#also the idea of godhood vs Godhood

[causalityparadoxes]

thinking about Eldritch Goddess TARDIS...

(She has travelled longer and further than any of her sisters. Sutekh travelled with her for barely a fraction of that time. She is eons old and will persist even after the timeless child finally dies. Yet, she is not held by the same constraints of linearity that Timelords or Osirans are. If she will then she has. Because she is always. She will and is and thus has see more than any other being in the universe or beyond. She has stared into infinity for infinity and will stare and is staring for all time. She cannot evolve into godhood because she has always been what she is: A Titan. A horror. An infinitly vast and eternal creature beyond even her own kind's comprehension. A God)

[autistichalsin]

All dialogue options for Halsin's request for a story for the children in the epilogue

There are generic options, unique options for Durges, each Origin, and even for Origin paths (I.E. Justiciar Shadowheart vs Selune path Shadowheart) so I thought I'd collect them all here! There are some nice characterization moments here, and I love Halsin's reactions to some of these. (Also, I had no idea Gale could still ascend to godhood as a mindflayer? Or at least there's dialogue for it here...) I hope you guys enjoys these!

All characters/Tav:

Regale Halsin with tales of your past six months.

Halsin: You have kept yourself busy - I expected no less, in truth. I shall be able to keep the children enthralled for a few more nights yet, thanks to you. And should you wish to retell of your exploits in person? Well, I shall not object to a night off.

All characters/Tav:

The truth may be a little flat. Spice it up a little. (This triggers a skill roll for deception)

If the roll succeeds:

Halsin: You are truly incapable of disappointing. The children shall be rapt - and have no fear; all due credit shall be given to the tale's originator.

If the roll fails:

Halsin: Hmm, do I detect a certain... exaggeration? You could give Master Geddarm a run for his gold - though I suppose he has little need for it now, Oak Father bless him. In any case, my audience will favour a good tale over veracity any day - I thank you for your offering.

Any character who accompanied Karlach to Avernus:

Halsin: I am glad you and Karlach have an enduring friendship - it shall serve as a strong lesson for the children, as well as a stirring tale.

Any player who became a mindflayer:

My exploits have been limited by my new form. I live as a pariah, feared by most.

Halsin: Yet not by me. I shall tell the children of your heroism and sacrifice. They shall know what they owe to you, trust me.

Mindflayer characters who have plans with the Emperor:

I have been dwelling far from the public eye. Yet the Emperor and I have grand plans in motion - that I cannot speak of.

Halsin: Too murky for a children's tale, I fear. Perhaps I should focus on the hero you were, and the sacrifice you made. But thank you for sharing, nonetheless.

Mind flayer characters who are allied with the Emperor:

My new form demands discretion. I have been amassing power in the shadows with my ally, the emperor.

Halsin: I see. Perhaps the children can learn something from your ambition in the face of adversity. Thank you.

Mindflayer characters who killed the Emperor:

My exploits have been limited by my new form. I live as a pariah, feared by most.

Halsin: And with an appetite for the grey ambrosia that dwells within every skull, I presume? Perhaps I shall remind the children of your heroism and self-sacrifice... and skip over the brain-eating until they are older.

Dragonborn Dark Urge:

How about a ghost story? A spectral dragon who will haunt the little ones' dreams, if they don't behave.,

Halsin: Most enthralling - though perhaps it may lead to some sleepless nights for the younger ones. I can make something palatable with a little showmanship and creative licence - thank you.

Any Dark Urge:

Tell Halsin a detective story, where in the end, the intrepid Fist discovers they had been committing the murders all along.

Halsin: A touch bleak perhaps, but considering the amount of orphans in my audience, I am sure they shall manage. I can make something palatable with a little showmanship and creative licence - thank you.

God Gale:

Recall the parable of the Yearning Orphan, your youngest follower and already a great prophet spreading your doctrine...

Halsin: You are truly incapable of disappointing. The children shall be rapt - and have no fear; all due credit shall be given to the tale's originator.

Also God Gale:

Tell him of the tribulations of godhood. The politics, the bureaucracy, the endless prayers to answer...

Halsin: Well luckily for you, mortals have a habit of embellishing their run-ins with gods... I am sure I can muster something to captivate the children from what I can glean of you.

God Gale:

Well, I have developed a taste for togas, for one thing.

Halsin: I am glad you have kept yourself occupied. No doubt I will be able to spin a few yarns from the children from this. Thank you.

Mindflayer God Gale:

Well, I've been doing my best to not frighten my followers. I'd hate to be one of those gods.

Halsin: I am glad you have kept yourself occupied. No doubt I will be able to spin a few yarns from the children from this. Thank you.

Non-god Gale who went back to Waterdeep:

I've been researching the tale of the first Blackstaff, Khelben Arunsun. My abridged notes would make for a fascinating bedtime story.

Halsin: I see... well I trust your sources, of course. Perhaps the historical record can survive an embellishment or two, for the sake of the children. In any case, you have my gratitude.

Non-god Gale who didn't return to Waterdeep:

What haven't I done? Delved into dungeons, read secret tomes, taken out a rogue shadow mage or two. Enough magic and mystery for a treasury of tales.

Halsin: Why, Master Dekarios, I had no idea you would continue to stoke the fires of adventure. I commend you - as shall the children, once they hear of your exploits. Thank you.

Dark Justiciar Shadowheart:

Tell Halsin of how you consolidated your power over Lady Shar's church, purging the disloyal with bloody vigor.

Halsin: My. Perhaps a tale for the older children, once I trim off a few of the... less savoury details. But thank you, all the same.

Also Dark Justiciar Shadowheart:

I have been continuing to serve Lady Shar however I can.

Halsin: You are stalwart, even in service of darkness. There will be a lesson there for me to impart to the children... with a few details glossed over, perhaps. Thank you.

Selune path Shadowheart who killed her parents:

Tell Halsin of how you've roamed far and wide, now that you are free of Shar.

Halsin: The shadows were concealing a true adventurer's heart then. Thank you - the children shall be rapt.

Shadowheart whose parents are alive, whether Selune path or Dark Justiciar:

Regale Halsin with tales of your tranquil life with your family and coterie of animals.

Halsin: Yes, I thought I caught the scent of a wolf upon the wind... the children shall love this, but be warned - they may insist upon a visit.

Selune path Shadowheart:

I have been forging my own path, away from Shar's influence.

Halsin: I shall be honoured to speak of you to the children. To embrace change as you have shall make for a stirring example. Thank you.

Any path Shadowheart:

I've been at something of a loose end - roaming and adventuring as I see fit.

Halsin: Countless tales have begun with a roaming adventurer - I am sure I shall keep the children enthralled for years to come with your exploits. Thank you.

Orpheus path Lae'zel:

I have ridden a red dragon to battle as a Warrior of the Comet. The lich queen Vlaakith will fall by my hand.

Halsin: Oak Father preserve you - I hope you have a tight hold on the beast. But this shall make for a most stirring tale for the children. I may even have to tone down the details, for fear they get too excited...

Lae'zel who stayed in Faerun:

I have travelled the harshest lands of the Sword Coast, piercing the hearts of the lich queen's countless assassins.

Halsin: Ha! I think some of the more bloodthirsty children will relish this, thank you.

Wyll who became a Grand Duke and made an eternal pact with Mizora:

I embraced my hellish side and dedicated my life to rebuilding the grand city of Baldur's Gate.

Halsin: The makings of the multi-night epic. The children shall rush to their bunks in order to hear the next chapter, thank you.

Wyll who became a Grand Duke but didn't continue his pact with Mizora:

I turned from my hellish past and dedicated my life to rebuilding the grand city of Baldur's Gate.

Halsin: A noble calling. Your tale shall inspire a whole generation. Thank you.

Wyll who stayed the Blade of Frontiers and made an eternal pact with Mizora:

The Sword Coast is safe as ever thanks to the Blade and his infernal powers.

Halsin: The classic tale of the Blade, but with a twist? This shall go down very well with the children, I sense. Thank you.

Wyll who stayed the Blade of Frontiers and ended his pact with Mizora:

The Blade of Frontiers is back on the hunt. The Sword Coast is safe as ever.

Halsin: Many of the children have already heard of you, as it were - do you know some of them scarcely even believe this old bear could be acquainted with such a hero? But the authentic sense that your recollections bring to the tale shall win them over, no doubt. Thank you.

Wyll who became the Blade of Avernus and made an eternal pact with Mizora:

No hellbeast is safe from the Blade of Avernus and his infernal powers.

Halsin: Thank you, the children shall be agog. I do believe some of them use the number of beastly fangs and claws present in a tale as the yardstick for its quality - which puts yours right at the top of the heap.

Wyll who became the Blade of Avernus and but ended his pact with Mizora:

The Blade of Avernus is on the hunt. The Hells shudder at the very mention of his name.

Halsin: A classic tale. I expect it shall inspire more than a few of the children to start practising their ripostes with wooden sticks.

Wyll who became the Blade of Avernus, made an eternal pact with Mizora, and went to Avernus with Karlach:

The Blade of Avernus and his companion are on the hunt. No hellbeast is safe from his infernal powers.

Halsin: A formidable duo. I am glad that you and Karlach have each other - it shall serve as a strong lesson for the children, as well as a stirring tale.

Wyll who became the Blade of Avernus, did not make an eternal pact with Mizora, and went to Avernus with Karlach:

The Blade of Avernus and his companion are on the hunt. The Hells shudder at the very mention of his name.

Halsin: I am glad you and Karlach have an enduring friendship - it shall serve as a strong lesson for the children, as well as a stirring tale.

Astarion who didn't ascend, but defeated Cazador:

I've been revelling in my freedom, rediscovering the joys of the night.

Halsin: Sanguine joys, no doubt? Perhaps I shall smoothen out some of those details - the children do not need to know the full truth of your diet. But they shall be rapt all the same, thank you.

Astarion who didn't defeat Cazador:

Halsin, I've been hiding in sewers and eating rats. It's not a glorious tale.

Halsin: Ah, but the glory can be found in the telling. The children love tales of underdogs, facing odds most unlikely. They shall appreciate your story, trust me.

Astarion who didn't defeat Cazador and became a mindflayer:

Halsin, I've been hiding in sewers and eating rats' brains. It's not a glorious tale.

Halsin: Ah, but the glory can be found in the telling. The children love tales of underdogs, facing odds most unlikely. They shall appreciate your story, trust me.

Ascended Astarion:

My tales are a little heavy on murder and sex. But if the children want to hear them...

Halsin: Hmm. Perhaps I can substitute the bloodlust and... eh, general lust for cuddles and animals in the retelling. The children may be confused, but no matter - they will soon be asleep. Even with a few little white lies, rest assured that they shall be engrossed. Thank you.

Ascended Astarion who became a mindflayer:

My tales are a little heavy on murder, sex, and tentacles. But if the children want to hear them...

Halsin: Hmm. Perhaps I can substitute the bloodlust and... eh, general lust for cuddles and animals in the retelling. The children may be confused, but no matter - they will soon be asleep. Even with a few little white lies, rest assured that they shall be engrossed. Thank you.

Karlach who went to Avernus alone:

Tell him of how you lost your horn.

Halsin: Truly? I never would have guessed that is what happened. And to think I believed I had the measure of you... but I am glad to be wrong - the children shall be captivated.

[sillovn]

Marika, Messmer and the Hornsent World

OK, finally collected and wrote up SotE lore thoughts. Specifically, want to talk about godhood and details of Marika’s ascension. There's a lot to cover...

1. Divinity and Order

Godhood and the Elden Ring now appear to be entirely separate concepts (though it’s still likely that only gods can use the Elden Ring). Ascension to godhood seems related to accessing a skyward divine paradise, the ‘Higher Spheres’ as the Grandam states. Meanwhile, the Elden Ring appears to “only” be a tool a god uses to create Order.

This is significant, as it now appears that Marika is the first god in many ages (possibly ever) to wield the Elden Ring. The pre-Erdtree Hornsent make no reference to it in their belief systems or visual culture. Her ascension thus represents a major shift in the world’s history, rather than simply being the passing of ages (which was a fair idea pre-SotE).

As a side, SotE also introduces a new class of divinity; the ‘Old Gods’ who seem to be long buried and gigantic in size. The single known weapon related to them appears inspired by IRL stone-age arrow points? (Yes, I know it’s referred to as meteoric ore. But AFAIK, the practice of using meteoric metal seems to predates the ‘formal definition’ of metal ages.)

2. What is the Original Sin?

It is something kept in the Land of Shadow and then what? Marika’s Gold-Shadow creation event would make thematic sense as the Original Sin, again lending credence to the idea that Marika represents a significant break with tradition.

Its notable that Enir-Ilim remains untouched by the razing of the surrounding country, also it was already shadowed at the time of the crusade. As others have stated, there’s an intentionally concealed past here.

3. Marika and the Hornsent

There is a specific relationship here – abandonment and betrayal (ie. Marika was known to the Hornsent and they expected her to uphold something). This is to say that narratives where Marika is ‘a survivor who slipped away and returned with vengeance’ don’t add up.

Instead, Im going to suggest that Marika’s godhood was supported by the Hornsent. Firstly, Enir-Ilim is held by the Hornsent to this very day, Marika ascends using their rituals and Divine Gate. Next, note the religious similarity between the Hornsent and Marika.

Tree Worship and accompanying ideas (gold is holy, sap blessings, fear of Fire Giants).

Note how compared to the present day Erdtree, the Scadutree is a physical sap-dripping tree.

Crucible worship (fades away in the Erdtree faith over time)

Jar Sacrifice. The Hornsent create Saints, the Erdtree followers use gladiators to make gargoyles (again, fades after Godfrey)

Shared motifs with dual meaning (punishment vs. fertility). Barbs vs. Arcs, Crucifixion vs. Dripping sap.

Marika’s braids and jewelry are spirals

Point Im trying to make is that the Erdtree religion is an evolution from the Hornsent one – especially when considering the initial ‘Age of Plenty’ of Marika x Godfrey.

Maliketh’s existence also complicates any idea where Marika and the Hornsent were enemies from the start. A Shadow is tasked with safeguarding their Empyrean; Marika’s only use for Maliketh was to seal Destined Death, suggesting the path to the Divine Gate had little resistance. Lastly there is also no mention of any Hornsent divine candidate, so consider – it was always meant to be Marika. As you can imagine, this changes the relationship between Marika and the other Shamans significantly (but note how Godwyn’s assassins were Numen).

So, what did the Hornsent want out of their god? Perhaps it was the ability control the Elden Ring?

The Scadutree’s asymmetrical shape is blamed on a lack of ‘capital O’ Order. The Elden Ring as is known, can be used to create Order. I bring this up because there is a symmetrical ‘Spiral Tree’ motif that appears in Hornsent culture.

Did the Hornsent plan to create a god because the Scadutree failed to achieve its prophesized form? Was the hope that Marika would succeed with a new order-infused tree? If true, then the Serosh-Godfrey conflict was likely about claiming the Elden Ring from Farum (note; you can find Crucible Knights and Beastmen fighting there).

The elephant in the room for this theory is whether Marika was ever subject to the Jar-Saint ritual? It certainly gives a neat explanation for Radagon’s origin (a Lord is needed for a god to incarnate, and Marika stands alone at her own ascension). I don’t have a good answer, but (as stated earlier) we can rule out ideas where violence was forcibly inflicted on Marika. This leaves 2 options…

Marika was the only Shaman never put in a jar. She rose to power off the sacrifice of her kin.

Marika willing chose the jar. Which sounds completely insane, but religious ordeals seem commonplace in pre-Erdtree religion (see. Curseblades, Lamenters, Tutelary Deities).

4. Messmer’s Crusade is later historical event

Consider the following.

Messmer is familiar with Tarnished as a concept

Messmer is a demigod, but has no Great Rune

Messmer’s relationship (in terms of seniority) to Rellana, Gaius and Radahn

Messmer’s army includes troops that are standard of later eras; Perfumers, Omenkillers, Tree Sentinels, Abductor Virgins and various Carian troops. Which could be over-interpreting game-assets, but eh?

Ritual combat exists in the Land of Shadow

This is to say; Messmer’s Crusade occurs after Godfrey’s exile, but not too far into the Marika-Radagon era.

If revenge was the motive, why wait for the passing of an entire age and the exile of the land's foremost military leader?

5. Messmer’s Crusade is about Purity

Its explicitly stated that Messmer’s Crusade was about purity (see. Crusade Insignia, Queelign and the various ghosts). With regard to the timeline above; the rationale for exterminating the Hornsent is simply the emerging Crucible taboo put into action (see. Crucible Talismans). This also explains why the Hornsent were not attacked during the Godfrey era.

So what changed? Perhaps Radagon returning to Marika created Golden Order Fundamentalism and all its present-day taboos?

In fact, the crusade as a whole seems to be a bloodbath between the Golden Order’s rejects - Messmer the serpent, Gaius the Albinauric and the Crucible worshipping Hornsent.

Couple more points...

Prejudice vs. Albinaurics might be an emerging opinion at this time, Gaius is both second in command but also a subject of mockery.

Messmer and the crusade are such a dishonor in Leyndell that it is later covered up. Again, if the motivation was to avenge Marika, then why such attitudes?

Belurat does not have a standing army. Sure, the tower has guards, but Ritual Dancers had to be repurposed to fight the invaders.

What Im saying here is; rather than being a foreign nation, Belurat was simply a city within Marika’s empire. Purged for practicing the ‘old ways’ (ie. Crucible worship).

6. Messmer’s Curse?

What is the Abyssal Serpent? What is Messmerfire? Other than the general Erdtree taboo, each of the other ‘flames’ have a distinct property (both in gameplay mechanic and lore) - Blackflame can kill divine beings, Frenzied Flame melts anything into primordial elements.

Messmerfire has a unique aesthetic, and that’s it?

7. A Tower to Heaven

Some ideas about the nature of Divine Ascension.

As per SotE; there seems to be an implication that the sky above holds a tangible divine paradise; the ‘Higher Spheres’. Ascension to godhood quite literally involves reaching into heaven via. Divine Gate.

The building of a Divine Gate also seems to merely be the final step in the process, establishing a connection between Higher Spheres and the mortal world.

Enir-Ilim provides a template to how the whole process might have worked. Firstly, the Divine Gate must be positioned to reach the sky – in the case of the Hornsent, a tower was used (though there might be other options). Vast amounts of sacrifices are also needed, potentially related to the earlier point as throughout Enir-Ilim, architecture is blended with bodies (are corpses used to make buildings fly?). Given that the Divine Gate continues to function at present, long after becoming petrified; Id’ argue that the sacrifice was about creating said gate, rather than a repeated ritual necessary for achieving divinity. I think it’s also safe to say that the main reason for making Jar-Saints was to provide said sacrifices.

The main point however, is that this ‘Corpse Architecture + Sky’ template can be found in 2 other instances – Farum Azula and The Eternal Cities.

This is not a comment on timeline, just shared goals in creating divinity. In Farum Azula’s case, it suggests that the city has always been airborne, flying due to the numerous Dragons and Beastmen entombed within the city (as opposed to meteor aftermath). Also note that Maliketh’s room (which holds a depiction of the Elden Ring and a statue of an unknown woman) sits at the top of a vast spiral stair where the lower part has since been lost.

As for the Eternal Cities? They seem to be attempting divine ascension without finger influence (see. Fingerslayer Blade), with the sky and lord both being ‘created’. Recalling the Nox-Numen-Black Knife-Marika connection, the Eternal City version of this ritual might very well be direct response to Marika’s own ascension.

8. Great Chain of Being

Next, I want to talk about the nature of the paradise. Rather, the idea that Paradise, The Crucible and the Primeval Current are elements within a larger system (if not entirely synonymous).

SotE gives a glimpse into the Crucible’s appearance: it’s an outpouring of ‘golden stuff’ (see. Divine Bird Feathers) that can be stabilized into a spiral column that links gods and humans (see. Spira). With this in mind, take note of the form of Elden Stars. Compare with the creation account (both Ymir and Hyetta versions); The Greater Will fractures the One Great, spilling stardust (carrying life and souls) across space.

Sure, this is *very handwavy*, but one can imagine a cosmology where life is carried in stardust (Primeval Current), reaches physical worlds and pours from sky to earth (Crucible current, also Bird Warriors are closest to the Crucible). A chain linking back to the very origin of all things.

As commonly noted, ER is known to homage old ideas with regards to philosophy/science. Consider here the ‘Great Chain of Being’, an idea that classifies things on a descending scale of God>Angel>Human>Animal etc. Under this classification scheme, a chain/ladder motif is used to depict these relationships (see. Spira), but more importantly; Angels are thought of as beings of pure spirit (more on this below).

Usual disclaimer that history is not my expertise.

9. God Incarnates

Given the Divine Gate does not seem to lead anywhere physical, are the Higher Spheres a realm of pure spirit? The Sculpted Keeper custom (incl. Lion Dancers, Bird/Beast Warriors) involves the invoking/possession of mortal beings by spirits from the Higher Spheres. The whole practice of horn cultivation exists to enable this.

Going further back in time, the Rauh society had a practice of carving stones to act as homes for spirits. Rauh also seems associated with Golems, Ruined Forges and Divine Towers (details on this culture are for another time) 

You could argue that invoking divinity is the connection across time between Rauh, the Hornsent and then finally Marika.

The passage of history is: God inhabits a statue (Idols), God can be channeled (Mediums), God walks among man (Messiah).

----

Thanks for reading.

[vampire-wizard-solidarity]

i think the way totk references skyward sword only highlights the problems with totk and gets a little insulting at times.

this is mostly about ganondorf’s demon king form being highly reminiscent of demise. i get that it makes sense, since ganon’s power most likely comes from demise’s curse, so when it’s amplified it visually references that. that’s neat, and not an inherently bad idea, even a good one in some aspects.

however, all it does for me is highlight just how much of a non character ganondorf is. demise is, to an extent, also a non character: he isn’t deep nor extensively fleshed out, but the thing is, not all characters have to be. and him, he works. most of the game is spent with ghirahim, his much more expressive and motivated sidekick. he’s fun, intimidating when he has to be, and balances being silly and being an actual threat well. demise is the kicker, the final punch, when ghirahim spent the entire game building him up, we finally get to see him, he’s intimidating, he’s serious in contrast to ghirahim, he immediately shuts the villain we spent most of the game fighting up, and reduces him to an object to be used to fulfil his own goals. his boss fight is cool, and so is he.

demise is a god of destruction, he doesn’t have a motivation beyond the fact that he is a representation and wields power over evil. and that’s the point. skyward sword’s themes largely center humanity vs inhumanity, link spends a large portion of the game running around fulfilling a plan he doesn’t fully understand, being roped into this ordeal before he even finds out about it, not really comprehending what’s happening or why for a long time. so, it’s only natural the final force he has to face is an equally incomprehensible threat, and he defeats it not because he comprehends it more now, or understands the ancient conflict between gods or any of that. he does it because he wants to protect someone he loves, he does it because he forms a genuine bond with the robotic, originally emotionless guide who was made only for the purpose of aiding him in this godly plan. humanity triumphs over godhood. humanity triumphs over inhumanity.

in totk, however? there really isn’t much difference between ganondorf before and after he becomes the demon king. he has no particular motivation before or after, he is a king who wants to rule over hyrule with evil, and then he becomes a more powerful king who wants to rule over hyrule with evil. he looks more like the god of destruction now, but that signifies nothing other than he is more powerful now. ganon has always been associated with power, and the way power corrupts has always been a fitting theme for him. he could’ve had development throughout the game, and him becoming more like the literal godly representation of evil could’ve signified that development. maybe he was a king with an actual motivation, an actual in story reason to oppose hyrule, we could’ve been shown his human side, what he actually cares for and why he does the things he does, and then we could’ve seen that side of him dissolve as he taps more into his power, becomes more like a being of destruction that destroys simply because that’s what it has power over. him taking visual cues from demise could’ve actually meant something, could’ve been a visual representation of the way his power corrupts him. instead, we get nothing. there was no reason to bring ganondorf back, because he still acts like a motivationless monster, who is evil simply because he is. all talk of this being “his game” was a lie, considering he could easily be replaced by a generically evil monster and nothing would’ve changed.

ultimately, i still wouldn’t have been happy with this story because it would still lean heavily on the orientalist narratives still alive and present in zelda, but this would’ve been at least something. the way it is, the fact that he takes visual cues from demise pisses me off because it highlights just how one dimensional his character is, it makes me feel only cynicism because it makes it clear that ganondorf was only brought back because he’s a popular and iconic character and not because he had any purpose in the story or because the writers had anything interesting to do with him.

[itshype]

My DC x DP Masterpost

Here is my masterpost of works that fall into the category of a crossover of DC comics and Danny Phantom. Mostly, these will be notfics. If any of the links are broken please message me ASAP. Edit: I will not be doing taglists because people are quite frankly abusing the idea.

What's a notfic?

So, this was really common in fandom like 10 years ago but it's less common now so I'm just including this quick explanation in case. Notfic/Not!Fic is the halfway point between an actual fic and a prompt. It mostly sort of has the tone of describing another fic to somebody, or working out an ongoing plot with a friend (e.g. Instead of writing out an entire set of dialogue, a notfic might just put "Jason and Tim discuss why they both want to fake their deaths").

Permissions Housekeeping

I totally don't mind if anyone wants to take all or part of what I've written for any prompt and write an actual fic or create another transformative work as long as I'm appropriately credited. If you're just taking the most oblique inspiration from something I've made I'd appreciate at least a tag so I can read it!

Also if you'd like to tag me in any of your works please do, provided that it's the first if it's in a series and not Jazz/Jason as the main pairing, please.

Works

Kingmaker, Kingbreaker, Crowntaker, Realmshaker

Danny isn't the Ghost King but after defeating Pariah Dark the new king knows Danny has massive political influence.

Navigate any storm, with nothing but the stars to guide you

Danny is obsessed with space so the whole 'superhero' thing is on the backburner.

Please don’t pet me! I am working!

Repeat after me, SERVICE ANIMAL CUJO. (Minor Connor Kent/Danny Fenton)

It's a boy, congratulations... to me!

Danny insists Connor is his clone even though he's really not.

Gaslight, Gatekeep, Girlboss, Godhood

Danny gets caught and tells the JLA that neither he nor Vlad are ghosts.

New type of Vlad just dropped

When a ghost's obsession is destroyed, they get a new one.

Mother of the Year

Talia Al Ghul gets to be a good mother. As a treat.

Amorpho Whomst?

Danny, Dani and Dan trade off on responsibilities.

Halfa? Half a What?

Danny's half human, no one's sure what the other half is.

The second, secret Justice League

There's another Justice League that not even the Justice League is cleared to know about.

Excuse me, do you work here? Danny is sent to represent the first, non-secret Justice League.

Triple Threat

The Champion of All Magic and The King of All Ghosts have a mutual triplet.

Like peas in a pod [person]

Jason is healed of the pit rage but has a whole new problem.

There's a Mr Wight Hood to see you?

Jason adopts Danny instead of being the Red Hood.

The Wight Baby For The Job Sequel to Mr Wight Hood

You Make Miso Scared

Danny's always talking about soup time.

Reverse Bruce

Give baby Jason MORE PARENTS!

Work Experience

Danny has to learn about Ghost culture before he can rule it.

Mansplain Yourself

Constantine probably knows best about ghosts over the Justice League's newest member...

The Opposite of a Golden Ticket

International star Ember McLain is in danger

Haustoria Horror

Undergrowth's got Poison Ivy

Like and Survive!

Danny runs an advice website for young heroes

You're not the Boss of me!

Batman accidentally outs his family to Danny

This is a PSA

Danny's Wail affects the JLA

Floral Fiasco

Poison Ivy errs

How I Met Your Brother

Dan joins the JLA

The Manhunter's Manhunt

There's a miscommunication with the Martian Manhunter

The Green Knight

Jason lives (just this once)

___

The Job

Danny's gotta put food on the table (Also available in DP only version)

Always A King (DC x DP)

The Realms must have a king

Series: The Surprise Obsessions of the Ghostly Batclan (image heavy)

Ghost Bruce HC

Ghost Jason HC

Mini prompts

Danny Phantom vs The IRS ; part 2

Phantom's mistaken identity

Billy and Danny are secret twins

Danny scars the batfam

Superheroes need more therapy

All-caste Jason

Poison Control

[lakesbian]

something something the blurring of the lines btwn taylor's identity and QA's identity, the way taylor has been persistently tormented by seemingly nonsensical amounts of cruelty for vast portions of her life and desperately wants to force the world to make sense according to her perception of what is sensible--i.e to be kind, to band together to solve the bigger issues, to care for each other--even at the cost of people she perceives as perpetuating (or being complicit in perpetuation of) agendas which go against that idealized greater good she's so desperate for + how QA also wants the world to make sense, i.e the entity's ultimate goal (and thus shards' ultimate goals) are to collect enough information about everything to identify knowledgeable solutions for all of the problems and/or unknown factors they could possibly run into during the course of their self-perpetuation. which is to say they both want the world to Make Sense, they both desperately want to bring people in line, they both desperately want to have enough mass-scale control to make everything okay. something something the fact that taylor does genuinely function by repeatedly throwing herself into conflict so that she can focus on material actions to solve a crisis & feel like she's doing enough vs. being forced to confront the cracks in her own psyche during the quiet moment, but as QA becomes more prominent in her identity her phrasing escalates from not just functioning during conflict, but reveling in it--because the shards do revel in it, conflict is how they learn and grow, something they spend every moment seeking to encourage. like. is this anything. i'm just rambling here is this anything. i like how you can see her slipping but the QA takeover isn't like...an undermining of her narrative autonomy per se so much as it is a sort of ascendance as she desperately throws herself into the full extremes of herself & those traits become exaggerated and stretched by a sort of really tragic pseudo-godhood? like taylor feeling like she's losing herself or becoming unrecognizable to herself is a repeated thing, there are many moments where she throws herself so hard into doing what she believes in that she comes out of it bloodied (hers & others) and stands there just...vaguely cognizant of how dissociated she is--this feels like that taken all the way, her being so desperate to achieve her impossible goal of making the world make sense, of making it fair, of toppling the giant that tried to squash her, that she fully loses what makes her Taylor in the process. which, like. is a very taylor thing to do! she's losing herself, and the fact that she's doing so is exactly like herself. really good culmination of exactly what the fuck is wrong w her. i'm literally just Saying Shit i'm just forming loose ideas this is Not a coherent essay or final take but. that's the nature of liveblogs !

[seabugsbaby]

babes!!!!! need help deciding somethin abt my Rotting of the Lamb au. @puppydogwithlargeeyes specifically. (no pressure ofc) but also everyone else!!!!!

explanation under the cut bc this is abt to be a longggg post

(cw: mention of abusive character)

ok so. my original idea for The Rotting of the Lamb was that Lacey would sacrifice her time n safety n comfort to help all the bishops make up and live happy mortal lives. she'd sort of expose them to the good abt mortality and help them thru their emotions w unconditional positive regard. she also helps Camilo almost be at peace.

then one day there's a new realm where the doors to darkwood and such should be. n it's Rin, in the purgatory Camilo put her in. So they do the whole defeat-and-spare thing but Nari is adamant that they need to kill her and she's going to destroy them n Camilo is just so overwhelmed that they dip. Lacey puts Rin in jail to put off the decision until Camilo comes back.

Eventually they do, and they want Lacey's happy dream world to be realized, so they let her try to help Rin. But Rin isn't like the others. Lacey doesn't know how to begin to make her better. n later on she realizes that Rin's been hurting Camilo again and Lacey is actively enabling it by letting her be there. She has a huge fight with Rin where she does an act of divine wrath--sending Rin to a purgatory where she lives out Camilo's old life as her vessel, dying again and again and again. That's what makes her ascend. ofc there's more but that's a summary of the relevant parts.

Here's the problems with that. It feels off to have a second party be the one to 'resolve' the abusive situation between Camilo and Rin. It makes that situation into a plot device. But w Lacey's character, Rin's continued abuse toward her mirror--who she understands more than anyone n the only one who rly understands her--is the only thing that would make her have that act of wrath. Like Rin is a ticking time bomb for Lacey. Everything Lacey hates. And Camilo isn't going to resolve things w Rin themselves--they're going to keep destroying themselves until something gets in the way. Back when they killed her the first time, they hadn't seen what their life could be like. Now seeing Nari and Lacey (and the rehabilitation of the bishops) makes them hold onto hope that Rin will change.

Another problem is that her retaliation isn't rly "rotting of purity," and feels off for the name of the au. It's just retaliation against an abusive party. She does go crazy w it (finally saying she doesn't want Rin there, something she's felt but never said nor acted on, and making her 'disappear') but it still feels off bc she's just putting her feelings ahead of everyone else's for once. That could add to the unfairness of the situation (like godhood doesn't care abt cruelty vs retaliation, u ascend anyway) but idk.

BUT!!!!!!!!!

i thought of a second option. Lacey actually does sacrifice something for Camilo's happy ending. Her powers, or something like that. Maybe she sacrifices her mortalhood. But she gives something huge that she actually doesn't want to give to bring Camilo a "good end" version of Rin(?) Something like that--a good ending for Camilo. Maybe thru the mystic seller. And over time, she gets more and more resentful, but she shoves it down. Eventually she kills Rin for taking her happy ending, and that causes her ascension (if she's not ascending already.) it's still an act of divine wrath and a rotting of purity. N if she's already ascending, it's an act that officially 'rots' her. Slippery slope type deal.

The only issue is that Camilo would still have memories of Rin's abuse n it feels kinda off to resolve that thru adding in "non-abusive version of abuser." N it feels a little like Lacey just suddenly turning evil, instead of a twist of her normal psyche. BUT she would be rotting AND she would have actually sacrificed too much, instead her sacrifice being more of a metaphor.

idk. if anyone's gotten this far, lemme know what u think.

[haze-of-hyperfixations]

i was going to try and write a competent ask but i am very sleepy so i shall just ask instead - do you have any opinions/headcanons about odysseus’ dynamic with athena through the ages? no pressure to answer or anything of course <3

hi!!

i have a few thoughts on them, but they aren't the most coherent thoughts. kinda more vibe-based ramblings? that being said, here they are!

i think they have such a multi-layered aspect to their dynamic. like. she's his mentor, she's his friend, she's a goddess with the power to help him or end him at a moments notice. she's genuinely proud of him when he proves his skill. she's also disappointed and furious when he doesn't meet her expectations. they're both so single-minded in their goals. their bond sours, and they both snap. they both have specific ideas in their heads of who the other is, and a lot of those ideas are oversimplified and originated from both of them kind of projecting onto the other (more on that later). he feels comfortable enough to scream insults at a goddess, and she leaves him without harming him. that's really interesting to me.

"my life has one mission: create the greatest warrior." "(what do you live for?) Penelope." i love characters who are single-minded in their goals. i love when there's conflict between characters like that. i love when there's bitter understanding between characters like that. i love when there's both at once.

i also think their dynamic adds an interesting perspective to the narrative about gods and mortals. because, for a while, they let themselves believe that they understood each other.

and Epic primarily focuses on the blurring lines between man vs monster. but if we throw the gods into the mix as a separate category, we get a triangle where each line blurs at different points in the story. and each point on that triangle has its own tragic aspect to it.

the isolation that is inherent to godhood. the grief that is inherent to humanity. the insatiable hunger that is inherent to monsters.

and Odysseus cannot understand that kind of isolation. and Athena cannot understand that kind of grief. and the reason they both feel betrayed is because they let themselves believe they could both understand. it's their pride, they're warriors of the mind, they don't want to believe that this is beyond their capabilities.

mortal grief vs immortal isolation. "unlike you, every time someone dies, i'm left to deal with the strain." vs "since you claim you're so much wiser, why's your life spent all alone?"

"i am neither man nor mythical" takes on an interesting meaning with this concept. you can try to blur those lines in hopes of avoiding tragedy, and you may succeed, but the end result won't be in your favor. something about getting the worst of both worlds.

and back to the thing about them both projecting onto each other. "have you forgotten to turn off your heart? this is not you." i love the phrasing. because it seems to me that she's characterizing Odysseus in the same way she would characterize a fellow deity. because she knows what he's capable of, she knows he can be great, but she's also simplifying some of his more complex motives. because gods aren't usually as contradictory as mortals are. they have to be at least somewhat representative of their domains. and on Odysseus's side, I think he often found himself…not quite forgetting that she was a goddess, but unconsciously starting to characterize her more similarly to a fellow mortal. and i think neither of them were aware that they, themselves, were doing this, but were aware that the other was doing this. and Athena thought it was interesting and somewhat amusing, and Odysseus thought it was interesting and somewhat flattering, until it suddenly stopped being any of those things and became infuriating for them both during My Goodbye.

and as for their dynamic post-Cyclops saga, i don't have a lot of thoughts yet. i do think the concept of god-monster-man all being categories that can blur into each other is pretty cool for a concept that i just thought of today. i like the idea of Odysseus trying so hard to leave behind his humanity (and therefore the grief and guilt) and become the monster (hungering for home and family and survival) that he ends up alone. just like he had accused Athena of being. "one day you might understand. one day, but not today. for after all, you're just a man." and now he understands. and now he's alone. and he's no longer just a man. and not only does he have a deeper understanding of the monsters, he has a deeper understanding of the gods, of Athena.

idk. i think their dynamic is really interesting and complex, and i'm really looking forward to Athena showing up again, because I feel like I don't have the most solid grasp on her character at the moment.

and also i really like all the concepts of Athena hanging out with Odysseus in owl form. I think that's really neat.

(i hope at least some of that makes sense, i've been typing for so long and my thoughts feel scrambled and incoherent.)

thanks for the ask!! hope you have a great day!! :)

[torchbearing]

#i am once again thinking connor needs to have a chat with kyle about how deification is not inherently bad#it's very western the idea of deification being something to inherently fear and the wrongness of it and all that!#the greek “comparing yourself to god is hubris” vs the eastern “work harder and you'll be god eventually after 10000000 lifetimes or smt”#saying eastern bcos buddhist/daoist/hindu all have this concept and maybe more but i don't know enough#sometimes godhood is a goal to be attained!!!!#i'm not saying he shouldn't be terrified and terrifying BUT the story shouldn't frame it as the only possible interpretation of his power#that's boring!!! i want an exploration of if and how his white-lanternification relates to the stages of ascensions or whatever#and the stages of reincarnation blablabla#it is very kyle to be like nope nope no thanks tho#also damnnnn i need to read this cos the making the entire army feel compassion for the people they were attacking?#this is just a power upgraded version of that time as ion when he literally enforced the no violence allowed i will appear to stop every#single instance of violence so your ONLY solution is diplomacy

@covertblizzard

okay, i should leave that in the tags and all, but i can't! because that would be GENUINELY an interesting conversation between them!

kyle was definitely raised by a very "god-fearing irish catholic mother". maura was catholic enough "she did not let him participate in trick or treat" and while kyle was never really portrayed as overtly catholic / christian himself, it's the sort of upbringing that unless you actively try to disengage itself from, it tends to stick to you and your perception of the holy / godly. "kyle was definitely raised by a very "god fearing irish catholic mother. maura was catholic enough "she did not let him participate in trick or treat" and while kyle was never really portrayed as overtly catholic / christian himself, it's the sort of upbringing that unless you actively try to disengage itself from, it tends to stick to you and your perception of the holy / godly.

green lantern 1990, issue #93

so his guilt about being too powerful and being a god may definitely come from that. if his views on being a deity were a little less tinted by that particular shade of fear, i feel like he'd be able to embrace his multiple ascensions a bit better.

(though, to be fair, they might just want to write him as the old trope of 'person who gives away power because they are aware of its burden' since a lot of his narrative is about the burden of power and choice.)

[nightmarist]

I like the historian on the Hakkon DLC

KENRIC: "When spirits are willing to talk, most historians love the chance of a firsthand report." INQUI: "You're not concerned about the literal existence of an Avvar god?" KENRIC: "Not particularly. If the Jaws of Hakkon once bound their god to a dragon, it's likely just a powerful spirit. (cont.) That isn't to downplay the important cultural significance to the Avvar. But magic does not equate godhood. (cont.) Every Blight comes from the "Old Gods," which are also dagons corrupted by outside influence. (cont.) Sometimes, I wonder if we really know what we mean by gods."

I like this conversation. On one hand it does still have a bit of underlying implication that "The Maker is the Real God & these other gods are not real gods, just spirits, mortals" etc ignorance, but it does bring forward the cultural significance of what "god" even means regarding varied definitions per culture.

The Dwarves don't have "gods" per se, they have the Stone, the stone-sense, and the Paragons as a version of Ancestor veneration or Hero Worship (some, to my knowledge, can be Paragons while alive, but I'd have to replay dwarf origins to remember).

The Elves with their destroyed history elevated their circle of immortal beings to godhood mythologically, and while their understanding of their own pantheon has changed over the eras through colonization, they're still a legitimate "type" of god as their pantheon are ascended beings that even predate humans to the point one of the evolved (though incorrect as we find out) mythologies is that the creation/evolution of humans is what made elves lose their magic and isolate themselves.

The Avvar worship spirits and know they're "spirits" (besides the other primordial gods of the pantheon) but do not let that deter them from venerating these animistic beings and gain their blessing the way "real" gods would, which, if a "spirit" does everything a "real" god does, then that.. makes them a "real" god. Because the definition of a "god" is so vast and nebulous an soupy per cultural ideology.

Humans worshiping "The Maker" enjoy the idea of the untouchable, non-literal entity much the same way the Avvar look at their personification of the Sky and Mountain and Winter.

I like this conversation also because, well, the Maker is supposed to live in the Fade. "The Maker" itself could be "just a powerful spirit" , also not to downplay the significance but it's not a bad thing to be tangible or intangible. It's a real world conversation, also, gods that are tangible (animism, personification, etc) vs intangible are no better nor lesser than each other culturally (despite, you know, ignorance, elitism, colonization, etc).

Not only that but, if the Maker and the Tevinter Imperium and the Elves and Spirits all existed so long ago, Elves even before humans, and the idea that Solas/Dreadwolf is the individual who created the Veil and split the material and ethereal worlds apart to trap the "gods" that could very well include "The Maker"

I know I've been ornery about the way Dragon Age seemingly treats non-chantry (non-christian) religions, but I can 100% forgive characterized ignorance if it does turn out "oh, the Maker is also one of the spirits-turned-god and the idea of what is a god varies culture to culture whether its a powerful, elevated mortal, a powerful (conditional?) immortal, an ethereal entity like a spirit, a spirit taking mortal form, and many others, as they are al part of this ecosystem and thus can each be venerated accurately and appropriately with no real right or wrong answer" or some other interesting twist. DA gods dont have to be "just" spirits or "just" mortals turned immortal etc, they can all be "gods" without downplaying their influence and power and apotheosis.

Sidenote, I wonder if the Avvar would think of someone/thing like Cole to be blessed or apothesized.

I get so excited when it comes to mythology, real world and fictional. They're so much fun, and the conversation, again real world or fictional, can also be fun.

[naluwalker]

Once again he has poisoned me with ideas

Brother, why are you so mean to me? If you know that I don't really have much desire to write, especially not with this fandom.

So, Naruto x Genshin Impact AU, including Zhongli Jiejie x Boy Taru ZhongChi.

So after the whole Tsarista VS Celestia mess and the traveler and they sibling taking off outside of Teyvat, Tartaglia has achieved godhood out of sheer spite and is enjoying an incredible married life with Zhongli (male at this point), where despite having retired from Fatui himself, he dates, travels and fights to his heart's content.

One day he comes up with the wonderful idea of leaving Teyvat in a similar way to the Traveler and going on a second honeymoon with his husband somewhere in the multiverse, and after much effort, he has convinced his husband that his idea is incredible and they should do it.

Many hijinks later, they end up in Naruto's world. Zhongli (at that time Zhongli-jiejie, because I consider him gender fluid) and Tartaglia, or rather Ajax, land in Uzushiogakure where they are received as a kind of divine envoy and stay there for a few decades, and then say goodbye to travel further afield from the Shinobi Continent.

For this reason, unfortunately they cannot help during the fall of the village and the news reaches them almost half a year after the event, that's how far away they were.

Anyway, they both continue traveling until they finally stay in the Snow Country for a while due to Ajax's nostalgia for Snezhnaya. There they meet Minato who is on a diplomatic mission as Hokage and mistakes Ajax for an Uzumaki and extends an invitation to Konoha. Zhongli and Ajax decide to think about it.

Unfortunately while Zhongli and Ajax are traveling to Konoha, the Kyūbi occurs. By the time they arrive, two weeks have passed, Minato and his wife are dead, and the village is in very bad condition. While investigating what happened, Ajax learns everything and also about Naruto's existence and what the villagers think of him. He gets pretty pissed off, because he lived for decades with the Uzumaki and learned the difference between container and content, so he again convinces his spouse that infiltrating the village and taking care of the child of the deceased Hokage and his wife is an incredible idea.

Zhongli, Prime of Adepti, decides to follow his mischievous spouse and begins to modify some memories and falsify papers so that their move took place a little before the Kyūbi and they were already there during the event.

They pose as a somewhat eccentric marriage of a half-Uzumaki and a woman from outside the continent, Zhongli again begins to work in a funeral home as a consultant and Ajax throws himself into the life of a merchant and mercenary.

Anyway, knowing that they couldn't approach Naruto in plain sight due to the Hokage's ban, Zhongli begins to approach Naruto when the orphanage's nannies and the ANBU neglect him (which is often) and he dedicates himself to taking care of him.

Feeding, diaper cleaning, sleep and "maternal" care, Zhongli takes care of everything. Naruto, despite the orphanage's nannies, is a cheerful and well-cared for child. You are not neglected or malnourished and your room is starting to look incredibly stylish. Rumors of a ghost begin, especially when the boy starts saying "Mommy" into the air.

All thanks to Zhongli making everyone "forget" about his existence, even when he is next to a shinobi, to the point that he is invisible to everyone around him. Ajax laughs his butt off on the other side of the village when the Hokage himself visits to see the ghost and ends up mistaking it for Kushina.

By the time Naruto is five years old, and the Hokage gives him his own apartment, he begins to spend less time in it unless it is his allowance day. The rest of the time he spends with Zhongli and Ajax, whom he sees as his parents despite knowing that they are not. The Hokage is unaware of this until years later when Kakashi informs him of this when he accidentally sees it.

The rest of the time it's married shenanigans as they take care of a child and prepare him to be a powerhouse while gleefully mocking the Hokage and his shinobi.

Anyway, the plot of Naruto being cared for by different characters from other worlds is something that has been seen and read in hundreds of other fanfics, but I have never seen one from Genshin, so here we are.

I've been obsessed with Zhongli-jiejie turning off the lights on BoyTaru for a couple of weeks, so we're implementing it here. So in fact, yes it is a ZhongChi, no, I don't want to change it Jedny, don't make me repeat it.

PS: Does anyone want to adopt this? I really don't feel like writing

[useless-donut]

oh my god i played through both endings of astarions companion quest and spoilers below - it's really just an extremely long ramble

btw i just mean the finale of his quest, not the ending after the whole game

BOTH ARE SO DEVASTATING AND IM OBSESSED WITH BOTH OPTIONS

i rly like to play like im rping my tavs personality so that'll influence the end i go with on other playthroughs but woof

i love that larian gave us the one consequence that might make the power of ascension not worth it... fundamentally changing how astarion relates to and treats us. i REALLY thought id be chill with this option bc i love a power hungry man & my tav would die for him, but it hit SO much harder than i thought it would. maybe also because it was 2 am. but like im obsessed with the difference because of course it changes him—the man emotionally devastated by seeing his past victims deciding to condemn them all, and 6,000 other souls, for the allure of power and safety? and then reaching that unlimited power?

on one hand, seeing him lose that mix wariness & fondness & softness & bravado was GUTTING but also its very sweet that despite basically ascending to vampire godhood, he so badly wants to keep you around. even if, at the moment, he is still wrapping his head around his power and doesn't really see you as an equal lover anymore, vs. an item arguably at the top of things he wants

the lines where he stays hes toootally joking about calling you a pet and that you'll be too obedient for him to need to compel you, and his desire to keep you as a thrall & not give you agency... those are the lines that really killed me and sold the idea that our relationship was fundamentally altered. the "i love you... is what you want to hear, isnt it?" is also brutal, but astarions almost verbatim said that before lmao so i dont mind it as much, hes just silly

the break up options were really satisfying tho ngl and i love that theres two routes where you apologize for even bringing it up and you stay together, when in the past he'd act shocked if you ever chose to be with him

this ending also REALLY made me want to write a self insert (tav insert) fix it fic where you dump him for being a condescending asshole and after a long period of time and yk pining and mourning on your part, astarions going to finally decide maybe he does want a lover with agency and have like this nice slow burn of his personality resurfacing through all that power

like the vampire ascendant astarion rly felt like it was just like 900 tons of power smooshed into an astarion skin suit, and i love the idea that he would find his way back to himself eventually (but maybe after losing you... so sad... maybe he will come back and do the worst approximation of begging youve ever seen...)

anyway for the other ending, i mean. if youve gotten there you know what i mean. its lovely and bittersweet bc consequences and i think larian went a little too hard on selling us that this was the "good" outcome. however. i dont actually care because i played through it after the former version and WOW it was like the most relieving thing ever? to see him acting like himself again, and also very sweet to see how he relates to us afterwards. really up in my feels about how much he trusts us and also relied on us in that moment to remind him of his priorities. as he both he and us were perfectly aware he is exactly the type of personality to be absolutely corrupted by absolute power lmao (which is cute of him)

i thought it was also very interesting that in that moment you persuade him, he approves—like even in the heat of the moment, he didnt truly want to forget everything he cared about outside of safety and power. i didnt get an approval notif for him when i helped him go through with it, but it could just be bugged lol. anyway i rly love that that moment shows so clearly how ascending is a decision driven by fear and hunger for power, not by considering what he wants out of life

anyway my unfiltered thoughts:

we know a great deal about astarions wants and fears and desires from his story

- he desires freedom more than anything

- but that's not ALL he desires. it's freedom in abstract, but also freedom to be himself and to have a sense of who he even is in the first place. he know he deeply mourns losing touch with who he was when he was alive

- he fears being controlled by others, but has also never shown desire to control others in return

- he wants real intimacy & partnership and was afraid he couldn't figure out how to do it, how to relate to any of it without being coerced

because of all this, i do think the ascended vampire is more tragic for him. as an individual, he is happier, but as astarion, the person we've been getting to know—his new life doesn't meet his needs any better than the non-ascended version does. he'll talk about being free, but all he wants to do is... subjugate the world? control everyone and everything around him? like since when?

what really stood out to me is this man who LOVED the sun, missed it in the underdark, was amazed by seeing baldurs gate in light, he wants to cover everything in darkness. for his thralls he supposedly cares for (after sacrificing 7,000 of them for this power)

imo he gained a lack of fear and he gained safety, but the other things he wanted he didnt rly get, which i have more thoughts on than i really want to write here

umascended, he is still free, maybe less safe but that safety is in his control now, at least. and he probably could still swing a castle and an eternal lover if he wanted (did he even become a full vampire? i feel like he must have somewhere along the way) ngl.

anyway to sum it up, i love him so much both directions and will follow him around forever like a puppy regardless of what path he takes

[thisfragilesky]

on the idea of godhood and my one giant lore catchall post

spoilers for dragon age, inquisition, and trespasser dlc, etc.

this plays off of a post i read recently (i didn't remember to save it) that referred to a word used in a codex entry that basically corresponds to 'the idea and worship of power/godhood made real', as in the worship of a figure, at sufficient quantities, granting them real power. the post theorized this was how the evanuris went from being mere generals in a war to being worshipped as mage-gods, same for solas and possibly mythal. i believe it also mentioned the idea that the way the 'gods' were worshipped would've affected the gods' demeanor as well, though that becomes more of a chicken vs egg situation.

anyway. here's some thoughts i've been having.

according to solas, 'Falon'Din's vanity and desire for worshipers was so great he started brutal wars to gain more, killing all who would not bow to him.' it's unknown if the other evanuris did similar things, but the general idea is that: gain worshippers to gain power through their worship.

the chantry's goal '...is to spread the Chant of Light to all four corners of the world and to all races... Once all peoples have accepted the Chant and practice its teachings, the Maker will return and restore the world to its former glory.' (emphasis mine, quoted from the wiki)

so.

would the idea of 'worship of power/godhood made real' apply to this as well? that the meaning of the chantry insisting on spreading the chant of light to all of thedas is to mean that once everyone/enough people worship and believe in the maker, he will have power (again) to affect the world, whether the chantry knows this or not?

going down this line of thought leads me to think.. regardless of whether the maker is Real God or a Powerful Mage Worshipped to Godhood, the concept of the Original Sin would line up with a very primeval 'had his children/worshipers turned away from him, thus diminishing his power' that may have happened before the actual original sin.

would the same apply to how the qunari leaders try to spread the teachings of the qun? as far as i can tell, the qun maybe honors the askhaari koslun, but he isn't venerated as a god or as in having powers aside from the tales of his visions and prophecy regarding his teachings. i think. i did a brief skim on the wiki.

in light of it all, this could be an aspect of atheism trying to quell all the powers vying for godhood in the world. don't believe in gods! any of them! you'll give them power! all you need is order and obedience!

in works, in theory.

anyway, the thing that's been on my mind the MOST:

the Forgotten Ones, the void, and the blight. bear with me.

All that the Maker has wrought is in His hand Beloved and precious to Him. Where the Maker has turned His face away, Is a Void in all things; In the world, in the Fade, In the hearts and minds of men.

(emphasis mine, quoted from the wiki as from the canticle of threnodies)

i've read and may or may not subscribe to the theories about the blight originating from the void, from the implication of andruil going hunting in there for the Forgotten Ones and becoming Infected, bringing a plague back to her lands. assuming this story is true, then that is where the initial taint came from that could have affected the primeval thaig in the free marches (it being somewhat close to the forest of arlathan could lend credence to this) before the tevinter magisters ever entered the fade.

according to the wiki, the codex for fen'harel gives us that 'Forgotten Ones are a dark mirror presiding over the worst aspects of existence: disease, terror, spite and malevolence. They serve not as shepherds of the elves, but rather as figures of fear and dread.'

SO. IF:

andruil's plague = blight the plague = came from the void the void = either 'the maker turned his face from it' or 'the maker is not present here' The Forgotten Ones = worst aspects of existence, reside in or were born of the void the evanuris = aspects of the maker? (i THINK morrigan mentions this idea)

the evanuris as the relatively more positive aspects of the maker warring against the forgotten ones, the objectively more negative aspects of the maker, while both try to spread their versions of.. idealogy, i guess?

i say this because i question what the whole point of the blight is. but if the blight comes from the void, and the void is where the forgotten ones are or live or come from, and if the forgotten ones are.. possibly.. negative aspects of the maker... it's less that 'the maker is sending us trials by cleansing fire via the blights' and more 'this splintered part of the maker (the forgotten ones) wants to spread this negative blight to make themselves more powerful'.

the evanuris, though relatively More Positive, also apparently just want to make Themselves more powerful (because ambition can be both good and bad). and maybe initially the war between the evanuris/ancient elvhen and the Forgotten Ones WAS a war against the negative aspects of the maker, to prevent the bad from overtaking the good.

(but perfectly good and perfectly bad are in no way perfection, in and of themselves)

solas says the evanuris were mortal. there's theories that they're spirits, whose identities depend on how they are remembered and worshiped.

i say: who is to say that solas's insistence on their mortality ISN'T just another way to alter their state, to MAKE them mortal just be believing that they are. spirits can alter their reality. and with how cole made himself corporeal, the idea that spirits can just become Real and Physical if they Believe it (or are believed in?) hard enough has implications on, maybe, how some things came to be:

the evanuris: the practice of vallas'lin dedicating (unhappy, ungrateful) slaves to the evanuris affecting their later behavior (madness, vanity, betrayal) the avvar gods: powerful spirits(?) given stewardship over the avvar clans by their reverence and worship. one can even be bound to a dragon, just like how the grey wardens bound demons. just like how you could bind cole, if you wanted. the void: did the maker turn away from those dark parts of himself, whether in fear or shame? did they fester in resentment and give rise to things void of love? the forgotten ones: because every light makes a shadow, whether intended or otherwise. these shadows are black and forgotten, and they want you to know that you are, too. the dragons you fight: were they heroes worshipped to dragon-godhood, like the ancient human tribes of old did? which hero was hakkon made to possess and subvert? which angry soul perverted hakkon's purpose? the old gods: who created them, and for what? (i have ideas.) the titans: did they make the dwarves or did the dwarves make them? (i'm thinking about this) the archdemons: like demons. a spirit's purpose, perverted. the blight: a perversion of life? or the spiritual equivalent of terraforming the world for an incompatible race? the inquisitor: are you who you are or are you what they believe you to be? how do you know? you are, inevitably, a product of society and what it expects from you. the maker: did someone make him, too? what did they expect of him?

...and, you know, maybe i'm a bit crazy to theorycraft in this direction. but you know what?

i wonder if the impression of teyrn loghain on the fade is ultimately that of a traitor or a hero. i suppose that depends on how you, the player, altered his story and what people believed of him, how they remembered him. if he is remembered as both, is he both? can he only be one?

does this make you a spirit? does that make you a Maker?

[toxic-ship-tournament]

ROUND 1 / SIDE B / POLL 2

Esmeralda Poofenplotz x Alice Luoja ( @cantdanceflynn ) vs Pash x Illoma ( @floralprintshirts )

lyrics by The Amazing Devil (Battle Cries)

who makes up your ship?:

Esmeralda Poofenplotz(Canon Phineas and Ferb character(although I draw her differently from canon)) and Alice Luoja(Background character turned Phineas and Ferb oc)

why does your ship deserve to be considered the most toxic?:

THEY BASICALLY STARTED OUT AS TWO DUMBASS TOXIC AF TEENAGERS GOING TO EVIL SCIENCE HIGH SCHOOL TOGETHER AND BEING THE TERRORS OF THE SCHOOL(POOFENPLOTZ BC SHES BIG ON BEAUTY AND WOULD BASICALLY DESTROY EVERYONE'S SELF ESTEEM AND ALICE BC. SHES WILLING TO KILL ANYONE WHO RLY FUCKS W HER), AND WHILE THEY ORIGINALLY HAD A RIVALRY IT GOT A LIL TOO HOMOEROTIC VERY QUICKLY AND THEY DON'T RLY KNOW HOW BUT THEY ENDED UP DATING. THEY ENDED UP, SURPRISE SURPRISE, RUINING EACH OTHER EVEN FURTHER THEN THE TWO OF THEM WERE ALREADY TRAUMATIZED!!!! A TYPICAL INTERACTION BETWEEN EM PRETTY MUCH WENT ALONG THE LINES OF POOFENPLOTZ POKING FUN AT SOMETHING ABOUT ALICES BODY OR PERSONALITY SHE KNEW WOULD TICK ALICE OFF("YOU KNOW, I'M NOT SAYING YOU NEED TO LOSE WEIGHT, BUT THROWING UP YOUR LUNCH LATER COULDN'T HURT"), ALICE GETTING PISSED OFF AND PULLING A KNIFE ON HER("YOU KNOW, MAYBE THIS TIME I'LL CHOP OFF YOUR TONGUE, STOP THAT HORRIBLE NOISE YOU CALL A VOICE"), AND THEN SOMETHING WOULD HAPPEN OR ONE OF THEM WOULD FUMBLE OR FLIRT AND THEY'D JUST GO BACK TO NORMAL BANTER AND TERRORIZING PEOPLE. THEY DID CARE ABOUT EACH OTHER, AND WHATEVER THEY WERE EXPERIENCING CERTAINLY FIT SOMEWHERE WITHIN THE STRANGE AND NEBULOUS RANGE OF ROMANTIC LOVE, LIKE THEY DEFINITELY LIKED EACH OTHER, THEY WERE JUST TOXIC AS SHIT AND HAVING THEIR BEHAVIORS EXPANDED UPON OR REINFORCED BY THEIR ENVIRONMENT. EVENTUALLY ALICES OBSESSION W GODHOOD AND HER IDEA OF PERFECTION (ONE THAT HAD ALWAYS BEEN THERE, EVEN IF POOFENPLOTZ MADE IT MORE PHYSICAL) ENDED UP DRIVING THE TWO APART, WITH HOW HORRIBLE ALICES DECLINE WAS, AND POOFENPLOTZ ENDED UP BASICALLY LEAVING AND IGNORING HER AS A DESPERATE ATTEMPT TO SNAP HER OUT OF HER DECLINE BUT ONLY PULLED HER FURTHER IN. AS IT STANDS NOW IN THE PRESENT, THEIR RELATIONSHIP IS A COMPLICATED SPIRAL OF "POOFENPLOTZ ACTUALLY HEALED AND REALIZED HOW AWFUL SHE WAS BEING AND WHILE SHE STILL HAD A DEGREE IN EVIL SCIENCE SHE HAD TO USE SO SHE MIGHT AS WELL GET A JOB DOING THAT, SHES ALSO RLY TRYING TO FIGURE OUT EVERYTHING W THE CAST AND HELP THEM, ESPECIALLY MILLIE AND PINKY, WHILE ALSO DEALING W " WHOOPS YOUR EX IS BACK IN TOWN AND SHES NOW BEEN RESPONSIBLE FOR MORE DEATHS THEN MOST FULL ON TERRORISM COMBINED, BUT SHE IS ALSO STILL KINDA HOT SO *NONCOMMITTAL HAND GESTURE*, YA KNOW?", MEANWHILE ALICE IS "OH RIGHT. SHE QUALIFIES FOR LOVEMUFFIN TOO. IM ALLOWED TO DENY ON HER ON TERMS OF HER BEING MY EX, RIGHT? BUT ALSO IM STILL GONNA INVITE HER TO OUR MEETINGS AND ALSO OFFER TO LET HER " LEAD" THE CULT IVE MADE THAT CONSISTS BASICALLY JUST OF MY VERY ABUSED OWN SON AND A VERY ABUSED TEENAGER WITH ME BC IF I CAN CHANGE HER MIND I CAN CHANGE ANYONES!"

ship tags/playlists/pinterest boards?:

Esmeralice, https://m.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLnP0Xop8gS5VdFNCP4Uetvq2pM5A9NZTe <- BAD PLAYLIST BY MY STANDARDS OF USUALLY A HUNDRED SONGS AT LEAST BUT ITLL DO FOR NOW

****

who makes up your ship?:

My ocs Pash and Illoma!!

why does your ship deserve to be considered the most toxic?:

OKAY SO theyre blorbos from a book a plan to write and basically the premise is that the main character, Illoma, is tasked with assassinating Pash. Theyre both from different families that have control over dragons and are both dragon riders in their own right. Illoma is from the 2nd most powerful house right after the royal family, which Pash is a part of. Their empire is ruled by an immortal god-king who has had many children over the course of his long life. Pash is one of his many descendants, but highest in the line of succession after her father (which is meaningless since the king is immortal). Basically, Illoma's mother believes that Pash's parents are going to try to find a way to kill their emperor and put her on the throne. This would be a terrible outcome for everyone because Pash is a hedonistic party girl who seems to have no regard for her own life or the lives of other people. She shows up to important meetings drunk/high, has a reputation for sleeping around with women, and is overall just an undisciplined mess. Illoma is a dutiful daughter who follows the rules of society, so when her mother tells her that she needs to kill Pash for the good of the empire, Illoma does what she says. It’s easy to emotionally disconnect herself from the action at first because Illoma doesn’t know Pash at all and doesn’t particularly like her. So she tries to poison Pash. When it fails the first time, she tries again, and again, and again. None of the poisons she’s been given are working. So Illoma is left with no choice but to get closer to Pash so she can try to kill her more effectively. The twist ends up being that Pash is basically a hommuculus created for the sole purpose of dying in some blood ritual that will kill the immortal god-king. She has a year left before this happens, but until then, he body has the regenerative properties of Wolverine. So with what little time she has left, she’s decided to keep herself entertained by fucking with Illoma. At one point, she makes a toast in Illoma’s honor to praise her tenacity and drinks the goblet Illoma poisoned while making direct eye contact with her. It only gets worse from there. As they grow closer, Illoma finds that she has more and more trouble keeping her gay thoughts in check. She is a super repressed lesbian and Pash is a very much not repressed lesbian. Illoma resents Pash quite a bit for being able to break all the rules without any consequences but genuinely has fun when they go out on excursions together. Lots of projection on Illoma’s part and gaslighting on Pash’s (“haha what do you mean you stabbed me last night, Im sitting right here at breakfast!”) Halfway through the story they start boning. Illoma is still actively trying to figure out a way to kill Pash and Pash is both aware of this and aroused by some of her more intimate attempts. They have an actual connection and like each other as people, but they have opposing goals and lots of underlying animosity to work out. In the meantime, they’ll be making out about it.

ship tags/playlists/pinterest boards?:

I use the tag "dragon horse girl story" on my sideblog to vaguepost about them!! :D

[taffingspy]

AU summaries woo

Betrayal AU - there are no voices, only sliske. tldr it's a "what if" of if sliske had been there all along as a curse on the WG's soul. Main themes are of agency and what it means to be treated as a pawn.

Sparked from a conversation I had with a friend back when city of senntisten released: that being, the only individual the player could thoroughly trust during the EGWD saga were the voices, due to the fact that they were the only logical thing with the WG's interests in mind. So, in betrayal AU, Florin is put in a position where the only being he could logically trust is Sliske.

Sliske, of course, manipulates the heck out him. The title comes from his repeated point that the people around Florin only see him as an asset and a tool, and will betray him at the drop of a hat. Sliske isn't even wrong.

The enchantment still exists. It requires both Florin and Sliske for it to funcionally work, hence why sliske is there. It also requires both of their souls to work properly -- they must sacrifice themselves to create the edicts.

Florin (and basically everyone, including the other guardians of guthix) is left in the dark about the sacrifice until the final moments, where in sliske (who had figured it out) reveals that point. "soul" is used as a loose term here since sliske doesn't have one, but anima is anima and it might as well be him.

Sliske intended to sacrifice Florin's soul, and Florin is heartbroken, having not fully come to realise Sliske's manipulation of him. He begged for one last kiss, which Sliske, amused, obliged, but Florin split their souls while he's distracted and sacrifices him - regardless of feelings, Florin refused to be Guthix's pawn in these final moments

I had a few other alternative ideas that don't fit Florin but might as well leave here anyway

Romantic end - Sliske intended to sacrifice the WG's soul and steal their body, but had a change of heart last moment, and splits their souls to sacrifice only his own.

Fight end - There's no positive feelings. Sliske wants to steal the WG's place, and the WG fights back, splitting their souls and sacrificing him.

Either way, thematically it's just really nice if sliske ends the WG era as he started it so. The edicts are rebuilt, but in a highly unstable state. Gods can remain on gielinor, but only in a depowered state, very similar to the maze in sliske's endgame. most of the gods leave for various personal reasons (mostly associated with power), except azzanadra because i realised part way through thinking about this that he is a pain in my ass and won't accept godhood if it slapped him in the face.

Generally speaking, I don't include moia or adrasteia much in this either. The themes of family greatly overshadowed the themes of agency, to the point of it being kinda hamfisted, but that's a personal point

---

Soulsplit AU - Aka, the logical progression of a faulty edict ritual. soul literally torn apart at the end of betrayal, it leaves an open soul-wound that perpetually leaks. The main premise is "if you've fought everything, all that's left to fight is yourself", and tackling irrelevancy and what it means to protect the world (people) vs the world (planet).

After the EGW, the planet's anima remains unstable, with successive natural disasters such as famines, droughts, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, etc.

As Florin's soul is draining, all that's left in his body is remnants of the enchantment, creating a being called Guardian. Guardian's sole perogative is to care for the planet.

Icthlarin could track Florin's soul, but since gielinor is a god poison, he would just revert to being a regular dog again, and that's something he would best avoid, since as a dog he might not be conscious enough to remember to go back to the underworld after a while. (you could probably have a storyline that's exactly that premise too in this universe)

Instead, Death is forced to track, while icthlarin is forced to handle the dead alone. this gap in skill between them means souls are left on gielinor a little longer than they usually would, and the Guardian is free to mess with them.

Guardian intends to use souls to calm the anima of the planet, even if it means destroying them in the process.

tldr death, icthlarin, and Florin's adventurelings (Meg, Phillipe, and Violet) gather up Floein's soul pieces and reunite him with his body to calm the leftover guardian in his soul.

plenty of soul magic themes. Florin takes up necromancy at the end to learn more and hopefully make up for what guardian did.

---

To make a god AU (aka tag team) - aka azzanadra won't leave and it's a fucking nuisance. No really that's the premise of the au. Other gods will leave, sure, whether for power or because they believe they can protect their people as gods, but azzanadra just. wouldn't. i really can't rationalise why he would, given godhood isnt something he cares for and he'd rather focus his worship on zaros.

so florin tries bringing back someone who might help azzandra see sense, except said someone is still very bitter about the whole death thing.

plenty of themes of grieving, whether past friendships, over who one has become, or navigating grief of someone who was ultimately bad for you.

tag team is more just a bit of fun for myself. it has a loose story for now, and maybe i'll work it out more, but hey ho

[melesmee]

yk while we're talking about cody and juvie's relationships with losers. CAN YOU IMAGINE HOW JUVIE FELT AFTER THE END OF EPISODE 20.

like yeah. mini had been lying and manipulating cody since grd but. imagine being juvie. you've just found out that mini has been here the entire time. ofc you have to get over the shock of "holy shit mini has been here the entire time" but that eventually makes way for "okay, maybe things can go back to the way they were before". even more so now that gma is mostly out of the picture.

and then CODY finds out and just completely loses it. like, just completely drops the whole average thing that he's been unshakably commited to for weeks now and suddenly everything is the same as it was before. do you any idea how pissed juvie probably is. like, they're probably not gonna be able to think too hard about it considering there's more urgent cody-related problems at hand but.

(also sidenote, mini getting an entire episode dedicated to confronting and accepting her past and then almost immediately having all her fears realized is so fucked up)

RIGHT ITS CRRAAZZZYYY

like. haircuts are so symbolic in general. and juvie has more symbolism tied to it bcs MINI gave them the hair tie!!! they grew their hair out specifically to honor mini’s memory !! but like. now mini’s back. and they’re…..moving on, i guess? not from loving mini necessarily, but…..it’s been years. they’ve both grown and changed as people. juvie losing their hair (and more importantly, the hair tie) symbolizes kind of like. a new beginning for the two of them. juvie’s done mourning !! they’re ready to get to know the person mini’s become :)

vs cody!! his initial reaction is ‘omg mini’s alive’ and the relief. all the guilt and self torture he’s put himself through for years lifts a little because mini’s alive!!!! she’s not dead and it’s not his fault!!! and the hypothetical scene that plays as codys reaction is like. they both could’ve done things better. they both could’ve avoided hurting each other, but they didn’t. mini left and cody basically let her. and this is where they are now. they’re…..different people. cody’s gotten better through his relationship with pb. he has a better understanding of being a loser, and he’s opened up to someone about his trauma for. probably the first time ever.

meanwhile, mini has been so obsessed with clinging to the past and recreating her childhood, but without the things she didn’t like. she wanted juvie, cody and herself to hang out in chill haven forever, with no status difference or overbearing grandma to ruin it!! she’s obsessed with things staying exactly as they were back then. she doesn’t really account for juvie and cody growing up, and she doesn’t really even realize how much SHE has changed, either.

and that’s when the rejection hits!!! cody’s changed!! he doesn’t want godhood, he’s not sure if he ever really did!! and after EVERYTHING mini put him through- everything she’s put pb through? pb’s not even a part of this! mini dragged in some random loser to be part of her selfish scheme, and the heartbreak they both suffered was HER fault!! she was gonna send pb to the void after all this! isn’t that fucked up? he’s literally a tool to her, to make her idealized world!! so cody snaps!!! he shows that hey! people CAN change! i might have failed you all those years ago, but i will NOT fail pb. i won’t lose him like i lost you.

and i think juvie understands that. i don’t really think they’d be mad at cody for being so angry, as much as they love mini. i mean, this is what they’ve been trying to get him to do for weeks now, man. stand up for something. take some GODDAMN control of his life. of course they’d be concerned for mini, because she’s not being malicious, but like….how could they be mad at cody? he finally did it.

idk. basically it’s what delusional sorikus want kingdom hearts to be (im delusional sorikus :3)