#Orianna: You did and I’m sorry.

[hexite-nightmares]

My very unorganized thoughts on S2 of Arcane but only about Viktor

Alright I finally had time to think and write everything down so here we go. I want to preface that I have been weary about this season ever since I watched the act 1 leaks. Mainly because it was very clear he was never going to be a machine, and they didn't give him enough screen time to develop his motivations into ACT 3 Viktor being convincing enough

LET'S START WITH THE FALSE PROPHET VIKTOR

Alright so he has about 11 minutes ish of screentime. Aside from the glaring issue of Jayce reviving him and not destroying the hexcore, taking away agency from a disabled character. It was clearly a false prophet situation, but it was so fucking confusing on whether he could feel like a regular human, if he was under the Hexcore's control which makes the agency issue worse or just jaded. He all of a sudden starts speaking like he's reading Deuteronomy passages ?? We don't know for sure if he's aware that he's basically creating a hive mind now, did he start his plans of making everyone into one right here? Sky seems to encourage him to do this, what does she know about it since shes been in the hexcore ALONE for a little longer? (writers didnt confirm whether it was the real her or not) . Act 1 Viktor's issues are mostly about agency, and a seeming full abandonment of his identity as a scientist, his personality does a full 180. He doesn’t seem to question that the object that revived him and killed Sky is giving him healing powers, but he’s angry at Jayce so we have no clue if he’s being controlled or not.

The show doesn't seem to care to spend time with him bc Isha and Ambessa I guess.

Anyways lets move on to not even act 2, but ep 6, his only episode in this act.

I had huge gripes with this episode, mainly because whatever the fuck was going on with Viktor trying to "keep" Vander's humanity, when he clearly was taking it away from everyone he touched, does he actually believe what he's saying or is he under the Hexcore's control still?. Obviously the glaring issues of Sky being there without any actual input, they're cosmic friends I guess but with very generic lines, and the fandom has to fill in the blanks with whatever Amanda Overton feels like saying about Sky in the moment(if we don't see it in the show I don't take it as her development, sorry). So Viktor builds Colloidal silver drinking Joshua tree and ppl think it's fucking Eden, Jinx calls him a Machine Herald when there's NO SIGN OF MACHINERY JUST PURPLE MAGICAL METAL LOOKING FLESH. We get a whole ass different realm with no explanation other than, oh yeah Viktor is inside there. Jayce comes in and almost kills him. The only option there is at this point is for Singed to start his MH era. The choice of becoming MH is nonexistent now, other people have to jumpstart things for him. I know some people interprete this commune as Viktor achieving his dreams, thinking he was being himself, that he was in paradise with Sky and.. that wasn’t the case for me.. it was extremely sinister. Worst part of this Act, is that MH was seemingly a damn trial experiment for Orianna.

BONUS:

So it seems that Christian Linke has confirmed Sky was the hexcore using its influence to manipulate viktor into the glorious evolution. He said it was meant to be as a misdirect. So to everyone who got dunked on here for “wanting to be spoonfed” or “not reading into it deep enough” for thinking he was being mind controlled, you were right about it being the hexcore. Viktor has been confirmed to have no agency until episode 9 I guess. He also mentioned Viktor’s goal was getting the most power/influence… we never saw a fucking glimpse of this in season one I’m sorry.

ACT 3

First awful problem here is obviously Singed having to jumpstart things. Viktor is aware for his choice of whatever is happening with the egg thing. Yet....there's still no sign of machinery. We get a scene where Sky fucking dies again, he refers to her as Ms Young, which im guessing is a parallel to the other time he dismissed her in S1. But of course we get the double fridging in the show, cuz making female characters just for the sake of advancing her crush's plot line is sooo amazing. Here lies sky, the character who is barely a character. Well after that we get the sequence of his transformation and we get that butt ugly mask. His personality does another huge change again. So we know the hexcore is not influencing him anymore as the hexcore completed its goal of the glorious evolution.. so I guess viktor really does think this is the right way?

A huge issue I have again, is the lack of agency. In this particular scene Jayce goes "My partner died in this room" yeah..Viktor didn't fully choose to become this right? it all started with Jayce using the hexcore on him, it’s been manipulating him the whole ass season…Kinda wish there was some sort of acknowledgement from Jayce that he’s basically the catalyst of this.

He gets his laser because...fanservice. There's no way he went all the way to the lab and magically attached it to himself just to cut off a wall. He keeps going on that choice is false, but a few minutes before he said he’d evolve all of those willing?

In the cosmos, beautiful sequence. I don’t love Jayce’s dialogue choices(about his disease) here and then it all being about viktor hating himself.. since the hexcore was leading to all of this, his motivation for it all being self hatred feels a bit eh. The sequence is beautiful and Jayce and Viktor destroying the anomaly with the rune shard is nice, that part was cute. But then they kinda disappear and we only know that viktor is alive so far, no clue about Jayce. The sequence is touching towards the end and I’m a sucker for characters finding each other in every timeline/universe but it can’t make up for all the other things that are bothering me. This seems to be the one time Viktor has some sort of agency I guess.

Then obviously the worst part that will bother me forever. The thing that made me almost slam my laptop shut

This retcon is just awful I shouldn’t even have to say why, it makes things fucking weird and it’s frankly stupid. Also viktor can’t rock a beard like that.

Anyways this is very disorganized, fuck you riot I felt like an insane former this whole time but I was right.

[mystic-orb88]

ARCANE SEASON 2, ACT 3 SPOILERS:

Stop. Now.

Can I just say Ekko is the most perfect and flawless character ever created and now I wish he and Viktor and Jinx could have all met somehow and done cool science stuff together. But this frame here genuinely makes me so sad. I’m crushed. But also, I like when conflicting circumstances tear characters apart, to me. I like the tragedy. So I’m glad in our Ekko’s universe, they didn’t stay together. It would be so out-of-character for my girl Jinx.

Also I like that it wasn’t just a boring fan-service episode. It proved a point, and we also had Jayce’s fun adventures in Nightmarefuelworld. ANDD THE Z-DRIVE, WOOOOOO!!!!

Jinx was already perfect, but so is Powder.

I’ve always hated romance, whether it was real life, or cinema. But this scene was incredible. I love them so goddamn much. Actually sickens me. They are everything to me.

Him smiling back at her the same way Jinx did after their fight on the Bridge. How dare you, Fortiche??

Jinx’s reflection in place of this world’s Powder’s.

Viktor and Jayce’s fight scene and…. Whatever that ending was, was gayer and more erotic than anything Violyn could fathom. Sorry guys. What the Hell was he doing cupping his face like that, wrapping his legs around him, faces mere centimetres away, all without actually being physically there but also exploding together in the astral plane?? The way he said ‘As partners’?? Likeeee, I ain’t never seen hand-to-hand combat like that. Look at these soulmates. Just as a platonic relationship I love it, and it’s wayyyy gayer than anything else. He chose dying with his space boyfriend over the insanely gorgeous Mel, who also got a fabulous glow up, is undoubtedly the hottest character in the show, ANDDDD has OP Arcane talents. Bravo Jayce, you simultaneously fumbled and won and disintegrated into nothing with your astronomical lab ‘partner’. Singed was right- One does unspeakable acts for love.

We got Viktor in Mel’s eyeshadow before G.T.A.6.. Slay my King. Thank you for your pretty little hallucinations, Jayce.

Alsoo, let us pay respects to this fine Yordle who waited over 100 years for Ekko, sure can sing, and sacrificed himself so that Ekko could get back to his right world.

I’m glad that at least ONE of my favourite characters had a happy ending. Singed wasn’t the most ethical scientist, but he sure is a Hell of a father for doing all that.

Sevika in the Council. She finally beat Silco’s corrupt underground empire and overcame the oppression Vander faced. She finally understood how he felt when she betrayed him, after the Zaunites wouldn’t listen to her, and now she can do something about it. So happy for her. She deserves it. The true leader of Zaun, everyone.

Alsoo, I’m a strong believer in the ‘Jinx is alive theory.

More critically however, I think there were too many needle drops (however good they were), the pacing was pretty rushed compared to Season One which was pure perfection, and I wish we got something more similar to League Viktor, because now Only-Arcane fans will not understand the true meaning of Glorious Evolution. I think Viktor’s character arc was over-simplified and I just feel empty about it. Kinda disappointed. He means so much to me. But damnnnn Jayce got validated as HELLLL. No complaints there. I hate him in League but always liked him in Arcane up till episode 6. Bro was just an idealist. Also their ending was ambiguous did they die together or just remain in the astral plane, forever integrated within the arcane. If Singed could save Orianna, can’t he find their corpses somewhere and save them?? I need cyborg Viktor. I wish we had the adventures of Blitzcrank and his cyborg father. I’m also bothered by that continuity error about Vander’s betrayal and when exactly it takes place. Also don’t like what they did with Silco’s character, in Ekko’s alternate world AND in the original world, because how could he just forgive Vander like that after all the hate he was always full of?? I’m sure there’s an explanation, but they didn’t have enough time to go into it.

This is the actual best show I have ever seen personally. Thanks for the stunning writing, flawless art-style, loveable characters and impeccable queer/disabled/POC representation. No other show has ever moved me so much. I hope Fortiche continues to make more series like this in the future. I love Runeterra and its Lore so much.

[enbysorcerer]

Day 7: Dare

Word Count: 1,167

TWs: alcohol

“Truth or dare,” Mircalla asks in a moment of boredom as they sit around a campfire on their way to the next town. Aurelia looks up in confusion.

“What?” Kiyoshi asks, confused by the sudden question.

“Truth or dare,” Mircalla repeats. “Come on, it’ll be fun.”

“It will?” Aurelia has her doubts, but she supposes Mircalla could be right. At the very least, it’d be a good way to get to know these people.

“Yeah!” Masaru agrees. “I’m up for it.” They look at Mircalla. “Truth.”

“Yeah, someone sees my vision.” Mircalla grins. “Now what to ask?” 

As time passes, someone pulls out a flask of ale they’d gotten at the tavern. Aurelia turns it down when it’s passed to her, but the addition of alcohol makes it easier to play and come up with ideas for truths and dares.

Eventually, the game turns more… interesting.

Kiyoshi takes a drink of the ale that’s running low at this point and looks at Aurelia. “Truth or dare?”

Aurelia takes a moment to think. “I guess dare.” She’d mostly been playing it safe by answering truths, but she did pick dare a couple times. Now being one such time.

Orianna looks around, eyes landing on Mircalla as Nemeia whispers in his ear. “Ooh, that’s good.” Aurelia questions her decision to pick dare. “Kiss Mircalla.”

Aurelia blinks. “What?”

“Kiss Mircalla.”

Mircalla looks between them. “You don’t have to,” she says after a moment. Of everyone here, she’s the only one that knows parts of Aurelia’s past. Or at least enough to know she’s a fairly recent widow.

“Oh, come on,” Nemeia whines. The alcohol was clearly affecting her more than most. “We all see the tension between you.”

“Tension?” Aurelia isn’t sure what they’re talking about.

“She’s got a point,” Kiyoshi adds. Masaru nods. “There’s something between you, and you may as well test it out.”

“Test it out?” Aurelia continues to be confused. Mircalla looks flustered, and Aurelia can’t explain that either.

“He means the kiss,” Mircalla says. “They think we have romantic tension.”

“That’s a thing?”

Mircalla seems to have finally had enough and stands, grabbing Aurelia’s wrist and dragging her away from the fire to somewhere more private, ignoring Orianna’s cheers. When they’re out of earshot, Mircalla says, “I’m sorry.”

Aurelia tilts her head. “For…?”

Mircalla seems to remember she’s holding Aurelia’s wrist and quickly releases it. “I, uh, they’re… they’re not wrong. Not entirely.” Aurelia stays silent, waiting for more of an explanation. “I know you’re still grieving your husband and probably straight, but you’re really pretty and I like you. I’m sorry.”

Aurelia blinks. “You… oh.” It takes her a moment to fully process what Mircalla’s saying. “Oh. That’s, uh, huh.”

“I was trying to respect that you’re not interested, but-”

“I don’t know,” Aurelia says, unintentionally interrupting Mircalla. “I’ve… I’ve never been with anyone other than Raikim, so I’m not sure if I’m straight or not.”

“Oh.” Mircalla doesn’t say anything for a long minute. “Well, I still respect that you’re not interested.”

Aurelia takes a moment to think about that. Was she interested? She’d never had a problem with the idea of girls dating girls in general, but she’d never considered it for herself. She’d only had eyes for her husband, and after his death, she’d yet to consider the idea of moving on despite knowing he’d want her to. “I don’t know that either,” she admits. Again interrupting something, though she hadn’t heard most of it.

Mircalla blinks. “What?”

Aurelia sighs, rubbing her arm with her hand. “I don’t know. I’ve… like I said, I only ever had eyes for Raikim, so I never considered anyone else, and now…”

“Oh.”

“Yeah. I, um, I’m not opposed to, uh, to kissing you, I don’t think.”

“You don’t think?”

“Yeah. I’ve… I’ve never really thought about kissing girls, but I’m not opposed to trying it.”

“So it’d be an experiment?”

“In more ways than one.”

Mircalla looks thoughtful. Aurelia’s fairly certain she’s going to say no and can’t bring herself to fault Mircalla for that. “I… I suppose that would be acceptable.”

“I underst- wait, what?” Aurelia blinks, thinking she heard wrong.

“I think I’d be okay with that,” Mircalla explains. “It wouldn’t be the first time someone’s used me as an experiment, but I think with you it’d be different.”

“How?” Aurelia’s incredulous.

“That I can’t explain. It just… feels different.”

“Oh.” That doesn’t explain anything, but she’s willing to work with it. “So, um, how do-how do we do this?”

Mircalla steps closer, touching Aurelia’s arm and guiding her closer. “Are you sure this is okay? I don’t want you to feel pressured into anything.” Aurelia nods, mouth dry. Part of her feels like she’s betraying Raikim, but the other part is curious, if not a little eager to try it. She’d never kissed anyone else, after all. “I need to hear it.”

“Y-yes.”

Mircalla nods, stepping close enough to press their bodies together. Her free hand comes up to cup Aurelia’s cheek. “Last chance to back out,” she murmurs as she leans in, lips almost touching Aurelia’s but not quite.

Aurelia gets the sense that she’s supposed to lean in the final few millimeters and does just that.

The kiss is warm and soft, softer than kissing Raikim had ever been. It’s different but not exactly bad, making her wonder what this meant for her sexuality. She feels Mircalla’s tongue tease along her lip and pulls away. Mircalla blinks, opening her mouth to speak, but Aurelia beats her to it. “Don’t apologize. I-it-it wasn’t you. I just… I’m not ready for that yet.” It sounds silly when she says it out loud, but it was true.

Mircalla nods, taking a step back and releasing her gentle hold on Aurelia. “Okay. Do you want to kiss me again?”

Aurelia is tempted to say yes, but then the guilt returns. “I… I don’t know.”

Mircalla tilts her head. “What does that mean?” 

Aurelia wishes she knew. “I just… I didn’t mind kissing you, but it… I think it’s too soon for me to really think about kissing people. I’m sorry.”

Mircalla’s confusion changes to understanding. “I see.”

“Is that okay?”

Mircalla smiles. “More than okay. I honestly didn’t expect you to agree to kiss me in the first place, much less to enjoy it, but you did. That’s more than I could’ve asked.”

Aurelia feels a sense of relief. “Thank you. For understanding.”

“Of course. I can’t begin to imagine what you’re going through with all this. Take all the time you need,” Mircalla says genuinely. Aurelia feels tears pricking at her eyes and blinks them away.

“This might be silly, but can I have a hug?”

Mircalla chuckles. “Of course.” Mircalla opens her arms, and Aurelia launches herself into them. Mircalla squeezes her gently but firmly, reminding her that she’s there no matter what. Aurelia buries her face in Mircalla’s shoulder, hoping she won’t comment on the tears.

“Thank you.”

“Any time.”

[hellishtrickster]

Orianna leaned down and gave Miri a gentle hug.

“Thank you...princess.”

She winked playfully at the little girl. When Delgado whispered that in Orianna’s ear, she smiled and nodded.

“And I won’t take that lightly, sir.”

Orianna’s gentle, regal expression turned stormy at Ainley’s words. This son of a bitch was really going to do this to his own daughter. Then her heart broke at Missy’s words. She stood as Missy stormed off.

“Your daughter is a fine woman, Lord Oakdown. And I am sorry that she has a man like you for a father. Men like you beat me, abused me and left me to die on the streets. Just for what I am. I thought I had it the worst. It turns out your children are just as unfortunate. You’re so blinded by your prejudice and stupidity that you can’t see the treasures that your children are.”

Orianna took a deep breath and lowered her voice dangerously.

“You don’t get a say in Missy’s choices. I know she wants to come with me and join our cause. I will make sure she gets her way. And I will make sure your children are treated well. There will be hell to pay if I hear otherwise. Missy told me what you were like and asked not to bring her here. She was right and I should have listened. Now will one of you lead me to her room. I believe I owe Missy an apology. Benkai’l prepare the men and horses. We’ll be leaving soon.”

Ben nodded solemnly and left. They knew that Orianna only used their full name on particularly serious occasions.

Miri reached out a curious hand towards the wing, lightly brushing her fingers over the feathers. She didn’t want to hurt the nice bird-person. She gazed up at Ben with wide eyes.

“They ARE soft!” she stage-whispered. “Tha’s amamezin’!”

To Orianna, she frowned slightly, tilting her head to one side.

“But yur not scary. Yur nice! Like a princess! You jus’ have cool horns ‘stead’ve a crown. Birds are s’posed to like princesses.”

It was clear she was offended on Orianna’s behalf. She reached out to give the tiefling a hug.

“I’ll tell Robin not ta be scared a you, nex’ time I see him,” she whispered, nodding determinedly. “Then you’ll have TWO bird friends,” she added, beaming at Ben.

Missy had to smile. At least one of her family members was getting on splendidly with her friends.

Granddad Oakdown chuckled in pleased surprise.

“Has she now? Well, isn’t that something!” he leaned over, whispering the next bit in her ear. “You know, that right there tells me volumes about you. My granddaughter is a very private person; she doesn’t open up to just anyone. She must really like you.”

He pulled back, winking at her, and sat back down. Missy didn’t know what he’d said, but she’d seen the wink, and blushed. Meanwhile, Miri had climbed onto her grandfather’s lap and was happily drinking her juice, pinkie finger held up in the air to be ‘fancy’. Missy finished serving the tea and put the teapot somewhere out of the way. She leaned against the wall, sipping from a cup of her own.

Missy’s father muttered something under his breath at the ‘War is not child’s play’ line, but Mrs. Oakdown smacked his arm, pointing out that he was being rude. He scowled.

“No, Rani, I want to know! When is she going to stop acting like some..some…ragamuffin, and start acting like the young lady we raised her to be? This has gone on long enough, and now she expects us to let her go off to war? I let Harry go off to bard college, I tolerated Missy’s nonsense up to this point, but enough is enough! I won’t see her waste her youth and end up a spinster! It’s time for her to grow up and start setting a good example for her younger siblings!”

“Ainley, you’re making. a SCENE!” Missy’s mother hissed. All of the kids were staring at their parents with varying degrees of secondhand embarrassment on their faces. Except Miri, who was telling her grandfather an animated story about an adventure she’d gone on with her imaginary friend.

Missy set her cup down, drawing herself up to her full height.

“You never listen, do you Da?”

Her voice was quiet, but her hands shook with anger. She made them into fists in an effort to stay calm. You could have heard a pin drop in the silence that had fallen over the group. (Miri babbled on, in a world of her own)

“I’m setting a fantastic example for my younger siblings. For one thing, I can think for myself. Secondly, I have worked my whole life for something I want, and I am this. close. to getting it. You’re all for people pulling themselves up by their bootstraps, unless that person is your daughter. Why can’t you for once in your life be proud of me?”

Her father looked like he was going to say something but his wife clapped her hand over his mouth. “For gods’ sake, Ainley, know when to shut up!”

“You know, it’s ironic. I get this stubbornness from you. Despite your best efforts, I am a warrior, and I will not be told what to do. Orianna did not ask if you would let me. I am going. We came so that everyone could say goodbye. I warned her that that would be a mistake, and it turns out I was right.”

Nodding to Orianna, she added, “I’ll be in my room, packing. Let me know when you’re ready to leave,” and stormed out of the room. Granddad shook his head, picking up Miri and suggesting the two of them go look for frog princes in the yard. Ander joined them, and Jhessail went after Missy. Betha got up and started clearing the empty teacups. The rest of the Oakdowns remained at the table, sitting in awkward silence.

[italiangothicwriteblr]

WIP Title Tag Game

I’m jumping on @writerfae‘s open tag! (At least I think it was them...I lost the post)

Rules: List all the WIP titles in your drafts, and people can send asks about them.

(A lot of these just live in my head but I wanted to participate so here they are)

TKATF Snippets/AUs

Sorcerer! Enrico AU

Enrico time loop fic

Leonidas’ magic

Giuseppe is Elizabeth and Arnoldo is Mr. Darcy

Basilio v. Martino

Basilio v. Martino 2: Electric Boogaloo: This Time it’s Personal: The Battle for Giacomo

My bff Niccolo is a brilliant tactician who is unfortunately moronsexual--an article by Leonidas Greco

Giacomo time travel fic

Fiamma and Serafina being gay and doing crime

Why Polyxena got kicked out of Candemero

A political trip told from two viewpoints

Why Basilio and Giacomo’s relationship is very bad and should not be glamorized: An essay by Martino Rossi, (heavily written in the voice of Joy herself)

TTH Snippets/AUs

Why did Ottavio turn out this way?

Ottavio meets his bf’s grandmother, realizes he messed up

Livia’s views on magic

Nova/Livia college AU

Nova/Livia OFMD AU (I’m sorry)

Why every sorcerer should have a Bellamagnan friend

The fucked-up history of the house of Corvi

An entire essay on the five families

Orianna’s Second Arranged Marriage (it goes better this time!)

Ottavio couldn’t communicate properly if you paid him

Cloelia Fucks Up (But maybe not)

Livia will get Cloelia and Attilio to like her!

Tagging: @memento-morri-writes @muddshadow @the-void-writes @flowerprose  @galaxy-writer @pinespittinink @theprissythumbelina @equusgirl-writes  @bookish-galaxy  @aohendo @jess-p-edits and @bloodlessheirbyjacques (I’ve updated this like five times because I keep thinking of more people)

[hellimagines]

Scared to Love You -- Dettlaff van der Eretein

Masterlist

Request: “hi!! i have a detlaff request!! something like reader was his friend and she knew about syanna’s secret!! she tried to warn detlaff but well he didn’t believe her. later they meet again when geralt convinced detlaff what syanna did and detlaff feels angry at him for treating reader like that! ilysm❤️”

Summary: You and Dettlaff have an argument when you try telling him about who Rhenawedd really is, only for him to lash out and break your heart. 

Warnings: big angst in the beginning, with fluff at the end (as a treat)

Pairing: Dettlaff x fem!reader

Word Count: 1,900+

A/N: I haven’t played Blood and Wine in a while, so I’m sorry if the timeline is a little funky.

A stuffed bear hurtled across the room, exploding into a mess of stuffing and fur when it made contact with the wall, a few inches beside your head. Pieces of the bear got tangled with your hair, but you made no move to pick them out or even spare them a glance. A few more of Dettlaff’s toy creations met the same fate as the vampire destroyed the room in his rage. 

Suddenly he turned on you, his eyes filled with rage. “You’re wrong. Rhenawedd wouldn’t fake her own kidnapping or use me to kill a couple of knights. This is someone else’s doing, she would have no reason for this!” Dettlaff snarled and his face began to contort as his transformation threatened to take over. 

“That’s because she isn’t Rhenawedd, it’s not her real name!” you cried while peeling yourself away from the wall. “Her name is Sylvia Anna, and she is the sister of Duchess Anna Henrietta, I’ve told you this!”

Dettlaff scoffed lowly, “Yes, you have told me about this supposed conspiracy, after admitting to having spied on her.” 

Your cheeks burned at Dettlaff’s words, causing you to scowl up at him. “She was acting strangely and I was worried. Not only about her, but about you. I care about you, more than she does! You are walking into a trap and you are going to get yourself killed!” you yelled at him, no longer trying to keep the peace.

Dettlaff stalked forward, cowering you against the wall once more. “Have you ever stopped to consider that I don’t care about you or what you have to say? I’m aware of your feelings for me, (Y/N), you must at least know that. I can hear your heart race and I can smell your arousal whenever I’m near. Your jealousy of Rhenawedd is a stench that permeates the room, and it disgusts me. Nothing you can say or do will make me love you the way you love me, or care about you as I care for Rhenawedd.”

You tried, god did you try, to keep the quiver from your lip and the tears from your eyes, but you couldn’t. Your heart shattered at your friend’s words, falling to pieces like a weight in your stomach as he glared down at you viciously. For the better part of ten years, you had traveled at Dettlaff’s side, giving him company and keeping him safe. You helped him feed, helped him find comfortable places to stay, helped him with Regis, helped him with Rhenawedd. You did anything he asked, and in turn, he kept you safe and happy; even when he would ask you to find somewhere else for the night because Rhenawedd was there, even when you would have to sleep in the forest or in Regis’ crypt because there was nowhere else, even when he randomly left you alone for days or weeks because ‘Rhenawedd has never seen Skellige, and she’s been sad lately’, you were still happy because Dettlaff was happy and you could still call him your friend. But now, listening to his claws scratching against the wall by your head as he closed his hand into a fist, you felt angry and broken and stupid. So very, very stupid. 

“You are a cruel man, Dettlaff. I would call you a monster, but monsters are brainless creatures that hurt others because that’s all they know how to do. You’re not a monster, you’re just heartless and pathetic,” you spat after a moment to gather your thoughts. Your tears fell down your rage-filled face, slipping into the creases and dripping over your nose and your lips, but you didn’t wipe a single one away. You didn’t care that you probably looked like the naive, foolish girl Dettlaff had seen you as this whole time, your body and your mind felt too exhausted from the crash of heartache you had been hit with. You slammed your hands against his chest, causing him to stumble back in shock from not only the push but your words as well. “I wish you the best of luck in finding Rhenawedd, and I sincerely hope I am wrong because I would hate to have to tell Regis that you died for someone who wouldn’t spare your burning corpse a single glance.”

Dettlaff didn’t make any move to stop you as you left the room and stormed downstairs, leaving him, and the life you had with him, behind.

--

A couple of weeks had passed since your argument with Dettlaff, and you had been living in a small cottage on the outskirts of Beauclair, near the cemetery Regis’ was staying at, courtesy of Orianna. Regis knew of your whereabouts, but when you refused to tell him why you were in the cottage rather than with Dettlaff, he had respectfully let the manner drop. Orianna had been kind enough to give you a job tending to the flowers in her estate and hadn’t bothered with any questions when you told her you were trying to save money so you could go north, away from Toussaint. Needless to say, you were surviving just fine without Dettlaff and had even managed to keep yourself from asking the other vampires about him. However, of course Dettlaff would come barreling into your life once more right when you had managed to put a few pieces of your heart back together. 

It was late and you had just returned home after tending to a new batch of flowers Orianna had received. Your feet ached due to the long journey from the estate back to your cottage, but when you noticed your front door wide open, the pain seemed to vanish. Adrenaline took its place when you heard huffs of rage from inside your house, causing you to grab a nearby shovel before going inside. 

You were expecting to be met with a destroyed home, with what few belongings you had to be tossed on the floor and the furniture to be upturned. Instead, everything was just how you had left it this morning, minus the shaking vampire on your couch. You knew it was Dettlaff before he raised his head, recognizing the gothic coat and black hair instantly. When Dettlaff looked at you, his blue eyes didn’t hold any of the rage you had seen the last time you saw him, and instead were filled with sorrow- no doubt mimicking the own heartbreak in your eyes.

“What are you doing here?” you questioned when Dettlaff didn’t speak, setting the shovel down and shutting your front door. 

Dettlaff remained silent for a few more minutes, staring at you as though he had no idea why he was there. He swallowed thickly before standing, and his clawed hand twitched at his side, in an effort to keep from reaching out to you. “I’m sorry,” he said quickly, the words tumbling off his tongue in a nearly illegible speed. “What I said to you was cruel, and I’m sorry. I didn’t mean any of it, I was just so angry and hurt at the thought of Rhenawedd using me as a weapon. It does not excuse my words or my actions, but I need you to know that I didn’t mean any of it. I do care about you, I always have, and I will never stop caring about you.”

You ignored the ache in your chest to reach out for him. “Why are you here, Dettlaff?” you repeated, schooling your face into one of neutrality. 

“You were right. About Rhen-... about Syanna. Geralt and Regis cornered me and brought Syanna along with them. She admitted to faking the kidnapping and being the one responsible for the letters.” Your eyes widened in brief shock at Dettlaff’s words. “I wanted to go after her and kill her, kill her for what she did, and for what I did to you. But Regis said you wouldn’t appreciate that as much as me coming to you without blood all over me.”

“Regis is a smart man,” you hummed while eyeing the vampire before you. His words were honest, you could tell, but it didn’t fix the hollowness you still felt inside your chest. “I’m sorry you got hurt, Dettlaff, but it doesn’t make up for the fact that you hurt me, really bad.”

“I know and I’m so sorry,” he practically whined, quickly come to stand before you. “When I first sensed that you saw me as more than a friend, I became terrified. I didn’t understand how, after everything you had seen me do, you could care for me in such an intimate way. I didn’t want to have you by my side only to watch you die from old age or disease or a mortal wound. So I hoped if I ignored your feelings, and in turn my own, you would give up and leave.”

“And yet you allowed Syanna to love you and stand by your side,” you muttered with a frown.

“I was never scared of losing her or watching her die, not like I am with you. When I sensed your sadness during our fight, it broke something in me. I never wished to hurt you or to be the cause of your despair, and for that, I will never truly forgive myself. I didn’t come here to beg for your forgiveness, either, to play the victim in a fight I caused. I came here to make sure you know how much I care about you and how much I love you. If you wish for me to leave, I will-”

You interrupted Dettlaff before he could finish his sentence, and shook your head. “I don’t want you to leave. I understand now, why you did what you did, and even though I’m still hurt, I do forgive you. I’ve always seen you as strong and sensitive and kind, but I never thought that you might be scared of loving me.”

Dettlaff reached forward and pulled you against his body, sighing a breath of relief when you went willing. You uncrossed your arms and wrapped them around his waist, clutching the back of his coat in a white-knuckled grip. He had one hand gripping your hip and the other cradling the back of your head, holding you tightly against his body. As you breathed in the familiar scent of expensive Beauclair cologne, your breath stuttered with the sudden urge to cry. Dettlaff muttered apologies, words of praise, and promises-to-come as you quietly sobbed against his chest. 

“Wherever we go from here, and I do mean we, I will never treat you so horribly again. I love you so very much, (Y/N), and I regret taking so long to be honest with you about it,” Dettlaff whispered once your sobs turned to sniffles and your sniffles to silent hiccups. 

As exhaustion settled into your bones, making your body feel heavy and your brain feel foggy, all you could manage was a nod. You would have time later for heartfelt words and soft kisses and nights spent clutching bedsheets, but for now, you were content to be held in his arms as your heart thrummed with happiness once again.

[asriels]

hey ellie, this might be a little forward but I was just wondering if you had any recent book recs to share? i’m honestly in love with the way you write and your fics have definitely helped me a lot with getting back into reading, so any pointers or suggestions would be helpful!

Hey hey! I’m so sorry, this is such a slow reply – I’m on tumblr very sporadically these days. I have actually been reading a fair bit in lockdown so I hope I can help! Not forward at all, I love talking books any time! 

Also thank you so much, I’m so thrilled you like my fics and it means the world they’ve been able to help you. If you’d like to read some of the fics that brought me back to writing, I particularly recommend Brushfire by elo_elo (I read this without having played more than an hour’s worth of any DA games, still superb) and Ruin of a Place by the same author (I do play Stardew Valley but I don’t think you need to have in order to enjoy this). Also Renovations by @bettsfic is really just Something Else and it took me to a better place. If you ever read The Hunger Games, read her fic A Standing Engagement too, you will not regret it.

Okay, and as for books:

The End of Everything by Megan Abbott – this is not as well-known as Abbott’s other teen girl books Dare Me and The Fever I don’t think (which are also v worth reading if you haven’t), but it squirmed under my skin and stayed there. Very dark so please be mindful of trigger warnings before you go in; happy to warn you what these are before you decide whether to go for it or not. Classic Abbott though and one that really stuck with me. 

Lost Children Archive by Valeria Luiselli – kind of confusingly written but I let myself just go with it and not worry too much about whether I understood it 100% and I ended up loving it, though admittedly did not Get the whole thing. Two sound archivists take a road trip with their children, knowing it’s the swansong of their relationship. The narrator is increasingly emotionally caught up in the stories of children trying to cross the border from Mexico illegally.

Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tokarczuk (tr. Antonia Lloyd-Jones) – this one is a bit unusual but go with it, it rewards by the end. An old woman in rural Poland who believes heavily in astrology narrates. The members of a local hunting/poaching club start turning up dead.

The Walls Around Us by Nova Ren Suma – very cool use of unreliable narrators and a look at intense female friendships. A ballet dancer about to go to Juilliard and an inmate in a juvenile correctional facility swap narration. A girl called Orianna ties them together.

Call Down the Hawk by Maggie Stiefvater – I’m not sure if tumblr is for or against MS these days, but holy GOD was this good. Interestingly, I read her article recently where she explained that she’d been in the grips of a truly horrible illness when writing the end of the Raven Cycle, which explains a lot of the reasons why fandom might have gone off it a bit. CDTH is Stiefvater back at her absolute best, like Scorpio Races levels of excellent. I loved it. You don’t need to have read The Raven Cycle to enjoy it IMO.

I’m going to mention two books I didn’t actually end up enjoying at all too, because no matter how I felt about the narrative, the writing was excellent from a technical standpoint: In The Woods and The Wych Elm by Tana French. I gave In The Woods a chance bc I thought the writing of The Wych Elm was so good even if I hated the plot arc, but it seems that French just really likes to do the opposite of most writers and have her characters start out in a good place and gradually (and almost entirely due to their own inability to take responsibility for themselves) lose everything that matters including their jobs, relationships and happiness. I did my best, but I just don’t enjoy that in a book, and I found them both inordinately frustrating. However, for a masterclass in How To Write Real Beautiful, you might find them worth a read. 

[nightspeckle]

High School Au {Part 3}

Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 4

this one is like sorta long-ish? (for me lol, in actuality its like super short) and it’s trash so my b 

******

Here’s the thing. Working with Cardan was actually pretty good. I never thought I would ever think that and yet here I am. I’m pretty sure my delusions are growing but that's not really the point. 

The point is that the kid knows his shit. I mean really knows his shit. 

Noggle gave us Scipio Africanus’ Tactics which was an adventure in itself. Cardan had just looked at me with a toned-down version of his death stare and asked me if we wanted to break up the work. 

It was that simple. We made a combined slideshow that took about 20 minutes in total with each of us splitting the research. I was looking over the slides and when I got to his I think my brain imploded.

They were extremely detailed, more so even than mine and he had been on his phone half of the time. I mean even the sentences sounded smart.  He used the word consternation. I mean what does that even mean? Not that I was about to ask. 

Noggle basically pushed us out early when he saw how good our slides were considering this was just a club and so he shoved us out with a big smile. 

So in all working with Cardan wasn’t terrible. I barely even noticed how clear his skin looked from close up! So progress for me. 

But now as we currently exit out the east side doors to the parking lot I can’t help but notice how he seems to glow in the sunlight. Or the fact that something about him just feels ethereal at this moment. 

So I book it. Walking as fast as I possibly can to the back of the parking lot. 

I’m so focused and hightailing it away from the beauty that is Cardan that I don’t realize anything is amiss until I’m standing in an empty parking spot. 

I do a little 360 standing in the place where the car is supposed to be.

Fuck.

I should be surprised, or even concerned that my car is missing. But I’m not. 

Three sisters and two cars is not a perfect equation. I check my phone to see if I missed anything in the group chat. 

Viv: I’m taking Carol to work

Taryn: I thought we agreed on Joan? 

Vivi Yeah but saying I’m taking Joan makes me feel like a 40 year old mom who drives a minivan

Taryn: And Carol doesn't give you the same vibes?

Viv: Nah, Crackhead Carol is wildddddd 

Taryn: I hate you.

Taryn: I’m taking Olie to the mall, Jude can you catch the bus?

Viv: I can not believe that you give me shit for Carol and then named our beautiful baby after Oliver Wood.

Taryn: Excuse me? Oliver Wood is the god of the century

Viv: Bitch can't beat Luna

Taryn: You would

Taryn: Do we think Jude will even see this or am I gonna have to go back to pick her up

Viv: She’s probably to busy dreaming nasty thoughts about her ghosty boy and his little ghost

Taryn: Let's not start on this again pls

Viv: I’ll be home at 9 don’t die in the meantime xx

First of all, Shit. 

Second, I’m going to strangle Vivi with my bare hands. Garrett and I are friends and it's actually starting to piss me off.  

Third, how the fuck do they expect me to get Oak with no car? Fucking idiots.

Jude: Which one of you dumbos is gonna get Oak?

Viv: Workingggggggg

Taryn: I’m 45 minutes away... so like u

Jude: I am wishing death upon your souls :)

I look at my watch to see It’s already three. Shit. 

What am I going to do? Walk? I can’t call Orianna or Dad. I am not in the mood to face Oriannas snarky comments or Dad’s lectures about responsibility.

So that leaves walking. Or more like running. I am so going to be late.

But as I’m dashing across the parking lot I almost get run over by a black Porsche Cayenne.

 Which p.s. is one sexy ass car. 

Usually, I might stop to give the driver an earful about how running over pedestrians is not the vibe. But I have 15 minutes to get to Oak’s school which is like 20 minutes on foot.

I start walking again when I hear the car's window roll down and a voice from the driver's seat.

It’s Cardan.

Of course.

I’m waiting for a comment about idiotically walking behind moving cars but it doesn’t come. Or for him to unleash the snide comments he has been holding back all afternoon. However, what does come out is even worse.

“Do you need a ride?”

....

I’m staring at him through his open window. I’m about two feet from the driver's door and Cardan is tapping his fingers methodically on the door.

He doesn’t look very menacing. His eyes are flickering over my face and he raises an eyebrow up at me. 

“Well?” He asks probingly. I’m all too aware of what this means. The dude who terrorized my childhood is reaching out an olive branch. 

There’s a part of me that wants to turn and walk away from his cruel glares and the comments he used to spit at me and Taryn. But I really could use a ride. 

Plus, he looks extremely hot with one of his hands on the wheel which is like an added bonus.

“Yeah, I do.” He seems a little surprised that I said yes. I watch as a small smirk graces his face. Damn. 

He nods his head to the passenger side and I walk around the car and slide into the seat. Just FYI these seats are comfortable as shit. 

I look over at Cardan as he starts to back up. Which is a terrible idea. He looks so laid back and comfortable. He looks like he fits here and his face is blank of that awful sneer he seems to have on every day at school. 

It makes me despise him a little less. I should have walked. 

“Can you drop me off at Elfame Elementary?” 

He looks over at me quizically. “Yeah.” A pause. “Why do you need to go there?”

“I need to pick up my little brother,”. 

“Is that why you were running around the parking lot like a headless chicken?”. He looks amused as he says this.

“I was not running around like a headless chicken.” My voice is a little cold as I speak. His face goes a little more stonelike at my tone. 

Jude! Wtf, this guy is giving you a ride. Pull it together!

“My sisters took the cars and left me stranded,” I attempt a little more warmly. “So thank you.”

His face twists a little surprised at the thank you. Mind kind of does too. Me saying thank you to the kid who poured milk all over me on picture day for years throughout elementary school.

Cardan doesn’t say anything else as we drive to Oak’s school. He just turns on some music and drives. It’s actually kind of nice being able to watch the vibrant green trees go zooming by. 

Before I know it Cardan is pulling into the parking lot of the elementary school.

A little bit of me is disappointed it's over so soon. I actually feel a little peaceful.

I look down at my watch to see it’s 3:10. Perfect! 

“Thanks, Cardan, truly this was life-saving,” I reach over to the handle about to push the door open when I look back to see an expression on Cardan's face that matches my own.

“How are you going to get home after?” Cardan’s voice is soft as he asks.

“I was going to walk to Ralph’s, Viv has one of the cars with her,”.

“That's like a mile away,” Cardan says laughing a little as he does.

“Don’t really have any other options here buddy,”

“Buddy?” He looks offended. As if the word is a personal assault to his well being. I can’t help but roll my eyes. To which he notices and roll’s his eyes back at me.

“I can drive you and your brother home. If you want?”.

Yes. I do want. But I’m not really in the mood to owe Cardan anything and this feels like a favor a little too out of his way. Why is he helping me out?

So no?

But I’m also not in the mood for the complaining Oak will give me for walking in this sweltering heat. 

“Uh, yeah. Thanks.” Then I shut the door and head into the school.

....

Oak is looking up at me with a puzzled look on his face.

“I thought Viv was going to get me today?”

“Sorry, bud. She had to work.” He just shrugs. “Does that mean shell bring me back a milkshake!” He’s popping up on his toes almost jumping in joy. I just stifle a laugh and shake his hair up.

“Where did you park Olie?” Oak is looking around quizically trying to spot the black jeep named after the quidditch legend himself. When he cant spot Ollie Oak turns to look at me with a full face of disappointment. “Did you drive Crackhead Carol?”

The dad who walks by as he gives me a wide eyed look before shuffling his kids along in the opposite direction. I can’t help roll my eyes even though Vivi isn’t even here. 

Oak is still looking at me in despair. He hates Crackhead Carol. Says that it’s scary driving in it. Which is not true. The only reason he hates Carol is that every time he’s in Carol is when Vivi is driving. Which is an experience to drive any person to full body fear. 

“I did not drive Carol.” Oak’s shoulders un-tense and he goes back to bouncing as we make our way past the busses and smiling bus monitors to the parking lot.

“So how did you get here?”

“Oak, chill out we’re not walking to Ralph's,” I say still heading to where Cardan parked his car. 

Oak just stops halfway through the parking lot with his hands on his hips demanding an explanation. As much as he is trying to be serious he just looks adorable. 

“I’ll give you a piggyback if you stop being an annoying little butt.” He just smiles and catapults onto my back.  I don’t often offer to give Oak piggybacks any more. He’s gotten heavier as he's grown. Plus sometimes he thinks he's too old and cool for them. I guess today is not one of those days.

When I get back to Cardan’s car I can see he has an amused smile as he watches my cart around my lanky 7 year old brother. 

Oak looks at me with wide eyes as I buckle him up in the back and plop down in the passenger seat. Cardan has turned off the rap he was playing early and switched it to that teeny bob that I despise but Taryn loves. 

I look over to see that not only is the amused look on his lips but also in his eyes. He doesn’t say anything and instead just pulls out of the parking lot.

Oak who has been unusually quiet finally opens his mouth.

“Are you Jude’s boyfriend?” Oh my god.

“Oak!” My face has most certainly paled to the color of ice. Cardan looks at first like he might throw up with the thought but then he starts laughing. 

And damn is that a nice sight. His sharp features are relaxed and full of laughter.

“Jude’s never had a boyfriend before.” Oak pauses for a second before continuing. “Actually she had one boyfriend but now he’s Taryn’s boyfriend so that doesn’t really count.” 

I think I might strangle Oak. I look over at Cardan who seems to have gone a little rigid with this turn of the conversation. Having Cardan sit here with my brother telling him about my relationship disasters is embarrassing.

I mean, of course, he already knows this. He’s friends with Locke. But still, something about this is bugging me. 

“Oak,” My voice is diminished when I speak. I’m looking out the window forcing the feelings I've been fighting for months to go away. Taryn and I worked things out. We always do. But that doesn’t mean it doesn’t sting sometimes. 

That's when I feel a strong nimble hand grab mine. I look over to Cardan as he drives. His eyes are focused on the road as he squeezes my hand.

I think my heart is going to melt. 

But then I think I’m going to attack him. I remember seeing Nicasia laugh along with Valerian and Locke. Who’s to say he didn’t poke fun of the fool I was. I bet he’s only doing this now to go laugh at what an idiot I am later with all of his cronies.

But then he catches my eyes and he seems genuinely sad for me so I don’t attack him. But I do pull my hand from his and look back out the window. I don’t care if he’s been nice today. That does not exclude the years of name-calling. Of making me and Taryn feel small. Of how he glared at me at the party. What the fuck changed so quickly?

Oak is apparently not done talking. As usual. “Only Heather and Locke drive me places too. They're both my sister's boyfriend and girlfriend.” That makes me turn around.

“Cardan is not my boyfriend.” My voice is firm as I speak. 

I look over to see a little bit of anger on his face. He has both hands on the wheel. No aimless tapping or anything. He looks over with that cold glare he gave me at the party. 

Great! He’s mad because I pulled my hand from his. What an arrogant bastard.

....

When we finally get home Oak jumps out of the car running to the door. Something about Fixer Upper being on. What an odd kid.

Oak’s gone before I can even open the door leaving me and Cardan alone.

He’s staring dead out the window not even bothering to look at me. Which is fucking annoying. This dude needs to get a grip on his mood swings. I’m irritated enough to the point where I have to say something.

“Why the fuck were you being so tolerable early? You're usually pretty shitty to me. So whats up? What's with the bits of decency all of the sudden. You hate me. What's going on here?” 

He turns his head to meet me eye to eye. His lips are sent in such a hard line I don’t think I’m going to get an answer. 

“I do not hate you.” 

“No? What about that time you called me and Taryn lowlife orphans who were less important than the dirt on your shoe? Or when you would steal my lunch money every day? Or that time you tripped me at elementary school graduation? I broke my ankle.” I’m seething. My whole body hot with anger.

He just sits there. Stone cold as ice.

“I was a child.” It's icy. Dismissive. As if the pent up anger, the feelings I had that I didn’t belong where nothing. 

“Fine. What about Friday night? That lovely moment when you basically kicked me out of that party? Omg, what about when I started dating Locke and you called me a filthy slut! That was a fun one.”

He’s staring at me with a hard unrelenting stare. 

I can not believe I started to think he wasn’t such an asshole. Just listening to myself speak I realize how dumb I am. I’m too pissed at the feelings that have been in that dark space next to my heart to even wait for his answer.

I’m curious sure. But I’m done. I’ve put up with this shit for too long.

I’m storming out of the car. Slamming the door to his precious car as hard as I can. 

“Jude.” His voice is hard. Commanding. I feel like smacking him into next week.

I turn to see him standing out of his door arms crossed defensively. I can't help but match his stance. He’s only 3 ft away and I feel the urge to run as far as I can. 

“I don’t hate you.” He’s spitting the words out now full of force.

“You looked hot as fuck Friday night,”. What? “And that pissed me the fuck off because I like you.” 

What the fuck.

“I can’t stop thinking about you.” Oh my god. “And I hate that.”

 He takes a pause, “I despise you for it.”

I’m frozen in place. Just staring at this asshole who had the nerve to tell me he likes me? After the torment, he inflicted on me as a kid. After the name-calling and the glares and the...

My entire brain freezes as he tugs me into his chest. Hard.

Because now he's kissing me. And damn is he a good kisser.

He has a hand tangled in my hair and the other one is keeping me pinned to him. I’m a stone statue for a whole 3 seconds before I acknowledge what is happening. But then I can’t stop myself as my arms wrap around his body and I'm pushing into him as much as I can. 

He’s turning us around backing me up to his car door. The kisses becoming hungrier, needier. His hands have moved down to my ass. Holding me as close to him as possible. I can’t stop the roving my hands are doing. Finding their way to that sweet soft black hair.

I can’t let go. I don’t think I’ll ever get enough of this. What it feels like to not have a single space between us. What it feels like for Cardan's hand to be intertwined with my hair, pulling me into him. 

“See I told you Jude had a boyfriend!”.

I hate my life.

~~~

My one tag hehe:

@fireheartbuzzard

[mycloneismywaifu]

Shaco’s thoughts on champions..

Aatrox: Such an angry man, definitely needs to relax.

Ahri: quite pretty, everyone seems to like her. I don’t know though..

Akali: Grumpy, but also...balanced, as they would say?

Alistar: Big boy, Small Mind.

Amumu: Oh Nyoh, poor baby...grow up.

Anivia: who left the frozen chicken out to defrost?

Annie: I like their potential, might host a tea party.

Aphelios: Sorry, didn’t hear what you said.

Ashe: chill...hehe...

Aurelion Sol: ALMIGHTY POTENTIAL...Rude as fuck.

Azir: Hm...you had everything, how did it feel to lose so much...?

Bard: BWOMMM....indeed.

Blitzcrank: Metal body, Metal mind, Metal heart...I wonder if you can feel...

Brand: Toasty, I’ll keep you in my fireplace.

Braum: You have a heart worth thousands, but can you save everybody..?

Caitlyn: You claim to be an amazing sherrif, but you haven’t caught me!

Camille: My my, that’s some long...knives.

Cassiopeia;  I like your style...Poison is quite...thrilling in it’s own way~

Cho'Gath: Who’s a good all eating terrifying monster...? YOU ARE!~

Corki: Has ANYONE seen his feet? Anybody?!

Darius: Chop Chop~ You’ve got to catch up to your brother~

Diana: So edgy, but loving the aesthetic~

Dr. Mundo: I’ll see you next week for drinks! Bring the good stuff!

Draven: I heard your brother’s ahead of you, gotta do more work~!

Ekko: Even if you go back in time, you can’t fix your mistakes...~

Elise: Oh My..!

Evelynn: MY OH MY!

Ezreal: Do you really have to dance like that...?

Fiddlesticks: SQUARK!!! ...hah, good times...

Fiora: You’ll never find a worthy opponent with manners like that!

Fizz: Slippery little sucker you are...

Galio: Big. Very Big.

Gangplank: Arrrg! ..got any of those oranges

Garen: You wish for JUSTICE! but what if you’re in the wrong..?

Gnar: Annoying, but sort of cute. Don’t piss it off, whatever you do.

Gragas: My supplier of the finest bourbon. Also a drinking buddy.

Graves: He smells nice.

Hecarim: I love to sneak onto his back to ride on him like a horse...

Heimerdinger: ...Fucking know it all.

Illaoi: I tried arm wrestling with her ones. Never again.

Irelia: K n i v e s, so many K N I V E S.

Ivern: Honestly I’d probably get high with this guy. He seems like fun to get high with.

Janna: Is it me or is it windy in here?

Jarvan IV: You have a kingdom, but do you deserve it?

Jax: If i gave you a rubber chicken, would you still clobber people?

Jayce: Pretty boy needs to learn his place.

Jhin: Finally, someone with some good T A S T E 

Jinx: 👀

Kai'Sa: I’m surprised you didn’t go c r a z y in the void..how do you feel..?

Kalista: I heard you want to get a little bit of vengence...?

Karma: ...Is a bitch...Pun intended.

Karthus: Fucking love to rock out with this guy. Holy shit.

Kassadin: Needs to find an inhaler.

Katarina: Totally isn’t a Yandere waiting for Garen to ask her out.

Kayle: Should have been the one to hit the ground too hard if she fell.

Kayn: Fucking edgelord who I wish would make up his fucking mind.

Kennen: Get a load of pikachu over here..

Kha'Zix: Messy eater, wouldn’t invite over again.

Kindred: Fun to talk about death with, would chat again. Wolf’s a good boy.

Kled: Fucking mental, would drink with again.

Kog'Maw: What the fuck is this thing. I love it. 

LeBlanc: Amazing parties, amazing dances, need to hang out more..

Lee Sin: Now you see me, now you...oh hang on.

Leona: Praise the sun? Nah I get sun stroke. Give me your sister pls.

Lillia: Too innocent, shouldn’t be here, easy to mess with...actually, maybe stay..?

Lissandra: Cold. Very cold. But the best of the 3..

Lucian: I laughed when I heard Senna got caught. Thresh did a good job.

Lulu: One of my bestest sort of friends, we cause the best mischief. 

Lux: Does your father know what you can do...?

Malphite: B I G

Malzahar: Sorta kinda kreeps me out sometimes...his bugs fuck my shit up...

Maokai: I like chilling in his branches, his saprolings know how to party.

Master Yi: That’s a nice lookin sword you’ve got there...

Miss Fortune: You got two lovely guns. 

Mordekaiser: Best guitarist I’ve ever heard. need to see their next concert.

Morgana: Lovely cookies, shame everyone dies after though.

Nami: Why would you even buy boots??

Nasus: Your brother hates you, do you forgive him? 

Nautilus: Can you even feel me knocking on your head?

Neeko: I see myself all the time, you can’t fool me...

Nidalee: You need some class, a wash and some clothes...

Nocturne: DARKNESS, DARLING, WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?!

Nunu and Willump: Willump can you just eat him already?

Olaf: I miss the good old drinking days...heh, mom’s op...

Orianna: The intricacy of the workings inside are limitless, I must see inside...

Ornn: B I G aswell

Pantheon: You’ve got abs you can eat off, and an ass that would be eaten.

Poppy: You may be small, but damn you hurt.

Pyke: I need to talk to you more, I want to hear all about drowning as much as I can...

Qiyana: You’re just an angry person.

Quinn: I’ve been trying to kill Valor for so long I can’t count the days.

Rakan: Look in the mirror for too long and your face will stick like that.

Rammus: Ok.

Rek'Sai: *SCREECHES BACK*

Renekton: Your brother trapped you for millenia, tell me how much you hate him..

Rengar: heh, you let your guard down and the bug ate your eye..funny.

Riven: You’ll never be welcomed back, you know that, right..?

Rumble: She’ll never notice how much you love her. Give up.

Ryze: C’mon, let me look in the scroll, just a little peek?

Sejuani: God you smell as bad as the boar...

Senna: You have no idea how long it’s been to ask someone...how was it in the lanturn??

Sett: All you do is punch. Not impressed at all.

Shaco: Love this guy, can’t get enough of him!

Shen: You say balance is necessary, so isn’t what Zed doing good..?

Shyvana: No matter what you do, Demacia will always fear you~

Singed: You need to give me more of your experimental vials, I have too much fun with them..

Sion: oh hey big guy, I thought you died!

Sivir: I think you make more money than me killing people...jealous much..

Skarner: Aren’t you the last of your kind...? Samesies! how’s it feel for you~!

Sona: I wish I could hear you scream...that would be wonderful..

Soraka: Why not give Warwick what he wants...no one will miss you~

Swain: I would love to study your...ehem...other form more, it’s so intriguing ...

Sylas: You were a bad boy, yet you didn’t let people know about lux~

Syndra: Show me this limitless power you have~

Tahm Kench: Gotta say, I’m a big fan of your vocabulary...

Taliyah: Yasuo isn’t who you think he is...you should ask who Yone is...

Talon: Stabby Stabby time~

Taric: Wow. 

Teemo: I could list off 900 different ways I would exterminate that little rodent.

Thresh: Hey, I’m Shaco, big fan, huge. Biggest even.

Tristana: you’re oblivious to all the signs, you’ll end up hurting people you have no idea exist...

Trundle: HIT HIT HIT, That all you think about?

Tryndamere: See above

Twisted Fate: I’m never playing cards with you again, seriously, fuck off.

Twitch: God you stink. but you make a good foot rest.

Udyr: So calm, yet anger is deep inside you..

Urgot: No one likes you but god you’re amazing at killing people.

Varus: You fuck everything up, yet you’re still around...

Vayne: You wish to rid the world of black magic, but so much fun comes from it..

Veigar: HAH, SO, SMALL, OH MY, HE’S JUST...PFFFF.

Vel'Koz: I too wish to know what’s going on inside of people’s heads..just more emotionally.

Vi: Caitlyn will never notice you.

Viktor: hit me up when the revolution starts, I may skip town til it’s over.

Vladimir: SO MUCH GOOD WINE, OOF.

Volibear: You’re a big boi now, indeed.

Warwick: Cmon, you know you want it, go get it...soraka’s practically open...

Wukong: sometimes you even get me confused...

Xayah: oo, look at me, such an edgy bitch, only one man get’s me~

Xerath: I am so curious, how the hell did you become what you are...

Xin Zhao: sorry, who are you again?

Yasuo: You killed your brother, didn’t you. I fucking knew it!!

Yorick: Play me that bass riff again, it’s so G O O D

Yuumi: God you’re annoying. 

Zac: surprisingly enough, you’re an amazing bed.

Zed: You know what you should do..? Kill them all...heh, that’d be fun to watch..

Ziggs: I need you to make more bombs, for me...for research purposes..heh

Zilean: You are also annoying, stop knowing where I’ll be, stop. now.

Zoe: GOD, WHY ARE YOU ALL ANNOYING

Zyra: ...you provide the good kush.

Clean list below if anyone want’s to do it too!

I love reading them, tag me in them if you could! :D

Aatrox,

Ahri,

Akali,

Alistar,

Amumu,

Anivia,

Annie,

Aphelios,

Ashe,

Aurelion Sol,

Azir,

Bard,

Blitzcrank,

Brand,

Braum,

Caitlyn,

Camille,

Cassiopeia,

Cho'Gath,

Corki,

Darius,

Diana,

Dr. Mundo,

Draven,

Ekko,

Elise,

Evelynn,

Ezreal,

Fiddlesticks,

Fiora,

Fizz,

Galio,

Gangplank,

Garen,

Gnar,

Gragas,

Graves,

Hecarim,

Heimerdinger,

Illaoi,

Irelia,

Ivern,

Janna,

Jarvan IV,

Jax,

Jayce,

Jhin,

Jinx,

Kai'Sa,

Kalista,

Karma,

Karthus,

Kassadin,

Katarina,

Kayle,

Kayn,

Kennen,

Kha'Zix,

Kindred,

Kled,

Kog'Maw,

LeBlanc,

Lee Sin,

Leona,

Lillia,

Lissandra,

Lucian,

Lulu,

Lux,

Malphite,

Malzahar,

Maokai,

Master Yi,

Miss Fortune,

Mordekaiser,

Morgana,

Nami,

Nasus,

Nautilus,

Neeko,

Nidalee,

Nocturne,

Nunu and Willump,

Olaf,

Orianna,

Ornn,

Pantheon,

Poppy,

Pyke,

Qiyana,

Quinn,

Rakan,

Rammus,

Rek'Sai,

Renekton,

Rengar,

Riven,

Rumble,

Ryze,

Sejuani,

Senna,

Sett,

Shaco,

Shen,

Shyvana,

Singed,

Sion,

Sivir,

Skarner,

Sona,

Soraka,

Swain,

Sylas,

Syndra,

Tahm Kench,

Taliyah,

Talon,

Taric,

Teemo,

Thresh,

Tristana,

Trundle,

Tryndamere,

Twisted Fate,

Twitch,

Udyr,

Urgot,

Varus,

Vayne,

Veigar,

Vel'Koz,

Vi,

Viktor,

Vladimir,

Volibear,

Warwick,

Wukong,

Xayah,

Xerath,

Xin Zhao,

Yasuo,

Yorick,

Yuumi,

Zac,

Zed,

Ziggs,

Zilean,

Zoe,

Zyra,

[fatebreaking-a]

❂

// @sheriff-caitlyn / I’ve got a confession to make.  ( Ori )

=========================================================

“I admired you.”

Her eyes open slowly, not fluttering, not nervous. They simply open, as her confession opens. Simply, clearly, concisely, she begins where all stories ought to begin - the very beginning.

“When we were much younger, I admired you very much.” It was no less than a lifetime ago to the blonde woman as she perches upon a desk, feet swinging lazily. Held between her arms is the Ball, whining sadly as melancholy overtakes Orianna Reveck’s voice. The Ball is proof it is her, that despite being flesh and blood, she is that woman.

She ought to have died. 

It is not survivor’s guilt that carries this thought forward, but simple reality. A simple reality that she is here, alive - perhaps alive enough to be considered ‘well’. How does Caitlyn remember her? What does Caitlyn expect? Though melancholy threatens to flood her chest and drown her, her brow does not crease and she does not sigh. Robotic.

“When we were younger, I saw a Piltover that was plagued with problems. You may not recall... No, it is possible that the Orianna you knew was not like that. Are my expectations a burden upon you?” The question is not rhetorical. It is genuine, a genuine curiosity born of emotional blindness. The muscle memory of her emotions had been robbed from her and now she found both anger and joy hard to place. Her expressions never matched her voice, out of sync with one another. Where her voice sang with melancholy only moments ago, her tone is flat and unshifting as her expression twists instead. This is what is known as ‘baggage’, she thinks. However, when else except during a confession was one meant to speak of their baggage?

“I looked up to you.”

And as she sits there, thinking and thinking and thinking, repeating the same words again and again, she remembers what could have been. Swans dancing on stage, ballerinas twisting and twirling and perfectly in sync. That wasn’t this world anymore. But she remembers. She remembers it all, like a ghost inside her head, screaming, aching, remembering each and every time she died -

“You are. Uncomfortable. With the sight of me. It is rare for me to... find someone who is not. It is rare for me to notice discomfort. But I did notice.” ‘I’m not her’, she realizes she wants to scream, but the desire is so disjointed from her reality that she only furrows her eyebrows in thought. It was this difficult to explain that, thanks to Ekko and Janna, a hundred thousand shattered timelines scraped inside her head like rusted gears. It sounds unreasonable. It sounds unbelievable, lacking the scientific explanation that she so prefers - that she escaped the demands of fate and did not die. Is that even true. Perhaps I am just crazy.

“I apologize, my thoughts have gotten somewhat sidetracked. Nevertheless, I saw twin cities that were short of hope. You may recall that my mother perished to the Blight, the Gray of Zaun. I grew up in my father’s shop, perfecting my skill with prosthetics. My time with you was a reprieve that soothed my heart.” And normally, a woman in her early twenties saying such things would have inflection in her voice, emotion. She has nothing. Sometimes, Orianna thinks, her human body feels like a cage. She looks out at the window, staring at the horizon. Up her neck rises scarring from a lethal discharge of energy that this body has never received. The institute never existed. The Institute killed me. This is where she should sigh, where her lips ought to crease in thought, where her face ought to express what she was feeling. It does not. She does not.

“I believed in you. I still do. I suppose that is not much of a confession. You are famous now. Accomplished. There are many who look up to you now, but when you were just Caitlyn, your belief in ‘what could be’ inspired me. I thought to forsake my specialty in prosthetics and train for the force as well.” And then came the explosion, she leaves hanging.

“When I saw the suffering in Zaun, I thought of my mother. And I thought of you. What you stood for. You may not remember, I may have promised ‘another Caitlyn’, but I said to you that I would make a difference as well. I would not let you do it alone. I would support you. I believed in your dream.” Her voice cracks, for the first time in months, in years.

“I broke my promise with you. I’m very... sorry...” Tears form in the corner of her eyes and she blinks them away, taking a slow breath to even out her emotions. Does she seem fragile in that moment? Does she seem human? She cannot bring herself to look at Caitlyn and confirm it.

“When I saw the suffering in Zaun, I knew I had to go. No matter if I was called foolish or it was dangerous or I had no obligation, I had to go.” She had heard every possible beratement of her decision, and she was personally suffering the consequences. ‘Are you trying to be a hero? Do you think selfless acts mean anything in this city?’ All that and more. But she could not leave it up to Caitlyn. She could not leave it up to Jayce. She could not leave a better tomorrow to other people.

She had promised.

“A better tomorrow.”

And as a result, there was meant to be no more tomorrow for her. Not ever again. She was meant to be condemned to a heartless gilded cage of metal, unbreaking and unfeeling. “I will not break so easily, even in this body,” she says suddenly. Her gaze grows serious as sparks form in her eyes, glowing with purpose. She had to go, and although it was deeply painful that her multiyear stay in Zaun had separated her from her friend - one of her few friends.

Her eyes close as she reaches the end of her confession. Simply, clearly, concisely, she ends where all stories ought to end - the ending. The future was here and now, a better tomorrow was here and now.

“And I do not regret my decision. I am stronger for having known you and a better person for having had your company.

I am here, now, and I will not give up on a better future for everyone else.” She has left enough clues on the table for Sheriff Caitlyn Huxley to piece together that Orianna Reveck would not live to see it.

...And then, letting out an awkward little cough that makes her seem so very human, she continues.

“Although what I really wished to say was, ‘It is very good to see you again.’ I had a feeling that would not be acceptable, however.”

[gayregis]

Oh yeah that reminds me of another question I've been meaning to ask (sorry to jump on you like this haha) but which vampire canon change in B&W annoys you the most? For me it's the whole 'even touching silver will harm a vampire' (when it's explained that Syanna figured out Dettlaff was a vampire because he wouldn't directly touch a silver candlestick). I just choose to ignore that detail bc I don't think it makes much sense haha

omg this is such a good ask im so excited to answer

first of all, i really agree with you, even when i hadn’t read the books fully i had read that one passage in lady of the lake where regis gestures with a silver fork at the banquet, and blood and wine tries to make it so like regis and dettlaff are the same “kind” of vampire, so this obviously doesn’t make any sense, and since it’s just such a small detail i tried to ignore it, like, maybe dettlaff just wanted to keep the silver candlestick fingerprint-free, ever consider that, syanna? you’re gonna pawn something, you don’t want like a billion fingerprints mucking it all up... and then syanna thought this made him a vampire, when in reality he was a vampire but the candlestick had fuckall to do with it

but yeah i think i’m gonna do like a top 5 style: TOP 5 THINGS CDPR GOT WRONG ABOUT THE VAMPIRES. im not gonna do a countdown because im a very direct person and think its best to get the worst out of the way.

1. their society and relationship with humans.

the thing that upsets me the most that cdpr changed is how vampires exist on the continent. stuff like tesham mutna and the unseen elder breaks canon lore so hard it makes me physically upset. 

this is a bad thing because not only is the trope of “vampires control everything from the shadows as a secret society so they can feed on human blood” incredibly boring and overdone (it’s a trope, so it’s something that the witcher should stand to invert since that’s pretty much the purpose of the witcher), but it also has origins in antisemitism (the myth of the illuminati or “reptilians/secret societies controlling the world”, blood libel), so it’s super gross! i don’t want the vampires to be that trope, that’s completely unfair.

they already were something other than that trope, they already HAD their own society (or lack thereof) as part of the canon lore. maybe it is personal preference, but i think that their “anti-society” is super interesting. how does something like that function with no rules or figures of authority or customs? it’s incredibly different to the ways humans function in this universe, who are mostly bound around their nation, city/town/village, and home unit, and abide by strict custom and systems of authority. it’s really something to be explored from a lore perspective, there wasn’t a whole lot explained in canon (for good reason: see #2) so it has perfect potential to be elaborated upon in the adaptational spinoff that is the witcher games.

it makes them super boring and trope-y to have them all kowtow to One Figure Of Authority in the area. plus CDPR states that the reason toussaint is so perfect is that this secret society controls toussaint as an area to perfect blood, when toussaint literally existed as a fairy-tale duchy to be an OBSTACLE to geralt and his hansa in the saga. it was the “leave-your-quest” test. think of the island of the lotus eaters from the odyssey. it’s a perfect place, there’s no reason as to why it is perfect, it just is, and it keeps the company hostage there for months so they will get distracted and eventually forget what they came there for. 

in canon as well, vampires do not seem to care much about humans. regis certainly does, but he is regis :). there was little conversation about how vampires view humans, rather about how humans view vampires and project their innermost fears and desires to them. further breaking some vampire tropes. in blood & wine. instead of that trope-flipping, we get... “vampires tortured humans out of curiosity and selfishness.” what? why would they do this? there is not much to gain, and it would take a lot of cooperation and effort to get to this point, which leads me to ask, HOW could they do this? as regis says in bof, there were only about 1,200 vampires when they arrived on the continent, so they were completely and utterly outnumbered as they were likely scattered around. they wouldn’t be able to build a castle and re-engineer toussaint to fit their needs. i understand that he is massively biased, but i feel like regis calls these first vampires “hapless survivors” for a reason, and also since regis is regis, i do not feel like he would feel this way about them if they committed massive crimes against humanity.

tl;dr for this point: not only is it fucked up for no reason but to be gross/shocking to the audience, but it also removes their purpose as a metaphor, which is #2.

2. the removal of their purpose as a metaphor in the story.

originally, the vampires are not meant to be the focus of the witcher series or even a smaller part of the series at all. they are simply a metaphor for aspects of human society so that regis can have a backstory. the vampires are nothing more than a fictional means of exploring the effects of alcoholism, and a thought experiment as to what an authority-less, family-less, custom-less society would be like. the question “what do youth do when they have no support and no guidance?” already is one of the witcher’s major questions as a saga, the vampires and regis’s backstory serves to be another one of the stories within it that fits this theme. except we add more conditions to the thought experiment this time, like “what if these youth never aged and were powerful enough to survive on their own?” there would be no reason for them to ever change or grow out of their behavior. it’s quite interesting, because it’s meant to reflect upon human nature, the vampires are metaphorically humans. there is no reason for regis to even be a vampire, except that he needs to be able to survive death and learn from his mistakes. a human would have died had he hit rock bottom like regis did, but since regis wasn’t human and could rise from the grave, he had the chance at a new life. humans don’t get second chances. this is the point of the entire story being about vampires.

now, i understand that the purpose of the witcher games is to entertain, unlike the point of the witcher book series, which are like any other books and serve an author’s message. so, it stands to reason that the vampires do not have to prove a strong point here, but they should retain their essential traits and serve as the metaphor which was already really interesting and deserves more explanation and thought. i think using a fictional lens to take a look at real-world issues can be helpful sometimes, when done respectfully and when still using creativity. even if it’s just to entertain, that doesn’t mean it should be brainless and throw all of the commentary out of the window.

the vampires as a subject for the game to focus on should really be a vessel for thought and critique. it should mean SOMETHING for them to be there, because they were originally a message and a metaphor.

but in blood & wine, they are incredibly shallow, only there to exist for the attention-getter of gore.

does it MEAN anything that dettlaff regenerated regis from his own flesh and blood? or does that just happen because we needed a convienient way to bring regis back and tie him to the antagonist? does it MEAN anything that dettlaff cuts off his own hand? or is that just because it’s cool and kinda gross. does it MEAN anything that the vampires attack beauclair? or is that just because there needed to be some violence and conflict.

there is no deeper meaning! it’s all just flashiness to shock the audience! it’s incredibly shallow and because it is shallow, it becomes boring and forgettable.

blood & wine focuses on details about the vampires that are gross, gorey or bloody, uncomfortable because of how nasty they are. and these elements have NO PURPOSE to the story other than to gross you out, like regis being regenerated, dettlaff skewering regis like a kebab, dettlaff cutting off his hand and that hand being handled by the bruxa, geralt, and regis, regis going crazy in a cage, syanna also getting skewered, etc. ... it’s this focus on the physical action that is happening on screen with little thought as to any deeper meaning that makes me tired and nauseous. why treat the vampires as savage animals?

as a mention in this topic, i am going to comment on how they deliberately changed the lore to “make childrens’ blood taste better than adults’ blood,” because that is mega-gross. why change it to focus on child endangerment? that’s nasty! why make orianna feed on children when it was LITERALLY canon that the “best” blood was that of strong adults? if you want to make orianna morally grey, she could have owned any other kind of place to get blood from. see #2 for more discussion of this.

3. their focus on the conjunction of the spheres.

the vampires never had this obsession with “returning home.” i... have no idea where this comes from. remember how i just said that i appreciate a metaphor for real-life when it is done respectfully? CDPR gave us this awkward metaphor for the vampires “wanting to go home” because they have to “assimilate” in this new world, apparently every vampire ever misses their homeland. ... it’s the story of immigrants who didn’t have a choice to be born in The New Land, but they were anyways, and now they want to go home. and it’s the story of minority groups, who are overshadowed by the society they live in, but cannot be themselves in, because it would mean violence. 

this is an incredibly awkward metaphor just because it’s not done well, but also CDPR literally just focused on how extremely violent the vampires are, and how they also control everything so they can use the humans they were thrown in with to their own fancies. this is... i didn’t know that the metaphors for fantasy racism in the witcher could get any worse than sapkowski’s were.

also, there’s some weird lore-breaking moments when regis says he misses the vampire homeworld or whatever, and i just am left staring at my laptop like. you’re only like, 4 centuries old, regis. the conjunction of the spheres occured more than 3 times your age in the past. plus the fact that regis in baptism of fire calls himself a “descendant,” it’s obvious that someone at cdpr just didn’t do their research when writing those lines.

4. their power level and exactly how powerful they are. 

let’s take a moment to think about a grain of truth. the second story in the witcher books, it was written before sapkowski had a lot of the vampire lore down-pat. geralt says things like “it’s silver, this blade is silver” and “an ordinary vampire couldn’t come out in the sun,” which are incongruent with what we learn in baptism of fire about vampires. but nevertheless, there’s a lot which is still accurate to the vampires, such as that VEREENA ABSOLUTELY KICKS GERALT’S ASS. geralt very nearly DIED in that fight, he was ABOUT to die, but nivellen saved him at the last split-second. geralt finds out that vereena is a bruxa, and he is alarmed, he shouts and then falls on his ass. he scrambles, he’s unprepared to deal with a foe THIS powerful. he manages to land his sword on her during the fight, but it barely harms her. she dodges incredibly, and swipes of his sword that should have hit do not. she screams terribly, and geralt is in incredible, writhing pain. he uses his signs to help him, this is no normal fight with a normal foe. flash forward to in baptism of fire, when geralt meets another vampire, one that is considerably more powerful and unique than vereena was. dandelion asks geralt, if ... potentially... maybe... and geralt responds that he sincerely doubts that he could beat regis in a fight, and he really does not want to have to try.

geralt was BESTED by vampires in the books. he was as close as a witcher can get to being INTIMIDATED by their power. but what happens in blood & wine? there’s like 8 bruxae and alpors ganging up on you and you can easily vanquish all of them with your silver sword and by knocking back maybe a glass of black blood and white raffard’s decoction. it’s fine, it’s easy to kill vampires. geralt doesn’t hesitate to fight dettlaff. he doesn’t worry, he doesn’t tell anyone that he sincerely doubts that he could beat him in a fight, that he doesn’t want to have to try. instead, it’s regis talking geralt out of the fight, trying to advocate for peace. 

CDPR massively nerfed the vampires just to make them easier targets for the player. i think this is unfair to how the vampires were powerful threats to be reckoned with in the books, foes that even geralt, a witcher, did not want to face. not even out of geralt’s pacifism and apprehension to slay innocent and/or sentient beings, but out of not wanting to fucking hit that die button

i also understand that regis was supposedly less powerful now because he was just tired from being regenerated, but vampires like bruxae should have been able to turn into giant bats. there’s nothing stopping them besides cdpr not wanting to code it in, just like how they didn’t want to code in bruxae or alpors wearing clothes (because vampires do wear clothes in canon).

5. their classification: adding new vampire species, distinguishing between “higher vampires” and “TRUE higher vampires”

just plain annoying to me. there’s only seven types of vampires, as regis says in baptism of fire: 

“In the case of higher vampires, never, I agree,” Emiel Regis said softly. “From what I know alpors, katakans, moolas, bruxas, and nosferats don’t mutilate their victims. On the other hand, fleders and ekimmas are pretty brutal with their victim’s remains.”

“Bravo,” Geralt said, looking at him in genuine admiration. “You didn’t leave out a single class of vampire, Nor did you mention any of the imaginary ones, which only exist in fairy-tales.”

so there are seven classes... five of which are higher vampires which can probably be classified by having sentient thought and not harming their victims, two of which are lesser vampires, which are quite violent with their victims and more animalistic for this reason.

also i am confused as to why CDPR made fleders the least likely to sustain flight, when their name i’m pretty certain is taken from fledermaus, the german word for bat, which just means flying mouse (feel free to correct me if i’m wrong, idk german), so “fleder” should just mean “flutter,” or “to fly.” 

SO. it’s total bullshit to be like “there’s some higher vampires and then TRUE/REAL higher vampires, which cannot be killed...” and it confuses everyone as to who is ACTUALLY a higher vampire and who is not, when the system we had before wasn’t broken at all!

BONUS. general changes to vampire powers

it annoys me how they turn into puffs of mist/smoke instead of vanishing, simply vanishing. no deeper reason why, it just bothers me because you’re not supposed to be able to see them at all, that’s the point of turning invisible/incorporeal.

there was no mention or demonstration of how regis can hypnotize people, even though that was probably his most frequently used vampire power in the books asides from turning invisible/incorporeal. it showed that even though he was very powerful, he opted to use his passive powers and nonviolent routes of dealing with people.

i think it also makes the vampires way overpowered to be able to regenerate each other with each other’s blood ... and it takes away from the finality of stygga... also them just flying and turning into bats whenever they want, as if regis didn’t say that he can only turn into a bat during a full moon. they made them overpowered and still made it super easy for geralt to kill them. alright

[rhinedottir-yennefer]

Oh, that ask thingy I was so happy I got tagged in and never got to fill in!

You thought. Well guess what! Today imma gonna fill in the ask questions I got from @advena87 (thank you again for challenging me!) But since I’m a book reader - and I also think my follows and followers should be more encouraged to post book stuff - I’m gonna try and fill in as book content-y as I can. Here we go!  Skellige Isles or the continent?

I love the continent, especially Lyria, Rivia & Dol Blathana, but this is definitely gonna be Skellige for me. I love how raw and unbiased people are over there. They also provide equal rights to women. Which I think is far more developed than one would think when it comes to the Skellige Isles.  

Velen or Toussaint?

This is going to be Toussaint for me. Not because of the visionairy (which is, btw, flawless in TW3-B&W) but because in the books we spend a good chunk of the story there, and we really get to know how society and the monarch works. 

Novigrad or Beauclair?

I would definitely say “the centre of the world” Novigrad. The “free city” Novigrad. It’s so lively there, everyone finds the business they need. But I also like the dark side of it. The beggars, the sewers, the crying Eternal Fire zealots. 

Sleeping at Corvo Bianco or meditating under a tree?

This is gonna be meditating & sleeping under a tree, simply because there’s no “Corvo Bianco” in the books. I really loved that ending, for me though Geralt stayed on the path. 

Inns or Brothels?

Inns have such nicer ahmosphere. I love the candlelit chandeliers, the cheap beer, the people giving you various looks. Music! Geralt always has a nice meal whenever he goes to an inn.  I wish that for him. 

Caves or Ruins?

There’s not much caves in the books, ruins however, plenty. Ruins. 

High or low difficulty?

I guess noone prepared me for the emotional trauma that was the battle at Stygga, so high?

Going back to old save: yay or nay?

I have a bookmark.

Mods: yay or nay?

Sadly I can’t apply any filters to books, but the good thing is I don’t have to! I have imagination to help me. 

Mini-map or no mini-map?

I did actually use a map of the continent while I was reading. I marked the route each of the main characters took. 

Roach or Fast travel?

Roach, because she’s the best friend to Geralt when there’s no Jaskier/Dandelion(/Kökörcsin) around.

Roads or Boats?

There was always something bad going on when Geralt got on a boat, so... Roads. 

Specters or Relicts?

Ooh, I love an old type leshen. And godlings. And dopplers. And czorts. Definitely a relict girl here! o/

Beasts or Hybrids?

I would say hybrids. Especially sirens and succubi. 

Necrophages or Vampires?

Vampires all the way! You didn’t think I would forget about our best boy Regis, ya? (B&W vampires are awesome too, Orianna is an all-time favourite of mine)

Orgroids or Elementa?

Since there’s not much ogroid in the books, I would definitely go with the elementa, because of djinns & genies.  

Draconids or Cursed Ones?

Draconids! At least we get quite a few in the books! The cursed ones Geralt meet in the saga he doesn’t kill, rather turn them back to normal. 

The Caretaker or the Crones?

I loved the Crones! Chilling & ruthless, but very well written characters. And their boss theme is absolute bop. 

Botchlings or spotted Wights?

Spotted wights, I guess. 

Godlings or Trolls?

Godlings are kind of adorable. 

Sirens or Harpies?

Sirens, please and thank you. 

Killing or sparing?

Depends on the situation. With Vilgefortz? Kill any day. Renfri? Protect at all costs. 

Dijkstra or Roche?

As much as I love Vernon Roche, I must aknowledge the fact he’s not a book character so Dijkstra all the way. 

Vesemir or Crach an Craite?

I really loved Crach even in the books, from a young chap (at Pavetta’s 15th birthday) to someone who even woo’d Yen xD I think the Witcher 3 gave him a worthy-mighty route to embrace. Shame he had to go so early. 

Eskel or Lambert?

I was always more fond of Eskel’s quiet and composed manner. He’s like a true brother to Geralt. 

Keira or Philippa?

Philippa all the way. I just really love characters involved in intrigues by choice, and when it comes to the Lady Owl, she’s like the absolute queen. 

Cerys or Hjalmar?

Ok so, this is difficult, because Cerys was not in the books, unlike Hjalmar. But I really liked what they did with them in TW3 and how they did it, and I don’t even feel like they’ve overwritten the canon or anything. I always felt like Cerys’ calm composed manner and playing on the safe side attitude would ensure Skellige would survive. Even if they’re not going down in history as great invaders or warriors.  

Syanna or Anarietta?

Since Syanna was not in the books, but even if she was, I wouldn’t like her, I have to go with Annarietta who’s been the brattiest, sassiest and most spoiled young princess in the books. But that didn’t stop me from liking her.  Yen or Triss?

Yennefer is the queen of this story. I get where the game Triss likers are coming from, but since I’m here to spread book awesomeness, where she’s been the absolute worst (and not even a proper love interest to Geralt [even Fringilla was a longer relationship to him!]) this wasn’t a hard choice at all. Yennefer is the best for Geralt.  

Ciri or Geralt?

I’ve always been genuinely more immersed in Geralt’s side of the story, talking strictly about books, than Ciri’s.  

Regis or Dettlaff?

Regis. Never gonna com a time when I don’t pick Regis. 

Olgierd von Everec or Gaunter O’Dimm?

Olgierd, I guess. I can definitely see someone like him in the books. 

Olgierd von Everec or Iris von Everec?

Iris deserved better.

Shani or Dandelion?

Ok so, there’s no witcher without Dandelion/Jaskier/Kökörcsin, and I absolutely love this bloody Casanova, but, strictly speaking in book context, Shani doesn’t get the recognition she deserves. She’s really complex and been through a lot. Our bard has too, true, but he’s more like the comic relief of the saga. 

Johnny or Sarah?

Sarah!

Sorceresses or Witchers?

Sorceresses. I guess. Life is much more easier if you’re a sorceress. 

Druids or the local holy man?

Druids all the way! Especially those of Skellige! My king Mousesack . I love him. 

Food or Swallow?

Swallow. Not gonna use it though, but this one’s closer to the book canon. 

Decoctions or Potions?

Potions is on the canon side. 

Hunting for diagrams or finding them per chance?

Finding them by chance, I guess. Book Geralt has no time to hunt diagrams amidst all this canon shitstorm xD

Saving coin or spending coin?

Saving.

Looting or buying?

I guess looting is more on the canon side here. 

Upsetting the guards or following the rules?

Never upset the guards. 

Igni or Axii?

Axii!

Yrden or Aard?

Yrden!

Signs or blade oils?

Signs!

Crossbow or fists?

Crossbow is more book canon I guess.  

Settling down or staying on the path?

Book Geralt doesn’t like staying put, so staying on the path.

Gwent Cards or Swords?

Gwent cards. 

Beard or no beard?

No beard. It’s canon.  “Puss Peepers” or “Mutant”?

I have never in my book reading journey read Puss Peepers. Mutant, however... Hey! Thank you very much again for the callout, @advena87 and I hope everyone who actually read through that abominatin enjoyed my answers. And that they weren’t too book-posh. If yes, I’d say I’m sorry, but really I’m not. K BYE

[pintofteaforthesoul]

Bodyguard AU Part 7

Okay sorry for the delay guys, but this part had to be perfect. Thank you for all of your lovely comments and sticking with me! I’m enjoying this AU a lot. 

*5 years earlier in Elfhame*

“Cardan! We’re going to be late!” Jude’s light voice was gruff as she called up the staircase. Cardan skipped down the stairs, grinning at her in her finery, wrapping his arms around her slim waist. His fiancé frowned at him, but there was a spark of amusement in her eyes. “Can I-”

Cardan placed a kiss on her soft lips, relishing in the warmth of her body against his. They’d been living in their small estate for a few months now, but living with Jude was everything he’d hoped for. Jude’s eyes were delicately closed, the only delicate part of her. She pushed him away just slightly with a shake of her head.

“What will your family think if we’re late to the coronation?” She asked, but her lips pressed thin and Cardan knew she was struggling against the urge to kiss him again.

Cardan let his tail flick hair out her face, an almost serious expression on his sharp features. “I thought we’d given up trying to impress my family.”

Jude shrugged, her eyes falling to the floor. Cardan hated how much she craved their approval, it’s what made them attend court despite wanting to do anything but. Jude had been this way as long as he’d known her, and it hurt his heart to know that his love would never be enough.

Cardan took pity on his fiancé, pulling her toward the door. Their one and only servant, Tatterfell, had their steeds ready and waiting, and before long they were on their way to the event that would ruin Cardan’s life.

After bowing to his father, Cardan swept Jude onto the dance floor. They laughed as they twirled, caring little for the stares they got from the Fae folk around them. Nicasia, especially, had a sour twist on her face. But Cardan ignored it all, his heart finally full as he beheld the mortal beauty in his arms. They stood out in their matching blue attire, undeniably the most beautiful couple in the room.

When the ceremony began, Cardan couldn’t help but whisper to Jude, whose heart was visibly hammering in her chest, “We could probably sneak out now. They won’t notice our absence.”

Jude tsked at him, eyes on the dais where the rest of Cardan’s family was congregated. Madoc, Jude noticed, was off to the side near Orianna and Oak looking bored but alert to everything in the vicinity. The High King brought the ceremony to its beginning with a grand speech about age and time, but Cardan tuned most of it out. You can imagine his shock when the time came for his father to name his heir, and instead of naming any of the better choices, the High King’s voice reverberated out, “My son, Cardan.”

Every eye in the kingdom turned at once to find Cardan in the crowd. Jude’s hand tightened in his as Cardan stared at his father in shock. Dain sprang out of his chair, rage twisting his features. Balekin cocked his head to the side, only soft surprise in his eyes. Cardan could hardly believe it. His father naming him the next High King? What fate-twist was this? His breath was slow, feet cemented to the floor. He had a feeling that if he took even one step closer to the dais, Dain would run him through with the sword at his side.

“You don’t have to go if you don’t wish.” Jude’s murmur brought him back the Earth. Cardan turned to her, his love- his life. If he became the High King then after they married, she would become the High Queen. She would never have to seek anyone’s approval again- Jude could finally have the respect she so deserved.

Cardan gave her a tight smile. He could do this for her- he would do this for her. He gave Jude’s hand one last, reassuring squeeze, before wading his way through the now-parting crowd. The High King met him in the middle of the dais with a small smile on his old face. “I must say, father. I wasn’t expecting this.” Cardan puts a smile on his face, trying to act casual despite the nerves making his back tense.

His father merely nods before another figure steps forward to truly begin the ceremony of crowning Cardan. Tension radiates through Cardan’s body as the High King is instructed to take off his crown for the final time.

“Sorry to interrupt this beautiful moment.” Cardan turns to see Balekin stand, a smug look on his face. “But we thought you’d try to make a foolish decision like this.”

The High King’s eyebrows rose, but it was Cardan who asked, “We?”

“Sorry, brother.” Dain’s voice came from the other end of the dais where he’d crept behind their father. Before anyone could move, Dain’s sword cleaved through their father’s heart. Cardan stared in shock as the life left his father’s old eyes and his body fell at Dain’s feet with a thump.

Mainly out of reflex, Cardan caught the crown as it fell from the High King’s dead fingers. The crowd was in blatant horror, rooted in silence as their attention remained on the stage. Cardan’s fingers were numb as he beheld the crown.

“I’ll take that.” Balekin came from behind and plucked the crown out of Cardan’s grasp before he could protest.

Cardan stood mute as his two brothers grinned at one another, their plan obviously successful. His features twisted with a glare. “You did this on purpose? In case he named me the next king over you bastards?” Cardan didn’t particularly love his father, but the way Dain had just disposed of him without a care put a knot in Cardan’s gut. He hadn’t believed them to be so cold.

Dain narrowed his eyes at the younger prince. “Putting you on the throne was the biggest mistake our father could make, so we made a contingency plan.” Cardan looked off to Madoc, who hadn’t made a move except to send off his wife and family. His guards were around the stage, but no one had made a move to get closer. Cardan looked out for Jude, the numbness spreading as his brothers looked him down. They would kill him, surely. For spite if nothing else.

He accepted his death, eyes hardening as he turned back to his scheming brothers. He sneered, “Now that you have the crown, which one of you will wear it? You can’t share it.”

From their still-full grins, Cardan knew he’d been outmatched. He watched in abject disgust as Dain got down on his, Balekin speaking over him the words that would name Dain the one true High King.

The second the crown rested on Dain’s head the crowd erupted- in cheers. Cardan heard Jude calling his name, but couldn’t make himself turn or run to her. He watched Dain stand, power now radiating from him like a shadow. He faced the crowd with his arms outstretched. “My people! We have suffered in the shadows for far too long!” His voice echoed over the crowd, alive with energy. “Now that I am King, we will make the mortals bow beneath our feet. We will reclaim the city that was ours and mold it into our image.” Cheers met his words, to Cardan’s horror. Dain grinned at the crowd, Balekin at his back- united.

But something was wrong. The ground slowly began to quake, a deep rumbling in the Earth that made Cardan’s bones rattle. Dain looked shocked for only a moment before he began shouting off to the side. Though he couldn’t hear him, Cardan read his lips: Time for Phase Two.

Everyone began to move at once as the ground began to give way around them. Cardan leapt into the crowd, urgency tugging at every nerve in his body. He had to find her- his Jude. He had to make sure she was safe. The people jostled him as he shoved his way past. Everyone was running for the exits, desperate to escape as Elfhame collapsed into ruin around them. Was this part of Dain’s plan? To force everyone out of Elfhame and into the mortal city beyond?

Cardan could do nothing but scream. His eyes pored over the streaming bodies around him, searching desperately for any sign of her. Hopefully she was getting out. Cardan watched a large tree fall, crushing some of the escaping Faeries. Until finally he saw her- just a glimpse of the blue in the distance. That was all Cardan needed to rush for her.

As he reached her, Cardan realized that Jude was not moving. She stood, staring into the distance. “Jude?” At the sound of his voice, Jude’s head cocked in his direction. Cardan’s heart thundered in his chest. What kind of magic was this? He clamped onto her shoulders to make her face him. “JUDE!” Nothing, not even a glimmer of familiarity. More trees crumbled around them and the room was mostly empty now.

Cardan did what he had to- he picked Jude up and ran, tears in his eyes.

~~~

*present day*

Cardan woke, clutching at his chest as the dream- no memory- faded back into his mind. A touch to his face revealed the tears that accompanied it. His Jude. The moment Cardan had carried her into the mortal realm, Jude had awoken- with no memory of him. And five years later, her memories had no returned.

~~~

Tagging: @arwenundomiiels, @daddycardan, @andromeddea, @landofpetrichor, @ladyof-starlight, @nish247, @cute898, @fangirlinghard-spoilerson, @cardans-tail, @nitrot150, @outofstyles13, @an-teo520, @wickedqueenoffantasy, @afexiss, & @gamer670

[not-your-bro]

hello, here to ask about a kinda old post of yours but i was wondering, when did we have the option to say it's for regis we do it in b&w? i do not remember this, i think i might have picked a wrong answer somewhere and i'd love to get it in my playthrough but i don't really wanna replay all of b&w again

wow, so i have NO idea when this ask came in bc i only periodically check tumblr on mobile and the app is, as we all know, garbage. so, sorry about that!

anyway, to answer this probably very old question, i think this convo only happens in the orianna/unseen elder route. so, you didn’t pick a wrong answer somewhere - if you didn’t do those quests, you wouldn’t have gotten that dialogue at all.

someone yell at me if i’m wrong tho, bc i really feel like that doesn’t make a lot of sense. considering regis doesn’t want you to seek out the unseen elder, that potentially emotional moment seems more suited to other route where you actually, y’know, do what he suggests. but what do i know.

[durkhankes-archived]

The assembly day of newly recruited members of Gatekeepers and Peacekeepers has finally started. They were gathered in a big assembly hall, all seated according to teams and respective roles. Peacekeepers were not as many as Gatekeepers, who mostly filled the hall yet the other; Peacekeepers only conquer one row of seats.

They had to listen to some speech and briefings before they are finally served lunch. Peacekeepers team seems preferred to be mingling with themselves since they look a little distinguished than the rest.

The Vice President; Dei seems to walking around and greets everyone and he directly greeted Orianna. 

“Oh, you must be Orianna. I have heard about you from your mother. She looks very happy when she heard you passed the final exam for this job. From the previous entry exam you really did well. You scored the highest and in our priority list to get hired, if you wanted to know. You can just call me Dei. I’m sorry on behalf of President Luke, he can’t attend this event for today. ”

@orianna-ozpin

[riviae]

Regis and/or Dettlaff for the character headcanon meme (ya know, if a hundred others haven't already asked lol)

character meme (accepting!): under a read more due to length 

Regis: 

favorite thing about them:

besides his obvious kind heart & unflinching loyalty, i love how passionate he is about things!! dude’s been alive for 400+ yrs & he still wants to travel, to make friends, to learn, to teach, to heal, to share his interests & knowledge. he loves life–loves humanity (cdpr can miss me w/ his referencing humans as mosquitoes metaphor nonsense)–& is my favorite example of a good redemption story/character. 

least favorite thing about them: 

he can be… rather pretentious at times. but to his credit, he never really belittles or alienates anyone in the hansa–it’s more like he has a lot of ‘high-brow’ interests for the time/setting (not counting distilling, of course) & in sharing/explaining them, he goes a bit over the top. i don’t think it’s on purpose, but case in point… not everything has to be a lecture, ya know? 

favorite line: 

kinda cheating on this, but my favorite scene of anything ever is this one from lady of the lake: 

“Well,” sighed Regis. “Have it your way. I’ll have to avoid mirrors and dogs, and will have to beware of sorcerers and telepaths… And if I’m still exposed, I’m counting on you.”“You can count on me,” Geralt said seriously. “I’m not in the habit of leaving a friend in need.”The vampire smiled and because they were alone, he did not hide his fangs. “Friend?”

now specifically from b&w, i like this line from Regis’ journal: People justify bad deeds by good intentions. I’m not sure if there is greater idiocy

brOTP: 

geralt/regis (which you’ll also see in the otp section), regis/yen (goth-nerd solidarity & also they both love geralt so jot that down), & regis/angouleme (he’s a wonderful uncle figure to angouleme)

also if regis ever got to meet vesemir i’m 100% sure they’d have gotten along swimminglg

OTP: 

geralt/regis–it’s my lifeblood babey

nOTP: 

romance-wise, any regis/hansa member that isn’t geralt is just not my cup of tea as well as regis/dett****

random headcanon

after his second regeneration, he became wearier around unknown sorcerers/sorceresses/magic users (w/ the exception of yen). at one point, geralt had decided to light a candle near regis using igni w/o really thinking abt it & noticed that regis had visibly flinched. geralt apologized immediately & now lets regis know when he’s abt to light something using magic (’normal’ fires, those not started by magic, don’t bother him. so it’s less of an aversion to fire & more of an aversion to fire made thru magic).

unpopular opinion: 

i don’t really like his sideburns or hairline–not bc i think the design is bad per se (i think it solidified his intro in b&w as a more scholarly character), but bc i think it ages him much more than necessary. when the other 2 higher vampires (dettlaff, orianna, hell–even the unseen elder), look much younger, then it just seems unusual imo. a middle-aged tax collector w/ a crooked nose is how sapkowski describes him & idk, i think cdpr just wanted to give regis a more stereotypical scholarly look instead of using descriptions from the books. 

song i associate with them:

when i’m in an angst™ mood, this song is what makes me think of regis (& higher vampires in the witcher series in general). it’s called far from home (the raven) by sam tinnesz 

favorite picture of them (i’m too lazy to do this but assume every picture of regis is my fave)

Dettlaff: 

favorite thing about them

his hobbies! woodworking & building toys for kids is nice™; cdpr should’ve at least given us a tiny scene of him tinkering on stuff. presumably he has a caring nature given that he nursed regis back to health but once again, cdpr couldn’t be bothered to flesh out the interesting aspects of his character & instead gave us an albeit cool but ultimately unnecessary boss battle :/ 

least favorite thing about them

oof, his lack of patience & propensity towards violence. well, perhaps propensity is the wrong word; i mean that in a character who is powerful/deadly (in which even a brief lapse in judgement could mean death for another), a hair trigger temper is... not going to endear me to them. for instance, i don’t think that dettlaff went to tesham mutna with the intent of killing syanna--i don’t think he knew himself what he would do upon seeing her. BUT, he still did it--& i’m sorry but killing an unarmed/defenseless (presumably unarmed, but even if she were armed it wouldn’t change the fact that she was defenseless against him & dettlaff knew that) woman in a fit of rage (who yes, wronged dettlaff greatly) speaks of a deeper problem relating to his inability to process his emotions. 

i originally thought that cdpr was going to do some cool parallels between dettlaff and geralt bc both have issues w/ emotion but in different ways (i.e., dettlaff has difficulty controlling his while geralt has trouble expressing them), but they shared maybe a handful of sentences w/ each other before the conclusion of the dlc so yeah D: 

favorite line: 

“If you acknowledge any gods... start praying, now.” 

brOTP: 

regis/dettlaff is pretty much it/the only relationship i find interesting in b&w for dett anyway 

OTP: 

dettlaff/character development 

nOTP: 

mentioned in regis’ list above, but i also am not a fan of geralt/dett

random headcanon: 

his “pack” up until syanna consisted almost entirely of orphaned lower vampires. whether due to their family dying or abandoning them, dett’s reserved & calming demeanor makes it easier for LVs to trust him. he’s nursed plenty of injured LVs back to health & when he passed thru the remnants of stygga castle, he did so bc he originally thought that he was following the trail of an injured LV (having caught regis’ scent). it was only when he got closer that he recognized the ‘shapeless smear’ was regis--someone he hadn’t seen in centuries--& chose to help him heal despite how taxing it would be. 

unpopular opinion

i don’t understand his popularity as a character or how his actions can be defended. his character design is great (i still wanna to buy his moth brooch tbh), he was voice acted very well, & there are hints of an interesting backstory esp in relation to why he chose to help regis regenerate, but that’s not the focus of the dlc. 

if i have to rely on regis to explain why dettlaff is a good person/deserves redemption/etc., then that’s lazy writing. i love regis to death, but he, like anna henrietta, was blind to/didn’t want to see his loved one’s faults/misdeeds. u can’t make an unbiased character judgement on someone you’re close to and indebted to imo. 

granted, regis himself is an example of dett’s charity since he is alive & well (& also is stressed af bc of dettlaff), but does one good deed wash away all the death he later commits in the attack on beauclair? motivation or not, murder is murder, plain & simple. i can forgive but not condone regis’ actions in his youth bc, arguably, regis was already punished severely for it & chose to change/become a better person. cdpr didn’t give us an option to allow dett to be punished for his crimes (in something other than death--which i don’t think he nor syanna deserve) or let us know if he eventually grows to be a better person w/ the help of regis & so i can only care for him in the respect that i mourn the character he (& syanna) could’ve been. 

in summary: everything i dislike abt dettlaff is entirely due to a lack of care when it came to fleshing out his character. we only see him committing acts of violence/murder, never healing or helping. we see the fallout of his anger, see that he feels grief & even remorse (like in de la croix’s death), but it doesn’t excuse the act itself. ppl are more than welcome to like or love morally dark/dubious characters, but i have an issue when a morally dubious character is painted as good or good but misunderstood. 

song i associate with them

the song inferno by sir sly gives me real dettlaff vibes: I think you clipped my wings to save me from the sunForgot my hands and knees, I had to learn a lessonOh fearless teacher how'd I ever lose my sightWhy'd I ever try to fight against your path?Somewhere at half my life, I wandered in the woodsCan't find a single right, I swear nothing is goodI'm blinded now and darkness shrouds my every sightWhy'd I ever try to fight for my own path?

favorite picture of them: 

once again, too lazy to find one, but his final form in the boss battle was cool even if it kinda went against sapkowski’s lore.