#Steering for Better

[ryllen]

color coded affection

[screamingblogger]

yadda yadda first dnd character is a reflection of the player yadda yadda

only murph could ever play riz and riz could only ever be Murphs character. watching the wheels spin in this mans mind every time any kind of investigation or information gathering comes in to play is insane

the other bad kids stalling conversations until riz gets there because murph already has a full game set match interrogation prepared for Brennan is top notch, sometimes the lines between Brian Murphy and riz gugak disappear completely and baby im here for it

[sherlockig]

[formulawolff]

at this point max is doing this shit himself

[stardestroyer81]

Sometimes I wonder what it would have been like if we got an 8-Bit Animaniacs game...

[oddberryshortcake]

Jamil Viper and his Inferiority/Superiority Complex

Chapter 6 provided a deep dive into Jamil’s psyche with an outsider’s perspective on it (being Leona’s) and there’s so much I can say about it, because now that Jamil’s issues are being seen outside of his internal dialogue, there’s a lot of deep-seated complexes and trauma that makes him act the way he does, and all the while Leona is losing his patience while also trying to give him good advice and tough love.

Jamil switches between having an inferiority and superiority complex once he’s put in a life-threatening situation with someone stronger and smarter than him. 

All throughout Jamil’s life, since childhood, since he was born, he was meant to be the capable one. He was the smartest, he was the most skilled, he was meant to protect Kalim. 

The adults in his life trusted him to protect and die for Kalim, and despite being miserable in his situation, he got satisfaction from being a more capable magician than Kalim. Somewhere, deep inside, he enjoyed the fact that he was viewed as intelligent, strong, and talented, even if it was always overshadowed.

 He was so used to being the most capable person that when he tried to do his ‘protecting important person’ act to Leona, he was blindsided by the fact that Leona is incredibly capable and even stronger than him.

Leona didn’t need him for protection, Leona didn’t need him for anything. It was Leona who was covering for Jamil, who protected him when Jamil was injured and being pursued by phantoms, Leona was the one who lifted and used the thunder spear. 

Jamil’s perceptions of himself were shattered. What gave him worth in the eyes of the adults in his life no longer mattered. What gave him confidence in his abilities and a feeling of misunderstood talent and superiority didn’t matter. 

Jamil doesn’t know how to be the one who is protected, who is weaker, who is not the ‘smartest person in the room’ that he usually believes he is. He feels like he rather risk his life alone than be a burden, his repression starts showing itself more obviously, and his self-esteem drops down hard.

So as they traveled through Styx, Jamil flip-flopped between being deeply insecure and still thinking he knows best. Leona trying to redirect him into accepting help, taking a rest, not looking down on people who utilize their skills, and acknowledging the skills Kalim has that he doesn’t end up eventually pushing Jamil to allow Leona to help him, but it isn’t without Jamil wanting to endanger his life because that’s all he knew. 

Leona pointing out his superiority complex unraveled the inferiority complex underneath. If he isn’t the strongest and smartest, then who is he? He wants to be separated from Kalim, but who is he if he’s next to someone who is more skilled than him? Who is he if he isn’t the strong one, walking into danger to protect someone else, utilizing his unrecognized talents to the fullest? 

At the end of the day, Jamil finally allows Kalim to help him with something. It isn’t a lot, just grabbing some tableware, but it’s infinitely better than him doing everything by himself, stressing but relishing in being the only person he can rely on. 

His arrogance is a clutch, something he developed and clung to that kept him mentally separated from his peers. Leona poked holes through that perception of Jamil’s self, now he’s faced with knowing that he isn’t some misunderstood genius, that he’s smart but he still has a long way to go, and he’s holding himself back by not accepting his faults or any help. 

His childhood of being a bodyguard, of being expected to give all of his well-deserved victories away, of being expected to risk his life and die to protect someone else formed this perception of himself being the only person he can rely on in him. 

Having it shattered unearthed just how much of himself was reliant on the conditions he grew up in, and how he has so much more room to grow and change if he’d allow himself to.

[pixlime]

Mr. Geller please I already have so many games I need to play have mercy

[original post] [steam page]

[carmen-berzattos]

I keep seeing posts of people saying that not using words like growled, boomed etc as dialogue tags is bad writing advice and that these words are not meant to be taken literally, but poetically. That is all fine and good and true. But! The reason that you're often discouraged from relying on such descriptors isn't because the readers will take it literally, but to encourage writers to find more interesting ways of conveying emotions without these tags. The idea here is that you use precise description of external environemnt to convery mood, use internality as a way of hinting and hightening said mood, and, MOST IMPORTANTLY, have your dialogue stand on its own that its tone and function in the character interaction is self-evident. Basically, you want to reach the point where adding the word "growled" feels like an overkill because the text already conveys the tone. And even then, I wouldn't necessarily say never use these descriptors, but I will say make them so sparse that the reader stands at attention when they're used. Because they know you mean business

[flower-creature]

Also using the q tag like feed so don't mind me babes-

How the hell did we get here? Like??? Who in the hell thought it was a good idea to remove core features and then get rid of the rest by next month?

Not sure about y'all but no one I knew used the publishing feature unless it was to keep a book of their ocs and even that was few and far between 💀

[embrace-your-inner-kid]

Just want to get my thoughts out for those who could be hurt or annoyed at the "sisters" comment from Laudna. Hopefully they can have a soothing effect because I'm really not shocked at the comment, and it doesn't change any of my thoughts on their current dynamic or the possibility of them becoming romantic in the future. It actually feeds into my theories on Laudna's complicated feelings toward romance in general and her potential complicated feelings toward Imogen (that pause was looong and deliberate lol, and there's been other similar moments when others have poked her about her relationship with Imogen).

Also, ignore all the a**holes who use things like this to stoke their hate, make use of your mute and block buttons and ship and theorize what you want.

I'll put my thoughts under a read more because this might get long.

Ok... so, to start with the obvious, Imogen's feelings are pretty clear at this point, and a number of the Bell's Hells have clocked them.

It's Laudna that is super complicated when it comes to viewing herself as romanceable to anyone, which is interesting because out of everyone in the group she tends to think the most romantically as long as it's not about her. Even letting out some more crass horniness through Pate. She projects a lot, on Pate and also on Imogen. She wants to ensure Imogen reaches her potential and finds fulfillment in her life, everything that was brutally cut short in her own.

I've always got the vibe that Laudna views her life as over/stagnant even though she's technically alive. She's stuck in an undead form, unaging and having to be very careful amongst the general populace, hoping to not draw out their pitchforks. I think she envisions building a life and growing old with a romantic partner as an impossibility, hence shutting down any thought of romance for herself. As Laudna has said, she hasn't accessed that part of her brain in a long time. I think that vault has only been opened recently after Dusk asked her out, and unfortunately, those brief thoughts on romance pertaining to herself with another got twisted with Dusk's betrayal coming shortly after.

Dusk was this unassuming, "normal" being who Laudna would have been parsing having romantic intentions towards her when suddenly it's revealed that they're actually a fey of the Unseelie Court and their intentions weren't true. I think this sent Laudna into a tailspin after freshly opening her brain to romance again. This person who treated her nicely and seemed to have romantic intentions is revealed to have been a lie. That's gotta sting and flare up her insecurities surrounding something she locked away in the first place. I don't think it's a coincidence that she started acting extra flirty and interested in the Nightmare King right after that. I get the feeling that after romance was put at the forefront of her mind, she couldn't close it off again, but with the deceit and betrayal being born from it she only thinks someone more 'monstrous' could ever be interested in her: "an undead nightmare". Hence, the weird Ira moments following Yu's reveal. At least, those are the feelings I have on all that happened.

I don't think a possible romance between Imogen and Laudna is anywhere near off the table. Yes, even after the most recent comment. It's not some automatic dismissal of something ever happening. Unfortunately, it just means waiting longer to find out if it will happen.

Personally, I get the feeling that Laudna is repressing herself and compartmentalizing like she always does. There's been too many weird pauses from Laudna whenever anyone has pressed about the dynamic between her and Imogen. I just don't know when the dam is going to break to get her to face that, and anyone who has been hoping for a kiss or confession really soon probably needs to lower those expectations. I don't get the feeling they're both there yet. I think Laudna needs to realize her own worth, understand the projecting she's been doing, and put the pedestal she has Imogen on away so she can view them on equal footing before she can even start to grasp at any romance there. I get the feeling she doesn't even view Imogen as an option because she views herself as undesirable in that way, especially to someone she views as highly as Imogen.

On the bright side, Imogen is pretty easy to read on the feelings front. We're just going to have to wait and see. In the meantime, don't let anyone rain on your parade and ship to your hearts content. People can try all they want, but this ship is not shut down from happening until the campaign ends.

[sukibenders]

Me, after seeing people say that the Bridgerton love stories were better in the books than the show following seeing all those chapter screenshots on Twitter:

[haitianempress]

I was thinking of giving Game of Thrones a chance and watch it cause I've seen House of the Dragon clips everywhere I go. Then someone tweeted about this supposed sex scene and the dude was fucking his mom...WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK IS THIS SERIES ABOUT?! I also heard this same dude groomed and married his niece. Eww 😷 🤢. I'll stick to Charmed. I seriously don't know how people can stomach this bs meant to be "entertainment" and "fiction." NOPE! Not cut out for it at all.

[thanatos-zagreus-shagreus]

So uhmmmmmm

Yeah fuck

Next on the long term to do list: maybe get an adhd assessment or something

[creativity-deficient]

Soooo what are y’all’s hcs on the Tweak family 🤔🤔🤔

[1001aus]

Clockwork has been leaving sticky notes for the speedsters for years without them ever seeing him. He considers the overall effect of their presence to be a net positive for the timeline and sometimes just gives an extra push to get them moving in the right direction.