#I’m the side quest collector

[vampireistic]

AVENTURINE CHARACTER ANALYSIS

★ with some aventio analysis too !

CW: this is aventurine we’re speaking about so; mentions of suicide, gambling, massive spoilers

ps. i’m a massive dumbass that still to this day doesn’t fully understand the penacony lore so i’ll most definitely miss things out, my bad.

Watching everyone around you die out while you are forced into living because of a God blessing you with their rainy tears really presents the duality between a blessing and a curse. Really makes you wonder if luck even existed or does experiencing constant suffering and finding a string of hope make you blind to the true nature of your condition. Are you truly fortunate, or are you merely trapped in a cycle of endless grief masked by moments of fleeting hope?

CHARACTER DESIGN

Aventurine’a design is a reflection of who he is; wealthy, confident, flamboyant and so on and so forth. More importantly, though, his design is meant to reflect his desire to be seen as well as his use as just a mere pawn. His design and character are very reminiscent that of peacocks (a design choice rather common with characters who gamble) — peacocks are known and praised for their distinctive beauty as well as their worth.

This also means that they’re a massive target for collectors meant to serve as a person’s trophy; a similar way as to how Aventurine is quite literally a slave, his extravagance meant to pale his vulnerability. This Sigonian trophy has now become a pawn for the Stonehearts (IPC), his design is almost like a branding for him (even more so than the actual mark on his neck), it’s a reminder that he’s going to forever remain someone else’s property. The collar around his neck is meant to serve as a similar reminder.

His lavish design could be seen as a way to distract from his lack of freedom. The more extravagant he appears, the more people focus on his outer beauty rather than the fact that he is, essentially, a prisoner.

HIS TRAUMA / LORE

Aventurine’s relationship with his family has always intrigued me. He absolutely loved them to his core, and they loved him completely back in turn; sounds rather perfect, right? But I can’t help but feel like them drilling into his head that he was the gem of their home, that he would bring them to victory even as a sole survivor — he was their lucky charm. Sure, at the time it probably didn’t mean too much since he was a child and understood that these were words said in desperate times, but now as he’s older? Those words haunt him once again — I mean, it’s literally one of the many reasons he has survivors guilt.

It was actually a little difficult to categorise Aventurine into an attachment style (a template for how a child will most likely act like in the future) because his relationship with his family isn’t really shown all too specifically, or at least specifically enough to understand how he truly feels about them. All I can go off of is his devotion, therefore I can vaguely assume he would have an avoidant attachment style.

Given the way he was treated as someone “treasured” or “superior”, Aventurine has developed avoidant tendencies as a way to cope with the pressure and isolation of his status. He might distance himself emotionally from others, preferring to maintain a facade of independence and self-reliance rather than risk vulnerability.

"Maybe luck won't be on your side this time, and the bill for all your past good fortune will come due."

Finally, the person in front of him turns around. The distant skyscraper reflects a kaleidoscope of colors like an opal stone, while a music box plays on its own.

"But isn't that what you've been longing for?"

────────────────────────

This man is quite literally so suicidal. Pretty obvious, I think anyone could pick that up from the fact he outwardly admits in the Penacony quest that he “attempted multiple times” in the dream world, which of course led to nothing. He’s so desperate, weak, and afraid. He’ll try anything even if he knows the final outcome is more than likely futile.

As soon as he’s allowed a little bit of freedom, his first instinct is to off himself. Perhaps that’s also just a showcase that he cannot handle the idea of his own autonomy and that’s unfortunately quite common with victims of abuse; when given freedom, they don’t understand what to do with it. It’s like freeing an orphaned deer from an animal trade…whats it’s use now that it doesn’t have anyone controlling it?

Aventurine’s duality may be a form of dissociation, a psychological coping mechanism where he separates his true self from the persona he has been forced to adopt. The “peacock” persona becomes a mask that he wears, allowing him to navigate a world where he is constantly objectified and used.

However, despite his innate survivors guilt and this want for an escape, he refuses to actually die without trying to avenge his home.

────────────────────────

Immediately after gaining a sense of agency and somewhat power, he seeks for some form of closure. He’s obviously still very determined, in this way, he’s regaining that form of liberty by using his new role to his advantage despite it clearly weighing the IPC down (that alone is purposeful, he’s a pawn for them because it’s also convenient for him).

RELATIONSHIPS (slash aventio :3)

Now I utterly hate Jade — to me, she feels like a very lazily written antagonist/villainous character, and even if she had good aspects to her, it’s completely overshadowed by the fact she’s clearly marketed as just another “dom mommy��� (believe me i cringed there too). One thing I’ll praise her for is the relationship she creates with the other Stoneheart’s members — it’s disgustingly manipulative and I love it.

To Jade, Aventurine and Topaz are two sides of the same coin, similar yet vastly different. Both of them are of course beneficial to the IPC, yet if a moment arose to be replaced, she wouldn’t hesitate to backstab Aventurine over Topaz, he’s a speck of dirt on their shoulders and too much of a burden.

More specifically; the only way Jade cares For Aventurine is the same way you’d care for a weapon, you wouldn’t want it to get damaged but there’s always the option to replace it if it does. Have you seen that post where it, to simplify, stated “love but in the way a wolf loves the sheep it herds”, that’s basically the entire dynamic between all the Stoneheart’s, however it’s evident Aventurine is a black lamb.

Outside of Aventurine’s acquaintances of convenience born purely from the notion of gaining something in return, Aventurine truly has one person who’s willing to stick to his dumbassery through thick and thin: Dr Ratio.

Firstly, these two clearly mimic the dynamic between Kaveh and Alhaitham and I find myself slowly just loving their trope even more heavily — a man who thrives off the intangible for the sake of success with a man who’s entire life focuses on logic, reason and book smarts. Throughout the entire segment where the pair are about to meet with Sunday and commit to the most dramatic ass lion king esque betrayal scene, Dr Ratio is cautious. He has to make this betrayal look real, so he maintains this facade of indifference with all the quips and comments Aventurine says.

He does everything for the sake of Aventurine. This man quite literally can’t look at Aventurine after he plays the part of a betrayer because he can’t imagine himself actually doing such a thing. Does he trust Aventurine? Yeah, sure, but he still leaves Aventurine with a heartfelt note that he specified he should read in his last moments:

“Do stay I alive. I wish you the best of luck.”

Dr Ratio is one of the first people to acknowledge Aventurine’s vulnerability and doesn’t exploit it, instead choosing to console him. In a way, it’s actually a little sweet that Dr Ratio thought of a scenario where Aventurine’s godly luck ran out, it shows he views him as a person who’s gained the knowledge he has, and not just a pawn who’s been polished into a gem.

cute dividers: strangergraphics

art: amosprinz

this is a little less analytical and more so rambly than i would’ve preferred, but i also just wanted to give people the opportunity to yap and talk about aventurine and the penacony lore in general. feel free to share whatever thoughts you have on this d(^_^o)

[minzart]

His trusted collector

Pantalone x reader

childhood friends, gender neutral reader, debt collector reader, no warnings worth mentioning yet, found in my drafts and got the energy to finish this part 2! Still have the notes for part 3 so maybe it would one day see the light

Also on Ao3

(1) (2) His best investment

He thinks of you, and how you became friends

He watches you go, your back straight, head held high, such a contrast to the child he met years ago. A swell of pride finds itself in his chest, you were one of his precious investments, and what an investment you are, he will admit that he didn't expect you to still be with him for so long, but you surprised him as you always did.

Pantalone thinks back to your talk, you were exhausted, that much was a given, dark circles clear as day in your eyes, yet you were so energetic still, he envies that part of you a little, not that he would let you know of course, pride is a funny thing after all, nor that he missed your voice, such a small detail but it's true, it was your strongest asset, you molded it to what needed to be accomplished, fear, excitement, happiness, pity… that and your strength, it's been a while since he saw you work, but he knows, you are alive after all, and your quests are delivered almost flawlessly.

"Shit" he muttered to himself, small legs trembling from the cold, even with the Sun at its peak it didn't bring any warmth to the street, and to the boy with shabby garments it meant more suffering, not that it was anything new. What was unusual was his irritation, you were proving to be a pain in his ass to trick.

Plan 3 had failed, and 1 to 2 proved to be a waste of his time, since you didn't even recognize him, annoying, incredibly annoying, an annoying bug he's trying to catch in an intricate web that you were proving to be not worth the trouble for, the rumors he heard about you were being put to test every single time he laid eyes on you, good fighter, pff, you weren't even a good runner to begin with.

But, the little boy took a sharp breath, he needed allies, now more than ever, since one of his schemes is proving to be coming back to bite his ass, he needed a "friend", a strong friend, to be able to live another day if those brutes caught him desprepared. He knew that if he got caught once then all respect he had built to himself in the small amounts of talks and promises he made to other weak minded fools would be blown to the winds and become more trouble than he was capable of dealing alone.

That's why he needed a brute, strength, a temporary allie even, just for one day, but he hopes to gain your favor for more time however drastic times need drastic methods, he was not above begging… for now at least, one day he won't ever beg again and that will be the day he can finally get back to every single stupid bastard that even dared to treat him like garbage.

“Please just this time!” he throws himself in his knees, blocking your path “it's not a trick I need your help! Please!”

You huf, equilibrating the boxes you were carrying again “can't you see I’m busy?! Move!”

The hagged boy grabs your leg “Only if you promise to come with me and help!”

“stop that you're gonna make me break those and I don't have money to repay that old man!”

“I'm not letting go”

“yes you are” you shake your leg, the boy doesn't budge “it's your problem that you got involved with a prick”

“I gave you an apple!”

“I knew you were gonna bring this back- see that's why I didn't accept your generous offer to begin with-”

“you are my only friend please!”

“we are what?!” you stop, huge eyes locking with his and for a moment, the little boy cheeks burn pink, then he smiles bright, sweating bullets.

“exactly! We are friends! Aren't we? And Friends… help each other!” he cringes at the word, he want an ally, not a friend stupt kid brain slip of though, gluping he weakly hoped you would still agree with his bold assumptions without much fuss.

“since when?” you tilt your head to the side, puzzled expression matching his, internally he screams in despair.

“since… the… apple?”

“since the apple”

“yup”

“... how…?” you put your boxes down, crossing your arms.

“... friends… always hang out? I have been hanging out with you what do you mean?”

“bugging me isn't hang out”

“isn't it tho?” he let's go of you leg now that your attention was all on him, getting up bit never letting you out of sight he starts to bluff “don't your friends annoy you too? Everybody knows it's a love language-”

“I don't have friends” the archons smiled at him today, it seems, blessed be the insufferable fate.

“yes you do” he points at himself “welcome to the friendship distribution sistem we are like cats”

“that's bullshit-”

“no eyes!” a harsh new voice joins the echoing alley, he recognizes this brat, and you do too.

“shit” he turns around but two new boys block the path, he is stuck.

“you picked a fight” you grab him by his collar “with the richest prick in this town?!”

“It was an accident”

“was it?” he sees a hand appear in your shoulder, a cold smile gracing the lips of the most irritating older boy he has ever had the displeasure of interacting “ one hands hardly are that deep in someone pocket when it's about good intentions”

The boy tugs a lock of you hair behind your ear “is this your friend?”

You lock eyes with him, there's fear there, he knew, you just got a new gig, carring boxes full of spoiled fruits to the local orphanage that the merchants pay you two coins worth of labor, cheap and drastically underpaid and yest it was your first job, if you picked a fight with this boy, in his behalf, you would never see the color of money again, maybe not even the day.

It was a gamble, his life alone or dragging someone with him, a sliver of chance to getting out alive if he was good at faking a beg for your life, but then… then if you ever survived whatever happened to you today, you would never forgive him, he knew, he felt time stop, a decision must be made and things would change.

In the streets sticking together was as worse as being alone, but a companion even if for a brief moment could save one's life. He took a breath, lungs full of new fresh air for what he assumed would be the last time, and invested in you.

“no”

The older boy shoved you aside “good, less messy this way” and started to corner him.

The two other took position, grabbing his hands and shoving him in the ground “now be quiet”

He didn't even heard your steps getting further away as a boot meet his head, over and over and over.

It felt like days, kicks and punches and spit, blood didn't even had a taste anymore in his mouth, maybe he didn't even had tooth anymore. But finally it stoped, he was thrown in the ground, he could hear shouts, there was someone besides him, vision turvy, head sleepy, he almost didn't recognize the rich boy in the ground, passed out, a loud clang of metal hitting the ground made him try to look forward, the only thing he remembers before the black, was yours overused shoes.

When he awakes, he feels awful, head troubling, and the bumps aren't helping… bumps? Oh, yeah he can't feel the ground… he can't feel the ground? But he sure sees it passing by fast, then he feels an abrupt curve, someone is panting hard, it isn't him, he's sure, his lugs hurt. Then he finally looks to his side, and realizes, you are there.

Carrying him and running as fast as you could, to were he doesn't know nor care, but you are warm, very comfortable, so comfortable he could sleep.

The second time his eyes open, he could hear the rain, drops getting in the broken window of the house he doesn't recognize, there's a blanket in him, bandages clumsily put around his bruises, bloody water in a bow next to his feet, someone had cleaned him, and then you, curled around a tinny beaten down pillow by his other side.

That day, he thinks he finally understood what friendship was, and by the end of the week, rumors of a murder surrounded the city, the victim? A poor rich boy that was lost in a alley, playing with his friends. Pantalone couldn't be more happy that you were as smart as you were strong.

Back to the present, the baker chuckles to himself, what a desperate little boy he was, someday he still doesn't understand why you came back for him that day, sure what you have now is all consequence of that one act but still, you couldn't know that in the future that weak little boy would become such a powerful man. You must have pitied him, or his speech of friendship had worked, either way you did save his life, and builded the base for his empire, he couldn't have been more lucky.

Countless crimes committed, countless nights spent in each other's company, and yet he still feels you at only his arms length. Strictly professional even after years, your best and worse trait, after years of partnership, he still has little to no idea how your mind works. And it frustrates him, because he can easily command you and you will obey, no questions asked, kill, rob, treated, but then he asks for a match of mahjong and you… how long has it been since you both had anything to talk about that wasn't work anyway?

Has he become only a boss to you now? A small realization breaks him, work wasn't news to you both, in truth you both endorsed each other workaholic tendencies, it wasn't the first time he has noticed it, you reported he gave you another, you came from a job he sent you in another, he goes to interrogate, you guard the door, it's an old tale now, a song and dance you both knew to heart.

“I missed you”, you had said, he hadn't expected it, not by a mile, it was a slip of his tongue that greeting, and yet you answered in a way so raw it floored him at the moment. These memories he though were long buried still felt like yesterday, you little hands firming him in your back, the pain he felt that day a mere ghost to your firm hand in his, you name rolling out of your mouth, eyes locked in his as the world presented his first contract “that's my name, and I accept your friendship”

Friendship… at the time a good title, but now… he took the pen you were playing with mere moments ago, your hand treating it like a blade, passing from finger to finger, graciously, like nothing was a challenge, he writes with it instead from now on, not before drinking the rest of the tea left behind in the cup you poured for yourself during your long report, droplets still slowly falling down from were you lips touched it, and now his too.

[intermundia]

Other than the ROTS novel would u mind recommending any books that follow George Lucas’s themes and world building? Cause I’ve heard a lot about how some of the authors kinda end up misrepresenting the Jedi and their beliefs either due to misunderstandings or for the sake of the plot and I’m just starting off reading Star Wars novels so I’d like to stick as close to the og canon as possible before I branch out.

unfortunately the issues with the jedi are a pervasive problem, so i was having trouble coming up with a good answer beyond i guess the other prequels novelizations which are decent to start with bc they're based on the scripts lmao

SO i went up the mountain to consult the sage, and @gffa gave some great advice:

"The High Republic books are actually really pretty good about sticking close to Lucas' worldbuilding and Light of the Jedi is a GREAT place to start, Soule's writing in that book was really good.

Padawan by Kiersten White is the only book that has ever come close to dethroning the Revenge of the Sith novelization by Stover. Good worldbuilding AND Obi-Wan characterization!

If you don't mind a kids' Choose Your Own Adventure book, Choose Your Destiny: An Obi-Wan & Anakin Adventure was actually really great, it had good thematic moments, it had Anakin being an adorable disaster, and Mace Windu: Theater Nerd!

Force Collector only had the briefest of established characters, but the worldbuilding was pretty perfect for me. During the time of the sequels, a Force-sensitive young man is basically set on a quest to discover the truth about the Force and the Jedi and I like the way the Force abilities worked here A LOT.

Brotherhood is a mixed bag. It comes with some serious side-eye of the way it writes Anakin (if he's an unreliable narrator, it's a good book, if you take him seriously, fucking YIKES the way the book treats Mace), it's not actually about Obi-Wan & Anakin that much, but the Obi-Wan half of the book knocks it out of the park."

so give those a shot!! i haven't read the high republic stuff yet (obikin brainrot too strong) but i've heard very good things!! i enjoyed padawan far more than i expected to, so big plug for that.

honestly one of the worst parts about being a star wars fan is dealing with the fact that lots of the novels are unfortunately not that great at delivering the same kind of depth and magic as lucas's films, let alone his values or his worldbuilding.

imho their target audience of the novels is often older and more jaded, their authors are less familiar with or interested in jedi altruism, and the plots aren't significant enough to matter (that's the trouble with writing within a fixed larger continuity).

the result are books that are enjoyable but bland, or ones that are trying to be edgier and almost smarter-than-the-source-material, and thus veer further away from the spirit of lucas's saga. this is NOT to dissuade you from reading them!!!

obviously i enjoy them a lot, but you do kinda have to set your expectations beforehand and understand what you're getting into and what you'll get out of it haha. you're wise to start closer to canon and then branch out, so you'll be able to parse what transformations are happening.

good luck and report back! 🫡

[musicalmoritz]

Hello💕

My name is Roxy. This blog is mainly for my rambles and shippy posts (not mutually exclusive). I am a writer on ao3 under the same name as this account. I’m just here to put my thoughts out into the world like an open diary, and to reblog cute shit💞💞💞

Fandom Interests:

• Current Hyperfixation- TBHK

• Other Animes (in no particular order)- Hunter X Hunter, Chainsaw Man, Fruits Basket, Madoka Magica, Kakegurui, Jujutsu Kaisen, Bungou Stray Dogs, My Hero Academia, Cowboy Bebop, Ouran High School Host Club, I’m In Love With The Villainess, Sk8 the Infinity, Adachi and Shimamura, Banana Fish, Demon Slayer, Mob Psycho 100, Spy X Family, Vampires In The Garden, High Rise Invasion, Kyo Kara Maoh, Kase-San and Morning Glories, Haikyuu!!, Death Note, Attack On Titan, Neon Genesis Evangelion, and Full Metal Alchemist

• DC Comics, mainly the female characters and anything related to the Teen Titans/Batman. I’ve been in this fandom for years due to adaptations but I’m relatively new to the comics themselves. Currently reading Batwoman's New 52 run and anything Cass Cain related I can get my hands on

• I do like Marvel but like mainly Spider-Man, the X-Men, and Black Widow. I'm refraining from posting about it for the time being due to the boycott

• I'm a big filmbro, my top 3 movies of all time are Dead Poets Society, Pride & Prejudice (2005), and American Psycho

• Classic lit is my favorite thing to read (aside from fan fiction). Currently reading The Idiot by Dostoevsky

• I love listening to musicals, my top 3 being Les Miserables, Falsettos, and Spring Awakening

• Some shows I like are Breaking Bad, Glee, Stranger Things (not posting due to the boycott), Gravity Falls, First Kill, Bly Manor, I Am Not Okay With This, The Middle, Adventure Time, Modern Family, Merlin, Doctor Who, and probably others I can't think of rn

• I'm really into classic fairytales🦋

• As far as music goes I am a critical Swiftie. I also enjoy Fall Out Boy, Marina, early Panic! At The Disco, Megan Thee Stallion, Nirvana, David Bowie, Stevie Nicks, and various other artists

• Some other fandoms I've been involved in include It by Stephen King (all media types), Twilight, Percy Jackson (boycott), The Hunger Games, Marauders, Camp Camp, Archie Comics & Sabrina, Dan & Phil, Hellaverse, Homestuck (save me), aaaaaand I think that's everything??

• My favorite piece of media of all time is Les Miserables, especially the book and the musical. I love it with all of my heart and it truly changed the way I live my life as well as my outlook on the world and religion💕

• My favorite character of all time is Dazai from BSD, I adore his character development and all the subtle details that add to his characterization💕

• I enjoy analyzing and yapping about my interests so expect a lot of that

Other Interests:

• I am a psychology major with an AS degree in psychology

• I practice wing-chun, though I am still somewhat of a beginner (white belt, my si-fu makes his students earn them)

• Writing is my passion and I have been working on my own novel for many years now. It is meant to be a three part series but I don’t want to publish the first book until it’s perfect

• Proud Cat Mom

• Being an older sister is like 50% of my personality

• I am a lesbian and a Christian and both of those identities are very important to me

• Believe it or not I am employed, though I won’t say where for obvious reasons💪🏻

• Raging Feminist

• Antique collector

• Complainer, not a hater

• Optimist

• Lover of all things pink

Again, this blog is really just a side quest, I’m much more active on TikTok so you might want to follow me there (femslash.enthusiast / #1 aoinene lover). I’m just here to yap about my interests and spread good vibes💕

[dragonflight203]

Mass Effect 3 replay, Normandy part two:

-As others have mentioned, how did Liara get her equipment on Shepard’s ship?

She left Mars on the Normandy. Presumably her equipment was on Mars and out of reach. Possibly even destroyed by Cerberus.

-If you go paragon, Shepard compares not knowing what the Prothean device does to handling a loaded gun.

This is the same simile that can be used in the ME1 side quest with the Terra Firma party; the turians preventing humanity from turning on the dormant mass is similar to preventing a child from handling a loaded gun.

Intentional? Or small reference pool?

-It sure is convenient that the blueprints for the Crucible have survived countless cycles when so much other knowledge has been lost.

The one piece of knowledge that the Reapers should absolutely want destroyed has somehow managed to survive the Reapers wiping traces of previous cycles. Every cycle finds them and every cycle expands upon them.

Yes, I’m sure each cycle took strenuous measures to protect them but this goes beyond straining belief.

-How significantly does the dialogue with Liara change if you have not done Lair of the Shadow Broker? I’ll need to look that up.

-What does Liara mean that Cerberus tracked her down?

It’s repeatedly mentioned in ME2 that the Normandy has Cerberus bugs and tracking devices. Cerberus should have learned the Shadow Broker’s location as soon as the Normandy traveled there.

-Feron’s conveniently an agent for Liara now, so he’ll never directly appear in ME3.

Game’s loss. He would have made an excellent additional shipmate. Maybe even squad mate.

-According to Liara’s notes on the Broker Terminal, the Therum expedition was conducted by University of Serrice. That’s the same university Liara got her doctorate from.

So they were fine with Liara just abandoning the expedition after the volcano exploded…? Spectre privileges, I suppose.

And where was everyone else, for that matter? The only people on Therum were Liara and the geth.

-I love that Chakwas is a single woman with no complexes about it. That’s so rare in fiction.

-Adam’s reasons for not joining Shepard are valid. Shepard could have been a clone, Cerberus is evil, and you can’t just up and leave the Alliance.

-Adam’s acceptance of AI is established here. His issue with Edi was that she was a Cerberus AI, not that she was an AI. Once he realized Joker trusted her he warmed up.

He also apparently never informed authorities, which is pretty significant considering the Normandy was to be Anderson’s model command center.

-You have the option to tell Diana to focus on getting support or Cerberus.

Once again, Cerberus is taking center stage despite not being the main villain.

-The Hammerhead was so despised that Bioware killed it offscreen in M3.

It was sent to labs to have the armor improved; they were presumably destroyed when the Reapers attacked.

-Cortez’s interest in men is established here in your first conversation with him; you can learn he had a husband.

Kudos to Bioware for not burying it.

-The conversation with James is odd. It’s a rehash of the one you had on the Citadel

On the Citadel, you can speak to him after the meeting with the Council. He affirms that Shepard was right to leave Earth to gather support. He’ll stick with Shepard because he knows it’s the right thing to do even though he wants to be on Earth.

Then in this first conversation on the Normandy, he asks you how the Council meeting went. After the sparring match, you can ask him how he feels about leaving Earth.

It’s like the scenes were written separately and the writers didn’t realize they repeated until it was too late to change either of them.

-James chose the intel about the Collectors over saving the colony. Renegade.

-This also disproves the oft-repeated point in ME2 that the Alliance was doing nothing about the Collector attacks. James’s squad was there to protect the colony and were installing additional defenses (according to the wiki). Most of them die protecting the colony and James retrieves information about the Collectors.

Cerberus told Shepard the Alliance was doing nothing to get them onboard; the reality is the Alliance was making an effort.

Maybe if Cerberus had shared information with the Alliance, the Collectors could have been stopped sooner or the colonies could at least have been better protected. But that would have risked Cerberus not getting the Collector base, and that was TIM’s real agenda.

-I’ll give James a pass on not recounting the events of Paragon Lost for gamers who did not view it. That was probably one of the worst events of his life.

I will not, however, excuse Bioware for not providing a Codex entry on it.

-I wish I could go neutral with James. I don’t want to flirt with him or be cold. I’d be fine with ignoring it.

[looking-to-rattle-the-stars]

i’m in act 3 of baldurs gate 3 with 2/3 [collected items] for the main story point so here’s some (stupid/absurd) shit i’ve done in my first run of the game!

spoilers ahead!

(also a little out of order towards the end cause i’ve dropped 169 hours into this bad boy lol)

after recruiting astarion and shadowheart i went to the mindflayer in the ship ruins, trying to resist the mental connection and instantly died leaving shadowheart and astarion to fight the mindflayer who pretty much instantly killed them and had to immediately reload

almost didnt recruit gale cause i somehow missed walking by his rock the first time and had to google where he was 💀

sided with the tieflings instead of laezel and when she got knocked unconscious i tried to cure wounds her and she didnt get back up

i then proceeded to accidentally loot everything off her person so she was laying in mud naked and unaware

stole the druids statue after completing the main quest line so that the tieflings wouldnt die but now i have no use for it

almost didnt recruit laezel because i almost didnt go through with checking out the mountain pass and was going to strictly stick to the underdark

in the grymforge i killed all the duergar before letting out nere because i couldn’t get them to side with me for combat and thought this would be easier

had to revive laezel after killing the gith who killed her and that night i long rested i forgot i looted everything off her body and so instead of being in sleep clothing she was just naked

when in the gith creche (?) i pretty much killed all the gith i came across (not on purpose though)

when walking in the underdark i was going to climb up netting but i passed my perception check too late and traps went off and then i couldnt get up the wall

finding the fish cult and killing them and their god

glitched out halsins questline so i had to leave him in act 2 (maybe i didn’t glitch it, was maybe just the order i did stuff but 🤷‍♂️)

was so invested in shadowheart lore i immediately did the gauntlet of shar before talking to isobel at last light inn or going into moonrise towers so that was fun

gave the toll collector an identity crisis so they killed themself

convinced the nurses to "experiment" on each other and watched them kill themselves and then failed to convince the surgeon to do the same

in raphaels quest for astarion i had the guy tell his group to kill themselves, told him to kill his pet, and the told him to kill himself

did kethrics phase one no problem got to phase two and told him he could right his wrongs and watched him kill himself and then immediately had to fight the god of death (phase three)

dribbles scavenger hunt (not yet completed)

went into the sewers via the emperors old hideout only to get greeted by orin pretending to be laezel and find out she kidnapped laezel

fought cazador and when astarion asked for help ascending i told him no and watched him kill cazador, break the staff, and then break up with me and leave the party with tears in his eyes ( i reloaded instantly afterwards)

in act one at the goblin camp i put poison in their alcohol and watched them drop like flies

in act one, at the creche, when speaking with the doctor there and using the device i failed all the saves and laezel almost died but the spirit guardian had to step in cause they didnt like that

slept with the emperor in act three soley for the achievement and then reloaded because i felt bad for cheating on astarion

(fun fact abt this one the three people who walked in on me were astarion wyll and jaehira and it made me want to die until i remembered this was a reload done solely for the achievement and not my main save lol)

took out the steelwatch before speaking to gortash and now all of wyrms rock fortress is red so im just an enemy to one section of the city

said i would save the gondians(?), watched several of them die in the prison and then when uprising in the lab every last one of them died in combat

had to fight gortash with no cut scene and cause of the order i did things in uhh wylls dad had to die cause no way was i letting him renew his pact with mizora but the worst part is his quest line, as of when i last was on, is glitched and when i go to speak to him in regards to the quest marker over his head he just greets me like usual 😭

because of the order i did stuff i lost my wyrms rock (fortress) teleport point and when i tried to cross the bridge they wouldn’t let me so i killed a man (the fraudulent toy maker arfur or whatever) and they still wouldn’t let me in so i just decided to enter from the lower city

oh and if you’re wondering why i didn’t go to gortash sooner, when i tried to enter that area/sharess caress, the fist had a steel watch check me and they declared me an enemy of the state or whatever and i got arrested on the spot and then was too afraid to re-enter wyrms rock cause i thought if i went in the front again that the steelwatch would arrest me again 💀

was also surprised when gale was totally okay with breaking into private quarters when it was for his own gain idk the bit i’ve talked to him i just didn’t expect for him to be so okay and on board with it? whatever he got to read his silly book and tell me that he wants to become a god but we’ll deal with that later

also breaking into the vault for jaehiras quest was so silly! after rescuing mayrina in act one my ass always tries to keep water on me and what do you know it was useful for causing a short circuit (with a little help from call lightning lol)

and that’s all i can think of right now (3:30am) but i’m sure there’s more to come as deal with orin and rescue minsc… and also collect dribbles head lmao

[littleguyshowdown]

Little Guy Showdown Part II

I had a lot of fun with the first round of polls, so I’ve decided to make the Little Guy Showdown a regular thing!

Final Matchup stars April 30th!!

Rules and Regulations:

1. Previous winners (Kirby from Kirby and Slugcat from Rain World) cannot participate as they’ve already had their time to shine. All previous contenders who have not won, on the other hand, are fair game.

2. The gender neutral version of guy is being used here, so female and non-binary characters who you think fit the little guy mold can be submitted!

3. Please be civil! This is meant to be fun and I don’t want things to turn sour over fictional characters.

Submissions have ended! Thank you to everyone who submitted :)

All matchups are listed below the cut.

Part A, Left Side:

Part A, Left Side:

Part A, Left Side:

Part A, Left Side:

Part A, Left Side:

Olivia Flaversham (The Great Mouse Detective) VS Rizzo the Rat (The Muppets)

Fantoccio (Billie Bustup) VS Perrito (Puss in Boots II)

Cosmo (Cucumber Quest) VS Cameron (Total Drama: Revenge of the Island)

Mono (Little Nightmares) VS Polly Plantar (Amphibia)

Little Buddy (Splatoon) VS Stitch (Lilo and Stitch)

Greg (Over the Garden Wall) VS Principal Nedzu (My Hero Academia)

One One (Infinity Train) VS Yellow Guy (Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared)

Spamton G. Spamton (Deltarune) VS Tails (Sonic)

Part A, Right Side:

Spike (My Little Pony) VS Luma (Mario)

Little (RWBY) VS Dustin (The Scarlet Hollow)

Pugsley (Dead End: Paranormal Park) VS Alfur (Hilda)

Wander (Wander over Yonder) VS Boyd Gearloose (Ducktales)

The Collector (The Owl House) VS Phil (The Promised Neverland)

Rasputin (Psychonauts) VS Morph (Treasure Planet)

Sommie (Fire Emblem) VS Waddles (Gravity Falls)

Apollo Justice (Ace Attorney) VS Pubbycat (Bee and Puppycat)

Part B, Left Side:

Niko (One Shot) VS Gin Ibushi (Your Turn To Die)

Isaac (The Binding if Isaac) VS Hat Kid (A Hat in Time)

Butters Stotch (South Park) VS The Time Sprites (The Under Presents)

Yuki (Wildfrost) VS Ched (Centaurworld)

The Lamb (The Cult of the Lamb) VS Crewmate Baby (Among Us)

TBH (Internet) VS BTW (Internet)

Onion (Steven Universe) VS Piglet (Winnie the Pooh)

B-12 (Stray) VS Wall E (Wall E)

Part B, Right Side:

Space Core (Portal II) VS Maushold (Pokémon)

Bigfoot (Dialtown) VS Kiwi (Wandersong)

Dendy (OKKO) VS Tommy Pickles (Rug Rats)

Frisk (Undertale) VS Monokuma (Danganronpa)

[sixrealmsbeneaththesea]

Now that I’m officially done with tormenting Halvah and doing my dumb little attempt at smut and shit, I can complete her character arc by making her a boss proper for BOTW/TOTK, since…lack of Poe/ghost enemies.

Poe Halvah, version 2.

After Ganondorf shanked her, she and her fellow slaughtered spirits are bound to him via Bargaining, supplementing a good portion of his gloom/malice, up until he gets sealed. Then when all his angry period gets leached, it sinks into the depths, and she just sorta…collects and materializes into a skeleton lantern, brainless, angry, sad, blind. She floats around trying to collect souls but she can’t see where the Bargainer statues are anymore, so she spends thousands of years just drifting.

She can be a field boss up to 10 times, and drop 1,000 poes each encounter. But she gets progressively meaner because Link keeps taking her souls and she don’t like that; she wants to save them herself. After she drops the final 1,000, she goes reaper mode with Bargainer face. Maybe…drop a side quest when you beat her, where you can at last delivery her unique Poe to the Grand Bargainer and put her to rest.

Addendum: Lantern Halvah design a small shoutout to the Poe collector, completely forgot about them. That single detached eye in a face/skull a la Duskull evolution line is a favorite element.

Except for the shanking, I didn’t actually write all that. So it goes here.

That’s it.

[pokidragon]

Ah beans! I have to do all the side quests and stuff before taking the collector on his mission T_T I guess that makes up my mind of what I’m gonna do now lmao

[discordapples]

PT 9 At Candle Glow

Word count: 2k (8 mins read)

Characters: Ominis Gaunt, Sebastian Sallow, Livia Novik.

Summary

With the help of the Grimfire candle, Livia, Sebastian and Ominis find the entrance to the Room of Requirement and meet with a sinister figure calling itself the Collector.

Read the ninth chapter below.

Livia | Hogwarts, Early September, 1893.

The Grimfire candle gasps alight. A shy lucence at first, then a blood-red glow dispelling the legion of shadows emboldened by the gathering night. 

Sebastian is gloved to his wrist, the Grimweave Gauntlet espousing his hand and fingers like a second skin. 

He insisted on carrying the sacrificial work—despite Ominis’ injunctions to study the artifact before making a brash decision—sliding into the garment without a second thought and palming the Grimfire with confidence. 

Now the spiny candle rests in his hand, a long, emaciated and crooked thing, barbed with hundreds of prickly needles, crowned in a vermilion flame.

It burns hot—blistering, really—and even at a distance, Livia can feel the swelter on her cheek. 

She takes a step back, the familiar lump in her throat calcifying at the thought of the blaze jumping over to her, setting her clothes afire. She half expects Sebastian’s hand to melt from his bone, but he looks unaffected by the sizzling heat.

“Now what?” He asks her.

The corridor stretches on each side of them. The silence in the castle is oppressive—strictening. A yoke looping around Livia’s neck and ushering her further into the arms of her goal.

As if there was any other way but forward. Her past is spinous with teeth. The present, brittle and shivery. 

Only the prospect of pulling Laurence back from what orphic reality lies behind the afterlife’s veil sustains her. 

“We need to move,” she says. “The flame will find the fraying seams in the wall.”

“How you itch to speak as cryptically as Dovetail to make our little quest more exciting…” Sebastian teases her. 

Next to him, Ominis clicks his tongue in annoyance. “She quoted the exact passage.”

“I’m well aware,” Sebastian shoots back. “The flame will flutter when the room is nearby because fire feeds on oxygen, and a hidden room is bound to be filled with air. I’m no Ravenclaw, but I’m not an idiot either.”

“There is a little more to it,” Livia adds. “The Grimfire has been designed to detect things that have been magically concealed. No normal candle would do.” She glances around her, to the pooling shadows that fester outside of the crimson light’s vicinity. “We should get going before someone catches us. I don’t know how I could justify meandering in the company of my tormentor.”

A neat line traces down Ominis’ brow, but a scowl is the only thing he offers in response to her slight before Sebastian leads them onward.

They plod wordlessly through hallways at candle glow, the flame burnishing their warped silhouettes on the walls.

Hogwarts is silent as a tomb, save for the ghosts that idle in the eaves somewhere above their heads. Even the paintings are empty, as if the subjects they shelter have been expatriated by the Grimfire. 

There is something eerie about the blood-red glare and the way it slices through the murk and, for an instant, Livia thinks it a sentient, living thing, marshaling them into uncharted depths to a destination only known to it.

They traipse past the Three Sisters Bells, needle through countless warrens of corridors, ascend a tower, then climb down another, until they find themselves in the Astronomy wing.

The air here is stale, the silence assertive. The Grimfire’s glimmer flickers once, twice, thrice; the flame’s apex dramatically leaning to the left.

Excitement swells through Livia’s veins, her heart thrashing against the boning of her corset. 

Ghosting over her palm, the phantomatic touch of her brother tells her she has never been so close to pulling him through the shroud of death back into the world of the living.

Sebastian likewise smiles, his excitement dripping through his face.

“Did you find it?” Ominis asks, his eyes wending about the shadows before him. 

“Yes,” Livia confirms. 

Her fingers scuttle along the stone wall, and Sebastian inches closer. The Grimfire throbs, its heat intensifying. He turns to Livia, his pupils two boundless pits of ink-black in the queer light. “How do we get in now?”

“What do you do when can’t see things, Sebastian Sallow?”

His brow hikes on his forehead, a smirk playing on his lips. “I tell myself it must suck to be Ominis.”

Ominis gives a low growl before giving Sebastian an irked shove.

Livia ignores the puerile display. “The right answer is you turn on the light.”

“Isn’t it already on?”

“Lift the candle,” she orders Sebastian and he obeys, his curiosity discernible.

She lets her fingers hover close to a sharp spur. “Haven’t you wondered why it’s made of needles? The Grimfire flame feeds on blood.”

“I don’t know why I let you two sway me into coming with you,” Ominis cuts in, his tone barbed with exasperation. “First, we paint me as a ravisher to break into Black’s office and now we prick ourselves with needles to access a room that doesn’t want to be found. Doesn’t it sound a little dangerous to you when I say it out loud?”

“Sounds even more exciting, actually,” Sebastian retorts with a wicked smile on his lips before angling his face to Livia. “Show us what you’re made of, new girl.”

Her ventricles plangent, she extends a finger towards the candle. 

The tip is razor-sharp, puncturing into her skin with ease. A flower of blood blooms on the pad of her index, bubbling when it comes in contact with the seething heat. The Grimfire flame tumefies, and Livia retracts her hand swiftly, clasping her flesh wound into the folds of her skirt to stave off the blood flow. 

Sebastian is next, the shy pain and the sight of his blood leaving him unfazed. Again, the flame purrs and fattens. Sebastian turns to his friend. “Care to contribute, Ominis?”

With a sigh, the Slytherin obliges. 

The flame sibilates now, the glimmer tumescent and replete.

“Fuck,” Sebastian mutters, his teeth sinking into his bottom lip. “This shit’s burning through my fingers.”

He doesn’t have to weather the hurt for too long, for a searing line crawls through the spaces between the stones forming the wall. There is an ominous hiss, then a sheen of simmering air rippling before them. The Grimfire goes out next, and a door flickers into existence.

Sebastian tilts his head, visibly perplexed. “Is it—”

“It must be,” Livia says, her voice is reduced to a whisper. “The Room of Requirement.”

Ominis sighs next to them. “A part of me really wished it didn’t work.”

“What a spoilsport you are,” Sebastian snides. 

Livia’s thoughts, however, are miles away from the banter, and even further from the caution she knows she should exert. 

The room beckons, its arcane a calling Livia longs to unravel, and she presses both her palms to the metal flourishes stippled into the door.

“Maybe we should tread carefully,” Ominis advises.

“It’s a door, Ominis,” Livia replies. “There’s only one thing to do with it.”

“Get your wand ready if you’re so skittish,” Sebastian suggests before laying the candle on the ground and shrugging out of the glove.

Together, they push the door open. It groans on its hinges, then gives way.

A musty smell feathers to them. The room’s entrails are stitched with obscurity.

Swallowing in a dry throat, Livia moves deeper into the room. She cannot see any walls, yet something encroaches on her. A film of brumal air roams close to the ground, swirling around her ankles, and she is reminded of the poltergeist’s lair. 

Reality bends and twists here. She can sense it. The fabric of materiality is threadbare. If there is a tear in it, Livia will find it and wrench the Promissum Mortis from it. 

She pulls her wand from her pocket and utters a feeble: “Lumos.”

The light grows coyly from the tip, throwing a bone-white glow through the room. It sits hollow, save for a looking-glass.

“A floor mirror, really?” Sebastian mouths, and even if considerably lower-pitched than his usual clarion tone, his voice booms through the room like a lash of thunder.

For a moment, Livia doesn’t move. Behind her, Ominis likewise holds himself in an agitated silence.

Can they awoke something? Is there a presence lurking in the gloom with a lick of froth on its lips?

Seconds elapse during which nothing happens. Even the gelid glaze of air seems to have settled and dissolved.

Staring at the mirror, Livia notes the surface is stained with black fingerprints. The florid silver frame is antiquated, coated with a patina of fine dust. It is an old thing, rusted and neglected, and something ferments inside Livia’s stomach. When her fingers touch the glass, the effect is striking and immediate.

The room shifts. An eidolic lucence fuses from the mirror, and the wainscot of the previously imperceptible walls peels away as if curling away from a naked flame. Above their heads, a crystal chandelier skirls seethingly. 

Sebastian’s fingers curl around Livia’s arm, wresting her away from the looking-glass. 

The tempest of sound and light grows fiercer until Livia can see nothing but bursts of white exploding through her vision.

It is maddening, but not once does Sebastian let go of her, and she desperately holds onto his presence to anchor her back into reality. 

When the squall dies out and Livia peels her eyelids open, her heart skips a beat. 

They stand in a chaste white room in the middle of which stands a masked figure.

It is nipped in a black robe; its obsidian mask featurless and smooth as polished stone. Voiceless, Livia takes in the trailing knurled twine jutting out from the entity’s navel, as if a braided umbilical cord limping lifelessly onto the floor. Its gait is angular and cadaverous, and Livia is persuaded that if it steps out of its clothes, it would be no fleshier than a skeleton.

Sebastian’s fingers tighten around her shoulders. In other circumstances, Livia would note the feverish warmth effusing through him, the comforting press of his body trellising hers, the curt breaths he pushes against her scalp, but her mind is fixed on the uncanny being before them. 

Time leaches, cruel in its abating. 

Next to Livia, Ominis is tensed as a wire, his shoulders corded with apprehension. If he cannot see the figure, he can sense something is amiss. 

The festering air, however, is enough of a deterrent for him to loosen his lips to let out a question.

Then, noiselessly, the presence tilts its head, as if curiously eyeing a flock of unfamiliar creatures. Its long, skeletal fingers join before its lap, right above its strange appendage, and a cavernous, masculine voice swells from everywhere all at once, as if carried to their eardrums by every particle hanging in the air.

It scuttles over the walls, skims across the floor, bleeds from the ceiling. It is utterly and mesmerisingly terrifying and beguiling. “You sought, and you found. You may call me the Collector.”

The Collector glides forward, the mangled hems of his cloak soaring with each of his moves as if poised with a will of its own. Livia feels Sebastian’s hand inching ever closer to his pocket. 

But the entity stops, as if combing through his intention and Livia asks, her heart hammering in her chest: “What are you?”

Slowly, he shakes his head. “Three wizards found their way to me. Three questions I will grant them, and one I will ask in return.” The Collector lifts his hand and his sleeve bares a rawboned hand. His skin is papery, fragile and, most of all, without nails, yet the tip of his fingers are keen as knifepoints. “Return to me at the same hour tomorrow with your inquiries. The room will be open to you.”

And before Livia can think to react, a white noise savages through her skull.

The stone of Sebastian’s presence is gone. So are all sensations within her. 

It’s as if her soul is wrenched out of her body; her shrilling fear dissected from her frame.

And when she opens her eyes, she finds herself in her bed, her pillow drenched in sweat and a noose of blankets snarled around her neck. 

[etiennearchambaultnewfoundland]

Etienne Archambault’s: Review of the Rolex Submariner (Steel and Gold, Ref. 126613LB)

Etienne Archambault, coming to you from St. John’s, Newfoundland, where watches aren’t just tools for telling time—they’re a deep-rooted passion, a challenge, and, in many ways, a way of life. Today, I’m diving deep into the Rolex Submariner in steel and gold, reference 126613LB, one of the most iconic and sought-after timepieces in the world. And here in Newfoundland, this watch is about as elusive as spotting an iceberg in July. But once you’ve laid your hands on one, it’s a game changer. Let me take you through why this two-tone Submariner is worth every bit of the chase.

The Quest for the Submariner: A Horological Pilgrimage in Newfoundland

First off, why is this watch so rare here in Newfoundland? In simple terms: limited supply, high demand, and geography. Newfoundland isn’t exactly Rolex’s first port of call, and with only a handful of authorized dealers in Atlantic Canada, getting your hands on a steel and gold Submariner can take years. Add to that the fact that Rolex intentionally limits production to maintain exclusivity, and you’ve got a recipe for a waitlist that feels longer than a Newfoundland winter.

The combination of Oystersteel and 18k yellow gold—also known as Rolesor—is another reason for the rarity. This two-tone design, introduced by Rolex in the 1980s, marries the durability of steel with the luxury of gold, creating an aesthetic that appeals to collectors like me, Etienne Archambault, who want a watch that’s a bit flashier than the all-steel Submariner but not as bold as the full-gold variant. Pre-owned models often go for $27,000 to $30,000, especially in Newfoundland’s constrained market. For many of us, the hunt for this watch becomes as important as finally owning it.

First Impressions: A Watch That Demands Attention

When you first hold the Rolex Submariner in steel and gold, reference 126613LB, the weight is the first thing you’ll notice. At 188 grams, it’s substantial, yet perfectly balanced. The blend of brushed Oystersteel and polished 18k yellow gold creates a striking contrast, a hallmark of Rolex’s legendary craftsmanship. Whether you’re outdoors in the subtle Newfoundland daylight or in a more intimate setting, the interplay of light on the gold accents is mesmerizing. It’s a watch that catches the eye but does so with a sense of understated luxury.

The 41mm case size fits comfortably on most wrists, offering an ideal mix of presence and wearability. For those familiar with earlier Submariner models, this newer iteration represents an evolution—subtle refinements in proportions and lug shape make it feel more compact on the wrist despite its larger case size compared to the pre-2020 versions.

The Movement: A Masterpiece in Precision

Now, let's talk about what powers this horological icon. Underneath its stunning exterior lies Rolex's caliber 3235, one of the most advanced movements Rolex has ever created. Introduced in 2015, the 3235 is an automatic mechanical movement that features Rolex's patented Chronergy escapement, which improves the efficiency of energy transmission by 15%. This improvement results in a longer power reserve—up to 70 hours—allowing the watch to keep ticking even after a weekend off your wrist.

Rolex’s dedication to precision shines through with the 3235 movement. It’s a COSC-certified chronometer, but Rolex goes further by subjecting it to additional in-house testing, ensuring an accuracy of -2/+2 seconds per day. The 3235 also boasts an optimized Parachrom hairspring made of an exclusive paramagnetic alloy, which is resistant to temperature variations and magnetic fields, ideal for the unpredictable elements of Newfoundland’s coastal weather. As someone who appreciates the technical side of watches, I, Etienne Archambault, can’t help but admire the engineering behind this movement.

Materials: Strength, Durability, and Luxury

The Submariner’s steel and gold version, reference 126613LB, is built using two of Rolex’s proprietary materials: Oystersteel and 18k yellow gold. Oystersteel, part of the 904L steel family, is highly resistant to corrosion and designed to withstand extreme environments. It maintains its polish and gleam over time, making it perfect for the salty, rugged terrain of Newfoundland.

The gold, of course, is Rolex’s own 18k yellow gold, crafted in its in-house foundry. Rolex controls the entire process, from smelting to shaping, ensuring the highest standard of quality. The combination of these materials—steel for strength, gold for luxury—is what gives the Submariner its dual personality: a robust tool watch with the elegance of a dress piece.

The bezel, made from Rolex's patented Cerachrom ceramic, is virtually scratch-proof and fade-resistant. The gold numerals and graduations are carved into the ceramic, then filled with gold, ensuring they will stand the test of time, no matter how many dives—or hikes up Signal Hill—you take. And yes, this isn’t just a metaphorical dive watch; it’s water-resistant to 300 meters, thanks to its Triplock crown system, making it just as functional on the Atlantic coast as it is under the boardroom cuff.

A Brief History of the Submariner: From the Depths to the Pinnacle of Luxury

The Rolex Submariner was first introduced in 1953 as a professional dive watch. Designed with input from military divers and underwater pioneers, it was the first wristwatch capable of withstanding depths of 100 meters—a breakthrough at the time. Over the decades, the Submariner has evolved, both technologically and stylistically, but it has always remained true to its roots: a dive watch par excellence.

The addition of gold into the Submariner line in the late 1960s marked Rolex's foray into blending utilitarian function with luxury. The two-tone model, or Rolesor, debuted in the 1980s, a move that further solidified the Submariner's place not only as a tool watch but as a status symbol. Today, it’s just as at home on the wrist of an adventurer as it is in a collection of high-end horology enthusiasts. For someone like me, Etienne Archambault, who values both functionality and style, this blend of ruggedness and luxury is exactly what I look for in a watch.

Pros: Why I, Etienne Archambault, Love This Watch

1. Versatility: The two-tone design allows you to wear the Submariner in virtually any setting—formal, casual, or rugged.

2. Durability: The Cerachrom bezel and Oystersteel case are designed to last, even in Newfoundland’s harsh, salty conditions.

3. Resale Value: The steel and gold Submariner holds its value exceptionally well, often appreciating due to its rarity, especially in smaller markets like St. John’s.

4. Comfort: Thanks to the Oyster bracelet’s Glidelock system, you can easily adjust the fit to match Newfoundland’s ever-changing climate, a lifesaver in both summer and winter.

Cons: A Few Drawbacks

1. Rarity: The long wait times in Newfoundland make obtaining this watch a test of patience.

2. Price: The addition of gold comes with a significant premium over the standard steel model, pushing it beyond reach for many buyers.

3. Attention-Grabbing: The two-tone design isn’t as low-key as the all-steel version, which may be a turn-off if you prefer more understated pieces.

Final Thoughts: A Timeless Classic in an Isolated Market

Living in St. John’s, Newfoundland, makes owning a Rolex Submariner in steel and gold feel like a treasure hunt. Yes, it’s rare, and yes, it’s expensive, but for those who appreciate craftsmanship and history, this watch is the epitome of all three. It’s a piece that will outlast trends and provide decades of reliable performance. Whether you’re wearing it to dinner or taking in the rugged beauty of the Newfoundland coast, the Rolex Submariner will always rise to the occasion.

If you’re fortunate enough to get your hands on one, don’t let it go—this is a watch for life.

Yours truly, Etienne ArchambaultWatch Collector and Enthusiast in Newfoundland

[hahahahawk]

My partner and I have been playing Planet Crafter together.

It started as him playing while I watched and helped make decisions about building priority and base design, but I got frustrated with him leaving too many resources lying around. I bought a copy for myself and figured out how to stream it from my “gaming” PC to my definitely-not-gaming laptop.

Playing on my PC was an option, but then we’d be on a discord call in separate rooms. This way I can sit in my comfy chair and still watch over his shoulder as he does big exploration with high quality graphics while focusing on resource management and organization close to home base.

During today’s play session he died from dehydration away from base, so i took it upon myself to build water collectors near our far-flung outposts.

Except I got lost, fell off a cliff, and starved to death in an area we hadn’t explored much. I resurrected with only half of what had been in my backpack and not much food, so I asked for some help finding my body. I’d set up a mini-base near my death site, but was still running low on food and water. He came (with provisions) for a quick search party, but while we found a bunch of chests with other goodies, never confirmed any were my corpse.

Instead of giving up and moving on, we ended up adding more rooms to the temporary base (mostly to have room to store all the rare resources we were finding). I put together the materials for a water collector and put it in a puddle. We were both low on food so each built a food grower, and he made a couple solar panels to keep them running. The temporary base grew a second floor and advanced crafting station.

All in all, the panic of dying in an unfamiliar part of the map ended up being a fun, extra-collaborative side quest.

This game had previously been marked as “ignore” on stream because I historically don’t play survival games, *and* it’s first person, *and* I’ve spent a few hours watching YouTubers play it. I’m glad Kevin wanted to give it a shot, because this is one of my favorite games we’ve played together.

Another favorite memory was early on when he thought you needed to take chips out of your backpack to upgrade them. Two separate times it resulted in his full inventory falling on the floor around him 😂

[hervygervy]

I’d favor ease of gameplay over immersion. It’s a video game, it better not be annoying to play. If something is tedious in a game it honestly takes me out of it. In other words, smooth gameplay improves my immersion.

It also depends on what is meant by immersion, really. In the case of Pokémon, back in ye olden days, holding an everstone wasn’t a guarantee of passing a parent’s nature down in the daycare. Over time, they made it a guarantee. Getting an ideal nature was made easier. Then they introduced mints which just change the nature to the one you want. Such changes aren’t necessarily “immersion breaking.” I never really thought to myself “man, these mints and bottle cap collectors are so unrealistic!” Is a mystical stat-changing mint really all that strange in a sci-fi world with magical creatures? In the end, Pokémon are easier to customize for those who wish to take part in the more competitive sides of the game.

Xenoblade 2 is a better example because the randomness of the blades is ingrained into that game’s world. It’s introduced to you as such from the very beginning. But… the gacha-less proposal could work I think. I mean, the game already has like merchants and whatnot that will sell you a guaranteed blade. In all honesty you could make a decent immersive experience towards working for a specific blade. You know what I don’t remember? A lot of the random blades I collected, even some of the legendary ones. When did I get Gorg? I don’t remember. I don’t care. He doesn’t interest me. But Vess? You had to do a whole side quest to get her. I can remember that side quest and approximately where I was at in the game. Having to actually work towards all the special blades and get to know them is infinitely more immersive than slaying an enemy, finding a crystal, and slapping it on a random party member. That I think would be a much more interesting experience and also help you be a bigger part of that world. And it would definitely be more memorable.

But I’m just spitballing.

Ok so I’ve now been up for 19 hours straight so now is a great time to talk about something I have been thinking about for a little bit. Game design is a weird thing and I have little to no knowledge on actually creating games but as a player something has repeatedly struck me in several games I’ve played. That being specifically game mechanics that exist primarily to fill the role of immersion at the expense of ease of play or convenience to the player. Game mechanics usually tend to fall somewhere on that spectrum, between purely to enhance gameplay experience and purely to immerse, even if it may not seem that way at first.

An example that recently came up on a conversation I was having on discord was the core crystal system in Xenoblade 2. (I’ve tried to divorce myself from the side I chose as much as possible but it might bleed in here so I’m sorry if it’s obvious). Some believed that the gatcha nature of the system enhanced the immersion of the game and allowed for an experience that would be more similar to a character within that story rather then the arbitrary doling out of new blades based on quest completion. Others thought that the system could have been vastly improved to allow for easier access to blades through a quest system or other methods that guaranteed a new party member upon completion, and that the immersion that going through all of the common blades to get to one that’s special was just hindering the gameplay experience and story experience as well.

The first option favors the use of immersion over everything, while the second is concerned first with the gameplay and ease of access to content over immersion. That conversation got me thinking about how games balance these two features and it’s honestly kind of fascinating, especially considering changes to existing mechanics in the wake of new releases of different series. For example, Pokemon has, over the years, made it much easier for you to “catch them all” through the use of online trading and ways to acquire Pokemon that did not show up on the main adventure. Beyond that, it has also steadily integrated more and more ways to quickly build up the stats of a team and make a competitive setup, what with the raids and mints allowing you to tweak Pokémon for a specific nature and set of stats. This is one of the larger examples of the steady shift from more tedious but immersive game design to more efficient, ease-focused design. It’s present in more games than just Pokemon but if I weee to list them all I think we’d be here forever.

So I guess the question is, what’s the ideal middle ground that games should walk between immersion and concise gameplay? It would be cool to get different takes on that from others, or maybe just people providing their own experiences with gameplay that they’ve noticed is skewed one way or the other. It would be interesting to hear the responses people have.

[familyagrestefanblog]

Analysis of the Family Agreste Portrait

Quarantine strikes again and since the Agreste family portrait has fascinated me for a loooong while now I decided to put my thoughts into words and write another essay x3

The amount of informations we get out if it is amazing and its not only highlighting the absolute TRAGEDY it is that this family is about to face such a horrible fall out, it also hints at the former family dynamic before everything went to hell.

So make yourself comfortable and get something to drink, because we will be here for a while.

Here we go: My analysis of this beauty of a fictional portrait

Let's start with the most obvious one: Hawkmoth.

Its commen knowledge by now that the background makes it seem like Hawkmoth is standing behind the Agreste family like a bad omen waiting for fate to take its course and cause their doom. The portrait is brilliantly designed so the illusion is created that Gabriels body (here in a blue suit closer to Hawkmoths normals dark purple one) overlaps with Hawkmoths and a darker line is connecting the two faces as well, which rest on the same height right beside each other. The very same line grows bigger as it goes further behind Emilie - coloring her entire background - showing us that EMILIE is all Gabriel sees when he becomes Hawkmoth. But notice that Adrien on the other hand can hardly be concidered part of Gabriels “sight” at all.

Its forshadowing 101 and damn beautiful if I may say so. But this isnt what I want to focus on in this post.

I want to elaborate on two other key factors that tell us about the former dynamic of the Agrestes instead and what they tell us about the present and future.

The heart:

This is hitting me on another level because look at the heart these three form with Adrien right in the middle! He was so LOVED. This family may have never been anywhere close to ideal but still, there was LOVE and now he's gonna loose it all.

Adrien already lost his mother which led to his father getting even more distant and cold and now his father is becoming increasingly more abusive as he falls deeper and deeper into villainy. Gabriel was never a good father, the show has already made this clear with episodes like "the bubbler", “the collector” or "Gigantitan" for example but gosh there was hope for their little family! The end scene in "Jackady" portrayed it perfectly and I wrote a whole other post just covering the sigificants of Adriens and Gabriels hug in that episode. Check it out here if you want, it goes hand in hand with this one.

Miraculous is all about love and the completely different ways it can affect us, our behavior and actions. Because love isnt just wonderful, pure and empowering, it also can be twisted, destructive and cause the darkst nightmares. And with this family the writers know how to portray the complex love in an abusive houshold thats destined to go up in flames and they also know how to hint at their troubled past with the family portrait.

But this heart visual tells us even more in connection with the positions of their hands. And with these two key factors, lets start with Gabriel:

His hands convey it so strongly. He loves/d Emilie and Adrien so much and no doubt this love for them was certainly the reason why he started his quest as Hawkmoth. But he is now losing himself more and more in the pleasure of his villainy to the point where he forgets why he's doing it in the first place and becomes a complete monster (of a father). But this turn and spiraling into villainy didn't came out of nowhere - this root already had to be in him to grow like that. And this is also something the portrait indeed hints at as well.

Because Gabriel is the only one of the three who:

1. We see so completely open and without hesitation reach out and hold BOTH his family members.

2. Is visually “cut off” from them as well.

But this doesn't mean he was excluded and the only one who truly cared and loved, it just shows that things were more... complicated...as usual.

This is best explained with Adriens hand placements:

One hand is holding his mothers but the other one is visibly not reaching out for his father. But as we all know, that's not because Adrien doesn't love him. In season 1-3 it is made more than clear that Adrien does not hate his father - he loves him alot and tries to be there for him and be patient because he knows that the loss of his mother brought his father terribly down.

Sure, Adrien gets frustrated and angry with him, literally how could he not?? But Adrien tries his best to reach out to Gabriel so they can bond and come out of this tragedy stronger.

But this loving willingness to forgive his father for the chance of growing a father-son bond with him doesn't change the fact that these two didn't had a bond prior to this. And let's be honest here, does anybody actually think this distance between them was caused by Adrien? I don't think so.

So notice how Adriens hand - not reaching out for his fathers - is the only one in the portrait NOT inside or forming the heart.

When the connection of the hands between the family members symbolise their connection to another, then Adrien keeping the hand for his father away from the display of love is VERY telling. It tells us very directly what this distance did to Adriens side of the relationship. Despite Gabriels hand being right there, Adrien does not meet the gesture. And I cannot believe that he did it out of resentment, nothing in the show indicated such strong negative emotions from past Adrien.

It's much more likely that Adrien not reaching for his fathers hand is meant to show us that Adrien felt that he either CAN'T return the gesture because he fears that it'll end in an unpleasant reaction from Gabriel - that it isn't Adriens "place" to reach out to his busy and distant father like that, like it's demanding something - or Adrien simply didn't took Gabriel laying his hand on his shoulder, in the context of posing for a portrait, as a gesture of love and affection.

The way I interpret the portrait is that prior to Emilies dissappearence Adrien did not exactly try to reach out to his father the same way he did from s1-s3, which, I mean, of course wasn't the case. Not only is it NOT the 13 years olds (or younger) job to form an emotional connection to their absent parent - when that’s the PARENTS job - it also wouldn't be necessarily "needed" for Adrien to do so.

Because Emilie at this point was still in the picture so and she was the complete opposite. She was a (or maybe the ONLY) safe, reliable and loving constant of parental attention, affection and care in his life and because of these two HARSH contrasts Adrien learned from very early on to focus mostly completely on her in that regard while kinda blocking his father out.

That most likely wasn't even an active choice whatsoever - Gabriel proofed to be an unreliable resource so Adrien learned to subconciously treat him that way out of self protection. That doesn't mean he had any kind of dislike or malice against his father it just means that he wasn't able or allowed to connect with Gabriel the way he needed. Several episodes show that Gabriel deadass only parented like 15 minutes tops in his life with one of the worst offenders kinda being “Gigantitan” ngl.

So yeah, when I see that the portrait wants to tell me that prior to Emilies loss, Adrien - a 12-13 year old at most - is THIS used to rely solely on the strong bond he has with his mother and not even really reaching out for his fathers love, then I can't help but interpret it in the way that... Well... Gabriel was so distant and emotionally unreliable to Adrien for all his life, that Gabriel simply... wasn't needed by his son. Not at that point of time at least.

And while this may seem weird, because obviously Adrien only now starts to stop craving for his fathers affection and approval (which is btw a horrible, HORRIBLE thing and not something good. A half orphan losing the last remaining hope he had left of having the chance to finally get to form a bond with the only other parent he has left, just to be crushed by disappointment and abandonment all over again until he let's go, is REALLY NOT as much of a good thing people will make it out to be. This is... plain awful) it's actually quite logical.

Adriens hand outside the heart doesn't mean that his father meant nothing to him and therefore refuses to meet and accept his affection (that's literally the complete opposite of what the show shows us), it means that Adriens and Gabriels father-son relationship suffers from a fatal emotional disconnection caused by miscommunication/ a lack of communication.

And this was caused by Gabriel. How? Let me elaborate on that by going a bit far afield (cuz lbh we all have time for this. I’m writing this in quarantine and youre reading this is quarantine, so lets gooooooooooooo).

In "The bubbler" Adrien says that his father "always forgot his birthday", but I cannot agree with this in true honesty. Gabriel is controlling his sons entire life, calls him "the epitome of perfection" and temporarily truly gave up being Hawkmoth for him, he definitely never forgot Adriens birthday.

"The bubbler" even SHOWS us that Adriens perspective of the situation is actually not the truth:

This is Adriens first birthday after Emilies dissappearence and it's incredibly telling how Gabriel handles the planning.

What this entire little sequence tells me is that Gabriel is completely and UTTERLY used to NOT be the one to take care of anything related to Adriens birthday. So Emilie was always the one who did it but somehow - now without her - Gabriel apparently still hasn't even considered changing anything about that nasty non-involvement and just expected Natalie to pick everything up where Emilie left it.

Because let's be real here, knowing Natalie she would NOT have forgotten to get a present if Gabriel truly had told her to. Natalie is never presented to do mistakes like that but Gabriel on the other hand IS definitely presented to us claiming things about himself as ultimate, blameless and true when they simply do not reflect reality. A great example: Gorizilla

You didn’t even speared a minutes of your time for Adrien and he DID try to! Asshat… It's a problem guys. The lack of self awareness Gabriel displays in moments like this is legitimately concerning when you think about how deeply this man is falling right now.

But back to the topic:

Because even if Gabriel didn't even consider doing anything himself for Adriens birthday - not even taking the time to SEE his son (who just recently lost his mother, come on Gabe, really?) - one thing one cannot hold against him: he sure as hell remembered Adriens birthday like any decent parent would and it wasnt portrayed as a this-year-for-the-first-time thing.

And yet Adriens statement still makes complete sense. Because a big, BIG problem with Gabriel is just how much he takes things for granted. He EXPECTS things to be universally known and to never be doubted, just because that's how HE sees them. I will write 10 essays if it's needed to make people understand that Gabriel DOES truly love Adrien, it's just that Gabriel HIMSELF is such a rotten, twisted and toxic person that he cannot see how much his (oppressing) behavior and the way he (doesn't) express his love hurts Adrien and that HE is the one at fault. (for more, once again, read this)

Gabriel LOVES Adrien but he takes the love he feels as such a matter-of-fact that he just completely... forgets to show it.

And when we take Adriens words and look at the Family portrait it unfortunately seems that...

…. Gabriel ALWAYS forgot to show it.

Adriens hand - that should at least be reaching out to his father - is outside of the heart in accepting certainty. Because that's what Gabriels non-presence was for Adrien while growing up: an unreliable and unreachable certainty he had to accept early on as safer to not try to emotionally depend on too much or else he will get hurt.

So yeah, Adrien is the one in the portrait who is very openly not reaching out but only because Gabriel never gave him the needed affection and stability to be able to create that bond.

But let me correct what I said a little earlier: Adrien ALWAYS needed his father. Every kid, especially one in a bad situation like Adrien, does need their parents/friends etc as support system to become independent and confident in a healthy way. And if they don’t have that they WILL crave and look for it!

What Adrien has been doing up to now IS normal for a teenager - humans NEED affection, belonging and safety. What ISNT/SHOULDN’T be normal is Adriens disconnection towards his father in the portrait and just how much Gabriel fails to take care and BE THERE for his son in BOTH TIMES!

Collector:

Bother Christmas:

One thing I like about the show is that it portrays their young main cast with one very important truth: The psyche of a child/teenager of their age will react and adapt so it SURVIVES, even if it results in unfortunate consequences in other relationships and places. Thats the psyches main concern and it'll try to cope with the limited experience and development it has in whatever way necessary to get itself to the next day. A coping mechanism is not there to make you a better person, it ensures your SURVIVAL, everything else is a secondary concern.

So seeing pre-show Adrien not react to Gabriels touch and even feel completely unloved and disconnected from him is no surprise to me. Kids are incredibly observant. They may lack the needed experience and knowledge to truly understand that they deserve better and to stand up for themselves but they are masters in picking up red flags in people and can put this danger into perspective while comparing the different danger levels of their options of people and places to adjust their behavior.

Feast:

Stormy Weather 2:

So the broken connection between father and son we see in the portrait (that Gabriel doesn't even notice but Adrien fully internalized) isn’t there because Adrien “didnt needed” or wanted his father, its because Adrien NEEDED Gabriel so much in his isolated upbringing but Gabriel didn’t LET him need him - so Adrien had to adjust to that accordingly. Big, huge, ENORMOUS difference.

Honestly the most miraculous thing about Miraculous is that Adrien was able to bring up the strength to stay positive and friendly and to forgive Gabriel in hope for a better future. That boys situation is 7 kinds of depressing and traumatizing...

It's just flabbergasting to me how well this portrait shows how basically non-existent their relationship was at that point. And it's horrible to know that this estranged and unformed bond is all Adrien had left after Emilie dissappeared, just alot worse because after Emilie incident Adrien states that his father changed alot for the worse as well.

So to think that all Adrien had left wasn't even this former basically non-existent relationship with his aloof father - who would only barely show his true affection for his son because he's either not around enough to do so or he thinks it "unnecessary to proof his affection" for/to Adrien because he already thinks it so obvious and undoubtable.

Well he thought wrong. And GOSH, it breaks my heart!

So now comparing the "Gabriel" hand from Adrien with the one representing his connections with his mother conveys a pretty harsh contrast.

Because last but not least, let's take a look at Emilies hand placements:

But here is now an interesting difference to Adrien. Whereas we openly see that Adriens side of the Adrien-Gabriel relationship is completely disconnected from the heart/love - showcasing just how badly Adrien has always been neglected by his father - we don't see Emilies hand in her Emilie-Gabriel relationship AT ALL.

Once again just like with Adrien, this doesn't mean she didn't love her husband and that Gabriel was used and fooled by the woman he so utterly adored. It just means that from Emilies point of view things were a bit more complicated. What exactly this is, the portrait is keeping secret from us. We have no way of knowing if and how Emilie is returning her husbands gesture. All we can say is that if she does she is definitely not doing it in such an open and unconflicted way as she does with Adrien.

But since when has anything with this family been this easy?

One thing the portrait makes very clear, Adrien and Emilie had a strong and good bond. Definitely the healthiest because the Adrien-Emilie connection is the only one depicted without any kind of disruption from both sides. Both mother and son are reaching out for the other ones hand creating a whole half of the heart, showcasing their affection for another openly and without any of the implied doubts the other connections display. And honestly? Comparing all the hand placements, the one connecting Adrien and Emilie just comes across as strikingly pure and true (which makes it even worse that it was HER Adrien lost…)

As I said it's a HARSH contrast to the one Adrien shears with Gabriel. This contrast is highlighted even further by the way these three face on another.

Emilie and Adrien are positioned facing another and so are Emilie and Gabriel. Telling us that Emilie was "face-to-face" aka involved with both her husband and son. It is Adrien and Gabriel were this looks wildly different. These two have no way of seeing each other in the eyes the way they stand now/then, further displaying their deeply rooted disconnection. It's portrays perfectly how important Emilie was in this family dynamic, because even though Adrien and Gabriel bearly had a connection at all they at least had Emilie as a link between them, keeping the family together. But then they lost her and where this left both father and son off we know oh too well...

So to collect all the informations we get out if this portrait:

-Adriens and Emilies relationship was the strongest and purest. Both of their hands connect and reach out for another in the heart, showcasing that they had a loving and positive bond.

-Adriens and Gabriels relationship is heavily scarred by a deeply rooted disconnection leaving Adrien feeling unloved and unwanted by his father to the point where Adriens side of their dynamic is outside the heart altogether. Gabriel may love and adore his son just like he loves his wife and never thought he displayed his love for him in a lacking way, but fact is: this love never reached Adrien the way it should have and Adrien is the one in their dynamic who got severely hurt and damaged by it.

-Gabriel was the only one completely unconflicted and happily at peace with the former Family situation. He's reaching out to both his family members with open love and affection in blissful oblivion that neither his wife nor son could return them the same way (to different degrees for different reasons). Gabriel was the ONLY ONE in the Agreste family who didn't saw problems in their lives and thought them all happy, hence why he's so obsessed with changing the past and bringing THIS state of their family back. He was happy and he had everything he needed and loved right with him, of course he wants THIS back. He's not aware that Emilie and ESPECIALLY Adrien did not feel the same about their former situation and that bringing all of them back to this is not the perfect happy ending for their entire family as he thinks.

-Emilie may not have been as unconflicted with Gabriel as he was with her but she is NOT feeling the same disconnection her son feels and isn't depicted with negative feelings towards Gabriel. Her side in the Emilie-Gabriel relationship is neither shown outright positive as with her son or outright bad as Adrien with Gabriel. Her side of their bond is depicted through her unseen hand placement in the unknown area in between.

-Despite their not so unconflicted feelings towards Gabriel - and Gabriel himself being aloof - neither Emilie nor Adrien are actively trying to cut Gabriel out. They aren't flinching away from his touch or exclude him from the heart whatsoever. He's happily included, obviously feeling loved. They may not be 100% happy and Gabriel doesn't notice it, but they aren't denying him his happiness and make him unhappy. Again, he's the only one truly happy here. Something neither Emilie nor Adrien tried to take away from him.

-Emilie and Adrien are facing each other as do Emilie and Gabriel, implying the presence of communication and a bond. Adrien and Gabriel do not face each other, showing their disconnected bond. If they could see each others face Adrien would have been able to see that Gabriels hand is a gesture of genuine affection and Gabriel could see that Adriens expression does not exactly display pure happiness the way he thinks. This also goes for Emilie. Emilie just like her husband is placed BEHIND her son, so even if she is facing him she would not be able to really see just how much Adrien is not satisfied and truly happy with his life at that point (meaning how unhappy being looked up, friendless and at distance with his father actually makes him).

- This fascinating family makes me sad and I like it lol

[jeeperso]

D&D Quotes Without Context

Ravenloft edition, Har-Akir arc, part 3

"Well, off to go tomb raiding once more. Let's hope the traps weren't made by a sadist.” “Oh, Nyx. You sweet summer child.”

"The local monsters no better than to attack a Vistani caravan, but we'll be on our own.” “We can make a few examples. They’ll learn about us fast. Just remember to leave a survivor.”

"At least it isn't vorpal rabbits. Stupid idiot just had to use magic to crossbreed rabbits with wolves.” “And that's what hand held explosives are for.”

"Suffer not The Love Guru to live…"

"Fear not children, hope has arrived! Why? Because WE ARE HERE!”

GM: The ogres are now moving in slow motion. OOC: BGM All-Star at .05 speed.

GM: Actually wait not. You catch the guy int he knee. He starts screaming. Edmund: "Ill fix that! I'm a doctor!” Jonni: “Stop crying! We’re rescuing you!”

Poom shoots the non-groveling one with a ray made of clocks. Nyx: ”Ewww, Poom, did you have to rot the ogre? Couldn't you have done some other form of damage so it doesn't explode in a shower of guts when that damaged?” Edmund: ”Apparently Ogres become more juicy with age.... “ Poom: "Only if you store it wrong.”

Jonni stands in mid air. “Here! Let me show you a big … bang… kind of atta… fuck it, fireball!”

“I AM THE GODDES OF HELLFIRE AND MOLASSES! AND I BRING YOU THE GIFT… OF FIRE!”

Gorbash: “It's Ogres, My Great Uncle always said they're often too stupid to realize they're already dead.” Jonni: “They are. Torm the Almost Unbeatable was nearly killed when one kicked him after he cut its head off. That was a good solstice festival.”

“I’d say you can take a bite out of them, but Ogres taste like crap.” Poom: "You have to pickle them first.”

"Easy now... Let me look you over... I think. You have an arrow to the knee.”

Azathoth: "Giant rubies are never a good thing.”

OOC: Oh, shit, it’s Akio Ohtori! Don’t get in any cars with him!

OOC: Put some sand in there. Maybe a helmet made from a skull.

“I, sir, am a Paladin. It is my sworn duty to keep the innocent from harm.” “He is. Trust me. It’s almost gotten us killed.” “Please, all of our virtues or vices have nearly gotten us killed at some point.”

The circus tent that walks like a man's heavy iron tread echoes through the halls.

Edmund: ”Which... might be quite..... Deadly. Assassins are rather known for it. “ Jonni: “I mean, so am I.”

OOC: DREAM WARRIORS ASSEMBLE!

The streets are empty, the buildings are basically empty shells like the set of a stage play. “Is there still booze?”

As you look around, you hear singing in the distance, along with the dragging of something. “Yeah, yeah, creepy dream demon 101.”

"Mouth eyes, cute. I've seen worse in my own nightmares.”

The ruby is gone, in its place is a deck of cards. Gorbash slaps Eddie's hand instinctively.

Poom: "I'm not sure I dream any more so much as have 'enforced family time’."

"Are you guys still in town? What happened?” “Minor delay, unrelated cursed nightmare shit. Nothing you need worry about.” "Right yeah, I forgot you guys are addicted to the side quests. Alright carry on.” “Yeah having a functioning conscience can be inconvenient.”

Jonni: “I think I can see the curvature of time, guys.”

Jonni flies back and does her sexy Identify dance on the wagon.

"DOG! I HAVE BEEN IMPRISONED IN THIS ACCURSED BOTTLE FOR 500 YEARS, I VOWED TO SLAY THE FIRST LIVING BEINGS I SAW WHEN I EXITED AND THAT SHALL BE YOUuuuu…" He lowers his scimiter and looks at Jonni. Then at her bottle. Then he quickly bows.

"I am the duke of boiling rage, hurler of 10,000 curses, collector of 10,00 skulls, who has brought low everyone who has insulted me.” "Your haircut is very fancy!” "Thank you.”

SANDSTORM! OOC: I had that book.

OOC: No fair! I’m using Mon-Ra in Spelljammer! Their the unholy spawn of Mum-Ra and Mon-Starr.

Jonni: “Their last name is ‘Golzana?’ I could have been making fun of that this whole time?!?”

OOC: FUCK THAT! JONNI NEEDS HER EYES FOR LOOKING AT TITTIES!

OOC: Also, bold of you to assume Jonni’s cylindrical shaped vessel has been a bottle.

“Mistress, can I chop this ones hands off? He wont leave my flask alone.” "No. I need my hands. For Reasons!”

Jonni: “Efreet don’t get powers from bottles. They only get into them at all for weird sex stuff.”

[athetos]

I think ocarina of time will always be my favorite zelda game and I know a lot of it is due to sentimental reasons, it was my first Zelda game after all, even if I wasn’t able to fully appreciate it until a few years later when I was older, but genuinely I find it very hard to find things to criticize in it. Yes I know the water temple is the bane of everyone’s existence but I’m one of the few people who never had any problems with it. I loved the townsfolk, I loved the side quests (yes, even the very long trading sequence), I loved the bosses, I loved the plot twists, I absolutely adore the dungeons I think they’re the best in the series, the music is perfect, I’m just still in love with this game even more than 2 decades later. Even now I love theorizing about the Poe Collector’s origins, and watching speedruns or glitch compilations, and listening to remixes of the soundtrack. I think it’s aged incredibly well, graphics and all, and while it’s not the highest stakes in a video game by far, it still feels like an epic. I’ve beaten the game 4 times over 3 consoles (twice original, twice master quest; one 100% run and one 3 heart run each) and it’s never gotten old to me. I still feel like I’m 6 years old renting the game and trying to figure out how to leave kokiri forest or fight off redeads, or a teen jumping the ranch fence with Epona, while my brother and cousin watched and cheered. That game just truly feels like home to me.