#I've got Lore for them I just need to sit down and like Figure out how to draw them

[drunkcleric-art]

a quick doodle to get used to some new brushes based on all the pokemon stuff I've been seeing I've been thinking bout my twin arcanine alot (Sideswipe and Sunstreaker, by babies) and a pokemon self-insert turned oc

Inspired by me trying to clean my very dramatic dogs teeth and the contortionist way he twists himself to get away from me

[nadas-dirthalen]

I Saw Solas's Origin in an Achievement Icon and It Opened My Eyes on 15 Years of Lore

— PART ONE —

[ 2 ] [ 3 ] [ 4 ] [ 5 ] [ 6 ] [ 7 ] [ 8 ] [ 9 ] [ 10 ]

Welcome, friends and travelers! I wanted to get some thoughts recorded before Veilguard's release so I could see if I am right about an absolute BOATLOAD of theories I have.

In short: I saw the achievement list when it was released. I have seen the backstory hints for Solas included in said list. AND MY MIND WAS BLOWN.

You have been warned: THIS COLLECTION OF THEORIES INCLUDES SPOILERS FOR EVERY DRAGON AGE GAME AND ALL PROMOTIONAL MATERIAL UP TO AND INCLUDING OCTOBER 18, 2024.

Come sit down with me. Make a nice cup of tea (and hide it from Solas). We've got a lot of unpacking to do.

(this photo isn't the spoiler, I just like it.)

On the docket for this post:

What are we actually seeing?

So what does that... mean?

Previous hints to this origin

What this implies for Solas's past and present

SO, without further ado...!

What Are We Actually Seeing?

So. First we need to briefly go over the details of what is IN this image, before anything else.

This memory is called Manifestation. That's as close to the word "Origin" as I've ever heard. Whatever we find here, it's going to tell us where Solas came from.

And what we do find had blown my mind wide open.

We see that the figure displayed is embedded in a stone ceiling. Its branches extend deep into the stone. It also has what looks (to us) like a tail extending below the ceiling, into the open space below. The tail also fans out into branches, like a long and bending twig. What does this remind me of?

Lyrium. Always depicted as coming out from The Stone, bending like twigs and branches into open air. We know now, Lyrium is the blood of the Titans.

The achievement icon's figure has six eyes at the top center, as well. And you know what those remind me of?

The Dread Wolf.

Put those together, and I have concluded: Solas was originally a part of a Titan. He was removed from this Titan and given physical shape.

So What Does This... Mean?

If we confirm that Solas is Titan-born, there are unending implications (and that's why this big collection of theories has six parts). For now, I'll go over the absolute most basic ones.

Solas has connections to a Titan, which has implications for his history, his magic, and every single one of his motivations and his relationships.

Solas was likely created/mined/taken/inspired by Mythal (more on that later). That means that she is the reason he has a body at all, and informs a lot of things about their relationship and, again, Solas's motivations.

Everything we know about the elves and the Evanuris has evolved. If everything they've done is related to the Titans, then every dwarf main is about to be screaming in glee during Veilguard.

Everything we know about the entire history of Thedas has new context. Again, hell yeah for everyone who wanted more dwarf/Titan lore!!

Understanding Solas's origin story is understanding Solas himself. Not only that, but the world he came from. Not only what he's doing now, but every historical reason behind why he chose to do what he has been doing all along.

In short, our entire understanding of Thedas has changed, because we know how one of its oldest beings came to be.

If all that seems like a lot right now, that's because it is. But think about it. Fen'Harel was the god who could walk among both godly clans. The one who could imprison both sets, away from each other.

Knowing what he comes from tells us a LOT about why "both clans" thought he belonged to them. It tells us a LOT about who—and what—he is taking into consideration with his plans to tear down the Veil.

Oh, yeah. We're going to be talking about everything in Thedas.

Previous Hints to This Origin: This Was Always BioWare's Intention

So many people have been calling Veilguard a "reset" on Thedas lore. And regardless of your opinion on the worldstate choices, I will say this: absolutely none of Solas's lore is a retcon. Having just played DA:O and DA2 over the summer, in addition to several playthroughs of Inquisition, in addition to reading Tevinter Nights, The Missing, and both volumes of World of Thedas, I can say with certainty: there have been little hints placed for this reveal over all 15 years.

Yes, I will be dissecting most of these as we go on.

NOTE: This is not a 100% exhaustive list, especially by the time we get to DA:I!

Origins:

the earliest Fen'Harel lore: Fen'Harel walked between both clans of gods, for each of them believed him to be one of their own.

Oghren remarks that the Temple of Sacred Ashes is built around a lot of lyrium, and suggests (perhaps falsely) that that is why the Sacred Ashes of Andraste have healing powers

DA2:

literally Mythal is there, guys. she's there right in the prologue. of course DA2 was also an Evanuris game!! they ALL are!

the focus on the lyrium idol: being the Titans' blood, and being used so extensively in Veilguard (as the dagger) after its mention in Tevinter Nights (where Solas was looking for it and called it "my idol"), my assumption is it has always been a part of him or related to his Titan

red lyrium in general: showing us its effects, setting up the reveal for what it is in Inquisition

Corypheus' appearance in DA2, and how BioWare brought Corypheus in just so the player could see, without a doubt, that Hawke killed Corypheus. This was always meant to be a "HUH?" moment in Inquisition, where the player would see that Corypheus did, in fact, fully come back to life—opening up the door for future questions on how immortality is possible in Thedas

every Merrill mention of Fen'Harel, and having the legend from previous Dalish codices and Fen'Harel statues be placed in dialogue from her personal quest, where far fewer players would miss it or accidentally overlook it

taken together: everything having to do with Corypheus and lyrium in DA2 was preparation for us to establish a connection between lyrium, the Evanuris, immortality, and the blight in DAI.

Inquisition:

Cole's dialogue. Here's just a few lines: (at the lyrium coffins in Trespasser) "They're all singing. Coffers, coffins, corpses that aren't dead. A song crying out in the dark." // (telling Dorian why he doesn't need to eat) "I thought I had to. But I don't. The Old Songs can pull me." // (about wanting to be bound as a spirit) "You should ask Solas to bind you, too. And then someone can bind him."

Also this Cole/Solas exchange:

The entire Well of Sorrows quest. Lyrium, once refined, is a liquid. The Well of Sorrows houses memory: the memories of all who pledged themselves to it.

Solas' dialogue with Sera includes him saying elvish phrases that translate, loosely, to Titan-esque things (more about that in a later post!)

The insight we get into Templar and Seeker magic. Notably, Cole remarks over and over how it's connecting to "that other thing" (Titan magic, presumably) that counters mages' Fade magic. (ex: "The lyrium helps, but their bodies always want to connect to… something older. Bigger than they are. That's why they block magic. They reach for that other thing, and magic has no room to come in.")

Every Vir Dirthara codex has something to do with either lyrium, slain Titans, or that "other" magic (coming from the Pillars of the Earth).

The lullaby found in the Deep Roads in Trespasser is actually an elven explanation of Solas's origin. (more on that in a later post!)

External Media:

Solas calls it HIS red lyrium idol in Tevinter Nights. When the Dread Wolf descends upon the Mortalitasi, he says "MY lyrium idol."

Solas speaks to the Eye of Kethisca, presumably made of lyrium, in Vows & Vengeance Episode 1. The Eye then stops singing.

There is more in this list than I have posted! Much of it requires other explanations and context, however, and would not fit neatly in this list.

What This Implies for Solas's Past and Present

Past:

I think Solas's origination as part of a Titan has HUGE implications for the entire elvhen empire.

I think all of the Evanuris did Lyrium Crimes™, and they can be identified when we look at their vallaslin (later post!)

I also believe that Dirthamen/Falon'Din were originally also split by Elgar'nan, and it is very possible that they are the same kind of "spirit" as Solas.

I think this has huge implications for his relationship with Mythal.

I think that if Solas shares his lyrium/Titan-based lineage with any elves (as possibly evidenced by the lyrium coffins in the Deep Roads), then his rebellion might take root in how many elvhen may not have asked to be born.

I don't think he had to absorb magic from Mythal to get his powers. If anything, he may have been getting those abilities back.

Present:

I think that the Titans may have been injured/sundered when Solas created the Veil, and that is why they forget how to wake up.

I think the Titans, therefore, are the Forgotten Ones.

I think Solas wants to tear down the Veil to wake the Titans.

BIIIIIGGGG Blight implications, seeing as red lyrium is the blood of blighted Titans.

I think, if Solas dies, he may be "returned to the Stone" in the same way we saw in the Descent DLC.

But ALSO? I think this has the potential to explain a LOT of the lore we've been questioning for the last 15 years. And that is why this post is scheduled to have 6 parts by the time I'm through.

Stay tuned. <3

Up Next: (Almost) Every Hint the Elvish Language Gave Us About Solas's Origin

[samdeancass]

Too Much

Requested by Anonymous

Prompt: #39 from my Prompt List: "I'm not a human, I never was. So why are you expecting me to act like one?"

Pairing: Castiel x Winchester!reader

Genre: Angst, Slight Fluff

Characters: Castiel, Y/N, Dean, Sam

Description: Lately, Castiel hasn't paid much attention to Y/N, leaving them feeling lonely and confused. When they confront him about it, they don't get the reaction they were expecting.

From the moment you first saw Castiel, you knew you would fall hard. However, being the sister of Sam and Dean Winchester made it ten times harder than it should have been. Dean was always very overprotective when it came to you and was not very happy when you confessed your unique and deep feelings for Cas to him.

"That's not a good idea," Dean warned. But you stood your ground. "Cas isn't like the others. He chose us over his own family. That's not the action of an emotionless being!" Dean, defeated, pulled you into a hug. "I'm happy for you, but please, be careful. I don't want to see you hurt."

Sam, always the voice of reason, had a different perspective on your feelings for Castiel. 'I thought angels couldn't be with humans. How would it even work? Can they start families? Do they even understand human emotions?' Sam pondered these questions while you stood in the doorway, rolling your eyes. 'I've never read anything that says angels can't be in a relationship with a human. And I believe that Castiel and I can figure it out.' Your determination shone through your words. Sam smiled and nodded. 'Thanks for sharing, Y/N. I'm sure it'll all work out.'

After dealing with your brothers, you weren't sure that Cas could feel the same about you, whether he would even understand what they would mean. After spending hours trying to figure it out, you decided to just go ahead and tell him. He was sitting in the library, looking through lore books, when he looked up and smiled widely at your sudden presence. "Hello, Y/N." You smiled back at Cas, his smile always infectious. "Hey, Cas." You sat opposite him, twiddling your thumbs in your lap. He tilted his head with worry and confusion, clearly recognising your feelings. "Y/N, what's the matter?" You locked eyes with Cas, and your breath hitched in your throat before taking a deep breath. "Truth is, Cas, I've got something to confess. I've felt something for you for a while, but I haven't had the confidence to tell you until now. I wasn't sure whether you could reciprocate those feelings or even understand what they mean, but I needed to tell you."

To your surprise, Castiel smiled widely back at you, his hand reaching across the table to take yours. "I feel the same way, Y/N. At first, I wasn't sure what they meant, so I talked with Dean. He said, and I quote, 'If you hurt her, I will kill you, bring you back and send your ass down to hell.' I wasn't sure how you felt about me, so I kept them to myself. So, you couldn't imagine how happy you have just made me." You brought your hand up to your mouth and kissed it, a sentiment that made Cas blush. "I can imagine, angel. I feel the same way."

For the next few months, your relationship with Castiel and your feelings for each other grew. Considering your hunting life, you could have never imagined you would ever find someone to love. There were dangers to being the girlfriend of an angel, but you were already a Winchester, so you were used to the threat. Your relationship wasn't conventional; you had to teach Castiel a lot about love and how to treat the person you loved, but you didn't mind. He was your angel, and his innocence made you love him even more.

However, no matter how hard you tried to teach Castiel how to act with the person you loved, it never seemed to stick. You often found yourself alone in the bunker whilst he and your brothers were off hunting, stuck on the sidelines and feeling rather lonely. He never used to leave you behind; he loved being by your side whilst hunting, but something has changed, and you were determined to know what.

You waited until they returned from the hunt and walked into the war room, arms across your chest. "Oh no, Cas, you've done something wrong, buddy. She's got that look in her eyes." You narrowed your eyes at Sam, a silent warning to shut the hell up. He chuckled and held up his hands in surrender before making his way to the kitchen, Dean following suit but not before making sure you were ok. "Hey, kid. Everything good? Do I need to make good on my promise?" You smiled slightly at him and shook your head. "Everything's fine, Dean. Cas and I just need to chat; that's all." He nodded in understanding before following his brother. Cas made his way towards you, a soft smile on his face and placing a kiss on your head, but sensed your tenseness and his features changed completely.

"Y/N, what's wrong? Did something happen while we were away?" You shook your head, a soft breath leaving your mouth. "Let's go to my room; we need to talk about something." He looked confused but followed you to your room, closing the door behind him. "What's the matter? I can sense that there's something wrong." "You're right, Cas. There is something wrong. Something wrong with us." His expression changed as you finished your sentence to a look of hurt and sadness. "What do you mean? I don't understand. We both love each other; there's nothing wrong with that." You took his hands and guided him to the foot of your bed, sitting yourselves down. "I agree; there's nothing wrong with us loving each other, Cas. But it's been feeling rather one-sided lately. I always show you how much I love you by doing your favourite things and teaching you the ways of the human world. I always want to spend time with you, but you either push me away or you're too busy. You leave me behind on hunts even though you know I can handle my own. I'm kind of sick of being in this relationship alone. When humans are in a relationship, actions and feelings are reciprocated."

Castiel ripped his hands from yours, and his expression turned into frustration and hurt. "You seem to forget, Y/N, I'm not a human, and I never was. So why are you expecting me to act like one? I don't know how you act or treat each other in relationships, and I barely even know how to act properly with my friends. I'm trying so hard to let you know that I love you, but I don't know how. I never want to push you away, Y/N; I just don't know how to act around you, and it becomes too much for me to handle. I never want to leave you behind when I go with your brothers, but I feel like I must, so I know you're safe; that's the only way I know how to properly show you my love. If that's not good enough, then I suppose our relationship isn't working at all."

Before you could say anything, Castiel stormed out of the room and past the kitchen, alerting the brothers that something had happened. You knew he had left with the bang of the bunker door, and sobs wracked your body. You hadn't realised Cas didn't know what to do; you just thought he was lousy. Sam and Dean rushed to your room and wrapped you in their arms, seeing your state. "He's gone, hasn't he? He's really gone. I've really hurt him, guys. I need to find him to get him back." You were about to stand up, but Dean pulled you back down, shaking his head. "No, princess. Let him cool off; he'll be back. No matter what happened between the two of you, he'd never leave you." You smiled and nodded, but you had a horrible feeling in your stomach that he wouldn't come back.

Tags:

@bxoken-heartss @deascheck

[redandrew52]

ok so hi as per usual I have a whole info dump to dump bc when do I not

Lately I've been doing a bunch of art stuff out of my comfort zone. Sewing, 3D art, oil painting, etc... and I've honestly felt like I've forgotten how to draw...not like... actually but like where you pick up a pen and you feel like you've forgotten what you're doing. Sometimes I just sit down to sketch and I just can't. I feel like everything has to be in a specific journal or done a specific way (because wow my brain loves being particular!) and I can't just sit and make something without thought

So to prevent that, I decided to draw some cool Tumblr OCs because that way I can't be particular about it since idk all the lore and xyz

these were all done with a pen so if I messed up stuff then yk, oopsie daisy :') but that's the fun of sketching I suppose (also If you couldn't tell I hate drawing hair- I just scribbled that shit real fast and called it a day (yet in my finished artworks I always get so many compliments on my ability to do hair? Strange how that works))

also!! if you are a person viewing this post who has never seen these artists please check them out they are super talented and their art is a feast for the eyes!! tags w/ corresponding OC below

@everett-fornow (Henris) @i-can-not-art (Midge) @iolite-flames (Evander) @kikuwaters (DK) @just-someone-in-here (Lillian) @berrycreatures (Cosmo)

Ok this next part of the post is mainly just for myself but I'm including it in this post because this is kinda just me shooting the shit on main, so don't feel obligated to read this but if u stick around to see then here is the context:

I have very very bad anxiety and this Tumblr account has been absolutely no exception. I can't quite figure out why but posting on this account makes me feel...sick? That's not quite how I would put it but words are hard...anyways, moral of the story I get really bad anxiety from posting on here and there have been so many finished pieces and shit that I've wanted to put on here that I just never did because the anxiety got the best of me. To maybe (?) prevent that (science experiment(brain experiment?)) I've decided to post a WIP so maybe I'll actually post the finished thing whenever the hell I finish it (I have so many projects going on at once I can't even count)

this is obviously very not finished at all because I was struggling with this so bad that I needed to step back and just stop looking at it for a second but yeah!!!!!!!! ocs!!!!!!! gee golly gosh do I love ocs

OK THAT WAS A LOT OF TALKING MY APOLOGIES BYE

[euphoricsleeplucidity]

I started shipping Juzi as a complete joke, but I can't believe I've come to genuinely enjoy it. Since I'm working on a fanfic that has yet to be released about a little half-drone cat that the drones find, I came upon the realization that J wasn't in said fanfic. So, here's a little treat or something in the form of a messy script, with a bit of lore you're missing but it's still readable:

Uzi: Ugh, NotOil! Did you seriously have to lead me out here? Just let me-.

(Uzi tries to reach down when the kitten slows, but it picks up pace again and continues on just as her servos brush its soft fur.)

Uzi: Seriously?

(It stops again, at the entrance of the corpse spire, looking back at Uzi with a curious, 'mrrow?' before it continues on, cute little strides toward the landing pod that leave behind small pawprints.)

Uzi: NotOil! (She hisses in frustration and hurries after the fluffy thing.)

(As Uzi heads further into the spire, her eyes hollow when she sees who the kitten has decided to interact with. J. The worker's expression hardens as she approaches them, watching furiously, as J hops off the pod and slows her fall with a swift thrust of her wings, because if the disassembly drone so much as lays a finger on that cat-. What Uzi didn't expect was for J to kneel down before the kitten, talking softly to it.)

J: Where did you come from?

(The kitten mews in response, cautiously moving closer to sniff J. As the ex-leader outstretches a hand, NotOil meows happily and rubs up against her. Uzi clears her throat. J startles, which kind of takes the worker by surprise- she'd figure the disassembler would be a little more on guard.)

J: (Rising to her feet.) Oh, great. You.

Uzi: I didn't exactly want to see you, either, y'know.

(J seems a bit confused by that, but understands when NotOil moves toward Uzi and rubs up against her leg.)

J: I see. ... Why do you have a cat. (More a demand than an answer.)

Uzi: It's a long story. Uh, the short answer is that we found him in a scrapyard.

(J slowly nods. Uzi looks down at the purring kitten as it sits down, looking up at her with expectant green eyes.)

(Silence.)

J: Well? You have your... cat. Get out of here, already, toaster.

Uzi: Tch. Nice to see you haven't changed. (She grumbles bitterly.)

(While Uzi wants to walk away, when she's about to, a tentative paw is placed upon her boot and she pauses. Looks down. Still, the kitten looks expectant. Uzi inwardly groans, and looks back up at J. It's not just NotOil who has tried to get her to interact with J after all this time, after the defeat of the Solver. Even N has tried to encourage her. Which, she figures, probably isn't that much of a surprise.)

Uzi: (Scratching the back of her head, awkward and uncomfortable.) Sooo, J. How have you been... doing? After everything.

(Yellow eyes narrow in suspicion.)

J: Fine. I have been doing fine.

Uzi: Uh-huh... (Her eyes drift to the damaged pod, which looks a little less damaged than she expected.) And you've been doing?

J: Why do you need to know?

Uzi: (Huffs in exasperation.) Dude. I'm trying to be nice to you.

(This time, NotOil meows loudly to grab attention and approaches J once more, tail held high, curled like a question mark. It outstretches both paws toward the disassembler and tilts its head. J's digital brows furrow, in thought.)

J: I've...

(The kitten rubs its cheek against her leg with a little trill. Uzi quirks a brow, a smug smirk playing across her lips.)

(While NotOil is half drone, it's only its back half that are robot. It's rather warm, unlike the cold Copper-9 air or the cool metal of the drones, and Uzi considers it almost therapeutic, its purrs soothing and its black fur criminally soft. In short, an excellent cuddle buddy. It would seem that the little thing is even enough to break through J's harsh exterior.)

Uzi: (She fights back the very obvious 'cat got your tongue' joke that she could totally make right now.) J, you look like you could use a... well, cat.

(J's eyes flick to Uzi's, boring into her.)

Uzi: (Clicks her tongue.) I guess I wouldn't mind sharing it occasionally. It's really comforting, and well, it certainly likes you, anyway.

J: (Her eyes widen a fraction.) But... what if I injure it? What If I lost my cognitive function because I forgot to fill up my reserves? What if I-.

Uzi: (Snickers.) Its name is NotOil for a reason. And J? I don't think you have any intentions to hurt it.

(J looks down at NotOil again, frowning, contemplating.)

J: NotOil is a stupid name.

Uzi: (Suddenly irritated by the comment.) Ugh! Shut up, bite me! V named it that.

(Uzi crosses her arms, looking away.)

J: I think I accept your offer.

(Those words seem to actually excite the kitten, and it purrs loud, circling around J all while brushing up against her legs. Then it rolls over, playfully batting at her stiletto pegs, shaking snow off its head and licking its lips, tail flicking. It rolls further, belly completely exposed. Utterly content and confident. Uzi smiles at the sight.)

Uzi: Great to hear. (She gives them a thumbs up, stepping backward.) You two have fun, bye!

(The worker's organic wings spread as she turns away, and with a quick beat of the limbs, she takes off. If she returns to the bunker and N and V ask where NotOil is, well, she won't get a freaking chance to respond because her new tail, housing an eldritch sentient God virus program thing, will absolutely reveal every little detail.)

(And NotOil? Well, it has a fun day hanging out with J and allowing the disassembly drone to take a break from her endless and tireless attempts to fix the pod.)

[valeriefauxnom]

Is there anything more quintessentially Euden...

...Than readily inviting a person into his castle as usual, and when the (attempted) assassin goes to kill him, instead just calmly sits down at a desk, laces his fingers together (or so I imagine), and then just busts out one of the most classic 'welcome to therapy' stereotypical phrases?

This aside, I do think that this segment is a small but nice encapsulation of Euden's particular skills as a leader that often go under-noticed. Get ready for a deep dive, because I've got a few thoughts about his leadership skills!

The preceding events to these lines lay out that Euden has already acquired intel that Dan is out to get him and why. Furthermore, he's similarly anticipated Dan wanting a 'meeting' with him to assassinate him, and brought guards.

Throughout the entire exchange, Euden maintained a calm demeanor and directed the exchange the entire way:

Aside from the obvious power it demonstrated of his leagues of allies by being able to source this information, it's also a fine showcase on what he can do whenever his buttons aren't being pushed (as they so often are in the main campaign).

We don't often see any details about Euden's reign over his territory, since most would likely find that rather boring, but what hints we do get to how he exercises authority are interesting.

Take Gauld's story. A notable underlying current to it is that Euden has dispatched Hawk to break up a gang, especially by acquiring intel from its former leader in Gauld, and, need be, killing him (though this may less be Euden's explicit orders and more the power vested in Hawk to break up the gang as he sees fit, trusting in him).

While I'm certain it pales to Chelle's, Euden seems to have amassed quite the information network in his own right. Even as far back in canon lore as Renelle, he's at least vaguely still keeping tabs of bandit clans in addition to having the details about the biggest one knocking at his door politely:

Euden also seems to be fairly active in solidifying authority and diplomacy through other means, like his bringing to heel of lands described as 'beyond the reach of the authority of the Alberian royal family', and does so like this:

Even if it is not described that Euden snatched that territory into his own in doing this, I'd imagine the local lords and nobles are much more likely to have to play nice even if they desire to start fights again with the reminder that there is a prince/king in the vague area that has his eye on them and is more than willing to personally intervene in a conflict. It's a classic strategy against the typical downfalls of the scheming nobles vs. royalty, like how Louis XIV forced nobility to come to Versailles so that he might keep them in line and under observation better.

This is one example, but with his constant intervention in all sorts of towns and villages throughout Dragalia, it actually can serve a more effective tactic than the vibes it initially gives, that Euden is just doing this purely because he hates paperwork standing by and letting others do work. All of his running about both serves to better his image of an attentive ruler, as well as keep any uppity nobles in line simply by showing the extent of territory he is maintaining a presence+eye on. Alberia seems to be explicitly feudal, in which local lords have a lot of power, including the power to order executions (assuming local laws don't normally outline simple breaking and entering, much less without theft -> death):

If you'll note, I don't really recall there being any noble coalitions trying to form to oust him or otherwise usurp his authority in a region. Sure, there's an individual few that try to kill or imprison him, but he avoids having to deal with a group of them making demands or stage elaborate coups, etc.

In a similar vein, Euden seems active in finding and reaching out to dragons in the area. While it is... finicky in trying to figure out how many dragons Euden has officially pacted with, since while many were added as a 'here's a cool named dragon, have fun' and obviously not lore-compliant (siblings' dragons like Mars, Thor, Cat Sìth, the angels, whom I wonder if they even can pact atop of their own Sigils, Bahamut, others like Elysium, Chronos, weird lore cases like Chthonius and so on...), Euden definitely didn't settle with just the Greatwyrms. We know that Leviathan was one of them that actually did make a pact, as seemingly did Stribog and Prometheus, so on and so forth.

And since dragons in Dragalia were essentially the top of the food chain in the natural world, and expressions of nature's will to begin with, this is not a bad move. On the contrary, I would stress!

In an international sense, he's also fast to make alliances. The first thing he does after formally declaring New Alberia is try to establish alliances with Saint Lotier, Valkaheim, and Chanzelia as regional powers, though only two of those are ultimately successful. The act of making alliances is its own way of trying to gain legitimacy, since if other areas are willing to entertain you on your own terms instead of just nervously looking to other nation(s) that claim that land, it encourages recognition in addition to serving to build power that Euden desperately needed when trying to get a new nation up and running.

In essence, Euden seems to have moved rapidly in trying to assert and reassert authority over regions, and does so passively by simply maintaining a presence in the regions. This allows him to gain steam quickly, building up to a more legitimate nation so fast, also helped by the alliances he moves to forge. Funnily enough, this is reflected in his own base unit as one of those 'gaining steam' characters, where he gets stronger as he shapeshifts more.

Ironically, despite not being of the trio of the 'most cunning/intelligent' siblings, Valyx has the correct idea in properly putting Euden down when this was getting started.

As Leonidas and Chelle were content to sit back and watch, not registering him as a threat (or, in Chelle's case, weighing what she would do next), and Phares also content to watch, wait, and maybe poke at him with a stick once in a while to see what he does, Valyx correctly identifies this trend. If Morsayati had heeded Valyx at this point, it would have been game over for Euden. No matter the insane defenses of the Halidom that I've covered here, there would be only so much they could take if Morsayati went all-out when they still are so new and so weak.

With that in mind, it is fortunate indeed that Morsayati was invested in letting Euden cultivate himself as a host-to-be, even if it ultimately meant Morsayati had been preparing for months on end for how exactly to get Euden to fold and allow himself to be possessed.

Back more to the main topic even if this still is a sidequest, this is probably part of the reason why the commoners are so concerned Euden is possessed after ch.14.

Under his leadership, Euden has moved to assume/establish authority quickly and decisively when and where needed. But after supposedly conquering Sol Alberia, the throne has been left empty. They were likely expecting he'd take it up immediately even if he ultimately considered the Halidom as a capital, just to show who was the new boss around there, because that was what he'd done before.

...But he didn't. To the citizens, his movements were more likely to be perceived as Morsayati's, moving to take control of his new possessee's lands as he did for King Aurelius/Zethia. On top of the other fears they had at that time, it was a clean recipe for why they feared Euden possessed.

That being said, we still don't know a whole lot of the more logistical side of Euden's country. It seems to have something of a specialty product in its honey mentioned later on (in reference to the honey feature they added to the Halidom), but we don't exactly have a comprehensive picture of their economy. We can joke about the seemingly booming tourism despite the war in the comics (which may be a way for peasants to 'scope out' the lands before moving there) or have other hints like the fact that the Halidom was seemingly a very good place for growing herbs, including weird rare ones, but not exactly accounting ledgers.

Other miscellaneous facts include that Xander ascends to be a general in Euden's army. Ranzal's a vague 'commander'...But I'm getting off track again.

Anyways, Euden and leadership. We also can see an instance of how he runs things in Civilian Leif's story, wherein he summons Leif, and, without preamble, goes 'bomb report, stat' (yes Dragalia had bombs!)

When combined with Gauld's story above, as well as an Audric tidbit in the castle story here:

...We see a suggestion/pattern that Euden's use of the Halidom's forces, aside from just the general expectation of 'defend the place and help clean up', involve small missions to subtly tip scales and influence things across the nation and beyond. Hawk gets sent to bust a gang, Audric to stabilize a region, and Leif to handle bomb threats, etc etc. He isn't even the sole decider of what individual/small group tasks get sent out into the field, as he also permits Aoi here to set her own target:

Honestly, it's not a bad idea, since the Halidom is probably outnumbered and outgunned for much of its history. Avoiding big combat is a plus for them even discounting Euden's personal desires to do no harm, and with this sort of meddling across the land, it helps accomplish his goals even in the absence of conflict.

Enough of his grand strategy, though, I'd like to highlight another aspect for why the others generally turn to Euden as the 'leader' despite his overall lack of commanding presence or personality: he's the picture of a good 'tactical' commander instead of a 'strategical' one.

In short, what I'm saying here is that Euden's good at deciding what to do in the moment, how to win a battle, how to adapt to xyz, whereas he starts to struggle more in grand chess moves (literally, as he's not skilled in Alberian chess, and figuratively, when pit against his 'bigger brained' siblings with more of a head for the broader workings of armies and countries!).

This sounds like a small thing to quibble over or note, but the deeper you dig, the more you find examples.

He's usually the one to start directing his friends to assume different roles or goals.

Here's a few little examples I dredged up of the trend, just these quick orders to give the group direction for how to approach a situation.

We also see it apply to more than just combat in things like Gala Sarisse's story:

Ironically, Sarisse tries to call this the 'big picture', but it's... actually not really. Euden's not thinking of the grand strategy in staying behind to tend to the destroyed town, he's just trying to help people in the heat of the moment and is directing his own people to do that best. Of course, it has 'big picture' implications, like the sowing of allegiance to him in the future by building trust/amicable attitudes, but that's the definition of tactics: he's more focused on accomplishing the 'small things' here and there than coming up with broader strategy.

Now, Euden's certainly not perfect, as his nature can make him prone to trying to do too much at once or reluctant to 'go dirty' in fighting, but he's also not a dummy.

Take Lapis' story, where, when facing a robotic enemy that can just outright turn invisible, he's the one to come up with a tactic to allow them to combat it:

All in all, it's a likely crucial part for why the Halidom forces can keep stringing together rough win after win, because Euden has a good enough head for 'thinking on his feet' when pressed against the wall to allow them to skirt by.

It's why he can give Valyx's forces (elite, undefeated, loyal forces, mind you) an actual fight even before he officially was rustling up an army, and force him to pull out the nuke button in Thor.

It's also why he struggles against the likes of Leonidas and Chelle, who just prepare so thoroughly beforehand for what they want to accomplish (strategy), but also aren't tactical slouches. Even with Leonidas being reckless, Euden's group was in an inescapable bind in several ways even beyond their outnumbered nature before a combination of 'Euden's signature finding the exact right thing to say or do' and 'reinforcements ex machina' help give him momentum again.

Even then, it took him throwing Chelle such a mental curveball as to make her 'retreat' (not actually defeated in the slightest, mind you) and two new forces to start surmounting the sheer overwhelming force he was up against.

In summary: Euden's skill in commanding the second-to-second of battlefields or 'field' things in general gives others confidence in trusting his command or instinct, even if he can't come up with convoluted plans to get what he wants in the long run. See his attack of Sol Alberia - there's far more reasons than just strategic incapacity that led to its mixed results, like the rushed nature of it,- but while Euden laid out some groundwork for attack (defectors), he had no huge strategy in the works for a task as complicated as seizing a fortress-city and its castle.

As a final note to make this full circle, I'd like to draw attention to his attitude to his people. We all joke (and so do others in game, see Ranzal's remarks on Euden vs a vampire) that Euden has no danger radar, but it's more complicated than that. In truth, Euden actually is very insightful to people's overall state of mind and intuitive.

The caveat is just that he needs to actually interact with the person to get a handle on them. This leads to the dynamic of him occasionally struggling to ascertain if a stranger is a threat, but him being very able to make deep cuts about what's driving his friends and allies.

This has helped him turn the Halidom into 'Euden's Therapy Land' for all the weirdos that he finds. Whether it's social anxiety and a phobia of blood (Ricardt) to PTSD (well, take your pick? I'll just say Aldred!), Euden's ability to make these connections through his personality, get people to open up, and intuit when something is wrong culminates in a tremendous ability to build a small army of very loyal followers.

In a short humorous example for what I mean, like this:

(This technically isn't all that good an example, as Elisanne isn't hiding this very well, but it still is a nice little encapsulation of what I'm talking about).

His policy in the Halidom, which is, uh, much looser in rules than most castles/armies, also helps form a weird sort of ruleset that ultimately amounts to 'don't make Euden or Cleo too too mad at you'.

See this:

This helps draw in loyalty from people who don't like their superiors breathing down their necks and otherwise assuage people that he's not power-mad or otherwise a jerk. It's just a relatively calm place to chill out and maybe run errands for your cool boss and get therapy in a land that doesn't seem to have any!

Sooo... yeah. I've gone on long enough!

Euden, despite not being particularly intimidating or demanding, manages to make himself a surprisingly great leader through tactical skill, a good mind under pressure, and his personality that lets him build devotion and goodwill!

[beeperis]

i've been ghosting // Tim Wright/Reader

cross-posted on my Ao3 summary ; tim can't sleep without you. warnings ; implications of suicide, death, fictional afterlife (I just kinda made stuff up as I went tbh), paranormal, angst with slight comfort notes ; the lore may be incorrect but by golly. I need to get this out of my system. also not edited, I need to sleep (currently 3am)

It's easy to assume death is the only way to finally escape the Operator. You figured that all your friends who were formerly tormented by It were no longer suffering, since they were six feet under or missing. It pained you to relive the evening of your death, but it all ended in a bathtub with your favorite song playing in an effort to build up enough courage.

Obviously, there were people you regretted leaving behind: your parents, who you had to distance yourself from in order to protect them. Your friends who laid awake at night questioning what they could've done differently, or why you stopped talking to them one day without warning.

Tim Wright, the one who had unintentionally gotten you roped into what eventually ended your life.

By some odd accord, his drab apartment is where you ended up. You remembered dying. You remembered your lungs filling with water before peacefully falling victim to unconsciousness. And now, you were sitting in the corner of the room watching him sleep.

It wasn't like if you were trying to be creepy. It was one of the only things you could do: watch Tim lay awake all night, get out of bed late in the afternoon, go to the bathroom and occasionally eat, then return and sleep for a long time.

It was depressing, to say the least.

At night, your presence would curl up beside him in bed as he would shiver and pull the blankets further up on his body. You frowned at the idea of him only thinking he was cold. When he got up to go to the restroom, you'd follow right behind and wait outside the door until he was done. You lit up whenever he'd go to the kitchen and actually eat.

That night started off no different than the previous. He got ready for bed as you sat patiently, admiring him like a lost puppy or a stalker. Tim yawned and crawled into bed, covering himself up to his hips. You curled up behind him like you usually did, except this time, he laid on his back and stared up at the ceiling.

"I miss you." Hearing Tim's voice shocked you, causing you to abandon your usual position at his side and sit upright. You stared down at him, his deep brown eyes staring into nothing. Part of you wondered who he was talking about; he'd lost so many.

Almost as though he was answering your question, he continued. "I just wish I could've told you I loved you. That day I went over to your house to check on you, finding you like that…" Tim trailed off, his voice choking up whilst his eyes welled with tears that glistened from the light of the TV.

After a moment's pause, his body slightly trembled with heavy, troubled sobs. The sight broke you. You were sure there wouldn't be any pain in the afterlife, but watching the one you treasured more than the stars crumple into a hellscape of his own mind was simply too much.

Tim curled into a ball, fully breaking and hugged his knees closer to his chest. You wanted to cry too, listening to him mumble, "it's my fault," through broken cries. On instinct, you placed a hand on his arm like how you'd done comforting him in the deaths of his friends. Tim froze.

He stopped crying, but still remained tensed up. He never even made a sound. Instead, his eyes fell to where you had touched his arm. Something felt so familiar about whatever brushed against his arm, but he disregarded it as being a bug. Still, it felt like he couldn't continue crying.

This didn't go unnoticed by you. Finally, you recognized a glimpse of nostalgia in those profound, fawn-colored eyes. Experimentally, you reached out to hold his hand in your translucent one.

Tim abruptly sat up in bed, breathing heavily as he stared at his hand. So cold, yet it held the warmth and fullness of a lover claimed by the inevitable fate of time. You could've sworn you heard him mutter your name.

Daringly, you brought up another cold hand to caress his face. "I'm here," you spoke softly to attempt to reassure him. You had no idea if he could hear you. More than anything, it was a plea for him to notice you. To look you in the eyes and smile with the same familiarity, wrap you up in the tightest hug you'd felt in ages, and promise to never leave your side.

Rather than doing any of the aforementioned, tears continued rolling down Tim's cheeks. "I miss you," he cried once more. You could handle it no longer, and uncertainly tried wrapping him in a hug. To your surprise, it seemed as though he felt it given the way his body relaxed, almost easing into your nonexistent touch.

After a few more heart-wrenching tears and whispers of, "I love you," and, "I miss you, baby," Tim finally began easing himself back down into his bed. You, as always, were curled up right behind him. Your eyes wandered over to his digital alarm clock, red letters lighting up certain portions of the room.

It was 2:22 am when he finally went to sleep, clutching a tear-soaked pillow he imagined was you.

[eggscargot]

Hello! Sorry if you already made a post explaining his backstory, but based off your last art was Gull not always deaf? How did he lose his hearing? Also how long have he and Stan known each other I’m craving lore 👀

EHEHEHEHE i have not! (though i did talk about the whole thing in stream once oops- if you were there for that, please don't spoil for everyone else!) im trying my best to sorta slowly reveal his lore in comics and drawings so unfortunately you all have had to deal with the slowburn alongside me- But I can answer this- Gull was not always deaf! He has spent the last several decades deaf, having lost his hearing sometime in his 30s-ish (I really need to sit down and figure out the timeline here, but GF's timeline is already so wonky i haven't really worried too much about it ha!) He met Stan in his late 20s-early 30s, spent time with each other for a good chunk of time before losing contact for for a decade or so. They reunite again by pure luck during GF present time (When they're 50-60)! There's some little tidbit's I've sprinkled in his ref sheets I'm gonna point out, but I'll put them under the cut in case anyone would like to piece it together themselves! Thank you so much for your interest it really does mean a lot that someone out there cares about this dork as much as I do <3

I'll link his ref sheets!

https://www.tumblr.com/eggscargot/766248389250842624/its-gull-time-been-working-on-a-proper-ref-and?source=share

OKAY SO his ref sheets allude to him having had been in "the accident" on the note about his scars. It was during then that he was majorly injured and lost his hearing! There's also a little cheeky note there as well, something about totally not being a getaway driver- he's a vehicle enthusiast haha Specifically, a helicopter is drawn besides it, and a boat in the BG- Less direct, but I've intentionally made every single one of his outfits have some kind of medical ID on him. Gull seems to be very intent on making sure anyone knows who he is in the event that he can't be identified. As if a visual identification is just not enough. Why wouldn't anyone be able to identify him by knowing him? This also is a habit Gull has acquired before reuniting with Stanley. Gull is also listed as a globetrotter. He loves to hike and travel! More so, he is uncomfortable being in one place for a long period of time. I will make this clear though, it is not because he's in any major kind of trouble during preset day! He is able to travel freely. c: In my last drawing, I've also mentioned that Stan and Gull are on a stakeout. I'm not actually sure if this is the correct term, this is not a like police stakeout. More like a gathering of intel! I also very much intend their relationship so far to be dancing along the edges of something more. Something is holding Gull back- Stanley is just a little dense HA Lastly, I THINK I've done this, but the way Stan and Gull address each other is important. Lee is not Stan's full name, and Gull is certainly not generally used as a birthname. c: Hope you got a kick outta this! I'm sure I've said too much haha I'm just excited to share.

[loverselegy]

A Lullaby to You

A quick blurb to get started!

Yandere Male OC (Nirvana) X GN Reader

Lore and intro post

Oh god, what am I doing? I'm supposed to be on lookout duty.

Nirvana's footsteps echo in his ears, the sound ringing in the still air. In truth, the sound is only barely noticeable in the quiet house, but the paranoia clings to him like a vice. Someone will know.

He started feeling it a long time ago. The infection in his veins, travelling up his spine and latching to his brain, sucking the life out of him like a leech. He ignored it, hoping beyond hope that nobody had noticed when he'd steal anything you had used. It was the only thing that kept him satisfied.

But it isn't enough anymore.

He steps over Ambrose's sleeping body, narrowly avoiding an accidental trampling of the other male's fingers. He stumbles, catching himself on the back of the dusty old couch before he can fall on top of Alis.

There, on the couch, is his prize. You, eyes shut and asleep... You're vulnerable. Weak. Pathetic, even. No wonder he got away with tormenting you for so long.

Irrelevant.

Nirvana takes a seat on the armrest, just beside your head. His hands raise, stilling in the air for a moment. Don't hesitate, the infection tells him, you need this.

His hands come to rest on your face, staring down at you, cloaked in the darkness of the night. He can see all of your features, the very features that drove him to the brink of insanity. He draws gentle circles into your cheeks with his fingertips, his breath leaving his lips in short pants.

Your aroma is fascinating to him. He wants to drown himself in the scent that defines you, to become one with your flesh and bones and mold himself to your being with no hope of separation.

His thoughts pause when you shift, your eyes fluttering open as his fingers dig into your cheeks. He hadn't realized he was gripping you so tightly.

"What's wrong?" You mutter, a cute, sleepy lilt to your voice.

Nirvana chuckles, but his hands shake as he pulls them away from you. "You were shuffling in your sleep. I was worried."

The lie slips from his lips without any hesitation, the words playing on loop in his head even after he says them.

"Oh," You whisper, your eyes falling to the other males for a moment.

Don't look at them. Don't you dare look at anyone but me.

"I've been stressed," You admit, your hands folded over your stomach as you stare at the ceiling. "Since this whole thing started. It's terrifying."

Nirvana can feel his lips curling into a smile. Confide in me.

"You're not alone," He murmurs, watching you attentively as you sit up. "I'll protect you."

Your expression softens into a grin, and Nirvana bites his lip to avoid lunging at you and squeezing you until you pop. You pat the spot beside you, and he slides off the armrest to sit properly on the cushion.

Much to his complete shock, you lay your head on his lap and curl up, preparing to fall back into slumber.

"...Then, make sure nightmares don't plague me anymore," you murmur, eyes fluttering shut. You miss the way Nirvana's face flushes, the darkness shielding the pink color of his eyes.

"I will," He breathes out gently. "Rest easy."

A wide smile splits his face once he's sure you're asleep again. He can barely contain his glee, seeing you below him... Relying on him. You're so desperate for his comfort and warmth, something only he could ever provide for you.

His eyes trace your outline through the darkness, following your figure and finding your head as it rests in his lap.

I won't give up, he thinks, until you're mine.

[salad-006]

Beginning my no eddsworld challenge: day one

I've had an idea for a fnaf security breach au for while now, atleast a year because i posted these designs first last winter. WELL I've been thinking about actually doing a bit more with the idea lately? So i decided to make more of these freaks

Here's some wip lore i have for those that want it

Takes place somewhere in the 80s-90s, i haven't placed a single time period yet. Instead of the pizzaplex is falls more into just a straightup indoor amusement park. Instead of just the one set of bots we've got a bunch of dupes scattered around, most of them are custom designed for the area and are bolted down. However there are still free roaming robots, like 1-3 sets that are all locked down to one corner of the park.

Greg ends up inside after hours again, and he gets chased like before. This time he comes across One nice freddy, who's sitting half disassembled in maintenance. So, begin the horrible disassembly of the other robots. Chaos ensues, something something idk. I'll figure out more later

OH YEAH and for the bonnie fans: instead of getting murdered he's got like a Crusty situation going on. Some guy up top just decides we need to add a new character, and instead of making a bunch new stuff they just replace bonnie. They could be like mid renovation too, so there's random signs of bonnie still scattered around

[songs-of-future-past]

*shaking an empty bowl and staring with my big ol' eyes.*

Care to spare some random trivia/lore about Nocturne, my good fellow?

Sure thing! I've got a few somewhat niche things I don't think people would really ask about.

Think I mentioned this before, but he was a Navy SEAL before death. He has yet to take his dog tags off.

If he's off duty, he's usually wearing a trenchcoat and turtleneck instead of armour. He always wears some sort of simple blind mask to help cover up the burns around his eyes, as well as gloves. It doesn't matter what temperature it is, if he gets heat stroke he has a ghost to revive him.

He can dance surprisingly well. This makes it very hard to hold him down (not that a nearly 7' tall soldier-type who's constantly on operations would be particularly easy to hold down in the first place).

Speaking of, for someone of his height he is surprisingly stealthy. He also has an uncanny ability to just show up if someone's asking after him. He's almost as bad as Ikora.

He doesn't curse or raise his voice much unless he's extremely wound up (ie during a raid). If you're being annoying or dumb he'll probably just stare at you blankly until you figure it out.

He doesn't particularly like hearing about his past exploits. This will also earn you a blank stare.

50% of the time, if you need something done, he can do it. The other 50% of the time, he knows someone else who can.

He has to be conned into taking breaks. Otherwise, he will go days without taking care of himself outside taking a shower.

He has a complicated relationship with his ghost Castle. He's terrified of losing it (he's gone through enough over the past 10 years) and he appreciates it filling in for the more right-brained emotional side and helping him sort out those feelings so he doesn't bury them into a deep dark pit, but Castle also gets on his nerves VERY easily. Especially when he's getting tired and needs to take a break and Castle tries to get him to do so.

He doesn't emote much with his wings (he doesn't emote much in general), but he will instinctively wrap them around the other person's shoulders if he's giving them a hug. Or, if someone he's close with starts leaning against him, he'll drape a wing around their shoulders.

Speaking of that latter bit: a good way to tell if he likes someone is for them to lean against him. If he does, he will sit perfectly still until they leave. Outside of an emergency, he won't push them off. If you're not that close to him he will give you a Stare, or just move away.

Aaaaand that's all I can think of for now! Feel free to spam me with more questions, especially more specific stuff!

[tallyhallmpreg]

FUCK IT STORY TIME

uhh grahhhh!!!!!!!! i haven't written anything in over a year but i've really been meaning to get back into it lately. i've also needed to get some oc lore out. those are what i'm using as reasons to get my lazy ass up and start writing. if this is shitty let me know. i won't fix any mistakes though i'll just read everything over and cry. everything in all lowercase because fuck you. um. wghat the sigma

c==================================3

3:24 AM.

the clock next to him ticked in an almost mocking manner. he was the only one up, for the 5th night in a row. he was doing so good before this. he was doing normally. but just like always, he fucked it up soon enough. he always does.

he tries to push these thoughts out of his head. he always tries. it never works, but he always tries.

always, always, always.

he decides to just ignore it. it's worked for long enough, it'll work tonight.

he sits up in his bed, and looks at his bandmate lying next to him. he yawns, revealing a snoutful of knife-sharp teeth. slowly, he gets up with many loud pops, grunts, and groans. 'big show tomorrow,' he thinks to himself.

performances like this had always been a little stressful for him. sure, he loved seeing the crowd smiling and cheering when he started to play, but he hated the expectations they had for him. that he had to do everything perfectly. if he missed even a single note, if he had even the slightest voice crack, that they'd hate him.

but he pushes those thoughts away. he always does.

since he's awake, he figures it'd be a good idea to get his outfit ready and his stuff packed. he shuffles around in the dark, trying to move as quietly as possible as to not wake anyone. everything on his (arguably very messy) floor feels the same. he can't tell what's his and what isn't, and if he accidentally took someone else's clothes he'd surely never hear the end of it. he decides he's had enough of aimlessly pawing at the ground when he grabs his phone and turns the flashlight on. it's dim, but it'll work.

he looks at the pile of folded clothes on the ground with an expression that's between confused and exasperated. that's the thing about wearing matching outfits- you never know what belongs to who.

either he's gone insane or the lack of sleep has gotten to him, because instead of first checking the sizes of everything, he decides to smell them instead. who the fuck does that?

he quickly singles out his outfit, using nothing but his nose. coyotes have a very good sense of smell, don't you guess. he set it down on something in his room. it could've been a chair, it could've been a desk, hell, it could've even been his bandmate's head. not like he cared, though.

he tiptoed over to the door and quietly opened it, hoping that their old-ass hinges didn't betray him.

he walked downstairs, not paying attention until he saw a soft glow coming from the kitchen. he stepped closer until he could see the source, and- wait, what the fuck?

"rockyclaw? what the fuck are you doing up this late?" he whisper-yelled, staring at the leopard in front of him who seemed to be raiding the fridge.

"got hungwy. 'm sorry, did i wake you?" rockyclaw said, through a snoutful of who knows what.

"no, no, you didn't wake me. it's just- why are you awake at this hour? it's almost 4 in the morning, for fuck's sake." one of his tall, purple ears was tilted.

"sorry- sorry" he apologized again. "i just couldn't sleep. i can go back into my room, if you want-"

he was cut off before he could finish. "no, you're fine- you're fine. i'm actually glad you're up, i couldn't sleep either. i was planning on just going to the store or some other shit but now i guess i won't. if you're fine with staying up, that is." the coyote said awkwardly. he doesn't often find the others awake with him, so he didn't exactly know what to say.

"yeah, cool."

it seemed neither of them knew what to say.

"we could watch a movie, maybe?" rockyclaw said, trying to break the awkward silence.

the coyote simply nodded and hummed in agreement. they both made their way over to the couch, rockyclaw still carrying his snack haul. they sat there for around 15 minutes before finally settling on some random movie from a few years back.

the both of them barely lasted 30 minutes until they were both asleep.

they were rudely awakened by the sound of their bandmate calling their names. well, it was mostly just one of their names being called.

"kunzite, i swear to god, if you don't get your lazy ass up right now, i'm going to shove this fucking drumstick up your-" before she could finish, she was interrupted with a loud, pathetic 'fiiiineee'.

kunzite sat up from his uncomfortable position, looking around only to notice all but two of his bandmates staring at him with slightly annoyed expressions. rockyclaw was holding back giggles- and he was doing a terrible job at it.

he turned back to the fox standing above him, and whispered a lighthearted fuck you to her.

she flicked her tail before walking away, leaving kunzite to figure out for himself that he had somewhere to be today.

as soon as he remembered, he near instantly got up, running upstairs as fast as he could without falling and mumbling a string of curses.

he quickly ran into the bathroom and jumped into the shower, trying to make himself look like he didn't just crawl out of a wet dumpster. his fur was oily, his tail and ribs had begun to turn a slight ochre color, and his claws had who knows what collected under them.

he heard a voice from outside the door "are you jerking off or something in there? what's taking so long? we've gotta leave at 9!" he wasn't sure, but he was pretty sure it was malachite yelling at him to hurry up. she did have a reputation for being impatient...

he ran out of the bathroom, his normally curly hair still straight from the water, and rushed to get dressed. it all went smoothly until he had to put his tie on. despite having worn one for the past 1.5 years, he still wasn't entirely sure how to put one on.

after struggling with his tie for around 5 minutes, he was now tasked with figuring out where he put his bass. this happened every time after a show, and he would always say that he'd put it somewhere that he could remember. but he never puts it where he can remember. after what felt like an eternity, he finally finds it, and slings it over his shoulder. his spine scraped uncomfortably against the back of it, but he didn't care enough to adjust. he just wanted to be out of the door in time.

by the time he had made it back downstairs, all but one of his bandmates was waiting in the van for him. it was azure. he always was patient with him.

azure gave him a soft smile before gently grabbing his paw and leading him out the door. they wrapped their tails together as they walked, even if it was a bit uncomfortable due to kunzite's spikes.

"i heard you getting up last night," azure said, his voice soft and filled with understanding. "i'm sorry you were woken up like that. i know you were tired."

kunzite simply presses his snout into azure's cheek fur, earning an amused sigh from azure.

before kunzite could sit down in the van, azure stopped him.

"i know why you were awake. you shouldn't bottle that kinda stuff up. you know that i'm here if you ever feel like that." azure looked at him in a way that made him feel like he could die on the spot. before he could say anything back, azure pressed a kiss to his snout, lightly touching his nose against kunzite's before pulling away.

they sat down next to each other, a comfortable silence between them. sometimes words are simply not needed.

[technicalknockout]

What were some of your favourite pages in the book?

god thats a hard one jsnfjksdk the entire book is so good but i do have my favorites. heres an entire list

silly straws page - i read in 'dipper and mabel's guide to mystery and nonstop fun' that bill likes silly straws and thought it was a silly random tidbit, imagine how surprised i was when i realized there was LORE behind it.. im still figuring out some codes bc i dont wanna look them up and im having so much fun !!

stanford trying to keep me from reading the book page - "you cant hear the disappointed sigh im making rn, but i assure you it's devastating" i mean he failed to stop me from reading the entire thing in one sitting but i was just very happy to see ford's cursive again. It was really funny seeing him trying to guess what the reader would be convinced by (i saw the moth picture and thought 'whats that called, a goth moth?' I laughed out loud when it turned out that was actually its name)

urban legends page - as a long time fan of creepypasta the references in this page absolutely delighted me. Also the art is so realistically horrifying, whoever drew these i love you

the one true intelligence test - idk this page just made me laugh a lot

Entire anti-cipher society part - i love how instead of telling the story in just plain text, they made us follow the story with newspapers and journal pages. What was that called. I swear there was a name for that kind of storytelling if anyone knows pls pls tell me

every page with ford and fiddleford - BEAUTIFUL. SUBLIME. BEST THING TO EVER EXIST IN THE WORLD. I HECKING LOVE FRIENDS BEING WHOLESOME TOGETHER AND I LOVE IT MORE WHEN THEYRE MY FAVORITE CHARACTERS FROM MY FAVORITE SHOW. THEY MAD SNOWMEN OF EACH OTHER THATS SO CUTE

"but my aim is getting better" - do i need to explain this one

whatever this page is called;

I hated reading this (i loved reading this). i kinda got spoiled before i bought the book with an analysis post, had to literally put my phone down and think about what id just read. i think this page really puts bill and ford's relationship into perspective. ford's a person and bill's a multidimensional semi-god creature, bill will do and say anything in his power to get ford to do what he wants. this relationship cannot even begin to resemble normal. and also the forgetting your own name part horrified me, thats some good horror right there.. love it when books make me have a visceral reaction to tiny words on paper

call transcript from the police - OH the LORE and CHARACTER ANALYSIS FOOD RIGHT HERE. i could talk for hours about how bill straight up sucks at relationships and he's SO unwilling to admit he was upset about falling out with ford that he's lying to himself MULTIPLE TIMES OVER AND OVER and how a lack of genuine connection with people is eating him up - but if i talked about all that this post would spiral into insanity real quick. Also drunk bill talking into the phone was very very sad and very very on character and i could hear hirsch's bill voice inside my head it was really good aghjgnkhhh

stan's page - I ALMOST CRIED AND I KNOW THATS KIND OF A WEIRD REACTION BUT I SAW THE STAN PAGE IN THISISNOTAWEBSITEDOTCOM OKAY AND IT WAS MAKING ME VERY UNWELL I WAS EXTREMELY RELIEVED TO JUST HEAR THIS MAN SO HAPPY AGAIN STANLEY PINES I LOVE YOU YOU DESERVE EVERYTHING

yee that turned out longer than id anticipated jdndjs

overall this was amazing. an entire book written in my favorite character's voice is something i've only ever dreamed of and it's genuinely a frickin honour to have a copy in my house. my bookshelf is 2% more cursed now and i would not have it any other way.

one of these days im gonna black out and there will be a twenty-pages long essay on bill's social life on your feed. i advise you to gently scroll past it without looking.

[visiosatanae]

The Gauntlet

Chapter 2: Wrath

Rating: Explicit

Pairing: Dewdrop/F!Reader | Sister of Sin

(CW: Smut, Rough sex with a ghoul, Violence, Blood)

Ao3 Link Ch 1

I spent the rest of the afternoon contemplating my strategy for the Gauntlet, as Sister Imperator called it. I figured Sloth and Gluttony would be easy enough and could be done by myself, and almost everyone in the Ministry was always down for a quick fuck so Lust wouldn't be an issue either. But for the others I'd have to get creative. 

Eventually I found myself in one of the smaller chapels of the Ministry, having wandered there without realizing. It was quiet, only a few Siblings sitting amongst the pews. This place in particular was best for quiet worship and inner contemplation. Exactly what I needed. 

I took a seat towards the back. I couldn't help but sigh, which echoed slightly with how quiet it was in the room. My mind was racing with the mass influx of information I had received today. I wasn’t sure how to process any of it, let alone plan out how I was going to perform seven deadly sins within seven days. Obviously it wasn't impossible, but where to even start? And was I worthy of such a position even if I did manage to complete it? 

My eyes glossed over the stained glass of the chapel, taking in the scenes of Ministry lore. They eventually landed on the iconography of the Dark Lord Himself. Staring into His eyes made something click in my mind, my decision made in an instant. 

I had always liked a challenge anyways… 

… 

The next morning my ears were trained on the conversations around me as I made my way through the dining hall with breakfast. I didn’t normally care much for the whereabouts of the ghouls, but today I had a bone to pick with one in particular. 

I noticed a table of younger Siblings, giggling amongst themselves and I figured they'd be my best bet. I sat with my food a few feet away, listening intently to their not so private conversation as I picked at my muffin. 

"Yes! More have been summoned lately, they're all so feral still!" one Sister said, blushing at her own implication. 

"Has anyone seen the Cardinal's fire ghoul yet? I heard he's got a real bad temper. I'm worried about running into him," said another Sister. 

Bingo

"Yeah, his name is Dewdrop," a Brother replied, leaning in and lowering his voice. "Makes sense why he'd be so angry all the time if that's the name they gave him." 

"No, I think it's because he's compensating for something," I interjected, the other Siblings turning to look at me. "And not just his height," I smirked. 

A couple Sisters giggled nervously, eyes darting around as if anxious of him currently being in the room. "What makes you say that?" The Brother asked. 

I shrugged. "Just a hunch. But I've known plenty of people with the same issues. Why would a ghoul be any different?" I was lying through my teeth, but these guys wouldn't question me. I was an older Sibling with a lot more experience than them. As expected, they all started murmuring to themselves about what I had said about Dew. I sipped my coffee as my plan took affect. Word travelled fast through the Ministry and with any luck I'd have results by this afternoon. 

…

My steps echoed along the walls of the corridors as I wandered through the Abbey, taking care to walk through every shadow and dark hallway I could in the hope a certain someone would take the bait. I wasn’t sure if my heart was racing from fear or adrenaline, but the reason didn’t really matter. Pumping blood would help lure out any ghoul that was hunting.

Sure enough, I didn’t have to wait long before I felt something wrap around my waist and quickly pull me into a random storage closet. The door slammed shut and I only had time to let out a yelp before a clawed hand clamped over my mouth, stifling any other noise I could make. 

"Heard you were talking shit, Sister," a low voice growled in my ear. "Where was that attitude yesterday when you were flat on the floor, huh?" Dew held me close to his body with his tail, the heat emanating off of him in waves. 

I took a chance at elbowing him in the ribs, biting down hard on the hand covering my mouth. His howl within the confined space was overwhelming, but my maneuver wasn't as effective for escape as I'd hoped. I felt myself being slammed against the wall, his forearm pressing down on my throat. 

"The fuck was that?" Even in the dark closet I could see his fangs glinting in a sneer. "Are you just trying to piss me off?" 

You have no idea, I thought as I thoroughly put the final nail in my coffin by spitting square in his face. He fumed at me, the glob of spit rolling down his cheek. I would have laughed if I wasn't about to die right then and there. 

Dew wiped his face, looking at his hand for a moment before jamming his fingers in my mouth, the tips of them touching the back of my throat and making me gag. "If you want rough, bitch, I'll give you fucking rough," he snarled, his hand grasping my jaw and bringing it down with enough force to bring me to my knees. 

I felt my head hit the wall behind me. Through my ringing ears I could hear a belt being undone and my eyes widened in the dim light at the length of him. "Still think I'm compensating for something?" He removed his fingers, only to replace them with his cock. His now free hand tore off my veil, wrapping itself in my hair and pulling. "Suck." I did so dutifully, although I didn't have much choice as his grip pushed me further down to his pubic bone. "If I feel teeth, I'll snap your neck before you can even think your final prayer." 

I nodded as much as I could, bobbing my head while his hand remained fisted in my hair. He made me take his entire length each time, my nose pressing into the patch of hair above his cock. Dew groaned as his hips rolled, still angry as hell but finally allowing himself to take pleasure in my mouth. I did my part in keeping him satisfied, tears streaming down my face as I struggled to breathe around him. Every time he pushed all the way in I gagged, and he seemed to relish in how my throat contracted around the head of his cock with every thrust. 

After he'd finally had enough, he pulled me back by my hair. I coughed, gasping on air again. He yanked me up until I was back on my feet, back pressed against the wall. His hand moved from my hair to my throat, the ability to breathe quickly fleeting. I clawed at his wrist as I choked. 

"Sluts like you need to remember their place," he hissed, his other hand roughly hiking up my habit to my waist. I tried to shake my head but was only met with the sound of my underwear being torn away. His hand cupped my pussy and he paused, huffing in surprise. "You're absolutely soaked, Sister," he chuckled. "Is this the only way you can get off? By messing with dangerous ghouls?" 

I whimpered, my face flushed, not even realizing how wet I'd gotten from his abuse. I didn't have time to ponder whether this was a new kink or not because the head of his cock was already rubbing along my slit, easily becoming coated in slick. He groaned, his face burying itself into my shoulder as he pressed himself fully inside, not wasting any time in starting a brutal pace. My head slammed into the wall causing the shelves of cleaning supplies to shake with every thrust. My mind started going fuzzy from the continued lack of air and I could only cling to him for dear life. 

Despite how rough he was, I couldn't help how tightly my cunt squeezed around him, his cock dragging along my inner walls and hitting that sweet spot inside with every thrust. I could tell it was working him up quickly, his moans and snarls coming more frequently against my skin as he pounded into me. 

I came back to reality for a moment as claws dug into my skin, tearing at the collar of my habit and reducing it to shreds. "Gonna mark you up nice and good," Dew panted into my skin, his thrusts becoming more erratic. "Can't have you forgetting what it means to fuck around with me." 

He groaned as his hips shuddered, biting down hard into my shoulder. I let out a silent scream, my own hips rutting against his as he unloaded into me. Even his cum felt burning hot as it flooded my insides. I gave a strangled cry as I forcibly came around him, milking his cock of everything he had. It was only when he finished that he finally released my throat, letting me crumple to the dirty floor of the closet. 

He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, smearing my blood across his face as he looked down at my pathetic state. "Not bad," he licked his lips. "Let me know if you wanna do this again sometime." I watched with blurry vision as he tucked himself away, straightening out his clothes before opening the door into the corridor. "Thanks for the fuck, Sister," he chuckled before leaving me in the dark again. 

"No, thank you." I groaned quietly, praying to Satan that I didn't go through all of that for nothing. 

[divinepriestesskokomi]

I JUST FINISHED THE STORY QUEST AND IT WAS SO GOOD OMG

my thoughts undercut, beware of spoilers

These thoughts are going to be all over the place and won't cover everything I'm thinking bc I'm really just dumping the first thing that comes to mind. It's been a long day and i'm tired lol

First of all. THE LORE. We FINALLY got to know more about Cyno's past, and it was SO good! His ties to the Temple of Silence and Hermanubis are so interesting, I have so many more questions but my mind is so cluttered with thoughts I can't get them all down rn.

I'm so happy we finally got to see Cyrus, and got to see more of the dynamic between him and Cyno! Such an interesting dynamic. It's alot like I imagined it being, where they are father and son but in an unconventional way. Like Cyno doesn't call him father, he just calls him professor, but they still very much have that father son dynamic. And oh my god those little photos of baby Cyno....my heart 😭 I loved the mentions of Lisa too, I love the idea of her being like an older sister figure to Cyno

I have mixed feelings on Cyrus himself, like he was apparently good to Cyno growing up and protected him from the Akademiya trying to do experiments on him, but also like?? He kinda kidnapped him from the Temple of Silence? That part really got glossed over in the story quest ldskgjdklfgj. Not only that, but he was part of the original experiments that got Cyno his powers. So he feels very morally grey to me. I'm kinda giving him the side eye.

Also they said that Cyno's parents gave him up to be used as a vessel. So are they still alive and part of the Temple of Silence?? Where are they???

And I AM a little sad that it was confirmed that Cyno can't communicate with Hermanubis, since I've always loved that in fan content. But hey, at least it can still exist in fan content, hehe

Also the unexpected crumbs for Tighnari lore????? Hell yeah

AN D OH MY GOD THEY REALLY FED THE CYNONARI FANS WITH THIS ONE. I was right in my guess that Tighnari would insist on coming along to support Cyno! There were so many sweet moments between them. Tighnari being protective of Cyno and not wanting him to go alone. Also the way they just casually show that Cyrus knows both Tighnari and Collei well is so cute omg. Cyno bringing his husband and daughter to visit his father, so cute 🥺 Also the way Tighnari made a point to say that Cyno needed to keep his power for his own sake, not just the Akademiya's sake, was really sweet. It was like he was giving Cyno a little reminder that he's more than just the General Mahamatra, he's his own person. And how that really seemed to get through to Cyno during his fight with Sethos.

I LOVED the little hints we got of their time in the Akademiya together. That they used to sit on the divine tree together and watch the sunset as they did their school work together omg 🥺 It does make their timeline a little confusing, so I guess Cyno was the General Mahamatra even while he was a student, because Tighnari's character story mentions that he and Cyno met when Cyno was the General Mahamatra and was investigating Tighnari, but now this quest also implies they were both students together. So I guess General Mahamatra is a position they can give to students too.

And the little family moments between Cyno, Tighnari, and Collei made my heart melt. Them both being so proud of Collei and how far she's come. Them having little codes and being able to understand eachother with a look. and oh my GOD the moment where Collei bailed the moment Cyno started telling jokes had me in tears.

And of course we got to see more of Cyno and Tighnari's friendships with the other Sumeru cast. I love how Kaveh and Alhaitham were just immediately looking out for Cyno the moment they realized something was fishy, and immediately knew to get Tighnari and Collei involved once Cyno ran off. And even Faruzan and her being all worried and protective of them in her own way! It was just so sweet.

And I'm very happy with how things went with Sethos! I was afraid at first that having a new playable character appear for the first time in this quest would take away from the focus being on Cyno, but they did really well with it! Cyno was still very much the focus, As for Sethos himself, he seems really interesting and I can't wait to learn more about him when he's released. He seems an interesting mix of sweet and mischievous. Like he obviously cares for everyone at the temple so much, but is also not opposed to blackmail. Very curious to see more of him.

Also sidenote, I really enjoyed how much internal monologue they added to this quest, it was cool getting to hear the thoughts of characters other than the traveler for once.

Overall I'm just SO happy with this quest, it was so good! And I was so happy to see my boys again!

Also Naphis looks so fucking funny. Laughed my ass off everytime that man was on screen. Nari I can't believe that's your master. Silly looking ass

[belzrgr]

Lorcan Lore!!! 💤 🪤 💢 🌙 💓 :>

(If this too many you can cut what you'd like)

Never too many, thank you so much, Hack 💙🙏

💤 SLEEPING - do they fall asleep easily? what helps them sleep?

Lorcan is someone who can fall asleep quickly but his sleep is so light that he wakes up at the slightest disturbance. I would almost be more accurate to say he's dozing instead of sleeping. It gets better once he trusts the crew though; that they won't hurt him and also protect him if anything happens or at the very least alert him if something is going on

🪤 MOUSE TRAP - what will always lure them into certain danger? a loved one in danger? a promise of something they are always searching for?

One thing that always makes Lorcan go headfirst into danger (if you ignore the fact he fights/kills to live) is when he sees innocent/weak people in danger. He's good at keeping himself safe and he's strong enough to hold his own but that self preservation takes a serious hit when it comes to others. He's much too self sacrificing for his own good, really

💢 ANGER - what are some habits they have that will take some getting used to?

Since Lorcan is both emotionally and socially stunted, he doesn't really do that whole... Talking things out thing. He didn't need to resolve any conflicts with others because he didn't have anyone he could have disagreements with except for strangers that he'd just fight to the death with anyway, so when there's something he doesn't like or someone else tells him he does something they don't like, Lorcan doesn't know what to do. He just... Walks away, doesn't talk about it; until someone sits him down and manages to explain to him the importance of open communication and talking about problems instead of keeping silent. Even after he understands though, it's still not easy and he won't initiate conversation, more likely to just avoid it and the person involved until they have enough and confront him

🌙 MOON - what is your oc's greatest wish? how far are they willing to go for it?

This is hard because so far, he doesn't really have a wish. I've worked a bit more on his back story in my head, how he got to where he is before he meets the straw heads and everything. But I haven't yet figured out his Dream™ that every one piece character has... He will rediscover that dream of his with the crew though, for sure

💓 BEATING HEART - what gets their heart racing?

Negative - seeing people he likes getting hurt

Positive - close proximity to people he's interested in as more than friends. Zoro leaning close trying to get something on the table behind Lorcan so he feels Zoro's warmth and smells his scent and enters a whole crisis over why do I feel like this-