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[danielnelsen]

well that's just a lie

[sharp-teeth-and-archived]

WHAT  TYPE  OF  VILLAIN  ARE  YOU ?

* 𝐒𝐄𝐀𝐍 𝐌𝐀𝐂𝐆𝐔𝐈𝐑𝐄

NO MORAL COMPASS

You are cold, analytical, and you strive to be as objective as a person of flesh and blood can be. Either don't understand the concepts of good and evil, or you understand it perfectly and think it's a load of bull. Some may call you selfish, some may call you unfeeling, but you're just doing what you believe will yield the best results, plain and simple. Why bother with petty ideals of right or wrong when you can do what will actively help those you give a fuck about? Your goals may be selfish or noble or anything in between, but you will not let anyone make you feel like garbage for going after them. You couldn't care less about what people brand you as. You just care about getting shit done by any means necessary.

TAGGED: @colecassiidy ( thank you for requesting my husband! )

TAGGING: steal it from me, idk many people who write a villainous muse lmao

[jeremiahthefroge]

Spent a few hours drawing the old gods from the old tumblr blog (if you know who I'm referring to you have way too much knowledge) and realizing there was a lot of narrative foil gold in there that I was NOT equipped to realize and act on at that period of my writing.

In other news, might honestly revive the old persona-turned-oc with a new name as a short story because the narrative symbolism of its lore is actually kind of heartbreaking in line with my particular Brand of struggle I was experiencing when I made it. Lonely author kid creates entity born in complete nothingness, abandoned by its creators, reaching out through spans of oppressive nothingness to try its best to make contact with people even though it struggles to connect and understand their ways. Entity that's been created outside of all pre-established worlds that can't possibly find a world where it belongs but it finds the misfits from them and befriends THOSE. entity whose entire struggle is isolation, even when it finds company, because it fears that these new companions will someday leave.

Like. Can you TELL I was a lonely autistic kid with parental issues

[whoify]

still not over this btw like. I did it I cracked why people always said moffat was bad at writing families (he’s not).

moffat writes a companion’s family as distant and estranged, as something that is just another push for them to leave behind their boring earth life for a life with the doctor. the doctor draws them away from the family they have left.

rtd writes a companion’s family as close and even smothering. the overbearing nature of the family can drive the companion away, to leave with the doctor, but not in the same way as the moffat companion that is detached from their family. the rtd companion will keep coming back, will have trouble committing to a life with the doctor, and, eventually, will end up back with their family whether they want to or not.

clara and martha are the best examples of this respectively— clara has no ties to her family (we see them in one episode and their relationship is strained at best) and martha willingly leaves the doctor, partially because her family was put in danger.

the core factor, though, is not where the companions end up— it is the narrative force their families play. do they push or pull? neglect or smother? the companion’s final proximity to their family is less relevant, because it is nearly always not by choice. all of this to say, moffat was never bad at writing families. they just play a completely different role than they did in the rtd era.

additional thoughts in tags

rtd family is something you come back to vs. moffat family is something you leave behind. send post

[unmask-strange-aeons]

@strange-aeons is the @the-muppet-joker

As we all know the muppet joker is a joke, he is unreal. But who is he really? Who is the REAL identety behind the Muppet joker. I am proud to announce that I found out who HE is. His real name was Strange aeons all along. Think about it. The Muppet Joker makes constance references to Father Stranges videos. Like famous tumblr posts. His fanfiction feels like Onisions books that Strange read and made Videos about. He has a furry companion his kermit just like Father Strange has Thursday and Gurl-Girl. He was into Reality Shifting about the same time Father Strange made a video about it. The muppet Joker talkes like Mod Shadow from Sonic for real justice, which she has a video about, he also strangly is like edward in midnight sun, during his march crush, which Father Strange also read. Also the muppet joker hates horses because of the lesbian horse stories that Father Strange made a video about. He also has an unsettling methots to reach his ambition like Patrice Wilsons from ARK MUSIC FACTORY.

THE BROTHERHOOD AND SISTERHOOD

Is the snapewives, followering one devine leader, which is the muppet joker to them. The Brotherhood also has aspects of the cult of Thanfiction, the glorifying of the leader, the leader has unchecked authority. The commitment from the brotherhood also remembers me to the Rabies Pride situation.

Religion.

He stated to be a devoted catholic. Fahter Strange went to a catholic School. He also now has a rebranding going on to become a femenist, and it gives, girl defined and classically abby, which again Father Strange has Videos.

He uses Tumblr like Father Strange.

Now you might wonder how she would do all this. Well i can tell you how. She has made many videos about internet drama such as The Muppet Joker, see Mrs Scribe, Thanfiction, Sonic for real Justice, HIVliving, the My Immortal drama, they where fakers and liers just like the Muppet Joker. She also would know how to opperate a Soft puppet army through studding there strategies. BUT i dont belive that the muppet Jokers Follower all are soft puppet accounts more so I belive them to be Patreons from Father Strange. Who needs a soft puppet army when you have an army that PAYS you to be in your own army.

Now surely you wonder, why? Why would Father Strange do this? There are many explornations.

There is no more internet drama for her to make good videos about so she just makes her own.

This wasnt her idea at all but the Patreons to have some fun.

Father Strange is doing all of this to create to ultimate Tumblr fake story, something so big it escapes the realm of tumblr. And it did from Youtube too Tiktok to X, intergram, tumblr and Reddit its everywhere. She has created to ultimate Tumblr Fake story.

i know that this is not perfect evidence. BUT the once that fit like a glove are as the young people today say "SUS". And it cannot be left alone. If YOU find anymore similarites to Father Strange and the Muppet Joker Please inform me. Together i am sure we can reveal the turth.

What they didnt know was that his name was Strange aeons all along.

[burr-ell]

Sometimes Things That Shake Up the Status Quo are Worse

I keep seeing people insisting that Exandria "can't return to the status quo, which was bad", but rarely do they say anything in support of that argument beyond "the Primes pick and choose favorites!". And while I'm not confident the show itself won't try to make that claim, the reality is that it just isn't borne out mechanically or narratively. Laying aside that non-Divine Soul sorcerers exist (like, and I'm just spitballing here, Aberrant Mind Ruidusborn), the gods work primarily through the on-the-ground efforts of clerics and paladins—people who have actively and consistently put in the work to devote themselves to the divine. This is a setting where resurrection magic, which relies on divine power, has been intentionally made more difficult than it is in DnD rules-as-written. Even clerics only get access to Divine Intervention at level 10 (when they've already spent a long time devoting themselves to their deity) and up until level 20 the chances of it actually working are vanishingly small—and level 20 clerics are both hard to come by and ultimately still limited.

In the rare event that the Prime Deities choose to bless someone who isn't a cleric or paladin, it's someone who has a good reason to have gotten their attention. Vax offered his life during a divine ritual in the burial site of the Raven Queen's most devoted champion and then actively committed himself to her cause. Yasha was an aasimar being mind-controlled by a devil who wound up at a divine altar and chose to worship Kord after he freed her. Orym is the devoted widower of someone who is in Melora's realm and was present at a ritual in a temple associated with Melora, and one of his companions prayed at a shrine to Melora on his behalf. Vex was directly in front of Pelor, had taken a leadership position in one of his sacred cities, and had received a vision from him directly—and even then, she had to earn it. Scanlan also had to earn the right to Ioun's favor and complete a trial, and had previously shown qualities and values that she believed were fitting of her champion. Fjord was a companion of a devoted cleric of Melora who had sought her help in keeping Uk'otoa sealed and made requests of her on Fjord's behalf, and Fjord also chose to meditate and then became a paladin devoted to her.

And in Exandria, if you don't want to follow a god, you don't have to. Percy, Keyleth, Grog, Beau, Veth, Caleb, Essek, most of Bell's Hells, the average commoner in the various cities the parties have traveled to—whether they outright dislike the gods as a whole or just don't have an interest either way, they're all capable of thriving with or without them, and indeed their problems are almost entirely caused by mortals. It's especially egregious when you consider that cities like Avalir were around during the Age of Arcanum, when the Prime Deities physically walked Exandria, and people like Laerryn, Patia, Zerxus, and Lacrytia Hollow—openly disdainful of the gods or even trying to create feats of magic to get on their level—were continuing business as usual. The previous god of death not only willingly abdicated in favor of a mortal during this time, but outright helped her do the job!

The Prime Deities can't win. If they didn't give anyone any power at all, they'd be viewed as selfish. If they'd stayed on Exandria after the Calamity, they'd be foolish and reckless. They're simply not capable of intervening and helping everyone, so they're labeled capricious. If they leave Exandria, they're abandoning not only their refuge and home, but also the people who need and rely on them. You can argue that "no one should have that much power" all you want, but I think it's exceptionally silly to take an argument meant to criticize the wealthy and powerful of our world (whose only unique quality is ultimately that they got lucky) and apply it to fictional deities (beings who are powerful by their very nature) who, while flawed, also think they're too powerful. They tried to protect Exandria from themselves and the Betrayers while still using their power to do right by the people there, and for the most part it was working just fine.

The "status quo" from before all this was and still is the best compromise available. No one has managed to sell a better one that doesn't amount to "cater to my blorbos and my self-indulgent idea of revolutionary politics, which may or may not also ultimately circle back to my blorbos". I think that's pretty telling.

[jamiepaige]

Constant Companions Closeup #1: DYAD

(also on spotify!)

Hello everyone!! It's been a couple weeks and change since Constant Companions, my newest album, was released unto the world, and I've been genuinely blown away by the response. Genuinely, thank you to everyone who's been streaming, commenting, making mashups, changing their pfps and usernames - it means the world to me!

I wanted to give some of that love back with something people have been asking me a lot about - and, admittedly, something I love doing. Song explanations! Deep dives! Dropping the lore! Welcome... to the Constant Companions Closeups...

For the next eleven days, I'll be going into each track one by one and babbling about the process, inspiration, details, feelings, and thoughts behind each one! We're getting sappy. We're bearing our hearts. We're telling unfunny jokes. And we're starting with track one - DYAD (featuring unit.0)!

---

Naturally, since this is the first track, it also serves as a great point to talk about my intention with this album as a whole!

I'll elaborate more on this with future tracks, but to me, there are really two main things that define the sonic progression of this album versus my previous work - guitars and vocal synths. Obviously, these things have been present in my work since I first started calling myself Jamie Paige, but Constant Companions is intended to be my overwrought, sappy confession of love to these two things that time and time again have made me simply want to make music. I love rock and I love Hatsune Miku dammit!!!

I had originally written this song in February of 2023 for a game-jam-esque online festival hosted by my friend Loni called HAPPY PARTY TRI, and at that time, I had found myself at a major crossroads. I had put out People Posture Play Pretend and :women_wrestling: the previous year, and while the response was nice, I was feeling listless and lost.

I love singing. I like my voice well enough. I certainly love writing music with lyrics!! But... there was something uniquely electrifying about using vocal synths. Amidst a lot of insecurity and emotional turmoil surrounding the process of making art and putting myself out into the world, it was one of the few things that just made everything feel right. Suddenly, I was making the same kind of music that had touched my heart so many times over.

Would it alienate people, though? Would I lose longtime listeners? Yes, that weighed on my mind more than I'd like to admit, but even more than that... I was worried I'd lose some part of myself, as silly as it sounds. Maybe what I thought was a bridge would become a barrier, and the messages I wanted to send across the gap would never find their way.

Ultimately, I felt that Dyad was the only kind of opener I could've possibly given this album, and a perfect fit for the album's motif. A dialogue between myself, stricken with loneliness and a lack of inertia running in circles, and that synthesized voice (ANRI Arcane my darling), grabbing the outstretched hand and asking a question I already know the answer to -

"Baby, do you know what you wanna hear?"

Yes, it's a love song, but it's not just for a person - it's a love song for the creative impulse, and for the places I wanted it to take me.

im resisting the urge to be jokingly dismissive of myself to diffuse tension but i still need to signal that the emotionally bare part of this is over so pretend im doing a funny little dance Anyways let's talk more technical stuff

---

Like many of my songs, Dyad came together from a patchwork of different snippets and ideas I had laying around. The back half of the chorus - "dream together, we can dream together" - originally came from this idea I had jotted down something like 9 months prior, but ended up being a perfect fit for Dyad in basically every way. The verse snippet that I'd written to go with it got reused for a later song on Constant Companions as well! (I say without naming it, as if it isn't literally lifted wholesale from this demo and thus incredibly obvious)

I wasn't originally planning on brazenly quoting the bridge of a Tally Hall song when I set out to write this song, but while toying around with a bridge idea involving a shortened version of the pre-chorus melody, I realized I had inadvertently copied it anyways. I was going to scrap it... but at the request of my dear friend and certified Tally Hall lover Marcy Nabors, I made it an explicit reference. Which I'm fine with, personally! The first CD I ever owned was a copy of Marvin's Marvelous Mechanical Museum my sister bought me all the way back in 2006 - You can pry that sentimental attachment from my cold, dead hands, TikTok kiddies.

Lastly - not really behind the scenes so much as just a shoutout - thank you to unit.0 for the lovely lead guitar work on this song!! He's been a beloved collaborator of mine for many, many years now, and one of the people who ultimately convinced me this direction was the right one to go in, so it means a lot to share this song with him. Go listen to his music!!! Now!!!!!!

That's about it for this song! Not to sound like a fucking YouTuber, but genuinely, if there are any details you'd like to hear more about, let me know and I might made a bonus post at the end of all this. Otherwise, thank you for listening! Tomorrow: Not Quite There, featuring telebasher!

❤️💚

[yandere-wishes]

‧ ₊˚✧ Do Not Weep Hydro Dragon ‧ ₊˚✧

Summary: There's a crack in Neuvillette's heart that bares your name. He sheds a tear for you each day. Yet once you return to Fontaine with your fiance. The cracks and tears begin to grow. 

Warnings: Yandere behavior, stalking, arranged marriages, affairs. 

Author's note: I'm sorry 😭💔😭💔

There've been rumors circling around Fontaine. Ghostly whispers floating between coral-tainted lips and fervid ears. The rumors spoke a bittersweet name. One Neuvillate had long since buried. At first, the notion of your return had felt like a bad dream. like the roar of a tsunami before it crashes on shore. Terrifying yet, ultimately unreal. He'd summed the rumors up to some traveler who bore your mien. To an erroneous article by the steam bird. Anything. anything at all. 

Anything that wasn't you.

It wasn't until after a particularly grueling trial that he'd witnessed the truth behind these rumors. There you were in all you're glory. Gleaming akin to the finest pearls laying dormant in the primordial sea. Your expression, when he could catch it, was gleeful, delighted, A drastic contrast to his last unfortunate memory of you. His eyes follow the delicate movement of your gloved hand as it stifles a cheery giggle pouring from your cherry lips. It's only after noting your delight that he becomes conscious of the gentleman accompanying you. A ginger with bloodthirsty eyes and a soul that reeks of carnage.

A splash of heat rolls down Neuvillet's cheek. Right before a splash of cold splatters across his temples. his attention narrows on the sky, as the

clouds begin to weep. What once was a peaceful sunny day shatters like a wine glass on porcelain tiles. Humidity threads through the air robbing him of his breath. 

It's raining.

How fitting, Neuvillette thinks as he watches you and your companion run to find shelter. 

Neuvillette recalls your smile almost as clearly as he recalls your pulse under his teeth. The taste of your flesh as his teeth left bloody love bites in every wrong place. He remembers saying I love you, albeit there was more to it than that. It had started with I love you and ended with every truth he'd forgotten how to tell. He had shed his human masquerade, in the hope of finding true love. You had screamed that night. You had screamed every night since. 

Neuvillette thumbs through his memories. As the rain outside grows more ferocious. He remembers you standing by the sea, he remembers you telling him the phobias that ran deeper than blood. 

You hadn't been from Fontaine, not originally. A fallen gear from an ancient automaton whose kin resided across the sea.

You'd been raised in the ways of the hydro court. Even if 'raised; was too generous a word. Morphed or sculpted may have been more appropriate synonyms. You grew up clawing at your own skin, trying to find who was underneath the layers of mindless expectations. You'd been raised as a lady and grew into a harrowing beast that feasted on the stars. 

Yet even creatures of unparalleled strength had their weaknesses. Even ever-blessed vision wielders bore a certain Achilles heal. 

Yours so happened to be your incompatibility with your foster nation. Or rather with the water itself. 

When people asked, as some had tended to do. You'd weaved them tales about serrated Pisces and dorsal-finned leviathans with open maws awaiting their prey. You don't tell them about the vastness, the dark blue landscape that feels all too wide and all too endless. You don't tell them about the things you swore you've seen lurking beneath the infinite waters of Fontaine. And you most certainly leave out the parts about the creature who engraved fear upon your bones many moons ago before you even knew how to walk.  

Neuvillette remembers your eagerness to leave. That had, ultimately, been your bonding point. He'd been an outcast. The supreme justice was ever only relevant when he upheld the law. And whilst Supreme Justice Neuvillette was revered and adored by all. Plain Neuvillette was nothing more than a shadow of evaporated water that hunted the streets of Fontaine. You had never wanted to mingle with the people. Keeping everyone at arm's length. Maybe it was fate that had brought two lonely souls together all those moons ago. Maybe it was something else. 

He had loved you. He swears it on the Hydro archon ( or any other Archon who lacks Furina's fickleness) He'd tried to show you that the waters of Fontaine meant you no harm. He'd even shown you his true form, the utmost assurance. Maybe that's why you fled. Maybe that's why you'd left him heartbroken one morning when the sun didn't rise. 

It had rained that day. As well as the following days. Until the surrounding islands ceased to exist. 

You'd left him hollow and alone.

Yet your return made the cracks in his heart fester. 

 Neuvillette had taken it upon himself to cloak you in his watchful gaze.

He'd come to notice how you and that dreadful Fatui Harbinger you'd come to associate yourself with. Rather liked taking long walks

 where the sea kissed the shore. He'd also noticed a ring of Snezhnaya Alexandrite perpetually wrapped around your finger. 

Neuvillette's footsteps are heavy as they collide with the concrete. He's closer today. So close he can practically smell the scent of citrus and eucalyptus. If he reached out with his powers he could surely touch you, feel the warmth of your body bleeding into him, just like old times. He misses you, yet a part of him pities your return. Neuvillette's grey eyes follow your desolate gaze. It rips open one too many wistful wounds. 

"So then Teucer said...Hey darling are you listening?"

Childe's eyes follow your frozen glare, tracing your line of sight straight to the menacing waters that refuse to part from your side. You hear your lover mumble a faint 'right'. Before you feel his silk-clad fingers dance across the back of your neck. Flirting with the chilling fear that rolls off you in waves. You pin your body to him, finding comfort in the familiar scent of his cologne as you bury your head in his neck. 

"I'm truly sorry for this darling" Sincerity rolls off his tongue, percolating into the tender kiss he presses to your temple. "I've just been feeling...down lately. Like this inexhaustible sadness is going to swallow me whole. Fontaine was the only place I could convince the Tsaritsa to transfer me for a short while. I just, I need a break from it all." You answer him in a low melodic hum. You get it, truly you do. Sadness is a poison, acidic in nature. It engulfs one's soul. Melting away their purpose, their resolve. Eating away until it reaches their hearts, their desires. It leaves behind empty shells and broken pieces too fragile to ever fully mend. 

Who better than you to understand the pains of being soulless, bereft? A mere shell awaiting a miracle that had died long ago. 

There's a voice, carved from velvet and silk. It rolls across you like a tidal wave. Potent yet soft. It whispers your name and calls out in hopes of mending broken hearts. You turn to look behind you. All you see is the endless sea. 

It's only on the fourth day of your visit that Neuvillette permits you to see him. Actually, see him. It's no longer his ghost that haunts you nor the empty waves that he commands beckoning you by name. It's him, really him. His glare is relentless as he leaves a prolonged kiss on your knuckles. You're in the middle of a conversation with that dreaded harbinger. Something about his older sister wishing to take to shopping upon your return to Snezhnaya.

"My darling it's been all too long, how fare thee my-"

He's cut short, how rude. Yet far be it from him to expect proper mannerisms from the Fatui.

"Hey, I'm having a conversation with my betrothed. Don't interrupt." Childe's eyes morph into his own glare. One which promises blood and violence. The fates of those caught on the other end of said glare are never pleasant. 

"As the chief justice of Fontaine, I have to right to interrupt any conversation I see fit."

Despite yourself, you let out a laugh. Choke the fear down with a cup of Fonta and ask Neuvillette to join the two of you. It's the nostalgia talking really. Some remnants of the past collide with the present causing your heart to adopt an unsteady rhythm. 

It's after that event that Neuvillet permits his presence to be seen by you and your "lover". He's always a mere breath away, following under the guise of being a gracious "tour guide". But tour guides do not wrap their arms around a lady's waist when her fiance isn't looking. Nor do they sneak kisses behind open parasols. You haven't protested about any of this. Maybe your fear of the hydro dragon has perished, replaced with a yearning for your former lover. He prays to every star in Tyvat for this to be true. 

It's on the day of your departure that you receive the bad news in the form of an army of Gardemeks. Childe is being arrested, something about a serial disappearance case. Something about a trial. It's a ruse you feel it in your bones. Neuvillette personally appears at the docks and holds you in his arms as you weep. He assures you this will all be cleared up soon. That you have nothing to fear. 

But you do, you have all so much to fear. Neuvillette permits you to stay at his house whilst the trial takes place. He traces the shimmering blue of your veins with his lips. He says he loves you, that he refuses to let you slip from between his fingers ever again. He'll keep you here. Keep you safe. Away from the Fatui. 

Away from Ajax. 

How he wishes he could tear the universe apart with his teeth. Part the oceans and bury the two of you under it. He dreams of keeping you by his side away from everyone else. Neuvillette is the chief justice of Fontaine, it's a prestigious role, one that demands trust. Yet maybe, just this once. He'll have to find the accused guilty regardless of the evidence. 

Tag list: @rebeccawinters @fangirl-katwithclaws @starshiningsirius

[felassan]

Snippets. 🐺💜

The Game Informer article approximately covered the first 4 hours of the game. [source]

--

Twitter user: "Please please please let me make a feminine shaped body with no chest, begging for non-binary to be something I can present not just a pronoun slap" Saira: "this will be entirely possible with the body sliders!" [source]

--

''the characters you don’t romance WILL romance each other which can showcase different straight and queer relationships.'' [source] (So it's not only Harding/Taash, but more companion-companion pairings will be possible, and these will be diverse? ^^)

--

the game will have Brazilian Portuguese subtitles [source].

the community Council, which had long-term fans of the series on it, also had folks on it who had never played a DA game before [source] (this is good! a good mix)

another detail was that they ranged in age from 20s-40s, unfortunately I can't recall the source for this rn but yea.

"Last names are based on your faction. You can customize your first name, however." [source: the BioWare Discord]

"In-world - Rook is a nickname you're given before the events of the game, and it's what everyone refers to you as. It allows for other characters to refer to you in dialogue without awkwardly having to write around not having a defined title, while still allowing for name customization." Also, in the game, it is explained why we got the nickname Rook in the past. [source: the BioWare Discord]

"There are specific lines and dialogue options for different lineages, as well as different backgrounds, and classes, including at least a handful that are unique to lineage/background combinations. No specifics but we wanted to make sure the game felt reactive to the choices you made in creating your Rook." [source: the BioWare Discord] (lineage as in: human, elf, dwarf, qunari)

A user asked whether elven Rook is Dalish or City. Answer: "It'll depend on your background. As mentioned previously, certain lineages will have variations of that background that go into more detail where appropriate." [source: the BioWare Discord]

"Every faction is, ultimately, made up of people. Some good, some bad, and some trying (and failing) to do their best. So it's fair to say that different people in the world might have a different perspective on how the various factions fit in and what they're trying to do." [source: the BioWare Discord]

"Without getting into spoiler territory - Rook's a hero because they chose to be, not because they were chosen. Your choice of background fills in some of the details - and you get opportunities to define it further - but some things we leave up to you to fill in." [source: the BioWare Discord]

A user asked "In what capacity is the Inquisitor going to return? Can we expect something similar to Hawke’s return in Inquisition?" Answer: "This one you'll just have to wait and see as this is well into serious spoiler territory. But more generally, as I said in the Q&A - the Inquisitor's been part of this story all along, and it would be very strange for them to suddenly fall out of it."

"Much of what would have been abilities or “spells�� in the past are now accessed in real-time from the core buttons on the controller! Mana Shield, Mage Beam, Bolts, Magical Blasts, Orb Toss, and Elemental Bomb. Not to mention the elemental types change depending on your weapon. It very much feels like casting spells, but don’t just take my word for it. I’m excited to show more Mage gameplay as we get closer to launch." [source] There will be quick buttons on the keyboard for PC people too. [source]

The Veil Ranger spec can be built around charged ranged attacks, lightning damage, and stagger [source]

Many builds are possible in the game and this is highly variable with gear and companion-set up [source]

At some point this summer, they will be showing more of the skill trees [source]

The music score has variation, flourishes, and great tavern songs [source]

Corinne: "everyone at EA has been incredible in their support for the game and commitment to quality. Hopefully we’ll have a chance to do it [Discord Q&A] again. In the meantime I watch the Discord comments fairly regularly, even if I don’t respond often." [source]

A user asked about cameos of previous characters. "Seeing the surprise appearances for the first time is half the fun! There are some good ones, but I’ll leave the discoveries to you all" [source]

On a post of the table team gathering picture - Corinne: "The moments where you gather the whole team like this are some of my favorites." [source]

When Solas shot Bianca during the prologue during SGF, "Some of the journalists in the live demo audibly gasped!" [source]

In combat there are primers and detonators [source]

Lots of beloved elements from previous DA games inspired the combat of DA:TV [source]

[applestorms]

the fact that he’s looking directly at himself…

horror at the sight of your own innocence. the first thing you re-learn is that you were always cursed to fall. the rapture, the upside-down ascension, the death of the human— overcoming, overwhelming. transcending mortal bounds, crossing the bridge to the other side, seeing what makes the shadows without ever leaving the cave. self-consciousness, and the übermensch. in order to attain true godhood, one must first fully relinquish the vestigial traces of their depleting humanity. animal origins grow into human, social acceptance as the “civilized” man— but what comes next? where to go, where to run, when you fly into the sun and mistake its light for your own?

do you think it hurts, to remember?

it always shocks me how quickly he recovers after this point, how far his denial goes, the repression of his remaining empathy. the impressive extent of his dedication— and, ultimately, all for the sake of self preservation, to continue seeing the purity, the wholesomeness reaffirmed. light yagami has the survival instinct of a prey animal overdosing epinephrine. he kills two people by accident, and then takes down half the world just to prove he was right.

who is he, at this moment? where does he go when KIRA takes his body back? it seems like he accepts possession so easily, so long as it is done by the correct god— his own god, his own self. a=a, tautological identification, a soul shared between two names until the face in the mirror stops looking like yourself.

i was searching, earlier this week, for a clear instance of when he grows up— that classic coming of age moment, Manhood finally achieved. there are a few potential options to consider: his coming of age ceremony, marked by his first suit, tears shed by a chthonic companion as he matches a face to the name of the man behind the cameras. or perhaps a bit later, as he builds up to taking over the title of L, a slow transition over yotsuba as he stops automatically bowing to his father's will and takes on his role as hidden director instead. or maybe, at the very beginning? watching the notebook fall, writing his first names, his earliest stumble into grace and heavenly sanctity...

none of these moments fit. in not one of these cases does light yagami grow up. he changes, sure, he shifts, he goes through the motions, sneaks out of old cycles and breaks in the new ones. but not once does he Grow, does he sit back and truly Reflect. he looks into his past and he grieves his younger self, the stain on his soul he must take for all the lesser beings onto which he bestows his glorious salvation. he calls his actions criminal, but a necessary evil for the sake of a world, to achieve the moral standard he was always taught to uphold. he graduates. he moves out. he leaves his family behind.

but not once does he grow up.

he grows older. he watches his sister's health decline, sits by his father's deathbed and listens to him regurgitate his own lies back at him. he crawls across the dirty floor of a warehouse, soaked in his own blood, begging for the impossible as his 40 seconds tick away. he spends six years reigning as a god, believing the same lies he told himself when he was seventeen, when he made his first mistake and didn't know how to accept it. he does not move on. he does not grow.

perhaps that's the true tragedy of this moment, that for every memory he regains of the past, he learns nothing of the future. such a static entity, in the end.

compare the framing here, between ch.1 and ch.53. he never stops looking at it the same way, sweating and nervous and terrified. he knew what this entailed, right from the beginning. tragedy is to be found only in the lies he allowed himself to believe in the interim. note the addition of headphones, in the previous spread— he won't even allow himself to hear his own screams.

pack it all away, buddy. you'll face the reality of your finite, mortal lifespan soon enough.

[janearts]

ASDLKFJADKJ I love how you two immediately jumped to 'ok but like... is he #4 material?' (For those wondering, "What The Hell Is A #4?", the answer is linked here for reference.)

(The way to a woman's heart is through her favourite animal, obviously.)

Halsin is very much Roisia's type physically—aka large and in charge—and he has character traits that she would be attracted to: he's kind and compassionate, strong-willed and decisive, gentle and slow to anger, and in possession of a wry sense of humour and a keen intellect. So, yes, in that regard, Halsin definitely stands next to Wyll on the "suitable suitor to bring home" list. Top tier. Well done.

Additional rambling thoughts below the cut.

The trouble with Roisia when it comes to matters of the heart is that she unwittingly looks at a person, thinks she knows their true desires, can play out their combined future in her head, and judge them as compatible or incompatible without questioning her basic assumptions about that person. So, for example, Roisia would in many ways find Halsin an ideal romantic partner. And then, she would get into her own head. Like so:

Halsin is an archdruid. An elf accustomed to leading a notoriously outdoorsy lifestyle in a grove. Roisia is going to someday inherit an entire funerary business and wants to stay in Baldur's Gate, known for being not-at-all grove-like. Surely Mr. Outdoorsman will feel cooped up and miserable in a city if he thought the Grove was too comfortable for his tastes. Incompatible!

Halsin is all about the Natural Order of Things. Balance. Guess who disrupts said natural order when she takes dead things and reanimates them? Roisia. Roisia does. So they're at opposite ends of an ideological spectrum. Incompatible!

He's an elf; she's a human. They are on two different timelines as regards their lifespan. Unless Roisia can guarantee her own extended lifespan in a way that preserves the flesh on her bones in addition to her bones, she wants to grow with her #4 and not outpace her #4. Incompatible!

Again, these are assumptions that Roisia would make about Halsin, and I think she would ultimately write him off as a potential #4 more out of fear of some future rejection down the line than of Halsin necessarily explicitly confirming any of these assumptions to be true OR as relationship dealbreakers if they were. I want to shout out to @gracelessrogue for their tags:

It would not occur to Roisia that she could bond with a druid and a healer over life and death. If she would only think to challenge her own baseline assumptions about what she thinks she knows about the people she's travelling with, I think she would see the ways in which she could nurture long-term romantic connections with one or multiple of our possible companions.

Because, as it is, I think the larger issue is that Roisia would write off not just Halsin, but all the current known companions as not being a good fit for her #4. I don't think she would look at any of them and say: 'This person would stay with me in the city of Baldur's Gate and be totally, completely comfortable and content in a house with bodies in the basement, my skeleton father roaming the halls, and a graveyard right out back.'

Granted, it's still only Act 1/EA, but that's just a real bummer.

[venussaidso]

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘗𝘢𝘪𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘛𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘴 — 𝘈𝘚𝘏𝘞𝘐𝘕𝘐𝘚

Johnlock is an Ashwini-Ashwini ship. Dr John Watson, played by Ashwini Moon Martin Freeman, is the known fictional physician companion to Sherlock Holmes, played by Ashwini Moon Benedict Cumberbatch, who is a sociophathic investigator. The deities that rule this nakshatra are physicians and Ketu nakshatras are known to be cast as mystery-solving investigators. Sherlock's high intelligence is in connection to Ashwini, the nakshatra known for speed and an active mind.

Clara Oswald is to the Twelfth Doctor is what James Watson is to Sherlock Holmes, I just realized. The Twelfth Doctor and Sherlock Holmes portray a similar archetype of Ashwini; both prone to isolation, their intellect and sense of superiority being at the expense of their human emotions, the two being driven by their genius and recklessness. As stated before, Ashwini nakshatra is related to an active intelligence. And it is interesting that the companions they form a deep love and respect for are also Ashwini natives themselves.

Clara Oswald and James Watson embody another side to this Ketu nakshatra which balances and challenges the antisocial genius archetype. As both their partners are abrasive and cold, they counter that by bringing emotional insights and grounding foundation to the dynamic while still being able to keep up with their speedy wit (specifically Clara with Twelve).

For Sherlock Holmes and James Watson, they function like complementary twins— being opposites that fit together. They become inseparable because they offer what the other lacks. These two literally have a deep, unhealthy attachment to one another. But it's not as worse as Clara and Twelve.

Because Clara Oswald and Twelve's relationship evolves to them literally becoming mirrors of each other. As Ketu sucks things in, we see how much Clara takes on his personality through her evolution. She adopts his personality, as he does hers. Their connection becoming so deep that it shapes their identities, until their relationship actually becomes their identity. Which speaks to how receptive Ashwini can be, also speaking to the 1H themes and Libra being the 7th house from Aries.

Clara actually starts to be an equal in the series when she's by his side, the pair functioning like inseparable twins, anticipating each other's thoughts and actions. Their co-dependence and affection for each other so intense that it is addictive as it is destructive to those around them. Their separation ultimately leading him to obsessive, destructive, desperate behaviours — as he feels like he lost a big part of his identity as well. Exactly how Sherlock Holmes would react had he lost Dr James Watson.

In addition to this, but more different, there are two Beauty-&-the-Beast tropes of this Ashwini-Ashwini dynamic. One is Spike and Buffy who have a relationship in which one character embodies the humanity and goodness the other craves and has a choice to learn from, although their toxic duo is marked by conflict and co-dependence.

The Ketu nakshatras being associated with Beauty in this trope, as well as the Beast (after the Jupiter naks of course), highlights the theme of their relationship. His character is marked by darkness and a longing for acceptance, while she seeks to understand the complexities of those around her. He represents the Beast, as she is initially repulsed by his vampirism, before she sees beyond his monstrous exterior to see the vulnerability within.

In the kdrama Sweet Home, Sang-wook is a contract killer who is out of touch with his humanity and it is when he meets a nurse caretaker, Yu-Ri, that he finds himself caring that deeply for someone in such a short amount of time, her presence making him reflect on his actions and identity.

Casey and Kevin in Glass embody this trope the most, as she is the only person who consistently shows empathy towards Kevin’s true self, becoming an anchor for him and reminding him of his humanity amidst his inner turmoil.

This complex dynamic is interesting as it nods, twice, to Casey's Ketu influence. She embodied the final girl nakshatra lord when the Beast devoured its victims and she survived, then she became Beauty to the Beast albeit more twisted in "Glass".

This trope extends to other Ketu-Ketu pairs which I have touched on before.

There is a sense that each character helps the other define or remember who they are in all of these Ashwini pairings as this nakshatra is prone to losing touch of oneself (such as Sherlock or the Twelfth Doctor straying from their humanity and isolating) or not even knowing one's place in the world (much like Spike and even Kevin). The presence of the other Ashwini shapes the behaviour, thoughts, and actions of the other, making their bond almost integral to their sense of self. Touching on those 1H themes, this is what the entire Aries section is learning, but this is Ashwini's important journey.

The Ashwini-Ashwini pair is much like twins who grow up shaping each other’s identities, where the presence of one is key to understanding oneself. And the inseparability of Clara and Twelfth is so twin-like, that of course their companionship to me is literally parallel to this nakshatra's deites; the twin brothers, Ashwini Kumaras, who have adventures and many achievements together (just like Clara and Twelve traveling and going on many adventures). I have noted months ago, maybe even a year from now, that the Ashwini-Ashwini pair can be a nod to that. It may signify having or seeking your soul's other half (neither romantic nor platonic), being how twins are usually described.

[yerimbrit]

cat parents : k. haerin

synopsis: you and your girlfriend are on your nightly walk, away from the media, when you find an abandoned kitten in a box next to a park lamppost. the two of you decide to do the obvious and take it home. spoiler: minji is not pleased.

# : pairing ! kang haerin x 6th member!reader

# : tags ! reader's gender isn't specified, fluff, this was made in like an hour

# : warnings ! none really but minji swears once

"i can explain," you said, voice shaking as you failed to look minji in the eye. instead, you watched the small kitten you and haerin took home roll around in the blanket on the couch. danielle and hyein were cooing at it, squealing when it purred at their pets and scratches.

minji snapped her fingers. "look at me," she grumbled disapprovingly.

you bit your lip, trying to think of a way to word the situation in a way that wouldn't set your older member off even more.

thankfully, haerin came to your rescue, briskly striding over to where you were sitting on the couch and picking the kitty up, presenting it to the older girl. she was unamused.

"it's a cat," she declared, her face twisting in pride. as if on cue, the unnamed kitten meowed, almost like it was greeting minji.

"it's a cat," minji affirmed, "yes, haerin, i can see that."

you gingerly took the kitten from your girlfriend, a small smile on her face before she looked back to minji with a pout. you looked down at the fragile kitten in your lap, giving it a few scratches behind the ear. you were rewarded with some purrs and a headbutt, the sound rumbling against your arm.

you joined haerin in staring at minji, nobody daring to make a sound. danielle and hyein had settled at the foot of the couch, choosing to watch the stowaway kitten lick its paws and bury its head into your legs. hanni stood at a further distance, observing the entire interaction.

the oldest member sighed, rubbing her temple. the kitten seemed to sense her disappointment, and hopped off your lap to rub its head against her leg. if you looked closely enough, you could see minji's fist shaking in restraint.

she sighed again, this time relenting and bending down and giving the (intruder? new group member?) cat a long pet from the top of its head down to its back. it meowed approvingly.

"fine. i'll try to convince our manager. but you two have to give it a bath later, and we're going to take it to the vet tomorrow."

you rushed forward and brought haerin and minji into a big hug.

"thank you thank you thank you, minji-unnie!" you exclaimed, jumping up and down in place.

"whatever," she replied, but ultimately giving in and wrapping her arms around the both of you as well, the others joining the group hug.

danielle spoke up cheerfully. "can we name it jerr-"

"no."

"you know, i think we'll be great cat parents," you mumbled into the crook of haerin's neck. you'd just finished giving a (very bubbly) bath to your new furry companion, and were now cuddling with haerin in your shared room. the kitty laid on top of your girlfriend's stomach, occasionally receiving pets.

"i agree," haerin said, leaning her head against yours. she locked your pinky finger with hers, smiling widely at you.

you yawned. "i hope we can keep it."

"me too."

"meow!"

haerin's eyes met yours, and you both burst into a fit of giggles. you brought the kitten closer to you, setting it in between you and your girlfriend. it curled up into a ball as soon as you put it down.

"let's name it tomorrow after the appointment," haerin mumbled, already drifting off into sleep.

you nodded and kissed her cheek. you were also starting to fall asleep. "yeah, let's."

a/n : hey guys.... LOL

[red-dead-sakharine]

Tickles - Part 8

Raphael x Tav, RaphaelPOV, soft!raphael, gn!tav, fluff, hurt/comfort, body worship, conflicted!cambion, bath time Loooots of body worship both ways, bathing. This one's long. Grab a snack. (5066 words)

Part 1 | P 2 | P 3 & 4 | P 5 | P 6 | P 7 | P 8

It was truly a sight to behold. His little mouse gutting the Slayer - Bhaal's chosen. Orin had bitten off more than she could chew, when she decided to provoke the mouse. Kidnapping one of their companions was possibly the worst decision she could have made. Raphael knew his favorite mortal. Tav had a fierce protective instinct towards their friends that was not to be underestimated. While they were ultimately a kind soul, they were also uncompromising when wronged. Something that reminded Raphael of himself; he also knew no forgiveness for those who wronged him.

He smiled at the thought. Oh, how well he and his mouse fit together. It was hard to believe that his mouse could be so soft when with him, and yet so vicious on the battlefield. Perhaps, he mused, perhaps he should see it as an example. He had always tried to hide and suffocate his mortal side. The part of him that enjoyed Tav's softness. But if his mouse was anything to go by, soft and viscous could go hand in hand. He ran a clawed finger across his chin, deep in thought.

A sudden movement and swift motion pulled him out of it though. Of course, Raphael himself was safe in the House of Hope, lounging on a bench in his boudoir. With his eyes closed, he was using his patronage of Korrilla, to see through her eyes, as she watched the ongoings in the Bhaal temple. One of the cultists had found her lurking in the shadows, but she swiftly dispatched him. Raphael frowned - he didn't care to watch some useless cultist be taken out, he wanted to watch his mouse!

Thankfully, just a moment later Korrilla turned her attention back to the battle. Just in time for Raphael to watch Tav deliver the final blow to Orin's monstrous form. The beast collapsed before them; his mouse drenched in the enemy's blood. What a sight they were. Raphael contemplated calling Haarlep to tend to him, so he could get rid of his excitement, but ultimately decided against it. He didn't need the incubus' nagging and teasing comments to ruin this moment. He preferred to watch his mouse alone. It was something he enjoyed immensely, and something he refused to share. His mouse was his, and his alone.

As the battle at the temple slowly died down and the remaining cultists dispersed, Raphael watched the tadpoled adventurers claim Orin's netherstone, and free their shackled companion. He knew they would make their way back to the tavern now to rest and clean themselves up. Between the sewer stench and the gore, they surely needed it. Raphael smirked to himself. He knew just what to do...

By the time the tadpoled adventurers arrived back at the elfsong, Raphael had made himself comfortable on Tav's bed. Sitting leisurely, with his back against the wall and his legs crossed, while reading the book he had noticed on Tav's bedside table the first time he was here. Not that "The Hells Unleashed" was a particularly enlightening read for him. He was more interested in the annotations his little mouse had written all over it. The chapter about Avernus was littered with comments like "Karlach mentioned this place. Hard to get to?" and "Avoid!", "Safe?", "Sightseeing - ask R." Then there was Dis, dotted with comments like "Bring earplugs", and "Bring oven mittens". In a chapter about the Fetters, there was a notation Raphael found particularly entertaining: "Market? Find gift for R." "Never mind, AVOID!"

The fact his mouse was thinking so much about him gave Raphael no small degree of pleasure. He smirked to himself as he flipped to the next page, looking forward to seeing more of his favorite mortal's thoughts. But just in that moment, the doors opened and the merry band of mortals started filing in. Wyll was the first to notice Raphael and froze, causing the others to bump into him. "What's the hold up?" he heard the tiefling ask. "It seems we have a guest." the warlock responded.

Raphael just smirked at them, waiting for Tav to push their way in, "What? Who?" Their eyes met his and they froze. His smirk grew a bit wider. He closed the book and put it in his lap, "Hello, little mouse." It took a moment for the shock to wear off, before Tav finally managed to respond, "Raphael!" They came over to him, as if his presence were the most normal thing in the world. A sentiment their companions didn't seem to share. Some kept staring at him, as if they expected him to attack them at any moment. A few others were busy fussing over their recently kidnapped friend. "What are you doing here-- hey, is that my book?" Tav pointed at his lap. "Mh, yes." he lifted the book and regarded it, "A fascinating read." He smirked at Tav. "Oh gods!" they groaned and snatched the book from his hand, "How... how much did you read?" "Enough." his smirk grew even more. A groan and a furious blush was all he got in response, as his little mouse turned away, smacking the book into their face. "Now now, no reason to bruise that pretty face even more." Raphael cooed, enjoying their reaction immensely, "I found the read quite... entertaining." More groaning. He enjoyed the teasing. Though a small part of him wanted to also express that he felt flattered, that his mouse expended such effort on his behalf, but he wasn't sure how to do so without making it sound like he was mocking them. At best it would sound as if he was belittling their efforts. So he just said nothing on the topic. Instead, he got up, snatched the book back out of Tav's hands and put it on the table. "Little mouse," he said softly and moved closer to them, invading their space. He lowered his voice to a seductive purr, "You look ravishing covered in entrails. But I imagine you would prefer to get the sewer stench washed off." He paused to see their reaction. They looked at him - first with caution, then with curiosity and a raised brow. "You need not squabble with the other mortals over that pitiful little bathtub over there." He flicked his head in the direction of the wooden tub, then offered a hand with the slightest of bows, "Come."

A smile grew on their face, and they took his hand. His heart soared and he snapped his fingers, teleporting them both to the House of Hope.

They materialized in the entryway of his home. Raphael kept Tav's hand in his and turned to them, "I will gladly help you scrub off those guts, chosen-slayer, if you let me." He placed another kiss on Tav's hand. "Will you bathe with me?"

He could see his mouse chew their lower lip. It was an undeniable step forward in the level of intimacy between the two of them, he knew that; and the longer his mouse took to respond, the more anxious he grew. Had he gone too far? Was this too much for them. He didn't want to scare them off! He felt like he was trying to gain the trust of a shy animal that could flee at any moment. He felt incredibly insecure all of a sudden. He knew how to seduce someone, to get what he wanted, and he had put on some of that charm. But now it quickly crumpled away. Tav was different. He wanted to be honest with them. He trusted them to see who he really was, and he trusted them to understand his damned mortal feelings. But he didn't always know how to express himself. He had spent too much time pretending his mortal half was a mere footnote, unworthy of mention. He lost track of time as he waited. It could have been seconds or minutes - his thoughts were racing now, spiraling into the abyss. He was about to say something, anything to try and save the situation, when Tav responded: "If you'll respect my boundaries, I'd love nothing more." His stomach made cartwheels, and it took a great deal of effort for him not to sigh and cheer in relief. He kept his composure and instead kissed the mortal's hand again, "Always." They smiled at him, exhausted from the fighting, but with such happiness in their eyes - his heart joined his stomach in doing cartwheels, and had he been an entirely different person, he'd have bounced his way to the boudoir. He beamed back at them and kissed their knuckles a third time, before putting their hand on his arm and leading the blood-drenched mouse towards his room. They didn't leave their hand on his arm, they grabbed it elegantly but greedily with both hands and pulled closer to him as they walked. It made his heart soar. The mouse's affection was the best gift he had ever been given. It was like a drug that made his head spin.

"I know, you must be exhausted. But the water will help, I promise." he filled the silence on their way. "Haarlep isn't going to be there, is he?" Tav asked with some trepidation. "Certainly not! I would never share you." he said immediately. They gave an amused snort, "You make it sound like I'm a bottle of whiskey." "Oh if anything, only the most expensive of wines, my dear." They laughed. He smiled. He was proud and happy. He made them laugh. "I don't mind Haarlep in general," Tav added back on topic, "but I don't quite trust an incubus around me naked." He smirked at them, "And you shouldn't. I knew you were a smart one." They grinned back, "If you ask my companions, they'll tell you I'm the biggest idiot in Faerûn, for being with you." He gave an amused smile back, unsure of what to say to that. Maybe they were right. It was certainly foolish for a mortal to get this close to a devil, even if he himself knew that they could trust him. He was a rare exception to the rest of his kind. It certainly took a degree of either boldness or stupidity to be with him. He chose to believe the former of his mouse. They were far from stupid, after all.

As they entered the boudoir, Raphael raised his voice, "Out!" which was quickly followed by movement from the direction of his bed. Haarlep stalked over, all smiles and seductive walk, "I see you brought your favorite guest." they cooed on their way past them, "Is the cat finally going to eat the mouse?" "I'm going to eat your liver if you're not gone in two seconds." Raphael snarled, and Haarlep grinned impishly as they slunk out of the boudoir.

[mood music]

Tav watched them go, then looked at Raphael as he sealed the door. He looked back at them and cupped their face with one hand. He wasn't sure what to say, and they looked at him with such expectation. Expecting what? He didn't quite know, so he just leaned in and offered a kiss. Pressing his lips cautiously and gently against theirs. His mouse kissed back, and he could feel them smile. He could taste blood; though he didn't know if it was Orin's or that of his mouse. He gently ran his tongue over their lips, tasting, checking for injuries. He couldn't find any. Orin's blood. The thought was arousing. Almost a shame he would wash the gore off soon. His mouse looked so, so delicious covered in the blood of their enemies. It was a testament to their prowess in battle. He gently started tugging on the straps, holding Tav's armor together, and they didn't complain about it. On the contrary. Their arms snaked their way up his chest and began unbuttoning his doublet while never breaking the soft kiss. Only when he had to pull their chest armor over their head, did the two of them step apart for a moment, but their lips met again right after. It took longer to undress this way. Raphael had to feel for all the straps and buckles; and he thought more than once that this armor had way too many of them. Slowly but surely the armor came off, piece by piece. As did his doublet and shirt. He knelt down to take off Tav's boots and legplates. Their hands ran through his hair as he did. He almost purred.

He got back up, gently putting his hands on Tav's shirt. He looked his mouse in the eyes, they smiled at him. The shirt came off. Hands on his belt. He smiled back. His pants came off. Then Tav's pants. He kissed them again - more passionately this time. They reciprocated. Hands roamed his chest, gently ruffled the fluff of hair there. He smiled into the kiss. His hands explored the mortal's waist - up and down. Their shape was perfect. A thumb brushed his nipple. Two thumbs brushed both his nipples. He could feel the mouse smile into the kiss. Mischievous little thing. He reciprocated. They sighed. He swallowed the sound with his kiss and wrapped his arms around the mouse, pulling them close. They grunted, and he broke the kiss for a moment to look at them. They smiled apologetically and looked down, so did he. Only now did he realize how bruised his little mouse was from all the fighting they had done today. He looked back into their eyes, feeling his brows knitting together into a frown. He didn't like the thought of someone - anyone - hurting his mouse. He knelt down and gently kissed one of the larger bruises on their ribs, gently brushed his thumb along another. He looked up to them, concerned. It suddenly hit him (again) how fragile their life was. How mortal the mouse was. He got back up and took their hands to lead Tav into the pool. The water was warm, and the healing qualities would get rid of the unsightly bruises and any other injuries they might have that he hasn't discovered yet. His mouse sighed as they submerged their body in the water, undoubtedly feeling the pain diminish and their strength slowly replenish. He moved around them, his hands never leaving them. He didn't want to let go - as if they'd vanish into thin air, if he did - so he gently kept a hold of the mouse's waist as he moved behind them. He started trailing kisses along their shoulder, across their neck and onto the other shoulder. A hand reached back and found his hip. He pressed a long kiss into the nape of Tav's neck, and he heard them sigh deeply. "Feeling better?" he whispered next to their ear. They hummed a positive response. "Good. Then let me scrub those pieces of bhaalspawn off you." he added with a low voice. "Eugh," Tav chuckled, "that makes it sound more disgusting than it should be." "On the contrary, my dear," he corrected them, as he glided to the side of the pool to pick up a soft sponge, "You're covered in the blood of a god. You should revel in it." He arrived back at their side and lustfully licked their neck, "Because I surely do, chosen-slayer." he purred in their ear, and he could feel them shiver. But he stepped back, soaking the sponge in the water before bringing it up to Tav's shoulders. Gently scrubbing the grime, blood and sweat away.

"I suppose I did kill the chosen of two gods..." Tav mused, "Though honestly, I regarded both Ketheric and Orin as just one more cruel monster who chose to be in my way." Raphael moved on to scrub their back, "I'll make sure to step aside when you walk down the hallway." He joked. They laughed, "As if!" He grinned at their back, not saying more on the matter. They knew him well. Of course, he expected everyone to get out of his way, but that would've ruined the joke. He gently lifted one of Tav's arms and started scrubbing it down. He did so in silence for a bit, until the mouse spoke up again, "I'd make people get out of your way." He paused and looked at them. They stared at the water. He stared at them. The sudden silence dragged out, only interrupted by the gentle splashing of the faucets. He was still holding Tav's arm up, the sponge frozen in place. It sounded like a scenario for the future. After the netherbrain is dead. Did the mouse mean to say, they wanted to stick with him? Stay with him? Be at his side? He didn't know what to say. Though he had told himself, that of course they would stay with him, he had his doubts. He certainly had dreamt of them joining him after they dealt with the netherbrain. He did not want a future without his mouse, so he had not entertained any other scenario. But in the back of his head he knew, it wasn't set in stone. He longed for his mouse to come willingly. Willing was the important part. He could make them stay, but that would just turn them into another Hope. But for the mouse to imply... He didn't dare believe that this was what they meant. He didn't dare ask either. He didn't know what he would do, if his mouse refused to join him. Somewhere in the very far back of his mind, he heard Hope's voice refuse him over and over, even though he knew his mouse was different. After a long pause that felt as if time had lost its meaning, he just continued scrubbing Tav's arm without saying anything. Too afraid to ask for clarification.

He moved on to their other arm in silence. Gently scrubbing every inch of their beautiful limbs. As he washed off the soap, he couldn't help but to press another long kiss on Tav's knuckles. Their other hand came up around his neck, pulling him in, and kissing him lovingly on the lips. Long and gentle. They smiled at him, but there was something... a spark of uncertainty in their eyes. He smiled back with adoration, not understanding the doubt in their expression. It seemed to vanish slowly as they looked at each other. He kissed them again. Whatever was on his mouse's mind, he'd make it go away ...he hoped. When he pulled away again, he saw success. They just smiled now; happiness the only thing he could see.

His eyes wandered up to Tav's hair, sticky with blood. He looked back down into their eyes, and they seemed to know what he was thinking. Putting one hand above their collar bones and one behind their head, he gently made them lean back. They let him. They trusted him. He gently submerged their head until all the hair was in the water; making sure that their face remained above the surface. It was a slow and delicate motion, and his mouse closed their eyes and seemed to enjoy the feeling. Being in the hands of a devil. He gently ran his hand through their hair, to make sure the water could get to all of it, before he eventually pushed them back upright. Then he put the soap to it. Orin's blood - Bhaal's blood was all over the little mouse's head. They had stabbed at the larger beast, and the Slayer's blood had rained down on them like a gory shower. Raphael had relished the sight. But he also relished this. Cleaning his mouse. Touching them everywhere. Gently and softly. He began to understand soft. He liked it. The devil blood inside him screamed at the softness. Would prefer to rip and tear and torture. But when he was with his mouse, his mortal half was emboldened. Given strength by his sweetling. It strangled the fiend in him and allowed him to be soft. And enjoy it. He admitted it to himself, as he spread the soap through Tav's hair: He enjoyed it. He had suppressed his mortal desires for a long time, and he had always felt like something was missing to make him truly happy. He thought it to be power, as a fiend would. The crown would fill that hole, he had decided. But right now - as he took his mouses head gently in his hand to lean them back into the water again - right now he realized, the hole he tried to fill was mouse-shaped.

He flared his nostrils as his mind reached that conclusion, his fiend blood screaming at his weakness. Thankfully the mortal in his hands could not see the turmoil inside him. They had their eyes closed and enjoyed his touch, as he gently rinsed the soap out of their hair. It would be all to easy to drown them now. Push them under and end them. They would have no chance to react or to escape. Something in him conjured up an image of them struggling, splashing, flailing helplessly, as he held them effortlessly under water. He wrinkled his nose at the unbidden thought and pushed it aside. He'd never do that. Never! He pushed the mouse back upright and pulled them in, claiming their lips greedily. Kissing them. Drowning the fiend inside him in a wave of love and gentleness. Tav seemed to be taken by surprise but swiftly recovered and reciprocated. His father's blood quieted down, unable to oppose the intensity of his affection for this damned mortal.

When he eventually broke the kiss, three words were on the tip of his tongue. But he couldn't say them. Could not manage to spit them out, for a multitude of reasons. So he just looked at Tav and tried to say it with his eyes. They smiled back at him. He didn't think they understood.

"Now you." He blinked, startled. Ripped out of his thoughts, and his brows rose in surprise. The mouse must've noticed, for they leaned in and kissed him again, before taking the soap out of his hands. He let them, and just looked at them wordlessly. Tav picked the sponge from the water, where he had let it drift off, and wrung it a little, before they moved behind him and started soaping up his back. His surprised confusion gave way to a warm pleasant feeling, as he felt them pay special attention to the base of his wings. It felt sublime and he couldn't suppress a soft sigh. It made him realize that it was an area he had trouble to reach himself, and all he ever felt there were Haarlep's rough and greedy claws raking over his back. Until his mouse came along. Thousands of years, and only now did he find out that he liked his wings touched. Touched by his mouse, he corrected himself. How could he have found out earlier, when he had to wait all this time for his mouse to even exist!

Tav began rinsing the soap off with hands and sponge, finishing with a kiss between his wings. He sighed deeply, and he knew his mouse heard and knew. Knew exactly, what they did to him. Knew he liked it. They gently pushed him backwards into the shallower part of the pool to gain more access, but then paused suddenly.

"You have... little swirly ridges on your thighs." they commented with a delighted expression. He looked at them confused. "...yes? Don't say you didn't notice them before." he wrinkled his brow. "I actually didn't," they leaned in closer and whispered, "I guess I was too distracted by your beautiful butt." He couldn't help but crack a smile. "Which also has ridges. Right.... here," and as they said it, Tav ran a finger along the lines on his lower rear end. Raphael automatically closed his eyes. "Mhm," he hummed, "I have a lot more of those all over." he stated, as if it wasn't obvious. He could hear Tav's smile as they responded, "Yes, I've noticed. Here..." A hand trailed along the ridges on his lower back. "...here..." another hand ran over the ridges on his legs. "...here..." fingers gently ghosted towards his wings. "...here..." kisses on his sides. He hummed with every gesture, his eyes still closed. "...and here." a whisper, and the soft touch of a hand running down his arms. "Mhm." He couldn't say anything more than that, kisses on his shoulders, and hands roaming his body distracted him too much. "And scales like armor here," soft fingertips traced over the base of his tail and a soft moan escaped him. They lifted the rest of it out of the water and kissed it gently. It took effort, to not let his knees buckle under him and collapse into the water. They gently lowered his tail back down and let it go. A moment later the soapy sponge was back, trailing circles over his thighs. "I love these swirls," he heard his mouse say, as they paid them special attention. His eyes were still closed, and he lost himself in the sensation of their gentle touches. "Glad you do," he replied, "You may admire them anytime you like." After he said it, the full extent of his own words hit him, and judging by how Tav froze, it hit them too. His mind started racing. Should he clarify? Retract? Should he-- "I just might take you up on that." The mortal's voice interrupted his spinning thoughts, and he could hear the impish smirk in their voice. His mind quieted down. "Within reason," he added more sternly. "Of course."

Back to soaping. They stayed behind him, taking care of his thighs, his butt - paying that special attention, too. They soaped the base of his tail, causing him to moan again. So sensitive, and he never knew - never knew the gentle pleasure this world had to offer. The wonder of soft touches and loving caresses. It overwhelmed him. His mind was still learning to cope with being loved like this.

Tav's hands lifted his tail again, soaping and scrubbing gently along its length. Then they dunked it underwater to remove the soap, lifted it back up and gently kissed it once more before letting go for good.

A moment's pause, then he felt a gentle tug on his wing. He looked over and acquiesced, lowering it so his mouse could reach it better. They began at the outer spine, gently spreading the soap with the sponge from the tip up to the joint. Then down the next spine. They moved away, pulling his wing along to spread it out, so they could take care of the leathery membrane in between. He closed his eyes again and leaned his head back slightly. The soft touches and scrubs sent tingles down his spine, all the way to the tip of his tail. He wished he were in bed, so he could clutch at the sheets. Clutch at anything. It was good. Too good. The sponge gently scrubbed around the claw at the top joint; squeezed into the creases along the veins. He felt light-headed. His wing was pulled lower, dipped underwater. A gentle hand brushed over it to rid it of soap. His brows knit together, and he had to realize that this part of his body has been thoroughly neglected throughout his entire life. Bar the occasional scrub when he washed himself, nobody had ever touched them like this. Cared for them. Of course, nobody had ever been this gentle with him in general. Sex, he knew. But it was always wild and untamed. Rough and possessive. A means to a quick release of pent-up energy. This... this was... His wing was moved out of the water again, and his train of thought snapped. A frown snuck on his face. He wished Tav would do the entire thing again. Didn't matter if he was already clean or not. The frown dissipated as his other wing was pulled into a spread. It received the same loving care. His mouse knew no hurry, and every touch and every rub was just as good and gentle, as it had been on the other wing. He sighed deeply in contentment. Another tingle ran down his spine, as if the mortal's touch had some magical quality to it. He balled his fists. He felt like he needed to hold onto something; unable to handle these wonderful feelings. Now this wing was submerged, rinsed of soap. As Tav pulled it back out of the water, they placed a kiss on the outer spine. Raphael moaned. He couldn't help it. He'd scream in bliss, would he not feel so weak and light-headed. The mouse took note, and trailed more kisses along his wing. His entire world was reduced to a pair of hands and soft lips of a little mouse roaming over him.

He felt the disturbance and gentle burble of the water as Tav moved in front of him. Hands took his, and he was pulled forward. He opened his eyes, looked at his mouse and complied. Going back into the deeper parts again. They kissed him while their hands fished the sponge from the water again. Then they pulled back and started soaping up his chest. He watched them; watched their expression as they took such gentle care of him. The smile never leaving their face. It even grew wider as they took care of his chest hair. Tracing it with soap and sponge all the way down below his belly button. They bit their lower lip before they returned their attention to his chest, rinsing now. They watched the water trickle down the fluff of hair as if mesmerized by it, and they followed up with a hand gently running through it. He couldn't help himself and caught it, placing a gentle kiss on their knuckles.

He smiled at them and they smiled back. A sudden urge overcame him, and he pulled them into a gentle and loving kiss. His arms wrapped around their form, holding them tight, and pressing them against him. Feeling their skin against his.

He wanted never to let go again. Keep them forever in the devil's den.

[thethronezone]

Oh, don't mind me, I'm just imagining which monsters from Monster Hunter would serve as the best companions for each individual Primarch. Tried to avoid Elder Dragons but some were just too perfect.

Konrad would definitely have a Nerscylla because come on. Creepy giant spider that wears the skins of its victims as a cloak? That screams Night Lord to me!

Jaghatai definitely has a Kirin since he's all for speed and loves horses. You try and look me in the eyes and tell me he wouldn't be all for this lightning unicorn. Maybe a Valstrax.

Fulgrim gets a Mizutsune. They are very beautiful and he's all about the aesthetic. He'd probably name it some super pompous name and give it a diamond collar.

Corvus would have a Nargacuga. It's stealthy, got wings and is covered in black fur. It would also serve as his emotional support animal.

Lion would have a Barioth. Partially because, yes, it's a fucking cat, of course LION would have a cat monster. But I really do believe it would fit him.

Leman would have a Zinogre. Just like how Lion would have a cat monster, Leman would have a wolf one. That and it is very ferocious. He would ride that thing into battle.

Angron... well, I have to go with Odogaron. At first I considered a Deviljho but then I remembered that gladiator Angron artwork where he's got a dog beside him and... yeah.

Horus has a Nergigante because that thing hunts Elder Dragons and Mr. Horus "I almost killed the Emperor" Lupercal wouldn't settle for less.

Alpharius and Omegon shares a Nakarkos. It's a cephalopod that looks like it has two tentacles it pretends to be dragon heads, it is an actual fake hydra.

Ferrus is a bit hard (no pun intended) but ultimately I think a Bazelgeuse would fit him. I think he would be absolutely fascinated by its exploding scales.

Perturabo could probably have a Diablos. I can mainly see him with one because they dig underground lairs and I could see him use one during a siege.

Sanguinius' monster would be a Legiana. It is very beautiful, can fly and I dunno, I just think it fits his vibes. Not to mention I see some potential with different patterns on its wings.

Rogal would have a Gravios. It has tough stone like armor which makes me kinda associate it with Dorn's fortresses. I can see it sleeping on the fort walls.

Roboute gets the Arkveld. It is considered to be part of an extinct species and... well, there aren't a lot of Primarchs around anymore. He'd probably feel a kinship to it.

Magnus has a Malfestio. Because he's a wizard. And that's a big fucking owl. I'm so sorry, I can't get it out of my head. It also looks very magical.

Vulkan gets a mf Zorah Magdaros. Is it unfair to everyone else? Yes. Do I care? No. That's his baby! His giganitic, magma covered, living mountain baby. He would have a forge near one of its cores.

Lorgar has a Rahian. A golden one, to be precise. Because this bitch loves the Emperor (at least before the Heresy and falling to Chaos) and we all know Big E loves gold.