He can betray you anytime he wants. He’s just vying his time so yeah from fits pov pac broke the promise and helped kill him

minus the cute lil thing when they were in acc with everyone and pac was like “I didn’t kill fit! I would never.”

[deceptivemorals]

plotted with @malka-lisitsa

          elijah had grown very fond of katherine, or rather katerina now that he knows her actual name, over the past few months. neutrally explained. it was very rare that he developed a deeper interest in a human, and he knew it was better to stay away. humans and vampires were never a good combination, yet they seemed to meet by chance. admittedly, sometimes he had also set it out to appear at the place he knew she was working at, but sometimes she, too, seemed to cross his path.

         katerina was a special person, she had something indescribable about her that attracted him. therefore he had seen with great concern that she had obvious injuries the previous day; bruises which she tried to hide under makeup. in her movements that suggested pain. he had never addressed it directly and the answers to his indirect questions were usually formulated in such a way that he knew she did not want any further inquiries. but now he was sure that there was indeed someone who caused her pain. something that made him incredibly angry (raging mad, even), but since she wouldn’t drop any names, he couldn’t let this person pay.

         he had offered to take the pain away and heal her, and she had agreed, although she probably thought it was a joke on his part. that it was actually his blood that had the desired effect was unknown to her as he had cleverly hidden it by giving her a drink.

         the events of the previous day had led him to want to see her urgently today, which is why he drove to her address. he knew it because she had already invited him to her apartment once. he rang the bell, but no one opened the main door, which was not an obstacle, as he found someone else to open the door. when he finally stood in front of her apartment door, however, he smelled something that shouldn't be as prominent: blood.

         elijah knocked on her door. "katerina?" there was no reaction, so he looked around briefly and then opened the door with a deliberate blow.

         what he found was horrifying, she lay not far from the door in her own, already dried blood on the ground.

         "katerina!? katherine?!" immediately he hurried to her and kneeled beside her on the ground, his gaze searching where all the blood came from while at the same time trying to feel a pulse, although he could not hear a heartbeat and her gaze was fixed, empty, and immobile. he knew what this meant, but he didn’t want to accept it. she couldn't be dead. she shouldn't be dead. he couldn't have lost her.

         but ... was it even possible for her to be dead? there were a thousand thoughts on his mind, also calculating when he had given her his blood the day before.

         his gaze finally hung on a dark crusty spot on her dark top, which was slightly raised and shimmered metallic when looked closely. immediately he brushed his fingers carefully over the spot and could then actually grab a bullet that should not be at this place (even if it shouldn't be there at all). her body seemed to have expelled it, which was a sign that she'd wake up again.

         elijah released a breath, before closing his eyes and trying to focus which wasn't as easy because between the initial scare he had and the wrath he felt, he also knew that she wouldn't awake as she was before. if she were to awake, then she would be in transition.

         he opened his eyes and then rested his hand softly against her cheek. "you won't be hurt again. and you'll be avenged." he does not know who did this but he'll find out. elijah lifted her into his arms and carried her to the room which he suspected was her bedroom, to lay her on her bed. she shouldn’t have to wake up on the floor. he left the bedroom door open to hear any possible change or movement before returning to the scene and started cleaning it – more a distraction to himself, because besides his concern for her, there was also this incredible anger and vindictiveness. only when the floor was perfectly clean, he went back and stood at the bedroom door to give her the necessary space when she wakes up.  

[mocknerd]

I can't remember the specifics of when Izaya started getting access to the underground but I'm guessing it was pretty young for normal standards...actually given the common trend of gang warfare maybe not. But I feel like he got a little more deep into it than any of the colour gang leaders did. Like didn't he get recruited by Kine?

Anyway, given that and his apparent brilliantness its no wonder so little was done about his delinquency. Even his fights with Shizuo. Like imagine being a teacher for him, and trying to inforce the rules, only to have the knowledge that some yakuza guy has got this kids back for whatever reason. "Oil barrels? I don't see no oil barrels?"

On one hand, no wonder he comes off as a little bratty, but can you blame him? You try being a teenage guardian to two younger sisters. I can see why he might have signed up for an easy route too. I know his parents might have sent him money, but how much of that would really help him? He's a student, if something else came along that allowed him to afford a babysitter I wouldn't blame him for taking the deal.

And imagine growing up where some of the only adults in your life were criminals.

There are so many things that tie into how fucked up he is.

[dropout-if]

hiii i’m here to ask for some facts about statler please 🥺 thank you <3

THANK YOU!! ily ily your wishes are my command.

Statler's mom was a R&B/Soul/Pop singer. She taught Statler how to play piano but they're kinda rusty now.

Their parents divorced when Statler was around 12, and shortly after their dad remarried.

Statler has four step siblings.

Statler should have two lives because one of them is completely dedicated to their siblings. Especially now that their dad is no longer in the picture.

They really like music^^ but they can't really afford to chase that dream. Many years ago Statler was part of their church's choir. They're a amazing singer despite being kinda shy about it ^^

Statler used to either play football(m) or was a cheerleader(f). It was what their friends were interested in so they kinda went along.

They've always been that kind of person that did a 1000 things and tried everything at least once. That and their very sociable way of being was take reason they were so popular during middle school and high school.

During high school Statler wrote a couple songs. They believe they're not that good and I agree because I'm the one who wrote them kskskskd.

They also started going out with Noir. Many disagreed.

Currently Statler works at the local grocery store in the mornings, does some deliveries in the evenings and works at the bar at night.

[onebedtorulethemall]

Okay, as you know I just finished Bad Omens, and it was probably the funniest fic I've ever read. THANK YOU for writing this masterpiece.

I adore your sense of humour. Can I ask what inspires, feeds, or fuels it? Because if there is a movie, book, or show you can recommend with more of these vibes, I'm RUNNING to it. I need more of this humour in my life. pronto.

Wishing you well <3

Oh no. You've asked about my favorite topic, I fear. (For anyone else who wants a rambling response from me, feel free to drop the words "Bad Omens" in my ask box.)

Unfunnily, I came by my sense of humor the old-fashioned way—by being fairly ignored as a child. I had a whole comedic routine I'd launch into any time I thought an adult might be about to pay attention. This behavior generally results in either wildly famous adults or extremely annoying ones. I am lucky I have writing to channel it into because I lack basically all the skills to become any sort of performer.

Ok. Obviously, the humor in this fic was mainly inspired by Good Omens. I dissected the book before and during writing to try to get as close as possible to the feel of the original (limited, of course, by the fact that I'm not Neil or Terry). I looked at sentence structure, joke setup and payoff, how and when those narrative asides were used... I remember being amazed by how much of the humor relied on clever adverb usage. Mainly, though, it's the dramatic irony doing the heavy lifting. You swap a muggle for a witch (or the Antichrist for Baby B) and tell the reader you did it, and they're already doing half the work for you. They're ready to laugh. They're bought in. They're spinning up hilarious scenarios in their mind before I've even told the joke (I know this because my comments are full of them).

That's a very long way of saying: I love anything that says "we've set up this absurd scenario, now let's watch it unfold." (Although I don't like when it gets too stressful. That's why the Bad Omens narrator was there to hold your hand through it.)

What We Do in the Shadows is the absolute best for this. Plus classics like In Bruges and Hot Fuzz, both of which I've been casually trying to find a way to adapt into a Dramione for a year now. It's not really the same humor, but I have cried laughing at Veep.

Darker comedies: Fargo and my favorite, Barry. There's an episode in season 2 (ronny/lily) that veers straight off the cliff into surrealism. It's FANTASTIC, and I was absolutely thinking about it when writing the Bad Omens war date. I looooove that feeling of "what the actual fuck am I reading/watching right now?"

And on that note: The Locked Tomb series. Just, please go read it. Join the cult. It's kept me in a book hangover for about two years and I think the only way out is to pass it on to someone else, The Ring-style.

I'll cut myself off here. Thank you for the ask, and for reading and loving my silly little fic. I am first and foremost its #1 fan, and it's just fun to get to talk about it.

(stealth edit because omgggg I can't believe I forgot O Brother, Where Art Thou? Comedic PERFECTION. Couldn't be a Dramione. Snakes buddy comedy, maybe?)

[thelovedream]

I’m very romantic in the sense that I love treasuring things, I love looking back fondly on memories, I want to make the people I love feel at peace when they are around me. Like a warm blanket in a cold day. Or a cool drink on a really hot one.

To love isn’t necessarily to engulf, but to be a presence of permeating comfort. Something that doesn’t require words because you feel my love through osmosis. After all, love IS water anyway.

[jonathanbyersphd]

This scene in your Spidey AU:

This scene. I cried. I haven't been able to forget it. Not only the lore but the feelings behind it. That was his dad more than anyone else. And the fact that outside of this, Bob is only referred to as his mom's boyfriend whereas Hopper married Joyce and is referred to as the stepdad. Makes me go a bit insane.

Omg first of all thank you 😭♥️.

Second, the tragedy of it all is that Bob and Joyce didn't feel this rush to get married because in so many ways they already were. Obviously, they lived together but Bob was very much parenting their kids and they were going on family vacations and Will and Jonathan came up with Bob day as an alternative to Father's Day. Because that's how much the boys loved him. And where like the show rushes Bob and Joyce a bit I loved the sadness in them thinking they'll have time. (Which the reality of is also why Joyce moved on so quickly)

Chronologically, this memory is right before Bob dies. Which is why present Jonathan wants to do something, anything to change what's going to happen. And of course he can't. (And then of course the spoilery way of how Bob died left a very big impact on him)

Anyways, I really said this Spidey AU needs 3 different kinds of Daddy Issues

[almostbeabeauty]

Helaemond shippers are doing the exact same thing every other shipper is doing in this fandom, yet they get the most crap for it I swear. Smh..

"Helaemonds shouldn't pass off headcanons as canon." Why not? Everyone else does it..

__

Aemond x Alys shippers: "This couple is in love and they were married, It's canon!"

No. It's canon that they were lovers, she was pregnant when he died, and she SAID they were married. That's it. The love story everyone makes it out to be is only headcanons.

__

Aemond x Luke shippers: "Did you see that look on Aemond's face when Luke said he was already betrothed? He must be romantically interested. He gets with a strong bastard later. Must be thinking of Luke when with Alys. Romantic feelings Canon."

None of that is canon, only headcanons.

__

Rhaenyra x Daemon shippers: "They are soulmates and the love of each other's lives. Look at their wedding and Rhaenyra saying they were meant to burn together. Canon!"

What is "canon": Daemon abandons and leaves Rhaenyra in danger more than once. Chokes her when upset. The writers have also been pushing back against this ship a little, saying it is a grooming scenario, he loves her but views her as a second best option to the person he truly wants, his brother (the subtext was there so it shouldn't be a big shock but..).

__

Helaena x Aemond shippers: "Aemond wanted to marry her, he said he would in episode 7. He let his grudge go against Luke (until he laughed) to turn his whole damn chair around and stare as she danced with their nephew, must be jealous. The kids are his & Helaena's. Did you hear the kids say 'Aemond' when Alicent said 'father'? Canon!"

How is this any different than any of the things the shippers claimed above?

It's not. I guess except the fact there is stage blocking and subtext to back up these 'headcanons'. Let's also not forget the leaks from BEFORE the show aired (or anyone shipped them) that stated the call sheet for Aemond directly said he was in love with Helaena. 😗

Every ship in this fandom has shippers that claim their ship is canon in some way. In no way is this habit exclusive to Helaemond shippers. It's getting a little old for only Helaemonds to be called out for this. Some fans need to ask themselves why it's only Helaemond shippers that make them this upset..🧐

_______

Oh and let's get into one more ship. A ship that people early on and even after the season just ended said wasn't canon because there was no proof (there was, it was just rooted more in the subtext).

Rhaenyra x Alicent: Shippers said right away there were feelings between them but Antis said "no they are just friends, you are reading to much into it. Headcanon all you want but it's not canon."

What is actually canon - Milly, Emily, Hess, and others behind the scenes have confirmed that Rhaenicent had romantic feelings for each other since the beginning of the show and there is still love between them.

__

Just because something isn't spelled out for you doesn't mean the subtext surrounding it isn't canon.

[sweet-potato-42]

purgatory fueled my obsession for people management stuff and i have many thoughts about team compositions

i think it was a fun idea and I hope the admins see how it went this time and learn from the teams. They did a good job and looking back some stuff could be improved but still they succeeded.

Most of my suggestions for improvement are for ways to balance out viewership and reducing the drama sicne that was a big issue in the first purgatory. It was overwhelmingly one team and people dont understand how to deal with a biased POV on both sides.

So imma ramble about stuff to consider when making purgatory teams. I admit this is mostly about red and blue teams since i dont know much about how green worked:

Players minecraft skill: this one is obvious you dont want one team to be compeltely overpowering the rest. This includes pvp, building, resource gathering etc. There has to be a balance in how many can do each thing as well

how much time they play: another obvious one all teams need people who play a lot to have a good chance. Also consider the timezones so that they can actually play together

compatibility between members: there has to be a balance between people who get along well and those who dont. This one was missed in purgatory sicne red had many members who were already close to each other and played together a lot. On the other hand blue had mostly players who didnt interact much and even some who did not get along at all (tubbo and aypierre) or who dont work well together (tina and bbh)

Viewership of the members: this one is not for gameplay but for the experience for both streamers and the community. We clearly saw that red had overwhelmingly more viewers than the rest causing a large bias towards them in the community. Even ccs mentioned this one so it is a big thing to consider

consider the playstyles of the members: the audence of qsmp is primarily here for the rp and story so obviously the team that had the most who did that was easily the most popular. Red team did an amazing job with the rp and building an identity the audience got attached to. The blue team was more competitive and it was amazing for those who are more interested in those elements or who are very invested in the characters. Neither playstyle is better but its good to consider a balance so that we dont again get most people attached to a single group

So overall I would make the teams a lot more balanced in these ways so that not only is the competition fun but also there is less drama in the community

I think if a streamer feels the need to say that the other team was the main charcter of the story then something was wrong there

in the end however id say the priority is making sure the competition feels tense and its not just a single team sweeping the whole game. which is why the constant rule changing was good it kept hte game balanced

[idreamofticklehugs]

7, 15, 26: Face up or face down tickles?

🎮

Hiya friend!!

7. What are your hobbies/interests?

I love reading, listening to music/singing, dancing, playing volleyball, motorcycle rides, and of course, tickling

15. What is one thing you can't stand? (This could be anything at all)

Ooo ok first is my irrational phobia of spiders. Absolutely HATE them tickle spiders being the exception and people who don’t treat others kindly especially the people who are helping them, like customer service

26. Face up or face down tickles

I’m going to say face up because more spots are vulnerable tho I do have a story time for face down. My Ler has gotten me on the floor face down and straddled me once and almost exclusively focused on my underarms. I have never shrieked and screamed through my laughter so much it tickled so insanely badly. I had my chin resting on my hands so my armpits were bent, not pulled taut. So while I loved how much it tickled, it was a little bit harder to breathe being on the floor, which obviously doesn’t give at all lol. It’s the only time my safeword has even entered my mind. I didn��t say it because I was having way too much fun, I could still breathe ok, and I also knew the timer we had set to tell me it was time to go home would be going off not much later and that would be the last time he tickled me that night. So facedown is super fun but I’m going with face up because my ribs require light touch which is more difficult from behind and my stomach is my other favorite spot 🤭

[drifting-pieces-blog-blog]

sorry for the spam i just LOVED your gatekeeper jake meta!!

i do have a question as you seem like a pretty good source, if i were to read any of the comics which runs would you recommend?

Hello friend! No such thing as spam in Tumblr land. Like and reblog it all. Go nuts.

(Shameless plug: Check out my other meta that can be found in my intro)

It is true I have read all of moon knight comics. It is also true I have a serious memory problem.

BUT. General consensus, and I agree 100%, is that you need to read the Lemire x Smallwood run.

I'm going to be controversial. Start with Ellis (see long rant below to see why). 100% read Lemire. If you read nothing else, read Lemire. Then read Mackay.

I also recommend you pick up and read some of the original stuff, just to see where it all started. There's a lot of it. It suffers from old comic book syndrome, but some of it is really quite good and beautiful.

If you REALLY want to know more... Here's a Brief Timeline!

So the first Moon Knight was in Werewolf by Night, in which he was hired to hunt down Jack Russel.

They liked his character and design and he got his own comic!

This is the Moench run collection that spanned from the 70s through the 80s.

Then there was a long dry spell. LONG dry spell. He popped up now and then in the background and various other one shots.

But then Huston got his mits on him in 2006 with "The Bottom"

This is actually where I started because it is the more modern run.

However, this period is also very rough. He's called Schizophrenic, they use outdated terminology (Multiple Personality instead of DID). It highlights the crazy aspect and is very violent oriented.

But it's also a little fun and there are a lot of good classic moments found in these runs. You are also going to start finding some pretty amazing artwork in these runs (Deodato!)

The Huston and later Benson runs (The Bottom, Midnight Sun, God and Country, Death of Marc Spector, and Down South) are a good look at how messed up Marc lets himself get. Full of angst and him pushing people away. You don't see a lot of Steven and very little Jake in these. Marc is crawling through his mental health issues and you also get a look at his relationship with Marlene.

NEXT: 2009. The Hurwitz runs! (Shock and Awe, Killed Not Dead, and Shadowland.)

This run was actually pretty good. If memory serves me well (and it doesn't), I enjoyed the stories that were told here. You get a more messed up Marc, but Marc was TRYING. You see him struggle with his mental health and struggle to do good.

PLUS. Shock and Awe has THE MOST BEAUTIFUL ART. I loved the design of his suit and it showed peak Marc Spector fighting style of "I'm just going to throw my body at things until they don't get back up". You also get to see him interacting with other Marvel characters (Avengers, Captain America, Punisher, ect.). This is always interesting because they don't know what to do with him. You start to see the ableism set in and how much he's not just fighting himself but he's also fighting how others see him.

NEXT UP: 2011. Bendis. "The Heroic Age". This man nearly ended Moon Knight. It was bad. IT WAS SO BAD. No one talks about this run. It didn't happen. Skip it. Don't even pretend to buy it. If you want it, steal it. Get it from the library. Don't waste your money.

Bendis labled Moon Knight a Psychophrenic lunatic, sent him to L.A. to work on a 'team' then messed up his whole characterization and everything he stood for. It was bad.

NOTICE THE GAP HERE. NEXT RUN WASN'T UNTIL 2014!!!! That's how bad Bendis fucked up.

Warren Ellis and Declan Shalvey took Moon Knight over in "From the Dead".

The story here is seriously lacking, but the art is amazing. This is ALSO where you are going to meet Mr. Knight for the first time and he is glorious.

Ellis is known in comic land for writing some of the darkest Punisher content that Marvel put out. He's known for blood and guts and violence. So… just keep that in mind.

But here we see someone that refuses to acknowledge who he is. There is no Steven Grant, no Jake Lockley, and he refuses Marc Spector. This is a man that had a serious mental break and is clawing up from the mudd and trying so hard to fix himself by not being himself. One might even say he's in a dissociative state this whole run.

Next we have "Dead Will Rise" by Brian Wood and Smallwood. It follows where Ellis left off and you start to get some of that Delicious Smallwood art. The story does pick up a bit here, but it's still very ambiguous and barely holds the Moon Knight title.

You see, Bendis really fucked up things and they didn't want him to be seen as "That crazy guy" anymore. So they play it safe and you get more of the original supernatural stuff that happened back in the day with Werewolf by night.

"In the Night" is next in this series by Cullen Bunn and Ron Ackins. Again, art is pretty good here and you start to get some of the old Marc Spector back in this. He crashes more vehicles and you see his reckless style start to creep back in. Story is still barely there, but it's descent. Again, we see Marc start to decline in mental health. He's alone, he's destructive, he's violent.

NEXT UP: 2016. ENTER LEMIRE. Bless this man.

Lemire saw the Smallwood art in "Dead will Rise". Smallwood loved working on Moon Knight.

But Smallwood is a busy man in the comic universe. Lemire knew Smallwood was going to struggle to keep up with the schedule. And Lemire had a hell of a story to tell.

THIS MAN. He broke his story up into three other parts and hired three other artists that had VERY unique and distinctive styles.

This let him break his story up so that you knew each part by the art!!

WTF. When the story was important and back on the main plot, Smallwood would come back in and tell it with his smooth and amazing art.

Then as the series progresses and gets more and more into it, you see all the art styles crash into the pages until he brings it back home in one final breath taking scene where Smallwood collects them again and sends them off.

Gonna fucking cry here. Gimme a minute.

So anyways: The Lemire run. (Lunatic, Reincarnations, Birth and Death.) Three volumes in which we see Marc Spector's mental break down, the fall out, and how he builds himself back up. We see his friends from the past, we see Steven and Jake find their place, and we see Marc start to accept that he is a broken man. It's a beautiful story. It's hard to follow sometimes and a little confusing at first, but once you get to the end it all makes sense and it's so beautiful. Lemire is what inspired the MCU show, in case you were unaware.

Ugh. Next. BEMIS. 2017. Fucking Bemis. "Legacy" (Crazy runs in the family and Phases) Bemis took what Lemire did and shit all over it. I swear this man did no research into the character. He just went, "Crazy huh? What if he's SUPER CRAZY AND EATS RABID DOLPHINS" (this happened. I'm not kidding). He tries to reboot Moon Knight. He fucking UGH. He tries to explain what caused his DID. He just… UGH. Antisemetic bullshit and he should have known better. UGH. Only good thing to come out of it is that you find out Marc and Marlene had a daughter and she's pretty badass.

Then in 2018 we got "Avengers Age of Khonshu" by Jason Aaron. This was a marvel tie in event. I have THOUGHTS about tie in events and none of them are good. Basically Khonshu tries to take over the world. He uses Marc. Now the Avengers think Moon Knight is a threat and needs to be watched in case his god tries to do anything again. Khonshu gets locked up in Asgard and Marc is now on his own.

Jason Aaron, much like Ellis, is also known for his incredibly dark and gritty comics. He also did Punisher Max and is a huge name in the comic world, but you have to have the stomach for him. I guarantee there will be vomit, spitting, and blood in everything he does. It's like a trademark.

This brings us to 2021" MACKAY! (Midnight Mission, Too Tough to Die, and Halfway to Sanity)

Mackay looks back at Lemire and goes, "Hey… what happened?" This man does the unthinkable. He doesn't reboot. He starts with the Mr. Knight that was given to us by Ellis and Wood, takes the story that Lemire gave us, and then acknowledges the bad in Bemis and Aaron.

HE TIES IT ALL TOGETHER. We see Marc that has started his heaing journey from Lemire but stumbled into his old bad habbits from Bemis. We see Marc trying to repair his reputation from Aaron and desperate to hate himself and forget himself.

We see him build back to his old habbits until Jake and Steven re-enter the picture and I couldn't be happier with how he does it.

He understands and runs with real DID awareness. He talks about Marc's PTSD. He lets the work as a system. He tells a story. He's bringing in Fucking Dracula. This man knows his memes.

The run is still going and I am excited to see what he does next. Can he just keep Moon Knight in his pocket for a while? I would love that. Just… Let him hold him a while longer.

.........TLDR: Depends on what you like. If you are new to comics and just want to get your food in the door, read Lemire then skip to Mackay.

If you like what you see and want to get more in depth. You want to know who Frenchie and Gena are (I love them so much) dip your toe into the early stuff with the OG Moench. If you want to see where Marc started to break down and a more modern Moon Knight came about, go to Huston and work your way through it. If you just want to see enough to get you to Mackay, start with Ellis.