#The Uncommons Spoilers

[neshatriumphs]

Stop being a hater Kenny! She got the gist of it!!

What happened:

I am currently reading The Uncommons on Webtoon.

[edwinisms]

george rexstrew deserves awards for many things but i have to say. edwin’s bloodcurdling scream as niko gets killed deserves a whole award unto itself. like. that scream did not feel at all like a tv show scream. to a somewhat jarring degree. and i can’t express how much I respect that

[ominous-duck-epistle]

It’s killing me that Lizzie has been the only source of forgiveness for Pearl so far. In all the seasons.

In Last Life, she never really antagonized anyone (except for a brief moment where she stole Scar’s cactus).

In Double Life, obviously, no one ever forgave her. Scott and Cleo didn’t forgive her for episode one. Martyn held his grudge for her imaginary transgressions against him (she didn’t really do anything to him). Ren and BigB didn’t really forgive her; Ren did make amends when he was in the Broke Hearts Club with her, but that was more of an apology than forgiveness. She killed BDubs and Impulse on their last life, so they weren’t alive to hold a grudge.

In Limited Life, Jimmy didn’t forgive her for killing Judge Judy and Executioner, Scott didn’t forgive her (that I can remember) for stealing the enchanter. Cleo and the rest of the Clockers didn’t forgive her for allying with Team TIES.

But in Secret Life, Lizzie held a grudge against everyone for not going to her party. But she didn’t against Pearl (and Joel ig). Pearl asks her if they are still good and Lizzie says that they are. That season, Lizzie had no allies, and she wasn’t really amicable with anyone, but with Pearl it was different, she was okay with Pearl and didn’t hold it against her that she didn’t go to her party like with everyone else.

And again in Wild Life, (skipping Real Life because Pearl didn’t do anything to anyone in RL) Pearl tries to kill Lizzie like 5 times in a row. But when she gets a question wrong, Lizzie still says, “We have to save Pearl!”, and when Pearl tells her the answer to her question, Lizzie says that she forgives her. Something that no one else had done for her. In this same season, Gem is having beef with Pearl for something that happened the PREVIOUS season. And, I guess, Scott and Cleo have forgiven her for Double Life, but THREE SEASONS LATER (four if you count Real Life).

No one else has given Pearl this grace except for Lizzie. Pearl herself didn’t even give Lizzie this grace. In Last Life, when Lizzie boogey-kills her, afterwards Pearl says that she is still scared of her and doesn’t want to be near her. And Lizzie doesn’t blame her, because, in the Life Series, forgiveness isn’t common. Holding grudges keeps you alive. If you forgive someone, it gives them a chance to betray you again.

Lizzie forgives her, time and again, in a game so devoid of forgiveness.

[danwhobrowses]

Since Critical Role's big endgame battle has begun (as of ep. 113) and looks to give us a fair handful of Lv. 20 combat across the board with VM and later the Nein - and also since the Omen Archive are yet to do a level up overview for Bell's Hells to Lv. 15 like I expected them to do after ep. 112 - I find myself optimistically and curiously wondering how Bells Hells would shape up should they reach Lv. 20.

Admittedly, I do remain worried about how underleveled they are; I know it's intended since the Hells are the 'underdogs not meant to be in this position' group but still, for comparison Essek debuted at Lv. 15 in C2 and Vox Machina ended their campaign at Lv. 18 when the stakes were slightly lower than what we have with Ludinus, the Vanguard, the Imperium, and Predathos. Still, with nothing we can do but pray they make it out alive - and I hope they do - I've decided to indulge that rare bout of optimism and deep dive into what would their Lv. 20 state look like? While also considering what they may add during this final arc should they level up in between like they did the last time they were on Ruidus.

We're gonna go through each character one by one for this, so I'll start with my favourite (aka the one I wanna talk/ramble the most about).

Ashton is perhaps the easiest endgame build to tell class-wise, it's likely Tal will have them go the full 20 since Grog has already done the Fighter dip and there's not many other multiclasses that can be of a greater benefit to them; the intrigue however with Ashton focuses on the ASI they get at levels 16 and 19, the first one particularly if there's still a level up mid-battle. The obvious route for the first ASI is to get back the CON they lost in the shard incident - which I still find an unfair penalty since they gained nothing from surviving the bold and deemed impossible action, 'your reward is you get to live' doesn't stick with me given that the 10 rolls (well, 9 plus the resurrection ring) are proof of survival anyway - and absorbing Dusk Hunger sadly didn't give back, adding to their DEX instead - which, also kinda stubborn of Matt, adding 1 AC isn't exactly worthy of absorbing a legendary item especially compared to what Orym got with Ishta, they were better off trying to dual wield it if Matt's not gonna give stats that'll suit Ashton's wheelhouse, STR and CON, and let the tank be a tank - so it will likely fall into Tal's hands to get Ashton's stats to where they want them to be. Either way, Ashton's STR and CON are going up if they hit Lv. 20 as pure Barbarian, Primal Champion adds 4 to both and increases their max to 24, so without ASI Ashton will have 22 STR and 20 CON by Lv. 20 anyway, with ASI however Ashton can go 24/22 in either direction - and we can't rule out more absorption in the future, since Legendary loot may be yielded from this endgame battle plus Otohan's Backpack, Zathuda's storage cloak and maybe any other armour from the two could be Legendary items just gathering dust among the group, but if Ashton were to take any of them they'd have to wait a day since the Harness only grants 1 permanent and 1 temporary buff per person, and each person who uses it on the same day risks it breaking by 20%. However, we also can't rule out Ashton taking a feat instead of ASI, it's a slim chance but there are some feats that can be of use for Ashton in general or specifically vs Ludinus; Mage Slayer, Strike of the Giants (Hill or Stone Strike, of the two I'd go for Hill because of it causing the prone condition, which will help Ashton and allies, like Orym with that 1d6 extra Force Damage, stack critical damage), and Great Weapon Master could be powerful if they don't focus on ASI. The Tough feat is always good for being tanky too, but such a feat would likely only be used at the Lv. 19 ASI/Feat domain to get the most out of it. The only other places Ashton can get major potential buffs - outside of any new enchanted items that aren't armour - are from Dunamancy and their Titan powers, but neither have provided a clear opening for improvement as of yet. Ashton hit their final Dunamancy path at Lv. 14, where they got Mark of the Messy End (which compared to Essek getting access to stuff like Reality Break doesn't seem to balance out but I guess Wizards are glass cannons so Dunamancy does more with them), but there is a quiet, lingering mystery over how Potions of Possibility and Luxon Beacons will behave if Ashton and their Dunamancy brain interacts with them, given how they have many potions on hand, in general and gifted to them by the Kryn Dynasty before they met with the Nein, and Ludinus using Luxon Beacons as power sources, there is potential for Ashton's Dunamancy to increase that way - or simply through Matt adding an extra Dunamancy path in place of an ASI/Feat, a Dunamancy-based feat, or swapping Primal Champion with something else. The Titan Form could also improve by level, and I kinda hope it does, it's powerful but given the time limit and Exhaustion it's still below the level of Grog's Titanstone Knuckles in terms of utility, if more power or less limitations are imposed the higher their level it could scale Ashton up further in a similar manner to having a Vestige or, in Orym's case, a Relic of the Red Solstice.

Speaking of Orym, you'd assume that he'll also go for the clean 20, but this is Liam O'Brien we're talking about - he gave Vax a Druid level for his love of Keyleth, so you can't put it past him to add a level in Bard for Dorian. Like Ashton, Orym has 2 ASI waiting for him at levels 16 and 19, due to maxing his DEX - and absorbing Ishta overclocking it (a DEX increase that actually makes sense as a Finesse blade Fighter, adding +1 to AC and attack rolls and a higher DC for enemies to save against superiority die attacks) - Orym has already dipped into feats a lot but could always find room for more. Great Weapon Master, Shield Master, Mage Slayer, and Tough again at level 19 are viable options for Orym and his build, but there's also a unique option of, instead of taking a level in Bard, Magic Initiate: Bard in lieu of Dorian; taking the feat lets him gain the 4th attack Lv. 20 Fighter yields while adding some handy Bard magic such as Friends, Thunderwave, Command, Bane or Cure Wounds - all of which are Level 1 Bard spells. While adding a level in Bard would be a nice gesture, the Magic Initiate feat would probably work better for Orym's build if he wanted to reference his connection to Dorian this way, since he doesn't need 4 extra 1st level spells and he already has a lot of proficiencies and bonuses to cover his rolls anyway, plus he still carries the sending stone if he doesn't want to do either. If he went for ASI, Orym could try to rival Ayden's passive perception by buffing his WIS, but I doubt anybody would hold it against him to be less perceptive than a god. Regardless of ASI and feats, a pure 20 in Fighter does up Orym's lethality immensely, getting a potential 12 attacks with two Action Surges - the second gained in Lv. 17 - in one round (16 attacks if hastened and 17 if hastened and a Time Rage Mark of the Messy End - which I believe allows you to attack with Bonus Actions - is used on an enemy), which would make him an extra efficient killer and protector for combat, which suits his character as well. While multiclassing is an uncommon trait to reference a partner, in Orym's case it's probably moreso cute but unnecessary flavouring.

Adding an element of their partner into their build is something Imogen has done already with decent effect, however. Imogen is another pure 20 likelihood; she has 2 ASI, a Metamagic choice, her final Origin Feature - Warping Implosion: essentially you teleport and anyone within 30 feet will be caught in a gravity fissure - and Sorcerous Restoration - 4 sorcery points restored per short rest - waiting for her at the full 20. As alluded, she already has Laudna influences in the Shadow Touched feat and a vial of her blood in her equipment so she needn't use a feat or a multiclass in further reference to her, which means it comes down to what options she chooses for her ASI/Feats and future skills. With her CHA maxed out already, the two ASI would need to go elsewhere or to feats; War Caster could be used to help her concentration spells, such as the reskinned Hunger of Hadar, Telekinesis, and Investiture of Lightning, unused spells such as her mother's Reverse Gravity, Hold Person, or Globe of Invulnerability, or future 8th-9th level spells such as Dominate Monster, Gate, and Mass Polymorph (turn them all into horses!). Otherwise using one of those ASI to add 1 to INT and WIS will add to saving throws of those stats (+1 for INT and +2 for WIS), she can also remove all her stat negatives by adding an ASI to her STR in place of a feat. Imogen also has options with choosing a final Metamagic from Sorcerer; she has Quickened, Distant, and Twinned Spell already, so the next one needs to also be helpful in combat; the potential of Extended and Transmuted Spell are decent, but Heightened Spell may be the best fit for her - spending 3 Sorcery points to impose disadvantage on a spell save can be very useful when using Imogen's spells such as Psychic Lance, especially against powerful magic users like Ludinus. Going a little extra meta with things, Imogen at Lv. 20 is only going to exist in one-shots or guest appearances - which means short rests aren't likely to faze her as much, also recovering 4 out of a total of 20 Sorcery Points per short rest isn't a lot when you get all of them back after a Long Rest. If Imogen were to pull a swerve and multiclass she could simply sacrifice an ASI for an 18/2 split or just take a 19/1 dip without it doing any negative effect to her current build. Of the multiclassing options, I find that the Tempest Cleric could gel pretty well with her build; connecting her lightning magic and her storm analogies (and her attempt to reach out to the Stormlord) from a narrative perspective, while combat-wise she'd get to use Wrath of the Storm to damage anyone that attacks her (as many times as her WIS, so 1-3 depending on her ASI usage) and, if she goes for the 18/2 split, she can use the class' Channel Divinity to max out a spell's lightning damage - which if used on a 9th Level Lightning Bolt is 76 damage without enhancements! - she also gets some minor healing to add to her repertoire, and with a group without a pure Cleric you can't really have a shortage of players who can heal even if it's a little bit. I can't see any other dip doing her as much benefit, so the full 20 is more likely, even if the maxed out Lightning Bolt would work wonders.

You know who also knows Lightning Bolt? Well, a fair amount of players and NPCs but also Dorian! Let's talk our Boy in Blue - no I did not say 'Blue in Boy' in my head when typing, shush! - he's our last PC likely to be a pure 20 of the group, also because the rest have already multiclassed, but like Imogen there is also the opening for a little bit of multiclassing. The ASI in levels 16 and 19 are probably best put into maxing his CHA stat that's currently at 16, DEX could also go up to 20 for additional Gambolcleft damage but the sword is pretty powerful as it is - it depends if Robbie wants Dorian to focus on Spell or Melee output for stats, but casting is probably the better way to go. Not many feats would help Dorian outside of maybe Tough and War Caster, perhaps Slasher but they do seem like minor additions he can go without, so ASI is likely the best route to take for him. Unlike with Orym where a dip in Bard wouldn't do much good mechanically, Dorian could easily take a dip in Fighter and have it be a solid investment; the Bard's Lv. 20 ability Superior Inspiration only helps if you've used up all of your Inspiration, and as said with Imogen that probably won't come up in a one-shot scenario where Lv. 20 Dorian would likely appear, but by Lv. 19 he will already have added spells from any magic class via his final dip into Magical Secrets - and honestly I have no clue what one he could take because like, all of the spells! Wish is probably the go-to one but Dorian doesn't want anything from the gods so maybe not? - and he'll already have a 9th level spell slot from earlier levels. A 1-level dip in Fighter can give Dorian Second Wind for some self-healing and another Fighting Style to choose from: either Superior Technique - like Orym has - or Duelist would suit best, and if Robbie sacrifices an ASI he can go up to a 2nd level for Action Surge, which is handy should he focus on melee. There aren't many other 1-level dips that would suit Dorian narratively, there was probably Warlock potential in EXU: Prime when the crown was in play but since, again, the group lacks a pure healer, Dorian is probably better off investing his stats and skills towards Bard spells - which in turn bolsters DPS as well as healing.

From one Bard/DPS healer to another, Braius debuted with some pretty high stats to begin with, with only WIS being a negative modifier. As a 12/3 multiclass he can go a few different directions - much like his character arc and selection of deity - but it leaves him at a crossroads - also like his character arc. The 12 levels in Oath of the Ancients Paladin means he's locked out of getting Bard's Magical Secrets, if he maxes out his remaining levels in Bard he gets 2 ASI, a College of Tragedy feature (make crits be at rolls 18, 19 and 20 after an ally is hit with a crit plus a '+10 on a roll but a -10 penalty on the next' skill), Countercharm, and his Bardic Inspiration dice will go up to 1d8, but all of those are kinda covered by Dorian's higher level Bard class and Ashton's Mark of the Messy End while in Luck Rage to a higher or better extent. The 3 levels in Bard however has locked Braius out of Paladin's Aura improvements and the big Elder Champion buff, which is a big loss, if maxed out in Paladin they'll get Cleansing Touch - end a spell on yourself or anyone you can touch as many times as your CHA, one ASI, a 5th level spell slot (handy for Banishing Smite, Circle of Power, Destructive Wave, and Summon Celestial), and Undying Sentinel - which is just a once-a-long-rest Relentless Rage with no CON save. Build-wise, it would be best for Braius to go one of three different paths; either go for a 15/5 split - so no 5th level spell but he gets 1 ASI, Undying Sentinel, and Font of Inspiration for the 1d8 inspiration - a 14/6 split - where we swap Undying Sentinel for the college feature, or go the unique path and add a third class - while the 5th level spell slot has powerful spells Braius' combat is much more melee-based so it is a less likely option. A 14/3/3 triple split sacrifices his ASI/feats but 3 levels in Fighter gives him another Fighting Style, Action Surge, Second Wind, and a Fighter subclass to add to his combat prowess. One unlikely Fighter subclass that could suit Braius is the Rune Knight; with 3 levels Braius will have access to 2 runes, which can be tied to his character's artistry, to add to his gear - the Fire and Cloud Runes being the most useful to him from what I see - they would also get Giant's Might as a skill for an extra 1d6 of damage once per turn. Fighter isn't the only class Braius can benefit from though; he would only need to dip 2 levels in Cleric or Druid to gain their subclass-based abilities; a Shepherd Druid would give the group a slight benefit with the Hawk Spirit skill, using a reaction to attack with advantage and having advantage on perception checks, but similar to Imogen he'd probably benefit a bit more from dipping into Cleric - particularly Grave, War, Ambition, and Peace Domain Clerics, who each have abilities that can further empower him. A dip in Barbarian would be handy for Danger Sense - not so much Rage because you can't use spells - maybe opting for the Zealot path subclass, which also suits narratively, for an extra 1d6 damage, or a dip in the Monster Hunter Ranger to aid in picking out weaknesses. A 12/4/4 split could also work, forgoing Cleansing Touch to grant Braius 2 ASI or feats if Sam wanted them; with that they can balance their WIS to 10 and then max out their CHA and another +1 elsewhere, or just do a feat like Fey Touched - since he was touched plenty by a Fey Hag all across her manor - to max the CHA and gain a spell like Hunter's Mark to aid in combat.

Speaking of Hunters, Chetney may not have been designed to survive the campaign but with Travis rolling the fatal 0 when playing as Grog that old man is still, somehow, kicking. If Travis doesn't pull a Bertrand and allows him to continue defying the odds and live to Lv. 20, Chetney would be in a similar position to Braius - having gone the Tealeaf route and locked himself out of the full 20 in Blood Hunter by having a dip in Rogue - in being in a crossroads of classes. If he invests his remaining levels in Blood Hunter to 19, he still gets a lot from the class; 2 Order Features (advantages on bloodlust saving throws and on any branded creature, then unlimited hybrid transformations on the next feature), 2 ASI, and an extra Blood Maledict. Chetney's 1-level dip in Rogue however means he could also invest into any Rogue subclass for a 17/3 split (or a 16/4 split if he sacrifices a Blood Maledict for 2 ASI over one) instead; Assassin would help his damage output especially since he likes going Invisible, but the Revived subclass would be funny implying that he died but miraculously came back and no longer needed to risk dying in his sleep because he doesn't need to sleep anymore. Chet could also triple class like we suggested with Braius; 3-5 levels in Artificer - since he's a toymaker his toys can be infused beyond the enchanted distractions, going for the Armorer subclass can also be handy for the Thunder Gauntlets ability too, 2 levels in Fighter - for Action Surge, 2-4 levels in Monk - which has decent potential if his chisel is made a dedicated weapon plus the possible boons from Kensei, Mercy, or Open Hand paths, or even 3 levels in Ranger - where Hunter, Gloom Stalker, and Monster Slayer subclasses each have skills that could help Chet in combat, can all be seen as options, but it can also run the risk of being overcomplicated. Despite a Feat sidestepping Chet losing control in his Hybrid Form, logic says that Chet would likely stick with the 19/1 route since the feat only imposes a disadvantage against losing control and he can still do collateral damage, character-wise he'd likely want to keep his Lycanthropy on lock as much as he can. Plus, going to 19 Blood Hunter levels yields unlimited transformations and the second ASI hits at Lv. 19; with the two ASI - which he cannot get from triple classing - he can max out his STR and buff up his CON, DEX, and/or CHA for any additional bonuses, he has no negative stats so any are fair game. I don't see any feats that'd be too helpful, but outside of AC or DC boosts from increasing CON or DEX, upping CHA could also help with persuasion and being persuasive and tricksy.

Persuasive and Tricksy are some of many words you can use to define Fearne, who is also a Rogue multiclass. Her current 10/5 with Wildfire Druid as the majority allows her some wiggle room for her to go a few different directions. The 5 levels in Rogue have locked her out of a second ASI in Druid, the timeless body (not really a big deal for a fey), additional Wild Shape perks, and the 9th Level Spell Slot though, but if she invests only into Druid levels for the full 15 she does still gain one ASI and her Wildfire Feature 'Blazing Revival' - where once per long rest Mister can sacrifice himself (I don't think it's a permadeath sacrifice just like an 'off the board until resummoned' sacrifice) to revive her to half HP if she's downed - alongside a 6th, 7th and 8th level spell slot. If she goes for an even spread of 10 levels each with Rogue's Arcane Trickster however, she gains 2 ASI, 2 more proficiencies, Evasion, Magical Ambush, and a few more lower level spells. Both have valid directions - and as much as Fearne is a 'collector' I think a third class probably won't suit her and will perplex Ashley further - for her character even with mixing the level splits; a 12/8 split will grant her 2 ASI and a 6th level spell slot, while a 14/6 split grants one ASI, a 6th and 7th level spell slot, the Blazing Revival, and 2 proficiencies. Since Fearne doesn't do many sneak attacks and uses her Rogue abilities more for pickpocketing, it would probably be sensible to lean more towards Druid; a 15/5 split if she wants that 8th level spell slot for Sunburst, Incendiary Cloud, or Feeblemind, but a 14/6 split if she can do without - Plane Shift could narratively be on her radar so she can travel to the Feywild as she pleases, but Fire Storm is still a mighty 7th level spell that can be additionally buffed by her titan form which as mentioned with Ashton could also potentially scale up with levels - would give her more stuff to work with, plus extra Druid Levels buffs up Mister's health so he could be looking at 75-80 total HP (5+(Druid Level x 5)) depending on whether Fearne goes level 14 or 15. Since Fearne took War Caster already from her last level and her WIS is already maxed out, ASI to CON could be looked into to add health, AC, and DC, while also improving her chances at holding concentration for her saving throws, alternatively she can up her DEX to improve her pickpocketing so she can finally claim one of those eggs, since she's tragically 0-2 on that. Feat-wise, there is still the Elemental Adept: Fire feat to bypass enemy resistances to Fire too, lots of enemies will have Fire Resistance after all, so if she doesn't want to use ASI there is still that to use it on. So level-wise there is some wiggle room but class-wise she is better off picking one to focus on.

Our final member of the Hells Laudna has already picked her focused class; on a 12/3 Sorlock with her patron bound to a soul anchor - get fucked Delilah - she has implied to go pure Sorcerer from herein. Marisha has previously stated that she saw no gain in any more Warlock levels even when Delilah was still active and while a 6th level in Warlock would grant her an ASI at Lv.4 and unlocks Grave Touched - change damage to Necrotic plus 1 extra damage die when in Form of Dread, which is pretty solid - it does indeed suit narratively for Laudna to avoid more Warlock levels. The 3 levels she has gained from Warlock though have (war)locked her out of her final Sorcery feature of Umbral Form - which would've made her resistant to everything but Force and Radiant Damage, so like Braius' Primal Champion it's quite the loss - but she still looks to get Shadow Walk which aids her mobility, providing that there's darkness or shadows in the vicinity, as well as one ASI and another Metamagic option by continuing the Sorcerer's path, not to mention a dangerous 9th level spell slot. Unlike Imogen, Laudna opted for Empowered Spell in her current Metamagics alongside Quickened and Twinned, doing Heightened or Transmuted probably wouldn't suit Laudna like it does her partner though. Instead, Careful Spell could be a good choice for Laudna since her CHA is maxed out, so she could pick 5 creatures to auto-succeed a saving throw to a spell she sends, but since she doesn't have many AoE spells Extended Spell may be the better fit to keep up concentration on spells like Animate Objects, Mirror Image, or any future powerful concentration spells she'll have access to like Eyebite, Globe of Invulnerability, Reverse Gravity, or Blade of Disaster - which Delilah used pretty effectively in Aeor - ongoing. Even so, the one ASI remains; the Amulet of Health puts her CON to a fixed 19 so if she added one CON it'd be 16 without attunement, which is still pretty good but worthless if she just keeps using the amulet, she could put +1 in her woeful STR so it's a -2 rather than -3, or opt for feats such as War Caster - for those powerful concentration spells - or another Eldritch Invocation with Eldritch Adept, such as Armor of Shadows or Eldritch Spear, which may be more fitting for her fun scary nature.

And that's all of them, for a TL/DR I expect Ashton, Orym, Dorian and Imogen to do the pure 20 for their classes, while Chetney will go 19/1, Braius and Fearne go 14/6, and Laudna goes 17/3. But if it were me, the only ones I'd adjust from those would be Dorian (19/1, adding Fighter), Imogen (18/2, adding Tempest Cleric), and Braius (14/3/3, adding Rune Knight Fighter) just from a meta/fun perspective. Either way I'll just be happy to see them make Level 20, so fingers and every other digit I have stay crossed for whichever route they choose.

[watchyourbuck]

Devin Kelley (Shannon) saying “I might come back as a man named Carl next” is fucking hilarious baby why did they have to kill you 😭

[fumifooms]

Holy shit Lycion in a shirt when he isn’t in uniform. Bonus Fleki being rude af

[kaseyskat]

can i also say i think it is really neat that the literal world ending rogue card anger from lark was initially caused by lark being put in a situation where he couldn’t defend himself or the people he cared about so he’s decided to never feel that helpless again or let anyone ELSE feel that helpless. like it doesn’t excuse having a whole six year old learning how to shoot a gun but it does explain it beyond just shitty parenting

[scattergoriesofevil]

Burrow’s End party names

Episode 1: Stupendous Stoats

Episode 2: Mystical Mustelids

Episode 3: Excellent Ermines

Episode 4: Wondrous Weasels

Episode 5: Vicious Varmits

Episode 6: Preternatural Predators

Episode 7: Invasive Investigators

Episode 8: UnCommon Carnivores

Episode 9: Little Guys

Episode 10: Stupendous Stoats

Aabria you did such a good job!

[ceruleanhouse]

been thinking about jon’s rib removal as i’m sorting out my characterization of him.. do we think jared went for the (fairly inconsequential) 11th and 12th ribs? or did he go for the more important, non-floating ones that properly protect like, the lungs and such? apparently removing the floating ribs is quite an easy procedure in terms of pain and recovery in real-world operations, but at this point jon is probably not reacting physically like the average human… if it were the more important upper ones then drawing that becomes way more compelling cause you’re not really going to see the absence of the 11th and 12th except for a slimmer waist but i simply can’t picture that happening without jon having some more intense complications. anyways did you know patients who had their 11th and 12th ribs removed on both sides lost about 2-3kgs during the procedure

[seyaryminamoto]

Scenes of a Peaceful World: Sokkla Saturdays 2024

Day Six - Discipline

Rated: T

On FF.net//On AO3

The Preservers were a unique faction within the White Lotus. The group had been built, by Sokka's express demands, all training overseen by him, so that they could see to the protection of a unique location in their world.

The hardest part of such an endeavor, of course, was taking his leave from his family occasionally in order to see this enterprise succeed. If asked, of course, Sokka would always claim that the average period of time he could endure without them was five minutes, but where the world's progress and stability were concerned, both he and Azula were ready to make whatever sacrifices were necessary.

Now, the world reaped the benefits of such sacrifices… of the success of a venture many would have considered too dangerous, too worrisome to be carried out at all. Humanity could not be trusted with this kind of responsibility…

Truthfully, Sokka agreed with that notion: thus, Sokka ensured to set all kinds of boundaries and limitations around any visitors who sought to enter Wan Shi Tong's Library.

"It's amazing that this is even possible…" Aang laughed, standing in the grand, golden halls of the library, eyes glancing over the Preservers, standing guard by the Library's entrance and its main halls. Katara smiled, looping an arm around his. "But humans and spirits are actually working together."

"I might just be crazy, but… it almost sounds like there's greater balance between our nations, and worlds, than there ever was," Katara said. Aang smiled and nodded.

"It's not effortless… but the hard work is worth it. We can teach people better… show them the right path," he said, with a proud smile.

Wan Shi Tong had been persuaded to trust humanity one more time: the grand building rose out of the desert anew. The grand doors had spread open once again. Even now, however, there were limitations to the spirit's leniency: he still probed and tested newcomers, and whoever failed to earn his approval, whoever answered his questions poorly, would have to settle for waiting for another visitor to make a copy of whatever books they wanted to check or borrow.

It could be a complicated system, but one that worked fairly well: Sokka had come up with many of its solutions, including the rather obvious one of crafting safekeeping copies for every tome, for Wan Shi Tong's reassurance. The owl spirit seemed pleased with his support and cooperation… enough to allow what Sokka had never imagined he would, once he asked it of him:

A large family, either astride or walking beside dragons, crossed the Library's golden gates on the morning when the Preservers began serving in the Library.

"Wow… wow!" Shun gasped.

"This is… it's a miracle!" Rei gasped, tears in her eyes as she covered her mouth with her hands.

"Where's the owl?" Yuuna pouted.

"So many books…!" Hotaru gasped. "N-no one would be able to read them all!"

"Fortunately, Wan Shi Tong's helpers will be around to ensure you find the ones you're interested in," Azula smiled, clapping her daughter's shoulder. "Now, then… keep your dragons in check. I'm afraid that when he turns up, they'll…"

On cue, all the dragons tensed up: a dark presence, lower down the hallway, caused Yuuna's nervous dragon to squeal, jolting back with the child riding on his back.

"Hey, hey…!" Sokka clasped the dragon's reins, ensuring he wouldn't topple backwards. "No need to worry. He's not going to dissect any of us: he promised."

"It's illegal," Yuuna said, firmly. "No one can dissect a dragon."

"Yeah, I'm sure Wan Shi Tong would feel bound by that law… right?" Sokka said, turning around with an awkward smile: the owl approached gloomily, eyeing their family with an unreadable expression. Xin Long, while also tense, appeared to reassure Hotaru and Shun's dragons, though they still shivered while hiding behind him.

"I see you have arrived. The Avatar and the Preservers said you would be here today, Sokka… and you brought your family, indeed."

"Hey there," Sokka smiled, waving at Wan Shi Tong. "Guess introductions are in…!"

"No need. I know who they are," Wan Shi Tong stated. "Rei, the eldest, a scholar. You are welcome to browse my collection."

"I… I am?" Rei gasped: Azula smiled as her daughter shivered with excitement. "Y-you'd let me…?"

"Provided you do not stay until after the doors close. Our service hours are much stricter nowadays," Wan Shi Tong declared.

Rei couldn't contain her excitement, hugging Azula eagerly at the thought of examining countless books she'd had no access to before. Wan Shi Tong turned to the next child, though:

"Hotaru. You may find our collection on firebending and swordsmanship to your liking… though I suspect you would prefer to read fantasy books, today."

"I…! W-well… maybe a few. I can… I can study and have fun, right?" she said, looking at her mother expectantly. Azula smiled and nodded.

"You're free to do as you wish, provided you follow the rules," Azula assured her.

"Shun. You may browse the firebending section with your sister," Wan Shi Tong continued: the boy blushed upon being addressed, shrinking in place. "It has expanded thanks to your parents' contributions. Ensure to thank them for it."

"I-I will. I… thank you," Shun said, bowing his head towards the owl.

"Yuuna… zoology section: third floor, fifth wing."

"Good."

The child didn't bother waiting to check with her parents: she spurred her dragon to take flight, and the whole family gasped as they took off through the floors of the Library, right towards her favorite subjects.

"Sorry about…! Oh, hell," Sokka groaned.

"I'll keep an eye on her," Rei laughed, clapping Sokka's shoulder before setting out to the third floor, too.

The children scattered, with Hotaru and Shun lingering not too far from the entrance, meeting up with Aang and Katara, while Rei chased down the restless Yuuna. Wan Shi Tong watched the two kids, though it seemed his attention lingered on their dragons.

"You fulfilled your many vows to me, in your last visit," he said, turning his head towards Azula. "I feared I shouldn't have risked trusting any of your nation anew… but I took a gamble with you, and you did not disappoint. Where I have seen much of the worst of humanity… I appear to have discovered the best of it, through the two of you."

"That might be too flattering," Azula smirked. "We're hardly upstanding in every sense…"

"Indeed. Ensure not to sully my Library with improper acts this time."

"H-hey!" Sokka squeaked. "We weren't doing anything that bad! I mean, well…!"

"He walked in on us getting slightly too comfortable in his planetarium room, Sokka: he's not going to forget that," Azula said, with a dry grin.

"Indeed," Wan Shi Tong confirmed. Sokka's cheeks flushed. "That being said, you have been rather successful across the years, building a family, bringing back the dragons, as you promised… you reclaimed peace in a world that seemed beyond all hope. While I remain vigilant, and the Preservers will continue to keep tabs on all who may enter the Library's premises, I find myself at new ease with your kind. History shall always remember what humanity owes to the both of you. I will make certain to make records of it."

"Thank you," Azula bowed her head. "And… for letting my family browse your collection. We told them what a great honor you had bestowed upon us by allowing this. I know they're hardly the most disciplined children…"

"We'll keep an eye on them anyway," Sokka smiled reassuringly. "Thanks, Wan Shi Tong!"

"It is I who thanks you. Truly."

Wan Shi Tong bowed towards them, stunning Azula with the gesture: he spread his wings after, taking flight across his Library anew.

The place truly was different compared to Azula's last visit: the whole place appeared brightened with knowledge, with renewal, with the promises fulfilled between the regal couple and the ancient spirit.

"So… what do you think?" Sokka smiled, throwing an arm around Azula's shoulders. Xin Long shook his head before pressing it against Sokka's chest, startling him. "H-hey! He's gone, no need to be scared anymore…"

"He's thanking you," Azula smiled, reaching over to stroke her dragon's fur. "For everything you've done for this place… and, of course, for successfully fending off the big owl, too."

"He'll never stop being unnerved by him, I'm sure," Sokka chuckled, hugging both Azula and Xin Long with each arm. "So… what section do you guys want to start with?"

"How about we find out if anyone has written stories about us yet?" Azula smirked. Sokka snorted. "I'm curious! There's bound to be so many outlandish tales about how on earth you and I wound up together…"

"I'm sure there's a lot of sordid, raunchy ones too…"

"Eh, well. Either we've already done those things, or it'll serve as useful research for the future, right?"

Sokka snorted and cackled: Azula's mischief never failed to delight him.

They took off together, meaning to explore the place on their terms, to enjoy themselves, keeping tabs on their kids while under the watchful supervision of the Preservers, who greeted Sokka respectfully: humanity had succeeded at reconnecting with its most ancient valuable knowledge, and they had finally learned the wisdom, as well as the discipline, to honor the vows that had finally built true peace between the imposing owl and humanity at large.

[starheirxero]

Genuine thoughts tho are that I think I'm starting to like how this is panning out a bit more!!! Its starting to feel the same way that Ruin's whole situation did a few months back, where I was terribly nervous Ruin's big secret was that he was actually secretly a horrible evil villain who's trigger happy etc etc but it turned out to actually be a really interesting and refreshing situation of grey morality and character complexities n such, yk?

Like, this is going in an interesting direction!! Moon, now Nexus, is 100% being taken advantage of during his moment of weakness and besides my obvious delight in such a fucked dynamic, I'm genuinely hopeful and curious to see how this will pan out!! I'm still not totally sure if the lead-up was just messy grief, Dark Sun influences, or both, or maybe even a secret third thing, but it really does feel like things are starting to fall a little more into place now and I'm liking it :]

[skunkes]

video game i cannot even play has inflicted me with 2 characters and both specific and general details about them that have harmed me with pinpoint accuracy regarding my own ocs. and tastes.

[the-mountain-flower]

Spoiler Warning for the webcomic Aurora

WOW today's page gave us a lot 🤩

What it showed abt Tarren:

They're a water mage

Disability comes from water corruption (also confirmed on Tumblr a few days ago)

Implied: they seem to have a tendency toward working themself too hard, & it's in some way related to their chronic water corruption

They originally weren't inclined toward getting Sealed, but recently found out they channel elemental corruption in their sleep. They decided to get the procedure done, and seem content with their decision.

What it showed abt magic, & Tarren & Erin's tattoos

The tattoo process they (plural) did seems to be a magimedical process that affects a mage's magic soul channels, and is used (whether primarily or as one reason out of multiple) to prevent elemental corruption by preventing accidental channelling

The process is an option for other mages, & it's called being "Sealed"

Water corruption specifically affects, or can affect, someone's mobility (according to Red, Tarren's elemental corruption resulted in joint problems)

Something I noticed/personal theories:

Tarren also touched their (singular) tattoos before casting, similar to how Erin does. This implies that touching the tattoo in order to cast is either common or necessary (I posed a theory abt that a while back, likely it's either a common need/technique, or physically necessary to cast) (EDIT: Red talked about it here)

The process is called being "Sealed". When Tess was being chased by Shrike, the latter used what Tess called a "sealing cuff". Related? Possibly using the same kind of sealing, but with the tattoos still giving the ability to cast while the cuffs restrict it entirely? (EDIT: again, Red talked abt it here)

Aurora theorists (like me) have been fed well today :)

[theroyalsavage]

i'm only 20 mins into netflix's atla but oh BOY do i already have thoughts

showing the genocide of the air nomads on screen raises a really serious challenge that this scene doesn't attempt to wrangle with at all: the air nomads were committed to nonviolence. like the tibetan buddhist monks they were modeled on, the air nomads' teachings surround the sanctity of life. throughout the original show, aang's fighting style is primarily evasive, when he does end up having to fight rather than settling a conflict another way. the air nation's commitment to nonviolence is also an absolutely key part of aang's arc in the third season, as he desperately searches for a way to end the war without killing ozai

so, like..... hang on???? would a people whose central teachings involve nonviolence leap into Ready-For-TV-Combat as quickly as the air nomads do in this show?? would they try to flee?? shield themselves??? reason or negotiate with the invading army?? would the air nomads even TEACH combat-focused airbending? would the average non-avatar air nomad be able to go toe-to-toe with a fire nation soldier in a battle like this????? why was their first response to immediately leap into a fight???

when the genocide takes place off-screen and we only see the horrible fallout through aang's eyes, what actually happens is left to the imagination. with the netflix show, we're left with an action scene that makes the air nation feel so thin - they start to feel like props rather than a rich and unique culture. one of the things that made the og atla special was its worldbuilding and i'm just. truly left SOOOOOO baffled by this adaptation already

[purrpickle]

Look, *mumbles* can't we just add Lady Uangfah to Princess Anil's protective ring harem? That would solve all her Lord Muang-Rahm issues... If not create a whole lot more, I know, I know, shhhhhh.

[lintwriting]

“Midori” (aka Sou Hiyori) is who villain!Deku writers want to be writing.