#about the complexity of names and stage personas

[asthedeathoflight]

Okay so I was thinking someone should do something adjacent to this band au by @emilywaters but with Rembrandt as the lighting director but i fear that i may be the only person capable of this considering you know. Thats actually my job. But i have too many wips so you're getting this au in post form. Everything I changed from the original post is due to me writing out this entire post before I successfully tracked it down so like it's not me disagreeing I simply forgor.

I'm not sure what like level of fame they were supposed to be in the original but i need them to be doing stadium shows purely for Rembrandt's sake okay she deserves it theyre touring with an ma3 just believe me.

I think Cleon was originally their lead singer but she had to step down for. Reasons. Idk. So the Warriors are hard up bc their producer is on their ass about getting demos recorded for their next album but none of them really feel good about replacing Cleon.

Mercy is a mistreated burnt out pop idol who's just kind of getting listless at this point because she's basically just a prop for a brand and she can't even give a fuck about her music anymore. She meets Swan at a party and they hit it off and get blackout drunk and Swan wakes up the next day with a recording on her phone of Mercy doing a demo of one of the songs she wrote. She takes it in to their producer like here fine theres a demo are you happy and shes like??? Hello???? This is incredible??? Who is this singer??? And Swan is like hahaha. About that.

The producer reaches out to Mercy's management and theyre like um absolutely not she does not want to join your band she's a solo act but then Mercy gets Swan's number somehow and is like i DO wanna join your band actually but im stuck in this goddamned contract. So then its about them getting their record label to go up against Mercy's and get her out of her contract so she can be their new lead singer.

And also more importantly (to me) is the subplot about the like relatively young and inexperienced lighting girl from their home venue who Cleon insisted on hiring for their first tour and who just kind of stuck around and became part of the group. They tour with a disproportionately nice rig bc Rembrandt is a fucking nerd and none of them can resist her puppy dog eyes about getting shiny new toys. And like yeah she's kind of quiet and doesn't talk much in a group but she can hold her own against the fucking overhires giving her shit at whatever venue and not taking her seriously and she gets stars in her eyes when Ajax asks her about programming so like needless to say Ajax is a little bit obsessed with her. Rembrandt's job is half ordering around men twice her size and age and half real-time computer programming live in front of an audience. Ajax never stood a chance. There are always fans trying to see Ajax after the show and Ajax is always in the booth while Rembrandt talks about the latest patch grand ma pushed out and how she hates everything about it and everyone at that company is trying to ruin her life (she will have adapted and forgotten about this in two days until the next patch which alters her workflow .00001% upon which time she will again believe her career is over and she needs to call them to revert the console)

I think probably their relationship is more of a flashback moment bc obviously The Warriors can't be touring while they're looking for a new singer but I think when they're not on tour Rembrandt lives in Portland and does like weird indie performance art shit and Ajax stays in LA with Swan and the others and the long distance is kind of killing them. Could Ajax stay with Rembrandt in Portland for a few months and fly back down when they're actually recording stuff? Absolutely. Does this idea terrify her existentially for reasons she can neither articulate nor overcome? Also absolutely. But on a more fun note Rembrandt drags Ajax to USITT with her every year which is actually kind of fun for Ajax because in addition to Rembrandt being so excited nobody there is impressed at all by her being famous but they ARE impressed that she knows how DMX works. So. Who's laughing now Swan. The flashcards worked.

[that-one-fandom-girl]

Rating Miraculous Super Names Based on Their Creativity

(Not based on whether I like them or think they’re catchy—just creativity. Personally, I like/love most of the characters and their names (and really wouldn’t change them at all), so that’s not going to color my thoughts on them, really. Also, I will talk about cultures and languages in this post and I’m not making any comments about them themselves or anything like that—just the creativity of the characters that may *have* said cultures and languages—using the knowledge of them I know or looked up. This post is also both slightly serious and very much not at the same time, lol)

Ladybug: Marinette had several little pet-names in the Origins episode; Wonder-Bug (my personal fav), Bug-Lady, and Clumsy-Girl, and she took the one thought of “well, Tikki said I get magical ladybugs to fix everything and I have a red and black motif, so I’ll call myself Ladybug” (while Alya took the same information and made the most complex names known in existence 😆). I’d say, about 4-4.5 out of 10 for her main super name; it’s not the most creative, but it’s not the worst on this list, lolol.

For her other names:

Ladynoire: (They both named each other for the Kwami-swap if you watch the episode, so those two names are really a judgement on the other person’s creativity, lol). Adrien mushed both his own super name and Ladybug’s super name together and recreated their ship name, basically. Eh, I’d say probably maybe a solid 6 out of 10? More creative, but he could’ve just read all their in-universe fans’ discourse and gave their ship name to her, which would fit with his crush on her 😆.

Multi-Mouse: 6.5? She used the fact that she used *multiple* miraculous *multiple* times and that she was a mouse for her name.

Her other names are basically just putting other miraculous or power-ups with the name ‘Ladybug’: soooo…3? 4?

Cat Noir: for him, it depends on which of the two main dubs you watch; if you watch the English dub, Adrien went, “well, two of the languages I’m most fluent in is English and French, and I am a black cat, so I’ll honor both languages and call myself Cat Noir”, which is slightly more creative. But if you use the French dub version of his name, Chat Noir, it sounds like he just went “I’m a black cat…I’ll just call myself ‘Black Cat’”—which *is* an actual character in other superhero media (The Black Cat in Marvel Comics)— but he’s not even *the* black cat, he’s only ‘Black Cat’ 😆. So my vote is English dub = 4.5, French dub = 4.

Mr. Bug: Marinette took her base name and gave him the male prefix instead, which, okay, it does work and she brought something else to the table; but if I’m being honest, we could’ve gotten the name ‘Lord Bug’, and that would’ve been funny, lol (jk). 6-6.5 out of 10.

Cat Walker: 9.5-10. Yes, I rate this as one of the highest (if not the highest) in this list—here’s why; he’s acting more like his ‘perfect Adrien’ golden boy model persona, a.k.a. he’s putting on a show, and his name is a play on the word ‘Cat Walk’…which is all three, a way to walk on the runway, the runway itself, and an elevated bridge walked on above a stage for behind-the-scenes work. All that meaning in his name AND it’s a pun??? Absolute freaking amazing job, Adrien; you rocked it!

His other names are again, pretty much just putting his main super name with the various other miraculous and power ups: so again, 3? 4? EXCEPT for his ice power-up which is called ‘Ice Noir’, which translates to ‘Black Ice’ which is a dangerous type of ice and fits into his destruction motif, so that one gets a bit more; I’d say about 6 out of 10.

Rena Rouge; depending on what you take it as, it’s either a play on the words “red fox” in French (Renard Rouge)—it’s creative because it’s a *play* on the words, not the actual words themselves—or Alya used her both her Creole roots and French language as inspiration and used the Creole word for ‘fox’ (Rena) and French word for ‘red’ (Rouge). First possibility: 5, second: 6-6.5

Carapace: Nino used his knowledge of turtles and his super ability of protecting people as inspiration for his name—Carapace, which is the word for a turtle’s shell. Ehh, 5?

Queen Bee: Chloe used both the animal super she is and her status as inspiration for her name—plus it’s also a pun, which makes it even more fun. She’s a bee, she’s the popular girl in school (a.k.a. a ‘queen bee’ in school), it fits her personality, and she ran with it. A solid 7, maybe

Hawkmoth: I mean, he’s not very creative here—but at least Gabriel chose a *type* of moth to use as a name…why he chose a *moth* name in the first place when he’s a *butterfly* is another thing, tho, lolol! But I did read that Hawk Moths are known for their fast flying, so I guess that works for the Akumas. If it was a contest for catchy, I’d give it a higher rating, but for creativity? Less than our main heroes: 3. I wouldn’t give him a ton because he’s a butterfly instead of a moth, but he did choose a fitting type so…

Bunnyx: Alix literally just put an ‘X’ after the word ‘bunny’; she gets, like, a 1 😂.

Caprikid: Nathaniel used him being a goat-inspired superhero, the goat horoscope, the fact he is a kid, and the fact that goat children are called ‘kids’ put together to make his name. Pretty awesome, actually. 7-8? It just fits very well.

King Monkey: I gotta admit, I wasn’t gonna give Kim a very high score ‘cause I thought he was basically just the miraculous version of Donkey Kong, lolol; but I looked him up on Miraculous Wiki, and it says his name was inspired by an ancient Chinese legend and the novel has been adapted into a show called “Monkey Magic”, which is kind of a pretty cool fitting-sounding reference. So if Kim actually thought it through like that, 7-7.5? But knowing Kim, and if he just went, “dude, imma be like Donkey Kong! What sounds like Donkey Kong???….. King Monkey!”, then I’m only gonna give him like a 3-3.5 as well 😆.

Viperion: Luka did alright; not amazing, but it fits. ‘Viper’, a type of snake, for a snake-themed hero. 4-4.5?

Purple Tigress: …all Juleka did was was describe herself 😆. But she did do better than Alix, so I’ll give her a 2, lolol!

Miss Hound: I feel like Sabrina is in the group of heroes who went really literal, but still tried, so I’ll give her the same rating—4-4.5.

Minotaurox: Ivan used the animal words Minotaur and Ox, and put them together; an ox is, well, an ox, and a Minotaur is a tough creature from Greek mythology that is half-man and half-bull, so it does have some coolness to it. 7-7.5

Pegasus: Max did use a cool figure for his name, but he only used the fact that he was a horse and the very well known figure of Pegasus together for his name. Don’t get me wrong, it’s pretty cool, but after some of the other names on this list, and how some of them fit together; I feel like it’s just not *as* creative of a name. I think I’ll give him maybe a 5?

Polymouse: Mylene used the word ‘poly’ which means ‘many’ and mouse, so I’ll give her the same as I gave Multimouse, since they’re very similar—6.5

Ryuko: I didn’t know what this meant until I looked it up on Miraculous Wiki, and it says that while it can have many meanings in Japanese; it’s most likely that it means “child of the dragon”, and that just sounds cool as heck. To me, it sounds like Kagami pushed the ‘having a pun or fitting mythological/cultural figure as part of the name’ thing to the side and just made up a cool-sounding name on her own, which is pretty cool and creative! 8? 8.5?

Pigella: I feel like Rose just put a feminine suffix to the word ‘pig’, which…doesn’t seem as creative. To be fair to her, I don’t think it’s very easy to make a cool, creative sounding name incorporating the word *pig* into it. It does sound like she tried, and the flair she put at the end does fit her personality, so I’ll give her a little more credit. 5?

Rooster Bold: Marc tried, like Rose, but…. It doesn’t feel like a creative name; just his animal and what he becomes after being a hero. 3, maybe?

GUYS, I did NOT know what ‘Argos’ meant, so I looked it up on regular Wikipedia, and it’s a ship from Greek Mythology that carried the Argonauts on their quest to get the Golden Fleece and that, quote, “some sources state that since people had not seen a ship before, they described the Argo as a monster”, unquote!! 😭😭😂😂😂 Does that NOT sound like Felix? Okay, that’s it; Felix wins this whole thing!! Cat Walker was a good second, but, sorry Adrien! Your dramatic and showman cousin wins the competition! He gets an 11 out of 10.

……I absolutely love how half of these characters just literally used their animal names as 3/4’s of their super name, and then there’s freaking Felix who uses his entire backstory/character arc as a super name 😂. It really shows the range of the show, fr fr!

P.S. I realized I forgot about Mayura and Vesperia.

I looked it up and Reddit says that ‘Mayura’ means ‘peacock’, so…4.5-5?

Miraculous Wiki says that Vesperia’s name is derived from the Italian word ‘Vespa’, which means ‘wasp’, so her name means the female wasp. Sounds kinda cool and she added specificity to her animal, so 6?

[temporalhiccup]

In an effort to ease out of burn out and try to feel real and human again I'm digging around old games and seeing what would be fun to tinker with. For most of my games they get to at least an Alpha Build/Playtestable stage, but Never Break The Chain is one of the few that didn't quite manage to get that far (though it honestly wouldn't take that much more I think!)

Never Break The Chain mechanically and emotionally is a response to The Eventide Club, which was @jdragsky's response to Apocalypse Keys.

It's clear that this game is partly a love letter to jay dragon's design and how it makes me feel, and I wrote this during a time when I was insecure about my design. I was reeling from the idea that my games were too emotional to be enjoyable, that strangers were never going to like the games I create. (Typical Capricorn, even the way I work through my shit has to be productive in some way)

Every player character is made up of two components: a Musician Playbook and a God Playbook. It's my take on the very popular idea of fallen gods feeding off divine worship as musicians. I wanted to create a really fun and emotionally intense game (inspired by how famously messy Fleetwood Mac and other bands can be, definitely The Wicked + The Divine too).

It's been three years since I took a look at this stuff and it's fun remembering the mechanical shenanigans I was up to: tightening chains, breaking them, creating halos, shattering them, etc. I'll tinker a bit with these mechanics and see what comes of it.

The more complex of the playbooks are the Musician ones. What remains of the divine is raw and simple, ever fading and barely there. In comparison, the Musician playbooks are a chance for me to explore some truly messy human stuff.

Here's the Musician playbook, The Mask, it's mostly intact from the last time I touched it years ago. I just tightened a few options here and there.

I'll spell out the inspiration for this playbook: David Bowie, specifically the maddened Bowie interviewed by Cameron Crowe in 1975.

Bowie was famous for his different personas, and you can see some of them represented in the masks below: Ziggy Stardust, The Thin White Duke, Halloween Jack, the Goblin King, and the Minotaur.

This playbook is an exploration of what it could have been like for Bowie exploring these different personas, based on various events written about or talked about in later years, offering points of tension and intensity (deconstructed and awaiting creative input, like always) and hopefully creating explosive moments of playable drama.

I do think this playbook leans most into Bowie's contentious phase as the Thin White Duke. This was a man who was clearly breaking apart on stage, underneath the thinnest veneer of a persona that was holding itself together with a white-knuckled grip. Other personas were haunting him, discarded or never worn. Station to Station is my favorite Bowie album on most days, and his live performances of its music are almost painful to watch (while impossible to look away from).

I think, if we ever get this to playtest, I'll probably leave this playbook mostly as is (barring some mechanical tweaks that will be applied to all playbooks maybe) and just see where things go.

The Mask

You understand better than anyone that music is a story, and that performance is a mask well worn. You have created several Masks and stories over the years, and the Masks have recreated you. But as you seek fame and fortune, will the Mask become more real than you ever could be? One day you'll wake up and there won't be anything of you left, just a blank face both empty and signifying nothing.

Your Name

(Choose 1): A completely made up name that is never questioned, an appropriately dramatic name, a single initial that no one pronounces properly, I change my name every few months, a series of letters and numbers that only makes sense to my fans, a name that is as enigmatic as it is beautiful.

Your Look

(Choose 3-4): A painfully sharp and pale business suit with splatters of paint and blood on it, shades that almost no one has ever seen me take off, hair dyed into every imaginable color, the cruelest smile, the kindest eyes, an intoxicating scent, small and delicate tattoos that tell all my secrets, the body language of a predator, an unexpected scar, something else that betrays my mortality and weakness.

Your Role in the Band:

(Choose 1-3): Lead vocalist, lead guitar, muse, song writer, fuck buddy, everybody's ex, the face of the band, I'm here to look pretty baby

Choose the Mask you currently wear, one Mask you discarded, and one Mask that threatens to consume you.

I am an alien from a dying planet and harbinger of an inescapable apocalypse, my music is wild and haunting

I am royalty from a fictional past and deride the love I desperately need, my music is rhythmic and romantic

I am a rebel leader from a dark future and I shall orchestrate a dystopia of our own making, my music is hypnotic and delirious

I am the fae king who grants ill-cast wishes and offers dark bargains, my music is ethereal and manipulative

I am a serial killer who turns willing victims into impossible art pieces, my music is violent and eerie

I am a fallen angel, on the run from divine hunters and mortal lovers and only you can save me, my music is soft and beautiful

I am a broken doll mimicking life, perfect and made to fulfill your every desire, my music is naive and inviting

I am a warrior from another time and place, only you can heal my wounds and recreate my fate, my music is loud and lustful

As The Mask I gain 2-4 tokens when I:

Hide my true feelings behind a Mask

Ask someone to wear one of my Masks, for now

Give a part of myself to a Mask

When you gain your fifth token:

The divine music swells within you and seeks release. You cannot gain new tokens until you choose one:

Go to another band member and take off your Mask, reveal something vulnerable and raw about yourself. If they reach out to touch your real face, they break a chain. If they do anything else, break one of your chains.

Reflect on the god you once where, and create a new Mask to contain that memory. Your power wanes, crack one halo.

The Mask's Chains:

A whisper that comes from my mouth but doesn't sound like me at all

An embrace that promises more than it should

A kiss that comes dangerously close to unmasking me

One of my Masks on someone else's face

A song I wrote that will weaken a single Mask

A Mask I created that takes a life of its own

A Mask someone else creates to imprison me

Someone I love wearing my true face

The Mask's Move:

When you put on one of your Masks to tell its story, describe how you embody it and how you draw others into your spell. Spend tokens and roll.

On an 8-10 You are in control of the Mask, choose one:

A part of your Mask becomes more real than real, create a new Chain that reflects this.

A part of your true self gives way to the Mask, one Halo becomes whole again.

Someone is inexplicably drawn to you, you have them wrapped around your finger, for now. Say who they are and place a chain on them. If they're a band member, they place a chain on you as well.

On an 11+ The Mask begins to consume you, and you cannot tell the difference between art and reality. Choose one:

Another band member must become a part of your story, both of you place a chain on the other. For now, you are obsessed with crafting a Mask for them to match your own.

One of your fans is convinced the Mask is your true self, you cannot outrun them. For the rest of the scene you are at your fan's mercy. Describe how their obsession for you draws out something painful and real from you. When you return in a future scene gain the chain: an obsessed and dangerous fan

On a 7- your sense of self shatters and the Mask bleeds through. Until you regain your sense of self and remember you are not your Mask, you cannot perform. The Audience will tell you what happens next.

At the start of every session:

Spend a moment with your Masks and consider who they are and what story they have to tell. Choose one:

Put down the Mask you're currently wearing and pick up another, why does this one call out to you?

Change something essential about one of your Masks, what part of you refuses to bend or break?

Create a new Mask, based on someone you're obsessed with and yearn for. What does it feel like when you pretend to be them?

[illegiblewords]

SOME ILLEGIBLE RAMBLES AND REFLECTIONS: THE DEAD THREE

Finished my first/main playthrough of Baldur’s Gate 3, and it’s had me turning over all sorts of ideas tied to Dungeons and Dragons lore. A bunch happens to be about cosmology so I'm slapping together one post about the Dead Three and a follow-up about deities more generally. Buckle up if you decide to proceed dudes. This is chunky and opinion/interpretation heavy. CW for mention (not extensive) of graphic violence and sex crimes during discussion of Bhaal and Yeenoghu.

MYRKUL

I get that there are multiple death-affiliated deities in DnD. Our buddy Jergal is the end of all things and the original incarnation of the concept. Myrkul stands for the experience of dying, decay, necromancy, graves, bones, and the fear of mortality. Kelemvor rules over the dead. Orcus is a demon lord and quasi-deity of undeath. Could prob go on.

I've read many different incarnations of death over the years. To set the stage on my Myrkul read, it bears mentioning that Terry Pratchett's Death is probably my favorite. I don't have it in me to see death as something totally malicious. It's very natural, and I tend to imagine that if there were to be an incarnation embodying it this persona would have an intimate view of all the love and grief, vulnerability and intimacy, ugliness and solitude, etc. that mortals deal with. Death has witnessed the end every living being faces, from the dawn of creation until now. Even if it isn't consciously accessed at all moments, death is ancient and experienced and not likely to be shocked by what mortals are capable of anymore. Mortals are small. Uncountably numerous though we are we are far outnumbered by the unliving. What are lives next to planets, to stars? Here I'd argue against assigning value according to how big or small something is, how eternal or how brief, how simple or complex. Everything that is, is a universe unto itself and deserves the gravity of that. It is also very mundane at the same time. To me, death needs to be able to balance the preciousness and commonality of life, of existence, on the tip of its scythe. Death needs to be able to deal with the most depraved beings to exist, but also with every beloved pet put to sleep. Every lost child or parent. Everyone who dies surrounded by loved ones and everyone who dies alone.

Initially, even knowing Myrkul in particular had been a mortal necromancer and not of particular moral standing--I had mixed feelings about him being the evilest of evil skeletons. He worked it well, but the idea of any aspect of death (or any character tbh) being flat evil felt off to me. Especially with 'we're all the protagonists of our own stories' being at work. People don't often look at what actions they'd consider to be evil then go 'I'm going to make myself that on purpose'. Disregarding morality maybe, but being evil on purpose is weird.

So I looked into further lore about Myrkul. One spot that gave me pause was that Myrkul as death (rather than the adventurer Myrkul Bey al-Kursi he’d once been) revels in inspiring fear of death and driving home experiences of loss. From what I found he isn't focused on the name of the individual holding the office of death, but for the force itself being feared. He can be bribed, and he will allow for necromancy/resurrections--but the fear and gravity of death is a sacred thing to him. Disregarding that is a pretty good way to get onto Myrkul's shitlist. I want to take a moment to emphasize the importance of Myrkul focusing on his portfolio over his own ego. That is far from a given in the DnD pantheon, and like I said he's a former mortal himself. It wouldn't be out of the question for him to be a petty and insecure deity. He could have been the sort of guy where becoming a god of death by itself wasn't enough power. If Myrkul was a different person, he might have wanted people to stroke his ego and say how strong he is. He might have been someone who felt inadequate as a god without that affirmation. He could have (as a character) been unsatisfied and forever wanting/dependent upon the views of others to define himself. The fact that he DOES focus on death and decay as forces rather than himself is a big deal in reading him imo.

Anyway. Myrkul's emphasis on death as something feared got me thinking about what would cause a person to put such weight on death being understood in its negative aspect. It struck me that this is actually a very common and even important thing. You don't need to demonize death to see it, either. If you value life as sacred, the idea of life being treated as cheap or disposable is horrifying. When you love something dearly, the idea of that beloved thing being defaced is beyond outrage. It's a kind of sacrilege. People who kill as casually as breathing, who revel in the permanent destruction of someone else, become a source of horror. The absence of love creates a sort of cruelty that can't even perceive itself. And it's not uncommon for human beings in particular to partake in this. Humans dance on the graves of those they deem enemies not because they're relieved to be safe, but because they glory in the end of other lives. They don't recognize that anything of value was lost. There is no tragedy in death anymore. Every gentle moment, every vulnerability, every tragedy in their opponent's life is something to be crapped on and gloated over. There is no greater insult to life itself. Myrkul stands as a reminder that such behavior cannot stand. You can't treat life or death as cheap. To see something horrific and fail to realize the weight of its horror is itself a form of horror. The idea of a death that demands to be acknowledged for what it is, particularly by the living, imo actually denotes a level of care for life too. It might be harsh or ugly, but I don't know about evil. So while Myrkul is certainly flawed and often serves as an antagonist, I’d argue the function he performs is not only important but necessary.

And while it might vary between players, I found Aylin's enthusiastic executions and body defiling pretty uncomfortable. I understand she went through a lot and am fine with her as a character. But I think Myrkul's point stands if the audience feels even a moment of disquiet seeing her celebrate over the corpse of a broken person.

Some things are meant to be ugly.

BANE

Of the Dead Three I find Bane the most disturbing and dangerous tbh—but not for how Gortash invokes him. Way I see it, the other word for tyranny is authoritarianism on a macro-level, abuse on an individual level.

I’d argue that in life, we can only healthily control ourselves and our own individual actions/choices. We can try to persuade others or appeal to their judgment, but we can’t MAKE another person think or act how we wish. When folks attempt otherwise (individually or more broadly) it involves fear, force, deceit, or other forms of pressure. Coercion, enslavement. These fall under the umbrella of tyrannical practice to me. You treat another person as subhuman and strip them of agency.

We don’t live in a pure and ideal world. If a tyrannical person is committing crimes and denying others their free will through force, I wouldn’t call defense through force tyrannical as long as it wasn’t needlessly excessive. Power struggles exist. But the whole practice of using fear, force, deceit, or pressure to control another person is dangerous imo. They're to be utilized as little as possible.

In DnD I don’t think the fringe evil cults would be the ones most at risk for corruption by Bane. I don't think individuals or groups who prioritize self-indulgence would be most at risk, either. The most dangerous and frequent disciples of Bane imo would be within good alignment. This means followers of benevolent gods as well as the nations or groups that consider themselves to have righteous causes. ESPECIALLY those with chips on their shoulders.

When someone assumes they have and always will have the moral high ground, that they are incapable of committing injustice, that their end justifies whatever means, that it doesn’t count as abuse with the 'correct' target… that, to me, is where tyranny festers. The person convinced of their own moral infallibility is the one who sees no need for brakes and so cuts them without concern.

I’d argue everybody has a seed of tyranny in them that can be fed or starved. We feed that seed with our own indignation to become a tyrant victimizing others while still seeing ourselves as powerless. The person who first victimized you can still also be victimized by you. There isn’t a target that exists where finding joy in cruelty gets a pass.

Bane, I think, thrives on the idea that it's no problem if you're enforcing your will. Especially on people contemptible to you.

For DnD purposes, imagine you have zealous followers of idk Tyr. They are willing to do whatever it takes to enforce and spread their definition of justice. They believe in making examples of people at every opportunity. They torture, isolate, rob, and shame those they consider to be unjust or dangerous. If their victims are falsely accused—well. It’s for a noble purpose so the sacrifice is not in vain. And imagine Tyr abandons these followers as hypocrites. He no longer empowers clerics or paladins no matter how they cite scripture or brand ‘heretics’ with his symbols.

Bane doesn’t enter calling himself Bane, god of tyranny. Bane claims to follow a higher justice. Maybe he uses an avatar, maybe he chooses a Banite disciple, maybe he finds a true believer. But he argues that Tyr as an individual was never ultimately what those zealots stood for—it was justice itself. And if Tyr has turned traitor to his own portfolio, mortals need to go over his head to the core concept and implement that. Bane offers a name that suits his purposes and begins sourcing power to clerics and paladins instead. And throughout, as the zealots commit increased atrocities against those they deem dangerous or evil they fail to realize they’ve spiraled into evil alignment after all. They’d think they were either just as good as they’d always been OR BETTER. The compassion of Ilmater is spent on the depraved and corrupt as far as they’re concerned.

I think the real threat of Bane is that he should be 100% capable of corrupting an otherwise heroic party member if they aren’t wary of that capacity in themself. You suddenly find your friend who listened to your problems and supported you through awful shit mocking a person sobbing on the ground as they kick them. And that friend looks betrayed and hurt (or outraged) if you challenge their actions, because they think you should know exactly how disgusting this piece of shit is and how much they deserve the abuse. And even if you concede that individual case—it’s not the only one. The slights worthy of torment become smaller and smaller. A thought or word out of line betrays the ideology of an evil alignment, with the only solution being to beat thoughts and words out of the target until they can only repeat approved ideas back. And even then, it may not be enough.

If it was explicitly confirmed that the deity the zealot followed was Bane all along, the zealot might genuinely not believe it. They might get pissed at the very suggestion. What they do against the wicked isn’t tyranny after all. They’re righteous.

Denial doesn’t serve to disempower Bane in the least if tactics remain unchanged.

BHAAL

I’m holding off on more detailed Bhaal thoughts until I complete a dark urge run, but I’ve listened to lore on both him and the demon lord Yeenoghu recently—and I think there’s room for a really cool potential contrast.

Yeenoghu Lore

Providing this particular video link for the curious, as a way to help illustrate what I’m drawing from.

Yeenoghu holds the title as demon lord of slaughter. He glories in filth, rape, excessively graphic murder, torture, violence, and playing with corpses along the way. He’s meant to come across as a bestial, self-absorbed, remorseless desecrater. And when I say bestial, I want to draw attention to a particular IRL factoid that might be worth considering.

I love animals to bits. I don’t think animals generally contemplate morality the way humans do just due to cognitive differences and limitations. I also think it’s important to remember that humans are ALSO animals, so certain things umbrella’d under ‘human experience’ would probably apply to at least some animals too. If there are human altruists and human serial killers, we should be able to expect that animals likewise have some altruists and some serial killers within the scope of individual variation.

Cruelty is not exclusive to humans. Orcas will essentially torture smaller animals to death by flinging them into the air with their tails repeatedly like balls until repeated beatings and suffocation kill them. Dolphins commit rape and chew on live puffer fish to get high off the toxins. Chimpanzees are a horror unto themselves with cannibalism and mutilation and basically whatever atrocity they can commit. Wolves and cats sometimes hunt to excess just for the joy of it and don’t eat all they kill. Hannibal the swan (as a specific and notably homicidal individual) beat and drowned any other swans visiting his pond and showed his signet how to do it. I could go on. Some cases it might be a matter of the animal not having theory of mind to recognize that they are inflicting pain on another conscious creature. Other times, like with pissed off chimpanzees, they know EXACTLY what they’re doing and it’s on purpose to cause maximum suffering.

I think Yeenoghu should embody a little bit of both propensities. He’s just utterly self-absorbed and doesn’t give a fuck about the experiences or perspectives of other living things except insofar as they impact him.

Bhaal I want to research more like I said, but one thing I remember from my initial play through was finding a note from the Dark Urge to Orin.

Little sister, whatever in the Gray Wastes are we going to do with you? Bhaal will never care that you waste your time, posing your corpse-dollies. Bhaal doesn’t care whether you give him the corpse of a pauper or a king. At the end of the day, all Father wants is death in droves, death in numbers. To sap away the life of this dull world as swiftly and widely as we can. You plan, you plot, you prevaricate, and you waste his time. Bhaal doesn’t need us to think. He needs us to kill. You kill beautifully, and have talents in your shapes’ magics that I never will. But you do not understand Lord Bhaal. Perhaps it is a failing of your diluted blood, as a mere grandchild. I am his sole living pureblood. I will accept no challenge from you, until you show some damned respect.

To be honest this is interesting af to me because it positions Orin a bit more in-line with Yeenoghu’s modus operandi in some ways. But what sets apart the principles of Bhaal from Yeenoghu or Myrkul?

The Dark Urge suggests the goal of Bhaal is the extinction of all life, but to be honest I’m a bit skeptical. Seems like short term thinking. Even if Bhaal pulled that off, once it’s done there is no more murder or god of murder for that matter. If Bhaal is aiming for a cessation of existence and wants everyone else along for the ride maybe that’s what he’s after, but I dunno. That seems like something fans/players/loremasters would have touched on before.

I’d like to invite this possibility for foiling instead:

Life consumes other life by nature. Animals, plants, fungi, bacteria, so forth—it isn’t just a matter of philosophy. One life cannot exist without destroying another. We need to eat. If we don’t, we die well before reproduction enters the picture. But it’s more than that… you take a step, you kill countless tiny organisms you aren’t even aware of. You swat a fly. You hit something with your car. You move gracelessly or touch carelessly, and catastrophe ensues. Etcetera.

It is inevitable that your existence will mean the end for the life of another living thing. That’s just how it goes.

It could be interesting on a LOT of fronts (both as members of the dead three and as former adventuring companions) if Bhaal acted as a kind of philosophical opposite to Myrkul the way I previously described.

If the Dark Urge’s note is to be trusted, Bhaal has no interest in ritual or glorified death per se. Bhaal would be more about the mundanity that comes through the act of killing. Life is fragile as-is and often ended by accident. Killing in its most common form is thoughtless and unconscious. To Bhaal, if every life is a universe then the universe looks meaningless. There is no importance or fanfare to any of it. If one side is ‘everything matters, give weight to life and death’, Bhaal would be ‘nothing matters, we are not capable of affording reverence to every single life and death we encounter’. More specifically, the mass deaths Bhaal favors would be a kind of illustration of the uncaring and casual relationship living things have with killing other living things. The more casual and effortless it is, the more I’d imagine it serves Bhaal. Sadism and revelry miss the point—there is no hierarchy. Suffering is inconsequential. Fear is inconsequential. Instinct is inconsequential. To live is to kill by Bhaal’s logic.

It isn’t limited to murder in the sense of a member of one species killing a member of the same species. It’s more Bhaal is the god of killing. He’d gain power from murder too sure, but also hunting, harvesting, and butchering. With these interpretations in-mind, we can actually figure out how the Dead Three might have answered Jergal's question about what worth a mortal life holds. With the disclaimer this is very much conjecture. I think Myrkul would likely be "Each life is of infinite value and merits sacrificing everything for." That lends life a heavy weight and makes death a fearful force for all. It would also mesh with Ketheric as his chosen. Bane would lean into "That depends on a person's deeds", "The only life that matters is mine", or "Depends on the mortal". From those positions, the speaker argues for a hierarchy of life where some is more expendable than the rest. It's easier from that position to slide into adopting a role as judge and executioner, and from elevating yourself into a role of authority where other voices and experiences count less than your own. Bhaal I think is reflected in "Life’s only value is as currency. Doesn’t matter to me otherwise", "The only life that matters is mine", or "No one life is worth more than any other. We are equal." Bhaal has the implicit question in-turn: what is the blood-price of your own life? How much have you claimed in your own name to keep moving? It's kind of the belief that while "The only life that matters is mine" is Bhaal's answer, every other living thing should be answering the same way. There's more nuance than that of course, and likely truth falls somewhere in the middle. We aren't mentally capable of giving reverence to every death, but we can recognize in general terms and do our best case-by-case. We have a right to protect ourselves and what we love, but others share that right.

Feel free to offer different stances or thoughts though, and if you made it this far goddamn thank you for reading this monster.

[astrojulia]

I don't know if you're taking asks rn I saw ur post about the asteroid Fan I was wondering if you could do the same about the asteroid actor (12238) it'd be really cool to know more about this asteroid thank you😊

Asteroid Actor (12238): Understanding Its Signs and Houses

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       ੈ♡˳Askbox    ੈ♡˳Sources

₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ About the Asteroid: The Asteroid Actor is more complex than it initially appears. Simply relying on the name and mythology of a celestial body is not sufficient. If that were the case, Uranus would have a completely different meaning. Based on my research, Actor does not represent what you, anon, might expect. The name Actor was not chosen because of a profession. “Asteroid 12238 Actor, a Jupiter Trojan, was discovered on December 17, 1987, by Eric W. Elst and Guido Pizarro at La Silla Observatory near Pedernales, Coquimbo, Chile”. It was named Actor to represent a person called Actor, a common name in ancient Greece. However, Actor is a COMMON NAME , and there are different theories regarding its origin. Some say it was named after the king of Phthia, while others think it was named after the father of Cteatos and Eurytos. Therefore, its meaning is not definitive. Combining the available data and my own observations, I have come to the conclusion that the Asteroid Actor is not solely about performance in TV or theater. In my conclusion it shows ability to adapt, assume different roles, and navigate different situations in life, to see with persona you normally need to be (sign) in an specific place (house), or else.. you break.

₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ Sources and Inspirations:As I mentioned in "About the Asteroid," I used the post by @a-d-nox and Mark as my sources. These two individuals have different perspectives and employ distinct methods to derive meaning. I believe this is what astrology is all about—diverse viewpoints and interpretations. Remember, the discovery of Ceres predates that of Pluto, and when Pluto was discovered, it required discussion and analysis, until today we don't have so much data about Pluto and even less about Ceres. Similarly, we need to engage in these processes with the asteroids and astrology in general. Even if there are mistakes, it serves as a starting point. Also, the image template in from minikyuns on deviantart.

Asteroid Actor in Signs

₊˚ପ⊹┊ Aries: individuals possess an innate ability to adapt and assume various roles with confidence and enthusiasm. They excel at portraying bold, assertive,passionate, audacious personas and are natural leaders on the stage of life.

₊˚ପ⊹┊ Taurus: they embody a grounded and practical approach in their persona. They excel at portraying characters with sensuality, determination, and a steadfast commitment to their craft.

₊˚ପ⊹┊ Gemini: they possess versatile and adaptable persona. They excel at portraying multifaceted characters, effortlessly transitioning between different personas and communication styles. They normally will change the way they communicate, their expressions, language.

₊˚ପ⊹┊ Cancer: they bring deep emotional sensitivity and empathy to their persona. They excel at portraying with profound emotional depth and familial connections.

₊˚ପ⊹┊ Leo: individuals shine brightly on the stage of life. They possess a natural flair for the dramatic, commanding attention and portraying a persona with charisma and passion.

₊˚ପ⊹┊ Virgo: they bring meticulous attention to detail and a perfectionistic approach to their persona. They excel at portraying with precision, subtlety, and an analytical mindset.

₊˚ପ⊹┊ Libra: they possess a natural talent for bringing harmony and balance to their persona. They excel at portraying with grace, charm, and a keen understanding of relationships.

₊˚ପ⊹┊ Scorpio: they delve into the depths of human emotions, bringing intensity and passion to their persona. They excel at portraying complex, mysterious and are skilled at expressing the darker aspects of the human psyche.

₊˚ପ⊹┊ Sagittarius: they embrace a spirit of adventure and exploration in their persona. They excel at portraying with a zest for life, wanderlust, and a philosophical perspective.

₊˚ପ⊹┊ Capricorn: they approach their persona with discipline, ambition, and a strong work ethic. They excel at portraying with authority, responsibility, and a drive for success.

₊˚ପ⊹┊ Aquarius: they bring a unique and unconventional approach to their persona. They possess a keen intellect, originality, and a progressive mindset. Their persona are characterized by their ability to portray eccentric and visionary characters.

₊˚ପ⊹┊ Pisces: they possess a deeply empathetic and intuitive approach to their persona. They have a natural ability to tap into the emotional depths and portray them with sensitivity and compassion. Their persona are marked by their dreamy, ethereal quality, and their ability to evoke powerful emotions others.

Asteroid Actor in Houses

₊˚ପ⊹┊ 1st house

Life situations: Personal identity, self-expression, self-discovery, self-confidence, personal appearance, overall well-being.

Physical places: Your own personal space, your immediate environment, places where you showcase your individuality and identity (e.g., your home, your workspace, your favorite hangout spots).

₊˚ପ⊹┊ 2nd house

Life situations: Finances, material possessions, values, self-worth, earning capacity, financial stability.

Physical places: Banks, financial institutions, places where money is exchanged or invested, places where you engage in activities related to your possessions or wealth (e.g., shopping malls, real estate agencies, investment firms).

₊˚ପ⊹┊ 3rd house

Life situations: Communication, learning, siblings, short-distance travel, intellectual pursuits.

Physical places: Schools, libraries, educational institutions, bookstores, places of learning or teaching, places where you engage in conversations or communicate with others (e.g., cafes, community centers, neighborhood gathering spots).

₊˚ପ⊹┊ 4th house

Life situations: Home, family, emotional well-being, ancestral heritage, roots.

Physical places: Your home, places where you feel emotionally connected and secure, places of family gatherings or events, places that hold personal significance (e.g., family homes, ancestral lands, heritage sites).

₊˚ପ⊹┊ 5th house

Life situations: Creativity, self-expression, romance, entertainment, hobbies, children.

Physical places: Art studios, theaters, concert venues, places of artistic expression, places where you engage in recreational activities or hobbies, places associated with romance or dating (e.g., parks, amusement parks, theaters).

₊˚ପ⊹┊ 6th house

Life situations: Work, health, daily routines, service, responsibilities.

Physical places: Workplaces, offices, hospitals, clinics, gyms, places where you engage in daily routines or self-care practices, places where you provide service or engage in service-oriented activities.

₊˚ପ⊹┊ 7th house

Life situations: Relationships, partnerships, marriage, contracts, collaborations.

Physical places: Places where you meet others, social events, cafes, restaurants, courthouses, places of legal matters or contract signing, wedding venues.

₊˚ପ⊹┊ 8th house

Life situations: Transformation, shared resources, intimacy, inheritances, occult studies.

Physical places: Banks, financial institutions, places associated with shared resources or investments, places of research or investigation, places where occult or metaphysical studies take place.

₊˚ପ⊹┊ 9th house

Life situations: Higher education, philosophy, spirituality, long-distance travel, exploration.

Physical places: Universities, places of higher learning, places of worship, sacred sites, places associated with spirituality or philosophical teachings, places of long-distance travel or exploration.

₊˚ପ⊹┊ 10th house

Life situations: Career, public image, authority, achievements, recognition.

Physical places: Offices, workplaces, government buildings, places associated with authority or leadership, places of professional gatherings or events, places of public recognition or achievement.

₊˚ପ⊹┊ 11th house

Life situations: Friendships, social networks, goals, aspirations, community involvement.

Physical places: Community centers, social clubs, networking events, places of group activities or gatherings, places where you engage in social causes or community service.

₊˚ପ⊹┊ 12th house

Life situations: Solitude, spirituality, subconscious, hidden matters, retreat.

Physical places: Retreat centers, monasteries, spiritual sanctuaries, hospitals, prisons, places of seclusion or isolation, places associated with healing or therapy.

(CC) AstroJulia Some Rights Reserved

[arminsfavoritepookie]

ROCKSTAR EREN HCS (pt.3)

- Fluff and Angst

( shout out to that one anon )

Rockstar Eren is a towering figure on the stage, commanding attention and awe from audiences across the globe. With a gruff voice that growls with intensity and a rough exterior that seems to shield him from the world around him, he's the quintessential rock icon, a larger-than-life persona that embodies everything that's rebellious and daring about the music industry. 

Yet for those lucky enough to know him intimately, there's so much more to Eren than meets the eye. Beneath the brooding exterior lies a heart that's overflowing with romantic sentimentality, a man who's never shy about expressing his love for those he cares about. His devotion to you is evident in the matching initials necklaces that the two of you wear around your necks, a pair of perfectly crafted trinkets that showcase the bond you share with each other.

It's a testament to Eren's sweet and sensitive side, the kind of love that can make even the toughest rockers weak in the knees.  It's not just the necklaces that are a symbol of his affection, though. When you're getting ready to head out on the town, he'll peer over your shoulder and help you pick out the perfect outfit and accessories.

His fingers brush softly against your skin as you play with his hair, lost in thought as he contemplates which earrings or bracelet would best complement your look. It's a ritual that's become a tradition between the two of you, a way to bond and connect in a world that can often feel overwhelming and hectic. 

Of course, there are moments when the constant sweetness and attention can be a bit overwhelming. It's a strange juxtaposition to go from being the lover of a tough, rebellious rockstar to a partner who's always doting and tender. But just when you start to feel smothered, Eren surprises you with yet another heartwarming gesture that makes your heart skip a beat. 

Maybe it's a love letter, scrawled in his scratchy handwriting and hidden inside the pages of your favorite novel. Or perhaps it's a rare vinyl record that he spent months searching for, a copy of an album that you listened to endlessly when you were growing up. Whatever it is, it always comes with a sincerity and tenderness that's hard to resist. Eren has a way of making you feel cherished and appreciated, of reminding you that even the toughest rockers have a soft spot for the people they love. 

Rockstar Eren tattoos always catch your attention. His chest and back were a canvas adorned with intricate artwork, each symbol holding a secret meaning only between you. Sometimes his fingers traced the inked patterns and you couldn't help but marvel at the depth and complexity of his self-expression. 

Tonight, however, his focus was on one particular tattoo. With a mischievous smile, he leaned in close and whispered in his deep, seductive voice, "Wanna see my latest addition, pretty?" Your curiosity piqued, you nodded eagerly, anticipation building within you. 

Slowly, sensually, he peeled off his shirt, revealing a tapestry of art that had become a part of him. And there, above his heart, nestled amongst a bed of roses, was your name, forever etched into his flesh. The red ink glistened, still fresh and raw, contrasting with the weathered and faded colors of his older tattoos. 

Your fingers trembled as they yearned to touch the ink, to trace the curves of each letter that symbolized your place in his heart. With a tenderness that spoke volumes, you ran your fingers lightly across his lower stomach, reveling in the shivers that danced across his skin. Time seemed to stand still in that moment as you gazed into his intense eyes, your heart pounding with a mix of love, fear, and vulnerability

Your lips formed a hesitant whisper, betraying the inner turmoil of your racing thoughts. "Are you sure... Are you sure you want to have your name inked onto your body like this?" A hint of apprehension quivered in your voice, but it was met with a soft, reassuring smile that played upon his lips. The sincerity that radiated from his eyes mirrored his unwavering conviction.

"You own my body," he murmured, his words dripping with tenderness.

"Every single inch." 

His eyes never left yours as he spoke, his gaze a fierce declaration of the love and devotion he held for you. The way his brow raised slightly only accentuated the depth of his commitment. "And I wouldn't have it any other way," he continued, his voice filled with a tenderness that sent shivers down your heart.

"I want your name to be forever etched onto my skin. I want you to be a part of me in a way that can never be taken away."

Rockstar Eren, with his tousled brown locks and weathered leather jacket, was the embodiment of rebellious charm. His green eyes, adorned with smoky eyeliner, glimmered with mischief as his lips curved into a mischievous smile. And it wasn't just his piercing gaze that captivated you; it was the plethora of piercings that adorned his body.

His perfectly sculpted eyebrow, ears, and nose were all littered with silver and steel, but it was one particular piercing that bewitched you—the tantalizing glint of his tongue piercing in the moonlight was irresistibly alluring. Every time you locked lips with Eren, the coolness of the metal against your own ignited a shiver between your thighs.

The taste of rebellion and recklessness mingled on your tongues, as the slight roughness of his piercing pressed against your tongue. A trail of of saliva would connect your lips, a tangible reminder of the kiss shared between you. Reluctantly, you pulled away, but the pull of his touch left you craving more. 

The way his plush lips grazed your shoulder, his breath hot against your skin, intensified the connection you shared. It was as if his piercing had an effect on every nerve ending, causing a symphony of tingles and goosebumps.

You couldn't tear your eyes away from the small piece of metal nestled within his mouth. Mesmerized, you watched it glisten and glimmer whenever he spoke, hypnotized by the play of light against its polished surface.  You fought valiantly to hide your infatuation, your insatiable hunger for the metallic charm that adorned his tongue. You resisted the temptation to openly stare, but it was a battle you were gradually losing. The magnetism of his piercing was simply too powerful to resist. 

Then, one fateful night, Eren caught you in the act of admiring him, his gaze locking with yours. The intensity in his eyes matched only by the wicked smirk that played upon his lips. His voice, a seductive rasp, sent delightful shivers down your spine as he questioned, "What are you staring at?" Your mind faltered for a moment, the feeling of embarrassment rippled through your brain as you desperately grasped for an explanation. "Oh, nothing," you stammered, struggling to come up with a believable excuse. "Just...thinking, I guess." 

Eren's smirk grew wider, the gleam in his eyes betraying his understanding of your hidden thoughts. He stepped closer, the smell of leather and a faint hint of musk engulfing you. His voice dropped to a tantalizing whisper, laden with suggestive undertones. "Sure, sure," he teased, his words brushing against your ear like a caress. 

"But if you keep looking at me like that, I'll give you something else to think about, yeah?"

Rockstar Eren couldn't get enough of taking pictures of you, the camera just couldn't stop clicking away. The digital storage in his camera was brimming with photos of you in every setting. Whether you were sleeping soundly on the tour bus with drool dribbling down your chin, indulging in luxurious meals at swanky restaurants.

Even when you clumsily strummed his guitar, a laughable attempt at imitating his musical abilities- he always had his camera handy, capturing every precious moment with you.  With a sly grin, Eren would often say "Gotta keep these memories with you forever," while he snapped a shot of the two of you creating makeshift stages in the cozy loft you shared, passionately belting out songs with imaginary crowds cheering you on.

He just couldn't help himself, every move you made seemed to inspire him to freeze the moment in time. Every laugh, every tear, every twinkle in your eyes - Eren's camera caught it all. 

It was obvious that Eren was head-over-heels in love with you. Whenever he gazed into your eyes, he saw an ocean of love and admiration. He was captivated by your charm, your wit and your passion for life. Being a rockstar, he had his fair share of groupies throwing themselves at him, but they were no match for the way you had stolen his heart. 

Rockstar Eren lounged at the edge of his luxurious bed, his toned chest accentuated by the snug white wife-beater that hugged his chest, showcasing the sculpted abs and arms that made you swoon. The casual shorts he wore revealed the well-defined legs that he had earned from his years of stage performance.

You begged him let you smoke with him and you noticed a moment of hesitation that briefly flashed in his eyes. However, the prospect of witnessing you in an altered state was enough to break through any of his lingering doubts, and he readily agreed to indulge in your invitation.  

With a sly grin, he motioned for you to join him on the bed. As you climbed onto his lap, straddling him, he leaned back against the plush headboard. You couldn't help but notice the warm breath that he exhaled, infused with a hint of anticipation that caused your heart to skip a beat. The room transformed into a haven of sensuality, as the thick smoke of the blunt weaved its way around you, blurring the edges of your perceptions. 

His voice was deep and gravely, laced with seductive tones, as he leaned forward, his lips a breath away from your ear. "Are you certain about this, baby?" he questioned, his fingers caressing your hip, tracing intricate patterns that left a trail of goosebumps on your skin. His gaze locked onto yours, searching for any signs of doubt. 

A mischievous giggle bubbled up inside you as you squirmed on his lap, his grip on you instinctively tightening as you brushed against his growing arousal. "Please, Ren," you pleaded, your eyes alight with a daring twinkle. "I want to do this with you." 

Without hesitation, he reached for the table beside the bed, retrieving a perfectly rolled blunt and a sleek lighter. His hands were confident, deftly flicking the lighter and bringing the blunt to life with a cherry-red ember. The scent of sweet, sticky herb permeated the air as he took a deep inhale before passing it to you.  As you accepted the blunt, his gaze remained fixed on you, studying your every reaction with intensity.

With a steady hand, you brought the joint to your lips, following his instructions carefully. You felt a surge of excitement rush through your veins as you inhaled slowly, feeling the thick smoke swirling into your lungs and weaving its way through your body. 

As you exhaled, your eyes locked onto his, noticing the faint blush that had appeared on his cheeks. Eren's free hand found its way to the back of your neck, pulling you closer to him. The need that radiated from his touch was clear. He shifted your position, and in a smooth motion so you were facing him, his intent clear.

"You did so good, pretty," he whispered, a wicked smirk curling at the corners of his lips as they pressed firmly against yours. His breath mingled with yours, and the taste of his tongue flooded your senses. "Again?" he murmured against your chest mouth, his voice low and filled with desperation. 

In a seamless motion, he effortlessly took the joint from your fingers, the ember burning vibrantly in the dimly lit room. With a hint of reverence, he tilted his head slightly and blew into your parted lips, releasing a cloud of cherry-flavored smoke that enveloped you both. The room seemed to spin as you inhaled deeply, the intoxicating fumes invading every inch of your being. 

Leaning back ever so slightly, he allowed you to exhale, watching as the smoke escaped your parted lips. With an almost hypnotic rhythm, the smoky tendrils swirled around his mouth, intermingling with his own before he breathed it back into you It was an intimate exchange, the shared breath dancing within the warm confines of his mouth, drawing you further into a hazy frenzy. 

Caught up in the electrifying intensity, you couldn't help but nibble on his lower lip, eliciting a slight whimper from him. The taste of his blood mingled with the heady mixture of smoke , adding a hint of primal excitement to the air. "You're a dirty girl..teasing me like this" he growled, a mix of pleasure and frustration lacing his voice.

“You like torturing me?”

Rockstar Eren sat on a plush chair, his eyes filled with mischief as he watched you meticulously applying his eyeliner. With intense concentration, you delicately traced a line along his eyelids, determined to achieve the perfect symmetry. But Eren couldn't help but chuckle softly, his amusement evident in the way his eyes crinkled at the corners. 

"Do you need some assistance?" he whispered, his warm breath caressing your arm as he leaned closer to plant a tender kiss on your skin. Irritated by his distraction, you playfully tapped the side of his head and muttered, "Stop moving, you're distracting me." 

Undeterred, Eren's hold on your hips tightened, his large hands offering comfort against your bare skin. He adored watching you in this state of intense focus, relishing in your unwavering determination to complete the task at hand. After what felt like an eternity, you stepped back with a satisfied huff, believing that you had triumphantly mastered the art of applying eyeliner. 

As Eren gazed into the mirror, however, your triumph quickly turned to exasperation. The lines you painstakingly drew resembled more of a chaotic wave than the sleek and sharp look you had aimed for. A smudged streak added to your frustration, and you turned to Eren, a scowl forming on your face.

  "Why are you laughing?" you snapped, crossing your arms in a huff. "It's not like you could do any better." Eren's laughter resonated through the room, blending harmoniously with the soft rock music playing in the background. He took a step closer, his arms encircling your waist, as he planted a soft kiss on your pouting lips. 

"You really are cute," he said, his voice laced with amusement, "I may not be an expert at applying eyeliner, but the sight of you concentrating and doing a horrible job is simply adorable." A mischievous grin crept onto his face, and his green eyes twinkled with unabashed adoration. "Besides, perfection is overrated. I love the way you do it, even if it's a little crooked." 

His words dissolved your annoyance, and a reluctant smile tugged at the corners of your lips. Eren possessed an uncanny ability to transform any situation into a moment of tenderness and affection. Leaning in, you pressed a gentle kiss against his lips, your hands getting lost in the unruly mess of his hair.  "Well, you're lucky I love you," you teased, the warmth of his embrace soothing your earlier frustration.

"But remember, the next time you need eyeliner, you're on your own."  Eren chuckled, his arms enveloping you tighter. "Fair enough," he agreed, his voice filled with playful acceptance.

"But you'll always be my favorite artist, even if your canvas is a bit unconventional."

“Fuck off, Jeager” 

[atrophiedemotion]

alien stage & the predictability of fandom

psa: this is all in good fun and in the name of media analysis, i am not trying to police enjoyment of media or fandom. this is just smth to make people think, and point out correlations between the alnst universe and fanon interpretation!

alien stage is a very interesting and thought provoking piece of media in that it, in universe, is literally a piece of media. we, the viewer, are watching the same thing the alien viewers in the alien stage universe are. we are merely observers in the same way the in-universe alien stage fans are.

this correlation between fictional viewer and real viewer is very fun to think about, especially when in extra content we even get to learn a bit about how alien fans interact with alnst- and it doesn't seem much different than how we do.

a big piece of alien stage is the fact that everything the characters experience; their love, misery, pain, and loss, is all commercialized in a way they cannot consent to and cannot control. they are raised and kept alive solely to be entertainment. (alnst, under it all, is also probably a nudge to how celebrities/ccs/people in the public eye are ripped of a lot of their autonomy)

and, well... how are we, as alien stage fans, much different than the in-universe alien fans of alien stage?

the more i think about it, the more it becomes clear that for the most part we aren't.

fanon in general has this tendency to lean towards light, funny, almost purified versions of characters and events. which makes sense, right? fandom is used for escapism for most people. it being fun and silly as a way to celebrate characters outside of their sometimes darker universes makes people happy, and there's absolutely nothing wrong with that.

in the instance of alien stage, though there's still nothing wrong with wanting to bring lightness to these characters (they definitely deserve it), there is something to be said about it. about the way fans often mischaracterize or reduce characters down to certain defining traits. which, again, common in fanon.

but in alien stage... that's exactly what the characters have to deal with in-universe. their stories being talked over, discussed and fawned over without having a single say in it. and even when they do try to have a say in it (till's incessant 'rebellion', mizi attacking luka, ivan breaking his persona, sua silently sacrificing herself, etc), their attempts are only seen as more drama for the aliens to revel in.

i think a big part of alien stage is the fact that the fandom (for the most part) acts exactly as one would expect them to. though there is deep discussion, it's typically overshadowed by fluff and jokes. the characters are simplified and stripped of their intricacies that make them so painfully alive and human in the material.

mizi, our main character, starts out ignorant to the reality of the world around her and has her entire universe shattered in front of her, and im not just talking about sua. everything she's ever known is shown to her to be a fabrication, a lie she thoughtlessly bought because she was a sheltered child. her ptsd, anger, distress, misery, and character growth through discovery of the truth are often overlooked in favor of 'cute pink lesbian who will do anything for her girlfriend including a surprising right hook'.

till, the only current participant in alien stage who is outwardly uncooperative and resentful towards the segyein, is constantly subjected to horrific abuse and only finds solace in creation of art and his idolization in mizi. he remains contrary to the aliens and his owner as valiantly as he can but is seen as a 'tortured artist' to them. his strong will, caring nature, and passion somehow translate into a fanon 'pathetic wet cat tsundere twink'. (it's particularly painful to me that till's distressed attempts at autonomy turns into a pathetic try at punk rebellion in fanon but. i digress.)

ivan, possibly the most complex and contradictory character (as of now), struggles with horrible self worth issues and feeling inherently different from his human peers and channels it into a miserable unrequited love because till has the fortitude to fight back when ivan doesn't. he masks his entire self to survive while yearning for freedom and expression, but never allowing it for himself. his self loathing, intelligence, masking, and apathy are usually ignored and turned into 'hot emo yearning gay yandere'.

sua, the character we have the least time with but who leaves the biggest lasting impact, was raised by her segyein as a doll and not a human and never had any brightness in her life before she met mizi and started to see the world in a different way. she gives everything up for the person who taught her how to live in a world where she was seemingly often bored and unmotivated. her unconditional love, heartbreaking past, and somewhat flawed thought processes tend to be numbed down to 'deadpan snarky protective lesbian girlfriend'.

(and ofc similar things could be said about luka and hyuna but i dont feel like i have enough knowledge about them so i will leave that to y'all)

all of these mischaracterizations/simplified characters are typically done in an unserious way, usually harmless, and at the end of the day are for fun, so why does it matter?

because that is exactly what the alien viewers of alien stage do. misunderstand the cast and simplify them to fit their view. consider their onscreen tragedies their personal form of entertainment.

i'm not saying this to try to discourage people from doing this and enjoying alnst in whatever way they want, im saying it so that people can take a step back and think about this in the way that the creators likely intended. alien stage is a statement on media in general, not just itself. and it so so interesting to see its very own fandom play into the exact same thing it subtly tries to bring attention to.

[rubra-wav]

Why So Blue? Vox x Reader

[ Part 2 - Never Gonna Give It Up ]

A/N Listen man, I don't know jackshit about code or hacking, and that's probably gonna become glaringly obvious throughout this fic 💀

Cw: SFW, gn!reader, intimidation and manipulation, slight mention of blood.

<< [ Part 1 ]

A month went by since the attack on his social media and hijacking of his camera systems had taken place.

The paranoid anticipation of a second attack was deeply present to Vox, but it faded at about the 2 week mark.

Surely, whatever imperfections there were had been mended! Someone would be thrown on the chopping block if not.

All his employees were on edge and were eager not to irritate him even a little bit after last time. Even more than usual. It was excellent to the TV demon, stroking his sadistic power complex even more than it already was.

Every blow done to his ego with the Sinstagram hacking had fallen away, and he was once again power tripping on everything around him. As expected, the home surveillance systems had made him a killing, and he could see places he'd never been able to make it to now.

All of these things put him in a rare string of a genuinely good mood. Everything seemed to be working out.

On the other hand, you worked hard on your next attack that'd far solidify your threat to him, that's for damn sure.

You'd given it a few weeks before you began to really step into your next plot, wanted to lure him into a false sense of security so he'd fall harder off his high horse.

You laid on your stomach in the middle of your living room surrounded by your collection of monitors, clicking away with one hand and typing code out with the other.

The next stage of you trolling him was just gonna be meme material alongside establishing your persona to properly establish your presence in hell.

The more serious pranks up your sleeve would be showing up later down the line. For now, you were just playing games with him for entertainment.

You were barely able to leave home nowadays, opting to befriending people or talking to those you knew before becoming a recluse online.

One of these friends of yours being a certain inventor who ironically very much wanted to be positively noticed by the object of your somewhat despise.

At first, it was because you took pity upon Sir Pentious, having helped to patch him up after he (literally) exploded through the wall of your apartment, however, you came to enjoy his presence.

He was power-hungry, of course. However, he also just wasn't much of a threat at all. He wasn't charming or manipulative - god, was he an awful liar - just good with making things. Pen was a glorified, awkward, and overly goofy fanboy more than anything.

You kept trying to encourage him to work on a business of his own rather than just trying displays of power against Cherri Bomb for the sake of trying to get attention from the Vees, but he just wouldn't listen.

The sound of you receiving a notification from said inventor snapped you out of spacing out at your reflection in the monitor in front of you.

I got the codes you asked for, (Name). 🫡

*Pen included attachments*

Do be careful with these, though. I had to talk to one of my acquaintances in league with lady Velvette's people for these, and they said that it seemed like bad news to have these on you!

Just what are you planning on using them for?

You hummed as you looked at the codes sent, thinking of how you would answer exactly, your eyes wandering absentmindedly to the slightly peeling painting of tree branches on the wall you had done many years ago at this point.

Your eyes snapped back to your monitor as you typed back simply.

Thank you very much! 🧡

And let's just say... tomfoolery.

....

Should I be worried?

You snorted.

Probablyyyyyy~~~

You laughed at the barrage of texts with extremely poor spelling sent to you one after the other half jokingly fretting about you. In the beginning, it was genuine panic from him, but he'd come to know you were smart enough to not kill yourself via being a menace.

Chill out, MUM. I'll be good.

I mean, you most assuredly wouldn't be good, but he didn't need to know that.

You weren't exactly going to reveal you were the one harassing Vox to anyone, even if you were friends. Doing so would be endangering you but also them as well.

You logged the access codes you had gotten from Pentious - ones you couldn't attain normally because they were physically kept in real life - humming and kicking your legs as you cleaned the attack up to make sure there wasn't some missed quotation or something which would fuck the whole thing up.

As you worked hard, a certain someone was about to wake up to the cemented vision of the series of unfortunate events you had in store for him.

-

This time, Vox woke up in a very unconventional way unlike the prior attack.

One of his main maintenance team members booted him up before his scheduled time.

He looked at the employee with confusion, which quickly turned to anger as he realised that this asshole had intruded into his sleeping quarters, he was very confident, without permission.

The embarrassment about his sleep attire of course underlying. It was hardly the same impression as what he wished to show to the world.

He instantly went to start yelling at the obviously shit scared man in front of him, but he was stopped short as he heard familiar lyrics that didn't yet fully register for him.

"What. What the fuck is that?" He asked, Vox looked at the employee who seemed to be grappling to try and explain.

"We're.. o.. angers.. o love.. u.. ow the rules, and...o do I!"

Vox's eyebrow furrowed in disbelief, mouth parting as he fought to comprehend what was going on, straining to hear what the song was.

"A.. ull.. commitments.. -at.. m.. inking of. O.. ouldn't get this.. om any other.. uy."

Seeing as the employee was useless next to him, Vox got out of bed and quickly raced to his bedroom window, ripping the blinds apart and opening the window.

"I just wanna tell you how I'm feeling, gotta make you understand."

Vox looked absolutely dumbfounded out at the scene of hell before him as his still tired brain fully comprehended what he was hearing and seeing.

"Never gonna give you up, never gonna let you down. Never gonna run around and desert you!"

Who in the fuck was rickrolling hell.

It was on every single billboard and screen that Vox could see out the window of the tall building he lived in, the image of Rick Astley singing 'Never Gonna Give You Up' with a small message Vox could barely make out at the bottom of the faraway billboard.

"S-sir, it's been playing since 6am, we haven't been able to turn it off! It's everywhere! This hacker- 'U' they call themselves, its the same person as last time it seems!" The frightened employee standing behind the hunched over and now trembling figure of Vox finally found his voice.

Vox let out a cold bark of laughter, slamming his hands against the windowsill as he jerkily moved to face the employee. "What the fuck," Vox began to approach the young man, him shrinking back from the clearly furious overlord. "Do you mean that this has been p-p-playing," Vox glitched as he gripped both hands on the techie's shoulders. "Since 6 in the fucking morning!" He yelled.

His claws dug into his shoulders hard. He was about to go fully apeshit, but the sane part of his brain won over that at the last second.

This was not one of his lowest earners, and he had far more pressing things to do then prey on the refuse lest his image be messed up any more then it already had.

He stiffly unhanded the employee, eyes admiring the way blood had started beading where his claws had dug in before taking a deep breath, composing himself and then forcing a strained smile.

"My apologies," a lie, of course. "I will deal with this accordingly myself since it seems like you and your team are un-a-able to yourselves." He spat the last part out, before striding out of his bedroom with one last 'get out.' directed at the employee shaking like a leaf in a strong breeze.

It was all over the internet and Vox knew he had no chance of dealing away with it like last time.

He could do away with a stupid Sinstagram post pretty easily. It was moreso from one source - the branches from that easily clipped and made to be forgotten about nearly completely with a carefully placed broadcast that was succinct and to the point with his hypnosis ability, and constant content moderation.

This though was a completely different story.

Even after kicking you from his system (he hoped), he found himself unable to even begin to try moderate everything as he did last time. He couldn't escape 'U' becoming a viral meme overnight.

Someone with obviously incredible hacking skills using said skills not to attack or harm Vox or anyone, but to instead Rick Roll the entirety of hell?

Vox became a victim of the meme culture him and Velvette had cultivated to keep eyes on them, and he hated it.

He was terrified, which of course manifested as red hot anger. Anger which grew even worse as something was discovered the afternoon of him finally managing to remove the video loop being broadcasted.

An account on one of the many social media applications he owned. An account he somehow couldn't touch with one single post going absolutely viral - the same as the text that was displayed across the bottom of video you had infected all of his screens with which he couldn't quite see from out of his window the prior morning.

'Never gonna give it up, never gonna let you go. Never gonna let you run away and avoid me~ - U'

If anyone wants to be added to a taglist for when I update this fic lmk - I was unsure if the people I @ last time still wanted to be (sorry)

[ Why So Blue masterlist ]

[real-reulbbr-band]

The Reimagining of Cats Undermines Female Characterization

My anxiety's going to eat me alive if I keep being chicken about posting this so here's my more in depth feelings regarding what I mean in this post. All opinions expressed are my own and based on what I know of pac. Anyone is free to disagree with me. and thank you to @pinkieclown and @per-the-jellicle-magician for proof reading!

I”ll keep this simple cause I don’t want to get ranty on Tumblr, but by removing and cutting so many aspects of the show out they’ve lost key characterization for the female cast and replaced them with virtually nothing.

My problem isn’t that the characters don’t resemble their stage counterparts; that was expected. The issue is that they aren’t given much of a character at all. You could switch their names, and nothing would change. This problem isn’t apparent with their male counterparts with previously established on-stage storylines. 

Male characters in the reimagining, such as Munkustrap, Rum Tum Tugger, and even Macavity, retain or gain distinctive characteristics and storylines. Munkustrap is portrayed as an MC not a leader but still very much leading the show, it’s the same general role; Rum Tum Tugger as a charming rogue though slightly more akin to his 2019 movie counterpart except he still manages to ‘save the day’ at the end, and Macavity, despite his thievery, is given a more comical persona with a deeper relation to his now fellow jellicles.

 In contrast, female characters are stripped of their individuality and reduced to plot devices or mere extensions of male characters. Victoria doesn’t experience a coming-of-age or even touch Grizabella here. (It’s old Deut pretty sure which…I have problems with) She’s simply another attendant at the ball with a solo at the start that lacks deeper meaning. She’s portrayed as a ‘drag baby,’ and as stated by her actress  this isn’t even her first ball. No pas de deux or additional solo is performed to further her importance in the narrative. This reduction strips Victoria of her journey and her role within the tribe or in this case community. 

Demeter and Bombalurina have no dark history with Macavity, which affects Demeter’s characterization more than Bomb’s. They are reduced to his drag daughters and are merely other competitors at the ball who further Macavity’s story by being the ones he steals for. This change eliminates the layers of trauma and complexity in Demeter’s character, reducing her to a plot device for Macavity’s storyline.

If the female characters aren’t given distinct roles, their characters end up heavily associated with male counterparts: Jellylorum with Gus, Jennyanydots with Munkustrap, and of course, Bombalurina and Demeter with Macavity. They don’t exist as individuals without these associations, as their typical roles are relegated to the background.

In the original stage show, despite its issues in instances, female characters like Demeter and Bombalurina exhibit significant agency and emotional depth. Demeter’s fear of Macavity and Bombalurina’s protective nature towards her and the kittens add layers to their characters. The reimagining erases this agency, reducing them to passive participants who exist only to further male characters' narratives. Namely Macavity’s here.

Now, it is important to note that a lot of characterization happens outside of the character’s main numbers. Things like who they interact with in their down time, what they do when they’re not actively participating in a song besides simply watching and waiting for the next que; that’s when the actors are given time to just be the character. The actors don’t have as many opportunities to do that here just due to the formatting of the show with the runway catwalk and walking space outside it. During which they’re mostly interacting with the audience or reacting to what’s happening on stage. They don’t have a lot of moments to just interact with each other to give the audience a better feel of who they are. 

The reduction of female characters in 'Cats: The Jellicle Ball' reflects broader patterns of misogyny in the media. Historically, female characters have often been sidelined, their stories minimized, and their roles diminished to support male-centric plots. This reimagining perpetuates this problematic trend by failing to provide female characters with the same depth and development afforded to their male counterparts.

I know what you’re going to say ‘but Grizabella’. Yea, Grizabella has fifteen minutes of stage time and she’s the character who resembles her stage counterpart the most. That’s why these issues negate her and she’s of the few I don’t have this problem with, the others being Rumpleteazer, Cassandra, and Skimbleshanks as her role has never had a deeper narrative meaning outside of reflecting the behaviors of the tribe as a whole.

In conclusion, the reimagining of 'Cats: The Jellicle Ball' is a missed opportunity to reframe and enrich the narratives of its female characters. Instead, it falls into the trap of diminishing their roles and individuality, perpetuating a longstanding issue in media representation.

[artemis-maia]

I always liked that Persona 2 also talked about the Christmas cake label and the theme when exactly a woman should marry, have children or why not never marry at all and live childless. I have always thought that it was annoying when people ask about ‚when will you marry, have children etc.‘

The three example that mention the Christmas cake trope are Junko, Ulala and Mizuno.

Kurosu Junko/Queen Aquarius in Tsumi wishes to be young again since not only is Kashihara dead in Tsumi making her far more nervous about her actress career (she likely fears that she will only get aunty roles and no interesting roles anymore) and obsessed with youth. Since Jun grew up as a latch-key child he on the one hand disliked this but also wanted Junko’s attention (he plays piano to please Junko, he likes omletts since she often made them, he hates cup noodles since he associates it with being neglected). Junko then ends up redeeming herself by sacrificing herself for Jun at Caracol when she realizes that Joker is Jun.

While Junko is still pretty young as a mother (37, thus she was 20 when Jun was born) there is of course always the subject with her job as an actress if she is still able to get good roles etc. 

In Japan when actresses have children and/or marry there are almost always immediately speculations whether the actress retires (it‘s always encouraging when you see that actresses don‘t give up and return). It‘s actually quiet good for Junko that she has ended up in business for so long already.

In Batsu Kashihara Akinari is alive and Junko merely uses Kurosu Junko as a stage name this time. The family are all close on This Side.

Junko is more relaxed and it is only implied that had she some sugery this time.

I also think she she greatly resembles Tsukikage Chigusa from Glass Mask in Batsu like mentioned in an interview.

In Ulala‘s case she was born on November 30, 1974. She is 24 close to her 25th birthday since Batsu takes place in autumn 1999.

This is precisely why she is so nervous about her love life, went to Omiai, constantly mentions that she is a Christmas cake soon.

Ulala has an inferiority complex regarding Maya since Maya has a better job, Ulala cooks, cleans, applies make up and chooses outfits for Maya (in mythology Callisto is Artemis‘ servant) and since Maya who is 23 doesn‘t worry about marriage etc. at all.

Maya‘s boss Mizuno is introduced as 30-something and still not married.

Even with her who is depicted as grumpy in the beginning she later on becomes milder and talks more about her former dreams etc.

[kellyvela]

Vogue Gets A First Look At ITV’s New Drama Joan

ITV transports viewers back to the thrilling 1980s in Joan, the new series inspired by the life of diamond thief, heist “godmother” and fashion aficionado Joan Hannington, played by the inimitable actor (and British Vogue cover star) Sophie Turner

18 September 2024

“Mother, lover, liar, thief,” is how costume designer Richard Cooke describes the roles he had to consider when building a wardrobe for the titular character of ITV’s Joan. Together with hair and make-up artist Nic Collins, who echoes his sentiment – “Joan has many personalities and characters” – Cooke speaks exclusively to Vogue about the process behind the fashion looks seen in the episodes. While Hannington’s actual style contributed to the fashion and beauty moods of Turner’s character, both Cooke and Collins looked to a vast array of references – the expansive Vogue archives, Debbie Harry and Mandy Smith, to name but a few – especially for the different disguises she takes on. “You always start with the script,” explains Nic Collins of the preparation stages of bringing her interpretation of Joan Hannington to life. “Sophie Turner is beautiful, the tiniest little bit of make-up just pops, so the transformations were really easy.”

In line with Turner’s character arc and the way her roles and responsibilities develop – from a soft young mother to completing her first heist – there is a noticeable shift in the costume, hair and make-up, cleverly curated by Cooke and Collins. For instance, the more confident she becomes, the shapes and silhouettes become “stronger and cleaner”, and the more successful she becomes, the “sleeker” her bags become. And when she assumes the role as a thief, her approach to hair and make-up is rebellious. “She decides to create her new image for herself,” Collins says of the pivot. “We took inspiration from Debbie Harry and we gave Joan an ’80s peroxide bob, black eyeliner and her classic lip. We decided to keep red as her signature lip colour. It was her taking control of her life.” “When we first see her, she’s very provincial,” says Cooke of the viewer’s introduction to Hannington. And as her journey as a thief goes on, Cooke wanted to give Joan layers to her personas. “It’s about creating armour, something to protect herself,” he says. “It’s about her creating something that she can kind of hide behind.”

One of the most pivotal moments is when Joan gets married, for which Cooke created a tailored look inspired by Bianca Jagger’s iconic Yves Saint Laurent wedding suit. “This is the closest I’ve ever got to creating something perfect,” Cooke tells Vogue of his masterpiece. Here, watch Collins outline the journey of creating such a complex character, and glimpse behind-the-scenes shots of Sophie Turner as she transforms into Joan. Stay tuned for Vogue’s exclusive video with Cooke, dropping soon.

Joan will be on ITV1 and ITVX from 29th September at 9pm

~~~

Here some ss from the video inside the article:

[vikugnavikugna]

A really rough sketch for the Worm/One Piece au I've been Ponderin' for a while now. Some random ideas for the main crew under the cut:

Let's start by making things clear: this is not for any kind of fanfic or anything of the sort. I have been known to write those when I was 14 and very into RWBY, but I still struggle to write anything too complex in english and I have since given up on the hobby anyway. I just like rotating Worm characters in my head and combining them with any other brainrot I am going through at any point of my life, y'know.

As for how the au actually works, I simply deleted all the characters from the One Piece universe from existance and then tried to apply every Worm character to the preexisting societal structures and dynamics of the Three Great Powers, whilst staying as close to the currently established canon and with making up as few new Devil Fruits as possible (currently on just 1, but I haven't gone through many side characters).

Now, as evidenced by the use of Haki and presence of Imp, this fanart portrays the crew at quite a later stage of their journey - I imagine the Underside Pirates (it is a butt joke, to be clear) started off somewhere in South Blue openly working for the mysterious Captain Coil, a man trying to make a name for himself before moving to the Grand Line. What the Underside Pirates didn't actually know is that they were slowly being set up for betrayal from the very start - Captain Coil is Thomas Calvert, a retired Marine, who works under a pseudonym solely so that he can build up the persona of Captain Coil as a threat to the World Government, fake arresting himself and gain the title of a Shichibukai (and with it, the entrance to the Holy Land Mary Geoise).

For the actual crew, let's go through them one by one:

Taylor D Hebert - newest recruit of the crew, starts off as quartermaster, before being promoted to the first mate and eventually captain further down the line. The user of Jou-Jou no Mi (shamefully, the only original Fruit I made up for this au so far - it possesses about the same capabilities as Taylor's powers do in canon). Not a lot to say here - take her Worm backstory, substitute being into heroes for being inspired to join the Marines and bosh, done. After the discovery of Haki I imagine she would start gathering bugs into shapes of objects and covering the entire swarm in armament Haki for some improvised weapons (she's doing that very thing and forming a katana in the art, coincidentally). Her attack name are references to english literature (I am polish so I cannot think of an example). Possibly gay for Rachel but, since Oda writes both romance and queer people weird, it's this very anime kind of crush where she acts normal 90% of the time, but then turns into a blushing mumbling idiot when Rachel is too close. Kind of like Kuroko from Railgun but with 100% less sexual assault, y'know.

Rachel Lindt - a dogfish fishman raised outside of Fishman Island, Rachel had a pretty tough life travelling the seas alone, always narrowly avoiding whichever slave hunting crew that confused her for a mermaid at any given moment. She has no fruit powers and minimal Fishman Karate skills due to never having a proper teacher. In combat she always relied mostly on various marine life companions she gathered throughout the years of travelling the sea - in many ways, her only family. Works as the crew's helmsman. Her attack names are hilariously simple and straightforward, often said after she delivers them, rather than during action (eg. she'll just calmly punch her opponent into the ground as they are mid screaming their attack name, dust herself off and calmly say 'Right Punch' before walking off). Mostly inspired by the fact, that it always annoyed me horribly how few female fishmen there were in the series. Completely unaware Taylor has a crush on her.

Alec Vasil - son of a Yonko and an ex-Celestial Dragon, Alec was one of the many children Nikos Vasil has produced with his various mistresses. There isn't much information about the Heartbreaker in Worm proper, but I imagine him as a Doflamingo kind of figure in this au - his connections and information about the Holy Land stops the Marines from ever attacking him directly and the powers of Ito Ito no Mi, whilst limited, let him marionette people around however he wishes to fulfill his various schemes. Alec himself is no Fruit user but, due to his mother being a Mink, can use Electro. Thanks to years of experimentation with the fighting style, he developed a technique which allows him a limited control over the electricity in his enemies' muscles, purposefully mimiquing the powers of his father - both to get his father's attention and to mock his abilities ('I can do everything you can and more without being a Celestial Dragon or a Fruit user' type deal). No one really knows what his job on the ship is supposed to be and, when asked, he just usually makes up whatever lie let's him laze off some more at any given moment (usually, 'Oh, yeah, I'm on permament Lookout duty, actually'). At first I thought his attack names should be in french, but nah, this dude is just screaming the most atrocious pun attack names known to mankind probably. Responsible for making up the crew's name.

Lisa Wilbourn - the crew's de facto unofficial captain in the early days, she also doubles as a navigator. A noble of a small kingdom in South Blue, her story plays out very similarly to the canon Lisa. At some point of it all she accidently gets her hands on Giro Giro no Mi and, when her family wants to exploit her mind reading abilities for business when she's still in mourning over her brother, she escapes her home island and gets scouted by Coil. I think that a lot of the time snipers are done real dirty in One Piece, so Lisa mainly uses long range weaponry (and later Observation Haki) during combat - she simply never puts any time into mastering Armament. Honestly not much to say here, I think she was one of the most obvious Devil Fruit fits in the entire crew. Out of every person in this drawing, I am the most disatissfied with her design and thus will probably do something about it shortly.

Brian Laborn - fills the role of a first mate, cook, quartermaster, doctor, canon master, shipwright and sometimes also a ship, if need be. My friend and I discussed whether to give him a Fruit power, as the only one that fits him - that being Yami Yami no Mi, which not only visually mimics Brian's power, but also makes the user literally suffer more in combat - is way too powerful for a small ass crew. So eventually I settled for just amking him the crew's boringman Haki user and martial artist. I mean, someone does need to fish out all these dumbasses from the ocean and Rachel isn't always around, I guess. A not zero chance he steals Yami Yami no Mi from Jack's crew later on or something of the like. He may use fullbody Armament at some point, purely because I think it gets REAL bad rep in One Piece and he would make it work, I bet. His attack names are all references to real life boxing history.

Aisha Laborn - there was much debate in my head whether Aisha should be the user of Memo Memo no Mi or Suke Suke no Mi - the latter eventually won out, because I believe Aisha going unnoticed by both foes and allies is more important than actually referencing the memory aspect of her powers. She got her hands on the Devil Fruit due to one of his mother's boyfriends, who was a pirate and robbed it off of someone on sea. Aisha ate the Fruit, angering her mother's boyfriend and, after being severly beaten up, managed to activate the Fruit's abilities to become invisible and call for Brian. The following sequence plays out similarly as in canon. Aisha would be on the ship from the very beginning, but Brian usually leaves her in some town when the Underside Pirates go on any kind of mission and it's not until later that she actually joins them as crew (or rather she sneaks onto their ship claiming to be their second permanent Lookout so many times that it just became easier letting her stay).

Ship - considering the crew's size, most likely a caravel. I'm firting with it being named Atlas, but are not sold on it. Jokingly referred to is as Shrugging Atlas in my head once. I think Atlas should be their second ship, something they gain after Taylor becomes a more prominent member of the crew, and they should start off with something else. No clue what tho.

[evilpenguinrika]

Laurel Lyre Moodboard (a Candela Obscura character)

I finally finished creating the mood board for my character that I will be playing with my friends! If you wanna learn more, her bio is under the cut! It's a bit brief since I don't want to make it too long, but the more important beats are included!

Name: Laurel Lyre (born 楊小麗 / Siu Lai "Lorelei" Yeung) Age: 29 (born in 1883) Occupation: Performer - Magician/Illusionist Role: Face - Sweet Talk Specialty: Magician - The Prestige (change appearance)

Catalyst: Laurel joined Candela Obscura at 18 after witnessing her mentor shatter into glass fractals after touching a crystal pearl necklace.

Personality:

Laurel is showy and lives for the spotlight. She loves to perform tricks and wows the audience with her impeccable showmanship and sleight of hand. She's cunning, quick-witted, gregarious, confident, and assertive. But that’s Laurel--that’s her stage persona.

Lorelei is completely different. Lorelei is closed off, reserved, untrusting of others, and builds walls around her. She's self-serving and will do whatever it takes to survive, even if it means pulling others down.

She also has a bit of a saviour complex due to her past with her mother.

Background:

Lorelei grew up with a single mother, Shuyi (雪儀 Syut Yi) and lived in one of the speakeasies at the Red Lamp. Lorelei was like a daughter to the other workers and other girls at the speakeasy and always loved the atmosphere there.

One of the ladies--Caroline Salazar, would look after Lorelei when her mother was preoccupied. Auntie Caroline would teach the girl sleight-of-hand magic tricks to pass the time. But aside from learning illusory magic, Lorelei had real magick as well, though she never got a chance to fully utilize her inherent magickal abilities because her mother instinctually told Lorelei that magick was bad and to never use it again.

Growing up, Lorelei's mom had these grand delusions and unrealistic fantasies about their futures. She had instilled these ideals in Lorelei, and unfortunately, even instilled a saviour complex in the young girl. Lorelei was always told that she was going to save them, that once Lorelei's father saw her, he would immediately know she was his and would bring the two of them back with him to become a family.

Lorelei was eleven when she found her mother's dead body from a drug overdose.

Auntie Caroline adopted Lorelei soon after, but the transition was rough on the girl because she saw all the other Aunties as nothing but mean bullies who failed to save her mom. This also caused Lorelei to believe that she failed to save her mother. After all, her mother had told Lorelei she was going to save them both--that she was going to bring her father to them. But that was no longer going to happen because her mother was dead and Lorelei failed her.

Lorelei became more closed off and jaded to the rest of the world, always believing in the worst. Her idealized version of her mother slowly cracked away the longer she experienced the cruelty of reality, realizing that her mother's delusions of grandeur were nothing but childish fantasies that she never grew out of.

She got dragged into a few shady dealings and business after her mentor, Anna Margaret Moore saw potential in Lorelei. They did a few petty crimes, mostly stealing and reselling. But it wasn't until Anna Margaret saw Lorelei use magick for the first time did the older woman decided to use Lorelei even further. They were after a particular artifact of interest when they encountered members of the Red Hand. Lorelei used her magick to protect the two but accidentally incapacitated one of the Red Hand members. Anna Margaret ordered Lorelei to kill them but the teen refused as she never killed anyone before. Anna Margaret finished the job instead and found the artifact, a crystal pearl necklace. But when the woman touched it, she began to shatter like fragile glass and essentially died.

Not knowing what to do, Lorelei ran away.

[spotaus]

💙Pinned Post 💙

Hey folks! I'm Spotty/Spot/Spotaus, I'm an artist just doin' art things! I go by any pronouns (<- nb/a-gender/general gender tom-foolery. When in doubt, go with they/them) and I'm ace. I've got this side-blog running for UTMV posts I wanna reblog, as well as my personal art for old/ongoing projects!

If ya want to see my art, check #Spot!Drawn

Yes, I do take Requests, and they are Open

This blog is a Side Account! If you are followed by @spotlightstudios that is me! We might be mutuals, but it only shows properly on my end :')

[Info about Projects, AUs, and OCs below the cut!]

Projects:

If you see me posting about these, they're personal projects! (Usually a solo-act, but a few have co-creators.)

#Eternal Ashes is a 2nd Gen story about the ship-children of the Multiverse! Kane, elder son of Reaper and Geno, is killed in a battle between the Star Sanses and Night's Gang. This send the multiverse into a forced truce to avoid more crossfire killing, and Reaper's wrath... Only, Reset, Reaper and Geno's younger son, isn't satisfied with his brother's death. He and Orchid (daughter of Error and Nightmare) team up to bring Kane back to life, and end up settling into motion a multiverse-wide murder spree that spans years.

#DoppleTale is an AU I finally brought to existence recently. The monsters of the underground are all shapeshifters who fed on human flesh, until they were locked away in the mountain. With Humans becoming rarer by the day the monsters feast on Monster Candy and practice desperately to perfect their human disguises (which only get worse the less they remember what humans look like). <- This story is #Pretender!Sans 's origin au!

#Catacombtale is the oldest remaining AU that I have. It follows the story of a Human Hero who is sent to the catacombs of Mt. Ebbott to face the gods trapped within. Of course, sone if the gods are helpful, others can't forgive humanity for dethroning them. (Most of the story is pre-entrapment lore, with worldbuilding and a focus on #Ichor!Sans, my special-est tired old immortal guy who loves mortals more than he should on every given occassion.)

#Ec-4o.verse is a multiverse world (kingdomtale style?) where the earth, in a stage of Robot/Monster/Human co-existance suddenly went into a war. It wiped out a lot of people and places, and sent the world into chaos. Ec4o.verse follows Blue, a young mechanic (Techie) who's skilled in the old ways of robot repair and creation, uncovering the secrets of what started the war he's known all his life. (<- This one is both my pfp, and I draw dustedafterdeath for it pretty regularly.)

#DreamEater AU A self-indulgent Fresh × Dream fic where Dream is hit by an attack during battle that paralyzes his body. But never fear! Your trusty parasite was looking for a new host anyways! Fresh bites into Dream's soul and then realizes he will never run out of magic, so he just sticks around! Pilots Dream's body while also helping him through his Savior Complex trauma! You can also find info under the tag #Tulpa as that is their combined name/identity towards the end of the story.

#New Age AU An au inspired by Real Age AU by @ancha-aus that is set in a land of kings and queens. Night, tyrant ruler of the land, accompanied by his loyal band of murderous knights, finds himself back at Age 13, the Age he was when he first ate the apple of prophecy. Without the power, he's struggling to keep his twin at a safe distance + maintain control. (Very much Found Family here :])

The New Age Masterpost can be found here.

#Timeless AU A story of the underground. What if Dr. Gaster was alive? And living? And raised Sans and Papyrus? And Revived Asriel successfully? And was madly in love with Asgore, and got w/ him after Toriel left? Yeah, it answers all these questions. Basically, Gaster is an unintentional father to all the beloved cast in the Underground, and Asriel grows up with Sans and Paps as brothers.

Then, of course, there's my persona, N!

If you see this skeleton around, it's just my insert! N (in reflection of me) goes by she/they/he pronouns and is a menace. Most often you'll see doodles of her with my oc Ichor, Killer, or my moots personas (such as Ancha!).

And for the record:

Yes, I do takes requests (They're currently open! Send me an Ask w/ an AU, Oc (<-with ref), or UTDR character!) but I don't always actually complete them. Motivation as a uni student is few and far between.

Yes, you can draw my ocs. I don't think anyone would, but you're welcome to if you get the urge! Just, be sure to tag me! (And obviously don't claim them as your own. That'd be shitty.)

Yes, I do chat. I'm a very anxious person, tho. If you start a conversation or tag response or smth, I'll be ecstatic!

This blog is (as far as I know) going to remain SFW. I don't intend on reblogging nor creating graphic content, especially not of these god damn skeletons, so this is more or less a safe space 👍

[byemambo]

Concert Diaries: ATEEZ - TOWARDS THE LIGHT : WILL TO POWER

Artist: ATEEZ

Tour: Towards the Light: Will to Power World Tour

Date: July 31, 2024

Location: Gas South Arena, Duluth, GA

Tier: SRA/Gen Admission

Time(s) Seen: Fourth time

Favorite Songs (Title Track): Guerrilla, HALAZIA, Youth, Silver Light, MATZ, WORK, ARRIBA, DJANGO, BOUNCY (K-HOT CHILLI PEPPERS), Dreamy Day

Notable Moments (in depth reflection under the cut):

This is the second time I've been to Gas South, and it's a nice venue for the size that ATEEZ has been able to achieve all these years

The stage design was amazing, they really went all out to create an immersive experience for all of us: from props, to stage rigs, to even set props that enhanced the storytelling aspect of the concert rather than focusing on the performance alone

Totally missed Crazy Form and Say My Name because I left my house later than I needed to and I had to pee BADLY

The staff (I asked for his name after the concert was over and it's Howard!) helped me get to my seat because there were too many people within the row for us to tell whether or not my seat got snatched (which it didn't thank goodness) so I was very grateful

Even though the back seating area of the stage is farther than what I'd prefer, I personally think it's better than being on the floor and not seeing shit because everyone's phones are up in the air

I've always preferred to see the entire stage from a further distance to fully take everything in, but the camera directors were really something

In comparison to their past tours, we can see just how much more sensual and adult they've become over the years, which I think is an evolution appropriate for them now as men versus the young boys they once were

Their sensual appeal isn't uncomfortable or cringe: it's confident, it's sexy, it's just the right amount that doesn't become too explicit

Their profound confidence as a group has done them so well over the course of their careers thus far, which is something that I will always admit about them as my favorite group

They spent so much time speaking to us directly in English without using a translator to aid in expressing their thoughts, which made me surprised and I'm neither for or against (since I believe that idols are entitled to expressing themselves in the language most comfortable to them, whether that be Korean or English)

The concert set list was very performance intensive, but with a theatrical approach, which is one of my favorite things about ATEEZ: their performance is beyond knocking out a choreography well on the stage, there is story and motifs significant to them as a group

During certain parts of the ments, some of the members became shy when speaking in English with minor hiccups, and I always find that wholesome with a gentle reminder of them being ordinary people outside of their celebrity personas

The VCR was fairly interesting, highlighting their journey with their group identity within the industry and relying on their "light," whether it be to help confront their obstacles, highlight their confidence, or overcoming the darkness of failure and asking the audience to ignite their light and never be afraid. ATEEZ has fairly complex lore, but we're currently in the era of Strickland, the damnation and government ban of artistic expression and emotional awareness, targeting citizens who perform art, music, or dance. Because ATEEZ has paved a name for themselves for being one of the top groups in delivering performance, this becomes a key player in their story line as they lead an anarchic revolution for society to access their emotions and pave a name for themselves in this world.

There were various members who partook in dance solos, but the specific theatrical performance that caught my attention the most was the transformation Seonghwa undergoes, accompanied by Hongjoong and Yunho as they face the Strickland officers and capture. Once Hongjoong and Yunho were seized by the Strickland officers and leaving Seonghwa behind, their wings were ripped away from them, resulting in a loss in freedom and identity. Seonghwa attempts to free himself from the grasps of the officers, even putting up a strong fight despite being outnumbered. After suffering and struggling to resist, he finally endures the same fate, his wings being torn away from him as he cowers in a deep depression.

However, Yeosang appears behind the cage, entrapped but instead of black clothing, he wears white and seems to be dancing with hints and glimmers of hope. Rather than remaining entrapped in the cage that serves as his confinement, he makes attempts to escape the bars, eventually breaking free. This reminds me of the metaphor associated with a caged bird, only serving its life purpose as a spectacle, an example to be made out of, an example of simply existing to serve for others and sing. I resonate this concept with ATEEZ, a group that I've been a fan of predebut back in 2018, witnessing the ups and downs of their presence within the industry. Along with many moments of support and aspiration, they endured many moments of ridicule and doubt, to the point of discounting their credibility and achievements throughout their career. This never stopped or forced ATEEZ back into the cage the industry and culture wishes for them, as society has always treated such uniqueness and artistic expression with confinement and silence. Instead, it only fueled ATEEZ's passion further, finally tapping back into their own light that guided them down a more fortifying path that becomes their own, that becomes a journey less traveled.

I've followed ATEEZ since the beginning of their career, knowing about their existence as KQ Fellaz (which indirectly claimed Pick It Up as their debut anthem that still resonates with ATINYs today). This year will be six years since their debut in 2018, which makes me excited and proud to be a part of their growth and journey. Their first concert in Atlanta was at Center Stage, a venue I personally love due to its small size fit for intimate connection between artist and audience. This is the same venue that BTS performed at before they became the powerhouse they are today, which only provides more reason to believe ATEEZ's career is following a similar path that BTS had paved prior. A path and road less traveled and embarked, a path that is only possible to travel on as a group debuting under a smaller company, as the industry's prioritization of capitalistic gain creates a saturated market with inequitable opportunities for those who lack the resources. Some groups become fortunate starting their race at the official starting line: other groups start strides behind the starting line, which close minded stans and industry leaders choose to ignore and dismiss such a handicap. Throughout the course of ATEEZ's journey, I've witnessed it all: division within the fandom, demonization of key players within KQ Entertainment that the members themselves look up to and respect, the industry itself failing to protect ATEEZ and instead, make a poor example out of them through alienation and scapegoating, multiple occasions of being plagiarized and ripped off of without pretense for their own hard work and desire to bring more to the industry that has shown to despise them. However, as I align with a similar fate as ATEEZ in my own personal life: we all never chose to give up and allow the hatred and dismissal to consume us whole, but rather idealize ourselves as a burning fire that only continues to grow from being fed wooden logs. ATEEZ will always be known for their raw power and passion, moving not only those who have supported them at various eras of their career, but capturing the hearts of those outside of the community through their connecting in a shared language: music and artistic expression. The amount of pride I carry on my shoulders when speaking about ATEEZ has only grown as the years go on and ATEEZ continues to evolve in various ways, but have always remained with their roots: humble(ness) and kindness. They have given themselves the responsibility to be the mouthpiece for themselves and those around them, they have made courageous strides in modifying the culture, valuing the sheer power of using their voices for the greater good, to have no fear chasing after their dreams no matter what challenges await fro them. They have truly embodied the phrase: failure is the mother of success. That no matter what attempts to bring them down, they allow themselves to endure the falls while still having the strength to get back up and continue marching on. They have inspired many lives to ignite the light that's within all of us, and claiming our time to wake up.

Next Concert: KPOP Breakout Tour w/ TRENDZ, CRAXY, ICHILLIN' and U-CHAE

[writing-in-verse]

So I Finally Read A Restless Truth by Freya Marske

I've been debating what to say about this book since I finished it late last week. Not because I didn't enjoy it - on the contrary, I loved it possibly more than the first - but rather because I have so much I could say.

A friend of mine recently mentioned, in a poorly-phrased statement out of context, that he didn't really know me. In context he's referring to how little I talk about myself, the self behind the ADHD masque and trauma and deflection.

It's hard to write a character that who's entirely public persona is a facade without making them seem either two dimensional or just two separate characters in one body. Sarah J. Maas is a great example of how to do this terribly with her main character of Throne of Glass, Celaena.

Anyone who knows me knows I have contempt for these books in a way I rarely do for any other. There's so much wrong with them but that's not the point, the point is Celaena is a terrible character who feels like a separate person depending on what the author needs her to be. She's either a snarky, sexy assassin who has no real moral compass or a fashion-loving, sexy princess who finds being an assassin horrifying. The two sides of her talk and act entirely differently with very little crossover to the point where they have different names by the latter half of the series.

Violet, and by extension Freya Marske, shows how someone who has a lot of ptsd tends to deal with their trauma. Of course, everyone is different and hiding behind a sharp wit and rebellious distraction isn't the healthy solution but it is relatable to me. Violet's background on the New York underground stage scene (a part of performance history I'm not well educated on so it was fun to see in historical fiction) gave her the knowledge needed to play a part, whatever part the audience expects of her without ever revealing who she truly is.

I'd be loathe to suggest Violet's public persona is fake as that's simply not true: my own outward way of being is still me even if I keep much of my life away from scrutiny. Violet is sharp and quick witted and rebellious but she uses her stage skills to leave people with a simplified impression, without any of her fears or anxieties mixed in. It's not inauthentic but rather safe and controlled. It's why everyone but Maud Blyth accepts what they're given.

What's more insightful is Violet's inability to see the way she is limiting herself out fear for survival. It isn't until Maud gives her the perspective to see the cage she has constructed for herself that she starts to realise the walls keep you in as much as they keep others out. Of course, Violet can see it on some level but that lack of true introspection is as much a trauma response as everything else. The walls are built around the most vulnerable parts as much to protect as to ignore the damage that's already been done.

I've never seen a character manage to portray the complex realities of living with trauma quite like Violet does, not in the immediate aftermath but in the long periods living with part of yourself you think need to be hidden lest they be taken advantage of or are seen as flaws which makes you less worthy of love rather than a tapestry of someone who deserves more love than was ever afforded.

Violet is fascinating from a character design perspective but she's also incredibly well written, she feels like a person who contains multitudes, who is not 'fixed' by the end of the book but she is willing to let Maud in little by little. Step by step.

Okay this was a long one, turns out I had a lot to say (and honestly still do (I haven't even gushed about Maud!!!)) but I hope you enjoyed reading it.