#Paladin problems

[wearepaladin]

Paladin Problems #20

The Time and The Narrative: This is not a story for you. The corrupt are unpunished and the just are betrayed. Virtues are considered the traits of the the weak and naive, the vicious sneer. Power and fortune prevent compassion and empathy, and foster apathy and envy. Mankind’s nature and destiny are bound with the darkness of either their souls or their lives. What use is there for something like you?

The Paladin:

The Paladin: The Light has never feared the darkness. Why should it start now?

[mslanna]

ok

so the undead knight appeared to tell me I broke my oath after fighting Nere and accidentally killing a gnome because they were STANDING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE BATTLEFIELD AND I SOMETIMES ATTACK MY SQUAD-MATES BECAUSE I SUCK AT FIGHTING OKAY?!?!?!

[bigmoon-is-bigwife]

I do like TR!Ros being a character who is ruled by this idea of justice but is so biased and flawed about it. She told Aimsey the main reason she didn't want to rebuild the castle is because that would be undoing Green Faction's punishment. She admitted that blowing up her own castle was to punish Green. She suffered far more from that loss than they did (and still continues to suffer from it) and yet all that was on her mind was that rebuilding would benefit Green and that's not allowed. It's just so unbelievably petty. Morality and justice don't really exist on the server and everyone is some shade of morally gray but she has such a strong sense of what she thinks is right and wrong (and its very flawed and biased) but she believes it to be absolute truth and stands by it. Ros would set herself on fire if she thought the flames would burn someone she deemed deserving of it. She is absolutely miserable but as long as they're unhappy too it's worth it.

[rufusthebringer]

Since all Paladin Danse merch sucks mole rat ass, I decided to make my own. Now i can indulge in middleschooler hobbies as a real adult with disposable income.

Screenshot snatched from gorgeous, firey, outstanding Rakimaiirisa blog (rip)

[year-of-the-lion]

Thought of the night (as I've begun season 4): a facet of Kuron's mission could very well have been to drive Keith away from Voltron.

It makes a lot of sense when you think about it. Keith's the only other person capable of piloting the Black Lion and thus leading Voltron. He's shown that he has the potential to be an effective leader, even though he started out with neither experience nor willingness to do so. He also knows Shiro better than anyone; if there was a single person on Team Voltron who could have realised something was off, it would have been Keith.

There's also one more point that's probably the most important: Keith is relentless. He understands the stakes of the war they're fighting better than any of the other Paladins, and he's been shown repeatedly to be able to play those stakes— it tends to be the others that prevent him from doing so (see him advocating for leaving Allura rather than delivering Voltron to Zarkon, or him pushing to chase Lotor rather than focus on evacuating refugees in 4.01). Had he grown and matured as Black Paladin, it would have spelled trouble for Haggar and the Empire, because that's the same kind of tactical ruthlessness you see in someone like Lotor, who is a pain in the ass to go up against.

Enter Kuron. Kuron who has the face and the voice and the memories of the person Keith trusts most in the universe. Kuron who's enough like Shiro that any differences will be brushed off.

Kuron whose differences from Shiro are absolutely devastating.

On the surface, it seems like Shiro! He encourages Keith to accept his position as Voltron's leader...except his actions don't reflect that. It's very manipulative in my eyes, how he simultaneously praises Keith's growth and puts him down. How he tells him that "Voltron needs a strong leader" but repeatedly undermines his strength by issuing orders that he knows the others will listen to over Keith's.

Kuron tells Keith he needs to be a strong leader while doing everything he can to make him seem a weaker one.

All of this comes to a head with Keith feeling like he doesn't have a place with Voltron, especially not as the Black Paladin, and definitely not once 'Shiro' can pilot Black again. Instead of being brought into his own as a leader, he's had his insecurities reinforced, and the only option he feels he has left is to leave for good, and taking with him the only person on Team Voltron who could have posed a legitimate threat to Kuron's infiltration.

[swan2swan]

Sammy becoming the Protagonist in Season 4 was not on my prediction list but dangit, it's About Time.

[icarewhatyouthink]

torchbearer i think your friend has a parasite maybe you should go check on him

[sleights-of-hand]

Timidly leaving this sketchy concepting art of my Dog comic guys as Fallout comic guys here and frolicking away.

[stoat-party]

So I’m working on a post about the things Fallout 3 did better than 4, but first I have to tell you the absolute worst thing about 3.

What’s with the ridiculous unimaginable cruelty toward 6/8 of your friends?

(The Lone Wanderer doesn’t feel the need to treat these two like trash for whatever reason.)

[lazulisong]

today I was at work and thought up a great name for a D&D tavern, which is "the Friendly Behemoth" and I've decided it's strictly no bards allowed for reasons I will never explain, and then someone said something about paladins also being banned, which led to:

My hottest D&D take, the one I will die rather than admitting error over, is that paladins are cops.

[wearepaladin]

Paladin Problem #12

The Facestealer: I know the truth of what you are, Paladin. A true idealist, and thus more of a monster than I could ever be.

Paladin: You want to explain that logic, monster who steals the lives of people they kill.

Facestealer: Precisely. I value their lives, who they are as people. I take the time to know them thoroughly as I become them, so their family and loved ones never know the difference. So long as I exist, they in turn will live.

Facestealer: You, however, would strike me down. Kill their loved ones comfort in my presence, bring about a harsh new reality. For the sake of justice, for a person who only lives on through me.

Facestealer: Creatures of conviction like you perform a thousand little atrocities like this every day. Enforcing your ideals upon a reality desperate for its soft edges, you will make knives upon the feet of the world, so it cannot walk without tracking blood. Even when given the choice between those you love and what you believe is right, you would render them and all their experience and being to be annihilated upon the altar of virtue. Let their blood and souls feed empty notions of right, all so a beast of iron and stone like you can sleep comfortably.

Paladin:

Paladin: There is a grain of truth to what you say. But truth has no grains, only what is, and what isn’t. You murdered people to make their lives and identities yours. Destroying you will remove what vestiges of them you’ve hoarded for yourself, but spare all the lives that you would have stolen. I am a creature of ideal and conviction: I see a bigger picture, but unlike you I can find the threads that make the tapestry: they are all important, but your way would be to take the many pieces of the greater work and forget what they could make together. We are more than the sum our parts.

Paladin: You, however, are not part of that great work. But don’t be afraid: you’ll help me finish it.

[revsforgottenwar]

Link dump

[sockdooe]

If I hear or see one more “Shiro should’ve stayed dead to allow the other characters to grow!” I’m gonna SCREAM

[window-on-the-west]

If I ever beat this fucking game I kind of want to make a Durge

[possessedopossum]

His head swam, the weight of his thoughts dragging him down until the cold earth became his bed. As he drifted away from the painful reality, he expected to see familiar nightmares—the suffocating dark waters that had haunted him since first touching shadow magic. But the dream that came was different. Ravens. Dozens of them, perhaps hundreds, descending in a shrieking maelstrom of ink-black feathers. They did not simply attack; they feasted. Talons and beaks tore at his flesh with methodical cruelty, each strip of skin peeled away revealing not blood, but swirling darkness beneath. But the true horror came as their cries coalesced into words: "Arrogant child!" they screeched in unison, their voices sharp with scorn. "How dare you bring Rukhmar's fire where shadows rest? The Sun abandoned us, and it will abandon you!".

[eri-pl]

Silm reread 22: Earendil (and very vague Elwing)

Earendil rules the people in the area. Elwing, despite being the heiress of the crown of one of the two groups who joined in there, is simply his wife. Huh.

Also, he's got sea-longing and wants fo find his parents (not a good reason to leave your wife and kids) and find Valinor and ask the Valar for mercy (ok, this is a better reason). So, Círdan makes Vingilot (from birch tree) and Earendil sails off. Elwing is sad.

But… his sailing is still a good thing, because he wants to ask the Valar for help? I guess? I have a hard time with Earendil, I'm not a fan of absent husbands. But I guess his mission is important.

And also, maybe they did discuss it with Elwing before they got married ("I dream of sailing far and for long periods of time." "ok, I may be sad with it but I still want this marriage.")…. You know what? I am going to HC that they did have this talk. It makes him 20x more sympathetic to me.

Meanwhile, among the Feanorians… Maedhros is restraining himself (again!) because he is remorseful for Doriath. But. the oath tornments them all (ok, so it is a compel, but not absolute. Not "dominate person", but it does give them mental damage for not following it. Unless it is just honor and stuff, but it doesn't sound like it.)

The Feanorians gather. (Which is a bad sign). They send messangers to Elwing, demanding "politely but clearly", the Silmaril. Well, you should have tried "politely" with Thingol, now, after Doriath, your politeness feels a bit empty.

[Also, Maedhoros' life would be much, much easier if he had the ability to just throw C&C under the bus and blame everything on them. It was even mostly true! And might have worked. But he is loyal to his brothers. And this is a good thing. This is tragic: he has one good trait, but can't manage another (not murdering people), and so he fails both morally, and fails at his chosen goal.]

Elwing, and the people of Sirion didn't want to give him the Silmaril. Because:

people have died and suffered for it (the usual argument, which I feel is increased by the nature of the Silmaril)

their ruler was not home, and they didn't want to make the decision without him (this is stupid, on a very mundane level. Earendil should have chosen someone to make important decisions when he's away. Also, Elwing seems either very indecisive / shy, or not respected by the people. My bet would be on "shy", or eldritch/shy, somewhat Varda-style)

it seemed to them that the Silmaril was the reason of their health and prosperity (this is a new idea)

So: it is not Elwing's decision. And it is not based mostly on "we hate them, they killed our people", but on survival needs (and a misconception). And again, there is no textual evidence that the people of Sirion know about the Oath.

Yes, there are people from Gondolin there, but who exactly? Turgon died. Idril was a child when the Oath happenned. They may not know, or they may not share the knowledge (but the later would be unwise).

Based on what the people of Sirion know and assume, their reply makes complete sense to me.

(Also, it seems like it was less a clear "nope" and more of a "umm, let's wait till Earendil returns, but we can't give you an ETA for that".)

The remaining soF suddenly attack the poor people of Sirion and the book is pretty clear that this is bad. It's so bad that some of their followers change sides and die trying to protect Elwing (because of course they do die, we can't have any characters getting any sort of redemption… yea, I understand, it makes sense realism-wise that they all die. But still, non-lethal wounds causing unconciousnes are a thing and I think it was a thing among the Elves? I can't remember an example)

Anyway, A&A die (because this is the unburned version).

Oh, and also Gil-Galad comes to the (too late) rescue (with Círdan). Which means that the mainstream Noldor are (for the first time) willing to fight the Feanorians. They just miss the party. Hmmm, this one detail makes me more fond of G-G son of Fingon. Because: think of the angst. (Or even better: G-G son of one of the Feanorians. But this has other problems)

There are a few survivors who join G-G.

It is told that E&E were captured. It is told that Elwing jumped to the sea with the Silmaril.

For the capture we later get a confirmation. But not for how exactly Elwing landed in the sea.

No info on how much she knew about her sons (already captured? assumed dead? hidden? whatever?). No info on whether she panicked and run blindly, or tried to distract M&M from killing other people, or wanted to maneuvre them into falling into the sea too, or one of myriads of possible scenarios. Or just even fell by a lucky "accident".

You want a perfect, flawless Elwing? The text doesn't contradict it (though she is at least a bit indecisive or not in such a position of power that would make sense given her parentage).

You want a stupid, indecisive Elwing who does a random thing? The text doesn't contradict it.

You want a young, lost, completely panicked Elwing? The text doesn't contradict it.

You want Elwing putting the prosperity of her people (which is assumed to be based on the Silaril) and them not dying of hunger above her own children? The text doesn't contradict it.

(No, we can't have a canon-compliant terrible mom Elwing, we'll get a counter for this.)

She joins Earendil and they are really terrified about their captured sons. So yes, they do care about their sons. they fear that M&M will kill them.

Kidnap fam mentioned, Maglor is sad and tired because Oath. :,(

Earendil wears the Silmaril on his forehead. So… what happenned to the necklace? Did Ulmo take it when he shapeshifted Elwing? The text very much sounds like the necklace is now gone, it's just the gem.

It is said among the gnomes wise, that the Silamril was what guided them to Valinor and let them pass all the magic barriers/traps.

Elwing has Lúthien vibes of "No, I am your wife, you aren't going to do the deadly risky thing alone!"

Earendil comes during a celebration and we are reminded that it's just like Morgoth and Ungoliant did (but he does it by accident). Nice bracketing, I guess? He is scared that even if Valinor something bad happenned. I like this scene.

Eonwe gives him a really cool (however very formal) greeting. "the looked for that cometh at unawares, the longed for that cometh beyond hope." I love this line. Yes, a lot of Tolkien's good lines give the vibe of "wrote it as part of a prayer, rewrote it to fit in his fantasy book". It's not a flaw. But I do find it a peculiar kind of funny.

Anyway, stuff is happenning. The Valar summon even Ulmo for a conversation. They talk. Námo plays the bad cop, which peronally I don't like but ok. I guess somebody has to, it is his job.

Manwë goes "we won't punish them, because they took this risk out of love" which is a solid argument. Earendil&Elwing (and by mention their sons) get the choice.

Also, interesting wording (or translation): they will be judged according to the laws of the species they chose. Huh. Interesting phrasing, I'm not sure what to think of it.

I totally forgot Elwing chilling out with the Teleri in the meantime.

Anyway, Vingilot gets an upgrade, the three sailors get a new ship. Also, doors of Night mentioned. Also, Earendil comes back to Valinor at sunrise and sunset. And it does seem like he does land, he is banned from the mortal lands, but not from Aman? So I guess he does spend some time home with Elwing. When she flies to him it's just to meet him earlier.

But I may be wrong.

Estel / "High Hope" mentioned.

M&M notice a new star. Confirmation that they saw the Silmaril sinking in the sea. Mae is like "Sure it's the silmaril." Maglor is like "we are supposed to rejoice." Anyway they do, at least they are no longer despairing.

And Morgoth is freaked out. :D But he doesn't expect the war (as they say), because the Valar were upset at the Noldor, and he doesn't get what pity is.

The army has white banners, the Vanyar are there (all of them? I suppose Ingwë stayed with Manwe, because before we were told he never went back to ME? Maybe only some Vanyar went to war.) And so are the non-Exile Noldor.

There are some Teleri in the army of the West!!! Just not many. At least that's how the Polish text reads. "Not many wanted to go to war" — so, some did want? some went?

More Teleri (convinced by Elwing) join as sailors, but those Teleri stay at the ships and don't touch tha land. (So yes, it seems there were other Teleri there)

I will leave the War of Wrath for later, maybe for the Morgoth into the Void day 1. Maybe not. Maybe i will do it sooner.