#also i really should be working on other things but OH WELL QUEST IS MORE IMPORTANT IG

[persephoneggsy]

Phryne Ingellvar Banter

writing full fics is still kind of exhausting to me, so I've taken to writing fake banters for my Mourn Watch Rook, Phryne Ingellvar. Most of them are with Emmrich, because he's her romance, but maybe I'll eventually expand on her relationships with the other members of the Veilguard. A lot of this is mostly bits and bobs from Phryne's backstory.

*

[During Emmrich's recruitment quest, as they’re traversing through the Necropolis]

Emmrich: Surely we’ve crossed paths before, Rook? It seems bizarre that we’ve both been Watchers for so long and never interacted. I swear the name Ingellvar sounds familiar…

Phryne: Well, I mostly did grunt work. Escorts for trainees entering the Necropolis for the first time, protecting mourners visiting the graves. That sort of thing. Probably not what you spent most of your time doing.

Emmrich: Ah, I see. Still…

Phryne: Though we have met before.

Emmrich: Oh? I��m sorry, I can’t recall…

Phryne: Don’t worry about it, Professor. It was almost a decade ago, and it was brief.

Emmrich: Well, you remembered. I hope I made a good first impression, at least?

Phryne: I don’t think you’re capable of leaving a bad one, from what I’ve seen so far.

Harding: Um, sorry to interrupt, but can we maybe focus on the horde of despair demons charging at us right now?

Phryne & Emmrich: Spirits!

Harding: Whatever!

*

[When Phryne goes to see how Emmrich is settling in]

Emmrich: When did we meet, Rook? It’s been driving me mad.

Phryne: Oh, alright. It was at a funeral. My son’s. You administered his final rites and prepared his body for burial.

Emmrich: Oh! Of course. I remember now.

Phryne: Really? It was so long ago, and I’m sure you’ve performed dozens of final rites over the years. I wouldn’t be upset if you couldn’t recall…

Emmrich: Not many Nevarrans left to join the Inquisition. It was seen as a primarily “southern” concern, despite the danger it posed to all of Thedas. I remember thinking that young Rothe Ingellvar must have been a fine young man, to give his life for such a cause. 

Phryne: He was. 

Emmrich: I’m sure I said it back then, but my condolences, Rook. 

Phryne: Thank you, Emmrich. 

*

Emmrich: I’ve been wondering something, Rook. If you don’t mind a personal question. 

Phryne: Ask away. 

Emmrich: We’ve been in the Mourn Watch for almost the same number of years. You’re an incredible warrior, a natural born leader, and every other Watcher I’ve asked has nothing but wonderful things to say about you. 

Phryne: Aw. Thanks. But… what’s the question?

Emmrich: By all accounts, you should be extremely high up in the ranks. But by your own admission, you’re just “a grunt.” Why haven’t you been promoted?

Phryne: Ah. Well. They tried, at first. But I joined the Watch after I had my kids, so they were my priority. Promotions meant more responsibility, more responsibility meant more time away from them. And then, after rejecting promotions for years, they finally stopped trying. Happily been a grunt ever since. 

Emmrich: I suppose I can understand that. But wouldn’t a promotion also mean more money with which to support your family?

Phryne: My mother left me with her estate when she passed. We were always comfortable. I just wanted as much time with my kids as possible. 

Emmrich: That’s very admirable. 

Phryne: Really? Mother always said my lack of ambition was my fatal flaw. 

Emmrich: I think love for one’s family outweighs that. 

*

Emmrich: The Battleaxe!

Phryne: Sorry?

Emmrich: Your surname, Ingellvar — it’s been nagging at me, but I finally remember where I’ve heard it before! Your mother was Prudence Ingellvar, the Battleaxe!

Phryne: Oh! (Laughs) I forgot they used to call her that. Yeah, that was my mother. You knew her?

Emmrich: I’m afraid I never had the good fortune, but I knew her reputation. A staunch traditionalist, to be sure, but such exemplary understanding of anatomy and theory! Her essay on both magical and mundane methods of preserving vital organs was quite innovative!

Phryne: Oh, she would’ve adored you. 

*

[After revisiting the Necropolis for the first time and speaking with Myrna and Vorgoth]

Emmrich: Phryne?

Phryne: Yes?

Emmrich: Just making sure I heard correctly. Back at the Necropolis, Myrna called you ‘Phryne’ rather than ‘Rook’. Is that your given name?

Phryne: Oh, it is. Rook is a… recent nickname. Varric started calling me that after we met. Something about chess pieces.

Emmrich: What would you prefer to be called?

Phryne: Rook is probably easier. No one could ever pronounce Phryne right when I was younger. The number of times I was called ‘Frine’ or ‘Fern’...

Emmrich: (laughs) A shame. It’s a lovely name.

Phryne: Well. I like it when you say it.

Emmrich: Very well. Phryne.

*

[During their first date]

Phryne: This is one of the more romantic dates I’ve been on. 

Emmrich: How wonderful! I was afraid I’d lost my touch. Between work and research and teaching Manfred, there hasn’t been time lately for company. 

Phryne: I know what you mean. 

Emmrich: Do you?

Phryne: Well, I spent the last year or so hunting down Solas. Not a lot of time for courting. And even before that, I’d… sort of given up on romance. 

Emmrich: Oh. May I ask why?

Phryne: Dating’s hard with kids. I always had someone willing to look after them if I had plans for the evening, but a lot of the time, people were put off by the fact that I even had children. Or the kids would hate them for whatever reason. Or things would work out for a while before fizzling out. So I stopped focusing on relationships and just focused on… the physical side of things. 

Emmrich: I see…

Phryne: Does that… bother you? My ‘experience’? I know some people find it unladylike. 

Emmrich: My dear, I would never hold your past against you. I’m only marveling at my good fortune, to be the one to show you how a proper courtship works. 

Phryne: Ooh. Bold words, Volkarin. Are you sure you have the skills to back up that confidence?

Emmrich: You’re not the only one with experience, darling. 

*

[After Harding asking about whether Emmrich is a noble]

Harding: So you’re really not nobility? Volkarin just sounds so… fancy. 

Emmrich: It’s a commoner’s name. My father was a butcher and my mother was a cook. If you want to speak to Nevarran nobility, you could always ask Rook. 

Harding: (laughs) Right. 

Emmrich: …

Harding: … Wait, really? Rook is a noble?

Phryne: You don’t need to sound so surprised. 

Harding: It’s just… you don’t really act like…

Phryne: To my mother’s chagrin, I know. But in my defense, I was adopted. 

Emmrich: Oh, truly? I hadn’t known that. 

Phryne: Mother and a few of our undead found me in an abandoned crypt when I was just an infant. She took me in, raised me as her own. 

Emmrich: How sweet! I’d heard one of our own was a cryptling, I had no idea it was you!

Harding: … You were found in a tomb? As a baby?

Emmrich: That isn’t so unusual in Nevarra. Many Watchers see them as an omen!

Phryne: Whether I was a good or bad omen depended on if I took a nap that day. According to my mother. 

Harding: … Nevarrans are so weird. 

[mukimokai]

having "childlike wonder" doesn't mean a character is "childish" or a little baby

childlike wonder is an attitude: of finding joy in the mundane and enjoying the simpler things in life. Having an inherent interest and excitement in new things, places, and experiences. Wanting to take in every detail of something, even if it's something small. It drives exploration and discovery, wanting to know how the world works and figure it all out. Having inquisitive minds. Being fascinated by the world around oneself. Being open to new perspectives.

childlike wonder doesn't mean "childish."

Yeah. I believe Alhaitham can see Aranara. It makes perfect sense because he has every quality listed above.

Yes: Alhaitham has childlike wonder. No, he is not childish. There is a distinction between "childlike wonder" and "being childish"

So can he see Aranara? Most likely yes, it's probably canon: Web events have always been that way anyway, always introducing you to the characters and their respective personalities and interactions if there are any. Web events are canon in the sense that: if the scenario happening in the event took place, this is how the character would act in said scenario.

Yes, I do think there is enough evidence he can see them just looking at his character as a whole: plus why else would the Sumeru lobby have us turn into Aranara if almost the entire Sumeru cast were adults that the Aranara don't inherently trust? The only character who would've been there in that case would've been Nahida but we had Alhaitham and Nilou as well? And it makes sense for them to be able to see the Aranara so like. I was actually completely unsurprised that Alhaitham and Nilou could see them so uhhh-

oh and also. to the ppl who say "Kaveh can't see the Aranara bcz he's traumatized" girlie. the one child in Yoimiya's quest was going through such a traumatic illness and she could still see them.

Kaveh can't see the Aranara not because he's traumatized or whatever. but because he's pushed away his past. Kaveh is actively removing himself from childlike wonder in favour of idealism: he is constantly chasing after his goals, constantly trying to do more and more, constantly striving for perfection that he forgets the mundane, everyday things in life due to the sheer amount of stress he is putting on himself on a day-to-day basis. Kaveh is also not open to new perspectives; following his own ideals to a point and shutting away anything that contradicts his ideals. He is not an inherently curious character either; we've only seen him comment on a few things that pique his curiosity (i.e. the one voice line abt lightning) but as a whole, he's not interested in much else if it doesn't have to do with the arts or things he is passionate about which is unlike Alhaitham who seems to take an interest in literally everything other than gossip.

again: childlike wonder and being childish are different things, PLEASE understand that...

i might have 50 million people come at my throat for my take on all this but like ykw idgaf: I'm entitled to my opinion and this is how i see the whole situation.

I do think people who said it's "out-of-character" for Alhaitham to see Aranara are either mischaracterizing him or they don't understand what exactly it takes for Aranara to be seen by adults. Maybe it's both; i know a lot of people skipped the Aranara quest dialogue, and, for the longest time, Alhaitham has been one of the most wildly mischaracterized characters in the fandom (and still is being mischaracterized to this day unfortunately) so idk tbh.

and ppl always say Nilou is bland so like... i don't think ppl pay much attention to her at all which is unfortunate because she's really silly actually. Nilou stan number 1 right here tbh.

idk it's just my thoughts on it: yeah I do think it can be seen as "basically canon" but I don't think it should be used to justify "omg!! hahahahah they're so childish lmaoo!! alhaitham and nilou are such babies ahahah!"

like. gen. nuh uh. what.

yes i call them babies because they're my babies but that's just bcz i like their characters, i called them that even before this whole fiasco with the aranara... so like. uhm.

this was way longer than i planned it to be. sorry for the yapfest holy.

considered not posting this but eh who cares, it's just my take lol

[aha-chuu]

Natlan Act II Spoilers

So we get to see the fight between Capitano and Mavuika, thankfully (I remember Hoyo robbing us of Dainsleif vs Abyss Twin before). I just wanted to share my thoughts on it a little because it's kinda wacky?

So obviously the fight itself is sick as fuck, and Capitano and Mavuika match each other blow for blow. Then Mavuika lands a hit and Capitano retreats (with aide). Pretty solidly this is a win for Mavuika, but Kinich expresses afterwards that they were quite evenly matched. This is something Hoyo emphasises, presumably for two reasons: 1) maintain the stakes, and 2) keep up Capitano hype.

Because here's the thing. Harbinger losses - especially outright losses - aren't that common. Just look at all the gnoses they've gotten. What's a lot more common is this thread of harbingers "losing the battle but winning the war".

Discounting Mondstadt for being sort of short and tutorial esque, every other region plays with this.

In Liyue, we defeat Childe, he summons Osial, we defeat Osial, but Signora planned all that anyway.

In Inazuma, Scara defeats us, we defeat Signora, but that Scara defeat left him with the gnosis.

In Sumeru, Dottore fakes a retreat to lead us into a false sense of security! We may defeat Scara-mech, but Dottore is around the corner with sleeping gas and his own deal to get two gnoses.

In Fontaine... In Fontaine we're kind of working with the Fatui the whole time, so this really only applies to Childe losing to the oratrice and then the narwhal but that still helping Arlecchino anyway.

The point of all that was to demonstrate this trend. But, there's a secondary link between all of those events - the way the Fatui come out on top each time is through a scheme. We have about 50/50 (ha) odds across all these actual fights, but the Fatui have their 100% win streak via trickery and bargaining.

The Natlan archon quest establishes that Capitano won't use these methods. It is a divergence from most other harbinger characterisations.

Capitano flat out refuses to attack Mavuika while she is weakened, preferring a fair fight. This is not a strategic choice, for one, but he is also still injured - waiting for Mavuika to regain her power would place Capitano at the disadvantage.

This combination of factors does do a good job of setting up Capitano as a character, but it leaves some weaknesses in establishing him as an antagonist. We're used to harbingers essentially having plot armour when it comes to gnosis hunting, via the trusty method of "oh well all that was their plan all along" and a hand off off screen. In this quest, Hoyo pretty much cuts that option off: Capitano's attempt on the gnosis is too brazen, his ideology too steadfast. But since he loses against Mavuika in a fair fight, Hoyo risks lowering the stakes. If Capitano couldn't beat Mavuika already, there's no way he will beat her when injured and refusing to attack while she's vulnerable. So why should we be worried about whatever "threat" he poses?

Hoyo brush this aside a little by having Kinich claim they're pretty evenly matched, implying Mavuika won more by chance than totally overpowering Capitano. It's also not unlikely that another harbinger will show up later and take over gnosis duty. But Capitano is No1... Is he really just here to show off how strong Mavuika is? And exactly how is Mavuika so strong?

According to Nahida, the top three harbingers are archon level powerful. She claimed to have no chance in a fight against Dottore, who is no2. Ofc, her combat strength is pretty low, whereas Mavuika's is obviously much higher.

Raiden was strong enough to incinerate Signora in one slash. With that context, Capitano putting up any fight against Mavuika seems impressive.

Narratively, there is no way to do a satisfying rematch with the current set up. Which makes me think that Hoyo aren't planning on a rematch at all - but a team up.

The event that took place in Act I can be broken down into three stages:

Group contest (Kachina & Mualani vs everyone else)

Solo fights (Kachina vs Mualani)

Actual war (group vs Abyss)

I think that this sequence will end up being representative of the Natlan plot, and more specifically reflect the dynamic between Capitano and Mavuika.

What if, 500 years ago, Capitano was part of Mavuika's group. Not necessarily in the big war against the abyss, even, perhaps before that. It would explain his ties to the Natlan of the past, at the very least.

Then the present: Capitano fighting Mavuika for the right to change Natlan's "rules", just a few days after the pilgrimage competitors used the same arena to battle each other for the right to protect Natlan against the abyss. Those "rules" he spoke about we know to be the methods and rituals that slow down the abyssal assault. That makes Capitano and Mavuika's duel also to decide who can protect Natlan from the abyss.

The future: team up. Maybe aligning with Mualani and Kachina, Capitano could appear to rescue Mavuika later on, despite losing to her in the arena. This doesn't mean they'd be besties like the girls are, rather that these same general actions could take place, regardless of individual motivation.

I just can't see another satisfying route with what we currently have

[annymation]

I changed the song “I’m A Star” to fit with my rewrite of Wish

Soooo yeah… I don’t have any song writing background so please be nice 😅

But I’m pretty proud of how it turned out. Think of it as “You Never Had A Friend Like Me” kind of song but sang by Star Boy from the concept art to Asha, explaining to her he’s there to help her out, but he can’t exactly make her wishes come true just with the snap of his fingers, because her wishes can only come true through her own actions

Hope you like it!

Lyrics in orange are said by Star ⭐️

Lyrics in purple are said by Asha 💜

The song has the same rythm as the original, but I recommend listening to the demo when comparing

I’m A Star (rewritten)

[Verse 1]

Have you ever wondered why you look up at the sky for answers?

Or blow dandelions in the wind? Asking them to better your chances

Why throw a coin down a well? Knowing well that's no spell?

Things passed down generationally, to you (yes, I hear)

And to some unbelievers those are simply fallacies

But have you ever wondered why you look up at the sky for answers?

[Chorus]

Well, you don't have to look too hard

I'm here for all your question marks

If you're tryna figure out just who you are

Don't look far

In the sky, and your front yard

In your heart and in the scars

If you really wanna know just who you are

You're a star…

[Verse 2]

What! You just said YOU'RE a star! Uh-huh

Well, yeah, but you're up to par

Cause' while I do bring that sweet magic intervention

Only you can reach your own desti-nation!

See I'm more of that lil voice that suggests

Whenever you don't know how to handle all your quests

So even though I can't do the work for you

I can sure always help

You get it through!

[Verse 3]

A wish is a dream that comes from your heart

See, I’ve dropped in just to do my part

With my magic I'll make that dream go just as planned

But I'm sure that by now you already understand:

My wish coming true, depends on me?

EXACTLY! huh

[Chorus]

For you don't have to look too hard

It's all around and not too far

If you're tryna figure out just who you are

You're a star

Do you know you're a work of art?

Even in the deepest dark

If you really wanna know just who you are

I'm a star!

[Verse 4]

Some say that's just too ordinary

Like us stars just ain't necessary

Cause’ I’m no genie legendary

Granting wishes one, two and three

Well friend, just between you and me

I think I'm more fun cause, you see

I'm here to guide and make you believe

YOU can write your origin story!

[Chorus]

You don't have to look too hard

It's all around and not too far

If you tryna figure out just who you are

You're a star

No matter where you end or start

We're both each other's counterparts

If you really wanna know just who you are

I'm a star (Wooh)

[Post-Chorus]

Ooh, I'm a star

Watch out world here you are (Hey, hey)

You know who's lookin' sharp? (Who?)

Me, I'm a star! (Wooh)

Oh, you're a star

Watch out world here you are! (Hey, hey)

You know who's lookin' sharp? (Who?)

You! You're a star

[Outro]

Ha-ha-ha, wooh

Yes, wooh

Ah-ha-ha, ho-ho

I had a lot of fun experimenting with this song! Please do send suggestions on how to improve it if you have any. Also I’m curious, if we had gotten Star Boy, who do you think should voice him?

[iixioria]

If you don't mind me asking, who are your favorite romantic relationship's couples in books/ manga/ anime/movies/tv series (can be canon or non-canon)? And why do you love them? Sorry if you've answered this question before......Thanks....

HI OMG IM SO SORRY FOR THE VERY LATE REPLY, IVE BEEN VERY BUSY BUT SURE! And since I'm a multishipper, I'll just list my top 5 ships out of fandoms I've been in

FengCui: Feng Xiao x Cui Buqu (Wushuang/Peerless) - The reason I love this ship so much and is my top 1 out of all the shows and books ive read and watched is because I'm so in love with their dynamic, development, and interactions with each other. They first start of as rivals then gradually start to fall for each other with each case they work and time they spent togther. I also loved the fact that the author didn't use stereotypical tropes with the main cp. While its enemies to lovers, to me, it's enemies AND lovers because when they do get together, their dynamic didn't change and they still remained the same. And that's one of the reasons why I love this pair so much.

2. Cezhou: Shen Zechuan x Xiao Chiye (Qiang Jin Jiu/Ballad of Sword and Wine) - I honestly debated if this should be my top 1 but I ultimately decided this would be my top 2 mainly bc I prefer fengcui's dynamic more, But of course, that doesn't make this ship any less great and amazing! In my opinion, this is enemies to lovers with sexual tension done right. I used to hate the trope enemies to lovers because of experience and personal things... But this ship changed my perspective on it a lot. Even though they got together early in the novel, they're still the ship that has the most amazing development and growth I've seen in such as a long time.

3. Hualian: Xie Lian x Hua Cheng (Heaven Official's Blessing) - Ah yes... the classic. I had to put them at my top 3 because TGCF and hualian is what mainly got me into danmei and to this day, I still adore them with all my heart and I'll never ever forget how they made such a huge impact on me... They're like romeo and juliet but done right. They're also the couple that made my standards so unrealistic to the point that I think I'll never ever be able to find someone to love as much as how much they love each other... As much as they're unrealistic, they also made an impact on how I view love in general. I also relate to hua cheng when it comes to appearances because dawg... I am also so insecure of that as well... and when Hua Cheng is insecure about it and Xie Lian is just telling him that he's gorgeous and not ugly like he thinks he is just makes me want to cry because that validation and comforting words is what all of us insecure people need. Just having the reassurance that we're perfect just the way we are...

4. Lucathy: Lucas x Athanasia De Alger Obelia/Athy (Who Made Me a Princess) - I LOVE THEM SO MUCH! Athy is so precious to me and I will protect her at all cost! And I love how their relationship just naturally progresses on the time the spent together and isn't just immediate love at first sight. And I also love how lucas went from "I'm going to watch this bc this is entertaining" to "If you ever hurt her, I'll destroy all of obelia" and bro... LUCAS IS SO WHIPPED FOR ATHY ITS SO FUNNY AHAHAH (Also reminds me on how Xiao Chiye is so whipped for Shen Zechuan but that's another time). And not only that, but I love how Lucas got back from his quest, heard about how Athy got humiliated, bro was like: "Should I kill him?" like bro did not care if it was her father, if someone did shit to her, he would deal with them.

5. LoidYor: Loid Forger x Yor Forger (Spy x Family) - BRO I IMMEDIATELY FELL IN LOVE WITH THIS SHIP!! Assassin x Spy? OH HELL YEA! I've honestly been waiting for this kind of trope for such a long time lol. Not only that, but I low how yor is such a girlboss and protects her family even if it isn't real. I honestly really like their progression so far and I hope that they honestly become a family in the end... I have nothing really much to say about this ship because I haven't been keeping up with SXF but I really love them and they're trope because I haven't seen Assassin x Spy trope in fandoms I've been in.

So here are my ships! There are a lot more than these but I just decided to pick which ones that I really love the most and rank them by that. Anyways, thanks for reading this blog!

[colorisbyshe]

List of my Veilguard Complaints... just all together... getting it out of my system and then making it reddit's problem:

This game felt so emotionally flat. I think... the reviewers calling out the game for "therapy speak" weren't entirely wrong. It's more exposition speak and the fact that EVERY SINGLE feeling EVERY SINGLE trauma EVERY SINGLE event needs to be processed, out loud. It's not "too woke," it's just emotionally... spacious. Because you're forced to explore EVERYONE'S interiority... it feels like they have none left, does that make sense? No one has hidden depths because they announce and process every thing they go through, often immediately after it happens. It's hard to imagine any additional depth

It's also hard because... no one... has that much depth. Everyone has weaknesses and bad things that happened to them but it feels like there was a lack of... real character arcs? People had character sub plots. "Accept this thing about myself" was the main one. Which... doesn't help the therapy speak accusation.

No one is a bad person. The crows? The human trafficking, child soldiering, murderous gang? They're the good guys and we should be happy they rule Treviso! Lucanis is just a good guy doing good work. Neve works with Magisters and Templars and some of them are bad... but not her friends. She only works with the good ones! The dalish form a group with Qunari and human members and they're just a diverse coalition who... love mages now (despite having kicked them out last game?? okay). Literally NO ONE is allowed to be EVEN A LITTLE morally dubious unless they'er a Bad Guy or they're fucking solas

I MISS BIOWARE GREY MORALITY! THATS HOW BAD IT IS! I FUCKING MISS IT I MISS IT I DO BRING BACK ANDERS BRING BACK ZEVRAN BRING BACK MORRIGAN AND FUCKING CULLEN AND FUCKING BLACKWALL BRING BACK ISABELA BRING BACK MERRILL AND HER DEMON SHIT! BRING IT BACK

"Oh, we're treasure hunters but we're not COLONIZERS! We don't steal cultural artifacts! We return them to the real owners, we're pirates but we're NICE AND RESPECT PRONOUNS!" CHRIST ALIVE!!!

EVERYONE WE MEET IN TEVINTER IS NICE??? EVEN THE GANG??? THE THREADS GANG IS NICE!! THEYRE SCAMMRES BUT THEYRE SO GOOD ITS A HAPPY ENEDING IF ONE OF OUR COMPANIONS RUNS THEIR GANG??? WHAT???

It was... a little bit awesome to have dorian become a violent revolution man but like????? Then Minrathous gets nuked so the game is too cowardly to even do that shit

AND THATS THE OTHER THING! This game made sure NOTHING matters choice wise! Oh, you chose to save Minranthous? It gets nuked at teh end. Oh, your choices fro previous games? Only matters if you romanced Solas but Dorian might call your Inquisitor "Amatus" in a non-cut scene dialogue. FUck you if you romanced anyone else. Southern Thedas is just.... all dead now... it's over... so any choices you mad ether eare NEVER going to be relevant. The companion personal quest choices really don'tmatter and won't matter next game.

THEY KILLED THE DNA OF A DRAGON AGE GAME! No grey morality, no meaningful choices, fuck... barely any romance once you flirt (NO POST-ENDING ROMANCE SCENE!!! EVEN MORE SHY ABOUT NUDITY!), AND NO FUCKING THEMES!

What was the theme of this game? Following Solas' story, it might be redemption or letting go of the past, I guess, but?? Do the main stories tie into that? Not really. We have ONE part of a hcapter be about Rook letting go of regrets... for deaths that jUST happened not even anything lingering.

Plots around OPPRESSION ANTI-ELF AND ANTI-MAGE DISCRIMINATION?? Gone... IN A STORY ABOUT TAKING DOWN SLAVERS... LIKE THE OG SLAVERS??? Yeah, it doesn't matter. We have idle talk about slave revolutions and that's... it?? I'm an elf in Tevniter and no one cared. What? Qunari and Elves and humans are all besties except the Antaam (some of which still become besties)... what? How do yo drop the single strongest through-line in the series?

"Oh, well it takes place in the north, it's different rfrom the south!" OKAY BUT THE FALL OUT IN THE NORTH LITERALLY NUKED THE SOUTH OUT OF EXISTENCE, I CAN'T GET SOME LINES ABOUT CULTURAL DIFFERENCES! Or like... a line referencing what happned to the southern wardens after... y'unno... the whole betrayal thing last game? That's all chill?

Varric's plot twist was fucking stupid. See: this post.

The romance with Neve was sooo promising btu felt passionless towards the end. Maybe there are better choices but... the lack ofreal closure burns. No final kiss, just a wobbling "I love you" that sounded like it came after pulling teeth like... no passion for real?

Taash's nonbinary plotline sucked. I'm sorry. It did. As a nonbinary person I can say that.

Harding was so OOC it fucking hurt.

I chose her for the mandatory death because that wasn't my harding. It's absurd that that limited the mandatory death thing to two potential characters?

Larger casts are always hard but it feel slike they rly struggled to make all characters relevant to the main plot. Taash's mom/gender struggle could've been skipped. Emmrich was amazing but felt like he was a part of an entirely separate game. Bellara's archive plot felt close-ish to teh main plot of letting go of the past but the fact that you can choose to keep it going kinda... makes it less relevant. Idk.

Besides... Lucanis... and sometimes Bellara and sometimes Harding no one feels like they're reacting to the plot. The fact that a character can die but it's skimmed over after a scene and some chats is insane. The pacing is terribleeeee like oh I can watch Harding and Taash's terrible romance (I'll say it!! Harding acts liek a doting mom and NOT in a sexy way) in dialogue across several missions in the Lighthouse but we zoom past companions dying? THe world ending??

The world was beautiful BUT THE WORLD BUILDING SUCKED! Sorry but SOOO many locations make NO sense construction wise. Why is a chest in the middle of street? Why does this bridge only appear when I have a quest? It's hard to tell when an area is inaccessible because you haven't figured out how to get there vs you literally aren't allowed to go there yet. It makes the world feel more like Oh I'm playing a game rather than you're exploring a real place. They did not navigate inaccessible areas well as a concept.

CHARACTER MOTIVATION EQUALLY AS FUCKING MESSY! I still don't know what Elgar'nan/Ghilan'nain's plan rly was even though Ghilan'nain literally wails about them. They wanted to rule, they were blight addled so I guess they're insane, but... why did they have to do it this way? What were they gonna do as rules?

Solas wanted to tear the veil down ti imprison them even harder except tearing the veil down lets out the blight except letting them out of prison also lets out the blight and don't worry when he tears the veil down he'll imprison/kill them again and make sure the blight isn't too bad even tho the veil was the only thing keeping the blight in?? And oh haha killing them lets down the veil. Also, AFTER killing htem, the veil takes a while to be torn and actually stays in place long enough for Solas to feel bad and patch it up with his own essence... okay?

The Butcher Antaam dude looooves Treviso so he accepts the blight into his body to rule it but you have to fight him.. to prove you're worthy of keeping him... from destroying Treviso? He loves it and also wants it destroyed. Again, he's blighted so he's CRAAAZY but... what?

Even with Emmrich! He's scared of becoming immortal because he's a afraid of death. So you resolve that by either pressuring him to never die by being immortal... or by not letting his friend die? Huh? We conquer fear of death by just... not letting things die?What?

Not the same thing but why would dorian stay up in the north to become an archon if he romanced an inquisitor who is fighting for their life in teh soutH? again this continuity SUCKS

[mentallyisekaid]

「 ✦ Fatui Harbingers x La Signora's Sister! Reader, PART 1 ✦ 」

---

[Part 1] Part 2 Part 2.5. Part 3 Part 3.5

Warnings: spoilers regarding Signora's lore and a certain event in the Inazuma Archon quest, possibly some spoiler-ish stuff about other things too

Word count: 2.7k

This part will include direct quotations from "Teyvat Chapter Interlude Teaser: A Winter Night's Lazzo" that belongs fully to miHoYo. I'll write these quotes in bold, so copyrights won't haunt me like Khaenri'ah lore :)

---

Even among the Harbingers, not much was known about the Fair Lady's (may she rest in peace) younger sister, except for the fact that you existed and had somehow managed to live for over 500 years, just like her. They were all aware of Signora's special circumstances that had made her essentially immortal, but Celestia knows how you had done it?

This is why you'd become something of a urban legend among the lower ranking members of the Fatui. Maybe La Signora had just been delusional, some of them thought - maybe there wasn't a sister, at least not anymore.

You were fine with that, though. You'd never wanted anything to do with your sister or her morally dubious organization anyway.

But she was still the only blood relative you'd had left, and now she was gone.

Attending her funeral was only appropriate.

You arrived at the grand doors of the cathedral, stopping for a moment to adjust the expensive-looking cloak that someone had sent you along with the invitation to the ceremony, requesting you to wear it. Much to your displeasure, it had the Fatui Insignia on it, though you were slightly more bothered by the fact that they'd somehow figured out where you live...

Or maybe they'd known all along.

But even if the invitation wasn't just out of courtesy, you had only showed up because Rosalyne was family, and only to pay your respects.

Their agendas meant nothing to you.

Pushing the doors open, you marched inside, the click-clack of your high heeled boots echoing in the eerie silence.

Curious gazes followed as this visitor, shrouded in mystery, made her way through the aisle - some of them curious, others a bit doubtful - but you ignored them.

Sitting down in the front row, you crossed your legs, leaning back with your eyes glued to the coffin highlighted by faint moonlight. A girl with child-like, seraphic features was leaning her head on its surface, singing a calming tune...

Spooky.

"Well, I never... this must be the Fair Lady's rumored sibling? And here I was starting to think you wouldn't make an appearance, dear."

You sighed, really having hoped that no one would bother talking to you; you had nothing to say to any of them. But for Celestia's sake, you still had some manners...

Glancing over your shoulder at the man who had just addressed you, you gave him a slight nod.

"It does seem my arrival was rather tardy. My apologies."

The man who you recognized as the Regrator, also known as Pantalone, chuckled a bit.

"No matter, it is rare a pleasure to finally meet you~"

"Likewise."

For a moment, your eyes wandered over each of the present Harbingers, these... co-workers of your sister's, before returning to stare in front of you just as indifferently as before.

You spoke a few more words, though.

"Everyone else as well, I suppose. Oh, and please pay no attention to my discourtesy... A lovely night for a funeral, is it not?"

Your charade was poorly put together, and intentionally so; you didn't know these people anymore than they knew you, but it was already clear that no one was here to pay their heartfelt respects for Rosalyne's memory, much less to exchange pleasantries.

A funeral? No, this was nothing but theatre - and here comes the first actor...

"We have gathered here today to remember our dear comrade. In honor of her sacrifice, all work should halt for half a day as the nation mourns her passing."

Hearing these words come from Pulcinella, the Mayor of Snezhnaya himself, you mentally scoffed. So now these crazy diplomats justified mistakes as 'sacrifice'?

Pantalone seemed amused by this declaration, though you noticed a shadow pass over his face.

"Hehe, merely half a day... People say that Northland Bank's true currencies are blood and tears... But Mayor, even speaking as a banker, that sounds a little unconscionable."

Well, it was as you'd expected? Even in this situation, the Harbingers only cared about their own agendas, and Rosalyne would've been the same way.

The next words belonged to someone you found a bit more familiar.

"You speak of her as if you knew what she had to go through," the silver-haired woman started, a derogatory look in her dark eyes.

You glanced curiously at her. This was surely Arlecchino? Out of the Harbingers, your sister had seemed to trust her the most, so you assumed they must've shared some sort of a closer relationship.

The Knave noticed you gaze, and gave you a small nod before continuing.

"Rosalyne died in a foreign land. But you heartless businessmen and dignitaries, always with a convenient excuse to remain in the comfort of your homeland... You couldn't hope to understand. So why don't you keep your mouths shut!"

"Ah, bravo...~" you commented with a small chuckle, your sudden boldness earning a few intrigued looks.

It seemed that La Signora's hardly known sister was indeed an interesting individual?

The ginger sitting on the other side of the aisle apparently found your remark entertaining, since he gave you an amused smile. But he threw his comrade's a much sterner look.

"Hey, c'mon now, even I don't think this is the right time or place for a fight."

Tartaglia, the infamous maniac always looking for a fight? Present~

"Utterly risible," a blonde woman scoffed from her place, sitting on the arms of a weird looking robot. Sandrone, you presumed.

And naturally, the oh-so righteous Capitano also had his opinion to share...

"Though her methods tarnished her honor, Lohefalter's sacrifice is still a great pity."

You sighed, shaking your head. There they go again, degrading her death as a mere sacrifice.

"Her loss shall not hinder our progress," the Captain continued, disregarding the matter. "But Dottore, what of Scaramouche --,"

...to which the crazy Doctor answered something incomprehensible.

Right. They weren't even talking about Rosalyne anymore. By now, the whole ceremony had turned out as a complete farce, and you wished nothing more than for Celestia to nuke it with another one of their divine nails.

Someone else had had enough as well.

"It's time to end tonight's foolish theatrics. This time, you have no captive audience."

The Jester's voice echoed menacingly in the cathedral, silencing his fellow Harbingers.

You gazed at him from your seat, raising an eyebrow when he gave you a look as well. In that short moment, unspoken words were shared between the two of you - after all, he knew things about you that the others didn't.

In any case, the speech went on for a while after that. Pierro's exaggerated sympathies, the Damselette needling Dottore about his segments, and... well, you weren't really listening anymore?

Once they finished and scattered from around the coffin, you silently walked over, placing a few frostbitten Cecilias on top of it. They were flowers from your homeland, though to you, Mondstadt was a memory at least five centuries old.

"Pretty flowers," a soft voice came from beside you. Columbina was back to presumptuously leaning on the casket.

You gave her a sidelong glance.

"Well, they're frozen to death by now - but that somehow fits the moment, no?"

"Mm-hmm~"

The ceremony was seemingly over, though you could still sense their presence. Your back was facing them, but it felt like they'd moved closer to the coffin again - or, perhaps, closer to you...

"I don't believe anyone has yet offered their condolences to this poor child," Capitano remarked solemnly, disregarding the fact you were chronologically speaking a living fossil.

Tartaglia sighed, "She doesn't want us to, I think."

You turned around to face them, crossing your arms.

"Well, firstly, you're calling me a child about 500 years too late. And no, I don't need your pity. It's hard to see your last family gone, but we weren't that close to begin with. Besides, Rosalyne knew full well what she was doing - when agreeing to a duel before the Shogun, and when joining the Fatui in the first place. You reap what you sow, and that's that."

The Doctor chuckled. "La Signora would surely turn over in her grave if she heard that."

"Let the dead rest, Zandik," Sandrone scoffed.

Columbina had scooted next to you.

"Poor thing~", she sang in that eerie voice, tilting her head. "How long have you been living by yourself? Maybe you could have Signora's former chambers in the headquarters."

Hmm? What a laughable suggestion, you thought. She was obviously toying with you.

Arlecchino gave the Damselette a warning look.

"Such a thing is something only the Director can decide. Though," she gave you an unreadable look. "I wouldn't be against it. In Rosalyne's honor, of course."

The usually ruthless Knave's comment was found somewhat unexpected among her comrades.

You gave her a weird look.

Something was clearly going on, the atmosphere was strangely expecting and you didn't like it in the slightest. It seems the theatrics weren't over after all?

Pantalone was gazing at you, an amused smile on his lips.

"You look a bit lost there, dear. Don't worry, Pierro will explain some things to you in a moment~"

You frowned. So, there was more in the game here - that letter wasn't just an invitation to the funeral of a sister you hardly even cared about, you'd doubted as much from the beginning.

Not that it really changed anything. As already mentioned, you'd only come for the ceremony...

And now that it was over, there was no reason for you to stay.

"That won't be necessary," you stated, nodding curtly. "I will be taking my leave now. Goodbye."

Your cloak shuffled as you walked past them, heading toward the exit. However, Childe, who had been standing the closest to the doors, now moved to block your way.

You looked up at him, raising an eyebrow.

"Tartaglia, right? If you could move aside, that would be much appreciated."

"Sorry, no can do, girlie," he laughed a bit, scratching his neck in an awkward manner. "Boss wants to have a chat with you, so I can't just have you leaving like that, now can I?"

"Right," you sighed. "Well, I don't really care..."

You rudely moved past him, reaching the doors and about to push them open, when you suddenly felt a hand on your wrist. And the grip they had wasn't exactly gentle.

Glancing over your shoulder, you saw Childe still wearing that stupid smile of his but there was now a shadow over his usually cheerful expression.

"Look, you seem like a smart girl." His voice was soft and menacing at the same time. "Things don't have to get ugly here, if you just cooperate a bit."

Ugly? Oh, you could make things turn ugly.

But this wasn't the right time for that - not with the majority of the Harbingers present. It's not like you had a death wish, for Celestia's sake... though, it did seem like Tartaglia was only half serious about what he had said?

You looked past him, seeing the other Fatui diplomats standing there, all with hardly readable expressions on their faces. Your gaze stopped when it reached the Jester. If this was about Pierro having something to discuss with you, you were fairly sure you knew what he wanted anyway...

So, no harm in amusing him a bit?

"Ha. Well, it seems like I have no choice, then."

Childe smiled. "That's more like it."

He started making his way toward the front of the cathedral, while still holding onto your wrist - basically, he walked you back there like a toddler. After all, you might've had a change of heart any at any given moment and sprinted out of there like a lunatic.

You awkwardly sat down on one of the seats, wrapping the cloak around you tigther. The Harbingers were now standing in a semicircle in front of you, gazing down at you like their you were property. Pierro took a step forward.

"Now then, Y/N Lohefalter..."

"You are going to ask about my Visions, right?" you asked rudely. "As in, plural. Both of them. Is my assumption wrong?"

Pantalone chuckled. "Well, aren't you clever, my dear~"

"No, I always knew Rosalyne had told you, which is precisely why I tend to keep a lower profile than this. There's no reason to be so melodramatic over a couple of... gemstones."

Dottore seemed amused by your remark.

"But most humans never receive one. Yet, here you are, blessed with two."

"That, or cursed" you pointed out.

The Jester had allowed this interruption, but all it took was one gaze of authority from him and even you realized it was better to watch your mouth around this man. You tilted your head slightly downward.

"This assumption you made isn't necessarily untrue," Pierro stated in a low voice. "But it's not the whole truth, either."

It wasn't?

You heard footsteps approaching and carefully glanced up at Pierro who was now standing mere inches away from you. Things were getting more interesting, that's for sure.

"I asked you to come here today out of respect for Rosalyne's memory, and of curiosity toward the fact that you indeed bear the power of both Cryo and Pyro, much like your sister, albeit without a Delusion. My intention, however, was also to make a request of you..."

The Jester suddenly kneeled before you, his gesture confusing you. The infamous Director of the Fatui, kneeling before you?

You gave him a doubtful look.

"And what might that request be?"

"To put it simply, I want you to take Rosalyne's place as one of the Fatui Harbingers."

"...Come again?"

The other Harbingers didn't seem surprised in the slightest.

You shook your head.

"You want me to join the Fatui?"

"We've been keeping a close eye on you, Y/N Lohefalter, ever since the Cataclysm and Rosalyne joining our ranks. Back then, she herself made the request that should she ever perish, you'd be asked to take her place."

"Ha," you chuckled. "That does sound like one of her selfish whims... but still, why would you even consider such a thing?"

You looked at Pierro, tilting your head.

"Can you really trust that my agendas align with yours?"

"Every person in this room has their own ideals and it has not proved to be a problem." The Director nodded. "You need not but work in the name of the Fatui, and swear your loyalty to the Tsaritsa. Of course, the latter is expected of you as a citizen of Snezhnaya anyway."

You crossed you arms, contemplating this unexpected proposal.

"And if I refuse?"

This earned displeased looks from the other Harbingers. Pierro's solemn expression, however, never faltered.

"It's far beyond my dignity to be forceful here. That would be disrespecting Rosalyne's legacy, and risking to make you a powerful foe of the Fatui."

He paused for a while.

"But I should also clarify that with the kind of power you hold, you are facing but two choices - to stand with us... or against us."

So that's how it was going to be?

You'd almost forgotten that Pierro was still half-kneeling in front of you; even though one of his eyes was covered by a mask, his gaze held such intensity that you were completely enchanted by it for a moment.

And to think you'd make this kind of a decision on a whim, just like she once had - you really were more similar to your sister than you'd care to admit...

You sighed, standing up and glancing at the other Harbingers.

"Is this how he recruited you as well?"

Sandrone made a 'hmph' sound, "hardly."

"Heh, to think the Jester would kneel in front of someone?~" Pantalone commented. "You're quite an impressive girl, my dear."

"Then again," Dottore chuckled, "she has yet to witness the crueler side of the Director, no?"

Are you sure about that?

Tartaglia sighed, "now, now, don't scare her away..."

Pulcinella and Capitano didn't seem too amused by their comrades' antics. You, on the other hand, had their undivided attention.

Columbina was sleepily humming along to some tune, giving you discreet glances.

Arlecchino shook her head.

"Pierro still awaits for an answer, Y/N. Despite of what he may seem like, the Jester is not a man of great patience. It's time for you to decide."

You furrowed your eyebrows.

"..."

"Guess I'm in, then?"

But for the love of the Tsaritsa, you had no idea what you'd just gotten yourself into.

[forabeatofadrum]

Ever After (1/21)

Summary: Cooper is the saviour of the kingdom of Daltonia, and his younger brother Blaine is fine with that. Blaine's never had a grand adventure of his own, and he prefers it that way. But one day, a stranger who is lost and in pain is brought into Castle Town, and Cooper isn't around to help him. It's up to Blaine to help him to find his way home, but when it turns out that Kurt is from another world, things become more and more complicated.

Notes: Hello everyone! It is time for the annual @klaineadvent! I am so happy that this challenge is still around, even though it's been nine (nine!) years since Glee ended. I have been sitting on this story idea for a couple of months and I am happy to share it. The title is named after the song Ever After from Into the Woods.

I do want to quickly point out that the premise is based on The Accidental Turn series from J.M. Frey, and credit for this idea goes to her. That being said, apart from the initial idea, any other similarities are purely coincidental. Truly. I don't really remember what happened in those books, since it's been years since I read them.

Also, you may have noticed that my 2023 Challenge is still a WIP. It is what it is. I aimed to finish it before the 2024 Challenge, and that didn't work out. I do want to finish it, but writing should be fun, and pushing myself to just churn out words wasn't fun. And since writing should be fun, and I am happy to share this story, I'll be focusing on this one. But we'll see where this one will end up.

Alright. Word vomit is over. Enjoy!

AO3 | S&C

--

SCAN

“Once upon a time, in the gorgeous lands of Daltonia, the Royal family was leading the kingdom in a time of peace. But the king and queen were given a prophecy. Their firstborn would be the hero of legend, the Chosen One, the user of the All Power, the one to save us all from an unseen threat. As a result, when prince Cooper was born, the festivities were lavish, but there was also a feeling of apprehension. What threat would loom over Daltonia?

On Cooper’s tenth birthday, that became clear. The evil sorcerer known as the Pink Dagger, had been secretly planting seeds of disarray around the kingdom. Seeds that would manipulate time. The Pink Dagger tried to manipulate the past in order to alter the present and change a possible future. The young Cooper knew what he had to do, so when he was only ten years old, he and his friends from the Knight Academy set out on a quest to stop the Pink Dagger-”

“And meanwhile, the new queen gave birth to a second son!” Wes yells happily.

David groans as he looks up from his electronic parchment.

“Damnit, Wes, I was getting to that!” he says towards his friend.

“Well, hurry up then! We’re all waiting for Blaine to make an entrance.”

“Guys-” Blaine tries to cut in, but all his friends cheer in agreement with Wes.

“Hush,” David says, “I haven’t even gotten around to the death of the first queen and the king remarrying. I am nowhere near Blaine’s birth. That happens after Cooper’s quest! It would fit better in the intro of the second book.”

“Second book?” Trent bemoans.

“Cooper’s had eight big quests. I cannot put them all in one! That would be idiocy.”

“It’s idiocy to write down Cooper’s adventures in the first place,” Nick argues, “As in, who would read them? Everyone in the kingdom already knows of them.”

Nick is right, of course. Cooper is Daltonia’s biggest hero. His eight year long battle with the Pink Dagger has led to Cooper’s victory, and to the safety of Daltonia. Cooper’s spent most of his childhood honing the All Power. Every member of the Royal family has powers, including Blaine, but the prophecy was right: Cooper truly is the most powerful royal that Daltonia’s ever known.

And Cooper also makes sure that everyone knows it.

“Did Cooper ask you to write a book series about him?” Blaine asks. It’s something Cooper would do.

But David shakes his head.

“Oh David,” Jeff whines, “Why?”

“I am a historian!” David says passionately, “But I must also think of the future. Writing this all down in a simple languages is a way for children to learn about their past.”

“Yes. You’re a historian, definitely not a writer,” Wes jokes, which leads to a playful pat on the back from David.

Although Blaine thinks David has a point. Honestly, Cooper’s his brother, and even Blaine’s had to learn about his brother’s adventures through stories, since he was too young to comprehend them when they were happening. Blaine definitely remembers the darker times, when the Pink Dagger was growing stronger, but his mother has always tried to shield him from most of the destruction and the dangers Cooper and his friends were facing.

Besides, if David needs a story, then Cooper’s life is perfect. It’s not as if Blaine has anything interesting to share. He’s always been the younger brother, the second prince, and what not, and Blaine likes it that way. No one’s ever needed him for something big, and he’s glad. Cooper loves all the attention, and he can have it.

“Okay, quit interrupting me,” David says.

David keeps talking about his story, and Blaine’s friends keep adding comments. Blaine turns back to his potions. He scans his digital potion book and listens along with the others, and also occasionally chimes in.

But the sun goes down early in the colder months, and it’s time for Blaine’s friends to leave. They all put on their winter cloaks and say their goodbyes.

“I will send a bird with a draft!” David says as he closes the door behind him.

And just like that, Blaine’s alone, and he’s glad. He loves his friends, truly, but they can be a bit much. Not only that, but everyone’s turned twenty, which is the age that people in Daltonia start thinking about their Passion, and it’s all everyone talks about. The Passion decides what you do for the kingdom. Some have already found it, like David, but others, like Blaine, are lost.

Blaine stirs his big pot with potion. He’s been enjoying alchemy, so maybe that is his Passion? He can become the royal alchemist. It’s not as if he’s becoming the future king, since that’s Cooper’s calling.

Blaine is Royal, though. He has the magical powers, but he hasn’t figure out how to mix (ha!) those with his alchemy.

He keeps stirring in his pot, and he thinks the potion is done. Great. He wanted to finish this before dinner. He and his parents try to have dinner together every evening, and Blaine likes it. Cooper joins when he’s in Castle Town, but most of his time is spent elsewhere in the kingdom. He’s doing all sorts of heroic stuff.

Blaine pours the potion in a glass and smells it. It’s a calming potion. He’s eager to try it.

But then, a maid barges through the door, making Blaine drop his glass in shock.

“Where is your brother?” she yells.

“I don’t know,” Blaine answers, “He started another quest this morning. Something about a mystical cave up north?”

Blaine’s not entirely sure. He tries to keep track of his brother’s heroics, but there are just too many of them.

He crouches down to pick up the shards of glass that’s lying in the spilled potion.

“Then, we need you.”

Blaine drops the shard he had just picked up.

“Me?” Blaine asks. He’s the only one in this tower room, but he still asks to be sure. No one’s ever needed him for anything significant. What could possibly be happening?

“Someone’s been brought in. He’s hurt. You can heal, right?”

Blaine doesn’t have Cooper’s healing powers, but he is interested in alchemy. He’s made some healing potions with success. He can try.

“Okay,” Blaine says.

He takes some of his healing potions from the shelves and he follows the maid out of the door, leaving the shards behind.

[ottosbigtop]

Thinking abt trolls 3 and why it picked up so much traction compared 2 the other 2 movies. Like technological advancements aside I think the main thing is just the character lineup.

Movie one was mostly branch and poppy. All the kidnapped trolls operated as One entity really so it’s not like u could particularly??? Care about them too much. Bridget and Gristle were really really fun but the villain wasn’t anything particularly special or noteworthy judging by just how little people. Talk about her. OH and also creek was there (literally forgor im rereading this for typos and adding this now) but like. Oh no the guy who showed up for like 5 minutes is a Bad guy and im supposed to care about the quest to save him mostly just because theyre telling the audience they should care because Poppy cares . But theres just not a lot of setup (and Creeks just not that. Interesting?)

Second movie had considerably More bangers and was definitely going in the right direction character wise. But it had the Opposite problem with wayyy too many guys that were really interesting and not a lot of time to do anything with them. You get King Trollex’s intro, Biggie, Cooper and Prince D and their parents, Delta Dawn, and Allll the bounty hunter trolls, PLUS Barb and the rock trolls. Barb was definitely a prime example of a major upgrade from the movies, having a villain that the audience actually vibed with and u could Tell by fan reactions I think. (Parb sweep) But there was just. Sooo so much, on top of the lore dump and a plot that you really had to get cool with really quick to get invested in. theres a bunch of new trolls and these strings that are definitely super important promise (lie)

The third one feels like they finally like. Know what theyre doing. With their own universe. No big lore dumps, theres not even any Explanation for what Mount Rageous is, they just introduce you to it and the Rageons with confidence thru Velvet and Veneer and expect you to get it. Plus, theres still a lot of characters, but theyre much more tangibly connected now. All the brozone brothers are well established and have preestablished relationships with each Other so even if we dont get much time with them it doesn’t feel like theyre that out of place. It still requires some suspension of disbelief vis a vis “Branch had Four super secret brothers hes Never mentioned,” but they make it work and frankly, the set-up is a lot more easier to get invested in than “secret magical strings that Invented Magic I Guess.”

And with Brozone and Viva theres a connection To the main characters rather than just being tag-alongs for tag-alongs sake. They’ve all got their own niches to make them individually compelling but theres a connecting thread here so they still feel like they’re a part of the story. And they’re all there to do something!! And then Velvet and Veneer of course continue the vibe that Barb had of being villains with enough screen time and personality that you like them As characters and arent just viewing them as The Plot Obstacle. Which is cool i think. Overall i just think the third movie felt a Lot more confident to do what the fuck ever and thats Really good.

[cursedonyx]

What I want in a Hogwarts Legacy Sequel

Masterlist

Whilst it might be too much for us to hope for, I really do hope we get a sequel.

For me, I’d absolutely love to have a sequel be a continuation of our story, with the same characters that we’ve come to love, as well as some new ones to interact with.

Starting in our sixth year, what makes the most sense to me from a gameplay/story standpoint would be the Triwizard Tournament. Yes, it’s not canon that it would have occurred at this time, but then our MC isn’t exactly canon either!

So, here are my ideas.

The Overarching Story

A Triwizard Tournament could work for a number or reasons, such as each trial splitting up the seasons in much the same way as the Keepers Trials did, the narrative being that you as the Hogwarts Champion (because of course you are) has to solve puzzles and prepare to fight through various tasks. This will enable the character to learn new spells and potions to help them on their quest. The end of each school ‘term’ would be a Task, much like the Trials. Your friends and teachers could help your prepare for it by teaching you advanced spells, tricks and lore that will help you in your endeavours, as well as our main friends helping you figure out what each task is.

As well as this, there could be some kind of sub-plot that enables our characters to go beyond the Scottish Highlands – naturally we would spend a lot of our time in the world the devs so lovingly created, I’d never want to leave that world behind for anything, and there’s plenty the devs could do to add in new things for us to explore.

The sub-plot I’m thinking of could build on the remnants of the poachers and Ashwinders we defeated at the end of fifth year, and they’ve somehow fenagled the Goblet of Fire to accept only us as the Hogwarts Champion in an attempt to get rid of us, a la Harry Potter. Our investigations could take us to Diagon Alley, the Ministry of Magic, even Azkaban, using spells we’ve learned to solve the mystery.

It could also mean we get to meet students from other schools – yay new friends! Or rivals! Sebastian gets jealous if you flirt with them!

(Also there’s the opportunity for that Yule Ball everyone wants where you can ask one of your friends as a date.)

Oh, and whatever you chose to do with Sebastian at the end of fifth-year (if any of you turned him in I'm coming for your innards) there will be a reason he's back at school - either lack of evidence or Omi used his connections to help bail him out or whatever, but he's still with us.

Spells

We should keep ALL the spells, potion recipes and abilities we had in HogLeg. There’s no way to logically remove said knowledge from our arsenal, and it makes sense that, as sixth-years, we would expand our knowledge of magic and the world around us.

Spells like Reducto, Impedimenta, Episkey and such would be useful and make narrative sense to learn. We could build on our Ancient Magic, the Keepers teaching us a new ability each term that makes narrative sense without overpowering us (I know we’re pretty OP anyway, but stay with me on this). Other spells we could learn could be Expecto Patronum (I reckon an in-game quiz of some kind would be useful for this, as well as our choices in-game impacting on what our Patronus is), even some more unsavoury spells from our favourite curse-master.

We could learn other spells from our other friends as well, who of course would be eager to help us prepare for the upcoming tournament tasks. I reckon Sebastian, though he will have sworn off Dark Magic by this point, would be willing to teach us powerful spells that toe the moral line a bit, defensive magic or stealth spells. He’s very clever, so he’d be the one to teach you the history of the TWT and be instrumental in helping you figure out what each task is. Ominis, of course, could teach us useful detection spells that help him navigate (like a suped-up Revelio or echolocation charm) or healing spells. Poppy could teach us more about beasts (more on that in a minute), Natty could teach us how to become an animagus, Amit could teach us a method to level-up certain magic at night… the possibilities are endless!

Friendships/Relationships

I want all of our original friends to remain our friends and act accordingly – they want to help you win the TWT and help where they can – these could be side quests/tie in to the main quest.

In HogLeg’s original game files, there is a friendship chart. It was sadly scrapped and only in the very early stages of development before it was cut, but I’d love to see it implemented in a sequel. I’d say all major characters and professors should have a relationship meter ranging from -10 to +10, like nemesis to best friends, and your choices matter in this game. For example, you might have to very carefully navigate your relationship with Sebastian and Ominis, because pleasing one might upset the other, and you’d have to make very astute decisions to make them both your besties (I imagine Omi would still be upset with Seb for all he did in fifth year, and part of your relationship quests with them is helping them be friends again at the start).

Other relationship quests could be helping Sebastian repair his relationship with Anne (or helping him accept he's done wrong and he should let her come to him), helping Ominis begin the Downfall of the Gaunts (Gaunt Manor, yo!) and giving Noctua a proper burial, helping Poppy rescue beasts from her parents, getting into trouble gathering ingredients with Garreth, things like that.

Doing favours for other students will impact positively on your relationship, while fucking them over or refusing to help them (like not giving Zenobia her gobstones back, or not giving Puffskein Duncein his Tentacula leaf) would make them dislike you. I think for major characters like Sebastian, Ominis, Natty, Poppy, Amit and Garreth, it’s a given that you’re friends, and you’d have to actively work to upset them and make them dislike you – if one of them does, and you need them to learn a spell or something to progress, you’d need to be nice to them to make them like you enough again to help.

For Professors, doing well in classes (more on that later!) and completing your tasks well would curry favour with them, whilst slacking off, being rude etc would make them dislike you. Professors should be more inclined to give you housepoints if they like you, and dock them if they think you're a little shit.

I’d also like to be able to influence friendships between students as well, but that’s less important on my list of wants.

I’d say at the end of the school year, if enough students and teachers like you, they’ll see your Triwizard victory as a just achievement and celebrate as such, but if you’re unpopular, you won’t get the credit you deserve, with some students commenting that you must have cheated, etc. It's a small thing, but I think it matters.

Personally, I don’t need a romance option in HogLeg (lets face it, nothing could live up to what we’ve dreamed up in the fandom!) but even something as simple as handholding would be amazing.

On that note…

Companions

We NEED companions for the sequel. It's all very well for us PC players, we’ve got mods, but what about everyone else? Companions need to be brought into the sequel, and this is where I’d love the handholding mechanic to come into play. Walking through Hogwarts, the Highlands and Hogsmeade with the option to be holding hands with Natty or Garreth or Poppy or Sebastian or Ominis would be incredible, even if it’s just an animation and it holds no narrative weight. Being able to bring someone along with you, with their little lines of dialogue about your surroundings just makes the game even better than it is by itself.

(Playstation's Ico had a wonderful handholding mechanic, I want it to be like that).

Having your friends with you to fight by your side is, in my opinion, very important. I don’t think companions should join you in the tasks, much like they can’t join you for the Keeper’s Trials, but having them with you while you dash off all over the place and get into trouble would be brilliant, especially if they have more companion-focused dialogue, like Ominis being horrified if you use an Unforgivable in front of him, but encouraging you to get up to a little mischief (you’re quite the covert little thief, aren’t you? 💦💦), Sebastian commenting on your skills when you fight or if you sneak into somewhere you shouldn't be (how funny would it be for companions to comment on you breaking into a professor's bedroom, especially if your companion was a professor!), Poppy sassing enemies left and right, and Garreth using his experimental potions… I could go on forever about how amazing it could be with just a little more.

Lessons

It’s been mentioned that one of the things people would like is the ability to feel more like a student. Whilst I think that too many lessons you have to attend would spoil the freedom of the game a bit, I’ve seen ideas bandied about that your spells can only reach full potential if you do some lesson ‘mini-games’ – I’m on board with this idea. The only worry is it could become repetitive, but provided it’s not overdone and is optional, it could make for more immersive gameplay.

Collectibles/Selling Stuff

I really do like collectibles in RPGs like this, and I think it’s an essential part of the HL/HP games to have them, but I’d like more options to sell things we acquire. Usually by the time we hit winter in HogLeg, I’m so overpowered I don’t need to use wiggenweld except in rare circumstances, and have to actively injure my character in order to take the potion and free up the slots for when my hopping pots all have wiggenweld in them so I can use them again! If we had the option to sell the potions we brew and the plants we grow as well as clothes we find, that would be incredible.

(Also, if we upgrade our clothes, it should sell for more. Just saying.)

Merlin trials can sod off though, unless they make the cutscene skippable.

Beasts and the Room of Requirement

I don’t think the RoR needs much improving on what we’ve got, so at the start of sixth year it should be like it was at the end of fifth, only through the game and exploring the various locations you can get more decorations and furniture you can actually use (like sitting on the sofas or having a cup of tea, or doing your homework at a table, even if it’s just an animation) and the Room gets bigger/gets more rooms. A bedroom, a bathroom, things like that would just be perfect.

We NEED to be able to bring our friends to the Room, and they actually comment on it. Each student should have favourite beasts that they like (and if you bring Duncan Hobhouse in to meet your Puffskeins, he runs away screaming), and they actively play with them/groom them without you directing them (Omi would totes be besties with your unicorns). Poppy, especially, would be happy to see Highwing again, I’m sure.

You should be able to play games with your friends, like wizard chess or the like, which improves your relationships with them regardless of whether you win or lose (but if you win they give you a present), plus sassy dialogue if you lose and comments on your strategy.

New beasts would be amazing, like aquatic beasts, perhaps, winged horses (new mount!), crups and such. Not essential, but I think it would be great.

Choices Matter

Perhaps the most important bit of this long, rambly post is that your choices should matter. Originally there was going to be a housepoint/morality system in HogLeg, and I’ll be damned if I don’t want it for a sequel. Earning points for helping people, completing your class work, rescuing beasts and choosing ‘good’ dialogue options would net you points, whereas being a dickhead would lose you points. You should compete with other houses, and each student should have a percentage of points that they’re likely to win or lose. Sebastian, for example, ever the hellion, would likely lose a lot of points because he’s a rule-breaking little devil, (I imagine Ominis would too, in fairness he’s canonically a bit of a troublemaker too, but he’s just as likely to earn points IMHO). Garreth I think would win and lose points equally – he’s talented, but a bit too strong-headed to really listen to authority. Natty I think would earn more than she loses, etc etc etc. I could go on.

Breaking curfew, casting curses (where you can be seen by a prefect/teacher) or general asshattery could lose you points, but I reckon depending on the difficulty level should impact how easy it is to win points back. I’d say it’s not a given that your house will win the cup, and you actually have to work for it.

Other Bits I Want

Photo Mode – the game’s too beautiful to not have it.

No Mercy Mode – after you complete the main story, we should have this option

Ability to change Seasons after the main game is over

Curfew (turn on/off) – it’d be fun to have, but the ability to turn it off would be great so it doesn’t get too troublesome

No flight restrictions. Let me fly over Hogsmeade, damnit!

More enemy types – including dementors/lethifolds

Alohomora just unlocks doors – no shitty minigame

Functional Common Rooms – sleeping in your bed to speed time, classmates congregating there at night/going to bed (don’t care if they have to teleport there), etc.

Meals in the Great Hall – even if it’s just an animation, it’d be nice to sit with your friends.

At LEAST one F-bomb from one of the characters. Unexpected and hilarious. But which one?

I’m sure there’s plenty more I’ve missed or some things that just won’t work, but this would be my ideal sequel. Thoughts?

[hestzhyen]

Food in the Edgy Sword Manga: A Summary

This is long because I hit the image cap but I at least managed to keep things succinct for once in my life.

In short: Kagurabachi has been using food as obvious symbolism for connection, trust, general well-being, and/or mutual understanding since the beginning.

Chapter 1

Moments like these are cherished memories that Chihiro keeps close to his heart. Note his relaxed, open posture compared to the next image.

Three years later, Chihiro is turning down Mr. Shiba's small offer of comfort. He still relies on Mr. Shiba and cares a great deal for him, obviously, but his heart is closed off now.

Vs. Sojo Arc

Chapter 3

Our first obvious glimpse into the kind nature Chihiro tries to smother with edginess. He'll turn down comfort from others but he'll easily offer some to a scruffy orphan. He even makes sure he gets down to her eye level to reassure her when doing so (Hinao also did the same earlier in the chapter). Take notes, Mr. Shiba.

World's Hardest-Working Uncle Figure doing the clarifying monologue shtick to perfection as always. Just so we know that this bit with Char is perfectly in-character for Chihiro.

Char doesn't trust Chihiro yet, but she's willing to help him with his own quest at least. They connected over the meal (short-lived as it was).

Chapter 5

Chihiro being run ragged by a hungry, lonely little girl should trounce any lingering doubts that this guy is an uncaring revenge bot. You can tell by his thoughts and dialogue here that despite his brusque attitude, he's more focused on Char's quirks and well-being than the information she can offer him. And Char reciprocates by starting to let her guard down- his altruism when providing security and comfort gets her to trust him completely.

Again food being used to reference someone's well-being. Living as a science experiment in captivity was terrible even when she still had her mom (obviously). But Char's safe now with access to good food through Chihiro. Or so she hopes.

Chapter 6

Chihiro's cherished memories of his dad are corrupted thanks to the trauma sorcerer. A meal interrupted, trust and safety shattered. Only hatred is left according to Chihiro when he comes to. ...But he's not exactly the most trustworthy guy when it comes to his own status.

Instead of the science lab or the cell itself we see a tray of indistinct mush and water in a cage. Just a gentle way of bonking us over the head that the food metaphors are supposed to be obvious- and that whatever is waiting for Char back there with Sojo is not good for her (or anyone really).

The comfort Chihiro offers is a bit awkward and messy, but it's still wholesome as fuck. He's willing to give it at his own expense too. Someone please give this boy a hug.

Chapter 11

Poor Mr. Shiba. One day he'll find someone who appreciates his awkward attempts to help people. At least Hinao didn't turn him down despite the poor presentation.

Between this scene and the grilled smelt from Chapter 1, it's pretty obvious that Shiba sucks at trying to be a source of comfort, but at least he tries.

Alone and back to being mistreated. Oh, Char...

Chapter 15

Just like Chihiro, this represents the precious memories Char has of her mom. When she was safe and loved.

And once again, safety and comfort are brutally ripped away from a child and their only parent.

... but what was lost can be found again in the right people.

May nothing bad ever happen to Char again. I mean it.

Chapter 17

Ah, one of my favorite tropes! Interrupting a fierce battle scene to show the combatants having a casual chat! This time, there's no comfort or security to be had through sharing food, though. Instead, this is exchange is purely about connecting and understanding each others' views.

A bit of trivia: these guys are probably eating hanami (a.k.a. sanshoku) dango which are usually eaten while viewing cherry blossom trees in the spring. They're sweet and thus extra unappetizing for Chihiro (he dislikes sweet foods and drinks in general).

Sojo initiates and eats a single dango. He begrudgingly accepts that Chihiro's view of Kunishige's legacy is legitimate.

As the conversation goes on, Chihiro accepts Sojo's interpretation in turn. Both of them are correct. And yet:

Chihiro painfully finishes his dango while Sojo is content to leave just the first one eaten. This is Chihiro being willing and able to swallow the whole truth and all it's implications, no matter how unpleasant the experience is. Meanwhile Sojo cares more about being the one with the "most correct" interpretation. Chihiro ended up getting more out of the conversation than Sojo did, which gave him the edge he needed to win the fight.

And that's the end of the Vs. Sojo arc. The food references aren't as common past this point, but they still show up to give some extra context in a few scenes.

Rakuzaichi Arc

Chapter 19

Hakuri's just a fuckin' mess dude- alone, insecure, and can't give himself any kind of reassurance. Given what what we can infer from his monologue, it's pretty obvious this guy is going through it and not coping as well as he thinks he is.

Chapter 26

Our spaghetti queen and parfait king share a meal to let us know that they're pretty comfortable with each other... though outsiders might not get what their deal is. It's casual and they chat like they've known each other for a while. Tafuku and Hiyuki's relationship is solid despite the yawning chasm between their personalities.

Once again Shiba's good intentions are turned down. At least Char is comfortable enough to let Team Goldfish know about her wants and needs now though!

Meanwhile, Hakuri isn't ready or willing to let anyone console him, but least we have better insight as to why he struggles to keep his shit together. Most people would- and we haven't even seen the worst of his circumstances yet.

Chapter 28

After a few days of encouragement from Chihiro and helping out, Hakuri finally lets himself be treated a little. He earned himself a bit of security and respite but is still uneasy, and thus quick to let the warm fuzzies go (hence passing the ice cream to Char instead of bringing it with him). Neither Chihiro nor Shiba have any themselves.

Chapter 35

Oh man. Oh boy. Time to really get into why Hakuri is the way he is. This could be a whole post by itself but I'll try to be brief. (Honest.)

Shout out to the KB Confession account on Twitter for letting me ramble in their inbox with that long-ass submission about how Hakuri relates to food in this series. I've reworked it poorly here (so much for being anonymous I guess).

Sazanami prison food looks better than what Char was getting, but it's not out of kindness- everything in this place exists for the Rakuzaichi. Hakuri obviously sees himself as no different. He threatens to keep Ice Lady alive no matter what she wants because that's his job; there's no affection or compassion involved when he provides her meals.

Ice Lady seems to want to genuinely connect with Hakuri though. Even when she fails to manipulate him, she keeps the offer of companionship open to him since she's empathetic to his situation.

It works as she thought it would, but maybe not as she hoped. We see him coming to trust and find comfort in her as she leaves less food behind each time, but she's unable to find the same in him. His insistence on their one-sided relationship through food only pushed Ice Lady further and further away despite her apparent growing affection for him. He got it all wrong because he didn't know any better. It's painful to love and be loved as a Sazanami- especially a worthless defect like him. Hakuri wasn't able to understand the ramifications of how fucked up his situation was until Ice Lady slit her throat in his face.

Up until this point, providing food was a positive thing- people connecting and usually finding comfort. At the bare minimum it allowed Chihiro and Sojo to understand each other before the end. But Hakuri inverted and distorted the meaning of sharing food with someone. His actions helped him break free from his family's grip by revealing that he doesn't know what it means to properly offer and reciprocate genuine human connection. So now Hakuri probably associates sharing food with being used and hurting other people.

That's why we haven't seen him share a meal with Team Goldfish or anyone else yet IMO. For all that he's attached himself to Chihiro, he still hasn't exchanged any food with him. Hakuri only trusts that Chihiro saw something worthwhile in in him, that through him there might be hope outside the cage after all. He's barely beginning to see himself as a useful tool. Once he gets to the probably not a horrible human being mindset is where we might see him be able to open up and try to share food again.

Chapter 43

The normal loving family that could have been, if not for Kyora and the clan's slavish devotion to the Rakuzaichi. It's sad but not suspicious that Mrs. Sazanami isn't included much in the meal- all signs from this chapter point to a joyless arranged marriage after all. Her not participating with her husband and sons speaks volumes about how distant and miserable she must have felt despite (presumably) making that spread. To provide care, comfort, and love while not being able to partake of it is all too common for mothers.

And so, another arc concludes with people sitting down to eat together despite some of them being doomed to die. And an exploding building. Gotta have both in Kagurabachi.

Kamunabi Arc

Chapter 45

Hey Chihiro, whatever happened to waking up with fresh hatred every morning? lmao

I love these goofs so much. It's just snacks on a coffee table, but it shows that Hiyuki and Tafuku have earned some level of trust from Team Goldfish. Shiba trusted them enough to supervise their stay in the same room as his sleeping nephews at least. And Char's already completely won over apparently. This manga does not miss on the found family wholesomeness.

Hiyuki might see the Kamunabi as a sort of family. At the very least, they're an important safety net for society as a whole. Hence us seeing the food again- protection and security.

So who and what will be next? Chihiro bonding with Hiyuki and Tafuku? Kazane turning someone's offer down? Chihiro, Hakuri, and some new coworkers chatting over lunch in the Kamunabi's cafeteria? I'm definitely going to be on the lookout! Until next time, Bachibros.

[thunderboltfire]

Are Lords of Fortune thieves?

I've seen a lot of talk about LoF being an incredibly sanitized faction, and sure, some of this criticism I can agree with. I rolled my eyes through Taash's banter with Bellara too, but I think it's worth remembering, where exactly does this characterisation come from.

Much of the information on how the Lords handle relics and on their general conduct, comes from Taash. Especially their first dialogue in the Lighthouse gets interesting when You play as a Laidir Rook. In a dialogue branch about the traps, if Rook expresses they'd much rather deal with a trap-ridden maze and stealing ancient idols, she immediately responds that the Lords are not thieves, they don't steal.

To which Rook replies that oh no, they absolutely do steal, and recalls an instance of a daring theft by one of their members.

To which Taash states that it doesn't count as theft, because Starkhaven is full of assholes (presumably, rich assholes). They add that the Lords 'don't take from those, who cannot afford it'.

Which sounds like a very convenient justification by someone who owes a lot to the Lords, looks up to them and is generally biased in their favor, all of which Taash definitely is. Taash is convinced that the Lords are good people - they've helped their mother survive, they appreciate their skills, they're a fun bunch. Taash is also relatively young and rather sheltered, possibly a bit naive due to it. They mention not going on political missions, sticking to raiding trap-riddled dunegons and dragon lairs, which also is pretty far from more controversial high-sea robbery Isabela is known for.

In short, Taash has a perspective of a heavily biased insider. I also think that in the mind of a person raised by incredibly principled Shathann, theft is something very wrong, maybe even dishonorable, and it's not difficult to imagine that the faction which puts such emphasis on glory would have some code of honour. The Qunari world is rather black and white - things are either wrong or right. These aspects of the Lords do not go together in qunari mentality, so one of these has to be more true than the other.

The results are sommersaults of justifications. It isn't really theft, you see, because they only take from the rich (which is BTW a pretty logical course of action if they want big prize that'll earn them fame). They take things from assholes, so it's okay. You don't need to worry about it.

I also believe Taash speaks so much about the Lords' approach to the cultural artifacts, because it's the topic they personally know well - they speak about it like it's a common knowledge among the Lords, but Laidir (who ran with the Lords something around half a year before the events of DA:TV) doesn't recall ever working with an appraiser, they even can mention that they definitely haven't thought of it as deeply when they've sold the relics they've robbed, which earns them a sour comment from Taash.

The thing is, the artifact appraisal allowed Taash and their mother to survive, and Shathann may've been employed specifically by Isabela, who's had a bad experience with certain qunari relics and a dalish historian for a friend, but I don't think a fair treatment of artifacts is as universal of a thing as Taash thinks. Shathann had to have worked for the Lords for almost two decades, since Taash was a small child, and Laidir doesn't know her at all, despite stumbling upon various artifacts in their journeys.

The thing is, we don't get much outside information about the Lords in the game, which is, unfortunately, another development oversight that could be easily fixed by background dialogue or an introduction of a bigger LoF base location, in which we'd be able to do actual quests for them and get a wider perspective on the variety of work they do. They're pirates, scoundrels, loose cannons, they should be a pretty polarizing presence (especially in Antiva, whose trade historically suffered greatly from piracy).

TL;DR: There's some ground to suspect that at least a good part of Lords' 'disneyified' behavior is a matter of Taash's personal bias and - as it often is in DA - an unreliable narration. A non-LoF Rook playthroughs don't get enough information in the game to develop a more nuanced view on the faction.

[aeantizlkamenwati]

Final Veilguard Thoughts

I just completed Veilguard 100% platinum (though honestly it is one of the easiest platinums so not much accomplishment there). I have to say again it is not a bad GAME just bad Dragon Age. It reeks of multiplayer and loses everything that made DA unique because of it. And the epilogue is a slap in the face with their “we honor past stories and stories are about change” fourth wall bs and lack of closure. But below the cut is a massive amount of spoilers.

The TL;DR is it’s just a massive missed opportunity and a reboot.

The game up until Weisshaupt is sub par. Boring. It is like they knew the middle and end and then realized they’d have to do a beginning. And then just catered to the newbies and halfassed everything or didn’t do more than one draft. Again the repeating, the handholding the lore while also spoiling everything unnecessarily.

Ghil’s introduction is clownish. Treviso and Minrathous was just fucking blah especially compared to the later missions. It’s just a single fight. And the dialogue Ghil gets? It just makes her a joke. It’s not until Weisshaupt that you see oh she’s crazy and a goddess. It actually felt big while the stupid binary choice was just “eh pick who to fuck I guess”. Maybe if there were other choices like that, it wouldn’t feel so…thrown in there for the sake of supposed stakes.

But the first forty hours (if you are like me and refuse to do main story stuff until everything else is done) is just bad build up. I did not want to push forward until after Weisshaupt. It should NOT take half the game to actually get good. Blood of Arlathan was amazing. It actually felt like I was against a god. It was DIFFERENT than all the other running around quests the game had been up to that point.

I think it would’ve benefitted from more diversity overall. Like gameplay diversity. I think the combat especially needed more. It fucking sucks. It’s just a button masher with no thought. And every boss and big enemy is the same: shield, find the things to pop to break shield, rinse and repeat two-four more times. On storyteller difficulty it’s a joke. And every mission is just fight forward. No puzzle or interesting quests except Blood of Arlathan. Maybe Weisshaupt from the “everything is fucked” thing (it really felt like there should’ve been another REAL everything is fucked, dodging shit that fucked up Treviso/Minrathous to really introduce Ghil) The ending is a bit of a slog too but I enjoyed the cutscenes and war council stuff (again because it was different and interesting and felt like Rook actually had a reason to do it). The end boss battle was cool though not a big fan of the kaiju battles. I called the plot twists at the beginning of the game. Not sure if that's a mark for or against the writing. And the more interesting bits about regret weren’t given enough time to really sink in.

So I think it’s a pacing issue as well as a dialogue issue. I feel like they missed an opportunity to really do something with Rook’s regrets. They are just optimistic and driven all the fucking time that by the time we get trapped in the prison, that’s the first time we see Rook has self doubts and whatnot. There’s this one dialogue line that hit with the masc 1 voice, talking with Solas afterwards that’s “I liked working with you” and it just hits. Where was that emotion before? That level of feeling in the dialogue? If the game is about regrets why didn’t they lean into it??? Instead they leave it blank and deprive Rook of anything interesting, of the thing that made them UNIQUE among the DA protags.

I mean the Inquisitor could be "idk what's going on and why I'm here", but they didn't really have the option to doubt themselves. Hawke was our "everything falls apart around me and I'm just pure chaos" protag. And the Warden was the "Guess I'm in charge now, everyone deal with it" protag. Rook could've been really interesting, to show the different kinds of doubts and regrets. Maybe they are just a scared kid trying to hold it together because they've fucked up everything else in their life. Or maybe they are just pissed that they are the one stepping up. (I also think they could've added depth to the whole elf god thing. Could've also been a nice reason to "fix" the DA racism instead of pastel paint it over). They could’ve utilized the companions to show they cared about Rook that they see what they are going through.

But nope! Bland nothing you have to headcanon your way out of. And Rook is still blander than Origins because everyone knows who they are but the player. They should’ve done something about the backgrounds to set the scene for each Rook. Like resolve them in the game too, not just introductory scenes. Like Aldwir could've had a special mission where them and Strife hash it out (with probably more yelling) cause I kinda felt Strife was Rook's father figure and it would hurt to be constantly told they fucked up by him. Mercar could've had scenes with their family, talking about what it is to lead. SOMETHING to tie Rook to the story and flesh them out beyond headcanons (any developer who relies on headcanons to make their stories interesting, unless the protag is meant to be a Dovahkiin blank space, is fucking lazy, rushed or bad at their job. I don't want to be told "this is the correct Rook", I want enough personality and story to sink my teeth into and Rook is a paper thin vanilla wafer) And they are fucking contradictory? You choose the elf option for tattoos in the beginning and Rook states they were not raised Dalish. They tell Taash they were raised in a city. Then you can say you are Dalish??? And have all the knowledge of a Dalish about the culture. When canonically that’s doubtful. But nope rainbows and sunshine no problems here.

Then the companions are the biggest missed opportunity. I can forgive shitty gameplay (Andromeda) if the companions are good. And this is where the multiplayer starts really showing up. The fact that 90% of their bonding is completely missable and requires you to go into their rooms, stand there, and then just leave without a word from Rook is bullshit (and weird as fuck). Even Andromeda let you have conversations outside cutscenes.

And there’s a lack of balance between the characters. Fucking Taash has like 20 cutscene things and everyone else gets a quarter of that. Why isn’t Lucanis’ healing as important as Taash’s gender journey??? Or Bellara’s grief?? I like Taash don’t get me wrong (at least when they aren’t acting like a moody edgy teenager. That’s just bad writing) but they feel like the favorite child and everyone else is just there. Even NB Rook gets shafted for Taash’s story. I feel I know Taash and have missed everything with the other characters.

This lack of development hits mostly in the romance. Lucanis’ is nonexistent it seems with the majority of flirts doing nothing. One almost kiss and then the companion quest doesn’t change and boom can be in a relationship with nothing new added. It feels like they got the okay to do single player and went “oh shit now we have to do romance…uh just throw the same formula and they’ll be fine”. Like the companions have better chemistry with each other. Rook is just...nothing (no one can convince me they are supposed to be like Shephard because there's having a predefined character and having a blank doll that talks like it has personality) This is a step down from even fucking Origins and DA2. At least those were unique with their own plot lines and themes. At this point I’d take the cringey sex montage of Origins over this nothing burger. Those had more depth than a classic Disney film.

And who’s bright idea was it to put the kiss/make out scene right after you just found out your mentor is dead and you’ve been played with by a god (and why wasn’t that given more room to breathe??? I would feel fucking violated as fuck! But given that one of the writers once wanted you to have sex with a demon masquerading as Leliana I'm also not fucking surprised the idea of consent got thrown out the window) and watched your friend die???? How is that okay???? And didn’t one of the directors say “this is the most romantic da game to date” or something??? Seriously? You call this more romantic than having a literal Princess Bride moment with Josie? Or Dorian learning to want more that he can have more? Be for fucking real.

The lack of all of this gives me serious doubt about Mass Effect 5. I expect a full reboot like this where they just nuke everything off screen so they don’t have to deal with it and call it something like “necessary to avoid pointless one liners” again. I can think of several decisions I made that could’ve aided the South. You know like the schism between the Grey Wardens. But nope. Apparently the only things that matter are: did you want to fuck Solas (as Dorian gets one line and everyone else gets nothing), did you want fucking kill Solas, and how would you like to fucking do that. They made it where there’s only one answer that’s given the care to feel correct/complete. And even then Solas’ sudden "k I’ll bind myself" feels rushed or just cobbled together cause that ending needed more. I don’t care if it’s supposed to be vague that’s an excuse for shitty writing. I should feel like I got closure and I don’t. I just feel insulted given how little care they gave for the previous stories and how little they cared about this one apparently. I shouldn’t have to rely on fanfics to fix your damn story BioWare. Fanfics should build upon what’s there not do your job for you. They could’ve done something interesting but instead we get an indistinguishable multiplayer clone trying to masquerade as a Dragon Age with piss poor pacing, dialogue and direction.

I’m out. It felt like them killing Varric was a metaphor for them killing the older games. A nice fuck you to the player base

[rabbittwinrithings]

Okay, Context time!

Context for this post: https://www.tumblr.com/rabbittwinrithings/767780169766322176/oh-dear-oh-no-i-tripped-and-fell-and?source=share

Pulling the band aid off, I drew this during the time I was Brainstorming/writing Vigilant dialogue for the SOT followers.

With this post I do have a disclaimer that all of this will never come to SOT since I have stepped away. None of this stuff was ever finalized (writing was also in first draft phase,) especially act 4 stuff as I was speaking with some VAs to make sure the contents were alright with them. I know Vigilant is a taxing story, and to build reactions to it would take a lot of work to make sure everyone involved was comfortable with the content the included. So yea, none of this is canon. (Also, poor Gabrielle is missing her thy, thee, etc, for first draft reasons. Tragic.)

(PS. sorry if I get details or events wrong, I haven't played this mod in a hot minute and may misinterpret my own notes on when things take place.)

With all that said, spoilers below for the mod, Vigilant (https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/11849)

Long post starting now!

The Vigilant reactions involved dialogue not only by each SOT follower (Khash, Caryalind, Varrick, Disnel, and Gabrielle,) but also dialogue with one another. Though I only wrote Act 1, I tried to write dialogue that was pretty dynamic so if you didn't have one or two of the group, the others would still hold conversations over the varying subjects with one another. But, the best way to play it would have been with all of them.

Each follower had their own thoughts upon joining the Vigilants. For example,

Khash: Was very excited. To fight daedra and all. Sounded really cool to her.

Caryalind: As well enjoyed the idea. He brings up the Vigilants in the summerset isles and what good work they were doing.

Disnel: Doesn't really know the Vigilants, but the idea of them interested her.

Gabrielle: Found them noble enough. She has a history of aiding them, and this felt no different.

Varrick: Is where the joining took a turn. He even has a conversation with the player about if he should be worried about getting a knife in the back. During the whole first Act, Varrick would be a character who worries about his safety amongst the Vigilants, and talks shit from time to time.

This quest would also mark the tension between Varrick and Gabrielle. (Scene belows take place inside the Vigilant's HQ)

Gabrielle also was very cautious of Khash's saftey. She knows what Daedra would be like and wants to make sure she is safe.

Some additional dialogue I like after finding and fighting the vampire who tried to lure you in by talking about "her sweetrolls."

Cary also caring for Khash:

Once far enough into the Act, Gabrielle would bring up concerns with the player:

There was also a legend in development to keep track of the player's choices in this dialogue:

Then a conversation with Khash:

That's a lot of player conversations. But Gabrielle and Varrick still butted heads.

They also all say "Fuck Windhelm!"

In Riften there is a conversation about the mess in the sewers. However, I didn't really post it here as it's basically everyone being horrified and the DB can tell them about their vision or not.

Varrick being there for Jacob during the trek under the Vigilant tower:

Everyone take care of the scared daughter:

Another Varrick conversation regarding the "witches:"

Fighting Altano:

More fun freak outs!

PSA: Don't bring your lizard daughter on this quest:

More conversations

By the end of Act 1, each companion gets there own prophecy from Molag Bal

Each companion would have conversations with the player to discuss these prophecies they heard in their head. Below are just fragments.

So this marks the end of Act 1 and everything that I had written for the reactions.

I had a feeling Act 2 wasn't going to be as extensive. Just them reacting to the vampire stuff. However, there would be a bigger focus on Caryalind for... reasons...

Act 3 was where things were gonna be easy, but go downhill.

At the start of Act 3, the Player goes to the manor, but the companions are said to have to stay outside as they are not officially Vigilants of Stendarr. Sadly, when the player enters the manor, they hear the screams of their companions and friends through the door they just walked through. Act 3 then continues on like normal.

Okay! That is the end of this post. HOWEVER, I will be posting how ACT 4 goes tomorrow in a separate post as I hit the image limit and have some screenshots of stuff I said during brainstorming on Discord. Trust me, it will be more in depth than Act 2 and 3 as I had a ton of plans for Act 4. Just didn't have exact lines like Act 1. So, keep an eye out for the final part of this post tomorrow!

[mllemaenad]

...I am going to regret asking this, I know, but what was the thing with Preston, and how far should I steer clear of that particular mod, as a Preston fan?

Oh. I ... would very much not recommend you playing this. This is very much the story of how I made a mistake.

So ... I can occasionally be a bit rash about installing mods, particularly if they offer new quests. It's a weakness of mine. It has meant that I have found the occasional overlooked gem, but it has also meant that sometimes I'm left flailing and wishing I could unsee what I just saw.

And my theory of mods is very much inline with my theory of fanfic: there is going to be so much stuff out there that is not to my taste, and if I don't like it I should back the hell out of it and never tell the author what I thought. It's just ... slightly more complicated to back out of a mod install than it is a fanfic.

Now I've looked it, there's a suite of three mods here: Depravity, Outcasts and Remnants and Project Valkyrie. They seem to enjoy considerable popularity, and they offer alternative routes through the main quest line, with a bunch of additional side quests to go along with them. In a fit of boredom I thought ... why not?

They're also big, foundational mods. If you go into a modding forum you'll find a lot of finger wagging about how you should never uninstall any mod mid game; you should always start a new save. But ... if I find at hour 60 that an armour mod is crashing my game, I'm uninstalling that thing and rolling the dice on going forward. These ones, though ... once they're in, you'll never get an ongoing save to load properly without them. Too big. Too many changes. You need a new game to uninstall.

So I did, to my later chagrin, put up with some indicators that these mods were not for me when I should have bitten the bullet and started over. The early stuff involved collaborating with a slaver and ... well, no thank you, really, but it did say it offered some "evil" options for progressing quests in places where there were only good ones. So, okay, more role playing options are broadly a good thing even if I don't want to engage with them very much; it also suggested that it had alternate "good" routes in other places, so I assume it wasn't just trying to be edgy. And there was a bunch of nonsense with raider women running around in absurd outfits, and female characters with ... let's say improbable proportions.

It can be interwoven with normal questing, though, so it was a thing I'd run into occasionally when going into the mod's storyline. Otherwise, I could just keep collecting companions and play on.

But what stopped me dead was the Preston thing. A core part of the mod's story centres around a group of Lyons loyalists who had become "outcasts" themselves as part of the regime change and fled to the Commonwealth well before the arrival of the Prydwen (an interesting concept, even if this take on it did not work for me).

They are, from their impossibly gigantic and well equipped base, investigating who is funding the Gunners. Well, spoilers, the answer to that question turns out to be the Enclave. You attack their base and fight your way to the bottom. And you find a terminal. The terminal reveals that Preston Garvey has been lying to you. He is, in fact, an Enclave officer who infiltrated the Minutemen specifically to collaborate with the Gunners on orchestrating the fall of Quincy. His superiors are currently annoyed with him because he's having too much fun stringing you along to come back to base and take on his next job.

The mod then invites you to confront and kill Preston for his crimes.

Does this make any sense to me, or in any way conform with the way Preston behaves in a normal, unmodded game? Nope. And yet. I'm sure there's more to it, but at that point I swore, accepted the fact that I had wasted an unreasonable number of hours trying to give this a fair chance (it's so popular), and set about scouring it from my game and starting over.

Terrible mistake.

I will note that, obviously, on a technical level this thing is very impressive. Voiced dialogue, scripted scenes, new dungeons, multiple quest lines – the lot. I can ... add keywords to an item in xEdit, in a pinch.

But the storyline was very much not for me. It seems to be accepted, at least by some corners of the fandom, that Preston is incurably annoying. I do not share this sentiment, but I can't tell people who to like. But this ... thing where they have to rewrite a good man as a villain so they can justify killing him is just ... baffling.

So my general advice would be: benefit from my error and keep your distance from these ones.

[madraleen]

Genshin Impact 5.1 Archon Quests - Jumbled Thoughts

-Just. Insane. All of it. Act 3 was so chill, so “oh yeah, middle act continuation of the story,” and then in Act 4 shit hit the fan. There’s no other way to put it. It was HARROWING. It was war. It was. It was ugly and urgent and relentless - as it should be, but I wasn’t expecting it to be. The dead bodies? The dead Saurians? The dead Dino? I was speechless, I felt the despair. When the Traveler insisted to Paimon that we’ll win, I was like “HOW? HOW?! And even if we do, look at how much we’ve lost already!” The more we had to fight, the more I got like “Stop, please, make it stop” - but in an immersive way. It was hard to play through. And imo JP dub Paimon sold the whole thing so well that she actually stressed me out, listening to her panic as I tried to investigate/fight - again in an immersive way. It was all really well-done, to the point that it hurt, emotionally. It was intense.

-MAVUIKA FOR THE WIN, SHE’S SO COOL. She’s so good, she’s such a good leader! And I love that her people are her friends, not her subordinates. I basically love the Natlan characters’ dynamics.

-THE FALSE SKY?!?!??!?! THE FALSE SKY?!??!?! AT A TIME LIKE THAT?? What was that, fragments of a moon maybe? And the red squares, reminiscent of the Sustainer???

-The God of Death??? The Night Lord that’s an Angel, and Seelies being devolved Angels??? THE LORE?!?!?! I am curious as to the dynamics between the Shades and Celestia, who has the upper hand so to speak.

-THE CAPTAIN AND MAVUIKA?!?! BEING SO CIVILIZED?? AND COOPERATING? I loved their conversations, they were so real, and I loved seeing the Natlanese working together with the Fatui for a common cause. I’m looking forward to finding out the deeper reason that the Captain wants to save Natlan. Also, this begs the question- if he ISN’T required to give the Gnosis to the Tsaritsa, if the Harbingers are supposed to put their own path before the Tsaritsa WITH the blessing of the Tsaritsa, how does the Tsaritsa select the Harbingers and what does she expect from them?

-So, based on what the Captain said, our sibling didn’t just happen to be there during the Cataclysm, they were part of the ruling class during the Cataclysm. (In my case) Lumine didn’t become the Abyss Order’s Princess, she was already a princess, during the Captain’s time. Also, wtf has Dain done that keeps him looking as he does?

-Citlali and Ororun were nothing like I expected. Xilonen is the coolest woman in Natlan. She’s so lazily kind. She has an air of “you’re inconveniencing me, but I’m so laid-back and good-hearted that I actually don’t mind.”

-Anemo characters can’t catch a break. They just can’t. I can’t believe they chose a sibling death OF AN ANEMO CHARACTER OH MY GOD! You’re not escaping the “has to have a dead friend/relative” reputation, Anemos, you just aren’t!

-Kinich, I love him so.

-Simulanka really told us “This is how Natlan will go.” Hindsight is 20/20. I wasn’t expecting two heroes with the same element though. 

-OKAY! Now let's save Mavuika somehow. Although I must say, the fact that we'll be separated from Paimon makes me anxious, idk. It scares me a little, I hope it's just a practical necessity.