#I specialise in obsessing over minor characters | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

antipodeanpineapplelump · 3 years ago

Note

Dear Starshot, I recently saw your latest artwork for #Shisui Uchiha and the Lost Treasure of Asura and I am DYING to learn more about this AU. If you're comfortable sharing, is there anything you can disclose about it?? Is this related to the ItaShi Indiana Jones AU you mentioned before?!!?!?!?!!

Hi Birk, thank you so much for dropping by with this ask! Are you really voluntarily asking me to talk about my current obsession and fanfic baby though? Because I warn you, you may live to regret that!!!

"Shisui Uchiha and the Lost Treasure of Asura" is now the official title of my ItaShi Indiana Jones AU. I realise it’s been over a year since I first mentioned it, and it’s still a WIP! Pretty sure that says absolutely nothing good about the speed of my writing, but a lot about how busy my life outside of fandom is. Anyhow, it’s definitely one of those AUs that’s got away on me. I was planning one story initially, but now it’s kind of turned into three (plus a cracky oneshot), and this is just the first.

I’ve planned nine chapters total so far, but the bane of my life is currently number four. It’s sitting at 16,000 words and counting. Succinct writing? I’ve certainly never heard of it… So anyway, I kind of hit a wall there and decided to take a little break to come back with fresh eyes. That’s how I ended up working on the art instead. But I’d say I’m probably about halfway through the first draft (47,000-ish words).

I recently shared the opening scene and my draft cover artwork here. Ummm… what else can I tell you? Madara is the main bad guy, and he’s definitely a few sandwiches short of a picnic. Shisui is an agent of disaster and chaos. Itachi is really… not. So their initial interactions go about as well as you could expect.

All the main characters have extensive back stories. I’m pretty sure you’re already familiar with my Machiavellian worldbuilding tendencies from reading Red Dawn, so it goes without saying I have just as many notes and plans, and as much fleshed out worldbuilding for this story too. And it will take a long time for all of that to be revealed! But the overarching theme is probably found family, which is different to anything I’ve done before.

At this risk of revealing too much, or boring you to tears, I’ll finish with another sneak peek, this time from Itachi’s POV:

When Itachi wakes, there’s nothing to suggest his day is going to be anything but routine.

He gets up at dawn as per usual, eating breakfast at the dining table alone, legs tucked beneath him on a comfortable zabuton. The solitude at this hour of day is something he prefers. It’s the only time the family home is quiet anymore—lacking the cold disapproval of his father’s increasingly judgemental lectures, the anger of his younger brother’s rebellion, or the resigned acquiescence of his mother.

By now, Fugaku should have left for work, and it’s still too early for Sasuke to be awake, given how late he’s been staying out at night. Either to irritate their father, or just avoid him entirely, he’s taken to frequenting the clubs and bars in Osaka. Mostly, he comes home. Some nights, he doesn’t.

More often than not, even when he is home his door is closed, the thumping bass line of some song or another seeping out from beneath it. Likely because he knows this angers their father even more than the leather jackets and spiked punk-rock hair style he now sports.

Part of Itachi has been glad to discover his brother possesses more of a spine than he ever has. But at the same time, Sasuke’s rejection of every last one of their father’s rules has only brought more unwanted scrutiny to Itachi’s far more minor transgressions. It’s as though, having decided his younger child is a lost cause, Fugaku now wants to be absolutely certain his eldest son and heir to the Uchiha family fortune is beyond reproach. To smother him with expectations until he emerges, a diamond from beneath the pressure.

But unbeknownst to Fugaku, Itachi has one flaw he can’t change. And it means that, no matter what, he’ll always be a failure in his father’s eyes.

Sighing, he swallows a mouthful of rice and fish, washing it down with the sweetened barley tea he favours. Pulling this month’s edition of Modern Archaeology across the table, he inspects its glossy cover and promptly chokes on his drink.

The face that smiles up from the page stokes a knot of hot irritation in his gut. Furiously, he skips to the article, skim-reading the text, despite the fact he knows it will only annoy him further.

"An up-and-coming star in the field of archaeology, particularly specialising in South-American cultures, Shisui Uchiha is an increasingly well-known fixture of the San Diego research scene. Curiously for someone so entrenched in the study of history, he is famously reticent when it comes to his own. ‘I did spend my early years in Japan,’ he confirms when pressed. ‘But I haven’t been back in a long time. The United States is my home now.’ Asked about his connection to the famous Uchiha family, he merely winks enigmatically. ‘Never heard of them,’ he says, before asking if we’d like a one-on-one tour of the dig site.

Equally at home in dusty ruins as surfing the palm-lined SoCal beaches, or scaling the cliffs of his native Joshua Tree National Park, he nonetheless shines in group settings too. At the party we attend that evening, to celebrate the opening of a new Aztec exhibit at the Museo Nacional de Antropología in Mexico City, he easily charms the crowd, finishing the night with at least half a dozen new admirers. It’s not hard to see why they like him. A conversation with Shisui is exercise in passion and obscure historical knowledge. Even so, much like the dig sites he frequents, it’s hard to say just how much of what he presents to the world runs more than surface-deep.

His motto in life? ‘Fall seven times, stand up eight,’ Shisui says with a charismatic smile. Where did he learn it? Chuckling, he brushes us off. ‘The school of hard knocks.’

Love him or hate him, one thing is certain—we haven’t seen the last of Shisui Uchiha’s brand of archaeology.”

Hate him, Itachi thinks, sipping his tea viciously enough to scald his tongue and immediately regretting it. Definitely hate. Hate how he’s reckless, impulsive, irresponsible, and doesn’t seem to take a single thing seriously. Hate that it looks like he’s never had to work hard for anything a day in his life—people only too happy to hand him whatever he wants on a silver platter, charmed by a pretty smile. Hate the fact that, despite their shared family name, he’s free to do whatever he likes. Hate the way people flock to him, falling into his orbit—and by all accounts, bed—like it’s somehow inevitable. And hate, most of all, that there’s a small part of Itachi which understands why.

Because hate or love him—and it’s definitely hate—there’s no denying that Shisui Uchiha is, objectively, a very attractive man.

Coming back to his senses and realising he’s been leaning over the magazine, frowning so hard his forehead hurts, Itachi straightens, closing his eyes and massaging the knot of tension out from between his eyebrows.

“Itachi—”

The tension sinks in even deeper. He opens his eyes. “Father.”

Fugaku takes in magazine, then his son, and Itachi really hopes his cheeks aren’t as flushed as they feel. It’s stupid, but merely knowing he feels the way he does about the man on the page makes him fear being caught. As though his father might somehow divine his deepest darkest secret, just by looking. Truthfully, Itachi sometimes wonders if he might not already know, or at least suspect. But if he does, it’s clearly a truth he’s chosen not to acknowledge.

“I take it you’re prepared for our meeting this evening?” Fugaku asks, grim as ever.

Attempting a composed sip of his tea, Itachi nods. “Yes. Of course.”

Mouth a hard, unyielding line, Fugaku makes some indiscernible noise of disapproval, sweeping an appraising glance over Itachi. “Well, I suppose it’s too much to hope that anything can be done about your hair between then and now. But they’re a modern family. New money. Perhaps it won’t matter so much.”

Fingers tightening into the flesh of his thigh, Itachi has to remind himself to breathe. “I will do my best to make a good impression,” he says, inclining his head towards his father, penitence for his innumerable shortcomings—not least of all the choice to grow his hair out. It’s a small act of rebellion compared to Sasuke’s effort, but one his father seems determined to curtail as promptly as possible.

Poker face easing ever so slightly, Fugaku’s brows trend downwards, though their slant is still severe. “I know. You are my son, after all. And it is high time you were married with a family of your own. Perhaps then you will see the value in giving up these frivolous academic pursuits, and taking your rightful place at the head of the family business.”

He might as well build a box and stuff Itachi into it. Mold him to fit his own vision of the future. But Itachi has long since learnt that what he wishes he could have from life, and what he can have, are two very different things. So, just like his infrequent clandestine trips to the less desirable areas of Osaka’s nightlife, this too, he realises he will have to sacrifice. Duty before self.

“Yes Father, I’m certain you’re right,” he says, bowing once more as Fugaku leaves for work, closing the front door behind him with a click that reeks of finality.

As his footsteps crunch away on the gravel path outside, Itachi can’t help clenching his fists, until long after his knuckles turn white.

Theoretically, it’s a good match. From a family of good standing, his potential bride is quiet and well spoken—the perfect future housewife and mother. Their marriage would kill two birds with one stone, giving her father the son he never had, and Itachi—and therefore by extension Fugaku—control of their biggest competitor’s business.

All it requires is for Itachi spend the rest of his life pretending to be something he’s not.

The weight of it burns tight in his throat, threatening to break free on a rising tide of bile. He longs to cast off his gilded shackles, take a leaf from Sasuke’s book and do something completely crazy.

With a sigh, he rises from the table, collecting his dishes and depositing them circumspectly into the sink. Another day of work awaits.

#Shisui Uchiha and the Lost Treasure of Asura #birkastan2018 #asks #my writing #WIP #sorry for talking so much #I'm sure I've mentioned it before #but I'm just an enormous nerd #who loves talking about my nerdy interests #thank you for this ask!

14 notes · View notes

butterfly-winx · 4 years ago

Photo

Next bae in the minor character series: Lady Diaspro Iend-do Drogo, of the Duchy of Isis.

What a mouthful of a title 😅 More on her in my AU below!

Diaspro is largely the same entitled person she was in canon, who paid dearly for her callous hunger for status and security.

Like most royals and nobility on Manubra 47, Diaspro grew up in almost complete isolation because of the Bello Sicarii ragin on amongst them (referenced here). Though the same societal constraints shackled her and Sky, their lives couldn’t have been any more different. Not being nearly as important as the crown-prince, Diaspro’s life was never in as much danger until her affiliation with Sky got publicly known. She is just a daughter of a Duke, of the magic society of Eraklyon to top it off, there is no gain to befall anyone by harming her. She has literally nothing in her hand.

The bane of Diaspro’s existence in sexism, that has put ugly limitations on her life and poisoned her mind. See, despite being nobility, Diaspro knew from the day on that she fully realised she was a girl, what that meant, how society saw her and, what her prospects were. Her elder brother was the heir of the Duchy, once he married Diaspro would lose all comforts of her life and be left with nothing in a society that both hated women and distrusted magic users. The engagement to Sky was like a lifeline that she shaped her personality on. Without ever having met him, the idea of Sky, then Sky himself became the only possession in life Diaspro could have. She became so obsessed with the idea of becoming Queen Mother that any attack on the feeble engagement and Sky felt like an attack on her self. Absolutely furious, she sought to get Bloom out of her way, who in her eyes shared nothing of her trouble and was undeserving of the social benefit being with Sky granted. When people found out Bloom was the heir to the Dominian throne, her convictions solidified.

Absolutely jealous and shortsighted, she let herself be talked into subterfuge by the charismatic stranger who revealed himself to be Valtor later. He ended up using her status and privileges on the planet to get wherever he wanted to and weaken the country and the planet politically. When he possessed Sky, Diaspro briefly saw the light and tried to back out of the deal, only to be blackmailed and terrorised to follow the witcher’s plans. There would be no way back for her only forwards, and Diaspro had no other choice but to believe him.

After Valtor’s downfall at the hand of the Winx, his hold on Eraklyon lifted and Diaspro was sentenced to prison, then lifetime indebtedness to the crown along with other accomplices tried with her. Her family turned from her and she spent a year at a juvenile prison (age of maturity on Eraklyon is 20 and Diaspro was only 18), trying to appeal the sentence. On the account that her magical education was unfinished, she was released to attend the Eraklyon institute as part of her rehabilitation and reintegration into society. Since she was young, it was believed she could change and work as a functioning member of society. For her diploma, she had to repeat a year of the four year course she had been previously on, before moving onto her final year in the S6 timeline of the AU.

She is at the Institute when the Trix and Selena come to Eraklyon demanding justice for the exterminated witch communities there. Always slinky and a survivalist at heart, she takes the Trix’s offer to be welcomed at their side as witches with a few other students. She is intrigued by the prospect of hearing about what history has been lying about, as after her incarceration, her trust in the system is shaken. She gets rescued by the Winx and has a heart-to-heart with a pretty banged up Bloom in which they decide to let bygones be bygones. They will never be good friends, but they are a far cry form being teen enemies too. Diaspro is ready to move on from Sky and deeply regrets falling for the promise of power, now that it ruined her life. Bloom in turn assures her that Valtor used Diaspro, she shouldn’t feel guilt for the things he did.

Other than this, Diaspro also mends her relationship with Sky, who is a lot more reluctant to forgive her not being as familiar with Valtor’s manipulation tactics. He kind of assumed Diaspro snapped out of the blue, and blinded by his privilege he never realised what position society had forced her into that lead to it. After his amnesia he had to re-learn a lot of things about himself and his life and after the S6 events that included occasionally writing letters with Diaspro. Diaspro herself used it to gain closure in the sense of “wow, he really never was worth it, I never would have wanted to stay married to him”. It plays out fine, they grow into pleasant acquaintances.

Diaspro’s biggest character flaw, that she was absolutely unchecked because she neither had friends her age, nor adults that cared for her that she trusted eventually gets mended by the connections she makes in prison and at her new school. Though she will never be able to repeal her punishment and spends the rest of her life working for the government, she is able to build a fulfilling life and do the right thing when needed.

Diaspro comes from a long heritage of fairies, her parents belonging to the fairy court of Eraklyon, so choosing her stream was a no brainer. For her early education she was homeschooled, both for empirical studies and for magic. Unlike the Winx, Diaspro uses the Eraklyon power scaling of transformations (or just generally known as the Regular Tree, the one that is not the Alfea Tree). Her fairy transformation is her forever form - its appearance will change as she matures, but that will not make it a new form as it still uses her internal magic core. Diaspro’s power over gemstones and semi-precious minerals doesn’t lend itself to combative magic, so she never had any need for Enchantix. She didn’t really consider a career in magic either, so she specialised with a practical application in mind. Briefly switching to witchcraft showed her that magi-geology is actually much more suited for that stream, but after metabolising the curse and going back to fey magic, she never considers it again.

Her aspect as Fairy of Gemstones allow Diaspro to manipulate extracted stones to her liking like a jeweller would, but also trace mineral deposits under the earth and either transport raw gems to the surface without altering much, or terraform the hell out of a mine. It’s up to her how invasive she wants to be with the extraction. She is even able to detect mineral dust in food, cosmetic preparations and poisons. Decorative dusting with real gems like the Pyrite Dusting on Solaria are actually her worst nightmare, as like Flora can sense plants around her, Diaspro can sense every shard and a room full of glittered up people gives her migraines for days.

#winx club #winx diaspro #winx redesign #locally sourced art #those trousers are inspired by twice kpop stage outfits are the best inspo

118 notes · View notes

jackdawyt · 4 years ago

Video

youtube

Dragon Age: Inquisition is one of my favourite games of all time. I love everything about this game, from the compelling hero’s journey, to the roster of lovable characters, to making the Inquisitor my very own unique protagonist. Few games compare to the experiences and tremendous moments that Inquisition provides, not to mention the Trespasser DLC which revealed the true intention of the game’s villain, and paved the story forward for future titles.

I think it’s rather telling how good this game is, considering we’re still talking about it nearly 6 years later after launch, discovering new theories and mysterious hidden deep within the lore. Heck, if Dragon Age: Inquisition was a mediocre experience, I don’t think I’d have a YouTube channel today with thousands of recurring views weekly talking about the game, and where the story is going to go since the events of Inquisition.

However, there is something critical that I feel is necessary to discuss regarding Dragon Age Inquisition’s original marketing demos and the expectations they set for the finished game.

Following up to the launch of Dragon Age: Inquisition, I used to obsessively re-watch the first original gameplay demo shown at Pax Prime 2013. At the time the game was in its pre-alpha build, however, there were many impressive features and dynamics showing just a glimpse of what we’d come to expect once we got our hands on the game.

In retrospect, these promises were scrapped before the finished project released.

This post is not meant to be a negative outlook, poking holes at BioWare’s effort, but an investigation and critique into BioWare’s game design, more specifically, the cuts the developers made tackling Inquisition’s complicated release, and how they’ve learned since.

For the uninitiated, Dragon Age: Inquisition released in November, 2014, a month after the next generation of consoles launched. As the game was jammed in-between two gaming generations, it was designed to ship on both the previous generation of consoles (Xbox 360/PS3) and the current generation (XB1/PS4).

In order for the game to predominantly run on the lower spec consoles, many gameplay cuts, downgrades and setbacks were made to the final project.

I’m not talking about conceptual ideas in pre-production that were drafted for the game, like The Architect making a cameo appearance in a “Here Lies The Abyss” alternative twist, or the Hero of Ferelden, Hawke and The Inquisitor meeting up in a potential drafted prologue. Of course, there were plenty of ideas, concepts and story threads that were canned and reworked because the developers had better, and frankly more relevant plans for the game.

I’m talking about actual features and mechanics that were incorporated and designed into the vertical slice demo that was shown off to the fans at Pax Prime 2013, and then were removed later on just before launch.

I would like to point out that the gameplay I’m going to show was alpha footage, and the developers made sure we all understood that it could easily change, nobody lied to us. If anything, BioWare were so eager to show off the next Dragon Age game, that perhaps this was the biggest detriment to the project.

I’ll have the full Pax gameplay demo linked for those who want to watch it fully. But without further ado, I’m going to be revealing the Dragon Age: Inquisition we almost got.

Cut Content:

The demo starts with a significant cut, originally Dragon Age: Inquisition would’ve featured stunning party member cutscenes when entering new areas for the first time. We see Varric, Cassandra and Vivienne discussing how prepared they are since the Inquisition formed. Varric banters that he’s outnumbered by the ladies once again.

We can assume that these dynamic banter cutscenes based on your party members were replaced with Scout Harding’s area report.

The models and textures for the characters and armours look very different too. Cassandra has a more angled facial structure, like her original concept art. And, the Inquisitor’s armour and textures don’t even exist in the final game, I remember attempting to recreate this look, a thousand times over, however, no fabrics in the game have this orange texture.

Helmets also appear in conversations, which is a huge pet peeve of mine, I’m still upset to this day that we can’t see helmets in conversations and there’s no mod to fix it. However, they added this feature in Mass Effect: Andromeda, so maybe we’ll see it in the future.

In general, this demo showed that there was going to be a lot more cutscenes when entering new areas, in party banter, and for minor conversations with smaller characters.

Upon inspecting the gameplay, we can see the camera’s placement was significantly adjusted. The demo had a third-person feel, whereas the game ended up with a pulled back camera, probably to suite the tactical camera for combat. Fortunately, there are mods that actually fix this issue.

The UI has evolved since the demo, there used to be a Skyrim-esqe navigation compass that was replaced with a radar. And the party member icons are different, but that’s just nit-picking.

The combat is more or less the same, however, it does seem more reactive and heftier in the demo. Most likely because the camera is more zoomed into the action. There are some tweaks though, the enemies react more to the Inquisitor’s attacks, the stumble, flail and even run away, as opposed to just taking the damage and then attacking you back.

However, minor these cuts may seem to you; they did change the game a fair amount adding more immersion to the overall experience.

Even so, the most obvious and upsetting cut when watching this demo regards the entirety of Crestwood, the area has been dramatically reduced in the final game.

In this demo, the Inquisitor is given a conflict. One of the Inquisition’s soldiers asks the player how does the Inquisitor want to handle their armies' movements throughout the area.

The Inquisitor could send the Inquisition army to save the town of Crestwood.

They could lead the soldiers to tend to the nearby wounded.

Or they could bolster every solider to the Keep, leaving both the wounded and the town of Crestwood.

Each choice had a consequence, and both Mike Laidlaw and Mark Darrah spoke on having multiple ways to approach the situation. For instance, in the demo’s scenario the Inquisitor decides to leave the town while it’s under siege, instead, they find a secret entrance towards the Keep. Using Antivan Fire, they burn the invaders’ boats which would prevent them from escaping after their attack. The Inquisition take the Keep, and head back to the ransacked town filled with newly fresh corpses. A dynamic cutscene of Varric mourning the dead plays out, adding emotional impact and weight to the decision the Inquisitor just made.

And this was just a side questline...

The demo ends with the developers reiterated the tactical and dynamic approaches when showing the Inquisition taking over the Keep at The Western Approach.

According to Mark Darrah, you could weaken enemy defences by doing things like drawing out the troops or poisoning their wells.

Then, once you claimed the keep for yourself, you’d get a quest called ‘This Water Tastes Funny’, in which your Keep's well was poisoned and you’d have to go find fresh water.

The Keep’s themselves were originally designed to have a lot more influence and reactivity throughout the world. Once captured, the Inquisitor could choose a dynamic choice for the Keep’s overall goal, if you had enough Inquisition agents.

The Keep could be specialised based on the Inquisition’s advisors. You could choose to run your Keep as a Military outpost, boosting fortifications. It could be a Keep of espionage and secrets, for information gathering, or you could make it a Keep of connections and merchants for diplomatic purposes. Each different speciality had a different advantage and aesthetic to suit its purpose.

Adding more choices and roleplaying values for making the Inquisition your own army, having a say in what aspects it should grow in.

That sums up the majority of the cuts made since this demo. I will say it’s unfortunate seeing these unfinished features that shaped the game in a completely different direction, that inevitably couldn’t make it into the finished project.

But I think it’s wrong to pin the blame of this cut content on anyone because the developers were tackling a console generation shift, and they wanted everyone to have the opportunity to play the game without having to get a new console. Can you really blame them for that?

Perhaps many of these features may be designed into a future title since the developers wanted them so much in Inquisition? And speaking of the future title, at least the next Dragon Age game won’t be coming out in between a console generation, it is being designed strictly for next-gen, so there shouldn't be any console setbacks and limitations.

Even still, when Dragon Age 4 does eventually get a gameplay reveal, don’t set your expectations in stone based on that reveal. The finished project will look very different. These days gameplay previews aren’t always accurate, and that’s just a dilemma of the entire games industry, not just EA and BioWare.

Wrapping up on a positive note, BioWare have learned from this experience, and they’re approaching Dragon Age 4 with a “show, don’t tell” strategy. They will be proceeding with caution when marketing and revealing the next Dragon Age game, and that may play a part in why we haven't and won't see anything official for a while.

I don’t think I could end on a better note then the Narrative Director, John Epler’s message about Inquisition’s development. John said: “A good 90% of 'bad' decisions are, in fact, the best decision at the time. Game dev is all about making the best decision you can at the time, with the resources you have. A lot of stuff you thought was weird or awkward came down to a gut call of 'this is the best I can make this and I trust it's good enough'. Sometimes we're right, sometimes not.”

BioWare decided to make these cuts to Inquisition because they realised it was the right thing to do for the entire project, perhaps they felt they couldn’t deliver these features to their full capacity, or they wanted a change of direction. They believe these decisions were made for the greater good of the game, and I commend them for that.

Dragon Age Inquisition is an incredible RPG with tons of personality, that not many games can even mimic. Although the game had some minor setbacks with the fair amount of content that was cut, the game is just as amazing without those initial features.

Like I said, perhaps we’ll see these mechanics in the next game, if not, then at least it has been a learning experience for BioWare, that they can utilise for the development of Dragon Age 4.

In any regard, let me know your thoughts down below on this gameplay demo relating to the finished game, and don’t forget to check out my latest news update!

28 notes · View notes

fantisci · 7 years ago

Text

Divide and Conquer: Voltron Series 4 and 5

I knew that there was going to be this type of narrative in Voltron, but I underestimated how long a game the writers were going to play. The writers are running with the idea that Voltron is being torn apart from within, but rather than getting rid of Keith and going “CLONE SURPRISE!” they’re continuing to steadily dismantle the Voltron team...to the point that the three original Paladins remaining on the team (if we assume Shiro is actually a clone, henceforth referred to as “Shiro) are little more than side-characters in their world-saving narrative. Pidge’s concerns are narrowed and familial, Hunk...has always been terribly treated by the plot anyway, so moving on...and Lance, far from having his moment in the spotlight this season, is increasingly isolated and reined in so tightly that he can’t be effective. Meanwhile, Season 5 turns into the Lotor, “Shiro” and Allura show (with a special guest appearance from the Keith-clan).

Card on the table: My pet theory is that Lotor, not Sendak, is Haggar’s puppet, and they are cutting out the team members of Voltron who will cause the most problems so that they can take over the team. “Shiro” isolates and undermines problem Paladins (Keith and Lance) until they leave, while Lotor flatters Allura into assisting him. Of course, there’s a good chance that Lotor is a double- or triple-agent that may betray Haggar - or even become the mask he’s wearing - but at this moment he’s definitely driven by self-interest, not the greater good.

If you want the long version, it’s under the Read More. Remember: my analysis is from the point of view of the mole/saboteur: it’s not that I think Hunk or Pidge can’t lead, but that, from an outsider’s perspective, they’ve shown little inclination or ability in that area.

First, Shiro goes missing at the end of S2. Showrunners talk as if they meant to kill him off (a recent interview talked of the poor guy as though he was just a plot device for Keith’s Rise To Leadership, and that he was supposed to “exit stage left) , but marketing objected. Of course, the showrunners can be trusted about as far as the Eiffel Tower can be thrown, but poor (real) Shiro surely deserves better than being bumped off so that his protege can prove how special he is. Anyway, back on topic...Shiro is a casualty of war in one form or another, and it’s unlikely that his departure was the result of manipulation...but his absence is a golden opportunity to replace him with a mole/brainwash him. After all, Shiro co-ordinates the team, and has the most offensively powerful Lion

Next is Keith. Apparently there were some real life reasons (voice actor scheduling conflicts) behind his departure to the Blade, but let’s put that aside for now. Keith has some fairly obvious issues once he takes over for Black. He doesn’t really bond with his Lion, certainly not the way he did with Red. He lashes out at everyone. He resents leading, and, true to form, acts out and rebels, going into self-destruct mode in order to prove that he’s right about how terrible a leader he is. However: (a) he’d never treat his teammates’ lives with the disregard he shows his own, and (b) Lance manages to lasso him into some semblance of responsible leadership, and props him up as far as he can. By the time they retrieve “Shiro”, Keith’s taken some shaky first steps into at least being a functional leader, if not a good one. He’s learned the hard way that he has to listen to his team.

Then “Shiro” is back.

It would take a spy all of five minutes to work out that Keith’s unhappy. When “Shiro” can’t pilot Black, that’s a problem for a saboteur...but not an insurmountable one. For the rest of the series, we see “Shiro” undermine Keith while still demanding that he continues to lead. He doesn’t teach him how to lead (admittedly, the real Shiro was extremely negligent in that respect too), he doesn’t offer support, and he doesn’t step aside. Instead, he uses the team’s by-now-instinctual obedience to Shiro to reinforce Keith’s idea that yes, he’s a terrible leader, and he’s going to get everyone killed. The team don’t make a very good job of reinforcing the new pecking order, with only Lance acknowledging that Keith remains team leader...and even then, Lance will not (yet) outright defy Shiro in favour of Keith.

Handily for the saboteur, Keith continues his self-isolating behaviour and “Shiro” does manage to get Black up and running. With the distance created between himself and his team, Keith is only too eager to remove himself from the picture entirely. Why he doesn’t take Red back is a bit of a puzzle, but the distance is a factor...as, possibly, are Lance and Allura’s places on the team.

Next on the hit list is Lance. Why Lance? Well, possibly because it’s convenient: he has the most obvious insecurities and, let’s be honest, receives the least back up from the rest of the crew. As the “goofball” (Pidge’s words), they don’t take him seriously except in battle - socially, with his history of flirting and opening his mouth at the wrong time, he remains the team joke. Furthermore, he’s becoming steadily more isolated, as Hunk and Pidge withdraw from him in favour of Matt. It might just be because he’s a soft target, and his emotional reaction to the messages they send home confirms that there really is somewhere else he’d rather be.

However, Lance is the Blue Paladin, and currently the pilot of the Red Lion - Voltron’s DPS Lion. He’s also shown to be capable in battle, a tactician who can spot a trap a mile away and is capable of giving out orders that will actually work. The right side of Voltron seems more forward facing and offensive than the left, who are more thoughtful, so “Shiro” or his puppetmaster may have targeted him as the last remaining member of the original team who was active rather than reactive, and one of the last two who could theoretically take on a leadership role in an emergency. Also? Allura may be the heart of Voltron itself, but Lance is the heart of this particular team.

Every office or department has a Lance: the social one, the one who organises the parties and the group chat, the one who may not have a specialised role but can always be found helping out others or working behind the scenes. Often they’re not really appreciated - sometimes others find them outright annoying. Yet they can mitigate the effects of an ineffectual or slavedriving boss, and everyone realises just how much they did for their coworkers once they leave and life at work becomes much more difficult.

Lance is the mediator (when he’s not needling Keith). He’s observant, and, unlike specialist obsessives Hunk and Pidge, not so wrapped up in his own projects that he forgets the big picture. He’s also outspoken. If “Shiro” starts bullying any of the other Paladins, Lance is likely to step in. “Shiro” needs him gone. So “Shiro” publicly humiliates him, berating him in front of his team, who stand by and do nothing (except for Allura, after the fact, but we’ll get to her). Lance still feels superfluous. He doubts his own abilities. Now he’s getting constantly shouted down, his (in his eyes) minor contributions being dismissed. Throw this on top of Blue’s rejection (an emotional hit to Lance’s heart and self-esteem), Keith’s departure (which saw Lance demoted from his vice-captain role), and Lance’s longing for his family, and “Shiro” might have found the straw to break the camel’s back...that is, if the real Shiro hasn’t managed to relay his message to Lance in time.

The final Paladin to be cut from the flock is Allura - and it’s Lotor, not “Shiro,” who’s responsible for this. Lotor adopts very different tactics than “Shiro”: instead of undermining his target, he flatters her. Tells her how oh-so-very-special she is (like the showrunners haven’t established this already...). He plays to her dreams, her insecurities...and her ego. She isn’t shy about her desire to be like her father, to be the saviour of her people - or at least, to ensure that the last Altean standing is an exemplary one. She feels that she has to be perfect, in order to be worthy of the title of “last survivor”.

In the final few episodes, Allura seems to get an awful lot of what she wants: she awakens the compass, proving that she is truly her father’s daughter in the process, she makes it through the white hole, the ancient Alteans acknowledge her and the white lion finds her worthy...at which point the Voice From Beyond confirms how super-special she is, and has been all along. Moreover, suddenly she has a kindred spirit in Lotor, someone who knows of the pressure of being royalty and who claims to want the same things she does.

You know what they say about something that seems to good to be true.

However, look at what happens in order to get her to this point. Lotor singles her out when he becomes emperor, leaving the three original Paladins to wander around aimlessly and entertain themselves. The implicit message is that she (and “Shiro”) are the only team members worth talking to - the other Earthlings are just making up the numbers. Remember: Hunk, Pidge and Lance have been fighting alongside her for at least two years by this point, yet she dismisses their concern for her out of hand on the say-so of a prince who’s been with them for a few months under dubious circumstances. She doesn’t even question Lotor’s proclamation that the other three be left behind while she does Important Royalty Things - does she really think Pidge couldn’t learn anything from the Galra tech?

We see it even more dramatically in the White Lion incident, where only she and fellow “Chosen” Lotor are worthy of getting past the White Lion. The team is worried...but Allura forces through the plan anyway. She’s riding high on Lotor’s praise and her own recent successes - why should she doubt that she can pull this off?

In short? I think this is Allura’s “Nyma moment”. Blue’s pilots tend to be romantic and trusting. Allura’s romantic ideal of perfect peace across the empire, and her trust of Lotor, could have further reaching consequences than Lance’s joyride.

But Allura thinks she’s covered her bases. She did distrust Lotor. She acknowledged that working with the Galra was difficult. In her eyes, Lotor has proved himself...and the viewer, really, is meant to agree.

It’s obvious why a saboteur would want Allura on side. First of all, she’s a Princess, and the last Altean; she’s a hell of a trophy (we do actually see Lotor referring to Voltron itself as a kind of trophy, claiming that he has “reclaimed” Black rather than admitting to an alliance). Secondly, she’s a threat to “Shiro’s” leadership, and the only person with any clout that could sway the remaining Paladins, or back them up should they refuse his orders. Really, that role should go to Lance, but “Shiro” has undermined Lance’s role of second-in-command so thoroughly that Lotor probably doesn’t consider him a threat any longer. Thirdly, like Lance, she’s sensed that something is wrong, and has shown an inclination to stand up for her teammates (I love Pidge and Hunk, but they’ve been fairly ineffectual in this area). She realised Shiro was out of order and moved to comfort Lance...who, remember, is a Paladin that “Shiro” wants out of the way. Notice the pattern: the Paladin who tries to comfort or protect the current target of “Shiro’s” sabotage becomes the next target. Unlike Lance though, the saboteur knows that she can be charmed by Lotor, and that she’s far more valuable as an ally than out of the picture altogether.

Finally, she’s the last viable Voltron leader - the final right-hand-side Paladin. Lotor knows that Hunk and Pidge won’t follow him, the same way he knew that the Galra wouldn’t follow a non-Galra...but Hunk and Pidge WILL follow Allura. If he can’t take over directly, he may be aiming to make Allura his puppet.

Let’s just hope she’s quick enough off the mark that she doesn’t go from powerful princess to damsel in distress.

#voltron season 5 #voltron s5 #voltron s5 spoilers #voltron spoilers #vld keith #vld lance #vld allura #vld shiro #vld lotor #voltron theory #next time on I have too much time on my hands: what the hell are the lions doing?

28 notes · View notes

gischtglas · 7 years ago

Note

Hmm 'extremely detailed char sheet template' for Kristi Lund plus :) (hope I wrote her name correctly ^^)

Oooh, good one! To save everyone from having to scroll past this, I’ll Read More it though. ^^;

Character Chart Character’s full name: Kirsti LundReason or meaning of name: Watsonially speaking, it’s a common-ish Norwegian name. Doylistically speaking, I wanted to fuck the other players over with a name that’s written one way and pronounced completely differently.Character’s nickname: doesn’t really have oneReason for nickname: N/A Birth date: 29. 1. 19-mumble-somethingPhysical appearanceAge: 37How old does he/she appear: middle 30iesWeight: 62kgHeight: 1,69mBody build: vaguely lankyShape of face: heart-shapedEye color: brownGlasses or contacts: neitherSkin tone: paleDistinguishing marks: freckles, several scars on both handsPredominant features: button nose, slightly gap-toothed Hair color: blondeType of hair: thin, fly-awayHairstyle: long, usually worn in a messy ponytailVoice: high, tends to stumble over her her words in excitementOverall attractiveness: averagePhysical disabilities: noneUsual fashion of dress: casual, usually plus lab coatFavorite outfit: jeans, t-shirt, lab coatJewellery or accessories: silver stud earrings if she feels fancy. nothing else.PersonalityGood personality traits: driven, curious, caring, emotionally balancedBad personality traits: curious, obsessive, scatterbrained, cannot say no (unless it’s Dr. Nonymous asking for time with Willy or the dinosaurs)Mood character is most often in: good-humoured Sense of humor: black as the voidCharacter’s greatest joy in life: Willy, Kirsti’s “son” and the world’s only resident juvenile black holeCharacter’s greatest fear: dying before Willy learns to fend for himselfWhy? how many other astrozoologists specialising in black hole anatomy and behaviour does the world have, hm?What single event would most throw this character’s life into complete turmoil? Majestic 12 successfully eradicating TesladyneCharacter is most at ease when: she is in her lab, surrounded by the dino pack and trying to figure out how the fuck black hole anatomy is working. alternatively: during her morning runs.Most ill at ease when: Dr. Nonymous is in her lab. that man is not getting his hands on Willy!Enraged when: someone is trying to use her or her colleagues’ research for military or commercial purposes. looking at you, Majestic 12.Depressed or sad when: she has a good long look at the world outside of the hidden Tesladyne research facility she’s working at. people are getting hurt every which way and there is nothing she can do.Priorities: in descending order: Willy. the dino pack. science. her friends. keeping her lab out of the hands of the Danes and Swedes down the corridor. Life philosophy: A little kindness goes a long way, as does someone who manipulates gravity in your favour.If granted one wish, it would be: infinite research grants for TesladyneWhy? just think of all the good Tesladyne could do with infinite money!Character’s soft spot: Willy, hands down. also apparently Dr. Cromwell, Tesladyne’s pet linguist.Is this soft spot obvious to others? yes. subtle she ain’t.Greatest strength: kind - people tend to at least bear her no ill willGreatest vulnerability or weakness: kind - tends to assume the best in othersBiggest regret: none, really. she’s fairly fine with where she is and how she got thereMinor regret: having been unable to save the rest of the dinosaurs in the secret laboratoryBiggest accomplishment: getting accepted into CERN. getting accepted into Tesladyne.Minor accomplishment: accidentally being the first living being Willy ever sawPast failures he/she would be embarrassed to have people know about: having been saved by Atomic Robo after she stumbled into an old Helsingard facilityWhy? she had to be saved by Atomic Robo!Character’s darkest secret: probably the fact that she wasn’t always a health nutDoes anyone else know? if they pay attention, roughly every last of her colleaguesGoalsDrives and motivations: she’s curious, simply put. never quite got out of her “How?” and “Why?” phase.Immediate goals: finishing her PhD in AstrozoologyLong term goals: writing the definitive work on black hole anatomy and behaviourHow the character plans to accomplish these goals: studying Willy and finishing her dissertation, of courseHow other characters will be affected: only very barely, given that they’ve all got their own areas of studyPastHometown: Tromsø, NorwayType of childhood: happyPets: nopeFirst memory: her father singing in the kitchenMost important childhood memory: getting a chemistry set for her 8th birthdayWhy: even though the chemistry set was confiscated fairly quickly after a few experiments had gotten wildly out of hand, it certainly sparked her love for scienceChildhood hero: Ivar GiaeverDream job: researcher with CERN. she even got there, though fate intervened.Education: PhD in Astroparticle Physics, currently writing her dissertation in AstrozoologyReligion: ProtestantFinances: stable, semi-well offPresent Current location: a hidden Tesladyne facility in the Black ForestCurrently living with: Willy and a small pack of dinosaursPets: Willy and a small pack of dinosaursReligion: agnosticOccupation: researcher with TesladyneFinances: stable, semi-well offFamilyMother: Marit Lund, née AskelandRelationship with her: good, if with only infrequent contactFather: Jan LundRelationship with him: see aboveSiblings: noneRelationship with them: N / ASpouse: noneRelationship with him/her: N / AChildren: a juvenile black hole that imprinted on her in the tunnels under CERN aka “Willy” Relationship with them: he hasn’t eaten her fingers yet, so we’re assuming goodOther important family members: N / AFavorites Color: greenLeast favorite color: brownMusic: classic, especially stringsFood: seafoodLiterature: scientific papers, murder mysteriesForm of entertainment: literatureExpressions: “Oh dear.” / “Dear me.”Mode of transportation: bicycleMost prized possession: an antique fountain pen given to her by her parents when she finished her PhD HabitsHobbies: running, reading, playing with the dinosaurs, playing with Elizabeth’s cats, bothering the librarianPlays a musical instrument? heavens noAny sports? runningHow he/she would spend a rainy day: going for a run in the morning anyway. holing up in her lab for the rest of the day. maybe taking an hour to go visit the library and annoy Dr. Cromwell.Spending habits: what spending habits?Smokes: dear god, noDrinks: not anymoreOther drugs: she has a childWhat does he/she do too much of? poking at WillyWhat does he/she do too little of? spending time with othersExtremely skilled at: imitating other people’s voices, apparently. her job.Extremely unskilled at: physical violence. most sports that aren’t running.Nervous tics: pulling at the tip of her ponytail, fidgeting with pencilsUsual body posture: mostly upright, relaxedMannerisms: constantly fiddles with the strap of Willy’s bag, tilts her head when smilingPeculiarities: you mean, apart from the fact that she considers Willy her child and has started being much more conscious of her health ever since he imprinted on her?Traits Optimist or pessimist? optimistIntrovert or extrovert? introvertDaredevil or cautious? cautious. what would become of Willy if something were to happen to her?!Logical or emotional? logical. mostly.Disorderly and messy or methodical and neat? methodical and neatPrefers working or relaxing? a healthy balance between the two, or at least what she considers to be a healthy balance between the twoConfident or unsure of himself/herself? somewhere in betweenAnimal lover? oh yes. she had the original dinosaur cloned when it turned out that it belonged to an assumed social species.Self-perception How he/she feels about himself/herself: fairly good. she likes herself for the most part.One word the character would use to describe self: scientistOne paragraph description of how the character would describe self: “I’m not the most exciting person on the planet, I suppose, but I don’t have to be the most exciting person on the planet either. Not everybody has to be Dr. Nonymous or Dr. Abernathy - I like staying outside of the limelight, actually. More time for myself and my projects that way. I suppose I try my best to be kind to others and continue learning, though whether I manage or not is for others to judge, of course. If nothing else, I do my best to make sure Willy has everything he needs - that has to count for something, right?”What does the character consider his/her best personality trait? her ability to quickly grasp new conceptsWhat does the character consider his/her worst personality trait? her scatterbrainedness What does the character consider his/her best physical characteristic? the fact that she’s actually sort of fit as of latelyWhat does the character consider his/her worst physical characteristic? the fact that she’s nowhere as fit as she’d like to beHow does the character think others perceive him/her: slightly nerdy, if friendlyWhat would the character most like to change about himself/herself: she could use some more spineRelationships with othersOpinion of other people in general: she likes people! people are great and interesting - they’re just sort of overwhelming sometimesDoes the character hide his/her true opinions and emotions from others? occasionally yes. she is well aware that if she loses it, the… more excitable members of the research team will probably lose it even harderPerson character most hates: whoever’s leading Majestic 12 or Helsingard. it’s a toss-up.Best friend(s): Dr. Elizabeth Abernathy and Dr. William CromwellLove interest(s): noooopePerson character goes to for advice: Dr. Elizabeth Abernathy, Dr. William Cromwell, Dr. Nonymous (occasionally)Person character feels responsible for or takes care of: Dr. William CromwellPerson character feels shy or awkward around: the other researchersPerson character openly admires: Atomic Robo, of coursePerson character secretly admires: Dr. Elizabeth Abernathy - just look at how good she is with people! Most important person in character’s life before story starts: uh. does Willy count as a person?After story starts: I repeat the question - does Willy count as a person?

#adventures in gaming #atomic robo #Kirsti Lund

1 note · View note

masterstrange-closed · 4 years ago

Photo

𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄’𝐒 𝐌𝐀𝐆𝐈𝐂 𝐈𝐍 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐕𝐄𝐈𝐍𝐒 / wizarding world au.

This is an open concept AU; no set timeline or location to make it flexible for the different canons and timelines within this universe. The default is American, born in 1976 - but can be plotted otherwise. This is also an open AU, which means any mutual can approach me about it and there is no connected canon to other muns unless a mini private offshoot is agreed upon.

Born to muggles, Eugene and Beverly Strange, Stephen struggled accepting his identity as a wizard at first. It certainly went against his father’s plans and sensibilities to allow his son to learn ‘unholy skills’; it took a combination of his mother and school officials to settle the matter once and for all. It took a permanent toll on the relationship between his father and himself; trying to make him proud while also being something that went against everything he was taught and raised to be.

It was easier for Donna two years later. For a moment, Eugene thought they were safe in regards to her, only to find out she had been delayed entry due to when her birthday fell in regards to the school year. By then, Eugene gave up in a sense. Becoming distant and detached from the kids lives, pinning all his hopes on Victor to be ‘normal’. His wish was granted, as Victor grew to be wary of his siblings and distant from them.

Upon graduating, Stephen began practicing at one of the finest hospitals in the wizarding world. Eventually working on very important studies and experiments to further the boundaries of magical medicine. Yet, as his professional life flourished, his personal life suffered. Eventually culminating in an accident that left his hands permanently damaged from a curse and unable to practice both medicine and most witchcraft.

Desperate for answers, Stephen traveled the globe. Not willing to resign himself to the muggle life his father was too quick to try to indoctrinate him into upon finding out ( a bit of arrogant pride on his part ); eventually discovering more of the wizarding world on a global scale. Finding cultures that preformed magic wand-lessly, and beginning to study their techniques until he mastered them himself.

As he studied his new skills, Stephen also learned more about himself. Confronting demons both literal and internal. Becoming stronger than he had been before; eventually returning to his native wizarding culture a very different man with a new purpose. There was an array of strange and unknown, people needed defending and knowledge and limited understanding of parts of the picture had led to the downfall of more than just himself. Branding himself as a Professional Freelance Specialist in the Strange and Bizzare; and working sometimes along official organizations as a consultant; Stephen Strange began protecting the world from the untapped and unexplored parts of the magical and non-magical universe.

𝐈𝐌𝐏𝐎𝐑𝐓𝐀𝐍𝐓 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐓𝐒:

NAME: Stephen Vincent Strange

BLOOD STATUS: Muggleborn

HOGWARTS HOUSE: Slytherin

ILVERMORNY HOUSE: Horned Serpent

WAND TYPE: first wand: Hazel, Dragon Heartstring. 9″ second wand: Yew, Phoenix Feather Core, 14″

PATRONUS: Blackbird, yet was unable to cast a corporeal patronus for a couple decades to his own annoyance

BOGGART: Failure, Loss of Control, Loneliness - usually manifesting in a loved one dying after failing them and being chastised for it; helpless to do anything to stop it. However, later in life, sometimes it reflects the horrific things he has seen in his life.

PREFECT/HEAD STUDENT: Prefect, Head Boy

CAREER: St. Mungos Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries ( former ) (Hogwarts V. only) / St. Gryffiths Hospital for the Ailing and Enchanted ( former ) ( general ); ‘ Freelance Specialist ’ in the strange and unusual / Consultant

BEST CLASS(ES): Charms, Transfiguration, Potions, DADA, Herbology

QUIDDITCH: Yes, Chaser. Joined Third Year.

PARSELMOUTH: No, he cannot speak it but he can understand it fairly decently after study

OCCLUMENS: Yes

LEGILIMENS: Not Natural, trained in later years.

WEREWOLF: No

ANIMAGUS: No

METAMORPHMAGUS: No

NON VERBAL MAGIC: Yes, used on occasion

WANDLESS MAGIC: Yes, learned later in life. Used often.

ALLEGIANCE IN THE WIZARDING WAR: DEFAULT: Anti-Death Eater, but uninvolved as the war hadn’t fully reached North America yet. HOGWARTS: participated in the resistance after the death of Albus Dumbledore; participated in the battle of Hogwarts without attacking a single person outside of stunning - mostly in hospital wing and helping to bring the injured to get treatment.

* — Stephen is set to Ilvermorny by default, as he is a North American based character, however he has adaptability to fit into Hogwarts as plotted. Based off of his canonical birthdate on this blog, he would have been three years older than Hermione Granger (the eldest of the trio). Yet, I am always okay plotting him for different generations. Details that change is the hospital and ministry he worked and dealt with the most prior to his accident, as well as how much the events of the war would have affected him directly.

𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐏𝐇𝐄𝐍’𝐒 𝐌𝐀𝐆𝐈𝐂 𝐔𝐒𝐄 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐀𝐂𝐂𝐈𝐃𝐄𝐍𝐓:

Stephen spent his school years studying to become a Healer / Mediwizard; he received O levels in Herbology, Charms, DADA, Potions, and Transfiguration ( as per the requirement ). He worked routinely at the hospital becoming specialised in rare and dangerous ailments; this specialisation and natural affinity led to him doing side work for the ministry, specifically in the Department of Mysteries. It was this that led to over inflated ego and hubris; and eventually the night he was trying to develop a new treatment for curse related ailments. Trying to control really dangerous and powerful magic, but overestimated his limits. Prompting in Stephen to lose control of the spell, his wand reacting violently ( caused by his own panic and anger as Hazel wood is known to expel powerful discharge based on it’s user’s emotional state ). The wand shattered under the strain, rebounding itself and it’s spell onto his hands first and foremost. Damaging them irreversibly.

Stephen eventually studied wandless magic while travelling in search of some cure to his cursed hands; learning that wands were not a required tool for magic ( in fact, they were european in origin ). After a long amount of dedication and practice, Stephen mastered the skill and uses it predominantly. Eventually, Stephen did acquire another wand, finding it a useful tool for exact and delicate projects. However, it’s not his primary tool for magic.

𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐏𝐇𝐄𝐍’𝐒 𝐖𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐓𝐘𝐏𝐄𝐒:

WAND ONE: HAZEL, DRAGON HEARTSTRING CORE. 9 INCHES.

HAZEL WOOD often reflects the owners emotional state. It’s been known to expel powerful discharge when it’s owner has lost their temper or experiences any form of strong negative emotion while in use. It requires emotional control on behalf of the owner to use properly The positive aspect of a hazel wand more than makes up for such minor discomforts, however, for it is capable of outstanding magic in the hands of the skilful. It’s extremely loyal, to the point where wands of hazel are known to ‘wilt’ or fully cease functionality upon death. Hazel wands also have the unique ability to detect water underground, and will emit silvery, tear-shaped puffs of smoke if passing over concealed springs and wells.

DRAGON HEARTSTRING produce wands with the most power, and which are capable of the most flamboyant spells. Dragon wands tend to learn more quickly than other types. While they can change allegiance if won from their original master, they always bond strongly with the current owner. The dragon wand tends to be easiest to turn to the Dark Arts, though it will not incline that way of its own accord. It is also the most prone of the three cores to accidents, being somewhat temperamental.

SHORTER LENGTH wands tends to attract people who are lacking something in character

NOT FLEXIBLE

Stephen in his earlier years was all about closing off his emotional self, wanting control over his surroundings to obsessive means. However, he often came across temperamental and difficult to work with. Pushing himself to learn faster and be better; seeking control through every means possible. The conflict between letting people in to be close to him and keeping the world at arms length is shown even in the wand he attracts; hazel wood being loyal to the point of death, and dragon heartstring being able to change allegiance if deemed deserved. Yet, both agree on the point of once it’s given, it’s strong. Yet, his emotional state, despite his best efforts, was the catalyst for this wand’s demise, mixed with hubris pushing him further than he was able to handle. This emotional and unskillful handle of a wand known to be temperamental led to it’s destruction. However, there is something to be said for it’s loyalty… as the wand broke as it did, limiting the damage to Stephen on his hands and taking the brunt of the damage itself. The wand’s loyalty to it’s foolish master, saved it’s master’s life in the end but at a cost.

WAND TWO: YEW, PHOENIX FEATHER CORE. 14 INCHES

YEW WOOD wands are among the rarer kinds, and their ideal matches are likewise unusual, and occasionally notorious. The wand of yew is reputed to endow its possessor with the power of life and death, which might, of course, be said of all wands; and yet yew retains a particularly dark and fearsome reputation in the spheres of duelling and all curses. However, it is untrue to say (as those unlearned in wandlore often do) that those who use yew wands are more likely to be attracted to the Dark Arts than another. The witch or wizard best suited to a yew wand might equally prove a fierce protector of others. Wands hewn from these most long-lived trees have been found in the possession of heroes quite as often as of villains. Where wizards have been buried with wands of yew, the wand generally sprouts into a tree guarding the dead owner’s grave. What is certain, in my experience, is that the yew wand never chooses either a mediocre or a timid owner.

PHOENIX FEATHERS are one of the rarest core types. Phoenix feathers are capable of the greatest range of magic, though they may take longer than either unicorn hair or dragon heartstring cores to reveal this. They show the most initiative, sometimes acting of their own accord, a quality that many witches and wizards dislike. Phoenix feather wands are always the pickiest when it comes to potential owners, for the creature from which they are taken is one of the most independent and detached in the world. These wands are the hardest to tame and to personalise, and their allegiance is usually hard won.

LONGER LENGTH tend to be drawn to bigger personalities, and those of a more spacious and dramatic style of magic.

FLEXIBLE.

By the time Stephen is ready to acquire himself a new wand, he isn’t the same boy from the wand shop when he was eleven. While he still is not the most approachable man, he is better and, more importantly, more healthy control of his emotional state. No longer hiding from it. That being said, he isn’t easy to get close too - he just won’t be in denial and let people who deserve it win him over. His pacifist nature is shone as Yew has been in the hand of great defenders; yet his strange and unusual life ( present and prior ) and self imposed duties align him ( even if not always deservedly ) with the balance of life and death. His willingness to push himself and try new things and persevere until mastery is what makes him able to unlock the full potentials of his wand core. And of course, with many of his hang ups aside and no longer needed to compensate; Stephen is allowed more room to be his full strange self… allowing him a longer wand to fit… and his more at peace nature with life, death and time allows his wand to be more flexible.

𝐏𝐀𝐓𝐑𝐎𝐍𝐔𝐒 𝐓𝐘𝐏𝐄: 𝐁𝐋𝐀𝐂𝐊𝐁𝐈𝐑𝐃

The Blackbird Patronus appears to those who try to help themselves. Blackbirds are mysterious and intuitive, appearing when needed most. Blackbirds keep their secrets and will protect yours fiercely. While they may not be the most ferocious protectors, they are one of the most mysterious and magical. Keep well your own counsel, and you may have a blackbird to help protect you in the darkest of times.

Stephen was unable to perform a corporeal patronus until long after his accident and second wand, as it requires a certain temperament and mindset to be able to perform this very rare type of patronus.

#𝐀𝐋𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐍𝐀𝐓𝐄 𝐔𝐍𝐈𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐄 / hogwarts au.#𝐀𝐋𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐍𝐀𝐓𝐄 𝐔𝐍𝐈𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐄 / ilvermorny au.#/ do not reblog.#/ personals don't interact.

0 notes

masterstrange · 3 years ago

Photo

𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄’𝐒 𝐌𝐀𝐆𝐈𝐂 𝐈𝐍 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐕𝐄𝐈𝐍𝐒 / wizarding world au.

This is an open concept universe; no set timeline or location to make it flexible for the different canons and timelines within this universe. The default is American, born in 1976 - but can be plotted otherwise.

𝐃𝐈𝐒𝐂𝐋𝐀𝐈𝐌𝐄𝐑 / This blog does not support JKR, or her transphobic views and actions. This is purely based on the framework of the universe. Please block these tags if content related to this universe is upsetting for you: 𝐀𝐋𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐍𝐀𝐓𝐄 𝐔𝐍𝐈𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐄 / hogwarts au. AND 𝐀𝐋𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐍𝐀𝐓𝐄 𝐔𝐍𝐈𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐄 / ilvermorny au.

Upon graduating, Stephen began practicing at one of the finest hospitals in the Wizarding World. Eventually working on very important studies and experiments to further the boundaries of magical medicine. Yet, as his professional life flourished, his personal life suffered. Eventually culminating in an accident that left his hands permanently damaged from a curse and unable to practice both medicine and most witchcraft.

Desperate for answers, Stephen traveled the globe. Not willing to resign himself to the muggle life his father was too quick to try to indoctrinate him into upon finding out (a bit of arrogant pride on his part); eventually discovering more of the Wizarding World on a global scale. Finding cultures that preformed magic wandlessly, and beginning to study their techniques until he mastered them himself.

As he studied his new skills, Stephen also learned more about himself. Confronting demons both literal and internal. Becoming stronger than he had been before; eventually returning a very different man with a new purpose. There was an array of strange and unknown, people needed defending and knowledge and limited understanding of parts of the picture had led to the downfall of more than just himself. Branding himself as a Professional Freelance Specialist in the Strange and Bizarre; and working sometimes along official organizations as a consultant; Stephen Strange began protecting the world from the untapped and unexplored parts of the magical and non-magical universe.

𝐈𝐌𝐏𝐎𝐑𝐓𝐀𝐍𝐓 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐓𝐒:

NAME: Stephen Vincent Strange

BLOOD STATUS: Muggleborn

HOGWARTS HOUSE: Slytherin

ILVERMORNY HOUSE: Horned Serpent

WAND TYPE: first wand: Hazel, Dragon Heartstring. 9″ second wand: Yew, Phoenix Feather Core, 14″

PATRONUS: Blackbird, yet was unable to cast a corporeal patronus for a couple decades to his own annoyance

PREFECT/HEAD STUDENT: Prefect, Head Boy

BEST CLASS(ES): Charms, Transfiguration, Potions, DADA, Herbology

QUIDDITCH: Yes, Chaser. Joined Third Year.

PARSELMOUTH: No, he cannot speak it but he can understand it fairly decently after study

OCCLUMENS: Yes

LEGILIMENS: Not Natural, trained in later years.

WEREWOLF: No

ANIMAGUS: No

METAMORPHMAGUS: No

NON VERBAL MAGIC: Yes, used on occasion

WANDLESS MAGIC: Yes, learned later in life. Used often.

* — Based off of his canonical birthdate on this blog, he would have been three years older than Hermione Granger (the eldest of the trio). Yet, I am always okay plotting him for different generations. Details that change is the hospital and ministry he worked and dealt with the most prior to his accident, as well as how much the events of the war would have affected him directly.

𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐏𝐇𝐄𝐍’𝐒 𝐌𝐀𝐆𝐈𝐂 𝐔𝐒𝐄 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐀𝐂𝐂𝐈𝐃𝐄𝐍𝐓:

𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐏𝐇𝐄𝐍’𝐒 𝐖𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐓𝐘𝐏𝐄𝐒:

WAND ONE: HAZEL, DRAGON HEARTSTRING CORE. 9 INCHES.

SHORTER LENGTH wands tends to attract people who are lacking something in character

NOT FLEXIBLE

WAND TWO: YEW, PHOENIX FEATHER CORE. 14 INCHES

LONGER LENGTH tend to be drawn to bigger personalities, and those of a more spacious and dramatic style of magic.

FLEXIBLE.

𝐏𝐀𝐓𝐑𝐎𝐍𝐔𝐒 𝐓𝐘𝐏𝐄: 𝐁𝐋𝐀𝐂𝐊𝐁𝐈𝐑𝐃

#𝐀𝐋𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐍𝐀𝐓𝐄 𝐔𝐍𝐈𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐄 / ilvermorny au.#𝐀𝐋𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐍𝐀𝐓𝐄 𝐔𝐍𝐈𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐄 / hogwarts au.#𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐍𝐓 / alternate universes.

1 note · View note

autism-asks · 7 years ago

Text

Hi! I’m 24 and I’ve had mental health issues since I was a teenager. I sought out therapy 2 years ago and also have been to a clinic. And right now I’m somewhat waiting for a new therapist. Thing is, I’ve never gotten a proper diagnosis. I’ve been through a whole ordeal of doctors: My old therapist sent me to get tested for ASD because I didnt fit into any other of her textbook criteria and seemed, to her, “emotionally unresponsive”. That came out negative 12 to 1. Then I got “diagnosed” for schizoid and obsessive compulsive PD, I thought that was that. Then I had my first talk with a new therapist who specialises on ASD and she told me… to get tested again at a better clinic because I live in a small city and they might’ve used the wrong criteria on me and she didn’t know how to “treat” or “handle” me without that diagnosis first. The next appointment would be in, uh, 3 years or so. … I have sensory issues, social issues, special interests, if I wouldn’t restrain myself I’d infodump and I’ve always been magically drawn to autistic coded characters. I know my struggles, I know my insecurities, yada yada. I know myself. I just feel like I need some kind of “official” closure and validation, want a proper diagnosis so bad but… I’m tired of doctors. So far they’ve never taken me seriously or put me aside because I kinda fit all the textbook criteria but never quite enough, you know? … Huh, sorry this has gotten kinda too long… but maybe someone shares that experience or has some kind of advice? Is it futile to want a proper diagnosis? I feel like I’m obsessing over it but I don’t know.

—

I’m sorry to hear the diagnostic process has been so slow-going and frustrating for you.

While this does not change your situation, do know that what you describe is a common experience for many of us. Both schizoid and obsessive-compulsive PD and autism are often mis-diagnosed as one another and could also co-occur. Maybe it can be of comfort to you to know that you are not alone in dealing with this and that, if anything, the fact you are experiencing this can in itself be a common autistic experience as far as seeking a diagnosis and navigating the mental health system goes.

There is nothing wrong with desiring an official diagnosis or the validation and relief it may bring. In fact, many of us feel that way. However, if the next opportunity for an appointment is still three years away, it would make sense to look into other ways to feel validated in your experiences in the meantime.

Generally, what comes to mind is learning about autism (which it sounds like you have) and engaging with the autistic community. For many of us interacting with others like ourselves can feel very freeing and validating, as it can counter-act the sense of confusion and alienation that can come with living as part of a minority within a world that is overwhelmingly not like us, about us or made for us. There can be a sense of relief and connection in learning that you are not alone in what you experience, and in being able to be yourself. It also normalizes autistic traits which in turn can help deal with and replace ableist ideas you may have internalized. (We all have.)

Which bings me to my last point: self-diagnosis is valid. I understand the wish for “official” confirmation, However, a doctor’s assessment can most notably be helpful in recognising patterns and making you aware of things you were previously unaware of and in pointing you in the direction of treatment. You already know you are autistic (which, in the absence of comorbid conditions, may not need immediate treatment, as it is a natural variation in how the brain processes information rather than an illness). Unless you need an official diagnosis in order to access accommodations, it may be worth examining why you feel that your own understanding of yourself may not be “enough” to provide the validation that you seek.

(Again, I understand the desire for confirmation and validation through an outside source, considering many of us go through life repeatedly being misunderstood and having to support and push and validate ourselves on our own. If this is something that is important to you and you feel it would help you, you do not have to give this up. I do think though in some instances (and in general) questioning why we feel the way we do can be beneficial. In your case, this is something you will need to address either way, as a diagnosis by a professional does not realistically seem to be an option for you at this moment.)

I’m sorry if this is not the reply you were hoping for! Sadly, sometimes there isn’t one quick solution.

-Kath

#advice #professional diagnosis #self diagnosis #internalized ableism #submission #mod kath

7 notes · View notes