#I blame the trickster

[lovelylittlewordsmith]

I have reluctantly come to terms with the fact that there are only 16 fics on Ao3 for Kooza, so I'm going to have to be the change that I want to see in the word.

[sandymybeloved]

I'm a Sarah-Jane Adventures fan first and a human being second, Doctor Who is the just part of the Sarah-Jane Adventures extended universe to me

[echthr0s]

former "Warden" and "Inquisitor" Anansi Surana peeking his head into the Arlathan Forest post-failed-Solas-ritual and going "hey. only I'm allowed to imbue an area with so much weird magic that everything grows Wrong". former "Warden" and "Inquisitor" Anansi Surana then peeking his head into D'Meta's Crossing et al and going "hey. only I'm allowed to imbue an area with so much weird magic that everyth-- *holds hand up to ear as if getting a call on an earpiece* what's that? you say this is Blight? hold up." *reevaluates everything about his weird magic that makes everything grow Wrong* 🤨

[reckless-glitch]

so I'm pretty convinced okc glitches and matches me with people ive declined sometimes

which is fine like whatever

but um

I got a message from someone named fucking

Odin

today

who i KNOW i swiped left on because...I just don't need that heat in my life rn

anyway I'm just glad its not wednesday because that'd be a little heavy handed

[teapsoon]

girl leah's put so many wounds on me over the past week im a bit afraid like my friends or smthn are gonna start thinking im self harming lmao

[deansguns]

“the world is gonna end dean, we don’t have the luxury of a moral stand” kind of a key quote in understanding sam

[ase-trollplays]

I uh... Wouldn't refer to her an "heiress", Sayble. She really dislikes being seen as royalty :(

}}-I see. My apologies. I don't wish to offend.-{{

[preciouslittletoonette]

I think on an evolutionary perspective, Mahogany changed the least personality-wise.

Both Ophelia & Trickster shifted personalities a bit as I continued to write The Nanny. And not like character development ways, but in "I'm adding and removing new traits as I go" kind of way (you can definitely see it better with Trickster)

Mahogany didn't get that.

And alongside that, as I'm going through what I want for the story in the end, Mahogany's role becomes lesser and lesser truly involved. Trickster took over her big villain role because I attached his past not only to Ophelia's, but to the Warners and Bugs as well. I think it just fits better with Trickster in the end.

Mahogany compared to Trickster just doesn't have much personal motivation to fuck with both Ophelia and the Warners other than for money or to cause them pain.

Yeah, so Mahogany's level of importance definitely decreased. She's still important, as she's the one who pushed for the Warners to be sold to Warner Bros and that in essence allows the plot to happen. But on a personal relationship level with the main protagonists, then yeah, Mahogany definitely got usurped by Trickster.

[bloobydabloob]

Holy shit I love your Dirk interpretations, it's so true and I could talk about this shit forever. I feel like another part of his character that people seem to forget (along with Roxy for some reason) is that he's from the future in solitude in an apocalyptic wasteland. I just see that part of his character always removed which is disappointing because I feel like that's a pretty big part, especially regarding his themes around technology, his brother's theme of Time, his own isolation, and how he plays in the vastness of the universe and spacetime.

Art I drew related to the subject because I like to respond to asks with art.

But absolutely. I certainly understand where the lack of discussion over his isolation + upbringing comes from, considering a majority of the fanbase that I have seen builds their ideas based on their own version of postcanon. I’m not entirely sure how that would be fixed, but certainly even in the somewhat recent past I would see a lot more content regarding his upbringing both literally and symbolically. I don’t have much to add regarding the things you’ve mentioned, because they just are what they are. Dirk being confined to a singular room left to him by a father figure he never met, in a future where the only other person left on the planet is someone he cannot pursue a relationship of because of himself, with purely 3 robots to keep him companion, one being an exact replica of his own brain who is *also* trapped inside a pair of glasses, is about as literal as it gets to me.

The contrast to me involving the flooded, organic world in comparison to the little speckle of Dirk’s apartment packed with the dude and his technics is not only a representation of his isolation and entrapment within himself, but also of his lack of control. I think his obsession with & themes of control are a direct product in the case of Dirk specifically *of* this kind of upbringing. His themes of technology are also related to his themes around control. So much of his character is actually revolved around this to me like so much. Dirk is so deeply disconnected from humanity in every way and so much of his character + symbolism is based around that.

It doesn’t even have to be about the symbolism or anything though. It’s just pretty *interesting* in the literal sense that he lives in the middle of the ocean in the future. There’s not only a lot to theorise on to do with his young life there, but on how it might affect him in the way he acts for the rest of his life. The latter part is probably what I see mentioned the most by people talking about Dirk regarding this, I’m surprised I don’t see more discussion on the former too though. I really ought to actually talk more about Homestuck stuff on here. I will do it myself.

Roxy & Dirk’s relationship is largely ignored though because there is a narrative a certain demographic spreads that Dirk resented and blamed Roxy for her interest in him, and thus too many people believe that their relationship was or would continue to be an abusive one. Realistically, I believe it’s important to acknowledge that the way Roxy treated Dirk regarding his homosexuality wasn’t right while still acknowledging the obvious amount of respect and admiration Dirk had for Roxy. I mean we have a huge piece of dialogue from their post trickster mode conversations on the quest beds from Dirk purely stating how he feels about Roxy that people completely ignore somehow. I think this usually happens to characters that are women though. I know everyone says it, but it is true. Jane gets the exact same treatment of boiling her down to solely her negative aspects. The things I see completely mischaracterising both of them are horrific.

I mean how much more explicit can it get that their relationship is obviously very important to Dirk? But I digress. I think the best or I should say “most interesting” interpretations of their relationship usually come from DirkRoxy shippers actually.

I would be interested to hear about Dirk’s relation to his brother’s theme of time though. I don’t have any thoughts on this and I don’t recall ever hearing anyone talk about it before. If you or anyone else would be willing to enlighten me I’d be thrilled.

[myrtlebranch1019]

My Thoughts on Solas in *Dragon Age: The Veilguard* (DATV)

It’s been about a month since I played Dragon Age: The Veilguard and I finally feel ready to talk about Solas. Yes, *that* Solas—the one who’s sparked endless debates in the Dragon Age fandom for over a decade, inspiring some of the most fascinating character analyses I’ve ever read. Unfortunately, the Solas we get in DATV feels like a shadow of his former self. Instead of the nuanced and controversial figure we know, he’s been reduced to a one-dimensional scapegoat with inconsistent writing that just didn’t do him justice.

Solas has always been such a compelling character—complex, flawed, and full of contradictions. But in DATV, the trickster archetype, he represented, was so poorly handled that I sometimes wondered if the characters in the game and I were even getting the same information. Take the moments when we uncover Solas’ memories: the reactions from other characters came across as weirdly more venomous toward Solas than even Elgar’nan, who was a literal tyrant. It felt like (some of?) the writers were trying to strip away any sympathy for Solas, but if anything, it had the opposite effect, if we judge from the percentage of people who chose to redeem him. (Pro tip for game writers: players don’t like being told how to feel about a character!)

Now, don’t get me wrong—I’m not here to excuse Solas’ actions. He’s done some truly awful things. But reducing his complexity to make him easier to blame? That’s not it. What made Solas fascinating wasn’t just his lies, treachery or rebellion but his wisdom and the fact that he cared too much. Even when he convinced himself the people of modern Thedas weren’t “real,” he still supported acts of kindness and mourned unnecessary loss. That sentimentality made him sympathetic, even while he was pursuing some pretty despicable goals. It’s that balance—the caring, sentimental dreamer weighed down by his own ruthlessness —that made Solas the perfect trickster figure and harbinger of change.

That’s why some of the decisions in DATV just didn’t sit right with me. Solas has always been willing to sacrifice others for his ideals, but that includes himself—*especially* himself. Din’an Shiral, anyone? The reveal about Varric should have been this devastating, mind-blowing moment, but instead, it felt cheap. Solas manipulating Rook by hiding Varric’s death? Totally in character. But actively using blood magic to control their mind? That felt like a shortcut, and a boring one at that. Especially, after those heated debates he had with the Iron Bull in Inquisition about how important freedom of thought is for him.

This was such a missed opportunity to dive into heavier themes like the manifestation of regret and grief—both of which would’ve made Rook more tragic and relatable. What I wanted to see from Solas, was a tragic hero who’d fought for so long he ended up becoming the villain. Not unlike his mortal enemy Elgar’Nan. What I got instead was a caricature of the trickster archetype, stripped of all the depth we saw in Trespasser.

Another thing that bugged me was how DATV framed Solas’ rebellion. The in-game conversations by the Veilguard team seem to suggest that he started it out of spite toward Mythal and/or Elgar’nan, which just isn’t true. Solas rebelled because he believed—to be more precise convinced himself—that the Evanuris were waging war on the Titans in the name of freedom. And realising that this wasn’t the actual motive was his first attempt to “fix” his mistakes. In other words the part he played in the war, and at the same time protect his people from tyrany the worst of fates in his eyes. That’s such a crucial part of his story, and seeing it misinterpreted by the cast, felt like such a disservice to the complexity of the character.

That’s not to say everything about Solas in DATV was bad. The dialogue was exquisite and stood out as classic Solas, especially when it came to the contrast between his wisdom and cunning or the need to offer guidance vs the manipulation (props to Trick for really nailing those moments). The animations were incredible, too, and perfectly captured his aura. And, of course, Gareth David-Lloyd absolutely killed it as Solas. His performance brought so much life to the character, even when during the moments when the writing fell short.

Still, I can’t help but feel disappointed. Solas has always been my favorite DA character, and seeing him reduced like this was frustrating. He’s a character built on contradictions—sentimental but ruthless, idealistic but pragmatic, sympathetic yet maddening. DATV had the chance to explore all of that and take him to new depths, but instead, it just… didn’t. And as a fan who’s loved his journey for years, that’s hard to swallow. Needless to say I would still devour any novel or media about him, because I’m definitely left wanting more from his story.

[harunayuuka2060]

Ortho: Hello, Mr. Leviathan!

Levi: Hello, Ortho-kun! *chuckles* Good morning!

Ortho: Are you here to play with my brother?

Levi: Yes. And I also need to talk to him about something.

Ortho: In that case, I will wake him up.

Levi: Eh? Why? Is he not awake yet?

Ortho: Well, you played games with him until 4:07AM.

Levi: *awkwardly smiles* Sorry...

Ortho: It's fine! But please try to decrease your game time. My brother is still a human and his health is important to me and everyone else here in Ignihyde.

Levi: Yeah. I'll keep that in mind.

Idia: Huh? Leona has teamed up with Belphegor? What does that mean?

Levi: You know what it is!

Idia: Yeah, I get you. But I don't think it would be ideal for the Prefect to add another lover to their existing number of husbands.

Levi: Do you honestly think that is the case?

Idia: What?

Levi: Seven avatars of hell, the future king of Devildom, the demon butler who can manipulate time and space, the most powerful sorcerer, one archangel, and one reaper wife who likes to set up traps.

Levi: And on top of that, there are two who are crushing on them from both Devildom and Celestial Realm.

Idia: ...

Idia: Geez.

Levi: Right? And I can't blame them because MC is so amazing and you couldn't help but to love them—

Idia: Time, time!

Levi: Huh?

Idia: You're not helping your case, Levi. Every time you say MC is amazing, the listener will be interested and it would urge them to know them better, to form a relationship with them.

Idia: And with the way you rant right now, it seems to me that you are recruiting me to be their boyfriend.

Levi: If you can't beat them, join them.

Idia: Noo! MC is already tired with all of these things! They don't need another socially-awkward gamer lover and a lazy lion prince!

Idia: Give. Them. A. Break!

Levi: ...

Levi: Idia-kun... You really care about MC... *sniffles* *smiles* Are you sure you don't want to be their boyfriend?

Idia: Ask someone who's more willing and wouldn't mind sharing a relationship with a bunch.

Levi: If you're referring to that dragon guy, no way. Nuh-uh. I don't like him.

Idia: Malleus? Why?

Levi: He's got a long lifespan.

Idia: ...

Idia: Wait.

MC: *has finished the necessary steps to become a noble and has gone straight to their third year's class*

MC: *didn't notice that they're still wearing their formal demon outfit*

The third-years: ...

MC: Do you have any questions before we start this class?

Trey: *raises his hand*

MC: Yes, Trey?

Trey: Um... Are you forgetting something?

MC: Hmm... No. I think I have everything here.

Trey: O-Oh... Haha... Okay.

MC: ...

MC: What are you all staring at? *raises an eyebrow*

Rook: *raises his hand*

MC: Yes, Rook?

Rook: Beauté, Trickster! Admirably sinful even!

MC: Huh?

Lilia: *who's giving Malleus a teasing look*

Malleus: *his cute, little expression while staring at them*

MC: Cater, why didn't you tell me that I looked weird earlier?

Cater: I was busy admiring your pact marks.

MC: You were staring at my leg?

Cater: And shoulders. 😩🙏

MC: ...

MC: Did I really look that good?

Cater: Yes, bestie~ We almost kneeled in front of you.

MC: ...

MC: You're exaggerating.

Cater: But it's truue~. *chuckles*

[sorceresssundries]

'Time can prove to be a trickster on one's recollections - what would be multiple lifetimes for others now separate me from my captivity... Perhaps I have lost perspective on what happened to me.

I... have not had true confidantes for some time. The Shadow Curse robbed me of almost all my peers, and replaced them with the weight of responsibility. Perhaps that caused me to gild undeserving memories of my youth. '

Discussion of mental health below the cut.

Halsin breaks my fucking heart, man.

He spent so long shouldering the weight of the curse that he neglected dealing with his own shadows.

Right before this, he mentioned being chained to a bed for three years as a prisoner, yet he has convinced himself it may not have been as bad as it seemed, thinking perhaps he was actually a 'guest.'

As someone with CPTSD, I'm convinced Halsin has some form of it as well. Trauma and (C)PTSD affect the areas of the brain where memories are formed and kept. When traumatic memories are recalled, the perception of them can be altered leading to self-blame or minimisation of the trauma's severity.

Halsin's struggles are often downplayed, especially by him. - He doesn't have a tadpole, he isn't trying to ascend, he isn't being tempted by a dark path, and he doesn't require you to convince him to be good. He plays the part of the healer well, despite still needing healing himself.

Time can be a fixer, but it is also a trickster—and the more of it that passes, the trickier memories associated with trauma become to unpick. Centuries have passed for him.

I'm happy with the outcome of the game for Halsin, that he gets to relax, settle, and find his place alongside nature in the land he helped to free—but I almost wish there was more to explore with him. He deserves the world.

Sorry, i'm not sure what the point of this was I just have a lot of feelings about Halsin.

[anachronistic-falsehood]

wow guys it’s muse from new haven wards!!!!!

throws up blood hey guys i picked out a muse inspired costume for halloween

[sarnai4]

I headcanon that for the longest time, no one knew Hermes also was the trickster god. He just kept doing pranks on everybody and making Ares the scapegoat since everyone thought his little devious self just wanted to start fights.

Hermes (puts a whoopie cushion on Zeus's throne)

Zeus (after he discovers this): Ares!

Ares (visible confusion)

(Another time)

Hera (gets splashed with a trick flower): Ares!

Ares: What's been going on lately??

(Yet another time)

Athena (sees a torn book): Ares!!!

Ares (frustrated): Why does everyone keep blaming me??!!

(Distant snickers from Hermes)

Finally, Hermes just started to feel bad and fessed up.

Hermes (helping Ares out of the jar): Out of curiosity, how much of your strength do you have right now?

Ares: Not much.

Hermes: Oh good!

Ares: Excuse me?

Hermes (quickly): Random question #2, remember when we were kids and everyone kept blaming you for those pranks?

Ares (suspiciously): Yes?

Hermes (sheepishly chuckles): I'd like you also remember that I'm the one helping you right now.

Ares: Hermes...

Hermes: It was me.

Ares:..

Hermes: Every single time.

Ares:...(sizzling noises)

Hermes (relieved): Woo, that feels good to say. After that fifteenth lightning bolt, it really started eating away at me...not unlike that lightning on your skin.

Ares (trying to discover how to kill an immortal)

[blessedbyahuntress]

Blessed by a Trickster

Chapter Twenty-Four: Well, Fuck

Prev/Next

A/N: I was reminded about how much I love this song while writing this! Totally wasn't dancing around my room to this song before school. Nope.

Warnings: Blood, sword-fight

Word Count: 837

Listen to: Mutiny (I recommend just listening to the first part, but you do you)

When you awoke, you were still on deck, bathed in a pool of your own blood- golden ichor instead of red. 

Your head was pounding, yet you found it to be easy to sit up. The world spun for a moment, then settled back to normal. You let out a deep breath, glancing around, only to see practically the whole crew watching you. You flinched back at their stares.

“How long was I out?” You muttered.

Polites was the first to make a move, crouching down beside you to place a hand on your forehead. “You weren’t out at all, Y/N,” he said kindly. “At least- it was too short for you to be fully unconscious.”

“What?” All of the men took a step back in what seemed like unison. One person pointed a finger at your figure. 

You looked down, yelping in surprise when you saw your own wounds stitching themselves together, new skin going to overlap the wounded and torn. 

You lifted your gaze back up, locking eyes with Eurylochus. The sheer fury in them made your heart beat faster. “Eurylochus-”

“Tell me you did not know that would happen.” The second in command turned on his heel, glare finding Odysseus, who was standing a bit farther from the rest of the group. “Say you didn’t know how that would end.” 

He took a step forward, and Odysseus turned his head away. “I didn’t mean-”

“Look me in the eyes and tell me, captain,” Eurylochus interrupted. “That you did not just try to sacrifice Y/N!” The second in command began pacing back and forth, hands massaging his temples as he spoke. “Use your wits to try and say I’m crazy and mad, that this is all some trick the gods have sent!” He paused, eyes desperate as he searched Odysseus’s, gaze pleading for the captain to interrupt and say just that. When he apparently didn’t find what he was looking for, he resumed. “Tell me you did not miss home so painfully bad, that you tried to give up the life of your best friend!”

Eurylochus started counting on his fingers, words tumbling out even faster as he gave a quick look at you from over his shoulder. “When we fought the cyclops, you were quick to hatch a plan! And when we fought we Circe, it was you who left behind no man! But when we fought this monster, we didn’t take a stand.” He shook his head like he couldn’t believe it. “We just ran!” 

He finally stopped ranting, planting himself in front of Odysseus. “Say something!”

“I can’t!” Odysseus yelled back, expression mixed with sadness, regret, and perhaps a bit of confusion.

Eurylochus looked down, taking a deep breath. He closed his eyes as he drew his sword. “Then you have forced my hand.”

“Eurylochus!” You cried, lunging forward as if you could stop what was about to happen. “Stop! Lower your weapon!”

“No can do,” the second in command said coldly without a glance at you. He kept his attention trained on Odysseus. “You miss your wife so bad, you’d trade the lives of your own crew.”

The captain rested a hand on the hilt of his weapon. “Don’t make me fight you, brother. You know you’d have done the same.”

Eurylochus looked both disgusted and outraged at the idea as he leaped toward Odysseus. “If you want all the power, you must carry all the blame!”

“Eurylochus,” you begged as he clashed his sword against Odysseus’s. “Please… just stop. We can find a way that doesn’t end like this.”

The man froze, torn between obeying you and his rage on Odysseus. The captain took the opportunity to kick Eurylochus to the ground, using his sword to knock the second in command’s weapon out of his hands. It went skittering across the floorboards, stopping right in front of you. Your expression darkened as you used the sword to prop yourself up, Polites arm wrapped around your waist to help you rise to your feet. 

As soon as you could stand properly, you abandoned Polites, taking small, silent steps as you moved behind Odysseus. 

“I am not letting you get in my way!” You heard Odysseus screech, bringing down his blade. 

You moved swiftly, embedding the weapon deep into his thigh. You watched as Odysseus groaned, falling to his knees. You moved around to the front so that he could see you, and the blade that was now covered in his blood. “My sister,” Odysseus started. “Why?”

Your lips pursed, but you didn’t look away. “How am I supposed to trust you now?” You demanded. “Now, your time has come, your luck’s run out.” You felt the rest of the crew gathering behind your back, showing that you had their support. “Now, the time has come to shut you down.”

You leaned down, your voice dropping a bit. “You relied on wit, and I almost died on it.”

You brought your boot down on his face, stomping him into unconsciousness.

Taglist: @barrythestrawberry041 @thereigningking @m-carriaga2021 @jackintheboxs-world @fallenh34art @itzkingbo @sabrina-senpai @smartiepants217 @doodle-with-rhy @trashcannotbealive@uselessmoonlight@permanently-nothere@keikeiluvyou @followingthefanfiction @scarletdfox

[tangyswriterstudio]

hello hellooo, good day 🫶

how are you ? hope you're doing well ! i would like to make a request, if that's alright (ˊ˘ˋ*) it can be platonic or romantic, or perceived as both ! i wouldn't mind either way

azul, kalim, rook, silver, and lilia w/ a partner that shows affection in odd ways ( i.e pinching their cheeks, nuzzling up to them like a cat, giving them random things from their collection, etc.) if i unknowingly surpassed the amount of characters i can request, i am so so sorry ˚‧º·(˚ ˃̣̣̥⌓˂̣̣̥ )‧º·˚ you're totally free to remove some characters if you want !!

thank you so much !! take your time, and stay safe 🫶

Hihi! Thanks for req! Honestly idk if I even follow my own rules atp

AZUL

-You liked to give Azul random treasures that you found like seashells, broken pieces of jewellery etc.

-And he keeps it all in a special chest inside his room but you don't have to know that

"Azul what's that chest?" you ask.

"Just some contracts..' he replies with no hesitation.

"Can I se-"

-Oh gosh! So sorry! He suddenly needs to take the chest to his vault in his office!

-TELL HIM THERES NOTHING TO BE ASHAMED OF

-You eventually found out and gave him more items along with kisses.

LILIA

-Looks like we got a biter!

-You like to bite his cheek, who could blame you? They look so squishy and soft... Anddd now you've bit Lilia the 6th time today...

-He doesn't mind it though, probably bites back.

"Lilia-sama! Do you think... that... Uh." Sebek questions what hes seeing.

Lilia sitting on the couch and... you nomming on his cheek.

"Yes? What is it Sebek?"

-Anyways, Lilia knows this isn't normal but whats stopping him from biting back. NOTHING.

-But when he bites, it hurts so you make sure not to bite too hard for him.

KALIM

-You liked to just jump into Kalims arms and then just get some Zs

-The first time you did this he almost dropped you, and poor Kalim thought you died in his arms until Jamil said you fell asleep.

-Expect to wake up in a luxurious bed and maybe Kalim next to you..

-Kalim tries to do it to you too... except you didn't see it and you both fell to the floor.

-When you fall asleep Kalim definitely lights incense, stress relief lamps, candles you name it. He's making sure you get the sleep of your life.

SILVER

-You hide in his jacket... while he's wearing it? Don't know how but you just stand there in the warmth.

"Silver.. your back looks big with legs?..." Lilia giggles in confusion.

-You come out the side of his jacket and ask "Whats up." all nonchalant

-And when he falls asleep with you in his jacket you either fall asleep with him or just go on your phone til he wakes up.

-He's canonically buff, you're trapped. Til he wakes up.

ROOK

-You tug on his hair gently for his attention as if he doesn't give you enough

-Vil hates it but you promise to brush his hair after and he trusts you.

"Hmm? What is it monsieur trickster?"

-You point to your lips

-Rook smiles and gently pulls you in by your hair and gives you a mwah.

-It's only fair if he returns the favour right?

the last 2 r short TT