#I dont think a play-by-play of their lives is needed but with their contrasting personalities I was expecting a bit more banter

[tumatawa]

I got carried away with something

[blackknight-kai]

We need an S/O who’s just an enabler for Wukong; like someone who’s totally ride or die.

Oh we’re going to heckle the locals yaoguai? They’re down.

Beat up whoever we please? Yessir.

Be the celestials’ biggest pain in the ass? Hell yea.

[But there’s also that sweet potential angst there, your husband/best friend reincarnates to this totally different guy and you have no clue what to do with yourself.]

Yes, I love this! I’d be that person LOL. Like “oh you wanna go beat the shit out of some people? Cool get after it dude! Fuck ‘em up!”

But for real, I think Wukong having that would be amazing, not for everyone else of course but for him? Great. He’d be living his best life and his ego would be HUUUUUUUGE. This chaotic asshole would love having a partner in crime/someone to support him in his mischievous endeavors.

He’d be so happy too. Coming home after doing whatever it is and excitedly telling you all about it. He’d strut around preening like a peacock. At no point would he ever feel like he was without or that he was lacking in his relationship. If people try to bring him down? Yeah not gonna work because you had his back and he trusts you.

Seeing him so happy and confident would be the highlight of your day. He’s just so LOUD. You could never ignore him. You love your monkey way too much!

So when you see his reincarnation be the total opposite of everything he normally is really screws with your head. Sure he looks like Wukong, fights like him, and is goal oriented like him.

But hes quiet. Genuinely doesnt speak which is a huge contrast to the mouthy Great Sage you knew. Reserved. Hyper Focused. And honestly very closed off.

A bit cold too. You’d been so used to Wukongs warm loving self that this is just…difficult.

Destined One is hard to read. You dont see anything of the Wukong you knew in him for the longest time. It hurts. At first you wonder if you should just….part from him. Go your separate way and let him go on his path. It doesnt sit right with you though to do that. As painful as it is to be near someone who reminds you of the lover you’d lost so long ago. But you are determined to help him and determined to be there for him. Ride or die for life right?

One thing you realize though after spending time with him is that yeah, hes different but also, not that different. He’s still cheeky in his own way and mischievous. Just a bit more subtle about it. Clever. As you get to know him and he learns to trust you he starts showing his true colors. Cracks grins and smirks, the first time you caught his lip twitching you thought you were hallucinating. His tail swishes and flicks with his amusement and you can gauge his mood by how deep the frown on his face or how tense his shoulders and tail are. He plays familiar pranks, sometimes with new twists on them. Being a prankster definitely is in his genetics.

Instead of talking he uses grunts and sounds, you learn what each means over time. His eyes also speak volumes now that you’ve grown to know him. They always reveal his true feelings and damn do they always look at you with that familiar warmth you’d come to associate with Wukong. As he gains more power he also gains confidence. His walk had always shown confidence but now he moves with a surety that starts to match Wukongs. He’s coming into himself and you find yourself becoming just as enamored with him the more you learn about him. The day he gives you a handsome smile is a day you will remember because your heart skipped several beats.

You grow closer with him and realize just how similar he and Wukong are, the difference is that Wukong had many years on this monkey to build himself up. It’s only a matter of time for the Destined One to do the same. He even enjoys being close to you and often finds reasons to be near you/touching you. His tail is wrapped around you sometimes in that familiar way Wukong used to do, it makes your heart full and also ache. Sometimes he just does things, acts certain ways that are so reminiscent of Wukong. While other times he does something completely different and new. It keeps you guessing.

When he speaks for the first time it about knocks you over. His voice is the same……your chest pinches hard both with happiness and sadness because damn did you miss his voice. But also, you’re falling in love with the way HE now talks.

You dont push for more from him, unsure for the first time in your life. Because should you? What if he really IS someone totally different but has similar traits? What if he just needs to grow into ‘Wukong’ more? What if hes the same but doesnt feel the same for you?

So many questions run through your head.

But one thing is certain, be it Wukong or Destined One you will support the ever living shit out of whatever he wants to do. Regardless of where your ‘relationship’ stands because you love ‘them’ equally.

And when he finally regains Wukongs memories?

Well…..I’ll leave that brain nugget up to you reader 😊

[barbatusart]

bit of thinking outloud but for my current tactician run im doing a special wyll origins playthrough im calling the Evil Wyll Run & it’s given me a lot of food for thought about his character (or at least the freedom of psychological movement + exploration afforded to an origin run!)

wyll spoilers abound we’re entering the wyllenium here

wyll always felt a bit underwritten to me - i know that’s partially because there was that big kerfuffle in the 11th hour with changing his whole story and personality on top of having to recast his VA, and frankly hats off to both original VA lanre malaolu & new VA theo solomon for their hard work - both brought tremendous performances, & i sincerely hope mr malaolu was paid well for his work & time even if his voice wasn’t used in the final cut (i would also say warlock as a class itself felt a bit underdeveloped but im 100% OK with chalking that up to me the player not understanding how to play warlock effectively yet lol im more of a fighter barbarian Hit Stuff guy)

but honestly this feeling of being “underwritten” combined with a character with a long history of heroism in his pocket made wyll really interesting to me even in my tav playthrough. for all his accomplishments he still feels like a blank everyman, or like he’s someone who fully believes he’s the main character who doesn’t “need” to do any extra work on himself - and honestly he feels Very much like he could be The Main Character. once his backstory of the son of the duke was revealed too i immediately got the sense of like, rich boy trying to prove his worth beyond his wealth and status by striking out & becoming that hero, or that Prince Charming. basically that perfect happily ever after somebody. and im of the opinion that you don’t get mixed up with a cambion in the first place unless you’re either the kind of naïve “everything will just work out” immature that tends to comes with his status as the son of a noble, or you’re hungering for power. depending on playstyle he’s very easily both of these things

on the naïve front (ie a good wyll playthrough) if anything he feels very believably immature, & from that perspective the events of the game feel as though they’re the prequel to the actual start of wyll's story where he finally finds himself & learns what kind of man he really is. we just dont get to see it alas, but i really enjoyed the thought exercise of somebody still grappling with overcoming his own immaturity. he feels like someone who can still grow and that his tale is just beginning

Evil Wyll (meaning any time mizora shows up he drops everything to enact her instruction & hasnt once tried to find a loophole out of his contract) which ive come to be far more fascinated by is someone clearly vying for power, which is interesting because his noble status would’ve given him all the power he wants had he Played Nice. to me it speaks of someone who wants to be able to take what he wants from life without it being handed to him, which contrasts in a really fascinating way with entering into a warlock pact at all. maybe he thought it was better that it be a decision he made as opposed to nobility given to him by his family ties, maybe there’s still that pollyanna sentiment of “it’ll just work out & ill live happily ever after.” again maybe both. maybe in a sense the fiend, as he calls himself, is a good excuse to shuck off any poor decision he makes or any genuinely heinous thing he does under mizora’s instruction - an identity he uses as power fantasy (and very much in tandem/interchangeable with the blade of frontiers power fantasy) until it means taking ownership for any of his misdeeds, and then a scapegoat.

may be a bit incoherent but im only now hitting act 3 in my origin run & im Really enjoying this difficult characterization ive cooked up for myself lol

[do-you-ship-it-polls]

Do you ship it?

reason under the cut!

okay i have to get this out of the way first: - a common headcanon is that they are siblings. which. no, dont ship this if you think they are siblings, thats weird and gross. blegh. - i (submitter) do not believe this! they have a rivalry, yes, but they aren't siblings! made by the same creator, sure, but that's a constant theme throughout the game. made by god, and made by humanity. they have a more interesting dynamic as strangers! - below is a copy and pasted (and slightly edited for the sake of clarity) rant from a discord server !! when i posted about some of my art about them, a pal of mine asked what the source material was! so that is that rant.

OKAY ULTRAKILL !!!! blue guy (V1) was a machine built for A Big War before humanity fails!!! its the character you play as in the gayass bloodplay shooter game <33 hes made to destroy. the first think you know about her is her name, her objective (FIND A WEAPON) and where she is (APPROCHING HELL) and three things: - mankind is dead - blood is fuel - hell is full WHICH MEANS THAT THE ROBOT USES BLOOD AS FUEL!!!! she needs blood to live and she will use the souls of the damned to do that. anyways so she was an actual war robot in the Real Life!! V2 (red) on the otherhand was a robot made after the New Peace that humanity made before their final death. they were meant to promote peace and are awesome!!! i also love their battle mechanics... silly :) in 1-4, V1 fights V2!!! its very interesting because v2 bows before the battle, showing it is but a curtesy, or a show of power, but it;s not personal. it was never personal, before. after the battle, v1 takes v2's arm, knuckleblaster. LATER ON. 4-4. they fight again. v2 has a new arm, whiplash, and sits upon a throne, awaiting v1's arrival for once they get to their area of Greed. it's so personal now. they fight, and they kill. v2 dies fully, and v1 takes the arm again. parts of v2, engraved into their arms and beating into their code. its very interesting to meee!!! taking a part of your dont even get me STARTED on the contrast between the soundtrack and how the visuals of each level are so vastly different!!!!! dont even get me STARTEDDDD because clair de lune and claire de soleil comparisons. hakita you are a genius!!!!

plus, all the fan interpretations are also fun!! comics based around the gore of the thing. art made for the sake of understanding these two. thank you for your time. if you headcanon these two as siblings, good! vote for i dont ship it and leave me alone please! thank you :)

tag: @bright-honey

[a-thousand-attempted-words]

Writing 101: The Scene

Any given scene has three variables that need to be adressed, which are Space, Characters and Time. If you find yourself writing something that feels flat or disconnected, look at these three variables and see if you are missing anything.

Characters, Space, Time.

The three pillars of all writing (and by this I mean: The three incredibly basic, broken down, handyman pillars of writing) can be applied and found in every scene that has every been written. You knew that. But lets look at what they can do for you.

Characters: Who are we even here for?

This one is the one you'll probably find the most tips online for. In essence, every character needs to have the following things:

A goal to move towards

A motivation to make them move

An obstacle to overcome in that journey

A flaw that makes the journey spicier

Those are all pretty standard. In terms of "The Scene", here are some additional things to keep in mind:

With whom do they have relationships with?

Which kind?

How is that expressed?

Whats the problem in the relationship (everyone has them. Even if they are routinely overcome, thats still a problem)?

Characters dont exist in a vaccum so dont view them as singular entities.

Having consistent, well defined characters that stand out will help you easily conquer the hearts of your readers. And having those people have defining relationships that reveal new traits about them is super helpful.

The way people interact with one another shows a lot about the characters.

Space: Where we are, where we were, where we will be

Space is experienced by occupying it, by passing through. Space is always relative to the other spaces next to, beyond and behind.

If this makes you go "So what?", you're not alone. We dont tend to think of space much. We dont always tend to think of space as relative either. But you should always be able to answer these three questions. Ive added some additional questions to make it easier to understand and know where to start.

Where are we? What relevance does this place have? Has it changed? Will it change? Who lives here and how? What does it feel like to pass through? Will everyone view it the same? Is this an emotionally charged place? An empty place? How large is the space?

Where were we? How does it contrast with previous places? And if there is contrast, how do we show that?

Where will we be? What happens when we leave the space? Can we return?

Time: Narrative Time and the beauty of writing

This is probably the easiest to understand: All stories happen in a timespan. Some of them are slow, some fast.

There are several ways of writing narrative time:

Actual Time: The characters process the things that are happening at roughly the same speed as we do. This is like the movie equivalent of a close up. Personal. Emotions and reactions flow as they would. It feels natural and its easy to follow along.

Quick or Condensed Time: The narrative time is passing much quicker than the perceived readers time. This is used for journeys, overviews, long sections that are summarised or poetically vexed about. Condensing several years into a few pages is less personal, but it can give you a relative sense of progress and allows you to put things into perspective. Its also - as the name says - fast.

Slow or Stretched Time: The narrative time is passing much slower than the perceived readers time. Minute details are extended, emotions are rested on longer, events play out almost like in slow motion. This is great for climaxes and impactful scenes, as often times what happens in seconds has much more of an impact of the people. You cant get more personal than this. Details shine easily, its slow and sometimes painful to consume because you cant look away.

There are also timeskips, flashbacks and whatnot. You can even be in the same time but far away from one another (Oh look, its space again).

Point is, time is relative and the way you express something in said time is important. Be aware of how time moves and how you want time to move.

Transition

Alright, I hope this helped you understand some of the core basics. This isnt a vast overview, more of a collection to help you understand the rough strokes. Ask any questions you have and dont forget to drink your water. Bye!

[themissakat]

ALOY ON THEMISSAKAT’S BLOG, THIS IS NOT A DRILL

i fuckin love horizon. seeing aloy in your style is something i didnt expect to see but it’s amazing

did you pick up zero dawn recently and then forbidden west right after? or have you played zero dawn a while ago and then played forbidden west recently?

please share any and all thoughts you want to share abt the games cause it’d be cool to hear what you think abt the games.

horizon cool games

I had zero dawn sitting in my steam library for maaaybe the better part of 2 years?? (i got it on sale ages ago) some friends were playing hfw and it inspired me to finally pick up hzd. I beat hzd a few months ago, mayyybe 2 or 3 months before forbidden west dropped on Steam?

I can't say any other series has gut punched me so many times and so well. I think overall I liked the first game better, just for the impact of the reveals (the data point talking about the Faro machines and the dolphins haunts me) but the addition of new characters in the second game plus expansion of the world and just MORE of aloy and her friends is so good.

gonna do a read more for hfw spoilers through the end of the game and maybe some burning shores?(hi kami dont look)

I can no longer live without Beta she is wonderful and my beloved and I want to replay hzd but the fact that Beta wont be there makes me SAD. The compare/contrast between Aloy and Beta is such an interesting concept and expands upon their relationship to Elizabet (in particular the pressure of her legacy) in such a fun way. I love taking a nature/nurture look at how they are as people and how they were raised, so similarly isolated and yet SO DIFFERENT because of their environment and the few people that were present.

I've been contemplating writing a character study drabble/ficlet from Beta-pov about Aloy throughout the game. I was screaming SISTERS at them during every interaction and then the ending with the PAYOFf just AHH.

I wish burning shores had a "chat with beta" option, I can only headcanon that Aloy and Beta chat or watch Beta's media in the evening when Aloy's resting.

The character development of Aloy learning how to interact with and trust other people is good soup. I could wax poetic about my head canons for her particular flavor of queer (given the time to organize my thoughts). I'm incredibly curious to see how they handle Seyka/Aloy going forward into the second game, in part because Aloy is such a goal-driven person, I can see her struggling to reconcile her own "selfish" motivations with the looming threat of the end of the world. (because like. girl if the world is ending you need to cherish every second you have with the people who matter to you. but also yall need time to figure out if you can beat nemesis. do be a tough dilemma there.)

I want to roll around in the brainrot more but its a struggle bc i'm a very au-centric fanartist/writer and the world of horizon is so good on its own i cant even put myself in the au mindset. for now i have to be happy with drawing aloy's amazing hair. its so beautiful i love it so much

but yeah. overall. horizon cool games.

[loversj0y]

am i the only one who has a boiling hatred for fanon ghostbur?

Like--- I'm neutral about canon ghostbur.

But i really really hate how so many people went as far as saying that Ghostbur was all the good parts of Wilbur.

That is just so wrong---- ghostbur has the good memories, but not all the good parts. it just drives me nuts.

ghostbur wasn't good for c!tommy or anyone coping with wilbur's death

it wasn't his fault, but people need to stop depicting him as they do

ohohoho i specifically waited to get to this until i had my laptop because i love me some character analysis! so. lets talk ghostbur!

disclaimer: these are opinions, i didnt write the character, this is just how id analyze ghostbur and audience portrayal of him

so something i think people dont note about ghostbur a lot is the fact that he is not wilbur in a much more real sense than people realize. something that revivebur kind of touches on but people dont really note (in my opinion) is the way the memories and your actions during memories actually shape you as a person. ghostbur could never be all the good parts of wilbur because without the negative memories, he could never have knowledge of how he can be good in negative scenarios, like being good towards tommy in darker times. this is one of the biggest things that makes ghostbur not healthy for the characters around him, and why wilbur being revived is so important to wilbur's overall character arc

ghostbur is the image of wilbur if he never dealt with significant problems, never caused problems or engaged in them, because he only has good memories, he's never seen himself in a negative situation (think to how ghostbur reacts to philza telling him fundy wants to be "adopted" by someone else (i cant remember who at the moment))

when people tell him of his own negative consequences, he literally cannot react in a way of genuine remorse. he feels guilt because he learns that the living version of himself did those things, but he cant actually give any apology that would be beneficial to anyone involved. ghostbur cant apologize for something he cant remember doing because he doesn't know why he acted in those ways.

we can contrast this with when revivebur tries to later apologize (im thinking particularly to fundy) and how when fundy asks why he did those things, he tells him about how he wasn't well mentally. even though fundy doesn't accept the apology (in a very. drastic way), revivebur can actually acknowledge his own motivations, which allows him to actually have a chance as being forgiven.

ghostbur doesnt know any of those motivations, which is why his character is unhealthy. he is literally a ghost of the man he once was, so even though people want genuine answers, before knowing he was going to be revived, they had to realize that ghostbur is basically a punching bag for them to push their issues with c!wilbur onto because ghostbur cant actually respond in any meaningful way in terms of remorse and forgiveness.

also, as for the audience portrayal, i think people got very caught up on the "sweet ghost boy" image rather than what he actually is and how he actually affects the characters. he literally haunts them and reminds them of all the trauma c!wilbur gave them, while knowing that he can't actually answer for any of it because he doesn't remember hurting them

its a very famous philosophical argument (i believe by kant) about the concept of "if someone has no memory of committing a crime, can they actually serve time for it?" because if you have no memory of doing something, can you actually learn from and grow from your experiences?

because ghostbur cant. and thats what hurts the people around him so much. people like c!tommy and c!philza who geniunely care about c!wilbur and want him to be okay know that ghostbur is not that answer because he can't grow from memories he doesnt remember playing a part in, so it hurts to see someone you love be constantly stuck in place of never being able to grow and never being able to answer for all the things you want to ask.

ghostbur is so important to c!wilburs arc because he reminds people not to seek justice on those who can't answer for it. some people actually recognize this, some don't, and some just avoid him like a plague because it hurts.

[lostwillowtree]

the thing i love about jd is that his whole belief isnt just ‘god is dead’ or ‘society is inherently evil’, he seems to have this belief that god exists within people, that divine power is wielded by those that know how to, and his goal is to wield it

this first becomes obvious in ‘our love is god’. i dont really need to spell it out, it’s in the title; jd and veronica’s love (or, more specifically, jd’s love for veronica) is strong enough to wield that power of god (“you are the only thing that’s right about this broken world”). this is his perception of their relationship - we will love each other so much that we can destroy the fucked up world and make a new, better one (“we’ll burn it down and then we’ll build the world again”)

the contrast between this and what veronica wants between them (seventeen) is the key underlying conflict in their story. veronica wants them to be normal and be happy with that, even if they could be more (“we’re not special, we’re not different, we don’t choose who lives or dies”).

nonetheless. in our love is god, jd writes a fake suicide note from ram and kurt (“ram and i died because we had to hide our gay forbidden love from a misapproving world”), which turns out to become reality in “my dead gay son”. if you missed that line(which i did first time i watched), you’d have no idea that kurt and ram being gay was made up; its never mentioned again. jd makes it reality because of his obsession with veronica.

ticking back, the same thing happens in “the me inside of me”, but jd’s stance isnt obvious yet because heather’s death comes off as a freak accident.

in “yo girl”, jd tells veronica’s parents about her depression (which, as far as im aware, isnt real), now skewing veronica’s reality, which she seems to play into by faking her suicide. this isnt enormous - it was just him lying to her parents, but it still kind of comes off as such.

and finally, in “meant to be yours”, he concocts the plan to convince the entire world that the students of westernburg high all decided to destroy the school with themselves in it. he tells veronica in “dead girl walking (reprise)” that “people are gonna see the ashes… and think, there a school that self destructed, not because society didnt care, but because that school was society.” jd quite literallt intends to ‘destroy society’ to prove a point; he doesnt believe the world can improve, but rather that it should be destroyed and reconstructed, as he plans in our love is god

and, naturally, in “i am damaged”, we come full circle. “wish you’d kiss me, than you’d know i worship you” proves that jd hasn’t really changed his motive at any point; from the start to now, he has being fully devoted to veronica. even now, he still believes that, even without him, its her who should be leading the world to improving (“stick around here, make things better”)

which is to say, that in our love is god, after shooting the two guys who sexually assaulted his girlfriend in front of her, he devotes himself to her as a goddess, the same words he says right before he dies (“i worship you, id trade my life for yours, we’ll make them disappear, we’ll plant our garden here / and once i disappear, clean up the mess down here”)

and back to ‘divine power is wielded by those that know how to’, jd clearly thinks this of the heathers; three girls who are percieved adjacent to gods in their school, he is partially responsible for killing heathers chandler and framing it as suicide, and attempts to convince veronica to do the same to one of the other heathers (i forgot which one).

jd does not believe that reality is shaped by gods, but by people who are willing to do so. the power of divinity is within every person and a human can become a god and manipulate reality to their will if they are willing to dehumanise themself so. thank you for coming to my ted talk

[nknoxe-n]

hii, i was just wondering if i could be considered for ur bllk matchups?? if so read below!!

* i am an intj, though i feel as though i dont present as fitting the stereotype well.

* im a sagittarius sun, just on the scorpio-sag cusp, very close to a scorpio!!

* im really into cars and its been a massive part of my life, especially the motorsport aspect, as well as football.

* i love love love reading, very contrasting genres or books like sci-fi, murder mystery or even romance are my favs!! if its a favourite book series, definitely holly jackson’s ‘a good girls guide to murder’.

* along with loving blue lock, i also love the actual sport of football/soccer. i grew up watching it with my brother as neither of our parents had much interest in it. i watch almost every game thats on, but im a massive chelsea & barcelona fan since i was young!!

* i also love playing the sport too, ive played for my local team as a midfielder since i was a child, but i am the only girl on an all guys team in a guys league so its not the best sometimes (rural life sucks).

* ive been considered an academically gifted student since before i attended primary school, i attended university courses for a few weeks in a university in my country’s capital (dublin, ireland) since i was 14. i loved both mechanical engineering and forensic science and would love to pursue those fields of study.

* i (unfortunately) cannot properly play instruments but can play 3 songs on a piano!

* i also am neurodivergent, i have adhd but its not that serious as im not on meds or anything.

* i love any type of music, theres a lot of people who say ‘oh i listen to everything,’ but i genuinely will. if its a good song, i will like it no matter the genre!

* i have 2 very different sets of friends, but i love them all so much. one is a very close group, one girl who ive been through so much with and has said ‘[i] can always make [her] feel loved and supported’.

* i love maths so much and i find it really easy, ive had to teach other classes in my year basic stuff but i dont mind it honestly, it makes me feel really good knowing i can help others in their struggles.

* some positives people have said about me are: 1. i can always be trusted and counted on. 2. im a kind hearted person and i will always look out for others before myself. 3. i take everything and everyone into consideration, im very good at analysing things or situations.

* some negative things i think about myself: 1. i will never live up to the high standards and expectations my parents have for me and i will fail in life. 2. i am overly emotional and sensitive sometimes and i need to suck it up and not overreact. 3. i am entirely a people pleaser and i wont do things for my own sake, rather do it for others.

* i consider my family, friends and football the most important things in my life. they give me comfort when i need to escape and thats what i crave. but when it comes to it my priorities lie as 1. friends, 2. football, 3. family

* i can speak 3 languages! i can speak english and irish fluently and i could hold a conversation in german.

* im definitely an introvert and i dont let my walls down to people easily. but i am an extrovert in the sense that i love going out and partying or meeting new people, even if i dont get close with them.

* i really like to bake and it really helps me relax, though i hate when i have to bake bread at my work (a deli) as it is extremely tedious.

* im a big coffee drinker and i hate tea, contradicting to my nations standards. anytime i go out i hope to see a place with iced coffee but theres very little so i opt for a cappuccino with extra milk (thats cold).

* i am definitely more logical than emotional in situations, but at night i contradict that greatly by crying myself to sleep

* i am definitely more chatty than quiet around my friends, i am 100% a talker rather than a listener. but in situations with strangers, unless ive had a can or two i am definitely on the quieter side.

* i love love love lego, its one thing thats stuck with me since i was a child, its my favourite gift i think i ever receive.

* i also love love love star wars, my favourite film saga of all time. i could discuss lore, lineage, theories, opinions, anything, for hours and hours on end. i can probably recite the entirety of revenge of the sith with how many times ive watched it.

* i also have a great passion for formula 1. i grew up glued to the tv watching it with my dad and granduncle since i was practically a baby. its my ultimate dream to attend a grand prix decked out in fernando alonso, max verstappen, or mclaren gear.

* i would also love to become a strategist in formula 1, devising how to win the race and being able to make quick and urgent decisions in seconds.

* i work best under pressure with little time, as if i have a long time to complete something it will never get finished.

* i dont plan anything, but when plans need to be made i am very set on making them, if that makes sense? i dont plan what i will do for the week, but if my friends and i are organising to hang out i will straight away plan date, time of arrival, place, what we will do, time of departure, etc.

* the love languages i feel resonate with what i give most easily are definitely acts of service and physical touch. whereas the ones i prefer to be on the receiving end of are words of affirmation and quality time

* the things i look for in a partner is just really someone who would listen to me as thats all i really want

i hope all of this is enough info for you and if not definitely dm me, about anything!!!! thank you so so much for reading all of this 💕

Your Blue Lock Matchup: Itoshi Sae

Sae is confident, driven, and unapologetically ambitious—traits that would align well with your own intellectual nature, love for high standards, and ambition in both sports and academics. Your desire for someone who listens to you and is able to engage in deep, meaningful discussions would mesh perfectly with Sae, who, though often cocky and aloof, is someone who appreciates a level of intellectual compatibility and someone who can challenge him in conversation.

Your shared love for sports and competition creates a strong bond. Sae’s passion for soccer is unparalleled, and given your own deep connection to football and motorsport, he would admire your athletic prowess and competitive nature. Your shared interest in strategy—whether it’s football or your dream of working in Formula 1—would fuel countless discussions about tactics, winning moves, and the mindset it takes to succeed in both fields. Sae would appreciate your logical approach and ability to perform well under pressure, traits that are critical to both sports and the strategic thinking he values.

Sae’s independent, somewhat solitary nature complements your introversion. You value your quiet moments and time spent on personal hobbies, and Sae, though he is often surrounded by people, can also be introspective. His need for occasional solitude and quiet moments would work with your preference for time spent baking, reading, or working on Lego projects in peace. His calmness, despite his external confidence, would allow you to feel comfortable being yourself around him without fear of being overwhelmed by his presence.

Both of you appreciate deep emotional connections, even if they aren't immediately apparent. While Sae may come across as distant or emotionally closed off, he would connect with you on a deeper level because you understand the importance of patience and understanding in a relationship. He’s not someone who shares his emotions easily, but your natural empathy and analytical skills would allow you to read between the lines and understand him in ways others might not.

Sae’s love for luxury and perfectionism would align with your high standards. As someone who is driven and has high expectations of yourself, you’d appreciate Sae’s need for excellence and his appreciation for the finer things in life. While you may be hard on yourself at times, Sae’s lifestyle and the way he carries himself could inspire you to push even further toward your goals, knowing that with the right mindset, you can achieve anything.

Your bond would be built on shared interests and mutual respect. Sae, despite his sometimes egotistical personality, values those who can match his intellect and challenge him. You’d find a sense of mutual respect in your relationship, where both of you would push each other to be better. Whether you’re discussing the intricacies of Formula 1 or the nuances of soccer tactics, your conversations would be stimulating and full of depth, keeping both of you engaged and entertained.

In terms of love languages, Sae wouldn’t match your need for physical touch, but that differs in acts of service, he prefers to do small things he knows will make you happy but he won’t outright deny your affections. His intense love for competition and his desire to be the best would be complemented by your nurturing side—your ability to listen and offer thoughtful advice would be the perfect balance for him. His way of showing affection might not always be traditional, but he’d find ways to let you know how much he values you, whether through small gestures or very small bits of physical affection when you need it most. Your need for words of affirmation would be met through his quiet but deeply meaningful actions, which would make you feel supported and appreciated.

[beekeeperspicnic]

Same anon. I also just wanna start off by saying that i know nothing about game design, i also am very very new to this blog/game and i dont want to sound overly critical or make you think that these are huge problems that need fixing, its mostly just small things i noticed that felt a little odd but otherwise didnt take away from the experience too much. You also definitely don't have to "fix" anything if these are intentional design choices. Im not familiar with these types of games at all so i might just experience mild culture shock about it. You also don't have to respond to this and you can feel free to delete this ask if you wish to for whatever reason <333

So, I think you've mentioned this already but it felt a bit odd that it was silent when there was dialogue. (I think) you mentioned you didn't want or couldn't have actual voice acting but i think any sound that indicates speech could work! Like little beepings or tappings? Perhaps that can be turned on or off in potential settings? Otherwise, i really liked the sound designs in the game!

Im 99% sure it is an intentional design choice because its a retro/retro inspired game but sometimes it felt like foregrounds and backgrounds melted together because there are only colour blocks and never/rarely any clear lines. Might also be because im colourblind but it made it a bit hard for me to distinguish where everything was, especially the fossil in the cottage living room. Definitely not a big problem, i did get there in the end, after all, but perhaps something to at least be aware of? :3

Lastly, the options menu in the dialogue looks a little out of place to me. I think it might be the black background? This might also be an intentional design choice, it just looked a little clunky to me (again, as someone not used to retro games! So it might just be a me thing!). Perhaps different/more fitting colours or outlined text with no background could potentially work?

Again, very sorry for the huge ask and if anything of this sounds.... /Bad/. I definitely don't mean for it to sound that way and i totally understand if all of this is something you dont want or cant change. After all, while i enjoyed the demo im def not your core audience as someone who hasn't grown up with/played games like these <3333

Thanks for the feedback!

Alas I can't afford to have this game speech acted (I would like to but the costs would be phenomenal), and personally I just don't "get" having beeping or clicking noises or wah wah sounds when characters are talking, especially since the rest of the sound design is naturalistic. I just find that a really weird idea? You're not the first person to mention it though, so.... idk. Perhaps I'll try it sometime just to see if I can warm up to it.

There's not a great deal I can do about the art style at this stage - I've already spent the last year completing most of the artwork. If it helps the trilobite isn't in the main game! It's just a demo thing. If there is a particular colour combo that didn't work for you I'd be interested to know.

I can change the black background at least! I was just going for something high contrast, but I could try deep green or something.

Idk if I want my core audience to be people who play retro games - in fact I am pretty worried that point and click adventure gamers won't really be into it! So I appreciate the perspective.

[9800sblog]

How is taehyung feel toward his fs at these days?

do I have his energy permission to do and share this reading? 2 of cups

there are two contrasting energies, one is much more practical, the other is impressive. I don't usually do readings this deep but the message I got was that this information needs to "find a real way to get it out of him".

he thinks this person is incredibly sexy, they are charismatic and kind, and he likes their energy, it feels comfortable, a little underwhelming, I must say. there is a lot of ugliness here, he might think this person is uncompromising, too difficult to talk to, they don't listen to him, I think he feels misunderstood and small. he doesn't seem confident that they're gonna make it, he may think he's been led astray by his attraction and excitement. he seems to be holding tightly to his money, he may think this person will dry him out because they love shiny things. he seems to love to give money to them, because it doesn't matter as much to him as this person matters to him, but i think he is investing and saving money for his dream family. there is a lot of heartbreak in here, from what I've read about him through tarot, he seems to idealize romance a lot, and it's like no matter how much he tries, he just can't get the results he wants. so he may marry for practicality, the one that feels the closest to what he really dreams of, because he might think that he's being realistic and nice to himself. and wouldn't say he doesn't like this person, but there's something missing.

this is what he fantasizes about, this is where explores his imagination, he feels like a kid, he's just so purely happy that I cannot find the words to really describe it. I have a paper on my desk where i am right now, where I drew a bunch of ramdom flowers, I could see him hopping through those very colorful, vivid flowers with the biggest smile and the wind blowing on his face, the drawings are in black and white. he loves this energy, this is like a really good dream, where he's wearing loose clothes in a cottage and just playing around, having the best time of his life, i cannot describe how good, pure and liberating this energy feels. in practical, conscious ways, it doesn't seem possible and he gets really really sad about that, but he just kind of gives up and moves on, because he thinks there's nothing he can do about it, like he doesn't have control over this. also, he currently has a girlfriend, he might feel it's not fair if he fantasizes, instead of focusing on being good to a real partner that he already, currently has. I just remembered this one book that I read, the protagonist would have these dreams with this other person she has never met, they lived in an island and they had something they had to achieve. the dreams kept happening throughout her whole life, they saw each other grow up and mature, she felt the most fulfilled in her entire life while she had those fantasies. except, they accidentally met in real life one day, they were real people and they weren't the dream that the other had seen in their mind, they had saggy boobs and beer belly, instead of six-packs and strong arms. i dont know what happens next because i have adhd and can't remember the last time i finished a book, but that was the energy and I totally forgot about this story until now (i still have the book, it's called hugo & rose). it's like he won't know what love is until he meets this person, he might have an idea and he might love people close to him, but nothing would feel as groundbreaking as this.

[redjennies]

ok now i NEED to know your beef with sorcerers. i dont have an opinion but i do have popcorn

I'm going to be honest. It's just a general beef I have with "special characters."

like all the d&d classes have a general story attached to them. you can try to subvert the archetype but it's always present. you're still going to have to interact with it somehow. like there is, and there should be, a difference in character in between choosing to play a barbarian vs a fighter, a cleric vs a paladin, a druid vs a ranger, a wizard vs a warlock, etc outside of just what abilities/stats you want. you don't have to play into an exact archetype (not all paladins are Robo-Cop and all that), but especially with how balanced the classes are in 5e, I think it's important to ask yourself when coming up with a personality for your character: why is this character this class and not something else? how do they relate to their class? what does it add to their narrative?

and I think the sorcerer's flavor just sucks especially when it's contrasted against the other full casters. it lacks the studiousness of wizards, the devotion of clerics and druids, or the cunning of bards and warlocks. at the risk of sounding like Ludinus Da'leth, sorcerer's abilities are boring to me because they don't come from anything intrinsic to the sorcerer's character outside of a vague sense of "I'm a special boy and the rules don't apply to me. oho, where did this new power come from?"

and the proverbial you can try to work with that if you really want to prove me wrong. try to find some way to make Chosen One characters interesting to me in a way a thousand stories before it have never quite managed, but like, why would anyone want to play a lame sorcerer when you could just play a cleric or wizard or bard or paladin or any other class that, I don't know, actually works for a living unlike these sorcerer nepo-babies. /joke

[goldenbunniesxo]

sorry for how long what I add here is but i really liked this post and wanted to add more of my thoughts of how light differs from akechi signficantly - but also how they have a few interesting similarities. I do agree with practically all of this honestly, I do think goro akechi and light yagami are fundamentally very different characters. however, as a big fan of both, i definitely think there's something very interesting about the way masks/personas play different roles in their lives, and how they both have this persona of being a gifted, perfect student. in light's case its a lot more effortless, to the point of it being boring. whereas although i think akechi is very intelligent, i believe that due to his background he needs to put a lot more effort into maintaining that appearance (and juggling being the detective prince + an assasin while light is just doing school like a normal kid - again, privilged.) however, i think the way they both put so much stock into the way they are percieved and crave being Seen so desperately, and navigate social interactions as games to be won in which their natural charisma makes them very adept at is super interesting. ultimately akechi is like, dripping with the desire to be seen but is terrified of it (the horror of being known yadda yadda) and so he gives pieces of himself with every conversation despite his best acting but also contradicts his character at every turn because he's a fractal of masks and persons and never got the space to fully figure out who he *is* (which on a different note is another way that he's such a good contrast and parallel to joker - but i digress). light on the other hand, has a pretty stable sense of self, even though that self signifcantly warps throughout the course of the series, you get the sense that you never lose the fundamentals of what light yagami is (unlike how you are constantly puzzling out akechi's "true nature" altho part of that is bcs we never get to directly be inside his head). light meeting L is the only time he ever gets truly "seen" in death note imo, but the tragedy kind of is that he will literally die if he shows part of his true self (kira - i say part because i dont think kira IS light's true self but just a part of it), so then L is still confronted with light's many masks and his obsession with kira makes you wonder if he could ever see light for all that he was. and like. as @casuistor 's yotsuba light analysis showed, light was also still pretending/acting during the yotsuba arc, that wasn't his whole genuine self, so yk. light is very much an icarian protagonist - a tragedy, a victim of his own making, if you will. things would have always ended up this way for light imo because of the nature of who he is and what he grew up around, and he honestly would have been genuinenly unfillfiled and unhappy in a no death note universe too. light is obsessed with proving to himself that he is a Good Person, and that he did not fail, because when Light accidentally killed two people it freaked him out so bad that he decided he'd become god because god decides what's good or bad, and cannot be judged. the mental gymastics he does to justify his actions to himself is quite frankly hilarious. light is aware althroughout that murder is wrong and bad and that what he's doing is evil but he believes himself a martyr, and justifes bloodying his hands for the sake of Greater Good.

goro akechi never fancies himself a good person. i think even though he doesn't regret killing any of his victims, i think he fundamentally believes that he is a bad person, and goes to great lengths to never excuse or justify his behaviour - which also means just omitting his reasons for it too. akechi doesn't want to be percieved as a victim at all because he hates his agency being taken from his actions. which loops back around to their main difference - akechi's desire for agency, which trumps his desire to be seen, and light's desire to be good, which trumps his desire to be seen.

I feel like when people compare Akechi to Light Yagami, they fundamentally misunderstand his character. Their similarities really end at their designs, and Light is the kind of person Akechi would despise. Light Yagami lives a pretty privileged life at the start of Death Note. He has a stable home, with two parents and a sister who care about him. He's a successful student. There isn't really inherent tragedy to his life. The whole reason he starts using the Death Note is a mix of curiosity and a jaded worldview, and when it works it empowers him, very quickly goes to his head, as he believes he is one who can be a god of a "new world" once the shock of his initial kills wears off. While his first kill was to help someone, that altruism didn't last. He is in charge of his choices, while Ryuk mostly vibes and maybe eggs him on a little. Fundamentally, Light has something Akechi lacks: agency, and a comfortable life he took for granted. Meanwhile, Akechi is someone who lived on the bottom rung of Japanese society. His very existence is shameful there, between his mother being a sex worker, his status as an illegitimate/"throw away" child, and his mother's suicide. Years languishing in a foster system that is notoriously inhumane, in a country where 90% of the adoptions are grown men for inheritance and patriarchal reasons, while very few children in the system find permanent homes. When Akechi awakens his power, he approaches Shido not because he wants to kill people but for a stupid revenge plan cooked up by a traumatized child who's been nudged along by a malevolent god. He wants to build Shido up so that at the height of his power, he can expose him for the monster he really is, while another part of him genuinely wants to be useful to Shido, as Cogkechi later calls out. His feelings are a mess of contradictions, and so it's no surprise that Shido was able to mold him into his assassin at only 15 years old. It's also worth noting that Akechi only approaches Shido with his ability to cause psychotic breakdowns. Shido is the one who teaches and instructs him to do shutdowns. He's still complicit, very sunk cost with his revenge plan, but as I spoke of here, even if he wanted to quit, he couldn't alone. Shido's cleaner and control of the law and ability to effortlessly turn him in would render the Metaverse his only safe haven. I think people look at 11/20 Akechi and Akechi in the early parts of the engine room and assume that's just his "true self," when in reality it's another mask. Royal makes it very clear because in Rank 7, he outright warns Joker of what's to come via a pool metaphor and offers an out (though he's MUCH happier if you don't take it/stick to your principles), and in Rank 8, he goes on that big "I hate you" speech... while Sunset Bridge is playing. Y'know, the song that plays at the end of most confidants to reaffirm bonds. So when he smiles as he shoots what he assumes to be Joker, that doesn't mean he's genuinely happy. More likely, he's an emotional clusterfuck, given he also is disoriented enough to namedrop "Shido-san" over the phone, and in the subsequent meeting with Shido, tells him not to kill the Phantom Thieves and that Morgana is "just a cat." Yes, he says they'll make them fear for the rest of their lives, but remember, he's talking to Shido. The things he says are likely all incredibly calculated to sound appealing to Shido. And when you consider that he planned to utterly destroy Shido's reputation after the election, the "delay" makes even more sense.

Later, Akechi goes on about how the people he induced shutdowns on were deserving of their fates, but I don't think he believes it so much as it's the only way he could convince himself that it was worth it, and given how much society failed him, and given how many of the people he targeted were likely rivals/competitors or rich fucks, I think he'd be less inclined to assume good faith. Kunikazu Okumura was not an innocent little victim, after all. He was one of the people who requested breakdowns and shutdowns the most. I think Akechi enjoyed killing him not because of how it'd hurt Haru, but because of catharsis. Because Okumura is just as monstrous as Shido, so why should he feel remorse? However, I don't believe he feels the same about Wakaba, as when he discusses her with Shido, he mentions how her fate was because she refused to willingly work for him. It's another justification, but I personally think Wakaba's death was the most painful for him because he was effectively making Futaba just like him. That's why I think his reaction to Sae threatening Sojiro's custody was genuine. Anyway, evil grinning Akechi is just another mask, as I said. Keep in mind, this is someone who laments not meeting Joker years ago, someone who Morgana outright points out is lying about his hatred. And that's the thing. Light Yagami, while a really fascinating character, is not someone who had all this childhood suffering or lack of agency. He does not regret his actions in the slightest and goes down due to his own hubris in both the anime and the manga. While you can argue that Ryuk set him up by dropping the Death Note, Light was the one who picked it up and chose to use it. Any nudging from Ryuk didn't coerce Light into doing it because Light seized the opportunity. No, if Light Yagami is like anyone in Persona 5, it's Masayoshi Shido, not Goro Akechi. Both believe they are god/god's chosen, that they are the ones who will reshape the world to their ideals, and to be frank, both use and abuse women to serve their own purposes. Goro Akechi goes down sacrificing himself for the Thieves and pleading with them to stop his father and again in Maruki's reality when he refuses to let Joker accept a gilded prison of a world for his sake when he knows better than anyone what it's like to have no true freedom. If you max his confidant, you see him in the postcredits, leaving his survival entirely possible, and I think it works because at the end of the day, Akechi was meant to be a victim and a foil. Light is a villain protagonist and a cautionary tale. Though its his POV we follow, he isn't someone we're meant to root for, but I definitely don't think enjoying the character is a bad thing at all. He's really interesting! I just think that a lot of the Akechi and Light comparisons are surface level at best.

[symphorine]

let's go see our friend varric and then do some stuff - talk to neve, fix the eluvian, run around the lighthouse, go to the crossroads, dig around into solas' memories some more.

theres not much in terms of interesting bits being talked about, but it drives me nuts that i can't deicde if varric is mostly a product of rook imagining him, or if he's mostly a creation of solas. because that gives very different interpretations to a lot of lines! when varric shows concern, are you imagining your friend, or is solas playing him how he thinks he would act? when varric talks about solas, how much is him/what he's told you, and how much is solas filtering his own vision of himself AND what he thinks varric's vision of him is? when varric gives you advice about being a leader, are you remembering his (kind of trite ngl, you rehash the same thing like three times if you go through the extra questions) advice, or is solas already trying to manipulate and mold you?

also this. it's either a cheeky foreshadowing/hint OR solas being an absolute asshole. i need to know!!!

lighthouse bits. the caretaker's shop is and has been accessible already but without them. also this above the library shelves:

that's elgar'nan's symbol right?? again, is this asset reuse or deliberate? because if deliberate then i have questions. esp when iirc later it's mentioned that elgar'nan views the lighthouse as solas trying to recreate something of his(?). i can't remember the details right now but hopefully when i come across it again i'll remember this bit.

next neve conversation about where to look for allies. we get pointed to lucanis (side note, rook can ask neve if "mage killer" doesn't bother her, but doesn't seem we can say anything if rook is a mage. i feel like personally i'd be a little bit alarmed!) and neve wants to go back to dock town and check in with the shadow dragons. also she is so pretty

she presents the shadow dragons as "They're a resistance group that fights slavers, blood magic, and Imperial corruption." i dont want to rehash too much things about how bioware clearly decided to throw nuance out the window and shied away from portraying slavery, but i'll repeat that it's a shame this is our introduction and then we don't really get to see them do that. i DID pick treviso and lose access to shadow dragons npcs on my first run so also very possible that on a saved minrathous playthrough, it's different, but that doesn't change the fact that slavery is in this game a little setting spice and nothing more. which sucks. and re: blood magic, it's frustrating that we do get in previous games more contrasted depictions, even in dai - in particular i'm thinking about a codex entry talking about a blood mage healer - but in veilguard blood magic is just 100% bad. it's not worth writing an essay about it here, but it's still disappointing (though not surprising - after dai the direction in which they were going for blood magic was pretty clear).

we go to the eluvian and bellara fixes it.

Harding: What is that place? Bellara: If I had to guess? It's the Fade. Another part of it, I mean. Neve: Didn't Morrigan say this eluvian could go anywhere? Didn't think that meant "elsewhere in the Fade". Bellara: She called it the Vi'Revas. "Freedom of ways". I wonder... [...] Bellara: Some of the older texts talk about a place in the Fade where all the eluvians meet. Bellara: A crossroads... where you could travel across all of Thedas in just minutes. Harding: Right! We saw something similar, when we were chasing Solas. I wonder if it's the same? Spirit (the Caretaker): It is alike. And it is not. [...] Caretaker: The wolf's fang. You carry it now. Caretaker: Old paths. A new journey.

Plus this codex entry:

Magic Dampener Notes Initial notes on the dampener's operation: -Dampener creates a counter-resonance to the Fade. That's why it's safe to live here. No one's been torn ap[art yet (that I know of). -But the counter-resonance from the dampener is tuned to this specific part of the Fade. The more you move away from this spot, the less effective it would be. -There's a theory that every mage has a unique resonance -- the way they touch magic is just a little bit different. -Theoretically, could you tune the dampener to a person's resonance instead? Make it so they couldn't use magic? -Would be hard to figure out someone's specific resonance. Would need examples of their magic. -Need third volume of Harris's Collected Essays. Will ask the professor if he has it. Bellara

I transcribed the convo because the Crossroads make me feel insane and I will talk about them a bit later. I love the codex entry, I thought Bellara's technical writings and musings were all really well done and interesting - before this, if you go bother her while she's fixing the eluvian, she also mentions waiting for lyrium to cure, and during this convo she talk about the distortion in the eluvian's special machinery. it's fun! it helps selling her as an actual expert as well, someone who does understand the workings and theory of things. also i loooooove magic tech. i just think it's cool. i also thought that part about figuring out someone's resonances and keeping them from doing magic would come back later, but it never did.

the thing that bothers me a little is her note of "asking the professor if he has it." she might be already corresponding with Emmrich at this point? although it wold probably have been a short acquaintance still. and he's obviously not there yet. just feels kind of out of place.

After this we finally have sun in the lighthouse!!!! a few screenshots:

cloudy sky, but finally sunlight which is soooo nice. in that third screenshit, we see a smoking chimney on a building attached to the library. wonder what the smoke is coming from? at this point I can't think of any open area that would cause it. of course, it's possible there are places in the lighthouse that are working independantly. The floating building with that half sphere also looks interesting, mostly because it's probably something specific. I said in a previous post that I think the lighthouse probably used to be much bigger - i think the floating islances used to be attached/accessible in some way to the main part where we are.

in the fourth screenshot, I (finally) noticed the symbol on the tower building. it looks like one of the other gods' symbol - i've seen people map it to sylaise? although nothing certain. would be interesting if it was though - in his exchange with elgar'nan later on (transcribed here) solas says that "our great cities came from Sylaise". For the Dalish, she is also known as the Hearthkeeper and is "the goddess of all domestic arts". Her way is also called The Vir Atish'an, The Way of Peace. did sylaise perhaps build the lighthouse before it became the hideout of the rebellion? did she enter the conflict with the titans or solas later, and this worked with him for longer? maybe she was, like ghilan'nain, not one of the very first born elves? we know frustratingly little about the evanuris other than mythal, elgar'nan and ghilan'nain.

either way, it is now less depressing to run around the lighthouse. yay sunlight.

onwards to the crossroads.

MIRRORS UPON MIRRORS This place is amazing. June's normal eluvians function with twinned lyrium fragments. One always leads to another. Solas somehow talked the Crossroads into making Fade-eluvians that override them. His own network to run our rebellion. Provided you ignore all the old stories about holding mirrors up to mirrors and getting caught in the infinite reflections. -Felassan

note you find on the side of the passage to the middle dock.

THE CROSSROADS MAKE ME INSANE. the best way i can reconcile all this is that the crossroads are the hidden hardware of eluvian travel that solas managed to access but that gets hidden by "regular" eluvian travel.

so the crossroads existed before solas tapped into them and "talked them into" making "Fade-eluvians". we also know there is at least one instance of separate crossroads: the one the evanuris used. briala, in the masked empire, also gains control of a (the? barring solas'?) network of eluvians - which COULD be the one the evanuris used. either way it cannot be this one, because she locked it with a secret passphrase that felassan refused to learn from her, and solas can't know it (yes felassan is in the book! if you want to see more of him you can read it). plus, upon entering the crossroads in the books, felassan says he has no idea what this place is - of course it's possible he's lying (although he doesn't tend to lie to briala), or him knowing about the crossroads in davg is a retcon bc they hadn't planned that bit yet.

page 278-279 of the masked empire:

"What is this place?" she asked Felassan, who was rocking back and forth on his heels. "You know, da'len, I honestly have no idea." He leaned over and poked at the stones. "It's not the Fade. The runes are elven... If I had to guess, I would say that our ancestors actually created some sort of tiny world between the eluvians." "Can that be done?" "Apparently." [...] "And this little world seems to like us." Briala was about the ask him to explain when Ser Michel stepped through the eluvian and onto the path. "Maker's breath!" he swore, shaking his head and stumbling. Briala reached out and grabbed one armored arm to steady him. A moment later, Celene came through as well. She stiffened, clutched her head, and dropped to one knee with a low cry. "Felassan, what's wrong?" It seemed worse for them than it had been for her. Celene shuddered, wincing, and used Briala for support as she slowly pulled herself up. "I suspect that this land was made for the elves," Felassan said as Michel stood up, stiff and awkward, wincing against the light. "Which they aren't."

So the crossroads they walk in the book are worse for humans than for elves - the humans also walk slower, and it takes them more effort, while briala notes she and felassan had been walking at a relaxed pace and she didn't feel exertion from it. the path ends at another single eluvian. when they go through it, they come into the mortal world again - in a chamber with several eluvians. in general, they go through several of those mirror-to-mirror paths to find more chambers - that are themselves a crossroads - and the elven runes they come across are also hard to impossible for the humans to decipher, but briala, in her pov, notes that they look perfectly simple and logical to her. she gains control to them and we're told that the eluvians are all activated - the ones still in working order at least - but dormant until she wills it otherwise, or presumably someone else uses the passphrase (although at the point she is the only one who knows it). it DOES seem like there are a fair number of eluvians that are working.

ok so my theory is this. the eluvians that briala controls are the ones the evanuris did - a physical network, with physical hubs, like changing buses or tram lines. felassan seemed to sincerely not know what the non-fade (but clearly not mortal world either) path between eluvians was, so maybe it appeard as the magic degraded over the centuries? and it used to be that this transitional space was imperceptible. the crossroads we use in veilguard are the same, or similar, to the ones morrigan takes us to in inquisition - and similarly used to not be fragmented islands, but a better connected whole, that allowed solas and his allies to go anywhere. and this was achieved by connecting the fade to the eluvians - basically hacking the eluvians. this means they are different in nature to thos inter-eluvian paths in the book, and that's why non-elves arent in pain when they enter them. why solas is the one who could do it and not the evanuris, I'm not sure. ok i think i've finally reconciled it all for myself.

side note but i miss felassan. honestly he should have been part of the "good end" with mythal and the inquisitor. bring back his ghost and make solas have a heart attack.

ALRIGHT NOW THAT IVE SOLVED MY ELUVIANS AND CROSSROADS CONFUSION. let's have a look around!

there are three different mosaics on the ground facing (chin towards) the three docks. they all seem to be stylized renditions of a wolf's face - the first with two eyes and some flourishes on the lower part fo the face, the second with six eyes, the third a flatter triangle - could arguably not be a wolf, but then idk what it would be. not sure what it means but i thought it was a neat detail.

we take the fade ferry of the dock in the third row of the pics, which is gonna lead us to (the fade island with the eluvian for) minrathous.

cool callback to kirkwall which used to be a slave port with those giant statues. now actually talk about slavery. :/

we see the refugee spirits - i wish this was a little more expanded upon just bc like. we're told this isnt exactly the fade. is it connected to it still? have these spirits been here since the veil happened? or do they freely come and go between the crossroads and other parts of the fade? and the gods' corruption encroaching is what is preventing them from leaving? also one of my only real complaints about sort of like, atmosphere stuff, which is that they really could have stood to use more than two (2) models for the spirits

we find this note in the main sort of. plaza. i can't say crossroads again that's just too many times in one post.

THE VANISHED CITY I'm dreaming, but this time I know I am. Even if I didn't, this place would tell me. I'd never dream of a place like this. Cities are full of people. An empty city is the bones of a good meal. A reminder that makes a hungry woman sad. -Susan Kravizielle, Jainen Circle, 8:20 Blessed.

she was dreaming and found herself in the crossroads. also interesting! they can't be that far removed in nature from the fade if someone can just stumble upon them in dreams. i also like the "An empty city is the bones of a good meal." line.

last section here will be the solas memory of ghilan'nain's lab.

we meet an elf, tarasahl, who talks to us as if we were a fellow agent of the dread wolf who'd been sent with her to infiltrate ghilan'nain's lab. it's clear with how she talks about solas that she respects him greatly, and that he's already seen as more than he is - greater than life, at least, a hero, if not a god. the labs are covered in blight, and solas comes in person to help you and tarasahl - bc of the gravity of the infection ("This unnatural corruption demanded my personal attention."). you split up again to find an exit route - "to the surface", so ghil's lab here is underground. rook notes that solas sounds "rattled" and "spooked [...] by the blight"

reminds me of the "horrors of hormak" story, where grey wardens find a strange pool surrounded by horrible experiments made of mashed up creatures deep under a mountain. the narrator collapses the path in and out of that, but there were carvings on the walls that indicated there were eleven other places like that, I think - other labs waiting to be discovered. I honestly thought they'd come in play in veilguard, but besides this memory, we dont actually see or get any info on where ghilan'nain is experimenting with darkspawn. kind of a shame, it could have been interesting - esp if you saw this memory before, and got to talk to solas after about the lab.

as we go and fight the memory's darkspawn, one of the companions notes that these are darkspawn that are similar to the ones we fought before in arlathan - rook says "Maybe the darkspawn we've been seeing aren't new. Maybe they're old." ghilan'nain blights tarasahl in the memory - she cries out "Wolf! Help me!", so again solas is like. this Figure, rather than just a man. i know varric says in the conversation earlier that solas "never wanted to be a god, he's just a man", so it's just a nice juxtaposition. he may not have wanted to be, but the way he act ("this corruption demanded my personal attention) and his position as leader of the rebellion, as the person responsible for his followers' freedom, show that he's already in that role, separated from the rest of his people. felassan, in his notes, seems to be consistent in their closeness, so i dont think solas was entirely isolated in that way, but there's already this pedestal under him.

AND THEN THAT FINAL DIALOGUE IN THE MEMORY

Solas: You would unleash a blight on this world and call it a masterwork! You, who were the most sensitive of us... Ghilan'nain: All that I am belongs to the pursuit of creation. You chose to contrain yourself. I must climb to the heights only understood by gods. Ghilan'nain: I go now to join them. [Ghilan'nain leaves, Solas watching her.] Tarasahl: Wolf... you are greater than any of them. Please. Help me. Rook (He won't help her): He's too afraid of the blight to do anything but end her pain. Solas: I am so sorry I failed you. There is only one way I can help you now. Tarasahl: Wolf... Solas (to Rook): This place, and the corruption within it, must be eradicated. No trace can be allowed to spread. Solas: Go. Your work here is done. There is no need for you to witness what I must do. [Memory ends] Rook: It's over. Solas destroyed the lab, the blight that was here... and his agent. Bellara: He wasn't just her leader, he was her god. And this is her reward?

bellara at the end is bc she was with me, but I believe any of the other companions would say something similar. I picked "he won't help her" this time around, but if I remember correctly what happens is the same no matter what rook chooses, the memory plays out the same.

I NEED TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THESE ANCIENT ELVES' DYNAMICS. BIOWARE.

it's not unlocked now, but we get these codices later on:

Letter from Solas to Ghilan'nain I have seen your creatures. Some are beautiful, some are horrific, but all are brilliant. I can understand how such incredible achievements could make one feel like a god. Perhaps that explains the terror you have caused, and the transformations wrought upon those unable to defend themselves. But you must know that you are not a god. You are a mage, and a title from the Evanuris cannot alter that. If anything, joining their ranks will bind you to their political will. You could make creatures to protect our people from the Evanuris. Why debase yourself and threaten our people by joining them? Of course, I know why. I hope you gain peace with Andruil. You would not be the first to sacrifice your morals for love.

and

Ghilan'nain's reply Solas: I have always respected your intellect and your investigations into magic's boundaries. But you err in assuming I seek a title. Like you, I am not among the firstborn. The Evanuris will grant me magic I could never attain. New forms, new matrices of blood, already swim in my dreams. This is not for Andruil. Andruil petitioned on my behalf. She supports me, always, in everything. You say to craft creatures to protect our people. I have already given them my halla. I made them when I was younger. Untraveled. Naive. I did not know then what flesh could do when compelled. Tell our people to treasure those animals. I could not make them now. At the bottom of the letter is the stamp of a stylized halla head.

it's getting late and i don't have coherent thoughts but solas and ghilan'nain clearly had a prior, at the very least cordial relationship, if not friendship! AND THEN WE GET NONE OF THAT BETWEEN THEM IN GAME. NO MENTION. WHY NOT. PLEASE.

the memory also places Ghilan'nain's ascension to the position of evanuris as happening during solas' rebellion, or shortly before maybe. she chose to do this despite the conflict, and solas pleading her not to (though he doesn't even believe it will work himself). whether the rebellion was already underway or not, solas' oppositon to the evanuris is clearly already firm and known.

most of what's said also reinforces again solas already being considered an equal to the evanuris - in power (whether deserved or not) and in standing. bellara's assertion that he was her god seems accurate, even if he didn't claim the title of god for himself.

i think it's also interesting to see solas' reaction to the blight... having played the game already we know that he is (along with the evanuris) responsible for it. he's scared of it and destroys it completely and ruthlessly - I don't know if he could have cured it or not in tarasahl (the game is. giving very conflicting information on curing the blight), and if he could have, if he wasn't confident enough that it would eliminate all traces of it. in present day, in inquisition, we've also seen him react very strongly to it, and very negatively to wardens, judging that infecting themselves with the blight to fight it is foolish and dangerous. i think he honestly fears the blight even more than the evanuris. for all that i keep thinking of how scared he looks at the ritual, when he turns around and elgar'nan and ghilan'nain tower over him; that he warns us they are very powerful, and they clearly always were, they are still... people. powerful ones, but you can fight. the blight spreads and infects and destroys no matter what and it any shred of it is present it will inevitably corrupt. it's a very different enemy, and even if none of it escaped more, ghilan'nain and elgar'nan bring more of it into the mortal world by virtue of being positively imbibed with it. they're carriers of the infection and its virulency - and then of course they're able to use it as a tool, but even without that it's a terrifying thing.

it's frustrating that he is so judgemental towards wardens without explaining why - partly bc of course it's hypocritical, but also bc i would love for him to give us more details on the blight and how it works. i also think this would have been a great opportunity to bring up broodmothers, if he knows they exists. fascinatingly horrible piece of lore. are they something that "evolved" so to speak, or did ghilan'nain create them first?

ok gotta go to bed now, but next is a little bit more crossroads, then dock town! extra screenshots for the road

[youngshiney]

how i would run sm: NCT edition

this may be the longest post in this series, if only bc of how large the group is. i think instead of breaking things up year by year, it'll be in two parts. first part is the overarching structure and lore and the second will be more of a speculative section about what units i would make. that said: let's get into it

part one, the concept: neo tech is actually an interesting concept and theres a lot you can do with futurism, cyber aesthetic, etc. its a topic that can cover aesthetic, musical direction, album visuals, pretty much every aspect of the dynamic. now that being said, if you want to have lore with this kind of thing, i think it needs to be simple-ish. what i mean by simple is having a setting that is unique but not too complicated while also leaving room for the integration into a larger story (ie smcu/kwangya in this case). so keeping that in mind, and reiterating the idea of nct members being anyone anywhere at any time, i propose that the overarching nct world be a digital one.

so jumping ahead to the first song temporarily, i would have had 7th Sense serve as sort of an intro video to the nct world, not just the members. itd be sort of like a vcr where theres a lot of storytelling and the plot would go something like this: the members in the song are going about their daily lives missing something, finding clues to the NCity, and it ends with them meeting up in the digital world. some examples of what kind of story i mean include the SuperM SuperOne personal teasers, Cravity intro vcrs with the comet, the Loona Butterfly mv, and the Chuang 2020 theme song mv. we'll get into more specifics when the unit section starts

i think most of the nct content and mvs taking place in this digital world would be a good way to have the experimental music and mvs sm wants while also allowing for some kind of story and lore to take place in the background. this will especially come in handy for tying the groups together in a larger framework

second part, the units: this will be controversial perhaps, and has definitely been unpopular in the past, but there should be no fixed units of nct. hear me out.

the idea of anyone anywhere anytime should mean that we dont have a rigid structure for the group and honestly it probably is a negative for their careers that they are in such a set group. if youre going to have a group with this many members (speaking as the current 22 members), having set units doesnt allow for every member to shine and gain recognition. i think nct would benefit more from having smaller groups (2-5) doing more content than trying to push out 1/2 albums each year for all three units. these small groups would allow for more diversity in sound, more members to have an impact, more creativity and member input on the music, and better resting times/better pay for everyone involved.

7th Sense: i think this being the intro song makes the most sense and i do agree with some of the member choices. i think the sound is interesting and gives a unique vibe to the group. for the mv, id do like i said earlier but heres more details. i think it would be interesting to show the members in their daily lives and how different yet similar they are, mirroring the members themselves. i think playing on their specific strengths would be a good way to show the group and their own charms at the same time. for Taeyong, id put the focus on his compassion and love of animals. for Ten, id show off his dancing and his art skills. for Mark, i think showing the contrast between his youth and his skills is the best way to go. for Yuta, id show off his athleticism and his dancing abilities. for Taeil, id focus on his friendly personality and his singing. id also try to show how international the group is through these members, really cementing the anywhere anytime aspect.

the reason i chose those five is partially due to bias but also due to role. Taeyong has to be in the intro to nct bc he IS nct, hes the face of it and the reason it exists as it does today. Ten is easily one of the most talented members in the group in a variety of areas, and represents a multitude of places in the world. Mark is one of, if not the most, skilled rappers in the group and having him showcase the rap talent in the intro makes the most sense (also long ass ride is iconic). here's where my picks come in. i chose Yuta bc he has the smooth and sultry tone that the song needs (and personally, i think hes underutilized which everyone knows bc of how often i rant about him). Taeil is a really great vocal and would be able to do the high parts easily. the reason i swapped out Doyoung and Jaehyun is bc a.) i dont think the song needs both of them and b.) i dont feel like they fit the vibe of the song that much? i think theyre much better suited for the pop Exo vibe of Without You than a darker tone.

since i wouldnt do set units, heres what i would do. i would make the current units, but less often. id have the members focus more on solo, duos, and small groups. they should do what they do during the nct 20xx where they mix things up and make music outside of their usual groups.

some specific units i think would be good: Yuta/Jungwoo/Mark, Chenle/Kun/Renjun, Yuta/Ten/Shotaro, Taeil/Xiaojun, Yangyang/Sungchan/Haechan, Doyoung/Kun/Taeil, Jisung/Johnny/Jungwoo this isn't exhaustive bc you can make units for every member and every combination, just some i think would work well or want to see.

i think having the members pick and chose groups more would be a better move than trying to make set units for the 22 members. i think thats why theres such an overworking problem and a weird pay distribution, on top of opportunities outside of music for the groups and as solo members. Mark and Haechan would get to rest way more if they werent constantly doing music for two groups, which is kinda why they were going to graduate from dream in the first place. i dont agree with graduation concepts, so i think the mix and match concept is a good compromise to that. overall, my priority is fairness and the ability for members to have opportunities which i hope comes across in this post. i think this is everything i think about for the group, but if i have anything else to cover, i'll make a follow up. except for the tie-ins since thats a whole separate post

[flamingfoxninja]

I think Battle Royale and Hunger Games are a great example of having similar premis while also being different based on the literal society the books were written for and the themes that they present.

For Battle Royale, a lot of the drama and danger comes from Internal Struggles. Japanese classrooms are taught with the same 40 kids in the same room for the entire year, it's the teachers that move in and out. These kids have literally grown up with each other. But Japanese schools have their own issues of conformity, pressuring students to keep in line, to make waves too much. Combine that with regular school drama, the clics, the rumors, and just the struggles of growing up, and you have and are dealing with a very oppressive school system, one that still continues. Children are viewed as Dangerous because they are not yet molded into proper society.

So for Battle Royale, it is really making a point using horror of this internalalized struggle. As the plot continues these kids face the question "Dont you want to go Apeshit?" And their choices around it. Some kids decides to lose their inhibitions and just start doing what they want. Their is no restriction in their choices. Some choose to play, some choose to drop out, some have different survival strategies. But its all based on the interrelationships they made in their own lives and with each other. Honestly, Battle Royale is pretty similar to Lord of the Flies in that way. Children from a very expectant and rigid school system and society suddenly find themselves cast off and their internal struggles come to a head where they kill one another. Granted yes, BR kids were more forced into the roles of killers, but they still bring up their old issues with each other as they are killing. Because that's where the drama is held. It is commentary on the modern youths of Japan who do fucked up things because of how they were growing up.

In contrast, Hunger Games is a commentary on the External factors of nations and war. The plot of giving 2 Teens as tribute is based on the Greek myth of the minotaur. It glorifies the contestants as gladiators, and have then fight in a coliseum while the masses watch and dine. This is all based on Western stories and Roman culture. The focus of Hunger Games is on only 1 central protagonist, and her life in a government run caste society based on the indulgence of the rich that contribute to the suffering of the poor. External factors is what made Katniss who she is. Her story doesn't involve how she relates to the other contestants, those guys aren't even known by anything other than thier district number. They don't matter, they are just obstacles to what the true focus is: Katniss struggling and forced as entertainment in the hands of the rich and powerful. Katniss forced into a world torn by worn, made worst for it, so then tears the world with war again. The point of this story is the choice for peace in an already violent society, and what choices need to be made to move passed that to a better world.

As stated before, books like Divergent tries to take the aesthetics and flavorings of hunger games without really bringing anything to the table. Society split apart by personalities, or love matching, or blood type (yes that is a thing I have read YA on blood type). But what's the larger picture for why. It's ok for a story to just be a story and nothing deeper, but it has the impression of trying to ride the trends for easy success without knowing the real reason it was successful.

Battle Royale and Hunger Games make a good comparison with each other because they use similar premise (children killing in seclusion while government watches) with different takes on it (Internal vs external, life in war vs modern life) with the same intent: what kind of world are we giving to these kids as they grow up to take their place.

frustrations: sometimes inspired works of another media have their own things to say separate from the work that may have inspired them. i think this is why the hunger games can stand on its own without necessarily knowing battle royale, despite their considerable plot overlap in terms of children in a death game setting. the criticisms of media and violence in battle royale are different than the ones in thg. compared to, say, the hunger games and divergent, where divergent has used the aesthetic and idea of the hunger games without understanding the meanings and themes or creating its own!

i don't know, i guess i'm kind of sick of hearing the the hunger games and battle royale have the same base plot, but there's more to both of the base material than just that plot, and i think it's a bit of a disservice to both to think of them like this.