#I love fantasy politics

[anneapocalypse]

I'll be interested to see what further developments happen in the patches with Alexandria, but so far I think Wuk Lamat is handling the situation very delicately, and very smartly.

Alexandria is, undeniably, an invading force in Xak Tural. It's a foreign nation that has moved onto Turali land and claimed that land and its people under its own sovereignty, with the intent to harvest a resource from it at the direct expense of its people. This is, obviously, wrong, and needs an answer.

Wuk Lamat as the Vow of Resolve has, with the help of her allies, already achieved something pretty significant and challenging here: she has defeated the invading government (Sphene and Zoraal Ja) without directly declaring war on Alexandria's people (most of whom probably had little to no say in the invasion). Her diplomacy during her initial introduction to Alexandria has probably gone a long way here; she has not given the people any more reason than absolutely necessary to believe she is a threat to them.

Declaring the very young Gulool Ja Alexandria's new king feels undeniably weird in more ways than one, but I think that politically it's probably the smartest thing Wuk Lamat could have done.

Her goal, as it's always been, is to maintain peace for her people. A good number of her people are now directly entangled with Alexandria. A rebellion against Tuliyollal rule by the Alexandrians is a direct threat to her people, particularly the ones living in Heritage Found. Even with Sphene gone, Alexandria is still possessed of substantial military power and weapons technology that could conceivably be commandeered either by existing military personnel (because even an army of robots requires some level of manpower to maintain) or by a civilian militia were one to arise. Bottom line: even with the head cut off, Alexandria still poses a threat to the safety and sovereignty of Tuliyollal. And even if the Dawnservants could be reasonably certain their own forces could overpower the Alexandrians--which they conceivably could based on sheer numbers--there would still be a bunch of their own people caught in the crossfire.

Furthermore, the defeat of Sphene and the shutting down of Living Memory means that the end of regulators and spare souls is coming. (The new raid series suggests too that the Warrior of Light may have a hand in ending the use of souls.) This is going to be highly disruptive to the Alexandrian way of life, and probably really fucking scary to a people who have become reliant on this technology. There are bound to be objections. While it's unclear to me at this time how many people knew what Sphene was actually doing, it's not inconceivable that more could find out, and that someone might seek to put her plans in motion once again in order to preserve the soul economy.

This is, in short, a pretty precarious situation politically, and a lesser Dawnservant would already be looking at a city teetering on the edge of revolt.

So, how do we convince the Alexandrians we aren't a threat to them in the short term, while we figure out how we're going to handle this in the long term?

Well, a good first step is probably to give them their king. Alexandria is, at least in name, a monarchy. By the rules of that system, Gulool Ja is a rightful heir to the throne. By allowing him to claim that birthright, you make a show of respecting Alexandrian "sovereignty." You also declare him family--he's your nephew, after all. Now you have a familial connection, the stuff of which royal alliances are made. And of course, the new king is just a child. He's going to need advisors, a regent, and a lot of guidance. You can have a hand in that.

Sure, the Alexandrians are going to notice your influence over their ruler and might still have feelings about that. It's not a perfect solution. But by the same token, snatching their one living heir away from them and openly declaring them under your rule now is probably going to go over a lot worse.

Like I think the game kind of downplays this being a calculated choice, especially since Wuk Lamat doesn't come across as a calculating person. But if we were to observe this scenario in any other fantasy setting... that's how you install a puppet king. I don't especially like to use that term in this case, because I think Wuk Lamat genuinely cares about her nephew and isn't simply using him to maintain power. Nonetheless, it is an undeniably political move, and one that benefits Tuliyollal.

It's likely the Alexandrian people are here to stay--thanks to the dimensional compression, they're in the unique situation where the land they live on is both theirs and not theirs, and that is a problem, but forced relocation also isn't a great solution.

Judging by Wuk Lamat's goals, ethos and the example of her father, I think her hope is probably to bring Alexandria under the banner of Tuliyollal without having to shed blood for it, not least the blood of her own people who would be caught in the crossfire. She understands now that sometimes there's no more room for diplomacy and you have to fight your enemies head on, but if there's a chance she can do this peacefully, through diplomacy, then she's going to try, because that's who she is. She also probably understands that most Alexandrians had no choice in this, and a show of good faith might go a long way toward earning their trust as they adapt to the loss of their queen and the changes that will inevitably follow.

It's a bad situation without a doubt, and one that's already been very destructive to the people of Xak Tural. Gulool Ja Ja sought to unite rather than to conquer. I think Wuk Lamat's hope is to do the same, for the practical purpose of limiting further damage as much as possible.

[themournwatcher]

I’m chewing on so many thoughts for Naoise. One of my mutuals informed me that Eleanor Cousland has the sexiest backstory ever and intentionally kept it from her children so we don’t even get to KNOW in game that Cousland has a pirate grandpa and that Eleanor once pushed Bryce from a cliff because he mistook her for the help.

Naoise might not have grown up knowing this his mother “might have dallied as a battle maiden once”, and not the fact that she sailed up and down the Storm Coast to prohibit the feasibility of moving Orlesian soldiers into Ferelden, but he CERTAINLY resembles her in his looks and in his mannerisms that I think people who know her history do a double-take when they cross paths with him.

Eleanor and Bryce’s son? The youngest? The one who rarely left Highever and who reportedly is Eleanor’s spitting image in facade and spirit? Well, I do think I shall get right out of your way now, Ser…

Naoise is cunning and clever and wily, and everyone who says he doesn’t have any diplomacy or tact is wrong; he does, and he gets his way quite a lot, but he’s unafraid to ruffle feathers to do it. He’s not APPEASING, is the difference Arl Howe makes when he remarks on how fierce Bryce’s boy has become.

Naoise is the spoiled second child, quick to brattiness and indignation, and his stubbornness means that he refuses to yield when he doesn’t get his way—but is that such a bad thing, when you can read people like a book with a few quick quips? Sure, he might be annoying to travel with and hearing him bemoan the loss of his house can be tiresome (if sympathetic, as the grief is fresh), but it’s that same rigidity that pushes him on. If he desires his vengeance, he will receive it.

[the-soft-hoodie]

This ✨ destroy ✨ me

[bacchuschucklefuck]

prayer of the day:

[corseque]

made the mistake of clicking on the "for you" tab and saw the worst dragon age text post I have ever seen. It was like "man, I hope Bioware goes back to exploring [idea they thoroughly explored in all 3 games] like they did in Origins. I just know that they're just so obsessed with [idea that has been the main focus of everything from the very first cutscene of Origins]. I'm so sick of it."

This is what 10 years of not actually playing any of the games and playing them in your head is like. 10 years. I think some of you guys need a break. I know it did me some good.

[freckledbastard]

there are currently 0 gulool ja ja, zoraal ja or bakool ja ja x wol fics on ao3 atm......

(is it gonna have to be me. do i need to be the change i wish to see in this world)

[caninemotiff]

Narratives where it's the love that dooms them, love not as a positive force but a force to be reckoned with, when at the moment the hero could have chosen to save the world but they chose to save the one they love instead and now it's too late, love that is so strong that you can't let it go even if letting if go is the right thing to do

[crimeronan]

another Vital AU hunter-and-camila thought from this morning was a thought of, like. camila very very very gently and carefully explaining that she'd like luz to get a basic physical done by a doctor in the human realm, because luz has not been seen by a human doctor since she was four and is overdue for ten million vaccines and desperately needs bloodwork to check her vitamin and thyroid levels, etc, etc, etc, and hunter is like. visibly freaked out and upset by this. bc he is SO afraid of strangers hurting luz.

anyway. that's all pretty much expected, on account of The Horrors.

what got me in my feelings was the thought of camila telling hunter that she has a lot of the same worries, and that she Knows not all human healers have good intentions, and that she Promises she'll take that into account when finding one for luz. because she does not want luz to get hurt.

hunter, naturally, is like "how.... do you know that....?" and camila is like ay dios mio. HOW do i explain medical racism or the united states..... to a boy.... with no concept of racism or the united states.....

[lunarlover12]

Tracker after finding out Kristen can no longer cast spells due to her dead God: "What's gonna happen with you and Augefort?"

Kristen Applebees WITHOUT HESITATION: "I'm gonna be president, bitch."

[singing-swan]

And yet, underneath it all your heart still beats on.

[the-kingshound]

Putting the current angst aside for a second, I find it telling how the two major critiques to the game are that the characters are too nice to MC and that the ROs are too feminine (because they are nice. Because men aren't nice and don't say "dear" or "darling")

... I don't know

[tbookblurbs]

The Final Empire - Brandon Sanderson (Mistborn Era 1, #1)

5/5 - fabulous characters, heist novel, Vin my beloved!! start of a truly fabulous trilogy, really innovative magic

SPOILERS BELOW!!!

This was the first Sanderson novel I read and it really captured my heart (as it probably obvious). As such, it holds a special place of honor To Me as one of his superior works.

The Final Empire is excellent for a number of reasons. First, it's a heist movie in a book. Think Ocean's 11 (2018). The crew is all very likeable and they come together to put together a truly insane plan. The best part is that, at several points in the story, key elements of the plan go completely wrong. It's delightful. Nothing is better than watching characters who are supposed to be clever actually act clever.

TFE is also distinct amongst many trilogy consisting of a fight against an evil overlord in that the fight happens and succeeds in the very first book. It doesn't take them the usual first attempt, minor success, second attempt horrific failure, and third attempt actual victory that usually happens over the course of fantasy trilogies. This also means they actually have to have the philosophical discussions that usually get tossed to the wayside regarding what to do after a revolution succeeds. Delicious I tell you.

Sanderson is also a master of describing places that are foreign compared to Earth and then sells these concepts by changing the way that characters behave. People thinking plants being green would just be weird? Extra notes of importance on the color white because of all the ash? The world doesn't only look different, which is common in most fantasy settings, but the characters feel like they're from somewhere totally different, which some books are not successful at.

Allomancy as a concept is also something that's super distinctive to me. Sanderson is pretty well-known in fantasy circles for defining "hard" and "soft" magic and he abides pretty strictly by those rules.

And the cherry on top of the cupcake is Vin. My beloved. Her struggle with identity, trust issues, her own power, it's just everything to me. She goes through a whole "I'm not like other girls" arc and yet she's still struggling. She's immensely powerful and yet so inexperienced. I love her. I would do anything for her.

Also Vin and Elend's romance is just so cute. You have to feel for Vin the whole time. They have my whole heart.

Now having read The Secret History, I still harbor some conflicted feelings towards Kelsier. He's such a good father figure to Vin (which makes him dying so heartbreaking) but his whole religious arc still leaves me feeling weird.

PS: If you would like some really good Vin art, or good Sanderson art in general, I highly recommend @lamaery their Vin design and their costume design is !!! crazy good

[givemewallywestorgivemedeath]

I love how Brennan as a DM was all "Riz, you need more than good grades. You need to stand out. You need showstopping extracurriculars." and to Kristen he was all, "I'm going to throw the weight of an entire religion at you, make you relive your family trauma through your brother and give you relationship issues."

Yet, SOMEHOW, when Brennan introduced little miss four dogs, the driven type A rogue, and had her run for president, setting up the perfect foil for Riz's character and an amazing extracurricular for Riz to aim for in one fell swoop, THE ENTIRE PARTY WENT "KRISTEN 4 PREZ!!!! SHRIMP PARTY 2.0!!!"

Don't get me wrong, I love that Ally went for the fucking throat on vibes alone. Like, that was truly loathing at first sight and I love that for them, I really do.

BUT ALSO THAT WAS RIZ'S PLOTLINE KRISTEN. YOU HAVE LIKE THREE PLOTLINES KRISTEN. WHY ARE YOU ADDING MORE TO YOUR PLATE KRISTEN.

[everythingwasalreadypicked]

Fantasy-medievalesque smartwatermagic au 🫣👀

"Lou."

Lou let out a gasp, pulling on her curls as she slammed her shoulder to the heavy-set doors locked on them.

"Lou." Hands were grasping her arms, trying to pull her away, to pull her further into her bedroom-turned-prison.

It was bad enough that her mother was missing, that Lou didn't know whether she too was under house arrest or she had been killed.

But she had also been locked inside her room, her impending coronation hanging over her neck like a guillotine as enemy soldiers waltzed inside the palace and seized the country.

Another gasp tore through her throat as she pulled on the doorknobs.

She didn't have the education to run a kingdom; she wouldn't even be expected to.

She wasn't Queen Hecate's heir, that had been—

"Lou!" Alabaster manhandled her back, hugging her tight and close to him.

"Don't go," she sobbed, burying her face on Alabaster's shoulder. "Please, I can't—"

"Oh, Ellie," Alabaster cupped her face. "You know I have no other option. I would not be able to see you hurt because of me."

She wasn't even of age yet. How would she be able to govern the kingdom with no guidance?

Especially with the Olympian alliance firing or executing almost all of their mother's court and appointing people from their kingdoms instead.

They had been holding out their own pretty well in the war, or so Lou had thought. Until Alabaster's letters home started only being addressed to their mother, until they got less and less frequent and their mother started preparing for surrender.

The worst part? It wasn't enough the occupiers stripped the palace of anything valuable. They demanded Lou's brother, too.

Wow. Minus one day into her reign and it was already awful: Her mother dethroned with her fate unknown and her brother whisked away to a foreign kingdom to serve as a political prisoner, be killed or plenty of awful imaginary Lou's mind came up with.

Alabaster was the crown prince and the general of their armies. She didn't want to know how King Poseidon's court would receive him.

The impending feeling of doom clawed her from inside out, the walls of her room closing on her. The portraits of their family hung on walls stared at her as if they wanted to laugh. "Please."

She knew it was futile.

"I'll be fine," Alabaster kissed the top of her head, dusting off his now wet shoulder, "we'll both be fine."

"How?" Lou demanded, crossing her arms.

Alabaster's face fell before he tried to hide it with the fakest smile Lou had ever seen from him. He adjusted his signature ponytail while sighing, and retied the handkerchief of his shirt. He slumped for a second before a determined look washed over the sullen expression of his face.

Three knocks to the door made them both jump in their place, their hearts skipping a beat.

He fumbled hastily with the pocket of his outer jacket as he took out a shining object. "Here."

Lou's jaw fell, "But that's—"

"My crown. And now you're the queen." Was that supposed to be an encouraging smile, Lou couldn't help but think as she grasped the crown handed to her, "Besides it's safer with you."

"The ships are leaving now!" A gruff voice called out.

"Coming!" Alabaster scowled, sending dirty looks to the door. He sighed. "Hold fast, Lou. You will do a great job, that I am sure."

She wanted to cry, to scream, to dig her nails into her brother's arms and never let go.

She shut her eyes in pain as Alabaster grabbed his bags and walked towards the door.

"You will not need those." The same gruff voice sneered, accompanied by the sound of the doors unlocking.

"Fine!" Alabaster's bite echoed in her ears.

She snapped her eyes open as sounds of footsteps started to fade after the thud of the bags. "Wait! Alabaster! Stop—"

The last thing she saw before the soldiers closed the doors back on her was Alabaster's small final wave.

-------

Gentle crashing of the waves sung to Lou's ears as the representatives of the different kingdoms disembarked from their docked ships. It was the first year of peace after the war, and it would be Lou's first official time hosting an assembly like this.

"That one is Lord Apollo's," Lady Palas commented, pointing to a yellow painted ship with a gold plated mast, "the one next to it, is from King Hephaestus and Queen Aphrodite. Do not mention Sir Ares to them by all means."

Lou hummed at her advisor's words. She wasn't the one her mother had, of course, but a minor nobility sent by Empress Athena as a show of goodwill. Same as all the soldiers left by the Olympian alliance to help her keep the peace in the first days of her reign.

Hah.

As if.

Did they think she was dumb?

"—King Hades didn't come as per usual. Do not take it personally, he has not showed up for anything for the past twenty years. Queen Demeter declined to attend her daughter's 45th birthday celebration." Palas continued, "Oh and. Your Majesty, if I may? Do not forget your lines."

"Wouldn't dream of it." Lou forced out. Sometimes it seemed like the only thing they wanted her to do was bow her head and stick to a script suitable for the interest of everyone but her kingdom.

She wandered her gaze on the assembled royalty, nobility and their companies. Half of them were the ones who gleefully looted her palace and the other half were their children and heirs she last saw when was ten.

Her eyes stopped at Prince Perseus and Princess Annabeth. She knew they had been betrothed for years and that they had gotten married in an alleged giant spectacle mere days after the war ended. Possibly to distract the citizens of Athena's empire and Poseidon's kingdom.

Not that she or anyone else from her kingdom had been invited.

They were quite cute, she supposed. With their matching crowns and the way they leaned into eachother and the soft laughs directed to something the guy in their midst— No. No way.

Lou's stomach plummeted as she drank up the face of Alabaster. Never mind that she could barely recognise him.

He had his chin hooked on Perseus's shoulder, his arm linked with Annabeth’s as his eyes were downcast and his head half-bowed. Lou wouldn't be surprised if it was because of the weight on his head, what with the way his brown hair had been brushed until it shone crimson red, woven with gold and silver threads and pinned on the top of his head into an elaborate, intricate bun. A mock-crown made of flowers and gleaming metal adorned the top of it, pearly strings with jewels attached dangling from the ends to his collarbone. A silken blouse decorated with ribbons and bows hung loosely on his frame, a gem-embroidered waistcoat buttoned on top of a tight-laced corset.

He didn't have the scrapes and tired look he had when she had last seen him, in fact she would say he scarily resembled one of her old childhood porcelain dolls.

She felt sick.

"Anything wrong, Your Majesty?" Lady Palas smiled, saccharine sweet.

"My brother." Lou hissed. "I asked you, you said—"

"To have your brother on the guest list would require to have an Alabaster Torrington on it, Your Majesty. We do not."

Lou couldn't decide if the crown on her head or the one in her dress pocket was the one heavier.

-------

Alabaster blinked furiously, staring from his perch next to the window as servants rushed from one place to the next in the courtyard and the other occupants of the room was trying to settle in.

"You know what I hate? Seasickness." Annabeth groaned from on top of the bed.

His homeland. This was his homeland and he had only seen his own sister once.

Perseus's laugh and following banter with Annabeth ringed in his ears until it toned itself out as Alabaster dug his nails into his aching scalp, trying to breathe in and out.

The way Lou looked at him was going to haunt him in his sleep, he just knew it.

He flinched as a hand grasped his own.

"Al? What's wrong?" Perseus lifted Alabaster's chin, concern oozing from those sea-shade eyes.

Alabaster averted his gaze, leaning into his touch while he faintly pointed to the opposite wing of the palace showing from the window view. "...my childhood bedroom. That's the royal quarters."

Understanding dawned on his face as something akin to guilt flashed inside Perseus's eyes. "Oh, jewel. Come here."

Alabaster let Perseus wrap his arms around his waist, and practically drag him to the bed. He melted into the soft fabric, only letting out a quiet whimper when one of the pins holding his hair together pressed into his scalp.

Annabeth rubbed her thumb on his cheekbone, "Need any help with those?"

Alabaster bit the inside of his cheek, lifting himself slightly as Annabeth positioned herself behind his head without waiting for an answer. He sighed in relief as Annabeth and Perseus gently took out all the pins, jewellery, flowers and other sorts of ornaments one by one, fingers carding through his hair, tension melting from his neck and shoulders.

They would drift off to sleep soon, Alabaster no doubt settling into their embrace as he regularly had done for a year now.

For all Perseus and Annabeth couldn't help his situation, they were warm enough, even though they wouldn't be home.

Alabaster had missed that one.

[aroaessidhe]

2024 reads / storygraph

Smile And Be A Villain

queer character-driven historical fantasy, reimagining Hamlet before the events of the play

follows prince Hamlet who has been sent away to Wittenberg after being caught in a compromising position, meeting new people and discovering magic

and Ophelia, back in Denmark, dealing with the rise of the corrupting by-product of magic

while a war is brewing, and they have to figure out how much they are willing to sacrifice to save their country

duology

bi hamlet, aspec ophelia

[zylphiacrowley]

Let me face your fears

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