#Paradox of Morality the Game

[paradox-of-morality]

Paradox of Morality the Game Paradox of the Week... --Mani/Pedi--

You have to play this game!!!! Www.POMswagshop.com. Www.paradoxofmorality.com On Amazon @ Paradox of Morality, the Game

[miraneko19]

Realized this while playing Birushana. Tomomori. You know.

[carlyraejepsans]

with toriel and asgore it's like. they're both flawed and their flaws parallel one another, but they're not EQUALLY flawed... like..... come on......

[gortash]

me: video games dont cause violence

also me, gleefully enslaving everyone in games like stellaris and crusader kings:

[onlineufo]

theres a ghost haunting me its called psychological egoism

[homunculus-argument]

The paradox of tolerance is only a paradox if you think of tolerance as some sacred and unconditional moral duty. Some ultimate and absolute law with no exceptions, and if you ever slip into the sin of intolerance, you must repent yourself and beg for forgiveness. Yeah no fuck that. Tolerance is a social contract. You're in the game as an equal player for as long as you play by the same rules as everyone else, and if you don't, your ass is fucking out. You're not entitled to the same respect you won't give others.

"Oh so you all tolerate each other just because you tolerate each other, but if I want to destroy you, then all of a sudden you want to destroy me?" Literally yes. That's the gist of it. What's not clicking. This equation is so simple it barely counts as math.

[ozzgin]

The Mean Girl Bully Reader x Nerd Loser Yandere story sparked another red flag reader idea I had 😈

Imagine a Bratty Female Reader x Well Mannered Wealthy Male Yandere. Unlike our favorite monster whore gal, and two-faced bully, this new reader insert is super vocal about her distaste in just about everything. Hardly anything is up to her “standards.” She not only complains, but whines too! 🥳

Then her poor beau weirdly loves her despite her horrid personality. I don’t know how, I’ll leave that part of imagining up to you, but there’s my request 🥺

I just like morally grey or blatant antagonistic readers. A lot of times, it’s more fun if the reader is attractive this way to a yandere, than having stereotypical good traits, like being compassionate or respectful 😔

So please, a Bratty Female Reader x Well Mannered Wealthy Male Yandere?

-👘

I was wondering if I should just incorporate this into the Yandere CEO draft I have, but I had this sudden idea for a downright shameless relationship between a beloved, well-respected politician and a perverted, needy brat of a Darling. (I don't like politicians but alas, I needed a high-stakes public profession for this)

Yandere! Politician x Bratty! Reader

Mr. Politician is a true rarity in his field of work: well-mannered, articulate, and most importantly, genuine in his dedication. He works tirelessly for change and improvement, earning the adoration of the people. There's only one exception to his loyalty: no country ever comes before his Darling. And what a demanding Darling you are...

Content: female reader, older yandere, NSFW, some exhibitionism

Many would describe their interactions with Mr. Politician as follows: he's disciplined, confident and resourceful. A natural born leader, you can tell within seconds of meeting him that he is a man to rely on. He's spent many years in the game, and nothing can shake him out of his signature calmness. He keeps everything in pristine order, and nothing escapes his scrutiny.

There is, however, one quirk only few select people know about. A detail no one dares to discuss. It is common knowledge that Mr. Politician has a partner, yet the particularities of it are kept private. His beloved is a much younger girl, rotten to the core. It is unclear how this pairing came to be; the day Mr. Politician won his place in his prestigious office, he showed up with the mysterious feminine figure at his side.

What's certain and obvious to all witnesses is that his vocabulary quickly discards any meaning of refusal whenever he's dealing with you. It almost feels like the man worships you. He's never alluded to being religious, most likely because that role's been taken already. His eyes soften whenever directed at you, gleaming with raw adoration.

Splurging on expensive things is a given. Money has never been an issue for someone of his status. In fact, it's a handy and convenient tool he frequently uses to dampen the damage of your tantrums.

"Disgusting", you spit between your teeth, pushing the plate away and crossing your arms. The renowned chef of the Michelin star restaurant can only stare in horror before Mr. Politician intervenes with a chuckle. "Not feeling it today, huh?", he coos at you with loving strokes. "May I ask that you bring everything else from the menu?" he says in a sterner voice to the employee. "E-everything, Sir?" the waitstaff questions. "Well, naturally. I can't let my Darling starve."

"I'm bored. Let's leave now", you mention bluntly, standing in front of the heavily ornate table with a huff. "Are you sure, Darling? It's an important meeting for the country", Mr. Politician tries to plead. Around him, the other men sit baffled, observing the outrageous exchange. "Now!" you conclude louder. Before anyone can protest, your boyfriend stands up obediently and reaches out for your hand. "Then allow me to guide you, love."

A paradox. His earnest work is put to a halt if you require anything from him. Somehow, he has until now managed to juggle the two with little effort, and to his credit, there have been many instances requiring nerves of steel. Such as you paying him an unannounced visit to the office, and disliking the fact he was unavailable due to a meeting. So, you marched over to the window and promptly flashed your chest against the glass. Everyone else was focused on the opposing whiteboard; he was the only one who immediately noticed your arrival. "As you can see, the expected result is irresistible", he continued with a professional smile, tapping the graph with a marker.

Everyone knows Mr. Politician is fervently devoted to his principles. Take his last public speech, for example. Knuckles white from gripping the podium, he'd nearly choked during an eloquent -but passionate - conclusion. His face was red, his jaw tightened. He needed a moment to recollect himself, and the public waited with bated breaths, visibly emotional. Of course, they couldn't tell the outrageous truth: that you were shamelessly kneeling at his feet, pumping and teasing his erection until, at last, he let go all over your face.

"I wanted to see if you'd stumble on your words", you explain afterwards, wiping the sticky liquid off with a damp cloth. "That would've been unpleasant", he responds with a shiver. "It was live on national television."

He does not seem too bothered by the potential risk of being caught. Truly, his nonchalance knows no bounds when it comes to you. Or perhaps it is part of the charm. There's something quite depraved yet tempting about this perpetual contrast.

To return your daring favor, he gently places you onto his desk and spreads your legs, leaving trails of kisses along the inner surface of your thigh. A quick glance down confirms his suspicions: your bare bottom lays on top of confidential, rather important documents he dutifully signed hours ago. How thrilling of a feeling! He already smiles in anticipation, picturing himself as he hands over the folder to the oblivious party. He's not breaking any rules, now, is he? Nowhere in the book of etiquette does it state you mustn't fuck your beloved on top of official papers.

You gaze at the disheveled face underneath you. "One day I'll get you in trouble", you blurt out between whines. "Me? Oh, Darling. You know I always have everything under control." He lifts himself up and gives you a quick, desperate kiss. "Including you."

[artbyblastweave]

Recently a post has been doing the rounds about military propaganda in the latest COD, yea yeah, sky’s blue, fork in kitchen, et al et al. This got me thinking about the shooters I actually play, and one thing that strikes me about the multiplayer shooters I play is that a lot of them dodge that same major discourse bullet by expressly grounding themselves in amorality and Kafka-esque dysfunction- a structural fingerwag towards their own content, acting as a paradoxical green-light to enjoy the game with no sense of moral injury. And there’s a big example of one that didn’t do this that kinda winds up with egg on its face as a result. 

To start with, I’m thinking about Team Fortress 2. The original Team Fortress, inasmuch as it’s possible for a game where you shoot each other with real firearms to be apolitical, was fairly apolitical. The soldiers had no markers of identity beyond their arbitrary team affiliation; the fighting was over no discernable real-life resource or point of political tension; the environments were decontextualized labs and facilities. It was platonic violence. 

Team Fortress 2 rolls around. Now that the general novelty of a 3d multiplayer class shooter has eroded, development stalls out on the following aesthetic problem; you can’t have semi-realistic militaristic character models rocket-jumping themselves across the map in the early 2000s. The cartoonishness is too dissonant when you’ve got similar semi-realistic militaristic characters in much more “grounded” games. Eventually they resolve this by taking the other tack, leaning into the cartoonishness, crafting character models so completely bombastic and over the top that no action taken in gameplay, no matter how absurd, will ever feel dissonant. This philosophy extends into the map design; the environments are farcical. Military instillations built mere yards from each other, with paper-thin pretenses of being civilian facilities despite the constant gun battles occurring inside. It’s self parody. And when the game extends to the point of having lore and worldbuilding, the idiocy becomes diegetic. This is a conflict fought on the behalf of idiots, by idiots, over idiot-goals, in spaces designed by idiots. It’s completely amoral, but it’s also contained amorality, since the fighting doesn’t spill out of these Helleresque Designated Pointless Fight Zones- and that leaves the mercs sympathetic enough that you can play them as protagonists in stories that take place “off-the-clock” without a ton of tonal dissonance. I can’t stress enough that the TF2 protagonists are amoral PMCs who work for callous megacorps. In a vacuum, this is not a well-regarded Kind Of Guy around here. There is some implementation of this broad concept that would invite a shitload of discourse that I’ve never seen materialize!

A lot of hero-or-character-based multiplayer games do this, abandoning any pretense of player heroism or productivity in the conceit in a way that shields them from a lot of moral and logical criticisms. Apex Legends and Monday Night Combat are explicitly in-universe bloodsports. Atlas Reactor and Rogue Company are cyberpunk corp-on-corp warfare. Dirty Bomb is about loosely affiliated mercenaries picking over the remains of an evacuated city. I think that Valorant is PMCs in a resource war (Not completely sure on this one.) The never-released Battlecry was expressly tied to actual nation-states, an alternate history where great powers fight wars via singularly-powerful champions instead of via traditional warfare. And in Battleborn the PCs were a hastily-assembled coalition of smaller hastily-assembled coalitions, which means that it makes perfect sense that any combination of these people might be fighting alongside or against each other, at any given time.

Here we see commonalities. Amoral participants. Larger governing bodies delineating clear fight zones centered on specific, if deliberately silly or petty, goals. Most crucially, PCs that are very loosely affiliated with each other, such that you’d see them in different configurations, fight to fight, day to day, as they’re contracted or shuffled around by the powers that be.

You know a game that doesn’t do any of this? Overwatch. 

Overwatch gets 80% of the way to being a superhero universe; it falls short primarily because Blizzard chose not to explicitly market it as such, but it’s got everything short of the purposeful brand designation- powered heroes, super science, codenames, Faceless Hydraesque terrorist groups with shadowy, powered enforcers. There are specific allegiances implied by this; specific policy and interpersonal goals implied by this that aren’t really reflected in six-on-six grudge matches in a smattering of inexplicably depopulated civilian environments. There are roughly half-a-dozen villains associated with Talon, four or five independent villainous mercenaries, and everyone else is a would-be superhero. Why is most of the core roster of the world’s premier superhero team performing some kind of terror attack in London? Why is a woman who murdered a civil rights leader trying to stop them, with the help of two avowed anti-Omnic mercenaries and three Omnics? Why did a cryogenics researcher weaponize her tech and come along for the ride? Why are a dozen envoys from tech conglomerates, grassroots movements, and paramilitary defense forces throwing down over a Gazebo in a charming Greek resort? Fuck if I know. Fuck if the writers know!

So, to round it out, I think that there’s a structural difficulty for multiplayer shooters to stand for something, or advance a philosophy, or whatever. The smart ones embrace this by shielding themselves in ablative nihilism, preemptively deflecting criticism by painting the gameplay as hollow and barbaric, but fun! But Overwatch- Overwatch 2′s tagline is “Get back in the fight.” What Fight? Why? Against Who? Call Of Duty might be a horrific mouthpiece for militarism and imperialism, but when it valorizes the military, it’s at least picking a side! Overwatch is just so strange to me because it’s somehow got the worst of both worlds- it uses these heroic, aspirational language and visuals to hype up a gameplay loop that’s ultimately the exact same kind of cynical, aimless abattoir as the games that are smart enough to explicitly be about amoral paid killers!

[shittysawtraps]

Hello Paradox Games player, in front of you is a game of Hearts of Iron 4, to survive you must play as the country thats policies most align with your personal beliefs and moral views, and not as Germany, and complete World Conquest.

You have until 1945, good luck

[lilacxquartz]

CHASING HUMANITY • kenjaku x fem!reader

ao3 link • masterlist • next chapter >>

summary: ever since 2015, Japan has been plagued by mysterious deaths all over the country with no particular lead, until one day, you saw something you shouldn’t have.

themes: dead dove, reader insert, graphic violence, upsetting descriptions, blood/gore, reader insert, yandere elements, mundane au, no sorcerers, mixed pov

a/n: this is partially an entry for a prompt for au-gust 2024; but also is intended as a multi chapter series. reader is introduced in the next chapter.

Chapter 1. Vagabond

What was it that made someone truly human?

This was a question that had long plagued the great minds of the world for centuries and was also the subject of a self prescribed mission for Kenjaku to find the true meaning behind.

The core definition of humanity, he speculated, was technically a paradox in its own self; a delicate balance of tenderness that mingled with such devastating brutality—compassion that was lost to indifference.

So, perhaps he could say that to in order to be human was to embrace the above.

Yet, he didn’t seem all too satisfied with that answer.

There surely had to be more to it.

A deeper meaning.

And that’s exactly what his life’s mission was. To dip his hands into the murky depths of unseen waters—to navigate through the fine balance of morality and depravity combined.

Kenjaku held these thoughts in his mind as he slowly cruised through the quiet streets of the latest town he found himself in. His presence was thus far successfully unassuming with not a single soul suspecting him of anything unsavoury—at least not yet.

Each ‘session’ as he liked to call his studies, all started off on a similar note, no matter where he ended up.

He’d first begin by observing the dwelling population from a distance and mentally keep track of their behaviour as well as any notable lifestyle factors. This sort of activity doubled as a game that he played with himself; a way to gauge what lay beneath the masks that people wore. To learn more about who they truly were behind closed doors.

In a stretch, he supposed that he could call humanity a performance.

Kenjaku’s own life could fit into a similar rhetoric, after all. He travelled often and his lifestyle could be defined as nomadic, however that much was only out of necessity. He didn’t have the luxury to stick around in one place for too long before someone someone suspected something. Luckily however, Japan had many villages and towns scattered all over the country for him to hide in on a whim and the anonymity of a new environment was always an exciting factor.

It was all a challenge to him, to see just how much he could get away with and for how long.

Continuing to stroll through the streets, he couldn’t help but fantasise about the kill prior to this one. It took place in a different town not too far away. It wasn’t his finest work, but it was enough to feed him that now familiar high from taking a life, though, it was unfortunately soon wearing off. This meant that he would need to strike again soon to get back to that state of mind.

Sometimes, he wondered if the fragility to one’s existence was the answer to his question. However, that much only served as a symptom of humanity without as much of a diagnosis for the cause of being.

Kenjaku sighed to himself while his brain spiralled away; a victim of his own deep thought. He ended up turning the corner into a dark alley and simply waited around in the shadows for his next victim to make an appearance.

As a result, he couldn’t help but shudder as he felt the familiar rush of excitement wash over him; tingling waves of anticipated blood that had yet to be spilled.

Another another life to toy with—to play around with, to allow him to experiment and study the what was surely driving him into madness…! Ah, he really needed to ground himself though before he tipped over the deep end; not wanting to surrender to his fading sanity just yet.

Not before he had something that at least resembled somewhat of an answer, anyway.

Patting down the pocket of his trousers, he let out a heavy breath of relief when he felt the weight of his wallet. Inside, beyond the crumpled old receipts and compacted bills of cash, was a collection of fake identity cards (and passports tucked into an envelope, hidden deep inside his car’s glove compartment). Each printed face represented a persona that he spent time carefully crafting, serving as a lifeline in more ways than one.

Each and every single name on the card was a gateway into another life. Every single face posing as a ticket that presented him with an opportunity to craft a delicate facade, and as for what happened to the bearers of those original documents—well—let’s just say that they simply disappeared (by his own hands of course).

Besides, Kenjaku had what he described as a gift; an unwavering sense of curiosity and as such, he couldn’t help but want to explore the world through the cover of many different people, even if meant to play the part of someone he wasn’t.

From a travelling salesman hailing from Chiba to a freelance photographer who never quite settled in just once place—each fleeting role provided a glimpse into an otherwise benign existence while offering protection from being found out for who he truly was.

(Although, he kept up his make believe lives for so long now, that not even he was sure of who he was prior to setting out to find the fabled answer. He had spent so long of his time, spanning nearly a decade, searching for a solution that may as well not exist, but it was all he had—even if he lost track of who he was in the process.)

For the present time being, he adopted the identity of a former monk by the name of Suguru Geto who had initially resided in Tokyo. This was the person that he resonated with the best thus far due to a magnitude of reasons. Although, upon further examination, he might have appeared to be slightly different (but only if you’d squint). Geto was simply just the closest person he had ever matched in appearance and from what he gathered, the personality wasn’t too far off either.

In a twisted sense, Kenjaku felt even connected to the lives he stole. Specifically the ones he actively represented; the ones that he masqueraded as his own and even though he wasn’t the same person behind the name, he, in a way, considered the act as a way of carrying on their legacy.

Besides, in this entire region, not just the town alone, ‘Geto’ still had some use left to spare. Within the entire prefecture, he aimed to be a face that was just barely recognised; someone who would be able to blend into the background and remain so unremarkable and unthreatening that it could only benefit his cause.

Oh, it was all too perfect.

How sickeningly sweet almost, that not one soul had a single clue of who he was—of exactly what he was capable of.

In a way, he considered if his ability to adapt to a continuously changing environment was what made him more human than others; a sort of side thought experiment that he considered every now and then. Humanity, after all, got to where it was from rapid advancement. By evolving to its given environment.

And in his unforgiving search for an explanation, he had already walked in the shoes of countless lives; he had already adapted, even moulded his personality so many times before that he considered himself to almost be beyond human.

In a way, such a process was actually freeing because suddenly, he gained the means to travel as anybody he wanted to be.

But, at the same time, it was also imprisoning; all of these people contributing nothing in the end other being a waste of space in his kept journal. Sometimes, his search felt more like a chore, but he did suppose that someone had to do it. To figure it all out, because who else would explore the same possibilities the way that he did—who else would go to such depraved depths, if not for him?

Sighing, he paid a final flick of his gaze towards an unlucky passer-by. Finally, it was time to make a move and so he quietly dipped his tracks onto the connecting pavement, maintaining a steady pace behind his latest victim.

It was luckily raining too, so the crashing droplets concealed the sound of his advancing footsteps; the wind obscuring his breathing.

This particular person was someone that he had recognised as the town librarian. The town had a couple of those working in rotational shifts, so this must have been the evening worker. This meant good news for him, because she lived in the outskirts of the town (as he had observed in the past) which provided a cover for him to retreat to (and also because his car wasn’t parked too far away).

And just like predicted, she took a slow but steady path back home, taking her sweet, sweet time.

He knew this woman well enough by now to pick up on some facts about her from his limited time in town. For one, her shift ended at six in the afternoon, yet, she would always, no matter what, wait until it got dark to head home. This was beneficial to him of course, as it meant that he could slip away into the shadows quickly if she were to notice him.

Kenjaku speculated that her personal life therefore, must have been a lonely one. Her shift both started in the afternoon and ended in it and by the time she would finally get home, she would have just enough time to eat, bathe and then dedicate whatever remaining time she had leftover towards taking care of what he speculated to be elderly parent.

(Oh the things he could learn from just spying in the unconcealed windows just outside.)

Considering the deep set under eye bags that painted her face whenever he saw her, he suspected that this responsibility potentially stretched into the morning too.

Therefore, her social life as well as personal life was likely lacking.

This much left him wondering if there could have been a meaning behind the nothingness in life and perhaps he could bring himself closer to the answer if he explored that point. After all, a life otherwise spent in a perpetual state of limbo where nothing happened was surely numbing and bleak.

Maybe even, he could help her find that meaning…?

If only this person knew just how soon it was all going to change though. Indeed, he would help her feel whole again. Regardless of who it was that was going to be the unlucky victim, or rather, the ‘spontaneous participant’ to his plans, he carried a roll of barbed wire tucked carefully away in the folds of his robe along with a roll of duct tape for… convenience purposes.

Finally, just as she lingered around the gate that led towards her home, the librarian stood still as per her returning ritual; as though steeling herself before going inside. This particular moment opened up a prime opportunity for him to swoop in on her and bridge the gap before she slipped out of reach.

In a mere flash, Kenjaku cupped his hand over her face and stifled any potential screams by plugging her lips with his palm. His other hand hooked around her shoulder, shrouding her in the fabric of his robe and even partially concealing her. Quickly, he walked her past her home and off into the adjacent woods nearby, allowing for both of them to disappear into the uninviting darkness.

This action would likely mean that her body would get discovered as soon as tomorrow due to the nearby forest being the grounds for leisurely trail, often fully packed during the daytime.

The librarian’s eyes widened in panic, her body immediately reacting with violent thrashing in an attempt to free herself from his suffocating embrace. The underside of his hand dampened from her muffled cries—the struggle was always the most annoying part. However persevering, he continued to drag her by the heels into the trees, leaving her remaining hope behind and a discarded boot, likely to tip off her disappearance.

Personally, he didn’t mind it one bit.

In fact, he wanted for her to be found because this wasn’t one for him to simply make disappear like the victims of his many identities, no, this one was for the archives.

He wanted nothing more than for his craftsmanship to be located and appreciated and even discussed; because truth be told, he was a narcissistic old bastard. Egoistic, too. Whenever he tuned into the radio or the television and heard his nickname be mentioned on the news off of a reporter’s tongue, he couldn’t help but feel accomplished.

(And at other times, aroused, even. Such acknowledgement led him to understand that he might have had a penchant for bloodthirsty exhibitionism and even the slightest attention stirred up something exciting for him.)

Tearing him away from his fantasised release, a shrill voice managed to finally escape from the woman, “P-please.”

In response, he tightened his grip on her, pulling her slightly smaller frame closer towards him as he dipped his face towards her ear. His hot breath felt nauseating against her skin while he offered a (not so) comforting whisper.

Hushing her, he spoke, “it’ll all be over… eventually.”

Rendering her momentarily unable to reply at the heavy implication of the words, Kenjaku carried her further into the darkness, taking out the stashed away roll of tape to finally silence her cries. With nothing but the light of his barely adjusted vision—the streetlights just about spilling a dim light into the woods, he kicked the woman over to her stomach and took out the roll of barbed wire at long last.

Slowly and almost tauntingly, he unravelled the tightly packed metal cable while keeping a foot securely stamped over her upper back—forcing her to lay perfectly flat against the bristling greenery. He then looped the steel lines around her neck and down towards her crotch area before snaking it back around her torso.

Before long, he perfectly wound her in a brutally artistic display of skilful shibari. The spikes dug through the fabric she wore and cut into her supple flesh, marring the spilled blood with soil.

“I’m doing you a favour, you know,” Kenjaku murmured gently to her while fastening the remainder of the wire around her body, her choice of clothing irritating him slightly due to how forceful he had to be.

Of course however, the woman could only seethe and stammer in despair while he continued onwards with his depravity. Rather than writhing around in pleasure as he secured the knots, she instead squirmed around and groaned in violent pain.

Having taken a lot of lives during his run as an active killer though, he knew that it was only a matter of time before the euphoria would soon kick in. Pain, after all, was in one’s mind and if he was being completely truthful, he felt that it held back humanity a fair amount. To live with the idea of potential discomfort meant to take the safer choices that life had in store instead and in doing so, meant having to abandon the excitement that came with chaos and spontaneity—the very thing that made life worth living.

So, by allowing his ‘volunteers’ to experience such grand opportunities, was his way of giving back to those doomed to endure such mundane routines. What he offered to the lucky few was a break from it all while in exchange, he would manage to fill another page or two in his journal, hopefully getting closer and closer to the answer that always seemed to be ever so slightly just out of reach.

Continuing, he muttered out what he thought to be soothing words as the librarian (whose name he never even bothered to learn) would shiver in coldness and terror, forced to listen to the ramblings of a depraved man.

“Your life for a lack of better words was… shit. Wasn’t it?” he asked her. “Go on. You can at least give me a nod. You know I’m right.”

However she didn’t respond as he had hoped. Instead, she continued to toss and tremble while the spearing wire continued to dig itself further into her bloodied tissue, unintentionally prematurely shortening her own life in a futile struggle.

Kenjaku tutted in disapproval at the lack of answer, “Typical,” he sighed, “nobody will ever truly appreciate my efforts, I suppose. I thought you would be special though, but it looks like I’m wrong yet again.”

He stared at her for a little longer as she continued to violently sob into the raining mud.

“Not to worry,” he piped up in a promising tone, slipping on a pair of thick gardening gloves fished from his other pocket with the intention to carry her by the cable, “your life wasn’t taken in vain,” he said as he crouched down, “you’ll be remembered for generations all thanks to me and isn’t that much better than dying as a nobody?”

Picking himself up with her in tow, he couldn’t help but find the low guttural whine that she made to be something special. People were capable of all sorts of sounds at the verge of death and when pushed beyond their very limits, they were capable of so many interesting things.

He walked with her until he reached a small bridge just outside of the town. It was technically more of an underpass, but not too frequently used. The main road that connected into the town was more popular, so this gave him the freedom as well as enough time to perfectly hoist and suspend her body over the frame under the guidance of the warm street lights guiding his way.

The forest was small, after all. Barely a cluster of woods. Perhaps a terrible place during the night, but completely harmless during the day.

All was going perfectly well too, until he heard a noise rustling in the shrubbery surrounding the area.

It was too careful to be a surprised animal.

No, this had to be a person. A witness?

Finishing up quickly, he tracked what appeared to be the figure of someone retreating back into the woods in an hurried attempt of escape but there was absolutely no chance in hell that he was going to just let them go.

So you’d better run.

And fast.

[crimsondinnerparty]

Psychological Manipulation as Foreplay✨

In *Hannibal*, the relationship between Hannibal Lecter and Will Graham is basically an intense game of mind games and emotional teasing. It's not just about controlling each other; it's a whole vibe of psychological seduction. Let's dive into how this plays out.

Seductive Manipulation: Hannibal’s manipulation of Will is like a dark, seductive game. It’s not just about getting control over him; it’s about emotionally ensnaring him by tapping into his deepest fears, desires, and vulnerabilities. Hannibal draws Will in with intimate conversations that dig into his psychological wounds, making Will feel close and dependent, which only messes with his emotions even more.

Emotional Games: The series often shows their relationship through emotional mind games and psychological tests. Hannibal regularly creates situations that push Will’s boundaries, turning these moments into a kind of dark foreplay. For example, Hannibal might set up scenarios that force Will to face his deepest fears or desires. These games aren’t just about asserting dominance but about deepening their emotional bond. The intense emotional ups and downs that come from this manipulation add layers of tension and complexity to their relationship.

Intimacy Through Control: Hannibal’s manipulation creates a paradoxical intimacy. By delving into Will’s mind and testing his perceptions, Hannibal forms a unique connection with him. This bond mixes psychological control with emotional closeness, where the manipulation itself deepens their relationship. Hannibal uses his insight into Will’s vulnerabilities to set up emotionally charged scenarios, showing how manipulation can act as a form of foreplay, blurring the lines between control and affection.

Psychological Seduction: Hannibal’s manipulation has a seductive edge that goes beyond just physical attraction. His way of drawing Will into deep, introspective talks about morality, identity, and existential questions creates a strong psychological connection. This seduction is all about engaging Will on an intellectual and emotional level, using his insights into Will’s mind to build a complex relationship. Their intense psychological interactions act like a form of foreplay, with the emotional and intellectual stimulation intensifying their bond.

[paradox-of-morality]

Paradox of Morality the Game {Paradox of the Week} {Dating App Lovers...

[sugar-grigri]

I was wondering what you think the likelihood is of an actual canon Asa/Denji romantic relationship is? I mean obviously they're building that Asa has feelings for csm/Denji (separately) and Denji has shown passing interest as well. I wonder if it's feasible at all or are they going to be pitched against one another now that Asa's getting seen more in the public eye while Denji is forcibly pushed aside.

Love your blog and enjoy reading your analyzes of the chapters/characters/plot!

Denji and Asa will have a romantic relationship 

I'm sorry to answer so late (almost 2 months later) and without justifying my delay, I think it's the right time in view of the last chapters to answer !!! I think Asa and Denji will have a romantic relationship. Before explaining my arguments, I would ask that we all put our personal preferences aside. I'm only interested in Denji and Asa's writing and story arcs. Now that that's been cleared up, let's get down to business.

First of all, I'd like to reiterate a few points about Denji's development and objectives.

In part 1, Denji understood what it meant to be loved properly, the different facets of love, how to protect and pamper a family, just as his response to the antagonist was driven by his love for Makima. It's important not to deny that Denji has become attached to Makima, and the paradoxical aspect of this affection is what made the end of Part 1 so brilliant and memorable.

Firstly, it confirmed that CSM's main theme from the outset was love, and secondly, it proved that Denji's response was extremely sensitive and mature. Instead of locking himself into a cycle of revenge and hatred, he forgave.

But above all from a narrative point of view it's interesting because in the first part, Denji grasped his value as a human being, knew what it was like to be considered and loved by Power and Aki. I've always seen Part 2 as a response to Part 1.

After the character has grasped that he can be loved, Part 2 places within it, consecrating it as the pivotal protagonist: Denji's beloved, Asa Mitaka. Instead of simply mystifying the love interest as a deuteragonist, as many works do, and depriving us of her point of view, Fujimoto places her with equal narrative importance. Which makes sense, since love is a central theme, Denji's love couldn't take a back seat.

All this to say that the very fact that Asa is also the protagonist puts us on the right track. But there's nothing to stop it all being a trap? Just as there's nothing to stop the relationship between the two protagonists opening up to a lovely friendship, is there? From a personal point of view, I'd have found it interesting if Denji had struck up another platonic friendship with a girl, with no undertones.

But that's not what Fujimoto has in mind...

Asa and Denji are written to complement each other. And when I say complementarity, I make it clear that the writing doesn't imply that a relationship between the two of them would solve their internal problems. Their flaws are put to the test by the external scenario.

For example, Asa's lack of trust in others is underlined in her development compared to other characters such as Yuko and Yoshida.

Yuko and Asa had a sincere friendship, although this drifted into moral combat as the young girl wanted to be as beneficial and useful as Chainsaw Man. As for Yoshida, he torments Asa, playing the game of promiscuity in order to create distance between the two of them, motivated as he is by Chainsaw Man. But his aim is not to become like him, but to prevent him from acting to the full.

Whether it's to inhibit Chainsaw Man or to become like him, Chainsaw Man has occupied a place in Asa's relationships with the others. But again, this only serves to underline the extent to which the destinies of the two protagonists are intertwined. Instead of hating Chainsaw Man even more for disrupting her relationships, Asa Mitaka unknowingly experienced his profound kindness.

During the aquarium arc, Denji simply occupied a special place regarding this issue. While the young girl mortified herself about being a good-for-nothing, a loser like Denji, it was he who paradoxically helped her. Firstly, because he'd listened to her explanations, boring though they were, about starfish and the fact that they're edible. What's more, Fami can control those she would have starved, so subconsciously the fact that Denji offered her food saved Asa.

But this is implicit writing, as it doesn't make sense until well afterwards, when Fujimoto spells out the conditions of the famine demon's power. When we read the aquarium arc, the one who finds the solution is Asa. Denji was merely a springboard.

This episode is central because Fujimoto, in developing the relationship between Denji and Asa, also clarifies the way in which he will write it: one will not overshadow the other, and he has not placed Asa as the protagonist so that she is not a pivotal point in the scenario.

But before this good experience, Asa only sees Denji's little flaws, the fact that he's a fan of Chainsaw Man, that he rips off homeless people and even goes so far as to dehumanize him, considering him somewhere between a cat and a criminal. Instead of idealizing Asa as Denji's great savior, she is first presented as a threat to the boy. But this chapter only confirms the future romantic (and tragic) aspect of their relationship.

I'm putting my theory back on the cat, because it's this symbol that heralds a perhaps not-so-pretty ending between the two of them. Fujimoto takes on the characteristics of a Greek tragedy, with a game of identities, intertwined secrets and a series of misunderstandings, with two camps, characters also preventing their relationship (Nayuta and Yoshida). But above all, it's tragic: Denji is somewhere between a cat and a criminal, just as Asa lost her mother while trying to save a cat, just as the first being Denji saves in Part 2 is a cat.

The cat is a figure that links Denji and Asa (the fact that they both saved one, that it is linked to their family (Power and Asa's mother), the metaphor of cat and criminal being what characterizes someone as morally gray as the two of them TO SUM UP their relationship will end in sacrifice. The ultimate proof of love. Isn't it wonderful to have a boy as the protagonist who pursues love, only to die for it? The reverse is just as beautiful: a young girl who closes herself off in solitude finds self-fulfillment in dying for the sake of another.

But back to something happier: Asa is the only one who has a healthy love (or rather, attachment) to Denji. Firstly, because she first faced Denji's and Chainsaw Man's flaws before seeing their good sides.

First, she doesn't project anything onto the boy, and sees him exactly as he is. She experienced his obscenities, his interest in sex that repels her. This was something I'd considered a flaw until now, to be honest; I was afraid that if the two protagonists ended up experiencing intimacy together, it would "save" Asa from her rejection of sex. But I was reassured by Fumiko's development, which parallels that. Fumiko has an unhealthy interest in Denji and is constantly contradictory in her dealings with him.

As I said, chapter 142 sets up a fairly simple idea: no one respects Denji's limits, above all, no one sees him as the teenager, the child he is. With Chainsaw Man, the same thing happens: people, faced with their powerlessness against the demons, project their grief and frustrations onto the machine man, to the point of pushing him to live again and again to kill his loved one, his big brother. 

No one hears Chainsaw Man's cries for help 

Asa stands out from all this: first, she's the one who wants to save Chainsaw Man 

Fumiko already had an idealized image of Denji before she met him, has an ascendancy over age, a manipulative strategy, but beyond these problematic issues she respects no limits, thinks Denji's sexual desires, which do exist (let's not deny it), are watchwords. 

She, who considers him a child, doesn't act at all in the spirit of protection that she acclaims. 

Asa has the opposite reaction, but purely the opposite. When she meets Denji, she's not at all interested, even distressed. She'll have exactly the same reaction to Chainsaw Man. She doesn't like him, so she has nothing to project onto him. And even her first reaction to him was far from idyllic. 

Fumiko's presence is also intended to underline the way she and Asa differ in the way they deal with Denji's limitations. 

Asa respects Denji's limits, or rather those he has set as rules dictated by his little sister. But Yoru crosses a boundary by kissing him. Without the desire to justify a non-consensual act, what Yoru is doing is crossing a boundary not set by Denji but by Nayuta, who is trapping her older brother in a certain solitude by wanting to protect him. The control devil is obsessed with a happiness that can only be found in the number of two, which is the common trait that links Makima and Nayuta, although they are not exactly the same entity. The first kiss between Yoru and Denji is then an act of rebellion, rather than Fumiko's constant overstepping of boundaries. 

(Again, these are two non-consensual acts, and I'm not justifying them, but they don't have the same narrative function).

But above all, the limits set by Nayuta have another meaning - they're there to consolidate the fact that Denji and Asa's relationship is a romantic tragedy inspired by the ancients, as Shakespiere was. The breaking of rules is a major theme in Romeo and Juliet, especially in the case of Juliet, who must choose between morals and her love, her family destining her for another marriage (symbolized by Nayuta). 

But we'll come back to the symbolism of Romeo and Juliet in a moment... 

Asa has met the purest version of Denji - whether it's Denji revealing his identity, or his profound kindness at the aquarium - and she's also witnessed the flaws of Chainsaw Man, this perverse monster, not good with words, who not only tried to reassure her, but actively protected her.

In other words, when we see her disturbed by her growing feelings for both Denji and Chainsaw Man, they are more than sincere, for she has seen them both as they were. But above all, she is the first character to love both sides of Denji's identity. Whereas Makima was obsessed with Chainsaw Man or Reze focused on Denji's weaknesses, Asa became attached to both the human and the demon.

Denji's dual identity is central, with the public hunters trying to annihilate Denji's demonic identity while the church relies on it, confusing the boy into having to choose one or the other, while the one who intends to help him unknowingly loves both sides. She likes him doubly. Asa is proof that Denji has to claim his two identities.

Not only is the girl also two, harboring a demon within her just as Denji has fused with a demon, but the way their demons are linked to each other and have a history between them only reinforces the destiny that binds them.

Asa is someone who intellectualizes her emotions to the extreme, so her love is more cerebral than Denji's, who thinks primarily through his senses, having a more instinctive love. Yoru occupies half of Asa's brain, while Pochita replaces Denji's heart, totally in line with this symbolism.

Above all, Yoru is disturbed by Asa's budding feelings, which also affect her. We've seen that Yoru hasn't succeeded in transforming Denji. We all stopped to think that she couldn't transform a hybrid, a demon. Yoru is a knight of the apocalypse and has a natural ascendancy over other demons, just as Fami had the falling devil under her control and Makima had controlled many demons. No, the reason why Yoru can't transform Denji is twofold: she's disturbed by Asa's feelings, which are also her own, and doesn't have the will to make him her weapon; but above all, they're not yet together, and the feeling of belonging to each other hasn't yet been established. It's not certain that Denji will ever become Yoru's weapon, since as soon as their relationship is established, he will symbolically offer her his heart.

In the current arc, Fujimoto places Asa in Denji's initial situation, so as to better parallel them: she becomes the church's new flagship image, her popularity competing directly with Chainsaw Man's. But while the current arc shows us the downside of these parasocial relationships, with Denji completely paralyzed by his existential crises, Asa experiences the opposite.

She who has always felt isolated is finally beginning to be appreciated and loved by the majority. In short, one begins to learn something that the other is just experimenting with. Denji and Asa are two very isolated teenagers who project themselves into the recognition their audience has in them. 

What's certain is that Denji's existential crisis doesn't just concern him, insofar as his experiences can serve as a lesson to Asa, that to become a hero is above all to be alone. The church intends to sacrifice innocent people to spur Chainsaw Man into action, a church that Asa now represents. Asa hasn't yet seen this side of the church, so Barem mocks her by presenting her as a naive young girl. However, Asa has the intuition that tragedy will strike, since she has a nightmare of it.

Asa's going to have to go beyond her moral limits, to take the brunt of her own popularity, and even if she intends to save Chainsaw Man as he saved her, I think it's he who's going to help her more, not to eclipse her but as a springboard to push the heroine to save herself.

Denji's development isn't slow, flat, in this arc, it just reaches its conclusion. What's left for him to do to end it all is to prove his love.

Even if it means dying for it.

[berlingotesque]

What are your ships for Batim? :D

VERY GOOD QUESTION- I know my answer should be rather straightforward but I feel I have to put some context to my answers since they may seem contradictory/paradoxical otherwise, so bear with me-

Sammy x Norman : Well. I think that one was pretty obvious, anyone who's seen more than 3 of my posts knows that I'd die for these two. They're just so PERFECT for each other, from their complementary personalities to the fact that their relationship allows us to delve deeper into batim's historical and social context. Sammy and Norman have one of the few relationships that develop the most during the game's lore : Norman originally complains vehemently about Sammy's frenetic behavior, only to end up lamenting to Buddy and Dot how 'Sammy isn't the same anymore'. What's interesting about this statement is that he says it in relation to Sammy's strange behavior : clearly, the two men have grown close enough for Norman to differentiate Sammy's extravagant habits from his ink-influenced behavior.

Furthermore, Sammy is a very gray character morally, a perfectionist who is extremely socially maladjusted (surely due to the fact that he's coded on the spectrum and autism wasn't properly diagnosed at the time), naturally ostracizing him. For his part, Norman comes from a rural background (which surely earns him the animosity of the people at the studio, given the historical context and the fact that he could very well be poc) and also seems ill at ease socially : to me, it's fascinating to see two characters excluded from their peers because of differences they can't change (being autistic or poc and gay) getting closer to each other, to the point where Sammy, who is deeply misanthropic, naturally compliments Norman by describing him as very bright. To me, Norman is the perfect partner for Sammy : ready to apprehend him as he is, since he's completely free of social conventions, without taking any shits from him.

I think Sammy and Norman can really get the best out of each other, during a historical period when being different was strongly proscribed. I think I'd have trouble enjoying Batim as much without their dynamic at its heart (considering how narratively rich it is) : Norman is Henry's confidant, Sammy is Joey's, both remain morally gray deuteragonists fundamentally opposed to the ink machine, while remaining fascinated by its powers. And who wouldn't love a good old enemies to lovers ending tragically with the unwitting murder of one by the other ? After all, Norman's main flaw is that he's too curious for his own good, and it was Sammy who inevitably led him to his doom..

Allison x Tom : what more can I add. She's everything. He's just Tom. I've always been drawn to characters/ships with a vibe completely opposite to the vibe of the work they originally came from, and the 'turning poison into positivity' energy that Tom and Allison bring to Batim has always fascinated me. In a world as tragic as their own, I find it touching to see these two find beauty in all the ugliness and manage to ask themselves 'what if we were happy after all ?' It's really striking and brings a narrative richness to the work, since they directly mirror what failed with Sammy and Susie : Allison is perfect, but that was never what was at stake in Tom's eyes. Tom was looking for humanity, not perfection, and he managed to go beyond the image of the muse to discover a friend, unlike Sammy with Susie. They're literally Romeo and Juliet but, well... Not dead.

Joey x Henry/Henry x Linda : oh boy. These three... Let me get it straight right away : Henry and Linda are perfect for each other. She's exactly what he needs to be happy : she's present, patient. There's no denying that he loves her immensely. But Joey... oh Joey is undoubtedly Henry's soul mate. The subtlety is that Joey can't bring him the stable happiness Linda can : Joey tugs at him, pushes him over the edge. He knows exactly what to do to push him beyond his own limits. The love Joey offers Henry is an uncomfortable but unconditional one, one that would allow Henry to go beyond what he thinks he's capable of achieving because no one knows Henry better than Joey ! And let's be honest, Batim only exists because Joey refuses to move on, to live his dream without Henry in it. He's stuck in unrequited love and refuses to learn to live with it. And that's the tragedy of this trio : Henry sincerely loves Linda but is truly himself with Joey, which prevents him from hating OR loving him (And Joey exploits this information by remaining extremely toxic and convincing himself that he can wear him down lmao). Henry is stuck with this dilemma : Existing peacefully with Linda or living painfully with Joey. And that's why I love the dynamic of this love triangle : because there are no solutions that will satisfy everyone.

Joey x Sammy : okay, don’t get me wrong : these two are HORRIBLE for each other. Does Sammy periodically want to quit just to piss Joey off? Yes. Isn't Joey's fascination with Sammy intimately tied to his refusal to forget Henry, who was a genius like Sammy? Yes. Nevertheless, it's impossible for me to read The Illusion of Living without feeling embarrassed and like I'm reading Joey's diary : whether you ship them or not, Joey is practically canonically smitten with Sammy. I sincerely don't think Joey and Sammy can sustain a healthy relationship with each other, but oh boy, surely that won't stop me from exploiting their bizarre obsessive love-hate relationship, where it's hard to determine whether they're going to throw hands or make out.

[sinlillith]

paradox of human self ; demon.

a short analysis of sebastian and ciels relationship and how it will forever remain tragic

❛ ━━━━━━･❪ ❁ ❫ ･━━━━━━ ❜

the dichotomy of master vs servant.

upon the surface, the relationship between sebastian michaelis and ciel phantomhive is anchored by the seemingly simple terms of their contract: ciel , the imperious master, and sebastian, the demonic butler bound by an infernal pact, destined to serve until the moment he claims ciel's soul. yet, beneath this veneer of straightforward servitude lies a labyrinth of complexity, where the roles of master and servant are ceaselessly redefined by their actions and perceptions. though ciel appears to wield absolute authority, commanding sebastian with the regal air of a noble, the true balance of power is an enigma. sebastian, with his preternatural abilities and centuries of wisdom, often emerges as the invisible puppeteer, subtly guiding ciels decisions, orchestrating events from the shadows with a deftness that belies his role as a mere servant.

•·················•·················•

sebastians servitude is cloaked in the flawless guise of obedience, yet it is infused with a sardonic undertone, a quiet mockery that lingers just beneath the surface. his deference is executed with such impeccable precision that it becomes almost theatrical, as if he is not merely serving, but performing a role in an elaborate play—one where the lines between hunter and prey, master and servant, are perpetually shifting in a sophisticated game of power and manipulation.

trauma as the binding force

as we know, ciels tragic past, a tale steeped in horror and loss, left him emotionally shattered, forging in him a profound distrust of the world and a deep-seated need for control. the brutal and grotesque murder of his parents and the unspeakable rituals he endured have scarred him beyond repair, and it is in this fragile state that sebastian appears— a dark savior, both a symbol of ciel's newfound power and a dark, grim reminder of his vulnerability.

sebastian represents a paradox, serving as both ciels protector and his doom, a guardian whose ultimate goal is the consumption of the very soul he is sworn to safeguard.

the duality weaves a rich and intricate tapestry of emotion within ciel. the dependence ciel clings onto with sebastian is undeniable, though he would never openly admit it. sebastian himself is not only a shield against the physical dangers that beset him but also a psychological anchor in a world that has betrayed him at every turn. and yet, this reliance is poisoned by the knowledge that sebastians loyalty is a mere transaction, his aid motivated by the dark promise of a future feast. ciel's cold, often ruthless demeanor becomes a fortress, a way to assert control over the one being he knows he can never truly trust—a defensive mechanism against the ever-present reality that his protector is also his predator.

affection or manipulation of one's vulnerable state?

to put so simply, the relationship between Sebastian and ciel is further complicated by the ambiguous line between genuine affection and calculated manipulation. as we know, sebastian's actions—his meticulous care of ciel, his subtle guidance, and his seemingly tender moments of concern—could be seen as evidence of a deeper, almost paternal affection. but don't be fooled, as these gestures are equally suggestive of a carefully constructed strategy, ensuring that ciel remains not just alive, but thriving, until the time is right for sebastian to claim his prize.

in my opinion, ciel may harbor a twisted form of affection for sebastian, even though it is an affection born of necessity and steeped in dependency. he is acutely aware that sebastian is not human, that his motivations are guided by a morality that is utterly alien to him. despite this, there are moments when ciel's interactions with sebastian slip into a more personal, less guarded space—moments that hint at a longing for sebastian to be something more than just a demon bound by contract, perhaps even something akin to a companion or a confidant, albeit one he can never truly trust.

hallucinations of control

to view their relationship through the lens of illusion is to grasp at the very heart of its complexity—specifically, the illusion of control. both sebastian and ciel operate under the belief that they are the ones holding the reins of their destiny. ciel, with his aristocratic authority and unyielding will, sees himself as the master, the one who commands and dictates. meanwhile, sebastian, with his boundless power and infinite patience, views ciel as a mere amusement, a transient diversion in the vastness of his eternal existence.

yet neither is entirely correct.

sebastians strict adherence to the contract grants ciel a superficial sense of control, but every action the demon takes is calculated, part of a grander design that serves his own ends. conversely, sebastian's perceived dominion over ciel's fate is not as absolute as it appears; the longer he serves, the more he becomes enmeshed in the intricate web of ciel's world—a world governed by the capriciousness of human emotion, attachment, and complexity, elements that even a demon of sebastian's caliber cannot easily navigate.

the conclusion : a relationship beyond definition.

in the end, the relationship between sebastian michaelis and ciel phantomhive defies simple categorization, existing in a realm beyond the conventional definitions of master and servant. it is a constant interplay of dominance and submission, where both characters are simultaneously in control and at the mercy of the other. their bond is one of mutual exploitation, yet beneath the surface, there lies the suggestion of something deeper, a connection that transcends the contractual and ventures into the realm of the ineffable.

though sebastian is destined to claim ciel's soul, until that fateful moment arrives, they are locked in an intricate dance of power, affection, and manipulation—a dance that blurs the boundaries between master and servant, predator and prey. their relationship thrives in the shadows of ambiguity, where the threads of power and dependence intertwine, the complex and intimate tapestry that challenges the very essence of their bond, making it something far richer and more profound than either of them could have anticipated.

because that's all it is, and ever will be.

let me know ur thoughts on this :)

[inficetegodwottery]

So. Werewolf 5th Edition.

Werewolf 5th edition sucks. A lot.

Edit- I made some errors in my initial edit of this post that were fuelled entirely by being underinformed and almost insensible with anger, disappointment, and anxiety.

Some very informative responses have been made that I intend to incorporate into a much better and less rambling post with those updates and corrections. I'll probably delete this one soon as I type that one together, so folks only see the updated version.

Sorry for any mistakes I made on this old version, again, I was in an extremely poor place mentally and thoroughly dispirited by the total butchering of what was supposed to be a less shitty and mean-spirited version of a setting I care deeply for despite its foundational flaws and 30+ year history of exactly this thing happening.

I'm still very, very angry. But it's important to be angry and correct. This post was not made by someone informed of all the facts, and I intend to correct that.

Paradox Interactive has made the brave decision to reboot the controversial Werewolf the Apocalypse setting entirely rather than try and fix it, and have somehow done a worse job than the games studio that released an RPG book titled an ethnic slur.

It's taken me almost a month since this came out to be anywhere near mentally prepared enough to even collect my thoughts on it.

Man, it is rare to see an edition of ANYTHING that pisses off old players, new players, players who want to keep the lore the same, players who want to change the lore, conservative players, radical players, and even powergamers.

How do you set out with the intention of making an infamously dated and poorly researched/outreached setting LESS uncomfortable and racist from a modern perspective.... and end up with something EVEN MORE racist and uncomfortable, but also suffocatingly tonedeaf, insincere, and deeply sinister and corporate in its erasure of existing issues rather than addressing them whatsoever.

We made the Get of Fenris irredeemably evil because some of them in the past were nazis and also nazis like Germanic mythology, so the viking werewolves are all nazis now.

Okay, I understand why you did that from a modern political perspective even if its kind of heavy hand-

The Native American werewolf tribes have been removed entirely and replaced with American Murican werewolf tribes. Renaming and rewriting them to be more respectful was just too much work! Now they're more inclusive. :)

The Irish werewolf tribe is now the Nature Werewolves tribe, like every other tribe of Werewolves also is, but also stripped completely of celtic origins.

The Red Talons are openly genocidal ecofascist malthusians and somehow NOT IRREDEEMABLY EVIL like the Get of Fenris are.

Also the feminist all women werewolves are no longer all women or even feminist. AND ALSO SOME OF THEM ARE SOCIAL DARWINISTS AND THATS SUPPOSED TO BE A GOOD THING!?!

Also we entirely dropped the themes about how forcing children to be a part of a war they barely understand while also lying to them about the crimes their ancestors committed that led to the current crisis is fucked up and evil.

Now its actually awesome to be a child soldier born into a repressive apocalyptic death cult with a siege mentality and everything is cool about that actually, you're the Good Guys, and no amount of covered-up historic genocides or internal/external bigotry will ever change that! :)

Also we solved the way people were uncomfortable with the idea that werewolf society is transitioning messily from being horrible ableist assholes that discriminated for centuries against those they view as deformed, disabled, or sexual deviants to new generations that don't care about that stuff, by removing disabled werewolves entirely! Problem solved! No more discomfort or moral conundrums! We are the liberal-est!

There's just something so unbelievably fucked up and suspicious about erasing entire minorities from a fictional universe because they were handled poorly in the first edition, rather than talking to writers and outreach specialists FROM the real world equivalents to those minorities to try and rewrite them.

Don't worry, we removed the group the setting was bigoted against! Problem solved! Just remove the minority!

I've written my own post on why the Metis/Crinos-born should be renamed and probably rewritten, but as a severely disabled individual with multiple hereditary disabilities that severely impact my QoL, outright removing disabled characters in a work of fiction because the prejudice other characters showed them in-universe made people uncomfortable makes me want to tear out someone's throat with my teeth.

Sure, completely remove my ability to play disabled a character fighting back against prejudice and bigotry, rather than rewrite the most uncomfortable aspects of YOUR FUCKING PORTRAYAL OF THOSE CHARACTERS to make it more clear who the sympathetic one is supposed to be.

It's just so unbelievably cowardly and whinging and wretched.

So fuck it, I guess!

Fuck the deeply applicable themes of being born into a well-intentioned but deeply flawed and bigoted society, and trying to create the better world your parents always told you your ancestors fought for, while dealing with the fact that your world is built on mass graves those ancestors helped fill.

Fuck a game that deals with intergenerational trauma and the ethical hellscape that is a highly religious society devoted to the very same ideals it often violates just to win fights against the enemies it created through its own arrogance and prejudice.

Fuck a game that lets you play someone born different, born strange and sickly, bouncing constantly between people who pity you and people who view you as subhuman, before finally finding the people, the family who love and accept and fight alongside you for a world that has never accepted you, but WILL FUCKING KNOW YOUR NAME.

That's not relevant to the real world at all!

There are no kids born in deeply flawed and hypocritical societies, who grew up on stories of the glorious future their society would create, forced then to reconcile the hopeful dreams of a better world with the comprehensive list of horrific things done in the name of that future.

There are no children born confused and alone in their navigation of the maze that is past atrocities, ethnic conflicts, religious prejudice and dogma, or modern propaganda attempting to erase the histories of all of those things.

There are no disabled teens who spent their lives believing they didn't belong in the world, kept going only by the connections they forged with other outsiders and people who fought back against the kind of wretched bigotry that suffocates children to death, who found homes and families they could trust outside the pissant communities they were born into.

Apparently those people don't need a game! They don't need to explore those feelings!

Just throw some more nazis in, so we can pretend we care about social issues or understand the redeeming threads of a deeply flawed gameline, ostensibly so we market it to leftist youngsters, but while we also erase the entire point of a game WHICH IS ALL ABOUT BEING PUNKASS YOUNGSTERS DESPERATELY TRYING TO FIND THE REDEEMING THREADS OF A DEEPLY FLAWED AND PREJUDICED SOCIETY THAT CONSTRAINS THEM, FINDING A WAY TO REBEL AGAINST BOTH THE EVILS OF THE RACIST BASTARDS WHO RAISED THEM AND THE POMPOUS SHITHEADS WHO WANT TO DESTROY THE WORLD OUT OF GREED.

No! We want a squeaky clean, sterile white game that AmericanTM parents can be proud of their kids for playing! A marketable game, that advertisers will gladly pay Revenue to put their products in! Play the good guys, everyone! You're the good guys! Be a big werewolf UwU!

Don't worry about historical atrocities or the flaws of the society that raised you! That's Pentex propaganda!

Fighting bad guys means you can't do anything bad yourself! The Emperor told me so! Deus Gaia Vult!

A hollow, performative, offensive jizzstain that should've been scrapped in its crib. I have no idea how this edition got past a quality assurance team.

Hell I have no idea how it got past a legal team, given the number of real peoples' likenesses they used without permission.

Devoid of artistic integrity or merit.