#I could go on and on about the watchers and their control of the games

[spotsupstuff]

Some more thoughts: Please do note these are Thoughts - as in proposing whatever nonsense crosses my mind, ramblings of a lunatic more so than fleshed out cohesive theories. Possibilities.

• I was thinking about the randomization factor of the Watcher campaign and that probably none of us had the same Spinning Top dialogues in the same regions.

I remember being in awe at Shattered Terrace when I was teleported there by Spin exactly for the 4th Ripple point (aka the teleportation got unlocked). At the time I thought the encounters were scripted in Some kind of way, so I was thinking how thematically interesting this was.

She gave me another ability/unlocked it and brought me somewhere ethereal that turned out to be a leading point to her home/darkest moment. The dialogue about her running through halls was given to me in Torrid Desert and I was thinking ,,Yeah... deserts are so empty even with buildings in them. Covered in both sand and dust of time. This really is a place one could miss, remember from childhood."

Then I found out things just happened to turn out like this for me. Based on my choices, circumstances I couldn't control, by paths I took because at the time I didn't know any better, by the power of my dedication to exploring a place whole until I found Spinning Top and the lapses in it.

And I'm thinking- we, as players. Aren't we all ripples of each other, too?

We ,,are" the same character, we meet the same people, yet our journeys are different. So might be our interpretation of these people, giving them slightly different personalities, differently flavoured existence. Our own personalities shaping our perceptions and twisting theirs into something different as a result. Different facets of a reality, yet originating from something Same.

The randomization combined with the lore is SUPER important.

• I adore the warp mechanic so much, both as a transport between regions (though yea, I'd like for them to somehow express themselves on the mind map) and as something the player can do whenever post-Ripple 4.

I was stuck in Fetid Glen with a maidenless frog lodged in my head for like two goddamn hours. I was THIS 🤏 close to losing me marbles.

In vanilla(/DP)? Either put the game down, LOSE those marbles or toughen up, mf (/come up with an alternative way of going about your goals).

Here? I go ˗ˏˋ pop ˎˊ˗ and go into at least a NEW horrendous torture chamber. Thank you, Videocult, you dastardly thing. You were merciful upon my nerves for once in your RW-themed existence.

• It's all flowers... The Rot is represented by a flower guy now/apparently can bloom into Something (Four Petals... the symbol of the first chakra 👁) and Karma Flowers represent Karma.

• Also... the Ancients' name for the Karma Flowers was *Wheel* flower.

Wheel. The symbol of Buddhism is an eight pronged wheel - the Wheel of Dharma/Dharmachakra. Dharma is the name for the teachings of the whole thing.

Both the wheel flowers and the Rot have a cross on them, four lines. Overlayed they have eight together.

Are they two parts of one whole. Is this Rain World's ying and yang. The principle of the universe. Are the Rot and the Karma two strands of teachings of this reality.

• Purple is above blue when it comes to chakras. I interpret the Outer Rim Rot more attuned to the world/more conscious on the basis of this.

• Since four years ago until now I've been convinced and still am that Karma flowers are intimately connected with death. That they are essentially spiritual mourning flowers, sprouting naturally upon death either indiscrimately, or of those with good deeds/high karma pinned to their soul.

Probably the second- the Monk always spawns a Karma flower upon death. And while the Hunter is karmically unbalanced, shunned by the spiritual world (which is why karma flowers don't spawn for it), the spiritual world recognizes its last deed being a Good one. Which is why a Karma flower spawns for Survivor where Hunter has died.

A little mourning flower, last thing left of it- whoever is in charge of the world/Karma letting us know that the Hunter did Good, even if it didn't succeed. It tried its best. That's what matters.

Therefore, my interpretation of the Throne/the gardening ending is that the Throne is essentially a multidimensional mass grave (Throne of Rotted Corpses, if you will)- because the Prince remembers everyone his domain and he swallows- the souls of everything is right there. Beneath our feet, all around us. Contained within his body, if you can call it that.

Maybe the will he mentions isn't something grand outside of all realities, but it's the millions of wills he has supressed within as a result of the expansion.

At some point, he can't keep them contained anymore. Eventually, they break free and sprout as mourning flowers, little flags waving ,,I was here. I lived and will again.".

This wasn't a triple affirmitive. (also pretty sure the biggest karma flower sprouting from the Prince's face is his own mourning flower. he's dead asf. it's probably there because he meant well? this doesn't really add up actually hmm..)

[I like the narrative that nothing of the supernatural is outright evil. There is neutrality- just Being- and then there's goodness. I believe the Void is kind. The religion of the Ancients in its purest form is kindness and freedom. Karma is fairness or a statement. The reality and its ripples just Exist. Sufferings are real though and they are the closest thing this world gets to evil.]

• It's either that ☝ or something something, outside power in the form of the karmic balance of the worlds gut punching the Prince for overstepping the Rot's placement within it.

• On the theme of eyes...

They appear continuosly. Obviously, the Watcher itself. The squeaky toy in Spinning Top's room, her vase has eye patterns as well. Iterators, only having eyes on their faces. I could swear I've seen graffiti that were just eyes. Scavenger Disciples blind themselves. Ancients' masks don't seem to have eyeholes. This room in Infested Wastes is an eye.

Vision, as a means of knowing where to go. Neither Spin or Prince have eyes (that white thang is not an eye and I will die on this hill, it's his god given Stamens). Spin needed our help (unconscious help, we didn't help her directly from own conscious activity). And Prince screwed himself over not really seeing what he's doing (yet Watcher somehow comes out of that unscathed - if it's Karma's ,,vangeance"/it coming back to bite at the one who's at fault, I find it strange that Watcher just gets to watch).

I don't really know how to formate this thought honestly, but my point here is supposed to be something along the lines of ,,If Watcher's whole things are eyes and they are a repeating pattern for us, could we end up with a third eye or something by the end of this story?"

• Idk, I've seen some people talk about this and it smells of a potential discourse: my take on Prince's age is that it either doesn't matter or he's been both.

Doesn't matter: if this consciousness is recycled from a multitude of things, with possibly a Starcatcher (Iterator-esque biomachine, different directive) in the forefront, then this mix is more reborn altered than outright born for the first time + it's partly robot and who the hell is gonna call a toaster or Alexa or whatever a Minor.

Been both (the one I like better): when we meet him he is indeed a child (or fetus if we are talking about his first two dialogues as well), but he does grow up during the whole quest to infect the world. He tells the player during the fifth meeting that it has been eons.

At the end when all the Karma flowers bloom, he's ancient. Spent his whole life off-brand iterating and converting in a dark room without anyone but the Watcher ever checking in on him. I wouldn't call his relationship with the Watcher a childish attachment, more like conditioned by circumstance.

I like this one because it feels like a good parallel to Spinning Top.

She's been stuck in her childish mindset for who knows how long and had to put conscious effort into growing up after the Watcher indirectly influences her towards it. She grows and then passes peacefully; Watcher lingers stuck in childishness.

The Prince grows up in a rather linear way. We see him grow up as a flowerbud, hatched and then see him go as a tired aged thing. He evolves effortlessly, without the Watcher really interfering with That process. He grows and then passes perhaps in pain, prematurely; Watcher lingers again, but now perhaps getting the message it's time to grow up, too.

The Watcher is necessary for Spinning Top's ending but not her beginning, and it is necessary for the Prince's beginning but not his ending (he brought that on himself tbh).

• I'll say, I find it very important that the Prince- despite what he is- is soft spoken (can hear it in his ,,voicelines" - he has a whispery, a bit hissy, quality to his mumbling- he sounds like he's smiling, too, but that just might be me), calm and kind to the Watcher.

It is a good parallel to Spinning Top. She doesn't affect the physical world and she's a fucking brat (I adore her, but good god.). He intends to take over the world, but he's also on par with Moon when it comes to kindness to the player (with the patience and the ,,health" to withstand a slug running around and getting hit by it).

I'd even assume he'd be polite and sweet to other sapient beings, too, but with the twist that his perception of what is ,,morally good" is a bit broken (aka what he says when the player dies to the proto rot underneath his feet).

But what is even more important to me is what this approach-goodness of his means when combined with the Watcher's character.

Watcher is a shy, lonely soul searching for a companion in the sordid world. Aaand he's willing to sacrifice everything that he is and Then even what isn't his to obtain and retain these relationships. He's desperate to have them. They've lost their family and depending on how you've played the campaign, most likely they've recently lost Spinning Top, too.

And then here comes this flowery starshine of a sapient turbo cancer who Is, by all accounts, a solid friend. As in he cares about the little creature's comfort, reassures them they are safe with him, makes the effort not to shower them in his issues. He doesn't press on the Watcher to infect more regions, he's Thankful to them for what they already have done. You could say he really does love them.

If Watcher stopped doing this for him, whether he'd get mad or venomous, only sad or dejected, wouldn't be fazed at all, that we can't really know, but what is interesting is that this possibility can never even come up to consideration.

Because Watcher is so damn desperate to keep him here as a friend that they are willing to damn multiple worlds for it. Even though he never asks for it. They just assume they Have to. That there is nothing else to do, especially with Spin gone, but make the Prince happy and satisfied with them. [this I get from the fact that we as the players don't have anything else to really do. *eventually* we will turn to Prince if we want to progress in something solid. our relationship to him as the story's device can be put on Watcher with a paint job of its emotional desire for connection.]

And I like that as a commentary on the fact that relationships shouldn't be the number 1 priority of a person, because this is what it looks like (highlighted by the extreme situation of There Is Decay Everywhere Now) & as a commentary on that even if a person is genuinely kind and sweet, it doesn't mean staying friends with them is the right decision. Goals of a person matter too and if they should be at odds with one's own priorities/values in life, a seperation is in place.

• Here's a stupid Princey drawing.

Dandelions cover by Disco Face fr fr.

I'm still working on getting the gardening ending for myself, but I've been collecting some ponderings I'd like to write down. So:

A congregate of thoughts on Watcher lore (as of now):

• I really like that this DLC is right now three kids in a spiritual trenchcoat. None of them is normal. I bet they'd all be friends if they met.

• I really like the color coding of these 3, as for what I've assumed regarding to colors' symbolism in this world: - Black stands for Nirvāṇa, the Void, being outside of the reincarnation cycle - Gold/yellow stands for holiness, ascension - Blue/purple stands for damnation/stagnation - White stands for Saṃsāra, the cycle of reincarnation, the physical world (the Watcher lingers in the physical world, unwilling to leave it)

On the account of blue and yellow being on opposing sides on the color wheel, I'd also gander a guess that the Rot and the Void don't entirely agree with each other/may be on opposing sides.

• Therefore, I don't think the gardening ending was exactly what the Rot Prince wanted to achieve, supported by his last two dialogues with the Watcher:

[Greeting lines]. As with all great deeds, my work is not without great challenge. It has taken eons and the light fades. The paths close and change. I can almost feel... a will... at odds with my own.

[Greeting lines]. Forgive me if I go on! You have done so much for me, I will not burden you with my troubles. Please, rest here as long as you wish. You are always safe here, my dear friend. You, who were there for me.

My guess is that the content that hasn't dropped yet will introduce either a new character/s in a sort of godly roles, or will explain the powers playing behind the wheel flowers and the Cycle.

• A light at the end of the tunnel (or something white/bright with a way to it?) is mentioned by both Spinning Top (at her ending) and the Prince (both as a flowerbud and in that first paragraph I copied up there).

I don't know what to do with this yet, I just found it interesting. Something something the white light within the Void Sea in the original game?

• ,,Outer Rim...?"

The Buddhist cosmology says the world is made out of 9 mountains (Mount Sumeru [the axis mundi], 7 golden mountain ranges and 1 outermost iron mountain range [maybe the withered buildings here are made of rusted iron, buried in stardust]) and 8 seas (7 freshwater and 1 saltwater), with 4 continents within the salt sea who's inhabitants each have a little something extra (except the South I guess, that's where *we* are. well apparently all Buddhas appear here actually, so you know. that's a something).

For an interesting example, the north continent called Uttarakuru is said to house the wealthy, owning no private property, where their food grows by itself and they live in the skies (Iterator cities, nudge nudge).

The name of this region could point to the Buddhist cosmological map being a physical fact for this world. I'd like to think that the dimension hopping aspect to the Watcher's worming through the space-time is at least limited to 4 continents(/realities?).

Also a fan fact: in Chinese mythology it is said the waters flow and stars fall slowly, because a water god with a bad tamper, Gònggōng, broke one of the pillars supporting the sky. Combining this fun nugget with the established lore in a pearl that everything is once eaten away by the Void down below, I'd say it is safe to assume on 89% that the dust mentioned in that pearl comes from the heaven itself and creates a sort of a cycle of the physical matter.

Suppose stardust is what creates everything, powers everything (just as is said in science). Suppose the Starcatchers are superstructures made for conversion of it into desired forms, these ones perhaps in the West of the world specifically, because of their circular shape.

(Meaning Signal Spires are perhaps of the South, while original game- aka Pebbles and Moon- are in the North of this world.)

• I find it fascinating and validating that Spinning Top needed some sort of an Embrace from one of the Five Urges/Hindrances (the third one, companionship) to be able to pass on.

It points to my idea of what the religion is Really supposed to be about: the Five Urges are what they are- urges- and they cannot run rampant. The point isn't to absolutely *eradicate* violence, pleasure, companionship, hunger and desire to live from oneself. The point is to be able to control these things and not cling on to them.

Because if one clings on to something, they stagnate, they cannot progress, they rot and they *fear* losing the something more than they can truly enjoy it or they get far too lost in it to feel it right anymore. To cling on to life means being afraid of taking risks, trying something new and really Living.

But now that doesn't mean going for the opposite is the correct way to go about it- that still creates a desire, a clinging- an urge for death is just as good as urge for life. It binds. It's extremism without careful consideration for what is really the best to do, feel and think in any given situation.

(This goes for love, too, it is GOOD to love, but going too far becomes unhealthy obsession instead of love. Going the other way results in hatred, another utterly useless and harmful thing to harbor. Same as indifference - that is stagnation again, that isn't picking up something, working with it to move forward. Love is a forward motion that is required, but cannot be overdone because as so it would be bastardized into something else, possessive and caging.)

Spinning Top could move on only when she knew that the flipside of the Third Urge- a sickening loneliness- wasn't something to fear anymore.

• Yeah, I don't think we can count on backgrounds too much when it comes to size calculating on the basis that they are probably shaped around gameplay. Specifically thinking about how the spinning top toy changes sizes between it's in-game model and the art. When it comes to Ancients, I'd say the best one can do is do what feels right.

• The Rot Prince is some sort of a boosted up Preta, I swear to heavens. Hungry guy. Maybe the Rot as a whole is a Preta stand in, just way more physical.

• Can't believe my ,,Respawning is real" headcanon has been officially given the thumbs down... The *Strand* Theory is real. (Even though DP is separate from the Watcher, this at least explains why Artificer didn't just go back to the last shelter she slept in when her cubs were still with her. They went to a different strand, where a different Artificer managed the situation better and we are stuck in this reality without them.) (We see them in her Void ending either because they are the one thing her heart wishes for [the Void gives comfort to those who are passing, as far as I am concerned], or because the Void is where all the reality strands and times coincide into one another.)

• On that note, no Fucking wonder the Ancients wanna bail - we don't really know to what extend they were aware of reality's unwounding nature, but assuming it is Pretty Thorough, I too wouldn't wanna live with the knowledge that in one reality I might've died on my loved ones, leaving them broken, while in the other everything is just fine and dandy.

The endless wondering of ,,Did I die in a different reality at any point in my life? Did I leave these people I love behind to hurt, alone, and I can't do anything to help them? I can never know, I'm not allowed to comprehend..." would slowly kill anyone with a heart, I think.

• I wonder if the Prince is a puppet/the Rot made itself a puppet, - because the Starcatchers were Iterator-esque biomechanications with a different directive than iterating on the Big Problem and this is a consumed Starcatcher (something about its budding dialogue feels to me like there was a sense of a Self beforehand that was drowned out by the Rot and then was pulled forward again with additions) - because the Rot is at the edge of the universe (humming a tune) where a messed up slugcat decided to start ripping holes in the reality, therefore connecting different strands including to places where the Rot already existed as a plague upon Some Iterator, which gave spark to sapience and inspiration to a new mind

• The new karma set is definitely a droplet and the ripples it leaves behind. Makes sense, too, there's more ,,movement" within it the more Spinning Top yanks the Watcher around in time-space (accidentally, I'd guess. or the ,,blame" is more on Watcher *somehow*), messing up their physical existence more and more.

Maybe the karma symbols or the imagery itself have something to do with a combination of an axis mundi and the strand form of existence.

Something about there being a main timeline in which each action and decision creates a new ripple, a new strand.

• I wonder if the Watcher could've come across Spinning Top and effectively latch on/follow her, - because they were already dead/echoed (the dream sequence upon reaching the final karma level could mean they did go to the Void Sea and swam pretty deep but turned back and that resulted in Echo-ification? then again why can a lizard bite me. Spinny's laughing at me for it. Goddammit.) - because of their nature as someone who's so damn hesitant about things, who hangs in the backlines, only observes and learns. Very Echo-esque personality - because of their desire to have someone there

• Just realized that we have a canonical design for Spinning Top's mask, hot damn. ,,How do children's masks look like?" answered.

I don't know why, that kind of creeps me out.

• The portals existing outside of us are made by Spinning Top, I'm pretty sure. She's always over them.

Is it normal for Echoes to leave tears like that? I think if the Rot Prince met her and knew she's the one who started this whole journey that resulted in him coming to exist as a consciousness and to bloom, he'd see her as a friend the same way he sees the Watcher.

• I wonder if his approach to the Rot Triple Affirmitive is ,,it's going to get worse before it gets better". He has suffered, too- while he normally speaks gently, calmly, orderly, when he is a flowerbud he seems frantic to me. Like someone breathing through death before getting better.

• Is the concept of the Rot Prince created for the first time in all existences' or is he a repeating pattern, too? The Rot in the least seems to be a pattern, because of what Spinning Top says when we meet her in one of the original regions, eaten through by the Rot.

,,You shouldn't have come here. It's too far." Does that refer to this strand's/ripple's distance from the axis mundi/the water drop creating all these realities? The further out the little wave carries out, growing smaller and weaker, the more rotten through it is? Is it because still water is stagnation, just as the Rot is?

So the Cycle is change and movement, life and love, that exists in a hurtful matter not out of its design, but because it has to contend with absolute stillness/stagnation/the Rot? Or it's all part of the same system, truly designed like this?

Could a Mass Ascension be seen as an escape plan from a ripple growing old? Man...

• A quick attempt at illustrating the previous thought:

Some Pepe Silvia level nonsense going on here.

[alsnoble]

So people have been talking about how Grian was acting a lot more watcher-y than usual in Wild Life, and it really made me notice how much Grian plays in third person. It’s not even always for strategic purposes either, as sometimes he’ll just be in the middle of a conversation and switch to third person.

I can imagine him getting more used to/reliant on his watcher abilities, and every so often he’ll just open another eye for no reason. Maybe his abilities make him feel more in control, in a series where almost nothing goes to plan.

[thoughtfulfiction]

People Watcher

Author’s Note: Poll winner, anon requested protective Joe!

Joe wasn’t one to hover. He never tried to control you or tell you what to do. That wasn’t his style. You were smart, independent and more than capable of navigating life’s challenges on your own. But that didn’t stop him from looking out for you in his own way, subtle, steady, always intentional.

Like on game days.

“You sure you’re good sitting in the suite?” Joe asked, tugging a hoodie over his head as he walked out of his office Wednesday evening after a long film session. His voice was casual, but there was a weight behind the question, one you knew well by now.

“You know I don’t mind,” you smiled, adjusting her earrings in the mirror. “Your mom’s fun. She gets loud when you’re winning and she’s always super proud of you. Both of your parents are.”

That earned you a quiet chuckle from Joe. “Yeah,” he muttered, running a hand through his hair. “Just…you know. It’s easier that way.”

He didn’t have to say what that way meant. You knew he wanted you away from the chaos of the stands, where emotions could run high and things could turn ugly fast. It wasn’t that he thought you couldn’t handle yourself. Joe knew better than anyone that you could. But the idea of you being out there alone, surrounded by strangers who didn’t always know when to stop, didn’t sit right with him. In fact, it made his skin crawl a little bit.

“I know,” you said softly, stepping over to give him a kiss on the cheek. “I’ll even text you when I get there.”

Joe’s hand covered yours, holding it still for a moment. “Yeah,” he said quietly. “Do that.”

He usually didn’t respond to pregame texts, locking himself away in the depths of his mind and replacing his usual nonchalant self with a stone cold killer, the mentality he had to maintain while on the field to perform at his best. And yet, it eased his mind getting that text from you when he checked his phone one last time beforehand. A reminder of what he was coming home to.

Joe never asked for much, he rarely actually said be careful or stay safe, but that simple request had always been his way of saying both.

It was like that all the time with him. Tiny acts of service that didn’t seem big until you put them all together. How he always asked you to text him when you got somewhere, even though he had your location. How he’d casually mention alternate routes home if traffic was bad or if he heard about an accident nearby. How he never asked you not to go out with your friends but would always remind you to call him if you needed anything, no matter what time it was.

He wasn’t the type to be openly affectionate in public. The man wasn’t one for big grand gestures, preferring to show his love in quieter ways. In the extra hoodie he always left in your car because he knew you got cold easily. In the way he’d ask if you had someone to walk with you to your car if you were staying at the office late.

It was thoughtful without being overbearing, protective without being possessive, just Joe, in that calm, steady way that made you feel safe without ever making you feel small.

“You know I’m okay, right?” you asked, giving his hand a squeeze.

“I know,” Joe said. His lips quirked slightly, just the faintest smile. “But humor me anyway.”

Funny thing is, the trip was supposed to be for the girls. Your best friend Rachel’s requests were concise and clear, a drunken weekend in miami that you’d either never remember OR you’d have memories that would last a lifetime. With those instructions you started figuring out an itinerary. You looked at places to stay, how long the trip would be and where exactly you’d be spending way too much money on green tea shots every night.

“We could do the Gale for a week?” You suggested one evening, your laptop open comparing prices and amenities for you, Rachel and a few other girls that had let you know they would be joining.

“I like that place,” she smiles, tossing a jalapeño chip in her mouth. “The beds are super nice and we could stay in those two bedroom suites.”

Joe pops into the conversation, grabbing his keys that were previously resting next to your computer. “Wait…you’re gonna be gone for days? I thought we all were gonna do something together, you know, to make sure Rachel doesn’t do anything illegal. Just because it’s your birthday doesn’t mean you’re above the law,” he gives her a pointed look, “this isn’t The Purge.”

“I mean…you can come if you want,” you said, trying to sound casual as you leaned against the kitchen counter. “But I know Miami’s not really your thing.”

Joe, who was halfway through tying his sneakers, paused and gave you a look—one eyebrow raised just enough to tell you he wasn’t buying your nonchalant tone.

“You want me to come with you to Rachel’s birthday trip?” he asked.

“Yeah,” Rachel said. “We wanna go for a few days. Just some beach time, clubs, you know… typical Miami stuff.” She shrugged. “We’d just all be one big group and we can all hang out. It’d be fun.”

“I would’ve asked earlier if I knew you were interested. Figured you’d probably rather stay home.” You added in.

Joe nodded slowly, like he was considering it. Truthfully, a loud week in Miami didn’t exactly sound like his idea of a good time. Crowded clubs, overpriced drinks, endless social energy? Not really his scene. But before he could answer, his best friend Zacciah’s voice chimed in from the living room.

“Wait, we’re talking Miami?” Zacciah grinned as he leaned against the doorway. “That sounds like a good time to me.”

“I’m in,” Trae added from the couch, like this was already a done deal.

Joe shot them both a flat look. “I didn’t say I was going.”

“Yeah, but you are,” Zacciah smirked. “Come on, man. It’ll be fun. Beach, clubs, a big group of us—it’s not just her friends.”

“Yeah,” Trae added with a grin. “We’ll make it a whole thing.”

Joe sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Fine,” he muttered. “But if I’m going, we’re doing it right.”

The next thing you knew, Joe had chartered a private flight and rented a sprawling beach house with enough bedrooms for everyone to have their own space.

“You know this was originally supposed to be a casually chaotic weekend with the girls, right? Now you’ve turned it into an episode of Selling Sunset.” You teased when he showed her the house listing.

He paused, furrowing his brows. “Isn’t that set in California?”

“Right, so you do pay attention when I watch?” You ask suspicious of him since he always said the show was stupid and that you were losing brain cells every episode.

“Anyway, you’ll still get your chaotic girl time,” Joe said with a shrug, moving on from the previous topic of discussion. That alone answered your question. “I just didn’t want you stuck in some overpriced shoebox with no A/C.”

You smiled, shaking your head. He wasn’t loud about it, no grand speeches about taking care of you, but this was Joe in his element. Quietly looking out for you in the most thoughtful ways.

And honestly? You weren’t mad about the upgrade.

As the group filtered into the spacious Miami beach house, everyone was buzzing with excitement. The huge windows opened up to an expansive view of the ocean, and the pool out back practically screamed “boujee vacation.” Rachel played soft music, curating her perfect birthday week playlist in the background as everyone started to claim rooms, tossing bags on beds and getting settled in.

Joe, ever the planner, wasn’t about to let anything slip through the cracks. He’d seen this kind of trip before—a group of people letting loose, and inevitably, a few hangovers in the morning. He wasn’t about to be unprepared.

He was already on his phone, tapping away.

“Alright,” Joe called out to the group, his voice cutting through the chatter. “We’re doing a grocery run online. Everyone needs to add in whatever they want. Let me know if there’s anything specific you need.”

He wasn’t asking for suggestions, he was in charge of this, and everyone knew it. They scattered, pulling out their phones to check in. But Joe had already begun filling in his list.

“Got your Gatorade, your ibuprofen…” he muttered to himself, typing rapidly. “Liquid IVs. Don’t forget the snacks. Chips, candy, all that crap you’re going to want after a night out.”

He shot a glance over at you, raising an eyebrow as you rummaged through your suitcase. “I’m putting all of your favorites on the list. I know you’ll need ‘em. We just won’t mention the Gatorade purchase to my Body Armour people.”

You rolled her eyes with a playful smile. “You know me too well.”

Joe didn’t respond. He just kept typing, making sure he’d covered everything he was sent. He added a few extra things, more water, some fruit for the mornings, and whatever random drink Zacciah had requested. The usual crew was already bouncing ideas off each other, but Joe remained methodical.

“Alright,” he said after a moment, placing his phone on the counter. “List is done. Should be here in a couple hours.”

It was a small thing, but it wasn’t surprising. Joe took care of the details in ways people didn’t always notice. The Gatorade, the medicine, and the snacks weren’t just for the group; they were specifically for you. He knew what you liked, what you’d need after a long night of dancing and drinking. It wasn’t a huge deal, just another way he quietly looked out for you.

“Thanks,” you said, walking up to him. You brushed your hand against his arm. “You always think of everything.”

Joe just nodded, a small, almost imperceptible smile tugging at the corner of his lips. “Someone has to,” he said, his tone steady and matter-of-fact. “Besides, I’d rather be prepared than have to force Trae to run out and grab things in the middle of the night.”

“Fair point,” you replied, smiling up at him.

For Joe, it wasn’t about making a show of things. It was just how he was, always looking out, always a step ahead. The house was amazing, the trip was going to be fun, but as always, his focus was on making sure everything ran smoothly. Even down to the little things.

The club’s bass thrummed low and steady the next night, vibrating through the floor as Joe slid into a booth near the back. It was his kind of spot—dim lighting, tucked away from the chaos of the dance floor but still with a clear view of everything. The sunglasses he wore inside weren’t just for show; they made it easier to watch without being watched.

His arm draped loosely over the back of the seat, and when the server stopped by, Joe kept it simple.

“Gin and tonic,” he said, then glanced at you. “And whatever she’s having.”

“I’m doing shots with the girls,” you grinned, your hand resting on his thigh for a second. “Don’t wait up.”

Joe’s lips curved into a small smile. “I’ll be right here.”

He watched as you weaved through the crowd toward the bar, easily finding your friends. The way you laughed, tossing your hair back as you all clinked your shot glasses together, made something warm settle in his chest. You were in your element—carefree, glowing and just having a good time.

You caught his eye from across the room, your smile lingering when you found him watching. Joe nodded with a side smirk as a silent ‘I see you’. Your grin widened before you turned back to your friends, vanishing into the crowd.

Joe leaned back, taking a slow sip of his drink. He trusted you with every fiber of his being and wasn’t worried in the slightest about your safety in public settings because he knew that you’d take care of yourself. That confidence that you could handle things on your own and your own self assurance was one of the things he loved most about you. But still, whenever you were out, Joe couldn’t help but keep an eye on things because he knew what could happen when guys didn’t take no for an answer.

His gaze followed you out to the dance floor, where you moved effortlessly with your friends. The lights flickered across your face, and Joe couldn’t help but smirk to himself. You looked good —too good—and judging by the attention you were getting, he wasn’t the only one who thought so.

But what Joe cared about most was the way you kept sneaking glances back at him—not for reassurance or for permission, but just to check in. A quiet confirmation that he was still there, still watching out for you in that calm, steady way you appreciated.

He takes his glasses off while looking at you, just enough for you to notice and he puts them back on. You smiled softly, your expression saying ‘I know you’ve got me’.

And of course he did. He always did.

Joe’s fingers tap idly against the side of his glass, his eyes still hidden behind his sunglasses. Outwardly, he’s the picture of calm —shoulders relaxed, one arm slung lazily over the back of his chair. But beneath that stillness, his patience is wearing thin.

The guy’s been circling for a while now—too long. Joe’s watched him linger near your group, pretending to bump into you once, then again. Each time, your smile tightens a little more, your body language shifting from relaxed to guarded. You’re handling it. Joe can see that. But the guy’s persistence is starting to cross a line.

Joe exhales slowly, setting his drink down with deliberate care. He leans over to Zacciah, voice low and steady.

“Hold this for me,” Joe says, sliding his glass toward him.

Zacciah barely reacts, just takes the drink with a small nod—like this isn’t the first time he’s seen Joe move like this. Calm. Collected. Controlled.

Joe rises from his seat, adjusting his sunglasses with one hand before weaving through the crowd. He doesn’t move quickly— no chest-puffing or bravado—just slow, purposeful strides. He’s not here to start a scene; he’s here to end one.

Your friends were still on the dance floor, their laughter and cheers echoing across the room.

“You look like you could use another one,” a voice said beside her.

You turned your head and found a guy standing there—possibly late twenties or early thirties, well-dressed, with a confident smile that leaned a little too far into cocky.

“I’m Xavier,” he said, offering his hand. “I’ve seen you around tonight. Just had to say…” His eyes dragged down and back up again. “You look amazing.”

You gave a polite smile, shaking his hand briefly before tucking yours back around your clutch. “Thanks,” you said. “That’s really nice of you.”

“Can I buy you a drink?” he asked, leaning closer like he already knew what your answer would be.

“Oh,” you said with an awkward laugh. “That’s sweet, but I’m actually here with my boyfriend, so I’m gonna pass.”

Xavier’s smile barely faltered. “Boyfriend?” He glanced over his shoulder toward the crowd. “Haven’t seen you with any guys tonight, just your friends.”

“He’s here,” you said, your voice still friendly but firmer this time. “I promise.”

Xavier chuckled under his breath like you’d made a joke. “C’mon,” he said with a grin, motioning toward the bartender. “One drink won’t hurt.”

“I’m good,” you repeated, shifting slightly to put a little more space between the two of you. “But thanks.”

The bartender set your drink down on the counter, and you grabbed it quickly, hoping the conversation was over. But Xavier stayed put, his smile lingering like he wasn’t quite ready to give up yet.

“Look, I’m just saying,” he added with a lazy shrug, “if he’s letting you stand here alone, maybe he’s not paying enough attention.”

Your fingers tightened slightly around your glass, frustration flaring in your chest. “Trust me,” you said, meeting his eyes directly, your patience thinning. “He’s paying plenty of attention.”

A shadow shifted behind Xavier, solid and unmistakable and suddenly the air felt heavier.

Joe was there now, standing just behind him. Close enough that Xavier could probably feel the shift in space before he even turned around.

Xavier paused, some instinct telling him something was off. Then he turned and stopped cold.

Joe didn’t say a word at first. He just stood there—calm, unmoving, looking profoundly unimpressed. His sunglasses were still on, but the message was crystal clear: You know exactly what you’re doing, and you need to stop.

“Whoa…” Xavier blurted, half-laughing. “No way, you’re Joe Burrow!” He grinned like he’d just bumped into his favorite celebrity at a steakhouse, completely oblivious to the tension radiating off Joe. “Man, I’m a huge fan! Bro, this is crazy! I can’t believe you’re here!”

Joe didn’t smile. Didn’t blink. Just turned to the bartender and said, “Two waters.” His voice was calm—too calm—and he stayed exactly where he was, comfortably crowding Xavier’s space.

“So… what were we talking about?” Xavier asked, turning back to you with a grin like he’d just won some imaginary game of charm.

You stifled a laugh. “Um—oh you were saying something about how my boyfriend isn’t paying enough attention?”

Xavier snapped his fingers, clearly feeling bold again. “Yeah! I don’t know where ol’ dude is or if he’s even real, but he’s messing up right now. Are you sure you don’t want a drink? Or, you know… someone better to spend your time with?”

Joe’s eyebrows lifted behind his sunglasses, and his mouth twitched, not quite a smile, more like the ghost of one. “Someone better, huh?” His voice was mild, almost amused. “Yeah…wonder where she could find that.”

It took a second for Xavier to connect the dots. His face dropped like a cartoon character realizing they’re halfway off a cliff.

“Oh…shit,” he muttered, suddenly a lot less confident. “Listen, man, I didn’t know she was with you. No hard feelings, right?”

Joe leaned in slightly, lowering his voice. “Doesn’t matter who she’s with,” he said quietly, the steady calm in his tone somehow more unsettling than if he’d been angry. “If a woman says no, you leave her alone. Whether her boyfriend’s a pro athlete or not.”

Xavier’s smile flickered and died. “Yeah…yeah, you’re right,” he stammered, already backing away. “Didn’t mean anything by it. My bad, man.”

Joe watched him disappear into the crowd like he was making sure he wouldn’t change his mind. Only once Xavier was out of sight did he turn back to you, sunglasses sliding down just enough for you to see his eyes.

“You okay?” he asked, voice softer now.

“Yeah,” you sighed, tension draining from your shoulders. “He was just…persistent.”

Joe exhaled through his nose, muttering, “Persistent gets people embarrassed.”

You laughed quietly, leaning into his side. “You know, you’re kinda scary when you’re calm.”

Joe shrugged, completely unaffected. “It’s efficient.”

You smiled, slipping your arm around his waist. “And hot. Thanks for stepping in.”

“Always,” Joe said simply. Then he grabbed the two waters from the bar, handing one to you. “Now drink this,” he added, “I know you’re not ready to head out yet so I need you to hydrate.”

“Whatever you say, boss.” You respond, taking a sip and leaning into him.

The night out had been a blast—the club buzzing with energy, the lights flashing in time with the music. But as the group made their way back to the house, you felt the familiar weight of exhaustion and the ache in your head from the drinks. You weren’t too far gone, but you were definitely feeling the effects of a good time.

Joe had kept a watchful eye the entire night, noticing the subtle shift in your mood as the evening wound down. When you all got back to the house, it was clear you were ready to crash. Your energy was starting to dip, and he was already prepared.

“Hey, let’s get you upstairs,” Joe said gently, his hand finding your back as they walked toward the stairs. You slipped your arm around his waist, leaning into him just a bit more than usual.

“You’re carrying my shoes? How sweet.” You said, a sleepy grin tugging at your lips.

Joe smirked, his expression cool but with a hint of affection. “Wouldn’t want you to break your ankle on the stairs.”

“I think I can manage,” you teased, though you didn’t fight him when he practically carried you up the last few steps.

Once you reached the top, Joe pushed the door open to your shared room, making sure you were settled before heading to the bathroom.

“Stay here, I’ll be right back,” Joe said, heading downstairs.

You nodded, mentally preparing yourself for the journey of getting ready for bed. He returned shortly with a glass of water and a bottle of painkillers, handing them to you with a quiet, “take these.”

You took the pills, downing the water quickly, before letting out a small sigh of relief. “Thanks,” you murmured, eyes closing for a second. “I’m gonna need this for tomorrow…”

“You’re gonna need more than that,” Joe said, grabbing the Gatorade from the nightstand. “Drink some of this too.”

You shot him a half-smile, letting him help you sit up a little more as you sipped the Gatorade. “Thank you for always taking care of me. Not just tonight but…every night.”

“It’s my second job. And it arguably pays better” Joe said, his tone still calm, his voice laced with affection. It was just who he was, always looking out for you.

After you finished the drink, he handed you a soft towel. “Come on, let’s get that makeup off.”

You scooted over, pulling herself into a seated position on the edge of the bed. Joe stood beside you, a steady presence as he gently started wiping off your mascara. His movements were slow and careful, making sure he wasn’t too rough, his focus entirely on you.

“Okay, now you’re all set,” he said softly, tossing the wipes in the trash before turning toward the closet. “Pajamas. You good with just something comfy?”

“No,” you said, grinning. “I’m on vacation, I need something cute. You’re picking.”

Joe raised an eyebrow at you, a little surprised, but he didn’t argue. He walked to the closet, searching for something cute, but simple enough that you’d be comfortable. He picked out a soft set of matching shorts and a loose, flowy top.

“Here,” he said, holding them up. “This good?”

You made a small sound of approval. “Perfect.”

Joe turned to let you change, standing by the door to give you space but still staying close, like he always did. When you were done, you crawled into bed, and he helped pull the covers up over you.

He stood next to the bed for a moment, just looking at you. There was something about you —about how you trusted him, how you let him take care of you. His heart softened, but he didn’t show it.

“You’re the best boyfriend I’ve ever had, you know that?” You said, your voice a little sleepy but filled with sincerity. “You’re gonna be a really good husband one day.”

Joe felt a lump form in his throat. He didn’t know what to say at first, because in that moment, it hit him harder than ever: he could see it. The future. With you. The ring that sat waiting for him in his desk drawer in Cincinnati wasn’t just a thing he’d bought on a whim. He’d been thinking about it for a while now, and your words just made it that much more real.

“Get some sleep,” he said, his voice steady, betraying none of the emotion rolling around in his chest. “I’ll be here when you wake up.”

You smiled up at him sleepily. “You always are.”

Joe leaned down, pressing a gentle kiss to your forehead, thinking about how you’d touched parts of his heart and soul he didn’t even know existed. He didn’t need to say anything more. His actions spoke louder than anything he could put into words.

“Goodnight,” he whispered.

“Goodnight,” you murmured back, your eyes fluttering closed.

And as he stood there for a moment longer, watching you settle into the blankets, Joe’s thoughts drifted to the future. He didn’t know how he could possibly put how you make him feel into a few meaningful sentences. He didn’t know exactly what day he’d ask you, but he knew he would. And when the time came, he’d be ready.

[novastardoughnut]

The lore implications session 3 Life Series

right okay... so that new episode huh? Snails...

Now. I think there are some facinating ideas to play with beyond the obvious. indeedy Grian does know everything going in and created the game and its rules and such. mumbo getting mad at Grian for knowing and not telling is also an interesting implication. an idea i have been seen thrown around is Watcher Grian being in the know and not in control. and i like the idea there but we can go further

Grian is LOSING control of the system. we have seen a number of moments here from the last 2 episodes where the pressure and chaos has proven to much leading to moments that went too far. a couple of moment have seen Grian nearly ban or throw around the idea of banning people for breaking rules (even if they were accidents as it was with Jimmy killing Skizz). there's been Grian complaining that "it feels like its becoming a creative server" or "the car its breaking my emersion" (like okay but 1 season ago there was a giant dog-house, and a fun fair. two seasons ago was a giant submarine and a loaf of bread in the sky. 3 season there was a floating heart shaped... house??? and whatever the red velvet keep was... oh and box (who could forget Box)).

it gives the feeling as if these things aren't going (or aren't being received) as intended. as if the pressures of immortal snail chases and constant hunger, make players act in a more frantic erratic and unpredictable manner. thus players making more rash, haphazard and dangerous actions. people cant spend time mining, working on bases or resource gathering because "the snail will find me" or "I need to eat". you end up with rushed and cobbled together half bases or you just get straight ugly looking bases.

I think its interesting that the recording session was only an HOUR of time like... thats not normal at all and in that time there were 37 total deaths. which is an absolute bloodbath. one could imagine that the snails could be themselves an embodiment or manifestation of the watchers now coming to take life PERSONALLY. in previous series i wrote a theory that the watchers are getting hungrier each season and I think this may work well within that wheelhouse.

also grian ending the episode before scar can die again is umm... ahhh... how do the french put it... *screaming and kicking back my legs like a teenage girl talking about a crush*

[imtotallynotthere]

ALRIGHT PEOPLE. SELF AWARE MR. RECA.

For those waiting for the SCP cross over with Still Wakes the Deep, it's coming! Life decided to throw me out of the bumpy car ride and into many curbs.

Now, I don't believe Reca is his actual name, but it could be all the same. For this, I'm going for it isn't and is instead his "stage name."

As a tag states, if anyone would know they're in a game, it would be this man. Without further ado, ✨him✨

I have a feeling that Reca would suspect something isn't right. He'd notice his memories don't date as far back, but he'd probably look at it as nothing. However, when he sleeps (can memokeepers even sleep?), he sees the same scenes over and over again.

It's only until you, the player, play the quest that he finally understands.

When he can't control his speech or movements whenever in the proximity of the Trailblazer(s), he realizes the truth. Those dreams must've been different versions of himself, there's no other explanation. The sound of your voice, however, is what really sells it.

When he first appears, he hears your voice. It sounds far away, but he can make out some words; words such as "suspicious", "eyes", and "this is the scene?" That's the clearest sentence one. He can hear your laughter at him putting the woman from The Family down a peg, you even cheering him on.

He can hear you even joking about how he looked after that. Something about a black and white cat meme picture with a knife pointed at it. He wonders what that's about.

He can feel the eyes of you, the singular audience member to his entire set, watching his every move like he's on camera.

Yes, he doesn't quite like being controlled, but since he can't do anything about it yet, why not dramatize the act more?

His lines are given with a little more fervor. His actions, he finds, can be dramaticized as long as it fits the exact scene he's in. He puts on a show to appease his only audience member watching from the far background.

He can hear your gasp at the reveal he's a memokeeper. The slight laughter at his own silly antics, such as when he takes a picture of Robin and everyone else dancing while Boothill gets dragged into the floor.

And when the curtains fall on his scene, he hears you clearly for the first time; sounding so close, yet so far all the same:

"Who are you really?"

While he wishes to tell, he can't exactly do so. He knows he doesn't have the free will (disgruntled as he is about that), but that's not the actual reason. He wants to keep you guessing.

So, keep on guessing his role. You are the Watcher, as he'll address you, even if he knows your name. You're his special secret and audience member.

He'll see you again once the curtain rises in his next play. Perhaps, he'll be able to finally talk to you and bring you into his next act?

[silly-anon]

One thing I always think about is Lizzie's Secret Life death

Like, it's so abrupt. Sure, it seemed inevitable when she backed herself onto the ledge but the ENDERMAN! I couldn't spot where or when she looks at it. So, here's what I propose.

That enderman was already mad at Lizzie when she brought Scott to the End. Why? Because she planned her death. She broke the Canary Curse on purpose.

After Last Life, Jimmy told Lizzie about the curse and how much it hurt. Lizzie made a decision there and then. She would break it.

Before leading Scott to the End, she set up that enderman. She angered it and trapped it in a mechanism that would release it once she was on the edge.

The Watchers despise Lizzie for this. The only time They took notice of her before was when she made the bet that Joel would be the first red during Last Life. They involved her because of Kingdom Craft, They wanted to get Their hands on her. They realised They couldn't force Lizzie to be insane during Last Life so They forgot about her. But she freed the Canary, she broke one of Their curses.

The assassination attempts during Wild Life weren't just everyone trying to get Lizzie off dark green, it was the Watchers trying to make a new Canary. But they underestimated Lizzie. Now They really want her either dead or under their control.

Lizzie keeps evading Them. She isn't playing Their game, They are playing her's. Lizzie is no fool, she builds an image of herself and drops it when it's convenient.

The other thing They despise about her is the fact that she's keeping Them from making Joel follow the lore. This means They can't get to Joel.

Because Joel wasn't meant to win. They wanted Ren to win, They wanted to show Martyn what happens when he ignores Them. Making him win Limited Life wasn't enough, so They went after Ren.

Lizzie has an obligation to protect Ren after Last Life, so she did the one thing she could.

Be a shadow leading people to their death.

Lizzie breaks the rules, she puts a dent in the Watchers' plans. And she gets away with it. Because she doesn't mess around like everyone thinks. She knows what she has to do.

She took Jimmy out with her. She knew Grian had trapped the bunker but she didn't care because she could get Jimmy out of there with it. She's doing what Grian can't because the Watchers can't touch her. She bows to no entity.

And it's not the first instance of it either. Throughout Empires SMP 1, she wasn't concerned by Xornoth, she barely acknowledged him. And he left her alone because he knew better. She was constantly after the crown when it was introduced and hesitant to follow the others laws at best.

The same thing happened in Empires SMP 2, she made people bend to her whims and she didn't get involved with the crossover. She had her own agenda and wasn't going to be put off.

But she took notice of Tag. Because it showed her how Grian functioned as a runaway. She observed him and deduced what she could use against the Watchers.

[ultimateplaylistmaker]

I have thoughts about the traitor perk in eden's garden, for how just vicious it was. Did she knew it had a time limit for her own death going in? did she accept it and only have that sprung on her after? It's so cruel, so so cruel, and the fact Tozu doesn't even PRETEND to deny it. There's a bit of "well she chose it" but there's not downplaying of like "well i only implied so actually not my fault" hes just like "Yeah i did say she'd die lmao, funny huh?"

It FULLY sets up that unlike the canon games, Tozu isn't pretending like he's fully above the game, that he has to be hands off, and that makes him stronger. He's fully admitting right off the gate that he's not above lose lose situations or playing favorites, he's fully brazen about how obvious it was set for Eva in a way that fully suggests that you cannot break this game by exposing the machinations behind the rules for being forced or lies. Tozu isn't as separate from the players like Monokuma pretends to be, he was fully down for casually showing up on command, fucking with Damon's head, and then leaving, and apparently several others did the same.

You can't even call out Tozu as being an unfair game master because he never really says he is. If he saved a stunt like this for the end it would have been a whole thing of unraveling, but he didn't, he did it in the first real murder and didn't even hide it like Tsumugi did. He's setting himself up as a player on the board immediately, he's not the student's and thus can only go so far, but he's very open about making exceptions and being loose with what he's allowed to do or not do. This isn't the kind of game that requires strict rule following protocol, because Tozu's a player too.

Tozu isn't some far away watching mastermind laughing but required to stick to a script that could break the whole game if taken advantage of, he's right there in the action, he's not pretending he's above the game or that the game isn't inherently biased or weighted, he fully embraces that he's a player as well, just a different player with different rules. Him targeting Eva so heavily isn't a violation of the social code, no more then Wolfgang isolating Eva and Damon was, players are allowed to target each other.

He delights in it even, he loves being the game master not despite being a player, but because of it. Tozu has very little thought that he's built different or untouchable, Grace showed that in the prologue by getting some damn good hits in. Tozu isn't pretending to be the person controlling the pieces, he knows he's also a piece and revels in it. Giving him a kind of power that other masterminds lacked.

He will set traps beyond just motives, he will bait, he will come when you call and adjust the rules to make sure you can do your murder that would totally otherwise break it, he is a potential ally, he is a rival player, he is tangible and real and cannot be just brushed off once he hands over the motive. If you can't figure out how to talk to Tozu, how to appeal to Tozu, if you fail to keep him in mind as a player instead of just a watcher and judge, you will be at an objective disadvantage over those who do, because Tozu knows he is fallible, that rules are imprecise, and instead of pretending otherwise, he uses that fallibility to make himself even more dangerous by embracing it and using it against the group.

[ludolka]

i have fallen so much in love with your character designs, that they have just become canon in my head😭

also just wondering if you could talk some more about your thoughts about Watcher Grian? and maybe in relation to Mumbo? the one drawing of Watcher Grian and Mumbo hugging had me at the floor❤️

Omg thank you so so much, that makes me so happy to hear <33

By popular demand (two people asked), I shall talk about my take on watcher Grian :D

So, I like to think of Grian as a young divine entity in relation to the other Watchers, meaning he’s only around 2-3 centuries old. So the Watchers treat him like a teen going through a rebellious phase and are generally very condescending towards him, often referring to him as a child

Grian was forced to become a watcher after Evo because he was chosen by the council, whether he agreed to it or not was completely irrelevant. And while he is very pissed about it, he’s grown mostly resigned to the fact that this is his life and he can’t do nothing about it

I like to think he spent a while in their dimension where they “trained” him. They completely stripped him from his identity as Grian and as a mortal. He was given the name Xelqua and that’s the only name they call him

He’s a god, he’s extremely powerful due to that, but he’s not invincible or omnipotent. Due to his age, inexperience and circumstances, he’s one of the weaker watchers. He also has great control over his powers due to the many many years of “training” he was put through

I really like the concept of gods (watchers in this case) get power from mortals worshipping them, believing them and praying/giving offerings to them. No god is powerless without that, but they get a boost from each follower

Grian absolutely hates the watchers and being one. He’s very much the definition of “malicious compliance” when it comes to them, he takes every loophole and opportunity to make things more difficult for them without outright defying them. So he tries to make the death games as much fun for everyone involved in them as circumstances allow for such a thing to be fun

The watchers feed off of strong emotions, but they highly prefer negative ones. That’s why Grian’s forced to host these death games, to give them food and also entertainment. And he complies and gives them the feast and show they demand because he’s terrified of them. He knows his own survival is at stake and if he outright denies them of what they want, they will punish him with a fate worse than death

And while Grian is a watcher with all their powers included, he pretends like he isn’t and doesn’t use his powers at all, also as a form of resistance and rebellion. He doesn’t feed off of others’ emotions, he doesn’t use his admin or “creative mode” powers, he doesn’t intimidate others with his powers, he doesn’t ask anyone to worship him. He actually keeps it a secret from everyone and reacts negatively to anyone bringing up the watchers even in passing, claiming religious trauma if asked

He clings to his humanity, or at least the little that’s left of it. He just wants to be Grian and treated the same way everyone else gets treated. He doesn’t want to be looked at with neither awe nor fear, he doesn’t want followers or worshippers, he doesn’t want to explain anything to anyone

He also, having lived among watchers and knowing their true nature, thinks of them (and himself) as cruel monsters, the irredeemable kind. And he wallows in miserable self-hatred about it. The guilt he feels for putting his friends through death games is all consuming whenever he lets himself think about it. But he doesn’t think of himself as a victim or feels sorry for himself, he thinks he’s worse than the watchers. Regardless of how the gun was forced into his hands, he’s still the one pulling the trigger. Regardless of how he has no other choice, he still thinks he’s a selfish coward for not trying hard enough to fight back, for not putting his foot down and standing up for himself and his friends, for choosing survival

So he’s deeply ashamed of who he was forced to become and he tries his fucking hardest to keep anyone from finding out. The only exception to this that I could think of might actually be Joel (because he’s the only one Grian can truly be his worst self around without judgement because no one understands Grian more than Joel, but more on that an other time). But no one else, especially not Mumbo or Scar, the people closest to him, the ones who he trusts the most and could expect the most empathy, acceptance and emotional support from. No, he’s far too terrified of potentially losing them or having them look at him differently, they are too important to him

[ In the Grumbo family AU it’s a different story, people on the server know that he’s Xelqua mostly due to two of his children having some watcher powers that they can’t fully control or hide, so he had to tell them ]

But yeah ! That’s the basic summary of my headcanons about watcher Grian. I’ll most likely talk more about parts of this in depth and detail when they come up in my art or someone asks me to elaborate whatever part they are curious about

[remthegremlin]

sorry im still insane about wlsmp but like so many of the life series “traditions” were broken this season and i think thats just so interesting.

the canary curse is officially broken, no more excuses no more “oh well its been passed on- oh its this doesnt actually count or” yeah no none of that- jimmy is a beast and he did so well he deserves credit for his skills 😤 he got 12th out of 18 so try and canary curse that my boy is a rockstar 😤

most of the fanon interpretation of watcher!grian is him hiding it which was kinda supported by the fact that grian being the admin of the past life series didnt really matter bc he kinda was on everyone’s level- but wild life? he was IN CONTROL. he activated the wild cards he called the end of the sessions he KNEW THINGS other people didnt and oh man thats fucking tasty its refreshing! grian was such a character this season- he fully leaned into the admin position (and for us we see it as him leaning in to the watcher aspect) and people were commenting on it? they knew he knew things when previously it just wasnt mentioned by anyone. im insane about this i love watcher!grian that fully accepts who he is and uses his powers for chaos and fun

the TEAMS- the teams this season were incredibly interesting. we had the bamboozlers who everyone assumed were gonna all go out first bc they were all bad at the game and accident prone and considering the fact that the very gameplay was all out of wack yeah it was kinda expected that the clumsy players would slip up first- but they didnt! they ALL made it to the finale. the four Gs- everyone was making jokes about how they were forcing themselves to stay together and how they were gonna fall apart and it was gonna be so toxic but they were one of the strongest alliances besides gem and joel- and even bigb who betrayed cleo still kinda stayed apart of the team- which speaking of bigb he was AMAZING this season with the creaking bit he had going but also he socialized more and instead of being a total loner he tried being part of the four Gs and yknow what i’ll take it. and the fanart of him skyrocketed this season so bonus points! but yeah the four Gs, destined to fall apart stayed together to the very end and im so happy they beat the divorce allegations. JOEL AND GEM. these two. these two were AMAZING. they truly played to the game- they didnt take things too seriously, they had fun- and most importantly they stayed together. i think what im trying to say here is that the teams this season were just so much fun to watch and it didnt feel like they were held together with tape and glue and i love that. the chemistry was top notch. i just started rambling here but i loved them!! the tuff guys, renwood, and the spanners (???) were phenomenal as well but we already knew those guys have great chemistry with each other. i definitely lost my point here oops.

last thing- wild life was so fun and it feels like the shift in the life series has settled and now everyone is just having fun and i think thats amazing for them. the shift definitely started with secret life- thats where the canary curse was broken, thats where scar won against all odds (the no regen? and scar winning? impossible- but it happened), where grian finally died an honorable death (i say this bc all of his deaths previously he’d been unhappy with- yknow the i dont feel good with scar, dying in a frenzy, dying to a warden, falling to his death- but secret life? he died trying to win a 3v1 and legitimately could have won. if gem hadnt been so high in hearts he definitely could have survived), and grian being the admin was actually relevant bc he knew things others didnt (and that scene where the end portal went off in the court house god that was good food for the watcher!grian fans) where the mechanism of the series was fun and chill and not just about killing, and of course- the tone of the series was fun and wholesome rather than completely hostile like the other 4. secret life was a nice transition to wild life and im so happy that the lifers seem to be having so much fun now.

IN SHORT. i loved wild life! i love how different it is from the other series. and im so glad that the lifers are having fun and leaning in to the insanity of it all. amazing. and this was just supposed to be a little paragraph about the broken traditions but i started rambling. my bad lol.

ALSO JOEL WON! the silliest, wildest man won! isnt that fitting?

[sherlockggrian]

gonna talk about lore for a second cause it's eating away at me here

this is all entirely personal and 80% made up with zero basis other than the ongoing au for hermitcraft/life in my head, btw. Grian has steadily been getting more confident and dangerous with his powers since the end of season 8. He was terribly afraid of them and refused to use them for the first few years after Evo, and it took a long time during season 9 for him to be more comfortable. Each life series he gets more and more powerful and has more influence over the game. He's still not on the side of the watchers themselves.

In season 10, he uses it casually. He sits on the dock and mentally flies around the server to check on everyone. He can jump in and out of worlds and universes. He can stop time and talk to people in their dreams. Pearl has some powers as well, though she is not a true watcher in the sense and thus isn't quite the same as Grian. I was thinking about Taurtis, and how he made Grian and probably Pearl into what they are, and how he's the reason the watchers are so obsessed with Grian and his group specifically - becayse though Taurtis has lost most of what made him human, forgotten his human form and thinks mostly as a powerful entity, he still has this connection and ties to the other Evo players.

Which is why Grian and Pearl want to kill him. Permanently. They cause a rip in the world borders of Hermitcraft, and Taurtis comes to them, and during the fight something goes wrong and Taurtis ends up posessing Grian. He's now sort of two people, with Taurtis able to control him sometimes, but Grian powerful enough to fight it off. This small disruption in the world is enough for the watchers to trap the players into Wild Life.

Grian/Taurtis choose the wild cards. Grian knows what is going to happen, yet is somewhat powerless to stop it. He's in this sort of interal war while also trying to keep his friends alive (and failing miserably). Scar, who believes the canary curse being broken last time is what let him beat the watchers (he won instead of Gem, the one who the watchers wanted), is working dsperately to stop Jimmy from dying.

Pearl is the only one who knows about Grian. She's keeping quiet, waiting for the right moment to intervene again, like she did last season. They always keep their distance from each other because they know they're the ones who can sort of protect everyone as best they can from the watchers, and it works better when they are spread out. Their alliance is very thin at best. Despite their powers, they don't trust each other.

And Bigb, once again, is there to observe. He is not a watcher, or a listener, but something else, a 3rd being that the watchers keep a careful eye on. He could end everything, if he wanted, he wasn't even intended to be there, but he chooses to go along with it, for reasons unknown to anyone but him. He is not allied with the watchers, but he does nothing to prevent their attacks. Nobody knows where he came from, or where he goes when the games are over. He is merely there.

[kitskiis]

I think the saddest part about secret life Joel is just how futile all of his actions are in that season. On a surface level i mean stuff like all of his more careful gameplay being cancelled out by a singular failed tnt trap but on a deeper level i specifically mean how that character contrasts with last life Joel. Joel is undoubtedly at his lowest point in the life series in Last Life. He goes down to red in session 2 and spends the majority of the rest of the season alone (and when he does have allies it’s only bc of a shared bloodlust). The red bloodlust completely takes over and this festers for nearly *8 sessions*. Not only that but the one time he is given a chance to restart and go back to yellow his old alliance member goes to red, leaving him alone again, and he is made boogeyman the next session. This, overall, has lasting consequences (he actually wanted to be fairly friendly at the beginning of LL, a stark contrast to how bloodthirsty he was at the beginning of DL or Lim L), and gained him a reputation that has never fully gone away. This is especially bad bc most people agree that LL was the most violent season (despite the lower kill counts in comparison to LimL) and was generally the worst and most traumatizing experience in the games for most people involved. Compare this to secret life, which everyone agrees was definitely the happiest season for Joel (or at least the most normal. His life is a tragedy no matter the season.) he has allies that (for the most part rip mumbo) stick with him until the end, he is friendlier with a larger group of people, and when he initially has to deal with the loss of some of them he has people who can ground him (bc as much as I adore the bad boys, grian was not qualified to do that). He was so hopeful that season, and was generally in a much healthier place mentally. And yet, despite how much he seemed to have grown, those 2 seasons ended so similarly for him it was almost comical. Joel engaged in a fight at the end, watched his ally get killed by scott, and is then forced into a 2v1 against Scott and another player that results in Scott taking his final life and him finishing 5th overall. I was describing both of those seasons here. After everything he did to grow, after all the improvements he had made, everything ended *exactly the same*

Making this about the bad boys for a second (because I’m me) they kinda suffer similar fates. Grian learned in the most tragic way possible that his allies were doomed to fail as long as he was with them no matter what, that this was not something that he could control by simply avoiding killing them himself. Even when he actively tries to save them (“let Tim do it he needs the time” “Joel you can kill me!”) he’ll still lose them in the end. I think this realization is also what made him stop trying to fight it, which resulted in him killing or almost killing his allies from previous seasons immediately afterwards (stabbing scar in the back and that one scene where grian kinda ominously jumps with a sword like he was about to crit and kill bigb after finding out he had 50 seconds left on his timer). It’s sorta like a way of telling the universe “fine. You win”

Similarly Jimmy. Well. I don’t think I need to explain that one. Even when he was given hope that things could be different, that he could break the curse, he died only a few minutes later. I still hold on to the narrative that the watchers only allowed that to happen to give Jimmy false hope that things can be different only to rip the rug out from under him and drive home the point that he is in a losing battle because by the time of secret life Jimmy was one of the only few people who genuinely still believed he had a chance. Obviously this is not something that can fully be a reality until he goes out first next season so if he doesn’t that’s a little awkward but just work with me here

TLDR; here is reason number 672 on why I believe the bad boys are the most doomed motherfuckers on this server and their alliance is a modern tragedy

[hydrangeapartridge]

Neve's visit (Manfred learns about rings part 2)

As part of my EmmRook post game collection, I wrote a short fic about Manfred learning about rings (their use in magic but also their symbolism) which can be found here.

Here is the sequel. Enjoy! (could contain spoilers for the end of the game)

(Side Note: all my EmmRook fics can be found on AO3)

Emmrich was pacing. It was an unusual behaviour for him, reserved only to his reflexions on the most complex scientific questions he faced as a scholar. However he was not working now, but the fact remained that he was crossing the living room for the umpteenth time under Rook’s half amused, half worried gaze.

She sat on the meridian, waiting for Neve to arrive. It was the first time they would see her since Manfred bought her a gift; a pretty snake-shaped silver hairpin. If Emmrich had always had a very good relationship with Neve amongst the Veilguard, the prospect of the gift giving visibly caused him some distress.

“I never thought I’d get to experience a meeting with the in-laws while being the in-laws” Rook’s usual jest had the benefit of stopping Emmrich in his tracks.

He turned to her, a slight frown creasing the perfect line of his dark brows. “ Darling, this is nothing of the sort” He corrected her “Merely a reunion with an old acquaitance, in which Manfred will happen to gift a significantly costly jewel to a charming woman” Emmrich was talking with his hands, which he did when passionnate, but mostly when nervous. “People exchange gifts all the time. There is no particular stake in this particular exchange”

So he tried to convince himself. Rook shook her head, a fond grin splitting her lips. She got up and slowly stepped up to her husband.

She placed a hand on his elbow in a gesture that became as familiar as breathing. “Then why are you more tensed than before an important watcher’s assembly?” She teased him, caressing up his arm until her hand was on his stiff shoulder. “We’re seeing Neve. It’s going to be nice. Relax. ”

Emmrich sighed. “I can’t” He breathed in defeat, lowering his head until his forehead was resting against Rook’s.

“If we had more time, I’d offer plenty of ways to distract you” Rook whispered, her lips drawing closer to his.

Emmrich was usually a master of self-control. In the Watch, her learned meditation and breathing techniques to ground oneself, and how to be detached and impassible. But his naturally emotional nature still came back when dealing with matters important to him; more often matters of the heart than of the mind. Matters he couldn’t reason with.

Another sigh, but Emmrich didn’t pull back. “Dearest, you always do choose the most interesting times for your advances” He placed a hand on Rook’s waist and brought their faces closer. “I could certainly be tempted to indulge in you. It would make the wait far more pleasant indeed”

Emmrich’s poetic way with words always made Rook melt. She was surprised her flirting went through but needn’t be convinced any further, and pressed her lips against his in a tender kiss.

If their kissing started chaste, slow and comfortable, Emmrich grew bolder as he gladly lost himself in the distraction and comfort his wife offered. His second hand came to craddle the base of Rook’s skull, fingers carefully threading in her hair as he gently but firmly angled her head to deepen the kiss. His bangles sang as he teased her bottom lip with his tongue, and when she parted her lips, wickedly slipped inside, in a move only he held the secret to, that still made Rook’s knees weak even after years of practice.

Rook pressed closer to him, lacing her fingers behind his neck in an embrace that was only known to true kindred spirits. Together they formed a perfect entity, in a pose that could remind one of the romantic tableaux exposed in Orlais, painted to praise the devotion of eternal lovers.

While he thoroughly lost himself in Rook’s mouth, Emmrich moved his legs with intent so that his thigh ended up pressed flush against her center. Rook’s resulting moan was music to his ears, so promising. Too bad the next thing those ears caught was the sharp noise of a knock on the door.

The two lovers barely had time to step away from each other before Manfred came rushing down the stairs. The spirit made a beeline for the door, eager to be the one to welcome their guest. In his hurry, Manfred thankfully didn’t notice how breathy and flustered his caretakers were. They gladly let him open the door while they recovered from their promising but interrupted tryst.

“I’ll get the tea” Emmrich offered, reluctantly moving away from his wife.

Rook nodded, and after running a hand through her hair to make sure it was still in place, she headed to the entrance to greet Neve.

- - -

Neve Gallus was as always delightful company. Under her strict and cool appearance was a heart of gold. Ever thoughtful, she brought an offering of Carastian candy, chocolate coated treats from Tevinter, that she knew Rook enjoyed (Emmrich didn’t have as much of a sweet tooth as his wife, but he was known to indulge in them sometimes while grading papers).

She came alone, Lucanis being busy on a contract; which was probably better given Manfred’s generosity was reserved to her.

Neve got them up to date with the situation in Minrathous in more detail than she did in letters, and once it was done, they discussed more casual matters: recent activites and funny or scandalous anecdotes. Emmrich, ever the social butterfly, was absorbed in the conversation, but his never ending stirring of his tea told Rook that part of him was still slightly nervous.

At one point, Neve asked about Manfred’s learnings. The skeleton had been quietly sitting beside her, but he perked up when prompted with questions about his training at the Necropolis. While Manfred told Neve a few stories in his own imperfect way with words, Rook wondered if maybe he could be nervous about giving Neve her gift. Wisps were drawn to Neve, and Manfred was no exception. He always enjoyed her best amongst all their friends. But could he have learned reserve after spending so much time with humans?

It turned out Rook was completely wrong about that part, for two mere seconds after the skeleton finished explaining the most recent spell he learned, he announced. “Present for you” And promptly stood up to retrieve the pretty gift-bag he previously hid behind the couch.

Manfred proudly handed Neve the bag, and her usually hooded gaze widened. “For me? Really?” She asked incredulous as she took the package.

“Yeay!” Manfred confirmed and Neve chuckled.

“I’d say you shouldn’t have, but that wouldn’t be elegant of me” She opened the bag and peeked inside before she retrieved a squarred black velvet box from it. “Wow, this looks fancy. What’s the occasion Fred?” She asked, incredulous.

Rook heard Emmrich gulp beside her. She was hanging onto Manfred’s every word, eagerly awaiting his answer.

“To thank you for the coat!” Manfred replied casually.

A beat of silence. Rook felt stupid.

Given the circumstances of Manfred’s purchase for Neve, Emmrich and her automatically connected it to the rings they bought and their meaning. They didn’t even think to ask why Manfred wanted to get Neve a gift, probably too afraid of the answer. It didn’t occur to them either that Manfred could feel obliged to Neve for gifting him a new coat as a reward when he graduated from his first cycle of apprenticeship. That day Emmrich had given Manfred a gift too, Rook remembered; his first ever magic staff. It had been a wonderful day of celebrations.

A muffled chuckle beside her made Rook turn to her husband. Emmrich’s laugh then turned light and airy, relieved and joyful. It wasn’t often that Emmrich was caught laughing freely, and if the delightful sound of it surprised Neve, it sent butterflies in Rook’s stomach. She was grinning impossibly wide as her lover tried to cover his reciding laughter with the back of his hand in front of his mouth.

Neve looked to the couple with a frown but was unable to hide her own smile. “What’s so funny?”

“Nothing. Just that Emmrich was so afraid Manfred wanted to elope with you he almost gave himself an ulcer” Rook offered, voice singing with mischief.

“Rook!” Emmrich protested. The pink slightly dusting his cheeks was adorable.

“We were worried about the intentions Manfred put behind that gift and obviously made a too big deal out of it” Rook continued explaining more seriously, not minding the glare Emmrich sent her.

Neve raised one thick and pretty eyebrow, visibly judging Manfred’s caretakers.

“Well, can I open it now?” She asked, admiteddly a little amused.

Rook nodded and Neve opened the velvet box under Manfred’s undivided attention. He had observed their exchange but didn’t comment on it. Maybe he didn’t understand everything and was more eager to see what Neve thought of his gift than to understand what all this was about.

A little gasp of surprise escaped the ice mage when her eyes landed on the refined piece of jewelry.

“I understand your worries now” She lowly whispered before she turned to Manfred. “You truly shouldn’t have... but I appreciate it. This is beautiful Fred. I love it”

Manfred let out a victorious hiss, visibly happy with himself. Neve undid her coiffure, letting her long dark locks cascade on her shoulders. She took the hairpin and skillfully twisted her hair around it in a pretty updo. She turned her head both sides and asked. “How is it Fred? Suits me?”

Manfred clapped and cheared, making Neve chuckle fondly at his antics.

Emmrich watched the exchange, arms crossed over his chest, but a smile on his lips. Rook let her hand travel to his thigh and inched closer. “Relieved my love ?” She whispered in his ear.

He sighed through his nose before he gave her a warm smile that lit up his rich brown eyes. “Impossibly so dearest”

[cauli-is-awake]

life series theorising (spoilers ahead beware)

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

i like lore and was bored so i compiled this neat lil theory about the life series'.

the main thought in this is, what if it was meant to end with secret life?

and that's why it was so different from the other series before? it was meant to be a big dramatic finale from the watchers and it got fucked up by the players still, and that's why we have wild life -where the watchers are angry and have completely let loose- .

think about it, the really obvious watcher reference in the secret keeper, no more mystery and controlling the games ominously from the shadows, they were directly "we are in control and doing this to you". the tasks getting harder and building up to the final "win secret life" it's so much an order than any other finale:

third life "there can only be one winner" -grian desperately wants to remain in his desert peacefully with scar but is forced to give it up to make it so there is only one winner as the watchers intended. even his jump of the cliff is an act of defiance, killing himself on his terms.

last life "i've spent all season being honourable, im not about to stop now" -scott isn't in a bloodlust like many other players, he is defying the watchers, not by living on peacefully (for he knows that isn't possible) but by having a fair match, being honest and never betraying allies and ending it in a similar fashion, the watchers are furious and strike him down for defying them, vowing to end this treachery.

double life "tilly death do us part" -pearl is given the win by scott. in lore you cant tell me that wasn't purposeful a pairing, and after sessions and sessions of fighting it all comes to an end with scott's sacrifice (already going against the watchers in not going with his soulmate and again by killing himself). the watchers are hoping, WAITING for this full scale fight that never happened. and the worst part is, PEARL FORGAVE HIM. they made up. the watchers are fucking pissedddd.

limited life "this is a death match for a reason" -martyn in the watchers grasps is common is lim life fics, and it leans into that build up of wanting control and watching players thwart it every time, so they full on possess a player and make him win the way they want, with betrayal and violence (even better the players were trying to organise another "fair fight" between the final three). They brought back the boogie, maybe that was there anger festering and they had to cause more chaos and bloodshed and on such short notice just borrowed from Last life? Even the life gimmick of lim life kinda feels like a hint at the near end, time is counting down like the watchers patience and willingness to play, once the countdown (limlife) is over, the finale begins. This time the game ends as the watchers want BECAUSE they interfered, proving to themselves they still control the games.

then we get to secret life and everything is meant to end:

jimmy isn't the first to die (canary curse)

scotts alliance breaks apart (his loyalty is finally tested)

a substantial amount of murder from non reds (boogey apocalypse)

in secret life everything changes

BUT IT DIDNT (dun dun dun)

LIZZIE DIED FIRST BUT WAS STUCK IN THE VOID, CANARY CURSE CONTINUES

GEM AND THE SCOTTS FALL APART IN THE BOOGEY APOCALYPSE BUT SCOTT IS STILL LOYAL AND LAYS DOWN HIS LIFE FOR GEM

AND PEOPLE SURVIVE THE BOOGEY APOCALYPSE, SO THE TASK FAILS

(i could draw more differences but this is enough example for me)

so their big dramatic finale failed

maybe that's why scar lived?

the watchers forgot him in the secret life world in their rage

UNTIL WILDLIFE:

when they are throwing everything at them possible (WILDNESS)

(atleast this time it seems to be working if mumbo's death is anything to go by)

thanks for listening to my yapping ^-^

i love drawing silly conclusions from the series

[meteor752]

The Watchers, my take on the lore

I love me some characters, and I love me some lovecraftean entities, so this was honestly inevitable

Most watcher lore seem to kinda group the watchers together as one entity, with very little room for individuality for them, which I think is kinda boring, so you know I’m changing that for funsies. This is not gonna be based on Martyn’s lore fully, I’m gonna keep some elements and then just kinda run with it because why not you know lol. Also I’ve only watched a little of EVO, but it’s not really gonna be based much on what happened in that series anyways.

So Grian, or Xelqua or whatever, created the concept for the games when he first became a Watcher, but despite that he’s not the actual gamemaster. Every series has had a Watcher in control, who’s been looking over the games, made sure they ran smoothly, and also occasionally meddled. With the existence of eight games now, we’ve therefore met eight Watchers.

First we’ve got Ihcá, the gamemaster of Third Life. Ihcá is very by the books, to an almost scary degree. You give them a task, they will complete it exactly as you asked it to be completed, no funny business. It’s because of this that the rules of Third Life are the most simple, the initial pitch for the life series was just that, three lives, red life you get bloodthirsty, once you’re out you’re gone. Unlike the other Watchers, Ihcá did not spice this up to any degree, as they saw no need to. They are cold, distanced, and keep to themselves.

I also wanna go over the relationship every gamemaster has to their respective winner, which is an interesting case for Ihcá, since their winner is not only a fellow Watcher, but also someone who broke the rules of the game. Grian and Ihcá could not be more different, and they never really cared much for him, even after he ascended to Their ranks. What did matter to them however, was when he killed three people with a trap, even as he was a green. If it had been anyone else, Ihcá would have taken them out right then and there, but Grian does have immunity against their powers thanks to his status. They do resent him for ruining their game, but it’s not something they mull over. As I said, they’re quite detached.

Next we’ve got Quevik, the gamemaster for Last life. Unlike their predecessor, Quevik changed up a lot of the initial design of the games, all to make it worse and more brutal for the players. The difference in the amount of lives you start with to spark more jealousy, only one enchanter to encourage stealing, and of course, the boogeyman, a seed for deception and betrayal. Quevik is creative and adaptive, they saw what the players focused on in the first game, and went in hard on it. They thrive in chaos and unease, and especially likes to feed on loneliness, hence the rules that Red Names were to be shunned from their teams. To them, Last Life was perfect in every way, except for one.

This is to no one’s surprise, but Quevik absolutely detests Scott. Just like how Grian defied Ihcá’s rules, he had defied Quevik’s, and they were not happy. The betrayals that the boogeyman curse brought was to their absolute delight, their favourite players were easily BigB and Bdubs because of it, but here stood Scott, refusing to take the life of his teammates, and instead going down to red. Quevik heavily considered just killing him right then and there for his infringement, but since it was right before the final session, they allowed him to live, just for the possibility of him betraying his allies in the final battle. Not a day has gone by where they haven’t regret that decision, you can still sometimes Hear them grumbling about it.

Tae & Nha is the watcher for Double Life. Tae & Nha is an interesting case of being two entities, but still only being one individual. They function very strangely, often switching between which primary voice to use when speaking, especially when interacting with players. Watchers feed on all emotions, and one of their favourites is confusion. For Tae & Nha, the soulmate system was a very obvious choice. After all, they are two entities with one “soul”, so they just took from their own experiences when designing it, made it easier. Most of the soulmates pairs were made random, but they did customise some things, such as Martyn’s separation from Ren, and Grian and Scar being together. So simple, yet effective way to torture them both.

Just like the winners before her, Pearl broke the rules of the game by not sticking to her soulmate, even if it wasn’t by choice. But despite that, Tae & Nha love her. From the beginning, Tae & Nha knew that there would only be one winner, and that the despair that the final pair would feel when they found out they would have to fight and kill the person they had spent all season with would be delicious. But Pearl delivered that devastation and more in the very first session, and retained it throughout all the series. Scarlet Pearl was such a delight to them in fact, that they let her keep some of those feelings even after the series ended, and the next one began. They delight in their winner, and the suffering they let her keep.

For Limited Life we have Gemíín, one of the most powerful Watchers in the roster. Gemíín is also one of the most daring ones, taking the concept that was first laid out by Grian and changing it up a lot. They’re kinda the opposite to Ihcá, and the rest of the Watchers in general, always thinking outside of the box. They are however more short tempered than most of their kind, and more quick to jump to extremes, especially when it comes to punishments. Why do you think Grian was unconscious for an entire session, or Cleo and Pearl got possessed? It’s not a good idea to piss Gemíín off, they won’t kill you but they will get to you.

There is no place this is reflected better than with Martyn. The Listeners favourite, one of the biggest nuisances back on EVO, and just someone generally disrespectful. The previous three may have mainly let him be in favour of not interfering with the games, but Gemíín is more spiteful. Taking away his beloved king was the easy part, but it wasn’t enough for Gemíín. Throughout the entire game they were whispering, whispering words that they knew that he would Hear. Encouragements, lies, threats, just about anything. Two out of three victors lost their humanity to win their series, and Gemíín was aiming for a third. A goal which they achieved, as Martyn struck down his own ally, and backstabbed his way to the top.

The Secret Life gamemaster is Vdari, who’s almost on the same power level as Gemíín. Vdari did what no other Watcher had done before and involved themselves directly in the series with the role of “The Secret Keeper”. Going into Secret Life, Vdari had a very similar mindset as Quevik, in that they looked at the previous series to see what was the most effective, and doubled down hard on that. This being, deception, and resentment. The series is built around lies, around unstable alliances, around not being able to trust one another, and without regeneration, a simple punch, push, or even just a friendly nudge is huge, and grudges will be held. An unfortunate side effect of the series structure is that Vdari stretched themselves extremely thin, with needing to constantly keep track on every player at all time, to see if they failed their task or not. Because of this, they tended to pay less attention to the players who’d already finished their tasks, which meant that when Scott and Lizzie traveled to The End they payed them no mind, which is why they weren’t able to stop Lizzie from falling into the void, thus ending the Canary Curse. They tried to do damage control, killing Jimmy as quick as they could, but in the end it didn’t matter. The other Watchers were…not happy.

And maybe they could’ve made sure that no one would have died before Jimmy, if they hadn’t been so preoccupied with Scar. Vdari had Seen Scar in previous seasons, and the way that he would get when pushed over the edge, and more importantly, the way that that would affect Their dear Grian. So Vdari made him the villain. They kept him in isolation with his tasks, forcing him to do more and more vile things to his fellow players. What Vdari hadn’t expected was how fun it would be to see Scar suffer, how much enjoyment one can get from being the reason a person breaks. They hadn’t intended for him to be the winner, but they were so delighted when Pearl fell, so delighted in fact that they kept him alive, instead of going to the winners lounge with the others. It’s truly a win win situation, Vdari gets to keep their tortured pet around, and the other Watchers are satisfied with poor Grians confusion and devastation over his absence.

Then we’ve got Armhék for Real Life, who is quite different from the previous gamemasters , in the way that they truly just wanted to get their game over with. They like doing one thing and one thing only, Watch, and is not interested in actually running a game, but was unfortunately forced to because it was their turn. They gave the most half assed attempt, just reusing the Third Life formula, but distorted the players visions and messed with their limbs, all to make them all die quicker, and then just set them loose. Since Vdari had already broken the canary curse, Armhék didn’t make an attempt to uphold it (Honestly, they probably would have broken it themselves cause they truly did not care). But yeah, their lack of any and all effort worked out in their favour, and Real Life is the shortest series that has taken place thus far. Every other Watcher is very annoyed.

If you somehow got the ability to ask Amhék who won their game, yeah they’d have no clue, Cleo means nothing to them, which like considering the way that Vdari is toying with Scar, that might be the best outcome for her.

And then, Wild life, with the surprising gamemaster of Grian himself. It was a controversial decision to let him lead the next game, but despite being a runaway, he’s still a Watcher, and so it was decided to let him hold the reins, under close scrutiny of course. Grian’s decision to lead the games was rooted in one simple fact; fun. The last couple of games had been rough on all of them, but especially the victors, so Grian designed Wild Life to be differing and fun to play. His only mistake was the snails, that turned out to be way deadlier than he thought, and so he ended that session early, which was an almost fatal decision, as the Watchers do not enjoy having their entertainment cut short. It was agreed that Grian could continue with the series, as long as he would never do anything like that again.

It was because of Grian’s attempt to keep the games friendly and fun, that Joel became the first victor since Last Life to win his game with his sanity intact, which we applaud. It’s once again something that the Watchers scold him for, but since it’s technically not a requirement to break your winner, it’s not something they can condemn.

And then, finally, the gamemaster of Simple Life, Zghula. Somehow, Zghula being chosen as the next gamemaster managed to be even more controversial than Grian, because Zghula was young. And I mean, really, young. There is no official ranks amongst the Watchers, but They all can tell who among them is more powerful, and therefore deserves more respect, and a lot of these powers come from experience and age. The best way to describe it, is that Zghula is basically the Watcher equivalent of an intern. They’d only ever Seen two games prior to Simple Life, so when it came to designing it they were very inexperienced, especially when it comes to the limits of what Players can take. Like, Armhék’s game was short on purpose, but for Zghula it was a complete accident. They just had no idea that a flat world could be so deadly, or that a few simple mobs were strong enough to take half the players to red. So yeah, whoops. Also, no one told them about the canary curse, and since no game they’d witnessed had had it, they didn’t even think to have Jimmy die first.

Somehow, Simple Life managed to bring shame not only to Zghula, but even more so to poor Quevik. Because not only was their victor someone who defied his game, no, now they had to share him with another, much weaker, Watcher. Like I said, not a day has gone by where they haven’t regretted keeping Scott alive for the final session of Last Life.

Other Watcher things!

The two EVO watchers have not been gamemasters, and therefore were not included here. I do headcanon them to be the two strongest Watchers, and so the de facto “leaders”. They are the ones who chooses who’s the next to lead a game, though as a Watcher you can put in a request to do so. If you’ve been chosen, you can’t refuse. The EVO watchers are named Kvī (Watcher 1) and Jagail (Watcher 2)

Kvī and Jagail are the two that came up with the idea of having death games in the first place, and are also the makers of the curses. Some of them, like Jimmy’s canary curse or Grian’s widow curse were planned from the beginning, while others, like Tango’s Inferno curse and Joel’s Red Haze curse came up as the games progressed. If a gamemaster fails to uphold a curse, without Kvī and Jagail’s explicit permission to break it, there will be dire consequences.

The reason for the blindfolds is mainly to keep them grounded. When wearing it, a watcher can still see everything around them, but if you’re for example hiding behind a wall or something, they can’t see you. If they take off the blindfold, they immediately get omnivision, and can see everything on the server. They for the most part tend to keep their blindfolds on, as they can otherwise be overwhelmed, but when leading a game a gamemaster always keeps their blindfold off

The blindfolds also make them more approachable and appealing to players, as when they’re off, all their multitudes of eyes can be seen, so they mostly keep them on the few times they actually approach a player. If they’re aiming to intimidate or scare however, the blindfold is always off

The reason Grian doesn’t wear a blindfold is that since he wasn’t “born” as a Watcher but ascended into their ranks, he doesn’t have the omnivision They have, at least not to the same scale

Grian is not the only person in their ranks who’s ascended, though he is the only one who’s ever rebelled, ever

The Watchers all have individual voices, but when one speak they all speak. If two Watchers were to be having a conversation, both of them would be saying all the words, but the one who’s actually speaking’s voice would be more prevalent than the other voices. It’s very confusing to listen to, and if you’re not used to it you will mix up who’s saying what.

Watchers tend not to speak much tho, as they are technically a type of hive mind. Their thought, opinions, and feelings are all shared between one another, so they rarely find a need to say anything to each other.

All the Watchers were made using Hero Forge

Also if anyone has any questions, feel free to ask :)

[burgerrat]

" All it takes is two bad races, and you're out. " - NASCAR: Full Speed

I think it's time we talk about IRL racing a little bit. Because if you know how real racers are like on tracks, Turbo's behaviour is nothing short of common. And another thing that makes me believe that Felix misread the situation since he and Turbo were neighbours and there's a chance he knew what Turbo's ego was like.

In Wreck-It Ralph, when we get a timeskip of the 30 years in the beginning, you don't really see any other racing games. TurboTime was the only racing game in the Arcade.

Do you know what any racecar driver is like? Competitive, EXTREMELY so, and they are extremely pressured- because they have fans, they have watchers, they have their team who believe that they are going to win this race. There's racecar drivers who are so competitive they don't even try to make friends with their competitors, they attack them. They're not there to make friends, they're there to win. And that is what Turbo was made for, to be controlled by a player and to win.

It's not unheard of racecars crashing into eachother because a driver purposefully bumped hard into them. Or getting into fist fights and needing to be separated by their team after a race. And if you're a BIG name in the game and you lose? That pressure I mentioned earlier grows tenfold for the next race, if the racecar driver stays in line and manages to get more wins than losses, otherwise, you're out of the picture in racing.

The Twins being Turbo's competitors in game was alright: they're what challenges the main character, Turbo, in the race, making his game all the more intriguing for players and keeping them interested. Turbo loses because of a bad player? Well that's no issue, it could make the player become more competitive since they will want to practice again, and again.

That competition was fine for Turbo because it never truly affected him. He still had everything, fans, attention, and at the end of the day he'd still win even if he crossed the finish line in 2nd place because he had many players.

But...

What happens when there's another racing game? Another competitor, this one an actual threat, outside of your control? Outside your game?

If Roadblasters remained, the new racing game out of two in the whole arcade, it would've absolutely become the next popular racing game because it's just as competitive, with better graphics, and what of the old school, 8-bit racer in white and red? How many in the arcade would've joked about him being in second place? How many in the Arcade would try to ridicule him, do you think? And what of the competitors themselves? They were racers, same as him. Of course they wouldn't be friends.

The image of a racecar driver is everything to them. The expectation of that person their fans, their watchers, their team, see them as.

If players used Roadblasters, who looked better, than TurboTime, soon they wouldn't see that game in the same light they did before. You can't look at Pokemon Red and tell me it's the same as Pokemon Legends Arceus. New things that look better and have different mechanics can be more appealing to people. And Turbo knew that.

Might I mention again both of these games are about racecar drivers? They would have never become friends. They would've become enemies. A lot of racers that have won on multiple tracks don't go there to make friends.

They race to win. And a lot of them will stop at nothing, even if it costs their life.

[emerald-cobracat]

Has anyone considered how none of the winners in the life series actually get to survive past the games.

Grian killed himself immediately after killing Scar. Scott is killed by a command after winning. Pearl dies at most a second after Scott kills himself. Martin is the only one who survives after winning and even he runs out of time.

The games aren’t meant to be survived, even the winners fall victim to the death that plagues the server.

None of the victors go against this. Except Scott and Martin.

Scott is killed almost immediately afterwords. He’s killed by Grian (I think). Grian is a watcher. Wether he left or betrayed them doesn’t matter. He still has the power and knows the power of the watchers. He knew that Scott wouldn’t die after his victory. He knew Scott would move forward and try to save them.

The watchers don’t like Scott.

This would cause them to hate him. To despise him. To make is so that the games would never be kind to him again. But then Grian kills Scott. He uses the power he once abandoned to save Scott from the watchers wrath.

So maybe the watchers don’t like Scott but they approve of him. He got one of their own to use his power again. They would favor him but they’d let him be. It’s why Scott and Pearl survived as long as they did even if they didn’t team up. The watchers left them alone because Scott was part of the pair. In limited life Scott was doing the best he could and very little went wrong for him. He managed a crazy bucket clutch with the entire server trying to kill him. The only thing that went wrong is him being boogeyman first and even then it just meant he had more time.

It’s also why Scott couldn’t win double life. That would get rid of any good will the watchers have for him.

The watchers want Grian back in their ranks. And so far Scott is the only one that got Grian to use his power.

However Martin doesn’t play the game as he’s supposed to. He betrays everyone and in the end doesn’t play fair. He wins but in the cruelest and most desperate way he could.

Martin also dares to live after he’s won. He dares to not abide by the rules and die. Yes he does die eventually but he had an hour left on his timer. An hour, no winner has lasted that long. What if Martin is doing so badly right now because in that hour he did something. He challenged the watchers or maybe used that time to find something on the server in an attempt to free himself and his friends.

What if he did something so that the watchers couldn’t kill him. They’d have to wait until his time ran out.

They’d hate that.

It could explain why he’s doing so badly now too. Yes Martin might share the canary curse because of him attacking Jimmy but what if it’s more than that. What if the watchers are getting directly involved with everyone because of Martin. What if Martin found something in that hour in limited life? What if he’s so close yet so far to ending the games?

The watchers would hate that. They’d try to stop him.

And what better way then to further control everyone then by putting them against each other with a secret.

I also like the idea that Scott is using his good will with the watchers to learn more about them and try to stop them. During limited life the watchers began to notice so Martin who may or may not have known what’s happening gets involved.