#I guess I should tag this as

[akolnoix]

the fairies and i just made some... figgy pudding

[prince-aegon-targaryen]

[noa-ciharu]

If you don't have at least one ship that would make a 15yo puritan tiktoker in progressive gay hat throw their shit are you even living

[vir-tanadahl]

AND YOU KNOW WHAT---IT SHOULD HAVE STAYED BEING CALLED DRAGON AGE: DREAD WOLF

datv spoilers, fyi

Seriously, I was thinking about the post I made yesterday (where I was venting about writing), but specifically, this part:

The 'Veilguard' and Rook:

I’m going to be honest—I’m completely ignoring them. There’s absolutely zero indication of what they’re doing afterward (besides presumably helping Thedas recover). The Veilguard was created by Varric to stop Solas. Solas was stopped. So… now what?I don't want to even try to touch that.

Why is the game titled Dragon Age: The Veilguard when the word "Veilguard" isn’t even mentioned in the game? Unlike Dragon Age: Inquisition, where the Inquisition was both a pre-established lore element and a central focus of the narrative (that we do learn about in-game, but the history of the Inquisition is rooted in Thedas).

The Veilguard doesn’t align its title with the story’s true emphasis. The narrative revolves around the Dread Wolf and his plans, not the Veilguard. While the Veilguard are a (lovably chaotic) group of hired misfits tasked with stopping him, their role feels like a means to an end rather than a defining focus.

They exist solely to oppose Solas, with no meaningful evolution or impact on the overarching narrative or lore. Even if their role shifts after confronting Solas, the game doesn’t address it (that I can remember now), making the Veilguard feel like little more than a means to an end.

The name 'The Veilguard' feels far more limited in scope compared to the Inquisition, which was a player-driven organization with lasting impact on Thedas. In contrast, the Veilguard is a temporary, reactive group assembled for one specific purpose. This makes the title DATV feels misaligned, centering a group whose relevance is situational rather than integral to the world or the game’s themes.

This is why I believe the title Dragon Age: Dread Wolf would have made far more sense. The narrative is centered on Solas—his story, his past, and his motivations. We literally live in the Lighthouse, his base of operations during the rebellion. We journey through the Crossroads, not just uncovering his memories but experiencing them firsthand, alongside the revelations we unlock at the Lighthouse.

We even meet the love of his life—not primarily in her role as the Inquisitor, but as Lavellan, someone who knows and cares for Solas on an intimate, personal level. That she also happens to be the Inquisitor feels secondary to her role in his story.

The narrative IS about the Dread Wolf.

[starrysharks]

tried to test the waters by asking my mother what she would do if she had a gay child and she said that she'd have them sent to ghana (home country) to be purified. ok

[worldclassdisaster]

[la-pheacienne]

Me: Hugo isn't obsessed with details, you are just lazy fucks

Hugo: In the dining-room, a long and superb gallery which was situated on the ground-floor and opened on the gardens, M. Henri Puget had entertained in state, on July 29, 1714, My Lords Charles Brulart de Genlis, archbishop; Prince d'Embrun; Antoine de Mesgrigny, the capuchin, Bishop of Grasse; Philippe de Vendome, Grand Prior of France, Abbe of Saint Honore de Lerins; Francois de Berton de Crillon, bishop, Baron de Vence; Cesar de Sabran de Forcalquier, bishop, Seignor of Glandeve; and Jean Soanen, Priest of the Oratory, preacher in ordinary to the king, bishop, Seignor of Senez.

[madmanswords]

Me, a few months ago: I gotta keep going on so I can see more Lower Decks.

Me, post finale Lower Decks: I guess the excuse now is Superman 2025.

[teecupangel]

Complete Crack but...Johnny Cage from mortal combat meets AC? I'm sure Altair and Ratonhnhaké:ton would probably find him annoying lol Ezio might find him funny.

I see your Mortal Kombat x Assassin’s Creed Crack and raise you:

“Johnny Cage meets Desmond’s ancestors as Desmond’s new boyfriend” XD

Maybe this would be like a modern day AU and, since Mortal Kombat does deal with the whole ‘there are a thousand realms out there’, we can easily make this work by saying that this modern day AU is set in either EarthRealm of MK or a whole different realm altogether.

Anyway, the idea would be that Johnny Cage is still a famous actor who just happens to frequent the bar Desmond works at and they get to talking, maybe it even starts off as a hush-hush friends-with-benefits kind of deal that ends up having feelings.

So now, Altaïr, Ezio and Ratonhnhaké:ton have to meet their cousin’s first serious relationship and it turns out to be Johnny freaking Cage of all people!

Unorganized Notes:

Johnny’s meeting Desmond’s cousins because, as far as Desmond is concerned, his real family is his cousins and not the ‘dad we do not talk about’.

Johnny would definitely understand what Desmond isn’t saying. He had a bad father too (understatement) so Desmond doesn’t really need to explain it to him and Desmond is grateful for it.

Because of this, the cousins would be quite hard on Johnny with Ezio being the ‘kindest’ of the three. That means Ezio is the scariest of the three though since he’s hiding his ‘hostility’ with his air of charm.

They’re all still Assassins but Desmond technically isn’t. In the eyes of the Brotherhood, his cousins compose one cell and he’s pretty much just family. The Brotherhood does become a bit ansty once words get out of some random bartender being seen as Johnny Cage’s plus-one in events. Some even ‘suggests’ that the cousins sabotage Desmond’s relationship but they all grow quiet when they get glared and threatened because, as much as they think Johnny isn’t enough and Desmond could definitely do better, they will accept him for as long as Desmond loves him.

Cassie Cage exists and she absolutely loves reminding her dad that Desmond is just a few years older than her. She gets a lot of selfies with Desmond and her followers love them because of how charmingly awkward Desmond’s smiles are in the pictures. The candid shots of Desmond’s professional bartender smile though gets lots of love as well… for different reasons.

It would be funny if this is set in MK world and, yeah, the Brotherhood operates there and Desmond’s ancestors are his cousins BUT…

Desmond himself is the Desmond Miles we know from the AC games that have been transported into MK’s Desmond Miles’ body after he activated the device in the Grand Temple. Bonus points if he gets transferred to the MK world via memory transfer that MK Desmond Miles remembered on December 21st when he was 25. Like, he’s both AC and MK world’s Desmond Miles and the only reason why this isn’t such a big deal is because Desmond is so chill by whatever fuckery gets thrown his way now.

This also gives us a bit of angst material as Desmond wants his cousins to approve Johnny because his cousins (for him) are also the three most important men in Desmond Miles’ lives back in the AC world so it would mean the world to him.

Btw… considering Spawn was a guest character for both MK and Soul Caliber and Ezio is a guest star of Soul Caliber, we can make an argument that MK, Soul Caliber, Spawn’s world and AC world are all ‘connected’. XD

[yoiku]

Honestly Syren's gender is play-doh, shape it into whatever you feel at the moment and I'm living for it. uwu Been making sketches for patreon buffer and I can't not share some tidbits because i am a weak for my blorbos.

[roachingurcoach]

any time I try to write Castiel with less clothing, or after a run, or whatever, I can't do anything, because I end up blue-screening any time I think of his massive thighs and have to mention them

[woundthatswallows]

oh my god the scene with stannis' daughter in e9s5 :(

[mayalaen]

Just saw somebody say they wanted to read a Saltburn AU of their fave fandom pairing only "without the murder/death, creepy shit, and gross stuff."

Wait

So

You want one half of your pairing spending a few days in a mansion with the other half of your pairing having a pool party and lovely dinners with the rich fam?

[thevioletcaptain]

Tarot Time II: The Reckoning

Or; My Nice and Accurate SPNWin Tarot Shenanigans

So if you were following me last September, you might remember the day that I was overcome with a sudden urge to do a tarot reading for season one of The Winchesters. Given that I think it's always a good idea to listen to random bolts of inspiration, no matter how far out of left field they've come, I immediately shuffled my cards and got to work.

I pulled fourteen cards in total — one for each episode, and one for the season as a whole — and made an attempt at predicting the story direction and details based on what I saw. While my more specific interpretations weren't all winners, the baseline meaning of each card has turned out to be shockingly accurate and relevant.

My original post and the follow ups can be found here and here, but you can find a breakdown under the cut, followed by the new three card spread I did tonight... this got long.

First, here are all the cards I turned over for that initial spread, along with their base meanings, and how each card ultimately connected with the episode it was pulled for.

1.01 Pilot — Ace of Swords The pursuit of truth and the action of taking control. Both of these things describe Dean's role as narrator and the active role he's taken in his own story by delivering the letter, as well as John and Mary actively seeking answers. 1.02 Teach Your Children Well — The Hermit Striking out alone, stepping away to find a clearer perspective without outside influence, and seeking or gaining independence. The major theme of this episode as laid out by Dean's narration is the importance of breaking free from your parents expectations and living your life on your own terms, while still taking on the lessons they taught you. 1.03 You're Lost Little Girl — The World (reversed) Being stuck in place, being unable to move forward until you’re ready to take responsibility and free yourself from what binds you. This describes (quite literally) Mary's encounter with the Bori Baba, & turned out to be the key to freeing herself from the trap. 1.04 Masters of War — Six of Swords Moving on after a loss, picking up the pieces and accepting support, and trusting the onward journey. This episode was largely centered around John's PTSD and his feelings of guilt and grief relating to his friend who was killed in action, and a major aspect of this was all of his friends and family (and the staff at the hospital) trying to offer him support. 1.05 Legend of a Mind — Two of Cups Healing damaged relationships, forming deeper bonds. The heart of this episode was all about repairing the broken relationship between Ada and her son Tony. 1.06 Art of Dying — Three of Cups Reunions, friendship and support when it’s most needed, the harvest, things coming to fruition. We saw Mary reunite with Tracy, Tracy reunite (unhappily) with Mac, John struggling and being offered support from all of his friends, and Tracy having to reap what was sown through a past betrayal. 1.07 Reflections — Nine of Pentacles Unfulfilling abundance, dissatisfaction, the certainty that something is missing despite appearances. This episode sees the core four get a lot of things they've been searching for — Henry, power for the Ostium, more information on the Akrida. But none of it is enough. Henry disappears after a few minutes & John doesn't get the time he needed. The Ostium doesn't have enough power to absorb all the Akrida. They find out they're missing information about the queen. 1.08 Hang on to Your Life — Seven of Cups Uncertainty when presented with seemingly clear choices, looking for flaws before moving forward. Samuel catching the flaws in Loki's tricks. Carlos finding the loophole in the deal. 1.09 Cast Your Fate to the Wind — Eight of Pentacles Acknowledging the desire to move forward, exponential emotional and spiritual growth, working through issues, being proactive. This describes John and Mary deciding to be together after dancing around it in the previous episode, Carlos and Anton planning another date, as well as John's attempt to avoid the fate he'd been shown by being proactive about his "death." 1.10 Suspicious Minds — Temperance Testing the waters and moving toward healing, finding peace and balance. Carlos taking things slow with Anton, Dean's narration in this episode talks about how rare happy endings for are hunters. 1.11 You've Got a Friend — Eight of Cups Letting go of old constraints, looking to the future. This episode had a strong focus on the way Lata's past was hurting her and holding her back. 1.12 The Tears of a Clown — The Tower Breaking free, total upheaval of the status quo, letting go of the fear of change. Honestly... how much do I even have to say for this one? People were trapped in a pocket dimension by a clown named Limbo, and broke free by facing things head-on. 1.13 Hey, That's No Way To Say Goodbye — The Devil (reversed) Total release and liberation. We'll see in a few days!!! Season One Overall — The Moon (reversed) Seeing the light, anxieties being put to rest. Ditto!

As you can see, this ended up being a lot more accurate than I could have hoped as someone who had really been neglecting their tarot practice.

So even though I already pulled a card for the season finale back before the show had started airing, I thought I'd do a simple three card reading for 1.13 tonight, now that we're almost at the end.

The photo at the top of this post shows the cards I pulled for this reading, and these are the three cards, left to right:

Page of Swords (reversed) This card means trouble, generally in the form of a young person who stirs things up on purpose, tells white lies, or arrives bearing news of large-scale change that will result in challenges for those concerned. Ten of Swords (reversed) This card means that the worst is over. Forgiveness and letting go of hurt. Healing of physical, emotional, and spiritual wounds. It can also signify a refusal to accept an ending, and holding on even if something is over. Three of Wands This card means new adventures are ahead. Exploration, excitement, and looking ahead toward a world of possibilities.

The first card was drawn to represent where things will kick off at the beginning of the episode, the second to represent the core of the episode, and the third to represent where things ultimately land at the end of the season.

With what little information we have from the episode promo, I'm inclined to think that the "young person" represented by the Page of Swords is actually Dean.

Sure, he's technically older than his parents right now thanks to the Jeremy Bearimy of it all, but chronologically speaking he's younger. And we know he'll appear in the episode at least once because we saw that little flash of his arm in the promo as he handed the letter to John back before The Winchesters timeline began. Maybe the episode will open with that flashback, and give us some more information about what Dean is up to?

Dean certainly did come bearing information that resulted in major challenges for the main cast, and presumably did so while knowing that he could potentially cause problems by messing with the past. And he told a white lie of omission by not being honest with John about who he is or why he was there.

(I will add that when I saw the Page of Swords I also thought of Jack, so I want to jot that thought down just in case. The idea that he might make an appearance is honestly just wild speculation that has been floating around in my head for a little while based on nothing but a combination of vibes, themes, and intense over-analysis of a handful of AlCal's social media interactions, so while I don't think it's super likely, it's still pinging my brain enough that I wanted to mention it just in case. As I see it, Jack's departure on SPN was just vague enough that even though he said he was going to float off and turn into a sunbeam after fixing Heaven, there's absolutely enough wiggle room for him to still have a physical form if that's what this story wants to do. Mostly just noting all of that down here on the one in a million chance that he shows up.)

The Ten of Swords really threw me for a minute, because initially I'd been thinking of the episode's core in terms of, essentially, the bulk of the story. But this card makes me think that the answer I got has more to do with the core of the episode in terms of the heart, the root, the foundation, the focus.

Because the finale is what the season has been building toward, and back before the pilot aired Robbie said that episode thirteen* would turn over all the cards (yes, I'm having a sensible chuckle about that right now) and spoke about it in such a way that it feels like whatever happens in this episode, it's the whole reason for the rest of the show existing.

With that in mind, I can't help but think that this card has more to do with us than the characters. Holding on. Healing. Forgiving. These are certainly things we all see Dean doing through his narration and music choices, but it also feels a lot like what fandom (and frankly, Jensen) has been getting out of this, too.

Finally, the three of wands. I think this one is pretty self explanatory, and I don't think I could have pulled a better card for the end of the season. This puts me in mind of the Buffy finale, to be honest. The battle is won. There's a whole world of possibility. It's time to look ahead.

I'm still keeping all of my fingers and toes crossed for a season two pickup, but if things don't work out on that front, an ending that has this kind of energy is one that I think I'll be happy with.

[*Edit for typo: I'd inexplicably written episode three here instead of episode thirteen. It has now been changed to reflect the correct episode number.]

[having-conniptions]

How watching BL made me appreciate my own relationship more (in a surprising and wholesome way)

Me, watching KinnPorsche (especially the later epiaodes): awwwwww they're so in love ahh I wish I could feel like that again 😭😭😭

Me, watching MileApo videos: awwwww idc if they're friends or dating I want a relationship like that 😭😭😭

Me, as soon as I'm with my partner: omg I actually do have a relationship like that!!! Whaaaat how are we so cute???? And we communicate and talk through problems, that makes us better than KinnPorsche 💀 And we do all the cute things I wish my ships would do in canon and not just in fanfic 🙈 And we love each other so freaking much!!!

So yeah I've been seeing my relationship through the eyes of a fangirl and I'm obsessed. I ship us so hard. If we had our own romance series tumblrinas would get so invested (except maybe not my usual corner of tumblr bc it's a "straight" relationship lol)

So what I'm saying is I'm romanticizing the shit outta my own life right now and it fucking rocks

[daisyofwaterdeep]

had a dream I went to a hozier concert and mr. hozier stopped singing and pointed to me in the crowd and asked me to go get him some extra crispy tofu and a blueberry shake for after the show and then the crowd passed his debit card to me and when I got it I could see his real legal name was Horace Bob-omb